Chapter Fifty-One: Crimson Lotus

King Han’s Palace

Today was the birthday of King Han An, and he held a grand banquet for all his civil and military officials. Li Yu was among the guests. His gaze lingered on Lady Mingzhu, who sat beside the king; because of the occasion, she was dressed even more splendidly than usual. Li Yu discreetly made a hand gesture toward Lady Mingzhu, then rose and walked toward the side hall.

“My lord, I need to withdraw for a moment,” Lady Mingzhu whispered softly into King Han An’s ear.

King Han An nodded gently in response.

“My lord, the Scorpion Sect was always a law-abiding martial clan, yet they were annihilated without cause. As the Minister of Justice, shouldn’t Ninth Prince give us an explanation?” Ji Wuye brought up the unpleasant topic, dampening the festive mood.

“Ninth son, what do you think?” King Han An couldn’t pretend not to hear; he looked at Han Fei with barely concealed impatience.

“Father, that Scorpion Sect has long been engaged in human trafficking for profit. Their annihilation is a boon for Han, ridding us of a blight. I’m curious why General Ji takes such an interest in this matter?” Han Fei deftly returned the question.

“Whether they’re an evil force is not for you alone to judge, but their extermination is an undeniable fact. If you, my lord, ignore this, who would ever dare seek refuge in Han in the future?” Ji Wuye retorted, not backing down.

“Enough. Ninth son, you will investigate this matter,” King Han An, clearly displeased, cut off their sharp exchange.

“Tonight, let us not speak of state affairs but only of pleasure. I’ve heard that Grand Tutor Li Yu is a master artist—” King Han An began, but noticed Li Yu was missing.

“Where is the Grand Tutor?” he asked.

“Sire, the Grand Tutor spilled tea on his robes and has gone to change,” a nearby eunuch replied.

“Oh,” King Han An nodded his jeweled green-crowned head.

“No need to wait—tonight, I shall offer the birthday toast in his stead.” A girl, dazzling as fire, appeared in the great hall.

“Who are you?” King Han An, though startled, pointed angrily at the girl.

“Who I am is not important. Seeing the king so delighted, shall I add a bit more fire to the festivities?” With a flick of her finger, a flame appeared at her fingertips, casting a bewitching glow on her flawless face.

“Who is she to you?” Lady Mingzhu, hidden in a shadowed alcove, watched the scene unfold.

Behind her, Li Yu, hands encircling the slender waist of Chaoxi Yue, pressed his body against Mingzhu’s soft form, whispering, “What’s this? Are you jealous?”

“She’s an enchantress, rare in the world. My cousin would be most interested in her,” Chaoxi Yue replied, her beautiful eyes fixed on the girl who flitted about the hall like a spirit.

“Your cousin had better not get any ideas, or else I’ll show no regard for blood ties,” Li Yu warned, his voice suddenly cold.

“Didn’t think you’d be so protective,” Chaoxi Yue replied with a hint of jealousy.

“I’m the same with you,” Li Yu said, his hands wandering boldly.

“Aren’t you worried about that girl?” Chaoxi Yue asked curiously.

“Let her have her fun. Don’t worry, she won’t be in danger,” Li Yu answered with a smile.

“I’m not worried about her. I’m worried you’ll feel heartache if she gets hurt. After all, this is the king’s palace,” Chaoxi Yue replied, rolling her eyes.

“As if I’d ever let her be in danger. Enough about that—I’m almost there,” Li Yu said, suddenly quickening his pace.

