Disclaimer: I do not own Dynasty Warriors or any of the characters. It and they belong to Koei. I own my OCs.
"You. Answers. Now." I demand coldly, pointing an accusing finger at the faceless boy. Actually, now I think about it, he isn't really faceless. His face is just blurry.
He chuckles in amusement and replies smoothly, "Why of course."
"And…..why am I always on this cliff whenever we meet these days?"
"Well, firstly, I believe your question was who am I?"
I nod earnestly in confirmation.
"My name is Lu Yi, I'm fourteen, and that should explain why I'm short," explains Lu Yi calmly.
"Okay….then why am I always on this cliff?" I question him suspiciously.
"Why? Because this," he says while gesturing around, "is where you forgot me."
"Forgot you?" I echo in bewilderment.
"Forgot me," he repeats in agreement. "Don't you wonder why I speak like someone you know? Why I act like someone you know?"
He starts pacing slowly around me with his hands behind his back like a sneaky, black cat walking around its prey.
"The reason why you are having this dream is also because you already know," he says softly with his eyes closed peacefully.
"Know what?" I snap in frustration.
"Know who I act like and who I speak like. In fact, you already started suspecting who I was. No actually, you already started suspecting who he was. You knew subconsciously. You just never gave it more thought."
"What…ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" I growl in annoyance, glaring at him.
"Let's start with a story about my life. No a story about his life," he says rationally. "He was born and raised in one village. He never moved. His best friend was a girl. They used to walk, talk, play, and sometimes eat together. She always despised her mother and loved her father. Then, one day, he left at age fourteen to join the army. He left her."
Then, the faceless boy laughs. The laugh has no humor. It is just empty.
"Do you know who the girl was?" he asks.
"I-I…" I stutter uncomprehendingly.
"Do you know who he was?" he asks.
Then, he gives me a smirk I know so well.
I gasp in surprise, stumbling unknowingly backwards.
"L-Lu," I stutter in shock, gaping at Lu Yi.
Unfortunately, my stumbling causes me to fall down the cliff. And this time, no one kills me. I kill myself. How embarrassing…..
I jolt awake in alarm.
"Lu…Xun?" I finish thoughtfully.
"Nah. Must be another stupid dream. I just need to wake up," I say reassuringly.
Oh yeah and guess what happened to my confession yesterday? It was a complete failure. He didn't reject me. Just when I was about to confess, this horrible thunder interrupts me. After that was lightning and after that was cold, evil rain. So we went inside and I tried to tell him again, but Zhou Yu came over and dragged him away. Disappointing, right?
I walk quickly to my small, lavender bathroom. The faint smell of sweet jasmine still lingers in the air. I inhale deeply, enjoying the relaxing scent. I pour a pitcher of clean water in a clay bowl, and splash my face a few times. When I finally think I'm awake, I continue my normal, daily cleaning and dressing process. I choose my usual pale gray and silver battle armor, black, leather combat boots, and silver arm and shin guards. Hopefully, I would be able to train later.
Dashing hurriedly to the dining hall, I see a stack of large, white buns and grab one. Then, I stuff it carelessly in my mouth. The people around me are immersed in their own conversation. No one is paying attention to me. A bitter taste comes to my mouth, then a sour one. My eyes widen in horror and I spit the terrible thing out. Making some disturbing gagging noises, I start coughing violently. Someone walks over, squats down, and pats me on the back. Well, repeatedly slapping my back is more like it.
"You okay?" Ling Tong asks, humor and concern flashing in his eyes.
"No, I'm not," I growl, gripping my neck as if it might fall off at any moment. "What, in the world is this?!"
"A bun," he replies in confusion. "Gan Ning and I made it. Does it taste good?"
I look at him stupidly. Can he not process what he sees? I mean me chocking, spitting out the bun, and that disgusted look on my face should pretty much sum up what I think about this delicious breakfast. And, sarcasm is intended here.
"Yes, it tastes delicious. The best thing I've ever tasted. In fact, if everyone tasted this, they'd just die!" I exclaim sarcastically, emphasizing the die part. It's true that they'd die if they tasted it. They would die because it tastes horrible!
"Really?" asks Ling Tong incredulously and in a hopeful manner, not detecting my sarcasm.
"Yes, of course! Here, try one!" I exclaim excitedly, hastily grabbing a soft, warm bun and stuffing it in his mouth.
He chews thoughtfully for a moment, and then he freezes in shock. Ling Tong loudly spits the disgusting bun out and glares dangerously at me. I give him a nervous, innocent smile and start to scramble away.
"Uhh, does it taste good?" I ask lamely.
Suddenly, I hear two people bickering as they walk toward us.
"I'm telling you, if it's dead and it moves, it's considered the undead-"
"But if you think about it logically-"
"Since when were you logical?"
Sun Ce stares dumbly at Gan Ning for a few moments, and then his hand speedily shoots out to smack Gan Ning on the head.
"Hey!" protests Gan Ning in annoyance while rubbing his head. "Why does everyone aim for the head?"
"Because that's the place that we think you've injured when you were a baby. Therefore, we hit it again to try to help you regain some memory, reason, logic, and intelligence. Like how when someone gets amnesia, they hit their head and regain their memory," I explain logically.
"Good one," laughs Sun Ce in amusement, pulling me up from the ground.
"Thanks," I say.
"Oooh! Are those the buns!? I'm going to eat one!" shouts Gan Ning, his hand reaching out for a bun that could end his life.
"Me too!" declares Sun Ce.
"Uh, guys you really shouldn't-" starts Ling Tong warningly.
"Too late!" I laugh hysterically, pointing at Gan Ning and Sun Ce.
They freeze in mid-chew.
Making a disgusted and horrified face, they spit it all out and Sun Ce shouts, "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS FREAKING GROSS THING! IT TASTES BITTER AND THEN IT TASTES SOUR! AND IS IT EVEN DONE COOKING!? I SWEAR THIS FREAKING THING IS RAW! WHO COOKED THIS?! WHO COOKED THIS?!"
"You cooked it with Ling Tong," I say to Gan Ning calmly, while slowly and carefully backing away.
"It was Ling Tong's idea," whines Gan Ning. "He wanted to make them and give them to Sun Ce cuz we accidently broke his tonfa. You know the newest and best one that he recently got?"
