Pouring rain accompanied by the roar of the thunder and strong winds blew the broken window side to side, causing it to crackle noisily. At a side compound of a ruined temple, three young females wearing red bridal dresses were huddling together. This dark and sinister place couple with the stale air all around the temple made the scene looked especially eerie.

  As there were no lights in room, the occasional lightning would illuminated the ruined temple. Each sword-like lightning flash seems to strike the ground emitting a glaring white light, and accompanied with the deafening sound of the thunder, seems to make the youngest female cower in fear.

  Tugging her elder sister’s arm, Qing Mo whimpered, “Elder sister, what do we do now? I’m so scared!”


  Eventually, after another flash of lightning, the females’ faces could be seen. All three are budding beauties with their own elegance, their left side of their faces are exceptionally beautiful, the kind that made all other female jealous and male adore. But unfortunately, there were two deep slashes on right side of their faces that nearly destroyed their cheeks, which amidst the lightning and thunder filled night, made it look hideous.

  While patting her younger sister’s shoulder, a ghastly pale Qing Ling whispered, “After crossing this mountain, we will be out of Hao Yue kingdom. Do we truly have no way to escape the fate of becoming tributes?”


  “I am not willing!” Qing Feng tensely bit her lower lip so hard that it was almost bleeding as she stared unwavering out of the ruined temple, into the thunderstorm.

  Qing Mo, lifted her head slowly to lean on Qing Feng’s shoulder, softly comforted, “Second sister, don’t be afraid. I heard that you’ll be marrying Prime Minister Lou, who is a rarely seen modest gentleman, who is outstanding in political and military aspects. He shouldn’t ill-treat you.” Eldest sister is the most pitiful as she will be sent to the Imperial Palace. It is rumored that Qiong Yue’s ruler is a temperamental bloodthirsty tyrant. How would the gentle and refined Elder sister bear it!

  Qing Feng scoffed, "Who cares!"

  Qing Feng turned around, with one hand holding her elder sister’s hand and the other hand holding her younger sister’s hand, fiercely growled, “This is so hateful! On what basis can Qiong Yue’s ruler do whatever he pleases with just one sentence! On what basis does our Qing family have to shoulder our ruler’s incompetence?! Base on what did he kill our parents and made us tribute for him to fawn over Qiong Yue?! Base on what?!”


  Qing Ling gently caressed Qing Feng, whose hatred cause her face to be contorted, and signed, “Base on Qiong Yue being the overlord of the six kingdoms, all other nations must submit. Base on the emperor being the sovereign, if the monarch wants his vassal to die, then his vassal must die. Who asked us to be such physically weak females?!” Fate have never rest in their hands before!

  Flinging Qing Ling’s hand away, Qing Feng stood up quickly with her backed turned retaliated, “What about being a female?! I will not go to Qiong Yue!”


  Looking at her second sister’s unbending back view and her eldest sister’s troubled features, Qing Mo timidly responded, “Even when we disfigured these faces that everyone adores, they still insisted on sending us to Qiong Yue! Second sister, we don’t even have any way to change anything, is it not?”


  Qing Feng, gently touched her current cheeks in great pain, took a deep breath and through clenched teeth replied, “Even in death, I, Qing Feng, will absolutely not let anyone manipulate! Especially that person, that fatuous monarch with hands stained with our parents blood!”


  Qing Ling startled, anxiously asked, "Feng-er, what are you planning to do?”


  Qing Feng, slowly turned around, clenched both her fists and resolutely replied, “Elder sister, I want to stay at Hao Yue, to stay at our parents’ side, even if what was left is my corpse!”


  As if dismissing Feng-er’s words, a glaring white lightning strike and as its bright light shone on Feng-er’s face, Qing Ling saw her insistence and resolution.

  As Qing Ling clutched Qing Feng’s hand tightly, she suddenly felt relieved, “Alright! I will accompany you. Anyways, to me, there is no meaning to continue living.” Not needing to consider what future has installed is perhaps a form of relief!

