Once Promised Chapter 7.2

Chapter 7: If only this scene of beauty will always remain (Part 2)

   After Qing Yang scolded A'Heng finished, his gaze swept towards Chang Yi, Chang Yi immediately lowered his head. 

  A'Heng did not dare to rebut, but she jumped behind Qing Yang's back, and punched and kicked in the direction of his back, while she hit, she would soundlessly scold. Qing Yang suddenly turned around and stared at her, A'Heng immediately pretended that she was just loosening her joints, waving her arm, stretching her leg, as if nothing had happened, she said, "My limbs were all frozen, I need to jump about in case I became paralysed."

  She jumped to Chang Yi's side, "Since it's rare for it to snow in June, let's go catch a deer and roast it to eat, to warm up the coldness in our bodies." She grabbed Chang Yi's hand to go.

  Qing Yang lightly said, "I still have matters to settle." Before his words could settle, his shadow was already far away.

  Chang Yi silently watched his big brother's back, his eyes full of respect, but also a deep sadness.

  A'Heng pulled Fourth Brother's robes, "Forget it, he is always like this, let's play on our own. If he really came, he will definitely scold me for not cultivating well, and also reprimand you for not doing well in your political tasks, in the end, we will all not be happy."

  Chang Yi opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed it back in the end. 

  A'Heng and Chang Yi took out the bow and arrow they used when they were young, and went up the mountain to hunt deers. They both agreed not to use any divine energy to search and will only survey the routes themselves.

  A'Heng and Chang Yi searched for many hours, but could not even see a shadow of a deer. They weren't calculating though, while searching around, they would talk.

  Chang Yi surveyingly asked, "What do you think of Shao Hao?"

  A'Heng looked around all four sides then said casually, "What can I think? Doesn't he have one nose and two eyes? Although what I'm really curious about is, if there was indeed a ranking for all the heroes in the realm, what would big brother rank? I heard on Jade Mountain that big brother actually attended the Peach Banquet before, this doesn't sound like his personality."

  Chang Yi laughed and said, "Actually, there was a secret to it. At that time, Gao Xing's Second Prince Yan Long mastered a technique to attack by sound, he could destroy thousand of soldiers ten thousands of horses in one go, not just saying Gao Xing, even the whole wilderness heavily respected Yan Long, but in that year, big brother actually ran to compete in the Peach Banquet, causing Yan Long to suffer a huge defeat at the Peach Banquet, from then on, Xuan Yuan Qing Yang's name started to spread in the great wilderness as someone to respect and fear."

  "A defeat is a defeat, how was it a huge defeat? Did Yan Long offend big brother before?"

   "I don't know, big brother never talks about his own stuff. I secretly guessed that this could be related to Shao Hao. In one year, I was tasked to go Gao Xing, Yan Long's name was spread to the skies, and he was also heavily loved by the Jun Emperor. In front of hundreds of Gao Xing's officials, Yan Long heavily insulted Shao Hao, but one did not know what was Shao Hao thinking because he did not say a word in response, and only quietly accepted it. After I came back, big brother asked me what I saw and heard in Gao Xing. So, I told him about Yan Long and Shao Hao, big brother did not have any reaction when I told him at that time. However, in the second year, he ran to attend the Peach Banquet and humiliated Yan Long in front of the whole great wilderness. The gift that year was a Five Stringed musical instrument made up of Phoenix bones, when he received the treasure, in front of all the G.o.d tribes, he asked the envoy for the Gao Xing Tribe to give it to Shao Hao, saying he had lost in a fight to Shao Hao and promised to get him a famous musical instrument."*

   A'Heng sucked her tongue, "Isn't that proclaiming to the whole world that Yan Long didn't even deserve to be Shao Hao's shoe bearer!"

  Chang Yi cried, "Indeed!"

  A'Heng was perplexed, "Why does big brother and Shao Hao have such a deep relations.h.i.+p?"

  "When big brother knew Shao Hao, our father was only the tribe leader of a small G.o.d tribe, big brother was only a normal youth in a G.o.d tribe, Shao Hao was also only a very good blacksmith, " Chang Yi sighed, "At that time, friends were only purely friends, the legendary kind of friends, once you promised, it is through life and death."**

  A'Heng said, "This sounds very meaningful, Fourth Brother, please continue."

