Wow! Thanks for the reviews! Haha, yeah I'm trying to end it now. (It's been almost 3 years, bout time I did!) Anyways, thanks again for all the reviews!
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Chapter 20: One Step Further
The three pulled up towards the large gates of Jing Province, as they entered the town they could see the difference between Cheng An and Jing right away. Jing Province had a huge population even at night, Shu officers patrolled the streets, and people were either buying or selling. "Wow." Qing Wan gasped at the smell of the food stands that were lined up, sticking her head out of the window. She took a big deep breath and absorbed the aroma around her.
"Stick your fat head back in." Zhao Yun pushed her head in, "We're in the royal city now, and we need to act more like humans." Qing Wan growled, after all they had been on the road for two days with only bread and biscuits to eat.
"Where are we heading first?" she stuck her head out the opposite window where Jiang Wei was, Jiang Wei looked at her and pointed to another set of huge gates. "Where's that lead too?"
"That leads to the royal city," he explained, "Most of the generals and our Lord lives there." The three reached the giant gates, Qing Wan was questioned by the guards for a bit before Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei showed them the royal document that allowed her to past.
"Zi Long!" they heard fast galloping from behind as the group was heading towards the main castle. Qing Wan winced at the voice, it was deep and loud.
"Ma Chao!" Zhao Yun stopped his horse and waved, Qing Wan's eyes flared. She had always despised Ma Chao, because if it weren't for him she would have been married and be happy with Lu Xun.
"Good thing I caught up to you." He got off his horse and bowed, "The meeting got delayed to tomorrow morning. Lord Liu Bei wishes for you all to stay at my home in the time being."
"At the old Ma residence?" Jiang Wei laughed, "This is will be like the old times." Qing Wan kicked the back door furiously, waiting for someone to unlock her. "Oh god." Jiang Wei rushed to the front, he opened the door where Qing Wan fell out because she was waiting to kick the door harder.
"Are you alright?" Zhao Yun rushed over quickly to help her up, Qing Wan balanced on Zhao Yun's arm before pushing him away. "Stubborn." Ma Chao stared at the girl intensely.
"This is?"
"Oh, she's not Hua Yi." Zhao Yun snorted, "This is the girl that looks like her."
"You could say she looks like me." Qing Wan growled, Zhao Yun pushed her head away.
"Someone who looks just like Hua Yi, that's amazing." He bowed, "I'm Ma Chao Meng Qi."
"I'm Ji Qing Wan."
"Well, it's time to head to my home. It's getting pretty late now." Ma Chao hopped on his steed, "Please follow me." Zhao Yun shoved Qing Wan back into the carriage as they followed the man through the royal city of Jing. The Ma mansion was much bigger than Zhao Yun's mansion at Cheng An, perhaps it was because the land here was much larger than the crowded feeling in Cheng An. Jiang Wei opened the gate of the carriage allowing her to walk out, servants rushed over to help them unload the luggage and various other items they brought from the city.
"Lady Ji." Ma Chao turned around as he was leading them to the living room, "We've run out of guestrooms, but if you don't mind. Do you think you can stay in my sister's room? She's out of town for business."
"Of course not," she replied looking around. "I'll be fine wherever we go." Ma Chao nodded and looked over at Jiang Wei.
"Bo Yue, I have that Go set you ordered from Lord Mi in my room, would you like to play a game?" Qing Wan noticed Jiang Wei's eyes light up like a child getting candy.
"Of course! I haven't played Go in ages!" Jiang Wei clasped his hands together, "Do you want to come Zi Long? Qing Wan?"
"Nah, we don't want to bug you." The two replied in unison before giving a quick glare.
"Alright then, it's getting late. You two should get to rest, I'll wake you all for morning meal before we go for the meeting." Ma Chao smiled, "Zi Long, you think you can take Lady Ji to Yun's room?"
"Of course." Zhao Yun smiled shoving Qing Wan forward, "See you all tomorrow!" he waved shoving her to walk forward.
"Why are you shoving me? Ow!" she squealed while she was still getting pushed even after they left the living room.
"Why haven't you said anything till now?" Zhao Yun stopped and folded his arms, "We're here now anyways." His eyes directed to the doors to their right. Qing Wan abruptly knocked him aside with her shoulder and opened the doors halfway.
"Zi Long." She said, her tone going serious. "Why are you fighting alongside Wu, if Hua Yi was…" she knew it was wrong to stir up relationships with Hua Yi, but it was something she had been wondering about for the past two days. She could hear Zhao Yun's breath go deeper as the silence in the air put both of them in an awkward position.
"It's because it is my duty to serve our Lord. Having personal opinions or affairs tied into the game of war makes you lack a true general spirit. In the battlefield you need to know how to think, but not to think with your heart. But with your brain." It was weird for Qing Wan to hear this, after all in Wu Zhou Yu's famous quote was to think with your heart, not your brain when it comes to dealing with people. "Plus, only one of us can restore the Han…and that's Shu." He finished coldly before he continued to walk down the hallway, Qing Wan spun around to see the view of his back growing smaller and smaller.
