Things will go downhill from this point. I hope you guys are still reading though and as to those who say that Xing Cai is cute with Guan Ping, well he's dead here, so she is in love with Ma Chao now. Get it? Oh and the Nine Golden Springs is supposedly where people go when they die according to their belief at that time. I dunno. I heard them say it so many times in the novel. By the way, there are about eight or less or more chapters left. I planned the plot out already. I could finish this in a week or so, that is if I don't slack cause I haven't typed them yet. But I already wrote the final chapter cause I couldn't help it! Let me just warn you, it's not a happy ending.

Summary: Ma Chao said that he would always love Xing Cai no matter what, but when Xing Cai marries Liu Shan their love is put to the test. However, Ma Chao is not ready to give up and fights to be with her even to the very end. (Ma Chao x Xing Cai)

My Heart Is Yours

Chapter seven: Perte; The Spiral of Misfortune

The sun rose early that day. Ma Chao slowly walked back to his room as his heart was filled with anger.

"How dare he say that? I told him that she said no and yet he asks that of me once more!" Ma Chao muttered, stomping through the hall towards his room, "If she said no then, how can I make her change?"

"Ma Chao…" Zhuge Liang said, while the moon let its pale rays fall upon the forest glade, "Why don't you just ask her to leave him? If you both truly love each other then…"

"How can you say that?" Ma Chao thundered, "She bade me not to ask her that, but you say that that is the only way! What idiocy are you asking me to do? I cannot ask her that."

The Sleeping Dragon sighed, "Oh well, and I thought you loved her."

"How ridiculous could he be?" the Five Tiger General murmured, slamming the doors to his room open, "Of course I love her, but she told me no then. How can she say yes now after doing that ceremony?"

Then Ma Chao sat down on his bed, "But I do love her and I want her to come back to me oh so much. How can I do that? There must be something I can do. Or maybe he could be right…"

He grunted and laid his head down. "This is so difficult…But I swear I will get Xing Cai back and I will exact my revenge in anyway possible.

Meanwhile, Liu Shan had called all his guards to his throne room upon hearing that they had found the perpetrators.

"So, who is it?"

The head guard bowed low, "My lord, last night, the intruder escaped through the window and General Zhao Yun and Lady Huang were to give chase, but they did not."

"What are you saying? I can't understand."

"Ahem, we went to pursue as well, but when we saw them talking to the general, we soon saw them escape with him to the outskirts of Cheng Du. Anyway, we were however able to find out who the intruder is."

"Well then, who is it?"

"It is General Ma Chao of Xi Liang. He is one of the Five Tiger Generals and he was also the one who interrupted the marriage and we were able to find out through rumor that he is in love with your lady."

The Latter Ruler looked worried. "Why did it have to be him? My father knew that he was a powerful general and how can I displease my father by executing one of his most trusted generals? He is indeed an asset to Shu, but…" Liu Shan sighed.

"My lord, he has already broken the law therefore he cannot go unpunished. Even General Zhao Yun and Lady Huang have done wrong. They too must be subjected to punishment."

"I suppose you are right. Yes, they cannot go unpunished, but I cannot act yet."

And with that, Liu Shan bid them to leave and then he called for Zhuge Liang.

"My lord, you have summoned me?" The Sleeping Dragon asked, while he entered the throne room.

"Yes, I need to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Should I punish this man? He has committed a grave offense but he is a great general."

Zhuge Liang held his feather fan up, concealing his mouth as he talked, "Well, my lord, I believe that you should not because he could create a disaster if you were to try that. He could defect if you do so and many others will."

"I see…Thank you for you time, by the way," Liu Shan said as he sank down on his throne, "Lady Huang and General Zhao Yun are suspended from the army as of now."

