Qu Sharraugh and Qu Lyn exchanged a glance of surprise and delight, and the elder came forth, grabbing his hand. “The General is making an exception for this humble Prince. How dare I accept this honor?”

“Lord Prince, you have honored me with courtesy. How dare I neglect your ardent sentiments? Henceforth, let us familiar our acquaintance,” said Yujien, warmly.

Qu Sharraugh’s face blossomed with smiles and answered yes repeatedly. A few moments later, Yujien raised and bid farewell. The host grabbed his hands and personally escorted him to the doorway. Qu Lyn saw him mount the horse, and forthwith threw Qu Fongning a kick, signaling him to follow up.

~

This was the time of the day when the sun was most oblique, and when grass shadows were longest. The three of them strolled slowly towards the City of Ghosts at the fringe of the sunset, even their shades dragged long behind.

Oyghrmuki was walking far ahead, reining Shadow Leaper for Yujien. Upon hearing bells swinging, ringing, and resounding with definite rhythm behind him, he looked back in curiosity; and found that Qu Fongning was stepping in leaps and bounds, playing with his shadow. The bells on his feet rang clearly like pearls, euphonious beyond words.

Oyghrmuki found it very interesting, and composed a song at once.

Without the abundant rainwater,

How could the river not run arid?

Without the majestic great tree,

Where would the skylark sing its ballad?

…

Yujien turned his head to look, and smiled as well. “Come hither!” he called to him.

Qu Fongning didn’t know Oyghrmuki was teasing him, hearing Yujien’s call, his eyes brightened, and ran forth in skips and hops.

“Where is your bow?” Yujien asked on purpose.

Qu Fongning ahhed in exclamation. “I haven’t started making it,” he panicked.

Yujien suppressed his chuckle. “Old Oyghr, lent him my bow,” he told his orderly.

Oyghrmuki unbounded the heavy pitch-black longbow, threw it to Qu Fongning along with the quiver, and continued to sing.

Only with the rainwater,

Can the river nurture the nomad.

Only with the great tree,

Will the skylark find its land.

…

The bow was of considerable substance, even with Qu Fongning’s extraordinary strength, it wasn’t easy for him to catch. The quiver was even heavier, with no less than twenty arrows therein. Upon gross examination, the arrows were all made with fully black-coated iron goose tail feathers, which sinks in waters, and there was no heavier material for this application.

“Don’t make fun of him,” Yujien admonished.

Oyghrmuki chuckled, took away a large bundle of feathered arrows, and only left him with a couple. After this task, he swung away with his entire ensemble of iron barrel, waist sword, water canister, and breastplate towards the waterside.

His broken clay pot voice rang far and wide, singing hoarsely.

…

The river water will never exhaust,

Beautiful skylark don’t forget your love past!

~

Qu Fongning held the bow and arrows perfectly upright, and waited for Yujien’s instructions.

Yujien seemed to be waiting for his impatience on purpose.

“Learning archery is arduous work, are you scared?” he asked deliberately.

“No!” said Qu Fongning.

Yujien pointed his whip forward. “Those rolling hills, rich in copper and precious metals, are the Rolling Clouds Mountains. How about I don’t teach you, instead I give you a hundred hectares of land beneath that mountain, plus two hundred cattle. Do you deal?” he asked.

“No deal!” Qu Fongning responded without hesitation.

Yujien studied him from the horse, and smiled lightly. “Why are you set on learning the bow from me?”

Qu Fongning looked up at him with a definite fire burning in his eyes. “Because I idolize you, I want to become you.”

Under the golden twilight, his raven black eyes also sparked an intense, golden brilliance.

“One day, from armies of ten thousand troops and horses, I shall also shoot out a heaven shuddering and earth quavering arrow. Those who see it will be sure to lose their helm and mail, and cower on ground to plead for their lives. All those in presence will be daunted and impressed. And any who hears my name will recede in limps and prostrate in head in limbs.”

“You are the legend of the steppes. For I shall also become a legend—one greater and more resounding than yours—When people remember you, they will also remember me!”

Yujien laughed. “That’d be truly impressive!” His long horse whip made a coil and looped him onto the horse in front of himself.

The white cloak on Qu Fongning was light and soft, and just a thin layer. In this moment, his back laid flat against his broad chest, and the warmth seeped through the clothes onto his skin; for the sensation was very queer, even his breathing became disrupted.

Then he heard Yujien’s low, dense voice commanding by his ear, “Shoot one for me to see!”

The voice came through the mask, and the partition augmented it to a different level of beckoning.

From his shoulder blades to his waist, the entire half of his body instantly became electrified. He floundered to raise his arm, but how would he know how to draw and shoot? So he imitated the postures he saw on the daily basis and haphazardly sent out a shot. Hearing Yujien chuckle behind him, he knew this shot was terribly absurd. “General, can you not… speak right next to me?” he said, blushing.

Yujien had never heard such a unique request. “What?”

Qu Fongning confessed candidly, “General’s voice is too pleasing to hear, even my legs have become mushy.”

Yujien paused, for this was the first time he heard of such a notion. When others hear him speak, people usually didn’t have the opportunity to decide whether to tremble or to shudder, and how would they have the guts to assess the quality of his voice?

