Helloooo... So, as you can see, I am back with another update. I'm really glad I got so many reviews for the last one in just a couple of days! So thank you SO MUCH to everyone who took the time, just keep them coming, I can't get enough of them! And I know that I can't reply to anonymous reviews, so I'd just like to say, thanks ESPECIALLY to Anonymous, Ayumi, Nikki Ramirez and Fire Girl. lol. Anyways, it was alot of fun working on the last chapter, but I just hope I didn't make TOO many changes on the characters... I actually wanted to make them more different than before, but to keep them real, and very much the same at the same time... So if there's anyone willing to point out any errors I made, I'd really appreciate it!
Oh, and another thing:
I'VE PUT UP A POLL ON MY PROFILE REGARDING SOME ONESHOTS I'M PLANNING TO DO. PLEASE CHECK IT OUT AND VOTE, IF YOU'VE GOT THE TIME.
lol, just wanted to make that as clear and visible as possible...:P
So anyway, for many, many more reviews to come, here's Chapter 22!
Enjoy.
"Welcome! Welcome!"
"Welcome to Xu Chang, Master Sun Ce!"
"We trust Your Highness had a comfortable journey?"
"Lord Sun Jian did send word that his heir would be taking his place..."
"Please, do let us take charge of your belongings..."
"We wish Your Highness a very pleasant stay indeed!"
Sun Ce barely registered the warm greetings of the six mail-clad attendants of Wei as they swarmed about his carriage, pulling both its doors open for him, unloading it of his luggage, and making the driver and horses feel welcome at the same time.
He had been traveling for half a day without stopping, and all his senses had temporarily abandoned him. He had never journeyed this far without a break before. Sure, the first eight hours had been amusing enough as he sat up front with the chauffeur, driving the stallions himself. But as the day grew dark and dusk descended, the good man had insisted on taking over instead, and implored that Ce relax inside the carriage himself, in case of any accident along the way. The only problem was, Ce loathed travelling in closed spaces too much to enjoy the ride for long. His usually restless nature preferred riding bare-back on horses, and carriages nauseated him at times. As a result, he was now almost completely dried up and fatigued. He could really have used a warm pillow right about then.
Now, as the attendants carried his possessions, arranged for his horses to spend the visit in the stables, and ordered suitable accommodations for his worthy chauffeur, Ce climbed out of the detested carriage as if in a daze, willing his eyes to stay open. It was only late evening, and he was simply bushed.
He tried to focus his gaze on Xu Chang Palace. Even through his stupor, Ce could see how beautiful it truly was- colored blue and silver and traced with faint phoenix-like decorations. It was an awesome sight to behold.
The attendants surrounded him, leading him to the lovely palace.
"We are most fortunate, to be visited by such fine representatives of all the most admirable kingdoms throughout the land."
"Lord Cao Cao shall certainly be very pleased."
When Ce made no reply to their comments, they glanced at him uncertainly, slightly puzzled. Perhaps he was not used to such attention. Could he be shy? Or uncomfortable? They had no idea that he was, in fact, practically sleepwalking.
"Master Sun Ce? Would this be a good time for us to introduce you to our Lord Cao Cao? Or would you prefer to rest for a while beforehand?"
"Lord Cao Cao has without a doubt been impatiently awaiting your arrival."
"He shall be thrilled to make your fine acquaintance. Perhaps we could arrange an audience with him for you in a few minutes-?"
"No," said Ce at last. This was about the first sentence that had fully reached him in his weary state. It was rather hard for him to get the words out, but he managed it somehow.
"No- that's alright, thanks. Just some rest would be great, if that's okay."
"But of course," said an attendant at once, bowing slightly. "As you wish."
"We shall show you to your quarters for now, and leave you in peace soon after," added another, bowing in the same manner.
Ce entered the palace doors amidst the six men. As they passed certain portraits, rooms, corridors and staircases, the servants did point out several things to him, and explained many aspects of the palace he did not know about; but Ce was simply too zoned out to pay much interest. He did keep his eyes well open the entire time, so as not to seem rude on his first visit, but this probably fooled the attendants into mistaking him for fascinated, and so they continued talking like there was no tomorrow. Granted, they were exceedingly eloquent in their speech, and perfectly capable of adding interesting touches to their words, but they just wouldn't stop for a breath of air.
