10 Miles of Peach Blossoms: A Peach Summer’s Night Dream (Epilogue)

Epilogue

On September the Second, the most anticipated wedding of the millennia between Ye Hua, respected and handsome Crown Prince of the Nine Heavens (and suspected twin brother of God of War Mo Yuan, or so the whispers went), and Bai Qian, the mysterious and stunning Fox Queen of Qing Qiu, was held in an unusual location. Eschewing tradition, the couple decided to hold their marriage ceremony and grand celebrations at Zhe Yan’s Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms Grove. Apparently, the official explanation for their choice was that the royal couple first met there, but the absurd rumor that was circulating about was that Bai Qian was the illegitimate daughter of Zhe Yan.

Only a thousand deities were invited, because Zhe Yan protested that any more than that, his peach trees would be destroyed. Those who were unlucky not to have received an invitation could only hang around the highly guarded perimeter of the Grove, and wait for second hand news from the attendees.

Anyone who was anyone was at the wedding. The entire Dragon and Fox Clans of course, Donghua Dijun and his staff from Taicheng Palace, Mo Yuan and all the Kunlun disciples. Even the Ghost Lord Li Jing came with a large entourage, although word was that he looked a little depressed. All the heads of minor kingdoms and realms were represented as well. Someone noted that one of the Heavenly Lord’s concubines, who was the sole descendant of the Su Jin tribe, was not in attendance. Nobody really cared.

All eyes were on the gorgeous bride and groom, who looked very much in love with each other. In fact, the common opinion after the wedding was how smitten Crown Prince Ye Hua was with his Crown Princess. The female fairies all swooned at how the Crown Prince’s gaze never once strayed from his wife, his undying devotion written all over his face, and he didn’t care if the whole world knew. For someone whose reputation used to be cold and uptight, this drastic change made the Crown Prince even more popular than before his marriage.

The wedding celebrations, under a constant peach blossoms shower, went on for seven days and seven nights, out of which the bride and groom were missing for six, but few people noticed their absence because they were all drunk from Zhe Yan’s peach wines. This marked the start of a very unconventional life for the beautiful royal couple, who became the focal point of attention (and endless gossip) from all four seas and eight corners of the universe when they resumed their positions in the Nine Heavens.

There were plentiful titters when their first child, Prince A-Li, was born just two and a half years after their wedding ceremony. The gossips were not malicious though, since everyone sort of understood why the Crown Prince couldn’t control himself around his magnificent Fox wife. They found it more scandalous when they heard that the Crown Prince occasionally cooked for his wife and son, but they did not know whether to believe in such a far out rumor or not. But he was a truly doting father to A-Li, as all would agree, sometimes showing even more care and concern than his wife.

The Crown Princess did not fit into her traditional role right from the start. She despised Inner Palace politics, preferring to spend her time with the Crown Prince and government officials to discuss matters of governance, diplomacy and war. She followed Ye Hua whenever he went on his diplomatic trips, even after A-Li was born. She reared the Little Prince with a loose hand, and spoke to him like an adult even when he was just a toddler.  Although she became fiercely protective if she deemed A-Li to be in potential danger, her lax attitude (sometimes to the consternation of the Heavenly Lord and Goddess Le Xu) meant A-Li grew up to be an independent and gregarious little boy who was loved by all those who knew him.

A hundred years after their wedding, Qing Cang attempted once again to break out of the Donghuang Bell. Many speculated it was because Mo Yuan’s soul was no longer sealing the Bell. Regardless, the Celestial Tribes were more than prepared for this eventuality. Even without the aid of the God of War, who had gone into seclusion for five hundred years to regain his powers after the royal wedding, both the Crown Prince and Crown Princess led the finest Celestial army into a glorious battle with Qing Cang and some rebelling Ghost soldiers who were still loyal to him.

It was said by all those who witnessed the intensive battle between Qing Cang, and Ye Hua and Bai Qian, which shook the earth and light up the Ruoshui skies, that the royal couple fought beautifully as a team, as if they were one and the same person. Qing Cang was no match for them, and he was swiftly killed. The Donghuang Bell was also subdued without a great cost to lives, heralding an era of peace to all the realms.

As a reward for their great achievements, the Heavenly Lord decided to abdicate his throne in favor of Ye Hua. Eighty-eight five-coloured birds circled above the Nine Heavens on the day of the inauguration in the most auspicious sign the universe had ever seen. Both the new Emperor and Empress took their lightning trials and holy fires holding hands, with a smile on their faces, and had only eyes for each other during their entire ordeal. Many who saw them were so moved that they shed tears.

As Heavenly Empress, Bai Qian settled down somewhat, in the sense that she focused on producing a litter of heirs for Ye Hua for the next two hundred years, to A-Li’s great dismay. When she was not pregnant, she loved to travel about, with or without Ye Hua, preferring to let her mother-in-law deal with domestic matters. Once A-Li became a young adult, his parents would sometimes disappear for months on end, to the chagrin of the officials, while he took up his father’s duties.

Despite the officials’ insistence on knowing where his parents went, A-Li always remained tight-lipped. He knew they would be hiding out at Mount Junji, pretending to be mortals and enjoying being in a world of their own. Sometimes, he would feel a little bit sad that his parents loved each other more than him or his siblings, but in all honesty, he could never begrudge them for their all-consuming love for one another.

Ye Hua and Bai Qian’s love was legendary, and it would remain so until the end of time.

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Concluding thoughts:

Writing is lonely work. But because of you, the regular readers, in particular those who took the time to comment and gave me encouragement every single chapter (!!!), I never once felt lonely. So, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you for sticking through this project with me.

I also thank the drama for giving me so much inspiration (didn’t read the novel so I cannot credit it) – because it was so fantastic, I found it really difficult  to let go. Also Yang Mi and Mark Chao’s splendid (stupendous!!!) portrayals of Bai Qian and Ye Hua – they will always be the Bai Qian and Ye Hua of my heart.

Writing usually helps me to let a favourite drama go, and I think I have succeeded, more or less. In fact, I might just have written more for 3310 than my Healer and Changmin fic combined, and over a shorter period of time too. Because the world is so rich and complex, there are still many angles to explore, but for now I am contented to leave it to other equally imaginative writers.

I will be consolidating all the chapters for this story into a nicely edited and formatted PDF file (makes for easier reading than in a blog format). If anyone of you are interested in a copy, please leave down your email address in the comments below!

I hope I wouldn’t have to wait another two years before another drama inspires me to write. Thanks again everyone for reading!!!

❤️❤️❤️

@tehlimau

10 Miles of Peach Blossoms: A Peach Summer’s Night Dream (Part 24 – Final) NSFW

Sorry, have you been waiting long?

And here we are. Almost a month in the making. Finally. I wanted to make it a fitting finale for my biggest writing project in 20 years.  Not too sure if I have succeeded, but I did try my best.

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Bai Qian

The first month in the little hut at Mount Junji was agonizing. I spent most of the time sleeping, partly because of the pregnancy, but mainly because I wanted an escape from reality. When I was awake, if I was not washing my face with my tears because I was confronted daily by my guilt and pain, I was dragging my feet to search for food in the surrounding forests to keep both myself and A-Li alive.

The second month, I had accepted my fate and snapped myself out of a corpse-like existence. While I still retreated into my dreams regularly because that was the only way I could see Ye Hua, I began to rescue small injured animals and birds I found in the forest to keep me company. In order to stay occupied and get through each never-ending day with my sanity intact, I developed a habit of speaking to A-Li.  I would imagine him as a cheeky little boy sitting at the table in front of me with his short legs swinging, and then proceed to tell him the many adventures of my life, from Qing Qiu, to Kunlun Mountains and even the Nine Heavens. Curiously, my imaginary A-Li always looked like a miniature Ye Hua.

