《The Butler》 Chapter 1: The New Master The butler of the Clan Master is a wise and gentle man. Of advanced age, with an aquiline nose and long white hair, he¡¯s often seen in the main residence fulfilling menial tasks. His name is Lo Hu, but people call him affectionately grandpa Hu. He entered the Clan in his thirties and little is known about his youth as he has a rather discrete disposition. One could say that he is an individual filled with mysteries. ¡°I welcome you to the Shen Clan.¡± Lo Hu said with a small bow to a plumb middle-aged woman that has been recently contracted by the Second Grand Elder. Working for one of the four major Clans in the mighty Qilin Empire is a prestigious occupation with countless benefits. But, if something is well known about Clans and Sects by the populace is they fervent obsession about reputation. Countless rumors about how they heavily punish the insolent, starting by whippings and ending with decapitations made the ordinary citizens very fearful of them. The florally decorated walls, the mosaic paved floor and the enormous iron gates of the Shen Clan created an imposing aura. The two guards fully equipped with exquisite black heavy armors with veins of green emphasized this effects making the legs of the maid tremble. For this reason, Lo Hu likes to receive every new servant in the Clan and explain them they rights and obligations, at the same time lightening they worries and make they adaptation the better possible. ¡°T-this humble servant doesn¡¯t deserve your kindness, honorable elder. ¡± The broken words full of apprehension were said at a frightening speed, as a mirror of her heartbeats. Kowtowing, her head was touching the ground. Lo Hu couldn¡¯t resist to sigh and give a small chuckle, this reaction was far too common. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so formal between fellows servants, we¡¯re all a big family. My name is Lo Hu, butler of the Clan Master, I¡¯ll introduce you to the different aspects that you, as a maid, should be aware of. But first, let¡¯s relax a little and talk to known each other, today is our first meeting, a joyful occasion¡± The wealthy Clans ¨C as a show of philanthropy ¨C would often place a big amphora with medicinal tea next to they entrances at the disposition of the populace. This tea, called Cold Rose Lotus Tea, was packed with medicinal proprieties highly beneficial for the body ¨C especially for the elderly ¨C and could reach a high price in the market. ¡°Take this, it¡¯ll help to calm you nerves.¡± Said Lo Hu after filling two cups of tea from the amphora keeping one from himself. ¡°Thanks you, honorable Lo Hu.¡± With shaky hands but with evident relief to be received with such kind treatment, the maid accepted the cup and drank a small sip. Lo Hu also drank fully appreciating the floral fragrance. For a while both remained in silence drinking tea under the orange light of the sunrise. Both cups emptied, they started to walk in direction to the second pavilion, where the maid would be officially presented to the rest of the staff and assigned to her duties. Crossing a beautiful garden with magnolia trees and small turquoise ponds, they started to chat informally, complimenting each other as if they were friends for years. ¡°Grandpa Lo Hu!¡±A loud shout full of naughtiness resembling the sound of a choked goose echoed in the gardens. A young girl, that couldn¡¯t be older than ten, was running in they direction. Her face was flushed red and her clothes were dirtied with mud and grass leaves. Only a few meters before reaching them, Lo Hu made a hand signal to the young girl. The kid, noticing it, looked at the maid as if understanding. Her manners changed, showing the profound dignity and composure of a noble. But, her eyes were filled with greed. ¡°Honorable guest, I¡¯m Shen Chenguang, the daughter of Shen Aiguo, the Clan Master of the Shen Clan. As a representative of the Shen Clan I welcome you to our residence.¡± Saying this, Shen Chenguang looked at Lo Hu, her gaze full of expectations. The maid become flustered again knowing that this little girl was the daughter of the Clan Master, a person of great authority. She presented herself and gave words of respect but Shen Chenguang wasn¡¯t even listening, she was looking at Lo Hu without breathing. Lo Hu looked at this naughty brat, pondering. After a few breaths he gave her a nod. ¡°Good morning Shen Chenguang, I know how occupied you are constructing the burrow for your Sliver Ice Fox, but you shouldn''t forget about your other responsibilities and remember that you aren¡¯t allowed to sleep in the burrow. If you need something I¡¯ll be in the second pavilion.