A Peasant’s Guide To Sorcerery 4

A Peasant’s Guide To Sorcerery 4

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Commissioned by Ichypa

Wordcount: 2500

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Ying felt an unpleasant sensation travel down her stomach, as Zhang directed her to move the carriage towards the innermost districts of the city, where the city was administered and where the nobility lived.

Most peasants who plied their trade and had the funds to afford wagons went towards the markets that served the outer-districts. Soldiers, craftsmen, merchants, and others who tended to the city were eager to purchase wholesale goods from farmers without the markups of merchants who owned warehouses near farming villages.

Merchants delivered the requests of nobility straight to their domains, or servants went to the markets in their master’s stead. The city’s nobility and administrators rarely left the innermost districts and their beautiful, guarded compounds. In truth, it was not one city, but two in one where the rich and affluent lived while the rest toiled for their sake.

As an Aspirant of the Beggars Sect, she was courted and plied by many nobles to gain esteem amongst the populace. They did such things in order to gain more soldiers, workers, and reputation. She knew many of her comrades who sang the praises of one noble house or another because they were given trifling gifts by the noble’s expenses, increasing the worth of the nobles, while they did nothing.

Cities were oases of peace enforced by incredible military might, but outside of them the land was fractured, ruled by immortal warlords, and both bandits and monsters ravaged those who cannot live behind stout-hearted men and strong walls. Orphans found themselves struggling to live or simply dying, while many otherwise righteous individuals were given no choice besides banditry to feed their families.

All while the nobility of the cities lived in the same comfort that they did for hundreds of years, as though the land was still ruled by an Emperor and a Dynasty united all the lands under an imposed peace.

“Right here, Lady Ying! This is my customer!” Ying found herself regaining her thoughts and stopping the covered wagon, while Zhang happily let himself down. Looking to her left, she found herself facing an auspicious gate of red-and-gold with two roaring lion guardians the size of Zhang flanking it. The walls of the compound were an immaculate white, and the road before it was bereft of any litter. Though it was on the outermost edges of the noble’s district, with only a canal and a bridge between it and the rest of the city, the compound denoted wealth and power from the outside alone. “Let’s go!”

Ying thought that he would knock, but instead he placed his hand against the front door of the compound. Such doors were usually meant for intimidation or ceremony, and merchants and servants used another door in the back of the compound, but such knowledge was lost to Zhang and he placed his hand upon the grand entrance of the compound. He was not a valued guest, or the noble master of the land, but he placed his hands against the threshold and it opened to his will without making a sound.

Ying’s idle wondering about what consequences Zhang would face for doing such a thing abated when she realized that the path between the ceremonial gate and the rest of the compound was not empty.

The owner of the land was waiting a few meters from it, flanked by servants and soldiers. According to custom, such a greeting was reserved for those who were highly respected… or those who were feared. Ying let loose a breath as her eyes caught the trembling hands of the leading noble at the head of the entourage. The elderly woman with white hair and wizened features was flanked by two servants and the guards that flanked them wore lamellar armor with plates lacquered in black with bronze trim. The men that wore them were old with tan, wrinkled faces and a readiness to fight that Ying couldn’t help but respect.

The lack of knowledge of Zhang suddenly made sense.

Those who found him and used him were nobles of an aging, fading clan that learned to be deceptive to conserve what strength they had left. Zhang’s willingness to be treated like any other farmer, as well as their own efforts to conceal his existence as a valued merchant, ensured that he wouldn’t be found. Anyone who looked for their success, for their source of luxurious fruits filled with Qi, would look towards the established merchants and not a single man with a single wagon.

“Hello, Lady Fei’yen! I’ve brought fruits for you to buy!” Zhang was cheerful, excited, and lacked any knowledge of customs. A peasant farmer should do nothing but bow and be silent in the presence of a noble, no matter their status, but he smiled and waved at the head of house Fei’yen without a care in his purple coat. Ying saw this and knew that she was right. These people knew of his power. “The payment will be the same as last time, but maybe a little less if you can help my friend!”

Zhang turned Ying’s way and gave her a wide smile, as she let go of the reins and left the wagon with her silent, stunned captive taking the role of a servant in her wake. She successfully put aside the odd sensations she felt at the situation and acted in accordance to her station. Aspirants to immortality, inner disciples of any sect, were to be respected by nobility. Lineage, wealth, and influence were all grand things to have, but an insurmountable fact remained true: the weak feared the strong lest they lost all that they had.

“I am Ying of the Beggar’s Sect. I am an inner disciple and an apprentice to one of the Sect’s masters. You may know me as the Beggar Princess.” Ying watched the reaction to her name. The white-haired noble at the head of the group bowed with grace barely touched by surprise, but her servants and guards all stiffened before bowing from their waists. Chen, who stood at her back, froze completely and Ying felt her vacant stare upon her. “Lord Zhang has saved my life with his grand power and might. I am indebted to him and I plan to repay him. So, I ask of you all, why is someone of his caliber treated as he is?”

Ying felt her respect for the soldiers increased as their grips on their weapons tightened instead of faltering as she made her threat and let her hand settle on the hilt of her sword.  Though she thought poorly of many nobles, she felt her ire for the ones before her lessen, as the elderly woman stood straighter and met her gaze without hesitation.

