Part 4, Chapter 25

Secrets all revealed and plans made

Ch 25

Jingyi walked calmly into the village yamen. Xun and Taiwu were immediately on guard, Jingyi was a constant ball of energy who rarely walked if he could run.

“What’s wrong,” Taiwu asked, hurrying over. 

“I may need to leave the village for a time,” Jingyi said. “The latest news from the Heavenly Realm is that the Emperor is slaughtering his way through the Red Desert Tribes with no mercy. I don’t agree with what they are doing, but I can’t just let my people die.”

“Jianyu isn’t one to do something like that,” Xun said.

“What can you do, even if you go?” Taiwu asked.

Jingyi looked at him solemnly, “I never told you…”

“Told him what?” Xiaomin asked, shuffling through the doorway a twin attached to each leg. Shun followed behind with Beibei calmly holding her hand, eyes wide as she watched the twins antics. Renping concluded the parade, laughing at the entire spectacle and ruining the solemn mood. Xun glared at all of them before turning back to Jingyi.

“Go on, just ignore them. It’s the best way.”

Jingyi’s focus returned to Taiwu. “I’m sorry I never told you, but my father is the chief of the second largest desert tribe. Not the one leading the invasion, but my people have been dragged into it. If they are in danger I can’t just stand by.”

Xun glared at Jingyi, “Let me get this straight. You are the heir to the second largest Red Desert Tribe? And no one has come looking for you over the past 200 years?”

Jingyi’s attention didn’t shift from Taiwu, but he shrugged, “Plenty of people looked, but I am very good at the vanishing magic of my people. No one finds me if I don’t want them to.”

“I believe that,” Renping said, “The humans even built a temple and a town at the base of our valley, and yet none of them manage to find us no matter how hard they look.”

Jingyi scoffed, “Humans. Humans are easy. It’s their hounds and horses that give me trouble sometimes.”

“We’re getting off the subject,” Xun interjected. “If you are going back I’ll go with you. I don’t believe that the Emperor would kill without reason and I might be able to help you talk things out with him…”

Taiwu and Jingyi both looked at her suspiciously. 

“I… we knew each other well in the past,” Xun hedged.

“Emperor is daddy!” Chenhe yelled from Xiaomin’s left leg.

“Sssssshhhhhhhhhh,” Chenhuan scolded from her right leg. “Is secret!”

“Oh! Right!” Chenhe said, covering his mouth with his hand.

Xun sighed. “I’m the Emperor’s wife.”

“You’re the Empress!?” Taiwu and Jingyi exclaimed. 

“No. Just his wife,” Xun corrected stubbornly.

“No wonder you were able to take control of the village so easily,” Jingyi said.

Xun made a noise of frustration deep in the back of her throat and pointed to her friends in turn, “Renping is the daughter of the Sea Witch, a being so old and powerful she was able to trap the Emperor.” 

“It’s not like I knew,” Renping muttered.

Xun pointed at Xiaomin, “You are the only Lady of the Hawk Family, who are incredibly powerful members of the bird tribe.”

Xiaomin grinned and gave a victory pose. Xun rolled her eyes. Her best friend had been honest and open about everything from the start. Xun was certain the other girl wouldn’t be able to lie if her life depended on it. It would be a different story if Shun’s life was in the balance, but Xun couldn’t think of another instance where Xiaomin would be able to even attempt deceit.

Shun. Xun pointed her finger at the smaller girl who was hiding behind her lover with a terrified smile. “And you, you’re from the Ghost Clan? No wonder you were able to move around with such ease!”

Shun tucked herself behind Xiaomin a little more firmly. “There are more of us than you would think,” she whispered. “We are hidden in all the powerful clans. Only the Emperor knows where all of us are…”

Xun whirled on Taiwu, “What are you? The Nine Tailed Fox King of Green Hill?”

Taiwu looked a bit nonplussed. “No, just a soldier… I didn’t know…”

Xun cut him off, “Yeah. Apparently we were kept out of the loop.”

“You are the Empress,” Taiwu retorted, seeming to gather his wits. “I don’t think you have room to talk.” 

Xun blushed. 

“If it helps I think one of the wolf pack is an escaped demon beast who was one of the Demon King’s personal guard and he hasn’t told anyone. I figured it out after I chased off several seeking demons over the past few years.” Jingyi said thoughtfully.

“It does not help.”

Renping leaned down and pried Chenhe from Xiaomin’s leg. “Jingyi, if you leave the village will we still be protected? I know you go on trading trips…”

Jingyi frowned, “I don’t know how long the magic will last if I’m not here to maintain it. I’ve never been gone long enough for it to come up before.”

Shun stepped free of Xiaomin’s shadow, although Beibei stayed close to Xiaomin’s side. “I can help,” she said with more than her usual confidence. “I can’t make the village impossible to detect like Jingyi can, but I can set a disorienting fog around the valley. Anyone who doesn’t belong to the village will get lost if they try to come too close.”

Xun nodded. “That would work. You and Renping stay here and keep the village and the children safe. Xiaomin, I think you need to come with us. Taiwu can you stay and watch over Shun and Renping? Your combat experience may be needed.”

Taiwu looked at Jingyi, who reluctantly nodded. “I can…” Taiwu said and saluted.

 

Xun looked at her children, who had been listening to the exchange with rapt attention. “Chenhe, Chenhuan, I need to go talk with your daddy for a little while. Can you be good for auntie Renping and auntie Shun?”

The children nodded solemnly and Chenhuan let go of Xiaomin’s leg and took hold of Shun’s hand.

“No!” Beibei cried, “Xiaomin stay!” She tightened her grip on Xiaomin’s clothes.

Xiaomin crouched down, “Beibei, I’ll be back soon ok? And I’ll try to bring your daddy with me.”

Tears gathered in Beibei’s bright, mismatched eyes, one the reddish brown of her mother’s desert tribe, the other the bright gold of the merpeople. “Daddy?”

Xiaomin hugged her. “Yes, daddy. But I have to go with Xun. Can you be brave and protect Shun for me?”

Beibei nodded and returned to Shun’s side. Chenhuan smiled at her. “I protect,” Beibei said gravely.

“Me too!” Chenhuan said.

“Me three!” crowed Chenhe from Renping’s arms.

The adults laughed and then scattered to prepare for what lay ahead of them.