"You what?!" demands Sun Ce in disbelief.
"You mean 'we what?!'" corrects Gan Ning casually, completely oblivious to the annoyed look that Sun Ce is giving him. "We broke it together!"
How dense can he be?
I laugh nervously, squirming uncomfortably under Sun Ce's intense scrutinizing. Ling Tong elbows Gan Ning accusingly while Gan Ning continues to stare at Sun Ce blankly.
Sun Ce gives us all a disgruntled look as he clenches his fist. He takes a menacing step toward us.
"Bye suckers!" I call out to Ling Tong and Gan Ning as I turn around and sprint away. "BY THE WAY, SUN CE! I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT! IT WAS ALL LING TONG AND GAN NING!"
Ignoring the questioning stares of people and the shouts of Gan Ning, Ling Tong, and Sun Ce, I run down empty halls until I finally shove open a door, and sunlight greets me warmly. I stretch and stroll around. After a few minutes, I hear loud thuds and cries of victory.
"Hello Lady Xin Ying," greets Tashi Ci, Lu Meng, and Zhou Tai respectfully as I approach them.
"Hey," I reply cheerfully, glancing at the bows in their hands and the arrows stuck to large targets. "Archery?"
"Yes," confirms Tashi Ci, nodding slightly.
"We believe that it is good to learn how to shoot in different positions. It can come handy in battle," explains Lu Meng, grinning in amusement as if he was recalling something.
"What's so funny?" I question curiously with my hands on my hips.
Brushing a strand of hair aside, I notice Tashi Ci and Lu Meng stifling their laughter.
"Zhou Tai, tell her," encourages Lu Meng while laughing.
"Tell me what?!" I demand.
"That during one battle, he was supposed to shoot something that would blow up. But then, a couple of elephants were running him over so he climbed a tree," explains Lu Meng with a grin. "Not the wisest choice. He was trying to balance on a branch. Then, Zhou Tai shot the thing while wobbling and he fell off and onto….."
Tashi Ci and Lu Meng glance at each other knowingly while Zhou Tai slaps a hand over his eyes.
"Zhu Rong, goddess of fire," finishes Tashi Ci witht a mischievous grin. "She was very angry. Well, furious actually. He came back looking like he ran through fire."
"But you don't mind that we retell the story, do you?" says Lu Meng while throwing an arm around the back Zhou Tai's neck.
"Actually, I do," grumbles Zhou Tai, removing Lu Meng's arm.
"That was a rhetorical question."
"I know."
"Would you like to join us?" invites Lu Meng politely.
"Yes I would," I reply pleasantly, looking around cautiously to see if Sun Ce, Gan Ning, or Ling Tong decided to come after me. Nope.
"Well right now we are focusing on shooting while being attacked. The shooter's first position is on that tree," explains Tashi Ci pointing at a tall nearby tree.
I don't know whether to feel happy or sad. Sad because I might fall off, or happy because there is no Lu Xun to catch me if I fall off. Therefore, preventing some embarrassment I might cause. But, if I fall and cause some major injury…
A servant meekly hands me my bow and quiver of arrows. I suddenly feel grateful that I decided to wear armor.
I strap the quiver of arrows on my back and ask, "So I just climb the tree and shoot?"
"And try to fight off or avoid Tashi Ci and Zhou Tai," adds Lu Meng.
I shrug dismissively and begin to run to the tree. Approaching it, I grab onto a rough branch and swing myself up. Zhou Tai and and Tashi Ci start to rush toward me. I pull on a slightly small branch above me. It bends downward easily, indicating that it is too weak to support my weight. Below me, Tashi Ci and Zhou Tai are starting to climb the tree. Through the branches and bright green leaves above me, I see that the sky is cloudless and the sun is shining. With my arms out, I carefully balance on the branch I am sitting on. I leap to my right, and clutch onto the branch. Seeing Tashi Ci attempt to grab my foot, which is dangling near him, I swing outwards, accidently kicking him and making him fall back onto the ground. I wince in sympathy.
"Sorry," I call down to him apologetically.
"It's okay. I'm fine," he replies cheerfully.
Continuing to climb, I finally reach a position where I can shoot. But, a gentle rustling noise makes me whirl around quickly in alarm. Approaching me, Zhou Tai holds his weapon, watching me warily. I immediately glance behind me, suddenly realizing I am high up. I return my gaze to Zhou Tai. The branch begins to teeter unsteadily as Zhou Tai advances with his weapon. I give him a small wave with an enthusiastic grin, and then I jump off the branch. Just so you know I am not stupid. I know exactly what I'm doing. And no, I am not committing suicide. That would be a horrible way to die. I mean, who dies during an archery practice?
Anyways, I push my head downward so my chin is resting at the base of my neck. I hug my knees tightly and wrap my arms around my legs so it looks like I'm curled up. When I touch the ground, I begin to roll gracefully forward, while pulling an arrow out of my quiver. Sliding on my silver shin guards, I shoot the arrow accurately so it lands perfectly in the center of the target. And this is one of the things my shin guards were designed to do; protect my knees from the ground while shooting an arrow. Impressive, right? Please note that I am referring to the shin guards and not my archery skill.
A slow applause makes me whip around in bewilderment. Seeing Lu Xun calmly walking toward me, I lower my bow.
"Very impressive," compliments Lu Xun coolly.
"The archery or the shin guards?" I question.
He gives me a look of confusion and replies, "The archery of course."
I snort.
"So what's up with the clothes?" I ask curiously while Zhou Tai, Lu Meng, and Tashi Ci begin discussing something.
Lu Xun looks at his plain, dark green robe with a blank expression.
"No red vest today?" I clarify.
"Oh, um, I'm going to town today to give someone something," explains Lu Xun. After I give him a suspicious look, he adds, "Would you like to come?"
"Um," I look at the archery target and then at Lu Xun. Archery or Lu Xun?
"Oh and by the way, Ling Tong and Gan Ning were talking about revenge and some buns. Oh and not to mention you abandoning them with Sun Ce."
Immediately, I launch myself at Lu Xun and hug his arm.
"Yeah, I think I'll go," I answer pleasantly.
