Bandits begone!

I kept my promise to the prince over the course of the following six years. Every three months I would take a week to visit the capital. And each time I would stay at our home there, I’m being served by Ling, who only grew more beautiful and amiable with each season.

I always tried not to be a burden to her, and she in turn dedicated herself to me. If we were older, it would have been said that we were courting each other, but the truth was much stranger than that: we were friends.

At the age of 13, when my family received the Emperor’s invite to participate in that year’s Spring Competition and the Flower Viewing festival sponsored by the empress, we made our way to the capital. This time around, father asked Master Fa to accompany us, stating that it would be good for my future to be seen with my master in the competition.

Master Fa had no reason to deny his request, and he accompanied us on our way. My sister and two younger siblings were already studying under him, he hadn’t expected them to be as talented as me, but they weren’t slouching either. Zhi was by far the most talented of the three, and she loved flaunting it in front of our brothers, who would get upset and try harder.

I had long since learned the art of spiritual cultivation from my master, which led me into a path of discovery that I was almost addicted to. It was the furthest thing I had ever found from science, but that had been present in the anime shows I loved the most back in the day.

The use of Chi.

It wasn’t like in anime though, you couldn’t shoot energy beams from your hands or feet, but you could influence the elements if done correctly. It also gave me strength and speed above the norm, and my body healed naturally five times faster than normal.

After asking about it, Master Fa answered that it was the reason why he could still teach the way he did despite his age: the man was 112 years old.

I was taught by Albus Dumbledore of Kung-fu.

With his guidance, a week before the invitation arrived, I had finally surpassed the second Heavenly Tribulation. Which was nothing short of a miracle for one as young as me.

I kept up with my writing, both to help my friend the prince and to amuse myself. So far, I have written four novelized manuals surrounding the teachings of kung-fu.

I was well and truly hooked. Cultivation gave me a sense of absolute power that nothing ever did in either lifetime.

I was seated in the carriage with mother who was pregnant again and my younger siblings.

“Ge-ge” Zhi smiled up at me with her sparkling eyes “do you think we will get to see Heng-ge at the Capital?”

I chuckled lightly, “I’m sure Heng Li will find a way to come for us if we don’t find him first.” I clicked my tongue at her dreamy tone “Keep that up mei-mei, and this ge-ge will have words with the prince. I’ll make him leave you alone.”

She looked scandalized but couldn’t do more than glare my way with our mother there. Yui and Hui chuckled at her predicament and when Zhi transferred her glare to them, they ended up laughing harder.

“Jie-jie, do you like Heng Li?” Yui asks with the insolence of innocence, making me chuckle and my mother hides a grin behind her hand.

My poor sister is spluttering in outrage.

Suddenly, I felt something coming from outside and was barely in time to stop an arrow from piercing my sister’s face from the side.

“Bandits!” One of the guards shouted outside.

My mother and siblings all paled and hugged each other. Mother extended a hand toward me, but I shook my head.

“I’ll deal with this” I approached the door and opened it “don’t come out until I or father calls your name”. Before her hand could reach me, I stepped out of the carriage.

Outside, it's absolute chaos. Armed guards stood around the carriage, while a line of mounted bandits surrounded us. I didn’t see my father or Master Fa, but I could hear the battle raging onto my right.

“Young master Shen!” a guard calls to me, scared at seeing me leaving the carriage. The idiot.

Immediately the bandits take stock of me and two of them point their bows at me “Put down your weapons or the kid gets it!”

I sigh. They are all fools.

Gathering chi in the palm of my hand, I send an open-palm punch in their direction. The air around us hears my command and launches a gale of wind that throws the riders out of their seats, while their arrows snap in two.

Everyone, bandits and guards together, stop and stare owlishly at the fallen riders, then at me and back again.

I glare at the bandits “Surrender now or die like the flies you are.”

Everyone was staring with confusion.

“I suppose you need further motivation.”

This time I gather chi on both my palms, cross my hands over my chest, and throw them out quickly. Like before, the wind follows my movements, creating a force that hits all bandits in front of us with the force of a storm, sending them to the ground in a daze.

Seeing that the guards still haven’t done anything, I shout at them “what are you waiting for? Capture them!”

Fortunately, their captain isn’t a complete moron and gets his people to work. They are busy tying the last of the bandits when Father and Master Fa finally rejoin our group. Both their clothes are stained with dirt and blood, but they don’t seem to be injured.

