Chapter 8: Return Home

The group immediately began its ride back toward the Li Residence, making its way between the many fields and the soldiers that trained within them. As they rode past them, Tao Cai's mind couldn't help but be dragged back into itself. All of his thoughts seemed to be consumed with an odd feeling that kept making him want to think back to the events of the evening.

He felt that his mind was clouded, however. To him, it felt that a dark haze was preventing him remembering clearly. Though it felt as if nothing from the evening had evaded his memory, it also felt that something was still out of his reach. In the back of his mind, he felt as if he had done something wrong, but he simply couldn't reconcile it in his mind no matter how much he mulled it over. Everything seemed correct, but something seemed very wrong.

He quietly pondered to himself on this strange feeling, wondering if his own mind was playing tricks on him, filling his memories with blur and strangeness. In his deep thought, he barely noticed as they passed back through the gates into the city, and through the streets as they drew nearer to the residence.

"Are you alright, young lord?" Wei Jie spoke up as he rode slightly closer to Tao Cai. The boy was suddenly drawn out of his deep thought, looking over at Wei Jie who looked over at him with a questioning look. "You haven't spoken since we began leaving the fields."

"Oh... yes... yes." Tao Cai responded with a conflicted smile before looking down at the mane of his horse, returning to his thoughts. As he returned to his thoughts, he felt his body grow hotter and more filled with energy. He started to sweat slightly as the heat grew worse. After several minutes, he began to circulate his Qi, attempting to suppress the heat. As he did so, the heat began to cool and go away.

The feeling didn't complete go away, but he felt much better. In his thoughts and focusing on his Qi, Tao Cai only realized that they had traveled so far as they rode through the gates of the residence. His attention was suddenly grabbed by the visage of his father and several servants as they approached, Tao Cai's eyes locking with his father's.

The group stopped in front of the entrance of the residence, and Tao Cai quickly dismounted his horse as his father gestured for him to follow. The two of them entered the residence together, beginning to its halls as the servants helped the guards, Ao Jīn, Wei Jie, and Adjutant Xu wrangle the horses to prepare them for being brought back to the stables.

Tao Cai and his father walked the halls of the residence. Servants bowed at their passing, stepping aside at their sight. The two eventually arrived at a pair of double doors, Tao Cai's father pushing them open to reveal a neatly put together study. Tao Cai stood quietly in the doorway as his father walked around the desks. Before sitting down, Lord Li pushed open a pair of sliding doors located behind the desk, stepping out onto a small private balcony, and looking into the gardens of the residence.

"Come, shut the doors, and sit." Lord Li smiled as he spoke up, gesturing toward one of the chairs in front of the desk. Tao Cai stood for a moment before bowing his head, shutting the doors before sitting in front of his father at the desk. "Do you know one of the greatest virtues of a ruler, of a noble?" Lord Li spoke in a gentle voice as he began to write something down.

"Courage?" Tao Cai spoke in an unsure voice. "Or perhaps a tongue like silver?"

Lord Li grinned at his son's responses, gently shaking his head. "Introspection." Lord Li responded softly as he nodded toward his son. "To examine one's own mind and actions, to understand the decisions we make before we make them." Tao Cai quietly listened to his father's explanation, doing his best to understand the meaning behind his words. "So, tell me, what kind of introspection did you do on the training fields?"

Tao Cai was silent for a moment, looking down at his hands as he felt his Qi flow throughout his body. After a moment, he looked back up as he looked his father in the eyes. "I know that I mustn't fear this new power, this... blessing, but I also know there are many things I don't understand; I know there are many things I will fear." Tao Cai paused, his Qi fluctuating for a moment. "Ao Jīn and Wei Jie will guide me well, and I know that when I attend the academy in the capital, I will be taught many things."

"Hmmm... so do you think your thoughts have grown clearer, if only a bit?" Lord Li gently questioned.

"In some ways, yes." Tao Cai spoke with a subtle confidence. "But my mind feels clouded in other ways, as if my body and mind hold secrets hidden beneath a dark shroud that prevents me seeing further."

"Perhaps a healer might help you see better?" His father suggested while writing something down.

"No, I don't think they can help me." Tao Cai spoke with uncertainty as he silently thought on things. "At least I would like to think on it, and speak with those that know much better than I."

"I see." Lord Li nodded with an assuring smile. "Then let us speak on gentler things that do not ail our hearts..."