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Foreword

Mu Qing and Feng Xin as characters have always appealed to me.

Or maybe I’ve always been a sucker for the enemies to friends to lovers trope.

But I know myself, and I know that I only fall for that trope when things actually have a chance of turning out that way, so as I watched those two idiots on screen, using every word they say to each other to jab and insult, I thought to myself-

Why do I love them both so much? Why am I so excited to see them paired up together?

I wanted to put a name to this weird attachment I had to them. I went online to look for answers.

I searched up “Fengqing”.

And I found a lot of people like me- and a lot of people that couldn’t comprehend it.

People who loved the fandom, and the series, but simply could not wrap their heads around the popularity of the pairing of Xie Lian’s two subordinates. They absolutely despised each other, after all… didn’t they?

There was something off.

And when I finished the book, my suspicions were confirmed.

Going forward, there is going to be a lot of spoilers, of course. So many spoilers. In fact, I encourage you to turn around, right now, and finish the book before continuing. You wouldn’t want to be SPOILED, would you?

After all, this is a friendship story… between more than just the main couple.

And before I divulge my thoughts (and prayers for their navigation in these trying times), I’d just like to say that all of this is just my headcanon, and how I think their relationship could keep going beyond the events of the novel. Everyone has a different perspective on how post-canon events could be, and I wholly appreciate that. I love the diversity of creativity we all bring into this lovely community.

Take this as my take,

on my projected version of Fengqing.

And why I love them.

-

Intro

(We gon go essay on them ToT)

I feel like many people who don’t understand Fengqing also don’t understand, or dislike, Feng Xin and Mu Qing. And if you dislike their characters, that is absolutely fine. Feng Xin can be annoying and too abrasive. Mu Qing can be too stingy and too suspicious.

And if Feng Xin is disliked, well… there’s nothing I can say about him. The refreshing part of his character is that he acts exactly how he means to, and if you don’t like him, then you don’t like him.

But there’s some widespread misunderstanding of Mu Qing’s character… that he genuinely never cared for Xie Lian, that he really did betray him by leaving and by kicking him out of the cultivation site during Xie Lian’s first descension. I find these misconceptions a little fitting, a little ironic and a little sad, because it’s the misunderstanding that Mu Qing’s peers have of his character that carved him to become such a suspicious, frustrating person in the first place.

I’ll discuss Mu Qing’s character in a little bit- if you want to listen, that is. I’m sure Mu Qing lovers will have a great time regardless.

Another big reason why people don’t understand them is because Fengqing doesn’t have the same obvious ”romance” between them as the main couple, Hualian, does. But I’d argue they can harbor just as much love, and need each other just as much as Hualian does.

While Hualian was written for each other, it feels like Fengqing was a convenient accident.

Two characters that were written to hate each other. It was the perfect plan, except…

…except all that hatred was based on a misunderstanding! (That was all your fault, Mu Qing! Damn you, you silly boy!)

Sure, at first, they couldn’t be together- and they weren’t. I don’t believe the Feng Xin and the Mu Qing at the beginning of the story could have been in love. (It just doesn’t seem likely, and there aren’t any hints of this happening in the novel at all. I still enjoy stories where one of them did have flighting feelings for the other on Earth; I can sometimes see Mu Qing stubbornly ignoring his feelings for Feng Xin, though that probably started around the time they were locked up in heaven together and he was forced to live with his surprisingly good character and toned abs. Before Fengqing’s ascension, though, it was more likely that Mu Qing was in denial about Xie Lian, anyway…)

Mu Qing was a distrusting whelp of a servant with huge insecurities and emotional constipation to back it up. He would never be vulnerable and never allow anyone to see how he truly felt. Xie Lian was the only one who would vouch for him- Xie Lian, the golden-hearted prince, who would probably naively vouch for anyone.

(Which is not true. Xie Lian has a neutral opinion of most characters, but he has a good innate sense of someone’s character… I think. He always gets it right in the end. Even with a figure as scandalous as Crimson Rain Sought Flower).

Then, there was Feng Xin, a noble boy of the Xianle Palace, assigned to guard Xie Lian, and probably one of his first friends.

PART ONE- THE MISUNDERSTANDING (Canon-complacent!)

Feng Xin had His Highness in his heart first and foremost. His heart just works like that- his loyalty is never-ending, complete, and total. Even till the very end, only he left Xie Lian when ordered to by Xie Lian himself. From the beginning, Mu Qing made a bad first impression for himself by stealing a piece of gold foil from Xie Lian. Xie Lian recognized it for the kind-hearted act it was- after all, it was only one gold piece in a set of 500, and while Xie Lian used it for entertainment, Mu Qing could use it to feed him and his mother for another day. But Xie Lian had promised not to tell anyone, and that included his bodyguard, Feng Xin. Feng Xin continued to subconsciously doubt Mu Qing’s intentions ever since then, and Mu Qing, being the depressing, broody type, did nothing to subvert his misunderstanding.

Still, they managed to survive each other’s company. They would never be together without Xie Lian’s influence, but they were forced to live in close quarters under their combined loyalty to Xie Lian. They did fight, but they also formed a begrudging respect for one another. Mu Qing undoubtedly saw that despite all his stubbornness and foolishness, Feng Xin was noble in his heart, true with his actions, and formidable with his bow. Feng Xin undoubtedly saw that despite how suspicious he was of Mu Qing’s intentions towards Xie Lian, he, unfortunately, had to be amazing with swords (and later the saber), and if he was lucky, would catch a glimpse of when he fed starving children and was even good with kids. Once the misunderstanding with the gold foil was cleared up, Feng Xin also understood that Mu Qing shouldn’t be judged too harshly too quickly. They were at a stalemate until all hell broke loose with Xie Lian’s first descension.

And they must have hated each other for those eight hundred years. They must have regretted the way they handled the situation with Xie Lian, even if at the time it appeared there was no other choice. They despised the way the other had handled the situation. I found it interesting, though, the way they attacked each other- Feng Xin attacked Mu Qing for using Xie Lian to rise up the ranks, as though he was disappointed that he was actually acting on what Feng Xin had accused him of doing for a good portion of his life. Mu Qing similarly attacked Feng Xin’s so called “loyalty”- after all, Feng Xin had played such a good role as bodyguard, to break that chain of events... well, Mu Qing hadn’t known him as well as he thought he did. They had disappointed each other. But, in the end, they really hadn’t.

Mu Qing hadn’t strictly risen the ranks using Xie Lian. Xie Lian certainly helped, and Mu Qing was ambitious, as he had come from a peasant family. He’s a logical person, and that was the best course of action for his own ambition, of course, but Xie Lian trusted his goodness, and Xie Lian has a surprisingly good history with deciphering who and who doesn’t have good intentions. As Mu Qing just wanted to be Xie Lian’s friend at the end, I’m willing to give Mu Qing the benefit of the doubt, as Xie Lian did.

