Chapter 15: Under the Faint Purplish Red Moon (Part 1 of 3) 
 

  The sky at daybreak was just leaving the darkness of the night, the light was clean and pure, I was riding on a furry white cloud and comfortably moving towards the Four Stars Palace. 

  I rode to the back door and stretched my hands to give a light knock, but the door obediently opened even without me pushing it. Two or three sika deers at the pond turned to look at me, when they realised it was me, they lost interest and turned back their attentions to the person in blue robes nearby. 

  The person in blue-robes was sitting with his back facing towards me. Although his back had the colour of the blue in the lake, it made one think of the lost moonlight in the chinese ink paintings, clear but lonely, all-encompa.s.sing and moist. At this moment, his sleeves were half-raised as he scooped up water from the pond, as if washing the little sika deer that was huddling next to me. 

  When the little sika deer saw me, it immediately turn up the whites of its eyes, it stiffen its neck, it stuck out its tongue, and it flipped on the floor as if it died.

  The blue-robed person was surprised, his hand paused and he turned towards me. His gaze was clearer than water, more languid than the clouds, this was Night. 

  "Mi Er..."

  I quickly walked two steps to Night"s side. I stretched my hand to touch below the nose of the little sika deer, there was no breath at all. I pushed its legs, it was hard, stiff and could not be moved. I turned my head to Night, "It died! Did you kill it? Why did you kill it?"

  Night was stunned, his face was full of confusion, unconsciously he tried to explain, "It"s not me..." When he regained his awareness, he said, "Mi Er, don"t be anxious, I will check." When he finished speaking, he stretched his hand and there was a silver glow around the neck of the sika deer.

  I quickly stood behind his back and twisted my finger, the little sika deer"s ears immediately started to move, its soul which appeared to have vanished earlier appeared to have bounced back. It happily jumped up. Night was not prepared, he was so shocked by the corpse suddenly jumping alive that he took a step back.

  I lowered my head and patted the little sika deer that was huddling at my feet. I praised it, "Not bad not bad, you have gained about half of my skills! Tomorrow I will change your meal, I wonder what good food should I give you..." I paused to reflect, "Perhaps, some cabbage." The shining light in the little sika deer"s eyes immediately vanquished.

  Night was astounded into silence, "So it was Mi Er, you...!" He broke out into laughter, his laughter was hearty and immediately brightened up everyone"s feelings. Although Night was someone who smiled, and often he would not speak but smile first, he was gentle and elegant, but I always felt that his smile lacked something. Today, his smile and laughter was to my satisfaction.

  "To read ten thousands of books is no better than having one skill on you. I see that the little sika deer is weak and it may be bullied by other creatures in future, so I imparted my special skill to protect it. In heavens or h.e.l.l, there are hundreds of strange skills, but none can beat my stance of "fake death". It is easy to learn and easy to do, you only need to lie down stiffly and straight," I patiently explained in detail what happened to Night. I even asked him, "Night, would you like to learn?"

  Night gave me a soft gaze, the tips of his mouth rose up, he smiled with the warmth of the spring wind. Some strands of his hair broke loose from the grape stem hair clip and swept down his forehead, under the soft rays of the sun, he stretched up his hand and stroke my cheek, "I will not learn, and I will not let you use. As long as you stay with me one day, I will protect you to be safe and happy one day, I will never let you have the chance to use ... ah, your special protecting skill."

 I listened to Night"s kind words with some pleasure, but who knew that although Night looked like a warm dragon, his palm was icy cold. Phoenix appeared icy cold but his palm was always warm and hot.

  My mind wandered for just a moment and when I regained awareness, I saw that Night was holding my face. Both his eyes were gazing at me deeply, as if he was intoxicated after drinking ten jugs of osmanthus wine. I had never seen Night looked at me like this before, but I had seen Phoenix look at me like this before. I wasn"t sure what kind of spell Night had fallen under.

  I heard a soft cough from outside the door. I turned my head and saw Daddy in a long robe of white. He came from outside with the faint aroma of chrysanthemum.

   Night quickly kept his hand from my face, his cheeks flushed into a faint red. He appeared a little embarra.s.sed and did not have his usual grace. He lowered his head, flicked his robes and respectfully greeted my Daddy, "Greetings to the great G.o.d."

  Daddy gave Night a nod, he picked up a stone stool and sat down. He gazed at the bamboo garden, the roaming sika deers and turned to me, "Where did you go last night?"

   "I heard that Uncle lately likes the booklet opera* and yesterday at the Temple of Matrimonial Bliss, he arranged his mirror to allow the viewing of opera. Jin Mi has always. .h.i.t it off with Uncle, she must have been invited to watch the opera?" Night gently spoke, even before I could correct him, he with an almost unnoticeable action touched the back of my robes.

