It was early in the morning.
Ying Town had not fully awakened yet. The streets were still quiet, and a pale layer of morning light rested over the rooftops. In the courtyard, the peach tree stood beneath the soft sky, its branches barely moving in the breeze.
Han Liang locked the shop door.
The house had not been emptied. There was no need for that. They would return in two months. The rooms had only been tidied, the windows secured, and everything arranged for the time they would be away. The low table beneath the peach tree remained where it had been. The doorway, the garden, the stone path—nothing had changed.
That was what made leaving feel strange.
If the house had been bare, perhaps departure would have felt simpler. Instead, it looked as though someone might return by evening, light the stove, pour tea, and sit beneath the open doorway.
Everything was in order.
Han Liang was not.
Today, he was supposed to say goodbye to Yuan Yu.
He had not thought a simple farewell would matter this much. He had left many places before. He had gone wherever duty called him and returned whenever the road allowed. Two months was not a long time.
Yet his gaze kept drifting toward the road beyond the gate.
A cart passed.
Not him.
A merchant walked by with baskets hanging from his shoulder.
Not him.
Footsteps sounded near the end of the street, then faded in another direction.
Still not him.
Han Liang rested his fingers against the bracelet around his wrist. The two blue beads were cool beneath his touch.
Yuan Yu had promised.
Han Liang did not believe he would forget. If he had not come, something must have delayed him. Perhaps his family had stopped him. Perhaps an urgent matter had appeared before he could leave. If Yuan Yu had not come, then something must have happened.Still, the empty road remained empty.
The Second Commander finished checking the horses. He glanced toward Han Liang, then looked away without speaking.
Han Liang was grateful for that.
Some things did not need comfort.
The town slowly began to wake. Doors opened. Smoke rose from kitchens. Voices drifted through the street as shopkeepers prepared for another ordinary day. The world moved forward calmly, as though no promise had been missed.
Han Liang waited until waiting itself began to feel unreasonable.
"It doesn't look like he's coming," he said quietly. "Let's go."
The Second Commander mounted his horse.
Han Liang turned once more toward the house and shop. His gaze passed over the peach tree, the veranda, and the table beneath the shade. Only days earlier, Yuan Yu had sat there with his hat resting beside him, smiling softly in the morning light.
Two months, Han Liang reminded himself.
It was not a lifetime.
He mounted his horse and gathered the reins.
The horses moved forward.
At the end of the street, Han Liang looked back once.
The road behind them remained empty.
No white veil.
No familiar figure.
No Yuan Yu.
At that same hour, Yuan Yu had been preparing to leave.
He had risen earlier than usual. His robes were already arranged, his hair tied neatly, and his hat placed near the door. The dragon bracelet Han Liang had given him rested against his wrist, partly hidden beneath his sleeve.
Yuan Yu looked at it before reaching for the door.
If he left now, he could still make it.
He had thought about what he would say when he saw Han Liang. Perhaps it would be nothing complicated. Travel safely. Return safely. I will wait.
The words were simple.
Before he could step outside, his uncle arrived.
He was not alone.
Ten soldiers entered behind him, each standing with the discipline of men chosen for inspection. The air in the room changed at once. The quiet morning Yuan Yu had been holding onto slipped away before he could stop it.
His uncle looked at him directly.
"You must choose someone to stand at your side," he said. "He should reflect your strength, your loyalty, and your skill."
A single thought crossed Yuan Yu's mind.
If this ends quickly… I can still go.
He nodded.
Breakfast was arranged. Leader Zhen joined them, and the soldiers remained nearby while their abilities and past duties were discussed. Yuan Yu sat at the table, but the food before him went mostly untouched.
His uncle spoke of discipline.
Leader Zhen spoke of training.
One soldier had guarded merchant routes. Another had served near the border. Another was recommended for his restraint and loyalty.
Yuan Yu heard the words.
He was simply not listening to them.
Is Han Liang waiting now?
