Chapter 4
The heir seldom saw anything like this.
We had barely reached the inn before he took me out to explore the streets.
Stalls lined the road, selling martial manuals and weapons.
He asked whether any of them were genuine.
“There are fakes mixed in with the real thing, but good finds, too. Martial artists call it fate. Only those fated to find a treasure will come across one.”
He waved his folding fan, repeating that it was fascinating.
He ordered someone to pay for a few things chosen at random.
He spent lavishly and made no effort to be discreet.
Many people turned to look at him as we passed.
He paid them no heed.
It wasn’t only the guards at his side.
There were skilled fighters hidden among the crowd as well.
The Noble Consort in the palace had begged the emperor to send them.
They were there to protect her younger brother.
When we reached a fortune-teller’s stall,
the heir sat down in front of the Daoist.
“Tell my fortune.”
The Daoist opened one eye and spoke unhurriedly.
“Gold in your fate. Wealth and rank all your life.”
The heir had heard such things often enough to find them dull.
He turned his folding fan and pointed at me.
“What fate does she have?”
The Daoist opened both eyes and studied me intently.
After a long while, he said,
“Baseborn to the bone.”
The heir snorted with laughter.
“You have a sharp eye, old Daoist. She serves my sword—my sword maid, if you will. Baseborn to the bone, just as you said.”
The onlookers all laughed.
I listened without a change in my expression.
The heir tossed the Daoist a silver ingot.
A man stepped up beside us with an ingratiating smile.
“You spend generously, sir. Why not let me take you somewhere entertaining?”
The heir was keen.
“Very well. I’ve seen plenty of entertainments. If you fail to amuse me, don’t expect a coin.”
I followed him with the sword in my arms.
Pleasure today, death tomorrow.
My lord, how much longer do you have to live?
The man led him through several turns to an out-of-the-way place.
As soon as we arrived, I smelled the heavy reek of blood.
The man explained,
“Wenjian Manor burned down, but its weapons were brought out intact. In a moment, we’ll hold a blooding ceremony for those swords. If one catches your eye, sir, you can buy it on the spot.”
“What’s a blooding ceremony?”
The man wore a mysterious expression.
“Watch, sir.”
Following his gaze, I saw a child being brought forward under guard.
Someone raised a sword and cut off the child’s head.
There wasn’t even time for a scream.
A man lifted the head and let its dripping blood fall over the blade.
Then he shook the sword, raised it, and called out,
“Who will buy this blade? It was blooded with a six-year-old child. Such a sword is a rare find!”
The people around us began bidding.
But the heir frowned deeply, looking displeased.
He had grown up surrounded by luxury. Cruel though he was,
such matters had always been dealt with out of his sight.
Perhaps this was the first time he had witnessed anything so brutal.
The man leaned toward him and explained,
“A child’s blood is best for blooding a sword, untouched by corruption. Five to seven is ideal; eight or nine is second best. That sword has been steeped in a six-year-old’s blood. Aren’t you tempted, sir?”
The heir lifted his fan to cover the lower half of his face.
“Such savagery. Beyond any decent man.”
The man’s face fell. Unwilling to lose such a wealthy customer,
he quickly changed his tune.
“If you don’t care for it, sir, simply choose a sword, and we’ll bring it to you without the ceremony.”
The heir pointed at the sword in my arms.
“I already own a famous blade. None of the others interests me.”
The man refused to give up.
“If you won’t buy a sword, why not visit the pleasure house? They have every sort of beauty there.”
The heir pointed at me again.
“Any prettier than this maid of mine?”
The man glanced at me and smiled apologetically.
“You jest, sir. Every beauty has her own charms. You must see them yourself to know which you prefer.”
Amused by the man’s patter, the heir followed him to the pleasure house.
As we entered,
the scent of rouge and powder filled the room, thick enough to make one giddy.
A dozen or more beauties sat or reclined, their clothes half undone, their glances full of allure.
But the heir had seen plenty of this in the capital.
It drew little response from him.
Then someone below called out,
“Wenjian Manor’s Second Young Lady! Bidding starts at one thousand taels!”
That caught his interest.
Leaning against the railing, he watched the people below compete to bid.
“Why all the frenzy? That Second Young Lady looks quite ordinary to me.”
“Wenjian Manor is rumored to possess a sword manual. Whoever obtains it can rise to the top of the martial world. But no one has ever seen it.”
The heir closed his fan and tapped it against his palm.
“Now that is a sword manual I would like to see.”
The bidding below gradually died down.
At last, someone offered,
“Five thousand five hundred taels.”
No one challenged him.
Looking pleased with himself, he was about to claim his purchase.
The heir suddenly spoke.
“I bid seven thousand.”
An uproar filled the hall.
The earlier bidder glared at him.
“Who is this brat who dares compete with me?”
The heir answered lazily.
“The highest bidder wins. If you can’t afford her, get out.”
Enraged, the man pretended to turn away.
When we weren’t looking, he flung several small knives and lunged at the heir.
The fighters guarding him were too far away to react in time.
The heir had never imagined anyone would dare attack him. He stood frozen.
I swung the sword to block. Steel flashed.
The knives fell to the floor.
The hall went silent, then erupted in cheers.
“Fine skill!”
“Fine sword!”
The heir looked at me with an awkward expression.
I drew back the sword and asked his forgiveness.
“I should not have used your sword without permission, sir. Please punish me.”
He waved a hand.
“Never mind. It happened so suddenly, you had no time to think either.”
Even so, he took the sword back and drew it to inspect the blade.
The steward brought the woman up, trembling.
“Sir, the woman you bought is here.”
The heir gestured for someone to pay.
Then he took me and the Second Young Lady into a room.
She seemed dazed, her eyes fixed on the sword in his hand.
He asked why she was staring.
“That is the finest of Wenjian Manor’s famous swords.”
“Is it?” He smiled smugly. “I merely ordered them to find me the best. I never expected them to bring me the finest of all.”
“It vanished after the fire. I thought it must have passed into common hands. I didn’t expect to find it with you.”
He tossed the sword to me.
“A famous blade should have a sword manual to match. You know what I want.”
The Second Young Lady shook her head.
“I have no manual. If you don’t believe me, kill me.”
He didn’t seem very disappointed.
“I paid for you. Since I can’t have the manual, you can work as my slave to repay the money.”
He surveyed the flesh beneath her clothes.
“Take good care of that skin. I have a use for it.”
I understood at once.
He intended to practice on her skin.
She showed little reaction.
She seemed to have lost all spirit, with nothing left of a distinguished family’s young lady.
Quietly, she followed him and became his maid.
Her behavior even prompted him to make a joke.
“Wenjian Manor shouldn’t claim to produce fine swords. It should claim to produce fine slaves. Every one of you knows how to serve.”
At that insult, she merely bit her lower lip and dared not answer back.