Chapter 778

Chapter 778

Three-three, three-seven, three-nine sharp, four-five sharp, four-nine flat, and five-four flat.

According to most established musicians, this was the most dissonant chord one could possibly play on a standard twenty-six string zither, and Luo-Luo wholeheartedly agreed. Not only was the resulting tone harsh and unpalatable to the ear, it was also unpleasant to play, requiring an awkward contortion of her left hand to hold down all the strings which stretched her fingers to their utmost limits. Then there was the matter of her personal pride as a musician, for playing such an awful arrangement was an insult to her cherished wutong wood zither, a hardy and serviceable instrument Mother-in-Law Sarnai purchased for her as a wedding gift. That being said, today, Luo-Luo was not utilizing her zither as an instrument, but rather as a weapon of war, so even though doing so make her skin prickle and stomach turn, she persevered knowing she was aiding the war effort in her own little way.

To say nothing of how it might help win over her formidable Mother-in-Law Sarnai, a Warrior who would wholeheartedly approve of Luo-Luos efforts, especially in light of the satisfying results.

From her perch atop the ships bow, her right hand plucked the jarring chime into existence, and the still silence of the battlefield shattered before its resounding might, so similar to what she experienced first-hand while guarding the District all those months ago. Soldiers and Defiled alike drew back from the dissonance as if physically repulsed by the inharmonious noise, and Luo-Luos spirits soared to see the effects of her actions even as she winced in emotional pain for having delivered it. That being said, this was still a welcome change and a refreshing relief from her usual day to day drudgery of spending every waking hour in a continued effort to hold the Outer Provinces together. It was so much easier to destroy than create, for this discordant chord wasnt even a melody, just a series of notes played all at once that rankled in pained inharmony.

And so she played that dissonant chord a second time and beamed as the Defiled forces fell back a step, then a third time just because she could, so thrilled by her ability to actually do something productive for a change instead of constantly struggling just to keep herself and the outer provinces afloat.

For too long, shed been stifled and stymied by Marshal Yo Jeong-Huns lackeys, dispatched to the Northern Citadel to supposedly assist her in her duties of Office. In truth, they were merely spies sent to report her every action back to Commander General Shuai Jiao, and they didnt care to even try and hide it. Following Lord Husbands injury, theyd even grown bold enough to abandon all soft tactics in an effort to strongarm her into doing their bidding, for though the Commander General had political power in spades, there were still strict limits to what the people were willing to accept with regards to his direct orders.

Not because Shuai Jiao was lacking in any way, but because the powers that be of Central had grown too accustomed to having their own way and balked at the thought of uniting under a single regional overlord. In the wake of the Obsidian Shadow Mitsue Juichis self-imposed social exile and Sword King Ryo Dae Jungs untimely death, Shuai Jiaos lofty ambitions were revealed to the world at large as he sought to consolidate the entire province under his rule, but matters were not going as smoothly as hed hoped. As expected, since even Lord Husband in all his wisdom and brilliance was unable to rally the factions of Central behind his banner. Even the public blessing of Shen ZhenWu, an influential, highborn Imperial Noble who might well one day become the next Emperor of the Azure Sea, was not enough to unite the scattered factions of Central, so what hope could a mere Shuai Jiao have without an Imperial Nobles overt endorsement? Not that this proved to be any sort of deterrent to the aspiring dictator, for Luo-Luo was certain he had an Imperial backer sheltering him from the shadows, one unwilling to step out into the light for reasons unknown. It was the only way to explain Shuai Jiaos bold and aggressive tactics as his minions attempted to manipulate, deceive, coerce, and compel her into handing over Lord Husbands Seal of Office, one which denoted him as the Emperors Legate of the Outer Provinces. Who it might be was anyones guess, but Luo-Luo had long since harboured her own suspicions which she kept to herself.

The nature of Imperial politics was to plot schemes within schemes, all carried out by cats-paws seeking to curry favour. Though she had yet to confirm her suspicions, the lack of action from the Supreme Families after Yang Jixings death and Grand Marshal Liang Bao Zhens willingness to appoint Lord Husband to the Office of Minister of Finance spoke volumes to the situation. Add in everything Lord Husband told her of his interactions with his patron, and her own interaction with Administrator Liang Yin Hang, the Grand Marshals lackey here to keep tabs on Lord Husbands Office of Finance, it was clear the Liang Family had set their sights on the Outer Provinces and were claiming it under the pretence that doing so fell under the jurisdiction of their familial responsibilities.

