Ejun Zixi knocked her off. He had to knock her off to save her life. He pulled the arrow from her shoulder and tore his clothes and made it a bandage to treat her wound. He was a bit confused to see that her bleeding on her shoulder could stop quickly.
Yue Maiden was still unconscious, and Ejun Zixi dragged her body and hid her under the bushes. He kissed her forehead and sighed. He knew that he was lucky enough to be saved twice in the jungle of Yue territory. This time, he's not sure that he could survive the third assassination attempt. And he didn't want his beloved wife to be dragged in his case. He owed her too much, and he wouldn't let her die together with him.
He used bushes to cover her body and made sure she wouldn't be easily discovered. He took off his sword and put it near Yue Maiden, while he took her spear and left her.
It was hard for Ejun Zixi to leave Yue Maiden, who laid unconscious on the ground. Yet he had no choice.
Ejun Zixi went to the river direction. He knew that this time the one who wanted his life was the people who knew his relationship with the king. For the sake of his son, he had to die. As long as Yue Maiden could live, and as long as his son could be a king without too much opposition, then he's willing to sacrifice his life.
Ejun Zixi ran toward the river direction. He didn't try to hide anymore. On the contrary, he deliberately left many traces to let those soldiers knew where he was. Only after he died that the Chu soldiers would spare Yue Maiden's life.
Not long after Ejun Zixi arrived at the riverbank, the men who hunted him also arrived there.
"Who sent you?" Ejun Zixi asked. "I have left everything behind in Chu. Why don't you let me live a peaceful life?"
"The late King Ping had made a secret decree. That whoever knows the real identity of the current king has to die. And you,… not only you know who he is! You even dare to come to see him!" the man said.
Ejun Zixi nodded his head and said, "He took my wife and my child. And he still wants my death!" He laughed bitterly.
"Xiong Qiji, you're a filthy bastard! Someday, someone will make you pay for all your evil deeds!" Ejun Zixi shouted. "I pray that someday, someone will dig your grave and humiliate your dead body!"
"Kill him!" shouted the leader of the assassins.
The men attacked Ejun Zixi, who fought back fiercely. One man versus twenty.
It didn't take a long time for the assassins to finish Ejun Zixi. Ejun Zixi died with many wounds on his body.
The leader checked Ejun Zixi's body to make sure that he died.
"He was a handsome prince! It's too bad he has to end like this!" the man shook his head. Then he took the spear from Ejun Zixi's hand. "This spear is indeed a valuable weapon. Just make sure that King Zhao knows nothing about this spear. Otherwise, he would be suspicious and send his people to find his father!"
"Yes, master!" The soldiers said.
"Let's go now! Let the beasts take care of his body!" the leader said.
"What about the woman?" One of the soldiers said.
"Even she's alive, what can she do? She's not going to Ying City to find our king and report about this!"
The soldiers laughed. They're about to leave to go to their boat when suddenly they heard something like a beast roaring. They turned their head only to find that Ejun Zixi's wife - Yue Maiden, with a sword in her hand.
Yue Maiden was not used to using a sword. Therefore she used Ejun Zixi's sword like a spear to attack the soldiers. Although she was an excellent natural hunter, she's still not good enough compared to the soldiers. Not to mention that she's alone and had to deal with twelve soldiers who worked hand in hand to finish her off.
Yue Maiden had killed four soldiers. She just stabbed another soldier with her sword when suddenly she felt something odd on her stomach.
As she looked down at her stomach, she saw the tip of a sword. A sword stabbed her from her back. She didn't even feel the pain when suddenly another sword was slashed to her neck.
Blood spurted from her neck. She died and fell on the ground, not far from Ejun Zixi's dead body. She didn't even close her eyes.
The soldier who stabbed Yue Maiden from her back pulled his sword and kicked Yue Maiden's body. He laughed and wiped his blade on Yue Maiden's clothes. He cut Yue Maiden's clothes to undress her. He was curious to know if a barbarian was a half-human, like what some people believed. He saw how beautiful she was and sighed said, "Never had thought that a barbarian is just the same as us! Too bad that we have to kill her!"
"Leave the woman!" The leader said. "We have to go now!"
The soldier nodded. He somehow took pity on Yue Maiden. He dragged her body and put it near Ejun Zixi's body and closed her eyes.
Once a handsome prince and his lovely wife. Now they're just two dead bodies with wounds and blood covered their faces.
Life is like a dream. And a dead person could dream. At least, Yue Maiden still dreamt when she's already died.
Yue Maiden dreamt of her childhood. She saw herself as a baby, in the wood with two wolves guarding her. The wolves were shot dead, and her adopted mother found her. She took care of her like her own child.
She also dreamt of the time when she first saw Ejun Zixi. He was dashing, sleeping under a tree, exhausted. She saw him when some soldiers hunted him, and she saved him. She fell in love with him since the first time she saw him. Then she saw how his men kidnapped Ejun Zixi, and they had to separate for eleven years. Destiny brought them together, that day on the boat. When she sang the song and Ejun Zixi took off his robe and put it on her shoulder.
It was such a beautiful moment. For thirteen years, they had always been together. Then now, she saw Ejun Zixi died with many wound on his body. This time she had to separate from him forever. She would not be able to see him again. She didn't want to separate from him.
Yue Maiden wept until she felt warm tears on her cheeks.
People said that people could not feel pain or anything in a dream. But then how come Yue Maiden could feel warm tears on her cheeks? Not only could she feel her tears, but she could also open up her eyes and woke up from her dream. Yue Maiden saw that Ejun Zixi indeed died on her side with many wounds on his body.
"Ejun,…Ejun!" Yue Maiden wept and lamented for her beloved husband.
Her voice was echoed in the deep forest. Even heaven felt sympathy for her. The sky became dark, and the rain fell heavily.
The rain wiped all the traces of the killing. Yet it could not wipe Yue Maiden's agony.
For hours Yue Maiden cried while hugging the body of Lord Ejun. She didn't understand why she's still alive while Lord Ejun had to die.
The rain stopped, and she brought Lord Ejun's body back to their house. She cleaned up his body and held his stiff body. She could not believe her husband had died while she's still alive.
"Ejun,…is this all just a dream?" Yue Maiden said. "I don't understand why I'm still alive," Yue Maiden sobbed. "I only know that you want me to live, although I have no reason to live anymore."
"Ejun…please tell me…is this all just a dream!"
Yue Maiden didn't get the answer of her questions. She cried for hours, hoping that it was just a dream, and Lord Ejun would wake up from his sleep.
But it was not a dream. It's a reality that Lord Ejun died, and she's still alive.
After the rain stopped, Yue Maiden arranged some brushwoods and put Lord Ejun's on it. She remembered a long time ago when her father died, and her mother burned his body that way. And then, her mother died – and she burned her body that way.
Now…it's time for her to burn her beloved husband – Lord Ejun's body. Only the next day, when it's almost dawn break, Yue Maiden threw the torch and let the flame burned his body.
"Ejun, Chu people are evil!" Yue Maiden said. "Don't blame me if someday I have to kill Chu people. I could only guarantee that I will not kill your son, since he's innocent. But the other Chu people….I hate them all!" Yue Maiden said.
Yue Maiden had been living in the forest for the rest of her life. She had no other family, or any other relatives. She decided to live and continue her life in the forest.
She came to realize that she didn't grow any older since the day when Lord Ejun passed away.
For three years she pondered, and had tried many times to kill herself. Yet she had never succeeded. And only after three years, she found her purpose. She had to get back Lord Ejun's spear, and she had to see Lord Ejun's son – King Zhao of Chu rule. That's her husband's legacy and she had to obey him.