Mu Qing said he wanted to help his mother. I’m willing to bet that he took the Heavenly Official’s offer to become their junior to help his mother. Additionally, the book often places Mu Qing in very unfortunate circumstances that frame him- remember the coral pearl incident, where it looked like Mu Qing was the thief (and Mu Qing spent a year of his life looking for the damn thing without informing anyone of the time he put into looking for it), the incident where Mu Qing blacked Feng Xin out to protect him, and it looked like Mu Qing was attacking him, the Mt. Tonglu incident, where Mu Qing “lead” them into a trap, and “disappeared” to leave them on their own, when in actuality, he refused the strongest Ghost King and Heavenly Emperor’s wishes to harm Xie Lian- you’re really, truly telling me, that Mu Qing abandoned Xie Lian for purely selfish reasons, when he risked genuine death itself by refusing to harm him? Yeah… alright.

Because of this, I’m betting it’s not that big of a stretch to assume that Mu Qing had recently ascended around the time that Xie Lian found him at the cultivation site. Ascension takes time, after all, and I’m betting there was a period he was with his mother, still weighing all his options. The story doesn’t say how long Mu Qing had ascended. It’s one thing to have ascended for a while and not help Feng Xin and Xie Lian out until he felt guilty for kicking Xie Lian out of the site. But like I said, situations always seem to put Mu Qing in a negative light. I’m willing to believe he always intended to provide Feng Xin and Xie Lian materials to survive and even thrive in secret, but it just so happened that he made himself look bad by refusing to help Xie Lian (when he really couldn’t, else he could lose his position as Junior. Weren’t those 30 gods he was with Heavenly Officials? Mu Qing had no time to ascend to the Higher Court yet. Losing his position at that time was a very real danger, and if he lost it, he’d be back where he’d started, with no extra way to help his family or friends).

Mu Qing had “betrayed” them in Feng Xin’s eyes, “used” Xie Lian… but really, looking at the way he always cloaks his intentions, the way circumstances constantly paints him badly, and finally, his true intentions- to just be their friend- from the very beginning- tells us a different story. When Feng Xin heard Mu Qing’s true feelings, he understood Mu Qing’s actions instantly, and his demeanor changed. Instead of ranting about Mu Qing’s wrongdoings, he manages to address the root of the problem- Mu Qing’s inability to communicate.

Feng Xin: “You just act like a normal person from now on, talk normally, express yourself normally, if you’re going to be sarcastic again, I’m gonna yell at you!”

(Mu Qing: “Haven’t you already yelled at me for hundreds of years?!”)

Feng Xin finally believes Mu Qing is, fundamentally, on His Highness Crown Prince Xie Lian’s side. And after eight hundred years, he can finally open himself up to him, and allow himself to consider him in a positive light.

And by how quickly Feng Xin snatched up Mu Qing’s “I want to be your f-f-friend” speech, he wanted any reason, any small reason, to believe him. And why not?

Feng Xin and Mu Qing had fought side-by-side and fought each other for eight hundred years. During that period, they must have matured a lot, and considering that they practically grew up together, they probably subconsciously stuck by each other. There is a reason the fandom calls them “Fengqing”, even if not in a romantic context. These two are a package deal. Side by side. Ruling over the south together. Can never leave each other. (Even if they really, really wanted to).

They work well together on the battlefield. It's harder for them to fight each other. Honestly, I don’t even want to watch a fight between them using their weapons- Mu Qing would just dash towards Feng Xin, aiming with his saber, while Feng Xin would just run away the entire time, lobbying arrows at him. Not that they ever aimed their weapons at each other, I’m sure. They didn’t genuinely hate each other. Every blow was definitely close and physical, inflicted with their fists.

On the battlefield, it’s a different story. Mu Qing has the sword and will attack close-range enemies. Feng Xin would snipe the further ones and the ones in the air. They must work well together- it’s a necessity to protect their Prince. But without him, they work just as well together. In those moments, even though they “hated” each other, respect must have been building for a long time. Because even though they “hated” each other, in the novels, they always at least tried to help each other when the other was in danger. They both have the same brain cell. Whenever Xie Lian goes off running or talks about his fat crush on the crimson king, they immediately pair up; they know each other so intimately at that point.

Additionally, who would you know better than your enemy? Mu Qing has that infamous poem about Feng Xin’s body part memorized for crying out loud. (He does have that trait of memorizing insignificant details, but whatever- that is still highly suspicious, and extremely hilarious). They had eight hundred years’ worth of collecting evidence of each other’s misdeeds and bad habits to throw at each other. They never got tired of fighting each other, never got tired of each other.

And I’ll just reiterate this: the reason Feng Xin hated Mu Qing was because he thought Mu Qing betrayed Xie Lian- in Feng Xin’s loyal heart, there is no good reason to break the trust of your friend like that. Mu Qing is a more pragmatic case, he’d understand it if Feng Xin was to leave Xie Lian in normal circumstances, after all, the conditions they were living in was daunting. What really made Mu Qing mad was that Feng Xin broke his “loyalty” after all the hype he had put into it, and had the gall to attack Mu Qing for the same thing.

But then Mount Tonglu happened, and Feng Xin was like, “Oh damn, you silly goofer, you actually cared about us the whole time???!!”

(And obviously he did, he wouldn’t have disguised himself to go down and look after Xie Lian in the first book if he didn’t care you ---!!!!!!!)

That’s when I realized I loved Fengqing. When I saw the main source of their conflict, I always thought about how Mu Qing disguised himself to watch over Xie Lian in the first book. That action had to be made of his own accord- after all, he and Feng Xin weren’t on good terms at that time, and believed that the other had betrayed Xie Lian, so why on earth would they get together and agree to aid him in the mortal realm? That wouldn’t happen.

Which meant that nobody forced Mu Qing to help Xie Lian himself. He did it again- he helped a friend without telling anybody, and worse, they deliberately put themselves in tedious positions. If Mu Qing was needed (and if Feng Xin was needed), and they couldn’t answer their prayers or Jun Wu’s calls, they both had a lot to lose. They were both cardinal direction martial gods; top tier both in the ranks of Heaven and mortal’s hearts. Disguising themselves and going personally to help Xie Lian, back when they both thought they weren’t wanted, was a huge and touching sacrifice for both of them.

Feng Xin probably thought Mu Qing was doing it out of guilt, or something, again. But still, that meant Mu Qing was more warm-hearted than his rival wanted to acknowledge, and it showed us that there was a grave misunderstanding going on between the characters.

And when Feng Xin didn’t blame Mu Qing anymore, and Mu Qing found out that Feng Xin didn’t end up betraying Xie Lian…

…well, the eight-hundred-year rival thing falls apart completely, then, doesn’t it?

So… What’s left?

Eight hundred years of companionship, with all those previously mentioned benefits of rivals- plenty of observation, plenty of knowledge of each other, and more. Those two know the worst about each other- had tried to find the worst of each other. They know each other absolutely and completely, and they came out of it stronger friends than they had been before. They would still bicker, obviously- Feng Xin was always a short-fuse, and Mu Qing always had a criticizing personality, but they spent so much longer together than they had with Xie Lian, and that means something. Where before, they wouldn’t have been together without Xie Lian, they formed a relationship independent of their Prince, and know each other better than they or Xie Lian know them.

This is where canon ends. We’re in fun territory now.

But wait!

What about…. Feng Xin’s wife?! And child?

PART TWO – THE ROADBLOCK (Feng Xin…. Has A Wife and Child?!?!)

People are also confused how- why- Feng Xin could ever have a lover, much less a boyfriend, when he has a wife and a child.

My response to you is: hoo, waiiittt, who said Feng Xin got married???

