No training or studying could prepare Zi Siwei and Bai Haoxia for this — the sheer number of Golden Eagles that perch in front of almost every tent, screeching loudly whenever the pair pass by.

The odd delays to their departure to Li have given the two generals an unusual break to relax and recharge in the Taban tribe village with the Huayi concubine Dawa whom they will escort to Li.

“Young Maiden Da, does every family here have an eagle?” Zi Siwei asked, turning to Dawa who is walking in between the two men.

Dawa sighed, “First of all, my name is Dawa. I know you guys don’t want to call me shimei or anything ‘too casual’ but at least get the name correct. Secondly, yes, every family has an eagle and even individuals like myself!”

“That’s amazing, Young Maiden Dawa!” Bai Haoxia smiled with his wonderfully attractive smile that made Dawa blush slightly.

“It’s not that amazing. Gao can be pretty stubborn for a spiritual eagle and not listen to my commands. But I guess when you come from a country where birds are mostly decorative, it is pretty amazing.” Dawa shrugged.

Zi Siwei nodded his head at her brief explanation. He realised that he should explore more of the world outside Li — there was so much he didn’t know.

“Do you know how long we have until we leave?” He asked.

“Half a shichen I believe. I can’t believe it took us only a few shichen to learn about this village. It made me realise how big Guxi city is.” Bai Haoxia replied with awe.

This made Dawa a little curious about the city, “What is Guxi city like?”

Zi Siwei thought for a few seconds, “It’s bigger than this village and full of people on most days. It can be stifling at times but it’s lively with many things sold, from weapons to exotic items.”

Having never left the Yhur Plains, Dawa couldn’t imagine seeing so many people in one place. She thought the crowds at the ceremonies she had to host were considered “full of people”.

“He says that but that’s because he hates crowds.” Bai Haoxia smirked while nudging Zi Siwei. “Guxi city on most days are not that packed. It’s only when it’s the holidays or a special festival then it’s really stifling.”

“Does that include specific sect holidays?” Dawa asked.

“Nope. Sects have to gain permission from the Imperial sect before they can have one. Even then, not a lot of sects are granted permission and not a lot of members of the said sect are allowed time off.” Bai Haoxia replied.

“So, not a lot of people…right.”

The trio walked past a large flat plateau where young children around ten years old are riding horses. They were doing all sorts of activities — racing, falconry and random tricks like standing on the horse’s back while the horse is running.

“Nomadic people are quite skilled with horses.” Zi Siwei said to no-one in particular.

“Not just horses,” Dawa replied. “Camels too. We move from place-to-place depending on the movement of the sand.”

“Move around?” Bai Haoxia questioned. “Then where’s your territory?”

“Around a day’s journey north and south of this location, in between the Gong tribe and the Du Khanate. We have people patrolling the borders of our territory so we know if one of the other tribes will try to encroach.”

Bai Haoxia frowned slightly, “I assume there’s a lot of fighting in this area since there are so many tribes around.”

“Not really.” Dawa shrugged. “The nomadic way of life involves the movement of peoples. Fighting is inevitable but we’d rather not fight if we can help it. Marriage alliances and the transfer of cultivational knowledge is a lot more common than war.”

The two generals remained silent.

Odd? Why are they silent again? Have I been saying things that weren’t meant to be said?

Despite the occasional periods of silence between her and the men, Dawa was relieved that the two Li generals were pretty easygoing. It had only been a few hours since she met them but she managed to gather a few impressions:

Zi Siwei she felt, was a quiet man who seemed more scholarly than a soldier. She didn’t know how high his cultivation was because tried as she might, she couldn’t get a read on him — he was probably suppressing his spiritual energy. The man was not very social and didn’t have a lot of friends, she concluded.

Bai Haoxia she felt, was a smooth talker. He knew how to conduct relations with others and was a strong and courageous warrior. His cultivation, she sensed, was quite average for someone of his age and rank. He is like most male cultivators in the village, she concluded. It was obvious she trusted him more as she preferred to speak to Bai Haoxia than Zi Siwei.

The trio turned a corner and found themselves back at the Elder’s tent, where they first started.

What greeted them was a palanquin surrounded by a small crowd of people which parted like the sea as soon as they saw Dawa and the two generals.

Aunt Bora came forward and bowed to her niece, “Priestess Dawa, it is a pleasure for this one to tend to your final preparations before your departure.”

Dawa was shocked.

Why is she acting like this? She was behaving normally a few shichen ago, did something happen? Such formal language that is reserved for the Grand Elder and the council of Elders…

“Aunt,” Dawa spoke softly. “You don’t have to be so formal. I’m still your niece and we’re still family.”

“My apologies to the Priestess. As of now, you are not of the Taban but of the Li. This one can no longer treat you like family as you are leaving us to do your mission to the tribe.” Aunt Bora continued to bow without raising her head.

This is to prepare me for the Li court, where family are more like advisors and strangers to one another than loving parents and children…

It hurt. It really hurt.

Would she have to treat the Emperor as a mere acquaintance her whole life and her children like pieces of a Xiangqi board? She knew this but she didn’t think it would hurt so much, having grown up with the love of her sisters and aunt.