It was of no surprise then, that when Ce finally made it to his living quarters, he could barely keep his eyes open as he looked it over, or his ears open as the attendants explained his lodgings to him. He inwardly congratulated himself on staying on his feet and in balance the whole while.
"Do take all the time you wish to replenish yourself, Master Sun Ce," said one of the men graciously.
"We shall return when it is time to summon you for the Gathering Ceremony. We trust that Your Highness shall surely meet guests as fine and prestigious as yourself!"
And with that last word, the attendants arranged Ce's luggage in a neat pile against the wall, shut Ce's door with a slight snap, and finally left him in peace.
The instant they took their leave, Ce turned on his heel and collapsed on his back onto the large, comfortable four-poster bed nearby in relief, his arms and legs spread out around him.
He stared up at the pristine ceiling, all his fatigue miraculously ebbing away and his mind clearing steadily. He never could figure out why the moment he got the chance to relax, sleep evaded him. It was probably just as well. They would be back presently, anyway. Truthfully, Ce was familiar with royal, luxury treatment of all kinds, but he'd never really been an honored guest at another kingdom. It was a whole new experience for him, and, for his father's sake, he didn't want to mess it up. He knew he had it in him to do a good job, but he wasn't overly fond of such tasks anymore, and was always more interested in more practical matters. Fighting in battle was more of his thing; attending banquets was more of Sun Quan's.
Ce let out a sigh. He tucked his hands beneath his head and shut his eyes. For many of his friends back home in Wu, this would have been the chance of a lifetime. For him, it was just a task he was carrying out for his family. There were some who would give anything for what he had now, but all he cared about was having a good time, which didn't include any of this. He didn't deserve to be here. He wasn't even staying for long; just long enough it took to get the party over with.
He rolled over onto his side, frowning as he opened his eyes once more. He'd better start to freshen up and change from his travelling clothes into something more suitable soon, or he'd be a ghastly sight compared with all the official representatives of all the other lands at dinner in a few hours.
As he rose from the soft bed and made his way through the room, there was just one thought running through his mind:
I'll do anything to go back home.
"May I present The Crown Prince and Heir to the Kingdom of Wu, His Royal Highness, Master Sun Ce! All rise!"
A loud smattering of polite yet enthusiastic applause followed the announcement of the Royal Chamberlain of Wei.
Ce entered the Banquet Hall, fully awake now, freshened up, and slightly nervous, although he knew he didn't look it. When he stepped through the enormous double doors and walked into the Hall, he was astounded. The number of people watching him! Ce had never in his wildest dreams imagined that Lord Cao Cao would hold a ball as grand as this for his guests. Not only was the Hall full of important, glamorously-clothed dignitaries, the room itself was stunningly decorated, with chandeliers hanging majestically from the ceilings, sculptures gracing the corners and open spaces, the walls and marble floor shimmering and rich, vibrant colors streaking the atmosphere. Even the wonderful aroma of food suggested that the dishes were most delectable.
There was a even a magnificent throne at the end of the hall, directly in the path of the doors Ce had just entered through. It was huge, and beautifully carved out of gold, which shapes of phoenixes engraved in it.
Ce was actually spellbound. As he made his way past different guests, each of them stood up in turn, applauding him, surveying him from head to toe and nodding approvingly, smiling warmly, eyeing him with interest, while he automatically returned all that he was receiving through his very demeanor, as though it was something he was used to, something he knew just how to do.
Four of his earlier attendants were walking behind him in a most orderly fashion, arranged in a way to discreetly point out certain necessities to him without looking like it, and to serve and attend to him in any possible way.
"Master Sun Ce, we shall take your leave for the present," one of them said after a few minutes, while Ce was still adjusting to the splendor of the ball- which seemed to be more of a gala. "We must do our duty and bring you refreshments and dinner. That may take a while, and so it is best that you socialize with the other members of the ball. Lord Cao Cao had clearly stated that he wanted as much mingling between his guests as possible!"