We first need to drive some facts home!

Jian Lan was working as a sex worker- after all, her previous prestigious position in Xie Lian’s harem meant nothing after Xianle fell. Feng Xin recognized her from the good days of Xianle and had a passionate affair with her- out of wedlock. They never were married. It was quite the scandal.

And even if they were married, I am also confused how- why- Feng Xin could still harbor feelings towards her, how Jian Lan could ever love him back.

What they had when they were young was no doubt beautiful. Feng Xin was a young, eager man that fell in love with one woman, Jian Lan. He paid her, not to exploit her body, but to sit by her bed and simply talk to her.

But even as much as love he thought he harbored, she still drove him away, seeing how his duties were split between her and his assigned Prince. He didn’t love her enough to stay, and she had to have her child by herself.

(And, as we know, her delivery was agony. Mu Qing recognized her as a citizen of the fallen Xianle, and attempted to help her, but it only bit him back in the hand).

But Eight Hundred Years had passed. Jian Lan became a ghost, and she lost the previous splendor she had. Feng Xin ascended, fighting in endless wars, gaining millions of followers and thousands of temples in his name. All the while, he gained influence and he gained power. I don’t doubt that while he scorned Mu Qing for his own power, he desperately wanted to rise as well, hoping to find the Prince that he felt he wronged. The single affair he had when he was mortal was behind him.

I’m sure if Mxtx wanted them to fall in love again, she would have forced Feng Xin to go to the Ghost City again, and try to rekindle their love.

….can you really imagine that? After eight hundred years, to pick up right where they started, when they both weren’t the same people they once was?

Feng Xin was at the top of martial god’s now, he had no business trying to kindle romantic relationships with ghost women of his past, much less had the intention to. Feng Xin didn’t spent nights awake thinking about her. He thought she had moved on, married someone else, and had gone to live without him. He loved her enough to be happy, and wished for her to have a good life.

But Feng Xin was a good man, just like Jian Lan claimed. Still is a good man. And you bet that even if it blundered his reputation, that he would do his best to take care of her, just as he would have in the past had he known she was suffering as a ghost, unable to move on with her demon child. And Feng Xin tried.

But Jian Lan didn’t want that kind of “love” that was based in duty. She wasn’t interested in pursuing a “love” she felt so long ago, in a different context.

That’s why she ran away. Feng Xin would take her under his wing, he was that good of a person, but she didn’t want it. They both couldn’t be together in the way they once were, and they both didn’t desire it either.

This essentially still leaves Feng Xin open for another lover- not that he would necessarily want that either. But Jian Lan’s relationship with him tells us something important- that he’s fine with listening to someone talk. That he’s fine with indulging a pampered personality, such as a royal lady like Jian Lan. That- despite his new reputation as the “sex god”- he respects his lovers, values their personality over their bodies.

….can you see where I’m going with this?

Jian Lan’s existence doesn’t prohibit Fengqing, it provides extra details why Feng Xin would, funnily enough, be the perfect partner for Mu Qing.

Mu Qing loves luxury. It is because of his poor background that taste, luxury and fine detail meant so much to him, because while the conceited royals around him had grown up with abundance, they did not see the value in what surrounded them as the less well-off Mu Qing did. When he visited the Xianle Royal Palace, he couldn’t get his eyes off of the place, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. Now, as a God, he is described to wear elegant clothing and keep his Palace fine and neat. He has a conceited personality, I imagine somewhat similar to what Jian Lan’s was at the time, which Feng Xin has already been shown to be fine with- even attracted to.

I can also imagine that Mu Qing has strong opinions about things, just as strong as Feng Xin’s, but where Feng Xin is overall concerned with the intentions of others and strong character, Mu Qing is concerned about the appearance others portray, and could probably wax poetry of the good and poor details of a flower design on a wooden chair, or how or not someone should act to impress or deceive someone. Just a trip to the mortal realm would set off a million things for Mu Qing to critique, and Feng Xin would probably listen to all of it. (Remember..? That’s a different story. He would try, if there’s something within Mu Qing’s dialogue that hints to what would make Mu Qing happy- such as a specific gift he would enjoy, or a certain décor he admires.)

Finally, there comes the point of… sitting by your lover’s bedside and not touching them.

A lot of Fengqing content has them mad with desire over each other- and hunny, it makes sense. All that fighting has their hands all over each other all the time, and have you seen them? They look amazing. They are Gods. They have the perfect bodies. Is that fighting you want to do, or is there something more...?

But I’m not the type of person who ships two people together simply because they’re both hot. That hurts my romantic heart too much.

Fengqing smut is fun, I guess, but it’s too easy. It brushes everything that they could have underneath a rug for easy gratification for the reader. It’s probably not very canon-accurate either. Like, I could see them having a comedy gag where they kiss. But during the story, they simply do not have the trust yet for Mu Qing to ruin his cultivation for Feng Xin, and Feng Xin’s heart is too noble- during the story, he still is genuinely upset over the way Mu Qing “betrayed” Xie Lian, even if their rocky relationship smoothed out a bit over the last eight hundred years. Even if Feng Xin had some repressed “thoughts” about Mu Qing, he wouldn’t stoop so low as to act on them. He’s better than that.

But after Mount Tonglu? That underlying current between them- that subtle friendship and care they had for each other- was reinvigorated as it had never been before. They’re able to be closer than they ever had let themselves be before- maybe they let the steadily growing feelings of eight hundred years slip past, here and then- as you now know, they were both always good, trust-worthy people, who had each other’s backs, who know each other very well, who are both gorgeous- I wouldn’t say it is that far of a stretch to assume something happens.

And maybe they watch the example their best friend Xie Lian set for them. There hadn’t been any other couples in Heaven, but Xie Lian and Hua Cheng are the first- and the same gender, at that. Perhaps their dearest friend showed them there wasn’t any shame to harbor any feelings like this.

Mu Qing would feel slightly settled. Feng Xin… well, this might change his entire life. I always thought it’d be funny if Feng Xin never even considered men as an option, and once he realized, Mu Qing suddenly became very, very, very dangerous for his untapped bisexual heart.

And if they do get together……

Things become a little murky in terms of how the relationship plays out.

In terms of Hua Cheng and Xie Lian, their love is complete and utterly all-consuming. They are both alarmingly self-destructive in their love for each other, so it makes sense why Xie Lian would discard his cultivation to sleep with Hua Cheng.

But it’s not that simple with Mu Qing.

Xie Lian trusts Hua Cheng with everything in his body and soul, but Mu Qing historically has trouble trusting anyone. Additionally, he is a virgin, and has much more pride than Xie Lian does. If he were to get into a relationship with Feng Xin, it would be extremely slow as Mu Qing becomes accustomed to even just touch itself, and learns, first, how to not be embarrassed, especially when all you’re doing is holding hands.

(Seriously. Can you imagine Mu Qing and Feng Xin holding hands? They would both probably faint or die. It’s hilarious. Don’t push these two too hard).

It's easier to not be embarrassed in bed in certain situations- perhaps that is why the Fengqing trope of “good in bed, embarrassed in the daylight” is so common, but I don’t think that’s how it would play out with them. There would be a lot of work to be done as Mu Qing becomes accustomed to physical affection.

Good thing we have… Jian Lan!!!

