“I, Su Ming promise to uphold and keep my wife like culture, tradition and we have promised each other to do,” I say and hear the same line back from Xia. She does look beautiful this day and I look forward to being done with all the fluff so we can spend some time together. Over the winter we have had little time just the two of us, and I barely know her. Part of this is that she is so shy when talking to me.

The party is ostentatious and in poor taste, if anyone would have asked me. Bright colours, a lot of extra fluff and little real emotion. Rapid has a proud tradition, but this seems to be washed away with money and ambition. The women of the families are the most prominent culprit, but the menfolk is just as bad. Imported beer, wine and spirit is all their doing and tastes just bad.

“Thank that it is over,” I say and smile while leading my wife into our home. “You did not like it?” My wife asks with trepidation in her voice. “No, but I liked doing it with you and you seemed to like it,” I tell her and smile. “Why did you not like it?” She asks me continuing digging. I try smiling at her, sensing problems with my response. She will have nothing of it and I sigh inside hoping I come well out of it. “I like giving the women in the family room to do their own thing, but I would have preferred if the wedding was a bit more traditional. The purity of the ceremonies was lost a bit in the glam and it is supposed to be about you and me and not money.” I tell her and put my arm around here to squeeze her tighter. She smiles up at me and I hope I did not misstep so early in our relationship.

The first two weeks after the wedding I spend with my new wife just enjoying our time together. I put the fact that the match has been more or less forced on us behind me and just try to make a good life together. I am only sixteen and she seventeen after all, young and married. The feeling is strange and I can see why some relationships don’t last too long like this. In the village there is a lot of sleeping around, overlooked, but it must be just because of this. Both my older sister married men older than them and will probably marry men half their age later if they survive long enough and I will see to that. I think Ha is the luckier of the two since Xi is not so very much older than her. My brothers have been more fortunate managing to find themselves wifes agreeable to them.

“Husband?” My wife calls and I raise a hand from my hammock and call for her. Xia is traditional so, me making food with her is out of the question. She walks into the garden and I peek out of my hammock at her. She is only dressed in an apron, her punishment for not letting me help her with the food. “Husband, your sister tells me someone is looking for you in the village.” She says and I sigh, I was hoping to spend some more time just relaxing with her. Maybe try to have sex in the hammock again, it is hard work to get it right. “Thank you, if we have guests I guess you will want to dress again?” I ask her and she begins to blush furiously. “That is fine, just prepare for a fun evening,” I tell her. She gives thanks as she walks back into our small house. Her sass has grown in the time we have spent together, the woman only demure, who gave in to every wish of mine, is mostly gone replaced by a woman who tells me what she wants and still let me be the man of the house. It might be an act, but I like it.

I must say we got into a good mood after the first few awkward days. She being somewhat of a prude with a kink streak a mile wide. Exploring our shared likes and dislikes has been a truly bonding experience between us. It also helped that I totally refused to leave her alone the first two weeks and we spent a lot of time together. I took her to the site where I would like to build my school. Cooking together for breakfast and lunch is okay with her, but she draws the line when cooking for dinner. Therefore she is punished by having to do it in only an apron. I give her a kiss when I walk by and go into my parents part of the house. Our gate to the outside has yet to be even opened.

Yuan, a pretty girl we grew up with only a bit older than us, is waiting for me in the house. “Good, you came fast.” She says and I smile at her. She is a really pretty lady and my sister's helper and apprentice. “What is the rush?” I ask her as we exit my parent's house. “There is a delegation from the sect up in the mountains looking for you.” I stop a moment and think it over. “You mean the strangers tramping through here from time to time?” I ask her and nod. “Well, they must have been doing something up there in the mountains,” I tell her and she smiles back at me. “Yeah, they look harmless enough if a bit rough and dirty,” Yuan says and guide me toward the building site for my school.

At the moment it is just a clearing in the woods in a more rough part than elsewhere. I chose it because building here will not destroy too much farmland we can use for other purposes. I see them standing around my sister, two older men and a younger man. Their clothes are a bit dirty and have seen better days, but other than the swords and spear on the young guy is carrying they seem harmless enough. I walk over to Ha who smiles at me and bows in a show of respect. “Let me introduce Su Ming the head of our small school.” She says and shows me into the spotlight. “A pleasure to meet a fellow Daoist starting teaching.” The oldest of the men say and bow slightly to me. “My name is Yo this is my brother Yi and his disciple Huan.” He says and the two other men bow when introduced. “I am elder in the “Tiger mountain” sect.” I bow back and smile to them as pleasantly as I can. “I have to apologize for not being able to invite you to share tea or food with us, but we are living a bit rough at the moment,” I say and stand there looking them over. I can see the men are here for some reason and wish it is a well-natured purpose.

“Yes, my brother told me of you when he came back from the city this winter,” Yo tells me and I have to appreciate the feat since it is not easy passing up to our village in winter, much less even further up into the mountains. A meter snow on the ground is the norm in the village and they often dig to cut the trees down. It gets deeper and colder the further up you go until you come to the glacier close to the top. I have no idea where their sect lies, but it should be some way in there. “That I some feat passing these mountains in winter.” is all I can say to this, the man just waves his hand “Used to it.” He says, but I can see a glint in his eyes over the compliment. “Would you mind showing us around?” Yo asks me and since I like showing off I do. It is nice telling them my plans, there are little detail and a lot of dreams. “You have a big plan then?” Yo asks me and smile. “Yes, well I try.” is my answer. We spend some more time chatting, but then finally it turns more serious.

“We are wondering what you will be teaching here?” Yo says and gesture out over the small glen. “Well, I don’t know yet. I will be teaching my speciality which is massages and some healing. I have an apprentice very interested in archery and if I know the nobles right they will insist on some sword practice as well.” I tell them and scoff at the last. “But fighting is not the school's purpose,” I tell them and smile to them. “It is a pleasure to know you are not militaristic, if you need any help we might come to some agreement,” Yo tells me and I see the mercenary in him and get a feeling of mafia standing before me. Running a protection racket is profitable. “I will keep it in mind,” I tell them and smile.