Why else would a noble of such high-standing like Shen ZhenWu be dispatched to oversee the defence of the outer provinces? The Defiled invasion should have rightly fallen under the Xing Familys purview, the Emperors military advisors, or at the very least, someone representing the Royal General, who traditionally also hailed from the Xing Family. Whats more, why would the current Liang family head and Grand Marshal travel all the way to the Outer Provinces just to personally appraise Lord Husband and test his knowledge and intelligence? Clearly War Bonds and Treasury Notes were only an excuse, because while the prospect of conjuring nigh-infinite amounts of coin out of thin air was tempting indeed, the Liang Family was hardly lacking in wealth to begin with. Just as the Xing Family traditionally served as military advisors, the Liang Family were the Emperors financial overseers, tasked with protecting the Empires economic and mercantile interests. Revolutionary though War Bonds and Treasury Notes might be, it was hardly enough to move the Grand Marshal from the Eastern Province, even if he could Cloud-Step away and back within a handful of days.

All this and more told Luo-Luo that there was more than mere greed motivating the Liang Family to go to such great lengths, though what those motivations might be were beyond her ability to even guess at. Two things were for certain however, that dominion over the Outer Provinces was now part and parcel of the eternal power struggle between the Five Supreme Families, and Lord Husband had been unlucky enough to get caught in the fray. Regardless of the reasons, it was clear the Liang Family held the upper hand when it came to expanding their base of power into the Outer Provinces, and Lord Husbands promotion to Minister of Finance was a means to undermine how much influence the other Supreme Families could bring to bear. As such, Lord Husband was the figurehead being used to keep the outer provinces in line, so how could the Liang Family turn a blind eye to Shuai Jiao efforts to replace him?

They wouldnt, not without reprisal, which meant the Liang Family had given Shuai Jiao permission to pursue his ambitions, if not tacitly encouraging them from the shadows. For this reason and many more, Luo-Luo suspected that Shuai Jiaos mysterious Imperial backer was none other than Shen ZhenWu himself, playing both sides against one another in order to keep Lord Husbands unbridled nature in check.

A bad portent of tribulations to come, because if Shen ZhenWu ultimately decided to back a different horse, then it was only a matter of time before he cut all ties with Lord Husband in what could only be a disastrous manner. As Minister of Finance and Legate of the Outer Provinces, Lord Husbands star was shining too brightly to let a mere self-proclaimed Commander General overshadow him, but the people of the Empire would not sit idly by if such a beloved and talented young hero were to meet his end at the hands of his fellow countrymen. Not unless Lord Husband made some grievous mistake, which Luo-Luo suspected was supposed to have happened when he barged in on Shuai Jiaos meeting with the Sword Kings widow, Jeong Hyo-Lynn. The entire meeting had likely been a trap, with Shen ZhenWu himself present no doubt, wholly recovered from the injuries he took in the Central Citadel and there to personally attest to Lord Husbands crimes after he predictably threatened Shuai Jiao with death should he fail to bend the knee. Thankfully, even without Luo-Luos advice, Lord Husband was too clever for them by far, using soft tactics and a subtle threat instead of outright military might, leaving even the prospective heir to the Empire unable to act. An offer of alliance spoken out loud followed by the reveal of a Concealed assassin standing in their midst, Luo-Luo would have loved to have seen Shen ZhenWus expression at that moment, but alas, Lord Husband wasnt even aware his patron had likely been quietly sitting in on the meeting.

Of course, there were many other reasons for Luo-Luo to suspect Shen ZhenWu, including the presence of one Miss Rou, the supposed courtesan who tried to assassinate Lord Husband shortly before he set out for the West. Even he was able to see that there was more to her than meets the eye, but again, Luo-Luo kept her suspicions to herself. For personal reasons like fear and jealousy, yes, but also because explaining her suspicions would directly violate the Imperial Mandate Shen ZhenWu issued to her during their first meeting ever, one prohibiting her from revealing his true identity. Loyal as she was to Lord Husband and her new family, she knew violating an Imperial Mandate would force the issue on both sides, as Shen ZhenWu would not forgive so blatant a transgression while Lord Husband and the Bekhai would not willingly hand her over for execution.

