The Queen In Red

The Queen In Red 13

"I haven't heard anything about how Xiao Yan is Gugu... What if something happened to him."

"He's probably not woken up yet Xiao Jiu," Bai Qian said while rummaging through the many selections of wines in the wine cellar.

Pulling on her sleeves, Feng Jiu pouted. "You said that you would come with me to check on him a week ago and since it's been a week." Feng Jiu pouted, "Gugu, Since we got back from the mortal realm two weeks ago the Old Phoenix keeps watching over me day and night, I can't do anything. I only want to check Xiao Yan is being cared for."

"Xiao Jiu....."

"Gugu.." Feng Jiu pleaded desperately with a hint of mischief as she batted her eyelashes "...please."

Sighing, Bai Qian thought to herself, 'this niece of mine sure knows how to use her charms, or, at least bug me until I cave.' "Okay, okay."

"Really?" Feng Jiu asked while swinging Bai Qian's arm in excitement "We can go?"

"Yes, but you will need to hide your birthmark before we leave for The Nine Heavens."

"Yes, I know Gugu. You keep telling me. Don't worry; they won't know it's me" Feng jiu said confidently.

"Okay, well then you can help me find the wine I'm looking for, we'll take it to Xiwu Palace and go straight after," Bai Qian said still looking through the wines in front of her.

"Let's pick up Cheng Yu on the way, she's been asking after him too," Feng Jiu said while looking around the wine racks. Smiling, she pulled out the wine that said, BAI QIAN in red, Feng Jiu giggled, "Gugu, how long have you been looking for the wine?"

"Since this morning, argh, It must be a plain bottle, I've looked everywhere but have not found anything. That old phoenix said it was easy to find"

"Gugu." Feng Jiu was laughing hysterically "It was right here. How could you not see it?" She asked rubbing her tummy because of a small bout of stitches

"Ohh" giggling at herself "Well, lucky you followed me in here then, huh?"

"Yes, Gugu...very lucky."

---

"Feng Jiu Jie Jie" Mingmei called out. If it weren't for years of playing and caring for her cousins, she probably would have been tackled to the ground.

Giggling, she haphazardly threw her in the air to the horror of the guards at the gate. "Mingming, you have gained so much weight, you will soon be as big as a house, maybe even as big as your brother or even your father," she stated, pinching her cheek.

"You think so? Brother always tells me I will be the most beautiful dragon ever. But I don't want to be beautiful. I want to be bigger than my father when I get my dragon form. I want to be just as strong as Uncle Mo Yuan." Mingmei stretched her little hands out wide in front of herself. "Uncle is my favourite. He's humongous. Father says it's because he has such a big brain; he needs space to accommodate it."

Feng Jiu's laughter echoed the laughter of the guards who remained facing forward. "Mingming, you are such a joy, but, maybe you shouldn't say things like that to your father, how can he know whether you love him?"

"But I do love father. I only said I want to be big."

Clearing his throat, Ye Hua walked to the small gathering of people at the gates. "Mingmei, what nonsense are you telling your sister?"

"Father!" Mingmei flew into Ye Hua's arms rubbing affectionately into his neck. "I wasn't saying nonsense father; I was just saying that I want to be as big as Uncle Mo Yuan, my fav....." Mingmei looked at Feng Jiu who was slicing her hands around her neck as if gesturing to stop talking. Mingmei then understood what her sister meant.

"I mean my second favourite person." Bai Qian coughed and placed her hands on her hips while looking at her daughter to rethink that statement.

"I mean, my third." She said, beaming at her mother.

"And what about me?" A masculine voice spoke catching everyone's attention

"Brother!" She scampered out of her father's arms and into Ali's "I changed my mind, brother is my favourite." She said, curling into his chest.

Chuckling, Ali greeted his parents and sister Feng Jiu. Allowing time for Bai Qian to fuss over him. Checking to see if he was eating, was bathing regularly and wearing clean clothing.

Feng Jiu shook her head and smiled at her Gugu. "I forget you are not small anymore. How is it you have time to visit your parents but not your favourite sister?"

Mingmei poked her little head out from the cave of Ali's armpit and glared at Feng Jiu "Who are you calling a favourite?"

"Mingmei, don't you speak like that to The Queen of Qing Qiu." Ye Hua admonished.

Stifling her laughter, she turned to Ye Hua "It's okay Uncle, Mingmei hasn't seen Ali in a while."

Ye Hua turned to walk ahead of everyone. "Qian Qian. Come"

Feng Jiu turned to Ali while they followed closely behind. "What are you doing here?"

"Shifu asked me to come here first. He will be coming to see..." Ali looked cautiously at Feng Jiu.

"Dijun?" Feng Jiu confirmed. "You can say his name around me, you know."

"Mmmm yes, Dijun."

A little voice popped up from Ali's chest again. "Don't call Uncle Mo Yuan Shifu. Not here. That's what Mama calls him. I don't like it."

"I told you before. Not all Shifu's are mean Mingmei." Ali countered

"But the Shifu's I know are. Uncle isn't mean. He's warm. Just like father."

Ali sighed. Everyone who would ever meet Mingmei knew she was very spoiled. But who would dare correct The Daughter of a Dragon and White nine-tailed Fox, The favourite niece of The God of War and the joy of the Fox Empress? Not even Haode would dare, lest she cried and ran to Kun Lun.

"I promise that, while I'm home, I will only call him Uncle."

Mingmei placed her hands in Ali's sleeves and pulled out a candied strawberry. Putting it in her mouth, she patted her brother on the head and laid back down to enjoy not having to walk the rest of the way to their palace.

"Those were for Mother, Mingmei."

