Faithful Heart (Flesh of my Flesh...Blood of my Blood 2)

Chapter 29

Author's note; I plan on updating once a week from now on as I gather my thoughts for the next few chapters. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Rated: 18+ for adult themes, sexual content.

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"Kittling, your Uncle Bai Xuan saw you fighting during the battle against the Ghost Realm at Roushi Riverbank and heard the recount from the soldiers that survived it, you did extremely well. Your Bing Cang ceremony is coming up and will be hosted after you successfully pass the Imperial Examinations." Bai Zhen said as he was served breakfast

Feng Jiu stared at her Uncle in astonishment. "What? This was plan in advance?"

"Of course. Lord Father thought it appropriate for you to study and pass exams in the Nine Heavens. Your Lord Husband agreed and signed you up."

"The whole lot of you have signed me up for torture. Do you know how much I will have to memorized and study?" Feng Jiu groused.

"Of course, I know. I also had to write the exams." Bai Zhen reminded Feng Jiu sternly.

"I will not allow this. I am calling my solicitors and taking you all to court for this." Feng Jiu threatened.

"You brought this on yourself, Xioa Jiu. You wanted to marry Donghua Dijun and this brough on responsibilities as a married member of the family. I also will study for the exams now." Bai Quian said as she shrugged and placed a hand underneath her chin.

"I was expecting responsibilities, I knew there would be a price to pay for marrying Donghua Dijun... but those bloody exams. It is too much."

Bai Quian rolled her eyes. "These exams are actually the price to pay for becoming Queen of the Eastern Lands. Your marriage to Dijun seems to only come with perks."

Feng Jiu looked at her hands at these words. No, her marriage to Donghua was a transgression, they where both sinners and she would have to pay the price for having loved him. Already she was suffering through Donghua's sterility, he might never give her the children she so desperately wanted from him. But this pain was not enough to pay for the happiness they had achieve together, blood would have to spill for that price to paid in full.

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Feng Jiu washed her hair under the lukewarm water, rinsing away the rose coconut soap she had lather into it before stepping out of the shower to brush her teeth. After she dried herself in a fluffy white towel, she opened a pot of rose scented body cream and smoothed the cream all over her body until it absorbed. She had been studying for three months straight, getting up early to do yoga and meditate before shutting herself away in her quarters to study until she felt her brain would drip out from her ears.

About two days ago she had received two mock exams that Donghua had written for her and after she had written the answers, he had looked them over, they were not perfect, but she was close. Picking up the small silver mirror with a red tassel by her bedside table, Feng Jiu pulsed magic into it and saw it light up. "Husband, I need to pick up something from our bedroom, bring down the shields, please."

"Very well." Came the reply without any image to accompany his voice.

Feng Jiu walked out of her room and saw the purple shields come down allowing her to walk past them into the hallways that led to her chambers with Dijun. It was rather late in the night and only some maids where about completing nightly task and would later retire to bed during the day. Tai Chen Summer Palace had never been built with the idea that Donghua Dijun would one day marry or keep a harem, as such his quarters and the guest rooms where far apart separated by a large courtyard and parlour. It took Feng Jiu a good two minutes to walk to his chambers but when she reached them the shields where down and the door swung open before she reached for the knob. Donghua greeted her smelling fresh from a shower, with his hair down and dressed in a white silk robe, his feet bare. Feng Jiu only saw him briefly during meals before going back to studying and later falling asleep from exhaustion.