The sun was sinking further towards the horizon as Wanxi and Mitugwa made their way back to the room to drop off the elixir. The two had departed from Great Compassion in high spirits. The mountain range made it so that the sun set earlier than Wanxi was accustomed to, although the sky stayed bright even without the sun visible. It was odd, but pleasant. And it made for some especially gorgeous views of the surrounding area, as golden light crowned the tops of the forested mountains and their shadows crept along the river and valley below.
“Say, Mitugwa, you mentioned wanting to go light on Tianzheng and Chi Shao earlier,” Wanxi ventured as they entered the room. “I know we joked about it, but if you’re serious, then we should speak with Master Bao. It would be better to approach him first to explain the situation.”
“That’s a good idea, let’s-” Mitugwa was interrupted by a particularly agitated Little Bird stomping up to Wanxi.
“You have some nerve! You took a blind girl’s cane and left her in a room FULL OF TRASH ON THE FLOOR! Do you know how long it took me to find this?!” Little Bird had her pole in her hand, shaking it in Wanxi’s direction.
“Oh uh, sorry Little Bird, we got distracted by the case is all! Besides, aren’t you used to living in squalor?” Wanxi was trying his best to play this off as a joke but it had been at least an hour and a half since they left the room and it was clear that the blind girl had spent that time stewing and waiting.
“I don’t want to hear anything about your stupid missing comb case! You are fortunate that I am in the company of nobility. Nobility that I am preparing to train with, mind you! Were you alone I would soundly strike you!” Little Bird took her walking stick and poked it into Wanxi’s stomach, right about where Great Compassion had struck him earlier.
“You are most gracious,” Wanxi wheezed out, clutching his abdomen as the air left his lungs. “I do not deserve friendship like yours.”
“No you do not. I’ll see you at dinner. You can tell me about the case then.” With that, Little Bird left with her head held high, walking away with ease, demonstrating that she did not need the walking stick at all in order to get around the Black Heron school. It was clear that it was much more about the principle of the matter than the practical effects on her mobility.
The Ryukyuan girl could not stop herself from snickering as she put away the elixir into its “secret” compartment.
---
Master Bao’s private office was disconnected from the normal dormitories, study halls, calligraphy rooms, open practice spaces, sparring rooms, and meditation pavilions of the Black Heron school. It was instead located near the groundskeeper’s workshop. The Master of the Black Heron sect was often found here during days of rest when the students could pursue independent study, relax, or socialize. He chose this spot because it was away from people, allowing him to work without being disturbed, and it was close to the school’s supply of lumber.
Wanxi knocked on the wood next to the door of the office. The wood was stained dark and featured an intricate lattice pattern on the top half, covered by paper on the inside. Wanxi noted that the last time he was here, several months ago, there was a totally different design, indicating that it had been replaced recently.
“Come in,” came a voice on the inside.
The student opened the door and stepped over the high threshold. He brought his fist to his open palm and bowed to the master of the sect, who was seated at a workbench. Mitugwa joined him.
Master Bao was a younger man than most would expect, likely in his fourth decade. For such a young man to be made master of a sect was highly exceptional. He maintained a short beard, dotted with a few grey hairs. His long black hair was pulled back and gathered into a small hairpiece held in place by a pin. He wore a simple shirt and trousers, over which was placed a simple yellow jacket. It was far more casual and practical than his normal attire. He, along with all of his clothes, his hair, the floor, and his workspace was covered in wood shavings and sawdust.
The man set down a small piece of wood that he had been carefully shaving bits away from using a special knife. The piece vanished into a sea of other, similar pieces of wood laid out on the workspace. He meticulously put the wood carving tool into a leather tool pouch and brushed himself off, sending wood dust everywhere.
“Yu Wanxi and Sidaki Mitugwa, yes? Welcome! Please, sit down, make yourself comfortable. As best you can! I would offer tea but I am afraid I have none that is still warm.” He stood and motioned to some stools that were on the other side of the workspace. His voice was calm and low, and when he spoke it was with cheery confidence.
