Fate's Attendant 1.46

Hong Fei took shuddering breath once he was out of view. He paused in an empty corridor to wipe his palms dry. The meeting had gone better than he’d hoped. It helped that all three men were smart. All he’d had to do was provide a plausible framework for them to fill in the connections for themselves.

Now, the house would rally against both the Ma family and the Rock Knives. Hong Fei had thought about joining the raid himself, but the results would be more conclusive without him. There would be no way for anyone to say that he’d influenced any findings.

It was subtleties like this one that had led the Askalousans to doubt the loyalty of their own people. These kinds of tricks had been a specialty of Hong Fei’s troop. When one couldn’t face an army directly, one weakened in its underpinnings instead.

That had been a hard lesson for a young warrior to learn, and yet the steppes had taught it to him ruthlessly.

###

A servant found the dūtóu gazing pensively at a wall hanging of Sanzu. “Sir, the duchess orders your presence in her office.”

Hong Fei roused from his memories to nod, then realized he wasn’t sure of where to go.

“She’s taken the duke’s,” the servant said, noticing the hesitation. “We’ve moved him…” Her voice caught.

“It’s all right,” Hong Fei said gently. “I know the way.”

The servant nodded and left. There was always some other duty to fulfill.

###

Yu Hui sat in the chair behind the duke’s old desk. Hidden by her robes were the ropes that kept her upright—leaning forward just enough to convey engagement with those coming to receive orders. Her hands were placed before her in a thoughtful-yet-strong arrangement. The only physical strength required of her was to keep her head from lolling to the side.

The bed she’d once used was gone. Nothing remained to indicate any weaknesses on her part.

At the knock on the door, she said, “Enter.”

Hong Fei slipped inside, bowed, and then closed the door behind him. He stood before her, with seemingly restless eyes taking in the room and her. They darted to the door to the room in which her husband and son had once lain.

She would be joining them shortly. There wasn’t much time left now; she sensed her death’s approach with every beat of her weakened heart. The family was indeed cursed. None of the members who’d attempted the higher realms of cultivation survived it.

Including me, she thought. Damn the heavens for the fickleness. When have the Yu’s ever been anything but filial and loyal?

Her breath began to wheeze, and she closed her eyes to regain control. She made it seem like a moment’s contemplation. When Yu Hui opened them again, she saw Hong Fei looking at her—the sword meant to protect her family. Not her, she was beyond saving, but there was still hope for Little Ning and perhaps even Little Yong.

“I have a task for you,” she said.

“I, of course, will obey,” he replied.

“Will you?” she asked. “There’ve been so many who’ve already left. Aren’t you thinking the same?”

“Would you like a truthful answer?” Hong Fei asked in return.

“Always,” Yu Hui replied.

“And so would I,” he said, his expression pointed.

“You’re upset with me. You’re angry I lied to you about the duke’s… state.” She glanced to the closed door with the now-empty room on the other side.

“I have been lied to before by those above me,” Hong Fei said. The words had been plainly spoken. They indicated nothing about the feelings the man might have about those lies. Only he’d answered her implied question with an implied answer, hadn’t he?

The Hong family was known for producing steadfast and loyal soldiers, but the duchess had read the report Steward Zhang had assembled on the man before her. Hong Fei’s steadfastness and loyalty had been sorely abused while in the army, and now he saw in her those men and women who’d so miserably spent his life and the lives of his troops.

“I told you before,” she said, “I would do anything to protect my family.”

He sighed. “Yes, you did.”

“That is still true, which is why I need you to stay. Chen Wenbin has tied to fortune to the Yu’s; I don’t need to worry about him, but you…” Yu Hui locked eyes with Hong Fei and didn’t let him look away. “You are necessary. For whatever reason—perhaps I’m a fool for believing it—but my family needs you.”

“Because of the divination,” he said.

Yui Hui shook her head. “At first, perhaps. Now…”

How could she tell him about the growing certainty within her? The closer she came to death, the surer she’d become.

Steward Zhang, the believer that he was, had told her people were given that certainty by the heavens as a gift, so that they could put their affairs into order and go into their next lives with unburdened hearts. Yu Hui wasn’t quite so trusting of the heavens’ motives. Yet, the feeling of certainty remained.

“What would you have me say or do?” she asked Hong Fei.

“Listen to my report on the meeting I’ve just attended,” he replied. “It deals with a matter of great importance to this house.”

“I already know,” the duchess said. “Do you think I’d summon you without that information?”

Yu Hui fought to gesture with her hand toward the desk, and the whispered conversation between two servants became audible. They were speculating about the nature of the meeting held between the steward, xiàowèi, and clerk from the city.

“I can hear everything said in the visitor’s hall,” Yu Hui added.

“Just there?” Hong Fei asked, his eyes suddenly alert.

“Your secrets are safe,” Yu Hui replied. “This desk is an artifact that connects to only a handful of places, including the steward’s office and my family’s courtyards. Nowhere else.” She paused to let the information settle. “Let me prove my sincerity. You have other questions; I can see them on your face. I will answer them now.”

A bitter smile spread across her face, as she continued: “I burned months of my life to increase my strength and show myself as a defender of this family. The servants and guards who came to this office to witness my husband’s and son’s deaths needed to see it, but this is something I can only do once more, and then the end will surely come for me. As it is, I have only until the end of summer before I die.”

“It’s that close?” Hong Fei whispered.

Yu Hui nodded, then struggled to raise her head fully. She realized it was another thing she was hiding.

The duchess’s fingers trembled as she reached for the ties holding her robes closed. Hong Fei watched in seeming fascination until she found the strength to undo them and show him the ropes underneath holding her upright.

“I hide no more secrets from you,” Yu Hui said, her face flushing with shame.

