First Day as Hyunhei

The morning sky was painted rosy by the rising sun. The golden rays shone into the Cloud Haze Pavilion. It was five in the morning. The birds were chirping and singing their morning melody. Hyunhei rose to his feet and began preparing for the day, and his assistant, Yang Daiyu, helped him. Daiyu is an orphaned little girl who was found by Hyunhei on the streets when he was 6 years old. As a token of gratitude for taking her in, she vowed to serve Hyunhei and be loyal to him for eternity.

There is a custom in Xin Residence that every female servant must dress as a man to avoid unnecessary issues because outsiders tend to spread baseless gossip. Xin Clan servants were also provided proper education in all aspects: swordsmanship and archery for protection, cooking and sewing skills, and being taught to read and write. Daiyu received more than these privileges. She was promoted as the lifelong assistant of the youngest master.

Hyunhei was still pondering the events that had happened in the past few days. The young man that appeared in his dreams was the soul of the original Hyunhei. He showed him his memories so he could catch up effectively. The current Fourth Young Master Hyunhei has the body of a man but a lady's mind. Thankfully, Nianzhen was used to living like a man and depending on herself in her past life. She was also an orphan that lived with her grumpy aunt for some time. Though she was treated like a maid in their household, her aunt funded her education as requested by her late parents. Despite that, she has a handsome and caring friend named Wang Rushi. They had been best friends since childhood. Unfortunately, he died at 18 due to acute myeloid leukemia, a blood and bone marrow cancer. After his passing, she suffered from depression and mourned for him for a year. She also struggled to engage with people after that incident.

The servants opened the door leading to the dining hall, and Hyunhei stepped in to greet his family. One of the servants announced his arrival, and the people inside were shocked, as if they had seen a hideous ghost.

"Hyun-er!" The man dressed in a fine robe with hints of gold threads stood up and rushed to his side. "Hyun-er! I'm so glad you've regained consciousness! How are you feeling right now?" This man is in his early fifties, yet no one will notice any signs of aging in his facial appearance or physique.

"D-dad, please be at ease now. I've already recovered." Hyunhei shyly responded. He confirmed in the memories he received that this man beside him was the head of the Xin Clan, Xin Jingyue. Another man stood up and went in his direction.

"Father was so worried that you would be unconscious for months. Even Yuze Gege rushed home from the borders just to check on you." Xin Kailin held Hyunhei's hand as he examined his pulse.

"Hyun-er, don't be so reckless next time. You're lucky that you survived that accident. Only a few individuals will wake up that fast from a coma. Knowing the storm had just dissipated, you went to the river to hop on the rocks. The river currents were still violent at that time. You slid on the wet rock and hit your head on it. You were also swept away by the current, making the situation worse. Thankfully, Daiyu was at the scene, so she called your brother Jingyi, who happened to be nearby."

"I didn't know Yuze Gege was this talkative when scolding someone." Xin Jingyi grinned as he chomped on the dumplings before approaching Hyunhei. "Hyun-hyun, I'll train with you to the mountains once you've recovered. Look at your skin; it's still pale. You might want to eat those yummy dumplings."

"Come, come. Fill your tummy with these to regain your strength quickly." Clan Head Jingyue led Hyunhei to his seat and gave him some dishes to eat. They chatted as they enjoyed their meal and the recovery of their beloved Fourth Young Master.

While consuming the food, Hyunhei secretly studies the people around him. Xin Yuze, the eldest among the Xin siblings, is held as the heir of the Xin Clan. He is working under the jurisdiction of Zhao Huifen, the emperor of the Meilin Empire, as the general of His Majesty's Royal Army. He's in his early thirties, which explains the mature aura he gives off. Still, he looks handsome and appealing. He has golden eyes with long eyelashes, silky long black hair, and a fair complexion.

Xin Kailin, the Second Young Master, was as tall as Yuze and resembled his appearance. The only difference is that Kailin is 3 years younger and imparts a delicate vibe. He owns a green jade fan that retracts blades on the edges for self-defense. He also has a different fashion taste than Yuze, which alone can help one differentiate between the two. Kailin manages the Xin Clothing business, the biggest supplier of fabric and clothing in the whole empire. It has several branches scattered around the empire, the main one located at the Bingwen capital.

The Third Young Master, Xin Jingyi, is a year older than Hyunhei. He has a fair appearance but is a little shorter than his two elder brothers and has quite a playful temperament. With long brownish hair and a pair of golden eyes, Jingyi sure can get the attention of anyone. He has excellent skills in swordsmanship and archery, which he teaches Hyunhei whenever they train.

"Hyun-er, I've already told this to your elder brothers, but I will repeat it for you. A few days ago, a disciple of the Feng Huang Sect passed on a message. Your uncle, Sect Leader Huo, officially announced that they will recruit a new batch of disciples after the Autumn Festival. I've decided to send you and Jing-er as our clan's representatives. Daiyu has the letter; you can ask her later." Clan Head Jingyue was in a good mood because of Hyunhei's recovery. They finished their portions, and the clan head designated their tasks after the meal.

Yuze will return to his post after finishing some matters with Clan Head Jingyue. Kailin will be preparing some new garments and orders for the upcoming festival. Jingyi fetched essential herbs and ingredients to restock the clan warehouse before the festival. Hyunhei was still recovering his strength, so his father asked him to remain at home. He begged to venture out of the mansion, and Clan Head Jingyue couldn't reject his request. He was permitted to go out but needed to purchase some items they lacked. Hyunhei was overjoyed, and after some preparation, he and Daiyu went to the capital.