Her relationship with Feng Xin shows us that Feng Xin really is the perfect partner for Mu Qing in this scenario. He would be exceedingly patient with Mu Qing as he slowly becomes comfortable, and despite his reputation as a “sex god”, that was a title he didn’t ask for, and it didn’t affect his personality in the slightest. At the end of the day, he is loyal and wants to take the best care of anyone he deems worth protecting.

Feng Xin would not fail to show Mu Qing he is loved and would worship him in a million other ways. He would probably be fine if they never did take the first step in case Mu Qing wanted to preserve his cultivation. Losing his cultivation and being forced to re-work it is a huge sign of weakness for Mu Qing, and he isn’t as shameless as Xie Lian is to throw it away. Additionally, as they’re rival gods, he would not want that shift of power to occur at all.

But they are gods. They do have decades.

Perhaps, one day, Mu Qing will want to break his chastity… maybe one day they’ll unify like that. Mu Qing could reclaim power over an action like that, take it on his terms, and keep the power between them at a balance.

Until then, Feng Xin will just wait by Mu Qing’s bed, and they can just talk.

PART THREE – THEIR CHARACTERS (I think it works out!)

My favorite part!!

We always ship characters based on their, well, characters!

So let me set up the scene. Please note, all information is taken from their character’s wiki. I will post the links in the end notes!

Mu Qing - “Yearning”, “Affection” | Heavenly Title – Xuan Zhen, “Enigmatic Truth” | Martial God of the Southwest

Their characters were always really hinted at with their names.

According to the Heaven Official’s Blessing’s English translation, Mu Qing has a short fuse and a sharp tongue (especially when it comes to his longstanding nemesis, Feng Xin) and is known for being cold, spiteful, and petty.

Mu Qing is described by his closest friend Xie Lian to be someone narrow-minded, sensitive, petty and skeptical, who constantly offends others, (is also extremely sarcastic) but still possesses principles. Additionally, he is very elegant, has a sharp eye for detail (and will break down your statue if you dare make his statue look ugly- not that he’s insecure, because he’s beautiful, but if you can’t capture his beauty, you don’t deserve to be his follower), and can remember small, unimportant information for a long amount of time. People always assume the worst of him whenever he tries to commit acts of good-will, and often don’t believe him. His decisions may seem heartless when he is a pragmatic individual who focuses on the long-term effects of his decisions. Finally, Mu Qing is a person who focuses heart and mind on his cultivation, expanding his territory, and growing his believers.

His cultivation requires abstinence from worldly pleasures like alcohol and sex.

Feng Xin - “Wind”, “Trust/Faith” | Heavenly Title - Nan Yang, “Southern Sun” | Martial God of the Southeast

He has a short fuse and foul mouth (especially when it comes to his longstanding nemesis, Mu Qing- wow, did she really give them the exact same description? Fun-) but is known to be a dutiful, hardworking god. He is known to be polite, courteous, and honest with a strong sense of responsibility and duty. He is straightforward, doesn’t have much patience, and has a quick temper with the tendency to curse loudly and excessively even around other Heavenly Officials. His most notable and remarkable quality is his loyalty and devotion, especially to Xie Lian. He cares deeply about those close to him, even willing to protect those he disputes with (hi Mu Qing!- or is that specifically only Mu Qing? He hasn’t made one attempt to save anyone else he “dislikes”). He also shows a strange fear of women, becoming nervous and disoriented when around them. He has terrible handwriting, and can laugh at any joke for no reason.

He once possessed the title Ju Yang (known as Perfect Masculinity/Sun/Living), but a monarch once misspelled it to become Ju Yang (Gigantic Masculinity, a euphemism for a large penis). Decades later he noticed when women came to pray for satisfaction in their marital beds.

Mm.. okay, there is a lot to work with here. I’ll start with the first fun one that everyone is eager to point out- the meaning of their names, and their implication.

First- Mu Qing, “Yearning” and “Affection”. And doesn’t it just make sense?! Mu Qing had lived his entire life friendless, friendless for Eight Hundred Years! He pushes everyone back with a sharp tongue, he’s cold, he’s indifferent, he’s annoying- who the heck would want to be friends with someone like him? Nobody except evil souls, perhaps… and he looks down on them too!

But when he was a kid, he loved his mother a lot, and he made time to sneak food to the starving, neglected Xianle children, as he too was poor and neglected once. He wanted Xie Lian’s attention, but I can imagine the workplace he was in did not allow for easily formed friendships. For one, Xie Lian’s master did not approve of Mu Qing, secondly, his job as a servant, even Xie Lian’s servant, did not afford him any freedom in making friends, and third, everyone- Feng Xin and the other nobles and cultivators- were against Mu Qing. The other nobles went as far as to antagonize Mu Qing, no matter how much Feng Xin and Xie Lian pushed back at this horrible behavior. But the message was sent- Mu Qing wasn’t good enough to be around Xie Lian, and Xie Lian only pitied him, taking him in as a pet martial project of sorts. Mu Qing never learned how it was like to have affection, and could only reflect what was given to him his entire life. But then his name…. “Yearning”, and “Affection”.

Back then, all he wanted was to be Xie Lian’s friend. More broadly, Mu Qing had a desire – yearned - to be loved and cherished by someone – to have someone’s affection. For Eight Hundred Years he had not even tasted it.

Enter Xie Lian. He’s a good friend, yes, but he can’t provide that deep quality of love that could mend someone’s hurt and suffering. He can ease the Mu Qing’s pain that comes from having nobody on his side to support or believe him, but he can’t provide Mu Qing affection. They were friends, but never that close. And anyways, Xie Lian has a husband and.... we all know how he feels about Xie Lian.

Enter.. Feng Xin.

Loyal, hardworking, dedicated Feng Xin, who would lay out his life for those he cares about. Feng Xin, who has a thing for taking care of the spoiled type, who even would try to spoil his lover’s himself. Feng Xin, who values loyalty and dedication- and Mu Qing has it. Mu Qing was ready to lay down his favorite thing in the world- his life- for Xie Lian, the very same person Feng Xin risks his life for. Outside of his knowledge, Mu Qing had probably done the same for him.

Feng Xin would take care of Mu Qing, laugh at his demands, and then try to fulfill them anyways. He would take pride whenever Mu Qing allowed him to take care of him- and Mu Qing would relent, as before, being taken care of meant he owed something. But Feng Xin would love unconditionally and completely, draining all of Mu Qing’s troubles and insecurity away.

Additionally, Feng Xin’s name- Trust/Faith- is exactly what the insecure, misunderstood Mu Qing needs. A source of unconditional support for the person who always gets placed in the bad light. It would help Mu Qing reveal his kind actions- after all, he usually obscures them to avoid the typical backlash he earns from doing a good deed. Helping others and showing people his good side… it would be embarrassing at first, and he might feel weak for exposing a gentler side of himself, but he might make a few tentative friends outside his tiny friend group of two.

This next point is especially head-aching for Feng Xin: Mu Qing’s insecurity, and his tendency to overthink. It’s been known, ever since the red coral bead incident, that Mu Qing overthinks to the point that he will put words into other people’s mouths and trick himself into believing everyone resents him. It’s a nasty trait to have- if you believe everyone hates you, it becomes easy to be bitter and justify acting poorly towards them. Believing the world is against you and snapping against its pressure is a token villain backstory.