I told A-Li a lot about Ye Hua too, even though it hurt to do so. That was the only way I could think of to keep my memories of him alive. However, as the days passed, his features became less distinct, his sweet smiles more blurry, and the taste of his lips more intangible. How could my memories be so fleeting? Was my inability to remember him another punishment by the Gods? I was distraught, because it felt like I was losing him all over again.

But life, being blind, continued forward regardless of grief or heartbreak. One day, I was running low on fruits and needed to replenish the stores again. One of the unfortunate limitations of magic was that I could not conjure up real food. I tried to minimize my outings to the forest because of my tendency to get lost since all the trees looked identical to me. This time was no different. I went out in the morning and by the time I figured my way out of the maze, and spotted my hut in the distance, it was early evening.

Suddenly I felt a disturbance to the invisibility shield which I had erected half a mile radius from the hut. Soon after, the crackling of branches in the silent forest alerted me that the intruder had broken through my shield. It had to be a powerful immortal to have dismantled my magic so easily – was it a ghost, demon or celestial? Despite my weariness after being out the whole day, my immediate concern was to protect A-Li. Dropping my basket of fruits, I adjusted my stance to a defensive position and summoned my Jade Purity Kunlun Fan as I stared menacingly at the black shadow approaching me.

The confident gait was familiar. It wasn’t a black shadow but a tall man in flowing black robes who frequently invaded my dreams and made my heart pound. It was Ye Hua. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Was it another one of my many dreams? He quickly closed the distance between us and grabbed me into a fierce kiss. I couldn’t help myself, and responded to him with the desperation of a drowning woman. How I had missed him so!

But his ravishing kisses could not sweep away the mountain of guilt, nor my sin. When I regained my senses, I tore my lips away and cried despairingly, “Stop Ye Hua, you don’t understand. I……”

He did not let me finish as he recaptured my lips in brutal fashion, holding me captive in his arms. On and on we kissed as the last lights faded away from the forest and darkness enclosed the two of us. I could barely see him, but oh, I could feel him! Finally, he released my bruised lips to lavish attention on my eyes, my ears, and my cheeks. Then, his mouth trailed down to the base of my neck and sucked on my skin gently, making me moan in need.

The dark forest setting, combined with his intoxicating kisses and heated hands that couldn’t stop exploring my body, triggered flashbacks of my drunken night at Ten Miles Peach Blossoms Grove….. those same lips that were kissing every part of my exposed skin, and the same masculine hands that were disrobing me swiftly now. Could it be Ye Hua that night….? The prospect seemed utterly crazy.

As he tenderly laid me down naked onto the forest floor where he had conjured up a large red blanket, Ye Hua lifted my chin to meet his luminous, tear-filled eyes. Breathlessly, he spoke his first words since we reunited – the very words that I needed to hear to set myself free.

“It was me that night, Qian Qian. It has always been me.”

He quickly replaced my cries of relief with whimpers of desire. I was not allowed to ruminate over my silliness in forgetting him that fateful night, resulting in an unnecessary and prolonged separation. He demanded my every attention to his intense love-making. There was little foreplay the first time; he needed to be in me and I was wet and ready. Our joining made both of us groan aloud in ecstasy, and soon he was plunging fast and furious and I went along for the pleasurable ride, coming apart with a force that tore a scream from my lips.

The second round was slow and delicious. No area was too small for his loving administrations as he rolled my nipples in his masterful tongue while he kneaded my growing, aching breasts. He laved on the sensitive nub between my legs, and made me shudder repeatedly with his sweet persistence. When he could take my pleading cries no more, he entered me from behind, wrapping his strong arms around my slightly bulging waistline and slowly rocked us both to paradise and back.

Exhausted, temporarily satiated, we held onto each other as we rested on the blanket. I told Ye Hua I had named our unborn child A-Li, which now sounded quite inauspicious to my ears. “Do you want to give it another name?” He smiled, kissed my forehead and said, “I think A-Li is an excellent name. From now onwards, it will not represent “separation”, but “永不分离” (Yong Bu Fen Li) – we will never be separated again for all eternity.” With that, he flung his cloak over me and carried me back to the hut where we started making love again.

Maybe we had been apart for too long, or maybe we were instinctively explosive as a pair, but we could never get enough of each other. It was a long time before we eventually settled down. Ye Hua cradled me in bed as I was about to doze off and mused aloud, “We have been doing everything in reverse. Sleeping with each other, falling in love, having a child……Shouldn’t we make things right, and get married first? What do you think Qian Qian?”

“Let’s get married here then.” I answered him sleepily. And fell into my first dreamless sleep in ages.

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Ye Hua

We decided to follow the marriage traditions from the Mortal Realm for our own private wedding. Qian Qian thought another two months was too long a wait and insisted we should make A-Li a legitimate child as soon as possible, even if no one else knew, or probably cared. After coming so close to losing her and the baby, I was ready to make her mine in the eyes of the Gods.

We disguised ourselves as mortals and went to the nearest town to shop for our wedding clothes and other necessities used in the customary rites. Walking through the bustling town hand in hand, incognito, was about as far from my life as the Crown Prince of the Nine Heavens as possible. The simplicity and normalcy of it all – I liked it very much. I thought then we should keep the Mount Junji hut as our secret hideout where we could escape to if life as high ranking immortals became too tiring. I asked Qian Qian for her opinion, and she agreed with me immediately.

When she came out dressed in the lush red bridal dress looking like a vision, it took my breath away and I was unable to speak for quite some time. The deep red silk provided a startling contrast to her snow-white skin and finely arched black brows. Her lips were in the same shade of red, and looked extremely kissable. I gulped and told myself to control my urges.

“You look very beautiful.” I managed to say. She smiled brilliantly at my compliment and returned, “You look extremely dashing too.” She pointed to her veil, and I reached up and pulled it down over her face.

As we made our way to the simple alter that I had set up earlier outside the hut, Qian Qian suddenly developed jitters and stopped in her tracks. Lifting her veil, she peeked out at me and said, a little anxiously, “Ye Hua, I don’t know what to say for our vows.”

I gave her clammy hands a reassuring squeeze and instructed, “Just follow whatever I say.”

Then, we were standing in front of the alter. A slight breeze had started up, and I inhaled deeply, taking in the sanctity of this moment. A fate that began many millennia ago while I was still a cultivating spirit residing in a Golden Lotus, to our pre-determined engagement and then our inevitable rendezvous at Ten Miles Peach Blossoms Grove as strangers – it was a destiny that was always meant to be.

We turned to face each other. My heart swelled with love as I gazed reverently at my bride, the only woman who had managed to capture my heart forever and always – Bai Qian, High Goddess and Fox Queen of Qing Qiu, Crown Princess and Future Heavenly Empress of the Nine Heavens, and Mother of my children.

And we solemnly spoke our vows:

“In front of the Great Lakes of the Far East,

I, Ye Hua,  (and I Bai Qian)

Sincerely ask all the Gods of the Four Seas and Eight Corners of the Universe to bear witness.

From this day forth, we will be husband and wife.

I will love her (him) with all my heart for all eternity.

In calamity or in fortune, we will never part.”

 

The End.

Epilogue Up Next

10 Miles of Peach Blossoms: A Peach Summer’s Night Dream (Part 23)

Ladies! We are near the finishing line!!!

I am feeling a little reluctant to start on the final chapter, so don’t hold your breath that it will come soon.

