Arrival: Devil's Bargain?

Jing was pushed into a spacious room, built from a dark brown wood that accented the entire space. A large but short table with seat cushions was placed to the right of the room. Taking up space to the left was a massive canopied bed with a luxurious pale yellow bedspread. At the centre far back a large circular window opened to soft bamboo trees, their long fronds waving in a gentle breeze.

A pretty maid dressed in grey clothes bowed her head gracefully at him, whispering "Young Master, welcome." Looking behind him she said, "Young Mistress Lian, I have cleaned your shoes for the banquet."

Looking around, the entire room evoked peacefulness and calm, throwing Jing into even more of a panic. He was from a rich family in this life! He'd watched enough shows in his life to know that while wealth could buy everything, the rich seemed to be even stricter about rules and he was about to flunk his way out of it all. The question was what would they do to him if they discovered he wasn't really their son?

Spinning around he discovered that his sister (his sister!) had followed him into the room and was in the process of furtively looking outside bolting the doors behind the maid. She marched to the table and plopped herself onto the cushion. Tossing her long, curled hair, she patted the cushion beside her saying, "Well hurry up! We haven't got all day. Gu Wan Bei and his stupid sidekick are about to start on lunch with mother and father, and we need to rework our game plan".

Blinking at her rushed speech, Jing gingerly lowered himself onto the cushion beside her. "What game plan?"

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten? I'm supposed to be betrothed to Wan Bei today after our parents speak to him. Curses on whoever decided it was a good idea to marry off the oldest in our family to the first son in the JinLang Guild!"

An arranged marriage! Grasping at what he could gather in her words, Jing pieced together that his newly-fledged sister was dreading a marriage to a man from another Guild.

"Is Gu Wan Bei so very bad?" Jing asked, the new name sounding strange on his tongue.

"Have you lost your mind? Of course, he's bad! You've been going on about how bothersome he is for years. And anyway, you know how important today is for the family. You promised you would be back from your hunt yesterday!"

"Ah, erm…just visited the nearby town and lost track of time I guess", muttered Jing sheepishly hoping for no further interrogation.

Glaring at him, her brown eyes sharp, Lian looked him up and down. A beat later she sighed, "You're lucky you're my favourite brother".

Grinning Jing looked at her and before he could catch himself, asked, "How many brothers do we have then?"

Lian's returning grin froze. "You're joking right?"

"Um haha, of course I'm joking. I'm your…only…brother?" The stuttering question convinced no one of Jing's sanity.

"Yes, you are my only brother" Lian replied slowly, confusion writ large on her round face. "Are you okay? Did you hit your head somewhere? You're acting a bit strange."

"That's it!" shouted Jing surging to his knees. "I hit my head!"

Lian's expression turned instantly to worry and she immediately asked, "Should we call for a doctor? Where does it hurt, Jing?"

So his name had remained the same in this world!

"Ah, it doesn't hurt bad at all. I knocked my head accidentally yesterday and everything's a bit muddled today. I don't think we need a doctor though!"

"Alright if you say so. But if it hurts any worse, we need to have someone look at you."

"Thanks, Lian", said Jing shyly, embarrassed by the familial concern he'd never experienced before. "I'm having difficulty remembering quite a few things. But I really don't want to worry our parents. Could you please help me?"

"Fine but if you don't have your memory back in a couple days we really should get you checked out Jing."

"Gu Wan Bei is here for the betrothal promise between our two guilds. When our LiShi guild brokered a peace with their's, after the Guild Wars, our grandfather promised the first-born grandchild's hand in marriage to their first-born. Wan Bei was born first, but when you followed a decade later, they decided to hush it up since you were both men. Since I'm a year younger than you, then decided to promise me instead. Now Wan Bei and his cousin are here to collect on that promise—me!"

"Do you dislike this Gu Wan Bei then?" asked Jing slowly, trying figure out Lian's grand plan.

"Well you've met him once and you yourself said that he was the most arrogant, untrustworthy, sloppy swordsman in all the Frozen Vales!! Remember when father took you to the Millennial Guild contest where Wan Bei competed? I'm so mad I got left behind that day. I'm a better swordswoman than you", Lian muttered.

At Jing's blank stare, her anger dissolved and she sighed, "Are you sure you don't need a doctor? You seem to have forgotten a lot Jing".

