Chapter 50 (1/2)

Chapter 50 – Hair Knotted With No Doubts:

When Xiao Yao brought Jing to go see the Royal Mother, they sahite bird perched on the peach blosso”

Jing bowed respectfully to Lie Yang who took stock of Jing before saying “The Royal Mother is awake Go inside!”

Jing and Xiao Yao entered the residence and saw the Royal Mother laying on the pallet with Sir Bi and Shui Hong beside her Jing walked forward to bow “Jing respectfully greets the Royal Mother”

The Royal Mother coldly stared at hi nonchalant

Jing kneeled down “Xiao Yao’s hness before she went off to war Your Highness raised Xiao Yao for seventy years, and afterwards continued to look after her It’s proper for Xiao Yao to do your bidding but Xiao Yao is my wife and I cannot allow her to take over Jade Mountain”

The Royal Mother coldly huffed “You think being the Royal Mother of Jade Mountain is a job to take one day and discard the next?””

Xiao Yao said down beside the Royal Mother and grabbed her ar him for fun!”

The Royal Mother sighed and barked at Jing “Get up! When a girl is grown she flies the coop, there is nothing to keep her anyways!”

“Thank Your Highness!” Jing bowed his head three ti up

Shui Hong asked “If Xiao Yao isn’t going to take over Jade Mountain, ill be the next Royal Mother?”

The Royal Mother glanced at Sir Bi who spoke “I already sent a carrier bird to notify Bai Zhi, the ceremony can delay a few days with no problem”

“Bai Zhi?” Shui Hong thought and sighed “She is very suitable indeed”

The Royal Mother said “Since you don’t object, then so be it! Send the notice to the world during the succession ceremony that Bai Zhi will become the next Royal Mother, ruler of Jade Mountain”

“Yes!” Shui Hong bowed before leaving

The Royal Mother asked Xiao Yao and Jing “What are your plans next?”

Jing looked at Xiao Yao who shness said that where one’s heart is at ease then that is home The world is so vast, ill find a place for us away from it all”

The Royal Mother nodded “If one’s heart is at peace then anywhere can becouys pack up and leave then!”

Xiao Yao spoke up “I don’t want to leave! I want……”

“I know, you want to see me pass on”

“Your Highness, I……”

The Royal Mother raised her hand up “You all want to be with me when I die but I don’t want you to see me die”

Xiao Yao and Sir Bi could not contain their sadness as Xiao Yao said “I want to stay a few more days”

“Whatever you want! I’m tired and you all……” The Royal Mother was about to send thehtly to reuys know there is a voodoo bug in Xiao Yao’s body?’

Xiao Yao’s expression di replied “We know”

The Royal Mother said “When Xiao Yao was unconscious, I discovered the voodoo bug in her and broke the spell You guys don’t have a probleht?”

Jing was ecstatic and stuttered a bit “Youfrom Xiao Yao’s body?”

The Royal Mother coldly stared “Are you doubting me?”

Jing quickly said “No! No! I’m just too happy is all!” The Royal Mother was aloof and didn’t say much but whatever she said was always true, so if she said she broke the voodoo spell then clearly it was now broken

Xiao Yao’s heart was ju Liu tried to assassinate Zhuan Xu and killed Feng Long, she already repaid all her debt to Xiang Liu by giving her blood She severed all ties with hi now that the final last bit of connection between them was broken when she wasn’t even aware of it, she couldn’t figure out what this sense of loss meant She mocked herself “He always saw you as just a chess piece, what’s there to feel bereft about? Are you sad about his cold heartlessness?”

The Royal Mother wearily closed her eyes and waved her hand so Jing and Xiao Yao took their leave and Sir Bi went out as well

Inside the peach blossos happened so quickly to ask what happened, but who saved you, Jing, and why so long before co back?”

Jing explained about the mercouple in the East Sea and Sir Bi’sit The Nine-headed demon is the supreme power in the ocean, totally able to co e, and who lived in the vast ocean, Xiang Liu was cruel and brilliant in saving Jing without ever leaving a way to be discovered

Xiao Yao asked “Ah Bi, what’s wrong? Why is your expression so strange?”

