Chapter I
- There are gods among us. Long ago, they wandered the earth in a human form seeking bodies to possess. Some said that they fed on the vital energy of mortals to become stronger and rise to the level of gods. However, the truth is they came to earth to gain knowledge of our sufferings. They took human form for a time and walked through the mortal sphere through the seven worldly trials. The gods knew no pain of death, nor loss, nor hunger or misery, so the pains to them were mere futility of life, but when they assumed our form and passed through mortal mockery, the gods absorbed for themselves human character, goodness, wisdom and more spiritual energy, and in the end returned victoriously to the heavens raising their hierarchical position. Right now, any of you can be one of them, with powers and sealed memories...
- Foolish! - said the young heir princess already tired of that speech by Mi Gu, her tutor. The princess was an impatient, rebellious young woman with the head of a girl starting her youth waiting for a good marriage. She seemed to ignore the fact of carrying Naran's throne on her back and one day, if the current king is missing, she will have to take responsibility for the people. However, for the total despair of her young tutor and all six states, Mei Yang was an airhead.
- Why do you say it is foolish, Dianxia*? The knowledge of the ancestors is precious.
-- There are no gods, no spirit. We are all flesh! My father says that these stories that are written in the old books of Naran's ancestors are nonsense to fool weak-minded men. - Mi Gu closed his eyes for a brief moment and rubbed his temple looking for the right words so as not to hurt the princess' inflated and sensitive ego.
- They are just stories, Dianxia*. Knowing about her ancestors is crucial for her development as Naran's future queen. She will have to govern with kindness, sincerity, impartiality. Everyone expects a lot from her reign. - Mei Yang rolled her eyes and folded her already tired parchment of the class and all that weight they always put on her back
- She does not need to know about these fallacies of gods. These are idiotic legends that ancient peoples, who had nothing to do, invented. The princess will inherit the throne and needs to be aware of the affairs of the state. On the other hand, will she rule Naran with a book of myths in her hands? - Amon, the eldest son of the king who almost never spoke during classes, finally pronounced himself. He was sitting on a mat woven with a lap table where his scrolls and brushes he rarely used. Amon always ignored Mi Gu's teachings on purpose, it was a way to show his disdain for the classes taught by someone of his same age. After all, Mi Gu, despite his young age, was a scholar and recognized by Naran's own king as a great sage, and that was enough for many young people, including Prince Amon, to despise him.
- Naran's ancestors had much wisdom to pass on. The princess will need all knowledge to be a gentle and sincere ruler, who knows that she can untie her eyes and see that there are enemies right beside her. - Mi Gu sustained the frivolous look of the first prince. Those words were totally directed at him.
- Learn from the same ancestors who believed there were spiritual dragons, gods who wandered the earth, fairies... - Amon let out a debauched laugh, took a sip of his water, and returned to his old state in class, total inertia and disinterest. Mi Gu breathed and looked at the other two younger sons of the king and smiled at them. Amon, of all three was the most troublesome, and always brought a certain dishonor to his home, wandering from state to state like a dying man looking for nightclubs sustaining his pleasure in vice and always denying the king's orders. It was lucky that he was still alive and smiling like a mocking air to those who lived around him, as if all were mere servants who should lick his feet and wash his back when it suits him.
After Amon's slight innuendo, the class ran quickly to the end. The day was calm, which was perfect for teaching the class, which are usually inside a warm and tight room. Outside, over the Pu xiang River Bridge, which came out of the walls of the Palace to all Naran brought a certain lightness and reflection to the teachings. That spring atmosphere laden with cherry trees surrounding all the magnificent dark, opaque and very well preserved wooden construction that formed the huge Palace of Naran was a way to soften their lessons that seemed dull for the three young people. The water running calmly under the bridge making a low, melodic sound in harmony with the songs of the native birds of the region gave peace to the heart of the young tutor. It was cheerful, warm as a mild sun on the harsh winter day.
Mi Gu saw when Mei Yang threw his things aside, fixed his pink silk dress with small embroideries of flowers from the valley and on his back he displayed the embroidery of the sun and the moon*, symbol of imperial clarity. Fixed his wooden stick with small red stones that partially sustained his long black hair drained, and prepared to go out, but before he held it.
