The red army of Qin rode their way to seize Shouchun at the peak of dawn. They surrounded the capital and waited for their submission.

Huian, on his horse, rode to the front of the Qin men and looked up at the wall. He shouted in a loud, thunder-like voice, “I, Huian, Second Commander of Qin, announce that you are surrounded and there is nothing you can do. You are immobile and are vulnerable. I suggest you surrender or you will all die trying to fight against us.”

“Don’t speak down to us!” The Chu general angrily growled.

“We’d prefer it if you did not fight us. It’ll be the best for you,” Huian cautioned.

“I’d rather die fighting against you than to surrender and live the rest of my life as a coward!” He roared, waving his sword in the air. His men roared along with him.

Ying-tai rode up before them and stood next to Huian. The wall soon became silent at his presence.

“You,” the Chu general’s eyes widened. He gripped his sword tighter.

“You are all of Chu that’s left standing. We outnumber you by the tens of thousands. Save yourselves from heavy casualty. Men do not have to die today,” Ying-tai tried to convince them.

“Well, that just goes against all things that I know,” said a voice from behind the wall. The gate in front of them opened and before them was a man on a tall grayish horse. He was fully dressed in armor and was ready to die fighting. Just by looking at him, Ying-tai knew that there was no sense in arguing anymore with a man who’s already made up his mind.

“Greetings,” he said. His voice was low and raspy but confident. “You have pushed through dirt and iron to meet us here. I respect that,” he smiled. “But my men will not give up a fight. I assure you understand.”

Huian furrowed his brows. “You,” he gasped. “I know you.”

“Long time no see, dear friend,” the man on the gray horse nodded at Huian.

“Changping,” Huian addressed. “I always thought the Changping everyone talked about from Chu was another man with that name. But my gut was right. That Changping was no one other than you. So this is where you’ve been all these years.”

Ying-tai looked at Huian. “You know him?”

“He used to work with me next to The late Emperor. He left before The late Emperor took you in to his home,” Huian told Ying-tai.

“He used to serve Qin?” Ying-tai observed Changping.

“Yes. He was an excellent soldier of Qin. But his good reputation was cut short due to a scandal that brought disgrace to the palace.”

“Call it what you may, Huian, but I did nothing wrong. Also, don’t make it sound like I got kicked out. I simply left. Formally, if I may add,” Changping chimed in.

“I never blamed you for anything, Changping,” Huian reacted. “It was nobody’s fault.”

“Yes it was!” Changping gritted his teeth and unsheathed his sword. “I will never forgive…that man.”

“Huian,” Ying-tai was on guard.

“It no longer matters what you thought at the time. It wouldn’t change a thing. It didn’t change a thing.” Changping lowered his sword and backed his horse toward the gate. “Our blades shall clang for the last time, Huian,” he said and shut the gates behind him.

The archers above the wall drew their arrows and aimed. Ying-tai and Huian looked up and backed away. They both turned their horses and rode back to their men.

“Men! Ready yourselves!” Ying-tai shouted. He then turned to Huian who was riding next to him. “What was all that about?” Ying-tai asked.

“That incident still pains him to this day,” Huian muttered. “He was a good man Ying-tai. He just let grief take the better of him.”

Ying-tai, motioning his men into position, continued to listen to Huian.

“Changping and I grew up with The late Emperor. We trained together. Studied together. We were friends. The four of us.”

“The four of you?” Ying-tai raised his eyebrows.

“You were never told this, but The late Emperor had a sister.”

Ying-tai widened his eyes. “A sister?”

“Yes. She and Changping were very close. But The late Emperor’s father was very strict. He forbade their relationship.”

They began fighting. Striking away arrows that flew at them. Other men pulled out ladders and climbed up the wall. Others tossed ropes and swung over.

“Late into winter, The late Emperor’s father learned of their plan to elope and was struck with fury. He made everyone in the palace search for Changping to bring him in. The late Emperor’s father found him by the horses’ stable and had his men charge at him. Of course, they couldn’t bring him down. The late Emperor’s father took a sword from his men and took matter into his own hands. His daughter, having heard of the quandary, appeared before them to stop them. The late Emperor’s father didn’t appreciate this and ended her life before Changping. He believed it was the simplest solution to save his pride.”

