[ The First Month of Year 825 AD | Downtown Capital, Arghon Empire ]
My boots hit the curved clay tiles with a dull thud. I shifted the coarse fabric of my robe and sprang from ceiling to ceiling, tracking the rhythmic architecture of the imperial capital until I reached the chaotic, sprawling downtown district.
Two months had dissolved since the slaughter. Two months since my entire world turned to ash.
When the blade fell on Master Cui, my consciousness had shattered. Teacher Pu told me later that I remained entirely dead to the world for three consecutive days. By the time my eyes finally opened, the jagged mountains and the blood-soaked plains of the North were gone. We were already hidden deep within the heart of the capital—now branded as phantom fugitives from a erased tribe. Part of me was bitterly grateful that the darkness had claimed me during that brutal journey south; had I been awake while crossing the Northern territory, my raw rage would have overridden my sanity. I would have flung myself into a suicide mission of hollow revenge right then and there.
Instead, I was here. We were hiding right beneath the dirt of the empire's soil. This was the very empire that had left us hanging for twelve years, the empire that never once valued the lives or the breath of its frontier constituents. They had abandoned Weiyou to a massacre. The agonizing memory of the fire coiling into the night sky was permanently scorched into my mind. No amount of tears could ever wash those stains away.
According to Teacher Pu, Master Cui had foreseen the annihilation long before the war drums reached the valley.
I sank down onto the cool clay tiles, pulling my knees to my chest as a dense crowd of imperial citizens hurried along the busy thoroughfare below. My mind drifted back to the agonizing truths we uncovered after arriving in the capital.
On the day I had spotted Laohu at the Northern market, he hadn't been exploring; he had seen the official imperial decree demanding the absolute eradication of Weiyou and the head of our master. He had deliberately drawn my attention away, forcing me to chase him through the market so I wouldn't read the execution order on the public boards. The moment we returned to the camp that afternoon, Hu had rushed straight to Master Cui's pavilion. The restricted history book he handed me later that night was a calculated distraction, a piece of bait meant to keep me buried in my tent while they quietly prepared for the end.
Master Cui had intended to surrender himself willingly. He had meticulously crafted a plea of absolute guilt, hoping that by offering his own life to the imperial crown, the crown would allow the women, children, and elders of Weiyou to live. He had planned to smuggle the three of us to the capital under Teacher Pu's protection a day before the soldiers arrived.
But the merciless Queen of the North had shattered the timeline. Yun Ni Xiua marched her vanguard into the valley days ahead of schedule, butchering our people before we could even gather our packs. To cover her barbarity, the Queen released a public statement claiming Master Cui had attempted to flee across the border, forcing her hand. It was a vile, calculated lie. Master Cui had already dispatched his formal letter of surrender the morning before the attack.
Teacher Pu had sworn an oath to keep us alive. The man was a brilliant enigma; before he followed Master Cui into tribal exile twelve years ago, he had been a distinguished scholar born right here in the capital, serving under Master Cui back when our master was the Grand Leader of the prestigious Hill Academy. When Master Cui was stripped of his title and banished, Teacher Pu faked a terminal illness, claiming to his aristocratic family that he was confined to his ancestral estate when, in reality, he was across the border building a rebellion. His loyalty was an unyielding shield.
To integrate us safely into the capital, Teacher Pu had formally registered Laohu, Mu Lin, and me as his orphaned nieces and nephew under his family register—the Dan Household. If Master Cui's original surrender bargain had succeeded, Teacher Pu was supposed to use his lingering capital connections to buy back any tribal children sold into the slave markets. But reality is a cruel, unforgiving bastard. The remaining children of Weiyou had already been scattered across the empire's slave rings. We had spent the last eight weeks hunting for their coordinates, desperate to buy them back or break them free.
The sharp, synchronized neighing of military steeds cut through my thoughts, fracturing the hum of the market crowd below. A contingent of imperial guards rode heavily into the center square, unrolling a fresh, pristine parchment and pinning it to the central postal pillar.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Laohu moving fluidly through the gathering crowd, his hood pulled low. I slipped down from the roofline, dropping into a shaded alleyway before blending seamlessly into the mass of people pushing forward to read the text.
