Volume One: The Monarch’s Decree Chapter Seven: Old Debts, New Lines

Banner City, Spring Delight Pavilion—renowned throughout the Southern Wilds. Its fame relied on the silver-tongued madam, ever-changing courtesans, and young women versed in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. All who passed through left behind heavy purses of gold and silver.

Some earned their keep with strength, others with cunning. To the average eye, the Spring Delight Pavilion was the perfect place for wine and pleasure; yet behind its dazzling façade, it served as the Holy Sovereign Hall's listening post.

When Liu Xiaoyi was tricked and dragged into the main hall, he saw the four-sided pavilion, its corners draped with red cloth, and a gaudy crimson flower at the center. He was seized by a wave of dizziness.

Damn it! Wake up! The brothel girls, many of them his own age, wore scant clothing that revealed their charms, vying to entice the guests into their chambers.

As soon as Liu Xiaoyi collapsed onto the soft, floral bed, someone quietly closed the door, brewed a fresh pot of tea, and brought it to his side. "Young Master Liu, it's our first meeting. If there's anything displeasing, please tell Yuan'er."

The girl was lovely, seemingly even younger than himself, with a tender, inexperienced look in her eyes.

When Liu Xiaoyi remained unmoved, Yuan'er leaned over and began to undress. "It's my first time, please be gentle with me..."

"Water, is there any more water?" Liu Xiaoyi’s throat felt parched. The moment he entered, he’d noticed a strange fragrance and quickly held his breath—brothels often used aphrodisiacs to stir emotions.

Yuan'er poured another cup of tea, which he downed in a single gulp. Unsteadily, he got up and opened the window. The cool air quickly cleared his head.

As a martial artist, he was resilient—the effects of the wine soon faded. Outside was the brothel's rear courtyard, off limits to ordinary guests.

Taking advantage of the open window, he flipped out and dropped into the flowerbeds below. Yuan'er cried out, "Young Master Liu! Something’s wrong! Someone fell from the window!"

But looking outside, there was no sign of Liu Xiaoyi. He’d cushioned his fall in the flowers and rolled to his feet, just as he heard several men whispering near the wall.

"Tonight at midnight, we make our move. Everyone gets killed except the young lady—is that clear?"

"And if that man is there, what do we do?"

Inside the room, a band of thieves seemed to be plotting. Suddenly, something fell outside the window. A burly, fierce-looking man poked his head out, but failed to spot Liu Xiaoyi crouched below.

"That’s enough talk. Experts from headquarters will handle that man. This mission must not fail. Remember, you must not harm the young lady!"

Liu Xiaoyi didn’t catch which family would be attacked. He wanted to listen further, but the voices fell silent, likely as the thieves went to rest before their deed.

Just as he was about to stand, an uproar broke out in the main hall.

"Liu Xiaoyi, come out here! Liu Xiaoyi, get out here!" Xue Yiran forced her way in past the commotion, the madam anxiously stamping her feet.

"My lady, could you please take this somewhere else?" Before the madam could finish, Liu Xiaoyi walked out of the corridor. "Miss Xue, let me explain—"

Smack! Xue Yiran’s hand landed squarely on his cheek, tears shimmering at the corners of her eyes. Beside her, Yu Wenwan said nothing, searching her heart for some reason to defend him.

"Shameless! I’ll report this to my father. You’d best behave yourself!" Xue Yiran spun away, several young gentlemen outside the brothel whistling and waving at her.

Young Master Liao, his vengeance complete, hummed a tune as he strolled home to his lofty pavilion.

Seated in the carriage, the driver turned the horses away from the academy. Only then did Xue Yiran break down and cry, not knowing why the tears came.

Yu Wenwan, left behind, heard the brothel girls jeering and felt lost. The madam, seeing that the main troublemaker had gone, put her hands on her hips and flung her sleeves: "Take this man away! If you can’t keep your own wife in line, next time I won’t be so polite!"

Shoved and pushed, the two were thrown outside. "You didn’t do this on purpose, did you?" Yu Wenwan finally recalled the young masters they’d run into earlier.

"Young Master Liao—it must have been Liao Ming, out for revenge over his precious sword. I’ll go with you and explain to Ran-mei!"

She knew well enough why Xue Yiran was angry. When it came to feelings, even sisters couldn’t be trusted.

The youth before her was her lifeline, her way out of the family—she couldn’t let him go.

Liu Xiaoyi’s cheek burned from the slap. He hadn’t even entered the martial world and already stumbled badly. Never drink recklessly, never eat carelessly.

