CC3 -Ch23- (Patreon)

Hu let out a slow breath and then slowly put his face into his hands. The king of the lower realm, a man with only a single peer in his own domain, a handful of others who had more power than he, and a single lord over him.

There were few who could claim the power he owned, and fewer still who wielded it with any sort of of conviction.

Ash wasn’t sure what kind of ruler Hu would be, but this would be one of the defining moments for the young king, he imagined. Where everything was just a small push away from toppling over.

A throne covered in the blood of the royal family and teetering on the edge. Pushed internally and externally in ways that had shaken everything and everyone up.

Ju laid a hand on her brother’s shoulder and merely stood near him. Offering her presence and support, yet no words.

Sitting there in the chair, the man looked much like any other would in this small meeting room that looked more like a family’s den.

At this moment, Ash really didn’t know what to do or say. The man was wrestling with a great deal of problems that had all been dropped on him.

Mei laid a hand to the inside of Ash’s elbow and began drawing him away from Hu and Ju. Ash wasn’t sure if she wanted to give them space or say something to him.

Taking him to the far corner and next to a bookshelf she let him go. Then she pulled her veiled-hat off and dismissed it into her storage.

She looked as lovely as ever to him.

Giving him a wide smile she then kissed him, her arms wrapping him up tightly. When she stopped she just held to him.

“I figure with them being your wife and brother-in-law, I’m allowed to dismiss the veil for the time being,” she said. “That and I’m the head after all. I’ll be expected to have a presence rather than just a Bride.”

Ash only nodded his head, grinning at her. He really was rather happy to see her.

“Well, I do have some news for you while they collect themselves,” Mei said and then glanced to the side. Jia was standing nearby but had turned herself partly away. Apparently she hadn’t wanted to stare at them. “Jia, please join us?”

The veiled head of Jia turned toward them. Then she reached up and removed her own hat, dismissing it to her storage space as well.

“Yes?” she asked, moving closer to them.

“I want to share what news I have,” Mei said, still not releasing Ash. If anything she was being even more forward, her hands moving up and down Ash’s back.

“Ah, thank you,” Jia said with a wide smile. “Also, I must tell you that Ashley has shared his bed with myself and Chunhua.

“Only Locke, Yue, and Rou remain un… ah… un…”

Jia’s words trailed off as she apparently racked her brain to figure out the word she wanted to use.

“Unbedded is fine,” Mei said and then shook her head and gave Jia a smile. “I’m glad you’ve caught up. I await you at the peak, Jia Sheng.

“Now, for my news. We received the letters that were sent and acted immediately. Yue and I both felt that the current situation you’re in is far better than the sect in any way.”

Better than the sect?

“Indeed,” added Locke. “I’m glad they saw this and acted before I had to try and force you into it.”

“Ah, did something change at the sect?” asked Jia.

“No, not really. If anything what changed was us as a whole,” Mei explained, then leaned her head down and laid it on Ash’s shoulder while gazing at Jia. “With Ashley’s actions, his marriage to Ju, he propelled us all much higher than we expected.

“Or dared, even. Higher than anyone has dared in the Lower Realm. Marrying a cultivator into the royal family has never been done. Ever.

“In fact, we’re not even sure if it’s illegal or legal according to the laws of the Emperor. It’s simply never been done, or attempted. At least, publicly.”

“Ah, I see. It sounds like I should be apologizing while saying you’re welcome at the same time,” muttered Ash. He’d assumed that this would be a blessing and a curse at the same time, he just hadn’t expected for that promissory note to be put to paid so quickly.

“That’s one way to put it,” Mei agreed. “But we’re going into this full force. We’re going to take everything from it we can. You giving Ju children will just make this easier as well. With any luck you’ll give her an even split of those with Dantians and not

“It would be truly ideal with half of them being Sheng birthed. The royal family would then be intricately tied with the Sheng clang. We’d be seen as a royal cadet branch in a way, without being one.”

“Agreed. Though that is a recent development,” countered Jia. “It sounds like you and Yue have done more?”

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry, I got sidetracked. We’ve separated most of our forces from the sect. There was no point in remaining. With the royal name suddenly being attached to the Sheng name, lined up in tandem with all the trades Yue was making with all those transference papers…” Mei let the words hang for a moment. “Well, we had a lot of money to throw around and good power, but no clout in the political word.

“Now we have all three. There are very few who can stand in our way.

“Without knowing of the marriage, and just that we couldn’t remain as we were, Yue had been working on selling all the transference papers that she could without damaging the prices. She used all that to buy a truly mind boggling number of elixirs, training formations, and weapons.”

“I… see,” Jia said, her brow coming down low over her eyes. “There is more to say, is there not?”

“There is,” Mei agreed and was clearly hesitating. “As soon as we had purchased everything, we began using them. To empower the Brides as fast and with as much stability as possible.”

