Author's Notes: So due to a lack of Jiang Wei x OC stories on this website I decided to start one. (He's not even my favorite character so please know I am completely unbiased in writing this.) It's been a long while since this has been worked on, but I'm here today doing revisions. I still have my original outline for when I began this work so I still know where I was going with the plot. I have been absent for a long time, but due to having a lot of free time on my hands now, I can start editing and reworking certain aspects of this story. I hope you enjoy.
Introduction:
Unrequited love is one of the saddest things one can experience. The legend I am about to recount tells of a young woman that continues to fight, despite all circumstances, for both her kingdom and the man she loves.
Prologue:
Tianshui—Liang Province—227 AD.
This particular story begins on a snowy battlefield. The ground is littered with the bodies of soldiers hailing from both Wei and Shu. The Wei governor, Ma Zun, appears satisfied with his army's victory and has just begun to address his troops.
"Men!" he stated loudly. "You all have done well in defending the land of Tianshui! General Jiang Wei. I expect your presence in the throne room within the hour. The rest of you are dismissed."
General Jiang Wei heard the troops surrounding him break out into murmurs about betrayal and he inhaled deeply, trying to ignore them. A hand softly fell onto his shoulder from behind. He turned around to see a rather plain-looking girl offering him a comforting smile.
"Would you like me to accompany you, Boyue?" she asked softly.
"No Xueling," Jiang Wei offered a reassuring smile in return. "I can handle myself."
Zhang Xueling frowned in response and watched the young advisor turn and mount his horse. She longed to go with him, to be there for him, but Jiang Wei was already on his way to meet the governor and he was not looking back.
The next morning Xueling was woken up abruptly by a rather loud knocking sound on the other side of her bedchamber doors. She groaned a little and threw the blankets off of her before stepping out of bed and over to the door. When she opened the door a smile crossed her face. Standing elegantly in the doorway was none other than the beautiful Zhang He.
"And what do I owe the pleasure of your company this fine morning, cousin?" Xueling asked, sliding aside to allow the man into her room.
"Morning? Dearest cousin the sun is high in the sky! Morning was long ago."
"I have slept too long once again?" Xueling uttered another groan and fell backwards onto her bed. "When did you arrive? Should you not be at the capital with Lord Cao Pi?"
"I arrived this morning. I asked Lord Cao to send me for the reports of the battle so I could grace you with my presence."
Xueling chuckled a little at her cousin's over-dramatic behavior and sat up on her bed. Zhang He continued his spill.
"So since you have slept for far too long, I suppose you have not heard the latest news that has sent the castle into quite a disastrous state."
"What's going on Junyi?" Her face appeared worried. She had a bad feeling about this.
"Your dearest Jiang Wei has been forced out of Tianshui."
"What?" Xueling asked in a distressed tone. "W-Where has he gone?"
"He was patrolling outside of the gates last night and Governor Ma ordered the troops to shut him out. So many rumors of his defection were circulating around the encampment during the battle yesterday. Everyone believes he has defected to Shu to serve Zhuge Liang." Zhang He was worse about gossip than the servants were.
Xueling jumped up from her bed and began gathering her things. Zhang He stepped over and sat on his cousin's bed, resting his chin in one of his hands.
"Oh how beautiful love is!" He exclaimed in a loud voice. "But in your case, I suppose it is rather tragic."
"Hold your tongue, Junyi. You know as well as I do he will never return my feelings," Xueling retorted. "I have given up on him." She gathered her prized sword and placed it carefully on top of the bag of clothes she had just placed by the door.
"Then why are you going to retrieve him?"
"I'm not," the plain girl stated simply. "Boyue has made his decision and it would be a waste of time and energy to convince him to stay here...Instead I am going to join him."
Zhang He's eyes widened in surprise, but he remained silent.
"But…I need your help. When you have your audience with Governor Ma, tell him Lord Cao Pi requests my presence at the capital."
"Will the governor not question the validity of my statement?"
Xueling raised an eyebrow and laughed sarcastically. "Yes! He will indeed. Such a fine and honorable man like Ma Zun will surely question the emperor, a man which he fears." She paused, going over her plan in her head over and over.
"If not having known you my whole life, then I would swear you were not my cousin, but Lord Sima Yi's…How do you plan to leave this land?"
"That is the simple part. You are my escort back. I leave when you do."
"And once in Shu, how do you plan to join their ranks?"
Xueling sighed and sat beside Zhang He on the bed. "That part is a little more difficult, but I suppose I will beg at the feet of their Lord Liu Bei. I hear he is somewhat of a fool for virtue and all those other things Lord Cao doesn't give a damn about. Also I am almost positive once Boyue hears of my arrival he will put in a good word for me. I am not weak."
"But you are a woman. That should make things even harder for you."
"Being a woman means less and less throughout this chaos, cousin. Besides, has Zhuge Liang's wife not been beside her husband on the battlefield? You know there are rumors of Zhang Fei's daughter as well as a few other women fighting for Shu."
Zhang He frowned as he looked at the girl beside him. "And what of me?" he asked her.
"Junyi, please. You must help me. I..." Xueling's voice broke. She gave her favorite cousin a sad smile and pulled him into an embrace. "You are needed at the capital more and more as of late, therefore I only see you during times such as these. Boyue is my...friend. I wish to continue fighting by his side."
"And not by the side of your own family?" Zhang He questioned.
"Please cousin, I beg of you to not make this any more difficult than it is. You have defected from an army before as well, or do you forget?" Xueling's voice shook as she spoke.
The elegant general pulled away and dried his younger cousin's tears. "Yes and it was something I will never regret. I also recall you crying the day I left. You were so young then. It was a good thing that your father was needed here in Tianshui or we may have never seen one another again. And now you will leave? Leave them? Leave me?" He spoke the truth. Xueling had been much younger when her father was called to Tianshui from their home in Ji Province. She had spent many years here now and once she did leave Tianshui she would become an enemy of Wei. That is, if Zhang He would be willing to assist her.
Zhang He was truly upset by Xueling's decision. She and her family were all he really had in this kingdom and he had always been closest to her. Which is why he could not bear to see her in such a state. Gently he gripped Xueling's face between his hands and examined her carefully. "You have always been rather plain, you know." Xueling scowled. "And it is even worse when you make faces such as those, but your heart Zhang Xueling is the most beautiful thing I believe to be in existence."
The corners of Xueling's mouth twitched up into a smile. "Even more beautiful than you, cousin?"
"Let us not get carried away now."
Zhang He stood and strode over to the door. "I will not be pleased when forced to face you on the battlefield, but your defection is one of the heart, something that is filled with great beauty. I cannot bring myself to deny you this wish. Make sure you have all of your necessities. We are leaving just after dinner. I however, must sadly depart for now. Business calls!"
"Thank you Junyi. I cannot fathom how I will ever repay you for this." Xueling whispered as she stood up and began gathering a few more items. Her cousin was risking his life and position in the army for this request.
Zhang He cleared his throat as he stood in the open doorway causing Xueling to look at him once more.
"You know, dearest cousin, the only foolish thing to do when you are in love is to deny how you truly feel."
"Then may you call me a fool."
Revised: December 29th 2013 ; January 2nd 2014