3 Once in a Lifetime

Deep in thought, Yuxi didn't realize she had caught the attention of the mysterious man in the corner of the room. He was the only man present from the Chen family, but his presence was the only thing she needed.

Her eyes swept across the room, until something had caught her attention. The man had accidentally moved the hand resting on his cane, the silver ring gleamed for the slightest second. But it was all Yuxi needed to know someone else was watching her.

Recognizing the man she had only seen once in her lifetime, Yuxi was surprised at the appearance of the man. Out of all of the relatives that showed up, he was the only man from the Chen family. She was the father of her mother, and an extremely important man.

Even in her previous lifetime, the man had been present. But little Yuxi was too shaken and heart-broken over the death of her parents, to even think about observing her surroundings.

Now that she had received the miracle of going back in time to change her fate, Yuxi was beginning to become more cautious.

"Grandfather." Yuxi breathed out, stepping closer to the man in the corner.

Because his face was deeply hidden in the shadows, Yuxi didn't see the satisfactory on her grandfather's face.

He was pleasantly happy his granddaughter had remembered him. She had only seen her once, on the day of her fifth birthday, but his present was the greatest anyone could gift her: acknowledgement as Commander Moyao's only granddaughter.

Despite the fact that he had multiple daughters and even more granddaughters, she was the first and only one acknowledged.

Out of all of the granddaughters that he's met, she was the first to not cry or hide at the appearance of his face. Though it was old and grumpy, there was a long scar that ran from his chin all the way to his forehead. The old knife wound had luckily missed his eye by the tiniest inch.

Instead of whining or hiding at the sight of her grandfather, little Yuxi who was barely five years old, had gracefully acknowledged her grandfather with a bright and innocent smile befitting of her age.

Commander Moyao remembered the smile, for it was the seed that peeked his interest. Now that Yuxi had properly remembered him and boldly addressed him as grandfather, instead of 'Commander Moyao' like the rest of his granddaughter, the tiny seed just got its first droplet of water.

And seeing the Commander not correcting the way she addressed them, the servants that surrounded the Commander knew of the girl's importance to the Chen family.

Not only was Yuxi a third-ranked Princess, because of the Emperor's decree, but she was now Commander Moyao's granddaughter.

Known for his grand achievements of taking on 150,000 enemy soldiers with 1,500 men on his side, Commander Chen Moyao's name would go down in history. He had deep-rooted connections to the Royal Palace that not even Zhao Yulong could beat.

"Come here child, let this old man see your face more clearer." The voice finally spoke, He had been present for a long time now, but it was the first time he made his presence known.

His sudden presence shocked all of the uncles in the room. Shock morphed to horror and then to uneasiness. Because of his analytical and strategics brain and eyes, he was known to be extremely coy fox who always had something up his sleeve.

Indeed the Commander has gotten old. He was in his early sixties, but that didn't mean his brains and deceitful behavior have dwindled throughout the years. No one could see through his strategic brain and he intended to keep it that way.

"You look exactly like your mother, down to the last strand of your hair." Commander Moyao commented, the minute Yuxi stepped closer to him.

"I believe she looks more like Zhao Yulong-" The eldest Uncle immediately quieted down with one murderous look from Commander Moyao.

The eldest uncle was wise to not speak against the wishes of the Commander. To offend him was to offend the entire Chen family and that was something no one could afford, not even the great Emperor of Huoling himself.

"Instead of arguing over who should gain guardianship of Yuxi, let the child choose. She is eight years old, not eight months."

Suddenly, everyone's gaze shifted to Yuxi who has stepped away from the gravestone and underneath the protection of the pavilion.

"That's right, little Yuxi. Come to eldest Uncle-" The man didn't even get to finish his sentence when Yuxi strolled right past him and towards the Commander.

Lowering herself onto the floor, ignoring the mud and rain on the black stone floor, Yuxi humbly bowed to her grandfather. With her right hand resting on top of her left and her forehead hovering an inch from the tucked hands, Yuxi got on her knees and bowed deeply.

This act surprised everyone in the room. No one had expected her to pick the eldest man in the room. But most importantly, they didn't expect her to be smart enough to choose the wealthiest and most powerful man in the room.