He remembered now: his father never drank, nor did Xia Liang; at most, they ate simple meals at the restaurant next door.

"I don’t want to see you! Go away!" Xue Yiran slammed her door, refusing to let him in.

Yu Wenwan dragged him into her own small courtyard, which, to his surprise, was equipped with racks of weapons and training stones.

"If she doesn’t want you, all the better for me. Brother Liu, can you take me away from here? I want to see the world." Yu Wenwan pleaded.

After a day of barging into girls’ chambers, Liu Xiaoyi was wary of perfumes, and kept his distance from Yu Wenwan. "Miss Yu, it’s dangerous outside. Home is safest. If I had a home, I wouldn’t be in this state."

The courtyard was silent, save for the wind in the trees. Yu Wenwan, usually lively and charming, now sat quietly beside Liu Xiaoyi.

"I could give you a home," she whispered, leaning her soft body against him. Gao Zhen, sipping water nearby, nearly choked, coughing violently.

"Let’s not speak of this again. Something will happen in Banner City tonight." Listening to the watchman’s drum, with less than an hour to midnight, Gao Zhen vaulted onto the roof beam. "Stay inside. Don’t come out unless I call."

Yu Wenwan stomped her foot in annoyance. "I’m so beautiful, and you won’t even have me! Hmph!" She slammed her door and sat sulking on the bed.

From the roof beam, Liu Xiaoyi had a clear view of the broad street and the nearby family compounds.

The midnight watch sounded; nothing seemed amiss. Had the thieves not meant tonight?

Just then, flames erupted from the Xue family’s inner court, followed by the sounds of fighting. Lanterns blazed to life in succession, and from the central court to the Yu family, countless thieves invaded, setting the Xue estate ablaze.

Liu Xiaoyi tightened his clothes, loosened his sword from its scabbard, and moved nimbly across the roof tiles without a sound.

Some members of the Xue family put up a fierce resistance. Liu Xiaoyi even glimpsed the family head, sword in hand, locked in combat with the invaders—likely the same lot as those from Eastern Embankment.

Just as he prepared to act, he caught sight of a familiar figure at the central courtyard gate—a round-faced man with no left eyebrow and a large nose, this time without a mask.

The puppet master! Liu Xiaoyi’s hand trembled on the sword hilt—he was no match for him.

Lost in thought, he stepped on two tiles, which shattered loudly. The puppet master’s cold gaze swept over, but found no one.

After their failure at the Eastern Embankment, the Holy Sovereign Hall dispatched him to ensure success. "Disciples, make it quick—kill anyone who stands in the way, except for the young lady!"

Hidden in the shadows, Liu Xiaoyi watched as dozens of black-robed puppets flew in, cutting down the family guards like wheat. Even the Xue family head fell in a pool of blood.

A total massacre. In the end, Liu Xiaoyi dared not intervene—he was too afraid of the puppet master.

The fight quickly ended. Liu Xiaoyi snuck through the training ground into the inner courtyard, hastily packed his belongings, and strapped them to his back just as chaos erupted nearby.

He wanted to save Xue Yiran, but it was too late. He could only run to the Yu family, where he found Yu Wenwan at the gate, listening for trouble.

"Pack your things. Come with me!" Liu Xiaoyi said, voice tense. Yu Wenwan grabbed her small bundle from the table—she’d been prepared to flee.

There was a curfew at night in Banner City, the gates tightly shut. Liu Xiaoyi hid with her beside a vendor’s stall, waiting for dawn.

"Why did you change your mind? Is it because I’m too pretty?"

"They’re all dead. I don’t want you to die," Liu Xiaoyi replied, his right hand trembling through the night. Not until the fifth watch, when the gates opened, did he hear the cries of early merchants.

The Xue and Yu families had been reduced to ashes by the flames. None survived—their bodies burned beyond recognition.

Tears streamed down Yu Wenwan’s face at the street corner. The fire still raged, smoke rising in the distance.

"You knew last night, didn’t you?"

"I did."

"Why didn’t you save them? You’re so strong!"

"There was a master. I couldn’t win."

Yu Wenwan’s eyes glazed over. She let herself be led, dazed, toward the city gate. "What’s the point of your sword?"

"Once a sword is broken, it can never be restored."

"What about Ran-mei? She saved you! You didn’t save her—why me?"

She tore herself from his grasp, sobbing as she ran, but he seized her, swung her onto his back, and carried her out the city gate toward the vast wilderness.

Another name added to my list of debts.