15 Chapter 15. Back at Biah Manor

The flames from the fire earlier had touched every part of Biah Manor, nothing escaped, and Advisor Biah was furious with his son, whose living quarters miraculously did not burn at all but only sustain a bit of fire damage. He meets one of the attendants at the entranceway.

"Is he clear-headed now or still drunk?" Advisor Biah asked the attendant.

"Yes my Lord. Your son is no longer drunk, and the Doctor is tending to his wound as we speak."

Liang was lying in bed while the doctor tended to his neck when his Father, Advisor Biah walked in.

"Do you know the annals of the Biah Clan, as well as the items King Taeyer entrusted me with, are burnt and gone? Advisor Biah asked his son Liang who only continued to look back at him.

When Liang refused to speak Advisor Biah continued his scolding. "The Wey's and even King Taeyer, as well as our Biah clan all, succeeded from the bloodline of peasants and slaves, and we are what's left of this second world! Is that what you want us to be peasants and slaves again! Our history is gone! Over fifteen generations of Biah built this Manor, from their blood and sacrifices. Then in less than one night, half the entire Manor was burnt or damaged, everything we built, destroyed because of your coveting for one woman!" Advisor Biah's real anger was coming out now, and when Liang still would not answer him, Advisor Biah started to get more upset and felt how unfortunate it was that he only had one son.

"You are just as wicked as your Mother. " Advisor Biah knew Liang's Mother was a wicked and jealous woman. She had fed all his mistresses tonics that made them sterile. Something Advisor Biah did not know of until he was too old even to bed a woman. It didn't matter what he did or tonics he drank he could no longer give life. He sometimes wondered if she was also behind this.

"Don't speak to me like you are an honorable Man, Father. Who knows how many women you have coveted or the wicked things you have done," Liang scowled at his Father.

Advisor Biah could feel the muscles in his jaw clenched and his fists tighten as he suppressed his inkling feeling to want to reach out and smack his son across the head. "Yuliah is like her Mother they both have bad blood, and it will only bring you death or ruin. Like it has done time and time again to General Wey. Now us! You will cut your losses with her before you kill our entire Biah clan!" Advisor Biah's lips drew back in a snarl at Liang.

"No! One day I'm going to be in charge of Biah Manor. I will not let Yuliah get away with this! To let her and that Man think they can walk in here and disregard our Biah Clan! That would be showing the people that the Biah's are weak! I've already sent our soldiers after them."

"There was a Man?" Advisor Biah's eyes widen. He heard that Yuliah ran away, but he did not get the full story behind yesterday's events. He was curious to know what all had lead up to Yuliah's escape.

"Yes, there was a Man that came for Yuliah. I'm sure he was the one who set the fire too. There's never been a fire in Biah Manor before. It could only be him," Liang looked over towards his Father, and proceeded to explain the events of that night to Advisor Biah but left out the parts where he had beaten Yuliah.

"Do you have any idea who he could have been?" Advisor Biah asked his son. What kind of Man allows another Man to break into his home and run off with his bride? Advisor Biah was starting to think that Liang was not as capable as he let on to be.

"No, I don't. Yuliah didn't have anyone. I don't know where this Man came from Father. It's not Yujen either he was here at the wedding all night, and I mistook him for that Man and killed him." Liang answers.

"I have to leave." Advisor Biah tells Liang. "Yuliah's Father will be here soon." When he looked over at his son, Liang appeared lost in thought.

"Father, he was exceedingly skillful and strong. He challenged me like he didn't care who I was. Yujen was wearing the same clothes as that Man that's how I got confused, but during the wedding, he wore different clothes," Liang looks up at his Father.

Strong, skillful, and challenged Biah Manor with no regard? There was no one in the Northern Kingdom who was bold enough to do such a thing. Plus everyone in the Kingdom knew Yuliah was a recluse, and she had no other Man and few people in her life. So where did this Man suddenly come from and who is he? Plus General Wey's ward had also switched clothes. Advisor Biah was starting to feel that there was more to this, as he walked away. Advisor Biah made his way over to where his trusted Attendant was sitting.

"Lal, find out where General Wey was last night." Advisor Biah was starting to wonder if it were General Wey who had come for his daughter last night. He knew General Wey was also a skillful fighter.

"My Lord, I already know where General Wey was. When I went to the Palace to pick up those items from King Taeyer earlier, he had summoned General Wey to the Palace for an urgent meeting, and afterward, he left with the Southern King and his General."

Advisor Biah's face twisted in disgust at the mention of the Southern Kingdom and that Demon from the Ethereal Forest. When the Ethereal Spirit came all the great clans and Kingdoms went to war and perished one by one along with the first world until there was but one left. The one that Demon from the South guards like a dog. Advisor Biah loathed the Southern Kingdom, and the only reason they tolerated them was that they feared that Demon, the one they call General Ryas, for he was unpredictable and had killed plenty of those who opposed him. Everyone knew he was not a natural Man for he lived too long and barely looked a day over thirty. What he and King Taeyer hated the most was how this General came and went with no regard for the North and demanded subservience from King Taeyer. King Taeyer's Father was a fool to allow this Man to continue treating the North as he did.

Waking him from his thoughts, attendant Lal reminds his Lord that General Wey had just arrived.

They summoned General Wey to Biah Manor. Upon entering the manor, he is immediately met by Madam Biah.

"General Wey!" Madam Biah wails pointing her finger at him. "Look what your vile daughter has done! She had a secret Man come here and burn our whole Manor down! They almost killed our Liang too!"

"Who killed my ward?" General Wey demands instead. "He returned this morning stabbed to death. As far as I'm aware he was only here for Yuliah's wedding!"

Madam Biah's eyes narrowed, and her body tensed up, as though she was ready to attack General Wey, "He probably came here to help that wench daughter of yours, run away with her lover. They did try to kill Liang! My son must have killed him by accident."

"Liang was protecting himself when he stabbed your ward Yujen," Advisor Biah chimed in with his eyes squinting at Madam Biah. He had arrived and just in time before Liang's Mother made a fool out of Biah Manor.

"He was helping Yuliah run away with her lover, and they tried to kill Liang!" Madam Biah pounds her chest at General Wey.

Where is your proof Madam Biah? Yujen was only here for the wedding!" General Wey's voice carries a louder tone now.

Before anyone could say anything else, General Wey asks, "Where is my daughter?"

"She escaped with that Man of course. They left after they tried to kill Liang and burnt down our Manor!" Advisor Biah accuses again. "I hope you understand that if we catch them, and we will. Yuliah will die along with that Man."

General Wey immediately got up to leave.

"General Wey! General Wey!" Madam Biah screams out. "You can't just leave! You have to answer for what happened to my son!"

"Your son killed my ward and my daughter is probably dead too. I have a burial to prepare," he coldly responds and leaves.

A red face Advisor Biah stared at General Wey, his face brimming with anger as he watched the General walk out, he hated those who showed contempt towards him.