3seed

Fate's Attendant 1.23

Added 2025-09-05 19:00:52 +0000 UTC

The next morning, Hong Fei felt a shift in his lower cauldron. He’d been half-asleep and dreaming of a giant badger dancing dizzily around a cherry tree. The members of his old troop were in the branches throwing knives, which missed because their heads were gone and they couldn’t see past their own deaths.

Then he recognized a familiar feeling—his lower cauldron had strengthened. It was almost strong enough contain essence in earnest. He could be considered at the fourth tier of Body Forged.

This was quick work, even for him, but he’d been down this path before. He was ready and eager to make back his losses.

Blinking to wakefulness, Hong Fei snagged the satchel on his night table to bring it under the blanket with him, then a moment later, the image of his card illuminated the dim space. He observed with interest how a section of the symbols had changed. The part that looked like “Realm: Body-Forged” now had a 4 beside it instead of 3.

After the previous evening’s frustrations, he was pleased to have decoded the meaning of this chunk of the mysterious language. The other changes were ones he expected now that essence could wash through him in greater amounts. The number associated with “Body” had gone up from 1 to 2, and “Cultivation” increased from 5 to 6.

That last set of symbols represented his “Attributes” in aggregate. When it grew, so did his realm. That had, at least, been easy enough for Auntie Ling to explain.

His mood brightening, he threw off the covers to greet the morning.

###

Hong Fei practiced the military arts’ basic forms, his new sword cutting through the air with a bite that’d been lacking the day before. A new cultivation tier represented an increase in lethality—in senses, reflexes, speed, power, and everything else that made one deadly. Every swing and stab were miracles of motion. Hong Fei was steadily winning back that which had been lost.

The sword itself was a working warrior’s blade, well-forged but otherwise unremarkable. Hong Fei found that it suited him. It gleamed from being recently oiled.

Off to the side, Kang Lian gulped and Little Ruyun gaped at seeing Hong Fei move so swiftly. The mother and daughter had placed stools out in front of the kitchen, so that they could enjoy the light and air while preparing the day’s dumplings. Hong Fei had given them his permission to watch while they worked.

Auntie Ling also observed the practice, though from the steps leading to the salon. She nodded in approval at seeing the swordsman’s claws becoming sharper.

Hong Fei paused his practice when he heard Mei Hua’s running steps. A moment later, the youth appeared at the door, took one look around the courtyard, noted the servants, and then rushed past him to stand before the badger.

At least, she was wise enough to not reach out unbidden. Her eyes were simply wide as she admired the spirit beast.

More steps sounded from the corridor. These were more sedate, however, and accompanied by Chen Zhengyi’s voice: “She’s run off again.”

The young man led the way into the courtyard, followed by the duke’s grandchildren—Yu Yong offering a curt nod in greeting and Yu Ning smiling.

“May we,” Yu Ning began. “May we see the spirit beast?”

Chen Zhengyi scoffed. “Why are you asking? It’s right there,” he said, pointing to Auntie Ling.

“How did you do it?” Yu Yong asked, his eyes bright with curiosity.

And perhaps a touch of envy, Hong Fei thought. “Have you not heard the story yet? I would’ve expected the Queen of Spiders to have gathered all the rumors by now.”

Yu Ning laughed behind her hand, while Mei Hua turned around to flash him a smile. “This Queen has heard the rumors, but you have to confirm them, or else that’s all they’ll be.”

“That I can do,” Hong Fei replied. “Go get your cushions, and I’ll begin my lecture with the story.”

Yu Ning’s face fell, and Mei Hua looked displeased, as well. It was Chen Zhengyi who explained: “We can’t stay. The xiàowèi is supplementing our training with additional lessons in strategy.”

“We’re only here now, because we’re supposed to be eating,” Yu Ning added.

“I see,” Hong Fei said.

“The fur’s rough.” Mei Hua had tentatively reached out a hand, and seeing no aggression from the giant badger, placed it upon the beast’s head. “I thought it would be softer.”

“Really?” Yu Ning moved closer, and she too reached out to pet the spirit beast. “Oh, you’re right.”

“I like the looks of those claws,” Yu Yong said. “Are its teeth as sharp as they look.”

“Her name is Ling,” Hong Fei said. “And yes. They are.”

“Ling,” Mei Hua repeated softly. “I want one for myself.”

Yu Ning nodded. “Wouldn’t it be grand? But tamed spirit beasts are rare. The barbarians to the south of the island supposedly have some, but we don’t get to see them in the cities. The soldiers won’t let them inside.”

