Daughter of Heaven

Chapter 47 - Preparation

Yu Zhu (photo courtesy of Sina Weibo)

Icy water hit him in the face over and over again until Zhu Zhan Ye climbed out of the hazy, alcoholic fog.

"What." He gasped and blinked.

Hua Er stood above him, another bucket of water in her hands, "Get up. Now."

The bucket tipped and the water him face like glass shards. Zhu Zhan Ye shivered and got up. He blinked the water from his eyes.

"Your servant, Bao Lu is dead. And I am truely sorry for that." Hua Er said without preamble, "My friend's been captured by your enemies." She threw the man on the floor a towel, "We have to find a ledger and take it to them."

Zhu Zhan Ye gasped and tried to clear his head. His eyes focused on the words as his mind tried to process what Hua Er said. The light seemed to hurt his eyes and there were daggers of pain that needled him from the base of his skull.

He closed his eyes for a moment. Compartmentalize. He told himself. Calm down and focus. He gathered his qi and began using his energy to clear his mind.

When he opened his eyes the room was not painfully bright anymore. He looked at the bloodstained note. Somewhere deep down, he felt the shattering grief for Bao Lu. They had grown up together, Bao Lu had always been there. It was impossible, he thought numbly, there was no way.

Hua Er saw the grief beginning to overtake Zhu Zhan Ye's mind. She callously poured another bucket of ice water on his face, "Grief later. Worry about the living now."

Zhu Zhan Ye's hand curled into fists. But she was right, it had to wait. The only way he could avenge Bao Lu's murder was if he was cool and calm. He needed to plan.

"I don't know anything about a ledger." Zhu Zhan Ye stood up completely sober, "But I know someone who might."

-----

Zhuo Hao meditated in the bamboo gardens of the great temple, the morning sun shrouded by the mists of the forest.  The monks shuffled around quietly, unwilling to disturb the young man whom their masters treated with respect.

In the immense quiet, Zhuo Hao thought of the hurt in his brother's eyes. It replayed in his mind over and over again. He thought of his family and the multitude of cruelties he and his brothers had endured over the years.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind." An old man looked at him, his dark eyes twinkled against his snow white hair, "The sea of suffering is endless, turn away to regain the path and peace of mind."

Zhuo Hao smiled, "The path to nirvana is long and short but never the same for each seeker, perhaps mine meant to be bitter."

"Or perhaps you are simply blinded by pain. Perhaps... it's as easily as letting go, this sorrow that is making you bitter." The old man said simply, he plucked the leaf from the tree with a hand. He curled the leaf in his palm for a moment before releasing it and letting the breeze carry it away, "All you have to do is open your fingers."

"What if my bitterness makes me stronger?" Zhuo Hao asked the Grand Master, "What if I draw my strength from it?"

The Grand Master looked at him, "Then it is a slow poison. It may give you strength now, but it will be the cause of your death."

The sound of running feet interrupted the two men. "Masters." A young novice huffed, "A man requested an urgent meeting." He looked at Zhuo Hao, "He said to give this to you." There was a bloody piece of ice jade on the boy's palm. Zhuo Hao leaped up and grabbed it, there was no doubt, this was Zhu Zhan Ye's family crest, only the servants of the Imperial Prince could wear this.