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ᵕ̈ ིྀ
800 years ago..
"I promise we'll end up together Qing'Er. Just wait for me, okay?" Mu Qing nodded as Feng Xin tied a red string on both their pinkies and kissed his forehead
"I'll always come back to you, Qīn'ài de." Feng Xin vowed, sealing his promise with a kiss
Mu Qing was unsure for he knew how the passage of time can change people's minds. "What if you grow to resent me?"
Feng Xin chuckled "We're already at eachothers' throats, no? yet I have still fallen for you. No matter how much I will grow to resent you, I will always love you deep inside."
Mu Qing huffed a small laugh and flicked Feng Xin’s forehead playfully "Stupid idiot. And what if you fail to keep the promise? You have horrible memory."
Feng Xin feigned hurt “Ow! My Qing’Er is so mean to me!” He then cupped Mu Qing’s face “If I do fail to keep my promise; I’ll throw my life away. I’d do anything, I’d fall from grace for you, give you everything I have in my name.”
Mu Qing rolled his eyes in a fond manner “You’re so dramatic.”
Footsteps then approached as a certain prince sounded from the hallway "Feng Xin, Mu Qing?”
Mu Qing rolled his eyes fondly, a small smile on his lips as Feng Xin pecked his lips one last time "Come on, let's go."
...
Xianle Fell along with its prince. Nothing was saved.
Fire was everywhere as everybody suffered burns and rashes from diseases that seemed unworldly.
Mu Qing had no one. His mother... Fell ill and-
Feng Xin.
Feng Xin despised him.
The promise was broken, he had nothing to look up to anymore. He decided the best thing he could do was to just take care of his ill mother and try to savor every second with her before she... No... He shouldn't be so cynical.
ᵕ̈ ིྀ
700 years ago...
"Xuan Zhen Jiangjun. Nice Title, bet you worked so hard to earn it, huh? You did everything you could do even if it meant to bite the hand that feeds you."
"Ju Yang ZhenJun. What brings you here? Do you have that much time to burn since nobody is assigning you on missions due to your incompetence to do so?" Mu Qing raised a sharp brow, shooting a curt look at Feng Xin before turning back to continue his report.
"Just wanted to remind you of your schemes. You don't deserve any of this, fucker. Every single thing tied to your good name was from a man you betrayed."
Mu Qing scoffs "Please, you're practically self-projecting. Like you didn't leave Xie Lian!"
Feng Xin retorts, snapping "I WOULD'VE STAYED! I WAS TOLD TO LEAVE! YOU ON THE OTHER HAND LEFT WILLINGLY FOR YOUR OWN SELFI-"
"Listen, if you just barged in because you had nothing to do and just wanted to start an argument, I don't want any of it. Leave."
Mu Qing calls over one of his deputies to escort Feng Xin out of his palace. He didn't want to fight. He had no energy to.
ᵕ̈ ིྀ
Later that night, Mu Qing lit up a candle and sat by his balcony. Pulling out a lacquered box, he opened it. Inside it was an old red string preserved from when they were just kids
'Feng Xin...' He clenched his fist, the string in his palm 'You promised... Is it something I did..?' He let out a sigh and put the string back in the box before hiding it back under his bed
He spent the whole night staring off into the distance from the top of his balcony as he mused about a promise that has for long been forgotten and broken from a man that despised him
But he’s accepted it, he has for a long time. He knew nobody would actually love him, he was a fool for believing someone, let alone Feng Xin would love him the first place.
And just like clockwork, Mu Qing sits by the window to pine and lament every single evening
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As months turned to and years turned to centuries, tears of hurt and sadness turned to ones of rage and anger, Nan Yang and Xuan Zhen became infamous for their rivalry in the heavens.
Their squabbles turn to vehement sparring, weapons clinking as they fought each other with great force.
One fight however, took a turn for the worse
They were in the palace of Nan Yang sorting through scrolls as they searched for their report of one of their past missions, lost in a pile of crumpled papers and spilled ink
”You’re room is a mess! Would it kill you to clean once in a while?! Hell, you can even ask one of your deputies to do it if you’re too lazy to do so!” Mu Qing complains
”Please, you care so much about cleanliness. I guess you still have that servant energy in you, huh?”
“Oh go to hell! At least I know how to tidy up! You’re a disgrace, and here I thought someone from a wealthy family would know how to maintain cleanliness, but I guess not. You are unreliable with anything important!”