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Ye Hua

When Nai Nai first told me frantically that Qian Qian was missing from the Hall of Beautiful Youth, I wasn’t too worried, knowing her predilection for wandering about and getting lost. By the time Jia Yun and Tian Shu reported they still couldn’t find her an hour later, I was already going out of my mind. I thought about the strange expression on her face the night before, and wondered if something had happened to her that she didn’t tell me. Was it Su Jin?

Angrily I visited Su Jin’s residence for the second time in my life. Again, she threw herself at me in eagerness, “I knew you would come back for me!” she cried happily.

I flung her to the floor in cold fury. “What did you do to Qian Qian?” I demanded. “Where is she?”

Su Jin crawled on all fours to grab tightly onto my robe. “Bai Qian left because she knew she couldn’t tear us apart!” she rambled, looking a little crazed. “She knew you love me because she saw the jade pendant that you gave me! And she left, didn’t she? She is gone!”

I gaped at her in horror. Despite my reassurances, could Qian Qian have thought I was lying to her? Why was I so foolish to give Su Jin my jade pendant? I decided I needed to get to Qing Qiu immediately, so that I could explain myself and convince her that I love her, and her only. However, I wasn’t able to move far, because Su Jin continued to cling onto me. “Let go of my clothes, now!” I ordered.

“Ye Hua, tell your Grandfather that you want to marry me!” Su Jin pleaded. “The Heavenly Lord has not touched me, and I am still pure as snow,  and waiting for you! Ye Hua, only I deserve to be your Crown Princess!”

“You are beyond hope, Su Jin. The only thing I will tell Grandfather is to strip you of your immortal status for your constant lies, banish you from the Nine Heavens for trying to seduce the Crown Prince, and to be reincarnated as a cattle in perpetuity for being unfaithful to the Heavenly Lord.” I told her harshly as I ripped my robe away from her grasp, and left her sprawled across the floor, crying loudly in vain.

When I arrived at Qing Qiu. Migu informed me that Qian Qian never returned to the Fox Den. Where was she? Where could she have gone to? Acting on an instinct, I went straight to Ten Miles Peach Blossoms Grove and saw Zhe Yan leaving his hut. He wagged his finger at me and exclaimed in exasperation, “I was just about to go to the Nine Heavens to look for you!”

I was right. She was here. Running up to Zhe Yan, I asked urgently, “Where is Qian Qian?”

“I have no idea. She came here and said a lot of incomprehensible things and just left abruptly.” Zhe Yan cast a glance at me and blurted out. “Do you know she is pregnant?”

I felt like I was hit by a bolt of lightning. “She’s what?” I said numbly. My mind went blank.

Zhe Yan shook his head in half annoyance, half bemusement. “She claimed the child is not yours and told me to tell you that she wants to break off the engagement and that you should forget about her. Look, Ye Hua, I have been puzzling over this matter the entire night. I can tell the foetus is less than two months old and Bai Qian had been recuperating in Qing Qiu before that. There is no way you are not the father.”

I was struggling to think after Zhe Yan’s bombshell. It took a significant amount of discipline before I could calm my heart rate down and analyze the information I had. The random pieces finally clicked together and I almost cried in relief. She didn’t run away because of Su Jin.

“She doesn’t remember me.” I directed an incredulous wobbly smile at Zhe Yan.

He frowned and then light dawned upon him too. “The night when both of you visited me on your way to the Eastern Seas…..she doesn’t know it was you?” He was dumbfounded.

“Er…you knew what happened between us?” I asked tentatively.

“Of course I knew! Why did you think I gave you so much peach wine and sent you to the Southern Grove?” Zhe Yan laughed. “Oh Bai Qian you silly Fox! I told her to drink those new wines in moderation!”

I was going to be a father. The delight and warmth I felt in that moment was beyond anything I had experienced before. “I need to find her.” I told Zhe Yan.

“Then why are you still standing here? Go!”

But my happiness soon turned into anxiety and frustration. Qian Qian couldn’t be found. Not in Qing Qiu, not at Ten Miles Peach Blossoms Grove, not on Kunlun Mountains. With her disappearance, Mo Yuan’s homecoming feast had to be postponed. Days passed, and our efforts doubled. We had people across three realms searching actively for any trace of her. I visited the Eastern Seas, the Western Seas, and even went down into the Ghost Realm when I found out she was an old acquaintance of current Ghost Lord Li Jing. She was nowhere to be found.

I was growing discouraged, and despondent. I missed her like crazy, and the constant yearning only showed me how incomplete I was before I met her. It was already July, and two months away from our agreed wedding date of September the Second. Even after her disappearance I told the elders to continue with the preparations, insisting confidently that I would find her by then. Bai Qian was the only woman I would marry in this life. If I couldn’t have her, there would be no one else.

One day, Jia Yun walked hurriedly into my room at Xiwu Palace. “Your Highness!” His urgent tone alerted me that something was up.

I stood up. “Did you have any news of Qian Qian?” I asked anxiously.

Jia Yun bowed. “This morning, High Immortal Cheng Yu was at the foot of Mount Junji near the Far East, for a Bamboo Harvesting Festival.” He reported. “She said that she accidentally came across a powerful immortal barrier in the forest. She couldn’t break through it, but noted that it was suspicious.”

Qian Qian! My heart leapt in hope. I told Jia Yun, “I will go to Mount Junji now, alone.”

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The sun was setting at Mount Junji. As I made my way swiftly through the tall, ominous looking trees, I thought about how I would give Qian Qian a good, hard shake for her impetuousness and then hug her forever once I had found her. In my mind, I refused to contemplate the possibility that she would never be found, because I couldn’t imagine my life without her.

Following the directions given by Cheng Yu, I finally came upon the shimmering wall of immortal magic, meant to shield whatever that was behind it from both mortal and immortal eyes. I placed my hand against the wall, and immediately felt the same essence as the one I had encountered in front of the Qing Qiu cave a few months ago.

Tears sprang unbidden to my eyes. Qian Qian, I have finally found you.

 

To be continued……..

10 Miles of Peach Blossoms: A Peach Summer’s Night Dream (Part 22)

You know, when I first started writing this fic, I only knew how YH-BQ would meet (Peach Grove) and then the plot right here (which many of you already guessed). Which means everything between Parts 5 – 21 was written on the fly. Amazing right?! This story could have easily ended within 6 or 7 chapters, lol.

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Bai Qian 

My eyes popped open the moment Ye Hua left my bedside to return to his own quarters. I sat up, heart beating rapidly as I tried to make sense of the unusual changes in my physical condition. There was a growing feeling of dread that I didn’t dare confront now, but as I looked back to the numerous events that had happened over the past two months, I told myself it could not be, I was just stressed.

I counted the dates in my head, and counted again. Then re-counted again. I was always absent-minded in most things, but I had basic self-awareness. Unconsciously, my hand touched my flat belly in trepidation. Surely, this could not be happening when I had just found the true love of my life! I flashed back to my own words to Ye Hua earlier this evening, about being unable to endure even a speck of betrayal. But now, I could be the one betraying him. Suddenly, I had difficulty breathing as I tried to tamp down my panic.

I must find Zhe Yan. He would tell what was wrong with me, and assure me that my worries were for nothing. Immediately, I left Xiwu Palace quietly without informing anyone. I tried to be as unobtrusive as possible as I made my way to the main gate of the Nine Heavens, but as luck would have it (and also my poor sense of direction), I bumped into Su Jin again. She was alone this time.

“High Goddess Bai Qian! What are you doing outside at this time of the night?” Her voice dripped with fake concern.

Now that Ye Hua had told me everything, I was not going to keep up the pretense of politeness anymore. “Consort Su Jin, I might also ask you the same question. Why are you out so late in the night?”