“He murdered his own daughter?” Ying-tai stopped his breathing. He never knew the dark secret of the palace he once resided in and loved.

“I remember the amount of blood I saw on the snow that day when The late Emperor and I arrived at the scene. Changping was stunned and overwhelmed with anguish. Stinging with anger, he drew his own sword toward his beloved’s killer. The late Emperor’s father ordered us to take him out and we were forced against each other. It took the two of us to take him down. The late Emperor though, being kind as he is, spared his life. He let Changping get away and lied to his father that we killed him. That was the last we both saw of him.”

“I never knew you once went against your own friend,” Ying-tai commented.

“We were very young then,” Huian quickly responded. “After that day, The late Emperor vowed to never be like his father,” Huian sighed.

“You think today calls for closure?” Ying-tai looked at Huian.

Fighting off the men that were swarming out of the capital of Chu, Huian said softly, “I don’t know.”

“If you had taught me anything, Huian, it’s that a man should never leave things unfinished,” Ying-tai reminded.

Huian looked at him.

Ying-tai nodded at Huian. “I’ll see you at the palace. Xia should be in there with some of our men now,” he said before speeding away with his dark horse.

Huian whipped through the Chu soldiers and headed toward the gate. He was stopped by men armed with spears and became surrounded. They closed in on him cautiously, their hands gripping hard on their weapons but trembling.

“Halt!” A voice from behind sounded.

The soldiers moved aside and made way for Changping.

“He’s mine,” he said in a low voice, glaring at Huian from his gray horse. His sword was already in its position, waiting for an overdue fight. “I’ve been waiting a very long time to see you again, old friend.”

“Changping,” Huian shouted over the roaring men to him. “We don’t have to do this. You can stop your men from resisting us. No blood has to be spilt.”

“You’re too late, Huian. The reason to why we are now standing here opposing each other is because blood has been spilt already,” Changping said bitterly.

“Changping, I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry about Grand Princess Lien Hua,” Huian finally apologized after all the passing years. “She was my friend too.”

Changping gripped his sword harder. “Don’t speak her name!” He cried. “You have no right to speak of her. Friend? Where were you when it happened? What did you do to help? Nothing!” He raised his sword toward Huian. “You simply watched her bleed in my arms and then attacked me while I grieved.”

“You act like we were there the moment she was killed! How could we have done anything if we weren’t there? We would’ve stopped his highness, you know that! Stop letting your grief blind you.”

“You guys attacked me!”

“You were going to kill Qin’s emperor. We had to stop you before you got yourself in more trouble.”

Changping breathed hard. His knuckles turned white from holding his sword so tight.

“I lost everything,” Changping sighed. “I had found a place for myself again. It wasn’t much, but I was living.” He looked up at Huian. “This is me now, Huian. Who I am now is all I have. If I let that down then I am no man.”

Huian looked into Changping’s eyes and saw deep sorrow; sorrow that had aged and weighed down his soul.

“Give me my dignity, Huian. Fight me.” Changping demanded.

Huian watched Changping ready himself for a fight and Huian raised his sword slowly toward him as he gulped hard.

“En garde,” Huian said, just like the old days when they sparred together.

“En garde,” Changping grinned at Huian’s words.

Changping kicked his horse and advanced toward Huian. Huian copied and pointed his sword outward. Their swords clanged and it shook back memories into their minds. Huian yanked the reins of his horse and twisted himself back around to face Changping. But as soon as he turned, Changping was flying toward him.

Huian dodged and struck away his attack with his sword and sparks emitted as their blades glided along one another. As Huian did this, he flipped backwards off his horse and onto the ground. Changping dove downward and slammed his sword against Huian’s and Huian raised both of his arms up to block the hit, sending his arms shaking.

Both men raised their right arm to punch. They struck each other and then went flying back by many paces. They both got up and soared forward, the wind ripping through their armor. Their swords swiveled and danced, and the echoes of the blades released a song in the wind. The colors of yellow and red from their uniforms swayed in unison, displaying an illusion of fire.

