Seated at a round table drinking and eating with fellow Spear School disciples, a lean but healthy looking girl dressed in a red and white fitted chivalric looking hanfu, without any hair accessories but a single headpiece holding her hair up in a ponytail, Feng Chusan was almost unrecognisable. If any of her family members saw her now, they could never reconcile the haughty, rude, airheaded silver spoon born socialite with unrealistic aspirations to this sensible, responsible and upright mercenary. In the short years that had passed since her induction, Feng Chusan had indeed grown a lot.
"Big sis Chusan," one of the female disciples crooned, tugging on her sleeve, "Elder Han placed you in charge of selecting those to assist you on your first mission. Please pick me, alright?"
Feng Chusan chewed on a piece of fish as she considered the matter. She was giving it a lot of thought. First missions were a great deal. It was after successfully completing this daunting obstacle that mercenaries received their code names. Feng Chusan was looking forward to this. She envied Han Yuefeng, who had been specially granted her name, Night Whisper, by the Top Senior. Though she had not received the details of this mission of hers yet, she knew she had to make sure her team was well rounded with at least one person from each of the cultivation disciplines; alchemy, weaponry, medicine and matrices.
"Which discipline does your strength lie in?" Therefore, she asked the girl this. The girl sat up straight and put down her chopsticks.
"Um, I'm quite good with the sword,"
Feng Chusan sighed. This was not what she meant.
"Well fine. How many sword technique scrolls have you mastered?"
"Huh?" The girl looked slightly shocked. What was this senior disciple talking about? How hard was it to master all the stances in just one random technique scroll!! No, how hard was it to even reach the stage to select a technique scroll!!
"I-- I'm still learning," she mumbled, "but I have known all the spear school's sword stances by heart,"
Feng Chusan sighed again and shook her head, rising. Several of the disciples at the table quickly put down their own bowls of food and rose with her as well. Feng Chusan gave the girl a perfunctory smile.
"You have to work harder, Yu Wan,"
Yu Wan's eyes reddened as she realised she was being rejected. However, she also quickly joined the small crowd following after the senior disciple. Feng Chusan rubbed her forehead in exasperation, but she couldn't really shake them off. She struggled to remember when exactly it was that she had become so popular in the spear school, so much so that all the disciples currently here were willing to clean her boots and wash her dirty socks at a word from her.
Since it had come to this, Feng Chusan thought, she guessed she would have to carefully select her teammates. And how better a way to do so than organise a competition? First of all, though, she had to take permission from an Elder.
"Senior disciple Feng is going to Elder Han's office," the disciples behind her whispered among themselves, "has she already chosen her team? Do you know who she chose?" They asked one another.
"No, I don't," they all confirmed. Sharing a quick glance, they straightened those faces and followed after her at a closer pace, trying and failing to be inconspicuous.
Feng Chusan quickly entered the front room of the Limitless Potential house. Han Yuefeng sat behind a table shuffling through the paperwork of the Spear School. She looked up at the sound of someone entering. Feng Chusan bowed.
"Greetings to Elder Han,"
"Chusan," Han Yuefeng sighed, shaking her head, "I've told you to ignore formalities when we're alone,"
Feng Chusan straightened up. She crossed the room and went to stand behind the elder.
"Look," Han Yuefeng pulled out an envelope from under a pile, "I think Su Hanlin wrote to you,"
Feng Chusan collected the envelope. Contrary to their expectations back then when they were leaving the hatchery, the friends after being separated into different guilds and schools did not see much of each other over the following years. So, they had resorted to writing letters to one another. Feng Chusan was very happy that she had at least been chosen into the same place as her best friend. Otherwise, with Su Hanlin apprenticed to the Medicine Hall, Li Beiyao in the Tiger Squad, and Gu Yuwei in the Riding Squad, communication would have been more difficult. Now, all the friends had to do was disguise their letters as official documents intended for the elder of the Spear School.
"She has received her mercenary name!" Feng Chusan announced after reading the first paragraph of the letter. Han Yuefeng raised her head with interest.
"Really? What is it?"
"Red Plum. Isn't it too cute? Please remember not to give me a name like that, Yuefeng," Feng Chusan begged. Han Yuefeng smirked.
"That name must be the doing of Guardian Yi Hei. I wonder when the two will eventually tie the knot," she chuckled.
