Savage Divinity

“Don’t do this.”

Hardly Yuzhen’s most eloquent appeal, but given the circumstances, it was all she could come up with. The moment she received word of Baatar’s arrest, she knew this was a calamity which could see the Empire torn asunder, or at the very least, the Northern Citadel. Thus, after unwittingly sharing the news with the gathered representatives of the Northern Magistrates, Yuzhen left the meeting and her guards behind by way of the closest window and sprinted across the rooftops in a desperate attempt to avert disaster.

A good thing too, for she arrived home just in time to stop Gerel at the manor gates, but after blurting out her panicked plea, she was struck speechless by his transformation. Clad from head to toe in his silver-and-black Runic Armour, he made for a formidable sight, and Yuzhen spared herself a moment to drink it all in. In formal or casual wear, Gerel’s svelte frame almost appeared lithe and slender, but even though she knew what lay underneath his frilly outer robes, loose silken shirts, and glittering jewellery, seeing him dressed for battle made her wonder how she could ever have described him as anything less than solid. There was no better word for it, for though he was a warrior born, he was neither large enough to be considered hulking nor small enough to be considered slight. Whether it be his height or build, Yuzhen would have once described both as average, but now she was of a mind to call it optimal, with his thick, corded muscles straining from underneath his glimmering, form-fitting armour, so perfectly tailored it might as well be a second skin.

The Tyrant charged exorbitant prices for crafting Runic equipment, but she deserved every last copper paid as far as Yuzhen was concerned.

His naked sword held ready in his left and massive glaive resting in the right, Gerel loomed over her from atop his hulking, snarling quin and fixed her with a quiet glare, one delivered by conflicted amber eyes burning with unchecked rage. Giving thanks that his ire would never be directed towards her, Yuzhen wondered where her husband had hidden such... intensity. She’d known him for a passionate man and hot-blooded warrior, but this... this was something entirely different, primal display of raw, visceral violence, a side she’d only seen once before, during the handful of minutes following Rain’s accusation and miraculous cleansing all those years ago in Sanshu. She once attributed her beloved husband’s savage behaviour to influence from those insidious minions of the Father, but now she knew it was all part and parcel of the man she loved, and she did not balk in the face of it. In fact, seeing this side of him fascinated her, because while romance and passion were nice, it never hurt to spice things up with a bit of anger and conflict every now and then, both in and out of the bedroom. After months spent smoothing out his rough edges and teaching him how to rub elbows with high society, she finally turned him into a model husband for a proper Marshal, or rather a traditional Marshal’s wife, and she now saw this for the mistake it was. Yuzhen was anything but traditional, and while she enjoyed the attentions and affections of her loving, compliant husband, what she needed was a proper partner and comrade in arms, not a meek consort to warm her bed.

And what better partner than Demon Reaper Gerel?

To think, she somehow forgot that she married a Dragon amongst men, which meant her allies and enemies alike hadn’t been treating him with the respect he deserved. Oh, they heard of his exploits on the battlefield and saw his match against the Royal Guardian, but stories and show matches were not the same as seeing this man before her, bristling with righteous fury and barely restrained violence as he readied to see justice served. Yuzhen had to give Yang Jixing proper credit, for only a true imbecile could kick over a hornets’ nest like this and make such a grand mess of things only moments after coming to power.

“Why?”

So distracted by this feast for her eyes, it took her a moment to parse through the question, Yuzhen stood tall and said, “Riding out with swords drawn and bows bent won’t help Baatar. For Mother’s sake, I have on good authority he voluntarily went into the Disciplinary Corps custody. He wasn’t beaten into submission and taken prisoner, so give me a chance to solve things peaceably through the proper channels and I assure you that everything will work out. The new Legate is likely doing this as a show of strength and to assert dominance over the established officers and show he will not be cowed by the People and their allies. A blunder to be sure, but one we can overlook once matters have been properly settled.”

Half-expecting him to leap off his quin and capitulate, Yuzhen was thrown for a loop when Gerel shook his head and sneered. “The time for politics is long past. You know as well as I what Jixing desires, and we will not turn Zheng Luo over. She is one of the People now, no different from Baatar, and we will spill a river of blood if anyone should dare lay a finger on either of them.”

