Ancient Matters

The gatekeeper was very angry.

His teeth ground at the situation where he could do nothing while mere pups dirtied the Sword Clan's name.

Next, he was angry at the First Young Master.

If he had power befitting his position as First Young Master, he could have easily retrieved the Bronze Badge on the spot and chopped those who insulted the Sword Clan into pieces for their crime.

But in the end, when he opened his mouth toward Yuan Zhaoxian, what came out was neither resentment nor anger.

"...I'm sorry."

In the end, he too had done nothing for the sake of self-preservation.

He had simply avoided causing trouble he couldn't handle, to avoid taking responsibility.

"What is there to be sorry for? You fulfilled your role."

Even hearing words of encouragement from Yuan Zhaoxian for the first time provided no comfort.

"You'd better return from here. The one who gave Golden Lady the Bronze Badge might see you as part of my group too."

"But I must guard Young Master...!"

Yuan Zhaoxian smiled at him.

"You don't need to sacrifice yourself for someone you don't offer your sword to."

"That's..."

He opened and closed his mouth several times trying to protest something.

"...I'm sorry."

Yuan Zhaoxian handed him an order he had prepared in advance.

"Take this instead."

The order bearing the Clan Leader's seal was for him.

It certified that he had carried out temporary guard duty under Yuan Zhaoxian's orders, and had received orders to return at the present time.

Though his footsteps stopped several times while turning back with the order, in the end he couldn't turn around.

'Damn it...'

Though he had felt much powerlessness even after reaching mastery, this was the first time he had felt this bad.

'Damn it.'

His long shadow cast by the setting sun was incomparably pathetic.

***

"Hmm."

Xiya's patience was starting to run out as she waited a long time for Yuan Zhaoxian to finish checking Jingya's pulse.

The famous doctors she had called had already come and gone, assuring her that Jingya was just very tired.

That she was just sleeping deeply.

But unlike the common perception, she knew that Yuan Zhaoxian's medical skills were more than enough to form their own school of thought.

That's why she couldn't hide her anxiety.

"The An family's reinforcements are perfect. And as ordered, we've doubled the usual guards."

She just chewed her pipe nervously and waved off her subordinate's report.

Pacing outside, after some more time passed, her patience finally ran out.

"Young Master, this girl will enter."

She opened the door and entered the room without asking permission.

The scene inside the room was almost exactly the same as when she had last come out.

Her only sister was still unconscious, and the First Young Master was checking her pulse while holding her wrist.

After hesitating briefly, she asked Yuan Zhaoxian.

"...Is Jingya alright?"

Yuan Zhaoxian who had been quietly closing his eyes turned to look at her.

"Alright? Didn't you hear she's just sleeping?"

Yuan Zhaoxian's tone was unbelievably casual.

"That...!"

Her hand reflexively tightened on her pipe before she barely held back.

"...Ahem. Then why is the pulse-taking taking so long?"

Yuan Zhaoxian ignored her question and held out his hand.

"You brought the information on the Black Bone Faction?"

This time she almost snapped her pipe.

But repeatedly reminding herself of the character for 'patience,' she showed Yuan Zhaoxian a bundle of documents.

"Wouldn't it be better to first tell me what's wrong with my sister?"

"That's all of it, right?"

"...All of it."

Her pronunciation was slurred from gritting her teeth toward the end.

Yuan Zhaoxian stroked his chin that had no beard and frowned.

"Hmm. Actually, after checking her pulse, I found Jingya has a serious illness."

He clicked his tongue.

"But seeing your attitude..."

Xiya practically threw the bundle of documents at him.

"Wh-what illness?!"

Without answering, Yuan Zhaoxian untied the bundle and began reading the documents.

He was going through them at such a fast speed that one might think he wasn't properly reading but just skimming.

"Hmm."

Finally, after flipping through all the documents, Yuan Zhaoxian nodded.

Suppressing her trembling body, Xiya asked him again.

"So what illness is Jingya suffering from?"

Yuan Zhaoxian looked at her with an expression that seemed to ask what she was talking about.

"Didn't I say she's sleeping from fatigue?"

Finally, the pipe snapped in her grip.

"...You said it was a serious illness."

Yuan Zhaoxian frowned.

"Overwork is a serious illness. Even young people can unknowingly lose their lives to it."

"..."

It was a rare experience for Xiya, feeling relieved on one hand but having trouble controlling her rising anger on the other.

"Then you're saying there's nothing wrong with Jingya."

"Yes."

Clutching her forehead, Xiya asked.

"...Why did you ask for information about the Black Bone Faction?"

Though Xiya had dropped her extremely respectful speech, Yuan Zhaoxian didn't mind at all as usual.

"Looking at the extent and flow of gathered information, it seems you're planning something quite dangerous against the Black Bone Faction."

"..."

With heat risen to her head, Xiya missed the chance to naturally deny it.

Having missed a beat, any denial from her now would be meaningless.

She let out a small sigh before speaking.

"What does that have to do with you, First Young Master...?"

Yuan Zhaoxian looked at her and said.

"Stop it."

Xiya's eyebrows rose.

"I am not your subordinate who must follow your orders."

Yuan Zhaoxian leaned deep into his chair.

