"Watch where you're going, Ai Xin!" exclaimed a male servant, moving away in time to let the young woman run through.
"Sorry! Coming through!"
Ai Xin narrowly evaded another servant carrying plates. She had caught sight of a recipient of Jia Xu's scroll. She paced herself with a slow jog. She was thankful to the heavens that this minister was walking slowly. She made mental calculations that she could reach the man at the corner at the end of the next hallway. She slowed her pace to a walk, fixing her hair and wiping away the sweat from her brow. She stepped out of the corner and was glad that her prediction was on point.
"Minister Wang," she greeted with a bow. "A message from Master Jia Xu."
The minister nearly jumped in surprise when a servant had bowed in front of him. But the sound of Jia Xu's name recomposed him. He picked up the scroll from her hands, opened it and read its contents. "Thank you for your efforts, young lady," the minister said. "I shall honor the strategist's words."
Ai Xin bowed, and made her exit the other way.
Seven names, seven scrolls, she thought. That was just the first scroll, and it took her the entire day to search for the first receiver.
"Your first task, is to deliver each scroll to the addressee written on this bamboo slab. Use every resource you have in your person, but you are not allowed to question fellow ministers or military officers of the identities of your receivers," her master said. "Accomplish this within seven days. And you shall have your second task."
She glanced at the bamboo slab and scraped a line across the first name. She leaned against a wall and sighed. Jia Xu had managed to acquire her lodging within the servants' quarters, and had given her a decent amount of coin for self-care. Prior to being entrusted with such a task, she was given a week to be accustomed to castle life.
But her routine was different from the other servants. In the daytime, she would ferry bundles of scrolls to Jia Xu's study to and fro the castle library, and play weiqi (while losing consecutively to her master). In the early evening, she was tasked to read chapters of select journals on war or on records of prominent people of the land. No matter how many times she would ask for the purpose behind these obligations, Jia Xu would only answer vaguely.
"Knowledge is a powerful tool. Learn as much as you can until you are driven to search for answers on your own."
"Okay Ai Xin," she muttered to herself. "Let's see how fast I can do this."
She pushed herself off the wall and made her way back to the servants quarters.
Throughout the following days, Ai Xin had managed to deliver a maximum of two scrolls, but it took a longer amount of time in identifying the recipients. Five of them were ministers, and she found it easier to linger around the conference halls and pinpoint them.
Within the sixth day of her task, Ai Xin had found the last recipient.
She was standing in front of a simple door. She glanced at the last name on her bamboo slab. She had inquired from the servants, listened in to the conversations of the soldiers and ranked officers. They say this was the man who had lost everything and had kept most of his time on his own, if not with wine. The newest talent that Cao Cao had recruited after the warlord's momentous victory at Xiapi.
"General Zhang Liao?" she squeaked.
There was no response from beyond the door.
Ai Xin cleared her throat and attempted a knock. "General Zhang Liao?" she said a little louder.
She heard shuffling towards the door and watched it slide open. Ai Xin could feel her knees buckle against her weight as she bowed. A tall man hovered over her. She could feel his eyes piercing through her soul, but she could also smell the strong scent of wine from the room.
"What do you want?" he asked in a low tone.
Ai Xin extended her arms, holding out the scroll in her hands while maintaining her bowed position. "A message from Master Jia Xu," she announced, straining to keep her voice steady.
The scroll was relieved from her hands. She heard the man unclasped the hook. There was the silence of reading.
"Let me see your face," he ordered.
Ai Xin straightened up and swallowed. His eyes were fierce and stern but his features looked like he had suffered prolonged sorrow. But when their eyes met, she thought the man had seen a ghost.
"What is your name?" he asked in a staggered tone, attempting to compose himself.
"Ai Xin, my lord," she replied in her squeaked tone. Her fear of the man restricting her from asking anything else.
Zhang Liao glanced at the scroll once more, then put it down. "Thank you for your efforts. Send my regards to Master Jia Xu." He retreated once more into his room, sliding the door shut.
The woman shrugged her shoulders. She could feel sympathy for this man. She wondered just how much does losing everything cost? She turned around and returned to the main corridors of the castle. She pulled out the slab and crossed out the last name on the list. "Okay… I guess I got all names in," she said.
On the last day of her first task, Ai Xin had reported back to her master in the study.
"You have accomplished within the time limit. Again you have impressed me," Jia Xu said. "How did you find the first task?"
"I felt forced out of my comfort zone," Ai Xin sat on her heels, she bowed her head and replied sincerely. "However, I found it easier to move amongst servants, among the faceless minions. I realized that familiarity can be a double-edged weapon, you run the risk of earning favor or be bound by the debt of it." She stopped, tapping her cheek if she had missed anything out. "Is that why you only approach people when necessary, Master Wenhe?" she asked.