Seeing that his earlobes have become red, Yujien supposed he was speaking the truth. He smiled in his heart and really pulled back a distance. “Again,” he said.

Qu Fongning evened his breathing and sent out a straight shot. Although the handwork was completely off, the arrow’s imposing momentum flew like a blazing rainbow, showing a resolute determination.

Yujien mused shortly and pointed to a spot in the water. “Look at that leaf,” he said.

By this time, the sun had sunk low, leaving only a golden line on the horizon. Qu Fongning focused his gaze yonder and saw a palm sized leaf with a corner missing. It was rapidly flowing away with the turbulent current.

He didn’t understand the meaning, but he nodded.

Suddenly, blackness came over his eyes; Yujien had covered them. For a moment, no one spoke. Only the breeze of fair wind brushed against his burning cheeks.

“Where is it now?” Yujien suddenly asked.

He felt the lashes in his palm blink a few times. Qu Fongning extended one finger, and accurately pointed at the leaf that was drifting away on the periphery of his vision.

Yujien’s heart jumped. “Tilt over,” he said.

Qu Fongning sat sideways as told, and holding the saddle with two hands, he raised his black pupils to look at him.

Yujien pointed to a flock of white geese reposing in the thicket of reeds by the water. “Do you recognize the head goose?” he asked.

Qu Fongning leaned over and watched momentarily, then nodded.

Yujien raised his arm and swung. An arrow instantly flew out from his fingers, and the geese were startled into flight, scattering in shrieks.

Qu Fongning lowered his eyes and pondered briefly, and slowly raising his arm, he pointed to a spot behind his back.

“General, is it correct?”

In the spot where he pointed, a spotted long neck goose was soaring in full span.

The two followed their gaze in the flight towards the limitless heavens.

“How did you know?” Yujien asked in a low voice.

Qu Fongning retracted his gaze, his face showing a color of perplexity. “I can’t say exactly, but I just know.”

He paused for a bit and made a hand gesture. “Like finding a river in the landscape, or finding a person on a painting,” he illustrated.

He thought once more, and said, “Ever since I was little, whenever I had a fight, others could never hit me. Because whenever they swing their fist, or throw a kick, I would know exactly the path it passes and where it would land. But my strength was too little, despite knowing, I could not duck away. Now I am a little bigger and my strength grew a little more, I can bully other people too.”

Yujien regarded him deeply. “You never learned archery before, not for a single day, no one has ever taught you?” he inquired.

Qu Fongning scratched his cheeks awkwardly, “I know a bit of the amateur ways,” and suddenly lifting his head, he said, “I will do my best to learn!”

Yujien chuckled lightly. “Hmm, that’d certainly be great!” He held him in his arms to redraw the bow strings, with his left hand he guided him to hold the bow arch and the arrow, and with his right he adjusted the stance of the fingers holding the string. “I’ll guide you to try a shot. What would you like?” he said.

Qu Fongning’s entire body was fully enveloped in his embrace. He could only feel waves of heat coming on his back, and his shoulders were all tensed stiff. Seeing a tuft of deep crimson flower by the water, without thinking, he looked towards the flower bush.

Yujien looked towards his gaze, stilled, and laughed, exasperated. “Good lad, you want to annihilate my family sigil on the first shot?”

Qu Fongning remembered at once—this flower is called “Nvquay,” with color forever like blood, blossoms in midsummer, and always blooms with enrapturing ferocity—it was Yujien’s family crest, and the totem of the Ghost Army. The round shield on Yujien’s arm the other day was also in the image of this flower.

This was no small fright. His chaotic reveries instantly disappeared from his head. “I don’t—” he tried to explain in a hurry.

Just then, Oyghrmuki called from afar, “General, the evening training is about to begin!”

Yujien answered, and spoke next to his ear, “You don’t what? If you like it, I’ll give it to you!” Guiding him with his right hand and swinging the bow slightly in his left, the shot had already gone out.

The strength with which he commanded his arm was beyond grotesquely heavy. Qu Fongning’s right arm instantly ached, and he saw a pitch-black arrow flying in a flash of sparks and fire towards the flower bush.

The might of this arrow was enough to crumble the entire embankment, but just before that arrow landed into the flower bush, it abruptly turned—like a gentle hand—lightly snapped the stem, and taking on a tuft of peerless, magnificent blossom, flew back at the pair.

Yujien nipped with two fingers and placed the nvquay on his bosom.

Qu Fongning observed that the arrow tip had made a clean cut across the stem and didn’t touch the petals at all; even if he’d wielded the arrow by hand and slashed on purpose, he probably wouldn’t be able to make such a perfect incision. In this moment, his heart pounded in a fury. “When can I train to this level?” he mused.

Yujien saw through his reveries. “This is a trick for lulling kids. Go back to think about it for a night, and you will get it. At the same time tomorrow evening, come wait for me here!” he said, uncoiled the whip, and let him back on the ground.

Shadow Leaper’s load lightened, and it sent out a high neigh. Oyghrmuki heard the hustle and instantly ran back in clinks and clanks. “Ehh, Little Syr already learned it all so fast?” he said with surprise.

Yujien gave him a look. “Hmm, little skylark is going home,” he chuckled.

And with its head held high, Shadow Leaper galloped away, momentarily integrating into the fading twilight.

