Chapter Four
“You know, Lin Lin, if you only informed Bai Zhi and Ma Rui about the complex details concerning the barrier you'd raised around Qing Qiu beforehand, what happened the other day could’ve been avoided,” Zhe Yan indolently voiced out his opinion beside her.
Bai Zhen similarly chirped on her other side, “And Zhe Yan was right. I thought he was simply jesting but you certainly need to polish your swordfighting skills. I was genuinely petrified you’d be skewered when you dodged one of Father’s attacks a little too late.”
“It’s for the thrill, Zhen Zhen. I’m not entirely incapable,” Lin Hua let out a peevish sniff and decided to guzzle the wine straight from the flask before continuing, “I’ve never had a reason valid enough to learn the intricate art of brandishing a sword and I still don’t have one. I only need to know how to dodge and as what you’ve seen yesterday, I’m rather brilliant at it.”
“Still, why don’t you try to learn it as a hobby, hmm? You're collecting hobbies, aren't you? You learn quickly so there won’t be any problem for you to steadily keep up with the training,” he cajoled her, “It doesn’t even mean you’ll only be restricted to using one weapon. When you become proficient with the martial arts, you can easily use anything.”
“But I don’t need to use anything, not when I can do magic with just a flick of my hand,” she affirmed with a flip of said appendage. She gave him a dry look, “Moreover, I already have a couple of things on my hands. I don’t need to add sword lessons on top of my overflowing pile.”
Zhe Yan replied with an incredulous stare, “Lin Hua, you don’t have an overflowing pile of anything, both in the figurative and literal sense.” He sighed and tried one more, “I recall you’re fond of challenges. Why don’t you learn a little bit of the techniques and see how well you’re doing by challenging Bai Zhi and I? As a matter of fact, everyone in the Bai family is exceptionally proficient. Surely, that’s enough motivation to rankle your nerves.”
“Tempting, tempting…” she murmured as she gave him and Bai Zhen a speculative stare a couple of times before eventually deciding, “But still a no. Thank you kindly for the suggestion, however. I’ll inform you if I ever change my mind, which is most doubtful to happen.”
Zhe Yan gave Bai Zhen a dull look before shrugging, “Well, Zhen Zhen, I tried but your Aunt is an obstinate woman.”
Bai Zhen nodded, his face expressively empathetic, as he replied, “It’s as expected. We know she’d be stubborn about it.”
Lin Hua sardonically drawled as she feigned a withering look at them, “And the woman you’re talking about is currently sitting in between the two of you.”
“My apologies. We seem to have touched a nerve,” Zhe Yan droned, a smug smirk painted across his and Bai Zhen’s faces.
“You didn’t.”
Bai Zhen cut in, a touch of playful note perceived from his voice, “But you really should’ve told us about the barrier, Aunt. Everybody wanted you to stay in Qing Qiu but we didn’t know why you couldn’t. You didn’t even tell my parents about the price you had to carry with you after all these years until the other day, especially when you realized it was a sham.”
And what a terrible joke it was!
She let out a sigh, feeling resigned as she recalled the somewhat drastic event that happened, complete with a hefty scolding, flailing swords, greatly entertained spectators and even more tacit reproach, “I was being vigilant, you know. You ever know the meaning of that word? I'm glad you do."
"Be serious," the Phoenix Immortal gently chided.
The joke was really, really old but she just couldn't resist, "I'm Lin Hua, Zhe Yan. That's my godfather you're talking about."
Zhe Yan sent her an unsmiling look while Bai Zhen only looked confused.
Lin Hua rolled her eyes, "Fine! I'll desist! But to answer your question, my dear friends, it was the last magic I had done before leaving and I hadn't been paying much thought other than getting it done. Might've been the third time doing that magic that great of a scale as well―not that it had been difficult, really―but I’ve had horrible, pesky outcomes with the previous two I didn’t want to risk it. Of course, Death knew about what I'd done but He hadn't made any comment about it so I thought everything had been accounted for.
Merlin, the annoying sod's most likely laughing at me right now somewhere. He led me to believe I had to pay something in return for that magnificent work,” she finished with an acerbic scowl, her mind already thinking about the many artistic ways she could get back at Him.
