Perishable as I (hualian tgcf)

6

"Ah- that-" Xie Lian pants. "Was a close one-"

Pei Xiu frowns. "Why did we run? Do you have a bad relationship with general Xuan Zhen?" Xie Lian chokes wide eyes. "What?! No! Well- kind of maybe?" Then looking confused, more at himself than the younger, he thinks. No one in the heavens has ever questioned his relationship with the two former attendants of his they just sort of know. There's a aura. A feeling. A line maybe? One you don't cross by asking questions.

It's kind of awkward to have to word it out loud actually. He's has and always will see them as his closest friends, never servants. Not even from the beginning, when he was royalty. Never had he seen them as anything but friends, no matter how many times Mu Qing liked to remind him that they were different. Maybe Xie Lian should have accepted that, but he never did.

They were his friends. His first friends actually however he respects that's not how they see him, at least not anymore, maybe once they did. Once when life was good and they were happy. When the people were happy.

"Do you not know the rumours about me? There's a lot." He says scratching his cheek sheepishly. There was a whole book on nothing but fun making on the god that the others passed around. Usually the middle court, the upper court seem to be more sophisticated at least his circle of acquaintances.

Then Xie Lian 'ah's' "Right you didn't know I was a god until a while back. That's why you were so surprised. Well you must have heard about the god pleasing crown prince and his down fall right?" Pei Xiu hesitates to nod. Of course he's heard. Who hasn't.

The god sighs sympathetically. Who would ever want to work for him? Why would Pei Ming punish Pei Xiu with this kind of torture? He's so young, has such a good reputation, has friends. And now it was all down the drain. Or it will be as soon as this gets out.

You don't have to announce your deputies in heaven to the gods if you don't want to. They just have to be filed. Ling Wen keeps the head count, of who has who. A sort of crowd control. However bringing up a deputy or helper or aide of any kind is a big deal and it draws a huge crowd. Luckily for Xie Lian his new deputy general was already in heaven and the paperwork only consisted of a hand over scroll.

Simply stating Pei Ming acknowledges and agrees to handing or in this case "gifting" Pei Xiu to Xie Lian. This means no one has to be informed, and the only way they'll find out is if they, see, hear, or ask directly.

Xie Lian doesn't stay in heaven most of the time so it's easy to hid the fact however Pei Ming likes to gossip. He loves to brag and he's not usually seen without his most trusted second. So rumours will spread and it will only take one official to see Pei Xiu with Xie Lian for the whole fiasco to blow up.

"You have so much to learn, you're really going to hate working with me. I'm quite hated in heaven. Forgotten on earth... mostly."

Pei Xiu snorts. "I really struck out with my luck huh? And in hell, what are you there?" He asks.

Xie Lian smiles flushing slightly. Pei Xiu kindly doesn't comment on it. But theirs hope? In his eyes. That's strange. "I'm adored in hell." Xie Lian laughs. "Worshiped and loved and respected."

The deputy laughs. "Well then, one out of three isn't bad right?" He shrugs, not caring much for that. Strange. But Xie Lian won't ask, he's sure he'll figure it out. "At least you have some temples, I mean you said temples but how big are we talking? Do you get a good merit revenue?"

Xie Lian sighs. Pei Xiu has no clue what's about to happen. "Three temples, one is the size of a tall pavilion. Two are carved out of marble and jade with several floors and grandeur I didn't ask for nor need. I'll take you to those two. The other is... well I can show you it when you meet the temple master. We'll be down there a lot. I hope you don't have second thoughts." The general laughs as if Xie Lian is crazy. He probably is. "You helped me to be where I am today, I'll of course stay by your side no matter the situation."