There's nothing I hate more than daylight savings, especially when it's an hour ahead. Feels like you've wasted your entire day! Which I have...because I have not started my papers yet. Oh well. This was more fun to write :). Enjoy!

Chapter 35: Taking Chances

Sun Quan led the group through the back entrance of the large dining hall the Kingdom was using for this giant banquet between the two countries. The back of the room was like the dressing room for an acting troupe or play. There were tables of make up, a dressing room and clothes sprawled around. Sun Quan stepped over to one of the maids and put on a brand new golden robe and smoothed his hair back. "Gotta impress the others." He smiled to them. Zi Qi and Gan Ning stuck their head through the small slits of the cloth that acted as the barrier and gasped. At least ten large tables of twelve were spread around the hall, most of them filling up with generals of both Kingdoms. Zi Qi could feel the air being pulled out of her lungs when she saw her Father and brother sitting down near the front. Afraid that she would be spotted, she pulled her head back, knocking into the pirates.

"I'm so sorry!" she apologized.

"What happened?" Jia Wen and Ling Tong turned their heads.

"I saw my father." She chewed on her lower lip.

"That's great." Jia Wen went up to her friends and grabbed her hands, "You're nervous aren't you?" Zi Qi pulled her hands out of the grip and wiped her sweat on her dress,

"Sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for, you silly girl." Jia Wen laughed, "You don't have to be nervous. Don't you want to see them?"

"I do." She took deep breaths, "But I just saw Ping and my heart just shattered. He looks so tired and defeated. What if I make it worse? What if he hates me?"

"It's a choice you must decide for yourself dear." She grabbed onto her hand again, "Come on, let's go see who else is there." Jia Wen pulled Zi Qi's towards the curtain and the two looked out into the hall again.

Many of the generals that served Wu since Sun Jian's day had rushed to the Wu capital to watch his daughter get married. Some, who have been loyal to the man of Jiang Dong since day one, were more emotional than the Princess herself. Jia Wen recognized many of her old comrades, who were all happily conversing and chatting amongst themselves. It was a pleasant sight to see everyone content with one another and to see two very different kingdoms combining for such a special moment. Her heart warmed up when she saw Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao walking in with Zhou Tai and his wife.

"I think your family would be very excited to see you." Jia Wen told Zi Qi when they returned to Ling Tong and Gan Ning's side. Sun Quan had stepped out of the room for a moment for 'Emperor' businesses and had instructed them all to stay inside. "What's taking Quan so long?"

"Who knows." Ling Tong sat on one of the tables, "I'm getting hungry though," he sniffed the air, "The maids are preparing to serve the first dish soon."

"How can you smell cold cut meat?" Jia Wen crossed her arms.

"It's a man thing." Gan Ning stood up for Ling Tong, something surprising to all three of them. Gan Ning laughed loudly, "You wouldn't understand Jia Wen." She giggled and turned her attention back to Zi Qi.

"You have to be brave."

"I don't know. I wish I had the courage of you and Mei Zhen."

"You mean you either want to run away or go and face your past?"

"You don't make it sound as noble as I do."

"I think your family would be very happy to see you again." Someone said from behind them, Zi Qi turned around and felt her knees wobble.

"My lord!" she dipped her head down low. Liu Bei was standing at the front of the room with Sun Quan and a very unrecognizable Shang Xiang. The Shu Emperor was dressed in a fine tailored green and golden robe, his hair pulled back into a long ponytail. It had been a good year since Zi Qi got a good look at her lord, and she swore he looked younger. Liu Bei walked up to Zi Qi and took her hands into his.

"You do not have to be so polite," he said to her, "You are not in Shu nor are you my general." Zi Qi didn't know if she was hurt by the statement but Liu Bei cleared it up, "I didn't mean it that way. I meant that, right now you are not my general or my vassal. You are my brother's daughter, therefore you are my niece."

"Oh my…uncle." Tears brimmed in her eyes, she looked over to Jia Wen and the girls beamed at each other.

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"Why don't you go say hello?" Sun Quan whispered to his younger sister, Shang Xiang blinked and shook her head.

"I don't dare." She turned her head when she noticed Jia Wen starring.

"Are you afraid of me?" Jia Wen asked, walking over with Ling Tong while Liu Bei and Zi Qi got reacquainted. Shang Xiang turned red and tried to avoid contact. She was relieved that Jia Wen was safe and returned to Wu, but she was too ashamed of her past actions to talk to her. "I'm not mad at you."

