A Wuxia Tale: Blade in Training

Personal Hell

(WANG DAO)

Master Rei took me to a place a few minutes away from the training ground. The huge two storey U-shaped building was presented to me.

"This is the barracks. Or one of the four huge barracks in the base. It can hold seven hundred or more soldiers inside. This place will be your home here," Master Rei said.

I frowned, "I see. Question," I raised my hand.

"Go on," Master Rei nodded at me. I look at him. Master Rei is an average height and size man. What's extraordinary about him is his exotic face. He is part Mongol, part Japanese and part Chinese. Master Rei always boast that his Japanese blood gave him his slanted eyes, his Mongol blood gave him his caramel comflexion and his local blood gave him his grace.

Many look at Master Rei and saw a beautiful man, almost effiminate. His refined movements and graceful way of speaking also doesn't help the "soft" impression he presents to people.

But I know that Master Rei is a fierce soldier. Rumors has it that he served as a spy to a foreign land for four long years before his cover was discovered and Baba had to assemble a troop to rescue him. What Master Rei learned from that nation is too valuable for the Imperial military force to abandon him in that place.

Now, Master Rei serves as an aide for my Baba but I doubt that my sire pushed him to help me.

"Who ordered you to help me?" I asked him.

Master Rei snorted, "Is this help to you? Dao ah, you should aim your standard higher. Help to you should be when I save your life from a blade wound or helped you escape from a prison. This is not helping you. I am just merely ordered here to give a message to your training officer. I happened to see you and I decided to deliver you as well. Aren't I nice?"

I continued to frown at him. "Then if you will save me from a blade wound or help me escape from prison, the order will come from whom?" I amended my question.

Master Rei laughed. A melodious sound like a symphony sounds from wind chimes swayed by a gentle breeze of wind.

"You are learning, kid." Master Rei patted my cheek before giving me a sharp look, "Follow me." He gave that crisp order sharply as he went inside the barracks entrance.

I sighed and went in. Along the corridors and open rooms, people stared at me as I walk behind the aide of General Wang.

We stopped at the seventh room. Master Rei sighed, "Why will he pick you such unlucky number for a room?" he mumbled darkly before sliding open the double doors and walking inside of the room.

"Rei," Captain Ching, standing in the middle of the room with men kneeling on the elevated wooden floors around him. "What are you doing here? This is a man's room. We don't allow pansies here," Captain Ching smirked at Master Rei as he insulted the aide.

"Then what are you all doing here? Delicate flowers, all of you." Master Rei snorted. "I escorted one of your pup," my Baba's aide pushed me in front of him and made me kneel. "And a message from the Master General himself."

"What is the message?" Captain Ching asked impatiently.

"Go easy on the boy," I felt Master Rei's hand caressing my hair. "Go very very easy on him,"