A Crown for a Tail

The Wedding Banquet

By the time the maids arrived to get her ready for the Banquet, they were both so spent, they had fallen asleep. Once again, it was Mo Yuan and The Empress who had to rouse the both of them, but being rather tipsy from the wine they had both imbued she could barely contain the giggling as the dance pole and stirrups came into view the moment they entered, and if Mo Yuans face could grow any redder, it would have matched the vermilion bedspread.

Though knowing exactly what they were for, they both managed to get them up and with a dividing screen erected, Mo Yuan helped Ye Hua to clean himself up then helping him to dress in his Banquet robes of Qing Qius Forest Green and pastel Yellow with a matching Green Fox pin in his hair, he was led from the chamber first, so Bai Qian could be bathed and dressed in her own gown of the same colors, and with her green Dragon pin in her hair which was lightly gathered in at the sides,  her maids had her looking beautiful again. Then leading her out of the chamber to Ye Hua, they were both led to the Banquet where they were officially received by their guests.

Having already arranged the order of the Tea Ceremony, Ye Hua and Bai Qian both fell to their knees before their parents.  With Ye Huas parents on the left and hers on the right and two chief maids behind holding the tray of gaiwan, they both took hold of the saucers that held the cup of freshly brewed tea, then turning towards each others parents, Bai Qian held out the cup to Ye Huas Father and Ye Hua held his out to Bai Zhi, then to each others mothers.

The order of the Tea ceremony had been difficult to organize due to the high rank of their parents, and though the Skylord was the over all ruler of the Celestial Tribe, they decided to serve their parents first, then the Skylord and Mo Yuan who were directly after them.  Following them was their uncles, aunts and brothers, though Mo Yuan was given the senior place of an uncle rather than a brother due to his high rank.

The Tea Ceremony was not a quick affair, as there were many to serve, but once it was over, they each received red envelopes containing money of various amounts but enough to feed a family for years.  

The official duties were now over and the Banquet and games could finally begin, which Zhi Lan could not wait for having already organized them in Die Fengs stead.  And with their hundreds of guests already eating and drinking, the games commenced as they watched on thoroughly entertained.  The noise from the guests was louder than the collection of the bride, but the laughter was contagious as Ye Hua and Bai Qian were moved to the center of the forecourt and in full view of everyone.

 Seated on small seats facing each other smiling an apple dangling on a piece of string was magically conjured, then lightly tying their hands behind them, they were then blindfolded. 

 Dangling on a string between their faces and having been given the order to take three bites each, they began immediately.  Having a much bigger mouth than Bai Qian, Ye Hua thought the game would be easy, but every time his mouth got close to the apple, his seat would be either yanked back or the apple would move out of reach. 

Laughing hard and unable to even get in one bite, he resorted to kissing her instead.  But with a quick spell thrown by Mo Yuan,  his chair was turned magically and so quickly, that he didn't even notice or feel it and not only was his chair turned around, it was placed several feet away from her.  

 The image of Ye Huas lips and mouth searching for her in the thin air as she sat behind him taking big bites out of the apple was hilarious, the eruption of laughter was deafening.  Though the moment his hands were untied and the blindfold removed, he stood up roaring having realized he had been pranked and having been informed it was his own brother who had pranked him who merely threw him a wink, he quietly notched it up for future reference.

But not given a chance to dwell on it too much, he was then led towards the Disciples who were all laid out on the ground in a line.  Reading from a scroll, Bai Zhen gave Ye Hua the rules of the next game.  "Answer questions about Bai Qian, if you get them wrong, you must do one push up above each of the Disciples to remove the cracker from his mouth." he said barely holding in the laughter as Ye Hua began to blush.