A/N: Really sorry for taking two months, I guess I'm lazy besides I didn't know what to write. Thank you to the four people who reviewed and everyone else for reading.

I also made a couple changes to the first chapter, mainly spelling mistakes and editing a couple of paragraphs that seemed to skip and didn't make sense.

Chapter 2

The next day had everyone gathered at Hui Bing Lou, minus Zhi Hua. They picked the time she was with Lao Fo Ye again and rushed out. Needless to say, she was angry when she came back find everyone gone. Lao Fo Ye sighed. Those children keep running out of the palace. She was tired of that behaviour, but was used to it, she had to in the last 5 years. What made her really upset was they had not included Zhi Hua. Before she was upset that everyone took a liking to Xiao Yan Zi and were roped into whatever craziness ensues. She at least was glad Zhi Hua hasn't been roped into it all, not that she expected it due to the circumstances of her marriage and the general dislike of her.

Everyone sat in a guest room of the restaurant. Jin Suo and Liu Qing was sitting on a bed with a 2 and 4-year-old playing on the mattress behind them and a baby in a crib. Everyone else had grabbed chairs and sat in a wide half circle.

The story had been explained amidst a lot of suprised and shocked expressions and comments from everyone. This is one situation they were never prepared for, yet had to deal with. With their track record of making everything impossible happen, they were still pretty apprehensive on what would happen this time around. They had dealt plenty with couples that weren't accepted at first, but none of it involved such a deep feud nor a baby. Well, they had dealt with a baby before, but it was a completely different situation.

One thing everyone agreed on was searching for Xiao Jian. He had to know what was going on. They all concluded that most likely he had to be hanging around Beijing, knowing that he hated having to leave Qing Er behind. He couldn't have let go that easily. What did cross their minds was that he might have wandered around in despair.

If he had stayed in Beijing they drew up a list of places he might have gone, hoping that he wouldn't hide himself. On the other hand, if he had, and was spying around, he would find out they were looking for him and appear.

They planned on splitting into three groups. Er Kang and Zi Wei would go to the old couple's home they had stayed when they had all eloped, Liu Qing and Liu Hong would go to the cabin Zi Wei and Jin Suo had stayed in, and Xiao Yan Zi, Yong Qi, and Qing Er would go to Baiyun Guan, the temple that Xiao Yan Zi had lived as a child. Liu Qing and Jin Suo's children would stay behind in the care of the residents that lived in their old Da Zha Yuan.

Er Kang and Zi Wei was on a horse journeying to the outskirts of the city where Xiao Jian's friends, Lao Ou and his wife Ou Sou had lived. It was good they had remembered the way, the direct path. After their first encounter when Xiao Jian had led the way, albeit a meandering and winding path to escape the Palace soldiers, they had visited them again 3 years ago, in a much more relaxed atmosphere.

Zi Wei looked up behind her.

"I almost can't believe this is happening. Especially with Qing Er. It's like, so unreal. Who would have thought it could happen?"

"Same for me, Zi Wei. Not that we should have anything to say about their actions. Matters of the heart for thousands of years have driven people to all sorts of things. They had also been waiting for 5 years, besides having the most difficulties in getting acceptance."

"That does make sense. They had already been making wedding plans and jumped the gun one passionnate night, unfortunately not knowing they'd get separated again. No one would have known the difference if they had their marriage in Dali or if the palace wedding had actually gone through."

"Anyone might get fed up of waiting someday. Besides, we're almost there."

A couple minutes later, they had tied their horse to a post and walked in the yard, calling out.

"Lao Ou! Ou Sao! Anyone here? Xiao Jian?" Er Kang called out.

"It's us, Zi Wei and Er Kang." Zi Wei added.

A shuffling noise was heard and a door opened and a grey haired old man popped out. "Who's out there? Who came to visit us old heads?" On seeing the guests he widened the door, welcoming them inside. "How long has it been, it's great to see you. It's been what, 2 or 3 years? Where's everyone else or is it just you two?"

They greeted him in return and took the cup of tea that was offered and sat down at the table.

"My wife is at the market. Should be back before half a shichen later. We haven't had visitors in a long time. Even Xiao Jian hadn't visited in months. What brings you over here?"

The one sentence confirmed that Xiao Jian hadn't been here, though there was the off chance that Xiao Jian had asked them to say he wasn't there, but they kicked that far out thought out of their minds. They had a friendly stay, talking about the happenings the past 2 years. They had let him know that they were looking for Xiao Jian without explaining the entire story. It was not a matter to burden them with yet. Ou Sao had just arrived before they left, reminding them that it was time they had to leave.

"Let's hope the others had better luck, don't think he's been here. We're going back to the restaurant. They might already be there." Er Kang hopped back on the horse and then Zi Wei hopped on in front. They waved goodbye to the couple.