Ave Xia Rem Y

~~~

“We should kill her.”

“Lu Mei!”

“I am serious,” Lu Mei says, pacing around his room with a blank look on her face. Dog, demonstrating his increased intelligence, has chosen to hide in the corner. “My parents are merely Heaven Realm cultivators. My grandfather might be an Elder, but that is unimportant. No one involved in this matter is an Emperor except the Sect Master of the Red Sky Pavilion. I am sure he would be willing to overlook a few indiscretions if it pleases the Eternal Flame Clan.”

Merely Heaven Realm cultivators.

What an outrageous thing to say. It is a good thing that Liu Jin’s room is lined with protective talismans. Who knows what people would think otherwise?

And yet, there is some truth to Lu Mei’s words. Certainly, Liu Jin and Lu Mei are nowhere near the might of a Heaven Realm cultivator, but that does not matter as much as it once did. They have connections and, in Liu Jin’s case, the loyalty of one Emperor Realm cultivator. The threat of a Heaven Realm cultivator and the possible machinations of a decently-sized Sect are not as intimidating as they once were.

However, feasible or not, Lu Mei being so quick to suggest such a brutish solution is a sign of how rattled she is.

“Lu Mei,” Liu Jin repeats, his voice gentle and soothing as he can make it. It seems to work because Lu Mei stops pacing. “What exactly did your mother write?”

Liu Jin eyes the letter in Lu Mei’s hand. Her fist has been clenched tightly around it all this time. It is a wonder the letter has not yet burst into flames.

“She…” Lu Mei takes a deep breath. “She greets me and hopes her letter finds me in good health. She also congratulates me on my upcoming nuptials.”

Liu Jin’s eyebrows rise up.

“Yes, news travels fast,” Lu Mei says dryly. “My mother goes on to talk about how things are going in the Red Sky Pavilion and hopes my position does not make me forget my roots.”

Liu Jin waits for her to continue.

She does not.

“She does not directly threaten to do anything?”

“She’d have to be a fool to write it down. Anyone looking through my correspondence would find out, making the threat null,” Lu Mei says, waving the letter and throwing it at him to read. “I know her. I can hear the words in her snide voice. She knows this is the best time for her to take advantage of this. Because I am… I am…”

Because Lu Mei is Lord Feng Shang’s illegitimate daughter.

The circumstances of exactly how that came to be escape Liu Jin. However, it is undeniable that Lu Mei’s mother somehow seduced Lord Feng Shang, and Lu Mei is the product of that union. It is a secret known only by an extremely small number of people. As far as most are concerned, Lu Mei is the illegitimate daughter of Feng Dianzuo, Branch Master of the Soaring Sparks Valley Branch of the Eternal Flame Clan.

Under more auspicious circumstances, Lu Mei being acknowledged as the daughter of one of the strongest members of the Eternal Flame Clan would be a good thing. Unfortunately, as things are now, it would only bring complications. Lord Feng Gui may have been chosen as the next patriarch of the Eternal Flame Clan, but that does not mean the enmity between him and his brother has ceased to exist. If it were revealed that, after everything that has happened, Liu Jin is marrying the daughter of Lord Feng Gui’s chief rival, illegitimate though she might be, it would be…complicated.

In the worst-case scenario, it might even be seen as a betrayal: Liu Jin choosing Lord Feng Shang over Lord Feng Gui. There are also the problems that the reveal of Lu Mei’s identity would cause with Lady Feng. Liu Jin vividly remembers the hate that shone in her eyes when discussing the Divine Frozen Palace. He does not want to know what she will do if she ever obtains proof of her husband’s infidelity.

There are so many issues that Lu Mei’s origin could cause for everyone that Liu Jin sometimes wonders if maybe Lord Feng Shang and Lord Feng Gui have already figured it out and are just pretending not to. He wouldn’t put it past them.

“It is fine,” Liu Jin says.

That, he realizes immediately, is the wrong thing to say.

“It is not fine!” Lu Mei snaps at him. “She wants to hold this over my head so she can dictate my actions! Use me to gain power in the Red Sky Pavilion! If I refuse, she’ll reveal everything, and I’ll become a bu-”

Lu Mei immediately stops herself. She takes a deep breath.

“Do you remember Night Forest Nation?”

Liu Jin blinks at the question but nods.

“You threatened to kill me,” he says, smiling at the memory before he realizes where she is going with this.

“Because I thought one of my parents sent you,” Lu Mei says, sitting beside him. Her energy seems to have left her. “You knew Ceaselessly Refining Breath. It was the only thing that made sense to me then.”

Other matters took precedence, so Liu Jin did not think much about it back then, but that Lu Mei had reacted so violently to the idea of her parents sending someone after her… It meant Lu Mei had no trouble believing her parents would send someone to hurt her… or worse.

“Would she really go through with it?” Liu Jin asks. “Revealing the secret could place you in great danger.”

Lu Mei smiles. She can hear the question that Liu Jin cannot bring himself to voice.

“I have been an inconvenience to my mother’s life since I drew breath,” she says. “Trust me when I say she would not mourn me.”

Liu Jin does not know what to say, so he does not say anything. He merely holds Lu Mei’s hand in silence. The two stay like that for a while.

“I have to get rid of them,” she says with finality.

“As I recall, you have a younger sibling,” Liu Jin says. “Do you really want to deal with the aftermath of taking away his parents?”

“The number of words I have exchanged with my half-brother would not even fill a page,” Lu Mei says. “He is not an issue.”

Lu Mei smiles her usual haughty smile that Liu Jin has grown so used to seeing.

He does not need to feel Lu Mei’s Qi to know this one is fake.

“When I entered the Storm Dragon Empire, part of me knew there was a possibility I might repeat history,” Liu Jin says, carefully choosing his words. “I had never met them before, but I feared I might have to kill members of my family. You have no idea how relieved I am that it did not come to pass. I am not sure how I would have dealt with it.”

“That is because you are overly kind and care for people more than they deserve,” Lu Mei says. “It is a flaw I am willing to overlook.”

“Is that so? You once told me I do not particularly like people. I was put off by it at the time, but you were more right than you realize. I have no attachment to your parents or your brother. It is not for them that I speak.”

He squeezes her hand.

“You should not be forced to turn on your family.”

“Do you think you can stop it?” Lu Mei laughs with anger. “How arrogant of you! You do not understand my circumstances or those of my family! Do you really think you can intrude and fix everything to your liking?!”

She tries to sound dismissive of him, yet Liu Jin can hear something hidden under her scorn. He can feel its embers burning in her Qi.

Hope.

“I am arrogant,” Liu Jin agrees. “It seems I am not immune to that vice. I have lived my life forcing myself into situations where I was not wanted, often with little idea of what I was marching into. However, consider this: I have been successful so far.”

He holds Lu Mei’s chin with his free hand and gently makes her look at him.

“I can be successful again if you help me.”

Lu Mei holds his gaze. Her golden eyes challenging him, attacking him, and even insulting him.

However, the strength with which she holds his hand tells him the answer before she voices it.

“Very well.” Lu Mei takes a deep breath, and her lips curl into a familiar smirk. “It is not how I thought I’d introduce you to my family, but let’s be greedy.”

