Scattering the Ashes

The group arrived at Zhending as they passed the gates of the city they came face to face with a marvelous view of the main street which was booming with people making it difficult to pass through in their carriage.

Yun looked around finding little changes in the main street for example the shops being different or being held by new owners but most was like before he left Zhending for Puyang.

Rin was having sparkles in her eyes from all the excitement since it was the first time she was in a big city like Zhending, while Zhen Luo was holding her back so she wouldn't fall off the carriage as Thunder was pulling them to the old manor in which Yun was born in.

They soon arrived finding the manor standing empty with a nameplate hanging over the entrance saying 'Zhao'. Thunder pulled the carriage through the entrance and Yun came face-to-face with the old manor he once called home.

He jumped off the cart and signalized to Zhen Luo and Rin to stay on the cart until he gives a signal that everything was alright. Yun approached the manor while looking around finding it odd since it was too clean for a manor that was empty for almost eight years.

Soon an old woman came around the corner holding a broom when she saw Yun she couldn't believe who she was seeing as she walked at a fast pace toward Yun.

She wanted to kneel but Yun stopped her since she was an old woman scared that she would hurt her knees or worse her back when he hears, "I knew that one day the Zhao Family would return to Zhending and claim the city once more."

The woman was an old servant of his father and mother who was left behind because her son and daughter-in-law have a successful business. If Madam Su and Xian had taken her along they would have separated the family something they didn't want to do.

"One day we will return but for now only my father will return to rest beside his forefathers," says Yun placing a hand on the woman's shoulder while passing some Lighy Qi through her body examining her and helping her old body since she took care of the manor on her own.

The woman felt her body turn lighter as she sees Yun sad smile at her before tears enter her eyes since her former master had died.

"He was a serious but good man," says the woman as she remembered Xian complaining a lot because of people who made mistakes while rewarding those who did good work.

"He should rest now," says Yun as he signalizes to Zhen Luo to come out with Rin.

They do so and the woman sees the girl and the woman before looking at her Young Master and saying, "I didn't know that you would take a second wife while being married to the Mistress."

She could see that Rin wasn't his daughter since she didn't inherit the blue or green eyes of Yun or Diao Chan while the other woman was at the right age to get married.

"My wife died before the last winter while giving birth to our fourth child. She is my wife, Zhen Ji, and my daughter, Zhao Rin," says Yun introducing Zhen Luo and Rin while using Zhen Luo's pseudonym since he didn't trust the old woman completely.

"I'm sorry to hear that the Mistress has gone from us," says the old woman in a sad tone knowing how much she was loved by Yun.

"We will be staying today and leaving tomorrow again since I and Yuan Shao faced off against each other at the Battle of Guandu. I hope we won't disturb anyone by doing so," says Yun as he only came to put his father to rest beside his ancestors.

"Of course, do you need a cook for tonight or something else," asks the woman trying to be useful but Yun only smiled at her warmly.

"We only need some well-earned rest from our long journey before beginning our travel back again. I hope that you will take care of the manor until the day the Zhao Family returns to Zhending," says Yun as the woman bows slightly wanting to do a full bow but Yun stopped her again.

"I will serve until I can't any longer," says the woman as she guided the three inside the manor.

"So you lived here with your wife?" asks Zhen Luo curiously as Yun shakes his head.

"No, this is the manor in which my father and mother lived. I was born here as well as my siblings. The manor in which I lived with my wife is a bit down the street. It must be the manor of the Inspector most likely but I will reclaim it sooner or later," says Yun since the mansion he stayed in before is the biggest building in Zhending.

Yun went to the carriage and took the urn out in which his father was resting. He informed the group that he would go to the family grave to fulfill his father's last wish. Zhen Luo wanted to accompany him since she wanted to show respect to her passed father-in-law while Rin went with them out of fear of being left behind.

They walked through the streets until reaching the graveyard. They entered it and Yun guided them to the family grave which was a simple but big stone pillar with Zhao written on it.

Yun scattered the ashes of his father over the grave before kneeling down and praying for his father's peace in death now that his wish was fulfilled. Zhen Luo joined him while Rin just imitated them not knowing why they were doing just wanting to be a part of it.

Yun noticing the young girl pulled her closer and says, "You are standing before all of your Ancestors now that you are a Zhao, Rin. Give them a slight bow and tell them who you are."

Rin walked before the grave and did as Yun told her when Yun looks at her back before seeing the ghost of his father petting the young girl or at least that's what he imagined because there was no one there.

Rin then returned to Yun's and Zhen Luo's side before leaving for the market to get something to eat and some clothes for Rin. They then returned to the manor and Yun walked toward the backyard where he entered a shack that the family had before coming out of it holding a long staff made out of wood.

It was one of the staffs that the family uses to train their children as Yun went to find Rin who was sitting before Zhen Luo who was braiding her hair when they notice Yun with the wooden staff which was quite short compared to Yun himself going only to his chest compared to his spear which is fifty centimeters taller than Yun.

Zhen Luo and Rin looked at him confused when Yun says, "This will be your training tool from today on. You are a Zhao which means that you will learn the way of the spear before you go for a different weapon as did your sister before."

"Does she really have to learn how to fight?" asks Zhen Luo hiding Rin behind her.

"This world is cruel to everyone but for women, it can turn into a nightmare. I don't want any of my daughters to be defenseless in this world or do you want the same to happen to her which happened to you not too long ago," says Yun seriously as he wanted Rin to be able to defend herself.

"She won't be swinging the staff until she reaches the right age to train since her body is still developing but once she is at the right age she will undergo training until then she will be spoiled by me as I spoiled my other children," says Yun to Zhen Luo when Rin came from behind her and walked toward Yun accepting the staff.

"It is a staff with which everyone in my family trained before it ended in your hands. Respect it and it will serve you well as it served me and everyone before me," says Yun to Rin before petting her small head.

They then ate dinner which the woman prepared for them before she left to meet her family and went to sleep. Yun was sleeping alone while Zhen Luo and Rin slept in the same bed with Zhen Luo hugging Rin making her feel comfortable in her arms.

The next morning arrived and the group was ready to leave when Yun puts Rin onto the carriage before helping Zhen Luo on it. They said their goodbyes to the older woman when Yun notices a crow watching them.

"That crow has been getting on my nerves for a long time now," says Yun since the crow seemed to follow him everywhere he went since he first spotted it some years ago.

Shadow came out of nowhere from behind the crow and she grabbed it using her talons before bringing it to Yun who removed the crow from Shadow's talons and looks at it seriously while asking, "To which Pantheon do you belong?"

The crow was nervous but couldn't talk except for giving the usual crow noises from it when Yun says, "You must be one of Odin's crows since the only Pantheon that ever came to me was the Nordic Pantheon with Thor entering my mansion while I wasn't there.

The rest seem to care little about who I am and Odin is the only one that wants to know everything going by what I have heard from the other gods. So give a loud if you belong to Odin."

The crow gave a noise from himself but it wasn't Odin that sent him to watch over Yun but another God living in Asgard when Yun says, "Tell Odin to stop following my tracks before he annoys me more than they already did."

Yun might be a mortal but he wasn't afraid of the gods since they couldn't do anything to him in the Mortal Plain and if he died he would probably end up in the Warrior's Realm once again.

He let go of the crow who flew away immediately before disappearing in blue light showing that it left the Mortal Plain while Zhen Luo looked at her husband curiously wanting to know who said Odin and the Nordic Pantheon he was talking about.