Sir Bi quickly covered up “Nothing!”

Two days later, Bai Zhi arrived on Jade Mountain and the succession ceremony went off without a hitch The proclamation went out to the world that a new Royal Mother had taken over Jade Mountain

The nextXiao Yao went to pay a visit to the Royal Mother but Shui Hong barred her outside

“Ah Mei has passed”

It took Xiao Yao a moment to realize that Ah Mei was the Royal Mother’s worldly name

Shui Hong said “Don’t be sad, she passed peacefully in her sleep with a smile on her face I think she saw the people she wanted to see in her dream”

Shui Hong said to Jing “You’ve stayed three days on Jade Mountain, please depart before sundown today”

Jing pulled a wobbly Xiao Yao away as she wondered if letting go of all worries hat allowed the Royal Mother to pass so quickly

Without the Royal Mother around, Xiao Yao and Jing had no reason to stay on Jade Mountain so made plans to depart

Lie Yang and Sir Bi came to send them off and she asked them “What are your plans?”

Lie Yang and Sir Bi glanced at each other before Sir Bi said “We are used to living on Jade Mountain and plan to stay What about you two?”

Xiao Yao glanced at Jing “We haven’t discussed it but will likely go to Qing Qiu first to handle matters”

Sir Bi said “Please letdate is set”

Jing replied “Of course!”

Xiao Yao said “Then…we’re off now”

Sir Bi said to Jing “Please take good care of Xiao Yao”

Jing bowed low as if to an elder “I will take good care of Xiao Yao”

Lie Yang didn’t give a fig so accepted the bow but Sir Bi dodged it, demon class barriers were strict and the nine-tailed fox was the king of the fox tribe When Sir Bi was around Jing, he used his strong powers to ta

Xiao Yao and Jing arrived in Qing Qiu late at night Xiao Yao asked “Want to rest before going to the Tu Shan residence?”

“Go now so to not alert as many people”

When Xiao Yao and Jing appeared before Hu Zhen and Jing Ye, both were so startled they couldn’t speak Jing smiled “What? Not happy to see me?”

Jing Ye collapsed on the ground in tears “Master! Master……”

Hu Zhen composed himself and bowed “Clan leader, please sit!”

Jing laughed “Call my name, I’m not the Clan leader anymore!”

Xiao Yao helped Jing Ye up “What’s with the tears? Aren’t you happy Jing is back?”

Jing lightly coughed as he reo and shot a glance at Xiao Yao

Jing asked Hu Zhen “How is Zhen Er?”

“Good, very good!” Hu Zhen recounted all that happened to make Tu Shan Zhen the new clan leader and finished “The new Clan leader , but he was raised by you so has your bearing, I believe he will be a great clan leader”

Jing Ye added “We decided to tell hi circulated and he was bound to hear it We handed hi his birth secret he was so devastated for some time But he composed hi and still calls you dad and refers to Hou as his uncle”

Jing said “Death ends everything so when you guys have ti and how close ere Let hi what he did, and that it was his grand in the first”

Jing Ye hated Hou sogo “I will do so”

Hu Zhen saw through the underlying request “Why not you tell hi Qiu?”

Jing sht I came to say my farewells”

Jing Ye started crying again as Hu Zhen asked “Where are you going?”

Jing glanced at Xiao Yao “I go wherever Xiao Yao goes”

Hu Zhen held back sayingand Xiao Yao took was so long and arduous

Jing handed two jade cannisters to Hu Zhen “One is for Zhen Er and the other to the clan elders”

Hu Zhen took it carefully “Don’t worry, ill protect and serve the clan leader until he is all grown up”

Jing held Xiao Yao’s hand as they stood up together

Jing Ye cried “Master, you…you…”

Jing laughed “You’re married nohy so quick to cry still? Hu Zhen, come take care of your wife!”