Jia Xu nodded, pleased with her observation. "I am not particularly liked by my fellow ranked officers for now," he said. "And I trust you have figured out why."
Ai Xin nodded. She had chanced upon one of the reports on Jia Xu's persona, of his deeds and misdeeds while under the service of many prominent warlords. Of his series of trickery while fighting against Cao Cao during his term in Zhang Xiu's command. She had read of how he and the other strategist, Guo Jia had successfully cornered the mighty Lu Bu at Xiapi.
A shudder involuntarily trailed down her spine. The name although the man was dead, still strikes fear. She had only heard of stories of the man's military feats from the villagers.
"Forgive me for my curiosity, Master Jia Xu," Ai Xin said. "But the last recipient, Lord Zhang Liao, he was the only one different from your list."
"Lord Zhang Liao and I have been acquainted for quite some time," Jia Xu replied. "I find it necessary to drop him a message once in a while."
"He looks like he has been lonely for quite a long time," Ai Xin said aloud.
"Many of us are. But misery loves company as they say," Jia Xu said. He tossed another scroll to her hands. "Finish this scroll then return to me."
Ai Xin caught the scroll, stood back up to her feet and bowed. "I will see you later, Master Jia Xu."
The woman departed from the study and made her way down the hall that leads to the servants quarters. She had grown accustomed to the paths that had lesser people passing by.
"Ah, aren't you a familiar face?"
Ai Xin paused in her steps and turned around. Her eyes widened at the sight of the handsome Guo Jia. She immediately bowed in respect, "Master Guo Jia, a pleasant evening."
"It seems that Master Wenhe saw a different purpose for you," Guo Jia said. "However, I believe ladies with beauty like yours should be dancing and not carrying scrolls."
"Oh, uhm, Master Wenhe has been very generous," Ai Xin replied. "I am honored to be given a chance to appreciate the literature and history of the land."
"Do not be fooled by his countenance," Guo Jia spoke loftily. "He has done a grave mistake against Lord Cao Cao, but still managed to prove his worth as a strategist under our lord's command. However, I cannot say the same for those under him."
"Not even after the victory at Xiapi, my lord?"
Guo Jia smirked, "You have learned so much in such a short span of time, my lady. Knowledge is power, but application is the key to changing the tides of war."
"So that's the second verse of the proverb," Ai Xin noted.
He flashed her his most charming smile. "Perhaps I am beginning to see why it must be fate that you were in that brothel at the right time."
He gave a gentleman's bow and left.
Ai Xin had no problem finding her way through the streets of Xu Chang. She had often snuck out of the brothel at night with some of the younger women. They would explore the night market and spend their coin on accessories or interesting food. She carried on her person a small silk drawstring bag.
She had dressed differently from a servant's garb into one of the sultry noblewomen, thankful to have learned enough at the brothel. She had no intent of catching the attention of people inside the castle, but it could not be avoided. The sight of a new appealing face had surprised the servants and some ministers as well.
"Has Master Jia Xu decided to take you as a wife?" asked a servant.
Another servant giggled, "You could pass off as a princess right now, Ai Xin!"
"Who is that beautiful woman? Is she one of the new concubines?"
Ai Xin escaped the chatter and let out a sigh of relief when she managed to find the small exits of the castle.
"This second task would require more cunning," Jia Xu said. "Although stealing is considered a capital offense, I am willing to put my position on the line should you fail."
Ai Xin had placed her report on the table. Her assignment with the first scroll had pushed her to research for more information in the castle library. The next thing she knew, she was inquiring innocently from the palace doctors and to the town herbalists.
"I submit my report on the rare herb that claims to hasten healing," she said, placing the scroll on the table.
Jia Xu smirked, pleased with the output. "There is only one merchant who was said to have this herb, and sells it with such a price that would render the imperial treasury bankrupt. Acquire the herb and deliver it to the doctor attending to Lord Dian Wei."
"How can we do that? Surely there are other options, Master Wenhe," Ai Xin said.
Jia Xu nodded. "We are lucky enough that there is," he said.
"The Manfu Merchants," she read the sign. It was an ornate shop full of all sorts of merchandise. She entered through the gate and saw so many expensive pottery, the best silk, and other wares.
"Welcome!" the shopkeeper greeted. "Come and take your time. Explore my wares!"
Ai Xin gave a sweet smile, "Shopkeeper, I am here to purchase your most prized medicine."
The Shopkeeper's face changed. "Ah, but what can you offer?"
