Promise by the Peach Tree

Chapter 1

To Forgive and Forget


Long ago, I lived a humble life with my mother and my father. I know my father's history, he was a direct descendant of Han royalty as well as a volunteer soldier, trying to make a name for himself. People described him as benevolent, a man of emotion, going out of his own way to help those who were in need.

I was barely born around those times when he began to make a name for himself. And though he was always off to war, I can at the very least remember that I held a strong and special bond with him…

I can remember small memories within a peach garden… My small hands in his large ones… They say my first word, "Baba", was spoken there to get his attention when my first steps took place. Whenever I was troubled, my father knew where to find me, and there, he would sooth and comfort me.

I loved my father dearly until…

Until…

The cries of war roared loudly outside the walls that a woman and her two children took shelter in. The young girl, perhaps about five or six years old, trembled as she held onto her mother.

"Mama," she quietly cried as she was shh'ed. The infant within her arms cried lightly, due to the chaotic disturbances from outside, as she tried to calm him down. Together, both mother and daughter trembled in fear as a shadow cast over the entrance of their shelter. And when bright light had hit them…

"My Lady!" They looked up to the young warrior as he pulled them out, "Let us go!"

He pulled the crying infant from the worn out mother and tied him to his chest. She grabbed her daughter's hand and ran with their savior who came to lead them to safety. Wei soldiers appeared from no where but was easily taken down.

The group continued to run until the woman lost her grip on her daughter and tripped over a stone.

"Mama!" The young girl cried, trying to pull her mother back up as she winced and held onto her ankle. "Hurry! Get up!" Tears streamed down her dirty face as the warrior turned to see what had happened. Enemy soldiers quickly began to approach, but the mother and daughter were defended. "Mama! Get up! Hurry before more of them come!"

"My Lady, are you alright?" He came to assist her but she waved him off.

"I am fine…" She shut her eyes tightly in pain. Not from her fall, but from what she was about to do. Trying to contain her tears, she grabbed her crying daughter and slightly shook her. "Qin! Listen to me!" She lightly slapped her daughter to snap her out of her fears. "Xiao Qin, I cannot go any further. I'll only hinder the safety of you and your brother. You must promise me, Qin, that no matter what, you'll always take care of A'dou!"

The little girl only cried and shook her head, "No, Mama! I won't go without you!" Her face was sticky and it was obvious that dirt and dust decided to stick on her baby features. From her small nose, boogers began to run.

"Xiao Qin!"

Little Qin only cried and refused to accept her mother's wishes.

Seeing this, the mother of the two crying children shook her head and looked up to their savior. "Please," she pleaded, "take them…" Her daughter cried and screamed, protesting as she held onto her mother's tattered robes tightly. "Tell your lord…that these two children are important to me."

He stared at her, hesitant, but nodded, pulling the crying girl away from her mother. He grabbed some near by rope and tied the girl to his back securely before running off without a second glance. For how could he? He had two helpless children tied to him, and the older would be old enough to remember this tragedy and bloodshed. Little Qin cried and screamed, reaching out to her mother as their distance grew further and further. No matter what she did, the ropes that attached her to the man would not loosen. Lady Gan only watched and stared, biting her lip before turning away to cry. The young girl on his back shouted and scream for her mother to run as she saw Wei soldiers quickly approaching. They surrounded her and screams and cries could be heard, echoing in her ears. She shouted, never to see her mother again.

As the young warrior fought his way through, defending the young children of his lord, he had eventually lead them to safety, untying his Lord's children from him and handing them over to two large men. "I trust that they are in good hands."

"Of course," said the one with the long beard.

"The children of our sworn brother are like our children!" exclaimed the other as he held onto the sleeping girl, fixing her on his horse.

"Take care then."

"Are you not coming?"

"I will hold them off before I catch up."

"Be careful then."

"May the gods be with you."

The young warrior turned to the foot soldiers and stood, ready before charging as the children rode off in the safety of their uncles' arms. The bridge between them lighting on fire.

