A Wuxia Tale: Blades and Flowers

Arrows

(GENERAL WANG)

I saw those crates of arrows and thought to myself that Hua is finally using her head. She is finally acknowledging the fact that it will take a bit of drastic move on her part for her to win.

I got excited thinking what she has in store for me and was about to give the signal for the test to start when the horn was sounded for the arrival of a Royal in the arena.

Then her Majesty showed herself and now, I am confuse.

What is the Empress doing here in our little patch of the Imperial Palace? The Empress looked all over us, soldiers and spectators alike, before standing a few feet away from Hua in the starting line.

My feet moved to walk towards her so I can greet her Majesty formally.

"Your Majesty," I bowed respectfully to her. "To whom or to what should we give credit for this honor of your presence in our arrow arena?" I asked when I managed to stand right and gaze at the Empress' eyes.

She is a beauty. There is no denying the pleasantness of Empress XiaoTong's face or demeanor. And she passed those beautiful features to her children. Prince Jin might be good looking enough but Prince Guo, who resembles his mother in physicality, is still the most charming Prince in these lands.

But I think most people know what kind of steel and ambition lies beneath Empress XiaoTong's almost whimsical beauty. This is a woman who admitted to wanting to kill the First Born Prince to get her own son on the Emperor's throne.

A woman's mind and heart can be as deceiving and dangerous as any man's. Underestimating a woman is ever a mistake. Dayu reminded me of that.

"Nothing or no one in particular, General." The Empress looked at my daughter. "I just learned that Lady Hua is doing an exam and wondered if I should finally give in to my curiosity of seeing her prowess in bow and arrow that is slowly but steadily gaining a reputation in my palace."

"I see," I nodded in understanding on her reasoning for being here.

The Empress turned her eyes to give Hua a scrutinizing look. "I will do admit that it's still disconcerting for me to see Lady Hua in plain clothings rather than in her usual silk and satin robes." She said while gazing at the dismally gray colored clothes of my daughter.

Hua turned her eyes downward on the ground. "These clothes serve their purpose, your Majesty."

"But not for long," I added to Hua's words. "We never know, today might be the last day she will wear these rags and will go back to her silk and satin robes."

Hua let out a tired sigh while I got more determined to send her back to Dayu so my lover can put her back in silk and satin clothings. I also decided to contact another seamstress, besides the one Dayu and Hua visit, to buy my daughter more clothes. I will drown my daughter in silk and satin until she got it into her head that she doesn't belong in the army but in a household of her own, waiting for her Prince to get married. That will be my punishment to her.

The Empress' eyes went back and forth between me and Hua. A small knowing smile was painted her lips. "I think I will witness something extraordinary today. Will you permit me to watch, General?" She asked me. I appreciated her show of courtesy to me.

I nodded, "As long as you remain in a safe distance from the flying arrows, your Majesty. Seeing you hurt will be the last thing we need here."