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It started with a rumour.
For some reason (which he prefers not to investigate) the rumor of General Xuan Zhen's unrequited love began to spread among the devotees of his temple.
Many of them didn't seem interested in dating, in fact. The only thing his temple could offer was help to people who could not afford to worship gods by giving away wealth. Mu Qing was fickle with those worshipers who had difficulties of their own; it does not require more than one's own faith.
He knows what it feels like to wait on working to be able to pay for basic necessities.
However, although most of the prayers continued to be from people seeking prosperity and protection for themselves and their families, there were some that were scattered like flowers in the middle of the grass: prayers from people seeking the blessing to find someone. his true love. The invisible red thread tied to his little fingers, something that not even Mu Qing and his divine ability were capable of seeing.
Mu Qing was not a god of love: he was a god of war. His skin almost flawless, except for those scars dotted across hisbody: a bite, a stab wound, and the point of an arrow.
He could discuss strategies for rebelling against a corrupt Imperial Court, or ambushing an emperor in his palace with thousands of faithful guards under his command. But when it came to talking about feelings that bloom with spring… Mu Qing felt a special misgiving towards them.
But there are many things that Mu Qing learned about love throughout his life: he learned that love hurts, and that it's capable of knock the stone and exposing the deepest wounds of a heart. Love is the weapon that the discouraged use to destroy the weak. Love is the ability to lower your head and accept that weakness.
But he hasn't been able to admit his own weaknesses to himself, so how could he be able to love someone?
-
“It seems that His Highness has decided to grace us with his presence today".
His tone sounds colder than he intends, his tongue almost as sharp as the saber that hangs from his back.
He should have this for usual, he should. After all, it has been these kinds of words that he has used throughout his life to keep people like him out; they are embedded in his head like stones sunk in dry mud - it is possible to remove them, but the rest of the mud cracks and creak when he does so.
(However, it feels weirder when he says them again: his words leaving an acid scent in his throat. It's off-putting).
Approaching with slow steps, Xie Lian seemed embarrassed. He stops in place, as if hesitating whether he should move on or stay. He gives a tight smile, Ruoye squeezing his sleeve as a consolation in the impending silence.
Mu Qing arches an eyebrow.
Seeming to have take a decission, Xie Lian makes a martial kowtow from his place, “I heard you needed my help"
"I don't remember asking anyone for help".
“General Pei said that you seemed preoccupied with a matter".
Of course. General Ming Guang always poke his nose into matters that are not convenient for him, which is why he always ends up involved in all kinds of scandals within the Heavenly Court. Even when it is he himself who has the highest authority of it.
He should have known, after all, so he avoids saying anything else. He just clenches his fist surreptitiously behind his back, trying to find the words to express his disgust to him through the communication matrix when this is all over.
"It's a settled matter, you're wasting your time". He tries to avoid it, although he knows that Xie Lian can't settle for that.
And he knew it, because Xie Lian starts making wet puppy dog eyes and gets even closer, the two meters of distance becoming one, and Mu Qing's personal space is invaded as the distance between their bodies cannot be discerned; their faces almost on par. Of course, Xie Lian had to raise his head slightly to be able to meet his eyes from his height.
Mu Qing is immune to puppy dog eyes, anyways.
"Do you need anything else?"
“Let me help you, Mu Qing,” he pleads. "I'm alone and bored".
“Ask your dog to go out with you" He receives a reproachful look in return. He snorts, and Xie Lian says, “Feng Xin came to visit me yesterday, and you're supposed to come today. And now I am here".
"I could go later. Now come back, I'm busy".
"You said it was a settled matter". He blinks, seeming innocent.
Good heavens, this person seems to have become more and more shameless, he thinks. His frown deepens, "I don't need your help".
"We all need someone's help at some point".
"Well," he drag out, Little General Heng's face appearing in his field of vision. "Xiao Heng is going to help you get out of here and I'm going to mind my own business, how about that?"
"Xiao Heng seems pretty busy today, doesn't he?" Xie Lian observe, noting the complicated expression that appears on the poor man's face as his general beckons him over. It doesn't take too long, anyway. Too obedient, he admits. Dark bags hang from his eyes, his face slightly drawn from lack of sleep. Mu Qing is considering giving him longer breaks in the future. "General Xuan Zhen," he bows lightly, "how can this be of use to you?"
Xie Lian doesn't take his eyes off Mu Qing. He keeps looking at him with that stupid pretty boy face that gets everything he wants.
