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Chapter Text

Shen Qingqiu died in his sleep.

It was anticlimactic.

He had always thought that he would go out screaming and fighting, the same way he had spent most of his life. Instead, he drowned in the dark depths of his nightmares, the unpleasant tang of blood on his tongue, unable and unwilling to ask for help.

It wasn’t a peaceful end, but it was a quiet one.

He floated in the nothingness for a while, feeling detached and uncaring, resigned to spend eternity this way. Just as he expected, there was no afterlife. Only darkness, deafeningly quiet and empty.

Then he heard a sound. It was high-pitched, rhythmical and extremely annoying. Shen Qingqiu hated it with his whole being.

[Welcome to the System! Due to numerous complaints, your extraction has been cancelled. Rejoice! Unfortunately, your original body is currently unavailable. However, we have found a suitable replacement! Do you accept?]

"What kind of a demon are you?" asked Shen Qingqiu. He had no mouth and no tongue, but somehow he was able to produce words the moment he needed to.

[No demons detected. You can continue your existence in a new world. Do you accept?]

"And what do you want in return?"

[No payment required. All aims have been achieved. The System is required to provide compensation to the victim of unauthorized extraction. An unoccupied body is available. Wish fulfilment required to gain control.]

"What wish?"

[In order to find out, User needs to accept. The offer will expire in one, two, three…]

"Don’t play games with me," his voice was so icy one could stab someone with it.

[The System was aiming to expedite User’s decision making process. According to statistics, with User’s consciousness awake indefinitely, User will accept at some point in the future. Refusing is irrational.]

Some part of Shen Qingqiu wanted to refuse, just to prove he could. But he wanted to live. He had spent all his life fighting for survival, even if this survival was objectively terrible, of course he would take the offer, even if his new body would be that of a worm. Living as a worm was likely not much worse than living as a slave.

"I accept."

[Excellent! We hope that you will have a fulfilling experience!]

He didn’t have enough time to answer, as the darkness had swallowed his consciousness whole.

He woke up to the familiar smell of floral incense. He associated this smell with safety, a feeling he rarely got to enjoy. It was soothing even though he knew that this incense was used to mask all the unpleasant smells produced by the main occupation of the establishments of this kind. Shen Qingqiu preferred not to dwell overly much on the ugly reality as it made him sick to his stomach. The smell, however, was as always pleasant and welcome.

A small, soft hand touched his forehead. He could tell it belonged to a woman so he didn’t immediately slap it away. Instead, he opened his eyes.

It was indeed a woman. The kind you would expect to see in a brothel. Beautiful enough to be in high demand, she was dressed for work: the neckline of her red silk ruqun¹ was dangerously low and barely covered by a gauzy shawl. Her face was powdered white, but the bright red lip lacquer was smudged. Likewise her hair was still in an elaborate up-do, but several tendrils of hair had come loose. Evidently she had come here immediately after work.

"Your fever finally broke. Don’t scare us like that again," said the woman. Her voice was low and pleasant. She was likely a decent singer.

"Fever?" asked Shen Qingqiu, and flinched. His voice grated on his ears, high as a bell and completely alien. Had he become a child?

"You don’t remember? You started coughing a few days after that brute threw you outside with no clothes on. We thought it wasn’t anything serious, but then you wouldn’t wake and your forehead was so hot I was sure you’d die. I asked the Madam to call for the doctor, but you know how she is."

Shen Qingqiu sat up in his bed and looked down at his body, covered by a ratty blanket. Hands small and elegant, with long nails which retained a faint reddish hue from some kind of dye, couldn’t belong to a man. Neither could the pair of breasts he could clearly see beneath the blanket.

It was much worse than becoming a child.

He was in a woman’s body. And not just any woman’s! This body belonged to a prostitute. He had returned back to life only to lose his freedom all over again. And this time he wasn’t sure that he would be able to win it back.

"Your lips have gone white again! Don’t rush. If you need to lie down, lie down. I’ll call for A-Yao. The poor thing has been beside himself with worry this whole time," said the woman and stood up.

As soon as she left, Shen Qingqiu scrambled out of the bed. He stumbled as soon as he was on his feet, unused to his new body. He could tell that he was much shorter than he used to be and he loathed this fact. Just another weakness to account for.

Although the room was small and sparsely furnished, it belonged to a prostitute, so there had to be a mirror somewhere. And, indeed, Shen Qingqiu found a bronze mirror on a small table. As he peered at his own reflection, he noted that his new body didn’t look much like him: round faced and big eyed, this woman reminded him of Ning Yingying. He couldn’t establish her age, though she seemed to be at least in her twenties.

"Who are you?" he thought while studying his new features.

The annoying voice suddenly returned.

[The donor is Meng Shi, a prostitute from the Hundred Flowers Tower in Yinping. Current status: deceased. Cause of death: fever.]

He noted all the names for future use. The name of the brothel made him scoff at its banality.

[Press "accept" to receive more hints in the future]

Two bright pieces of paper appeared in front of him, and Shen Qingqiu reluctantly touched the one with the word "accept" on it. He couldn’t say no to more information.

Before he could do much else, the door opened and a small child walked in, carrying a tray with a bowl of soup. Shen Qingqiu assumed it was one of the servants.

"Mother, you shouldn’t be up yet. You were sick for so long! Please, lie down. I can help you eat."

[Attention User! This is Meng Yao, the only son of Meng Shi. Her final wish was for her body’s recipient to protect her child and help him become a noble cultivator.]

Mother!?

What kind of sick joke was this? Shen Qingqiu had already been thrown into the body of a sickly mortal woman, who didn’t even own her own body, he didn’t need a snivelling brat clinging at his robes and calling him mother!

He took several calming breaths. Shen Qingqiu used to be a teacher, he could do it again. This Meng Yao was old enough to take care of himself, so he could teach him cultivation and set the brat on his way. Meng Yao… Why was this name familiar anyway?

[The User must be previously acquainted with the book called Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation.]

That was right. Years ago, he had confiscated a book with scandalous contents from his female disciples. Usually he wouldn’t care what they were reading, but their giggling had been profoundly annoying.

The only reason why he finished the book instead of burning it on the spot was the word "cultivation" in the title: he had to check whether it had any actual practices described. It was forbidden to put actual cultivation practices in fiction, because cultivators were stingy with their teachings. It was one of the things Shen Qingqiu fully approved of, because he didn’t want some lucky bastard to learn how to cultivate from a stupid book.

He found nothing incriminating, other than a few disturbing erotic scenes. He remembered asking one of the female hall masters to give a talk to all the female disciples about consent and safety. As for the plot of the book, it was surprisingly entertaining, he’d say he enjoyed it, if it weren’t for the main character, who was so infuriating he made Shen Qingqiu want to tear his hair out almost every chapter.

Now that the title of the book was pointed out to him, Shen Qingqiu remembered who Meng Yao was. In the book he was mostly known as Jin Guangyao, an antagonist of sorts. A man who rose from the gutter and was shamed and demeaned all his life for his origin, Shen Qingqiu had almost felt bad for him by the end of the story.

"Mother?" asked the child, who was apparently destined to become a Chief Cultivator and die a gruesome death. Worry was written all over his tiny face. The brat didn’t even know that his mother was dead. If Shen Qingqiu were a decent person, he would feel guilty about it.

"I don’t need any help with eating," said Shen Qingqiu and sat down on the bed. He wasn’t particularly hungry, but he wasn’t in the habit of refusing food.

The child hesitantly handed him the tray. The broth was pale with a few pieces of vegetables and nothing more. A poor man’s fare, but still better than nothing.

"Are you feeling better, Mother?"

"Speaking when you are eating is bad manners. But yes, I do feel better. Now be quiet."

He expected to hate the brat, but something in his eagerness reminded Shen Qingqiu of Ming Fan. Perhaps he could learn to see Meng Yao as a disciple. One of the least annoying ones.

"How are your studies going?" asked Shen Qingqiu after he finished his meal.

"I practice my writing every time I have a spare moment," said the brat.

"Show me."

The brat retrieved a piece of light wood, an old brush and a chipped tea cup filled with water. Shen Qingqiu observed with some curiosity. Despite his destitute origins, he had received his education in a noble household, so he never had to be stingy with paper. This was a clever way to conserve some resources.

The child dipped the brush in water and began to write. Shen Qingqiu immediately recognised the first lines of one of Li Bai’s poems. The brat’s technique was decent, his characters well-proportioned and harmonious though lacking some of the personality that defined good calligraphy. Shen Qingqiu could work with that.

"Acceptable. What about your physical training?"

Now the brat looked dejected, "I tried some of the meditation techniques from the pamphlet, but I couldn’t feel anything."

"Show it to me."

The child took out a thin bamboo scroll from a wooden chest in the corner of the room. As soon as Shen Qingqiu unfolded the scroll, he could tell that its contents were complete garbage. Perhaps the rules of meditation were different, but he couldn’t believe that such shitty forms could work in any world.

"If it doesn’t work, we will do it my way," said Shen Qingqiu as he crossed his legs. "Sit in front of me and copy my posture."

"Did you find a new cultivation manual?" asked the brat, mirroring his pose perfectly.

"No. Now be quiet and do as I say. Breathe in and out, focusing on this point,” Shen Qingqiu poked the spot below the child’s navel with two fingers sharply, so the feeling would linger. "This is the centre of your breath."

He watched the brat breathe for several cycles, ensuring that he was doing it correctly. Then he continued: "There’s energy, called Qi, circulating within you. Imagine it going here", Shen Qingqiu poked him again. "This is your lower dantian. Focus on it."

Unfortunately without his cultivation Shen Qingqiu couldn’t check whether the brat was meditating correctly. Having nothing better to do, he joined the child in meditation, trying to gauge whether he’d be able to do any cultivation in this new body. From what he could tell, it was going to be an extremely slow process, but he still had to try. He needed some way to protect himself, especially given his new… position.

They kept meditating until evening, when the woman from before came in and ruined their concentration, "What are you two doing? You’ve missed dinner."

This time the System provided commentary. Shen Qingqiu noted that other people in the room didn’t appear to hear its voice.

[Name: Li Sisi. Occupation: a prostitute from the Hundred Flowers Tower in Yinping. Role: Meng Shi’s friend and protector.]

"We were meditating," chirped the boy as he stood up. "It was amazing, Aunt Sisi! I feel like I can run to the river and back a hundred times and not get tired."

"If you’re that energetic, you can come help in the kitchen. They’ll give you some leftovers if you do."

"I’ll bring you something, when I’m done, Mother," said the boy as he left the room. He seemed eager to work. It was a good sign for his future cultivation.

"Did you waste the whole day on this cultivation crap?" asked Sisi. "Teach him practical things. Better yet, let him spend more time in the kitchens. With his origins, he cannot become a scholar, but he could become a cook or a butcher."

"He’s meant to be a cultivator. He was born with talent, and I will not allow it to be wasted," said Shen Qingqiu primly. That was one of the reasons Shen Qingqiu sympathised with Jin Guangyao’s character: both of them had started to cultivate too late because of the circumstances beyond their control.

"Do you really believe they’ll allow that to happen?"

"Who cares whether they allow it or not? He’ll be a cultivator either way."

"Always so stubborn! But he’s your son, not mine, so I get no say in the way you raise him."

"You don’t."

"If you can argue like that, you must be feeling better. How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"I’m glad. The Madam is eager for you to return to work. Don’t show your face to her till you’re ready. She’ll send you to a client as soon as she sees that you are able to walk."

He hadn’t considered the particulars of his new position yet. The thought of having to take a client made him shudder. Shen Qingqiu would have to do something about it.

"This Meng Shi thanks Sisi for her counsel."

"Why so formal all of a sudden? Ah, never mind, I need to go to work. I’ll see you in the morning, please try to sleep while you can. You’re still too pale."

Shen Qingqiu did feel tired despite his earlier meditation. It was annoying and a clear sign that he had a long way to go if he wanted to return even a whisper of cultivation.

After Sisi left, he went through Meng Shi’s things, looking for more information. If somebody grew suspicious of his changed behaviour, it would be extremely inconvenient. He didn’t find much: there was a poetry book, extremely old but well cared for, a pearl that he was going to get rid of as soon as possible, and a modest qin.

The brat returned when Shen Qingqiu was playing a simple melody to test the instrument. He was a very polite brat: he didn’t interrupt, watching him play quietly until the song was over.

"I’ve never heard you play this song," said the child.

"It’s not suited for the sort of people who come here."

"It’s beautiful, Mother."

"I will teach it to you later."

The child’s eyes widened, "But… you said it wasn’t proper for a gentleman to play."

What a strange notion. Playing the qin was one of the Four Arts of the scholar². It was only proper for a young man of good breeding to learn this skill. In fact, Shen Qingqiu remembered that Jin Guangyao knew how to play and used the instrument to kill his sworn brother. He had assumed that he had learned from his mother, but, clearly, she refused to teach him for some reason.

"It’s not proper to play the kind of songs you can hear here, but I’ll teach you other ones."

"Thank you, Mother. This Meng Yao is happy to learn. I brought you something to eat," the boy handed him a baozi. It was barely warm, but still soft. He ate it immediately under the child’s expectant gaze and gave him a curt nod in appreciation when he was done.

"Mother…" started the brat timidly. "May this one sleep here today? Aunt Sisi told me to sleep in the kitchen so I wouldn’t catch your sickness, but now that you’re feeling better…"

Shen Qingqiu opened his mouth to send the child away. There was no world where he would share his bed with a man, even if the man in question was still a child. However, the voice intervened.

[Meng Shi wouldn’t send her child to sleep elsewhere.]

"Yes, you may," said Shen Qingqiu, resigning himself to a sleepless night.

The brat must’ve felt his reluctance because he prepared for bed very slowly and stood there hesitantly for a few moments before sliding under the blanket. Shen Qingqiu turned his back to the brat and sighed.

Despite his expectations, he fell asleep immediately.

His dreams were surprisingly peaceful. It was almost like he was back to his childhood: curled up together with somebody warm and safe.

It was disturbing.

¹ A common type of traditional Chinese clothing for women. It consists of a top (ru) and a separate skirt (qun). ^{return to text ↩}

² The four core accomplishments of a learned Chinese scholar-gentleman: Qin (the traditional stringed musical instrument, also known as guqin), Qi (the strategy game of Go), Shu (calligraphy), and Hua (painting). ^{return to text ↩}

Chapter Text

Seven days had passed since Shen Qingqiu woke up in his new body, and he had yet to leave the room. He had no intention of letting anyone figure out that he was healthy enough to work. He’d rather kill himself than serve some disgusting man. Or, better yet, kill the disgusting man in question. Shen Qingqiu was of the opinion that all clients of brothels were scum who didn’t deserve to live. The fact that he used to be one of those clients didn’t influence his opinion whatsoever.

Trapped in a single room, his only entertainment was teaching the brat, which wasn’t as much of a chore as it could have been. The brat was sharper than most of Shen Qingqiu’s former students and far less annoying. Perhaps he should’ve scouted for disciples in brothels, if they always produced such obedient children.

Though one thing about the brat never failed to unsettle him. Ever since he was young, Shen Qingqiu had trouble falling asleep in male company. It didn’t matter if the man was a child, as he had discovered when he was a disciple and had to sleep in the shared quarters. However, he had no trouble sleeping in one bed with Meng Yao. More than that, the only night he couldn’t sleep was when Meng Yao came to bed very late after having to run some errands.

It was highly unusual. The only explanation Shen Qingqiu could find was that this body recognised the child as its own. It was a bizarre idea, but he couldn’t think of anything better than that.

With each passing day the Madam got more and more frustrated with him. At first, she passed her exceedingly urgent warnings along with Sisi, but on the seventh day she finally came in person.

The cloying smell of her perfume entered the room before she did. Her face was marked with age, though she tried to hide it with heavy make-up. Her clothes were as bright and revealing as any prostitute’s, but her hair pins were gold and her bracelet was made of pure jade. She looked at Shen Qingqiu as if he were a speck of dirt under her nail. He hated her immediately.

[Name: Meng Huiling. Occupation: a Madam of the Hundred Flowers Tower. Role: a problematic mother figure.]

"You don’t appear ill," said the woman, studying his face as if he were a piece of fruit sold in the market stall.

"I’m still too weak to walk for long."

"I don’t need you to walk. You simply have to lie on your back.”

"If I faint in the middle of serving a client, it will be bad for our reputation," he said, trying to appeal to her common sense.

"Then simply don’t faint."

"You don’t understand…"

"You’re the one who doesn’t understand. You owe me a debt: not only the cost of your wretched life, but all the money it cost me to feed and house you and your brat. If you refuse to work to pay off your debt, then that child of yours will have to do it for you."

"I’m not selling him to you," said Shen Qingqiu, disgusted. "He already earns his keep while running all those errands. What else can you possibly want from him?"

"He belongs to me by law. If a cow you own gives birth, then the calf is yours. I allowed him to work as a servant this far, but it’s a waste. With his pretty face and gentle disposition, he could go far."

"He’s a child," said Shen Qingqiu flatly. He was starting to think that his escape plan should start with the Madam’s death.

"He’s seven years of age, is he not? That means that in seven years he could start taking clients — just enough time to train him for it. Until then, he could provide entertainment. Pouring tea, making conversation... Some of the girls heard you teaching him how to play, that’s a good start."

Was that why Meng Shi refused to teach her child the qin?

"I’ll kill him with my own hands before I allow it," said Shen Qingqiu.

"Why are you so against the idea? You started your training around his age, did you not?”

"So what?" asked Shen Qingqiu. The conversation was beginning to make him uncomfortable. Of course, as a patron, he’d known how early the girls started their training and he even had some idea when they began to take clients. He simply preferred not to think of it.

"You believe he’s too good for our kind of work? Do you think he can actually live an honest life with a whore for a mother? They say that a prostitute’s son, even if raised well, will only become a brothel keeper! In the eyes of polite society your child was stained as soon as he left your womb. Just accept it."

Unfortunately, she was right. There was a reason why many prostitutes preferred to end the pregnancy or smother the baby as soon as it was born. A girl born to a brothel would certainly have to follow her mother’s footsteps, and it wasn’t that much better for boys.

"How much do I owe you?" asked Shen Qingqiu.

"What do you need the number for? You won’t be able to pay it in your lifetime."

She was most likely right. That was the way of the brothels. The way debt worked made sure that it was almost impossible for a prostitute to pay off her own debt.

"I’ll return to work in three days. Don’t bother Meng Yao with your ideas. "

"He has to contribute someday, you must understand. You’re not getting any younger and he has his own debt to think of. A skilled prostitute at least has prospects. He might find someone to buy his contract."

"We’ll speak of it later," gritted out Shen Qingqiu, just to make her leave. Thinking of selling children made him bloodthirsty.

When the child returned, Shen Qingqiu asked him to go on a walk together. Going outside his room for long was extremely unnerving. Without his cultivation, trapped in a weak female body, he felt stripped of all defences.

The hallway was empty at this time of day. It was still morning, so the brothel was closed to visitors and most workers were still asleep. After they went downstairs, they had to go through the main hall, where they met an old servant with a basket full of linen.

"Here you are, boy. Xin-mei was looking for you," said the servant. She seemed to be around fifty, so it was likely that she used to work as a prostitute herself before retiring.

"He’s busy," said Shen Qingqiu, tugging the boy forward by his sleeve. He’d figured out that the exit was supposed to be somewhere around here.

The servant said something but they were too far away to hear.

"Anxin will be mad," said the boy.

"She’ll get over it."

In a few days they would be far away from this brothel and its inhabitants so it didn’t matter much if they made somebody displeased. Though Shen Qingqiu would have to make sure the brat didn’t get beaten up. He’d be much slower if injured and they needed to be fast.

As they tried to go through the back door, the bored looking guard with a wispy moustache stopped them: "Where are you going?"

"Just for a short walk. I’ve been ill for a long time, so I need to regain my strength," said Shen Qingqiu, using his most gentle smile. He didn’t have to use it since he was a beggar on the streets, thanking the stingy benefactors for their spare change.

"If you’re not back in an hour, I’ll have to send for you," said the guard unimpressed with his charms. Either his acting skills got rusty, or the brothel guard was immune to such things.

"Let’s go to the river," said Shen Qingqiu as soon as they were outside. Meng Yao started walking and he followed the child through the narrow streets. Luckily, it was a small town, and the brothel was clearly catering to the passing merchants, so the river was nearby. That would make their getaway easier.

They walked till they reached the edge of the town. Shen Qingqiu noted a big oak tree with a hole in its trunk. It would do perfectly.

"Listen well, Meng Yao. In two days, I’ll gather our belongings in a laundry basket. You’ll pretend that you are going to wash the clothes in the river. Come here and hide all the clothes and other things in this oak tree over there. Bring back only the bedding and remember to make it wet so nobody asks any questions. When you’re done, come to me. I’ll ask you to take my qin to the master in town to fix a broken string. Instead you’ll bring it here and hide it too, then wait for me. If somebody comes by, hide. It’s important that nobody sees you. Do you understand everything?"

The boy nodded, "Mother… are we running away?"

"Yes."

"But you said if we run we won’t have anywhere to go to."

The child was right. A runaway prostitute had no prospects as without household registration¹ she wouldn’t be able to find legal work, rent property or get married. However, being more experienced in destitution Shen Qingqiu considered being a vagrant to be an improvement over being forced to sell his body.

"I know what I’m doing," lied Shen Qingqiu. He didn’t feel guilty about deceiving a child. The brat was lucky he had someone looking out for him or he would be a prostitute’s apprentice already.

"I can steal some food from the kitchen so we have some when we leave," offered the surprisingly bright brat. Shen Qingqiu hadn’t thought of that. Being able to practice inedia for many years, he had forgotten that it was impossible to get far without sustenance.

"Do that, but don’t get caught," ordered Shen Qingqiu.

In the evening Sisi came to his room with a worried look on her face and a pipa² in her hands, "Tingting is sick so there’s no one to play today. The Madam said that you should be well enough to ‘sit on your ass and fondle some strings’."

Shen Qingqiu sighed but didn’t see the need to be too stubborn about it, "Alright, I’ll need some time to get ready."

"I’ll help you. Some clients were already complaining about the lacking entertainment, so the quicker you get ready the better."

For the first time in his life Shen Qingqiu felt grateful to Young Mistress Qiu for forcing him to play dress up with her. She liked to make him wear her clothes, then treated him like her doll, doing his hair and make up. If it wasn’t for that shameful experience, he wouldn’t know what to do. Sisi would definitely think it strange if he didn’t know how to put on his own clothes.

Together they finished preparing him quickly and Shen Qingqiu gave a final look to Meng Shi’s face in the mirror before leaving the room with the pipa. He didn’t like how good his reflection looked, not when he was about to go down to the wolves den.

When he used to come to the brothel, he always asked for a private room, but he still got to see the disgusting festivities downstairs. He thought it made him prepared. He was wrong. Nothing could have prepared him for the leering looks and wandering hands that surrounded him. He could hardly breathe, and he suddenly felt faint.

"Give her space! Sit down here, Shi-mei³," said Sisi suddenly gentle. Then she forcibly showed Shen Qingqiu into a chair.

Not having much else to do, he started playing. He chose the brothel songs he knew, and to his surprise people here seemed to recognise them. He still didn’t understand how this world worked.

He finished playing after the last patron went upstairs. His hands ached, and all he wanted was to go to bed, but as he moved to leave somebody dragged him back by the arm.

"Finally! I’ve been waiting for you all night," said a man with a big nose and an ugly scar at the corner of his mouth.

"You’ve waited in vain. I won’t take any clients today."

He tried to tug himself free but his body was too weak.

"I’m your regular! Shouldn’t you make an exception for me?"

[Name: Yuan Aiguo. Occupation: a street vendor. Role: an abusive regular. Preferences in bed: bondage, strangulation, name calling.]

His heart was beating like a rabbit’s and indeed Shen Qingqiu felt like prey, unable to free himself. He almost didn’t notice Meng Yao approach them urgently, his head bowed politely.

"I’m sorry to interrupt, but Master Lau is asking what’s taking so long," he said quickly.

The man let Shen Qingqiu go. "Next time then," he said, making Shen Qingqiu shudder. He hurried upstairs to the safety of his room, followed by Meng Yao.

"That was quick thinking," said Shen Qingqiu instead of a thank you.

"I don’t like that man," said Meng Yao darkly. "He always hurts you."

"We’re leaving soon, so he won’t be a problem for much longer," said Shen Qingqiu quietly so they wouldn’t be overheard. "Try not to attract any attention to yourself for now."

Shen Qingqiu’s hands were shaking as he combed his hair. He needed to get out of here as soon as possible. He couldn’t do it again. No. Anything but that.

¹ A system of legally registering a person as a permanent resident of a specific location and household. A person's registration tied them to a specific place and social unit (family, estate, or institution like a brothel). It recorded their name, date of birth, parents, and social status. Without it, a person was effectively a non-citizen: an illegal vagrant who could be arrested, denied work, and unable to participate in any formal aspect of society. ^{return to text ↩
2} A traditional Chinese lute. Pipa was often played to entertain the clients at brothels, while qin is an unusual choice. A prostitute owning and playing a qin, as Meng Shi does, is a mark of exceptional refinement. By making her play the pipa, the Madam not only fills in the place of a sick worker, but reminds Meng Shi of her place.^{return to text ↩
3} -mei: a familiar and affectionate suffix, similar to "little sister". ^{return to text ↩}

Chapter Text

On his last evening in the brothel, Shen Qingqiu came to talk to Sisi. He debated whether it was a good idea, but in the end decided that he owed her a little bit of truth. She’d probably be upset if she thought that something had happened to her friend and the child she was so fond of.

He’d knocked on her door before entering.

"I always know when it’s you, Shi-mei, because you’re the only one who bothers with manners around here," said the woman, amused. Her hair was still undone, her state of dress barely decent for male company, though she had no idea that a stranger’s spirit could be possessing her sickly friend. He avoided looking at her too much, though he didn’t care for her womanly charms.

"I wanted to say goodbye," said Shen Qingqiu quietly.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I’m talking about. I trust you enough not to spread it around."

"This is madness!" she shouted, then thought better of it and started whispering urgently. "You’re going to get caught. Think of A-Yao!"

"I’m thinking of him. Whatever his fate is going to be, it’ll be much worse if he stays here."

"Did the Madam say that he should begin training? She’s just obsessed with the idea of adding a male to our ranks, because of the Crimson Lantern Playhouse’s success. She forgets that we are not an acting troupe, so the clients we attract are rarely guided by southern wind ¹. I’ll make her give up on the idea. Don’t do anything hasty because of a few ill thought words."

"I’m not going to change my mind."

"Then the only thing I can do is to wish you luck," said Sisi tiredly. "So good luck, I guess."

"Thank you for everything."

[+ 1 Lore Point]

"What are you blabbering about?" thought Shen Qingqiu, irritably. The System usually piped up if there was a person he was supposed to know, but this time it started speaking nonsense.

[L points are awarded for deep emotional conversations.]

"And what am I supposed to do with this garbage?"

[L points can be exchanged for information about book lore.]

"You know what? I don’t care. So shut up," thought Shen Qingqiu. He had more important things to worry about.

"Look who’s out and about!" gasped a prostitute with an overabundance of rouge on her face upon seeing him.

[Name: Wang Anxin. Occupation: a prostitute in the Hundred Flowers Tower. Role: Meng Shi’s rival.]

"Rival?" he thought, surprised.

[Pay one L point to unlock this information.]

"Fine," he thought. At least this way he’d see how useful these points were.

[Sect Leader Jin was interested in Wang Anxin, before setting his eyes on Meng Shi. Ever since that Wang Anxin had harboured a grudge.]

"That’s it? Useless," concluded Shen Qingqiu in his mind.

He started coughing in a way that made it sound like he was going to choke on his own spit. "I’m sorry," he said in a faint voice. "I’m not feeling well."

"What are you spreading your sickness for?" said Anxin, taking a step back. "Go to your room and stay there!"

"I’m sorry," he said again. Anxin shook her head and left, making sure to give him a wide breath.

When Shen Qingqiu was finally setting in for the night, Meng Yao rushed into their room: "Anxin said that you were coughing again! Do I need to get Aunt Sisi?"

"I’m not sick, I just put on a show so that bitch would leave me alone," said Shen Qingqiu, too irritated to hold his tongue. He was back at the bottom again, so what if he wanted to swear?

"Mother!" gasped Meng Yao, scandalized.

"What else would you call her?"

"It’s improper to use such words. You told me that!"

"Well, obviously you can’t say things like that, but I’m an adult so I can do whatever I want."

"But that’s unfair!"

"This world is unfair," said Shen Qingqiu and threw himself down on the bed dramatically.

The next morning, when Meng Yao came to him with a laundry basket, Shen Qingqiu already had all the things they needed for their journey in hand. He packed the most expensive things Meng Shi had in her room, along with some useful knick-knacks. There was only so much that a small child could carry, but Meng Shi owed so little they didn’t have to leave much behind.

While the boy was doing his part of the plan, Shen Qingqiu went to do his. He went to the kitchens as soon as he saw the last servant leave, and retrieved several jars of oil, a sharp knife, and flint and steel. Next he went to the servants’ quarters. He listened at the door, then opened it a crack and peeked inside. It was still empty. There in a wooden chest he found what he needed: a dark grey tunic and wrap-around black skirt. Quickly, he went back to his room and changed into the new set of clothes.

He was soaking his old clothes in oil when Meng Yao came back. The boy seemed surprised.

"Nobody should be able to tell who I am by the clothes," explained Shen Qingqiu.

He took his qin off the bed, cut one of its strings, and handed it to Meng Yao. The boy took it away silently, and Shen Qingqiu felt something akin to reminiscence: the brat once more reminded him of Ming Fan. Both did what they were told to do without asking unnecessary questions.

He waited for some time until he was sure that the boy had left the building. Then Shen Qingqiu emptied one of the oil jars onto his bed and floor and put the soaked clothes inside for safe keeping. After that he set the whole room on fire.

As he slipped out of the room, he could already smell the smoke in the hallway. It was only a matter of time before the fire was noticed, so he went to his next destination quickly: the Madam’s chamber. It was near the entrance to the brothel and there was a guard close by. Luckily, Shen Qingqiu had a perfect excuse to drive the man away:

"There’s a fire in one of the bedrooms!" he cried, widening his eyes and making them glisten. "No one can put it out."

The guard swore and rushed toward the bedrooms. Shen Qingqiu used a hairpin to pick the lock and went inside. The first thing of interest was the money chest, which was, unfortunately but predictably, locked. He decided to try his luck with it later, turning his attention to the cabinet that presumably contained the contracts. It was also locked, but its mechanism was much simpler, so he was able to pick it quickly.

His next step should’ve been to set the contracts on fire, but his curiosity got the best of him. He started looking through the contracts till he found Meng Shi’s.

"Due to extreme poverty and the death of my parents, I, Shi (age 8) voluntarily pledge my body and labour to Madam Meng of the Hundred Flowers Tower to secure food, shelter and education.

From this day forward I am property of the Hundred Flowers Tower until my death, unless I pay off my debt. I will obey all orders, serving clients as Madam Meng demands. If I disobey, Madam Meng may punish me as she sees fit.

The money spent on my education shall accrue interest at 20% yearly. All costs for my food, clothing, and medicine will be added to my debt. Any children I bear become property of the Hundred Flowers Tower."

Shen Jiu was shaking with rage as he glared at the number 十 (ten) signed at the bottom of the contract. It was signed with a different hand: childish and unsteady. She changed her name from Shi as in ‘ten’ to Shi as in ‘poetry’. ² She also took the Madam’s last name as her own.

From this contract, he could tell with certainty that he and Meng Shi had a childhood in common. Perhaps more than childhood. Waiting for years for a "noble cultivator" to come save them from their torment, Shen Jiu and Meng Shi were two peas in a pod.

He heard somebody running even through the door. Shen Jiu took the kitchen knife out of the bag on his belt and hid it inside his sleeve. The door opened with a bang.

"What are you doing here?!" screeched the Madam as soon as she saw him.

"You wouldn’t tell me how much I owe you."

"Your contract won’t help you with that!"

"Because I’m not supposed to be able to buy myself out."

"How dare you complain after all that money I wasted on your education! You promised me that you would attract rich clients if I hired you tutors and bought you books. Where are those clients?"

"I attracted a leader of a cultivation sect, didn’t I?" said Shen Qingqiu, remembering the plot. From what he could see from this brothel it wasn’t the type to attract such high profile clients.

"For a few years only! Then you got pregnant and refused to get an abortion when I told you to. If you’re still stuck here, it’s no fault of mine!"

"I’m leaving today, and you’re not going to stop me."

"Leave if you want, I’ll just send people to drag you back. But don’t think you’re taking the boy with you! I should have done what I wanted with him from the start."

The knife sliced through the Madam’s throat very easily. The hot drops of blood sprayed on his face. It was just like he remembered.

The body dropped on the ground with a thud. She was still gurgling on her own blood when he took the keychain from around her neck.

The money box wasn’t as full as he would have liked, but he took what was there. Once the money was safely inside his pouch, Shen Jiu took out his oil-soaked clothes and set them on fire, feeding his contract to the flames. Before leaving, he took all the other contracts from the cabinet and added them to the fire.

There was smoke everywhere. The fire must’ve spread. Shen Qingqiu didn’t stay to see how far, fleeing through the main entrance. Nobody stopped him.

Only when he reached the river and saw Meng Yao step out of the bushes, where he had been hiding, Shen Jiu realised that he was still grasping the bloody knife. And because he was wearing servant’s clothes, the sleeves weren’t long enough to hide it from casual observers. At least the bloodstains weren’t hard to identify, because his clothes were dark. He hoped that nobody had seen him, but part of him knew that luck was never on his side.

"Are you hurt, mother?" asked Meng Yao, staring at his bloody hands and the blood spots on his clothes in concern.

"It’s not mine," said Shen Jiu, bending down to wash off the blood. "Prepare our things, I’ll be back soon with a boat."

Shen Jiu walked along the river back to the docks. He could see the black smoke rising from the brothel in the distance. Whoever was at the docks must’ve joined the crowd of curious onlookers gathering near the Hundred Flowers Tower. That was very convenient for Shen Jiu, as he could jump into one of the unattended boats and paddle it down the river back to the place where Meng Yao was waiting.

As soon as the boat reached the boy, Shen Jiu jumped into the freezing water - near the shore it only reached his knees - and lifted the boy off the ground by his armpits to help him get inside the boat. After putting all their things inside the boat, Shen Jiu climbed aboard again and started paddling.

"Did you kill someone?" asked Meng Yao quietly after a while.

"So what if I did?"

"Was it the bad man who wouldn’t leave you alone?"

"Why would I bother with that waste of space? It was someone much worse than him."

"Was it Anxin?"

Shen Jiu laughed humourlessly. "What would I kill her for?"

"She’s rude and mean. She laughed at you when we thought you’d die. She’s mean and stupid! "

"Most people are rude, mean and stupid. Should we kill all of them then?"

Meng Yao would grow into someone who killed a person for calling him "son of a whore" and kicking him down the stairs. He always looked so innocent, with his puffy little cheeks and big eyes, reminding Shen Jiu of Ning Yingying, so it was easy to forget what future was ahead of him.

"Then who did you kill?"

"The Madam."

Meng Yao’s eyes widened, "But why her? She’s nice. She gives me tanghulu³ every year for my birthday and she always says ‘well done’ if you do the work well."

It was difficult to explain to a child that people who did monstrous things could also be nice and polite.

"She bought me when I was a child and made me sign a contract which bared me and my future children from freedom. If I let her live, we would still be stuck in the brothel, and she would eventually get her way and make you work as a prostitute. Would you like to take clients, Meng Yao?"

"The older sisters say I’d be good at that," said the boy quietly. He certainly would be, especially knowing who he grew up to be. Shen Qingqiu noted with amusement that a successful prostitute and a successful politician needed similar qualities, for instance, knowing how to smile when you want to punch somebody in the face.

"You probably would be. But you would be good at many other things better than that."

"But they won’t let me try anything else," said the brat gloomily. "Because I’m a son of a prostitute."

"Who told you that?"

"The Madam said I won’t be allowed to take the Imperial Exam⁴ or become a disciple of a cultivation sect. She said that I could only ever be a servant."

She wasn’t lying. There were also many small things she hadn’t mentioned. Meng Yao was born into this world with a rock tied to his leg. He’d have had better chances in life if his mother abandoned him on some peasant family’s doorstep.

"That’s the truth. But you’ll still become a cultivator, I’ll make sure of that."

"Are we going to my father’s sect?" asked the boy.

"Why do you think so?"

"You said my father was a cultivator. He could teach me."

"Your father is a waste of space. I’ll teach you myself."

¹ An ancient Chinese idiom referring to romantic or sexual relationships between men. ^{return to text ↩}

² Meng Shi changed her name from 十 (ten) to the homophone 诗 (poetry). ^{return to text ↩}

³ A traditional Chinese street snack consisting of fruit, typically hawthorn berries, skewered on a bamboo stick and coated with a hardened, clear, and crunchy layer of crystallized sugar syrup. ^{return to text ↩}

⁴ A Chinese civil service exam used to select candidates for the state bureaucracy based on merit rather than birth or connections. However, as a son of a prostitute Meng Yao belongs to jiànmin ("mean people") class and is legally barred from ever taking the exams.^{return to text ↩}

Chapter Text

The fire must’ve struck a chord in Shen Jiu’s memory because he woke up screaming in the middle of the night. He hoped that Master Qiu had reincarnated into a horse and was whipped every day. Or, even better, was turned into a mule. The bastard deserved to be castrated.

"Mother?" asked Meng Yao, still half asleep.

"Go back to sleep," said Shen Jiu, hugging the brat closer. It was a moment of weakness. He still didn’t understand why the boy’s presence had such a calming effect on him. The warmth on his front and the freezing cold on his back reminded him of the days long forgotten. He banished the memories.

They were lying together in the roots of a big oak tree. There was little wind, and they were covered with Meng Shi’s woollen winter cloak, but it was still chilly at night. Surprisingly, Shen Jiu managed to fall back asleep and slept dreamlessly for the rest of the night.

When he woke up in the morning, he pretended that nothing had happened. Meng Yao didn’t ask any questions, so it was easy enough to pretend.

He decided to abandon the boat in the bushes where they had hidden it the night before and continue the rest of the way on foot, going along the river. He knew enough to survive in the wild, even with a living burden like a child.

They walked for the rest of the day, stopping several times to drink or to have something to eat. Meng Yao was hilariously strict with food rationing, trying to stretch the food they had as far as he could. Shen Jiu wasn’t as worried about the food. If they got hungry enough, they could eat some tree bark or try to fish. It wasn’t that big of a problem.

In the evening, they stopped in a small, windless clearing to rest for the night. Shen Jiu was dead on his feet, and his throat was sore. He blamed his useless body for that. Before, he’d hardly ever gotten ill, even when he was a child living on the streets.
Despite his exhausted state, he forced the droopy-faced Meng Yao to meditate with him. The child almost fell asleep several times, so he had to poke him awake.

The next day passed in the same manner. They had barely talked the whole day, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. At least if Shen Jiu had to be stuck with some brat, it was a tolerable one.

On the third day, they reached a village. It wasn’t a big one - not more than ten houses. It was the type of village in the middle of nowhere that got decimated by some minor ghost because cultivators couldn’t be bothered to get there on time. As soon as he saw the village, Shen Jiu decided to turn back and set for the night somewhere nearby. To pass the time, he decided to work on the boy’s training.

"Meng Yao, stand in front of me with your legs far apart."

The boy complied without question.

"Wider. Bend your knees and sink your hips down, like you’re sitting in a chair. Good. Straighten your back and plant your feet. Not like that."

Shen Jiu shoved the brat, making him fall to the ground.

"Your root is too weak. Try again. Your knees and your toes should be pointing forward."

He kept pointing, prodding, and at times demonstrating until he was satisfied with the result.

"Remain in this position until I tell you to stop," ordered Shen Jiu, then went on to do his own business.

He counted the money they had. It was enough to buy a horse or three child slaves. He was planning to stretch it as far as he could. As he was counting, he began to cough.

"Are you alright? Are you getting ill again? Should we find a doctor?" asked Meng Yao anxiously. Despite his worry, he maintained the horse stance. That saved him from punishment.

"I’m fine. Don’t get distracted."

After counting the money, he fixed the qin string and played one of his favourite songs to check how well tuned it was. He was planning to play another song when he glanced at Meng Yao’s red, sweat-streaked face and felt unexpectedly benevolent.

"You can rest," he said.

The boy dropped to the ground.

"You’ll practice this stance every morning."

"Did my father teach you this?" asked the boy.

Shen Jiu scoffed, "I don’t need your father to have taught me something to know a thing or two. I used to watch cultivators train."

"Why?" asked the brat. Despite being quiet and obedient, he could be annoyingly inquisitive at the most unfortunate times. That, together with his adorable little face, reminded Shen Jiu of Ning Yingying.

"I wished to become a cultivator myself," said Shen Jiu, having thought of a convenient lie. If he were Meng Shi, he would’ve wanted to become a cultivator. That was the only way up for the likes of them, because some cultivators didn’t care about status and could teach even scum that everybody else was too disgusted to touch.

"Was that how you met my father?"

Shen Jiu sighed, "What do you know about your father?"

"He’s a powerful cultivator," said the child. Shen Jiu waited some more, but there wasn’t a continuation.

