The scent of fried dough and spices flooded through Prince Jin’s nose as he followed Shi Xiu through the crowded marketplace. They had spent a week of living among the common folk, he’d grown slightly comfortable with his new routines.
His shoulders still ached from maintaining a slouched posture and he developed small calluses from helping with their cart. “Uncle,” he said, “the sweet potato vendor isn’t here today.”
In the short time he'd been here, he’d grown fond of the old woman’s sweet potato, especially the fact she always slipped him an extra piece.
“Ye’ I’ve realised that many vendors are missing today," Shi Xiu replied, his voice carrying a hint of grumpiness. “Have you noticed anything else?”
The prince scanned the marketplace, trying to employ the observational skills Shi Xiu had been trying to teach him.
Men dressed in black moved through the crowd with an unnatural eagerness, as if hunting for something…or someone.
The weapons they carried made them seem even more menacing. The man that seemed like the leader of the group had a scar running down his right cheek, whilst the others were clean shaven, but held a death stare that sent a shiver down his spine. “Yes,” he whispered, “the men in black black stand out…they seem to be hunting someone.”
“Good. Ignore them and keep walking naturally. We’ll circle back to the inn, gather our things, and—"
“You there!” A gruff voice bellowed, making Shi Xiu turn to them. The prince turned as well, trying his best to appear shocked by the sudden call out.
“A moment of your time, please…” He continued. Prince Jin’s heart hammered against his ribs as one of the black-clad men approached them. Two others flanked them at a distance.
Shi Xiu looked at the Prince, his eyes showed confidence, it was his way of telling the prince not to worry, if he was sour-faced, that means they were in trouble. “Of course,” Shi Xiu answered pleasantly, “How can we help?” he finished turning the man that was in charge.
The man’s eyes were sharp, making Prince Jin feel as though he was being seen. “We’re searching for fugitives. A boy, about this one’s age,” he gestured to Prince Jin, “traveling with a man. They were last seen at the Yangzhou checkpoint.”
“Fugitives?” Shi Xiu asked surprised, “has the boy killed someone?”
“No…but his bodyguard has killed six city guards.” The man said, still eyeing Prince Jin. “The boy is important. He was kidnapped by this ‘bodyguard’ of his.”
“Interesting…good to know,”
Prince Jin kept his eyes down, remembering Shi Xiu's lessons about appearing meek. Inside, his mind raced. Someone had survived at the checkpoint. Someone who could identify them.
“Boy is he hurting you?” The man finally asked.
The prince shook his head, shocked by the question.
“Im offended you asked my nephew such a thing,” Shi Xiu said calmly.
“Its a valid question…the boy carries himself... differently. Like he’s not used to orders.” He said pausing,
“Not your making stuff up,”
“Maybe,”
“Have you seen anyone matching that description?” He said, turning to the lad.
“I’m afraid not,” Shi Xiu replied. “We’ve only been in town a few days ourselves. My nephew and I are heading south, actually. The silk trade in Faizou has become too competitive.”
The man’s hand rested casually on his concealed weapon. “Your nephew doesn’t look like you…”
“Of course he doesn’t,” Shi Xiu said, shaking his head. “He takes after his mother, my sister-in-law. May she rest in peace.”
Prince Jin felt the man's gaze boring into him. He thought of his parents, of their real deaths, letting the genuine grief color his features. “The fever took them both,” he murmured, his voice cracking slightly.
“My condolences,” he said, though his eyes remained suspicious. “If you do see anyone with a matching description, report it immediately to the city guard. There’s a reward.”
“A reward,” Shi Xiu said elated, “how much?!”
“Thirty gold taels,”
“THIRTY GOLD TAELS!?” Shi Xiu shouted, he turned to prince jin elated. “Nephew, we could forget about silk and hunt thieves! No kidnappers.”
“You will need to learn to use a sword first uncle.” Prince Jin said dryly.
“True…is there someone I can go to learn to learn to fight?”
The men looked at Shi Xiu and the prince with such disdain, the prince could feel the killing aura swirling around them, despite not knowing what made his hair stand on end.
“Tha nk you,” The leader with car said.”Lets go.”
They watched as the man melted back into the crowd, rejoining his companions. Prince Jin wanted to run, but Shi Xiu's hand on his shoulder kept him moving at a casual pace.
“We need to leave,” Shi Xiu whispered, “but not too quickly. They're still watching.”
They made their way through the market, stopping occasionally to examine goods, maintaining their cover. Prince Jin counted six more men in black, positioned at key points throughout the square.