IMPERIAL NOTICE
By supreme decree of the Wang Imperial House, the 20th Imperial Civil Examination shall be conducted mandatorily for all eligible men and young men eighteen years of age and older.
Both noble heirs and ordinary citizens supported by their households shall gather at the capital gates to test their intellect. This examination operates under a strict One-Shot, One-Chance Policy.
Those who achieve passing marks shall receive immediate entry into the prestigious Hill Academy, guaranteed an official imperial post matching their finest disciplines. Those who fail shall be permanently banned from the imperial registry, never to sit for the exams again.
The path to glory is yours to take. Long live the Imperial Family! Long live the Arghon Empire!
A dark, sarcastic smirk twisted my lips as I read the final words. Before I could voice my contempt, a hand clamped firmly around my shoulder. Laohu yanked me backward, pulling me out of the suffocating crowd and into a quiet alcove.
"You are not supposed to be here," he hissed, his face tight with anxiety.
I grimaced, forcefully wrenching my arm out of his grip. "Neither are you."
Laohu bit his lower lip, his chest rising and falling with frustration. I knew he was terrified of the capital guards discovering our true identities, but I hadn't survived the northern slaughter just to cower in a cellar. I needed a weapon. I needed a direct path into the belly of the beast that destroyed my family.
My eyes flashed as I stared at him. Laohu stepped back instinctively, recognizing the dangerous spark in my expression. "What?"
"You're nineteen, correct?" I asked, my voice deadly calm.
Confused by the sudden pivot, he gave a hesitant nod.
A slow smile crept across my face. "We are taking the exam."
Laohu's eyes widened to the size of saucers, his jaw dropping. "Have you entirely lost your mind? Especially you! Are you illiterate, Cheng? The notice explicitly states men!"
I shrugged casually, adjusting the collar of my heavy tunic. "Women are capable of the exact same metrics. Why should imperial education belong solely to the sons of noblemen? What is the physical difference in a brain? Master Cui taught the girls of our tribe without distinction. He was once the Grand Leader of the Hill Academy itself; if he still held that center seat, he would have handed me the inkstone without a second thought. My competency doesn't change based on what is between my legs."
"That is high treason against the imperial code!" Hu whispered frantically, leaning in close. "If the inspectors discover you are a woman disguised as a scholar, you won't just fail, Cheng. You will end up in the imperial dungeons, or worse, facing a public execution!"
"Which is exactly why you are coming with me to ensure I don't get caught." I arched an eyebrow, reaching out to hook my arm through his.
Hu instantly dodged my touch, spinning on his heel and marching down the alleyway toward our hidden estate. I hurried after him, my boots clicking rapidly against the cobblestones as he tried to outpace my nagging voice.
"Remember, Laohu! You owe me this!" I shouted at his retreating back.
He froze mid-stride, turning his head just enough to glare at me over his shoulder.
I caught up to him, bending over slightly to catch my breath, my hands resting on my knees. "Why do you have to walk so damn fast?"
"My name is Laohu," he replied dryly, a deadpan expression on his face. "I am a tiger. It's in the description."
I rolled my eyes, groaning as I stood up straight. He began walking again, though he noticeably checked his speed, allowing me to keep pace. "What exactly do I owe you for?" he asked, keeping his eyes on the road ahead.
"You lied to me about why you were at the Northern market two months ago," I said softly, the playful tone entirely vanishing from my voice.
Hu sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Master Cui knew the execution order was circulating. He confessed to me that if you discovered the truth by slipping into the North, you would panic and throw your life away. He ordered me to distract you at all costs."
I stopped walking, a cold confusion gripping my chest. "He knew I was sneaking across the border? How?"
Hu stopped too, turning to look at me with a soft, melancholic expression. He plucked a stray dried stem from a wild bush by the path, twirling it idly between his fingers. "We all knew, Cheng," he whispered. "The entire tribe knew."
"The tribe knew? And no one ever locked the gates or punished me for breaking the border codes?"
"Weiyou never forced you into a cage that would break your spirit," Hu said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "The elders always knew you were a creature born of free will. They loved you precisely because you refused to be tamed by the world."