  Qing Mo, who was crouching on the floor, stood up quickly and grabbed their hand, exclaimed, “I will do whatever my elder sisters does. Whatever happens, Mo-er will not leave both of you!”


  Qing Ling hesitated as she looked at Mo-er’s innocent face, perhaps she doesn’t understand the meaning of death. She is only fifteen!

  Upon meeting Mo-er’s pair of pure doe eyes, Qing Feng felt as if there was a knife’s twisting her heart. But at the thought that she would be promised to that notoriously known to be a cold blooded ruthless murdering dictator on the battlefield, Qing Feng shivered and said, “Elder Sister, Mo-er is pure and innocent. She will only suffer hardships if she were to be left alone in this world. Today in this ruined temple, let our entire family reunite!”


  As Qing Ling looked at the three pairs of intersecting hands, she felt trickles of warm at her heart. She nodded her head, seemingly to convince herself, replied, “Yes! A family reunion is the best!”


  All three of them lifted their heads and took a look at the ceiling beams. A mutual understanding dawned to them as they smile at one another. This is the first time they smiled after their parents death. Because after today, they will no longer be separated!

  After removing the bound red silk bands on their waist and stripping off their brilliant red dresses, they were wearing the plain white middle layer of clothes as they lightly tossed the silk bands over the beams. All three of them stood on the rickety table and without hesitation wrapped their necks with the bands of red silk.

  Continued neat red silk waist belt, this brilliant red body chops down, only the one in plain white clothing, red silk throw light through beams, square table three people standing on top of the broken, the neck the inner sleeve into the red silk, and had no hesitation.

  Qing Ling looked the her sisters standing at her side, closed her eyes and lightly spoke, “Feng-er, Mo-er, in the next lifetime, lets still be sisters!”


  “En!” Both Qing Feng and Qing Mo firmly nodded their heads.

  Three of them, with hands held together, proceeded to lightly kick the table away. With the sudden taut of the red silk bands, three youthful existence gradually diminished.

  The soldiers who were escorting the sisters of the Qing family to Qiong Yue was resting at the main hall of the crumbling temple. Looking on as the rain was stopping, a sudden downpour occurred, coupled with the increasingly intense lightning and thunder, as if it were to level down the tottering ruined temple.

  Among them, a low-ranked soldier winced his neck and thought that despite experience much, he not seen such a downpour during spring in his life! As he glance over the side compound where the Qing sister were at, the view he saw scare him half to death. A flash of lighting lit the scene, casting three straight shadows swaying in the air with clothes fluttering.

  Oddly shrieking, the low-ranked soldier stumbled in front of Li Xu cried, “Ghost…… There are ghosts!”


  “What?!” Li Xu startled, he then turned to the soldier’s line of sight. He broke out in cold sweat upon seeing the three swaying shadows. The Qing sisters hung themselves?!

  Li Xu quickly got up and kicked down the door of the side compound and saw a floor of red dresses and three pairs of red embroidered shoes pendulating in front of him. Li Xu retreated back a step in shock and frantically shouted, “Quick…… Quick! Bring them down!”


  The solders who were running round in circles were eventually able to bring the three females down. All three persons’ complexion had darken with their eyes tightly shut.

  Li Xu stared at Qing Mo who was at his nearest left and anxiously questioned, “How is she?”


  The low-ranked soldier carefully felt Qing Mo’s breath, swallowed before replying, “She’s…… dead.”


  Li Xu shuddered as he pointed at Qing Feng and pressingly asked, “And…… This one?”


  After finishing probing for a sign of breath, the soldier saw Superior Li’s pale white face, he was frightened to answer and could only nod lightly.

