| Fan Fiction |
by Melanie
IN THE MARKETPLACE OF THE CITY OF LAM ON
A young man, delicate in build with almost feminine features, walks around in the crowded marketplace, eyeing the vendors and calmly fanning himself with an expensive white fan. He strolls past Yee Heung Lau, the City of Lam On's most famous brothel, then suddenly backtracks to the brothel's main entrance. He glances up the balcony occupied by seductive women waving their handkerchiefs and calling to the men on the streets. Mischievously smiling, he walks into the notorious establishment.
INSIDE YEE HEUNG LAU (THE BROTHEL)
The madam of the brothel, a colorfully dressed older woman, rushes toward the young man who has just entered her establishment. He looks at his surroundings with a cheerful twinkle in his big eyes.
The Madam sashays shamelessly up to her new costumer. "Young Master! Welcome to Yee Heung Lau, where the women are beautiful, the music is high-classed, and the food is delicious! Is this your first time here? You do not look familiar to me. But I promise after one unforgettable night in the company of my beautiful girls, you'll come back for more! Now who is your pleasure?"
The young man grins playfully as he dangles a pouch full of gold pieces in front of the madam's nose. "I want the most beautiful girl here!" he declares brashly.
The Madam stares greedily at the bag of gold chips, practically drooling thinking about the amount of wealth in that litle pouch. "Of course! I will immediately summon her!" She turns around and screams at the top of her lungs. "Mong Ching! Mong Ching! Come here quickly!"
However, before Mong Ching is able to make an appearance, the young man feels a masculine hand on his arm. He turns around and sees another man, dressed in blue, with an angry expression on his face. The man in blue yanks the young man away and, with his lightness kung fu, speeds past the confused Madam while dragging the protesting young man with him. In the blink of an eye, both men are five miles away from the brothel in an open field.
The young man pouts as he rubs his sore arm where the other man's tight grip has previously been. "Second Brother! You and Eldest Brother are always ruining my fun!"
Lam Yik Wah sighs as his angry expression fades. "Chi Chi, do you know it is inappropriate for a genteel lady like you to be found in a brothel? What will your future husband think?! If your good name is soiled, the Lam Family's honor will be marred and no man would want to marry you!"
Lam Suk Chi pouts at her brother. "I am just having some good-natured fun. Besides, I want to see what a brothel looks like. I am disguised as a man, so nobody will know who I am." She kicks at a loose pebble with her foot. "It is so boring at home, especially with Eldest Brother away on a mission and Third Sister visiting grandpa and grandma. And you are no fun to be with! All you do is practice your sword skills. You won't even practice with me!"
Wah sighs. "Chi Chi, have you ever heard of the phrase 'Curiosity killed the cat?' A well-bred lady like you should not run around dressed as a man! And to enter such a disreputable establishment! What would Mother and Father say if they return and find out?" Seeing her about to interrupt him, he holds up a hand and continues his lecture. "And I don't practice my sword skills with you because you always quit after you sense that you are losing. Now come on. Let's go home. Eldest Brother and Suk Yu should be back soon."
Chi Chi, still pouting, reluctantly trails after her second brother while muttering under her breath about boring brothers. "Fine. I will go home and stare at the walls," she mumbles, disgruntled.
IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY OF LAM ON
AT A SMALL TEA STAND
A beautiful young woman dressed in pale yellow sits at a small table at a tea stand, enjoying tea and some biscuits. On the table beside her food lies a jade flute, her weapon of choice. She finishes her meal quickly, places a few gold coins on the table, and leaves. A few minutes after her departure, two burly men sitting at a table nearby pick up their swords and follow her.
IN A FOREST
As the young woman passes through the forest on her journey home, she plays her flute, showering the woodland with a sad, lilting melody. The rustle of leaves from the nearby brush alerts her to the presence of others. She stops in her tracks, but continues to play her flute. However, her tune changes to a sharp, ear-piercing pitch, causing the surrounding trees to quiver and the small animals to run for cover. The men hiding in the brush scream and crash out of the shrubbery, their hands clenched against their ears. The young woman continues her flute playing mercilessly as she looks at the two burly men writhing in pain on the ground. Blood trickles out of the side of their mouths. Finally, taking pity on their suffering, the young woman halts her melody.