A hot, stinging tear broke free, tracking down my cheek. My knees suddenly felt like water, and I sank directly onto the dirt path, the weight of my grief finally crushing me. Hu dropped the stem, rushing to his knees beside me to steady my shoulders. I shook my head, my chest heaving as the absolute guilt of my past arrogance caught up to me.
"The entire tribe accepted me," I sobbed, burying my face in my hands. "Even when I was reckless, even when I caused them nothing but endless worry. They gathered in the broad daylight and the freezing winter nights just to listen to the fictional stories I wrote. They patiently waited at the gates for weeks whenever I vanished into the wilderness, never demanding to know my bloodline or where I came from. The grandmothers ate the horrible, burnt stews I cooked, smiling through the taste just to compliment me for trying. The younger kids followed me blindly into the mountains, even when I got us completely lost and we ended up covered in mud for weeks. The vanguard never complained when I stole their finest chargers to practice my cavalry drills on the training fields. The scholars spent their evenings teaching me advanced syntax and historical strategies after working grueling twelve-hour shifts in the camps. And Master... Master always told me he was proud of my spirit, even when I slept past noon and defied his stances. They spent their lives making sure I felt alive. Do they hate me now, Hu? Did they die hating me for not being strong enough to save them?"
Hu wrapped his arms tightly around me, pulling my head against his shoulder as I wept, his hand gently patting my back to quiet my ragged breathing.
"No," Hu whispered fiercely, his own voice cracking. "They understood you. They loved you. That is precisely why we cannot allow ourselves to break, Cheng. We are here to dismantle the very system that crushed them. We survive to honor the blood they spilled to give us this chance. We are the living memory of Weiyou."
I nodded slowly, forcing the tears back as I stood up, wiping the mountain dust from my trousers. Ever since we arrived in the capital, I had refused to wear the local women's hanfu; the silk fabrics were entirely too restrictive, and the pastels were far too bright for my liking. Wearing the structured, muted robes of a young nobleman felt natural, giving me the mobility I needed to move through the city undetected.
Suddenly, the synchronized thud of heavy cavalry hooves vibrated through the earth, heading directly toward the iron gates of our small estate—the Dan Household.
Hu and I exchanged a panicked glance. We bolted through the side entrance, slipping into the courtyard just in time to see a massive squad of imperial guards filing into our small, stone-paved lawn, their armor clanking loudly. This was the same courtyard we spent every morning sweeping free of dead autumn leaves.
"How can we assist the imperial—" Laohu started, stepping forward to shield me, but his voice died in his throat.
A high-ranking figure stepped down from an ornate, gilded carriage. He wasn't dressed in military iron; he wore flowing, emerald-green silks that shimmered under the afternoon sun, his hair immaculately bound in a high scholar's bun secured by a heavy silver hairpin. He carried himself with an aura of absolute, untouched royalty.
The imperial herald stepped forward, his voice booming across the courtyard: "Make way for His Imperial Highness, the First Prince of Arghon!"
Laohu dropped to his knees instantly, grabbing the hem of my tunic and dragging me down into the dirt beside him. I bowed my head low, my mind racing. Why on earth is the First Prince at our gates?
According to the imperial chronicles, the Emperor had three living sons. Because the Emperor's rule remained unyielding, he had never formally named a Crown Prince, leaving the succession an open, dangerous game. The First Prince was widely known to be the most passive and patient of the three. Born to a noble consort who died during childbirth, he had spent his entire life avoiding the deadly politics of the inner court. He intentionally removed himself from administrative councils, opting instead to wander beyond the palace walls to paint, frequent the high-end brothels, and enjoy a life of leisure. He had never even bothered to sit for the Civil Examinations. Yet, his laid-back demeanor and absolute lack of political ambition had made him a peculiar favorite of the Emperor, who viewed him as entirely non-threatening.
Teacher Pu emerged from the main house, his posture rigid as the Prince offered him a warm, surprisingly genuine smile.
"Dan Pu Ji," the Prince greeted warmly, using our teacher's full aristocratic name. "It has been far too long."