This tribal allegiance had its benefits, but right now, it was sorely testing Yuzhen’s patience. “I understand you see this as an assault on your sovereignty, but in the eyes of the Empire, the People are citizens like any other, and thus you have none. This was a lawful arrest on the grounds of suspicion, with charges laid but judgment yet to be rendered. If you ride in baring fangs and brandishing claws within minutes of his arrest, public opinion will turn against you and as everyone questions why the People reacted so violently to mere charges.” Seeing he was still unconvinced, Yuzhen pressed harder in hopes of averting disaster. “And make no mistake, public opinion will be with us, so long as you stay your hand. Baatar has the loyalty of his soldiers and the support of his allies, powerful allies like myself, Nian Zu, and the Society.” The last one wasn’t entirely certain, but despite all the setbacks they’d encountered in the past five years, the Society was still a juggernaut of military and commerce in the Northern Province, so their presence could not be overlooked. There were other allies of importance too, mostly factions from South and Central, but almost all were absent from the Northern Citadel save for a nominal presence. Even if the other Marshals or Colonel Generals wanted to help, it was likely they wouldn’t even hear of this matter in time to speak up, much less appear in person, so it would be the Northern factions’ opinions which mattered most.

“Yes,” Gerel said, nodding in agreement, but then Yuzhen’s stomach lurched as he added, “Which is why we should strike whilst the iron is hot. Between the Death Corps, Royal Guardians, and Disciplinary Corps, Jixing can’t have more than ten-thousand loyal combatants stationed in the Citadel, including Rain’s honour guard who we can easily deal with first.”

Mother save Yuzhen from fools and idealists. “And then what? You flee to your mountain homes and hide?”

“We withdraw to our homes,” Gerel corrected, his anger and pride flaring at her careless accusation, “And fight to defend them. We will defend the entire Northern province if need be, but we will not serve under an Empire which sees fit to trample over our rights.”

“And what of the People currently serving on the second lines?” This finally made Gerel blink, as it was clear he’d forgotten about them in the heat of anger, and Yuzhen pressed her advantage. “Will you just leave them behind, just as you would abandon the rest of the Empire? Your feud is with one man, and you would doom millions of innocents out of what? Impatience? What’s more,” Yuzhen continued, moving closer to Gerel and praying his ornery quin wouldn’t snap, “Just yesterday, we received verified, military reports from Chen Hongji which contained nothing but praises for the People and their allies, reports the heralds read and repeated in every corner of the Empire, with some still reading those reports now. Citizens and soldiers alike celebrated the good news and learned of great heroes amongst the People, heroeslike Mila, Alsantset, Tursinai, and more.” Swallowing her fear, Yuzhen reached out to clasp his hand, wrapped as it was in a white-knuckled grip around his sword and said, “Think, beloved husband. Everyone in the Citadel knows Baatar by sight. They’ve seen him work tirelessly since the start of the war, planning the defences, training the soldiers, and most importantly, celebrating his son’s marriage in the streets. They know his name, have seen his face, know his people fight to defend them, but the same cannot be said of Yang Jixing, a nobody who just appeared out of nowhere to arrest a beloved Military General.” Not exactly true, since she knew Jixing had been active in the outer provinces for over a year, but he’d made no public appearances and kept his presence a secret, so for most, this would be the first time they’d ever heard his name. “I can make Jixing see reason and convince him to drop these charges,” Yuzhen concluded, seeing the anger drain from Gerel’s beautiful eyes. “You just need to give me time.”

Besides, if she failed, it still wouldn’t be too late to spill blood. Even as incompetent as he might seem, surely Jixing wouldn’t have Baatar, a Lieutenant General of the Imperial Army and father of the Minister of Finance executed without a public trial.

...Probably.

Hopefully...

Gerel’s grip relaxed almost imperceptibly, but Yuzhen knew she’d gotten through to him, and a wave of sweet relief rushed through her. Then, her husband ruined it by opening his mouth and saying, “Very well. Even though my honour and conscience demands it, I will not join the others.”

What. In the. Fuck. “...What others?”

“The Sentinels riding out in answer to Rain’s call.” Seeing her shock, Gerel blinked twice and said, “I thought you already knew. The boy has beat the drums and summoned the spears, for he is of the mind to take his father back by force.”

“Rain is on the warpath?” Of all people, Yuzhen expected Rain to be the least of her problems, especially in a situation as politically explosive as this. He was smarter than this, or so she thought. “Why didn’t Luo-Luo or Sarnai convince him to stand down?”

