The Great Palace of Moutan

The Past: Late Spring, 1461

Pul was carried away and treated as soon as they arrived at the guest palace.

"Is he alright?" Seiren asked, his worry showing in the slight crack in his voice as he watched the imperial physician hovering over his brother.

Captain Moon stood next to him, dutifully translating even though Seiren understood the Moutan language perfectly.

"Thankfully it's not too serious, your Highness. No breaks, but the shoulder will have to be pushed back into the socket while the boy's still unconscious. It may be an unpleasant sight, so it's best to leave..." he said.

"No, I'll stay," Seiren interrupted, shaking his head.

Captain Moon nodded, approval flitting over his otherwise expressionless face. It behooved a Prince to not be squeamish about things like injuries, especially when it came to subordinates.

The imperial physician gave Captain Moon an inquiring look.

"Please proceed," said Seiren, with a polite smile, speaking the Moutan language quite fluently.

Startled, the physician nodded and quickly rolled up his sleeves.

"Captain Moon, please sit him up and make him swallow this pill. It will keep him from waking during the procedure and lessen the pain and swelling as well," the physician directed. "After he's swallowed it, put him flat on his belly."

Captain Moon quickly sat the boy up, careful to hold him upright as he put the pill in the boy's mouth.

Seiren's brow creased with anxiety as he watched.

After ensuring that the pill had been swallowed, they carefully lowered Pul face down onto the bed, letting his arm hang down over the side. When he'd been properly arranged, the physician tugged the arm down, firmly shifting it back into its socket with the assistance of a heavy weight. The procedure was quick and efficient, and the imperial physician looked satisfied as he turned the boy back onto his back and put the arm in a sling.

"Such an injury normally takes four months to heal completely, but thanks to Lord Mu's purple elixir pill, he'll be fully healed in a month if he's careful and doesn't carry anything too heavy. In fact, if we keep the swelling down, he'll be able to take the sling off in about five days."

"That's truly miraculous!...But I thought elixir pills were for immortality?" Seiren asked, confused.

The physician coughed and Captain Moon looked slightly amused despite not having moved the muscles in his face.

It seems the Shoban prince is a fan of Moutan's cultivation romances...thought Moon to himself. Interesting...

"Mmmn...I think your Highness might mean 'golden elixir pills*', but something like that doesn't exist. Lord Mu's pill is just a very high-grade tonic that improves the body's ability to heal itself..." the physician explained, sounding a bit embarrassed.

"I see...still it's quite mysterious..." Seiren grinned. Regardless, he was deeply impressed by the advanced level of Moutan's medicine, and he'd have to see if he could obtain their medical literature for Shobu.

Captain Moon nodded.

"Both of you have worked hard. You have my thanks," said Seiren with relief.

"Not at all, your Highness," said the physician, bowing to excuse himself. "I'm off to write a prescription and I will have the medicine sent as soon as it's been made."

Captain Moon also excused himself but gave instructions to two Shadows to arrange guard duty with their Shoban counterparts and to promptly communicate any of Prince Seiren's request.

When he was gone, Seiren shut the door behind him and went to open the window. His chest was still constricted with worry, and he felt like he couldn't breathe. The breeze helped him calm his thoughts.

"B-Brother..." Pul rasped from behind him.

Seiren turned instantly, a smile blooming on his face.

"I'm glad you're alive," he said.

"Mmmph..." Pul grunted, making a grimace. "Mostly...alive."

Seiren chuckled.

"What happens now?" groaned Pul, trying to find a more comfortable position without shifting too much.

Seiren's eyes became sharp as daggers.

"We plan our next steps...."

***

Chancellor Mu's Manor

Five days later, the Past: Late Spring, 1461

"Ouch, Father! Gentler!!" Feiyan yelped, sucking in her breath in an aggrieved fashion as he scrubbed. "It wasn't that bad," she continued under her breath. "Aren't I still alive?"

"It was reckless!" Lord Mu glared at her as he tossed a wet cloth into a basin full of bloody water.