Before Teacher Pu could respond, the kitchen door swung open. Mu Lin stepped out, entirely oblivious to the military occupation in our yard. She was holding a heavy kitchen cleaver in her right hand. Within a fraction of a second, three imperial guards drew their broadswords, pointing the cold steel directly at her throat.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Lin gasped, freezing in place.
Teacher Pu quickly raised his hands, gesturing for the guards to lower their weapons. "She is harmless, Your Highness. Lower your steel."
The Prince glanced at the three of us kneeling in the dirt, his eyes lingering on my rough attire. "And who might these young ones be, Imperial Instructor Dan?"
"They are my surviving relatives, Your Highness," Teacher Pu lied smoothly, his voice dropping to a somber tone. "The children of my late cousins who perished during the northern border conflicts."
Beside me, Laohu leaned in, his voice a barely audible whisper. "Cheng, can we stand up yet? My knees are locking."
I glared at him out of the corner of my eye, covertly driving the heel of my boot into his shin. He let out a muffled whimper and shut his mouth instantly. Teacher Pu stepped forward, subtly gesturing for us to rise. We stood in unison, offering another deep, respectful bow to the royal guest.
"The reason I have personally graced your estate, Pu Ji, is to deliver a direct imperial mandate from my Father Emperor," the Prince announced, pulling an official scroll from his silk sleeve. "His Majesty has been informed that your health has fully recovered. He formally invites you to return to the Hill Academy as a Grand Instructor. He trusts your intellect implicitly, and with the Second and Third Princes scheduled to enter the Academy gates this season, he expects the finest minds of the realm to shape their education."
My jaw tightened, a cold fury rising in my throat. They slaughter our Master—the true architect of their academy—and then have the audacity to demand our teacher return to train their royal heirs?
I caught Laohu looking at me, his eyes wide with a shared, silent outrage. Teacher Pu stiffened, his gaze dropping to the stone floor. He had resigned from his prestigious academic post twelve years ago solely out of loyalty to Master Cui, choosing to follow him into exile rather than serve a corrupt throne. I could see the bitter hesitation in his eyes; he wanted nothing to do with this empire.
This is it, I thought, my pulse hammering against my ribs. This is the opening move on the chessboard.
I stepped forward, breaking protocol before Teacher Pu could formally decline the mandate. I bowed deeply, my voice projecting across the courtyard. "Uncle, if you are to return to the academy gates, then Laohu and I have already finalized our decision. We shall enter the Hill Academy alongside you by sitting for the Imperial Civil Examination."
The Prince's eyebrows arched in pleasant surprise, while Teacher Pu's face turned deathly pale, his eyes boring into mine with a terrifying intensity.
"What nonsense are you uttering, Weicheng?" Teacher Pu's voice dropped an octave, carrying the heavy, domineering weight of an instructor who was dangerously close to losing his temper.
I deliberately stepped back, my fingers brushing against the leather quiver at my hip. I pulled free a single arrow—the final arrow Master Cui had hand-sharpened for me before the vanguard struck. My eyes locked onto the ornate imperial carriage waiting outside our gates.
To destroy an empire, you must first calculate the precise coordinates of its foundation. By entering the Hill Academy, I would gain access to the sons of the nobility, forge vital political connections, and study the inner mechanics of the Wang Dynasty from within their own walls. A true strategist doesn't strike blindly from the shadows; they map out the entire board, locate the single point of failure, and systematically eliminate it.
In one fluid motion, I notched the arrow, drew the bowstring to my ear, and released. The string snapped with a vicious TWANG.
A lone falcon, soaring high above the courtyard canopy, plummeted through the air, landing with a heavy thud directly at the First Prince's feet. My arrow was driven straight through its heart. I lowered the bow, a sharp smirk playing on my lips.
"The Dan Household currently possesses four surviving descendants, including yourself, Uncle," I said, my voice steady and resonant. "We can choose to sit in the dirt and allow our lineage to be erased from the historical registry, or we can march through the academy gates and prove our worth to the Arghon crown."
The First Prince stared at the dead bird, then slowly began to clap his hands, an expression of pure, unadulterated admiration breaking across his face. Internalizing the moment, I realized the rumors were true: this Prince was entirely detached from the lethal reality of politics. He was naive, gullible, and completely easily amused. He would never hold a real voice in the imperial court, which made him the perfect royal shield for my opening gambit.
