- Chapter Start –
"Gongzhu, are you alright?"
Pulled from her thoughts, ZhaoLing nods at a worried looking Yang YunChun. She's been quiet during the ride back to the palace, mulling over what she'd learned today and trying to fit all the pieces together.
Li LianHua is dying and the only thing that can save him is the Styx Flower.
Li LianHua is dying and refuses to accept said flower because Fang DuoBing and his family would be in grave danger if the Emperor finds out what she'd done.
Because Fang DuoBing is Li LianHua's closest friend?
Or because Fang DuoBing is Shan GuDao's biological son?
But neither Fang DuoBing nor Shan GuDao have anything to do with the Styx Flower!
Di FeiSheng said this flower is the only one of its kind. But Li LianHua said-
"Yang YunChun, what did Li LianHua mean by 'one life cannot be weighed against that of many'? That one life can only mean his own, but who are the 'many'?"
Yang YunChun doesn't answer, gaze sliding away and the corners of his lips turning down.
"Do you know what he meant?" ZhaoLing persists.
"Let's go a bit faster, gongzhu," Yang YunChun says at last. "We're nearly there."
ZhaoLing huffs in exasperation, tempted to command him to tell her. He's the one holding the precious box right now so he's already implicated in this. Then she feels a stab of guilt for involving him in the first place, and swallows her words.
It looks like she'll have to figure this out on her own.
Her first thought was that Li LianHua was referring to her people - the citizens of Great Xi. But that doesn't make sense. He used to be Li XiangYi, Sigu Sect Leader and strongest in the martial arts world, but now he's just a wandering physician – observant, intelligent and shrewd to be sure – but not one involved in politics.
How can a mere doctor be compared to an entire kingdom?
So the 'many' must mean Li LianHua's circle of friends – Fang DuoBing, his family, Di FeiSheng, maybe even Baichuan Academy. And her attempt to help him by taking the Styx Flower has now put all of them at risk.
ZhaoLing bites her lower lip, feeling utterly miserable. The last thing she wants is to put Fang DuoBing and his family in danger. After all, his parents would become her parents when they marry one day.
You mean if, whispers a small voice in her head.
ZhaoLing shakes her head to dispel it. She doesn't want anyone but Fang DuoBing to be her prince consort. He was the one who had chosen her chicken claw token back at the Red Mountains. He was the one who had defended her when she was rude and spilled his tea. He was the one who had saved her life when she was trapped in that burning building with poor, dead BiHuang.
Fang DuoBing is smart and talented, honest and righteous, kind and considerate and handsome. When he hugged her earlier, one of her hands was trapped against his chest and he didn't seem to care that she could feel each frantic slam of his heartbeat. He smelled nice and felt even better – strong and capable and protective.
ZhaoLing ducks her head, hoping Yang YunChun doesn't see how red her face is. Quick - think of someone else!
Like Di FeiSheng, Li LianHua's other close friend. She only knows him as the Demon Leader of the JinYuan Alliance, a cold and cruel man who had killed countless others in his quest to be the strongest of the martial arts world. He had even found the rare Styx Flower to boost his cultivation further… only to give it to his greatest rival instead.
The only reason she can think of is that they've somehow become very close friends, otherwise how could Li LianHua jab Di FeiSheng in the hip three times and still live?
A sudden splash of bright red startle their horses, forcing ZhaoLing and Yang YunChun to pull on their reins. ZhaoLing finds herself blinking at Di FeiSheng who stands on the path before them, arms crossed over his chest, as if conjured from her very thoughts.
"Di-mengzhu!" Yang YunChun exclaims, patting his horse's neck to calm him down. "Why are you here? Did something else happen?"
"Nothing that you don't already know." Di FeiSheng's voice is clipped, face giving nothing away. He nods at them both. "Please grant me an audience with the Emperor. Now."
Yang YunChun's mouth falls open in shock.
"Why do you want to see fuwang?" ZhaoLing asks.
In answer, Di FeiSheng tips his chin at the wooden box in Yang YunChun's hand.
