Nine Tails of Twin Brothers

Letters

"Is that different from the other invitation to the nine heavens?" Bai Qian asked curled up on her chaise, reading a scroll absentmindedly

"No" Mi Gu replied. He was perched on the floor a small distance from Bai Qian, reading out invitations to her

"Did you send the apology and gift as usual?" Bai Qian asked with a slight frown. She didn't enjoy going out and she didn't understand why people sent multiple invites, as if that was more likely to make her show up. It was even worse when she didn't know the person the event was centered about. Just because the family was important, everyone in the family thought they were important.

"Not yet. Gugu, Mi Gu things you should go to this event, didn't you say the nine heavens was worried about the relationship with Qing Qiu after the incident with the second prince last time?" The tree spirit said. He was practically family; so, he was able to speak his thoughts to her without a need for censorship. And the Qing Qiu family was down to earth, holding no false pretenses or rules separating the ruling family from the rest of the citizens.

Bai Qian turned from the scroll she held and sat up to face Mi Gu, she knew where this was going "Yes, but the ball is in their court. The prince has not apologized, I'm helping the relationship by not taking offence yet. Plus I don't know whose birthday is being celebrated or even why."

"Gu Gu, they sent two invites" He tried further

"Because we did not respond to the first invite. Send a response, Mi Gu. I do not feel like going and it's not an important enough person that I should discomfort myself for" She replied, returning to her comfortable position

Mi Gu shrugged as if to say he'd tried and Bai Qian smiled, the tree spirit was like an adorable little brother to her but, theses days, he spent so much time trying to get her out the fox den, she sometimes heard him murmuring about how she needed to go out more so she could get married and give him kids to spoil seeing as Xiao Jiu was more away than around these days.

She turned her attention back to the scroll she had been unsuccessfully reading for over an hour. It was an update from Ye Hua on the issue with the black boars and mermaid tribes. It wasn't hard to read, she'd just been distracted by the invitations she'd had to deal with. It would be easier to either go to the nine heavens or invite them here to discuss the issue but she had never been known for doing something just because it was easy. Besides, no child of Bai Zhi would let an insult slide especially one as big as an accusation of being inhumane in their actions.

There was only one nine-tailed fox lineage and they were not as many as the dragons, more than the phoenixes  but they were deadly. One nine-tailed fox in full rage would do more damage than an army of immortals or a dozen high powered dragons. But Bai Zhi raised his children to know their power and to control it - most times. There were exceptions. As the first nine-tailed female fox, she had to learn the exceptions that were particular to her gender on her own. Still she'd done a good job, only lost control once but anyone threatening her family deserved it so she was justified. With a sigh, she drafted a response. If she was done on time, she could get Mi Gu to send it along with the replies to the invitations. 

Ye Hua received the messages from Qing qiu. He'd placed a trusted soldier in the mail team so he was aware of all messages; particularly those from Bai Qian or the Qing Qiu royal family. Which was how he learned that Su Jin had invited Bai Qian to her birthday party and that Qing Qiu's queen had declined the invite. Twice. He always found it funny that Su Jin had such an inflated sense of her own worth, and that it was encouraged or at least not discouraged by his family. Still it wasn't his business, as long as it didn't cause any troubles for him, he was not going to get involved.

He opened the message directed to him and took a moment to appreciate her calligraphy; neat, precise and bold. Without reading the words, you still got a sense of controlled power from looking at the note. He read the note and felt the disappointment settle in his soul. Her response was perfect, her directions were clear and her game plan could not be faulted but he'd expected an invitation to Qing Qiu to discuss the issue or a visit from her but he'd known she wouldn't come back after the last incident without an apology from his second uncle. Still, he'd expected she would let them come to her territory, or let him come to her territory. Both of them were enough to discuss and reach a decision. She was in the right though, Second Uncle had insulted her and although grandfather had tried to smooth things over, the most he'd gotten was a stay of action from her. He needed his second uncle to apologize and soon. If they had to plan this battle through letters, it would be more than painful. It was also very risky, if one of their letters got intercepted by the other side, they would need a whole new plan. 

He'd sent for his uncles when he'd finished the letter, when they got in, he gave the letter to them.

"This sounds like a good plan" Third uncle said

"Do you know how we should proceed to get the troops in place without alerting the enemy to the possibility?" Ye Hua asked. 

He had an idea but he was in the mood for petty. If his uncles wanted to proceed, they needed the owner of the plan to bring the details plus he'd had Da ge or Bai Qian to double check his ideas with in all the battles or wars he's fought. After hearing of the incident between second uncle and Bai Qian, Mo Yuan had refused to be involved. Bai Qian herself could not be expected to brush it aside and continue to help them. Even her response to his letter was more than magnanimous enough

Both men shook their head as expected. Neither of them had led a battle in over 70,000 years and Mo Yuan handled most of the battles even then.

"What's your plan, Ye Hua" second uncle asked

"I'm not sure. I was thinking of disguising them but I'm not sure how that will work. The territory claimed is far from here and there is only so much that can be done to disguise swords, shields or bows" Ye Hua said, he was good at strategy but he knew that the best strategy could not overcome lack of knowledge of the other side. There was someone who had that and he was not stupid enough to go on without that knowledge.

"Hmmn, you're right. It would be helpful to have Mo Yuan here" Second uncle said

"Da ge has said he's not participating in battle discussions till his cultivation level increases"

"Fair enough. We should ask Qing Qiu. Maybe one of the princes since we know the queen will not speak to us" Third uncle suggested, glossing over the fact that it was their fault but Ye Hua let it slide.

"How do we reach them and will they respond if their sister wouldn't?" Ye Hua asked

It was well known that the nine tailed foxes were elusive. Only Bai Zhen was frequently seen in public but no one had seen him since his marriage and he had it on good authority that the first prince had not been seen in public for 60,000 years.

"Er ge. You need to go apologize to Bai Qian. For the sake of your children and their inheritance. Unless you want this battle to be halfhearted" Third uncle suggested

Ye Hua saw the battle on his second uncle's face; saw the pride war with the helplessness. He felt for him, he truly did. After all, it would be difficult to apologize to the woman who had turned your proposal down and ask her to help you save the family you have with the woman you settled with. But second uncle should have thought of that before he let his anger drive him to anger the person who could help him.

When the man nodded, Ye Hua released the breath he didn't know he was holding. It would be alright now.