With that, the two dutiful men were off on their way.
Ce's eyes swept the entire dazzling hall- or what he could see of it. This place was simply gorgeous. He found it hard to take in everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours- just yesterday, he'd been living his own life more or less the way he always had- and now, he was miles away from that, in a magnificent ball. Soon, he would be part of a grand celebration. He wondered what Cao Pi's actual birthday banquet would be like. Jian Ye Palace did have a Grand Hall that was probably as splendid as this one, but it was a hall he had grown up with, so maybe that was why he was so blown away by Xu Chang Palace. Another thing Ce realized was that he was even growing to like it. In fact, he almost didn't regret coming here in the first place. If it meant chilling every night with a bunch of royals like himself, being pampered more than usual and meeting new people, then he could deal with it.
Then a curious thought suddenly struck him. Why had he been reluctant to make the trip in the first place? Not too long ago, he would probably have liked to come- not as much as Quan, and not so much for political reasons, but he would have been proud to represent his family and kingdom, and excited at the prospect of showing more people how to fun his way. So what had he held back for? Why had he hesitated? He was actually warming to the atmosphere now. He seemed relaxed, and, at a glance, the other guests looked as if they assumed he was enjoying himself. Maybe he even was. And why not? This wasn't so bad after all.
A few more minutes passed, and soon, Ce found himself engaged in conversation with General Zhao Yun, the representative of the Kingdom of Shu. Ce found him to be and interesting and polite person with many values similar to his, and discovered that he could get along with him quite well.
"Master Sun Ce," Zhao Yun was saying in his slow, calm voice, as though he meant every word. "It might sound strange, but I believe that this celebration is a chance for all the land's representatives to gather around and create connections. It's very useful for our kingdoms for the future."
"Yeah, I see what you mean," Ce replied, nodding. "That's sort of what my father wanted me to do here. He thought it was about time I got my first taste of the real world between the kingdoms."
"As did my lord, the Emperor Liu Bei," agreed Zhao Yun, inclining his head slightly. "I'm very proud to represent the land of Shu. This is the first time I've done anything of this sort, just like yourself, and I'm glad my lord chose me for it. I was only worried that I don't deserve it."
"So am I," said Ce. He was relieved that he wasn't the only one who was worried about that. "Or at least, I was, until I saw how easy this really is. I mean, I'm not used to it or anything, but I think I could be."
"Exactly," said Zhao Yun eagerly. "That's just how I feel. Lord Cao Cao's very generous to allow us this opportunity. I do hope the best turns out for him and Wei- for now, at least."
"Speaking of Lord Cao Cao, where is he right now? I haven't met him since I got here," said Ce, figuring he might as well get acquainted with the person who'd arranged for all this to happen. He was actually beginning to feel a bit warm towards Cao Cao, even though he'd never seen him before in person. He had heard that Cao Cao was a highly ambitious leader who ruled with an iron fist, which almost made him sound cruel. But a man who had organized such a gathering for both his son and The Three Kingdoms alike couldn't be all bad, could he?
"He should be here soon enough," answered Yun. "He probably wants to wait until all the guests are present for the Gathering Ceremony."
"Right," said Ce, his eyes scanning the hall for anyone he might recognize. Needless to say, he saw no one.
"May I join the two of you?" asked a sleek, imperious voice from behind them.
Ce and Yun turned to see a tall, built and dignified young man, with pencil-thin eyebrows and mustache alike, and sharp, well-defined features which fit into a properly chiseled face. He seemed to have an arrogant air about him, but there was no doubt that he was a man of honor.
"Sure," replied Ce, watching him intently.
"Thank you," he replied, stepping in between them. "Forgive me, I am Zhang Liao, General of Wei. You've heard of me, I trust?"
Ce had heard of him indeed. This was the man who had defected from the side of the mighty, formidable warrior Lu Bu, joining Cao Cao's army instead when the former had been defeated and slain, his dead body submitted to brutal, grotesque treatment. Following these event, he had served Cao Cao loyally and bravely, never betraying his fellow warriors or peers, just as he had done Lu Bu.