¡± With Lo Hu nod the lips of Shen Chenguang trembled. Where they parted, with a great dexterity that could only be acquired by repeating the same action thousands of times, Lo Hu gave something to Shen Chenguang secretly. The maid was completely unaware of it. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. When alone, Shen Chenguang opened the bundle, revealing a giant dumpling, her favorite. Full of giggles, she ran to a patch of threes nearby disappearing from sight. At the second pavilion, that was used to receive ordinary guests, maids and butlers were fuzzing with activity arranging jars with flowers, setting round tables with food and drinks while making other preparations that made the atmosphere prettier and gentler. A big portion of the Clan staff was present. When they saw the couple of figures approaching, all prepared to receive them. ¡°Welcome to the Shen Clan!!!¡± All of them shouted with energy. Lo Hu used this moment to distance himself of the maid while giving her a wink. The maid was utterly confused, turning her head from the crowd to Lo Hu continuously, clearly not understanding the situation. When a young man gave her a bouquet of flowers, she broke down. Dropping tears and thanking the people, her voice trembling with emotion. Lo Hu felt satisfied. In his opinion, the principal strength of the Clan was his unity. Not only of the Clansmen and associate soldiers, but also of the servant. It wasn¡¯t by luck that the Clan had never suffered an internal bloodshed. It treated his people strictly but fairly, winning they hearts. The crowd chatted cheerfully, presenting themselves to the new maid. The new maid was clearly exited, internally redoubling her determination to perform well in her work. ¡°Grandpa Hu, the Clan Master requires your presence.¡± Said a guard fully equipped with black leather armor and a sword held in his waist. His right hand was in the sword handle, and even inside the property while doing a menial task he was carefully inspecting the people and the surroundings. Indications of a highly trained soldier. The Clan Master was in the main building, an hexagonal green pagoda of twelve floors called Sky Jade Pagoda. The top floor, that he used as a office, was austere but practical. Shen Aiguo, the Clan Master of the Shen Clan, was a tall and robust man. With black hair and green eyes, his mere appearance denoted authority. He was at the seven level of the Origin realm at his forties, a feat worthy of respect. ¡°I selected Shen Junjie as my successor candidate.¡± Said Shen Aiguo looking at his butler. Lo Hu raised his left eyebrow in surprise. ¡°He isn¡¯t worthy, he has become arrogant.¡± As his butler, pointing at the mistakes of his master is of the upmost importance. ¡°He¡¯s my son, at the nine level of the Qi realm with only sixteen summers, with deep intelligence and enough political aptitude to win the admiration of all his tutors, but in the end¡­ Yes, he has become arrogant. For this reason, for now on you¡¯ll become his butler, with your influence at his side he¡¯ll become worthy. As I did.¡± Words full of certainty, but his tone contained a slight trace of apprehension. Lo Hu remained silent. After fifty breaths he said. ¡°When will the competition start?¡± He had accepted implicitly the request. Shen Aiguo couldn''t help to give a strange smile, as if he didn¡¯t expect to receive his butler help. ¡°In a year. Every Grand Elder has been informed to select they candidates. The winner will be considered the next Clan Master and nurtured accordingly. An arrogant person in the position would be a disaster. Help my son to become a true leader, worthy of respect. I give you full authority about this matter, but remember that in ten days he¡¯ll reenter the imperial academy, make the appropriate preparations.¡° Lo Hu left the Sky Jade Pagoda in direction to a small house north of the pagoda, nearby a small lake with koi fishes. Ten meters before the house, Lo Hu made a series of hand signals. This was the code to ask for admittance to the house, a code that was changed daily. A person with black silk clothes and a silver mask appeared in from of him, as if he was there since the beginning. He was one of the shadows of the Shen Clan, a unit dedicated to intelligence gathering and assassination. ¡°This is the token of the Clan Master and these are his orders.¡± Lo Hu said, giving to the shadow an intricate Jade Deer Token and a silver scroll. ¡°Wait a moment until we have the room prepared, grandpa Lo Hu.