~~~

Though their resolution has been made, Liu Jin and Lu Mei cannot just put everything aside and depart for the Red Sky Pavilion. That would look too suspicious. Lady Dai Jie might even take it as an insult. Considering the number of people they already risk offending, there is no need to add one more to the list.

“We have time to prepare,” Lu Mei reassured him. “My mother is not expecting me to cave in right away. I have already sent a letter to delay. That should give us more than enough time to figure things out.”

Liu Jin hopes so. The number of things that require figuring out are quite numerous.

“I am pleased you agreed to meet me alone, Emperor Qing,” Lady Dai Jie says as she welcomes him to her residence. “Many would be too needlessly wary of the Divine Frozen Palace.”

There are also a great many people who would only be too eager to be alone with a woman of the Divine Frozen Palace, but Lady Dai Jie is trying not to draw attention to that aspect of her Sect, so Liu Jin does not mention it.

“You have been nothing but courteous, Lady Dai Jie,” Liu Jin says, taking a moment to enjoy the gentle breeze that flows through the porch. “There is no reason for me to distrust you.”

Besides, there are entirely too many people in the Eternal Flame Clan who would notice if anything was done to him. It would be foolish of Lady Dai Jie to attempt anything untoward.

“That is pleasing to hear.” Lady Dai Jie favors him with a smile. “Have you given thought to my proposal?”

