Back on track

The next day, we arrived at the palace dressed in our best clothes. We were announced to the hall by another eunuch, and we took our place fifth from the emperor's table.

The emperor was an old man, probably in his fifties, while his first wife was no older than thirty. Behind them were two more women, a few years older than the first. Once my mother was installed in her place, father took me to the Emperor. We both knelt in his presence

"Great general Shen, I am glad to see you and your eldest present today."

My father didn't say anything until the old man made a gesture with his hand "The pleasure is ours, your majesty. You honor us greatly with your invitation."

"How is my dear cousin, general?" The empress asked with a smile.

"To answer the empress, my wife is a little tired. The little one kept her up last night."

I couldn't quite believe it.

My mother was the empress' cousin!

And here I thought that my father was the important one.

The elders spoke among themselves while I simply sat on my knees looking at the ground.

"General is this…?"

The empress voice hung for a second before my father answered her unasked question "This is my eldest, Shen Mu, your highness."

I bowed at both regents and could feel them smiling down at me.

"I have heard only praise from master Fa regarding you, young Shen."

I blinked in surprise "this subject was unaware the Emperor knew Master Fa."

I heard him chuckle, but it was his wife who answered "Master Fa is well known to us. He was my brother's master and we wanted him to teach my child, but the prince isn't much interested in martial arts."

There was a tinge of reproach in her tone, which made me think that there was more to it than that. My father wisely said that the third prince would make a fine scholar int eh future. The prince apparently wasn't in attendance yet, so we returned to our seats to enjoy the show ordered by the empress.

We made small talk among ourselves and later received the visit of the eunuch Sun who had brought the prince to the gathering.

The boy was a year younger than me, and received his gifts gallantly, but without much enthusiasm. His face was haughty and only smiled when his mother talked to him. It was her too, who requested my presence up front after the meal.

"Dear, meet your cousin Shen Mu." The empress introduced me to her son, and I bowed low to both.

"Is it true, cousin? What they say about you?"

I blinked in confusion "To answer the prince, this subject does not know any rumors about himself."

The empress laughed softly behind a gold and white fan while her son frowned.

"I have heard that you are a prodigy in martial arts and that you're are also very knowledgeable, more so than many scholars."

I sincerely didn't know how to answer that. "I do not consider myself a prodigy, your majesty. But it is true that I find it easy to learn from my masters."

"So modest" a new voice interrupted our exchange, and I glanced up and discovered that the one who had spoken was one of the Emperor's concubines. "Perhaps, we should put you to the test?"

She stated it as a question, even it was anything but.

The young prince smiled and clapped "That' sounds as a wonderful idea, second mother!"

The young prince then asked the emperor for me to demonstrate my skill in martial arts, and he, of course gave in.

Inside I was fuming but couldn't help but consent.

I went back to my parents to tell them about what had happened. My father was ecstatic, while my mother frowned. She gave me a hug and wished me luck.

I went to the center of the room, where two masters were waiting with two students each. All students were at least five years older than me.

"Let us see how good Master Fa's fabled student really is." One man said while sneering at me.

'So, it's personal, huh?'

Apparently, these people had something against my master, and I was going to pay for it.

'Mr. Miyagi help me!'

Silently cursing in two different languages, I bowed to the six of them. "I am under your care." Let's hope that would prevent them from trying to kill me.

I faced one student first. He was stronger than me, and taller too. Good thing I was a good student.

He rushed to punch me, but I used his impetus against him, making him land face-first into the hard ground. He got up with a red face and tried rushing me again. I was about to use the same movement when I sensed someone behind me.

I bent low and kicked the feet of the guy in from under him, and he landed hard on top of the one that had wanted to surprise me.

I didn't want to have to fight four people at the same time, so I quickly approached the students that were beginning to get on their feet and silently knocked them out with a couple of well-placed hits behind their necks.

Unfortunately, that left me open for another of the students, who came at me with a flying kick.

It sent me to the ground, and I landed with a painful grunt, but rolled away from his follow-up move and stood up a moment later.

The last student was nowhere to be seen, which mean that he was probably behind me.

The boy in front of me wasn't as stupid as the first pair, so he didn't rush at me, but instead watched me from afar.

Again, I felt something creeping from behind, but pretended not notice it, instead moving to circle the boy in front of me.

Buying my bluff, the guy at the back advanced on me.

I took a step back, and his elbows hit my shoulder, the pain made him let go of the stick he was carrying. I took that moment to snatch the stick, and in one swift motion hit him on the side of the head with it. I had to backstep again to avoid another swift kick from the only student that was awake. I hated his kicks with a passion, so I brought the stick hard against the offending appendage, and the boy let out a sharp cry when it landed.

Both teachers clicked their tongues at the demise of their students and sent venomous glares my way… that's until someone applauded making us all turn.

On top of his raised platform, the emperor was applauding.

In a moment, the whole room was filled with applause, and I couldn't help but blush. I put the stick down and bowed in front of the emperor and his family.

"Indeed, Master Fa's praise is not misplaced." He smiled down at me, while motioning one of his servants. The man came forward with a parcel, and reverently handed it to the mandatary. "Shen Mu" he smiled down at me "Accept this small token with my gratitude for a most excellent display. I shall await your visit to the capital when you're old enough to participate in the Spring Competition."

I took the parcel without raising my eyes form the ground.

"It shall be as his majesty wishes."

He nodded, thanked me for the spectacle and then dismissed me again.

I went back to my family and sat painfully inside out pavilion after handing my father the present from the emperor, which turned out to be a small medallion with the form of a dragon, made of pure gold.

My mother fussed over me, while my father smiled proudly.

'Parents, really.'

Hours later, we all went to the Emperor's pavilion to say goodbye, and while my parents spoke amiably with the regents, I was trying not to flinch at the murderous glares from the concubines and the awed smiles of the prince.

He pretty much forgot about his modals, asking me all kinds of questions one after the other, without giving me time to answer.

Seeing him so excited about martial arts, made me curious about the reason why he couldn't practice them himself.