“Farmer Zhang, a meal has prepared for you within. I will join you after answering Lady Ying’s questions, if you do not mind.”

Ying wished for Zhang to hear the answer to her question, but Zhang responded before she could stop him.

“Oh, thank you! I’ll go right now!” With a happy smile at the offer of a free meal, Zhang waved at Ying and Chen after giving a bow utterly lacking in reverence towards Lady Fei’yen. Ying could only sigh as she watched her savior be easily manipulated. She’d feared that was the case with him now, as she had convinced him so easily to spare a bandit after knowing him for mere days, and promised herself that she would teach him to not be so easily be manipulated later. “Don’t talk to them for too long, or the food will get cold!”

Zhang happily made his way towards the compound and went to the reception room where guests would be received. Ying looked upon it and found it to be a newer and sturdier construction. Although the rest of the compound was well-maintained the place where only Zhang would presumably enter was in the finest shape.

Lady Fei’yen acted as soon as Zhang was out of earshot.

She knelt and bowed before Ying, prostrating herself before the Aspirant, and bid her servants to the same. She was clad in fine silks of white and purple, yet paid the fact no mind as they were dirtied.

Because she knew that her life and her lineage was at risk.

“Lord Zhang’s true power and might was concealed by myself for the sake of my family’s future. No other is at fault for my actions. All my retainers advised against it. The fault and risk all lie with myself.” The elderly, mortal woman spoke with temple braced against a cobblestone path. Ying stood before her, beyond her, and listened to her words with a calm heart and a hand resting on her sword. “I have treated him with utmost respect and paid him fairly for all that he has given. I bid you, aspirant, spare my lineage from destruction and let all the blame rest upon my head.”

The words were earnest and heartfelt, which Ying never thought to subscribe to one of noble lineage. Her encounters in her journeys with particularly recalcitrant nobles taught her that most were unreasonable even in the face of incredible gaps in skill. Her title, Beggar Princess, was one made to mock her as she denied one suitor after another. The one who gifted her that title felt her ire and the title gained a new meaning thereafter, which dissuaded others… for a time.

Thus, she hesitated to be merciful, until she recalled Zhang’s lack of mercy mere hours later.

Her hand left her sword not a moment later and she crossed her arms with a sigh.

She lost the stomach to spill any more blood the moment the memory returned to her.

“As I have seen that you treat him with dignity, you can keep your life for now. I will ask him how much he is paid for what he sells later. If you lie, then your life is forfeit.” Ying spoke sternly and luxuriated in the wide-eyes of surprise sent her way for her decision. It was good that they knew how much mercy that they were receiving… but she made sure to temper their gratitude with an outpouring of Qi and a promised threat. “Lord Zhang saved my life and I owe him a debt nigh-impossible to repay. His foes are mine and those who seek to harm him shall suffer my wrath.”

Ying’s declared words were intimidating alone, but she made sure that the guards, servants, and noble before her felt the weight of a fraction of her power.

She was surprised as the servants and guards immediately fell forward and lost their ability to retain their composure.  The servants struggled to breathe and the guards struggled to stand, but they shook against the floor at a mere tenth of her power. The elderly noble, possibly thanks to her bloodline and training nearly forgotten, withstood it with some composure as she withstood it without a sound.

Ying was confused by the response, as she withdrew her power, and observed the congregation regain their footing. Most mortals were threatened by her power when she unleashed it, and she used it often enough to be well trained in the skill. It prevented many battles between her and fools who would not be deterred by words alone.

Her confusion lasted, until she realized that the Chen was standing behind her without much difficulty, and she recalled that she had just been recently empowered.  Ying internally flailed and cursed herself for forgetting such a thing, because with every breakthrough it was necessary to renew one’s understanding of their body and strength, as to live normally with far greater strength.

Ying felt relieved when none of the group before her seemed hurt by her actions, as she spoke to them.

“Take the wagon aside and see to its contents. I know every piece within that wagon and you will pay Lord Zhang fairly for each treasure that you take.” Ying took command and used her intimidation to her advantage. She reminded herself that she needed to train and practice, lest her actions cause great harm, but stood firm with her actions. The nobility sought to gain power and retain their own power. It would be foolish of her to apologize and show weakness. “You will give me fresh ledger and show me your own dealing with him, which I will keep.”

The Beggars Sect sought to not simply just protect the weak, but place them on the path to prosperity. Those who did not have the bodies for martial arts were encouraged and educated to spread knowledge across the lands while protected by those who were martially-inclined. Ying’s master insisted that she be capable of both, so that she could reach the higher ranks of the sect as was required, and now she was grateful for her master’s pressuring and her own ambitions.

“Yes. We will do as you ask. Thank you for your mercy!” The Lady Fei’yen, after standing, bowed from her waist. Though her servants struggled to stand and looked at Ying with fear, the elderly noble managed to be graceful in her movements. Her voice came forth with strength and she nearly hid her relief at the simple request she was given to fulfill. “Thank you, Lady Ying!”

Though it was a mediocre payment in exchange for her life, let alone all the power and might that she received, Ying felt good at ensuring Zhang would be treated more fairly.

The road ahead was a long one, but Ying swore to herself that she would repay her saviour.