Chapter 343

Chapter 343

Striding through the carpeted hall, Zian paid no mind to the palatial furnishings or opulent decor, his thoughts focused on the tribulations ahead. Tonight marked a turning point in his life, a crucial event in which success or failure would determine his fate. Whatever the outcome, it would be better to die with dignity than live in disgrace, and while his thoughts fixated on past humiliations, he did his best to put them all behind him. Tonight, a new Zian had arrived, and while this new version lacked the prestige and renown of his past self, hed surpassed the former entitled, hedonistic young master hed once been. The new Zian was better in all ways, smarter, stronger, and savvier than ever, equipped to deal with whatever the Heavens had to throw at him.

Or so he hoped.

For the umpteenth time, Zian silenced the part of his brain telling him to retreat to the safety of his guest room at the Yo household. What awaited at his destination was indignity at best and far worse should he fail, but this was the only path left to him. Itd taken several cups of liquid courage to even make it this far, and though he was determined to see things through, the new Zian also came with a host of unfamiliar insecurities and apprehensions. Jing Fei had been coaching him through his inadequacies, but while she proved herself an able teacher, he was a mediocre student.

What happened to the golden child, the Zian who could do no wrong? The number one talent in the North, the peerless duellist and rising young dragon?

Hed been replaced by a failure is what happened. No, not a failure, but worse, a man doomed to wallow in obscure mediocrity for the rest of his life.

The days preceding the Imperial Grand Conference had not been kind to Zian. Day after day he took to the stage, hoping to defeat an illustrious warrior and make a name for himself, but after eighteen victories on his first day, the warriors of Central banded together against the foreign threat. Knowing they were not his match, Zians similarly-aged peers all but disappeared from the duelling grounds and were replaced with older, seasoned nobodies. Though nameless and undistinguished, those wily, shameless veterans used their combined knowledge and experience to uncover Zians patterns and weaknesses for all of Central to see. Time and time again, he suffered defeat at the hands of his well-prepared opponents, all wise to his tricks and all to happy to exploit his shortcomings. The Enemy came in all shapes and sizes, so Zian viewed it as practice to help shore up his weaknesses, but even then, losing was unpleasant.

And he lost far more often than he liked.

Now, almost a week later, Zian had become the laughing stock of Nan Ping, the Northern whipping boy for the Empires flawed and inferior warriors. Men and women wallowing in mediocrity used him to bolster their confidence or vent their frustrations, proving they too could match or defeat a former number one talent of the North, future Patriarch, Magistrate, and all around stuck-up noble. As humiliating as it all was, it was nothing compared to the shame Zian felt from admitting Rain was right: One learns far more from a loss than a victory.

Unfortunately, while his Martial prowess steadily improved, his inflated reputation was at an all time low. While he hardly cared for the opinion of peasants, it put him in a precarious situation within the Clan. Displeased by Zians dissatisfied attitude and smouldering hostility, Patriarch Rang Min had seized the opportunity, using Zians disgraceful behaviour to discredit him among the Clan and put Cousin Gulongs name as a candidate for the next Patriarch instead. While this was what Zian wanted, Mother and Jing Fei both warned him things were moving too quickly, his fall from grace more meteoric than expected. Were he to fall too far too fast, then Zians support from the Clan would all but disappear and there would be nothing holding Rang Min back from having Zian killed, dragging Mother and Uncle Yang down with him.

Thus, to preserve his life and the lives of his family, Zian needed allies outside the clan, and there was one person best suited to help him. He didnt want to do it, but what choice did he have?

Having arrived at his destination, Zian hesitated at the threshold of the opened double doors, knowing this would be his last chance to retreat. His pause was brief, infinitesimal even, but the indecision was there and Zian loathed himself for it. Gritting his teeth, he swallowed his pride and faked a smile, forcing his feet through the doors and into the warm glow of the courtyard. Dreading the next few minutes with all his heart, he followed the stone pathway lined with dozens of paper lanterns and surrounded by a crowd of servants and onlookers. Their muted chatter was lost among the background music and babbling streams, intermingling and clashing like the heady bouquet of perfumes and aromas, but it all went unnoticed as his stomach dropped at the sight of his new benefactor.

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Grinning from ear to ear in what seemed like a genuine smile, Rain greeted Zian like an old friend, leaving the Guardian Turtle behind to meet him halfway instead of standing in place to wait as decorum demanded. An honour for most, but Zian felt the knife twisting in heart as his most hated foe became his most valued ally.

Zian almost preferred death to relying on Rains charity.

Almost.

