Author Angel Chua

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

Graveyard of flowers (05.28.2021 edited)

Looking at the yellow tulip garden outside the Kowloon House, became an attraction site to the customers and other foreign people started to flock the street. It made the Old lady's business bloom at the corner of Xue Fu street.

The Lotus Prince continued to woo the fine woman, and the palace brushed it off. Known to be a playboy Crown Prince, King Tang said: "Another fine jewel Xiao Ce is adding to the palace?" and did not bother to know who she is. Even after the palace was set on smoke and fire, Xiao Ce went to his father to explain and saved Liang's Palace Kitchen head from the guillotine, and freed the kitchen staff who saved Xiao Ce's face in front of the fine lady, delivering the smoking turkey on fire to their dinner table.

A day after the other, the old lady and Chu Qiao surprised to see a Kowloon house empty of the yellow tulip garden. Suddenly sees a red carpet spread on the ground, while carpenters constructing on-site setting up a grand imperial design around its premises.

Two of the Royal guards standing in the entrance. Chu Qiao's eyebrows wrinkled and seem to know who is the mastermind behind of all of this, she asked: "What is this?"

The royal guard not looking at her, said: "The Crown Prince blocked the entire street today and no customers or people allowed to walk the street except the palace servants and His Highness.

Chu Qiao heard it and her ears somehow irritated.

"Will the Crown Prince come to their Kowloon House and be their guest today?"

The Old lady have guessed, she ordered the kitchen chef: "This is an expensive visit, do not delay, go market and cook the best dish we can offer."

Chu Qiao murmuring showed her disgruntled face and obeyed the old lady's order. "Did I left any footwear that night and this Foxy Prince coming for a site visit? As far as I know, I only took a turkey that's it."

While the fine lady rushed to the market, she bumped into a familiar face. Upset and somewhat tired basket full market goods flew on air, dumped to the ground.

The familiar face anxious, picked up the goods on the ground without looking to the fine woman.

Somehow Chu Qiao stunned to see his fresh face, cold eyes, the athletic body then suddenly her world went on the slow motion.

While the man continued his efforts. After it, the man helped the fine woman get up, and both of them stand avoided each other's stare.

The man squinted his eyes and broke the silence he said: "My fault, I am blind today" and he looked away from her. Chu Qiao, not upset did not even hear what he just said.

She received the basket from him and did not remove her eyes from the man.

The man seems to be in a hurry, he bid his goodbye. A cold air passed in between them, Chu Qiao was speechless, and the man walked away.

Chu Qiao walked straight to the kitchen started to cook. She slowly sliced an onion but her eyes and mind nowhere. A fine woman is now looking at the empty walls, mesmerizing dreaming of those cold eyes of the man she just bumped into the market.

Suddenly she was startled to hear the sounds of a drumroll, it came to disrupt her fantasy moments. Chu Qiao rolled her eyes and looked at the small kitchen window, and she knows, she is always right.

Xiao Ce who owns the day and every corner street in Xue Fu announced its grand entrance.

Two white power horses in front adorned with gold reins, a flashy red Palanquin glittering in gold parked at the street still distant from the Kowloon noodle house and a fragrant smell issued on air, the road was intoxicating and alive.

Xiao Ce stepped down from his grand Palanquin and walked in the red carpet with his finest Liang maidservants threw petals of flowers in the Street and the flowers dripping from his face and his robes, a Prince is walking so heavenly in a small Xue Fu street.

Suddenly the Prince reached the main entrance and looked at the total package of the Kowloon house he commented: "Hmm… this is so nice."

"Welcome to the Kowloon noodle house Your Highness," said the old lady and Xiao Ce gave her a foxy smile.

The Kowloon noodle house transformed to a little palace that matched his Jinwu palace. Instead of small tables inside and chairs, a presidential table and a throne-like chair were set up likewise a cup made of jade were brought to the Kowloon house.

All of his palace kitchen staff is present and his home-grown tea leaves courtesy of his palace for the first time was taken out of Xiao Ce's palace by its strict clearance.

The Prince settled in the chair, on his foxy but calm eyes were looking around, and he started to clap his hands, the kitchen staff served his home-grown tea.

The standby musician started to play the Zither near the Presidential table, this is Xiao Ce's style of courtship where every woman on his palace fell for him but not Chu Qiao. Xiao Ce still not spoken a word of order, enjoying the mood and every string strummed by the Zither musician he turned to the Old lady: "I presume you know why I came and blocked the entire street just to see her."

The Old lady on her courtesies she bowed and her hand's clasps in front of her is not the first time to see and meet the Prince she said: "Our apologies Your Highness and gratitude as well for the Yellow tulip garden you sent to our humble Kowloon house.

Due to its transformation and high volume of customers, we were not able to respond to your summons, and therefore we know we must be punished."