  "I only know these few, they knew each other a few hundred years even before I was born, maybe in the future you can ask Shao Hao, hopefully he speaks more than big brother."

  A'Heng thought about Yun Sang's words, she asked, "Fourth brother, do you know Nuo Nai?"

  "Speaking of him, my closest friend in Gao Xing country is Nuo Nai, he is extremely knowledgeable in creating traps and forging weapons, good at drawing mountains and scenery, often we exchange pointers on painting. Big brother says he is getting married soon, I was going to prepare a grand present, but big brother says I don't have to hurry."

  "Why?"

  "Gao Xing's army is split into five parts, one part is the elites from the royal tribe, it's called the Five G.o.d Army, only the Jun Emperor can command it. The other four parts are Qing Long group, Xi He group, Bai Hu group, Chang Xi group, Shao Hao's mother came from Qing Long's group, so naturally they are allied, the present Jun Empress is from Chang Xi group, Yan Long and Zhong Rong, whom are brothers from the same mother, control Chang Xi and Bai Hu these two groups, Xi He group has always been neutral. So, both Shao Hao and Yan Long have always been fighting over Xi He group, Nuo Nai is the big general of Xi He group, big brother says the girl Nuo Nai is supposed to marry is from Chang Xi group, and is even the cousin of Yan Long, this is very bad for Shao Hao, so whether this marriage can be accomplished will be difficult to say..." Chang Yi suddenly realised he had spoken too much, he laughed and hit A'Heng's head, "Isn't this very complicated? Let's not talk about such boring stuff."

  Ah so it's like this, no wonder Yun Sang said the matters in the royal tribe are never simple. A'Heng felt her heart sink heavily, at the peach banquet her big brother personally defeated Yan Long, it appears that their friends.h.i.+p is deep, helping Shao Hao right his wrong, but maybe he also did it because of the political marriage between Xuan Yuan and Shao Hao, humiliating him equaled to humiliating us. Wasn't Qing Yang also protecting his own interest? 

  Chang Yi saw that A'Heng remained silent and laughed, "Just listen to these meaningless stuff, don't think too much."

  A'Heng laughed and asked, "Fourth Brother, do you have a girl you like?"

  Chang Yi did not speak, an undeniable blush flew across his cheeks.

  A'Heng looked at her brother, she clapped her hands and laughed, shocking the birds in the mountain jungle to quickly fly up in a big group.

  "How is she like? Have you told her you like her? Does she like you?"

  Chang Yi stiffened his face and said, "Girls shouldn't hang like or don't like on their mouths the whole day!"

  A'Heng laughed until she swayed back and forth, she jumped away a few steps, used both hands to circle her mouth, she faced the mountain jungle and loudly shouted, "My brother has a girl he likes!" After shouting finished, she started to run.

  The mountain valley echoed A'Heng's words again and again ---a girl he likes, a girl he likes, a girl he likes... A'Heng proudly laughed and also made a taunting face at Chang Yi, since you don't let me say, I will say it even more, what can you do to me?

   Chang Yi did not bear to scold her, even more, he did not bear to beat her, so he could only blacken his face and quickly walk away.

  With both hands at her back, her head tilted, laughing giddily, A'Heng followed Chang Yi's back, seeing that Chang Yi's anger did not dissipate, she quickly moved forward and grabbed her brother's robe, "What is the girl like? Will she like me?"

  Chang Yi's mouth had a gentle smile, "She will definitely like you. She frequently tries to find out what you and big brother like, she's worried that both of you will not like her."

  A'Heng laughed and hugged Chang Yi's arm, "As long as brother likes her, I will like her, I will respect and love her like an elder sister."

  Chang Yi smiled and did not speak, suddenly he stretched out his hand, and stroked A'Heng's head a few times, ruffling her hair all messy, not even waiting for A'Heng to react, he laughed and ran away. 

  A'Heng was so furious she cried and shouted as she chased after him.

  A'Heng and Chang Yi had ran the whole day in the mountain and did not catch a single deer. But when they returned, they were extremely excited, talking and laughing, pus.h.i.+ng here and pus.h.i.+ng there, chatting non-stop.

  Lei Zu and Qing Yang were sitting inside the palace and savouring tea. The room was quiet at first, but even before A'Heng and Chang Yi arrived, their laughter could already be heard.