Ramming their swords together and inches away from each other’s face, Huian gasped hard, “Your fighting style is still the same despite of serving Chu for many years.”

“Heh, old habits do die hard,” Changping chuckled.

They shifted their swords and leapt at each other.

“You’ve improved, Huian,” Changping said. “But then again, you have spent all of your life with him who is now, I believe, The Emperor. It gave you time to improve.”

Changping lunged his sword and tore open a small section of Huian’s red sleeve. Huian flew back away from Changping and stared at him. He clenched his jaw.

“He was always aspiring for great things. Now look at him. Holding one of the strongest empires of this country,” Changping smiled. “How expected.” He then slowly opened his lips and uttered, “How is he?”

“Changping,” Huian’s eyes went dismal.

Changping stared at him.

“Changping,” Huian continued. He gulped hard and held himself together. “The man who gave you life…” he forced himself to speak, “he’s dead.”

Changping’s eyes widened. He went into total shock.

“What do you mean he’s dead?” He frowned as he gripped his sword tighter.

“He was killed,” Huian revealed this information to his old friend.

“Killed?” Changping was in disbelief. “He’s not the type to—”

“By his own son,” Huian clarified.

Changping looked at Huian. “How did it happen?” He asked.

“Poison.”

Changping squeezed his eyes shut and brought his hands up to rub them. Afterward, he solemnly raised his sword.

“Of course. He would have let his guard down before those he thought dearly of,” he said in a low voice. “Did you serve him well?” Changping asked.

“Yes. With my life,” Huian replied.

“Good.” Changping flew right at Huian, resuming the fight. “And you shall continue to do so.”

Huian widened his eyes at the fast attack and reacted swiftly. He turned to the side and brought his sword up to disrupt the plunging blade. He turned his blade against Changping’s and swiveled his sword against it. Changping did the same, swinging his sword relentlessly at Huian. Huian spun and spun backwards, retaliating Changping’s strikes while he floated on his feet as he lunged his sword at Huian. Changping managed to cut Huian. Again. Again. And once more.

“Don’t hold back, Huian!” Changping yelled as he smashed his sword down against Huian repeatedly.

Huian swung his sword at Changping and as soon his back was facing him, he lifted his leg and swung a hard kick at Changping’s chest. When Huian was facing Changping again, he plunged forward but Changping soared backwards, dodging his move. Huian flew forward closer to him and spun his blade toward his opponent. Changping retaliated and vigorously fought back, swiftly landing his blade into Huian’s flesh. It was at this moment Huian realized that Changping was not going to hold back. He was a man ready to die on this day.

With the blade in his left shoulder, Huian shoved his way in deeper to trap the sword. Acting quickly, Huian swung his sword upward and knocked Changping’s sword out of his hand. He then spun around and kicked him back. With Changping on the ground, Huian slid the blade out of his shoulder and tossed it to the dirt. He soared his way toward Changping, who was on his knees, and plunged his sword into his abdomen. He grunted, looked at the cold blade in his stomach, and then raised his eyes to Huian who was breathing heavily. They were both stunned by what just happened.

Changping chuckled, “Well, look at you. You’ve finally beaten me.”

He toppled to the side and Huian quickly shifted beside him and caught him before his head landed on the dirt.

Changping coughed up blood. “Hu-Hu-Huian…” he choked.

“Shh. Don’t talk,” Huian said softly.

Changping turned his head and looked at all of the blood being spilled in the battlefield.

“I remember when he talked about world peace. We stood by him and swore to achieve it. How the times have flown by.”

Huian looked at Changping whose lips began to quiver.

“I still dream about Qin,” Changping told Huian. “I dream about its mountains, the rice fields, the people…and us. To this day, I still consider it my home.” He began to weep. “Oh, my beloved motherland, how I wish to breathe in its air just once more. And The Emperor, my dear old friend, how I wish I could have had one last cup of wine with you!”

Huian remained silent and allowed the dying man to speak.

“I’m sorry Huian,” Changping said with tear streaked cheeks, “I’m sorry for Lien Hua. I’m sorry for leaving. I’m sorry for his passing. I didn’t even know…”

“Hush, Changping. Don’t be sorry. You didn’t choose your way of life. You are not to be blamed.”

