.
The trip lasted for five days.
That was a whole two days shorter than usual, but in that short time, LanFen didn't lack ways to seek Shuǐ ChénLín's trouble...
It was even worse than the trip to Bronze City!
The boat was a lot smaller, so she only needed to come out of the boat shelter, to set her eyes on him.
"Elder brother, I fear that even when you're at the brink of death, you will still try to drink these teas at dawn!" She had teased him the very next morning. "Does your name have something to do with this?!"
Everyday LanFen found some new way to approach and disturb his peace.
Lu FengHo, who was somewhat used to both of them, had taken to sitting atop the boat shelter, and this left enough space for Shuǐ Chén to chase LanFeng around the boat!
On Shuǐ ChénLín's part, he ignored LanFen as much as possible, especially since he had an idea why Zhao LanFeng was bothering him.
But there were still a few times where his patience was severely tested...
"So Fènghuáng-Jun, I'm guessing you've not once kissed a Lady, right?" LanFen once began, and Shuǐ ChénLín's face darkened at once.
"Th- this irreverent, unruly fellow!" He reprimanded, but he was obviously flustered!
"Ha! I was right?" LanFen blanched at his flustered expression. "Do you just talk endlessly with Miss Lin?! Is it really only cultivation you've learned so far?!"
After which he proceeded to shoot his needles at her, forcing her to dock out of sight...
But that had been nothing compared to one particular instance, which had nearly made Shuǐ ChénLín sink the boat.
It had been a quiet evening.
The evening before they were set to reach Camellia City.
Lu FengHo played his bamboo flute softly, atop the boat shelter, so the air was filled with music and the calming sounds of water, shifted around by the Rower.
"Fènghuáng-Jun?" LanFen had found Shuǐ ChénLín as he was lightly meditating inside the shelter.
"What?" he asked, not even bothering to open his eyes. It was already suspicious that Zhao LanFeng had addressed him as 'Fènghuáng-Jun'.
"This disciple wanted to seek your wisdom... Is there a place in Jade City where a young, growing cultivator like myself can go and receive Enlightenment?" LanFen struggled to keep a straight face. "Somewhere I can learn and possibly discover new secrets in life?"
Shuǐ ChénLín cracked an eye open. "Oh? Are you finally displaying a desire to change?" he shut his eyes again.
"Hao. Start with the Shuǐ clan library. It is such a place. In fact, people journey from the four regions, just to study the many historical manuals and ancient dated text it contai--."
"My my, Fènghuáng-Jun is far too innocent!" LanFen cut him off and was kneading her brows.
"I wasn't referring to boring places like that! Elder brother Shuǐ, I meant, is there a good *Flower House in Jade city? Will you take me there next time?"
*Flower House- Courtesan house/Brothel.
LanFen hadn't stepped into flower house in years, but she knew it was the ultimate way to annoy Shuǐ ChénLín!
"Wh- what?!" Shuǐ ChénLín's eyes had shot open. He first turned pale white, then almost purple, then an angry red, all in the blink of an eye.
"Why do you have that expression?" LanFen innocently asked, privately enjoying his reaction.
"Don't you think being surrounded by good wine and beautiful women, will 'enlighten' men the most? I hear one might even learn up to three or four different types of 'cultivation' in one night!"
"YOU FOUL-MOUTHED LITTLE -!"
"Elder brother Chén, calm down, calm down! You might break a vein if you're like this! Think about your meridians..."
LanFen wasn't sure if it was because she had dared to call him 'Elder brother Chén', after using the same mouth to discuss something so improper, but Shuǐ ChénLín had was now extremely angry.
He suddenly unleashed his aura, and the boat began to rock violently, causing the Rower to gasp, and start trying to steady the boat.
Waves were rising on all sides of the boat, and its wooden structure creaked dangerously, which made LanFen remember that Shuǐ ChénLín was quite strong, and that his core essence was water, which surrounded the boat for miles and miles.
'Not good! I think I pushed him too far!' LanFen turned serious at once, and she dropped to her knees without thinking.
"Fènghuáng-Jun. Sorry. Please let go of your anger. I don't think the boat can handle much further.