But guys. Mu Qing had never taken revenge against those who had wronged him.

Isn’t that absolutely, completely bonkers?! No one ever talks about this!

Those noble folk that jeered at him and accused him of stealing. Mu Qing never went on a rampage to attack their home or family, as a bitter character is prone to do. Or what about Jian Lan, who accused Mu Qing of having a demon child with her, even when all Mu Qing was try to help her? She compromised his position in Heaven! Mu Qing hunted her down, yes, to demand answers out of her, but he never inflicted any violence on her- no torture, nothing, as the villanous characters would. Mu Qing, despite his tendency to overthink, never harmed the people around him. He usually tried to explain his actions through words, though, buddy, half the time you lie (such as being vague about where Xie Lian was, not telling Xie Lian the full truth, that the message wasn’t fully delivered, denying that he knocked out Feng Xin when Heaven was on fire)- and even though you do lie, you’re somehow never in the wrong. Mu Qing always sticks to his principles- but at the cost of pushing everyone away from him.

My ladies and gents and binary bents, I present you the perfect solution to this emotional issue: again, wow, it’s that fucking guy!!!

Feng Xin…. Once he knows you and believes in you, he doesn’t care what you say or what people claim you do. He’ll trust- have absolute faith- in your character. It’s in his fucking name. And damn does Mu Qing have character (I love self-sacrificing dorks who gain no recognition. This is my moment to win him some fucking recognition! …is that why I’m making this?).

Anyways, no matter what nonsense Mu Qing gets blamed for, he’ll always have Feng Xin on his side to support him. Not that Mu Qing would let him yell his head off at his accusers- but it’s not like Feng Xin would allow Mu Qing to stop him from yelling at Mu Qing’s accusers. Mu Qing would deny it for sure, but I’m sure he would welcome at least one person on his side, other than the man of questionable taste himself, Xie Lian.

I feel as though I should mention the chastity and sex god pairing… it’s certainly interesting. It’s what catches the eye of most people. Most stories end up breaking this pairing to, oh, the chaste-less god and the god that took it. It’s a fun one to play with, but I think it’s more fun to respect Mu Qing’s character and let him spend his days desperately trying to stave away his attraction to Feng Xin. He is known as a character who focuses daily and nightly on trying to protect his mind, and I think Feng Xin could respect that (and pepper his jaw with kisses anyways because they love each other). But Mu Qing’s power could only grow stronger by fighting ever more fiercely to perfect his mind. He would become a true inspiration for those looking to cultivate, known as the chaste god who managed to keep away the sex god from swaying his ritual. Additionally, though, the love between the two gods encourages those who do worship one or the other to not scorn the other’s way of doing things in life, and respect that everyone has a choice in what they do. Second additionally, this stops Fengqing from becoming another Hualian repeat, as though breaking your chastity is the next thing to do in a relationship. People work through relationships differently, and I think it’s a lovely thing to have that variety, so that more people can see themselves in these couples. I know, it’s a divergence of what I said earlier- that perhaps, one day, Mu Qing would trust Feng Xin to break his cultivation. Like I said, I’m not here to advocate for one way Fengqing can play out, I’m just here to talk about why I love them, and why I think they can work.

Finally, with the couple squabbles…

Mu Qing and Feng Xin will always fight. That is an inevitability of Mu Qing’s nasty personality, but Feng Xin is just as bad, and just as abrasive. No other gods could take the hits those throw out with their words, no other gods could make light of it. Perhaps, with different couples, Mu Qing and Feng Xin would drastically change their personality to accommodate someone sweeter. One could argue that the personality they change into is better and healthier. However, is that true love? To change the state you’ve been in for 800 years for a new partner, when the one next to you knows all of your flaws and weaknesses, and loves and makes fun of you for them anyway?

It's no wonder nobody even tries to pair them up with anyone else.

And side note? I think their squabbling is the most hilarious thing on planet earth, and I don’t see any couples that just… fight, all the time. In most enemies to friends to lovers, they fight, and the chemistry is palpable. Then, when both characters get what they desire, they dull to completely unrecognizable characters. I’ve seen how two fighting characters suddenly have their aggression get turned from internal (between each other) to external (them versus everyone else). I have seen aggressive partners, who criticize their “sweet personality type” loved ones for everything (I feel a little bad for the sweet partners… at the end of the day, their “dangerous” type partner usually protects them, but the “dangerous” partner still holds the power). Everyone has their flavor of power balances, and mine is just vanilla- which is, balanced. I love it when both partners exert equal balance over each other; I love the push and pull, and if they’re emotionally intelligent, they give up some of their power if the other is feeling vulnerable; I love it when both partners work to keep the scales balanced. An example of this is, let's say Feng Xin comes back from battle severely wounded. Mu Qing would chide him gently, showing Feng Xin that Mu Qing still doesn’t consider him delicate (providing him power in the form of not belittling him) but not overtly to not overuse his advantageous position (in that he is healthy, and Feng Xin is in a vulnerable form that is easy to make fun of).

Fengqing is refreshing. It’s the couple that, even though they are together, never hesitate to call each other out. It’s the couple that.. okay. Do you know that trope where there is some “evil” force that saps out all the love out of one person in a pair- lets call this person, person B? Person B loses their emotions. Person A loves Person B, and Person B wants nothing but to kill Person A. Person A is put into a perilous position, because they don’t want to harm Person B, and they become massively compromised.

Fengqing would beat that trope so hard.

Why? Because they already exact their hardest, meanest strength on each other every day. They test each other every day. And they love each other, but they know that their partner can take their worst hits. In that scenario, no matter if it was Mu Qing or Feng Xin that was sucked out of their emotions, the other would throttle them without a thought and incapacitate them until they can get rid of the big baddie that started that whole mess.

It's the couple that flirts as they fight- that couple that makes fun of the same people, the couple that makes fun of each other, the couple that could never really break up because they manage to push every single one of each other’s buttons, and not just anger, but joy, sadness, laughter, contentment, and pain. They are the couple that make each other’s lives interesting, that keeps the adrenaline alive, because they spark so violently.

Opposites usually attract for this reason. But take it from me- opposites normally don’t stay together, even if they do in fiction.

This time, I think it works. They have similar values, and they can learn to understand each other. By the end of the book, they slowly begin to.

Now we talk about how it could go, if I had it my way. There are many ”my” ways, different scenarios that Fengqing could play out. Part Four is just where I go wild and have fun with it. We’re not so canon-complacent anymore everyone.

