Back to the Imperial Palace (1)

The problem was that, unlike Harmony Qi Absorption, the stolen true qi could neither be returned nor filtered of its turbid essence. Foreign energies tangled together in a chaotic snarl, and the victim was left a wasted husk — skin stretched over bone — among a host of other vicious side effects. Even the Mad Demon himself had succumbed to qi deviation in his twilight years, undone by the polluted true qi he had amassed.

And yet, for all those horrors, the art's monstrous capacity to seize another man's true qi against his will had earned it a name whispered with dread: the devil's own divine art. That was the Great Absorption Art.

To witness the Sunflower Manual — the ideal, the perfected form of that very art, a martial legacy that existed more in legend than in living memory — was more than any martial artist could bear with composure.

"I'll be counting on all of you."

While everyone sat slack-jawed, too stunned to string a sentence together, I clasped my fists in a proper salute and let a grin slide across my face.

The stories of Shengmu Palace and the Sunflower Manual could wait. Next on the program was watching how the families of those three ruffians who'd departed for the Yellow Springs would come storming in.

We talked for another two hours. I learned what they needed to know about Shengmu Palace; they learned what they needed to know about the Sunflower Manual.

Of course, I mentioned nothing whatsoever about my regression, nor about the life I had lived as a eunuch. I had no intention of revealing it — and even if I had, the time was nowhere near ripe.

As for how I had come to learn the Sunflower Manual, I gave them the version I had prepared in advance, trimmed to something plausible. What mattered was the fruit of a fortuitous encounter, not the path that had led to it.

"Now I'll finally be able to train in peace."

Securing a place where I could cultivate without looking over my shoulder — before I reached a stable realm — was no small matter. Qi deviation. Once you could send and receive true qi at will, a stray jolt from the outside world meant nothing. Before that threshold, though, a single shock in the middle of circulating your mind art could send you straight to the grave. It was a serious problem. One careless tap and you were crossing the River of the Dead. Gone, just like that, on a journey with no return.

"I'm a little sorry the founding got delayed. You've all been waiting a long time."

In truth, the Grand Matriarch had decided to found the sect two years ahead of schedule the moment she realized the family had learned martial arts. She had meant to reveal to the world that Yuwol Pavilion was Shengmu Palace. The palace had suffered a catastrophe bordering on annihilation at the hands of the Divine Cult, yet even as a remnant it had raised three generations of disciples and amassed wealth enough to stand again.

I had also, at last, understood why Yuwol Pavilion had never been refounded as Shengmu Palace before my regression. For generations, the candidate for Martial Chancellor — the sole man among the palace disciples — had been me. And I had vanished without a trace the moment I became a eunuch. I had disappeared, no less, just as the restoration of the martial arts traditionally passed down to the Martial Chancellor had been completed.

The Holy Mother; the Civil Chancellor, who served as her strategist and as acting authority in the event of her death; and the Martial Chancellor, husband to the palace disciples and commander of all external affairs. With the designated successor to the Martial Chancellor gone — the very post that directed operations beyond the palace walls — founding the sect had been impossible under their own laws. The grief of the Grand Matriarch and Yumo must have been considerable.

At any rate, the plan had been to declare a formal founding on this occasion and settle somewhere with a proper vantage. The problem was that I had sent Zhong Tianxiang and his two companions to the afterlife the night before. Come morning, their families would track the three of them here and come pounding on the door. Announce that Yuwol Pavilion was Shengmu Palace in the middle of a mess like that, and we were all but guaranteed to catch the blame.

They might still make trouble later, once the truth came out — but not right now. I could have crushed all three families by raw force if I felt like it. After decades of silence, though, a resurrection stained by scandal would plant exactly the wrong impression in the public mind. So I had told them to put off the founding and find some other excuse.

Two shichen later, late morning. I had spent those four hours entirely on mind cultivation — cycling true qi along the Conception and Governing Vessels in the Small Heavenly Circulation. With the experience of a Peak Realm master from before my regression, the efficacy of the Isin mind art, and the five years of inner power I had absorbed the night before, it was almost effortless.

Only once the Small Heavenly Circulation had begun could one reinforce the organs and the body as a whole, and begin to accumulate inner power in earnest. Which was to say that the first turn of that cycle was the true initiation of a martial artist. From this moment on, every session of mind cultivation would add to my reserves — and the amount I accumulated would surpass even the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. The thought of it left me almost giddy.