"That’s it? Was it everything I’ve told you? Do you know his name at least?"

"But you didn’t tell me! You said that you’d tell me when I’m older," for the first time since they had met, Shen Jiu saw something resembling irritation on the child’s face.

He didn’t know what to do with the fact that the brat didn’t know who his father was. It was probably smart of Meng Shi. It was better to reveal something like that once you’re sure that the brat will keep his mouth shut about it.

"It doesn’t matter who your father is because he’ll never admit that you’re his son. Your father is a no-good peace of shit, and it’s better for us to stay as far away from him as we can."

"But you said…"

"I lied to you because I thought you were too young to know the truth. There’s no gallant cultivator to come rescue us, so we’ll have to survive on our own."

After that, Meng Yao turned gloomy. He didn’t even pester Shen Jiu with questions when his cough returned, becoming more and more frequent as the night approached. Despite that, the boy meditated without arguing before going to sleep, though the look on his face was rather petulant.

After making sure that the brat was dead to the world, Shen Jiu returned to the village. He had the knife in his sleeve, but he hoped he wouldn’t have to use it.

He chose the biggest house, not wanting to rob someone who was struggling. Upon closer inspection, it turned out that the front door was locked from the inside with a crossbar. The only way to go inside was to break a wooden lattice on one of the windows. However, when Shen Jiu wanted to go around the house, he noticed a dog. He froze. If it started barking, it was over for him.

He was thinking what to do next when his eyes fell on the bamboo pole with drying clothes that somebody must’ve forgotten to take down. There wasn’t much clothing on it but the simple hemp tunic would be at least something that he could disguise himself with. A peasant woman with a child travelling somewhere was less conspicuous than a woman in servant’s clothes.

Shen Jiu stole a woman’s hemp tunic and a pair of loose trousers which definitely belonged to a man. Both items were muted brown and had signs of being patched up a few times.

He could try another house, but it was getting too hard to keep himself from coughing, so he went back to Meng Yao, highly disappointed with his feeble trophies. Shen Jiu of his youth would have been ashamed of his future self’s lacking skills.

The next day, when Meng Yao was practicing the horse stance, Shen Jiu tried on the stolen clothes. The trousers were obviously too big for him, falling off his frame and making a convincing impression of a hemp sack. The tunic, despite belonging to a woman, was also too big, but not as much. Its owner was definitely much taller than Meng Shi. Luckily, a sewing kit was one of the things Shen Jiu put in the basket that Meng Yao had smuggled out of the brothel. He was sure that he could adjust the clothes so they wouldn’t fall off him.

After another day of walking, Shen Jiu got so ill that they had to stay in a roadside inn for three days. The brat even asked the inn-owner to summon a doctor from the nearest village behind his back, making them waste money on medicine. At least they were able to use this opportunity to listen for any rumours of a manhunt after them. He only heard something about a brothel burning down. Nobody even knew whether it was an arson or an accident.

After Shen Jiu got better, they walked for five more days, with Meng Yao making constant demands for them to take a break on Shen Jiu’s behalf. He maintained that he wasn’t an invalid, but the boy could be relentless.

Then they had to stop because they ran out of food, and Shen Jiu decided to try his hand at fishing. He was lucky that his new body was quite nimble despite the recent illness, so after struggling for a few hours, he got a hang of it. He used to be quite good at fishing when he was younger. He even taught Meng Yao how to fish and laughed nastily when the boy fell into the river and got soaked.

Stopping to fish along the way, they went along the river for seven more days till they reached a town. According to the first local they encountered, it was Yiling, which Shen Jiu was pleased to hear. He wasn’t sure whether going along the river would be enough, though he vaguely remembered characters using boats in the last part of the book.

The first place they went to was a small shop with second-hand clothes, where Shen Jiu chose something decent for him and Meng Yao. They needed to look struggling, but only recently, so people felt more pity for them. A dirty beggar got much less pity than an actual human like them who’d just recently fallen on hard times. Shen Jiu explained that in detail to Meng Yao, while they washed themselves as best as they could in the river and put on their new clothes.

"When I was your age, I used to pretend to be an orphaned child of two merchants. I begged passers-by to give me money so I could travel to my relatives in another town. They gave me way more money this way. You see, they looked at me and imagined something like that happening to their own children, so they became generous, thinking their money would help me."

"Are we going to beg on the streets?" asked Meng Yao, looking hilariously appalled. Apparently, there were depths he still didn’t want to sink to. Shen Jiu thought about offering the brat to look for their dinner in the garbage, just for a laugh.

"Of course not. Begging on another man’s turf is the surest way to get shanked in your sleep. We’re going to ask for a job in a local inn. Remember that your father had died recently and you’re very upset by that."

"We will also need to change our names a bit. My name will be Shen Shi. As we’re going to pretend that you’re a legitimate child, your surname will have to be different. Let’s make it Yue Yao. If somebody asks what your father’s name was, say that he was called Yue Qingyuan and he was a cultivator."

Yue Yao - Jade of the Mountain. The name was quite poetic, though it wasn’t an easy decision to make. He thought about thinking up a random name for the boy’s father, but that didn’t sit well with him for some reason, no matter how many options he thought of. When he thought about taking somebody’s name, and Yue Qingyuan was the first person to come to mind.

The man had certainly not deserved such a tribute, but it would be easy to spin some story about him if Shen Jiu was asked about his late husband. And the man certainly wouldn’t mind pretending to be some random child’s father if the child’s safety was depending on the subterfuge. He was stupid like that.

"Who’s Yue Qingyuan?"

"No one."

"You didn’t say his name like he was no one."

"He was a friend a very long time ago. Stopped being a friend, but would lie about being your father in a heartbeat. He was stupidly noble like that. Always caring about strangers and forgetting about… Never mind. Just remember this name."

The stupid System chose that moment to chime annoyingly, making him seethe.

The local inn was located near the lively market. They learned its name: the Drunken Poet’s Rest, from a faded signboard hanging on only one chain. Shen Jiu sincerely doubted that poets came to these places often.

The main door was ajar as they approached, probably to try airing out the smell of damp wood and cheap alcohol. Despite the sorry state of the inn, it seemed to be popular enough to attract some clientele, most of whom seemed to be fishermen.

The owner nodded at them from behind the counter, "Need a room?" he asked after having given a too-long glance to Shen Jiu’s chest.

It didn’t take long to talk the man into lowering the price, especially considering that Shen Jiu was planning to stay for at least a month. The room smelled of mold, making Shen Jiu wince upon entering, but otherwise, it was functional and would serve its purpose.

He longed for being a Peak Lord. Back then, people got all over themselves to provide him with the best accommodations. It was always satisfying to see the people, who would gladly spit on him when he was a slave child, lowering themselves like the dogs they were.

Shen Jiu asked for their food to be brought to the room, not wanting to attract attention. He chose clothes in mourning whites for them deliberately so that people wouldn’t ask too many questions, but drunkards usually weren’t so reasonable. At least the inn owner wasn’t the inquisitive sort, though his leery gaze was so revolting that Shen Jiu almost wished he’d ask questions instead.

After dinner, which seemed delicious simply because they had nothing but unseasoned fish for a week, Shen Jiu waited for Meng Yao to fall asleep, put on his dark cloak, and set out. He needed to see Burial Mounds with his own eyes before deciding what to do next. Without a way to protect themselves, they’d be doomed, so he was going to take any opportunity to gain some power.

Chapter Text

He had to wander for hours through the forest at the bottom of the mountain until he encountered a tall wall filled with protective incantations. They were carved deep into the dark stone, their edges sharp enough to cut through skin. Here it was, the Burial Mounds.

Shen Jiu climbed a nearby tree and tried to use it to get on the wall, but the barrier didn’t let him through. Annoyed, he hit the invisible barrier with a clenched fist. The only thing it did was hurt his hand.

He climbed back down to study the incantations more carefully. They weren’t any different from the ones in his world so he could tell that they were not only keeping the dead outside but also keeping the living from going inside. He also knew what to change to make a small breach for himself.

Using only his knife he chipped at the incantations slowly, getting rid of the two of them completely and modifying a third one. By the end of it he was sweaty with exhaustion, and his knife was bent and hardly usable. He would need to buy a new one at the earliest convenience.

After giving a final assessing look to the wall, he climbed the tree again and stepped on the black stone. This time the barrier let him do it with no issue.

Even on the wall he could feel the Burial Mounds with his whole body. The air itself was thick with something that made you want to run away as far as you could as if you were being hunted by a predator. Suddenly cold, Shen Jiu felt goosebumps cover his skin, and soon he started shivering. He clenched his teeth to keep them from clattering.

Shen Jiu could see the dead wandering around, could almost smell their filth and rot, so he didn’t go down and instead settled to meditate on the wall itself. As he sat down he heard a faint whisper, but when he looked around he couldn’t see anything.

He had no idea how Wei Wuxian did it in the book, but knowing that he was able to cultivate his path without a golden core was enough. If he could do it, then Shen Jiu could as well. This was just too good a weapon not to use.

At first he tried meditating on his most resentful thoughts. He remembered every injustice, every humiliation until his shivers turned into tremors of rage. He tried to channel this energy like qi, but couldn’t feel a thing.

After a while he decided to change his approach and tried to draw resentment from outside. This place had to help him somehow so it made sense if he needed to connect to it somehow.

As he was opening himself to the resentment around him, he felt warm breath on the back of his neck and jumped away in disgust, grabbing the now useless knife before he realised that there was no threat. "Damn you," he thought. "You won’t scare me away that easily."

He sat like this for a while when he felt something. It was scratchy and hot, right in his chest. He coughed, covering his mouth with his hand. As he drew the hand back he saw dark blood on it and winced at the taste of metal in his mouth. His body couldn’t take any more experiments. Something was missing.

‘I will have to try again another day,’ he thought before going back to Meng Yao. He’d find a way to master this way of cultivation, he was sure of it, but he needed time.

When he opened the door to their room, a small figure rushed forward. Small hands clung to his skirt, making him wince. As he looked down his gaze met with a pair of frightened hazel eyes.

"Mom ¹, where have you been? I woke up and you were gone."

Meng Yao seemed to be really disturbed by his absence. Somehow Shen Jiu had forgotten how young the child was. Although to be fair, at his age Shen Jiu had no mother to cling to (he had thrown a fit once when he woke up and Qi-ge wasn’t there; he decided that it was completely different and irrelevant to the situation).

"I couldn’t sleep, so I went for a walk," he lied.

"Your clothes are dirty."

"I know," he lied again. Having been a cultivator, he had somewhat forgotten how hard it was for regular people to keep their clothes clean, so he was wearing the same clothes he wore during the day. The problem was that he had deliberately chosen a whitish color, to appear as a widow ². Of course, he’d put on his dark cloak on top so he’d be less noticeable in the dark, but with all the tree climbing and tearing through bushes it wasn’t enough to save the white from staining.

After being given a visual confirmation that Shen Jiu hadn’t abandoned him, Meng Yao finally let him go and started his morning routine of physical training, which Shen Jiu was gradually extending. Currently it took the boy around an hour to finish, so Shen Jiu decided to take a nap in the meantime.

He woke up grasping at his throat. He felt like he couldn’t breathe, like somebody wouldn’t let him breathe. Even after he had woken up, he couldn’t get rid of the feeling of phantom fingers on his throat. He recalled clawing at the assailant’s arms and almost expected to find blood under his nails when he looked down on his hands. There was nothing.

"Meng Yao, come here," he called, giving in to the weakness. "I’ll do your hair. You’re a son of a cultivator now, you can’t go out with your hair loose."

The boy knelt on the floor before Shen Jiu, who started to brush his hair. It was good hair for a servant: thick and soft, Meng Shi must’ve used her own hair oil on him. Shen Jiu did the same. He tied the hair in two buns using Meng Shi’s red silk ribbons.

"You can stand now."

As the boy turned to face him, Shen Jiu noted that with the new hairstyle Meng Yao resembled Ning Yingying even more. If only he’d been a girl. That would make playing the role of his mother much easier.

After breakfast they went to the market, where Shen Jiu was planning to start his plan of finding some source of income.

"Do we need to buy something?" asked Meng Yao. He kept raising his hands to touch his hair as if he wanted to check that the buns were still in place.

"We need to get acquainted with some of the people well-respected in this community. Without that there’s no hope of finding a job, and without one we’re going to run out of money at some point."

He had thought that they’d be able to find employment in the inn, if he pretended to run out of money and asked to pay with labor. However, after seeing the innkeeper’s lecherous eyes he decided against it. Who knew what that degenerate might ask if he thought Shen Jiu desperate enough to agree.

"And we should do it at the market because there are a lot of people?"

"Yes. Pay attention to what people around us say. Think of it as your training. Cultivators often have to gather information about the locals."

They heard a few interesting things and a lot of useless drivel. There was a powerful landowner, Sun Yusheng, who was known for his overabundance of daughters and lack of sons. For some reason, the vegetable stall owner thought that getting a second wife would help with the "problem." Idiot. If Shen Jiu in some bizarre twist of fate decided to procreate, he’d wish for daughters and daughters only. Who wanted to deal with boys?

There were also two wealthy merchants whose names got mentioned: one had apparently arranged his competitor’s death, and the other was notoriously fond of women, having gotten several local girls pregnant.

Shen Jiu was enraged after hearing the story of one of those girls, who was disowned by her family despite the fact that she claimed that their encounter wasn’t consensual. If he managed to learn the ghost path, he’d start with creating a ghost who’d bite off the dicks of all rapists in its vicinity.

He was so distracted by his fury that he flinched the moment the System spoke to him.

[Attention, User! You’re about to miss an important character!]

"What are you talking about?" he thought.

[Warning! Spoiler!]

"Spoil- what?"

The System didn’t say anything more. He looked around but didn’t see anyone of note.

He did notice a brat, though.

It wasn’t his brat. Just some street kid, dirty and pathetic-looking, with his bare legs covered with bite wounds. Instead of stealing or at least begging for food, the brat just looked at the food stall with wet cow eyes. He wouldn’t live through winter, that’s for sure.

"Mother?" asked Meng Yao. Shen Jiu had no idea when he had returned. "Are you alright?"

The woman who was selling baozi ³ must’ve thought that the brat was scaring away potential customers because she screamed at him to go away. As he didn’t leave immediately, she raised a hand with a towel. Shen Jiu expected to hear the slapping sound.

"There’s no need for violence, Madam," said Meng Yao respectfully, approaching the baozi stall calmly with his head lowered. "Come with me, didi ⁴. Let’s not make a scene." Then he took the brat by his dirty little hand and led him to Shen Jiu.

"Can we spare him some food?" Meng Yao asked. Shen Jiu should have said something about it being useless to feed somebody who would surely die either way. Instead he looked in Meng Yao’s big hopeful eyes and nodded. He didn’t expect Meng Yao to solve the situation so gracefully and in a manner befitting of a noble cultivator. It was impressive. Shen Jiu was sure that none of his former disciples could deal with the situation that well.

Shen Jiu didn’t want to give his hard-stolen money to the baozi stall owner, so he went to a soup stall instead. It was probably better for the brat’s stomach anyway. Who knew how long he’d gone without food? The first time Shen Jiu ate his fill, he had to deal with stomach issues the whole night. It didn’t stop him from overeating the next time though.

The brat grabbed the bowl as soon as it was handed to him and started drinking the soup so greedily that for a moment Shen Jiu worried that he would choke. When the boy finished and returned the bowl, he thanked Shen Jiu and Meng Yao several times.

"What’s your name, didi?" asked Meng Yao, before the boy could leave.

"Wei Ying," said the boy shyly and smiled.

Shen Jiu was officially an idiot. He had no idea how that slipped his mind. He was so focused on Wei Wuxian coming to Yiling later in life that he’d forgotten that it was actually the place he used to wander at as a street child. He’d almost missed the only person who could help him with figuring out the ghost path.

"I’m Yue Yao, and my mother is Shen Shi," said Meng Yao, looking at Shen Jiu as if expecting to be praised for remembering two names. Shen Jiu ignored him.

"Where are your parents?" asked Shen Jiu, despite knowing the answer.

"They went on a night hunt and never came back."

"They are dead then," said Shen Jiu bluntly. The brat didn’t look surprised. Perhaps he had been told that before. Meanwhile, Meng Yao looked scandalized. Did he want Shen Jiu to give the brat useless platitudes instead?

"How old are you?" asked Shen Jiu, trying to remember at what age Wei Wuxian was picked up by the Yunmeng Jiang Sect.

"Five... no, six! My birthday is when all the leaves fall down."

They probably had enough time, Shen Jiu decided. He wouldn’t bother if the brat would go away in a few months, but a few years had to be enough to experiment.

"From this day you’re my student," he declared. "You must call me Shizun."

The boy stared at him dumbly. Meng Yao looked very much the same.

"I’ll teach you how to read and write, and what I know of cultivation. But you’ll have to be quiet and obedient, or I’ll change my mind. Got it?"

"Y-yes," said the boy. He didn’t sound sure. It was probably to hopeful to expect somebody as annoying as Wei Wuxian to be quiet and obedient, but Shen Jiu had experience dealing with problem children. If it came to that, he’d beat the obedience into the brat.

"Do you mean for A-Ying to come live with us, Mother?" asked Meng Yao incredulously. Meng Shi must not have been a very charitable person.

"You need a sparring partner. And he has got to have potential if his parents were cultivators. It’s not like he’d take much space. He can sleep on the floor."

Though it would be difficult to tolerate some brat in his space, especially at night time. For a moment, Shen Jiu wondered whether the possibility of power was worth the inconvenience. He supposed he could throw the brat away if he proved to be useless.

"I’ve always wanted a little brother," said Meng Yao suddenly. Now it was Shen Jiu’s turn to be incredulous. He could see the worth of older brothers, but why anyone would want a younger one was beyond him.

"We’ll need to wash the grime away before allowing him inside. He might have fleas," said Shen Jiu, looking at the child’s clothes, which the boy had outgrown a long time ago. He didn’t want the innkeeper to see them picking up a stray: it would attract too much attention, people just weren’t kind enough to take in random street brats, unless they were deviants.

"Yue Yao, go back to the inn and bring your old clothes and a towel to the riverbank. We’re going to say that he’s our servant who was away running some errands."

Meng Yao scurried away quickly.

The protagonist still looked confused. "You really will let me stay with you?"

"I can’t teach a street rat, can I? Now let’s make you look less like a rat and more like a human being."

The brat was much less obedient than Meng Yao, not wanting to get into the freezing river and daring to doubt Shen Jiu’s judgement when he told him to scrub some more. Teaching him would be really annoying, but to get the boy’s help with the ghost’s path, somebody had to teach him the regular path first.

As soon as Meng Yao arrived, the brat came out of the river, shivering, "I’m done."

"No, you’re not. If you dirty my towel, I’ll drown you," said Shen Jiu, and gave the brat a hard look until he dunked himself in the water again. "Make sure to scrub."

Meng Yao laughed, covering his face with his sleeve. Shen Jiu had no idea what was so funny about the situation.

Finally, after Shen Jiu gave his approval, Wei Ying was allowed to dry himself with a towel and put on Meng Yao’s old servant clothes. It was slightly big on him, but not by much. Shen Jiu had a feeling that Wei Ying would quickly outgrow Meng Yao despite being a year younger.

Back in the inn, the innkeeper didn’t even notice the second child, likely too distracted by Shen Jiu’s breasts. He reminded himself to block the door at night so nobody would be able to open it from the outside. He had already been sleeping with a knife under his pillow, but more security would do no harm.

When the time came to go to bed, they arranged a sleeping place for the brat as far from their bed as Shen Jiu could manage. Shen Jiu hoped that this, together with Meng Yao’s soothing presence, would be able to solve the problem: Wei Ying was a man, despite being six years old and utterly pathetic. Shen Jiu did manage to fall asleep somehow, which was somewhat of a success, but his sleep was shallow and full of nightmares. That made him even less charitable to the brat.

He ordered Meng Yao to teach his new martial brother how to meditate and instruct him in writing before leaving for the market again. That effectively made the brat Meng Yao’s problem, giving Shen Jiu some time for social manoeuvring. He wandered around the market again till he saw a suitable older lady, not too high in status, but not too low, and clearly a local.

Shen Jiu approached her, keeping his head low and his eyes down, and said: "Excuse me, Grandmother. ⁵ I’m sorry to disturb you, but could you point me toward the local shrine?"

"A new face, aren’t you? What brings you to Yiling? You don’t look like the usual sort to come here."

"My honorable husband had died recently, and my son and I were forced to leave our home. I hoped to stay with my sister, but we’ve lost contact after she got married to a rogue cultivator. I’ve decided that it’s better for my son to stay somewhere stable until I’m able to contact her."

"You poor thing," said the woman. "Of course, you’d want to pray after such an ordeal."

She explained how to get to a shrine, and Shen Jiu went there to keep up appearances. He needed the locals to think that he was a widow of good character, and going to a shrine regularly would help with that.

The shrine itself was rather small. Located beneath the branches of an ancient tree in the center of the town, it could fit no more than three people inside. Above the entrance there was an old plaque with the inscription "Prayers Answered." There was no door, so as Shen Jiu approached, he could see that somebody was already inside.

The figure was bowing low before the altar, but Shen Jiu could already tell by the peach silk brocade of the gown that she was wealthy. Instead of a calm prayer, all he could hear was a stream of mumbled apologies.

"I’m really sorry, please, just leave me alone!" pleaded the woman before standing up. As she was leaving the shrine, she passed by Shen Jiu and he noticed dark purple bruises on the upper side of her neck.

He remembered the feeling of hands on his neck that morning. Qiu Jianluo did a lot of despicable things to him, but he never strangled him. It could be Meng Shi’s body remembering, that would make the bruised woman a simple coincidence. Or everything could be connected to the Burial Mounds. He’d have to investigate that.

¹ Here Meng Yao switches from his usual “Mother” (Mǔqīn) a more formal term for mother used by the children of gentry to less formal “Mom” (Niáng). The son of a sect leader would never call his mother “Mom” 娘 (Niáng), so Meng Shi must’ve made her son switch the form of address to a more formal one. ^{return to text ↩}

² In ancient China, the traditional color of mourning was white, not black. ^{return to text ↩}

³ Steamed buns with fillings, a common street food. ^{return to text ↩}

⁴ Direct translation is “little brother”. It was used as a common and affectionate term for a younger boy or a young male friend. Basically by addressing Wei Ying this way Meng Yao says that he’ll take responsibility for him, taking the role of an older brother.^{return to text ↩}

⁵ “Grandmother” (Nǎinai). A polite term used by a younger person to address an older, unfamiliar woman. ^{return to text ↩}

Chapter Text

Shen Jiu was beginning to regret taking in the brat.

He hadn’t slept properly in three days. Every time he managed to fall asleep he woke up in an hour or two gasping in fear and trying to shake off the sensation of male hands on his body. It wasn’t the first time he struggled with sleep, but before, he had his cultivation to sustain him. Without its help he felt brittle and stretched thin.

He returned to the Burial Mounds only once and didn’t have any success, if one didn’t count the fact that this time he didn’t end up coughing blood as success. He needed Wei Wuxian, but he only had Wei Ying, who had barely started his training and was often too intimidated to speak in Shen Jiu’s presence.

On the third sleepless night he seriously considered kicking the brat down the wall of the Burial Mounds in hope that this would speed up the transformation. He decided to use it as the last resort, because he was pretty certain that the brat wouldn’t survive the ordeal.

He should’ve been glad that the brat was at least bright enough to learn quickly, but it only made him madder. Shen Jiu should’ve left the brat in the gutter. Lucky bastard would be saved in a few years either way.

"Do it again," he ordered, after the boys had finished the new set. Despite his recent start, Wei Ying was catching up quicker than Shen Jiu would prefer.

After hearing the order, Meng Yao stopped gasping for breath and said, "Mother, we have been training since early morning and it’s already noon. Perhaps we could take a break?"

"Don’t be pathetic, Yue Yao. Look at the street brat on your right, is he asking for a break? Do you want him to surpass you? That will happen soon if you are lazy."

Meng Yao frowned, but took an appropriate stance. He’d understand later in life that Shen Jiu was doing him a favour. When someone was as lucky and talented as Wei Wuxian, you had to be careful not to get left alone in the dust. Either you trained thrice as hard, or got smart about it and sabotaged the competition.

He let them go in an hour, not out of the kindness of his heart but because their forms were getting progressively sloppier and he was tired of correcting them. He considered ordering them to find their own food, but Meng Yao had such a tragic look on his face that Shen Jiu found himself handing him the money before he could talk himself out of it.

Shen Jiu was going too soft on the boy and he despised the fact, but for some reason every time Meng Yao looked truly upset he got this strange urge to do something about it. It had to be his body meddling with his mind. Animal instinct, nothing more.

After leaving Meng Yao and the brat to their own devices, Shen Jiu continued his investigation. He had already made significant progress by drawing the woman he’d seen and asking around. To make himself seem less suspicious, he lied that this drawing had been sent to him by his alleged sister, whom he was trying to get in contact with.

This way he had found out that the bruised woman was called Sun Peizhi. She was one of the numerous daughters of the local landowner, and in an unfortunate twist of fate was married to the rapist merchant. Shen Jiu considered that her bruises could have been left by her brute of a husband, but it was too strange a coincidence.

Either way, he needed to speak to her. Considering the difference in their status, a meeting would be difficult to achieve without help, so he asked his newest acquaintance Madam Qiao to help him. He chose her because she’d seemed sympathetic when he asked her the way, and she had also already heard his lie about the missing sister, so it was easy to add to it, showing her "his sister’s" drawing. A cultivator’s wife was respectable enough to befriend a landowner’s daughter, so his lie was easily believed and the meeting arranged.

The main difficulty was that Madam Qiao was present for this meeting, having called both of them for tea, so Shen Jiu couldn’t speak frankly. He had to waste half an hour saying pleasant things about the tea, the food, the choice of the venue, Madam Qiao’s character, the weather, Sun Peizhi’s appearance, Sun Peizhi’s character… He hated having to be polite. When he was a peak lord he could be as blunt and taciturn as he liked. He missed that freedom.

Finally, after running out of meaningless banalities, he could tell his already familiar lie about looking for a lost sister, who Sun Peizhi might be acquainted with. Poor woman looked completely lost.

"I apologise, but you must be mistaken. I have no acquaintances that fit the description," said Sun Peizhi after he described Sisi to her.

"Perhaps my description was lacking. Oh, I forgot one thing! She used to wear this wide necklace with purple flowers around her neck," said Shen Jiu brightly and made a deliberate gesture with his head, allowing her to see the purple bruises he’d drawn with Meng Shi’s makeup in the morning. His hair didn’t allow Madam Qiao to see the "bruises", but Sun Peizhi got a good look.

Her eyes widened and she quickly went pale.

"I’m sorry, but you’re mistaken. Thank you for inviting me, Madam Qiao, but my husband doesn’t like it when I’m away for long."

Shen Jiu must’ve been too heavy handed. He didn’t mean to spook her quite that badly, though it could also be useful. He’d have to wait a bit. She could contact him once she had time to think.

He didn’t have to wait for long. The next evening a maid came to his door, inviting him to secretly meet with her mistress. She even had a set of servant’s clothes for Shen Jiu to wear, so he’d attract less attention at the merchant’s estate.

Silently, she led him through the less travelled streets, till they reached the merchant’s compound, which they entered through the servant’s door. Then they had to go through the estate, hiding every time they heard someone’s footsteps. The disguise would help only from afar.

Finally, they reached what appeared to be Sun Peizhi’s personal garden. Surrounded by the tall white wall with moon gates and latticed windows offering tasteful glimpses of bamboo, it had decent Feng Shui. Though Shen Jiu would remove the peach tree. It must’ve grown too big over the years and was pressing against the building’s wall, which was ill advised¹ .

"Thank you, Xiao Fang," said Sun Peizhi to the maid. "Please make sure that nobody comes here. If my husband tries to come in, tell him I’ve been throwing up."

The maid bowed and left them alone in the garden.

"What did you want to talk about?" he asked, looking at Sun Peizhi’s pale face. There were dark shadows under her eyes, she must’ve had trouble sleeping. He could sympathise - his face likely looked just as haggard.

"You were the one who called for my attention with your… necklace."

"I’ll be frank. I overheard your prayer in the shrine and noticed the bruises. Recently I’ve had a dream where somebody strangled me. A dream too real to be simply a dream."

"But why would she torment you? You’re a nobody."

"I don’t know. But if you tell me what you know about her, I might be able to solve the issue. My husband was a cultivator, so I know a thing or two."

"A cultivator? I thought about calling for one, but my husband would be furious. Even though it’s all his fault. Oh, why doesn’t she torment him for what he did, I couldn’t help her, I truly couldn’t!"

"What did he do?"

Sun Peizhi hugged herself as if she was cold. Her eyes were downcast, but he still noticed the shadows of guilt. He knew this expression very well. He loathed seeing that expression on the face of the one he used to trust unconditionally.

"You’re new to Yiling, so you probably don’t know how my husband shames me. A few months ago a scholar’s daughter had accused him of forcing himself on her and getting her with a child. Her parents must’ve found out about the pregnancy and disowned her, so she had nowhere to go. Poor thing, I believed her immediately, I know my husband well… Though sometimes I wish I didn’t. I told him he should take her as a second wife, but he refused."

"Why?"

"He was angry that she had shamed him in front of the whole town. People with daughters started to avoid our house and he lost some clients. I couldn’t do anything else for her. Two weeks ago her body was found in the woods hanging from a tree."

"She killed herself?"

"No, everybody thinks she did. Oh, how her mother cried… it was terrible! But no, I saw him come home late that night, and I saw the bloody scratches on his arms. He killed her, I’m sure."

"So your husband killed that girl and she’s tormenting you for keeping it a secret," concluded Shen Jiu. A pregnant woman, defiled and murdered by her rapist… It had to be a really powerful ghost.

"But I can’t tell! He’d just kill me too. Why can’t she just torment him, oh why? Can you make her stop? I’ll give you everything! I have so much jewellery, you can take it all! You could buy a house with it…"

"Calm down. I can deal with the spirit, but I’ll need access to your room at night. Can you accept three new servants?"

"Three?"

"I have two children with me whom I can’t leave alone. They also know some cultivation, so they might be helpful."

"I’ll arrange everything you need. Just promise that you’ll free me from this spirit!"

"I promise." Oh, how he hated these words, but at the moment it was the best way to avoid further hysteria.

Back in the inn, he told the boys the whole story, though to his surprise Wei Ying had problems understanding some of it. How could the boy have spent a year living on the streets and still somehow not know where the babies came from? Did he not talk to any other children? As nobody had given the child the talk, Shen Jiu entrusted this task to Meng Yao. He did not appreciate the task.

"We shouldn’t speak of such dirty things," said Meng Yao, visibly uncomfortable.

"Did you grow up in a brothel or in the nunnery?" asked Shen Jiu mockingly.

"What’s a brothel?" asked Wei Ying. He must’ve wanted to know where Meng Yao came from. The little brat adored his shixiong ² to a strange degree. That made it easier for Shen Jiu to shirk his responsibility.

"How do you not know that?" asked Shen Jiu, exasperated. "There’s one near the market. We’ve gone past it multiple times already."

"Mother, you’re a grown-up, and you worked in a brothel. I think you know the material better than I do," said Meng Yao respectfully.

"I’m a lady," said Shen Jiu, using his ultimate defense. He felt ridiculous even saying it. But he’d tell any lie to get out of this conversation. "I can’t speak to a boy about things like that."

"Now you choose to be a lady," mumbled Meng Yao.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

After the problem was dealt with and Wei Ying looked appropriately traumatised, Shen Jiu returned to his lesson.

"There are several reasons a ghost can appear. More often than not the reason is that there was something wrong with the burial: the body might be lost or denied proper burial. Also, the ghosts often appear when the death is violent and unfair. Usually they have some kind of unfinished business: it might be love, revenge, regret, anything that could keep a person from moving on. If a person had suffered great injustice, they often have revenge as their unfinished business."

"Now what do you think of our ghost?" he asked the children.

"She is resentful because a great injustice was done to her and her murderer walks free," said Meng Yao.

"That’s right. Why do you think she’s targeting the merchant’s wife, not the merchant himself?"

"She must be angry that the wife didn’t tell everybody the truth," concluded Meng Yao.

"That’s possible. Wei Ying, your opinion."

"Maybe she wants to scare her?"

"Why?"

"So she tells everybody. Like, do it or I’ll kill you."

"That’s also possible. Now let’s talk about the methods of dealing with ghosts."

Shen Jiu was certain that this particular ghost wouldn’t harm children. But he still had to make sure that they were prepared.

He didn’t tell them about the ghost coming to him in a dream. They would panic and it was unlikely that they would understand. At first, Shen Jiu assumed that he must’ve accidentally let something out of the Burial Mounds.

Only after learning the full story he realised that he just chose the wrong tree to climb. That must have been a tree the merchant used to stage suicide. And he not only touched the tree several times, but spent hours meditating on his own resentment nearby, remembering the vilest episodes of his life.

The ghost must’ve found a kindred spirit in him. She was lucky that he couldn’t make himself refuse the plea of a desperate woman.

¹A tree growing too large and pressing against a wall represents "pressure" and stagnant energy, creating an imbalance. It could also provide a path for malevolent forces to climb into the building. ^{return to text ↩
2} A Chinese term meaning "senior male fellow student" or "older martial brother".^{return to text ↩}

Chapter Text

"From now on, we’ll have to play-act as servants," said Shen Jiu. "A-Yao, tell Wei Ying how to behave. You’re responsible for him."

He was tired of being reminded of Yue Qingyuan every time he addressed Meng Yao, so A-Yao it was. The softer form of address felt disgustingly natural in his mouth. He cursed Meng Shi’s body for making him doubt his own mind. He could hardly tell what was his and what was hers and that was driving him insane.

Meng Yao straightened his back, adopted an aloof face and began speaking, "Always do what you’re told. Keep your head down and don’t look anybody in the eye. Be quiet and unnoticeable, but if anybody sees you, don’t stay idle. They need to think that you’re busy. If you’re not sure you can do a job well, ask me."

"Did you get all that?" asked Shen Jiu, giving the brat a stern look. "If you mess up, they could whip you."

"I think I understand everything… Wait, what does "stay idle" mean?" asked Wei Ying.

Shen Jiu sighed and gave Meng Yao an expectant look.

"To stay idle means to spend time doing nothing."

"Oh, I don’t like to stay idle."

"We’ve noticed, A-Ying," said Meng Yao, amused. He must have been thinking of the brat’s annoying inability to stay still, though Shen Jiu didn’t understand what was so amusing about it. Sometimes he considered tying the brat’s arms to his sides just to stop the constant fidgeting.

The next morning, Shen Jiu led his two brats to the merchant’s estate. In the daylight, he could appreciate it in all its gaudy glory. Even from outside he could see an overabundance of decorations, added with no sense of style or measure. Shen Jiu had to contain a snort when he noticed a phoenix¹ among the figurines atop the lower ridge of the roof. Someone thought very highly of himself.

Xiao Fang met them at the entrance and led them to their quarters. Shen Jiu did his best to behave like a good servant, following silently and keeping his eyes downcast. The children copied him.

Shen Jiu expected to be lodged in the communal living space, but to his surprise, they were given their own room. It was small, but there was enough space for a bed, a chest, and two mats on the floor. It was rather generous lodging for servants, though it made sense considering their mission. Shen Jiu was almost glad that he’d be spending the night hunting the ghost instead of dealing with his nightmares.

Shen Jiu left his belongings in the room and waited for the boys to change into their new clothes. Xiao Fang looked as if she wanted to say something, but every time she opened her mouth, she stopped herself.

The servant clothes in the merchant’s estate were much nicer than the ones from the brothel. The cotton was sturdy, its indigo color pure. The mistress clearly took good care of her staff. Despite that, Shen Jiu felt like the clothes didn’t suit Meng Yao at all. He glanced at Wei Ying and noted that Meng Yao must have helped him dress: the knots were too tidy otherwise.

When they were ready, they were rushed to see the mistress of the house. Sun Peizhi’s sitting room was tasteful and refined, unlike the main estate. Shen Jiu noted the abundance of peach and pink silk, and a truly exquisite painting of flying cranes. He paid particular attention to an extremely breakable-looking vase with flower motifs, mentally noting its position in relation to the ever-fidgeting Wei Ying.

"Madam, the new servants you’ve requested are here to receive your instructions," said Xiao Fang.

Other maids were close by, so they couldn’t speak frankly. Even if Sun Peizhi sent everyone away, that would attract eavesdroppers like honey attracts bees.

"Tell me about their skills, A-Fang."

"This is Shen Shi, the one Madam Qiao suggested. Recently widowed, she was in search of employment in a respectable household. She is well educated and has some musical talent."

"Good, she may be of use to me tonight. Send her to my quarters in the evening to play for me and ease my sleep."

"As for the little ones, the eldest is called Yue Yao, Shen Shi’s son."

"Your son? You’d risk…" Sun Peizhi interrupted herself after catching Shen Jiu’s warning look. "I apologize, my mind wandered. What of the other child?"

"His name is Wei Ying, Shen Shi’s ward. Both boys are obedient and hardworking. I’ll make sure that they’re of use to you, Madam."

"Good. You’re dismissed. I trust you to handle the new additions to our staff appropriately."

After that, the boys were led away by an older servant, while Shen Jiu remained with Xiao Fang. She led him deeper into the innermost quarters of the estate.

"Are you sure your children will be safe here?" asked the maid quietly as they walked through an empty hallway.

"They know how to take care of themselves," lied Shen Jiu.

Xiao Fang didn’t look convinced, but she said nothing more. Finally, she opened a door at the end of the hallway and led him inside. Everything became clear to him the moment he saw the crib.

"A-Hua, this is Shen Shi. She’ll assist you for a few days. Her husband was a cultivator, so she might be of help," said Xiao Fang.

"Oh, thank goodness! I haven’t been able to take my eyes off the young master since the incident," said the squirrely, plump woman who must have been the nanny.

"The incident?" prompted Shen Jiu.

"A few nights ago, A-Hua saw a figure in white looking down at our young master. We believe he wasn’t harmed because of this," said Xiao Fang, pointing to the jade longevity bracelet ² on the child’s pudgy wrist.

"It’s a family heirloom," explained A-Hua. "Our mistress wore it when she was a babe, and her nanny swore that she never fell ill."

"Such a protective charm could work," Shen Jiu mused aloud. "You used to work with our mistress’s family?"

"Just like me, Li Hua has been with our mistress for years," said Xiao Fang.

"I remember her when she was only this high," said Li Hua, demonstrating the height of a small child with her hand. "Can you believe it?"

Who knew that all adults used to be children? Growth… what an unbelievable concept.

"Are there any other protective artifacts in the house?" he asked. If the merchant had a strong talisman, it would explain why the ghost had targeted his wife instead.

"Master Zhou doesn’t believe in such things," said Xiao Fang. Her tone was properly poised and polite, but when she said "master", Shen Jiu noticed a spark of loathing deep in her eyes.

After that, Xiao Fang left them, and Shen Jiu had to endure Li Hua’s chattiness on his own. She took care of the baby diligently, but she appeared to be utterly incapable of maintaining silence. She regaled Shen Jiu with countless boring tidbits about her young master’s development, as well as some stories from her own rather dull life.

When a maid entered to clean and A-Hua immediately started talking at her instead, Shen Jiu was relieved. He hated small talk. Though he loathed children, especially helpless drooling ones, he’d rather be left alone with the infant than have to endure its nanny any longer.

Late in the evening, he was led to Sun Peizhi’s bedroom. Meng Yao and Wei Ying were sweeping the floor in the hallway nearby, positioned so they could slip inside when needed. He’d asked Xiao Fang to arrange for it because he wanted the children there when the ghost came. Especially Wei Ying. He wanted to see whether the child had any special connection to the dead.

Sun Peizhi was already dressed for bed and looked at him with wide, terrified eyes from her canopy bed.

"I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep. I’ve been too frightened to sleep for the past two nights."

"You have nothing to worry about. I’ll be here with you the whole night and won’t allow you to be harmed," lied Shen Jiu. He was almost certain the ghost didn’t want to actually murder Sun Peizhi, but if he was wrong, there was little he could do. Perhaps he should have considered his involvement better. If she died with him in the room, he would be in serious trouble.

He lit some incense to help her fall asleep. Then he sat down on a chair next to the bed with his qin and began to play idly. It took around eight songs for Sun Peizhi’s breathing to even out in sleep. He opened the door and gestured for the brats to come inside. It’d be easier to keep watch with three pairs of eyes, and Xiao Fang had promised to make sure that no living soul would disturb her mistress’s sleep that night.

The children were visibly tired, and Wei Ying couldn’t sit still to save his life, so Shen Jiu had to glare him into submission multiple times when he started tugging at Meng Yao’s clothes just to be annoying.

The ghost appeared without a sound or movement: one moment there was nothing, the next, a figure in white robes with wild black hair running loose was looming over Sun Peizhi’s sleeping form. Shen Jiu gestured for the children to move behind the partition screen and began to play.

Usually, using the language of the qin to speak to a ghost was only conceivable for a cultivator with a golden core. However, the ghost was particularly strong, and hadn’t required summoning, so it was possible for anyone who knew the language to communicate with it. And Shen Jiu knew the language very well.

"What do you want?" he said, for the boys’ benefit, and played the same phrase on the qin.

