The City Lord's First Born

Zhao Long had been unconscious during his visit to the netherworld, unaware of what had taken place during his unconsciousness. With Zhao Long's soul having consumed the elixir, his memories were sealed. Similar to a newly reincarnated soul, he held no memories of his past life, and because of this… he had forgotten someone very important.

Being sucked in through the altar, his soul was now journeying through purgatory on his way to heavenly approval.

An indefinite amount of time had passed, and Zhao Long and Zhao Yan had crossed past the Gate of Heaven's River of Reincarnation. That river took him on his path of rebirth. He would now be reborn as a human in a mortal realm.

…..

Hongliu City, East of Yunlei Province, Moonfall Nation. Year 22007

The morning sun plagued Hongliu City, this was a sign that a new day approached, which unexpectedly made it's citizens restless. This was understandable since the City Lord's wife had gone on labour the previous night, forcing most to keep themselves awake in worry.

Nobody expected the situation to turn out this way. During the last five years of unproductive marriage, the lord's wife had had a difficult time bearing a child. Countless advisors were called to ask about this mysterious "illness", while some of them begged that the lord take up a concubine that could bare a child for him; and every time, they would be angrily rejected. Many criticised his foolishness, most grieved over the future of the Zhao family, as they feared it would vanish from the annals of history due to their Patriarch's foolish stubbornness.

However, now that foolishness bore its fruit. The heavens blessed the Zhao family once again.

It was only when the sun had risen that an infant's cry echoed throughout the mansion's halls. The servants ran around to attend the madam of the mansion while ensuring the child's arrival into this world would not bear any danger.

"It's a boy, milord." announced the midwife.

The City Lord smiled, a gentle gaze directed at the fragile infant being held in his wife's bosom. His wife also smiled as she glanced at the newborn child.

"He seems to have calmed down a lot." contemplated the City Lord, giving a low chuckle as he caressed the boy's head. His name was Zhao Qiufeng, one of the 7 Lords of Yunlei Province.

"What would you name him?" the midwife questioned, as she approached with a records scroll full of names. The lord only smiled. "I don't need a scroll to name this child." He replied coldly with an arrogant look in his face that showed off his pride.

An action quite befitting of his status as the Head of the Zhao Family and of one of the 7 Lords of the Moonfall Province. This however, only made the poor midwife tremble in fear.

Noticing his arrogance had scared the midwife, he cleared his throat and replied in a decisive manner.

"Zhao Long is his name. Our Zhao family has protected this city these past few years, and just like our ancestors, he will become a strong man. He may look fragile and small, but his cries at the moment of his birth were the loudest. My son is a dragon. Like a dragon, he roared and everyone heard him. When he grows up he will become the strongest in the family." Zhao Qiufeng's voice boomed across the room. Upon hearing their lord's arrogant speech, multitudes of servants weeped, chanting of the long life the infant lord will have.

"Yes dear, that's right our Zhao Long is very promising. My wish is that his future will be as well." added his wife, Zhao Ruo, with a beaming smile on her face.

Noble families from around the city sent gifts to the City Lord's mansion as soon as the news of Zhao Long's birth spread; causing the various servants of the mansion to run around busily that morning. The guards were quite restless as such a time was the most crucial one since the city lord's mansion would be at its most vulnerable state.

The Zhao Family had made various enemies in its time of power. Before being in charge of the city, they were one of the 3 powerful family clans that was in charge of protecting it.

When the head of the Zhao Family, Zhao Qiufeng became one of the 7 lords of Yunlei Province, it caused some families and clans to grow jealous of their good fortune and sudden gain in power.

One of these opposing powers was the Fang Family. Also one of the 3 main powers of Hongliu city. The enmity between the Fang and Zhao Families wasn't irreconcilable, but this soon took a change for the worst. This is because they have always been competing to gain power. Two opposing factions competing for the position of city lord.