"Yunchang, take Xiao Qin with you, I'm going to hold them off too." Their horses slowed down and the strong man lifted the young girl over to his sworn brother.

"Yide, be sure to watch your back."

"What do you mean 'watch my back', I'm already watching yours! Just go!" The long bearded man nodded and rode off while the other one pulled out his weapon, charging back at the approaching cavalry.


"So Zilong has not yet returned…"

It was a new day, a recently established warlord paced about in the early sunlight as his people gathered. Men were rallied. Their lord held a quiet infant in his arms, his son.

And the next thing he did would shock them.

I stood and I watched as my very own father threw my little brother onto the ground. Shocked, just as everyone else was, I could hear my heart pulsing slowly before his cries reached my ears.

"My officers hold greater importance to me than my own children."

And at that moment, it felt as though something within me snapped and I shrieked from the top of my lungs, scaring and shocking everyone present as maids and servants did their best to calm me down. I pushed through them and ran towards my father, pushing him away from A'dou and shouted at him, "You will BURN!" I stared at him with wide eyes, barely breathing as my body shook, my fingers trembled before I screeched in front of all of his generals, pulling and messing up my neatly put hair. I stopped and stood there, all was quiet, I breathed in and out…slowly… Is this what it felt like to die?

Along with my baby brother's cries, in my mind, I can hear my mother's shrieking echoing through my head as well. My fingers began to clench in my hair as I bit my lip…

"This child…!" My father held his hand up to retaliate but noticed that I was already in tears, picking up A'dou, staring at my father with a look in between glaring and crying before running off.


The sun began to set, for some reason, I always seem to find a peach garden somewhere, wherever I went. I sat on my bottom with my knees to my chest at the bottom of a tall peach tree, watching A'dou as he gummed and sucked on a peach that I had picked for him. I had already stopped crying long ago, but I still held troubled thoughts.

During the Battle of Changban, my father abandoned me and my family in order to flee. I saw lots of dead bodies and blood everywhere. I felt haunted… Not only did I lose my two half sisters, I lost my mother as well. My father was the one who abandoned us, the one who left us to die, and not only that, he threw my precious brother onto the ground and clearly stated from his very own lips, that our importance could not compare to his officers.

My very own father doesn't love us at all…

Those words, they say it all…

It was then that I promised my mother that no matter what, I will always take care of and protect A'dou, especially from my father…

The peach slipped from A'dou's hands and rolled away. He fell onto his stomach, cooling, and crawled after it. "Baba!" I heard him call out as a tall shadow cast over us. I looked up and immediately, as quickly as I possibly could, got up and grabbed A'dou, trying to make a run for it, even if it was obvious that I could never outrun my father with my short legs.

And I didn't…

My father had already caught my arm and got on his knee, pulling me into an embrace. A'dou teeter tottered over and fell, hitting his face on my father's armor and cried before being picked up by him.

"Xiao Qin, I am truly sorry for what I've done. I was blinded by rage, can you find it in her heart to forgive me?"

I stood there in his embrace with a straight face, I told myself not to cry, but I couldn't control my emotions. I wept onto his shoulder guard as he patted my back softly. And because I was sobbing uncontrollably, A'dou began to cry too. Our father laughed as he picked us both up and carried us to what we'd call home for a while.

That night, we all slept in the same bed, just like it used to be with just my father, my mother, and me and A'dou. Only…my mother was no longer in the picture…

I couldn't sleep that night, I stayed awake in the comfort of my father's arms, while fearing him at the same time.

Dead bodies haunted my dreams and there was bloodshed everywhere. My father left us to die and he threw A'dou off from a cliff. Those visions wouldn't leave me alone and so that night, I stayed up the whole night, stared at the ceiling with tears running down my face quietly…

While fearing him…I don't think I can ever forgive my father…

I will never forgive him...


"A'dou! Take smaller bites!" I gritted my teeth as my brows furrowed. I patted A'dou's back, frowning at his idiocy of eating too quickly.

A'dou coughed and swallowed down dumplings, drinking tea, before replying, "I can't! Qin Jie Jie cooked a lot of dumplings that if I don't digest as many as I can now, I won't have any more space available in my stomach for the rest!"

