The Uppity Young Master

"Halt here," an aide on horseback said to a coach driver next to him. The carriage clattered to a halt in front of a Yingguo Teahouse. The aide got down from his horse and helped a noble looking young master down from the carriage. The two then proceeded to enter the teahouse, where a butler welcomed them.

The two headed upstairs and took a seat at a balcony. The aide ordered some food and then sat down opposite.

"Here we are, your highness," Si Hang said in a low voice after the server taking their order had left.

"Phoenix Empire, hmm?" The noble young master was actually Ru Ziyan, second prince of Tian Empire. His eyes, a curious shade of red, surveyed the bustling street through the open window. Just opposite this teahouse, was a large textile shop owned by the Li family. Ru Ziyan watched as people flocked in and came out, large smiles on their faces. He noticed two burly guards at the entrance. He sighed imperceptibly.

"Here's your orders!" The cheery server arrived and laid the food on the table.

"Please call if you need anything further!" The server replied after receiving a fat bag of silver from Si Hang. Si Hang nodded curtly and waved him away.

"Did you send the letter ahead as I said?" Ru Ziyan asked the aide.

"Yes, your Highness,"

"Good. Then if Li Zhenming is a man of his word, he should arrive soon," Ru Ziyan glanced out of the window as he picked up his chopsticks.

A few minutes later, the steward poked his head in through the door of the balcony where they sat.

"Uhh-- excuse me. Someone is here and he says he has an appointment with you,"

"Yes, let him come, please," Ru Ziyan smiled. Si Hang rose from the table and stood at the side. A man wearing an ordinary male hanfu appeared behind the steward. However, his dignified aura could not be concealed. Ru Ziyan rose as the steward retired. He cupped his hands.

"Hello, Master Li!"

Li Zhenming nodded. Ru Ziyan spread his arms and invited him to sit.

"Please,"

They both sat down. Ru Ziyan took his time and poured the older man a cup of wine, not saying anything.

"What did you want to see me for?" Li Zhenming accepted the cup of wine and cut to the chase. He was now a sensitive individual, ah. He couldn't just be meeting people anyhow. If not that this kid was threatening him with blackmail, even...he would not be here if he had a choice. Those Scorpion people were still after his daughter. She had not yet returned... Li Zhenming's heart ached. His Sihan...he hoped she was all right.

"Can I call you Uncle Li?" Ru Ziyan asked first. Li Zhenming raised his eyebrows. The term 'uncle', for obvious reasons, didn't sit well with him.

"Call me whatever you want -- I don't have all day." He finally said with a huff.

"Very well. Uncle Li, I have a proposal for you. My grandfather is a silk importer in Tian Empire, and we've been looking a long time for a honest dealer. Since Phoenix is nearer to the sea, I came here to see if I could find one. By happenstance, I happened to hear about you. I'm willing to make you our sole dealer. The Tian Empire market is large; I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss this opportunity,"

Li Zhenming gulped down his wine.

"I understand all that. What I don't understand is how you know about 'that' matter with which you brought me here," he snarled.

Ru Ziyan smirked.

"I have heard that Uncle Li is a very busy man, who will not at all see any riff-raff. I have no intention of ruining your reputation; I just had to see you,"

"That thing happened before you were born. How did you, who live in Tian, manage to know it?" Li Zhenming pressed.

"I didn't," Ru Ziyan smirked again. Li Zhenming narrowed his eyes. What was he even doing? One word to Sword Saint Tao He and this spangly boy would be crushed to a pulp of blood-- but he had never been that type of person. And he did not want people, especially Ren Ziming, his wife, to know of that matter.

"I'm not someone you can threaten," Li Zhenming said.

"Oh, I know!" Ru Ziyan said at once, "Uncle Li is not listening to me. I'm not threatening you! I just had to find a way to meet you!"

"Becoming a business partner is not what you want," Li Zhenming leaned back, "you want to meet the Si Lak Mercenaries, no?"

"We have to start somewhere," Ru Ziyan sighed, "but I'm glad Uncle Li is laying things out plainly. Yes, I want to meet the Si Lak Mercenaries, if I can,"

Li Zhenming privately chuckled. Another hapless young master to be sent to the hatcheries! Well, that was none of his business.

"Are you a cultivator? Or do you have a truly priceless treasure you have to offer them?"

"Never mind that; I just want to see them,"

"I'm trying to rid you some stress here!" Li Zhenming snapped. Seeing this boy's face...it was just reminding him of that matter. Ren Ziming would not believe it was a mistake...

"Whatever. Come to the Li Manor tomorrow around the ri chu* time-- you will meet Sword Saint Tao He,"

Ru Ziyan immediately rose and cupped his hands.

"Thank you, Uncle Li!"

"Tsk," Li Zhenming privately thought that, soon, like Ji Hanning, this hapless young master would also be bawling out his eyes in the hatchery...

"I'll be leaving, then," Li Zhenming rose, "I don't have to tell you what will happen to you and your entire family should 'that' matter--"

"Ah, rest assured, Uncle Li. It never happened,"

Li Zhenming pursed his lips and shook out his sleeves in slight annoyance as he left.

Si Hang went down on one knee and cupped his hands over his sword.

"Congratulations, your Highness!"

"Don't congratulate me yet," Ru Ziyan said with a slight scoff, "we have to still succeed where my stupid brother in law to be failed,"

"Yes!"

"I want all those legend books about Sword Saint Tao He,"

"Si Hang has received your order!"

