Ch 11 : The Emperor Ascends to Heaven to Pick Peaches for Mingxi
After changing his clothes, Mingxi went out to find Ling Cang. As the door opened, peach blossom petals drifted in, scattering across the floor. Ling Cang was holding a broom, sweeping the fallen blossoms in the yard.
He wore a moon-white long gown today, its sleeves fluttering gently. The collar and cuffs were embroidered with light cyan cloud patterns, and a black belt cinched his waist, from which hung a translucent jade pendant. Amidst the falling blossoms, he looked like an immortal from a painting, transcendent and refined.
Hearing the noise, Ling Cang, who was diligently sweeping, turned to glance at him.
"Go wash up and have breakfast."
Mingxi nodded and ran to the washbasin to wash his face and rinse his mouth.
When he returned, Ling Cang had already set breakfast on the stone table: "Chicken and rice porridge, meat buns, a plate of sliced marinated beef, and some pickled beans."
Mingxi looked at the breakfast spread, then at Ling Cang. "Why is breakfast so lavish today?"
This wasn't the capital; where did he get the meat?
Ling Cang looked up. "It will be like this from now on."
He hadn't noticed the bite mark on Ling Cang's Adam's apple earlier, but now, with Ling Cang looking up, the mark was clearly visible. Mingxi suddenly recalled the scene from last night where he had bitten Ling Cang's throat.
Was that not a dream?
His face flushed crimson instantly. He sat on the stone stool and drank his porridge, practically burying his face in the bowl.
Ling Cang placed a bun on the plate in front of him and added a piece of marinated beef.
Mingxi secretly peeked up and pointed at the mark on his throat. "Did... did I bite that?"
A smile tugged at Ling Cang's lips. He reached up and touched the mark on his neck.
"Who else could have bitten it?"
If he had wanted to erase this mark, a simple spell would have sufficed, but for some reason, he wanted to leave it.
Mingxi averted his gaze, the tips of his ears turning red. "I... I will work hard."
He buried his head in eating the marinated beef. A peach blossom petal drifted into his bowl. Mingxi looked up at the peach tree and asked,
"Ling Cang, don't you like winter?"
Ling Cang followed his gaze but didn't answer directly, instead asking, "Do you like winter?"
Mingxi looked at him. "I do! I like all four seasons. When I was little, I lived in the mountains with Father and Dad. He often took me and dad to trap rabbits, pick wild jujubes, and dig for herbs." Remembering his childhood, Mingxi's round eyes shone with joy as he cheerfully told Ling Cang stories from his youth.
Ling Cang smiled and nodded, finding it quite interesting.
"The mountains have lots of fruit: chestnuts, apples, peaches..." Mentioning peaches, he suddenly turned to Ling Cang.
"Can the peach trees in this yard bear fruit?"
Ling Cang shook his head. "The peach trees in the yard are ornamental; they don't bear fruit." As soon as he said this, Mingxi lost interest in the peach trees.
But Ling Cang added, "However, if you want to eat peaches, it's not difficult."
"Finish your breakfast properly, and you'll have peaches to eat this afternoon," Ling Cang said.
In the afternoon, after Mingxi fell asleep, Ling Cang got up and tucked the quilt around him. Just as he was about to rise, the person on the bed turned over, trapping a strand of his hair beneath them.
He gently pushed the person away, careful not to wake him, freed his hair, and lightly tapped his sweaty nose. "Sleep well. I'll go get peaches for you."
As he stood up, his simple cotton white robe instantly transformed into magnificent black robes embroidered with mysterious talismanic patterns and dragon motifs symbolizing power in gold thread. His hair was tied up high, adorned with an exquisite jade crown. A long black jade hairpin, its head carved with intricate auspicious patterns, secured the hair bun. A few strands of hair fell naturally before his forehead, adding to his air of untamed elegance.
He pushed open the door, glanced at the riot of peach blossoms in the yard, then turned to look at Mingxi. Raising his hand, he formed a seal. The peach blossoms in the yard instantly vanished, and snow began to fall gently from the sky.