~

Qu Fongning stood for long until the two figures disappeared, tucked the flower into his bosom, and started sprinting towards Konan state.

His heart was exulted, and was soon going to tell Uncle Hwei all the recent developments. But just as he stepped onto the territory, the superintendent caught him. “Where are you going? The Lord Prince is looking for you!” he shouted.

At first he thought Qu Lyn had wanted to see him, but the path went on longer and longer, until he was brought before a great ger which he had never been. The curtains overlapped in layers, golden light projected jade shadows, and the snow-white drapes were embroidered with puffs of carmine clouds, the same branding on his shoulder. And in the center of the great ger, sat the lord of ten thousand hectares and the magnanimous birthday host — Qu Sharraugh. He had one hand on the felt mat, his eagle eyes narrowed slightly, directing onto his face, “Qu Fongning?” he beckoned.

Qu Fongning knelt on the ground, he answered with his head lowered. Trepidation rose in his heart.

“I’d often heard Qu Lyn mention you; said how good you are in arm and hand, and he had learned much from you,” Qu Sharraugh drawled.

“For the Khilan mission, you were able to become intimate with Ting’schi’s son, and promptly pull back in time. Well done. And today you acted as a male favorite in front of an outsider. It’s been a lot for you,” his tone became more genial.

But Qu Fongning only felt a scraping on his scalp. Cold sweat ran down his forehead in droplets, his bangs became soaked at once.

Qu Sharraugh regarded his black hair weeping on the ground, leaned forward slightly, and said, “Whose idea was it? Not bad! Ruthless and critical, and all without consequence. Yet with our House Qu’s nature, we probably can’t think of something like this in such a short time.”

Qu Fongning’s knees quivered. “Answering…. Great Master, this worthless servant was hasty in the moment. I have been bold and presumptuous. Would Master please grant the clemency of death,” he said meekly.

Qu Sharraugh laughed. “I am complimenting you. What bold and presumptuous? You are exactly the kind of sensible person Qu Lyn needs by his side. If you were a girl, he should favor you very much.”

When Qu Fongning heard “sensible,” the sweat droplets on his bangs finally fell onto the carpet.

Qu Sharraugh watched him with great interest. “How long have you been at my house?” he suddenly inquired.

Qu Fongning tried to force his focus. “Answering Master, it’s been four years,” he said.

“You are Syrs? King Kong Gerrgu’s younger brother?” Qu Sharraugh continued his interrogation.

Qu Fongning’s mind made a swivel. “No. This worthless servant was orphaned since youth. I often depended on him, and he often took care of me. In the eyes of others, we were like brothers,” he replied.

Qu Sharraugh nodded. “No wonder! Qu Lyn said, that day in front of the captive pit, he originally only took a fancy to Gerrgu. And just as he was about to make the contract, Gerrgu suddenly knelt and kowtowed to beg for his younger brother, and asked for him to be along as well. Qu Lyn didn’t want to at first, but then you furtively poked your head out of his clothes—Hmm, lift your head!”

Qu Fongning slowly lifted his eyes, leveling to his gaze.

Qu Sharraugh caressed the octagonal jewel ring on his little fingers with satisfaction. “Just like this! ‘—Tall, pretty, and clean, like a siamese cat in a pack of hyenas.’ Upon seeing you, he was immediately smitten, and also paid the full bills for your thief brother and mute uncle. After coming here, Gerrgu and Cher Bien both had various misdeeds, but you were invariably most well-behaved, and spotless.”

He watched Qu Fongning, his face uncovered a snake-like grin.

“From Qu Lyn’s perspective, you are probably a docile little cat? So he gave you the bells, let you dangle around day and night. But my adorable son doesn’t know! The cat that can survive in a pack of hyenas is much more fearsome than the alpha wolf of a wolf pack. Because to make people fear you is easy, but to make people like you, that is very difficult.”

Qu Fongning trembled from head to toe. “This worthless individual… this worthless servant didn’t mean to mislead on purpose, because… because…” he mumbled, tremoring.

His mind was a tangled mess, his usual sharp tongue and ten thousand ideas, none of it was of any use in this moment.

Qu Sharraugh chuckled. “Don’t worry, what are you worrying for?” he assured him; “making people like you is an exceptional quality. Yujien Tianhung likes you; this Prince is very pleased about it.”

His turquoise iris, very similar to that of King Andai’s, lifted slightly and stared down at Qu Fongning.

“When you gained fame with that single act in front of the golden ger, I’d thought you were a kid seeking fame. But looking at it now, it doesn’t seem like it. But it doesn’t matter what you desire—renown, power, woman, land — I can give it all. Of course, you need to try a little harder, that is, to make Yujien Tianhung continue to like you, always. It would be best if the next time you present wine to him, he will take off the entire mask, hahaha!”

Qu Fongning reined in his pounding heart. “This humble servant is unworthy of the master’s attention. However, Yujien Tianhung is not taking a special fancy to this humble one out of admiration, for he is only honoring his promises, and being compelled under oath,” he said with his head lowered.

Seeing the enigmatic smile hanging again on Qu Sharraugh’s face, he clenched his teeth and decided to speak outright, “General Yujien is akin to an impregnable fortress, indestructible in defense, and insurmountable in height. This humble servant’s worthless tricks are not enough to garner a laugh in his presence. This… I believe Your Highness, my Lord Prince, understands this much better than this worthless servant.”

