CC2 -CH2- (Patreon)

“Well, that’s curious,” Mei said, leaning to one side at the table. She put her face in her hand and quirked a brow. “It almost sounds like he was expecting something else of you.”

Mei’s blue-black hair hung behind her head like a raven’s wing. Her light brown eyes were as light as they came, to the point that they practically glowed. They looked rather amused and concerned about what Ash had just told her.

Mei was an abnormality in this world, though. She had curves in her waist and chest that weren’t actually considered attractive here, but would fare better back home.

In this land, it wasn’t viewed the same way.

“Yes, clearly he thinks you’re more than what you say,” Yue stated, her brows low over her eyes as she stared hard at Ash.

The young merchant was always far too serious when it came to Ash.

Her light-brown hair was cut short though pinned close to her head. Her hazel colored eyes had a slightly fanatic edge whenever she looked at him for too long.

Especially if they were alone.

Ash knew beyond a doubt that Yue was in a strange sort of fanatic puppy love with him. One that he honestly didn’t quite understand if he had to be honest.

“Tala and Moira agreed,” said Ash. The two women had decided they would spend the day digging around for information. They wanted to know more of what was going on and weren’t willing to wait for Ash to find out.

Considering they couldn’t train with him either, that did seem like a fair use of their time. He couldn’t fault them for that.

Yue sniffed lightly at that, then nodded her head once.

“Of course they did, they know better,” said the young woman. Then she stood up and tapped the table twice with her finger-tips. “I’m going to go make some pills for you, Ash. We need to get your cultivation higher. If what the sect leader said is true, we’ll probably be called to assembly today. I’ll see you then.”

Yue left Mei’s home quickly, closing the door behind her.

“At long last, I have you all to myself,” Mei said holding a hand out to her side with a wide smile. “Why don’t you show me your petals, Ash?”

Snorting at that, he rolled his eyes.

“You’re never going to forgive me for that, are you?” Ash asked. He’d deliberately gone out of his way to infuriate Mei when she was still part of the Deng family. Before she’d crossed the lines and joined his forces.

And he’d done it by being extremely suggestive toward her.

“Maybe I just really want to see your petals,” Mei said, smiling at him, showing her bright-white, and quite straight teeth. “Come on, just flip your robe up and let me get a peek? I’m curious to see how you feel against my fingers. Isn’t that how you phrased it?”

“Oh come on, Mei. Let it go already,” Ash said, laughing outright now.

Sighing, Mei pouted at him, tapping her pinky against her lips.

“I don’t want to let it go,” she murmured. “I enjoy it too much. You’re fun to tease because you get bashful about it. I know I’m not as slim as so many others but I-”

There was a timid series of knocks on Mei’s front door.

Looking toward the door Mei had a rather confused look on her face.

“Jia wouldn’t knock if she was here. Nor would she come around today. Not with Yue still shunning her and knowing that she’d be here today,” said Mei talking through her thoughts. “Anyone else I’d be willing to receive would just enter… so… who would come to my door?”

“Any other petals you trying to get a look at?” Ash asked, grinning at her.

“The opposite actually,” Mei said, still looking toward her front door. “You’re the only one I’ve been chasing at all and have declined everyone else.”

“Everyone else?” Ash parroted back.

“Mm, since I’ve been separated from the Deng family, I’ve been approached by a number of families with young men and aspirations,” Mei said. Standing up from the table she walked over to the door. “Yes?”

Other men…? I didn’t even… consider that.

“Outside of her body proportions not matching the standard of beauty here, she’s extremely pretty,” Locke said. “There is a pile of correspondence in her room that appears to be from at least sixteen different families seeking her hand. As a cultivator she’s very skilled and would be considered a genius. Her natural talent is only a smidgen below Jia.”

Wait, you can read her letters?

“I can even tell you who’s at the door. It’s her cousin, the one you saved,” Locke said. “You seem to forget that to me, I can scan everything around us. A door doesn’t exactly preclude me from doing that.”

Turning in his seat, Ash looked toward where Mei was at the door.

She’d opened it now and was having a conversation with someone beyond it. Her voice was low in volume. It was clear she didn’t want Ash to hear what she was saying.

Mei made a chopping motion with her hand.

“No!” she said quite firmly. “And that’s that.”

“Yes,” said a muffled voice from beyond the door. “Ashley Sheng? Can we speak!?”

Trying to shut the door Mei was clearly done with whoever it was.

“Ashley Sheng!?” called the voice again. “You saved my life! My life is yours!”

Stomping her foot in frustration, Mei was clearly quite aggravated. Whoever it was she was trying to push out of her doorstep wasn’t leaving. They had apparently wedged a foot or an arm between the door and the frame, preventing it from closing.

“Why are you doing this?” complained Mei.

“Because it’s right,” said the other party.

Mei deflated, her shoulders dropping partially, and then pressed her forehead to the door.

She muttered something to the other individual and got a response.

Opening the door, Mei stepped to one side.

Ash didn’t have a problem recognizing who the visitor was. It was Mei’s cousin. The same one who’d had matched up against Jia in the tournament. Her control had been exemplary.

