Water Mirrored Moon - 水鏡月

Part V - Mistress of Hidden Night City: 95. Fortress of the Upper Pass

Duan Mo, the inheritor of the Demon Spear martial technique, former teacher of the Seventh Prince, former branch master of Hidden Night City, and the current abbot of the temple, sat cross-legged across from Tong Tong and handed him a pellet of Thousand Leaf paper.

The boy took it with a questioning look on his sweetly innocent face.

"Master...?"

"Tell me what it says, Xiao Tong," instructed the old man in a kindly tone, scratching lightly at the side of his chin where his beard itched. His face looked calm, but the corners of his eyes had crinkled slightly.

"Eh...this...?" the boy stammered shyly. His hand trembled, knowing that the information contained in the letter was not just for anyone to read.

"Go ahead, Xiao Tong," the abbot nodded encouragingly. He closed his eyes and waited.

"Yes, Master," said Tong Tong obediently.

Quickly unrolling the onion thin paper, he began to read aloud. However, as his eyes scanned down the neat columns, his mouth faltered, and then his voice stopped altogether.

The abbot opened his eyes and made note of the slightly teary look on his young disciple's face. The delicate hands holding the letter had dropped into the boy's lap with the thousand leaf paper madly trying to curl back into its original pill shape.

"Eh? Xiao Tong? Why do you not continue?" the abbot asked lightly.

The boy flushed and looked down.

The abbot saw the boy's lips open and close several times, and then he finally calmed enough to say: "Master...the letter says that the Anxi army has taken back the outer region of the kingdom. They are now marching quickly to the Upper Pass. In order to meet with the Seventh Prince and prevent Ashina Atil's forces from surrounding the capital, they must retake it..."

"Indeed," nodded the abbot.

That is the plan.

There was a moment of silence.

"Xiao Tong...what are you thinking about?" asked the abbot curiously, though he already knew. He normally did not enjoy teasing his gentle little disciple, but the boy would have to learn how to handle his emotions at some point.

"Errr..." the boy mumbled.

"You are worried about Xiao Chuan?" asked the abbot, smiling slightly.

"Yes Master," Tong Tong admitted, abashed.

"It is good to care for your friends, Xiao Tong. It shows you are loyal in your affections. It's not a bad thing...but you must not let others know, lest they use these feelings against you to harm you or those you care about. Do you understand?"