The sun touched the eastern horizon. The youth’s eyes opened.

He pushed aside his bedding and made his way in front of the window. The youth opened the screen for the morning mist to spread throughout the hardwood floor. The first rays of day bathed the pale-skinned boy in yellow.

The boy, around the age of twelve, finally thought to begin the day.

Towards the back of the room, he made a soft hum.

The doors slid open. A servant boy waded through the maze of books and scrolls organized across the room to place a wash bin next to the youth before scampering away.

All the servants knew the youth preferred to prepare by himself. He never spoke to the servants, nor did he reply when spoken to.

The halls of the estate had a noticeable amount of activity this day. The youth ignored everyone he passed as the numbers thinned.

The ebony-wood pillars and black roof tiles contrasted the colorless paper and white stone courtyard. The black-haired youth in his unstained robe completed the ink painting.

Slipping into a dimly lit study, his dark eyes focused on the bookshelf at the back wall.

Historian Xia referenced Classic of the South Sea in his final annotation of the Southern Sky Records. The youth’s memory told him the book did not exist in any one of the studies, yet perhaps the name was different in Old Script.

Before the youth could begin searching, a hand fell on his shoulder.

“Early morning, Xiyun.”

Xiyun met gazes with the person behind him. He saw bright brown eyes, healthy skin, and pulled back hair held neatly in a bun by a silver pin. The azure gown threaded with gold embroidery was in no way different than usual except for a jade pendant tied at the belt. Taller and older than Xiyun by two years, he was Liu Qian.

Xiyun nodded. “Good morning.” He continued his gaze, passively waiting for the end of the conversation.

The conversation had just started.

“I knew you would be here. Not just the location, but at this point, even the question of when is predictable. This conversation might just be predictable to the point that I could probably answer for you, but, as much as you would like that, I won’t. Do you not know about the banquet? Do not answer this, of course not. Do you know I am leaving today? Imagine it, when I am in the North, I will bring down a beast as large as this study and enemies as many as people that can fit in this estate.” Liu Qian smirked. No one, except himself, believed such nonsense.

“A banquet. Leaving. North. The banquet today is to welcome your father, General Liu, who you will leave along with to gain military experience. We’re done?”

“Yes for the statement. No for the question.” Liu Qian exaggeratedly creased his nose bridge. “At least you pick up quickly. It means we will no longer have lessons together. I cannot decide between relief and regret. Oh, and you will be attending the banquet later.”

“No.” The conversation is over. Xiyun reached the desk. He took out a scroll, prepared the four treasures, and began to write.

“It is Father! When he returns, no matter who they are, everyone will have to be there to welcome him back.”

Classic of the South Sea. Shi Lan’s Annotations on The Jiang Dynastic Records. Falling Dust Sultra. Horn Tribe Folklore. Memories of a Withering Flower. Xiyun’s brush continuously swam atop the bamboo strips. As he would not stay, the pressing concern was to organize the name of every text of interest he had discovered but had yet to encounter. A new thought hit him. Grabbing another bamboo scroll, he brushed. Authors. Names. Events referenced by name only. The collection of the estate is nothing like the collection back home. Besides the complete assortment of military texts, there are so many other thoughts that are not finished. Paths in incoherent directions must be completed, ended, or joined.

“Xiyun!”

The brush stopped. “Liu Qian.”

Liu Qian bent his waist and leaned closer to scrutinize the blinking youth who caught sight of the jade token again.

“Mother wants to speak to you during her breakfast. Be prepared. I will try to see you afterward,” Liu Qian said.

“I will prepare.”

Liu Qian hummed, smiled, nodded, and left the room.

…

Xiyun eventually found Her Highness Madam Liu under the pavilion at the center of the eastern garden’s lotus lily pond.

Three layers of plum red robes were worn lazily. Its length left the dress, which required multiple servants to carry, scattered across the floor. Black hair flowed like rivers without adornments from a healthy and rosy face. The servants spoke about her ageless complexion at every opportunity.

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She pressed her palm on her cheek after picking a slice of roasted pork to chew. “It’s so good! You want to try one?”

Xiyun sat quietly across the stone table of dishes. Not a single aspect indicated he wanted to try one. Earlier, he had finished a simple broth given by the already busy kitchen staff.

“Oh my, you do not have any utensils. Wait! I can feed you a piece. Little Qian used to love that when he was little.”

His head tilted slightly if only in reaction to the mention of Liu Qian.

Her Highness Madam Liu was surnamed Li. While many considered this as justifiably remarkable, it was a meaningless concept that did not affect Xiyun and was easier to ignore.

Madam Liu’s intimacy did betray his few expectations, though his lack of expression showed the little amount of care he had on the topic. From when he first entered the Liu Estate until this moment, Xiyun had met Madam Liu many times, however, he had only ever truly spoken to her two times. Once when he first entered the estate and now as he was leaving. The last true meeting did not end in what Xiyun later learned from the teacher named Gu Ti as good in terms of social interactions. In fact, looking back, it had ended horribly.

