Chapter 251

Chapter 251

Though the sun had barely risen when the knock sounded at his door, Baatar was already wide awake and tending to Sarnais needs. Frowning at the intrusion and smelling the food, he instructed the servant to leave breakfast at the door and go, as they did every day. Hed made his wishes known long ago, no one was allowed into the room aside from family or Healers. If he allowed strangers in, shed scold him until the heavens fell from the sky for letting people see her while she slept. A foolish woman, always worrying about her appearance even though she was still as beautiful as the day theyd married. He remembered it like it was yesterday, kneeling across from her with fingers interlocked and voices intertwined as they said their vows.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)

Heart aching at the memory of better days, he finished wiping his wifes face with a warm washcloth, praying she would open her eyes and smile at his tender touch. Unresponsive for weeks now, there had been little to no improvement in her condition, and after he passed over all authority to Major General Han BoHai, there was nothing left for him to do but watch as his sweet rose slowly withered away, day by tortuous day. Repressing a sigh, he took a deep breath before opening the door to find a welcome surprise on the other side. Standing behind a small cart, Rain smiled and said, Hello. Im back.

The boys arms went wide and Baatar pulled him into a warm embrace. Welcome home, boy. The journey was hard on you. Youve done well to survive your tribulations and won much honour and glory for the People. Half-dragging Rain and his cart into the room, Baatar closed the door behind them and inspected his disciple. Though still short of stature and lean of frame, the boy had grown in this short half-year of separation. With broader shoulders and a straight back, there was no sign of the timid, anxious child hed once been. Whether it be from the glint in his eye or the set of his jaw, Baatar knew a warrior stood before him, a man forged in battle and bloodshed. Weary and worn from his struggles, Rain stood ready to face whatever the day might bring with his head held high.

Good. Good.

Sorry for not coming by earlier. We arrived long after midnight and I didnt want to disturb your sleep. Moving the dining table next to the bed, he set down a tray of food and gestured for Baatar to sit. I ate while cooking, so you go ahead. Placing a steaming bowl on the nightstand, Rain turned to Sarnai and took her hand. After I heard what happened, I made you some eight-treasure soup. Both delicious and nutritious, its a nourishing broth which will help keep your strength up. It still needs to cool, but you can enjoy the fragrance as it does.

Seeing his upbeat and bright manner, Baatar couldnt help but shake his head. She cant hear you, boy. Shes wholly unresponsive to sound, light, touch, and smell. Though he still held hope for his rose, he couldnt deny the situation looked grim.

Smiling gently, Rain shrugged. The mind is a strange and mysterious thing. Not even Teacher can claim to know all its mysteries. Ill admit, its unlikely she can hear us, but nothing is lost by speaking. Reaching under the cart, Rain pulled out an ornate porcelain vase and some flowers, placing them on the window sill. These are your favourite flowers, the violet mountain roses which grow in big clusters. Theres a whole field of them nearby, you should make Mentor bring you to see them after you wake. Its a breathtaking sight, but you should hurry if you want to see them before next spring.

Grateful for Rains optimism and support, Baatar ate his breakfast and watched as the boy bustled about the room, describing his gifts out loud for Sarnais benefit. A painting depicting the Sacred Tree in all its glory, an eighteen-petal lotus blossom carved out of the finest lavender jade, a solid gold censer adorned with silver sculpted dragons, Rains little cart was filled with a multitude of riches which left Baatar gaping in shock. One or two luxurious gifts might be explained as a reward for the boys accomplishments in Sanshu, but this was far too extravagant. Though Baatar had little experience in appraising works of art, any fool could see these gifts were priceless and Rain already placed five of them around the room, with no sign of stopping. As the boy pulled out his sixth gift, a wedding barge carved out of ivory, Baatar was forced to speak up. Boy, did you save Sanshu or pillage it? Whered you get all these works of art?

With a toothy grin, Rain patted Baatar on the shoulder. Why not both? Seeing his frown, the boy winked and Sent, Im kidding, dont look so sour. Magistrate Tongzu wont be hunting me down for looting his city, these are spoils of war I took from the Butcher Bay hideout. Out loud, the boy said, You wouldnt believe it if I told you. On the way back, we saved a merchant from some bandits, with help from the Society Warrant Officers. As thanks, the merchant sold us all his expensive wares at bargain prices before returning home to retire. I guess he found the merchant life too dangerous and was happy to recoup his costs.

Stifling a laugh at the shameless and poorly acted lie, Baatar shook his head and listened as the boy regaled them with tales of his adventures in Sanshu. As fanciful and astonishing as they were, Baatar knew Rain well enough to know he wasnt bragging. If anything, the boy was probably downplaying his accomplishments. To hear him tell it, he was merely a bystander going along with the flow instead of someone who played a pivotal role in the entire matter. He focused more on how adorable his pets were than the battles he won or skills he developed. Though there were many questions to ask and mysteries to uncover, Baatar was content to listen in silence, taking pride in his disciples achievements and accepting everything at face value, knowing Rain would explain everything in time.

A good child and an even better disciple. Baatar couldnt take credit for teaching him well. Everything Rain accomplished, he did so on his own, but Baatar still took pride in seeing this young man blossom.