“Uncle,” he said, loud enough to be heard by those nearby, “Can we get some steam buns before we go? I’m hungry.”
“Of course, Ren’er.” Shi Xiu smiled, though his eyes remained alert. They stopped at a vendor, bought their buns, and ate them slowly, like people without a care in the world.
They made their way back to the inn, Prince Jin noticed how Shi Xiu took a longer route, doubling back occasionally, always checking to ensure they weren’t being followed.
The weight of their situation pressed down on him like a physical force. They'd been found. Their sanctuary was no longer safe.
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The familiar sights of the marketplace – the children playing, the merchants haggling, the daily life he'd grown to appreciate – now felt like a complex maze of potential threats. Every shadow could hide an assassin, every friendly face could be a spy.
As fear began to overwhelm him, Prince Jin remembered who he was. Not just Tang Ren, the merchant’s nephew, but the last heir of a dynasty. He’d survived the fall of the palace, learned to live as a commoner, and now he would survive this too.
They had to reach Faizou. But first, they needed to disappear once again, like smoke in the wind, leaving their pursuers grasping at shadows.
They approached the inn, Prince Jin noticed something that made his blood run cold. Two more men in black were positioned near the entrance, their eyes scanning the crowd with predatory intensity. They weren't just being followed – they were being hunted.
“Uncle,” he whispered, tugging slightly at Shi Xiu's sleeve. “The inn...”
“I see them,” Shi Xiu replied softly. “Remember what I taught you about secondary escape routes?”
The prince nodded imperceptibly. During their first day at the inn, Shi Xiu had insisted on showing him every possible way out of the building. At the time, it had seemed like paranoid precaution. Now, he understood.
“When we reach the alley beside the cookhouse,” Shi Xiu continued, his voice barely audible above the market's bustle, “We’ll split up. You know where to meet me.”
Prince Jin felt his throat tighten. “But—“
“Trust me, young master. They'll expect us to stay together. Sometimes the safest path is the one that seems most dangerous.”
The prince swallowed hard and nodded. He learned to trust Shi Xiu’s judgment, even when fear clouded his own thoughts.
They turned away from the inn and merged back into the crowd and made their way into the alley, a man appeared in front of them and yanked his sword free, they spun to run out of the alley but another man was there, waving his sword.
“This is going to be a tough one Prince stay close to me!”
Shi Xiu
The alley erupted into chaos as the men in black descended upon them, shadows flickering along the walls like dark spirits. Shi Xiu stepped forward, interposing himself between the prince and the attackers, his blade already in hand.
His moved like a river carving through stone, precise and dangerous. The first attacker lunged forward with a downward slash, but Shi Xiu sidestepped, deflecting the blade with a practiced flick of his sword, sending the man stumbling forward.
“Young master, GO!” Shi Xiu barked, his voice like thunder amidst the clamour.
As terror rang through him, the prince tried to run, but his body wouldn’t let them, he stood there frozen…scared, unable to tear his eyes away as his protector took on multiple foes single-handedly.
Shi Xiu sword danced through the air, as he parried two strikes at once then he moved like the autumn wind through falling leaves.
Every step seemed calculated yet effortless. Two attackers came from above their blades flashing under the dim light. Their blades were aimed at his neck and legs. He performed an Instantaneous Step, slipping between their strikes like a wraith. The first man’s blade found only empty air, whilst Shi Xiu met the second’s attack with a fierce counter, his blade slicing across the man’s chest in a fluid, lethal arc.
“I said GO!” Shi Xiu’s growled, but Prince Jin’s feet remained rooted as his thoughts spun wildly. His belongings, what his father left him, the letter. He wasn’t ever leaving it.
Three men appeared from nowhere and pressed forward, forcing Shi Xiu to step back. In the narrow confines of the alley, the attackers should have had the advantage, but Shi Xiu turned it against them. His body twisted and moved like a shadow in the mist, each attack parried effortless. Wandering Blade Style: Eighth Slash - Cornered Tiger Strike.
Shi Xiu’s blade swept in an arc, forcing two of his attackers to stumble into each other, their forms collapsing in confusion.
“PLEASE! YOUNG PRINCE…RUN!”
Jin finally ran, jumping over the dead assailant that Shi Xiu just killed. He sprinted across the road, running into the inn and darted up the stairs. Once he reached the second floor, he turned right and made a left running into their room.
He frantically gathered their belongings, stuffing them into travel bags. He knew each second counted, but his thoughts felt muddied with dread as he forced himself to move.
He’d never seen someone killed before, nor was he familiar with the sounds of combat. It was more than scary.