He used that face in the past, when the Xian Le kingdom had not yet fallen, when he was still a child ignorant of all the pain in the streets, that "saving the common people" was a selfish and impossible dream. And with that face, Xie Lian got what he wanted for his entire life.
(Of course, until Bai Wuxiang completely messed up his life).
But if Xie Lian wants to be stubborn, Mu Qing can be too.
"Xiao Heng is going to escort you to the exit." He mutters, with a firm tone.
Xie Lian deflates and looks at him like a child whose favorite toy has been taken away. Mu Qing clears his throat, trying to hide the smile that spreads across his lips, and waves as poor officer Xiao Heng leads him to the exit, his puppy dog eyes echoing in his head. And then comes the silence. And Mu Qing can't help but feel lonely.
Again.
-
As he entered the Ming Guang Palace, Mu Qing felt a sense of discomfort fill his body.
He had no close relationship with General Pei, other than their crude interactions when a case is filed in the Great Martial Hall, and when he seems to have nothing more interesting to do than annoy him by speaking into his private communication matrix.
(Which he has no idea how he got the password from).
Old General Pei was always surrounded by people like Ling Wen and Shi Wu Du; beings for whom Mu Qing did not feel much sympathy, so (in the past) he avoided crossing him and his friends, most of the time.
It's not like he have many options anyway; right now he might think himself the closest thing to someone desperate.
Due to his inexperience in matters of romance, he was forced to stop answering prayers from certain devotees. And the less he answered prayers, the less faith he received, and the more likely his worshipers were to seek out another god who could fulfill their demands. That's how it worked.
So, with annoyance pricking his chest like a thorn, he walked down a desolate corridor (and too long for his liking).
For a few minutes, he could only hear the snap of his own armor, and he just stared at the statues that decorated the long corridor. Of course, they were all of General Ming Guang in different heroic poses. And some a bit... suggestive. He preferred to keep his eyes on the ground for the rest of the way (to keep his own mental chastity protected), until he reached the Main Hall, where (of course) General Pei was, looking quite unconcerned.
He was not wearing armor, so his robes clung to his body and made him a much nicer looking person, shiny and shimmery.
"Welcome, General Xuan Zhen," he greeted, almost dramatically.
Mu Qing refrained from rolling his eyes. Instead, he bowed slightly and saluted with a soft, “General Ming Guang".
"What brings you here?" he asked, "it doesn't seem to be for leisure, but he would have accepted all Go invitations I sent to your palace in the past"
Good heavens, he really is claiming him.
This time, Mu Qing rolls his eyes, as if he couldn't bear to stand there.
Which is true.
"Of course not, lately I've been busy receiving and answering prayers from my devotees. I don't have enough time to go out and have fun"
Pei Ming seemed to understand the impressions of his comment and let out a hateful giggle.
"Xuan Zhen, if you wanted help with the matter of your worshipers, you could have been more specific." General Ming Guang's face leaned back into his hand, a playful smile beginning to spread across his face.
Mu Qing began to regret coming.
“If that was the case, would there be anything heartbreaker Ming Guang could support me with?"
"And why would I be of any help to something like that?" he asked, as if he really cared about this matter. Mu Qing frowned.
"And why not?"
Pei Ming laughed again, and Mu Qing was very resistant not to blurt out some insulting comment about the sound of his hyena-like laughter, "It is true that I have seduced many people throughout my life, but..." He paused, as if truly contemplating his own words.
Mu Qing was getting fed up with this shit show. He really needed to solve his own problems as quickly as possible, and his visit only caused a likely accumulation of more prayer scrolls from his believers in his Palace. He had to hurry.
"But?"
“I've never been in love with anyone,” he concluded, “so I don't know how someone like me could help you".
There was a silence that stretched for a while after his answer. Pei Ming drummed his fingers on the armrest of his throne, waiting for Mu Qing to finish his mental analysis process.
"I see," he answered a couple of minutes later, "I've wasted my time, then".
"Why don't you ask your friends?" he asked, and the mere possibility of it sent a shiver down in Mu Qing's spine, "You know, General Nan Yang had this affair with a mortal--
Though it didn't end very well. Yeah, uh, you better not do it. Maybe he hasn't even gotten over it, and wow, no one needs another temple destroyed this month".
"…I wasn't going to do it anyway".
Pei Ming nodded, "It always remains to contemplate your last option"
Mu Qing shook his head, “I'd rather take care of my problems myself. Thank you for clarifying my doubts, General Ming Guang".