“I wanted to come back home,” Changping confessed, trying to take in his last breaths. “It was lonely. I became so bitter.”

Huian’s eyes widened. His vision soon became blurred with tears while Changping’s eyes became relaxed. Whimpering lightly, he started to daze off.

Huian clenched onto his old friend and wept.

“Thank you, Huian, for returning me my dignity. I’m happy to die in the hands of a man from Qin.”

Huian nodded, acknowledging his appreciation.

Changping slowly turned his eyes and looked into Huian’s. “You think…you think…I can go back home now, Huian?” He asked in a small voice, his eyes drifting off to elsewhere.

Huian sobbed. “Yes! Yes! Go home, older brother!”

Changping smiled widely like a child.

Huian looked at him and stroked his head. “Say hello to Princess Lien Hua and The Emperor for me.”

Changping turned his head from Huian and looked at the gray sky. He was finally at bliss and his eyes were finally filled with peace. “Ah, rain is upon us,” he smiled.

He exhaled and then his chest heaved for the last time. Huian brought his hand to Changping’s face and brushed his hand over his eyes and closed them for him. Huian continued to sit quietly with his friend while he watched the rain cleanse the blood around them.

Inside the walls of Chu, Ying-tai stormed in on his dark horse with his men following closely behind, swatting away every Chu soldier that got in his way. From Ying-tai’s left, an explosive shot toward his way and burst into flames before his horse. This sent his dark horse to stand upright, knocking Ying-tai off his horse. He quickly got on his feet and when he did, he found himself surrounded by the elite Chu force. Being that deep inside the walls and close to the palace, Ying-tai expected to meet up with strong soldiers. They were different from the ones outside the walls. They knew no fear and daringly approached Ying-tai.

“I see that you won’t get out of my way,” Ying-tai commented as he watched closely while they closed in on him. He got himself into stance, listening to the tinkling sound of his blade made by the pouring rain.

Ting ting ting.

Ting ting ting ting.

Ting ting ting ting ting!

They attacked at once and Ying-tai whipped his sword against the downpour and smacked the many raindrops into their faces, faltering them for a second. In a swift move, Ying-tai took that moment and slid his sword into the flesh of each man, making them fall to their knees. More ran toward him and lunged their spears at him. He swerved his head to the side and dodged the one that came toward his face. He dismantled the blade of a spear with his sword and spun a kick toward the soldier that approached him. Another one came from behind and he spun his sword and pointed it to their direction and pierced the blade into their heart.

Behind him on his right, he heard a man approach closely. Before he could move away in time, they cut through the cloth of his sleeve and the cold blade slid against his skin. Ying-tai pulled his sword out of the dead man and continued to whip his sword at the person who cut him and at the teeming Chu men that headed his way.

Shoving his way through closer to the palace and using fallen men to block him from one strike after another, Xia finally met up with Ying-tai and his team of men and jumped in to fight.

“Had fun camping, Xia? About time you showed up,” Ying-tai joked.

Xia laughed. “I had my fun before you got here. Was waiting for you to catch up on points. How many have you swatted down so far?”

Ying-tai smirked, “Eh, I’ve been slacking. Fifty-five men per fifteen seconds.”

“What?!” Xia’s mouth dropped.

“You?” Ying-tai asked as he carried on disabling the Chu men from fighting.

“I thought I was doing pretty well today! On average, I’ve been swatting twenty-five men per fifteen seconds,” Xia said as he whipped his sword around.

“That’s not bad,” Ying-tai tried to make Xia feel proud of himself.

“Where’s Huian?” Xia asked, finally noticing after looking around.

“He met up with an old friend,” Ying-tai’s face became serious. “He will meet us at the palace.”

“Oh? Who?” Xia was curious. Huian never spoke of his past.

“He was a friend of Huian…and The late Emperor,” Ying-tai replied. “Changping.”

“Changping? The man that people of this country call Leader of Chu?”

“Yes. Apparently, he used to serve in Qin right next to The late Emperor with Huian.”

“No way!” Xia was surprised. “I see where his great skill comes from now.”

