The morning wind scraped over the jade rooftops when Bai Feng woke up.His body felt like wet stone — heavy, throbbing — but his breath came clean, filled with incense and the scent of pine.Beside him, Fa Xian slept leaning against a wooden pillar, prayer beads still tangled in his fingers.
Bai Feng slowly sat up, feeling the bandages around his waist and shoulder.The wind fox still slept inside his chest — but he knew it was there.
Down the lantern corridor, he heard dragging footsteps.Abbot Mingxu appeared, leaning on the staff that seemed to sing whenever it tapped the stone floor.
"You're awake already?" Mingxu murmured, voice soft like water on rock."The wind inside you blows before the flesh can heal?"
Bai Feng lowered his eyes."I can't sit still, Abbot," he said, scratching his neck."I feel like I have to… repay."
Mingxu chuckled — a rough breath that made the nearest lamp flicker."Repay? The wind doesn't collect taxes, boy. But if your fists need sweeping, then sweep."He gestured at Fa Xian, who woke up with a jolt.
"Fa Xian, take him. Let him feel the courtyard."Then he turned to Bai Feng."But listen first: if you run before the wind calls you, the temple will drag you back."
Bai Feng gave a short, awkward bow."I won't run. Not yet," he said."First I sweep the floor. Then I'll think about the rest."
So two dawns later, Bai Feng was sweeping the back courtyard — an old forgotten yard where the hanging bells seemed to speak more to the wind than to the monks.
Each sweep lifted dry petals, dust, and broken fig leaves.The breeze carried the scent of lotus blossoms from the pond nearby — and sometimes whispers of sutras chanted far away.
On the third day, while Fa Xian brought him a steaming broth, Bai Feng pointed at the main staircase.
"Who was that?" he asked."I saw her yesterday… a girl. Came with guards, flags… face like porcelain."
Fa Xian paused mid-air with the bowl."Ah." He smiled, like someone hiding a secret."Princess An Lian. The youngest flower of Emperor Xia."
"Princess?" Bai Feng raised an eyebrow."What's a princess doing in a temple that smells like mildew?"
"Oh…" Fa Xian laughed."Those born in cages run away when they can. Sometimes they hide behind sutras."
Bai Feng fell silent.He sipped the broth in short gulps, eyes still fixed on the stairs.
"Hm. She looks so… different," he murmured."Like she's not made from the same clay as me."
Fa Xian nudged his shoulder."The wind blows on palace tiles just like it blows on rotting planks, Bai Feng. Sweep the yard. Forget the princess."
But the wind forgets nothing.
That afternoon, Bai Feng was clearing leaves behind an old, locked gate when he heard light sandals rushing his way.
A figure ran past — black hair loose, thin robe trailing along the stones.The girl stopped suddenly — breathless, eyes wide.
It was her. The princess.Behind her, distant voices of guards calling.
Bai Feng stood still, leaning on his broom.
She pointed at him, eyes even wider."You! Weird monk!" she hissed, out of breath."Where can I hide?!"
Bai Feng raised an eyebrow."Weird monk?" He looked at his loose hair over his shoulders."If I were a monk, where's my shiny bald head?"
She ignored him, grabbed his arm."Shhh! They'll find me! Quick, quick!"Her eyes were so clear they looked like mirrors of water.
Bai Feng scratched his head."Look… There's an old tea barrel back there… will that do?"
"Barrel?!" She made a face."I'll look like a radish stuffed in a tub!"
"It's that or they catch you," Bai Feng said, shrugging."Radish princess or locked-up princess? Pick fast."
She huffed but ran to the barrel, squeezing behind it, lifting her robe so it wouldn't drag.
Bai Feng calmly went back to sweeping — just as two guards rounded the courtyard corner.
"You!" one of them barked."Did you see the Princess?"
Bai Feng rested his chin on the broom."Princess? Here?" He made a face of fake surprise."I only saw a fat cat… ran right by."
The guards exchanged a look, grumbled, and left.