”Me? Unreliable? Who the fuck here stayed to protect their prince and kept his word?” Feng Xin clenched his fist, ready to punch Mu Qing
”Well certainly not you! You left after I did and you still think you’re better because you stayed for what? A day longer?”
He drew his fist back, a swing away from hitting Mu Qing’s pretty boy face ”It’s because I was told to by Xie Lian himself! And I searched for him after he was banished because I am a man of my words! I vowed to protect Xie Lian!”
“You? ‘A man of your words?’ Don’t make me laugh Feng Xin!” He let out a sardonic laugh
”What? It’s true! Not like you’d understand any of that shit! I protected Xie Lian and promised to stay by his side!”
“Xie Lian wasn’t the only one you vowed a promise to!”
’Its always Xie Lian. Everything was about him.’ Mu Qing thought. Of course Feng Xin would forget the promise he made Mu Qing, because Mu Qing wasn’t worth anything! He was just a mere servant who was ‘saved’ by the precious crown prince.
”Oh yeah? Fucking enlighten me then! Who have I broken a promise to?!” Feng Xin’s brows furrowed deeper as he punched Mu Qing right in the face
Mu Qing stepped back with a grown “Me, you careless, absent-minded oaf!” He blasted spiritual energy at Feng Xin, sending him stumbling on the pile of scrolls
“What promise have I ever fucking made to you?! Are you delusional?!”
“DURING FUCKING XIANLE YOU IDIOT! WHEN WE HAD AN AFFAIR!” Feng Xin visibly tensed, eyes wide open as Mu Qing clenched his fist white
“YOU FUCKING PROMISED TO ALWAYS STAY BY MY SIDE! TO... to...” ‘to love me no matter what.’ he wanted to add, but instead he withdrew his fist as he stepped back
He took a deep breath as he spoke, breath shaky “You know what, I’ll just remake the report. Farewell, Nan Yang. Thank you for having me here.”
And just like that, Mu Qing turned to his heel and left the room, leaving Feng Xin in a frenzy of emotions
ᵕ̈ ིྀ
The next day, Mu Qing was inside his office rewriting the report they were looking for the day prior. Suddenly, a deputy knocks on his door
”You may enter.” Mu Qing says
His head deputy enters and bows ”Xuan Zhen JiangJun.” He then gives Mu Qing a freshly boiled cup of tea “Your tea.. oh, and Nan Yang JiangJun requests to see you.”
Mu Qing thanks his deputy for the tea and what did he say? Feng Xin was here? He looks back down on his report “Tell him I’m not interested in seeing anyone today.”
He then dismissed his deputy and continued doing his report.
About half an incense time has passed, he had finished his report and was preparing himself for the night ‘til he heard tapping on his window
He turned to see a certain archer, sitting on the window sill. Feng Xin. Fucking Feng Xin was there. Mu Qing wanted to kill him.
He decided to ignore him and pretend he wasn’t there.
Unfortunately, Feng Xin however was not one to back down. He proceeded to continuously knock on the window, causing Mu Qing to finally open it
”What the fuck do you want, Nan Yang? Have you ever heard of privacy? I told you I was not interested in seeing anyone today. Leave.” He was about to shut the window close until Feng Xin stopped him from doing so
”Wait! Mu Qing-,”
“It’s Xuan Zhen to you, Nan Yang.” Mu Qing deadpanned
“Urgh, fine, Xuan Zhen, I’ve made a promise. It is my duty to fulfill it.” He said earnestly as he leapt inside Mu Qing’s room to kneel on one knee and offer him a gift.
”My dear Xuan Zhen, I pray you accept this one’s gifts and affection.”
Mu Qing saw red. “What the fuck Feng Xin?!” He stepped back, eyes narrowing
“Oh fuck you- I mean, I’m trying to make things right.”
“Oh save me from your half-assed affections. If I hadn't brought anything up I would've been waiting for a millennia because you forgot a mere promise.”
“please if you just let me explain and state my intentions...” Feng Xin wasn’t sure if he was frustrated or hurt, but his eyes seemed to show something akin to hurt
“Face it. You failed, Feng xin. There’s nothing more I need to say. you failed to keep your promise. You’ve failed as a bodyguard and as a...” His voice became timid and shaky as his stoic, frustrated expression faltered a bit, showing one of sorrow instead
But just like a glimmering comet in the sky, rare and fleeting, his aloof, stoic expression was back, he told Feng Xin to get up and pushed him out the window
ᵕ̈ ིྀ
The next day, Mu Qing was called by Ling Wen to her office.
