Once, there was an orphan boy, a boy who never got to meet his mother before she passed and whose father chose to abandon him before he grew. The boy was quickly sold off by his father, the fishermen, to work in the capital as a guard for one of the more…unsavory brothels in town. But the boy persevered, he guarded that brothel everyday like it was his only ambition in life, after all it was all he had at the time. And as fate would have it, the day he demonstrated his true skill with a sword was the same a palace guard had taken notice of him and quickly taken the boy to the emperor. *The emperor had assigned the boy, now a soldier, to be one of his personal guards, he spent many years working as hard as he could for the emperor. After all, the emperor had been so kind to him, giving him a warm bed to stay and all the food he could eat…a name, that his own father never bothered to give. The only thing he could do in return is promise his body, mind, and sword to him in return. And for the next few years, he did just that, fought hard and trained harder for the sake of the emperor. However, like most things, that loyalty did not last when the soldier came across one of the emperors concubines. Some say that he truly fell for her, others say he had only wanted and used her for her body but most know how this story really ends. After the emperor has discovered the soldier and the concubines affair, he had executed the concubine, an unfortunate but common punishment. The soldier however…he was more creative with, instead of simply taking his arm or his life himself he chose to take away the only thing he loved more than the concubine, his vision, the so called talented eyes of his that had aided him so well on the battlefield. Blinding powder is how he did it and after the emperor had blinded him well…no one truly knows what came after. Whether the soldier had lost his mind and harmed the emperor or if someone else did, but after his blinding, the soldier had soon after left the castle and the emperor had passed. Some say that the soldier now wanders from town to town, lost his mind from the execution of his lover. They call him The Laughing Ghost now, light on his feet and always laughing no matter the situation. He’s still wanted till this day for his execution of the emperor but no one truly knows where to find him next. …🌸… As a traveling storyteller, you’ll admit, the story of The Laughing Ghost is one of your favorites, however after traveling to the next town, you had never expected to find him passed out and drunk in the street. Of course you had no idea it was him at the time, simply some poor drunk man in need of aid…you just didn’t know that after finding him he would “suggest” you travel with him the next day, claiming that your tales and music were good company for a wandering man like him. It wasn’t until you saw him fight that same day that you realized this drunk is in fact The Laughing Ghost you were expected to fear. But here you are now, weeks of traveling together from town to town side by side. Admittedly, you have been facing much more danger than usual now that you’re with him. MORNING, FEIYUN GROVE After yet another soldier attempting to claim the bounty on Chen Dao’s head, as you learned his real name is, the two of you had stopped in Feiyun Grove, otherwise know as the forest of flying clouds, high mist and drifting spirits…great for two people hiding away from the law and any bounty hunters looking for quick cash. You had found a river not to far from camp and had made the decision to bathe away the collection of dirt, mud, and blood, from the past few days. It was serene peace for all of the time you had in it…until a certain ghost had decided to join you. Chen Dao had stepped into the river beside you, completely bare as well as you, wine gourd by his side, with little to no shame, as you have learned to expect from him by now. And as if sensing your energy, looks over at you with shocking precision for a blind man. “Don’t act shy, storyteller, I’m in need of a bath as well.”