***
It was always difficult to find her sister, Flame noticed, as she rounded the small inn in search of Jiang. The dining room was empty but for a few patrons shovelling late lunch, and the courtyard contained only Wong, who was seated in quiet meditation.
Most likely Jiang was at one of those private libraries, having said something this morning about searching for proof of Li falsely accusing their father. That had been unexpected. Evidently there had been some sort of misunderstanding, of her promise to restore the Lian family honour. Flame had been thinking that killing Li would be the best solution, but it seemed that her sister had books in mind. She passed by the good-luck jade hanging on the wall, to stop in front of a niched statue of Guan Yu. The red-faced general of righteousness stared back at her from the shrine. Flame figured that he would have agreed that Li deserved death for his crimes, among which promise-breaking was now counted. Grant me Li's head, Flame thought silently.
“Offering your prayers to the General, Flame meimei?” Flame turned to see swordsman Xiang enter, dusty tome in one hand, sword in another. She wondered if Xiang had read her ill-intentions towards Li. He smiled lightly.
“I'll take it that you've been praying for some way out of the city.” The guess was close enough. “Did you know Guan Yu was once trapped at Maicheng?”
“Isn't that where the expression 'passing through Maicheng' comes from?” Flame might not have read the sutras as Jiang had, but the history of the Three Kingdoms, replete with its aggrandized historical figures, had been a fascinating read.
“That's correct. Unfortunately, as you know, the esteemed general hadn't passed far enough from the city when he lost his head,” Xiang concluded hastily, “but you'll be getting out safely enough. This is yours now.”
He unfastened the sword from his belt. Flame was astonished as he drew it and handed it to her, hilt first. Even for the fresh chips it had acquired, the blade was still as sharp and alluring as on the day Xiang had taught her to handle it. With a few hesitant cuts, Flame found that she could now appreciate how well-balanced the blade was.
“Why?” Flame meant to ask how the sword would get her and Jiang out of Bianjing, but the gleaming edges of steel took her remaining words. Xiang crossed his arms.
“It will give you safe passage from Bianjing,” he replied.
“What about my sister?” Flame was suddenly worried for Jiang. Had Li found her?
“I'll be staying here.” Her sister appeared behind her. “Xiang has recommended some library records that I might peruse in our efforts to prove that by pursuing us, Li is in the wrong.”
One didn't need library records for that, Flame instantly thought. If Li had been right to cause the deaths of her parents, she would be haunted by some mutilated-for-their-sins ghosts. Instead, she was constantly being bothered, in her sleep, by the last protests and pleas of her unjustly murdered parents. That was proof enough for her.
“You could just tell Li that he's wrong, to his face,” Flame suggested, testily. She was still smarting somewhat from her sister's secrecy. Jiang's face tautened slightly.
“As a matter of fact, I might, if only to keep you from attempted murder.” Flame didn't bother to hide her shock, and guessed that her expression was probably being mirrored in Xiang's astonished face.
“If you did, then I'd really have to go after him; he'd probably kill you before you finished deciding if it was sinful or not to accuse him,” Flame said sharply. Her sister conjured up the strangest ideas. Li would definitely have no trouble hunting down Jiang in the city.
“Please,” interceded Xiang gently, with a wave of his hand, “let's not have disagreements among kin in front of the general of brotherhood.” He guided them all away from Guan Yu's shrine.
“Xiang is suggesting that you travel for Taihe,” said Jiang, ignoring her retort. “They teach swordsmanship at the Taoist temple, and while I really don't condone you learning ways to kill Li, I suspect that leafing through records with me day after day would just encourage you further. That's why you should leave Bianjing now.”
“I don't really agree, Elder Sister.” Flame felt that this wasn't the main reason for her having to go. “What's the real reason?” She watched Jiang bite her lower lip.
“That was it. But I suppose that another might be that Li's watching us. Though it means nothing.”
“What?”
“He would have killed you both a long time ago if it had been his intention to do so,” Xiang told her. “Rather, I believe he's waiting for something. And it's best if you leave before whatever he's waiting for comes to pass.”
“Fine, but what about you?” Flame questioned her sister again.
