Gu Xietian's expression suddenly turned bitter. "He hated me back then, so much so that he refused to use his own family name and changed it to his mother's surname instead. No matter which name he calls himself, he is still your brother. He is still my son."
Curiously, Gu Xijiu looked at him with bright eyes. "I am not quite sure about what happened between you and Tiannuo. What made him hate you so much?"
Gu Xietian rubbed his temples. "I was blinded. I mistreated him as a way to make his mother angry. I am sure that his feelings were greatly hurt. He used to be a sensitive child. After his disappearance, I fell into deep remorse for what I did to him. I have been thinking about him all these years, hoping that we could meet again."
Gu Xietian looked much older than he did eight years ago. He sat contemplating about the past. Sometimes, he talked as though no one was listening. Other times, he seemed as though he was sharing his story with Gu Xijiu. "He was very smart as a child. I was proud of him, so I thought him horse riding and archery. We would go out and play, sometimes. Before he was eight years old, he was very close to me. We had a good relationship. When I had to go to war, he would cling onto my leg and refuse to let me go. It was my fault. I was blinded. Not only did I hurt your mother, but I also hurt him as well. Recently, I have been dreaming about him. In my dreams I saw his face as a child again, tugging at the corner of my robe and telling me that he wanted to be a man."
Gu Xijiu patted on his shoulder gently and smiled. "Let bygones be bygones. General Gu, the reason why you miss him so much is that you do not have a son. You do have two beautiful wives, so you can always have more children. Maybe I will have more brothers and sisters in future. When you have children, you will soon forget the one you once loved."
Gu Xietian did not know what to say. It was true that he still had his two concubines, but they were merely the mothers of his children. He bought another residence for them to live comfortably and had not visited them for many years.
Certainly, he did not plan to marry another woman, so there was no way he could have more children.
First of all, he was no longer keen on having another relationship. Secondly, he did it to atone for his guilt. Thirdly, he did it as a punishment for himself.
If he could handle his sexual impulse more appropriately, his family would not be broken. He would not lose both his son and his wife.
He smiled tightly. "Xijiu, I know I am wrong. You don't have to make me feel even worse than I already do. I will not marry another wife for the rest of my life, nor will I have another relationship. My only hope is that when I die, I get to see your mother again in my afterlife, so I can apologize to her and ask for her forgiveness."
Gu Xijiu shook her head in dismay. She was not surprised by the cycle of life. When one life ended, it would be continued in the next cycle. The future was still unknown. She only wanted to make her present days count.
If she truly loved someone, she would stay with him no matter the circumstances and face any problems together. No one could be entirely sure that they could recognize each other in their next life. What if none of them recalled memories?
She did not want to be sorry. Also, she did not wish to interfere in the affairs between Gu Xietian and Luo Xinglan.
Luo Xinglan remarried. Although her second husband was gone, it did not necessarily mean that she would return to her first husband. Moreover, she still had other children with her. Presumably, she did not want Gu Xietian to find out that she was still alive. The best thing that she could ever want was for Gu Xietian to move on and for them to forget about one another.
Gu Xijiu did not want to be their peacemaker and settle their dispute. If they were destined to be together, they would meet again one day. If not, it would be better for them to stay apart. Therefore, Gu Xijiu did not tell him that Luo Xinglan was still alive.
Gu Xijiu smiled. "It has been such a long time. Perhaps she is no longer waiting for you. Maybe she has already started a new life with another man by her side. Why should you be so persistent?"
Gu Xietian's expression changed abruptly. Dismayed, he thought about what she said. "Maybe you are right, but I still want to see her as a new man. I will not go near another woman."
Gu Xijiu sighed.
If he had known that his life would come to this point of great remorse, he would have acted differently and treated his wife better. Some men just have to learn their lessons the hard way. They finally knew what was truly valuable to them after they lose it. Unfortunately, not all that is lost canbe found. Some goodbyes were forever.
The next day, Gu Xijiu went to the palace and visited Rong Jialuo. The fake Celestial Master Zuo had been controlling Rong Jialuo with the use of poison, turning him into a puppet.
Di Fuyi, along with Long Siye, made their visit to the palace before and treated him to free him from the puppet regime. He could finally return to how he used to be.
