Author Angel Chua

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

An Army of dry bones (05.26.2021 edited)

A man with a peasant farmer dress was walking in the city, he wears a unique hat made of straw to cover the face, and footwear looks very worn out. Looks healthy and well, judging him from a distance, he cannot be just a local farmer from a nearby town.

Suddenly a group of bystanders looked at him and saw him they went curiously. They think he is not a native of this land. Ten men surrounded the peasant man who stopped walking at the busy street in the middle of the market, put his head down and clenched his palms.

The bystander leader came from behind, his face slightly moved to a diagonal side to look at the front. The peasant man somewhat concealing his face inside the man's straw hat.

The bystander leader saw a sword eyebrows on its closed eyes.

The bystander leader put back the straw hat and said: "teach him to become humble,"

He went back to the surrounding men and started to pick a fight.

Suddenly attacks from left and right came out from the men surrounding him and started to punch and kick towards the peasant man. The man being evident as outlandish from the city did not fight back. He was beaten hard by this bystander group. When he was almost crawling in the ground the bystander leader came forward, sat down and lifted the jaw of the peasant man.

Looked at him, he said: "isn't this enough?"

The bystander leader looks at him and seems there is no hint of humbleness shown from his bloody face.

The leader ordered the group to take the man and said: "if humbleness is not enough, then we'll teach you what underworld is all about."

The bystander leader sends the eye signal to the group, they took the peasant man in the mossy forest.

For some reason, the peasant man although he is able to fight back, he lets these bystanders do what they wanted to do to him, leaving them all tired for the day. The peasant man now hanged to a gigantic pine tree. The neck is tied in a thick rope strangling it, there is a lone post standing on the ground, and the feet is tied above.

One of the bystanders is axing the lower part of the post. Quite halfway, before it falls. Maybe its the end of the peasant man's world who can tell? No humbleness is shown, in his face or his eyes. It remains expressionless. Already as if dead in the inside yet, looking proud in the outside. His defined angled face shows tired eyes.

He thought of himself: "If this is the only way to find you again then so be it."

Afternoon came, a cold mossy forest is waiting for the sundown. Many dark hawks birds started to fly, and the bat caves flew in circle direction. Different insect sounds heard, and an eerie feeling of ferocious beasts makes their presence known.

The bystander group knows this route very well, and they told themselves to teach what underworld looks like to this poor man who is just hanging over the tree and almost shows no hope at all.

The bystander leader made fun of the erected post, In three, swinging of ax could make this gigantic tree fall.

The peasant man have nothing in mind, listens, and never fought back. He already accepted this fate may be better rather than go back to see the brothers to let them know the real thing.

On the last swing of the ax, suddenly someone showed up.

She took it by force.

Everyone looked at the long-stranded rope that binds the axe, then a strong pull from its hands.

All of a sudden a hellish face, an eyes like the bloody red vampire, thirsts in the blood of their necks.

Exposing her face, came in the middle facing all of them.

Their knees like a soft bamboo, a creepy feeling issued on air, seems they were the ones who are going to taste the underworld before their victim does. The woman got the ax on her hands and swings the whip, everyone then we're all caught by it. Feeling its pain, it left a mark to their arms. Like a fang of bite to their muscles.

"How many times do you have to learn your lesson not to joke about the underworld?"

"It seems you were the one who shall be taught a lesson to become humble?"

Spoken on a foxy, husky voice, a hint of bass howling sounds of owls.

All of sudden, all eyes on her, gazed upon the unspeakable beauty.

The black hood, foxy face, and that fragrant smell. Like an early dew of the plum blossoms dropping around her. The cold wind blew. In a dream like state, back to the present, their attention snapped in this moment.

One of the bystander leaders said: "They are enchanted from the underworld!

Everyone, back out!

Run for your lives!

They will feed your souls to the underworld!"

All of them left the mossy forest leaving their victim behind hanging on the tree.

The delicate fine woman saw the straw hat left at the ground. While the woman with a hellish face used the ax to cut the rope from the tree. The whip quickly bind the man before its fall.

