Hello, I have a novel posted on my blog for a long while now and figure I should also share it here for some opinions and critiques. I am not a native Chinese person or familiar with Chinese culture, but I fell in love with C-Novels and television serials since I was a child. I'm especially fond of the wuxia and periods ones. So in many ways, this story is a tribute to my love of Ancient China romance. You can also read my novel on my blog: Jade Water Paradise Synopsis: He Yu Ting was the youngest daughter of He Fu You. a rich merchant of Zhao’s Dynasty. She and her sister, He Xue Zhen, were known for their beauty and intelligence, as well as their contribution to their father’s trading business. Trouble started brewing when He Xue Zhen and He Yu Ting meet the Jiao brothers of Qiang De Gong Fu, both high government officials for the Zhao Emperor. He Xue Zhen and the older Jiao brother, Jiao Heng, quickly fell in love while He Yu Ting and He Ying Jie were slower to kindle their flame. He Yu Ting’s romance with He Ying Jie soon caused a love triangle that included Princess Zhao Jia Yi, the 8th imperial daughter of the Emperor. To make matter worst, He Yu Ting was engaged to Feng Peng Fei, the master of Red Dragon Trading Guild, a powerful business empire in all of Zhao. And to end the betrothal will prove to destroy the He family. Setting & Background: Due to my limited knowledge of Chinese dynasties, the setting in the story will be more fictional than real. I’m just combining my knowledge of customs from various dramas and novels so we’ll just have to pretend that the Zhao dynasty exists. In this era, the country is at its peak, experiencing splendor and riches beyond compare, surpassing those all the previous dynasty. They have an enormous army and powerful allies. Their economy is booming with flourishing trades and thriving agriculture. Women of this dynasty also have much more freedom than most other dynasties. However, they are at war over the western territories with a neighboring kingdom. Genre: Drama, Historical, Romance Table of Content: Volume One: Dragon Chapter One: Bandits Chapter Two: The Jiao Brothers Chapter Three: Hearts Moving Closer Chapter Four: Courting Heartbreak Chapter Five: ... Disclaimer: Please forgive me if I accidentally write something in any shape or form that may incorrectly reflect the Chinese culture. If there's any, please comment and I will do my best to correct them.
Chapter One: Bandits The outskirts of Fort Wang, 76 miles southwest of Liu Yang Hard sunlight shone upon a group of travelers as they climbed the path up the mountainside. Some were driving a proceeding of fifteen horse-drawn wagons overflowed with supplies while other were on horsebacks alongside the wagons. Atop of a wagon at the very front of the group, two young ladies sat side-by-side fanning themselves with their sleeves, allowing the driver to drive the horses along the narrow path. The older of the two tried to ignore the heat as she wondered why she let her sister talked her into leaving the carriage back at the inn. The day was uncomfortably warm and her light peach robe did nothing to alleviate the hot rays. She decided then and there that she won’t be going anywhere without the shelter of her carriage again. She gazed ahead and wondered how much longer to reach their destination. “It’s only a few more miles till we reach the fort. Father said it’s just on the other side of this mountain,” her sister said, guessing her older sister’s thought even without looking at her. She opened her eyes as she turned her face away from the sun and looked at her sister. “Jie jie, we can stop for a little while if you want.” “No” the older one said. “We’re behind schedule because of that broken wheel. Making another stop will give us even more setbacks. Father would be angry.” The younger sister agreed and turned to look at the wagons behind her. She noted that the men were not faring much better than she did. The day was hot and the men had been traveling non-stop since this morning. Except for two hours they were forced to stop and fix the broken wheel, none of them had had any rest save the quick nap and refreshments from the supplies she and her sister had packed for them. She can’t help but feel proud of her father’s men. Despite the long and tiring journey, they showed no sign of exhaustion. Suddenly, a sharp whistle was sounded from the trees and the horses went into instant panic. While the wagon drivers tried to calm the frightened horses, the guards on horsebacks quickly controlled theirs and scanned the trees surround the narrow