#code kite

Refugee: Ah!

An arrow, shot from who knows where, killed him instantly.

Black Mountain Soldier: We're under attack! It's cavalry!

Liu Xie: Who is the Black Mountain Army fighting?! ... Ugh!

You: Your Majesty! Hold on to me!

Cavalry: The governor has ordered that those who surrender will be spared!

Black Mountain Soldier: Don't be fooled! The old man believed those corrupt officials before, and they were all buried alive!

The carriage shook violently in the chaos, as fragile as an ant. Blood, stray arrows, and flashing blades constantly assailed the carriage...

Cavalry: Shield bearers, block them! – Quickly push the cauldron over!

Black Mountain Soldier: It smells so...so good... What is that smell?

Refugee: It's the smell of meat! It's meat! It's meat... meat...

Cavalry: Everyone, take a ladle of meat porridge. I was once a Yellow Turban too, but the governor recruited me.

Everyone rushed towards the cauldron, scrambling for the porridge.

???: If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't give you food. Submit and be recruited, and you'll have food every day.

That voice is... Cao Cao?!

Liu Xie: What a benevolent and powerful tactic...

The officers methodically counted the Black Mountain Army, assigning them to squads and distributing supplies.

I noticed that Liu Xie had been peering through the curtain, watching everything outside with rapt attention.

-

Liu Xie: Prince of Guangling, Grand Coachman, I want to meet this governor.

You: This is just a tactic to win people's hearts. We don't know his true nature, so it's better to be cautious.

Liu Xie: Only after I speak with him will I know if he is trustworthy.

You: Cao Cao has troops. If you reveal your identity to him, how can we ensure he won't become the next Dong Zhuo?

Yuan Ji: The son of a wealthy family does not sit in a dangerous place. Cao Cao has an army, it's too risky to rashly reveal your identity.

Liu Xie: I don't believe those rumors and suspicions. Stop the carriage, I must see him.

Liu Xie: Prince of Guangling, I want to save the world, save the people of the world. He may be our hope.

You: Hope? The Xu Shao brothers in Runan make monthly character assessments, and they called Cao Cao a hero!

Yuan Ji: "A capable minister in times of peace, a hero in times of chaos." I wonder if it will... become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Yuan Ji: Your Majesty must discern carefully. Perhaps some people desire to use their troops to hold the emperor hostage and command the feudal lords.

Liu Xie: If he has me, he can pacify the chaos... I have no complaints.

I absolutely cannot let them meet!

Attendant: Ah! Your Majesty, be careful!!!

The carriage stopped abruptly – Liu Xie struggled to reach for the curtain, leaning out of the moving carriage.

Liu Xie: I am Liu Xie, the Emperor of Han!

Liu Xie: I, am Liu Xie, the Emperor of Han!!!

Cao Cao pushed through the crowd and walked towards the carriage.

When he saw me and Yuan Ji, his expression was one of astonishment.

All decisions were made in a split second, both mine and his.

I desperately reached out, trying to pull Liu Xie back. But a cold sword hilt blocked my hand –

Cao Cao: This is the Emperor, what does Your Highness intend to do to the Emperor?

You: The Emperor will return to Guangling with me, he cannot travel with the army.

Cao Cao: Your Majesty, is this true?

Liu Xie: ...The Emperor's person cannot be touched casually, please release your hand, Prince of Guangling.

Liu Xie stepped out of the carriage and stood before Cao Cao.

Cao Cao performed the grand ceremony for meeting the emperor and removed his sword.

His subordinates silently separated me and Yuan Ji from Liu Xie.

Yuan Ji: Lord Mengde, as a subject, I should accompany His Majesty.

Cao Cao: Step back. The Yuan family has been executed by Dong Zhuo, I cannot verify your identity, and I cannot allow you to approach the Emperor.

You: You were friends with Yuan Shao in your youth, how could you not recognize his elder brother, Yuan Ji?!

He ignored us. A line of armored soldiers stood between us, not allowing us to get any closer.

Cao Cao: Cao Cao, Governor of Dong Commandery, pays his respects to Your Majesty.

Liu Xie: Are you willing to welcome the Emperor and pacify the chaos?

Cao Cao: I am willing to give my life for the Han Dynasty.

Liu Xie: Are you willing to swear an oath?

Cao Cao: If I disobey, the Cao clan... will be extinguished for three generations.

.

.

.

Chapter 6-26

I heard the commotion on the shore as many men craned their necks to look at our ship.

You: I'm going to Shouchun on behalf of my "father," Lord Qiao, to visit Lady Wu, Sun Jian's wife.

You: I am the eldest daughter of the Qiao family, so they will also call me...

Da Qiao.

-

You: Ah, the river breeze is so refreshing... Ah Chan, want to come out for some air? Those people can't see us anymore.