As Viper takes off the rope strangled in the man's neck, He saw Viper's face then, the man said softly: "Is this what the underworld looks like?"

He closed his eyes and passed out.

Chu Qiao pitied the man and said to Viper: "Put this man to the horse. He'll be a dead meat by tomorrow if we do not help him today."

"Yes" Mimi Gongzhu, Viper the man's shoulders, pulled his body, and slowly put him at the black study horse. Making the two feet hanging in the horse and his body leaning at the back of the horse.

The night fox howls into the deep of mossy forest.

The three warm bodies slowed down a bit on their journey trailing a thousand caves.

The sun is up and Yuwen Yue is feeling a lot better opened his eyes and said: "Zuo where is this place?"

Zuo about to say something when Zao interrupted and said: "Your Highness, didn't you asked about the keys to the secret doors of Chu Jing Kingdom?"

Yuwen Yue the cold eyes narrowed, realizing he is being carried at Zuo's backs suddenly stops both of them from walking.

Yuwen Yue found himself a little embarrassed. He stood straight, dusting himself off, straightening the creases of his dress. He also straightens his back, opens full of his chest.

Zuo looking at this handsome master brother so conscious of his appearance, thought to himself: "Thank the Qians, this god is well."

Yuwen Yue thinks he might have heard a murmur he asked: "Are you praying to the gods?"

Zuo said: "Your Highness, why would I pray when I am walking with one."

Zao smirked and said: "Yeah you're right! Only a god can cure you and save you from the deadly poison."

Yuwen Yue gave them both a cold stare as if both have soreness on their noses.

Zuo rebutted then said to Zao: "if you are a god, then you are the worst one!" and he smiled at Zao.

Zao smirked at him and said: "Young people nowadays! If you were not just like Yue Qi's face, this god would not have saved you!"

Zuo asked: "Dear God: who is Yue Qi?" and he gave Zao a sly smile.

Zao said: Why ask me? And Zao looked at Yuwen Yue who is profoundly thinking and seriously walking.

Yuwen Yue sensed Zao is looking at him he said: "Enough both of you. Stay still." and Yuwen Yue hustled. A bird came to him and tweeted: "Yue Qi dead, dead, dead." The Yuwen parrot landed on his shoulders.

"Yue Qi is dead?" asks by Zuo and no answer. Only silence between the Zao and Yuwen Yue.

Suddenly the skyshadow woman came told Zaoa: "All is clear except for this thing and showed them an ax and a long thick rope."

Yuwen Yue came closer saw it. He looks around the mossy forest he said: "Somebody came here. It may be a group."

Yuwen Yue said this when he sees the horses hooves and some footprints left behind their marks.

This cunning mind and sharp senses when it comes to investigations, so he let his company rest for a while and asked Zuo to come along with him.

Yuwen Yue muttered: "A bonfire, a stand post, a gigantic pine tree, a rope, and an ax, horse hooves and footprints all around and finally tiny petals of plum blossoms."

As a quick flashback, he was able to play the scenario in his mind.

"Zuo, someone was strangled here. However, no trace of sticky blood. The victim was hanged in the tree. Then someone axing this post. At the last swing someone stopped it. Looks like someone ran away, no not just someone. There were many of them who ran away, afraid of someone, someone who has this fragrant plum blossom scent."

Yuwen Yue finally opened his eyes.

"Your Highness, that is clever thinking. Do I need to search for the area?"

Zuo is scratching his head as he cannot believe his master brother's strength of smell and somehow managed to recite the order of events about what happened in the mossy forest.

"No this must have happened yesterday around afternoon, and soon they were gone at twilight. We cannot trace them nearby, the sun is already up."

Yuwen Yue expressionless and cold, did not tell it all to Zuo but thinks, it is the secret princess, its secret spy and a victim they took from the pine tree.

Zao and Skyshadow were left alone, and the woman inquired: "Are we going to help the man who holds the Poe Yue Jian sword?"

