Chapter 10: Li Mei Zhen: Change for Good

Mei Zhen shrieked in gasps of pain as the boiled egg was being rolled on her cheek. After a long week, the colour of the bruise was dissolving but the pain still stayed. "Ow! Stop rolling it so hard!" Mei Zhen gingerly touched the swollen side of her face before giving a small glare to her friend.

"It's not my fault you went to go attack that Shu cargo." Hue Ying rolled her eyes, "I thought you stopped all the stealing business?" Mei Zhen mumbled whenever she remembered the encounter she had with the Shu Imperial Guard. It angered her to receive such humiliation by missing Guan Yu and failing to steal the barrels.

"I know I promised to stop-"

"Not like you had a choice anyways," her friend smiled slyly, giving her looks at her feminine features. "No way could you ever dress up as a boy again." Mei Zhen scoffed at the remark, taking the egg from her friends hand and rolling it around her injured cheek.

"What are we doing in Jian Ye anyways?"

Mei Zhen met Hue Ying by saving her from bandits a year ago when she was heading to Lu Jiang to continue her search. Hue Ying had a similar family background as Mei Zhen, but instead of finding them she was trying to find ways to collect money to give them a proper burial. After knowing of Mei Zhen's past and occupation, she convinced her to start working for a better cause.

"Well." Hue Ying scooted closer to her best friend, "You remember that Wu guard course I was telling you about?"

"Yeah, what about-" she froze when she saw the two scrolls in Hue Ying's hands, "You didn't sign me up did you? HUE YING!"

"Hey!" Her friend backed up, "It's better than us traveling around and hoping to find job offers. Plus you know how to fight, I know how to fight…"

"I need to find my family! You know that's the reason why I travel!"

"Mei Zhen!" Hue Ying frowned, "Look at it this way, if we make it into the course we'll get free food, free shelter and all we have to do is the stuff we love! Then when we go on to serve the Wu generals, we can ask them to help you find your family! I'm sure they'll help you."

"Hue Ying…"

"Come on Mei Zhen." She placed the scroll in Mei Zhen's hand, "Try-outs are tomorrow and with your talent, I know you can do it."

"Fine." She sighed, "I guess it'll beat clearing tables of drunk men."

Xx

"There aren't a lot of people here." Mei Zhen noted when the two of them walked into an empty field, around them were no less than twenty other girls.

"Oh that's because not everyone can make it in."

"I thought you said this was try-outs?" Hue Ying giggled nervously, "Hue Ying!"

"Remember when you were fighting off those groups of men who tried to take away the restaurants stock back in Jiang Xia? Well, I had someone evaluate you there before going for try-outs myself. Surprise?"

"I'm in the academy already? Gosh I'm leaving." Mei Zhen turned around to leave when her friend pulled her arm back.

"Come on! You don't want to stick to stealing for the rest of your life right?" Mei Zhen stopped in her tracks and stared towards the sandy ground. Even though she always stole from the rich men and women of China, she didn't want to return to her family as someone who stole to survive. It would be an insult to herself, and to her family. Turning around in defeat, she followed Hue Ying towards the group of women.

"Ladies!" a well-built male called out from behind the group. Beside him was a younger looking fellow, both dressed in red they began to slowly walk towards Mei Zhen and the rest of the girls. "My name is Ling Tong Gong Ji of Jing Zhou, I have been sent here by our Lord Sun Quan to train you."

"He's cute." Hue Ying whispered in awe, "His friend beside him is even cuter though! He's like our age, don't you think so Mei Zhen? Mei Zhen?" Mei Zhen turned her head towards Hue Ying in confusion. She hadn't been able to keep her eyes off the young man that followed Ling Tong towards them. There was something very distinct about him that reminded her of the boy she met five years ago in Wu Hu.

"Ah yeah. Cute." She nodded, looking back up towards Ling Tong who was explaining about the course.

"As a bodyguard, you will have to learn how to wield different weapons in case of emergencies. What you all wish to use as a standard weapon is up to you." Ling Tong's voice echoed through the small crowd, "Not only will you be trained and tested in your combat skills, but you will also have to learn the rules and history of the Wu Kingdom. Beside me," he paused and allowed his guest to step up. "is Lu Xun, your new teacher."

