It was decided after having their fill of refreshments that they would head to their own buildings, change into something more suitable for dinner, and meet back up at the dining hall.

Wu Meiying walked alongside Hou Jingshu. The young princess had her own housing unit, but it was closer to Wu Meiying’s residence than Wu Jian’s. It still looked the same as every other building though, with a slanted roof, dragon statues on either end, and columns holding up the extended ceiling.

Dragons were deeply rooted symbols of Shang Kingdom culture and were long associated with the Emperor. The imperial throne was even called the dragon seat and the emperor’s ceremonial robes were called dragon robes.

There was a story from long ago that said the Shang Kingdom was founded by a great dragon named Huanglong. Before ascending to heaven, he appointed a man with the surname Hou to be his successor by allowing the human to drink his blood and gain the strength of a dragon. Thus the Hou Family line had been born.

Whether this story was historically accurate or not was unknown since, if it had truly happened, it would have been thousands of years ago.

Either way, since the Shang Kingdom worshipped the dragon Huanglong, many clans, families, and sects decorated their compounds with dragon statues.

“Do you think I’ll be allowed to participate in the tournament?” asked Hou Jingshu.

Wu Meiying pursed her lips for a moment. “Perhaps… if you ask, but I don’t know. Uncle Yōushì is pretty strict when it comes to propriety and tradition. Since you’re the princess of our nation, I’m not sure he’d let you take part in a dangerous tournament that you might result in you getting injured.”

“Oh… that is true.”

Hou Jingshu’s shoulders slumped. Feeling bad for the girl, Wu Meiying smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“That said, if you train hard and prove that you’re strong enough to compete, I’m sure we can convince him. Worse comes to worst, we can ask Aunty Àiliàn for help. She’s always been good at making Uncle see reason.”

“So there’s a chance I might be able to participate?” asked Hou Jingshu.

“Possibly. Yes.”

That seemed to be enough to satisfy her. With a smile back on her face, she followed Wu Meiying as they walked down the path to their respective buildings.

However, about halfway there, someone stepped in front of the pair. He had short black hair, dark eyes, and a slim build. His body was adorned with the standard white hanfu of a Wu clansman branch member. It took Wu Meiying a moment to put a name to his face. She was not very good at remembering people she had no interest in.

“Wu Ming, can I help you with something?”

Once upon a time, Wu Ming had been one of Wu Yong’s flunkies. He followed Wu Jian’s older half-brother like an obedient dog, did everything the other boy bade of him, and often picked on Wu Jian. That was probably the only reason Wu Meiying recalled his name. She was good at remembering the names of people who hurt her Wu Jian.

She was also good at holding a grudge.

“The clan head and elders are calling for you,” he said.

Wu Meiying furrowed her brow. “Just me?”

“Just you,” he said with a nod.

Something didn’t feel right about this. She was never summoned by herself. At the same time, she could not disobey a direct summons from the clan head or elders. Now would have been a great time for her prophetic visions to kick in. It was too bad the heavens didn’t hear her plea.

She turned to Hou Jingshu and smiled. “Why don’t you go on ahead? Tell Wu Jian I’ll meet up with you two soon.”

“Um. Okay.”

Perhaps Hou Jingshu sensed the tension in Wu Meiying’s voice. She swallowed once and nodded.

Wu Meiying turned to Wu Ming. “I’ll meet with the family heads now. Lead me to them.”

“Follow me.”

Leaving Hou Jingshu to watch them, Wu Meiying trailed behind Wu Ming and carefully watched where he was leading her. However, it turned out the place where she was being led was actually the meeting hall. She would have sighed of relief, but the moment she walked inside, the door slammed shut behind her.

The room was darker than normal. Several sky lanterns drifted through the air to illuminate the interior, but it was not enough to show everything, and dark shadows stretched from the columns lining the room. Standing at the end of the hall were two people. Both of them were old, with gray hair and wrinkles lining their faces. She recognized Wu Wei and Wu Nin, the first and second elders of the Wu Clan.

They were two people she secretly detested.

“I was told the clan head and elders needed to speak with me, but it is just you two. What is the meaning of this?” asked Wu Meiying, furrowing her brow.

Elder Wu Wei smiled, though she couldn't say it was a pleasant expression. Something about it made her skin crawl.

“Do not be like that, Mei’er,” Elder Wu Wei said in a grandfatherly voice. “We are all members of the Wu Clan, are we not? We just wished to speak with you.”

Using the clan head’s authority to summon her was against clan laws, and they had to know that. No one except the clan head could summon a member of the clan except in emergency situations. A sense of foreboding filled her. However, she strode boldly forward despite that. She could do nothing else, and she knew they would not harm her. Her foresight was too valuable.

“You are not allowed to call me Mei’er,” she said coldly. “The only people who can call me that are Jian and Aunty Àiliàn.”

