Departure to war again

Getting one last glance of her home. As Ying Yue turns away, she hears someone call out to her. Regretfully. that person turned out to be her father.

"Ying Yue."

Ying Yue wanted to leave before seeing the face of anyone she disliked. With a heavy sigh she forces herself to turn around and face her father.

"Sigh....yes, what is it father?"

"I heard from the emperor you're being sent back out to the northern borders?"

"Yes, father. While I am away father be sure to take care of my mother well. The emperor has already granted protection on mother. Be sure to not get on his bad side, father."

"You dare use that tone?! Don't forget who got you to where you are now!"

In all the seventeen years of her life, Ying Yue had never spoken up against her father. She was reaching her limit of patience with everything and everyone at this rate. Ready to burst, Ying Yue knew she was much stronger than her father in regards to war tactics, martial arts and swordsmanship. Being sent off to war with a chance of not coming home alive she had nothing to lose.

"Don't make it sound like I had a choice! Growing up you never once asked me what I wanted to do. What makes you think I like being sent off to war? Am I not your daughter too?!"

Lashing out her years of frustration caught her father off guard. Ying Yue trying to fight back her tears. In the heated moment, there was now just silence. Ying Yue knew her father was mad, seeing his face bright red and a clenched fist, but she had nothing to lose. She was stronger now.

"Ying Yue! Is this how you treat your father?! How has your mother raised you all these years?!"

"Mother has nothing to do with it! If you want to blame someone blame yourself! You pushed me onto this path, so don't you dare blame mother!"

Glaring at each other, eye to eye. With voices so loud it woke up the residence. Not before long Ying Yue was greeted by her step mother and half-sister. Ying Yues step mother and half-sister Jia Li came out in their night gowns. Made of silk and the finest embroidery only. Even for something as simple as something to sleep in, Ying Yues father made sure only they had the best. Before anyone could speak, Ying Yue's step mother Ma Dai spoke out.

"Ying Yue, why are you causing a ruckus this late at night! Are you not embarrassed?!"

"It's none of your concern, you're the last person I want to see lecturing me."

"Ying Yue! How dare you say that to my mother!"

Screaming at the top of her lungs, Ying Yues half-sister Jia Li felt it was her turn to speak. Rolling her eyes, Ying Yue was done arguing with people who meant nothing to her. Before leaving she warned everyone to not bother her mother or harm her.

"Ah yes, keep in mind while I am gone to not do anything stupid to my mother. Chunhua will be assigned to taking care of her needs while I am away."

"Bah don't worry, no one wants anything to do with that women. There's not a single thing appealing about her. I don't even know why father allows her to remain in the mansion."

Trying to act tough in front of father, Jia Li started spouting derogatory nonsense. Jia Li has always been fathers favorite. She was always spoiled, got the best of clothing, best teachers, and in the eyes of strangers was a beauty with her pale skin, long lashes, translucent skin and rosy lips. With a deep sigh, Ying Yue clenches her fist.

"Jia Li, just know that if anything happens to mother. The first person I'm coming back for, will be you."

"I'm so scared. Ha! You should be grateful you and your mother aren't on the streets. Your mother may be the first madam, but not anymore. My mother has taken over the duties as the wife of the house."

"I suggest you stop where you are at right now Jia Li. Do not push me, or you won't like what I do."

"What can you even do? What I said was not wrong either. Your mother may be a noble, but in her current condition she should just quickly die already. Why bother staying alive, when she can't do anything?"

Ying Yue had enough, she finally snapped. She slowly pulled out her sword that was given to her by the emperor. This sword was made from the finest iron, the handle itself was made from gold entirely. It was a beautiful sword indeed. Ying Yue received the sword from the emperor after winning the last war as a gift. The sword also gave Ying Yue permission to kill anyone who threatened her and the kingdom without trial.

Jia Li froze in that instant. She knew she couldn't push Ying Yue too far as there was no one on site that could match her. Jia Li slowly moves to hide behind father. Ying Yues father had to speak out to stop Ying Yue from harming Jia Li.

"Ying Yue! That's enough! She is your sister! Put away that sword before you harm someone with it!"

"I pulled this sword out to teach her a lesson. If I were to kill her now, the emperor himself would not be able to punish me for it. I will forgive her for insulting my mother if she gets on her knees and begs me to spare her life."

"Ha! I didn't say anything wrong! Why should I apologize?!"

Ying Yue walked closer to Jia Li. Only a few feet away at this point. Everytime Ying Yue moved closed, Jia Li would take a step back.