Rong Jialuo's spiritual power was nothing extraordinary. Moreover, he had been under control for a long time. Even though he was slowly recovering, Gu Xijiu could still clearly see his pale complexion, which looked like he had just recuperated from a severe illness. He looked unusually weak, so Gu Xijiu offered to check on his pulse. She noticed that his pulse was weak, mostly due to a prolonged illness that had been going on for years.
She was confused, as it had only been two years since the fake Celestial Master Zuo took over his consciousness. The reading of his pulse showed otherwise, indicating that he had been suffering from the illness for more than six years.
She continued to ask more questions.
Rong Jialuo answered promptly. She did not find anything wrong from his explanations. He told the truth about the mind-control trick. It happened to him just two years ago.
Sympathetically, Gu Xijiu shook her head. Rong Jialuo's life had always been difficult. He used to be a genius but was unfortunately framed and poisoned by his own brother. Now that he finally became the emperor, the fake Celestial Master Zuo went on and took over his regime. It was no wonder that his body became so weak.
After a brief conversation, Gu Xijiu noticed that his memory had become much worse. He might look like a young man in his thirties, but his mind was equivalent to an old man in his sixties. He seemed to have dementia, for he would always nod off and the way he spoke was incoherent, uttering words that did not connect. Gu Xijiu began to suspect that there was another soul in his body.
Therefore, she tried to question him about some specific things that only both of them knew and found out that he was still the same Rong Jialuo that she used to know. His soul had not been stealthily substituted.
Gu Xijiu was finally relieved. Before she left, she gave him some pills made of valuable ingredients for speedy recovery. If he took the pills on time, he should be able to regain his health in no more than six months.
Rong Jialuo sent Gu Xijiu off at the palace gate. No one else had been given such a privilege to be sent off by the emperor himself. Rong Jialuo's eyes followed her affectionately. The sight of her back went further, but he refused to look away.
The eunuch next to him bowed and greeted. "Your majesty, please take care of your health. Please return to the palace and rest."
Rong Jialuo threw the eunuch a glance. The eunuch used to be his closest servant and had always been very devoted. However, while he was under control over the past two years, he caught him dealing with the people from the fake Celestial Master Zuo's team multiple times.
With a smile, Rong Jialuo called for the eunuch to come closer. "Are you worried about my health?"
The eunuch sounded loyal. "Your majesty, your health is of the utmost importance." Before he could finish, Rong Jialuo suddenly pressed onto his shoulder. He did it single-handedly, but with immense pressure.
The rest of the eunuchs witnessed their once strong and powerful manager being succumbed into the hard ground. Bit by bit, he had no chance to escape and slowly sank into the ground. Finally, he disappeared entirely.
They were shocked, at loss of what to say. No one dared to speak another word. They finally realized that in spite of his illness, the emperor's power and prestige were in no way reduced. Not anyone could easily come near him.
Gu Xijiu left the palace and was ready to visit Luo Zhanyu. Suddenly, she could sense a sudden presence beside her. It was Di Fuyi! He patted her shoulder. "Xijiu!"
Gu Xijiu checked him carefully to make sure it was indeed him. "Celestial Master Zuo, long time no see." She responded with a tight smile.
Di Fuyi did not know what to say. Before they could even start a conversation, Gi Xijiu walked away. Lately, Di Fuyi had been ever more elusive, coming and going like a shadow. This started even before they lost contact because of the broken amulet. He just disappears again and again, leaving no clue behind.
She had not seen his face since the big fight. Gu Xijiu thought that he must have been busy interrogating Fairy Queen Li, so she waited patiently for his reply instead. However, he fell out of touch for several days, again. He did not come to see her, neither did he call or send her any messages.
She could always contact him first, but it did not feel quite right for her.
Gu Xijiu could somehow tell that he was starting to avoid her indirectly. Lovers could always know the little things quickly, especially when they were still madly in love. To prove her point, she decided not to contact him first and waited for him patiently instead. In the end, the results were as expected- disappointing.
His sudden emergence made her even angrier, because he acted as though nothing had happened between them. She did not want to talk to him, so she left. Di Fuyi stood his ground and watched as she slowly walked away. He did not chase after her.
Gu Xijiu was not expecting him to stand frozen. When she left, she chose to walk on her feet, not to teleport. He could always reach her easily if he wanted to. After a while, she stopped and looked back. He was no longer standing there.
