July 7th (Day 12, Evening)

"Ready for your lesson?"

Ruli finishes off the cup of water, "As ready as I'll ever be."

Yong notices his hesitation to stand, "Is there something wrong?"

"Uh, nothing." He stands, "It's just that your brother told me to be careful."

"Careful?"

Ruli hesitates, "He said that you really get into your lessons, that you spar as if it's real."

Yong takes a breath and motions a hand down his hair, but only afterwards does he realize it's been put up, "If it makes you feel better, we don't have to use anything sharp."

"That's comforting to know." He looks over the general's brother in restlessness, "Where will the training take place."

Yong looks back-and-forth between the two doorways, knowing that his brother will probably be in his office, his mother will probably be in the sitting room, and that Liu Xun may still be in his own room. That covers each wing. Damn it. "How about we leave out the kitchen and I'll show you."

"Okay." Ruli follows Yong out the kitchen, past the trench, and back towards the stable, "So, what's going on? Are we sparring outside?"

Yong laughs, "We have an entire building dedicated to training. I don't think we'll be outside."

He shakes his head in confusion, "If there's a building, then where is it? I mean, it's not like you're having us walk all the way around this ginormous house of yours just to get there." Yong gives him a look, which makes his doubt disappear. "Wait. Is that what you're doing?" There's no reply. "But why? There must be a shorter path."

"I didn't feel like getting a lecture, and honestly we don't have the time." They pass the stable and continue the path until the training building is seen, "Here it is."

The seamstress's son halts in shock and awe, "You're training area's bigger than my house."

Yong shrugs, "We come from a long line of generals. What were you expecting?"

He shakes his head as they walk closer, "I don't know. A large yard with a target range, maybe a storage shed for weapons."

Yong smirks, "Not exactly what you expected, is it?"

"No. Not at all."

Yong inwardly laughs at Ruli's amazement, but when they enter the building he frowns at the sight of the guard, "Come on. I thought I ditched you."

Liu Xun stands tall and straight, "Your brother told me to watch this place as soon as that kid left his sight."

"Right."

Yong shakes his head as the kid with black hair and light-brown eyes walks up behind him, "What's going on?"

"My brother doesn't trust me." He turns around, "But what else is new?"

"Well. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." He gives the guard a glare of annoyance, "I just don't understand why people like to ruin my fun."

Liu Xun keeps a blank expression, but he can't help but gulp down his fear, "Hey. I don't like being here any more than you want me to be, but apparently you told your brother that threatening to kill people is just something you do for fun." Yong notices the seamstress's son take a few steps back. "He said that I shouldn't be worried and that someone had to watch you."

Yong looks over the situation in frustration, as his sparring partner is deathly silent, "Could you stop scaring our guest?"

"I don't have to. You do that well enough yourself."

Yong shakes his head, "You're unbelievable."

"I'm unbelievable?" The guard laughs, "You're the one getting drunk nearly every night, threatening to kill people, and walking the streets to defile girls in the dark."

Yong takes a deep breath in an attempt to calm down, as several ways to kill the stupid man has just entered his mind. He's lucky my thoughts are faster than my actions. He shakes his head and notice's the seamstress's son standing still with fear, "I'd understand if you would rather leave."

Ruli shakes his head and stutters, "No. This is a great opportunity. I shouldn't waste it."

The general's brother smirks, "Great." before he goes to obtain two bamboo staffs. He flings one over to Ruli, but he only crosses his arms to deflect the training device. Yong hesitates as he gives a look of interest and concern, "Do you need a second?"

"No. I'm fine." He picks up the weapon, "Come on. Let's fight."

Yong hears the shaky voice as the staff continues to wobble, "I think you need a minute." He turns away from the newbie and gives the guard a smile, "How about you?"

"You're crazy if you think I'm letting you anywhere near me."

Yong shakes his head, "It'd just be a demonstration, maybe even slow and simple."

The guard laughs, "Right. I bet you tell all your victims that."

"No. I don't." Yong takes an unsteady breath, before he ignores the guard's smirk and looks toward the seventeen-year-old, "What about you? Are you ready?"

Ruli nods, so Yong walks up towards him, but as Yong's about to strike the shaking staff Ruli cries, "Wait. Don't kill me."

"Damn it." The general's brother takes a few steps back, "I'm not going to kill you." and watches as tears run down Ruli's face and he sniffles. The guest apparently doesn't believe him, though, as more pleading and cries loudly eco in the room. Yong looks from the guard to the door, before he whispers loudly in frustration, "Would you shut up already?" but the man continues to cry. Yong takes another breath of annoyance, "Stop acting like such a baby."

"What's going on in here?"

Yong looks at his brother in boredom, "Why don't you ask your guard? He decided to make up a bunch of wild stories about me, and now the guy I'm supposed to train is deathly afraid of me."

Ruli stops crying, "Wait. They were just stories?"

Yong smiles in stress as he turns to him, "Yes. They were just stories." He gives Liu Xun a look, "Weren't they."

The guard looks from his concerned superior to the glaring killer, "Yeah. They were just stories. Not true at all."

Yong notices his brother's suspicion as Ruli comments, "Well, in that case, maybe we could have that lesson?"

Yong huffs, "Yeah, right." He gives one last look at the seamstress's son. "I've had enough of this. You can spar with Liu Xun." He stomps across the room and pushes past his brother, "I'm going to the bar." before he exits the building.


- Yeah. You know it's bad when the person you're supposed to train is afraid of you. Intimidation is both a blessing and a curse.

- By the way, like I said in the first chapter I posted tonight, I don't know if you were able to read the prior 9 chapters, so reviewing would be a very good way to let me know people both can and are reading these. Thank you.