NOVEL NEXT Proofread by Zhu Yuan
I was welcomed into a pavilion by the fairies in Baihua Palace, with Bai Qingqing and Fairy Qianbi following behind.
“Sister Peony, these are the flat peaches that I specially prepared for you. Although Queen Mother asked me to send some to Fangzhu, you must haven’t tasted it. Here you go!” Fairy Peach Blossom conjured up a big basket of peaches and put it right in front of me.
Hearing what she said, I looked at the flat peaches with shame. In fact, Emperor of Donghua gave me all the peaches!
At the sight of those peaches, Bai Qingqing’s eyes shone with excitement. So I handed the basket to Bai Qingqing wisely and said: “My sister, you should have a taste, too!”
Bai Qingqing swallowed her saliva, but she still tried to be polite: “These are specially prepared for you by Fairy Peach Blossom. How can I eat it?”
“Qingqing, since Sister Peony invited you to have a taste, you should feel free to eat,” Fairy Peach Blossom hurriedly said.
As a result, Bai Qingqing was no longer polite. She took one in her left hand, one in her right hand, bit one in her mouth, and then stuffed another in her sleeve.
I gave her a contemptuous look, then picked out a few large ones from the basket and handed them to Fairy Qianbi, who accepted them demurely.
Suddenly, a fairy in white sighed: “If you had been here, the flat peaches wouldn’t have been so rare this year!”
Bai Qingqing bit the flat peach and asked: “Why? The peaches do not grow on peony flowers. How can they have anything to do with Fairy Peony?”
The fairy in white explained: “You have no idea. Fairy Peach Blossom and Fairy Peony were close to each other. Since Fairy Peony fell into reincarnation, Fairy Peach Blossom remained unhappy all the time, and it also led to the delays in flowering. If Queen Mother hadn’t woken her up, she certainly would have been in trouble! That’s why the flat peaches are so rare this time!”
I was shocked and looked up at Fairy Peach Blossom. She bowed her head shyly and twisted her clothes with both hands. After a long time, she looked up at me and said vaguely: “I missed you so much. My sister, don’t blame me!”
I was moved slightly, and a long-lost feeling flowed in my chest. I was not sure what kind of emotion it was, but I knew that Fairy Peach Blossom treated me with absolute sincerity!
However, she treated me kindly just because I was Fairy Peony in my previous life, but I was destined to be a white fox in Green Mound. Even if I became immortal one day, I could no longer be Fairy Peony. I’d better give up this kindness!
Soon, I said goodbye to them although Fairy Peach Blossom tried her best to persuade us to stay. I forcibly dragged Bai Qingqing out, who held the flat peaches in her hands and refused to leave. When I left, I caught a glimpse of the sea of flowers. There wasn’t any white peony.
I hurriedly turned around and left Baihua Palace without looking back. I tried to suppress the strange feeling flowing in my heart and persuade myself that I had nothing to do with Fairy Peony. I didn’t want to be in touch with anyone or anything related to her. If I hadn’t been looking for Bai Xiaoshan, I wouldn’t have followed Emperor of Donghua to heaven. I stayed in Fangzhu because I had to wait for Bai Xiaoshan. I knew that without the emperor’s help, as a fox demon, I could never see the prince of the phoenix clan!
All experiences in the previous life had become ashes. I would be satisfied if I could be free and unfettered in this life!
Bai Qingqing was very dissatisfied with me, because I forcibly deprived her of a good chance to eat flat peaches. But after I pretended to take her peaches away, she was finally willing to shut up.
Since then, I had spent a long time in Qinghua Garden. Fairy Peach Blossom wanted to visit me for many times, but I always let Fairy Pine send her away. I used to chat with Emperor of Donghua to pour out my feelings and it was quite enjoyable to look at his face. But he was not in Fangzhu, and the days became so boring. Fortunately, Bai Qingqing and Fairy Qianbi could still keep me company.
Three months later, Fairy Peach Blossom once again visited Qinghua Garden and brought us a message. Queen Mother wanted to see me in Kunlun Mountains.
