He Who Laughs Last, Laughs Best

Hundreds of miles away from Ying City, Zixi and Yue Maiden returned to the old house where they used to live.

The old house was still the same. Only he and the girl changed. They grew older, but the love between them remained the same.

Zixi knew that this time, nobody would be able to find him. He and Yue Maiden could be together forever and stay away from all of the cruel political stages he had before.

They lived together happily. Ejun Zixi taught Yue Maiden how to speak in Chu language. Yue Maiden was a brilliant woman. Having her as a companion made Ejun Zixi forgot all of his misery.

Some times, Yue Maiden took Ejun Zixi to go to the nearby village to do trading with the villagers.

That day, they were in the village when they met some traders from Chu State.

At that time, Zixi, who already lived in the forest for twelve years, was no longer be able to be recognized. No one would have thought that he was the Lord Ejun Zixi of Chu – who was well-known for his dashing look. He could freely communicate with the Chu traders without worrying about his safety.

From them, Zixi learned that his youngest brother – Qiji, the king of Chu, just passed away a month earlier and was succeeded by his son. And what disturbed Zixi was, the mother of the new king of Chu – was his former wife.

When Zixi ran away to Zheng State for eleven years, he married a woman from Zheng State. The woman was the daughter of a prominent military general in Zheng State. When Zigan rebelled, Zixi was brought back to Chu, but he left his wife and his son in Zheng State.

When Zixi ran away for the second time and ended up in Yue forest, he thought that his wife and his son were safe in Zheng State. He had never thought that Qiji – covet his wife and brought him to Chu State.

Zixi sighed and said in his heart, "From my father's five sons, I'm the only one who has never pursued to become a king. I even have to end up living in a barbarian state in my old age. Who would have thought that now it's my son who now inherits the throne of Chu!" Zixi laughed bitterly.

Yue Maiden heard his word, and she felt dejected.

Zixi saw that she didn't act as usual, carefully asked, "My wife, why are you so gloomy today?"

"Ejun, do you ever regret that you live here with me?" she asked.

"I've never regretted it!" Zixi answered and clutched her hands. "Having you is my biggest fortune in life."

"But why do you disturbed after you had a long conversation with those Chu traders?"

"It's because I just learned that my wife and my son are in Ying City!" Zixi sighed.

"Are you…are you not happy that I can't give you any child?" she asked.

Zixi didn't answer. He previously had hoped that he could have another child. Yet somehow, Yue Maiden was childless.

"You are more precious to me than any child!" Zixi said. "I love you, no matter what!" he hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead.

Yue Maiden hugged him back and said, "Don't ever leave me again!"

They continued their lives as usual, although Ejun Zixi kept his heart burden inside.

=========================

Autumn 515 BC

Although Zixi loved Yue Maiden so much, yet he also loved his son. Therefore he secretly made a plan for him to see his son, even only for a glance.

One day, Zixi heard that the new king of Chu –King Zhao, was about to visit a small city in a border of Yue State. Zixi decided to go there just to be able to see the king from afar.

He told Yue Maiden that he wanted to trade with some Chu traders and would not be home for three days.

Yue Maiden knew that her husband was indeed doing something fishy. She knew him too well that she knew that he's lying to her. Yet, she only smiled and complied.

After Zixi left his house, Yue Maiden secretly tailed him.

When Zixi arrived at the city where Zhao King of Chu had hunting and meeting with his men, he could not approach their camps. He could only hope to see the young king when he's riding his horse for hunting.

He was lucky that on the third day, he finally could see Zhao King of Chu when he's riding his horse.

Zixi shed his tears. The last time he saw his son was more than twelve years ago in Zheng State. His son was only four years old at that time. Now he's a king. He looked gallant in his armour suit.

Zixi saw how the young king was a good looking gallant young man. Deep inside his heart, he felt proud of his son. He secretly followed the king and his men, who were hunting deep in the forest.

The king was young. He's familiar with swords and archery since he was young. But that was his first time hunting.

The king was too confident of himself that he only brought five guards who closely followed him. And after some time, he was separated from his guard. He was too busy and too excited about his hunting.

He was not familiar with such a deep forest, and he too overestimated his hunting skill. He didn't realize that hunting in such a deep forest, sometimes it also means that he could become an easy target for wild beasts.

The king excitedly chased a deer who run fast. He shot two arrows, but all missed. The deer ran too fast for his life. The king just didn't know that the deer ran not because of him but because the deer had heard a tiger moved toward it.

The tiger knew that preying a human was easier than preying a deer. And instead of aiming the deer, the tiger turned to target the king and his horse.