"Why? His Highness seems to have some experience with love. You know, him and that Crimson Rain seem to have a special fondness..." General Pei fell silent as he felt Mu Qing's stinging gaze shooting into his temple.
However, since he couldn't go too long without saying something questionable, he added, “But it's just rumours, so it doesn't sound too sure either. Still, it never hurts to ask".
"I would prefer that you avoid meddling in my affairs unless you have something really useful to contribute".
Pei Ming raised both hands, as a sign of redemption: “I remind you, General Xuan Zhen, that you came to me for help in the first place"
"My mistake, then" Mu Qing's shoulders tensed, his normally furrowed brow deepening as he spoke. "I'm sorry to bother you, General Pei".
And with that, he just left. As he listened to the sound of his armor walking, Pei Ming could only think: "Wow, that really was a dramatic exit".
-
He went to visit him when he finished the remaining paperwork.
PuJi Shrine looked better than the last time he visited. Mu Qing guessed that Feng Xin or his beloved San Lang had come to help reshape it in the time he avoided come back.
The placard that read: "This shrine is in ruins" was still there. It seemed that someone had forgotten to remove it, as the temple looked like an ordinary temple, and not like the shelter of wood and straw that it once was. The establishment plate was also still there, but (at least) there was now a much more legible message on it: Welcome to PuJi Temple, home of the Crown Prince of Xian Le.
It had really changed after a couple of months. On the other hand, the townspeople were continuing their lives normally, and they greeted him when they saw him stand in front of the temple gate.
“Oh, Young Master, Xie-daozhang has been waiting for you!" mentioned a woman passing by with a basket full of wheat and other vegetables. A little boy ran after her, and he greeted him with a smile, waving his hand.
Mu Qing bowed his head slightly in greeting, a tiny smile plastered on his lips. The glimmer of innocence shining in the boy's eyes reminded him of the past, when the petty thieves from his village would accompany him to home just to have an excuse to ask Mu Qing for a share of the cherries he picked from the Real Palace trees.
Then he knocked on the wooden door.
It wasn't too long before it was opened, and a shallow breathing Xie Lian peeked through it.
The faces of both were on a par (and at a little distance) and Mu Qing was able to detail Xie Lian's cheeks dotted with freckles, and the reddish color that extended from them to his ears and neck.
He took a step back, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
“Mu Qing,” Xie Lian gasped, as if he feared the life would slip away from him in a breath, “you came!"
“Um… yeah".
“That makes me happy,” Xie Lian whispers this time, as if trying to catch his breath. He moves to the side, connecting space to pass. And Mu Qing does, noticing a faint burning smell in the air once inside. His nose crinkles, and he says, "What are you supposed to have done?"
The temple hasn't changed that much, after all. The prayer table is still there, and several incense sticks are gathered by side. There is also the donation box, situated in a corner of the corridor with the lid half-closed, Mu Qing could see a gold ingot sticking out of it.
Xie Lian sighs. His sleeves are rolled up and the skin on his hands is red. He wipes away a bead of sweat with his arm and smiles sheepishly, "I tried make rice buns".
Mu Qing sneered, “And how did that turn out?"
Xie Lian bit his lips, his face forming a complicated expression. However, it isn't long before his spirits compose themselves, and he walks into the kitchen, holding the pot in front of the trash and setting it aside. The pot still emits smoke from its place, but Xie Lian tries to ignore it. "Have a seat," he finally says, turning to where Mu Qing is standing.
Mu Qing walks over to the wooden table that Xie Lian uses as a dining room and sits on the floor. A few minutes pass where Xie Lian is dedicated to put in order the dining room. He fetches water and pours it into two drinking bowls, and pulls out a small basket from who-knows-where and places it on the table. Then, he finds a pair of chopsticks, and sits down.
"I didn't prepare this," he smiles sheepishly, and Mu Qing looks suddenly relieved at his comment, "I assumed something like this would happen, so I bought something before you arrived".
Mu Qing nods in acknowledgment, and somewhat uncomfortably mutters, “…I appreciate the gesture".
The sound is no more than a faint whisper, and he probably thought he wouldn't be heard. In fact, if he had been a little farther away (or if the table were much larger) he doubts he would have been able to hear him. But Xie Lian smiles, and a warm feeling lights up the atmosphere.
Mu Qing can't help but think that he is cute.
Xie Lian then opens the basket and hands the pair of chopsticks to Mu Qing. He asks if he won't eat, but Xie Lian tells him that it's okay to eat with his bare hands.
