WangXian Forever Book 8

Chapter 128 Uncle Qiren

As everyone filed out of the Great Hall to go to the training grounds to see the great Celestial Steed, Suanni, Uncle Qiren was surprised to feel a tugging on his sleeve.

He was above shrieking out loud...but it was close.

Baoshan Sanren had just appeared next to him, wearing a frightening smile. There was nothing wrong with it per say...just that his gut instincts were working overtime. But he faithfully plastered on a smile on his own face, at least he thought it was close.

"Celestial Immortal. How kind of you to attend."

She snickered and earned a glare.

"We are both too old for pretence, Qiren. Why don't we go somewhere to share a cup of tea?"

"Tea?" He would not be lying if he said he was bewildered.

Why would she want to have tea with him? Of all people?

And it would be rude of him to refuse...however much he wanted to.

And cowardly to wish that nephew of his and his husband were here with him too...

So Uncle Qiren sighed to himself and gestured for her to follow him. His home was the closest to the Great Hall and in no time, they were crossing the courtyard and walking past the Moon tree.

It shivered in delight when it felt her presence and blew some white blossoms her way; they wove into her open hair forming a ringlet upon the crown of her head, and Baoshan Sanren smiled. She stood directly under the tree and placed an elegant hand on its silvery bark as if communicating something.

Then the whole tree shuddered and Baoshan Sanren opened her purple eyes. She nodded once and caught up to Uncle Qiren.

Uncle Qiren thought it was strange that the Moon tree had such an affinity with both Wei WuXian and his grandmother. Whether it was because it recognised them as immortal beings or the family connection, he did not know...but it was kind of sweet.

"Does Madam have a preference?" Uncle Qiren asked her, meaning the type of tea.

She shrugged and vaguely waved a hand.

"Anything will do."

So Uncle Qiren decided to brew his favourite kind. He spent ten long minutes waiting for the tea to be steeped, and then he made a big show of correctly pouring it out, first warming the tea cups with tea and swishing it out before pouring the real drink.

He was waiting for Baoshan Sanren to speak, to say something, anything about why she was here, in his personal space no less...but she remained strangely quiet. She was watching him instead...like an owl.

It was kind of unnerving. As if she knew exactly what kind of an effect she was having on him by prolonging this.

Still as he waited for her, Uncle Qiren sipped his tea and was happy about the strength of it. He was proud too, because no one made tea like he did. It was almost a whole meditative experience, calming the mind and heart and helping him to prepare for the day and whatever it was going to throw at him.

Like this situation, for example.

"Tell me Qiren...do you have a copy of the rules to hand?"

Uncle Qiren was surprised.

"Of course. Which part interests the Venerable Celestial?"

She barely refrained from rolling her eyes.

"I don't know...I just thought I'd have a look." She was being vague on purpose, and Uncle Qiren didn't want to offend her.

"There are over four thousand rules, Madam. It is too many to contain in one tome so we have compartmentalised them into easy sections. There are sections pertaining to dress code, eating, the conducting of one's daily ritual, meditation, conduct with others, marital conduct, the conduct of students, the correct etiquette on Night Hunts, the-"