"Good. Now I just wait. If they're not complete idiots, they'll be here before the day is out."

I hadn't slept a wink, but thanks to the Sunflower Manual my body and mind were in excellent condition. Mental fatigue only truly cleared with sleep, of course — but a martial artist who had cultivated inner power did not grow noticeably dull after a few nights without it.

The family, on the other hand, still had their true qi sealed. They couldn't circulate energy the way I could, so they were recovering the ordinary way: asleep. In a Yuwol Pavilion filled with nothing but even breathing, the only things left for me to do were practice the Sunflower Manual and wait for the three families to arrive.

I had just finished the mind work and was about to move on to fist-and-kick forms and palm techniques when, sure enough—

"Is anyone there! We've come from the Jiangning Zhong Clan! The Zhao Sword Gate and the Nan Clan Hall have questions as well — come out at once!"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

People from the three families had arrived. Damned industrious bastards. They'd come early, too. The voice boomed through the whole of Yuwol Pavilion, which until that moment had been utterly still. Like father, like son — I understood, with perfect clarity, exactly where Zhong Tianxiang's short fuse had come from.

Who do they think they are, waking people from a sound sleep? I ought to pack the whole lot of them off to the Eastern Depot training camp. Let's see what kind of filth they spit this time.

The mere memory of my days as an Eastern Depot trainee was enough to make my skin crawl. I straightened my clothes and headed downstairs.

I ran into Yumo on the way down to the first floor. Zheng Hui was the eldest of the Twelve Hui, and the Civil Chancellor. Looking back, it made sense that she was especially close to the Grand Matriarch — and that, in ways both subtle and not, she had a habit of keeping the aunts and sisters in line. Which was why she was coming out to meet the guests before the Grand Matriarch herself.

"I am Zheng Hui. The matter seemed urgent, so I have not had time to properly arrange my dress. May I ask what brings you here?"

Yumo quickened her step, came to a halt before the uninvited guests, and bowed with impeccable courtesy. Then she gestured to one side, suggesting they move.

"Please, this way first. Anyone who arrives in such haste at this hour of the morning has not come to exchange pleasantries, so I will show you inside. Until further word, the sisters of Yuwol Pavilion will rest in their rooms. The Thirteen Flower sisters, please look after the younger girls."

"Yes, Elder Sister."

The aunts and sisters exchanged glances too quick for a stranger to catch and withdrew to their rooms. The uninvited guests followed Yumo's lead.

"Please speak freely. What business brings you to us?"

Once the guests had all taken their seats, Yumo opened the conversation. I stood quietly behind her, for all the world like an attendant. I was the one who had started this; there was no world in which I sat it out. The guests, who knew nothing of me, glanced once in my direction, decided I was a servant, and lost interest. They had lost their heirs. They were hardly in their right minds. Would they have attention to spare for me? They would not.

"We've come to ask a few questions. I trust we need not introduce ourselves."

The answer to Yumo's inquiry came from Jong Jin-su. Just as Zhong Tianxiang had been the ringleader among the three wastrels, Jong Jin-su was the ringleader among the fathers. The Jiangning Zhong Clan's martial arts were a shade stronger besides — and more to the point, this was the imperial capital, and Jong Jin-su's own elder brother was none other than the Left Vice Minister of War. Of course he was the one doing the talking.

"How could I fail to recognize three such distinguished heroes? You said you had a few questions — of what nature, if I may ask?"

"Our sons came by yesterday, did they not?"

"They did. The three young masters were kind enough to visit us."

"Nothing unusual happened?"

"I beg your pardon? Unusual, in what sense…?"

"I am asking whether anything happened. Anything at all."

"I don't understand why you would—"

"This morning, the young clan masters of our three houses were found dead. Unnatural deaths."

"What? How could such a thing— this humble one does not know what to say, my lords."

Yumo ducked her head, the picture of a woman thrown into agitation.

"Enough. I have heard there was a disturbance yesterday between our sons and Yuwol Pavilion. When I asked you just now, you said nothing of that disturbance. Why?"

