In this land that was seemingly surrounded by tens and thousands of years of snow, two silhouettes appeared between heaven and earth and zoomed passed at lightning speed. The two silhouettes headed straight toward the Palace of Mystical Beasts on the apex of the snowy mountain!

  In no time, the two silhouettes turned into two black spots. As the two black spots started to fade more and more, they finally disappeared completely in the snow.

  “Aiya, finally home. I am so exhausted!”


  A delicate female voice disrupted the silence inside of Palace of Mystical Beasts, the once closed door to the palace started opening slowly.

  Another woman patted away all the snow on herself and said to the person who spoke earlier, “Alright, let’s go inside!”


  “Mistress, why aren’t you tired?”


  “Even if I am tired I have to go inside to rest; I can’t very well rest at the front door, can I?”


  “Oh, mistress, you always make so much sense!”


  “Of course I do!”


  After the mistress and servant pair bickered and entered the palace, the red palace door closed slowly. Right after that, the palace alternated between being visible and invisible again.

  “Mom, I am home!”


  “Palace Mistress, Jun’er is back!”


  The two voices rang one after another, a beautiful woman reading in the study looked up.

  She was around 27, 28 years old, wearing a set of aqua blue imperial outfit. She was enchanting and attractive like peony, or natural and poised like a blooming hibiscus.

  She was the mother of Gong Zixuan, the Palace Mistress of Palace of Mystical Beasts!

  “Mom, daughter is back!” Gong Zixuan walked into the study and smiled tenderly at her mother. There was a slight hint of whining in her sweet smile.

  “Oh, Xuan’er is back. Did you two have fun outside?” asked the palace mistress with a smile.

  The girl Jun’er smiled and replied, “Palace Mistress, of course we’ve had a lot of fun, but mistress didn’t want to spend more time out!”


  “You brat, all you want is to play all the time.”


  The palace mistress scolded her with a smile. Even though Jun’er was a servant, but since she had watched her grow up, Jun’er was like half a daughter to her.

  “Mom, Jun’er almost cried when she was away!” Gong Zixuan blinked at her mom with a naughty smile on her face.

  “Oh, I thought Jun’er had swore that she’d never cry again. What happened that made her want to cry?” asked the palace mistress with a smile.

  Looking at the palace mistress’s teasing smile, Jun’er was a little embarrassed, “That’s not true, mistress. Jun’er did not cry. Didn’t I give away Xiao Xue as a gift to Miss Cheng? I didn’t cry, I was just a bit sad parting with Xiao Xue was all!”


  “Miss Cheng? Oh, who’s that? Is she a friend of Xuan’er?”


  “Palace Mistress, let me tell you. Miss Cheng is Cheng Xiao Xiao, she is….”


  “Cheng Xiao Xiao?” interjected the palace mistress, “How come this name sounds so familiar?”


  “Mom, you’ve heard about little sister Xiao Xiao too?” Gong Zixuan was a bit surprised. Her mother has never been one who’d concerned herself with what’s happening outside of the palace. Yet she had heard about Cheng Xiao Xiao?

  The palace mistress nodded slightly, “A wile ago, I have received a litter from your uncle Zhu1. I believe he had mentioned Cheng Xiao Xiao in his letter. Alright, since you two know about it, tell me more about this Cheng Xiao Xiao!”


  “Palace Mistress, let Jun’er tell you!” Jun’er took over the conversation, “Cheng Xiao Xiao’s father is Cheng Biyuan, the eldest son from main line of the Cheng’s in Emperor City. Her mother was from the Lao’s of Yin, they…..”


  Walalala, Jun’er went on and on about the Cheng’s like a raining stick. Most of the information were well aware by everyone. Not to mention the additional information that were less well known to most that they have discovered from some of their own investigations.

  ___

  Note:

  1. Not the same last name than Innkeeper Zhu.