Mu Qing/Relationships

## Mu Qing

* Manhua
* Donghua

## Heavenly Officials

### Feng Xin

Mu Qing and Feng Xin's relationship is characterized by an unfortunate clash of personalities that causes an unending amount of discord between two people who, when united, make a formidable team. While both are caring and generous, their definitions and expressions of these things differ so greatly as to be unrecognizable to the other.

While Feng Xin is characterized by simplicity and traditional definitions of honor, Mu Qing is the opposite. Feng Xin has difficulty thinking of things beyond a surface level, and Mu Qing constantly second-guesses other people. When Mu Qing asks the other to place himself in his shoes, Feng Xin balks at the idea that circumstances exist that would change his mind on things.

The largest, overarching misunderstanding between them is that Mu Qing misinterprets the degree and nature of how Feng Xin dislikes him, and Feng Xin is unaware of this discrepancy. In Mu Qing's perception, Feng Xin regarding him as a liar, disloyal, and remembering misdeeds he's done, means that Feng Xin hates him deeply and does not care if he lives or dies. Mu Qing feels this so strongly that he does not even bother to plead with Feng Xin to save him.

The truth is that while Feng Xin thinks Mu Qing is dishonest and disloyal, even a bad person, that doesn't mean he wants Mu Qing to die. More crucially, Feng Xin thinks these facts are both obvious and understood. Feng Xin's obliviousness is so strong that even after discovering Mu Qing's feelings towards Xie Lian, he doesn't see that this problem could possibly apply to their relationship as well.

In hindsight, although Feng Xin repeatedly questions Mu Qing's motives and integrity, and might try to convince Xie Lian of his bad character, at no time does he try to kill him or allow him to be killed. He also doesn't tell other people of Mu Qing's perceived misdeeds.

Instead he readily saves him, assists him when injured without being asked, and expresses relief at his safety. This subtlety is most at play during their time in Tonglu Mountain. When Mu Qing's loyalty is questioned, Feng Xin does not say he thinks Mu Qing is working for Jun Wu, he only thinks Mu Qing isn't telling them the whole truth. When Mu Qing is running from them, he doesn't realize the other thinks they would attack him. When Xie Lian seems to be deciding whether or not to save Mu Qing, Feng Xin doesn't say anything because he already knows Xie Lian won't let Mu Qing die. Several times he asks specifically if both of them are okay, and chastises them for endangering themselves.

By the end of the novel, they get along well. Although they continue to argue, Mu Qing is no longer agitated by brooms, and Feng Xin discovers what it's like for an intractable, vicious rumor to be spread no matter what the truth is. Together they check on Xie Lian, trying to get him out of the house and go on a walk. After the main events of the novel, they also work together without issue, helping Xie Lian figure out a birthday present for Hua Cheng and teaming up immediately when Xie Lian has amnesia.

### Xie Lian

His relationship with Xie Lian can be seen as a series of misunderstandings and unfortunate clashes of perspective. Mu Qing, who grew up impoverished, and Xie Lian, who was a prince, have very different outlooks and interpretations of events and interactions.

In Xie Lian's eyes, they were obviously friends when he was the Prince and Mu Qing was his servant. Although Mu Qing  admired Xie Lian and wanted to be his friend, the nature of their dynamic as master and servant complicated this.

As a servant he couldn't voice his real thoughts or truly express his personality; in Xie Lian's memory he was always soft-spoken and well-mannered. Xie Lian was oblivious to this issue, thinking that he treated everyone as equals. Though he had an easier time than Feng Xin understanding how Mu Qing was interpreting something, Xie Lian couldn't see the issues in their own relationship.

An example of this is the missing pearl earring. Due to an offhand comment, Mu Qing thinks the others are accusing him of stealing it. While a pearl earring means nothing to Xie Lian, to Mu Qing being accused of this would result in dire consequences and was affecting their perception of him. This incident is so upsetting that Mu Qing searches for the earring for a year and recognizes it immediately after more than eight hundred years.

To make matters worse, Feng Xin remembers many things Mu Qing has done, leaving Mu Qing certain Feng Xin helped make Xie Lian hate him and that Xie Lian must also remember these things and hold them against him. When their power dynamic is reversed, Mu Qing begins badmouthing Xie Lian, doing so because he thinks Xie Lian despises him deep down. In reality, Xie Lian has almost forgotten the actual events that separated them and doesn't harbor ill-will towards him, often confused by Mu Qing's behavior.

But even with all of that, after 800 years, Mu Qing still admires him and cares deeply for him. He goes to great lengths to protect him, accompanying him on missions as Fu Yao and working seamlessly with Feng Xin when he thinks Hua Cheng has dangerous intentions towards Xie Lian. He is also desperate for Xie Lian to believe that he would never harm any of them. Before Mu Qing risks his life for Xie Lian in Tonglu Mountain, he confesses all those feelings to him and expresses his long-hidden desire of wanting to be friends.

