Lady Ching left early the next morning. Jin and Xuelei bade farewell to a teary Ting Ting and her family after lunch, stating they had been ordered back. They were given some rations for their journey back and some herbs for Xuelei's health.
As they rode off, Jin tried to keep a straight face but failed miserably bursting into helpless laughter every time he glanced over at Xuelei.
"Shut up."
"I didn't say anything." Jin grinned wickedly at his brother.
Xuelei glared menancingly at Jin. "If you laugh any harder you will fall off your horse."
At that, Jin gave up and laughed heartily. "I swear if we had stayed there any longer, Ting Hua and Ting Kai would have started fighting openly for a chance at getting your affections. Never mind that you belong to the Assassin's Sect and are below their status."
"Are you done?"
Jin smirked gleefully, "You can't really blame them. You are beautiful, gentle, skilled and have a dangerous handsome assassin for a brother .... seriously unattainable, totally irresistible."
"I'm never ever going back there again," Xuelei muttered under his breath and urged his horse into a canter leaving Jin behind. Jin followed, still laughing at his brother's discomfort.
They stopped at a clear stream outside of town. Xuelei washed off his make-up in relief, changed his clothes and re-tied his long hair into a warrior's knot. Then they had a simple meal.
"Give me a day. I should be back by then. If I am delayed, go back and report. I will catch up."
"I think this is a bad idea."
"Jin, I have to do this, I have to know if it is really my family. If I let this opportunity go, I will regret it forever."
"What if it's not?"
"If it's not, then I will come back and we go back. End of story."
"What if .... It is your family she was talking about?"
Xuelei hesitated. "I will hear what she has to say, then I will return with you."
Jin opened his mouth but Xuelei cut him off, "We will go back together Jin, I have nowhere else to go. We are brothers."
Jin was not convinced. "You have one day. Twenty four hours. I mean it, Xue, not a minute later."
"Thanks."
----------------------------
Xuelei made his way to the City's Northern Gates and entered the nearest Inn there. The large grand building was an old establishment which marked the edge of town. He spotted Lady Ching in travelling clothes at a table, having a drink and some light snacks. He straightened his shoulders and went up to her.
"Lady Ching?"
She lifted startled eyes at the youth that stood before her. "Oh my .... it's like seeing a ghost ... two ghosts," she said with a sharp intake of breath. "P-please, have a seat."
He sat down gracefully opposite her and put his saber on the table, within easy reach. "I was told you were looking for someone with my description. Do you know me?" he asked going straight to the point.
"I know ... knew some people who you resemble," she trailed off as she studied his profile. "Amazing."
He kept quiet, waiting for her.
"Did XueHua ...?"
"Jin. He showed me a broken piece of green jade," he said quickly cutting her off. Better to disassociate himself with XueHua.
"What about the girl? She looks like you. Who is she to you, young man? How do you know her? Do you also belong to the same Sect?"
He pursed his lips and poured himself a cup of tea. He deliberately took his time sipping the hot beverage. Finally she smiled, she got the hint.
"My apologies. I have been searching for so long and now you are right in front of me. I can't believe it."
"I may not be the person you are searching for," Xuelei said bluntly. "I have come to listen to what you have to say."
"May I ask, what do people call you?"
"Xuelei."
"Xuelei? Tears of blood? Blood ... tears?" She choked, a strange expression came over her face, shock, pity, sadness and finally regret. "I'm sorry I couldn't have found you sooner. Maybe, you would not have had to endure so many hardships or lost so much."
Xuelei studied her silently, tilting his head slightly.
"You are so like him. Your confidence and mannerisms, I would almost say you are him reincarnated. He did not like to waste words either."
"Who?"
"Zhen Shuren, my Master."
Zhen Shuren, the legendary Swordmaster? She must be kidding. "What about the broken jade?"
"Come, I want to show you a place."
"Where?"
"I want to show you my Master's grave. It is not far from here. I will tell you about the jade and Master Shuren."
Xuelei made a quick decision and nodded. He had to know. She paid and they left the city through the Northern Gates.
Lady Ching led the way. They rode for a few hours heading North. She slowed down when they came to a mountainous region. She led him through a ghost town, long dead, the houses abandoned for more than ten years she said.
"Why?"
"This was where my Master's home was. People slowly left the place after a huge fire that burned down my Master's mansion. They swore that Zhen Shuren's vengeful spirit roamed the streets looking for the murderers of his family."
She stopped in front of a ruined mansion. Sections of its wall had fallen leaving gaping holes. The main gates were rusted, twisted and laying on the ground. Xuelei could see right inside, tall weeds were growing randomly everywhere. He moved his horse unconsciously into the courtyard.
