Chapter 2: Strong Hearts

Characters:

Mei Bai Ai - Our protagonist. Alias Lei Feng. Trainee of the Buddha Palm technique.

Lu Bai Ai - Legendary master of the Buddha Palm technique. Banished for teaching the technique to her daughter secretly.

Rei Bai Ai - Mei's mother. Sick with an unknown disease.

Yize Wu - Her love interest. The son of Master Hao Wu.

Haoyu Wu - Yize's brother. Angry and insecure due to family issues.

Master Hao Wu - Yize's father. Administrator or leader of the City of Wu.

Mistress Wei Wu - Yize's mother. Motherly and kind.

New:

Wong - Eldest brother of the infiltration team.

Fei - Second brother of the infiltration team.

Li - Youngest sister of the infiltration team.

Locations:

City of Wu - southern city on the continent of Wu. 

Han - Northern territory inside the continent of Wu.

Terms:

Buddha Palm Technique - a healing fighting cultivation and martial arts. Only taught to those gifted with extraordinary healing capabilities and martial fighting prowess. Normally, only 2 or 3 practitioners of this art happens every fifty years. Either you are gifted by the Gods to learn this or you have extraordinary mana reserve and chi control over your body to attain this skill.

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I sat by the entrance of Yize's made up tent, my heart still racing from last night's events. My Buddha Palm technique had worked; I could feel his heartbeat stabilizing beneath my touch, the warmth of my energy seeping into his weak heart. It was a small victory, but one that filled me with a bittersweet hope. I could help him - If I stay by his side.

"Mei?" His voice broke through my thoughts, soft but clear. I turned to see him sitting up, looking far healthier than before. Relief surged through me. "I feel much better," he added, almost surprised by his own words.

"You should," I said, smiling as I entered the tent. "I've been working to strengthen your heart. But this is just the beginning."

He tried to stand, but faltered slightly, the remnants of his weakness still apparent. I rushed to his side, helping him balance. His skin was warmer than it had been in days, and a small flush of color returned to his cheeks. It was good to see.

"Gods I'm famished.," Yize said weakly, his face still pale but with a newfound brightness. "Starving, actually."

I couldn't help but laugh, feeling the tension release from my shoulders. "That's a good sign. I'll fetch you some food."

I hurried out and quickly brought back a bowl of chicken and ginger soup, the scent of it filling the small tent. Yize's hands shook as he grasped the bowl, but he managed a few eager spoonfuls, his hunger evident.

"Thank you Mei," he said, his voice filled with gratitude. "This is exactly what I needed."

I nodded, watching him eat, but my mind was already racing ahead. There was so much he didn't know yet, so much that lay ahead of him if he was going to survive. His heart defect wasn't something that could be ignored, but neither could the dangers that surrounded us. It would probably take a year to fix his ailing heart.

When Yize finished eating, he set the bowl aside and gestured for me to sit. "Mei," he began, his eyes meeting mine with a seriousness I hadn't seen before. "Tell me... what's next?"

I hesitated for a moment, trying to organize my thoughts. "Your heart," I said finally, "it's weak. The muscles... they aren't strong enough to handle the strain of battle or exertion. If we don't treat it, you could…" My voice caught, but I forced myself to continue. "You could die."

Yize took in my words with a steady calm, nodding thoughtfully. "What do I need to do?"

I was surprised by his resolve, but it gave me the strength to push forward. "You'll need to eat specific heart strengthening foods, roots and herbs--meat, ginger, ginseng, garlic. They will help strengthen your heart from the inside. You'll also need to start training your body, running lightly every day to build your heart's stamina. I would need to apply healing energy to your heart daily as well. It will help thicken the walls, make them stronger." 

"And the Buddha Palm technique?" he asked, his tone growing more serious. "I'll need to learn it, won't I?"

"Yes," I replied. "You'll need to train in the Buddha Palm technique so that you can defend yourself from danger. Not only for your protection but... for your survival. It's a martial art that doesn't rely solely on physical strength but on inner energy. If you can master it, you'll be able strengthen your body and your spirit. You can heal from simple wounds, bruises, negate simple poisons but most importantly, it would fix your heart."

Yize was silent for a moment, digesting everything I'd said. Then, he nodded firmly. "I'll do it. Whatever it takes."

Relief washed over me, but it was mixed with something else—a deep admiration for him. Yize wasn't like his brother Haoyu; he wasn't cruel or power hungry. He was gentle, thoughtful, and determined. In that moment, I knew I had fallen deeper in love with him than I had ever intended.

"Thank you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!" I cried.

Without thinking, I reached out and hugged him. It was instinctive, a gesture of gratitude and relief, but as soon as my arms wrapped around him, I realized my mistake. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. What was I doing?

I pulled away quickly, my face flushed with embarrassment. "I… I'm sorry," I stammered, unable to meet his gaze. "I didn't mean to---"

Yize chuckled softly, the sound warm and gentle. "It's alright, Mei," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "I don't mind."