"I understand how you feel. Let me tell you one thing. I knew Yuwen Yue since he was a child being one of the esteemed fourth young master and son of the master of the Eyes of God Yuwen Hao. I already saw him using the sword when he came to my boutique. He came accidentally with his female spy. I also saw the Canhong sword with the female spy, so I trapped them inside the cave. I could have killed them both, but it did not happen. I don't feel like killing somebody at that time, and I don't know why. I even gave some of my precious possessions like maps, a pair of wings. The underworld authentic clothing and the black sword to his female spy to help that female spy kill one of Yuwen Yue's grandfather uncle Yuwen Xi and at least avenge our Chu Jing kingdom. I did not recognize Yuwen Yue at that time, that he is the lost son of the Qinghai King. Not until he used the Poe Yue Jian sword to free your curse yesterday."

"Why can't any man do it as long as they have the Poe Yue Jian sword?" asks the Skyshadow woman.

"No man can use the Poe Yue Jian unless it was bestowed by the Qinghai King himself. But maybe Yuwen Hao's took the sword at the chaotic time of our kingdom then gave it to Yuwen Yue and regarded him as his true son. But I heard about the icy lake tragedy too. Yuwen Yue died when the Prince of Yanbei lured him. Somehow there was also a story that the mother or Qinghai King's son came from Wei and somehow may have hid the baby to a noble household but nobody can claim if this is true."

Yuwen Yue holding the Poe Yue Jian sword who released its power is the only sign that he is the lost son of the Qinghai King." Zao giving more secret information in the mossy forest is not appropriate.

Zao paused and added: "A lot of stories there and Luo He, our underworld spy leader knows this very well. I don't know yet how these things came to happen today, but the Qinghai King himself can recite the power of the sword to the true heir to the Qinghai throne."

In informal tone, Zao looks directly at the Skyshadow woman.

Suddenly she understood what Zao impressed at her. She thinks she is forced to accept the son of the man who destroyed Chu Jing kingdom, was also the son of the Qinghai King.

For her, it doesn't make sense.

By the way, you said you met the Mimi Gongzhu? asks by Zao Baocung

"Yes, I have been with her for more than a year, and the bad news is she lost her memories."

"Lost her memories?"

Zao Baocung suddenly remembered Xinger.

Skyshadow passing updates to the master healer of Chu Jing kingdom since the last time they saw each other was a year ago.

"Yes, Viper and I had been trying to help her ever since and we were able to restore the Chu Jing kingdom at least with her help and some residents who came back and rebuild its ruins, added by Skyshadow.

"What's more to this was the presence of the Chasing sand drizzle master who attacked me. So Viper and the Mimi Gongzhu decided to meet you and now, on their way to a thousand caves to meet you."

You have to help her recover more of her memories before winter comes. I come in advance to make sure you were in the thousand caves before their arrival."

Zao still looking surprised and somehow excited, shouted with an upset tone in his voice: "You should have told me in advance! That mooncake is free just for you. You don't have to buy it to inform me! How am I supposed to divide myself, I have other mission too with the Qinghai crown prince and now the Mimi Gongzhu? This is unexpected because you did not inform me right away!"

"I informed you using the mooncake. Before my curse was freed, I am blind. What I thought yesterday, the two people who came to us was Viper and Mimi Gongzhu and I felt their hearts have pure intentions but seems they disguised it to protect themselves, so I let them pass."

"But why did you attacked us afterward?" So just for Mimi Gongzhu, you are ready to break the rules? Zao is questioning the Skyshawdow's actions.

"Because I smelled some blood and poison at the same time. I am blind, and I am not able to see whose in the cave so long as they have the coin, I let them pass, that's the only rule. I thought about the Mimi Gongzhu's safety and maybe she has been attacked by you. Remember, I have not met you for a year, and you only came yesterday."

We need to hurry then and go back to the thousand caves for the Mimi Gongzhu," said the anxious and excited Zao.

After Zao Baocung was informed, they were about to go when suddenly Zuo came in front of the two and asked: "You two, where are you going?" Yuwen Yue came in behind with his calm face he asked: "What is happening here?"