By the end of the book, they've indeed become friends. Mu Qing openly worries about him and visits him several times while Xie Lian waits for Hua Cheng's return. He helps Xie Lian make a present for Hua Cheng's birthday and even pretends to be his servant again when Xie Lian has amnesia.

## Family

### Mother

Although little is known about her or their relationship, it's heavily implied that Mu Qing loved and cared for his mother deeply. After she could no longer earn money with seamstressing, Mu Qing became an errand boy at a young age to support them financially. During the time he was a servant at the Royal Holy Pavilion, he found one of Xie Lian's gold foils that he planned to give to his mother and once he was actually studying cultivation, he would bring his mother fruits from Taicang Mountain whenever he was able to despite being bullied for doing so. One of the factors that let him to ultimately leave Feng Xin and Xie Lian was his desire to take care of his own mother.

## Others

### Mei Nianqing

Mu Qing was one of Mei Nianqing's disciples back in Xianle and has always been disliked by him. Mei Nianqing never wanted to take him as a disciple, seemed to argue that he was weaker than Feng Xin and was quick to accuse him of sabotaging the Heavenly Procession. Although Mei Nianqing still harbors distaste for him in the present, Mu Qing is and always was respectful and obedient towards him.

### Hua Cheng

It is safe to say that Hua Cheng makes it evident that he dislikes Mu Qing. Back during the Xianle War, Hua Cheng, who was a mortal, was a soldier in the army. Xie Lian eventually notices Hua Cheng's talent in the art of the sabre and wishes to make him one of his attendants. Later on in the novel, Mu Qing boots Hua Cheng out of the army, causing Hua Cheng to grow a sense of hatred for him. Hua Cheng believes that Mu Qing had booted him out of the army out of jealousy of his own skill that was recognised by Xie Lian. Mu Qing, however, denies this and states that soldiers who were young commonly faced death and that his intention harboured no ill intent. Despite all this, Hua Cheng still does not believe Mu Qing.

After the fall of Xianle, Hua Cheng was reintroduced as a ghost fire and was found by Xie Lian. He was told by Xie Lian that Mu Qing had left and additionally was present when Mu Qing requested Xie Lian to leave the mountain meant for cultivation alongisde the 33 gods that humiliated Xie Lian. With Xie Lian being his main priority, Hua Cheng's hatred for Mu Qing grew further.

However, by the end of the novel, Hua Cheng surpisingly has a better relationship with both Mu Qing and Feng Xin to the point he asks for help from the both of them in the extra where Xie Lian was sick. This same sort of trust is given both ways, as Xie Lian's safety and happiness is a mutual priority between Mu Qing, Feng Xin and Hua Cheng.

## References

2. ↑ Novel, Book 4, Chapter 187: Cold White Ghost; Warm Words Confounding the Crown Prince
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Novel, Book 5, Chapter 233: Cliffs Hundred Yards High; Thousand Bends Over Lava Falls
4. ↑ Novel, Book 3, Chapter 174: Cave of Ten Thousand Gods; Faces of Ten Thousand Gods Hidden II
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Novel, Book 5, Chapter 235: The Heaven Crossing Bridge; Three Idiots Return to Olden Times
6. ↑ Novel, Book 5, Chapter 232: Adroit Dice; Snake Eyes Rolled Alarming the Heart IV
7. ↑ Novel, Book 5, Chapter 234: Cliffs a Hundred Yards High; A Thousand Bends over Lava Fall II
8. ↑ Novel, Book 5, Chapter 244: By Heaven Official's Blessing No Paths are Bound
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Novel, Book 5, Chapter 243: How My Lord Aches for the Flower; How I Ache for My Lord
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Novel, Extras, Chapter 252: The Ghost King's Birthday
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Novel, Extras, Chapter 246: The Curious Incident of His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince's Memory Having Wandered Away I - Big Huahua Picks Up an Amnesiac Lian
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Novel, Book 4, Chapter 181: Lantern Night; Penny for a Wandering Soul
13. ↑ Novel, Book 1, Chapter 46: Enraged Nan Yang; Fist Fight with Xuan Zhen
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Novel, Book 2, Chapter 61: Lost Red Pearl; Inadvertent Eyes Red with Desire II
15. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 70: Fallen Golden Statue; Boor Buries Suffering Son
16. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 62: Lost Red Pearl; Inadvertent Eyes Red with Desire III
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Novel, Book 2, Chapter 60: Lost Red Pearl; Inadvertent Eyes Red with Desire
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Novel, Book 5, Chapter 229: Adroit Dice; Snake Eyes Rolled Alarming the Heart