Qu Sharraugh shook his head slowly. “The sun is not perpetually afloat; Yujien Tianhung is not without failings,” he said.

“Would Master please clarify,” said Qu Fongning, prostrating.

Qu Sharraugh raised his head. His vision seemed to fall on the carmine clouds on the drapes, or perhaps on some distant lands.

“Yujien Tianhung is a god-sent prodigy. Since fifteen, he could lead and form thousands to break through a critical besiegement. For over a decade, he had campaigned south and north, and was invincible in every battle. He personally established over half of the vast expanse of Chienye’s land—Not one of our soldier and commander does not regard him as a god; the foreign magistrates and generals both despise and fear him—The few individuals most closely acquainted with him, with Andai being the highest in stature, also depend on him; and although Guo Wuliang is older, he also reveres more than respects him. There isn’t anything he wants he couldn’t get. He fancies a woman, bat an eyelid, and they will instantly send her over! His wife, Namir, was initially betrothed to the Royal Prince of Za’yii. Yet as soon as they heard he wanted her, they immediately canceled the engagement and came overnight to arrange the wedding.”

“Life is going pretty swell, what’s there not to like?” thought Qu Fongning.

Qu Sharraugh waved his hand. “Men, there are some things you can have, and always some things you cannot. Bitter in sweetness, melancholy in delight, that is the full course. If everything goes too smoothly, where is the excitement? If you can lead him on against his wishes, let him taste the novelty, he will be certain to look at you differently, best, into a fixation.”

Qu Fongning ruminated for a moment. “Master, this humble servant has seen Princess Chao’yoon behave this way… it seems…” he said.

Qu Sharraugh laughed. “Chao’yoonr understands none of the essence. She is ignorant of living on a treasure mountain. You are better than her by tenfold. Moreover, you’ve got something that is uniquely perfect.”

As he spoke, he carefully scrutinized Qu Fongning up and down.

“Yujien Tianhung had a son called Vanrchu. If he lived, he would be as old as you are!”

Qu Fongning considered his meaning, wanting very much to gnaw on his fingers.

“This path is probably untenable, didn’t he give up his son?” he thought.

Suddenly, messy footsteps came by the doorway. Qu Lyn arrived bringing Gerrgu and Cher Bien.

Gerrgu saw Qu Fongning kneeling by the Lord Prince’s foot, face pale, sluggish in expression, and his raven bangs sticking to two sides wet. He’d thought Fongning had gotten into some sort of trouble and raised the Lord Prince’s ire. He was adept at taking care of shambles, so without a word, he forthwith knelt by Qu Fongning, and bellowed, “My Lord Prince, it doesn’t matter what my brother Fongning has done, I shall take responsibility with him.” One by one, he took off the silver cups held on his belt, which were the reward of the day, putting them down cleanly as such was a supplication through offerings.

Today, Cher Bien had finally received several long-coveted coral beads. Despite his aching heart, he also offered them reluctantly, and knelt beside the two.

Qu Lyn immediately saw the brilliant nvquay on Qu Fongning. He tsked and stood by his father. Though he did not speak, the implicit mockery was explicitly clear.

Qu Sharraugh’s gaze slowly swept across the trio kneeling on the ground, and laughed. “Who said he has done anything? I simply observed him being smart and able, and wanted to pick something nice to give him,” he said.

His hearty laugh swept away the bleak atmosphere in the great ger.

Cher Bien was immensely relieved to hear this, and speedily snuck the coral beads back into his purse. The action was ten times faster than his previous.

Gerrgu took the words as truth. “My little brother Fongning doesn’t like to sleep with others. Whenever there is a little windy breeze or grassy movement, he would sleep poorly. If Your Highness, my Lord Prince, could grant him a curtain to partition himself a separate space, it would be the greatest gift,” he asked.

Qu Sharraugh said, smiling, “What’s so hard about that? You three each have your own talents, keep your pledge solely on me and if you do great work in the future, and I shall … hmm, grant you ten hectares of land of the Rolling Clouds Mountains, along with twenty cattle.” According to the Chienye ordinance, slaves had no status or registry, nor could they own land. This statement of his was equivalent to a promise of freedom in the prospect.

Despite the wealth of the Chienye nobility, the vast majority of the common folk remained poor; each household had no more than one or two cattle and five or six sheep, and ownership of land was something most dared not to imagine. Gerrgu was ecstatic at this promise and held Qu Fongning down to a dozen kowtows.

Yet how would he know what Qu Fongning was thinking in his head: “Just moments before, someone promised me exactly the same thing, only tenfold in quantity. I didn’t even think twice about his proposal. Why would I bother with yours?”

“Gerrgu,” Qu Sharraugh suddenly asked, “you are unrelated to him through blood, nor are you brothers of the same mother. You won’t regret taking responsibility for him with your life?”

Gerrgu’s heart quailed with horror. “Us brothers have been poor since we were kids. We made a living from gathering swallow nests. Ever since he could walk, he’d always accompanied me with a little basket, through sun and rain, storm and snow, and never went off by himself. In my… this humble servant’s heart, I take him as my blood brother,” he said in prostration.

Through Qu Sharraugh’s tone, he perceived him not liking his little brother very much, and his towering figure instinctively shifted over, blocking himself before Qu Fongning.

