Emperor's Decree

Chapter 22 Emperor's Decree

Li An shared her experience with Concubine Su and the two maidservants which made them show fear and worry while listening to her stories. She did not tell them about her ability to write glyphs in the air and her Celestial Descent and Void Strike techniques as these things are her secret and trump card.

She also learned of the missing hair ornament which she lamented. But Concubine Su did not permit her to search for it after hearing the dangers of the forest beyond the border walls.

And so, Li An's days went by normally.

A month later… Something unexpected happened.

Concubine Su had left the cold palace to answer the emperor's call, taking Alu with her. She had been sure to leave Misha behind to care for Li An, and her parting words had been warm and steady.

"Be good, Little An," she had said, stroking Li An's hair with a gentle, calming hand. "I'll return soon, with stories of the palace for you."

Li An waited a week. Seven days stretched out, each one longer than the last, with no message, no whisper, no hint of her foster mother's well-being. 

The memory of the tender moments she shared with her foster mother did little to soothe the chill that had crept into Li An's heart over the days that followed. She waited by the cold palace's entrance at first, scanning the path for signs of her mother's return. Then she began pacing, trailing back and forth through the familiar halls, her mind restless as the silence stretched. 

Even her martial arts and five arts practice was halted. Even her glyphs learning did not proceed well even after Seedee persuaded her to relax. It seems that her heart was filled with some strange uneasiness. 

By the fifth day, her patience had thinned into worry, and by the seventh, worry had twisted into a bad premonition.

Li An sat on her bed, folding and unfolding her hands, her young mind cycling through everything Concubine Su had ever told her about the imperial palace. She recalled stories and her experience with her encounter with Empress Su Mu Fang, whose ambitions were as formidable as they were merciless, and the eunuchs and maidservants who thrived on secrets and whispers. She thought of the endless rows of servants who, even on their best days, were powerless in a place where each life was as expendable as a thread of silk. In the palace, everyone was but a pawn — she knew that. Concubine Su had taught her as much.

Her foster mother had always been cautious about letting her venture into the capital. The bustling streets of the empire's heart held as many threats as they did wonders, and Concubine Su had kept her world small, bound by the cold palace walls and the quiet sanctuary of the back mountains. But now, something in Li An's heart urged her to prepare.

She glanced at Misha, the maid who had been left to watch over her. Misha was doting but young and somewhat careless, and on the evening of the seventh day, Li An made up her mind. While Misha prepared her evening meal in the other room, Li An packed a small satchel with essentials. She selected a loose tunic and trousers that would allow her freedom of movement. Her dark hair tied back, securing it tightly so that it wouldn't reveal her identity or status if she needed to blend in. She slipped a small dagger into her waistband.

As she finished packing, Seedee appeared, his familiar form hovering by her shoulder. The spectral, seed-like figure floated in silence, observing her with his ageless, all-knowing gaze.

"Is it truly time to leave?" Seedee asked, his voice a soft echo in the quiet room.

Li An nodded, clutching her small bundle. "Mother wouldn't stay silent this long unless something happened. I have to go."

Seedee tilted his head, studying her intently. "Concubine Su has always kept you from the outside world for a reason. It will be dangerous, Little An."

Li An pressed her lips together, her resolve unwavering. "Dangerous or not, I can't sit here any longer. I have to know what's happened to her."

With Seedee's silent consent, Li An slipped through the palace corridors. Misha was occupied, and the maid's movements in the other room created enough noise to mask Li An's footsteps as she made her way to the palace gates. She took a deep breath, steeling herself, and her small figure jumped over the walls of the cold palace.

Unknown to her, Misha who was busy with her chore walked out of the cold palace halls. Her gaze is filled with worry and helplessness.

"Good luck, young mistress…" she muttered.

She too was worried about Concubine Su, but she tried to be strong for the little lady. She can only pray that the mysterious skills and strength of the young mistress would help her find Concubine Su and rescue her from any dangers she might be facing.

…

The capital lay sprawling beyond, bustling and alive with movement and sound. Even at dusk, the marketplace hummed with merchants calling out their wares, street vendors selling food, and townsfolk haggling over prices. The air felt thick and vibrant with the life of the capital. Yet, to Li An, it was an alien place, unfamiliar and overwhelming.