She gave me a strange smile and said in a confiding tone. “Oh, I dropped something very precious to me while we were at the Celestial Peony Gardens this afternoon. I went back to retrieve it, because otherwise I will not be able to fall asleep.” She revealed a piece of glowing white jade in her hand, with a “华” character emblazoned on it. I recognized it immediately. It was a jade pendant I had seen Ye Hua carrying around while he was in Qing Qiu. Why was it with Su Jin?

She noted the flicker of recognition on my face and said triumphantly, “Yes, Ye Hua gave this to me as a token of his love. You may be engaged to him, Bai Qian, but I will always be his first love! You can never take that away from us!” She laughed a little maniacally.

Good Heavens, this was one crazy, delusional woman. I wasn’t sure if I should be angry with her or pity her, but I had more urgent matters to worry about. Regardless of how that jade pendant ended up in her hands, I trusted Ye Hua beyond the shadow of doubt. But trust went both ways, and I had to earn mine too. “I am not sure if a cold jade pendant is a good bed companion for you. I suppose it is better than nothing.” I cooed sympathetically before snapping. “I don’t have time to listen to your nonsense Su Jin, I have things to attend to at Qing Qiu. Good night!”

I left her looking shell-shocked that I had not fallen for her second-rate, poorly concocted lies. Did she even know how many plays I had read while I was stuck in Qing Qiu for the last 70,000 years? Probably not.

Mad woman forgotten, I made haste to Ten Miles Peach Blossoms Grove.

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“Ah, congratulations, Qian Qian! You and Ye Hua certainly work fast, don’t you?” Zhe Yan chuckled after he checked my pulse. “Ye Hua looks so morally upstanding, but I guess you cannot judge a book by its cover.”

All the colour drained from my face. “You…you are sure?” I stammered, feeling like my world had ended.

He probably mistook my expression for embarrassment. “Since the wedding is still a few months away, I suppose the early birth of the little prince or princess will invite some gossip. But really, no one would dare to say anything to your face with your elevated status.” He patted my shoulder comfortingly. “Smile, this is a joyous occasion!”

All I wanted to do was to cry. “Are you really, really sure?” I insisted desperately, clinging on to any semblance of hope. “I am already 140,000 years old!”

“You are a little old to be giving birth to your first child, but you are still well within your reproductive years. You are not intending to just have one child only, right? Ye Hua is the future Heavenly Lord, so you will need to provide him with lots of heirs.” Zhe Yan stood up and rummaged through his medicinal cabinets. “I will pass you some elixirs that will be beneficial for your foetus, although I am sure the Medicine King will have them too but….”

I wasn’t listening to him anymore. That one single night out of tens of thousands of years of celibacy with a man whose face I couldn’t even recall…….Right here at Ten Miles Peach Blossoms Grove. I had made such a simple, yet horrendous mistake which effectively destroyed any chance of an everlasting happiness with Ye Hua. There was no way I could abort an innocent child, and there was no way I would saddle Ye Hua with someone else’s offspring.

Tears ran down my face. Zhe Yan was taken aback by the sight. “Why are you crying?” He exclaimed. “Are those tears of happiness, or what?”

“Ye Hua…. is not the father.” I whispered dully. Hearing the horrible truth from my own lips made everything seemed so final.

Zhe Yan was flummoxed. “What do you mean Ye Hua is not the father?” He argued. “How can Ye Hua NOT be the father? Qian Qian…”

I stood up, too heartbroken to explain. I had to leave, to somewhere where no one could find me, ever again. “Zhe Yan, please tell Ye Hua that I am calling off our engagement. Tell him I am very, very sorry, and to forget that he ever knew me.” I started leaving but Zhe Yan caught my hand.

“Hang on, I don’t understand what is going on but I don’t think you are thinking straight. Qian Qian….” I shook off his hand and cloud-jumped away from the Grove without a destination in mind. I needed to be alone in my pain.

I didn’t know where I ended up. The forest was quiet and dark, a balm to my own chaotic thoughts. I couldn’t return to Qing Qiu, because I would be a disgraced Queen, and a shameful daughter to my parents. I couldn’t stay at Kunlun Mountains, because I wouldn’t be able to face Shifu. I would never return to Zhe Yan’s Grove now that it contained the worst of my memories. I couldn’t go anywhere where Ye Hua could find me, and I knew he would try.

This unwanted child that I couldn’t hate even as it took away everything I know and love because I had only myself to blame. It was my responsibility to bring it up now, far away from the eyes of the universe. A secluded life with it was now the only future I could look forward to, no matter how bleak it seemed.

For a long time, I trudged ahead aimlessly, getting increasingly tired with every step I took. As if the Gods heard my silent cries, the tall forbidding trees finally gave way to an open plot of land, on which an abandoned hut stood, looking to welcome its first lost souls.

“A-Li, we are home.” I told the unborn child.

“离” for “离别” (Li Bie) – a farewell to my old life. A farewell to Ye Hua.

 

To be continued…………

 

10 Miles of Peach Blossoms: A Peach Summer’s Night Dream (Part 21)

You guys have been an absolute hoot to write for. Without your enthusiasm I wouldn’t have come this far. Sometimes I feel like I am also a reader alongside everyone else, waiting to see what my brain comes up with next. I don’t even have time now to back read my previous chapters, so I have no idea if the story flows smoothly or if I have plotholes the size of the Chang Sea. But I guess I must not have been doing too badly, seeing you are still here waiting for the next installment. So on to the next part!

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Ye Hua

I had just completed another meditation session when Qian Qian walked, no, stalked into my room, with a determined look on her face and an air of danger around her. She never failed to stun me with her carefree I-know-I-am-beautiful-but-I-don’t-give-a-damn beauty that made me want to grab her and have my way with her. Which I couldn’t, not now, and maybe not for another four months or so. Not for the first time I felt resentful towards my position as the Crown Prince of the Nine Heavens, with its one million and one restrictions and considerations.

It was nearing dinnertime. But with a wave of her hand, Qian Qian dismissed all the staff around us. I was curious, and if I was being honest, excited too. Today she was wearing a pale grey gown with tassels on her sleeves and hem that highlighted her fair skin so wonderfully. I always loved her dress sense – compared to the colourful and gaudy clothes most fairies liked to wear, her clothes were the epitome of simple elegance, and a welcome sight for my sore eyes.

To my surprise, she plonked herself onto my lap and curled an arm around my neck. My body hardened in immediate response. The manner in which she dropped her defensive walls around me when she decided she loved me was amazing to see. As I was about to lean in to kiss her, she demanded sternly, “Tell me more about Su Jin.”

At that name, all my desire cooled instantaneously. Su Jin, the bane of my existence. It did not take much to infer that Qian Qian had a recent altercation with her. “What do you want to know about Su Jin?” I asked in resignation.

Qian Qian pursed her lips and thought for awhile. “I understand she was your adopted sister before she became the Heavenly Lord’s concubine. Are you close? And if you are close, why did you tell me to avoid her?”

“Yes, she was adopted into my family after her tribe perished. But we have never been close.” I said emphatically. “I asked you to stay away from her because she doesn’t always have the best intentions.”

“Is she in love with you, Ye Hua?” The most important question, and the one I was hoping to avoid.

I sighed. “She may have some feelings for me, I believe. I never reciprocated them.”

She persisted. “Not even a tiny, tiny bit? She is quite pretty, you know.”

I was amused by her sudden display of possessiveness, which I liked – very much. I tightened my hold on her tiny waist. “I don’t even look at her long enough to remember the shape of her brows. She is like a stand for my brushes – always there but inconsequential.” I assured her. Her lips quirked up, and I promptly kissed her.

