Teumessia. This is all about Teumessia.

It was the only thing that made sense to Yuyan in that moment, struggling to collect herself in response to Wubian’s announcement of what her husband, brother, and sister-in-law were accused of.

Xuanlan – her husband – had loved the werefox so much that he’d taken her as a concubine, despite her kind being reviled in the eyes of the Celestial Bureaucracy. When he’d set off, together with Ren and Xini, he had said only that he was going to turn the Pimao Jingzhi’s fortunes around, without sacrificing Teumessia in the process. Although Yuyan had tried to press him for details, he’d been adamant in his refusal to provide any, insisting that it was for her own good that she not know any more.

Now, she had an inkling of what he’d meant.

But even so, for him to have attempted to visit the home of the goddess Eshebala herself...

“Lord Wubian.”

Carnelia’s voice brought Yuyan out of her shock, but only somewhat, still feeling dazed as she turned her eyes toward the redheaded devil.

Fortunately, the brachina wasn’t thrown by the news, her expression calm as she pushed her glasses up her nose. “I hope it won’t be considered rude of me to say so, but has there been no consideration that the three kumiho you named might have been going to Vulgarea for legitimate purposes?”

Lanying cleared her throat softly, the sound suspiciously akin to that of a snicker. “Legitimate purposes? To visit a goddess who attempted to undermine the Mandate of Heaven in such a grotesque manner?”

But Carnelia continued to press the point. “They might very well have gone there to advance the interests of the Celestial Bureaucracy. For instance, if they intended to slay Eshebala-”

Wubian burst out laughing at that, bits of the lychee he’d been eating flying from his lips as he nearly doubled over with mirth. “Ah, Lady Carnelia, I see that your beauty is exceeded only by your wit! Even if Eshebala is a degenerate barbarian goddess, the very idea that a mere six-tails and two five-tails could slay her is truly amusing!”

“My example might have been extreme,” granted the redhead. “But I find it difficult to believe that a clan which has – as you yourself admitted, Lord Wubian – a long history of upstanding conduct, would suddenly see three of its most prominent members commit such an egregious act. Surely it’s more likely that they wished to frustrate Eshebala’s plans or otherwise impede her interests-”

She stopped abruptly as Wubian held up a hand, his mirth finally abating as he turned back to Yuyan.

“Does your clan still count a werefox among your late husband’s concubines?”

Yuyan had practiced for years to perfect her poise, both outwardly and in her thoughts, as the matriarch of the Pimao Jingzhi should. She had maintained an air of refined dignity even when her clan had been forced to abandon their ancestral home. She had kept her composure even after finding out that her beloved husband, her dear brother, and the sister-in-law who had become her best friend had all lost their lives. She had even been able to retain her poise even when meeting the terrifying xianxia who had become their clan’s new lord, never allowing herself to act shamefully in front of him.

But now, she found herself struggling to maintain her decorum.

There were still some topics which could make her heart quaver, and just like when Teumessia – during their brief conversation in the bath – had spoken poorly of Xuanlan, Yuyan found her self-control disintegrating.

Much like how it did now, as she couldn’t stop the shamefaced expression that crossed her features in response to Wubian’s question.

“...yes.”

The wayang shrugged as he looked back at Carnelia. “You see? The very fact that her husband would keep such a monstrous creature as his lover is cause to believe that he was in Eshebala’s thrall, rather than working against her.”

Carnelia’s brows furrowed slightly. “That still isn’t-”

“Furthermore,” added Wubian, “it was also taken into consideration how elusive the Pimao Jingzhi have proven. Almost as though they knew that judgment was coming and wished to avoid it.”

“Only the guilty run,” added Lanying, again hiding her smile behind her sleeve. “Especially when they do so twice.”

“I would have thought the esteemed daughter of a great clan such as yourself would be aware that the Pimao Jingzhi left our home because of pressure from the other noble houses,” retorted Yuyan, trying to recover the initiative.

