Chapter 22 - Sun Bofu

The floral scent changed into something overwhelmingly sweet. It smelled like eating too much honey all at once and getting it stuck up the nose. Because of the narrow hallway they were in, it was overwhelming. It felt like Lu Na was swimming through it.

“Ugh, this smell is so strong,” Lu Na’s spirit said. “A weaker spirit would have collapsed from this.”

“Are you okay spirit?” Lu Na asked.

“I’ll be fine as long as you don’t move too much. The smell is making me dizzy.”

“Sorry about that,” Zhou Gongjin said. “The smell is supposed to prevent any spirits from spying on us. It will go away eventually.”

Lu Na saw jars filled with this sappy smelling liquid and wondered if she could use that in one of her inventions. She couldn’t mimic the same effect in a ward, but if she used some of the liquid as part of the ward, maybe it would keep spirits away from tampering with it. That might allow Lu Na to create wards that can last forever as long as it had spirit energy to draw from. Something to think about for the future. She was sure that Sun Ren knew what it was.

At the end of the hallway, they reached another large private room. Zhou Gongjin entered first, and there was a loud cheer. Festive music escaped into the hallway. It sounded like an entire band was playing inside the room.

“Gongjin, welcome back!” one voice louder than the rest called.

Just outside of the room, Lu Na could see three men inside surrounded by women. She assumed they were prostitutes based on the way they were dressed. They all had beautiful silk dresses that Lu Na might have worn to greet her father’s important friends or partners, but these women wore them loosely on their bodies, showing off a little more of their arms and necks than Lu Na would ever dare show. Each one also had enough jewelry on them to run a jewelry store, ranging from jingling bracelets to heavy necklaces and brooches.

These women mostly surrounded one man dressed in a bright red. His tunic had a small word “Sun” sewn on his chest. He smiled easily as each of his arm was around a woman. Despite that, when his gaze landed on Lu Na, she felt like a tiger was looking at her, ready to pounce. This gaze differed from the hateful one that Wong Yoong had for her. It felt like she was being stalked like prey.

“Oh Gongjin, you brought me another woman? I already have too many than I can hold,” the man said.

Zhou Gongjin cupped his hands together and made a deep bow.

“Bofu, this woman claims that the Wintersweet Sect has kidnapped your sister.”

“Have you verified this?” Sun Bofu smiled as one woman poured a cup of wine into his mouth.

Zhou Gongjin took out the dagger Lu Na gave him. He passed it to Sun Bofu with two hands.

“She proved it with this and claimed she knew the Sun family secret for this weapon.”

Sun Bofu took it and unsheathed it. He shrugged and threw it onto the table. He then beckoned Lu Na to enter with a finger.

Lu Na walked in and bowed to Sun Bofu. Once she got into the room, she saw the giant mess in front of her. There was half eaten food all over the table and there were more women standing off to the side, looking like they were dancing. These women showed even more skin than the ones sitting with the men. Everywhere she looked, all Lu Na could see was a mess of debauchery that she’d never expected before.

“Now this guy knows how to throw a party,” her spirit said.

Lu Na didn’t share that sentiment. Instead, she felt disappointment. How was this group of party animals going to help her or Sun Ren?

“Well, she’s pretty despite the clothes she’s wearing,” Sun Bofu said. “Gongjin, you animal. I really thought you brought me another courtesan. These two are already becoming too much for me.” As if to emphasize that, he squeezed their shoulders.

“Anyway, you claim my sister has been kidnapped.”

Lu Na nodded. She remembered her lessons from her father to not respond unless she had to when in the presence of her superiors. While she didn’t feel the need to follow that with her own father, there was no telling how someone like Sun Bofu would feel if she spoke out.

“Then tell me, what is the Sun family secret with these weapons?” Sun Bofu leaned back on the chair.

Lu Na looked between him and the other women. They were all intently staring at her.

“Sun Ren told me it was a secret that I can’t tell anyone else. I won’t break that promise, especially not in front of these women.”

Sun Bofu smiled, showing off his teeth. He had two very sharp canines that again reminded Lu Na of a tiger.

“Fine, then lean in close and whisper it into my ear. That should be fine, right?”

Lu Na looked to Zhou Gongjin who was as quiet as a statue. She wasn’t sure what she’d expect from him, as he was not his friend.

“What should I do spirit?”

“Just tell him. You have nothing to lose.”

Lu Na leaned in over the messy table of food and drinks. Sun Bofu did the same.

“The dagger cuts spirits on a deeper level because of the invisible coating you have on it.”

Sun Bofo leaned back, his smile more muted without showing off his teeth. He raised a hand in the air and the music cut off. The women beside him fixed their dresses until they were presentable. Zhou Gongjin closed the door behind him.

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Why did this feel like Lu Na had just stepped into a tiger’s den? Everyone stopped what they were doing and were staring at her now. She clenched her left fist hard, trying to keep her breathing even.

“Well, you’re not an assassin, as you had every chance right then,” Sun Bofu said. “So everyone can relax and let’s hear out Young Miss Lu’s story.”

“What’s going on?”

“Welcome to my temporary headquarters in Jianye,” Sun Bofu said. “You’ve already met my strategist, Zhou Gongjin. And everyone else here is my subordinate. This entire scene was made so that any of my enemies would only think that I’m here to party as my father is on his campaign with our entire army. All he left here to defend his interests is what you see here.”

“It’s to confuse our enemies,” Zhou Gongjin added. “We want them to think that Sun Bofu is nothing more than a wasteful son of a rich and powerful man. The last thing we want is another assassination attempt on his life.”

“But I saw the tent upstairs. I saw all the other men and women there.”

“Oh, that was only for you, since you proved you had Sun Ren’s dagger,” Zhou Gongjin said. “Otherwise you would have been denied access and brother Bofu here would have kept pretending to be a wasteful son.”