He gives me a funny look before saying, "Go change into some commoner clothes."
I shrug and skip off merrily, but not before remembering our little war. I grin slyly and tiptoe to peck him on the forehead. For a second, I can swear I see a tint of red appearing victoriously on his cheeks, but a second later it's gone.
Deciding that it was my imagination, I yell loudly, "I'll be back in a few minutes!"
On my way back inside, I pass by the large, dusty stables.
"Gan Ning move that-"
"Sorry!"
"Get that pitchfork-"
"Oops did I hit you again?"
"One more time, Gan Ning, and I swear-"
Thud!
"GAN NING! GET THAT-"
I rush away in alarm, sneaking silently away before they discover me. Sprinting quickly to my room, I nod to the polite greetings of maids and servants. When I stand tiredly in front of my closet, I jerk my closet doors open. A ton of colors greet me cheerfully. So I spend a couple of minutes determinedly rummaging through my closet. A long, festive skirt….nope! A dagger? How did that get there? I dismiss the thought easily. I always have weapons with me. After more exhausting searching, I give up.
Flopping on my soft bed, I let out a frustrated sigh. An idea comes to me, and I charge out of my room yelling, "DA QIAAAOOO!"
"And why, exactly, does he want you to dress in commoner clothes?" asks Da Qiao suspiciously with a raised eyebrow.
"He says he's going to town to give someone something," I answer honestly.
"And this trip needs commoner clothes because…?"
"I don't know."
Da Qiao sighs in exasperation and beckons me kindly to sit down on a smooth, wooden stool in front of her make-up table. We are in Sun Ce's and her large bedroom. I thought that Da Qiao might have some of the clothes I need. As she pulls the door to her enormous closet open and rummages through her items, I glance at her make-up table. The table, stool, and mirror frame-that is hanging on the wall in front of the table-all are made of polished dark wood. The mirror itself is a gold, shiny color. I glance uneasily at the jars of powders sitting idly on her small table.
"Well, I don't have commoner clothes," she says. "The closest I have is this."
I turn around curiously to look at the pale, gentle lilac colored robe she is holding. It has a sky blue sash and long sleeves.
"Why is the shoulder part so wide?" I ask, pointing to the top of the beautiful dress."
"It's like an off shoulder type of robe. It should cling loosely onto your shoulders," she explains patiently. "Since this isn't silk, it shouldn't stand out too much. Now go change into it."
She hands me the robe, and I slip it on in her bathroom. It fits perfectly. I walk out of her bathroom happily, but when I see Da Qiao approaching me with a hairbrush and some pins, I stare at her blankly.
"Female commoners usually don't leave their hair loose or tie it up in a ponytail. They use braids to hold their hair back," she explains with a grin.
Gesturing for me to sit down her large bed, Da Qiao starts patiently brushing my hair, and braiding the sides, leaving my hair in a half braided, and half ponytail style. While she is doing my hair we start heatedly discussing whether or not this counts as a date.
"Whoah," I exclaim in surprise with my hands blocking Da Qiao. "I'm pretty sure that commoners do not wear eyeliner. And Lu Xun is probably pretty angry at me for taking a long time."
Da Qiao sighs dreamily, "I suppose so. Have fun on your date!"
"This is not I date!" I yell as I walk away.
So when I finally arrive, guess who is angry? If you are guessing Lu Xun, then you're…..wrong! Haha, just kidding, it is Lu Xun.
Glaring in annoyance at the ground, he mumbles something incoherent. Hearing my footsteps, his head snaps up.
"Woman, this is a trip to town not a fancy-" he begins, irritated.
He stops and stares stupidly at me.
"What?" I ask nervously. "I didn't have any commoner clothes so I borrowed something from Da Qiao. She said this is the closest she has. Not to mention she did my hair like she thought it should be."
"Well, don't take such a long time next time," he snaps.
I stare at him in surprise. No more angry scolding? Yes! I don't have to listen to him lecture!
We walk wordlessly to the large, dusty stables where Gan Ning and Ling Tong are still arguing loudly.
"Pitchfork-"
"Clean the horses!"
"Soap!"
"Water-"
"Quit hitting me!"
"Hurry up!"
"I'll take it that when you two are done bickering, you'll have my horse ready?" asks Lu Xun coolly, thankfully interrupting them.
"Lu Xun!" greets Gan Ning, lazily swinging an arm over the strategist's shoulders. "Wanna help us?"
"I have matters to attend today," replies Lu Xun, shrugging off his arm.
"Well, at least you brought our dear Assassin," grins Ling Tong slyly, walking toward me. "You'll have a fun time helping us."
"I think not," Lu Xun intervenes with a small smile as he steps in front of me. "She'll be coming with me."
"I feel so betrayed!" exclaims Gan Ning exaggeratedly falling on Ling Tong who steps away.
Falling on his butt, Gan Ning grins easily and says, "Your horse is ready."
Ling Tong hands the reins of a light brown horse to Lu Xun. Muttering his thanks, Lu Xun effortlessly mounts his horse.
"Hey!" I cry indignantly.
"What?" Gan Ning asks, wearing a confused expression.
"Don't I get a horse?!" I demand.
"Zhou Yu took all the other horses so the newbies could train with them," explains Ling Tong carelessly. "Which means you guys have to share a horse."
"Wonderful," I reply sarcastically.
"Consider our revenge," answer Gan Ning and Ling Tong happily in unison while bowing mockingly.
I mount the horse, adjusting myself so I feel more comfortable. I am now sitting behind Lu Xun, hoping I won't fall off.
"Thanks guys. We should be back before sundown," says Lu Xun calmly as he presses his heels on the horse's sides, making it gallop away.
I try determinedly to balance myself without holding onto Lu Xun. Anxiously placing my hands on my legs, I try to begin a conversation.
"So….:" I say.
"So….." he replies without looking at me.
"Holy shit!" I cry, realizing something.
"What?!" he whirls around slightly in alarm.
"I didn't bring a weapon."
"…I highly doubt you'll need a weapon. It's not like there is going to be any planned violence."
"But you never know if there will be a time you need a weapon. But, I wouldn't have anywhere to hide it."
"That's interesting…."
"No that's not."
"Whatever."