Ah Chan's head poked out from behind the curtain. The boat rocked a little, and she quickly retreated back inside.

Chan: ...I'm fine.

She seems to be a bit afraid of the water...

You: Ah!!!

The current suddenly became swift, and the small boat started to rock violently.

A naval fleet appeared ahead. Towering warships, like mountain fortresses on the water, cut through the surging waves.

You: Warships of Jiangdong, the Sun family's battle flag, they are...

The warships, with their dragon drums beating, crossed the river.

A young general, clad in golden armor and bright robes, stood alone at the bow of the leading ship. The sunlight reflected off his armor, blazing like fire.

???: What are you looking at? Trying to race a warship? Do you want to be fish food?

-You keep looking at him-

???: Why are you still looking? Hmph, you can look at me all you want, let's see how many heads you have to dare block the path of a warship... Whoa!

-He suddenly stops talking and blushes after looking at you-

Navy Soldier A: Young Master, should we blast that boat out of the way?

???: ...Um... Um... Um...

Navy Soldier A: Young Master?

???: Forget it. She looks... quite pleasing to the eye.

The warships sailed away, and the bow of our boat bobbed for a long time before the water gradually calmed down.

-

You: We can see Shouchun City now...

Shouchun is Sun Jian's territory. If we reveal our identities here, there will be no help for us.

You: Ah Chan, check the tallies one more time. If they ask why there are no male escorts, remember the excuse we prepared...

You: And also... this... that...

Chan: Tower Master, something's wrong at the city gate!

Following the direction she pointed, I looked towards the distant city gate of Shouchun.

You: ?!!

Why is the Shouchun city gate in such a state?!

.

.

.

Chapter 5-8

You: Let's stop at the village ahead. At this rate, we should reach the Xiuyi Tower's stronghold in seven days.

Liu Xie had already fallen asleep in the carriage, his head resting on the scroll Fu Shou had written for him.

I was outside handling the affairs of the Xiuyi Tower when I turned around and saw Yuan Ji and the attendant beside the carriage, completely engrossed in something.

You: Yuan Ji, what are you looking for?

Yuan Ji: I'm checking the bamboo tubes in the carriage. After a long journey, some of the extracts of ancient books may be torn.

You: This whole carriage is full of books... What's in the other two carriages?

Yuan Ji: They're all books.

You: Taking your beloved belongings with you wherever you go, is this a small elegance of the children of aristocratic families?

Yuan Ji: Even if one has nothing, even in the deepest, coldest night...

Yuan Ji: As long as "fireflies replace fire, and snow piles up like flowers", the human heart can also sink into the annals of history, far away from many pains.

You: As the eldest son of the Yuan family, you have no worries about food and clothing, so what pain do you have?

Yuan Ji: As the Prince of Guangling, Your Highness is the same. Is there no pain in Your Highness's heart?

We smiled at each other, said nothing more, and returned to the carriage.

This night was exceptionally peaceful. We slept side by side in the carriage until dawn...

-

You: Looking at the map, twenty miles south, we should be able to find a village on the border of Jingzhou.

You: There are many corpses along the way... There must have been a war nearby.

Yuan Ji lowered all the carriage curtains to prevent Liu Xie from seeing the corpses outside.

Liu Xie: Stop the carriage.

Liu Xie stepped out of the carriage and walked towards the corpses by the roadside.

The corpses were piled up, and it was impossible to tell whether they had died from war, famine, or disease...

Yuan Ji: Follow His Majesty and protect him.

Attendant: Yes!

Liu Xie stopped in front of a dark shadow. The "shadow" soared into the air like a dark cloud...

It was a swarm of black flies, resting on the starved corpses of a mother and child.

Attendant: Your Majesty, you can't...

Liu Xie: It's alright.

He lowered his eyes, took off his embroidered robe, and covered the tightly embraced mother and child.

You: There's movement around, someone is coming, get in the carriage quickly!

As soon as I finished speaking, many Yellow Turban refugees emerged from the nearby woods and surrounded the carriage.

.

.

.

Chapter 6-22

I put Fu Shou down and retrieved the palace maid's attire I had hidden in the flower bushes beforehand. "Fu Shou" raised her head and looked towards Weiyang Palace.

You: Your Majesty, let me change your clothes.

Liu Xie, dressed in Fu Shou's clothes, nodded and let me help him change into the palace maid's outfit.

They were still young, and with their clothes swapped, it was impossible to tell their genders apart without close inspection.

You: What's this in your sleeve?

Liu Xie: ...It's a song Fu Shou wrote for me. I want to take it with me.

-

Palace Guard: Halt, show your tallies.

You: Here are my tallies. My younger sister is still young and doesn't have official tallies.

I handed over the fake identity tallies, slipping a few gold nuggets under them. The palace guard's eyes flickered; he understood.

Palace Guard: Hmm... Go on! You're all clear.

