Tears Of Kai Yuan

-7- (Edit)

(Pre-edit) Wow, 2015 is over! Enjoy the new year (leap year), read, comment, vote, and Enjoy!

7

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Li Wuji

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I was too busy whistling the old tune Uncle had taught me as I was out of Li Xiao's chambers, pausing slightly to laugh to myself.

It was obvious from the beginning that Zhao Jiayi was different, I could see it myself even when Cousin Xiao had just told me.

How different?

Well, I had only found that out in the meeting hall, and I was sure that there was much more to discover about her.

Yet, even if I found amusement in the fact, it only seemed to frustrate Cousin Xiao all the more. The mystery that was the middle daughter of Zhao had caught my cousin in a web of attraction Xiao simply did not know how to fight against.

Shaking my head slightly at the thought, I closed the door behind me, staring at the cherry blossoms before my eyes rested on the familiar figure on the opposite porch.

Tang Zhen-Ting. I picked up my whistling again while making my way towards her.

The woman was too caught into her actions to pay him any mind, wrapping bandages over her hands and wrists before breathing deeply and picking up the Qing-Tong sword beside her.

She was almost as trained as myself...maybe even better. From her posture to her fluid movements and strikes, my estimation was that she would most like be stronger than half of my own soldiers, and definitely higher in dedication.

How long had it taken her to become such an expert in swordplay?

Only one thing could divert my attention, and it was the steady breeze that carried the scent of wine in its path. Carefully I walked to the table and sat, pouring myself a cup before speaking. "That sword seems to be as sharp as your cousin's tongue, and not in a bad way."

If Zhen-Ting had been startled, she gave no sign of it, adjusting her grip on the sword before approaching where I sat and bowing her head in greeting. "General...it seems so, doesn't it?"

I grinned and took a sip, pointing at where she had once been practicing. "You have more skill then half of the men I've seen on the battlefield...how is that?" She smiled quietly, taking a cup for herself and a bit surprised when I poured the wine for her. After muttering her thanks, she responded. "My father was a swordsman, he and my uncle were brothers-in-law, both my aunt and himself were children of an Persian Lord and an Arab Caliphate's female bodyguard, they learned their skills from their parents."

I frowned. "You mean that Master Zhao's wife was the daughter of an Persian Prince?"

Zhen-Ting nodded before sitting down across from me, setting her sword gently on the table. The sun's glint on the sword drew m attention to the inscription graven into its blade. "What language is that?" Zhen-Ting glanced down and sighed. "Arabic, it says my Arab name there. My father had chosen it for me."

"And that is?"

"Adilah...it means honesty."

I stared blankly at the writing before asking the question that had been plaguing my thoughts. "How did they die?"

She froze, and for a moment I was sure that she would find an excuse to leave, only for her to begin after a shaky breath.

"Abba... no, Father had married a freed Chinese servant and decided to settle down with a farm of his own in seclusion. Soon enough he had both brother and myself, living the life he had hoped for and perfectly content."