From the Ashes of Love

Chapter 74

Zhou Loa-Nu was surprised to see the Heavenly Emperor enter through the doors of the House of Marriage.

"Son-in-law!" she greeted him enthusiastically, getting up from her desk. "What brings you here?" she asked.

"I need you to negotiate a marriage for my Little Brother" he told her.

"Ah, yes, so you've heard about the pregnancies. I was going to come to you soon, but you've beaten me to it" she replied, nodding her head sagely.

He looked taken aback. He stared at her blankly, blinking.

"Ohhhh, you haven't heard yet" she said. "Zhang Fude! Bring us a pot of tea!" she called out.

"Yes, Wise Woman!" came the voice of Zhang Fude from the back.

"Come and sit down" she told her son-in-law, "I'll fill you in."

She related to him what she knew of the affair so far, explaining that this severely damaged the reputations of the Bird Tribe as well as the Mongoose Family.

"Are you sure it was Yanyou?" he asked incredulously, setting his cup down.

"He admitted to me that he did have relations with those Fairies" Loa-Nu told him regretfully.

Her son-in-law rubbed his eyes and sighed. "What kind of bride price do they want?" he asked tiredly.

Loa-Nu cleared her throat. "The Bird Tribe wants 10,000 years of magical prowess, an expansion of their territory by 100 Li, and permission to form a private army" she said.

"Oof" Runyu grunted, grimacing.

"The Mongoose family wants the title of Wind Immortal, 5,000 years of magical prowess, and for their daughter to have 'First Wife' status" she finished.

Runyu nodded in acceptance. "That is more palatable. I'll write you a scrip to take to the Treasury, so you can send the Mongoose Family their Bride Price right away, and I'll arrange to promote the Mongoose patriarch to the title of Wind Immortal at my next audience."

Loa-Nu wrote down his instructions. "What about the Bird Tribe?" she asked.

"Go back to them with a counter-offer. No private army, but they can form their own private security force of no more than 100 fighters. I'll agree to the magical prowess. See if you can get them to agree to 50 Li of territory. If not, negotiate them down as much as possible. Make sure they understand that their daughter will have 'Second Wife' status. Throw in some jewelry from the vault. Magpies like shiny things."

Loa-Nu nodded, and wrote those instructions down too.

He moved to get up from his seat. "Wait!" Lao-Nu said. "Was this the marriage that you wanted me to negotiate when you came in?"

He quickly sat down again. "I almost forgot! My youngest brother, Linyou the Frog Spirit, wants to marry the Princess of the Demon Realm. Her name is Qintian. Her mother is the Supreme Demon Lord Liu Ying. She hates me, so there may be some resistance there. I will send a squad of soldiers with you, for your protection."

Loa-Nu's eyes widened in surprise. "I have to go the Demon Realm?" she asked nervously.

"Please?" asked her son-in-law. "At least find out for me what she wants for a bride price?"

Loa-Nu grudgingly nodded her head.

"I'll call in the leader of the squad" he told her. He stuck his head out of the front door and spoke to someone. A man dressed as a soldier appeared in the doorway.

"Loa?" the man asked hesitantly. His voice sounded familiar. He took of his helmet, which had disguised his features.

"Yong?" Loa-Nu asked, breathless. She ran up to him, stopping just in front. She looked at his warm golden eyes, crinkled in a smile. It couldn't be anyone else.

"YONG!" she yelled, throwing herself into his arms. "I knew you would be here somewhere!" she sobbed. "I just knew it!"

He stroked her back soothingly, letting her cry. He kissed her on top of her hair.

"Those years without you were so hard!" she complained, her eyes still leaking tears. "Why did you leave me so soon?"

"I had to, Loa" he said gently. "If the enemy had succeeded in killing General Liu Wei, the army would have been routed. Enemy forces would have overrun our Village, and slaughtered you and our baby. I couldn't let that happen" he explained.

She started sobbing again. "I'm so proud of you, my husband" she admitted, burying herself in his embrace.

She heard the door to the House of Marriage open and close, and looked up. Her son-in-law appeared to have left.

"The Emperor wants to give us time to catch up" Yong said.

"That's our son-in-law" she told him. "He probably went to tell Li-Hua, our daughter. She has the same eyes as you."

Yong looked at her in astonishment. "The Emperor is my son-in-law?" he asked nervously.

Loa-Nu laughed, wiping away her tears.

Yong shook his head. "The guys at the barracks are never going to let me hear the end of this" he commented ruefully.

Loa-Nu slapped his chest playfully. "You have to come live here, with me!" she demanded.

Yong looked at her seriously for a moment, then he leaned down and kissed her passionately.