The ghost turned away from the bed, noticing him for the first time. Her face was pale and waxy, and there were black bruises on her neck. To Shen Jiu’s surprise, there were no signs of pregnancy or the child’s spirit anywhere. Last time he dealt with a ghost of a pregnant woman, there had been a separate ghost of a child connected to her. It was a truly nasty case.

He looked at the ghost with feigned calm as she approached him and reached out her hand to touch the strings of his qin. There was blood visible under her nails.

"Save. Her," she played.

"Save her? You were strangling her every night to save her?" asked Shen Jiu incredulously. He didn’t play the words, but she must have understood him without the qin.

"Needs. Leave. Dangerous." The ghost looked him right in the eyes as she played. They were black and bottomless. He’d never been this close to a ghost who wasn’t trying to kill him.

"You want her to leave because it’s dangerous? Was that why you approached the child?"

"Yes."

"Because he killed your child when he killed you?" Ghosts often had no logic, but Shen Jiu still felt the need to explain. "He is the heir, he wouldn’t…"

"No," interrupted the ghost. "He. Did. Not. Kill. Child. I. Did."

Could it actually have been suicide? But no the evidence spoke against it… Then there was only one option.

"You got rid of the child?"

"Need. Not. His. Spawn." The ghost looked disgusted. Shen Jiu couldn’t blame her, he would definitely do the same in her shoes.

"But you still think that a child is in danger? Why?"

"He. Needs. Not. Reason. Kill. Blood. Thirsty. Hunted. Like. Prey."

"He hunted you like prey?"

"Smiling. Laughing. Monster."

Her face twisted in rage, and a wide crack appeared on the wooden floor with a loud sound, waking Sun Peizhi. The woman stared at the ghost in horror.

"I’m sorry. I’m so sorry," she started wailing.

The ghost gave her a sad look. "No. Sorry. Did. No. Wrong. Kind."

"She says you don’t need to be sorry. You did her no wrong and you were very kind to her," translated Shen Jiu. "From what I can determine, she was trying to force you to take your child and leave because she believes her murderer will kill you next. She said that he didn’t kill her to keep her silent. He killed her simply because he wanted to and because he knew he could get away with it. He’s the type of monster who gets pleasure from others’ pain."

"You. Understand." The ghost played.

"I do," said Shen Jiu sincerely. He knew better than most. "But I don’t understand why you won’t take revenge on him directly. You’re powerful enough."

"Can. Not."

"Why? Does he have a protective talisman?"

"No. Just. Can. Not."

"You are strong enough to leave bruises. You can do anything you want to him and he won’t be able to stop you."

"I can’t!" screeched the ghost in her own voice. Shen Jiu could feel resentment around him. It was so thick one could drown in it.

"She’s scared," said Wei Ying suddenly. Shen Jiu had forgotten about the children. "She’s scared of the bad man, so she won’t go to him."

Was it that simple? How could Shen Jiu miss something so simple? Hadn’t he been too afraid to do anything to Qiu Jianluo until he couldn’t take it anymore? For years, he had swallowed his pain and humiliation, too afraid to fight back. And when he did fight back, he had realised that he could have freed himself long time ago.

He looked into the ghost’s eyes and began to recall his own fear and resentment, extending it out from his own body as if offering a hand. She must have reached back because suddenly he was assaulted by flashes of terror, and laughter, and running away in the dark, and pain, and pain, and pain…

He put all his mental fortitude into recalling the look on Qiu Jianluo’s face when he stabbed him. The power circling through his body. The heat of the fire. The warmth of the blood on his face. With all that resentment circling through him, he could have tried raising the dead, but instead he poured it all back into the ghost. She needed it more than he did.

When he was done, the ghost was gone.

[Profound emotional connection achieved. +100 L points]

Shen Jiu gritted his teeth, he had enough of that. "Don’t let me hear you without an important reason or I swear…"

[Silent Mode Enabled. To hear the System the User has to address it directly.]

"Is it over?" asked Sun Peizhi.

"I believe so," said Shen Jiu. "We’ll have to remain attentive for several days in case she comes back."

"Thank you. If this works, I’ll give you anything you wish for, I swear!"

"We’ll discuss payment once we are sure the problem is dealt with. Now, I must take the children to bed, they’ve stayed up long enough."

"Of course, of course. Go rest. Please, tell Xiao Fang to come in when you leave, I don’t want to be alone."

They didn’t have to look for the maid, because they found her immediately, standing guard in the hallway outside her mistress’s room. Shen Jiu passed along the message and took the children to their quarters. He only managed to fall asleep in the early hours of dawn and was promptly woken by a rapid knocking on his door.

"You need to see this. Get dressed," ordered Xiao Fang. She appeared to be unsettled.

After he got dressed, Shen Jiu was all but dragged outside. He asked her what she wanted to show him, but Xiao Fang refused to say, explaining that she had only heard people talking and needed to see it for herself.

She walked with him to the same shrine where he had first met Sun Peizhi. There on the branch of the ancient tree, a body was hanging, the inscription "Prayers answered" right underneath the dead man’s feet. Shen Jiu didn’t recognize the man, but from the rich clothing and the manner of death, he could guess.

"Is that Master Zhou?"

Xiao Fang nodded, her eyes wide. Shen Jiu had to suppress a satisfied smile.

¹ A symbol of the empress and imperial virtue. Its use was traditionally restricted to the imperial family. A merchant using it as a roof decoration is a major breach of social custom, seen as arrogant and tasteless social climbing ^{return to text ↩}

² A specific type of charm meant to protect the wearer, especially children, from illness and harm, ensuring a long life. ^{return to text ↩}

Chapter Text

After three years in Yiling, Shen Jiu could say he felt at home there. The quaint run-down town looked nothing like Cang Qiong Mountain, yet there was something vaguely familiar about it. He attributed the feeling to stability, something he had rarely gotten to enjoy. As he walked through the populous market, wearing flowing silk robes in his favorite shades of green, Shen Jiu idly listened to the usual rumors.

"One day she arrives in Yiling, and the next she’s living as the second mistress Zhou, treated like family."

"I think she is a sorceress¹! Li-jie saw her entering the forest at night with a small child in tow. Who knows what demonic rituals she was practicing there!"

"Poor Madam Zhou must be enchanted!"

"Best to stay away from the sorceress!"

Shen Jiu smirked. A sorceress - that was a new one. A few years back, the rumor was that he was blackmailing poor, widowed Madam Zhou. Then he had stopped wearing his mourning garb, and they immediately switched to the theory that he was a huli jing².

This particular theory had been so widely spread that even the late Master Zhou’s brother believed it, hiring a rogue cultivator to investigate. That man ended up getting stabbed. He was lucky Shen Jiu didn’t aim for anything vital, considering that he had found a strange man in his room in the middle of the night.

Shen Jiu walked into the bookshop. The smell of old paper and ink brought back memories of long, sleepless nights in the library of Qing Jing Peak. He went through the narrow, dimly lit room toward the high wooden counter.

"I’m here for my order," said Shen Jiu.

The wrinkly, half-blind shopkeeper’s mouth twitched in the insincere attempt at a smile, "Ah, Madam Yue, you are always a pleasant sight to behold!"

They had taken to calling Shen Jiu Madam Yue. It had taken him months to train himself not to flinch at the name.

Shen Jiu looked at the shopkeeper, silently unimpressed.

"My order?" he repeated.

"It’s in the back room, as usual," said the bookkeeper as he opened the door behind him.

"If it’s a fraud, as usual…" said Shen Jiu threateningly, allowing the bookkeeper to draw his own conclusions.

"This one is genuine, I swear! The sect leader of the Yao clan has a gambling addiction..."

"I don’t need the details. Just give me the book, and I’ll be the one to judge whether it’s genuine or not."

"Of course, of course, please take a look," he said as he took out a wooden box and handed it to Shen Jiu. He opened the box and took out the book bound in black leather. The cover was sturdy, the quality clearly high, but it was the contents that truly mattered.

He opened the book and started reading. He turned a few pages and took a good look at the drawings. There was no way it was an actual technique. Anyone attempting it would certainly die of qi deviation. Unless they were Luo Binghe, the little beast had spirit veins of steel or he’d be long dead.

For a second, he wondered whether his death by qi deviation was a karmic response to giving the little beast a faulty cultivation manual. He banished the thought.

"Why are you wasting my time with this? It’s not even a good fake!"

"Perhaps Madam Yue might make a few suggestions…" started the bookkeeper, not ashamed at all.

"I’m not going to teach you how to make better forgeries! If you waste my time with one more fake, I’ll go to the magistrate."

"Oh, Madam Yue, we both know you would rather avoid the magistrate’s attention."

"Are you threatening me?" asked Shen Jiu coldly. He felt waves of resentment rising. If he put it to use, he could summon a low-level ghost to torment the brazen fool into insanity.

"Of course not! No threats here, not for one of my most treasured clients! I actually have a gift as a sign of appreciation for your patronage," he said, handing Shen Jiu a thin booklet.

Shen Jiu snatched it quickly. Just as he suspected, it was the next three chapters of "Green Plum, Black Despair³." The love novel about childhood sweethearts, separated by circumstances and reunited ten years later, it was surprisingly captivating.

The last chapter Shen Jiu had read ended when the love interest was about to admit why he hadn’t come back for the protagonist. The rotten bastard had better have a good excuse, or Shen Jiu would tear him to pieces when discussing it with Sun Peizhi. She was the one who had introduced him to the story and was always delighted to discuss it with him.

He returned to the estate late in the afternoon and immediately stumbled upon the suspiciously smiling brat in the hallway.

"Wei Ying, what’s behind your back?" he asked threateningly.

The brat kept smiling at him. "Nothing, Shizun!"

"You dare lie?" hissed Shen Jiu, grabbing the brat by the arm. The boy’s grip must have become loose, and the giant toad jumped right onto the pale limestone floor. Shen Jiu loathed children.

"Get this creature out of here, or I swear this time I’ll actually make you sleep with the dogs."

"Of course, Shizun! Right away, Shizun!" said the brat. Then he gave chase to the toad as it started to hop away.

"And clean your face! You look like a vagrant!"

Shen Jiu shook his head. This brat was such a headache, it was a miracle Shen Jiu hadn’t murdered him yet.

After that, he went to his chambers, locked the door, and finally read the chapters. The truth was so annoying he wanted to put his hands through the pages and shake that damn Ling Sheng, until his brain started working. The idiot had a good explanation this whole time and had made poor Xiao Yu suffer for nothing. She would have forgiven him immediately if only he’d told her. And now she was betrothed to another!

Shen Jiu wanted to throw the chapters into the fireplace, but he had to give them to Sun Peizhi first. He did it right before supper.

"Judging from your face, they’re good," she said, amused.

"Just be grateful I didn’t burn them," he huffed.

"Oh, they must be excellent! I can’t wait," she said.

They sat down in their usual places. They had been eating together for three years already, and it had become a familiar routine. Shen Jiu didn’t even have to give Meng Yao a pointed look, for the child to correct Wei Ying’s way of holding chopsticks. Even after three years the brat still forgot. If Shen Jiu had been the one teaching him, he would have already poured his supper onto his head.

Once the chopsticks were held correctly, Shen Jiu finally noticed a bruise on Meng Yao’s cheek. He finished eating quietly, not wanting to break his own rule, not when he had taught even Wei Ying to remain quiet while eating. But he did take the boy aside immediately after dinner.

"Who did this?" he asked sharply, turning Meng Yao’s face to get a better look at the bruise. Definitely a punch.

"It was a training incident."

"Should I drag Wei Ying here and interrogate him?"

"I was training on my own," said Meng Yao, clinging to his lie stubbornly.

"And you punched yourself? Give me the name! I’ll make sure to make their life difficult."

"I hit him first, so you can’t!"

"You hit somebody?" asked Shen Jiu incredulously. Despite his future crimes, Meng Yao wasn’t a violent person. Usually he was the type to stop fights with reasonable words. Shen Jiu couldn’t even imagine him punching someone.

"They deserved it."

"What did they say?"

"How do you know they said something?"

"Do you think me stupid? You wouldn’t punch somebody without a reason, so I repeat: what did they say?"

"They said that you were a seductress preying on Madam Zhou," said Meng Yao, clearly uncomfortable with the rumours.

"That’s it? Not something you’d hit a person over."

"He also called you a bad word," hissed Meng Yao. Remembering the incident clearly fanned the embers of his anger.

"What was it? A huli jing, a sorceress, a beast ⁴, a whore…"

"Mother!" Meng Yao’s mouth dropped open in indignation.

"Who cares what they say? They can’t do anything but run their mouths, so let them."

"Don’t you care about your reputation?"

"What reputation? My reputation was ruined years ago. Why should I bother with it? Imagine what they’d say about me if they knew the truth."

"Don’t you understand that a bad reputation can get you killed?"

What a precocious brat Meng Yao was! Shen Jiu wasn’t looking forward to arguing with him once he grew up.

"It won’t come to that anytime soon. But I think we’ll have to leave in a month or two anyway. Sun Peizhi can’t have such rumours about her, not when her husband’s brother is trying to steal the estate."

"Are you going to the Burial Mounds tonight?" asked Meng Yao as Shen Jiu was ready to end the conversation.

"Did Wei Ying tell you? Curse his yappy mouth! Can’t keep a secret to save his life!"

"He didn’t tell me, but I could tell. He can’t hide anything from me. I want to go with you."

"I already told you, it’s too dangerous. I don’t want to ruin your cultivation with an untested method!"

Shen Jiu had seen it from his own experience. For three years, he’d been working on establishing his Foundation. Even with his faulty spirit veins, he should have reached his goal a year ago, but something was setting him back. It made sense that practicing demonic cultivation, even in his chaotic and unskilled way, was not good for one’s Foundation.

"But you let Wei Ying go. Isn’t it going to ruin his cultivation?"

Shen Jiu scoffed.

"What do I care about his cultivation? I need a test subject, and he is willing."

"You call yourself his Shizun! You should care about his cultivation!"

"Don’t lecture me. I can do whatever I want with him."

"If he comes, I’ll come too. If you don’t take me, I’ll follow you. If you drag me back, I’ll return."

"Then I’ll lock you up and break your legs!"

After having said that, Shen Jiu felt sick.

He turned around and rushed to his quarters, where he emptied his stomach. He didn’t go to the Burial Mounds that night. When Wei Ying came to his door, he sent the brat away without even opening the door. He couldn’t trust himself not to do something he’d regret later.

He didn’t sleep either. Choked by nightmares of locked doors, he ached for Meng Yao’s soothing presence, but was too proud to beg for his company after their fight.

The next day, Meng Yao came to his room first thing in the morning.

"I’m sorry I argued with you yesterday, Mother. Please forgive me," he blurted out as soon as Shen Jiu opened the door.

"Come in," he ordered, letting the child come inside. "Make us some tea. There are things we need to discuss."

The boy prepared and poured tea, perfectly poised, just like Shen Jiu had taught him. Looking at his neat appearance - which was befitting of a noble - and precise movements, Shen Jiu was satisfied. It was just like looking at one of the paintings he had made. He couldn’t stay mad at Meng Yao.

"Passable," said Shen Jiu after drinking a small mouthful of perfectly brewed tea. It was an expensive sort, as Sun Peizhi didn’t spare any expense on their comforts.

"I want to apologise once more…" started Meng Yao, keeping his eyes low.

"Don’t. Do you actually think that you are in the wrong?"

"Of course I was in the wrong. Mother is an adult and knows better, so I should be filial and obey."

"You get better at lying as you grow up, but I can still tell."

"I’m sorry…"

"Stop. You see, I never knew my parents, so I don’t understand the importance of being filial. Should I try to be filial to parents who likely sold me for a few bags of rice? If I got to meet them, I’d curse and spit at them, they don’t deserve anything different."

That was something he had planned to say at some point, because, from what he could remember, being filial was the boy’s damnation. He needed to stop this nonsense before it could harm Meng Yao.

"But Mother, you’re different! You did so much for me!"

"If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. My being your mother doesn’t change anything. I might be cross with you for being difficult, but I’d still respect you more than if you blindly obeyed with no thoughts of your own."

"So you admit that you were in the wrong?" asked Meng Yao sharply. Shen Jiu rarely enjoyed seeing the boy’s edges, and that always felt like one of his own brush strokes.

"No, but I think it’s time we stopped visiting the Burial Mounds altogether. It is dangerous, and it gets in the way of orthodox cultivation, slowing my progress. Recently I’ve had a breakthrough, so now I can do a little more with my cultivation than simply keep my body healthy."

He demonstrated a levitating coin to Meng Yao. Something that he could do as a child in his original body had taken him three years of daily training to achieve, and he still couldn’t maintain it for long.

"It’s better for the ghost path to remain something I can use in case of emergency," continued Shen Jiu. "I’ll tell Wei Ying to do the same. That boy has no sense and would get himself tried as a heretic if he is left to his own devices."

"If you don’t take him to the Burial Mounds, he’ll forget all about the ghost path altogether and focus on something else. I just hope it won’t be toads."

"What about toads?" asked Shen Jiu suspiciously.

"The person I punched yesterday might have found his bed occupied by toads last night."

"Just don’t let him get caught. If he does, I’ll make him kneel outside for the night."

"Of course, Mother. We know better than to get caught."

Their morning was interrupted by the arrival of Xiao Fang.

"Madam Yue, a cultivator arrived this morning. He asked for a meeting with you."

"What color was he wearing?"

"Purple."

It was right about time. The brat’s ninth birthday had been months ago.

¹ Yaonu - demoness/sorceress. A classic, powerful term of abuse and fear for a woman believed to possess malevolent supernatural powers or a dangerously seductive nature. It implies she is not just a practitioner of magic but is inherently unnatural, evil, and a threat to the social and cosmic order. ^{return to text ↩}

² A mythical fox spirit from Chinese folklore known for shapeshifting, often into beautiful women to seduce human men and drain their life force (yang energy). In this context, the label is a severe insult implying Shen Jiu’s influence over Madam Zhou is unnatural. It is more specific than "sorceress", but is generally considered a lesser insult than yaonu, which implies something along the lines of “evil incarnate”. So, the rumors are escalating dangerously.^{return to text ↩}

³ Green Plum, Black Despair (青梅绝境, Qīngméi Juéjìng). "Green plum" is a classic metaphor for childhood sweethearts. "Black despair" (literally "hopeless situation") signals the angsty, melodramatic conflicts. Basically, a cheesy name I spend too much time thinking of.^{return to text ↩}

⁴ Chusheng - a severe insult meaning someone is subhuman, vile, immoral, and no better than livestock. And yes, that’s the word Shen Jiu used to call Luo Binghe. ^{return to text ↩}

On filial piety.

It’s important to note that Shen Jiu’s attitude toward filial piety is extremely radical by the standards of Ancient China. The idea was that the children were supposed to obey their parents without question, so suggesting anything less than that would shock people greatly. Shen Jiu did a modern alternative of suggesting his son call him by the first name.

Chapter Text

Shen Jiu took his fan from its case on the dressing table. It was his only fan, made of delicate white silk with an old peach tree in bloom painted on it. It was a high-quality piece and also a present, so Shen Jiu took it out only on special occasions. He opened the fan and glanced at the pink blossoms. Only he and Sun Peizhi understood the meaning.

He remembered telling her to get rid of the old peach tree in her courtyard, because it got too close to the wall and was ruining the Feng Shui of the place. Sun Peizhi refused, paying a small fortune to a Feng Shui master, who made a stone path between the tree and the wall and recommended trimming the branches regularly.

Shen Jiu grumbled that she was wasting resources. Then he noticed that the area around the tree became particularly pleasant and the energy flow was perfect for meditation. It took him months to overcome his pride and ask permission to use the place for meditation. The fan was supposed to remind him that taking a more difficult path could be more rewarding.

After making sure that he looked respectable, Shen Jiu walked to the garden pavilion hidden in the bamboo grove. Xiao Fang had said she sent the cultivator in purple to wait there. The walk through the bamboo reminded him of Qing Jing peak and soothed his worries a bit. He was almost certain that this was about Wei Ying, and he was ready for the conversation.

When he first took the boy in, he’d expected to hand him over as soon as the Jiangs turned up. He didn’t need another disciple, and it was a convenient way to get rid of the boy as soon as he stopped being useful. However, after teaching the brat for three years, he wasn’t eager to give him away at all. He didn’t house train the brat for somebody else to enjoy the fruits of his labour.

He opened the door with force, expecting to argue for the boy to remain with him. If pressed, he could even fake cry, he had experience with that. Instead, Shen Jiu was frozen, startled by a familiar face. Just for a second he thought that it was Yue Qingyuan in front of him. He realised his mistake in a few moments: the man’s nose was a bit straighter, his lips thinner, his skin lighter. But still, the man looked remarkably alike to Shen Jiu’s former Sect Leader.

They stared at each other in silent shock too long for it to be appropriate.

"I apologize…" started Shen Jiu.

"There is no need," interrupted the man. He even sounded like Yue Qingyuan.

"You just…"

"It’s a strange, but you…" said the man at the same time.

"Look like a person I used to know," they said together.

Huh? That was unexpected. Who could Shen Jiu even remind him of? Was it possible that he knew Meng Shi? But the System would say something.

This whole conversation was embarrassing. Shen Jiu covered his face with his fan, trying to keep himself together. He had come prepared for a debate but instead stumbled into some tasteless theater show.

"I should introduce myself," said the man, visibly flustered. "My name is Jiang Fengmian."

"This one is Shen Shi. And what could the leader of one of the five great sects want from this humble widow?"

"A year ago I found out about my old friends’s death. We lost contact long ago, so I couldn’t even pinpoint where they were staying. But I knew they had a child, and I couldn’t give up if there was a chance he was left alone. I’ve gone to almost every town in Yunmeng till I came here."

"Were you able to find this child?" asked Shen Jiu, pretending that he had no idea who the child in question was.

"I was. In fact, I’ve been told that Wei Ying is now in your care."

"Who told you that?" asked Shen Jiu. He did his best to hide the fact that he took in the street rat, so how did Jiang Fengmian find out?

"The innkeeper from the Drunken Poet’s Rest told me. You see, Wei Ying’s parents were staying at that inn, which he was eager to tell me about as soon as I mentioned the reward. I was quite cross with him for throwing a five-year-old child out when his parents failed to return, but he was quick to assure me that the boy was in good hands."

That rat bastard. His beady eyes noticed everything. This whole time he just kept the cards close to his chest waiting for a good opportunity. At least he didn’t seem to have regaled the sect leader with any of the rumours about Shen Shi and her demonic ways.

"He still spent at least eight months on the streets," said Shen Jiu. "Which could be avoided if the man had the insight to contact the nearest cultivation sect."

"Thank you for taking such care of Wei Ying. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to him," said Jiang Fengmian with a sincere smile.

At least unlike Yue Qi he bothered to come for the brat, even if he was late. Shen Jiu bit the inside of his cheek to keep a neutral face.

"I have a son around his age. And both of them have cultivation potential so I have had them train together. It was good for my Yue Yao to have a little brother to spoil."

He made sure to mention the familiar relationship between the two. If the man wanted to take the brat away, he’d have to watch two brats cry their hearts out.

"I apologise if I’m being presumptuous, but are you a cultivator?"

"Barely. My late husband was a cultivator, but he died before he could teach me much. I taught the boys everything I could, but there was only so much I could do."

Perhaps if he couldn’t keep Wei Ying he could at least get some manuals in exchange for the brat. He would still rather keep his disciple. Shen Jiu didn’t like giving away things he considered his.

"This is wonderful! I admit I was going to offer to accept Wei Ying into my sect, but I was worried that he wouldn’t want to be separated from his new family. However, if you and your son wish to study cultivation, I’m happy to invite you as my personal guests."

That was too generous of an offer. Though it did sound like something Yue Qingyuan would suggest.

"Wouldn’t your wife mind?" asked Shen Jiu, remembering the plot of the book. He could imagine the woman’s fury at such house guests. She was mad enough when it was only one brat.

"She’ll understand," said the man, but his smile tightened at the edges, indicating that she’d definitely throw a fit. Shen Jiu would certainly do exactly that in her position.

"Perhaps it would be better if I had a reason to stay at your sect," said Shen Jiu, his mind reeling. He hadn’t considered this opportunity before but it was a good way to solve most of his current problems: Sun Peizhi would be free of the rumours, they’d be able to maintain their lifestyle, Wei Ying would remain in his sphere of influence and, the best thing of all, they’d be able to use the Jiang clan’s library. Shen Jiu had had enough of fake manuals.

"I suppose I could offer you the position of a teacher for my children. The old one had recently retired and we’ve yet to hire a new one. Though I’d have to warn you that my wife might insist on overseeing lessons."

"This would be perfect," said Shen Jiu. He definitely didn’t want to pose as a servant, but without a reason for his presence there would certainly be rumours about him being Jiang Fengmian’s lover. The position of teacher would be the best possible solution.

Sun Peizhi insisted on throwing a farewell banquet for them. Shen Jiu had a suspicion that she only did so because she was happy she was allowed to stop wearing mourning clothes. He supposed it was also not bad for her reputation to have a cultivator retinue as guests. At least that would stop all the rumors about her being enchanted.

The servants did their best to prepare the main courtyard for the occasion. Considering the short notice and the lack of guests in the last three years, they did a stellar job. The garden had never looked that good in Shen Jiu’s memory. They even hired a musician with a pipa.

Shen Jiu had to introduce Sun Peizhi to Jiang Fengmian as soon as the Jiang delegation arrived. The lady comported herself with grace, gaining the approving nod from her father who was among the guests. The man did not approve of his daughter’s friendship with a nameless widow, but agreed to come as soon as he heard that Jiang Fengmian would be attending.

The pleasantries were mind-numbingly boring. Shen Jiu’s mind had drifted away when the cultivator decided to ask how the two of them had met. Shen Jiu gave Sun Peizhi a significant look: he’d told her already that she couldn’t tell any cultivator about what had happened with the ghost.

"Madam Yue was looking for her sister, so she was making inquiries. I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing her distinguished sister, but I have been impressed by Madam Yue’s skills and intelligence. My husband died soon after, so she offered her support as a fellow widow."

"You have a sister?" asked Jiang Fengmian. "Were you able to find her?"

Was he looking for holes in his backstory? It was surprisingly astute of him.

"Unfortunately, we were separated when we were both very young. I heard rumors that she was in Yiling, but they must’ve been wrong."

After that they finally sat down to eat. For some reason, Sun Peizhi kept giving him strange looks through the whole banquet. He had no idea what it could be about.

Once they were done with the meal, Shen Jiu took the opportunity to introduce the children to Jiang Fengmian. Meng Yao was perfectly poised as usual, behaving like an heir of a cultivation sect. Shen Jiu was pleased with him. Meanwhile, Wei Ying hid behind Shen Jiu’s back as if he was three years old.

"What’s the matter with you?" hissed Shen Jiu when he had enough.

"I don’t want to go to the Yunmeng Jiang Sect! I want to stay with Shizun and Yao-ge," wailed the brat.

Shen Jiu turned around abruptly to speak to Wei Ying face to face.

"What nonsense are you crying about?"

"But Yao-ge said that the Jiangs came to take me to their sect!" he was all snot and tears. It was disgusting.

"I think there’s a misunderstanding here," said Jiang Fengmian as he stepped closer to face Wei Ying shoulder to shoulder with Shen Jiu. "Your family will come with you to the sect, so you won’t be separated."

"Really? Shizun, is that true?" asked Wei Ying eagerly.

"Now you show me respect? Where are your manners? You are speaking to a sect leader! What will people think of my teachings, if you shame me with such behaviour?"

Shen Jiu took a handkerchief out of his sleeve and rubbed the snot and tears off the brat’s face with force. Wei Ying yelped pathetically but stood still.

"Sorry, Shizun," said the boy once his face was clean then he introduced himself to Jiang Fengmian properly.

The sect leader let out a good-natured laugh. "You’re a lot like your mother."

"You knew my mother?"

"And your father as well. They were good friends of mine."

After that the boy occupied most of the sect leader’s attention, asking for more stories about his parents. Shen Jiu took the opportunity to take Meng Yao aside.

"What did you tell Wei Ying?" asked Shen Jiu sharply.

"The same thing you told me."

"Then why did he think we were going to give him away?"

"He must’ve misunderstood me."

"Don’t lie to me if you’re going to be this transparent. Now, explain."

"It’s better if they know that he will still be our family, not theirs," huffed Meng Yao.

"He’s not our family."

"He’s my little brother and your student."

"You’re being ridiculous," scoffed Shen Jiu and shook his head.

Once the guests left, Shen Jiu wanted to go back to his room. However, Sun Peizhi insisted on walking him back.

"It will be lonely without you and the children," she said wistfully.

"You should invite your Aunt to stay with you. She’ll help with Second Master Zhou."

"I love my aunt, but it won’t be the same."

"With all the rumors, it was just a matter of time."

"Why didn’t you tell me you had a secret lover?"

"A secret lover?!" Shen Jiu choked on his own spit.

"It’s clear as day that you and Sect Leader Jiang have history."

"There’s no history! I met him yesterday!"

"That can’t be! Not with the way you looked at him, and not with the way he looked at you."

"You’ve read too many romance novels. Good night!"

He slammed the door shut behind him. Shen Jiu could hear Sun Peizhi’s laughter behind the door. She must’ve been making things up just to make fun of him. Devious woman!

They had finished packing that evening so they could set off in the early morning. Sun Peizhi had come to see them off personally.

"Make sure to write," she said. "And know that you’ll always be welcome here."

"Thank you," said Shen Jiu sincerely. She didn’t have to go out of her way, providing them with every comfort for three years. Sun Peizhi could’ve given him her jewellery and sent them on their way, instead she accepted them as part of her family. He couldn’t remember the last time a person did so much for him asking for nothing in return.

"Are you ready?" asked Jiang Fengmian when Shen Jiu approached him. "I’ve asked my disciples to carry the boys and your luggage. I’ll take you personally if you don’t mind."

Shen Jiu frowned at him. He did very much mind. Going by sword was much faster than taking a carriage, but considering the pathetic state of his cultivation he’d have to ride with someone. All the Jiang disciples were men, so if he had to choose with whom he’d have to remain in prolonged contact with…

"You honor me, Sect Leader."

He still got tense as soon as he stepped on the sword and Jiang Fengmian put his hand on his waist.

"Is everything alright?" asked the Yue Qingyuan look-alike. Perhaps if he pretended…

"This one doesn’t enjoy being touched."

"Would it be better if you stood behind me and took hold of my robes?" asked the man.

"I suppose so," said Shen Jiu and changed his position. It was much better this way.

"Just make sure to hold tight. Have you ever flown by sword before?"

He used to love flying. It always made him feel unburdened. Now he felt like a bird with clipped wings.

"I used to fly quite often, but it was a long time ago."

"I hope you won’t get startled then," said the sect leader and set off. Shen Jiu did not get startled in the slightest. He wasn’t a child. Though he did take a very tight hold of Jiang Fengmian’s clothes. He was simply being practical. That’s all.

It had been a while since Shen Jiu had seen the world from up high. He’d almost forgotten how freeing it was, though before he didn’t have such trouble keeping himself warm. He put all the qi he had to the task, and still found himself shivering by the end of their journey. He’d have to pace himself for a few days, conserving qi. If he didn’t do that, he would fall ill for sure.

The Lotus Pier was a chaotic place. Its entrance was right by the docks, and Shen Jiu could hear the noise even from up high. Some children were pointing at them. He’d hoped that there weren’t going to be any rumors that soon.

They landed near the training ground and were quickly surrounded by curious brats in purple. Shen Jiu ignored them and walked to check on Meng Yao. His nose was red and cold to the touch.

"Did you use the warming techniques?" he asked.

"Yes, Mother."

"Shizun, Shizun, will we learn how to fly on swords?! How high can you fly anyway? Is there a limit? Could a good cultivator touch the sun or the moon?" asked Wei Ying, jumping around like a drunk squirrel.

"Restrain yourself. We’re guests here," hissed Shen Jiu.

"Don’t worry about it," said Jiang Fengmian. "It’s alright if…"

"Jiang Fengmian," interrupted a cold female voice. "Are you going to introduce me to your guests?"

Shen Jiu turned his head and froze. He couldn’t believe his eyes.

The tall imposing woman in rich purple robes was approaching them. Her eyes, her nose, her mouth… it was just as if Shen Jiu’s old body had a twin sister.

"Am I going insane?" he thought. "System, is that your doing?"

[Character appearances weren’t changed]

"Then why on earth do they look like Yue Qingyuan and me?"

[Not enough Lore points to unlock this information]

"San-niang, I’ve found Wei Changze’s son."

"I can see that. He looks just like his mother. What about the other guest?"

She was trying to burn a hole in Shen Jiu’s face with her eyes alone. He had no idea why she would dislike him that strongly before she even knew who he was.

"Madam Yue is a widow from Yiling. She has been kind enough to take Wei Ying in and teach him the basics of cultivation. I’ve been impressed by her talents in the four arts so I invited her as a new teacher for A-Cheng and A-Li."

"I was going to hire a new teacher for them. It’s my responsibility as their mother."

"I don’t doubt your competence. Madam Yue is willing and competent, her good character without doubt. And this way Wei Ying wouldn’t have to be separated with his family."

"All for her son, I see! Of course, you’d go out of your way to accommodate him!"

"Madam Yu, you…" started Jiang Fengmian. He looked like a sad dog. The whole exchange seemed uncomfortably familiar.

"We’ll talk of it later," huffed the woman and left.

"Don’t pay her any mind. She’s all words," said Jiang Fengmian. "I’ll arrange for you to meet the children. Lin Min, can you take our guests to the green sitting room?"

"Is Madam Yu going to give us trouble?" asked Meng Yao quietly once they were seated.

"Don’t worry about it. I’ll deal with her if needed. Just remember that if she tries to punish you, you should call for me."

"Should we keep our eyes down and do what we are told?" asked Wei Ying.

Shen Jiu scoffed. Not on his watch.

"No, you’re not just the guest disciples of the Jiang clan. You’re my disciples. I won’t have you treated like servants."

Chapter Text

When Jiang Fengmian finally came into the sitting room, he was followed by his children. Shen Jiu made a move to stand up but the Sect Leader gestured for him to remain seated.

Jiang Yanli, a tall and graceful young lady, held herself with poise and propriety that could compare to Meng Yao’s. Her clothes were expensive but lacking any adornments other than the clarity bell attached to her belt and pink silk flowers pinned to her hair. Shen Jiu tried to recall anything about her that wasn’t connected to her death and failed.

In contrast, her brother looked rumpled and had a small grass stain on his knee. His father must’ve snatched him while the boy was playing outside. If Wei Ying dared to meet guests, dressed like that, Shen Jiu would make him kneel till midnight. It was surprising that Jiang Fengmian didn’t make his heir change before their meeting. Did he care so little that he didn’t even notice? The Young Master Jiang tried to maintain the look of polite indifference, but his bright eyes were inevitably drawn to Wei Ying and Meng Yao.

"Madam Shen, we are grateful to you for agreeing to take the burden of educating my son and daughter," said Jiang Fengmian.

He made the boy come forward by pushing him gently. The child fumbled for a second but then bowed politely.

"This is my son Jiang Cheng. He’s nine years old and has learned the basics of reading and calligraphy."

Shen Jiu would’ve liked a more detailed description of the boy’s skills. He dreaded having to assess the child’s capabilities himself. It was a tedious task which often ended with a student’s tears.

Next, Jiang Fengmian gestured to his daughter to come forward. The girl obeyed before he even finished the gesture.

"This is my daughter, Jiang Yanli. She’s twelve and has received the proper education for her age. We hope that with your help both of them will further excel in their education."

Unfortunately, Shen Jiu had no idea what was considered proper education for a twelve-year-old daughter of a sect leader in this world. If it were similar to the education the young mistresses in his world got, he’d have a lot of gaps to fill.

Shen Jiu would have to ask for more details when the formalities were over. For now he was forced to accept tea from both of his new students.

"A-Li, A-Cheng, this is Yue Yao and Wei Ying. Tomorrow they’ll be formally accepted as our guest disciples. As you’re close in age, I hope you’ll help them settle in," said Jiang Fengmian once the formal part was over.

"Do you want to see my dogs after?" asked Jiang Cheng eagerly, looking at Wei Ying.

"D-dogs?" Wei Ying flinched, moving closer to Meng Yao.

"Unfortunately, A-Ying is scared of dogs, so it would be better to avoid them for now," said Meng Yao diplomatically.

"Perhaps it’s better to send the dogs away," started Jiang Fengmian.

"Send them away? You can’t send them away!"

"This is ridiculous," huffed Shen Jiu. "If he were afraid of the dark, would you assign a servant with a torch to him? He’ll learn how to tolerate the animals."

"But Shizun…" started Wei Ying.

If Shen Jiu had to tolerate being around men every day, the boy could damned well learn how to walk past a dog without making a scene.

"I’m not making you play with them but you’ll have to tolerate being in the same room with a dog. What are you going to do when you are grown? Are you going to make a fool of yourself every time you see a stray?"

"Yao-ge will make the dogs leave! He promised me," said the child stubbornly.

"Did he now?"

Shen Jiu would have to talk to Meng Yao about coddling the brat. He had to understand that such an attitude didn’t help in the long run.

"A-Ying, I won’t always be with you, you know it," said Meng Yao quickly, having noticed Shen Jiu’s displeasure. "Why don’t we try taking a look at those dogs from afar?"

"A-Cheng’s dogs are very well behaved," said Jiang Yanli soothingly. "And they are still rather small. You’d be quite safe watching them from afar."

"Okay, but I won’t come close," conceded Wei Ying.

"A-Cheng, A-Li, could you show Wei Ying and Yue Yao around the Lotus Pier?" asked Jiang Fengmian. "They’ll be taking dinner with us today."

"If you’re so scared of my dogs, I could show you the pond I guess," said Jiang Cheng. "There are baby frogs in there."

"Really? Please, show me," said Wei Ying excitedly.

As the children filed out of the room, Shen Jiu noticed Meng Yao and Jiang Yanli exchange amused smiles. They seemed to enjoy their role of babysitters.

"Would you like me to show you the classroom or would you rather go straight to your lodgings?" asked Jiang Fengmian.

"The classroom first, and I would also love to see the library if you don’t mind," said Shen Jiu quickly.

"Of course."

The classroom was situated in a separate pavilion on the river bank. It was quiet and spacious. Shen Jiu ran his hand over the rosewood teachers’ desk, enjoying the smooth feeling of the lacquered surface. It looked brand new.

He studied the objects lying on the table: an ink-stone carved with lotuses, calligraphy brushes, sharp as needles, with their handles made of aged bamboo, and ivory paper with an almost silky sheen. The Jiangs spared no expense.

There were three tables for the students and Shen Jiu slowed down in front of them, thinking of logistics.

"I’ll order the servants to bring one more table," said Jiang Fengmian.

So, he expected Shen Jiu to teach not only his children but Wei Ying and Meng Yao as well. It was good to know. Shen Jiu didn’t dare suggest something like that, in case it could be taken as an insult, but it suited his purposes well.

"It would also be nice to have a weiqi board or better yet two of them," suggested Shen Jiu.

"Everything you need."

His generosity, combined with that face… that was a dangerous combination.

After that Shen Jiu was taken to the library, which was a bit disappointing. Of course, he would be happy to see any library after spending three years without access to one, but he couldn’t help but notice that it fell short in comparison to the library of Qing Jing Peak. A two-story building not far from the classroom, it appeared grander than it was on the inside. Even at first glance he could tell that the shelves were sparsely filled.

Unfortunately, they didn’t linger in the library, though Jiang Fengmian did introduce Shen Jiu to the librarian and extended his invitation to take any books at any time. Perhaps the quality would overshadow the quantity, though Shen Jiu doubted that it would be the case here.

Their last stop was the Quiet Lotus Pavilion, which would be the place where Shen Jiu and his two brats would be staying. It was a quiet place with its own courtyard and a lotus pond. The furniture was tasteful and functional and the layout was rather convenient. There was a separate room for the children, so they would remain close without getting on his nerves. The small courtyard with a lotus pond was a perfect place for early morning meditation and late evening walks.

"My mother lived here for a few years. After she passed away, the Quiet Lotus Pavilion went to her sister, who was the one who taught A-Li and A-Cheng before you," said Jiang Fengmian.

"What happened to her?"

"It was a misunderstanding."

Shen Jiu frowned at the lack of details. He’d have to interrogate the children. He doubted that Jiang Fengmian had it in him to dismiss his own aunt, so it had to be Yu Ziyuan’s initiative.

After that Jiang Fengmian left, saying that he’d send a servant to fetch Shen Jiu before dinner, which they were apparently going to take all together. Shen Jiu wasn’t looking forward to this disaster.

Finally alone, Shen Jiu decided to ask the question that was bothering him since the confrontation in the courtyard: "System, how many Lore Points do I need to find out why Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan look like Yue Qingyuan and me?"

[5000 Lore Points required.]

"And how many do I already have?"

[386]

"Fuck eighteen generations of your ancestors¹!" barked Shen Jiu out loud.

[This System does not possess ancestors in your meaning of the word]

"Damn you! Curse you!"

Cursing didn’t help, so he threw around silk decorative pillows then stomped outside to glare into the lotus pond. As he stared at the water seething with rage, he considered possible strategies to gain more "Lore Points".

