Body in Flames; Home in Paradise (TGCF HuaLian)

Chapter 10

--Meanwhile in the communication Array—

"Guess what I have to tell you all!"

"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!"

The first call comes from Pei Ming, the second from generals Xuan Zhen and Nan Yang shouting in unison, a fact which is notable mostly because it means the two of them are actually agreeing on something.

Ling Wen massages her temples. She has no idea what this is about but she can already tell that she's about to have a headache.

"Is this about the gilded banquet massacre?" someone asks.

"The what? Oh right, no better," Pei Ming says in the voice he only ever uses for gossip.

"Hold on a moment, old Pei." Ling Wen doubts she can actually inject any sanity into the following proceedings but well it's her job to try isn't? "Before you continue could one of you please report to us about the matter concerning His Highness Tai Hua and His Highness of Xianle?"

"Oh! Me! Pick me!" Shi Qingxuan sounds like she's practically jumping up and down with excitement.

"Lady Wind Master?"

"It turns out it wasn't His Highness after all! I mean it was, he really was Goushi Fang Xin, but he didn't actually commit thw massacre he just took the blame for the people who did. Lang Qianqiu's gone after the real target so I don't think will hear from him for a bit but at least we know the truth now!"

"Who's the real culprit?" Someone asks.

"It was that bastard Qi Rong!" General Nan Yang spits the name and the whole communication array dissolves into muttering and hisses of outrage.

Well, Ling Wen has to admit that is some genuinely good news. She was not looking forward to having to tell the Heavenly Emperor that his favorite truly is guilty and honestly, while she would of course keep personal feelings out of her job, she likes Xie Lian enough to be glad that things have ended up the way they have. Furthermore the fact that the culprit is Qi Rong... Well if Lang Qianqiu is going to go to war with anyone Qi Rong is probably the best candidate there could possibly be. He's not a mortal and he's not a god and he is not as powerful as a supreme Ghost King so it's not even like shall have to worry that the young martial fool he will get himself killed.

Thank the universe for small favors.

"Well? Now that that's settled doesn't anyone want to hear my news?" That's Pei Ming again and just like that Ling Wen feels her headache returning. It's not as though she has anything against Pei Ming, far from it in fact, he's actually one of her closest friends and has been for centuries but that means she knows him quite well and when he speaks in that tone ...Instant headache.

"I swear Pei Ming, if you dare to say anything insulting about his highness..." Nan Yang sounds so ready for violence that it's a wonder he isn't talking to Xuan Zhen, though that's only part of the wonder and already she can hear the communication array buzzing with the other part. Right now Nan Yang sounds less like the proud marshal god of the southeast then he does like a vessel defending his lord's honor.

Now that's interesting, even Ling Wen, has to admit it to herself. She, and all of heaven, have been under the impression that Nan Yang, like Xuan Zhen, wants nothing to do with his former and highly disgraced liege. Has something changed between them? Or were things never as truly broken as everyone believed? It's an interesting question and one Ling Wen is sure will be the topic of heavenly gossip for many days to come.

"Fine, Pei Ming, just get on with it." The annoyed voice that breaks through the chatter of the array is enough of a surprise to briefly call forth silence. Ming Yi basically never speaks up in the array, in fact Ling Wen can count the number of times he has on one hand alone, so the fact that he would speak up now either means that he's extraordinarily interested in whatever it is Pei Ming has to say, unlikely, or extraordinarily desperate for everyone to shut up so that he can get some rest, far more likely. Part of her wonders why he even bothers to attend these sessions when he so clearly doesn't want to be here, Ming Yi doesn't strike her as the sort to be particularly interested in gossip, but perhaps he knows that if he doesn't come voluntarily Shi Qingxuan will just track him down.