  Qing Yang raised his head and looked at them, A'Heng made a taunting face at Qing Yang then quickly went to Lei Zu's side, sweetly calling "Mother", as if saying I have mother to protect me, I am not scared of you!

  A'Heng laughed and said, "Mother, I have a secret to tell you."

  Chang Yi's face immediately reddened, "A'Heng, you are not allowed!"

  A'Heng did not care about him, "Mother, Fourth brother has..."

  In a fit of haste, Chang Yi grabbed his younger sister and tried to cover her mouth. A'Heng ran around Lei Zu and Qing Yang and laughed, she opened her mouth a few times, but was covered by Chang Yi, since her divine strength cannot match Chang Yi, she caused her whole body to soften. Deciding to be incorrigible, she snug into her mother's embrace, "Mother, quick help me, brother is using his great strength to bully small me!"

  Lei Zu's old fierce and cold face finally broke open into a smile, she hugged A'Heng and said, "The two of you really know how to create a ruckus! Once you are back, the whole Chao Yun palace cannot have peace."

  A'Heng snuggled in her mother's embrace, she laughed and used both hands to hug her mother's neck, she whispered into her mother's ear, as she spoke, she looked at Chang Yi, Lei Zu lowered her head, as she listened, she laughed.

  Chang Yi seeing his mother's smile, suddenly forgot what he was doing. His mother's eyes had nothing to hide, it was only full of joy. He looked at his big brother, his big brother was watching his mother and sister, his lips secretly smiling.

  Chang Yi forcefully knocked A'Heng's head, "You snitch, next time I won't tell you anything."

  A'Heng stuck her tongue out at him. She wasn't scared of him at all. Lei Zu smiled at Chang Yi, "Find a suitable time and bring her for me to see." After thinking, she added, "No, this is not right, since we are the male side, to show respect to the female side, we should approach first. Tell me when is a good time, I will go to Ruo Shui, personally visiting her parents. Go back and notice what her parents like and write to me so I can prepare."

  Ruo Shui was the land Chang Yi was in charge of, it had beautiful mountain and lake scenery and also strong native culture, the girl that Chang Yi liked was from Ruo Shui tribe.

  Chang Yi's ears were all red, he lowered his head and softly said, "We are only ordinary friends presently."

     Lei Zu laughed and shook her head, "You are a boy, are you waiting for the girl to confess to you? If you like her in your heart, then you must consider for her, don't waste her feelings."

  "Yes, I know."

   A'Heng was laughing until her mouth could not close in her mother's embrace, "Luckily, Mother has spoken, if not considering Fourth Brother's soft personality, he will personally worry the girl to death! My future sister-in-law would not be able to sleep well every night, asking the flower petals if Fourth Brother liked her or not!" A'Heng casually waved her hand and a flower from the vase flew into her palm, she pretended to be counting the petals, "He likes me, he likes me not, he likes me..."

  Chang Yi was so angry he wanted to hit A'Heng again, "Mother, you must discipline A'Heng, teach her to respect her elders."

  Lei Zu hugged her daughter, looked at Chang Yi, looked at Qing Yang, her heart had a satisfaction she could not express. She commanded her maidservant, "Bring some wine and the icy fruits from the mulberry tree gathered today. Gather more, Chang Yi and A'Heng love to eat them, and also the cold sweet tea stored in the vat, don't take it out all at once, after finis.h.i.+ng the first batch then take out more, Qing Yang likes it when it's just taken out."

   The maidservants took heed and left, they quickly returned with what was asked.

  A'Heng leaned in her mother's embrace, smiled at her brothers, she grabbed one ice mulberry fruit and put it in her mouth, a cold sweetness seeped into her heart, she lightly smiled thinking, I was wrong, Chao Yun palace and the Jade Mountain were completely different!

  The four of them chatted about the simple matters of the house and drank wine, they dispersed only at the "Zi" hour (this is 11 pm to 1 am).

  Qing Yang followed A'Heng back to her place, he locked the doors from the inside, with an expression that there was something he wanted to discuss.

  A'Heng's heart gave out a long sigh, but she did not dare to express it on the outside, she bolstered her energy to be prepared to listen to a long scolding.