"Elder brother Lu and the Rower are also on this boat. I apologize for crossing your bottom line."
"Zhao LanFeng, you--!" Shuǐ ChénLín's aura had died down before her knees had even touched the floor.
He sighed. "You think for someone like you, I would ever dream of endangering Lu Xian, or an innocent rower?"
"Er... Ehehe, Sorry." LanFen cupped her hands and bowed.
Shuǐ ChénLín was silent for a short while, before speaking. "Get up! It annoys me further whenever you kneel like this! It contains more mockery than sincerity.
"You kneel so easily just to get your way, that I fear I might no longer be moved by anyone who falls to their knees!"
He turned. "Don't come out of here until tomorrow!" Then he flung his sleeves and stormed out to go and check on the situation of things.
LanFen watched him go before releasing a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
She got up after a while, then settled on one of the benches.
After that fiasco, she was more than ready for wine, so she brought out her wine gourd, not hesitating to drink a satisfying amount of the wine from it.
"Tch! Elder brother. I actually meant it this time..."
.
Outside the shelter, a gentle breeze ruffled Shuǐ ChénLín's cloak as he stared across the calm waters. The moon was out, bathing everything in a soft light, making his face appear even paler than usual.
He had apologized to Lu Xian and the Rower for the earlier burst of energy that had threatened the boat, but Lu FengHo had just grinned.
"I suspected something like these might happen, since this boat is quite small, so I reinforced it with a shield technique. You're strong, but even you can't break it, unless you're being deliberate." Lu FengHo shook his head.
"Calm yourself... Younger brother is just acting out, since we're returning to Camellia city." He said, as he turned to leave. "I actually wish he would turn some of his frustrations to me as well, but he doesn't."
Lu FengHo headed into the shelter to cheer Zhao LanFeng up, leaving Shuǐ ChénLín alone, and Shuǐ ChénLín now stood at the edge of the boat, watching the bright night sky, and the dark calm waters.
The entire setting, including the fact that he stood here like this, reminded him about his conversation with Elder Wang...
"What is Zhao LanFeng to you...?"
Shuǐ ChénLín tilted his head back slightly and drank from his own small flask of wine.
After the earlier annoyance with Zhao LanFeng, wine was a welcome, calming element he couldn't refuse, and for the first time in years, he didn't bother to remove the intoxicating elements in the wine.
Zhao LanFeng!
The mere thought of the name made him glower into the night sky, with such furious intensity, that the night immortal was probably wondering if he had offended him in some way!
'People of different moral convictions, can't get along.' He was reminded of this saying a lot recently, whenever Zhao LanFeng was up to his antics.
But he couldn't deny that what really bothered him, was something different.
Shuǐ ChénLín sighed, then drank a bit more wine.
What bothered him the most was his own reaction, just before Zhao LanFeng had dropped to his knees...
He remembered getting angrier than he had ever been, but one expression on Zhao LanFeng's face had made all his anger nearly vanish.
That look...
It had been clear that for once, Zhao LanFeng had really felt sorry for what he had done, which had made him realize that Zhao LanFeng's kneeling was not an empty gesture this time.
But the sight of him kneeling there had still annoyed him for some reason.
'What is Zhao LanFeng to you...?' Healer Wang's question repeated itself in his head.
"Tsk!" Shuǐ ChénLín put the wine away, then turned.
They would be arriving at Camellia City soon, and he had too many things to think about, without the added puzzle that was Zhao LanFeng!
.
.
The ports of Camellia City were crowded...
Incredibly so!
The first thing most people usually noticed in Camellia City was a crowd of people, at the beautiful arrangement of buildings by the docks, which was called the Red Pavilion.
The Red Pavilion was a collection of inns, restaurants, tea houses, a grand opera house, a drama and a poetry pavilion. There were also two flower houses, a gambling house, a pill pavilion, which sold some of the best pills one could find, and even a herb garden, with the best healers in Camellia City.
Another thing that made the Red Pavillion special was that every single wall, pillar, door frame and sometimes, even signposts, bore one popular line of poetry, or sometimes, popular paintings.