Gu Xijiu was helpless. Upset, she wondered if she was being too petty or perhaps too sensitive. She shook off the thought and proceeded to look for Luo Zhanyu.
Luo Zhanyu was staying in a hotel. When she arrived, he was still in practicing. She waited until he was finally done and asked, "Are you not going to reunite with him?"
Luo Zhanyu shook his head and answered firmly, "No!"
Gu Xijiu kept quiet and sat contemplating about something else. Luo Zhanyu saw her expression and realized something was not right. "Xijiu, you seem upset."
He could feel her anger burning from within but Gu Xijiu said nothing. Luo Zhanyu was reminded by a sudden thought. "By the way, Di Fuyi once said that he was going to hold a grand wedding for you. Has he informed the general yet?"
Gu Xijiu was obviously irritated. He had not proposed yet. He did not even show up at all.
Luo Zhanyu could tell from her face. "Hasn't he proposed yet?" He stood abruptly from his chair. "What is Di Fuyi thinking? It has been a week already. He may need time to prepare for the wedding, but the proposal will not take him too much time, right? It is easy. Gu Xietian will agree immediately for both of you to get married! There is no reason to refuse."
Gu Xijiu did not wish to hear anyone talk bad about Di Fuyi. She disagreed. "He has been busy dealing with a multitude of things for the past few days. It is normal that he cannot find time to do it. After all, we are already married. The wedding is just something ceremonial. There is no rush."
Unimpressed, Luo Zhanyu frowned. "It does not take him too much time for a proposal. How busy can he be?" Suddenly, a thought came to his mind. "Is he preparing the wedding secretly without telling you so that he can give you a huge surprise?"
Gu Xijiu was moved. There was hope in her eyes. Di Fuyi seemed like someone who could use the idea. There was no other reason for him to keep postponing the proposal. That must be it!
Gu Xijiu was a little upset before, but now, the unsettling thought disappeared entirely. She could finally feel a sense of relief. She hit her head gently to remind herself that she should not be so petty.
Like what love gurus always said, women in love did not think straight. It seemed like it was the same for her. Every time a matter was related to Di Fuyi, her ability to reason would be significantly reduced. Even Luo Zhanyu would become more sensible than her.
If she knew it earlier, she would not have walked away from him when they met in the streets. They would have a sweet reunion.
When she finally made sense of her relationship issue, she decided not to get entangled with it anymore. She continued to ask, "By the way, I see that Meng Suyan is here as well. Isn't she supposed to be with her fianc? Haven't they met? Or is she here to see you shortly after they have reunited?"
Hesitatant, Luo Zhanyu shook his head lightly. "Her fianc has already remarried, even his children are already growing fast."
Gu Xijiu was speechless.
For countless times, Gu Xijiu heard Meng Suyan repeatedly say that they made their promise never to be apart. Her fianc even promised her that she would be the only woman for him. Her Kung Fu was indeed remarkable but she refused to talk about it, worried that she would die in the Dark Forest if her heaven's gift claim was proven to be untrue. This was all because she was reluctant to leave his side.
However, the news spread, provoking Celestial Master Zuo. He tested and proved that she was not a heaven's gift disciple. In despair, she managed to see her fianc one last time before heading for the Dark Forest. He grabbed her hand firmly and told her that he would always wait for her to come back, dead or alive. He said he would wait.
Knowing that he would wait for her, Meng Suyan was determined to escape. She had to, as she could not bear seeing her fianc live a lonely life. As it turns out, her fianc never waited.
After years of being entrapped, she finally made her way out, only to find out that he had already become the ideal son-in-law for the mayor.He had a beautiful wife and two children. The eldest child was six years old.
Tracing back the timeline, her fianc got married the second year after she was trapped.
Gu Xijiu knew that Meng Suyan was a tough woman. Since her fianc was already married to someone else, she would no longer cling to him obstinately. It was normal to see her here, instead of being with her fianc.
Her years of persistence were after all, futile. Gu Xijiu was impressed, as she could still act as if nothing had happened after taking such a bad knock. She also contributed a lot to their last fight.
It was a bright night. White and fair, the roof was gleaming in the light. Gu Xijiu found Meng Suyan on the roof, drenching in the moonlight. The lady was wearing a green dress. She sat up straight, like a bamboo.
