20

Broken Alliances

The events that occurred at the Great Assembly took Jiàn Shēng by surprise because many of those he thought were on his side deflected. The turning of the tide did not happen overnight. It took the hard labor of Bèi Yǎn and her friends working in tandem with their respective masters. Since the Bride entrusted her with this role, Bèi Yǎn treated it with all seriousness.

She strategized with Bái Fēng, Zǐ Xīn, Jiā Háo, Wáng Léi and Ān Jìng. It was decided that Ān Jìng and Bèi Yǎn would scout all the realms and note everyone whom Jiàn Shēng or his fellow dissenters had approached. Of these, they would mark the ones who seemed doubtful of partnering with him or were clearly fooled. They would also note those who were strong in their support and unlikely to change their mind. Once these lists were sorted, the rest earnestly got to work.

Wáng Léi approached all the living souls of the eastern realms. The herds looked at him as a leader among them. At the same time, Zhì Shēn approached the Tiānshǐ who were masters of the soul beasts from that region and were open to dialogue and reasoning.

Jiā Háo and Pèi Zhōng approached the living souls in the western realms and their respective masters. Similarly, Zǐ Xīn and Xióng Zhǎn headed to the northern realms. Yīng Fēng worked with the remaining Tiānshǐ in the southern realms.

They boldly exposed the truth about the stolen stones to those who were deceived into thinking they were legitimately obtained. This was the easiest group to convince. They approached with caution the ones who were still considering whether to join Jiàn Shēng or not. The last thing they wanted to do was alert the dissenters. Hence, they engaged this other group with friendly banter to ascertain where they stood on the pressing issues.

Once sides were truly picked, the four brothers worked earnestly to speak counsel and reason with those who were willing to listen. Many were saved from foolish mistakes that would have proved life-altering. These Tiānshǐ continued to meet with Jiàn Shēng and his allies, gathering information about their plans and recording the movement of all the stolen goods and in whose keep they were.

The soul beasts did likewise with the soul beasts of the Tiānshǐ who were influenced. They also warned the remaining living souls in the realms to not participate in the scandal of the stolen goods and fall into traps of deception that anyone else may lay for them.

Ān Jìng and Bèi Yǎn combined their powers of hiddenness and speed to spy on the main allies who were unlikely to turn away from Jiàn Shēng. As long as Bèi Yǎn nestled in her feathers, Ān Jìng could use the former’s powers to camouflage or totally vanish. This helped them be present during many of Jiàn Shēng’s meetings undetected. At other times, the dove's presence and soft coos knocked the Tiānshǐ into deep sleep in their homes, giving the feathered friends access to written plans hidden in safe places. They combined their powers to move as swiftly as light and wind, carrying important messages between those operating in the northern, southern, eastern and western realms.

All these strategies were birthed by Bèi Yǎn and it was not strange for the four brothers who were the greatest of all the Tiānshǐ to listen to their soul beasts. It was a different world from the mortal one. In the heavenly realms, even the creatures sit at the table and talk with their masters, learning and sharing wisdom and counsel, training for duels, making things of splendor and participating in all areas of shared existence. It is in the mortal realm that these living souls were called mere animals and became the least in importance, even lower in worth than that of a human.

Bái Fēng was also actively involved in the most dangerous aspect of the work. He directly interfered in and disrupted the plans of Jiàn Shēng and Wěi Hóng. This helped save his friends and their masters on several occasions before they were spotted while in their own meetings with those Jiàn Shēng was seeking to influence.

It is due to these extensive counter-operations that Jiàn Shēng’s plans were stunted at the assembly. All he was left with was one-third of support from all the beings in the heavenly realms. He met with these allies openly and without further disruption in the time before the next meeting was scheduled when the King said he would personally go on trial. Jiàn Shēng had also learnt of the role that his brothers had played in thwarting his plans.

As evening drew into the peace of night, he made his way to the southern realms. It was a strange experience. There were many eyes on him and his allies who also lived in these shared spaces with the rest. To make matters worse, the mark on his forehead sparked and burnt with greater fury with no signs of transformation. This time, Jiàn Shēng went uninvited to Pèi Zhōng’s home where the four were meeting to talk over wine.

None of them looked shocked when he appeared before them.