She looked significantly similar to Mei, though far more slim and athletic.

Stepping into Mei’s house the young woman rushed over to Ash.

Up close, he realized she was prettier than even Mei or Jia was. She’d been blessed several times over.

A genius, a beauty, and born to a great family.

Before he could say anything, the woman dropped to her hands and knees, and slammed her forehead to the ground. Prostrating herself before Ash.

“You saved my life, Ashley Sheng,” said the Deng woman. “You saved my life, spared me the Deng fate, and put me with those who supported the sect. Even when I had not done so.

“In several ways, you spared me, and saved my life. Gave me something which was no longer mine by right. That means that my life is yours. I’m yours to do with as you see fit. Please instruct me.”

“Uh,” Ash said, then looked to Mei.

Everything she’d said had been correct up to a point. He had saved her life, he’d put her with those who needed medical aid amongst those who were supporting the sect instead of those who hadn’t.

Nor had he specified there was anything wrong about her when Gen had questioned him about her. He’d merely stated she was a victim as well.

He didn’t however own her as far as he was concerned.

Looking frustrated and angry Mei came over to stand near her cousin. Her arms were crossed over her chest as if to flatten it down.

Maybe I should tell her I like them big? Nothing against less but…

Giving his head a tiny shake to clear his thoughts, Ash held his hands up in a neutral gesture.

“By all rights… Na is correct to offer you her life,” Mei said, lifting her chin up slightly. “Though I’ve informed her several times there’s no need for that. That she should simply live her life to the best of her ability.”

“I’m yours, Ashley Sheng,” Na said defiantly, clearly disagreeing with her cousin. “Instruct me.”

“Right. Go wait outside while I discuss this matter with Mei, then,” Ash said. He had no intention of allowing this to go on at all. He just needed to check with Mei to make sure he could just cut her loose.

“Of course, Master Sheng,” Na said, lifting her head up and giving him a smile. The force of it nearly knocked a whole straight through his head with the beauty of it. Getting to her feet the lithe woman left the house, closing the door behind her.

Letting out a slow breath and shaking her head, Mei was the picture of annoyance and exasperation.

“I’ve told the stupid girl many times you would want no part in this. She doesn’t believe me, or car, I know not which,” Mei said, putting her hands on her hips.

“And… if it were you in her position?” Ash asked. He wanted to know what would be Mei’s expectation. With any luck it’d clue him in on which way he could take this.

“I… well… I suppose I’d be offering myself to you as well if the roles were reversed,” Mei admitted gruffly. “Hmph. You’ll remember though I tried to survive on my own without your assistance. You chose to help me.”

“I did,” Ash said with a grin. “And I’d happily choose to do it again. You were quite brave, Mei.”

Smiling now at him, Mei lifted one shoulder and leaned toward him.

“Oh? Flattery now? If you want to see my petals you just have to ask like any good suitor would,” Mei purred at him, her annoyance vanishing.

“Later,” Ash said waving a hand at her in dismissal. “So, she’s in the right? Offering herself to me?”

“Yes, given the situation and circumstances. There’s no reason for her to, though,” said Mei, her tone moving toward neutrality. “She and I both know where all the Deng treasuries are. Even if I had half a mind to try and take half of them all, I’d never be able to carry everything. She has more than enough to live on beyond any definition of comfort.”

“Oh? I had no idea,” Ash remarked.

“I haven’t had much time to go look with the lockdown, but I do plan to go snooping. Most of my family is dead, in prison waiting to be executed, or enslaved,” Mei stated with a negligent wave of her hand. “Serves them all right for what they did to me.”

“Can I order her to be free? To go away?” Ash asked.

“Of course. Others might take that as an insult to her, she might herself, but it’s perfectly acceptable,” Mei answered. “It wouldn’t kill her or anything. I mean, it isn’t as if her family can judge her.

“And anyone who would judge her for being dismissed would already be judging her for being a Deng. A moot point, if you ask me.”

“Got it. So I can just dismiss her,” Ash said.

“You can. She won’t likely accept it and will do as she wills anyways, however,” Mei admitted. “I’m afraid Na was one of the more headstrong in my grouping.”

“Grouping?” Ash asked.

“Yes, grouping. All Deng children were assigned to groups and taught how to fight in a group situation as well as by themselves,” Mei explained. “It was an easy way for us to be all the more powerful since we were a family.”

“Alright. I’ll just get rid of her and-”

“Master Sheng, the house-elder is coming,” Na called from the front door.

“Ah, it would seem it’s time for that assembly after all I guess,” Ash muttered. “I was honestly hoping it’d just be information spread about. There’s no reason to have everyone really come up and say anything. Everyone already knows what happened.”

“Not everyone. I’m sure there are those who were simply in closed door training,” Mei murmured. Pulling out the chair that was next to Ash Mei sat down in it and crossed one leg over the other. Reaching up she lightly adjusted her dress, pulling it a bit one way and then the other.

She’s primping? Why.

“Send him in, Na,” Mei said after reaching up to lightly run her fingers through her hair.

Almost immediately the door opened.

