Two years later, Ju Ying passed away.
The fire guards were sent out to bring back all children born that day. They rode out on horseback back kicking down doors.
The fire guards moved in pairs. They searched for babies and beat up anyone who opposed them.
Lying in a room was the late Ju Ying, members of his sect went to pay their last respect.
Enlai went to pay respect with a floating sword. When he got there he saw dragon's whiskers, mermaid scales, and other mystical artifacts.
Bai Wu was on his way back from a hunt. He heard a baby crying and followed the awful noise.
From a hill, Wu looked down the valley. Two fire guards were standing, one held the crying baby while the other dug.
The soldier then put his finger into the baby's mouth. It sucked on it preventing it from crying. The guards placed the baby in the hole they had dug and covered it.
When they left, Wu went into the valley to check on the baby. He carefully dug out the baby and dusted the soil off it.
It screamed on top of its lungs as Wu swayed it gently.
He took it back home to his pregnant wife.
"Yu, look what I found," Wu said to his wife.
"A baby, whose baby is that?" Yu asked walking over and taking the baby.
"He was left in the forest," Wu replied.
"The fire guards are seizing babies. Someone might have hidden him there. What will we do if the guards come searching for it?" Yu asked.
"We will tell them the baby is ours and you gave birth yesterday," Wu said.
"Husband, are you sure? We are even struggling as it is. Taking care of two babies will not be easy," Yu explained.
"Xianyu shi!"
They heard someone call out all of a sudden. Wu turned to see two fire guards.
"Pardon our intrusion. We heard you were pregnant. We came to see if you had given birth," the guards explained.
"Yes, I was pregnant. I gave birth yesterday," Yu explained.
"Lady Xianyu, did you say you just gave birth?" one of the guards asked.
"Yes, I did say that," Yu answered.
"If you have already given birth, how come your stomach is still like that?"
One guard asked and the other smacked him on the head.
"Lady Xianyu, I apologize for my colleague's rude question," the guard said and bowed.
"You might have the wrong person. I am actually Lady Xian, Yu is my given name," Yu clarified.
"Oh is that so, sorry for the inconvenience. We will take our leave now," the guard said then dragged his colleague along.
All the while, Wu watched in silence.
Meanwhile, back at Houyan Palace, clans submitted babies born that day as potential Houyan candidates.
"Brother Enlai, Congratulations, I heard your wife just gave birth to a baby girl," a man mentioned out loud.
People began to stare, Enlai faked a smile.
"Thank you, brother Fan" he quickly walked out of there. A frown grew on his face as he walked out.
Having a daughter meant she could be presented as the next Houyan. The whole ordeal made him not go back home.
But rather he went to a Brothel. There he saw a woman in a white mask with a sad face. The woman waved him over and he walked towards her.
"Volunteer to be part of the funeral," the woman in the mask whispered to him. He nodded and the woman walked away and disappeared into a crowd.
A day after Ju Ying's wake, the mourners called for a meeting. The mourners were neutral parties who oversaw the Houyan's death and rebirth. They were part of the sect, but were not from the thirteen clans.
"We, the mourners, have decided to grant the Hess clan first respect," the chief mourner announced.
"Bullshit," Enlai murmured.
A few people turned their heads. He quickly coughed into his fist to mask his disdain.
"You people decided based on the worth of gifts a clan gave," Enlai thought as he looked around.
In the meeting, thirteen clan leaders and a few others sat in a circle in a garden. Water poured from a nearby fountain onto huge pebbles.
"So with that said, the Hess will begin their mourning rites tomorrow," the chief mourner continued. "For seven days they would perform their necessary rites with our assistance. Rest assured, my team and I will make sure the energy flow will conform to the rules of the other clans."
After the meeting had ended, Enlai approached Da Hess.
"Brother Da, I would like to help with the preparation of the offerings," he proposed.
"I appreciate the offer, but we can manage on our own. Still thank you," Da slightly bowed and turned away.
Enlai went back home.
"How do I get to be on the Hess team if they don't want me?" Enlai murmured to himself.
His wife watched as he walked past her. She had bags under her eyes. Her hair was messy and had puke stains on her dress.
The next day Enlai went to the Hess manor anyway. There, most members of the Hess clan were gathered.
In a line, they walked to a vase. Using a needle they pricked their finger and let out drops of blood into the vase.
Like the Hess, Enlai was in a maroon hooded robe. He followed their lead and added a few drops of his blood to the blood case.
After they proceeded to a room where Ju Ying's body was laid. Standing around the body they started to pray.
Enlai prayed with them, and as they did they all suddenly collapsed. Enlai looked around.
"What is going on?"
Soon, three men in a sad mask walked in and took the vase of blood.
Enlai went with them to a field not far from the Hess manor. One of the masked men handed him a mask.
Enlai put it on as they walked over to two others with a baby. The man with the baby dipped his finger into the vase.
He then smeared the blood on the baby's forehead. The others bit their finger and smeared the blood on the baby's forehead.
They then turned to Enlai.
"Already added my blood to the vase," he murmured but bit his thumb anyway. He then smeared his blood on the baby's forehead.
They dropped the vase and dispersed.