Rescue Me, My Love

Hulis!

     Bai Qian was miserable.  This pregnancy had been flat out hard.  She was sick a lot, she slept a lot and food made her nauseous.  She had struggled to eat to keep her strength up.  Mo Yuan carried her everywhere.  She knew he was tired.  He was by her side constantly, just like he had been with Taiyang and Zhenzhu.  To her estimation, she was nearly two years and six months.  If she had them now, she would be safe.  She was laying on her side reading a play when the first pain struck her.  Mo Yuan had gone to get her some tea.  He was stepping in the door when he looked at her face.  He sat the tray down and called Baohu to him.  He came running with JinDe.  They had been at the arena.  "Fuqin!  Is it time?"  "Yes!  JinDe, you get Chang Shan going.  Baohu, go get Jinzi.  Hurry!"  Mo Yuan propped Bai Qian up on pillows to make her more comfortable.  "Is that better?"  "Yes,  much better.  Call Xue and Ye Hua.  I want them, please."  "Didi, Qian'er is in labor!  Please come?"  "Bai Xue, bring Meili and come!  Your mother is in labor!"  Taiyang and Zhenzhu were in the playroom with Gaoxing, Xingfu, Jingsi and Jiaxiao, but they had all come when Jingsi said mother was sick.  Mo Yuan was not happy to see them.  "Fuqin needs for you to return to the playroom.  Mother is fine for now."  Jiaxiao, usually quiet and peaceful, brought out her dragon and screamed at her Fuqin.  With eyes as white as the moon, she growled and screamed.  "Me no leave!!  Mother die if I do!  Me no leave!!  Don't make me, Fuqin!!"  She was drawing a breath to blow fire at him.  "Jiaxiao, if you blow fire at me, not only will I take you out, I will bind you and have Jinzi put a sleeping spell on you.  Understand?"  Smoke came out her nose as she squelched her fire.  He took them and sat them by his desk.  "Don't leave here unless I call you.  You must obey me.  Now be quiet and listen.  If Jinzi or any of us call you to come, you do it without question or complaint."  Nods from them all made him feel better.  Baohu came in with Jinzi just as Xue, Meili and Ye Hua came in.  Meili was getting pretty big herself.  "Meili, can you sit over here with these babies?"  He called a cushion just for her to sit on right in the middle of them.  Jinzi scanned his mother very carefully.  "Mother, you will need surgery.  Your blood pressure is getting very high already.  Just relax.  Shushu can put you to sleep.  Are you ok?"  "I'm getting that headache, Jinzi.  Please do it soon."  "Fuqin, help me prepare.  Da ge, I need you and Er ge to pass energy to mother and me as we need it.  Shushu, you keep mother sleeping.  Is everybody ready?  Alright, lets go!"  She was laid flat on the bed.  Mo Yuan kissed her lips.  "Relax, my love!  Jinzi will take care of you."  She smiled and squeezed his hand.  Ye Hua put her to sleep and Jinzi began his surgery.  The twins were big, so he had to be careful.  He pulled the first one out.  "Look!!  He's white, Fuqin!!  He's white with gold ears and tail tip!"  Mo Yuan took the boy into his arms and snuggled him like Hulis like to do.  "My beautiful handsome Xiao Bai Huli!  Fuqin loves you so!!  The little boy smiled and snuggled.  Bai Xue took him from his Fuqin.  "My how handsome you are!  My Xiao Bai Huli didi!!  I'm your Da ge!"  He walked over to the babies and let them touch him.  "Him so pretty Da ge!  Him pretty like Si ge and San ge!"  Jinzi pulled out the second boy.  The cord was around his neck, but he was ok.  He handed him to his Fuqin and set about cleaning up and closing the incisions.  Much to everyone's surprise, he pulled out one more huli.  "Fuqin, I don't know how he escaped me, but here is Huli number three!!"  Mo Yuan handed the second boy to JinDe and took the third one.  He snuggled him close to him and hugged him.  Blue Huli eyes looked at him.  He kissed the little boy right on his nose.  "Da ge, they're wonderful!!  How about names?"  "Hmmm, let me think.  The first one shall be named Bai Xuan Yi, after Qian'er's two oldest brothers.  The second one shall be called Bai Zhen Yan.  The third one shall be called Bai Yingjie."  Jinzi had finished his incisions and was scanning his mother.  "Fuqin, mother's blood pressure is dangerously high.  I'll make elixers now for her.  Chang Shan!  Can you make those elixers for mother's high blood pressure?"  "Yes, Lord Jinzi, I'll make them now."  "Fuqin, I'm sorry but mother has no milk.  We will have to feed these boys with bottles.  We can all help you, if you need us?"  He looked at a room full of his children who wanted to help.  "Fuqin, no worries!  Gaoxing and Xingfu and Jingsi and Jiaxiao will stay with us, won't you?"  They all nodded.  "Alright then.  We will have to take turns.  Jinzi, if you and Mi Shu could stay a few days?  Li Li?  JinDe could you get Mei Ying to come during the day?  We can alternate times until they get into a set routine.  I best feed them now before they get too fussy."  He waved his hand and made a warmed bottle appear.  Yingjie clamped on like a starving dragon.  He was fed, burped and laid down in the cradle.  Taiyang walked over and worked a spell that expanded the cradle to hold all three of them.  "Better, Fuqin?"  "Yes, much better!!"  Yi took his turn.  He was laid down and Yan was given his bottle.  They were laid together and covered with their quilt.  After he laid them all down, Mo Yuan stood up, wavered and fell flat towards Ye Hua.  Ye Hua caught him and laid him on the floor.  Jinzi scanned him carefully.  "What's wrong, Jinzi?"  "Shushu, Fuqin is exhausted.  He's been by mother's side for nearly two and a half years.  We'll just make him a bed on the floor so he can be here by mother.  Let's all leave now.  I will stay to tend to Fuqin and mother and Mi Shu can tend to the triplets."  Jinzi waved his hand and a mattress appeared under his Fuqin.  They all left and the room was darkened and quiet.  Mo Yuan slept on even when the babies woke up wanting milk.
     Jinzi and Mi Shu had fed the babies during the night.  They were awake so they took them to their nursery.  Mo Yuan woke up near lunch slightly disoriented.  He was rising when Jinzi came in.  "Don't be in a hurry, Fuqin!  You collapsed last night!  How do you feel?"  "I'm very tired.  Maybe I need some dragon elixer?"  "Let me scan you good to make sure."  He scanned him over and nodded.  "Yes, two dragon elixers and four energy potions.  Maybe a supplement too.  I'll be right back."  He was back in thirty minutes.  "Here, Fuqin, I'll just mix this up."  Jinzi handed him a cup of tea and his potions.  He swallowed it all and sat still for a minute.  "Thank you, Jinzi, you always know what I need.  How is your mother doing?  She hasn't moved a muscle."  "I'll just check right now."  He scanned her thoroughly and frowned.  He scanned her again.  "Fuqin, mother seems to be in a very deep sleep.  Her blood pressure was very high yesterday.  I will make an elixer for her too.  Mi Shu and I fed the boys last night.   Do you wish to see them?"  "Yes, I will go see them now.  I still can't believe they are all white!  I want to look them over good.  Have you checked them over good?"  "Fuqin, they are doing well.  It did surprise me that mother had no milk though, but no worries!  They are taking plenty from their bottles!  Jingsi has been whining or might I say moaning all morning.  She wants to be where the boys are.  Maybe you should go see them first."  Mo Yuan stood up and stretched.  He nodded and followed Jinzi to the playroom.
     Jingsi was still moaning.  "Fuqin is here!  How are my sweet baby boys and girls today?"  Xingfu ran over and hugged his leg.  "Fuqin, can we go see our didis now?  Please?"  "Is that why you are moaning, Jingsi?"  She flew straight to him.  "Fuqin, why mama sleeping so hard?"  "I can't really say but your San ge is taking care of her.  No worries!  Now lets go meet your huli didis!"   When Mo Yuan walked in, he was greeted with little huli yips.  "Good morning, my Xiao Bai Hulis!!  Fuqin has come to look you over good!  Come Yi, and let me look at you!"  He picked him up and snuggled him close.  "My how handsome you are."  He was snow white with golden tips on his ears, his tails and up his legs to his knees.  His eyes were dark blue.  He laid him down and picked up Yan.  "Good morning, Yan!  How handsome you are!"  He was identical to Yi except for one little gold spot on his nose.  He snuggled him close and laid him back in the cradle.  He picked up the last one.  "Yingjie, good morning!  How handsome you are!"  He was identical to his didis.  Only Yan had a distinguishing mark.  "Jinzi, are they really doing well?  They seem to be rather lethargic for hulis."  "They just ate before you came in.  They're wanting their nap now."  Mo Yuan passed a little energy to them.  Jiaxiao and Jingsi watched him pass energy.  They looked in the cradle and did the same.  "Fuqin, it help didis to give energy?"  "Yes, it will help.  Not too much though!  Ok?"  He turned to Mi Shu.  "Mi Shu, come get me when you need relief.  I'm going to send messages now.  I'll be in my study." 