"Splendid marksmanship!" the Prince praised, his eyes twinkling. "You possess a sharp wit and a dangerous hand, young man. What is your name?"
"Dan Wei Cheng," I replied, deepening my voice to maintain the masculine syntax.
The sheer fury radiating from Teacher Pu was palpable. I could tell he was mentally calculating the catastrophic fallout if the imperial inspectors discovered his 'nephew' was actually an exiled girl from the border.
"I cannot allow you to march into that examination blind, Weicheng," Teacher Pu interjected, his voice tight as he tried to regain control of the narrative. "The noble heirs sitting for these exams have been studying military strategy and classical philosophy since they were innocent children in the cradle. You have no formal capital training."
"Then I shall sit for the exams alongside Dan Laohu, and you shall guide us as our instructor within the academy walls," I countered smoothly, stepping over to grab Laohu's arm and dragging him forward, ignoring the way he frantically tried to wrench himself free. "If we fail the examinations, then the matter is laid to rest, and we shall trouble the capital no further. But if fortune favors us, the Dan lineage will be secured within the imperial departments for generations to come. Is that not a risk worth taking, Uncle?"
I looked hard at Teacher Pu, pleading with my eyes. Trust me. If you are inside the academy as an instructor, you can protect my identity from within.
The Prince turned to Teacher Pu, nodding in agreement. "The boy speaks with incredible fire, Pu Ji. With a mind that quick, I have no doubt he will pass the academic registers."
"Thank you for your immense favor, Your Highness," I said, bowing low.
Teacher Pu closed his eyes, taking a long, measured breath as the sun began to dip below the western walls. The battle was lost, and he knew it. He sank to his knees, formally accepting the gold imperial scroll from the Prince's attendant.
"It is my absolute honor to receive His Majesty's sacred command," Teacher Pu intoned, his voice dripping with a subtle, gritted sarcasm that only Hu and I could detect. "Long live the Imperial Family. Long live the Arghon Empire."
As the Prince turned to return to his carriage, a final strategy flashed through my mind. I needed to secure our entire trio.
"Wait, Your Highness," I called out, pushing my luck to the absolute limit. "This servant has one final favor to ask of your royal generosity."
The Prince paused, turning back with an amused smile. "Speak, young Dan."
I pointed toward the corner of the courtyard where Mu Lin stood, still trembling slightly with the cleaver in her hand. The Prince's gaze followed my finger, landing on her soft features.
"If I successfully pass the Imperial Civil Examination," I proposed, "I ask that my cousin, Mu Lin, be granted immediate entry into the academy's Medical and Dietary Departments. She is an extraordinary herbalist and an exceptional physician. Laohu is a guaranteed passing candidate—his combat metrics are undisputed. Therefore, I am formally wagering Mu Lin's entire future on the marks of my own examination."
I watched the Prince's expression closely. "To make the wager equitable to the crown: if my name is missing from the passing registry, we shall permanently strike the Dan household from the capital books and vanish from the city. But if I succeed, you will guarantee her post, regardless of whether she sits for the formal medical trials."
The Prince chuckled, thoroughly entertained by my audacity. Compared to the arrogant, insufferable noblemen who paraded through the downtown districts flaunting their family crests, this royal heir was incredibly easy to manipulate.
"A bold wager," the Prince mused, stepping into his carriage. "Very well. I shall personally authorize her entry into the academy's physical trials so she may remain within the gates. But heed my words, Dan Wei Cheng: if your name fails to appear on that passing list, I will personally ensure her registry is wiped out instantly."
Mu Lin's eyes lit up with profound relief, and she bowed deeply as the gilded carriage rattled out of the courtyard, the imperial vanguard trailing behind it.
The moment the iron gates swung shut, Laohu and Mu Lin lunged forward, grabbing my arms and dragging me forcefully into the main hall.
"Are you entirely insane?!" Mu Lin hissed, her voice shaking as she slammed the kitchen knife onto the wooden table. "You are putting your head directly into an imperial noose!"