path. Quietly, they pulled out their weapons. Just in case. Without warning, a score of men dressed in black robes, with faces covered in black masks, leapt from the trees and started attacking the men guarding the wagons. “Bandits! Protect the wagons! Don’t let them get near the supplies!” the younger girl called her guards, pushing away the fear that leapt into her throat. She turned to her driver. “Uncle Lai, hurry and drive this wagon ahead. We’re close to the fort. Hurry and get some reinforcements!” The uncle nodded as the young girl leapt off the wagon. “Yu Ting! What are you doing?!” her older sister yelled from atop the wagon. Yu Ting didn’t bother to stop as she ran towards the wagon driver behind them. She yelled over her shoulder. “Jie jie, go with Uncle Lai and get reinforcements! We cannot let these bandits rob us! There are soldiers depending on us for these supplies. I’ll try to help the guards. Hurry and go!” As soon as she approached the next wagon, she screamed to the driver. “Hurry and head to the fort. Full speed ahead! Don’t let the bandits get you! Hurry!” Sounds of metal against metal echoed in her ears as she dodged the fights between her guards and the bandits. She was grateful that she listened to her father and doubled the guards for this delivery. While the bandits seemed to be strong and powerful, her guards outnumbered them three to one at the moment. A few of the guards noticed her running down the row of wagons. They followed her closely, slashing away at any enemies that were coming too close to her. Noticing this, Yu Ting paused and called out to them. “Don’t protect me. You are faster. Quickly! Grab a horse and hurry to the fort for reinforcement. I also need another to go tell the rest of the drivers behind us to proceed ahead. Tell them not to be afraid and that reinforcements are coming! Hurry!” “But what about you, Miss Bai?” “I’ll be okay! But if the bandits succeed in robbing us, our lives will be in danger. These supplies are for the troops. If we fail, our heads will be cut off!” Hearing this, the two guards quickly ran off to do as they were ordered. Yu Ting scanned the surrounding and noticed that many men were dead. Unfortunately, many of them were her men. She growled in frustration. These bandits were powerful. “Jie jie, please hurry. They’re overpowering us.” Using the wagons as cover, Yu Ting maneuvered her way from the bandits’ sight and helped some of the her guards who were injured by the bandits. “Miss He, hurry and hide! We’re loosing ground,” one of the wounded guard said to her as she tried to help him stand up. “Don’t worry about me. If you run now, you still have a chance to escape.” “I’m not leaving any of us behind,” Yu Ting said, determined that they would survive through this. She was the daughter of He Fu You, a renown-trading merchant. He was well known not only for high quality supplies but also for having never fail to deliver the goods. She will not shame her father by allowing these greedy bandits steal from them. “Yu Ting! Help! Help!” Yu Ting chest turned cold. That was her sister’s screams. “Jie jie!” she said, panicked. Anger suffused her. Those bandits better not touch her sister. She’ll make them if they dare touch a hair on her head. “Go! I’ll be all right,” the guard said, managing to stand up and grabbed hold of his sword again. Nodding, she quickly retraced her path back to her sister. Fear crept into her stomach as she noticed that there are suddenly more bandits. They must have called in help as well. Damn it. At this rate, even if her reinforcement arrived, it would be too late. When Yu Ting reached her sister’s carriage, she sighed in relief when she noted that her sister was okay. Some of the guards were with her, fending a few bandits that were trying to get to the wagon. While they fought, her sister and Uncle Lai were trying to retie the knots to the supplies that were cut loose by the bandits. She hurried over to her sister side to help secure the supplies on the wagon. “Jie jie. Take the horse and go get help! I’ll take care of this.” “No!” her sister replied vehemently. “I’m not going to leave you.” “Jie jie!” “Ting’er!” Yu Ting glared at her sister and quickly helped her secured the rest. When done, she quickly glanced at the guards who were still fending off the bandits. The sound of clashing weapons continued to echo. “Jie jie, get on the wagon. We’ll leave now to get help. The guards won’t be able to fend them off for long if help don’t come.” Xue Zhen nodded and climbed onto the seat by Uncle Lai. Yu Ting climbed in next to her. But when the driver