Chapter 574
If audio player doesn't work, press Stop then Play button again
Chapter 574
Having been repeatedly warned about what to expect, Song arrived at the banquet expecting to sit through a storm of implied threats and indirect insults, which would undoubtedly culminate with one or more bloody duels to the death as Rain escalated matters beyond everyones control with his vicious and indiscreet remarks.
Or at least thats what Teacher Du, Major Binesi, Luo-Luo, and Merchant Shi-Woo had been trying to avoid with their constant and in-depth advice, but after an hour of sitting on the edge of her seat in a mixture of nervous apprehension and eager anticipation, Song realized Central nobility had strange notions regarding what they considered insulting. Take the matter with the Herald, for example, which had so many faces in the seated crowd hiding smiles or feigning shock, all because the man forgot to introduce Rains guests by name and title. It felt odd to consider this an insult, as Song had taken it in stride and almost marched into the banquet hall before noticing Rain and Luo-Luo had stopped, but this was as direct a snub as one could give when inviting someone to a gathering.
Small wonder why Central nobles had this custom of arranging for their most important guests to arrive last, because those who arrived first had to sit around for hours while the Herald announced each and every person who came in after them...
The Bekhai delegation was subjected to several more indignities, but it all seemed so silly and inconsequential. For example, as a guest of honour, Rain and Luo-Luo should have been seated on stage, but instead they were given a table beside the stage, supposedly so Ping Ping could rest behind them. Again, Song saw nothing wrong with this until Rain had his Death Corps guards move his table into the conspicuously empty space beside him on the edge of the stage, placing him with the other guests of honour while still sitting close to Ping Ping, who was happily munching on cabbage and smoked fish in her corner. The original seating arrangement was another insult then, perhaps meant to imply Rain was beneath the other guests in every way, but considering how he shared the stage with five Colonel Generals and the Legate, it hardly needed to be said.
Honestly, Song was surprised Rain even bothered moving his table, since he wasnt someone who took pride or pleasure from sitting in front of a crowd, so it had probably been done at Luo-Luos bidding. The Imperial Servant was a gentle and genial woman, but like the nobles of Central, she had a strange sense of propriety. In Songs eyes, moving their table seemed more embarrassing than not sitting on stage, but judging from the chorus of gasps which accompanied Rains brazen repositioning, his actions were somewhat effective, but why, she could not say.
Judging by Luo-Luos sour stares directed their way, Song surmised that the Bekhai's seats were less than ideal, but again, she saw nothing wrong with the arrangements. Perhaps the fourth row was too far back for Luo-Luos liking, or perhaps she found it insulting to have them at the end of the row, rather than closer to the middle aisle, but Song actually preferred things this way. She sat at the very end of her row, with Sister Mila on her right and no one on her left, save for the poor servants standing at full attention against the wall about five meters away. This gave Song plenty of room to draw her sabre if need be, but it also meant she didnt have to sit beside someone she didnt know, like poor Kyung sitting with Teacher Du at the other end of their party.
There was only one minor issue Song had, which was that they were seated at individual one-person tables. This made it almost impossible to hide Princess from sight, but Song was hoping it wouldnt be an issue since the Herald clearly saw the weasel-bear inside her bag and said nothing. At least Princess wasnt constantly growling and snarling anymore, content to burrow into the shoulder-bag Rain purchased for this very reason. She took to the luggage the moment Song put it on, climbing in and curling up with what sounded like a relieved sigh as the flap closed over her head. Princess seemed mighty pleased with her new means of conveyance and even slept inside it last night, which was good because otherwise Song wouldve been forced to bring the weasel-bear around in an under-arm carry, for she refused to be held in any other way.
Clever of Rain to notice Princess didnt like having her back exposed, but hed always been observant when it came to dealing with animals. Granted, Yan and Mila often teased him about the time he almost died trying to charm a giant snake, but that was a long time ago, and hed come a long way since, or so Song assumed.
Unfortunately, the shoulder bag was far from a perfect solution, but it was the best they had. Song had to hang it on her right side to keep it from getting in the way of drawing her saber, and with only one shoulder strap, the bag swung around far too much in an actual fight, which was made worse by how deceptively heavy Princess actually was. Miss Eun, whod recently taken up sewing outfits for all of Rains pets, including the frilly, colourful dress Princess was currently wearing, had seen Song struggling during practice and offered to put together a more practical bag to carry the weasel-bear in, but until it was finished, this shoulder-bag would have to suffice. To make matters worse, Princess insisted on poking her cute weasel face out of the bag to keep an eye on her surroundings, which while adorable, was impossible to hide with just Songs hand. Thus far no one had mentioned Princess, and Song was hoping it would remain this way, despite what was written on Rains invitation.
Why wouldnt they let him bring his pets anyways? They were mostly well behaved and there was plenty of room next to Ping Ping. It was as nonsensical as letting Rain show up in full battle dress, but Song had been forced to leave her Runic armour behind simply by virtue of being a woman. Miss Eun had strange ideas of propriety and decorum, but she was the expert, so Song heeded the advice despite sorely wishing she had her armours comforting weight settled atop her shoulders.
Since Sister Mila was still immersed in Insight, Song idled the time away by applauding as each guest was announced, as well as quietly playing with Princess. Playing might be too strong a word, but the weasel-bear sat still and didnt snap while Song stroked her head and whiskers, nor did she flinch at the near-constant, thunderous applause. Almost half an hour passed by before Colonel General Nian Zu finally arrived, with Junior Brother Fung and the rest of Rains friends taking their seats in the second row, but on the other side of the aisle from Song and the rest of the Bekhai. Song worried for him sitting so far away, so hopefully, Mama had provided Junior Brother with proper escorts, as the silly man only brought his manservant into the party with him.
The half-weasel Fu Zhu Li wasnt even sitting at a table, and instead stood with the other servants with back against the wall, easily discernible from his black and blue robes amidst the red and yellow liveried servants...
Then, all that was left was to wait for the Legate, who arrived in full Imperial regalia whilst standing atop a palanquin borne by two dozen Death Corps guards. The gathered guest stood, cheered, and applauded with falsified vigour and enthusiasm, while Song inwardly rolled her eyes at the silly games. Those poor Death Corps soldiers, forced to lift the Legates palanquin high above their heads so that at no point would the Imperial Scion ever be standing below anyone else in the banquet hall, including the elevated guests of honour. Stepping off his palanquin and directly onto the stage, the Legate took a few minutes to smile and allowed the honoured guests to greet him one by one, while his Death Corps guards circled around and placed the palanquin on top of the stage in a central position. The black-armoured guards then proceeded to move the Legates table back and away from the other honoured guests and onto the palanquin, using it as an impromptu dais to elevate his position even more.
Which more than anything showed that while Central Nobles enjoyed playing games of politics, Imperial Scions lived and breathed them.
On a lesser note, this made Song feel a little better about Rains Death Corps guards moving his table, since no one would dare complain now that the Legate had done the same. Intentional or coincidental, Song could not say, and she likely wasnt the only one pondering this particular matter. Unperturbed by the whispers of the crowd, the Legate and Rains greeting went by without incident, at which point the Imperial Scion sauntered back over to his palanquin and stepped up to give a long and inspiring speech. Thank you for coming, formidable heroes of the Empire, defending borders and standing strong, a quick reference to the Empires storied history, and so on and so forth, the speech touched on many of the same notes as the Legates speech in Nan Ping, only tailored for a more elite audience. Oddly enough, Song found it strange how she remembered his first speech as being so utterly inspiring, while this one felt rather lacking in comparison. How, she couldnt say, because he was certainly well-spoken and charismatic enough, but this time, there was something different, something missing, something which made it more insipid than inspiring. A quick scan around showed that almost everyone else was entranced by the banal rhetoric, save for maybe Mila, Yan, and Alsantset who were too preoccupied to notice, and Rain and Dastan who were exchanging inquiring glances on stage.
Perhaps this was the mystical, Aura-like ability Rain brought up every so often when trying to understand Luo-Luos musical abilities, but why wasnt Song affected this time around?