Qu Fongning hid behind him, and saw that Qu Sharraugh was also watching him, his eagle eyes belying an ambiguous smile.

Instead, he commended, “Loyal and sentimental, very rare indeed! You all may go.”

~

“Does father take General Yujien’s truce today to be true or false?” Qu Lyn finally asked his father.

Qu Sharraugh remained watching the threshold from which the trio left. Upon hearing these words, his lips curled. “So what if it’s real, so what if it’s false?” he said.

Qu Lyn thought father was testing him. “If it’s true, then that is the best news in years. Even if it’s false, with this excuse, it’s not like we can’t make it real,” he said.

Qu Sharraugh heard the excitement in his voice and reverted his gaze. “It’s too early!” he signed.

Qu Lyn held his fist lightly, his tone uncompromising, “Your son saw clearly. He was very taken with that little slave. If it goes according to father’s plan and stirs his sentiments of his lost child, then within three to five years, we shall have a chance.”

Qu Sharraugh chuckled. “You speak so lightly. What kind of person is Yujien Tianhung? Why do you think he touched nothing we sent him these many years? We can guess what he thinks. It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t know what we are thinking,” he said.

Qu Lyn’s heart shuddered. “Father is right to admonish, your son has taken the enemy lightly,” he said, lowering his head.

Qu Sharraugh patted his shoulders and said warmly, “I don’t blame you. Not to mention young people like you. Whenever I think about needing to oppose him, I get an awful migraine! This person you picked has some methods. If he can execute appropriately, after ten years, he would be of some use.”

“Ten years?” Qu Lyn said, stupefied, “Is Yujien Tianhung that formidable?”

Qu Sharraugh regarded his youthful face and smiled. “Ten years, twenty years, so what? Father is old, but there will be you!”

Qu Lyn met his determined gaze, his nose soured. “Yes, father!”

Qu Sharraugh nodded. “This Qu Fongning, you trust him fully?” he suddenly asked.

Qu Lyn understood. “Your son is in control of all those dearest to him. Moreover, your son knows him like one’s fingers and palm. Even if he has ten thousand ideas, he cannot escape my grasp!” he answered.

Qu Sharraugh regarded him deeply, and spoke after a while, “I heard you lent him the chilly short sword?”

“Yes,” said Qu Lyn, “him being able to exhibit his skills in Khilan was largely indebted to this item.” His face showed an immoderate pride at this mention.

Qu Sharraugh slowly caressed the gem on the ring. “What did I tell you when I gave you the short sword?” he asked in an undertone.

“Father said, this sword is sharp without match. It can slice the throat of a menacing dragon, and sever the head of your mortal enemy…” said Qu Lyn.

Between now and then, his heart chilled, and could continue no longer.

“You need to remember father’s words, don’t let the chill bite your fingers!” said Qu Sharraugh with a dip of his head.

Qu Lyn tightened his fist, bowing. “Yes, on the day of triumph, your son shall make the cut himself, and will never allow another for the favor.”

~

At the feast, every luxuriant course crackled with a fatty sheen, and delicious aroma filled the entire grand ger; for even the pickiest guests of honor cannot spot any criticisms.

However, the raw material for such gourmet food didn’t smell very good, and the place washing such goods was rancid beyond relief.

Uncle Hwei was cleaning a column of fatty horse intestines by the light of a far-off bonfire. When the others called for him to drink and break, he appeared unheard, and continued his work.

When his back warmed and a sweaty body tagged onto him, he was still holding up and examining the horse intestines against the fire, but his throat croaked, almost inaudibly:

“It wasn’t easy dealing with two old foxes, eh?”

The youth humphed lazily behind him, apparently too tired to speak.

A moment later, Cher Bien’s lanky, monkeylike figure appeared by the bonfire. It was unclear what he passed into the superintendent’s hands. In any case, the banquet continued on, but the quartet could leave straight away.

He turned to look. Qu Fongning had already fallen asleep. So, he piggy-backed him and went along on the path to the common yurts.

The summer air had yet to die down. The stars had already come out.

Gerrgu saw him struggling with the load, and patted his own shoulders. “Let me carry him,”

“Uncle Hwei, stinks,” Qu Fongning mumbled, but his hand wouldn’t let go of his neck.

Uncle Hwei spanked his bottom, but continued to carry him.

When Gerrgu saw him only half asleep, he couldn’t resist asking, “Today the Lord Prince asked whether we are brothers, what does that mean?”

Cher Bien giggled. “Probably because he found our brother Gu so strong and pretty, and wanted to find him a woman. But he needed to get the wind on us first, lest before the brothers all sleep her together…”

He spoke so foul that Gerrgu yelled at him, “Shut your trap!” And even Uncle couldn’t resist extending a hand to make a gesture of contempt.

“I said we knew each other ever since we could walk, does that work?” Gerrgu asked placatingly.

Qu Fongning hummed lightly. “Sure, we’ll say this from now on,” he said.

