He dreamt of red. Vermilion, crimson, scarlet hues. Even the ash that fluttered down from the red skies bore a bloody tinge. Red was the sun and the moon. Red was the blood that dripped down and pooled. Red were the trees and the palace dressed in roaring flames. Red were the eyes that looked down upon him. A sheer wedding veil, red silk.
"Yuan Zhang," someone called him and when he tried to respond he couldn't because there was just red, red, red. Blankets and armor, bricks weighing him down, all red.
When Yuan Xuelan woke he was alone, with only the throb of his head to keep him company. There was some tea and medicine left for him on the desk and he took them without question. It took a moment before the memories came back to him, and a moment more to realize that some memories didn't.
Yuan Xuelan blanched, realizing that Liu Sumeng was probably the one to carry him back to bed. His sword and belt rested next to his bed with his shoes. Embarrassment crept up his neck to his cheeks.
Ah, ah! Did Liu Sumeng tend to him last night? Hopelessly, he prayed it was Chen Anyue instead.
The medicine was slowly kicking in, erasing the blinding throb from his mind. Speaking of which, where was that Liu Sumeng anyways? There was no way they could have shared a bed right?! Did the Second Young Master Liu just…sleep on the floor? That didn't seem right.
There was no way he could have gone to see his Shijie after, right!?
Yuan Xuelan bolted to his feet and broke through the door, "Shijie!" he called.
Two people standing in the hall both turned their heads to look at him, Liu Sumeng who looked as statuesque as always and Chen Anyue who gave him a disapproving look. "A-Zhang? Why are you being so loud this early in the morning?"
"Sorry, I just-" Yuan Xuelan stopped mid-sentence and saw how close those two were standing and his visage turned pale, "What are you two doing?"
Chen Anyue smiled, "Liu-ge and I were investigating something curious about the inn."
"I see-" Yuan Xuelan paused mid-sentence. Did he hear right? Did he really hear what he thought he heard? "Wait, wait, wait!" he cried in both rage and horror, "who the heck is Liu-ge supposed to be?"
Chen Anyue furrowed her brows farther, "A-Zhang. Please, some people are still sleeping."
This entire time, that bastard Liu Sumeng was just standing there and watching, didn't he have something to say? Was this guy really a shameless person after all?
His Shijie sighed and explained, "Liu-ge told me it would be awkward if we keep addressing each other so formally. After all, we are to be married."
Liu Sumeng nodded.
What!? How the heck was Yuan Xuelan supposed to accept this shitty excuse? Or did he have to wash his ears with soap each time his poor Shijie called out for her future husband? He wanted to cry but he couldn't so he glared at the offender instead. "I won't forgive you," were the words mouthed on his lips.
If Liu Sumeng thought anything of this, he made no show of it. The damned arrogant prick. Just you wait, this Yuan Xuelan will soon crack that haughty exterior of yours and make you apologize for looking so annoying.
"Whatever it is that you're scheming, it's ok if you give up now, A-Zhang," Chen Anyue's sweet smile was almost sinister and prevented Yuan Xuelan from saying anything farther. "Don't you want to hear about what we've found out?"
The question piqued his interest. Although he wasn't going to easily forget about Liu Sumeng's transgressions, he asked them, "What did you find?"
It was then when Liu Sumeng finally spoke, "Half these rooms are empty."
"What?"
"Yes, actually I didn't think much about it until Liu-ge mentioned it to me. Although the innkeeper told us the rooms were full, it'd been awfully quiet since we came here."
Liu Sumeng nodded, "This morning, it was still quiet so we checked the rooms."
And half of them were empty! Yuan Xuelan held his chin in thought, "Did the innkeeper lie to us then?"
"It would be an odd thing to lie about," the Ivory Sword Saint added. Of course, if they would have paid for three rooms instead of two, the innkeeper would have made more money as well.
"Why don't we ask him?" Chen Anyue suggested. With consenting nods, the three of them made their way down the steps. It was quieter in the morning, with only a few patrons sipping tea and eating congee down in what was a lively hall at night.
Like them, the innkeeper was equally baffled when he was told about the empty rooms, "That can't be!" His eyes were as wide as plates, "Everything had been paid and accounted for and no one had left unexpectedly either." But when he was shown the room, he really became lost for words and bowed low to the cultivators, "I'm sorry for your troubles. Truly, I had no meaning to deceive you, I really had no idea..."
"Do you believe him?" Yuan Xuelan asked as they left the inn, a half-eaten steamed bun still hot in his hand.
"I felt like he was telling the truth," Chen Anyue hummed and Liu Sumeng nodded.
The three were deep in thought. It turned out that perhaps there was something odd going on in Zu Village after all but the inhabitants were, for some reason unaware.
"It's too early to be certain," Liu Sumeng eventually said. While Yuan Xuelan was reluctant to agree he couldn't help but concede it was the truth. One isolated incident didn't mean anything. But it also meant that if it were the case, it would still be difficult to investigate because no one would be aware of what was going on. In the end, the lake in the mountain was still their best lead.
The morning had Zu village a little less lively than before, but there were still vendors that took to the streets, especially those that sold food and fruits. Chen Anyue picked up some oranges for them before they were to make their way to the mountain path.
But just as they were about to leave the village edge, something blocked their path.
"Woof! Woof! Woof woof woof!"
Yuan Xuelan looked down and lo and behold! There was…a dog?
"Woof woof woof woof!"
Although it was small, it was as round as a ball with short fur and tongue lolling out. It was quite ugly.
"..." Liu Sumeng stepped towards the dog, with his hand outstretched. For a moment Yuan Xuelan thought the Ivory Sword Saint was going to pick the dog up and strangle it. But when the tall young man's hand was just a hair's width away from the dog's head, it dodged away and took a few steps back and then started barking again.
"Woof! Woof!"
"..." Liu Sumeng tried again. And again, the dog dodged and backed away.
"Woof woof woof!"
"Pft!" Yuan Xuelan couldn't help but snicker at these foolish actions, which earned him an elbow in the ribs.
"Don't laugh," Chen Anyue scolded, hiding a small giggle behind her sleeve.
"You're laughing too," he hummed.
"Actually, don't you think it's trying to lead us somewhere?" She pointed at the Ivory Sword Saint and the barking dog. The two were already a few steps away from them and headed back in the city's direction.
Yuan Xuelan hummed in thought, "Doesn't it look kind of familiar?" He couldn't say he remembered seeing such an ugly dog before but there was something about it…
"Now that you mention it…" Chen Anyue frowned, her head tilted in thought.
"Oh!"
"I know!"
They exclaimed at the same time. Wasn't this the dog that girl was talking about before? What was her name again…A-Ling right?
The two Ascending Dawn disciples followed after the Ivory Sword Saint who was still chasing the dog.
Eventually they came upon a small house and the dog, Baozi pawed at the door. The door opened, revealing one of the uncles that Yuan Xuelan drank with, "Hello! I didn't expect to see you so soon again, Young Master."
The three cultivators bowed in greeting, "Good morning uncle," Yuan Xuelan smiled, "We didn't mean to bother you so early but…"
"Woof woof woof!" The dog pawed at the uncle's feet.
"Oh there you are, Baozi! Aren't you even fatter than the last time I saw you?" The uncle laughed as he bent down to pat the dog on its head. "Thanks for finding him for me, I was wondering where this rascal ran off to."
Chen Anyue smiled, "I'm sure A-Ling would be happy to see him again."
The uncle looked at her with a perplexed expression, "Who's A-Ling?"