Chapter 21 - Chu Haoran

After settling the naïve Sixth Prince, Qin Sang returned to Qian Mi Hall.

The Empress Dowager Duan Mi was lying on the couch appreciating the thousand-layer tea millet plant that the Emperor had sent to her as a gift.  When Empress Dowager Duan Mi was young, she was the most beautiful in the land and the old Emperor nearly gave up his kingdom for her.

Although she is over 50 years old now, she still has the looks of a glamorous 30-year-old woman.  She was smiling as she held the thousand-layer tea millet plant in her hands and for a moment, her beauty could even outs.h.i.+ne all other beauties in the Kingdom.

"You're back……did Lord Guos.h.i.+ receive the edict?"  Even her voice sounded captivating.

Qin Sang knelt on the ground and performed a ceremonial greeting before she replied in a low voice.  "Lord Guos.h.i.+ had long received the Emperor's instructions.  Even before I could take out and announce Empress Dowager's edict, he could already guess the purpose of my visit."

When the Empress Dowager heard, her fingers that were caressing the flowers paused but she did not show any anger and her smile became even more brilliant.  As her slim jade-like fingers caressed the delicate petals of the plant and she said faintly.  "If this is the case, the Vermilion Bird Medallion should have made an appearance in the world.  Even though it is not in the hands of the Emperor, it should already be in the hands of the people he trusts."

"As regards to Lord Guos.h.i.+……what should be done?"

"Since we can't take on that set of hard bones, Chen Yubai, he should be left alone for now.  As long as he obeys the Emperor, that piece of Black Tortoise Medallion in his possession will eventually land in my hands."  She smiled coldly.  "At the moment, we have to deal with Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence.  Once the war erupts in the Western Region, the Ji Family must not be allowed to gain an advantage."

Qin Sang replied in a low voice.  "Yes……everything will be done according to Empress Dowager's orders."

It was quiet in the hall for a long time.  After the Empress Dowager Duan Mi has had enough of appreciating the tea millet plant, she plucked off a flower from the plant and played with the flower with her fingertips.  Smiling, she glanced at the person still kneeling on the ground and spoke as if it was a normal occurrence.

"Recently, the Eldest Prince is getting from bad to worse.  If you have free time, you should go and take a look at him.  Don't waste your time and effort to fight with Little Six…….what is so good about teasing that little kid?"

It seemed the Empress Dowager was very clear about what happened before she entered the hall and Qin Sang suppressed the chill rising from her heart.  She replied respectfully.  "Two days later will be the day I have to send medicine to the Eldest Prince.  I will try my best to persuade him."

"Ai.…..actually, I know that whoever advises him will still be useless.  One Gu Mingzhu is already enough to ruin him."  The Empress Dowager Duan Mi sighed with regret.  "If I knew, I wouldn't have brought the pair of sisters into the palace.  Qin Sang, you'd better not learn from Gu Mingzhu……just for the sake of love, the Qian Mi's great plan was abandoned."

Her voice was gentle and cordial but Qin Sang did not dare to answer carelessly.  She bowed her head and whispered.  "In the hands of Li Weiran is the Unicorn Medallion and he is also the Chief of the Martial World Alliance.  I am engaged in a false relations.h.i.+p with him just to borrow his power.  I beg for Empress Dowager's understanding!"

"Um…..Aijia believes in you.  Now, we only need to have the four scepters of Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermillion Bird, and Black Tortoise, and we can return to the Holy Land…….  Qin Sang, your parents are buried there and after so many years you have already grown up.   You must be yearning to return and burn incense for them, right?"

"Yes……Chen will do my best and is prepared to sacrifice myself for the Qian Mi Tribe."  The Qian Mi Holy Lady bowed with her forehead touching the chilly gold-bricked floor and her voice was light and crisp.

Empress Dowager Duan Mi randomly discarded aside the flower in her hand and looked at Emissary Qian Mi who was kneeling on the floor.

A satisfied smile rose from her lips.

**8**8**8**8**

The Ye Kingdom's Lord Guos.h.i.+ has a transcendental existence.  In this world where the ancient G.o.ds were distant legends, Lord Guos.h.i.+ is the people's G.o.d.  The appointed Lord Guos.h.i.+ is in charge of the Black Tortoise Order and he is a guardian of the Great Ye Kingdom, therefore, sometimes even the imperial powers could not impose restrictions on the Guos.h.i.+.

Ever since Chen Yubai succeeded the former Lord Guos.h.i.+, other than attending the necessary sacrificial and prayer ceremonies, the cold Zhe Xian Lord Guos.h.i.+ would not even appear in the morning court.  Sometimes, when the Emperor is faced with a problem and Lord Guos.h.i.+ is unwilling to make an appearance, the Emperor would even personally go to the Guos.h.i.+ Residence to consult him.