Despite the time, there was still evidence of the long ago fire. The ram shackled buildings were still dark with old soot, charred beams and rotting wood. Caved in walls were left to nature and were green with moss. Little animals scurried away in fright at the human's intrusion.
Xuelei felt a deep sense of sadness overwhelming him but controlled himself. It might not be his family. She had yet to tell him the whole story.
Lady Ching was crying silently, lost in memories.
"Tell me about the broken jade."
"The jade was a present from Lord Zhen and Lady Zhen to their firstborn son. Their only son. It bears their family crest. It must have been broken that fateful night."
Xuelei felt his chest constrict. A gift from his father and mother! He gave himself a mental slap. Control! Discipline! Don't jump to conclusions. He straightened up.
"They hung it around his neck because he was still a small boy. He would only be able to wear it properly hung from his waist like a man when he grew up. It was also a play of the boy's given name, Zhen Xiumin (jade-like stone)."
"Zhen ... Xiumin," Xuelei whispered, trying out the name that might be his.
"This was Master Shuren's home and later it became his grave. It was believed that he burned along with the others, but no one ever found his body."
She turned to look thoughtfully at Xuelei, "Do you have the other broken piece? It is said that that the precious jade was also a key to a hidden chamber which leads to Master Shuren's personal meditating and training room. The secret room contains scrolls, scriptures and books on his thoughts, works and martial arts manuscripts. There is even a manual written by the great master himself. A whole roomful of treasures," her voice was filled with longing.
"Just imagine, all of Master Shuren's martial arts secrets. If one could learn it all, he or she would be invincible in a fair fight. Too bad the master was drugged and died along with his household." She bowed her head in a show of respect to the dead.
Instantly Xuelei snapped back to attention. Something about the way she asked about the jade so casually was suspect or was he overreacting? His skin was tingling, instinct warning him that something was wrong.
"The hidden entrance was said to be in his study but no one had ever found it. No one was allowed in. The only ones who had ever been inside with Master Zhen were his young son and his beloved wife."
"He took his son inside ...?"
"Yes, no one knew why but no one questioned him. Do you ... do you perhaps remember?" she asked hopefully.
Xuelei frowned. She was assuming he was the lost boy. He only had the broken piece, he had always had it but what other proof did he have?
"Lady Ching, unfortunately I do not recall anything. I may not be the one you are seeking. Besides the piece of broken jewellery, what other clues do you have in finding him?"
"Nothing ... I have nothing else but painful memories."
She sniffled and moved deeper into the ruined home, beckoning at him to follow. The two horses trotted further in. She led him in what seem like a maze of burnt and damaged buildings until she reached one located in the midst of a wild garden that was once beautiful.
"She died in there."
Xuelei frowned. "Who?"
"Lady Zhen, my Mistress. Those were her rooms." She waved to a half-burnt sad looking building.
Xuelei's hands curled into fists. "Did you find out who did it?"
"No, but I am still looking. The trail has gone cold. It's been so long."
Damn. No proof. No clues. What was he to believe?
"If you find the Zhen boy, what will you do?"
"I ... I don't know. I just need to find him and the jade."
Xuelei's frown deepened. The earlier uneasy feeling he had flared into full-fledged alarm. His senses were telling him to get out of this place immediately. His whole body was on high alert, something was definitely not right.
Movement!
He caught movement in his peripheral vision. Now that he was aware, his trained eyes caught movement in several places in the ruins. They were being watched.
He sighed loudly, making sure the hidden listeners could hear him clearly. "Lady Ching, I think we should go. Thank you for telling me all this but I am afraid I am not the person you are searching for. I do not remember anything or this place."
They were outnumbered. He could feel eyes boring into his back. Xuelei wondered if Lady Ching could fight. Maybe the hidden listeners would let them go if they thought he was not the one.
"I do not have the broken piece of jade. We should go."
Lady Ching turned on him and he was shocked to see her features had twisted into a mask of hatred.
"ENOUGH! Enough of this charade! I know it's you. You must be the lost one. You look and act almost exactly like Zhen Shuren!"
Xuelei pulled the reigns of his horse in alarm, making it back away a few steps. Lady Ching had gone mad.
"I have spent my whole life looking for Zhen's lost martial arts. He promised to teach me! Then that bitch had to kill him and spoil everything! Thirteen miserable years. I earned it. Give me the jade. I know you have it."
"What? Who? Are you with them?" Xuelei asked in confusion.
"Attack!" she screamed. "It must be on him! I want the jade key!"
Figures emerged from all around, swords drawn. They began advancing on him.
Damn.
He was in trouble.