"Jia Li, let me remind you that your mother is nothing, but a commoner. Inside your veins may run my father's blood, but your mother is still a commoner. Should I remind you of what your mother was doing before she married my father? Ah, that's right. She was a prostitute from the whore house. Only my father would allow himself to fall prey to such a stupid tactic in the first place. He only married your mother, because she fell pregnant with you. The Yang household has no sons, because your mother couldn't bear the pain and refuses to have another child, isn't that right?"

"You! How dare you call my mother a whore! She may be a commoner, but she is now the lady of the house! Come on mother, you must say something!"

Ying Yue knew her step mother Ma Dai wouldn't be able to say anything. Everything Ying Yue said was true. She was a prostitute that got pregnant on accident with marquis Zi Wei Yangs child. To make matters worse she was a commoner, she had no status. She was a nobody, but she still chased after Ying Yues father since she knew he was a marquis. He was her ticket out of poverty.

"That's enough Jia Li! You're embarrassing me! Have everything I've taught you mean nothing?!"

"What?! Mother she is insulting us!"

"Ying Yue is insulting us, because you started it! Now be quiet before someone sees you acting like this. Ying Yue please forgive your sister."

Jia Lis mother tries to walk towards Ying Yue, only to be stopped by Ying Yues sword now pointing at her.

"I've never once thought of Jia Li as my sister. Why should I listen to you?"

Ying Yue now points her sword at Jia Li again. Ying Yues father marquis Zi Wei Yang knew that Ying Yue was not joking. Ying Yue was a general and spilling blood was nothing new to her. Ying Yues father then forced Jia Li to apologize on her knees.

"Jia Li Yang! On your knees!"

Jia Li scrambled to the floor. With both her knees and hands on the floor Jia Li repeatedly apologized to Ying Yue.

"I'm sorry sister Ying Yue. What I said was out of line and unnecessary. Please look at the fact that we are sisters and forgive me."

"You do well to remember your place Jia Li Yang."

Ying Yue puts away her sword. Without saying anything else, Ying Yue glares one last time at Jia Li before turning to leave. Feeling satisfied Ying Yue finally hops on her horse and makes her way towards the royal palace.

Ying Yue arrives and is greeted by Bolin and her troops. Ying Yue hates to admit it, but being on the battlefield made her feel alive. Over ten thousand men had gather for the war at the northern border. Ready to set out on Ying Yues command. After a moment of silence, Ying Yue breaks the silence with some encouragement.

"My brothers, know that this war will be unlike any other, you must prepare yourself. Never turn your back on the enemy and fight with everything you've got. Some of you may not return, and those who do will receive honor. But for the fallen brothers I swear upon my name Ying Yue Yang that your family and loved ones left behind are well taken care of!"

Hearing such a speech from their general, everyone was in an uproar. The soldiers were ready, ready to fight and die for their country and people. Ying Yue led the troops with Bolin by her side as her right-hand man.

A day into the travel the troops stops for the night. Lost in thought Ying Yue had remembered she forgot to lock up her letters from the crown prince away. She had left them under the pillow since she was re-reading them the night before. Ying Yue thought nothing much of it. No one really goes into her room in the first place, not even maids. Ying Yue whispers to herself to calm herself.

"Oh well, not like anyone goes into my room anyways."

Bolin nearby heard and wanted to know what was bothering Ying Yue. Bolin was known for his sharp hearing. Hence making him good for the battlefield. Ying Yue twirling her thin thumbs together, unlike others Ying Yue had rough hands, from wars and countless training hours. Bolin still worried about the tired Ying Yue slowly walks to her.

"Ying Yue? What's wrong?'

Ying Yue snaps out of her daze instantly after hearing Bolin call her, Looking up at Bolin this time.

"Ah, it's nothing Bolin. I just remembered I had left some documents out at home. I left so quick I forgot to lock them up properly. It's nothing much, don't worry about it."

"Well...I guess if you say so, want something to eat? It's getting late."

"Sure, I'll take some porridge. Make sure all the men get some before me."

Bolin comes and sits next to the tired-out Ying Yue by the fire place. He brings her a bowl of rice porridge and chicken. In the midst of their travels, Ying Yue sister Jia Li had other things planned. Jia Li had a hobby of walking around the mansion whenever she was bored. Jia Li would have her maid Nanjing go with her on her little adventures. After what happened the other day, Jia Li was still holding a grudge. She wanted to find anything she could to use against Ying Yue while she was still away. Jia Li and her maid Nanjing decided to break into Ying Yue bedroom. There they both discovered the stash of notes and poems Ying Yue had forgotten to place away as she left in a hurry.