PART FOUR: OVER THE HORIZON (and what I see)

Followers

And just imagine a world where both are together- Feng Xin wouldn’t have to worry about Mu Qing getting sissy over his territory, and Mu Qing would be more at peace. Mu Qing could stroll through the heavenly realm with not image on his mind but, perhaps, the beauty of a single flower. He’d recognize beauty everywhere. Their followers would feel less of a need to attack each other- after all, if their rival Generals were in love, surely, they too could sort out their differences? Families no longer need to be torn apart based on whether they worship Nan Yang or Xuan Zhen, and fewer battles would erupt. The Southwest and Southeast could become unified, a stronger unit together, a much more peaceful place- or, in another scenario, become like Hualian, and be worshipped together. However, I prefer the first option: a separated, but still united, Southwest and Southeast. Where Hua Cheng and Xie Lian are ultimately one mind and one unit, Mu Qing and Feng Xin are ultimately very different people that happen to have the same ideas and vision for their world. Their differing followers may value different things- Nan Yang followers may, for example, grow up to be caring fathers and mothers, protectors of the land, Generals, speakers of the truth- bright, fierce, and warm like the sun itself. Xuan Zhen followers may flicker in the footsteps of moonlight- cultivators of beauty, sharpening their intellect and training their mind and body to be quick and ruthless- clear-minded citizens, doing the darker duties for their people, seekers of the truth- serene, quiet, and awe-inspiring like the moon. Both work in tandem, bringing a new wealth of holistic knowledge to both sides.

And, as stigma rolls away, people can start worshipping both Gods- it does not need to be a “pick one” game anymore. Both gods stand to benefit plenty as more prayers overall come rolling in.

Lovers

Mmm… okay. Here’s where my fantasies come in. This is so fun!

If Mu Qing and Feng Xin were to become lovers, here is how I’d imagine it going…

Mu Qing and Feng Xin fight. A lot. It gets to the point that fighting becomes an intimate form of communication of itself. But when I fight, I imagine them using swords- it’s a very beautiful form of fighting, as you can get close and see the expression in your partner’s eyes. It is, however, very difficult to fight properly with one saber man and one archer. They chase each other around- dysfunctional, like them fighting each other always was. But to fight in order to intimately communicate… you can’t do that with fists. Fists are for pure, bloody emotion, when you need to vent something out and don’t want to see the other person’s face to stop you. It’s for passion- either lustful, rageful, sorrowful, joyful, you can literally name it- fists are just when you just want to get your hands on the other person’s body. To observe your partner, you need distance (like the distance of a blade) to give you the space and time to process what is going through your partner’s mind- a quivering blade will tell you something is amiss with their mind, a sharp gaze will inform you all of their focus is on you, which incites a shiver and prompts you to fight harder. This scenario will only work if Mu Qing gives Feng Xin a sword himself, but that isn’t his proper weapon, and Feng Xin would hold a disadvantage.

Dang. Perhaps their union wouldn’t result in that much fighting as it used to, except in the passion of a couple squabble- which, between them, I imagine would happen frequently, such as when Mu Qing says something a little too out of line that Feng Xin is annoyed with, or Feng Xin insulted the wrong piece of furniture. Sparring casually is one of my favorite ways for sword-couples to spend their past-time! How sad. I suppose it is fitting, though- on second consideration. Would Feng Xin really want to fight Mu Qing, the person he loves? He really feels like the type to spoil his lover whenever he could. And Mu Qing isn’t that bloodthirsty either- he was, perhaps, in the book, when Feng Xin had the wrong impression of him- and boy isn’t that dangerous, especially for someone as self-obsessed as Mu Qing. But maybe, when they’re in love, they simply don’t need that. Mu Qing would find it tiresome. Feng Xin would be too boggley-eyed for Mu Qing to care how he spends time with Mu Qing, as long as he can find ways to make him happy.

(Though, I can imagine in the beginning of their relationship, if someone was hiding something from the other, they would chase them down and fight them to know the information. I feel like this is a Mu Qing strategy, most likely. Feng Xin wouldn’t hunt down Mu Qing to demand information from him. Feng Xin might have done that once, but I’d imagine he learned that brute force isn’t the way to get the truth out of Mu Qing. It’s very gentle persuasion and listening. If Mu Qing wants to tell you, he will tell you. You need to cultivate an environment of trust to allow that to happen).

In the beginning of their relationship, I imagine everything to be somewhat of a chase. I also imagine it to be a hilarious disaster, and I want the popcorn. Mu Qing would be too flustered to tell Feng Xin his feelings. Mu Qing, probably, in the beginning, wouldn’t even know he had feelings for Feng Xin, he’d be so in denial. He would probably brush of Feng Xin’s earnest approaches out of habit, even if he really did want that kiss, or him to hold his hand, or hug him. Mu Qing easily blushes, and he hates weakness, so he would probably not allow that side of himself to crop up easily in the beginning. Their love squabbles would probably be intense at first- if Mu Qing was displeased with Feng Xin, he could easily march into his Palace and demand that his juniors lock the other god out and sulk in his room. But then, Feng Xin adapts. After Mu Qing refuses to see him, he learns to wait on a bridge, at the railing, learns to wait for Mu Qing to come to him. He then looks at Mu Qing, an arrow spinning between his fingers, and asks him, “Do you want to talk about it?” He lets Mu Qing come to him, and say what he wants to say in the safe space he gives Mu Qing. That, paired with the fact that no matter how horrible their arguments get, Feng Xin always, always comes back, and never seems to blame Mu Qing…. Mu Qing learns how to trust again. His isolating outbursts and cat-like scratches become less intense, and slowly, but surely, Mu Qing folds into Feng Xin and lets him into his life.

And Feng Xin? Feng Xin would probably not be that gentle with Mu Qing in the beginning. He would still look at Mu Qing from his simplistic lens- and whenever Mu Qing withheld the absolute truth from him, such as a reason he was upset, or whenever Mu Qing got mad at Feng Xin for a reason Feng Xin couldn’t decipher, or when Mu Qing was simply acting too up-tight and ridiculous, I can imagine his short fuse would explode. But then, he’d watch as Mu Qing silently does a kind act for him, such as taking on martial duties that the civil gods want to hand down to Feng Xin, or cleans up his disorganized room (canonly disorganized, by the way), or takes care of Feng Xin’s own subordinates by treating them to something, or giving them quiet words of advice if they are low on moral. Mu Qing never brings up his actions to Feng Xin, even if Feng Xin encourages him to be more boastful about the deeds Mu Qing does. Mu Qing doesn’t, because he hates owing others- and similarly, he doesn’t want anyone to feel like they owe him. Sometimes, then, Feng Xin will catch him, and all the previous anger in his system would just twirl out of him again when he is reminded of why he loves Mu Qing in the first place. Mu Qing is always trying, in the shadows, and it makes Feng Xin determined to learn how he can love Mu Qing just as well.

(What he doesn’t know, is that Mu Qing is trying to learn how to love just as well as Feng Xin does).

Because Feng Xin loves loudly, and Mu Qing loves quietly. Feng Xin’s actions are loud and frankly, embarrassing, as he ladens Mu Qing with gaudy treasures that Mu Qing could never enjoy looking at. Sometimes he treats him too much like a spoiled maiden, and Mu Qing will get annoyed. On the flip side, sometimes Feng Xin gets burnt out and feels aggravated that Mu Qing doesn’t do enough in the relationship. They aren’t perfect, but they can’t separate themselves from each other. They take a deep breath, and they try again.

And slowly, they get better.

Mu Qing trails ahead, unable to bear Feng Xin’s attention. Feng Xin focuses all of his attention on Mu Qing, like Mu Qing is his compass, his prey, and Feng Xin is the hunter. Mu Qing doesn’t like the shame or surprise of getting caught, but he allows it, sometimes. And then Feng Xin treats him so well, that it’s worth it. It’s like a dog and a cat. A loyal, friendly, sometimes too much dog, who has too much love to give. A beautiful, stingy, hiding cat, who doesn’t give his friendliness easily, but those who are given his affections are lucky indeed. They are the sun and the moon, the red and the blue. They are all of these tropes, and so much more.