Cher Bien leaned in, giggling. “My brother Gu, who had the strength of a bull ever since a babe, could assemble troops to usurp a big reach of the Little Swallow Mountain by the age of eight! Who could’ve said no to any nests that brother Gu wanted? Only when brother Fongning first came, with those little furrowed brows, those cold shoulders, did he give him so much fury to deal with. We all goggled our eyes out, waiting for them to fight, but who would’ve known, after only a night, they were amiably getting along, hand in hand, with one climbing up the mountain, and the other watching attentively at the bottom… tsk, tsk, this is what real brothers are, even those blood brothers cannot compare…”

Qu Fongning threw him a kick. “Badly said! Don’t say this ever again!”

Cher Bien gave a cry. “What’s wrong? Was it the first come? Or hand in hand?” he said, whimpering.

Qu Fongning opened his eyes and slanted him a look. He didn’t say what was wrong, he only spoke to himself, “In the future, when I raise yurts and attribute rewards, it won’t go by merit, but will go by relations. Those with one more year of acquaintance with me shall get a hundred more gold pieces…”

“I knew you! I have known you since forever! Master Fongning! I knew you since before you came out of the womb!” Qu Bien declared frantically.

Gerrgu and Qu Fongning both urped at him. And Uncle Hwei couldn’t resist extending his hand again, to make a gesture of contempt.

~

When they returned, they saw that Qu Sharraugh actually didn’t eat his words; he granted them extra rushes and clothes and assigned them a separate round yurt. Although it was a tiny place, small and low, compared to the previous cramped common yurt, it was like heaven. Cher Bien was fretting about lacking a hideout to conceal his pearls and treasures. Upon seeing this, he gave a long shriek, and made a dozen rolls on the muddy earth in the yurt, howling, “Brother Fongning! My sweetheart! Second brother loves you to death!”

Uncle Hwei was too tired to show him any more contempt. He had no worldly possessions, so he only scavenged some old clothes to wrap the straw into beddings, and hurried off to the overseers to pick up water.

Water was precious in the summer. If one went late, there wouldn’t even be wastewater from washing horses and pots. Fortunately, it was the Lord Prince’s birthday, and most people were still busy, thus the water he drew was largely clean.

Qu Fongning also came with a water bowl, but didn’t hurry to take off his robes. He first took off the nvquay flower and gently put it aside with cherishing care. Uncle Hwei made a gesture of inquiry. Qu Fongning unfastened the white muslin on his arms. His fingers moved and danced, silently answering him.

“The bloom of hope.”

This robe was soft and fresh, although he wore it, it didn’t belong to him, so were the golden circlet branding his hair, the rings on his finger, nor the anklets on his foot; none of it belonged to him. Whenever an important event comes up, Qu Lyn let him get dressed up, so as to present himself as a clean, beautiful young man. When no one sees him, all of such were to be kept by the superintendent.

Qu Fongning half scrubbed and half scouredhimself through the bath, and hung the wet robes on a straw rope to dry. He held his face in his hands and appeared sullen.

Uncle Hwei scrubbed through himself twice and turned to look at him. Qu Fongning had wet hair stuck to his cheeks and neck. His well-contrasted monochromatic eyes gazed at him, making him appear even younger.

“At first I was happy about how the day went, then the old fox caught me in for questions. Now I am still leaking cold sweat,” he mumbled.

Uncle Hwei extended his hand to touch his back and found it wasn’t drenched, he was assured, but then decided to check his pulse. Ever since his return from Khilan, his condition of extreme cold and heat worsened tenfold, and every subsequent attack struck him into further epilepsies of insanity. It brought no small fright to Uncle Hwei. If he wasn’t so adept at playing mute, he would’ve already cursed out loud. From the inquiry, it was said that his heart and arteries were first frostbitten by Watering Chill, then his lungs and innards were broiled by Flowing Fire. His core meridians, larger intestines, stomach, smaller intestines, kidney, bladder, spleen, and liver, none escaped the scathing. Although the frequencies of the seizures had lessened, the magnitude was much more serious than before. In his wildest silent fury, Uncle Hwei rained curses on Chao’yoonr and Yujien Tianhung in a tempest of smearing dog blood.

But Qu Fongning consoled him instead, “It’s no big deal, I can tolerate it! Letting it build up and flare it out at once is much better than the constant torment!”

Uncle Hwei regarded him with pity. “I shall think of a way to fix you,” he gestured.

Cher Bien stuck his head out of the yurt, beckoning the two for food. He swung the leg of lamb he’d stolen from the banquet table, seeming very pleased with himself.

Uncle Hwei was taking in the cool breeze and enjoying the relaxing chill, and didn’t want to move. Then he felt his kneecaps going heavy. Qu Fongning had flopped down, pillowing his head on his lap, and his slender fingers expanded dramatically in a dance, telling him about the various rewards the Lord Prince granted today.

Yet his lips were moving lightly, asking about something else, “Uncle Hwei, this palm art you taught me reverses the choroids and alters the breathing; I have practiced it for the past couple of years, and my movements and footsteps have triumphed way above the others. I thought at first it was better to be as fast as possible — always make the preemptive strike — thus having only spent my endeavors on speed. But no matter how sharp one’s eyes are and how fast their hands can strike, they cannot turn the tables and control the universe. Today I focused hard on a leaf on the river surface, letting clear of all thoughts, and like an ink brush on a piece of white paper, I drew a path of its course. When I turned to look, it was really there, just like the picture in my heart, not off by one bit.”

He finished gesturing the rewards and shifted to the account of Qu Lyn calling the three out to perform.

