IN ANOTHER BODY

Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she observed her surroundings. What seemed like a shack had tattered walls with holes here and there. The ceiling had a huge hole on it as well but was covered by a piece of clothing. There was nothing in the house but a small wooden chair and a makeshift table.

'where is this?'

Zhou Min sat up from floor, her clothes, damp. Her frail and bony arms were raised in front of her

'no...wait...this is not my body'

She was stunned but was never one to be shaken up so easily so she stood up and walked around the house making creaking noises whenever she passed by.

"No!! Please Mr. Pei! Let us stay!!" she heard a woman plead

She walked outside the damaged door, squinting her eyes at the sunlight. When she finally was able to adjust her sight, she saw a woman grovelling on the floor while a man struck her again and again.

'I, Zhou Min, would not stand for this abuse!'

from her place, she dashed towards the man and kicked him in the chin, sending him flying towards a weird looking caravan.

Suddenly, she felt her head tinge in pain as images that seemed unbeknownst to her flashed by. Maybe it was due to the head splitting pain on her head or to the way she exerted her strength with a weak body, she fainted.

....

"Zhuo Min!" an old looking general called for her. His voice was deep and commanding, just perfect for the kind of general he is. His hands were that of a swordsman, rough and calloused and his body was muscular but had scars all over. He was sitting on a chair as his legs were disabled from the war.

"yes, father?" a girl in the clothing of a man ran up to him

BANG

She flinched

"What did you call me?" he asked, killing intent oozing out

Immediately, the girl straightened up, her hands on her sides and said "General Zhou"

"Hmph, go and receive your punishment"

"yes, General" she saluted and walked out of the General's tent

She was never permitted to call him father. Zhou Min was named after a boy although she was a girl. She was born in the barracks and eversince little, lived there, never being able to go out and explore.

She was told to act like a man and even train in the camp with them. She excelled, but never had she experienced the love of a father and mother. She felt caged like a bird, unable to spread out its wings and fly

Luckily, she had a brother to make up for it. Everyday, she would train with him and eat with him. He would tell her stories of when their mother was alive.

She had always thought that maybe the reason why her father hated her was because their mother died giving birth to her.....a girl.

It was only when she turned 14 when Emperor found out that she was a girl and sent her to the palace, letting her learn ettiquette and all the likes a woman should have.

For two years, she lived in the palace acting prim and proper but missed her family and the comfort of the barracks. She asked to be brought back but who would allow a girl to train in martial arts and the art of the sword?

It was only until her brother went missing in the war when the soldiers needed a new General but no one was fit for it, did she come back.

She had pleaded to the Emperor and was finally given the permission to go. Not as Zhou Min but as Zhou Fei

Later on, she found her brother's dead body but she couldn't let other soldiers know now, could she?

She buried him herself and prayed for him, then left weeping

....