Unfortunately Qian Qian had more things to say, and she broke off before I could deepen the kiss. “Su Jin also told me you are very popular with the ladies. Did you have many lovers in the past, or maybe even current ones?”

My eyebrows rose. It was an absurd question, but it revealed her mentality. “And if I did?” I teased her.

She huffed, and pushed me down onto the bed. “I will lock you up in my Fox Den and never let you out again. You can only look at me and no one else.” she threatened.

A wave of tenderness came over me, and I stroked her hair, her arms and touched her smooth cheeks. “Do I look like a player to you Qian Qian?” I said softly. “No one has made me feel the way you do, and I have never fallen in love before, regardless of how many women I met. And from now on, there will only be Bai Qian in my heart – I promise.”

Her eyes softened at my words, and she bent down to nuzzle my nose affectionately. “I am a jealous woman, Ye Hua,” she confessed. “I cannot endure even a speck of betrayal. Once a Fox mates, it is for life. Do you understand what I am saying?”

I smiled. “Bai Qian of Qing Qiu, Ye Hua is yours, forever and always.” I vowed solemnly.

She responded by giving me a kiss full of love and desire. As always, the tension between us escalated rapidly, and as I moved to suckle her neck, she let out a low moan. I was all ready to rip her pretty gown off, much as I liked it on her, when……

“Your Highness, would you like to have your dinner served now?” A maid’s voice penetrated our sexual haze. I groaned, as Qian Qian let out a frustrated curse, and muttered, “Do you think we should move up our wedding date to next week?”

I couldn’t help myself. I let out an uncharacteristic shout of laughter. Qian Qian sat up and grinned happily. I could already imagine our future together, and it would be nothing like my colourless world for the first 50,000 years of my life. I would have agreed to her suggestion except for the fact that I knew the wedding preparations would not be completed on time.

I stood up and pulled her along with me. “Shall we dine now, Crown Princess?”

Even though there was a large variety of elaborate dishes, Qian Qian was picking at her food. “What is wrong? Are they not to your taste?” I enquired, slightly concerned.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t have much of an appetite today. I think I miss your cooking, Ye Hua.” she told me mournfully.

I grinned. “Shall I sneak into the imperial kitchens later and make some porridge for you?” I would literally move the Heavens and Earth for this woman.

She rolled her eyes at me and retorted. “Don’t be silly. You wouldn’t be allowed to step one foot into the kitchen. And everyone will start blaming me for forcing the high and mighty Crown Prince to cook for me!”

“After your Shifu’s homecoming feast, perhaps we can return to Qing Qiu for a few days? Then I can cook whatever you want to eat.” I promised. Qian Qian’s eyes brightened in anticipation. “Since you don’t feel like eating these dishes, how about if I get the maids to cut up your favourite loquats for you?” She nodded.

However, when the maid handed her a plate of freshly sliced loquats, Qian Qian’s face turned into an unhealthy shade of green and she looked like she was about to throw up. I hurried to her side as she cupped a hand over her mouth, looking distressed. “Qian Qian, are you alright? Shall I summon the Medicine King?”

She held onto my arm and shook her head frantically. After taking several deep breaths, she told me, “There’s nothing for you to worry about. I think my body is feeling a little weak after taking care of Die Yong for so many days without taking a proper rest. I may also have overexerted myself from all the sightseeing I did today. Can you take me back to the Hall of Beautiful Youth?”

I said, “I will have Jia Yun pass Nai Nai some elixirs and tonics for you to eat. But if your condition doesn’t improve by tomorrow, I will insist that you visit the Medicine King.”

“Don’t nag. You are sounding like my mother.” But Qian Qian seemed slightly distracted, her brows knitted together as if she was puzzled by something.

I took her back to her residence and tucked her gently into bed in spite of her protests. I waited until she was fast asleep before I left, worry still niggling at the back of my mind.

 

To be continued……..

 

10 Miles of Peach Blossoms: A Peach Summer’s Night Dream (Part 20)

Omg omg. 20 chapters for one story! Insane. The last time I wrote so much (120 pages I think – handwritten too) was when I was 14, and crazy in love with NKOTB (who remembers them here? Am I revealing my age?) Since then I have only ever written short stories. I even gave up my Healer extension within 4 chapters. In view of this achievement I give myself a pat on the back. But I hope it finishes by 25. (Cross fingers)

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Bai Qian

I yawned, and squinted at the light streaming through the ornately carved window panes. It was my second day now staying at the Hall of Beautiful Youth within Xiwu Palace, which was earmarked to be the Crown Princess’ future private residence. I remembered pouting at Ye Hua when he told me regretfully I couldn’t stay with him in his quarters, now that the whole Nine Heavens and their grand aunt knew who I was and all eyes would be on us.

“We have to be seen to be observing propriety.” He had sighed, obviously in as much agony as I was when we were alone after the events at the Great Hall. “Bah, why should we care about all these stupid moral codes?” I groused peevishly.

“I don’t.” He pulled me close and whispered into my ear. I was about to swoon at his proximity when he added, “But my Grandfather does, and my parents, and the high-ranking deities….”

Annoyed, I pushed him away and said, “I should have gone back with Shifu to Kunlun Mountains. It would have been so much more fun with all my Kunlun Seniors than being stuck here in this stifling environment.” Ye Hua held his chest and winced. I had forgotten about his injuries! I quickly went to him and checked him anxiously, asking, “Where do you hurt?”

Miraculously recovered, he embraced me again, tighter this time. Who knew the prim and proper Crown Prince of the Nine Heavens could feign so well? He answered me softly with a heated look in his eyes, “I hurt everywhere. My lips…” he gave me a peck there. “My eyes…” he kissed both my eyes. “My ears….” he nibbled at my ears. I melted thoroughly into a pool of desire. But both of us had to stop if we were to retain some measure of self-control before decorum be damned, regardless of the consequences.

And so I was stuck spending my nights alone in the Hall of Beautiful Youth, and it was just as well. The accumulated fatigue of the past one week had finally hit home, and I ended up sleeping most of the time over the last two days. I was unused to the ostentatious luxury of the Nine Heavens, given the simplicity of my Fox Den. Still, I guessed I would eventually adapt to life here, not that I had a choice since my beloved Ye Hua was going to be the future Heavenly Lord.

My newly appointed maid by Ye Hua, a sweet obliging young fairy named Nai Nai, came into the room, carrying a pot of freshly brewed tea. “High Goddess, you are awake! Please have some refreshments while I ask the kitchens to prepare food for you.”

“Nai Nai, what time is it now?” Since it was always bright in the Nine Heavens, I frequently had trouble telling time.

“High Goddess, it is already mid-noon.” she reported.

I was aghast. Again I had wasted away more than half a day! “I honestly don’t know what is wrong with me, this indolence is worrisome.” I berated myself. “Nai Nai, do you know where is the Crown Prince?”

“The Crown Prince actually visited you in the morning, but did not want to disturb you when he saw you sleeping so soundly. I think he was working for awhile but now it should be time for his meditation.”

I felt deflated. Due to his internal injuries and loss of cultivation, the Medicine King had advised Ye Hua to undergo a few hours of private meditation each day as part of his recuperation process. It looked like I was not going to see him until much later this evening. I sat up on my bed, “Nai Nai, help me get ready please. I think I should explore this place a bit more.”

If I thought the lands at Qing Qiu were large, the Nine Heavens were even more expansive. Everything was bathed in bright, sparkling light, and the architecture was extravagant, and built on a grandiose scale. There was no mess on the streets and the roads, bridges, pathways were wide, clean and regular, which made the place a bit boring, in my point of view. I regretted not bringing Nai Nai with me since I became lost quickly, but thankfully there were lower deities walking around whom I could seek directions from.

