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Shen Qingqiu had always been fairly arrogant regarding his ability to see through to the gross fleshy core of people’s true inventions. Even the most fervent of his stupid disciples who got on their knees and loudly proclaimed that “they did it all for Shizun” were lying little hypocrites. 

They did it because they believed he would order them beaten if they didn’t. Ultimately pain was a better motivator than any of those oh-so-pretty and ultimately ephemeral concepts like filial piety and respect. 

Currently, with Liu Mingyan kowtowing before him and Qi Qingqi turning a slow and furious red where she stood behind her disciple, Shen Qingqiu had the entirely unnerving realisation that he had no idea what this girl’s end goal was. 

“Please allow this lowly disciple to join Qing Jing Peak.” Liu Mingyan’s voice was surprisingly strong, as if her words should carry real weight.

Qi Qingqi made a noise and opened her mouth. Shen Qingqiu thought he could predict what his dear shimei was going to say before she did and found himself acting on indulgent and spiteful instinct. 

“Why does Liu-shizi wish to join Qing Jing Peak?”

The girl raised her head. 

“This disciple has learned well on Xian Shu Peak but believes herself still insufficient in the four arts. If Shen-shibo were to give this one a chance on the scholar’s peak this Mingyan would endeavour to reach her full potential.”

“Mingyan!” Qi-shimei is somewhere between furious and aghast. 

Shen Qingqiu can’t help but smile behind his fan, entirely uncaring if Qi Qingqi sees it. What an insult from her favourite disciple. He’d heard that she intended to promote Liu Mingyan to the position of Head Disciple when the girl had gained some more experience only to now find herself slapped in the face by that very person calling her teaching insufficient to her openly despised martial brother. 

“Mingyan,” Qi Qingqi has softened her tone, “This teacher would advise any consideration on transferring to another peak be taken very seriously,” Her voice drops low though of course Shen Qingqiu is close enough that he can hear it all, “Mingyan has been feeling out of sorts recently, this master would advise we complete our visit to Qian Cao and the after she has seen-”

Shen Qingqiu snorts and Qi Qingqi bristles like an angry cat at the sound, “Should Liu-shizi be considered mentally incapacitated simply because she wishes to transfer to Qing Jing? Is my Peak not the second highest ranked on the mountain and indeed the one dedicated most fully to the scholarly arts.” He sneers at Qi Qingqi, “Surely a desire to leave Xian Shu should be taken at face value, this master believes Disciple Liu has made her point admirably.”

“You- Shen Qingqiu!” Qi Qingqi starts forward as though she wants to physically fight him.  

“Shen-shibo,” Liu Mingyan interrupts her teacher’s momentum, “This one promises to be wholly dedicated if permitted to join Qing Jing.”

Shen Qingqiu looks down at her. Liu Mingyan’s face is veiled but her brow is furrowed and there’s a strange desperation in her eyes. 

Ultimately, there’s nothing he would like more at the moment than to twist the knife for dear Qi-shimei, see if she can hold her head high in their next Peak Lord’s meeting when this story has spread through the Sect. 

“This master accepts Liu Mingyan’s appeal to join Qing Jing.” Shen Qingqiu snaps his fan closed, “Come, your belongings can be sent for later.”

Liu Mingyan stands up and walks to his side.

“Mingyan!” Qi Qingqi is red in the face, “What are you doing?! Mingyan, please speak to-”

“I apologise Shizun.” Mingyan stares at the ground, “This disciple is too deficient for Xian Shu and would only embarrass your teachings if she stayed.”

“I’m going to write to your brother and call him back to the Sect.” Qi Qingqi warns in a shaky voice.

Liu Mingyan freezes and her shoulders draw up. Shen Qingqiu can’t help but notice her trembling fists. 

“If Qi-shigu believes that is best.” Mingyan’s gaze remains resolutely stuck to the ground, “This one defers to her judgement.” She then turns her back on her former Shizun and bows to Shen Qingqiu, “Thanking Shen-shifu for his generous acceptance. This disciple will make the most of it.”

Shen Qingqiu can’t help but shoot one last look at Qi Qingqi who is still staring at her former disciple’s back. When she catches his gaze her eyes narrow.

“Shen Qingqiu!” She shouts, “You can’t do this! I’ll be taking this to the Sect Leader, let Yue-zhangmen decide if you handled this situation fairly!”

Shen Qingqiu has the grace not to laugh, instead he just snaps his fan back open and smiles behind it. 

“If Qi-shimei believes that is best this master would welcome her and Yue Qingyuan onto Qing Jing for any discussion.” With that he turns to leave and Liu Mingyan follows without another look back. 

They don’t speak on the way back to Qing Jing from the outer path of Qian Cao where this unexpected interaction had happened. Shen Qingqiu had been leaving and Qi Qingqi was apparently ushering her “out of sorts” disciple to see a healer when they had bumped into each other. Now Shen Qingqiu has taken the girl onto his peak; he has to admit to himself that he hopes he hasn’t accepted someone who is actually mad. 

“Liu Mingyan.”

“Yes shifu?”

Shen Qingqiu pulls out Xiu Ya, “Do you have a sword?”

“A training sword.”

“Then take it out, we’ll fly back. Walking is far too inconvenient.”

“Yes shifu.”

The calm tenor of her replies is unnerving. If he hadn’t accepted her request Qi Qingqi might have dared to beat her to death for the insult though most likely not. Liu Mingyan isn’t that kind of disposable disciple after all. 

The flight back to Qing Jing is quick. Liu Mingyan does have some skill and doesn’t seem to be in danger of collapsing or careening into a terrible crash which is a relief. 

He considered it during the flight over and concluded that there must have been something on Xian Shu driving her away and he was likely the first opportunity she’d encountered to leave. After all, everyone knows he and Qi Qingqi are at odds. Likely he was the only other Peak Lord that wouldn’t save his shimei face and with Liu Mingyan’s much famed brother currently off the mountain it wasn’t as though she could run to him if there was a problem…

Shen Qingqiu looks at the girl as they land and wonders what could have caused her to become “out of sorts” to the extent that Qi Qingqi was taking her to Qian Cao. Perhaps she was being bullied, though with her status it would have been an easy thing to report the incidents to her Shizun if she couldn’t handle them personally. 

It’s more likely that whatever bully she had was someone with a high enough status on Xian Shu to prevent her from speaking out. 

“Shizun.” Ming Fan meets him at the entrance to his Peak and salutes. Then his Head Disciple’s eyes catch on Liu Mingyan and his expression becomes visibly confused. 

“Liu Mingyan is joining Qing Jing peak.” Shen Qingqiu explains, “Take Disciple Liu to the female disciples’ dorms and have her settled in. Her belongings will need to be sent for from Xian Shu, this master trusts Ming Fan to organise a messenger for that purpose. After you’ve finished, bring Disciple Liu to the bamboo house so this master may speak to her.”

“Yes.” Ming Fan is still shooting looks at Liu Mingyan. “I- this Disciple will do so. Right away. If Liu-shimei would come with me?” 

Liu Mingyan nods and salutes him before turning one last time to Shen Qingqiu. She doesn’t speak but something is her gaze is difficult to parse. Shen Qingqiu is reluctant to call it profound. 

Finally she looks away, though it in reality couldn’t have been longer than a moment, and follows Ming Fan down the path. 

All that oddness considered Shen Qingqiu begins to feel more viciously content with what has occurred as he arrives home and shuts the door of the bamboo cottage behind him. With Liu Mingyan as one of his disciples he has a yoke with which to bow the head of her apparently devoted older brother and furthermore the expression of humiliation on Qi-shimei’s face is one that he’ll savour for many years to come. 

Liu Mingyan is just one girl besides, how problematic can she be? If she was coming to Qing Jing to run away Shen Qingqiu has no issue with that though of course she shouldn’t become arrogant and assume she can hold the same position on his peak as she did on her former. 

Therefore, in all lights Shen Qingqiu rather considers it a success.

*

Ming Fan returns with Liu Mingyan just under a shichen later and settles in to stand by the door to watch while Shen Qingqiu makes his new shimei’s acquaintance. 

The girl bows on entrance, manners impeccable, and seats herself with just as much grace. Shen Qingqiu has his tea set ready on the table, hot water prepared, and is intending on requesting that the girl brew when she speaks first. 

“Shifu, allow me to brew for you.”

Shen Qingqiu fans himself slowly, “As you wish.”

She reaches forward and pulls the tea set towards her. Every move she makes when brewing, from washing the leaves to pouring out the first cup, is flawless. Shen Qingqiu can’t help but be slightly impressed. 

“Did Disciple Liu have much time to perfect her tea service on Xian Shu peak?”

The girl’s hands still, “No, this disciple learned elsewhere.”

It’s strange phrasing. 

“Then from your Liu clan?”

Liu Mingyan smoothly pours his cup and offers it to him, “This disciple learned the womanly arts in preparation for marriage.”

Shen Qingqiu takes the cup. The temperature is perfect and his first sip reveals the flavour to be just as good. 

Marriage? Does that mean Liu Mingyan was trained in preparation before she came to Cang Qiong? But why train a girl with a future as a cultivator? Shen Qingqiu knows that Sect ties are intended to overwrite family ones and as a result there would be no use in marrying off this girl for advantage unless she renounced Cang Qiong first. What a waste of time to train her at home and then send her to train here before finally bringing her back just to sell her off. 

Putting down the cup with a soft clink Shen Qingqiu regards the girl in front of him. “This master hopes Disciple Liu understands that unlike Xian Shu Qing Jing Peak is not intended for the feminine arts and what she will learn she will do so alongside her martial brothers.”

“This disciple understands.”

Shen Qingqiu gives her one last look and then dismisses her back to her room, Ming Fan accompanying her. 

His Head Disciple returns soon after escorting her back. 

“Shizun.” He greets. 

“Did she say anything?”

“No Shizun,” Ming Fan hesitates so Shen Qingqiu answers the question he so obviously wants to ask. 

“Liu Mingyan requested to join Qing Jing Peak out of the blue when this master encountered her on Qian Cao Peak.”

Ming Fan doesn’t look any less confused than Shen Qingqiu feels. 

“Ming Fan, has there been any response from Xian Shu Peak?”

“None Shizun.”

“Hmm. Then this master supposes Disciple Liu needs to do without her personal artefacts until her Qi-shigu is willing to behave reasonably.”

“Yes Shizun.”

Shen Qingqiu doesn’t request Ming Fan try and find out why Mingyan left Xian Shu, his Head Disciple isn’t the type to be able to successfully get that information so he simply dismisses him for now though Shen Qingqiu can’t shake the slightly unnerving sensation that dogs him, something about this situation isn’t right and no matter how much satisfaction he may have gotten from it for now he needs to probe deeper for his own sake. 

Liu Mingyan… what could a girl like that possibly be hiding?

*

Confrontation comes sooner than expected. 

In the past three days Disciple Liu has proved herself to be a competent, if quiet, addition to Qing Jing.

The other disciples look to be awed by her and most give her a respectful berth. Whether it's due to her connection to Liu Qingge or her famed beauty or simply the oddness of her appearance as their newest shimei, she is allowed to sit quietly and not speak too much. The boon of being a minor celebrity in the Sect. 

On the contrary Ning Yingying immediately attaches herself to the girl and Liu Mingyan’s interactions with her carry a real tone of fondness, within half a day they’re glued to each other. Thank the Heavens that with Liu Mingyan as an apparently shinier and more interesting occupation Yingying has stopped following around Luo Binghe. 

Luo Binghe. 

Shen Qingqiu finds his thoughts blacken when he considers the boy. He should have never accepted him onto his peak to begin with and now there’s no good way to expel him and save face after all but begging Yue Qingyuan to override Liu Qingge. Stupid. A stupid waste of his pride just to end up stabbing himself in the foot. And now with that beast wandering around it's a constant reminder of his weakness in indulging such an idiotic impulse. It’s precisely the kind of outcome his own scummy Shizun would have laughed themselves flushed over. 

But at least with Liu Mingyan now a member of Qing Jing Peak he has an easy one over the so-called War God who is still conspicuously absent from Cang Qiong and his sisters’ apparent difficulties. 

Shen Qingqiu has so far been keeping some distance from the girl, he doesn’t want to be accused of influencing her or meddling with her mind any more than he already will be when Qi Qingqi finally gets herself together enough to march onto Qing Jing. 

Three days is already more than he was expecting. 

She comes with Yue Qingyuan because apparently that man can’t miss a single opportunity to lord his influence over Shen Qingqiu and the leash he still holds by virtue of being the Sect Leader. Shen Qingqiu’s own corresponding choke chain only amounts to mutually assured destruction in the end so they have no choice but to sit at a stalemate. 

“Qingqiu-shidi.” Yue Qingyuan starts delicately and Shen Qingqiu doesn’t stop him. In fact, he feels calm and almost smug in the face of this discussion. After all, what had he actually done this time? Nothing but humiliate his poor shimei and in fact Liu Mingyan did most of that herself. 

“I understand that Liu Mingyan has been moved onto Qing Jing?”

“She moved herself onto my peak all on her own.” Shen Qingqiu responds, “In fact, her belongings that were sent for haven’t even been released by Qi-shimei,” He smiles sardonically, “No care whatsoever for her former favourite.”

“You!” Qi Qingqi slams a fist down on the table, “I don’t know how but you convinced Mingyan to do this!”

“How could this master? As we are all aware I’ve been banned from Xian Shu Peak and surely Qi-shimei would know the movements of her disciples well enough to ascertain if this master were meeting any of them in secret.”

Qi Qingqi flushes, “Mingyan,” She sounded out her name carefully, “Has not been well, that was a moment of… confusion on her part and you should never have taken advantage of it!”

