What If...I Remember?

Chapter 2

When wearing a veil, no one recognised her. Which was exactly what Bai Qian wanted.

Wouldn't it be awkward if, say, Die Feng, the first disciple of Kun Lun and her senior brother, was to see her? "I mustn't let anyone know of my other identity." Bai Qian thought to herself, conjuring up the thinnest veil required to blur her features. Her eyes had never been able to bear intense light anyway, and so the crystal lights at the East Sea made for a great excuse for her veil.

"May I ask who..." The maids standing by the door had yet to finish when they noticed the wafting fragrance of peach blossoms, and Bai Qian handed over her invitation, "Bai Qian, from the ten miles of peach blossoms." "High Goddess, this way, please." The maids instantly bowed, pointing Bai Qian to her seat in the hall, which so coincidentally was the one next to the East Sea King's throne, and Bai Qian sighed. Of course. In her thousands of years, she had never once really shown up at an event. Of course she would be placed with such importance. Besides, she was also the Queen of Qing Qiu. Who would ever dare offend her, when Qing Qiu was the richest and most powerful of the lands?

"Thank you." Bai Qian brushed her skirt lightly as she sat, careful not to squash the fabric, and even as she sat, the East Sea King instantly rose, realising her presence, "East Sea King greets Gugu."

"Gugu?"

"Goddess Bai Qian of Qing Qiu?"

"She's really here? I really didn't come in vain!"

"There! The one with the veil!"

"Amazing!"

The murmurs made Bai Qian feel uneasy, yet proud at the same time. Being the only High Goddess, of course they would murmur. 

"Crown Prince!"

"Your Majesty, Crown Prince!"

"-greets the Crown Prince..."

Crown Prince? Bai Qian turned her head slightly in the direction of the newcomer, and her eyes met with a pair of obsidian eyes. "Shifu?" Bai Qian froze, his handsome features looking exactly like Mo Yuan's, but sadness clouded his eyes, much unlike the calm that always clouded Mo Yuan's, and Bai Qian shook her head. No, this was just the Crown Prince of the Nine Heavens, who, as she had seen for herself, looked just like the late God of War.

"Ye Hua greets Goddess Bai Qian." His voice was deep and silky, and suddenly it struck her that she had an arranged marriage with this man that looked exactly like her Shifu. Careful not to expose any of her shock, Bai Qian nodded, speaking almost casually, "The rumours are true. You look much like the late God of War."

Her voice must have been exceptionally melodious for the Crown Prince, Bai Qian thought dryly, for he had paused, his eyes significantly widening at her voice, and yet Bai Qian thought nothing of it. She had a lilting voice, Zhe Yan and her family had always praised, and exceptionally beautiful features for a fox, which all had pre-enhanced beauty.

"Father?" A little boy called from beside Ye Hua, and Bai Qian glanced at the little boy. For some reason, it filled her with a sense of familiarity, but Bai Qian shook it off. Why would she be familiar with the Crown Prince's son? Though she did admit, the little boy looked so adorable that she could may as well have mistaken him to be a fox cub.

"Ye Hua." A feminine voice spoke this time, with hints of irritation, and Bai Qian followed the voice, moving her gaze over to the woman, and for absolute no reason at all, hatred and anger bubbled away in her chest. Confused as to why she felt the emotions, Bai Qian didn't notice her wine about to overflow from the cup, and when she noticed it, she quickly jerked her arm back, placing the pitcher back down, and in the brief moment, her sleeve slid down from her wrist in her haste.

It was only a flash, but Ye Hua swore he saw a red welt on her forearm, just like one Su Su had after an incident with the red lotus hellfire of the Ghost Tribe, and he wavered where he was. Could it be? Had Su Su returned?

But it couldn't be. Goddess Bai Qian was even older than him, and most definitely older than Su Su. How could the mortal be this most revered Goddess of Qing Qiu? No, it could not be. Perhaps Bai Qian had gotten it from a battle. Yes, he had heard of the battle of Ruo Shui. Maybe she had fought there back then, and received a scar from the Ghost Tribe as well.

The banquet began, and Bai Qian observed Ye Hua silently, watching him pay more attention to his son than the performance or the consort on his other side, who she assumed as Su Jin, the one rumoured to have been stabbed on the day she wed into the Crown Prince's palace. Each time Su Jin tried to lean over to Little Prince's side, both Crown Prince and Little Prince avoided it, and Bai Qian observed in amusement. There was obviously some tension between the Crown Prince and the Consort. But was she not the Little Prince's mother? Why would he shun her so?

"..." The East Sea King suddenly bowed to the Crown Prince, seemingly whispering something about the performers, seeing as how his eyes kept darting to the central dancer, and Ye Hua's gaze darkened with annoyance, as well as the Little Prince. Su Jin didn't look quite as displeased though, and Bai Qian suspected it was because the East Sea King had requested to see the Crown Prince alone, and she would finally be alone with the Little Prince.

"I'll be there shortly." Bai Qian heard Ye Hua reply, and even though she suddenly had an intention to follow and see what the East Sea King wanted, the Crown Prince appeared in front of Bai Qian, and he gently handed the Little Prince to her, "Goddess, please help me look after A-Li." 

Astonished and confused, Bai Qian blinked at the Crown Prince, before she smiled and replied, "Crown Prince, why me?" "Because you are arranged to be my Crown Princess. So you should get to know A-Li." Ye Hua insisted. Part of his logic was screaming that he shouldn't hand the only piece of Su Su left to someone who he barely knew, but yet another part of him felt that it was right, and besides, he would rather not hand A-Li to Su Jin.

The moment Bai Qian's slim fingers gently closed around A-Li's forearm, the Crown Prince turned and left the banquet, and behind him hurried Su Jin, who apparently was now more interested in where the Crown Prince was going than the Little Prince.

"Goddess." A-Li bowed respectfully, and Bai Qian couldn't resist laughing as she thought of a nickname for him, "Take a seat, Little Riceball." "Goddess, why are you wearing a veil?" A-Li asked curiously, and Bai Qian glanced briefly at the crowd, spotting Die Feng and, to her surprise, Zi Lan.

Spotting another figure, who was dressed in black and red robes, Bai Qian had the fleeting impression that if she were caught by Li Jing, Die Feng and Zi Lan would definitely recognise her. Grabbing A-Li's hand, Bai Qian desperately thought of an excuse, "Little Riceball, do you want to look at more corals?"

Not waiting for his reply, Bai Qian quickly escaped the banquet hall as Die Feng drew near, and she fled off toward the coral gardens, dragging along poor little A-Li, who glanced at her in confusion, yet was unable to do anything...

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