~~~
Lu Mei’s parents, Lu Junjie and Lu Yuting, were born into privilege.
Talented, wealthy, and related to Elders of the Red Sky Pavilion, their union was a natural step that strengthened the ties between two powerful families. A certain incident aside, its success cannot be denied. In mere decades, the two have become one of the most influential couples within the Red Sky Pavilion, and the proof of that is plain to see all around Liu Jin.
Though not as grand as Patriarch Wu’s mansion, Lu Junjie and Lu Yuting’s residence is still one of the larger ones within the Red Sky Pavilion, an impressive achievement considering neither of them is an Elder yet. A little over fifty servants work within the walls of their house, and luxury is plain to see in every square foot of the place. Fine furniture, elegant silks, and adornments made of precious metals and encrusted with gems are casually displayed in every room. The whole place speaks of success.
The dining room is silent.
There are five people seated at the table. Servants come to and fro to bring food and refill their drinks. Despite that, only the faint sounds of utensils being used and the clock ticking and tocking at the back of the room can be heard. Serious faces are aplenty, and the tension is so thick that the servants in the kitchen have started casting lots to decide who will be the unlucky soul sent out to suffer that atmosphere.
Since Lu Junjie is to be Liu Jin’s father-in-law, it would be common and even expected for the man to host him. The dimensions of his estate make it not unfitting for an Emperor. However, Liu Jin and Lu Mei are staying in Patriarch Wu’s mansion instead. That it has taken Liu Jin until his second night in the Red Sky Pavilion to visit his parents-in-law is a telling statement to all who are paying attention, which is quite a few people.
It has certainly not been missed by those at the table.
Lu Boheng swallows nervously and looks down at his plate.
It does not matter how often his tutors have told him about the importance of proper posture. It does not matter how often his father has told him that a Lu must fix his gaze on the horizon and reach for it. The youngest and only son of Lu Junjie and Lu Yuting, Lu Mei’s only half-brother, wants absolutely nothing to do with what is happening at the table.
He barely knows his half-sister and has no strong feelings for her either way. At the most, he is happy she landed herself a good husband. Maybe he’ll brag about how the Emperor of the Storm Dragon Empire is his brother-in-law one day.
Right now, he wants to get through this visit without drawing any attention to himself.
“Emperor Qing,” Lu Junjie says, breaking the silence so suddenly that his son and one of the servants cannot stop themselves from flinching, “is the hospitality of the Red Sky Pavilion up to your standards?”
“It has been pleasing so far,” Liu Jin says, putting a polite smile on his face. “Patriarch Wu is a good host and knowledgeable about many subjects.”
“I see.”
Another moment of silence descends on the table. Food is brought. Food is eaten.
The clock ticks.
“I had the opportunity to see Elder Zhao again,” Liu Jin says, deciding to be the one to speak this time. “He’s a very spirited man, though it seems he is still bothered by your words last night.”
“Do not think badly of us for it, Emperor Qing,” Lu Mei’s mother, Lu Yuting, says, smiling as some of the tension eases off her face. “Elder Zhao has an iron grip on the more cultural endeavors of our Red Sky Pavilion, and he will die before he ever relinquishes them. Hurling words at him for it is all we can do.”
“My wife does not exaggerate, Emperor. Elder Zhao is very peculiar about his interests and cares little for those who do not share them,” Lu Junjie says, a long-suffering look on his face. “Most people in the Red Sky Pavilion have seen The Swordsman and the River Maiden so often they can recite all the lines from memory.”
“It is true,” Lu Mei says, sounding bored before smiling at her parents. “And there is really no need for you to be so formal. After all, Liu Jin will soon be your son-in-law, Father.”
Lu Junjie’s countenance remains undisturbed, but not a single person fails to recognize the taunt for what it is.
“This is a beautiful house,” Liu Jin says, trying to change the subject. “I cannot imagine how growing up here must have been.”
“I would not know,” Lu Mei says. “I did not spend much time here as a child. My presence was deemed needlessly disturbing.”
Silence descends on the table for a third time, and this time, no matter how often the elegant clock at the back of the room ticks and tocks, no one steps in to fill it. When the dinner is over, Lu Boheng retires himself with such poise that all his tutors would line up to congratulate him were it not for the circumstances of the event.
The two couples are left at the table.
“Shall we move inside?”
It does not matter who says it.
Everyone wants to move on from the awkward dinner.
~~~
Sometime after being shown the family’s art collection, the group of four splits in two. Lu Mei and her mother go their own way, leaving Liu Jin and Lu Junjie with each other. This would not be so bad if Lu Junjie hadn’t chosen the collection of trophies in his study as the next place to visit.
Apparently, the man enjoys hunting quite a bit.
“You have quite the collection,” Liu Jin says, looking at the many mounted heads on the walls. Some of the Spirit Beasts displayed are quite rare and valuable.
