The gates of the Liu Estate opened. Carriages lined up on the stone brick road as guests arrived. At the tail end of the line, a young girl in green led a man in gray along the white wall. As the girl skipped and the man hummed, they looked like any ordinary niece and uncle, or father and daughter, pair.

Han Yeon engrossed herself in scrutinizing all the different carriages, clothing, and people.

She had traversed through the mountains of the vast wilderness known as the Great Expanse, fending off an unusually high amount of the roaming beasts left from the last migration. After crossing the rivers and valleys, nothing indicated when she entered Great Zhao, but seeing the city of Jiyang confirmed where she was. The dead of night had nothing to see, but after a rest at the inn, the largest city in the northeast presented itself to her.

Yeon stepped back and glanced at her senior brother. “Those same ones are probably the local government. The ones displaying their crests should be from some respected family. The ones with good horses are military. Those with dirt stuck on their wheel have traveled far. Those who rented a carriage are merchants from the city and port. The others who are walking are like us.”

“Little sister, there are other ways to compliment oneself,” the man said.

“I am being serious. I read about this once. Especially the rented carriages. If you do not need one, walk. Now, you are creating traffic.” Yeon pouted. See, she thought, she was slighting others for riding, not complimenting herself for walking.

Nearing the main gate, they witnessed the people stepping out of their carriages.

“True, some of them have good swords.” The man eyed the waists of a bearded officer and an elderly man who were both walking like them.

Yeon glanced at the sheathed sword tied to Eldest Brother’s waist. “If Master knows you are carrying your sword here, how would he reprimand you?”

“You won’t tell him right?”

“No,” Yeon said without pause. She had meant to say it without pause because any other disciple of Master would have hesitated before they answered.

The man smiled warmly. “People will know I carry a sword soon enough anyway.”

The two were greeted by a small mustached man with an amiable smile. He took their invitation and guided them in. “Master and Miss, your table is near the front of the main hall. Please follow me.”

They passed the gate into a courtyard.

She mused at the design of the estate. It was simple. No, not simple, but clean. White, black, and gray. Not an ounce of wealth needed to be exhibited. No porcelain. No paintings. No calligraphy. It did not need detail, it was already complete. The architecture was the piece itself. When the estate is empty, what would such a scene be?

Along with other guests, they entered the main hall. Two pathways split the large room into four squares. Round black tables and accompanying chairs scattered. The room was half-filled with men and women in a multitude of colored robes, gowns, and dresses. Old and young people. Furtive and curious gazes. Quiet gossip and loud laughter.

At the front of the room, in the northeast square, a man was already sitting at their table. The pucker-faced man dressed in green and black finished wiping sweat from his temples when he noticed the pair and hastily stood up. “Master Hyun! Miss Han! Please sit down.”

“Mister Si good morning. Yeon, he oversees most of the ongoing trade routes between Seonryeo and Zhao,” her Eldest Brother, Hyun Daeseong, said.

Yeon only returned an uninterested nod.

“Is the Embassy coming?” Daeseong asked.

“Of course. Lord Tan will be joining us as well. Their party will arrive at any moment now.” His eyes made quick glances around. “I inquired, and it seems like Silja does not have a table.”

She did not care much for the political underpinnings of events such as these and knew that, unlike with the merchant, Eldest Brother would definitely force her to formally greet the Embassy and Lord Tan. Well try as he might, she relented easily. She quickly decided to excuse herself before the others arrived.

People were already leaving their seats. The murmurs from the surrounding guests no doubt meant their identities were already known. She would let her senior brother handle everything he could handle best.

“Elder Brother, I will be visiting the gardens.” She disappeared among the tea serving servants and wandering guests with soundless footwork.

…

The deserted side garden was just fragrant enough to be inviting without being overwhelming. The trees and grass were green with a tinge of blue, however, scattered were the occasional red leaves and white flowers.

Intent to make the stroll as long as possible, she leaped over a black railing and began walking through the corridors below the eaves.

Yeon enjoyed the stroll when she felt something hit her left shoulder. Although her mind tensed, her body did the opposite. She took one step back, shoulder and arms relaxed, and came to face a youth half a head shorter than her.

He stood still, staring out into the garden, not even facing her direction after the collision. Something Yeon thought was impossible occurred to her. She was the one who collided with him. How did I not notice?

Sizing up the boy, her attention was drawn by the jade pendant hanging from the boy’s waist. Remembering one of the names Eldest Brother mentioned while camping in the wilderness, she asked, “Are you Liu Qian?”

The boy shook his head.

“What a coincidence, my name isn’t Liu Qian either.” Yeon agreed, nodding her head.

Yeon then took note of a travel case, a dark box to be carried with two leather straps, by the boy’s feet. She had in front of her a boy of the Liu estate that was younger than her and preparing to leave.

“Are you the study partner of Liu Qian?”

Finally, the boy turned to face her, instead of staring out at nowhere. He nodded.

“What a coincidence! I was looking for you. I am your new bodyguard.”

This time, his eyes shook just a bit.

“Are you going to attend the banquet?”

The boy thought about it before shaking his head.

“What a coincidence! I don’t want to attend the banquet either.”

…

Madam Liu waited as the maids rolled her hair and attached the different jeweled pins which complement her red and white dress.

