Chapter 210 - You've Arrived Too Late (5)

"Kneel!" 

Kneel, Feng Huan did it. 

The only thing they couldn't make him do was to hang his head in shame like he committed a crime. Instead, he will lift his head to face the crowd with clarity in his eyes. Those who should be ashamed are those who committed the crime. 

Feng Huan was the last person they brought on stage to kneel. This made him the last person to be executed and his father the first one. 

"Feng Huan… Huan…" 

Feng Huan's clenched fists trembled. He immediately knew who it was that was calling his name so warmly and tenderly. He turned his face to the left where his name was being called, there she was, his mother. 

Her face was already stained with tears as she kept mumbling his name over and over. The tear-stained was from the moment Feng Heng, her husband walked onto the stage, and the fresh tears were when her only son followed shortly afterward. 

When he acknowledged his mother's cry, her mumbling of his name turned into wails. She was doing everything in her power to bypass the soldiers' iron swords to hold her dear baby and protect him in her arms. 

She held strong for her husband and displayed grace that is befitting for Feng Heng, the second-in-commander, but she lost it when her flesh and blood stepped foot onto the execution stage.

Mother… Feng Huan wanted to wipe away her tears and hold her too. 

As if his last wish was granted, a pair of arms appeared next to his mother's side and hugged her tightly into her embrace. She wiped away the tears he wanted to wipe away.

Feng Huan's tense body immediately relaxed seeing the person who granted his voiceless wish. 

Xiong Jingfei, has it been three years since we parted? Seeing you again for the last time brings me back to the time you risk your life for some almonds. 

I thought it was absurd that you will dive for something that can be easily replaced. Although I was sure it didn't show on my face how shocked I was to catch a falling "boy." 

When you asked me to let you go, I didn't mean to drop you on the ground. You gave me another shock, I thought I caught a peeping boy, but it was a mischievous girl. 

Your disguise was the worst but seeing as no one knew you were Xiong Jingfei, Xiong Guozhi's daughter… Forget it, even I didn't know, but I will never admit anything because your nose will be high in the air.

Then I got annoyed when you saw right through me, but I was actually frustrated with myself. Why am I beating myself up for someone who can't love me because of my status? 

It was funny because I didn't cry, but you said the words I was feeling. I haven't shed a single tear since I began my training. 

You will never know that I came looking for you, at the same time and place, but you never appeared again.

Who would have thought that the group I saved will end up being you? You didn't disappoint me when you requested me to give you a sword to fight. 

I thought it would be fun to mess with you, but I didn't know it was you who messed with me.

Xiong Jingfei, the eldest daughter of Xiong Guozhi. The bride-to-be of Yang Zheyan, who is the eldest son of the Right Prime Minister, Yang Chen.

I hated that I was your friend. However, today and at this moment, I am happy that you are my friend.

My very first friend. Thank you for keeping your words. 

You asked me to bring the lotus ring if I ever needed anything from you. It's about time I give it back to you. 

Thank you again, as you fulfilled my wish. Let's become friends again if there is another lifetime, Xiong Jingfei. 

****

Xiong Jingfei held her breath when she saw Feng Huan walk onto the execution stage. She felt sorry that he got dragged into this mess because they were on good terms with her family. 

When she saw Feng Huan's mother's desperate cry for her son, she felt as if she was seeing her mother and it was her on the stage. She hugged his mother and wiped away her tears as it would have been something Feng Huan would have wanted.

Their eyes met but she couldn't shed a tear for Feng Huan. If this was her end, she was going to hold her head up high and leave with a clear mind that she was innocent. 

Am I a terrible friend, Feng Huan? I can't and won't even shed a tear for you today. You are less than five men away from being the next one, and I won't cry for you.

"Feng Huan! Huan, my son!" 

Feng Huan's mother struggled in my arms, so I used whatever strength I had left to hold onto her. I needed more strength than ever when it gets to be Feng Huan's turn. 

"Huan! Huan!" Feng Huan's mother screamed with her might. "Please spare my son! He didn't do anything! Take me, not my son!"

Feng Huan's last look at me broke my heart into a million pieces. I nodded my head that I understood.

A single tear dropped from his eyes as he smiled and mouthed, "I'm sorry." 

As the sword raised into the sky as if worshipping the sun before taking its next victim. I quickly covered Feng Huan's mother's eyes with any remaining strength I had left. She kicked and screamed, but it didn't hurt as much as watching his head roll off the stage.

"My son! Why did you cover my eyes!?"

Feng Huan didn't want you to see him go this way. 

She pushed me away and hugged her son's lifeless body. 

"Let me watch these bastards kill my son! Kill me too! How am I going to live without my husband and son!?"

The next round of execution began and it wasn't surprising that they weren't taking a break after a bloody massacre of more than ten men. 

It was my father's turn. 

"Stop!"

I didn't care who it was that was shouting. 

Then I felt something lightly tapping my red fingers dyed with mixed blood. I don't whose blood it is that is soaking my fingers, it could be all ten of them. 

"I have here the royal decree from his majesty to stop all execution!"

I picked up the item that tapped my finger, then I heard an anguished cry coming from where Feng Heng was the first to be executed. 

"My dear brother! My friend!" 

"Ahhhh!" I screamed, gripping onto the item that tapped me. I wasn't sure if I was crying or screaming at once.

When I heard my prideful father cry for his best friend, that gave me the approval to cry for my only friend.

"No! Kill me! I have nothing to live for now that you killed my husband and son!" 

Feng Huan's mother ran around like a madwoman begging the executioner to kill her, but none of them would even hold their sword to threaten her.

"I said to kill me! You need to do it now, or I can't catch up to them!" 

Feng Huan… Yang Zheyan… I looked up at the person who announced to stop all execution. He was panting and his clothes were a mess, so unlike his tidy self, but his eyes were only on me. 

I hugged the lotus pink jaded ring to my heart and cried some more.

Yang Zheyan, you've arrived too late. If only you were just a second faster then Feng Huan…

I hated myself for blaming Yang Zheyan when I couldn't do anything too, but witness his head fly off. 

Feng Huan, I should be the one saying sorry to you.

I promise you, I will take your grievances with me and get them for you.