Snow whispered over the eastern frontier, painting the horizon in silver-gray. The city of Yong'an was a bustling hub of commerce. To any normal traveler, the manor at the northern edge of the city was simply the prosperous home of a wealthy silk merchant. It had elegant, upturned eaves, tasteful red lanterns, and a tranquil rock garden visible just beyond the main gate. But Han JiLan knew better. Her gaze lingered on details others would miss. The guards at the gate, though dressed as simple retainers, stood with the unshakeable stillness of veteran soldiers. And carved into the dark wood of the gate, hidden within the intricate patterns of clouds, was the faint, stylized outline of a phoenix. The faint shimmer of qi in the carved phoenix emblem— barely perceptible beneath years of polish — spoke louder than any signboard.
She dismounted her horse and approached quietly, boots crunching against the frozen path, eyes scanning for danger. Every instinct, honed by years of survival and vengeance, screamed caution.
She stopped before them, her dual swords a silent weight on her back. She presented a small, unassuming jade token, carved in the shape of a single dragon scale.
The guards' eyes widened almost imperceptibly. One bowed and disappeared inside.
Moments later, a man emerged. He was of middle age, dressed in the fine but understated robes of a household steward. He had a pleasant, unremarkable face, but he moved with the liquid grace of a drawn blade, and his eyes, when they met JiLan's, were as old and sharp as ancient ice.
"Welcome, traveler. The master of the house is expecting you," he said, his voice smooth and courteous. "Please, come in."
Han JiLan gave a single, sharp nod, her eyes never leaving his. She followed him through the gate and into the serene courtyard. The air was still, smelling of damp moss and cherry blossoms. As she reached the center of the garden, she saw a man In the end of the hallway which leads to the inner courtyard. He was dressed in the fine silks of a rich merchant, his face pleasant and unremarkable. He moved with a quiet efficiency, his hands tucked into his sleeves. The main gate slid shut behind Han JiLan right after she entered the center of the garden.
At the same instant, a soft snick echoed from all around—the sound of dozens of hidden crossbows being armed. From the rooftops, from behind ornate screens, from the shadows of the covered walkways, dark figures materialized. An elite squad of black phoenix guards1 clad in lightweight black armor emblazoned with a faint phoenix crest. Silent, lethal, trained to kill even with their eyes closed. Within heartbeats, they surrounded her. their swords drawn, their killing intent a palpable pressure in the air.
LiuYan's lips curved slightly, almost amused. Her hands twitched — not to draw her swords. Not yet. She simply exhaled slowly, her silver eyes scanning the circle of soldiers, assessing their stances, their readiness and their movements.
The merchant, Xie Yuan, had not moved. He stood by the koi pond at the end of the hallway, his hands still tucked in his sleeves, his polite smile never wavering. He was simply an observer.
They attacked in a blur of coordinated motion, a silent, deadly wave. LiuYan became a phantom. She didn't draw a weapon. Her movements were brutally efficient, a masterclass in her Reversal Art. In a flurry, she struck — using nothing but her body, her agility, and her instincts. A branch of a tree became a baton. A falling rock redirected into a sweep. She sidestepped a blade, using the attacker's momentum to throw him into his comrade. She deflected a sword with her armored forearm, her other hand striking the man's throat with a precise palm-heel strike that made him collapse, gasping. Guards fell like dominoes, some stunned, some bruised, none expecting her raw precision. She danced a brutal, now refined yet unique form of combat, swift and merciless, parrying attacks without the aid of her weapons.
Xie Yuan watched from the sidelines, arms crossed at first, then slowly — imperceptibly — a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. " You've grown up really well. My child."
In less than five minutes, the entire squad laid groaning on the pristine gravel of the rock garden.
Silence-
Xie Yuan applauded, a slow, deliberate clap that echoed in the quiet courtyard. "Mmmm....Impressive," he said, his smile finally fading, replaced by a look of keen assessment.
"Very impressive." He looked at LiuYan right in her eyes, then without another word he charged.