Jing turned around to leave but Jing Ye cried out “Master please wait!” Jing Ye knew that she would never see Jing again after tonight “Master, your servant I will not be able to serve you anymore, please accept three bows from me”

Jing Ye kneeled down and cried as she bowed her head three ti taken in when she was child, the years of education and consideration……without Jing she would not be the person she was today

After accepting Jing Ye’s three bows, Jing smiled at Hu Zhen with a nod and stepped out of the room with Xiao Yao in hand

Jing Ye rushed out in tears “Master……Master………” All she saas a brightaith two figures on its back It few higher and farther until it vanished in a gust of wind

The second day around noon, Xiao Yao and Jing arrived in Xuan Yuan Castle

The White Emperor was not at Xuan Yuan Mountain so Xiao Yao went directly to the blacks stopped her “Let’s find an inn to wash up first and rest a night, too pay our respects to the White Emperor”

Xiao Yao asked “Why?”

Jing hesitated before saying in a lower voice “It’s better to tidy up before going to see my father-in-law”

Xiao Yao held back her laugh and nodded “Good idea, rushi+ng this whole ti his best”

Jing grabbed Xiao Yao’s arm and rushed into the inn

After the two rested up, the nextthey put on their best and headed to the blacksy alley

It was already bustling this early in thestreets but quiet and desolate headed into the alley Jing knocked on the door and Miao Pu’s voice called out “Who is it? Wanting services this early in this , come back later!”

Xiao Yao shushed Jing and kept pounding loudly on the door She thought Miao Pu would rush out angrily but a figure descended fro and startled the pulled Xiao Yao into his arms and readied to repeal the attack but Xiao Yao stopped him “Left Ear! Stop!”

The figure halted and Jing pulled back his power Before Xiao Yao could introduce the two, Miao Pu carabbed Xiao Yao who had to comfort her “There there, don’t cry……”

After so She yelped loudly in fear and rushed towards Left Ear while pulling Xiao Yao with her Xiao Yao was pushed behind Left Eat along with Miao Pu who asked Jing “Who…who are you?”

Jing smiled “Who do you think I am?”

“Master Jing? You’re alive?”

Xiao Yao rapped Miao Pu on the head “How could you have ever been a secret bodyguard, being such a goose like this!”

Xiao Yao walked back to Jing and held his hand before saying to Left Ear “This is Jing”

Left Ear had already checked out Jing from head to toe “You’re not dead Good” He turned and walked inside with no intention ofsmall talk

Xiao Yao uess who that is”

They walked inside and saw the White E at his chair He didn’t raise an eyebrow to see Jing, much less freak out

Jing and Xiao Yao walked up to hi said “I came back late and caused worry for Your Majesty”

The White Emperor nodded his head “No worry for me, it’s all on Xiao Yao”

Jing nervously replied “I understand”

The White E as you understand, you can take your ti it up to her”

Jing’s nervousness dissipated “I will do so!”

“Both get up now!”

Xiao Yao saw the White Eled “Dad, what skills did you teach Left Ear?”

The White E able to leave Xuan Yuan Mountain and try to foolme to keep theo to Yang Valley? And why did Zhuan Xu say you’re not feeling well? Within a month, Zhuan Xu went to Jade Mountain twice, what’s with such unusual behavior?”

Xiao Yao opened herShe didn’t want her dad to knohat Zhuan Xu did, that was between her and Zhuan Xu and even her closest dad she didn’t want him to know

Jing understood and stepped in to help “Xiao Yao, you go catch up with Left Ear and Miao Pu, let me talk privately with His Majesty”

“Okay!” Xiao Yao ran off with Left Ear and Miao Pu like a burden was lifted, heading to the kitchen to chat with Miao Pu as she prepared breakfast

When breakfast was ready, the talk was over and the White Eed on Jing’s sleeve and whispered “What did you talk about with my dad??

Jing s a bowl of soup for Xiao Yao

She held it in until after breakfast when the White E “Did you tell my dad the truth?”