The tiger sneaked up, and at the right moment, he jumped forward, ready to rip off his prey.

The king heard the tiger roared and turned his head. He shot his arrow, but although the arrow penetrated the tiger's body, yet it's not enough to kill that wild beast.

The king sheathed his sword scabbard and used it to defend himself from the tiger attack. Meanwhile, his guards, who were not too far from him, had heard the tiger's roar. They were all shouting and making noise calling out the king's name to scare the wild beasts.

The tiger leapt and almost tore the king's body. The king was lucky that a hunter obstructed the tiger and sacrificed himself to save the king.

The king used the opportunity to stab the tiger's stomach. The hunter also used his dagger to stab the tiger's throat. The hunter was Ejun Zixi.

As the king and the hunter struggled with the tiger, another hunter came and used a spear to kill the tiger.

The hunter who came was a woman, a Yue woman. She was Yue Maiden.

The king's guards arrived at the ground and started to help the king and the hunter who was wounded. Meanwhile, Yue Maiden hurriedly helped Ejun Zixi, who was wounded.

The king was shocked, but knew that he's secured, he laughed. "What an experience!" He said.

The king saw the hunter who risked his life to rescue him was bleeding. He hurriedly moved forward and checked the man while calling out for a doctor to save the hunter.

"Benefactors, thank you for your kind help. Without your help, I would surely have died by now!" The young king humbly said.

Ejun Zixi bled a lot of blood. He couldn't say anything and just starred at the young king – his son that he had never met for more than twelve years.

Ejun Zixi was severely wounded. Yue Maiden cried and about to carry him to leave the place.

"Benefactors, please don't go! At least you have to let us treat his wound." The king said. Meanwhile, two imperial doctors had arrived to treat Ejun Zixi's wound.

Yue Maiden nodded her head and allowed Ejun Zixi to be treated by the imperial doctors.

"Benefactors, please, stay with me at my camp!" The king said. "I owe you both my life. I can't let you go away without first inviting you to enjoy my hospitality!"

Ejun Zixi agreed and asked Yue Maiden to follow his decision. Yue Maiden nodded and obeyed.

Zhao King of Chu was just seventeen years old. He had the right attitude and was not arrogant, especially to the people who just saved his life.

That evening, he visited Ejun Zixi, who was treated in one tent where he stayed with Yue Maiden.

He brought a translator who translated his word from Chu language to Yue language :

"I hope that mister and mistress benefactor don't mind to stay at this tent!" the king smiled. "I'm grateful for your kind help. And please, if there's anything that you want, let me know. I will do my best to fulfil your request!"

"My king, I was a Chu person!" Ejun Zixi said with a low voice. He spoke in Chu language.

Hearing his word, the king became excited and asked, "Ah, so you're a Chu man? Why do you dress like a man of Yue?"

Ejun Zixi sighed and, in a weak voice, replied, "In these past twelve years, how many people of Chu had to flee from the late evil king?"

King Zhao's face changed, but he didn't say anything.

Ejun Zixi, with his tremble hand, exposed a jade pendant from his necklace. "I wonder if Your Majesty recognizes this jade pendant!"

King Zhao saw the jade pendant, and his face greatly changed. He recognized that pendant. "Who….who are you?" he asked.

"I'm a man of Chu, who fled to Zheng State. There, I took a wife and had a son and two daughters!"

King Zhao was shocked and closed his eyes. He could guess who that man was. He then asked his translator to leave him alone with the Yue hunter.

When the translator had left the tent, King Zhao kneeled in front of Ejun Zixi and asked, "Benefactor, tell me who you are!" He said while tears flew from his eyes.

Zixi pointed at Yue Maiden and said, "She saved my life twice! And my guard, Lang Tan, sacrificed himself by cutting his head. It was Lang Tan's body which was brought to Qiji as my body!"

King Zhao cried and made a kowtow said, "Father, it's you! Father…" he sobbed.

Yue Maiden, who was sitting not far from them, heard all of their conversations. She was also deeply moved to see the father and son reunion.

"How's your mother? Is she still alive?" Ejun Zixi asked.

"My mother is still alive!" the king said. "If she had known that you're still alive, she would never be willing to marry that wretched king!"

Ejun Zixi shook his head and said, "It's destiny!"

"My grandfather passed his throne to his eldest son. Then his eldest son passed his throne to his son. But then my father's second son made a coup and usurped the throne. Years later, he was also usurped by the third son. And just less in a month, he was also usurped by the fifth son! Only I, Ejun Zixi – the fourth son had never rebelled or usurped the throne of Chu!" Ejun Zixi laughed. "But now it's my son who inherited the throne! In the end, I'm the winner!"