"Where are we going?"
"To town. I need to give the governor something."
"And why couldn't we wear armor or our regular clothes?"
"Because I don't want to attract attention," he answers shortly.
"Attention from whom?" I ask.
When he doesn't answer, I prod him continuously.
"Hey."
"Hey!"
"HEY!"
"HEY!"
"Attention from whom?" I repeat collectedly. "Your fan girls?"
My question gleefully catches him off guard.
He looks at me in disbelief and shock before demanding, "How did you know-"
"You have fan girls?!" I gasp incredulously.
He stubbornly refuses to reply. Suddenly, the horse gallops faster and I lurch ungracefully forward. Slamming into his back, I instinctively wrap my arms around his stomach to prevent myself from falling off.
I glare in annoyance at his back and say, "You did that on purpose!"
When Lu Xun still refuses to talk, I lean forward with my lips barely touching the edge of his ear and whisper seductively, "So you have fan girls?"
"Not really surprising. The last time I was in Shu territory, there were groups of fan girls crowding around Zhao Yun," I continue nonchalantly. "If you think dressing like a commoner will stop them from recognizing you, think again. They are probably really obsessed with you and have a ton of paintings and pictures of you. They'll be able to spot you whether you are in a disguise or not."
I say the last part lightheartedly and ruffle his hair playfully.
"So what will you do when they swarm around you like bees," I ask.
"I don't know," he groans in frustration. "Some people suggested getting a girlfriend, but I doubt that will stop them."
"Don't worry," I say in pity, placing a kiss on his cheek. "I'll do my best to help you."
When he raises his eyebrow skeptically I add with a mischievous grin, "Without any violence."
"Keep your promise," he says with a soft smile, gently and quickly claiming my lips.
"I keep my promises," I laugh, "….usually."
"So, I heard Sun Ce and Gan Ning talking about the undead this morning," I state, hoping he would find this interesting.
"Oh, they were talking about it yesterday too!" laughs Lu Xun freely. "They were discussing that if a snake has its head removed and it still moves, it should be considered undead."
"They're still on the snake thing?!" I groan in amusement and exasperation.
He shrugs and says, "It's pretty interesting though. They can still defend themselves even after they die."
"They don't have anything to defend, do they?" I counter cleverly. "After all, they're dead. They can't defend themselves from death when they're already dead."
"True," agrees Lu Xun thoughtfully. "Maybe they're getting revenge?"
"What if there's a group of people and only one is the killer, and the snake attacks one that's not the killer?" I add.
"I don't know. But, I heard something that's interesting."
"What?"
"Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, and Lu Meng were discussing about snakes and that we should unleash them on the Wei and Shu armies. When they try to kill the snakes by cutting them, the snakes will still live and keep attacking."
"That's…..actually a pretty good plan. We should just make sure that none of our soldiers are attacked."
"Yup."
"Oh my god! Do you smell that?!"
"What?" Lu Xun asks, furrowing his eyebrows as he sniffs the air. "Oh…it's probably the smell of the town's food. There are a lot of vendors that sell things by the street."
I look around in complete amazement. It's been a long time since I've seen a town so lively. The town is bustling with rushing people. There are women with woven baskets, buying food for their family. There are large, crowded restaurants. Oooh! There's a tall hotel building with large, wooden doors open. I can hear the yells, murmurs, and chatter among the people. Glancing quickly around, I spot a lone, stone bridge with rushing, glimmering water below.
"Well, no fan girls have seen you yet," I comment.
Lu Xun snorts and says, "For now."
"Look to your left, past the guy with the blue robe," he says through gritted teeth.
I do as he says obediently, and I see a young girl, probably around age fifteen, gaping at Lu Xun in suspect and wonder.
"Don't make eye contact," I command helpfully, leaning forward with my lips lightly brushing against the nape of his neck.
"What do you think I'm trying to do," he growls in panic and frustration. "Oh shit. There's another one in front of me."
I lean carefully to the side, peering past his shoulder. And there really is another one. It's a girl with pale brown hair, staring at Lu Xun with admiration. Then she shoots me a look of mistrust and disdain. I roll my eyes in disgust.
"Just ignore them," I order through gritted teeth.
"I will try to," he mumbles.
We ride in silence for a couple of minutes, and then the horse halts next to a stone building with wide, wooden doors.
"We're here. I'll be back in a few minutes. Remember to save me if there are a lot," reminds Lu Xun pleadingly.
"And I thought you were brave," I tease.
"Hey! I'd save you if you ever have any fan boys," he protests.
Then, pressing his lips softly against mine, he winks and goes inside. I sigh in irritation when I see more of his fan girls sneaking closer. They walk silently together and whisper among themselves, no doubt stupidly planning how to get Lu Xun's attention. I run my hands along the smooth, cold, and stone wall. It's a pale white color, with stains of black. Almost like a blanket with black ink lightly smeared on it. I shiver a little when a cold breeze glides past me. Straining my neck, I see the stone bridge and the water below it from earlier. However, instead of the glimmering, bright liquid I saw, it is dull and dark.
"Have they started planning an attack yet?"
I grin as Lu Xun mounts the horse and I say, "I think so. Let's escape while we can."
Impatiently urging his horse to go faster, Lu Xun and I move away from his group of fan girls. After a while, we look behind us.
"Are we far enough?" he asks in worry.
"I think so. No one is giving us any weird looks anymore," I say glancing around sharply.
"Okay then. I think it's safe to dismount now," says Lu Xun.
"Why?" I ask.
"Don't you want to enjoy yourself while we're here?" he asks with a delightful grin.
"You know me so well," I reply, mirroring his grin.
I eagerly jump off the horse in excitement. Whenever the Assassins were in town, we never got to enjoy ourselves. We were there for business, such as getting information and buying weapons.
We walk slowly, admiring everything around us. There are little children running happily around with toys in their hands. I stumble a little when a small boy pushes past me.
"Sorry," apologizes a woman who I presume is the little boy's mother.
"It's fine," I say with a kind smile.
The woman rushes after her son, grabbing his arm, and scolding him.
"Well, this is nice, I guess," I remark with a smile.
"Uh huh," agrees Lu Xun.