"Why are you bowing so deeply before family? Get up, child." Though the Commander had a scolding tone, his eyes were filled with satisfaction. The child was well-mannered and knew how to respect elders.

"Grandfather, Yuxi deeply apologizes for disobeying this order of yours and selfishly requesting something from you." Yuxi began, her voice slightly muffled by the long sleeves of her expensive white hanfu that was stained with dirt and mud. The precious silk was being ruined, but the child didn't care.

"Oh? Is there something you need?" The Commander countered with an intrigued expression.

"Please allow Yuxi to abandon the Zhao family name and serve you as the first granddaughter of Commander Chen Moyao."

Everyone was shocked to the core at the child's request. Instead of speaking like a child who was barely eight years old, she spoke like a grown woman with years of etiquette lessons.

Before the death of Zhao Yulong and Chen Xiyue, Yuxi was too spoiled to travel towards the port city of Leijing where the Chen Province resided in. Because the child hated the smell of fish or seafood, she refused to step foot in the city.

It saddened her mother in the past, and Yuxi knew of this. She selfishly abandoned her mother's wishes, despite the fact the guilt nearly ate her alive. But now that she had received a second chance to correct her life, she would not miss such an amazing opportunity. Leijing in a couple of years will grow into an extremely prosperous city - one of the wealthiest of Huoling.

Yuxi remembered in her previous life, the port city would become rich from trading with foreign countries outside of Huoling. Whoever could possess the most ports or ships in the city would become wealthier beyond their dreams.

"Yuxi, you are the sole heir to the Zhao family wealth! Do you realize the meaning of your words?! To abandon the Zhao family name is to abandon your inheritance!" The eldest Uncle was the first to speak against her words. Though his sentence revealed his greed, it also voiced the opinions all of Yuxi's Zhao uncles.

"Be it Zhao Yuxi or Chen Yuxi, I am the same child who shared half of Zhao Yulong and Chen Xiyue's blood. As long as this head remains in tact and my blood runs true, I will always be the heir of the Zhao fortune."

"You must bare the Zhao family name for it is the mark that you will inherit the fortune!"

"Second brother is right, Yuxi. You mustn't abandon your lineage for one so foreign!" The eldest Uncle rashly reached for Yuxi's hand in an attempt of grabbing the child.

Perhaps it was because of the slippery black stone floor coated in mud and dirt, or it was because Yuxi's suddenly turn of backs towards the men, but the eldest Uncle slipped and fell onto the floor. This prompted snickers from his brothers who'd greatly watch the downfall of one of their own.

This was primarily why Zhao Yulong didn't introduce Yuxi to any of her uncles, they were all too greedy. Instead of acting like family or brothers, they treated each other like enemies.

"You dare address the Chen as unfamiliar?" The Commander roared, slamming his fist on the table besides him. A slight crack formed on the surface.

Frightened and embarrassed, the third uncle immediately got onto his knees. He bowed in fear of disrespecting the Commander.

Frightened and on the floor, the eldest Uncle immediately got onto his knees and bowed low in fear of disrespecting the Commander. When he was calm, Commander Moyao was like an ancient and harmless fox whose favorite activity was basking in the sun. But provoked and tempered with, the fox will become a ferocious tiger.

"This lowly man has wronged you, please forgive me-"

"Why would you ask forgiveness from a stranger?" The Commander taunted, his voice chilling and mocking.

The eldest Uncle felt a shiver pass through his spine at the silent message behind the Commander's words. Once a stranger, always a stranger. The men of the Zhao family will forever remain someone inferior to the Commander.

"Come here child, standing in the cold for too long is not good for your frail health." Commander Moyao beckoned Yuxi forward. His voice, still angered by the foolish Zhao men that shared none of Yulong's glory, was still rough and stony.

Upon sensing the hesitation in Yuxi for using such a scary voice, he tried to soften his expression to please the supposedly frightened child.

Truth to be told, Yuxi was not afraid. But she needed to make the Commander know treating her with roughness will not be acceptable. She didn't want the Commander to be so cold and terrifying, for he is to be her future guardian.