The System had told him that to gain Lore Points he needed to take part in deep emotional conversations. He remembered gaining one hundred points while sharing his emotions with the ghost, so the other 286 points he must have gained in conversations with Meng Yao and Sun Peizhi. He needed to have more such conversations and likely share more of his inner feelings, but the mere thought of it made him shudder.

Then a servant came to fetch him for dinner.

The dining room was big, but clearly wasn’t the one meant for guests. Jiang Fengmian must’ve invited them to a family dinner to make them feel more at home. Having to see the female version of his former face twisted in an ugly scowl didn’t make Shen Jiu happy even a little bit.

At least the children seemed happy. Meng Yao and Jiang Yanli were talking quietly among themselves, hiding their giggles behind their sleeves. Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng and Wei Ying were talking so animatedly that Wei Ying had almost knocked a cup off the table.

Shen Jiu wanted to reprimand the brat and remind Meng Yao that he was supposed to watch his shidi, but was forced to express his gratitude to the hosts instead. As Jiang Fengmian thanked him for honoring their dinner with his presence, Yu Ziyuan kept looking as if she had sucked a lemon.

"Tell me, Shen Shi, what did my husband promise you? He likes to be generous, but I’m the one who decided what your work is worth," asked Yu Ziyuan when they started eating.

He didn’t like talking to people during mealtimes. He especially didn’t like talking to rude, confrontational people during mealtimes. Still, he answered, because he couldn’t afford to be rude to the wretched woman: "While this Shen Shi would surely be grateful to receive money for her services, the reason why I agreed to come here is education. My son and my ward require a teacher to learn the way of the sword and this Shen Shi could only help them establish their Foundations."

"Your son… and who’s his father?"

"Yue Qingyuan, he was a cultivator. He helped me learn what I know, but sadly he died too early."

"To lose your husband while you’re still so young, what a pity." There was no pity in Yu Ziyuan’s voice as she said this. "Are you looking to get married again?"

"Never. My red string of fate² is already torn and my heart is broken. I can never care for another, so I’d rather spend my life on teaching."

Never before had a lie tasted so true in his mouth.

"I sure hope you do better than our previous teacher. She had a loose tongue."

"San-niang, I don’t think…" interjected Jiang Fengmian.

"Don’t you think our new teacher needs to know? The woman taught our daughter that she should avoid behaving like her mother if she wants a good marriage! What do you think of this advice Shen Shi?"

"I think that commenting on the relationship between one’s employers is highly inappropriate."

Maintaining an impression of gentle attentiveness was beginning to take a toll. He had no idea how genuine he looked, because it took all his effort to stop himself from sneering.

"You’re a clever one, aren’t you?"

"That’s why I was chosen as your children’s teacher, I suppose," said Shen Jiu barely keeping himself in line.

"I suppose you wouldn’t mind if I came to oversee your lessons from time to time?"

"You’d honour me with such attention," said Shen Jiu with deference that disgusted him.

When they were finally able to go to the Quiet Lotus Pavilion, Shen Jiu could finally relax his face. When left to his own devices, his face settled into a frown. It was the expression that felt the most natural for him.

"Does Madam Yu hate you, Shizun?" asked Wei Ying. It was telling that not only did he notice the dislike, but he was so concerned that he asked about it instead of running around the house. Yu Ziyuan really was not a subtle person.

"You can’t ask about things like that directly, A-Ying," chided Meng Yao softly.

"But it’s Shizun," said the boy as if it explained everything.

Perhaps it was an opportunity to experiment.

"Madam Yu feels threatened by my presence because I’m a new woman in her house with direct access to her children. She also feels offended that her husband didn’t consult her about hiring me. I’m sure it will pass once she sees I’m not a threat. But for now, it’s better for you to avoid her if possible."

The children stared at him. Was it so surprising to hear? Though Shen Jiu could admit that he wasn’t usually that thorough in explaining and he was likely not as direct.

"Would you like some tea, Mother?" asked Meng Yao cautiously.

Shen Jiu nodded in agreement. While Meng Yao busied himself looking for supplies and making tea and Wei Ying busied himself getting in Meng Yao’s way, Shen Jiu addressed the System: "How many Lore points do I have now?"

[391]

He clenched his teeth. That was a pathetic amount! Gaining 5000 would take forever at this rate.

He drank his tea and watched the children explore the house quietly. It was a good blend for nighttime, gentle and soothing, and it would not get in the way of sleep. He felt his muscles relax and some of the day’s irritation left him. Before going to sleep, Shen Jiu went on a short walk alone. When he returned, he fell asleep immediately, even though he could hear the children talking in their own room.

When Shen Jiu woke up, there was fog outside. He was in such good spirits that he didn’t even chide the boys for staying up too late last night. Shen Jiu ordered the still half-asleep children to do their physical drills and rushed to the library, which was luckily open. Finally, he could take his time exploring it.

It had been agreed that he would have a day to prepare for the lessons. It would be prudent of him to make a plan, but instead he settled with a cultivation manual.

He studied the text cross-referencing it with his own knowledge. The stages, the pathways, the dantian… it was all the same. He breathed out in relief. The discovery made some old worry uncoil in his chest. To this day he wasn’t entirely certain that he wasn’t giving the children and himself a faulty Foundation.

While the core principles were the same, the Jiangs had their own approach to everything, which was usual among cultivation sects. Their fighting forms were more fluid than Qing Jing Peak’s. If Shen Jiu could compare his fighting style to a force of nature, it would be the cold mountain wind: precise, cutting but graceful in its own way. Meanwhile the Jiang style had more in common with water, in particular with the quick-running water of a river. It was quick, fluid and adaptable, perfectly in tune with Wei Wuxian’s character.

The Jiangs also paid less attention to meditation and moderation, focusing on physical conditioning. He noted an interesting form of meditation which required floating on a piece of ice in a river stream. The Jiang ancestors were an inventive bunch.

"For some reason I expected to find you here," said Jiang Fengmian, startling Shen Jiu out of his thoughts.

"Sect Leader Jiang!"

He jumped out of his seat, bowing politely, but the Sect Leader lifted him out of his bow.

"You can call me Jiang Fengmian," offered the Sect Leader.

"Sect Leader Jiang, I’m not sure that such familiarity would be appropriate," said Shen Jiu. He had no idea what the man was thinking. Of course he could show respect to his children’s teacher, but not like that and not with his wife on the warpath!

"If you think so, I won’t insist. Madam Shen, I have something for you."

He took a purple bundle of silk out of his Qiankun pouch³ and handed it to Shen Jiu.

"These are the disciple robes for Wei Ying and Yue Yao as well as a robe in Jiang colors for you. Yesterday I didn’t have enough time to prepare an appropriate gift for our new teachers, so allow me to correct this mistake today," said Jiang Fengmian earnestly. His eyes had a familiar dog-like shine to them. Just like Yue Qingyuan when he intruded on him with some useless trinket he called a gift. Was Jiang Fengmian also trying to buy his forgiveness? Was it his way to apologize for his wife’s harshness?

Shen Jiu bit his lip and lowered his eyes to look at the robes in his hand. He separated the one meant for him: it was a paler shade of purple and embroidered with lotuses on the hem. He could not refuse a gift from a sect leader. And it was appropriate to give something to a new teacher.

"This Shen Shi is grateful for Sect Leader Jiang’s generosity," he said, but he didn’t bow. He didn’t want the man to lift him again.

He expected the Sect Leader to leave him alone after that, but the damned man didn’t leave. The librarian was watching their exchange with fascination. Shen Jiu could’ve sworn that the old woman was only pretending to tidy the shelf, so she could remain closer to them, and eavesdrop more conveniently.

"I see you’ve taken interest in our cultivation techniques?" asked Jiang Fengmian, looking down on the cultivation manual.

"This Shen Shi’s cultivation has been lacking proper guidance for some time, so I take any opportunity to improve it."

"If you have any questions, feel free to ask me," said Jiang Fengmian.

Then, the man still did not leave! He stayed asking inane questions about the quality of Shen Jiu’s sleep and his meal preferences. Each question was a test of Shen Jiu’s composure. Familiar questions asked in the same manner with the familiar face… he dreamed of removing Jiang Fengmian’s tongue from his mouth just to make him stop.

After three more questions which he answered in such a curt manner that it was almost rude, Shen Jiu couldn’t take any more. He put the manual on the bundle of robes and looked down: "Sect Leader Jiang, your concern is appreciated, but I must beg my leave now. I should attend to the children. This place is still new for them, so I am worried."

The next time he saw the Sect Leader was late in the afternoon. It was time for Meng Yao and Wei Ying to officially become guest disciples and Shen Jiu had spent hours fussing over their appearance, making sure that their new purple robes were pristine.

The ceremony itself was not as formal as could be expected. Small tables and cushions were brought to the courtyard, next to an old oak tree which protected them from the rays of the setting sun. The disciples were an unruly bunch, lacking propriety and making too much noise for the occasion. Shen Jiu dreaded the influence those children would inevitably have on Wei Ying.

"Today you’ll become a part of Yunmeng Jiang clan. Our motto is: "Attempt the impossible.” That means that we never give up on a challenge."

Unless the challenge is your own wife, thought Shen Jiu with some amusement. The Sect Leader had clearly given up on this particular challenge long ago.

After speaking some more about the clan’s nature, Jiang Fengmian poured the children tea. Shen Jiu scoffed at the gesture.

"Yue Yao, do you promise to always attempt the impossible, to do the right thing even if the whole world is against you?"

"Yes," said the boy. His cute little face looked so sincere! Shen Jiu wanted to laugh. He didn’t trust the boy to fulfill the promise.

As Wei Ying promised the same thing, Shen Jiu’s thoughts became less amused. This motto, this world view… that was the downfall of Wei Wuxian. For some reason Shen Jiu loathed the thought of this bright-eyed child becoming Yiling Patriarch.

¹ One of the most severe and profound insults in Chinese culture. For the persona of "the humble widow Shen Shi" to scream this would instantly destroy the image of a refined teacher. ^{return to text ↩}

² A popular East Asian folk belief, particularly within Japanese and Chinese mythology. This red string is tied around the pinky fingers of those fated for one another. It can be tangled but it can’t be torn. Here Shen Jiu diverts the legend a bit to make a stronger metaphor. ^{return to text ↩}

³ A small bag infused with spatial magic, allowing it to hold far more than its external size would suggest. ^{return to text ↩}

Chapter Text

"Your calligraphy is a reflection of your personality," said Mother, studying the poems they had copied with narrowed eyes. "Cultivating good penmanship is the direct road to cultivating good character."

It was far from the first time that she had taught Meng Yao something, but he couldn’t help marveling at how natural she looked in the classroom.

"Jiang Yanli," Mother addressed her sharply. "Your hand is like a steady river, moving smoothly along the paper. You conceal your strokes’ endings¹, a sign of restraint. I would say you show too much restraint. Allow your script to show its spirit more. Your verticals never waver, showing that you do have a backbone hidden somewhere. I would like to see more of it."

After saying that, Mother turned her eyes to Meng Yao. He tensed, ready for her judgment.

"Yue Yao." He wasn’t used to hearing this name from her. There was a flicker of wistfulness in her eyes as she said it. "I have guided your hand for years. The consistency of your characters is unnatural in its perfection - a testament to your diligence. You, too, conceal the endings overly much, stifling your spirit. Your finishing strokes are the only demonstration of your true strength… always sharp, like a blade."

Mother didn’t finish, shifting her gaze to Jiang Cheng and leaving Meng Yao to ponder the meaning of her last observation.

"Jiang Cheng," Mother said, moving the papers on her table and studying the writing once more. "The composition is perfectly balanced. You understand the meaning of duty well. But you choke your brush². A hand with a whip that falters before making a strike." She paused to look Young Master Jiang in the eye.

"The passion you are trying to stifle? It’s not a flaw. If you use it correctly, it can be your strength."

Young Master Jiang lowered his eyes, his cheeks pink, but nodded resolutely.

"Wei Ying," Mother sighed, as she often did when faced with Wei Ying’s calligraphy. Meng Yao did his best to teach his brother, but it was a losing game.

"Your strokes flee from one another like startled donkeys. Your brush runs quicker than your mind. And look how this character overpowers all its neighbors! Your writing lacks balance. You and Jiang Cheng are the same age, but his calligraphy shows a diligent young man. Yours clearly belongs to a child, daydreaming of chasing frogs instead of controlling his brush!"

"Sorry, Shizun," said Wei Ying, making a sad face. "I’ll practice more."

He definitely would not practice more unless Meng Yao or his mother forced him to. Wei Ying always had a million more interesting things occupying his mind than studying.

When the lesson was over, Meng Yao, Wei Ying, and Jiang Cheng rushed to the courtyard where the head disciple, Jiang Jingheng, was waiting for them with a group of disciples. Meng Yao already remembered most of their faces. By the end of the week he’d make sure to learn all of their names.

"All of you are here now?" asked Jiang Jingheng absentmindedly. "Run ten laps around the courtyard."

The stocky disciple with an unexpectedly high voice groaned. "You promised that we’d get to learn how to fight with swords soon! We ran in the morning already!"

"Shut up, Jiang Quan! Don’t think that because you’re my first cousin I’m not going to send you to kneel at the ancestral hall!"

They began to run. Meng Yao didn’t mind the exercise, but he noticed a certain lack of imagination in their training. Jiang Jingheng did not treat them like his students. He treated them like children he was asked to babysit.

When Meng Yao had three laps left, he noticed that his fellow disciples were gathering. As he joined them, he was surprised to see the Sect Leader himself.

He didn’t expect the man to take part in the training of young disciples. It didn’t seem like something someone that important should waste his time on. Then again, the Sect Leader’s heir was here as well. Perhaps he wanted to make sure Jiang Cheng received the education he was due.

"Wei Ying, Yue Yao, how are you settling in?" asked the Sect Leader, startling Meng Yao. He didn’t expect to be addressed so soon.

"Shizun said my handwriting looks like a herd of donkeys today!" said Wei Ying proudly. That was not something to be proud of in Meng Yao’s opinion.

"We’re settling in well. Thank you for your hospitality, Sect Leader," said Meng Yao quickly, to stop Wei Ying from sharing some other embarrassing fact.

"Uncle Jiang, Jingheng-ge doesn’t want to teach us how to use a sword!" tattled Jiang Quan.

"Don’t pay him any mind, Sect Leader. I’ll teach them only when they prove that they have enough discipline for it."

The Sect Leader laughed. "There’s no harm in showing them some basic forms. Go take a break, Jiang Jingheng. I’ll teach them in your stead."

Jiang Jingheng did not argue. He bowed shallowly and rushed away, likely happy to be rid of them. The Sect Leader ordered a servant to bring them training swords. Then he demonstrated the correct grip, waiting patiently for everybody to get it.

"If you want the sword to obey you, treat it like a part of your own body. It should be an extension of your will," said the Sect Leader.

"A-Cheng, come forward to demonstrate," called the Sect Leader. "Your mother mentioned that she taught you some basic forms."

Jiang Cheng stepped out of the line, clearly nervous. Meng Yao quickly noted his bad posture. If it were Wei Ying, he’d make a note to correct him later.

"Now demonstrate ‘Flower Petal in the Quick River’," said the Sect Leader.

Jiang Cheng did several quick steps before making a lunge with his sword. Meng Yao committed the movements to his memory. It wasn’t like anything his mother had taught him.

"Now all of you repeat the move until I tell you to stop. I’ll correct as necessary."

Meng Yao adjusted his grip on the sword so it wasn’t too firm or too loose, just as Sect Leader Jiang had taught them. Then he repeated the move. He remembered the sequence perfectly, but he could tell that his flow was off. It took him significantly more time to perform than it did Jiang Cheng. Meng Yao kept trying until he was pleased with himself, not noticing anything else around him.

"Excellent, Yue Yao!" said the Sect Leader, putting his big warm palm on Meng Yao’s shoulder. "If I didn’t know better, I would have thought you had learned this move before."

Meng Yao froze. Such direct praise was unfamiliar to him. From his mother, "Passable" or "Acceptable", together with a slight curl of her mouth, was the highest praise one could hope for. It was hard to contain his smile after being praised by the Sect Leader himself.

The Sect Leader moved on to correct Wei Ying, who, as expected, had already forgotten what he had observed. His memory was awful, but once he finally got something, he would do it perfectly. Meng Yao often found himself outperformed by his little brother once he caught up. It just made him try thrice as hard.

He watched the Sect Leader laugh and ruffle Wei Ying’s hair, still in a daze. It seemed that both of them were in the Sect Leader’s favor. Meng Yao looked at the disciples around him, gauging their reaction. When his gaze fell on Jiang Cheng, Meng Yao felt a pang of fear. The boy’s face was thunderous, his grip on the sword too tight.

Jealousy was a dangerous emotion, especially coming from someone in a high position. It would also get in the way of Meng Yao’s plans. Since the first day, he’d figured that he could become friends with Jiang Yanli, while Wei Ying quite naturally got close to her brother. It was the best way to secure their position here, but the plan would fail miserably if Jiang Cheng actively disliked them.

The training was followed by the communal lunch, a loud and chaotic affair. Jiang Cheng pointedly took a seat far from them, confusing ever-so-oblivious Wei Ying. No matter how hard he tried to explain, his brother was useless when it came to reading the room. And this time, he didn’t even have time to explain. The moment they sat down, they were bombarded with questions from eager disciples.

"Do you come from a minor sect?" asked Gao Xiaoli, the freckled boy who had introduced himself the day before.

"No. My mother was our teacher, so any aptitude we show is her achievement," said Meng Yao, lowering his eyes.

"Your mother is the new teacher for Young Mistress and Young Master, right? She’s so elegant and refined. It’s like she came from a painting!" gushed Jiang Liao. She had been one of the first people who approached them after they had been accepted as guest disciples.

"You’re lucky to get such a beautiful teacher, Jiang Cheng," said the older disciple, whose name Meng Yao had yet to find out. He gave him a long look to remember his face, just to be careful.

"I don’t need a teacher like her!" huffed Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng had looked pleased enough during their calligraphy lesson. If he disliked Meng Shi it was a new development.

"What’s that supposed to mean?" asked Wei Ying, uncharacteristically serious.

"I’m sure Young Master Jiang misspoke," said Meng Yao quickly. If Wei Ying got into a fight with the sect’s heir, that would be a catastrophe.

Jiang Cheng stood up quickly, shaking the table and making his neighbors yelp in surprise: "You should just go home! Everything was better before you came here!" He stomped away, his bowl still full.

"Young Mistress Jiang is in a bad mood today," snickered Jiang Liao. Meng Yao gasped at her audacity.

"Yeah, don’t pay him any mind. He’s just like that sometimes," said Gao Xiaoli.

Meng Yao ate his food while contemplating all the ways to solve this situation. When their free time came, he rushed to the kitchens.

"My younger brother has a stomach ache from overeating. Could I possibly make a remedy for him here?" he asked one of the cooks, making sure to smile sweetly. The women cooed at him.

After he got permission, Meng Yao took his time toasting the rice. He was quiet and unobtrusive, and soon the staff forgot about him and started to exchange gossip. He overheard "…new teacher’s son…" and "…the Mistress is furious…". Then there was the single word "bastards", and Meng Yao froze.

Could they be thinking that he and Wei Ying were Jiang Fengmian’s bastards? He’d say this was a ridiculous theory, but it made a lot of things make sense. Jiang Fengmian’s overblown kindness and generosity, his lingering looks at Meng Yao’s mother, full of strange longing… And when Mother looked at the Sect Leader, there was always hurt in her eyes. Was there some old history Meng Yao simply wasn’t aware of? Mother had refused to reveal the name of his real father after all.

Meng Yao’s thoughts were interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Jiang Yanli. The kitchens were not the place where he’d expect to see the daughter of a sect leader. Could it be that she came here in search of fresh rumors, just like Meng Yao? Perhaps she was more cunning than she seemed.

"Young Mistress Jiang," he said, bowing to her politely. She bowed back just as deeply.

"Please, now that you’re officially a disciple, you can call me Shijie³," said the girl. "Do you need help with anything, Yue-shidi? If you’re cooking something, I could help. It is a passion of mine!"

Meng Yao wondered whether it was strange for a girl of her status and age to try to connect to him so desperately. He wondered, with a pang of sympathy, whether Jiang Yanli was lonely.

"I’m almost done, so there’s no need. It’s a remedy for A-Ying’s stomach, simple toasted rice tea⁴."

"Oh, I haven’t heard about a remedy like that. How is it prepared?"

Meng Yao described the recipe to Jiang Yanli, who seemed genuinely interested. He relished the opportunity to talk to her for multiple reasons: one, she was the daughter of the sect leader, so it was sensible to get on her good side, two, she could have some insight into Jiang Cheng’s strange behavior, and three, Meng Yao genuinely liked her as a person.

"I hope this remedy will help Wei-shidi⁵," said Jiang Yanli.

"Thank you! It usually does."

Meng Yao took a moment to summon some courage to ask, "Excuse me, Shijie, if I’m being imprudent, but are you perhaps here to make something for Young Master Jiang?"

"Yes! How did you know?"

"He stormed off without finishing his lunch, so he must be quite hungry by now."

"A-Cheng is in a bad mood today, so I wanted to make lotus root rib soup for him. It’s his favorite, you see."

"Young Master Jiang is very fortunate to have such a devoted elder sister."

Jiang Yanli smiled at him. "And Wei-shidi is very fortunate to have such an attentive elder brother."

"Perhaps after I deliver the remedy, I could assist you with cooking. I have a lot of experience cutting vegetables."

If she asked, he’d lie that he helped his mother cook. He didn’t need the shadow of his shameful past clinging to him.

"Your help and company are always welcome!" said Jiang Yanli, clearly pleased with his offer.

It didn’t take long to find Wei Ying. The boy was sulking by the frog pond.

"Yao-ge, why is Jiang Cheng angry with me? I asked him whether he wanted to play with frogs, and he just ignored me. I thought I got turned invisible for a moment, but Gao-shixiong could see me."

"I’m trying to fix it. Wait a bit. And drink this." He handed Wei Ying the cup.

"What’s this?"

"A special potion that will make you turn into a frog."

"Really?!"

"No, but it tastes good."

Wei Ying shrugged and drank the tea in one gulp.

"I think it would be better with the red sauce we had at lunch!"

"Is that so? I’ll make sure to add it next time," lied Meng Yao, and left his brother to poke at tadpoles.

Jiang Yanli smiled when he returned. They spent around an hour cooking together and exchanging stories about their brothers. When the soup was ready, Meng Yao offered to walk Jiang Yanli to her brother’s room. Once they were outside and relatively alone, he told her in a very concerned tone about Jiang Cheng refusing to spend time with Wei Ying.

Jiang Yanli frowned. "I was afraid that could happen. My mother said some unpleasant things yesterday. She repeated those awful rumors, and I think Jiang Cheng took them for the truth."

"It’s truly unfortunate. I’m afraid I can guess what kind of rumors they were..."

"I’ll speak to Jiang Cheng about it. He’s a sensitive child, but he cools off quickly."

"Perhaps the four of us could go for a short walk after dinner? I think if they have to spend time together, they will quickly forget to be mad at each other."

Not that Wei Ying was truly mad. That boy could forgive almost everything.

"That would be lovely! Let’s meet near the little lotus pond next to the oak tree."

Meng Yao assured her that they would be there. When he returned to the Quiet Lotus Pavilion, his mother was reading, surrounded by papers.

"Where have you been? Wasting time with that brat Wei Ying again?" she asked coldly, not lifting her eyes from the book.

"No, Mother. I was in the kitchen, cooking with Jiang Yanli."

"Why would you waste your time on that? Now, I need you to bring me some paper from the classroom."

"Of course, Mother. But before I do that, I wanted to discuss some concerning things with you…" started Meng Yao nervously. He didn’t want to anger his mother by saying the wrong thing.

"What is it? Be quick about it."

"There is a rumor that you and Jiang Fengmian had a dalliance in the past, and that Wei Ying and I are his bastard children."

He studied her face, waiting for a clue, but his mother looked more confused than anything else.

"This is ridiculous! Why are you even listening to this garbage?"

Was she saying that Jiang Fengmian wasn’t his father? Meng Yao was too intimidated to ask directly. She’d surely bite his head off no matter whether it was true or not!

"It will influence the way we’re treated here. I was thinking that perhaps you should keep your distance from the Sect Leader."

"I wasn’t going to spend time with him anyway! I don’t need his pity!" huffed his mother.

"Pity?"

"He always looks at me as if I’m some barefoot orphan begging for spare change. It’s infuriating!"

"Are you sure about that, Mother?" asked Meng Yao. As he grew older, he was beginning to think that perhaps his mother wasn’t the best at reading people.

"Of course, I’m sure! Now go and bring me my paper. I’ve waited long enough!"

When Meng Yao brought Wei Ying to the oak tree, the Jiang siblings were already waiting for them. Jiang Cheng had his arms crossed and his lips pursed.

"You’re late!" he said as soon as he saw them.

"A-Cheng, they are not late," said Jiang Yanli, her tone indicating that they had already had this conversation. "We just came early."

"Because Mother is angry at Father. And it’s all their fault!"

"A-Cheng!"

"Did we do something?" asked Wei Ying, confused. Meng Yao faltered. He didn’t expect the situation to blow up like this.

"You shouldn’t have come here at all! Now everybody says that your mother is a loose woman and you’re my father by-blows. And he clearly likes you two better than me! Maybe one of you can become his new heir."

Meng Yao clenched his fists. This again, why did he always have to hear people disparage his mother this way? She did nothing to deserve it.

"What are you even saying?! I might not remember my father well, but his name was Wei Changze! I’ve never seen your father before he came to Auntie Sun’s house!"

"My mother met your father less than a month ago," added Meng Yao. "And my father’s name was Yue Qingyuan. Take a look at A-Ying and me. Do we share any features with your father?"

"Listen to them A-Cheng. Those rumors don’t make any sense."

"Then why does my father like you better than me?" asked Jiang Cheng, his eyes teary. Meng Yao suddenly felt bad for the child. It really wasn’t fair.

"I don’t know! But if he doesn’t like you, it just means he’s stupid!"

"A-Ying!" hissed Meng Yao. "You can’t say things like that!"

"You should always tell people when they are being stupid. That’s how they become better!" said Wei Ying with a grin. Meng Yao had a feeling that perhaps his mother was a bad influence.

"Please don’t insult the Sect Leader to his face," begged Meng Yao.

There was a strange sound like a sob coming from Jiang Cheng, but when Meng Yao looked at him, he was surprised to see the boy laughing.

"You’re so weird! There’s no way that we can be related," he said, shaking his head.

"I’ll take it as a compliment," said Wei Ying brightly. Jiang Yanli laughed.

After that they set off on the walk. Wei Ying was talking their ears off, but Jiang Cheng didn’t seem angry anymore.

"Your brother is a treasure," said Jiang Yanli softly when the younger boys got ahead of them. "A-Cheng is lucky to have a friend like this."

"Thank you," said Meng Yao. He wasn’t so sure that Wei Ying needed a friend like Jiang Cheng, but for now the benefits outweighed the disadvantages.

"Look there’s a fish!" called Wei Ying, running towards the river. "I think it’s a golden carp!"

"What would a golden carp be doing here?" scoffed Jiang Cheng, but moved closer.

"I don’t know. But look, it’s closer now!"

"I don’t see it."

"Come closer! It’s right here!"

Meng Yao should have seen this coming, but he didn’t, so he watched his little brother splash the son of a sect leader with dirty river water in mute horror.

"What would you do that for?!" shouted Jiang Cheng.

"Wei Ying! Come here right now!" shouted Meng Yao at the same time.

"That’s for disrespecting Shizun after she has been so nice to you!" said Wei Ying victoriously. Perhaps Meng Yao was a bad influence as well.

He was quickly approaching the boys and would have been close enough to drag Wei Ying away in a few moments, but before he could, Jiang Cheng shoved Wei Ying straight into the river.

"A-Cheng! Why would you do that?" chided Jiang Yanli.

"He started it!"

Then Jiang Cheng let out a yelp because Wei Ying dragged him into the river by his robes. There was a big splash that made the bottom of Meng Yao’s robes wet.

"Get out of there, you two!" called Meng Yao crossly. Wei Ying giggled and splashed water at him.

"It is too cold for swimming. You’ll get ill if you don’t come out soon," chided Jiang Yanli, and got splashed by her younger brother for all her trouble.

"That’s it," hissed Meng Yao, and jumped into the water. He was already wet, and he had a younger brother to drown. The children laughed and swam away in different directions. There was a lot of splashing around until Meng Yao took hold of Wei Ying and dunked him under the water vindictively. It was too bad that the little brat enjoyed it.

"Jie-Jie!" squeaked Jiang Cheng. Meng Yao looked with wide eyes at the sect leader’s daughter, who had abandoned all dignity and was now chasing her brother in the water. Meng Yao was so distracted by what he had seen that Wei Ying managed to twist out of his hold. By the time all four of them were out of the water, their lips were blue.

"Mother is going to kill us," concluded Meng Yao, looking at Wei Ying, who was shaking and dripping water everywhere.

"Our mother is going to kill us more," said Jiang Cheng.

"Shizun is going to kill us twice," said Wei Ying solemnly.

"Perhaps if we are quiet about it, nobody will notice?" said Jiang Yanli. She didn’t seem sure about it.

"We can try," sighed Meng Yao. He didn’t think there was a way to hide it from his mother.

Luck was definitely not on their side, because as they walked back along a route that, according to Jiang Yanli, was less populous, they stumbled into the Sect Leader himself. They stared at each other silently for a moment. Then Jiang Fengmian laughed.

"Did you have a nice swim?" he asked.

"Very refreshing," said Wei Ying.

"Perhaps too refreshing," said the Sect Leader, clearly amused. "Let me fix it for you."

He rummaged through a pouch in his sleeve until he retrieved four small pieces of paper, which he attached to each of their foreheads in quick succession. Meng Yao felt a sudden surge of warmth. His clothes were now dry and warm. Even his hair was dry.

"Thank you, Father," said Jiang Yanli. The rest of them echoed her.

"What’s this? Will we learn how to make thingies like that?" asked Wei Ying eagerly.

"Those are moisture-gathering talismans. We usually use them to save wood from rotting, but they are good for drying clothes quickly as well."

These talismans were likely too expensive to be used for something as mundane as drying clothes.

"Now run along before your mothers come looking for you," said the Sect Leader. "A-Cheng, A-Li, I’m glad to see that you’re making friends."

The surprised look on Jiang Cheng’s face was a little sad to see. At least he had finally gotten his father’s attention.

When it was time for them to go in separate directions, Jiang Yanli smiled at them. "Thank you for today! That’s the most fun I have had in years!"

Jiang Cheng looked down. "Me too. And I’m sorry that I spoke rudely about Master Shen. She’s much better than our old teacher."

He turned away and left quickly so they wouldn’t be able to answer. That didn’t stop Wei Ying one bit. "Let’s play again tomorrow, Jiang Cheng!" he shouted, waving his hand. Even in the twilight, Meng Yao could see how red the tips of Jiang Cheng’s ears were.

¹ In the context of Chinese calligraphy, "concealed endings" refer to a brush technique where the tip of the brush is hidden or withdrawn at the beginning or end of a stroke, rather than being exposed.^{return to text ↩}

² “Choking the brush" refers to a fundamental error in calligraphy where the person grips the brush too tightly and presses it too firmly against the paper. Usually it’s a sign that the writer is too afraid of making a mistake and therefore overly controlling. This way of writing produces stiff and lifeless strokes. ^{return to text ↩}

³ Literally "Elder Martial Sister." This is a term of address used by a junior disciple toward a senior female disciple within the same sect. ^{return to text ↩}

⁴ A simple, traditional digestive remedy made by toasting raw rice until brown and then steeping it in hot water. It is known for its soothing, warming properties. ^{return to text ↩}

⁵ Literally "Younger Martial Brother." This is a term of address used by a senior disciple toward a junior male disciple within the same sect. ^{return to text ↩}

Chapter Text

An extra table appeared in his classroom overnight. Shen Jiu knew what it meant the moment he saw it, so when Yu Ziyuan walked into the classroom in the middle of the lesson he was not surprised.

Despite her insistence on overseeing the lessons, Shen Jiu hadn’t yet had to suffer through Yu Ziyuan’s attention. He suspected that Jiang Fengmian had been conveniently finding an emergency for his wife to deal with around the time of their lessons.

"Madam Yu, thank you for honoring this humble teacher’s lesson with your illustrious presence," said Shen Jiu forcing a polite smile onto his face. He didn’t know how long he could keep up the illusion of propriety.

"I need to see with my own eyes what your teachings are worth," said the woman as she strode to her table. "After all you came to us with no recommendations."

Jiang Cheng squirmed in his seat, likely uncomfortable with the idea of his mother witnessing his unavoidable mistakes. Jiang Yanli was the picture of propriety, but Shen Jiu could see the tension in her posture.

"I’ve just about finished explaining the rules of weiqi and the philosophy behind it. Now I’ll give a demonstration of a famous game for you."

"Weiqi? Are you teaching them or entertaining them?" asked Yu Ziyuan, her voice filled with disdain.

"This game is a great way to teach strategy, foresight, and patience - the qualities any cultivator needs."

"I suppose for A-Cheng it might be useful, but what about A-Li? She’s going to marry the Jin Sect Heir! She doesn’t need to waste her time on games if there are pursuits more deserving of her attention."

"Excuse me, Madam Yu, if my understanding is lacking, but running the household requires both strategy and foresight, does it not?"

"A pretty argument," said Yu Ziyuan. "If it is as vital as you say, then prove to me that you know the subject."

"Should I proceed with my demonstration then?"

"No. Play with me!" ordered Yu Ziyuan.

There was no conceivable way to avoid this, so he prepared the board for the game. There was no good outcome for him: winning would shame and enrage Yu Ziyuan, while losing could make her doubt his competence. As he and Yu Ziyuan sat down in front of each other, ready to spill metaphorical blood, the students gathered around them. It would be a good lesson at least.

From her moves Shen Jiu could tell that Yu Ziyuan certainly knew the rules well and likely played quite often, though he suspected that she didn’t enjoy the game. There was some impatience to her moves that betrayed her desire to get it over with as quickly as possible. Shen Jiu also didn’t like to beat around the bush, preferring his victories to be quick and decisive, but he could play the long game if it was required to win.

It didn’t take long for Yu Ziyuan to fall into his trap, though she did fight fiercely until the very end, even past the moment when it was clear that she would lose. As she stared at the board with her face flushed, Shen Jiu felt something close to pity. He would hate being in her place. That pity didn’t stop his next words.

"This game is a great demonstration that aggression without a plan can easily lead to defeat," he said.

Yu Ziyuan stood up so quickly that her clothes rustled.

"You…" she hissed, her face twisted.

"Madam Yu, I must thank you for your assistance with this demonstration. It’s much better with two players to observe."

Yu Ziyuan glared at him and turned around sharply, leaving the room without saying anything.

"I’m sure that Madam Yu has some urgent sect business to attend to. Now that you’ve seen the demonstration I want you to play against each other. Jiang Yanli, you’ll play against Yue Yao. Jiang Cheng, you’ll play against Wei Ying.

He walked around the classroom observing the children as they made their first clumsy strategies. To his surprise Jiang Yanli was perfectly matched with Meng Yao, each of their games a battle of attrition. Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng beat Wei Ying with no difficulty for most of the lesson, until the brat finally figured out the game and managed to snatch the last two victories for himself.

After the lesson was concluded, Shen Jiu began putting away the boards. His fingers lingered on the one he used to defeat Yu Ziyuan. He won but gained nothing but a minuscule satisfaction. If the mistress of the house wanted him gone, she would do anything in her power to drive him away. He tried to imagine the situation from her point of view, but couldn’t imagine any satisfactory conclusion that didn’t end with him leaving. Not when there were rumors threatening Yu Ziyuan’s position in the household and questioning her son’s future.

Despite being the central figure of rumors in both of his lifetimes, Shen Jiu had little experience stopping them. His usual strategy was to let them talk until they found something else to focus their attention on, which hardly ever worked. If he wanted to do something about the rumors, he would have to ask for help. And he didn’t have a lot of options.

He went to the library and spent a long time writing and rewriting a letter to Sun Peizhi. He needed her to understand the situation enough to give him advice, but subtle enough so that if somebody stole the letter they wouldn’t understand the contents for what they were. He chose to mask it as a discussion of a book.

He had just finished describing "Xiao Ping’s" struggle in the new household when the children came back.

"Wei Ying, scram. I need to speak with A-Yao about something."

"Can I take some rice from the kitchen to feed the fish?" asked Wei Ying, not shaken at all by the sharp tone.

"Yes, but be quick about it."

"Those rumors you told me about… In your opinion, what could I do to mitigate them?" He felt ridiculous asking a child about something like that. But Meng Yao was precocious when it came to understanding social politics.

"Let me think," said Meng Yao. "I think most rumors exist because of the Sect Leader’s behavior. He ignores Jiang Cheng a lot… I don’t understand why. And because of that people say that he brought us so he could choose another heir. When he’s so nice to us and so distant with his son and wife, that’s a reasonable conclusion for people to make."

"Do you think talking with Jiang Fengmian about it could help?" asked Shen Jiu, testing the idea in his head. He had no idea what problem the man had with his own son and he didn’t want to dig into the issue, but it seemed that he had no other choice.

"You can tell him to show us less attention. He could listen to you if you explain," said Meng Yao. Shen Jiu frowned. He didn’t like the attention from the Sect Leader, but there could be benefits to blatant favoritism. He wasn’t sure he wanted to give it away.

"I’ll think about it. Now go check on Wei Ying before he drowns the carp pond in rice."

The rest of the day was quiet and pleasant. Shen Jiu finished another cultivation manual. After dinner, the soft duet of qins filled the Quiet Lotus Pavilion with music. Wei Ying for once was sitting quietly as he listened to the soothing melody.

"I want to learn how to play too," the brat resolved after they were done.

"The qin is too refined for the likes of you. You’d do much better with something like a flute. You have the lungs for it," said Shen Jiu flatly.

Meng Yao laughed, and Wei Ying pouted. He would actually have to provide the brat with a flute some time in the future. Perhaps music would teach him at least some diligence.

After the children went to bed, Shen Jiu put on a set of dark practical robes and tied his hair into a ponytail with a black ribbon. He hadn’t practiced since they came to the Lotus Pier.

He took a plain sword out of the storage room and started to go through the old Qing Jing sword forms until his back got wet with sweat.

"I have never seen this sword form before," said Jiang Fengmian, startling Shen Jiu enough to put the tip of the sword to the Sect Leader’s neck.

"Don’t startle a person with a weapon at hand," huffed Shen Jiu, lowering the blade. He shouldn’t have spoken to a sect leader in this tone, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. It was too late for pleasantries.

Now that he could get a better look at the Sect Leader, he noticed a wet stain on the front of his robes. He wondered what the man was doing in the middle of the night to end up with him at the training yard in ruined clothes.

"Always a good thing to remember. Did you learn how to use the sword from your husband?"

"Yes. Though he always refused to fight me directly," said Shen Jiu. Yue Qingyuan probably thought that Shen Jiu wasn’t enough of a challenge for him.

"Would you like a sparring partner?" asked Jiang Fengmian suddenly.

Remaining alone with the Sect Leader wasn’t the best strategy even if there wasn’t anyone to witness it, so Shen Jiu shook his head.

"I’m not much of a challenge right now. I haven’t sparred with anyone since I became a mother," said Shen Jiu honestly.

"Your form is unusual, so I think it will be interesting either way," said Jiang Fengmian. There was something strained about his smile. Shen Jiu recognized that expression. It was the one Yue Qingyuan wore after they had a particularly explosive fight, or more precisely when Shen Jiu had shouted especially hurtful things at him. He felt something move in his chest.

"Alright. Let’s spar. Just don’t complain if you win too quickly," warned Shen Jiu.

Jiang Fengmian insisted on fetching a plain sword for himself instead of using his proper sword. He said that it wouldn’t be fair. What an annoying man!

As they stood in front of each other, Shen Jiu was the first to attack. His slice was quickly parried, as was the next, and the one after that… With every clang of metal Shen Jiu felt more at ease, remembering the long-forgotten rhythm of a fight.

Jiang Fengmian was obviously going easy on him. At first, Shen Jiu ignored it, but the more comfortable with the sword he got, the more patronizing the fight felt. Having had enough, he used one of the dirtiest moves in his arsenal, the one he didn’t use even on Liu Qingge. He pretended to trip and cried out in pain, making the Sect Leader rush to his rescue. With a quick move, Shen Jiu disarmed him.

"Don’t treat me like a disciple! If you want to spar, then spar!"

"But you are…"

"If I’m weak, it’s my problem. Fight me for real or leave!"

"Alright, let’s try again," said Jiang Fengmian. He looked tired.

They started again and this time Shen Jiu had a lot more trouble keeping up. He was disarmed embarrassingly quickly. Then they tried again, and again, and again… Their sixth match was the one that lasted the longest. Shen Jiu even managed to push Jiang Fengmian back. They got so into the fight that when Shen Jiu lost his sword he continued fighting, weaponless, and Jiang Fengmian didn’t stop him. Shen Jiu tried to disarm the Sect Leader using the move he hadn’t used in decades, but instead of the sword he got an elbow to the nose and fell on his behind.

"I’m so sorry!" gasped Jiang Fengmian.

Shen Jiu shrugged, covering his nose with his sleeve to stop the blood. At least it didn’t feel broken.