“For good reason,” Yu Yong said. “The barbarians can’t be trusted. Imagine the damage one could do, especially if their beast’s cultivation is hidden. With the duke and duchess in seclusion, it’d be up to the rest of us to put it down.”

“Up to the xiàowèi, you mean,” Chen Zhengyi corrected him.

Yu Yong looked like he wanted to answer, but words failed to capture his earnest desire to be more than he currently was.

“The ascent to higher realms of cultivation is made step by step,” Hong Fei said. “Remember that a solid foundation is critical, otherwise—”

“—one risks deviation,” Mei Hua finished, mimicking his voice and intonations.

The young men smiled, and Yu Ning giggled.

The duke’s granddaughter took Mei Hua’s hand and pulled her toward the others. “Come, dear heart. We’ve dallied enough. If we stay here any longer, we’ll have to suffer through the xiàowèi’s lecture while hungry.”

“Shall we race?” Chen Zhengyi suggested.

The answer was the other three taking off and leaving him behind.

“Hey!” he yelled and chased after them.

Their departure left the courtyard quiet, except for the wind among the cherry tree’s leaves. Hong Fei gazed at the sword in his hands.

From her stool, having been ignored by the youths, Little Ruyun commented, “They have energy, that bunch.”

Kang Lian shushed her daughter. “Don’t speak of the lords and ladies that way.”

“She’s not wrong,” Hong Fei said, looking over at them. Then to himself he muttered, “Yet I wonder if their energy is being harnessed in the right directions.”

###

There was a half-remembered detail that bothered Hong Fei. It came to mind after the youths’ departure and irked him more and more as he thought about it. His plan to observe Ma Mo for the day would have to wait until he scratched at the itch his memory presented.

So, he moved through the estate with purpose—traveling down corridors, passing through gardens, crossing over bridges, and nodding to soldiers on patrol, who on occasion greeted him in return.

He partially retraced his steps from the time he’d first explored the estate on his own. There should be a storeroom for oil in the courtyard ahead, he thought. Then, There it is.

The building sat alone in a corner and was built exclusively from stone, including the door. Pushing it open, Hong Fei found a pair of enormous urns partially full of oil. They were surrounded by a smattering of smaller pots, all empty. There wasn’t a hint of anything wooden, and the air smelled heavy.

Not many people came this way. Even fewer stepped behind the building where there was a space approximately a zhang in width. The distance was deemed wide enough to protect the surrounding structures from the heat should a fire break out in the oil room.

Hong Fei approached a collection of discarded wine jugs piled up at the corner behind the building. He seemed to recall three from before, and now there were five.

Back when he’d first found them, Hong Fei had made a note to himself to investigate if any of the estate’s staff had problems with drinking too much, and while he’d found a few, none of the people involved had appeared to be a risk to the Yu family, at least not yet.

He turned over one of the newer jugs with his toe. The make wasn’t one used by the house. He hadn’t known enough previously to recognize that fact.

His stomach sinking in anticipation, Hong Fei knelt to bring his nose closer. The scent was faint—not a strong dose perhaps—but the jug had once contained dream blossom wine.

Hong Fei rose with a sigh and ran a hand through his hair, disturbing the knot keeping it in order. He wouldn’t go to the duchess or the steward for now. Any trouble resulting from scouring the estate looking for the perpetrators would no doubt be laid squarely at his feet. His experience with the gambling ring had taught him that.

Better information was necessary so that he could properly manage the process of accusation and punishment, but a troop of one wasn’t enough! He required someone to observe Ma Mo, people to quietly question the staff, and more of them to nose around the mid-city and the Rock Knives’ operations.

A giant badger and a pair of new servants, one of whom was still a child—they were not suitable material for the demands of a dūtóu. Yet, they were what he had to work with.

For now, Auntie Ling would protect Fortune’s Favor, the courtyard, and Little Ruyun, while he’d ask Kang Lian to quietly observe the staff for signs of erratic behavior. The rest of the work, he would have to do himself, and the best lead remained Ma Mo—the only remaining connection between the Yu estate and the Rock Knives.

It was possible the presence of dream blossom wine near their building in the mid-city was a coincidence, but that was unlikely in Hong Fei’s opinion. Dream blossom wine was illegal, and only a criminal operation with deep roots in an area could get away with producing and distributing it.

The Rock Knives fit the description perfectly.

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