“Now that I reflect, there were a few cases like this in the past! Sometimes when someone throws a punch, I would think, ‘This is no good. If he lowered a bit to the left, then I can backhand to his abdomen!’ As I turn the thought in my head, they would really go in the direction I wanted. Then I would easily strike them down and think that I was clairvoyant of the opponent’s intents! Sometimes it came naturally, sometimes all without reason, and none went against my wishes, for they all obediently followed my intent, never deviating from the course. I was disconcerted at times, but never really thought deep into it. Today was the first time I tried using it on an object far away, and it was much more obvious. Uncle Hwei, what’s the reason for this? It can’t be because I practiced this kungfu, so things would appear differently in my eyes?”

Uncle Hwei stared at him and forgot to make the hand gestures altogether. Only until Qu Fongning waved in front of his eyes did he snap out of it and resumed the wonton gesticulations, and opened his lips.

“I was going to tell you in a couple of years. But since you felt it, I shall tell you now. Your heart ‘picture’ of the fallen leaf was drawn from projecting your flesh into the landscape and deriving directly from nature. Once you become one with the enviros, have no difference between object and self, harmonize with its pitch and resonate with its intentions, then the tempo of your heart would echo the streaming rhythm and drifting path of the leaf. You are no longer yourself; for you have become the leaf itself! It would be perfectly natural for you to know where it is, as it would be akin to someone knowing their own shoulder and fingers. This palm art is called ‘Sky Mesh,’ it means to enmesh all objects and beings into our mortal husks. For a material weave, no matter how tightly knit, it should always have an oversight or opening. But this mesh of mine is the infinite nature itself. Once you open the heavenly web and earthly net, and jump into it yourself — ask the world, who can escape? Where can they escape to?”

As he talked about his unparalleled, heaven splitting, earth shattering kungfu, his countenance started to unconsciously flutter afloat. Although his tone was light, his words belied the pride of a long-lost youthhood of splendid dress and gallant ride, and the adrenaline of proud condescension upon the rivers and lakes.

Qu Fongning, with his eyes open intently, listened with great fascination. He didn’t really understand the wonders of the kungfu, he only mused, “Turning yourself into a fallen leaf, that’s certainly interesting! I wonder if you can turn into a bird or a flower?”

Uncle Hwei caressed his hair, smiling. “I derived these theories from… past meditations on weaponry. Running water, ringing of glacial bells, fluttering wind, rustlings of minute temperance, they are but an initiation into the path. The remote silence of broken hearts, the quiet stillness of empty forests, that is the realm of the mortals. The level above that is but the autumn water in the sky, or the yellow leaves on the earth, the resonance of scarlet strings by your ears—without the man, the mountain remains. Who can reach my nation of unforgotten love, my domain of nothingness? For I am the river heart and the autumn moon, who needs not to strike on all five strings! I used to joke with others, if you practice this art until the end, wouldn’t you be able to walk with the sun and the moon, and match the age of heaven and earth? Thankfully, my kungfu has been undone, and I have no need to think about these mind-boggling things anymore. With your talents, it could’ve … augh! I was born askew with disarrayed veins, there’s nothing to be said about that. But forcing them onto you has ruined you into this untreatable condition.”

Qu Fongning grabbed his mutilated finger and said with a smile, “Learning such a mighty kungfu is bound to come with some hardships!”

But his heart wondered instead, “Who undid Uncle Hwei’s kungfu?”

He didn’t pose this question. Even if he asked, Uncle Hwei wouldn’t answer.

Thus, he tilted his head, and told him in hand signs, “There is someone who has never learned your kungfu, but has the innate ability to draw this heart picture, and draws it very well!”

Uncle Hwei smiled, and also answered with sign language, “Then you two master artists must have a lot to say!”

Qu Fongning leaped up in giggles, he patted the dust off his clothes, and ran into the yurt.

He didn’t let his mouth run idle; he sang a song to afar.

The river currents will never thwart,

Beautiful skylark you’ve taken my heart!

…

~

On the evening after, Yujien Tianhung really came as promised. Qu Fongning was abundantly prepared with bowstrings, arrows, a thumb ring, a wrist guard, and a full leather waterskin. Appearing tough with resolve, and would not rest until he practiced until nightfall. Yujien Tianhung studied the make of the bow in his hand and smiled. “This bow is not bad! Did Captain Gantu give this to you?”

Oyghrmuki gathered in as well. “This bow Little Syr is holding looks like the specialized ones our city garrison uses. And not a low-leveled one either, at least a centurion commander’s!” he exclaimed.

Qu Fongning gaped at him. “I am not sure. This is my… a friend of the smithing corps gave this to me,” he said.

“You have friends all over the world,” said Yujien, smiling. He took it and felt its weight. “This bow is made to perfect standard, saves me the work of adjusting the strings.” He stood behind, and let him draw the bowstring. Yujien swatted off his thumb, pulled out the string thread, held his right hand to hold the string with four fingers, and helped him adjust the position and balance the pressure. “Even though you can go further with the aid of the thumb ring, you lose a flexible sprightliness. The iron band is not as nimble as the fingers, depending too much on foreign objects is not good in the end,” he said.

