It was surreal. Her once cousin all but beating his forehead on the floor in kowtow. The street toughs, Chang and other of his ilk, staring in wide eyed confusion as their knees hit the floor. Uncomprehending, but obviously under a terrible pressure that Ling Qingge could not feel. And the old man, the magistrate who had sat beside her for the last few hours prodding with gentle questions was suddenly so much more.

His robes themselves seemed limned in light, his beard and hair immaculate, his lined face like a stone relief on a temple wall. Though his hands merely rested in his lap, and he sat beside the little table in her smaller home, he had the air of a noble holding court.

“Silence,” the old mans voice had lost any edge of playfulness. “You have intruded on this poor woman's life enough, and I will not list the many irregularities I have found in detail here. You will leave. These men will leave. You will return to the offices of your ministry and report to your superior the beginning of the audit. I will be along shortly to oversee it. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Lord Magistrate,” He Ping choked out. His face was red, sweat was pouring down his forehead. He looked absolutely miserable.

As well he should, Ling Qingge supposed. She knew all too well how little mercy the Liu clan had for servants who troubled them or besmirched their name. She wondered if she should feel some sense of satisfaction, of small vengeance gained. She did not though. She simply felt numb. If He Ping suffered for this, she hoped it would be quick.

“I will be most displeased to find any trouble returning to this household during my inspection,” the magistrate said blandly, his harsh gaze scanning across the rest of them. “Now begone.”

They went, scrambling, falling over themselves, nearly tripping on each other's feet in their hurry to leave.

The immortal beside her faded, where he had been, there was once again only an unusually clean old man. “My apologies for the theater madam.”

“It is fine,” Ling Qingge said automatically, simple instinct and formality taking over. “This humble woman is only grateful for the honored sir’s attention.”

He hummed to himself. “I think not, though your daughter's request and the heiress’ word were important. The fact is, I have used you, if in a small way. For that you have my apology. I am sure you do not need me to inform you that justice cannot always take the straightest path.”

A tiny part of her wanted to say she was not familiar with justice taking any path at all.

The old man looked at her and stroked his beard, lips pressed together in a thin line. She felt sure somehow that he had heard that errant thought.

“Madam, allow me to be candid with you. Do you have anywhere else that you may go?”

She blinked. “You think they might defy you?”

He looked disgruntled. “No, but I cannot remain here long. And even if one were to provide you watchers. It is difficult to contest a clan in their own capital without the direct word of their superiors.”

Ling Qingge clutched at her gown. There were no perfect solutions. Even this immortal could not wave his hand and dismiss the Liu.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“Mind Madam, that your daughter has the attention of the heiress Cai.”

Ling Qingge’s thoughts ground down. That was… mentioned wasn’t it.

“So, I do not think anyone wise, would order a reprisal. But in many cases, and in many times, people do unwise things, don’t they?”

She took a deep breath. “They do.”

It might be wise to heed her daughter's invitation after all. The roads were dangerous, but… She was so very tired of this city.

***

For the first time in nearly fifteen years, Ling Qingge found herself looking out from the outer gates of the city of Tonghou. She remembered the last time very well. Standing beside a man she had thought she loved, looking on the busy activity of the caravan in the last stages of packing up their operations. People giving the strange entertainers a wide berth. It was happy full of energy. She had been so very excited to go.

The lie of it all, still sat heavy with her. Today was not like that. There was no huge train of wagons, no buzzing business at the gate. Just a normal day, of carriages and wagons on their way in or out. Nothing unusual.

Well, that was something of a lie.

The carriage she was directed toward stood out among the others here. Painted pale green chased with silver, the four black horses hitched to it were all larger, sleeker and more muscular than the other animals on display and stood at rigid attention almost like human soldiers. The carriage itself was flanked by six soldiers in polished segmented plate enameled silver and bearing badges with the Argent Peak Sect’s symbol.

“Mama…”

Biyu clung to her. Carried in one arm with her little arms clinging to Ling Qingge’s neck the child peered around at all the noises and sights of the gates, and the stern faced soldiers waiting for them.

“It’s alright Biyu. I told you, we are going to see your sister. It’s going to be a long trip, so these men are going to keep us safe,” Ling Qingge said. She wished she could say it more confidently. She had never been outside the city.

“Sis-y?” Biyu asked uncertainly.

“Yes,” Ling Qingge said, she steeled her nerves, approaching the carriage.

She saw the attention of the guards shift immediately. That was good? They were perceptive. She would be safe. Biyu would be safe. They had to be.

“You are Madam Ling Qingge?” asked the man at their head. There were stripes of rank on his helm, but she did not know them.

She gave a small nod. “I am. You are the escorts from the Argent Sect?”

“We are, Outer disciple Ling has contracted us to escort you and the young miss to White Cloud town. Do you have any luggage which requires pick up?”

Ling Qingge glanced back to the heavy satchel over her shoulder. Everything personal was there, including the large amount of coin left from Ling Qi’s gifts. Furniture, cookware… she could afford better ten times over in a place where her coin was good. “No, sir, I have everything I require with me.”

He looked her up and down, but she couldn’t read any intent on his expression, behind the half-face covering helm. “Very well. “Madam Ling, please enter the carriage. There are several rules I must respectfully ask you to follow on our journey.”

“Of course,” she said absently, carefully mounting the folded out steps that lead into the carriage.

The interior was so luxurious. Thick silk cushions and polished panels. Biyu clung to her more tightly.

“The first is that you must not leave or put any part of your body outside of the carriage until we give permission. This is for your safety Madam.”

“I understand.”

She really did do her best to listen to the man's instruction. But Ling Qingge could not manage her full attention. Not as the door was closed, as the reigns snapped. Not as the gate rolled past and the streets of Tonghour disappeared.

It was fifteen years late, and felt no less unreal than every other dream.

She needed this to not be a mistake too.