I look at the things the vendors are selling. There are sweet, baked yams, lettuce, cabbage, herbs, jewelry, baskets, and…..
"OOH!" I yell in delight, causing some people to look at me.
I run to a small vendor in excitement. There are long sticks with red, shiny berries. I push past some people and approach the vendor.
"Um excuse me," I say to the old woman selling them. "Can I have one?"
"That will be….." replies the old woman.
"Umm," I mumble, running my hands along my clothing.
Oh shit! I forgot to bring money!
"Here," says Lu Xun, handing the woman a few small coins.
I grab the long stick the old woman hands to me, and skip merrily away.
"Thanks," I say with a grateful smile as I chew on the sweet, red fruit.
If you are wondering what it is, it's called a Bing Tang Hu Lu. It's a common sweet made from haw or hawthorn berries, and coated with sugar syrup. The syrup is dry in case you are wondering.
Lu Xun shakes his head and says, "Why do you want to eat that?"
I pout and say, "The last time I had this was with the Assassins. And we only got some so some guy wouldn't suspect us going near a building. The person selling the Bing Tang Hu Lu was also near the building. It tasted really good, and I haven't had it since."
"It's just berries with sugar."
"Want one?"
"Um…no thanks."
"Come on, you know you want one," I say teasingly.
"I don't-" he starts to say, but I stifle him by shoving a candy in his mouth.
He chews thoughtfully for a moment, and then swallows. I watch him in anticipation with a raised eyebrow.
"Actually, that tastes pretty good. I think I'll have some more," he says, reaching for the stick.
I stick my tongue childishly out at him, and move the stick away from his reach.
"You have to say you were wrong first," I command triumphantly with a cheeky grin.
He rolls his eyes in amusement then reaches over in an attempt to grab the stick. I skillfully dodge his arms, and nibble on the candy.
"Come get it!" I yell as I run away, shaking the stick of delicious candies in the air.
"I will!" he yells back, and hastily takes off after me.
As I sprint, I look over my shoulder to see him catching up. Smirking, I run faster.
Laughing joyfully, I yell to him, "Come on!"
Suddenly, I hear some giggling followed by the words, "General Lu Xun." I stop abruptly and whirl around aggressively. My ears start searching for the same giggle as my eyes search for Lu Xun's fan girls. Out of nowhere, I feel a heavy weight crash into me. I collapse onto the ground with the heavy weight on top of me.
"Haha, I win," says Lu Xun from on top of me.
"Get off!" I groan. "Your fan girls are here."
"What?!" he exclaims in shock, immediately jumping off me.
"There he is!"
Lu Xun's fan girls' shirll, loud shrieks and giggles make me wince in pain. We stand there for a moment, temporary stunned.
"Come on!" he exclaims as he grabs my arm.
We run away, jumping over wheelbarrows, and charging through the street. Some people look at us with interest and bewilderment. We ignore them and move as quickly as we can past the stone bridge. Ducking, we move through a crowd of people, hoping his fan girls won't see us. When we arrive at a split road, Lu Xun starts to say something.
"Shush!" I hiss fiercely, shoving him to the left.
Running down the road, I start to hear shrill shrieks and annoying giggles again. I pull Lu Xun's arm violently and duck through another crowd of people. Seeing a dim alley, I shove him towards it. There is a door in the alley, supposedly the door in the back of a popular restaurant. I push Lu Xun to the very back of the alley.
I lean on the brick wall with my arms crossed and say, "Do you care to tell me why you're so afraid of your fan girls?"
Lu Xun stares at me, his chocolate brown eyes glistening with amusement, fear, and worry.
"Not really," he answers challengingly.
"Just spit it out," I sigh, aggravated. "You owe me cuz I saved you from your fan girls and cuz you made me lose my Bing Tang Hu Lu when I didn't even finish it!"
"But I paid for that Bing Tang Hu Lu!" he protests. "And you haven't saved me from them until we get back home without being attacked!"
I roll my eyes at him. Lu Xun freezes in alarm for a second, his eyes widening in fear. Then, I find him pushing me against the hard brick wall behind me, his lip crashing vehemently against mine. Somehow unknowingly, I find my arms wrapping around the nape of his neck, pulling him closer…..almost desperately. With one of his hands pushing on the back of my head, and the other wrapping itself around my waist possessively, I feel blissful. When the irritating cries from his fan girls grow fainter and fainter, he reluctantly pulls away. And when he does, I can see disappointment in his eyes.
"Well, let's go then," he says pleasantly.
"Very well," I say, equally pleasant. "You owe me a meal."
He laughs and winks flirtatiously. "Of course, my dear lady."
I peck him on the cheek and say, "Then let us go, my beloved general."
"You know, when you said a meal, I thought you meant rice and some meat and vegetable dishes."
I huff and reply, "But this is still a meal. You can get rice and meat and vegetable dishes back at the palace. Plus, this is cheaper."
By this, I mean the pork and egg yolk buns I have been stuffing my face with. Not to mention the Douhua, a dessert that people also refer to as tofu pudding I've been eating. It's basically bean curd with sweet, clear colored syrup.
"True," agrees Lu Xun without complaint.
"Eat some," I say, holding out a warm pork bun.
"No-" he starts to decline.
"Oh shut up!" I say, ripping off a piece of the bun and stuffing it rudely into his mouth. "That's what you did with the Bing Tang Hu Lu and you ended up liking it!"
After swallowing, he reluctantly asks, "Does that mean I have to say that I was wrong to eat more?"
Pondering his question thoughtfully for a moment, I say with an evil smile on my face, "Not if you tell me why you're so afraid of your fan girls."
He sighs in exasperation, and then leans over the wooden, polished table and whispers quietly, "It's not much really. They just scare the shit out of me. Whenever they're near me, they have this maniacal expression. It's like they're crazy. You know how mad people can do really dangerous things? And by mad I mean crazy. Well, it seems like they can kill me if they wanted to."
I stare in amazement at him for a moment and burst into loud, hysterical laughter. "The famous General and Strategist Lu Xun can fearlessly charge into battle and defeat hundreds of enemies, but he's afraid of his harmless fan girls?!"
"They're not harmless!" retorts Lu Xun. "If you ever get fan boys one day you'll understand!"