"I know." She whimpered, "But, I'm still mad at myself." Jia Wen put her hand on Shang Xiang's cheek and smiled like a caring sister would.

"Don't be. I should thank you."

"Thank me?" she wanted to know more but the maids outside were urging the group to come out soon.

"We'll have time to chat."

"Lady Shang Xiang." Liu Bei walked towards them and bowed to his future wife, "If you do not mind, I would like to escort Zi Qi tonight." Shang Xiang blinked twice and looked from Quan to Zi Qi to Quan again. Jia Wen stepped in,

"I think it would be an honour for Shang Xiang to allow it. Our family has always focused on family values, right Shang Xiang?"

"Of course."

"This would be a perfect chance for the Sun children to appear together too." Ling Tong added, fearing the Princess' temper. She may have changed in the past year, but she was still competitive and got easily jealous. "Right my lord?" he turned to Quan.

"It would be my honour to have my beautiful sisters on my arm." A maid appeared at the doorway.

"My lord," she bowed to everyone, "We're ready for you all."

"Guess this is time for me to shine." Ling Tong winked and walked out to the stage to give the introduction speech.

"Why is he doing it?" Jia Wen asked Quan, "I thought Bo Yan was in charge of this."

"He's going to be a little late, he's helping Master Jiang with something."
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"Brothers and Sisters of Wu and Shu." Ling Tong cleared his throat and said after the noise died down. "I am very honoured to be able to witness such a magnificent sight, where two great Kingdoms who strive for similar goals be able to be with one another, beside one another." He scanned the room quickly for any signs of his friend Lu Xun to save him. Not spotting him, he continued. "There is one thing that is so similar between our two kingdoms and it is that we both emphasize the importance of values and family. And I am excited to be able to not unite one but two families from our Kingdoms." Some of the generals began to look at each other in confusion. "Please welcome our Lord Sun, Shu's Lord Liu, Princess Shang Xiang." He took a deep breath before continuing, "Lady Ma and Princess Jia Wen."

Jia Wen's head snapped towards Quan in shock, all these years in Wu, she had never taken the title of Princess. For one, she knew she did not deserve it being the adopted daughter of Sun Jian and secondly it would had bother Lady Wu. "Shang Xiang was the one who wanted me to give you your deserved title." Quan looked at his two sisters, each on his arm as he began to lead them out onto the stage with Liu Bei and Zi Qi in pursuit. The banquet hall was silent with awes of surprise and excitement. Many of the generals had not seen their respective girls in almost a year and were grateful that they were still alive. Zi Qi turned her head over to the Shu table and almost broke down in tears when her eyes connected with those of her fathers.

"Why don't we go over there?" Liu Bei whispered beside her. Zi Qi shook her head. "There is nothing to be afraid of, Zi Qi. Look how happy everyone is to see you."

"I don't think I'm ready Uncle Liu."

"Look how happy you've made everyone though," he pointed out, "I haven't seen Brother Yun Chang smile like that in so long." Zi Qi turned her head back towards the table and was taken a back. The legendary man of war, who always held a serious stature no matter what the event had a smile, small, but still a smile. Liu Bei gave her a little nudge, "Shall we?" Zi Qi looked over to Jia Wen, who was busy giving hugs and chatting with her old comrades. "I must have the courage Jia Wen has." She told herself, "I'm ready."
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Jia Wen turned her head to the side and smiled at the sight of Zi Qi walking towards the Shu table. It was important to her that her friend was willing to face her fears and make a step towards clearing out all the skeletons in her closet. "I'm glad your back." A familiar voice said to her, Jia Wen turned to look at Xiao Qiao and Zhou Yu, both whom were grinning from ear to ear.

"I should kill you." She gave the couple a hug, "You didn't do what I asked you to do."

"I couldn't bare to tell them you 'died'" Xiao Qiao looked at them in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" Jia Wen ignored her and continued.

"But you told Shu that Zi Qi did." Zhou Yu turned a bit red, "Was it political?" she asked him. He nodded sheepishly. "Gong Jin!"

"What did he do?" Xiao Qiao waved her hand in front of the two of them, "What's happening?"