The young woman twirls her flute. "Had enough, you two? Which sect do you belong to and why are you following me?"
Without responding to her questions, the two men stab themselves with their swords, refusing to provide her with answers. The young woman hurries to their sides in an attempt to prevent them from committing suicide. Unfortunately, it is too late, for the men have already died. A metal disc hanging from a chain from one of the men's waist catches her eye, and she picks it up for closer inspection. The engraving on the metal read, "Sun Moon Sect."
The young woman frowns as she examines the metal disc. "Hmmm…the Sun Moon Sect? I have never heard of this sect."
In the distance, footsteps are heard pounding on the dirt road of the forest. Two familiar voices are heard, one male and the other female.
Wah shouts, "Suk Yu! Suk Yu! Where are you?"
Chi Chi follows close behind her brother, screaming at the top of her lungs. "Third Sister! Third Sister! Are you all right?"
Lam Suk Yu turns toward the direction of the voices, her hand still holding the metal disc. "Chi Chi! Second Brother! I am over here!"
From the depths of the woods, Wah and Chi Chi emerge. They run towards their sister, Lam Suk Yu.
Chi Chi happily trots over to her sister, a wide smile gracing her mischievous face. "Third Sister!"
Suk Yu looks at her second elder brother and her younger sister with a confused expression. "Why are you two here? I thought you were at home."
Wah shoots Chi Chi a long-suffering look before turning toward Suk Yu to answer her question. "We were home, until Chi Chi sneaked out to cause trouble. I had to go look for her. On our way back to Lam Mansion, we heard your flute playing and were concerned that you were in danger."
Chi Chi, highly insulted by her brother's remark, pouts. "I was not out causing trouble, Second Brother! I just wanted to have some fresh air!"
Suk Yu smiles at her younger sister's irked look. "All right, Chi Chi. I believe you. By the way, Second Brother, have you ever heard of the Sun Moon Sect?"
Suk Yu shows Wah the metal disc in her hand. Wah scrutinizes it closely, his brow furrowed in concentration. Finally, he shakes his head in confusion.
Wah hands the disc back to Suk Yu, replying, "No, I have never heard of this sect. I wonder why its members are following you."
Suk Yu appears just as confused as her brother. "I asked them the same question, but they committed suicide before I was able to force an answer from them. I guess we'll have to ask Father when he and Mother return."
Listening in on her siblings' conversation, Chi Chi suddenly chirps excitedly. "Maybe we should ask around to see if anyone has heard of this sect!"
Alarmed that Chi Chi will get into further mischief, Suk Yu and Wah shout in unison, "No!"
Wah frowns sternly at his youngest sister. "Chi Chi, you need to learn how to stay out of trouble! Lam Family is one of the martial arts world's most respected families. We have a reputation to uphold! You have to remember that. Let's all return and wait for Eldest Brother to return."
The three set off on their journey home. Suk Yu and Wah continue to speculate on the origins of the mysterious Sun Moon Sect, while Chi Chi trails after them with a pout.
As the three siblings exit the forest, two men arrive on the scene, dressed similarly in style as the two dead men. They rush towards the two corpses lying on the forest ground.
The first man checks the pulses of the two dead men, his expression grim. "They're dead. We have to report back to First Young Master that they have failed their mission."
Nodding, the second man inquires, "Should we pursue the Lam siblings?"
The first man ponders briefly before answering, "No. It appears that they have very powerful kung fu skills. It will not be easy to capture them. Let's see what First Young Master wishes for us to do next."
The two men disappear into the thick woodland.
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If you enjoy this story, please also read my other story, Legendary Book of Sun-Moon Swordplay - The Prequel. Thank you.
http://www.winglin.net/fanfic/legendprequel/