Chapter 3

I’ve said so many words that I myself was also a little uncomfortable. I coughed lightly. Looking at Xin Xing’s flushed cheeks and at that very visible two lines of tears, I know I had to add something;

“Xaio Xing, man don’t shed tears easily,” I wiped the tears from his cheeks gently.

“Don’t cry in front of people outside your close relatives, that’s a sign of cowardice, understand?”

When Xin Xing heard this, he was bewildered at first, and then burst into tears, like a child. It made me flustered, I really don’t know what this reaction was for.

“Xiao Xing understands what the master said. The master knows what’s best for Xiao Xing, but Xiao Xing… Xiao Xing will not leave, Xin Xing should not leave the master!” Xin Xing choked up. I lifted my sleeve and wiped his tears casually. I was neither happy nor angry with his words. I can only heave a sigh helplessly.

Alas, my sleeves are soaked.

“So old, yet still acts like a child, so willful.”

Xin Xing smiled mischievously and stuck out his tongue.

Really still a child…

It didn’t take long for the officer sent by the imperial court to arrive. The one who took the lead was not Feng Yin, but an official from the Ministry of Justice. The man stood at the door quite arrogantly, and let the other officers swaggered inside to seal up Prince Xi’s mansion and wreck it.

Destroyed, damaged, and smashed things were everywhere. Many rare treasures that were never seen before were found in the mansion, as well as evidence of so-called colluding with gangs and betraying the country for glory. I saw in the crowd, my mother’s pale and bloodless face, the lines on the corners of her eyes were deeper, and the habitual arrogance in her eyes was now gone, only her teary and desolate, red eyes could be seen.I feared that she cried after hearing the news of father’s death.

Somehow I wasn’t sad, I just wanted to laugh, laugh out loud. Am I sick? And I think it’s very serious. I really am losing my head. The situation is like this and I’m still in the mood to laugh.

It’s cold and humid in the prison where the sun hasn’t been seen for many years. Even rats, cockroaches and other inferior things don’t bother to patronize. There were some withered grasses and a half mat. Xin Xing was curled up on the said mat, sleeping very uneasily, tucking his hands on his bosom, I’m afraid that it’s too cold. Individuals who treat each other as brothers, will surely follow each other even in death’s door.

I smiled and held Xin Xing in my arms. The slightly thin figure was not too heavy. Xin Xing rubbed against my arms, wrapped one arm around my waist, hugged me tightly, and murmured, “Master”. During the process, the icy chain on his wrist was pulled, making a ‘clang’ sound.

After a while, one of my arms became a little warmer, and I looked down and couldn’t help holding my forehead.

Saliva… What kind of dream is he having?

The dense fog obscured my vision, I ran wildly, trying to catch a faint shadow in the depths of the thick fog.  That person turned his head lightly, a faint smile was always on the corner of his mouth, he slightly opened his lips, looked back carelessly, and walked away cheerfully. Still, all in all, it felt so distant to me.

Tired, so tired, it seems that there are thousands of kilograms of heavy things weighing my shoulders. I can’t even move my legs. I can only watch the thin body and the mist drift away.

Don’t go!! Si Ran…….

I woke up in vain and covered my face with both hands. Xin Xing stared at me with a pair of big watery eyes, his gaze full of worry.

“Master, you are crying…”

“Tears?” I frowned and wiped my face, “It’s just a dream, tsk, what was that dream about anyway?”

Xin Xing was silent, and there was an intense emotion in his eyes.

“Master, Xiao Xing will still be master’s servant even in the next life.”

I touched Xin Xing’s fairly soft hair and smiled, “Silly. In the next life, you can be my brother, but with a silly brother like you, you would only give me headaches.”

Xin Xing’s cheeks flushed and he didn’t say anything.

At dawn, all my royal nephews came to say goodbye to me. Prince Yi cried so hard that it looked like he was the one going to be beheaded, instead of me. When the time came, Prince Yi held the prison door with both hands and refused to leave. Finally, he was dragged away by the other royal nephews, and the prison was restored to its previous quietness.

They all have come, all but Feng Yin, who is the most precious Ninety-five supreme.