  All were dead!? Li Xu continue to break out in cold sweat. The Qing sisters were specifically chosen by the Emperor of Qiong Yue as tribute candidates and now they are all dead! How could he continue to live?! Kingdom of Hao Yue’s doom is at hand! Just when Li Xu was completely disheartened, a soldier suddenly called out, “Superior, the eldest Miss Qing is still breathing!” Even though it is weak, she is definitely alive.

  "Really?! This is great! Quickly get her into the carriage and call the doctor!" At least there is still one alive!

  As per Li Xu commands, the bridal dress were draped over Qing Ling’s body in a bustle by the soldiers, completely not in the mood to care for the other two corpses.

  The corpses on the ground looked even more miserable with the roaring thunder and flashes of lightning outside the ruined temple. The low-ranked soldier was afraid but he was unable to bear to look at the two pitiful female corpse, thus picked up the bridal dresses and carefully covered their bodies.

  Just as he was about to get up and leave, a different red lightning flashed by and the eyes of the two completely lack of breath suddenly opened–


  “AHHHHH—” The low-ranked soldier’s screams resonated through the ruined temple!

  Li Xu, who was already out of the main hall, impatiently shouted, “What are you hollering again for?!”


  “Th…… They……” This time, the soldier could not even form a word and crawled out of the side compound in distress.

  The two female corpses was able to scare him till like this?! Li Xu doubted so, thus entering the side compound again and found the chests of the two, who were motionless before, are raising and falling slightly. Although their eyes were still closed, their face were no longer as dark as before.

  “Truly a blessing from the heavens, blessing from the heavens!” Li Xu is wild with joy as they did not die! Finally, his life is saved! “Quickly come and take them away!”


  The solders carried two of them out of the ruined temple admit the wind and rain. Just as they reach the carriage, where Qing Ling was held, Li Xu suddenly ordered, “Wait.”


  These three have disfigured themselves and attempted suicide. They were not dead this time but who knows what would happen next! From here to Qiong Yue, there was still more than ten days of travel! With a plan in mind, Li Xu ordered, “Separate them, each to a carriage and do not allow them to meet again. Furthermore lace their water with a weakening drug, they must live till we send them to Qiong Yue!”


  “Yes!” The three of them were separated to three different carriages. Before arriving at Qiong Yue, they will not be able to have the opportunity to meet and will not be able to step out of the carriages.

  Sisters of the Qing family, do not blame me. If you want to blame, then blame yourselves. Who asked you to look that devastatingly beautiful, who asked you to be that talented, who let you be that famous within the six kingdoms. To be the specifically requested ladies by Qiong Yue, not only your faces are disfigured, even in death, you must only die in Qiong Yue. Its all a predestined fate!

  epilogue 1

  The beginning of autumn should be the best of the season, the cool air and atmosphere made one feel refresh in every breath. The plum blossoms at the Shu Shan Residence was no longer like how it was previously. Great care was put into the endless plum tree forest that their branches were full of foliage. Even though there were no blossoming flowers in autumn, looking at the growth of the vigorous branches, they too have a different type of beauty.

  A lean figure stood in the middle of the plum blossoms as the cool autumn wind blew the pale blue dress as it fluttered around. A large hand suddenly came out from behind and Qing Feng was enveloped in a warm embrace.

  "It is almost autumn and you still don’t wear an additional layer of clothes." The person behind seem to be not happy as the hand around the waist tightened.

  Qing Feng comfortably lean against this familiar embrace and did not seem to care about that person’s temper but instead laughed, "This year’s plum blossoms must be better than last year."

  Yan Hong Tian glanced at the plum blossom forest which was of no difference to previous years and asked, "How could you tell?"

  "With me taking great care of it, of course the blossoms would get better."

  Speaking of this made Yan Hong Tian not happy. He rarely came over to Shu Shan Residence but Qing Feng was either busy with the plum blossoms or thinking of the bamboo forest behind the mountain else she would be busy taking care of Ning-er. She did not even see eye to eye at him. How could Yan Hong Tian not be angry. He held onto Qing Feng’s shoulder and turn her around to face him. Yan Hong Tian lightly cough, "No matter how good, one would need to also give thanks."

