chapter 31

Shen Li was called to the Demon Emperor’s palace early the next morning .

Upon entering the meeting hall she saw the emperor seated in his usual spot . Mo Fang stood to his side while many other soldiers were lined up in the hall .

The Demon Emperor dismissed the soldiers with a wave of his hand and quickly got to the point after they left . “Last night Fu Rongjun ran to the Mortal realm using the Demon realm entrance . ”

Shen Li glanced in surprise at Mo Fang . He swiftly bowed his head and knelt on his knee .

“This is all my fault . I shall bear the full responsibility of bringing Fu Rongjun back . Once back I will accept whatever punishment is necessary . ”

“Why did he suddenly run away?” Shen Li asked . There was a distinct silence in the hall . “Did you beat him up?”

She wasn’t serious about the question so was surprised when Mo Fang nodded .

“I was drunk last night . ” He rubbed at the space between his brows helplessly as though he had a headache . “I wasn’t paying attention and… I kicked him… a few times . ”

Mo Fang hadn’t changed out of the clothes he wore last night . The black steel boots he wore were specially made to handle harsh environments, they were incredibly tough and sturdy .

Shen Li thought about Fu Rongjun’s baby soft, tender skin and realized the silly immortal must have really felt it . “So he was beat up a little . ” Shen Li continued disdainfully . “What is he? A baby? He was beat a little and he ran away? Who does he think he’s threatening with this silly ploy? There’s nothing in the Mortal realm that can harm him . Just let him come back when he feels like it . ”

“That won’t do . ” The emperor handed Shen Li a letter . “Because of an urgent matter, the Heavenly Emperor has decreed that Fu Rongjun must return to heaven in three days . ”

Shen Li thought of the letter from the bar maid a few days ago and her stomach did a somersault . She had asked Xing Zhi to send it to the Heavenly Emperor on her behalf, but he had been so unenthusiastic about it she thought it would take some time to see any results . Xing Zhi must have sent the letter right away . Not only that, he must have added something else to it . Why else would the Heavenly Emperor react so quickly?

Shen Li cast her eyes down . She wasn’t sure what this feeling in her heart was .

“Fu Rongjun must be found within the next three days,” repeated the emperor . “Fortunately we have time on our side . Time in the mortal world is faster so three days here is the equivalent to many years there . ”

Shen Li nodded . She looked at the remorseful Mo Fang then at the emperor and said, “So you want me to find him?”

“Your Majesty! This is my fault . Please don’t involve Her Highness . ”

The Demon Emperor waved his hand at Mo Fang’s outcry . “This delegation isn’t just to bring Fu Rongjun back, but also to give the children time to get to know each other . Remember time proceeds faster in the mortal world . Li-er, do you understand?”

There was no way to avoid the marriage so of course she understood . She needed to consider his feelings more .

“I will get everything in order and set out immediately . ”

Mo Fang wanted to argue, but the Demon Emperor’s words echoed in his ears . He felt like a fishbone was stuck in his throat . Although he wanted to say something, he couldn’t .

“As for General Mo’s punishment for offending a superior…”

“Don’t punish him . I told him he could beat Fu Rongjun . If anyone is to blame it would be me . I shall accept punishment once I return with Fu Rongjun . ” Shen Li saluted the emperor, turned, and left the hall immediately after saying this .

Mo Fang, still kneeling on the ground, clenched his fist .

. . .

The only person Shen Li spoke to regarding her departure was Rou-ya . Since the matter had nothing to do with Xing Zhi, she saw no reason to inform him of her actions .

When Shen Li entered the Mortal realm, the skies were a clear blue and the breeze gentle . She drifted through the capital towards her tiny nook of the world on her cloud .

She took a deep breath of the clean air and stretched out . She suddenly wanted to find some shade under the grape trellis he[notes] planted . She couldn’t ask for more than to fall asleep to the creaking sound of his rocking chair .

She exhaled and opened her eyes . In front of her was a strange alley . Everything looked different .

Although she was told Fu Rongjun had run in the direction of Yangzhou, she hadn’t made it her destination, instead she steered her cloud to the capital . She wanted to stretch and enjoy herself first .

The last time she was here, she had been busy running from the Demon Emperor’s men . She had had no time to play tourist, so this time around she wanted to take it slow and easy . She went to the market and meandered between the stalls . Nostalgia hit her and she made her way to Xing Yun’s courtyard .

Everything had changed . They alley way that led to his house was different . The house he lived in, that burned down, had been rebuilt in a slightly different style . It was inevitable, so many decades had passed since she left .