I want to tell you what happens when they get better. I want to tell you what happens when they walk side by side, an eternal half-solstice, bent in equilibrium, when they’ve been together so long that their souls have begun maturing so much, they seep into each other and you can even call them married, if you’d like.

No Fengqing story goes this far, probably because most of the fandom pours their energy into justifying how it can even happen in the first place. We’re all still looking at breaching the barrier, not what happens hundreds, if not thousands of years in the future. Maybe this is because we’re not the author, and there is too much in-canon plot that can happen that we don’t want to mess with. This is her world, we’re only playing in it. But I like imagining what happens in the cracks of all the good monsters and enemies, backstabbers and lovers that rise in the world- I like to imagine what would happen if they stayed together, kept growing together, through it all.

I imagine they’d look a lot like a fierce, adoring martial husband and and a majestic, beauty-adoring one.

Fengqing.

Identities so intertwined its rare to hear their name apart anymore.

Feng Xin is older and prouder of himself now. He doesn’t worry as much about annoying rivals or runaway princes. He’s a seasoned, respected General who watches over his side of the south and makes sure his juniors mature to be upstanding servants of the mortal realm. When mortals need a protector, if he deems them of good character, he will surely call with a blazing battalion. When trouble calls, and his Heavenly Emperor needs him (so long as Xie Lian is his Emperor, if that is the way the story goes- Feng Xin would never stand to fight for a corrupt heaven), Nan Yang is the first god he turns to. Feng Xin is burned into legend, inspiring everyone to work on their character, inspiring husbands to be there for their wives, to protect the household, to cherish their loved ones with all their hearts. He turns around corruption in the South, and to his slight discomfort, he is still worshipped when women want pleasure in their marital bed- a fact his husband still teases him for. He is not prayed to when someone needs to pick out an impressive gift, though- the lucky recipient of that prayer goes to his heavenly husband.

Mu Qing is older but not any less beautiful. His temper, just like his husbands, has tempered considerably after centuries of love and care. And he returns this love. Wherever he walks, white lilies sprout at his feet, like the joyful souls that he once put to rest. He doesn’t worry about whether or not others believe his word, he raises his head proudly and speaks his truth, damning what the rest of the world thinks of him. He inspires truth-speakers everywhere to stand their ground for what they believe. Mu Qing is known for descending to the mortal realm to bless those who make beautiful objects- as a true descent of Xianle would. He is more popular in Heaven, now, mostly liked by everyone, though not many more are close to him. He is quiet, and attends to his duties in admirable silence, taking care of the ever-flowing scrolls in his palace and training his mind with utmost ferocity. Those who wish to make it far in their intellectual field, and those who wish for a moment of inspiration in their civic or artistic fields pray to him. He turns the ambitions of those prayers in his mind and examines each and every person’s wish. Some dreams are corrupt or malformed; he immediately discards them. When he finds a pure, inspired soul, who wishes to fight with all of her heart or a man who wishes to carve out a statue so beautiful it encapsulates the pure feeling in his soul, Mu Qing blesses them, and they will surely succeed.

Feng Xin, or “Nan Yang”, is popular in heaven and gives everyone the time of day. He is still bright like the sunlight. Mu Qing is somewhat friendlier, a bit polite. He will help you, without question, if you are his friend. If not… he may not be as offensive as he was before, but he will still demand heavy compensation with a smile on his face. Still, he is one of the most efficient generals in Heaven with both the impressive talent of a martial god and the skills of a civil god to back him up- sometimes, you cannot help but pay up.

When separated from Feng Xin, Mu Qing does not talk a lot, unless juniors crowd his steps. Then you will see him bending his head and dispersing advice to the crowd. They follow him, stars of admiration in their eyes.

When separated from Mu Qing, Feng Xin appears to have the energy for everyone. If the gods want to play a great martial game, Feng Xin will play. If they want to talk and catch up, Feng Xin will happily add his input- though, when it comes to Juniors, he can only properly communicate with his own, and even then, the advice comes out terse and awkward at times, even though it is good.

When it comes to bets, a similar pattern emerges.

Alone, Feng Xin will not bet for or against Mu Qing. He is intensely against talking behind other’s backs (except in jest, if it is his best friend- he cannot help a jab at Pei Ming in most conversations)- and this distaste is especially true when it comes to Mu Qing. Such a backhanded approach is detestful. He will not do it, and that is that.

Mu Qing lavishly bets on Feng Xin on every occasion with a sly smile on his face. He always bets correctly, whether it be against or for Feng Xin’s favor. When Feng Xin finds out, he is always outraged, but is soothed quickly by a kiss at the side of his mouth. It’s all for good fun, after all, and look! They are all the richer.

When they are together, Nan Yang has no time for anyone else. Xuan Zhen conducts his affairs as usual- he doesn’t waste his time on just anyone, after all, and his friends are not the obnoxious type. If he and Nan Yang go for a stroll in the Heavenly Gardens and Xuan Zhen sees his friends, he will probably stop for a short chat. Nan Yang is not jealous in this situation, he only listens in, his face in a slight smile, as he watches the quiet happiness on his love’s face as he talks to his friend. Such simple contentment was not an option for them before.

They still have their official, separate Palaces, though over the years it has merged into one with different wings- their Palace is double the size of what they originally were. It has to be, in order for their business to continue as usual. Nan Yang’s juniors need adequate space to train, and Xuan Zhen’s juniors need the appropriate space to work in quiet. But they aren’t as annoyed of each other as they used to be, either. The dual-Palace workplace dynamic is light. Sometimes, Nan Yang juniors would linger by the doorways of Xuan Zhen juniors; if they were in a good mood, they would pour tea and serve it to the overworked Xuan Zhen juniors. If some Xuan Zhen juniors had some time off, it was very common to find them lounging with the less roudy Nan Yang juniors, either in friendly banter or in a spar to exercise after their usual tough mental workout. Friendships and crushes between the two Palaces were extremely common, and rivalries much less so. Even before the union of their two Generals, the Xuan Zhen and Nan Yang juniors had historically cultivated underground friendships. Now, it was practically non-existent. If there was ever trouble between Juniors within heaven and either one of Xuan Zhen or Nan Yang’s Juniors were under attack or accusation, neither Mu Qing nor Feng Xin had to step in to advocate for them anymore. The other party’s juniors always handled the problem with passion.

It was very heartwarming. Mu Qing and Feng Xin were very proud of them. They taught their Juniors well after all.

When they are together, they are never not touching. The touch is never showy, like Hua Cheng’s touch on Xie Lian. It’s always gentle and guiding. But where the two gods touch is usually predictable. When Feng Xin wants to steer Mu Qing away from danger, or from tripping, or bumping into something, he usually hooks his palm into the dip of Mu Qing’s hip. When Mu Qing wishes to do the same for Feng Xin, he places his hand on Feng Xin’s inner bicep. Throughout the centuries, their height would never surpass each other, which meant that every step they took was in sync. When they were together, you would never know they were two. If they approached you from behind, you would only hear the footsteps of one.

Over the centuries, Mu Qing had become more expressive with his love.

