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ZiChuan Ning
ZiChuan Ning’s beauty was the otherworldly kind: elegant long hair, smooth and flawless jade-like oval shaped face, arching eyebrows in the shape of a moon, but her most alluring feature was her pair of bright eyes. Even though they were glistering with tears at the time, it did nothing to diminish her exquisiteness, and instead, it added another layer of heart-gripping charm.
She went up to ZiChuan Xiu; her refined posture was nothing short of perfection. Chang Chuan gazed in bewilderment, Luo Jie’ drool trickled from the corner of his mouth and Bai Chuan was simply in a bad mood (Jealousy obviously).
ZiChuan Xiu exhaled under his breath: Only sixteen years old and already so elegant and alluring, how will the world resist her charm once she grows up?
ZiChuan Ning: “Brother, you came back!” She got a hold of herself, the complex and unspoken feelings she managed to convey with the few simple words made ZiChuan Xiu shudder to even contemplate.
ZiChuan Xiu smiled uncomfortably while replying in a respectful tone: “ZiChuan Xiu pays his respect to Lady Ning! Has my lady been well?”
ZiChuan Ning was dumbfounded, not expecting ZiChuan Xiu to answer her in such formal manner. She regarded him for a few seconds with her sparkling eyes before she adjusted her tone: “All is well! How has Deputy Commander Xiu been holding up? When did you return to Di Du?” Her voice lacked the joyfulness from before.
ZiChuan Xiu: “I arrived in Di Du earlier this morning; I haven’t found the time to pay my lady a visit, I hereby express my deepest apologies.”
“I see. Deputy Commander Xiu must have been weary from the journey!”
“My lady is too kind; it’s my honour to serve the family.”
ZiChuan Ning fell silent, not knowing what to say next. ZiChuan Xiu was the same. Everyone else, including the dull-brained Luo Jie could tell that ZiChuan Xiu had lost his usual EasyGoing and quick-wittedness… None of them would speak out and break the silence. It was their greatest pleasure to watch ZiChuan Xiu suffer!
Bai Chuan thought to herself: “Something is wrong with this pair of siblings…”
…
“So who are they?” ZiChuan Ning only just realized there were others with him.
“They are my fellow Far Eastern Army companions, and like me, they have also been reassigned to the Capital. Come, introduce yourselves to Her Ladyship.”
Holding his head up high, Luo Jie introduced himself: “My name is Luo Jie, Luo Yan Ge[[1]], born in Sha Jia, rank Far Eastern Army Banner Master. I’m young, hardworking, capable and have good prospects. Currently 24 years old, single, and in search of a kind, virtuous and understanding single lady… Ouch!”
Both Chang Chuan and Bai Chuan retracted their fists without even looking his way, as though the vicious blows had nothing to do with them.
Chang Chuan gave her a handsome salute: “Chang Chuan, De Li An, rank Far Eastern Army Banner Master, currently serving under the command of Commander Xiu. I’m honored to have this opportunity to meet my lady, please allow me to pay you my respect!”
Bai Chuan saluted: “Bai Chuan, Jia Na Ming, Born in Northern Sea, currently serving under the command of Commander Xiu, rank Banner Master.”
“Woah.” ZiChuan Ning didn’t seem to care about Luo Jie and Chang Chuan, but was very interested in Bai Chuan: “Sister, you are so young and already hold the rank of Banner Master. I’m impressed, and besides, you are very pretty as well…”
Bai Chuan bowed tactfully: “It is all thanks to Commander Xiu’s guidance!”
“So where is Sister Bai Chuan going to stay in Di Du?”
“I just arrived and haven’t settled in set. We will most likely stay at the barrack.”
“Barrack is no good; it is old and dirty… Why don’t you stay at my place?”
“But…” Bai Chuan looked towards ZiChuan Xiu. He coughed slightly: “I don’t think it is a good idea, there are forty of us…”
“My home is very spacious… More are welcome, I love having a crowd!”
While ZiChuan Xiu tried to come up with another excuse, Luo Jie had already lost his patience: “Since my lady insisted on having us, why don’t we just do as she says?”
“That is right.” Chang Chuan couldn’t wait either: Former Headmaster’s home, it has to be lavish and magnificent, besides, we will have the company of a beautiful lady… who wants to stay at the barrack must be an idiot! “She is very sincere!”
ZiChuan Xiu nodded grudgingly, thinking: I have to move out the moment I find another place, declining her now will only embarrass her. “Then we will have to trouble my lady!”
ZiChuan Ning joyously scowled at him, as if she was blaming him for calling her my lady. That kind of indescribable amorous flirtation made a battle hardened warrior like ZiChuan Xiu’s heart skip a beat.
…
Bai Chuan waited till the others had left before whispering to ZiChuan Xiu: “Sir, I assume Her Ladyship is not your sister by blood, right?”
ZiChuan Xiu nodded bitterly: “She is ZiChuan Yuan Xing’s only daughter, I’m Sir Yuan Xing adopted orphan… Without him, both I and my mother would have starved to death, and thanks to him my mother could live out her days in peace…”
Bai Chuan felt touched: She didn’t expect someone like him who seemed so care-free all the time, would have such a sad past…
…
“How did you know?”
“Well, from the genetic point of view, it was pretty obvious… Lady Ning is like a living Goddess, while you, Sir on the other hand…”
[[1]] In ancient China, a person is given three names: the first name, the last name, and an additional one, which means literally “letter”. The first and last names are very similar to the western counterparts, except that a Chinese first name is the family name, reflecting the importance of filial piety in the Chinese culture. This is still true to present day, which is why people from china often write their names in reverse. Traditionally the third name is supposed to be an elaboration of the last name. For example during the age of Three Kingdoms, “Lu Bu”, has First name (Family Name) Lu, Last name Bu and third name “Feng Xian”. His third name means to honor the ancestors, while his last name means fabric, at the time, fabric was often used in ritual ceremonies to honor one’s ancestors. Another rather famous character from the same time period, “Guan Yu”, his third name is Yun Chang. In his case, his last name means feather, and his third name means Big Cloud. However the correlation between the third and the last name had slowly become less relevant over the course of history.
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