Taken aback by the question, Gerel had the audacity to laugh at her foolishness. “Ah. I understand.” Gesturing for Yuzhen to get onto his quin, Gerel set the beast into motion before she was even settled, riding out the gates to bring her to Rain without needing to be asked. “Rain usually keeps a calm head,” Gerel explained, thoroughly amused by Yuzhen’s misunderstanding. “So you thought he’d go about this rationally as ever, but family is his reverse scale. You can kick him around all day and he’ll still try to talk things through, but touch someone he loves and you’ll see the Warrior emerge.” Flashing a grudging grin of admiration, Gerel shook his head and sighed. “A Warrior born, he is, full of vim and vigour as any. You ever hear Akanai tell the story about the time he charged a Demon with nothing but a mundane spear? She has a way with words, makes you feel like you were right there beside her. Seventeen years old Rain was, but he could’ve passed for twelve, all bones and fury as he ran howling towards a Demon. Crashed into it and bounced right off, didn’t shift the monster even a bit and earned himself a dirt nap for his troubles, but by the Heavens, he showed his true mettle that day. A fledgling dragon, but a dragon nonetheless, and Jixing will soon learn that even a crippled dragon’s fangs can still bite.”

Mother in Heaven, Gerel almost seemed proud of the boy for doing exactly the wrong thing here, and Yuzhen couldn’t wrap her head around it. Current issues aside, her husband’s relationship with Rain had always been a perplexing mystery which she could not solve. Together, they were as antagonistic as two people could be without resorting to fists or swords, and apart, they were no better, rarely ever interacting unless absolutely necessary. Neither one seemed to care much for the other’s company, but Gerel was often the first name Rain mentioned when discussing Warriors of the People, while so many of her husband’s decisions could be traced back to Rain, and she was curious to know why. It couldn’t just be two bulls butting heads, because Rain never seemed to treat Gerel as a rival and even unconsciously set himself below his older clansman despite the vast disparity in their social statuses. In contrast, Gerel went about his days pretending Rain didn’t exist, but he was quick to defend his younger clansman with blade and boot whenever he came across any slanderous or disparaging remarks.

Politics were easy compared to the strange, tangled bonds between men. Why couldn’t they just laugh and get along like reasonable human beings?

“Marshal Yuzhen. Marshal Yuzhen! Behind you.” The nasal, slightly panicked voice of Tang Yu, the Captain of her Guard, snapped Yuzhen out of her stupor, and she looked around for the source of the Sending and found him easily enough, riding at Gerel’s heels with ten to fifteen of her guards. A handsome, older gentleman of fifty seven years, he hailed from a generation in which beardless, waxed moustaches had been all the rage and never moved beyond it. Sporting what might as well have been two squirrel tails glued to his upper lip, the dapper, dandy gentleman seemed all too excited as he rode after Yuzhen atop his valiant white stallion, wearing only the breastplate and helmet of his station over casual silk robes. “Marshal Yuzhen, your guards and I stand with you and the People! I’ve summoned them all, and they will be here forthwith to lend their blades to the cause, unless you have other orders? Might I suggest we secure the Eastern Gates? Wouldn’t want those blackguards retreating with the Lieutenant General in tow.”

Lend their blades to the cause? What? No, there was not going to be any need for blades, not if she had her way, and as she prepared a Sending to correct Tang Yu, she noticed some of her guards were riding double and realized why her Guard Captain was so terribly mistaken. From an outsider’s point of view, it appeared that she received word of Baatar’s arrest, returned home to fetch her husband, and was now riding with him fully armed and armoured to Baatar’s rescue. To her horror, she noticed that somewhere along the way, Gerel had picked up an escort of Sentinels as well, the stampeding of hooves and quin claws kept quiet through targeted Sound Barriers, like assassins moving in the night. To make matters worse, their entourage grew even as she watched, with soldiers and Sentinels on horse, quin, carriage, wagon, and foot finding their way to this misguided cause, no doubt called here by Rain himself.