The hours flew by as Rain kept them company, but just before lunch, little Lin arrived to collect him, his hare-brained Teacher seeking him out for work. As Rain listed off a checklist of last-minute instructions and exercises to help Sarnai, Baatar held back his tears and basked in the warmth and care shown by this filial disciple. He only wished his daughter shared Rains optimism, but he couldnt fault her for it. The girl was pragmatic and hardheaded, just as hed raised her to be. It wasn't easy on her either, and were it anyone else, Baatar would have given the same advice she gave him; accept Sarnais loss, mourn, and move on, but this was his wife, his love, his rose.

How could he give her up for dead while she still drew breath?

An Aura washed over him and Baatar's sword hand twitched in response before settling down. Nothing to be concerned about, the boy was merely showing off his skills. A second surprise lay in wait though, as the boys Aura filled him with warm comfort and doting love. Staring at Rain in shock, Baatar hardly believed his senses, this little disciple hiding so much beneath the surface. How was this possible? All his life, Baatar thought Aura was only used to shelter allies and unnerve enemies, but the boy showed him it was so much more. The raw emotion displayed by Rains Aura was so vivid and tangible, his love and devotion couldnt be any clearer. I cant promise I'll save her, he said, but Ill study hard, do my best, and ask Teacher to do the same. So long as there is life, there is hope, so you need to eat more, dress better, and er... bathe. Please. Smiling, he added, Else when Sarnai wakes up and sees you like this, shell scold me into a pile of quivering tofu for not taking care of you. Ill have someone send lunch and come back when I can, okay?

Calm down, boy. Uncle Yang spoke softly, his smile not reaching his eyes as he comforted Zian. Ive still a few favours to call in, the Justicars wont demand my death. In fact, its better if you keep calling me Uncle instead of Mentor. This way, my failures cannot be used against you and besides, Mother knows Ive taught you next to nothing. Your strength and prowess results from your hard work and dedication. Forget about me, boy. My star has dimmed while yours still rises.

Guilt welled up within Zian as he thought about how hed intended to replace Uncle Yang with Jukai as his Mentor. Uncle...

None of your soft-hearted, girlish ways, I still know whats best for you. Soon enough, Ill have no time to teach you anyways. Without my rank, my enemies will grow confident and Ill be forced into hiding. Dont worry, Ive not lost my wits or my strength, Ill show them Situ Jia Yang is not a man to be taken lightly. With a grimace, Uncle Yang hesitated before continuing. Be honest now, I wont fault you. Have you made peace with the little savage?

Sort of. Clasping his uncles forearm, Zian explained the entire situation with Yo Lings treasure through Sending, having practised with Jukai the entire journey home.

When he finished telling the tale, Uncle Yang shook his head in disapproval. You take after your father. An unstoppable warrior but a bumbling diplomat. Should have asked for more or refused to go along. The words stung, especially since Zian knew little about his father, and Uncle Yang noticed his mistake, quieting for a moment. After a consoling pat on the cheek, he continued. Well, this is fine. The Bekhai are experiencing a meteoric rise in power and you cannot afford to antagonize them, not anymore. Forget the brats accomplishments, the wolf's already being hailed as the next Nian Zu, here to defend the province for hundreds of years to come. Doesnt even deserve it, owes all his success to luck and coincidence.

After some more grumbling, Uncle Yangs voice dropped to a whisper. About your father... Its no secret we never got along, but he loved your mother. More importantly, she loved him and there was nothing I could do about it. A small chuckle escaped his lips and for a second, Uncle Yang looked twenty years older. Then he died, doing stupid things for stupid reasons. Wrapping Zian in his embrace, he whispered, Ive never had a son, but Ive always thought of you as one. I envy him you know? Seeing you fight and earn glory in his style, youve done him proud. Youve made me proud. Never forget this.

Choking back his tears, Zian snarled and said, Stay alive uncle. Give me a few years and Ill become strong enough to protect you, I swear it.

Ha. Thatll be the day. The great Situ Jia Yang relying on a profligate dandy to protect him, Id be better off dead and burned. The mocking tone was softened by Uncle Yangs smile. Dismissing Zian with a wave of his hand, Uncle Yang said, Begone now, go write a letter to your mother before she marches down here to chew you out in person. Neither of us will survive if that should come to pass.

Yes uncle. Pausing at the door, Zian turned to see Uncle Yang already gazing out the window with a forlorn look. Swallowing his words, Zian stepped out and closed the door behind him. Its likely the clan would disavow Uncle Yang before the court-martial even took place, and without the Societys protection, he was in more danger than he let on. It disgusted Zian to see his uncle abandoned so readily, half the enemies looking to kill him were made carrying out the Societys interests.

Complaining wont change anything, the only way Zian could help was by seizing more power, both personal and political. Gathering his thoughts, Zian abandoned his plans to renounce his place as young patriarch and focused on drafting a letter to his mother. If he wanted power, the quickest and easiest method would be an alliance through marriage. If the Situ Clan wouldnt stand behind Uncle Yang, then perhaps someone else would, someone stronger. With the Bekhais growing power, Sumila, daughter of Akanai would have been a perfect choice, but she was already betrothed to Rain, the lucky bastard.

No matter, there were plenty of single, attractive, well-connected women in the empire, who werent betrothed to Falling Rain. In fact, he quickly picked out a second possible candidate, a beautiful, talented, rising young dragon in the central province, with ties to the Bekhai and the Du family: Du Min Gyus Terminal Disciple, Du Min Yan.

...At least, Zian prayed she wasnt betrothed to Rain.

Be reasonable, how lucky could one man be?

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