Curious (maybe too much curious) Mu Qing raises his head and looks into the basket. There, four white rice buns lay on a cream-colored cloth. And if you look a little closer, you can see that they have a shape similar to that of a heart.
Mu Qing arches an eyebrow, "Why use chopsticks, then?"
Xie Lian replies with a shrug, "I assumed you wouldn't like to eat with your hands. It was never like this in the... past".
A long silence settles in the shrine, and Xie Lian seems to have regretted mentioning it. Mu Qing ignores him (or at least, tries to) and picks up a bun, holding it in his hands and bringing it to his mouth.
It's still hot.
Xie Lian coughs a couple of times after a few minutes, and says, "So... you still don't need my help?"
Mu Qing is silent for a few seconds and continues to chew the food. And after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he says:
"I..."
“General Pei told me everything,” Xie Lian interrupts, and as if afraid of making him uncomfortable again, he quickly adds, “He also showed up who seemed really concerned about the matter of unanswered prayers".
Mu Qing nods, looking down at the bun. He doesn't bite it, this time, waiting for Xie Lian to continue.
And he does: "He told me you wanted my help, but... I don't exactly understand why".
"I didn't ask for your help," he says, clearing his throat when he feels a grain of rice stuck in his throat, "Pei Ming just assumed you would be the best person to talk about 'love affairs' ".
There is a faint blush creeping up from his neck to his cheeks, and Xie Lian doesn't seem to know whether to laugh or burst into tears.
Mu Qing watches him impassively.
Feeling intimidated, he says, “I know some things…but it's only from my perspective that it's really all about. So I can't be objective about it"
Xie Lian was always the kind of person who believed in fictional tales and happily ever after.
He believed that a friendship could last forever, no matter how much damage they did to each other in the past. As long as repentance and forgiveness existed, there would be no reason to break it.
The same thing happened when he thought about love. In the past, when his mind wandered during the late nights at Xian Le Palace, he would think that if two lovers tried too hard, maybe there would be a "forever" in which they could be happy. Of course, in the mind of a little boy who had never experienced that kind of love firsthand, that could only be the truth.
In any case, over time, Xie Lian learned that love is something different than what he imagined. And, although he continued to think that if he tried hard enough, there was a possibility of obtaining the "forever" he always dreamed of, he also knew that there was a very long way to go to find his true happiness.
He learned that it was also okay to love without saying it out loud, hidden in thousands of layers. And he learned that there were many ways to express love, and that he could be happy waiting, for everything and for nothing at the same time
Whatever that meant.
Faced with the sudden silence, Mu Qing asked, "Have you been... in love, ever?"
And he said it; the thorn digging into his chest, his mind eager for answers. He had been waiting for the right moment to ask, however, he did not gather enough courage to do so.
As if coming out of a reverie, Xie Lian simply nodded. He was still staring off into space, as if he were pondering a life or death situation.
“Is that person Crimson Rain?"
Xie Lian reacts, frowning and tightening his lips. And then he looks into his eyes with a complicated expression.
Mu Qing doesn't know how to interpret it, so he stays silent.
The bun is no longer hot, so he just leaves it on the table. Xie Lian's silence drags on for a few minutes, and Mu Qing feels that he can no longer bear it.
He has no patience for this.
He gets up.
"Mu Qing?" Xie Lian calls.
"I have to go".
He says no more, picking up his own saber (which he doesn't even know when he put aside) and walking towards the door.
The feeling is so abrupt and dry that he receives it like a kick to the stomach; it leaves him breathless, cold and not really knowing what to do. He feels the acid taste of bile scratch his throat as he reaches the door and opens it, his hands trembling and the sole purpose of disappearing. The scene replaying in his head on a loop, unable to stop it.
Crimson Rain Sought Flower.
Hua Cheng.
Sang Lang.
He should have expected it.
However, it hurts.
He listens to the muffled pounding of his own heart as he steps outside, hoping to return to his palace as soon as possible. He shouldn't have come in the first place, he shouldn't have asked in the first place, knowing that the answer would never satisfy him enough.
He hopes that Xie Lian won't follow him and let him get away this time, with his mixed feelings and heavy breathing. With his heart breaking and the wind blowing away the pieces.
Of course, that doesn't happen.
He is already a couple of meters away from the temple when he hears Xie Lian call out to him. He doesn't stop, he doesn't want to. However, he hears Xie Lian's desperate footsteps, and his pleading voice as he calls out to him:
"Mu Qing," he gasps, and Mu Qing stops, not knowing what to expect. He avoids looking him into his eyes, as if he feared a negative reaction if he did. "I think you're misunderstanding my words".
