Bab 3: Encountering Assassins

Just when Shurei's entourage was about to leave, they felt there were almost fifty dark clothed people with various weapons hiding in the trees nearby.

That's a lot of assassins!

Xing asked the bridal party to go back to the village. Just as they left, she saw two young men coming out of the village in horses one wearing black robes and the other deep blue . Both of them realised the assassins are waiting for those young men and the man in blue realised it too as he got alert. The one in blue was tall and burly and reminded her of one of her heros she saw tears back - the Great General. Could this one be his son?

If so who is the other one with him? Xing looked at the one in black clothes and raven black hair but the shoes he wore gave him away. How amusing!

Haru also realised the situation and both of them got ready by placing their hands in the hilts of their sword. Xing shouted "There are assassins, protect your Lord", at the same time one of the assassins shouted, " It's him, the one in black. Kill him.. Kill them both… ".

As soon as he said that all the men jumped down and started wielding their weapons.

Xing told the one in blue "Take your Lord to the back. We two can handle these bastards". The man in blue reluctantly agreed and stepped back with his 'master' .

The head of the assassins grinned and said, "So you are the infamous Crimson Jade Brothers .. What a lame name.. ", he chuckled. Xing and Haru looked at each other and laughed.

Xing said," Whaaat? How is it lame? I'm Lord Táng( Crimson), he is Young Master Yu( Jade) and we are sworn brothers. So the name fits.. It's you who are lame", she mocked them.

Haru nodded and said, " Lord Táng is right. But.. First things first, aren't you guys assassins, then try to assassinate ". Saying this both unsheathed their sword .

Both of them stood back to back and the men started attacking. Those two young men watched those two fight in unison from the sidelines . The brothers moved together scattering hurt assassins around them. That didn't look like a sword fight more like a couple dancing with swords. They attacked with such speed and no kind of weapon could stand against their swords and with one strike they immobilised the enemy. This was an unusual technique, rather than strength and brute force, they were using speed and precision and they spared their lives. This kind of technique could not have been easily achieved. They should be experts. The watchful eyes of the black robed man, followed their every moves.

That's when the black robed man noticed a strange thing, the red clothed one waved his sword while an assassin clearly two feet away from the sword tip got slashed. It was like the wind slashed him.

The black robed one pulled the sleeves of the blue robed one and screamed, "Did you see that..?" But seeing the other man's mad face that clearly said, I'll - kill - you- myself- if - only- you- were - not- my - master, he swallowed his words and silently watched. Just in fifteen minutes all the assassins were immobilised with the duo standing in the middle with not a single drop of sweat or blood on their clothes. They casually wiped the blood off their swords and put them in their sheaths. All the assassins were scattered around groaning in pain.

While Haru went to assure the safety of the two young men Xing asked the leader of the assasins, " What stupid breed of assassins are you? why are you behaving like bandits, stealing, not paying for food and most importantly molesting women…. Really.. Who gave you permission to touch my women…. Being an assassin is a shame itself, but you had to be stupid bastards too.. Aren't assassins supposed to come and go without making a commotion? Who attacks in broad daylight? You really should learn from the Snow Wolf. You know what they say about him right? His prey's last memory would be a white flash.. They don't know what hit them. Now that's skill.. So now tell me who are you here to assassinate ?, saying this she grabbed the man standing in his knees by his hair, leaned and asked him in a deep voice clenching her teeth, " Answer me", the assassin looked at her eyes through the mask looking like a bottomless abyss and shuddered, " wa.. Water Kingdom's Emperor", he replied.

Seeing her interrogate him those two men came near with Haru. "Water Emperor?", Xing laughed," This one's clearly the Wind Emperor…. also what would be the Water emperor doing in the Wind Kingdom? Whose idea is to send such idiots to assassinate an Emperor?, saying this she dropped him down and put her shoes on his cheeks, " I don't care about that at all, I'll ask you the important question…. are you the one who tried to violate the tea shop owner's daughter? Did you think the women here are unprotected?", she then rubbed his face on the dirt with her shoes.

When the topic changed the man in the blue robe with a white jade pendant hanging in his waist tried to say something when the people from the village arrived.

