They made it to Pangong village without much trouble. The driver was given three gold coins for a new wagon and two horses. The first thing Wei Caihong noticed about the village was that it was one big slum. The paint on the houses was faded, the lanterns were tattered and people walked around with their heads bend low. Wei Caihong stopped a passerby and spoke.

“Madam, where is the inn of this village?” The woman snorted at him.

“Inn? Why should there be an inn in Pangong, young lady? Ask around the market for a place to stay. But my bet is that you will be sleeping in your fancy wagons.” Then the woman rushed away and Wei Caihong stared after her.

“This place might not be on the silk road but it should still be well-off. It is right next to the Yangtze, after all.” He said and he felt an arm wrap around his waist.

“How do you people survive in this land? If it is not beasts plaguing the populace then it’s poverty.” Said Penemue next to him. Wei Caihong stepped forward to get himself out of the angel’s hold.

“People elsewhere have it worse. China is rich in both resources and population.” Defended his country Wei Caihong. He looked around. Just where was Nikola? The children looked at him expectantly.

“I should have asked her where the market was.” Said Wei Caihong as he made a couple of uncertain steps forward. Then he heard music coming from a side alley and moved towards it, Penemue following. Penemue fell in step with him and linked their hands together. Wei Caihong was suspicious about these shows of caring from the angel. They were still rivals, no matter that Wei Caihong let himself be used to sweeten the deals Penemue made with Nikola.

Wei Caihong had no illusions that Penemue would get rid of him if she could. But Wei Caihong carried Nikola’s children and the angel seemed to think that made him valuable. Wei Caihong shuddered to think what will happen after the children were born. The mystery of why Ryota had ended up in the womb of a fox demon remained with him. Penemue must have done something. Nikola wouldn’t have given up a child with the one he had loved most at the time.

The noble looked at the angel. Nikola had admitted that his feelings for him were stronger than his feelings for her. That had made Wei Caihong happy beyond words. But Penemue was a schemer. A hound that could sniff out Wei Caihong’s imperfections and, what was worse, use them against him.

“Something on your mind?” Asked Penemue. Wei Caihong cursed himself for staring at her for so long. She could tell if he lied, just like Nikola.

“Why do you pretend to like me?” Asked the noble and the gentle grip on his hand tightened.

“It makes the love of my life happy.” Responded Penemue, then she winked. “And I like you a little bit. If only because your female form is lovely.” Wei Caihong sighed and then the music stopped. He looked around and saw stalls and people gawking at them.

“This place seems to be rather conservative.” Said Penemue as she brought Wei Caihong’s hand to her lips. People shook their heads and murmured how it was improper. That seemed to make the angel even more amused.

“Don’t goat them. We have to find somewhere to sleep tonight. If the whole of Pangong thinks we are deviants then we will be chased out of the village.” Said Wei Caihong, tugging his hand free and going to the nearest stall. The old lady behind it glared at him like Wei Caihong owed her money. He turned around towards a noddle stand, it’s owner not looking ready to throw stones at him.

“Good man, my family and I came here after my husband defeated the Aoyin. We are in need of a place to stay. There are small children with us.” Said children had stayed by the wagons so that the remaining drivers could keep watch on them.

“Oh, you are married? And the lady that was so close to you?” Asked the man and Wei Caihong smirked.

“She is my husband’s second wife. His former concubine. She got pregnant at about the same time I did. My husband doesn’t want illegitimate children.”

The noddle stand owner smiled at finding out that he was approached by respectable ladies. Ones carrying children, at that. While they were talking Penemue had neared them. She heard how Wei Caihong had called her a concubine. Her expression was stormy. She took his hand again and this time she dug her nails in the flesh.

“You are the second wife, if anyone is.” Hissed Penemue in Wei Caihong’s ear. The stall owner didn’t hear them, although he looked at the exchange in confusion.

“Nikola married me first.” Hissed Wei Caihong back.

“Only because you had the whole village pressing him into it. He had wanted to marry me for a thousand years.” Said Penemue and Wei Caihong turned to smirk at her.

“And you kept him single so you can sell him off to the highest bitter in case of war. He told me. If I was him you would still be in the Abyss.”

“Ladies, is there a problem?” Asked the stand owner and both turned to him with smiles on their faces.

“Not at all. Say, how much would you want for a week-long stay?” Asked Wei Caihong. The stand owner looked ready to jump in joy as he heard that.

“A silver coin per person per day. Food and everything you would need included.”

Wei Caihong was about to say it was too expensive when he saw the hope in the man’s eyes. This whole village looked like it could use some coin flowing in.

“Ok. When can you take us to your home?” He asked and the stand owner began packing.

“Right away. How many children do you have with you?”

“Five.” Said Wei Caihong and the man nodded.