“Is that the reason?” countered Lanying immediately. “Or is that a convenient excuse?”

Wubian clapped his hands together once, causing Lanying to quiet down immediately.

“My dear guests,” announced the wayang after several seconds of silence, “Let us not speak with sharp tongues and poisoned words. We have not come here to review the judgments against the Pimao Jingzhi, which have been made under the distinguished auspices of those who administrate the courts of His Exalted Magnificence Yen-Wang-Yeh. Rather, we are here to resolve them.”

He waited for a moment, glancing around as if waiting for objections.

When none came, he smiled again, biting into another slice of lychee. “Lady Yuyan,” he announced between bites. “If you wish for the judgment against your kin to be reconsidered, you will have to fill out a new petition asking for a review, though doing so will obviate your current petitions requesting that they be returned to life.”

“If it helps to ease your mind, senior,” cut in Lanying. “There’s no real chance of them being granted resurrection anyway, so you would lose nothing by voiding those requests.”

“However.” Crossing his gangly arms in front of his chest, Wubian furrowed his unibrow as he gave Yuyan a serious look. “Your clan’s debt must be paid in full, immediately.”

Despite the fact that he clearly expected an answer, Yuyan found herself faltering.

She’d come here with the expectation that she’d be able to leverage her family’s name to clear up what had to have been a misunderstanding. Even when Guang had told her that the debt had been leveled against her clan as a result of her submitting those resurrection petitions – declining to say more out of a desire to help her save face – she’d presumed that it had to be some sort of clerical error; all such petitions cost money, but she’d paid the associated fees in full when she’d submitted them.

It had never crossed Yuyan’s mind that the debt was actually the Celestial Bureaucracy demanding recompense for three of the Pimao Jingzhi’s most prominent members having allegedly dishonored their clan.

“I...” she stammered. “That is-”

“Lord Wubian,” cut in Carnelia. “Surely you must agree that it is unreasonable to expect such a large sum to be produced right now. Even Guang, when he relayed your message, did not convey the full amount that the Pimao Jingzhi owed. A little time to raise the necessary funds-”

“-cannot be granted,” interrupted the wayang. “While I can understand that the Pimao Jingzhi’s having twice relocated might have been due to drastic circumstances, that is all the more reason to resolve this matter promptly, before any further delays accumulate.”

Swallowing the last of his lychee, he took a moment to lick the juice from his fingers before continuing. “Of course, I am aware that no one carries that much tael with them. As such, Lady Yuyan shall remain here – with her honor guards, of course – while the lovely Lady Carnelia returns to fetch the necessary sum from the rest of her clan.”

“If you fear returning alone through the wilderness, Guang would be happy to accompany you,” added Lanying, referring to the qilin in a manner akin to how one would talk about a dog. “I trust that being alone with a male who isn’t of your family is something you’re experienced with?”

Carnelia didn’t respond to the barb, instead glancing at Yuyan.

The vixen could read the question in the devil’s gaze, asking if her clan could afford to pay the figure that Wubian had quoted.

Yuyan’s answer was to take a deep breath as she turned her eyes back toward Wubian.

She had no means of giving what was being demanded of her, but at the same time, not paying off the debt was completely out of the question. While Yuyan couldn’t bring herself to believe that the charges against Xuanlan, Ren, and Xini were legitimate, that didn’t matter at the moment; as Wubian had said, judgment had already been passed.

Worse, Yuyan knew that the wayang had been correct in what he’d said before about that judgment being lenient. For three of the most prominent members of a clan to have been found guilty of conspiring with a known enemy of the Mandate of Heaven, it wouldn’t have been unusual for the entire clan to have been declared outlaws, their name stripped from the roster of recognized nobles and their lives and possessions declared forfeit. To be able to retain their clan’s standing with mere money was a gift of extraordinary generosity.