Has he already reached the gate?
Will he think I forgot?
That final thought sat uneasily in his chest.
"They are all capable," his uncle said. "Choose one."
Yuan Yu looked at the soldiers standing before him. Each appeared steady. Each appeared suitable. Each had clearly been selected before being brought here.
This choice had never fully belonged to him.
"If they are all capable," Yuan Yu replied calmly, "then it makes no difference."
Several soldiers exchanged glances.
Before anyone else could speak, one man stepped forward.
"I volunteer."
His voice was calm.
Not loud. Not hesitant.
Simply certain.
"I will stand at your side."
The others turned toward him.
Yuan Yu looked at the young man properly for the first time.
He did not look like a typical soldier. He was tall, with pale skin, black hair, and steady dark eyes. His features were sharp and striking, handsome in a quiet way that did not demand attention yet somehow drew it naturally. Even standing among the others, he seemed composed and self-assured.
There was something refined in his bearing, as though he had been raised in a wealthy household rather than among ordinary soldiers.
"What is your name?" Yuan Yu asked.
"I am Rui. I am twenty-five."
"Rui."
Yuan Yu repeated the name once before nodding.
"If we come to an understanding, you will be my adjutant."
Rui lowered his head slightly.
"As you command."
The records were taken, and accommodations were arranged. When the new attendants were led through the grounds, several of them could not hide their astonishment. The buildings were grand, the water flowed through carefully arranged channels, and stone bridges connected each section of the grounds.
It was more than wealth.
It was power, shaped and controlled.
Despite the rumors outside, many had doubted the sect's strength. But standing there, it was impossible to deny.
Most of the new arrivals looked impressed.
Rui did not.
He looked as though he were measuring the place.
Yuan Yu noticed.
Back at the residence, Yuan Yu stood beside his uncle once more.
"The Tiger Sect has sent an invitation."
Yuan Yu's expression remained calm, though inwardly his mood darkened.
The timing could not have been worse.
Today, another obligation stood in his path.
"You will go," his uncle said.
Yuan Yu remained still.
"When?"
"I will inform them you will arrive in one month."
One month.
Yuan Yu lowered his gaze slightly.
He needed to prepare. He needed to train. He needed to become stronger.
"You will not go alone," his uncle continued. "Your adjutant will go with you, along with five others. My scouts will remain outside. Your father and I have agreed on everything."
Then he added,
"Nothing will happen to you."
Yuan Yu understood what those words meant.
The arrangements had already been made.
His agreement was expected.
There was no room to refuse.
Still, one thought remained.
I couldn't even say goodbye.
After everything was settled, Yuan Yu brought Rui to the nearby residence.
"You will stay here," he said. "Rest for now. I will see you later."
He did not wait for a reply.
He turned and left.
His steps quickened as soon as he was away from the others. He did not run. He would not let the disciples see him rushing through the paths like someone who had lost control of himself. But he moved faster than usual, past the garden paths, past the side gate, and down toward the road leading into town.
By the time Yuan Yu reached Han Liang's house, the gate was closed.
He already knew before he knocked.
Still, he knocked.
"Liang!"
No answer.
He went to the shop.
Locked as well.
"Liang!"
A passerby slowed when he noticed Yuan Yu standing before the locked shop.
"You're looking for the young master who lived here?"
Yuan Yu turned.
The man nodded toward the road leading out of town.
"They left this morning."
"Long ago?" Yuan Yu asked.
The passerby shook his head.
"No. He waited here for quite a while before leaving."
Yuan Yu's hand closed around the bracelet at his wrist.
The man smiled faintly.
"Looked like he was expecting someone."
Han Liang had waited.
And when he finally left, he had left alone.
Yuan Yu looked once more at the locked shop.
The words he had prepared never found their chance to be spoken.
When he finally turned away, Han Liang was already far beyond the town gates.
Two months.
For the first time, the distance felt longer than it should have.