“Please excuse my mess. I am working on a new project and I am nearing the final stages of assembly. It’s a new kind of puzzle of my own invention and I believe it will be quite interesting to play with. But enough about myself, please, tell me what brings you here.” Master Bao took a seat at the edge of his workbench, leaning against it with both hands. His demeanor when he was having personal time was off-putting to Wanxi, who was used to the serious, formal role that the Master of the sect portrayed.
“Master Bao, I am afraid that my friend Mitugwa has been the victim of the crime of burglary by several students from the school,” Wanxi explained. He summarized the events of the day, attempting to be as detailed as he could. He left out what the two items stolen from Mitugwa were, however, as well as her royal status.
“Hm, I see. Instructor Moyi had already informed me of this just recently, but it is now much more clear how this transpired.” Master Bao stroked his beard, pulling at a few strands close to his mouth as he took in the information. “I appreciate you coming to tell me of this! We shall absolutely have to take appropriate action, as we cannot have students stealing from each other.”
“Master Bao, I wanted to come because I do not want them to be harshly punished!” Mitugwa balled her fists in front of her. “I understand the need for discipline, but I feel empathy for the situations they had which provoked them. I am not happy to have something stolen, but I am less happy knowing that they may be expelled or worse!”
“Oh ho!” Master Bao stood and crossed his arms, keeping one hand on his chin. He bore a curious expression. “Is that so? You wish to show mercy on them? Well, that is certainly interesting. I am none too keen to expel students from powerful families and sects! That is an excellent way to sour the good will of the wulin. Yet, I do firmly believe that they are deserving of punishment.”
“What if we trained together?” The Wudang boy put forward. “Chi Shao struggles with qi control to maintain his toad style. Perhaps if he learned some techniques from Mitugwa it could help him. And Tianzheng…”
“He needs to learn to accept who he is. And Wanxi has proven to be an excellent companion and listener! They could even help train each other, as they both prefer to use lightness martial arts for mobility,” the Ryukyuan girl completed.
“Most compelling,” Master Bao was pacing, kicking up small puffs of dust as he walked. “I approve of this method of remediation. However, it’s not much of a punishment.”
“They could…” Wanxi looked at Mitugwa, trailing off for a moment, “uh… do our chores for a month?”
“Hm! Very well then! I will speak with those two when they have recovered and we will put this into effect,” Master Bao said, pleased. “I appreciate you two stopping by to discuss this.”
The laid-back, casual posture and demeanor of the Master of the school dropped. He straightened and his face bore a refined, purposeful expression. He walked over to one of the shelves and picked up a small figurine. He gently handed it to Mitugwa. It was a smaller rendition of the black heron statue found in the central courtyard. The spindly legs were impossibly thin and the detail that was carved into the wood was exquisite given the size.
“Do you two know why we are called the Black Heron Sect?” Master Bao’s voice was serious: this was a matter of extreme importance to him. He sounded like a different person than the one they just spoke with.
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“Instructor Xia says that the black heron is patient yet resourceful. We make the shade in which we hunt,” Wanxi replied, pulling the phrase from his memories.
“That is true. But there is a hidden meaning to our name.” Master Bao squatted down, bringing his gaze within centimeters of the statuette. “Herons are solitary hunters. They stand perfectly still for hours, moving with such skill that their prey does not even notice them. But the black heron hunts in packs. With their wings spread out over the water, dozens of them will find prey in the same marsh or lake. The black heron is patient yet resourceful, but more importantly, it works together.”
Master Bao took the bird from Mitugwa’s palm and held it in his own.
“You both have demonstrated why this is the superior technique today. The things we teach you at the school are important for your development, but we cannot teach you how to connect with the people of the world and forge bonds. Hunting together will always bring about better results than hunting alone.” The older man smiled at the two.