"Gasp....Oh my god! Nanjing! Do you see what I'm seeing?!"

Ying Yue worse nightmare had become a reality, of all the people to discover her secret it had to be Jia Li. Jia Li still in shock of what she had discovered. It was love letters and poems from a man. Jia Li did not know who the man was either as Ying Yue was using pen names.

"Nanjing, I can't believe that Ying Yue actually has someone like this. I thought she wasn't interested in marriage or anything other than war. Ha!"

"My lady look at this one! It mentions meeting up."

Jia Li snatches the letter out of her maids' hand, reading detail after detail. Making sure she doesn't miss anything, thinking to herself how fun it would be to meet this person and take away what little happiness Ying Yue had.

"Ha Ha the gods are on my side Nanjing! This is the gods telling me to get my revenge!"

"My lady, what are you planning to do?"

"Nanjing why are you so stupid? Obviously, I'm going to go meet this man and take him away from Ying Yue before she even knows it."

"But my lady...what if he turns out to be a bad man?"

"Nanjing, not just any man can write such sweet poems. Look Nanjing! This one talks about the snow in the winter, of how they long to see each other in the spring. Isn't that just romantic?! They have to be educated and a noble."

Nanjing has never seen such a look on her lady's face. Full of excitement Jia Li leaps into the air. Grabbing poems after poems and reading them. Blushing right and left from reading the letters, Jia Li was already falling for this mystery man.

"Nanjing, looks like I will be meeting a man tomorrow in the afternoon under the cherry tree in the national park by the lake. Hah! God truly is on my side; help prepare my finest dress tonight."

"Yes, my lady."

Meanwhile, Ying Yue was sitting miles away from home. Looking under the stars wishing she was back home. She wished she had the courage to tell the crown prince who she was, but Ying Yue was always in men garments, bloody or sweaty from training. She had bought her first dress, and hair ornaments that she was going to wear for their first meeting. That is all, but a dream now. Unable to rest, Ying Yue walks out of her tent and towards Bolin.

"Bolin, are you still awake?"

Bolin half awake, opening one of his eyes to see who was calling him. When he noticed it was Ying Yue, Bolin forces himself up.

"Ying Yue, what's wrong?"

"I can't sleep, I wanted someone to chatter with me a bit."

"What's bothering you Ying Yue? Are you worried about the war?"

"I'm just worried...I don't have a good feeling about this war. The enemies are the nomads living two mountains away, they are unpredictable, but with how the weathers been, they are probably desperate."

"Well the neighboring kingdom Zin did take almost half their lands from the last war. Food and water are limited enough as it is, with the recent drought. Don't worry too much Ying Yue."

"Bolin, this is random. I know it's going to sound weird, but do you remember that story my mother told us when we were kids?"

"Uh...You mean the dragon emperor one? I kind of do, why?"

"I am just worried.... what if that legend comes back?"

"Hah? That's not possible. It's been over five hundred years now, why would it come back now? Makes no sense Ying Yue."

"I mean, think about it Bolin. I've heard reports from people that live on the outskirts of the capital that their animals have been going crazy or dying for no reason."

"Okay Ying Yue, slow down there. It's not the curse, I'm sure someone poisoned the animals or something."

"Oh yeah? Then explain why there's a lack of food right now? Crops aren't growing at the rate they normally should."

"I'm sorry Ying Yue. I want to believe you, but that all just sounds crazy to me. I'm sure there's a logic behind all the recent events."

"Sigh...you're right. I'm probably overthinking Bolin. Sorry to bother you so late at night. Rest well, we have a lot of travel to do in the morning."

"Alright, you too Ying Yue."

Bolin starts to doze off once again as Ying Yues figure disappears into the night. Ying Yue heads back to her tent, whispering to herself that she's just overthinking. Ying Yue shakes her head back and forth, silently praying for everything to just pass quick. Trying to not overthink. Ying Yue then forces herself to get some sleep.

Day breaks and the troops are refreshing themselves and getting ready to head out. Ying Yue forces herself to get up. After refreshing up, Ying Yue leaves her tents and makes her way to Bolin and the troops.

"Listen up everyone, we have a lot of miles to cover today. Our goal is to reach the northern border in the next sixteen days. We need to pick up the pace!"

Meanwhile Ying Yue's half-sister, Jia Li was getting ready to go meet the mysterious man. Posing as Ying Yue, Jia Li was filled with excitement. For they both used pen names in their letters and poems, so not even their real names were known in the letters.