It won’t be easy but Salazar knew she was sufficiently motivated to try.
She'd been heartbroken about thinking of never being able to stay in Qing Qiu for more than a day but she didn't regret leaving that nature-loving, rustic place a piece of her magic.
Zhe Yan gave her a few pats on the back before pleasantly expressing, “Well, your penance is finally over―”
“All of it was for nothing!” she cried out, feeling miserable.
“―and now you can spend all the time you want in Qing Qiu! Isn’t that wonderful?” Zhe Yan finished happily.
Lin Hua sniveled and fiercely waved the wine flask she was holding, “Not anytime soon, at the very least.” She noticed Bai Zhen’s beautiful face starting to form a frown and pointedly adjoined, “Bai Zhi might not have impaled me with his sharp blade but it was your mother that scarred the hell out me. I don’t remember her possessing such a sharp tongue. Must be because of motherhood."
Zhe Yan nodded, "She had to toughen up because of her five unruly and willful children." He glanced at the other High God beside her and amended, “Still has five unruly and willful children. They might have left the Den but mothers never stop being a mother.”
This time, it was Bai Zhen who narrowed his dark eyes back at him and held Zhe Yan’s equally bold gaze, the former eventually turning his head to the side while letting out a condescending huff.
Zhe Yan directed a wry look at her, as if silently saying ‘What did I tell you?’ and Lin Hua giggled behind her hand, nudging the petulant, young fox with her elbow a few times before shaking her head fondly.
She took another sip from her wine flask before a wicked curl twisted on her lips, “You know, if you had taken on an entirely different stand with the Celestial Clan regarding that thing with Bai Qian, Qing Qiu would’ve had no problem winning the fight. Chaos would’ve loved that.” She paused and with a wishful grin, added, "I would've loved that. Anything to rankle those snooty pushovers."
“Please do not encourage the imaginative minds of these deities any further,” Zhe Yan groaned as he jutted his chin to the younger High God, “These unassuming immortals might be amiable and diplomatic but they’re awfully determined when it comes to something they want. You can only give them enough counsel and excuses not to start something until they actually do it.”
“I’m going to tell Mother you said that,” Bai Zhen flatly intoned as he gave the older God a look.
Zhe Yan snorted, “Go ahead. I know Ma Rui will only agree with me.”
Bai Zhen scrunched his nose at him, looking adorably petulant, before huffing and turning to her, “Nevertheless, Aunt, you’re always welcome in Qing Qiu. The Fox Den is currently unoccupied except for Mi Gu and the poor fairy must be getting lonely. Xiao Jiu and her family stays there occasionally but she has been quite outspoken about building her own house soon within the bamboo forest just a couple distances away. Mother and Father will most likely go back but they’ve taken to travelling most of the time and I don’t think they’re planning on stopping anytime soon.”
Lin Hua nodded in contemplation, “Hmm… I'll think about it. Xiao Jiu did say something similar but I didn’t know she was planning on constructing her own house. I am content to stay here for now though, but if I do need a change of scenery, I won’t hesitate to run to Qing Qiu.” She gave Zhe Yan a hard nudge and ribbed, “We’ll bring this old phoenix with us so we can drain Xiao Jiu’s wine cellar.”
Said phoenix only scoffed before saying, his voice thick with interest as he tried to pry any schemes out of her, “You’ve been unforthcoming of your visit from the Heaven Kingdom? Tell me, have you done something we should be worried about?”
“Of course not! How dare you insinuate I was creating mayhem while I was there. I'll have you know I’ve been a wonderful guest,” she exclaimed, affronted.
Zhe Yan drily mumbled, "With you, we'll never know." In a much louder voice, he commented, “So, you’ve visited everyone much to your heart’s content. Are you planning on wandering to any other realms anytime soon?”
The old bird probably thought she’d arranged something elaborate, or even something extravagant, but Zhe Yan was going to have to be disappointed because Lin Hua hadn’t planned anything specific other than munching on his good graces for a much, much, much longer time and stealing all his wonderful wines, one that she gleefully told him while jiggling the flask of wine on her hand to provide more emphasis.
