49. What to do with Xin?
The following morning Xie and Rushuang didn't join the morning training. So they didn't see Zihou and Zhu ask Yunchuan and Xin to join them and explain a few basic defensive moves. This was seen and discussed by Su and Yan, who had been watching their friends and brother more closely since the last visits to the border town and Beirong. "Where will you send Xin, when they reach the capital? She can't stay with Zhu." Su asked while she watched Zhu guide Xin through some moves, which Xin performed admirably for someone with no fight training.
"That's something I wished to discuss with you and preferably also Xie and Rushuang." Yan said, also following Zhu and Xin like a hawk. Su switched her attention to Zihou and Yunchuan momentarily as she responded: " Since staying in our mansion is also out of the question as long as Zhu hasn't informed Xin about his identity and I sincerely doubt you and brother Xie want others to consider the bond between Feiyun Manor and the Palace as strong, I can only conclude you want to open Pei Mansion again and take up residence there for the time it takes Zhu to talk to Xin. What explanation will you give the staff for Xin's presence?"
"I don't have to give an explanation to my staff." Yan said, not a bit surprised at Su's inference regarding his plans concerning the problem of keeping Xin hidden.
"Maybe, but you will. Besides, it is still too dangerous for Xin to use her own identity, even in the capital. So she will have to be given another identity and if the staff can help the establishment and protection of this second identity, you will surely make use of them."
"You're right and with the appearance of the God of War here, a connection between the Prince Qi Mansion and Pei Mansion could be made. We still don't know exactly how far the Ghost Army reaches and how they get their information."
"So do you already know which identity you want to give her? I think Zhu is overestimating Xin on that move." Su commented, when she saw her brother-in-law explain a more difficult move to Xin. "No, she can handle it, it might take a few tries, but she can do this one." Yan replied. And true to his assessment, after a few tries Xin performed the movement adequately. It baffled Su how Yan could see what people were capable of. "But I was thinking she could be our niece. I would have preferred not opening Pei Mansion, but I can't see another way. If Zhu would talk to her, we could invite her to our real home, which I would have preferred. But as it is, opening Pei Mansion and letting her stay there as our niece is our only option, in which we can guarantee her safety."
"I agree." Su shuffled a little bit, trying to find a more comfortable position. Yan looked at her, Su just shook her head and simply stroked her stomach. Yan then rose and stood behind Su to give her a shoulder rub. Su leaned backwards, enjoying the feeling of Yan's soothing hands on her shoulders and relaxing.
"There is one condition though, and I will let my brother know as well. If this situation lasts longer and you are about to give birth I will remove you to our own home." Yan said decisively.
"That would also have been my concern. I would like our child be born in our own home." Su smiled at her husband, Yan pressed a kiss o her hand. "I'm hoping Xie and Rushuang might also take up residence in Pei Mansion again. It would help with the security. I'll discuss it with them when they've joined us." Yan said, Su turned around to see if her friends were possibly joining them shortly, but there was no sign of them. When she turned back, she saw Zihou perform an unfamiliar move. "I've never before seen the move Zihou did. What is it?"
"It's a move form the Beirong fighting style." Yan explained, while paying closer attention to his friend. As she continued to watch the four on the training ground Su furrowed her brow: "Why is Zihou training with Yunchuan? I can understand Zhu training Xin a little bit. But Yunchuan always has a guard with her, why does Zihou think she needs to know how to fight?" Yan laughed as he recalled the exasperation on Zihou's face the times that Yunchuan had left the inn to explore the capital of Liang. "In the past Yunchuan frequently left the safety of the inn or her home to explore the city she's staying in. On multiple occasions Zihou has had to recover her, when she was staying in Liang. I imagine he feels it prudent for her to know some basic movements."
"How will prince Shuomo react, when he learns of this?"
"As prince Shuomo is concerned about Yunchuan's safety I don't think he will mind her knowing some basic defensive moves." Yan said, taking note of the progress the four on the training ground were making.
"Not all these moves he and Zhu have been teaching are defensive, some are offensive."
"Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Don't worry about them." Yan regarded the training techniques of his dearest brother and his closest friend. Would they both think and feel the same he had when he had started training Su. Of course it had been to help her get her promotion, but after he had seen her level of kung fu and after he had saved her multiple times, he had also thought it prudent to make sure she could defend herself, so she would be able to get out of dangerous situations. It had given him peace of mind, knowing she could defend herself when he wasn't able to be there with her. Now, being married he had many more ways of keeping Su save, but back then it had not always been possible to accompany her or place a guard on her when she went out. The anxiety he felt when she was not within the safety of his reach, told him how critically important she had become to his life. Were Yunchuan and Xin the same to Zihou and Zhu? Was that why they had drawn them deliberately into this mornings training session? Yan thought the answer to both questions was a clear 'yes'. The session drew to a close and all went to the pavilion where Fei Yuan had arranged breakfast and still Xie and Rushuang didn't appear. During breakfast Su asked Yan if he needed captain Liu that morning, she explained she wanted to ride to the forest and take a stroll. She needed the exercise after so many days in close quarters working to solve the fire and murder of the Tong family. Yan readily let her take Captain Liu with her after breakfast. As Su rose to get ready she saw Xie and Rushuang walk towards them, holding hands and slightly bashful. "It seems Xie and Rushuang have resolved their misunderstanding." She commented, Yan turned and smiled when he saw his friends: "Good, will you take Rushuang with you?"
"No, I think they need some time together. Captain Liu will be company enough." Su walked to her friends and Yan saw her exchange a few words with them and then Su hugged Rushuang. Then Su continued to their rooms and Xie and Rushuang joined the others for the remainder of breakfast. After breakfast Xin, Zhu and Yan went to the stables. Yan had asked his brother to teach Xin to ride horses within these three days and Zhu had asked him to join them at least for this first training session.
During the afternoon he would join the marquis at the army camp to discuss the military tactics and strategies they would use to defat the rebels. While he watched Zhu expertly train Xin, Yan felt the same energy coursing through him that he'd always felt before he would take military action. It wasn't that he loved going to battle, on the contrary: he disliked fighting, but he couldn't deny that he was better able then most to strategize the battles so they would turn to his favor. It was his duty to defend Liang and all its citizens, so he would.