Chapter Text
In front of Jing Yuan stands a very cute but very angry chihuahua.
Although the Divine Commissioner may not take kindly to being referred to as such, Jing Yuan just can't take out the connection from his mind.
As if knowing what the general is thinking, Fu Xuan glares up at him.
He looks down at her, grinning widely. "Is this how the Divination Commission treat their guests?"
"The Divination Commission is no romantic dating spot for couples, general," she crosses her arms, scowling. "If you and the Yinyue-jun are here to flirt at each other, then you are no guests of ours."
Jing Yuan makes no move to correct the Master Diviner's assumptions about his relationship with Dan Heng. It's an assumption that she shares with a lot of the Xianzhou citizens and while it holds no truth to it, he and Dan Heng never sought to clarify any of it. It's something that they laugh at over shared drinks, and the two of them finding it amusing to see so many important people — the Vidyadhara preceptors, for example — be appalled, if not fuming, at the possibility of it being an actual real thing.
"How can we even offend you with our flirting when Dan Heng is over there in the other side of the room," Jing Yuan feigns a baffled look.
Fu Xuan narrows her eyes at him.
"What are you really here for, general?"
Dan Heng finally breaks away from the crowd of people greeting him and comes to join in on the conversation.
"We're merely here to have our fortunes read for the new year, Lady Fu Xuan," Dan Heng tells her. "If you don't mind."
Fu Xuan switches attitudes real quick.
"O-of course not!," she squeaks. It seems to hold Dan Heng at higher regard, tending to his request almost immediately.
She turns around and scurries off to get her jade abacus muttering, "As long as it gets you two out of here quick..."
She gets back quickly, her abacus in tow.
"I suppose I'll read your fortune as a couple then?"
"No need for that," Jing Yuan tells her, smiling. "Our fates have already intertwined, that's enough for us. Just do the regular divinations, please."
Beside him, Dan Heng bites down a laugh.
"Hmph, you just want to add more work for me," she mumbles.
"I'll start with you, then," she tells Jing Yuan.
"Please," Jing Yuan nods.
She works her way around the abacus, hands swiftly shifting the jade into their place.
"I'm afraid the stars aren't with you this year, general," she says, a tad bit gleeful. "You may want to watch your back."
"Ah, what great misfortune could possibly await me," Jing Yuan says, pensive.
"Well then, you may need this more than me," Dan Heng says, taking his hand and giving him one of his protective jade amulets.
Jing Yuan places his hand on top of Dan Heng's, firmly holding it, smiling fondly, "Thanks."
In front of them, Fu Xuan makes a face.
She coughs awkwardly. "I should do the Yinyue-jun's next."
She goes back to her abacus, fiddling with the divination tool until it glows.
Her face turns to a deep frown.
"You may want to take back that jade amulet," she tells him.
"Is it that bad?," Dan Heng asks.
"Well, who would have known that our fate, even when read separately are still the same!," Jing Yuan says in jest, not really believing the warnings to be grave enough to be taken seriously.
Fu Xuan rolls her eyes and chooses to ignore him.
"No, quite the opposite," she tells Dan Heng. "It's just..."
"Go on," he encourages her to continue.
Fu Xuan bites her lip, "You will receive great blessings but however you wish to use those may bring you to ruin."
"That sounds so serious, Lady Fu Xuan."
Fu Xuan shrugs.
"Like I said, you may want to load up on protection against the bad luck. May I suggest a break up with the general? It may just be a case of his misfortune being great enough to taint yours," she says, deadpan.
"Nonsense!," Dan Heng says, serenely. "Having Jing Yuan at my side is my greatest fortune!"
She makes a funny face, desperately schooling her expression away from disgust.
" Well, I have done what you've asked," she says. "Whatever you make of it is your choice."
"Now, can I ask you to leave?," she adds. "There are other people waiting to have their fortunes read."
"Of course. Thank you, Lady Fu Xuan," Dan Heng says, bidding her goodbye.
"We'll come bother you again sometime tomorrow!," Jing Yuan says cheekily.
Fu Xuan, at this point, simply looks tired.
"All right, all right. Just go already," she says, shooing them out of the door.
The two of them step out of the Divination Commission.
They pause on their steps, looking at each other before having a little laugh to themselves.
"We may have overdone it this time."
"Poor girl," Dan Heng agrees. "Did you see the look she gave us when we left."
"Priceless!"
They let out another round of laughter.
"Aren't you worried about your new year's fortune, though?," Dan Heng asks, changing the subject.
Jing Yuan shrugs. "If the future has been set in stone, yes. But as it stands, I think I have a fighting chance for whatever is coming."
"Ah, I wish I had your confidence."
"Did it really bother you that much?"
He gives Jing Yuan a wry smile.
"The Master Diviner is always dutiful in handing out these predictions. It would be unwise to not take it seriously."
"So are you going to take her advise to 'break up' with me?," Jing Yuan asks, good-naturedly.
"No, but I think I need my jade back."
"Tsk, tsk. Asking for gifts you've already granted is in bad taste, Yinyue-jun," he says all the while handing the jade back to its rightful owner.
He takes back his jade gratefully, "I'll get you another good luck amulet if you want. We're still in the Divination Commission, I'm sure they have some in stock."
The other man holds up his hand. "Ah, forget it. If we went back in there again, Fu Xuan may just chase us out."
"We probably teased her a little too much."
Jing Yuan looks up at the night sky, watching the fireworks explode into colorful light for the new year celebrations.
He grins at Dan Heng.
"Hey, I heard Marshall Hua is going to hold a banquet tonight. There's going to be some merchants from outside Xianzhou in attendance too. What do you say we barge into their celebrations?"
"You're incorrigible," Dan Heng shakes his head.
He follows him anyway.