I decided to take a peek at the Celestial Peony Gardens, since Shifu’s homecoming feast was happening in another five days. As I entered the gorgeous grounds with immaculate flower beds and evergreen trees – there was even a small lake here! – I suddenly missed Zhe Yan’s Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms Grove. I vowed to ask Ye Hua for permission to plant some peach trees at Xiwu Palace in the future.

“Jie Jie (Elder sister) is that you?” a familiar high pitched voice called out. I turned around and saw side consort Su Jin walking briskly towards me with a sour looking maid in tow.

Ye Hua had actually warned me about Su Jin, without going into details. “Be careful when you interact with her.” He had told me in all seriousness. When I asked why he shrugged. “Just be careful. Avoid her if you can.”

Even without his warning, this woman gave me bad vibes with her over-eagerness to please. Despite her beauty, there was an artificiality about her that seemed to hide a well of hidden darkness within. Still I didn’t think it was necessary to avoid her. Why should I be afraid of a mere consort when I out-ranked her in both age and status?

Su Jin stopped in front of me with a huge smile plastered on her face and took my hands in hers, “Jie Jie, I was about to visit you at Xiwu Palace to discuss the plans for the feast! How wonderful to have met you here instead!”

Her touch made my skin crawl. I took my hands out of hers and said firmly, “Consort Su Jin, I am the only daughter in my family, and I know of no younger sisters. I think it is more appropriate if we stick to the formal mode of address. For now you can call me High Goddess Bai Qian, and in the future after my marriage to Ye Hua, Crown Princess.”

Her composure slipped a little, but she retained her smile. Bowing slightly, Su Jin replied, “How very remiss of me. I apologize for my inappropriate behavior, High Goddess. Because I grew up together with Ye Hua since young, I naturally thought of his future wife as part of our family. But since High Goddess is so much older than us, I mistakenly believed that calling you Jie Jie would seem more intimate and make us closer…..” she trailed off.

Was she insinuating I was too old for Ye Hua? Sneaky little bitch. Calmly I said, “I always thought you Celestials are sticklers for rank, so it is better for us to draw the lines clearly. But honestly speaking, I didn’t expect you to be around Ye Hua’s age.” I took a long, careful look at her face. “Consort Su Jin, I understand if you are busy with matters of the Inner Palace, but you need to spend more time in maintaining your looks. If you don’t, you may one day be mistaken for being older than an old woman like me.” I advised her with a kindly smile.

Her face turned white with rage. However there was no way she could lose her temper with me, so with great difficulty she swallowed her anger. “High Goddess, perhaps I can show you around the gardens and tell you our arrangements for the feast?” I nodded and followed her as she indicated where the tables would be set, the lights put up and so on and so forth.

I stifled a yawn. It was barely three hours since I awoke, and I was already itching for a nap again. Su Jin suddenly pointed to a small golden pavilion by the lake and said, “That is the place where Ye Hua liked to go and read his books when he was younger.”

I could imagine him sitting there in his usual black robes reading quietly, looking bookishly handsome. Her comments made me curious about his youth. “You mentioned you grew up together. So what was Ye Hua like as a boy?” I asked.

Su Jin gave a dramatic sigh. “Ye Hua was such sweet and thoughtful boy. As you may be aware, I was adopted into his family after my Tribe perished in the Ghost Wars. He was afraid I would be lonely and sad, so he was always by my side. I felt so cherished by him. Those were happy times.”

I didn’t like the sound of it. Ye Hua never indicated he was close to her. Why would he warn me about her then? Su Jin gushingly continued, “He achieved so much in his youth because of the great pressure from the Heavenly Lord, but he never once complained. He was good at everything he did, and on top of his fine looks, it was not surprising that so many female deities were head over heels in love with him.”

I almost wanted to snark, “And that includes you too?” But I kept my mouth shut. It was obvious Su Jin wanted to make me jealous, and while she had succeeded somewhat, I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of seeing it. “Really? I guess I can count myself lucky in winning the heart of the most eligible bachelor of all the realms.” I reached over and patted her shoulder. “But Consort Su Jin, you have also managed to snag a good match – who in this great big Universe can beat the Heavenly Lord as a husband?”

I waited until I saw her seething. My heart lightened, and I made my way back to Xiwu Palace with a beam on my face.

 

To be continued…….

10 Miles of Peach Blossoms: A Peach Summer’s Night Dream (Part 18)

Ye Hua

I had another wonderful dream. Qian Qian was here with me at Xiwu Palace, and she was sleeping on my bed, in my arms, like she had always belonged. Her head was tucked snugly in the crook of my neck, and her left arm was flung across my chest in a protective gesture. The intoxicating fragrance of peach blossoms from her hair permeated our surroundings. Everything was quiet except for the hushed sound of her breathing, and the steady beat of her heart. The incredible bliss I felt in that moment was something I had never experienced before.

Slowly I came to realize that the delicious weight of her warm body pressing against mine was real, and not a dream born out of a delirious mind. As my sleep stupor dissipated, I became highly aware of the entire length of her lithe body snuggled next to mine, leaving absolutely no gap between us. Suddenly, she adjusted herself closer to me in her sleep, and I froze, not wanting to wake her up. She muttered something incoherently under her breath, and her moving lips against that sensitive spot on my neck sent all my nerve ends on high alert.

A mixture of lust and tenderness battled for control within me. In the end, the gentleman won, and I turned my head carefully to plant a soft kiss on her forehead. She sighed as if she knew. I could not comprehend why she had chosen to stay overnight in the Nine Heavens with me, when Mo Yuan had just woken up from his long sleep. Now that my mind was clearer, I wondered if she had somehow discovered my part in Mo Yuan’s recovery, and wanted to repay her debt to me. As I pulled her pliant body closer, I reminded myself that she had asked to break off our engagement, and felt an unbearable ache in my heart. However, even if I had to ultimately let her go, I vowed to treasure this precious time gifted to me by the Heavens now.

So I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.

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Bai Qian

It was the best sleep I had in a long time. I didn’t know how long I was out, but I felt amazingly refreshed. As I stretched, my limbs collided with a warm, solid body, and my eyes flew open to find Ye Hua looking down at me with the most scorching heat in his eyes. Fourth Brother described him as having stars in his eyes whenever he looked at me, but I disagreed. Ye Hua’s gaze was more like the sun, and it set me aflame immediately.

I blushed, and tried to move away, but he held me tight in his embrace. I had been so exhausted I couldn’t even remember when I had climbed onto his bed during the night. “Good afternoon.” He greeted huskily. I gulped. “Good…..is it already noon?” I gasped in surprise. I tried to sit up, but his strong arm held me down.

“Why are you not with Mo Yuan?” he asked me directly.

A very good question. Why did I run out on Shifu like that? And how was I to explain my inexplicable behavior to Shifu later? “Erm…he is well taken care of by Zhe Yan and my Fourth Brother. Probably Senior Die Feng too.” I replied lamely.

Next question. “Why did you come here?”

“I found out that you were hurt…..”

He sighed like he expected my answer. “You really can’t owe people any favours, can you?”

Fourth Brother told me to listen to my heart. It was now time to be honest. Pushing his arm aside, I propped my body up so that I could take a good look at him – the man who had captured my heart without me knowing – and said, “Do you remember when I told you I wanted to call off our wedding?” I saw a flash of pain in his eyes. How could I have been so blind to his feelings until now? He had always been an open book. He answered quietly, “Yes.”

I took a deep breath and said before I lost my courage, “I don’t think I want to break off our engagement anymore.”