She stood there in front of the gates for a while, watching the children run around . They were playing and laughing, making a general ruckus and disturbing the peace . This was certainly not a scene she would have ever seen in his courtyard . He had always preferred peace and quiet .

It really had changed a lot .

Next stop, the Rui Palace .

It was opulent and majestic with more pavilions and such, but otherwise it was the same palace . The only difference was the change in ownership .

Shen Li felt the sudden urge to see the lotus plant and the pond; she wanted to know what happened to Prince Rui and his consort .

She transported there with a twirl of her fingers . The pond had been filled in and a house had been built on top . Ah . It’s gone . Shen Li silently studied her surroundings . The décor had changed to suit the new owners and there were no traces of Prince Rui left .

Things and people fade with time, but Shen Li was unwilling to accept it . For her, everything had only happened months ago, yet there was nothing left of what she remembered . It felt like she was being abandoned as the world moved on . What was more, there was no Yun in this world . It made her feel like he was an illusion .

It frightened her so she sought confirmation . She appeared inside the imperial records building with another twirl of her finger . She thumbed through the records .

Prince Rui managed to assassinate his brother and take the throne . His princess refused to accept the empress title, instead choosing to follow the solitary path of Buddhism . King Rui had known she wouldn’t accept the title .

There was nothing else written about him . Perhaps because there was nothing distinguishing about his rule for the scholars to record .

Shen Li stared at the ink strokes on the pages . There was no record of Xiao He . [notes] It was like she never existed . Perhaps the king had forgotten about her, after all many people died for him, what was one silly demon girl .

Shen Li slid her fingers across the words until they stopped at the title: National Teacher, Xing Yun .

Xing Yun had guided King Rui , becoming his most trusted advisor, and yet he had no official title or rank . It was only after his death that Prince Rui conferred the title of National Teacher upon him .

The four words were the only traces left of him in the world . Flipping to the next page didn’t give her anymore information as it was about those that came after .

Shen Li laughed . What was she even looking for? Even if the whole world forgot, what did it have to do with her?

She only knew him because he was a part of her life, a part of her memories . Whether others remembered him, whether he really existed, didn’t matter because he was gone now . It wasn’t like she could get the past back .

Shen Li touched her forehead, then shook her head and laughed . How could she have lost her head like that? Such an action was unworthy of the Azure Sky King .

Shen Li left the palace and headed to Gongcheng . After a few steps she paused and did an about face . She walked to the market and picked up two bottles of wine and leisurely walked out of the capital .

She stopped at the outskirts by a river and sat down . “How long does high god intend on following me?”

A person clad in white billowy robes emerged from behind a tree . In embarrassment he sat down next to Shen Li . “How long have you known?”

“If I wasn’t aware of my surroundings I would have been struck down ages ago on the battlefield . ” Shen Li held the other bottle out to him .

Xing Zhi laughed and took the offered wine .

The silence between was broken when they both spoke .

“Yesterday-“ – “High god-“

Xing Zhi laughed at that . “I wanted to apologize about yesterday but you had already left for the Mortal realm by the time I woke up this morning . So I followed you here . ”

The river they were sitting by was a rapid one with white bubbles and foam . It twinkled and sparkled under the light of the sun . He looked at it and sighed . In a tone he was unaccustomed to using he said . “I’m sorry . ” He was not one to apologize so it came out a little rusty .

Shen Li had always been more susceptible to coaxing than coercion so Xing Zhi’s apology took her by surprise . After a moment of stunned silence she said, “It is fine . I was bullying Ru Fongjun too much; it was fair he got angry . The Demon Emperor has reprimanded me about it . I know I was also in the wrong . ”

This time the silence between them wasn’t so awkward .

Shen Li suddenly pointed to a spot in front of them . She spoke with renewed determination . “See that spot? Once not long ago I was sprawled over there completely helpless in my demon form . I was exhausted and couldn’t move a single muscle . I have never been in a more difficult or embarrassing situation in my life . ”

Shen Li said this but her eyes shined with happiness . She turned to Xing Zhi and her heart turned a little sour .

“I never told anyone this but when I was taken back to the Demon realm, I felt like I was renewed, redeemed, like I had met a legendary hero . How about that? The first time I saw a hero and he turned out to be an ordinary mortal that I could have easily choked and killed . It was probably then that I set my heart on him . ”

It was the first time she had been so calm and clear-headed in front of him . She waited for him to say something, but when he didn’t she continued . “High God, Xing Yun,[notes] I’m not stupid . ”

For a while the only sounds between them was the gurgle of the river as it rushed downstream . The stalemate was broken with Xing Zhi’s laughter .

“So you saw through it eh?”