"What are you so angry about anyway?" he asked as he stood up and started to brush his clothes off. He wasn’t in the mood for politeness, and he doubted Jiang Fengmian would hold it against him.

"Excuse me?"

"Don’t pretend. People don’t spar like that unless they are angry with something… or with somebody."

"Perhaps my workload was more than usual lately and that…"

"Bullshit," said Shen Jiu. "Did you have a fight with your wife? I could smell the tea on your robes as we fought."

"That’s not… I mean perhaps it…"

"Would you speak plainly? There’s no one here but the two of us, and I do not care about propriety."

"Would you like to accompany me during the negotiations with the Yao clan?" asked Jiang Fengmian.

Where did that come from!?

"What."

"I meant in the capacity of the teacher!" added Jiang Fengmian quickly. "I have thought I could take A-Li and A-Cheng… and your two boys can be part of the entourage too! We did that with their previous teacher a few times. Though you could also act as an advisor if I gave you a proper title…"

"Why would you want me at the negotiating table in the first place?" asked Shen Jiu suspiciously. He did have experience with negotiation, but Jiang Fengmian couldn’t know that. Asking a complete stranger to advise him was plain insanity.

"Alright, I’ll be frank… Sect Leader Yao has been pushing me to take his daughter as a concubine for years. Your presence might restrain him from being too forceful in his approach, and if you could speak to the girl and dissuade her..."

As if somebody asked the poor girl for her opinion. Shen Jiu knew how those things worked.

"And you can’t take your wife because…?"

"Because she told me that she won’t come no matter how many times I ask," said Jiang Fengmian, defeated. Something moved inside Shen Jiu’s chest once again and he bit his lip. Getting involved here would be unwise, not with the rumors as they were.

"Isn’t Madam Yu afraid that you’ll agree to the offer?"

"Well, she said that I might just as well take a concubine if I’m so determined to shame her…"

"And your solution is to bring me? Don’t you think that this will make the situation even worse? What will your wife say?" asked Shen Jiu incredulously.

"I admit that I’m also wary of leaving you alone with her for two weeks. I’m not sure what she could do if I’m not here to stop her. But you’re right. It was an unreasonable request. I’ll just find another way to protect you in my absence. I know what the people have been saying about us, and I’m sorry that you had to face something like this in my household..."

Coming along really would piss off Yu Ziyuan even more, so it was wiser to stay. It didn’t matter that Jiang Fengmian looked like a dog begging for scraps, Shen Jiu was never the type to feed strays.

[Attention User! This side quest could bring you up to 500 Lore Points if you accept it!]

That many!? He grit his teeth. The last thing he wanted was to go against his own judgment because of something that the System had said. However, he did need the Lore Points to get the answers, and at this rate he’d get the required 5000 in twenty years or so.

"I suppose I could come with you," said Shen Jiu, looking at the pathetic man in front of him. "But if your wife gets mad about it, you will be the one dealing with her."

"Thank you," said the Sect Leader, still pathetic. How did someone that pitiful become a sect leader in the first place? Oh right, nepotism. It made Shen Jiu miss Cang Qiong. Yue Qingyuan at least could deal with the marriage offers on his own.

Meng Yao looked disappointed with him when he got the news about the upcoming field trip, but he didn’t say anything. No matter the consequences it had to be worth it. Jiang Fengmian had already proven himself a great source of Lore Points. For reasons unclear, their nightly conversation had gained Shen Jiu 20 points.

As expected, Yu Ziyuan wasn’t happy to hear about Jiang Fengmian’s brilliant idea to substitute her with another woman even if she refused to come herself. The servants started to avoid Shen Jiu, afraid that serving him would incur their Mistress’ rage. It was for the better. Shen Jiu didn’t like strangers in his quarters in any case.

It was decided that they would go to the Yao Sect by horseback, taking two carriages for the children and Shen Jiu. Jiang Fengmian wanted to check the safety of the territories that would be on their way.

Shen Jiu immediately said that Jiang Yanli and Meng Yao would go with him, leaving Jiang Fengmian with the brats. The man tried to escape it, saying that he should go on horseback with the older disciples, but Shen Jiu insisted that Jiang Cheng and Wei Ying couldn’t be left on their own.

Just like Shen Jiu expected, Meng Yao and Jiang Yanli were perfect companions. Quiet and polite, they did not disturb his reading in any way and when he was in the mood for it offered an engaging conversation about poetry. Jiang Fengmian didn’t appear as lucky, because when they finally stopped at an inn for the night, he was unusually tense. Wei Ying could have this effect on people. The brat unfortunately didn’t have the mute option like the System.

The next day Jiang Fengmian rode on horseback, insisting that all four children should go together, allowing Shen Jiu to have some space. He couldn’t argue with that, spending the time in meditation. He was so focused on that he almost missed the moment the carriage stopped.

They were in the middle of a large town. Three servants dressed in brown gathered around Jiang Fengmian, who had dismounted and was now listening to them attentively.

"There’s a small change of plans," announced Jiang Fengmian once Shen Jiu approached him. "Master Xiong’s young son disappeared yesterday, and they are in need of cultivators’ help."

"How do we know that this is something we can help with?" asked Shen Jiu sharply. He had to deal with multiple cases where the nobles summoned cultivators because of some mundane issue, wasting their time.

"I’m not sure. I would like to speak to Master Xiong himself before making the judgement," said Jiang Fengmian.

Shen Jiu didn’t argue, though the matter seemed trivial to him. The child could have run away or been killed by some scheming relative. Children disappeared all the time.

They left the disciples to question the servants, while Jiang Fengmian and Shen Jiu took the children to see the landlord himself. Master Xiong was an old man with a spectacularly long moustache. His having a young son had certain implications that made Shen Jiu despise him on sight. The man stood up as soon as he saw the cultivators enter the room.

"Oh, thank you, thank you for coming! Now that you’re here, I have hope that my boy will return home!"

"Can you tell us what happened?" asked Jiang Fengmian.

"Yesterday, when the servant came to wake my son, he wasn’t in his bed. We searched the whole estate, then the whole town, but nobody saw a sign of him."

"Could he go somewhere on his own?" asked Shen Jiu.

The man seemed startled to be addressed by a woman, but he recovered quickly.

"He is only six, and though he is mischievous, I hardly think he could go past all the guards with no one taking notice. At first, I thought he could have been kidnapped for ransom, but then the peasants started to whisper about the spirit."

"The spirit?" asked Jiang Fengmian.

"The child-stealing one. They say that the children had been disappearing for years! That’s the first time I’ve heard of that, of course."

Shen Jiu did not believe him. It was very much like the rich to ignore something terrible happening around them while it affected only the low-born. If the peasants came for help, they were likely called superstitious fools, but once the landlord’s son had disappeared, it immediately became worthy of cultivators’ attention.

They asked to be led to Xiong Ping’s room, so they could begin the investigation. The boy’s room was fitting for his station, but otherwise unremarkable, with no signs of foul play or supernatural interference. Despite that, Shen Jiu still ordered the children to investigate while he stepped back. Jiang Fengmian stood close by.

"Perhaps I should send you and the children ahead," said Jiang Fengmian once the children were busy.

"Why would you do that?"

"If the spirit targets children…"

"We don’t know anything about this spirit yet. There might not be one in the first place! There is no use being hasty."

"I suppose you are right, but…"

"Let’s collect more evidence before making any conclusions."

"Shizun, I found an acorn!" announced Wei Ying.

"You can keep it," said Shen Jiu blandly.

Jiang Fengmian laughed. "You are good with him."

"I am not," huffed Shen Jiu, and walked off. He wanted to speak to the children. Meng Yao and Jiang Yanli were studying the window carefully, while Jiang Cheng looked at Wei Ying making a mess of Xiong Hong’s bedding.

"People often hide things under their mattress. Like food!" explained Wei Ying brightly. Shen Jiu had scolded him on multiple occasions for putting easily crushed food under his mattress. He understood the urge, but there were more reasonable ways to go about it.

"Did you find anything other than an acorn?" asked Shen Jiu. The children shook their heads.

"He couldn’t have left through the window. It’s sealed and neither the paper, nor the wooden lattice have been damaged," reported Meng Yao.

"There also was no sign of struggle before Wei Ying started to move things around," said Jiang Cheng judgmentally. Shen Jiu gave the boy an approving nod.

"What do you think we should do next?" asked Jiang Fengmian, joining them.

"If the peasants’ children have been disappearing as well, we should speak to them," said Jiang Yanli.

"That’s right, A-Li. I’ve already asked the disciples to find the witnesses and bring them here. Let’s ask Master Xiong to arrange a room for the interview."

The old man was, of course, eager to provide anything they needed for the sake of the investigation. Shen Jiu had inferred that the boy was his only heir, and considering his age it wasn’t likely he could get a new one easily.

Jiang Fengmian asked the children to lead the interrogation, and they did ask all the necessary questions, but the peasants were simply not helpful. More than half of them clearly came to gawk at the cultivators, not knowing anything of use. Others claimed to be the victims, but couldn’t provide much detail. They said that their child or young sibling disappeared, but couldn’t tell when exactly and reported nothing unusual other than the disappearance itself.

"What did the interrogation tell you?" asked Jiang Fengmian.

"Jackshit," thought Shen Jiu.

"The children have been disappearing in this town for more than ten years," said Meng Yao. "The first reported case is Fu Gen’s younger sister, who disappeared twelve years ago. In total there have been twenty-six victims, including the latest one, Xiong Ping. This is also the first case when somebody of high birth has been targeted. The longest break between disappearances has been three years, the shortest two months, so there doesn’t appear to be a pattern here. There were also several cases of two or three disappearances from the same family."

"Brilliant report, Yue Yao," praised Jiang Fengmian. He appeared honestly impressed by the answer. Shen Jiu wondered how impressed he’d be if Meng Yao named all the victims, because he could certainly do that. But now was no time for parlor tricks.

"Now tell me what we should do next," ordered Shen Jiu.

"We should learn about local folk tales. I’ve tried to ask the witnesses about them, but they don’t appear knowledgeable. I think we need to talk to the older folk," said Jiang Yanli.

Jiang Fengmian smiled at his daughter encouragingly. "Perhaps I should start taking you with me on the night hunts, A-Li. You have a good head for it."

Shen Jiu doubted that Yu Ziyuan would accept it. She seemed to have given up on her daughter as a cultivator, molding her into the future Sect Leader’s wife.

When they left the estate and met with the disciples, everybody gathered around Jiang Fengmian.

"While I arrange the rooms for us in the inn, you should ask around the town about anything of note connected to the disappearances. Madam Shen, Jiang Jingheng, can you please look after the children while I am away?"

"That is my job, is it not?" said Shen Jiu. Jiang Jingheng simply nodded, his face bland. Shen Jiu would rather not have him tagging along.

Then the children went around the market chaotically, asking the people who seemed knowledgeable to them, while Shen Jiu and Jiang Jingheng followed them like shadows. What they got was mostly confused reactions and strange looks. With Jiang Yanli and Meng Yao in charge of questioning there was little to correct, so Shen Jiu didn’t have much to do. He checked on Wei Ying from time to time, making sure the brat didn’t get distracted by some bright market stall, but even Wei Ying behaved.

"Mother, do you have any advice for us?" asked Meng Yao, the edges of his smile desperately tense.

"Are you giving up so soon?" asked Shen Jiu. He himself felt annoyed by the lack of information, but this was a good teaching moment.

He didn’t have time to finish it, because he heard a dog bark. Knowing what would follow, Shen Jiu turned to Wei Ying to stop him, but the brat was already running, provoking the damn mutt to chase him. Shen Jiu grabbed Meng Yao by the shoulder, not allowing him to follow Wei Ying. The last thing they needed was to get separated in the crowd.

"A-Ying, wait! It’s going to chase you if you run!" shouted Meng Yao. It didn’t help.

Shen Jiu saw a purple back in the direction where Wei Ying had run, and turned to look at the Jiang children. There was only Jiang Yanli.

"A-Cheng!" called Jiang Yanli suddenly. "He was just there! Where did he go?"

"He must have gone after A-Ying," said Meng Yao. "Young Master Jiang did promise to protect him from the dogs when he introduced A-Ying to Princess, Jasmine, and Love."

"That’s the last thing we needed right now… Let’s find them before Uncle Jiang comes back," said Jiang Jingheng. Shen Jiu glared at him. If Jiang Jingheng paid attention, he would have stopped Jiang Cheng from following Wei Ying and making their job more difficult.

They went through the market in the direction the two boys had run, but there was no sign of them at all. They tried to ask around, but the directions they received only made them go in circles fruitlessly.

"Once we find him, Wei Ying is dead," concluded Shen Jiu. "He won’t be scared of dogs anymore when I’m done with him."

"Master Shen, could the spirit have taken them?" asked Jiang Yanli worriedly.

"That’s not likely, but we should find them quickly either way. People can be much more dangerous than the spirits."

As they went along the street, they passed the inn and encountered Jiang Fengmian, who immediately noticed the missing children.

"Where are A-Cheng and A-Ying?" he asked. Shen Jiu wondered when Wei Ying became A-Ying to Jiang Fengmian.

Once he was told the story, Jiang Fengmian called back all the disciples and ordered them to search the whole town. There was no polite smile on his face when he gave the order.

"I shouldn’t have allowed them to take part in the investigation," said Jiang Fengmian. "They are too young."

"Nothing has happened yet. Wei Ying is just making trouble where there is none to be found like he always does," said Shen Jiu.

They should have come back already. They knew where the inn was. A lot of bad things could happen to the children who didn’t learn not to trust adults. Shen Jiu didn’t want to think of possibilities. He bit the inside of his cheek.

"I won’t be able to forgive myself if something happens to them," said Jiang Fengmian. His fretting was clearly upsetting Jiang Yanli, who, having forgotten propriety in her distress, took hold of her father’s robe as if afraid that he would get lost as well.

They walked around the market once again in case the boys had returned then went along a couple side streets. The longer they walked around, the more tense Jiang Fengmian got. They returned to their carriages, but there wasn’t anyone there either. They were about to leave when a disciple came with the dirty-faced brats.

"I found them on the rooftop," the young man announced.

"A-Cheng!" shouted Jiang Yanli, rushing to her brother. Meng Yao looked at Shen Jiu and didn’t move, despite clearly wanting to fret over the brat.

"What were you thinking, Jiang Cheng?" asked Jiang Fengmian, his voice uncharacteristically harsh. "We are investigating the disappearances of children around your age, and you decide to go on your own? What if something happened to you?"

"I was just trying to…"

"It doesn’t matter what you were trying to do! You should have stayed with the group no matter what was happening."

Jiang Cheng looked to be close to tears.

"It wasn’t Jiang Cheng’s fault! He was trying to save me from that evil dog. I was the one who ran away, so don’t be angry with Jiang Cheng," said Wei Ying quickly. He had dirt on his face to say nothing of his clothes. Shen Jiu was going to make him wash them without Meng Yao’s help.

Jiang Fengmian took a deep breath. "Let’s go to the inn. It’s getting late. We will leave tomorrow. Jiang Jingheng will stay behind with a couple of older disciples and finish the investigation."

In Shen Jiu’s opinion Jiang Jingheng was useless and would solve nothing. Despite that, he didn’t argue, eager to leave. Looking for Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng was simply too nerve-wracking. Shen Jiu walked towards Wei Ying and started rubbing his face clean with a handkerchief. "Were you running away or rolling around in the dirt like a pig?"

"That nasty dog chased me onto the roof," said Wei Ying pitifully. "Jiang Cheng made it leave, but I couldn’t get down, so he had to climb up so he could show me the way. But when he saw how high it was he couldn’t go down either!"

"When we return to Lotus Pier, you are going to do your best to make friends with Jiang Cheng’s dogs, you hear me?"

The supper was a subdued affair. Jiang Fengmian still seemed unusually tense and Jiang Cheng had hardly said anything the whole evening, even as Wei Ying tried to engage with him. As they settled for the night, Shen Jiu was asked to share the room with Jiang Yanli, while Jiang Fengmian stayed with the three boys.

In the morning, Shen Jiu was woken by a frantic knock on his door. When he finally opened it, he saw a frazzled Jiang Fengmian.

"Is A-Li in her bed?" he asked urgently.

"Of course she is. What’s the matter with you?"

Chapter Text

"How could he be missing? He was with you the whole night! Are you telling me you somehow slept through the abduction of your son?" asked Shen Jiu. "And where are A-Yao and Wei Ying?

If Jiang Fengmian left them on their own, Shen Jiu was going to kill him.

"They are… Jiang Jingheng is with them."

It was marginally better than leaving them on their own.

"Father? What are you doing here?" asked Jiang Yanli from behind him. Shen Jiu left Jiang Fengmian to explain and marched to the boys’ room, despite the fact that his hair was messily braided for the night, and he only had two robes on, one of which was the night robe. If somebody thought ill of him for that, let them choke on their own poison.

As Shen Jiu entered the room, Meng Yao immediately threw himself at him like a small child who had woken up from a nightmare. Wei Ying paused for a moment before copying the gesture and hugging Shen Jiu from the other side. He froze. They were definitely too old to behave this way, but it was soothing to have them close by. He allowed the ridiculousness to continue for a few more moments, before pushing the boys away by their foreheads.

"Keep yourselves together! You are future cultivators, control yourselves."

"Madam Yue, you…" started Jiang Jingheng. His face was red and he didn’t dare raise his eyes. It was irritating.

"You can guard the door from the outside," decided Shen Jiu, and glared at the head disciple until he left.

"Did you two hear or see anything of note?"

"I think I was the last person to talk to Jiang Cheng," whispered Meng Yao.

"Explain."

"I couldn’t fall asleep and I noticed that Jiang Cheng wasn’t sleeping either. I felt bad for the way his father scolded him, so I came to his bed and thanked him for being a good friend to A-Ying. He said that he was just keeping his promise, but he seemed to relax a bit, so I returned to my own bed. I hadn’t heard anything from his side of the room before I fell asleep."

"Did you tell Jiang Fengmian about it?"

Meng Yao shook his head. "I wasn’t sure I should. And he left quickly."

He was likely afraid that he would be blamed somehow. The rich and powerful liked to assign blame. Shen Jiu didn’t think that Jiang Fengmian was like that but…

"Don’t tell him. It’s not that important."

After that Shen Jiu told Jiang Jingheng to return to the boys’ room and ordered him to keep his eyes on the children no matter what happened.

When he returned to the room he was sharing with Jiang Yanli, he found the father and daughter hugging and the girl’s tiny back shaking with sobs. Jiang Fengmian had a pained look on his face, which made Shen Jiu scoff.

"Are we going to look for Jiang Cheng or are you going to cry the whole morning?"
This was definitely not something he should have said to his student. He couldn’t care less. Jiang Cheng wasn’t bad for a spoiled little lordling, so Shen Jiu would prefer to keep him alive if possible. And that required haste.

Jiang Yanli let go of her father. "What can we even do? We couldn’t find anything of note yesterday…" The girl’s face was wet and her eyes were red, but at least now she attempted to think instead of succumbing to despair.

"You are not going to do anything," said Jiang Fengmian. "I’ll send you two and the boys to Lotus Pier and find Jiang Cheng myself."

"And what am I supposed to tell Madam Yu? What do you imagine will happen when she finds out? I’m staying here. You need all the help you can get anyway."

"I also want to stay! I can’t go away while Jiang Cheng is missing!" said Jiang Yanli. Shen Jiu had never heard her raise her voice before.

"Alright, but, A-Li, promise me that you will stay with an adult cultivator at all times."

"I promise," she said.

"Now go away so we can dress properly. I know a place where we can find new information," said Shen Jiu. Jiang Fengmian gave him a questioning look but did as he was told.

After they were all dressed, Shen Jiu took Jiang Fengmian, the children and the still blushing Jiang Jingheng to a place where they could find some useful information. Their faces when they realised what the place was were highly amusing.

"Is this the place you spoke of?" asked Jiang Fengmian, looking at the brothel with his eyes wide.

"I noticed it when we were searching the town yesterday. It’s the best place to gather information."

"I thought it is a place where men go to have…" Wei Ying didn’t finish the sentence because Meng Yao covered his mouth with his hand.

"We can’t bring the children to a brothel!" said Jiang Jingheng. Shen Jiu raised his eyebrows. That was the first time in his memory that the man had shown any care for the upbringing of the disciples of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect.

"How else should they learn to gather information?" asked Shen Jiu, and knocked on the door. A guard opened it, looking momentarily surprised to see a woman.

"We’re closed till noon," he said.

"Please tell the Madam to arrange a meeting with the oldest workers of your establishment. We’re going to pay generously for their time."

The guard left, and Shen Jiu turned to the children, "The older prostitutes know more and earn less, so paying them extra is a sure way to gain their cooperation."

"Why do they earn less?" asked Wei Ying, clearly confused. Jiang Jingheng began to cough.

"I’ll explain it to you later, A-Ying," said Meng Yao calmly.

The door opened and Shen Jiu wasn’t surprised to see the Madam herself. The guard likely informed her that there were cultivators at the door and she heard the inviting jingle of money.

The woman bowed, making the bells in her hair ring. She was young for her position, not older than forty, but she was clearly astute.

"This Fang Li is honored to welcome such esteemed guests. Please, follow me."

"Could you arrange breakfast for us and the ladies? I don’t want to interrupt their time of rest, but we are in a hurry," said Shen Jiu.

"Of course, anything you need," said Fang Li.

They were taken to a grand room with a long table, likely used for banquets. There were already three prostitutes there who seemed to be around Fang Li’s age. They were definitely too old for their profession and the fact that they remained spoke to the kindness of the brothel keeper. Something inside Shen Jiu’s chest unclenched. This was no Hundred Flowers Tower.

The prostitutes introduced themselves. The tall one was called Song Mei, the one with a birth mark under her eyes was Yuan Miu, and the one with a fan was Dong Ai.

"What could noble cultivators want from the likes of us?" asked Song Mei sharply.

"We are looking for missing children," explained Jiang Fengmian, saying something for the first time since they had entered the building.

"And how could we help you find them?" asked Song Mei. Shen Jiu quite liked her. She had a spine.

"What can you tell us about Xiong Hong?" asked Shen Jiu.

"Old Master Xiong?" asked Song Mei, surprised. "Not much. He has never visited our establishment."

That was unexpected. Shen Jiu thought the man was a pervert, though he could prefer concubines over whores.

"Is that so?" he probed.

"He is too loyal to his wife," said Dong Ai dreamily. She had a very warm voice. "They had been married for thirty years with no children and only seven years ago did Old Master Xiong take a concubine."

"Tell us more about that concubine," said Shen Jiu. The servants started to bring in food and tea. It was mostly dessert, but it was expected at a place like this.

"She was a sickly girl from a poor family," said Yuan Miu quietly. "Our families were neighbors, though she was younger than me, so I don’t remember her well. She died soon after giving birth."

"They say that Madam Xiong had her disposed of," added Song Mei sharply.

"Interesting," said Shen Jiu, and poured himself some tea. His frozen companions followed his lead, still befuddled.

"Do you know anything about the child-stealing spirit?" asked Jiang Fengmian. "Any rumors or old legends would do."

The prostitutes exchanged looks, and Song Mei shook her head.

"We know nothing," she said.

"Truly? Any folktale about children will do," pressured Shen Jiu. He could feel that they knew something.

"It is just that this tale is rather unpalatable," said Yuan Miu.

"Don’t worry about our sensitivity. We’re the ones asking you to tell. Don’t spare us any details," said Shen Jiu.

Yuan Miu looked him in the eye and nodded. "I can tell that you won’t be surprised to hear some of that, but I would rather not disturb the children."

"They are future cultivators. They shouldn’t be easily disturbed," huffed Shen Jiu.

"There is an old legend. It says that if you are in possession of a child you don’t need, you can give it to the spirit of the forest and it will take care of it. Basically, it’s the way parents soothed their guilty conscience after leaving their child to die of exposure," said Song Mei.

"Why would anyone abandon their own child?" asked Jiang Yanli. Her eyes were wide open.

"The lives of the poor are harsh, Young Mistress," said Dong Ai kindly. "Sometimes there’s not enough food to eat and a child is one more mouth to feed. Sometimes a girl can’t keep a child because it will ruin her."

"Sometimes it’s better that the child does not exist at all," said Yuan Miu. Shen Jiu could feel there was a story there.

"Do you know anybody who tried to give their child to the spirit of the forest?" asked Shen Jiu.

"There was a girl here. She got with child despite taking measures, so she drank some herbs to get rid of it. The child survived, but when it was born, it was malformed," said Song Mei. "Leaving it there was a mercy."

She looked Shen Jiu in the eye, challenging him silently. He gave her a short nod.

"Did that girl see anything in the forest?" asked Jiang Fengmian. "Anything unusual."

"A shadow," said Song Mei. "When she turned around, the child was gone."

There wasn’t much to tell after that. They thanked the workers for their stories, and Shen Jiu finished his tea. He noticed that the Jiangs had barely eaten anything, clearly disturbed. He supposed it wasn’t every day that they faced such ugly parts of human existence.

"How much do I need to pay them?" whispered Jiang Fengmian when they were about to leave.

Shen Jiu held out his hand, expecting a money purse to be handed to him. Jiang Fengmian gave it up obediently. Shen Jiu paid generously before returning the purse to its owner.

"Did that woman really leave her child to die?" asked Jiang Yanli quietly. "How could she do that?"

"She was being kind," said Shen Jiu. "Keeping the child in a place like this with no freedom and no prospects in life other than never-ending servitude… that would be selfish."

He glanced at Meng Yao, who hadn’t looked up even once the whole time they were at the brothel. It probably brought too many memories.

"You seem strangely familiar with such places and such people," said Jiang Jingheng.

"Think before you speak, Jiang Jingheng!" barked Jiang Fengmian before Shen Jiu could react. His voice was so loud that Shen Jiu flinched. He didn’t remember the Sect Leader raising his voice like that before.

"My apologies, Madam Yue," said Jiang Jingheng quickly, his eyes downcast.

Jiang Fengmian ordered Jiang Jingheng to assemble the disciples. When they arrived, two of them said that they had something of interest to report.

"When we gathered to search the town, Yu Bo was absent, and I volunteered to look for him," said the burly disciple.

Shen Jiu pursed his lips. Jiang Jingheng was in charge of the disciples and the fact that he didn’t notice one missing didn’t speak in his favor. Though with a Sect Leader like Jiang Fengmian, wishing for the head disciple to be competent was probably asking for too much.

"I found him sleeping by the back door," added the burly disciple.

"What’s the meaning of this, Yu Bo?" asked Jiang Jingheng.

Yu Bo, a short young man with thick eyebrows, lowered his head in deference. "This Yu Bo couldn’t sleep… so I went outside to have some air. Then this one saw Young Master Jiang going outside on his own."

"You saw A-Cheng? Where was he going? Was he truly alone?"

"It was strange. It looked like he was following something or someone, but I couldn’t see anything. I tried to stop him but then… I think I fell asleep?"

"If the spirit can put you to sleep, it would explain how you three slept through Jiang Cheng’s disappearance," said Shen Jiu.

"We need to search the forest," said Jiang Fengmian. "If it’s the same spirit, that’s where it has to be."

"Send the disciples. I want to talk to Master Xiong and his wife," said Shen Jiu.

"You can take the children…"

"They won’t take me seriously without you," said Shen Jiu.

Jiang Fengmian quite predictably agreed and issued the necessary orders. As the disciples flew to the forest, he, Shen Jiu, and the children walked the familiar road to the Xiong estate.

Madam Xiong was the same age as her husband, her hair silver and her face like a withered rose. She had the air of haughty indifference around her, while her husband was as inviting as the day before.

"Do you have a lead?" he asked eagerly.

"We are still in the middle of the investigation, so I can’t tell you the particulars. However, we wanted to ascertain some details," said Jiang Fengmian nodding to Shen Jiu to continue.

"Is it true that Young Master Xiong’s mother died soon after his birth?" asked Shen Jiu.

Old Master Xiong looked regretful. "It is true. She was sickly, and the birth wasn’t easy on her. It was a tragedy nobody could foresee."

"It’s truly unfortunate. It’s a good thing that you have another wife, so Young Master Xiong still has a mother," said Shen Jiu.

Old Master Xiong froze, his smile twitching uncomfortably. Madam Xiong looked away. It was all Shen Jiu wanted to know.

"If it’s possible, could we talk to Young Master’s nanny?" asked Jiang Fengmian. At least he could follow the script well.

"Of course!" said Old Master Xiong, happy to change the subject. "I’ll summon her immediately.

"It is for the better if we can speak to her privately. She might be more honest this way," said Jiang Fengmian.

"If I’m no longer needed, I’ll go to my quarters," said Madam Xiong, and left the room.

The nanny came quickly, her face pale. She was likely worried that she would be left without a job with the Young Master gone.

"What’s your name?" asked Shen Jiu as gently as he could.

The woman looked at him with surprise. "This one is Xiao Yan."

"Xiao Yan, can you tell us more about your Young Master? What is he like?"

"He is a very active boy, always running around and getting in trouble. But you can tell that he is a kind soul. He is the kind to cry over the baby bird that has fallen out of the nest."

"And what’s his relationship with his father?" probed Shen Jiu.

"Oh, Master Xiong adores his son! Of course, he can’t spend much time with him because he is usually busy, but he makes sure that Young Master Xiong wants for nothing."

"What about Madam Xiong? Does she spend time with her son?" asked Shen Jiu idly.

The nanny’s face became grim. "I am afraid that my Mistress doesn’t have the time for that."

"Xiao Yan, please, answer the next question honestly. Your answers won’t go out of this room, I promise. Do you think that your Mistress could hurt Young Master Xiong?" asked Shen Jiu softly, maintaining eye contact.

The nanny looked conflicted. Then she came closer to him and whispered, "She knows that the heir is needed, so she wouldn’t get rid of him. But she is cruel with her words and Young Master shed many tears because of her. I even thought that he could have run away on his own, but the guards would surely see him…"

"Thank you, Xiao Yan, you can go," said Shen Jiu, thinking hard. Of course, the servant could be wrong about her mistress, but it made sense that with the boy gone, Master Xiong could simply find another concubine to impregnate. Keeping the heir they had was in the woman’s best interests, even if she couldn’t stand the living reminder of the other woman in her house.

Back at the inn, Jiang Fengmian made sure that all the children ate well and that Shen Jiu’s cup was full of tea, but he himself hardly had a bite to eat. He looked tense and glanced towards the door every time there was some noise outside. Finally, Jiang Jingheng came back with a report.

"We didn’t see anything of note, but two disciples saw a strange shadow. They tried to follow it, but didn’t succeed."

"Summon them here," ordered Jiang Fengmian.

Shen Jiu didn’t recognise the disciples: two unremarkable young men, one more mousy and the other more scholarly. He drank his tea as they recounted seeing the shadow.

"It was strange that Yu Bo didn’t see it," said the scholarly disciple. "He was with us, but said there was nothing there."

It was strange. Shen Jiu recalled that Yu Bo also couldn’t see anything when he was following Jiang Cheng. What made some people able to see the spirit while others couldn’t?

"Bring Yu Bo here as well," said Jiang Fengmian to Jiang Jingheng.

The children, who were taken, clearly could see the spirit. So could the prostitute from the story and those two adult disciples. There had to be something they had in common.

"I have an idea," said Shen Jiu when Yu Bo came in. "It might sound strange, but I need to know about your background and childhood. And I need you to be honest."

"Do as she says. My son’s life is on the line," ordered Jiang Fengmian.

"I come from a big family," said Yu Bo. "I have three sisters, so all the hopes of my parents are put on me. I do my best not to disappoint them. My childhood was unremarkable, I suppose. I trained a lot and studied a lot, got into some trouble. The usual things."

"I am the second son," said the scholarly disciple. "My elder brother is a very strong cultivator and my parents expected me to be the same. I spent a large part of my childhood trying to earn their love fruitlessly, but now I know it was meaningless."

It was unexpected to hear such honesty even though they asked for it. Jiang Fengmian must’ve thought the same because he looked like somebody had slapped him on the face.

"I am an orphan," said the mousy disciple. "I was raised by my aunt. I earned my keep and left as soon as I could."

Peasant children from big families. A prostitute abandoning her child. Young Master Xiong loved by his busy father and hated by his step-mother. Two disciples who didn’t feel loved…

"I think I know how that spirit works," said Shen Jiu, putting his cup down. Everybody looked at him expectantly.

"It’s either a forest spirit or a local deity who was fed abandoned children for years. It must have started to seek its own food. But it only takes those who feel abandoned and unloved."

"But why would it take A-Cheng?" asked Jiang Fengmian helplessly.

"How could you ask that? After you treated him like he didn’t matter for years, what did you expect A-Cheng to feel?" At this moment Jiang Yanli sounded a lot like her mother, her voice as sharp as a whip lash.

"A-Li…" started Jiang Fengmian but he couldn’t let out anything else staring at his daughter as if it was the first time he saw her.

"You hardly ever praise him, hardly ever touch him! I would understand if you were a distant person, but you are different with the other disciples. Do you know how many tears I had to dry? How many times I had to lie? I told A-Cheng a hundred times that you love him, and I didn’t even believe my own words!"

"Of course I love A-Cheng!"

"Have you ever told him? Have you ever shown him? If A-Cheng dies, it will be your fault!"

Jiang Yanli stood up and walked out of the room.

"A-Li, where are you going!?" called for her Jiang Fengmian.

"To my room. Don’t return without A-Cheng. If something happens to him, I’ll never forgive you."

"Could you stay with her?" asked Jiang Fengmian, looking lost.

"Of course," said Shen Jiu. "Let’s go, boys."

They found Jiang Yanli in their room, hunched over and crying gracelessly. Shen Jiu froze, unsure how to calm her down. As he faltered, Meng Yao was the one who stepped forward, gently putting a hand on Jiang Yanli’s shoulder.

"At least now we know what took him," he said softly. "They will bring Jiang Cheng back to you."

"Will they? So far they have been useless."

"Then we should go save Jiang Cheng!" said Wei Ying.

Shen Jiu looked at the boy incredulously. "What are you talking about? You don’t even have a sword, and you think you can fight the unknown spirit? An attitude like this will get you killed."

Jiang Yanli froze. "No, I think he is right. What we need is bait. I can be one."

"Your father will never agree," said Shen Jiu.

"I won’t ask him."

"Are you insane?" asked Shen Jiu incredulously. "If you don’t have somebody to protect you, you will just feed yourself to the spirit."

"Maybe… Maybe you could protect me, Master Shen. You are a cultivator."

She sure was her father’s daughter.

"I am only one person. I don’t have my own sword, and you have never seen me fight. And you think I am enough to protect you?"

"Let’s speak to Sect Leader Jiang," offered Meng Yao gently. "Perhaps he will agree to Shijie’s idea. After all, the disciples had seen nothing but a shadow when they searched the forest. Most people can’t even see this spirit."

Shen Jiu didn’t like this course of action. The bait idea was a sound one, but Shen Jiu was concerned that Jiang Fengmian would decide to use another bait. Why endanger his daughter when there is a perfectly suitable orphan running around? And the stupid brat would even agree!

He was going to order them to stay put, but Meng Yao gave him a pleading look and Shen Jiu softened. It would be a pity if Jiang Cheng perished. And they would have to find another place to live because otherwise Yu Ziyuan would kill them all, starting with Jiang Fengmian.

When they went out, the scholarly disciple from before was guarding the door outside.

"The others left to search the forest again. The Sect Leader told me to look out for the spirit, so it wouldn’t target Young Mistress Jiang," he explained.

So he decided to leave one of the people who could see the spirit behind. Brilliant. His logic was that to protect Jiang Yanli the disciple would need to see the spirit, but how was the Sect Leader planning to look for it in the forest with only one pair of eyes that could reliably see it?

"Take us to the Sect Leader. Young Mistress Jiang has a suggestion for him," said Shen Jiu.

"But…"

"I’ll take all the responsibility. Just take us to him, so we don’t have to look ourselves."

The disciple took them to the forest. This immediately uncovered a problem. Jiang Fengmian and his disciples had already entered it, so to speak to him, they would have to enter the forest themselves. Shen Jiu had three children with him who could attract that spirit, so he had a suspicion that the spirit could find them before they found Jiang Fengmian.

"Do you have an emergency talisman?" asked Shen Jiu.

The disciple procured four such talismans from his sleeve and handed them out.

"Alright, let’s go. If the spirit comes out, we will just have to use the talisman and wait for help."

If the help was late Shen Jiu, could try using demonic cultivation against the spirit. He wasn’t sure about its nature, but if he could summon the ghosts of the abandoned children it could theoretically slow the spirit down enough for them to escape.

The forest was unremarkable. Just like any other forest Shen Jiu had the misfortune to walk through. He used his cultivation not to sink in the dirt. Someone might say it was a waste of qi but he would rather not dirty his shoes.

"Does the acorn I found yesterday come from this forest?" asked Wei Ying idly.

When he first found it, Shen Jiu didn’t pay it any mind, but now…

"Can you give it here for a moment?" he asked sharply.

"Oh, I gave it to Jiang Cheng so he wouldn’t be sad. He said it was a shitty gift, but he took it anyway," said Wei Ying brightly.

Damn it. Perhaps that was how the spirit connected to the boy. Through the damn acorn! Shen Jiu clenched his teeth. Somehow allowing the brat to keep some garbage he had found led to the abduction of the Sect Leader’s heir. Shen Jiu would have to make sure it didn’t reach Jiang Fengmian’s ears.

It didn’t take them long to find a disciple. The man’s eyes widened when he saw them, but he ran off to find the Sect Leader without complaint. Jiang Fengmian had a frown on his face.

"What are you doing here?" he asked curtly.

Jiang Yanli relayed her plan quickly, but Shen Jiu could see from the pained look on Jiang Fengmian’s face that he would not agree.

"A-Li, it is too dangerous for you to get involved. Please return to the inn and stay there. We can find A-Cheng without you."

"Can you though?" asked Shen Jiu sharply. "You have only one disciple with you who can see the spirit reliably. How are you going to find it?"

"So you want me to endanger my daughter to save my son? Would you do the same if it were Wei Ying and Yue Yao?"

"Of course I would!" said Shen Jiu before he could even think about it. "Because the alternative is to waste time and hope for the best, and hoping for the best never works because this world is cruel and unfair."

There was a shadow on the right. One blink and it was gone.

"Have you seen that?" he asked. The children shook their heads.

"It went that way. Let’s go," said Shen Jiu. Jiang Fengmian didn’t argue.

As they walked through the forest all together, Shen Jiu saw the shadow again. This time he got a better look. It was large, with something that looked like antlers or branches sticking out of it.

"Here it is," he said.

"You can see it?" asked Jiang Yanli. Apparently, she didn’t feel as unloved as her brother.

"I can. Can anyone else?" asked Shen Jiu, still following it. The children shook their heads. For a moment he slowed down, surprised.

He supposed Meng Yao still thought he had his mother, though Shen Jiu was a subpar substitute, for sure. But why wouldn’t Wei Ying feel abandoned? His parents died years ago and the only adult he had in his life was Shen Jiu.

"I can see it," said Jiang Fengmian tensely. Shen Jiu did not have the time to analyse that information. The shadow sped up significantly, and the Sect Leader ran after it, leaving them no choice but to follow him. They ran until they stopped at a clearing, breathing heavily after all the running.

"I’ve lost it," said Jiang Fengmian. "Have you seen where it has gone?"

Shen Jiu shook his head. Jiang Fengmian swore under his breath.

"I have an idea, but it is unorthodox," said Shen Jiu.

"Any idea is a good idea now."

"We both can see the spirit for our own reasons. I assume that if we meditate on those reasons, bringing them to the surface, it might lure the spirit to us. Then we either negotiate with it or attack it. It depends on how sentient it is."

"Alright. It’s the best plan we have right now. I’ll summon the disciples so they can form a protective circle around us. A-Li, I’ll have to send you and the boys back to the inn. Please don’t argue."

"Please just bring A-Cheng back," pleaded Jiang Yanli.

"I promise." Shen Jiu felt sick to the stomach.

The forest was silent as they settled down on the grass in front of each other. The Jiang disciples were hiding in the woods around the clearing, ready to interfere if something happened. By now the children had to be safely out of the forest, not that they seemed to interest the spirit. Shen Jiu closed his eyes.

It didn’t take much for Shen Jiu to bring up that day in his mind. The face of the man he had thought long dead, splattered with Wu Yanzi’s blood. The realisation that even Qi-ge gave up on him. That if somebody as kind as Qi-ge didn’t care then there had to be something wrong with him. Perhaps his parents could feel it too when they decided to sell him?

He focused on the hollow feeling in his chest, feeling it swallow him whole.

Suddenly, he could hear a child laugh. Shen Jiu opened his eyes and was almost blinded by the sun. There were now yellow flowers in the clearing and the sky was clean and bright blue. Jiang Cheng was chasing a small child around the clearing, making the boy squeal happily.

"A-Cheng!" shouted Jiang Fengmian. He ran to his son and dropped to his knees, hugging the boy close. Jiang Cheng looked baffled.

"Father? What are you doing here?"

"We came to save you," explained Jiang Fengmian.

"Save me? Why would you save me? It’s just a dream."

"It’s not a dream! You disappeared, A-Cheng. We have been looking for you the whole day and I didn’t know whether you were…"

"What’s your name?" While the Jiangs were having their moment, Shen Jiu decided to ascertain the identity of the other child.

"Xiong Ping," said the boy shyly. "Are you Cheng-ge’s mother?"