- Where do you think you are going, dianxia? - The princess snitched for the young tutor - her father gave express orders for her to attend the council meeting. Naran's state is the strongest, fearless, richest and most powerful of all the six. How do you intend to govern if you do not know about government affairs?
- I will rule with kindness and gentleness in my heart, now let me go?
- Of course not! Anything you do now can wait. The meeting is about to begin.
- Why do I have to be the heir princess? Amon is the eldest, he can rule...
- You are the princess, your blood is the one chosen by the gods. Do you know what that means? Your mind has to be focused on your duty. Naran is not the only state that will depend on you. Once you assume the throne, you will know the weight of your responsibilities and you will thank me for dragging you to the council meeting. Do you know that we are on the verge of a war? Moreover, is Naran the main military power in all this? - Mei Yang rolled her eyes when she heard the word "war". If Naran's army was heading for a possible confrontation, it meant that...
- Mi Gu, who will Naran fight? - The young boy narrowed his eyes to the princess and her sudden interest in government affairs.
- There is not exactly, "with whom we will fight", remember that Naran is a nation with a great army; he could eliminate many if he wanted to. However, our job is to keep the balance in case there is a war.
- Does this mean that there will be no war in the palace if it is avoided?
- The State of Naki is our neighbor and trading partner, we supply our crops and in exchange, they supply us with iron for the production of our weapons. However, Naki State is weak, its military and economic power is inferior to other states such as Kase, which is large and strong and constantly attack the small piece of land nearby. Therefore, besides changing our cultivation, we also give military support to guard Naki's borders.
- Where does the war fit into all this? - Mei Yang seemed distressed and eager for answers.
- Do you remember what I taught you in our last classes, about the disunity of peoples? - The princess rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in a gesture of impatience. Mi Gu was over-winding that story and needed to know quickly about this possible war. - Disunity brings attacks, each state is on its own, even though Naran has most states as allies, Sunri, Kase and Yate are enemies. They are uniting against us and the main target now is Naki. The goal of these three states is to draw maximum strength from Naran, for then weaken our troops and our treasure. If this conflict cannot be resolved peacefully, we will go to war with Naki.
- No! - Mei Yang exclaimed in amazement. If there were a war, everyone would go to the battlefield and might not return. - There cannot be a war! What can I do so that it will not happen? - Mi Gu for a moment smiled at the princess' determination to stop a war, but that confrontation was far from her hands. It was a conflict between states that hated each other long before she was born, and possibly that confrontation could not be stopped, and in the wise vision of the guardian, all that would generate another war and could bring all the peace they have lived for the last twenty years, through the rubble.
- You are the future queen of Naran, look for answers here - Mi Gu pointed the finger to the princess's head - There is nothing better than a good thinking mind, but never forget the heart.
Sounds of laughter caught Mei Yang's attention. The princess felt her heart jump inside her chest in a phenomenal way. That thick and beautiful laughter that echoed like very beautiful songs could easily be recognized in any corner of the world. It was he, it was him.
- Mi Gu - the strong and smiling figure of General Qiang Mao suddenly appeared between the tutor and Mei Yang bowing briefly, leaving the princess completely shaken.
Qiang Mao was still the same after three years guarding Naran's border. His easy smile and invasive personality pleased everyone where he arrived. Those black eyes, which shone with each spoken word, seemed to shine his manly and calm face, his light shapes, as his elegant posture seemed to draw perfectly with his long straight hair stuck in a bun hairstyle with a gold clamp forming a dragon, symbol of Naran's sovereignty. Qiang Mao was an elite man and too much desired by the most beautiful women of all states. In addition, that was no different with Mei Yang. Only with the way, he faced the general made clear his intense love.
- Qiang Mao, how long... Do not tell me you are here just for the closing festivities?