“Advantage of what? This master only said yes when Disciple Liu all but begged to be allowed to transfer peaks. In fact, the real concern should be why she was so eager to escape Xian Shu to begin with.”

“Are you accusing me of something?! Shen Qingqiu you-”

“I feel as though this discussion is becoming unproductive.” Yue Qingyuan cuts in smoothly, still smiling stiffly, “Qi-shimei, of course Shen-shidi is not accusing you of any impropriety on your peak. But as I understand it from the both of you Liu Mingyan requested to leave Xian Shu and join Qing Jing of her own volition?”

“In a moment of madness!” Qi Qingqi makes sure to qualify. 

“If it was madness why is she still here? Disciple Liu has settled in quite happily and made no mention of leaving.”

“That’s because you must have-”

“This master has left Disciple Liu to her own devices.” Shen Qingqiu cuts her off, “She has attended classes alongside her martial brothers and sisters and again, makes no mention of leaving.”

“Then why don’t we call for Disciple Liu and hear from her?” Yue Qingyuan suggests. 

Shen Qingqiu scoffs, “And put her under the pressure of having to defend herself in front of the Sect Leader and her former Shizun? How do you think she could answer honestly with all our eyes on her?”

“How dare-”

“Would Qi-shimei promise not to question any answer Disciple Liu gave?” When she can’t answer he takes a sip of his tea and puts the cup back on the table with the decisive clink. “This master rests his case.”

They arrive at an awkward stalemate. Shen Qingqiu has to admit he’s enjoying it greatly. 

“Qi-shimei,” Yue Qingyuan says, voice very gentle, “As you must know no one can compel a disciple who is under another master, if Qi-shimei agrees that Liu Mingyan herself requested to change Peaks-”

“I never released her from Xian Shu.” Qi Qingqi says shortly. 

Shen Qingqiu rolls his eyes, “Of all the bureaucratic nonsense.” He sneers, “Even if you refused it would make no difference, you have no power to treat your disciples as prisoners. If you attempt to take Liu Mingyan back to your Peak by force for that reason I would be within my rights to enter conflict with you.”

There’s a pause.

“Emotions are perhaps more heightened than is productive right now.” Yue Qingyuan says in a soothing tone that Shen Qingqiu hates, “Perhaps we should-”

“My own temperament is even.” Shen Qingqiu leans back in his seat, “It is Qi-shimei who needs to learn to control herself.”

Qi Qingqi stands in a fit of fury, the table and the tea set on it wobbles with the force, “You insolent bastard.” She snarls, “I don’t have to stay here and endure your insults any longer.” With that she storms off. 

Shen Qingqiu takes another sip of his tea, “How sincere Qi-shimei’s intentions towards her former disciple must be for her to be chased off so easily.”

“Qingqiu-shidi-”

“You better follow her lest you want her to work herself up into an even greater tantrum.”

Despite him telling Yue Qingyuan to go, he still feels a stab of annoyance that he actually leaves. Because calming Qi-shimei when she’s so clearly worked herself up is such a worthy cause? Pah! 

Mood ruined, he gets up and leaves the tea table behind. Opportunities to dig at Qi Qingqi aside he does need to know what drove Liu Mingyan off Xian Shu if only because in this situation is one he will need to control carefully, especially after her older brother inevitably comes back. 

It will take nothing for Liu Mingyan to slander him in public and if that happens… Shen Qingqiu grits his teeth. Maybe it was foolish to accept the girl so quickly and drop himself into a nest of ants in the process. 

If she was being bullied or abused he can deal with the perpetrators, he might even be able to assure her he’d be more ruthless and pragmatic in the matter than her former shizun. After all, whoever it was had to be a member of Xian Shu and disciples aside that would only leave the hall masters and visiting experts, all contemporaries or seniors of Qi Qingqi and therefore in an somewhat untouchable and awkward position. 

Though of course not to Shen Qingqiu, if there’s anyone for Liu Mingyan to hide behind it would be him. 

*

“Qingqiu-shidi-”

“This master doubts you have anything more productive to say than what Qi-shimei screamed the other day so don’t waste your breath.”

Yue Qingyuan lingers, Shen Qingqiu can sense his looming presence where he’s standing across the way from where Shen Qingqiu is sitting on his porch. Ming Fan had brought a floor cushion and tea tray outside so Shen Qingqiu could savour the sweet breeze and soft sunlight as was his habit on spring days like these. Yue Qingyuan’s presence is ruining the good plans Shen Qingqiu had concocted for an afternoon of reading to cosset his real duties. 

“Qi-shimei is very… concerned about Liu Mingyan. While it is true that Disciple Liu chose to leave Xian Shu, her former Shizun still has a real measure of affection for her and only wishes to know that she is well.”

“The girl is fine. Are you accusing Qing Jing of abusing our disciples?”

“Of course not.” Shen Qingqiu is glad Yue Qingyuan doesn’t move closer at any point though he also hates it, hates the implication that Yue Qingyuan watches him as though he were some spitting feral animal that needs to be kept at a careful distance. 

“Then what are you here for? You know as well as this master does that Disciple Liu can’t be ordered back to Xian Shu.”

“I wouldn’t suggest that.” 

Shen Qingqiu finally looks up at the man when the silence persists for long enough and finds Yue Qingyuan’s face turned away. 

“Then why are you still here?” He asks. 

Yue Qingyuan’s smile is ever-present and irritating in its pseudo-sincerity. Still, Shen Qingqiu judges it to seem smaller than usual. 

“Qi-shimei explained that a week ago Liu Mingyan went missing in the middle of the night. She was eventually found sitting alone in one of the fields on Xian Shu and seemed confused as to where she was. She apparently wondered aloud several times if she had died.”

“It sounds as though the girl had a simple nightmare.”

“That was what Disciple Liu claimed the cause to be. For the next few days she skipped lessons and took to avoiding her shijie-mei and spending her nights sleeping outside though she did not try to leave the peak. She wasn’t taking her meals in the dining hall and at that point Qi-shimei became concerned enough to take her to Qian Cao. I understand that was where she made her request to join Qing Jing Peak.”

“Is Qi Qingqi still trying to push some kind of narrative that this master was influencing her from afar? Sending her coded letters perhaps to push her into madness?” Shen Qingqiu looks back down at the book he had open to disguise how rancorous his gaze has grown. 

“No, that would be an absurd suggestion.” Yue Qingyuan has the gall to lighten his voice like he thinks it's so funny when he wouldn’t be on Qing Jing speaking at all if he didn’t somewhat believe it. 

Shen Qingqiu doesn’t bother to say anything else. He won’t lose his temper this time, he’ll chase Yue Qingyuan away with silence the way he always should.  

“Qingqiu-shidi… Qi-shimei is only concerned about Disciple Liu, please don’t take what she says to heart.” 

Shen Qingqiu snaps his book closed. 

“You’ve more than overstayed your welcome.” He stands, not looking at Yue Qingyuan, “You can show yourself out.”

Liu Mingyan. Liu Mingyan. Causing so many problems that the brief pleasure he gained from the humiliation she caused Qi Qingqi can barely pay the interest on Yue Qingyuan’s most recent visit.

With that in mind, he goes to find her. 

*

The girl is talking to Luo Binghe. Shen Qingqiu stays out of sight and watches because the tenor of the conversation is… odd. Especially unusual since the two of them shouldn’t know each other. 

“You should leave Qing Jing.” Liu Mingyan tells the beast. Bluntly and with no respect for her new shixiong. 

“But I-”

“You’re not learning anything here and unless you enjoy being beaten up and doing chores there’s no point in staying. You’re not the right kind of disciple for this peak.”

Luo Binghe actually seems to consider it, looking down at the ground with his arms crossed, “What makes Liu-shimei say that?”

“You’re a physical disciple aren’t you? Qing Jing is for spiritual disciples.”

“Then… what about a peak for spiritual disciples? If this one was serious then… Liu-shimei switched peaks after all-”

“That’s different. No other peak in Cang Qiong would suit you.” Liu Mingyan hesitates and then, very gingerly, puts a hand on the boy’s shoulder, “Trust me.”

“Then you expect me to just leave Cang Qiong?” He sounds aghast. 

Is that what she’s suggesting? How extraordinary. 

“A member of the Liu clan could take you as a disciple. I can write to them.”

“Shizun would-”

“I’ll speak to Shen Qingqiu.”

He should march out and berate her but instead he doesn’t. He keeps watching and listening, truly curious as to her motives. 

Luo Binghe looks at her, brows furrowed, “Why would you do that for me?”

Liu Mingyan drops her hand off his shoulder, “Because, I think it would be best.” Her countenance is startlingly stern for such a young girl. She’s taller than him too and her arms crossed he almost seems to wilt before her. “Don’t you agree?”

“I-”

“Would you rather marinate here as a disciple of no skill scrubbing the courtyard flagstones forever or would you rather leave and make something of yourself?” Mingyan snaps. Shen Qingqiu is taken aback by the vehemence in her voice, “Why won’t you help yourself? I want to give you this chance, you should take it.”

Luo Binghe stares at her. They’re at an angle so Shen Qingqiu can’t see his expression exactly but he seems conflicted. 

Take it. Shen Qingqiu thinks, almost unwillingly. Say yes!

“Shizun-”

“I’ll speak to him.” Mingyan insists, “If he agrees, will you?”

“This disciple… if Shizun thinks so then-”

“You’ll still become a cultivator. You can still become great and powerful. But you don’t need to do it here.”

Luo Binghe is quiet for a long time. Liu Mingyan just stands there, arms crossed, and watches him. 

“I-” Luo Binghe pauses and then ducks his head, hair spilling over his shoulder, “This one would… be grateful for Liu-shimei writing to her relatives on his behalf.” He sounds stupidly defeated. 

“Good.” Mingyan snatches the basket of laundry up where it had been resting at Luo Binghe’s feet, “I’ll help you with this too.”

“Liu-shimei doesn’t have to-”

Mingyan ignores him and turns abruptly, walking off in the direction of the river where the peak’s laundry is usually done. After a moment Luo Binghe hurries to follow. 

Shen Qingqiu stays where he is and contemplates what he’s heard. Why would Liu Mingyan make that offer? And so forcibly as well? Is she as righteous as rumours claim her family is meant to be? Can she not stand to see someone bullied or beaten down? Why is she trying to chase that beast off Qing Jing? It’s beyond presumptuous for her to do so, is she so unafraid of the inevitable reprisal? 

She was frustrated at Luo Binghe for not trying to change his situation when given the chance. Is that what Liu Mingyan had seen herself as doing? Taking the first opportunity she saw and escaping a bad situation? 

But if she can remove Luo Binghe from Cang Qiong altogether, even if it is to travel with her relative, then should Shen Qingqiu encourage it? Would it work out in his favour? Wouldn’t it be humiliating for him to have produced a disciple of no apparent progress after two years? How much would people talk about this? Would the news spread? He’d never met any other members of the Liu clan but Liu Qingge and now Liu Mingyan, what were their other relatives like? How would the situation be presented? Why is she doing this?

Returning to the bamboo house Shen Qingqiu summoned Ming Fan. 

“Shizun.” His disciple saluted. 

“How is Liu Mingyan settling in on Qing Jing?”

“Well. She keeps to herself mostly, or spends time with Ning-shimei.”

“And Luo Binghe?”

“Shizun?”

“Do they spend time together?”

“Not that this disciple is aware.” He seems uncertain. 

“What are your martial siblings’ opinions on Liu Mingyan?”

“Liu-shimei is organised and pleasant, she’s well liked although she can be quiet and a little… dazed.”

“Dazed?” 

“She doesn’t always pay close attention to conversations.” Ming Fan explains though with a vague tone of embarrassment, as though he doesn’t wish to expose his new martial sister so thoroughly.

“Is there anything else?”

“Ning-shimei also did say that…” Ming Fan trails off. 

“What did she say?”

“She said that Liu-shimei doesn’t sleep at all and that there’s always light under her door no matter the hour.”

After hearing that Shen Qingqiu dismissed him. 

All together, everything that he’s heard, what can all of it mean? While thinking, he finds that he’s clenched his fist hard enough that his nails are digging into his palm, leaning small numb crescents behind. 

Cang Qiong is a swamp, he’s always known that. But he still finds himself surprised that a girl like Liu Mingyan has been subsumed into that muck. With Liu Qingge as a brother it should be all but impossible. Shouldn’t it? 

Maybe it would be if Liu Qingge was ever here. What a waste. And Liu Mingyan… at least she had enough courage to make a decision and stick to it. He wonders just how desperate she felt her situation must have been to warrant making the gamble that she did. After all, if Shen Qingqiu had refused then she would have stabbed herself in the stomach with no hope of help; losing Qi Qingqi’s favour while she was still a junior disciple without her own spirit sword, isolated on Xian Shu where the barriers surrounding it were more stringent than any other peak, her brother far away and unreachable for months at a time… 

Shen Qingqiu never expected to feel sympathy for a girl like that but he finds the emotion trickles in anyway, from a well he didn’t know he still had access to, its source a lifetime away. 

Later that night as he walks through his peak he sees a light flickering in one of the windows of the female dorms. 

Although tonight the moon is bright, Shen Qingqiu already knows it can never be bright enough. 

*

It takes Liu Qingge a month to return which Shen Qingqiu finds the most egregious of all his sins which are substantial to begin with. More than the beatings he doled out as a disciple. The unsubstantiated rumours. The instant suspicion. The fiery condescension; with what ability . After all, Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge hate each other but he’s meant to love his sister.  

And for someone that Liu Qingge has been screaming about being a degenerate villain for years, he really does seem comfortable leaving that supposedly beloved sister under their care. 