"Lu Xun…" Mei Zhen repeated, she was a bit disappointed to hear that it wasn't Lu Yi even though they looked much alike. All though she met Lu Yi only once, she had never forgotten about him. He was special, different from most boys his age during that time. She could even say she had developed a strange feeling for him. A distinctive liking feeling.

"Hey Mei Zhen!" Hue Ying cried, waving her hand rapidly across Mei Zhen's face.

"Huh what?"

"Are you alright Mei Zhen? We just got sent to our first posts and rooms, everyone is leaving already!"

"Oh really? Sorry…" she paused, "Where are we going?"

"Man you really weren't listening? We're staying where everyone else is staying! Your post is with General Ling and I'm off to go study with General Lu. We alternate you know!"

"Oh alright, sure." She replied monotonously, walking ahead towards the giant building ahead of them.

"Hey! Wait up!"

xx

The following night, Mei Zhen couldn't help but twist and turn on her bed. It had been bothering her all day on the Lu Yi look a like. Inside her heart, she wanted to go and confront this Lu Xun but the only way would be to recall her past as the rowdy bandit. "What if it isn't him? I'd screw myself over…" she mumbled throwing off the blankets. She looked at the snoring Hue Ying beside her, and turned her head to stare at the suns rays shining through the thin paper windows. Deciding that she was to wake up for training soon anyways, she would start off her day by taking a walk outside.

"Morning." She was surprised by Ling Tong who was also strolling around the garden area. "Little early for training isn't it?" Mei Zhen stepped back into a salute, "Hey, classes haven't started yet. You can calm down."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I don't know anything about this training camp thing. My friend made me go in and-"

"Ah you must be the one from Jiang Xia, I've heard of you."

"Yeah." She nodded nervously, her hands fidgeting behind her back.

"Why don't you come and sit down with me? I like to get to know my students a bit better." With a frightened stare in her eye, Mei Zhen slowly crept over and sat down beside the much taller Wu general. Ling Tong let out a whole hearted laugh. "So, what's your name?"

"Um, I'm Li Mei Zhen…sir."

"You don't have to be so formal, I like to take my training camps as a chance for a new family to be born to add to the Wu Kingdom. So Mei Zhen, why are you out here?"

"Um. Couldn't sleep that's all. You?"

"I'm waiting."

"Waiting?"

"Don't tell anyone this but, I'm waiting for my mail."

"Your mail? From who?"

"From someone very special to me." Mei Zhen gave confused looks at one of her new leaders, she never knew much about men but from the tone of Ling Tong's voice. He was talking about a girl for sure.

"A girl?" Mei Zhen asked in a teasing way, she noticed the cheek of Ling Tong slowly turn brighter and brighter. "What's her name?"

"Her name is…" he smiled comfortably to himself while images of him and Jia Wen flooded his mind. "Her name is Jia Wen."

xx

A/N: Silly Ling Tong! Trix are for kids /Random.
Another short chapter to make up for the really short one last time. Lots of dialogue in this one though. X.x. Now we're introducing Hue Ying! Who doesn't really have a big part. :P. Next chapter will be fun to write (but I'll get lazy). Time to send Jia Wen off to Quan's playpen and I'll introduce the final 'guy' character (even though there aren't much young guys in Wu left so everyone can guess who he is)

Adamantina: Gan Ning would give awesome hair tips! I would be fascinated to know how his hair sticks up so nicely without hair gel and wax. Lots of water? Or does he secretly have little pins holding them up. I wonder how the modern guy in our age would deal with the lack of hair products back then. Imagine the insanity. Yeah I thought the portrait for Zi Qi really matched her character, I got her weapon from that picture too. (I was short on weapons to give to them even though a sword is pretty ordinary)

Cenasgirl456: Don't worry about Jia Wen getting 'played' with by Sun Quan. He won't touch her! They're still step siblings! Jia Wen's one of my favorite characters (her portrait is also the prettiest in my opinion), but can't let all three of my girls have a happy life! Also yeah I've seen the numa numa videos. They're quite entertaining.

Reymysterio619: Jia Wen COULD run away, but then she'd be upsetting all her friends in Wu who wish for her to stay strong. (coughLingTongcough). Once Jia Wen meets that last 'guy', things will start to clear up about what's in her mind. If she killed them though, she would be hunted down by EVERYONE which wouldn't be too good! Ah the Eddie/Rey thing. Eddie just stoops low when he takes children for his own use. Bad man!