1 From the Mud a Child is Born

Long ago before our time, was a pond in a poor village outside the capital of the mighty country Bekko. One night in this poor village called Feng Shui, the pond was drained and by morning all that was left was rich clay and mud from the night before. Fishermen who had set out early in the morning to make their living for the day were stunned at the sight. Though the pond was not as large as it's neighboring village Fengfu it would still be quite hard for the water to almost completely disappear from it in one night. By midday everyone was standing, staring, dumbfounded at the sight before them. Not one person moved, no child whined, no one worked, they all stood.

4 quarters had passed when the sound of drums and marching neared threw the village into a frenzy, everyone raced back to their businesses, their homes, and schools in fear. Fear of the capital's guards punishment. The only people left standing at the banks and docks of the pond were the fishermen themselves as the sound of rhythmic footsteps and beating drums came near. Scared. Scared of the consequences they lowered their heads in shame.

"The worst that could happen is death by water boarding."

No one spoke. The guards were in the village to collect the emperor's taxes and levies. The men who only came to fish in the evening did not worry as much as the ones that fished all day on certain days did. Cry's could be heard from different parts of the village. Executioner after executioner worked as they waved their swords in quick swipes. No one is ever spared.

Scream after scream they grew louder and closer, he couldn't take it anymore. In the 19 years that shi Chen had lived he never heard such screams, such mortified painful screams. He turned and ran toward the now muddy pond. Halfway across before he was told to halt, two guards were sent after him and began to drag him away for execution when suddenly something caught the guards eye. A basket covered in mud stuck out. Wondering why it was their another guard was sent out to open it and look inside.

Mud, fish, and a small moving hand scared the guard onto his hinds.

"There's a living child in here!"

"Pull it out before it dies idiot!"

Everyone gasped at the sight of the poor child of the poor village Bekko.

"How could this be?" "It's so dark the poor child skin was dyed by the mud. It's eyes sparkle like jade against its dark skin. What is it, a girl? She so small." The villagers whispered to each other as the child was wrapped and brought to the captain of the guard.

"Who are the parents of this child?" said the the captain. The villagers went silent, who would throw their child in the pond? The captain sighed and asked the guards to bring him the child. Two greenish brown eyes peered up at him as he examined the child, she couldn't have been no more then a year old. His heart melted for her the moment she held his finger. Her helplessness warmed his cold heart and wanted to protect her the best he could. "If her parents are dead or have abandoned her then she will leave with me." The captain exclaimed.

To everyone they were certain the ruthless captain would sell the baby into slavery but instead he did the opposite he brought her home to his estate in the capital. Upon his return to the capital news had spread far and wide right into the empress ear that captain of the guard had adopted a babygirl not a kin to him.

The empress curious of what her captain could have been thinking when he made such a rash decision snuck out of the palace with her hand maid and rode to the captains estate.

"Brother Yao, brother Yao! Open up!" A guard came to the door ready to scare off another fangirl but instead saw empress Ai Xi.

"Empress!?"