“SHEN QINGQIU!” Liu Qingge kicks the door to the bamboo house open. “Where’s Mingyan?!”

“Likely in poetry class at this hour.” Shen Qingqiu stands to glare Liu Qingge down, “Get out of my house.”

“What the hell did you do?!” Liu Qingge asks as he very much does not leave, “I got a letter that-”

“Was it from Qi Qingqi?” Shen Qingqiu rolls her eyes, “What a gossip.”

“Shen Qingqiu! Mingyan should be-”

“Ge!” 

The shout interrupts them. 

Liu Mingyan sprints up the path to the bamboo house and when she reaches them she throws herself at her brother, wrapping her arms hard around his waist and squeezing tight. Shen Qingqiu looks away at the sight. 

“Mingyan? What are you-”

“Ge, don’t bother Shen-shifu.” She says quickly, her grip on his arm is so tight that her fingers have turned white and claw-like, “Come with me.”

“Mingyan-” But Liu Qingge allows himself to be towed out of the bamboo house and then down the path out of sight.  

When Shen Qingqiu calls Ming Fan for a report later it turns out that Liu Mingyan had ushered her brother right off Qing Jing and back to Bai Zhan though she hadn’t left the peak herself. Apparently she had placated him at the gate and assured him she wanted to be on Qing Jing before seeing him off. 

Neither sibling was very verbose so it wasn’t much of a conversation from what Shen Qingqiu understood. However, before Ming Fan could even finish speaking there was a knock at the door. 

“Shen-shifu.” Mingyan bowed deeply on her entrance, “I apologise for my brother’s actions. Please do not be angry at him.”

“This master is used to his antics.” Shen Qingqiu fanned himself slowly, “Disciple Liu should know that Qing Jing Peak does not allow random interlopers, if she wishes for her brother to visit she will need to receive him in one of the visitors’ pavilions.”

“Yes.” Mingyan nods. She then hesitates and slowly says, “Shen-shifu hasn’t spent much time with Ning-shijie recently.”

That’s true although Shen Qingqiu had been previously certain Yingying was too preoccupied with her new shimei to complain about feeling neglected. 

“This master knows that she has been content with the company of her martial sister.” 

“Shen-shifu.” Mingyan’s countenance abruptly shifted, becoming serious, “This disciple has seen that Disciple Luo is not progressing on Qing Jing Peak, with no insult intended this disciple inquired into finding him a teacher off Cang Qiong who could take him.”

“Disciple Liu’s actions are audacious.” He doesn’t pull back, “What disciple would consider themselves more cognisant of what their fellow disciples needed than their master?”

Liu Mingyan doesn’t so much as tremble, “This disciple knows her actions were outside the bounds of propriety, however she cannot say she believes them to be incorrect.”

How audacious. Shen Qingqiu is absolutely not at all impressed at her daring. 

He opens his fan and fans himself slowly for a while, watching and waiting to see if she’ll buckle. Thankfully for Liu Mingyan she doesn’t so much as twitch. 

Shen Qingqiu gives her steel nerves their reward: “This master sees no reason in forcing disciples to stay under his purview if they are not improving, Disciple Luo is more than free to find a new master to follow.”

Liu Mingyan startles as if shocked. When her eyes widen she looks much younger. How old is she really? And how can she be so surprised about getting what she wants? 

She ducks her head, “I… understand. Thanking Shen-shifu for the clarity. This one will make the arrangements.” 

Before he can even dismiss her she’s all but run away. Exhausted her supply of courage then. 

Ming Fan, who was lingering awkwardly throughout the whole interaction, stared after her departure. “Is Luo Binghe leaving?” The question was obviously him thinking out loud considering his half-bewildered tone. 

“Ming Fan should know better than to speculate uselessly.” Shen Qingqiu reprimands. 

Even so, if Liu Mingyan could wrap this up for him he would consider it adequate payment for all the trouble she’s already brought to his door. 

He can only hope she’s better at paying her dues than her brother is. 

*

If Liu Mingyan was a ghostly presence who lingered out of sight and spoke to no one but Ning Yingying, she's had an abrupt shift in temperament since her brother returned. She now attaches herself to Shen Qingqiu from morning to evening outside of lessons, as though there’s anything to be gained by walking two steps behind him and running his errands. 

Shen Qingqiu doesn’t know why he allows it. 

Liu Mingyan is pushy. She’s ill mannered and presumptuous, hovering somewhere between too intense and rudely distracted but with an almost prenatural ability to know when she needs to retreat. Perhaps it’s better to keep an unknown quantity close until it can be properly classified but Shen Qingqiu is self-aware enough to admit that’s not the entire reason he lets her shadow him. 

She’s so truly odd that even Ming Fan has nothing to say about her constant presence. No comments about her trying to steal his position or muscling into territory that isn’t hers.

Liu Qingge comes and checks up on her a few times, thankfully staying in the receiving pavilion far away from Shen Qingqiu. According to Ming Fan and Ning Yingying Liu Mingyan has nothing but praise for Qing Jing peak coupled with requests for her brother to focus on his own duties. 

However strange she is, it’s clear by his casual attitude that Liu Qingge sees nothing out of sorts. Shen Qingqiu allows this to solidify his impression of the other as a bullheaded idiot with no true capacity for care for anyone but himself. Everyone that praises his diligent care for his Meimei is touched in the head, he’s a blind idiot who likely wouldn’t even return from an excursion in anything but his own time even if the news was that she had taken her own life. 

Is he the only person who hadn’t known that previously? Was it just him who had assumed that their outwardly congenial relationship awarded Liu Mingyan with a good protector? Does everyone else know it as the paper tiger it is and act accordingly? She’s lucky she’s on Qing Jing Peak where Shen Qingqiu has no patience for the kind of messy schemes played by the higher ups clustered on different parts of the mountain range, unless he allows them of course. 

Therefore, from a roaring boil everything settles into a simmer. Shen Qingqiu isn’t confident the state can last forever but it’ll take at least until the next Peak Lord’s meeting and his next confrontation with Qi Qingqi for the pot to bubble back over. 

“Shen-shifu.”

Speak of the devil. 

“Disciple Liu.” 

Liu Mingyan salutes sharply when she reaches him, “How can this disciple assist?”

“Nothing more today, this master is descending the mountain tonight.”

“Can this disciple assist with anything in town?”

“No. Disciple Liu is dismissed.”

Liu Mingyan hesitates. 

“Disciple Liu should join Ming Fan or perhaps assist the junior disciples in completing their assignments if she has additional energy.” 

Liu Mingyan nods, albeit reluctantly, but still hovers to watch him go. Her attention is unsettling more than flattering and Shen Qingqiu has the ironic thought that there are a thousand disciples who would argue otherwise. 

But forget Liu Mingyan and her strangeness for now. Shen Qingqiu is descending the mountain for some peace and quiet tonight. He’s already looking forward to some good snacks and useful information as well as a night sleeping in the warm embrace of a soft woman who can be paid to keep quiet about the limitless appetite for human touch he, against all odds, still holds inside of himself. 

*

The next morning only after he’s fixed his hair and robes and has already left his room does he sense a foreign cultivator’s qi in the corridor of the brothel. It takes him a second to recognise it and when he does he throws open the nearest door, the one to the store room next door, without thinking twice. 

“Liu Mingyan!”

Liu Mingyan, caught half-crouched on the ground, stands. 

“Shen-shifu.”

“What are you doing here?” Shen Qingqiu steps closer, “Were you spying on me?”

Liu Mingyan doesn’t answer. Her veil is trembling, the silk slippery-slick in the new dawn light seeping across the floor. 

“Answer me.” Shen Qingqiu snaps, “Did you follow me last night?”

“Yes.” Her voice is hoarse. 

Shen Qingqiu sneers, “Your daring is so great… why shouldn’t this master expel you from Qing Jing Peak for being so audacious?”

“This disciple was wrong.” Liu Mingyan goes fully to her knees and ducks her head. “I thought that you… I was wrong.” She suddenly smashes her head against the floor. 

“Stop!” Shen Qingqiu has no idea what will happen if he returns to Qing Jing with Liu Mingyan bleeding severely from her forehead, “Disciple Liu stop!”

She keeps smashing her head against the floor and it forces Shen Qingqiu to have to get down on her level and grab her to hold her still. When he touches her she freezes. 

Liu Mingyan stares at him. She’s already bleeding badly, dripping down her forehead to stain the silk of her veil. Was she really here in the next room all night watching him? Shen Qingqiu wants to shake her but the sight of her blood is sobering. 

“Do you even like women?” Liu Mingyan asks, her voice is very hoarse, “Why didn’t you touch them?”

Shen Qingqiu wants to backhand her for the question but holds himself back through force of will. “Disciple Liu should mind her tongue.”

Liu Mingyan sags in his hold, “Shen Qingqiu… why did-” She doesn’t continue. 

Her eyes are glassy and when she closes them tears leak out. She’s having some kind of hysterical episode. 

“Liu Mingyan. Tell me who hurt you on Xian Shu.” He tries to gentle his voice, even slightly, “If you tell me who it was, I will get you justice.”

Liu MIngyan just shakes her head and begins to slump so her weight is entirely taken by him. Shen Qingqiu stays stiff and tries to keep as much distance between them as possible. 

“My brother is so young.” She says, almost nonsensically, “I don’t want to get married.”

Shen Qingqiu lifts her up off the floor and neatly deposits her on the old abandoned pile of pallets in the corner of the room. Hopefully they don’t offend Lady Mingyan’s sensibilities too awfully. 

He has medicine in his pouch and thinks that Liu Mingyan might benefit from something to equalise her upset internal balance. He has no idea how he’s meant to take her back to Cang Qiong like this. Perhaps he should leave her here for now. But then what happens if she comes back to the peak later? Can he come and collect her when she’s calmed down? Is he supposed to stay with her? What will it look like with the both of them absent at the same time? How can he take back control of this situation? 

“Shen Qingqiu.” Her hand shoots out and grabs his wrist, grips tight and unyielding, “I don’t know what to think but… don’t disappoint me.”

For all that her tone is severe her face is that of a child. Her cheeks are fluffy with baby fat under her rust-stained veil and her eyes are beseeching. 

“You need to regain your equilibrium.” Shen Qingqiu says as dispassionately as possible. He hands Liu Mingyan a glass vial filled with a light green elixir. “Drink this.”

Once she takes it he retreats the small distance to the other side of the room. 

This situation has rapidly become untenable. Shen Qingqiu and Liu Mingyan alone in a brothel together. This absolutely cannot be known by anyone outside of the two of them, but he has no good way to control what Liu Mingyan says, she’s clearly lost any semblance of sense that she might have once had to stalk him here and spy on him. 

“Who saw you arrive?” He asks Liu Mingyan. She’s not drinking the elixir, holding the vial pinched between two fingers. A shard of light comes in through the window and pierces the glass, sending verdant green refractions kalaediscoping across the floor. 

“No one.” She responds, “I came in through the upstairs’ window.”

“Then you chose this room to spy on me?”

Liu Mingyan nods. 

Shen Qingqiu grits his teeth, “I hope you realise the gravity of what you have done.”

“I needed to understand… in the future things may change but at this point everyone knows you go to brothels. My Ge said-”

“What did he say?”

“Right now it should be true.”

She’s speaking complete nonsense and furthermore, the knowledge that Liu Qingge has been gossiping about him to his Meimei shouldn’t be surprising. Shen Qingqiu doesn’t know why it rankles so much; the thought of Liu Qingge slandering him so badly to Liu Mingyan that she would follow him to confirm… what? That he’s attracted to women? That he would pay to fuck someone? For confirmation that if he’s such a lecher he would assault her now that she’s attempting to find safe harbour on his peak? 

“I come here for entertainment, not company.” Shen Qingqiu says clearly. “However, if I were here for anything baser it would not be my disciple’s place to question me.”

“This Mingyan was wrong.”

Liu Mingyan holds out the vial of elixir, still undrunk, and Shen Qingqiu waves her off. “If you don’t drink it now then just put it away.” He’s irritated beyond belief at what he’s assuming is still a steady suspicion of his motives. “You need to clean up.” His eyes go to her bloody veil, “You cannot return to Qing Jing Peak like this lest everyone assumes we enjoy abusing our disciples.”

“Yes.” She pulls a fresh veil out of her sleeve and Shen Qingqiu turns to let her put it on. 

“Shen-shifu.” She calls. 

“Yes?”

“My Great Uncle wrote to me, he will be passing by Cang Qiong in two months and is willing to take Luo Binghe with him.”

Shen Qingqiu exhales to himself. “Fine. Extend to him an invitation to attend my peak if he wishes.” He hopes it isn’t accepted. 

“Yes.”

He hears a rustle that is presumably Liu Mingyan getting up behind him and turns when she steps forward. 

“Your forehead is still a mess.” Out of his own pouch he pulls out a handkerchief, “Clean off the blood and apply some medicine.” As if on a dare he takes some out and holds it out. Surprisingly Liu Mingyan takes it and with no compunction applies it to the wound. 

“So my disciple will accept some favour but not all?”

Liu Mingyan looks surprised before her expression smooths out. “This disciple meant no disrespect, only that the elixir shifu offered was one I am familiar with and… do not enjoy the sensation of.”

Shen Qingqiu feels like the girl before him is akin to an explosive tag that has been drawn slightly incorrectly, liable to go off at any time at the slightest provocation. 

“You look presentable.” He decides. “Now come on-”

“Apologies to shifu but this disciple believes that it would do no good for us to be seen returning to Qing Jing together. I will make my own way back.”

Shen Qingqiu purses his lips, “This master has no faith in his disciple’s ability to avoid causing further trouble.”