‘Ha! My good brothers!’ he proclaimed with a mocking tone as he walked up to the table. He poured himself a cup of wine and raised it in a toast to them. ‘Here’s to our brotherhood!’ he laughed miserably and poured the wine down rather than drink it. It had a sign of finality to it like the death of the relationships once treasured.

A look of annoyance crossed Zhì Shēn’s face. Pèi Zhōng wanted to stand and respond but was held back by Yīng Fēng who signaled to him not to do it. It was Xióng Zhǎn who spoke up.

‘What do you mean by this mockery?’ he asked sternly.

‘Mockery? I am stating things for what they are. All of you betrayed me! You threw aside all brotherly affection and plotted against me!’ Jiàn Shēng replied in anger, his eyes glowing with rage.

‘Why don’t you look at yourself in the mirror? Then it will be clear who chose to betray first,’ Xióng Zhǎn shot back.

‘You could have spoken with me,’ Jiàn Shēng pressed on, ignoring his brother’s comment. ‘I felt wronged and wanted to redress it. I wanted justice and fairness. Is that too much to ask of your supposed King?’

Zhì Shēn could no longer stay silent. ‘It had nothing to do with the King. It is your own lusting after his beloved woman that has got you into this mess. You made things worse by taking down so many of our brothers along with your own selfish plans of folly!’

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‘Now, is it a crime to love? Why tell us that all the laws of heaven rest in perfect love and yet forbid me from loving her? What kind of rule is that? It is a selfish rule that only the King can have her!’ Jiàn Shēng insisted.

‘What did you not understand? If you wanted a female counterpart like the King’s Bride, they would have gladly cleaved her from your own inner most spirit. No, you wanted her and that is where your error lies. She is our mother!’ Zhì Shēn fumed.

‘I do not care for titles like that. It is enough that I love her and will trade everything to gain her. Whatever it costs, I will bear the price to make her mine. Just watch!’ Jiàn Shēng spoke back with equal fervor.

Zhì Shēn shook his head in disgust, knowing it was pointless to engage in further talk with his brother.

‘You will all regret it. I promise you. I will take over rulership of these realms and teach you a lesson you will not forget,’ Jiàn Shēng said with great arrogance.

‘Are you done? You are not welcome here,’ Zhì Shēn stated.

The loyal and kind Pèi Zhōng knew his brother was wrong but still felt torn by these events. He spoke up as the host to get the situation under control, ‘Come, let us not fight brothers. Everyone is drained by the happenings these days. Let us return and rest. Perhaps the night will help us sort through our emotions and thoughts. The morning may bring clarity and help us put aside our plans and differences for the greater good.’

‘I was leaving anyway!’ Jiàn Shēng said rudely. He looked at his brothers one final time with fierce eyes and then left. Wěi Hóng did not even glance at his former friends. He seethed within himself especially against Wáng Léi. He hated him with the same intensity with which his master hated Zhì Shēn. Try as he might, he could not bring himself to fault Bèi Yǎn. Instead, he placed the blame on the King’s steed, Bái Fēng.

The brothers went their way, each to their own home. All of them were troubled in their hearts but none as much as Xióng Zhǎn. He entered his rocky home, immersed in his deep thoughts. It was dark and quiet and he had not yet brought forth its lights. He sighed heavily.

‘Come out!’ he said in a resigned manner.

Jiàn Shēng jumped off the craggy top of a little waterfall to the side of one of the rooms.

‘Brother, you cannot abandon me!’ he said as he quickly embraced Xióng Zhǎn tightly as if he feared losing him the most.

‘Why did you hide all these things from me and still desire to call me brother?’ Xióng Zhǎn asked.

‘I wanted to tell you at the right time. I was afraid you would try and stop me,’ Jiàn Shēng answered truthfully.

‘Then, why do you seek me out now knowing I will not change my mind either? I will try my best to stop you from this evil plot of yours,’ Xióng Zhǎn said as he gently broke from his brother’s embrace.

‘I wanted to succeed before offering something substantial to you,’ Jiàn Shēng answered.

‘Oh? Did you not just say you will teach us all a lesson when you take over rulership here?’ Xióng Zhǎn questioned with a bit of irritation in his voice.

