Immortal Mortals

The Grand Kowtow

If Jie looked horrified, Ai was looking back at him with absolute relish and gratification.  Just that look on his face alone was enough to fill her with satisfaction.  Oh she was going to enjoy this, she thought to herself, as he rose to stand before her.  Instantly the urge to laugh almost exploded from her as his whole body stiffened.

"You want me to what?" he asked shocked as his own face began to anger dangerously.

Pointing her finger directly at him without an ounce of fear, she ordered him to stay right where he was and not to move, then moving to the door that led to the bed chambers, she opened it coming straight up against Tai and Meili.

"Both of you into your rooms, shut your doors and stay there until I give the order to come out."  she said abruptly.  Then seeing Meili looking as if she were about to cry again, she quickly smiled softly down at her.  

"My dear, father and I just need a little time to talk between ourselves. When we are done, we will all join together for family time." she told her gently as she stroked her cheek lovingly and led both children to their rooms. It took a few more soft kisses and tender words to still the girls tears, but Ai was a patient woman, she took her time and knowing how angry Jie was and anxious for her return, she purposely dragged out her attention on the children.

 Once Meili was settled she went to Tai and hugged him close.  That he was finally allowing her to hold him had her embracing him even tighter, but when he put his own arms around her waist, she almost cried.  It was the first time he had ever put his arms around her, she knew that this day was going to be the most memorable one of her whole Mortal life.  But she also knew she needed to return to Jie, so she gave him the order to keep his sister in her room, completely missing the eye roll he gave her as she returned to the main room and shut the door.

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Qing Qiu.

"Zhen Zhen, have you found your sister?  There's just under two days until her next meeting with Mo Yuan." The Fox Empress said with a worried frown as she busied herself in the kitchen making lunch.  It was all she had thought about all day, and as the meeting grew closer without a word from Qian Qian, she was once again beginning to feel stressed. 

 That daughter of hers was one big headache, the sooner she is married the sooner she can go into full time retirement and leave her to Mo Yuan to worry about, she thought to herself angrily, as her chopping skills became a little more frantic.

"You are going to kill that cabbage." Bai Zhi chided her softly, taking the knife from her hands and taking over.

"Mother, we haven't found her yet." Bai Zhen said quietly while flicking his eye brows up at Zhe Yan to assist him.

Coughing suddenly into his closed fist, Zhe Yan looked back at him with a look of his own before facing The Empress who had entered the main den to sit down across from them.  "I'm afraid she may have disguised herself and possibly closed down her energy." he said giving her a wry smile while looking towards Bai Zhi who had popped his head around the corner to listen in.

"That should not be a hindrance Zhe Yan,  she will still need to retain enough energy to maintain her disguise, enough for you to notice immediately." she informed him, though going by the body language and the way both men were looking furtively at each other, Bai Zhi had a very strong suspicion they knew where she was.

"We will be returning this afternoon to continue the search." Zhe Yan assured The Empress to keep her from saying anymore, gaining a hard pinch to his leg and a 'look' from Bai Zhen who had only just returned home, and the last thing he wanted to do was return.