Which meant that being unable to avail herself of that gift, which would most likely result in the Pimao Jingzhi suffering the penalties that they otherwise would have, had to be avoided at all costs. Failing to do so would not only bring down shame on her daughters, on Mei Li, and on all of the other foxes who had put their faith in her, but it would also endanger them.

Worse, it would endanger the xianxia who had so selflessly taken them into his household, since as the new head of the Pimao Jingzhi, he would automatically be declared an enemy of the Celestial Bureaucracy, making him the primary target of its reprisals.

That could not be allowed to happen.

Not under any circumstances.

My lord, please forgive this faithless vixen, moaned Yuyan inwardly, hating herself for what she was about to do despite knowing that she had no other choice. To repay your kindness with betrayal is the greatest shame I have ever known.

Wubian had already mentioned that he traded concubines for money.

In that case, having a six-tails for a concubine would hopefully be enough for him to declare the debt forgiven.

“Lord Wubian,” she began, not having to fake the hesitation in her voice. “Would it be possible to-”

“HEY! THIS MONEY GOOD?!”

Dimly recognizing the voice of the talking horse that had called herself Woodheart, Yuyan cringed internally as she glanced back, an apology for the mare’s embarrassing conduct coming to her lips-

Only for it to die as she saw the diamonds the horse was holding.

Nor was she the only one.

Valor Stronghoof, Shadow Star, and Spinner Talltail were all cradling piles of diamonds in their forelegs...the latter pony sniffling and teary-eyed.

“WE GIVE!” yelled Woodheart in her broken, thickly-accented Tianyu. “WE GIVE YUYAN!”

Blinking several times, Carnelia smirked as she pushed her glasses up again. “My lord, I trust that diamonds are an acceptable source of renumeration?”

Almost drooling at the sight of the sparkling gemstones, Wubian had begun to nod before Carnelia had finished speaking. “Yes! Yes, absolutely!”

Behind him, Lanying frowned. “My husband, the denomination of the Pimao Jingzhi’s debt is in tael for a reason. For all we know, those so-called diamonds are simply pieces of exquisitely-cut pieces of glass that-”

“There’s no need to be so mistrustful, Lanying,” chortled Wubian, still eyeing the diamonds greedily. “I have made a dedicated study of precious stones, and even at a distance I can tell that what those horses are carrying is quite real.”

Standing up, he waved a hand at the chiao guarding the paifang. “Assemble the diamonds!” he called. “Bring them to me!”

Carnelia rose to her feet. “Allow me, Lord Wubian.”

Without waiting for an answer, she strode towards the paifang, and even Yuyan could tell that the redhead was putting an extra sway in her step.

But she was less concerned with that than she was with the horses. Where had they gotten so many diamonds? Why were they giving them to her? Was this why they had insisted on accompanying her to this meeting? But that made no sense, since they weren’t allies of her clan; they were only here at all due to their association with Lex Legis...

Yuyan’s breath suddenly caught in her throat.

My lord, is this your doing?!

It seemed impossible, but the more Yuyan thought about it, the more she realized that there could be no other explanation. After all, she and her daughters had been assigned to distribute spell-imbued diamonds to Lex Legis’ concubines that were guarding the adlet village; that those horses had diamonds of their own could surely be no coincidence.

Her lord’s intervention also answered the question of why those horses had insisted on accompanying her to this meeting. Yuyan hadn’t been able to figure it out at the time; they owed her clan neither allegiance nor favors, so why insist on coming? Now she knew.

The only mystery left was why Lex Legis had seen fit to use such an oblique way of preserving the Pimao Jingzhi’s reputation, rather than being more direct. Unless...

He was allowing us to save face!

The rush of relief, awe, and gratitude that Yuyan felt for her lord in that moment very nearly caused her to double over.