There were some bottles beside her. It seemed like she had drunk a lot, but she was not drunk yet.
She saw Gu Xijiu emerging and offered her a bottle. "Will you drink with me?"
Gu Xijiu did not hesitate. She took the bottle and downed a few mouthfuls. Then, she sat watching the moon with her.
"Xijiu, do you think that all men are unreliable?" Meng Suyan muttered.
Gu Xijiu knew that she was holding her emotions back for too long and needed a listener. She did not disprove her point. They clinked bottles and continued drinking.
Mystified, Meng Suyan's eyes were dim with lost hope. "He was once in love with me. He would come to see me a few times a day. No amount of time spent together was ever enough. He made so many promises to me, but never fulfilled any of them." She took another sip and chuckled. "Do you know what I saw when I went to see him? He had set up my memorial tablet at home to honor my passing. He even asked his children to pray to it from time to time."
Meng Suyan shook her head. "The moment I came back to town, I knew immediately that he was married and that he is leading a comfortable life. I was disappointed, so I refused to see him at first, but I felt sorry for the time lost while he waited for me. I only wanted to get a glance of him. Instead, I found the memorial tablet in his residence. He was babbling on and on, asking me to bless his children with a successful future."
Gu Xijiu did not know what to answer.
Meng Suyan continued, "I felt that my love had always been a mistake. When I was ready to leave, the side chamber of his residence caught fire. His youngest son was in there, crying hysterically. The blaze was too intense, so no one dared to go in and save the child. I could not bear seeing the child being burned alive, so I went in and saved him. My identity was uncovered. That was when he saw me and called out my name."
She paused and took another mouthful of wine. "I do not want to be entangled in the relationship anymore. I wanted to leave after saving the child, but he refused to let me go, clinging to my sleeves and saying that he needed to talk."
"Did you hear what he had to say?" Gu Xijiu was curious.
Meng Suyan nodded hesitantly. "Yes, I heard it, but I would rather not know anything."
Gu Xijiu frowned and waited for her to continue. "Do you know what he said? He said he had no other way but to marry the mayor's daughter. He said that I was still the one he loved the most and he was ecstatic about my return. He needed to fulfill his promise and marry me. However, he could not take me as his wife. I had to become his concubine instead. He would make it up to me and make me his wife someday, to be on equal footing with the mayor's precious daughter."
Gu Xijiu rolled her eyes in disbelief. The idea of men having multiple wives was deeply rooted in the society.
Meng Suyan watched the moon and smiled. "If I had not been to the forbidden land and stayed by his side throughout the years, I would probably be fine with the idea, but this time around, I was rather disgusted by what he had to offer. He was unhappy that I disagreed with him, claiming that he was grateful for his current wife for recognizing his worth and guiding him to success. He questioned me and said that I only wanted him to become an unrighteous man by divorcing his wife."
Gu Xijiu was speechless.
Meng Suyan laughed at herself. "He told me not to be so selfish, and the offer was the best that he could give me. I told him I did not need any further concession from him, neither was I going to marry him. He thought that I was merely venting my anger to make him do things that he was not supposed to do. He elaborated further by saying that he still has our marriage agreement. Now that I am still alive, we should be married. If I love him, I should not make things difficult for him."
Gu Xijiu was bewildered. "Then?"
Meng Suyan heaved a long sigh. "Then, Brother Luo came and beat him up."
Gu Xijiu nodded in approval. If she were there, she would do the same and give him a thorough beating. Luo Zhanyu did nothing wrong.
"When he saw Brother Luo, he thought that I had a change of heart and decided to be with another man. He claimed that I brought my new man to him on purpose only to make him angry. Disappointed, he never thought that I would turn out to be a woman of loose morals, saying that he mistook the nature of our relationship and that his love for me was indeed profound and unquestionable. Never had he expected that I would betray him and turn my back on our promises."
Gu Xijiu was stunned. She sighed. "Suyan, why would you fall in love with a scumbag like him?"
Meng Suyan shook her head. "He was once a well-known gifted scholar in town,a very handsome man. I, too, feel that I am stupid."