"Misunderstanding what?" He spits out, indignant, and Oh Dear, he really wanted to avoid this situation at all costs. The words try to come out of his mouth like a tornado that seeks to destroy everything in its path. The words that he kept in a corner of his head in the past, and that want to come out.
He has lost the patience.
Mu Qing should have the power to stop them, but, up to this point, when he feels his blood boil and the adrenaline surge in his body, he feels unable to do anything else. So he continues: “Oh please, Gege, tell me: what am I misunderstanding? Or do you think that no one in the Heavenly Court knows about your close relationship with your beloved San Lang?"
Xie Lian was starting to lose his patience. Really, to have this kind of discussion...
"Mu Qing, enough already-"
"What else do you want from me? Don't act like you don't know that I can tell you prefer to spend your time with your San Lang, because it seems Feng Xin and I are so incredibly annoying that we're second choice beside to him! Because we both know that our relationship will never be the same as it was 600 years ago!
Because of course the glorious Crown Prince of Xian Le seems to have better things to do than hang out with the street rat that once swept his bedroom and cooked his food..."
Xie Lian seems about to freak out and tries to interrupt him. He moves closer to him and looks up when he feels the distance between their bodies is so small that he can't go any further without feeling uncomfortable.
"And above all things, you-" He is cut off as Xie Lian pulls his robes down, and then a warm feeling hovers over his lips.
They both freeze when their mouths make contact. Mu Qing can even feel Xie Lian's hands tremble against his chest, still holding the cloth in his fists, as if he was afraid that if he let go, he would run away without even thinking of coming back.
He's on tiptoe, he notes later; when he stirs and Xie Lian seems to lose his balance, releasing his lips from one moment to the next. He gasps, and presses them back against his, aching for contact.
They stay like that for a few minutes. However, it is not a kiss per se; neither of them is experienced enough to direct it, so they stay this way, lips pressed to each other, not really moving.
And then, Xie Lian stops. He pulls away, a small smack coming from his lips as he does so, and Mu Qing doesn't exactly know what to feel about it.
They both stare at each other, their breathing getting faster.
Xie Lian widens his eyes so much that it seems like they will pop out of their sockets at any moment. He's starting to get upset; his trembling hands and his tense shoulders betraying his state. His face bursting into crimson red, tiny beads of sweat trickling down his temples.
Mu Qing, on the other hand, seemed to enter a contemplative state, as if she couldn't believe what was happening. He asked, "Did you just...?"
Xie Lian couldn't take it anymore
"NO!" he screams.
Mu Qing nodded. But... there was something different, so Mu Qing touched his lips with his fingers, and said, "Are you... sure?"
By this point, Xie Lian was dying of embarrassment.
What was I thinking? He really didn't care about his own spirit power anymore; Years of staying mortal got him used to surviving without them, but Mu Qing…
Oh Dear.
"I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY!!"
In this time, Mu Qing seemed to react.
Red rose up his face and spread over his ears and neck. It seemed that all the blood in his body had rushed to his head and he screamed, "YOU--!"
"I'M VERY SORRY, MU QING!"
"WHAT THE HELL...? YOU JUST... k-kissed me...!" His voice trailed off as he spoke, as if he thought saying it out loud was some kind of blasphemy.
He touched his own lips again, as if he could feel the crime in them. They were red, wet, and slightly swollen from rough contact, his cheeks flushed crimson.
He looked at Xie Lian with razor-sharp eyes, and Xie Lian had a feeling that he would go for a hit unless he made him see reason.
"Wait, it's not what you think!" It's just... you started to say shit and assume things, and you wouldn't shut up, and I... I thought...” Xie Lian also lowered his voice, and heaved a ragged sigh, “I was wrong, I'm sorry".
The two of them fell into an awkward silence, though it wasn't long before Mu Qing decided to move first.
He said, “Okay. I'm leaving".
"WHAT?! NO, WAIT!"
Mu Qing had already walked a couple of steps, so he turned around and looked at him, "It's obvious that neither of us wants to be in this situation, so why drag it out?"
Because I'm afraid of to coward me out later and not being able to tell you what I feel.
Because I'm afraid we'll grow apart like before.
Xie Lian moved closer, one of his hands coming up behind his back, barely grazing his shoulder-blades through the wrinkled fabric. He wanted to kneel on the stone path and beg him not to go, he wanted to hug him and make him go back inside the temple. He wanted to talk about his feelings and stop waiting for everything and nothing.
