Foxes Among Wolves - Chapter 8 Cabin In The Woods

Yinying Yueguang, the imperial city, was a sight to behold. It was built to follow the curves on the landscape, forming a horseshoe around a long stretch of river that spilt into Kye Lake. A line of buildings sat of the very edge of a steep decline, leaving a narrow pathway for people to walk around. More houses, shops and taverns were constructed behind this original horseshoe shape, rising with the mountain and hiding amongst the greenery of the forest. Unlike the Lotus Palace, the colour of the city was neutral, full of browns and greys to blend into the surroundings. It was at night, the city was most beautiful; from a distance, the lanterns made it look like a swarm of fireflies hovering over the water.

Bridges connected buildings together, spanning across the water to the other side of land. A luxurious restaurant was constructed over a small waterfall that trickled into the river. The place was a man’s dream; full of hearty food, endless wine and exotic women but at a high price. Disung often visited when Joaolong was sick, wasting his time by watching people and their actions.

Today, this wasn’t his intended destination.

Disung ventured past the city until there was only a dirt trail to follow instead of a pebbled road. Then, he veered off into the dense forest and followed the subtly marked trees with the family crest . The walk made him pant but it was worth the exhaustion to have the anxiety ease out of him when he saw the cabin. The familiar site made him smile as he remembered the days he ran around and hunted in the area.

The cabin was small and plain, surrounded by a lush garden, containing both aesthetic plants as weeds. The windows of the house were only on the sides and rear of the wooden building, as the doorway at the entrance was too wide for anything else. This frame had no actual door, letting the cool breeze ventilate the house. Inside was just as simple. There was only one room, containing the kitchen, dining area and bedroom all together.

“Mother!”

Shao Chunhua sat at the table, embroidering a pillow with bamboo trees. They didn’t share many common features apart from their taller height and unruly, thick hair. Due to her preferred lifestyle in the wilderness, she aged more dramatically than other women.

“My son! Is it really you?” Chunhua replied when Disung entered the cabin and hugged him tightly. “You have grown too much. Sit! I’ll prepare some tea. Have they been feeding you well in the palace?”

“Of course. Any delicacy you can think of, I have eaten.”

“You look too thin,” she remarked and shoved a bread roll into his mouth. She returned to boil water on a contained fire inside as Disung choked on the food. “Is Master Wang treating you well?”

“Yes, mother. You must not worry too much.”

“You are my kin. I will always worry. Why did you visit? You should not have left your duty,” Chunhua said. These bombarding questions were usual, Chunhua always fussing over her only remaining family. Disung wondered if Joaolong felt the same way with the empress.

“Joaolong is ill and my duty is pointless when the physician and servants are monitoring him,” Disung explained.

It was a panicked morning in the palace. Disung awoke from a light slumber to a housemaid fussing about Joaolong. The master was ghostly pale and coughing hysterically until blood dribbled from his mouth. A physician from Yinying Yueguang tended to him and would continue to personally watch over him until the master’s health was improving. The blood was because he scratched his throat on some dried fruit but the fever had everyone else worried. During these times, everyone was on high alert and Disung wasn’t needed as a guard for the day.

“I will gather some longans for you to take to Master Wang. It will give back his strength. I fed you many during your fevers as a child.”

“It will be appreciated,” Disung replied. “How is life in the wilderness?”

“There is not much to tell. The forest is pleasant in spring except for the bugs and pollen. For every joy, there is always a consequence. I have fresh air to keep me young and chores to keep me strong. The sunsets are beautiful these days. I wish you would stay to see one.”

“Next time.”

“I would not beg you so often if I had grandchildren to stay by my side. If only my son married,” Chunhua whined as she put the teapot on the table, then searched for cups.

During this, Disung debated confessing what was burdening him. Although he laughed and joked, there was a darkness lingering under his eyes. The Fox haunted him for years and the restless nights increased in severity upon the return of the man. He wished not to push this fear onto his mother but it was worse to keep her unaware of the danger nearby. “The Fox has come to the Lotus Palace.”

A teacup smashed on the ground and the pieces scattered across the floor. Chunhua bent over and slowly collected the shards with shaky hands, her son helping her. By the time the broken cup was disposed of, Chunhua spoke. “A-are you certain the Fox has returned?”

“The emperor received a token. There is no mistaking who left it.”

That wooden fox opened an old wound for Disung. When he closed his eyes, he relived the fight between his father and the Fox. They punched, weaved, ducked and kicked. His father was winning the Fox played dirty. A dagger was thrown at his father and imbedded in his stomach. He fell to his knees and the Fox kicked him to the ground and beat him further. Chunhua had to drag Disung away from the scene before they were killed as well. That day ruined him and all the emotions had resurfaced at the sight of that token on the Divine Gate. They never returned to their home in the mountains because of that Fox.