Shen Jiu choked on his own spit and shook his head.

"But if it’s not a dream, how do we leave?" asked Jiang Cheng, blissfully changing the topic.

"We need to speak to the one who brought us here," said Shen Jiu. "Show yourself!"

A big figure moved out of the woods. It looked like a hill, covered with moss and rock. There were branches sticking out of its back like wings. It had four limbs and something like a head, but it had no face. Still, Shen Jiu could feel its gaze.

"Let us leave," ordered Shen Jiu.

An old scratchy voice spoke in his head. It was disturbingly similar to the way the System worked. "You are safe here. You are loved here. Stay here forever."

"If we are safe here, then where are the other children?" asked Shen Jiu.

Jiang Fengmian frowned and took Jiang Cheng’s wrist in his hand. Then he grabbed the wrist of Xiong Ping.

"They are sustained by their own qi. It is like a forced state of inedia, but once the qi runs out…"

"The children die," concluded Shen Jiu. "Let us leave. We don’t want to die like your other charges."

"It is better here. No one wants you there. No-one loves you there. Stay here."

"You are wrong," said Jiang Fengmian. "You took A-Cheng because he felt unloved. It is my fault that he felt this way and I will apologise a million times if I need to. I love him. His mother loves him. And his sister loves him so much she was willing to risk her own life to bring him home."

"A-Jie," whispered Jiang Cheng weakly. There were tears in his eyes.

"Xiong Ping’s father is beside himself with worry, looking for his son," added Shen Jiu. "His step-mother made him feel unloved, but his father cares for him and so does his nanny. You need to let him go."

"The world is cruel. The world is unfair. Stay here."

It was one stubborn spirit. It also genuinely seemed to want to help them. Just like that girl.

"You must be the master of this forest," said Shen Jiu. "For years you protected it, but when the people who settled here started to bring you children to protect as well. So, you brought them here and tried to keep them safe and happy until they withered away and died."

He needed to find out the source of the spirit’s corruption or they would never leave.

"Why did you start taking the children that weren’t brought to you? Did you want to protect them? Or did you want to punish their parents? But their parents didn’t want them in the first place. They weren’t sad that they were gone."

"They are better here with us!" There was an echo in the spirit’s voice as if there were a hundred voices joining together. A hundred ghosts of the children left to die by those who were supposed to care for them. As they were connected to the spirit Shen Jiu hadn’t felt their resentment, but once he got them angry it sprang out.

"Are those ghosts?" asked Jiang Fengmian, who must have noticed the same thing.

"Any idea how to banish them?"

"Not that many and not at the same time. I don’t have enough talismans."

"What’s going on?" asked Jiang Cheng, who was now perched on his father’s arm, looking dazed.

For years the locals had abandoned their children in this forest, asking the local deity to take them in. But it doesn’t know how to keep humans alive, so the children died and their souls corrupted the deity," explained Jiang Fengmian.

"Now I am going to try something. If you banish me for it, I will tell your wife everything that happened here, you understand?" asked Shen Jiu.

"Yes?" said Jiang Fengmian.

Shen Jiu started to sing. It was the first melody he had ever heard, the one sung to him by his San-jie. He barely remembered her, but he could almost feel her hand on his head as he sang the familiar tune. The words were graceless and meaningless, something made up by a child who had never heard a proper lullaby. But it served his purpose well.

Resentment seeped from every syllable. Resentment for San-jie’s fate, for his own fate, for the fate of every unfortunate child who was there with them. He saw it curling around him like smoke and for a moment he felt relieved. He only tried this with a qin and he couldn’t be sure that singing would work.

The small flickers of resentment flew out of the spirit’s large body and joined the whirlwind around Shen Jiu. He kept singing. When the air around him was so black he could hardly see, he changed the tune. He imagined Meng Yao in the forest, when they were on the run from the brothel, and sang for him.

Sleep child, I won’t let this wretched world harm you.
Sleep child, I am here with you and I will stay.
Sleep child…

The black smoke slowed down and was soon dispersed by the wind. They were surrounded by the terrified-looking Jiang disciples. There were no flowers and the sky was gray. Jiang Fengmian still had his son in his arms, holding him tight. Xiong Ping stuck close to them. There was a hill of bones laid out in the middle of the clearing.

Things happened quickly after that. The disciples were ordered to bury the bones and give them proper burial rites. Meanwhile, Shen Jiu and Jiang Fengmian returned Xiong Ping to his tearful father. Before they left, Jiang Fengmian said something to Old Master Xiong quietly and the man’s face became as white as his moustache.

Back in the inn, Jiang Yanli hugged Jiang Cheng close to her and refused to let him go even as the night approached, so Jiang Fengmian permitted her to stay with him and the boys, ignoring propriety. It felt strange staying alone in his room after everything that had happened, so Shen Jiu came to check on the children.

When he came in, the children were already asleep, while Jiang Fengmian was sitting behind the folding screen with three open jars of wine in front of him.

"They are asleep," said Jiang Fengmian, who must’ve guessed why Shen Jiu came. "Drink with me?"

His first instinct was to refuse. Shen Jiu only allowed himself to drink when he was surrounded by trustworthy people and he hardly knew Jiang Fengmian despite his familiar face. He also couldn’t stand drunk men in general. They were simply disgusting. However, that could be the way he could get those Lore Points the System had mentioned.

"Alright," said Shen Jiu, and sat down on the opposite side of the table, accepting a cup full of wine.

"What is the reason for this?" he asked, nodding at the jars.

Jiang Fengmian sighed. "This night hunt… I am just glad it’s over."

"It was unpleasant," agreed Shen Jiu, and drunk the contents of his cup in one gulp, feeling the burn in his stomach. After everything that had happened, he had no appetite, so he barely ate anything during the supper.

"I didn’t know Jiang Cheng felt this way. Am I really that bad a father that he didn’t know I love him?"

"I wouldn’t know anything about fathers. Or mothers," said Shen Jiu. Jiang Fengmian poured him another cup but he didn’t hurry to drink yet, still wincing at the terrible aftertaste. Whatever that wine was, it tasted like cat piss. You would think a Sect Leader could buy something better for himself.

"You are a good mother. Neither A-Ying nor A-Yao could see the spirit, so they must feel loved."

"I have no idea why they would."

"Because you do that thing…" Jiang Fengmian waved his hand strangely. He was drunk already.

"What thing?"

"The parent thing. I can’t do it. Even with A-Li it’s hard, and A-Cheng…" Jiang Fengmian didn’t finish, pouring himself more wine. Shen Jiu took a small sip and winced. How did Jiang Fengmian drink the crap?

"You are perfectly fine with the younger disciples. They like you because you are all smiles and hair-ruffling."

"Because they are disciples! All I need to do is teach them cultivation and sword forms and… archery. Those are the only things I am good at, so it’s easy! But how am I supposed to teach A-Cheng to be a sect leader, when I am… I am…"

"A pushover?" suggested Shen Jiu, amused at the lack of eloquence.

"Yes! My father always called me that. Said he didn’t know how I would lead the sect, and he was right. If it wasn’t for Yu Ziyuan… She should be the Sect Leader!"

At least the man understood his faults.

"Well, you can’t just ignore your son because you don’t know how to raise him. Do you think I know how to raise children? I have no idea what I am doing, but I still do it because nobody else is going to."

Meng Shi gave him her body so he owed it to her to raise Meng Yao. And Wei Ying was better off with him than with the Jiangs, who didn’t know what to do with their own children.

"But what if I ruin him? My father was a great sect leader but he still couldn’t beat it into me how to be one."

With his face red and his glassy eyes opened wide like an owl Jiang Fengmian didn’t look like Yue Qingyuan that much.

"I don’t think you should take your father as an example of good parenting considering that you could see that spirit just like I did."

"You are right. He was terrible! You know, I used to daydream about running away from home and becoming a rogue cultivator."

"Why didn’t you?"

"I was afraid, I suppose. That I would give up my inheritance and be left with nothing. My friends are dead, my wife hates me, and my children think I don’t love them. But at least I have the money and the title and all the responsibility that comes with it."

Shen Jiu felt a pang of irritation. That man had no idea what it was like not to have anything.

"Don’t dramatise. Your children will know you love them if you show it, and your wife doesn’t hate you."

Jiang Fengmian tried to pour himself another cup, but the jar was empty so he took out another one from under the table.

"She can’t stay in the same room with me without having an argument," he said.

"What did you expect? She thinks I am your lover, or what you want me to be your lover…” Shen Jiu was beginning to feel the effect of alcohol. He didn’t like it.

"I was just trying to make you feel welcome, because you are important… and I don’t want you to leave…please, don’t leave," Jiang Fengmian began to slur his words. Drinking on an empty stomach was a sure way to get wasted quickly, and Shen Jiu hadn’t seen the man eat the whole day.

"Are you sure you don’t want me to be your lover?" asked Shen Jiu suspiciously. He didn’t think it was lust he saw, but it didn’t hurt to make sure.

"You are beautiful, but I already disappoint one woman every day. Why would I want to disappoint another one?"

He said it with such tragic seriousness that Shen Jiu couldn’t help but laugh at him.

Jiang Fengmian smiled unevenly. "When you laugh, you look even more like her."

After that he slumped down face-first on the table.

"Like who?" asked Shen Jiu, poking Jiang Fengmian with one finger. He heard a snore and shook his head. It was time to return to his own room. Shen Jiu drank the remnants of the awful wine from his cup and left.

Chapter Text

Shen Jiu ignored Jiang Fengmian’s offered hand and stepped out of the carriage onto the mud below. His cultivation kept him from sinking into the mud and kept his shoes clean, but he still had to slightly raise the hem of his robes. It was the first time he wore Jiang Fengmian’s gift, and it still felt strange to look down and see purple instead of green.

"Stop treating me like some dainty maiden, and take care of the children before they ruin their clothes," hissed Shen Jiu behind his fan. Jiang Fengmian quickly complied, catching Wei Ying by the scruff of his neck before he could land on the ground and splatter everything with mud.

The main gate of the Yao Sect’s residence must have been diligently polished before their arrival. There was simply no other explanation for the shine of the blue-lacquered archway and the golden letters on it: "Thousand Springs Hall."

Shen Jiu covered a smirk with his fan. That would be a good name for a brothel.

Two disciples were standing in front of the main gate, carefully trying to maintain the air of professionalism and failing miserably. Shen Jiu could see them crane their necks to get a better look at the Jiang entourage. The guards bowed low as soon as they saw Jiang Fengmian, opening the gates with haste.

The Hall of Thousand Springs was a third of the size of Lotus Pier, but it was to be expected of a minor sect. Despite the small size, everything seemed tasteful and well-maintained, showing that the Sect was doing well for itself.

With its picturesque location in the mountainous area full of icy cold springs one would expect the air to be fresh and clear, but instead it smelt of smoke. It must have come from the smithy that Shen Jiu noticed not far away from the main gate. Yao Sect was known for producing reliable swords, which were in high demand among other minor sects due to their relatively low cost.

A small group of disciples in dark blue robes was awaiting them in front of the main building. In its centre stood a man dressed more elaborately than the rest, which signified his elevated status. The Yao procession bowed as soon as they approached, their movements smooth and well-trained.

"Sect Leader Jiang," said the man at the center. "We have been awaiting your arrival."

Now it was the Jiang entourage’s turn to bow. "Young Master Yao," greeted Jiang Fengmian.

So this was the heir of the sect. The man seemed to be in his late twenties, so his father was likely a contemporary of the previous Sect Leader Jiang. Shen Jiu considered the possible difficulties it could cause during the negotiation. He remembered the trouble he and other Peak Lords dealt with when they had to negotiate with Sect Leaders who were much older than them and therefore considered themselves more knowledgeable. The Huan Hua Palace Master was especially annoying to work with.

"My father will formally greet you during the welcoming ceremony, but before that, you can refresh at the guest quarters. Allow our disciples to lead you there."

"That would be quite welcome," said Jiang Fengmian. "Could you arrange for my daughter to stay together with her teacher, and for my son to stay with his two friends?"

The children were still shaken after their encounter with the child-stealing spirit, so it was a wise request. There was a mirror in the quarters Shen Jiu and Jiang Yanli were assigned, and Shen Jiu made a point to check his makeup. He had to look perfect before their meeting with the sect leader, and for a woman makeup was an indispensable part of attire and a clear demonstration of status.

Sun Peizhi was shocked when her house guest took off the mourning clothes and didn’t immediately buy rouge and other products, so she offered to share her own. When Shen Jiu tried applying it, the result was so horrendous that Sun Peizhi immediately clued in on his inexperience and taught him how to do it appropriately. He found himself enjoying despite his initial reluctance.

The smell of the feast was so strong that it could be smelt well before they reached the reception hall. As they entered they were once again met with the Yao Sect heir, who took them to welcome his father, a pudgy old man with a pronounced limp. He took his time studying Shen Jiu during the greetings, putting him on edge from the start.

The seating arrangement was questionable to say the least. The Sect Leader said that "the honored teacher" should sit at one table with the Jiangs and the Yao main family, which was somewhat acceptable. However, it placed Shen Jiu in the seat that would be reserved for Yu Ziyuan had she come. Most troubling was the fact that Meng Yao and Wei Ying were also asked to join the main table, though logically they should be sitting with the other disciples. The rumors must have already reached the Yao Sect, and it didn’t speak well for their future at Lotus Pier.

Shen Jiu was so deep in thought that he almost missed Sect Leader Yao make a toast praising the Jiang Sect. The wine tasted sour on his tongue.

"I admit that when I heard that you were taking the children with you, I expected to see your honored aunt," said Sect Leader Yao.

"My aunt is getting on in years, so I could not burden her with the education of my children any longer. Luckily Madam Shen agreed to take this duty, and she is more than qualified," said Jiang Fengmian.

"It is most curious! Madam Shen, your poise and grace are undeniable, but I cannot recall a noble family named Shen."

Bastard.

"This one’s roots are humble. However, this one was blessed to receive education, which allows me to be of use to the Jiang Sect," said Shen Jiu demurely.

"My son tells me that you got in trouble on your way here," prompted Sect Leader Yao, giving Jiang Fengmian an opportunity to change the topic and talk about their night hunt. He omitted the exact particulars of the spirit’s nature and claimed to have subdued it with talismans alone, but the story was convincing. Apparently Jiang Fengmian was a decent liar when he needed to be.

The story inspired Sect Leader Yao to regale them with the story of his last night hunt, which happened ten years ago and was the reason for his limp. The arrival of the announcer interrupted the murmur of fake concern that had filled their table after the story.

"The most beautiful flowers are here tonight to provide entertainment for our honored guests!" said the announcer, ushering in a row of women dressed like dancers and another group holding musical instruments.

Shen Jiu wholeheartedly welcomed the distraction from the droning conversation until his gaze stumbled on a familiar face. He hadn’t seen Sisi since the day of the fire, and now here she was, looking right back at him. Shen Jiu used his fan to cover his face, but it was already too late.

The women began their dance, moving in tune with a gentle melody. They danced like flower petals in the gentle gusts of summer wind, but Shen Jiu didn’t have the right state of mind to appreciate the show. He needed to speak to Sisi to make sure she wouldn’t speak to the wrong person about him. This definitely wasn’t something he could leave to chance alone.

He covered his mouth with his fan and stepped on Jiang Fengmian’s foot to draw his attention. "Find out where those dancers come from," he whispered.

Jiang Fengmian did not react in any way, but once the dance was over, he said, "Those dancers are extremely skilled. Are they locals?"

"They are a traveling troupe. "Wandering Blossoms" is their name. You must have seen them perform at the wedding of Sect Leader Ouyang’s eldest son. They are quite well-known."

"Oh, now that you mention it, I remember," said Jiang Fengmian.

"Speaking of weddings, have you considered my offer?" asked Sect Leader Yao. The man’s daughter sighed on the other side of the table, but did not say anything. She was a woman in her late twenties, which explained her father’s eagerness. However, she showed no interest in Jiang Fengmian during the banquet, so Shen Jiu suspected there was no need to dissuade her in particular.

Jiang Fengmian tensed at the question. "It’s hardly appropriate to discuss something of this much importance now."

"Then we will return to this conversation during the negotiation," said Sect Leader Yao. Luckily for them another course was brought right after that, distracting the old man from the topic of weddings altogether.

The negotiation was scheduled for noon next day, likely to account for overindulgence during the welcoming banquet. Shen Jiu had seen how much Sect Leader Yao had drunk, and that couldn’t be healthy even for a cultivator.

Shen Jiu was heading to the library, where his students were waiting for their lesson, however, his plans were interrupted by Jiang Jingheng, who ordered him to go to Jiang Fengmian’s rooms. Shen Jiu was not amused by this turn of events in the slightest.

"What are you doing? Are the current rumors not enough for you?" asked Shen Jiu incredulously.

"Don’t worry about it. Jiang Jingheng is keeping watch," said Jiang Fengmian. "I just need you to know that I will protect you no matter what truth comes to light."

He seemed earnest as he said it, but that wasn’t a good enough reason to trust him.

"What are you talking about? What truth?" asked Shen Jiu, prepared to lie his way out of it no matter what.

"I didn’t know how to broach this subject, but the circumstances leave me no choice. I knew your mother and your older brother. That’s how I know that your father had sold you when you were a child. And… based on that, I can assume what your past was like, so you don’t have to hide it from me."

"My mother? And my brother?" Shen Jiu had no idea what the man was talking about, but he didn’t like where this conversation was going.

"You bear a striking resemblance to my old nanny, who was also the mother of my best friend, Wei Changze. He spoke about his younger sister only once, but he always wished he could find you. By a lucky turn of fate, I have done that in his stead. That’s why I am going to do anything in my power to protect you."

This man was delusional. However, Shen Jiu couldn’t say no to protection when he needed it desperately. And as an aunt he would have a bigger claim on Wei Ying than the Jiang, so when they had to leave he would be able to take the brat. Perhaps Jiang Fengmian was right and Meng Shi was Wei Changze’s sister. It was not like Shen Jiu could prove it wrong.

"I don’t remember my birth family," he said honestly, deliberately playing into the man’s delusion.

"They were lovely people. Your mother and your brother meant the world to me, so if you are in trouble, you can rely on me. I owe it to them to help you."

For a moment, Shen Jiu looked in Jiang Fengmian’s earnest eyes and thought about trust. He made a point not to rely on other people, but he really did need help and he had a feeling that there wouldn’t be any strings attached in this case. Jiang Fengmian was a weak man who clung too tightly to his past, but that made him reliable.

"I need to arrange a clandestine meeting with a girl from the dancing troupe named Li Sisi. Can you help me with that?"

"Consider it done," said Jiang Fengmian confidently, and Shen Jiu felt a weight lift off his shoulders.

After that, Shen Jiu went directly to the library where his students awaited. He was taken here on a pretext of being the children's teacher, so he was going to teach, no matter what else was happening.

"This lesson is going to be somewhat practical," said Shen Jiu as he looked at the eager faces of his students. "Can anyone tell me why we came to the Yao sect?"

"We need to renegotiate an old contract because the Yao Sect hasn’t been following it," said Jiang Cheng.

"Correct," said Shen Jiu. "And what does the old contract say?"

"The Tianzhou village and the surrounding land belong to Yunmeng Jiang Sect, however, it’s too far away from Lotus Pier. It is relatively close to the Yao Sect’s residence, so it was agreed that the Yao Sect would protect Tianzhou and in exchange they would be permitted to mine ore in the region," explained Meng Yao.

"That’s a functional summary. Now tell me what were the breaches of the contract?"

"Yao Sect did not protect Tianzhou the way it should on multiple documented occasions," said Jiang Yanli. "People died, property was destroyed, and Yunmeng Jiang took the blame."

"That’s right. And why in your opinion did that happen?" That was the most important question.

"Maybe Yao Sect is too busy protecting their own territory," suggested Wei Ying.

"They could very well have bitten more than they can chew, but that’s not exactly the problem here," said Shen Jiu.

"They don’t want to waste resources protecting the land that doesn’t belong to them and brings them no glory, so their own territory gets precedence," said Meng Yao.

"That’s it. And what was Yunmeng Jiang’s main mistake that allowed it to happen?"

"The Tianzhou region wasn’t monitored after the contract was made, so the breaches of contract were noticed too late," said Jiang Yanli.

"Yue Yao, Jiang Cheng, you represent the Yao Sect delegation. Jiang Yanli, Wei Ying, you represent the Jiang clan. Negotiate a new contract using the information you know."

It was difficult not to laugh at the resulting mess. As expected, Meng Yao was ruthless in his approach, twisting the facts in a way that made Yao Sect seem like an innocent party. Jiang Cheng also made good suggestions once he got over the fact that he had to fight against his own sect’s interests.

Jiang Yanli struggled to fend off their arguments, despite the truth being on their side. Wei Ying was helpful at the beginning, but the longer the exercise continued, the more indignant he became at the injustice of it all. In fact, he got so loud that Shen Jiu had to disqualify him before the discussion ended.

Despite the laborious work of both sides, they failed to come to an agreement until the hour was over and Shen Jiu stopped them, pleased with the results. "What did you learn today?"

"You can’t shout at the negotiation," said Wei Ying sullenly. Shen Jiu had to suppress a smile.

"It depends on who you are, but generally you can’t. What else?"

"Being in the right doesn’t give you an advantage," said Jiang Cheng.

Shen Jiu nodded sharply. "You are taught to be righteous, so you expect everybody to behave the same way. However, there is no righteousness in politics."

The exercise had a secondary function of demonstrating the possible avenues for the future negotiation. Shen Jiu couldn’t deny now that his presence was needed. Jiang Fengmian needed the help of someone who wasn’t afraid to play dirty.

Sect Leader Yao clearly didn’t expect the children’s teacher to take part in the negotiation. His eyes widened as soon as he saw Shen Jiu enter with Jiang Fengmian and Jiang Jingheng, and he asked dubiously, "Is the negotiation table truly an appropriate place for a woman?"

"Why wouldn’t it be?" said Jiang Fengmian with feigned confusion. "My wife often takes part in negotiations as you know. Since she wasn’t able to join us, I thought Madam Shen could offer her perspective instead."

"How unorthodox," said Sect Leader Yao, his face twisted as if he had sucked on a lemon.

Once the negotiation began, the need for Shen Jiu’s presence became clear. Jiang Fengmian wasn’t a bad negotiator: his arguments were well-thought-out and his calm manner did not provoke any undue tension. However, he was noticeably too soft. The Yao started to bemoan their stretched resources and the fact that mining the ore required additional labor and expenditure, and Jiang Fengmian was ready to forgive their contractual failures without any repercussions.

"And what of the people who lost their lives because the Yao Sect couldn’t be there when they were needed?" asked Shen Jiu, fanning himself idly. This movement used to visibly frustrate Liu Qingge, and he noted the mirror of this anger on Sect Leader Yao’s face with some satisfaction.

"Deaths happen, unfortunately, and no cultivation sect can save everyone," answered Sect Leader Yao.

"But it is true that the Jiang Sect would have sent aid, if we knew that you didn’t have enough resources to protect Tianzhou," said Jiang Fengmian. "It is only fair that you help with rebuilding. A lot of people lost their homes after the last yao beast’s attack."

"This can be included in the new contract," conceded Sect Leader Yao.

The negotiation went on for hours, but predictably they didn’t manage to reach a full agreement and would continue the next day.

"I’ve found out where the Wandering Blossoms are staying and arranged a meeting for you with that friend of yours," said Jiang Fengmian quietly after they had left the negotiation table. "I have also informed Sect Leader Yao that I wished to take the children to town and that we will take supper there."

That would make Shen Jiu’s visit less likely to be noticed.

"Good," said Shen Jiu. The only problem would be finding an opportunity to talk to Sisi in private, but he was sure he could think of something.

The children seemed delighted to go out, making too much noise for Shen Jiu’s taste. From their reaction, one could think that they had never been to a market.

"This lady is selling fried grasshoppers! Can we have some, Shizun?" said Wei Ying too loudly. He was definitely spoiled if he felt free to demand things like that.

"I thought people eat those only when there is a famine," said Jiang Yanli, eyeing the stall curiously.

"How could people eat that? It’s disgusting!" said Jiang Cheng.

"When you have nothing to eat, you can’t be picky with your food, A-Cheng," said Jiang Fengmian, but Shen Jiu noticed slight disgust on his face.

Shen Jiu handed Wei Ying the money silently. It was money well spent. The two Jiang men made hilarious faces when they had to watch Wei Ying eat the insects and when Jiang Yanli decided to try one.

"It’s quite delicious," she said thoughtfully. Jiang Cheng looked betrayed.

Then Wei Ying had a brilliant idea of daring Jiang Cheng to eat a grasshopper. From the look of the boy’s face, he was fully expecting the insect to start moving, but he still put it in his mouth. Shen Jiu had to cover his mouth with his fan. Meng Yao and Jiang Yanli couldn’t contain their laughter.

"Would you like to try one as well, Sect Leader Jiang?" asked Shen Jiu politely.

The man’s eyes widened in horror. "Ah, no, thank you. Let the children… enjoy themselves."

Just as expected, the son was much braver than his father, but Shen Jiu already knew that. He thought Jiang Cheng would be a more than decent Sect Leader in the future.

After they had all eaten, Shen Jiu said, "I need to make a few personal purchases. Would you mind watching the children?"

"Of course," said Jiang Fengmian. "We can meet here in an hour or so, so you have enough time."

Shen Jiu turned to leave, but stopped when he felt something tug on his sleeve.

"Mother, can I come with you?"

"Don’t you want to stay with your friends?" asked Shen Jiu.

From the determined look in Meng Yao’s eyes, it was clear that he knew where Shen Jiu was going and wasn’t going to stay behind willingly.

"I’d rather go with you," he said simply. His eyes shone pleadingly. Did he think Shen Jiu would be easily swayed by such tactics? Impertinent brat.

"Alright," scoffed Shen Jiu. "But don’t complain if you get bored."

They walked until the Jiangs and Wei Ying were safely out of sight. Only then did Shen Jiu lead Meng Yao away from the market, heading to the town’s cheapest inn. Instead of entering it through the main gate, they went straight to the back door. A servant was already waiting for them there.

"Everything is prepared for your arrival. Please, follow me," she said, bowing to them deeply. Shen Jiu wondered how much money Jiang Fengmian had paid to arrange this meeting. It was definitely too much.

The servant took them to a small, surprisingly clean room, where Sisi was already waiting for them. She stood up as soon as they entered. She had a frown on her face when she looked at Shen Jiu, but when she turned her eyes to Meng Yao, her face softened.

"You grew up so much, A-Yao," she said, smiling at the child.

"Should I bring tea?" asked the servant girl nervously.

"No need. Leave us," said Shen Jiu. They didn’t have much time before they would have to return.

"Didn’t think I’d see Meng Shi ordering servants around like a proper lady," said Sisi. It sounded like a reproach.

"It’s Shen Shi and Yue Yao now," corrected Shen Jiu. "But if anyone asks, pretend that you don’t know us at all."

"So your lover doesn’t know that you are a runaway prostitute?" asked Sisi.

"What lover?"

"That cultivator in purple. Don’t tell me you aren’t sleeping with him! I’ve seen you two whispering during the banquet."

"I simply asked him to find out about your troupe, so I could speak to you," said Shen Jiu defensively. Did they really look like lovers to outsiders? That was a problem he would have to deal with later.

"Mother is now a teacher for the Jiang Sect. And I’m a guest disciple," said Meng Yao, his voice brimming with pride.

"You did well for yourselves," said Sisi. When she looked at Shen Jiu, her eyes remained cold.

"You don’t seem happy to see me," said Shen Jiu.

"After what you’ve done? Be grateful I didn’t go to the authorities."

"Aunt Sisi," gasped Meng Yao.

"I would assume you’d be thankful. A dancer is still a more acceptable occupation than a prostitute," said Shen Jiu bitterly.

"I was lucky, but not all of us were. After the fire, we had nowhere to go and not many people are decent enough to help our kind."

"I gave you your freedom back."

"What use has freedom if you will gladly sell yourself again just to have a roof over your head and food in your belly?! And that’s to say nothing about Madam Meng…"

"Don’t tell me you pity her!" said Shen Jiu incredulously.

"You killed a human being, Meng Shi. Don’t you feel remorse? She was like a mother to you!"

"She bought me!"

"She favored you! You got the best tutors, the best clothes… you were even allowed to pick your clients until you got pregnant! And she let you keep the child, when you did."

"Because she wanted another worker. Don’t make her sound charitable."

"She only thought of that because you stopped earning money. If you returned to work…"

"If I returned to work, I would have just worked myself to death! And what would happen to A-Yao then?"

As far as Shen Jiu knew that was what had happened to real Meng Shi in the book. And then Meng Yao went to his father’s sect and was kicked down the stairs for all his trouble. Thinking about it made his blood boil.

"Mother, Aunt Sisi, please don’t argue," pleaded Meng Yao, his eyes shining with tears. "Arguing won’t change anything, and we haven’t seen each other in so long."

It was like somebody threw icy water over them. Sisi seemed to share Shen Jiu’s feelings, because she deflated immediately. "You are right. Sit down with your Auntie, A-Yao. Let me get a good look at you."

Shen Jiu watched silently as Sisi asked Meng Yao questions about his new life. He didn’t dare interrupt them and provoke a new argument, but their time was limited, so in the end he had to intervene.

"We need to return to the Jiangs, A-Yao."

"I am really happy to see you, Aunt Sisi," said Meng Yao, hugging the woman. Shen Jiu felt something twist inside his chest. In a way Sisi had more claim to Meng Yao than he did.

"I was happy to see you too," said Sisi with a smile. Then she raised her head to look at Shen Jiu, "And Meng Shi… be careful with that lover of yours. You know how dangerous a spurned wife can be. Remember what happened to Xin-mei?"

Shen Jiu had no idea who Xin-mei was. "He is not my lover," he scoffed.

"You have never been stupid. Why start now?"

"I’m not sleeping with him," hissed Shen Jiu. He was getting tired of this conversation.

"Sleep with him or don’t sleep with him, it doesn’t matter if you act like his mistress already," said Sisi.

"Let’s go, Yue Yao," huffed Shen Jiu, and walked out of the room without saying goodbye.

"You shouldn’t listen to Aunt Sisi, Mother," said Meng Yao softly when they were outside. "You did the right thing."

"I did a selfish thing. But I don’t regret it," said Shen Jiu. Still his mood darkened. For the first time in years he wondered what had happened to Qiu Haitang after the fire.

To maintain the appearance of having been shopping, Shen Jiu went to a market stall and made a quick purchase before joining the Jiangs.

"Here," he said, handing Wei Ying a simple wooden flute. "Instead of a qin."

"Thank you, Shizun," said the child brightly, and tried the instrument immediately, making a high-pitched sound that grated on Shen Jiu’s ears.

"Practice in solitude," he ordered briskly.

They didn’t stay at the market for long after that. On the rocky path back to the Yao Sect, the children went ahead of them. Jiang Fengmian slowed down so they would trail behind together. "Did your conversation go badly?" he asked.

"She thinks I am your lover," said Shen Jiu plainly.

Jiang Fengmian coughed. "I am sorry."

That made Shen Jiu grit his teeth. "What do you have to be sorry for? It’s not your fault that people can’t see a man and a woman talking without making assumptions."

"I shouldn’t have invited you to this negotiation. Now people believe that to be the confirmation of the rumors, and I have no idea how to dissuade them."

"Well, what did you expect would happen? I told you it was a bad idea."

Shen Jiu cursed the System in his head. At least it didn’t lie about the Lore point. The incident with the spirit alone had somehow gained him 300 Lore points. He had demanded to know the criteria of assessment but was rebuffed. He had a suspicion that there was no criteria whatsoever.

"I simply wasn’t thinking. Yu Ziyuan… talking to her can be difficult," said Jiang Fengmian.

Shen Jiu stopped in his tracks. "Wait, are you telling me that you invited me to the negotiation to get back at your wife?"

"Not exactly… I mean there were other reasons that made sense at the moment…"

"But you did want to piss off your wife on purpose?"

"I suppose so…" Jiang Fengmian didn’t look comfortable with the admission.

"I can’t believe you!" said Shen Jiu. All this time he thought the man was a fool, but it was Shen Jiu who was foolish.

"If you use me as a playing piece in your disaster of a marriage again, I am leaving Lotus Pier," said Shen Jiu bitterly.

He walked away quickly, joining the children, so Jiang Fengmian wouldn’t be able to apologize. He couldn’t believe that doormat of a man had it in him to be spiteful. Yue Qingyuan would never… No matter what Shen Jiu said or did, he had never once been spiteful.

Perhaps they weren’t that alike after all.

Chapter Text

"Madam Shen, please," begged Jiang Fengmian, following Shen Jiu like a stray cat, who had been fed once and was now asking for more.

"You and I have nothing to discuss," said Shen Jiu.

"I’m sorry I didn’t consider your feelings…" started the man, making Shen Jiu seethe with fury.

"Stop!" he hissed. "Think before you speak! You sound like a character from a love story! What if somebody hears you?"

At that time, most people were preparing for bed so the garden was blissfully empty before Jiang Fengmian intruded on Shen Jiu’s personal time. There wasn’t a single soul around, Shen Jiu had checked with qi just to be safe. However, one couldn’t be too careful in their position. Their situation was already precarious. There was no need to make it worse.

"Sorry," said Jiang Fengmian.

"Stop saying it. I hate this word!"

"You hate the word sorry?" asked Jiang Fengmian as if he was doubting his sanity.

"Yes. I also hate it when people interrupt my evening walks with useless talk," Shen Jiu said pointedly.

"I understand. I’ll leave, but before I go, could I ask you for advice?"

"Did you apologise to me so you could beg me for advice?!"

Jiang Fengmian was lucky Shen Jiu didn’t have a sword on hand.

"No! But it would be rude to ask without apologising first…"

"Fine. Stop wasting my time and ask already."

It was like talking to a child sometimes. How ridiculous could this man be? Or was it another trick?

Shen Jiu expected a question about the negotiation or even something about Sect Leader Yao’s daughter. However, what he got instead was, "How can I get closer to Jiang Cheng?"

"Why are you asking me that?" asked Shen Jiu incredulously.

"Who else am I going to ask? You are a good mother, so you have to know how to do that."

Shen Jiu had no idea how to do that.

"Just teach him something," he said. "And stop bothering me!"

"Thank you for the advice, Madam Shen," said Jiang Fengmian and bowed before leaving.

When they returned to Lotus Pier, Shen Jiu was going to invite Jiang Fengmian to a spar and break his nose. He imagined this scene several times and gradually his anger was extinguished, leaving behind black coal. He felt cold despite the fact that his qi was protecting him from the chill of the night. He considered checking on Meng Yao before going to bed, at least then he wouldn’t feel so empty.

What a mess it all was. Shen Jiu stayed out late, listening to the rustle of the wind and trying to keep himself together. It still took him too long to fall asleep when he finally returned to his rooms. Even Jiang Yanli’s presence didn’t help.

In the morning, he had to join the negotiation once again. He would rather skip it. Jiang Fengmian could deal with his own problems for once. He was clearly not as stupid as Shen Jiu had been led to believe, so he would be fine. What use was this negotiation to Shen Jiu? He would get no benefit from helping.

"The new contract sounds good in theory, but how do we know that the Yao Sect will follow it this time?" asked Jiang Jingheng. Perhaps he wasn’t completely incompetent after all. Shen Jiu didn’t have the energy to feel surprised by it.

"It is true that my sect had given you no reason to trust us on word alone. That is why I suggest a more solid tie," said Sect Leader Yao. "A tie of marriage would surely have more weight!"

"I am afraid my wife would not approve," said Jiang Fengmian tensely. Shen Jiu was curious to see how he would get out of this on his own.

"Don’t tell me you can’t control your wife," said Sect Leader Yao dismissively.

Shen Jiu clenched his teeth. If Yu Ziyuan were there to hear that, there would be blood spilled. Shen Jiu considered making it reality despite her absence.

"I’m telling you that I cannot in good conscience offend my wife this way," said Jiang Fengmian.

"Is she that territorial? Considering the new development in your household, I expected you to have more freedom."

Jiang Fengmian clearly didn’t know what to say. He brought it upon himself.

"As a person who is involved in the inner workings of the household, I can assure you that Madam Yu would not tolerate a rival. For the sake of your daughter, I would suggest you reconsider," said Shen Jiu plainly.

Sect Leader Yao’s face turned sour, but he couldn’t argue with that.

"I suggest we make a separate clause for possible breaches. In this case, we can establish what will be considered a breach and what the compensation should be," said Jiang Fengmian.

Shen Jiu listened to them discuss compensation, offering input only when he was asked directly. He had no idea why he had helped Jiang Fengmian. The man deserved to deal with the consequences of his own actions. Perhaps he just couldn’t let Sect Leader Yao win.

Soon after, the negotiation was paused, and Shen Jiu was finally allowed to go to the library, where his students were waiting. Later, at the end of the calligraphy lesson, Shen Jiu was surprised when Jiang Fengmian came to fetch his son. Shen Jiu expected the man to mess up somehow and abandon the idea of bonding with his son, but the new behavior persisted until the negotiation finally wrapped up and they returned to Lotus Pier.

Yu Ziyuan came out to meet them personally.

"Husband," she greeted. "You return without a new concubine… Well, I suppose you don’t need one."

She looked at Shen Jiu as she said that, making him clench his teeth. He had no desire to become a figure in whatever game these two had.

"Madam Shen was witty enough to help me avoid this offer," said Jiang Fengmian.

Damn it! The worst thing was that Shen Jiu had no idea whether that was on purpose or not.

"Clearly she is talented beyond words," said Yu Ziyuan poisonously. "A-Li, A-Cheng, how do you fare?"

As she finally remembered her children, the confrontation slowly untangled. For the next few days, they settled in their normal routine with Shen Jiu seeing neither Jiang Fengmian nor Yu Ziyuan. The peace was quickly broken, however.

One evening, Shen Jiu took Meng Yao and Wei Ying to the training yard to assess their progress. He didn’t trust the Jiang Sect teachers to have the same standards he did. It was impossible not to hear the screaming. As they came to the source of it, there was already a small crowd of gawking disciples.

"Do you not trust me even with this much?!" screamed Yu Ziyuan. She was standing in front of Jiang Fengmian and Jiang Cheng, both of whom had swords at hand.

"I just wanted to teach A-Cheng some forms. I wasn’t going to…"

"Because I surely can’t teach him right! I am not a Jiang, am I?"

"Of course you can teach him. You have been teaching him well..."

"Then what is your problem?!"

"I just wanted to spend time with my son!" said Jiang Fengmian with sudden assertiveness. Both Jiang Cheng and Yu Ziyuan seemed taken aback by the outburst.

"Since when do you want to spend time with your son?" asked Yu Ziyuan dubiously.

"I have come to the realisation that I wasn’t the best father. So I am trying to be better."

"I see. So I have been telling you to treat A-Cheng better for years, and you did nothing, but as soon as you spend time with her…"

Shen Jiu winced. He could feel the disciples glance at him, eager to see his reaction. When did he become a theater character?

"She has nothing to do with it," said Jiang Fengmian firmly.

"She has everything to do with it."

Yu Ziyuan stomped out of the training ground. The next day, she departed on a night hunt. She was away for a week, and after her return she was quick to leave again. Lotus Pier was a calmer place without Yu Ziyuan, but there remained a sense of uncertain doom in the air.

Three months had passed this way, and the fragile balance was in place. Shen Jiu was sitting in front of a table in the Quiet Lotus Pavilion and writing an answer to Sun Peizhi, who warned that "Xiao Ping" could end up beheaded if she wasn’t careful. He thought she was being dramatic, but it was nice to see somebody care.

Meng Yao came inside, smelling of food. He must have once again been wasting his time in the kitchens. Shen Jiu had no idea what the boy found so fascinating about it.

Before Shen Jiu could chide him, Meng Yao said, "Yu Ziyuan is back to Lotus Pier."

"Stay out of her way," warned Shen Jiu.

"You should be the one staying out of her way," countered Meng Yao.

"I already do," huffed Shen Jiu. It was humiliating to be chided by a child.

"There are preparations underway to receive high-profile guests," added Meng Yao.

"Another Sect?" asked Shen Jiu.

"The maids say that they were ordered to prepare Madam Jin’s usual rooms. I have been told that she is Madam Yu’s close friend and, of course, her son is my Shijie’s fiancé, so it makes sense for them to visit."

Shen Jiu’s fingers clenched involuntarily, crumpling the letter. He distantly thought that he would have to rewrite it. This was Jin Guangshan’s wife, Meng Shi’s "rival in love", if whatever disgusting thing that man felt towards his paramours could be called love. There was no reason for the woman to know Meng Shi’s face, but there still was a risk.

"Keep note of these rumors," said Shen Jiu absently.

"System, is Madam Jin going to recognise this body?" he thought.

[The information is not available for free. You can purchase it for 50 Lore Points. Do you accept?]

"This is robbery! All I need is a Yes or No answer. You gave me information about that bitch Anxin for a single Lore Point and now you demand fifty?!"

[10 Lore Points for a yes or no answer. Do you accept?]

"I’ll give you one and no more."

[…1 Lore Point for a yes or no answer. Do you accept?"

The demon couldn’t haggle for shit. It was pathetic.

"Yes."

[No, Madam Jin will not be able to recognise your body.]