Making a note to ask Rain about it later, Song patted Princesss head and tried to soothe the weasel-bears nerves, as shed reverted to snarling and growling once more. A shame, but at least it wasnt loud, though Song could feel the weasel-bears torso vibrating through the thick leather bag, and her fur bristled so much it felt like petting a pincushion. Truth be told, it didnt take much to set Princess off, but she seemed especially angry at this particular moment, matched only by her rage whenever Rain tried to pet her. Thankfully, Princess was a forgiving soul who rarely followed up on her threats, and she settled down as the Legates speech concluded and the audience responded with thunderous applause.
Maybe the weasel-bear just liked loud, tumultuous noises, and her growling was something to fill the silence...
The moment the Legates speech concluded, the room burst into a flurry of motion as dozens of ensconced doors swung open to reveal lines of servants pushing small handcarts. The servants standing along the walls joined their cart-laden comrades to deliver the first course of tonights banquet, a fragrant dish of juicy jumbo prawns and lobster noodles topped with steamed bamboo shoots, braised tofu, and succulent, savoury mushrooms. It seemed rather wasteful to have three servants deliver a single plate, one to push the cart, one to set the table, and one to place the meal, but seeing how quick and efficient they were, Song could hardly complain.
A shame Rains table was so far away, because he hated mushrooms and Song was always happy to take them off his hands, but now Luo-Luo was the sole beneficiary of his picky eating habits...
According to Teacher Du, the first course was the signal to start what he called the caterwauling phase of the night. While Song nibbled on her delicious prawns, she watched a steady stream of guests make their way up to stand in front of the stage, where they stopped to bow, grovel, and bootlick the Legate and all the guests of honour in turn before retreating to their seats at the back of the banquet hall. It was considered gauche and impolite to use Chi in the course of these dialogues, whether it be through Sending or Speaking, but that didnt stop these lesser-ranked guests from shouting to be heard. Not just by the guests of honour, but also by the rest of the audience, who of course came in after them and wouldnt have heard the Heralds introduction.
All in all, the caterwauling phase was an apt name, for they were like feral cats screeching into the night in hopes of attracting someones attention.
Since Sister Mila only needed minimal supervision whilst eating, Song kept a close eye on the caterwauling callers. Most were individuals of middling status, from Lieutenant Colonels to Lieutenant Marshals, and they all behaved like they existed on the bottom rungs of society, which only proved that this banquet hall was packed to the brim with Imperial aristocrats. Most guests received little more than a nod or a smile from the guests of honour, busy as they were eating the first course, but Rain had placed his meal aside and was doing a passable job interacting with them. They didnt seem to know how to react to such a warm greeting, and most seemed wary of his intentions. Eventually, after hearing no less than eight guests profess shock and loudly proclaim how they had nothing to do with Falling Rain or the Bekhai, Song finally caught on to the game. By appearing friendly with these guests, Rain was making their backers in the audience wonder if their lackeys were as loyal as they thought, though Song was almost certain he hadnt thought that far ahead. Seeing the discarded shells of the prawns and lobster so neatly stacked atop his plate, she surmised Rain didnt like the noodles, but also didnt want to be seen picking at his food in idle boredom. The conversation was probably his way of being polite, as well as an excuse to look busy and ignore his food.
Would it be impolite to walk over and take his plate away? There were still plenty of mushrooms and tofu left to be eaten, not to mention the delicious, stir-fried noodles themselves...
The caterwauling continued throughout the second course, a succulent selection of roasted suckling pig, fragrant-oil infused chicken, and grilled garlic beef spare-ribs which Song devoured with delight. She shared some with Princess too, but the weasel-bear didnt care much for anything cooked, salted, smoked, or spoiled, which was why Song jokingly picked the name for her in the first place. Princess wanted only the finest cuts of raw, freshly slaughtered meat, and would turn her nose up at anything else, unless there was honey involved. Then she would grunt with inelegant enthusiasm and paw away at Songs hands in demand that she share the delicious treat.
That was how she knew Princess had a sweet and kind soul, always so gentle with her sharp talons and powerful jaws...
As the third course arrived, a savoury birds-nest soup, the lower-ranked guests finished their rounds and it was time for the mid-ranked guests to approach the stage. This would go on for the bulk of the courses, as these mid-ranked guests were less important than the guests of honour, but many wielded comparable power to Marshals and Colonel Generals. This meant they could hardly be expected to queue up just to greet the guests of honour, so they came one at a time, in an order determined by the Legates Seneschal, who played his part perfectly while running back and forth all night. Had Rain not identified him as Solitary Sword Zhang Jun Bao, Song would have never imagined that the Legates scholarly and docile seneschal had once defeated Teacher Du in their youth.
How many others were like Zhang Jun Bao, former top talents of the outer provinces now working as Imperial attendants? Was this what the Legate had planned for Rain? If so, then perhaps the Legate should thank Rain for turning down his offer, because no amount of training could ever make Falling Rain as humble and obedient as the Seneschal, or teach him how to still his expressions around company...
Unfortunately, it didnt matter. From watching Kyung fight, Song learned that if her opponent did not leave himself vulnerable, then she would just have to make him vulnerable.
Like so many times before, she opened the battle with a quick-draw attack, her sabre scything out of the sheath in Tiger Swipes the Rushes. Matching aggression with more aggression, countering strength with more strength, Song put everything she had into this opening exchange, as shed seen Kyung do multiple times on the battlefield not five days past. For two years, shed wondered about where her Martial Path was supposed to lead, and her doubts and apprehensions had blinded her to the truth.
The bamboo grove granted her no compulsive Insights, because she had yet to make use of the Insights she already possessed.
Tiger Swipes the Rushes, a simple Movement, yet infinitely complex. To optimize the simple slash, there were three muscle groups to selectively Reinforce, five different timings at which she could Amplify her motions, nine different push-pull interactions to carry out, and seventeen pivot points upon which to accelerate. There might be more to the Movement, but this was the sum total of everything she knew and understood about it, so she put everything she had into this opening move, while leaving herself wholly open to a counter.
Sabre met spear in a crash of steel, and sabre won.
Feet lifted off the ground from the forceful impact, Tetsudos torso spun a full circle once, twice, and a third time before finally toppling to the ground. To his credit, he kept a firm enough hold on his spear so it slid across the ground, rather than shooting out of his hand like Song expected. She even angled her attack to send the Spiritual Weapon up at the roof so as not to injure anyone in the crowd, but her opponent was more tenacious than expected, a good reminder not to underestimate anyone taking part in tonights proceedings. Unable to push himself up with two broken arms, Tetsudo flopped onto his back and stared at Song in palpable horror, unable to comprehend how she put so much strength into a single, seemingly casual, one-handed swing of her sabre.
The answer? Mastery of the Forms. Ryo Dain touted on about the benefits and held her father up as a shining example of their effectiveness, but Teacher Du had long since known the same. He taught Kyung how to tap into the hidden strengths of the Tiger Form, and those same secrets had been passed on to Song, but not in any discernible way, for there was more to it than simply following the motions or the placement of ones feet. It was about the rhythm of movement and breathing, the flow between push and pull, the measure of speed and distance, the combination of tension and slack. There were a thousand details to note, but most could only be learned through experience and repetition, and for years now, Song had ignored the fruits of her lessons.
But not anymore. Teacher Du had already given Song all the tools she needed to excel, which was exactly what Mama, Tursinai, and so many others tried to tell her. All Song needed to do was take the time to familiarize herself with what she already possessed and learn how to use her tools in her own unique way.
...Well, that and follow through with her strikes. That was one major reason why she kept failing to create a new combination attack, because like Rain said, she kept trying to condense the four movements into one, when she should have instead created a new attack from the four movements. She still had a long way to go before succeeding in that endeavour, but today, in front of the highest echelons of nobility, she demonstrated that Li Song of the Bekhai, was a warrior worthy of the Khishigs.
Pride, joy, glee, and desire bubbled up from within, and Song wished Mama and Papa were here to see her. They werent though, so instead, she would give them a story worth hearing, one they could listen to time and time again. Reversing her grip on her sabre, she offered Tetsudo a salute before offering the same to the stunned, silent crowd. Is there anyone else who would like to compare notes?