Embarrassed, she tried not to meet the eyes of those gathered around her bedside. Even Moon managed to look concerned even though he had no expression on his face.

Haruka, who was standing next to Moon, quickly knelt.

"Forgive us, my Lord. As her seniors we failed to protect her properly. We will gladly accept our punishment."

Lord Mu sighed.

"Weren't you protecting the Crown Prince Iseulbi? Even if Feiyan is our family's young mistress, the prince comes before all others. Anyway, Feiyan needs rest, so all of you should leave first."

When they had all filed out, Feiyan was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Sorry you had to pretend for so long, but it's best for you to stay here for now...and not cause any further trouble. Moon can take care of the investigation into the assassination..." Lord Mu said in a tone that brooked no argument.

Feiyan groaned.

"You mean I'm allowed to act like a spoilt child for once?" she grinned at her father.

Lord Mu made a disgusted noise.

"Don't get cocky. You broke three ribs and almost ruptured your core when you used your spiritual power to block the blow. If I hadn't come when I did, your insides would have squirted out your nose. I still haven't forgiven you for being so careless with your body!"

Feiyan sighed and turned her face into the blankets. Her voice was muffled when she spoke:

"I'm sure you know why I acted though...but don't you think there was something odd about that assassination attempt, Father?" she said, trying to distract him so that he'd stop scolding her.

She peaked out from under the quilt, trying to gauge her father's expression as he tilted his head to one side, but Lord Mu only shrugged.

"Perhaps...but don't trouble yourself. Moon will look into it..." he responded.

Lord Mu's mouth flattened into a straight line. There was indeed something troubling him about the incident, but he'd been distracted by the blond Shoban page. When he walked up to Prince Seiren, he'd been appalled to see his daughter and the blond-haired boy in a tangle of arms and legs with a red string floating between them. Even now he could see it trailing off his daughter's finger and out the door, no doubt winding its way to the guest palace. His jaw tightened in resentment.

Feiyan's fate is tied to that of a greater demon...if so, then the page boy is...

Curbing his sense of foreboding, he said: "Even though you haven't suffered any lasting damage, that doesn't mean you can just run around. Without my order, you cannot go out."

Feiyan squirmed in disappointment, but she lowered her lashes to hide it.

Well...perhaps Father won't notice if I just go to see Bi...?

Her father gave her a stern look. Reading her mind, he said: "Not even to see the prince."

"Father!!" she cried, finally giving into her frustration.

"Not even half a step!" he shot back at her. "There's only so much energy I can pass to you before being forced into closed-door retreat. Do you want that?"

Feiyan shot bolt upright even though every muscle in her body screamed in protest.

"No! Of course not."

"Lie down, Yan'er. You've been too rash," her father admonished in a gentler tone.

"Father, promise you won't leave me?" she asked in a small voice.

He sighed.

"Of course, I won't if I can help it...but sometime soon I may have to, and that's why I'm asking you to behave and mind your fellow Shadows, especially Moon."

"Alright," she nodded, trying not to pout. Father is reminding me... Moon doesn't say anything, but I've probably upset him. I'll have to apologize later.

Lord Mu hid a smile. No matter how mature she was for her age, his little swallow was still a child. He also wondered if Moon would make some excuse to have her sleep in their bed tonight like she used to when she was very small.

As if on cue, there was a knock and Moon poked his head in. Lord Mu fixed him with an expectant look.

"My Lord...you're needed at the palace..." he coughed.

Feiyan was surprised at the look that passed between them. It was not their normal affectionate smile, but something more tense.

"Feiyan, stay here," Lord Mu said, as he closed the door.

But Bi is still waiting for me...she thought.

After a moment, she flapped the blanket off and started to look for proper clothes.

Chapter Note:

A golden elixir pill (with its variety of legendary health benefits) is a very common feature of Chinese cultivation novels focusing on alchemy. Our dear Seiren has been reading too many novels...