"But of course," said Zhao Yun at once, his dark, almond-shaped eyes widening in acknowledgement. "It's an honor to meet you. I am General Zhao Yun of Shu."
"Delighted to meet you, Master Zhao Yun," said Zhang Liao, before turning to Ce. "And there's no questioning who you are, Master Sun Ce. Word of your great deeds has reached my ears. You must be quite a commodity for Wu."
"Thanks," said Ce smiling. "That's what I like to think."
"Don't we all!" exclaimed Yun, laughing heartily. "Each one of us is so bent on making our kingdom proud. No one can understand our plight better than us!"
Ce and Liao joined in the laughter.
Pretty soon, the three young men were seated comfortably, feasting on a number of delicacies brought to them by their attendants, and companionably discussing many things they were all interested in and shared in common together. It was as though they had all been friends for quite a period. In addition to each other, they also met various lords and ladies as the hours passed, and Ce knew that he left good impressions on every one of them.
"But no matter what they say about how beautiful this place is," Liao declared after he'd thanked Yun for a compliment he paid him regarding Xu Chang Palace, "I'd sooner stare at a pretty woman any day."
Ce and Yun exchanged glances with each other, clearly surprised. This certainly wasn't like a polite, refined man like Zhang Liao to affirm.
Seeing the looks on their faces, Liao hastened to add,
"I know that sounds inappropriate, and even obscene coming from someone like myself, but you can't blame one for being a man, can you?"
They all shared yet another laugh at that.
"Speaking of pretty women," Yun said after they had finished, "how many have you seen, anyway? Which one would you say was the best to see? And don't pretend to be a man of such honor that you wouldn't look at a girl in that sort of way!"
"I don't know about you," answered Liao, "But if you must know, I would say that the most beautiful woman I've seen has to be either Lady Diao Chan or Lady Zhen Ji. You'll know who Lady Zhen Ji is, she's to be the wife of Lord Cao Pi once he comes of age. She's stunning to behold, I'll grant you that. Lady Diao Chan was the mistress of my former master, Lord Lu Bu, may he rest in peace. Unfortunately, she vanished immediately after he was defeated. It was a terrible pity- she had been a rather enchanting woman. One of the loveliest creatures I've known."
"As for me," began Yun, "I'll have to say it's Lady Xing Cai, the daughter of Lord Zhang Fei, sworn brother of my lord, the Emperor Liu Bei. She may not be a classic beauty, but she is a most charming and attractive woman. I do admire her for all her work and devotion, and it doesn't hurt that she's very pleasant to look at indeed."
"Yes, I've heard something of the sort," remarked Liao. He turned to Ce. "How about you, Master Sun Ce? Anyone you've seen whom you'll never forget seeing?"
Yun laughed.
"Yes, go on, Master Sun Ce! You can confide in us!" he said, shoving Ce in the ribs jovially.
"That's right, we won't tell! As it is, we aren't in any hurry to wage war against you, anyhow!"
Yun and Liao resumed laughing.
Ce remained silent. He hadn't counted on getting himself into this sort of conversation in just several hours of his arrival. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen? Well, there was no need for him to think twice on who that may have been. But could he bring himself to mention her? A whole year had passed since he'd allowed himself to even think of her name. Could he now let himself envision her face? That sweet, radiant face? The face that had charmed him from the very start? And what about that voice? That gentle, silvery voice that was like music to his ears? Could he bring himself to hear it again?
"Come on, Master Sun Ce," urged Liao somewhat impatiently. "You must have seen someone. Do tell us. We want to know what we've been missing in Wu."
Yun laughed again.
Ce hesitated.
"Well..." he began uncertainly. Then he immediately realized that this was the first time he felt uncomfortable ever since he arrived in Wei. This was the first time he was hesitating. Yun and Liao were watching him eagerly. Should he say it? Should he reveal her name? Move on from the past, as though it wasn't that big a deal anymore? Was that what he should do?
He knew the answer to that.