Or rallying to Baatar’s cause. Stoic and taciturn as the man was, Baatar had a way with the soldiers under his command, winning loyalties with brief nods and simple greetings or gruff reprimands and disapproving stares. At Rain’s weddings, Baatar had smiled for the first time in public, and the bars and restaurants had gushed about it for weeks afterwards, much to Yuzhen’s amusement and jealousy. Despite emoting less than most stones, Baatar radiated charisma in a way few could emulate, and Yuzhen would give anything to learn how. Even Nian Zu didn’t have this sort of following, as angry soldiers and citizens alike took to the streets and voiced their outrage without fear for the consequences, tinder aplenty for Falling Rain to better light the spark of rebellion.

Things were quickly moving beyond Yuzhen’s control, and she was no longer sure if she could stop it. Even if Rain saw reason and decided to withdraw, some of his allies and sympathizers might not get the message in time and cause matters to escalate beyond the point of no return. Still, she had to try, so she explained everything to Tang Yu through Sending and had him pass the message along to everyone who would listen. Gather for support, but make no move unless explicitly ordered to, under threat of execution. That was the best she could do, which wasn’t much considering these Warriors had already shown willingness to rebel against the Empire, which carried the much steeper punishment of Nine Familial Extermination, but she prayed it would be enough.

Yuzhen hadn’t even known where Baatar was being kept, but it seemed like Rain did, since he called the People to gather in the Citadel’s main square. As Gerel rode up into the eerily silent plaza, Yuzhen saw a sizable number of Sentinels had already arrived, filling the plaza atop their quins while the black-armoured Death Corps took up arms on stage just outside the command centre. Technically, it was only called this because the Legate picked the top floor as his quarters, while most of the military offices were scattered about the Citadel. A defensive measure, to keep Wraiths, Demons, and Enemy Experts from knowing where the highest ranking officers gathered, but everyone had been more than happy to let the Legate draw all the Enemy attention. In retrospect, perhaps they should have guarded his person more carefully, since an attempt on his life was what led to this calamity unfolding, but hindsight was always too late to be helpful.

Spotting Situ Jia Yang, Yuzhen seized the opportunity to Send, “I will speak with Rain and have him convince his people to stand down. Please help me and do what you can to get these soldiers under control before a riot breaks out.”

A large man with an imposing demeanour, Jia Yang turned his hawk-eyed glare onto Yuzhen and slowly shook his head. “I’m afraid you ask too much of me, Marshal,” he Sent, his steady drawl lending weight to his convictions. “For if the new Legate does not give me a proper, legal explanation for Lieutenant General Baatar’s arrest, then I will be amongst the first to demand his release, by blood and steel if necessary.” Reading the disbelief in her expression, Jia Yang offered a small smile and Sent, “I have had time to reflect on my actions and see the People for who they truly are. Heroes and patriots, one and all, and I for one will not stand to see my good friend slandered. I owe Baatar a debt I can never repay, not just for what he and his have done for me and mine, but for doing what I could not. Were it not for him, the Defiled would have broken through the Northern Wall, and the province would have subsequently been abandoned like the West, abandoned by the Empire we serve and protect.” Narrowing his eyes as he turned his gaze upon the command centre, Jia Yang unconsciously grit his teeth and gripped his sabre. “I am not alone in this sentiment, so I warn you out of goodwill: there are those who believe the North would be better served if divested of Imperial interests, so take care where you stand. A flood sweeps away all in its path, indifferent to good intentions.”

...Oh how the times change. Baatar’s charisma was enough even to turn his once greatest enemy into this staunch supporter, though Yuzhen feared Jia Yang overly optimistic. The North would fall the second the Defiled finished ravaging South and Central, for despite the defensible, dual choke-points of Shen Jin and the Society Headquarters, there were not enough soldiers in the North to hold them for long.

Casting her gaze about in search of Nian Zu, Yuzhen saw neither hide nor hair of the old Living Legend, and resigned herself to doing this without support. Recognizing Yuzhen, or more likely, Gerel, the Sentinels parted to let them pass, though Tang Yu and the others were kept behind. Sending them orders to stand by, Yuzhen steeled her nerves as she arrived at the front of the crowd and gazed out across the paltry twenty-meter gap between the Sentinels and the stage, where just this past new years, Luo-Luo played a concert for all of Central’s elites, and Gerel revealed himself as a thirty-three year old Peak Expert of the Empire.

And now, Gerel might take to this stage again, except this time, to raise the flag of rebellion, with the likes of Jia Yang, Han BoHai, Falling Rain, and Mother knows who else at his side...