     Mo Yuan sent messages to Bo, Chu and Lei about their new didis.  After he sent the last one, he went back to his room.  Bai Qian was still in a deep sleep.  He felt she should already be awake.  He sat with her until lunch.  He ate very little and went back to his room.  He didn't go to dinner at all.  Baohu signaled for them all to follow him.  He led them to his meeting hall.  "I have called you all here for a reason.  Something is wrong, I don't know what, but I feel it deep in my heart and soul.  Jinzi, why is mother still asleep?  Why hasn't she waked up?  Usually she would be!"  "I don't know.  I notice that the longer mother sleeps, the more tired Fuqin becomes.  As much as I hate to say it, I need to send for Zhe Yan.  Would you go get him, Xue?  Treat him with care for he has been frail lately."  "I'll go right now.  Wait for me."  He came back in an hour with Zhe Yan.  He was frail and his hair was nearly white.  He had visibly aged.  They all stood and bowed to him.  "Shifu, we need your advice.  Mother had triplets day before yesterday.  She has not waked up.  Fuqin too seems to be rather tired.  He didn't come for dinner and is in the room with mother."  "Show me the children."  They walked to the nursery.  Zhe Yan walked to the crib and gasped.  "White hulis!!  How wonderful!!  What are their names?"  "The oldest is Bai Xuan Yi, the second is Bai Zhen Yan and the last is Bai Yingjie."  "I see!  How handsome they are, especially my name sake!  Take me to your mother now."  Mo Yuan was laying beside Bai Qian on the bed.  He was facing her and rubbing his hand down her cheek.  "Mo Yuan, didi, what does your heart say to you?"  He turned in surprise and rose up from the bed.  He looked hard at Zhe Yan.  "Is your calamity near?"  "Yes, very close."  Mo Yuan hugged him tight.  "What is wrong with her?  Why won't she wake up?"  "Let me check her.  He sat down and took her pulse first.  Then he scanned her.  "Jinzi, did her blood pressure get high during the birth?"  "Yes, Shifu, it was very high.  I gave her elixers for it.  This morning it was still high.  I admit I'm worried.  I felt something else was wrong but I didn't know what."  "I'm thinking the high blood pressure has caused her to go into a coma.  Keep giving her the elixers.  Just put it under her tongue.  Keep me informed, Jinzi!  I'm not dead yet!  Help me to the hall for tea.  I feel the need for some cake!"  They drank tea and ate cake before Jinzi rose to take Zhe Yan back home.  "Mo Yuan, I may not get to see you again.  Know that I love you deeply.  Take care and love your children.  They are your strength."  Two weeks later, the sky was filled with meteors falling and clouds swirling.  Word came when Bai Zhen crashed onto the portico, tears streaming down his face, sobs wracking his body, to tell them the great Phoenix had gone in a blaze of glory.  His fire consuming him.  He had one feather in his hand.  Bai Qian was still asleep. 
     Mo Yuan would not leave her side, not even when the children cried for him.  Bai Xue, seeing the situation for what it was, went to the bench on the pinnacle of Kunlun.  He sat down and waited.  It wasn't long before both of his grandparents joined him.  They said nothing so he spoke first.  "I'm assuming that the time has come to make a decision.  Fuqin will have to decide soon whether he wants to stay or go when Mother goes, am I right?"  "No, not at this time.  Your mother should recover.  Her blood pressure was dangerously high.  It caused some damage.  It will affect her, but she will recover."  "Zhe Yan died."  "We know."  "I just wanted reassurance.  I'm sorry."  Nuwa hugged him.  "Don't be sorry, my sunzi!  We are here for you!  Now go.  Your Fuqin needs you."  Bai Xue returned to the hall to find his Fuqin sitting there twisting his mother's favorite handkerchief in his hands.  He drank no tea but just sat there looking off into space.  He sat by his Fuqin and put his arm around his shoulders.  "No worries, Fuqin!  Mother will recover!  You know how tough she is.  Don't fret.  The children need you.  Look how you have raised us all.  These hulis are going to be special.  Don't worry so!"  "Xue, my sensible son, what if I said I don't want to live without her, but what if I have to choose?  There is no one who can make a weapon for these younger ones.  They would have you and JinDe, but would it be fair to them?  Who will be there if I am gone?  Who?"  "Just what are you saying, Fuqin?"  "If I want to be here for these young children, I may be forced to remove the dragon tear from your mother and let her go.  By all the heavens, I don't want too!  I don't want too!!"  He laid his head on Bai Xue's shoulder and cried.  Xue stood up with his Fuqin against him and took him to the playroom.  The cradle was there and Meili was reading stories.  She herself was due any day.  "Look at them, Fuqin!  Who can raise them to know the love we have had?"  Mo Yuan was still crying.  Jiaxiao saw him and called to her siblings to come to her Fuqin.  Slowly they came.  The room filled with them.  Jingsi went into her Fuqin's arms and patted his face.  "Fuqin, no cry.  We be here.  We be here!  Yi, Yan and Yingjie be here.  See?  We here!"  Baohu put his hand on his Fuqin's shoulder.  "I love you, Fuqin."  A chorus of voices met him.  He wiped his eyes and smiled at them.  JinDe came in the door with Gaoxing and Xingfu on his tail.  They had on elite guard armor and red robes.  When Mo Yuan saw them.  He layed his head back and laughed so hard he cried.  They looked at him with concern, thinking he had gone mad, until he pointed at them.  "I have created little dragon monsters!"  JinDe crossed his arms across his chest and when he did, so did they.  The older children, seeing them perfectly mimicking their Er ge, all pointed and laughed.
