A Day in the Sacred Sect of Mount Grace

Young master Hai sat meditating in his chambers when a knock sounded on the door.

"Enter.", Hai Yin said as his eyes suddenly snapped open.

"Yin-ge, Father has returned from his trip.", said Hai Su coming into his chambers.

"I see.", Hai Yin responded, closing his eyes thinking that Hai Su had only come to tell him of their Fathers return and would leave right after, but he was wrong as he heard her fiddling around through his things. Snapping his eyes back open, Hai Yin narrowed them at his younger sister, "A-Su, what are you doing?", the young master asked.

Turning around with a smirk on her pretty face, favoring their Mother, Hai Su let out a giggle. "Yin-ge, where is the red flower?"

Furrowing his brows Hai Yin, sighed, "Why do you wish to know?"

"Because I still want one.", she responded.

"I do not have one to give you.", Hai Yin responded, getting up from his cushion and making his way out of his chamber, but Hai Su followed, skipping behind him to catch up.

"Yin-ge, give me yours."

"And why would I do that?", Hai Yin said rolling his eyes as he walked.

"You will because if you do not, I will tell Father that you left the manor right after his dep..." Stopping in his tracks, Hai Yin quickly turned to his younger sister, placing his hand over her mouth.

"You would not dare!", the young master whispered firmly.

Removing her brother's hand from her mouth, Hai Su allowed another smile onto her face, "I would, now hand it over!", she responded, holding out her hand, palm upward.

"Hai Su.", the young master complained, somewhat whining as he stood up straight.

"Yin-ge, give me the flower and you are safe.", said Hai Su.

"A-Su, how about this? We can go to town and I promise to buy you whatever you like.", the young master tried to bargain with his sister. The young miss brought her eyes up to the ceiling as she thought a minute.

"Anything?", the young madam asked teasingly.

���Anything!", Hai Yin responded, quickly shaking his head over and over.

"Anything, means anything, no matter how much it cost Yin-ge!", Hai Su said firmly.

"I understand!", Hai Yin nodded, his face quite serious.

"Good! I will come get you when I am ready.", said Hai Su skipping away. Letting out a sigh and closing his eyes, Hai Yin relaxed his brain, for a moment there he worried his younger sister had the upper hand.

Turning around to continue to meet his Father the young master once again stopped in his tracks to see Madam Ji standing behind him.

"…", not saying anything the young master bowed his head nervously, there was no way he was going to get out of this one.

"A-Yin, do you think that the manor is so big that a Mother does not know when her son is present? Do not worry, your secret is safe with me.", said Madam Ji with a smile, holding out her arm so that her son would escort her to the main hall. With a smirk Hai Yin nodded, linking his arm around his Mothers' as the two of them walked to greet clan leader Hai.

"Might I ask if you discovered anything worth mentioning?", Madam Ji asked.

"No Mother I did not.", Hai Yin responded.

"No news is great news, but I need to know what has my son so distracted, you have never done anything like this before.", said Madam Ji.

Glancing at his Mother momentarily, Hai Yin focused his attention back on the ground, "there is someone who needed me."

Glancing at her son with a full smile, Madam Ji let out a cute giggle, "Is there? What young maiden has captured the eye of the heir to the great Hai clan?"

"It is not what you think Mother!", said Hai Yin as butterflies suddenly took control of his stomach.

Madam Ji let out a giggle, "No need to be shy A-Yin, I will not pry any longer. Truthfully, I am just surprised, as you have been quite indifferent with every young heiress to ever cross your path, but if it means it will save your Father and I from match making, then so be it."

"Mother!", Hai Yin hummed, as he was beginning to feel embarrassed, Madam Ji was never one to hold her tongue.

"Do not pay your Mother any mind A-Yin.", Madam Ji giggled, gripping her arm around her sons tighter as she teased.

"My lady.", said clan leader Hai with a longing smile on his handsomely aged face as the two entered the main hall.

Letting go of her sons arm, Madam Ji smiled, walking over to her husband as he embraced her into his arms.

"You are as pretty as the day we married, my have I missed you so.", said clan leader Hai, placing his arm on the lower back of his wife's and turning to his son.