After stoking the charcoal fire in the room to make it warmer, he finally left for the celestial realm.
The Southern Heavenly Gate stood as majestic and towering as ever, like pillars reaching the sky. Shrouded in mist and clouds, the gems inlaid on the lintel shone with a mysterious light.
The tall gate pillars were carved with ancient divine beasts, ferocious and lifelike, as if they might break free from their constraints and charge forth at any moment.
On either side of the gate, celestial soldiers and generals clad in golden armor, holding divine weapons, stood imposingly, guarding the path to the Heavenly Palace. The moment the two guards saw the approaching figure, their faces paled, and they knelt in unison.
"Divine Emperor!"
Ling Cang slightly raised his eyelids. "Mmm," he acknowledged, then walked inside.
"Has the Divine Emperor returned from the mortal realm?" one asked dazedly.
"You guard the gate. I'll go inform the Celestial Emperor!" the other said urgently before leaving.
Ever since learning of the Divine Emperor's descent to the mortal realm, the denizens of the celestial realm had initially come to the Southern Heavenly Gate daily to look for him. The Celestial Emperor had sternly instructed them to report to him immediately upon seeing the Divine Emperor, for his whereabouts concerned the stability of the Three Realms.
Ling Cang went straight to the Peach Garden. The fairy guarding the garden thought she was seeing things when she spotted the Divine Emperor. Looking closer, it was indeed him! She hurriedly straightened her appearance and went to greet him.
She bowed slightly.
"Has the Divine Emperor come to the Peach Garden because he wishes to eat peaches?"
She would definitely pick the largest, sweetest, most delicious immortal peaches for him.
Ling Cang glanced at her. "They are a gift."
The fairy was stunned. A gift? For whom?
The Divine Emperor was always solitary, never close to anyone. Full of doubt but not daring to ask, she simply replied, "Might this humble immortal ask who the recipient is, so I may select the most suitable peaches for the Divine Emperor?"
Ling Cang frowned slightly, seemingly unwilling to elaborate, and said lightly, "No need to ask. Just pick the best ones."
Seeing this, the fairy didn't dare say more. She quickly turned to select the peaches, though she secretly wondered who could possibly warrant such treatment from the Divine Emperor.
Hearing the news, the Celestial Emperor rushed over. Seeing Ling Cang sitting in the pavilion within the Peach Garden, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, good, made it in time."
He then adjusted his attire and walked over slowly, bowing. "Divine Emperor."
Ling Cang: "Mmm."
The Celestial Emperor stepped onto the platform and sat down in the pavilion, putting on a serious front. "I trust your journey to the lower realm was smooth, Divine Emperor?"
Meanwhile, the little man in his mind was desperately hugging a leg: Are you going back down? When will you return? Please, esteemed one, you must stay in the celestial realm! (Weeping)
Ling Cang picked up a teacup and turned it in his hand, as if remembering something. He smiled and said, "Smooth. I even encountered a rabbit."
The Celestial Emperor's hand, which had been stroking his beard, paused. His eyes then widened.
Was the Divine Emperor smiling? This rabbit must be extraordinary.
The Celestial Emperor looked puzzled. "What kind of rabbit could it be, to be mentioned by the Divine Emperor himself?"
Ling Cang only smiled without answering, taking a gentle sip of tea. His thoughts seemed to drift back to the scene of meeting that rabbit.
Seeing Ling Cang wouldn't answer, the Celestial Emperor grew even more curious but didn't dare press further. He could only laugh dryly and change the subject. "Then, Divine Emperor, your purpose in coming to the Peach Garden is...?"
Ling Cang: "To get a few peaches for my little rabbit. He likes them."
Celestial Emperor: What manner of demonic creature is this rabbit? To actually seduce the Divine Emperor of the Three Realms into fetching peaches of immortality for it!
The fairy from the Peach Garden arrived carrying a basket of peaches of immortality. She bowed. "Divine Emperor, Celestial Emperor."
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