The following few days, saw a rush of visitors assailing the mountain and other than Cheng Yu, Lian Song and Ci Hang, no others were permitted entry, though Bai Qian did take the time to catch up with Cheng Yu having heard so little from her over the passing years.
"You know we are sisters right? Yet you never visited." she immediately questioned her. In fact she had been hurt by it. She had only visited the den a couple of times in the entire twenty five thousand years despite the enormous gift her father had given to her.
"I'm sorry. But what would visiting you have done but to give you a constant reminder of what you loved and lost?" she replied. She knew it was a weak argument, but there were many reasons why she had chosen to distance herself from the woman and her marriage to Lian Song being one of them, though there was one very good reason, and one she could not tell her no matter how much she wanted to.
"But you never even gave me a chance to revel a little in your happiness." she said pointedly and more than a little irked with her flimsy explanation. Cheng Yu had been a tower of strength for her during her trial, that she had found a happy ending out of all the misery created from her own trial, did not mean she couldn't be happy for her.
"I'm sorry." she replied and refusing to say anymore, but if there was one thing Bai Qian had learned from her trial, and that was reading expressions. There was something about her explanation that felt off.
The Cheng Yu that she knew was a social butterfly, she would have taken every opportunity to flutter about Qing Qiu. She was as much in love with the gaeity as her people, and they would have absolutely loved her. So to say she kept away for her sake was perhaps true to an extent, but not the defining reason.
"There's something you're not telling me." she said with a hard look which only hardened at the soft blush that quickly tried to look away.
"Look Su S....uh.... I mean Bai Qian." she said stammering a little and unsure how to get herself out of a conversation she had hoped could be avoided. "I am very grateful to your father for every opportunity he has given me, and of course I am also very grateful for the experiences you yourself gave to me. I will never forget it." she replied which to Bai Qian made even less sense.
And then it dawned on her.
"The contract you signed. That's the reason isn't it?" she asked, her voice barely audible as a growing suspicion began to take hold.
"You know I can't discuss that. All I can tell you is conditions were changed at the last moment, one that I had to agree to. I cannot say anymore than that, so please, let it go." she asked in a much firmer tone than intended and it was then that Bai Qian realized what that condition must have been and why it had to be kept quiet.
It didn't take much for her to figure it out either now that she knew what had happened. To have allowed her to move into the Fox Den was one thing. But any children born in the den, would have automatic right to claim Qing Qiu as home and therefore place a claim on the throne despite the conditions that any children she produced would not gain such via her title. This would have been a very large oversight had her father not corrected it. It explained why Cheng Yu had not chosen to call Qing Qiu home which she thought she would, and why she had not visited, having managed to produce several children over the years. The last thing her father would have wanted, was her to be in the den and in labour.
To have made it known would have made her father seem heartless which she knew he wasn't. But the throne of Qing Qiu could only ever be claimed by legitmate offspring, not one adopted into the family and especially not a child of the Celestial Heavens.
But the main reason why it was kept quiet from her in particular was because her father did not want his daughter to know for one reason only. Lian Song was a Celestial, and she hated them. He had not wanted her to feel as if she owed them anything more than what he had given them and having them in the den would have seen her going over and above to ensure their every comfort, which she knew she would have done. For Bai Zhi, any friendship she had made with Cheng Yu, could be picked up elsewhere, while at the same time keeping Lian Song, a Celestial out of his den, and therefore away from his daughter.
"You don't need to say anymore. I know why." she replied sadly because her father had not consulted her on the matter even though she understood it. Lian Song had been Ye Huas favourite uncle, and though he had tried to do his best for them during her trial, in the end, he was still a Celestial and thought like one. He might have Ye Huas back most of the time, but when it came to the laws of Heaven, he bowed like everyone else.
And so the meeting between the two women was kept brief seeing as Mo Yuan was keeping all visits brief, though Ci Hang got a little more time because he was the one that Ye Hua respected just as much as his Grandfather and one that Mo Yuan owed a debt to for keeping his brother safe.
Words were kept to a minimum, just his visit alone was enough to satisfy Ci Hang and give Ye Hua a little more moral support from home. And it was home that they did talk about because the maids had been kept very busy preparing his Palace for his return, only Ye Hua had made it very clear that he was not ready to return.