With this kind of appointed Lord Guos.h.i.+, even if the royals and n.o.bles in the palace wanted to request for a prediction or a consultation from him, it was as difficult as ascending to Heaven.

Minister Chu was very troubled by this.

Minister Chu's problem was like this ~~ When he was young, he became successful and famous but he could not get a son even though he has more than ten wives.  At that time, he had requested a prediction from the former Lord Guos.h.i.+.  The Old Guos.h.i.+ lifted his fingers to do a calculation and said it would be better for him not to have a son.  He advised Minister Chu against insisting on having one.

Minister Chu was unwilling to accept the advice.  He had worked hard to become a great official and ama.s.sed a large fortune of wealth and properties but without a son to inherit the family's fortune, how is it possible?

After Minister Chu begged him, the old Lord Guos.h.i.+ who was soft and kind-hearted, agreed to set up a son-bearing formation for him.

The following year in spring, Minister Chu had a big fat son and he was so happy that he could not close his mouth due to the perpetual smile on his face.  In grat.i.tude, he presented a gold plaque and eighty-eight carriages of gifts to the old Lord Guos.h.i.+.

The old Lord Guos.h.i.+ refused to accept the gifts and said.  "This is the son you insisted on and his life comes with calamities.  In particular to his marriage, it will be shrouded with troubles and misfortunes."

As soon as Minister Chu heard this, he quickly requested for the old Lord Guos.h.i.+ to help him change the eight characters* of his precious baby son.

(Eight characters - a set of characters calculated or derived from a man's date and time of birth that determines his destiny.) 

The old Lord Guos.h.i.+ let out a sigh and said.  "When he reaches the age of 18, he will meet with a calamity.  If he can overcome that obstacle, then you may consider changing his eight characters and perhaps, there is still hope that he can find a companion."

Ever since then, Minister Chu raised his baby son,  Chu Haoran, in fear and trepidation, and every day, he would look forward to his son reaching 18 years of age.

Chu Haoran grew up peacefully and even became a very handsome and das.h.i.+ng young man.  Minister Chu kept the old Lord Guos.h.i.+'s advice in mind and from an early age when his son was still a child, marriages were arranged for him.  Between the age of 8 to 18, a total of 10 marriages were arranged for him.  They searched for young ladies with strong eight characters from n.o.ble famous families in the upper capital city to the remote countryside.  Without exception, once a marriage is confirmed, the girl would either fall seriously ill or die accidentally.

Even the maidservants in Chu Haoran's courtyard whose small hands he held or he said a few words to were not spared.  They would immediately be overcome by his aura and died on the spot.

The handsome and das.h.i.+ng Chu Gongzi was repeatedly struck with these kinds of b.l.o.o.d.y blows.  In despair, he would shut himself in the room all day and refused to come out.  He would only stay at home to read and write out his complaints.

Now, after much difficulty, Chu Haoran had reached the age of 18 years!  The old Lord Guos.h.i.+ had already become a fairy for many years and the new Lord Guos.h.i.+ is cold and aloof.  Minister Chu had sent gifts and people to seek audiences with Lord Guos.h.i.+ and was unsuccessful in his quests.

In the end, there was no other way but to cry and beg in front of the Emperor then only did Chen Yubai reluctantly agree to see him.

In Wan Qian Hall, as soon as Minister Chu made a request, the young Lord Guos.h.i.+ refused coldly.

Minister Chu pulled down his old face and pleaded bitterly.  "……Now those that can serve him are only little manservants.  This looks like the family's incense is about to be cut off……. Lord Guos.h.i.+ can't refuse to help someone who is about to die!"

"Originally, the Chu Family's incense should have been cut off when it reached Minister Chu."  Chen Yubai was unmoved.

The eight characters of a person's life are predestined and if they are forcefully changed, it would go against the will of G.o.d.

Is it worthy for Chen Yubai to shorten his own lifespan for this?  Why should he agree to change it for him?

Chu Haoran who was listening at the side felt his anger rising!

Since a child, he was pampered and spoilt and did not have a good temper.  How could he tolerate the cold att.i.tude of Lord Guos.h.i.+ and he said furiously.  "Father!  Why do you insist on making it difficult for Lord Guos.h.i.+?!  I would prefer not to marry for the rest of my life!  What is the big deal?!"

Minister Chu slapped on the table in fury.  "What nonsense are you spouting?!  Get out!"

In anger, Chu Haoran glared at Lord Guos.h.i.+ and flicked his fan opened with a 'Shua' before he strode out.