“Your Highness, I didn’t actually recommend practically offering the family to the boy. You can’t just promise him everything,” a white-haired old man stressed at the side of the room.

“Well, I did. What can you do about it? It doesn’t matter, as you said, Gu Ti, he didn’t respond. I was simply offering on the small chance something interesting could happen, but he proved to be every bit- what’s the word? ‘Abnormal?’ as you said he was.” And definitely not because of my impulses.

“So, where will he go now? The caretaker of that temple is long gone. Will another hidden historian begin teaching him?”

“I did not think you would be so concerned about the boy, did something change?”

Gu Ti’s wrinkled cheeks easily reddened. “You know it’s not that, but fine. He is possibly my best student, even if he learned most subjects from his master. Perhaps in the future, the boy will print my name on something he writes for teaching these two years. The record would be preserved by those temples until the end of time. It would be sad if I didn’t get at least that.”

“Grumbling like that will make you age faster. The boy will likely end up at the Xiao Family and take up the Xiao surname. Luoyi City has already replied to my letter. He will end up there one way or another.”

“The Old Master wants to use him? Your Highness is surnamed Li, but what about the Old Master? Is he treasonous?”

“Who knows what Old Xiao thinks these days. Since we are unable to use the boy, let Old Xiao cause a storm with him wherever he wants.”

Gu Ti silently and playfully stroked his white beard. “Even I can’t judge what will happen after pulling Mulsunhwan into this. I don’t know how to comment on that move, Princess.”

Madam Liu didn’t respond. She began heading to the main hall as the maids stepped back to admire their work.

“How is Little Qian?” she asked.

“He has been greeting each guest without mistakes.”

“Good, they are his backing in the future.”

“But he will be theirs as well.”

Madam Liu smiled.

They arrived at the main hall filled with guests at each table and many more walking around. The room quieted as more people took notice of her until silence.

“We greet Her Highness Jiading!”

“We greet Her Highness Jiading!!”

“We greet Her Highness Jiading!!!”

Madam Liu waved her hand down and entered the crowd.

She met with the commanding officers from the Expanse Army, Eastern Army, and Jiyang Garrison. The head officials from the government offices of Jiyang, Lushui, Jiangdong, and Xiannan. The prominent families of Wei, Xue, Pei, and Cui. The enigmatic masters from Flying Horse Manor and the Feng Clan. The State of Seonryeo. The illustrious Mulsunhwan. In this room was among the most influential of the East’s political faction, led by Her Highness, the Princess of Jiading, and General Liu of Yang.

…

A servant ran in from the main door. “The Master of the Estate has arrived! He is dismounting now!”

The room silenced even quicker than before. Everyone shuffled to their seats, anticipating the arrival of the General. It was then that many people noticed the echo of two voices entering the hall.

“You still don’t believe me?” asked a girl’s voice.

“‘Still’ implies you have done something to change this fact.”

“Even if someone like you doesn’t believe me, I can still tie you up and carry you to your destination anyway.”

Many realized that the young voices came from the side hall.

“We still have to pass through the main hall,” the girl’s voice said.

Two youths entered from the east entrance. One was a boy in white who made no effort in fixing his hair. The other was a girl in green who braided her short hair in small tails.

The boy walked in front. His relaxed face gave away no emotion as he strode with eyes that did not depart from the main entrance. One would wonder if he even noticed the hundreds of eyes fixated on him.

The girl following the boy donned a small awkward smile. She kept her gaze towards the ceiling and noticeably avoided turning her head towards a certain direction. Under echoing steps and a room full of whispers, they were soon upon the front entrance.

The General would make his entrance at any moment now. Which family’s children dared to offend him?

Some knowledgeable eyes traveled to the girl’s senior brother, Hyun Daeseong, only to see ambiguous unparted lips which gave away no information. Those with even keener eyes noticed Madam Liu, the General’s only son, and several members of the Liu Estate, donning similar unparted lips.

Under the main hall’s entrance, when the boy’s foot stepped down and his other foot was raised, a shadow appeared. A larger boot stomped down from the incoming direction, revealing a large figure which caused several shouts of surprise.

In front of two semi-armored subordinates, the man was orderly arranged in black and red clothes. The black scale skirt was what remained of his armor. His face was valiant and leveled the entire room.

The temperature dropped and everyone felt their weight increase. Those closest to the entrance could not even move.

Liu Yaoshan, Divine General to Subdue the Great Expanse, had returned home.

Tap!

The boy’s other foot stepped down, and the sound echoed throughout the entire room. The boy did not pause, nor did his gaze stray from looking ahead. In silence, he passed the entrance, and the girl followed not a step behind.

At this scene where even Liu Yaoshan stood paused, an unexpected voice sounded out. “Ahem!”

Many heads turned and found the General’s son, Liu Qian, standing.

The boy outside the entrance stopped. It was easy for the boy to ignore people. They had no connection. They would never meet again. They had no effect on his life. Since the beginning, there was only him and his master. Liu Qian was reminding him of something. He had a friend now.

“It is good to meet Liu Qian’s father. And goodbye.” The words of the boy’s clear voice resounded in the heavy air.

Liu Yaoshan frowned and turned his head back only to see three falling leaves and an empty yard. The two youths had disappeared.