"Yes my lord." Zhuge Liang answered, bowing down to conceal any hint of anger or resentment that was on his face. So, he found out had he? Then the Prime Minister turned to leave. The doors seemed a little heavier than usual as he opened them. He felt as if something inside him was slithering. Something hideous that Zhuge Liang wanted to hide away…

"Lord Liu Bei told me that I must take over the throne if his son becomes incompetent as a ruler. I know that and sometimes at the bottom of my heart I know I must obey for the good of Shu, but I cannot. Lord Liu Shan is the proper ruler and I want to unite the land with hopes that it would be as peaceful as Lord Liu Bei had imagined. I cannot do it. But by doing so, Ma Chao could be with Xing Cai, but my duty is first to Lord Liu Bei then to Ma Chao, I will not take over the throne…"

Xing Cai saw him pass by her with a look of sorrow on his face. "Is everything alright?" she asked him.

But he made no answer and walked on.

"Ma Chao, I hope you're okay…" she muttered, seeing him walk off, "Just by looking at him, I can sense something is terribly wrong."

"SUSPENDED?" Ma Chao exclaimed as Zhao Yun sadly nodded, "It's not all too bad. Just for a couple of days and besides, I'm still heading for at least one battle before it starts. It's some campaign to take some northern lands. It's alright, Master Ma Chao, it's not bad at all."

Ma Chao hanged his head, "I apologize, Zhao Yun."

"I already said it was alright." Zhao Yun replied, chuckling. He patted Ma Chao's shoulder. "Have you already decided what you're going to do?"

The other Five Tiger General shook his head. "I'll have to give it some thought Zhao Yun." Ma Chao sighed.

"Alright, if that is what you truly want." Zhao Yun replied, "Just remember I'm beside you throughout this ordeal, Master Ma Chao."

He nodded to Zhao Yun, "I truly owe you so much…"

"You owe me nothing." Zhao Yun answered, "It is my own foolishness that led me into this."

They both laughed, "Yes, I guess you must be insane to help me out in this."

"Ah well, I just can't bare to see you shattered, besides, I have to make sure true love wins in the end, right?"

The following day, Xing Cai went to see Liu Shan, "My lord, I heard that you have found out the intruder."

"H-how did you Xing Cai?"

"I hear rumors."

"Then you know now that I will punish him."

She nodded, swallowing hard. Then she answered him, "I-It's not him."

"What do you mean, Xing Cai?"

"I-I don't…" she said, cutting her statement before finishing, "I don't…lo…l…lo…lov…l…love him… I don't love him…" She was so close to tears as she finished. It was more painful than anything to say that, but she had to. If she had not said that, then Ma Chao would surely be punished and probably killed. She could not bare that. She could not bare to lose him or to let him die.

Liu Shan sighed, "That may be right, but if he does love you then, he could be dangerous. He is rather aggressive. I'll have to detain him."

She looked horrified. "No don't…please, you can't do that to a general who has done so much for you."

The Latter Ruler sighed heavily, "There's no other choice."

Most of the generals were gone that day as Zhuge Liang had gone to take some northern cities to fortify his up coming Northern Campaign. But some were still at the capital so he summoned Wei Yan to enter the throne room.

"I want you to arrest a certain Ma Chao and detain him." Liu Shan ordered, "As there are not much soldiers left here, Wei Yan, please take my guard unit. Do what ever you please, just detain Ma Chao."

With a bow, Wei Yan nodded and went out.

Xing Cai was worried.

Ma Chao was in danger and she could do nothing about it, unless she could get there in time. She had to save him.

I finally have chapter seven, but the next chapter could take long again to be uploaded. Damn, Liu Shan, how dare he do all that? Anyway, I'm actually going to let Xing Cai fight with Ma Chao. Aside from Wei Yan appearing here for the first time, he could come off in alet chapters as an ally, I'm not too sure about that yet though. Also Jiang Wei will be appearing for the first time in the next chapter, but he even if he'll help out Ma Chao, he could be more troublesome with the Ma Chao-Xing Cai problem more than he could be helpful. What does that mean? Well, you'll just have to find out in the next chapter.