Luo-Luo was most fortunate indeed to have been bestowed to Lord Husband, rather than someone petty and small-minded like the barely recognizable Mitsue Hideo standing on the docks before her. Had he not announced his name in so arrogant a fashion, she would not have believed that this was the same bald, slender youth from memory, a man who was middling in all aspects including height, appearance, and talent. The one standing before bore a full head of hair, but this was the least of his changes. A towering giant of monstrous proportions clad in stately, too-tight robes, his outfit made the rippling muscles on his barrel-chest and trunk-like arms painfully apparent. His vein-studded neck was almost indistinguishable from the muscles protruding from his back and shoulders, and despite his almost complete transformation, the staggering increase in size and volume made it appear as if his head was still the same size as before. It had grown, just not in proportion to the rest of him, which resulted in his head seeming comically tiny, but Luo-Luo was unable to muster up any mirth when faced with the despicable expression of wild lust and unrestrained hatred etched across his repulsive face.

Memories of seeing him pounce upon her with a howl of pure fury flashed through Luo-Luos mind, and her shoulder throbbed with phantom pain where his teeth tore a chunk from her unblemished flesh. Fears icy grip clutched her heart from within as she relived those horrific moments again, when she lay helpless and bleeding in the grass as he ripped her clothes and pawed at her chest while responding to her attempts to stop him with violence and savagery both. The pain, the humiliation, the horror and violation, it all came flooding back to her in an instant and left her helpless and weak once more. Here on the field of battle, they would fight again, and again, Luo-Luo knew she was destined to lose, except this time, Mother-in-Law Sarnai wasnt here to protect her.

No need to be afraid. Im here with you. Im sorry you suffered so terribly in my absence and neglect, but I will never allow anyone to bully you again, because you are mine to bully and mine alone.

Warm and tender emotion welled up from within to free her from fears obstinate grip, and Luo-Luo recognized the teasing yet affectionate sentiment behind it. Lord Husband was here, not just physically laid out on the docks below, but here with her on the ship itself, inside her heart, mind, and soul. Hed come in her time of need to help her through this trial and tribulation, somehow speaking to her without words or images yet communicating his intentions all the same. The message was regrettably short and contained a wealth of emotions and information which would take Luo-Luo hours to wholly interpret and comprehend, but on the surface, he wanted her to know that he was here to help and would sooner die than allow her to come to harm.

This was the sincere, unmitigated truth, one Lord Husband wholeheartedly intended to fulfil, for while baring his heart and soul to her, he stumbled across everything shed been hiding within. Not just the fear and shame from her ignoble defeat, but all the loneliness and uncertainty stemming from a lifetime spent in pursuit of excellence only to be left by the wayside to be slowly forgotten. Embarrassed as she was to have all her insecurities laid bare, Lord Husbands response was wholly unexpected, for rather than pity, commiseration, surprise, or disbelief, he radiated silent understanding and shared empathy, for he too knew how she felt.

To the world at large, he was Falling Rain, the Undying Savage turned Legate of the Outer Provinces. A young talent unlike any other, he shone brighter than any star in the sky and rose higher and faster than any dragon who came before him. This was a man who others called the Mothers Chosen Son, some out of sheer awe, and others out of thinly veiled jealousy for what they saw as luck and happenstance. As if mere luck could explain Falling Rains meteoric rise to fame, fortune, strength, and glory, for he was not a man destined for greatness, but one who set himself upon that path through sheer merit and perseverance alone. Had he chosen a different path to pursue, his dedication, intelligence, and cunning would have set him far above his peers and launched him to the forefront of the field. The only thing keeping him from surpassing all others in spectacular fashion was his complete and utter lack of ambition, unwilling to do more than what was necessary to survive when he could instead dominate his competition with an iron fist.

Take his mercantile interests which Luo-Luo helped manage for example. Coming up with new products was one thing that could be attributed to luck, but what of his ingenious and inventive economical tools like compound interest, purchased futures, War Bonds? Difficult to say where he learned it from, but Lord Husband possessed an understanding of large-scale economics that even Luo-Luos teachers would be amazed at. How many times did he enter into a long-term contract with unfavourable terms just because he knew profit was merely a secondary benefit? Or because the actual profits of the endeavour were meaningless, since he himself intended to be buyer and seller? Or because hed thought of a different way to benefit and added terms in his favour that no one else recognized as such? Too many times to count, to say nothing of all the times when he showed mercy simply because he had no interest in obtaining a monopoly. Competition is great, he once said, grinning from ear to ear after she reported of lowered cast iron profit margins because of it. So long as we keep wages high, our competition will have no choice but to find means to cut costs elsewhere, and so long as they continue selling a quality product, then this will only benefit us all in the end. A simple truth, yet one Luo-Luo and almost every other merchant in existence had overlooked in their greed, to say nothing of his atypical outlook on property ownership. In his eyes, a thriving business was merely a commodity no different from any other, rather than the lifes blood of his success. While some might argue it was because he had more brilliant ideas than he had time to implement them, it was a novel and intriguing outlook with more than promising prospects, for it was far easier to buy a flagging business and improve upon its model than building one from the ground up. Selling was even easier, since most merchants only saw the profits and were largely unaware of the additional hidden costs, leading most prospective buyers to sorely overvalue a profitable company by no small amount.