“You may have wondered why you are even here. I certainly did when my father, the legendary detective Bao Zheng, sent me here many years ago.” He paused, looked up, breathed, and continued. “Consider this: why would a disgraced warrior of the Wudang, a furious Shaolin monk, a blind ward of the Beggar’s Sect, a failed assassin of the Five Venoms Clan, an insecure student of the Dragon’s Gate, and a Ryukyuan noble blessed by divine spirits all be in the same place?”
The mood of the room abruptly changed. Wanxi shifted in his seat, giving Mitugwa a sideward glance. Her expression was one of suspicion. His breathing quickened as he felt a pressure in his chest form. The word “disgraced” rang in his ears. The Master of the school nodded solemnly.
“You…. knew?” Mitugwa whispered.
“Yes, I have known this entire time. Your family reached out to our school and your mother explained the situation. I would never allow you to enter the school if I did not feel confident that we could protect you and provide you with a good education. And I agreed to take in Wanxi when his father brought him here.”
“Wait, you said ‘disgraced?’ What? Wanxi?” Mitugwa turned to him with shock. “What do you mean? What’s going on here?”
Wanxi looked down and gripped at his trousers. He gritted his teeth and shut his eyes. The nightmare he had suffered while he was unconscious still haunted his vision. The grin of a murderer still found its way into his thoughts. It felt like a hand was gripping his heart, forcing out all of the blood. His fingertips numbed as he tightened his clench.
“Master… I… was expelled from the Wudang Clan. For challenging the family chief to a duel.” Wanxi looked at his friend with tears beading at the corners of his eyes. His lips quivered as he spoke. “I saw him kill the old chief. I shouldn’t have. It was a cowardly murder. I told my father and he said it was not the right time to enact justice but I…. I couldn’t get the image out of my mind. I accused him of the murder and challenged him. I didn’t stand a chance.”
“Your friend Wanxi was brave. And he is lucky to be alive. When he arrived at the Black Heron school he was on death’s door. You are fortunate that Instructor Moyi is among the best in the wulin,” Master Bao added solemnly.
“So, you are not of the Wudang Clan? This entire time?” Mitugwa sounded hurt.
“I AM of the Wudang Clan!” Wanxi stood, tears openly streaming down his face. “I have sworn an oath of vengeance against the chief of my family. I stand for the honor and integrity of the Wudang and I will enact justice on him. He will die by MY sword.”
He was shaking. His voice had cracked as he spoke but he didn’t care. It was the truth and it was the thing that propelled him forward. There was silence in the room for several moments after his outburst. Wanxi covered his face with his hand and looked away, embarrassed for his outburst and that his deep shame had been unearthed in this way. The hot wetness of his tears coated his palm.
“Master Bao, why would you say this? Can’t you see how important the Wudang Clan is to my friend? You can’t just reveal these things! Explain yourself!” Mitugwa said indignantly.
Wanxi couldn’t face his friend. He had fully expected her to dismiss him. His bold claims about his honor and his clan, about the sword style of which he was proud. It had all been based on a lie. He had no true claim to the title. She could have easily rejected him outright as a fraud. Yet here she was defending him on his behalf, in front of the Master of the school. And he couldn’t even look at her.
“This is the power of truth. Truth pierces the soul. Truth provides the solid foundation upon which we may stand firm. This is the truth that we ALL share,” Master Bao stated with conviction.
Wanxi didn’t understand. He was silently mouthing words of objection but nothing came out. The things said crashed over him like a wave and he was stumbling. His head was still covered by his hand. Then there was pressure as he was embraced. He felt the gentle hold of his new and fast friend, who was there to comfort him in this emotional time.
Wanxi felt the heat of her breath on his neck. He synchronized his own breathing to it. He breathed in. He breathed out. At first it was shaky, difficult to control. But as they breathed together, it became calmer. He visualized the energy inside of him, flowing with a percussive rhythm. Strangely, somehow impossibly, he could visualize Mitugwa’s qi as well. It was not just a movement of energy alone in his own body. It was as if they shared the pulse together. The exercise was soothing and after a minute, he felt as if he was able to face his Master. He removed his hand, still wet with tears, and interlocked it with Mitugwa’s.