"Zi Long." She whispered softly, "I'm sorry."
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The next morning Qing Wan woke up earlier as usual, getting dressed in one of her best outfits, she began to set her hair. "Maybe if I covered my eyes with my bangs," she started to comb her hair in various ways, hoping to avoid any resemblance to her usual face. "This is hopeless." She slammed her comb on her table, "They'll know it's me anyways, I guess it's time to stop playing." She mumbled before setting her hair back in her usual form. Zhao Yun knocked on her door rapidly soon after, calling her to go eat morning meal with the rest of them. Qing Wan opened the wooden doors to stare at him, ever since yesterdays incident she had been feeling guilty for the rest of the night.
"Ready yet?" Zhao Yun rested his head on the beam that supported the building, Qing Wan look up and down at the general. "Is there something on my face?" he laughed seeing her gaze at him.
"What? No!" she stuttered, "Zi Long I'm sorry about yesterday…"
"Nah, forget about it." Zhao Yun smiled, "I shouldn't of over reacted." He grabbed onto Qing Wan's arm, "Let's go, the food smells REALLY good."
"Are we all ready to go?" Ma Chao got up from the dining table after a pleasant meal. The three generals looked at him and nodded. "Well, let's get going to the meeting!"
"Wait!" Qing Wan suddenly cried, causing the whole house to freeze up. Blushing red, she walked up to Ma Chao, "Do you know, who's the Wu general in charge of the meeting today?" she whispered. Ma Chao scratched his head and laughed.
"I'm not quite sure. Sorry."
"Afraid the people from Wu are going to remember you?" Zhao Yun teased, Qing Wan shook her head furiously.
"Of course not! Even so, I was just a bodyguard!" she fumbled with the cup of tea.
"Alright, let's move out." Ma Chao instructed, outside of the house were Ma Chao, Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei's usual steed but this time instead of a carriage there was a reddish brown horse at the end. "Hope you know how to ride a horse."
"She'll stumble or something." Zhao Yun chuckled, hopping onto his horse. Qing Wan stuck her tongue out and hopped on the horse successfully, pulling the reins she started to follow Ma Chao and Jiang Wei. The distance from the Ma mansion and the castle wasn't very far, Qing Wan enjoyed the scenery that they had past by during this small trip. Unlike the dirt paths she had seen earlier, the grass was still tended to very well even though it was autumn.
"Lord Ma Chao, Lord Jiang Wei, Lord Zhao Yun." The guards bowed as the four approached the back gates, "Everyone is already settled in the conference room, please hurry."
"Understood." Ma Chao nodded, he quickly led the four in to the back gates. "Short cut." He winked, opening the doors of the kitchen that leaded to inside the main hall. All the art and flowers that hung around the Shu castle amazed Qing Wan, to her it was more of a welcoming home more than an army base.
"Remember, don't make any noises. Only talk when you're asked to talk." Zhao Yun said under his breath as they were approaching the boardroom. Qing Wan growled and stepped on his toe. "Ow. I'm just helping you!" he argued, covering his mouth with his hands quickly.
"Meng Qi, Bo Yue, Zi Long, we are expecting you all." A man standing in front of the entrance smiled.
"Prime Minister Zhuge Liang." The three bowed, Qing Wan looked around before Zhao Yun pushed her head down to look like she was bowing.
"This is Lady Ji?"
"That's right." Jiang Wei replied, taking Qing Wan by the hand. Qing Wan looked at the famous Shu tactician, he was dressed nicely in his white robes and was fanning himself lightly.
"It's truly an honour to meet you, Prime Minister." Qing Wan choked out, nervous of the people inside the room.
"You seem nervous." He chuckled, "Don't be. You have Zi Long and Bo Yue with you."
"I'm not nervous." Qing Wan retorted quickly, trying not to be embarrassed. Zhao Yun patted her on and shoulder as the group walked into the conference room. Inside Qing Wan couldn't recognize half the Shu generals that were sitting around the table, but she did notice a special someone at the edge of the other side. "Gan Ning…" she whispered, hiding behind Jiang Wei and Zhao Yun.
"Lord Liu Bei." The five of them said, bowing their heads slightly. Qing Wan made sure that during the whole process so that her face was not exposed to Gan Ning.
"Jiang Wei, Zhao Yun! You two have arrived just in time." Liu Bei got up to greet one of his best generals; he peered to the side of Zhao Yun to see Qing Wan trying to leave the room. "You must be Lady Ji?" Qing Wan's eyes darted to the friendly looking man who returned a smile.
"Come out." Zhao Yun scolded softly, pulling her hand so she'd face everyone. All the generals gasped in awe at the female in front of them, her beauty mesmerized some while others saw the similarity towards Hua Yi. Qing Wan quickly looked over to the Wu pirate who stared at her with shock, Qing Wan bowed towards the generals. "Shut up Xing Ba." She mouthed to Gan Ning before following Zhao Yun to their seats.
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Weooooow. I think it'll get exciting now? (. Hopefully!
Thanks for reading. X3. See you again soon!
xReika