“Your Highness, what did you require?” Xiyun said with a bland tone, utilizing the bare minimum of the etiquette classes.

“We do have much we need to talk about. With Little Qian leaving today, your job is fulfilled. Seeing him now, I thank you for your contribution to the growth of his character. I do not regret my choice one bit, only the opposite.” Madam Liu noticed a hint of anticipation in the boy’s eyes. “Therefore, your service has been completed and your rewards can be collected from the steward. You may also continue to stay as a guest at no cost.”

“I will return to the temple.” There was no hesitation. He leaned forward, much more like a child.

She expected this answer, yet- “And if you decide not to?”

Xiyun did not speak. Only his passive eyes showed he was incredulous that she would ask such a thing. It was the same as when someone questioned your intelligence for not understanding something obvious.

Madam Liu held her tongue and wavered in continuing her smiling expression. When was the last time someone dared make such thoughts apparent towards her? Eventually, the boy’s innocent expression won out and she sighed.

“Why do you think you were sent here? Even if I have not personally seen him, my people have told me of his appearance. How old is the historian at that temple? He did want you to see his final moments,” Madam Liu said.

Xiyun creased his lips.

Madam Liu took his silence as understanding and pushed herself forward closer to the table. “In the event that you still choose to leave.” She pushed an envelope towards Xiyun. “This letter is addressed to a family living in Luoyi surnamed Xiao. They have your registry papers if you ever need them.”

Xiyun was not surprised. Although he never knew his parentage, he was sure his relatives existed. He never knew because he never asked. He never asked because he didn’t need to. If he did ask before, he would have been told.

“After all this time, you must understand living in the world requires expenses. Again, if you decide to stay within or return to the estate, your stay will be at no cost indefinitely.”

“Nothing has changed.” He would still continue to study alone. There was nothing more important. Any outside influence, no matter how trivial, was a distraction.

Madam Liu ignored his statement and continued. “With Little Qian leaving, you should have more time starting today. If you use some of that time to help in secretarial tasks, you will be paid and supported in your studies.”

“I will still leave.”

She gripped her fist inside her sleeves. “If you use some of that time to help in advisory tasks, any of your endeavors will be supported by the estate.”

“I will still leave.”

She took a deep breath, preparing herself to say one of the most ridiculous things that will ever leave her mouth. “If you do nothing but stay and acknowledge your connection to the Liu Family, it, my wealth, and my influences will belong to you.”

Madam Liu already stood up. Her eyes locked with the boy’s.

The surface of the water was calm.

She prepared to wait, yet, she did not need to wait for a single moment.

“I decline.”

…

Liu Qian appeared around the corner as Xiyun was returning to his room. He had changed into a luxurious blue and white wardress with a sheathed sword tied on his belt. He crossed his arms. “I have said goodbye to Teacher Gu. Later you should as well.” He knew Xiyun would not stay any longer than he needed to.

“Maybe.”

He felt a bit irked. That had become Xiyun’s favorite reply after he had used it twice to avoid answering something himself. Then, he saw Xiyun suddenly bending his waist.

“Thank you,” Xiyun said.

Liu Qian snapped out his trance hearing this.

“I thank you for facing all the problems I have caused.”

“Stop.”

“I thank you for not rejecting my being when I had first rejected yours.”

“Stop.”

“I thank you fo-“

“Stop!” His hand grabbed and pulled Xiyun’s white robe by the collar. “Never do that again! Even if you won’t accept a brother, we are, are, friends now!”

The two boys stared at each other in silence. One with a fire burning in his eyes, while the other remained dully calm as water.

Staring contests never worked on Xiyun, he won all of them, so the older of the two broke first as usual.

“I almost forgot.” While seeking a way to dispel the awkwardness, Liu Qian remembered the initial reason he came. He untied his jade pendant which he did not give to Xiyun but dangled in front of instead, like a toy in front of an animal, testing if they would grab it. “This tablet is one of a kind. It represents the name, presence, and will, of one Liu Qian, blood of the Li, and heir to the Liu. You can give this to me in the future for any favor in return.”

Xiyun noticed two tigers, one crouching and another flying, as well as Old Script for ‘Liu’ inscribed onto the small tablet shape pendant. His hands moved, not to reach out, but into his robe. 

Although Liu Qian’s brows creased at first, they raised at what his eyes saw.

Xiyun held up what used to be a wooden label tied to the end of a scroll. Its surface has been carved clean with the exception of the small words inscribed on it. ‘Grand is Luo River, yet once I was a cloud.’ They were exquisite as brushwork.

“This tablet is also one of a kind. You may return it in the future for a single request,” Xiyun imitated.

While two hands were held in parallel with each other, Liu Qian stood there in disbelief. His mouth hung wide open like his eyes. He would give Xiyun his tablet so Xiyun could find him in the future, however, ultimately it was Xiyun’s decision whether or not they would meet again. The wooden tablet meant he too had a choice now. Although his tablet was made of jade, he thought that the wooden tablet was immensely more valuable.

A wry smile crept onto Liu Qian’s face. “You made this right after you noticed my pendant this morning, didn’t you?”