¡± Said the shadow cordially. Lo Hu was very familiar with this shadow, a slim man in his thirties, adopted by the Clan when young. He used to bribe him with sesame fritters to complete his literature homework. But, he didn¡¯t interact more with him. The real identities of the shadows were precious secrets. Interacting with a shadow in duty was equally to a give clues to possible observers, even in the heart of the Clan one shouldn¡¯t be careless. Being granted admittance, Lo Hu entered into the house where a comfy room with a table brimmed with scrolls awaited him. This was all the information about young master Shen Junjie; his character and habits, his friends and foes, his merits and demerits. As his newly appointed butler, he needed to study about his new master. Lo Hu was very familiar with Shen Junjie, being the butler of his father for three decades, he had paid especial attention to him. But, occurrences outside the Clan like his attendance to the imperial academy were beyond him, enough reasons to ask for information. Hours passed slowly, when the sun was setting Lo Hu stopped reading and gave a heavy sight. It was bad, worse that he had thought. Under the Clan influence, the young master acted proudly but composed, outside the clan was an entirely different matter. He acted like the classical arrogant young master, looking down on his peers. He often started conflicts with people of low status, calling them trash. Disparaging they work, looking down on them. He was in love with the imperial princess Han Bi, revered by the students as the goddess of the imperial academy. He treated his unidirectional affection as if it was the will of the heavens. Creating problems to the princess and intimidating her male friends. The young master was the genius of his generation. With both strength and intelligence. With this, his complex of superiority blossomed. It was Lo Hu duty to help him, to make him understand that even if he believes in himself, without people that believes in him we won¡¯t be able to archive his dreams. Lo Hu prepared himself to pay his new master a visit. In the residence of the Clan Master, the guards, maids and butlers cheerfully welcomed grandpa Lo Hu. When he saw an extremely old maid busily giving orders, he approached her and said, ¡°Maid Wang Ushi, have you seen the young master Shen Junjie?¡± The maid frowned her wrinkled face, reacting as if interrupting her while busy was an unpardonable crime. Only when seeing that it was Lo Hu, she loosened slightly her frown. ¡°The young master is in his room meditating. He has requested to don¡¯t be interrupted for an hour.¡± After saying this, Wang Ushi returned to give orders at the staff, completing disregarding him. Lo Hu patiently waited outside Shen Junjie room, when the hour was up he knocked. ¡°Enter.¡± A steady voice, that denoted boundless confidence. Lo Hu looked at his new master, an exact copy of his father, but youngest. ¡°My father has already told me about the succession competition and you being appointed at my service. I don¡¯t intend to be disrespectful to you, grandpa Hu. But I don¡¯t require your services, I¡¯m more than capable to manage my interests form myself and I¡¯m confident to perform well in the competition, winning the Clan respect. I¡¯ll talk to my father and convince him that this is for the best, I¡¯ll tell him that you¡¯re more needed at Shen Chenguang side, she is really fond of you. Better not prolong this situation, you can leave. Dismissed.¡± ¡°Young master, pardon my disrespect. But, It looks like you have misunderstood something.¡± Said Lo Hu chuckling. ¡°Since the moment that you entered the competition, you renounced at your freedom. You¡¯ll agree that the Clan can¡¯t be ruler by incompetent hands, right? If we give such authority to an arrogant brat like you the Clan will surely decline. Sadly, one year isn¡¯t much time for the task, so I¡¯ll have to be a little impolite in my methods, dropping the formalities, I hope that you can understand.¡± Shen Junjie blinked twice, looking at his grandpa Hu ¨C who used to change his diapers ¨C as if he saw him for the first time. For him, grandpa Hu was an affable old man. Hearing him talking back like this was shocking. After a few breaths, Shen Junjie started to turn red. ¡°Disrespectful! You are heavily mistaken thinking that I won¡¯t dare to punish you because you are well loved in the family. A servant must know his place in the order of things. You¡¯ll be flogged in public twenty times as an example for the rest. Leave! Leave before I lose my temper and execute the punishment here and now.¡± His wrath was doubled as he considered this as a betrayal of a close member of his household. ¡°Don¡¯t be so rash, young master.¡± Lo Hu laughed. ¡°I came here to start your new training. Let this butler help you.