Despite a barely perceptible limp or those permanent injuries, his speed was terrifying. Those movements were deliberate and economical — every step a question, every strike a memory of battles long past. He was a whirlwind of experience and pure, potent qi. LiuYan, still unarmed, was instantly on the defensive, parrying his blades with her armored gauntlets, the impacts sending sparks into the twilight. She was being pushed back, his skills were honed by a lifetime of real battle. She could not win this fight with her hands alone. To prove herself, she had to show him who she had truly become.
She kicked off a decorative stone, launching herself backward to create distance. Her hands went to the hilts of her swords and drew both of her swords.
The air in the courtyard changed. In her right hand, Shattered Radiance hummed with a pure, silver light. In her left, Crimson Mourning seemed to drink the fading sunlight, a sliver of absolute darkness edged in blood.
Xie Yuan's calm facade finally shattered. A flicker of genuine shock—and something like awe—flashed in his eyes. Neither this was the style of Long Xiao Yue2 nor any ordinary combat style. This was new. Dangerous. Terrifying.
The duel that came was short and absolute. The blades sang in tandem, a dance of light and shadow. Her dual-wielding style was a perfect yet a terrifying paradox. The graceful, honorable defense of Shattered Radiance created openings that the merciless, brutally efficient strikes of Crimson Mourning exploited. Her strikes were both precise and devastating; one blade for honor, the other for vengeance. But it looked like both blades had one purpose; justice. Even Xie Yuan's trained eyes widened at the raw fusion of speed, strength, and intelligence.
The courtyard became a storm — the clash of steel, the hum of qi, and the silent acknowledgment that the child he carried on his back, now a woman, had inherited a power beyond his expectations. A final, sharp clang echoed through the courtyard as LiuYan's dark blade came to rest a hair's breadth from his throat.
Slowly, a genuine smile touched Xie Yuan's lips. He sheathed his weapons and dropped to one knee.
" Greetings, your highness. It's been a long while….." Xie yuan said while bowing his head.
" It's been— indeed a long time--- uncle Xie…" LiuYan continued offering her hand to her old uncle, making him back on his feet.
"Your mother was a genius with a single blade," he said, his voice now filled with a deep, resonant respect. "But she could never have achieved such a perfect, terrible balance." He looked up, his eyes meeting hers. "You have surpassed her. Your Highness, Shen LiuYan."
LiuYan did not move. "That name died with the empress, uncle….." she said, her voice calm and gentle. " Now I'm Han JiLan, the daughter of the Han Clan. I'm not a princess anymore."
She saw it then. A brief, almost invisible flicker in his eyes. A flash of a complex emotion—pain, irony—before his respectful mask was back in place. He knew the truth of her father. He knew that both names were, in their own way, a lie.
He rose gracefully. "As you say— my child," he said smoothly. "A warrior of your caliber must be weary. Please let offer you some tea."
He led her from the garden, a place of violence, into a quiet, elegant chamber. He sat down at the table and began the slow, deliberate ritual of preparing the tea, the only sound the soft clink of porcelain. The physical test was over. Now, the battle of wits would begin.
"The political situation in the capital is… mmmm how to put—volatile," Xie Yuan began, his eyes fixed on the tea leaves unfurling in the hot water.
"Tell me, Han JiLan. What is your assessment of the Emperor's current military strength?...."
Author's note:
1. BLACK PHOENIX GUARDS : THE MOST TRUSTED BATTALIONS OF THE LATE EMPRESS AND THE LATE FIELD MARSHAL*. THEY SERVED AS THE HIDDEN GUARDIANS OF THE IMPERIAL DRAGON CLAN DURING THE REIGN OF THE LATE EMPRESS. CAPABLE SPIES AND KNOWN FOR THEIR CAPABILITY TO GO UNCOVER OR INFILTRATE AND FEARED FOR THEIR UNIQUE AND DEADLY MARTIAL ART SKILLS.
2. Long Xiao Yue: To be continued….