signaled the horse to go, the carriage wouldn’t budge. “Why isn’t it going?” Xue Zhen asked. Without answering, Yu Ting jumped from the carriage. As she thought, there was something wedged under one of the wheel. “There’s a rock under the wheel. Let me get it first!” She leaned down to pry it loose. Unfortunately, Uncle Lai couldn’t hear her over the sounds of men fighting, so he didn’t stop the horse in time. The carriage dashed forward, causing Uncle Lai and Xue Zhen to fall back in momentum. Furthermore, unable to catch his balance, Uncle Lai accidentally whipped the horse’s bum with too much force, causing it to run faster in fright. Seeing this, Yu Ting’s heart almost stopped. There was the cliff up ahead. At the speed the wagon is going, Uncle Lai won’t be able to stop the horse in time. They will fall over the edge! With renewed strength, she chased the carriage, screaming for them to jump off the wagon. As she got closer, she noticed there was a very long rope that had gotten loose and was dangling behind the wagon. Quickly, she tried to grab the rope as it was flown beside her. After missing a few times, she managed to grab onto it and wrapped it around her arm. Then with all the force she could muster, she firmly root her feet onto the ground, hoping the friction would help slow the carriage down. All hope see futile, however. She was still dragged along with the carriage. By some miracle, she somehow managed to maintain her balance. She could hear her sister screaming her name, yelling at her to let go of the rope. Determined not to see her sister fall off the cliff, she closed her eyes and pulled harder against the rope with all the strength she had left, screaming as she rope cut into her skin, drawing blood. In the midst of her focus, it took her a long time to realize that she was no longer dragged behind the wagon and that there was a commotion in front of her. Quickly opening her eyes, she saw the back of a man, draped in a red cape standing a few feet in front of her. She cannot see his face, but she noted that he was wearing a golden armor, his black hair pulled atop of his head and held together in golden coronet. With his legs planted firmly on the ground and his arms wrapped tightly with the rope like her, he called to her over his shoulder. “I got this! Let go!” She shook her head and tightened her hold on the rope, her arm stinging with every small movement of her arm. Then, realizing that he won’t hear her, she quickly said, “No. I’m not going to let go until my sister is safe.” There was a chuckle from the man. At least, she though she heard it. She couldn’t tell with all the noises around her. That was when she noticed that there were more movement behind her and the fighting noises had increased. She looked back quickly and saw that men wearing similar armor as the man in front of her now joined her guards. Soldiers? Yes. It’s the soldiers. They are saved at last! She looked over the man’s shoulder to the wagon, and saw that it was almost to the cliff. “Jie jie!” The man pulled harder on the rope, spurring Yu Ting into action. She pulled it again with all her might, hissing at the pain as she rope dug even further into her wound. She heard, more than saw, that carriage slowing down to a stop. The sounds of wheels against the ground were slowing down and she heard her uncle soothing the frightened horses. “Yu Ting!!!” Hearing her sister called her name again, Yu Ting dropped the rope and ran toward the wagon. She knew now that there was no point in helping the man. Her strength was not comparable to the powerful man who managed to stop the carriage in just a few moments. Pure horror greeted Yu Ting as the scene unfurled before her. Although the wagon had stopped just at the edge of the cliff, her sister was falling out of her seat and into the open cliff. Time slowed and Yu Ting could see the fear and astonishment in her sister’s beautiful black eyes. “Jie jie!” Yu Ting couldn’t run fast enough. The wagon seemed miles away and with her depleted strength, she somehow slipped on a rock and tripped, falling onto the ground. With tears in her eyes, Yu Ting could only manage to lift herself on her arms and watched as her sister disappeared down the open cliff. “JIE JIIIEEE!!” Like lightning, a flash of dark blue flew pass her and disappeared down the cliff’s edge where her sister had fallen. Yu Ting blinked. Did someone just jumped? Scrambling to her feet, she rushed towards the cliff. Just as she was getting closed, she noticed that the wagon was wobbling. Is it going to fall over too? But that’s not possible. The