But the weight of what I'd done settled heavily in my chest, and I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. Before I could embarrass myself further, I hurried out of the tent, leaving Yize behind, still laughing at my actions.

Once outside, I took a deep breath, willing my heart to calm. This was no time for distractions. I have a mission --- a mission that had grown more complicated than I had ever anticipated. I wasn't just a servant girl anymore, nor was I simply the daughter of Bai Ai. I was Yize's protector, his healer, and his only hope for survival.

A few hours later, Yize called for me again. When I entered his tent, I was greeted not just by him, but by the rest of the group—the guards, the servants, all standing in a circle around him. Yize stood at the center, his posture tall and confident despite his recent ordeal.

"Everyone," Yize began, his voice steady and clear. "I have an announcement to make." He glanced at me briefly before continuing. "Mei—our Lei—has been more than just a servant. She is an expert in martial arts, sent by my father to protect me."

I could see the shock ripple through the group, their eyes widening as they looked at me in disbelief. I had lived among them for so long, pretending to be no different from the others, but now my true identity was being revealed. Yize has said this lie to protect me, to prevent too many questions from being asked. I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at him growing up and maturing as a leader.

The next month passed in a blur of activity. We established a base near the river below the mountain, cutting down trees and building a wooden fort to protect ourselves. Yize trained diligently under my guidance, learning the basics of the Buddha Palm technique. He was a quick learner, his determination driving him forward despite his physical limitations. He tires easily, but little by little, I see an improvement with his constitution. He no longer breathes heavily and his sleep is getting longer than before. Everything was going fine for a while but it seems our peace is short-lived.

One night, as the sun began to set, a group of assassins crept into our camp. I sensed their presence before they could strike, and together with Yize, we launched a counterattack. Using paralyzing darts, we incapacitated the assassins before they could breach the camp. I struck quickly, using my Buddha Palm to disable them completely followed by a barrage of paralyzing darts.

When we searched their bodies, we found the poisoned pills hidden in their mouths—just as before but this time, we were prepared. We removed the pills before they could bite down, ensuring that the assassins would live for interrogation.

The assassins were young—two boys and a girl, all siblings. When they awoke, they were terrified, their eyes filled with tears as they told us the truth. They had been sent not by Yize's brother but by the leader of an enemy tribe. If they failed, their family would all be killed. They owe a lot of debts to the House of Wei, after their family became bankrupt due to gambling. Their family owed a lot of money to the government. They offered themselves as servants to repay the debt, but instead, they have been trained as assassins instead. They had no choice in the matter. The assassins names were Fei, Wong and Li.

Yize, always compassionate, made them an offer. "If I can save your family," he said gently, "will you swear loyalty to me? Will you become my servants?"

The siblings hesitated, but eventually, they agreed. Yize and I made them swear an oath, binding them to us. They were no longer enemies—they were our allies.

The next few days were spent in careful planning. I disguised myself as the girl assassin and, with the help of her brothers, returned to the Province of Wei to report back to their master, Master Lu. Our goal was to deceive him, to make him believe that Yize was dead.

Master Lu, a cunning man, had been plotting against Yize's brother, believing that Yize would be the true threat to his rule. He saw Yize's potential, his kindness, and his ability to inspire loyalty in those around him. But he was unaware of the trap we had set for him.

When I stood before Master Lu, I struck swiftly, using a thin needle to pierce his heart with a rare poison. "You have one day to live," I told him coldly, "unless you drink the antidote—an antidote that only I can make."

Master Lu fell to his knees in terror, realizing that his life now rested in my hands. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice trembling with fear.

"You will ally yourself with Yize," I said firmly. "You will provide him with the rare medicines, herbs, and roots that we need. And you will do this for two years. Only then will I remove the poison from your body. This is your punishment for your evil."

He had no choice but to agree. From that day on, the Province of Wei is secretly controlled by us, becoming an ally of Yize. His enemy is now our pawn, and the former assassins, the brothers Fei, Wong and their sister Lei are now called the Infiltration team instead. They would manage the affairs of Wei, ensuring that Master Lu Wei remained loyal. Their sister's Li would join her brothers in managing the city of Wei afterwards and their family would be safe. We have sent more people to the household of Wei undercover to monitor Master Lu Wei and his people, to ensure that they would not attempt any treachery on their side. The infiltration team is also secretly trained in the basic forms of the Buddha Palm technique without them realizing it. Who knows, they might have the talent for it.

As I returned to our base in the province of Han, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. We had secured a powerful ally, and Yize's path to power was becoming clearer. But my heart still trembles, what would the future bring? It seems that there are people out there to kill us and my mothers grows weaker as the years go by. Can I still even really cure her? This path we walked was dangerous, but I would protect him and my family—no matter the cost.

(To be continued)