The Queen In Red

The Queen In Red 32

"Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, you have not changed." Dong Hua stated while walking into the small entrance to Zhe Yan's bamboo cottage, and rather than approaching. He took a seat at an outdoor stone seating area while on top of the stone table sat a guqin.

It had been many years since he last touched the guqin, but it had felt as though no time at all had passed.

As he played, the directions of the winds responded to each strum of his fingers, each note pushed the air passed the trees and back again while the stones and rubble rolled around as if dancing elegantly across the ground.

By the time he knew it, the whole afternoon had passed and night had fallen.

Opening his eyes, Zhe Yan and Mo Yuan were sitting on the porch of the cottage drinking wine and laughing.

He finished the tune he was playing and placed his hands on the guqin.

"You're back." Zhe Yan exclaimed, "Come brother, drink with us."

Sighing, Dong Hua wanted to decline, but Zhe Yan spoke again. "You are here because you missed me right? or you want to know why we didn't stop Xiao Jiu?"

"If you know then speak Zhe Yan."

"If you want to know, come and have a drink, Xiao Jiu said you couldn't drink much alcohol, but I'm sure you are not averse to tea?"

Hearing that, he realised Feng Jiu had probably scolded Zhe Yan and smiled inwardly. He moved towards the two High Gods and took the spot next to Mo Yuan.

Now all three were drinking while looking out towards the forest of peach blossoms trees that circled Zhe Yan's Cottage.

"It's quiet without Bai Zhi." Mo Yuan stated.

"It's because Zhe Yan has no one to laugh with." Dong Hua answered with sarcasm surprising them both.

"I don't need someone to laugh with me when I have you to laugh at." Zhe Yan poked his chin towards Dong Hua's direction smirking. "You are all the entertainment I need."

Mo Yuan rolled his eyes, "Zhe Yan, don't start, you always end up being the one in pain or the one whining. Dong Hua is crafty. He always has you regretting it."

"Fine Fine, I was only joking," Zhe Yan stood up and leaned against a wall of his cottage while the effects of the alcohol took over. "Xiao Jiu has cooked a few meals for me. Someone come help me bring it out."

Dong Hua stood immediately, "Hurry up."

"Give me your arm. I can see two of you." Zhe Yan asked while sliding across the wall, smashing the wine and tea everywhere.

"Ahh, look you've made a mess, just tell me where it is, and I will get them." Dong Hua frowned.

"Where else is the food?. It will be in there. There are some containers with fox candies on the top shelf, bring a bowl of that too and wine from the wine cellar."

Both Dong Hua and Mo Yuan's eyebrows raised at his demands.

Zhe Yan laughed to himself, "What? once you find them, you will surely materialise them here?"

Mo Yuan looked to Dong Hua, "You offered, and Zhe Yan has a point, use your magic to bring them out."

Dong Hua nodded in agreement and went in to get all the food. After everything was moved outside, he walked out with a large bamboo container in his arm and a fox candy in his mouth.