Chapter 10: Siblings’ Reunion

  Duke Tan, draped in his luxurious silken robes, sat on an intricately carved wooden throne, contemplating the ridiculous rumours circulating through his domain. The notion that common villagers could wield magic was laughable, yet here he was, forced to consider it by his advisors. His brow furrowed as he toyed with the ornate golden ring on his finger, a symbol of his authority and paranoia. He despised the very idea that these peasants could possess such power, yet the whispers grew louder and more persistent.

  "Impossible," he muttered, dismissing the absurdity with a wave of his hand. But paranoia gnawed at him, compelling him to act. If the rumours were true, ignoring them could spell disaster for his reign. Begrudgingly, he summoned his two most... available agents.

  FanTong and WuYou stood before him, bowing with exaggerated deference. Duke Tan couldn't help but roll his eyes at their theatrical display. These two bumbling spies were the only ones left, as all competent agents were out on more pressing assignments.

  "FanTong, WuYou," Duke Tan began, his tone dripping with disdain, "I have an important task for you. There are rumors of commoners wielding magic in LongTu Village. You are to investigate and confirm these claims."

  FanTong puffed out his chest, attempting to look intelligent, while WuYou glanced around nervously. "My lord, surely you don't believe such nonsense?" FanTong scoffed, trying to mask his own cowardice.

  Duke Tan's eyes narrowed. "Nonsense or not, you will investigate. Now go, and do not return until you have answers."

  Reluctantly, the two agents left the court, feeling the weight of the assignment diminish their already meager standing. FanTong grumbled, "This is beneath us, WuYou. We're better than this."

  WuYou nodded, though inwardly he knew they were far from competent. "Yes, FanTong, much better."

  Their journey to LongTu Village, which should have taken a mere two weeks, stretched into a comical three-month odyssey. They managed to take the wrong path multiple times, each detour more absurd than the last. At one point, they wandered into a dense forest, where they were mercilessly attacked by a swarm of hornets. FanTong's attempt to fight them off with a stick only resulted in more stings.

  "Next time, WuYou, you fight the hornets!" FanTong whined, scratching at the swollen welts on his face.

  Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

  Their misadventures continued as they stumbled into a treacherous swamp. WuYou, in a panic, sank waist-deep into the muck, while FanTong tried to pull him out, only to end up covered in mud himself. "We're spies, WuYou, not swamp creatures!"

  They nearly plummeted off a cliff when FanTong insisted he knew a shortcut. "Trust me, WuYou, this way is faster," he declared confidently, moments before they teetered on the edge of oblivion, their screams echoing through the valley.

  Lost in a vast cornfield, they wandered aimlessly for days, their tempers flaring as hunger set in. FanTong blamed WuYou for their predicament, while WuYou pointed out that FanTong had been the one holding the map upside down.

  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they emerged from the wilderness, bedraggled and exhausted. LongTu Village lay before them, a peaceful and quaint hamlet that seemed worlds away from the chaos they had endured.

  Meanwhile, Princess XiuLan, Ying Xiong's elder sister, had also heard the rumours. A flicker of hope, a spark of defiance, ignited within her. Could it be true? Was her brother, exiled and presumed dead, alive after all?

  Ignoring court protocols, she slipped out of the palace, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and anticipation. Using a combination of disguises, cunning, and a surprisingly accurate sense of direction, she followed the whispers, the rumours, the faintest threads of information, until she finally found herself standing before the gates of LongTu village.

  Tears welled up in her eyes as she gazed upon the peaceful village, nestled amidst the verdant hills. The air was alive with the sounds of children's laughter, the bleating of sheep, the gentle murmur of conversation. This was where her brother lived, where he had found solace and purpose.

  She entered the village, her presence unnoticed. She observed the villagers, their faces etched with contentment, their lives intertwined with the magic that flowed through their veins. She watched KuiFong coax the earth to yield bountiful harvests, MeiEr whisper to the streams, their magic a seamless part of their daily lives.

  A wave of gratitude washed over her. These kind, gentle people had given her brother a second chance, a life filled with purpose and joy. XiuLan knew she couldn't stay long. Her absence from the court would surely be noticed. But for a brief, precious moment, she felt a sense of peace, a sense of belonging.

  Stealthily, XiuLan approached her brother and they had a quick and tearful reunion. XiuLan embraced her brother tightly, tears streaming down her face. “I thought I’d lost you forever,” she whispered, her voice trembling with relief and joy. Ying Xiong quickly recounted what happened after he was thrown off the testing platform and how the OuYang siblings cared for him. He reassures his sister that he is doing well in LongTu village. XiuLan expressed her gratitude for the siblings’ care of her brother and promised to aid them if she could. She left quickly afterwards.

  Unbeknownst to her, FanTong and WuYou, after a series of mishaps, were finally approaching the village. Their bumbling investigation was about to intersect with the lives of the villagers, and the tranquillity of LongTu village was about to be shattered.