"Come on, Yuefeng," Feng Chusan complained, "how many times will Hanlin explain that there's no such relationship between them? That's just how Guardian Yi Hei is. His charming demeanour makes everyone think he likes her. Su Hanlin said he doesn't, at all,"
"Hear, hear," said Han Yuefeng drily, "I don't agree."
"Hmph," Feng Chusan was annoyed and instead continued reading the letter, "Wow, she said her master was chosen to be one of the contestants for the Si Lak Mercenaries in the Cultivators Gathering. How nice. Oh, Beiyao wrote to her and said this is the fifth time she's punished Gu Wenwen this week. I wonder when Beiyao is going to eventually unhand her. I almost feel for the poor girl,"
"Have you forgotten so soon how mean Gu Wenwen used to be to us in the hatcheries?" Han Yuefeng signed a document, "seems like Beiyao's memory is better than yours, at least,"
"Well, true, the hatchery seems a long time ago to me," Feng Chusan replied, "but Beiyao's dislike for Wenwen should have waned by now. She wasn't even the one Wenwen injured back then. If it was Gu Yuwei doing this I wouldn't have said anything,"
"Then maybe she's doing it on Yuwei's behalf," Han Yuefeng figured, "how do you know it wasn't Yuwei who said to Beiyao to help her get even?"
"Fine, I give up trying to understand," Feng Chusan chuckled, folding the letter, "right, I almost forgot what I came here for. Since I'll soon be getting my mercenary name and I don't want something silly like Red Plum, so bear that in mind; I want permission to hold a small contest so I can select my teammates,"
"You can do anything you want. No need to ask me," Han Yuefeng replied, "I wanted to ask you to train class three anyway. Use that opportunity to do what you want,"
"Thanks, Yuefeng, you're the best!" Feng Chusan gave her a swift hug before running out. Han Yuefeng smiled slightly after her. Sometimes she wished she was as free as her friend, not having the weight of duties bearing down on her...
Someone knocked on the door.
"Come in," Han Yuefeng said with a sigh.
The door opened and Yan Mi came in. She bowed.
"Greetings to Elder Han,"
"You may rise," Han Yuefeng muttered. Yan Mi rose upright and approached the table.
"Elder Nalan asked me to hand you this," she respectfully placed a brown envelope in Han Yuefeng's hand.
"Alright. You may leave,"
"Yes," Yan Mi bowed and left.
Han Yuefeng tore open the envelope and unfolded the letter in it. Her eyes widened with delight as she read the words:
Yuefeng,
Master asked us all to take a week off. Myself and your senior sect brothers are going to the Upper Prefectures to level up. Since you can't go yet, why don't you visit Si Lak town? I'm sure you haven't been there before. It's pretty interesting and will come with a lot of surprises. You can also use this opportunity to meet up with your friends who you haven't seen in a while. Write to them to clear up their schedules and then use your elder token to summon them. I'm sure none of them have risen up the ranks so much as to ignore that, haha.
Make sure you enjoy yourself. I'll also bring back some treasures from the Upper Prefectures for you. You enjoy mint flavoured candy, don't you?
Nalan Yu.
"Who's out there?" Han Yuefeng called out quickly, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. Damn Feng Chusan's first mission, that could happen later! They should seize this chance to tour Si Lak town with Su Hanlin and the others! Even Ye Haobei who Feng Chusan had said was apprenticed to an old Alchemy Guild elder could also come along. Han Yuefeng grinned even wider.
"I said, who's out there?"
A passing class four disciple heard her voice and entered, nervous. He bowed.
"I-- yes, elder? What is your request?"
"Call me Feng Chusan, quickly! I asked her to train the class three disciples, so look for her there,"
"Yes, elder!" The disciple scurried away at once. He had been so scared. He thought she heard him outside and that disturbed her. Even worse, he thought his lurking and stalking days were over. He-- he really liked the elder, so...pssh! Wiping his brow, be hurried towards the class three building at once.
He found Feng Chusan quickly.
"Classmate Feng!" He called out. One could say he was friends with her. Since she was very close to elder Han, he hoped to use her to find out the elder's likes and dislikes. However, Feng Chusan had seen through him at once and given him a serious warning that he could never forget. It didn't help that he was Yan Xiao, and the elder was prejudiced against him as the first impression she had of him was a bully.