"It's nothing." Zhou Yu lowered his wife's hand and shot Jia Wen a look. "Let's just say my plan didn't work," they turned their heads towards Liu Bei and Zi Qi, "Look how happy they are. And we got a political alliance out of this." Jia Wen shook her head in disappointment but couldn't help but agree with Zhou Yu inside. It took Shu believing that they really lost Zi Qi to realize how important she was to each and every one of them.
-----

"You are doing well, my daughter." Guan Yu put his two hands together to greet his brother. Zi Qi bowed politely.

"I am sorry, Father."

"What for?"

"I must have put you in so much turmoil."

"We gave you no choice."

"But I must have hurt so many of you." She turned to Ping, "Especially you."

"As long as you're back with us, Sis!" Ping stepped in front of his father and grabbed her into a large, tight hug. "You owe me!" he sobbed in her shoulder, "You owe me!"

"I owe you a life time." She whispered back to him and wiped the tears from her own eyes. Guan Yu put an arm on both his children's shoulders. Liu Bei watched his younger brother's family reunion and couldn't help but shed a tear. Shocked, the rest of the generals rushed to hand their Lord a handkerchief.

"I'm fine." Liu Bei tried to clear his throat, "It's just good to see our family back together."

"Nuh uh, it's not a reunion until Bo Yue gets back!" Ma Chao announced from the other side of the table. Zhao Yun pounced on his friend to cover his mouth for half the sentence to come out in muffles. Zi Qi turned around and had just realized that Jiang Wei was not present in the room, neither was Xing Cai. She turned to Ping and asked.

"Where is he?" Ping looked at the rest of his comrades as all of them looked uncomfortable in answering her question. Finally, Guan Yu spun his daughter to face him and said,

"He went to get Lady Yin."
-----

Mei Zhen turned a sharp corner and let out a muffled scream when she noticed the small mark she made moments earlier. It was the third time she had come upon this corridor and it was starting to anger her. Surely it would have been simple for Mei Zhen to ask one of the many servants where Hua Miao was, but her pride and paranoia of having someone judge her prevented her from doing so. But after almost an hour of walking, she was fed up with walking in circles and began to track down the closest person as possible. She thought it must have been her lucky day when not long after she saw the backs of two females near a tree, both of them deep in conversation. Seeing this as an opportunity, she rushed over. "Excuse me!" she called out, putting her hand on the taller woman's shoulder and turning her around. "Do you know where Hua…" she lost the ability to speak. Mei Zhen pulled her hand back and leaped backwards, her hands reaching towards her back where she usually carried her dagger…except this time she was wearing a fancy dress without the special pouch for her weapon. "Stupid Gong Ji!" she mumbled, starring at the woman in front of her who was also in combat position.

"Well look who it is." Mei Zhen recognized her as General Zhang, the daughter of Zhang Fei. They had met each other over a year ago in the battlefield where she lost Hue Ying. "I heard you ran away from Wu, heard I was coming and wanted to say hello?" she cockily said. The girl beside her had stepped behind the large bo tree, watching from behind.

"If daddy dearest wasn't always watching your back, I would have paid you a visit a long time ago." Mei Zhen pulled her hands forward, "I don't like to leave things unfinished."

"Oh really?"

"Lady Zhang, do you think this is necessary?" The woman shouted from behind.

"Huang Ning, you don't know anything. Just keep quiet."

"Huang Ning?" Mei Zhen registered the name in her head, "It's you! You were the one who accused Zi Qi!" Huang Ning's face suddenly changed and she barked at Xing Cai.

"We don't have to listen to Wu dogs, get her Xing Cai!"

"My pleasure." Xing Cai shifted her feet on the soil, "You can go first."

"What's going on?" A voice echoed from behind Mei Zhen. Huang Ning's scorched face turned soft again.

"Lord Jiang!" she squawked, hurting Mei Zhen's ears.

"Lord Jiang, Lord Lu." Xing Cai folded her hands together, Mei Zhen blinked, praying it was Lu Meng.

"What is going on here?" Another voiced said, one that Mei Zhen knew dearly in her heart.

"Nothing was." Xing Cai straightened her dress, "We were just waiting for the two of you, when she showed up."

"Who is she?" Lu Xun put a hand on Mei Zhen's shoulder, causing her to close her eyes and bite her lip. She felt the tug of his hand to pull her towards him but she kept her feet stiff on the ground. Lu Xun tried to tug a bit harder, "Turn around." He commanded. Mei Zhen pulled the veil from her pocket and quickly wrapped it around her head before turning around to Lu Xun, praying that he would not recognize her.