“Plenty,” Liu Jin replies. “However, my answer remains the same. I need to speak with Xiao Shuang before I can make any decision.”

“I would have thought reading her letter would make you realize her seriousness,” Lady Dai Jie says, making Liu Jin look at her sharply.

“You read her letter.”

“Please, think nothing of it. It is common practice to monitor all communication that goes out of the Divine Frozen Palace.” Lady Dai Jie smiles. “Besides, she asked for my help. You might have some inkling of this already, but Senior Sister Meng Yue’s strengths do not lie in the written word.”

Liu Jin is fairly sure Lady Meng Yue’s strengths have little to do with words of any kind.

“It was very precious watching Little Shuang go through several drafts. You are very dear to her,” Lady Dai Jie says, making some red appear on Liu Jin’s cheeks.

“She is very dear to me,” Liu Jin replies. “It is because of it that my stance remains unchanged.”

“Good,” says Lady Dai Jie, much to Liu Jin’s surprise. “Make no mistake. I would prefer it if you had chosen already, but I appreciate that you are taking this seriously. In the spirit of help, allow me to present you with this gift, Emperor Qing.”

Liu Jin watches Lady Dai Jie reach into her robes and take out a round mirror. It looks about the size of a dinner plate, and the frame is made of crystal so clear it almost looks like ice.

“Xiao Shuang truly wished to be here. It was at our insistence that she is not,” Lady Dai Jie explains as she hands Liu Jin the mirror, and he realizes that it is made of ice. “However, there is no reason why you should have to wait until the next Crimson Cloud Tournament to see each other.”

“Is this what I think it is?” Liu Jin asks, examining the mirror with great care. He can feel the Qi layered inside it. “The workings seem similar to a sound-transmission jade, but this goes far beyond that.”

Lady Dai Jie smiles approvingly. “I see Emperor Qing has a very discerning eye. The mirror should allow you and Xiao Shuang to communicate face-to-face.”

“Why wait until now to give this to me?” Liu Jin asks her. “Why not give me the mirror and Xiao Shuang’s letter at the same time?’

“I was unsure if you would trust the gift, especially with someone like Lord Feng Gui offering his input at every turn. He does not have many nice things to say about us, though that is probably Senior Sister Meng Yue’s fault,” Lady Dai Jie admits. “Regardless, I thought it prudent to wait until more trust existed between us.”

In other words, she waited until Xiao Shuang’s letter won him over. Sensible, Liu Jin supposes.

“That was probably the most correct course of action,” Liu Jin admits. Then, in a more curious voice, he asks, “Lady Meng Yue’s fault?”

“Oh, it is an old story. Lord Feng Gui and his brother encountered my Senior Sisters, Bai Lianshi and Meng Yue, in the Dead Plains. By chance, Lord Feng Shang and Senior Sister Bai Lianshi were trapped together in a prison realm. Lord Feng Gui and Senior Sister Meng Yue had to cooperate for several days until the other two were released. Neither one enjoyed it." She shrugs. "But enough of old tales! Allow me to explain how to use the mirror.”

Liu Jin has no problems moving on from the subject.