Thankfully, pride was plentiful amongst young elites, and Song spotted several eager opponents, but it took some time for them to sort out their pecking order and send out their weakest. Paying no attention to their names, she crossed blades with her opponents one after the other, each time using a different Movement from before. Shed spent the last few days practising these Movements, but practise was not the same as sparring, and sparring not the same as a life and death battle. Since she couldnt go out and challenge someone to a fight to the death, she couldnt afford to waste this opportunity to hone her skills as she defeated her opponents one by one in a single move each. Killing Lunge, Reverse the Flow, Fanged Clutch, and Twitching Tail, she didnt just emulate Kyungs actions on that stormy night, but she made those Movements her own, and her opponents were far too weak to block even a single attack.
Until one did, stopping Sharpening Claws with Greet the Moon, and Songs heart soared with joy at having met a worthy foe.
There was no scramble to block his counter because Song knew there would be none. That was the beauty of Teacher Dus style, because so long as you forced your opponent to block, then there was no room to counter, as you were both still reeling from the exchange. Therefore the trick lay in recovering before your opponent did, and Song was well prepared with her next move, for it had long since been ingrained in her reflexes through rote repetition. Stepping back to make room, she feigned a retreat and struck even as her opponents mind was registering the opportunity, and that brief, almost imperceptible moment of hesitation was what made this Pounce Upon the Lamb so effective.
Pounce upon a tiger and you would be met with fang and claw, but a scared lamb? Ha.
Again, her foe surprised her by weathering the attack, and Song finally took a moment to acknowledge this worthy opponent. Ishin Ken-Kichi, twenty-seven years old, his handsome face twisted in a mixture of anger and surprise. Good, good. Baring her teeth in a feral grin, she fell into the rhythm of battle and unleashed a devastating combination of attacks, using the right Movements at the right moments and picking new ones as circumstances dictated. It was exactly what Rain said she did, only now she recognized it, and as she pushed Ken-Kichi back, the heady rush of accomplishment threatened to overwhelm her senses, but she bore down on her exultation and focused on the matter at hand.
Ken-Kichi fought with two swords, one long and slender, the other short and stout. It was this second sword which proved the problem, light and agile enough to reposition while offering a significant advantage in defensive leverage, allowing him to block her attacks while expending the bare minimum amount of strength. That was his plan, to stretch this battle out and outlast her, so by all rights Song should pull back to moderate her pace. Shed fought six... no, seven matches already, while Ken-Kichi was fresh and had time to study her, but Song was too excited to slow down, even to rest. Single sabre against dual swords, she battered away at his defences in search of weakness and opportunity as he tried and failed to dance away from her offensive. Spotting her chance, she drew her sabre back for a thrust and -
Froze and faltered as a dizzying wave of fear and panic shook Song to her core.
Aura, a small, calm part of her mind explained. This was Aura, disappearing as quickly as it arrived, but a split second of hesitation was all Ken-Kichi needed to strike. His longsword arced towards her neck and his lips parted in a smile, eyes burning with smug superiority as he put a mere slave in her place. He meant to kill her here, timed it perfectly with his short, directed burst of Aura, a trick he no doubt used many times before.
But never against Li Song, Khishig of the Bekhai, else he would know a split second was far from enough.
Steeling her nerves, she committed herself to the thrust and told him as much with her gaze, willing to trade blow for blow and life for life. Their eyes locked and her grim determination crashed headlong into his pompous, self-absorbed ego, and she knew he would not make this trade. The longsword changed course to intercept her sabre, and both lives were spared, but Song was not yet finished. Without thinking, she retracted her sabre, and again she drew back for a thrust, taunting him, baiting him to use the same move again. Recognition flashed in his eyes, and his sneer returned in full force, this time filled with shame and anger from his brief brush with death. She taught him to fear her, and he hated her for it, so now he must kill her, lest his shame consume him whole.
Panic threatened to submerge her beneath its troubled waves as Ken-Kichi unleashed his Aura once more, but this time Song met it with righteous fury and unmitigated wrath. This was a battle of equals, and he dishonoured it with his tricks and deceit, but she would not stand for it. Courage met Panic and quashed it flat as Songs Aura Condensed into being, and her sabre shot out towards Ken-Kichis throat.
There it was, the same panic she just felt, only this time, she saw it etched into his startled expression. His sword hurtled towards her neck, but unlike last time, her sabre would reach him first. Time slowed to a crawl he moved through a multitude of emotions while trying to process what they both knew. Shock, denial, anger, grief, regret, and finally, acceptance, for there would be no exchange, not this time, because hed been bested by a better warrior.
And though she yearned to drive the blade home, Song stopped her thrust short, her sabres rounded point kissing the skin of his neck without drawing a single drop of blood. For long seconds she stood there with her blade to his throat, telling him she could have easily ended his life had she wanted to. Then she stepped back out of his range, sheathed her weapon, and waited for him to do the same, before finally offering him a polite salute.
She had bested him today, and that was insult enough.
But someone else didnt agree. Ladies and gentlemen, Rain said, his voice carrying clearly over the shocked silence of the crowd, I present to you my Senior Aunt Li Song, Expert of the Empire and Khishig of the Bekhai.
The polite applause drowned out anything else he might have said, but considering how venomous his words could be, this was probably for the best. Song had gone to so much effort sparing the despicable Ken-Kichis life to keep this conflict from growing out of hand, shed hate to waste it all and kill him because of something Rain said.
Then again, the night was young and there were plenty of matches still ahead...
Chapter Meme
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Chapter 574
Having been repeatedly warned about what to expect, Song arrived at the banquet expecting to sit through a storm of implied threats and indirect insults, which would undoubtedly culminate with one or more bloody duels to the death as Rain escalated matters beyond everyones control with his vicious and indiscreet remarks.
Or at least thats what Teacher Du, Major Binesi, Luo-Luo, and Merchant Shi-Woo had been trying to avoid with their constant and in-depth advice, but after an hour of sitting on the edge of her seat in a mixture of nervous apprehension and eager anticipation, Song realized Central nobility had strange notions regarding what they considered insulting. Take the matter with the Herald, for example, which had so many faces in the seated crowd hiding smiles or feigning shock, all because the man forgot to introduce Rains guests by name and title. It felt odd to consider this an insult, as Song had taken it in stride and almost marched into the banquet hall before noticing Rain and Luo-Luo had stopped, but this was as direct a snub as one could give when inviting someone to a gathering.
Small wonder why Central nobles had this custom of arranging for their most important guests to arrive last, because those who arrived first had to sit around for hours while the Herald announced each and every person who came in after them...
The Bekhai delegation was subjected to several more indignities, but it all seemed so silly and inconsequential. For example, as a guest of honour, Rain and Luo-Luo should have been seated on stage, but instead they were given a table beside the stage, supposedly so Ping Ping could rest behind them. Again, Song saw nothing wrong with this until Rain had his Death Corps guards move his table into the conspicuously empty space beside him on the edge of the stage, placing him with the other guests of honour while still sitting close to Ping Ping, who was happily munching on cabbage and smoked fish in her corner. The original seating arrangement was another insult then, perhaps meant to imply Rain was beneath the other guests in every way, but considering how he shared the stage with five Colonel Generals and the Legate, it hardly needed to be said.
Honestly, Song was surprised Rain even bothered moving his table, since he wasnt someone who took pride or pleasure from sitting in front of a crowd, so it had probably been done at Luo-Luos bidding. The Imperial Servant was a gentle and genial woman, but like the nobles of Central, she had a strange sense of propriety. In Songs eyes, moving their table seemed more embarrassing than not sitting on stage, but judging from the chorus of gasps which accompanied Rains brazen repositioning, his actions were somewhat effective, but why, she could not say.
Judging by Luo-Luos sour stares directed their way, Song surmised that the Bekhai's seats were less than ideal, but again, she saw nothing wrong with the arrangements. Perhaps the fourth row was too far back for Luo-Luos liking, or perhaps she found it insulting to have them at the end of the row, rather than closer to the middle aisle, but Song actually preferred things this way. She sat at the very end of her row, with Sister Mila on her right and no one on her left, save for the poor servants standing at full attention against the wall about five meters away. This gave Song plenty of room to draw her sabre if need be, but it also meant she didnt have to sit beside someone she didnt know, like poor Kyung sitting with Teacher Du at the other end of their party.