“So now tell me the entire story with my sister. Leave nothing out,” Sun Bofu said. “And sit, eat something, drink something. You’re safe now.”

Those three words hit Lu Na like a truck. For the first time in a few days, she believed it. That’s when she plopped down onto a cushion and told Sun Bofu everything that had happened to her over the last few days since Sun Ren came to her home.

Sun Bofu listened to it all quietly and only asked a question here and there to get clarification. His face stayed the same throughout Lu Na’s story, unreadable.

Lu Na sighed when she finished her story. She almost collapsed onto the pillows and just sleep for days. Everything was right with the world. She did as Sun Ren instructed and found her older brother. He would rescue her and fix everything.

“So, are we going to bring our men to rescue Sun Ren?” Zhou Gongjin asked.

“Absolutely not.”

Those two words brought Lu Na back to life. All the tense worries, stress, and probably white hair all over her head came rushing back. She sat up and stared at Sun Bofu.

“Why not?”

Sun Bofu leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. The two women he sat with before moved away.

“Because they wouldn’t dare do anything to Sun Ren. She’s the daughter of the Marquis. And it sounds like she was never the target they were after, anyway. They’re not an evil summoner sect so they won’t make her life hard. I’m sure when I send them a gently worded letter, they will return her.”

“After we give them some money,” Zhou Gongjin added.

“Yeah, these sects are all the same. At least this time they weren’t even after her so I doubt they care much for a ransom,” Sun Bofu said. “Besides, I don’t have the men to help me launch this rescue. My father took everyone with him, even the spear holders. The rebels are really making life difficult at the moment. So if I were to launch a rescue, I would endanger my position.”

Lu Na couldn’t believe what she heard.

“You would abandon your own sister over your own safety? My brother would never do that. He would rather betray everyone he knew than to abandon me.”

Sun Bofu smiled, showing his teeth.

“Since you’re so close to Sun Ren, I’ll tell you my true feelings about this. My father is trying to build something here in the southeast that will last for generations. Our Sun family has been nothing more than farmers a few generations ago and now we can show the world what we are really made of. If it means potentially losing a sister, then that is fine with me. I really can’t afford to waste any of my time trying to rescue her against an overwhelming force. That is a bad strategy.”

“Then what am I to do?” Lu Na had fully lost all direction.

Sun Bofu smiled and leaned forward. His canines were very sharp.

“Well, the most I can offer you is some food, a change of clothing, and then you should be on your way.”

Lu Na grimaced.

“Hey, don’t look at me like that. That’s the most I can do for you in my precarious situation. I’m sure I clarified that the last thing I want to do is confront the Wintersweet Sect. The only men I have are the injured that couldn’t march with my father. We are no match for them should they come here looking for you.”

“Wow, he’s more ruthless than your second mother. They should meet,” Lu Na’s spirit said. “Don’t beg him. Take what you can and move on before he realizes handing you over to the Wintersweet Sect would benefit him even more. He could trade you for his sister and the huge bounty they have on your head.”

Lu Na forced a smile.

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

“It’s the least I could do since our fathers are sworn brothers.”

Lu Na bowed her head.

“I hope the Marquis is understanding of our circumstances and not punish my family.”

Sun Bofu’s smile disappeared.

“Young Miss Lu, I want you to understand a few things. First, we don’t blame you for what happened. This is some crazy thing that the Wintersweet Sect did. We have noticed that many women have been missing over the last few weeks. We’ve just not had any way to deal with it, as the imperial decree to deal with the rebels was a higher priority for my father.

“Second, trust me when I say, if I could leave Blossom Scent Parlor right now and rush into the Wintersweet Sect to save my sister, I would if I had any chance of succeeding. But my father has entrusted the lives of everyone here to me. I can’t gamble with their lives as if I’m some storied hero. As soon as there’s an opening, I would do everything in my power not only to save my sister, but all those other women that have been kidnapped. It is our sworn duty.”

Lu Na bowed her head.

“I apologize if I offended you, Young Master Sun.”

“You didn’t. If there comes a day after this when my father returns, let’s have an official meeting between us. I would love to pay my respects to Uncle Lu.”

Lu Na cupped her hands and bowed again.

“That would be our honor.”

Afterwards, Lu Na followed one of Sun Bofu’s female attendants to get a change of clothes, some food, and they even gave her some silver. Lu Na only had a little time to wipe the grime off her as she changed, but it was better than nothing. When she left Blossom Scent Parlor, she felt like a new woman.

But where would she go now? She was still being hunted by the Wintersweet Sect. She could try to hide in an inn or something, but how long would that last with the silver she had? There was no way she’d go back to her home because the last she remembered was that huge rooster going through its walls.

“What can I do now spirit? You seem older and wiser than I ever was.”

“Hey, wiser definitely, but older? I’m not that old.”

Lu Na chuckled.

“How old are you? You never told me.”

“I’m only a couple of…” the spirit coughed, “years old. But just think of me as only a few years older than you if I were a human.”

“Okay then elder sister. Then where shall we go? Where can we go?”

“How about we go to the main street and see if we can blend in with the festival goers? The worst that can happen is that you enjoy your time a little before they find you again.”

“Well, I was thinking about leaving the city and finding my aunt and uncle in Lujiang. I’m sure the Wintersweet Sect wouldn’t chase me all the way there.”

“But how would you make it all the way over there? Sun Ren’s father is not marching his army to fight barbarians in the north or south. He’s going out to fight the very rebels that are crawling all over outside the city.”

Guess that left Lu Na no choice. She walked toward the main street. Maybe she can hide long enough that the Wintersweet Sect might forget her. Or at the very least, she’d get one or two moon cakes. It’s not a Mid-Autumn Festival without them.