"I just wanted to ask for directions to Hua Miao." Mei Zhen answered him in the highest voice she could pitch out. She bowed her head low to avoid eye contact, "I am Qiao Jing, I was brought here by Lord Ling to serve the Emperor."

"Oh." Lu Xun seemed more interested that Ling Tong was back, "Well I guess we could help you get there, we are passing by soon."

"It's okay." She backed up a bit, "I know my way." She bowed to everyone there, "Sorry for bothering you." She said and ran off again. Lu Xun and Jiang Wei watched the girl run off, both of them thinking that they had met her before.

"Lord Jiang!" Huang Ning grabbed Jiang Wei's arm, "Are we ready to go to the banquet."

"Yes, we're late actually." Jiang Wei removed her hand from his, "Let us move, Lord Lu Xun."Lu Xun was still starring at the empty spot where the woman was. "Lord Lu Xun?"

"Right, let's move." He put his hand out front, "Please, follow me."
-----

The banquet was ready to serve its second dish when the announcement that Jiang Wei, Lu Xun, Xing Cai and Huang Ning were getting ready to come. Zi Qi, who had returned with Liu Bei to sit with Sun Quan and the rest of them, dropped her chopsticks onto the table in reaction. "It'll be okay." Jia Wen quickly picked them up before they gathered the attention of the chatting generals. "He probably misses you too."

"He brought his fiancé to something as sacred as this." She replied to her friend sadly, "It must be the things I said to him last time…"

"Don't be silly!" she hissed and turned her head, "Look they're here."

The group walked into the already loud and festive banquet hall and departed from one another to their respective tables. Jiang Wei, with Xing Cai and Huang Ning close behind him, walked towards Shu's table and greeted everyone with a smile. "How can you be smiling like that?" Ping muttered, shoving a broccoli in his mouth and chewing. He gave a quick glare to Huang Ning and swallowed.

"What is he yapping about now?" Xing Cai put her hand on her waist, she was still a little riled up from her confrontation with Mei Zhen earlier.

"Bo Yue," Zhao Yun put his chopsticks down and waited for everyone to sit down, "Zi Qi is here."

"She's what?" Huang Ning's voice shriveled, "How can a traitorous person would be allowed here? Is this an insult to our Kingdom?"

"She is a guest of Sun Quan!" Ping snapped, quickly restrained by the look of his Father.

"Where is she?" Jiang Wei asked, forcing Huang Ning to cross her arms and pout. Ma Chao pointed to the large table where Liu Bei was. Jiang Wei stretched his neck a little and saw Zi Qi taking a sip of tea and laughing beside one of Wu's generals.

"Are you going to go and say hello?" Ping asked.

"I…don't think so." Jiang Wei's answer surprised many at the table, "Look at how happy she is, I don't want to spoil her mood." He picked up his chopsticks, "I'll find time when dinner is done."

"Coward." Ping muttered under his breath.
-----

Lu Xun took a seat beside Shang Xiang and dropped his mouth in awe when he finally noticed Jia Wen sitting across from him. Quickly his mind shot back to the woman earlier and the resemblances began to click. "What, are you shocked to see me?" Jia Wen smirked.

"Is she here?"

"Well that's not a nice greeting." Ling Tong smacked his friend on the head. Both of them were planning to stray away from the topic of Mei Zhen as much as possible.

"Is she here?" he asked again.

"Is who here?" Sun Quan munched on his fish, Lu Xun got up from the table.

"Where are you going?" Shang Xiang asked, "You just got here."

"Don't embarrass Brother Quan by leaving so early." Jia Wen said sternly, "You will know when the time is right, Bo Yan." Bo Yan looked around the banquet where some stray eyes were being drawn to him. Smashing his fists together, he took a seat.

"She's here." Ling Tong said, prompting the young tactician to get up again.

"Gong Ji!" Jia Wen scolded. Lu Xun got up from his seat again.

"My Lord, I must be excused." He gave a pat to Ling Tong's back and rushed out again.

"I couldn't watch him like that for the entire dinner!" Ling Tong explained, with glares coming from Zi Qi, Jia Wen and Gan Ning.

For those who own/seen DW6, Liu Bei does look much younger does he not? My theory is that they didn't want him to look like a pedophile when they marry him and Shang Xiang.But then it contradicts the fact that the Qiao's always looked MUCH younger than their respective husbands. Hmm.