"Ah… there was, in fact, such an incident. This humble one only hesitated to mention it for fear of causing you discomfort, my lords."

"Is that so? Then tell us. What happened?"

Jong Jin-su's eyes narrowed to slits, sharp as a sparrow's. He would be matching her account against whatever he had already gathered, hunting for anything that smelled wrong.

"You are of course well aware that Yuwol Pavilion is a pleasure house. It is most improper of me to say so, but yesterday the three young masters declared that they wished to purchase the sisters' chastity, and…"

"Ahem! Ahem!"

The rest did not need to be spoken. Awkward coughs escaped the guests; the picture was obvious enough. I barely managed to keep a snort of laughter from slipping out.

"And then? What happened?"

Jong Jin-su jumped in quickly, catching the thread Yumo had so considerately allowed to trail off.

"They went so far as to lay hands on our sisters. The Grand Matriarch told them she would inform the three of you and summon the authorities, and that was the end of it. They did not look as though their temper had cooled, but they did leave."

"About what hour was that?"

"I cannot be certain, but I believe it was around the Hour of Hai last night."

"We had a renowned physician perform an autopsy first thing this morning. The estimated time of death falls around the Hai hour. Did our sons have any other altercations besides that one?"

"No, none. There was some friction with us, but they had no contact of that kind with any other guests. I understand they left the pavilion not long after."

"Hmph…! The place where the bodies were found is less than a few minutes' walk from this pavilion. Which means they were attacked the moment they stepped outside."

"To think the young clan masters met with such a misfortune… this humble one does not know what to say. I pray most respectfully for the repose of the deceased."

Yumo offered her condolences in a voice full of apparent sorrow. Oh, something like that happened? My sincerest sympathies. That was the tone, exactly.

"We will need to conduct an investigation. We will need to question every courtesan and every visitor, so you will cooperate."

Jong Jin-su, however, was not a man who accepted things lying down. Like father, like son — he was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠every bit as unhinged as the boy he had raised. It was possible he had come here intending to conduct this so-called investigation from the start.

Leave the aunts and sisters aside. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Waking the pavilion's guests and interrogating them on suspicion alone, with not a scrap of evidence? That was as good as telling Yuwol Pavilion to close its doors. One wrong move and some ill-tempered martial artist would start a brawl, and there would be a bloodstorm blowing before breakfast.

"I understand how you feel, but that will not be possible. Investigate the guests? I have already told you, my lords. According to the girls who personally attended the three young masters, they had no contact whatsoever with any other patrons."

"Does this look like a request to you? The heirs of the Jiangning Zhong Clan, the Zhao Sword Gate, and the Nan Clan Hall are dead! And not long after they left Yuwol Pavilion! Does that not mean the answer is surely here?"

Crack.

Jong Jin-su slammed his palm down on the table, fury pouring off him, and a split ran through the solid ebony with a sharp report. Yesterday the son had crossed the line. Today the father was crossing it too. Jong Jin-su had begun to rant and rave — and Yumo's expression did not change in the slightest. She remained perfectly composed.

"You are aware, of course, that Yuwol Pavilion is a house visited not only by the heroes of the martial world but by many distinguished ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gentlemen of the Great Ming. We have never submitted to such an investigation, and if you insist upon one, you will obtain the authorities' permission first."

"I have been holding back from simply forcing the issue and observing proper courtesy. You truly mean to make enemies of our three houses? Fine. I thought you might take this tack, so I have already sent for His Excellency the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner. He will be here shortly. I will be very interested to see whether you still take that position then."

Jong Jin-su dropped the last pretense of courtesy, and out of his mouth came a third-rank Provincial Surveillance Commissioner. The Surveillance Commissioner oversaw the inspection and judiciary of an entire province; within that province, at least, his word was the law. If he said you were guilty, you were guilty. If he said you were innocent, you were innocent.

Just as I had guessed — Jong Jin-su had come here to conduct this investigation from the beginning, and before arriving he had pulled his elder brother's strings to summon the Commissioner. He needed to neutralize Yuwol Pavilion's standing, a house that high officials and martial artists both frequented. Once the Surveillance Commissioner ordered an investigation, Yuwol Pavilion would not be able to so much as twitch.

Hold on… who was the Surveillance Commissioner in this district around this time? Was it that Gao fellow?