Ying-tai furrowed his brows as he thought about the two men. Huian raised him all these years and never said a thing about his life and Ying-tai never bothered to ask the man about it.

“I wonder about the conclusion of the two old friends,” Ying-tai began.

“What?” Xia asked, turning his head to look at Ying-tai.

Ying-tai grabbed a man and knocked him out from behind. “Nothing,” he said.

They reached the stairs of the palace and climbed their way up. The Qin soldiers kept the Chu men from getting near Ying-tai and Xia as they ripped their way through. When they got to the door, they burst through it and divided their men to search for the Chu Emperor.

“Look for Emperor Fuchu of Chu and bring him to me!” Ying-tai ordered as he walked through the grand room of the Chu palace.

Not too long after, Xia’s group of men brought in Emperor Fuchu. They pushed him downward and made him kneel before Ying-tai. Huian also arrived at that moment with his group of men that were fighting outside the wall. Ying-tai and Xia stared at his drenched uniform and water splashed armor but Huian kept his eyes on Emperor Fuchu from the moment he walked in. All three of them stood before the kneeling Emperor of Chu.

“Unit Commander Ying-tai of Qin,” Emperor Fuchu addressed, “I finally meet you. The one they call Beast of the battlefields. Demon of War. I’ve heard of your deeds.”

Ying-tai just stared at him.

“So you got me,” Emperor Fuchu carried on, “but you wait till my general gets here and have his men cut off all of your heads!”

“If I’m not mistaken, he’s the man who talked to us the moment we arrived at your gate, right?” Xia asked. “If so, he’s dead. I killed him.”

Emperor Fuchu widened his eyes at Xia. He shook his head and shouted, “That can’t be. You are too young to take him down. Do not lie to my face, boy!”

Xia turned his head to Ying-tai and Huian and chuckled to them, “Should I take that as a compliment?”

The Qin soldiers holding him down brought their blade closer to his neck as he was stirring too much.

“You can’t kill me. I’ve worked too hard to get to where I am now. I’ve made sacrifices!” Emperor Fuchu screamed.

Ying-tai walked closer to him and knelt down to his level. “I’ve heard of your deeds, Emperor Xiong Fuchu of Chu,” Ying-tai looked at him straight in the eyes. “Killing your brother for the place on the throne is not recognized as sacrifice. What you did was murder,” Ying-tai said sternly, now looking down on him as he stood up.

“Heh. Even if you kill me now, this is not the end. I have an ace up my sleeve. My successor. You should know him. He served Qin once,” Emperor Fuchu stared at them mockingly.

“Your empire falls today,” Huian interrupted him. “Changping is dead.”

Startled by the news, Ying-tai darted his eyes from Emperor Fuchu to Huian.

“And he is not your successor,” Huian continued. “He will not be recognized as so. Today he died in tribute to Qin from the blade of my sword. In respect, he will be remembered as a man of Qin.”

Emperor Fuchu shook with anger, his eyes filled with rage.

“Useless fools! He…he…I should’ve left him to die at my doorstep!” He spat.

Ying-tai, disgusted by his disrespect, swung his sword and rested the point of the blade right under Emperor Fuchu’s chin.

“Do it. DO IT!” He taunted even though he was trembling with fear. “It’s not like the walls of this room haven’t seen such bloody act before,” he chuckled at the memory of his little brother’s murder then began laughing maniacally. His laughs soon began to cease and his lips curved downward. He lifted his head up to the heavens and cried out, “Brother! Is this your revenge on me?” He lowered his eyes and closed them and sobbed, his chin pressing against Ying-tai’s sword, “Oh, I lost everything! Everything! Wealth! Power! Family!” He shook his head in shame.

Ying-tai watched him and pitied him. He lowered his sword and signaled his men to let him go.

“Emperor Fuchu,” Ying-tai began, “I will spare your life. However, you will be stripped from your name as Emperor and will forever wander like a lost soul. From this day onward you are simply Xiong Fuchu.”

Fuchu raised his head and looked at Ying-tai.

“You…you’re not going to kill me?” He asked, surprised.

Ying-tai stepped to the side to let him through. His men followed his move and made a pathway for his way out.