After a battle- not even difficult battles anymore, even if the battle is simply walking up the stairs, Mu Qing would fold Feng Xin into his luxuriously robed arms and carry him up to his chambers, tied for highest room in the Palace (the other highest room, of course, being Feng Xin’s room in the opposite wing). Mu Qing’s room was brightly lit, though he still placed translucent material over the windows; although he loved and needed fresh air, he still wasn’t as open to being watched as Feng Xin was. Feng Xin and Mu Qing’s chambers had the exact same build, the only difference was how it was decorated. Still, after all these years, Feng Xin never developed the mind or motivation to keep his room organized. Mu Qing, of course, always kept his room in perfect condition. Where thin sheets in Mu Qing’s windows dissolved the outside light into smooth panels of warm or cool silver light, Feng Xin kept them open, allowing the bright stars to pierce his room- it also allowed him the luxury of peering at the daily bustle of heaven, letting the light of life soak into his room. Feng Xin liked being reminded of what he stood to protect, and Mu Qing was fine with shutting it out a little, dissolving it into its barest essence so that he could concentrate on what he needed to.

Mu Qing’s room is where he would bring Feng Xin. It doesn’t matter where Mu Qing lays him, sometimes its on the bed, sometimes its in his lap, but Mu Qing would draw Feng Xin’s face up and softly kiss him, seeping spiritual energy in every kiss and wipe a slightly moist toilette on his features, cleaning him of grime and sweat. Feng Xin would only close his eyes and lean into the touch as Mu Qing cleansed every part of his body. Under his breath, Mu Qing would murmur gentle chidings of Feng Xin’s uncleanliness, his clumsiness, his obsessive need to be there for everyone, depending on the severity of his wounds or situation. Hearing him complain was comfort itself to Feng Xin, and in a strange way, he had come to love it. Every criticizing word was another form of Mu Qing’s worry and caretaking. Every touch Mu Qing made on Feng Xin was that of care- it was as though Mu Qing’s previous mortal job of clothing and pampering His Highness Xianle was not only a job, but a trait Mu Qing had taken pride in and excelled at. No longer did he scoff at brooms, he accepted that he was the only one who could do a thorough job at cleaning. No longer did he feel shame for his servant work, he realized that caring for someone and spoiling them was all part of the process called love. And anyway, Feng Xin spoils him much more.

Much, much more.

Feng Xin learned not to give Mu Qing such terrible gifts any more. He still was clueless as what Mu Qing would like, but he ruled out most things- any sort of furniture (even though Mu Qing adored a well-designed piece, he scoffed at what Feng Xin would consider “pretty”), any sort of clothing (at first, Feng Xin had tried to buy him burly, tough armor like Feng Xin would like. Mu Qing had taken offense- there was absolutely no class to a piece of armor that didn’t try to be even slightly beautiful. Then, of course, Feng Xin went the complete opposite direction and got him something that was baby blue with frills. Mu Qing was absolutely disgusted. He can’t speak of that incident without him gagging)- anything, really, was off limits, except for office work supplies. Mu Qing always seemed happy enough with the expensive scrolls and ink bottles Feng Xin brought back, but Feng Xin couldn’t help but feel those weren’t nearly thoughtful nor romantic enough to count as a gift. Mu Qing would always roll his eyes and insist he was acting silly, but Feng Xin genuinely felt heartbroken that he couldn’t provide for his partner. So, they compromised. Once a month Feng Xin could go wild and buy what he truly desired for Mu Qing. Mu Qing would gracefully accept it, even if he was smirking or his face was pale with horror. Then, Mu Qing would keep it somewhere. Feng Xin trusted him to keep it, and not throw it down as a cursed object.

And to his credit, Mu Qing did keep Feng Xin’s gifts… every single ridiculous one. He loved Feng Xin, so of course he wouldn’t give them away. And yet, he couldn’t bear to look at them; they were that hideous or gaudy. It was so similar to the dynamics of their relationship when they were young… in a sense, Feng Xin’s gifts kept that naïve sense of nostalgia alive. So, Feng Xin spoiled him that way- spoiled him with gifts.

He also spoiled him in bed.

There are many realities this can go, but in this (my) Heaven, Mu Qing never gave up his chastity; only limiting touch to kisses. And though Nan Yang didn’t get to work his Ju Yang, he certainly could work with his mouth and teeth, drawing Mu Qing in when Mu Qing pulled away, making Mu Qing hiss with cold and pleasure, sometimes even spending hours just worshipping his body when Mu Qing was half delirious, cherishing every second.

It felt so good to be loved this deeply and wholly. During those long days when they had all the excuses to spend time together, Mu Qing closed his eyes and let himself be overtaken. Let his hands be caressed and his fingers interwoven. Feng Xin’s movements were languid in bed, serpentine, a heavy presence, a careful one, a strong one. A thrill of excitement always shot up Mu Qing’s spine whenever Feng Xin gathered him up in his arms and marched to his bed. It always meant love, and-

-oh, how much they love each other.

They could twist each other for a bit when they were forced to go away, but they always met in the equilibrium point.

After a particularly long stretch of time without being in each other’s arms, Mu Qing would rush up to Feng Xin, appear to kiss him, and then-

-he’d bite his lip and draw away, his silver eyes dark in warning.

As if saying, how dare you leave me for that long.

And then Feng Xin would press a heavy comforting palm on Mu Qing’s back and draw him in, pressing a long and solid kiss on the side of his lover’s head-

I would never part from you if I could.

And Feng Xin meant it.

And Mu Qing believed it.

…

Hualian is the couple mortals would pray to for success in their loved ones to notice them. They don’t dare pray to Fengqing- that couple’s early years was as turbulent and messy as The Water Demon’s ocean.

But married couples set aside an additional incense when their time comes.

For in marriage, there always comes that defining tough moment where there will be rocky waters, and you will feel like a stranger to the partner you once loved. There will be times where you bitterly hate your partner, that you want to kill them, that the love you once were so sure you felt had all but gone.

Fengqing shines as a reminder that it is possible to go through trying times and stay strong on the other side.

That with enough hard work and good intentions the best of both people can shine through.

Hua Cheng and Xie Lian’s love is complete and never questioned. They were the prayer that answered each other’s calls, and they are each other’s source of inner strength, raising them higher. But we are not gods. We do not have people in this world that are written for us. We all come with our own baggage and expectations, and there is no one-size-fits all.

Written love is good and all when love is fresh, and you want the returned affections of your lover. Xie Lian and Hua Cheng happily rains down blessings to those they see themselves in.

But Mu Qing and Feng Xin come when the disputes arise. And the misunderstandings fall.

Mu Qing holds out a hand and draws them up, encouraging the tearridden partner to take a walk. To calm their mind, to notice the beauty of nature. He encourages them to see the things they don’t normally allow themselves to see.

Feng Xin kneels beside them, places his hand on theirs. He offers steady words of encouragement and waits till the forlorn partner lifts their head. He tells them that it’s okay, that it’s a blimp in the road. That they will stand up again.

Fengqing is inspiration. They are tough, and they are messy. They are impossible. They are an accident. They hate each other so much.

They love each other so much.

They make each other, they break each other. They are what the other isn’t, and they share what no one else does.

Yes, they are the East, and they are the West. But at the end of the day, they are the South- and they protect it together.