When the previous city lord died, and the round table chose its successor, the one to succeed the throne turned out to be the Young Head of the Zhao Family, Zhao Qiufeng, and not the Fang Family's Young Head, Fang Xu Cheng. This caused the enmity between the two families to increase. Their enmity had become deep enough for one to wish that the other would quickly disappear. So naturally, with the Zhao Family's future lord's birth, they saw the opportunity to attack them.

…

"Congratulations on a healthy child, Lord Qiufeng!"

The lord was showered with flattery from a skinny man, donned in red robes befitting of a rich noble, as he bowed before Qiufeng, who was seated on his chair. He was an old fellow; wrinkles sprinkled all over his face, with grey hair tied back into a bun that hid behind a strand of red silk. On the backside of his robe lay the character Fang "方". Zhao Qiufeng smiles in return out of courtesy.

"Senior Fang Bao'en, do take a seat and join us. As the host of this celebration, it is only right for me to delight and entertain you."

Despite their conflicting emotions for one another, it is only custom for those of high status that the noble families of the area come to attend the banquet that the Lord of the City would hold, on special occasions. Yes, many noble families did attend: the Yun, the Ling, the Bu families, and many others. Although only two families stood out from the rest.

"Lord Qiufeng, you do not mean to start the celebration without me now, would you?"

At this moment, a delicate voice sounded out from the entrance of the hall. When Qiufeng heard this voice, he immediately lifted his gaze over the crowd, his smile widening. "Ha ha ha! There you are, Xuehua! I thought you would never come, your servants had informed me you were feeling unwell!"

Qiufeng laughed as he greeted the arriving Xuehua with a friendly smile. Compared with how he had greeted Fang Bao'en, a remarkable difference could be seen between the two.

Huang Xuehua was the head of one of the top 3 largest households of Hongliu City. Unlike most of the lords in the Hongliu province, she was the head of the Huang family, the third largest household of Hongliu City. The second being the Fang Family, with the old Fang Bao'en still as the head.

Huang Xuehua was the current head of the Huang Family, as her husband, Huang Ren, died of illness a couple of months ago, and thus had not managed to get a male heir yet. As such, she was made a temporary head of the family. Yet despite her high position, she was only at the tender age of twenty-four and best known as 'The Cold Beauty of Hongliu City,' since before her marriage to Huang Ren, men have flocked around her like birds for a chance at being able to get that beauty. So far, the only one to succeed was the late Head of the Huang Family, Huang Ren.

"I had recovered by the time your messenger left. As news flew unto my household, I had to prepare myself to meet you at once," she explains, while taking a seat next to Fang Bao'en. 'My apologies to the city lord, I didn't mean to cause you distress with such a notice."

"It's no trouble at all, it is an honour for me to receive my sister in law to celebrate this occasion" replied Qiufeng.

At the mention of being his "sister in law", Huang Xuehua's attention was brought to the person sitting next to the city lord. A glint of happiness flashing through her eyes.

"Big Sister Ruo! It's good to see you again~" saluted Huang Xuehua in a very close and happy way.

Despite the fact that they now belonged to different families, the two beauties were very close. Since they both came from the same family – The Su Family. And they were sisters by blood. Xuehua being the younger sibling, and Ruo the older. They both married into two of the most famous powerhouses.

"Xue'er! I've missed you!" Ruo replied with a beaming smile in return.

After the arrival of the Huang and Fang families, came the Yun family followed closely by the Bu and the Ling family. That's when the celebration officially began.

Inside the great hall of the City Lord's Mansion, various dancers poured into the middle of the hall, elegantly showing their skills, while the accompaniment of drums and gongs sounded throughout the night. Yes, Hongliu city was in a festive mood. Even outside the palace house, the people were busy with their own business. Some sold their steamed buns, while others hanged up red cloths by their doorway. Men drank at the local bars, and the women were busy shopping for more ingredients for cooking. Kids ran rampant, shouting and fighting, and chatting and challenging each other into playful sword-fights.

