The Blind Swordmaster Took In His Own Assassin novel · Chapter 23 of 24

Chapter 23: Spring

The plum tree came up the mountain on a cart in the first week of spring.

It was tied up in sacking, with its roots in a barrel of earth.

It was taller than Ra-on.

The Chief had sent six soldiers to carry it, and they stood in the yard, red-faced, watching Dong-ju dig.

"Deeper," said Ryeo-won.

He was kneeling by the hole with his hand in the dirt.

"Deeper than that."

"It has to be close enough to touch the old roots."

The old trunk still stood in the corner, black and split.

In the winter they had found a green shoot at its foot, no longer than a thumb.

Ryeo-won had stood beside it a whole afternoon in the snow.

They planted the new tree next to the old one, so the two could touch.

When the last soldier had gone down the road, Ra-on sat on the well rim.

He watched the two of them pat down the earth.

Dong-ju was a head taller than he had been in the autumn.

He wore his master's old practice sword at his hip.

In the past month he had learned the Crane's first form to the end, with Ryeo-won's hands over his.

He did it every morning at dawn in the yard, wobbling a little at the turn.

"Lift the wing," said Ryeo-won, without looking up.

"I did."

"You dropped it half a breath early."

"I did not!"

"I heard it."

"You hear everything!"

"Yes," Ryeo-won said, serenely.

"That's the great advantage."

Ra-on laughed so hard that the chickens fled under the porch.

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