Book 8: Chapter 47: No Invitation
Sen had, very knowingly, procrastinated about returning to the city. Some of it was that the spirit oxen were always just so happy to see him. That held especially true for the young ones. After getting permission, he even took a few of the boldest calves flying. He didn’t take them very high. He didn’t want one of them to panic and bolt off the qi platform just to fall and hurt themselves. But the ones who took the chance seemed amazed and clustered around him, clearly begging for another turn. It was nice to spend time with beings that had few if any ulterior motives. In the end, though, he knew he had to go back. There was just no getting around it. That didn’t stop him from dawdling on the way back because he’d been able to at least make a good guess about what was waiting for him. His guess was mostly right. Within seconds of landing in the manor courtyard, Lo Meifeng came storming out of the manor with a very fake smile.
“Did you enjoy your afternoon?” she asked in a sickly-sweet voice.
“Parts of it,” Sen hedged.
“I’m so glad to hear it,” she said, the sarcasm so thick it felt physical pressure against Sen’s face. “So, when can we can expect an announcement of the happy news?”
“Happy news?” asked Sen. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, you haven’t heard yet? You have been away. Let me fill you in. After you very visibly flew out of the city in broad daylight with a foreign ambassador on your arm, people just assumed that you two were running away together. An elopement! Oh, the women were swooning and weeping in envy. Wait, no…” said Lo Meifeng, pressing a finger to her lips, “that wasn’t what really happened. You were taking the ambassador hostage to put pressure on Kanshun. What a loyal friend to the king you are. Wait, wait, no, you took the ambassador out of the city to have a duel. When she came back and you didn’t, it was a sign that you must be dead. Judgment’s Gale, the mighty hero, Lord Lu had been cut down by that evil foreign woman! You must be his restless spirit. Will you stand watch over the armies as we march off to war to avenge you?”
Sen winced. He’d been wrong. This was so much worse than he’d expected.
“You know those stories are absurd. None of that happened,” said Sen.
“Of course, I know that. But it doesn’t matter than I know that. Nobody else knows it!”