by Tao Wong
The Favored Son
A Thousand Li Short Story
By
Tao Wong
License Notes
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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The Favored Son: A Thousand Li short story
Copyright © 2020 Tao Wong. All rights reserved.
A Starlit Publishing Book
Published by Starlit Publishing 69 Teslin Rd
Whitehorse, YT
Y1A 3M5
Canada
www.starlitpublishing.com
ISBN: 9781989458907
The Favored Son
The slide of footsteps on smooth, rain-soaked stone in an empty courtyard. The swish of a cutting blade, crisp as a rising note drowned out by the beat of falling raindrops. In the distance, the never-ending fall of water through the mountain, a reminder of the clear green waters that gave the Sect and its members their name.
Wu Ying spun, one foot raised vertically as he brought his jian – a straight, double-edged sword three finger widths wide – to guard. Another motion, timed with his exhalation of breath, brought Wu Ying into a forward lunge, front foot extending to catch his falling body as his back foot drove him forward. Not upward, not down, but forward. Just like his father had drilled into him, year after year, as morning sun rose over their rice fields. Rain or sunshine, winter or fall, they had trained.
The cold autumn rain was a minor annoyance for the cultivator, his internal chi warming him from within with each breath, each exhalation sending plumes of warmth into the sky. Every pulse of chi from his dantian flushing his skin as the green and white silk robes stuck to his body. Lunge and recover with a block, spin, and disengage the sword around an imaginary enemy. The dragon encircles the peach. Cutting three swallows as they fly. And at the end, after multiple forms, the dragon greets the dawn.
Wu Ying exhaled, sheathing his sword with a quick flick and a reminder to oil it later. Only then did Wu Ying greet his audience, bowing deep to the Elder. Voluminous black robes did little to hide the svelte figure of the Elder, only offering to provide a deeper contrast with the pale, almost luminescent skin of the titled Fairy.
“Elder Yang,” Wu Ying greeted the Elder and his older martial sister.
“Wu Ying. I am glad to see you are keeping to your training,” Fairy Yang said.
“I am grateful for the Elder’s attention.” Wu Ying bowed to her in thanks, approaching her automatically to reduce the distance between them but stopping at a polite interval. The cultivator idly noted the way the autumn rains never touched Fairy Yang; her concentrated chi aura so strong that it warded off the elements.
“You are rising on the final step. Redirect your energy half-a-second later…” Fairy Yang proceeded to list Wu Ying’s flaws. Not only did she discuss errors in the way he moved, but also in his flow of energy, using the basic principles of combat to correct his actions. Wu Ying committed each sentence to memory, grouping them into areas of improvement so that he could tackle each one at an appropriate time. Eventually, Fairy Yang finished and added. “Do you have questions?”
“None at the moment,” Wu Ying said.
“Good. Then you will need to clean up. The Assignment Hall Elder has requested your presence,” Fairy Yang said. When Wu Ying hesitated, she added, “This is not a request.”
***
Wu Ying washed himself down with the supplied bath beans in haste, not daring to make the Elders wait. Cleansed, he was grateful to find a clean set of clothing ready for his use. Even if it was just another duplicate set of robes, appearances mattered. In short order, Wu Ying glided along the stone paths that led to the Assignment Hall. Located in the heart of the Inner Sect, it took Wu Ying just over ten minutes to arrive as he bypassed the occasional cultivator. Many offered Wu Ying a friendly greeting, one that he returned as he hurried on. Nearly a year and a half in the Sect, Wu Ying was finally gaining an understanding and acceptance among his peers.
The Assignment Hall was one of the largest buildings in the Inner Sect, dwarfed only by the Inner Sect Library and the dueling arenas. The hall itself was a double-storied wooden building made of expensive hardwood and detailed with carvings of notable sect Elders, powerful spirit beasts, and mystical guardians. The multi-inclined, partitioned roofs of the building allowed the occasional snowfall to collect, though a recent rainstorm had washed any signs of the winter chill away.
As Wu Ying walked between the pillars through one of the many double-doors that led within, he let his gaze roam. The Assignment Hall was quieter in the winter months, unlike the frenetic activity of spring and the steady flow of summer and fall. Winter was the time when Sect members studied and took courses, building upon the foundation of their cultivation. Still, the business of the Sect continued as Sect members arrived to fulfill their obligations to the organization. In the winter months, those assignments could range from academic– recopying and printing new scrolls, teaching rich nobles and merchants – to mundane delivery and escort work. Most dangerous of all were the occasional hunting jobs, where wounded and hungry spirit beasts needed to be dealt with.
“Wu Ying.” By his side, a familiar voice called to the cultivator. The ex-rice farmer turned, flashing his girlfriend a smile.
“Li Yao,” Wu Ying said. Like himself, Li Yao was dressed in the pale green and blue sect robes, but was a head shorter. Unlike the willowy female majority of the Sect, Li Yao was athletic and compact, a dedicated martial specialist.
“It’s good to see you. Did you buff your sword?” Li Yao asked.
