In the wide, cleared space that now served as the Black Wind Free School, the remnants of the Iron Snake Gang sat on the damp earth, a sullen and wary congregation of thirty-two men.

  Layla stood beside me, her weight resting on the polished wood of her crutches. She had insisted on being here, dressed in a simple but clean linen gown, her face pale but her gaze as sharp and steady as ever. On my other side, Wei Jin stood with his arms crossed. Our own men, the Wolves and the Escorts, formed a loose, watchful circle around the prisoners. They were dressed in their camp clothes, not armor, but the weapons at their belts were plainly visible.

  Further back, under the shade of a large pine, Lady Feng, Xiao Qi, and Lu Chengfeng observed the proceedings. Xiao Kai stood guard further on the flank.

  I waited for the last of their murmuring to die down, letting the silence stretch until every eye was on me.

  "My name is Zhang RuLin," I began, my voice even and carrying easily in the morning quiet “We are not an army. We are a private security company, licensed by the magistrate of ShanZhou and now JinNan."

  I let that sink in.

  "We are not in the habit of killing or enslaving prisoners."

  A collective sigh of relief, a rustle of shifting bodies, washed through the seated men.

  "That said," I continued after they quieted down, “You have two paths before you this day."

  "The first path is to join us. You will not be made slaves, but recruits. You will be placed in a probationary educational unit. You will undergo rigorous military training under Commander Wei. You will learn discipline, formation, and the proper way to serve a company that values order and honor."

  I then gestured to Layla. The men stared, their expressions a mixture of confusion and curiosity at the sight of the beautiful, but apparently crippled woman. "You will also be required to complete a course of basic education under the tutelage of Lady Layla and her team of instructors. This will include literacy, mathematics, and a study of the histories and customs of the Great Tang. If you have a trade, if you are a smith, a carpenter, or a leatherworker, you may choose to practice that instead of military training, provided it is a trade we need."

  A new wave of murmuring, this one filled with disbelief, swept through them. Before the confusion could curdle into suspicion, a figure rose from among the prisoners. As planned, it was Wang Er.

  "It's true," he said, but earnestly. He turned to face his comrades. "I was a bandit on Black Wind Ridge. I took the Master's offer." He squared his shoulders, a newfound pride in his bearing. "They teach you to fight as part of a unit, not a mob. And they teach you to write your own name. It's hard work. But it is a real offer."

  He sat back down, his piece said. The men looked at him, then back at me, and then to the rest of the Black Wind Cliff escorts who were nodding in agreement to Wang Er's speech.

  I reached down and hefted a heavy sack, the clink and jingle of coins cutting through the quiet.

  "The second path is for those who do not wish to join us. You may leave. Today. You will be given two hundred wen for your journey."

  This time, the silence was one of pure, stunned disbelief.

  "You will leave your weapons," I stated, my voice firm. "If you are undecided, you may ask your questions now."

  For a long moment, no one spoke. Then, a man with a scarred cheek and a cynical glint in his eye got to his feet. "What's the catch? Nobody gives away silver for free."

  I replied calmly. "We would rather pay you to leave than waste our resources trying to train someone who does not wish to be here. A man who serves only for fear of the lash is a liability, not an asset. As an escort company we also prefer to make friends rather than enemies where we can."

  "What's the pay?" another called out.

  "Recruits receive food, lodging, and a stipend of five hundred wen a month. Once you graduate from the probationary unit and become a full member of the Escorts, your pay will be raised to one thousand wen, with opportunities for promotion based on merit and skill. You will also keep a portion of any escort contract completed"

  There were a few more questions after that one. Finally, a burly man with a shaved head pushed himself to his feet. He spat on the ground.

  "I don't like it," he declared, his voice a low growl. "I'm a free man of the river. I don't take orders from anyone. I'll take the coin."

  I met his defiant gaze without blinking. "As you wish." I nodded and pulled a pre-counted string of coins and held it out to the bandit.

  The man took the money, his eyes darting around, clearly expecting a blade in his back. He then turned and walked toward the camp's main gate. He moved slowly at first, then faster, glancing over his shoulder every few steps. We simply watched him go. He reached the edge of the clearing, hesitated for one last moment, and then broke into a run, disappearing down the hill.

  The palpable tension in the air broke. Seeing that the offer was genuine, a dam of indecision burst. Nine other men scrambled to their feet, their choice made. They took their two hundred wen, and followed their former leader out of the camp, their faces a mixture of relief and lingering disbelief.

