2025-03-05 18:56:21"Are you stupid or what, Wang Wei? I called you here because I wanted to discuss our arranged marriage. Two days ago, my father asked me about your father's request to betroth us."
"So, what was your answer, Princess? Are you willing to accept me, this handsome man, as your husband and the father of our future children?"
"I'm not blind, Wang Wei! If we're talking about looks, that annoying young man downstairs is more handsome than you. And you know very well that my father is the Prime Minister of the Shang Dynasty. There's no way I would agree to marry someone of lower status than me!"
Prince Wang Wei clenched his fists, holding back his anger. The princess’s words were an indirect insult. However, he was not a fool. He wouldn’t let go of the beautiful Princess Yuan Li so easily.
"Is there any special condition for you to accept this arrangement?"
Princess Yuan Li nodded. "If you can win the upcoming tournament and become a Commander, I will accept the marriage. But remember, Wang Wei, your competition is neither few nor weak. Many princes from smaller kingdoms will be participating. In short, the man who will be my husband must hold at least the rank of Commander."
A wide grin spread across Wang Wei's face. He believed his chances of winning Princess Yuan Li were high. He was confident that the vacant Commander position in the Shang Dynasty would soon be his.
"Why are you grinning like a horse?"
"Your words are sharp, Princess Yuan Li. Insult me all you want now. But once I become a Commander, you will bow beneath my feet," Wang Wei thought to himself.
"Are you deaf, Wang Wei?"
"I'm thinking, Princess. That Commander position will be mine. Those small kingdom princes won’t stand a chance against me in the tournament."
"Say whatever you want. The bottom line is, I will only accept the marriage if you become a Commander!" Princess Yuan Li responded coldly.
Meanwhile, Li Jie and Mei Lian had already left the restaurant. After asking a villager for directions to the capital, they continued their journey, which was about an hour away.
"Why did you stop me earlier? My hands were itching to punch that soldier’s mouth!"
"Li Jie, we are newcomers here. We know nothing about this place. At the very least, don’t create unnecessary trouble if we can avoid it. Please control your temper! I know you can’t stand injustice, but I’m telling you again—we must adapt to this new environment before making any reckless moves."
Li Jie took a deep breath. He knew Mei Lian was right. "You're right, Mei Lian. Sometimes, I do let my emotions get the best of me. Luckily, you’re here with me. You always manage to advise me when I make poor decisions. To me, you’re the perfect wife-to-be."
"Hmph, sweet talker! Keep flattering me… Do you think I didn’t notice how you were staring at that beautiful princess?"
Li Jie was caught off guard. Mei Lian’s words about him being insensitive were actually a sign of her jealousy toward Princess Yuan Li. He suddenly felt guilty.
Meanwhile, after Princess Yuan Li left the restaurant, Wang Wei’s guards, who had been tasked with monitoring Li Jie and Mei Lian, were shocked to find that the two had already disappeared.
The guards hurried upstairs to report to Wang Wei.
"Find them immediately... don’t lose their trail!"
Wang Wei gritted his teeth in frustration. If they failed to locate them, he might miss the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful girl he had just seen.
His four guards quickly searched every inn in the village, leaving no stone unturned.
Elsewhere, Li Jie and Mei Lian had finally entered the capital of the Shang Dynasty. The pair, who had traveled from a distant land, were awestruck by the sight before them.
The grand, towering buildings, unlike anything they had seen before, now lay in full view. The lively streets were packed with people, merchants calling out to sell their goods, creating a vibrant atmosphere.
"Let’s find an inn first, so we have a place to rest tonight."
"But I want to explore the capital first, Li Jie," Mei Lian whined, her tone slightly spoiled.
"We’ll do that after securing a room. Do you want to end up sleeping in the carriage if we can’t find an available room?"
Mei Lian giggled and shook her head. "Fine. But I want us to stay in the same room. I don’t want what happened last night to happen again."
"Oh no… If we keep sharing a room, I might end up being the one to take advantage of you instead of some stranger!" Li Jie chuckled softly, careful not to attract attention.