Liu Mingyan bows deeply, “This Mingyan can only apologise for her actions. She understands her wrongs and will accept any punishment shifu believes is just.”

Outside the sun has fully risen. They should have left a while ago if all this ruckus hadn’t occurred. Returning so late, so brazenly too, is just inviting trouble. But Liu Mingyan is ultimately right, it would be worse for them to walk in together. 

“Fine. But Disciple Liu shouldn’t think this master has forgotten her actions.” Shen Qingqiu gestures to the door, “She should leave first.”

“Thanking shifu.”

A moment later she slips out the door. Shen Qingqiu tracks the glow of her qi out the window and then out of sight. She’s skilled but there’s a clumsiness to her qi control that ensures she’s not as anonymous as she would like. Shen Qingqiu has the thought that in a few years, with additional training, she really will be a spectacularly talented cultivator. 

After counting to a hundred he leaves the store room, settles his bill, and then returns to Qing Jing. 

“Shizun!” Ming Fan is on him as soon as he walks through the gates. 

“What is it?” His disciple’s frantic tone immediately sets him on edge. 

“Liu-shishu is here to see Liu-shimei but she’s not on Qing Jing!” Ming Fan looks on the edge of tears, “This disciple has already searched everywhere and-”

“Where’s Liu Qingge now?”

“Still at the visitors pavilion but-”

“Who’s with him?”

“Ning-shimei but shizun I’m worried-”

Shen Qingqiu doesn’t stay, hurrying towards the visitors’ pavilion before Liu Qingge can march onto his peak proper and give him trouble. Where the hell is Liu Mingyan? He never should have let her wander off after that display! She’s clearly gone to drown herself in a lake or something equally as melodramatic!

“What did you tell him?” He asks Ming Fan.

“I said I was going to find her but-”

“Shen Qingqiu!” Liu Qingge has apparently given up on waiting because he’s left the visitor’s pavilion with Ning Yingying trailing after him and attempting to coax him back with increasingly loud entreaties. 

“Keep looking.” Shen Qingqiu hisses at Ming Fan before he meets Liu Qingge, waving Ning Yingying away to join Ming Fan as he does so. “What are you doing here bringing trouble to my Qing Jing Peak this early in the morning?”

“I’m here to see my sister, where is she?”

“Is it this master’s role to keep track of all his disciples’ every move?” Shen Qingqiu snaps back, “Who are you to start demanding and-”

“She usually comes to meet me quickly! If you’ve done anything to-”

“Are you accusing me?!” Shen Qingqiu’s irritation at Liu Qingge is almost impossible to handle. He presses his fan to the centre of the man’s chest and physically pushes him back in lieu of punching him across the face, “As if you have any space to criticise me when it’s your own sister who’s been driven to this incredibly fragile state with no help from you! Why don’t you ask Qi Qingqi what was happening on Xian Shu to have chased her own favoured disciple to Qing Jing?” 

“Qi-shijie said-”

“As if she would have investigated and exposed a rats nest on her own peak in the process while you seem so singularly unconcerned with what could have caused your own sister to-”

“Gege. Shen-shifu.” Liu Mingyan has finally appeared, Ming Fan behind her all but wringing his hans. “This disciple apologises.” She bows to Shen Qingqiu neatly, “She has not yet completed her punishment however Ming-shixiong informed this one that her brother was here.” 

“Punishment?” Liu Qingge asks, crossing his arms. 

“I knocked down the woodshed.” Liu Mingyan lies with some skill. 

Liu Qingge looks at her for another long moment and then nods stiffly. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” 

Without another word he’s gone, of course not even an apology for Shen Qingqiu. 

“Shen-shifu, my brother is an abrupt person. I can only apologise on his behalf.”

Shen Qingqiu waves her off. “Did you really knock down the woodshed?”

“No. But this disciple does accept punishment.”

Shen Qingqiu scoffs, “So eager for self-flagellation” What an unattractive trait. “Then the peaks’ laundry is yours to handle today.”

“Yes shifu.”

Liu Mingyan leaves and Shen Qingqiu allows himself a brief moment where he presses a palm to his forehead and attempts to breathe out his developing headache. He counts back from a hundred again, slowly and surely calming himself, and then settles his posture. 

Ultimately, not trusting Liu Mingyan in the slightest, he ends up going to find her. 

“Liu Mingyan.”

She looks up where she’s kneeling by the river with the laundry basket next to her and her hands submerged in the rushing water. 

Shen Qingqiu frowns, “What are you doing?”

Liu Mingyan has a bar of soap in one hand and is attempting to rub it on a sheet she’s holding under the water. 

“How do you imagine that would clean the fabric?”

Liu Mingyan looks back down at her hands, held under the water. “I’ve never done this properly.” She says. Her tone makes it sound like a deep confession. 

“This master is aware that Disciple Liu has attempted to help Luo Binghe in his chores previously.”

She doesn’t look surprised by the fact that he knows. “He rewashed everything I touched.” 

“Then all you did was create more work for him.”

She doesn’t respond. 

Shen Qingqiu shakes his head, “Take that sheet out of the water and put it back in the basket.”

Liu Mingyan does so and it immediately begins to bleed liquid, soaking the rest of the laundry. 

“Forget this, the peak’s servants can handle it. What’s the use if you’re incapable?”

“I need to do this, it’s punishment. If I can’t do it then I’ll learn how.”

“And how long would that take? This peak’s laundry doesn’t exist to further your personal penance.” Shen Qingqiu gestures to the basket, “Pick it up and come with me. This teacher will find something else for you to torture yourself with.”

Liu Mingyan stands. Her forehead has already healed remarkably well though there’s still a red mark. Shen Qingqiu is no longer surprised Liu Qingge didn’t point it out. 

“Shen-shifu.” Mingyan stops him, standing with the laundry basket in her hands and the wet edges of her sleeves flapping against her thin wrists, “What is the usual punishment on Qing Jing for a disciple disrespecting their master?”

“Fifty strikes.”

“Then this disciple requests that punishment, she disrespected Peak Lord Shen by following him and observing him without his consent.” 

Shen Qingqiu can’t begin to understand her. 

“What does Disciple Liu believe this punishment will do for her?”

“It will allow me to understand.” Is her incomprehensible response. 

“This master believes the woodshed is very much still standing.” Shen Qingqiu raises an eyebrow, “What does Disciple Liu suggest she is being punished for in that case?”

“It’s not standing, I knocked it down on my way here.”

Shen Qingqiu can’t help himself so he just laughs, in startled disbelief more than true mirth. 

*

Ning Yingying comes to the bamboo house that evening after Mingyan’s punishment and begs his forgiveness for her martial sister for all that Shen Qingqiu is confident she has no real idea of what Mingyan was punished for. After all, to save the girls’ reputation he had kept the matter private. 

Ning Yingying apparently only knew because she had seen Liu Mingyan limping through the corridors of the female dorms when she returned from her lessons. He’s honestly surprised she didn’t lie about the cause. 

“Mingyan-shimei is really trying to settle in.” Ning Yingying tells him with some passion, “When she makes mistakes or acts oddly it’s not done with any ill intent! Begging Shizun’s pardon on her behalf!”

Shen Qingqiu is rather surprised by how eloquent her plea is. 

“Disciple Liu requested punishment herself for knocking down the woodshed due to being careless when sword training. As she took responsibility for her actions this master has naturally nothing but praise for her.”

“Oh.” Ning Yingying nods slowly, seemingly accepting it. “Shizun… if Mingyan-shimei asks for punishment again… please can you ignore her? I don’t think… I think she might have done it on purpose.”

“What does Yingying believe Disciple Liu has done on purpose?”

“Knocked over the woodshed and asked for punishment. Mingyan-shimei is… strange.” Ning Yingying gives him a beseeching look, “Please Shizun, don’t take everything she says seriously.”

“This master had the impression that Disciple Liu was an upright person with strong views.”

“Mm, I thought so too.” Ning Yingying, no matter how freshly eloquent, is always ultimately a gossip, “But she says some very odd things sometimes Shizun. She told me to stay away from A-Luo because he wouldn’t make me happy.”

Shen Qingqiu keeps his expression light so as not to frighten her off from speaking more but his mind is whirring. “Is that so?”

“Yes! She’s very strange about him most of the time.” Ning Yingying huffs, crossing her arms, “Though sometimes she treats him like they’re good friends and have known each other for a long time!”

“When Disciple Liu told you he wouldn’t make you happy, what did she say she meant?”

Wouldn’t make her happy… did she see danger from Luo Binghe? 

“Hmm… I’m not sure Shizun. But Mingyan-shimei has settled in a lot since she first came!” Ning Yingying assures him, abandoning that bewildering and alarming topic with her usual speed, “She talks to more people now, at first she would just follow me around but now she’s made friends with Lim-shixiong and Yin-shijie.”

“Has Disciple Liu mentioned Xian Shu peak at all?”

Ning Yingying shakes her head, “I heard that everyone on Xian Shu was very insulted by her switching peak so they haven’t tried to reach out and she hasn’t tried to speak to them either.”

Liu Mingyan’s belongings had been delivered to Qing Jing peak, or rather dumped, at the outer gate the day after Liu Qingge had returned to Cang Qiong. Shen Qingqiu had taken the time to open one of the chests and found the Xian Shu uniforms inside ink and mud stained. He’d scoffed at it being a last petty trick especially as Liu Mingyan wouldn’t be wearing them any longer. 

In response he had asked Ming Fan to ensure his Liu-shimei had fresh green robes and hair ribbons and to take her with him on his latest trip to An Ding. See how Qi-shimei liked the reminder. 

“Yingying… this master has a delicate question.”

“This Yingying will answer whatever Shizun asks!”

“Has Disciple Liu made any mention of what drove her off Xian Shu?”

Ning Yingying shakes her head, “No Shizun.”

Shen Qingqiu gives his disciple a considering look. He would never usually ask Ning Yingying these kinds of questions but she’s been surprisingly circumspect tonight. “Why does Yingying believe she left?”

Ning Yingying ums and ahs before making a face, “I don’t know Shizun. But I think… whatever it was, Mingyan-shimei is getting a little better.”

“Then that must be due to her shijie’s guidance and support.” Shen Qingqiu praises. 

“Shizun!” She beams, guileless and pleased. 

If nothing else he has Mingyan to hold somewhat responsible for the little growing up Yingying seems to have done. It had been a while since they’d last spoken and he’s been impressed by this conversation. Still, that didn’t hope to mitigate all the trouble she’d already caused him up to now.

“This master has another matter on which to address Yingying,” He’s doing this to hopefully prevent any future tantrums, “Luo Binghe may be leaving Cang Qiong Sect and taking on a different master soon.”

“Mm. This Yingying knows, Mingyan-shimei discussed it with her before.”

He’s surprised by how calm she seems.  

“What does Yingying think?”

Ning Yingying pauses a while before answering, “Luo-shidi really is struggling… he’s not been able to make any friends and he has a lot of trouble with lessons. If he can be happier elsewhere then Yingying can only be glad for him.”

“That is a very mature perspective.”

“Mm. Mingyan-shimei said so too.” Yingying looks to the side, abruptly a lot older. “She told me no one should suffer for another person’s sake for whatever reason. And Shizun… I really think I agree.”

Shen Qingqiu is not sure if it’s such a simple sentiment in practice but, even so, he still praises Yingying for repeating it.

*

The mission to Shuang Hu city was intended to be a training exercise for all the disciples on Qing Jing. However Shen Qingqiu feels a remarkable unease about taking Liu Mingyan off the peak or leaving her in Cang Qiong alone. Therefore he decides to only take three senior disciples with him rather than the bulk he had planned for. 

The mission takes three days overall and though Shen Qingqiu berates his disciple’s stupidity for having taken that long to expose the skinner demon it can overall be considered somewhat of a success. 

Better when he returns to Qing Jing and discovers that nothing more has been knocked down in his absence. 

*

If Shen Qingqiu had cause to consider what the members of the Liu clan were like he supposed he assumed they presented as varying shades of Liu Qingge. 

Certainly Liu Mingyan’s Great Uncle who had altruistically agreed to take on Luo Binghe is similarly taciturn, but the smile he gives his grand-niece when they meet is sincere enough and the way he claps a hand on Luo Binghe’s shoulder as the boy trembles slightly is also sufficiently congenial to settle the little beast’s nerves to the point that he can share a smile of his own. 

A rough man then with rough manners and a travel worn appearance who looks used to being alone. 

“Peak Lord Shen.” Her Great Uncle looks at Mingyan as he speaks, “Should we have the youngsters go off and find me a good blacksmith that I can commission a new axe head from?”

Liu Mingyan’s eyes dart between her Great Uncle and Shen Qingqiu but she doesn’t protest and when Shen Qingqiu agrees she bows easily and walks away with Luo Binghe at her side. The two of them begin speaking when they’ve walked a few steps away although the tea house they’ve met at is noisy enough that Shen Qingqiu unfortunately can’t hear what they’re saying. 

When they’re gone the two men take their seats. 

“Mingyan wrote to me and said her martial sibling was having difficulties in the Sect.” 

The man doesn’t introduce himself which rankles Shen Qingqiu but he doesn’t want to ruin this meeting by taking offence too quickly so he holds his tongue. He’ll simply consider him as mannerless and odd as the rest of the Lius he’s had the misfortune to meet and have that be that. 

“That is correct. This master suggested Luo Binghe could perhaps join a different peak but that did not seem to be the desired solution.”

“Sects aren’t for everyone.”

“Is that so?”

“Too rigid, too political.” The man shrugs, “If the boy isn’t suited he isn’t suited.” He then leans forward, “But enlighten me, I was under the impression that Mingyan was a member of Xian Shu Peak.” His gaze has sharpened. 