"Well, I know for sure that you're better off than Zhao Yun," I chuckle, shoving a spoonful of tofu pudding in my mouth.
"How so?"
"Once, the Assassins went into Shu territory, and the Shu army happened to return from battle. So Zhao Yun was riding his horse down the street and his fan girls were screaming, shrieking, giggling, and yelling. It was one hundred times worst than this fan girl attack. Some actually fainted when he got near them."
Lu Xun looks at me cautiously, as if deciding whether or not I'm lying.
"Seriously. I'm not lying," I add, hoping to reassure him.
"Do you think that will ever happen to me," he asks seriously.
"I don't know. Maybe. If you ever become as popular as Zhao Yun," I say.
"That'd be a nightmare," he mutters darkly. "I'm going to order some tea."
Lu Xun waves at the owner of the restaurant and says courteously, "Excuse me! Can I have a pot of green tea?"
"Black tea," I mutter.
"Oolong tea," he counters.
"Chrysanthemum tea."
"White tea."
"Milk tea."
"What?!" he sputters. "There's no such thing!"
I shrug and say, "I was drinking black tea one day and I accidently spilled some milk into it. It turned a lighter brown color, but it still tasted good."
"So you just called it milk tea?"
"Basically."
"So how's that plan for protecting me from my fan girls," he asks casually, watching me lift up my spoonful of Douhua.
"I thought we already lost them!" I exclaim, dumbfounded. "Want some?"
He rolls his eyes and says, "You think that was enough to get rid of them?! They are smarter than you think. And yes, I think I'll have some."
I move the spoon toward his mouth, letting him eat my spoonful of delicious Douhua.
"I think I'll have more," he says with a grin.
Snatching away my small, yummy bowl of tofu pudding, he shoves large spoonfuls in his mouth, finishing it off.
"How mature," I say sarcastically.
"Why thank you," he says mockingly.
Then, his face turns solemn. "So do you have another plan for my fan girl attack?"
"Nope! I'll just think of one when they come," I say carelessly.
"Then, I'll just assume you have one right now," he says, looking behind me in shock.
I whirl around immediately and grimace when I hear those loud, deafening screams. I grumble in annoyance when Lu Xun's fan girls come running toward us while pointing fingers at Lu Xun. They rudely and harshly shove each other aside in hopes of being the first one to reach him. It's almost as if they are children fighting and bickering over a toy.
"Oh my god! It's General Lu Xun!"
"He's also a strategist," I mutter.
I look up to meet Lu Xun's wide, frantic, and pleading eyes. I sigh.
"Can I have your autograph?"
"Can I have a kiss?"
"Can you marry me?"
"Can I be your wife?"
I take a large mouthful of bitter green tea that the owner delivered; only to spit it back out in disgust when a fan girl says, "Will you be the father of my children?"
I take a deep breath and shoot up from my seat, slamming my hands loudly on the wooden table in front of me. Lu Xun's fan girls stare blankly at me, and I glare and inspect each of them.
"Who," I begin slowly and almost threateningly, "are you?!"
When none of them answer I continue coldly, "I demand to know why you are interrupting my lord's and my meal."
"Who are you?!" one of his fan girls says harshly and disrespectfully.
"I am Lord Lu Xun's inamorata and fiancée," I say haughtily, smiling at them frostily while placing my hands on my hips.
I mentally facepalm. This is what I come up with when I don't think. This is just fantastic! I just have to say before I think! And if you're wondering, yes I am sarcastic.
I hear several of Lu Xun's fan girls gasp in horror and I feel Lu Xun stand next to me. I look at all of them with disdain.
"How do we know you're not lying?! Who are you anyways?! A common, peasant girl?!" demands an aggressive fan girl.
Looking at all of Lu Xun's fan girls, realizing that they are all wearing expensive, beautiful jewelry and priceless, colorful dresses of silk. No wonder. They must all be from wealthy families. They look bratty and spoiled too, like children who always get what they want.
I inhale sharply and glare scornfully at her. Then, I laugh an empty, humorless laugh.
"Would you like proof that I'm not lying?" I ask in disgust.
I pull Lu Xun to me, and throwing my arms around the back of his neck. He is surprised, but doesn't hesitate to respond. We find ourselves kissing each other passionately in front of his fan girls.
Pulling away, I look at them expectantly. They all glare at me hatefully, and I send them all a cold, taunting smile.
"Let's go," some of them growl, walking away.
But, before they reach the door of the restaurant I call after them. "And as for your question of who I am, I am Xin Ying, general of the Wu army."
Some of the fan girls' eyes widen in fear. Now that they know I have power over them, they start to retreat. They stare at me with frightened, wide eyes as if I am a dangerous animal. Then, they back away and run from the restaurant. The fan girl who was disrespectfully interrogating me only glares at me for a moment and strides away confidently and proudly. The remaining fan girls follow her with the same proud attitude.
Lu Xun looks at me with amusement shining in his eyes.
"You better be grateful!" I hiss. "I've made plenty of enemies today thanks to you."
"I am grateful my fiancée," he replies teasingly, wrapping an arm around my waist.
"Shut up!" I growl warningly.
"Nice acting by the way."
"How do you think the Assassins got away with things like attempt-to-murder-evil-people-like-Dong-Zhuo?"
"Good point."
Ignoring the other staring customers, he leads me out of the restaurant after paying the restaurant owner.
"I'm wondering why you said you were my inamorata and fiancée," says Lu Xun as we walk down the street together.
"It's the first thing I thought of," I say sheepishly, blushing furiously. "And you said some people suggested you to get a girlfriend."
"But you didn't have to use that! I mean, aren't you supposed to be able to think up of a really good lie in a situation like this!?"
"Are you implying that just because I'm an Assassin, I'm supposed to be good at lying!?"
Well, I am pretty good at lying. It's just that sometimes my brain doesn't function and process information as quickly as it should.
"That's exactly what I'm implying!"
"Annoying and ungrateful," I mutter in irritation. "Why is it so dark outside?"
My last sentence is too quiet for Lu Xun to hear.
We continue to walk peacefully, ignoring the laughing children. I look at a barrow of baked yams, and then I see a large crowd of chattering people. Some of the men in the crowd look arrogant, and some of the women looked distressed.