Xie Lian always believed that if he tried hard enough, he would have his "happy ending".
He wants to try it now.
However, he does not have the courage to do so. So, before putting his hand on his shoulder, Xie Lian's fingers shrink into a fist, and his arm comeback to his place. He whispers, with a small voice, one last please: "Just... don't leave..."
Please, don't leave me.
Mu Qing stopped, as if contemplating the possibility. He didn't turn to look at Xie Lian's pained face in the silence, and he didn't say anything during that span of time either. However, he had made up his mind, so he replied:
“I already said what I had to say. Goodbye".
So he turned and disappeared into the orange trees. The first autumn leaves had begun to wither, and the smell of wet earth spread through the air. Xie Lian didn't notice when a leaf fell beside him, completely lost in thought. As the silence became even more palpable, Xie Lian could hear his own broken breath, and he felt desires to cry.
-
The Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet was organized by the Thunder Master this year.
Everything runs smoothly: from the luxurious clothes to the decorations that float in the air with spiritual energy: a bunch of fake lanterns decorating the night sky, glowing with the characters written in ink. If read in order, they read: “White-Jade capital of the heavens, twelve towers, five cities. The immortal caresses my head, hair bound to receive immortality".
It's a nice detail, Mu Qing recognized.
On the other hand, Mu Qing was unable to sit in the same place that he occupied every year; after Jun Wu's fall, his prayers went unanswered, and as a consequence, his worshipers turned their faith to other gods. Furthermore, there were other powerful gods who had left the Heavenly Court at that time. Just now, the senior representative was Pei Ming, who unceremoniously sat in the main seat.
Noticing that Feng Xin had sat down a bit away from General Pei, Mu Qing finally sat down, trying to get as far away from Feng Xin as possible.
Paying more attention to the place he had chosen, he noticed the empty seat next to General Nan Yang, which he protected with his own gaze; whenever someone came over to sit down, Feng Xin would shoot them away with his eyes. Mu Qing guessed who that seat was for. However, he doubted it would cross the skies that day.
Xie Lian seemed to want to keep a considerable distance from the heavens after all.
And of you, he reminded himself.
After they sat down, the Banquet continued as normal, as it did every year. Some officers hypocritically congratulated themselves on their achievements, and chatted excitedly about the Battle of the Lanterns.
This year, however, there was also something different:
As the Banquet unfolded, thunder echoed in the heavens, and Pei Ming poured himself a glass of wine and passed it to the person next to him: the Goddess of Literature, Ling Wen Zhen Jun. There was some laughter in between while the cup was passed from one side to the other, and ended up in the hands of a recently ascended god, who (due to the peer pressure) drank from the glass and looked at the theater, waiting for the interpretation.
To be honest, Mu Qing did not pay too much attention to the play. Though he tried to deny it, he kept glancing sideways at the empty seat next to General Nan Yang, who, he noted, seemed just as disgruntled as he was. They both exchanged glances at some point, but ignored it, diverting their gazes to the theater.
Mu Qing heard a couple of laughs on his sides when one actor hit the other, but he didn't quite understand the story behind it, so he took a sip from his glass, which (luckily) only included water, and waited for it to finish before going back his attention to the show. However, unexpectedly, when the play ended, a bang rang out, and the accountant shouted: "Qing Jing Palace, three hundred and forty-one lanterns!"
A shower of applause and congratulations fell on the table, and the young god hid his face behind his hand fan.
Huh, so fast? Mu Qing felt somewhat confused. However, he didn't have much time to think, as the second round of Flower Passing, Drumstick had begun. The gods continued to laugh, some with their breath stinking of wine exclaiming loudly when the glass was left in their hands, and the sound of thunder ended much faster than before.
After a few seconds, Mu Qing felt something cold on his hands and the eyes of all the heavenly officials on himself.
There was a lot of whispering when they noticed that the cup had fallen into the hands of General Xuan Zhen; everyone was excited to learn the content of the legends that had haunted the god since the beginning of spring, so they seemed restless and expectant. Mu Qing, for his part, only said, “I can't drink alcohol".
There were a number of complaints, and at this, General Pei said, “Okay, okay, how about this? Since you can't drink the wine, you have to make up for it by letting us watch the stage play".
Mu Qing narrowed his eyes at Pei Ming, still holding a grudge from his last visit to his palace. However, he wasn't in the mood to start a fuss, so he simply nodded.