Shen Qingqiu shouldn’t be surprised, if anything he should be gratified that at least one of Liu Mingyan’s relatives seems to give a damn about what happens to her. Especially since it seemed neither she nor her brother saw fit to inform anyone in their family about the change. 

Shen Qingqiu snaps open his fan, “Disciple Liu transferred to Qing Jing Peak from Xian Shu a few months previously.”

“Why?”

“Surely she could be asked to explain herself to her own Great Uncle.”

“She didn’t mention anything about the change in her letters. I expected to meet Peak Lord Qi Qingqi and a martial sister today.” 

If that was the case Shen Qingqiu is amazed that he managed to take the change in stride when Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe arrived with Liu Mingyan. 

“This master sees, if it is the case that circumstances are different since Luo Binghe is-”

“It’s fine that he’s a boy. I’m asking about Mingyan.” The man leans back in his seat and crosses his arms, “She also requested that I don’t mention any of this to her older brother.”

Liu Qingge is off Cang Qiong currently for the first time since he last returned and began barging onto Qing Jing. It’s been a welcome reprise and furthermore it seems that Liu Mingyan arranged the timing of this meeting exactly for his absence. Shen Qingqiu doesn’t have good things to make of that. 

“This master cannot say why Disciple Liu made that request.”

The man sighs and shakes his head, “Either way, is there anything I should know about the boy?”

“He’s an adequately hard worker. A physical rather than spiritual cultivator and as a result has been unable to progress on Qing Jing peak.”

“From what I understand this is you releasing him to my care entirely, not just for a few decades of training.” 

“Yes.”

The man leans back in, “Then I won’t be bringing him back. I don’t know why, but Mingyan is scared of that boy.”

“Scared of him?” Shen Qingqiu can’t help but lean in in turn, “From my understanding they had no acquaintance before she joined my Peak and once a member of Qing Jing their interactions have been monitored, nothing has occurred to this masters’ knowledge.”

“I know. I don’t understand it myself. She’s advocated for him very well but also can’t stand to be near him.”

Shen Qingqiu turns something over in his mind. Why would she do all this for someone she dislikes? Is there something else at play binding her to Luo Binghe, something the boy might not even be aware of? Perhaps a guilt of hating him when in reality it’s someone else, similar enough that you can’t help but be reminded and-

“I want to be sure that boy isn’t someone I need to hold a grudge against for Mingyan’s sake though I know relations between women and men can be complicated, especially at their age.” 

Shen Qingqiu hesitates. “This master believes it would be best to ask Disciple Liu herself for her thoughts.”

“Then do you-”

At that point Mingyan and Luo Binghe return. Shen Qingqiu immediately leans back and away, settling into his own seat and studiously looking to the side. 

Liu Mingyan slides into her seat, Luo Binghe taking the one next to her, and carries the rest of the conversation, finally making the necessary introductions and including a few light anecdotes from her childhood with her Great Uncle, presumably to sweeten the deal for Luo Binghe who begins smiling some time into the second story. What a little idiot. 

Finally, as the hour begins to grow late, much later than Shen Qingqiu wanted to stay out, he gets the chance to intercede in the conversation and excuse himself and Liu Mingyan back to Qing Jing. 

“In that case,” Liu Mingyan’s Great Uncle looks at her as he says it, “We’ll be off tonight, no use in wasting time while the weather is good.”

“This master believes that is wise. Luo Binghe.” 

When he calls his name the boy snaps to attention. “Yes Shizun?” His stupid begging dog’s eyes irritate Shen Qingqiu immediately and he has to grit his teeth to hold back the reprimand he wants to unleash. 

“Address me as Peak Lord Shen since you are no longer my disciple.” Shen Qingqiu corrects, “This master expects Luo Binghe to conduct himself admirably as a former disciple of Qing Jing Peak.”

“Yes Shi- Peak Lord Shen.”

Shen Qingqiu waves the server over and settles the bill for the party because he wants not a single debt to be owed between them. Liu Mingyan’s family member is obviously doing this for her sake and as a result Shen Qingqiu has found himself in an unexpectedly fortuitous position in getting his most useless disciple off his hands. It's a good solution, no one could blame him for this. 

Once that is dealt with the party stands and exits the teahouse onto the dark and noisy street. As they stand there, two facing two in new master and disciple pairs, Liu Mingyan speaks. 

“Luo Binghe.” Her voice is steady but her hands are shaking. Shen Qingqiu watches as she curls them into fists. “Thank you for taking care of me. I will always be grateful.”

“Ah? But this Binghe didn’t do so much when Mingyan-shimei joined Qing Jing.” He looks confused. 

Mingyan entirely ignores that, looking past him. 

“I hope you will be happier out of the Sect.” Shen Qingqiu meets the gaze of Mingyan’s Great Uncle over her head, both aware of the way her voice has started shaking and both alarmed as to the cause. 

“If you need me I will always help you. But not because we owe each other anything, just as one stranger would help another.” Mingyan finishes before bowing deeply. 

Shen Qingqiu has no idea what to make of the display and it seems her Great Uncle is similarly confused. The goodbye Mingyan shares with him is far more conservative and she thankfully seems to have backed off the edge of hysteria by the time they walk away. 

As they go Mingyan’s shoulders loosen, slowly degree by degree until they’re rounded inwards and Shen Qingqiu is concerned about her falling forwards. 

“If you feel unwell it would be best to rest before returning to Qing Jing.”

Mingyan shakes her head. “There’s still much to do.” In what sense? Poetry composition? Qin practice? As if any of that is anything but a well-structured joke, taken seriously by those who have nothing greater to worry about and as a result no real conception of life. 

“Disciple Liu will have no ability to be diligent if she collapses where she’s standing.”

“This disciple promises she’s still capable.” Liu Mingyan bows to him.

Shen Qingqiu scoffs but pulls out Xiu Ya, let her hold herself to account. “This master hopes Disciple Liu can live up to her words.”

“Yes shifu.”

Though she wobbles violently for a few moments on her sword she stabilises quickly enough, presumably locking that emotion away in that small tight place inside of her Shen Qingqiu knows becomes harder to forget about the more years that pass. 

*

The much delayed and, Shen Qingqiu is sure, much anticipated inter-peak meeting finally comes around. 

Shen Qingqiu himself wakes up in a foul mood that only proceeds to become blacker as he gets dressed and is forced to travel to Qiong Ding. Thankfully he hasn’t seen Qi Qingqi since the last time she stormed off Qing Jing months ago. Liu Qingge has been gone for the past two weeks which has been wholly welcome and Yue Qingyuan has been easily avoidable. It’s been almost peaceful. 

But no longer. Now they all have to sit in the same room and listen to Shang Qinghua’s mind-numbing budget reports and pretend they don’t all despise each other. 

“Now for our last order of business,” Yue Qingyuan pauses before continuing, “Qi-shimei has a notice she wishes to share?”

“Yes.” 

Shen Qingqiu slows his fan and tries not to bristle too visibly, eternally suspicious. 

“It has come to this shimei’s attention that not all of us are aware of the correct etiquette regarding inter-peak transfers, allow me to remind you of-”

“You can stop your sanctimonious moaning.” Shen Qingqiu can’t help himself. “It’s a question of your bruised ego more than any true concerns about etiquette and for you to pretend this requires an entire section of our meeting dedicated to you making cheap shots at-”

“Cheap shots!” She interrupts him, a snarl underpinning her voice, “Shen Qingqiu you are the only cheap person I see in this room to take advantage of my former disciple’s upset to poach her for your peak-”

“Take advantage?!” They’ve now both stood up to shout across the meeting table at each other, “The only guilty one is you for not managing your own disciples well enough that one of your own was so desperate to leave! If anything-”

“Oi!” Liu Qingge gets in the middle of it, slamming his fist down on the table with a resounding crack, “If you want to fight go right ahead but get Mingyan’s name out of your mouth!” 

Shen Qingqiu sneers, retreating back to his seat, “All this master can report is that Disciple Liu has settled well onto Qing Jing, if she has any regrets she hasn’t mentioned them.”

Qi Qingqi seethed openly, “Who knows what you’re doing to her on your peak, maybe she’s just too scared to speak out, I even heard you had her beaten for something as mundane as a botched training exercise and if-”

“I told you to get Mingyan’s name out of your mouth!” Liu Qingge snaps. “My sister isn’t someone you can talk about like this!”

Shen Qingqiu must be seized by some kind of madness, or maybe it's just what Liu Qingge regularly provokes in him because he laughs, “And why not? Liu Mingyan made a controversial choice, why wouldn’t it be discussed? Because she has you as a brother? As if you’ve ever done anything to protect her before-”

“Shen Qingqiu!” 

Shen Qingqiu turns his face away, “This master stands by what he said. Either way this discussion is both unproductive and inappropriate for this meeting, requesting that Zhangmen-shixiong agree to have it taken off the agenda and summarily dispensed with.”

“You-”

“Yes, I do agree.” Yue Qingyuan says, gesturing for Liu Qigge to sit back down, “If there is anything that needs to be discussed it can be done after today’s meeting, this does not require all of our input.”

Shen Qingqiu is sure there won’t be any further discussion. None of their objections are real and as a result the only attack that holds any weight is one done in public where the tide of public opinion is already easily turned against him. 

Either way Liu Mingyan will remain on Qing Jing Peak so what does it ultimately amount to?

Besides, he obviously has a rat on his peak willing to leak information. His bet is on Hall Master Chuan and even if that isn’t the case… he had been looking for a good reason to expel the man anyway. 

*

Liu Mingyan continues to follow him around though this time from more of a distance. 

Shen Qingqiu summarily decides that if he has such a diligent disciple he should be using her. Liu Mingyan is competent, a boon granted by her odd prenatural confidence he’s sure. Unlike Ming Fan she doesn’t need three layers of confirmation and is happy to work on her own initiative. As a result he only needs to review her work once every few days and so far the mistakes she’s made have been negligible. Unlike Liu Qingge she’s nowhere near as careless. 

“Shen-shifu.”

“Come in.” Shen Qingqiu directs her to sit at the table in the receiving room of the bamboo cottage and dumps several years worth of account books in front of her. 

This is his least favourite task and one he won’t admit he dreads. 

“I need these account books reviewed for discrepancies.”

“Understood.” Liu Mingyan immediately begins to sort through the stack, arranging them neatly by decade, “Is there anything in particular shifu wants me to look out for?”

Shen Qingqiu considers her and decides to set something of a test. 

“The two years before my ascension when the previous Peak Lord was still in position, look for any out of ordinary spending on the kitchens.”

Shen Qingqiu is loath to admit he’d done the same several times but had been unable to find anything worthwhile. 

“Is there a deadline?”

Shen Qingqiu regards her, “How long does Disciple Liu believe she needs?”

“Two days should be sufficient.” Liu Mingyan nods and ducks her head, opening the first account book. 

Shen Qingqiu was prepared to give her much longer but if that was her preference then he wouldn’t argue against her. He retreated to his own desk and began to finish off the correspondence he was working on. 

As the light waned into dusk Shen Qingqiu lit the candles and put a nightpearl on Liu Mingyan’s desk as he passed. She murmured a thanks but didn’t look up from the account books. 

Ming Fan came a quarter shichen later with a meal from the peak kitchens. Shen Qingqiu requested he leave it on his desk and went into the other room to retrieve a book he needed. 

“Liu-shimei.” He heard Ming Fan greet through the open door. 

“Ming-shixiong.”

There was a pause. 

“Are you reviewing the account books?” Ming Fan asked. 

“Yes.”

“Have you eaten?”

“Not yet.”

“I’ll ask Shizun if I can bring you something.” 

Before Ming Fan could ask Shen Qingqiu came back into the room and did it for him. 

“Ming Fan, fetch Disciple Liu some dinner. She’s still working so there’s no point in interrupting so she can go to the dining hall.”

“Yes Shizun.” Ming Fan bowed and then left quickly. 

Shen Qingqiu returned to his own desk, picking up the tray of food and putting it aside since he didn’t want to eat in front of Liu Mingyan, and returned to the essay he was marking. They worked together in steady silence. 

“Shen-shifu.”

“What?”

“This disciple believes she has found something.” She waits until he’s gotten up and come over before pointing to one of the oldest account books, “But not to do with the kitchen staff. The previous Peak Lord had an official budget, not part of their personal funds, that they used for jewellery and they recorded each of their transactions, however these are the incorrect amounts to pay for pieces such as these.”

Shen Qingqiu frowns and sits down next to her, “Explain.”

“This piece is listed as a purple jade bangle, this price is three times what one could be expected to pay even if the bangle had a truly high level of work dedicated to it. Similarly this pair of earrings is listed to contain lapis lazuli, this is not an extremely expensive stone unless it is very high grade and if that were the case the price would be at least double what is listed here. Furthermore, the cost of this gold necklace is too high, no matter the amount of detailed work done to shape the gold.” Liu Mingyan spreads her hands out, “The inflation of the prices is not too much as to be noticeable unless one is carefully looking through it.”

“And the person looking through it must have a detailed understanding of these matters.” Shen Qingqiu doesn’t know what to think about Liu Mingyan showing him up so thoroughly.

"Yes Shizun, the matter is such that if an audit were conducted and questions were raised it could be explained away by ignorant overpaying. That may even have been the case."

Shen Qingqiu's Shizun had been too shrewd to overpay for anything unless they chose to. No. Liu Mingyan has caught something real. 

“This master did not know that disciple Liu knew so much about the value of jewellery?”

“This disciple has some understanding, however not as much as an expert.”

“Then what does Disciple Liu believe was the goal here?”

“The inflated costs have obviously been done as a way to disguise other payments made.”