Ash suddenly realized that what he felt from Mei was significantly different than he remembered last. He’d been so swept up in greeting everyone that he hadn’t actually taken the time to really feel their Qi.

Feel their power level, to be more accurate.

“Oh? Did you finally notice, my Chosen One? They’re all much stronger than they were. The vast majority of them were all Spirit Refiners who had already gone through a forced tribulation.

“They had so much power pushed on them that the tribulation had no choice but to come forth. Even Mei, in fact, is a spirit refiner.

“She right now could probably defeat you six times out of ten. She’s finally stronger than you are.”

Holy shit. How… how much did Yue spend?

“A fortune. Many fortunes, I imagine. The amount of coin she dropped, or more likely spirit stones, will be considerable. She outfitted the Brides as a whole and made them incredibly strong. Siu was just as strong as Mei, by the way.

“Your Brides? Most of them are at your relative level of strength, just under it, or over it. Admittedly they’re a higher cultivation base than you are right now and when you catch up you’ll be stronger. But there it is.”

“— have your portions as well, Jia Sheng. As well as those for Na, Chunhua, and Tala,” Mei said. Ash had missed part of what she’d said while buried in his thoughts and talking mentally to Locke. “Beyond that, we’ve completely pulled out of the Jade Fist sect, other than leaving a handful of people to remain behind and continue recruitment. People I trust that can get the job done and make it work out accordingly.

“To offset the sudden lack of manpower, and Sheng street being empty, Yue bought everyone’s places out of the sect, then resold them to other sects. She’s already picking through them all and recruiting directly.”

“Ah, but how is she looking for talent? There is no real way to know that without Ash giving them a once over, is there?” asked Jia, sounding genuinely curious.

“There isn’t, no. Doesn’t mean you can’t get a gauge for where a person is already by using normal testing methods,” explained Mei. “She’s purchased every type of test possible and has them take every single one. She had all of us take the tests as well to try and create some type of profile, I think.

“Honestly, a lot of what she does I can only barely keep up with by asking a lot of questions and really contemplating what she’s about. Since most of it just involves, ‘what’s good for ash’ I can typically catch on.

“Right now she just plans on having them all walk past him. Those who fit what we’re looking for become Brides and part of the formal Sheng family. Those who don’t, become regular alliance members and support as they can in other ways. Like those who are actively recruiting back in the sect.”

“That makes sense. It all sounds wonderful, too. I look forward to powering through to the next level tonight,” Jia said with no small amount of excitement. “I ca not even imagine the strength Chunhua will show when she is brought further along.

“Did you see she has already learned how to fly with—”

Jia paused in her words and turned her head.

Ju was looking their way with a small smile. Her hand was still resting on Hu’s shoulder, and the man was now sitting upright.

His face was set in a deep frown and it looked like he was wracked with many emotions. Though his eyes had a dull and solid look to them.

Whatever demons he’d been facing, it seemed, he’d at least wrestled to a point that he could function. That he could make a choice.

Mei stood up and moved away from Ash. At the same time Jia moved to Ash’s other side.

He quickly got the idea that they wanted him to go over and talk to the royal brother and sister.

Walking toward them, Ash gave them both a smile, looking from Ju, to Hu.

“How can I assist?” Ash asked.

“You’ve already done more than I asked,” said Hu with a soft sigh and a minute shake of his head. He indicated the papers that were beside his seat. The very ones that’d caused him to sink into such despair.

They were Na’s reports on everything that’d happened that Hu should know as soon as possible.

“This was far more than I ever expected you to deal with and you’ve gone above and beyond for me, brother,” Hu continued. “Asking more of you at this point feels insulting. As if it would be done in poor taste.”

“Your majesty,” Ash said, holding up his hands.

“Brother,” stated Hu firmly. He met Ash’s eyes in that next moment and presented something the young man hadn’t done up to this point.

Anger.

“I’m your brother,” Hu said with frustration in his tone. “Address me accordingly or tell me now that I’m being stupid. I’d rather know now since I have so little family that I can count it on a single hand.”

Blinking, Ash snorted, then let out a chuckle.

“I’m your brother,” said Ash with a small dip of his head and letting his hands fall to his sides. “I’ll be the uncle to your children, your brother-in-law, and your sister’s husband. I’ll be there at family gatherings, the good and the bad, send presents on birthdays, and be a part of the Langye family.”

Hu smiled at that and seemed to relax.

“As your brother… just tell me what you want,” said Ash and shrugged. “As sure as I can settle an issue, I shall do so.”

“Then… then first, please do your best to give me a nephew or a niece,” said Hu, clearly forcing himself to do so. “I can’t… I can’t afford to let my family line hang in the balance. I need heirs, even if they’re not my children.

“Please. Do what you can to that end first and foremost. I’ve spoken with Ju about this and she understands and is more than willing to… to shoulder the burden of the royal family for now.