She recalled how it has been a couple of days since her delightful visit in Tai Chen Palace and true to Feng Jiu’s initiative, Lin Hua got to meet Bai Qian and her family, allowing her to finally put on a face on Bai Zhen’s only sister, her son and her startlingly solemn husband.
He was almost so similar to Dong Hua that she couldn’t help send the latter a meaningful frown as she pointedly―and discreetly, of course―gestured her chin to the uncertain-looking Crown Prince. Dong Hua was ever so perceptive and might’ve given her a grimace for her brazen assumption but didn’t say anything else after.
It might’ve been because of the present company, not that Dong Hua was a renowned God known for holding off his sharp tongue, but Lin Hua had an amused feeling it simply might be because of his wife. Feng Jiu had been astonishingly observant after she and Dong Hua divulged their familial connection with her and Gun Gun and the young Queen was sometimes sounding a bit bashful whenever she wanted to ask something regarding the youthful years of her husband.
She supposed it was somewhat unfathomable to think that the former Emperor of Heaven and Earth had been an adolescent once. After all, Lin Hua did hear about the fascinating speculation that the man himself was birthed out of a rock―or something of that sort―and she’d found immense amusement on that, much to Dong Hua’s chagrin.
Still, Lin Hua had no qualms on limiting her tales to Feng Jiu whenever she and Gun Gun asked. She was a much better storyteller than Dong Hua anyway and Morgana only knew what that man had told to his wife and heir.
Zhe Yan exhaled a deep breath, resigned and as expected, dissatisfied, “I suppose you did earn this imposed leisure time you’ve set for yourself.” His voice took on a playful note, gesturing to Bai Zhen as he added, “But you have to know that this one had been sulking. You were only gone for a week for your usual excursion but Zhen Zhen had been acting like you weren't ever going to come back. As if the room we've both prepared for your occupancy wasn't proof enough!"
“I’ve only been there for three days, Zhen Zhen! Xia Gu Chou and I were only discussing our usual matters, kind deity that he was. He was very accommodating but you don't have to worry about me running off to him,” Lin Hua amusedly chuckled and then assuaged the younger god with a gentle pinch on his flushed, smooth cheeks, “Never fret. You’ll be seeing my face for a very long time you’ll eventually get tired of me.”
Bai Zhen huffed and replied, “That’s unlikely to happen, Aunt.”
"You never know!" she sang out.
Zhe Yan gave her a wry look when he piped in, “Lin Hua, did you offer to decorate his palace again?”
“Of course not,” she retorted too quickly, making it sound like she really did.
And Zhe Yan knew it because he was shaking his head, a long-suffering sigh escaping his lips.
"I really didn't," she insisted with a pout.
"And you really should stop trying. The Lord of the Underworld likes to keep his place simple and you asking everytime is kind of harrowing."
She gave out her own huff, "I only wanted to add a few twinkling lights. Is that so bad?"
"Yes."
"Ugh! Fine!" she yielded peevishly and once again directed her humorous taunt to Bai Zhen, “Not even when you have to share Zhe Yan’s attention to me every single day?”
Bai Zhen flushed even more, which earned another giggle out of her, and wisely replied, “I don’t mind. Besides, Aunt Lin Hua is one of Zhe Yan’s oldest friends. It’s only natural you’ll want to spend time with him.”
Zhe Yan let out an exasperated scoff and downed his cup of wine as Lin Hua gave him another pat, “Zhen Zhen, you’re so precious. Isn't he precious, Zhe Yan?"
Said man only gave them an exasperatingly fond look over the rim of his cup.
"Zhe Yan is very lucky to have you by his side. Don’t leave him for anyone else, hmm? Especially someone from the Heaven Kingdom. He won’t ever admit it but he’ll be lonely and unhappy.”
Zhe Yan remarked, choosing to ignore her comment about him and Bai Zhen for the meantime as he focused on something more interesting, “You’ve only been there for five days and suddenly you’re holding a grudge? Has someone managed to displease you while you were there?”
Lin Hua pouted before guzzling down her wine, grumbling after, “No one, but that Clan has been shameless, poaching on the kits. It’s honestly a wonderful idea you chose to grow your Peach Forest nowhere near that place, Zhe Yan, or those people would’ve littered around your place already.”