wagon was now safely grounded and Uncle Lai had managed to maneuver it away from the edge of the cliff. Through her tears, she looked at the wagon. And that was when she saw the second rope. It was also another rope that had gotten loose during the ambush. However, the tautness of the rope told her that there was something tied to the other end of it. Instantly, she heard a grunt and a flash of blue suddenly leapt from the cliff ledge where her sister had fallen and landed a few feet in front of her. Yu Ting almost dropped to her knees as she saw that the blue flash was a man. He looked to be a few years older than her, well dressed, and have a kind face. On his left, there was a rope wrapped securely around his forewarn. On his right, he had his arm around her sister’s waist, holding her securely to his side. Tears of relief streamed down her face. Her sister didn’t fall to her death. She was here. Safe. Unharmed.
Chapter Two: The Jiao Brothers “Report!” The small gathering in the extra large tent turned to watch a fully uniformed officer entered through the curtained entryway. Currently sitting in a small chair to the right of General Jiao Ying Jie, He Yu Ting was letting her sister treat and bandaged the ravaged flesh on her palm. The general and his older brother, Jiao Heng, the Marquis of Jiao, was watching them, silently commending He Yu Ting for her bravery in trying to save her sister. When the officer marched into the tent and bent on one knee in front of General Jiao, the brothers turned to address him. “Go ahead,” Jiao Ying Jie ordered. The officer glanced at the sisters, silently wondering if he should speak in front of them. Jiao Ying Jie glanced at them too and nodded at the officer. “It’s okay. Give the report.” He nodded. “This lowly officer begs to announce that all the bandits that ambushed the trading wagons are captured.” “And the bandit’s location?” the general asked. “Thanks to general’s quick thinking, the scouts we sent to follow the few bandits we allowed to escape had returned. They informed us that the bandits had led us straight to their headquarter. As ordered, we have arranged and prepared the 5,000 soldiers to annihilate the rest of the bandits. They’re waiting for general’s command.” Jiao Heng, who had been standing to his brother’s left couldn’t help but speak up. “Regarding the scouts, did any of the bandits saw them?” “No, Marquis Jiao,” the officer confirmed. “Our scouts were very careful to not be seen. As usual, we used the first group as the decoy, which they fell for and tried to shake off. Thus the second group was able to follow without any mishap.” “Great!” General Jiao exclaimed. “Good job, Officer Wei! When the bandits are gone, you and the scouts will be greatly rewarded. Return to your men. We will leave within the hour.” Officer Wei nodded and backed away until he exited the tent. Suddenly quiet again, the sisters shared a look and sighed. While General Jiao and his brother exchanged a few words silently among them, He Xue Zhen smiled wryly at her younger sister and continued to bandage her hand again. “Is it too tight?” He Xue Zhen asked quietly so they won’t disturb their hosts. She noticed that He Yu Ting kept on wincing as she rolled the stripped cloth over the medication she had applied to the wound earlier. Although her chest constricted at the thought of what He Yu Ting had done for her, she couldn’t help but tease. “Serves you right. Who asked you to play the heroine?” “Jie jie!” He Yu Ting pouted as He Xue Zhen giggled. From the corner of her eyes, she also noticed a smile tugging on Marquis Jiao’s lips and the glittering amusement in General Jiao’s eyes when their eyes met across the room. Blushing, He Yu Ting glanced away and returned to watch her sister finished tying the bandage strips into a small knot. With a smile at He Yu Ting, He Xue Zhen stood up and curtsied in front of the two brothers. “He Xue Zhen and my sister He Yu Ting beg to thank General Jiao Ying Jie and Marquis Jiao for coming to our rescue and saving our lives.” General Jiao held out his palm. “There’s no need to apologize, Miss He. It is my fault that I didn’t have the foresight to send my soldiers to escort you. We knew you were coming but didn’t stop to think about the bandits. There’s no excuse for my lapse in judgment. You must let me the one to apologize instead.” He Xue Zhen blushed. To have a powerful general apologize to her was not expected. She was just a lowly merchant daughter and felt humbled by his gesture. “No, no. Please don’t apologize. My sister and I were behind schedule so we didn’t dare