Never before had Luo-Luo seen anyone move so fast, not unless they were a Peak Expert or Lord Husband. One moment Lin-Lin was bouncing in place, and the next she was sailing over Hideos head. Time seemed to stop for an instant as the two of them lined up, one with his boots on the ground, and the other just overhead with her feet pointed skyward and hands reaching down towards her foe. Ruthless was the only word to describe the look in Lin-Lins eyes, a woman looking down at someone she already considered dead, and Luo-Luo reflected on how mistaken shed been to call this a game of cat and mouse. While Hideo might well be a cat, a feral and unruly beast of fang and fury, sweet and amicable Lin-Lin was surely no mouse. No, she was a Cloud-Chaser Hare, and though she was even more adorable and lovable than sweet Blackjack, one should never overlook his voracious, carnivorous appetite which spoke volumes of the prodigious hunter he would grow up to be.

And young though Lin-Lin might be, it seemed she had already come into her own fangs as the edges of her scarf-wrapped palms traced a trail along her foes thick neck as she sailed through the air and landed lightly in front of Lord Husband. Bloody mist sprayed out from both sides of Hideos head as his charge slowed to a stop and clamped his hands over his injuries in an effort to keep from bleeding out, and the look in his eyes told Luo-Luo that he was finally taking the full measure of his foe after this close brush with death. For the first time since the battle started, Lin-Lins smile was nowhere to be found as she puffed her cheeks and huffed, A blockhead is what you are, in more ways than one. You think you can hurt my hubby with me here? Give up and die already, ya?

Lust and rage intermingled in Hideos gaze, but Luo-Luo saw in there something she recognized from her own battle against him, something shed missed in the moment and only suspected was there after the fact, but now, she could clearly see his mounting fear and hesitation. The fragile ego of a greenhouse genius, as Lord Husband would say, too unfamiliar with hardship and defeat to be worth a damn. In his eyes, defeat was the best teacher followed soon after by pain, and Lord Husband was a most diligent student to both. In contrast, Hideos defeats could be counted on two hands, meaning that as soon as uncertainty entered into the mix, his courage and conviction would falter like a delicate flower exposed to the wind and rain.

Youre an Ancestral Beast, he snarled, his booming voice drowning out the din of battle and Luo-Luos music both, though she kept playing in spite of the interference and her own personal surprise. Fighting me is a violation of the Treaty, and we would be well within our rights to retaliate.

That certainly put a damper on things as both sides stepped back out of personal concern for their own safety, though it would make no difference at all if the battle for Meng Sha should turn into a contest of Divinities. Everyone inside the fortress would likely die in the first exchange, alongside every living creature within five kilometres save for those the other Divinities could save, but that was all besides the fact. Even Luo-Luo had to stop playing her zither, for her mind had frozen at the startling implications of such an accusation, one which would almost be laughable if not for Lin-Lins superlative skills she only just displayed. If the sweet girl was truly an Ancestral Cloud Chaser Hare and not a half-beast like she claimed to be, then the Bekhai were facing a calamity of untold proportions once word of this spread.

For there was no more tempting a prize than a breeding pair of Ancestral Beasts, because any children they birthed were sure to become Divinities themselves, a prospect which would move even the Emperor Himself.

Something to be wary of in the future, but first, Lin-Lin would have to survive the battle here today. There really is no cure for idiocy, Lin-Lin replied in her customary sing-song manner, shaking her head side to side in childish taunt while punctuating her statement with an emphatic, Stooopid. The Treaty is meant to keep Divinities from turning the Empire into an uninhabitable wasteland.

andYoure an Ancestral Beast!