Then I witnessed something so incredibly beautiful I would remember it till the end of my days. It was true when they said “the eyes are windows to the soul”. I watched a myriad of emotions being played out in those dark orbs as he went from disbelief to understanding to being relieved and moved to tears by my confession. He caressed my face and whispered urgently, “Tell me again, Qian Qian, what is it you wish to do with me?”

“I wish to be married to you, Ye Hua. I love you, and I want to be with you forever and always.” For the first time since I was born, my heart was laid bare for all to see. For a moment I felt very vulnerable. Was I too brazen in my confession? Did immortals talk about love this way? Should I have been more modest?

My fears were for nothing. Instead of speaking, Ye Hua showed me his answer in the best way possible by pushing me back down to bed and kissing me senseless. His lips moved desperately against mine – loving, possessing, demanding. My body was on fire, and I responded to his kisses just as eagerly, clinging onto his shoulders, aching for much more.

He broke off our kiss midway, breathing heavily and stated his intentions in no uncertain terms, “Qian Qian, be mine now.” I brought his lips back down to my own hungry ones, as I felt him reaching to untie my belt. Just as badly as he wanted me, I needed him too.

But before we could proceed any further, Jia Yun’s voice floated in to disrupt our intensifying activities. “Your Highness, High Goddess, are you awake?”

Stifling a groan, Ye Hua tore himself away from me with the greatest reluctance. Taking a minute to collect himself, he finally spoke up, “What is it, Jia Yun?”

Jia Yun sounded unusually excited. “Your Highness, the God of War, Master of Kunlun Mountains, Mo Yuan is here to see you. He is waiting for you at the Great Hall, with High Gods Zhe Yan and Bai Zhen. The Heavenly Lord and Donghua Dijun are also there.”

Eyes wide in shock, Ye Hua and I stared at each other.

Shifu was in the Nine Heavens.

To be continued…….

10 Miles of Peach Blossoms: A Peach Summer’s Night Dream (Part 17)

Bai Qian

Over the many millennia I had a lot of time to fantasize how our reunion would be like when Shifu eventually returned to us. There would be copious amounts of tears of course, heartfelt hugs, and endless celebrations at Kunlun Mountains. But what I didn’t quite expect was the overwhelming sense of relief I felt when I saw Shifu sitting there in the Qing Qiu cave, healthy and fully alive.

I had been carrying a tremendous amount of guilt as deep as the Chang Sea for so long that it had almost become a part of my psyche. I always blamed myself for what happened to Shifu, because if he didn’t suffer those extensive injuries when he took the lightning trial on my behalf, then he could have eliminated Qing Cang before the Donghuang Bell was set into motion. Or if I hadn’t brought Xuan Nu to Kunlun Mountains, or gotten entangled with Li Jing, the Celestial Tribes wouldn’t have suffered such devastating losses which included the life of Ninth Senior.

Shifu continued to gently pat my back and stroke my hair like he used to in the old days while I bawled my eyes out, instinctively understanding my desperate need for release. When I could cry no more, he moved me away from him so that he could get a good look at me, and said, “My Seventeenth looks good in this form as well.” I smiled tremulously, and felt tears welling up again. Obviously my reservoir of tears had yet to dry up.

My first words to him were, “Shifu looks exactly the same.”

His lips quirked up into another tiny smile. “Do I?” He mused. “How long have I been away?”

“It has been 70,000 years Shifu.” I told him, and he looked surprised. “70,000 years…has it been that long?” He fell silent, deep in thought.

After a long time he spoke up again. “The young man who helped me gather the last bits of my soul…..where is he?”

“Do you mean Die Yong, Shifu? He’s not very young, he’s actually Senior Die Feng’s elder brother, the First Prince of the Western Seas. I just returned from the Crystal Palace at the Western Seas, and he is doing fine.” I informed Shifu, who then frowned.

“No, it cannot be Die Feng’s brother. This young man looks exactly like me.” Shifu said, with a strange expression on his face. “In fact, I believe he could be….my twin brother.”

I was thunderstruck. What…how could this be? I could barely process the first piece of information that Shifu had seen Ye Hua, followed by the incredible revelation that Ye Hua was somehow Shifu’s twin brother. It boggled my mind. I flashed back to Ye Hua’s sudden departure a week ago followed by Zhe Yan’s disappearance, and how Die Yong looked so unscathed by the whole ordeal he supposedly went through as a vessel for Shifu’s recovering spirit. Was I fooled all this while? My heart sank in distress.

Zhe Yan chose this very moment to make his appearance together with Fourth Brother in the cave, his eyes lighting up with untold gladness when he saw his step brother Mo Yuan alive and well. But before he could utter a single word, I confronted him angrily, “Where is Ye Hua?”

He seemed to know the game was up and said, “His Star Lords took him back to the Nine Heavens. Qian Qian….”

I was furious. “How could you keep this from me? How COULD you?” I shouted at him. “Is he alright?” Zhe Yan had the decency to look a bit guilty, and divulged, “He has been hurt…..” I couldn’t wait to listen to the rest anymore and ran out.

I needed to go to the Nine Heavens. I needed to see Ye Hua.

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Ye Hua

When I came around, I was already lying on my bed in Xiwu Palace. Every part of me hurt, as if I had been fighting in a ferocious battle for countless days and nights. I struggled to sit up, and Tian Shu, my bodyguard, quickly came over and supported me, “Your Highness! You are awake!”

I coughed weakly, “Tian Shu, when did I come back? How long have I been sleeping?”

Tian Shu replied, “You have been sleeping for almost a week, Your Highness. Only this morning, High God Zhe Yan instructed Jia Yun and I to bring you back to the Nine Heavens from Ten Miles Peach Blossoms Grove, and for us to ensure you are given the best possible care during your recuperation. High God Zhe Yan said….” Tian Shu sounded a bit choked up. “He said that while you have sustained internal injuries, with some rest you should be able to recover. But your cultivation….more than half of your cultivation is gone.”

No wonder I felt so weak when I awoke. I tried to summon my powers, but drew mostly emptiness. So did I succeed in bringing Mo Yuan back? My time in the Chaos was still a blur. At least not everything was gone, which was a blessing, but how should I hide my loss of cultivation from the Heavenly Lord? This would set back his plans to transfer the throne to me by tens of thousands of years. I asked immediately, “Does Grandfather know?”

Tian Shu bowed apologetically, “We tried our best but couldn’t avoid the notice of the deities and guards. High God Zhe Yan already expected this and told us to say that you were ambushed by the rouge Golden Beast and got badly injured as a result. The Medicine King was here earlier and attended to you. The Heavenly Lord was very upset, but was assured by the Medicine King that you would recover in time.”

I sighed, thankful for Zhe Yan’s foresight but at the same time worried about how I could come up with a convincing story that would divert any potential blame on Qian Qian and Qing Qiu, since I was a guest there, while at the same time placating Grandfather’s wrath. But for the time being, the threat of exposure was minimal.

I was about to relax and lay back down to bed, when Jia Yun came in and announced, “Your Highness, High Goddess Bai Qian is waiting outside to see you.”

I was stunned. Qian Qian was here in the Nine Heavens? Why? Then I commanded the both of them, “Help me up, and dress me in a proper robe. Hurry!”

I was seated at my work desk pretending to read my official documents when she was shown into my residence, worry clearly etched onto her beautiful face. She also looked like she hadn’t slept in days, which concerned me. I gave her a bright (maybe too bright?) smile and said, “Qian Qian, what brings you here this late in the evening? Are you here for the magical artifact….?”

“Shifu is already awake.” She interrupted me, almost fiercely. “His soul has been reassembled, thanks to you.”