There was only one minor issue Song had, which was that they were seated at individual one-person tables. This made it almost impossible to hide Princess from sight, but Song was hoping it wouldnt be an issue since the Herald clearly saw the weasel-bear inside her bag and said nothing. At least Princess wasnt constantly growling and snarling anymore, content to burrow into the shoulder-bag Rain purchased for this very reason. She took to the luggage the moment Song put it on, climbing in and curling up with what sounded like a relieved sigh as the flap closed over her head. Princess seemed mighty pleased with her new means of conveyance and even slept inside it last night, which was good because otherwise Song wouldve been forced to bring the weasel-bear around in an under-arm carry, for she refused to be held in any other way.
Clever of Rain to notice Princess didnt like having her back exposed, but hed always been observant when it came to dealing with animals. Granted, Yan and Mila often teased him about the time he almost died trying to charm a giant snake, but that was a long time ago, and hed come a long way since, or so Song assumed.
Unfortunately, the shoulder bag was far from a perfect solution, but it was the best they had. Song had to hang it on her right side to keep it from getting in the way of drawing her saber, and with only one shoulder strap, the bag swung around far too much in an actual fight, which was made worse by how deceptively heavy Princess actually was. Miss Eun, whod recently taken up sewing outfits for all of Rains pets, including the frilly, colourful dress Princess was currently wearing, had seen Song struggling during practice and offered to put together a more practical bag to carry the weasel-bear in, but until it was finished, this shoulder-bag would have to suffice. To make matters worse, Princess insisted on poking her cute weasel face out of the bag to keep an eye on her surroundings, which while adorable, was impossible to hide with just Songs hand. Thus far no one had mentioned Princess, and Song was hoping it would remain this way, despite what was written on Rains invitation.
Why wouldnt they let him bring his pets anyways? They were mostly well behaved and there was plenty of room next to Ping Ping. It was as nonsensical as letting Rain show up in full battle dress, but Song had been forced to leave her Runic armour behind simply by virtue of being a woman. Miss Eun had strange ideas of propriety and decorum, but she was the expert, so Song heeded the advice despite sorely wishing she had her armours comforting weight settled atop her shoulders.
Since Sister Mila was still immersed in Insight, Song idled the time away by applauding as each guest was announced, as well as quietly playing with Princess. Playing might be too strong a word, but the weasel-bear sat still and didnt snap while Song stroked her head and whiskers, nor did she flinch at the near-constant, thunderous applause. Almost half an hour passed by before Colonel General Nian Zu finally arrived, with Junior Brother Fung and the rest of Rains friends taking their seats in the second row, but on the other side of the aisle from Song and the rest of the Bekhai. Song worried for him sitting so far away, so hopefully, Mama had provided Junior Brother with proper escorts, as the silly man only brought his manservant into the party with him.
The half-weasel Fu Zhu Li wasnt even sitting at a table, and instead stood with the other servants with back against the wall, easily discernible from his black and blue robes amidst the red and yellow liveried servants...
Then, all that was left was to wait for the Legate, who arrived in full Imperial regalia whilst standing atop a palanquin borne by two dozen Death Corps guards. The gathered guest stood, cheered, and applauded with falsified vigour and enthusiasm, while Song inwardly rolled her eyes at the silly games. Those poor Death Corps soldiers, forced to lift the Legates palanquin high above their heads so that at no point would the Imperial Scion ever be standing below anyone else in the banquet hall, including the elevated guests of honour. Stepping off his palanquin and directly onto the stage, the Legate took a few minutes to smile and allowed the honoured guests to greet him one by one, while his Death Corps guards circled around and placed the palanquin on top of the stage in a central position. The black-armoured guards then proceeded to move the Legates table back and away from the other honoured guests and onto the palanquin, using it as an impromptu dais to elevate his position even more.
Which more than anything showed that while Central Nobles enjoyed playing games of politics, Imperial Scions lived and breathed them.
On a lesser note, this made Song feel a little better about Rains Death Corps guards moving his table, since no one would dare complain now that the Legate had done the same. Intentional or coincidental, Song could not say, and she likely wasnt the only one pondering this particular matter. Unperturbed by the whispers of the crowd, the Legate and Rains greeting went by without incident, at which point the Imperial Scion sauntered back over to his palanquin and stepped up to give a long and inspiring speech. Thank you for coming, formidable heroes of the Empire, defending borders and standing strong, a quick reference to the Empires storied history, and so on and so forth, the speech touched on many of the same notes as the Legates speech in Nan Ping, only tailored for a more elite audience. Oddly enough, Song found it strange how she remembered his first speech as being so utterly inspiring, while this one felt rather lacking in comparison. How, she couldnt say, because he was certainly well-spoken and charismatic enough, but this time, there was something different, something missing, something which made it more insipid than inspiring. A quick scan around showed that almost everyone else was entranced by the banal rhetoric, save for maybe Mila, Yan, and Alsantset who were too preoccupied to notice, and Rain and Dastan who were exchanging inquiring glances on stage.
Perhaps this was the mystical, Aura-like ability Rain brought up every so often when trying to understand Luo-Luos musical abilities, but why wasnt Song affected this time around?
Making a note to ask Rain about it later, Song patted Princesss head and tried to soothe the weasel-bears nerves, as shed reverted to snarling and growling once more. A shame, but at least it wasnt loud, though Song could feel the weasel-bears torso vibrating through the thick leather bag, and her fur bristled so much it felt like petting a pincushion. Truth be told, it didnt take much to set Princess off, but she seemed especially angry at this particular moment, matched only by her rage whenever Rain tried to pet her. Thankfully, Princess was a forgiving soul who rarely followed up on her threats, and she settled down as the Legates speech concluded and the audience responded with thunderous applause.
Maybe the weasel-bear just liked loud, tumultuous noises, and her growling was something to fill the silence...
The moment the Legates speech concluded, the room burst into a flurry of motion as dozens of ensconced doors swung open to reveal lines of servants pushing small handcarts. The servants standing along the walls joined their cart-laden comrades to deliver the first course of tonights banquet, a fragrant dish of juicy jumbo prawns and lobster noodles topped with steamed bamboo shoots, braised tofu, and succulent, savoury mushrooms. It seemed rather wasteful to have three servants deliver a single plate, one to push the cart, one to set the table, and one to place the meal, but seeing how quick and efficient they were, Song could hardly complain.
A shame Rains table was so far away, because he hated mushrooms and Song was always happy to take them off his hands, but now Luo-Luo was the sole beneficiary of his picky eating habits...
According to Teacher Du, the first course was the signal to start what he called the caterwauling phase of the night. While Song nibbled on her delicious prawns, she watched a steady stream of guests make their way up to stand in front of the stage, where they stopped to bow, grovel, and bootlick the Legate and all the guests of honour in turn before retreating to their seats at the back of the banquet hall. It was considered gauche and impolite to use Chi in the course of these dialogues, whether it be through Sending or Speaking, but that didnt stop these lesser-ranked guests from shouting to be heard. Not just by the guests of honour, but also by the rest of the audience, who of course came in after them and wouldnt have heard the Heralds introduction.
All in all, the caterwauling phase was an apt name, for they were like feral cats screeching into the night in hopes of attracting someones attention.
Since Sister Mila only needed minimal supervision whilst eating, Song kept a close eye on the caterwauling callers. Most were individuals of middling status, from Lieutenant Colonels to Lieutenant Marshals, and they all behaved like they existed on the bottom rungs of society, which only proved that this banquet hall was packed to the brim with Imperial aristocrats. Most guests received little more than a nod or a smile from the guests of honour, busy as they were eating the first course, but Rain had placed his meal aside and was doing a passable job interacting with them. They didnt seem to know how to react to such a warm greeting, and most seemed wary of his intentions. Eventually, after hearing no less than eight guests profess shock and loudly proclaim how they had nothing to do with Falling Rain or the Bekhai, Song finally caught on to the game. By appearing friendly with these guests, Rain was making their backers in the audience wonder if their lackeys were as loyal as they thought, though Song was almost certain he hadnt thought that far ahead. Seeing the discarded shells of the prawns and lobster so neatly stacked atop his plate, she surmised Rain didnt like the noodles, but also didnt want to be seen picking at his food in idle boredom. The conversation was probably his way of being polite, as well as an excuse to look busy and ignore his food.