Chunhua let out a strangled sobbed and it pained Disung to see his mother, a strong fearless woman, cry. “Noit can’t beHe has come back We must”

“I’ll protect you,” Disung said. “I won’t ever let him hurt you like he did to father. I promise. I will protect you.”

The mood sobered after that. During the rest of the time spent together, neither Chunhua or Disung spoke of the Fox again. They collected firewood and hunted rabbits, conversing about Disung as a child or life in the palace. They lived together in the cabin for only over a year before circumstances Disung to enlist in the army. At first, Chunhua was against it, unwilling to lose the last of her family. It was difficult to adapt from seeing her son play in the forest to spending time alone in the isolated area. When she received reports of Disung’s talent and his incredibly fast rise in ranks, she breathed a little easier. Yet, the best news came three years after Disung left home.

The empress wrote a personal letter explaining the offer to be a personal guard, which would provide a more comfortable life. Disung returned home the following week, that genuine smile still on his face and a skip in his step. Seeing him unchanged – lacking the murderous aura that rumours described nsh to have – made Chunhua’s worry dissipate. Despite the difference in life, Disung had grown up to be just like his father and nothing could make Chunhua prouder.

The sun crept closer to the mountains, signalling end of their time together for today. Disung was lost in his own thoughts that he hardly recalled entering the Lotus Palace or talking to the guards. He only came to his senses when he was in the main courtyard where a few soldiers were training. They had already set up training equipment such as wooden swords and rotating dummies, and worked on their sword fighting and hand-to-hand combat. Disung watched the men eagerly, judging their stances and movements. A few new recruits trained inside the palace due to their family connections, most others learning in the mountains.

“Broaden your shoulders and widen your legs!” He shouted at a new recruit, Duan Xingyi.

The boy was tall but lanky, every part of him lacking muscle. Posture was his worst asset; since he bent down to talk to others so much, his back curved into a hunch. Disung had watched him for the past month, curious about the growth in character and strength.

“You should show him, nsh!” Su Rong shouted gleefully, grinning with a full set of straight teeth. He trained Disung when he first joined the army and gave him the name ‘nsh’ as a respectful endearment, which the emperor twisted to be a threat. Despite the age difference and parting ways years ago,the men maintained a good relationship and spoke of each other with high regards.

Disung was already on the field in response, willing to fight and leave the troubles that brewed in his mind. He stood in front of Xingyi while the others in training stopped to watch. It was rare nowadays to see Disung train with the rest of the army, since his primary duty was serving Joaolong. Yet, everyone knew of his greatness.

“Try to hit me,” Disung taunted.

“Ahhh!” Xingyi shouted as he ran forward, his fist colliding with nothing but air.

“Eyes on the target and keep close distance to your enemy if you want hand-to-hand combat.”

Xingyi tried again, bouncing on his feet and throwing a few punches. Disung easily blocked them, his defence having greater strength than Xingyi’s attacks. There was a low kick, chosen not because of an opening but due to a lack of flexibility to extend a leg higher. It was worrisome that the recruit was this terrible. This was why all the men needed to be trained in the mountains; the luxuries in the palace made them weak.

“You’re weak. Let us see if you can prove yourself in defense,” Disung said and stepped forward.

At first, Disung debated withholding his full power but thought better. If this man was to learn, it was best to beat him well enough for him to remember how much he can improve. So, Disung did a sequence of punches at full strength and familiar with this order, Xingyi blocked them well. However, when Xingyi raised his hand because he expected another punch, Disung grabbed it and twisted it until Xingyi was at his mercy.

“If you wish to predict your enemy’s attack, you mustn’t look only at his body. The eyes reveal secrets too,” Disung said but in his mind, his father’s voice came out. “Eyes,” he would simply say over and over while they trained, rubbing his bald head when he won.

“Practice on a dummy and I don’t want to hear complaints about the pain. In a real fight, you won’t have any recovery breaks,” Disung said, shaking the painful memory away, and helping Xingyi to his feet.

Under Rong’s request, Disung stayed until dark. The new recruits varied in abilities but all needed strengthening training and to learn patience. Each fought like they were invincible and this became their downfall, their movements easy to determine. After these men retired, Rong and Disung had a quick, friendly duel before Rong too, departed. Disung was on his way back to Joaolong when he stopped in his tracks. There was something on the bridge of Lady Gaze.

A slim figure moved poetically; their body bent like a small willow tree and fingers glided like ripples in a stream. They were graceful and light-footed, the dance compelling people to watch. Suddenly, they tensed and in seconds, their actions were harsh and rigid, fluidly transforming into a fighting style. This transition was repeated several times and the frustration from the person could be seen by their untimely stomping at the end of the sequence.

Disung approached cautiously, intrigued, but some twigs snapped under his foot and alerted the stranger. They bolted and disappeared into the shadows. Disung would have pursued but his eyes caught a glimpse of something on a tree near where the figure had practiced. Small, thin needles were embedded into the thick trunk.

Two things struck him then. First, the dance was meant to kill. Second, he possibly let an assassin get away.