Gu Xijiu patted her shoulder gently. "You were young. It is not uncommon for youths to fall for scumbags. Luckily you are not married, so you can still break away from the relationship anytime. Although there are scumbags everywhere, good men still exist, just like my brother."
Meng Suyan looked down and disagreed. "Brother Luo is a good man, but... Xijiu, I do not want to talk about the relationship anymore."
Gu Xijiu understood. Meng Suyan had been in love with the same man for so many years. Even though it did not end well, she could not possibly let it go so quickly, as though nothing had ever happened. She needed time to heal.
Meng Suyan was, after all, a big-hearted woman. The conversation was able to alleviate her pain. She put behind her own concern and asked Gu Xijiu in return, "Xijiu, when are you and Celestial Master Zuo going to be married? I am still waiting to celebrate your marriage."
Gu Xijiu laughed out loud. "There are many things to be done, so he is very occupied. It is just a process, so there is no rush. I will inform everyone when the date is set."
They continued drinking for a while. Feeling a little tipsy, Gu Xijiu decided to leave. Almost drunk, she wanted to teleport her way back to the general's residence, but she ended up at the bank of a stream instead. She almost fell into the water!
She stood herself still and looked around. The place seemed a little familiar. After some thought, she recalled an incident that happened not long after she traveled through time to be here, where a stranger, who claimed to have hostilities between them, took her liberties and lifted her clothes. She was unfortunately exposed to the soldiers who were nearby.
The stranger had indeed given her a difficult time. She was frustrated back then, but as time went by, it turned out to be a funny, bittersweet memory.
She sat down on a rock and thought about what happened. When she first arrived, she took off all his clothes, leaving him with only a pair of underwear. She even touched his private part before she left, thus triggering him, which was why he claimed to have grudges against her.
Time passed by so quickly. A lot had happened since then, so she sat reminiscing the past. After a long while, she finally realized that it was already midnight.
She could not help but wonder where he was and what he was doing. She had a sudden urge to see him. Abruptly, she took out her audio spell and tried to call him.
The spell flickered, but even after a while, there was still no answer. She looked at the moon and wondered. 'Is he already asleep?' She decided that it was too late. She would call him again the next day. Before she turned off the call, he finally answered. His voice was clear and hoarse."Xijiu?"
Gu Xijiu's heart was filled with immense excitement. "When are you going to visit and propose to me?" She responded without giving much thought.
He was quiet for a moment. "Xijiu, I still have many things to attend to. Let's talk about it after this," answered Di Fuyi, firmly.
Gu Xijiu was at loss for words.
Hesitatant, she continued, "Actually, there is not much trouble with the proposal. You only have to show up and explain the situation. We will then have a ceremony to prove that we are married." Their marriage was well concealed. Except for those who were with them at the forbidden land, none of the outsiders knew that she was already his wife.
Di Fuyi smiled and said gently, "Xijiu, are you calling me at this hour just to tell me about that?"
"Yes, I am. General Gu is unaware that we are married. He is going to arrange a few blind dates for me because he recognized some young talents that I should meet." Gu Xijiu was trying to make him panic.
On the contrary, Di Fuyi did not mind. "Can any of them be any better than me? I am sure that you will not pay any attention to them. Xijiu, I trust you."
Gu Xijiu did not know how to answer him. She refused to give in, so she continued to talk about it, but Di Fuyi could always belittle her questions.
Gu Xijiu was drunk. The alcohol in her body was starting to take effect. She had the guts to finally ask, "I see that you keep avoiding and pushing the topic away. You do not want others to know that I am your wife, do you?"
Di Fuyi hesitated before replying, "You are overthinking. Xijiu, are you drunk?" He sighed.
Gu Xijiu admitted. "Yes, are you coming to join me?"
"Can't-do. Alright, you should be in bed if you are drunk. It is late now, so you should not stay up. It is not good for your health."
The call immediately ended. Gu Xijiu sat at the riverbank and stared blankly at the spell that was still flickering. She could somehow feel that something was wrong between them as if Di Fuyi was only trying to avoid her.
Hadn't he realized that she was mad at him? He did not even try to comfort her. Driven by her impulsive manner, she was drunk enough to give him another call. She asked immediately when he picked up, "Where are you? Can I go and see you now?"
"There is no need. It is too late." Di Fuyi rejected.
