21st day of the fourth month 436th year of LingHai, WuLing Cheng
It was a rainy day, in WuLing Cheng. The raindrops were raging on the tops of roofs. The lightning strikes many trees. It was like nature wanted to take revenge.
Somewhere in the city, two men were discussing.
"Hey! Have you heard?" One of the said in a whisper
"What?" The other one clumsily responded.
"Three days ago, some of the men of the Yu family found a coffin in the cave next to the Long Waterfall." The first man responded.
"What's so interesting about a coffin?" The other man responded dumbly
"What's makes it interesting is the fact that inside were two people, a man and a woman. At first, they thought of them as lovers, but later they turned out to be relatives. And what's more interesting is the fact that they looked like they were just sleeping. The guy who found them described the lady to be 'looking like she was sleeping, her cheeks were rosy, skin like she was still alive." He also added that she didn't seem like an ordinary lady either. He said that she looked like in her life she was a warrior, a general maybe. As for the guy, the man said 'he seemed to have a regal influence, maybe a prince from the past. He was holding the woman tightly like he was protecting her from something.' The man added that in the coffin were found two swords, a scroll, a jade seal, two pills and a letter. " the first man said.
"What if they aren't actually dead. He impossible for a person to look so lifelike in a dead state." The second man added.
"I agree. The Yu family called a Taoist master in order to check. If they truly are just in slumber, then they will be awakened, and asked what happen" the first man added.
"What if they actually are General Zhao and crowned prince Mu?" The second man asked.
"Who knows, but unfortunately, last night, the coffin was stolen. Both of them were taken too, and all their belongings. No trace was found. It seems like they vanished in thin air. " The first man said
"Really? What the Yu family are gonna do about it?" The second man asked.
"They sent several searching parties in order to find them. But nothing was found yet." The first man added.
While they continued talking, a rustling sound was heard by the two men. Several shadowy figures were getting close to the two men. They turned to face the shadows.
"Who the hell are you?!" The first man said
The shadows kept silence. The distance between them grew smaller.
"What do you want?" The second man asked
Then one of the shadows said.
"You two know too much. You must be eliminated " the shadowy figure said.
The two men looked at them confused
"Kill them. " the shadowy figure said
The other shadows attacked the two men.
"Why!?" Both men yelled.
"You know the identities of the man and woman from the coffin. You shall die!" The shadowy figure said
The two men remained stunned as their necks got cut off clean. Then The shadows fleed off to the mountains.
24th day of the fourth month of 436th year of LingHai, TianLang Sect
"Sect leader... here.... the letter." one disciple said as he entered the sect leaders quarters
"Thank you." the sect leader said as he took the 400-year-old unopened and undamaged letter.
He carefully opens the letter. Inside are 2 papers.
'To the person who reads this letter,
I hope with all my heart that you are a person of good heart and mind, I how you won't give us to the evil.
I'm Mu Han, courtesy XueQin. I used to be the crowned prince of DiLongAn. I ran away by the order of my father, the former emperor, Mu HuiZhong, together with my dear younger cousin, Zhao YanYu, General Zhao. Please help us bring the old dynasty back. I beg you.
With all due respect,
Mu XueQing'
The sect leader read the first paper. He was thrilled. Then he read the second one:
' how to wake us up.
I put in the coffin, alongside the letter and the other things, two pills. These two are all you need.
Instructions on how to use it:
The only efficient way to administer the pulls is through the mouth to mouth. If administered incorrectly, it might bring the end of the individual.'
The sect leader reader for a couple of times the paper.
'Only that pill can wake them up... I can't believe it.... Anyways... we better get this going" he said to himself as he took the pills and went to the generals assigned room.
She was tended by two of the most trusted maids of the TianLang sect.
"Exit the room a bit." He said as the two maids did as instructed.
He leans over the female general as he put between his lips the pill left by the crowned prince. He hovered above her face, not sure if he should continue or if he should wake the crowned prince first, then let him do it. 'Fuck it!' He thought 'Let's get this over!' He said as he put the pill between her rosy lips. As the pill entered her mouth, he make her swallow it without it getting stuck in her throat. Then he quickly got up and stayed a few meters away from her, as to not cause a misunderstanding. He looked over the general as he waited for her to wake up. He that got the second paper out, he read it again. Then he saw something that he did not notice. 'It will take around 2-3 hours for the pill to make its effect'. He facepalmed. He was worried that there will happen a misunderstanding. The poor sect leader was sweating bullets because of it.