Silence.Behind the barrel, a whisper:"Fat cat?!"
Bai Feng bit his lip not to laugh."Better than radish, isn't it?"
Her head popped up over the barrel rim, her face flushed with anger and barely-contained giggles."You…!" She pointed at him, outraged."You're a very rude monk!"
Bai Feng lifted the broom handle in a half-bow."Wrong again, Your Highness. I'm not even a monk. I just sweep the floors."
She fell quiet — then smiled, a small smile as bright as the bells hanging overhead."Then, wind monk… keep my secret."
He shrugged, sweeping more leaves.
An Lian, still half-hidden behind the barrel, watched Bai Feng with narrowed eyes, like she was trying to solve a puzzle."You… what's your name?" she asked suddenly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Bai Feng tapped the broom's end on the ground, shooing away a stray ant."For you?" He raised an eyebrow."I'm just the wind sweeper."
She puffed out her cheeks, crossing her arms."Does everyone here talk in riddles? Wind, fig tree, cloud, silence… Is it all poetry or do you eat real food?"
Bai Feng couldn't hold back a dry laugh — the first since he woke up."Sometimes thin soup. Sometimes just wind. Depends if the Abbot thinks we sinned yesterday."
An Lian let out a quick laugh — a sound that brightened the gray courtyard more than the fading sun."Bai Feng," he said at last, half-reluctant."If you really want to know. Bai Feng."
She repeated it, tasting it like a new candy."Bai Feng… White Wind. It fits."
He shrugged, swept aside some fallen branches."And you, Princess Radish?"
Her eyes went wide, scandalized."I am An Lian!" She lifted her chin, the blue silk ribbon in her hair shimmering."Daughter of Emperor Xia, Seventh Pearl of the Throne, Keeper of the Southern Stars—"
Bai Feng raised a hand, cutting her off."Princess Radish is shorter."
She gasped, offended — then laughed again, covering her mouth."If my father heard that, he'd cut out your tongue!"
Bai Feng clicked his tongue, thoughtful."Hm. He'd have to come up here first. And the wind doesn't carry fat soldiers uphill."
An Lian laughed so hard she had to brace herself on the barrel. When she finally caught her breath, she looked at him like he was something fragile, curious, and maybe dangerous."You're not afraid of me, are you?" she asked, quieter, suddenly serious.
Bai Feng didn't answer right away.He swept leaves into a pile, nudged a caterpillar out of the way with his broom tip."Of the wind? No."
She seemed to like that answer — and silence fell again, soft like a light blanket.
Then distant footsteps — the clink of spears, the guards' voices.An Lian's eyes widened. She dove behind the barrel again."Those again! If they catch me here, I'm a boiled radish!" she whispered.
Bai Feng tilted his head to the sky, pretending not to see anything."Want another barrel?" he teased.
She banged her fist on the wooden rim."No! You. You owe me this, Bai Feng of the Wind! Take me somewhere!"
He looked around — just stones, a fig tree, an old wooden gate barely anyone opened.He sighed."Come on. Step softly."
He pushed the gate, which creaked like an old dragon snoring.Behind it, a stone path led to an old walled yard, thick with moss — a place only monks used to wash robes.
An Lian slipped between the stones, clutching her robe's hem, peeking over her shoulder."Are there snakes here?"
"Just me," Bai Feng said dryly.
She gave him a tiny punch on the arm, half-laughing."You're the most insolent monk in the empire!"
"I already told you I'm not a monk," Bai Feng grumbled, pushing a plank to close the gate.
Inside the walled yard, only the sound of water dripping into the stone basin.She took a deep breath, leaning against the ivy-covered wall."Thank you," she said softly, like the wind might steal her words.
Bai Feng sat on the stone step, dropped the broom."Are you going to run away every day?" he asked, scratching his chin.
She made a mysterious face."Maybe. If I know there's a monk with hair waiting…" She winked.