Gu Xijiu was desperate. "But I really want to see you now. Can you come? I am at the riverbank. If you don't come, I will jump into the river."
Di Fuyi resigned. "Alright, no more nonsense. I will come to see you tomorrow. Now go to bed." And so, the call was once again ended.
Gu Xijiu could feel the fury burning within. He was not convinced that she would jump into the river. She twisted her hair in disbelief. He was obviously not bothered by the idea, as he knew clearly how good of a swimmer she was. She clearly would not drown.
Gu Xijiu sat for a while longer to enjoy the cold breeze. Then, she decided to teleport straight away to Celestial Master Zuo's residence. For the past few days, Di Fuyi had been busy working at home and hardly ever left. Even though they were not constantly in touch, Gu Xijiu had plenty of sources to find out his whereabouts.
Celestial Master Zuo's residence was completely refurbished, displaying a vibrant sense of energy and life, so different from how isolated it used to seem. It was lively with many servants around.
Gu Xijiu walked around, but she did not see Di Fuyi. Instead, she bumped into Mu Feng. Mu Feng was surprised by her presence. Pleased to see her, he then warmly greeted and invited her into the hall.
Gu Xijiu asked him bout Di Fuyi, but Mu Feng knew nothing, saying that Celestial Master Zuo's whereabouts had always been a mystery. He just went out at night and had not informed the four messengers about his plan. However, it was safe to assume that he would be back tonight.
Gu Xijiu continued to talk about something else. She tried to find out more by asking seemingly casual questions. She wanted to know whether Di Fuyi was secretly planning for their wedding, but Mu Feng confirmed that there was no secret plan.
Gu Xijiu was disappointed. If Di Fuyi were planning for the wedding secretly, the four messengers would know. If they were unaware, then there wasreallyno plan at all. He was not going to give her a surprise.
Her disappointment worsened. She was initially disappointed that Di Fuyi was not around, but now even more by the news. She decided that it was time to leave.
Mu Feng was observant enough to tell that Gu Xijiu was drunk; in fact, she was very drunk. He was worried that something might happen to her, so he insisted that she should stay. He even asked the servants to prepare some hot soup for her to dispel the effects of the alcohol she consumed earlier.
Gu Xijiu was still angry. She shook her head. "There is no need. I should be back to the General's residence." She then left, swiftly. She was still a little sad. The effects of alcohol were making her head spin, so her teleportation again deviated. She decided to sit down and sober up. With the use of her spiritual power, she forced the alcohol in her body to her fingertips, where it was turned into droplets of sweats that exited her body.
She learned this method of extraction from the series- Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. When she mastered the use of her spiritual power, she decided to develop the method herself.
The method allowed her to dispel all alcohol from her body through her fingertips, regardless of the amount she had had. If she were determined to stay sober, she would not be drunk at all.
After the effects of the alcohol disappeared, she finally felt she had cleared her mind. She continued to sit for a while in the cold breeze before returning.
She was surprised to see Gu Xietian in her room and stood frozen. Gu Xietian seemed to heave a sigh of relief when he saw her. "Xijiu, where have you been? I was so worried." He was still haunted by her sudden disappearance eight years ago. He often worried that he would lose her again.
Gu Xijiu knew what he was worried about. Even though he was not exactly the father figure that she wanted, there was no doubt that he treated her well lately. Her heart of steel melted a little by his kind gesture, so she sat to have a pleasant chat with Gu Xietian.
She hardly expressed herself in such a gentle way to him, so Gu Xietian started to show some signs of discomfort as he was about to ask her something important. He kept rubbing his palms. "Xijiu, have you gone to see Celestial Master Zuo? What are both of you up to?" He could sense that her relationship with Celestial Master Zuo was quite odd, but he could not exactly pinpoint what was wrong.
Gu Xijiu hesitated before answering half-jokingly. "Father, if I told you that we are already married, what would you"
"Clang!" The cup slipped from Gu Xietian's hand. "What? You two are already married? Where? Who is your witness? It is impossible! If you have tied the knot, your names should appear on the marriage register known as the 'book of marriages'."
Gu Xijiu was bewildered this time. "The book of marriages? What is that?"
Gu Xietian explained further, "It is the official marriage certificate that is kept by the ministry. When a man marries a woman, both their profiles will automatically be united in the book of marriages."