- Let's say I am here for that and a few extra things. - Qiang Mao smiled disconcerted and fixed his black cloak attached to his shoulders by the golden armor and made a brief nod to Mi Gu before leaving, but a hand held the tip of his cloak making him stagnate on the way. When the general turned and realized that the person pulling his cape was a well-dressed child with extremely delicate beauty and light hands, he truly smiled leaving his most beautiful shapes than usual. Then, his eyes fixed on the embroidered design on his robes, the sun wrapped around the moon almost fusing into one. Qiang Mao knew at the same instant that it was that child, the Heiress Princess. - Yang'Er, how long, you are a grown up
- Really? - Mei Yang's face burned now, the simple presence of Qiang Mao made her sigh. Now that he was back, she could not react before his presence.
- Yes, but now I have to go, later I play with you. - Qiang Mao squeezed the princess' cheeks in a comical way and smiled moving away with his troop. Surely, he was walking towards the council meeting to notify personally the king of border events in the last three years in which he stayed away.
Mei Yang stood like a statue staring at the tall, strong figure of Qiang Mao disappearing through the palace gates. Her heart was still beating with despair at the return of her childhood love, however, to her eternal shame, he only saw her as a foolish child.
- Now I understood her worries about the war - Mi Gu bent down a bit until he was face to face with her and smiled from corner to corner revealing dimples that she had never noticed. - Dianxia is in love with the general.
- I-I? N-no! N-never! - Mei Yang shook her hand in the air in a gesture of discomfort. Her intentions towards the general were obvious, but his intentions towards her were even clearer.
- Dianxia, focus only on your duty to the throne, which is the most important thing now. - Mei Yang faced Mi Gu walking slowly towards the council hall and followed him. She had to focus on her duty, but she did not want the throne. It was unfair to her to make her have something she did not want!
As soon as the two of them crossed the flowery courtyard with the lake full of ducks. That was coming out beside the palace giving a terrifying vision in the sunny morning; Mei Yang sighed and climbed the long wooden stairs with light red details that matched perfectly with the roof, the colors of Naran's empire, the symbol of the red Dragon of honor and virtue. Moreover, when he stopped in front of the golden door of the hall, a guard dressed in black holding a spear opened announcing his presence.
- It is the first time you come to a meeting. So, do whatever I do - the princess agreed to Mi Gu's words and in shy steps by the presence of several nobles of Naran, Mei Yang entered.
From afar, above a cherry tree, another figure watched the scene smiling. It was abnormal to see the princess of the ghost kingdom terrified of mere mortals. Now that was Mei Yang's life on earth.
She had spent so much time watching her earthly life, from her birth thirteen mortal years ago, to her frightened entrance through the doors of the council hall a few seconds away that she even forgot that the girl was her friend who was going through an ordeal.
- Until when will you protect this murderer? - The goddess of the earth approached with her sweet and vivid presence bringing a little calm to Ch'eng Huang's perplexed mind.
- She is not a murderer, and I will prove her innocence.
- Thirteen earthly years have passed, thirteen days in heaven, and nothing of the young goddess's ordeal has begun. After all, when will she start her torment?
- Soon, and I think today is the initial spark to start her ordeal. - Ch'eng Huang took a small bottle made of clay with wine and took a sip facing the hall door again.
- Why doesn't he return to the skies? To admire the human life of a degenerate must not be pleasant at all. - The goddess sneaked up and hugged him from behind. Ch'eng felt his body vibrating as if he had received an enormous charge, but he walked away.
- I like to admire Yang'Er's innocence, to see her in a purely human state as if everything she had lived was just a terrible nightmare... It is fascinating. It reminds me of the silly, happy little girl she was once.
The goddess of the earth took small steps back without believing she was being rejected. Soon she was!
Ch'eng Huang heard the woman behind him snorting and before she left like a cloud of smoke, she gave him a push almost unbalancing him. Ch'eng Huang looked angryly back, but the goddess was no longer there. Now she was alone, could breathe relieved and concentrate on her duty. Keep Yang'Er safe.
However, her ordeal was approaching and he could keep her safe from the dangers around, yet he could not keep her safe from his own future thoughts.
Chapter notes:
The symbol of the sun and the moon was very common in dynasties, the symbol of the king's strength. The embraced sun and moon means imperial clarity, that is, the just and strong empire, blessed by the gods. That is why the royal family bordered this symbol on their clothes, as well as the dragon, which was the ultimate symbol of the emperor's power.
Dianxia: Highness
Yang 'Er: Mei Yang's Nickname