  That left twenty-two men still seated on the ground. They looked at each other, then at me. I confirmed with them if they wanted to stay and received nods in return.

  I formally handed the twenty-two new recruits over to Wei Jin and Layla. Wei Jin's stern demeanor was exactly the kind of authority these men understood, while Layla's quiet, intellectual presence seemed to thoroughly befuddle them. Xiao Qi ran over with a small field desk, a pencil in his hand, ready to take down their names for our company roster.

  “Form a single file line! State your name, place of birth, and any skills you possess,” Wei Jin announced.

  One by one, they stepped forward. As they registered, I saw some eyes drift towards Xiao Kai, who stood observing from a short distance away. A few of the men flinched, whispering to one another. One nudged his companion, muttering, “That's the one… the thing that took down the bosses.”

  Once the roster was complete, I assigned them into four groups, one to be mentored by and integrated into each of our existing squads. The veterans of the Black Wind Cliff Escorts, remembering their own beginnings, welcomed them with gruff handshakes and claps on the back.

  “Tonight, we celebrate,” I announced, my voice carrying over the clearing. “There will be roasted meat and wine to welcome our newest brothers!”

  A ragged but heartfelt cheer went up.

  I made my way over to where Xiao Kai stood. She did not turn as I approached.

  “They are afraid of me,” she stated, it was not an observation; it was a lament.

  “Give them time,” I said gently. “They met you as an opponent on the battlefield only yesterday. Once they see you as a teacher, respect will follow.” I gestured towards the school tent. “I hear your literacy sessions are popular? I don't hear as much grumbling as Lady Feng and Xiao Qi's math classes.”

  She was silent for a moment, but I caught the faintest softening in her posture.

  Our final piece of business lay in the makeshift stockade at the edge of the camp, where the three captured martial artists and the handful of local gang leaders were being held separately.

  I entered their enclosure, Xiao Kai at my side. The three martial artists sat apart from the others. One, a man with a refined but hard face who had carried a metal flute yesterday, rose as we entered and gave a formal martial salute that we returned.

  “I am Meng Yi,” he said, his voice calm and educated. “These are my sworn brothers, Bao Gang and Lu Mei.” He gestured to a burly man and a slender, silent woman. “We were hired for a task. We failed. We want to know the consequences.”

  “The Iron Flute Sage right? Your loyalty to Vice-Director Song is admirable,” I began, testing the waters.

  Lu Mei let out a short, dismissive laugh. “We are martial artists. We took his silver because it was offered, and the job was said to be simple.”

  “Then you are free to leave,” I said simply. “Your weapons will be returned to you at the camp's border.”

  The burly one, Bao Gang, stepped forward, a competitive fire in his eyes. He looked past me, his gaze fixing on Xiao Kai.

  “One condition,” Bao Gang grunted. Meng Yi looked like he was going to strangle Bao Gang. He pointed a thick finger at her. “The masked lady. One day, I want a proper duel. Just skill against skill.”

  From behind her mask, Xiao Kai's voice was cool and clear. “I welcome the challenge.”

  Meng Yi gave his hot-headed brother a weary look before turning back to me. As they prepared to leave, his expression grew serious. “A piece of advice, Master Zhang, as a gesture of goodwill. The reason we took Song's contract was to get out of Chang'an. You would be wise to do the same.”

  “I've heard he's grown paranoid,” I prompted.

  Meng Yi said, his voice dropping. “A ghost is killing martial artists in Chang'an who moves through the city like a shadow, leaving a trail of bodies. No one knows who he is. Two weeks ago, he attacked Song's manor directly. Fought his way right through the outer guards.”

  I nodded, unsurprised. This was the Steward's work.

  “Song has five personal masters who guard him, the ‘Final Five' they called themselves,” he continued. “The ghost killed one of them before he was finally repelled. Now they are the ‘Final Four,' and Song has not set foot outside his walls since.”

  He gave a final, formal bow. “Thank you for your mercy, Master Zhang. Our paths may cross again.” With that, he and his two companions were escorted away. I heard Xiao Kai stifle a laugh as Meng smacked Bao Gang on the back of the head, as soon as they made it out of our gate.

  That left only the local gang leaders. Their bearded chief, the man from the road, looked at me with a wary, calculating expression.

  “We will not join you,” he said bluntly. “We have our own men to lead, what's left of them. And frankly, we are skeptical of where this strange company of yours is headed.”

