Nie Chuyin arrived at Miao Lou's cavern. He was nervous to give his report to his master. "Nie Chuyin I hope that you are bringing me something to work on." Miao Lou shouted.

"Master, I did as you asked me. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to retrieve Feng Jiu's fate scroll. I was exposed before I could find it. Fortunately, I left a little spy behind." Nie Chuyin wickedly said.

"If there is something that we have is time. I will wait on your report Nie Chuyin don't fail me again!" Miao Laou said.

"No master." Nie Chuyin bowed to her.

"Where is Ji Heng?"

"She's safe. However, I had to place a sleeping enchantment on her to sidetrack her pursuers. Yan Chiwu had placed his spies on her. It will get more difficult to keep hiding her."

"Let her sleep for a while, I'm nearly done absorbing her essence. She will be of great use to me for the next phase of my plan. Now go and put your little spy to work on our behalf."

"Yes master." Nie Chuyin left Miao Lou's cavern.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the meantime, at Si Ming's residence...

Si Ming was peacefully sleeping; recuperating in his bedroom. His residence was heavily guarded following Lian Song commands. For the time being, there were no guards at his bedroom door. A tiny black spider came out of hiding, from Si Ming's sleeve. Being led by Nie Chuyin influence; the little spider entered Si Ming's ear and extracted a slight portion of his awareness, then it disappeared and appeared on Nie Chuyin's hand.

"You're the best of my spies." Nie Chuyin absorbed it and he maniacally laughed. "Qing Qui you're next!!!."

____________________________________

Bai Yi returned home from his trip. He went to look for his wife; she was at her modiste workshop. She sensed his presence and went to meet him.

"Nǐ huíláile." She said.

"Yes, I just arrived. I was looking for you." He was looking at her blankly.

"Well here I am. Is there something that you need to discuss with me?" She carefully asked him.

Bai Yi hesitated, instead he smiled at her "Did you miss me?" He asked her.

"You were gone for more than a month. I was beginning to worry about your whereabouts. I was going to wait for another week to see if you were going to show up or not before sending a search party." She smiled at him.

Bai Yi knew in his heart that his wife was a good woman. She had stayed by his side for all of thousands of years and took care of him, raised their daughter and helped him structure his character. She was wise, kindhearted and noble woman.

"Please forgive my thoughtlessness. I should have let you know my wellbeing." Bai Yi responded.

"Is good to know that you turned out alive and well. How was your trip?"

"It was good."

She knew he had more to say but didn't pushed him to say more.

"Are you hungry Bai Yi? If so, I can make you something to eat. Since I didn't know when you were coming back, I didn't prepared in advance."

"I'm fine now, we can eat later. Have you been working while I was away?"

"You know me Bai Yi, yes, I have. I just finished a dress for Xiao Jiu."

"A dress? Can I see it?"

"Of course you can, come, I will show it to you." They went to her workshop and she showed him Feng Jiu's dress.

"Wow, it is a masterpiece. I'm sure Xiao Jiu will love it. It seems like you poured all your devotion on making this dress, it is a marvelous work of art. This dress is worthy of an empress."

"I'm glad that you like it too. With her new status is time that she starts dressing as one. Although I know that she might find it a bit elaborate for her usual taste."

"Nonsense she will love it." Bai Yi was admiring his wife, studying her features. She is so stunning, regal, and elegant. He took her hand by surprise. She gave him a surprised look.

"Ever since we have known each other, you know that I'm a man of few words. I don't know how to start, but just hear me out." Bai Yi told his wife.

"Then speak Bai Yi, I will listen to you."