“I apologize that this may be shocking. But I feel strongly on the subject of truth. The students that come to the Black Heron school are not perfect. The clans and sects and monasteries do not send students that are without blemishes or issues. I count myself among these misfits,” Master Bao spoke proudly and with passion. “My own father sent me away when I failed the Imperial Exam. And so I came and studied and grew here.”
Master Bao placed the wooden miniature onto the workbench and walked over to a dresser nearby. He opened a drawer and pulled out another figurine. Then another. Then another. He placed each on the table next to each other. Together, they formed a flock of birds, each with their wings spread over the wooden water beneath.
“The purpose,” Master Bao continued, “of the Black Heron Sect is to bring together students from all over the jianghu, so that you can learn from each other and form bonds of fellowship. We train you so that when you leave, you will be strong on your own. But more importantly, you will be stronger together. You students serve a role that cannot be underestimated. Think of how many sects and clans wish to fight to the death with their enemies. Think about how easy it is to incite men to senseless violence. And think how many lives can be saved by bonding and talking and learning from each other instead. You are being trained to be investigators and mediators. And without students like you, the martial world would collapse.”
There was a stunned silence as the two students took in what their Master said. Mitugwa squeezed Wanxi’s hand. He returned the act.
“That is why I am proud of what you accomplished today. Today, the two of you have embodied the true meaning of our sect. You worked together, even when it was difficult or unusual, to solve a crime. This is the unity and purpose of the Black Heron Sect, and you have my respect for it.” Master Bao brought his fist into his hand and bent at the waist, giving a deep bow to the two students.
Mitugwa and Wanxi exchanged bewildered expressions on their faces. The boy’s skin was mottled from the emotional outburst he just experienced. It was a wild whiplash to contend with the concept that most of the students here were somehow failures or problematic or with some sort of complication. And that somehow this was a desirable trait. And even more so that somehow the school played a role in maintaining the ecosystem of the entire jianghu. It would have been ridiculous were it not coming from the most important person at the school.
“Master, I…” Wanxi didn’t even know where to go from here. He trailed off.
Master Bao straightened and raised a hand.
“Please child, think on what I have said today. I hold the two of you in high esteem and I do not discuss these things lightly. Reflect on your place within the world over the coming days. I hope it will make sense with some time.” His words were gentle and warm. “But enough of my philosophy for the day. I have used up far too much of your resting day!”
The dismissal was abrupt and it felt to Wanxi that he still had many questions, although none came to mind. It was like a storm in his mind was whirling, preventing solid thoughts from sticking and forming into coherency. His emotions, although soothed by his friend, were still running high and he still felt guilty over hiding his affiliation with the Wudang Clan a secret. He certainly wasn’t expecting it to be exposed here. Meetings with Master Bao rarely went as expected. Talking with the man was like trying to contain a river in a jug, and always left him with much to ponder.
Instructor Xia had once said to him, in a moment of frustration over a misunderstood lesson, that true learning was never complete. Every subject was like a mountain, and every lesson was like taking a shovel and pail to dig it up. The only measure of success on the mountain of knowledge was that something, anything, was brought back. At the time it made it sound as if the pursuit of education was pointless, as no single man could uproot a mountain, let alone each mountain that made up the sum of knowledge. But this encounter reminded him of those words. Perhaps he could think about what Master Bao had said, and come back with a few buckets of wisdom of his own.
“Ah, just one more thing.” The pair were at the door, about to leave. They waited. “I cannot help but feel frustrated that you were only able to find one of the two missing items. You know, it really is beautiful out there right now. The light is perfect. Like a painting. It might be a small consolation, but perhaps a scenic view of the mountainside will help ease your minds and hearts.”
The pair left, curious as to Master Bao’s parting message.