But this is what she has prepared for an entire year. Her feelings matter not.

“Very well,” Dawa replied curtly. “Prepare the entourage for the journey. I’m going to refresh myself in my tent. Call me only when everything is ready.”

“Yes, Priestess.”

Dawa pushed the flap of her tent aside her sisters came into view, bowed just like Aunt Bora was.

“Priestess, this one is presented before you to fix your appearance before your departure,” Gerel spoke.

It was too much.

Using all of her strength to prevent her voice from shaking, “I’m going to my room to collect something. You will fix my appearance only when I come out.”

“Yes, Priestess.”

Dawa walked to her small room within the tent, closed the flap and applied a silencing spell on the wall.

Backed up against the wall, she sobbed ugly tears. Bottled up emotions released in a fit of hiccups and screaming.

Guxi City, Li Continent

Minister Hao finished his hundredth cup of tea and pinched his eyebrows.

It had been two weeks since the unsuccessful raid on the empty building in the city centre. There were no leads from the minuscule amount of spiritual energy collected from the site. It was just too small to detect any sort of clue to the group’s identities.

The report to the Emperor was as unpleasant as he expected. He scowled and accused them of sheer incompetence — how do the soldiers find buildings but not people?! How do we still know so little about this group?!

It was incredibly humiliating to kneel and just take it all in and once the court was adjourned, Minister Hao overheard a conversation between a couple of nobles and ministers:

“This is what we get when the minister of our capital is a non-cultivator. No cultivation clan will work with him so of course, he couldn’t get further than buildings.”

“But His Majesty was a bit too harsh on him, wasn’t he? Non-cultivators will take longer to investigate things anyway so Minister Hao may need more time.”

“How naïve of you to say that! This group is a danger to the harmony between cultivators and non-cultivators, plus it is said that all the members are cultivators so it would be better for a cultivator to take up the investigation. Minister Hao may be good with the running of the city but when it comes to matters of cultivation, someone who is himself a cultivator will be more suited for the job.”

“I suppose so…”

“And I heard that His Majesty is not fond of Minister Hao anyway because he didn’t think he was suitable for court. He can’t even get rid of him because he promised his dying father he wouldn’t.”

“Is that so? I did hear that Minister Hao was a good friend to the First Xiafeng Emperor before the insurrection so—”

“HA! Such special treatment! No wonder he is struggling now!”

Minister Hao hid behind a set of walls out of sight from the gossiping men. He wasn’t angry oh no; on the contrary, he was delighted.

Since he was a young man, he had a habit of wanting to prove himself despite not having the aptitude for cultivation. If someone challenged him, he would accept it, no questions asked. It was reckless no doubt but his stubborn nature often won over those who challenged or made fun of him in the first place.

Since his experience in the Taihelong insurrection when he was 17, he was less apt to jump headfirst into danger if dared. But there was a time where he could be that boy again and there was no doubt in his mind that it would be glorious.

Minister Hao left his hiding place and made his way back to The Court in the centre of the city. He vowed to find the members of the group with two weeks. He smiled for he knew that those men will eat their words once he presented his findings to the Emperor.

Two weeks had passed. He had nothing.

I did say I would crack this within two weeks but I guess I bit off more than I can chew. Good thing I didn’t show my face in front of those gossipers that day. My face isn’t that thick despite how I look.

Minister Hao was at his desk in The Court, the headquarters of the Municipality Office of Guxi City. It was autumn and the red-brown leaves were fluttering down like quiet rain outside his window. It was a beautiful day but poor Minister Hao needed to keep tracking this group that the Emperor was so worried about despite not knowing who the members were and what they are planning.

A soldier walks to the entrance and greets the minister, “Minister Hao.”

Minister Hao looks up and sees one of his soldiers with a messenger next to him, “There is a message from the palace.”

Minister Hao rises and walks towards the messenger. He retrieves the scroll from the messenger’s hands, waves to dismiss both of them before going back to his desk.

He unrolls the scroll and reads its contents. It is a message from the Foreign Minister requesting him to receive a young girl from the Western Plains making her way to the capital to become the Emperor’s concubine.

Oh yes, that is coming up soon. I need to make the preparations before I forget.

Receiving guests to the capital isn’t new to Minister Hao, he has done that numerous times. However, this welcoming will be quite interesting for him as there hasn’t been a woman from the Western Plains coming to Li in nearly twenty years; not since the insurrection.

He was a bit worried about the people protesting on the streets when she eventually arrives so he arranges for some extra soldiers to be stationed that day. People of Li are not fond of the people from the West, calling them harbingers of destruction and the like; especially the women who are ‘evil spirits’ like former Empress Yueliang.

He may not have an opinion on the Emperor’s choice of partner but he does want it to be a peaceful meeting between the two. There has been enough bloodshed between the two continents and he hopes from the bottom of his heart that this pairing will mend the wounds of the past.

Minister Hao writes his orders to his soldiers, so focused that the beautiful autumn sky cannot hope to catch his attention.