“It is going to be a tight fit. But your husband can share a room with the two of you and the children can stay in the dining room. You two must be tired. I will be taking some more time to pack. Why don’t you go and bring the children and the lucky husband here?”

With that the two went back to the wagons. They saw that Nikola was back and next to him was a tall man who looked around wildly.

“Who is this?” Asked Penemue. Nikola clapped the man on the shoulders and said man bared his teeth at him.

“Prince Han Wukong. A rabbit was so good as to take his curse. Said rabbit is dead now.” Said Nikola as he removed his hand before it got bitten.

“You had no right to turn me back into a human.” Said Han Wukong. The entire Wei family turned to stare at him.

“You wanted to be a monster?” Asked Wei Caihong. He himself had regretted becoming a vampire more than once. Especially now that he could get the better immortality guaranteeing method of sharing Nikola’s soul.

“I wanted to be strong. To dispose of things like the Aoyin by myself. To be free of court intrigues.”

“Well, that can’t happen now. We are returning you to your brother.” Said Nikola and this time Han Wukong growled at him.

“When you return me to him, I will say you were the one who cursed me in the first place.” Said the prince and this made Nikola frown.

“Don’t threaten me. I can turn you into a mute.” Said Nikola. This man should be grateful. Instead, he was seconds away from biting the hand that had freed him.

“I can write, you know?” Said Han Wukong, smirking.

“Blind too then.” Countered Nikola and magic began to circle around his fingers. The former werewolf felt it and backed away. Looking ready to run away.

“My prince, please stay with us. At least for this week. We have a place to stay. You must miss the comforts of a warm home?” Tried Wei Caihong and the werewolf blushed at him.

“You smell like someone I know. Someone that nearly became my brother. A husband to my only sister. But that someone was a man.” Said Han Wukong and then whispered to himself. “And far less pretty.” A sword was unsheathed and pressed next to his neck. Han Wukong looked at the man who had turned him back into a human to see him fuming. He must have heard.

People on the street began to whisper that a fight was about to break off. They pointed at the two men and some claimed it was going to be over the noble lady in black and red. Wei Caihong stared at Nikola. Sure, his husband had told him he loved him the most, but to see him get jealous so quickly was a far greater proof.

Then, in one swift motion, Han Wukong jumped back and away from the blade. He bowed and winked at Wei Caihong and then took off. Nikola took out a premade paper figurine of a tiger and gave it life in the middle of the street.

“Bring him back, kicking and screaming and legless, if you have to.” He told the big cat and it took off after it’s target.

“Did you know Han Wukong before this?” Asked Nikola Wei Caihong. He tried to soften his features, but his frown remained.

“In passing. He was only doing this to rile you up. And do you have so little trust in me?” It was Wei Caihong’s turn to frown. Penemue looked at the exchange with great amusement. Nikola had given himself away with Cas because of his jealousy. Nikola had never showed this trait of his around any potential suitors of Penemue. Certain that the angel loved him and him alone. What made everyone else deserving of such strong emotions but not Penemue? Maybe she should get someone’s attention? She wanted to be fought over too, darn it.

Nikola wanted to make excuses but then he heard a familiar call. It was a Wuzhiqi! He quickly extended his magic over the village and made a barrier. A strong one which will push all the water demons out of the village and keep the rest outside. Just then the tiger returned with Han Wukong, who seemed to glare at it.

“The village is surrounded.” Said the prince. “One of the demons tried to snatch me but the tiger ate it.” He added. Nikola raised an eyebrow at the prince. Did he want to be snatched?

Nikola swayed on his feet. The barrier would hold for three days, but it had drained him entirely. He needed a bite to eat and to see the number of enemies he had to face. He began to walk towards the edge of the village and soon he reached it. And then wished that he hadn’t.

There, just outside his barrier, were the Wuzhiqi. They had Gudiao and Aoyin with them, in great numbers. A Wuzhiqi moved forward and spat at Nikola’s feet.

“You came into our canyon and let out livestock loose. Now we will follow you and destroy everything you leave behind.” It said in a broken, snarling, voice. The villagers began to crowd towards the barrier. Then one woman stepped close to it and showed the monsters a butcher’s knife.

“Beef stew for everyone! And grilled lizard and monkey liver. We will eat like the emperor himself!” She said with a crazed look in her sunken eyes. She hit the barrier with the knife. Sparks flew and she hit it again. Nikola went to tug her away from it.

“Madam, control yourself. These are monsters, not livestock. They’ll take time to be killed.” Said Nikola and the woman turned around to size him up.

“But you will make sure they all end up in a pot, won’t you? I haven’t eaten in three days, Gege.”

Many people agreed with her and the only thing Nikola could think of was how to prevent all these people from ending up in the bellies of the monsters.