Hideos emphatic repetition was so tinged with desperation Luo-Luo could not help but smile as Lin-Lin rolled her eyes, a gesture so obvious and exaggerated it could be seen even from behind. Yea? So what? That doesnt mean Im a Divinity, you stinky blockhead. Im only twenty years old, so Im not strong enough to be bound by the Treaty just yet. Right Daddy?

Absolutely, sweet Lin-Lin. Stood on the docks next to Lord Husband, the Medical Saint revealed himself to the crowd with what Luo-Luo supposed was what he thought was a confident expression, but he was clearly worried about his beloved daughter whom he doted upon so much, his fists clenched and shoulders hunched as if ready and raring to slap Hideo to death should the need arise. Youre not Divinity just yet, so no Treaty is being broken here.

Such sophistry, such sin. Eh-Mi-Tuo-Fuo. The traitor Wisdom Vyakhya made his presence known, appearing behind Hideo with palms pressed together in prayer. The girl is clearly no Warrior, yet enlightened in ways no mere mortal could ever hope to compare. Surely her actions are in violation of the spirit of the Treaty, if not the words themselves. Such a transgression cannot be left unpunished, lest it encourage others to follow suit and bring calamity down upon us all.

To think, you would decry sophistry whilst spouting such hypocrisy. Do you even remember the man you once were? This monk thinks not, else you would see how far you have fallen. Stepping off the ship with an audible sigh, the Abbot appeared in front of Lin-Lin while warding off an unseen attack, one almost no one in the crowd would have noticed, for it left no visual or audible trace at all. Luo-Luo only sensed it at the periphery of her perceptions, a notion that something had taken place between the two monks, something beyond her meagre comprehension.

So you still draw breath yet, Vyakhya hissed, his gaze igniting in fury and fear both, yet again, Luo-Luo found it difficult to say just how she knew he was afraid, for he showed no visible signs of fear on the surface.

In spite of all your best efforts, yes. Removing a wooden fish drum from his sleeve, the Abbot set to knocking out a beat with his drum stick, one that set Luo-Luos spirits to soaring the same way she imagined her music had made others feel earlier. You also know that Mitsue Hideo here has also stepped beyond the realm of mortal limits, though this monk senses he did not cross the threshold unaided.

I am Hideo! All but howling the statement, his vehement overreaction spoke volumes to his deep denial, as if the familiar family name brought him too much pain to even consider. Heroic Heavenly Guardian Hi-dei-oh. Only now did Luo-Luo understand what hed been talking about earlier, listing out the radicals that made up his name. An elegant name for so graceless a beast, but her admiration was directed towards Hideos father, not Hideo himself.

If youre making changes, might as well change your family name to Idiot while youre at it, Lin-Lin retorted, and there were actually soldiers who chortled at her childish response. Also, can you baldy monks get out of the way now? I was just about to kill him, ya? Dont worry, Ill make sure they put the right name on your funeral tablet, Idiot Hideo.

If you wish to fight, then this monk will take Junior Brothers place. The hateful thick-browed monk stepped forward yet again, but round and jovial Monk Happy appeared to greet him without his customary smile, but not without reason. Difficult for a man to smile while pointing a weapon at his former brother, and not even Monk Happy was immune to such grim happenings, but he was determined to fight nonetheless.

For long seconds, silence hung over the battlefield, and Luo-Luo waited with bated breath to see what would happen next, only to be taken completely by surprise as the ship under her shifted abruptly in place. A spray of sand erupted along the beach followed by a thunderous crash, but before the dust had yet to settle, Major General Han BoHai was revealed as the source of the disturbance as he pummelled a three-faced Demon with an incoherent scream of rage. The rest of the combatants in Meng Sha followed suit half a beat later, and Luo-Luo resumed playing her zither even as the boat rocked violently in place, determined to understand her Dao of Music and incorporate it into her Martial Path.

Even though she could now rest easy knowing how to best win Lord Husband over, Luo-Luo still wanted to pursue the Dao and see how far it would take her. Rumours had it that Lord Husband was on the threshold of Divinity, and with Lin-Lin destined to arrive there as well, they were both sure to outlive Luo-Luo unless she became a Divinity herself. Never before did she ever consider this an option, but now that she understood Falling Rain better than ever, she was motivated to give it her all. Her sweet, beloved fool of a Lord Husband feared nothing more than losing his loved ones, and Luo-Luo suspected she would need several lifetimes to teach the stubborn man the errors of his ways.

Chapter Meme