Wu Wei’s right eyebrow twitched as a vein throbbed on his forehead, but he took a deep breath to keep his composure and smiled like a grandfather might when looking at his disobedient granddaughter. She realized that was why she didn’t like his smile. Wu Wei was not the type to smile like that for no reason.

He wanted something.

“I had not realized calling you by your name was a right only a select few were allowed. I’ll remember that in the future,” he said.

“See that you do. Now, what is this about? Why have you summoned me?” asked Wu Meiying.

“Can you not guess?” Elder Wu Wei spread his arms wide. Despite being an older man in his nineties, he stood with his back straight and bearing strong. “I want you to use that special power of yours to predict the future for me.”

Wu Meiying sighed. “I had already guessed as much.” She gave him a cold look. “I’ve told you this before, but my powers do not activate at will. I have no control over what I see or when I see it.”

“Surely, you are just saying that because you do not want the clan head to abuse your abilities,” Elder Wu Wei said. “It is okay. I understand why you would lie about this. If it became known that you could look into the future at will, Wu Yōushì would surely abuse your powers to his heart’s content. However, you do not need to worry about that happening with me. I only want to know one thing.”

Whenever people were presented with a unique power, they would always covet it. Wu Meiying had feared this would happen when her ability to predict the future came out. Had it not been for the fact that the future she had seen if she had done nothing ended with her being forced to marry Ming Shen, she would have never revealed her abilities to the Wu Clan.

“Unfortunately for you, I am not lying,” Wu Meiying declared. “My powers are not controllable. The visions come and go at random. If I could predict the future at will, I would have already used that power to help Jian become clan head. Elder Wei, you are wasting your time here.”

Wu Meiying felt a small thrill race through her spine when a dark expression appeared over Wu Wei’s face. She knew that look. It was the expression of the unresigned. Wu Wei was not going to give up no matter what she said, and if she didn’t do what he wanted soon, he might try something drastic.

Unfortunately, Wu Meiying was telling the truth. She could not control her power. Perhaps that was because she was only at the Body Forging Realm. Without the ability to control her chi, she could not use any techniques. She herself did not even understand how she could see into the future the way she did. It was simply a unique ability that she had been born with.

“Girl, I know you are lying to me.” Elder Wu Wei said in a dark tone as shadows from the floating lanterns created a stark contrast with the white skin of his face. “I suggest you cooperate willingly. It would be in your best interest.”

Wu Meiying narrowed her eyes. “Are you threatening me?”

“Threatening? I am merely stating a fact. You are still just a child, so you do not understand how this world works. You might be valuable now, but once you come of age, your only true value will be as a bride. Wu Yōushì will marry you off to a branch member so he can tie you to the clan. Meanwhile, your beloved Wu Jian will marry Princess Hou Jingshu. Surely, you don’t want that? Help me become the clan head, and I will make sure you and Wu Jian remain together forever.”

Enticing words, but Wu Meiying was not one to believe someone who used trickery to try and convince her to do something she couldn’t even do in the first place. It was clear what would happen if she helped him become clan head. He would marry her off to his grandson and banish or kill Wu Jian. Keeping the previous heir around was much too dangerous.

As if to further reinforce her own thoughts, a vision appeared in her mind. She was dressed in a resplendent wedding gown, but her eyes were blank, her expression downtrodden, and standing beside her was not the one she loved. Wu Meiying blinked several times as the vision vanished like whisps of smoke.

I’m sure Jian and Jingshu will realize what’s happening soon. I need to buy enough time for them to get here with Uncle.

Wu Meiying knew Wu Wei would never believe her words no matter how many times she tried to tell him. People who coveted another’s power only ever believed what they wanted to believe. The only thing she could do now was stall for time, so Wu Jian and Hou Jingshu could bring the clan head here.

She didn’t want to think about what would happen if they didn’t arrive in time.

***

Wu Jian had changed into a more traditional hanfu instead of the lighter version he had been wearing. The white hanfu had silver designs curving along the surface, forming the shape of a dragon coiling around a cherry blossom.

He stood before the dining hall, waiting for Wu Meiying and Hou Jingshu to arrive. Several people bowed as they passed him. He returned their bows with a respectful nod, but most of his attention was focused on searching for the two girls.

Hou Jingshu soon came up to him. He was about to greet her when he noticed the worried expression on her face.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“I don’t know. The clan head and elders called for Wu Meiying. I suppose… it is nothing serious, but I can’t help but feel a little worried. Something doesn’t feel right,” Hou Jingshu admitted.

The clan head and elders?

Wu Jian looked back in the dining hall. Sitting at the long table in the back was Elder Wu Jinsu. Neither his father, mother, nor his father’s second wife were present, and the other two elders were also missing.

His lips formed a thin line as he turned back to Hou Jingshu. “Let’s go find Mother. I’m sure she’ll know what’s going on.”

Hou Jingshu didn’t say anything as she followed Wu Jian across the walkways leading to the hospital wing. He entered the building, walked to where his mother usually worked, and opened the door to find Wu Shaolin, Mother, Wu Taohua, and Father all located inside. Blood leaked down Father’s back as he was being tended to by Mother and Wu Shaolin. It looked like he had been scratched by a powerful magical beast.