"Ah no, no! It's slowly coming back to me. You're trying to get out of your engagement then?"

"Of course! I'm certainly too young to be married at 22, no matter what Father says. You promised to help me make my case at the lunch. I'm going to be as disagreeable as possible and when Wan Bei decides to call off the engagement, you'll help convince our parents that it's for the best!"

That seemed simple enough, though Jing wasn't sure if his negotiation skills were up to par, he'd have to give it his best shot. Arranged marriages weren't exactly bad, a few of his coworkers in his past life had seemed to enjoy the ones their families had arranged for them. But it seemed like Lian was being forced into something she didn't want and this Wan Bei character seemed especially shady.

"I'll do my best to help you Lian", he said smiling at his newfound sister.

Lin's eyebrows furrowed together. "And what do you want in return? You said I'd need to pay up for any help you give me!"

"Uh, I don't want anything in return!" exclaimed Jing.

Lin looked even more suspicious now. "How hard did you hit your head?"

It sounded like the previous Jing wasn't a caring older brother. He'd have to be a bit more cautious to avoid raising suspicions. But could he ask for in return?

"Um, perhaps in return you could help me cover up my very minor, unremarkable memory loss? I don't want to worry anyone and I certainly don't need a doctor. But it'd be helpful to have you on my side", asked Jing hesitantly.

"Hmm, I've never heard you say you don't want to worry our parents, after all the pranks you've pulled. But alright, that's a fair bargain! Let's shake on it."

Shaking her small, pale hand, Jing felt the hardened callouses that lined her fingertips.

"Let's get to the banquet quickly. You know how Mother gets when we're late", said Lian pulling him up as she stood, shaking out her soft robes and fixing her already perfect hair.

Following her out of the room, Jing couldn't shake the flutter of nerves at meeting his parents. Though they didn't know it, they'd lost their son but he resolved himself to be the best possible replacement. This life was literally a gift from the universe and he wasn't going to waste it on unnecessary guilt. With Lian's help, he'd hopefully fit right in.

With a lightened heart and growling stomach, he strode off to meet his uncertain fate. 

He followed Lian into a spacious corridor, with archways that let in bright sunlight and highlighted the intricate engravings on the ceilings. A large rectangular stone was inlaid in the ceiling, with firm strokes detailing a variety of flowers. Peonies on the four corners, a rose blooming in the middle and a delicate spray of lavender in the middle. Each rectangle maintained a repetitive floral pattern and Jing was so engrossed in admiring the carvings, unlike anything he'd seen in his previous life, he was surprised when he noticed he was alone. Lian had stopped many steps ago and was watching him narrowly from behind.

"Aha sorry. I forgot how beautiful our house was."

"What, in the week you were away?", muttered Lian sarcastically. "We're turning right up ahead and it's the room on the left. Let me go ahead, I don't want anyone catching on if you don't recognize our parents."

She stepped ahead of him, paused, and spun around with her brown locks following a second too late.

"You do remember them, don't you? Our parents?"

"Sure I do" tried Jing, "but maybe you could point them out when we enter?"

"Gods, this is going to be a disaster isn't it?" Lian said, exhaling slowly. "Alright, they'll be the two older people on the dias. It should just be them and our guests there. Below them are all the nobles invited to the dinner. Just return their bows and smile politely to anyone who addresses you. Don't engage in conversation! You've always maintained that they shouldn't try to associate with someone on your level so it shouldn't be too hard anyways."

"My level?" asked Jing confused.

"Well let's just say that you've always been more confident in your abilities and a lot more skeptical of others", said Lian hesitantly.

"What skills?"

Lian murmured something that sounded suspiciously like "That's what I've been saying for years."

"Anyways, I'll head in first so I can be your guide. If you're in trouble, just clutch your head and faint dramatically. I'm sure it will be a great conversation stopper", smirked Lian.

Jing couldn't tell if she was joking or not, there was a hint of steel in her brown eyes. He tried for a smile back, but it likely came out as a wince because Lian softened her gaze.

"Just stick with me alright? Let's go." Lian strode into the left corridor where two massive doors lay ajar.

Taking a deep breath that did nothing to settle his galloping heart, Jing followed quickly behind, wishing he kept that heavy branch from the woods if only to use tp knock himself over the head.