I kept my face straight, which was difficult because all I wanted was to wince in pain. How much did she know? I said carefully, “I didn’t do much, except to lend you the Soul-Gathering Lamp. I guess its powers were more than sufficient to heal High God Mo Yuan. This is fortunate because I had some urgent matters to attend to here, and didn’t have the chance to look for the other healing artifact. Thankfully, you do not need it.”

Qian Qian looked like she had many things to say, but didn’t know where to start. “Are you going to pretend you didn’t do anything to help me?” She asked, looking like she was going to cry.

I wanted to answer her, but couldn’t, because I had developed a massive coughing fit. I could feel my insides tearing and knew that in a moment I would cough up blood. I clamped my lips tightly and gestured to Jia Yun and Tian Shu, and Tian Shu immediately brought me to one side, behind the screen, so that I could throw up out of her line of sight. I heard Jia Yun explaining hastily, “His Highness caught a flu bug since yesterday, so he hasn’t been feeling very well. Please excuse him for awhile.”

“It doesn’t look like any ordinary flu I know.” Qian Qian sounded almost sad. I quickly wiped my bloodied hands on my black robe (one of the key advantages of wearing only black) and emerged from the partition calmly. “It is just a flu, a bad one.” I lied as smoothly as I could. “I have already taken medicine, and I should recover soon.”

Qian Qian stared at me hard, looking conflicted. As if coming to a decision, she came up to me and took my arm. “Then it is my duty as your wife-to-be to take care of you when you are sick. Lords Jia Yun and Tian Shu, you can leave now. I will be staying for the night.” My aide and bodyguard bowed to us and left.

Injured as I was, I could feel the effect of her touch through my sleeves. Wife-to-be? I was too spent to understand the implication of her words. Did she not just break off our engagement only a week ago? I used my remaining energy to stagger back to my bed, and the last words I remembered telling her repeatedly before I dozed off were “I am fine, really. I am fine….”

Was I already dreaming? Because I felt the brush of her cool lips on my warm forehead. I went to sleep smiling.

To be continued…………

10 Miles of Peach Blossoms: A Peach Summer’s Night Dream (Part 16)

Bai Qian

For six days and six nights, I watched over Die Yong tirelessly, taking turns with Senior Die Feng who insisted he wanted to help out because it was not just Shifu’s but also his brother’s life on the line. From our close observations, it appeared that Die Yong’s colour had improved visibly over the last few days and his breathing, which used to be shallow and labored before we activated the Soul-Gathering Lamp, had also turned regular. In fact, if we didn’t know any better, Die Yong looked like he was just sound asleep, rather than hosting a battle of celestial energies within him.

Zhe Yan never appeared again after he came to inform me of Ye Hua’s abrupt departure on the first day, noting that having two people guard the Lamp was more than enough, and he had other important things to attend to. While I wondered if the so-called magical artifact Ye Hua supposedly went to find was just an excuse concocted by the both of them to stop me from going to Yingzhou Island, I figured I could wait until the end of my seven-day vigil and if Ye Hua hadn’t turned up by then, it was still not too late for me to retrieve the Divine Grass.

During my short breaks from caring for Die Yong, when I couldn’t fall asleep despite my overwhelming fatigue, I reflected upon my harsh words to Ye Hua on breaking off our engagement and felt a bone-deep regret. What I wouldn’t give to take them all back! However, I sincerely believed I was ultimately doing him a favour by refusing to marry him. Too many issues stood in the way of our happily-ever-after: our almost scandalous age difference, my inability to open up my heart, and my responsibilities to Shifu as a Kunlun disciple. Ye Hua deserved someone better.

I couldn’t help but miss him though. If I thought I missed him the first time he left to borrow the Soul-Gathering Lamp, the last six days were absolutely torturous, and only served to highlight to me how colorless my life was before Ye Hua came into it. Despite having the unfailing love and support from my family and the people of Qing Qiu, there was always something lacking in my life that left me deeply dissatisfied and cynical. Could that something lacking be him?

On the final night, Fourth Brother suddenly turned up at the Crystal Palace to see how I was holding up, and to find out if there was any progress with Die Yong. He immediately noticed my wan and distracted face and asked, “Are your old injuries acting up again? You look really terrible.”

I waved away his concern. “No, it is not my injuries. My health is fine.” I said glumly.

“So what’s wrong? Is there a problem with Die Yong’s recovery?” Fourth Brother was puzzled. When I answered in the negative, he guessed, “You quarreled with Ye Hua?”

I sighed. “I broke off our engagement.” I finally admitted.

“You what?! Why would you do that?” Fourth Brother exclaimed, looking flabbergasted. “Do you know he’s considered the best catch in the whole universe?”

I bit my nails, a bad habit I had whenever I was frustrated, or thinking too hard. “He made me angry and I just said some things I guess I shouldn’t have said.”

Fourth Brother raised his eyebrows. “You are usually such a calm and cool person. On most occasions, you are too lazy to even get angry over anything, saying it takes too much effort. But ever since you met Ye Hua, you have been getting worked up over the smallest things. Have you fallen in love with this man?”

Love. My knuckles turned white as I gripped the stone table so tightly I thought I heard a crack. “How can I fall in love with someone who is 90,000 years younger than me? If I had married young, he would have been the same age as my grandson! It’s ridiculous!” I was in deep denial mode again.

“But you look nothing like his grandmother, or even his mother.” Fourth Brother pointed out. “There are many couples with large age gaps between them, including our own parents. Ye Hua has always been an old soul. Sometimes, I think his views and outlook on life are even more mature than yours. The most important question is: do you share a mutual affection for each other? You have got to listen to your heart Qian Qian – Do you miss him when he’s gone, need him by your side always, want him in your bed, and love him come what may?”

My heart was pounding so loudly now I couldn’t hear anything. I felt exhilarated and sickened to my stomach at the same time. At the grand old age of 140,000 years old, I had just found out I had fallen in love, and single-handedly driven that love away. Well done, Bai Qian.

Fourth Brother saw the enlightenment on my face and smiled kindly. “You have always been somewhat slow when it comes to the ways of love. But who can blame you, seeing how little experience you have with men? But it is still not too late.” He assured me. “I can tell Ye Hua is very much in love with you – there are literally stars in his eyes when he gazes at you. But you should really be upfront about your feelings for him, so that the poor boy doesn’t think he’s stuck in a one-sided relationship.”

Just as I was mulling over Fourth Brother’s words, Senior Die Feng burst into my room. “Seventeenth, my brother has woken up!” He announced excitedly.

It was only the sixth day and Die Yong was already awake? Did the Soul-Gathering Lamp succeed in its mission beyond our wildest expectations? Upon entering his room in a hurry, I saw Die Yong sitting up on his bed looking bright and cheerful, while sipping a cup of tea, as if he hadn’t been lying comatose for the past 600 years. Despite Zhe Yan’s prior warning not to cast the Soul-Searching spell, I did so, and ventured tentatively into Die Yong’s body. There was no presence of Shifu anywhere. Could it be….?

I released the spell immediately and told Senior Die Feng and Fourth Brother I had to return to Qing Qiu at once. Before they could even ask me a question, I cloud-jumped     back to the cave where Shifu’s body was.

Heart beating furiously, my palms all wet with nervous anticipation, I wondered briefly if I could handle the crushing disappointment if Shifu had not returned, or the immense happiness if he did. At the cave entrance, my feet felt like lead, but I finally made my way inside.

The familiar white figure was no longer lying down on the stone bed which he had occupied for the past 70,000 years. The face I held so dear was no longer stone cold and expressionless, but wide awake, its eyes brimming with a thousand emotions, and its lips curved in a small but warm smile. The voice I thought I might have forgotten said, “Seventeenth. Come here and let me see if you have made any progress all these years.”

I cried, and cried, and cried,

To be continued……..