Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Moonlight Pagoda

After letting her note dry, Li Yingshan slipped out of the tent. She used her qinggong to fly away from the camp silently. She dashed across the tops of the trees, making her way west towards Luoyang.

When she was fifty li1 li = 0.31 miles, so 32 li is approx. 10 miles east of Zhengzhou , she turned north. Going another fifty li, she finally came upon a magnificent property.

Looming in front of her was a paifang built from white jade. On the front of it, were three shining gold characters. An eighteen story tall, six-sided pagoda made of white quartz and white marble rose up towards the fluffy white clouds. Behind the stunning frontage were various buildings laid out in a hexagonal shape.

A warm feeling rushed through Li Yingshan's heart. A smile spread across her lips as her eyes read the paifang.

Moonlight Pagoda月光塔 yuèguāng tǎ.

She walked forward, and Qing Gang bowed in respect.

"Greetings, Goddess. Welcome back."

She tipped her head in acknowledgement to him. "General Qing, how are things here?"

"All is well. Goddess, how long will you be staying?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Until the Crown Prince, Chen Kai, is deposed."

Qing Gang bowed further. "Goddess, please."

Li Yingshan followed him under the paifang. The other Bloodmoon Guardians remained in front of it, guarding the Pagoda. The two continued inside the Moonlight Pagoda.

The first floor was spacious and decked out with gold lanterns and creamy white tiled flooring. Gold chairs and tables circled around the room. The one piece of furniture that seemed out of place sat exactly in the center at the opposite end. It was a throne-like chair, with the top of the back curving upwards like a crescent moon. But this throne was made entirely of black jade, setting it apart from the decadent and heavenly-themed design.

Li Yingshan walked forward and climbed the five-step dais. Turning around, she sat down in her black Crescent Throne.

"Call for the Elders, General Qing. I need to have a meeting."

"Yes, Goddess."

He exited the reception room. Now alone, Li Yingshan rested her elbow on the left arm of the throne and held the side of her head with three fingers. Closing her eyes, she sighed.

Now, all I can do is help from here. If I can get the Elders' approval, then I can mobilize Moonlight Pagoda and use the Jade Bell Inns to pass along information to the Ninth Prince.

"Goddess."

She opened her eyes and gaped at the young man before her. After having not seen him in five years, he had really grown up.

"Han Shaolei," she breathed as she sat up straight.

He bowed respectfully. "I'm honored Goddess remembers me."

"I had you work with Qiu Ling and Miao Chuntao a lot. Of course I remember you. What's your position here now?"

"I'm still just a messenger, Goddess."

What have my Elders been doing?! her eyebrow twitched as she thought about it.

"Not anymore," she replied. "From this day forth, you are my personal steward. You will get a stipend increase and will carry out tasks that I ask of you. It'll be mostly information gathering. I need someone I can trust."

He saluted quickly. "Thank you, Goddess. I accept it."

She smiled and motioned for him to straighten. Before they could say anymore, they heard voices outside.

"Who does General Qing think he is?"

"Demanding a meeting at a time like this!"

"Since when were guards more powerful and more influential than Pagoda Elders?" a feminine voice asked.

"Third Elder Bai Henbie白烽火 bái hènbié - given name meaning "Regret Parting" ; comes from Du Fu's poem "Spring View", you're all too right. If Goddess were here, surely she'd manage the Bloodmoon Guardians and Black Phoenixes better!"

The double doors whooshed open. And four people halted in their steps. Their jaws all dropped.

Li Yingshan didn't even blink. A calm, noble, and stoic expression was caked onto her face, hiding her true feelings. She didn't care what they said about her behind her back, but she hated to see others being implicated because of her.

With a cool tone, her voice rang out, "I asked General Qing to summon Pagoda Elders for a meeting. Please do not dishonor a good man's name."