Yes. I probably should.
No matter how hard it was to do so, he must let go of what he'd been through.
"Well," he said again, "I guess the most beautiful girl I've ever seen has to be- "
"Esteemed lords and ladies!" boomed the voice of the Royal Chamberlain suddenly, cutting him across. "I ask you all to rise! All rise as I present to you, The Royal Family of the Kingdom of Wei!"
Immediately, every present guest leapt to his or her feet, their heads slightly bowed, but their eyes trained towards the double doors to witness those who passed through, as the chamberlain announced their names one by one.
"Lord Xiahou Yuan!"
There were bows and applause from the guests.
"Lord Xiahou Dun!"
More bows and applause.
"Lord Cao Ren!"
More bows and applause.
"His Royal Highness, Master Cao Ang!"
Even more bows and applause from the guests.
"His Royal Highness, Lord Cao Pi!"
The guests now applauded and bowed more than ever. They fixed their eyes on the heir to the throne of Wei, who was the reason for their gathering, as he descended down the steps leading from the double doors towards them, along with his wife-to-be, the beautiful Lady Zhen Ji. Ce watched Cao Pi as he applauded too, favorably impressed with the young prince's aura. The Lady Zhen Ji, just as Zhang Liao had stated, was indeed a very lovely woman. However, she seemed somewhat haughty and foreboding as she proceeded past him beside Lord Cao Pi. The guests did stare at her face much more than they did Cao Pi's, in any case nodding approvingly, impressed with her beauty. Most of them had certainly seen her before, however, as she used to belong with the Yuan clan, and was once briefly married to Yuan Shao's second son, Yuan Xi.
"And now, esteemed lord and ladies, I present to you, the Emperor of Wei, the Hero of Chaos, His Majesty, Lord Cao Cao!"
A hush fell over the guests as they held their breaths, waiting for Emperor Cao Cao to emerge from the doors.
A second passed, and then another.
Then, suddenly, Lord Cao Cao's large, imperious and regal form filled the doorway. Every single invited individual around Ce gasped in awe and admiration.
Lord Cao Cao was surely one of the most striking personalities Ce had ever seen. He was tall and regal, noble and imposing. Perhaps he was not as handsome as an Emperor usually was, but that shortcoming was made up for by his powerful, proud air which filled the entire room. All in all, Cao Cao was definitely the about same age as Sun Jian, and, like the latter, every bit as breathtaking as an Emperor should be. His features were strong and concentrated, with a thick mustache and a beard to fit it, his body was robust and powerful, giving him the look of a true warlord. He swept down the steps from the doors, marching with a brisk but graceful stride towards his throne, where the other members of the Royal Family of Wei awaited him, standing around the throne patiently.
He reached the throne, and seated himself neatly and comfortably within it. It seemed as though the throne was made for him- and it probably was.
The guests stared up at him, then burst into applause- the longest, loudest applause yet, and bowed repeatedly.
Cao Cao watched them for a short time, then smiled, carelessly pleased with the sight. He raised his right hand, and the crowd of people stopped their applause at once.
He cleared his throat, then waited. There was absolute silence from everyone now.
"Welcome!" he declared, in his firm, clear voice. "Welcome, my guests, to Xu Chang, the capital of my Kingdom of Wei! It brings me pleasure to see so many gathered in my humble palace tonight."
Ce had to fight back a smile at that. Humble, the palace was not.
"I have waited impatiently to greet every one of you in person. Forgive me for being absent during most of the evening. But I promise you all, I shall not rest until I have been acquainted with each of you noble individuals! I will strive to make absolutely certain that none shall have anything short of a wonderful stay here in the Palace of Xu Chang!"
There was yet another burst of tumultuous applause following his words. The crowd was undeniably thrilled to be greeted so grandly.
Cao Cao waited till the cheers died down this time, and then stood up again.
"But of course, I shall not be greeting you on my own! Along with me, you shall have the pleasure of meeting my sons, my brothers, and the entire present Cao clan!"
He paused for a few seconds, and his glittering black eyes swept the crowd, his gaze lingering on several excited, interested and curious faces.