"We've been married for thousands of years so far and although we were forced to marry, as time passed, I grew to respect and admire you. I know that our beginning was not the best. We had many misunderstandings that we have overcome. I am incredibly grateful for your dedication and effort for all these years that you have been by my side. I want you to know that. I have never expressed it to you. This trip has made me realized about how delicate our existence can be. And how complicated we make it when we repress our emotions and feelings. When we got married, we did it out of duty and not out of love. You are an extremely sensitive woman and I know that in your heart there are secrets that I do not know if I am worthy of discovering them. I sincerely hope that somehow you are happy by my side. That you lack nothing. I know I have not been the best husband or the best father to our daughter. Everything good in our relationship has been brought by you, and for that I thank you for your immense patience, wisdom, and tolerance. Please forgive me for the times that I have failed and disrespected you. My volatile temperament does not allow me to see your good intent behind your actions and words. I know that I have hurt you with my indifference, and you don't deserve it. I also know that your debt has been paid in full for a long time. You have never asked me for anything, nor have you made any exuberant demands on the conditions of our marriage. You always submitted without hesitation. You have done your duty like a queen; putting your interests and tastes aside to satisfy our family and the kingdom needs first. You have proven to be an excellent life companion and that is priceless to me. The only thing I regret is not being able to meet your expectations or respond to your feelings. You are an invaluable gem that deserves to be treasured with great care. And I have not been able to do it as you deserve it. Do you think you can ever forgive me?"

"Bai Yi, first of all I'm thankful for your words, I know they are sincere. Thank you for expressing them, they mean a lot to me. I admit that you are a good man who was forced to marry me against your will to cover my family honor. My father did not value the friendship and relationship within our families; to get into debt the way he did with your father. I know that my debt has already been paid in full. But I appreciate the fact that you left behind someone you love very much to fulfill your duty. You never confessed it to me, but I knew it from the day we got married. That is why I strive to be a good partner and stayed by your side to compensate in some way for the sacrifice you made to honor my family name. Our matrimony has been more like an amicable affiliation rather than a marital relationship. I have always known that since the beginning of our marriage, so I don't hold any grudges against you, I knew the implications of our marriage contract when my father made me signed it. I am also grateful for the reception that your family extended to me knowing that they were affected for my father substantial debt, not to mention that the broken trust that he caused. Your family never made me felt less or guilty of my father's mistakes. Contrary to that they have loved me as their own and adopted me, which I'm grateful for that as well. In time you earned a special space in my heart Bai Yi, and I want you to know that. I know you've wondered if I find you repulsive because of your temperament and other ill traits; but I have learned to appreciate your good characteristics and virtues ​​instead of despising you as an individual. The fact that you have taken care of all my needs all these years, you've proven to be a good man. You could've easily loathed me, and you didn't. So don't worry about the rest, I'm an understating person. We have our own share of misfortunes and we have adapted to carry our burdens quite well so far. Don't you think?"

"Yes we have. So, you knew it all along?"

"Yes, I did Bai Yi. Although I'm your wife, I understood that your heart belongs to another. I respected your silence about it, and I will not pressure you to act against it."

"My fated love began before we crossed paths."

"I know Bai Yi, and so did mine. We foxes know how it goes when we choose our mate; so I understand you better than you think."

"In that case do you want to a divorce?"

"I thought of that prospect many times Bai Yi. The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving. I didn't want to destroy anything or anybody. I just wanted to slip quietly out the back door, without causing any fuss or consequences, and then not stop running until I reached enlightenment. We were tied up to a loveless marriage with no chance to live with our true loved ones. Thousands of years have passed so far, have you thought about the consequences on the kingdom if we act upon it? What about Qing Qui or the Bai family reputation? Don't you think is a little late now to end this pretense? You and I know the answer to all of these questions."

"I just want you to know that if you ever want your freedom, I will give it to you. Regardless of what others think, I will make an exception with you, not caring about our reputation."

"Thank you Bai Yi, it means a lot to me. But I also want you to know this, the remedy might seem an easy way out. But in all seriousness, it is in repentance and forgiveness, in sincere expressions of charity and service. It is in simple integrity that leads us to square up our shoulders and meet our obligations. It is a time-honored principle that should first and foremost find expression in our relationship. There is no such thing as a "broken family." Family is family, and is not determined by marriage certificates, contracts, divorce papers, or adoption documents. Families are made in the heart. The only time family becomes null is when those ties in the heart are cut. If you cut those ties, those people are not your family. If you make those ties, those people are your family. And if you hate those ties, those people will still be your family because whatever you hate will always be with you. We have been blessed to have such a diverse family to cherish. Let's not ruin them."

"Such silence has an actual sound, so many events and moments that seemed insignificant add up. I just wanted you to know that if you need that escape is available, I will not deny this from you. Your wise words don't fail to amaze me." Bai Yi confessed.

"The grass might be greener in the other side, but who knows how long will remain green." She told him.

Bai Yi held her hand tighter and simply smiled at his wise wife.