(Image credit belongs to the owner)
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Si Ming had been racking his brain trying to figure out what had happened to the almighty god and former emperor of Heaven and Earth.
When Dong Hua Dijun came back from the Fang Xu Realm, he seemed like a completely changed person. Si Ming swore he even saw Dijun open his mouth to let the little fox princess feed him the last of her roasted sweet potato. Wasn't this some kind of heresy? Si Ming clearly remembeed that many years ago Dong Hua not only kicked out, but banned a maid from ever working in Tai Chen Palace again because she dared to try to feed him a grape from her own fingers. This widely circulated among the Nine Heavens with maids in his palace traumatized and unwilling to touch grapes for hundreds of years.
Si Ming even clearly remembered how familiar Dijun was behaving with the little highness. It was as if they were friends.
"Friends," he scoffed out loud. Dong Hua doesn't have friends, he has people he interacts with on a limited basis, everyone knows that, the Star Lord reminded himself.
The little princess from Qing Qiu couldn't be more of Dong Hua's opposite if she tried. She was amiable, young, sweet, and energetic. Dijun was difficult to get along with, almost as old as time itself, salty, and lethargic.
Si Ming could not put the pieces of the puzzle together and this was bothering him greatly. Zhong Lin even came to him today to inquire if there was something wrong with Dijun. Dong Hua had apparently instructed Zhong Lin to tell the kitchen staff to roast him sweet potatoes.
Si Ming had had it.
What was with it with these damn sweet potatoes?
Dijun had previously never had much of an appetite and certainly no one had seen him eat roasted sweet potatoes before. Even more absurd, Si Ming had seen the little highness hold up her sweet potato half, complain to Dijun that it was cold, and like a servant, he obediently heated it up for her with his magic.
Si Ming started to wonder if perhaps Dong Hua had offended the little highness and that somehow she was black-mailing him. Even though she was definitely far too sweet and innocent to engage in such unsavory behavior, why else would she be able to tug at Dong Hua, get into his personal space, and get him to heat up her food?
Dong Hua barely tolerated basic social interactions much less the kind of high maintenance interactions of such a friendly soul as the little fox princess. And then there was that aura-traveling business.
In all of Si Ming's years of serving Dong Hua Dijun, he had never seen or heard of Dong Hua bringing anyone into his aura, whether it was for traveling or anything else. Dong Hua was an extremely private person and did not magically mingle his energies with anyone. Yet, Si Ming swore he saw the little highness materialize in Dijun's arms with him looking at her...
... adoringly ...
No. Could it be?
The dots had long ago been established but Si Ming was in far too much denial to connect them.
And then there was the gossip. Si Ming thought about the rumors that were circulating around the Nine Heavens. Apparently, Dijun had allowed the junior Imperial Highness of Qing Qiu to accompany him to talk to the Heavenly Lord about official business regarding the safety of the realms.
It was said that Dong Hua read off a list of her accomplishments, such as how she raided a demon nest in a dark forest, killed a Chiyan fire beast with her Tao Zhu sword, saved him from a demon seductress, saved him from almost dying from a rare demonic respiratory toxin, and saved him from starvation multiple times when they fell into uninhabited dark wastelands.
Apparently, their time in the Fang Xu Realm was so terrifying, it was said that Dong Hua Dijun himself said he did not know if he would have made it back alive to the Nine Heavens if not for the bravery, skill, and life-saving actions of Her Highness Bai Feng Jiu.
Is that why he has become her servant now? Because she was his savior? Is he repaying back a debt?
Si Ming found it hard to sift through what was fact and what was fiction. Everyone knew that rumors always have a seed of truth in them. Regardless of what was true or not, respect for Bai Feng Jiu and Qing Qiu grew exponentially, with many remarking on what a formidable queen she'd be.
With all that had been circulating around and with what he'd seen with his own eyes, there was no other conclusion that Si Ming could come to, except that Bai Feng Jiu and Dong Hua Dijun were as thick as thieves.
---
Back in his study, Dong Hua was still recovering from the stupor he was thrown into after the little fox princess had sweetly planted a warm kiss on his ice-face. Now, it was his sanity that was melting.
Dong Hua had spent the rest of the day trying to decipher the meaning of the kiss. He knew that foxes by nature, were affectionate and freely expressed their feelings to those around them. This had been particularly true of his Xiao Bai. But for all he knew, giving kisses like that was normal for her. What if it was something she'd do to anyone she liked? Dong Hua wondered if she kissed Bai Qian, Zhe Yan, Bai Yi, and Bai Zhen this way, too.