Ha! Shen Qingqiu feels a rush of vindication. He knew Shizun had been embezzling from the peak in some form or another but had never been able to prove it. Of course it hardly matters now but this had been one dogged thorn in his side he had been unable to stop scratching at all these years, some proof that that person had been as deficient as he believed only he had known. 

“Very good.” He doles out some rare praise, “Disciple Liu has impressed this master.”

Her eyes stay on the account books, “Does Shen-shifu wish for me to review the rest of the years for discrepancies?”

“Yes, but focus now on the years after this master took his position. Disciple Liu should audit the matter generally, looking as an outsider would.”

“Yes.” She once more ducks her head. 

Shen Qingqiu goes back to his desk, feeling so good at the confirmation that his scummy Shizun really was as shitty he thought that he can’t help smiling openly. 

Ming Fan returns a little while later with dinner for Liu Mingyan.

“Take a break and eat.” Shen Qingqiu commands her before gesturing to his own untouched tray, “Ming Fan can take this back to the kitchens.”

“Shizun wasn’t hungry?”

“No.” He has snacks in his rooms that he can fill himself up on later. The food on the tray has cooled and become unappetising while he waited for the right moment to eat. On the other side of the room Liu Mingyan is picking at her own meal without any enthusiasm. 

“Then this disciple could bring something else? Perhaps some fresh fruit or biscuits or-”

“Ming Fan, where is it your place to-”

“I would like that.” Liu Mingyan suddenly says. “The fruits and biscuits and other things.”

The atmosphere is rendered strange enough by her rude interruption that Shen Qingqiu finds himself sharing a look with Ming Fan. 

“Fine.” He finally says, “Ming Fan?”

“This disciple will be quick.” 

Once he’s gone Shen Qingqiu looks back over at Liu Mingyan who has put her mostly untouched tray to the side and is focusing on the account books once more. He decides to leave her to it at her leisure. 

When Ming Fan returns Shen Qingqiu requests he take a seat and join them for this strange and awkward night time snack because he doesn’t want to be alone with Liu Mingyan while they eat. He wants to dismiss her but can’t while she is picking at underripe slices of persimmon and looking as though all the energy has abruptly drained out of her. 

“Liu-shimei.” Ming Fan ventures, shooting looks at Shen Qingqiu all the while, “Hallmaster Jing requested that I pass on praise to you for your most recent poetry composition since you were not in class today.”

“Thank you.”

Both of them watch as Liu Mingyan picks up a biscuit and breaks it into crumbs, not eating a single one. 

“If Disciple Liu has eaten her fill she is dismissed for the night.” Shen Qingqiu finally says before she can savage any more confectionery.

“The account books-”

“Can continue to be dealt with tomorrow.” 

“This disciple understands.” She pauses, “Shen-shifu, may this disciple have permission to leave the peak? She wishes to visit her brother on Bai Zhan.”

This is the first time Liu Mingyan has made that request and the first time she’ll be meeting her brother off of Qing Jing Peak. Shen Qingqiu considers her.

“What has given Disciple Liu the impetus to visit Bai Zhan peak now after so many months?”

“This disciple feels… prepared to do so now.”

“Did Disciple Liu not feel prepared previously?”

“No.”

What does that mean? Prepared in what sense? Shen Qingqiu scrutinises her face and finds her expression hard to interpret. Uncomfortable with meeting her own brother? What could have been the cause? 

“This master will grant her request. However she should mind the curfew on Qing Jing Peak and will only be allowed to go after she has completed her duties.”

“Yes shifu.” Liu Mingyan stands and bows, “This disciple will retire.”

After she’s gone and the door has closed behind her Shen Qingqiu turns to Ming Fan, “Has Disciple Liu truly settled in adequately?”

Ming Fan makes a slight face, “It is… difficult for this disciple to say. Liu-shimei is certainty more… sociable than previously.”

“Is there anyone she avoids?”

“Not on Qing Jing from this disciple’s understanding though she purposefully avoids those from Xian Shu and even a few Qiong Ding disciples.”

“Qiong Ding disciples?”

“She walked the other way at the sight of two of the senior female disciples.” Ming Fan explains, “This was when we were heading back from An Ding peak.”

Shen Qingqiu frowns. 

“And Liu Qingge? He hasn’t visited in at least a week.”

“This disciple thinks that may be why Liu-shimei wishes to go to Bai Zhan peak.” Ming Fan offers. 

“Because he hasn’t come to see her?” Shen Qingqiu scoffs openly. 

“Liu-shimei values her brother greatly.” Ming Fan seeks to explain, “She often personally makes health-preserving tonics for him and requests that any of her martial siblings who are leaving the peak in that direction drop them off on Bai Zhan.”

All that effort for such an ungrateful buffoon who won’t even visit her. All for that useless man who left her here all alone at the mercy of anyone who thought they might have a right to a girl whose reputation as a great beauty has ballooned beyond the veiled coltish figure that walks the worn paths of Shen Qingqiu's own peak. 

“And the decrease in hostility from Bai Zhan peak?”

“This disciple believes that to be the new state of matters.” Ming Fan offers, “When I met Qin-shidi the other day he was friendly.”

Shen Qingqiu judges the cease in hostilities from Bai Zhan to be due to their shizun’s younger sister joining Qing Jing peak. Thankfully none of them have realised yet how little that man actually cares for her. 

“Liu-shimei is quite sentimental.” Ming Fan suddenly says, “Begging shizun’s pardon on her behalf, her occasionally… improper behaviour does not come from a place of real disrespect.”

All of his disciples seem so eager to defend poor Liu Mingyan. She really is lucky to have come to Qing Jing Peak. 

*

Liu Mingyan misses curfew the next day when visiting her brother. 

Luckily for the both of them Shen Qingqiu isn’t undignified enough to march onto Bai Zhan and retrieve her though he’s always more than willing to make trouble for Liu Qingge. If she doesn't return tonight then see what he'll do! Additionally, the thought that he will have to punish Liu Mingyan for being late blackens his mood as he waits for her. 

When she finally returns, late enough that even Ming Fan has gone to bed, Shen Qingqiu cuts her off on the path to the disciple’s dormitories. 

“Where have you been?”

“This disciple apologises for her lateness.”

It’s dark enough that her features are unclear so Shen Qingqiu pulls out a talisman to create some light. 

Liu Mingyan’s face is pale, a bruise peeking up over her collar, and there’s blood on her hands, darkening the edges of her sleeves. 

“What happened to you?” Shen Qingqiu can’t help the tenor of his voice. 

“Nothing shifu, it was this disciple’s error.”

“Did he beat you?” Shen Qingqiu can’t help the way his own fists clench, “Do you have medicine? Come with me.”

“Shifu.” She stops him, reaching forward and lightly touching the edge of his sleeve. Some of the blood smears off and stains the silk. Someone will have to wash it. It should be her but he won’t order her to do it. “This disciple only needs to rest and she still has some medicine. Please do not be concerned.”

“This master is rightfully shocked by his disciple returning from visiting Bai Zhan looking like a walking corpse.” 

“It was this disciple’s error.” She repeats, “Please do not mention it again.”

Shen Qingqiu presses his lips together and then turns away, “Disciple Liu is prohibited from leaving Qing Jing in the future, she will report to the bamboo house tomorrow morning for punishment for breaking curfew.”

“This disciple understands. Thanking Shen-shifu for his magnanimity.”

Shen Qingqiu stands, back turned to her, and listens to her make her way back up the path, walking slowly. 

He feels a furious impotence abruptly. A fury that even on his own peak he’s unable to control his disciple’s well enough to prevent this kind of thing, no matter if they choose it on their own. 

*

When Liu Mingyan vomits a fountain of blood its on the training grounds and Shen Qingqiu is immediately notified. 

He orders to have her transferred to Qian Cao Peak but is dragged into the matter anyway as the girl is fighting off all attempts to help her. She’s qi deviating badly and the cause is unclear. In the end Shen Qingqiu has to have her held down by one of the Hallmasters so he can transfer qi to help stabilise her. 

“Shen-shifu.” She bucks against the hallmasters’ hold, “Shen-shifu, my Ge-”

“She’s lucid.” Hallmaster Jing says, sagging a little, “Disciple Liu, do you recall-”

“My Ge! Shen-shifu! You have to help me!” Liu Mingyan struggles so hard she manages to buck Hallmaster Jing off.

“Let go of her for now.” Shen Qingqiu orders, “We may need to request someone from Qian Cao come here instead-”

“Shen-shifu!”

“He’s not going to hurt you.” Shen Qingqiu snaps at her, “This master won’t allow it so stop shouting.”

Liu Mingyan stares at him, eyes wide above her veil, blood vessels having burst and turned the whites red, and then before anyone can speak she pulls out her sword and boards it. 

“LIU MINGYAN!” Shen Qingqiu shouts after her as she takes flight. 

He turns to Hallmaster Jing, “Notify someone from Qian Cao Peak that she’s deviating, and badly.”

“Yes.” Hallmaster Jing runs off as Shen Qingqiu boards Xiu Ya himself to chase his wayward and most troublesome disciple down. 

Liu Mingyan carves a wide arc across the mountains, easy to follow with the way she’s bleeding qi and he realises quickly she’s heading to Qiong Ding. Why? What is she doing? 

“LIU MINGYAN!” He calls but the words are lost on the wind. It’s useless. He just has to catch her and shake some sense into her himself. 

When she descends for the LingXi caves Shen Qingqiu grits his teeth and uses a talisman to send a message off to warn the Sect Leader. The last thing he wants is to be found alone in the caves with an unstable Liu Mingyan after everything. 

“Liu Mingyan!” He calls as he lands just a beat behind her. 

But she’s already running for the caves, her sword in hand, and Shen Qingqiu can do nothing but follow. 

“Liu Mingyan!” 

It’s been such a long time since he was in the LingXi caves. He’s always found the place unnerving and off-putting despite the necessity. He hates the echoes and the damp walls and feeling of being absolutely enclosed. This is what he imagines being buried alive feels like and if he were a smarter man not ruled by foolish illogical whims he would make better use of them for cultivation. The fear being hard to shake is stupid, he should be better than it. 

“Liu Mingyan, get back here!”

She continues to run ahead. Shen Qingqiu follows with the oddest sensation that he’s had a dream like this once before, chasing a figure into the distance while stone walls closed in around him. 

Yue Qingyuan better have gotten his message! He better be on his way here right now! 

“Mingyan-” He’s almost caught her. 

She gasps, the sound loud in the shadowy gloom, as a sword rockets past her and just buries itself in the cave wall. 

“Who’s there?” Shen Qingqiu manages to catch up and shove her back behind him, “How dare you-”

It’s Liu Qingge. He’s qi-deviating badly. Blood covered and writhing in his inner robes, torn and dirty. 

Several things become clear all at once. None of them are useful. 

“Gege!” Liu Mingyan is crying, tears rolling down her face, “Please don’t die!”

Shen Qingqiu grits his teeth, “He’s not going to die idiot girl. Now calm down and help me.”

Liu Qingge is both insensate and vicious but at the sound of his sister sobbing his head turns and Shen Qingqiu uses the opening to slam his qi-heavy palm on the others’ chest and send him flying back. Once he collapses he calls for Mingyan. 

“Hold him down. I need to circulate his qi.”

“I can-”

“You were qi-deviating not half a shichen previously, you’d be worse than useless in this situation.” Shen Qingqiu pressed both his palms flat on Liu Qingge’s chest and began to circulate his qi. “Focus on keeping him still.”

Liu Mingyan is still crying though silently. Her tears drip off her face and splash down onto her brothers’. 

“When did you bind your soul to his?” Shen Qingqiu asks, keeping his voice as even as he can. 

Liu Mingyan does him the favour of not pretending she has no idea what he’s talking about. 

“When I went to Bai Zhan peak.”

“Does he know?”

“No. He was unconscious.”

Shen Qingqiu sucks in a breath, “Stupid girl, it would be more likely that you would have died than anything else, there's no benefit to doing this, his wounds will likely one day kill you since you're obviously the weaker party.”

“That doesn't matter. I just need to keep him alive. If he lives then… everything will be okay.”

“Stupid.” Shen Qingqiu keeps his eyes on Liu Qingge’s bloody chest as he works, “He won’t thank you for this. When he finds out he will be horrified. Disgusted even. He might turn away and renounce you entirely.”

“He doesn’t need to thank me and if he truly is disgusted...” Liu Mingyan bows her head, "It's not worse than I deserve."

Shen Qingqiu doesn’t respond to that.  

Finally Liu Qingge stirs and his eyes open hazily, focusing with effort on his sister.  

“Mingyan?” His voice comes out choked up. 

“Gege. Please don’t die. Please.”

“What is-”

“We’re saving your life.” Shen Qingqiu cuts in waspishly. “Stay calm and stop aggravating your wounds.”

“Shen Qing-”

“Shut up.” Shen Qingqiu takes a deep breath and focuses on keeping his qi smooth but his own equilibrium has been upset by all of this and it's a hard task, made harder by Liu Qingge staring at him and Liu Mingyan’s continuing sobs. 

It’s not going to work. He’s not going to be able to save Liu Qingge, unstable as the other man already is. It’s more likely that they’ll both drag each other down. 

He looks at Liu Mingyan who is still crying. He can’t say it. He can’t say anything. Where he’s sprawled on the ground, Liu Qingge has already begun coughing, blood pooling on his lips.

“Qingqiu-shidi.” There suddenly comes a call through the caves. 

Thank the Heavens!

“Here! Yue Qingyuan, quickly! He’s deviated badly, we need to stabilise him!”