She shrugged her shoulders, "They're not as good as Feng Jiu Jie Jie's ones, but they will do."

Feng Jiu loved her little cousin's blunt and charismatic personality. 'It's the fox inside of her, the Nine Heavens was much too uptight' she thought. Mingmei's liveliness would only loosen their pursuit of perfection and make the celestials humble themselves.

"I'm going to meet Cheng Yu. Gugu, I will come to get you soon."

"Do you know where she is?" Bai Qian asked, stopping to look back at her niece.

"It's the afternoon. Cheng Yu will be at the lotus pond where all the gossip is."

---

Listening to the celestials talk about matters of their realm was quite entertaining. Not as fun as the play's Feng Jiu went to with her Gugu and fourth Uncle, but it relieved the boredom. Darting through the crowd, she saw Si Ming talking to a few Junior Star Lords or 'Mini Si Ming's' as Cheng Yu called them. If he was there than.............there she is.

Running to the wall, she didn't want to cross the middle lest she makes a scene, Feng Jiu instead stayed as close as she could to the walls of the pond.

"That Demon Lord killed an entire clan, and I hear he's not even bothered by it" she heard one say as she walked through the crowd.

"She treats him like a little pet; apparently, she harnessed him" She started to run towards Cheng Yu, 'Is this all true?' She thought to herself. Feng Jiu was adamant that she was going to get Yan Chiwu.

When she finally reached her friend, Cheng Yu was surprised to see her. But the look on Feng Jiu's face had Cheng Yu quickly moving away from the crowd and toward Xiwu Palace.

"Is it true? What they're saying about Xiao Yan? What the Demon Lord is doing to him?"

"Slow down and let me catch up. What have you heard?"

"That he's been treated like a dog and is on a leash," Feng Jiu said punching the air.

"Yes, I have heard such things, but, No one goes to the Demon Realm, so how is this true?" Cheng Yu asked with a look of disappointment in her eyes as she shook her head at her friend

With a teasing tone."Feng Jiu, the ability I have to scour through different pieces of gossip to extract pure facts took years of cultivation and real dedication. It is a skill few have, but one I am not willing to share with you, because, you would stop coming to see me otherwise" smiling back at her friend. "But honestly, unless it comes from these here lips." she pointed at her lips. "Then it is merely that, Gossip."

"Okay, okay so I jumped to conclusions." Feng Jiu said feigning a bow. "Please, your humble servant begs your knowledge." Both women laughed as Xiwu Palace came into view.

"So why have you come to get me Feng Jiu, are we taking Mingmei out again?"

"No... I want to go see Xiao Yan."

"Eeeurrrrr....." Cheng Yu stopped and scrunched her face up as if she were in pain

"What? You've been asking to see him" Feng Jiu stopped in the middle of the path and looked back at Cheng Yu confused "What's the problem?"

"Dijun will get angry Feng Jiu," Cheng Yu said with a solemn tone.

"And? Why would he care about any of this? Why should I care if I anger him or not?"

Cheng Yu was looking at her friend with a small smile. 'Oh Feng Jiu, you have no idea' she thought to herself.

Puffing out aloud, Feng Jiu turned to keep walking. "If you don't want to come, I will go either way. You can either come to see our friend or stay here, it's fine" she stopped while facing the Xiwu Palace guards. "I know it's probably dangerous and stupid, but..." she turned to face Cheng Yu. "If it were you there, I would do the same thing, Cheng Yu. You are both very important to me."

"Aiyahh, when you say it like that, of course, I will be there." Shaking her head at her friend 'Very sneaky Feng Jiu'

Once they got Bai Qian, all three of them took a cloud to the demon realm. Cheng Yu just as quickly left a missive with Dong Hua explaining in a cryptic message where they were heading.

Cheng Yu hoped it would confuse him enough to give the three a bit of time to get to Yan Chiwu.

---

At the Demon Realm

"I don't remember their lands being desolate," Bai Qian murmured.

"What do you mean?" Feng Jiu asked, "Isn't this normal?"

"No Feng Jiu, Although this is dark lands territory, I have only ever known it to be a prosperous and lively land." looking out at the deserted lands. "They had families living in villages there." Bai Qian pointed towards the empty grounds. "..and there, and all manner of beasts shared their lands."

"Then what's happened? is it so bare?" Feng Jiu started to tremble as she hears what her Gugu is insinuating.

"Yes Feng Jiu, it is likely that you had fought them when you went to the horse Clan."

"What?" Feng Jiu said with her hands coming to her face, about to cry

"Not now Feng Jiu, since it is the case, we cannot have her see you so weak and crying" Bai Qian quickly snapped.

"She's right Feng Jiu; you came for a reason. Prepare yourself, Miao Luo is dangerous."

"I know" clearing her throat. "I will be fine. I only want to see Xiao Yan."

"Let's move faster. Miao Luo would have felt us as soon as we entered their realm." Bai Qian said with a little excitement in her tone

The other two looked on nodding in agreement.

When they reached the gates to the demon realm, guards moved quickly to surround them, rows of them appeared in the entrance while hundreds more filled the courts. It looked like they were preparing for battle. Feng Jiu was beginning to feel afraid as more and more guards came into view, but even worse, these were the faces she remembered fighting at the arena. By the look on Cheng Yu's face, she also recognised them.

Feng Jiu was looking towards her Gugu and glad she decided against coming on her own. Even though she wasn't one to back down from a fight, she felt a bit more confident standing next to her Gugu. She was the only High Goddess in their Realm after all.

While all three were standing shoulder to shoulder waiting for the Demon King to arrive, none of them noticed the pair of eyes watching them from the back.