¡± Lo Hu body blurred, suddenly appearing in front of Shen Junjie. It was as if the time was slowed. Lo Hu casually raised his right hand, touching his master four times with his index finger, that¡¯s all. Shen Junjie fell into the floor, unconscious. Chapter 2: The Gathering Qi Pill Early morning, a crowd was gathered in the recovery hall. Frequently visited by trainees, today it was filled with Elders. An old man with long white beard, dressed with luxurious green clothes was answering the questions of the others. He was the Fourth Grand Elder. Well known by his sociability, it was often considered the unofficial spokesmen of the Clan. ¡°Respected Grand Elder, It is true that the first son of the Clan Master has suffered a cultivation deviation while meditating, getting injured?¡± Asked an Elder with worry, if the genius of the clan had damaged his dantians permanently, it would be a huge loss. ¡°He has only suffered a small backlash while trying to advance to the next realm, nothing serious. Four of his meridians have been damaged, we had to seal them temporally. For a couple of months he¡¯ll have his cultivation reduced at the second level of the Qi realm, with the Gathering Qi Pill that we are preparing for him, his cultivation shouldn¡¯t suffer any major problem in the future.¡± The Grand Elder said while stroking his beard. ¡°Respected Grand Elder, in ten days the young master has to return to the imperial academy. Having his cultivation partially sealed could reduce his reputation among his peers. Should he remain in the Clan property until he is completely recovered?¡± Said a middle-aged woman, an Elder well known by her spear mastery. ¡°No, he¡¯ll go to the academy. Moments of adversity are good opportunities for the youth to grow. I¡¯m sure that young Junjie will manage.¡± The Grand Elder gave a big smile. Enjoying being the center of attention. Meanwhile the elders were chatting in the recovery hall, Lo Hu was on the way of his first appointment of the day. In one of the gardens near the Sky Jade Pagoda, a dozen of young children where waiting under a giant ginko tree, it¡¯s fallen leaves creating a yellow mantel. The children were very serious, whispering something. Shen Chenguang was with them, holding a drowsy silvery furred fox. When they saw Lo Hu, they stood proudly ¨C looking fearlessly. ¡°Who is you representative?¡± Said Lo Hu with dignity. He frequently made deals with the children of the Clan in small matters. Helping them master the art of negotiation. With the appropriate incentives they learned surprisingly fast, at this point, he had to take them seriously. ¡°I¡¯m the appointed representative for this transaction, grandpa Hu. What is your request?¡± Said a twelve year old with shaved hair, son of one the elite guards. The others were behind him in two ordered rows of six, listening carefully. ¡°Shen Junjie is the target. Create situations to irritate him, I want him in a bad mood. Strong methods are forbidden, only schemes difficult to trace as intentional are allowed. Remember to cover you tracks, if a maid reports any of you for bad behavior, the rewards will be halved.¡± This was a type of mission very common in the shadow unit, where one destabilized slightly the target composure, who become more prone to commit mistakes and falling for a well planned scheme. The children made two small circles and started to whisper, when both of the circles reached a conclusion, three representatives of every circle created a new circle to debate again. Finally, having reached a consensus, the representative of the group talked again. ¡°We accept the request. Make an offer.¡± ¡°Twenty-four giant dumplings, ninety-six red bean buns. Double of the normal rate, I¡¯m being more that generous.¡± As children of a powerful clan, they where raised with an strict diet, to strengthen they bodies and facilitate they cultivation. They eagerly sold they services for tasty food. ¡°No, this is a big mission, the reward is insufficient. We want swords, iron swords!¡± They normally trained with wooden weapons and occasionally with iron swords. The problem was that the weapons couldn¡¯t leave the training hall, they wanted swords to keep them in one of they hideouts. The words were firm and he understood that this children knew how to take a loss to win more in the future. If he rejected them, the deal was over. ¡°I can give you two iron swords to you to duel, but the edges will be dulled and you aren¡¯t allowed to sharpen them. This isn¡¯t negotiable.¡± This kids were strong, and could easily injure each other without the correct supervision, giving them sharpened swords would be a major mistake. The kid was a little regretful to only obtain two swords but he knew that couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°The swords and the food, we have a deal.¡± ¡°The swords and half the food.¡± If he gave them all the food it would be too much of a reward. The kid easily accepted it, as he had already expected it. Both parts bowed, formalizing the arrangement. Having reached a favorable conclusion, the demeanor of the kids changed. ¡°Hehehe, grandpaaa~ look what I found, is a one-horned golden beetle!!!