emptycourtyard

<< Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter >> When the day began, Qiu Gaokang left the main manor and stood at the east path, watching the entrance to a certain courtyard. From the direction of the compound, Chu Su walked up to the side of Gaokang in a slouch and followed his gaze towards the entrance. “It is today. Are they even stressed at all?” Gaokang said. “How can that be possible?” The gate opened and three youths walked out. Xiyun walked in the lead and appeared more relaxed than usual. Yeon skipped. Danlu walked in wide strides while […]

<< Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter >> Several days after the Lantern Festival, classes at the Capital Schools officially began. Ruidie sat on her cushion and collapsed on the desk in front of her, waiting for her first class, The Way, to begin. There were five rows of five seats in the room that slowly filled with students that she didn’t pay attention to. The back wall’s screens were completely open except for hanging straw drapes and allowed for the sun to light class. A finger poked her shoulder and she turned her head to see Shibara. “Good […]

<< Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter >> Morning arrived in Taiping. A small carriage stopped on a lonely street. “I’ll go in alone.” Luo Yizuan was helped off the carriage. Guo Yi’s expression wrinkled, but he didn’t object. Unlike Luo Yizuan, he had no status to consider stepping inside the Capital Schools. Yizuan passed the open gate and entered the campus of the Thousand Thought Institute. Before he could pass the great trees and reach a building, a small figure fell down from the tree line. It was a small grey-furred monkey that shined silver in the morning […]

<< Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter >> Israk had decided on his Path. Shibara chose hers next. “This one.” “The Heart Path?” Ruidie flipped open Fundamental Dao Heart. The summary was surprisingly similar to the description of the Union Path. After entering the Path, the usage of energy within the body was also meant to subtly change. Yet, instead of becoming more acclimated to a single object, it was to a specific natural occurrence referred to as a law. As an example, whereas every sword is unique, iron remained the same no matter where it came from, but the […]

<< Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter >> Bi Tong stepped inside Luo Manor’s study. Her gaze was straight and though her lips arced slightly, her eyes remained sharp. Sun Ming and Guo Yi stood behind the sitting Luo Yizuan while Lo Fuzhe watched uneasily from the side. They were all strangely silent, waiting for her to speak the entire time. Luo Yizuan watched the young woman walk across the study and glanced towards his other student who stood too close to him. “Sun Ming, let me go. I have somewhere to visit,” he said tonelessly. Bi Tong huffed. […]

<< Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter >> Xiyun and Yeon stayed inside the carriage service headquarters until the evening. They watched as Chu Su read scrolls and spout out orders. Although he wasn’t sure, Xiyun thought that the display impressed Gaokang. The building had a kitchen that was able to provide a small meal between their stay. At one point, Xiyun picked up one of the records outlying the timeline of new routes and new branches established by the service. There was nothing better to do than to read it. Throughout everything, the Fourth Miss, Xuexu, never complained […]

<< Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter >> As Xiyun and Yeon returned to their courtyard, Gaokang tailed behind them. Before the gate, Xiyun frowned. Yeon didn’t know why he wasn’t opening the gate, so she did so instead. As the door opened, two rows of men and women lined up along the courtyard. “Welcome home, Ninth Master Xiao!” “Welcome home, Ninth Master Xiao!” “Welcome home, Ninth Master Xiao!” The shouts were loud enough as if to intentionally echo it throughout the entire estate. “Who are they?” Xiyun said. “They are obviously the servants assigned to take care of […]

<< Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter >> Xiyun woke up just as the sun was rising. He had chosen the middle room attached to the north side of the courtyard. Outside, he noticed that Yeon’s room was still silent. He passed the courtyard and opened the gate. Sitting on a stool and leaning against the wall, was the carriage driver from yesterday, bobbing his head as he slept. Xiyun assumed the driver was supposed to be watching him. Either way, Xiyun did not wake him up. Instead, he walked up to a well and began drawing out water […]

<< Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter >> East of the main manor was a wing of unused courtyards. A garden path connected every courtyard. Gaokang led Xiyun to one of these courtyards. “My wrists will hurt every time I try writing with a brush. I can’t write, which means I can’t handle the accounts either. Do you know how much this will delay my projects? Do you think I want to watch you like a hawk?” The boy stepped inside first. “I had a hawk once.” “What does that have to do wi-“ Slam! A gate slammed shut […]

<< Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter >> Xiyun did not take a step further, neither did Yeon. Their legs rooted in place as they shared a gaze. They had found the Xiao Family. The entire Qinsi Ward was the property of the Xiao Family. Yeon bit her lips. Even she knew that involving themselves with a family this large was a complex situation that she had to be cautious of. They needed to retreat for now. Qiu Gaokang saw them stop and stopped as well. “Is something wrong?” Truthfully, Qiu Gaokang was stalling for time because he didn’t […]