Volume 2: Serious Deals are Serious

Wu TengFei made it to the eastern side of the mountain in record time. With his map and body guards, they set out for a large city nearby. The goal was to trade as quickly as possible, buying seasonal items that would either be currently unavailable on the west side or impossible to transport due to time constraints.

Because the rumors about the Wu Family's "bad luck" had not reached the Eastern side, Wu TengFei was treated with a great deal of respect. The Wu Family was well known amongst the merchants on the East side as a powerful business connection. With the seasonal perishable items and his Guards, it was easy for Wu TengFei to convince the Eastern merchants he found a way through the mountains.

Naturally they wanted to know how he'd done it. Wu TengFei was careful to tell them about his deal with Lord Jin, the Fairy Emperor, but not the details of how to cross. That he purposefully left vague. He emphasized that he'd gotten exclusive access and so only he could get through.

Some of the Eastern Merchants did not believe him and secretly began preparing to send their own caravans through. Granny Wu had warned TengFei that would happen, so he was not surprised. Rather than try to earnestly convince them against it, he let them go and waited.

When the Eastern Merchants attempted to cross, they were met by Jin (he made sure Mei was not there). He warned them to turn back, that Wu TengFei was the only one allowed to cross over. But since he was only one man, a wild and uncivilized looking one at that, they scoffed and mocked him and tried to enter anyway. Jin had originally intended on peacefully keeping them out, but he was furious at their disrespectful behavior.

Jin called the wolves and bears to him, and they attacked any person who dared to enter. Not only were half the goods destroyed, many guards and servants were greatly injured, with a few dying. The wolves dragged their corpses to a nearby road and left them there to rot as a warning.

When what was left of the caravan returned, no one questioned Wu TengFei's claim of exclusive rights to the mountain path. After that, they obediently went to him and accepted his asking price. Wu TengFei was clever and charged only a little more than going the slower route for those who believed him. Those that did not, he charged thrice the amount. They could not complain, because Wu TengFei was well within his rights to deny them entry completely.

The return caravan was far more festive and significantly bigger. Some merchants sent their sons or trusted servants along, to try to figure out Wu TengFei's secret and also just out of curiosity.

Jin and Mei Hua were both there to guide them through. The merchant's sons and servants were confused by both. They dressed in an uncivilized way, with only crude undyed cotton hanfu and pants, and belts and cloaks made of fur. Their manners were barely passable, even if Mei Hua was friendly. Yet they spoke as civilized people, even with their strange accent. And Wu TengFei was extremely respectful of them both, calling them "Lord" and "Lady" (after he found out that Mei Hua had married Jin).

With the caravan being so big, Lord Jin stayed near the outskirts away from the noisy crowd of people. Because of his great height and strange blue-gold eyes, he became a very memorable, and slightly eerie, figure to those in the caravan. The Eastern Guards bemoaned how they had not been lucky enough to talk to him as their Western counterparts.

The Western Merchants were astonished to see Easterners suddenly arrive in their city. When word got out that Wu TengFei had led them, and that only he had access, all talk of the Wu Family being unlucky stopped. Merchants' superstitious nature ended at the exact point that high profit margins came into view.

The Wu Family name was respected once again. Their business quadrupled in size almost over night, and all those that spoke ill of them came back grovelling. It was quite satisfying to those in the Wu Household, to see their enemies brought low. Especially those they suspected had murdered their kin (but unfortunately had no solid proof to back up their suspicions).

Even so, it did not bring back the dead. No amount of wealth could do that. So no matter how rich Wu TengFei got, he valued his family most of all. As he reached new heights of power in his and the surrounding countries, he did not do as other men would have done. He kept a humble attitude, married for love, and never took mistresses or concubines. Rather than horde his excess wealth, he was generous and helped people who suffered misfortune (just as he had once suffered).

It can be said that his humble attitude set him apart from his Merchant fellows. Being clever and greedy was something anyone could do, much less a Merchant. But to be kind and upright in the face of avarice was no easy thing. And yet he did, all the days of his life.

Perhaps this attitude of his, so fundamentally different to his peer group, is why the Fairy Emperor agreed to his request. Certainly, as the years passed, it was why the Wu Family was granted constant favor from the mountain Lord and Lady. In fact, it can be said, the direct descendants of Wu TengFei would always have close ties to them. And in as much as mortals may be friends with the eternal, Wu TengFei would forever be counted a friend to those strange immortals living on the mountains.

——

"It looks as though everyone has assembled." Jin commented.

