Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms

Chapter 7

I didn't go straight home. I decided to pop in on Third Brother on the way and deliver his peach blossom wine. Third Brother and Third Sister-in-Law were not home, however, and after accepting a little bite to eat from their immortal servant, I entrusted the jars of wine to him and summoned a lucky cloud to take me back to Qingqiu.

I passed Xiazhou on the way and decided to go and pay my respects to Tian Wu, who was buried in the cemetery there.

Most of the ancient gods had outstanding faces, but Tian Wu had been the exception. However, what he lacked in quality, he made up for in quantity: he had a total of eight heads.

We had been good friends while I was studying at Mount Kunlun under Mo Yuan. However, later, when the inexorable doom was meted upon the residence of the ancient gods, he perished in the fire and lightning.

I hurried from Qingqiu to Xiazhou as soon as I heard about the inexorable doom, but by the time I arrived, it was too late. All that was left of him was a heap of bones.

It was noon by the time I arrived back at Qingqiu.

My feet had only just touched the ground when I saw a glossy little green-clad figure crawling out of the foxhole.

Mystic Gorge came over to me, a self-effacing look on his face. "You've taken your time, Your Highness," he said anxiously. I rubbed my eyes.

The little figure gave a squeal and leaped over to me, his eyes brimming with tears. "Mother, your words are meaningless," he blurted out in anguish. "Yesterday you said you would come back to the Sky Palace with us!"

Mystic Gorge had his eyes to the ground, but he glanced in my direction every so often, clearly holding back the questions. I looked at him and waved my sleeve, giving him permission to speak.

He cupped his hands together in thanks and bowed down in front of me. "I deserve to die, Your Highness. I have failed you and your instructions to take proper care of Qingqiu.

But what else could I have done with this little immortal? It would not have been appropriate to block the heir to the Sky Throne.

And he told me he was dropping off Your Highness's child. Someone of his status, what choice did I have but to let him into Qingqiu? I am sorry that I did not manage to get a message to Your Highness to ask for instructions first, so please punish me as you see fit."

I was astonished. Prince Ye Hua had been here? Had he come simply to pay me back for the scene I had caused during his tryst with the princess?

I had retreated from that scene in great haste and had no idea how things had been left between the two of them.

Princess Liao Qing was clearly deeply devoted to him, and in my befuddled state, I had allowed his son to convince me to stir up trouble between them. If Ye Hua had wanted to win her back, he would not have found it hard.

To come here just to teach me a lesson seemed unnecessarily mean, and I found myself trembling at the prospect.

Little Sticky-Rice Dumpling hugged my arm and lifted his head. "Father Prince told me that you didn't want to come back with us, Mother," he said with a pout.

"He said you were worried you wouldn't like living in the Sky Palace. Well, Mother, you don't need to worry about that anymore. Father Prince and Ali have decided to move over here and live with Mother instead. As long as I'm with you, Mother, Ali can live anywhere."

Hearing this made me feel dizzy. "You're telling me that you and Father Prince are planning to move in with me?" I said, my face turning pale.

Sticky-Rice Dumpling gave a rapid, childish nod. My knees went weak, but Mystic Gorge, as considerate and intuitive as ever, came over and took hold of my arm. "Stay calm, Your Highness," he whispered.