"Yuxi, come to me. It's warmer by the lantern than by the graves." Commander Moyao's voice was gentle and soft, like the lightest touch of cotton. The men were all shocked at the sound of his voice. They've heard the rumors about him, and neither of them said he could use such a sweet voice.

Yuxi's eyes traveled to the small fire lanterns that was placed around him. Seeing his temper was reigned back, Yuxi stepped closer to him.

"Yuxi, you can't-" The eldest Uncle doesn't finish his sentence. Yuxi had already reached her grandfather's side.

"Under guardianship and relative relations, Zhao Yuxi will take over the Chen family name. And until the end of her time, or shall she wed and take her husband's name, will forever be Chen Yuxi." An Eunuch sent by the Emperor to finalize her guardianship, finally made his presence known.

He had been watching the men all along, by the entrance with a scroll in hand.

"As long as Chen Yuxi bares the physical mark of a Zhao, she will always have the inheritance of Zhao Yulong and Chen Xiyue!" The Eunuch announced, presenting Yuxi and Commander Moyao with a red stamp. Pressing their thumbs onto the scroll, the decree was solidified. None of the Zhao men will have Yuxi's enormous inheritance, but that won't stop them from trying.

For every child born underneath the Zhao family name, there will always be a physical crest on their upper left arm. It was brutally and painstakingly carved onto the baby as a child. But for Zhao Yulong who never wanted his firstborn, especially a daughter, to suffer such pains, he had a blacksmith carve a branding seal. It was better than the knife whose work will take hours.

The crest was extremely tiny. The symbol of the Zhao was a cresent moon with a snake slithered around it. The mark was permanent and can never be erased.

"Follow me, Yuxi." The Commander stood up from the chair without the support of his cane. In reality, the cane wasn't meant for support. The Commander's body was perfectly fine and didn't need one. But to keep up the facade of a weak grandpa, he used it to catch his enemies off guard. The cane was a hidden sword coated with a lethal poison.

Upon sensing the move of their master, the shadow men that hid in the darkness, finally stepped out of the shadows. It immediately surprised the Zhao men who thought Moyao came without protection.

"Come child, lets go home." For the first time, the Commander offered his hand to his granddaughter. The hand was rough and calloused from wielding the sword for so long, but the hand seemed gentle and kind. Placing her tiny palm onto it, he softly wrapped his hand around her delicate one.

"Zhao Yuxi, you ungrateful child! Are you really going to turn your backs on your uncles-"

"I am not turning my back to my uncles. I am turning my back to greedy men who want nothing else, but the money that Yuxi can offer." The chilling voice of Yuxi reminded the uncles of their previously eldest brother, Zhao Yulong. Before his death, he was the eldest and the wisest out of the Zhao men.

Though her voice and face resembled the heavenly Beauty of Leijing, her eyes and gaze mirrored the great General Zhao Yulong. She was a deathly combination of both of her parents.

"Child, don't pay these men any mind. Come now, the carriage is waiting outside." Moyao lead the small child to the door. Though his ruthless expression didn't say anything, his eyes revealed the satisfaction and intrigue he had in Yuxi.

He didn't know a spoiled brat can make such expressions. He brushed it aside, as the mere confidence of a child who realized they needed to fend for themselves.

Once they reach the entrance of the grand cemetery ground for royalties, the Chen servants immediately came forward. Using enormous umbrellas to shelter Moyao and Yuxi, their eyes were filled with curiosity.

They only heard the loud announcement of the Eunuch, never the words of Moyao.

Using his cane to walk, he feigned weakness in front of everyone. Only his closet servants know the cane was fake. He leads Yuxi to a modest on the outside, but luxurious on the inside carriage. It was plain on the outside, so that it didn't garner the attention of passing thieves.

The servants helped Yuxi into the carriage first. Sitting close to the entrance of the carriage, Yuxi helped her grandfather settle his cane and then placed a blanket around him. This prompted not only his respect and future adoration, but it awed the servant to see such a small respective child.

The Commander lightly patted Yuxi's head upon seeing her struggle. Her arm and hand were too tiny to place the blanket around his thigh, but he felt too guilty to stop a child who was working so hard.

"You should rest, child. The journey to Leijing will be long and tiring." And Yuxi did just that. For once in a long time, Yuxi fell asleep in a blanket of warmth and comfort.