Palace Guard: Next!

Attendant: This is the tally of Palace Attendant Xun Yu. We are leaving the palace on official business.

Such a fragrance... I couldn't tell what it was, something like orchid balm, yet also like resurrection incense...

I was still surprised by the fragrance on that person when Liu Xie suddenly gripped my hand tightly, desperately trying to hide behind me.

...This is bad, Palace Attendant Xun is with the Emperor day and night, he'll recognize Liu Xie!

The man's eyes showed a flicker of surprise when he saw Liu Xie dressed as a palace maid, and he stopped in his tracks.

Palace Guard: What's wrong? Does Palace Attendant Xun know these two palace maids?

A faint smile appeared in those gentle, jade-like eyes. The elegant man took half a step back and gestured slightly with his hand.

Attendant: Ladies first.

I nodded to him, pulled Liu Xie along, and left the palace gate.

Yuan Ji's carriage was waiting not far away.

-

Yuan Ji: I apologize if His Majesty was frightened. Time is of the essence, I couldn't observe all the proper etiquette, please forgive me.

Liu Xie: In these extraordinary times, we must adapt. Let's leave the city quickly!

Our carriage headed towards the city gate. On the way, we disposed of the palace maid outfits and fake tallies, changing into new identities.

Yuan Ji and I briefed Liu Xie on the new identities. He learned very quickly and soon memorized all the details.

-

You: We're approaching the checkpoint to leave the city. Your Majesty, please stay close to me.

Liu Xie: If we're pretending to be a family of three, shouldn't the Prince of Guangling sit closer to the Grand Coachman?

Yuan Ji: Indeed. Your Highness, please.

I sat down next to Yuan Ji, very close.

Yuan Ji: I feel like I've seen this before... this scene.

Liu Xie: Seen it before? Have you two... been like this before?

You: I'll tell you when you're older, Your Majesty.

The coachman handed the tallies to the city gate guard, and the carriage was allowed to pass through. Inside the carriage, we all let out sighs of relief.

Suddenly, the sound of approaching hooves grew closer. A cavalry unit arrived at the city gate, delivering urgent orders.

Xiliang Soldier A: Urgent orders from the palace! Close the city gates immediately!

Have we been discovered? Sooner than expected... But it doesn't matter, the carriage is already outside the city.

Xiliang Soldier A: Wait! Stop that carriage that just left the city!

City Gate Guard: They have the tallies and warrant of the Wang family...

Xiliang Soldier A: That doesn't matter! Stop that carriage!

Damn it!

You: A dozen cavalrymen, a few city gate guards... If I kill one first, it will cause chaos...

You: ...Yuan Ji, protect His Majesty. It might get dangerous...

Before I could finish, my hand was held down by a cool fan. Yuan Ji looked at me and shook his head gently.

Xiliang Soldier A: Lieutenant General Lü, with this, all the city gates are now closed.

Lü Bu: Why is that carriage still stopped at the gate?

I saw the carriage curtain being lifted by the sharp point of a halberd, the cold light falling on my eyes, illuminating the figure outside – Lü Bu.

.

.

.

Chapter 6-18

You: Person A will protect person B with their life, at any cost. In the new village, person B won't have to worry about "floods" anymore.

In the silence, Liu Xie nodded slightly.

You: Consort Fu, take this.

Fu Shou: This is... a little paper person made to look like me?

You: Keep it. After rescuing "person B," person A will find a way to rescue "person C."

Just then, there was a commotion outside the hall.

Concubine Dong: Your Majesty! You're playing with her again and not inviting me!

A young woman in luxurious clothes stormed into the hall and marched towards us.

Concubine Dong: What's this? Give it to me!

Fu Shou: Ah!

You: !!!

Concubine Dong: What is this trash? ...Hmph, the daughter of a poor scholar, only capable of playing with this with His Majesty?

Time was running out. Yuan Ji had sent a message that the safe escape route would only be open until the Hour of the Monkey (3-5 PM).

I gave Fu Shou one last look, then knocked over the pear juice on the table. The juice splashed onto Liu Xie and Fu Shou's clothes.

Concubine Dong: Look what you've done! Clumsy oaf!

You: I'm so sorry! I'll take His Majesty and the Consort to the inner chamber to change...

I pulled Liu Xie and Fu Shou along, behind the screen, and entered the inner chamber.

-

In the quiet inner chamber, it was just the three of us.

Fu Shou: Your Highness, can you get His Majesty out safely? What if there's danger...

Liu Xie: It's too dangerous with only you and Grand Coachman Yuan. Palace Attendant Guo happens to be leaving the palace today on official business, perhaps we can ask for his help.

You: Having one more person adds more risk. Please trust me, Your Majesty, I won't let you face any danger.

You: I will take Your Majesty and leave through the palace gates openly.

.

.

.

Chapter 6-16