*

Sword Saint Tao He was currently practicing his stances in one obscure backyard of the Li Manor. With his Mapleblade Sword, he was currently going through the steps of the Reverse Strike Stance, which was the last lesson his master Sword Saint had thought his disciples before they had all been summoned to meet the Grand Chief back then. His bare upper body shone in the just rising sun, his muscles contracting and arching with each swing of the sword. By the time he had gone through one hundred steps, he was covered in sweat.

"Ah ah ah," Tao He flung his sword down as he doubled over and held his knees. Out of the three hundred and one steps of the Reverse Strike, he had still only mastered hundred! He was secretly glad he had remained at the Li Manor this time, or Storm Sword would definitely have scolded him.

"Is it because I'm old?" Tao He muttered to himself. Those youngsters of the Sword Guild under Storm Sword were way ahead of him! Ginseng Blade (Tao He always privately chuckled at this person's name) had mastered two hundred and seventeen steps! No one knew how many he had mastered right now! Those insane prodigies... Tao He clapped a hand to his forehead. That was why he had jumped at the opportunity to join the Si Lak Mercenaries back then! Though he was very revered in Phoenix Empire's jianghu, in the outer world, beside unnatural inhumane experts like the Si Lak Mercenaries, he was nothing!

He was the only one, however, who seemed to realise this fact...

CRASH!

Tao He looked up quickly. This place was a deserted corner of the Li Manor...who? Was someone spying on him?

"Who's there?" He called out in a calm voice.

"So--sorry if I've disturbed you," a face peeked out from behind a column, and then the person came into view. Tao He was shocked. The person was a maid of the Li Manor, her clothes gave her away. Currently, her face was beet red.

"That-- um-- would Esteemed Senior like a drink of water?" She got her wits together and asked. Tao He blinked. In the next second, he had retrieved a robe from his conscious and hurriedly draped it around himself. The girl blushed even more, if that were possible. Her face seemed to be about to explode, but, surprisingly, she looked Tao He straight in the eye.

"Oh? Yes? Yes, I'd like some water," Tao He finally replied. The girl grinned, and dashed away. Tao He flicked his hand and summoned his sword from where he had dropped it, and kept it in his conscious. He then walked to a low bench at the side of a wall and sat down.

Ding! He suddenly felt a weird sensation. That-- the Grand Chief didn't have his imprint, so that must mean it was the Young Miss calling! Tao He was a little shocked-- the Young Miss could now use her imprint to summon people?! That was something only a Martial Master was capable of doing!!

However he didn't dwell on this and instead stood up and hurried towards the main courtyard, and from there took his course to the Agate Pavilion...

Liu Meiyin, who had arrived back at the secluded courtyard with a cup of water, was speechless when she found no Tao He waiting. She pouted and lowered her head in defeat. Why didn't he wait for her? Was she that repulsive? But-- but he had talked kindly to her. Even though, as a mercenary, his first reaction to being spied on should have been flying darts; he hadn't done that. Did-- did she have a chance?

"Meiyin! What are you doing there?" Yang Hongmei, another Li Manor maid, was passing by carrying a basket of laundry and saw Liu Meiyin standing in the middle of the courtyard with a cup of water in her hand and a teary dreamy expression on her face.

"What's up? What are you doing?" A lover of gossip, Yang Hongmei set the basket down and hurried at once to her friend.

"I-- I saw him today," Liu Meiyin mumbled.

"Huh? What did you say? I didn't hear you," Yang Hongmei pulled her hand, "speak louder,"

"I saw him, I saw him!" Liu Meiyin raised her flushed face, "he saw me too, and spoke to me!"

The other girl put on a puzzled expression.

"Who? Who are you seeing? Who are you taking to? Ah--?" She suddenly had an epiphany, "'He'?! Meiyin, are you taking to a man?! You'll be punished!"

"He's no ordinary man," Liu Meiyin splashed the cup of water on her hot face suddenly. Yang Hongmei leapt a foot away.

"What's wrong with you? Are you going crazy? Look here," she suddenly grabbed Liu Meiyin's shoulders, "be careful and stop whatever silliness you're up to! You can't elope with a man, it's dangerous, it wrong, its--"

"It's Sword Saint Tao He," Liu Meyin interrupted. Yang Homgmei's mouth fell open.

"You! You really did it, did you?! You said you'd follow him to see where he went in the mornings, and you really did?! This silly girl, are you not afraid of death?!?"...

Away at the Agate Pavilion, Tao He realised that the Young Miss had called him for her father.

"Tao He, papa want 'oo," Little Bun smacked her lips.

"Oh; yes, young miss." He turned to Li Zhenming, "yes, my lord?"

Li Zhenming refused to dwell on the change of address. He instead pointed at the seated Ru Ziyan.

"He wishes to see you," and he rose, picking Little Bun out of her high chair. The baby screeched, having not finished her snacks.

"Who are you and how may I help you?" Tao He gave this stranger the residual respect accruing to the father of the Grand Chief. Ru Ziyan rose and cupped his hands.

"I am Tian Empire's fourth prince, Run Ziyan. I would like to come into cooperation with the Si Lak Mercenaries,"

Tao He raised an eyebrow.

"That's not my call to make. Why don't you wait till our Grand Chief comes back?"

Ru Ziyan was a little conflicted. If he met the Grand Chief, she would without doubt see him first of all as Xi Huan's fiance. He didn't want to be kicked out of the Li Manor!

"Then, how about this? I would like to come into a cooperation with Esteemed Senior,"

"Me?" Tao He thought for a while, "well, no problem, then,"

*Ri Chu time = 7-9am