Happiness of eternity

01) 03rd year - Ying

It was yet another beautiful day at Qing Jing Peak. The greenery of the bamboo forest and the calming spring breeze work together in harmony to produce music for the meditating cultivators. From somewhere within, the enchanting melody of a qin could also be heard, seamlessly merging with the sound of those bamboo leaves made under the influence of the soft breeze.

It would make a perfect heaven on earth if not for the shocked cries of the cultivators who just got to hear a news that's old by almost three years.

Considering how most of them were cultivators at their peak who almost gained immortality and the elders and clan leaders being immortals for decades or over for centuries, it was quite surprising how their communication system became that weak and useless for them to not receive such a widespread piece of information. And to think that it all happened three whole years ago? That was unacceptable. Thus, the commotion here...

"NO! How can that be?!" A cultivator from Bai Zhang peak yelled in disbelief.

"It's fine if we were only late by a few weeks or even just months to receive this news, but to think it had been almost three years?! Now way!!" An elder from Qiong Ding Peak exclaimed.

"He's your husband's cousin. Don't tell me even you two didn't know about this?" Though Liu Qingge's voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction at the word 'husband', he seemed to be genuinely curious about the matter to raise that question.

"We actually didn't know until now." Covering half of his face with his newly acquired fan, the Qing Jing peak lord muttered, his emotions morphing into a frown from behind it. Then he added, "We haven't had any contact with them at least for over a century, I guess. The last time I heard something from them, they had a little son together who was forced into hibernation right after his birth."

"A son? Could it be the same son who had been mentioned in this news?" Yue Quingyuan asked, worried about the new piece of information.

The Qing Jing peak lord frowned even more, "I'm not sure. But I think so... Cousin mentioned something about dianxia's inability to conceive more children after their first child's birth. So I would assume that, that child was the same one we are talking about right now."

And that led everyone to a pin drop silence.

It sure was a shock to everyone to know that the beloved crown prince of the three realms had suddenly passed away. Even though they had never met the prince personally, they all heard about how kind and brilliant he was and for him to end up like this? No way in hell they are going to accept that.

"I heard that heaven officially stopped answering the prayers and the ghosts started acting however they pleased. The outside world must be quite chaotic by now." Someone wondered out loud.

"The demon lord might love to pay a visit then." The lord of Zui Xian peak exclaimed, successfully earning a murderous glare from the esteemed Qing Jing peak lord.

"He would, only because the prince is his nephew. Not because of what you are thinking." The Qing Jing Peak lord shot back, his voice laced with a threatening undertone.

"...I-" However, before the lord of Zui Xian peak could apologize, a loud bang was heard and a breathless call of a young boy disturbed them, "A-niang!"

"What is it?!" Qing Jing Peak lord shot up from his seat the moment he heard the voice and he was halfway through the conference hall when the boy unceremoniously barged in.

"A-niang! Come quickly! A-die... A-die found something in front of our bamboo cottage!!" He explained hurriedly before grabbing his mother's wrist and dashing out of the hall. The others inside stared at their retreating figures, trying to process what exactly happened seconds ago.

.

When they arrived at their destination, the peak lord appeared to be as confused as it is and the scene that greeted him there, confused him even further.

There, under the porch of their private bamboo cottage stood his husband in all his glory, with his arms filled with an exquisite bundle of scarlet silk fabrics that appeared to be as smooth as water. But what caught him off guard wasn't the quality of the fabric or the gentle look in his husband's eyes; it was the sound that came within the bundle.

"Shizun! You are here..." The black clad man greeted happily, stepping towards his confused 'wife' with a gentle smile.

"Binghe... What- is this?"

"Not what, but who... Look shizun... Isn't she so cute?" Luo Binghe smiled widely, adjusting the silk bundle so his beloved could take a proper look inside as well. And when he did, the little bundle of perfection inside welcomed him with a bright smile, that the cold peak lord, the emotionless Shen Qingqiu felt his heart melting like morning dew.

"Wuuu... uuu waaaah..." The little baby cooed at them as if she wanted to say something but when she felt herself moving, her mouth sealed shut as her eyes widened in curiosity.

"From where did you steal her?" After getting a good look at the baby and carefully securing her in his arms, Shen Qingqiu asked, raising an eyebrow at his husband.

At that, Luo Binghe gasped before complaining with a scandalized look in his eyes, "Ouch! That's mean, shizun!! I didn't steal her from anyone; I swear!!! She was already here when I came home and I sent Huaiqing to pick you up right away..."

Shen Qingqiu, "...Then who's child is she?"

Luo Binghe, "I don't know. I don't think anyone can come and go as they please in here. Much less drop a child at our doorstep in broad daylight without anyone noticing. It seems like she appeared out of nowhere."

"Can we keep her?" The little boy, Luo Huaiqing asked cutely, looking at his parents pleadingly.

Luo Binghe, "..."

Shen Qingqiu tried to console his six years old son, "But her parents might be looking for her."

Luo Huaiqing, "But a-niang..."

"I don't think that her parents would be looking for her..." Luo Binghe muttered as he bent down to pick something from a beautifully carved jade wicker basket that must've been used to carry the baby.

It was a small note written in high quality calligraphy which could've ranked only below their cousin-in-law...

~•~

Honorable master/madam,

I hope this note will receive you well with this gift of heaven. Take care of her when her own parents aren't allowed to do so. Her birth name is Ying; courtesy Xianle as in 'Heavenly music' or as Xian in 'immortal'/ 'Eternal' and Le in 'Happiness' just the way she deserves; a happiness of eternity.

Keep her safe and loved until she could meet her original family.

Sincerely,
Lady Siming

P.S. : Remember to help her with both yin and yang energy. Also, do not force her into do anything that doesn't earn her liking.

~•~

"Lady Siming? As in the supreme master of fate? THE fate?" Binghe raised an eyebrow, suddenly not feeling all too confident about his perfect eyesight or the reading ability.

"...I don't understand either. Maybe this little child had already completed her fate but failed to achieve something important, so they decided to give her another chance?" Shen Qingqiu suggested.

"That could be a possibility..." Binghe muttered before clapping excitedly, "But this means that we can keep her. Right shizun?"

Shen Qingqiu smiled at his childish husband and answered him with a simple, "Mn"

And Binghe did a little victory dance at that along with their son, both happily exclaiming, "We're gonna keep her!!"

And just like that, little Ying became a part of the Luo family and the seventh heir and the first young lady of the Qing Jing Peak; Luo Xianle.

***