Ai Xin opened her purse and pulled out a carved jade dragon standing on a pedestal.
"Ah, the mark of the imperial line," the Shopkeeper said. "How cunning of you, my lady to have surrendered this item to me. Surely you are aware of the power this mark can bring to me?"
"He who carries the seal, is the physical embodiment of the Mandate of the Heavens. If I give this to you, you might as well have claim to the throne," Ai Xin replied confidently. She placed the seal back in her purse. "Do not disappoint me, Shopkeeper."
The Shopkeeper looked at Ai Xin, amazed at her displayed intelligence. "Please have patience, my lady. I shall bring to you the item."
Ai Xin smiled sweetly, "Thank you, Shopkeeper."
As the Shopkeeper retreated into the inner rooms of the shop, Ai Xin paced around the room. So far, the plan was going smoothly. Although she was unsure as to whether or not she was holding the actual Imperial Seal, her master had given her strict instructions that it should never fall into the wrong hands.
The Shopkeeper returned with two wrapped parcels. "I have come with a greater offer, my lady. I am willing to trade my entire stash of this medicine," he said. "For the price of the seal, and maybe something more."
Ai Xin could see that the Shopkeeper's gaze was on her bosom. Using her learned observation from the women at the brothel, she bent a little forward. She hid her chagrin.
"You have seen that I am a learned woman, Shopkeeper," Ai Xin offered a better view. "You must also prove yourself to be intellectually capable to be my husband."
The Shopkeeper believed in her lie. The prospect of marrying such a beauty could bring much fame indeed. "And how can I prove myself, my lady?"
"A game of weiqi."
"That can be easily arranged," the Shopkeeper said confidently. He clapped his hands. "I must warn you that I am the current city champion!"
Two servants entered, carrying a weiqi board and cushions.
"One round, winner take all," the Shopkeeper said. "If I win, I shall lay my claim as emperor and wed you on the same day!"
"If I win, I will keep the seal and the two packets," AI Xin replied calmly. "Let's not be sour as lemons when you lose."
For all those afternoons of being beaten consecutively by Jia Xu, Ai Xin was glad to have picked up his strategies in sealing a decisive win.
She placed the last white piece on to the board, rendering the Shopkeeper unable to execute another move.
"I win," Ai Xin declared.
The Shopkeeper was a sore loser indeed, but to be beaten at his own game and losing the main source of his fame was damaging. He grabbed her wrist. "I will not allow myself to lose!" he yelled.
Ai Xin instinctively pulled away and flipped the table towards the Shopkeeper, knocking him back. The black and white stones scattered on the floor, making it slippery at one wrong step. In the middle of disarray, she leapt on top of the table and onto the countertop, grabbing the two packets and inserting it into her purse. She disappeared through the main exit of the shop.
"Grab her!" the Shopkeeper yelled. "THIEF! THIEF!"
Servants and guards scrambled in, surprised at the orders of their master.
Ai Xin kept herself among the crowd, discreetly shedding away items that made her standout, inserting expensive looking accessories into the pockets of passers-by. She swiped a dirty looking robe and messed up her hair.
She could hear guards and servants shouting behind her.
"Gray eyes! Gray eyes! A woman with gray eyes!" she could hear the pursuers.
At the next corner, Ai Xin turned and hid in the shadows of tall wares.
"Excellent work."
Ai Xin nearly jumped out of her skin had she not recognized the voice. "Master Jia Xu, you scared me," she hissed.
Jia Xu chuckled, "Remember that your clock is ticking. You only have until supper time to accomplish your task."
The woman pouted. "You are not making this any easier at all, Master Jia Xu." She gave the man a bow before running back to the castle.
The sun was setting when she had returned to the castle. She had fixed herself back into a servant's attire. She opened her purse and pulled out the two packets and unwrapped it. She gave it a long hard look and sniff.
"There seems to be no difference," she said.
A servant called from beyond her room door. "Ai Xin, you better hurry up. We're setting up the dining hall."
Ai Xin took that as a signal that her time was running short. She wrapped the packets as it was. She stored one in her personal chest, and the other back in the purse with the replica of the Imperial Seal.
After winding corridors, Ai Xin found herself at the more quiet halls. She was sure this was the path towards Dian Wei's quarters, and his doctor should be making his rounds at this time.
"This area is off limits except for Lord Cao Cao's personal servants," a growl caught her ear.
Ai Xin bit her lip and froze when she felt the tip of a blade on her back. "I am only looking for the doctor. I have brought medicine, my lord," she said in an innocent tone.
"Show me," the man prodded her back.
