By the sixth month of the year, the influence of the Yue family had spread across the capital.
Scholars respected their intelligence, merchants admired their organization, and military officers acknowledged their strength.
But the Yue family elders understood one important truth.
Power and reputation often attracted danger.
One evening, inside the Yue residence's inner courtyard, the ten young men gathered together.
The summer night was quiet, lit only by several lanterns placed around the training grounds.
Standing in the center was third cousin Yue Heng, already known in the army as a respected military commander.
He crossed his arms and looked at the others.
"You called me here tonight," he said calmly.
"So what is this about?"
The eldest cousin, Yue Ming, stepped forward.
He spoke in a low voice.
"Our family is rising too quickly."
The others nodded.
Second cousin Yue Qiu added,
"The capital is not a peaceful place."
"Many noble families will start watching us."
Fourth cousin Yue Liang leaned against a wooden pillar.
"And not all of them will have friendly intentions."
Yue Heng looked at them thoughtfully.
"So you want protection."
Fifth cousin Yue Tao shook his head.
"Not just protection."
"We want something stronger."
Sixth cousin Yue Jun continued calmly,
"A private guard force loyal only to the Yue family."
The courtyard became quiet.
Then Yue Heng slowly smiled.
"You want to create a shadow guard."
Seventh cousin Yue An nodded.
"Exactly."
"Not a large army."
"Just a small elite force."
Eighth cousin Yue Rui added excitedly,
"They would gather information, protect the family, and deal with threats quietly."
Yue Heng looked at each of them carefully.
"And you want me to train them."
Yue Ming bowed slightly.
"You have the most military experience among us."
Yue Heng thought for a moment.
Then he laughed.
"You are all quite ambitious."
But his expression soon became serious.
"If we do this, we must do it properly."
Ninth brother Yue Han spoke quietly.
"We also want to train ourselves."
Yue Heng looked surprised.
"You?"
Yue Han nodded.
"Even though I study medicine, I still want the ability to defend my family."
Beside him, the youngest brother Yue Bo spoke with determination.
"I want to learn real combat techniques."
Yue Heng studied them carefully.
Then he nodded.
"Very well."
"If the Yue family is creating a Shadow Guard, then all of you must understand discipline and strategy."
---
Training Begins
The next morning, before sunrise, the ten young men gathered again in the training grounds.
Yue Heng stood before them like a strict instructor.
"The Shadow Guard must be faster, quieter, and more disciplined than ordinary soldiers."
He pointed toward the wooden training weapons.
"Pick them up."
The cousins and brothers exchanged glances before stepping forward.
Yue Heng began demonstrating basic combat techniques.
Sword positioning.
Defensive footwork.
Silent movement techniques used in night patrols.
"Strength alone is useless," he explained.
"Speed and awareness are more important."
---
The Ten Brothers Training Together
Each of them practiced differently.
Yue Ming, the eldest cousin, showed calm leadership and natural authority.
Yue Qiu focused carefully on defensive techniques.
Yue Heng personally demonstrated advanced combat forms.
Yue Liang showed excellent agility and quick reflexes.
Yue Tao, though a scholar, practiced with determination.
Yue Jun focused on strategy and observation.
Yue An learned quickly, applying clever tactics.
Yue Rui preferred fast and unpredictable movements.
Yue Han practiced lightly but studied pressure points useful for medicine and combat.
Yue Bo trained the hardest, determined to prove himself.
Sweat covered their foreheads as the morning sun rose.
But none of them complained.
---
The Shadow Guard Plan
After training, the ten gathered again around a stone table.
Yue Ming spoke first.
"We will secretly recruit skilled fighters loyal to the Yue family."
Yue Jun added,
"They will operate quietly and report only to us."
Yue Rui grinned.
"We should give them a name."
Yue Liang smirked.
"Isn't it obvious?"
He looked around the group.
"The Yue Shadow Guard."
Everyone nodded.
Yue Heng finally spoke.
"If we do this, remember one thing."
His voice became serious.
"The Shadow Guard must protect the family and the empire."
"Never use them for personal ambition."
The others nodded solemnly.
For the first time, the ten young men truly understood the responsibility they were taking.
---
As the sun rose higher over the Yue residence, the ten brothers continued training.
Their laughter and determination echoed through the courtyard.
None of them realized yet—
That the Yue Shadow Guard they were creating would one day become one of the most feared and respected secret forces in the entire empire.