It was so festive, that the guards themselves started to slack off. Some even left their post for a drink; a few bragging to beautiful women about their deeds. Even the most vigilant of them, Zhao Tongfu, had relaxed slightly. Sadly, the young chief-of-guards hadn't noticed three shady figures sneaking inside the main courtyard, cloaked in black.

Back inside the mansion's hall, where the party was being held, Ruo herself was keeping a watchful eye on her son, as the guests who entered gave their regards. She ignored all of them, her attention fixed on the smiling infant resting on her arms. Her husband could only chuckle at her attachment to the young boy.

"Please do relax, good wife. Nothing bad will happen to our child in such a special day." However, his wife wasn't convinced.

"Husband, I cannot let my guard down. You've known as well as I about our sour relations with the other powerhouses," she argued, scolding him apprehensively in a soft voice.

"Ruo'er, it will be fine." Reassured Qiufeng with a calm voice and a smile. Despite being scolded by his wife, he still remained calm and smiled at her. If this was not an occasion to be happy, then when would it be?

"But…"

"Wife, since you are so worried then you can leave for the night with our child. I will send some guards to escort you on your way. Will that be fine?" Asked Qiufeng, a smile still on his face.

Despite the calmness he appeared to have, he too was worried for the safety of his child. What kind of father would he be if he wasn't ?

He wasn't the only one who had noticed the strange calmness that the Fang Family had this whole time since their arrival, or the strange absence of his major enemy, Fang Xu Cheng. It appeared his wife too, although on a much lesser level, had noticed the strange calm of the party.

After all, not a single fight had broken out since the start, and that in itself made it too suspicious. Thus, Qiufeng sent his wife and child to their chambers to rest. After all, of the two, she was the most tired from last night, since she had recently given birth and it would not be proper for her to stay until late with a newborn.

"Everyone, you might have to excuse my wife for the night as she is much too tired for today"

"Here, Ruo'er take Long'er with you. He ought to be tired too."

Seeing Qiufeng doing this, the nobles at the party didn't mind and raised their glasses at the city lord as they bid their goodbyes to the city lord's wife.

Ruo took her leave together with her child and some of the guards and servants towards the main chambers of the mansion. Despite this, the celebration still continued, as they all carried on chattering and eating and drinking .

At this moment, not far from the main hall, in an empty dark corridor of the mansion, three figures were quietly walking towards the city lord's chambers.

.

"Haah~" sighed Ruo as she laid down the young Zhao Long in his crib. She felt as though a huge pressure was lifted of her chest.

She turned to the servants and guards as she dismissed them in order to go and guard the city lord. The servants left immediately, but the guards hesitated as it was still too dangerous to leave them alone.

"Miss, we can guard your doors, but we won't leave." replied one of the guards.

At this Ruo sighed and finally gave up. "Okay." she nodded. It was already enough to not have the servants loitering around.

Truth be told, Ruo was truly tired. Afterall, giving birth was not an easy task and being forced to pretend that she was in perfect health was already pushing it. This was also part of the reason why she insisted the celebration to end early. Which of course, resulted in utter failure since all she managed to get was being sent to her chambers to rest early.

"Honestly, that man! I bet from the start all he wanted was an excuse to get drunk!" she complained.

"THUD!"

It was at this moment that she heard a 'thud' from outside the chambers.

"!?" she froze, as it was a really loud noise. And knowing that the guards were outside, Ruo's expression suddenly grew serious.

"Who's there!" she asked with an overbearing tone.

Despite the frail attitude she displayed in public, she was actually a very strong woman well versed in martial arts. It was at times like these that she becomes very alert.

"Hahaha, woman! Today you will know the consequences of angering the Fang Family!" a sinister masculine voice resounded from behind the doors.

At the same time, the doors burst open, revealing 3 dark cloaked masked men.

Seeing this, Zhao Ruo swiftly took the sleeping child from his crib. The sudden movement quickly waking the child.

"Get her! Kill the infant!" said the man in the middle as he commanded the two other cloaked men to his side.

The cloaked men rapidly began to approach Zhao Ruo, closing her escape route.