"Raise the curtain!" exclaimed another god. Mu Qing turned his attention to the play this time.
As the curtains went up, the melody of a guqin began to play, and two people came out on stage to dance. One of them is dressed in silk, with luxurious robes and a crown on his head. He also wore a golden mask, to hide his identity. On the other side, holding their hands as they move, was another person; his robes look more common and coarse next to him, and he wears the mask of a demon, which hides his entire face.
"Oh? This is something new,” says General Ming Guang, sipping his glass of wine and looking with interest at the stage.
Mu Qing purses his lips, suddenly uncomfortable.
He is used to the stories his worshipers create that include Xie Lian in them, more as an antagonist who tries to thwart his attempts to gain ascendancy or as a brash prince and cannon-fodder who dies at the end of the play. But this time it feels different. In the bad sense of the word.
The sound of the guqin becomes faster, the melody rise into a crescendo, and the two lovers continue to move and turn. Their movements increase in intensity, becoming more emphatic and swift.
And then the sound stops, and the prince lets go of his lover's hand.
Everyone holds their breath until the music starts again, and this time, another person appears on the scene: A man dressed in red.
Huh?
The melody changes; it becomes softer, sweeter. And the young prince drops his golden mask, and begins to dance with the new man. And he seems much happier, forgetting what he left behind.
At the back of the stage, the man in the demon mask stands motionless and lonely. And when he lowers his own mask, he just stares at his love falling into someone else's arms.
And then the music stops.
The cup in his hand bursts from the pressure, the sticky liquid dripping onto his hand and part of his robe. Mu Qing didn't even know that he had been holding his breath until now, and he can only regain it when he feels the crystal shards burying in his hand.
This is... unheard of.
General Pei seems to want to add something to the sudden silence. However, he is interrupted by the shout: "Third place, Xuan Zhen Palace, eight hundred and ninety-nine lanterns!" that resounded in the light of the waning moon. After that, the applause exploded and the light from the lanterns illuminated the sky with an orange hue.
However, from his spot looking at the Lanterns, Mu Qing felt his heart stop beats
-
Days later, he went down to the mortal world to pay a visit to the Main Priest of his Temple.
He wanted to express his displeasure with regard to the romantic tales that were beginning to spread and become much more popular among his followers. Really, he could even count the number of prayers begging for love that far exceeded those of other devotees who were seeking and begging for something else entirely.
He needed to stop the creative freedom of his believers.
So, in his Fu Yao skin, Mu Qing enters the Ye Liang Temple.
Ye Liang Temple is the Head Temple and pride of General Xuan Zhen; located to the southwest in one of the most influential areas of the current kingdom, a crystal palace is supported by pillars painted in gold. The walls are made of thick glass and the ceiling is made up of windows where you can see the sky. The marble floor reflects the shadows of every detail that makes up the crystals: the characters "Xuan Zhen" written in ink with the calligraphy of a scholar.
Legends say that it was made by the ancestors of the current royal family, after General Xuan Zhen himself had saved his country from destruction.
The atmosphere is pleasant upon entering, the smoke from the incense sticks leaving an intoxicating smell and a warm feeling in the air. An elderly couple kneel on the postration pad, bowing three times, each holding three incense sticks. On the offering table there is a bouquet of freshly grown flowers and fruits.
Mu Qing doesn't want to interrupt, so he takes his disembodied form; the one that mortals are unable to see, and walks to the place where his own image image is spread out in a colorful stained glass window. Each enameled glass reflecting a detail of your portrait.
The Main Priest, on one side of the couple, watches that the prayer ritual is carried out correctly. Mu Qing sits next to him, listening intently.
The couple is made up of a man who is nearing the end of his golden age; his hair has started to turn a grayish color and the wrinkles around his eyes are accentuated when he smiles softly; and the woman, with pale complexion and red lipstick, is so thin that if one were to wrap one's fingers around her wrist, there would still be room to grasp her.
It is unfortunate how time seems to pass for mortals, so fast that from one moment to the next they are at the end of their useful life, and it seems that they have wasted their entire lives on unimportant matters. Mu Qing wonders what his worries would have been before he died, if he had grown old to the point where life slipped from his lips in a breath.
Still bowing his head, the old man murmurs, “Please, General Xuan Zhen, help us to get a husband worthy of our Xiao Wei"
Oh.