Mei Lian shot him a glare, but Li Jie pretended not to notice, keeping his gaze forward. Occasionally, he glanced around when something caught his attention.
Bugh!
A light punch landed on his left shoulder.
"Why did you hit me?"
"Keep pretending you don’t see me!" Mei Lian huffed.
"Are you saying you want me to take advantage of you? People say it feels like floating in the clouds." Li Jie chuckled again.
"No! It’s better if we wait until after marriage."
Li Jie glanced at Mei Lian briefly before looking straight ahead again.
"Are you sure I’d even want to marry you?" he teased in a cold tone.
Mei Lian’s face fell. She hadn’t expected him to say that. She fell silent, her hopes of being with him suddenly shattered.
She understood that as a prince, Li Jie would eventually be surrounded by beautiful women, making it easier for him to choose a bride.
Li Jie glanced at her. He saw her looking down, sadness written on her face.
"Why are you so quiet? Do you suddenly have a toothache?"
Mei Lian remained silent. The happiness she had felt after Li Jie kissed her the previous night had completely vanished.
"It’s nothing. I just don’t feel like talking."
"Alright. We’ll stay at that inn," Li Jie said, pulling the reins to stop the carriage in front of an inn.
He hopped down and headed toward the entrance, but stopped when he realized Mei Lian hadn’t followed.
"Aren’t you coming down? What if someone kidnaps you?"
Reluctantly, she stepped down and walked toward him.
A middle-aged woman with excessive makeup stepped out to greet them.
"Are you looking for a room?"
"No, Ma’am. We’re here to buy farming tools," Li Jie replied.
The woman scoffed, annoyed. "This is an inn, not a farming supply shop!"
"If you knew it was an inn, why did you even ask? Of course, we’re here to rent a room," Li Jie chuckled.
Mei Lian found his teasing amusing but held back her laughter.
"You’re quite the joker, handsome young man!" The woman smirked.
Li Jie turned around briefly, then looked back at her. "Are you calling me handsome?" He pointed at himself.
"No! I meant the horse outside." The woman laughed, satisfied with her comeback.
"Hah… You have a sharp tongue, Ma’am. Why didn’t you become a soldier instead?"
"What does that have to do with anything, you rascal? If I keep talking to you, I might go crazy. So, one room or two? And is this beautiful lady your wife?"
Before Li Jie could answer, Mei Lian cut in, "I’m not his wife. And we need two rooms, Ma’am!"
"You sure you want to sleep alone?" Li Jie asked in surprise.
"I’m sure. Better that than sharing a room with someone so insensitive."
"One room, Ma’am," Li Jie said.
"Two, Ma’am!" Mei Lian insisted.
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THE SNEER
“How could you possibly know that, my Lord?” the guard asked, his eyes wide with wonder.“I did not know—I merely guessed,” Aji replied, a small, knowing smile playing at his lips.“So that means the two of them ran off to the capital when they disappeared yesterday?” Ratih said, a playful lilt in her voice.“It would seem so,” Aji agreed, his gaze fixed on the palace gates ahead. “And they did it on their own initiative, without telling us a thing. I am certain there was a good reason they chose not to say goodbye before they left—something important enough to make them act in secret.” With that, the handsome warrior gestured for the others to follow, and they continued on their way toward the Duchy’s palace.It was not long before they reached their destination. Aji, Ratih, and Yoga hurried straight to the great hall—to report on their mission and, just as importantly, to see Rangga and Bargowo, who they now knew had returned.Inside the hall, Duke Hanggareksa was in the middle of a
THE PRAISE
As the procession drew to a halt before the gates of the Duchy’s palace, Rangga and Bargowo gestured for the elite royal guards of the Cakrabuana Kingdom—led by Antasena—to enter. Hundreds of soldiers, already arrayed in formation by Duke Hanggareksa, watched in awe as the elite force marched past. Though the Cakrabuana Kingdom boasted a standing army of over one hundred thousand men, this contingent of elite guards numbered a mere one thousand—and yet, their presence carried a weight that made the Duchy’s soldiers straighten their spines in respect.To be counted among the Cakrabuana Kingdom’s elite guards was no small feat. It required surviving a gauntlet of trials so harsh, so unforgiving, that many who attempted them fell by the wayside, their bodies and spirits broken. For those who succeeded, it was a source of immense pride—a honor that burned bright in their hearts every time they donned their polished armor and took up their weapons. And their families, too, shared in that g