Zhe Yan snorted, “It’s not like they hadn't done that already. Ye Hua had been my infrequent visitor when he and Bai Qian were still in the middle of their courtship…”
“And where the Crown Prince goes, a few of his people will follow. Zhe Yan's Peach Blossom Woods has had no lack of guests during that time,” Bai Zhen finished with a smirk.
“You have met Bai Qian, yes?” Zhe Yan asked with a tilt of his head.
“Of course. Xiao Jiu was kind enough to let me stay in Tai Chen Palace and even though my visit was a bit unexpected, she managed to invited her Aunt over for a visit. Qian Qian brought her son and husband with her,” she apprised, “Your fifth sister and niece are quite a beauty, Zhen Zhen, and I can see why their husbands are taken so well. The sons are still young and has a great desire to learn everything, because the moment they met me I’ve been blasted with enthusiastic questions and rarely had a moment of peace for myself.”
Zhe Yan reflectively intoned, “Ahh, their fathers are quite the prodigies, I can’t deny that. Ye Hua has been groomed by Hao De Tianjun ever since he was young. The responsibilities of being the next Emperor has been a weight on his shoulders ever since.” He gave her a perceptive look, “You know how that goes.”
“All too well,” she murmured.
The phoenix nodded, “And Dong Hua had been the previous Emperor, the one who brought and governed the entire World to its idyllic era after the Heavenly Father vanished.”
Lin Hua already knew that of course, but she didn’t tell her companions that she knew Dong Hua herself. It was a story she wasn't willing to divulge yet.
She’d thought about telling them… But where was the fun in that?
Lin Hua was suddenly anticipating the wonderful riot it would cause.
She nodded a few times, motioning that she also understood that last comment, and continued, “Undeniably, Gun Gun and Ah-Li are wonderful sons but the latter is more of the troublemaker between the two, maybe because the brat has grown and mostly learned with Feng Jiu as one of the main role models. And we all know how that one is.”
Zhe Yan and Bai Zhen nodded at the same time, looking somberly sympathetic, and tipped down their cups of wine into their mouth as if performing a solemn salute.
Lin Hua rolled her eyes at their antics. And similarly angled her flask into her mouth.
Because five days was all it took for Lin Hua to observe each and every one of Bai Zhi's and Ma Rui's brood and Bai Qian, easily the second eldest of the quartet after Dong Hua, wasn’t any better.
Children.
Lin Hua shook her head and resumed voicing out her insight, “Dong Hua Dijun is indeed an audacious man, Zhe Yan. Formidable, as well, and clearly a god of few words. Ye Hua is much the same. A polite, young lad; his countenance always looking so serious and solemn. He knows his task, that one day he will assume the weight of this universe, and yet it hasn’t gotten him insane so I suppose that’s another point in my list.”
She sighed and rearranged her flowing, dark blue dress around her, not the least caring if it was going to get wrinkled, “In the end, I reckon I shouldn’t worry too much, seeing as they’re all happy. The men are... well, so unlike Xiao Jiu and Qian Qian but I have seen their love for their respective wives. Deep and true and sickeningly sweet, dare I say, stealing affectionate glances and gestures as if I’m some blind woman.”
“Surprising, isn’t it?” Zhe Yan asked with chuckle, twirling his cup around within his hand in contemplation and nostalgia, “When Bai Zhi and I accepted the proposal for Bai Qian, I thought it wouldn’t work and that it would only be for the sake of Qing Qiu and the Heaven Kingdom. Fate, however, was weaving Her threads very craftily. It had been a tempestuous voyage for the couple and for the people around until they’ve finally reached this point.
And don’t get me started with Feng Jiu and Dong Hua either. Xiao Jiu just had to set her eyes on someone so distinguished it was quite unbelievable when she came to me to ask many things about him. Dijun has to be the most apathetic deity I’ve ever known, never truly concerning himself with the matters outside his palace and maintaining the stability of the world. Understandable of course, since he’d been the Emperor in one of the most riotous times, unwavering on his path even until he united the world. Dong Hua’s prowess had been the kind of things Xiao Jiu learned from the texts and scrolls but the lass didn’t let such things deter her and had proceeded to pursue him anyway.”