"I will be visiting Qing Qiu once I have enough cultivation to see me through the coming months." he explained only to meet resistance.
"Your place is back in the Celestial Heavens. You have paid your debts and the slate is now clean. Your obligations ...."
"Are to my wife and child." Ye Hua finished for him and he meant it. He had never wanted to be the Crown Prince, and had only taken the oath because at the time he believed he had no choices open to him.
"Ye Hua. You have yet to be formally married to her. A Mortal Realm wedding...."
"Is legal under Qing Qius laws and as their son in law, I accept it as such. I am married to her and that is final." he finished for him again while ignoring the sigh and shake of his Shifus head.
"Ye Hua!" Ci Hangs voice deepened a little in annoyance. "You know the people will never allow it. The Crown Princes marriages is a public and legal affair. You must go through the official ceremony or she can never be accepted as your legal wife." he reminded him and he was right.
For the longest moment, he merely sat there staring at him while also very grateful that she was not in the room to hear this conversation, because after her last outburst, the last thing he wanted to do was witness another. And though he was loathe to argue against him, he knew it would be a waste of time.
But even though she would have to go through the motions of an official wedding, that did not mean she would accept the Celestials way of life. They had already discussed between themselves that she would only appear in the Celestial Heavens for official duties and only when he was made the Skylord and nor was she willing to give up her title of Queen of Qing Qiu just yet either.
That meant, she would be staying in Qing Qiu until the time came to hand it over to Feng Jiu or even their son, they were not sure yet. But it did mean that he too would be spending his time between both Realms once his brother had deemed him fit enough to leave. But how to explain all of this to his mentor who was still waiting for an answer.
And as if on cue, Er Li entered the chamber in search of his mother which instantly had Ye Hua pounding on him.
"Er Li, you're just in time to meet my mentor Lord Ci Hang." he grinned down at the boy who was still bleary eyed from sleep and too hungry to care.
But his little arms did come up to respectfully greet a man he had a vague memory of.
"My son is hungry...." Ye Hua stated flatly and no longer wanting to discuss what was a difficult conversation and one he would have to discuss with Bai Qian before he agreed to anything. If there was one he understood all too clearly, that was his wife would not allow him to make any big decisions regarding them without her input and this was something Ye Hua was more than happy to share.
"Very well. I understand. But you cannot put it off for too long Ye Hua. Once its done, you won't have to look back." Ci Hang agreed before rising only to wave their bowing away. He too was tired, but just as happy as everyone else to finally have him back. Life had been very difficult for him over the years, because he loved the boy just as much as his Grandfather and so for a time, he disappeared altogether. It was only when Ye Huas star reappeared in the sky, that he finally emerged.
Now heading into the Grand Hall to find Mo Yuan, Ye Hua quickly led Er Li to his mother who was resting in the day bed at the back of the school which overlooked the northern side of the low valleys and where the sun was at its warmest that time of day. It never ceased to amaze him how incredibly lazy she was. If she wasn't napping, she was resting, and if she wasn't resting, she was sleeping.
And the moment her curled up form came into view, then the smile on Er Lis face rose while his feet took him running to pounce on her sleeping form which was something Ye Hua had taught to him do. It amused him immensely to see her jump and then squeal at the sudden rude awakening. Though Er Lis high pitched giggles would quickly turn her annoyance to laughter at the sight of his flailing arms and legs that were trying to wrap themselves around her.
For Ye Hua, it was a typical family scene and he couldn't help but revel in the laughter as he sat down beside the squirming giggling duo who gave him every reason to remain on Kunlun Moudntain and far away from the Celestial Heavens which he was not ready to return to. Not when his small family was growing on him every second he continued to breathe.
Eventually the laughter died as Bai Qian finally rose to sit up and look around. It was still mid afternoon so there was still plenty of time left in the day to do something she had been wanting to do for a while.