"Not only this, but you shall also be the first people, aside from myself and my family, to set their eyes on- "
He gestured dramatically towards the open doors with his right hand.
Almost immediately, another person glided out noiselessly and gracefully from between them. Before anyone knew it, the newcomer was in the middle of the hall, turned to the guests, and raised their face for everyone to see.
Scores of gasps and sighs of surprise rang out from the stupefied guests. Many of them clapped their hands to their mouths, completely dazzled by the exquisitely gorgeous young woman who now stood silently in their midst. The ones standing at the back of the hall craned their necks to steal a better look, as none of them had even glimpsed this woman before, and were astounded at the perfection and radiance emanating from her very form. Who was this captivating beauty? The men's eyes raked at her delicate face and body, much like they had done to Lady Zhen Ji's when she was first seen, but more intensely, more curiously.
She was a true vision.
Ce's mind had gone blank from the moment he glimpsed her face. His eyes were wide and vacant. His mouth had slightly dropped open and his breath was caught in his throat. His hands formed giant fists. He didn't move a muscle, only gazed at her. Nobody noticed his reaction, as their attention was already taken. Was this really happening? Could it be? Could this be real? Was he having a dream? A nightmare, perhaps? Her arms were by her sides, her hands clasped together, one of them holding shut a pretty, laced fan. Though her face was turned to the people, her eyes were cast down. Ce had to see them. He needed to. He was spellbound by her form, her stillness.
He suddenly had no control over himself. He felt himself moving. His eyes never left her, but his feet were walking him towards her, closer and closer as he didn't even bother to stop them. Even though he couldn't help what he was doing, he somehow knew that it was what he had to do; he knew it was necessary. He didn't care that the people's gazes had shifted from her to him. He didn't care if their faces now showed confusion and alarm as they looked from him, to each other, to her, and then back to him again. Whispers filled the whole hall. He barely even noticed any of it. All he knew was that he had to reach her. Her eyes were still pointed to the floor. She couldn't see him yet. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that he see her- her face, her eyes, everything about her.
He finally reached her. He drew up to her. He stepped in front of her without a word, shielding the people from her, so that all she would see when she looked up would be him.
She saw his feet as they suddenly stepped before hers. She gave a slight start. She looked up to see who he was, blinking as she did so.
Her gaze met his, and then Ce saw them. He saw the eyes- the eyes that had haunted him ever since he last looked into them. The eyes he never forgot- the eyes that meant so much, the eyes he knew inside out.
He watched as her expression changed from mild surprise, to confusion, to astonishment. He watched as her mouth fell open. He watched as the eyes went wide with shock. He watched as her entire body gave a jerk which only he could see. He saw that she recognized him at once. She knew. He knew. He stared into those eyes as the onlookers stared at the two of them, as silent now as he was. It was as though he found her all over again, and as though she knew it.
Seconds which seemed like years passed by. He felt like they were the only two people in the entire hall, him gazing at her, and her gazing at him, and there was no reason for either of them to break their intense connection.
Lord Cao Cao, it seemed, had not noticed these reactions. He had been turned away from the crowd and from her, presumably for effect.
He finished saying what he had started before he turned on his heel to witness the scene and be baffled by it, just like the rest of the people.
"The Beautiful Lady Da Qiao!"
DUN DUN DUN!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I'll bet you knew I was gonna do this, but I hope it shocked you all the same! What do you think's gonna happen next? Review, and you'll see what things I'm gonna make happen! Oh and please don't forget to vote on my poll! I'd really love to give you guys exactly what you want, and even though that can't apply to these stories, it's still easy to write oneshots you guys wanna see! In the meantime, keep the reviews and comments coming. I hope I satisfied you with Da Qiao's dramatic entrance! And I also hope I did a good job introducing all those new characters... Did I? Please let me know! But what's Cao Cao gonna do once he turns around sees Ce up in Da's face? And what's she DOING there ANYWAY? Well, to find out, do do do review! Thank you once again for all the ones I got for the last chapter, you people out there are absolutely FORCING me to update quickly!