“Live. I only hope you find meaning in life before your time comes to its end,” Ying-tai said.

Astonished by Ying-tai’s decision, Fuchu slowly got up and went on his way. Before stepping through the foot of his door, he turned his head to face Ying-tai one last time.

“For what I’ve heard people claim you to be, Unit Commander Ying-tai of Qin, you are rather merciful,” he said. He faced the door and watched the rain wash out the blood and embers. “But we need more people like that…in a broken world like this.”

Ying-tai raised his eyes, turned his head and watched Fuchu’s back disappear as he parted from them.

“Why did you let him live?” Xia asked.

“I pitied him. I wanted to give him a chance to redeem himself before dying,” Ying-tai answered.

Xia thought about Ying-tai’s intentions for Fuchu and said nothing more.

After dismissing their men and it was just the three of them left in the grand room, Ying-tai walked to Huian who was by the door and stood beside him. They both faced outside and gently shut their eyes as they inhaled the scent of rain.

“I see that it was a good closure between the two of you?” Ying-tai broke the silence.

Huian smiled and nodded. He spotted some wine by a table that was abandoned in a hurry and walked over to it. He poured himself a cup and then a few more. Ying-tai followed him and then Xia shortly after. Huian handed them both a cup and picked up the remaining two and headed outside. They went after Huian and watched him gently place the extra cup on top of a post by the banister.

Huian raised his cup. “For another victory. For a friend.” He paused for a moment. “Cheers to a man finally returning home.”

Xia looked at Huian and Ying-tai and raised his glass, “Respects to the man who could’ve taken us down but pardoned us instead.”

Ying-tai raised his too, “To our fellow brother-in-arm.”

Huian nodded and looked up at the spilling sky. “Rest in peace,” he smiled and drank his wine.

Ying-tai and Xia did the same. They stood side by side for a moment and absorbed in the tang of the wine, grinning.

Xia, feeling the wine trickle down inside his body, placed his hands on his stomach, “Ah, that wine burns beautifully.”

When they returned to camp, Ying-tai’s men cheered for their victory and celebrated with a big bonfire. Huian, and Xia each headed to their tent and hung up their armor with the help of a couple men.

“I always feel so light after taking those off,” Xia said, stretching his muscles when he walked out of his tent.

“Years of fighting in those metal things and I still can’t stand it,” Huian shook his head while pushing his drapes to the side, chuckling.

They both made their way to Ying-tai’s tent but saw no sign of him.

“He’s probably at the large tent with the officials,” Xia guessed.

“Let’s head there,” Huian nodded at Xia.

At the large tent, they found Ying-tai still fully dressed in his battle uniform and chatting with the officials.

“You haven’t changed yet?” Huian asked Ying-tai as he walked up to him.

Ying-tai turned to look at him, smiled, and shook his head. He moved to the side and invited them into the conversation.

“We were just talking about our next assignment,” Ying-tai told Huian as he pointed to the map. Xia stepped in too and looked. He showed them their next objective and the plan he had with the officials. “I would like to consolidate control over the lands here, inhabited by the Yue,” Ying-tai circled his finger around an area on the map.

“It won’t be a big problem for us,” Huian said confidently, studying the territory. “Those people are mostly barbarians so it won’t be a hard fight. Sounds like a good plan to me.”

After Ying-tai dismissed his conference, a young lower ranking official walked through the curtains of the tent.

“What is your reason for being here, boy?” One of Ying-tai’s officials asked him by the entrance.

“I’m looking for Unit Commander Ying-tai,” he said nervously, holding up an envelope. “A messenger from the palace sent this.”

Ying-tai looked at him. “Let him through,” he ordered.

When the young official saw Ying-tai, he beamed. “Unit Commander Ying-tai,” he knelt and bowed lowly to him. He raised his head back up, “I’m a big fan of yours! You’re all I and my friends ever talk about! I can’t believe I’m meeting you!”

Ying-tai chuckled, “Well, thank you. I’m flattered.”

Huian smiled at the boy’s childishness. “Let’s get to the point, boy. We are busy men.”

“It’s okay, Huian. It’s a person who looks up to me!” Ying-tai waved his hand at Huian.