"Ye Hua. If you have nothing pressing to deal with, why don't we take a picnic down to the hot springs. Both you and Er Li have yet to experience them and there is a lovely garden nearby where we can sit and relax." she suggested with the crescent moon eyes he absolutely adored, eyes that their son inherited. Because no sooner was the suggestion out of her mouth, then Er Lis eyes were also twinkling in delight at chance to spend time with his two favourite people in the world.
"Sounds like a good idea." he replied to more squealing and delightful laughter. And no sooner was a picnic basket full and instructions from Shifu to have Ye Hua back by dark so he could rest properly, they were in in the northwest side of the mountain that gained a good amount of sunlight which lit up the colourful garden they had found themselves in.
"Zi Lan and I planted this garden not long after I arrived on the mountain." she explained which was a mix of Peach trees and rose bushes which were his favoured flowers. And with a nice splash of mixed flowers spread around the low tables she shared with the rest of her brothers along with the hammocks they would nap in, the garden was actually very peaceful and exactly what he needed.
"The hot pools were for us Disciples, but being so far away from the mountain, we only ever came here in the summer. Its too far to walk in the colder months and not as pretty either." she added as she assisted Er Li with his robes which he was trying to pull over his head, being too impatient to undo the ties.
You bathed with them?" he asked frowning at the thought and not liking it one bit.
"Ye Hua. They were not really for bathing, but sharing gossip and telling stories. And I was always decently covered." she replied with a flicker of annyance that he would see far more into it considering she had been a child then. "And besides, this is a school for boys. Actually, now that I think about it, Shifu did not allow me to bathe here unless all of my seniors were present, Die Feng especially, because he ensured the mischief was always kept to a minimum." She informed him with a small smile as other such incidences in her mind began to make far more sense than they did then, because she had always felt she was being picked on whenever any of the others were down there having fun by themselves while she was forced to help Shifu with mundane tasks instead.
He didn't fully agree with it, but he did accept it, after all, she was right. As a girl hidden among boys as one of them, he could see how difficult it must have been for his brother to keep her safe, and the only way he could do that, was to keep her close. It was little wonder such rumours were started when he thought about it.
"It's beautiful Qian Qian." he said smiling at the lovely little resting place they had made for themselves and for a moment, he tried to envisage a scene of her on her hands and knees toiling the land. Except the only image he could conjure was of her asleep in one of the hammocks which soon had him chuckling softly, because he just couldn't imagine her working.
"What?" she asked looking up at the him with a soft smile on her face.
"Father thinks you're very clever." Er Li answered for him before rushing at the hotpools laughing and knowing full well what he was thinking even if his mother didn't.
"The three smaller ones Er Li. The others are too hot for you....." she called out laughing along with him only to swallow it back when Ye Huas arm slowly slid in behind her back to watch as their son jumped into the first of the smaller pools with a resounding splash and more high pitched giggling.
"Do you want to eat or bathe first?" she asked as their eyes remained on Er Li thoroughly enjoying himself.
"Lets bathe first." he replied with a soft look in his eyes, and one she was not adverse to at that moment.
Being in one of her favourite places with her two favourite people, suddenly had her feeling a little emotional, especially with Er Lis delightful laughter surrounded them and when he looked at her like that, a look she thought she might not see for a while. They had shared more than enough kisses over the passing days, but Shifus warning not to wear him out, always had her pulling back and forcing him to rest. His brothers health was his only concern, and after the way she had behaved, she was not going to risk being kicked off the mountain altogether.
But suddenly that look in his eye had her briefly moving into his arms. "Do you need me........ to help you with your robes?" she asked and more than a little suggestively, which instantly had those soft brown eyes of his swirling.
"Yes. I need you....." he whispered down at her.
Blushing at the way he quickly picked up on her little signal, the blush began to spread across both cheeks as she helped him out of his robes and down to his underpants. She knew for a fact, that if Er Li had not been with them, he would have removed those all by himself.
Only he then assisted her out of her dress and under robe until only one final layer of robes were left and all the while, their eyes remained fixed on each others eyes, not once breaking contact until they were both ready for the water. Then leading her by the hand, he helped her into the closest of the larger pools to Er Lis, before lowering himself down into the water to watch his son frolic happily beside them as well as her soft cheeks reddening as the thought of what was coming passed silently between them.