Hong Fei considered her, looked away, and sighed. He seemed to go slack, then, and brushed a hand through his hair. It was the first time she’d seen him do so.

He licked his lips, another first, and said, “I’ll stay.” Then he glanced at her. “Telling the truth can be another route toward manipulation. My request is that you keep the one without the other. Will you do that?”

Yu Hui felt a thin strand of glee rise within her, and a rare smile emerged. “You’re asking a member of a noble family not to manipulate you?”

Hong Fei must’ve realized the absurdity of the request, because he chuckled. “At least make the attempt.”

“I will,” she said, her expression turning serious again.

“And I will do my duty,” Hong Fei replied, saluting.

###

Yu Ning sat under the cherry tree at the center of Hong Fei’s courtyard. She had her feet tucked under Auntie Ling’s body, which was too warm a place for them, but it also felt comfortable. As if the spirit beast’s weight would keep her from being pulled out to sea.

She wiped away a tear threatening to spill. Though she’d learned her father was dead only the day before, such weakness couldn’t be allowed. People had to see she was strong enough to lead the family. Brother Yong had agreed to step aside as heir, and she would soon have to take up that mantle. But first she wanted a quiet place to grieve.

Kang Lian had brought a cup of tea earlier, then retreated to the kitchen. The secretary Sun Han had asked if he could be of service, and left for the salon when she’d declined. She only wanted a moment’s respite, she’d told them, and so they’d left her alone—a small mercy that would become rare once she was the duchess.

Yu Ning didn’t have her grandfather’s reputation to dissuade their enemies from causing trouble. She would need to prove herself to them, as well as the Yu’s retainers. The responsibility would be crushing. She’d been happy to leave it to her brother who’d wanted to be a hero. Another tear threatened to spill. Her heart broke for him, too.

Maybe the rumors were true. Perhaps the family was cursed. For surely, this amount of misfortune was undeserved for any one family.

Two guards now followed the Young Mistress everywhere she went. They stood out in the corridor, however, since Auntie Ling wouldn’t let them enter the courtyard. Yu Ning heard them questioning a visitor and letting them through. A moment later, Mei Hua appeared at the door. She rushed to Yu Ning’s side to hold her hand.

Auntie Ling made room for the young woman. A slight breeze rattled the branches above them. Mei Hua squeezed Yu Ning’s hand, and the tears really did threaten to spill now.

Yu Ning wanted to laugh. It was a rare day when her companion was without words, yet Mei Hua didn’t need them—the concern for Yu Ning was visible in her eyes. She felt it through their hands.

“I spoke to Yongyong,” Mei Hua eventually said, her voice soft, meant just for the two of them.

“And?” Yu Ning asked.

Mei Hua looked down in dismay. “I worry he’ll take his own life.”

Yu Ning’s breath hitched.

“I tried to talk to him,” Mei Hua said. “I tried… I tried more than that, but he is despondent.”

“He refused you?” Yu Ning asked, surprised. Such a thing was almost impossible to believe. Her brother doted on Mei Hua. They all did.

“If not for the tragedy of the situation, I would’ve cried,” Mei Hua replied.

Yu Ning leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you. I know it wasn’t easy to make such an offer.” Then she rested her head on Mei Hua’s shoulder. “What can we do?”

“I don’t have answer for you or for Yongyong,” Mei Hua replied, her voice wavering. “The world has ended for him.”

“Where is Zhengyi?” Yu Ning asked. “Perhaps he can talk sense to my brother.”

“I haven’t seen him since yesterday,” Mei Hua said. “And I don’t trust my cousin to have anything to do with sense. To think he brought dream blossom wine to Yongyong.”

Yu Ning glanced at her companion. “You would not be upset if I punished him? More than he is now? The boys have gotten into mischief before, but something’s come over them lately, especially Zhengyi. Confinement to his courtyard is too light a discipline for him, and by all accounts he’s already disregarded it.”

“You should do as you see fit,” Mei Hua replied. “You are the family’s new heir. People will look to you to know how to behave.”

“Are you sure, dear heart?” Yu Ning asked, needing to be certain. “Because I will tell you—underneath my grief, I am very, very angry.”

Slowly, Mei Hua nodded. “You get to decide,” she whispered, “what is fit and proper.”

The two young women sat in silence for a time, until Auntie Ling lifted her head and looked toward the doors. Out in the corridor, the guards seemed to be intercepting another visitor.

The questioning went on for several moments, back and forth, but eventually the courtyard’s master came through the doors—the family’s dūtóu, soon to be her dūtóu.

Hong Fei took in the sight of Yu Ning and Mei Hua with concern in his eyes. At his side was Fortune’s Favor. He must’ve just come from a meeting with someone important. He only seemed to carry the famous sword for special occasions.

“I—” he began, but stopped when Auntie Ling suddenly surged to her feet.

They all watched as the giant badger’s nose snuffled at the air, her head swinging as if to sense the direction of the scent. Then the wind shifted, the branches shook again, and they all smelled it—smoke.

Nearby, an alarm bell rang. There was fire at the estate.

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ToC  | Next Chapter >

Characters who’ve been mentioned previously are: 

• Auntie Ling, a summons 

• Scholar Sun Han, a summons 

• Chen Wenbin, the commander of Duke Yu's household troops 

• Kang Lian, mother to Little Ruyun 

• Kang Ruyun, daughter to Kang Lian 

• Mei Hua, companion to Yu Ning 

• Yu Hui, the duchess 

• Yu Ning, granddaughter to Duke and Duchess Yu 

• Yu Wu, the duke 

• Yu Yong, grandson to Duke and Duchess Yu 

• Zhang Dehua, the Yu steward