The villagers had been grateful and some a little terrified of the Xia that had casually summoned the dead and fought a demon without breaking a sweat. The celebration that followed did a lot to ease those nerves, as well as both sides of the village finally talking to each other to complain about both traitors in the way of all people who 'knew they'd been a bad egg all along'.

  Flowing Silk had managed not to roll his eyes. As much as it was clearly blatant falsehood, at least they were talking. Sheng was starting conversations and breaking down boundaries like a professional. On finding out that Flowing Silk knew how to play mahjong he abruptly found himself in games with the elders of both sides discussing the differences between traditional mahjong and riichi mahjong from the Diamond Isles.

  The usual tradition for Xia hospitality was giving the Xia a room for the night in exchange for small tasks and this village was no exception. When the celebration eventually died down the group retreated to their free room for the night and were finally able to take advantage of the privacy to swap all the details of their respective quests that they hadn't managed to cover earlier.

  Flowing Silk sighed and rubbed his eyes, "I feel like I'm back in magistrate training with a list of evidence that doesn't make sense. So we have two different sets of masked attackers, one of which is Dom Mak's and the other the Red Devils?"

  "And the heretical sorcerers we found here wanted starmetal." Xiong stated, "It does not take much to connect the two."

  "But the star clearly wasn't here." Flowing Silk pointed out, "If these two were the people the star was intended for, then what happened to it?"

  The group were silent for a moment before Sheng spoke up, "The red devil masked people - do you know why they were after you?"

  Flowing Silk frowned in thought, "I have tangled with them before when a former companion of mine was on the trail of the Eye of the Unborn Serpent, so it could be that they held a grudge? I think they were mostly trying to steal these." He indicated the wheels on his back in their sheath, "I don't know how they knew they were an artefact of the Pure Flame, but if they went after the Eye as well then they could just be amassing powerful artefacts."

  Xiong snorted, "They wouldn't need to know they were an artefact. Anyone sensitive to flows of chi would know that they were special."

  Oh. Right. Yes. Flowing Silk tried not to wince. Sheng drummed his fingers on the table, "Then what if it was a mix up? There are many tunnels in the cliffs we found you in, and all we heard was that they had 'him' trapped in the caves. If they were just following chi from powerful artefacts, is it possible that they found the person with the Star instead?"

  The two young men looked at Sheng in surprise before Xiong gave a huff that was almost a laugh. "Thieves stealing from thieves, the irony."

  "A spirit sheltered me inside their sanctum, so the trail from the wheels would have vanished." Flowing Silk added, "It's definitely plausible."

  "So we need to be following rumours of the red devil masks now?" Xiong grumbled, "I suppose the person we were originally following is dead in those caves then. It would explain how no-one had seen him after we reached the town."

  Flowing Silk gave a faint smile, "All we're doing is swapping one lead for another. If you would allow me to travel with you then I can check with the spirit I met about what happened in the caves."

  Sheng bowed his head slightly, "If you could do then then we would be greatly indebted to you, Wise one."

  Flowing Silk shook his head, "No, it would be repaying you for saving me. If you hadn't appeared when you did then I would have been where your thief is now. Also if the red devil masks are hunting any powerful artefact they can get their hands on then I am in greater danger than I thought."

  The old man nodded, "I agree, it might be safer for you to travel with us for a while." He looked at Flowing Silk and found that the man's eyes were far sharper than he'd expected, "If it wouldn't inconvenience your quest, that is."

  Flowing Silk nodded swiftly. That was not a look you disobeyed. It wasn't the same as the kind of authority priests used, but this was a man who was used to being obeyed. "I would be honoured to accompany you. All things in the Tao are connected, and I would not be surprised if our paths crossed for a reason." Flowing Silk smiled, "Besides, travelling is easier when you walk with friends."

  Xiong gave him a look, clearly expressing his doubt in them being friends yet. Flowing Silk attempted to hide a smile, "If you do not want to travel with me then that's fine, but this helps all of us. If the red devils are hunting me or the wheels then we can use that to track them back to their bases, your star and the Eye of the Unborn Serpent."

  "It is a sound plan." Sheng agreed, "But would you really be happy with being bait in that way, Wise One?"

  Flowing Silk chuckled, "It would not be the first time, Honoured Elder, and if it gets everyone closer to their goal then why would I not? Especially if I have backup waiting."

  There was reluctant respect in Xiong's expression when he nodded, "Never threaten my Grandfather again, priest, and we'll be fine."