Oyghrmuki chuckled on the side, “That’s right! To learn these bread earning skills, you must start firm and be diligent. The southern armies love to slack on this. Those craven bowmen don’t even deserve the cleaver when you catch them. You only need to cut off their thumb, and they won’t know how to shoot anymore!” he said.

“Aye!” Qu Fongning answered quietly, changed to four fingers on his right hand, and adjusted the curve of the draw. He had no archery experience, thus it was not hard to redress, and his fingerings became perfect at once. Then Yujien taught him nook and aim; how to avoid the arrowhead on the left hand, how to flick the fletching with the right, how is the bow arch formed, and where the eye focus.

This was the first occasion through which Qu Fongning received an orthodox lesson, and he brought out an unprecedented spirit of diligence, trying his best to absorb. When he was growing up learning palm techniques from Uncle Hwei, it was always without an audience and in the dead of the night, just to learn a few lines of mantras in secrecy. He dared not to practice in broad daylight, and only attempted to integrate the theories into ascending peaks, gathering nests, and fighting and brawling. Despite this, the achievements were not to be slighted. Learning with open dignity and without sundry considerations was something he dared not to dream of. In the beginning, he would say a few words with Oyghrmuki, in the end, he was concentrating with all of his attention, even Yujien’s voice could not move him.

Oyghrmuki was not content with his loneliness. One moment he picked on the roughspun clothes Qu Fongning wore, saying he didn’t look like a pretty boy anymore, and urged him to wear the white robes again; in another moment he started singing ‘Little Skylark’, even beating his bronze horn for the rhythm. Yujien became annoyed with his clamor, turned and swept him a look, and things finally quieted down for a while. But after a swig of mare milk wine, he started singing again.

Yujien was teaching him flat trajectory. When others initiate beginners, they would prepare a standard target of decent size and distance, and dip on a round red dot for aim. Yujien, being a first-class master, was different from the others. A tweet of long grass by the water, a grey goose by the horizon, or the last firefly by the flower bush, all were his live targets. The other two were fine, but the firefly really tested the eyesight, don’t mention shooting it, one couldn’t even make it out at all.

Qu Fongning was thinking about Uncle Hwei’s “Harmony and Resonance” while his heart drew the course of travel, his head calculated the distance and deviation, and his hand grasped the draw pressure. Before the release of every arrow, it had already been grappled hot from his hold, and the frequency of the shots began to slow down. But Yujien commended instead, “Your modesty and prudence are uncommon. The bow has its own character; you treat it with respect, it will recognize in gratitude. One day, this bow will fuse into your heart and become your breath and skin.”

Qu Fongning swept aside the sweaty raven hair by his ear. Reverence filled his heart. “He and Uncle Hwei are the two master painters. I wonder if they have a lot to talk about?” he mused.

He led the bow towards the target and studied with perfect concentration, and became unconscious of the setting sun. “The time of evening training approaches. I must leave. When you are free at night, you can draw the empty bow to solidify the hand form.” He called forth Shadow Leaper and spun himself up.

Qu Fongning waited for a whole evening without a single line of critique. His heart was greatly unsettled. Seeing that he was about to ride off, he couldn’t help calling out, “General!”

Yujien hummed and turned the rein towards him. Shadow Leaper had a mighty form, and with four long legs, Yujien’s sitting figure on the horse made him a great stretch taller than Qu Fongning.

Qu Fongning backed a step. Suddenly too flustered to ask, he scratched his necks and lifted his head. “… See you tomorrow,” he said.

Yujien saw his eyes, brimming with hope and just a tad bit shy, and lightly tapped the whip on his head. “See you tomorrow,” he said.

~

On the way back, Oyghrmuki giggled along, teasing Shadow Leaper with bread, and darted glances every now and then towards the man on the horseback.

Yujien saw him grinning funny, urged on his foot, and sent Shadow Leaper lurching forward and biting the feeding hand. Oyghrmuki shrieked with laughter and ducked away. “General, old Oyghr’s has got a fantastic analogy. I don’t know whether I should say it, though,” he joked.

Yujien nodded, but his left two fingers stretched out and snapped the whip, making a thunderous clap. “Speak.”

Oyghrmuki coughed and swallowed his whimsy metaphor, and laughed drily. “General, I mean nothing, just this place you picked is really out remote. If you don’t hurry to take your brand-new disciple back to the city soon, you will be late for the next rehearsal again!”

“Old Sha hasn’t let the lad go yet. Where do you suppose I will take him?” Yujien sneered.

“You rob him!” Oyghrmuki exclaimed in astonishment.

“Rob what? Let them raise him for me!” said Yujien.

“Want their skylark to sing, but don’t give any goods to the bird feeders. The General’s meticulous accounting is really… insuperable to the plebes,” awed Oyghrmuki in astonishment.

“Rubbish!” Yujien cursed, laughing.

Oyghrmuki bent his fingers in count. “Now that I think of it, it’s been years since General had taught a student. A while ago when the King sent his son over for mentorship, General wasn’t this committed. I see this little bird really is good!”

This time, Yujien’s eyes also revealed a smile. “Exquisite material so fine, of once in a lifetime, you’ll see!” he said.

Shadow Leaper ate the bread, shook its head, and let out a long nicker. Oyghrmuki pulled its bridle with feigned disdain, and trotted off into the twilight, towards the lofty silhouette of the City of Ghosts.