“So am I,” Chaoxi Yue replied, her eyes growing hazy.

~~~

By now, the palace was an inferno. The flames released by the Fire Spirit Princess were no ordinary fire; water could not extinguish them, and adding water only made it worse. Only earth could smother the blaze.

King Han An’s earlier composure evaporated—he tumbled from his seat in panic, pointing at the woman before him and shouting, “Guards!”

Ji Wuye had no choice but to confront her. “Enchantress, whoever you are, you will not leave here tonight!” he declared, drawing his sword and charging forward.

The sound of clashing metal rang out; Ji Wuye, caught off guard, was sent flying. A masked man had appeared in front of him, seemingly out of nowhere.

Ji Wuye climbed to his feet, dusting off his robes. “So you have an accomplice! In the palace, numbers matter. Guards!”

At his call, over a hundred Han soldiers flooded into the hall, encircling it completely.

The Fire Spirit Princess showed no sign of worry, only curiosity about the mysterious elder who had come to her aid. Judging by his figure, he was an old man, though his face was unknown.

Ji Wuye was about to make a show of bravado when a commotion arose at the edges of the hall. As the soldiers parted, ten men in black appeared, slaughtering their way through like demons from hell.

“Miss, hurry! I’ll cover you!” The old man’s words were brief, but decisive, placing himself between the Fire Spirit Princess and their pursuers.

Seeing her aim accomplished, the Fire Spirit Princess took her leave, flitting away like an elf toward the palace gates.

The old man alone held off Ji Wuye and the soldiers, sword in hand, blocking every attempt at pursuit.

It was Li Yu’s first time witnessing the old man’s skill. He knew the man was formidable, but not to this extent. He wondered if Jing Ni was equally powerful—perhaps he’d find out tonight.

With the old man and the ten black-clad men gone, King Han An collapsed to the floor. It took him a long while to recover his composure. Staring at the devastated hall, he gritted his teeth and spat out his command: “Ji Wuye, I want those people dead. Summon Bai Yifei to me—immediately!”

Though King Han An was aging, he was still a king. Never had he suffered such humiliation.

Ji Wuye, clutching his wounded shoulder, raised his hand in salute. “Yes, sire.” He led the remaining soldiers in pursuit.

Regardless of what became of those assassins, King Han’s dignity had been utterly trampled tonight.

When Li Yu returned to the hall, now tidy and nearly deserted, only a few remained to clean up. Li Yu made his way to Little Peach Blossom’s chambers.

“Grandmaster, who were those people tonight? Especially that woman—she looked so indecent, dressed so provocatively!” Little Peach Blossom, still unsettled, asked. Raised in a sheltered palace, she had never witnessed such bloodshed before.

“One cannot judge by appearances. Some look gentle but are ruthless inside, while others appear fierce but are kind at heart. You must see a person for their essence, for the details,” Li Yu patiently instructed his little disciple.

“Then what kind of person are you, Grandmaster?” she asked, blinking her big eyes at him as he gazed up at the sky.

“I’m an ordinary man, just like most people in the world. I have my principles, but I’m not inflexible,” Li Yu replied, defining himself.

“Confucianism claims that people are good by nature—isn’t that a lie?” Honglian interjected.

“There are all kinds of people in the world. How can a single saying capture them all? Goodness or evil depends on one’s environment, inheritance, experience—it’s all very complicated. The world is full of diversity, and that’s what makes it so interesting,” Li Yu mused.

“No one is perfect—even the best people have selfish sides. That’s why laws exist,” he continued.

“But aren’t laws just the strong controlling the weak?” Little Peach Blossom countered.

“That may be so now, but times change. One day, the powerful will realize the strength of the people. Maybe in five hundred years, maybe a thousand, but that day will come,” Li Yu said, thinking of future social structures, of how personal freedom grows as productivity is unleashed.

“Grandmaster, I’m scared,” Little Peach Blossom confessed, clutching his shoulder and nestling close.

“Don’t be. I’m here,” Li Yu murmured, gently stroking her silky black hair.

“Grandmaster, about that massage you mentioned—I’d like to try it,” Honglian said, her body tingling, weak, her heart racing as if she were ill.

Li Yu met her flushed cheeks, and his own heart sped up. He gently raised her chin, his eyes tender.

"Honglian... Lian’er..." Li Yu’s voice trembled.

"Grandmaster..." Honglian shyly averted her eyes, unable to meet his burning gaze, her body growing softer, leaning against him for support.

"Grandmaster, I think I’m sick. I feel so strange, my heart is pounding," she whispered, a mixture of discomfort and longing, fear and curiosity.

Knowing the remedy, Li Yu pressed his lips to her full, rosy mouth.

Honglian shivered violently in his arms, overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sensation that seemed to reach into her soul and intoxicate her.

She responded awkwardly but fervently, her hands searching for something to hold, gripping tightly to ease her nervousness and excitement.

“My little princess, may I hold you?” Li Yu asked softly, reluctantly releasing her lips to stroke her burning face.

“Mmm,” she murmured, her head nearly buried in her chest, voice as soft as a mosquito’s.

Li Yu said no more, bending to lift her into his arms and carry her away, leaving the attending maid bewildered and flustered, feeling that something momentous had happened though she dared not speak of it. She hurried after them.

“Princess, please come out! If the king finds out, I’ll be in trouble!” the little maid cried outside the door.

“It’s fine. If you don’t tell, Father won’t know—oh! That hurts! Gently, Grandmaster!” came the princess’s voice from within.

“Call me Prince Consort, not Grandmaster!” Li Yu’s voice replied.

“Prince... Prince Consort!” Honglian stammered shyly.

“Aww, my little darling is so obedient!” Li Yu said cheerfully.

The maid squatted in the corridor, on the verge of tears.

A scream rent the air, followed by a clap of thunder across the sky, making the maid jump in fright.

The sky deepened from blue to purple, the color growing richer, with a faint, pleasant fragrance wafting through the air. This wondrous sight lasted about an hour before finally fading.

The maid watched the changing sky, her heart filled with dread, as if the world were ending.

Just then, the door opened and Li Yu emerged, dressed smartly.

“You must be Xiao Mei? The princess needs to rest—do not disturb her,” Li Yu said, taking a few steps before turning back. “Don’t worry. The princess and I are of one mind; you won’t be implicated. For now, don’t tell the king—can you keep this secret?” He bent down, his eyes gentle as he looked at her.

For reasons unknown even to himself, Li Yu’s aura had grown more ethereal, almost divine, though he was unaware of it.

He had planned to wait until his little darling awoke before leaving, but knowing this was the king’s palace, he decided it was best to keep a low profile.

He hadn’t meant to be so hasty with Honglian, but his future plans might affect her, and he disliked procrastination. To avoid unforeseen trouble, he decided to act first.

Besides, Li Yu felt the budding affection Honglian had for him.

……

After nearly half a month of arduous travel, Li Yu stood with compass in hand, gazing at the rows of tents in the distance.

He rode his little black horse slowly toward his destination.

He had gone only a hundred meters when a dozen little white horses galloped across the grass toward him.

“Husband!” a clear female voice called from afar.