Unfair
From her pristine skin and shape to her narrow waist and long legs, Princess Zuo ticked every box on my shifu’s checklist. If he managed to score even her, Mount Daluo and the imperial court… Before that was even a problem, I’d have to worry about having the problems dumped in my lap again.
“Why are you looking at me like that, Fuma?”
I cleared my throat. “I, no, this one, umm, this humble one… This humble one is sought and audience with Shiniang, sorry, Your Highness…”
Princess Zuo smiled. “Relax. Have a drink first.”
Zuo Xiuluan took the initiative to pass me tea and then Princess Zuo. I gave him my thanks when he served me the tea, while Her Highness quietly asked, “You lost in three exchanges?” Even at his level, the teacup in his hand started rattling.
“This one was inferior. Please pardon his incompetence,” Zuo Xiuluan expressed.
Princess Zuo allowed Zuo Xiuluan to finish setting her cup down without sparing him a glance.
With a pallor face, Zuo Xiuluan said, “This one is ashamed of himself and has brought shame to our manor. He shall take his own arm to apologise.” Immediately after, he raised his right hand to chop down on his left shoulder without mercy.
“Stop.”
A scholar beside Princess Zuo effortlessly parried Zuo Xiuluan’s hand before it landed. The scholar in his early thirties was likely one of the strongest fighters in the group considering his skill. Even the way he nonchalantly released Zuo Xiuluan’s arm and retreated supported the conjecture.
Soaked in his own sweat, Zuo Xiuluan conveyed, “Thank you for your mercy, Your Highness.”
Princess Zuo still didn’t spare Zuo Xiuluan a single glance.
Zuo Xiuluan bowed to Her Highness and then offered the scholar a cupped-fist salute. “Thank you,” he said prior to stepping back.
The scholar bobbed his head and remained in the shadows, showing no intention of greeting me.
Princess Zuo gently brushed aside the lid of the teacup and blew her tea. “Your martial prowess is a great surprise, Fuma. Do you think we are pushovers because I am a widow?”
“You speak in jest, Your Highness. This one merely needed to speak to you urgently and therefore had to cross the line. Please pardon his rashness.”
She smiled and replied, “Pay it no mind. I am used to people barging in. Please inform me why you are here.”
I held my hands up in salute. “This humble one shall respond in kind. His Majesty wishes for you to return to your rightful manor. There are no strings attached.”
“So you are here on behalf of His Majesty?”
“Uh, indeed, indeed.”
“Huh.” Princess Zuo elegantly had a nip of tea. “My son was framed, imprisoned and nearly executed. Even if he was in the wrong, his punishment should not have been so severe. In the blink of an eye, the twenty years I invested into building our reputation and the people I gathered have all but disappeared. How can I face my late husband? Before our doors were cordoned, my son was put under house arrest. We are supposed to wrap this up with His Majesty’s short instruction to return? Fuma, would you be able to accept this outcome?”
“Absolutely.” I tried to show the biggest and brightest smile I could. “Just say the word, and this humble one shall remove the cordons for you. His Highness will also be able to return safe and sound. This humble one hopes you can exercise tolerance.”
“Exercise tolerance? Did I mishear you? Did you say, ‘hope,’ Fuma?” Princess Zuo loudly set down her tea cup. “Her Majesty Empress Dowager said she would not see me, and she let me kneel outside her palace. Did the imperial family give me hope when I pled them to spare Mu’er?”
“Your Highness, you need to look at the full picture of the hope. From your current perspective, you may not see it. If you stand at…”
“Spare me. It is too late to talk about heart when they were heartless. You will only be able to persuade me with logic. If you have any wise logic, I am waiting to hear it.”
His Majesty was right. Zuo Suniang was no moron who just rushed head first into things. She never factored ego and cordial relationships into her calculation. She didn’t choose to go into hiding out of spite, or she wouldn’t have granted me an audience. She was after a price tag that she could accept; she wanted to recoup everything she lost or, ideally, even more. His Majesty underestimated her weight, however. He would be in for it if she insisted on allying with the White Princes.
“I have seen you for who Fuma Jingan is today; the praise for you is exaggerated. While you are capable, you are not capable enough to convince me to change my mind. If there is nothing else I can do for you, please leave.”
“Relax. Relax.” I had a drink of tea prior to expanding, “What I just told you was His Majesty’s thoughts. Now, I will tell you my thoughts.” Cracking a smile, I queried, “What did the Champion White Princes promise you?”
Princess Zuo sneered. “You already wish to impose your will one me in our first meeting?”
“As I mentioned, this is my personal thought. His Majesty is unaware, hehe.”
“Feel free to report to His Majesty. You might be able to walk out of here alive, but you will never see any of us again. His Majesty will not let you go unpunished.”
“That is a given. However, should Northern Wondrous Warrior Manor revolt, His Majesty will not spare His Highness. In the end, it will come down to whether they can conquer the imperial palace faster or if the executioner brings the blade down faster. I would not suggest attempting to catch them off guard. Since I already know there is an infiltration squad, His Highness’ life will be like a rat hole, like the waters of the Yellow River come pouring from the sky, rushing towards the sea and never coming back, as soon as the thread so much as budges. In short, whatever Li Bai did to the Yellow River, I shall do to him.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“To tell the truth, this is one of the only things I am good at in my limited skill set.”
Zuo Suniang unleashed a golden glow as she pulled out two sections of a spear from her sleeves, fitted them together to become a golden spear and thrust it towards my face!
I sat as still as an indomitable mountain. My heart remained as settled as still water. My face remained as still as stone.
After a long confrontation, Zuo Sunniang uninstalled her spear, slipped them back inside her sleeve, erased the golden energy and sat back down. “You have respectable bravery.”
I smiled.
Respectable. Respectable. You almost killed me! This lady doesn’t fight fair!
Glossary
Cordoned doors – https://www.sohu.com/a/366582885_390690 Maybe you’ve seen these before if you’ve consumed enough costume media. They essentially place stickers, typically in an “X” shape across doors and sometimes windows to indicate that a place has been sealed (no entry/exit permitted). It was quite common to see when someone was evicted for crimes.
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