The Skyshadow forwarded and came in front, face to face with Zuo and said: "We can't let you know. It is a secret."

"After what we have done to you, this is how you repay us?" said Zuo and he gave the woman a formal face.

"We are sorry, we cannot go further," insisted by the Skyshadow woman.

Yuwen Yue responded with a calm voice: We have our band of brothers waiting in the Chu Jing kingdom, Zao said you could help us find the key.

The Skyshadow woman sneered at Yuwen Yue and said: "What makes you think I will help the son of a man who destroyed Chu Jing kingdom?" Yuwen Yue raised his brows, seems to know what the Skyshadow was referring to is his father Yuwen Hao.

Suddenly Zao Baocung came in between Yuwen Yue and the Skyshadow woman trying to reconcile the two, said: "Your Highness, I am sorry for her actions today. She is confused about your status. I will explain later, but for now, we have to go back to meet the Mimi Gongzhu."

Yuwen Yue asked: "You mean the secret princess?"

"Why do you know her?" said the Skyshadow woman.

Zuo and Yuwen Yue looked at each other for a while.

"No." Yuwen Yue said it short and bland with his cold face.

And Zuo and the Skyshadow started to pick a fight. Suddenly, another unknown entity came to the mossy forest and showered lots of Sand drizzle needles and be gone.

Yuwen Yue counter attacked them all with his sword and they were turned to ashes but lost the two, Zao, and the Skyshadow escaped. Yuwen Yue and Zuo Zong found themselves left alone.

Yuwen Yue run out of time, let the two escape, he needs to go back to the Qinghai state and Zuo looking so angry with the two who abandoned them.

The peasant man suddenly woke up feeling better than yesterday; he opened his right eye while the other one is halfway closed full or morning glory he said: "Am I in the underworld?' Viper about to slam his head when the man suddenly fell from the horse.

Urgh…aw…aw..the man feeling its pain doesn't know if it's coming from the fall or his bruises from his body trying to recover from the hazing session he got from the bystander group.

Viper came closer and lean a bit and look at his bruised face and black eyes she said: "did you let them punish you, or you just want to pass their hazing session to impress their ugly leader and join them?"

The man replied in a hoarse voice: "none of the above."

Viper said: Very well, stand up and let's go to the stream nearby and get you clean, undress your dirty clothes.

"What?" said the man still on pain on his wounds and bruises all over his body.

"Did you not hear? If you do not obey, I will drag you out and have a taste of this," and Viper slammed her whip at the rocks and looking impatient and not giving him empathy.

Okay, okay, easy girl, I'll obey.

Good! Move! Viper still looks so bossy on him but felt some fun inside, although this guy seems to have a big buff body, the guy is on his helpless circumstance, obeyed.

He murmured: "I don't get orders from others except my general and not even this underworld girl that looks likes she lives in a bat cave."

"Did you just say I am a bat cave girl huh?"

The man smiles and replied: "No. I said you're a nice girl, helping a batman! No, a nice boy, I mean."

"You! be nice to the batgirl or I will not spare the fangs of this whip and will not hesitate to have part two of your hazing yesterday!" Viper slammed her whip again on the rocks and the man slightly afraid he stood straight and went fast to the stream.

The man is halfway undressing and about to clean himself in the stream when Viper at a distance cut a long stalk stem of grass put it on her mouth nipping it, stealing some glances on the poor man.

The man swallowed when they caught their eyes together, and he paused for a while, but he continued to undress when he saw the girl's whip. Viper narrowed her eyes and seems to be enjoying the scene with the man's buff body and perfect muscles in place even if its full of bruises and wounds, a rare view, like that of an Adonis statue in Italy with fountains all around, a gift from the gods.

The man suddenly complained: "I can't take a bath if someone is looking at me," he said to Viper.

"And my whip cannot control itself if I turn around and see you escape. Continue or die!"