"You're going to ask…" Yang YunChun shakes his head in disbelief. "No. My apologies, but I cannot."
Di FeiSheng stares at him, eyes hooded, and nods once.
"So be it. I will announce myself."
"Wha - Di-mengzhu, are you out of your mind?!" Yang YunChun's voice rises to a shout as Di FeiSheng leaps into the air and uses qinggong to head for the palace gates, visible in the distance. "Get back here!"
The red robed figure only grows smaller and smaller.
Yang YunChun turns to ZhaoLing, looking pale and rather wild eyed.
"Gongzhu, he's going to get himself arrested. Or worse!"
"Let's catch up with him before that happens." ZhaoLing snaps her reins, apprehension for Di FeiSheng warring with building excitement.
This might be her only chance to find out what no one will tell her!
- o –
An hour later…
Di FeiSheng enters the room, surrounded by armed guards – two in front, two behind and one on either side. His dao, as expected, has been confiscated, not that it would help them much if he truly wished to fight.
When Princess ZhaoLing and Yang YunChun caught up with him near the palace gates, they were immediately surrounded by imperial guards, thanks to the wooden box Princess ZhaoLing had the foresight to take from Yang YunChun beforehand.
Now, the two of them are standing to one side with heads bowed in disgrace. Xuan YuanXiao, the Palace Commander, stands across from them with a face like a thundercloud. The fact that he is shifu to Yang YunChun might have something to do with it.
Di FeiSheng holds in his smirk, head high and back straight. The last time he stepped foot inside the palace, he'd engaged Feng Qing of the Wansheng clan and the Demon Monk in a fierce fight.
If he battles again today, it will be with the Emperor of Great Xi.
The only obstacle between Di FeiSheng and the Styx Flower.
The sole difference between Li LianHua living and Li LianHua dying.
Di FeiSheng probably has only one chance in ten that he'll succeed in getting the Styx Flower back, but he'll take it.
Li LianHua is the rightful recipient of that precious, precious bloom. No one else.
Di FeiSheng hadn't sent his men searching far and wide, hadn't put his life on the line and thwarted Shan GuDao, Jiao LiQiao and the Wansheng clan, just to see the flower unused and wasted, locked in a glass case deep within the palace.
He has no personal grudge against the Emperor, no interest nor taste for palace life or politics. In fact, he'd gladly live the rest of his life without ever stepping foot in here again or getting embroiled in all its political agenda and intigues.
But.
For Li LianHua, Di FeiSheng would walk into the fires of Hell itself.
Placing his hands together, he pastes the most pleasant expression he can muster on his face and bows.
"Di FeiSheng of the JinYuan Alliance, here to greet bixia."
"Di FeiSheng," the Emperor says. "The JinYuan Alliance has always operated as a separate entity all this while. State the purpose of your visit."
"One week ago, I helped Li LianHua and Fang DuoBing defeat Shan GuDao and the fake Imperial Perceptor of XiBei."
The Emperor gives a gracious nod.
"Is that why you are here today, to claim a reward?"
"Yes," Di FeiSheng says without blinking, not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
"Very well. What do you want?"
Di FeiSheng's heartbeat ratches up a notch as he bows for the second time.
"The Styx Flower that Li LianHua gifted to bixia."
The Emperor's affable smile vanishes at once, replaced by a suspicious frown. His eyes flick to the others before returning to Di FeiSheng.
"And why do you want that?"
"It's the only thing that can cure him." Di FeiSheng isn't one to lie either.
The Emperor's expression darkens at once.
"No. For the part you played in defeating the Wansheng clan, you may ask for something else."
"I want no other reward than the Styx Flower," Di FeiSheng replies. "It was my gift to Li LianHua."
The Emperor slams a hand on the table.
"You dare! It was his gift to me. Dismissed!"
- Chapter End -
bixia = your majesty
fuwang = royal father
gongzhu = princess
mengzhu = director
qinggong = lightness skill to gain temporary flight
shifu = martial teacher