Work Text:
Listen, for I tell the story of Shang Qinghua and Mobei-Jun. I speak the tale of gods and love for all to hear and bear witness.
Mobei-Jun had lived a long and desolate life. He had been the god of everything dark and cold. All things cold, frozen, and dead.
His kingdom had been vast and unknown. But it’s riches were abundant. Many a god or immortal had attempted to seduce him or take his kingdom from him, but none had succeeded. Mobei-Jun had kept his heart cold and frozen like his kingdom, and with a warrior’s might, he had defeated all challengers to his throne.
While once wandering his kingdom, he had stumbled upon a minor god and had decided to help them. Unbeknownst to him the god had fallen in love with him
The god, whose name was Shang Qinghua, had fallen in love immediately and had professed his love and admiration to Mobei-Jun. But with his heart cold and jaded, Mobei-Jun did not believe him. He assumed that Shang Qinghua was much like all the others who had aimed for his throne, and refuted him.
“You do not know us so how can you be in love with us?” He had demanded of Shang Qinghua.
“My King,” Shang Qinghua replied, “I have known you since I was young and hiding behind my mother's skirts while at court. You are strong and courteous. You do not move your strength for petty bullying like the others do. You always pay attention. You once made a flower bloom of ice for a little girl. I have loved you since before I've known what the word love meant.”
Mobei-Jun, not knowing what was to come, still doubted. He had been dismissive of Shang Qinghua’s words. “Words are easy. They also lie. We have no need for or lack of love.”
“Then I will gladly prove it to you in another way. Let me serve you for as long as it takes to make you believe. I will show you that my love is different and true.” Shang Qinghua had promised.
“Suit yourself, if you believe,” Mobei-Jun had granted. “Do not be a bother or we will gladly be rid of you.”
Thus Shang Qinghua began to serve Mobei-Jun. Most would not have been happy with his position but he had been at peace. Mobei-Jun had tried to make him leave in the start but he stood by his convictions. Then Mobei-Jun became used to him and they fell into an uneven easy sort of friendship. Mobei-Jun had treasured Shang Qinghua in his own way, but he did not know how to admit it.
The years passed and with each year Shang Qinghua had asked “Do you believe me yet, my King?” And Mobei-Jun had never answered with a yes, so Shang Qinghua continued to stay by his side. On the 10th year of their agreement, Shang Qinghua grew impatient. He would have gladly waited, had it been what hsi king needed, but he needed to make sure that his king understood exactly how much he meant to Shang Qinghua.
Shang Qinghua had climbed the tallest tower in the kingdom, and he had caught a shooting star. It burned his hands and palms. He usually disliked pain, but just this once, he did not mind. As he scrambled down from the tower, he had tripped and fell. And the star had shattered, but he would not give up. He had picked up the shattered pieces of the star and placed them back together and he had cupped it in his palm and had mended the areas of breakage with pieces of his divine energy so that it glittered gilded green and gold from his soul
He had then given the gift to Mobei-Jun who had been shocked. Giving one's divine energy had been a rarely given thing. A god’s divine energy was a part of their soul essence. It was a part of their soul and to part with it was a monumental occurrence for all the ways that said divine energy could be used against them. Mobei-Jun was shocked. Shang Quinghua's devotion to him had been too large. He had not anticipated that Shang Qinghua would go this far.
And so Mobei-Jun understood the weight of Shang Qinghua's affection. He had immediately left his palace.
Shang Qinghua had wallowed broken hearted, believing himself to be rejected even after he had given away such a significant piece of himself.
And then Mobei-Jun returned. "I am sorry," he began and Shang Qinghua's shattered all the more for it. "I am not a man of many words. I have been too afraid of your love to realize that I had fallen in love with you because of your kindness, your heart, your capacity to love, your clumsiness, your forgetfulness. I would give you everything if you wished it. I would now overstep my bounds and ask that you give me everything."
He had opened a pouch that he had pulled from his gown. He opened it and inside lay a faintly shimmering stone that swirled with various colors. It was not bright, but it’s understatedness made it all the more beautiful to behold. A Heart Stone.
The Heart Stones were known to have been forged by the first god of love, Yue Lao, with the help of the Jade Emperor. There were only 7 of them left in existence from the initial 100. The purpose of the Heart Stones was to bind souls together for all eternity. A Heart Stone was significant because it meant that love had been chosen. It was not an easy thing to find, nor one to give away. With this Mobei-Jun had declared his intention to spend all of eternity with Shang Qinghua. Shang Qinghua's smile at this declaration had been blinding.
They married several months later on this date and that is why we celebrate the Winter’s Love festival. It is a reminder to be persevering and to always leave room for love in your heart. We celebrate it in the winter as an offering to Mobei-Jun and as a reminder that even in the darkest and coldest places love can still be found and nourished to a full bloom.
We have the peach blossom fruit because it had been another gift from Mobei-Jun to his husband. His husband had wanted peaches in the middle of winter, and so Mobei-Jun made it possible. We eat and share the fruits in the name of them both, and in celebration of their love. We wear and decorate with the peach blossom flowers to honor Shang Quinghua. We celebrate together because we can choose to. We choose to love each other like Mobei-Jun and Shang Qinghua did, and that is cause for celebration.