Suddenly Chu Qiao heard what the old lady said, she is preparing herself in case any of this happens she plans to escape but thought what about the street kids and the poor she is taking care off?

Xiao Ce did not waste more time he said to the Old lady: "Very well, I am a democratic Prince, I listen to explanations and if I think it is reasonable enough I give second chances. Do not abuse my goodness or this Kowloon house will be put to ashes."

The Prince on his slip of tongue did not mean this, but he has to put a stern facade to make the fine woman obey and attend the three-night Banquet in his Jinwu palace, and it will start tonight, it cannot be refused.

Chu Qiao did not come out to see him when suddenly the Prince got bored and finally stood and walked outside the Kowloon house.

Another servant came to the old lady before all of the Prince envoy left slid a bag of gold as payment for this expensive treat and pester of their time. The old lady said: "The Prince is very generous, I will make sure that we attend tonight's first day of Banquet."

Chu Qiao relieved finally she can relax a bit and continue her fantasies.

The first night of Banquet Chu Qiao attended out of her obedience of respect to the Old lady, and it went fine, Xiao Ce changed his playboy flirt moves from an aggressive to a laid back Prince.

In the distance, he observes her like the apple of his eyes hoping he would make her fall on those stolen glances and secret blinks and winks of his foxy eyes. Xiao Ce drinking wine and socializing occasionally showed her, he was talking to the other beautiful ladies and not to mention showcasing his concubines with matching curling of his hair in its ears to catch more attention from her.

Chu Qiao not getting any of his signals silently enjoyed the night by drinking and laughing but made sure she can now handle the spirit wine than the last time, she slept drooling in the high society nightclub.

Then when its time to leave, she made sure she did not leave any of her footwear as she does not want the Foxy Prince to come to pick it up and block the Xue Fu street again.

On her beautiful Red Hanfu dress courtesy of the old lady, and peacock signature look of her hair, step inside the Palanquin and spoke to the royal escort to ride back to her residence.

A man was waiting on the street but hid when suddenly a royal Palanquin passed by.

He waited for the fine woman to get out and looked at the beautiful woman who tripped her foot as she was already drunk but managed to keep herself, his excited blood suddenly back to its calmness, he squinted his cold eyes and left the street.

The next day, the man continued his efforts helping the old lady and this time she is very quiet and just feeling every moment with the presence of the man she did not reveal to the old lady they bumped into each other at the marketplace.

The man sensing some changes in her behavior and he is somewhat anxious in the inside but calm in the outside. After a few moments, he bid his goodbye again, and Chu Qiao smiled at him for the first time and gave him the sweetest looks.

The man as if somewhat forced to reciprocate gave her a cold glance, and expressionless face left her a blank face and a fool's stare.

Chu Qiao attended the second-night Banquet and Xiao Ce still not giving her the usual attention and courtesies and just passing glance, frequent distant eye contacts with her she did not bother what is this all about.

Xiao Ce thinks, this banquet is not affecting her and not getting any jealous stares from her. Instead the unthinkable happens, she enjoyed the night carefree and wild, as she gulps another round of spirit wine.

It was the seducer Xiao Ce who wasn't able to control himself, broke his laid-back rules.

He went beside her, took the goblet then went to drink it straight. His eyes looking at her started his smooth talk he said: "Ah, this spirit wine, taste so good but not for a fine woman like you, must abuse it."

Chu Qiao gave him a sleepy stare and a muse in her lips, she is saying something but Xiao Ce cannot understand when suddenly she vomited in front of his robes. Xiao Ce not alarmed, he kinda expected it had a calm face, Chu Qiao holds his shoulder and about to fall to sleep, and Xiao Ce carried her.

In front of his banquet guests and concubines, he showed it to them this stranger weird hairdo guest was the apple of his eyes.

And all eyes registered her face, and her not so friendly behavior gave birth to some palace rumors.

Xiao Ce took the drunk guest to his palace and placed her in his bed.

The Liang Palace is not as strict as the Wei's palace where the crown prince of Liang may entertain any of his invited guest in his royal bedchamber and a little bit more private than Wei palace, the royal guards are not confined inside its royal bedchamber.

Xiao Ce looked at her and said: "Qiao Qiao, it seems there are things I don't know about you, what happened to you after the frozen lake where Yuwen Yue died in it, what did Yan Xun did to you before and after his marriage.

And your failed engagement with the Wei Crown Prince Yuan Song, I am the only one left for you. Look at you, here you are at my bed, I am the happiest man in the world."

Xiao Ce not usually shows his gentleman side took off his robes and went to change in his sleeping robes and on his hands were warm thick silk blanket.

Then the Prince looked at her lovely face and spread the blanket over her body then he went to sleep beside his royal bed, in his expensive carpet with pillows all around while the sleeping beauty's noise, on top of his fragrant and heavenly royal bedchamber, became a music to his ears, he drifted peacefully.

