Chapter 2 (1/2)
Disclaimer: Image was found on google, artist is unknown (all rights to artist).
II.
Shengyuan Festival pa.s.sed, Yue Lao in the Heavenly Realm/Palace can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Yue Lao's palace sits on a pile of clouds tinged with sunset hues creating a typhoon above, here it's not like the hustle and bustle of the human world and its confusing and unpredictable wind and rain, but clouds' mist that hovers, peaceful and tranquil, and blue sky that is always clean and clear.
In the palace the immortal children/helpers are unoccupied, they gathered in one place to chat.
Immortals in the heavenly realm are no short of gossips to talk about. Lately the biggest gossip is Qian Tang *Dragon queen and East Sea Dragon king are getting a divorce.
* Curvy river around Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province
“To me, it does not matter who is right.” Qing Ming slowly said, “Qian Tian Dragon queen is beautiful, East Sea Dragon king is paranoid, has an irritable temper, and every time he gets angry he would carry seawater back to Qian Tang River making the mouth of Qian Tang River like a trumpet (flare up). “
Another immortal child/helper Hong Luo listened, and nodded in agreement, “What you said is correct. Qian Tang Dragon queen always speaks softly and is gentle. It's no fault and wonder that every time she would come running home to her family.”
A Chan listened to what they said, puzzlingly asked, “Didn't Yue Lao determine their marriage for them?”
Qing Ming and Hong Luo glanced at each other, they don't know whether they should cry or laugh.
“How can it be Yue Lao's turn to make such arrangement?” Qing Ming said, “Yue Lao overlooks the mortals, Long zi *and Long nu *are immortals!”
*Gentleman and lady Long (long meaning Dragon) respectively
“But having to say this, I heard originally Yue Lao was in charge of fates between the immortals.” Hong Luo said, “Later found out it was too troublesome thus push it away.”
“I heard that before.” Qing Ming smiles (hehe), “Before would determine several couples that cause trouble, there's Chang E, there's Zhi Nu (the weaver girl), seventh fairy and so on, Yue Lao has a very aching headache.”
Hong Luo sighed: “Being Yue Lao is not easy, you see how Niu Lang and Zhi Nu
(Cowherd and Weaver girl) forever separated by the Silver River, in fact Queen Mother of the West went overboard a bit right? Yet who dares to criticize Queen Mother of the West thus the whole resentments rest all upon Yue Lao! Also there was ; it was due to the Heaven/Jade Emperor being drunk and weaving out a story, Yue Lao follow along, but seventh fairy did not want it to be so!” Finish speaking, his face appears to be disappointed,” You see these stories have pa.s.sed so many years already, the Jade lake is close, but seventh fairy refuse to visit/bathe… ” *
*The basic issue is that Jade emperor have asked for her return home and threaten to smash Dong Yong but she refuse to visit… there's variations in this story, sometimes people a.s.sociated this with Weaver girl and Cowherd, but there is a distinction between the two stories/tales.
Qing Ming “ze ze (click his tongue)” shook his head and concluded: “Looking at it wasn't really immortal's/G.o.d's fault!”
A Chan listen to them talk so attentively as if her soul is part of it, her eyes wide opened.
“Hey A Chan,” Hong Luo turned his head to look at her, “You’re a rabbit that recently became an immortal, how come you came to Yue Lao's palace?”
“I…” A Chan thought and thought, her face blanked out.
The problem is that she did not know. A Chan from a rabbit demon turn into an immortal, enter immortal/fairy register will have the Heavenly Realm a.s.sign placement/level of duty. The immortal official in charge of immortal members.h.i.+ps looks at A Chan for a very long time, again a long time, a long stroke of the brush ends, she was a.s.signed to as an immortal child/helper of Yue Lao's palace.
Yue Lao's palace is solely responsible for human marriages, at the lower bound it's a well-known place. But A Chan is a rabbit, at first her greatest desire is not to go to Yue Lao's palace, but go to the Moon palace to become a jade rabbit*.
*Basically jade rabbit a.s.sists Chang E.
Of course it's a good job. Before cultivating, rabbit clan elder told A Chan that the jade rabbit always eat until full, food is provided directly from the chef of the Heavenly Realm, if one wants as many radishes/carrots in the heavenly garden then will get as many as possible.
When she heard this, A Chan's heart yearns for it. But when she came to heaven she sorrowfully discovers that there is only one Chang E and only one jade rabbit. Million of years pa.s.sed, numerous bunnies become elder rabbits, but before they become that they breathe their last breath, thus the jade rabbit in the Moon palace was never replaced…