𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆

Chapter 24, Against the Shadow's Forest Clan

Chapter 24 AGAINST THE CLAN

"QUEEN OF WEI ZHUANG, FENG AN XIN MAY ENTER THE ROOM!" The eunuch announced with the squeaky voice.

"Feng An Xin greets Imperial Father," She knelt, overlapping her right arm on her left in respect as soon as she entered her father's bedroom.

Her father, the Emperor of Da An glimmered, happy to see his daughter since his last trip to Wei Zhuang.

"An Xin, how is Wei Zhuang going?" He inquired, on his bed, sitting. Feng An Xin found out that his voice was huskier than how it would normally be. She knew the poison is attacking her father already but he refused to show his struggles.

"General Gan Luo Yi had his son to go to Hei An Guang, leading our young royal spies. So far, there was no progress." The Queen explained, bowing down in shame.

"It's fine. Gan Xin said the poison is not attacking yet for the first few years. We should be fine-" The Emperor accidentally coughed up blood, unveiling his poor health condition.

"FATHER!" She tried running to him, anxious.

"DON'T MOVE, FENG AN XIN!" He displayed his pale right palm to her as a warning.

She stopped her run, falling back to her knees. She was drowned by the fear of losing her father that anxiety covered her totally on the body. Her heart rate increased as she started to sweat.

"Father, your old injuries aren't recovered yet plus the poison, I fear you couldn't bear it anymore!" She shouted with a cracked voice. Attempting to get closer with her knees fowarding.

"It doesn't matter, people live and die. It's how the world works," The Emperor wiped off the blood around his lip, smiling. "I heard you also got poisoned. Would you mind sharing?"

"I-" she hesitated, panicking. "I pasted the poison plant to Gan Luo Yi and his wife,"

"HOW DARE YOU!" The Emperor finally stood up, smashing the bed then pointing to Feng An Xin.

"It's the only way to get their son moving. If father is going to punish me, I wouldn't refuse but even if I can rotate the time back, I would still choose to poison the Gan couple!" She defended, looking at The Emperor furiously with her words.

"YOU SEPARATED THEM FROM THEIR SON ONCE, FENG AN XIN! IF THE PARENTS DIDN'T SURVIVE, YOU WOULD BE SEPARATING THEM FOREVER." The Emperor argued with later of coughing and intense breathing. "Feng An Xin, my daughter, stop making the same mistakes. It will cost other people,"

His tone of voice turned low and caring, expecting for her to listen to his advice.

"Feng An Xin will leave Imperial Father to rest,", she stood up, walking away, ignoring the advice.

" Everything I did is wrong, isn't it?" She monologued as her eyes turned teary and red, holding the feeling of disgrace, dissatisfaction, and injustice.

---
The Royal Spies of Wei Zhuang rode their horse to the front of Elder Chen's cottage.

"Leader," Wang Xuan, Sun Ai Er, and Li Hua Rong greeted as soon as Gan Xin figure was seen in front of the door, on his horse.

"Ladies," Gan Xin replied, with a strict yet caring tone of voice. "I have a mission for you. I hope you can do it successfully,"

"Leader, please tell us the mission" Sun Ai Er asked, curious.

"Save Li Zhang Ke from the Shadow's Forest clan," He replied with a cold stone face. He himself wasn't happy with the idea.

Wang Xuan's and Li Hua Rong's faces brightened in happiness and relief. "Yes, Leader!"

"I'd recommend you to have Elder Chen's opinion before actually going to ensure your return safely,"

Li Hua Rong, Wang Xuan, and Sun Ai Er bowed agreed as Gan Xin marched away with his horse.

"Wang Xuan, we can finally save my brother!" Li Hua Rong burst into excitement, carving a huge smile.

"Yay, Sister Wang is getting married!" A squeaky voice lingered sounding excited.

"Chen Zi Qi," Sun Ai Er called, recognizing the voice. "Where are you, naughty boy?"

"Under the horse," Chen Zi Qi tilted his head upwards, pouting. "You sisters always ignore me,"

They all burst into a smile upon his cute pouting and dumpling cheeks.

"Zhi Qi, where is your grandmother?" Wang Xuan inquired, hopping from the tall horse, smiling at him.

"In the cottage as usual,"

The four of them entered the cottage, being familiar with the owner.

"Elder Chen please give us pointers for our new mission," the three begged one knee on the floor, clasping on their swords in front of their face.

"Huh," the elder sighed, scanning the girls. "The Forest Shadows clan is dangerous. Catching their hostage will be risky, ladies"

"But elder, you said that the clan is related to Da An. Can't we use your authority as the eldest spy to give us Li Zhang Ke?"

"No, Da An will only take Hei An Guang if the new ruler failed. That's it."

"Then, how about showing the shadow forest that Wei An Ge failed as a ruler? Leader Gan can instantly get her to Wei Zhuang," Sun Ai Er recommended.

"Brilliant," Wang Xuan complimented.

"Youngster," the grandmother sigh, helpless.

---
Wei An Ge was practicing her magic skill by growing another flower after plucking almost half of them for Gan Xin the last time.

She refused to show Gan Xin the journal she found on her birthday yet, afraid that she will lose it.

Successfully, the peony flowers regrow and blossomed, attracting the bees and butterflies, circling around her.

"Welcome," she whispered to the polluting agents, smiling in happiness. "I'm going to the palace first. I still have training and talks in the court,"

She jumped on Ma Xing, leaving a farewell.

"GO!" They marched to the palace. Along the way, Wei An Ge gets to see the people's way of living. She was scanning the market in front of the palace, before finding a crowd circling something.

She thought it might be a new performer so she had Ma Xing to walk to the crowd.

In the center was a body laying on the ground. His royal armor suit turned dark and dirty with mud. His face was having cuts. His lips turned pale and his skin was pale white as the snow.

"GENERAL LI!" She jumped off Ma Xing, running past the crowd, having him in her arms. She slapped the general's checks, checking for his consciousness.

"Wei An Ge," he mumbled, not opening his eyes. He held her left hand, covered with a glove tight.

"Let's go," the general's arm was on her shoulder as she dragged him to Ma Xing. The crowds helped get Gan Xin on the horse.

"Go!"