**8**8**8**8**

Feeling depressed and trying to calm down, Chu Gongzi randomly wandered into a garden.

He thought about the time when he was a child.  As the only son of Minister Chu, he could get whatever he wished for.  Being a handsome and talented man, he thought he will fall madly in love and have a dynamic love life just like the male leads described in those love stories.   But…….but those women that he once loved……..the beautiful women, the delicate ones, gentle ones, quiet ones, playful ones, those lovely and generous women……those pretty daughters from humble families…….the moment he fell in love with them……… they…… all…… died!

Without a female lead, how is it possible for him to have a love relations.h.i.+p?

Chu Gongzi felt very sad.

The garden had a pleasant landscape with shade from the green trees and pretty flowers covered the whole place.  Chu Haoran sighed sadly for his miserable fate as he stood in front of a happy peony plant.  While he was wallowing in sadness, a clear crisp girl's voice arose.  "Yi?  Who are you?  Why are you here?"

This is the most cla.s.sic line in a book between the male and female leads when they meet and Chu Haoran is very familiar with this!

He could not believe his ears and hesitated before he turned around slowly and looked in that direction……

A little girl wearing a light yellow gauze skirt was standing upright among the flowers.  Her face was like a hibiscus flower with pink cheeks and her slender graceful waist was like a willow in the wind.  Her eyes were staring straight at him with a gaze that seemed to show the first awakening of love, beckoning to him as if he was in a dream…….

"This small one* is Haoran……."  Chu Gongzi foolishly spoke the script in the novels.  "I didn't know Beauty is here, it was rude* of me."

(Small one - Chu Haoran is referring to himself.)

(The pinyin for 'rude' or abrupt' is 'tang-tu' and the pinyin also sounds like 'sweet'.)

Ji Xiaoli was confused and did not understand his words.

In the list of one hundred surnames, is there a surname called 'Small One'?   'Tang-tu'…….isn't that a bit sweet?

When he saw the beauty staring at himself with her beautiful eyes, Chu Haoran could not help but caress his handsome face.  With a flick of his fan 'Shua!' he das.h.i.+ngly flipped it opened and fanned himself.  Then he asked in a soft voice.  "I wonder what is lady's name?  Can you enlighten me?"

Ji Xiaoli understood him this time and she smiled as she replied.  "My name is Ji Xiaoli.  I am my s.h.i.+fu's disciple.  What about you?"

Chu Gongzi smiled with pride and the fan in his hand shook even more vigorously.  "My name is Chu Haoran.  My Father is the Minister of Revenue and I am the only son in the family."  As he spoke, he tentatively took two steps nearer to her.

When he saw Ji Xiaoli was safe and sound, neither falling backward and slipping on the stones to fall to her death……nor a lightning bolt struck from the clear sunny sky breaking to break off a tree branch causing it to fall and crush her to death…….Chu Haoran rejoiced as he moved nearer to her another two more steps.

"I followed my Father here to pay a visit to Lord Guos.h.i.+ and did not expect to accidentally meet a beauty.  Life is like a dream.   It is fated for us to meet and it is very fortunate."  With deep affection, Chu Gongzi looked at the young girl who was still living…….she is still alive!

There seemed to be a little deer b.u.mping crazily in his heart………he had fallen in love with the person in front of him!

"Lady is like snow jade, lovely and captivating.  Compared to the fresh flowers in the garden, you are even more bewitching."

The lines were too superficial and were lifted off directly from the novels.  Before Ji Xiaoli could respond, the onlookers, Lianyi including the other demons and spirits were unable to restrain themselves and burst into laughter.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha……..! ! !

"From which book did he get his lines, it's so disgusting ! !   Ha, ha, ha, ha ! ! !"

"After speaking, he didn't even vomit, his acting is really good ! !   Ha, ha, ha, ha ! ! !"

"He must have never seen snow and jade before!  His eyes must be growing inside his crown of hair! !   Ha, ha, ha, ha ! ! !"

"The beautiful appearance that I have cultivated for a hundred years is not comparable to that Idiot's bewitching looks ? ! !   Ha, ha, ha, ha ! ! !"

From young, Ji Xiaoli was confined in Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence and the only men she saw were only the military men from the army.  Even if it was Ji Xi who was calm and gentle, he had never said such refined and sappy words.   She was stunned for a moment and before she had time to savor those sweet words, the wave of loud laughter that arose in the garden instantly dampened whatever good feelings she had.

"Every one of you, don't be too much!   You all can even laugh so loudly when you're eavesdropping on other people's conversation!"  She angrily lectured in a loud voice.

Chu Haoran beamed an affectionate tender smile and corrected her.   "Those are only words of praises spoken here, how can there be sounds of laughter?  Silly girl!"