¡± Said a girl with ponytails. ¡°This rock is green, it must be the Ancient Jade Shard of the legends. Grandpa, you can take a look, but this is mine!!!¡± Said a cute six year old. ¡°Grandpaaa, Misty is being very naughty, she doesn¡¯t want to sleep in the burrow!¡± Said Shen Chenguang offended. They laughed and played, trying to receive Lo Hu attention. They showed him insects, plants and rocks. The Elders of the Clan loved to secretly place some small treasures in the compound for the children to find. Officially, it was to promote they curiosity, making them more prone to inspect they surroundings. But, seeing they flushed faces with excitement was enough of a reason. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Oh. Look at this... This is indeed a rare treasure. Rainbow Dew Grass, having accumulated the energy of the heavens for hundreds of years, this plant can improve your roots. You are very lucky, give this herb to the alchemy hall and they¡¯ll prepare a pill for you.¡± Said Lo Hu while ruffing the hair of an exited ten year old, son of an honorary Elder. The rest of the kids, hearing this, couldn¡¯t avoid to pout heavily. They also wanted to find a treasure! After playing a little with them, Lo Hu send the children to the the academy hall. Today, they had literature class in the morning and foundational cultivation core establishment in the afternoon, when they learned to gather Qi efficiently. The majority of them will go to the imperial academy in the future, so they needed a strong foundation. The rank that they archived in the academy would impact in the Clan reputation. Educating them properly was of the upmost importance. Lo Hu walked in the direction to the alchemy hall. Yesterday afternoon, he had requested the Gathering Qi Pill for his young master. If a Clansmen wanted a pill, they usually had to fill a document with the appropriate information and wait for they turn. The services of the alchemist were so demanded that it was common to receive your pill months later. If the materials needed to concoct the pill were common, they could pay with tales. Rare materials had to be provided by the requester. As the pills were for the son of the Clan Master and successor candidate, this process could be accelerated. The alchemy hall was one of the economical pillars of the Clan. It¡¯s fame extended beyond the Qilin Empire. It was the sole producer of the Spirit Powder Pill, used to facilitate the advancement to the Spirit Realm, generating and immense revenue. His creator was the First Grand Master, a grandmaster alchemist. Entering the hall, Lo Hu could smell a characteristic herbal scent. A sweet, sharp smell similar of the fragrance of recently cut grass. The building consisted of a large singular corridor with individual ¨C fully equipped ¨C rooms in it''s margins. At the end, the office of the First Grand Master. ¡°Lo Hu, I was just waiting for you.¡± Said the First Grand Elder, a short man as old as Lo Hu. ¡°You can¡¯t begin to imagine how loud I laughed when I heard that you were assigned to the Clan Master son.¡± Both of them were good friends, frequently meeting to drink wine and play go. ¡°I was also surprised, I expected Aiguo to nominate Shen Da. But, I understand his intentions, it would be a pity to give up such a talent.¡± He was a little regretful, suspecting that Aiguo had assigned him to his son to get rid of him for a while. ¡°What have you planned? Yesterday, you were a little aggressive, that isn¡¯t your style.¡± Shen Honghui, the First Grand Elder, giving a cup of Thousands Fragrances Tea to Lo Hu. ¡°I had no alternative. The child is blind, he needed to understand that judging an individual by his rank is an easy manner to die. It¡¯s regretful to revel to him a little of my strength, but now he should be a little more cautious.¡± ¡°There were betters ways, contracting an individual to take a role. Making him fall for a scheme. Now, you have lost interesting paths to guide him. He¡¯ll be guarded against you.¡± Taking small sip, Honghui was curious about his friend unusual rash decision. ¡°Indeed. But, the effect would be small. Sixteen years at his side, he never suspected me as more that a butler. If he is smart, he will reflex in himself. Maybe understanding that his judgment isn¡¯t as flawless as he thinks.¡± Lo Hu talked taking small sips of tea. ¡°Hahaha, bullshit. What is the real reason?¡± The idea to lose a favorable strategic position to give a small moral lesson was laughable. Lo Hu sighed. ¡°He remembers me at his father. If I don¡¯t play with him it would be a shame.¡± This was a problem of his. Normally, he was fond to educate the youth with care. But, for some reason that he didn¡¯t exactly understand, he liked to play a little more rough with Aiguo, and now his son. ¡°It seams that he''ll be a strong successor candidate then. I selected Shen Da, I like his firmness.