Im so glad you could make it, Rain said, arm slipping over Zians shoulders in an overly-familiar gesture. As much as he wanted to shrug Rains arm off, Zian needed the watching nobles and dignitaries to see how friendly he was with the new number one talent in the Empire. Rains star was on the rise and seeking shelter in his growing shadow was Zians best chance to stay alive. It was a tremendous blow to his pride, but his options were limited and oddly enough, Zian trusted Rain not to betray him. When all was said and done, it would be foolish to rely on Uncle Yangs tenuous friendship with Yo Shi-Woo or Mothers self-serving allies in Central when Rain was the best option, a man who valued friends and family above all else.

Mother told him that if a common street whore could smile while a fat, greasy merchant grunted over her, then Zian could smile and shake hands with Rain, a distasteful metaphor, but an apt one.

Oblivious to Zians inner struggle, Rain Sent, It feels good to finally see a friendly face, and an unpowdered one at that. All these Central nobles cake their makeup on so thick, how am I supposed to recognize them without it? I swear if they traded hats, I wouldnt be able to name three of them even if my life depended on it.

Mhmm, Zian grunted, remaining non-committal. Were they friends? How did this happen? Hed expected smug gloating and hidden barbs, not friendly small talk.

Leading him back towards the Guardian Turtle, Rain nattered on through Sending while making no mention of the large favour he was doing for Zian and his family. Fung and BoShui are here and so are ZhiLan and a few others you might recognize. While I havent had a bite to eat yet, the food was cooked by my brother himself, so theres nothing to worry about. Youll love it. Anyways, lets get the formalities over with, Ive been greeting guests for an hour now. Giving the turtle a pat on the beak, Rain turned and faced Zian, Mother, and Uncle Yang, hands clasped in a salute as he bowed ever so slightly. Speaking in a loud, if strained and post-pubescent voice, he announced, I, Falling Rain, welcome distinguished guests Magistrate Situ Jia Ying of Shen Yun, Lieutenant General Situ Jia Yang, and Warrant Officer Situ Jia Zian. Your presence brings great honour to this ones humble banquet, thrown in honour of his concubine, Zheng Luo.

What a difference a day makes. Rain played his part to perfection and even looked the part of respectable young noble, sporting a new haircut and a high-collared, black silk shirt adorned with striking gold-patterned embroidery. Wearing his sword on his hip, the red-wrappings of his hilt had been replaced with interlacing gold and black, with the scabbard repainted to match. Oddly enough, under his loose silk pants, Rain wore sturdy leather boots instead of fashionable cloth shoes, a choice which suited him. The boots made him stand out and lent him an air of authority and dominance, a man ready to wade through blood and guts no matter the occasion.

Feeling self-conscious about his choice in footwear, Zian clasped his hands and returned the greeting while Mother and Uncle Yang did the same. Barely glancing at their proffered gifts as waiting servants took them away, Rain stepped in to chat some more, putting on a show for their watching audience. Already, Zian saw spies and sycophants scurrying away to report on Rain and Zians friendship, and while Zian felt grateful for the help, it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Enjoying this far too much, Rain grinned and bowed properly to Mother and Uncle Yang, sending another wave of servants rushing off. Its nice to see you both again, especially in this amicable setting given our... rocky past. Straightening up, he winked and whispered, Though I will say your gifts were far more impressive the last time we met.

Many an alliance had begun at parties like this, with friendships struck and marriages made over polite conversation and too many drinks, and Zian intended to take advantage. Following Jing Feis advice, he approached Ryo Geom-Chi with a smile, but before he could speak, Geom Chi moved to shield his sisters like a thuggish bodyguard, arm crossed and nose pointed skyward. Away with you, he said, lip curled in a sneer, Neither of my sisters are interested in a playboy, dandy masochist.

Mind your manners now Chi-Chi. Graceful and refined, Chi-Chis elder sister Ryo Dain was more deadly than beautiful, though still easily one of the most beautiful women in the room. Where Jing Fei was shapely and seductive, Dain was slender and supple, her every movement made with finesse and elegance. Wearing a modest, traditional dress, she possessed the bearing of a bold, unyielding warrior. Seeing her brother instinctively give way set off all sorts of warnings. Her slow, gliding pace with feet never leaving the floor, her delicate fingers twitching towards the hilt of her sword, how Geom-Chi gave her enough room to draw her weapon, all this and more reminded him of Dains reputation, a former number one talent who dominated her peers in the Hwarang for five years with her dazzling swordsmanship, and one itching for a fight.

Which happened to be exactly Zians type.

Even her smile was aggressive, given with narrowed eyes and bared teeth as she offered a martial salute instead of a curtsy. Young Patriarch Situ Jia Zian, Dain has heard much about your exploits in Nan Ping, especially after you defeated my dear baby brother. What does the former number one talent of the North think of Centrals level of ability?

Erring on the side of caution, Zian responded with humble cordiality. As with everywhere else, there are exceptional warriors and mediocre warriors, though I have had the privilege and pleasure to cross blades with more than a few exceptional members of Central.