She knew Si Ming, Heavenly Mother, had she kissed him, as well, he wondered. Dong Hua began to feel flustered and confused. These were not emotions he was used to feeling. He noted that he was feeling more emotions overall since his little fox entered his life. He also greatly missed the scent of peach blossoms and roasted sweet potatoes lightly merging. The scent had long since faded and he lamented this.
This is when Si Ming saw Dong Hua Dijun, the almighty former emperor toss a hunk of roasted sweet potato and a few fresh peach blossoms into his incense burner.
(Image credit: found on Pinterest and belongs to its owner)
Not completely satisfied with his concoction, he then tossed a dried piece of sandalwood into the mix and closed the lid.
Si Ming decided it best that he act as if he didn't even see the strange thing that just happened.
"Si Ming greets Dong Hua Dijun," he said with a deep bow.
Dong Hua nodded expressionlessly.
"Your Lordship, I wanted to inquire into your health since returning from your trip. I hope you have been well."
"Do I not look well?" Dijun asked blankly to which Si Ming realized he had a better chance of getting out of a Chiyan beast's den unscathed. He decided to hell with it, if he's going to die, at least he'll die informed.
"Forgive me Your Lordship, it's just that you look somewhat ...preoccupied since you've returned."
"Si Ming, I have been preoccupied with boredom for the last hundreds of thousands of years. Perhaps being preoccupied with something else isn't so bad." Dong Hua spoke leisurely, sitting down on his cushion and taking a sip of tea.
Per usual, Dijun was not giving him anything. He decided to try from another angle, one a little more direct. The Star Lord thought it was risky but perhaps worth it.
"Has Your Lordship heard of the rumors about the little highness Bai Feng Jiu?"
"Tell me, what are people saying?" asked Dong Hua sounding completely disinterested.
Si Ming listed all of the rumors he had heard. Dijun nodded. "All good merits indeed."
Si Ming was quickly dying on the inside.
Just tell me if she did those things, or not.
Looking at the immortal's face that betrayed the slightest bit of frustration, Dong Hua decided he felt like going in to play.
"Si Ming, do you not believe that the little highness is capable of doing such things?" Dong Hua could see the immortal's brow furrowing.
Dong Hua then decided to go in for the torment. "Do you doubt her abilities?" he asked, while pouring himself another cup of tea.
"I... I of course don't dare doubt the little highness. I feel she's quite capable.... But I also know Your Lordship ...and I... feel that you could have ... dealt with those threats yourself," he said as he started to sweat.
Dong Hua then went in for the kill. "Are you saying Si Ming, that I don't deserve to be saved? That my life isn't worth someone coming to my aid?" the almighty god inquired in his deadpan demeanor.
Si Ming's face lost all color. He bowed and sputtered. "Uh, forgive me, of course not .. n-n-not what I meant to say Your Lordship. Not at all."
Dong Hua took a sip of his tea. "The little fox princess made a promise to bring me back to the Nine Heavens safe and sound. I am sitting before you because she fulfilled that promise. That ... is what you need to know," he said matter-of-factly.
"Yes, yes Your Lordship," Si Ming replied while covertly trying catch his breath.
"Si Ming, let me ask you something."
"Anything, Your Lordship."
"Are you friends with the little highness?" Dong Hua asked leisurely while looking Si Ming in the eyes.
Si Ming started sweating again and his eyes searched the floor widely for an answer that would save his life.
"I am an acquaintance of her little highness and she has always been friendly to me, as she is with everyone," he said each word carefully as if one misstep would get him tossed into flowing hot lava.
"It's okay for you to say 'yes' if that's true," Dong Hua decided that he wanted Xiao Bai to have all the friends she wanted. He was more interested in finding out something else.
"Have you embraced her before?" asked Dong Hua raising an eyebrow.
Si Ming relaxed a little knowing this was a much easier question to answer but still strange of Dijun to ask.
"I have not Your Lordship, I wouldn't dare, but I have ... given her a pat on the head, when she was a kit in her fox form." He hoped that part would not get him killed.
Dong Hua nodded, satisfied. He knew that of course people would want to give Xiao Bai a pat on the head in her fox form. She was simply too adorable.
Thoroughly satisfied with his investigation, Dong Hua looked at Si Ming and compassionately dismissed him.
"You may go; I have some scrolls to read," he lied.
Si Ming, bowed deeply, still grateful that Cang He did not make an appearance. He was unsure if he should tell Dong Hua that the incense burner was letting out the most peculiar smell. He decided not to chance it and took his leave.
