~𝒜𝓃 𝒜𝒹𝑒𝓅𝓉𝓊𝓈' 𝐿𝒶𝓈𝓉 𝒲𝒾𝓈𝒽~ (𝒵𝒽𝑜𝓃𝑔𝒸𝒽𝒾)

Chapter 4: A Conflicting Dilemma, Erupting Feelings!

When Ajax woke up, he lazily stretched his muscles and yawned slightly before he looked out of his window; the birds were chirping, the leaves were starting to turn into different colors, the wind was blowing small piles of leaves, the sun was coming through the window warming Ajax up. He almost didn't want to get up, however, the weight of his responsibilities came crashing down onto him. So, he said goodbye to his comfortable bed sheets and mattress before he got up.

He walked towards his wardrobe where he retrieved the new shuhe Guizhong had gifted him a few days prior.

It was dark blue and had small silver embroidered butterflies as well as wisps of water flowing on the chest area and on the edges of his sleeves. The fabric was pure silk made from silk flowers and it felt amazing on his fingertips. And the inside was aligned with wool, so the cold wouldn't seep through. Guizhong had also gotten him a pair of wrist cuffs, that he slipped on. It was very beautiful and well made, and he took time to admire the careful craftsmanship before he slipped it on.

He put the undergarments on before he slipped on the several layers of his top robes. He even recalled Guizhong getting his measurements before she had given him another shuhe.

While the first one was a pretty good fit, according to her, 'It was still too loose' on some parts. So, she had dragged Ajax and measured him from head to toe using a small measuring tape, and writing the measurements down on a small piece of paper.

She then sent the measurements down to a master seamstress who nodded and diligently made the clothes in no time, only using the finest materials and dyes at Guizhong's insistence. Ajax had been fine with whatever clothes, as long as it could cover him and was light-weight, he would be fine. But Guizhong begged to differ and insisted on the greatest materials for her di-di.

He walked towards the front door, put on his shoes (after being yelled at by Guizhong to not wear his dirty outside shoes inside and promptly had a pair of slippers made).

He slipped them on before going outside, and sighed contently when he felt the cool air pass by him. It was refreshing and he breathed in the fresh air greedily and walked towards the stairs up Mt. Hulao, his stomach growling in anticipation for some delicious food.

He had recently found out but the person who had been in charge of making meals was none other than Madam Ping herself. Which was quite a surprise, after all he had never expected her of all people to make the meals. But, it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless.

He climbed up the stairs and walked into a heated conversation going on between Guizhong and the rest of the adepti.

"Lady Guizhong, those are the rules. We can not allow it to slip by us......even if there's a child involved," said Cloud Retainer, who sounded the lightest bit sorrowful.

Guizhong shook her head, determination sprawled across her face, "Cloud Retainer, I understand that we must not let something like this slip by. However, we can't just allow the child to die, it would go against all of our people's moral codes and...I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't do anything!"

Cloud Retainer sighed and turned around. She was in her human form again; her hair was a nice pale blue tied up in a firm high bun, she was quite tall and her aoqun was filled with colors ranging from blue, turquoise, red, black, with gold trim around her collar and the ends of her sleeves. And over that she had a bijia that was similarly aligned with soft wool. But even in human form, her eyes remained the same, they were blue, they pierced the soul, and were not the slightest human.

However, her eyes looked the slightest bit human, and they sparkled with unshed tears, but she blinked them back rapidly and put on a serious face, "This one knows, Guizhong....This one knows, but those are the rules, are they not?"