Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong'er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography

Flip of Cards (pass)

Yuwen Yue froze in time he saw the Canhong sword, he suddenly confirmed and realized she is the real Chu Qiao however, there is one more test his wife has to pass before he finally believes she is the real Chu Qiao and can finally put back everything in order. Yuwen Yue full of happiness inside, he picked the Canhong sword on the floor and put it somewhere. He decided not to go to work and be a carpenter for today and create a nice wall mount sword holder.

Chu Qiao still asleep, Yuwen Yue looked at her face and finds everything in order he left her and went to the woods to gather some wood materials. The Yuwen parrot is flying on his back but does not go near Yuwen Yue. After half an hour, Yuwen Yue you passed by the bamboo forest 10 kilometers from their lodge and suddenly sensed some danger, a post instinct he feels happened at midnight. Yuwen Yue being an excellent Master investigator back in Green Hills courtyard, he counted the footprints, and also memorized their unique sole and counted three people. Those were not as big as a man's sole, so it could only be three women on site last night. Yuwen Yue analyzed each footprint and closed his eyes he re-enacted the martial arts including the swordplay of the footprints and followed its footsteps.

A swirling of bamboo leaf sounds was heard, a cold wind blew to his face he opened his eyes and saw the perfect cuts of the Chinese bamboo trees. He said: "someone was wounded, someone escaped and someone stayed." Yuwen Yue remembered the Canhong sword he picked up earlier on their room. Yuwen Yue thinks his wife might have been hiding something that happened last night and Chu Qiao does not want him to know. Those thoughts put Yuwen Yue into doubts again but he could not bring Chu Qiao to charge her or become confrontational towards her.

Nevertheless, Yuwen Yue put aside his doubts for the moment and continued to do his plan for the day. He thought he will surprise Chu Qiao and see if he will find the truth he seeks. He hasn't shown yet what he can do including his Poe Yue Jian sword, he believes his wife does not know anything about him at the present and seems even his past is unknown to her. Yuwen Yue wonders what happened to her after the icy lake tragedy…what did Yan Xun do to her after the incident or was distressed under Yuan Song's grandeur display. He knows Chu Qiao loathes any of those when he first saw her walking along the red carpet beautiful and brave and yet he knows her heart was all sad and looking at the condition of his heart at that moment is beating the same as she does.

Meanwhile back to the Shen Jin Palace, the Wei Emperor ordered the royal eunuch to summon Yuan Song because he has not seen him after his first night with the crown princess of Wei. The news broke out that the 13th Prince of Wei, crown prince Yuan Song is drinking every night and did not sleep with the Wei crown princess but hang around his 13th Prince harem bunch of girls and sometimes invites some lovely maidservants. The Wei Emperor was thinking deeply what went wrong to his son and he is not used to seeing this kind of womanizer son who sleeps five to six woman in his bed every night. The Emperor thinks Yuan Song may have a problem with Chu Qiao not being the obedient wife or maybe too strong woman for his son but he came to think of it, he was able to achieve his goal by winning big time from Yan Xun. But did he really win? Why is Yan Xun had been silent since he has been declared as King of Yanbei and tied the knot with his Queen? Even if he is the King of Yanbei now, this doesn't change the fact that he is declared traitor and rebel of Wei.

The Emperor also got some news even if its rumors he thinks this piece of information from Yanbei is important. The Emperor whisperers say Yan Xun treats his Queen very well. Yan Xun sent heavy loads of gold, silver, and bronze to his father-in-law King Tang of Southern Liang before and after their marriage. Yan Xun also toured his new Queen Xiao Yu at XuiXui mountains on their honeymoon. The Emperor also gather some trivial rumors that Yan Xun secretly constructed a Palace near XuiXui mountains dedicated to a Lady Yan General who looks like Chu Qiao but no one knows where is the General and the palace was closed and only Yan Xun has the access to visit.

The Wei Emperor asks himself: Who is this Yan Lady General that looks like Chu Qiao? Is she important other than Chu Qiao? Or are they the same person? The Wei Emperor trying to understand everything from rumors cannot clear his thoughts about it. Yan Xun is good at spinning news, this has been his strength since he got out of Yanbei he has mastered and controlled all information coming and out of his palace.

Yuan Song woke up and like what he used to be, five women on his bed and one woman on the floor, all half-naked on their expensive silk Hanfu dress, looks like they have gone a wild night. Xiao Ba suddenly came to the 13th Prince and looked at him in pity she said: When are you going to stop this wild parties? You honored your word and put me as your first concubine however you got worse since then.

