25 In the Eyes of Xiao Ling

(From Xiao Ling’s point of view)

I felt more like myself when Master Fa and I joined the others for breakfast. I could still feel how full my insides were and wanted to sigh at the thought of what Master Shen and I had been doing earlier that morning…. But I had to observe proper etiquette and greet our backstabbing hosts with a smile on my face.

“Ara? the Prince does not break the fast with us?” The lord’s wife asked when she saw us.

I shook my head. “My master is meditating; he will join us when he finishes.”

“Mm” She nodded wisely as she served us tea. “We have heard many rumors about his Majesty. Tell me, is it true that he defeated a dozen armed bandits barehanded when he was still a boy?”

I nodded, warily watching the cup in front of me. Beside me, young Master Fa frowned slightly at the woman serving him breakfast.

“And how old was he when this happened?”

“My master was 13. It was a month before he won the Imperial Spring Competition.”