The Legend of the Crimson Cricket , the Golden Scorpion , and the Emerald Beetle

By Mary Montalvo

In this book the reader will be transported to the 15th century in the Northern Chinese plain close to the Yan Mountains. It’s story unfolds with the love story of Kuan Yin and Shen Nong. Two strong and beautiful people in a forbidden marriage. Shen Nong a tired warrior, with a past that has to stay hidden, comes into Kuan Yin,s life on a spring day to eventually fill her lonely days. Out of this three remarkable sons are born with unique abilities that are sharpened with training. Being by themselves most of their young lives living apart believing that they are orphans, they eventually come together because of a common goal. First the oldest at 18 is Sun Liam who is raised in a school for fighting. Next is Yoshi at 17 who is raised in the Tendai Buddist Temple on Mount Hiel to become a marathon monk, running 52 miles for a hundred days. Then the third son is Aki Motto who is taken to Japan to live with Shen Nong,s aunt in an okiya with geisha girls. At 15 he is trained in the art of Bushido to become samurai. All of their backgrounds comes into play when the very village of their parents comes under attack by a twisted and powerful warlord Zhouli Hunhe and his son Naihe, a demented psychopath. The three brothers each experience life changing situations to become the Crimson Cricket, Golden Scorpion, and the Emerald Beetle.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664134898

Mary Montalvo

After twelve years of sitting on a school bus with disabled children, I started to put all the stories I made for them down in book format. After writing the stories I made for them, I started to write stories that I had rolling around in my mind. I have completed seven stories and have seven more that have to be finished, including children’s stories, which I also illustrated. My only hope is that someone will enjoy my work as much as I did in making it.

Book preview

THE LEGEND OF THE

CRIMSON CRICKET ,

THE GOLDEN SCORPION ,

AND THE EMERALD BEETLE

MARY MONTALVO

Copyright © 2020 by Mary Montalvo.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 10/05/2020

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

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CONTENTS

Part One   The Healer and the Warrior

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Part Two   The Brothers

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Part Three   Back To China

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

PART ONE

THE HEALER AND

THE WARRIOR

CHAPTER ONE

Kuan Yin and Shen Nong

Just before the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty and the start of the Ming Dynasty, there was a mountain of lao bai xing, or common people, who lived among many enemies. The head of their village was a woman who would grow up and lead her people.

She was handed down the ancient ceremonies and secret art of healing of their folk religion. She also learned to read from the old master scholar who escaped from the Yongyang garrison and stayed there. He never said why he needed to escape, and no one asked. He also taught her the ancient fighting art of jiaoli, including the ten techniques.

The isolated village was small but had experienced plentiful crops for a few years. It was located in the North China Plain close to the Yan Mountains. The fields were golden with wheat and with greenish white rows of garlic bulbs. It also had many tall plants of ginger with their white and pink buds and yellow flowers.

The white ducks, Cochin chickens, and large black Taihu pigs with flopping ears and wrinkle faces ran the country roads and hills, with the children and grandparents keeping watch. By standards, it was a very productive village with a good prospect for everyone, but that would change. Being a very superstitious people, they did nothing unless they had consulted the gods. But the older healer that they looked to had just died.

Kuan Yin was sixteen at this time and was the village favorite to succeed the position of healer and comforter to her people. Hence, her name meant heeding the cry. She would also deliver children to their mothers. Even now, she carried the weighty responsibility, knowing that many would turn to her one day. Being taller than others—with long, flowing, reddish-brown hair, pearl-white skin, and constantly worried almond eyes—made her stand out among her people. She was a fast runner, and she was running now.

Kuan Yin stopped to see her gray-haired father sitting on a wooden bench outside their home with a long, contemplative look on his face. He had married in his older years, and because of this, his children were at the age of his grandchildren, instead. His wife, half his age, was still beautiful just like her daughters. Some say her ancestor had mixed with a man from the far west, so the red hair would come out in families throughout the generations. It was her mother who told her to see her father.

Father, I was told you needed to see me.

As he looked at her, he thought of how to say what needed to be said.

Daughter, you know that the elders have been watching you for many years, and now we have made a decision that will give real meaning to your life. We have decided that it was time for you to take on the position as our new healer.

Kuan Yin had an idea that this was what was to happen, but now it only filled her with dread. It would mean a life of solitude, with never a chance of ever getting married. The people believed that if she wasn’t a virgin, her powers to heal others would be weak. She had been hoping it would be someone else but knew she had to accept her destiny.