There was even a plain wall within, where scholars, mostly a little drunk from the popular taverns inside, could go and compose rather useless, colourful, and sometimes crude bits of poetry, for a small fee. Of course, the wall was painted over every three days, for fresh use.
But on this dank morning, the crowd wasn't at the Red Pavillion, but at the docks instead!
A lot of the people seemed to be trying to leave Camellia City, and if the dark circles under their eyes were any indication, they had been trying to do so for days on end.
"When will you give us a boat?!" One dishevelled man asked, waving his fist in the air.
"When will a vessel be available?!" Another.
"We've been here for days!!"
LanFen, Shuǐ ChénLín and Lu FengHo looked at each other, then cautiously walked through the crowd, which wasn't difficult despite the sheer number of people.
This was because most parted way for them automatically, their distrust, clear on their haggard features.
Before they had gotten far, LanFen leaned up to Shuǐ ChénLín. "Elder brother Shuǐ, I'm going to fish around for information..." She nodded toward the city.
"Let's meet at the place we all first met, in two hours." Of course, she was talking about the 'Tea Haven', where they had captured her, and they knew that.
"I'll come with you." Lu FengHo offered, but she shook her head and gestured toward the Red pavilion.
"Elder brother Lu, I'm almost certain someone as straight-laced as Elder brother Shuǐ, didn't even allow you experience the joys of Camellia City last time. Why don't both of you spend your two hours in there?"
And with that, she headed back toward the crowd.
Lu FengHo sighed. "It must be difficult for Younger brother to be back here as well."
"Uhm." Shuǐ ChénLín watched his disciple disappear into the crowd.
Camellia City was where everything had begun for Zhao LanFeng.
And where everything had eventually ended...
"Let's go." Shuǐ ChénLín said, heading towards the Red pavilion, and Lu FengHo followed him.
.
Meanwhile, LanFen had moved quite a distance from the docks and settled herself under a large tree, with brilliantly coloured leaves around.
Rather than admire the dashing landscape, LanFen shut her eyes and danced within her own thoughts...
But she didn't take too long to dwell on them this time, and she remembered how Shuǐ ChénLín had followed her in Bronze City.
Her eyes shot open at the thought of him, and she shot to her feet.
'I don't have time to sit and mope! It's bad enough that those two have likely followed me into danger again!'
And besides, she was worried about her grand uncle.
LanFen brought out two of the black and gold talismans, and summoned two of her demons. Tang and Lady Mei.
"Master! You brought me out again so soon!" Tang bowed happily.
"Master." Lady Mei bowed gracefully, and as her beautiful robes settled around her, Tang eyed her appreciatively.
"Master, are marriages allowed in your spirit realm?" Tang asked. "I've indicated my desire to wed Lady Mei!"
"Tch! Going about dressed like a riff-raff! Opening your mouth here and there, to talk about being a 'Manly man'!" Lady Mei instantly complained. "How can you dare to propose marriage?!"
"I'm telling you, Beautiful Lady Mei, this is the way for the ultimate man!" Tang folded his arms proudly, but Lady Mei scoffed.
"I'm telling you, 'Unruly Tang', it's unsightly!"
Despite her own mood, LanFen found herself laughing at their bickering. Especially when Lady Mei had said, 'Unsightly,' in a tone that reminded her of Shuǐ ChénLín!
"Enough!" LanFen raised a hand when it seemed like there would be no end to it. She turned to Tang with a mischievous wink. "Marriage is allowed anywhere-,"
"Master!" Lady Mei began protesting, but LanFen held up her hand again and continued.
"-but 'success depends on effort'. Marrying the person of your choice, also depends on you. Lady Mei doesn't like your appearance. Is changing it so hard?"
Tang, "But Master-!"
"Forget it!" LanFen raised yet another hand. "The matter is between you two. I won't get involved." She stood up. "I want you two to stay here. Lady Mei, please send your bugs into the city to find out what you can about what's going on here. Tang, stay here and protect her."
Tang, "It is what a Manly man should do!"
LanFen, "Ehehe, sure, sure. I'm leaving now. I should at least find out why people are trying to leave."
.