Bai Feng shook his head, chuckled to himself."Runaway princess. Radish princess. Wind princess," he counted off."Which title are you picking, anyway?"
She smiled, nudged his leg with her embroidered shoe."And you? What will you be? Monk? Sweeper? Shadow? Wind?"
Bai Feng looked up at the gray sky peeking through the leaves."Don't know yet," he said honestly."But I think I'll find out soon."
Silence again — this time even the wind seemed to hold its breath to listen.
An Lian drew a breath, leaning against the ivy wall, watching Bai Feng like she was studying him top to bottom."You…" she began, biting her lip."You know the city down there, don't you?"
Bai Feng raised an eyebrow, slapped his palm on the gate plank like swatting a pigeon."Xīwàng?" he said with a hint of disdain."If I know it? That's where I first ate radish peels."
She giggled, waving him off."Stop calling me radish!" she whispered, lightly punching his shoulder."I want to go there. I want to see the market. The river. The stone bridges… I want to see people who don't call me 'Your Highness' all day long."
Bai Feng frowned, scratched the old scratch on his wrist."You want to leave the temple. Pass the gate. Bury your nose in mud and fish stink, incense smoke and cheating merchants?" he listed, dead serious.
She smiled, eyes sparkling."All of it!" She lifted a finger like she was giving a royal order."And you're coming with me!"
He let out a short laugh, tossed the broom aside."Am I? Since when am I a runaway princess's guide?"
She crossed her arms, pouting."You don't want to help me?"
"I'm not a monk," Bai Feng shot back, lifting a finger like reciting a sutra."I've said it three times already. I'm just a broom pushing leaves."
She stomped her foot, indignant."Every monk I know has secret exits for every temple! Tunnels, fake doors, fig trees with holes behind them… And you know NOTHING?"
Bai Feng spread his arms, almost laughing."Want me to draw it for you?" He tapped his head."I'm not a monk! I ended up here because I almost became lizard food in a cave. I only know how to sweep leaves, sip thin soup, and slap nosy geese. That's it."
She blinked — then burst out laughing, covering her mouth so no one would hear."Fine…" she said, wiping a tear from laughing so hard."Then we improvise. No tunnel? We find one. You'll help me?"
He let out a long sigh — but for a second, his eyes lifted to the sky. A sliver of wind brushed his white hair."Alright," he murmured."But if it goes wrong, you're the one running. I vanish in the bushes."
An Lian beamed, tossing her hair back."Deal! You become a shadow, I'll become…" She paused, thinking."I'll become mist. Princess Mist."
Bai Feng rolled his eyes, grabbed the broom again."Princess Radish turned Mist. Evolving fast."
She was about to retort, but the sound of heavy footsteps echoed behind the gate. They froze — Bai Feng quickly pressed a finger to her lips.
"Shh!"
Through a crack in the plank, the guards' silhouettes appeared — two, then two more. Spears clinking on armor. One grumbled:
"She vanished again? If the Commander finds out, he'll flay us alive."
Another snorted."Princess or demon… born to be a headache. Did you check the Buddha Hall?"
"Checked. Nothing. If she doesn't show by noon, we're climbing the roof."
Their voices faded, mixing with the clang of steel.
An Lian let out a breath, Bai Feng's hand still half-covering her mouth."You're gonna suffocate me, hair monk," she whispered as he lowered his hand.
"Shh. Princess Mist doesn't shout," he shot back, peering over the wall.
When the last footsteps vanished down the stone corridor, he looked at her, half wary."Ready to turn into mud?" he asked, wiping sweat from his neck.
She grinned like a fox."Born ready."
He huffed, tapped the broom on the ground."Then come on. Let's find a hole these old men forgot to sweep."
Slowly, they pushed the creaking plank aside.The wind carried the smell of burnt incense from the main hall. Bai Feng breathed deep — the wind swirling inside him gave him a gentle push.
One step.Another.And off they went — Princess and "hair monk" — slipping through old corridors, hunting for a crack in ancient walls, as if the wind itself blew just for them.