"The trial results won't be calculated until after your physical entry exams, Linlin," I dismissed smoothly, shaking her hands off my shoulders. "Right now, we have a more pressing matter. We need to help Teacher Pu prepare his academic belongings."
We marched down the narrow corridor toward our teacher's private study. I knocked twice, but the moment the wooden door swung open, Teacher Pu's booming voice shattered the silence.
"Kneel!" he roared.
I dropped to my knees on the cold floorboards without a word.
"Contemplate the sheer gravity of the idiocy you displayed out there!" Teacher Pu stormed, pacing across the room, his robes billowing. "Reflect on the lives you are holding in your arrogant hands, Wei Cheng! You are getting entirely out of control!"
I kept my head bowed, my voice a quiet, unyielding whisper. "It is the only way we can infiltrate the inner ring. It is for the survival of our cause, Uncle."
"Silence!" he snapped, yanking my arms upward to force my posture straight. "You will remain kneeling on these boards until the sun clears the horizon tomorrow morning. Let the cold ground remind you of the consequences of your tongue."
Behind him, Laohu and Mu Lin watched from the doorway, their eyes swimming with deep anxiety. I gave them a subtle nod, silently telling them to leave. I was entirely numb to physical discipline; back in the mountains, Master Cui used to bind me to the trunk of the ancient oak tree for days whenever my reckless stunts put the tracking squads in danger. This was nothing.
Teacher Pu ignored me, furiously packing his belongings into a thick silk wrapping cloth. He stacked his classical treatises, his administrative texts, and his formal instructor robes, tying the bundle with tight, aggressive knots.
As he reached into the back of his mahogany wardrobe, he pulled free a heavy stack of leather-bound manuals, throwing them ruthlessly onto the floor in front of Laohu. My eyes tracked the movement hungrily.
"Those are the restricted civil service reviewer guides from the High Imperial Archive," Teacher Pu commanded, pointing a rigid finger at the texts. "And this text is for you, Mu Lin—advanced herbal methodologies curated from the Royal Physician's private library."
The two of them eagerly scooped up the manuals, their fingers flipping through the dense pages of military history, political philosophy, and anatomical charts. I leaned forward slightly, expecting my own stack.
Teacher Pu stepped in front of me, pointing his finger directly between my eyes. My gaze remained icy, locked onto his.
"As for you," he whispered, his voice dangerously calm. "Since you possessed such an arrogant, silver tongue in front of the First Prince, you are strictly forbidden from touching a single page of these review guides. You shall sit for the Imperial Examination relying solely on your own memory and whatever raw intellect you currently possess. That is the price of your stunt."
He slung his traveling pack over his shoulder, stepping past me toward the door. As his cloak shifted, the dim candlelight caught the unmistakable curve of a silver hilt tucked beneath his inner garments.
My chest tightened. Master Cui's legendary battle sword. The final relic of our wiped-out tribe.
Teacher Pu paused by the doorway, noticing my gaze. "I will hand this blade down to you only when your spirit is tempered, and when I deem you qualified to carry the weight of Weiyou's legacy. Until then, you are merely a boy in a scholar's robe."
He turned back to the room. "Retire to your quarters once the dawn breaks. I depart for the walled city at first light to coordinate the examination schedules with the Ministry of Rites. I shall expect to see your faces at the capital testing grounds by the weekend."
Hours later, the morning sun finally broke through the rice-paper windows. My legs were entirely numb as I dragged myself into the small bedroom I shared with Hu.
Laohu was already awake, sitting on the edge of his cot. He quietly slid his copy of the imperial history guide across the floorboards, pushing it toward my feet. "Take it. I've already memorized the tactical formations page."
I stared at the book for a long moment, then slowly pushed it back to his side of the room.
"No," I said quietly, a cold determination hardening my voice. "I am keeping my word. As Teacher Pu said, I put our lives on the line based on my own merits. I will pass this examination using nothing but the knowledge Master Cui drilled into my head during those twelve years in the wilderness. I will beat the noble heirs on an even field."
Laohu stared at me, seeing the absolute finality in my eyes. He gave a slow, respectful nod.
We blew out the remaining tallow candle, allowing the grey light of the capital dawn to fill the room, and closed our eyes to sleep before the storm arrived.