“Jian? Jing’er? What are you two doing here?” asked Mother when she saw them.

Wu Jian didn’t answer her as he stared at his dad. “You… did not call for Wu Meiying, did you, Father?”

His father furrowed his brow at the strange question, but he responded with a nod. “I have not. I just got back from the West Fang Mountain and have been here since the moment I returned. As you can see, I was injured during a fight with a magical beast.”

Wu Jian felt something well up in the pit of his stomach as he realized who was most likely responsible for Wu Meiying’s summons. He quickly informed his father about what Hou Jingshu had witnessed. Father, Mother, and Wu Taohua all looked furious when they heard about it.

“It seems that old man is getting more desperate.” Father stood up. “I guess it is time I put him back in his place.”

“Dear, don’t move so quickly. You might injure yourself further. And let us at least bandage you up before you deal with Wu Wei,” Mother said.

Wu Jian wanted to argue that they could fix Father’s wounds later, but he understood that wouldn’t fly. He moved back to lean against the wall and waited for his mother to patch up his father’s wounds. Hou Jingshu nervously waited beside him, wringing her hands together. Meanwhile, Mother and Wu Shaolin finished applying the healing salve and wrapped Father’s torso in bandages. Once that was done, Father stood up, threw on his hanfu, though he left the chest open, and turned to Hou Jingshu.

“Do you know where Wu Meiying was being led to?”

Hou Jingshu shook her head, then paused. “Oh. She was being led in the direction of that large building.”

“The meeting hall,” Father growled in a voice like distant thunder.

Without waiting for anyone else, Father stormed out of the hospital. Wu Jian and the others scrambled to catch up and follow him. They fell into line behind the clan head as he led them to the meeting hall.

The doors were closed when they arrived. Two people were guarding the entrance, and they appeared startled when Father and everyone else arrived, though that did not stop them from bowing.

“Lord Yōushì, we were not expecting you back so soon. How was West Fang Mountain. Did you find any more rare and valuable ingredients?” asked one of them.

“Step aside,” Father ordered, narrowing his eyes.

“Um. My lord, please listen. This… we were told by Elder Wei to not let anyone inside. He has private business to attend to…”

“Are you saying the orders of a mere clan elder mean more to you than mine?”

Father’s words made the two guards panic. Their faces drained of blood and their bodies shook like leaves in the wind.

“N-no! It’s just…”

“I will only say this one more time. Move aside. Now.”

Wu Jian had always been intimidated by his father’s commanding presence, but now he was glad for it. The two guards had no choice but to step out of the way. Father didn’t hesitate to walk forward, press his hands against the door, and push. The door was locked. While this did cause him to frown, Father simply exerted even more strength. With a loud cracking sound, the lock on the other side broke, the doors were forced apart, and Father strode inside with everyone else behind him.

What Wu Jian found inside the meeting hall caused his blood to surge. Elder Wu Wei and Elder Wu Nin had cornered Wu Meiying. It was hard to tell what was happening, but it was clear they were trying to coerce her through intimidation. Beside him, Hou Jingshu held a hand to her mouth and gasped at the sight.

The two elders stood frozen under Father’s intimidating glare, which all but said one wrong move would result in dire consequences. However, like anyone who had nearly a century of experience under his belt, Elder Wu Wei was able to recover swiftly and smiled at Father.

“Lord Yōushì, you are back earlier than expected. Were their problems in West Fang Mountain?” he asked.

“None that you need to worry about,” Father said coldly. “What is going on here?”

“Nothing much. Nothing much. I merely wished to speak with Wu Meiying for a bit.”

Elder Wu Wei placed a hand on Wu Meiying’s head as though to ruffle her hair, but Wu Meiying pushed it off.

“He was trying to force me to use my power, even though I don’t have any control over it,” Wu Meiying said. While she spoke out of turn, her unique status among the clan gave her some leeway in situations like this, and she was the victim here.

“Is that so?” Father narrowed his eyes at Elder Wu Wei. “Care to explain yourself, elder? I would love to hear why you tried to force Wu Meiying to use a power we have already determined she can’t control.”

“What proof do you have that I tried to make her do such? I simply wanted to speak with her,” Elder Wu Wei said, his countenance finally cracking.

“I see. Well, now that you have spoken with her, you may leave. I also do not want to see you speaking to her ever again. You are to keep yourself far away from Wu Meiying. Do I make myself clear?” asked Father.

Elder Wu Wei wore an ugly expression, but he swallowed whatever he wanted to say, bowed once, and said, “Yes, Lord Yōushì,” before quietly leaving. Elder Wu Nin remained for a few seconds longer before he followed suit. Wu Jian watched warily as they walked past him and out the door. He didn’t know what those two wanted, but he had a feeling this would not be the last time they tried something.