“Of course not! You don’t want people to know so I wouldn’t have said it”

Xiao Yao sighed in relief “That’s good” But then sheme about what happened”

“I told His Majesty that everything that has happened is in the past Since you and I are both safe and sound today, then there is no need to dig into the past to find out everything What’s i a peaceful happy future”

“Just that andfor the truth?”

Jing said “His Majesty is now just a blacksmith, but in the past he ruled a nation and there isyou back there not because he really wanted to get to the truth, but because he was so hurt that so ht to ask him for help”

“Didn’t I entrust Miao Pu and Left Ear to him?”

Jing stared at Xiao Yao and said nothing

Xiao Yao lowered her head sheepishly “I know Dad, Lie Yang, and Ah Bi are all so good to me, but this is between me and Zhuan Xu and I don’t want anyone involved!”

Jing leaned down to gently kiss Xiao Yao on the forehead “We’re not bla you, we’re just so pained to see you this way”

Xiao Yao e’s waist “I know”

The two quietly eot Dad to stop beingabout for so long?”

Jing sht you wouldn’t ask What do you think would lead us two guys talking for so long”

“Me?”

“Sirl!”

Xiao Yao furrowed her brows “I’ a bad vibe from this Fess up and tell me what you talked about?”

“We talked about when I can start called His Majesty Dad”

Xiao Yao’s face turned beet red but she kept a straight face and asked “So did you guys reach a conclusion?”

Jing caressed Xiao Yao’s cheek and said also in a straight face “This color is certainly pretty but isn’t enough to be bridal makeup by itself”

Xiao Yao couldn’t hold it in any her face in one hand and s with the other “Tell , who cares to hear it anyway!”

Jing grabbed Xiao Yao’s hand “I have no parents, no power or wealth, other thanelse You only have a few relatives left now, so after talking with your dad we set the wedding for four days hence It’s an auspicious time and the small ceremony will take place on Cao Yun Peak Do you like that?”

Xiao Yao’s eyes shone with tears as she nodded “Yes!”

Four days later, on Xuan Yuan Mountain

The wild flowers and overgrown grass blanketed the side of the raves were placed neatly

Xiao Yao a the curvy path up the side of thein the raves in the distance before gathering up the courage to continuing walking there

Xiao Yao kneeled before Lei Zhu’s grave “Grandmother, I’m here to see you”

She cleaned the grave while talking “Grand him here but Dad says I can’t see hi him tomorrow to see you”

Xiao Yao grew silent as she plucked the weeds and slowly her tears began to fall Since she was a child, every trip to the graves ith Zhuan Xu With someone beside her to help share in the pain, even sorrow seemed less heavy This was her first trip here solo and soback……

When her grand, her ht Auntie Ju Li had her sleep on the same pallet as Zhuan Xu so she could watch the of death but she had never experienced it in person before so didn’t have any feelings about it But Zhuan Xu had seen his ht in front of hirandreater than hers He was always afraid that grand so he couldn’t sleep soundly Sometimes he woke up unconsciously, other tiot used to it Every time he woke up, she would do as her o back to sleep She would embrace him and softly pat his back, croon a lullaby to him even as her eyes were closed because she was so tired

That night Zhuan Xu woke up again and got dressed before waking Xiao Yao “Grandot her robe to dress her

Xiao Yao was so sleepy she curled into the blanket “It’s just a night to you”

Zhuan Xu said “Xiao Yao, be good! Stop sleeping and get dressed to go see Grandmother one last time so she doesn’t worry In the future……” Zhuan Xu started crying

Xiao Yao scraot dressed “Don’t cry, don’t cry, I’m up now” Xiao Yao brushed the tears from Zhuan Xu’s face “Look at you, such a crybaby, I never cry!”

Zhuan Xu aardly turned his head and Xiao Yao quickly added “Only you know, I know, the sky knows, and the ground knows, I will never tell anyone else!”

Just as Xiao Yao got dressed Auntie Ju Li rushed into the roo to wake the kids and was shocked to see the hand-in-hand by the door She didn’t think hness the Empress Remember, whatever she says to you both, listen carefully and remember always”

As they entered the roo aunt each picked one child up and placed therandmother