  “A fair assessment,” I conceded. “Then you are also free to go. On the condition that your gangs will provide safe passage to The Black Wind Cliff Escorts clients. In turn we shall provide you a share of their escort fees.”

  The man considered this, then gave a grudging nod. A promise made under threat, but a promise nonetheless. He and the other local leaders were released, and they vanished back into the hills to lick their wounds and rebuild their shattered crews.

  The bonfire at the center of the camp threw a warm, dancing light on the faces of the men, casting long shadows that wrestled with the darkness. The smell of roasting pork and cheap wine mingled with the cool night air.

  A raucous cheer went up as one of the Escorts beat a Wolf in a wrestling match, the prize a gourd of finer wine. For the first time, I saw the two groups were starting to merge, even though each still kept to their own.

  I'd opened with a well received speech, about how we have more victories to come, and how our patron, Lord Feng, shall be vindicated and freed. I never was much of a party person, and my authority cast a subtle chill that kept the men at a respectful distance.

  Lu Chengfeng was on the first patrol, set to return shortly to join the party.

  I looked for someone to talk to. I saw Layla taking a few slow, hesitant steps, her crutches left behind. Wei Jin was at her side, his arm offered for support but not taken, his usual stern expression gone. She laughed, a genuine, delighted sound as her bare feet touched the soft grass of the clearing. It made me less worried that she'd have trouble accepting a life of fewer luxuries outside of Chang'an.

  At a quieter table near the school tent, Xiao Qi and Lady Feng were hunched over a book, its pages yellowed with age. Their heads were close together as she pointed to a passage, and Xiao Qi nodded, his pencil flying across a piece of scrap paper. It was one of the texts Guo Xuan had abandoned in his flight, presumably given his obsession, it was one of the non-Daoist ones.

  It was in that moment, surrounded by the warmth of the fire and the camaraderie of the men I led, that I felt a profound and aching loneliness. The celebration faded to a dull roar in my ears. I wished I could hear my Fiancée's warm, bright laughter, feel the familiar, playful weight of her arm linked through mine. But this time I missed my friends as well, bad puns and all, and I thought I must have pulled the ultimate French leave, a persistent meme between us, at the end of our video calls when we found ourselves in different corners of the world.

  A light tap on my shoulder pulled me from the ghost of her presence. I turned to find Xiao Kai standing there, a small wooden tray in her hands holding two steaming cups of tea, and two bowls of pork, rice, and vegetables.

  “Everyone seems to have found someone to talk to,” she said from behind her mask. “I cannot very well drink this with my mask on. Would you join me, Master Zhang?”

  We found a quiet spot on a large, flat rock outside our encampment that overlooked the footpath leading up to the site. The sounds of the celebration were softer here, a pleasant hum on the night air. She settled herself gracefully and finally removed the blank porcelain mask, taking a deep breath of the cool air.

  We ate and made easy conversation. I told her of my “hometown,” as of it were a place in a distant, fictional corner of the empire where the roads were black and smooth, and where towers were made of steel and glass. She listened with rapt attention, her eyes wide with fascination. Honestly I was surprised she didn't think I was making it all up, or if she did, she didn't call me out on it.

  “I would like to visit this place of yours one day,” she said, her voice soft with wonder. “It sounds like a land from the stories of the Jade Emperor's court.” She took a bite of roasted pork, chewing slowly. “I had almost forgotten what meat tasted like,” she murmured, more to herself than to me.

  She was quiet for a moment, her gaze thoughtful. "And your betrothed? The one you spoke of before." She glanced at me. "How did you meet her?"

  Perhaps it was because I was feeling comfortable for the first time in a long time. Or perhaps it was the low proof rice wine. I found myself wanting to answer.

  I smiled at the memory. "I had already finished my studies and was working. She was still at the academy, studying mathematics and calculation." Xiao Kai nodded; such work was respected, if unusual for a woman. I decided not to explain further. "Her landlady was a friend of mine. She thought we would be a good match, but rather than introduce us directly, we devised a plan."

  "A scheme," Xiao Kai repeated, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Why am I not surprised?"

  I smiled too, lost in a memory, "Her landlady had promised to take her to a physician's appointment by carriage. On the appointed day, the carriage conveniently broke down. And I happened to be nearby, with a working carriage of my own."

  Xiao Kai's lips twitched. "How fortunate."

  "Very. I offered to take her instead. Along the way, I asked if she might like to see a town I knew, by the sea. We ended up two hours from the city, walking along the shore. I asked her to dinner."

  "And she agreed? To a stranger she had just met?"