Would it be impolite to walk over and take his plate away? There were still plenty of mushrooms and tofu left to be eaten, not to mention the delicious, stir-fried noodles themselves...
The caterwauling continued throughout the second course, a succulent selection of roasted suckling pig, fragrant-oil infused chicken, and grilled garlic beef spare-ribs which Song devoured with delight. She shared some with Princess too, but the weasel-bear didnt care much for anything cooked, salted, smoked, or spoiled, which was why Song jokingly picked the name for her in the first place. Princess wanted only the finest cuts of raw, freshly slaughtered meat, and would turn her nose up at anything else, unless there was honey involved. Then she would grunt with inelegant enthusiasm and paw away at Songs hands in demand that she share the delicious treat.
That was how she knew Princess had a sweet and kind soul, always so gentle with her sharp talons and powerful jaws...
As the third course arrived, a savoury birds-nest soup, the lower-ranked guests finished their rounds and it was time for the mid-ranked guests to approach the stage. This would go on for the bulk of the courses, as these mid-ranked guests were less important than the guests of honour, but many wielded comparable power to Marshals and Colonel Generals. This meant they could hardly be expected to queue up just to greet the guests of honour, so they came one at a time, in an order determined by the Legates Seneschal, who played his part perfectly while running back and forth all night. Had Rain not identified him as Solitary Sword Zhang Jun Bao, Song would have never imagined that the Legates scholarly and docile seneschal had once defeated Teacher Du in their youth.
How many others were like Zhang Jun Bao, former top talents of the outer provinces now working as Imperial attendants? Was this what the Legate had planned for Rain? If so, then perhaps the Legate should thank Rain for turning down his offer, because no amount of training could ever make Falling Rain as humble and obedient as the Seneschal, or teach him how to still his expressions around company...
Unfortunately, it didnt matter. From watching Kyung fight, Song learned that if her opponent did not leave himself vulnerable, then she would just have to make him vulnerable.
Like so many times before, she opened the battle with a quick-draw attack, her sabre scything out of the sheath in Tiger Swipes the Rushes. Matching aggression with more aggression, countering strength with more strength, Song put everything she had into this opening exchange, as shed seen Kyung do multiple times on the battlefield not five days past. For two years, shed wondered about where her Martial Path was supposed to lead, and her doubts and apprehensions had blinded her to the truth.
The bamboo grove granted her no compulsive Insights, because she had yet to make use of the Insights she already possessed.
Tiger Swipes the Rushes, a simple Movement, yet infinitely complex. To optimize the simple slash, there were three muscle groups to selectively Reinforce, five different timings at which she could Amplify her motions, nine different push-pull interactions to carry out, and seventeen pivot points upon which to accelerate. There might be more to the Movement, but this was the sum total of everything she knew and understood about it, so she put everything she had into this opening move, while leaving herself wholly open to a counter.
Sabre met spear in a crash of steel, and sabre won.
Feet lifted off the ground from the forceful impact, Tetsudos torso spun a full circle once, twice, and a third time before finally toppling to the ground. To his credit, he kept a firm enough hold on his spear so it slid across the ground, rather than shooting out of his hand like Song expected. She even angled her attack to send the Spiritual Weapon up at the roof so as not to injure anyone in the crowd, but her opponent was more tenacious than expected, a good reminder not to underestimate anyone taking part in tonights proceedings. Unable to push himself up with two broken arms, Tetsudo flopped onto his back and stared at Song in palpable horror, unable to comprehend how she put so much strength into a single, seemingly casual, one-handed swing of her sabre.
The answer? Mastery of the Forms. Ryo Dain touted on about the benefits and held her father up as a shining example of their effectiveness, but Teacher Du had long since known the same. He taught Kyung how to tap into the hidden strengths of the Tiger Form, and those same secrets had been passed on to Song, but not in any discernible way, for there was more to it than simply following the motions or the placement of ones feet. It was about the rhythm of movement and breathing, the flow between push and pull, the measure of speed and distance, the combination of tension and slack. There were a thousand details to note, but most could only be learned through experience and repetition, and for years now, Song had ignored the fruits of her lessons.
But not anymore. Teacher Du had already given Song all the tools she needed to excel, which was exactly what Mama, Tursinai, and so many others tried to tell her. All Song needed to do was take the time to familiarize herself with what she already possessed and learn how to use her tools in her own unique way.
...Well, that and follow through with her strikes. That was one major reason why she kept failing to create a new combination attack, because like Rain said, she kept trying to condense the four movements into one, when she should have instead created a new attack from the four movements. She still had a long way to go before succeeding in that endeavour, but today, in front of the highest echelons of nobility, she demonstrated that Li Song of the Bekhai, was a warrior worthy of the Khishigs.
Pride, joy, glee, and desire bubbled up from within, and Song wished Mama and Papa were here to see her. They werent though, so instead, she would give them a story worth hearing, one they could listen to time and time again. Reversing her grip on her sabre, she offered Tetsudo a salute before offering the same to the stunned, silent crowd. Is there anyone else who would like to compare notes?
Thankfully, pride was plentiful amongst young elites, and Song spotted several eager opponents, but it took some time for them to sort out their pecking order and send out their weakest. Paying no attention to their names, she crossed blades with her opponents one after the other, each time using a different Movement from before. Shed spent the last few days practising these Movements, but practise was not the same as sparring, and sparring not the same as a life and death battle. Since she couldnt go out and challenge someone to a fight to the death, she couldnt afford to waste this opportunity to hone her skills as she defeated her opponents one by one in a single move each. Killing Lunge, Reverse the Flow, Fanged Clutch, and Twitching Tail, she didnt just emulate Kyungs actions on that stormy night, but she made those Movements her own, and her opponents were far too weak to block even a single attack.
Until one did, stopping Sharpening Claws with Greet the Moon, and Songs heart soared with joy at having met a worthy foe.
There was no scramble to block his counter because Song knew there would be none. That was the beauty of Teacher Dus style, because so long as you forced your opponent to block, then there was no room to counter, as you were both still reeling from the exchange. Therefore the trick lay in recovering before your opponent did, and Song was well prepared with her next move, for it had long since been ingrained in her reflexes through rote repetition. Stepping back to make room, she feigned a retreat and struck even as her opponents mind was registering the opportunity, and that brief, almost imperceptible moment of hesitation was what made this Pounce Upon the Lamb so effective.
Pounce upon a tiger and you would be met with fang and claw, but a scared lamb? Ha.
Again, her foe surprised her by weathering the attack, and Song finally took a moment to acknowledge this worthy opponent. Ishin Ken-Kichi, twenty-seven years old, his handsome face twisted in a mixture of anger and surprise. Good, good. Baring her teeth in a feral grin, she fell into the rhythm of battle and unleashed a devastating combination of attacks, using the right Movements at the right moments and picking new ones as circumstances dictated. It was exactly what Rain said she did, only now she recognized it, and as she pushed Ken-Kichi back, the heady rush of accomplishment threatened to overwhelm her senses, but she bore down on her exultation and focused on the matter at hand.
Ken-Kichi fought with two swords, one long and slender, the other short and stout. It was this second sword which proved the problem, light and agile enough to reposition while offering a significant advantage in defensive leverage, allowing him to block her attacks while expending the bare minimum amount of strength. That was his plan, to stretch this battle out and outlast her, so by all rights Song should pull back to moderate her pace. Shed fought six... no, seven matches already, while Ken-Kichi was fresh and had time to study her, but Song was too excited to slow down, even to rest. Single sabre against dual swords, she battered away at his defences in search of weakness and opportunity as he tried and failed to dance away from her offensive. Spotting her chance, she drew her sabre back for a thrust and -
Froze and faltered as a dizzying wave of fear and panic shook Song to her core.