Oh? Disappointment flashed across Dains eyes as Zians modest response cost him her interest. And here I thought Situ Jia Zian was a dragon among men. How boring. Leave now.

No wonder she was still unmarried at twenty-eight years of age. No matter, there was still a younger sister. Ignoring Dains offhand dismissal, Zian smiled at Geom-Chi and said, I enjoyed our last match. We are close equals in strength and our styles complimentary. We would both benefit much from sparring again.

Cognizant of Zians intentions, Geom-Chi smirked and gestured towards his younger sister, who stood with arms crossed and a look of contempt pasted across her fair face, so full of youthful vigour. Seoyoon makes Dain seem bashful and polite in comparison.

Take care then. Nodding in thanks for the warning, Zian strode off in search of another target, but found no woman who drew his interest. Worse, few even cared to keep him company, his attempts to make polite conversation kept falling flat, whether it be with Tam Taewoong, Yong-Jin, Dienne, or any of the other well known talents present, though he saw no sign of Du Min Yan, Wu Gam, or Mitsu Hideo. Even lesser known warriors barely made a modest effort to carry on a conversation, while others chose to outright snub him. For the first time in his life, Zians charms and good looks failed him. His stubborn and shameless display on the duelling stages made him something of a pariah in Central, where they valued face and victory far more than actual growth.

How maddening. What did they expect, for him to tuck tail and run home because he lost a handful of matches? In retrospect, keeping his Natal Palace a secret had cost Zian more than hed expected, his reputation as a martial genius now called into question. Everyone saw him as a failed has-been, replaced by the new rising stars of the North, Falling Rain and Dastan Zhandos, though neither one was present. In their absence, Fung and BoShui stood high in the publics eye, surrounded by admirers who sought to connect with the Bekhai through their closest allies.

How depressing. Despite Rains warm welcome, it seemed like everyone had already decided Situ Jia Zian was a name to forget.

Zian! As if noticing him for the first time, Fungs boisterous voice boomed out over the music, an irksome, languid smile stretched across his stupid face as he strode up with arms outstretched. Its about time you arrived. Always so fashionably late. I told Rain that gifting you a pocket-watch was a waste. Wrapping Zian in a friendly hug, Fung Sent, Stop struggling and play along you cantankerous ingrate. Were friends now, remember? Mother in Heaven, you have the acting skills of a brick. How did you survive so long?

Realizing Fung was trying to help, Zian faked a smile and returned the warm greeting, though felt utterly awkward doing so. Fung was Zians least favourite sparring partner, though not for any fault of his own. For years hed heard rumours of how Tong Da Fung would be the next Situ Jia Zian, an affluent, carefree, womanizer of prodigious martial talent, and while those rumours never bothered him before, it vexed him to watch Fungs star rise while Zians blinked out of existence.

It had nothing to do with how Fung used to be betrothed to Jing Fei. Nothing at all. Zian disliked Fung long before Jing Fei came into his life.

While BoShui introduced Zian to the fawning onlookers, Fung and Zian stood side by side like the best of friends, struggling to keep their fake smiles while exchanging barbs through Sending. Ill never understand Rain, Fung Sent, squeezing Zians shoulder harder than necessary. Were it up to me, Id leave you for the wolves. Your little cousin Gulong would be much easier to deal with, but alas, Rain is a merciful man. He does so love collecting pets, but youre easily the ugliest one yet.

Perhaps hes grown tired of playing nursemaid and tutor to a grown man-child like yourself, Zian replied, his fingers digging into the back of Fungs neck, And yearns for an actual peer to associate with.

Thats rich, coming from the profligate Situ Jia Zian. Then again, after seeing you fail miserably with the Ryo sisters, Im beginning to think those rumours were all lies. You were so awkward and bumbling, it was painful to watch. Come, this young master will take pity upon you and teach you how to properly seduce a woman like Ryo Dain.

Hmph. And I suppose you have your eye on Seoyoon?

I do, but oddly enough, her old maid of a sister disapproves. I figured the best way to deal with her was to sacrifice some poor, luckless bastard to that she-devil and I immediately thought of you. Youre about as ancient as she is, so you two will have much to talk about, like your aching bones and thinning hair.

As much as Zian wanted to refuse, Fungs help was exactly what he needed. Only now did he realize Situ Jia Zian had never been a hunter of women. He was a caged tiger, with meals delivered to his doorstep whenever he desired them, wholly out of his element in the wilds and at a loss on how to entice the alluring and contentious Ryo Dain. Left with no other choice, Zian swallowed his pride and played along with the farce, treating Fung and BoShui like his bosom buddies as they laughed and drank with the most prominent youths of the Empire.

Tonight marked the death of Situ Jia Zian and the rise of Lu Jia Zian, son of Lu An Jing and Situ Jia Ying, Disciple of Jukai, Nephew to Situ Jia Yang, and a dragon among men.

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