PREPARATIONS FOR THE BANQUET
"Xiao Hei...." Wei Cheng squealed excitedly. "Did you see that? Did you see how my plan worked?" She grinned like she had just won a lottery.
Xiao Hei was bent over a basket of berries that was set on a stool for sale just beside the tea shop. He was still in his fox form and was eating away without care.
"Xiao Hei." She yelled. "What are you doing?"
His head snapped up immediately, he dropped the berries in his hand and cowered immediately.
"Stop being a naughty and sly fox. Get here now." She glared at him before turning to leave.
Xiao Hei turned to go back to the basket of fruits, "Xiao Hei!"
He quickly snapped a branch and hid before running after her.
"Now one step done. You need a better scolding."
...
Back in her inn room, Wei Lian sat on her bed staring at the repentant Xiao Hei. He was now in his human form and his head was bent. He knelt down with his hands in between his knees.
"We barely have enough money to survive till the week finishes and you are out there stealing berries? What if the owner catches you? How are you going to pay?" She scolded the stubborn fox.
She tried to lower her voice as much as possible. It would be risky if she was heard.
"Now get up." Xiao Hei did and sat down on the stool in the room. "I have already said this, but step one is done. We have to find a way to make sure that we ace the selection tomorrow." She grinned.
"Hmm." The fox acted as though he did not care.
"What was that? Don't you give me those cold vibes again. Or else, I will cut off your fox tail and send you back to Qingyun and send for Mei Lin instead." Her voice was harsh.
She heard him sniff. He had his way of being dramatic and she could never trust him in times like this. He has always been loyal to her but when it lowered down to their personal relationship, he was never to be trusted.
"Are you crying?" She asked. No answer.
"Xiao Hei." She was now squatting beside him.
He lifted his face and immediately tore her neck with his nails. He left four straight but not deep wounds on her neck just close to her ear.
"Ahhh!" Lian's scream rang out through the whole inn.
YINGYUE PALACE, MOIYING VALLEY
"Warrior Yue," Princess Li Hua called with a smile as he approached the garden area.
"Welcome." She said, There were tears in her eyes. She quickly turned and wiped them off. She was looking at a bed of dead flowers.
Long Yue beheld the garden for a while. He had been wondering why she had suddenly summoned him to the palace and it was no doubt that the discussion was going to be about the only way to awaken these flowers.
The golden rain.
"Her majesty." He courtesied respectfully. Although he was the greatest warrior in the whole of Moiying Valley, he was still answerable to the royal house. And he swore loyalty to the royals forever.
"You asked for me, Princess."
"Look at this." She pointed at the bed of dead flowers. "Look at the fallen petals of the rose. They were once blossoming and spreading sweet scent over the whole garden." She smiled sadly as she reminisced.
"I used to sit down right there, under that tree." She turned to another side of the garden and pointed to the tree.
"I played my zither under its flowing branches, but now they are all gone. All that is left are twigs. And you know why, don't you?"
"Princess..."
"Don't you? Answer me with a yes or no." She finally turned to face him.
Her white flowing gown had purple stripes on the side. She wore ornaments and pearls on her hands and a single pearl necklace that had a golden pendant on her neck. Her hair was all dotted back perfectly and gingerly made and held in place with a glassy hairpin.
She had garlands and flower pins of all types in her hair. She was very beautiful and was rarely seen. She always wore a veil over half of her face. Only a few knew what she really looked like and one of those who knew was Long Yue.
"Yes." The warrior finally answered.
"We need the golden rain, Warrior Yue. That's the only thing that we need. And everything will prosper just like before."
Long Yue had been told of how important the golden rain was to the Moiying Valley nation. And that was why he had always risked his life to fight for it.
"But your princess, you know the competition..."
"Equal share." She interrupted him. She walked off to sit on the chair in the garden. In front of it was a table and two cups. There was a small serving kettle. She poured out tea for both of them.
"Come, sit."
Long Yue didn't argue.
"We need to restore the competition to what it was before. We all need a share of the golden rain and that would help even the lower nations to flourish. That is how it has always been."
"Do you think that that is possible?"
Princess Hua had always loved Long Yue. According to her, he was the only man who could understand everything she said and did without her having to stress herself explaining.
"There is nothing that is not possible. Back in the days, the competition was always fair and the rain was always distributed equally among all the nations until some greedy nations decided that it was going to be only for themselves." She smiled and sipped her tea slowly.
Long Yue scrutinised her with his eyes. He picked up the tea and sniffed it a bit before dropping it down again.
"I forgot that you do not eat what others give you. I brewed the tea and made it myself. If that will arouse your interest in considering my efforts."
"Your Highness, I..."
"My father will soon send for you." She interrupted him, not letting him finish. "He will ask for the plans that you and I are making for the tournament. What are you going to say?"
Long Yue sighed and reclined back into his chair. He had refused to leave his house to train with the young warriors of each clan. According to him, he has passed that stage.
"I will assume that you are smart enough to know what to say, Warrior Yue. And I heard that Wei Cheng failed in the clan rounds."
Long Yue nodded.
"It's a pity. He is such a great Warrior and failing means that something happened. But on the other side, it is to our utmost advantage since he is our strongest opponent. Warrior Yue."
"Your Highness.."
"According to Grandma Xun, you were at Qingyun Sect during the rounds. Did you notice anything unusual? About the crown prince's movements? Could it be that he was a clone?"
Her eyes were now on Long Yue. She had large ivory eyes that glistened. They made her features more outstanding.
"You won't say right? We are a team, Long Yue. But anyways, you may leave."
Long Yue sighed before standing up to bow to the Princess. "And one more thing, the banquet is coming up, send your attendants request to the Ivory house. Madam Chen warned against delay."