  Seeing Yan Hong Tian’s poor expressions, Qing Feng started the chuckled as she replied without fear, "That is true but the good thing is that it would still flower next year."

  She was getting not afraid of him! Yan Hong Tian glared at her and suddenly raised his hand. Qing Feng did not hide and only felt her hair gently moved. She curiously asked, "What is it?"

  As Qing Feng asked, one of her hand reach up and touched a hairpin like thing on her head. She took it down and saw that it was indeed a hairpin. The purple gold long hairpin was very unique, on the front of the slender body of the hairpin was a captivating red plum blossom and below the blossom the tassels were hanging down like water. At the end of the tassel, there were pieces of jade carved into small bamboos. The hairpin was not large but it was especially beautiful.

  "Since you like plum blossoms, you now can have a plum blossom that would not wither." Yan Hong Tian put up a relaxed look but his eyes kept on staring at Qing Feng’s face, as if he feared of missing any of her expression. Qing Feng does not like to wear jewellery and did not wear the usual stuff that was bestowed. This hairpin was found after great pains. The red colour and red ruby inlay already took half a year to prepare and was only completed recently. Yan Hong Tian waiting for a long time but Qing Feng only stared at the hairpin and did not say anything. Yan Hong Tian’s brows gradually twisted up, "Don’t like it?"

  Putting back the hairpin lightly into her hair, Qing Feng then slowly raised her head. Her eyes was filled with warmth but she said…… "Only one is considered little."

  Yan Hong Tian was surprised for a moment before laughing, "What a greedy female."

  She reached her hands out to circle around Yan Hong Tian’s neck and buried her face between his shoulders and neck as she replied muffled, "Now then you know?" Previously she felt that she would be satisfied to be able to get out of the Palace to live freely at this place and occasionally see him. Who knew that she had underestimated herself. Even now when he see her almost every few days, she still felt that it was not enough. She was greedy.

  Naturally Yan Hong Tian did not know Qing Feng thoughts at the moment but it was rare for this beauty to throw herself into his arms so Yan Hong Tian would certainly not let go and tighten his arms around her.

  "Xi Yan, do you find that this plum blossom forest seemed a little small that one is unable to hide anywhere."

  Suddenly a female voice sounded behind that killed the joy. Yan Hong Tian turned back and saw Lou Xi Yan and Zhuo Qing standing not far away with a look of entertained. Qing Feng retrieved her hands back from around Yan Hong Tian’s neck as a touch of flush appeared on her fair face. She slightly struggled a little but Yan Hong Tian continued to hold on.

  What a joke. He was a monarch of an nation and this is his territory so the people who should withdraw should be that people who are annoying the lovey dovely of a couple. Unfortunately this couple were not ordinary people and had no intentions of withdrawing thus the most embarrassed person was Qing Feng. It was fortunate that her obedient daughter came to rescue her.

  "Daddy……" A childish voice sounded and Yan Hong Tian looked down seeing Yan Ning pulling the corner of his clothes as she look at him with her big watery eyes as if she wanted him to carry her.

  Seeing his own daughter by his feet, Yan Hong Tian was then willing to let go. When he just squatted down, the little body threw herself into his arms. Yan Ning was not over two years old thus she was not able to walk properly or speak much but the word ’daddy’ was carefully taught by Qing Feng thus it was said particularly clear. Yan Hong Tian enjoyed listening to it as it was much more to his liking than the ’Imperial Father’ that was used to listening. Little Yan Ning was already perfect at such a young age, especially that small cinnabar mole like it was a red plum embedded between her brows.

  "Be good Ning-er." Yan Hong Tian carried his daughter and sat her on his lap pampering. He took out a bag of candy and gave it to her. Yan Ning’s little eyes shone bring as she grab one piece and put it in her mouth as she happily smile with her eyes closed. Seeing two little figures standing not far away, Yan Hong Tian smile, "Chen-er, Xi-er, come over here."