  Qing Yang lightly said, "To return from Jade Mountain, you should have reached by yesterday, why did you only arrive this morning?"

  "Shao Hao was injured so we were delayed."

  A'Heng knew she could not hide anything from her borther's cold piercing gaze, so she continued, "Afterwards, we did not immediately set off again, we talked for a while."

  "A while?"

  "One night."

   Qing Yang walked to the window, he looked at the mulberry forest outside, "What do you think of Shao Hao?"

  This was the same question Fourth Brother had asked this morning, but A'Heng was not able to use the same answer to mollify her big brother, she seriously considered, but the more she thought the more troubled her heart became.

  Qing Yang waited for very long but A'Heng did not answer, but even then, that was also an answer. She lightly laughed, "Shao Hao is very good, if he is willing, there is no girl that will be willing to reject him in this world." A'Heng's face slowly reddened, Qing Yang turned around and looked at his younger sister, "But, you must become the only person in this world that must reject him, you cannot like him."

  A'Heng was so shocked that she outburst, "Why? Aren't your good friends?"

  "Qing Yang and Shao Hao are good friends, Xuan Yuan's Qing Yang and Gao Xing's Shao Hao may not be. You should know that our father wants to unite the central plains, even conquer the whole wilderness, one day Shao Hao and I may have to meet on the battlefield, thinking of how to put the other to death," Qing Yang's lips had a light smile as if he was saying "Ah, tomorrow's weather looks likely not to be good" a meaningless small thing like that. 

  The redness in A'Heng's face started to slowly dissipate, turning into an abject whiteness, "But I must still marry him, because I'm the princess of Xuan Yuan tribe, and he is Gao Xing's Shao Hao."

  "Yes, you must still marry him, the only thing you must do is not to fall for him." Qing Yang lightly huffed, his eyes becoming extremely cold, "I thought that because of me, Shao Hao would at least be merciful, but turns out he spent a whole night's effort on you***."

  A'Heng lowered her head and softly said, "It has no relation to him, I just wanted to understand him a bit more, and actively approached him. I knew he liked wine, so I purposely use wine to invoke his interest."

  Qing Yang walked to A'Heng's front, lifted up her head, and stared at her eyes, his expression was heavy, "Little sister, please don't do such a dangerous thing again! He is Gao Xing's Shao Shao, even I'm afraid of Gao Xing's Shao Hao! He will not always look at my relations.h.i.+p with him, and kindly remind himself not to use you as a chess piece in his hand..."

  A'Heng's eyes were moist, but she stubbornly bit her lips.

  Qing Yang said, "To me and Shao Hao, our hearts have too many things, country, the wilderness, responsibility, power.... we don't even know where to rank women. For yourself, you best see him as a foreign road."

  A'Heng coldly self-mocked, "I must really thank big brother for thinking so clearly for me. I don't know if you are worried that Shao Hao will use me as a chess piece, or worried that I won't be able to be the chess piece for you and father."

  Qing Yang did not respond, after a while, he said, "Whether you accept it or not, this is the truth. Who asked for your surname to be Xuan Yuan?" He opened the door and left.

  A'Heng exhaustedly leaned on her bed, her heart rising with sadness. Mother and fourth brother always tried their best to separate her from the dark politicking, wis.h.i.+ng that she will always only be the free Xi Ling Heng, but big brother always reminded her that her surname was Xuan Yuan, that she was Xuan Yuan tribe's princess.

  Because she was too tired, A'Heng leaned back on her bed, she did not even take off her clothes and dreamily fell asleep. In the late of the night, she was awaken by sounds from outside.

  She hurriedly opened the door and asked the maidservant, "Why is it so noisy?"

  "A thief had snuck into Chao Yun palace in the deep of the night!" The maidservant said as if she was dreaming, as if she could not believe what she had just said. 

*Yes, I s.h.i.+p Qing Yang and Shao Hao's brotherhood!

** Heehee, before A'Heng and Shao Hao could even promise to each other, Qing Yang and Shao Hao had a promise that went deep in the bones. But, alas, can such purity rival politics?
*** This explains why in Chapter 6, Shao Hao was so quick to clear the misconception that he had purposely saved A'Heng from Jade Mountain because he was his fiance, and told her it was because of a bet with Qing Yang. Shao Hao was actively trying to distance himself from A'Heng.