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good option. I also like Shen Bao, her cultivation is a little lacking but her intelligence is frightening. That brat has tested me thousands of time and even finding nothing, she still suspects me. With the new treatment that Junjie will give me, she will surely confirm her suspicions. I take that as a loss.¡± Lo Hu could only shake his head in defeat. ¡°I know, she also pestered me in some matters. I heard that she got the Second Grand Elder as a backer for the successor trials. That remains me, you¡¯ll let Junjie tell others that you attacked him?¡± Shen Bao had asked him for the recipe of the Spirit Powder Pill, being an important secret of the Clan, he told her that she didn¡¯t need to know. Offended, she started to look around his office, smelling the room as a wolf. When she guessed the ingredients and ratios frighteningly close, he was stupefied. He had to ban her to the alchemy hall in fear that she discovered important secrets. ¡°Of course not. He should wake up soon, I told the Fourth Grand Master to give him some clues. He¡¯s a smart boy, he¡¯ll maintain his mouth closed.¡± There was no advantage to let him point out that something was amiss with him. ¡°Hahaha, good, good. What¡¯s your plan for him?¡± Honghui was a little curious. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you the details, I don¡¯t want to spoil the surprise. But, you can be sure that Junjie won¡¯t remain as arrogant as he is.¡± Lo Hu gave a healthy chuckle. After that, Lo Hu remembered something. ¡°Honghui, could you give me your token? Maybe I¡¯ll need a couple of somethings.¡± ¡°Of course, misuse it as much as you want.¡± The First Grand Elder gave him a Red Phoenix Token, that would give him great authority in the alchemy hall and the alchemist association of the Qilin Empire. Now, Lo Hu had the Jade Deer Token of the Clan Master and the Red Phoenix Token of the First Grand Elder. ¡°Have you already prepared the Gathering Qi Pill?¡± This was the original reason for his visit. ¡°No, but it¡¯s made in a breath. Let me concoct it for you, and don¡¯t forget to bring a good wine next time.¡± He used his office to concoct pills, as the materials for the Gathering Qi Pill were fairly common, he had plentiful here. The First Grand Elder went to one of his shelf¡¯s, where were stored hundreds of cauldrons with all kind of sizes and shapes. After a brief inspection, he selected a small cauldron made of Fire Blessed Mythril. The art of pill concocting was complex but simple. It requires great concentration and understanding. At the same time, with alchemy treasures like this cauldron even a novice could success easily in they basic recipes. It was the power of abundant wealth and resources, the Shen Clan had both. Shen Honghui placed the cauldron into a corner of his office, where the ground was made of a blueish stone. It¡¯s name was Qi Condensed Stone, and like his name indicated, it was a stone made by the alchemist compressing Qi with a few herbs and ores. It helped to improve slightly the quality and purity of any pill that was made in it¡¯s vicinity. Concentrating, the First Grand Elder started to emanate a dense red purplish aura. This aura, acting as it water, condensed in small drops. Placing both hands as if holding a sphere, the drops gathered, filling his hands. He directed the sphere of aura under the cauldron, and the orange veins of the Fire Blessed Mythril started to turn scarlet. Blue tendrils raised from the floor, evolving the cauldron. As it food, the cauldron absorbed them increasing it¡¯s aura. With a movement of his hand, forty ingredients flied from it¡¯s respective shelves, entering the cauldron. They started to rotate, getting ground in the process. Another hand movement and the brownish resulted pulp paused in the center of the cauldron, then started to condense and rotate again in itself. Purple tendrils of smoke poured from the cauldron and surrounded the rotating pill. When the stream of smoke stopped, the smoke around the pill gradually dissipated, revealing a brown purplish pill that emanated a little of translucent white steam. ¡°I told you, it couldn¡¯t be easiest.¡± Satisfied after inspecting the quality of the pill, Honghui chuckled. ¡°With this, the small wounds that you gave to Junjie won¡¯t be a problem. It¡¯s really a shame that you can¡¯t block a dantian without generating an injury.¡± Blocking a dantian was similar to block an organ. It couldn¡¯t be done without consequences. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll pay you a visit soon.¡± Already in the afternoon, Lo Hu leave the hall with many responsibilities yet to attend.