Aura, a small, calm part of her mind explained. This was Aura, disappearing as quickly as it arrived, but a split second of hesitation was all Ken-Kichi needed to strike. His longsword arced towards her neck and his lips parted in a smile, eyes burning with smug superiority as he put a mere slave in her place. He meant to kill her here, timed it perfectly with his short, directed burst of Aura, a trick he no doubt used many times before.
But never against Li Song, Khishig of the Bekhai, else he would know a split second was far from enough.
Steeling her nerves, she committed herself to the thrust and told him as much with her gaze, willing to trade blow for blow and life for life. Their eyes locked and her grim determination crashed headlong into his pompous, self-absorbed ego, and she knew he would not make this trade. The longsword changed course to intercept her sabre, and both lives were spared, but Song was not yet finished. Without thinking, she retracted her sabre, and again she drew back for a thrust, taunting him, baiting him to use the same move again. Recognition flashed in his eyes, and his sneer returned in full force, this time filled with shame and anger from his brief brush with death. She taught him to fear her, and he hated her for it, so now he must kill her, lest his shame consume him whole.
Panic threatened to submerge her beneath its troubled waves as Ken-Kichi unleashed his Aura once more, but this time Song met it with righteous fury and unmitigated wrath. This was a battle of equals, and he dishonoured it with his tricks and deceit, but she would not stand for it. Courage met Panic and quashed it flat as Songs Aura Condensed into being, and her sabre shot out towards Ken-Kichis throat.
There it was, the same panic she just felt, only this time, she saw it etched into his startled expression. His sword hurtled towards her neck, but unlike last time, her sabre would reach him first. Time slowed to a crawl he moved through a multitude of emotions while trying to process what they both knew. Shock, denial, anger, grief, regret, and finally, acceptance, for there would be no exchange, not this time, because hed been bested by a better warrior.
And though she yearned to drive the blade home, Song stopped her thrust short, her sabres rounded point kissing the skin of his neck without drawing a single drop of blood. For long seconds she stood there with her blade to his throat, telling him she could have easily ended his life had she wanted to. Then she stepped back out of his range, sheathed her weapon, and waited for him to do the same, before finally offering him a polite salute.
She had bested him today, and that was insult enough.
But someone else didnt agree. Ladies and gentlemen, Rain said, his voice carrying clearly over the shocked silence of the crowd, I present to you my Senior Aunt Li Song, Expert of the Empire and Khishig of the Bekhai.
The polite applause drowned out anything else he might have said, but considering how venomous his words could be, this was probably for the best. Song had gone to so much effort sparing the despicable Ken-Kichis life to keep this conflict from growing out of hand, shed hate to waste it all and kill him because of something Rain said.
Then again, the night was young and there were plenty of matches still ahead...
Chapter Meme
Chapter 574Having been repeatedly warned about what to expect, Song arrived at the banquet expecting to sit through a storm of implied threats and indirect insults, which would undoubtedly culminate with one or more bloody duels to the death as Rain escalated matters beyond everyones control with his vicious and indiscreet remarks.Or at least thats what Teacher Du, Major Binesi, Luo-Luo, and Merchant Shi-Woo had been trying to avoid with their constant and in-depth advice, but after an hour of sitting on the edge of her seat in a mixture of nervous apprehension and eager anticipation, Song realized Central nobility had strange notions regarding what they considered insulting. Take the matter with the Herald, for example, which had so many faces in the seated crowd hiding smiles or feigning shock, all because the man forgot to introduce Rains guests by name and title. It felt odd to consider this an insult, as Song had taken it in stride and almost marched into the banquet hall before noticing Rain and Luo-Luo had stopped, but this was as direct a snub as one could give when inviting someone to a gathering.Small wonder why Central nobles had this custom of arranging for their most important guests to arrive last, because those who arrived first had to sit around for hours while the Herald announced each and every person who came in after them...The Bekhai delegation was subjected to several more indignities, but it all seemed so silly and inconsequential. For example, as a guest of honour, Rain and Luo-Luo should have been seated on stage, but instead they were given a table beside the stage, supposedly so Ping Ping could rest behind them. Again, Song saw nothing wrong with this until Rain had his Death Corps guards move his table into the conspicuously empty space beside him on the edge of the stage, placing him with the other guests of honour while still sitting close to Ping Ping, who was happily munching on cabbage and smoked fish in her corner. The original seating arrangement was another insult then, perhaps meant to imply Rain was beneath the other guests in every way, but considering how he shared the stage with five Colonel Generals and the Legate, it hardly needed to be said.Honestly, Song was surprised Rain even bothered moving his table, since he wasnt someone who took pride or pleasure from sitting in front of a crowd, so it had probably been done at Luo-Luos bidding. The Imperial Servant was a gentle and genial woman, but like the nobles of Central, she had a strange sense of propriety. In Songs eyes, moving their table seemed more embarrassing than not sitting on stage, but judging from the chorus of gasps which accompanied Rains brazen repositioning, his actions were somewhat effective, but why, she could not say.Judging by Luo-Luos sour stares directed their way, Song surmised that the Bekhai's seats were less than ideal, but again, she saw nothing wrong with the arrangements. Perhaps the fourth row was too far back for Luo-Luos liking, or perhaps she found it insulting to have them at the end of the row, rather than closer to the middle aisle, but Song actually preferred things this way. She sat at the very end of her row, with Sister Mila on her right and no one on her left, save for the poor servants standing at full attention against the wall about five meters away. This gave Song plenty of room to draw her sabre if need be, but it also meant she didnt have to sit beside someone she didnt know, like poor Kyung sitting with Teacher Du at the other end of their party.There was only one minor issue Song had, which was that they were seated at individual one-person tables. This made it almost impossible to hide Princess from sight, but Song was hoping it wouldnt be an issue since the Herald clearly saw the weasel-bear inside her bag and said nothing. At least Princess wasnt constantly growling and snarling anymore, content to burrow into the shoulder-bag Rain purchased for this very reason. She took to the luggage the moment Song put it on, climbing in and curling up with what sounded like a relieved sigh as the flap closed over her head. Princess seemed mighty pleased with her new means of conveyance and even slept inside it last night, which was good because otherwise Song wouldve been forced to bring the weasel-bear around in an under-arm carry, for she refused to be held in any other way.Clever of Rain to notice Princess didnt like having her back exposed, but hed always been observant when it came to dealing with animals. Granted, Yan and Mila often teased him about the time he almost died trying to charm a giant snake, but that was a long time ago, and hed come a long way since, or so Song assumed.Unfortunately, the shoulder bag was far from a perfect solution, but it was the best they had. Song had to hang it on her right side to keep it from getting in the way of drawing her saber, and with only one shoulder strap, the bag swung around far too much in an actual fight, which was made worse by how deceptively heavy Princess actually was. Miss Eun, whod recently taken up sewing outfits for all of Rains pets, including the frilly, colourful dress Princess was currently wearing, had seen Song struggling during practice and offered to put together a more practical bag to carry the weasel-bear in, but until it was finished, this shoulder-bag would have to suffice. To make matters worse, Princess insisted on poking her cute weasel face out of the bag to keep an eye on her surroundings, which while adorable, was impossible to hide with just Songs hand. Thus far no one had mentioned Princess, and Song was hoping it would remain this way, despite what was written on Rains invitation.Why wouldnt they let him bring his pets anyways? They were mostly well behaved and there was plenty of room next to Ping Ping. It was as nonsensical as letting Rain show up in full battle dress, but Song had been forced to leave her Runic armour behind simply by virtue of being a woman. Miss Eun had strange ideas of propriety and decorum, but she was the expert, so Song heeded the advice despite sorely wishing she had her armours comforting weight settled atop her shoulders.Since Sister Mila was still immersed in Insight, Song idled the time away by applauding as each guest was announced, as well as quietly playing with Princess. Playing might be too strong a word, but the weasel-bear sat still and didnt snap while Song stroked her head and whiskers, nor did she flinch at the near-constant, thunderous applause. Almost half an hour passed by before Colonel General Nian Zu finally arrived, with Junior Brother Fung and the rest of Rains friends taking their seats in the second row, but on the