  "She did. We talked for hours." The warmth of that memory ached. "Later, she discovered the whole thing had been arranged. Her landlady confessed."

  Xiao Kai's eyes widened. "Was she not furious?"

  "I thought she would be. But she said the scheme showed I was serious, that I had put thought into meeting her rather than simply hoping fate would arrange it." I chuckled. "She also said the beach was beautiful, the food was good, and she had laughed more that day than she had in months. She decided to forgive me."

  Xiao Kai was silent, but I caught the faintest curve of a smile.

  "What is she like?" she asked.

  I considered the question. "She has a sharper temper than I do. Quicker to anger, quicker to act." I shook my head. "But when we were together, it softened. I always found a way to make her laugh instead. And she…" I searched for the right words. "She made me more driven. Before her, I was content to let things unfold as they did. She taught me to get things done."

  Xiao Kai tilted her head. "I cannot imagine you as anything other than driven, Master Zhang."

  "That is her influence."

  "She sounds formidable."

  "She is. She weeps at stories of injustice, the kind of tales where the innocent suffer and the wicked go unpunished. Yet she is fiercer than anyone I know when it comes to setting things right." I paused. "And she is a far better administrator than I could ever be. In our home, she managed the finances, our accounts. I cooked; she kept the ledgers balanced."

  Xiao Kai gasped. "Your home. Was this… after you wed?"

  Lost in the moment I'd forgotten how the Tang dynasty would have viewed our arrangement. I hesitated. "...Before."

  Silence. I watched her process this, her expression shifting through surprise, confusion, and something approaching scandal.

  "You lived together," she said slowly, "as husband and wife. Without the wedding rites."

  "The customs of my homeland are… different." I kept my voice mild. "It is not uncommon for a man and woman to share a home before marriage, if they intend to wed."

  Xiao Kai looked like she was struggling. "That is…" She stopped, visibly recalibrating. "I suppose the women of JiangNan are known to be more… independent. I have heard they often work alongside men. Perhaps your homeland shares such customs."

  My fiancée was indeed from JiangNan, a mere thousand li and a thousand years away. I did not point this out.

  "She did. Her skills in mathematics and calculation were highly valued. She earned more than I did, in fact."

  This, finally, seemed to break through her scandalized reserve. "More than you?"

  "Considerably more." I shrugged. "Different trades command different prices. My work..." I paused; I had no way to explain systems engineering any more than I could explain software. "...was respected, but hers paid better. I was not bothered by it."

  "She sounds…" Xiao Kai trailed off, then tried again. "You speak of her as though she still lives."

  "She does." The words came out before I could stop them. I felt my chest start to tighten.

  The question I had been dreading came next, soft and sincere. "What happened?"

  I opened my mouth to answer, but the words caught in my throat.

  Xiao Kai's expression shifted, regret flickering across her features. "Forgive me," she began, "I should not have—"

  Then her head snapped up. It was she who saw him first.

  Her hand did not immediately go to her sword. Her eyes narrowed, her focus absolute. "That's the free man of the river with the shaved head," she whispered.

  I could barely make out the moonlight glinting off of the man's head. He was in quite the rush, his gait more a scramble as he stumbled up the hill towards our camp.

  "It's time to get back to work," Xiao Kai said with a smile as she shoved the last piece of pork into her mouth and slipped on her mask. Not exactly the kind of grace I'd expected.

  We leapt down from the rock, landing along the path in his way, moments before Lu Chengfeng, alerted by the sentries, strode out to intercept the intruder.

  The bandit stumbled right into Lu Chengfeng's path and collapsed to his knees, a ragged, sobbing mess.

  "Help... please..." he gasped. He finally saw Xiao Kai and I and crawled forward on the damp earth, clutching at the hem of Xiao Kai's robe. "You... you let us go! I had nowhere else... nowhere else to run!"

  "Calm yourself," She said, her voice gentler than the bandit expected. "What happened?"

  "Soldiers," he choked out, his body trembling uncontrollably. "An army. They wore heavy armor, like the frontier garrisons. They came out of the woods this afternoon... they cut us down like wheat. " His voice broke. "I only survived because I fell in a ditch and played dead... I ran as soon as it was dark."

  A frontier army, operating this deep in the provinces? It made no sense, it would be a massive escalation and political bombshell.

  The bandit grabbed my arm as he rasped. "I overheard their generals talking to each other. He said by dusk tomorrow, SongJiaTun will be razed to the ground. Not a single soul left alive."