"A-Yin.", clan leader Hai nodded.

"Father.", Hai Yin responded, bowing and cupping his fist respectfully.

"My lady allow me this time with our son, I will come and find you later.", said clan Leader Hai with a flirtatious smile. With a squinted eye smile, Madam Ji nodded, making her way out of the main hall.

When Madam Ji was gone, clan leader Hai walked past his son, making his way toward the large entrance of the main hall, "come A-Yin, let us go for a stroll.".

"…", Nodding Hai Yin said nothing, following behind his Father.

Clan leader Hai and his son proceeded down the stairs, different disciples bowing respectfully as they passed.

"It is good to be home A-Yin.", said clan leader Hai staring up at the sky. "Look how blue the sky is, there is no place like Mount Grace."

"Mn.", Hai Yin agreed as the two walked.

"Tell me A-Yin, have you been taking care of Mount Grace in my absence?"

"…I have.", Hai Yin answered with hesitation at first. "You said that things were settled. What measures will be taken next?", the young master asked, quickly changing the subject.

"For now, they are yes, however the two men without a face are still unaccounted for, but clan leader Kang and I are not worried. Whomever is behind this, their work is not yet finished, they will have to come out of hiding eventually.", clan leader responded.

"I see, does this mean all clans are in the clear for now?", the young master asked hopefully.

Stopping, clan leader Hai smirked at his son, "you are quite the worry-wart A-Yin, and you do not get that from me.", clan leader chuckled. "Tell me, as Sect leader of all clans, does it make sense to quickly clear the name of each clan when things take time to develop? What if other things arise after you have rushed to clear every clan, how will that help you?", clan leader questioned his son.

Staring at the ground, Hai Yin sighed, "it would not help me at all.", the young master answered.

Patting his son on the shoulder, clan leader Hai smile and his son looked up. "Do not worry A-Yin, as I've said before, I will not make any moves until I have the proof that is needed."

"Yin-ge! Yin-ge!", Hai Su called out in the distance.

"It would seem you are needed elsewhere.", said clan leader Hai.

"I have promised A-Su I would accompany her to town today.", said Hai Yin.

"Then run along A-Yin, have fun.", said clan leader Hai with a smile.

With a smile, Hai Yin nodded to his Father, turning to leave.

In town down the vendors walkway, the two siblings walked together, Hai Yin quite at ease with one arm placed on his lower back and his sister quite excited with wide eyes. Hai Su couldn't help, but to be elated with all of the things that she wanted to take home, after all, what young woman didn't like to shop?

"Madam, how much is this pretty piece?", Hai Su stopped in front of a vendor selling fancy fabrics.

The lady smiled, nodding to the young master standing behind his sister and he nodded back. The vendor was well aware that these two were from the Hai clan, so she made sure to show respect before she spoke business. "It is sold by the yard young madam, and it is quite expensive.", the lady answered.

Hai Yin watched his little sister as she marveled at the material in her hands. The white fabric was pretty indeed, laced with accents of pink here and there, as it shimmered in the sunlight of the day.

Leaning forward the young master smiled, "is this what you wish for me to buy you A-Su?", Hai Yin asked.

"Hmmm.", the young madam hummed before answering and putting down the clothe, "I will keep looking.", Hai Su responded as she skipped off to the next vendor. Nodding to the cloth vendor, Hai Yin walked off with a smile.

After what felt like hours of tailing behind his lively little sister, the young master was quite over this shopping trip. "A-Su, haven't you figured out what you want to buy yet? Let us go back now and come another time."

"Not yet Yin-ge, I want to pick something today!" the young madam continued to look. Letting out a sigh, the young master complied, following behind his sister and his stomach growled loudly.

"Shall we get something to eat Yin-ge?", Hai Su giggled.

"…", not saying anything the young master nodded, closing his eyes momentarily following his sister to a tavern.

"Young miss and young sir, please try my sweet red bean buns, they are freshly made every day!", a vendor called out to the two as they passed by. Hai Su kept walking, but the young master stopped.

"Young master, young master, would you like one? How about two? One for you and one for the young madam?", the vendor asked. As Hai Su continued on, she realized her brother was not behind her, so she turned around to see him standing at the snack vendor.