The next day, a bell sounded, and Chu Qiao was startled she cried. Suddenly the Liang Prince on his open sleeping robes, his chest was exposed was stunned.

Suddenly, Xiao Ce woke up, stood up, put his hands on his waist and asked the lovely fine woman on top of his bed: "Qiao Qiao easy, can't you see a Prince is sleeping, and you are so noisy?" complained the Crown Prince.

Chu Qiao is touching her peacock hairdo as if looking for something in their Xiao Ce said: "Looking for this?" a small cold weapon Xiao Ce took off from her hair last night.

Chu Qiao suddenly thought if Xiao Ce got his secret weapon from her hair, what else did this prince take from her? Chu Qiao also saw the Prince chest exposed to her and Xiao Ce got those looks.

Xiao Ce secretly laughed in the inside, he knows those looks of a woman very well, he turned his back to her and said with his foxy eyes enjoying this very moment with her: "If I tell you something happened last night in between us would you yield to me?"

Chu Qiao, checked herself and all of her clothing is complete and wrapped her like a cocoon, she thought it is impossible to happen.

Xiao Ce showing his natural side, off the camera's and limelight suddenly took off his sleeping robes and Chu Qiao saw Xiao Ce's naked chest, unconsciously swallowed in her throat. Xiao Ce attempting to seduce her is too late where the subject is already sober.

Xiao Ce somewhat showing his foxy eyes in front of her, he slowly took his robes last night and put it back to his naked upper body. Chu Qiao sees some trace of vomits suddenly remembered what happened.

Chu Qiao feeling relieved while Xiao Ce gently raised her lovely jaw, he said: "After me, tonight's Banquet is canceled, and you won't be sent home yet to the Old lady, we have to meet someone today."

Xiao Ce smirked at her, and Chu Qiao gave a stern but soft look to counter Xiao Ce's foxy flirty eyes.

On Xiao Ce's usual secret getaways used the third-day to tour Chu Qiao somewhere between Wei and Liang States.

The Prince wrote a letter to the Old lady not to worry and promised to ferry her back to their residence tomorrow. While Emperor Tang is not in favor of his son going anywhere in between those borders, Empress Yuan granted it.

No one knows a scheme was devised in advance, to assassinate the crown prince. The present-day Empress became the crown prince stepmother. Before the Empress seat, the Empress was first a concubine to Xiao Ce's Grandfather. Later, she was promoted to become the Empress of Liang after the first Empress was deposed.

Queen Yuan gave birth to Xiao Ce's other siblings named Xiao Yu and another younger brother named Xiao Yun. When King Tang was so consumed of his anger towards the First Empress which happens to be a distant cousin of Zhan Ziyu, she received a decree from King Tang.

As a result, the baby crown prince grew up in the lap of Concubine Yuan, the present day Empress of Liang.

The Empress never suspected Chu Qiao. To their eyes, she is like another grass that Xiao Ce may turn to jewel if the prince gives her Fu (luck), her future would be better and would just end up at Liang's Harem, a palace for concubines. Chu Qiao's low and unknown status made them underestimate her and Xiao Ce likes it this way.

For the past two nights, Xiao Ce has been thinking over why Chu Qiao did not seem to relate to him at all. Like they just met each other when in the past, they have gone through life and death situation.

Xiao Ce learned his lesson through her pure heart's intention to save him and not harm him, and he also became an adviser to her when she was in her heart struggles to help the wanted or turn over to her heart's desire.

What's worst is to admit and find himself playing the role of a vulgar lover to the public but hides as a sincere secret lover in front of his Royal family.

This is to protect her and not to draw much attention whether he is for real or not, Xiao Ce, a master of disguise. For the past few months, the Prince can only manage to source information through Zhan Ziyu and pay and provide information when rumor spread out that the Xuili General was about to be engaged to Prince Yuan Song, he cannot just let it happen.

Using his sources, Xiao Ce schemed to frustrate then sent someone to break the engagement. In doing so, he believes he is saving Chu Qiao from the death of her heart.

Because Xiao Ce knows and feels that Chu Qiao was somehow screaming for help while Yan Xun is shackled and locked up to his sister Xiao Yu's wedding bells.

However, one thing that Xiao Ce would not be able to control if war will happen between Wei and Yanbei because of this scheme.

He imagined, if the Wei Emperor discovers the crown princess of Wei was abducted by Yan Xun the night before his wedding, the world will go to war. Chu Qiao situation can be compared to a priceless hostage held in Yuan Song's arms. But Xiao Ce's spies sent him reports that Chu Qiao broke out with the help of someone, her right-hand Viper and the Xuili Deputy General He Xiao.

