The private room at the Peony Teahouse was thick with the scent of tea and unspoken tension. I sat across from Wei Jin. He looked like he'd taken quite a beating, covered in dust and bruises. To be fair, I didn't look much better, pigs blood on my sleeves and the arm I used to block his shield was limp and difficult to move. I didn't know what to say, I felt I owed Wei Jin some sort of apology but I couldn't quite put my thoughts into words.

  The silence stretched until Layla, resplendent in deep emerald silks, thin golden chains adorning her and chiming gracefully, poured tea for everyone. "Gentlemen," she said, her voice carrying its usual melodic tones, but now tinged with authority, "you've already attempted to kill each other today. Surely conversation can't be more difficult than that?"

  I noticed Wei Jin's shoulders relax fractionally at her wry observation.

  Wang Er cleared his throat nervously.

  Xiao Qi, who had been quietly watching, leaned forward. "Master Wei, how did you end up at Black Wind Ridge? After..." he glanced at Zhang,

  Wei Jin's expression darkened briefly. "After recovering, the army discharged me. Honorable wounds, they said. They even gave me 50 taels as a parting gift. But I couldn't stop thinking about what happened. The captain, my brother-in-arms, the magistrate. The official report said bandits, but I always thought there was more" He looked at Wang Er. "So I went back to find answers."

  "And the letters?" Xiao Qi prompted. "The ones with instructions?"

  Wang Er shifted uncomfortably. "Master Wei was the only one who could read 'em." Wang Er blushed. "He'd gather us all and read them aloud. He showed us the Yuan Yang formation based on the letters."

  "Your mysterious master," Wei Jin said, his gaze finally settling on me, "is remarkably well versed in military matters."

  I remained silent, but Wang Er couldn't help but beam with pride. "We've been getting commendations from the new Magistrate himself! 'The safest road in the province,' he called it

  "How many men now?" Xiao Qi asked. "How are your literacy classes?"

  "Forty Eight sworn brothers all able to write their names" Wang Er replied proudly "All former..." he caught himself, glancing again at Wei Jin.

  "All former outcasts given a second chance," Wei Jin finished diplomatically. "Though their discipline still needs work. Last week, Jin and Ju got into a fistfight over the proper way to polish armor."

  Despite the tension, I couldn't help but smile appreciatively and bowed in thanks to Wei Jin. "Thank you for being the leader I was not to these men"

  Wei Jin froze, unsure what to do with the compliment. He bowed back hesitantly and opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again before words came out.

  Layla caught his awkwardness and smoothly interjected, "It sounds like you've built something meaningful from tragedy, Master Wei. That takes a rare kind of strength."

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  Wei Jin studied his tea cup. "I've been trying to honor my captain's memory. He believed in protecting people, in order and justice. These men needed someone to believe they could be better." He paused. "Though I still had questions about who was really behind their transformation."

  The silence stretched until Wei Jin set down his cup with deliberate care. His gaze fixed on me with an intensity that made everyone else at the table hold their breath, even Layla hid behind her teacup.

  "Are you the Black Wind Sword?" he asked directly.

  "Yes," I replied simply. No one else at the table showed any sign of surprise. Wang Er had already pieced it together, Layla and Xiao Qi had known from the beginning.

  Wei Jin nodded slowly, as if confirming something he'd already known. "Then I need to understand something." His voice carried no anger, "Why manipulate us all like pieces on a board? The captain... he was a good man. He had a wife, two daughters. He followed orders, and protected the innocent. Why orchestrate events so he had to die?"

  "Xiong was always going to attack," I sighed. "I… wanted to wait until he had taken Magistrate Wu with him. The corrupt magistrate who was bleeding Shanzhou dry. But by the time Xiong had murdered the Magistrate, your captain had… " I trailed off.

  "I don't dispute that," Wei Jin said, leaning forward. "The magistrate and Xiong were monsters. But what about the captain? Was he corrupt too? Was he terrible enough to deserve death?"

  The question hung in the air. I opened my mouth and closed it again. I had no answer. I… never considered anyone who hadn't been on my side. Gao, my very first follower, still reminded me to think about what is best for "my" people.

  In that moment, and even then, the captain was only a piece on the board to me, that fell before the conditions for us to attack could clear.

  The silence grew heavy before Wei Jin turned to Wang Er. "How do you reconcile this? Knowing your master orchestrated all of it? Do you not feel loyalty for your old leader whom he cut down"

  Wang Er shifted uncomfortably but met Wei Jin's eyes. "We… never really believed the Black Wind Sword was some mountain spirit. We were pretty sure he was just a man. But he gave us a new path, a better path, Master Wei. He turned us from bandits into protectors. Whatever his methods, I believe he made our lives better."

  Wang Er gulped some tea.

  "You knew?" Wang Er asked suddenly, looking at Wei Jin with concern and guilt. "That we were... what we were?"

  Wei Jin's expression softened slightly. "I could tell. The way you held your weapons, your lack of proper discipline and leadership. You kept scaring travelers"

  He paused. "But you were genuinely trying, so I stayed to help."

  There was another pause.

  Xiao Qi ventured carefully, "Master Wei, do you... feel differently about my master now? After talking?"

  Wei Jin was quiet for a long moment, considering. "I'm still conflicted," he admitted. "His methods lack honor and the manipulation doesn't sit right with me. But..." he glanced at Wang Er, "I see the reasoning. And I see the results."

  Layla, who had been watching Wei Jin with unusual intensity throughout this exchange, smoothly interjected. "Perhaps what you both need is time and distance to process this. And something productive to occupy yourselves with." She smiled slightly. "Master Wei, have you considered that your skills and perspective might be valuable to someone like…" she kicked me softly under the table "... seriously?"

  I got the message, grateful for her intervention. "Censor Wang also values integrity and competence—qualities you clearly possess. You'd do well under Auntie Ying's team."

  Wei Jin and Wang Er exchanged glances. "That... might be acceptable," Wei Jin said carefully. "Wang Er?"

  "If Master Wei goes, I go," Wang Er said firmly. "The Black Wind Cliff Escorts can manage without us for a while."

  I noticed how Layla's eyes lingered on Wei Jin, studying his bearing and her pupils widened when he spoke of honor and integrity. I suppressed a smile, some instinctive things even an accomplished actor cannot hide.

  That evening, Xiao Qi and I returned to our Feng estate courtyard. As we approached the side entrance, Xiao Qi stopped abruptly.

  "Master," he whispered, pointing.

  There, pressed deep into the wood of our door, were three parallel gouges.

  We had been discovered.

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