Wu Ying coughed, choking in surprise.
“Your sword. Did you buff it out? After last night. It must have been frustrating,” Li Yao continued, placing a hand on Wu Ying’s arm as she spoke. “I wouldn’t want it to be damaged.”
“I did,” Wu Ying said, his voice strangled. Crossing nearby the pair, Wu Ying saw the smirking faces of other Sect members, making him flush redder.
“You look hot. Did you run here?” Li Yao said.
“No. Nothing like that. I was called to receive an assignment,” Wu Ying said, gesturing to the long lines to the assignment tables and turning the conversation aside.
“You too?” Li Yao tugged on Wu Ying’s arm and guided them to the shortest line. She tapped her lips, thinking out loud as they waited their turn. “We should have used the Sect equipment. I was just so impatient when you told me you had worked out the new form.”
Wu Ying nodded, grateful that Li Yao’s unintentional double-entendres had lapsed again. Together, they chatted about their sparring match until it was their turn. Once it reached their turn, they turned in their Sect seals and waited. In short order, the attendant returned with a pair of rolled sheaves of knotted bamboo slips. Wu Ying and Li Yao took the assignment scrolls, walking away a short distance to read over the details.
Already, Wu Ying could tell a few things from the way the information was presented. Bamboo slips were most often used for temporary assignments. The lacquer finish of the bamboo
slips combined with the water-soluble ink allowed for their reuse. This both indicated that the assignment was not important nor one that required travel, otherwise a more permanent document would have been provided. Undoing the string that held the bundle together, Wu Ying skipped passed the usual preceding information, stopping only long enough to ensure that the name on the slip was his.
“What did you get?” Li Yao said, peering over Wu Ying’s arm by standing on her tiptoes.
“I’m to show some nobles around the Sect,” Wu Ying said.
“It’s the same for me!” Li Yao exclaimed and shoved her document at him.
Wu Ying frowned, scanning over her assignment and verified she was correct. It was a simple assignment in truth, one that offered a decent number of contribution points for the ease of the task. It was an assignment that Wu Ying would have expected to be given to a noble like Li Yao, not an ex-rice farmer.
“Shall we?” Li Yao said, having taken back her slip and waving it beneath Wu Ying’s frowning face. Even if the assignment was simple, preparatory work still had to be done, including asking for permission from the various Hall Elders that would be inconvenienced and working out the route.
“Yes,” Wu Ying said. At least they would have a chance to spend time together. Due to Li Yao’s higher cultivation, they rarely were able to take on the same assignments, especially during the winter months when the martial specialist fought more powerful, hungry beasts.
***
The next day, the pair met up underneath the paifang that marked the official start of the Sect’s headquarters. From the connected pair of decorated columns, there was still a good ten minutes walk along the paths to the first major building in the Sect, but it was here that the pair were meant to meet their guests. They did not have to wait long and soon spotted the group. Rather than ascending using their own feet, the nobles had made their way up on a series of palanquins carried by their servants. Trotting beside the palanquins were their guards, clad in the iron lamellar armor, and colored padded coats of their noble lords.
“Esteemed guests,” Wu Ying and Li Yao greeted the closed palanquins together as they came to a stop. Wu Ying bowed low to the palanquins, hands clasped together palm over fist and only straightened up when Li Yao did. As his senior, Li Yao would lead the group, and he, as the junior, need only copy her actions. Part of that was ensuring that they walked the fine line between respect and effacement. After all, as representatives of the Sect, they had to keep the Sect’s dignity in mind, too.
“I must apologize, my lords, but you must alight here,” Li Yao spoke. “Guests must walk within the Sect grounds.”
To Wu Ying’s surprise, he heard no complaints over this request. Most of the palanquins only contained a single noble, but three others held a pair of occupants - the father and the prospective student. In most cases, that student was a son, though in one case, Wu Ying noted a svelte teenage girl who peered around with curiosity. Upon sighting Li Yao, she smiled. Interest peaked, Wu Ying took a closer look at her father, realizing that it was the famed Lord Yi. Lord Yi was known to be one of the richest members of the nobility in the kingdom due to the silver mines his lands encompassed. All in all, Wu Ying counted nine minor nobles, two sons, and the daughter.
“If you’ll come this way,” Li Yao gestured, leading them not inside but over to a lounging elderly man who rested under one of the pillars, smoking a long pipe and staring at the flowing clouds. Li Yao shot Wu Ying a glance as she chivied the group over.
“Elder Lu,” Wu Ying greeted the old man, bowing low and keeping his voice as respectful as possible. “We have guests.”
“I can see that,” Elder Lu said grouchily. His gaze traveled over the group languidly before he reached down beside his chair. When his hand came up again, it contained a handful of small necklaces that he offered to Wu Ying. “You may collect your guest passes. Wear them at all times. If you remove them, you will be ejected from the Sect. Pay due respect to those within.”
The nobles murmured their assent, and while Wu Ying retrieved the necklaces and handed them around, he spotted Li Yao speaking with Lord Yi and his daughter.