After that, Shen Jiu decided that he had nothing to worry about. He doubted that he would have to communicate with the woman and her spawn in any way, and even if she were to see him in passing, it wouldn’t betray his identity.

That was a mistake on his part.

When the rumors proved to be correct, and Madam Jin came to Lotus Pier with her brat, Shen Jiu was not invited to the welcoming feast. He thought that he would not even have to see the woman, but the next day he received an invitation to have tea with her. For a few moments, he considered declining, but in his position, refusal could have disastrous consequences.

They met in a garden Shen Jiu had not visited before. He knew that it existed, but it was too close to Yu Ziyuan’s personal quarters and he felt no need to tempt fate. Its main feature was a pond with fat golden carps, which complemented Madam Jin’s yellow and gold attire.

The moment he came close enough to see her face, Shen Jiu faltered. She looked remarkably and unsettlingly similar to Qi Qingqi. It wasn’t as jarring as having to look at his own sneering face or at the weak shadow of Yue Qingyuan, but it was enough to put him out of sorts. He went through the greeting ritual without paying it too much mind.

"Please, sit down. You are as gracious as people describe. It is remarkable to see such poise on someone with… humble origins," said Madam Jin faux politely.

So that was how she wanted to play it. Shen Jiu sat down in front of the woman. There was tea ready as well as some sweets. They didn’t look appetizing to him.

"This one thanks Madam Jin for the compliment," said Shen Jiu demurely. He was not going to give her the satisfaction of making him angry.

Madam Jin poured him some tea. He wondered whether it could be poisoned. "I have been wondering how you managed to learn enough to become a teacher in one of the great sects. Surely you had to have a truly talented teacher."

"This one had many teachers, but their names are not widely recognised. None of them are among the living now, so this topic is too painful to discuss."

Shen Jiu took a tea cup in hand and probed it with his qi, checking for poison. He didn’t feel anything, but this method wasn’t foolproof, so he took a very small sip to check. The tea was extremely bitter.

Madam Jin watched him with cold eyes. "That’s a pity. Your husband also died, didn’t he? It appears that you are truly without connections in this world… But what of your husband’s sect? I have heard he was a cultivator."

Was she trying to find holes in his backstory? It was troubling.

"He was a rogue cultivator, so there was no sect to support me and my son after he died. We were lucky to meet generous people on our way."

"I am sure you are truly grateful to Sect Leader Jiang for being so generous in his patronage. Though I have heard that there are certain rumors, making your life more difficult than it has to be."

"This one is too busy to listen to rumors," said Shen Jiu, doing his best to keep his composure.

"Of course, your dedication to your job is truly commendable. Though one could think that someone in your position ought to be paying attention to rumors, lest you provoke some unneeded talk. After all, the rumors can affect the children as well, and who would want that? As a mother, you should understand."

"This one will pay more attention in the future."

"Make sure you do. Oh, and Madam Yue, could you do me a favor? My son is here for a month and I would not want him to stay idle, so it would be wonderful if he could join your class."

Was he supposed to be a spy? Ridiculous. There was nothing to spy on.

"Of course. This one will be honored to teach Young Master Jin."

After finishing a cup of one of the most bitter teas Shen Jiu had the misfortune to taste, he was finally allowed to be on his way. His mood was atrocious, and it didn’t help that Wei Ying started to whine as soon as he returned from training.

"She deserves better, Yao-ge!" said the brat. Someday Shen Jiu was going to teach him the importance of inside voice, but he was afraid that if he tried now it would end with violence.

"We are not in a position to have opinions on such things," said Meng Yao. He had a frown on his face.

"What does that even mean? How can I not have an opinion if I have one?"

"It means mind your own damn business, you little brat," grumbled Shen Jiu. He was writing, and if the brat irritated him into breaking the brush, he would break what was left of it on the brat’s head.

"But, Shizun, you haven’t seen it! Jin Yu is the worst!"

"A-Ying, you should call him Young Master Jin," chided Meng Yao.

Wait, was Jin Zixuan’s birth name Jin Yu¹? Shen Jiu pursed his lips to hide his amusement. It was either a very strange coincidence, or Meng Shi was an extremely bold woman. He wished he got to meet her. He had a feeling she would be interesting to talk to.

"Tell me about him," ordered Shen Jiu. "Is he as obnoxious as his name implies?"

"Mother!" gasped Meng Yao.

"He is going to join my lessons," explained Shen Jiu curtly. "I need to know what I am working with."

"It’s even worse! If he is your student, you can’t call him… that."

"An obnoxious brat? I call Wei Ying that all the time," huffed Shen Jiu.

"She does," said Wei Ying proudly. "And Jin Yu is obnoxious."

Meng Yao shook his head, defeated.

"What did the brat do?" asked Shen Jiu, addressing Wei Ying, who was clearly the best source of information at the moment.

"I tried to talk to him before the lesson, but he only said ‘yes’ and ‘no’. I thought he was just shy, but then he complained about this and that the whole lesson! He thinks that our disciples lack discipline and that Jin sword forms are more elegant, and he said that Sect Leader Jin is stronger than Uncle Jiang!"

"Don’t call him uncle," corrected Shen Jiu.

Wei Ying went on, "And then after the lesson Shijie invited him to go for a walk in the garden together, and he just turned around and left! That’s so rude, right, Shizun?"

"He is terrible," agreed Shen Jiu halfheartedly. He wasn’t all that invested in the children’s drama, but Jin Zixuan didn’t sound like a person he would like to have in his classroom.

For his first lesson with the Jin heir present, Shen Jiu chose the most neutral activity: painting. If philosophy, calligraphy, and poetry could be twisted in some kind of way, making painting into a statement required a particular sort of imagination. Just to be safe, he chose the most neutral subject to paint.

"Who can tell me why the lotus is the symbol of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect?" he asked his audience.

"Because it’s delicious," whispered Wei Ying.

"If the only productive use of your mouth is eating, refrain from making comments," said Shen Jiu. Back in the day, he would make the boy kneel outside for this kind of levity. He was getting soft.

"Lotus is the symbol of immortality, resilience and spiritual enlightenment," said Jiang Yanli.

"That’s true," said Shen Jiu. "The symbolism is certainly taken into account, however, that was definitely not the only reason for the choice."

Usually Meng Yao would submit the expected answer, but Shen Jiu urged the boy not to draw attention before the lesson. He didn’t want to be accused of favoritism.

"Jiang Cheng, do you have any ideas?"

The boy got flustered by sudden attention but composed himself quickly. "Our ancestors used to be merchants, and they were well known for their lotus wine."

"Also true. The symbolic meaning, the history, it all contributed, but there is one component you have all overlooked. I suppose it is easier for a guest to see. Young Master Jin, what comes to your mind when you think about Yunmeng?"

"Um, rivers and lotuses?" said the boy. Shen Jiu took the opportunity to study his face. Meng Yao was clearly the better-looking brother, and he was smarter and more eloquent as well. Shen Jiu felt a strange sense of superiority.

"That is correct. What does that tell us?" he asked.

"Ah, the Yunmeng Jiang sect is the face of the whole region," said Jiang Cheng.

"Now I want all of you to paint a lotus pond. You can use those as references," he said, passing them some quick paintings he had prepared. For the remainder of the lesson, the students were painting silently with Shen Jiu offering minimal corrections.

He would usually be harsher, but the audience made him cautious. In the end, he graded the paintings, being as generous as he could be. He couldn’t have the little Jin go complain to his mother. When the lesson was over, Shen Jiu felt relieved.

To his surprise, Jiang Yanli stayed behind, approaching him nervously.

"Master Shen, could this one ask for guidance?"

"Giving you guidance is my duty as your teacher," said Shen Jiu.

"What should one do if their intended is set on ignoring them?" asked Jiang Yanli, keeping her gaze low.

Why did she think Shen Jiu was a good person to ask that!? Her father’s daughter to the bone!

"This teacher thinks that it is more appropriate to ask your mother such questions," he said.

"I know but…" Jiang Yanli’s composure broke, showing her nerves. "She is so invested in this engagement that she does not actually listen to me."

"I see. I am afraid I am not a good source of advice here. When I wanted to attract my future husband’s attention, I would simply bite him or throw a rock at him," said Shen Jiu.

Jiang Yanli lifted her gaze to give him a bewildered look. Shen Jiu hid his amusement behind the fan. "I was much younger than you are now," he explained.

"Did your future husband get irritated with you?" asked Jiang Yanli.

"I think he was mostly amused," said Shen Jiu wistfully. The memories of Yu Qi acting as an indulgent older brother were both bitter and sweet.

"I don’t think Jin Yu would like it if I were mean to him," said Jiang Yanli. "But perhaps if I were more adventurous…"

"You should stop thinking about what he would or would not like. Do you want to spend the rest of your life lying and pretending?"

Shen Jiu had to do that for most of his life and it was exhausting.

"Don’t all women do that?"

"Not all of them. Your mother surely does not."

"I don’t want to be like my mother," said Jiang Yanli. She immediately looked terrified by her own words. If somebody heard their conversation, Shen Jiu could get in trouble. It would be wise to turn her away, but he had only ever pretended to be wise.

"You cannot be like your mother because you two are not the same person. Nevertheless, your mother is not a bad example to follow. It requires strength not to allow societal expectations to bend you. And I know for a fact that you have some strength inside you, Jiang Yanli."

"Thank you for your guidance, Master Shen," said the girl and bowed before leaving.

Shen Jiu had no idea whether his advice was any good, but he would hate for Jiang Yanli to force herself into uncomfortable molds just to be accepted by a spoiled young master who didn’t want to even look her way. She deserved better than that.

¹ Jin Yu written as 金玉 means “gold and jade”, it’s a part of the idiom "jīn yù mǎn táng" (金玉满堂), which translates to "may your hall be full of gold and jade." I chose this as Jin Zixuan’s birth name because he didn’t have one mentioned on canon and he isn’t old enough for courtesy name.

This name compares in an interesting way to Meng Yao (孟瑶). Yao (瑶) means "fine jade" or "precious jade." And while Meng is a surname and shouldn’t be translated, Meng (孟) means “Eldest”, “First”. It was specifically used to denote the eldest son of a concubine or a secondary wife. Meng Shi surely made a statement with this name. ^{return to text ↩}

Chapter Text

Jin Yu wanted to go home. He missed his dog, he missed his room, he even missed his teacher. Master Lao could be dull, but at least after lessons with him his mother didn’t interrogate him.

"Are you sure she didn’t say anything else, dear?" asked his mother. After the lesson she and Madam Yu had sat him down in front of a plate of pastries and started asking questions he didn’t know how to answer.

"No," he said, and reached out for a pastry. When he bit down he realised that it was filled with lotus paste. He didn’t like it.

"Did it feel to you that the teacher was favoring her own children over you?" asked Madam Yu.

"What children?" he asked. He didn’t realize the woman had children.

Madam Yu just stared at him silently, her face scary. Jin Yu looked at his mother, who seemed disappointed.

"Yue Yao and Wei Ying are Madam Yue’s children," she explained. Jin Yu could hear the impatience in her voice, but he didn’t know what she wanted from him, so he couldn’t help it.

Yue Yao was probably the quiet boy from their class. His sword forms weren’t bad from what Jin Yu had seen. Come to think of it, he did look like the teacher, although it wasn’t as noticeable because they behaved so differently. They were rather like Madam Yu and Jiang Yanli. Like a tiger and house-cat.

"A-Yu," called his mother, her smile tense. "Did you see those two boys getting any special treatment?"

"No," he said.

"We aren’t getting anything out of him," said Madam Yu sharply, turning to his mother.

"She is not stupid, but she cannot stay on guard the whole month. A low-born like her cannot be a suitable teacher. She can pretend all she wants, but the truth will come out."

If they started talking over him, it meant that Jin Yu was free from the conversation at last. He took another pastry. This one was filled with jujube paste. It was much better.

"Don’t underestimate her. I told you this wouldn’t work," said Madam Yu.

"Well, when we tried to find dirt on her, it led to nothing. We can’t even conclude whether she is from Yunmeng as she has no accent. What else is there to do? I suppose if someone catches them in a compromising position…"

"My husband has not shamed me this way yet. And I do not think he is planning to," said Madam Yu.

Jin Yu tensed. If adults started speaking about compromising positions and shaming, it usually led to screaming.

"How can you know? With everything that you have told me…"

"There are servants and disciples that report to me. I would know."

"Mother, may I be excused?" asked Jin Yu. He was full and he didn’t like the topic.

"Of course, A-Yu," said his mother, not paying attention to him. She rarely did. He thought about where he could go. Jiang Cheng said that he had dogs. It would be nice to play with one.

***

"This is the space where they can run around as much as they want. Dogs like running," explained Jiang Cheng.

Wei Ying looked at the bamboo fence as if he were trying to determine how sturdy it was. "They can’t get out of there on their own, right?"

"Yes, when Father first gave me Princess, she used to run everywhere. But Mother said she was being a nuisance, so we had this enclosure built," said Jiang Cheng.

"Aren’t Princess, Jasmine, and Love the same age?" asked Yue Yao seriously.

"A-Cheng was so happy when Father gave him Princess that father gifted him a new puppy the next month, and another one a month after that," explained Jiang Yanli.

"He would have gotten a fourth one, but Mother was against it," said Jiang Cheng bitterly. Mother always complained that Father was neglecting him, but when Father actually did something, she also got mad. Jiang Cheng couldn’t understand her.

"Four dogs do sound a bit excessive," said Yue Yao. "Young Master Jiang, which one of your dogs is the calmest?"

"Probably Princess," said Jiang Cheng, feeling warmth at the tip of his ears. He wasn’t used to other disciples calling him Young Master, everybody just called him Jiang Cheng.

He knew that Yue Yao called his sister Shijie, but it would feel weird to ask him to call Jiang Cheng Shixiong. Yue Yao did join the sect later, but he was older and behaved like an adult already.

"Can I just look at them through the fence?" asked Wei Ying.

"Mother wants you to pet a dog. You do not want to disappoint her, do you?" asked Yue Yao calmly. "Don’t worry. We are going to be with you all the time, and if you get scared Young Master Jiang will take Princess away."

"Just call me Jiang Cheng," he said and felt his face get warm. He should have said that earlier. Now it just sounded strange. "There is no need to be that polite."

"Of course, I’ll call you whatever you like," said Yue Yao with a polite smile. He was a lot like Jiang Yanli, but his smile hardly ever reached his eyes. Jiang Cheng didn’t like that.

"I’ll bring Princess now," he said to change the topic.

His girls ran to him as soon as he came into the enclosure. Jiang Cheng didn’t have the heart to leave before he gave all three their fair share of belly rubs. He wasn’t spending as much time with them as he should have lately.

Jiang Cheng used to let his dogs out of the enclosure and run around Lotus Pier with them. He stopped doing that once Wei Ying had joined the sect. Of course, it wasn’t his friend’s fault that he was afraid, but Jiang Cheng very much hoped that their exercise would work.

When Jiang Cheng and Princess came out of the enclosure, Yue Yao was holding Wei Ying by the arm so he wouldn’t run away. His dog wanted to greet new people, but Jiang Cheng said, "Princess, stop! Sit!"

She sat down next to his feet, though her floppy ears hung sadly. Princess was a good girl.

"She listens to you?" asked Wei Ying, who was now clinging to his brother. It was strange how he would react to even a small dog like Princess as if it were some fearsome monster.

"Of course, I taught all my dogs basic commands, but Princess is the oldest, so she listens better than her sisters." Though the dogs weren’t actually related, Jiang Cheng liked calling them sisters. He wanted them to have a family.

"Come on, A-Ying. Let’s come closer," said Yue Yao gently. The two of them approached very slowly, and Princess was wagging her tail so much that it kept making a thumping sound.

"See, she is happy to see you," said Jiang Yanli.

The two boys came close enough to touch, and Yue Yao stroked Princess’s head gently, making sure not to touch her ears.

"Now you try it," he said.

"But what if she bites me?" asked Wei Ying.

"She won’t," said Jiang Yanli. "I think A-Cheng is more likely to bite you than Princess."

"Hey!" said Jiang Cheng. He bit her only once when he was two, but Jiang Yanli was determined to keep reminding him about it. He didn’t even remember biting her.

Wei Ying laughed at the story, forgetting his fear for a moment. "Alright. I’ll try."

He moved his hand closer and closer as if he was about to touch fire. Then, after what seemed like forever he put his hand on top of Princess’ head.

"She is soft," said Wei Ying with a strange mix of wonder and fear.

"Give her a good pat," said Jiang Cheng.

Wei Ying started slowly, but as he wasn’t bitten, he quickly became bolder. He even scratched her behind the ear. Princess, unable to take such behavior calmly, licked his hand. Jiang Cheng was ready to take her away, but Wei Ying just laughed.

"It tickles," he said.

"Do you want to play with her?" asked Jiang Cheng hopefully. "If you throw her a ball, she will bring it back."

"Really? Let’s do that!" said Wei Ying. He still was a bit wary of Princess when she sniffed at his feet, but he didn’t run away. He also got really excited playing with her. After seeing that Wei Ying felt comfortable enough to play with a dog, Jiang Yanli opened the box she had brought with her.

"I made some buns yesterday, so we could celebrate," she said shyly.

"Shijie, you’re the best!" said Wei Ying brightly, and grabbed a bun. Jiang Cheng smiled. Now his sister had more people who appreciated her. He had no idea why other disciples didn’t line up to befriend Jiang Yanli.

Their peace and quiet was interrupted by the arrival of Jin Yu. Jiang Cheng recalled inviting the Jin heir to see his dogs during the welcoming feast. However, the other boy didn’t say anything at the invitation, so Jiang Cheng didn’t expect him to come now.

"Do you only have regular dogs here?" asked Jin Yu, looking at Princess with mild disappointment. "Can’t your family afford spiritual dogs? They are much smarter."

Jiang Cheng clenched his fists. Before he could say anything in defense of his dogs, Wei Ying got involved. "Princess is much smarter than any of your dogs! And much cuter I’m sure!"

Jiang Cheng felt warmth in his chest at the defense.

"Would you like a lotus paste bun, Young Master Jin?" asked Jiang Yanli, trying to defuse the situation. "I made them myself."

"I have eaten already. And I can’t stand lotus paste."

Jiang Cheng could see his sister’s face fall. He wanted to fight Jin Yu for this offence. Saying that he didn’t like lotus was just like saying that he didn’t like Jiang Yanli. But if Jiang Cheng picked a fight with Jin Yu, his mother would surely kill him, so he stopped himself.

"I just remembered a good proverb," said Wei Ying. "Gold and jade on the outside, rot and decay on the inside¹."

Jiang Cheng couldn’t believe his audacity. Neither could Jin Yu, who started opening and closing his mouth like a fish. It was kind of funny.

"You… you… how dare you say something like that to me!?"

Yue Yao was quick to interfere, his polite smile almost scary. "Young Master Jin, please, don’t take offence. We have just been reciting proverbs before you arrived. Your comment about the buns must have prompted A-Ying’s memory."

"Whatever. I’m not going to waste more time with you lot," huffed Jin Yu before leaving. Jiang Cheng was happy to see him gone. He had no idea why his mother thought that this spoiled boy could make a good husband for his sister. Jiang Yanli definitely deserved better than this.

***

Meng Yao dropped the polite smile as soon as they entered the Quiet Lotus Pavilion.

"Now tell me what made you think that offending Young Master Jin was a good idea," he said sharply.

Wei Ying didn’t seem to take him seriously, as he simply shrugged, "He was so rude to Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli! I had to do something."

Meng Yao took a deep breath, so that his next words came out calmer than he felt. "We are not in a position to make enemies like him. If his mother finds out, she can make our lives more difficult, and even if she doesn’t, one day he is going to be a Sect Leader."

It was simple common sense to Meng Yao, but for someone like Wei Ying, it needed to be spelled out. It was far from the first time Meng Yao had to educate him, but usually the situation was less serious.

"I won’t be nice to Jin Yu just because he is going to be a Sect Leader," said Wei Ying.

"You don’t need to be nice. Just don’t offend him on purpose!" Meng Yao didn’t want to shout at his little brother, but sometimes he was so stubborn that it was hard not to.

"What happened this time?" asked Mother. She went out of her room, clearly drawn out by their arguing.

Wei Ying regaled her the story of his play date with Princess, making it sound more dramatic when it was. When he reached the part with the proverb, Mother actually laughed.

Meng Yao glared at her. She was supposed to be an adult here. Why was he the one teaching Wei Ying basic social survival? And she didn’t have the decency to hide her amusement.

"Don’t encourage him," said Meng Yao.

"It’s the boy’s parents’ fault. They shouldn’t have given him such a stupid name," said Mother.

"See, Yao-ge, Shizun approves," said Wei Ying happily.

"The two of you are going to get us thrown out of Lotus Pier," said Meng Yao. He actually liked it here, so he would rather stay. In Auntie Sun’s house they were just guests living off her generosity, and everybody knew that. Here they were disciples, and despite all the rumors they were treated with respect. Meng Yao didn’t want to lose that. He also didn’t want to lose Jiang Yanli’s friendship. He never had a friend before.

"Jiang Fengmian won’t kick us out. I could call him a good-for-nothing piece of shit to his face, and he would do nothing to punish me. He definitely wouldn’t punish us for some petty childish insults," said Mother with strange confidence.

Meng Yao narrowed his eyes. "Why is he so lenient with you in the first place? It’s not normal. You talk to him like he is your subordinate and he accepts it."

"How am I supposed to know?" huffed Mother defensively. There was something unnatural about her reaction. Meng Yao had a feeling she was hiding something, but he wasn’t able to keep prodding because she left for her own room.

"Now let’s have a talk about what’s appropriate to say to a boy of a higher status," said Meng Yao with his most biting smile. Wei Ying groaned, but complied.

For the next two weeks Wei Ying did not pick fights with Jin Yu, who avoided all of the like plague. It appeared that Meng Yao’s brother could hold his tongue when he was given a good incentive to do so. And avoiding another lecture about appropriate behavior seemed to be good enough motivation.

In Meng Yao’s opinion, Jin Yu was simply a lonely child who was so spoiled and prideful that he didn’t know how to speak to others without offending them. Meng Yao could probably integrate the boy into their group, but after that idiot made Jiang Yanli upset he wasn’t inclined to help him.

He didn’t have time to think about Jin Yu too much anyway, because Wei Ying’s birthday was approaching and this year Meng Yao wanted to celebrate it properly. However, he had no idea how the gentry actually celebrated their birthdays, so he needed advice.

"You wanted to talk about something, Shidi?" asked Jiang Yanli. Though Meng Yao always came to meetings a bit in advance, Jiang Yanli was already waiting for him in the garden when he arrived. He noted this habit of hers. It was the first time he actually asked her to meet him somewhere without their brothers to act as chaperones. Mixed gender friendships were always complicated and there was also the difference in status to account for.

"I have a question, but it’s a bit embarrassing," said Meng Yao. It really was embarrassing to him. He didn’t like to remind people of his lower origin. "Do disciples in your sect usually celebrate birthdays?"

"Of course. I have never been invited to one, but there is usually a small celebration. Why are you asking?"

"You see, Wei Ying’s birthday is coming soon, and I want to celebrate it properly this time. But we usually don’t celebrate, so I don’t know how to go about it in the right way."

Jiang Yanli looked heartbroken. It was the main reason he could confide things like that to her. She most likely wouldn’t understand, but she always was sympathetic.

"You don’t celebrate birthdays?"

"Only the gentry celebrate birthdays. Mother used to buy me something useful like new shoes. Now she just gives us something sweet to share. I’m not sure she knows how to celebrate properly herself…"

Mother was not hiding her status as an orphan from a lower class family, so he felt safe telling Jiang Yanli about it.

"I can help you organize the celebration. It’s not difficult. We will just need to make longevity noodles and some other sweets and snacks. And bring presents, of course!"

They discussed the details of the celebration and proper gifts for some time after that. Then Jiang Yanli asked, "And when is your birthday, Yue-shidi?"

"On the twentieth day of the second month²."

Her eyes widened. "What a coincidence! It appears that you and my fiancé were born on the same day."

It was a rather strange coincidence, but it was just a birthdate. It hardly could have a special meaning.

***

"Perhaps we could feed the fish," offered Yue Yao unexpectedly after they were done with their afternoon training.

"Great idea! Jiang Cheng, do you want to feed the carp with us!" hollered Wei Ying so his friend could hear him on the other side of the training field.

He could see Jin Yu give him an annoyed look. Wei Ying couldn’t wait for that pampered peacock to finally leave Lotus Pier.

Jiang Cheng walked closer to them. "I’m busy today," he said.

Wei Ying frowned. "Doing what?"

"None of your business!" huffed Jiang Cheng, and left.

"What’s with him today?" asked Wei Ying.

Yue Yao shrugged. "Perhaps he is just in a bad mood. Let’s go."

Yue Yao had the rice with him already, so they didn’t need to go to the kitchen. He was thoughtful like that, always planning ahead. Sometimes Wei Ying worried that his brother thought too much.

The fish seemed happy to eat the rice, and Wei Ying looked at the process with fascination. They were almost out of rice when he noticed that he was the only one doing the feeding.

"Don’t you want to feed the fish yourself, Yao-ge? Watching is only half the fun."

"Honestly, it still feels strange to me to give away the food this easily. I still remember going to bed hungry," said Yue Yao quietly.

"But you bought me soup when we met," said Wei Ying. It was one of his brightest memories. He still couldn’t believe his luck some days.

"It was different. Animals should be able to feed themselves, but you were just a child and nobody wanted to help you. That wretched woman even wanted to hit you when you did nothing to deserve it. I think for a moment you reminded me of myself," said Yue Yao. His face was grim. It was rare to see him with the corners of his lips lowered.

Wei Ying dropped the rest of the rice in the pond and went to hug his brother. Yue Yao laughed. "Aren’t you too old for this?"

"A-Ying is three."

Yue Yao laughed harder. "Ah, stop that. Mother is waiting for us."

"Shizun is just going to complain that we are noisy," said Wei Ying.

"Not today, I hope," said Yue Yao cryptically. Wei Ying didn’t understand his words until they returned home.

Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng were waiting for them in the courtyard of Quiet Lotus Pavilion. There were two tables behind them, one of them full of food.

"What’s happening?" asked Wei Ying, baffled by the change. He couldn’t believe Shizun let them bring furniture to her courtyard. She once shouted at Wei Ying for bringing a good rock he found, saying that he ruined the Feng Shui.

"Happy birthday!" said three voices at the same time.

Wei Ying forgot about that. He usually found out it was his birthday when Yue Yao gave him candy.

"Why would you do all that? It’s not like I am sixty³!" said Wei Ying.

"It’s the day you were born stupid, so sit down and eat your longevity noodles⁴."

"Or you could see your presents," said Yue Yao eagerly. He probably wanted to see Wei Ying’s reaction to his present. Yue Yao really was generous and liked spoiling people, especially his little brother. Wei Ying couldn’t complain.

"Yes, I want to see my presents!"

"But mother always makes me eat the noodles first," complained Jiang Cheng.

"Don’t be harsh, A-Cheng. Mother isn’t here to complain," said Jiang Yanli.

Wei Ying went to the table with toys to see his presents. The first thing he saw was a small bow and arrows. He picked it up to try aiming.

"This is from my father," explained Jiang Cheng. "He would come to give it to you himself, but it wouldn’t be proper."

"Thank him for me then," said Wei Ying, and brushed his hand over the large kite painted in the shape of the dragon.

"A-Jie and I made it together," explained Jiang Cheng proudly.

"It’s amazing. Thank you!" said Wei Ying.

The last thing he took from the table was a wooden cube. Wei Ying examined it under Yue Yao’s eager gaze.

"This is a puzzle," explained Yue Yao excitedly. "You have to put it apart and then reassemble it."

Wei Ying looked the cube over with more interest. He hadn’t realized that it was made of several separate pieces. He wondered why it didn’t fall apart then.

"Thank you Yao-ge! This seems fun."

Before they could go to the table and eat, Shizun went out of the house, looking put upon. As she approached she threw something at Wei Ying and it bounced off his forehead.

"You were supposed to catch that," huffed Shizun.

Wei Ying lifted the object off the ground. It was jianzi⁵. Unlike the ones Wei Ying saw on the streets it was made of soft black feathers with a shiny coin attached.

"Thank you, Shizun! I’ve always wanted one!" He used to watch other children play sometimes when he was wandering the streets. It always seemed fun.

"Thank me by keeping this celebration down. I’m going to read," said Shizun, turning to leave.

"But aren’t you going to watch me eat longevity noodles? Jiang Cheng says it’s important!"

Shizun faltered. "Well, if it’s important, then be quick about it."

Wei Ying didn’t want to make Shizun more annoyed when she already was, so he took a bowl with noodles.

"So am I supposed to just eat them?" he asked.

"You have to eat the entire noodle in one go," explained Jiang Yanli. "You can’t cut it or bite it. It symbolizes the long life ahead of you."

That actually sounded like fun! He slurped the noodle until his cheeks were full and only when the whole thing was in his mouth did he start to chew. If one had to eat those noodles to have a long life, Wei Ying would have to make sure that Yue Yao had them for his birthday as well, and Shizun too.

"Shizun, when is your birthday? I’ll need to know when to prepare a present!" said Wei Ying once he finished his noodles.

It seemed to surprise her. "As if I need presents from you."

"But, Mother, isn’t it proper for us to celebrate?" asked Yue Yao gently. He always knew how to talk to Shizun and not make her mad.

"Well, it might be proper, but I am an orphan, so I do not know the exact date. Supposedly it was sometime in autumn."

Wei Ying’s birthday was also in autumn.

"We can share my birthday if you want! Though we don’t have presents prepared, we have enough food for two celebrations," said Wei Ying.

Shizun’s eyes widened. "You’d give away the shirt off your back in the middle of winter, wouldn’t you? Enjoy your celebration."

She left after that but there was no anger on her face. Wei Ying was pretty sure that Shizun was pleased by his offer.

***

When Jiang Yanli knocked on her mother’s door, Jinzhu was the one to open it.

"My mistress is waiting for you in the dressing room," said the maid.

It had been a while since Yanli was allowed in her mother’s space. Mother was a private person, so only her trusted maids were allowed to come and go inside without invitation. Last time Jiang Yanli was invited they had a serious conversation about her cultivation path. Whatever her mother wanted to speak of now, Jiang Yanli dreaded it.

The dressing room hadn’t changed much since Jiang Yanli was little. Even the smell of incense was familiar. Sandalwood was her mother’s favorite. The only thing that changed was the folding screen. The one Jiang Yanli remembered had a maple tree on it, but the new one depicted a mountain range, reminiscent of Meishan⁶.

"Kneel before me. I need to redo your hair. It’s too simple for your station," said Mother, after giving Jiang Yanli an assessing look.

Jiang Yanli touched her hair self-consciously. She hadn’t spent much time on it that morning because, before her mother summoned her, she had been planning to spend her time at the kitchen.

"Is there any special occasion?" asked Jiang Yanli as her mother began to undo her hair from two simple buns.

"We are going to have tea with Yu Heling and Jin Yu," said Mother. Jiang Yanli tensed.

Mother didn’t seem to notice, and even if she did, she didn’t comment. She began to brush Jiang Yanli’s hair and she tried to find peace in the gesture. Instead she imagined having to spend time with her intended and winced.

"Mother, what was the first time you met father like?"

For a moment Mother’s hand froze, but then she continued brushing. "It was during a Discussion Meeting. Here at Lotus Pier."

"Were you engaged already?" The only thing Jiang Yanli knew about her parents’ relationship was that they had an arranged marriage and that they didn’t seem to like each other very much.

"No," Mother said curtly. She spread some oil over Jiang Yanli’s hair. It smelled stronger than her preferred one.

"Did you like him when you met?" asked Jiang Yanli desperately.

"There was a competition. Everybody was showing off their fighting skills, but the duels were separated by gender. I defeated all the other female cultivators, and asked to be able to compete with men. Your grandfather made fun of me. Said women couldn’t be real cultivators. But after the discussion was over your father, who had won the competition among men, invited me for a spar… Yes, I liked him."

For the first time in her life Jiang Yanli heard her mother’s voice get almost warm as she spoke about Jiang Fengmian.

"I don’t think I like Jin Yu," said Jiang Yanli honestly. He was younger than her and it was difficult not to see him as a child. And he was a very awkward child as well. If he was courteous and well-spoken like Yue Yao it would be easier to imagine marrying him one day.

"It’s better this way. Less heartbreak," said Mother. Jiang Yanli felt something inside her chest ache.

"But wouldn’t it be better to marry someone you like?"

Mother took her hands off Jiang Yanli’s hair, having finished braiding it. Then she put her hands on Jiang Yanli’s shoulders and sighed, "I really liked your father and I was happy when he finally agreed to marry me. But when I came to Lotus Pier, I wasn’t accepted as his wife. Your grandmother couldn’t stand me. She thought I was too man-like and the servants followed her. Your father couldn’t do much against his mother. I don’t want you to go through something like this, and Yu Heling is the only woman I trust to treat you well once you marry in."

Jiang Yanli’s heart clenched, "I understand."

She remembered her former teacher, her grandmother’s sister. She used to say that if Jiang Yanli wanted to have a happy marriage, she should look at her mother and do the opposite. The worst thing of all was that Jiang Yanli believed her. Was her grandmother the same way?

"Good. Now let’s go. They must be already waiting for us."

Jiang Yanli spent the rest of the evening nibbling on pastries and listening to her mother and Madam Jin talk. From time to time they would address either Jiang Yanli or Jin Yu, who seemed to want to be anywhere but here.

"A-Yu, A-Li, why don’t you take a walk in the garden? We are leaving tomorrow and you hardly spent any time together," said Madam Jin.

Neither of them dared complain. The garden was full of insects at that time of day and Jiang Yanli wished to retire.

"How do you like Lotus Pier, Young Master Jin?" she asked politely.

"It’s… fine."

"It must be really different from what you are used to."

Jin Yu grunted in agreement. Jiang Yanli looked at his disinterested face and felt tired.

"I have been thinking about our engagement lately," said Jiang Yanli. "I think that we should speak seriously about it once we become old enough to marry. If either one of us doesn’t want to marry, we should ask our fathers to dissolve the engagement."

Jiang Yanli’s father was not always the most attentive, but she knew that if she asked him he would do it. He cared about her happiness just like mother did.

Jin Yu suddenly glared at her. "Do you like somebody else? You’re always together with Wei Ying’s brother. Is it him?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Jiang Yanli, baffled.

"What makes him a better choice than me? I’m going to be a Sect Leader and he is just a child of some low-born teacher who probably wasn’t even married to his father," said Jin Yu quickly.

"Don’t speak about my teacher like this. Yue Yao is my best friend. I might not like him this way, but I would rather marry him than you! He is kind, hardworking, thoughtful of other people feelings, and more importantly he bothers to actually talk to me."

Jin Yu huffed and turned away, leaving in haste. Not eager to explain to her mother what happened, she went to her room, expecting to be summoned for a stern talk soon. Jin Yu had to complain to his mother. However, nothing happened.

In the morning Jiang Yanli went to see her fiancé and his mother off. To her surprise Jin Yu approached her, looking put upon. "If I write to you, will you answer?" he asked gruffly.

"Of course," said Jiang Yanli before she could fully understand what was happening.

"Good," said Jin Yu curtly and left for the carriage without saying goodbye.

¹ A Chinese proverb. The first part sound exactly like Jin Yu’s name: Jīn yù qí wài, bài xù qí zhōng. ^{return to text ↩}

² I have taken Jin Guangyao’s birthday from the wiki. Just like everything connected to measuring time and distance is severely westernised because I don’t want to confuse myself and readers. Fun fact: they actually measured birthdays by lunar months in Ancient China.^{return to text ↩}

³ The 60th birthday marks the completion of a full five 12-year zodiac cycle and was considered a major rebirth, warranting a large, lavish celebration.^{return to text ↩}

⁴ My portrayal likely differs much from the actual traditional celebration, but longevity noodles are an authentic detail. It is a traditional Chinese birthday dish consisting of a single, long noodle. The eater must consume it in one continuous slurp without biting or breaking it, as the unbroken noodle symbolizes a wish for a long and unbroken life. ^{return to text ↩}

⁵ A traditional Chinese shuttlecock kicked in a popular street game. For Wei Ying, who was once a homeless orphan, the gift of a jianzi represents the carefree childhood game he could only watch from the sidelines. Shen Jiu definitely can relate.^{return to text ↩}

⁶ The character 楓 (Fēng) in Jiang Fengmian's name means "maple tree." ^{return to text ↩}

I was very eager to get this out in time for Wei Ying’s birthday for the fun of it, so it possible I’ve been not as attentive when editing as usual. Feel free to tell me if anything is off.

Chapter Text

"You are improving," said Jiang Fengmian, lowering his sword. Shen Jiu was lying on the ground in a graceless heap, so he did not feel much improved. He supposed it was too daring to expect to defeat a Sect Leader after a single year of training with a sword.

Jiang Fengmian offered him a hand.

"Don’t patronize me," said Shen Jiu, grasping Jiang Fengmian’s hand and allowing himself to be assisted. "My speed is atrocious, to say nothing of my stamina." He let go of the man’s hand as soon as he was on his feet. It was somewhat hard to stand still, so he definitely overdid it with training.

"The birth takes a toll on the woman’s body. It took my wife two years to return to her full capacity after A-Cheng’s birth, and she started training almost immediately."

"I’m surprised you noticed."

Jiang Fengmian frowned. "We used to spar regularly. She was… she is a very challenging sparring partner." There was something in his eyes that suggested that for a moment he back in the past. Then his eyes turned sad.

"Did you stop because of me?" asked Shen Jiu, examining a new hole in his sleeve. After a year of regular sparring sessions, Jiang Fengmian finally agreed to use his actual sword. Shen Jiu was pleased by this, but he did not appreciate having to mend the holes all the time.

"Ah, no, we stopped years before that. It just happened one day," said Jiang Fengmian. He seemed to be looking at a particular spot on the training ground as he said this.

"I don’t have energy for another bout, so I’m going to bed," said Shen Jiu. For the last stretch of their sparring session, he held on only by imagining Liu Qingge’s judgmental face.

"Wait," Jiang Fengmian said. "Before you go, I wanted to thank you for your advice. Yu Bo is doing very well as the head disciple."

Shen Jiu scoffed. Jiang Jingheng was not only incompetent but had been proven to relay all information directly to Yu Ziyuan. It took months to find a new head disciple because no matter who Jiang Fengmian chose, either the elders or Yu Ziyuan would be displeased with his decision.

This issue was a no brainer for Shen Jiu, who suggested choosing by merit and reminding all the displeased who was the Sect Leader here. Yu Bo was young and was related to the Yu clan, which made the elders doubt his candidacy. However, he was loyal, disciplined, and had a good head on his shoulders, as opposed to the previous head disciple.

"I cannot officially pay you for your counsel, but I still wanted to thank you in some way," said Jiang Fengmian. He held out a small package.

"What is this?"

"Cultivation pills. I know you want to form a golden core as soon as possible. These will help."

It was a good choice. If it were silks or jewellery, Shen Jiu would throw them at Jiang Fengmian’s face. He was not a spoiled mistress to receive such gifts. However, cultivation pills were both very useful and very expensive.

He took the package and Jiang Fengmian smiled at him brightly. Idiot.

Shen Jiu left the training grounds without saying goodbye. It had been a long time since he had bothered with politeness when it came to Jiang Fengmian.

The next morning, they had just finished their calligraphy lesson and moved on to music practice when a disciple entered the classroom and bowed low, his arrival accompanied by a high-pitched screech from Wei Ying’s flute.

"This one apologizes for the interruption," said the disciple, looking at the floorboards. "Madam Yu demands your immediate presence in the reception hall."

"What for?" asked Shen Jiu stiffly. Whatever game Yu Ziyuan wanted to play could have waited until the end of their lessons.

"Madam Yu didn’t say. But she wanted all of you to come. She was quite insistent about it."

Shen Jiu scoffed. He wanted to drag his feet, but his precarious position didn’t allow him such freedom. Of course, he could do what he wanted and expect Jiang Fengmian to deal with his wife for him, but even he wasn’t that cruel.

"Alright, let’s see what Madam Yu wants," Shen Jiu said, standing up.

The disciple led them to the reception hall as if Shen Jiu didn’t know where it was. After spending more than a year at Lotus Pier, he knew his way around it well and did not require a guide.

Shen Jiu’s mind went through all the possible reasons Yu Ziyuan could summon them, but could not think of one. She had found out about Jiang Cheng’s abduction from Jiang Jingheng months ago, but Jiang Fengmian had already dealt with the fallout from that. He couldn’t think of any other reason she would invite the children as well.

The reception room was engulfed in the sound of curious chatter. It was clear that none of the numerous people in the room knew why they were invited. Shen Jiu glanced at the central dais with Jiang Fengmian’s chair on it. It was empty.

"All the clan’s elders are here," whispered Meng Yao. Shen Jiu had no idea why the boy knew their faces. He was eleven years old. There was no need for him to get involved in politics.

The only people whom Shen Jiu recognised were Yu Ziyuan, Jiang Jingheng and…

"What is she doing here?" he grumbled under his breath.

She looked washed out and appeared somewhat beaten by life, her face prematurely marked by age and her hair hanging limply, but he still recognised Anxin. She had the same haughty expression.

Now Shen Jiu could guess what this meeting was about and it was the worst possible thing to happen.