"Yin-ge, since when do you eat sweets? They will spoil your appetite.", Hai Su scolded as she came over to her brothers' side as he exchanged silver rocks for the sweet red bean buns. Nodding to the man, Hai Yin turned to leave with his sister following behind him.

"Yin-ge, that sweet red bean bun will ruin you app..", Hai Su complained, but Hai Yin cut her off.

"There is no need to worry, this is what I want to eat A-Su.", said Hai Yin, handing his sister the second one as he walked.

With a smile, Hai Su took the sweet bun from her brothers' hand as she watched him take a big bite, "How is it?", the young miss asked, as her curiosity was running wild. She had never witnessed her brother partaking in anything sweet unless it was a simple cup of tea, but even then, he often drank it without sugar.

As Hai Yin tasted the bun, his mouth became pleasantly surprised, as the texture of the pillowy soft breading of the bun meshed perfectly with the taste of the sweet red bean paste.

"It is delicious.", said Hai Yin with a smirk.

"They are aren't they Yin-ge?", Hai Su added as she took a bite of her own.

"I see why he likes them.", Hai Yin said softly.

"Hmm?", Hai Su asked with her mouth full as she hadn't heard her brother clearly.

"It is nothing.", the young master responded as the two of them continued down through the vendors walkway, Hai Su looking at the most expensive items she could find.

After a long day, the two siblings returned to the manor, oddly enough out of nowhere, Hai Su decided she wanted to go home.

"I thought I would never see the day that you would grow tired of shopping.", Hai Yin teased as they made their way up the steps.

"Shut up Yin-ge!", Hai Su responded with a pout and her brother smirked. "Besides I was not tired, I just didn't feel comfortable with you buying me such a pricy item."

Stunned, Hai Yin raised his brows, momentarily looking at his little sister. "Is that why you could not decide on anything that you looked at?", he asked.

"Mn.", Hai Su nodded.

"But the Hai are men of their word A-Su, if I say I will buy you something, then that's what I will have to do."

"Yin-ge, you have changed.", the young madam responded.

"What do you mean?", said Hai Yin raising a brow.

"You did not hesitate to eat that sweet red bean bun today and you did not mind going through great lengths to keep that flower, how could you be so irresponsibly willing to spend so much Yin-ge?", said Hai su.

"You!..", Hai Yin paused as he realized his sister was simply testing him all day.

"Whomever gave you that flower must be very important to you Yin-ge, but I must say that I like this new 'yes madam' you.", Hai Su teased as she skipped along leaving her brother behind.

Letting out a sigh, Hai Yin shook his head as he made his way into the manor, "He is not that important, I simply value a gift from a friend.", Hai Yin whispered to himself, but who was he trying to convince?

"Young master Hai!", a disciple rushed toward Hai Yin, bowing and cupping his fist as he stopped.

"What is it?", Hai Yin responded.

"Clan leader wishes to see everyone in the main hall.", the disciple nodded, jogging away. Hurrying behind the disciple, young master Hai walked into the main hall full of disciples and madam Ji standing beside clan leader.

Making his way to his Father, the young master nodded, "Father, what has happened?"

Seeing that his son has arrived, clan leader Hai quieted the hall, "Listen everyone, as you all know, Madam Chiang Meifeng has been ill for quite some time. Clan leader Vu has told me that she has taken a turn for the worst and that she may not have much longer. As his brother clan, we will go pay our respects to Madam Chiang and show our support until the end. We set out early tomorrow."

The room had gone silent for a moment as a wave of sadness passed over. Clan leader Vu's wife had been ill most of Hai Yin's life, but that never stopped her from showing a warm smile and exuding kindness wherever she went. After thinking a minute, the young master let out a sigh.

"A-Yin.", clan leader Hai said, suddenly appearing in front of his son that had spaced out.

"Father.", he nodded.

"I know that young master Vu can be quite impertinent at times, but could you be his pillar? I know he will not address you as such, but you are his older brother after all.", said clan leader Hai.

"I will do my best.", Hai Yin nodded, respectfully bowing to his Father.