"A'dou!"

It's been about ten years…since the battle of Changban…

"Qin Jie Jie, I'll eat them!" Guan Suo appeared and joined us at the table within the peach garden with his older siblings as well as Bao Sanniang and Zhang Bao and his younger sisters, Xing Cai and Zhang Li. "Qin Jie Jie, xie xie~!"

"Uwaah! Dumplings, so many!" Xiao Sanniang exclaimed. "Qin Jie Jie's dumplings are always the best! Xiao Shan is so lucky to have an older sister like Qin Jie Jie!"

"Ah, it doesn't even taste that good, I only tried my best." I smiled at my younger cousins, all about A'dou's age except for Ping and Xing who were a little older than I was or just as old. Ping sat right beside me and that was just fine with me. Because we were the oldest, we would always confide in one another.

Xing Cai giggled quietly, "Qin Jie Jie is as modest as ever."

Guan Ping laughed, "Only when she wants to be!" Everyone laughed except for me, frowning at Ping.

"Hey! Just be quiet and eat your dumplings!" Since we all grew up together, we were really like family.

I turned my head away from the group and noticed someone. "Ah, Lord Zhao Yun, you've returned. Lord Liu Bei's been hoping to see you."

"Ah, thank you." I watched as an eunuch led a familiar officer into the domain. I frowned at the older man when we made eye contact and he smiled at me. I only rolled my eyes and turned to join my brothers and sisters again.

After Chang Ban, Officer Zhao Yun returned at some point, safe and sound. Though I am thankful that he saved my life… I couldn't help but feel ill hearted at him. After all, I would have rather died than to leave my mother's side. And it was because of him that my brother suffered a punishment he committed no crime for. It's all because of him.

Even if he did save my brother's life…twice…

"Ah, Lady Liu, your father wishes to meet with you as well."

I frowned and turned to the eunuch, "Now…?" I looked up at Zhao Yun as he kindly smiled down at me. The years have been kind to him. He still looked as young as he did ten years ago, but much more mature…and manly.

"Now, Lady Liu."

I sighed and slowly got up, following Lord Zhao Yun and the eunuch quietly as my brothers and sisters began making comments.

"Ooh~! Looks like Uncle Bei is going to marry off Xiao Qin to Lord Zhao Yun~! Considering they're both being called in at the same time, this hasn't happened before!"

"Qin Jie Jie and Lord Zhao Yun, sitting in a tree…" I glared at the back of Zhao Yun as Sanniang sung. "…I-N-G~!"

"Ah! But I want to be the one who marries Qin Jie Jie! Ack! Ow! What was that for?"

"You don't want to marry me?!"

"You can be my concubine! :D Ow!"

"Now you deserved that one," A'dou chuckled quietly.

"Xiao Shan!"

"Well, either way, we all know Ping Ge Ge is the one who really wants to marry Xiao Qin."

"What! No way! Xiao Qin is like you guys! She's like a little sister to me! I can't imagine living a life with her! Imagine who would be in control!"

"What!? Xiao Shan, Brother Ping thinks of us as sisters to him…it must be because you and I are just as pretty as Xiao Sanniang, Yinping Jie Jie, Xiao Cai, and Xiao Li…"

"What?!"

"No! That's not what I meant!"

"Either way, if you were married to Qin, considering her personality, you'd be whipped, Brother!" Xiao Suo laughed from afar at Xing Ge Ge's comment as I glared even more at the back of the general in front of me… Even if it was the truth, or possibly the truth, it still hurts.

Either way, there was no possible way Father would marry me off to a man who is more than twice as old as I am, let alone this man… I know it's a childish grudge to hold onto but I couldn't let go. Lord Zhao Yun, however, didn't seemed to be bothered by their words. Why, anyone should be horrified to the thought of marrying me. I'll do whatever it takes to make their life miserable.

"Announcing Lord Zhao Yun and Lady Liu Qin."

I sighed, not even bothering to bow to my father like Zhao Yun did and picked out a mat to sit on. Zhao Yun did the same, only keeping a distance from me.