King Zhao wiped his tears and said, "Father, I will not let you down. I will be a good king! Also, you have to return and live with me in the palace!"

"Return to the palace?" Ejun Zixi asked. "Chu Palace is no longer my home!" he sighed. " It's enough for me to be able to see you again! Even if I die, I will die in peace!"

"Father, you shouldn't die!" the king said. "Even if you don't want to go back to the palace, but you are still my father. You have to live long and see my rule, and be a good king that you can be proud of!"

Ejun Zixi nodded and said, "Yue Maiden, come here!" He said and waved his hand to call his wife.

Yue Maiden came closer, and Ejun Zixi clutched her hand said, "Yue Maiden, he's my son!"

Yue Maiden nodded her head politely and said, "Your Majesty, you're the king of Chu! But your father is my husband. You should not take him from me!"

King Zhao was surprised and confused with her word.

Ejun Zixi clutched her hand and said, "Silly girl! He won't take me from you!"

"Your Majesty, Yue Maiden, is a woman of Yue. He saved my life twice. And if not because of her, I probably would have died a long time ago. If I don't live long, please help me to take care of her and treat her well like the way you treat your father's wife!" Ejun Zixi said.

King Zhao made a salute with his fist and bowed to Yue Maiden said, "Stepmother, your son gives respect to you!"

Ejun Zixi said, "Your Majesty, nobody should know that I'm still alive. Please don't call me father, or call her stepmother! Otherwise, our lives would be in danger!"

King Zhao sighed and nodded his head. He knew well that politics in the royal family was ruthless.

"Your Majesty, I probably won't live long. Therefore, while I have time, I hope to be able to spend time and chat with you!" Ejun Zixi said.

King Zhao wiped his tears and said, "I'm sure that you will live long! Please don't say such a thing!"

"Your Majesty, if you remember, a few years ago, that wretched king…had persecuted Wu She's family!" Ejun Zixi said.

"Yes. The wretched king created chaos just because of his lust!"

"That Wu Zixu, son of Wu She, is a capable man. And he is now working at the Wu State. He's a competent man. He even could speak in Yue language just because Wu and Yue have an enmity. Sooner or later, he will use Wu's power to attack Chu. You have to be careful with him.

King Zhao nodded his head. "I will put attention on him!"

"The Yue people, they are not a threat to the Chu. But they are a big threat to Wu. If they don't do aggressive things to our people, you should treat them kindly!"

"I will listen to your advise!" the king said.

"The Yue people, they're simple people, unlike our people. As long as they have adequate food, clothing, and they could live in peace, they will not try to offend us! Unless they do something against Chu, then don't try to annex them!"

"Yes, father!" the king said.

The father and son chatted until late at night until the king recalled something.

The king called his attendant to bring him a box to the tent.

When his attendant brought a box to him, the king excitedly opened up the box and showed what's inside to Ejun Zixi.

"Look at this!" he said.

Ejun Zixi looked at what's inside. It's a beautiful spearhead.

"I heard that a grandmaster makes this spearhead. You're a hunter. This spearhead is more useful for you! This is to remember our meeting today!"

Ejun Zixi took the spearhead, and he happily received the gift.

The king stayed at the hunting ground for five days, and he had to return to the capital.

"Father, I hope to see you again!" King Zhao said.

"You are my son. But those Chu royal families are no longer my families. I have sworn that I will not return to Ying City!"

The king laughed and made a joke said, "Perhaps someday I have to move the capital to another city. Therefore, you can go to the new capital. You only swore that you don't want to return to Ying City!"

A few days later, Ejun Zixi, who was still not fully recovered, was put in a sedan chair and was brought back to Yue.

Just in a blink of time, Ejun Zixi had left Chu State for more than twenty-two years. He first had to flee to Zheng State, and later, he ran to Yue. From a young man, now he's turned to be an old man.

He didn't fully recover from the wound caused by the tiger. Yet, he's happy and satisfied that he could save his son from the tiger's attack.

Returned to their house in the forest, they continued their lives as before.

"Yue Maiden, if someday I die, then it's better for you to live at Chu State. The king will take care of you!" Ejun Zixi said to his wife.

"If you die, then I will die too!" Yue Maiden said.

"Silly! You have to live!" Ejun Zixi said. "My son is the king of Chu. Even if I die, you have to live. You should see how he rules his people and tell me what you hear and what you see. You're my eyes and my ears!" Ejun Zixi said and clutched her hands. "You are my everything!"

Yue Maiden smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.