When my father saw me outside the carriage, he got really angry, but as soon as the captain relayed what had happened, he went from angry to scared and then proud. Master Fa nodded as if what I did was nothing out of the ordinary.

Once all bandits had been dealt with, father called mom by her full name, our code to say that everything was fine. One of the maids opened the door for her, and mother practically jumped from the cart to hug both my father and I in a tight embrace. After calming her a bit, we continued our journey. When we stopped for the night at a town, Father dispatched a messenger to the man in charge of the pass about what had happened.

Early the next day, we received the visit of the apologetic lord with two dozen guards. They would aid in escorting us to the Capital, while the lord dealt with our captives.

By the end of the day, me defeating the bandits was all the guards could talk about. We had stopped in four different villages where word got around as quick as wildfire and by the time we arrived at the Capital, I was a legend in the eyes of many of the common folks.

My mother patted my head while I sighed. She, whose cousin was the empress, understood.

“I know it is hardly what you want, dearest Mu. But good deeds rarely go unrewarded. You saved more than our lives, you saved many of the guards’ lives, and thus helped their families. You’re also Master Fa’s apprentice and your father and mother’s son. Fame will follow you wherever you go. Whether you benefit from it or let it crush you, is up to you.” She smiled at me with barely contained tears before kissing my forehead and hugging me to her chest. “It goes without saying, but I want you to know that no matter what happens, mother will always be proud of you.”

My spirit lifted at her words and I returned the hug, minding her growing belly.

As soon as I dismounted from my horse at the Shen residence in the Capital, Ling was there to greet me.

“Greetings, young master.” Her smile was infectious even in my somber mood. She had grown more beautiful in the years that passed and knew me so well that she had ended up as my personal maid. Of course, knowing me well meant she instantly caught on to my mood, despite my poker face.

She was older than me by two years, but even at 13, I was already taller than her by an inch and a half.

I gave her a lukewarm smile “Good seeing you, Ling. Did something interesting happen in my absence?”

She blinked a couple of times, looking at me worriedly, but then smiled again. “How about I draw the young master a warm bath? You must be tired from your travels.”

I nodded and she went away to get things ready.

Zhi used that time to grab me by the arm and pull me aside. We walked arm in arm through the garden until we reached the small pond of the state where nobody could overhear us.

“How are you really, ge-ge?”

I sighed and patted her hand on my arm.

“I will be fine. I never thought that standing up to grown men was going to get me so much attention.”

She smiled beautifully, a pair of dimples forming on her cheeks. Seriously, this girl was going to be the death of some man when she became of age… and I was going to have a hard time taking names and addresses of her suitors. Who knew, maybe being a famous martial artist would be a blessing? Her suitors would be much too scared of her older brother to harm her.

‘Let’s hope’

“And what about your girlfriend?” Zhi asked suddenly after we spent some precious moments chatting amiably.

“Beg your pardon?”

“What’s her name again?” she smiled wickedly at me while I tried my hardest to understand what she was speaking about. “Ling, was it?” my eyebrows met my hairline and my face flushed completely red. “It is!” she laughed at my inability to speak, before rushing away from me and into the house.

“Mei-mei! I’ll get you for that!”

I heard her laugh over my shout and couldn’t help but smile. She might be a she-devil, but I loved my sister with all my heart.

As I rejoined the family at dinner, Ling was there serving me with a big smile and dressed in a light pink kimono.

When I caught my sister’s smile from the other side of the table, I wanted to smack the back of her head as I often did when we were younger. Fortunately for her, Ling spent all her time fussing over me, which prevented me from crossing over to do it.

After our family meal I followed Ling to the bath, she had already prepared my clothes after I exited. Before I entered the bathroom, however, she held onto my sleeve. “How are you, really?” She sounded truly worried and I couldn’t help but smile at her.

“I am good now.” I shrugged “It seems I had been worried over nothing.”

Her eyes searched mine for the truth but caught herself staring after a few moments. She blushed intensely.

‘I want to tease her so much’

“Where did your mind wander to?” I asked, getting slightly closer.

She emitted a sound like ‘eep!’ and her eyes were as wide as saucers, staring up at me, then down to my lips and her hand holding my sleeve still, then back to my eyes.

“Ling...?”

I approached, attracted by the warm smell coming from her. And she nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Ma-Master should hurry and take a bath. I’m sure he will receive an important visit tomorrow.” She bowed deeply and practically ran away.

I chuckled and went to take my bath.