Tai-yi: Is a medicinal healer that only served the royalty.
Regent - A person who is appointed to act as a head of state (ruling or not) because the rightful ruler is a minor, not present or debilitated. The Regent exists in this story because the current crown prince is not of age.
Ming Dynasty           1368-1644 A.D.
The Ming Dynasty was a great productive era; China was in a very stable economy. Armies and navies were well established, allowing China to venture out into the world to explore and liaison trade with the Europeans.
Tang Dynasty            618-907 A.D.
The Tang Dynasty was the most prosperous era for the Ancient Chinese empire; flouris.h.i.+ng culture in the form of Arts. It was a period of progress and stability.
Reincarnation
In Chinese belief, once a ânormalâ person pa.s.ses away their soul goes towards the heavens and waits in line to have its memory erased. Some will be destined for reincarnation, but some, accordingly to their sins during their lifetime will be sent to h.e.l.l for punishment. It is believed, that the most purist beings such as priests and heroes would be offered a place in the heavens. Chinese emperors are believed to be G.o.dly beings which will rise to the sky upon death and reclaim their place in the heavens.
Sacrificial Death Burials in China it was customary to bury servants, concubines and empress when an emperor or king becomes deceased. In belief, that they shall serve him when his highness reaches the âplace of heavenlyâ beings. Usually, they were hung and buried, or even buried alive. However, this tradition dissolved around the third century B.C.
Feng Yu Jiu Tian
Chapter One.
Feng-ming died.
He never expected that his life would be so short.
Usually at 19 years old, one would prospect at building a life rather than having it end so prematurely. However, in his case he was fated to see a truck hurtling towards a small boy who crossed the road whilst completely oblivious to the incoming danger.
Without hesitation Feng-ming secured the child in his embrace.
The force of the truckâs impact immediately sent him up in the air, like an angel falling from grace. As the moment of his surreal air suspension pa.s.sed, all he could hear was the noise of pa.s.ser-bys running towards the pair.
At that moment, he knew he was dead.
Where do dead people go?
Once Feng-ming was separated from his physical body, he reached a void, a completely empty s.p.a.ce between the living and the dead world.
No-one could see or hear him scream. It was like he was trapped in a cold detached nightmare.
Alone and isolated, heâs morale dropped to the point of despair, but suddenly, his ears perked at what he thought was a noise.
âYou should still be here? Am I right?â The voice was unfamiliar, Feng-ming couldnât a.s.sociate it with anyone he might have known when he was alive, but this voice was clearly addressing him.
âMe?â Feng-ming answered a bit frightened. âAre you talking to me? Who are you? Are you G.o.d? Or are you also a ghost?â
The voice chuckled: âNo, Iâm not G.o.d nor am I a ghost. Iâm standing at the door of the void.â
Feng-mingâs wisped his head around to check; out towards the far distance of his emptiness, he spotted a middle-aged man and in that manâs arms was the young boy he had risked his life to save.
The mysterious manâs mouth ever so slightly, âIâm actually a
Sorcerer, I possess supernatural abilities. To repay your kindness of saving my childâs life, I can help you gain a life again.â
âAre you for real?â Feng-ming was genuinely surprised.
âYes.â The man nodded. âTodayâs alignment between this world and anotherâs perfect, allowing me to open a time-s.p.a.ce portal from our world. I will find you another recently deceased body, which you can a.s.sume its ident.i.ty. Of course, I will select a corpse that is in much better condition than your own after the accident.â
âSo are you saying, I have no other choice but to enter a different time and s.p.a.ce?â
âThatâs correct. This is a rare opportunity. You are very fortunate to have made my acquaintance; I am your only hope in casting this portal to a different realm, where you will be able to live once more. If you were to linger in this void more than 12 hours, your soul will slowly dissipate and cease to exist.â
âThen my luck is pretty good today, I thought all dead people are reincarnated.â
âMy offer only stands as youâve fortunately died whilst rescuing my child, on a day coinciding with a rare stability between our world and another. Have you decided?â
âWhat is there to even think over?â
âWell then, weâll commence.â
âWait!â
âYou have something you want to ask me?â
âIf you have to find a corpse, canât I at least make a choice?â
âWhat is your request?â
Feng-ming shot the middle-aged man an exasperated look.
âOf course, Iâd at least want to be in the place of a good person, it would be awesome if it was a young-master.â
He paused.
âPlease, donât put my soul into a womanâs body! If I could be handsome, Iâd appreciate it and I no one shorter than five feet tall would be great.â
The man let out a sigh. âIâll try my best.â
âWhat do you mean by âtryâ?!â
âThere are some things you can never get.â
Suddenly the manâs expression distorted in annoyance, 's.h.i.+t! The time-s.p.a.ce portal is starting to open, I need to start âŚâ
An abrupt flash of lightning crashed into the void, blinding Feng-ming.
