- Chapter Start –

Sprawled on his stomach, Di FeiSheng can only stare at the Styx Flower in numb despair. After all the things he had gone through to get it back, it ends up destroyed and along with it, his very last hope of curing Li LianHua. He's oblivious of the weight on his back, the troubled looks from the others or the terrified face of the guard whose horse had trampled said flower.

No one utters a sound or even moves, apart from the horses shifting uneasily in the strained silence. It's only when the weight on his back slides off that he pulls his gaze from the wrecked flower to look up.

"Fang DuoBing." His voice sounds hoarse and oddly hollow. "It turns out you don't want to save Li LianHua."

Fang DuoBing's eyes go round at once.

"Of course I do," he protests indignantly. "But you threw yourself – you were about to be trampled!"

Gathering his legs under him, Di FeiSheng jumps up in one smooth motion. Anger rolls through him, suppressing the dull throb of his bruised ribs and knees, and the sting at his back.

"I wouldn't have died. More importantly, the Styx Flower would be safe."

Fang DuoBing bristles.

"You could've been killed! When I was small, one of Tianji Hall's guards died after being trampled by a horse. He was-"

"That doesn't matter!" Di FeiSheng shouts. "Nothing matters, but saving Li LianHua. I thought we both agree on that!"

"Not at the expense of your life!" Fang DuoBing yells back, just as furious, just as shaken. "Li LianHua wouldn't agree to that either!"

"How the hell would you know?!" Right this instant, Di FeiSheng doesn't care that he's engaging in a shouting match with someone ten years his junior, in the middle of the road at night and with onlookers. His throat is so tight yet his chest feels like it's been ripped wide open. "I begged the Emperor for that flower! I let myself be-"

"I really can't leave the two of you alone for one minute. Are you trying to wake up the dead?"

Di FeiSheng's mouth snaps shut with an audible click at the sound of that familiar, good humoured voice. As one, he and Fang DuoBing turn to the white horse trotting towards them with Zhan YunFei and Li LianHua on its back.

Zhan YunFei dismounts first before helping his fellow passenger down. Di FeiSheng watches as Li LianHua approaches them, seeming to glide rather than walk. With his pale robes and fair skin, he looks as ethereal as a moon maiden.

"Aiya, A-Fei, how can you say that?" Li LianHua chides, the knuckles of both hands now pressed to his hips. "Of course your life matters more than that flower!"

The ridiculous notion of Li LianHua being anything other than his dying and ungrateful self vanishes so abruptly that Di FeiSheng finds his eyes stinging from the whiplash.

"Li LianHua." His stupid voice cracks again. Twice in one night - unforgivable!

"So ready to throw your life away for mine." Clicking his tongue, Li LianHua shakes his head in disappointment.

Di FeiSheng blinks at the sheer unfairness of that statement. He opens his mouth, but Li LianHua is faster, holding up a hand while one corner of his lips lifts in a half smile.

"I know what you're going to say - that I throw my life away for others too."

Too?

As Di FeiSheng stands there in disbelief – how dare Li LianHua imply that he goes around giving his Qi to every Tong, Ding and Hang he meets - Li LianHua turns to smile at Fang DuoBing.

"XiaoBao, A-Fei may not be grateful, but I am. Thank you."

XiaoBao nods and smiles back, all watery eyes and quivering lower lip. Clapping him on the shoulder, Li LianHua goes to the Styx Flower. An instant later, Fang DuoBing brushes past Di FeiSheng to join Li LianHua in crouching on the ground.

"Be very careful, XiaoBao. We cannot risk damaging the flower any further."

"Li-xiong, here." Yang YunChun places the empty wooden box beside them and backs away.

Li LianHua just nods without looking up, intent on his task. "Don't touch the individual pieces. Just scoop everything up, dirt and all."

After all that's happened, Di FeiSheng can only stare at them, feeling like he would shatter into a million pieces if he does anything more than breathe in shallow pants. Before long, the two are on their feet again with Fang DuoBing clutching the box to his chest, heedless of the dirt staining his pristine robes.

Yang YunChun steps forward.

"Li-xiong, the Emperor ordered us to get the Styx Flower back. I am sure he wants to present it to Di-mengzhu himself."

"So the impossible has happened?" Li LianHua doesn't look at Di FeiSheng. "I promise to bring it back, but please allow me a few minutes to reassure A-Fei that the flower is fine."

Yang YunChun nods, also without looking at Di FeiSheng.

"In that case, I will remain here." He turns to the guards. "Take Jian-shengyi back to the palace for questioning, but wait for me outside the main gates."

"At once, Yang-daren!"

Two of the guards grab Jian LingXiao's arms and drag him away while he attempts to bow to Li LianHua.

"Li-shengyi, in trying to help my son, I have destroyed any chance of saving your life and his. My deepest apologies."

Li LianHua just gives him an enigmatic smile.

"Do not lose hope yet, Jian-shengyi."

