A breeze swept by.
The September morning still held a hint of chill.
He An stayed in the little courtyard and began practicing his fists early, as he did every day after waking.
A day's plans began in the morning.
Every drop of sweat meant a little more reward.
What was more, he could see the rewards he earned with every passing moment.
And so,
no matter when, he never felt tired.
He steadied his breathing, carefully sensing the forms of the Five Animals before imitating them in his moves. His understanding of the force behind each form grew deeper and deeper.
As his final move landed,
a low roar sounded from He An, like a fierce tiger bellowing in the mountains, shaking him to the core.
Thump, thump.
A knock sounded at the courtyard gate.
His desire to keep practicing vanished completely.
"Coming!"
He called out and headed toward the gate.
He opened it.
A young man in the uniform of a Town Martial Division constable stood outside.
"Zhang Shun?"
Zhang Shun cupped his fists. "Lord He, Lord Sun is looking for you. He asked you to go see him now."
After the River Sacrifice Festival,
He An had already been promoted. He was now a minor official in the Town Martial Division.
Among the constables who had joined the division alongside him, he certainly merited being addressed as "Lord."
Still, the title made his skin crawl.
"Don't call me Lord. Just call me Brother He."
Then he went on, "By the way, what does Brother Sun want? Did he tell you?"
Zhang Shun shook his head.
In truth,
He An knew Brother Sun's request to see him was just a pretext. It was what they had agreed on beforehand.
He just hadn't expected Sun Wangxian to send someone