Accursed Beauty

“You’d better unpack!” Cao Pi shouted as he lunged forward.

“Why? I’ll be leaving in a few minutes!” Zhen Ji retorted as she blocked Cao Pi’s attacks with finesse.

And so the duel had begun. Cao Pi moved swiftly around, attacking. Zhen Ji blocked all his attacks, looking quite bored. She blocked as Cao Pi lunged, side slashed, swung left, swung right, and slashed down.

Then she took the initiative. Blocking a slash, she lunged at Cao Pi who only just managed to block it in time. Then she attacked viciously, slashing and stabbing, Cao Pi blocking each attack just before it struck him. Then she stopped and looked at him, waiting for him to attack. As Cao Pi obliged and lunged, aiming for her heart, she effortlessly blocked and side stepped to her left, and as Cao Pi moved past her she stuck her foot out, and he fell roughly to the floor, his sword flew out of his hands and embedded itself in a soldier’s foot.

Cao Pi hastily got up but before he could move Zhen Ji had the tip of the rapier against his throat.

“Now can we go?” asked Zhen Ji, a sweetly evil smile on her face.

“O-o… Open the gates!” stuttered Cao Pi, in shock as to how he was beaten by a woman.

As Zhen Ji walked back to her horse but she heard someone pushing through the crowd, so she stopped.

“Lady Zhen Ji, I think I may prove more of a challenge. Duel me.”

‘Just as I thought’. Zhen Ji smiled at the bravery of this man. She started to turn to face him, but stopped.

Still looking in the direction of her horse, the gates, and her freedom, she stated clearly, “I’m not in the mood for another duel. Tong Xia,” she turned to face her bodyguard, “show this general, and this army, why Yuan Shao’s forces are scared of us.”

As tong Xia walked up to claim her weapon, she smirked. “Let me guess, don’t kill him.”

Zhen Ji laughed, an evil smile playing on her lips. “Just hurt him a bit.”

Tong Xia walked up and raised her weapon. “I hope duelling me instead isn’t going to be a disappointment.”

“I don’t mind, at least I get to beat one of you today.”

“Brother, what are you doing?” Xiahou Yuan asked angrily.

“Do not worry, I’ll be fine.” Xiahou Dun replied, before attacking Tong Xia.

Their duel lasted two minutes, and it was much the same as Zhen Ji and Cao Pi’s. Xiahou Dun attacked; Tong Xia defended then moved around him and kicked him in the back, sending tum tumbling to the ground, sprawled out on his back. His scimitar flew out of his hands and into the chest of some poor lieutenant.

“Not so obnoxious now, are you?” Tong Xia sneered at the Wei general, lying in the dirt.

“Tong Xia! We must be going. We have a lot of ground to cover before daybreak.” Zhen Ji called.

Tong Xia mounted her horse and together with Zhen Ji and the two Qiaos, she rode out of the Wei encampment and into the night.

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Dawn, and Zhen Ji, Tong Xia, Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao were walking up the steep path on the side of the mountain that led to the caves where her family and the other villagers had sought refuge after the bandits had burned down the village.

“What’s your plan, Ji? We can’t defeat the entire Yuan army by ourselves. The Qiaos haven’t even got weapons.” Tong Xia stated, walking in front of Zhen Ji and stopping, successfully impeding their hike.

“Tong Xia, I realise the predicament we are in, and I don’t have a plan as yet. How we are going to stop the Yuan family, I don’t know, but as for the weapon-less Qiaos, I have many weapons. I was trained to fight by my father, who brought a weapon home with him every time he came home from battle, so I’m sure we will find the young girls weapons. Now would you kindly move so we can get to our destination and rest?” Zhen Ji was tired, but refrained from shouting at her friend and bodyguard.

“So, the four of us are going to take on a massive army?” Da Qiao quickened her pace to walk next to Zhen Ji, as did her sister, for they had been walking a little behind the rest.

“Basically.” Zhen Ji replied.
“But… we won’t stand a chance!” The normally cheerful and carefree Xiao Qiao had joined the conversation. “I know you two are good, but even then we need an army too. Otherwise we’ll never win.”

“I have to say I agree with my sister, we can’t defeat an army all by ourselves.” Da Qiao was looking concerned.

“Who said anything about facing the entire army?” Zhen Ji stopped, a perfect plan forming in her mind. She turned to the two Qiaos. “I need you two to promise me something.”

“What?” Both girls asked in unison.

“I need you to trust me, and go along with anything and everything that happens. Even if it puts you in a compromising situation, I need you to trust that it is will benefit you in the long run.”

“Is that all you want us to do?” The younger Qiao asked.

“That’s all.”

“Well… you did save us from being handed over to Dong Zhuo, so sure, I guess we can trust you.” Da Qiao said.

“With your lives?” Zhen Ji asked solemnly.

“With our lives!” The two answered in unison.

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They reached the caves where the villagers were and Zhen Ji saw her family again. After they had rested and caught up on old times, Zhen Ji asked her parents where her weapons were.

“Well,” Zhen Ren, Zhen Ji’s father began, “the bandit attack took us completely by surprise. I’m so sorry, but all your weapons were destroyed in the fire.”

“What?” Zhen Ji’s eyes widened in shock.

“All except these.” Zhen Ren hastily added, walking over to the dark corner and came back with two giant pairs of fans. The first pair were blood red, with a lotus flower with a green centre on either side of the fans.

“True Beauty.” Zhen Ji took the fans from her father and gave the Da Da Qiao.

“True Grace.” Tong Xia took the other fans and handed them to Xiao Qiao. These fans were sky blue, with a red flower containing a blue jewel on either side.

“Wow.” Da Qiao gazed at the fans in awe.

“I’ve never used fans this good before!!” Xiao Qiao was jubilant.

“Thank you!!” the two Qiaos cried in unison, before running out to practice with their new weapons.

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