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Qing Gang had once been a normal guard stationed at the front gates in Luoyang. But when trouble befell the capital during her second year there, she had saved him. Despite her protests, he pledged his allegiance to her, his savior. So, she recruited him to Moonlight Pagoda and made him her General of the Bloodmoon Guardians.

The Elders kowtowed. "Forgive us, Goddess. We didn't know you had returned."

Earlier, Miao Chuntao had told them she was still alive, so none were shocked that she was living and breathing in front of them. But her presence scared them.

In Moonlight Pagoda, if one wanted to be appointed as an Elder, they had to withstand attacks from Li Yingshan for an hour. Hence why there were only four Pagoda Elders when there were over five thousand members of Moonlight Pagoda. Li Yingshan's martial arts were too scary!

The four Pagoda Elders shuddered, remembering their own difficulties. A smirk tugged at the corner of Li Yingshan's mouth while Han Shaolei stifled a chuckle.

"It's alright. I called for this meeting because I need the Elder Hall's approval on something."

"What is it?"

She rested both arms on the chair's arms, letting her hands hang off the front. With blazing eyes, she said, "Going to war."

Shock and outrage crossed the four faces. They exploded.

Bai Henbie gasped, "Goddess, you want to bring Moonlight Pagoda into the royals' feud?!"

"How could you even ask this?!" the Second Elder, Si Nian姒淰 sì niǎn - given name meaning "Calm Water" wondered, aghast. He gaped at her.

"Do you want to sacrifice all five thousand disciples of Moonlight Pagoda?!" the First Elder questioned.

The Fourth Elder, shaking his head, proclaimed, "We won't agree to this!"

As the four continued to rant and rave, Li Yingshan rubbed her temples, getting a headache. Han Shaolei walked up beside her and leaned down towards her ear.

"Goddess, did you promise the Ninth Prince Moonlight Pagoda's aid?"

"Only information. I was hoping the Elders would agree to mobilize the disciples. It seems I hoped too much."

The Pagoda Elders bowed to her. "Goddess, please rethink this!"

She sighed. "Very well. I won't mention it again. But I do want information regarding the Crown Prince passed on to the Ninth Prince. Anything relating to the court should be passed along by way of the Jade Bell Inns. Please do not argue with me on this."

"As long as Goddess can keep it low-key, us Elders will not complain," the Fourth Elder, Guan Hu灌虎 guàn hǔ - given name meaning "Tiger" promised.

Li Yingshan nodded. "Han Shaolei will take care of it."

He saluted. "Goddess, I won't fail you."

She smiled. "Good."

"Goddess."

"Yes, First Elder?"

Hong Mengxin红猛心 hóng měngxīn - given name meaning "Brave Heart" bowed. "There's a report from Ten Thousand Ways Restaurant in Longxin City."

Dread suddenly filled Li Yingshan. She could feel the coldness seeping into her bones. Worry creased her brows. Her hands clenched into fists as she gritted her teeth.

"What's happened now? If it's the City Governor, I won't let him off!"

"It's actually your father, Goddess."

Shock replaced the worry. "What?! Quick, tell me what's happened!"

He reported, "As you know, he's the leader of the Jianghu. And since he's not yet aware that you survive the Crown Prince... he's been giving Hero Xu a hard time. It's escalated now to where he even sent your two brothers to Xu Manor to stir up trouble. Under the excuse of a warrant from the City Governor, your brothers confiscated a few family heirlooms from the Xu Manor. They claimed the heirlooms were proof of your treason against the Crown Prince."

Fury flared in Li Yingshan's eyes as she shot to her feet. "HOW DARE THEY!"

Everyone in the room bowed quickly. "Goddess, please calm down."

Her voice boomed as she raged, "CALM DOWN?! CALM DOWN?! THEY EVEN DARE TO TAKE THEIR ANGER OUT ON HERO XU! I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REVEAL MYSELF JUST YET, BUT I WON'T LET THAT DISGRACE GO! SOMEONE GET ME FENG JINGJING!"