He, Mei Hua, and Ye were currently in an opening amongst the trees. Surrounding them were deer that glittered blue and white, an unnaturally large bear with a gold tattooed face, a pack of black and silver wolves, small creatures of every shape and size, and fairies. Hundreds of fairies.

Mei Hua couldn't help staring around like an idiot. She'd seen some of these animals, but never the fairies. In fact, other than Ye saying they were there, she had no way of knowing they even existed. They weren't at all like Ye, who was cute, chubby, and human shaped.

These fairies were like moths. Not ugly moths, but the fluffy kind. There was not a single part of them that wasn't soft looking, even their antenna were feather-like. Their eyes were large and black but their bodies and wings came in every color imaginable. Having so many so close by was like being in the middle of a rainbow tornado.

"Many of you are already aware," Jin began, as if talking in a meeting. "Mei Hua is now officially my wife. She is my precious flower on the mountain. Not even a hair on her head will ever be harmed, understood?"

There was rustling and animal noises of consent.

He nodded, pleased. "Furthermore, unless in direct contradiction with my orders, if she asks anything of you, you must obey her. She is my honor. If you dishonor her, you dishonor me. Treating her well is like treating me well. So don't be shy! If you see a way to help, then you must absolutely help!"

More noises of consent.

"What do you think?" Jin turned to his wife.

"M-me?"

"Yes, who else?"

"Er. I… I don't know what to say…" She really didn't. When Jin and Ye said that the Fairy Emperor favored Jin, she hadn't expected it to be to this extent! Even the fairies were seriously listening to every word he was saying, as if it came directly from the Emperor himself.

"What do you think of the block he— I mean, the Emperor's fairies, MeiMei?" Ye suddenly piped up.

"The fairies?"

"Hm. Yes, how do they compare to me?"

Mei Hua gave him an uncertain look. This seemed like a trap question to her. If she praised them too much, Ye would definitely get upset. But if she didn't praise them enough, who knows what the Emperor would think!

Jin, meanwhile, looked concernedly pensive. This baffled her, but there were bigger problems to focus on.

"They… they're very beautiful, in their own way. When they're together like this, it's like a rainbow. Um. And they're very fluffy, like a rabbit."

The fairies, hearing the praised, shuffled about in the air with pleasure.

Seeing this, Ye's heart went black.

Outwardly, he petulantly asked, "So they look better than me?"

This time she glared at him angrily. So it really was a trap!

"Of course not! You're just different! They look a lot like bugs, don't they? But you look human. No offense to anyone involved, but obviously looking human is better."

When Ye saw the fairies droop, he wanted to cackle evilly. Serves them all right! How many years had he dealt with their nonsense? But now the Emperor's wife favored him, not them! He was the Big Boss! They'd better learn to suck up to him fast, or else!

"Do you really think looking human is better?" Jin asked with a slight trace of anxiety in his voice.

"I—I wouldn't dare judge the Emperor's fairies!" Mei Hua said hastily. With Jin's favor, she knew the Emperor must also favor her too. She was absolutely not going to ruin their good relationship by being critical! "If the Emperor likes how they look, obviously how they look is fine!"

"Hehehe," Ye chuckled, eyes narrowed. "Let's just say the Emperor wanted to change how they looked though, what would you recommend?"

Every fairy, to the smallest one, wanted to throttle Ye.

"Mmmmm.."

Seeing her extreme uncertainty, Jin comforted, "It's ok, Mei. The Emperor won't be angry if you say what you're really thinking. It's not like he put a lot of thought into their appearance anyway."

The same fairies who'd been thinking of ways to smack Ye around in private, instantly wanted to cry. Hadn't they always served their Master faithfully? How could he say that! It was like saying they were ugly!

Hearing this, Mei felt a little better and ventured. "They really are quite beautiful so it's not like they need much changing. See, they're so soft and their wings are so pretty. Even the way their antenna move about is elegant. But in the end, they really do look just like bugs. Does the Emperor shape himself into a bug? I've always seen him as a deer. Why does he have his fairies shaped like bugs? He should at least shape them like himself, so they could be proper representatives of his majestic appearance."

Jin was nodding as she said this, feeling that her words were very sensible. He'd never shaped himself into a bug, as that was far too lowly. Perhaps as a beast of the mountain, it was fine for them to look like bugs but now…

When Jin turned his eyes on his fairies, they all felt a shiver run through their bodies.

Mrs, Lady, what did we ever do to you!?