Red Snow

Chapter 18

A/N: As promised, two chapters. See you two weeks later.

"So you brought me here over a bunch of rotten peaches," Ye Hua said out loud in a deadpan voice. Jia Yun and Tian Shu looked at each other as if they didn't know what to say, " Yes, Your Highness, " 

Honestly, Ye Hua wasn't angry, he just underwhelmed. 

They were at The Heavenly Queen's peach garden in the western part of Nine Heaven. The Heavenly Queen, also known as the Queen Mother of the West (西王母) and the Golden Mother (金母). She was the goddess of life, fertility and immortality. She governed all the goddesses in the Nine Heavens and watched over the pills of immortality. 

"These aren't just any peaches, your highness, " the immortal standing next to him said, "These are the peaches of immortality, " 

Shou (寿), the god of longevity, was one of the three-star deities consisting of Fu (福), Lu (禄), Shou (寿). The three of them respectively preside over happiness, status and longevity. 

Shou was an old bald man with a large bump over his forehead. He had a long white bread that reached his belt. The poor man looked so distressed, kept dropping the giant peach he was holding. Maybe Ye Hua should cool down with sarcastic comments. 

"Why are they rotten?" Ye Hua asked, "Where were the seven coloured goddesses guarding the peaches?" 

 "The goddesses had found the watering water to be contaminated and had already apprehended the perpetrator," the god explained, "but that isn't the reason I asked you here, Your Highness," 

Next to him, the third prince, Lian Song, closed his fan. He gestured to the rotten peaches, "If all the peaches are rotten, what are we going to serve at The Western Queen's banquet?"

"Precisely, Your Highness, " Shou said, "A single peach of immortality takes three thousand years to ripen. And all of them are gone now. If we don't serve them at the banquet tomorrow, a lot of gods will be dying of old age soon, " 

Ye Hua nodded, he understood the severity of the situation now. A single bite of the peach could extend the age of an immortal for a thousand years. They were rare and difficult to come by. The peaches only could be consumed at The Western Queen's banquet, which happens once every few thousand years. If a whole single batch destroyed, some of the immortals might not even make it to the next one.

Ye Hua looked at the rotting peaches by his feet, "Is there any way to replace these?" 

"The only place that grew the peaches of immortality other than here is High God Zhe Yan's ten miles peach forest, Your Highness, " Shou stated, "However, there's a problem, " 

"The High God is extremely elusive. He does not accept visitors to his forest and has never seen anyone for thousands of years," Lian Song said, "We weren't even sure he is still alive, " 

Ye Hua raised an eyebrow, "And you need me because…" 

"Zhe Yan and your brother are the best of friends," his third uncle rationalised, "Maybe you'll be able to talk to him and get him to lend us some peaches." 

Maybe you want me to grow a moustache within a day.

Jia Yun spoke up, "The High God had requested a meeting with you once. But you had me cancelling it, " 

Both Lian Song and Shou looked at him with a judgmental gaze. 

"I was busy," Ye Hua tried to defend himself. 

"Busy breaking hearts," his uncle coughed out. Ye Hua glared at him. Seriously, was everyone gossiping about Su Jin and him?

Ye Hua brushed his robes, "Well, it's time to reschedule the meeting, "