Yue Qingyuan has arrived, looking suddenly so solid and helpful in the dim light of the cave. His presence is akin to a life-saving panacea, especially when he thankfully doesn't waste time with useless questions like usual.

“I understand,” Yue Qingyuan moves quickly, “Liu-shidi we need to move you to Qian Cao.”

The man nods, blood still bubbling from his mouth, but of course he seems much calmer now that Yue Qingyuan is here to help. Shen Qingqiu might as well be considered chopped liver. 

“Shen-shifu.” Mingyan turns and grabs his arm hard as the four of them begin to leave the caves, “Thank you.”

Shen Qingqiu has nothing to say to her.

*

Mu Qingfang attends Qiong Ding quicker at his Sect Leader’s request than he likely would for anyone else. Liu Qingge is deemed too at risk to move too quickly and as such is attended in a guest room of Yue Qingyuan’s own residence. 

As the Qian Cao Peak Lord works, Liu Mingyan slips out of the room when it is clear her brother will survive. After a beat Shen Qingqiu follows. 

He finds her standing on the precipice to one of Cang Qiong’s many cliff faces. He’s already exhausted and seeing her like this only makes him feel all the more so. 

“Are you planning to throw yourself down?”

“I’ve done everything I felt I had to do.” Is Liu Mingyan’s bizarre response. 

“I’ve never seen such a dedicated sibling as you. If it wasn’t for you binding your soul to his he certainly would have died alone in the caves.”

“Yes.”

“You only deviated as a reaction to his own deviation, imagine if you had been alone with no one to help, the both of you would surely have died.” Shen Qingqiu steps forward towards her, “Soul binding is considered a dangerous and borderline demonic art. Where did you learn to do it?”

“I thought it would be the best thing to do, to save Gege’s life.”

“Your brother lives a dangerous existence.” Shen Qingqiu tucks his hands into his sleeves, “How will you prevent this from ever happening again? How will you ensure he never dies? Your bond doesn't even allow you to draw strength from him in return, you'll just take more and more of his damage until you're all used up. Wasting everything for that man-”

“I don’t know.” She finally turns around, interrupting him with her back to the drop. Her gaze is somehow crystal clear. “I just… couldn’t let him die now. In the LingXi caves.”

“How did you know he would be in the caves?”

“He told me he was going into closed seclusion. My brother does not have a history of qi deviations and he would be alone so no one could hurt him… I didn’t think this is what would happen...”

Shen Qingqiu shakes his head, “I should expel you from Qing Jing for all the trouble you’ve caused me. If anyone finds out what you’ve done the blame will land firmly on my own shoulders, as if I should have taught you better or somehow prevented you.”

“I understand. I am willing to leave Cang Qiong and-”

“Leave Cang Qiong? And where would you possibly go? Back to your Liu clan?”

“I could be a rogue cultivator.”

Shen Qingqiu stares at her in consternation. “I don’t know what’s wrong with you.” He finally says, “And I suppose you won’t tell me what happened to you to make you this way or if you were simply born with this kind of insanity already inside of you.”

“I feel I have achieved everything in life I wanted to.” She finally says, “Maybe it’s selfish but I don’t want to have to see everything that could go wrong next.”

Shen Qingqiu scoffs, “Already achieved everything you wanted to? What a sentiment! Liu Mingyan is truly the greatest disciple to ever grace Cang Qiong, this master salutes her!”

“I’m going to fail.” Liu Mingyan says, seriously, “And I don’t want to fail here, it would be better if I left.”

“You think your failures are so important that they affect everyone on this mountain range?”

Liu Mingyan ducks her head, “Things that I have wholeheartedly dedicated my life to have revealed themselves as hollow. How can I trust myself again?”

Shen Qingqiu has no response for her. He doesn’t even understand what she’s saying. 

“Liu Mingyan, why did you tell your Great Uncle to keep everything from your brother when you asked for help?”

“I didn’t want Gege to help me.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want him to be involved. I think it would be better if he stayed far away, away from the Sect, forever. It would be safer.”

Shen Qingqiu just shakes his head and turns his back on her. 

“If Liu Mingyan wishes to leave Cang Qiong she should go now. Otherwise this master will see her back on Qing Jing Peak.”

There’s no good way to coax someone back off the edge after all. They have to choose one way or another, forward or back, down or onwards. Shen Qingqiu made his own choice decades ago and continues to reaffirm it every day that he stays. Everyday he wakes up in the bamboo house and teaches lessons. Every piece of correspondence he answers. Every meeting he attends. Every interaction, small and still significant, that he drags himself through. 

For whatever reason he made that choice, unconsciously most of the time, he still made it. And strangely enough, it’s the first time that he’s ever realised. 

He walks all the way back to the room where Liu Qingge is convalescing, looking to check on matters one last time before retiring to his own peak after all this ruckus. When he returns Mu Qingfang is grinding up a tonic at the table and Yue Qingyuan is talking softly to him. Liu Qingge is pale and looks near death but at least he's conscious. 

“Did you find Mingyan?” He asks from where he’s laid out on the bed, even struggling to sit up slightly. 

Shen Qingqiu didn’t realise that the other even noticed him leaving after his sister earlier. 

“No, she was nowhere on Qiong Ding. It's likely that she may have gone back to Qing Jing Peak.”

“That’s certainly the case.” Yue Qingyuan chimes in, “Liu-shidi, focus on your recovery, Disciple Liu will visit in due course.”

Liu Qingge doesn’t say anything else but his mouth sets into a thin line as Mu Qingfang walks over and encourages him to settle back down and drink the medicine.

Shen Qingqiu judges his being there useless and leaves without a second look back and with no one calling after him. 

*

Shen Qingqiu is in his sleeping robes when there comes a knock on his door. It’s late enough that the whole peak is shadowy and dark. 

He can sense a now familiar qi signature outside and sighs to himself. 

“So you decided to come back?” He asks as he opens the door. 

Liu Mingyan nods, bowing on the doorstep.

“Shen-shifu. This disciple apologises for their lateness.”

“Ming Fan was out looking for you, Disciple Liu should apologise to him.”

“This disciple understands, she will accept any punishment.”

Shen Qingqiu snorts, “Punishment this, punishment that. You don’t receive karmic credit for begging for punishment every chance you can.”

“This disciple understands.”

Shen Qingqiu turns away, “Go back to the disciple dormitories, we’ll deal with matters tomorrow.”

“Shen-shifu-”

“Close the door as you leave.”

Moments later the door does close, but Liu Mingyan hasn’t left. 

“Are you deaf?” He turns, “What are-”

She’s taken off her veil. 

“Shen-shifu, I admire you very much.” She doesn’t sound at all sincere. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Shen Qingqiu points to the door with a hand he refuses to admit is trembling, “Get out.”

Liu Mingyan’s hand goes to the ties of her clothing and undoes them. Her outerobe flutters to the floor. 

“Liu Mingyan.” Shen Qingqiu can’t help his tone, half a warning and half something closer to a plea than he would like, “Stop.”

“Shen Qingqiu.” She determinedly strips off the rest of her disciples’ robes and Shen Qingqiu turns to stare at the wall. 

Of course this isn’t the first time this has happened. Sometimes when he visits the brothel a new girl will try and gain his attention and favour without yet knowing his tastes. In those cases it's easy to dissuade the action gently with no awkwardness. They can even laugh about it and sometimes he’ll leave an extra tip to compensate for what is ultimately a harmless misunderstanding. 

That’s a brothel. This is one of his disciples. The chasm is vast enough to be unbridgeable in his mind. 

“You don’t want me?” Liu Mingyan asks. 

Shen Qingqiu glares at the wall and crosses his arms, “Get out.”

“Shen Qingqiu.” She comes closer and grabs his shoulder, forcibly turning him around, “Would you want any of your female disciples? Please answer me.”

He shakes himself out of her grip. He’s furious, “Do you really have such a low opinion of me?” It's an insulting accusation, that she considers him that kind of ill-bred pervert. Shen Qingqiu is only one of those things and he would still never admit to it. 

And all this after everything he’s done for her? For Liu Mingyan who is so odd and incomprehensible and rude and ignorant and strange and who everyone still insists has no ill intent.

“I’m only trying to understand.” Liu Mingyan looks down at the floor. Without her veil her face is expressive and it's clear she’s on the verge of tears. “Shen-shifu… would you ever kill my brother?”

Shen Qingqiu pushes her away and she collapses onto the ground. “Get out of my house! You should be glad I don’t have you beaten to death for your presumption!”

She stays there, sprawled on the floor, and he doesn’t want to touch her so has no idea how to get rid of her if she doesn’t go on her own. He can’t call anyone to help. He can’t do anything. She has him backed into a corner and he despises it. He could perhaps kill her since no one even knows that she’s returned to Qing Jing. Have her confused and lost after her brothers’ qi deviation. 

Even as he thinks it he knows he won’t. 

“I’m sorry.” Liu Mingyan finally says, head bowed and still splayed out on the ground, “Shen-shifu… I never thought enough about you before. I thought of life as something that needed to be spent like money, a currency to achieve a final aim. But once that aim was over everything crumbled and blew away on the wind. I considered my debts settled and if I died at that moment it would have been fine. But I didn’t die. And now I realise I affected nothing of true significance.”

Shen Qingqiu doesn’t look at her when he speaks. “If you’re having another one of your episodes you can do it somewhere else.”

“In the end you’re guilty of nothing of true significance.” Liu Mingyan says quietly, “You won’t pay for a woman, you won’t even take one who’s offering it freely. You won’t murder my brother. You won’t-” She stops. 

Shen Qingqiu forces himself to stay calm. This is only one small confused girl, lying on the floor in her inner robes. He can control this situation. He can ensure this does not explode in either of their faces. 

“Was this all some elaborate test you felt necessary to perform for your own sake? This master does not exist for your whims. Whatever heart demons Liu Mingyan is carrying around are not this master’s to exorcise.”

“I know. I can only apologise.” 

“If you’re sorry then get out. We won’t speak of this ever again.”

“Yes.” 

Behind him he hears a rustle of fabric and then finally the door closes and she’s gone. 

He breathes out a deep sigh of relief and puts his face in his hands. Liu Mingyan has revealed herself time and time again to be someone willing to throw herself into the fire rather than wait for it to reach and consume her. 

He shouldn’t admire her. He shouldn’t. She’s just been lucky. Lucky that she’s on Qing Jing Peak when she suddenly decided to perform all this nonsense. Lucky that her attitude of choosing her death rather than being killed hasn’t yet led her to an irreversible end. 

Without looking back at the door he goes to his bedroom and doesn’t sleep all night. 

*

Ambushes from fellow members of Cang Qiong have become less routine though not non-existent as the years have passed. Shen Qingqiu remembers having to be on guard for tricks from his so-called martial siblings constantly when he first joined the Sect. 

Now his position is well-established enough that no one can afford to take careless shots at him without substantial evidence. He’s usually good at snuffing out that kind of stupidity when he catches the first scent of it and furthermore their Qing generation knows well enough not to cause scandal amongst themselves so as to lose face in front of outsiders. Or at least that should be the case. Strong emotion is always enough to override logic, Shen Qingqiu knows that well enough for it to be something he always schools himself on. 

Apparently Qi Qingqi hasn’t worked as hard in that respect. 

“For our last order of business.” Yue Qingyuan clears his throat. “Qi-shimei, you have something you wish to say?”

“Yes.” She looks right at Shen Qingqiu, “I am accusing Shen Qingqiu of impropriety with his female disciple, Liu Mingyan.”

Shen Qingqiu rolls his eyes even as his heart begins to rabbit, “This again? Peak Lord Qi should know that this subject has been exhausted entirely, what more does she have to say?”

No one else looks convinced. Even Liu Qingge is frowning, opening his mouth, likely to say some toothless thing about everyone talking too much about his sister. 

Before he can, Qi Qingqi continues, “I would not bring this matter here without proof. I was approached by one of Shen Qingqiu’s own Hallmasters who could not stay silent on the matter any longer. I have invited them here today to give their testimony if the rest of the room would like to hear it.”

Shen Qingqiu grits his teeth behind his fan, “This master would certainly be interested to know which one of his Hallmasters is daring enough to have come up with such an egregious lie.”

Qi Qingqi makes a signal and Shen Qingqiu turns to watch Hallmaster Jing walk in, flanked by a Xian Shu disciple who gives him a sour look. 

“Hallmaster Jing.” Shen Qingqiu sneers behind his paper guard, “This master is… curious to see what you could possibly say.”

He’s going to kill them. When this is all over he’s going to kill them slowly and painfully and he’s going to enjoy it. 

“Yue-zhangmen.” Hallmaster Jing bows to them and then to the rest of the assembled Peak Lords. “This one is grateful to be here and-”

“Get on with it!” Liu Qingge suddenly says, “Whatever you have to say just say it, none of this pageantry!” His eyes are rimmed in shadows and he looks paler since his near fatal qi-deviation. 

He’d come to Qing Jing to see Mingyan since he recovered enough to get up and walk around and they spent that time sitting quietly together in the visitors’ pavilion, rarely speaking. 

Shen Qingqiu wonders if he could possibly know everything his sister does for him. Apologising on his behalf. Begging Shen Qingqiu’s pardon for his rudeness. Binding her soul to his to save his life. How could he ever understand his sister’s devotion? Liu Qingge hasn’t been built for that kind of feeling, it’s readily apparent. 

Hallmaster Jing takes a deep breath, “This master has always thought that the way Disciple Liu and Peak Lord Shen conducted themselves around each other was inappropriate. However, I did not want to make any accusations without substantial proof and was waiting for the right moment to present itself as a result.” Hallmaster Jing moves forward to the table and takes something out of their qiankun pouch. It reveals itself to be a set of Shen Qingqiu’s outer robes that he had sent to the laundry. 