The man did not have any choice but to become a stripper in front of his batgirl and Viper still not changing her fierce, full of ridicule eyes, looking at his body, he continued. The man began to take out his shirt and another shirt inside and his outer pants and other inside pants leaving only his inner wear pants and his bandana in his head. The man on his buff body, perfect shape muscles on display made Viper swallow on her throat and seems she is sweating, but really the weather is cold.

After a few seconds, Viper looking pleased with the view, she suddenly came over to the man and held his waist and swayed him to the other side and slammed her whip to the water. Suddenly the crocodile mouth opened wide and the man to his fear like he was grabbing a sword, but he has no sword was caught in surprise when Viper leaped in the water like a fierce beast used her whip and bound the mouth of the croc.

Viper was so full of herself that he saved an adonis man she said: "I am not the only eyes who is watching you, so move fast! Now!" Viper shouted.

The man suddenly moved quickly, get dressed, and he is done, and both of them got out of the stream.

The two is walking uphill when suddenly Chu Qiao met them halfway and said to Viper: "Did you get jealous with the crocs and let him move fast without washing his dress?"

The man suddenly surprised, and he stared on his big eyes looking at the divine lady in front of him and frozen on his knees.

Viper answered and said: "No, I will let him eat first and feed him to the crocs later!" Viper still on her not so happy mood face.

Chu Qiao threw a cold smile and said: "Both of you come over! Ciao!"

While they were eating the man was frequently looking at Chu Qiao, and Chu Qiao looked at him and felt some awkwardness. Viper broke the silence and asked: "What is your name?"

"I am He Xiao, ….." and He Xiao about to say something else but he silenced himself.

From where are you? Chu Qiao is looking curious on his face. He Xiao somehow was busy thinking and he did not answer her right away and was just waiting for Chu Qiao to recognize him, however, Chu Qiao is just giving him a blank stare.

Viper asked again: Why did you come here and you said about the underworld?

He Xiao looked at Viper and said: "I came here to search for a person and discovered the underworld."

"No one steps the underworld and still lives today. Obviously, You did not discover it yet." And Viper asked him again: Why did you come here?

Their eyes on He Xiao, Chu Qiao, is listening and waiting for his answer when He Xiao said: "I came, because of her."

Chu Qiao stopped eating and just stared at him while Viper followed up his question: "Because of her?"

"Yes, she is my General, our General of Xuili Army from Yanbei."

Viper looked at Chu Qiao, and Chu Qiao stood up walked a few steps further and left them.

He Xiao still limping at his foot he went to Chu Qiao and said: "I am sorry, I did not mean to bother you, please come back let's continue to eat."

Chu Qiao asked, in her calm voice: You said I am your General and the leader of Xuili Army?

Yes, you were missing a year ago from the frozen lake, we thought you died in the lake. He Xiao suddenly sensed some coldness and change on Chu Qiao's behavior he added: "If its too much, then lets take time to discuss the order of events and I am here to give you all the information you need about the real condition of the Xuili Army exhausted from the orders of the Prince of Yanbei. Sadly, the entire army went for overkill and suicide missions as we speak today."

Chu Qiao suddenly felt some empathy, and she does not know where is it coming from she asked: Where is the Xuili Army?

"At Meilin border, as we speak, maybe they were wrapped up as dried bones by now and will be six feet under by winter, it has been six months since I left them to the next in command and looked for hope to see our General. There were no food and weapon provisions and we are all sieged by all day war with Prince Yuan Che's Xiaoqi cavalry and we really think we were abandoned by the commander in chief Prince Yan Xun."He Xiao suddenly looked down and slightly played his feet on the dried autumn leaves on the ground as his tears start to flow on his bloody red eyes.

Chu Qiao left on her thoughts and just stood there silent.

The cold wind blew on the three as the forest trees gave up their leaves, the ground was brushed with the colors of autumn red, yellow and brown small leaves. Heavy clouds are forming in shades of grey, a swift of lightning started to issue a roar of thunder, giving a warning for a delayed pouring of the thunderstorm and suddenly thin hair-like droplets of rain began to water the mossy forest.