Dong Hua sat there musing on the information he had attained. Si Ming said he was her acquaintance. Dong Hua would round that up into a friendship. And even as friends, it did not seem like they would have the same interactions he had with her. This must mean that she didn't often kiss friends like that, he reasoned. But his little fox had often referred to Dong Hua as a friend. So Dong Hua concluded that he, at the very least, must be a special friend.
He was satisfied with this conclusion and decided it was not a bad role to play in this little fox princess's life. He then rested his gaze on the vase of beautiful peach blossoms sitting before him.
---
Upon stepping out of Tai Chen Palace, Si Ming wiped the sweat from his brow and marveled at how he almost had to trade his life for the most amazing piece of gossip, ever.
Dong Hua Dijun was in love with the little fox princess, Bai Feng Jiu.
Of course he would protect this information for the sake of His Lordship and the little highness. Besides, who in all the worlds, would ever believe this, he thought. Saying Dong Hua Dijun was in love was comparable to saying the Crown Prince Ye Hua had a sense of humor. The joke would be on the poor fool who would believe it. Si Ming sighed wondering if Dijun even knew he was in love with the little fox princess. Dong Hua Dijun was a master at many things, but interpersonal intricacies of the emotional persuasion were not part of his repertoire.
---
"So, I heard you were babysitting not too long ago," said Lian Song, the third prince of the Nine Heavens, as he walked in to Tai Chen Palace preparing to get his rear handed to him by Dong Hua while playing Go.
"Oh?" asked Dong Hua casually, without looking at him.
"Weren't you there with the little highness of Qing Qiu in the Fang Xu Realm? The word on the heavenly streets is that your old ass needed that baby fox princess to save you," teased Lian Song.
'Why do you call her a baby? I think she's full-grown," Dong Hua said speculatively.
"Compared to us ... well, I could easily be her grandfather, albeit a handsome, young-looking grandfather," Lian Song said thoughtfully. And you, the third prince pointed his fan down over to Dong Hua, "you could be ... well I'd need a magic-powered abacus to calculate the generational gap there."
Dong Hua looked up at him, ignored all the math talk and simply said, "It's true, I ran into her there ... she's quite skilled."
"Well of course, she's a Bai. I haven't laid eyes on her yet but I've heard her beauty rivals her aunt High Goddess Bai Qian." Lian Song sat down at the board. "Bai Zhi is going to have a massive headache dealing with all of her suitors now that she's of marrying age."
He shook his head. "And now that you've made her a legend, she'll no doubt get even more marriage proposals."
"I didn't notice," said Dong Hua disinterestedly. Which was true since he had never thought of comparing her to any other woman's beauty. She belonged in a league of her own. The third prince had, however, caught his attention with the mention of "all of her suitors." The almighty god decided to file this away for later.
"Of course you didn't notice. I pity the woman who catches your attention, Dong Hua." Lian Song was among the small list of people who Dong Hua Dijun tolerated them calling him by his name rather than full title. On that list were also the God of War, Mo Yuan, and Zhe Yan.
"Oh?... why would you say that?" Dong Hua said as he took his turn.
"Are you kidding me? You're a heartbreaker. Everyone in the Nine Heavens knows that. There have been countless beauties who've fawned over you. You've never once returned even a glance or a smile. Face it, you break hearts, but you don't know how to keep them."
"Beauty bores me," Dong Hua replied simply, resting the side of his face in his palm, looking out onto the white and black pieces in front of him.
"Well, I guess that's good for all of us. If you ever fell in love, it'd be the end of times. Well, rather the end of her."
"Tell me Lian Song, is it your face or your words that Cheng Yu has decided she detests the most? I know she often refuses to see you and she doesn't answer back your letters. I suppose it's both," Dong Hua replied impassively.
Lian Song glared at Dong Hua.
This man's tongue was venomous.
Making an attempt to steer the conversation away from his slightly less than successful attempts at wooing his heavenly crush, Lian Song asked "so now that you're back to your obscenely privileged leisurely life, how do you plan to pass the time besides verbally harassing me and staring blankly into space? Oh, and I remember Si Ming said you had a question you wanted to ask me."
"You answered it," replied Dong Hua simply. "I think I might do more traveling," the almighty god said casually. He reached into his sleeve to gently caress the Celestial flower petal charm between his fingers.
Lian Song looked down onto the board in disbelief as he watched Dong Hua make an uncharacteristically careless move, almost surely allowing Lian Song to win the game.
Dong Hua smiled internally as he energetically melted into the image in his mind's eye.