Twelve Paths To Glory

Chapter One: The Pestilence in The Land

The rabbits awake

Spring Festival came, accompanied with the news of a pestilence in nearby provinces. The rabbits heard it and sent medicine to the afflicted areas. Such were the rabbits, ever sensitive to the needs of their people and the surroundings. They harvested the herbs, packed them in dry paper, and had them delivered to the various villages affected.

It was too early, said the rabbit elders, to have a pestilence running around full and unchecked. Spring would bring along the usual sniffles, coughs and cold chests. But a pestilence which was unknown and seemed to have popped up suddenly intrigued the elders. Even pestilences had life cycles, they taught the novices and initiates. Such was the way of Buddhism: every living thing had a life force.

Some of the novices gossiped that it was caused by spirits, that somehow spirits were the source of this strange pestilence. Such talk was quickly squashed by the older initiates and disciples, because idle talk and rumours did more harm than illnesses and diseases of the body.

"Stay focused on your path," admonished the older disciples sternly. "Cultivate serenity, still your breathing, listen to the wind."

So Jade Rain found themselves practising Windsong, their father's beloved jian, alone and away from the main study chamber of Serenity Hall. The air was still cold and crisp in the forest, winter still lingering in the earth and trees. Jade Rain revelled in the silence, moving with the jian. The drills calmed them as they always did.

Jade Rain loved the jian. The hilt was intricately carved and embossed with the clan's seal. The blade was perfect, with a tinge of ice blue along its sharp edges. Swords had souls. Once they were named, they were real.

They had some autonomy of movement and some freedom as they were the niece of the current clan leader. Their father was younger brother. So the maid servants called them "Young Mistress", even though Jade Rain had never felt feminine or identified fully as a girl. They liked girlish things, like the prettiest of hanfu and loveliest of textiles, but that was it.

Windsong twitched subtly in their hand and uttered a soft whispering hum. Somebody was nearby. Jade Rain adopted the combat stance, only to relax fully when they saw it was only Autumn Moon, their best friend, cousin and daughter of the clan leader. Autumn Moon was carrying a simple woven food basket. Clad in the clan colours of light blue, Autumn Moon seemed to move like the wind. Jade Rain sometimes felt like a clod of earth next to the petite young woman.

"Come, come, come," Autumn Moon said, beaming. "I missed you at study time and old Bing was cross with you. I got you some food."

Old Bing was the rabbits' oldest and longest serving retainer. He doubled as one of the teachers.

"He's probably going to have words with me later," Jade Rain rolled their eyes skywards. "It's not like I was skipping his lesson. I had it last week!"

"Nevermind him," Autumn Moon giggled and opened the basket, lifting the basket cover to reveal delicious pan-seared Spring Festival rice cake. The fragrance made Jade Rain's mouth water. There were more surprises. The second compartment of the basket contained a small porcelain pot.

"Eight Treasures porridge!" sighed Jade Rain happily.

They tucked in quickly, savouring the taste of the food. Jade Rain loved times like this, enjoying food while the mist rolled in, coating the forest of Xu like the cotton sugar spun in the night markets.

"I hear the Great Lecture will be held soon," Autumn Moon said while she kept all the utensils and the bowls back into the basket. "It's earlier than the usual Lectures. Are you excited?"