Then he called the maids back.
"Ying, Ming, come in." He called them
"Yes my lord" the two of them entered the room.
"In 2-3 hours, she will wake up. Once she is up, call me." He said as he left the room.
"Yes." the two of them said as they bowed.
Then he went to the crowned prince's room. There he quickly administered the pill. Then he left the room. This really was the weirdest thing he has ever done.
A few hours later, Ming, one of the maids assigned to serve the general, and Xian, one of the male servants assigned to the crowned prince, came into the sect leader's quarters.
"Xian came to report. Crowned prince Mu woke up" Xian said
"MingMing came to report. General Zhao woke up." She said.
"How are they?" The sect leader asked.
"The crowned prince is calm, he just asked who got them here and if his cousin is well" he said
"Lucky you, Xian-ge" MingMing said. "General Zhao is worried and wants to get out of bed. When she tried that, she felt down, due to her legs not walking for hundreds of years. Now she cries and asks where is her cousin." She said.
"I'll come and check the general first" the sect leader said. "She is confused and scared. It's a normal reaction." He said as he went to her room.
He knocks. Ying, the maids who stayed back with the general opens the door.
"Sect leader?" She said as she opens the door larger.
"I came to check on the general. You can take a break" he said as she went closer to the now sobbing general.
"Thank you, sect leader" she said as she closed the door behind her.
He looked at The general as he took a chair and put it next to the bed.
"General Zhao?" She called for her in a gentle voice
She looked at him. She gets scared. She quickly covers her chest with the blanked.
"W-who are you?!" She asked as her face changes to a bright red
"Don't be scared... I came to check on you... I'm Yi JianJun. I'm the sect leader of the TianLang Sect. We brought you here together with your cousin." He said as gentle as he could muster.
"W-what... Why?" She asked
"In order to be protected from the demons. They have conquered DiLongAn. Here you'll be safe." He said.
"What?! They conquered DiLongAn!? How? When?! Please tell me!" He said as her tears dropped on her cheeks.
"I will tell you once you will be able to walk." He said."I don't want you to go they hand get yourself killed." He said.
"I understand... but.... tell me... are my brothers alive... my mom, my sisters... my grandma... my uncle?" She asked him.
"Unfortunately, their status is unknown. The only person we know it's alive is Zhao CuiFen. As for the others, no...." He said.
"I see.... how is my cousin.. is he ok." She asked.
"Yes. He is here, doing well. I think he is waiting, for now, to hear news from you." He said.
The general looks at him. She was still confused.
"How much time I've been asleep?" She asked
"It has been at least 400 years." He said.
"400 years?!"
"Yup. It's the 24th day of the fourth month of 436th year of LingHai" he continued.
She looked stunned at him. She couldn't believe she was asleep that long.
"If you need done time, I'll leave." he said. "If you need anything, ask Ying or Ming. They were instructed to serve and help you" he added.
"Ok.... thank you sect leader." she said as she lay down.
The sect leader went out. He than called the two maids who stayed close to the general's room. Then he went to the crowned prince.
With the crowned prince, the conversation was way calmer. He was a wise man who was thankful that a person like the sect leader helped them out.
"Sect leader, tell me, how is Ah-Qing? Is she doing ok?" Here crowned prince asked.
"General Zhao is doing okay now. When she woke up she was confused and asked about the time and her family. But now she is doing ok." He said.
"That little girl...Offf...I'm sorry if she bothered you... Unfortunately, when we had to flee the imperial palace, my father made her swallow the pill which made her fall asleep... She wasn't able to see how most of our family was killed and the betrayal of her most beloved sister. My father couldn't bear to see her heartbroken... He raised her as a daughter after royal uncle's death...." He said. "Please, sect leader, don't tell her yet. Let her recover first. I'm afraid that this might cause her to fall severely ill." He said.
"Don't worry your Highness. I'll instruct my disciples and servants to not tell her anything." He said
The crowned prince nodded.
For the next days, General Zhao was never told about the situation out of fear of her dying.