5 years ago
Capital city never had such exciting news since the kidnapping and miraculous return of the Feng heir 10 years earlier. All the young noble ladies and gentleman in marriable age were invited to this Peach Blossoms gathering where ladies would compete in the 4 arts and gentlemen were to compete intellectually and physically. Though the gender separation was still strongly enforced, the Peach Blossoms gathering was one of the few events where the unmarried younger generation could mingle together without prejudices. It was to last 3 days fill with all sort of competitions and on the last day, a big banquet would close the event with the empress bestowing marriage to lovers, favored and unfavored. Thus, for lovers who, otherwise would have no fate between them, this was the last chance for them to tie the knot together. The event was both appreciated and feared by the noble families but very favored by the bolder younger generation.
As to why Capital City was in such a state of excitation, it was because of a young man from unknown origins who had managed to defeat all the favorites of the competitions so far. Extremely dashing, he had easily won all the intellectual competitions (chess and poetry). Coming to the physical competition, he had also easily crushed all his opponents only to lose to the mute heir of the Jianghu alliance.
To say, for An Feng to win the competition it was also a big shock as the favorite was not the heir but the 2nd son of the same family, Ouyang Feng.
They were now all gathered at the banquet and all the ladies were fighting for an opportunity to talk to the 2 handsome gentlemen.
"You have let me win Sire Shang." wrote An at the banquet on a piece of calligraphy paper he handed to his rival.
"You overestimate me Sire Feng. Sire Feng skills are superb. This humble one cannot compared." replied Ai casually, keenly paying attention to all the guests.
After years of errance, Ai had come back to Capital City with the intent of investigating her father's death and taking revenge for her family. She felt she was sufficiently strong enough to destroy her ennemy and had left her mother and uncle in the C Kingdom, leaving them a letter to explain her plan. Her mother and Uncle had finally found a safe haven, Ai didn't want them to affront any more dangers.
10 years ago, their family almost ended up destroyed again. While they were escaping, they got ambushed and were barely able to make it out alive. Luckily, an itinerant monk came to their rescue and managed to fend off their pursuants. He also gave them a name where they could be safe but it took them 5 years to reach it. Somehow, a target was traced on their back and wherever they went, they were wanted. They would arrive somewhere, settle for a month or two before guards would show up with their portraits, looking for them. They would then have to escape again. During those years, this scenario repeated multiple times. At first, they were taken by surprise and ended up involving innocents inadvertently and causing their deaths. Towards the end, they learnt to keep to themselves and move on.
Ai thought of the kind auntie in K village who would offer them food. One day, they returned and her whole family was slaughtered or to the grandpa who had given them a shelter in B City who was also murdered. She would also make sure to add those interests on the tab when repaying her ennemies. That's why as soon as they reached the safe haven, she had starting to plan.
Her objective now was to find ways to ingratiate herself with the high nobility. Only by mingling with them, would she be able to get some answers.When she arrived to Capital City, the news of the Peach Blossom Gathering was on everyone's lips. Using her master's noble status and fame, she easily entered the contest. After all, her master was the leader of the Divine Sky sect and their fame among all kingdoms was humongous. Akin to being treated as deaties, all the elders of the sect had attained the status of immortal, thus being chosen as a disciple was the same as being chosen to be a future god.
Though her origins were unknown, in the eyes of the noble society, being disciple of such a grandiose sect was largely sufficient to cover it.
While Ai was paying attention to the banquet, An Feng was fixated on the young men sitting next to him. Since they sat down at the same table, the mute heir of the Jianghu alliance had concentrated his full attention on Ai Shang. For some reason, the young men was utterly familiar to him. Staring for a long while, even Ai noticed the inappropriateness of the situation.
When the dashing young lord lowered his head toward the heir, all the young ladies in attendance retained their breath in expectations. The picture was so perfect. When the heir blushed, they nearly fainted. If only those ladies heard Ai, they would definitely be scandalized.
"Kind sire, if you do not stop staring at me, I will be in the obligation of washing this offense with your blood. Though I am aware all sorts of people make up the social network of Capital City, I am not THAT kind of person." Ai lowly gritted between her teeth.
The heir blushed brightly, took another sheet of parchemin and vigorously replied back.
"I am not a pervert!!! Sire Shang is familiar to me, hence my eyes stayed longer in the hope of recovering the memory."
Familiar, now that she took a look at him, the young man also seemed familiar to her but she pushed the thought to the back of her head. She had just received a golden opportunity to establish a connexion with this heir. She could maybe make use of him to find more about the events that occurred 15 years ago?
"I doubt we ever met as it is my first time in Capital City. I also feel a kindred spirit in Sire Feng. Since we have affinity, what about I offer a toast in your honour?" This time Ai's reply was pleasant and friendly.
An Feng simply smiled and lifted his cup high. The night was joyous and wine was flowing. Before long, both the young men felt they were brothers from different parents and became sworn brothers.
In the morning, with her head hurting from the previous night excess, Ai didn't immediately noticed she was not alone in her room. Only when she put her foot down from the bed, did she realized it had not landed on the hard floor but on something much less...rigid? But by the time she processed the information, she had already stumbled on the body laying on the floor.
"Oh my god! A dead body! What..wait...a...snoring body?!"
She kicked the body hard. The corpse awoken and turned on his back which revealed to be...an unknown face!?! What happened last night?