  Flowing Silk bowed, "Easily done, and I apologise if I was sharp in response to the alcoholic fire breathing, but I do not believe any member of a martial arts school would be able to easily tolerate that kind of insult. Much like how you cannot tolerate insults to your family."

  Xiong huffed again, "I suppose I can accept that. Very well."

  Sheng beamed, "Excellent! And now it will be far easier to light a fire for my tea."

  That, of all things, was enough to lighten the mood. Flowing Silk laughed and Xiong sighed in well-hidden despair.

  For a moment Flowing Silk felt like he was back at home with his Guardian, the old man asking him to heat the teapot so that they could avoid using as much firewood. Flowing Silk bowed deeply, "I would be happy to oblige, Honoured Elder. Thank you for allowing me to join you."

  With the important conversations done the events of the day started to catch up to the Xia. As the group started to prepare for bed Flowing Silk turned over potential questions in his head. The first night with a new group of travelling companions was always a little awkward, but it was something that Flowing Silk enjoyed - learning the habits and preferred watch patterns so that they didn't irritate each other. Flowing Silk in particular knew that he needed to keep his bedroll a little further away from others so that he didn't accidentally end up cuddling anyone in his sleep.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Which watch do you two prefer to take?" Flowing Silk offered, "I tend to go for dawn as I'm usually up early to practice my taolus."

  "Whichever." Xiong said bluntly.

  Flowing Silk covered a wince. Either Xiong was still holding a bit of a grudge or he was grouchier than normal when tired.

  Sheng, on the other hand gave a wide smile, "Ah, ensuring a harmonious journey early, hm? Do you snore?"

  "It seemed practical. Sleeping and waking up are the most likely parts of a day to cause arguments between travelling companions." Flowing Silk found himself protesting. "And no, I don't snore."

  "There speaks the voice of experience." Sheng huffed, "Unfortunately for you, I do. How long did you say you'd been travelling as Xia?"

  "Two years, Honoured Elder." the priest responded. "With three groups of Xia companions before you, not counting when I've hitched a ride with merchant caravans."

  Sheng nodded, "That explains it. I think we'll be fine to not have watches tonight given we're at an inn, but I generally take first watch. Easier for me to only have to fall asleep and wake up once."

  "That is entirely reasonable." Flowing Silk agreed, "What about cooking? I'm good at making tea, but for meals I'm better used for the fire than the food. I can maintain a fire for long enough to not need firewood for a meal, though I will be hungrier afterward."

  "Useful for if we can't find any wood that will catch." Sheng mused, "Luckily both I and Xiong are serviceable cooks, though he is better than I am."

  Xiong straightened under the praise, but studied Flowing Silk thoughtfully, "Can you get hot enough to be a forge by yourself?"

  He really should have expected that from a blacksmith, "Not by myself, but I did train using a forge. My Sifu is a Yinghao."

  The man nodded in perfect understanding, "That explains it. No student of a Yinghao doesn't know how a forge works."

  "And no blacksmith doesn't ask a Pure Flame student that." Flowing Silk pointed out, "Where are you from?"

  "I'm the main blacksmith for the Golden Apple Valley." Xiong explained, "It's not a big town, but there's plenty of work to be done from the more isolated farms in the valley. Our forge is bigger than the tiny village ones so they sometimes come to use it themselves."

  That made sense. "So they can handle nails and repairs but not, say, making things new?"

  The large man nodded, "Yes. Where are you from, Wise One, that you don't know how village blacksmiths work?"

  Flowing Silk laughed guiltily, "I'm afraid I'm city folk, we're rather spoiled for blacksmiths and merchants. Specifically I'm a Temple orphan, Golden Phoenix."

  Xiong looked clueless, but Sheng's face lit with realisation, "Ah, that explains your name. Is it the ribbon you use to tie your hair?"

  The priest nodded, his hand going to it, "It was used to tie my swaddle."

  "I'm impressed it lasted so long." Sheng commented before turning to his grandson, "You see it more often in the big cities, but sometimes families who can't raise a child will leave them with a temple. It's not a glamourous life, but it is a guaranteed career and food, which is more than some families can give."

  Flowing Silk nodded, "Giving up a child is never an easy thing to do, but if it is a choice between the child you love living out of reach or dying in your arms…" he trailed off.

  "I know that I could never have made that choice with my daughter." Sheng said sadly, "Yet I may as well have done given I missed so much of her life due to war."

  Xiong looked at his Grandfather's crestfallen expression and swiftly redirected the conversation, "So Temple orphans are named for something they are left with?"