After tearing her eyes away from the stage and the Death Corps guards manning them, Yuzhen found Rain easily enough. There he stood, five paces ahead of the crowd, with only Kuang Biao and Sarnai beside him. If someone were to see him there and no one else, they might think he was here waiting for a show to begin, his hair freshly trimmed and styled since she saw him last, and looking like a true Imperial Noble for once. It wasn’t just his long, slicked hair bedecked with a single jewelled ornament, or the understated, yet fashionable clothes his mother had made for him. It wasn’t his serviceable soldier’s boots, which had marched many a kilometre, nor was it the unadorned steel sword on his hip or the plain spear and shield he kept in hand, but held carelessly behind him. Aside from the tiny embroidered Imperial Dragon the size of a fingernail sitting atop his breast pocket, there was no reason for anyone to believe Falling Rain was a noble, yet seeing him here, there was no way for Yuzhen to believe anything but.

Much like with Baatar, there was an invisible force of personality emanating from Rain, but rather than charisma, it was a sense of composure. Whereas everyone else ran the gamut from anxious and afraid to angry and agitated, Rain was calm and serene as could be, his stance wide, knees bent, shoulders relaxed and expression unreadable as he stood and studied the command centre before him. Yuzhen had thought she would find him beside himself with rage, but if he was, he hid it well, seemingly tranquil and unhurried while standing there with thousands of soldiers and Sentinels at his back and Mother knows how many Death Corps across from him. Back straight and head raised, he craned his neck high as if to watch the clouds drift by, but those amber eyes were fixed on the centre-most window of the command centre’s topmost floor, which Yuzhen knew opened up into the Legate’s personal meeting room.

Try as she might, Yuzhen had no idea what Rain might be thinking. How could he be so relaxed with Kuang Biao there beside him, a Peak Expert who would undoubtedly side with the Imperial Clan? Yuzhen supposed that’s why Sarnai was here with them, to ensure Kuang Biao didn’t take Rain hostage, but as formidable as Sarnai might be, could she really stop another Peak Expert from laying hands on her son when he was only an arm’s length away? Why didn’t he just order his Death Corps guards to take a day-long trip out of the Citadel? It’s not like he could command the Death Corps to attack the legally appointed General of the Army, and this way, he could at least save their lives. That was the Rain Yuzhen knew, the worrier, the planner, and sometimes a devious schemer and idealistic radical, but this Rain... this was a new side to him she’d never seen.

Now that she thought of it, she realized that she had known this side of Rain existed from the first time she met him, when she greeted him at the gates to the Northern Wall and thought him little more than an adorably moon-eyed child destined for an early death. This Rain standing before her, this calm, confident, unruffled Rain? This was the Dragon, the Chosen Son of the Mother who charged Demons without a second thought and sent hordes of Defiled fleeing for the hills, a miracle maker who Devoured Spectres and Cleansed Martial Warriors in one fell swoop. A paragon seen once in a thousand years, he excelled in warfare, both in personal combat and general command, and when calamity took his strength away, he displayed his excellence in matters of commerce and politics too. It was strange how despite all his accomplishments, both past and current, it was so easy to overlook Rain because... well, because he rarely fit the image of who he truly was. Just like with Gerel, stories and reports were not the same as seeing him in action, and this was the first time seeing the real Falling Rain, the Warrior ready for battle. For so many years, she saw him as this innocent, feeble looking child who then became a crippled, frail thing, and even when he was frail no more, he indulged in childish actions like collecting pets and playing on swings, and this was enough to make Yuzhen forget who he truly was.

How silly of her. Falling Rain was a man who cried for strangers during the Purge and was willing to risk both Defilement and death to try and save them. Of course he would not balk at rebelling to save his father, so how was Yuzhen supposed to convince him to stand down?

As if able to read her thoughts, Rain turned his gaze away from the upper windows as Yuzhen approached and met her eyes with a ghost of a smile. “I won’t stand down,” he said, not caring if everyone heard him. “I am here to demand my father’s release and nothing less, because the charges laid against him are absurd at best and malicious at worst.” Raising his voice, his tone shifted, not in pitch, but in gravity, somehow compelling Yuzhen to hang onto his every word. “Yang Jixing. I know you can hear me. Release my father and let us be done with this.”