Bai Zhen let out his own low chuckle as he reclined against the rock behind him, crossing his arms across his chest as he fondly conveyed, “Dong Hua Dijun simply needed to experience romantic love with the right Immortal and Xiao Jiu was downright tenacious with hers. We’ve all aired our doubts about her ardent pursuit but did the little fox listen? Absolutely not.”
“And it took the both of them to nearly fade until everything was finally straightened out,” Zhe Yan scoffed, “Many had tried to attain Dijun’s heart but Xiao Jiu is Dong Hua’s first love. For all his infinite knowledge about the workings of the world, he’s certainly a novice when it came to romance.”
Lin Hua frowned and opened her mouth to begin defending Dong Hua about his pitiable choices regarding anything associated with romance and love in general―even if Zhe Yan was somewhat right―but remembering her decision from earlier, Lin Hua promptly closed her mouth, the crease on her brows reforming.
Zhe Yan exhaled a deep breath and continued with a smile, “A novice but Feng Jiu will remain the only one for eternity. As is Bai Qian for Ye Hua.”
The wrinkle on her forehead diminished and Lin Hua softly voiced out, “The women will balance their own husband’s brooding personality. They will be fine.”
Zhe Yan lifted an inquisitive eyebrow, "Did you take a look into the future?"
"Nope," she answered with a smile of unknown reason, "Just had a feeling."
Zhe Yan smirked back at her, humor glinting in his eyes, “And you left the Heaven Kingdom intact and unscathed. I’m proud of your restraint, Lin Lin.”
Lin Hua let out a snort, amused, before tipping her wine flask towards him for a silent toast, the phoenix doing the same before the both of them drank their wine straight.
The trio sat in companionable silence for a while, all of them lost in their own thoughts under the star-covered, night sky. Everything was still and silent except for the occasional wind softly drafting past them, shifting the many leaves of Zhe Yan’s Peach Blossom Forest.
The air was cool and soothing on Lin Hua’s face that she had half the mind to flip the long sleeves of her dress as well as stretching her legs in front of her, doing the same with the flimsy, long skirts of her dress. But Zhe Yan would throw a fit―though not quite so literally―and she would never hear the end of what’s going to be a lecture of proper decorum.
Still, Lin Hua wasn’t so ignorant. Even though there were times in which she'd find some world’s style of clothing to be awfully restrictive, it didn’t mean she couldn't be respectful of their culture. This world’s artistic garbs had many layers, some of them completely unnecessary, but she was just thankful to Merlin, Morgana and whoever was listening that the fabrics they mostly used weren’t that heavy and thick, else she’d be drenched in loads of unpleasant sweat.
Lin Hua angled her head against the flow of the breeze and offhandedly remarked, “You have to teach me how to make your wines, Zhe Yan. With me here in your forest, and the few people desiring your liquor, I certainly fear we’ll be greatly reducing your supply.” She turned to him and slyly asked, “Should I plant a couple more trees for you as compensation? Though I’ve not planted anything for a long time, I definitely know how to care for a garden.”
Zhe Yan flatly replied, “I thought you had an overflowing pile of things to do?”
Lin Hua shrugged and countered, “I promised Qian Qian and Xiao Jiu I would mind their children whenever they wanted me to. Judging from the expressions I’ve perceived from their husbands, the task will be quite time-consuming.”
The men simply nodded in chorus.
“But aside from that, I’ll be putting wine-making right under that responsibility. So what do you say, Zhe Yan? Want to have more trees?”
Zhe Yan was staring at her calculatingly when Bai Zhen playfully chimed in, “I think ten miles of Peach Blossom Trees is enough for the ancient bird, Aunt, but Zhe Yan doesn’t have anything else to do so he’ll be open to teaching you make more wines.”
The phoenix directed his look to the other High God, his dark eyes clearly telling he was unimpressed, but Bai Zhen wasn’t daunted and only let out a low chuckle so Zhe Yan gave out a resigned sigh and said, “Fine. At any rate, we’ll most likely need it, seeing as you’ve been filching out at least four urns a day from my cellar.”
Bai Zhen’s small chuckle turned into a vibrant laugh and Lin Hua grinned sheepishly, saying, “Excellent!”