Shi Xiu killed two more men, leaving the alley littered with the bodies of those who had underestimated him. One lay motionless, another clutched a severed arm. Still, four men remained, their black clothes bearing slashes and frays from Shi Xiu’s skilful strikes. Yet they pressed on, undeterred, bound by deadly purpose.
The harsh clash of metal against metal, muffled shouts, and gasps of pain. Shi Xiu backed through the inn’s doorway, deflecting with his blade as he whirled in every direction as he continued to fend off the attackers.
“GIVE UP YOUR LIFE! THE LAD COMES WITH ME!” one of them sneered, his eyes glinting in the dark. “YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO PROTECT HIM FOREVER!”
“You wouldn’t know that…you’re about to die!” Shi Xiu answered.
Wandering Blade Style: Third Slash - Autumn Leaf Descent.
Shi Xiu’s sword traced into a deadly pattern, slashing through the air with blinding speed. The assailant tried to pivot left, but before he could turn, Shi Xiu’s sword came down at an obtuse angle that seemed like a leaf descending from a tree.
The man dropped back to the ground like a bird, and thudded as he hit the ground, dirt and sand puffed around them like mist, forcing Shi Xiu to shoot through the air like an arrow.
Prince Jin exited the room and ran down the stairs. Two men broke past Shi Xiu’s defence. One charged up the steps, his eyes elated as he saw the prince. He leaped into the air and performed a somersault, landing behind the prince.
He slid his hand around the prince throat and flashed a slimy grin. “FALL ON YOUR SWORD OR WATCH THE PRINCE DAY!”
Jin snatched the knife he’d concealed in his waist, the very one that Shi Xiu gave him a few days ago. The prince stabbed him in the waist and he growled painfully. Prince Jin fell down the stairs and Shi Xiu disappeared from in front of him.
Shi Xiu reappeared behind the man, decapitated the prince in one sword slash. The two men that were fighting Shi Xiu primed themselves to capture the prince,
Wandering Blade Style: Fourth Slash - Hidden Karp Slash.
Shi Xiu performed another Instantaneous Step appearing in front of them, he weaved his sword in a chaotic arm that seem like a fish sieving through the river. He sliced their arms and limbs off with such precision they didn’t scream when the dropped to the ground without a whimper.
Shi Xiu turned, catching the prince and did a quick body scan, once he was satisfied, he looked at him with worry in his eyes. “Young prince the horses! GO! NOW!”
The prince gave a short nod, clutching their bags tightly as he followed Shi Xiu down the stairs, his heart thudding in his ears.
Two attackers appeared from out of nowhere, blocking the the inn’s entrance. “HEAD THROUGH THE BACK,” Shi Xiu snapped. He inhaled wildly and opened the meridians points of his Soul and Core Dantian.
As the Qi swirled within them, he could feel his body getting, allowing him to perform a free-flowing style. Wandering Blade Style: Free Form - Dancing Wind Formation.
Shi Xiu sent the Qi to his arms and legs, he began whirling his sword like a storm, creating a barrier of flashing steel that forced them back. He then used his momentum to keep them off balance, once they thrusted their blades at them, he performed an instantaneous step and performed consecutive sweeping slashes that ended their lives instantly.
He turned around he darted through the back, bursting outside into the stables. The young prince was already on his horse. “LET’S GO!”
They heeled their horses and darted out of the stables, heading to the end of the street. The man with the scar on his right cheek appeared, but Shi Xiu didn’t falter, he took the reigns of the prince’s horse and bouldered through the scarred man.
“CLOSE THE GATES!” He shouted, barely avoiding the horse. Shi Xiu kept his eyes on his goal, getting the hell out of Yangzhou. He leapt from his horse and in one smooth motion cut down the three guards that charged at them, he spun channelling Qi into his sword and severed the thick chains on the gate mechanism.
The gate creaked open, allowing them an escape route. Shi Xiu leapt back on his horse and shot through the gate at full speed, the thundering hooves of their horses drowning out the shouts of pursuit.
Prince Jin risked a glance back over his shoulder. The scarred captain stood atop the gate now, his figure framed against the morning sky, watching their escape with unblinking eyes. Their gazes met, a silent exchange that left Prince Jin with an unshakable certainty: this wasn’t over.
“Keep riding, young master!” Shi Xiu’s voice cut through the air. “We make for the forest road. Then we head to Faizou!”
“Yes Master Xiu,” Jin said calmly.
As tight as he squeezed the reigns, Jin didn’t feel confident, that he could reach Faizou. Shi Xiu was one man, and no matter how strong he was…he was one man!