"This is the one who broke in our home yesterday" the old tea shop owner said, " Lord Táng, you should punish him heavily, He dared to touch my daughter".

" I know", she said turning to Haru, " What should we do?".

The man in blue tried to talk when Haru raised his hand signalling him to shut up which made the man bewildered. He was never treated this way before, while the emperor behind him snickered. Haru didn't care about them, turned towards Xing and said,

"We haven't given the monkeys their playthings for a while, let's give him to them, he's their type. If he wants to touch women without permission, he'll be touched without his permission too. Isn't it how it is always.. ", for which the village people agreed.

The man in the dirt pleaded for help to the village people and they didn't bother him and they started leaving one by one.

The man in blue, losing his patience raised his voice and said, " You cannot give him to monkeys.. Or whatever. He belongs to us. He tried to assassinate my Lord and he needs to be interrogated..Stop hindering us".

Xing removed the cloth covering her mouth and whistled loudly. A big gorilla came down from the mountain. She knew the imperial soldiers will approach soon.

The mountain is a mysterious place home to many mysterious beings. The One who took the form of the gorilla is a race from the demon realm who lived in the mountains.

They are nymphs and they didn't care about gender as long as they are human. Previously the villagers 'offered' sacrifices to these demon race but Xing and Haru started offering them molesters and assassins they catch and it became a new law there. It greatly reduced the molesters in the area too.

She smirked looking at the blue robed man and said, " I don't care about your rules. He tried to touch our woman and he has to pay. Also there are other assassins , you can interrogate them to your heart's content".

" But he is their leader. He will know more than others…. ",He was talking when the gorilla neared them.

The man in blue quickly got in front of the Emperor as to protect him. The emperor looked at the scene unfolding with awe and amusement. This trip is definitely worth it!

Xing told the man in blue, " If you really need him, you can get him in couple of hours at sunset".

Saying this she looked at the gorilla and said, " Dear, you can have him till sunset. But you have to return him alive and able to talk. Understand?".

The gorilla picked the screaming man and pouted hearing he had to be returned. Then she repeated, poking her finger at the monkey, " Remember.. Sunset.. Alive.. Talking".

The gorilla nodded in agreement and disappeared with the man in the mountains.

" You…. What… "the shocked blue robed man stuttered who was then interrupted by the emperor, " Enough Zhong Huojin, like Lord Táng said he'll be returned at sunset. ".

"So this is the first son of the Great General Zhong?", Xing smiled , I would like to meet the Great General though. While, Huojin started lecturing the emperor how his reckless behaviour put him in danger in many words. This scene made Xing remember her mother when scolding her for getting home late and she smiled.

While this was going on, a young girl from the village appeared in front of Xing, pulled her by the collar and kissed her in the mouth, leaving everyone bewildered and the Emperor blushing .

Haru pushed the girl aside and started scolding Xing, " You shameless pig, what are you doing? doing inappropriate things in public, shameless…. ".

"Whaaat?, it was she who kissed me.. ", Xing pouted pointing at the girl.

The girl giggled," Sorry Lord Táng, I didn't mean to do it in public, but I'm getting married tomorrow and everyone in the village asked to kiss you for good luck. They said if I kissed you I'll get a boy baby within a year of my marriage. ". Saying this she ran away as the wind.

Xing wiped her lips in her sleeves and said, "I'm pretty sure you spread this rumour Haru, wait till I get proof.. Even girls from other towns do this. How would kissing me the day before their wedding give them boy baby huh, shouldn't they…", but she was interrupted by Haru, " why would I make such rumour..? I'm not stupid ".

During this commotion the guards came and they arrested the remaining assassins. Those assassins were happy for not being handed to the gorilla and happily went with the guards. Xing wanted to mock the lieutenant like usual but because of the emperor's presence she decided to spare him. He's a good man,he can live.

Huojin whose head was splitting with headache went over to the lieutenant to give further instructions. Xing asked Haru to return to the village to take care of Shurei. Seeing that Xing has planned to do something regarding his family's situation, he whispered in her ears not to do anything stupid and left. Because Haru knows the stubborn Xing never listens to anyone once decided, he had no choice but to leave.