other side of the aisle from Song and the rest of the Bekhai. Song worried for him sitting so far away, so hopefully, Mama had provided Junior Brother with proper escorts, as the silly man only brought his manservant into the party with him.The half-weasel Fu Zhu Li wasnt even sitting at a table, and instead stood with the other servants with back against the wall, easily discernible from his black and blue robes amidst the red and yellow liveried servants...Then, all that was left was to wait for the Legate, who arrived in full Imperial regalia whilst standing atop a palanquin borne by two dozen Death Corps guards. The gathered guest stood, cheered, and applauded with falsified vigour and enthusiasm, while Song inwardly rolled her eyes at the silly games. Those poor Death Corps soldiers, forced to lift the Legates palanquin high above their heads so that at no point would the Imperial Scion ever be standing below anyone else in the banquet hall, including the elevated guests of honour. Stepping off his palanquin and directly onto the stage, the Legate took a few minutes to smile and allowed the honoured guests to greet him one by one, while his Death Corps guards circled around and placed the palanquin on top of the stage in a central position. The black-armoured guards then proceeded to move the Legates table back and away from the other honoured guests and onto the palanquin, using it as an impromptu dais to elevate his position even more.Which more than anything showed that while Central Nobles enjoyed playing games of politics, Imperial Scions lived and breathed them.On a lesser note, this made Song feel a little better about Rains Death Corps guards moving his table, since no one would dare complain now that the Legate had done the same. Intentional or coincidental, Song could not say, and she likely wasnt the only one pondering this particular matter. Unperturbed by the whispers of the crowd, the Legate and Rains greeting went by without incident, at which point the Imperial Scion sauntered back over to his palanquin and stepped up to give a long and inspiring speech. Thank you for coming, formidable heroes of the Empire, defending borders and standing strong, a quick reference to the Empires storied history, and so on and so forth, the speech touched on many of the same notes as the Legates speech in Nan Ping, only tailored for a more elite audience. Oddly enough, Song found it strange how she remembered his first speech as being so utterly inspiring, while this one felt rather lacking in comparison. How, she couldnt say, because he was certainly well-spoken and charismatic enough, but this time, there was something different, something missing, something which made it more insipid than inspiring. A quick scan around showed that almost everyone else was entranced by the banal rhetoric, save for maybe Mila, Yan, and Alsantset who were too preoccupied to notice, and Rain and Dastan who were exchanging inquiring glances on stage.Perhaps this was the mystical, Aura-like ability Rain brought up every so often when trying to understand Luo-Luos musical abilities, but why wasnt Song affected this time around?Making a note to ask Rain about it later, Song patted Princesss head and tried to soothe the weasel-bears nerves, as shed reverted to snarling and growling once more. A shame, but at least it wasnt loud, though Song could feel the weasel-bears torso vibrating through the thick leather bag, and her fur bristled so much it felt like petting a pincushion. Truth be told, it didnt take much to set Princess off, but she seemed especially angry at this particular moment, matched only by her rage whenever Rain tried to pet her. Thankfully, Princess was a forgiving soul who rarely followed up on her threats, and she settled down as the Legates speech concluded and the audience responded with thunderous applause.Maybe the weasel-bear just liked loud, tumultuous noises, and her growling was something to fill the silence...The moment the Legates speech concluded, the room burst into a flurry of motion as dozens of ensconced doors swung open to reveal lines of servants pushing small handcarts. The servants standing along the walls joined their cart-laden comrades to deliver the first course of tonights banquet, a fragrant dish of juicy jumbo prawns and lobster noodles topped with steamed bamboo shoots, braised tofu, and succulent, savoury mushrooms. It seemed rather wasteful to have three servants deliver a single plate, one to push the cart, one to set the table, and one to place the meal, but seeing how quick and efficient they were, Song could hardly complain.A shame Rains table was so far away, because he hated mushrooms and Song was always happy to take them off his hands, but now Luo-Luo was the sole beneficiary of his picky eating habits...According to Teacher Du, the first course was the signal to start what he called the caterwauling phase of the night. While Song nibbled on her delicious prawns, she watched a steady stream of guests make their way up to stand in front of the stage, where they stopped to bow, grovel, and bootlick the Legate and all the guests of honour in turn before retreating to their seats at the back of the banquet hall. It was considered gauche and impolite to use Chi in the course of these dialogues, whether it be through Sending or Speaking, but that didnt stop these lesser-ranked guests from shouting to be heard. Not just by the guests of honour, but also by the rest of the audience, who of course came in after them and wouldnt have heard the Heralds introduction.All in all, the caterwauling phase was an apt name, for they were like feral cats screeching into the night in hopes of attracting someones attention.Since Sister Mila only needed minimal supervision whilst eating, Song kept a close eye on the caterwauling callers. Most were individuals of middling status, from Lieutenant Colonels to Lieutenant Marshals, and they all behaved like they existed on the bottom rungs of society, which only proved that this banquet hall was packed to the brim with Imperial aristocrats. Most guests received little more than a nod or a smile from the guests of honour, busy as they were eating the first course, but Rain had placed his meal aside and was doing a passable job interacting with them. They didnt seem to know how to react to such a warm greeting, and most seemed wary of his intentions. Eventually, after hearing no less than eight guests profess shock and loudly proclaim how they had nothing to do with Falling Rain or the Bekhai, Song finally caught on to the game. By appearing friendly with these guests, Rain was making their backers in the audience wonder if their lackeys were as loyal as they thought, though Song was almost certain he hadnt thought that far ahead. Seeing the discarded shells of the prawns and lobster so neatly stacked atop his plate, she surmised Rain didnt like the noodles, but also didnt want to be seen picking at his food in idle boredom. The conversation was probably his way of being polite, as well as an excuse to look busy and ignore his food.Would it be impolite to walk over and take his plate away? There were still plenty of mushrooms and tofu left to be eaten, not to mention the delicious, stir-fried noodles themselves...The caterwauling continued throughout the second course, a succulent selection of roasted suckling pig, fragrant-oil infused chicken, and grilled garlic beef spare-ribs which Song devoured with delight. She shared some with Princess too, but the weasel-bear didnt care much for anything cooked, salted, smoked, or spoiled, which was why Song jokingly picked the name for her in the first place. Princess wanted only the finest cuts of raw, freshly slaughtered meat, and would turn her nose up at anything else, unless there was honey involved. Then she would grunt with inelegant enthusiasm and paw away at Songs hands in demand that she share the delicious treat.That was how she knew Princess had a sweet and kind soul, always so gentle with her sharp talons and powerful jaws...As the third course arrived, a savoury birds-nest soup, the lower-ranked guests finished their rounds and it was time for the mid-ranked guests to approach the stage. This would go on for the bulk of the courses, as these mid-ranked guests were less important than the guests of honour, but many wielded comparable power to Marshals and Colonel Generals. This meant they could hardly be expected to queue up just to greet the guests of honour, so they came one at a time, in an order determined by the Legates Seneschal, who played his part perfectly while running back and forth all night. Had Rain not identified him as Solitary Sword Zhang Jun Bao, Song would have never imagined that the Legates scholarly and docile seneschal had once defeated Teacher Du in their youth.How many others were like Zhang Jun Bao, former top talents of the outer provinces now working as Imperial attendants? Was this what the Legate had planned for Rain? If so, then perhaps the Legate should thank Rain for turning down his offer, because no amount of training could ever make Falling Rain as humble and obedient as the Seneschal, or teach him how to still his expressions around company...Unfortunately, it didnt matter. From watching Kyung fight, Song learned that if her opponent did not leave himself vulnerable, then she would just have to make him vulnerable.Like so many times before, she opened the battle with a quick-draw attack, her sabre scything out of the sheath in Tiger Swipes the Rushes. Matching aggression with more aggression, countering strength with more strength, Song put everything she had into this opening exchange, as shed seen Kyung do multiple times on the battlefield not five days past. For two years, shed wondered about where her Martial Path was supposed to lead, and her doubts and apprehensions had blinded her to the truth.The bamboo grove granted her no compulsive Insights, because she had yet to make use of the Insights she already possessed.Tiger