As the guards ride off with Jian LingXiao, Di FeiSheng finds himself staring at Fang DuoBing's dirt stained hands and fingernails. Two people had come to his aid in the past two hours, both well-intentioned yet equally ill-advised. And all he had done was bark at them.

"Fang DuoBing," he says before he can second guess himself. "If you ever have to make a choice like this again, know that Li LianHua should always be your first priority."

There! Never let it be said that Di FeiSheng does not acknowledge the actions of others… even though Fang DuoBing is just blinking stupidly at him while Zhan YunFei and Yang YunChun cough politely behind their hands.

"That's A-Fei's way of saying thanks," Li LianHua quips and earns himself a glare.

"You're welcome!" Fang DuoBing beams at Di FeiSheng and holds up the box. "Don't worry about the Styx Flower. We have to turn it into a tonic anyway so a few stomped on petals won't… make any… difference…"

He looks down at the box, frowning.

"What is it?" Di FeiSheng and Li LianHua demand at once.

"The box feels strangely warm." Fang DuoBing lifts the lid to peer inside only to slam it shut when a cloud of red mist escapes from the mixture of dirt, petals and stem.

"What is that?" Yang YunChun asks.

"It's… it's the essence from the Yang leaves." Fang DuoBing turns pale.

Di FeiSheng feels his stomach fall to the ground yet again, but Li LianHua just sighs and rubs the side of his nose.

"Being trampled on has activated the flower. It looks like the Yang leaves are more unstable than the Yin ones."

"Yin and Yang leaves?" Yang YunChun looks at them in turn. "They must be taken together?"

"Yes." Di FeiSheng's voice is clipped. "The Yin leaves alone are too strong and will cause an explosion of Qi followed by death. The Yang Leaves will offset this effect so taking both together is imperative."

"But there are so few Yang Leaves," Fang DuoBing frets. His fingers are twitching like he wants to open the box again, but dares not. "If there's none left, does it mean the Styx Flower is useless?"

Di FeiSheng has no reply for him.

"That's something only you can decide, XiaoBao," Li LianHua says, looking oddly serene for someone whose very life is depending on said flower.

The seconds tick by as Fang DuoBing stares at him for what feels like an eternity. Then his face clears in understanding.

"Of course. A-Fei, here – take the box and and open the lid."

Still somewhat at sea, Di FeiSheng does so only for a bigger cloud of red and white mist to emerge.

"The Yang leaves are gone… and the Yin leaves are also starting to disintegrate!"

"Right." Fang DuoBing's jaw is clenched with determination. He takes a deep breath and raises his hands, palms up, as he gathers his Qi. With a quick twist of his wrists, he thrusts his hands out at the box.

The surge of energy is strong enough to ruffle bangs and ripple robe sleeves. Di FeiSheng stands firm, but his heart begins to race. Li LianHua had given him some of this power at Jiao LiQiao's newlywed chamber, the same power he senses each time Fang DuoBing gives Li LianHua his Qi.

Fang DuoBing can't have had Yangzhouman for more than half a year, but already his control over it is impressive. It streams from him to the box, unceasing and unending, causing the air around them to heat up. No one says anything, not even when beads of sweat appear on his forehead and upper lip, a single droplet rolling down his cheek.

A couple of minutes later, he sways, eyelids fluttering.

"XiaoBao!" Li LianHua reaches out a hand before drawing it back, looking frustrated. He grabs Fang DuoBing's arm to steady him, but the latter sways again.

"Someone take this box!" Di FeiSheng almost snaps.

There's a mini scramble as Yang YunChun and Zhan YunFei both leap to obey. Di FeiSheng all but shoves it at them before going to stand behind Fang DuoBing. He presses his palm between Fang DuoBing's shoulder blades and starts feeding him his own power.

"You can do this, XiaoBao," he urges. "Yangzhouman is powerful and longlasting."

"While Beifong Baiyang is elemental and ensures survival in desperate times," Li LianHua quotes, soft eyes meeting his in a moment of perfect understanding. "A-Fei is right, XiaoBao. You can do this."

With a nod and a grimace, Fang DuoBing pushes another surge of Yangzhouman at the box, strong enough that both Zhan YunFei and Yang YunChun rock backwards. Then he centres his Qi once more and slumps back against Di FeiSheng.

"I did it," he says, breathless and flushed, but smiling.

Also smiling, Zhan YunFei steps closer to them, holding out the opened box as if offering a newborn to be exclaimed over and admired. Resting on a thin layer of dirt is not one… not two… but three Styx Flowers, large and complete with pure white Yin Leaves and and vibrant red Yang leaves.

- Chapter End -

A/N: Thank you for reading! In Episode 39 min 29, there's a clear image of the Styx Flower. For the longest time, I wondered why there weren't any leaves attached to it until I finally realised DFS was talking about the red and white petals!

daren = respectful title for superior
mengzhu = director
shengyi = doctor
xiong = older brother (formal)