"That Bronze Badge was genuine. Golden Lady's connections are real. You who are in the same industry would know better about the power the Sword Clan's information department holds?"

Of course.

At least in this land of Luoyang, the Sword Clan's information network was unparalleled.

Yet, precisely because of that, Xiya couldn't help but be angry.

"You...!"

Yuan Zhaoxian quickly stood up to stop Xiya's erupting shout.

"Let's go out so the patient can rest."

Yuan Zhaoxian left the room without waiting for an answer.

***

Darkness had fallen in the sky by now.

Even the moon hid its face in the cloudy night sky, and the winter wind howled as it brushed past the roof tiles.

Yuan Zhaoxian stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at such a sky.

Xiya shouted at his back.

"In Luoyang, no, under heaven, which is the most excellent merchant house? The Sword Clan! Which is the most excellent martial house under heaven? The Sword Clan!"

Her voice grew louder.

"And naturally, the most excellent in information in this Luoyang ground is the Sword Clan!"

At this moment she threw off her mask of a neutral information broker.

"Yet such a Sword Clan even gave a Bronze Badge to a black path organization like the Black Bone Faction?!"

Her one remaining eye seemed to breathe fire.

"While all the people of Luoyang groan in pain and die of hunger! What has the Sword Clan done?!"

Yuan Zhaoxian's back offered no answer.

"While cruel groups like the Black Bone Faction who have no principles suck the blood of the people in Luoyang, and while similar organizations multiply beyond counting...!"

"The main family stood by with folded arms."

Yuan Zhaoxian cut off her words.

"No, rather, the main family is using them."

Yuan Zhaoxian's attitude suggesting he already knew everything made Xiya even angrier.

"Then, what have you done all this time?!"

She threw the broken pipe she was still holding onto the ground.

"Honestly, I felt that Golden Lady's words to you, though vulgar in expression, weren't wrong at all!"

For a moment Xiya felt her words were going too far.

"I know that you showed excellent abilities in the past! But what have you done with those abilities until now?"

She didn't stop.

"Using your father's seclusion order as an excuse, aren't you just playing immortal even now?!"

Yuan Zhaoxian's expression was calm.

Xiya found that expression extremely irritating.

"Of course there must be reasons. There must be reasons for staying holed up while being cursed and pointed at!"

An attitude as if he would shoulder all burdens alone.

"But! You haven't really done anything properly!"

She cried out convulsively.

"Yet with such a background, don't tell me what to do when I'm trying to do something even at the risk of my life!"

Her clear voice rang out in the courtyard but soon disappeared, buried in the northern wind.

"..."

Catching her rough breath, Xiya turned away from him.

His calm gaze showed no wavering at all to her condemnation.

Rather, she felt ashamed of herself at that moment.

'Stop meddling with Golden Lady anymore.'

That had been Yuan Zhaoxian's advice to her.

She knew that was accurate advice too.

That once Golden Lady had the Bronze Badge in hand, it became impossible for her to neutralize the Black Bone Faction.

Rather, she knew she should focus all efforts on erasing any traces the Crescent Moon Pavilion had left.

She had just needed a target for venting.

She had been venting her feelings by freely pouring abuse on the powerless First Young Master of the great Luoyang Sword Clan.

Also, how that First Young Master was so broad-minded that he would overlook her rudeness,

Perhaps she had been unconsciously calculating even that.

Her face burned hot.

"So-sorry, no. I apologize, First Young Master."

She carefully apologized while fidgeting with her clasped hands.

That appearance was hard to believe as the iron-blooded woman who had built the Crescent Moon Pavilion with her own strength from the very bottom of Luoyang.

At her behavior that could be described as cute, Yuan Zhaoxian let out a small chuckle.

And at that laughter, Xiya could raise her face even less.

"Long ago, there were two sisters who were close."

At the sudden old tale, Xiya raised her head to look at Yuan Zhaoxian.

"The older sister was full of a sense of justice. She couldn't forgive the chief culprits who were ruining the neighborhood where she lived."

Xiya instinctively felt this was a story about herself and Jingya.

"The older sister risked everything charging in with comrades who shared her will, and ultimately failed. And they were all killed."

Was this an ominous prophecy?

Xiya couldn't understand Yuan Zhaoxian's intention.

Naturally, she couldn't.

"The talented younger sister learned of her sister's death and became maddened. She attacked those who had driven her sister to death. Though she accumulated damage against them, the enemies were too strong. In the end, the younger sister too became a public enemy and was killed. Hunted down."

It was a story of the past.

And at the same time, a story of the future.

Yuan Zhaoxian was telling the picture completed after fitting together the empty pieces.

"They couldn't properly leave behind even their names or their noble intentions. In arbitrarily fabricated stories, they became nothing more than traitors and martial arts criminals. People cursed and condemned those sisters."

After finishing the story, Yuan Zhaoxian looked up at the sky.

"...Being dull-witted, I don't quite understand what the First Young Master is saying."

Xiya carefully spoke up.

"It's a story of how the righteous perish too easily."

Yuan Zhaoxian's tone was incredibly heavy.

"And it's also a story of how the wicked win as if it's only natural."

Crack-

From Yuan Zhaoxian came the sound of teeth grinding so roughly it sent chills down the spine.