Looking back at the time where Yuan Song excitedly waited for nine days and finally his wedding day with Chu Qiao, the Wei crown princess walked the aisle of Wei and on her grand wedding gown, everyone was stunned. Her hair was done in the traditional Chinese style decorated and adorned with lots of gold hairpins, jade crystals and it is almost heavy to wear. Nonetheless, Chu Qiao walked tall and proud and Yuan Song his happy crown prince accepted her hand in marriage and became Wei's crown princess. From the nobles down to the low ranks of military men were invited, three nights of continuous banquet of wine and moveable feast, the sky's the limit. The Yuwen household brought in ginormous gifts and prime war horses, the palace ministers, Shrine elders and Wei valve masters a regular attendee hold the Kampai the toasts of goblets on the air and all followed and shouted "cheers" and greeted the new crown prince and crown princess of the Wei Empire.

While the Eastern royal guests who stayed in Wei palace after the engagement ceremony and waited until the wedding day took place, the Qinghai Queen Zhejue, second Prince Ra Zheng, sixth Prince Ra Zhun but not the seventh Prince Ra Yue and his person Zuo Zong. Since that night where Yuwen Yue breached the Wei crown princess palace, he has been silent and had not been able to act as much as he wants to talk to Chu Qiao. The Wei royal escorts have counted some men who were put to sleep that night but woke up as if nothing had happened, no one died and no one escaped and everything went back to normal. Ra Yue cannot possibly hold himself seeing Chu Qiao walking down the aisle marrying the 13th Prince of Wei, so two days before the wedding he came to the Wei Emperor and apologized that he won't be able to stay long because of his princely duties and a war was pressing on various eastern tribes under his control. The Queen thinks it is too soon to leave Wei and it is dangerous for the crown prince to be alone, Prince Ra Zheng and Ra Zhun thinks this is an unexpected thing but then they let their brother go with his thousand armies dressed in white and Yuwen Yue was back on his journey to Qinghai Empire. Yuwen Yue arrived at his palace and immediately wrote a letter to his Father. Yuwen Yue looks depressed but he did not succumb to this condition, instead, he promised himself to find the truth about his family and Chu Qiao. Questions in his mind like..How did Chu Qiao arrived at such..why does Chu Qiao does not even recognize me even for a moment of eye contact, its empty. This made Yuwen Yue believe something is wrong and he is not there to watch things happen but something needs to be ironed out.

Yuan Song after three nights of banquet and after all traditions were met, the health ministry of the Wei Empire has selected an auspicious date for the union and consummation of the crown prince and crown princess. Yuan Song looking so groomed handsome and gorgeous full-grown man was ready and excited to meet his Chu Qiao when suddenly Xia Chong threw him a needle. Blinded by his first love Chu Qiao, Yuan Song fell where Xia Chong is standing and Xiao Ba came in to replace her that night.

The morning came and the flip of cards were revealed that Yuan Song found with another girl, not Chu Qiao, Xia Chong acted as if she is so consumed with jealousy and betrayed, she issued a decree she is not going to sleep with the 13th Prince of Wei until all matters are settled with the girl who sleeps to him and the woman is from 13th Prince harem. It was supposed to be their first night but Yuan Song slept with somebody else, not Chu Qiao. Xia Chong made her acting real in front of everybody deceiving she is the real Chu Qiao and therefore used her position to defy the Wei Emperor and the 13th Prince of Wei. This made the 13th Prince very sad and the only console was to go after the harem and find some girls to spend the night with. Xiao Ba took this opportunity to force Yuan Song to fulfill his jade promise and made her his first concubine. But Yuan Song, lost and childish was not able to stand and look at things in proper perspective. He became what he is right now where the Wei Emperor is so much concerned.

While Yuan Song is drunk in the brink of his first love and desperation to be with her, Yuan Che took the advantage to run the Empire. The Wei Emperor opened and entrusted more Wei troops to him and not to mention Yuan Yang is making a competition to his brother. Yuan Yang always does the opposite of whatever Yuan Che is working to get the sweet success. Sometimes Yuan Yang sends some obstacles to make his brother give up on his ambition to the Wei Throne as he has his big interest over it as well but Yuan Che knows this very well so he evades them and uses his military tactics to surpass them all. There is little information known with Yuan Yang but he is known to be someone who is just waiting for the right moment to take the Wei throne and he has already done it before when the Wei emperor temporarily handed over his seal to Yuan Yang as he is the only eligible prince at that time to take over his father's emperor duties where Yuan Che was away with the Wei Empire and pressing a cold war between the outlanders and untouchables of their empire. Yuan Yang is the silent watcher of his two brothers not to mention distant to all ministers and Yuwen nobles. He is cold and unpredictable prince where he always flips his cards depending on what situation he is currently facing, will determine his stand.

Xia Chong who replaced Chu Qiao on the night she let her escape made a huge mark by defying Wei traditions. How long she stays to fulfill or abort her mission is unknown and dependent to the foxy princes Xiao Ce orders where he provided their entrance pass to the Wei palace together with Xiao Ba. And their agreement was to free Chu Qiao or Xia Chong will rot in Liang's secret prison.