With the attitude of not wanting to be a starving ghost after death, Xin Xing and I easily ate the last meal sent by the jailer, knelt on the execution platform, and endured the scorching sun in the sky.  The blue veins on our foreheads throbbed. Our heads ached for a while, and those people who are purely looking at the bustling scenario are pointing their fingers and saying unbearable words.

So noisy!

However, I can bear it. As long as I can bear it for this moment, I can get infinite solitude afterwards. Why not?

Look, it’s almost five thirty-five, isn’t it?

Horses hooves galloped down the street where there were not many people. When noon came, I could almost hear the execution happening, and the wooden sign stuck in the back of my neck was thrown to the ground. Waiting for the pain in that moment, the executioner raised his hand, but the knife did not fall.

I raised my eyes. The embroidered golden dragon roared silently on the bright yellow robe in the hot sun. It still blinded my eyes, but I could not avert my gaze.

Everyone knelt down and shouted long live to the Emperor on horseback. I was stunned on the spot.

Is Feng Yin here to personally deliver punishment to me?

“This Emperor had pondered about some things. Since Prince Xiang had also served the country, fought in the South and North, and Prince Xi’s betrayal of the country, Prince Xiang didn’t know anything about it. It counts as both merits and demerits and offsets Prince Xiang’s verdict. Come and untie!”

Between the words, there was a natural domineering spirit. The slightly squinted phoenix eyes looked at me with a little smile.

“Yes! As His Majesty commanded”

The guards loosened all the ropes and handcuffs that bound me, and the people on Xingtai cried and complained of great grievance when they saw that the bustling scene was about to come to an end.

I looked at him in a daze, first confused, then regretful. Later, in gratitude. When I recovered, I kowtowed and thanked him. He turned over and dismounted, offered me his hand, and smiled at the corners of his lips. I was immediately put in a trance.

As soon as I got up, I remembered Xin Xing, and I knelt down again with a ‘plop’, which made Feng Yin frown, “Imperial Uncle, what are you doing?”

“This subordinate has an unkind request. Xiao Xing has been with me since childhood. He has a simple heart. How can he betray the country like my father? This subordinate begs His Majesty to spare Xiao Xing’s life!” I bowed my head and begged respectfully.

“Imperial Uncle, you are embarrassing This Emperor.”

“This subordinate begs His Majesty to spare Xiao Xing’s life.”

“Xiao Xing, Xiao Xing… what’s so good about him,” he muttered in a voice that only I could hear, “Since Imperial Uncle insists on it, I will allow it.”

After instructing the servants, Feng Yin threw the hem of his clothes in a very elegant manner, turned over his horse and galloped away. Everyone’s congratulations to the emperor have not yet been released and I haven’t had the time to thank him yet.

‘Why are you running away so fast?’

I couldn’t help but mutter in my heart.

Looking at Xin Xing who had been loosened, I rushed up to him, wiped his tears and snot with my short sleeves. I was sincerely grateful to Feng Yin. It was not my intention to test Feng Yin’s temperament, and I wouldn’t think of crossing that line again, but I didn’t expect him to agree so quickly.

Translator’s Note

Prince Yi ( it was originally stated as Feng Yi, but I changed it. I was afraid you might confuse him with Feng Yin)=blood-related brother of the Emperor ( Feng Yin ) (might be?)

Ninety-five supreme=Nine, it is called Yang Yao; five, the fifth Yao, refers to the fifth position of the hexagram from the bottom to the top. The Nine and Five Dynasties refer to the position of the emperor in ancient my country. The emperor is the son of heaven, that is, Zhongzheng. The language version ” Easy to Dry “ : “Ninth Five, the flying dragon is in the sky , and it is beneficial to see adults.” Kong Yingdashu : “In the ninth five, the yang energy is prosperous in the sky, so it is said that ‘flying dragon is in the sky’. This natural phenomenon is like The sage has Longde and Fei Teng and occupies the throne.” Later, because of the “Nine Five” refers to the emperor.

Xingtai = Xingtai area was formerly known as Shunde Road and Xingtai Special Area, and is now Xingtai City, Hebei Province. Xingtai City is abbreviated as Xing, formerly known as Xingzhou and Shunde House . In modern times, it was named after Xingtai County. It became a prefecture-level city in 1983. Since 1993, it has jurisdiction over 2 districts and 15 counties, and manages 2 county-level cities.