“You. Dare?!”

Echoing out from the highest room of the command centre, the words crashed into Yuzhen like the icy winter wind waiting outside her manor doors back north. There was something about this verbal exchange which she didn’t understand, similar to how the Legate’s speeches had once inspired and excited the crowds in Nan Ping, but... more. Not just Yang Jixing’s reply either, which left him red faced and breathless as he appeared at the window above, but also in Rain’s quiet demand delivered at what felt like a normal, conversational volume, yet somehow reached the top floor, and from the looks of it, the rest of the crowd around Yuzhen as well. Turning to Rain in a mixture of awe and horror, Yuzhen wasn’t sure what to make of this not-so-crippled dragon standing before her. She truly believed him when he claimed he wasn’t a Martial Warrior, and had seen enough proof to corroborate those claims, but she’d also heard several accounts of how he’d killed Demons with his bare hands the last time he was in Sinuji, so she had no idea what to think anymore, and could only pray for the best.

Unmoved by Jixing’s flustered appearance, Rain cocked his head slightly and asked, “Why would I not? I speak only the truth. My father had no part in Shen ZhenWu’s mishap, so you have no grounds to arrest him. Release him now, and I will look the other way.”

“You dare dictate terms to me? To. Command. Me?” Still infusing his voice with Chi, Jixing roared down at the crowd with such intensity it forced Yuzhen back a step, and she was not the only Martial Warrior affected as such. Peak Experts like Sarnai, Kuang Biao, and Gerel only flinched, but almost everyone else rocked back beneath the verbal assault.

Everyone except Rain, who didn’t even blink, as calm and relaxed as ever. What was going on with him? Was he crippled or not?

“It was more of a suggestion really.” Though still speaking in a conversational tone, Yuzhen could see every face in the crowd hanging onto Rain’s every word, and knew that they could somehow all hear him as clearly as she. Not impossible for Martial Warriors, but this wasn’t due to any effort on their part, and Yuzhen suspected Rain was doing something to make himself heard. He’d somehow done the same in Sinuji too, and now dramas were being made to tell the tale of Falling Rain and Ai Qing, though at least the playwrights had the decency to wait until after Rain’s weddings to perform them. Seemingly unaware of the effect he was having on the people around him, Rain traded stares with Jixing and asked, “So you refuse to release my father? Tell me, what crime has he committed to warrant his arrest?”

So incensed by Rain’s defiance, Jixing had difficulty finding the proper words, and it was several seconds before he found his breath and voice once again, and while his words were still infused with Chi, they didn’t make Yuzhen’s ears feel like they were bleeding. “Baatar of the People has been arrested and stripped of his rank under suspicion of treason.” Even from five stories down, Yuzhen could see the hateful sneer on Yang Jixing’s face, a youthful bully who took great delight in delivering this statement. Prior to this, Baatar had still been a Lieutenant General, but now Jixing had stripped him of his title as well. Even if all went well, the charges were dropped, and his rank reinstated, Baatar would forever bear the shame of having borne this suspicion. A black mark on his reputation to be sure, and while the soldiers and Sentinels in the crowd voiced their disbelief and indignation, Rain merely continued to stare up at Jixing, who faltered at seeing his statement fail to have the desired effect. Since Rain would not play by his rules, the Imperial Brat addressed the crowd directly, seeking satisfaction from them instead. “I, Yang Jixing, provisional Legate of the Eastern Province, regret to inform you that Shen ZhenWu, your previous Legate, was ambushed and attacked in the home of this traitor, Baatar of the People. Shen ZhenWu suffered grievous injury, but he is alive and well, and has since returned to the homeland to recover from his debilitating plight. I will not let this crime go unpunished, and will see to it that the traitor and all his co-conspirators are punished to the full extent of Imperial Law.”

This was a set up. Jixing wanted the North to rebel and was pushing them beyond their limits, there was no other logical explanation, but why would he do such a thing? A civil war would give the Defiled a clear pathway into Central, and from there, North and South would be vulnerable as well. Did the Imperial Clan truly not care what happened to the outer provinces? How could anyone in power allow this Jixing to behave as he did? Any second now, Yuzhen expected the bloodshed to begin, but again, Rain was entirely unmoved. “Oh?” The single syllable cut through the crowd’s muttering and silenced all their voices in an instant, dousing their desire to bare blades and shed blood like water over hot coals. “First you say my father was arrested ‘under suspicion’ of treason,” Rain drawled, doing that hateful thing where he pretended like he was an idiot even though he clearly wasn’t. “But then you started talking like he’d already been convicted. Did a Justicar already pass judgment? How could that be possible? My father was only arrested a few minutes ago. Surely a trial of this severity would take longer to conclude?”

