Red Rose [Never Let You Go, Again Book 3]

42: Tale of a Peony

The next morning, Chang Xiaoqing, the girl who'd sent love letters to Lan Wangji but didn't want to marry anyone now, paid Cloud Recesses a visit. Both to wish the new Head Elder good luck and also to pay her respects to Elders Lan Wei Wuxian and Lan Qiren. She sat at Sect Leader Lan's table, having snacks and water with the Sect Leader and the young Head Elder. Having chatted with them and given her offerings to both Wei Ying and Lan Qiren, she conversed with them to soothe them a bit with a light-hearted chat.

"So are things getting on well? I mean your duties and stuff? Jingyi?"

"Yes, Xiaoqing-shijie. We're doing great. Well, with work, at least."

Xiaoqing sighed. "You guys... I heard Wei Wuxian adopted you all, eh?"

"Mn," Lan Sizhui nodded. "Me, him, and A-Ling."

"A-Ling?"

"Sect Leader Jin."

"Ah, I see. Well, all I can say is he sure was a spectacular father. Look at his three sons! One's the youngest Sect Leader ever, one's the youngest Head Elder, one's the champion of the Phoenix Hunt! Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian have raised the three best sons in the world," she smiled, hugging them when they began to cry again. "Now, now, I'm telling this to let you know he's happy. Won't he be happy to see you three are doing great?"

"Yes, he will, but..."

"We miss him," Jingyi snivelled.

"Of course, you do."

"And Father... He's suffering... Been kneeling outside the Jingshi since Daddy left. He didn't come for Jingyi's investiture so we went to find him afterwards and we found him kneeling outside the Jingshi."

"Oh dear," Chang Xiaoqing shook her head. "I used to be close pals with Lan Qiang, so I know he used to do that back when Madam Lan passed away, too. He's waiting for Wei Wuxian to open the door, isn't he?"

Lan Sizhui nodded.

Chang Xiaoqing patted their backs, humming some melody she'd heard in Dongying to calm them down. And it worked.

"Nice song, Xiaoqing-shijie," Sizhui smiled into her robes, happy to have this caring lady with them right now. "Is it from Dongying?"

"How did you guess?"

"The style's different."

"Good observing, young lad," she nodded. "Beautiful flowers you've got on your table, by the way."

"The white peonies? Oh, they're for him to remember Jin Ling," Jingyi chuckled.

"Hey!"

"It's fine, it's fine, I won't tell a soul," Chang Xiaoqing smiled. "But how about this? Do you want to hear about a tale from Dongying? It's about the Peony Princess."

"Peony Princess?" Both boys lifted their heads. "Sure!"

"Well, it's a bit long..."

"Please do!"

Chang Xiaoqing laughed. "Sect Leader and Head Elder but still children at heart, eh? Fine. Many years ago in this castle at a place called Gamogun, lived a feudal lord. His wife had been dead for some years. He had no family except one beautiful daughter aged eighteen. She was called Princess Aya. This feudal lord arranged for her marriage with the second son of another lord ruling in another province. You know, the kind of thing done to maintain peace between the lands? Both second son and girl had agreed and approved, though, well, denying their parents' wishes wasn't even an option, anyway. Princess Aya made her mind up to try and love her prospective husband. She never really got to see him, but she still admired him with speech and imagination, since she knew she had to accept him.