to bother General Jiao with what was our problems.” He Yu Ting nodded. “Yes, please don’t blame yourself. This is all our doing.” Marquis Jiao smiled and gently intervened; knowing this conversation would prolong if not stopped. “This is not anyone fault but the bandits. Now that the supplies are delivered and you’re safe, please rest here until the bandits are taken care of.” The older one shook her head. “We don’t dare to bother General Jiao and Marquis Jiao anymore than we already have. My sister and I will return to the inn with our men.” General Jiao shook his head. “I heavily advise against that at the moment, Miss He. Until the bandits are captured, you should not risk your lives or that of your men.” “Yes, that’s right. We’ll feel much better if you stay within the fort until we return,” Marquis Jiao said. “In fact, I already ordered my men to prepare a tent for you and your sister as well a place for your men to rest. I hope that you’ll stay.” The sisters exchanged looks. Although they rather not inconvenience their hosts, to gainsay the general and his brother was disrespectful. Thus He Xue Zhen reluctantly agreed. The battle between the bandit was as bloody as it was brutal. It was a bloodbath Jiao Ying Jie didn’t want to shed but a necessary one. The head of the bandit had refused to surrender when Jiao Ying Jie tried to negotiate. Consequently, he was killed with the rest of the men who refused to surrender. Those who survived were the ones that had thrown down their weapons after their Jiao Ying Jie had killed their leader. “General!” Jiao Ying Jie looked up to see his commanding officer, Wei Cheng, rushing to him. Usually, Wei Cheng accompanied him to his battles, but this past evening, he’d left Officer Wei to see to his guests. The officer stopped in front of Jiao Ying Jie and bowed in respect. “Welcome back, General. I have prepared a bath for you and Marquis Jiao as well as refreshments. Pleas–“ He held up his hand. “See to the men first. There are injured to take care of,” he ordered. Officer Wei nodded and started to walk away when Jiao Ying Jie stopped him. “The He sisters?” “They retired to their tents soon after you left, General,” he informed. “I haven’t seen them since.” “And the fort? Was there anything amiss?” Officer Wei quickly briefed him the status of the watch guards and the like before rushing off to see the injured. Taking a moment to collect himself, he sighed and scanned his immediate area to make sure everything was in order. Noting the night patrols were doing their usual routine and watch guards at their designated stations, he set off towards his tent. On his way, he paused to look at the tent assigned to his guests and couldn’t help himself to a small smile. What a brave little thing, he thought as he remembered his first glimpse of the younger He sister, He Yu Ting. Like her sister, she possessed a small physique, soft pale skin, and large dark brown eyes. Other than her eyes, the biggest thing about her was her courage…and her loyalty. As he continued on his way, he reflected that He Yu Ting possessed many qualities he valued in his men; bravery, intelligence, and loyalty. While most women would coward in such a circumstances, she had rushed in like a soldier, seeing to the supplies, her men, and her sister. She was quick-witted and used it to protect everything and everyone around her. Except for herself. The thought gave him pause. He wondered if she ever considered the danger she had put herself in? She must had. It was survival instincts, to take care of oneself before anything else. Unlike soldiers, who were trained to suppressed those baser instincts, civilians honed theirs for survival, and He Yu Ting was definitely a civilian. With the heart of a soldier, he thought with a smile as he stepped into his tent. “Strange.” Pulled out of his musing, he saw his brother looking at him in bemusement. Like him, his brother’s armor was stained with the blood of their enemies, his face strained from battle, and eyes dark and weary from what they must do to keep their nation safe. Skillful in martial arts and possessing extensive knowledge in war tactics, his brother always accompany him into battle whenever he visited. This was usually frowned upon by their peers, who were of the opinion that a bureaucratic place is in the court, not on the battlefield. But Jiao Heng and Jiao Ying Jie had grown up closed and continued to stay close even after their years of being apart. “What is strange, brother?” he asked, as he approached his brother and motioned for him to turn around. “That smile,” Jiao Heng