"What's that?" I ask, pointing at the crowd.
Lu Xun looks at the noisy crowd, puzzled. "Let's go look."
We rush over there hastily, in time to hear a man announce, "Hit the target and get this dagger!"
The burly man holds up a dagger with a gold handle adorned with gleaming jewels. The blade of the dagger is extremely sharp and dull gray. There is a thick, black line running down the center of the blade.
"Yup! You get this blade and a servant of your choice!" yells the man, gesturing toward a group of young, scared girls, all huddled together. "All you have to do is hit these moving targets."
Ten men holding targets wave arrogantly with lazy grins. Next to them are men holding weapons such as long, wooden bats and swords.
I grit my teeth in anger and grip Lu Xun's hand tightly.
"Hey!" I yell in outrage, pushing through the crowd and approaching the man. "You can't do that!"
"Oh?" says the man with an amused expression. "Why not?"
"These girls," I say, gesturing toward the huddled girls, "clearly don't want to be given away as servants and prizes!"
"If you want to free them then win this competition," says the man nonchalantly.
"I think I will!" I exclaim furiously, grabbing a bow and a quiver of arrows. "But, I'll be the only player. If I shoot all targets perfectly in the center, all the girls will be free."
"Fine," agrees the man slyly.
This can't be too hard. I've been practicing archery for years now. But, why does he seem so confident?
I look at the man suspiciously, and position my bow and arrow. Releasing my hold on the string, the arrow flies toward the target and hits the center. I smirk and the crowd behind be cheers. The frightened girls stare at me with hope shining in their eyes. After hitting five targets perfectly, I hear a cry of outrage behind me.
The man looks enraged, and his eyes have a malicious gleam in them. He points at me and shouts something I can't comprehend. The men holding weapons smirk malevolently and run toward me. Oh, now I get it. They think if they attack me, I won't be able to shoot. Then, I would lose. I see the man looking at me smugly with his arms crossed over his chest.
I shoot another arrow that hits a target right in the center. Ducking, I swing my leg out and kick two of my attackers' knees. Punching an attacker, a gust of cold, chilly wind makes me shiver.
"XIN YING! BEHIND YOU!"
I turn around speedily, my hair smacking some of the attackers harshly. I kick my attacker in the chest, but not before his sword sadly slices my beautiful robe. Looking around, I suddenly realize that the crowd of people is staring at me in amazement and wonder. What the?! Why are they just standing there?! Isn't anyone going to help me?!
I hear a thud and a pained groan from behind me. Seeing Lu Xun take down an attacker, I smile at him appreciatively. We stand back to back, eyeing the remaining attackers attentively. We charge at them, punching and kicking them. When all of them are on the ground with remorseful expressions, we glare at the burly man.
"You haven't won yet!" he shouts.
"Oh really?" I question coolly with a raised eyebrow.
I gesture toward the targets with all arrows sitting firmly in the center. He looks at the targets in surprise, realizing that I shot more arrows during the small battle.
I ignore the men holding the targets. They are standing there in shock and fear. I glare at the man expectantly. When he makes no sound or movement, Lu Xun starts walking toward him.
"I am not happy and I am not in the mood to hear your voice. Just release your prizes," he growls threateningly, saying the last part in disgust, "and get out of my sight."
He cowers fearfully under Lu Xun's cold stare.
He looks at me pleadingly for a moment, but when I make move to help him, he says meekly, "Yes sir."
"You can go," he says lamely to the huddled girls.
"Oh, and I'm taking that," I say pleasantly, snatching away the dagger he holds.
He nods and scrambles away, followed by the men who held up the targets. Loud applause and cheering erupts behind us, and the girls say their thanks.
As the crowd scatters, we continue walking.
"They ruined Da Qiao's robe!" I exclaim, looking at the ripped fabric stained with dirt and mud. "These holes and tears are making my legs uncomfortable!"
"I ruined my clothes helping you," grumbles Lu Xun, peering down at his dusty, muddy clothes.
"Be a man and help a girl without complaining," I say. "Not that I needed help."
"Sure," he says sarcastically. "If I didn't yell at you to look behind you, would you still escape without an injury?"
"Yes," I reply cheekily.
He smile softly at me and says, "Well, we better get back-"
A loud roar of thunder interrupts him, and the pitter-patter sound of rain crashing into the ground make Lu Xun sigh. A large gust of freezing wind pushes my hair back and makes me squeeze my eyes shut. Lu Xun whistles loudly, and a moment later, the brown horse that brought us here comes trotting toward us.
"Whoah!" I exclaim in awe.
"Come on!" yells Lu Xun, grabbing my arm and leading me somewhere with the horse following closely behind us.
We find ourselves pounding on the large, wooden doors of a hotel. An old woman opens the door. She smiles at us kindly and beckons us through the large courtyard and into the main room.
"I'll just assume that you're looking for shelter from this rain," she guesses correctly.
I walk around the main room idly, letting Lu Xun talk, bargain, and negotiate with her. There's a large, long painting of galloping horses hanging on the wall. Below it are two wooden chairs with a small table between them. I look to my left to see another room. There's a circular, wooden table with a pot of tea on it. The plot has pink flowers painted on it.
"Let's go," says Lu Xun, pulling my arm.
"I'll take your horse to my stables," calls the old woman after us.
Lu Xun urgently ushers me into the courtyard and up a flight of stairs. When we reach the top, we duck under a small roof. It's sort of like a balcony.
"All the way to the end," says Lu Xun, pointing at a door at the end of the balcony.
We move quickly, hoping to avoid the heavy rain. I push open the door roughly, and find myself looking at a small, dark room. Seriously, it's extremely small! I can walk the length of the room in six normal steps, and the width of the room in four! The walls are a plain white color, and the only things in this room are a bed, a table, and a window. Even with the closed window, the chilly air outside is still seeping into the room like a ghost. The bed is tiny. I guess it's because it's supposed to be for a single person. On the left side of the head of the bed is a small, circular table. The fragile window is divided into two and can slide smoothly outward. It has wooden knobs at the base that you use to push it with.
"I didn't think we were going to stay the night here so I didn't bring a lot of money. This is actually pretty good for the amount that I paid," explains Lu Xun quickly and apologetically.