[* Booklet opera is a type of opera which only has the highlights.] 

  "Yes. Yesterday, I went to listen to the opera. Why don"t Daddy go with me next time? The Moon G.o.d likes to have many people, he will be happy to see Daddy," I blinked my eyes but I continued smoothly from Night.

  Daddy looked at the both of us and waved his hands, "I like the quiet. I would not be able to accept the noise from the cymbals and musical instruments. If you like it, you may go listen to it yourself." The rainbow bridge in the sky was fading, Daddy suddenly asked, "This morning there was no rain in the heavenly realms, why is there a rainbow?"

  Night held my hand, "Jin Mi likes to play, the heavenly realms is so big and so wide, I was worried that she may forget the road back, so I used the mist to create a rainbow bridge," He paused for a moment and his long slim fingers tightened their grip in my palm, "So at anytime, at any place, as long as Jin Mi raised up her head, she would be able to find the way home. She would remember that at the end of the rainbow bridge, there is a simple white walled and black tiled residence, and in that yard quietly waiting..."

  He suddenly loosened my hand and stroke the little deer around him, after a long while, he said, "a silently guarding Nightmare beast."

  I had a little suspicion, I thought I heard him say "someone", how come it became "something"?** (**The use of the chinese verbs can"t be translated into english, but basically the indication was that Night was actually referring to a person, but he changed it to an animal at the last moment). I couldn"t help being suspicious that because I did not sleep last night, my ears were starting to hear things. 

  Daddy gave a light sigh that quickly vanished into the winds. 

  After serving us breakfast, Night sent us off at the rainbow bridge. The Nightmare Beast jumped at my side happily, I simply could not see how it had the potential to be a "silently guarding" Nightmare beast.

   On the wide path that we walked on besides the occasional low flying clouds, there were innumerable unique flowers and fruits. Daddy who was walking two steps ahead of me, he suddenly stopped his steps. With his hands behind his back, he looked at the flowers and gra.s.ses, in the midst of his clear gaze flowed sad yearning.

  "Mi Er, at first I did not want you to marry Night," After a long while, Daddy regained his awareness and turned back towards me, his first words had caused me confusion.

  "You must know that your mother"s death is caused by the heavenly family. How I hate my foolishness and how I had listened to the Heavenly Emperor"s instructions to marry the Wind G.o.ddess, and even agreed for our firstborns to marry each other. After learning about the truth from the twenty four flower leaders and old Carrot Immortal, my first thought was to cancel this marriage arrangement. But who knew that outside the Northern Sky Gates, I would listen to both of you confess your deep feelings..."

  Daddy walked closer to me, he lovingly patted the top of my head, "Although I hate the heavenly family, I cannot cause you to follow your mother"s footsteps. My only wish is for you to live happily with the person you love, and from now on, lead a beautiful harmonious life. What is rare and priceless is true feelings. I have observed Night these last few days and seen that his feelings for you are true, thus I have let go of the worry in my heart."

  "You love to hear booklet opera, but do you know why the booklet opera is nice to hear?" Daddy placed my loose strands of hair behind my ear, and lightly asked me.

  I looked at Daddy with questioning gaze. Naturally, one likes to watch the booklet opera because the lives of the people in the booklet opera are so vibrant and interesting, they sing so loudly and heartily, was there another reason?

  Daddy smiled and said, "Because there is no start or end in booklet opera, it only takes the climax of the entire opera. It removes all the hate, regrets and displeasures, and only takes the most shining dazzling portion to perform. Life is like an opera, it has both happiness and sadness, but I only wish that the lives of the women I love will be like the booklet opera, with only the shining pleasures, without the dark sorrows."

  "I observed that Night"s personality is gentle and steady, he will be a good match for you. He is someone you can respect and admire. If your heart belongs to him, then your heart can no longer be distracted, this is how feelings can maintain its longevity. Although Phoenix"s powers are great, his personality and att.i.tude is proud and arrogant. He has always been at the top and has never bowed down to anyone or for anyone. His eyes cannot accept any flaws. What"s more his mother is extremely poisonous and evil, Mi Er should avoid going to Phoenix"s palace, and not hurt Night"s heart," Daddy took the Phoenix"s Feather from on top of my head and placed it in my palm, "From now on, do not carry this with you. You must remember this, remember this."

Comment: Night definitely knew where Jin Mi went, but decided to keep it a secret. But from the Water G.o.d"s words, it seems that the Water G.o.d knew anyway. Looks like everyone knows that Phoenix has a place in Jin Mi"s heart, except our poor clueless Jin Mi?

I love Night"s words about the rainbow bridge - wherever you are, just look up, and I hope you remember my palace is always waiting for you.

And how about the Water G.o.d"s wish for Jin Mi"s life to only be filled with the good bright wonders?