Ai Xin turned around and produced the packet. She took the opportunity to face her captor and paled at the sight of the brooding Xiahou Dun, Cao Cao's right hand man. She immediately bowed to show her respect, "I intend to do no harm to Lord Dian Wei. I am only following Master Jia Xu's orders to deliver medicine," she pleaded. How many scary individuals must she meet in this castle?
"I have heard rumors of Jia Xu was up to something," Xiahou Dun huffed, "Never did I expect that it would be in the form of a woman." He grabbed the packet from her hands and looked at it. He kept his blade pointed at her.
"You are coming with me. Lord Cao Cao will be the one to deal out your punishment," he said.
Cao Cao sat on the chair, impatient. In front of him was Jia Xu, bowed and on his knees.
"You still dare to conspire against me, Wenhe?" the warlord asked. He had heard the rumors as well, but to hear that Xiahou Dun had caught a suspicious individual made him put Jia Xu as the prime suspect.
"You have misunderstood my motives, Lord Cao Cao," JIa Xu replied calmly. "My ward had exerted effort in acquiring the necessary ingredients for the hastened recuperation of Lord Dian Wei."
The doors to the conference hall opened. Ai Xin was pushed inside by Xiahou Dun. He forced her down to her knees beside Jia Xu.
"My apologies for failing your task, Master," she muttered, keeping her head down, ashamed to face Jia Xu.
Jia Xu chuckled, "Not quite yet. I did tell you that I will have Lord Cao Cao employ you. I think this situation will hasten it."
Xiahou Dun tossed the package to Xiahou Yuan. The bowmaster opened the package and showed it to the palace doctor for confirmation whether it was poison or medicine.
The room was silent as the palace doctor sifted through the leaves. He scurried over to Cao Cao and whispered his findings to the man's ear. With a wave of his hand and a whispered order, the palace doctor bowed and retreated from the room.
"The palace doctor confirms the authenticity of the powdered drug," Cao Cao announced. "You have spoken truth, Wenhe. Your crafty ways have brought good fortune for my guard captain, Dian Wei."
Ai Xin's shoulders relaxed in relief, but the strain of her bowed position was still a bother.
"However, I cannot let you go just yet, for there is another matter that needs to be resolved," the warlord continued. "Fengxiao," he called out.
Guo Jia made his presence known, appearing from the shadows of the dark room. "It was hard not to notice your little ward scurrying amongst servants, Jia Xu. Such beauty with intelligence would be wasted inside the walls of the castle. You are not the only one who has an eye for hidden talent, Master Jia Xu. I hope you did not disappoint me."
Jia Xu had a triumphant smirk. "By all means, Master Fengxiao. I have made my choice."
The lithe strategist walked over to Ai Xin and knelt down to her level. "Were you able to reacquire my toy, my lady?"
Ai Xin kept her head bowed, and gestured to the purse that was tied to her sash. "It is here, Master Guo Jia."
Guo Jia's fingers palpated purse on her side. A small smile crept to his lips when he felt the familiar shape. He pulled the string loose, and caught the jade statuette as it rolled out of the purse.
"Astounding," Guo Jia muttered. He showed the seal to Cao Cao. He walked over and whispered to the man's ear.
Cao Cao listened in and nodded. His dark eyes studied the prone servant in front of him.
"What is your name, woman?"
"I am Ai Xin, my lord Cao Cao," the woman replied. She had lost count of the number of times she had to say her name or introduce herself.
Xiahou Yuan and Xiahou Dun glanced at each other. Cao Cao merely laughed. "An interesting name," the warlord said.
"Perhaps Lord Cao Cao would want to employ the services of my protegee," Jia Xu offered. "It is but apt for a master to teach his student the proper way to learn the art of war. However, she lacks experience with a sword."
"I am unaware that you have taken in a female student, Jia Xu," Cao Cao commented. "But I believe in the strength of talented individuals. Can you vouch for her physical strength?"
"With the right tutelage, yes."
Cao Cao leaned back against his chair. His curiosity piqued by the situation. "I will take heed of your word, Wenhe. However, I will not tolerate ineptitude."
"I will be surprised myself if the lady concedes to failure," Jia Xu said with confidence.
"Xiahou Dun. Take this woman and subject her to the same hardship every foot soldier must bear," Cao Cao ordered. "I will leave it to your judgment if she is worthy to be a part of our elite force."
"Hmph, very well Cousin," the One-eyed General replied reluctantly, crossing his arms.
"Rise, Lady Ai Xin," Cao Cao ordered. "And remember the face of your commander."
Ai Xin straightened up. She folded her hands in salute. Her eyes widened with awe to be in the presence of this famous man.
The Hero of Chaos let out a longer laugh as if he had remembered a cheerful memory.