Fresh Embers of Love

Chapter 23

The Phoenix Tangyue bid farewell to his tearful Mother at his parent's cottage by the river. She reminded him, for the twentieth time, that he didn't have to go back to the Heavenly Realm if he chose not to. His Father looked on stoically. He had decided to escort Tangyue back this time, because he said he wanted a word with the Emperor.

Tangyue gave his Mother one last hug, and then he and his Father set off together for the tavern where Qintian would meet him, along with her son, QingWa Sheng.

The tavern was very busy, the wine being of good quality here. Tangyue had just ordered when he noticed Qintian walk in the door, QingWa skulking along behind her.

That child was overgrown. He towered over his Mother. Tangyue looked at his Father's perplexed expression, and stifled a laugh.

Qintian sat down across from them with a hearty hello, and waved over a server to place her order. Qintian had always had a taste for strong liquor, ever since they were children. She probably didn't get to drink very much around her husband, however. He had to maintain military discipline.

QingWa Sheng sat down grudgingly next to her, rubbing his jaw. Tangyue noticed that he was covered with mottled yellow and green markings, the telltale sign of old bruises. He must have done something to anger his Father. Tangyue shook his head, and made tsking sounds with his tongue.

"What did you do?" he asked QingWa.

QingWa glared at him, but said nothing.

"Why so quiet?" Tangyue couldn't resist asking.

"Oh, Tangyue! Leave him alone" Qintian demanded. She turned to his Father.

"Uncle Xu Feng, it's good to see you out and about" she said to him.

Father was still staring at QingWa, like he'd seen a ghost. He turned to look at Qintian.

"Your son looks extraordinarily like your father" he told her in awe.

Qintian smiled. "Mother told me that too" she replied, clapping QingWa on the shoulder. "I'm so proud of my handsome son" she said, pinching his cheek.

"Mom! Get off!" QingWa complained grumpily. He held his jaw in his hand afterwards.

"You'd better see someone who is good at healing magic when you get back to the Heavenly Realm" Qintian told her son. "Your Father is a little too strict."

QingWa closed his eyes and nodded, still cradling his jaw.

"Until then, have a drink! It will take the edge off" Qintian said, offering her son a small cup of wine. "Just one, okay?" she clarified.

QingWa took the cup from her, and knocked it back quickly, swallowing with a groan. He shook his head in reaction to the strength of the alcohol.

"Mother!" he complained in shock.

She laughed at him, and then took a drink herself. It didn't phase her at all. When she offered Tangyue a cup, he sipped at it delicately. He knew better than to match Qintian cup for cup.

She was approaching drunkenness when they got up to leave. Tangyue wondered if they should make sure she got home safely, even though Dongting Lake was quite close by.

"Oh, don't worry about me" Qintian reassured them. "I know my way home!"

She hugged her son around the middle, and then slapped him on the chest.

"Wish I could say the same about you!" she exclaimed.

"Goodbye, Mother. I love you" QingWa replied irritatedly.

Tangyue and his Father set off for the Heavenly Realm in streaks of red light, towing QingWa behind. As they made their way to Qiwu Palace, Tangyue could sense his Father's tension level building. He really did not like being here. Whatever he needed to talk to the Emperor about must be pretty important.

QingWa took off for Xuanji Palace, without even so much as a 'thank you', leaving Tangyue and his Father alone. As they entered the gate of Qiwu Palace, Father walked over the flagstones of the courtyard, to the pool and waterfall at the back end. He stared up at the fern-like green leaves of the Phoenix Flower tree that grew there.

"She was able to fix it" he commented in surprise. "I didn't think she could do it." He smiled wistfully.

Tangyue knew he meant the Empress, who was also the Flower Immortal. When Tangyue had first come to the Heavenly Realm and seen this palace, this tree had been dead. At some point between then, and when he moved to the Heavenly Realm permanently, it had been repaired and given new life.

"We will go visit Zifangyun Palace tomorrow, okay Father?" Tangyue told him. "The Emperor will be there in the morning, and I need to visit Nuwa who has been ill."

Father nodded, and turned back to looking at the tree. Tangyue shook his head, rolling his eyes. Who knew his Father could be so sentimental?

He closed the doors of his bedroom carefully, looking around to make sure he was alone, and then reached into his sleeve, pulling out a miniature sleeping fox.

"Make sure you stay in this room" he whispered to the fox. "Father decided to come along. I will let you know when he leaves" he promised.

He placed the tiny fox carefully on the floor under the bed. It chittered sleepily, and then started to snore. Tangyue got ready for bed himself, but lay awake for a long time, worrying about what he would see when he went to visit Nuwa.