Chapter 39 - The House Of Fa

Against even my worst predictions, we arrived at the western border without further trouble. Yet, I still felt tense and I probably wouldn’t rest until I saw Master Fa.

We made a beeline to the Fa family estate and were received by the man himself who, while looking older as the last time I saw him, did not really appear his age.

Min, of course, greeted the old man with familiarity while I stood back. When the man’s eyes turned to me, I went to one knee and cupped my fist in salute “This Shen Mu greets Master Fa and wishes him a happy birthday.”

I heard the man chuckle, and he returned his salute, after which he pulled me to my feet to look me over. “This master is glad to see his student has not been slacking off.”

“Never, master. Never.” I smiled. It was a ritualistic joke between us. Unlike most of his other students, I was the first one in the dojo and the last to leave. Sometimes he had to drag me away from practice to study or do something else.

After me, Master Fa greeted Ling warmly, even patting her head when she smiled for him.

We moved inside the state and were directed to a room where we sat and waited for Min’s mei-mei to appear, while Ling and I were introduced to Master Fa’s older son and Min’s father, Fa Ning.

“We are very pleased to receive his majesty in our house,” Min’s father said with a bow. I know it was proper etiquette, but it felt strange to be greeted with such formality by someone with the last name Fa. “I hope your trip went well?”

The following silence was so deafening that one could probably hear the sun hitting the walls outside.

I looked at my companions and discovered that they were both looking at me.

Damn.

Oh well, here goes nothing.

I sighed and gave them an abridged version of our troubles.

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Master Fa was pensive while his son fumed.

Min had excused himself from the room, wanting to look for his wayward mei-mei, who apparently wasn’t at the manor at the time of our arrival.

And, since we had been assigned rooms, I had sent Ling to oversee them and to rest for the remainder of the day.

So now it was only the three of us inside the room.

My master had asked for the complete version of our adventure and I complied, which led to their current moods.

After a few more minutes, Fa Ning sighed “I am glad that you have not been bothered while in our province. Still, I shall approach General Bai tomorrow about that.”

On hearing that name, my eyes widened. I had almost forgotten that I had yet another friend in this province! One that I was rather keen to see again.

“How is General Bai’s daughter?”

Both men noticed my eagerness and smiled “does the Prince know her?”

I nodded. “Although I have not seen her in years, we exchanged correspondence for a while.”

“Is that so?” in my eagerness, I failed to read Ning’s curious smile.

“We met during my first Spring Competition.”

Master Fa nodded sagely “People call her ‘the beauty of the west’. And she is indeed a sight. We scarcely cross paths, but… Ning, why don’t you take my apprentice with you tomorrow? I am sure both youngsters will be glad to see each other.”

Min’s father frowned for a moment, but after a pointed glare from his father, he acquiesced.

We made plans for the following morning and I was sent to take a bath and rest while Master Fa sent a servant to town, to fetch the best tailor. If I was meeting general Bai and his daughter the next day, I had to dress the part.

After a bath and dressing in higher quality clothes that I had to borrow from Min, I was introduced to the pearl of the state: Fa Mei Lan.

She was the fiancée of a general I had seen once or twice at the palace but never interacted with. I congratulated her on her engagement but was far more curious about her tea because Min had prattled all about how it was all he looked forward to when he visited the estate.

I got a nice lesson about tea and an even nicer cup of beverage. It was indeed everything Min had said and more.

After that first cup, I bowed to learn to do it myself, and she was more than a little flustered by my interest.

When my Master heard about it, he fell to the floor laughing.

He knew.

He knew the trouble his granddaughter was in, now that I was obsessed over something.