A Mistaken Marriage Match: A Generation of Military Counselor Prologue: Bloody trigram disk, Part 2

I’ve finished Part 2 earlier than I thought so here it is. The middle part of the prologue introduces us to the three Qing sisters. Although their “actual” appearance in the novel is brief, a glimpse into their character and personality impresses us with how strongly they love each other, their stubborn pride and dignity, their unwillingness to bend to the dictates of fate, and as well their unwavering filial love towards their parents. I admire them and somehow can understand the drastic action they eventually took to escape their impending ill-fate! Let’s pay close attention to the youngest sibling, Qing Mo, as her fate gets intertwined with that of Gu Yun, the novel’s main female lead we’ve been introduced earlier.
Prologue: b.l.o.o.d.y trigram disk, Part 2 of 3
The heavy pouring rain was accompanied by rumbling thunderclaps, the strong wind blew the rickety, broken windows lurching unsteadily from side to side creating such a racket!
Inside a room in the side of a fairly ruined temple, three young women were huddled together, all wearing a red bridal dress, in this dark, gloomy place the stale air of the temple can be breathed everywhere, the scene looked particularly eerie.
The place had no lights, the occasional flashes of lightning illuminated the ruined temple, these sword-like lightning flashes, each lightning flash seemed to strike into the ground, giving off a glaring white light, the startling, deafening sound of accompanying thunderclaps, seemingly made the youngest girl cower in fear.
Tugging her elder sister’s arm, Qing Mo, her head bowed, sobbingly asked: “Elder sister, what do we do now? I’m so scared!”
Lightning flashed one after another, eventually the faces of the women could be seen, the three are blooming beauties, each is elegant, absolutely their left faces are stunning which can make other women jealous, and men adore. Unfortunately, on their right cheeks, were slashed two deep knife marks, nearly destroying the entire right side of their faces, amidst the thunder and lightning in the night, the cuts looked quite grim.
Gently patting her little sister’s shoulders, Qing Ling’s face, looking extremely dejected, mumbled softly: “After crossing over this mountain, as soon as we’re out of the Hao Yue[1] kingdom, do we really have no way to free ourselves from this fate of becoming gifts?”
[1] Hao Yue (皓月) means bright moon; the kingdom where the Qing sisters come from
“I am not willing!” Her stubborn eyes stared unwaveringly at the ruined temple, outside thunder and lightning are accompanying each other, canopy of rain falling, Qing Feng tensely bit her lower lip the broken skin is almost bleeding.
Slowly lifting her head to lean on Qing Feng’s shoulder, Qing Mo wisely comforted her sister, whispered: “Second elder sister, do not be afraid. I heard that you’ll marry Prime Minister Lou. He’s a rare, modest n.o.bleman. Both his political and military achievements are outstanding. He should not treat you unfairly.” Eldest sister is the most pitiful. To be sent to the emperor’s palace. It is said that the ruler of Qiong Yue[2] is temperamental, bloodthirsty and tyrannical. How will gentle, quiet and refined eldest sister bear it?!
[2] Qiong Yue (穹岳) means sky high mountain; the strongest of the 6 kingdoms where the Qing sisters will be sent to as tributes by their own king to the emperor
Qing Feng scoffed, “Who cares!” She turned around, one hand holding her elder sister’s hand, one hand holding the young girl’s hand, Qing Feng growled fiercely: “I quite hate it! Why should Qiong Yue country’s ruler in a word, at once can do whatever he pleases?! Why did the Qing family have to take responsibility for our king’s incompetence?! Why did he kill our parents, we even have to be bestowed as gifts, as his tribute to flatter Qiong Yue!”
Gently caressing the yelling Qing Feng, because of hatred her face became twisted, Qing Ling head bowed, sighed, said: “On the basis of Qiong Yue being the most powerful among the six countries, the other countries must submit, if the emperor wants his subject to die, his subject has no choice but to die! Who made us be merely several women who lack the strength to truss up a chicken!” (meaning, Who made us to be weak women!)
Fate never rests in their hands.
Shaking off Qing Ling’s hand, Qing Feng quickly got up, turned her back, unwilling to back down: “What can women do! I’m not going to Qiong Yue!”
Looking at her second elder sister’s stubborn back, seeing the eldest sister’s anxious face, Qing Mo timidly said: “Even these faces that everyone admires, we are already ruined, yet they still want to bring us to Qiong Yue! Second elder sister, we simply don’t have the means to change anything, right?”
Gently stroking her cheek, even now the pain remains, dwelling in her soul. Qing Feng took a deep breath, clenched her teeth and replied: “Death! I, Qing Feng, absolutely will not let anyone manipulate me! Especially that person, that fatuous ruler whose hands are stained with the blood of father and mother!”
Qing Ling was startled, anxiously asked: “Feng Er[3], what do you want to do?”
[3] Er means child; In ancient China, “-er” was usually attached to the last character of a person’s name as an expression of affection. (Source: chenguangsorchard.blogspot.com.au)
Slowly turning around, Qing Feng clenched her hands into fists, firmly said: “Elder sister, I will stay in Hao Yue. I’ll stay in the side of father and mother, even if what I have to leave behind, is my dead body!”
Dismissing Feng Er’s words as if they were ordinary, a mysterious white lightning striked down, the bright light s.h.i.+ned on Feng Er’s face, Qing Ling saw her insistence and determination.
Tightly clutching the hands of Qing Feng, Qing Ling suddenly felt relieved, lightly laughed: “Yes! Elder sister will accompany you. Anyhow, to keep on living is already meaningless to me.” Perhaps it’s a kind of relief not to think about everything to face in the future!
Crouching on the floor Qing Mo quickly jumped up, grabbed their hands and hurriedly said: “Whatever the elder sisters will do, I’ll do the same. Whatever happens, I, Mo Er, will never leave you.”
Qing Ling wavered. She lovingly looked at the face of innocent Mo Er. She probably does not understand the meaning of death. She’s only fifteen years old!
Meeting Mo Er’s pair of innocent, big eyes, Qing Feng felt pain as if a knife is twisting inside her heart, but the thought that she (Qing Mo) allegedly was promised to that one who is reportedly a notorious, callous butcher on the battlefield, Qing Feng immediately s.h.i.+vered and said: “Elder sister, Mo Er is so pure and kind. To keep her alone alive in this world, she also would just endure hards.h.i.+ps. Today we are in this ruined temple, the whole family will reunite, right?!”
Watching three pairs of overlapping hands together, Qing Ling suddenly felt warm in her heart. As if to convince herself, Qing Ling forcibly nodded and said: “Yes! It’s best to have a family reunion!” The three people looked up and glanced at the top of the temple beams. With tacit understanding, they looked at each other and laughed. This is after the death of their parents, their first laugh, because after today, they will not anymore separate!
Loosening the red silk belts on their waists, stripping off the brilliant red gowns, their bodies wore only the plain white clothes underneath. They lightly tossed above the red silk bands, pa.s.sing easily through the beam. Three people stood on the broken square table and without hesitation, they wrapped their necks inside the red silk bands.
Qing Ling looked around and glanced at her sisters on her side. Closing her eyes, she whispered: “Feng Er, Mo Er, in the next life, we will also be sisters!”
“Ah.” Qing Feng, Qing Mo strongly nodded their heads!
Three people holding each other’s hands proceeded to kick the square table lightly. The red silk bands suddenly tightened as three bright lives gradually pa.s.sed away.