replied as he turned and let his younger brother helped him untie the armor straps. Jiao Ying Jie frowned. “We just destroyed the bandit headquarter and put the lives of citizens out of danger. Is it not a cause to be happy?” he asked as he turned around and let his brother return the favor. “We had fought alongside each other for many years. I know what you look like after a victory. But your expression just now is not the same. There’s something about it that is different,” his brother replied as Jiao Ying Jie proceeded to untie the secured knots to his golden armor and stepped away to take it off. Knowing that was true, Jiao Ying Jie let the comment linger as he carefully shed the armor, leaving on his war-torn robe. Out of the corner of his eyes, Jiao Heng watched his brother as he too followed suit and shed his own armor. Unable to suppress his curiosity, he inquired again, “What was on your mind? I’ve never seen you smile like that.” Before he could help himself, a small grin broke onto Jiao Ying Jie’s face. Without thinking about it, he simply replied, “I was just thinking about the young mistress of the He family.” In the process of placing the armor on the table, Jiao Heng paused at hearing this and sharply glance at his brother. “Which one?” he asked, his tone unconsciously sharp. Surprised by the tone, Jiao Ying Jie stared at his older brother in bemusement. Since childhood, he had never known his older brother to be anything but calm and reserve. He was, by nature, a gentle and considerate man but he rarely allowed his true feelings to be shown under his gentlemanly appearance and it was very rare that he’ll display even a hint of displeasure. Thus, it was confusing and strange to see his calm brother in such a state. Even more, it seems that one of the He sisters had brought forth this change. Could it be that he developed feelings for one of them? For He Xue Zhen? Or He Yu Ting? A tightness formed in his chest. Could it be He Yu Ting? His hand clenched into a fist, he carefully answered, “Miss He Yu Ting.” From the corner of his eyes, he watched his older brother’s face smoothed out and his rigid posture relaxing. Then, a small smile appeared. “Miss He Yu Ting has a brave spirit,” he commented after a moment of consideration. Relieved that while his suspicions were indeed correct and it was the older He sister that interested his brother, he allowed his mouth to twitch at the corners. “I think it is strange that He Fu You would let his two daughters come to deliver the supplies with only some guards for protection. Does He Fu You not care for his daughters?” The conversation was interrupted as an officer entered the tent with a tray of fresh hot tea and refreshments. Jiao Heng and Jiao Ying Jie sat down at the table and waited until they were alone again to continue their conversation. “In the capital, He Fu You is known to be a very doting father. The freedom he allows his daughters, everyone knows it is great,” Jiao Heng said as drank the hot tea. “He has no son and never remarried after his wife died. Although he has a nephew who lived with them, everyone knows that He Fu You want to pass on his business to his two daughters.” Jiao Ying Jie considered this information. Unlike the previous dynasties, women in the Zhao dynasty have considerably more freedom. However, even though they are allowed to own their own business, such practices were uncommon, especially if there is a male in the family. Jiao Ying Jie had spent a majority of his life on the war field and was not familiar with He Fu You, but he knew that He Fu You’s nephew was his younger brother’s son. “Why not give it to his nephew?” he asked. “It is rumored that He Fu You had used his wife’s dowry as a capital to start his trading business and she had supported him since the beginning. Before she died, she expressed that she wanted the business to stay on her side of the family. It was her wish upon her deathbed. Since they have no sons, it is natural that it will go to their daughters.” Jiao Heng smiled. Although it is unorthodox, He Fu You was not criticized for this. Everyone in the capital knew how much He Fu You loved his wife and how she had supported him wholeheartedly from their very humble beginnings. How could he not fulfill her final wish? “Before I left the capital, I had heard that He Fu You and his nephew had taken ill,” Jiao Heng stated. “I believed that the He sisters came in their place.” Jiao Ying Jie nodded in an agreement. A moment later, a smile formed on his lips. “It is good that they came.” Jiao Heng laughed. “Yes. It is good that they came.”