“I’m already in the process of securing a wife and ten or so concubines. I should have, with any luck, children just outside of ten months.

“But that isn’t enough. I need children from you and Ju.”

“I… okay,” said Ash, realizing he was being forced into something he hadn’t expected he would be doing until a ways out. “I can do that. I’ve been taking lightning vine though so… it’ll need to wait a few days before I can actually… perform… that duty successfully.”

“Okay, good. Thank you, brother. Thank you,” Hu said and let out a heavy breath. “I’m… very relieved to hear that. Though… ah… I have a few cousins that are rather distantly related to me.

“Would… you be willing to take a few as concubines for the sake of child bearing?”

“I… no. I’d really rather not,” Ash replied honestly and with an awkward laugh. “I’m sorry, I have a lot of… a lot of women in my life. Taking a woman just for children… that’s too much. I can’t, sorry.”

Ju gave him a sudden and warm smile at that, looking for some reason pleased at his words. She patted Hu’s shoulder twice as if consoling him.

“That’s fine, Ashley,” murmured the crown princess. “We’ve already put more on your plate than we ever had a right to do. Brother will just have to take them as concubines himself or have them turned into a branch family.”

“Yes, just so. Though… though I do have one more ask of you, brother,” said Hu and then once again indicated the papers next to him. “This is not good news. The Realm Lord and my family have never actually seen eye to eye.

“Even across several generations, the Realm Lord was never truly in step with my family. He’s been disagreeable since my great grandfather took over as king. Him being a part of this… it actually isn’t surprising.

“It’s just unnerving, really. His strength is roughly comparable to my own once I summon my army but that doesn’t change the fact that he’d most likely kill me first. That’s how it’s been in the past, which is why I need heirs, and quickly.”

“That makes sense,” Mei added with a decisive nod of her head. “We have an alchemist in the Sheng family. I’ll write her and ask her to send you medicine to give to your women. It should encourage their bodies to provide you with multiple children. Though be conservative, you could end up with four sets of triplets quite quickly.”

“Thank you, that would be helpful,” thanked Hu, meeting Mei’s eyes. Then he looked back to Ash. “But that comes to my next ask of you. I need you to travel to the Realm Lord’s city, Chang’e, as my emissary and envoy. I know that you’ll be returning to the sect in the future, so I would ask you to hold this position till then.”

Ash blinked and stared at the king.

Of everything that could have been asked of him, that actually wasn’t something he’d considered. Not even in the wildest parts of his mind had he dreamt up that possibility.

“I see,” Ash said in a flat tone.

He really didn’t know what to say. There was no response coming to him.

“We of course, accept,” Jia said with a small bow of her head to the king.

“We’d be delighted to act as your personal envoy to the Realm Lord. Though, we’ll have to keep the number of people going rather small,” added Mei, looking from Hu to Jia. “We’ll need to station the Brides either here or at Xing city.”

“Ah, I would prefer them here, if I get a say in it,” offered Hu. “And I’m more than willing to pay to have them as a garrison force here, either through coin, contracts or otherwise.”

“As the head of the Brides, I could see that done,” offered Mei. “Though I won’t have hard numbers on what the cost would be until later. They’re… the Brides are very expensive to maintain.

“They’re already likely one of the strongest forces in your realm, collectively. Their cost will reflect that.”

“My family is wealthy to the point that it creates itself,” said Hu with a dismissive hand wave. “We invest it mostly with the Emperor who gives us an amazing percentage in return. We won’t need for money any time soon. Be reasonable and fair with me and I won’t have an issue making that contract.”

“I can easily promise that,” Mei agreed with a smile and a bob of her head. “Well, with that said, we should probably go our own ways to prepare. It should only take two days for the lightning vine to dissipate. We can leave in four days.

“That’ll give us enough time for others to arrive here and move our plans ahead.”

Others?

“Rou and Yue, I imagine. But that’s just a guess,” Locke said. “By the way, just so you’re prepared. We’ll probably need to leave some people behind here to assist with Hu and Ju. As well as go back to Xing city and protect our interests there.

“But I imagine Yue will have a plan. Maybe she’s finally stepping to the front. After being left behind because she couldn’t keep up. Perhaps it preyed on her and pushed her wants and desires forward.

“It’ll be interesting to see. I look forward to her arrival and what she says. Though… not as much as I’m looking forward to you and I having our first time tonight. I’ll not let anyone get in our way, Ashley. My Chosen One.”

Yes, I hear you Locke Sheng.

As I promised earlier, I’ll make sure it happens.

He wasn’t going to let anyone else take her place. It sounded like she wasn’t playing around and the last thing he wanted was to make Locke too angry.

Ever since their adventure into the overlap she’d been incredibly pleasant.

There was no way he was going to jeopardize that.

“Good… good that you know it, Ashley,” Locke said with more than a little satisfaction.