A Wuxia Tale: Blades and Flowers

Surprise

(PRINCE JIN)

A company of patrolling guards. About fifteen or so. And I don't doubt that there are more groups like this roaming around the Mughal Capital to make sure that nobles got home safe from their merrymaking or no peasants are violating the curfew rules.

Even here, rules and laws are different for the rich and poor.

But that's not my problem. The problem is someone caught me and Wang Dao prowling at night. We need to escape these guards and make sure they won't get to catch us. Dao is someone who should not be seen because no one invited him to be here.

While I should be in the Palace by now and sleeping like the good Royal prisoner that I am.

Dao and I concealed our faces and took steps backward. We glanced at each other, we cannot lead these guards to the place where we hid the dying informant.

"I think this is where we will separate, your Highness." Dao said.

"I think so too. What is your plan?"

"Run first and I'll distract them. Don't worry, they won't catch me." Hua's twin sounded excited for a moment there.

Crazy bastard. Dao is propely stimulated by addictive substance, he is insanely energized. Hua's twin is buzzing for action even though his last decent meal was yesterday's luncheon.

Dao is killing himself and I probably need to put a stop to it sooner rather than later. Hua will kill me if I get home with her dead brother in tow. Not to mention Master Dayu. The twins' Father will surely have my liver for dinner if I let Wang Dao to go to this destructive path.

But tonight is not the night to stop Dao's craziness. We need to escape these guards properly.

"Sure," I reluctantly agreed on that plan. "You better stay alive and not be caught by these guards, Dao. You know what will happen to us if you got killed here..." we took another step away from the approaching patrolling guards.

"Hey! You two! Stop moving!" The leader of the patrolling guards raised his scimitar to threaten us but we don't pay attention to him. Dao and I has an important conversation going on between us.

"Hua will kill us, I know." Dao chuckled as we took another step away from the guards. "But how will she do that? I am already dead..."

"She will raise you from being dead just to kill you again. Your parents will help her." I said.

Dao took a hitching breath. "Right. That will happen." He agreed with me. Because its true, that's what will happen if we ended up dead here. Hua will drag us back from the hell where we will end up just so she can send us back there. She could do it. I have no doubt on that.

We looked at each other. I nodded to Dao. He nodded back at me. And just when I was about to move to make a run for it, an arrow flew between us, coming from behind on a downward angle.

The arrow embedded itself on the ground, inches away from the platoon leader's feet. We were all surprised. Dao and I turned our bodies to look up and we saw a figure on a rooftop with a bow and arrow on the ready to fire again.

And even though we have not yet recovered from finding an arrow firing figure on the rooftop, we got another surprise when we heard someone from the back grunting in pain.

Dao and I turned around again and we saw a tall imposing figure cutting through the patrolling guards like an avenging warrior. Making guards flew and beating them down with his long spear and brute strength.

"Yong," I muttered softly in surprise as I watch one of my dearest friend and former guard pummeled two guards at once with his spear, fist and knees.