  The two children tottered over to Yan Hong Tian’s side and he handed the candy to them. Both of them look at one other before Lou Xi reached his hand out to take one piece but handed it to his sister. Lou Chen took the piece of candy from him but did not eat it and instead put it into Lou Xi’s mouth before reaching out to take one piece of candy for herself to eat.

  Yan Hong Tian watched in laughter at the interaction of both children when a candy was placed near his lips. Yan Ning sweet voice followed with it, "Daddy…… Eat……"

  Yan Hong Tian slightly frown. He usually do not like to eat these disgustingly sweet thing but the little girl seems set in heart and pushed the candy into his mouth. Yan Hong Tian was helpless towards it and can only open his out to eat. Lou Xi saw his Eldest Sister Ning had fed Yifu (husband of mother’s sister) a candy so he also learned from her and picked one candy to place near Yan Hong Tian’s mouth. Yan Hong Tian felt a moment of loss, if it was someone else, he did not have to eat but this person was Xi-er. Let alone candy, if it was poison, he would also swallowed it down.

  Lou Chen saw the entanglement and look at Yan Ning before turning to see Lou Xi. She thought about it and also pick up a candy to place it at Yan Hong Tian’s mouth. His mouth was already filled with two candies but seeing Lou Chen big bright eyes, Yan Hong Tian bit the bullet and also ate the other candy up. The three little fellows surrounded Yan Hong Tian and seemingly falling in love with the game of you feed one candy, I feed another game.

  Yan Hong Tian finally had too much and called out, "You all just stand there by the side-lines?!"

  Qing Feng stood by the side smiling while Zhuo Qing pretended not to have seen it. Only Lou Xi Yan took two steps forward and gently sighed with his soft voice, "It’s truly a touching scene."

  The three of them refused to lend a helping hand which made Yan Hong Tian just about to make things difficult when Fu Ling hurriedly ran over. Seeing that Yan Hong Tian was here, she quickly bowed and greeted, "May the Emperor have thousands of blessings."

  Seeing her abnormal expression, Qing Feng asked, "What had happened?"

  "The General’s Furen is about to deliver but after one day she have yet to deliver. The people from the General’s residence came over and would like to bring Lou Furen over."

  The people there were stumped for words. Gu Yun was about to deliver? Wasn’t it not due for another few more days? Zhuo Qing was too hurried to ask more questions and said, "Where are the people from the General’s residence? I want to go there now."

  "In the front hall."

  Zhuo Qing nodded her head and ran over. Qing Feng was also worried that it would be a difficult birth for Gu Yun and shouted to Zhuo Qing’s figure, "Wait up, we will also go." After finishing, she did not even ask Yan Hong Tian as she handed the three children to Fu Ling and pulled his hand to head out.

  Yan Hong Tian’s face darken, his official’s wife was about to deliver and what logic was it that he, as an Emperor, would go over to look? Just as he was about to pull Qing Feng back to say that he would not be going, he saw Qing Feng strained look as she tightly pulled his hand. Yan Hong Tian changed his mind after some thought. Never mind, will go and be concern about this younger sister-in-law. It would not matter much. He looked over and also saw that Zhuo Qing was pulling Lou Xi Yan along and he had a helpless smile on his face. Seeing that, his heart became much better……

  General’s Residence

  When they rushed over to Ling Yun Court, where Gu Yun was staying, they were almost shocked at the scene. Qing Feng stood frozen for a moment and if the atmosphere was not like that, she would have laughed out.

  In the huge Ling Yun Court, other than the area in front of the door where Su Ling was pacing anxiously, the rest of the area were densely packed. Gu Yun was delivering a baby and a group of soldiers were crouching outside to wait. What exactly was this scene?!