RETURN TO THE DUCHY OF TANJUNG REJO
“Tell me, my dearest love—what do you make of all this?” Aji asked, a slow, charming smile playing at the corners of his lips, his eyes gleaming with a warmth that made Ratih’s heart flutter like a caged bird.At once, a soft blush rose to Ratih’s cheeks, painting them the color of rose petals kissed by the morning sun. A wave of pure joy washed over her soul, so sweet and profound that she could scarce find the words to speak—for in all her life, no one had ever spoken to her with such tenderness, such unwavering devotion.“Why so silent, my darling?” Aji teased, reaching out to gently pinch her small, button nose between his thumb and forefinger, his touch as light as a feather.The beautiful maiden gasped, her eyes widening in surprise, and the blush on her cheeks deepened until it matched the rich red of a boiled crab’s shell. She felt her heart race in her chest, its beat so loud she feared Aji might hear it over the din of the battlefield.Aji’s gaze drifted past her, back to th
FORBIDDEN ART
With the last vestiges of strength coursing through his weathered frame, Ki Ageng strained to unleash a final, desperate strike. He had been driven to the brink—forced to call upon the Forbidden Art, a technique so perilous that even his own master had forbidden him from ever uttering its name, let alone wielding it. For this dark power demanded a terrible price: the very soul of its user, to be claimed the moment the art was cast.“If I must die here,” Ki Ageng hissed, his voice like grinding stone, his eyes blazing with a madness that matched the shadows twisting around him, “then you shall burn with me in the abyss!”Aji furrowed his brow, confusion clouding his sharp features. The words hung in the air like poison mist, and he could not fathom their meaning. In that moment of bewilderment, a soft, familiar voice echoed within the depths of his mind—warm yet tinged with the sorrow of ages past.“My dear grandson, Aji… You are the only hope your grandfather has to bring closure to t
Aji vs Ki Ageng - Part IV
The old man drew a long, ragged breath. He was fortunate his inner energy ran deep — it was only by bracing himself against his spears that he had escaped the terrifying blast. With deliberate precision, he crossed the twin short spears before his face, then swept them left and right in a fluid motion, launching a counterattack. Close-quarters combat erupted once more.Though Aji’s sword continued to exude oppressive force, Ki Ageng’s twin spears allowed him to push back slightly, his rapid, dancing strikes forcing Aji to give ground. What Ki Ageng did not know was that Aji was intentionally loosening his assault — luring him into close range, into a trap he had set from the start. The moment his foe stepped within reach, the handsome warrior poured more power into the Sword of Darkness.In an instant, the energy pressure swelled to an unbearable intensity. When the black blade collided with Ki Ageng’s spears, the force was so great the weapons flew from his grasp, clattering to the d
Aji vs Ki Ageng - Part III
“Bastard! You will never defeat me!” Ki Ageng roared, his eyes flashing with a hatred so intense it seemed to scorch the air between them. Yet beneath that seething loathing, a spark of awe flickered — for his foe, despite being far younger, could match him blow for blow. In the prime of his youth, this handsome man stood as his equal.The hand-to-hand combat reignited, and this time, there was a subtle shift in the tide. Aji had been watching closely, committing every movement of the Drunken King Fist to memory — movements Ki Ageng had unknowingly demonstrated in their earlier exchanges. Now, slowly but surely, Aji began to weave those very techniques into his own fighting style.“Cur! So that’s why he let me strike him earlier — to learn the Drunken King Fist,” Ki Ageng muttered to himself, and despite everything, his admiration for Aji deepened. Even as an enemy, the young warrior commanded respect.Aji was still unaccustomed to the form, his movements lacking the fluid grace that
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