“Li Yao, it is good to see you. You look good,” Lord Yi said.
“It is good to see you again, Sister Yao,” the younger girl greeted Li Yao.
“And you, Lord Yi. Qiu Yue,” Li Yao said.
“So formal.” Qiu Yue pouted at Li Yao, who offered a smile in reply.
A query was raised by another noble, and Li Yao excused herself, making her way to deal with the speaker.
Wu Ying frowned, wondering what that was about. He knew Li Yao’s history. How she was in contention with her noble parents after refusing both marriage offers and, a less masculine secondary occupation. It had strained relations and harmed their own status. Now, it seemed that Lord Yi knew her.
At least this explained her presence as a tour guide. Her familiarity with Lord Yi made her a good choice. For now, Wu Ying would watch and, hopefully, nothing would come of this. If not… well. He would deal with it then.
Pushing the matter aside, Wu Ying continued to distribute the stone talismans. As each necklace was slipped on and made connection with the wearer’s aura, Wu Ying felt a flare of energy as the talisman bonded with the user. It was a temporary enchantment, one guided and locked into place by Elder Lu’s own chi. Once again, Wu Ying could not help but marvel at the strength of his seniors. To so casually craft an enchantment like this…
“Is this it?” the young man who took the necklace in his hand glared at Wu Ying, hefting the simple stone piece.
“Yes,” Wu Ying said.
“So ugly. You would think the Sect would at least have something different for us,” the young man said.
“Enough, Ah Feng,” the older man standing beside Feng snapped at him. “We are guests.”
Feng’s lips twisted in derision, but he still slipped it over his neck, letting it drop onto the silk red and white brocaded robes he wore. As Wu Ying turned to the next guest, he noted how Feng let his gaze drop down to Wu Ying’s sheathed sword in contemplation.
“This way, honored guests,” Li Yao gestured to the group when Wu Ying was done. Once the group began moving, Wu Ying took a position at the back to ensure that none of the group strayed.
It amused Wu Ying to watch how the entire group ordered themselves automatically. The nobles knew their place, the young lady and her father taking the front while others tagged along behind, a careful step or two further back. None crowded another without acknowledgment, while their guards spread out in a loose circle, keeping an eye on the various sect members they passed. Each of the guards were tense as they moved, a hand resting on the hilt of their swords or hoisting their polearms in nervousness. It was understandable. Even if not all Sect members were martial specialists, they were all trained to fight. Entering the Sect was like walking into a tiger’s den with their lords.
On top of that, of course, was the fact that the Verdant Green Water Sect was the largest in the kingdom. The outer sect by itself was made up of thousands of members, and the inner sect a few hundred. It made the Sect the most powerful fighting force in the country outside the king’s own military, and thus, not an organization the nobles could anger. If something were to happen, the guards and their families would be the first to be sacrificed upon the altar of propriety.
“These are the outer sect kitchens and behind it are the dining halls for the outer sect members,” Li Yao announced, waving her hand at the big building. Set out as a single rectangular structure, it was split into two sections – the storehouse which the road led to first, and the large communal kitchen that faced the dining halls. “Outer sect members with some skill are assigned to the kitchens. Other sect members are tasked with supplying the kitchen with the stores.” Li Yao’s eyes gleamed with humor as she spoke, fixing on Wu Ying briefly before she gestured to a pair of outer sect members in their black robes jogging over with their burdens from the city below. “As we must
feed everyone from the stores, there is always a need for porters.”
“Work for the peasants,” Feng muttered to his father. Then, raising his voice, Feng asked. “Where are the better kitchens?”
“Better kitchens?” Li Yao said, frowning.
“Yes. For the inner sect and nobles,” Feng said.
“Oh. Inner sect members eat at their hall, further up the hill. Or at their residences,” Li Yao said. “But all outer sect members must eat in one of the four dining halls allocated to them.” Feng’s lips pursed in irritation at Li Yao’s reply, but she was already speaking to the others. “If you follow me, I’ll show you around the dining room, and then we’ll go to the outer sect library.”
Those words had the group enlivened, for the stories about the Sect’s collection was famed across the country. As the group obediently followed Li Yao’s swaying form, Wu Ying eyed the trouble-making teenager. He extended his senses briefly, sensing the auras of those around him. Feng’s was decent for his age – Body Cleansing 5 – but it was not spectacular. Most of the personal bodyguards for the nobles were more impressive, in the high teens of Body Cleansing. The nobles themselves varied, ranging from the high single digits of Body Cleansing to the initial stages of Energy Storage, the next higher tier of cultivation. None were Core cultivators, but that was not surprising. Core cultivators were rare and would have been extended the courtesy of a private tour.
The dining hall was a simple affair, long benches set beside wooden tables with a series of serving tables pressed up against one side. Light filtered in from the carved window openings in the rafters, leaving the room itself chilly even after a few hours of morning sunlight. As the guests moved around the building, eyeing the way their children would live, Li Yao made her way over to Wu Ying.
“Arrogant,” she sniffed, though she made sure to keep her voice low.