Swipes the Rushes, a simple Movement, yet infinitely complex. To optimize the simple slash, there were three muscle groups to selectively Reinforce, five different timings at which she could Amplify her motions, nine different push-pull interactions to carry out, and seventeen pivot points upon which to accelerate. There might be more to the Movement, but this was the sum total of everything she knew and understood about it, so she put everything she had into this opening move, while leaving herself wholly open to a counter.Sabre met spear in a crash of steel, and sabre won.Feet lifted off the ground from the forceful impact, Tetsudos torso spun a full circle once, twice, and a third time before finally toppling to the ground. To his credit, he kept a firm enough hold on his spear so it slid across the ground, rather than shooting out of his hand like Song expected. She even angled her attack to send the Spiritual Weapon up at the roof so as not to injure anyone in the crowd, but her opponent was more tenacious than expected, a good reminder not to underestimate anyone taking part in tonights proceedings. Unable to push himself up with two broken arms, Tetsudo flopped onto his back and stared at Song in palpable horror, unable to comprehend how she put so much strength into a single, seemingly casual, one-handed swing of her sabre.The answer? Mastery of the Forms. Ryo Dain touted on about the benefits and held her father up as a shining example of their effectiveness, but Teacher Du had long since known the same. He taught Kyung how to tap into the hidden strengths of the Tiger Form, and those same secrets had been passed on to Song, but not in any discernible way, for there was more to it than simply following the motions or the placement of ones feet. It was about the rhythm of movement and breathing, the flow between push and pull, the measure of speed and distance, the combination of tension and slack. There were a thousand details to note, but most could only be learned through experience and repetition, and for years now, Song had ignored the fruits of her lessons.But not anymore. Teacher Du had already given Song all the tools she needed to excel, which was exactly what Mama, Tursinai, and so many others tried to tell her. All Song needed to do was take the time to familiarize herself with what she already possessed and learn how to use her tools in her own unique way....Well, that and follow through with her strikes. That was one major reason why she kept failing to create a new combination attack, because like Rain said, she kept trying to condense the four movements into one, when she should have instead created a new attack from the four movements. She still had a long way to go before succeeding in that endeavour, but today, in front of the highest echelons of nobility, she demonstrated that Li Song of the Bekhai, was a warrior worthy of the Khishigs.Pride, joy, glee, and desire bubbled up from within, and Song wished Mama and Papa were here to see her. They werent though, so instead, she would give them a story worth hearing, one they could listen to time and time again. Reversing her grip on her sabre, she offered Tetsudo a salute before offering the same to the stunned, silent crowd. Is there anyone else who would like to compare notes?Thankfully, pride was plentiful amongst young elites, and Song spotted several eager opponents, but it took some time for them to sort out their pecking order and send out their weakest. Paying no attention to their names, she crossed blades with her opponents one after the other, each time using a different Movement from before. Shed spent the last few days practising these Movements, but practise was not the same as sparring, and sparring not the same as a life and death battle. Since she couldnt go out and challenge someone to a fight to the death, she couldnt afford to waste this opportunity to hone her skills as she defeated her opponents one by one in a single move each. Killing Lunge, Reverse the Flow, Fanged Clutch, and Twitching Tail, she didnt just emulate Kyungs actions on that stormy night, but she made those Movements her own, and her opponents were far too weak to block even a single attack.Until one did, stopping Sharpening Claws with Greet the Moon, and Songs heart soared with joy at having met a worthy foe.There was no scramble to block his counter because Song knew there would be none. That was the beauty of Teacher Dus style, because so long as you forced your opponent to block, then there was no room to counter, as you were both still reeling from the exchange. Therefore the trick lay in recovering before your opponent did, and Song was well prepared with her next move, for it had long since been ingrained in her reflexes through rote repetition. Stepping back to make room, she feigned a retreat and struck even as her opponents mind was registering the opportunity, and that brief, almost imperceptible moment of hesitation was what made this Pounce Upon the Lamb so effective.Pounce upon a tiger and you would be met with fang and claw, but a scared lamb? Ha.Again, her foe surprised her by weathering the attack, and Song finally took a moment to acknowledge this worthy opponent. Ishin Ken-Kichi, twenty-seven years old, his handsome face twisted in a mixture of anger and surprise. Good, good. Baring her teeth in a feral grin, she fell into the rhythm of battle and unleashed a devastating combination of attacks, using the right Movements at the right moments and picking new ones as circumstances dictated. It was exactly what Rain said she did, only now she recognized it, and as she pushed Ken-Kichi back, the heady rush of accomplishment threatened to overwhelm her senses, but she bore down on her exultation and focused on the matter at hand.Ken-Kichi fought with two swords, one long and slender, the other short and stout. It was this second sword which proved the problem, light and agile enough to reposition while offering a significant advantage in defensive leverage, allowing him to block her attacks while expending the bare minimum amount of strength. That was his plan, to stretch this battle out and outlast her, so by all rights Song should pull back to moderate her pace. Shed fought six... no, seven matches already, while Ken-Kichi was fresh and had time to study her, but Song was too excited to slow down, even to rest. Single sabre against dual swords, she battered away at his defences in search of weakness and opportunity as he tried and failed to dance away from her offensive. Spotting her chance, she drew her sabre back for a thrust and -Froze and faltered as a dizzying wave of fear and panic shook Song to her core.Aura, a small, calm part of her mind explained. This was Aura, disappearing as quickly as it arrived, but a split second of hesitation was all Ken-Kichi needed to strike. His longsword arced towards her neck and his lips parted in a smile, eyes burning with smug superiority as he put a mere slave in her place. He meant to kill her here, timed it perfectly with his short, directed burst of Aura, a trick he no doubt used many times before.But never against Li Song, Khishig of the Bekhai, else he would know a split second was far from enough.Steeling her nerves, she committed herself to the thrust and told him as much with her gaze, willing to trade blow for blow and life for life. Their eyes locked and her grim determination crashed headlong into his pompous, self-absorbed ego, and she knew he would not make this trade. The longsword changed course to intercept her sabre, and both lives were spared, but Song was not yet finished. Without thinking, she retracted her sabre, and again she drew back for a thrust, taunting him, baiting him to use the same move again. Recognition flashed in his eyes, and his sneer returned in full force, this time filled with shame and anger from his brief brush with death. She taught him to fear her, and he hated her for it, so now he must kill her, lest his shame consume him whole.Panic threatened to submerge her beneath its troubled waves as Ken-Kichi unleashed his Aura once more, but this time Song met it with righteous fury and unmitigated wrath. This was a battle of equals, and he dishonoured it with his tricks and deceit, but she would not stand for it. Courage met Panic and quashed it flat as Songs Aura Condensed into being, and her sabre shot out towards Ken-Kichis throat.There it was, the same panic she just felt, only this time, she saw it etched into his startled expression. His sword hurtled towards her neck, but unlike last time, her sabre would reach him first. Time slowed to a crawl he moved through a multitude of emotions while trying to process what they both knew. Shock, denial, anger, grief, regret, and finally, acceptance, for there would be no exchange, not this time, because hed been bested by a better warrior.And though she yearned to drive the blade home, Song stopped her thrust short, her sabres rounded point kissing the skin of his neck without drawing a single drop of blood. For long seconds she stood there with her blade to his throat, telling him she could have easily ended his life had she wanted to. Then she stepped back out of his range, sheathed her weapon, and waited for him to do the same, before finally offering him a polite salute.She had bested him today, and that was insult enough.But someone else didnt agree. Ladies and gentlemen, Rain said, his voice carrying clearly over the shocked silence of the crowd, I present to you my Senior Aunt Li Song, Expert of the Empire and Khishig of the Bekhai.The polite applause drowned out anything else he might have said, but considering how venomous his words could be, this was probably for the best. Song had gone to so much effort sparing the despicable Ken-Kichis life to keep this conflict from growing out of hand, shed hate to waste it all and kill him because of something Rain said.Then again, the night was young and there were plenty of matches still ahead...Chapter Meme