“Ah, yes. Here, sir,” the young official lowered his head and handed Ying-tai the envelope with both hands.

Ying-tai received it from him and dismissed him. After everyone left but Huian and Xia, he opened it and into his hand slid a smaller red envelope. His eyes widened.

“Red envelope?” Xia stepped forward, shocked.

“Ying-tai,” Huian called out to him, nervous of the outcome though he had an idea what it meant.

Ying-tai’s heart raced as he quickly opened it and read the red letter.

A HAPPY ANNOUNCEMENT OF MARRIAGE BETWEEN GRAND PRINCESS XIU JUAN OF QIN AND EMPEROR OF ZHAO.

He reread the bold calligraphy over and over again, unable to take in the message. Happy announcement? He thought. This insulted him. His hands began to shake and he flicked his garment to the side angrily and turned away from Huian and Xia. They looked at each other. Huian approached Ying-tai and watched the letter being heavily gripped in his hand. His knuckles turned white. Huian reached for the red letter and Ying-tai pushed it into his hand and walked away. When Huian read it his eyes, too, widened. Xia rushed behind him and placed his hand over his mouth to keep it from dropping. He stared at Ying-tai quietly. They both could feel his fury burning in the room.

“Ying-tai,” Huian said gently. He paused, not knowing what the safest thing was to tell him. “…I don’t know what to say,” was all that came from his lips.

“You don’t have to say a thing,” Ying-tai said in a cold voice.

“There must be an explanation,” Xia claimed. “I don’t think she will just insensitively do this. I know it. She…she l-loved you, Ying-tai.”

Ying-tai slammed his hand onto the table and made Xia jump. Ying-tai then shut his eyes and tried to breathe in calmly. “This is insulting to Qin. To me,” he grimaced. “How dare this happen! We’ve been fighting Zhao for the longest time. They are our sworn enemy.”

“Ying-tai, I need to you calm down,” Huian coaxed. “Like Xia said, there must be some reasoning behind this. Grand Princess Xiu Juan is smart. She would not do something like this out of spite.”

Ying-tai opened his eyes slowly and exhaled.

“I suspect this was part of Jiao Long’s plan,” Huian continued. “I’m afraid that throwing Grand Princess Xiu Juan into the pack of wolves was part of it.”

Ying-tai turned his eyes to Huian whose eyes were filled with concern for Xiu Juan. His anger ceased and he tried to reason everything out.

“We weren’t there so we don’t know. Therefore, we mustn’t assume anything yet,” Huian folded the red letter and placed it back in its color matching envelope. Huian looked down at it and sighed, shaking his head. He looked back at Ying-tai whose hand was still resting on the table.

“I’m sorry,” Huian sympathized, knowing there was nothing they could do about the situation at the time.

Xia looked down in disappointment. Huian turned around to leave and motioned Xia to do the same. When the curtains closed behind them, Ying-tai sat down and curled his hands into fists. He clenched his jaws at the pain of his burning heart and the sensation traveled to his eyes. He shut his eyes but all he saw was Xiu Juan. With her face that he painted into his mind over and over again in all the days that he lived on the battlefields, his eyelids grew a little damp at her image.

Outside, Xia told Huian, “I can’t help but feel incredibly bad for Ying-tai. I can only imagine how he’s feeling right now.”

“Why are you sorry for him?”

Xia looked at Huian, “Well because, you know, they truly loved each other. Now the love of his life is married to someone else.” They walked for a bit before Xia asked Huian, “Well, why were you sorry for Ying-tai?”

“I wasn’t sorry for Ying-tai,” Huian informed.

“What?” Xia stopped walking and stared at Huian, puzzled.

Huian also stopped in his tracks. Xia continued to stare at Huian whose back was facing him.“Ying-tai is a strong man. He has us men behind his back. And he has Qin. War is all he’s been familiar with. Like both of us, fighting is his world,” Huian continued.

Xia listened on.

“I was sorry for Grand Princess Xiu Juan,” Huian revealed. “Ying-tai was her world.”

“And she had to let that go,” Xia came to understand.

Huian nodded, “Imagine that.”