Did not waste time to help her break free from Wei Valve and even rumors said that Yan Xun coordinated its movements and no one would ever admit if its true.

Without so much friction in between them, Chu Qiao starting to like this playboy, Prince.

She thinks she met him a few weeks ago; thus, Xiao Ce purposely acquainted her with his concubines, heard trivial stories about his first love, almost met his childhood friend Sun Di, but introduced to crown prince right-hand man Tie Yuo. Chu Qiao feels, she knows him more than anyone inside his palace.

Attending two consecutive Banquet in the Jinwu palace gave her a sense of belongingness.

She became comfortable, and without harsh judgments, she is able to freely express herself for not being hesitated or confined.

As compared to the Wei palace, there are particular set of rules to follow and Royal protocols not meant to be broken.

Chu Qiao somehow learning to slowly follow this foxy Prince wisdom and principles, times of daring and irritation moments increased between the two.

It blossomed to a beautiful ground of two souls expressing their natural behaviors without being caught up hiding away's secrets, in the pursuit of ambitions and pride.

Unlike Chu Qiao's relationship with Yan Xun, where it was toppled with secret agenda's and ambition, their interactive way of understanding was just icing to the cake.

However, when it comes to their trust, it already eroded by a time when Yan Xun's gave away his heart by revenge. Yan Xun's only liability is to take care of his kingdom, it cannot be unattended.

With Xiao Ce, the prince never hid anything behind in front of her beautiful face and took everything in face value, no hidden meaning.

The Prince can only rest a bit whenever her presence is around. His masks are down, he can be of his true self without being beguiled.

Xiao Ce and Chu Qiao like the olden times went on a tour, in a familiar yet painful place of memories.

Near to Chu Qiao's past residence when she was still living a low status of a maidservant in the Yuwen household. Xiao Ce who does not love to tour but when he learned to be the master of disguise, he already used to put his life in danger.

The two dressed in their ordinary clothes, like regular people walked in the memorial sites of slaves.

It was nightfall after a long trip from sunrise to sundown finally arrived at the graveyard. Xiao Ce like a boy scout ready for many things lit a small candle and the aroma issued on air, it also revealed the names of the graves.

Chu Qiao standing still read the names: LingXi and Zhi Xiang. Xiao Ce also took out two white roses on his backpack and offered it to the graves.

Chu Qiao somewhat confused she thought: why would the Prince do such humble thing, then she asks the prince: "Who are they? Your slaves?

Xiao Ce confirming his theories in mind looked at her and said: "No, they were your siblings who died."

Chu Qiao suddenly shocked she asked: "Are they?"

Xiao Ce in his calm and full voice confirmed it: "Yes they were."

Chu Qiao touched their tablets and looking back from her memories recovered some moments, she held her tears, and Xiao Ce expected this to happen, he let her tears fall.

After some time, another presence showed itself to the slave tombs, wearing a faux fur cape, a white Hanfu dress made of expensive silk and a white hood gave her a divine-like face like hers.

Not surprised, Xiao Ce arranged this meeting in advance and finally revealed to Chu Qiao the reason why her engagement failed. Chu Qiao met Xiao Ba.

Xiao Ba on her tearful eyes, when she saw her. Chu Qiao was just receiving her in her arms in with eyes welling in tears suddenly realized her sister saved her from Yuan Song's political engagement.

Chu Qiao would be used as prey, but her sister came in between to destroy all sorts of Wei Emperor's plans at the important night. How did this happen?

Who else could be the director of such cunning acts?

Maybe the foxy Prince can answer.

The memorial site became a reunion site of the two. Another lost and found part of Chu Qiao's memories. With the help of the foxy Prince who is just happy seeing them reunited again.

The rest of the story of how did this happen, the foxy Prince promised to spend his sources to show his love with Qiao Qiao, whether in and out of seasons he is ready to rescue her.

A different kind of love, extravagant, and expensive, courtesy of the foxy Prince heartbeat.

Connect to Chapter 47 Ask for Wisdom

Lookback to Chapter 43 Dinner Engagement

Author's note:

This is one of the deviations from the original to continue what is in the drama. The original novel involved a lot of characters and complicated scenarios, while this fan fiction captured only what was necessary to maintain the storyline. The chapters 39, 41,43, 45, 47, 49 are advanced readings while chapters 40, 42, 44, 46, and 48 were the retro chapters. I intentionally put it in an alternate style of writing to create simultaneous events happening at the same time together as we see all the characters coming into the picture and finally the most awaited one, Yuwen Yue. If the reader wants to connect the dots to understand in a broader sense, one will have to do a backread starting from the breakaway chapter 40 and follow the even sections and then go back to chapter 39 to follow reading the odd chapters, and you are ready to read chapter 51. Hope you will all enjoy this 10 chapters. -AC