Gu Xijiu did not know anything about it, so the information came as a shock to her.
"Father, are you saying that the names will be automatically recorded in the book of marriages? Shouldn't it be written manually by some secretaryor registrar?"
Gu Xietian disagreed, "There is no need for manual changes. The ministry has a wall that displays all the marriages in the kingdom. The Lord had created the wall. Once married, their names will appear on the wall, which will, in turn, be filed into a small booklet. The ministry will collect and keep these revelations."
Gu Xijiu was dubious. "Is it possible that the names have indeed shown up on the wall and been compiled into a book,but the ministry was careless and lost it?"
Gu Xietian dismissed her assumption. "Not possible. You are a very well known figure in theFeixing Kingdom. Even the king is concerned with your relationship status. The ministry will not leave out your name, even if theyare careless. Moreover, your status has allowed your book to be compiled individually, with or without a marriage, and it clearly states that you are unmarried."
Gu Xijiu did not say anything more.
Gu Xietian was a little nervous. "Xijiu, have you got together with him before getting married? You have to know that you should not be with a man without a proper marital status. Although the status of Celestial Master Zuo is very noble, ours are equally compatible, so you cannot be with him as his concubine. Ah, no, even if you are his concubine, the book will still display the status by stating 'concubine'."
She was indeed married to Di Fuyi in the restricted land, but it seemed like their marriage had been denied. Was it because the self-sustaining system in the restricted area had cut away all forms of communication with the outside world, thus leaving their marriage unnoticed? Was Di Fuyi aware of it?
If he was the one who set up the wall, he should be very much aware of it. Did he think that their marriage would surely be displayed on the wall, so he was unconcerned?
Gu Xijiu was intrigued by a lot of questions. However, she decided to talk about it with Di Fuyi tomorrow. They should have a wedding, so others would not think that she was the one throwing herself onto Celestial Master Zuo.
"Father, don't worry about it. We will still have the wedding. Your daughter is such an exceptional woman, how can I be someone else's concubine? Do you agree?"
Gu Xietian was relieved by her reassurance. He patted lightly on her shoulder and said, "Xijiu, I am relieved. I am worried about him seeking vengeance. You were the one who decided to break off the engagement with him eight years ago. He must have been embarrassed by it. I do not want you to suffer by being together with him without a proper marital status just because you are too young to realize the existence of the book of marriages. Xijiu, our family has nothing else but dignity. Although it was your fault eight years ago, it should no longer be your concern. Now that you have helped him in such a great deed, you should not be aggrieved by the past mistake anymore."
"Hmm, I know. Don't worry, I know what I am doing."
Her daughter's achievement gratified Gu Xietian. "Xijiu, I take pride in you. When everything is confirmed, I will hold a grand banquet for you to have a glorious wedding."
Gu Xijiu answered briefly and finally sent him out. She looked at the clock and realized that it was very late. She should not bother Di Fuyi too much, as he already said he would come to see her the next day. They should talk about it nicely to avoid any misunderstandings.
She lied down on her bed and thought that she would toss and turn all night contemplating. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep. There was a bridge with colors of a rainbow, surrounded by fluffy clouds that spread across the sky. There were buildings nestling in the clouds. They shone brightly, glistening in the light. It was a glorious and resplendent scene.
A mass of flowers emerged in bits and pieces, blooming and withering almost immediately. Countless flower buds floated buoyantly on the ground. There were majestic cranes circling the sky. The sound of phoenixes of variegated colors echoed in her ears.
Gu Xijiu stood on the bridge and closely observed her surroundings. In great bewilderment, she could not help but think. 'Where am I?'
What she saw resembled the Yaochi Celestial Palace [1]that she once saw from a painting. Was she in heaven? Had she become a celestial being?
She could see indistinct signs of movement in the buildings afar. Between the buoyant clouds, some sage-like men floated by. Their attires caught her attention, as the style looked somewhat familiar to her. After some thoughts, she recalled that the style was how Fairy Queen Li used to dress. The female celestials and Fairy Queen Li were very much alike.
She frowned. Was it heaven? Had she just emerged in Fairy Queen Li's home? While she was still trying to make up her mind, the bridge suddenly collapsed. She was caught off guard and fell. There was a huge plaza where she landed.