"Zilong, it's been a long while." My father sat up at his throne.

Zhao Yun laughed and smiled, still looking as young as he did ten years ago. How these genetics worked, Qin had absolutely no clue. "Yes, it had, My lord. I see that Xiao Qin and Xiao Shan have grown quite big now."

"Children grow quickly, it's astonishing." The Emperor of Shu commented in amusement to Zhao Yun. Not really, I frowned. "Qin, have you greeted Lord Zhao Yun yet?"

"Yes." I made no further statements.

"Oh?"

I frowned a little, "We made eye contact." That was certainly not the answer he had wanted from me.

I was testing my father's patience, like always, and he knew that. He kept it. "Qin, you must learn by practicing good manners and hospitality. Greet him properly."

"That is not necessary, Lord Xuande," Zhao Yun smiled and shook it off.

"You are the savior of my children. Qin owes her life to you," I frowned at that, trying not to glare at him. As soon as I hit my teens, he never called my 'little' anymore. Instead of 'Xiao Qin', it was now only 'Qin'. "Qin, practice makes perfect, as you always say to Shan. You are an adult now, act like one."

I glared up at my father, allowing Zhao Yun to feel the obvious tension before I looked away from them. "Greetings, Lord Zhao Yun…" I spoke with hostility.

"And to you, Lady Qin…" He chuckled a little, trying to ease the tensions I brought.

"From now on, Qin, you must stop skipping Lord Zhao Yun's lectures and attend them like all of your brothers and sisters. If you don't listen to me, what will people say?"

"What? That you can't control your own daughter?"

"No," My father seemed to have more patience than I do, but I'm going to burst his bubble. "They are going to look past you and in the end, you will be all alone."

"You are the one who left A'dou and I alone in Changban with Mother!" Only…I had burst first. "What is it that you want with the both of us?! Surely not small talk!"

"It's nice to speak with my only daughter every once in a while…" I frowned at my father as he only stared down at me softly. "I have come to a proposal involving the both of you." No way… "Zilong, I am aware that you have politely declined Lady Fan's marriage proposal, so I have a proposal for you. I see no greater warrior worthy of my only daughter. You've saved her life once for me, I see it only fit that she is yours."

"No, you can't be serious!" I stood up on my knees.

"My Lord, I am honored by your offer, but it is not necessary so I must kindly refuse. Especially without Xiao Qin's approval, I feel that just your thought alone, is gratitude enough." Zhao Yun tried to be the one who lightened up the place, smiling and laughing kindly.

"But Qin owes you her life, you are aging, Zilong, it should be about time that you settle down."

"Ba! Lord Zhao Yun clearly does not want me, that will be enough!"

"I-it's not that I don't want Xiao Qin, she has grown to become a beautiful young woman—"

"Qin, I am your father, I will make the decisions."

"You were never my father and ceased to be my father ever since you threw A'dou onto the ground because Lord Zhao Yun did not return at the same time we did! If Lord Zhao Yun is so important to you, why won't you marry him then!"

"Xiao Qin!"

"Qin! Sit back down!"

I had already stood up and left the room. I rushed past the laughing group of my siblings and tried to find elsewhere to be alone.

Liu Shan stopped laughing along with everyone else and scratched his head before Brother Ping decided to get up and follow after me.

My father knew I held a grudge and he dared to set me up with Zhao Yun.

Just thinking about it infuriated me… I screamed and kicked at the air and pulled on my hair, messing it all up.

"How very unladylike of you, Xiao Qin." A quiet voice laughed as I turned to him.

"You should have told Uncle Yu to hurry up and ask my father!"

"I did." Guan Ping smiled sadly and chuckled to blow it off.

I stared at Ping in disbelief. "Then why?"

"Because Uncle Bei didn't see it fit. We are like siblings in his eyes."

I frowned at Ping before falling to my knees, covering my face, as he came over to embrace me. I looked up at him with tears in my eyes as he placed a soft caress from his lips on my cheeks, wiping my tears away.

"I only want you."

"I know."