He looked back at Meng Yao and Wei Ying and considered grabbing them and running away. It would be worth trying, if they had their own swords, but on foot they wouldn’t get far. He wondered whether Jiang Fengmian would take care of the boys if Shen Jiu were condemned.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Jiang Fengmian burst into the room, followed by his new head disciple.

"What’s the meaning of this?" he asked, his voice loud enough to be heard over the crowd.

"You are just in time," said Yu Ziyuan unsettlingly-mirthful. "Please take your seat."

"Shouldn’t you be the one taking it? It seems that you have something to say," said Jiang Fengmian, his words bitter.

"If my husband permits," said Yu Ziyuan mockingly, and walked up the dais. Jiang Fengmian whispered something to Yu Bo. The young man left in a hurry. Shen Jiu noticed Yu Ziyuan’s maids activate privacy talismans over the door. He had no time to think about the significance of this because Yu Ziyuan started talking.

"I wanted to address a rot that had infiltrated our ranks. A certain person, who lied about their name, their past and their qualifications and got employed under these false pretences. But before I begin, I will give them a chance to confess."

She met his eyes as she said that and Shen Jiu glared at her. If she found out, there was no need to make a spectacle out of it. She should have simply spoken to him in private. He would have left if she promised to keep his past a secret. It was clear that she didn’t just want him gone. No, Yu Ziyuan wanted to murder him socially and she would likely succeed.

"As expected," said Yu Ziyuan. "Then we can proceed. I call the first witness: Jiang Jingheng, step forward."

The former head disciple went up to the dais and knelt in front of Yu Ziyuan. A loyal mutt at his mistress’s feet. It was a disgusting sight.

"You may recount the incident that made you doubt Madam Yue’s character."

"A year ago, on our way to the Yao Sect, we investigated the disappearance of a child. When we retired to bed that day, Young Master Jiang himself was abducted, making his father so fearful that his judgment was surely clouded. That was when Madam Yue chose to show her true colors."

What nonsense was he even speaking about?

"She dragged us to a flower house, saying that we could find new information here. I need to clarify that by us I mean not only myself and the Sect Leader, but her own children, and, most appallingly, Young Mistress Jiang. I expressed my concern immediately but the woman didn’t seem to find anything reprehensible in that place."

There were scandalized gasps all over the room. Hypocrites. He was certain that most of those so-called righteous elders had paid for the "flowers" in question at least once in their lifetime.

"Once inside, Madam Yue took command as if we were guests in her own home. She knew whom to address, what questions to ask, and even the precise price for the workers’ effort. All throughout our visit, I watched for the slightest sign of shame expected of any well-raised lady. There was none to be found."

"Do you have anything to say in your defence, Madam Yue?" asked Yu Ziyuan.

"Why would this one need to defend herself? The visit was necessary and the Sect Leader gave his permission," said Shen Jiu dryly.

"Without Madam Shen’s unorthodox approach, my son would be dead. I have no doubt of that," said Jiang Fengmian firmly. "Not only did she find new evidence, she deduced the reason for disappearances and suggested a way to lure the spirit that led to its defeat. I will not entertain any critique of the methods that kept my child alive."

Shen Jiu heard the whispers. People were turning their heads to look at him and he felt his skin crawl under their gazes. What right did they have to judge him?

"Jiang Jingheng, continue," said Madam Yu.

"As many of you know, half a year ago I was demoted from the post of the head disciple," said Jiang Jingheng. "Which I suspected was the result of Madam Yue’s influence…"

"You were demoted for breaking my direct orders," said Jiang Fengmian sharply.

"Your orders to keep certain things away from me," said Yu Ziyuan bitterly.

"What use do I have of a head disciple who answers to another person? You might be my wife, but he is under my command," said Jiang Fengmian. There was something in his voice. Shen Jiu glanced at his face and was surprised to realise that Jiang Fengmian was angry.

"Let the boy get to his point," said one of the elders. "I will discipline him after we are done here."

"This is Jiang Jingheng’s father. He was the one who pushed for his appointment as the head disciple. He is also Sect Leader Jiang’s second cousin once removed," whispered Meng Yao. Shen Jiu had to use his cultivation to hear it.

"How do you know these things?" he whispered back.

"How do you not know these things?"

"After my demotion I had free time to investigate my suspicions. And only recently, after months of fruitless search, I finally found a woman who recognised Madam Yue’s portrait. However, she knew her by another name."

"Our next witness can confirm Madam Yue’s real identity. Wang Anxin, step forward," ordered Yu Ziyuan. As Jiang Jingheng stood up and returned to the crowd, Anxin knelt down in his place.

"State your name, your occupation, and your relation to the accused," said Yu Ziyuan.

"My name is Wang Anxin of Three-Well Lane Flower House in Yinping. But four years ago I worked at the famous Hundred Flowers Tower, renowned through all Yunmeng! This woman you call Madam Yue is actually called Meng Shi. She was one of the flowers, a washed-out one, but still one of us."

"Are you certain that this is the same person?" asked Yu Ziyuan.

"Of course, your grace! I would recognise her anywhere, especially with her bastard son standing next to her. She claimed his father was a cultivator if you can believe it!"

The whispers exploded around them, the word bastard repeated many times. Shen Jiu put his hand on Meng Yao’s shoulder and squeezed. The boy was as stiff as a board. At least the bitch didn’t mention Jin Guangshan by name.

"Imagine how appalled I felt when I found out the truth," said Yu Ziyuan. "For a year both of my children were taught by a prostitute with no formal education. Think what other sects would think of us if this information got out! We would become a laughing stock. Who knows what rotten things she taught them?"

"Why don’t we ask the children? They were the ones being taught," said Jiang Fengmian.

"Madam Shen never taught us anything inappropriate," said Jiang Yanli politely. "Her origin does not make her teachings any less worthy."

Jiang Cheng opened his mouth and closed it, looking at his mother, who was glaring at Jiang Yanli. The girl didn’t cower when faced with her mother’s fury, keeping her eyes low and her face respectful. Shen Jiu felt a pang of strange pride.

"My lady, didn’t you come to observe the lessons yourself? I’m sure you would have told me if you found anything amiss," said Jiang Fengmian.

"She still came to our house under a false name. Somebody like her would never be employed, if the truth was known! And she knows that or she would have said something in her defense!" said Yu Ziyuan. There was a certain expression in her eyes that made it hard to look at her.

The truth was that Shen Jiu did not say anything because he knew it was useless. If those in power decided that you were guilty there was no way to prove them wrong. Protesting only made them more angry. And in this case he truly was guilty.

"She did not lie about her identity. I knew full well who she was when I hired her," said Jiang Fengmian. Shen Jiu’s stomach twisted.

What was he doing? Why was he lying?

The whispers got louder. Yu Ziyuan stood up from the chair as if she wanted to rush to her husband and do something. Shake him probably. Shen Jiu surely wanted to do that.

"You knew who she was and you still hired her?! To teach our children!? Are you insane?"

Jiang Fengmian stepped forward to face his wife. "As soon as I saw Madam Shen, I recognised her. She looked exactly like my old nanny, Wei Changze’s mother. It is not common knowledge, but many years ago my friend told me in confidence that his bastard sister was sold into slavery when she was a baby. With a likeness this significant, I knew for sure that it was her. I also knew her past."

"Wei Changze? Like my dad?" asked Wei Ying quietly. "Is Shizun…"

"We will talk about this later," said Shen Jiu.

"Madam Shen was frank about her past with me from the very beginning," said Jiang Fengmian. It took a lot of Shen Jiu not to react to the blatant lie. "Her past was no fault of her own. She was sold as a child and had no choice in her occupation. She deserved a second chance in life. That’s why I kept her past a secret."

Did he really know? Or did he lie on the spot to cover for Shen Jiu? There was no way to tell and no time to think.

He heard one elder whisper "Wei Changze saved my son’s life once," and felt a stupid pang of hope.

"It doesn’t matter that you knew! She is still a run-away whore," said Yu Ziyuan. There were red splotches on her cheeks that made her look half mad. Shen Jiu wondered whether he used to look the same way when he was particularly incensed.

"She is a free woman now. Her contract burned together with the Hundred Flowers Tower," said Jiang Fengmian.

"We have yet to touch upon the most damning evidence. Wang Anxin, tell us what happened during the fire!" ordered Yu Ziyuan.

"She was wandering the halls when she was supposed to be bedridden. A lazy woman, she did not want to work, and the Madam let her slack off. She always had a soft spot for Meng Shi and her brat. If any other whore decided to…"

"Keep to the point!" hissed Yu Ziyuan.

"Of course, your grace! When the Madam was found stabbed after the fire, it was clear to me who did this. Everybody knew Meng Shi argued with her a few days before the fire and she went missing right after. The facts speak for themselves. She is the murderer!"

"This is conjecture," said Jiang Fengmian. "Vindictive speculations from a single biased source with no evidence whatsoever."

"She is the only witness we have! And think of this: how could a sick woman with a child and no funds run away this easily? She is smart, so it makes sense she went for the funds before running. And when confronted she took out a knife…"

"I have another witness," interrupted Jiang Fengmian.

"Who?"

With all the accusations being thrown in his face, Shen Jiu had missed Yu Bo return. And with him was…

"My name is Li Sisi," she said as she stepped forward to stand above Anxin. "I also used to work at the Hundred Flowers Tower. Meng Shi told me about her plans to run away. That’s why I know that by the time the fire started she was long gone."

"Of course you lie for her now…" started Anxin, but was quickly interrupted.

"Anxin is an old rival of Meng Shi so she gladly took the chance to make accusations and get revenge. Even though the magistrate determined that the fire and the murder were the work of bandits."

"As the establishment no longer exists and the contract has been destroyed, I saw no reason to make Madam Shen’s past public knowledge," said Jiang Fengmian.

"So what are you saying? You want our children to be taught by a whore?" asked Yu Ziyuan. "I won’t allow it!"

"Then she will no longer teach them. You are their mother, it is your right. However, Madam Shen will have sanctuary in Lotus Pier for as long as she needs to," said Jiang Fengmian firmly.

"And you lot are just going to allow it?" asked Yu Ziyuan, addressing the elders.

"It’s the Sect Leader’s decision," said one of the elders, who looked bored. "I do not know why we had to get involved at all. This is a private matter."

"Madam Yu just wants us to control her husband for her," said another elder quietly, but judging by Yu Ziyuan’s face she heard him clearly.

"She is Wei Changze’s sister, so it’s only natural to offer her shelter," said another. "I am not so sure about her teaching the Sect’s heir, but as she will teach no more I don’t think it’s our place to interfere."

"She did save the heir’s life, didn’t she? Sending her away after that wouldn’t be righteous."

"I cannot believe you!" screamed Yu Ziyuan, losing all the remaining composure.

Jiang Fengmian stepped out, and faced the elders, "I would like you all to keep what you learned today a secret for the sake of the sect. I know my decision was an emotional one, and this information might harm our image. I am sorry that I put you all in this position. Now if you don’t have any questions, I think this meeting can be dismissed."

People started to leave, still whispering. Shen Jiu had no hope of his past staying a secret.

He noticed Jiang Fengmian exchange quick words with his wife as they left together, clearly about to have an explosive fight. Shen Jiu would have to catch him later. They clearly needed to talk.

"Go to Quiet Lotus Pavilion and stay there," he told Meng Yao and Wei Ying. Without waiting for their reply, he took Sisi by the elbow and led her away from the crowd. He didn’t need anybody present for that conversation.

He didn’t let go of Sisi until they were far away from the main hall and had some privacy. Only then did he look in her judgmental face.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Thank you, Sisi, for lying for me after everything I did. You know that I lied to the magistrate as well? Told them I saw a strange man inside." Her words were full of poison, but Shen Jiu noticed a shadow of hurt in Sisi’s eyes.

Shen Jiu bit the inside of his cheek. "Thank you," he said quietly.

"Don’t mention it. I did it for A-Yao."

"How did you get there so quickly?" asked Shen Jiu. "Did Jiang Fengmian contact you himself or was it one of his disciples?"

"That man of yours came to speak to me a few months after our meeting. He said that he would buy me a house and give me enough money to last me a lifetime if I helped him protect you when needed."

So Jiang Fengmian must have investigated Sisi. Then he decided to keep her close in case somebody found out about Meng Shi’s past. Shen Jiu was both angry and impressed.

He looked at Sisi and sighed. Whatever game Jiang Fengmian was playing, Sisi did nothing wrong. It was quite the opposite in fact. She lied for him… or as she had said before for Meng Yao. The boy would likely want to speak to her at some point.

"If you were here this whole time, you could have written. A-Yao would have liked to see you."

"Would you let him? I thought we weren’t supposed to know each other."

She was probably right. Shen Jiu grit his teeth.

"Give me your address. Now there is not much point in being secretive." After Shen Jiu had it, he tracked down Yu Bo and found out where the Sect Leader was. Then he ordered the head disciple to take Sisi back home.

Jiang Fengmian was in his office, and even through the closed door Yu Ziyuan’s voice was unmistakable. Shen Jiu shook his head. The two should have invested in silencing talismans a long time ago because it was honestly embarrassing.

"What will happen to A-Cheng’s prospects if it comes out that he was taught by a whore! No girl from a respectable family would marry him! And what of A-Li’s engagement? Do you want to make us into laughing stock!?"

There was a thumping sound. Shen Jiu decided to walk away instead of facing Yu Ziyuan once she finally left. He went around a corner and stood there for a while, until he heard the door slam and Yu Ziyuan stomp away. Once he was sure she was gone, he went inside the office.

There was a red spot on Jiang Fengmian’s face and three parallel lines, likely made by nails. Being slapped was nothing for a cultivator of his level, but seeing this still made Shen Jiu feel uneasy. He closed the door behind him.

"You could divorce her for that," Shen Jiu mused. Usually he had some sympathy for Yu Ziyuan but after she made a public mockery of him and his children he wasn’t feeling charitable.

"Why would I divorce her?" asked Jiang Fengmian, seemingly genuinely appalled.

"Why did you marry her in the first place? You don’t seem to like her much," said Shen Jiu.

Jiang Fengmian sighed. "I married her because she is capable and I knew we could get along. We used to get along…"

"Well, I don’t think you are getting along after that."

That was an understatement.

"How did this come to that? I thought she would come to me directly… Why did she have to…"

"So you knew that she would find out one day," said Shen Jiu.

"I… I’m sorry. I didn’t want to worry you with this…"

"So you went snooping about my past behind my back."

"I needed to know what could pose danger to you! Once I found out, I knew it was only a matter of time before Yu Ziyuan did the same. Though I thought we would have at least five years..."

Shen Jiu couldn’t believe that man.

"Why didn’t you tell me you knew?"

Jiang Fengmian sighed. "I always suspected that your past was difficult. For girls, being sold usually ends one way, and you did seem to know your way around the flower house…"

"It was a brothel. Call it what it is," huffed Shen Jiu.

"I simply didn’t know how to tell you, and I didn’t want you to think it changed my opinion of you in any way…"

"It didn’t change your opinion?"

"Of course it didn’t! It wasn’t your choice."

What was he trying to prove? Did he want to flaunt his righteousness and forgiveness in Shen Jiu’s face? Make him believe he could be forgiven no matter what and then condemn him for his rotten nature?

"I did kill the brothel Madam like Anxin suggested. I cut her throat with my own hands. She was still choking on her own blood when I robbed her. Does that change your opinion of me?" asked Shen Jiu. He regretted his confession as soon as it left his mouth.

"You must have had your reasons," said Jiang Fengmian, though his voice wavered. It must have been hard to realize that he was harbouring a murderer. And after that trial he could not persecute Shen Jiu without losing face.

"Are you so sure about that? Do you know anything about me other than that image you have?"

"I know that you love your son. Whatever you did must have been for his sake," said Jiang Fengmian with such certainty that Shen Jiu was taken aback. "And I know that you did risk your position several times to save my son."

"I am going to stay at Quiet Lotus Pavilion for the time being. If you need to talk to me, send a letter first," said Shen Jiu and left. He didn’t know what to think of this man.

The boys were waiting for him in the main room of the Quiet Lotus Pavilion when he finally came home. Wei Ying sprang to his feet as soon as he saw him.

"Is that true, Shizun? Are you my father’s sister?"

"I don’t know. Jiang Fengmian seems to think so." He was too tired to deal with this.

"I told you it doesn’t change anything," said Meng Yao. "You are still my little brother."

"But… I don’t know. Should I call you ‘Auntie’, Shizun? You don’t look like an Auntie…"

"Blood relations are overrated anyway. Even if you are related to me, it doesn’t change anything," said Shen Jiu.

"What should we do next, Mother? If everybody knows…" asked Meng Yao, visibly uneasy.

"Deny everything if asked. Your father’s identity wasn’t discussed, so they cannot know for sure you’re a bastard. I will remain here in seclusion for now. The less people see of me, the better."

"It won’t stop people from talking," said Meng Yao.

"There is nothing we can do to stop people from talking. I need to form my golden core. Once I have it, we can leave and survive on our own as rogue cultivators."

"But I don’t want to leave," said Wei Ying.

Why was he making it difficult? Shen Jiu clenched his fists, making his nails bite into the meat of his palms.

"You can stay. Jiang Fengmian will be happy to have you," said Shen Jiu bitterly.

"I don’t want to stay without you," said Wei Ying, his eyes teary.

"Then don’t complain. I’m going to my room. Don’t bother me unless something urgent happens."

As soon as he closed the door behind him, his gaze fell on the tasteful vase decorated with pink lotuses. He picked it up and hurled it at the floor. Once it was lying there in broken pieces, he stomped on the glass shards, making them crunch under his feet.

Damn it all.

He settled on the floor among the broken glass and took the meditation pose. If he wanted to get his golden core soon, he needed to put in the work.

Chapter Text

Wei Ying looked around eagerly as they walked through the village, but to his disappointment the most interesting thing around was a chicken that was pecking at the grass next to the road. And it wasn’t even an interesting looking chicken!

"This village is so small and quiet! I don’t know how people can live in places like this their whole lives. Don’t they get bored?" asked Wei Ying.

Several villagers had gone out of their houses to watch their procession. It was probably the first time they saw cultivators in the flesh, so Wei Ying waved and smiled at them. A small child waved back from behind his mother. Wei Ying beamed back.

"It’s not like they have much choice, A-Ying. A son of a fisherman has few roads in life and a daughter even less. Most of these people cannot read or write and they know little of the world outside their village," said Yue Yao.

"That’s awful," said Jiang Yanli. It was the first time she joined them on a night hunt. It made some sense. Before this, they had only been allowed to do was deal with water ghouls. This was the first time they got to investigate something since the child stealing spirit three years ago.

They followed their guide along the muddy main road to a sturdy but small house. The main room could barely fit all of the disciples once they came inside.

Their procession was greeted politely by an old man who looked like a prune. He was so old that he struggled to lift himself out of his bow and the young man had to help him. They all bowed back as they had been told.

"Tell us what has been happening in your village to make you ask for aid," said Yu Bo politely. He had been the head disciple for almost two years, and Wei Ying could hardly imagine anyone else in this position.

"It started with Deng Hu a month ago. We found him next to the river. Beaten black and blue. We thought he had a fight with someone. He liked to drink and got in fights often. But then a week later Fu Ye’s wife ran out of her house crying that her husband was dead. He was also covered with bruises and his wife swore that nobody entered their house that night."

The old man coughed and the young man offered him water. Wei Ying suspected that this was his grandson. It was hard to tell if they looked alike because of all the wrinkles.

"Only five days passed when the whole Lei family was killed - father, mother, the eldest son. Only their youngest was left alive."

"Where is the boy now?" asked Yu Bo. "We’ll need to talk to him."

"He was taken in by Dong Guang. She is the widow of the last man to die. Xie Guo died a week and a half after the Lei family, and there was no deaths after him."

"At this point our village will run out of able men," added the grandson, his face grim.

"We will do our best to make your village safe again," said Yu Bo. "Those young cultivators with me are still learning, so please indulge them as they ask you some questions."

"I don’t care as long as you stop more people from dying. Ask as many questions as you need," said the old man.

Wei Ying could see Yue Yao and Jiang Yanli whisper among themselves. It seemed that as the oldest disciples in their group, they decided to let the young ones practice.

"Did the victims have anything in common?" asked Jiang Cheng. He had his arms crossed. When he did that he looked like a smaller, cuter version of his mother. It was funny.

"They were all fishermen, except Lei Kang’s wife. That’s what we do in our village. Other than that I can’t think of anything," said the old man.

"Did they know each other?" asked Jiang Liao.

"Of course they did. Our village is small. Everybody knows everybody here."

"Were the Lei family and Xie Guo also found in their houses?" asked Gao Hiaoli.

"The Lei family was but Xie Guo was outside, next to the well."

They kept asking questions but didn’t find out anything interesting. Wei Ying was aching to go talk to the surviving boy. He had an easier time finding common ground with other children than with the adults.

Wei Ying stopped fidgeting with his clarity bell and looked up. "Did all the victims have children?"

"No, only the Lei family," said the old man.

The grandson shook his head. "Deng Hu had a son, don’t you remember? His wife died after giving birth, so the boy used to wander on his own around the village like a stray. He ran away from home a few months ago.

"Oh, right, I forgot about him. A squirrely little thing," said the old man. "He likely perished in the woods."

"What was his name?" asked Jiang Yanli. Her eyes were sad as she asked that.

"Deng Tao," said the grandson.

The interrogation didn’t yield much else, and afterwards, they were taken to the big house on the outskirts of the village. It came with a large plot of land with plum trees and vegetable patches. There was an old woman in brown clothes tending to the cabbages.

"Dong Guang," called their guide. "Those cultivators want to talk to you."

The woman looked up at them, her eyes widening under her wide-brimmed bamboo hat. Then she bowed to them with such haste that some of her grey hair escaped from under her hat.

"Can you tell us about the day your husband died?" asked Yu Bo.

"It was like any other day. He went to get water and didn’t return. When I came to look for him, he was lying there, dead." She seemed strangely calm as she spoke as if she were speaking about a donkey or a goat, not about her husband.

They asked her some more questions but each answer was curt and barren. The disciples quickly ran out of things to ask, asking useless questions about the victim’s health and habits. Having noticed that, Yu Bo asked, "And what of the boy you have taken in? Where is he?"

"Lazing around in the fields. He runs off after doing even a little work, so I won’t ask him to do more. If my husband were alive, he would straighten him up," grumbled the old woman.

"Perhaps we should be the ones to talk to him, Shixiong?" asked Yue Yao politely. "A child will be more comfortable talking to other children."

"Not if we come all together," said Jiang Yanli. "He’ll feel ambushed."

"Young Master Jiang, who would you send?" asked Yu Bo. He did this a lot, asking Jiang Cheng for his opinion. Yue Yao said that it was part of preparing their friend to lead the Sect one day.

"Wei Ying is good with talking to people, so he can take the lead. A-Jie and Yue Yao can smooth things over if he messes up," said Jiang Cheng so seriously that it was funny.

"Why don’t you supervise me yourself?" asked Wei Ying.

"As if you have ever listened to me!"

"You still have to go. I’ll be bored without you. How will you appreciate my interrogative skills if you aren’t there?" complained Wei Ying. He really didn’t want to leave Jiang Cheng behind. The four of them worked well together.

"Of course he’d choose his relatives," Jiang Quan sneered, so loud that everybody could hear him. "Must be nice to be so favored."

It had been a while since somebody mentioned this particular rumor.

"Don’t be silly! Everybody knows that Madam Shen was one of the Emperor’s concubines. She wouldn’t cheat on the Emperor!" said Jiang Liao.

"You are the silly one! Does Yue Yao seem like a son of the Emperor to you?" asked Jiang Quan incredulously.

"He is pretty enough! Doesn’t he look a bit like Jin Yu? They say that the Jin are distantly related to the Emperor…"

"Are you two cultivators or gossiping fishwives?" asked Yu Bo calmly. He didn’t raise his voice, but the disciples still quieted. "If I hear this kind of talk again, I’ll ban you from night hunts."

"Sorry, shixiong!" said the two at the same time. They knew that Yu Bo didn’t make idle threats.

"Young Master Jiang, take the people you chose and interrogate the boy. We are going to speak to other witnesses and return here."

"I told that stupid Jiang Quan to stop, but he still runs his mouth," grumbled Jiang Cheng once the four of them separated from the group.

"It’s his father’s work," said Jiang Yanli quietly. "He seems to think that Father used to attend Shizun’s old… workplace."

It was still funny to hear someone else call her Shizun. After the trial she was no longer Jiang Yanli’s teacher, but the girl kept coming to Quiet Lotus Pavilion with a weiqi board or with her new painting. Shizun didn’t show it, but she was happy to have a visitor. She hardly ever left their home, so it was nice for her to have company that wasn’t Wei Ying and Yue Yao.

"What does he even want to achieve?" asked Wei Ying.

"He wants Yue Yao to inherit," said Jiang Cheng. "So that Yu Clan has no influence." He frowned as he said that, and Wei Ying could tell that he was repeating what his mother had told him.

"Well, that’s just stupid," said Wei Ying.

"Politics are always stupid," said Jiang Cheng. Yue Yao and Jiang Yanli exchanged whispers. They were like that sometimes, acting as if Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng were little children, even though they were already twelve years old and only a year younger than Yue Yao.

They didn’t have to look for their witness. A boy, perhaps seven or eight years old, ran out of the bushes and almost ran into Jiang Cheng. He stopped in his tracks as soon as he noticed them, clearly startled. Then he glanced behind as if he expected someone else to crawl out of the bushes.

"Are you alright?" asked Jiang Yanli. "Was somebody chasing you?"

"Who are you? You are not from here," demanded the boy. He was small but his demeanour was grumpy. Like a tiny old man, or a tiny Jiang Cheng.

"Mind your tone! You’re talking to a lady," said Jiang Cheng. There was a reason he didn’t volunteer himself to interrogate the witness.

"What is a lady doing here?" asked the kid.

"We are cultivators! Isn’t it impressive?" asked Wei Ying. He always liked to see people’s reaction when he said he was a cultivator. They got so curious and excited.

"You don’t have swords," said the kid bluntly. "You can’t be a cultivator without a sword."

"We are still in training. I have some talismans though! Do you want to see? This one is fun, it can…" Wei Ying put his hand into his sleeve trying to find the right talisman to impress a child.

The boy interrupted him. "Aren’t they like paper with characters? It’s boring."

What an unpleasant witness they had! But Wei Ying didn’t lose hope. They still had their best interrogator with them.

"You’re right. We were just playing cultivators. Do you want to play with us?" asked Yue Yao brightly. "Our carriage wheel broke, so we’ll have to stay in this village for a few days. It will be nice to have a new friend to play with."

"I already have a friend," said the boy proudly.

"He can play with us too," said Wei Ying. He brightened, playing along with his brother. A game like that could be a great way to learn what the boy knew.

"I don’t know," said the kid, studying them with such scrutiny that Wei Ying was reminded of Shizun. "I’ll have to ask him."

"We can ask all together," said Jiang Yanli.

"He won’t show up if you all just barge in," said the boy.

"Is he shy?" asked Jiang Yanli.

"No."

That was a pretty unusual friend there.

"We can wait for you here," said Yue Yao gently. The kid gave them a suspicious look before leaving.

"Why do you need to make things complicated? We could have just asked him directly," complained Jiang Cheng.

"He wouldn’t answer. I can tell he is hiding something," said Yue Yao.

"I’ll make friends with him. Just you wait," said Wei Ying. He was sure of his skills. He did befriend Jiang Cheng after all.

The boy returned alone. "He said he is busy, but I can play with you."

"That’s great," said Yue Yao. They took a moment to introduce themselves and only then the boy told them his name, "It’s Lei Min."

"So, Lei Min," started Yue Yao. He liked using people’s names. "Do you want to be a cultivator or a ghost?"

"A ghost," said Lei Min immediately.

"Then we can be ghosts together!" said Wei Ying. "We’ll haunt you all to death before you know it!"

"Why would you say it like that?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"I’m getting into the role." He bared his teeth at his friend. "Do I look scary?"

"You look like an idiot," said Jiang Cheng.

"Ghosts aren’t scary," said Lei Min with strange determination. "They look just like people, but their eyes are black." The mood suddenly became somber. They all knew that the description was fitting. That meant that Lei Min likely watched his family get killed.

"We can use these as talismans," said Jiang Yanli, showing them the loose paper pieces she had. It looked like her handwriting.

"Is it a draft of your letter to Jin Yu? I don’t know why you are still writing to him. You can do much better," said Wei Ying.

For almost three years Jiang Yanli had been exchanging letters with that pompous peacock. She and Yue Yao spent hours drafting letters together and then the idiot would write a lackluster response describing the weather and reporting on his dog’s health.

In Wei Ying’s opinion, Jiang Yanli and Yue Yao would be a better couple. They were the nicest people in the world, so they clearly deserved each other.

"That’s none of your business, A-Ying," said Yue Yao with a dangerous smile. This kind of smile meant that Wei Ying would be chided at home for this.

"Let’s start playing already, or we will be standing here all day," said Jiang Cheng. "You are ghosts, so you should run. We will try to catch you and stick a talisman on you."

"We need to have special powers too," said Lei Min.

"Like what?" asked Wei Ying.

"Ghosts can freeze you. So, if we say freeze, you should stop," said Lei Min confidently.

"But how are we supposed to catch you if you do that?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"Well, it’s your problem. You are the ones hunting us, even if we didn’t do anything bad," said Lei Min.

"You hurt people. That’s why we need to stop you," said Yue Yao.

"They deserved it. They were bad people," said Lei Min.

"And who can decide if the person deserves death? Can the ghost just tell? What if they make a mistake?" asked Yue Yao.

"Ghosts aren’t stupid! They can tell. If you hurt someone, you are bad!"

"But how much hurt is enough to deserve murder?" asked Yue Yao.

Lei Min’s cheeks puffed in indignation. "You don’t understand anything! I don’t want to play with you anymore!"

He ran away. Yue Yao followed the boy’s retreat with a calm expression.

"You can go after him, A-Ying. Just be careful. If something strange or dangerous happens, activate the flare talisman immediately."

Wei Ying did as he was told, but he didn’t like it. Yue Yao was a kind person and the best older brother in the whole world, but he rarely said that he really wanted. He would rather say a thousand words to make you decide to do something, instead of asking you to do it like a normal person. It could be really annoying.

It wasn’t difficult to catch up to Lei Min, who glared at Wei Ying when he realised he was being followed.

"Go away!"

"But I’m your fellow ghost. We should stick together!"

"I’m not playing any more!"

"You know I like ghosts too. I knew a good one once. She was just trying to protect people from an evil man."

"What happened to her?"

"She killed the man and then moved on. We did all the rites for her so she would have a good after life."

Lei Min gave him a long look as if considering something. "Do you want to meet my friend?"

"Of course!" Wei Ying didn’t expect that something dark would separate from Lei Min’s shadow and take the form of a ten-year-old boy covered in bruises. He could be taken for a real person if it wasn’t for his black eyes and the cold prickle of resentment Wei Ying now recognised. This was something he felt when he and Shizun went to the Burial Mounds to speak to the ghosts.

"You aren’t afraid," said the ghost curiously.

"You aren’t the first ghost I have seen. And Lei Min said that you only kill bad people."

"My family was hurting me and Deng Tao saved me from them!" said Lei Min. "He also got rid of that nasty old man!"

"Xie Guo?" asked Wei Ying. He got the impression that the new guardians could be harsh on Lei Min. "Are you going to kill Dong Guang next?"

To Wei Ying’s relief, the boy shook his head. "She is mean but she is all words."

"There are no cruel people who hurt their family in this village anymore," said the ghost with an unsettlingly serene smile.

"It’s strange that you didn’t move on," mused Wei Ying. "The ghost I knew disappeared after she killed the man who murdered her."

"I don’t want to go away," said the ghost. "I want to see the snow again, and swim in the river in the summer, and play with Lei Min some more. He is my best friend. I need to protect him."

"You should just stay forever," said Lei Min.

Wei Ying looked at the ghost and the boy. They reminded him of himself and Yue Yao. If his older brother died, he would never want him to leave. The ghost looked almost human. Not like the twisted ghosts Wei Ying saw at the Burial Mounds. If he only wanted to protect, perhaps there wouldn’t be any harm if…

"Do you promise not to kill people anymore?" asked Wei Ying seriously.

"If they don’t hurt Lei Min, I won’t touch anybody," said the ghost.

"Then I’ll keep your secret," said Wei Ying. He still wasn’t sure how he’d talk Yu Bo into leaving without dealing with the ghost. Likely he would have to lie, which he didn’t really want to do. Perhaps Yue Yao and Jiang Yanli could think of something.

He went back to his friends, but when he told them about the ghost, they looked grim.

"We need to tell Yu Bo. He’ll make arrangements to look for the kid’s body," said Jiang Cheng.

"What? But I told you he isn’t dangerous…" said Wei Ying.

"A-Ying, it’s nice that you want to help this ghost, but he isn’t supposed to stay in the living world," said Jiang Yanli. "We’ll make sure he passes along peacefully."

"He is just a child like Lei Min! All they have is each other! Can’t we give him a chance?"

Yue Yao shook his head. "What do you think is going to happen if he breaks his promise? If Lei Min gets in a fight, and the ghost kills somebody? What are they going to say about Yunmeng Jiang Sect?"

"You always care so much about what they are going to say! They say so many things about Shizun, and you, and me, but it doesn’t change who we are."

"We are cultivators," interrupted Yue Yao. "Our duty is to protect the living. This ghost already murdered six people. Getting rid of it is non-negotiable."

"But Shizun…"

"That was a different situation. Mother would agree with me."

Knowing that he lost, Wei Ying followed the group sullenly. When Yu Bo clapped him on the shoulder, praising him for his discovery, Wei Ying just looked down at the muddy ground.

"Can’t we just let Deng Tao be?" he asked.

"I’m sorry, shidi, but we can’t trust its word. We spoke to Fu Ye’s wife while you were away. The woman is so devastated she is barely functional. Even if her husband was harsh, she didn’t want him dead. We don’t know what the ghost will consider abuse worthy of murder."

"He promised not to touch anybody unless they hurt Lei Min!"

"I’m afraid it’s not enough. It needs to be dealt with for everybody’s safety."

Wei Ying dragged his feet while searching the forest for a fresh grave with all the other disciples. He didn’t really want to find it. He imagined Lei Min’s face when he would find out his friend was gone, and winced. They wouldn’t even get to say goodbye.

It was wrong. Perhaps Deng Tao couldn’t stay but he should at least say goodbye to his best friend.

Wei Ying straightened his back. He needed to warn Deng Tao and for that he needed to find him. Wei Ying tried to find the cold and wet prickle of resentment energy that he could always feel next to the Burial Mounds. It felt a bit like cold sweat after a nightmare.

Wei Ying got away from his group, following the feeling he couldn’t fully describe. Like a cold and wet draft brushing over his cheek and disappearing just to return again. He wasn’t sure it was actually working until he saw Deng Tao waiting for him near a fresh patch of dirt.

"Are you buried here?" he asked.

"You brought cultivators after me," said Deng Tao, his voice ringing with resentment.

"I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry! Before they get here you can…"

"I won’t run anymore. I know how to keep myself safe."

"What are you…" Wei Ying wasn’t able to finish the sentence, because Deng Tao’s hand shot out, grabbing his neck, and it was like he fell into a pool of ice-cold water. The world around him turned dark.

One moment he was standing on his own feet and the next he was curled up on the cold ground that smelled like a fresh grave.

"Useless brat! If it wasn’t for you, your mother would still be here!" shouted a deep voice. Wei Ying felt the grass under his hands, but before he could scramble to his feet, a boot slammed into his ribs. The impact kicked all the air out of his lungs leaving him breathless.

"Disgusting," said the man. Wei Ying looked up, his vision unclear… Was he crying?

There was a thin man standing over him. He was just a mortal peasant. With his cultivation Wei Ying could…

"I should have drowned you when you were born," said the man, and kicked Wei Ying in the jaw. He tried to protect himself with cultivation, to push the man away with a burst of qi, but it didn’t listen to him.

"Dad, please stop!" he screamed, but his voice sounded wrong. He could taste his own blood. The man moved to kick him again, but before it connected a loud and clear sound broke through the illusion. It was the familiar chime of a clarity bell.

The light of the day was almost blinding. Wei Ying felt the fresh dirt under his back and saw the tree tops towering over him. Was he lying on Deng Tao’s grave?

"A-Ying! Are you alright?" called Yue Yao. He was kneeling at Wei Ying’s side with a clarity bell in his hand. So he was the one who pulled him out of the dream.

"Everything hurts," complained Wei Ying. The last time he felt like that was during the only winter he had spent on his own. He had gotten the snot beaten out of him by other street brats, and then had nearly frozen to death before finding a new shelter.

"Everything will hurt even more when I’m done with you!" shouted Jiang Cheng. "Do you have a death wish? Or is your head that empty?!"

"A-Cheng, be kinder," scolded Jiang Yanli. "We don’t know what happened…"

"It’s obvious," said Yue Yao. "Wei Ying underestimated the danger and didn’t call for back up when he saw the ghost."

"Can’t you go back to worrying about me?" asked Wei Ying.

"What is going on here?" asked Yu Bo strictly. Wei Ying huddled closer to his brother, unable to meet the head disciple’s eyes. He was in so much trouble.

The head disciple didn’t scream at him or threaten punishment. He just looked disappointed which was much worse. He also forbade Wei Ying from taking part in putting the spirit to rest, making him stay with the horses together with Yue Yao who kept fussing over him, despite himself.

It didn’t take long for the rest of the disciples to return. They went straight back to the sect after that and Wei Ying dreaded their return. Shizun was going to be really mad at him and there was no escaping that.

Wei Ying expected that once they got back, they would report to Jiang Fengmian, who would scold him gently and send him on his way to be killed by Shizun in peace. What he didn’t know was that Yu Ziyuan had returned to the sect from her night hunt.

"Let me get it straight," she said as Wei Ying looked at his feet. "You tried to warn the ghost so the other disciples would not banish it. Was that your endgame?"

"I wanted… This disciple made a mistake," said Wei Ying. The less he said to Yu Ziyuan the better. Explaining himself would hardly help.

"It was not just a mistake. It was a betrayal of everything our sect stands for. Come with me," she said, turning around. Wei Ying followed her to the courtyard feeling uneasy. He knew that whatever was going to happen would not be pleasant.

"Wei Ying, kneel. Yu Bo, bring me a whip," she ordered. Something in her voice reminded Wei Ying of the man from his vision. He knelt down, shivering.

"Madam Yu, Wei Ying did make a mistake, but the only person he endangered was himself. He already…" started Yu Bo.

"Are you doubting me? Bring me the whip or you’re going to be punished together with him!"

"Mother, isn’t it too harsh? Wei Ying is already wounded…" said Jiang Cheng. He and the other disciples were gathered around them, their eyes fearful. In his three years in the sect Wei Ying had never seen somebody whipped, so he understood their reaction. He looked for his brother in the crowd, but couldn’t find him.

"Silence," ordered Yu Ziyuan. "You should be happy I’m using a regular whip. The proper punishment for something like that is banishment, but we know your father won’t allow it."

"Father won’t be happy with the whipping either," said Jiang Yanli.

"Let him be angry," said Yu Ziyuan. Wei Ying looked up at her and was startled by the hatred in her eyes. What did he ever do to her?

Yu Bo returned with a whip, his face solemn. He gave a quick anxious glance to Wei Ying but looked away quickly, giving the whip to Yu Ziyuan with a bow.

Wei Ying clenched his fists, trying to calm himself. He would be able to take it. He had worse on the streets, hadn’t he? This whip had nothing on the stray dogs. He would just sleep on his stomach for a few weeks. Though it would be difficult with his bruised ribs.

"Mother, please!" begged Jiang Cheng again.

"It’s alright," said Wei Ying. He wanted to say that he deserved the punishment but then he heard the whip cut through air and squeezed his eyes shut, his whole body tensing. Wei Ying waited for pain but it didn’t come.

"What right do you have to punish my disciple?" Shizun’s voice was as sharp as the knife she kept under her pillow.

Wei Ying looked back and saw Shizun hold Yu Ziyuan’s wrist in an iron grip. The whip was hanging uselessly. Somehow Shizun managed to look menacing despite being a head shorter than Yu Ziyuan.

"He is a disciple of Yunmeng Jiang, so I am entitled to punish him for transgressions. Do you even know what he had done?" asked Yu Ziyuan.

"It doesn’t matter. We both know that it’s not what you are punishing him for."

"And what am I punishing him for?" asked Yu Ziyuan, ripping her wrist out of Shizun’s grip.

"Your problem is with me and me alone. If you want to let out your rage on somebody, fight me," said Shizun. Wei Ying wasn’t sure he had ever seen her this angry before.

"Fight you?" scoffed Yu Ziyuan. "As if you are a match to me."

"You might be surprised. I’ve been sparring with Jiang Fengmian for years and he is impressed with my skills," said Shizun imperiously.

Yu Ziyuan looked as if she had been slapped, "You little…. Give us space! We are going to duel properly!"

Wei Ying felt somebody drag him up by the arm. He saw his brother’s frightened eyes.

"Is this my fault?" he asked in a small voice.

"Of course not. It was only a matter of time," said Yue Yao gently. His grip on Wei Ying’s arm was so tight it was almost painful. "Come on, we don’t want to get in the way."

Despite his brother’s words, Wei Ying couldn’t escape the feeling that he was at fault here.