I dismiss it and force a convincing smile on my face. "At least we got shelter."
I plop down on the bed and glance easily around. Then, I realize something.
"Umm, Lu Xun," I say slowly and thoughtfully, horror beginning to show on my face, "this is one bed for one person. And there's not enough space to sleep on the floor. Plus it's too dusty….."
Once he catches on, he starts to blush heavily. So do I.
"We'll just have to sleep on the same bed," he concludes with the blush on his face.
I nod with a pounding heart. RELAX XIN YING! It's not like you've never slept next to him.
"We should probably not sleep on the bed with our dirty clothes. The owner was nice enough to let us stay without paying the full price. We don't need her to have a hard time cleaning dirty sheets," says Lu Xun smoothly.
"Yeah…." I agree. "But, why do we even have mud on our clothes?"
"There was mud at the place where we fought," he answers simply. "I think they put the mud there so players would slip when they shoot so they lose. You were lucky that you didn't slip. When they attacked us, you moved around a lot so you go mud on your clothes."
"Oh, but we can't wash our clothes right now. We can't dry them. It's raining outside, and if we dry it in our room, it'll damage the floor!" I say.
"We'll just have to wash them tomorrow when we get back. If it stops raining," says Lu Xun.
"But you can take your robe off! You're wearing pants underneath! I, however, can't make mine off because I'm not wearing pants!" I whine.
"But, I can cut the dirty, ripped part off," I add thoughtfully. "And face Da Qiao's wrath."
I take the beautiful dagger out and slip it into one of the rips on my robe. Then, yank my robe roughly, letting the blade cut part of my robe off. The original robe length reached to my ankles, now it reaches to my knees. I throw the muddy, stained part of my robe gently onto the table.
Looking away when Lu Xun starts to slip of his robe, I undo my hair, letting in fall to the middle of my back. Running my hand through my hair, I gently touch my now wavy locks.
"Well, you looked gorgeous today," remarks Lu Xun.
His remark catches me off guard and I stutter, "T-Thanks."
I throw myself on the bed tiredly and say dully, "What now?"
He shrugs and gently tosses his dark green robe onto the table, leaving his shoulders and arms bare.
"And you said we didn't need weapons," I say randomly, look up at the ceiling.
"We didn't," replies Lu Xun plainly. "Weaponless combat was fine for us. I suppose the Assassins were all taught weaponless combat?"
"Yup!" I say cheerfully. "Weapons would have made it easier though."
"Would you like a reward for being right?" asks Lu Xun sarcastically.
"As a matter of fact, I would. Give me a massage," I joke, as I sit up.
"Fine," he says nonchalantly, sitting down on the bed.
"Hey!" I protest, surprised. "I was joking!"
"You asked for it. Would you like a shoulder, scalp, foot, back, or neck massage?"
"I guess a….shoulder and back massage?"
My statement comes out more like a question, but he takes it as my answer.
"Turn around," he commands sternly.
I do so obediently, and his fingers move to my bare shoulders. He massages by shoulder blades, applying the right amount of pressure. Lu Xun continuously squeezes my shoulders with his warm hands.
As he rubs circles on the area a little below my shoulder, I ask breathlessly, "Have you done this before?"
"Yeah," he says immediately, chuckling lightly. "Back at home, I had a friend. She loved massages. She always made me give her massages."
"Is she that same friend you left five years ago?" I ask curiously.
His fingers stop moving abruptly. "H-How did you-"
"Shang Xiang told me," I answer.
"So tell me more about her," I request.
He sighs and says, "I joined the Wu army in the autumn. I was fourteen at that time. She was a year younger. That day when I left, she didn't know where I went. I didn't tell her I was going to leave because…I was ashamed. It's like I abandoned her. I knew she would be sad, and I couldn't bear to see her cry. So I thought it would be better if she didn't know. A couple days before I was going to leave, her father died. She was really fond of him. She always liked him more than her mother. She was never that close to her mother. I knew that she was distraught about her father's death, and I didn't want to push her by telling her that I was going to leave. So I didn't tell her."
Lu Xun wearily gestures for me to lie down. Pressing my stomach gently against the bed, I continue to listen sympathetically. This story sounds so...familiar...
"I went back to find her. But, I was too late. Her mother told me that on the day I left, she disappeared. She left her house crying, and never came back," says Lu Xun quietly, as he presses his fingers gently against my back.
"Do you think she's dead?" I ask equally quietly and softly.
"No," replies Lu Xun, shaking his head. "I know she's alive. I know that I'll find her….someday."
I smile encouragingly as he continues to massage my back. Pressing his palm firmly against my back, he rubs it soothingly.
"So, tell me about your childhood," says Lu Xun casually.
I frown deeply, and say, "I actually don't remember a lot. I only have a faint memory of a friend teaching me a fire attack."
"Is that it?" asks Lu Xun hesitantly, mirroring my frown.
"Yeah. I had some…amnesia since the day the Assassins found me. They said they found me at the bottom of a cliff. I was scratched, bruised, and bleeding. It was a miracle that I survived. They nursed me back to health and let me join them," I explain earnestly. "I only remembered that I was thirteen. It was a chilly day when they found me. My vision was blurry, but I could remember the colorful leaves that were falling. It's been a long time, but I still haven't remembered everything."
Thunder booms angrily and Lu Xun sighs tiredly. "We should probably sleep now."
He lies down on the bed and I ask, "Is there a blanket?"
"No," he says after looking around.
"It's so cold," I complain, my teeth chattering rapidly from the cold.
He chuckles and wraps his arms tightly around me with my back pressing firmly against his chest. "Better?"
Letting his warmth wrap around me like a blanket, I answer with a grin, "Much."
After a few moments of silence, I decide to talk again.
"Hey, Lu Xun," I say hesitantly.
"What?" asks Lu Xun groggily, burying his face into my hair so his voice comes out muffled.
"You said it was autumn when you left, right?"
"Yup.
"You said you were fourteen when you left to join the army, right?"
"Yes."
"And that your friend was a year younger than you, right?
"Yeah."
"Which meant that your friend was thirteen, right?"
"Correct."
"That was the age, year, and season I lost my memory and when the Assassins found me."