Lex Legis had treated them with the greatest respect from the moment they’d arrived, so of course he’d do the same now. Rather than embarrassing them by taking direct action, which would be an admission that he knew the shameful indictment that had been leveled against the Pimao Jingzhi, he had arranged things so that it could be solved not only without his intervention, but without his having to acknowledge the situation in the first place. All so the foxes he’d taken in wouldn’t embarrass themselves in front of him.

To not only pay such an amount, but to do so in such a considerate manner, sighed Yuyan inwardly. Mei Li, your husband is truly the Pimao Jingzhi’s savior!

It took several moments for Yuyan to calm herself, and by that time Carnelia had returned, having enlisted two of the chiao to help her carry the diamonds.

After piling them in the center of the table and sending the tiger-men back to the paifang, the redhead sat back down, sending a triumphant smirk at Lanying – who was watching the proceedings with a frown – as Wubian set upon the carved and polished gems with a squeal of glee.

Minutes passed as he carefully examined each diamond in turn, putting the ones he’d looked at in a pile apart from the ones he had yet to.

But as time went passed, Yuyan noticed something odd:

The wayang’s smile was diminishing.

In fact, by the time he’d finished looking over the last diamond, he appeared almost mournful, shaking his head.

“I’m sorry,” he said at last. “This isn’t enough.”

Behind him, Lanying once again hid her smile behind her sleeve. “My husband, surely you must have miscounted. Can such a great fortune really be insufficient to pay off senior’s debt?”

His expression solemn, Wubian shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he said again, directing his answer toward Yuyan. “By my estimation, what’s here is only worth one hundred-twenty thousand tael. Of course, if you doubt my judgment, I can have-”

“No, Lord Wubian,” answered Yuyan immediately. “I would never doubt your fairness in this matter. If you say the amount is insufficient, then it must be so.”

The words came easily to her lips, now that she was able to see what her lord’s plan was. After all, he hadn’t only given diamonds to the horses; Carnelia had gemstones of her own. Ones that were imbued with magic personally cast by her lord, which would surely increase their value even more.

Her expression serene, Yuyan turned toward the redhead-

Only to pause as the clinking of coins resounded throughout the pavilion, followed by the voice of Guang.

“Lord Wubian,” he intoned solemnly, picking up the silvery coins, all arranged on a string threaded through the hole in their centers and placing them on the table alongside the diamonds. “Please find here an amount worth forty thousand tael.”

Silence fell as everyone stared at the qilin, stunned.

Lanying recovered first, scowling at Guang. “What do you think you’re doing?!” she hissed. “A mere messenger has no standing to interfere in these matters! Your actions-”

“Forgive me, Lady Wubian, but you misunderstand my actions,” interrupted Guang. “Someone of low rank such as myself would never dream of interfering in the official business of a functionary of the Celestial Bureaucracy.”

“Then-”

But again, the four-tails was cut off by the qilin. “Indeed, it is because I have such incredible respect for the words of my superiors that I stood back and took no action, even while the good people of this region were preyed upon by dark forces. Again and again, I submitted requests asking to intervene on their behalf, but each time I was denied, and so I held back just as I had been told. It is in that spirit that I make no pretense of interference in the business between your husband and the Pimao Jingzhi now.”

Carnelia raised an eyebrow at Guang’s speech, but Yuyan allowed herself a small smile. She’d heard stories of this, low-level agents of the Celestial Bureaucracy who’d become frustrated with how often their hands were tied, and so would try to alleviate their dissatisfaction by coming up with a benign excuse to take action in another area, pushing through something which otherwise would have stalled simply so they could find fulfillment in having accomplished something.

Guang, it seemed, was one such agent.

Lanying narrowed her eyes, her expression dark. “If you’re not interfering, then explain this sum which you have so brazenly brought out.”

A thin smile crossed the qilin’s lips. “Why, I thought it would be obvious: I wish to purchase Chun and Bai.”

Gasps came from the zhizhu nu and the xuenu – the spider-woman and the snow-woman, sitting quietly off to the side – as Wubian frowned. “Who?”