After Chu Qiao's fake death, the two sisters became Yan Xun's target to locate Chu Qiao, they held them in prison. Until Chu Qiao is found, they will not see any light. Xiao Ce heard this, he arranged for an assassin to breakout Yanbei's prison walls to save the two sisters but it was a failed mission. Xiao Ce, later on, learned someone intercepted his orders and sent another envoy that captured the two sisters and kidnapped them then was sold to a brothel. Xiao Ce blamed himself for the leak of his plans, he honestly does not know their specific location. The crown prince was angry for lacking an insight where to find the two sisters. Not so long, Tie You by accident found the two sister's and even put Tie You's life a trick and Xiao Ce into Liang Empire's sweet public trial. With all of these political talks and head will roll, Xiao Ce eventually recovered Xiao Ba and Xiao Qi from the brothel street of Liang. It was too late to find that Xiao Ba was exploited by the bandits and Xiao Qi did not have any proper medical treatment led to her almost dying condition. Finding the unfortunate events for Chu Qiao sisters, Xiao Ce went furious, ordered to kill and burn down the brothel.

Xiao Ce has never been this so earnest in getting things done. He has Yue Qi, Xiao Ba and Xiao Qi and who else he is going to add-on his treasure box. As a souvenir, so did he treated these people close to Chu Qiao. Xiao Ce even tried to look for Yuwen Yue but unfortunately, Zao Baocung did not come back with positive reports to protect the new identity of Yuwen Yue.

Zao Baocung did not become honest to Xiao Ce as his loyalty flipped when he learned about the Qinghai crown prince Yuwen Yue is alive and he kept this as a secret. When Xiao Ce learned that Yuwen Yue is really dead, he became sad knowing he won't be able to have more hope of seeing the positive side, his sleepless nights where he spends in every corner of Liang's red corner district to drink some wine but never dated any women since the last time, he thinks he dated a fine archer coach of Wei from the hunting ground of Changan is enough for him to experience and nurse a broken heart. Then Xiao Ce came back to his senses again after he received rumors that Chu Qiao was alive and secretly hidden in the Xuili mountains where she still runs the Xuili army. It was just a rumor and no trace of evidence where Xiao Ce loves to hold concrete evidence and there is none. Then he just got some rumors again that Chu Qiao was in love with Yuan Song as the news spread like fire, Xiao Ce on his mix emotions was both happy and sad at the same time. Happy because Xiao Ce thinks he has a chance to steal her and sad because why did Chu Qiao choose someone like Yuan Song? After the eve of Chu Qiao's engagement and where his Pandora's box was opened and operating under the grounds of Wei's royal palace, Xiao Ce cannot locate where is Chu Qiao and she just disappeared and gone again. Xiao Ce cannot help but put himself to blame again and he thinks he might have lost her forever.

Yuan Song made changes on his attitude especially the way he handles his affairs, he made sure everyone sees and knows including the fake Chu Qiao (which is Xia Chong). Xia Chong has to act strongly and used it against Yuan Song and declared a cold war with him using his first concubine Xiao Ba which is the woman who slept with him the night they were supposed to be together. Yan Xun seems silent on this news but he thinks Chu Qiao is intentionally sending this news to be known by the world (Yan Xun's military code name) but cannot understand if it's a trap or another lure to kill him if he responds. Yan Xun cannot possibly act to save her because Xiao Yu might not have put a poison on the needle the last night he was with Chu Qiao but Xiao Yu put the poison in Yan Xun's head by making him believe Chu Qiao tried to kill him that night.

Ever since then Yan Xun had a heavy heart but did not let anyone know not even to A'jing or Zhong Yu. He kept it to himself and the fruit of it became an anger in his heart hungry for a revenge. He went back to his old self where he abandoned his duties as their king to Xuili army. Yan Xun knows that every time Chu Qiao reaps the unlucky fortune in the Wei palace throne as a married woman, he will make sure to exchange ten times lucky fortune using his marriage with the new Queen of Yanbei. Yan Xun secretly hopes that when Chu Qiao will get some news of his successful marriage including their honeymoon at XuiXui mountains where Yan Xun and Chu Qiao stayed for three nights, Xiao Yu and Yan Xun stayed for a month and what else can a woman think about what do married couple does. Yan Xun hopes Chu Qiao will feel jealous and regret over everything she did to him at the night he tried his best to ask her for the last time to become his Queen. Yan Xun still feels for her but wants Chu Qiao to do her move to come back to him and he promised himself to make Chu Qiao regret it.

How much this is going to hurt Chu Qiao was not really the case as the flip of events became complicated for them but not for her. Chu Qiao simply out of the loop became her haven of freedom. She has long been a desert empty of anything even the sands of time, her memories still trying to come back to her mortal self is somewhat undergoing a process.

And Yuwen Yue who is the only person who looked at Chu Qiao in a different view knows he had to do something and in his heart and mind, he finally ended in this saying:

Loving you is not easy.

It will be like going to a war with no arms.

It will be like holding a bow and hand you the arrows.

So brace yourself as I come to redeem you.

As I embrace you, my heart in a bloodbath

What lies ahead should always be, you.