An onslaught of roaring wind within the darkness deafened his ears, his whole existence was enveloped by this paranormal force.
Powerless to resist the strange energy, Feng-mingâs soul was consumed within the next rush of hollowing wind, which proceeded to accelerate to a storm.
âAAAA-ARGH! AH! ARGHHHâŚ!!!â Feng-mingâs screams were m.u.f.fled as he was taken up into the eye of the portal.
The Kingdom of Xi-re, the Residence of the Royal Palace
Within the grandest hall in the Princeâs quarters, the royal servant ladies were all looking ghastly pale.
Something was wrong with the Prince.
A rush of Imperial Tai-yi came and went; their expressions appearing grim with the next and eventually all their eyes echoed helplessness.
Everyone was un-eased; their hands trembled with each action.
The Prince was dead, and everyone who has served him will be buried along side his highness.
âPrince!â
Wept the servants and guards.
âOh, Your highness, our Prince!!â
Mournful cries perforated into the tension filled air in the Princeâs quarters.
Everyoneâs heart was suspended in despair.
âQuickly! Go inform the Regent King, that his Royal HighnessâŚRoyal Highness isâŚâ
The teeth of the old chief Tai-yi chattered nervously, as he called for messengers to relay the devastating news, which by now had spread like wildfire.
A line of Imperial Tai-yiâs had formed outside the bed chamber, after failing to revive their Crowned Prince.
Each manâs expression was more sorrowful than the next, their heads downcast antic.i.p.ating the horrific punishment to be enforced upon the servants, once the Regent King unleashes his displeasure for their incompetence.
The likely cost would be their heads.
Everyone was at the mercy of the Regent King.
Being buried alive, everyone here was to be buried alive.
People all around were disheartened.
Several servant girls were so shocked from their impending fate to the point of fainting in the corridors.
The Palace was thrown into a complete havoc!
Then suddenly, an ecstatic voice exclaimed:
âThe PrinceâŚthe Prince looks like he is waking up! Imperial Tai-yi! Tai-yi!â
The Chief Imperial Healer scuttled into the Royal patientâs room, a small entourage of court officials, high ranked officers and the servants flooded in.
All were in deep concern and disbelief of the sudden miracle. The wise Tai-yi  proceeded to check the Princeâs vitals. Upon seeing his expression relax, a beacon of hope was lit, and the forlorn faces of the Princeâs subjects quickly eased.
Not long after, one of the Princeâs personal guards rushed out in joy, bellowing on top of his lungs to announce:
âThe Prince is finally awake! The Prince is awake!!â
To herald the good news, everyone in ear-shot cheered for joy celebrating that their Prince did not perish by a final slumber.
Feng-ming grimaced, his lips down-turned to the piercing headache that greeted his awakening.
Many people around him persistently called out to him as if urging him to return to them, as soon as his eyes fluttered open he was met with the alarmed gaze of an elderly old man.
Behind, the greyed hair man was a couple of pretty maidens hovering over the manâs shoulders.
Whatâs with these periodic looking costumes?
As his eyes slowly adjusted to the new-found lights and sights, he was no longer shy to look around him.
He pursed his lips in discomfort, readying himself to ask:
âWhere is this place?â
Everyone around gasped, completely sh.e.l.l-shocked.
Their eyes met in a certain communal fear, before an answer was issued to their Highness.
âYour royal highness?â The old man asked cautiously. âWhat are you asking?â
Feng-ming blinked his eyes, and quickly re-surveyed his surroundings.
Oh yes! Thatâs right!
Feng-ming reminded himself that he has entered someone elseâs body. According to that man it should be a dead personâs body. If he wasnât told this earlier and woke up to such a scene, heâd probably think he was insane.
âI saidâŚâ Feng-ming turned his head around, a little apprehensive.
âAm I a Prince? A Prince of which country?â
Is this the Tang dynasty or the Ming dynasty? Well, I guess it doesnât matter considering being a Prince sure beats being a civilian, actually this might turn out pretty cool.
âOf the Xi-re Kingdom, your highness.â
Xi-re? What is that?
Feng-ming frowned but nodded and started to nonchalantly play along, pretending as if he understood.
âOh, Xi-re, Of course, I know.â
He closed his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts, he felt a slight disturbance by a presence along side his bedside. Three young ladies had humbly kneeled next to his side, onlooking the Prince as he rested.
When Feng-ming pa.s.sed through the portal, it left him with excruciating aches and strain on his mind.
The newly founded Prince dismissed his subjects so he could rest in peace. The only people left in his bedchamber were his close personal servants girls ordered to watch over him.
For while after the small gathering had disbanded, Feng-ming remained restless.
He tried to sleep again but struggled.
Growing tired of the effort, his eyes flashed opened. He beckoned the closest maiden.