Mu Qing feels a tic appear in his eye when he hears the word "husband". But he does not stop the prayer, and soon hears the woman say: “She is so delicate and weak… and we are so old that we cannot take care of her forever. We would give everything for her, but we can no longer give her what she deserves due to our old age".
Mu Qing's expression softens from his spot. The incense stick burns to ashes after a while, and the couple rises, completely in sync with each other, and bows lightly.
The sanctuary is almost completely empty after that.
Mu Qing picks up a flower from the wooden table and plays with it, passing it through his fingers. Its petals have a fine layer of dew on top that enhances their pinkish color. She is so delicate and weak, the words made echo in his head, we would give anything for her.
It's already dark, and from where he is he can watch the sky shine in the middle of the night. The stars shine their light and the sky looks like a natural lanterns show. The Main Priest is tidying up some things inside the temple; clean the prostration pad and dust off the prayer table. He doesn't touch the offerings when he does, and then he heads for the exit.
Mu Qing is willing to follow him. However, when the Main Priest left, another person entered the temple, closing the door behind him.
A young cultivator in white robes makes his presence known in the sanctuary, his straw hat strapped to his back and a small wicker basket hanging from one of his arms.
It's Xie Lian.
And he looks into his eyes, into his bewildered face, and says, "I can see you".
Mu Qing instead asks, "What do you want?" The moonlight reflects off the glass, creating a kaleidoscope that gleams on his tired face; the traces of lack of sleep evidenced in the black circles around his eyes.
And yet, Mu Qing can't help but think that he looks beautiful.
The stars spread white specks on the marble floor, and Xie Lian finally says: "I want you"
Mu Qing is startled, confused, "Huh...?" He whispers, as if to make sure it wasn't a figment of his imagination. After all, this whole situation seems completely unreal.
Right now, Xie Lian looks like a mirage from the stars.
"You asked me if I knew all those things about love because I'd been in love with someone once..." He pauses, biting the corner of his lower lip, as if that gives him enough courage to continue, and says: "Well, that someone is you".
As he continues to speak, he approaches him. He does it slowly, as if he was afraid of scaring Mu Qing if he increases the pace of his steps. And then they are facing each other. And Xie Lian looks much more palpable from there, more real.
Then, from the small basket hanging from his arm, Xie Lian takes out an incense stick. He turns it on, kneels on the prostration pad and bows his head. Mu Qing feels his heart pounding against his chest as he asks, "General Xuan Zhen, please, I beg my love to be reciprocated".
"There are a million ways to show love, this is my way".
"Would you accept it?"
And then he whispered: "...Would you accept me?"
-
EXTRA:
"So, like this?"
Xie Lian stirred the water with a wooden spoon. He did it slowly, afraid of splashing Mu Qing who was lying next to him making sure he didn't add any strange ingredients.
“Seriously, how can you not know how to cook a simple rice bun?" Mu Qing asks, indignant. He pulls Xie Lian's free hand away from the pot, complaining that it is too hot and that he is too careless of himself.
Xie Lian smiles sweetly when he hears him, and Mu Qing stops hin speech when he feels his gaze. The words vanish into thin air, and Mu Qing blushes.
“Oh, I can do it. However, it is more exciting that you teach me".
"Don't touch the pot directly with your hands, it's hot," he scolds again, trying to divert the conversation. The words sound like a babble, anyway, and the red in his cheeks increases considerably.
"Oh, you look cute when you blush".
“Xie Lian!"
He laughs.
He has not yet received an explicit response to his confession, after so long.
After kneeling on the ground and saying so many embarrassing words, Mu Qing told him to stop this "shit show" and forced him to stand up, holding his hand. However, after scolding him about it, he insisted on accompanying him back to the PuJi Shrine. And all the way back, he never let go of his hand.
And the days after that, Mu Qing continued to go to PuJi Shrine to visit him. Sometimes, he carries a flower in his hands, the dew splashing on its petals and places it in the small vase that his beloved San Lang gave him.
Sometimes he just shows up at night, looking too much tired. And Xie Lian opens the door, and they both lie on Xie Lian's makeshift bed, him stroking Mu Qing's hair, and Mu Qing just closes his eyes until dawn comes and they both have to go back to worrying about their responsibilities.
(The legends also changed, after a black-robed figure had been seen entering the PuJi Temple with increasing frequency).
And it's okay; because Xie Lian is happy like this, even when he feels insecurity pricking at his chest like a flower thorn.
It's a matter of time, Xie Lian is convinced. After all, the path to your own happiness seems shorter and shorter.
After all, he still has all eternity to wait.