“Thank you, if you give me a sec, I’ll go change and meet you there.”


    He waves his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. Everyone goes through this awkward phase, and I have a small gift for you that should help with that.”


    We walk in silence through the garden. It’s a beautiful day in early summer.


    Butterflies are visiting the blossoms and the breeze smells sweet, at least compared to me. I’m careful to walk downwind of Jun.


    Breakfast place settings are already placed at our usual tea table. The staff immediately serve the food before making themselves scarce.


    I am now trusted to make the tea like a proper lady. I select Jun’s favorite green tea and put just enough into the pot.


    Too much, and it tastes bitter. Too little and it’s basically water. At first, I was too American to understand this concept and Lin was too poor for it to have mattered. Perhaps somewhere out there in this world, there is coffee. But for now, all I have is tea.


    Then I check the water temperature. It needs the right amount of bubbles. Rolling boil is not what we are looking for.


    Luckily, the kitchen staff are good at delivering the water at about the right temperature. I can even pour the water over the leaves without spilling it now.


    As I start the tea steeping, he says, “Here, this will help keep you clean as you cultivate.” A small handkerchief appears out of thin air above his hand.


    He continues, “You should be able to use this now. All you need to do is put a small amount of chi in every time you meditate and keep it in direct contact with your skin. As you establish your foundation, it will need to be cleaned frequently. But after that, maybe once a week.”


    I take it and immediately try to force some of my chi into it, while I hold it in my hand. It requires some mental shoving, but I figure it out in a few minutes.


    It starts working immediately, because I can feel the grim leaving all the usual post workout sweat stain spots. “This might be the best gift I have ever received.”


    He chuckles at that and says, “You’re welcome.” His smile says that he’s glad I like it so much.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    This gift goes a ways in explaining how all these cultivators always look prefect but doesn’t explain all their mysterious habits.


    I pour the tea and find the courage to ask, “How did you make this appear out of thin air?”


    They all do it and I have no idea how, so I’m sure this is a dumb question.


    He chuckles and slides a thick jade ring off his finger. “This is my storage ring. It holds most of my personal belongings. You need chi to use it, so it makes sense that mortals don’recognize them.”


    He passes it to me to look at. The outside looks simple and smooth, but the inside is covered with engravings so small I can’t read them. I pass it back.


    Sliding it back on to his finger, he says, “This ring is attuned to me. As long as I use it regularly, it won’t let other people in. Storage rings are fairly safe places for a person like me to keep important possessions, because I am at a high enough cultivation level.


    “But almost anyone can break into a foundational cultivator’s ring, so I wouldn’t bother getting one for a while.”


    He takes a sip and smiles. I finally got it right. He says, “You have also learned how to make a good cup of tea.”


    I take a sip and have to admit that it’s no coffee, but it does taste good. “Well, you have been an excellent teacher about both tea and cultivation.”


    We start eating and I’m still overly enjoying feeling clean. He says, “If you don’t mind me asking, how are you healing. As far as I know, you have made a full recovery, yet Luan insists otherwise.”


    I snort, but quickly regain my ladylike composure. “I think he wants to keep scanning me so he can figure out how I recovered. But everything seems to work right and look right.”


    I unhook the veil from one of my ears to show the proof that is my face. “See, no bruises, scabs or even scars.” He looks my face over very carefully.


    I put the veil back on once he looks back at his food. He asks, “So why do you still wear the veil?”


    I chew my mouthful of fruit as fast as etiquette allows before saying, “Mostly, I really don’t want anyone to recognize me especially while I’m staying here.”


    Lin might not have been important, but she sure worked with lots of people. Jun doesn’t need to know about the lady in pink’s tale of us being star crossed lovers.


    He says, “Makes sense. Also, I recently made a decision, and I want you to be the first to know. I plan to make a more official announcement this afternoon.”


    This sounds serious enough that I put down my utensils and give him my undivided attention.


    “I’ve moved up the schedule. We are going to leave for war in two weeks.”


    My lovely veil does a good job of hiding that I’m gaping like a fish. “Two weeks?” I thought I had at least a full month left.


    He nods, “Two weeks. There really isn’t a reason to wait longer.”


    “I thought there was still a lot left to do?”


    “Not really, everything is almost ready and what isn’t will be by the first supply run. I’m planning on a strength exercise of running the troops out to that river in your report about flood control measures, which won’t take a full week.”


    At least he won’t be leaving me unprepared to deal with its annual flood.


    He continues, “And then there’s that eastern town’s militia who isn’t being talked down. It will be a show of force or our first combat exercise. Either way, that will only take a few days.”


    “So, I have only two weeks to prepare your sendoff party?”


    He smiles. “I know you’ll do great.”


    I resist screaming.