“Indeed, I do. Every head here is a victory, Emperor Qing,” Lu Junjie says. “It is proof that no matter how many setbacks I face during a hunt, I will eventually succeed. I always do.”
“How admirable of you,” Liu Jin says, and it sounds like he means it. “However, you will have to excuse me. I am not as good with words as your daughter, so I have to ask: Was that meant to be a threat?”
Lu Junjie stares at him.
“She told you,” Lu Junjie says in gradual realization.
“Did you think Lu Mei would bring me here without knowing?” Liu Jin asks.
“I cannot be expected to know what the girl thinks.”
“She is your daughter,” Liu Jin points out.
Lu Junjie scoffs. “We both know that is not true.”
Officially, Lu Junjie is Lu Mei’s father, but that is nothing but a polite fiction. Lu Junjie was in isolation when Lu Mei was conceived. The dates simply do not match. There are also Lu Mei’s distinctively Feng features to consider. Her red hair stands out far too much compared to her dark-haired parents.
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Everyone in the Red Sky Pavilion knows Lu Mei is not Lu Junjie’s daughter. The only thing they ignore is the true identity of her father.
Exposing it cannot damage Lu Junjie further, but it will damage Lu Mei.
“Your wife is threatening to reveal Lu Mei’s true identity,” Liu Jin says. “After this conversation, I do not believe she is doing it without your support. I would like both of you to stop this.”
Once again, Lu Junjie stares at him as if trying very hard to comprehend his words.
“Do you really believe you can just come here and ask?!” Lu Junjie asks, outraged. “You are not even attempting to offer me anything in return!”
“I am here because you are trying to extort us, father-in-law,” Liu Jin points out. A vein in Lu Junjie’s forehead throbs at the mode of address. “Offering you anything for your silence would be submitting to your demands. I hope you will forgive me for saying this, but Lu Mei and I are not as easily conquered as the trophies on your walls.”
“Careful, boy,” Lu Junjie says, glaring at Liu Jin with stormy blue eyes. “You seem to have an inflated opinion of yourself due to your title, but you are still just a cultivator in the Earth Realm. Do you really think you can talk to me as though we were equals?”
“Father-in-law, I will admit that reaching the Heaven Realm makes you impressive,” Liu Jin says. “Nevertheless, people far stronger than you have tried to intimidate me. I remain here.”
Lu Junjie’s aura spreads throughout the room, threatening to toss Liu Jin aside like a leaf caught in the wind.
“I see your experiences have made you grow arrogant,” Lu Junjie says with an angry smile.
“No, merely prepared.”
It is not Liu Jin who speaks but Lotus. The Senior Disciple appears at Liu Jin’s side dressed in the armor of the Storm Dragon Empire. His aura pushes back against Lu Junjie’s, creating a barrier around Liu Jin.
“Is this why you are so confident? Your bodyguard?” Lu Junjie asks. “Someone in the First Level of the Heaven Realm is not my match.”
“I see you have good eyes,” Lotus says primly, his hands folded in front of him. “This one is far more than a match for you.”
Lu Junjie does not react physically, but his aura intensifies as it pushes against Lotus’s.
“Father-in-law, you are not going to attack me,” Liu Jin says. “That would defeat the purpose of all this. You want to be seen as someone who has the ear of the Emperor of the Storm Dragon Empire. How would anyone believe that if it became known that you tried to attack me?”
Lu Junjie breathes deeply, some tension draining away from his aura. The man reaches for a folder on his desk and throws it at Liu Jin.
Lotus is the one who catches it.
“Those are the trade deals I expect you to agree to by the end of your visit,” Lu Junjie says. “I hoped to build up to it, but you clearly have no taste for the subtleties of a conversation.”
“Will you really go through with your threat?” Liu Jin asks him. “Father-in-law, exposing Lu Mei’s secret would put her in danger. Could you really do that to her? She might not be your daughter, but you have known her since she was an infant.”
Lu Junjie chuckles. His aura fades.
“Yes, I have known her since she was an infant, and ever since then, she has only been one thing to me: a thorn in my side,” Lu Junjie says with venom in his voice. “Her existence is a reminder of my wife’s infidelity. It emboldens my rivals and incites mockery behind my back. I have fought hard to build myself into what I am, yet no matter what I do, that girl remains a stain in my image, proof of my failure to keep my wife loyal to me.”
Lu Junjie’s eyes are whirlwinds of rage.
“You ask if I could place her life in danger, son-in-law. How could I not?”
~~~
Heaven Realm, First Level.
It is the level Lu Mei last saw her mother at, and it is the level she still inhabits. Those in the Heaven Realm tend to be careful about their advancement. Once one goes past the True Realm, breakthroughs carry several risks. Her mother being at the same level does not mean she has not grown stronger. More importantly, the First Level of the Heaven Realm is still beyond Lu Mei’s current self.
That is fine.