I felt uneasy for a long time. After all, my performance at Queen Mother’s birthday party was really embarrassing. I thought that Queen Mother was so kind that she didn’t punish me, and she should have forgotten me after such a long time. Unexpectedly, Fairy Peach Blossom brought me this disturbing news.
However, I had to visit her no matter how anxious I was.
“Sister Peony, Queen Mother still misses you. I was wondering why she agreed to let you stay with Emperor of Donghua. Now I know that it was not a good chance for you to come back that day. My sister, it must be your time to return,” Fairy Peach Blossom didn’t care about my indifference during her previous visits and kept talking to me.
I regretted that I didn’t bring Bai Qingqing with me. Fairy Peach Blossom was a chatterbox more unbearable than Bai Qingqing!
At last I arrived at the palace of Queen Mother. I quickly got rid of Fairy Peach Blossom and ran to Queen Mother. I swore I had never been so eager to meet her.
“It was my great honour to meet you here, Queen Mother,” I greeted her and said loudly.
Queen Mother stood with her back to me. Hearing my voice, she slowly turned around. Her robe was magnificent with golden phoenix embroidered on it. I felt that a glittering lady was smiling at me.
As soon as she raised her hand, Fairy Peach Blossom and other fairies left the palace.
“Fairy Peony, I haven’t seen you since Emperor of Donghua took you away. I miss you so much!” She smiled and looked at me kindly.
“Thank you for taking care of me,” I replied civilly. After spending so much time in heaven, I hadn’t learned anything but politeness. Alas, the hierarchy in heaven was too strict. Fortunately, I didn’t have to greet Emperor of Donghua, or I would never stay in heaven.
“Fairy Peony, it has been some time since Emperor of Donghua went to Ziwei Garden, right?” She asked and walked towards Jade Pool.
I followed her and answered “Yes.” I was wondering why she asked me this question.
“Do you miss him?” She turned her head to look at me gently.
I was surprised. Was she testing my loyalty to the emperor? I nodded and said: “Yes! Of course, I miss him! He’s been gone for several months, and I don’t know what to do without him!”
She smiled suddenly and said: “After the reincarnation, you become more outgoing!”
I was speechless. She must want to say that I was more open-minded.
“Today I want you to run an errand for me,” She said slowly, “because I have a present for Emperor of Donghua. Since you miss him so much, I guess you’d be happy to do that for me. I believe he will be happy, too.”
Suddenly a delicate box appeared in her hand. She handed it to me and said: “Fairy Peony, I have always trusted you. You must give this box to Emperor of Donghua.”
Holding it in my hand, I felt that I was entrusted with an important task. I squared my shoulders and nodded seriously. I said: “Please rest assured. I will never let you down.”
She nodded with satisfaction: “You should tell Emperor of Donghua that his doom is here. I have already sent it to him. It’s up to him whether he faces it or not.”
As these words were spoken, I started to see the box in a whole new way. It turned out to be the doom of Emperor of Donghua. How could this be a gift?
After leaving the Kunlun Mountains, I went back to Fangzhu first. I dragged Fairy Pine out of Qinghua Garden and asked him to be my guide to Ziwei Palace. He was very reluctant to do so at first, but as soon as he heard that I was going to see Emperor of Donghua, he immediately compromised.
At the thought of meeting the emperor soon, I got very excited. Of course, I was also looking forward to meeting Pak Tai, the legendary figure. People who became close friends with Emperor of Donghua must be handsome.
However, it was a mild defect that I didn’t see Pak Tai. As soon as I arrived at Ziwei Garden, a fairy child came to lead the way, saying that Emperor of Donghua was waiting for me inside. Fairy Pine wanted to go in with me, but I refused him and sent him back without any hesitation. Before he left, he gnashed his teeth furiously.
Holding the box, I followed the fairy child and walked through many long corridors before we finally arrived at the place of Emperor of Donghua.
“My lady, Emperor of Donghua is here, and I should leave now,” The little fairy stopped in front of a wall and said.
I went through the south gate of the wall and walked in directly. As soon as I stepped in, I was stunned by the starlight inside. The sky was shining like a gleaming black satin with numerous stars, which sent out the most beautiful brilliance in the dark night.