  Zhuo Qing went into the house to help while Qing Feng went to inquire about the whole story. So it was said that Gu Yun felt that since there were several more days before the birth, she went to see the army exercise today. Who knew that after watching half of it, her abdomen started to hurt and that immediately brought chaos to the entire disciplined and orderly General’s residence.

  At that time Gu Yun was in so much pain that her entire face was white, which scared the entire platoon of soldiers. What kind of person was Gu Yun, during normal trainings they have all seen it, she would not even complain or make a single sound no matter how hard it was but now there were screaming coming out of the room from time to time. Listening to the screams made them feel absolutely horrified as they worried incessantly, thus they just crouch nearby to wait for the news.

  In the room, after much efforts from Zhuo Qing and the midwife, the child was finally born. When the crisp cries from the child sounded, the atmosphere outside was boiling.

  Zhuo Qing wrapped the child well and showed to Gu Yun as she smiled, "Yun, it’s a daughter."

  After being torment for the entire day, no matter how good Gu Yun physical strength was, she can only now lay on the bed and not move. Gu Yun slightly looked up at the quieten baby and nodded her head. It’s good as long as there was no mishap.

  "I will carry out for them to take a lot and also call Su Ling in."

  Gu Yun lightly coughed and when Zhuo Qing opened the door, she saw Su Ling’s tall huge figure blocking the way as he spoke to her in a hoarse voice filled with anxiety, "How is she?"

  "Both mother and child are safe, you can go in to see her." Before Zhuo Qing could finish, Su Ling ran into the room in a flash, without even asking if the child was a boy or a girl. Zhuo Qing slightly smile as she carried the baby to the courtyard, "Congratulations, it’s a daughter."

  "What?!"

  Zhuo Qing’s face stiffen as the elders in the Su family stared at her with enlarged eyes and voices as loud as thunder.

  "It’s…… It’s a girl?!" Even the usually elegant Su Ren’s facial expression were strange.

  "How could it be a girl?!"

  "Really a daughter?"

  "Furen actually gave birth to a daughter?!"

  Seeing the extremely shocked expressions on this group of men, Zhuo Qing was very confused. Even Yan Hong Tian and Lou Xi Yan had an incredible look on their face like it was a strange thing that Yun could deliver a girl. Zhuo Qing’s heart was somewhat unhappy as she coldly retorted, "What is wrong with a daughter?"

  "Daughter…… A daughter is great!"

  "The ancestors have gave their blessings!"

  "Quick. Quickly go back to report to the elders that there is a daughter in our Su family!"

  Zhuo Qing previously thought they valued sons and belittled daughters and was unhappy about it. But they fell into chaos as they took in the good news. Zhuo Qing stood frozen there, suddenly not knowing what was going on as this group of males in the Su family surrounded her with a look of joy on their faces, staring at the baby in her arms as they sing praises.

  "What a pretty baby girl. Her little face looks really good."

  "Yes, really look good."

  "What soft and supple skin, will definitely be a great beauty when grown up!"

  A group of men stared at the little baby girl until they were almost drooling and that made Zhuo Qing entire body filled with goose bumps. She finally remembered Xi Yan mentioning that all these years the Su family always had sons and never had daughters before. No wonder they had such a cherish look on their faces. She could imagine in the future, this little girl would be spoilt by this group of men.

  Seeing each one of them seemingly have stars in their eyes, Zhuo Qing push the child forward and said, "Let you carry to slowly look at her."

  When Qing Feng just finished her words, the originally excited men surrounding her seemed to have suffered a great shock and immediately jumped seven to eight steps away from her.

  "No no no, you should carry instead."

  "It’s a baby girl! What if she was carried incorrectly?"

  Zhuo Qing was speechless and at this moment she start to worry about this precious daughter of the Su family that would be loved by thousands. To grow up by the side of this group of men and with Gu Yun as her mother, was it…… Really not a problem?