The house elder who’d graded Ash on his Spiritual Sense walked in, eying Na in a strange way. Then he looked back ahead and froze up, staring at Ash and Mei.

“Oh, ah… yes,” said the house elder. His eyes were slowing moving toward Mei only to jump back to Ash. “There is an assembly in the next hour. Everyone is required to attend for this event. Attendance will be recorded.”

“Wonderful,” Ash said under his breath.

“Thank you for your time, house-elder Zi Xin,” Mei said, giving him a flat and cold smile. Ash had never even bothered to learn the man’s name.

“Of course, Mei,” said the house-elder, giving the young woman a very wide smile. “Ashely Sheng, you may leave now.”

I’m going to what now?

“No, he won’t be leaving,” Mei said. “And if he does leave, I’ll simply follow him to his home. And I’ll just put it out in the open and state it as clearly as I can.

“I’m not interested in you. I speak for me and no one else does. I have no familial allegiance other than to the Sheng family and my master is, and will remain, Gen Sheng.”

“That is no way to speak to me. You will address me as your house-elder when in the presence of others,” Zi Xin shouted at Mei. Then he turned a wild glare on Ash. “Ashley Sheng, leave immediately!”

He knew where this was going. Knew what this little toad was going to attempt to do.

He’d been polite to Ash previously, but clearly, he was only wearing a mask. Now he’d revealed his true colors and Ash didn’t care for them one whit.

He was going to end it here and now. And just like last time with the Deng family, he didn’t care if it caused problems.

Mei was part of his group now. His family here at the Jade Fist.

Protecting her was a given.

“Don’t break any of his bones,” Mei said as she reached over to lay a hand on Ash’s arm. She’d apparently picked up on Ash’s mood. “Just beat him black and blue. Gen can cover for that much without losing any face at all.”

“Oh,” Ash said, getting up to his feet. Flexing his hands he opened them and closed them twice rapidly.

Since he’d run from his one-time brother, he hadn’t done much in the way of sparring.

Stiff and rusty was a polite way of putting it.

“You have no idea what you’re-”

“Yes, I do,” Ash said, holding his hands up in front of himself and getting into a neutral pose. “And it’s the same way I got into it with the Dengs. What’s your family name again?”

Zi Xin looked as if someone had just poked in between the eyes. Ash could practically see the man re-evaluating the entire situation.

“I’m your house-elder. How dare you-”

“You’re a frog attempting to force yourself into the home of a young woman who doesn’t want to talk to you,” Ash interrupted. “Again, what’s your family name, house-elder Zi Xin?”

Might be easier to kill him and store his body, actually. Dump it much later.

In fact, let’s do that.

Something must have changed on Ash’s face because Zi Xin took two steps back suddenly. His hands came up in front of himself in a defensive posture. 

Slowly, he began backing up toward the door. Whatever he’d seen had spooked him to the point that he didn’t wish to be here any longer.

“Go, Zi Xin, and do not come back to Sheng street,” Ash muttered. “If you come down my street again, you’ll have to pay the tax. You’re no longer welcome here as the house-elder. I’m the house-elder on Sheng street.

“You can call me grandfather and pay your taxes like a good toad if you come back. Otherwise I’ll make you wish you’d never raised your voice to me.”

Zi Xin turned and fled, darting out the doorway and away.

Snorting derisively Ash stood up straight.

“I swear this sect is full of more rubbish than a trash can,” Ash growled.

“It’s about normal, honestly. Power is strength, not kindness,” Mei murmured. A warm hand slipped into place around Ash’s forearm and dragged him back down into the chair. “Though I’m very appreciative for you standing up for me as if I was your woman. I could feel the power and violence in your words. I swore I felt you decide to kill him as well. Your killing intent was palpable.”

“Yes, Master Sheng was extremely powerful. It gave me chills,” Na said from the door. She’d closed it and now remained standing there. “Zi Xin’s family name is Zhou. Zi Xin Zhou.”

“He’s been rather forceful in his pursuit of me,” Mei explained, her fingers lightly stroking back and forth along Ash’s arm. “It will be quite wonderful when it starts to spread that I’m your woman and you’ll not accept anyone pursuing me. That should curtail all of it quite cleanly.”

“That’s not what happened at all,” Ash exclaimed, looking at Mei with disbelief.

“It’s exactly what happened. It’s what he’ll tell people, and what I’ll agree with happened,” Mei said, smiling at him, showing off her lovely teeth. “The terrifying Ashley Sheng refusing to leave the young family-less and vulnerable Mei Deng. Forced to join the Sheng alliance and now must entertain Ashley privately at his request. And even going so far as to throw a house-elder out of her home when he asked Ashley to leave her alone.”

“Yes. That’s how the story will go. Everyone loves a good romance,” Na said from the door. “I had no idea Master Sheng had such strength of heart. It was stunning to watch.”

Mei wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out between her teeth. Then she leaned forward toward him. Laying a hand to his cheek and tilting her mouth toward his ear.

“You could always just show me your petals,” she whispered to him privately. “I might let you off the hook if you listen to my demands and do as I tell you.”

Ash had no response.