“Hmph.” Clearly caught in a mistake and unwilling to admit it, Jixing doubled down on his statement and said, “The evidence is overwhelming, and the verdict obvious.”

“So you’re a Justicar now? An Oath-Sworn Imperial Servant with the authority to pass judgment?”

That was interesting... Though Yuzhen knew all members of the Disciplinary Corps were Oath-Sworn, she hadn’t known they counted themselves as Imperial Servants. Had she known, she might have been more leery of them, because even under ideal circumstances, there were certain matters she would’ve preferred to keep secret from Imperial interests. Previously, she thought that any Justicar or Adjudicator could be trusted with any information so long as it wasn’t criminally relevant, but now, she was not so sure.

Rain’s question struck a chord with Jixing and set his cheeks to blazing, and his answer uttered through gritted teeth. “The trial is currently underway, but the verdict is obvious.”

That was all, but it was enough for everyone present to know he was talking out his ass, and set Rain up perfectly for his next blow, which Yuzhen saw coming and felt giddy watching in action. “A private trial? How is anyone supposed to present proof of his innocence in a private trial?”

“There is nothing you can say to save him.” The sneer was back, and Yuzhen couldn’t help but shake her head at Jixing’s stupidity, flouting his glee and obvious agenda without even trying to hide it. “As I said, the evidence against him is overwhelming.”

“Then let us hear it. What evidence do you have?” Not expecting an answer, Rain shook his head and continued. “You accuse my father of treason, of colluding with the Enemy, of injuring my Patron, and you expect us all to take you at your word without hearing the evidence arrayed against him? I know as well as you that there is no evidence, because my father had no part in the attack. Are you really so desperate to force this to a trial by combat? The Prime Minister’s son using the Disciplinary Corps as a political tool, truly a disgrace to Justice.”

Obviously not expecting Rain would simply blurt out the truth, Yuzhen was enjoying watching Jixing learn how to play politics with Rain, which was different from playing politics with anyone else in the Empire, because he cared nothing for face. His statements and accusations were a black mark on Imperial dignity, and where others might balk at airing their private feud in public, Falling Rain would trample over the Emperor Himself if he felt it justified. He had a way with words and a penchant for keeping his opponents off-guard and therefore defensive, which was why Jixing was so hesitant to reply. Speak his mind and reveal his ploy or deny it and be forced to pronounce Baatar guilty and back the verdict with falsified facts, or do nothing and eventually be forced to release his prisoner, neither option was desirable and Jixing was at a loss on how to proceed.

Which gave Rain plenty of time to continue his offensive. “My father can disprove your accusations with a single statement and Oath. Shen ZhenWu’s injuries had nothing to do with him. My Patron paid me an unscheduled, impromptu visit to speak on matters of importance, and I just so happened to be working in my father’s manor. The Wraiths who attacked us likely did so because they saw a target of opportunity. As I said in my report, those Wraiths were powerful foes, unlike any we’d ever seen before, and might well still be in the Citadel right now, yet instead of putting effort into apprehending these criminals, you waste your time on a sham trial you engineered to further your own personal grievance against me during this time of crisis, all over what? Greed and jealousy, that’s what.” Giving the crowd time to process his words, Rain drew himself up to full height and slammed the butt of his spear against the cobblestone floor. As the mild thump echoed through the silent plaza, a surge of emotion rocked through Yuzhen as Rain revealed his fury for all to see, his lip curled in utter disdain and eyes blazing with outrage. “Yang Jixing. This is your last chance. Release my father, now. I make no demands or threats, I only ask you do what is right, or what comes next lies on your head, and yours alone.”

And Mother help her, Yuzhen believed him with all her heart, and would fight to the death to bring Jixing to justice.

Warrior, merchant, minister, and now? It seemed Falling Rain was on the cusp of adding ‘rebel leader’ to his list of professions, and there was no shortage of soldiers willing to follow him.

Chapter Meme