She has not come here to settle this through something as inane as fisticuffs like some lowborn savage or Bei Hong.
“He is quite handsome,” her mother says. “Powerful and well-connected too. You have chosen well.”
“I have a good eye for men,” Lu Mei says. “I suppose I inherited it from you.”
Unlike when she talked with her father, there is no barb hidden in Lu Mei’s words. Though her mother’s choices were undeniably troublesome, there is no denying she went after the best man she could, and Lu Mei is the product of that union.
“Yes, I suppose you did,” her mother says, carefully proving Lu Mei’s face for weaknesses. She finds none. “Do you believe he would stand by your side if the truth gets out?”
“He already knows,” Lu Mei says, not able to stop herself from puffing her chest with pride. “Do you think I would have brought him here if he didn’t? Telling him is an empty threat, Mother.”
“That is not what I asked, foolish girl,” Lu Yuting says, narrowing her eyes at her, and for a moment, Lu Mei is back in her grandfather’s house, learning under her mother’s watchful gaze. Any mistake was unforgivable. Anything less than success was unacceptable.
The moment passes, but they both catch it. Her mother smiles, and it annoys Lu Mei that it is the same smile that is so often on her own face. Her hair and eyes came from the Feng family, but her beauty is, unfortunately, something she inherited from her mother.
“What happens when it is not just he who knows but everyone else?” Her mother asks, pressing her advantage. “Lord Feng Gui’s hatred for his brother is well-known. Will the boy stand by your side when that man presents him with countless better options? Will he stand by your side when you are the target of Lady Feng’s wrath? Do you really think there is anyone who will pick you over a stable alliance with the Eternal Flame Clan?”
“I suppose it is not a surprise that you think that way,” Lu Mei says, meeting her mother’s eyes. Gold and blue war against each other, neither one giving an inch. “After all, you never had any issue picking others over me.”
A full minute passes by in silence.
“Your father-”
“Your husband,” Lu Mei corrects.
“-should have already given Emperor Qing a list of our needs,” Lu Yuting finishes, glaring at her daughter. “Figure out how to convince him to go along with them. It should not be too hard. You have already convinced him to marry you, after all.”
Lu Mei’s Qi spikes.
“I left the Red Sky Pavilion to be away from the both of you,” she hisses. “Do you think I will meekly become your puppet so you can brag that the Emperor of the Storm Dragon Empire listens to your advice?”
“You make it sound so horrible. Is working for the benefit of your family such a terrible thing?”
Lu Mei laughs.
“Family? I apologize to my mother. Such a concept was never part of your lessons.”
~~~
“All things considered, that went about as well as it could have,” Lu Mei says once she and Liu Jin are back in Patriarch Wu’s mansion. She sits by the side of the bed and looks out the window.
Liu Jin does not miss the fact that she is looking in the direction of her parents’ house.
“You do not seem pleased.”
“I am not,” Lu Mei says. Softly. Faintly. Liu Jin is not used to seeing her like this. Even though it all happened like she thought it would, she is not happy about it. Maybe... No, almost certainly, a part of her hoped her parents would value her more.
Lu Mei stands up.
“Forgive me. I need to be alone right now.”
As she heads for the door, Liu Jin holds her and gently pushes her back to the bed.
“You should not be the one to leave,” Liu Jin says, rubbing her back and letting his Qi and hers mingle. “I will. Stay here. Rest.”
Lu Mei hides her face in Liu Jin’s chest.
“…I must look like a mess.”
“You and I both know that is impossible,” Liu Jin says, finally drawing a weak smile from Lu Mei. “Don’t worry. It will all be fine.”
“I will hold you to that.”
Liu Jin smiles and retires from the room. However, that smile fades as soon as the door closes behind him. The anger tightly coiled inside his gut begs to be released, but Lu Mei might feel it if he does. She already has enough things to worry about.
Liu Jin walks away from the room and speeds up his pace when he feels Patriarch Wu moving in their direction. If the man wants to speak to him, better to do it away from their room.
“Emperor Qing! Just who I wished to see.”
“Patriarch Wu,” Liu Jin says, trying to put on a smile. “What can I help you with?”
Patriarch Wu frowns.
“If you do not mind me saying, you do not look well, Emperor Qing.”
“I just had dinner with my father-in-law and his wife.”
Patriarch Wu laughs.
“Ah yes, that would do it. I remember when I first met my wife’s family. Truly, there is no one who is spared that little agony.” He shakes his head. “Do not fret, Emperor Qing. You have gotten through the first encounter, and that is really all any man can aspire to. Focus your mind elsewhere. Perhaps you can do it by helping me with a question that has been bothering me recently.”
“A question?” Liu Jin blinks. “What is it?”
“Where did you learn Ceaselessly Refining Breath?”
Patriarch Wu is no longer smiling or laughing. The man looks completely serious as he looks down on him.
Right.
Liu Jin smiles.
There was also this.
~~~