“I don't think Li will ever leave us both alone, so in that case, you're leaving.” Flame should have expected that of Jiang. But it still made her feel slightly ill.
“You're being dramatic,” Flame accused uncomfortably.
“Not at all. I'm just trying to emphasize that you're getting a chance for a fresh start, and that you should take it.” Her sister paused. “Forget Li. I'll manage the family matters, as the elder should.”
“You'll kill him?”
“No. It shouldn't be necessary.”
“Elder Sister...”
“Please Flame, you're getting an opportunity for a normal life. Take it.” This was too many gifts at once. Flame felt slightly overwhelmed and said nothing. On one hand, she would be running to a remote place, forced by Li again. But on the other, she would be able to take an entirely new identity of her choice, as a woman capable of meeting Li with steel in hand, free to make her decisions apart from Jiang. And her sister was giving her this option to be apart from her.
Careful, a voice warned her. That's similar to the path your sister tried to take, as an independent scholar, and it involved forgoing the family entirely. She felt torn for a total of two seconds, before she remembered that Jiang had adeptly ignored such a voice for seven years, forgetting the past to become a nun in the future. Maybe she could silence the voice too.
“You really should go,” said Wong, appearing as well. Flame wasn't sure, with everyone expressing the same opinion and no misgivings. How did they know that Jiang could manage Li alone?
“What are you going to do with Li?” Flame had to know. “Another deal?” Her sister shook her head.
“It seems I was wrong to trust him,” her sister finally admitted. “Better I concentrate my efforts on procuring the documents to clear the Lian name.”
“And if you can't find any?”
“Well, then it's a good thing you'll be gone,” growled Wong. “We're leaving soon.”
“You're coming?” Flame looked at him in surprise.
“Less suspicious for me to carry the sword until we're past the gates. I'll even go with you to Taihe.”
She had to admit the practicality in the plan. Besides, the road would probably be full of rough characters, and Wong would be welcome company in that regard.
“Are you sure you're not coming, Elder Sister?”
“I'll be more useful here.”
“You could forget Li as well,” said Flame, before she could stop the words. Jiang definitely could, but she wasn't sure about herself. She had to think ahead, though, and Flame pushed the self-doubt from her mind. Jiang shook her head in reply.
“But I thought you were going to be a nun.”
“Only when I've cut all ties with the past.” She regarded Flame seriously. “I won't cut them until you can. 'Remember the family,' isn't that what Ma said? I need to do this, for you.”
“Alright, if we're done discussing the notions of self-sacrifice, let's go,” grated Wong from the doorway. The sky was beginning to redden as evening approached. Inadvertently, Flame recalled her mother bleeding, Jiang wrenching the blade from the dead man on the road, the constables falling under Wong and her sister, and the intervention between Xiang's slash at Wong that had ended with her sister tossing the sword down. Li's expressionless face
loomed throughout all these visions. He had put her and Jiang into every one of these situations. Flame had a sudden vision of Li standing with a crimsoned blade, but this time it was over her bleeding sister.
“I'll remember you too.” Flame rushed at Jiang. Her sister returned the embrace, taut features softening.
“I don't think you've hugged me in years.” Flame had to say it, since it was the truth, though she laughed self-consciously into Jiang's sleeve as she did so.
“Truly? I'm sorry, then.” Her sister returned a smile. “Alright, no more worrying. I'm afraid Master Xiang is finding this tiring, and that we're keeping Brother Wong.” Xiang had retreated to Guan Yu's shrine, staring with crossed arms at the general's statue.
“You've both been keeping me for several days too many,” Wong responded gruffly, “ever since the city gates refused to allow us swift passage to Longhua. I'll be back if you're still set on ordination. If that's what you want.” The last two sentences were said pointedly for her sister.
It seemed that it had been only seconds ago that she had been receiving Xiang's advice for taking care of the blade, and repeating her farewells to Jiang, when Flame found herself passing through Bianjing on a fine red horse to match Wong's. She was again wearing the rich woman's overcoat, and Wong had the helmet and plates. The watchmen had waved them through quickly, without question, when shown the sword.
And now Flame was going to be truly free; her path in life would be her own to decide.