As he arrived at the palace, Ling Wen greeted him with a small smile, “Xuan Zhen JiangJun,” She opened a scroll and showed it to Mu Qing
”Ling Wen ZhenJun.” He greets
”Congratulations.” She tries to say in a happy tone, when in reality, she’s stressed because this would mean more paperwork
Mu Qing looked puzzled, he raised an eyebrow “Hmn?”
She then hands the scroll to Mu Qing and explains “Now, if you just sign here, a contract of accepting the entire south, Nan Yang’s merits, all his temples and to take Nan Yang himself as your subordinate-”
Mu Qing’s eyes widened as he became even more bewildered with every single word Ling Wen spurred out
“Okay what?! I’m not signing anything first of all, and, please excuse my language but; what the fuck? Are you sure Feng Xin agreed to all of this?“
Ling Wen took a deep breath, trying to keep her cool “Yes, he came here and asked to give you everything and requested he be exiled, I denied and he insisted. I then told him that instead of being exiled, he can just be a subordinate or become a god of something else like fertility but he denied and took the former option.”
Ling Wen then took a step back and bowed “I must excuse myself now, thank you for your time, Xuan Zhen. Please do make up your mind before the date due on the scroll.”
Ling Wen leaves to continue doing her duties as Mu Qing stood there, frozen, unable to even process or fathom what just happened. Huh?!
He barges in to Feng Xin’s palace “Feng Xin, what the hell?!”
Feng Xin was in his palace, sulking, in his hand was a glass of wine. and on his table was 4 empty wine bottles His cheeks were flushed a color similar to the wine itself.
“Mu Qing? Oh, sorry, I mean,” hic “Xuan Zhen.”
“Feng Xin you godforsaken idiot!” He marched up to Feng Xin and dangled the scroll in in front of his face “The entire south?! You’re temples?! Your merits?! You as MY SUBORDINATE?!”
Feng Xin frowned “I’m sorry, I told Ling Wen to banish me b-but,” hic “she refused.”
Mu Qing’s brows furrowed “Sober up, quick.”
Feng Xin nodded vigorously “Right away,” hic “I just need water and,” hic “I’ll sober up in like.. less than half a shichen.”
Feng Xin drank a cup of water and immediately collapsed on his bed, snoring
Mu Qing would be lying if he didn’t find it cute
Feng Xin woke up after a shichen, his head aching as he groggily mumbled
”Urgh, my head hurts...” He suddenly catches Mu Qing’s silhouette “Mu Qing?” He abruptly sat up
”Feng Xin.” He gave the scroll to the latter “Explain.”
“Oh, well... I... failed to keep my promise. I promised to give you everything if I failed to be a good lover, no?” He explained, his head low
”Oh so you remember that but you didn’t remember to love me? Hmph.” He puffed his rosy cheeks and furrowed his brows and- oh how Feng Xin’s heart swelled. He was beautiful and adorable.
“I didn’t.” Feng Xin said suddenly “I- I didn’t forget to love you... I hated you but that hate died down after a while, and even when I hated you, I... sorta still had feelings for you.”
Feng Xin looked up at Mu Qing with eyes glimmering with sincerity. Mu Qing’s breath hitched, words stuck on his throat as he felt heat crawl up his neck to his ears
”And I’m sorry I forgot my promise, I’ve kept you waiting for 800 years, and for that, i deeply apologize.” He reached out to take Mu Qing’s hand in his
”But I never broke my promise, per se. I kept you waiting, yes, but I never stopped loving you.”
He stood up, and albeit they had the same height and similar build, Mu Qing felt like an ant in Feng Xin’s hold
Feng Xin took Mu Qing’s hand and placed it against his chest, He could feel his heart racing. Mu Qing looked up at Feng Xin and gulped
He let out a shaky breath he didn’t know he was holding
”My dear Xuan Zhen, I was going to court you properly, but um, I sorta got pushed off a window..?” He huffed a nervous chuckle
A tear rolled down Mu Qing’s cheek as he burrowed himself unto Feng Xin’s arms, hiding his face on his neck “You don’t know how long I’ve waited. I hate you so much.”
Feng Xin rested his arm on Mu Qing’s hip and kissed his cheek “I love you my dearest.”
“Shut up, don’t go all sappy, lovey-dovey now! I hate you. You made me wait 800 years. I expect you to properly court me!”
”Oh fuck off, I was going to but you pushed me off the window.”
“You deserved it.”
”Fuck you!”
”No, my cultivation.”
”Mu Qing you goddamn- !!”
They both ended up breaking a door, a pillar, a bed, and Mu Qing’s cultivation vows.