That night, she laid in her small cot and cried for the loss of her chance of ever having children. In the morning, she was told that she would no longer live with her family, but she would inherit the modest dwellings that had belonged to all the former healers. It was full of every herbal medicine and all the things needed to help heal the body. Her older sister named Zuinu would go with her to be her helper.

Her sister was just as beautiful with black hair, but not as bright. She was named after one of the romantic lovers who met in the late summer, when Altair and Vega were high in the sky, because she was born at that time. Her nature was to be romantic, but now she would grieve for her sister and watch as Kuan Yin performed the burial ceremony the next day. When this happened, the village would know who was chosen.

CHAPTER TWO

As a few years passed, Kuan Yin learned to accept her responsibilities—one of which was to help at childbirth. It was the start of the winter season, and a young mother not much older than herself was almost dead from exhaustion because of her long labor. It was time to call Kuan Yin for help. It was midday and the little room had a small wood fire in the corner, with the husband and their friends peeking through the door every once in a while. Then, a large groan came from the young mother’s mouth as she laid on her back with her legs up. She was red, with sweat running down her face and her black hair soaked as she tried to push again, but nothing was happening. Her breath came in quick gulps as she fought the urge to cry out.

Kuan Yin had been watching with concern because there was some bright blood on the bedding.

How long has she been like this?

Her older mother, shaken and full of worry, answered as she put wet rags on her daughter’s face.

From the rising of the moon last night.

It was time. Kuan Yin was quick to get her arms and hands washed in the water from a small wooden basin. She now situated herself in front of the cot on a wooden stool to examine the head of the baby. What she found was that the baby’s head was not there, but there were feet instead. It would be a breech birth.

She would have to reposition the baby in the womb. She had done this many times with goats and sheep, but this would be the first with a woman. As her small hands explored, the poor young woman let out screams of pain.

Zuinu came into the room and saw that Kuan Yin’s hands were red with blood.

Go now and get the white powder for pain, and the alum to check the flow of blood. Also I will need my needles! Kuan Yin hollered.

After Kuan Yin wiped her hands on a clean cloth next to the water, she mixed the white powder and made the young mother drink it all. Now was the time to deliver the child. Her hands were fast and functional. First, she placed the acupuncture needles in the areas to numb the pelvis and back. It was time to turn the baby around.

The foot was extremely slippery, but with a pull and a few anxious minutes later, the baby popped out wet, sending blood onto Kuan Yin’s clothes. The baby was crying weakly, and the mother, in total exhaustion and could no longer feel the pressure of the fingers, let out a long sigh of relief.

Kuan Yin decided to stay and sat next to the small fire, feeling glad it was over. The older mother, carrying the just-washed baby in a blanket, turned and pleaded.

Please, I am sure the baby will be safer in your hands than in mine.

She said this as she placed the sweet and beautiful baby girl in Kuan Yin’s arms, and left to sit on the side of her daughter’s bed. Still with troubled breathing but gaining strength, the little, soft baby girl with dark hair started to cry weakly. Then, the mother in her weakened state woke up and started calling softly for her little Fung Ho.

It was that very night when everything changed for Kuan Yin. Her life was never the same. The wanting and knowing that it will never happen for her to have children. She could still remember the softness and the smell of the newborn. It haunted her nights. Without sleep and in solitude, she walked the dirt roads between houses. She would look into the small windows with firelight and notice the happiness of others. She saw the mothers playing with their little fat babies, and life did not seem fated for her to be happy. But even with this pain, she was determined to fulfill her unwanted position with dedication and love for her people. The village was also full of faith and loyalty toward her.

CHAPTER THREE

A few more years had passed, and she had become exactly what the village elders wanted. Not only could she help and heal the sick, but she had turned into the most beautiful of women. Her long, reddish-brown hair flowed down her back to her waist. It made a wonderful contrast to the pearl white of her skin, the black of her almond eyes, lush eyelashes, and her full cherry lips. Every stranger that passed through would spread the news of a beautiful lady with great healing powers. This would only be a foreboding of danger for her safety and future.

For now, the mood was festive. It was the time of the Lantern Festival. The simple red paper lanterns were lit that night, all hanging from the thatched rooftops of the humble homes. Tomorrow night, the fire and torches would be ablaze and a modest banquet of food would be prepared for everyone. Today, Kuan Yin would have the privilege, as always, to lead the ceremonial walk outside to the future crops. She would ask for a blessing of a prosperous harvest from the harvest gods.

At that moment, above in the green