‘That did not include you of course! How could I do that to you? I want you to be my right hand general. The second most powerful one in the entire kingdom. I would give you so much that this home would no longer be sufficient to hold all the riches and fame bestowed on you!’ Jiàn Shēng said with excitement as he circled his brother in an attempt to convince him.

‘What is wrong with this home? I love it the way it is. I do not want more riches or fame. I only want us to be the way we once were. I want everything to return to the place of unhindered peace,’ Xióng Zhǎn said disinterested in the boastful offer.

‘They cannot go back to where they were. I cannot. Come away with me brother. Join me. With our powers combined, no one will dare oppose us. I already have a plan to take down the greatest power in the realms. Only our combined power will remain once he is removed,’ Jiàn Shēng pleaded.

‘Then we have nothing left in common. Our brotherhood ends here,’ Xióng Zhǎn said with finality.

‘Have you really made up your mind?’ his brother asked in a dejected tone. Xióng Zhǎn kept silent for a moment before speaking, ‘Please leave. I will not hear any more of this talk.’

‘Very well, if you decide to change your decision, you know where to find me,’ Jiàn Shēng replied. He tried to keep a steady voice and step as he turned around and made his way out. He was breaking within.

If he had turned around and seen the brother whom he loved greatly, he would have caught the silent tears falling down Xióng Zhǎn’s handsome face. The next day Jiàn Shēng met his allies and was organizing them for future action. After he had given out roles and responsibilities to almost all of them, he called out to Bái Láng.

‘Will you accept the role of being my left general?’ he asked Bái Láng. Bái Láng was overjoyed. He thought such a title and position was far greater than the one he currently held. It was a good trade.

‘I accept it gratefully master,’ he replied. Word had gone around among them about the falling out between their master and his brothers. While they were all feasting in the open field, Bái Láng got heady with wine and made careless remarks.

‘Who do they think they are? Our master is the best! That Xióng Zhǎn especially! He claims to be such a good brother of our master but his betrayal is the cruelest of all. Do not worry, I will help master take revenge and punish that useless fellow!’ he blabbered in drunken boast.

Jiàn Shēng heard it and was tempted to smash his left general’s head into the table before him. He arose suddenly and said, ‘This feast is over. You can all leave.’ Then he looked at his left general fiercely, ‘Bái Láng are you done or do you expect me to come and clean up after you?’

Bái Láng fumbled in confusion. He did not realize that he had touched a sore spot. He quickly rose and bowed in honor of his master as he took his leave. The more the rebels fell into their obsessions, the more they struggled in the heavens. They could not even hold their wine anymore. It was among them that such drunkenness was first observed. The wine seemed to fuel their delusions further and loosen their will power.

As Bái Láng disappeared into the distance, Jiàn Shēng smashed his own wine cup with rage. ‘You fool! You can never replace him. You are not his equal… not even a fraction of who he is. You can never be him in my heart,’ he fumed. He sat down on the soft grass and threw aside the table with all its unfinished food. Hot tears freely flowed down his beautiful face. He did not care who saw him in this vulnerable state. He wanted his brother beside him but he wanted the woman he loved in his arms more than he wanted his brother. That made all the difference.

Méiguī shān lay in shadow and mist. The King and his beloved had witnessed all these happenings in their realms. It broke their heart.

‘If only he would give up and return to his senses,’ the Bride said softly.

‘Hmm… but he has set his heart like stone and his face like a flint,’ the King replied.

‘Come away with me, my beloved,’ she whispered to him as she held his hand and pulled him towards the heights. He followed in her footsteps. She suddenly drew her power of wind around him so that they were both in the midst of a pillar of fiery, blue whirlwind.

‘Catch me if you can!’ she said as she sped upwards through its growing funnel. He put aside his thoughts and self-restraint and sped after her in a race of lovers. Finally, he pulled her towards himself as he caught up with her. They stood in the eye of the hurricane face-to-face.

‘Here come the winds of change,’ she said cryptically. He understood.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately. Then he held her face in his palms. ‘When you are caught in them, only look into my eyes. Do not look around. Just look into my eyes and I will calm the storm,’ he assured her.

‘I know you will. I trust you to rein in my chaos unleashed,’ she said as she rested her head on his shoulder and leaned against him. They say there are no tears in heaven but that day, tears fell down the cheeks of the immortal lovers.