“What is this?” Shen Qingqiu’s asks, entirely incensed. 

“One night Disciple Liu did not come back to the female dorms until very late and when she did she was bleeding badly. This master found blood on Peak Lord Shen’s outrobes that he wore that day, the blood is a match for Disciple Liu’s.”

Shen Qingqiu glares at them, “A disciple’s blood on a robe is hardly enough to make such an accusation.”

There has to be more. This isn’t enough for this whole thing. 

“Peak Lord Shen has also had Disciple Liu pulled out of regular lessons to work alone in his own residence.”

Shen Qingqiu scoffs, “So is this master now disallowed from setting tasks for my disciples? Who dictates the movements of those under my purview on Qing Jing if not me?”

Hallmaster Jing swallows thickly but continues doggedly onwards, “Several nights previously this master observed Liu Mingyan exiting the bamboo house long after dark had fallen. She was not dressed properly and her outerrobe was only half tied. This master had also heard that her veil was found on the floor of Peak Lord Shen’s receiving room the next morning when Disciple Ning attended-”

Shizun, isn’t this Liu-shimei’s? I can return it for her!

“Why the hell were you skulking around spying on Shen Qingqiu’s house?” Liu Qingge suddenly asks, “What proof do you have that my sister really did leave like that?”

“Ah Peak Lord Liu, this master was only concerned because Disciple Liu had not returned to the peak that night. In fact Head Disciple Ming was tasked to look for her but could not find her and as a result-”

“Enough.” Yue Qingyuan cuts them all off, “This is all speculation for such serious accusations, hard proof would need to be produced.”

Qi Qingqi mouth twists, “And now are we really trying to sweep this all aside? Zhangmen-shixiong this is unbelievable! We cannot allow this to pass without investigation! You ask for hard proof but we have an eyewitness right here!”

“No one is trying to ignore this Qi-shimei but this meeting is perhaps not the best venue for-”

“Why don’t we call Disciple Liu here?” Qi Qingqi asks, “And see what she has to say-”

“No!” Shen Qingqiu slams his fan down on the table, “You’ve ruined that girls’ reputation enough! Now you want to drag her out in front of all her martial uncles and aunts and have her answer whether or not she had an inappropriate relationship with me when this master is sitting right here? How dare you pretend it has anything to do with protecting her! You’re all such hypocrites!”

“Qingqiu-shidi-”

Shen Qingqiu ignores him entirely, “This master has nothing more to say.”

There’s a long uncomfortable silence that’s finally broken by a knock on the door. 

“Enter.” Yue Qingyuan calls. 

Qiong Ding’s head disciple comes inside. “Liu Mingyan and Ming Fan of Qing Jing Peak are here.”

There’s an even longer and more awkward pause. 

“If she’s come here of her own will then why not let her speak?” Wei Qingwei suddenly says. 

There’s a murmur of agreement in response that Shen Qingqiu wouldn't be able to make himself heard above and the Head Disciple summarily opens the door to welcome her inside. 

Liu Mingyan looks respectable and straight-backed when she enters in her green Qing Jing robes. Her eyes flit across the table and she nods briefly at Shen Qingqiu as if to somehow reassure him and, ignoring her brother, she speaks. 

“This disciple apologies for interrupting. However she was made aware that accusations were being made against her Shizun and she wishes to come to his defence.” 

Liu Mingyan turns to him and bows, “Thanking Shen-shifu for all the kindness and support he has shown me since I came to his peak.” 

She then turns to Qi Qingqi, “Qi-shigu.” She bows even lower, “I wish to apologise publicly for leaving Xian Shu in the manner I did. There was no wrong done to me on the Peak, I only did not feel as though it were the right place for me any longer. My selfishness and muddle-headedness caused so many problems for everyone and I can only apologise from the bottom of my heart for my poor handling of matters. I am content to stay on Qing Jing Peak and I would beg Qi-shigu to not hold any bitterness in heart, I will accept any blame for everything that has happened.”

There’s another long silence. Mingyan stays bowed, her hair slipping over one shoulder. 

“Mingyan.” Qi Qingqi’s voice has softened. She looks conflicted, staring at her former disciple. 

“This disciple begs Qi-shigu’s forgiveness.”

“If that’s what you truly want then this master will grant it.” Qi Qingqi finally says, voice tight and uncomfortable. But she still said it, how magnanimous. 

Liu Mingyan nods and straightens up. 

“Then Disciple Liu confirms there was no impropriety by Peak Lord Shen?” Mu Qingfang finally asks.

“Yes. This disciple is shocked by Hallmaster Jing’s accusations.”

Shen Qingqiu is exhausted suddenly. Bone deep. All these small everyday fights that have bloomed out of grudges and words not spoken. Look at all the trouble that’s been caused. 

“Enough, this whole spectacle was useless. Can this meeting be called to a close?” He asks, not waiting for a response before getting up. 

He doesn’t bother to look at Hallmaster Jing as he passes, Mingyan falling into step next to him. Ming Fan, who has been waiting outside, is wringing his hands. 

“Shizun!”

“We’re returning to Qing Jing.” Shen Qingqiu marches out, trailed by his two disciples. “You,” He tells Liu Mingyan, “Only keep bringing trouble to my door.”

“This disciple promises to do her utmost to prevent Shizun from facing further difficulties.” She even salutes. What a consummate comedian. 

Shen Qingqiu just snorts at that response and shakes his head. Useless empty words from a living headache. 

“Shizun,” Ming Fan hurries to keep pace with them, “We came over as soon as we heard, Ning-shimei said that she heard from Lim-shixiong that Hallmaster Jing was going to Qiong Ding and that they heard from-”

“You can repeat that whole useless story to me later.” Shen Qingqiu says before boarding Xiu Ya. 

Once back on his Peak he can’t help but glare at Liu Mingyan, “And now this master has to deal with Hallmaster Jing on top of everything else.”

“This disciple apologises.”

“Of course you do.” Shen Qingqiu rubs his temples, “Ming Fan.”

“Yes Shizun?”

“Hallmaster Jing’s belongings need to be cleared out, with such a clear grudge they can’t be permitted to stay.” 

“This disciple understands.” 

Shen Qingqiu pauses and then shakes his head, “Have their belongings delivered to Xian Shu Peak, if Qi-shimei is willing to take responsibility after that performance then that’s her own business. This master is washing their hands of it all.” He then gestures for Liu Mingyan to follow him, “Come.”

She follows. 

“So, has Disciple Liu satisfied her quota for causing problems so far?”

Liu Minyan seriously considers it before nodding. “Yes. This disciple believes so.”

Shen Qingqiu stops walking and turns to her, “Then will Disciple Liu answer this master now when he asks why she chose to transfer to Qing Jing Peak?”

Liu Mingyan pauses, looking away from him for a brief moment before turning back. 

“This disciple had a calamitous dream.”

“This master was not aware Disciple Liu was known to possess a seer’s temperament.”

Liu Mingyan doesn’t respond to the jab, just continues in a slow even voice, “In the dream, this disciple’s brother was murdered and though everyone knew who the murderer was no one was willing to put them on trial. To get her brother justice she allied herself with the Junshang of the demon realms. He helped her get her trial where the crime was admitted. The killer was then imprisoned and slowly tortured to death over several years. In the process of her revenge Cang Qiong was destroyed and the demon and human realms were merged so the world was not a place she could return to once her duty was done. Her life before seeking revenge no longer existed.”

“So what did Liu Mingyan do in her dream?”

“The Demon Lord offered to marry her. She told him the truth, that she had been all used up by her revenge and there was nothing left in her to offer him. He told her he understood her feelings and that if she no longer wished to live for herself then she could do so for him and he would ensure she never felt alone again.”

“And?”

“And he was right. When this disciple married she was one of countless sister-wives in a harem of hundreds, and she found herself too busy and too tired to ever think so deeply again.”

“Is that where the dream ended?”

“Yes.”

“And in your dream was Xian Shu peak destroyed along with the rest of Cang Qiong?”

“The whole Sect was razed in a war between cultivators and demons. Through her search for revenge this disciple facilitated it happening.”

Shen Qingqiu regards the girl before him, her out of sorts temperament and buried fury and wearied docility that has congealed into a character he thinks he can only begin to understand in the context of what she believes she experienced. 

“Dreams do not linger so long after waking, unless perhaps they are a portent sent by the Heavens to assist in avoiding catastrophe.” Shen Qingqiu taps his closed fan against his palm, “As this master has already said, he never knew Disciple Liu had a talent for divination.”

“This disciple does not believe she does. She wishes to never meet a demon lord, for her brother to never pass, for revenge to never be sought. The dream felt so real to her that she only wishes to live in a different world for the rest of her life.”

“Then it’s a simple matter, Disciple Liu needs to make sure she does not consort with demons of any kind. Does that seem like such a hard task?”

“Shizun is right, this disciple will heed his words.”

“Then come.” Shen Qingqiu begins to walk once more, “It’s been a long and terrible day, this master would like a quiet moment with some tea before new disasters can rear their ugly heads.”

“This disciple will brew for you.”

“It’s the least you can do.”

“Yes Shizun.”

“Why did you agree to marry him?” Shen Qingqiu finds him asking, “The Demon Lord from your dream.”

“I loved him. Or I think my attachment stemmed from my belief that he was the only person that could understand me. I had isolated everyone I ever knew in my quest for revenge, no one could have accepted me but that man.”

“Hm. So it’s the case that only by staying with him could you have believed in the validity of your revenge.”

“Shizun?”

“You could only continue to think yourself vindicated if accompanied by the one person who shared your perspective. Time wears most things away, it could have easily been the case that in a hundred years time you began to regret what you had done.”

There’s silence from Liu Mingyan before she nodded, “Perhaps.” Walking through the bamboo grove the shadows of those thin leaves play over her face as the light slowly wanes, “My Ge is the person I care for most in the whole world, if he was murdered I would do anything to bring the perpetrator to justice. Can you understand me?”

Shen Qingqiu doesn’t want to answer so he doesn’t. However, he knows that his silence is as good as the confirmation it really is. To burn the whole world to avenge the memory of a single person… he can only lie if he tells himself he would never be so foolish.

“I certainly wouldn’t understand the impulse to do all that for Liu Qingge of all people.”

Liu Mingyan doesn’t take offence. Instead she actually laughs a beautiful bright sound. It weaves its way through the swaying green stalks between them and ties a ribbon around the setting sun.

“But you would do so for your equivalent?” Liu Mingyan’s eyes curve above her veil.

“This master is wary of answering yes, after all Disciple Liu has said that her favour stems from feeling understood and this master would rather avoid that outcome at all costs.”

Her laugh echoes again, gold and warm and much older than she should be; aged honey wine, not young tea that’s sharp and sour. Can a person really live a whole lifetime in a dream? Shen Qingqiu is loath to think so, it feels like cheating to be able to wake up with a new perspective. 

“Perhaps, to answer Shizun’s earlier question, this disciple begged to enter Qing Jing Peak because she had fallen in love with Peak Lord Shen from afar.” She jests, eyes bright.

“To say such a thing… Disciple Liu is an even stupider girl than this master ever thought.”

“As a great writer once said,” Liu Mingyan continues to walk by his side, tremendously unoffended and still as resplendent and straight-backed as ever in her Qing Jing green and white, “One moment of reconciliation is worth a whole lifetime of friendship.” She smiles at him, “This disciple wishes to learn the truth of that.” 

Shen Qingqiu rolls his eyes, “This master more than disagrees with that sentiment but if this is Disciple Liu’s new life’s purpose how could this teacher argue? And what writer? This master does not believe he recognises the quote." 

"It may not have been written yet."

Shen Qingqiu can only scoff at that ridiculous comment. 

Finally reaching the entrance of the bamboo cottage Liu Mingyan bows, cupping her hands, “Shizun, this disciple has a favour to request.”

Shen Qingqiu can’t help his sigh.

“What now?”

“May we invite Ning-shijie to take tea with us?”

In response Shen Qingqiu’s first thought is rather welcome. It’s the simple sentiment that Liu Mingyan is rather too strange for him to even hope to understand her and unlike his reaction to other unknown quantities he feels no desire to smooth out the crinkled edges of their freshly laundered accords. Thank the Heavens for that. 

“Fine, go and call her here.”

“Yes Shizun.”

When Liu Mingyan turns to walk away the sun catches her hair, haloing her in the edge of golden hour, and Shen Qingqiu can suddenly only see her as a taller, older woman dressed entirely in white with a bright spiritual sword in her hands. 

The waning day bleaches and dyes her clothing so from Qing Jing green to that ghostly bone white she finally looks to be bathed in red; standing on the cliff’s edge of her life as a solitary figure in the hopes that marriage would give her revenge, and therefore her, the longevity that all cultivators should covet.  

“Liu Mingyan.” He finds himself calling out to her. 

When she turns the gold bridal ornaments he’d imagined in her hair dissolve into light. 

“Yes Shizun?”

“Disciple Liu is this masters’ disciple and would naturally require his permission if she sought to leave the peak in order to marry.”

Liu Mingyan catches his intention immediately and her eyes curve above her veil. The trim is still Xian Shu purple; Shen Qingqiu needs to order a new set with Qing Jing green be made for her. 

“This disciple understands.” She salutes one last time and then leaves, steps light on the path as the sun finally begins to duck behind the mountain. 

Shen Qingqiu has the sudden queer sensation that a storm has passed though when he looks up he knows the sky is cloud free and the ground bone dry. Stupid. He shakes his head like he can shake that feeling out of his skull. 

Then he turns and opens the door to his house, steeping inside before closing it softly behind him with a gentle click.