“Your concubines, my lord,” answered Guang flatly. “Based on what Chun was saying to me earlier, those are their actual names, despite what your wife called them.”

This time it was Yuyan’s turn to snicker, watching as Lanying’s face turned red with indignation.

“Of course, as a mere messenger, I cannot estimate their value, so I invite Lord Wubian to subtract it from this sum. The rest of it...”

He paused, looking at Yuyan, and when her only reaction was to smile at him, he continued. “I would ask that the rest of it be donated to wherever he thinks it would do the most good for the Celestial Bureaucracy.”

Yuyan could almost see what Wubian was thinking as he glanced between the string of coins and the two concubines huddled at the edge of the pavilion.

Despite his low rank, he wasn’t fool enough not to understand what was being asked of him. In exchange for applying thirty thousand of Guang’s money toward the Pimao Jingzhi’s debt, he’d be allowed to keep the other ten thousand, turning over two girls he’d already admitted that he didn’t care about anyway to make the entire thing appear acceptable. For someone so taken with worldly desires, the deal had to appear irresistible.

Lanying seemed to be thinking the same thing. “My husband,” she murmured, her voice carrying a warning tone.

But Wubian didn’t seem to hear her, snatching up the coins.

“Well,” he announced, untying the end of the string and sliding off a quarter of the tael, “it would be the height of rudeness for me not to honor the request of such a reliable messenger. Girls, go to your new lord.”

He’d barely finished speaking when Chen and Bao – or rather, Chun and Bai – gave joyous cries, practically flinging themselves at the qilin, nuzzling him shamelessly.

Wubian snorted at the display, but otherwise didn’t seem to care, instead fingering the money he’d just made.

“I suppose this concludes our business here,” he murmured. “Lanying, if you would bring me the scroll detailing the Pimao Jingzhi’s debt? I’m sure that Lady Yuyan wishes to witness me notarize that it has been properly discharged.”

Folding her hands inside of their opposite sleeves, Lanying bowed, a bitter expression on her face. “Of course, my husband.”

That was enough to make Yuyan close her eyes as the last of her stress was alleviated. It’s over, she murmured inwardly. My lord, I swear that upon my return, all the foxes in our clan shall renew our vows to you. The Pimao Jingzhi shall be your faithful servants forever-

But her thought was interrupted as Carnelia gave a sudden gasp of alarm.

Instantly, Yuyan’s eyes snapped open, upon which she immediately saw-

Herself.

Standing next to Wubian – who was gaping in astonishment – was herself, Pimao Biyu Hai Yuyan, six tails twitching as a cruel smile crossed her face.

The sight made her jaw drop. “What is going-”

She stopped speaking abruptly, not recognizing the sound of her own voice. Looking down, she found that her robes were different as well. But it was only when she glanced behind herself, seeing only four tails instead of six, that she understood what had happened.

She had turned into Lanying, which meant that the Yuyan who was now standing next to Wubian-

“The Pimao Jingzhi hereby declares rebellion against the corrupt Celestial Bureaucracy and its cronies!” screamed the other Yuyan, one hand reaching out to snatch Wubian by the throat as the other produced a dagger from within the folds of her robe. “May Lady Eshebala tear the Mandate of Heaven asunder!”

Cursing, Carnelia jumped to her feet, one hand plunging into her cleavage and retrieving a diamond, even as the raised voices of the four mares at the paifang rang through the air, followed by the roars of the chiao. Guang immediately shook himself free of his new concubines, who were recoiling in shock at what was happening, and lowered his horns at the dagger-wielding Yuyan.

But none of them were fast enough to stop her from plunging the blade into Wubian’s chest, unleashing a shower of blood.

Author's Note

With a little help from Guang and Fail Forward, Yuyan is on the verge of paying off her clan’s debt, only for chaos to suddenly erupt!

Has Wubian been slain? What will happen to Yuyan and the Pimao Jingzhi now?