novelThe Place where It Started
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188 The Place where It Started
Guo Village
Jun Hua's carriage arrived at a small village in a mountain far away from the capital of Ming Kingdom. This area was still considered part of Ming Kingdom, but it was a less developed place and there were rarely any people coming. The condition of the villagers was also not that good, which make this place unpopular with people.
The coming of such a grand carriage caused the villager to come out from their house because of interest. Jun Hua smiled at the sight, she remembered some of them.
The carriage stopped in front of a small training hall. This training hall was truly small and only a pitiful number of people come here. Most of them were small children, but there were some older people there. They are busy training until they see that grand carriage stopping in front of their master training hall.
A petite girl came out. She walked slowly and gracefully, making the people here stunned. Where had they got the chance to see someone this beautiful and elegant? The figure looked like a fairy from dreams.
Jun Hua smiled at the sight in front of her. The people can't see it because of her veil and if they do, they might pass out from shock."Pat, is Master Kan here?"
One of the men gaped at that question. He's a 17 year old boy who trains here, but he didn't know how this pretty lady can know his name. Moreover, why did her voice seem familiar?
"Yes, he's inside. May I know your name?"
"Tell him, Hua'er has returned."
"Hua'er?" Pat almost screamed that name out. He looked at Jun Hua closely and almost cannot believe his eyes. The little 'boy' at that time is her? She looked completely different, now that she was wearing a dress and her demeanor changed.
Jun Hua smiled."Have you forgotten about me, Pat?"
Pat shakes his head."Not even once."
How could he forget his devilish training partner who would train until she was worn out, but never give up at all? The little girl who is younger than him, but had determination to not lose which made him lost to a kid. A kid who is so strong that even their master barely kept up when she reached nine.
"Wait over here..." Pat had just wanted to call the master when the door behind them opened and a middle-age man appeared.
The man, Den Kan, was the master of this training hall. He was a soldier in the past, but due to some circumstances, he can't return. Because of that, he built a training hall in a small village and taught them how to use sword and all.
Den Kan stared at the figure before him. A student had come to him telling him that a pretty lady was searching for him. This person before him is not only pretty, but peerless beauty.
"Den Kan welcomes you here, Miss."
Jun Hua smiled wryly."Master Kan, do you also forget about me?"
Den Kan almost fell because of that voice. The voice was soft and soothing, but hidden a sharp feeling. He was not surprised by the beauty of that word, but rather because he knew that voice. It's the voice of that worn-out little girl who came to him to learn martial arts.
"Hua'er, " Den Kan said slowly. He would never think that this student that he accepted years ago would turn out to be a noble. Furthermore, the little duck had turned into swan whose presence cannot be ignored anymore.
"Yes Master Kan. Hua'er is here."
"Unbelievable..." Den Kan said in surprised tone."Do you... want to go inside?"
"Sure."
Den Kan looked towards Pat and signaled that boy to start training. He showed the way to an empty room where there is nothing there.
"I will get some chair..."
"It's alright Master Kan. We can just sit on the floor, " Jun Hua didn't mind.
Den Kan wanted to protest, but since Jun Hua had said that and took the initiative to sit down first, he can only complied. Taking a seat before the lady, he found out that even the way of this girl conduct had changed drastically.
"Hua'er, I didn't think you would turn out to be a noble."
Jun Hua smiled."My real name is Jun Hua. Do you know this name?"
Den Kan nodded. The name of Jun Hua is a hot potato in Ming Kingdom, especially after the death of Jun Min. Even a remote place like this one still got the information. But, Den Kan remembered that the girl in front of him was someone who's hard-headed and would not give up easily. On the other hand, the rumor was saying that she's a weak girl.
"Are you confused?"
"Very much, " Den Kan answered.
Jun Hua laughed."I purposely made a different image of myself."
"Why?"
"I have been preparing to leave Ming Kingdom. Do you want to come with me? This time not as an outcast, but as my people, " Jun Hua said calmly.
The way Jun Hua presented herself made Den Kan cannot bring himself the calm he usually had. The pressure from the girl was like telling him that he will be the one regretting it if he were to reject her invitation. And that air around her... that was not the air of a weak noble girl.
"Why are you so confident of facing the emperor?" Den Kan said slowly.
"I have my own means and naturally they are things that you won't even dreams about, " Jun Hua answered.
Hearing a little girl telling such words to you was ridiculous, but his gut is telling him to trust the girl before him. Jun Hua didn't tell him the detail of her plan, but from his experience in the past regarding the girl, he knew that he can trust her.
"What do you want me to do?"
"You move to Mountain Kingdom following the path. You can bring anyone you want, there will be people waiting for you."
"I understand, " Den Kan smiled. This decision of his may sound reckless, but as a retired soldier, he doesn't have much. If Ming Kingdom and Mountain Kingdom were to be at odds with each other, he would be the one to suffer since this mountain was located near the border. Living here peacefully, he didn't want to get involved with wars anymore.
Jun Hua stood up."Since we are at it, why don't we have a small practice, Master Kan?"
"You can change your clothes first, " Den Kan stood up too.
"There is no need. Please make your move, Master Kan."
Den Kan took two wooden swords and passed on of them to the girl. She caught it easily and Den Kan started attacking. With swift side-stepped, Jun Hua got out from the range of the sword and counter-attacked the other party, forcing Den Kan to move back. The speed at which Jun Hua's move was not that quick, she only took some light step, but it's enough to evade and finally launched a perfect counter-attack.
Den Kan raised his hand."You've surprisingly become more powerful."
Jun Hua smiled at that remark.
After a few minutes, Jun Hua left the place where Den Kan is still standing rooted in his place. The expression on his face was complicated. Finally, he sighed.
"Pat, tell the other that this training hall is closed. I will be moving."
"Yes Master."
Den Kan smiled wryly."To think you're a general... Jun Hua Min, you're really amazing."
"This old man biggest achievement was without a doubt, you. Who could have expected the student of this old man would someday become a general."
As the carriage continues to go, Jun Hua looked towards the place with a sad smile. This was the place where she first learned how to use the sword, but in the future, she won't be able to see it anymore. This place contains so many memories for her. They were the memories which she treasured so much.
| ← Ch. 187 | Ch. 189 → |