That does not mean he missed the brief flash of panic that appeared in Lady Dai Jie’s eyes.

~~~

“What an honor it is for the Emperor of the Storm Dragon Empire to visit me.”

Lord Feng Gui stands on a wide green field outside his mansion. He holds a crimson bow in his hands. A large golden cannon sits a few yards away from him.

“However, one cannot help but notice how quickly you come when you need something and how much you delay when you need to hide.”

“I have not yet asked for anything, Lord Feng Gui,” Liu Jin says, standing with his hands folded behind his back.

Lord Feng Gui smiles knowingly as he takes aim. “Ah, but you are here to ask for something, are you not?”

The cannon loudly fires a projectile. Lord Feng Gui waits a second before letting his arrow fly.

It strikes the target perfectly.

“Go on,” Lord Feng Gui says as he readies another arrow. The cannon vibrates as it prepares to fire again. “Out with it. I have no need for useless preambles.”

Liu Jin suddenly feels a bit of kinship towards Lord Feng Shang.

“I will be visiting the Red Sky Pavilion,” Liu Jin says. “The situation might require your help.”

“Why? We might not have made a formal announcement yet, but it is common for the groom to visit his wife’s home.”

Liu Jin takes a deep breath. There is no avoiding what follows. He and Lu Mei already talked about it at length.

The cannon shoots.

“Because,” he says, “Lu Mei is your niece.”

Lord Feng Gui’s arrow misses.

A duller man might have needed some time to understand the implication, but Lord Feng Gui grasps it immediately. The man turns so quickly that Liu Jin does not see him move. All he knows is that Lord Feng Gui’s golden eyes are focused exclusively on him.

“That is not possible,” Lord Feng Gui says.

“We would not be having this conversation if I wasn’t completely sure,” Liu Jin replies, trying his hardest not to avert his eyes. The intensity behind Lord Feng Gui’s eyes is such that it feels like he’s staring directly into the sun. “Elder Xun already knows.”

“That cannot…” Lord Feng Gui is completely flummoxed for the first time since Liu Jin has known him. “Why would he?! But the dates...It would be…. Unless…”

Slowly, very slowly, the corners of Lord Feng Gui’s mouth twitch upwards until his mouth has arranged itself into the widest open-mouthed smile Liu Jin has ever seen.

“Oh, I see how it is.” Lord Feng Gui puts his hands over his mouth like a child trying his hardest not to laugh after hearing a word his parents have forbidden. “So much for the ever proper, ever faithful Feng Shang!”

“I am glad the news brings you joy,” Liu Jin says.

The smile disappears from Lord Feng Gui’s face.

“You are telling me this because there is a chance the information will become public,” Lord Feng Gui deduces. “You are visiting the Red Sky Pavilion for the same reason.”

“Correct,” Liu Jin says.

Could he and Lu Mei have come out of this situation without any more people learning her secret? Perhaps, but the risk was too great. Better for Lord Feng Gui to be made aware of it now than for him to find out at the worst possible time. He is less likely to take it as a plot against him this way.

“Why would you assume I would give you my help?” Lord Feng Gui says. He lets go of his bow, and the weapon immediately sinks three feet deep into the ground. “Why should I, after everything my brother has done, reward him? He is the one who mishandled things in the Storm Dragon Empire for years. After all that, am I meant to smile and allow his blood to mix with the royal bloodline? How would that make me look? If anything, I should make this information public right away. The look on his face alone would make it worth it.”

“But you haven’t already,” Liu Jin says, well aware that Lord Feng Gui could have already made his voice be heard by everyone in the Eternal Flame Clan. “That means you are willing to hear me.”

“Amuse me, Emperor Qing,” Lord Feng Gui says, crossing his arms. “The Eternal Flame Clan has several beautiful female disciples with Feng blood. You can marry any of them—more than one if you want. Older or younger, it matters not. Even if you want a married woman, things can be arranged. Our alliance can be sealed by you marrying any of them. Why should it be the one that would benefit my brother most?”

“Because Lu Mei’s talent and affinity with the Eternal Flame are undeniable,” Liu Jin says. “You are someone who places great value in the power of potential offspring, yet you have never once tried to bring up the idea of me marrying other females of Feng blood. That means you already acknowledge this.”

“True enough,” Lord Feng Gui says, giving Liu Jin a long measuring look. “However, as important as producing cultivators of great talent is, that is not enough to sway me.”

Liu Jin feared that would be the case. The feud between the two brothers is not the sort of thing that can be overcome using reason.

“Lord Feng Gui,” Liu Jin says. “I want Lu Mei. There is no one who can take her place.”

Lord Feng Gui narrows his eyes. “Do you understand the implications of what you are saying?”

“I do,” Liu Jin says. “I am ready for whatever you choose. However, I had hoped that Lord Feng Gui, of all people, would understand my situation. There is a woman I want. Is that not enough reason to do everything I can to keep her at my side? Surely, you understand.”

Lord Feng Gui stares at him.

“After trying to appeal to me using logic and failing, you are...appealing to me as a fellow man?”

Liu Jin nods.

“That is so.”

Lord Feng Gui stares at him blankly before throwing his head back and bursting into laughter.

“A man truly does a great many things for a woman. Oh, how stupid are we! Still, the degree of challenge only makes the reward sweeter!” Lord Feng Gui says, shaking his head. “Very well, for now at least, I am willing to lend my ear. What is it that you need of me, Emperor Qing?”

~~~