The Ballad of Luwei

Chapter Five

Xiao Nai was secretly impatient for the red general to arrive. Outwardly he seemed bored as everyone was on high alert waiting.The message sent warned that they would be traveling with some of their warriors but General Luwei did not elaborate. Both Feng Teng and his own entourage had been spending the past few hours pacing but Xiao Nai never saw the attraction of doing it to make time go by. He would much rather spend this time before the group from the Rising Jade Sea's tribes going over various strategies but mostly he was wondering if the woman who was in the cuju match was actually the famed general. He only had a brief glance at her face but what he did see he could tell she was beautiful; not that her beauty is what caused him to take his brothers in arms and attempt to follow her trail for weeks. Only losing it when he reached this territory. She was crafty; he had to give her that. He had heard rumors of a red general in Xue Shan but by the time the information arrived to Xiao Nai the red general and the person they were guarding had already left for the north. Xiao Nai decided to wait at the Duke's fortress only because the Duke would soon be married to a woman who had ties to the North and who his spies had informed was the person who had been hosting the charge in the red general's care. Not much was found on the identity of the person, only that they were someone of great importance to the Rising Jade Sea's tribes.

The white prince's train of thought was broken when the herald announced General Luwei and their aide. Xiao Nai focused on the arrivals with a practiced uninterested eye. While they were still wearing a mask the build of their body was very willowy and most definitely feminine. Even though he could see that she had tried to hide it with her choice of clothing. Luwei had cut an impressively intimidating figure with her bird-like mask and her blood red armor but that just intrigued Xiao Nai more. He couldn't wait to pick her mind on battle strategies.

"Greetings General Luwei." Feng Teng smiled as he greeted the crimson warrior. "I am a bit surprised by the correspondence and hope you won't mind having some guests during this meeting."

Weiwei quickly glanced to the left of Feng Teng and instantly recognized the man lounging in white. Kei Oh whispered in her ear that the other three men were the prince's most trusted advisers. Weiwei nodded slightly in acknowledgment before opening her mouth to speak. "Thank you for allowing me to have an audience, Duke Feng and greetings to your distinguished guests. While I requested this meeting under my title of being the general of the Luwei tribe I'm afraid it is my other identity that needs your help." She raised a hand up to her face and removed her mask. "My true identity is Bei Weiwei the daughter of the Great Chief Bei and Chen Fang, may Shangdi bless them. Three days ago the Warlord Zhen lead a coupe murdering my parents, the brave warrior that was my stand in when both Luwei and the princess needed to be in the same place at the same time, and attempted to capture me to take over the Rising Jade Seas tribes. This caught us completely off guard and I do not know who was in on this coupe. For that reason I am humbly begging for your assistance." Both Weiwei and Kei Oh kneeled in front of Feng Teng.

Xiao Nai had kept quiet until the woman in red armor kneeled. When she had removed her mask he knew it was the woman who battled him in cuju. But when she revealed her true name, his heart fluttered. This was the woman he is supposed to marry for the peace treaty. That moment of joy was briefly shattered by the pain he knew this breathtaking woman was hiding as she told them her story. "And what type of assistance are you requesting, princess?"

Weiwei looked up to stare right into the white prince's eyes "Well, your highness I require a safe haven for my warriors along with myself and possibly a third party gathering information. While my spies are good they are also familiar faces around the tribes."

"You know who I am?" Xiao Nai asked.

"I make it a point to have as much information as possible when I visit new places and when people are tailing me over many leagues." Weiwei gestured at one of Xiao Nai's companions with much more bravado than she actually felt. She did not know who they were until this moment but she was not about to let the other party know it. The one who she pointed out had the decency to blush.