  "Exactly. It's not that different from most commoners given they're usually named for significant objects, omens or events when they're born. It's just that when we're 'born' happens a little bit later." Flowing Silk added with a shrug before tilting his head curiously, "Your names are just as unusual, though. Shenmi isn't from the empire, and usually only Nobles have names that use high characters like yours rather than low like mine."

  Sheng laughed, "I was born in the Empire but my parents were from the island chain far to the south. They were the equivalent of a noble family from there, but an inheritance dispute turned bloody. My parents insisted on using high characters to honour their lineage even though they stuck out like a sore thumb among all the commoners."

  "Your deeds certainly earned enough respect that no-one questions it now." Xiong said firmly, "No-one has ever called me or any of my family pretentious, not in my hearing."

  Sheng sighed, "The power of propaganda."

  "The appropriate reward for your honourable actions." Xiong countered.

  Flowing Silk could recognise an old argument when he heard one and knew that choosing a side was a bad plan. "Both statements can be true." the priest pointed out, causing both Shenmis to look at him in surprise, "Sometimes things are deliberately spread, its true, but that doesn't mean they're incorrect. If all news were bad then people's morale would be broken."

  Sheng raised an eyebrow, "You're not wrong, no-one would go to war if they knew the truth of it, no matter how necessary it was."

  Flowing Silk had seen that expression too often on people coming to the temple. That was grief, the pain of everything you'd known crumbling out from underneath you. He crossed the room before he thought the better of it, sitting next to Sheng on the bed like this were the benches in the Temple courtyard, as if he were just anyone rather than one of the Empire's most well known heroes.

  …Perhaps that was part of the problem. Everyone in the Empire looked up to Sheng as a hero and tactical genius. The Empire - and possibly his family most of all - placed him on a pedestal as someone untouchable who could do no wrong and had no flaws.

  But Flowing Silk was a funerary priest. He had seen that the greatest noble and the lowest beggar were equal in their grief. He knew that everyone, when all else was stripped away, was only mortal.

  How many people had seen Sheng as a man instead of a legend?

  Flowing Silk rested his hand on Sheng's shoulder, starling the man out of his thoughts. "Forgive me if I am being presumptuous, but would you like to talk about those you lost?" Flowing Silk asked, open neutrality without judgement, "You don't have to if you don't want to, but I've found that it can help just to have someone listen."

  Sheng blinked up at him, temporarily speechless. After a moment he swallowed and spoke, voice wavering, "Of course you'd see, you're a funerary priest."

  Flowing Silk gave a wry smile, "Everyone needs to break occasionally, no matter how much society tells us not to bother others with our emotions. It is not only my job, but my honour to help people relieve their burdens. Please, let me help."

  Xiong settled on his grandfather's other side, "I agree, Grandfather. You told me the story of how you lost my grandmother, but I would love to listen to the stories of the others you commanded. If you hate the propaganda, let the truth of their lives be known instead."

  Sheng swallowed, looking between the two young men before his resistance crumbled. One tear, two. Silent droplets fell onto the old, battered, armour. "Do you have a incense stick?"

  The priest produced one without comment. Sheng stood to light it from a candle, then quietly held it between his hands, watching the smoke rise without speaking.

  It took him a full minute to find his voice. "Thank you."

  Flowing Silk relaxed, "You're welcome."

  —

  No-one commented when Flowing Silk mysteriously got the last of the bread loaf the next morning, and Sheng started to give him small bits of advice in the same way as he did Xiong. In return Flowing Silk made tea and when Sheng dragged them into yet another teashop it was Flowing Silk who met Xiong's gaze with amusement when he rolled his eyes.

  It felt like he was another grandchild travelling with them, Sheng's sense of humour remarkably close to his guardian's at points, almost allowing him to believe his adoptive father was with them. Xiong only being a year older than him helped reinforce the impression and both were eager to learn all they could from the old general.

  Flowing Silk much preferred this to his previous travelling companions. Much as it had been fun travelling in the company of friends, every Temple orphan dreamed of having a family and it had been far too long since Flowing Silk had been with his chosen family back in the Imperial City.

  Still, if Lagos' words were right soon the quest would be done and he would be able to go home. Doing exorcisms with Master Li, helping Star Anise back home when she was drunk and settling into the arms of his wonderful Ren.

  Soon he would be home, trading stories of their time apart over the clack of mahjong tiles, but until then, he'd cherish the feeling of being part of a family unit for as long as he could.

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