     A month after the triplets were born, Bai Qian woke up.  Mo Yuan was in bed laying by her.  He was on his side facing her with her hand in his, fingers intertwined.  She tried to move.  Instantly his eyes popped open and he looked into her eyes.  "My love, you're awake!  Do you want tea?  Soup?  I'll call for it if you wish it."  Her mouth opened but no sound came out.  Mo Yuan sat up and called his robes to himself.  He called Jinzi to his room.  He took her hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles.  "Is something wrong my love?"  She kept opening and closing her mouth but no sound came out.  Jinzi walked in the door and rushed to her side.  "Mother!!  You're awake!!  Guess what?  We have three new didis!!  And their white like you!!"  She tried hard to speak but couldn't.  "Mother?  Is something wrong?"  He took her pulse and then scanned her.  He stood and stepped to the door and called Chang Shan.  "You called me, Lord Jinzi?"  "Yes I need you to make two Huli elixers and two blood potions.  Right away!"   "Jinzi, what's wrong?"  "Call Taiyang and Zhenzhu to you please."  Mo Yuan asked no questions but called them.  They came quickly to him.  "You wanted us, Fuqin?"  "Jinzi needs you."  "Taiyang, Zhenzhu, I need you to read Mother's mind.  And before you ask I don't want Fuqin to do it.  Now please."  They looked at each other, raised their hands and turned toward their mother.  Her brow was furrowed and she was frustrated.  "What does she say?"  "She says she can't talk.  She says she's trying but words won't come out."  Tears were streaming down her face.  Mo Yuan took her into his arms and held her tight.  "It's ok, my love.  Don't get too frustrated over it.  Don't cry."  "Mother, I can help you.  Chang Shan will make those elixers for me to help you.  Don't get upset, ok?"  Jinzi took her hand and patted it.  "Fuqin, you can mind talk to her can't you?"  "Yes, I can.  You will be ok with it won't you, my love?"  She nodded.  "Mother, can you walk?"  Mo Yuan helped her sit up.  "Let's try now.  She sat on the edge of the bed.  She stood slowly but when she tried to walk, her left leg refused to move.  Panic was in her face.  "Sit down, Mother.  Fuqin can carry you.  Do you wish to see our new babies?"  She cast her head aside.  "Mother, they need you!  Don't you want them?"  Mo Yuan sat down.  "My love, you are not useless.  Jinzi will figure out what to do.  Now lay here.  Let me prop you up and I will bring the babies to you.  They are right handsome Xiao Bai Hulis, if I can say so myself.  I'll be right back!"  He went to the playroom to get them.  Taiyang and Zhenzhu were taking their turn to feed them.  "Fuqin is here, Yi!  Look!"  Yi turned and looked.  He grinned.  "Can you boys bring them?  I'll get Yingjie."  They picked them up and took them to Mo Yuan's room.  Mo Yuan held Yingjie down for her to see him.  "This is Bai Yingjie.  He was born last.  He's right handsome, as you can see!"  He laid him in her arms and she held him close.  He snuggled her.  Mo Yuan picked him up and Zhenzhu brought Yan.  "Mother, this is Bai Zhen Yan.  He's the second one.  She held him and snuggled him.  Zhenzhu took him and Taiyang put Yi into her arms.  "Mother, this is Bai Xuan Yi.  Yes, he is named for our two oldest uncles.  Fuqin named them.  Yan is named for Shushu Bai Zhen and Zhe Yan.  Fuqin picked the last name."  She nodded after she snuggled all of them.  "Yes, my dear, but now you need rest.  I will bring them back later."  He covered her up and tucked her in.  They walked out and left her to rest.  "Jinzi, I need to know what's wrong!  Can you figure it out?"  "No worries, Fuqin!  I'll figure it out.  I'm going to send Mi Shu to get some herbs for me.  I think I know what's wrong.  Trust me?"  "Yes, I trust you.  Now I must tend to these young ones.  They are worried."