Guided by Seedee, she kept to the shadows, avoiding the main thoroughfares and navigating the back alleys. She had a vague sense of where the imperial palace lay, thanks to Concubine Su's stories, and she trusted her instincts and Seedee's presence to guide her true. The deeper she ventured, the more she noticed the layers of the capital's life—the filth and decay that lingered in dark corners, the sounds of people she had never known but could hear laughing, crying, and shouting. It was a world of contrasts, and it struck her as vast and powerful in a way she hadn't expected.

Li An moved quietly down a narrow alley, her focus was once again on the Palace, where Concubine Su awaited her rescue. 

But as she rounded a corner, her gaze caught a sight that forced her to pause.

A young boy lay crumpled on the cold, grimy stones of the dark alley, his face obscured by a mess of tangled hair. Dark bruises covered his arms and legs, and blood stained his torn clothes. Heavy metal shackles clung to his wrists and ankles, scraping against the cobblestones whenever he made the slightest movement. It was clear from his shallow breaths and trembling frame that he had barely enough strength to even lift his head.

Li An frowned. The boy's state was pitiful, yet she hadn't planned for this delay. She wasn't the type to involve herself in other people's troubles, especially when her foster mother needed her. Still, something about the boy's condition tugged at her curiosity. The bruises and shackles hinted at a story deeper than mere misfortune. And despite his frailty, there was a stubbornness in the way he struggled to move.

"Who did this to you?" she asked, kneeling down beside him. Her voice, though soft, held a sharpness that sliced through the silence.

The boy shifted his head weakly, his eyes, barely open, fixed on her with a mix of fear and disbelief. He opened his mouth to speak, but only a hoarse, rasping sound escaped. He winced, a flicker of pain flashing across his face as he tried to move his shackled arms.

Li An's expression remained unreadable, but a hint of warmth softened her gaze. She sighed and reached into her small bag, fingers deftly sorting through a variety of medicinal herbs and small bottles she had prepared for any emergency. She pulled out a small vial of ointment, her fingertips lightly grazing over the boy's wrists and examining the chafing around the shackles.

"Don't move too much," she instructed, her tone steady. She uncorked the vial and applied a small amount of the ointment to his wounds, her movements careful yet firm. "This will numb the pain and prevent infection."

The boy winced at her touch, his body instinctively recoiling, but the moment the cool ointment spread over his wounds, a faint look of relief replaced his tension. He looked up at her, seemingly puzzled by her kindness.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Li An raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk tugging at her lips. "You look half-dead," she replied, pulling out a small strip of cloth from her bag and binding a wound on his arm. "I just wanted to help."

As she worked, Li An couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this boy than his bruised and beaten exterior. The shackles, heavy and cold, hinted at something more sinister. She wondered if he was a criminal, an escaped servant, or perhaps someone even more dangerous. Yet, there was a fire in his eyes, a quiet determination that somehow resonated with her.

"What's your name?" she asked, dabbing a cloth over a cut on his forehead.

"…Jian," he murmured, almost as if unsure if it was still his own name.

"Jian, huh?" She nodded, thoughtfully. "Seems like trouble has a knack for finding you."

Jian managed a weak smile, his eyes reflecting a glimmer of gratitude mixed with wariness. He took a shaky breath, and Li An noticed the subtle tremor in his fingers, a mix of fear and exhaustion. She briefly considered leaving him, but something held her back—a nagging intuition, a sense that their paths had crossed for a reason.

With a quiet sigh, she tied off the last bandage. "Can you walk?"

He looked down at his shackled feet, doubt flickering in his gaze. "I… I don't know."

Li An took her dagger and a long needle. She would always carry her acupuncture needles after learning how to use them in her medical training in the void.

She slowly tampered with the lock of the shackles and not long later, she heard a click and the shackles fell to the ground.

Li An stood, offering a small, steady hand. "Lean on me. I'll get you somewhere safe, but after that, you're on your own."

Jian hesitated, then took her hand. As they walked, Li An cast a quick glance toward the Palace. The rescue of her foster mother could wait—just a little longer. At that moment, she felt the weight of a promise she hadn't made yet, a promise to help someone who, like her, seemed to be struggling to survive in a world set against them.