CH 8

Minister Jian was a cunning old fox indeed -- Jing Qi had underestimated the man's level of shamelessness. When Jian Sizong finally reacted to what had just happened, he neither hit the pillar nor slammed himself against the wall, neither did he weep nor wail nor strangle himself; his eyes just rolled back, legs stretched, and he fainted on the spot.

Great, there was not a single word, and nothing else could be done at this point.

He Lianyi slightly lifted his face to observe the scene; echoing were Zhao Mingji's outraged curses and the court officials' relentless dispute. After listening for a while, he started to feel a little numb inside; his eyes seemed slightly dull and tired as he raised his head, unconsciously looking up, imitating Wu Xi's movement.

He felt like his eyes were aching terribly; all he wanted to do was to unleash his anger and shout at them "Shut up!". He wanted to slam his hand against the table and raise his voice, "Look at you bunch who called yourself disciples of the great sages and Son-of-Heaven followers -- what kind of jokes have you turned yourself into?". He wanted to say "Drag all of these people who are corrupting the imperial court and that remaining evil creature with poison all over his body from South Xinjiang outside and behead every single one of them!"

Yet he was not able to say anything, nor there was anything he could do. He was just an expendable person who was barely allowed to attend and stand on the side to listen. His title of Crown Prince (1) was just a name with no weight. Let alone actual authority, anything he said would become a laughing stock for others. No extraneous words could be uttered, no wrong step could be taken. Plus, his older brothers were waiting to pull him off his horse like starving tigers. He himself was already walking on thin ice -- how could he afford to take care of other people's affairs? 

He recalled Imperial Preceptor Zhou's lecture about history. Zhou once said that when the dynasty was fallen, the evildoers would present themselves.

The Main Hall had not changed, but the sky of Da Qing was already on the verge of collapsing. 

Witnessing such a farce unfolding in one short day, Jing Qi wanted to laugh, but He Lianyi wanted to cry. Yet, whether one was to laugh or cry, the mood was basically the same.

On the other hand, Wu Xi still calmly knelt at his spot, unusually composed. He did not think that he had done anything wrong, nor did he regret his actions. The man whom everyone addressed as "Da dianxia" (Da = Great; dianxia = Your Highness) pointed finger at him so closely that it almost poked through his nose. He could not understand most of the words that spilled from that man's lips, but he still knew that they were not anything pleasant.

"This one harbored sinister intentions, enough to be executed!"

The meaning behind that statement was to kill him. Wu Xi heard it very clearly. He turned his head to catch a glimpse of the awfully agitated First Prince He Lianzhao, as if he was bearing a deep grudge against him. Wu Xi thought that if he had known sooner that these people would try to kill themselves for such a reason, instead of performing that love spell, he would have made that hairy old man with surname Jian bleed enough to go reunite with his deceased father.

The people from his Wa Sa Clan who lived in South Xinjiang were the most genuine people. They ate when hungry, even if all they had was the bark of a tree and weeds. They slept when sleepy, even if they would have to take the sky as curtains and earth as mats. When they met the person they loved, they would spend their entire life with her, treat her really nicely, and never have a change of heart. When guests of honour came to visit, they would treat them with tasty wine. People from any corner of the world, all could become their brothers. When facing the enemy, there would be no such thing as putting up a hypocritical show of cordiality -- whether there was a valid reason to wage war or not, the act itself would still be the same. Once hatred had been planted in their heart, they would make sure that an eye for an eye and the other party had to pay with his blood. If skinning the person and tearing his tendons apart could alleviate their anger, they would do it without hesitation. If they could not defeat the enemies and were killed by the other party, they still had friends, relatives, and brothers in the clan. As long as there were survivors from their Wa Sa Clan, this grudge would live on and be passed down from generations to generations. 

He had never heard of any man from Wa Sa Clan that were bullied by outsiders and cowardly and resentfully ran away like these Central Plain people who only dared to hold grudges in their hearts; they were no different than a bunch of grass dogs that only dared to dream and salivate on the side while having to wait until the enemy encountered misfortune and were in dire straits  before they could have the nerve to move forward and kick the opponent and swear at them.

He thought that it was wrong for the Grand Sorcerer to tell him to endure quietly. For the sake of of his clan members, it was even more impossible for him to bow down. As the man who was going to represent the Great Deity Qie Xi, if he would have also become the kind that only knew how to fawn on his master, happily wagging his tail and beg, what would his clan members be supposed to do?

It was a very tragic era where prosperity had already begun to show signs of decline, but the heroes still hadn't been full-fledged, and all they could do was to witness these useless wimps show off with their mouths. The feelings of discontent and resentment had been constrained in their hearts from a very young age, driving them to mature during these years, waiting until the day they could unleash their wrath against the entire world and become a destructive force that could crush and sweep away everything. 

Gradually, Jing Qi no longer found this funny anymore. He let out a soft sigh, the feeling of powerlessness as an outsider slightly weighed on his heart. At first, he felt that this little sorcerer from South Xinjiang was somewhat obnoxious: despite being at such a young age, the boy was keen on seeking revenge on the smallest grievances, showing no tolerance for other people. But it was not until this moment when he looked at Wu Xi who was quietly kneeling in the middle of the hall that he realized the boy's eyes were just too dark; they were not wicked, but just filled with obstination. 

With his aloof appearance and piercing stare, he was no different from a tiny, wounded beast that was rendered unmovable, trying to act tough and prideful. 

The first prince He Lianzhao bowed and banged his head hard on the ground, "Imperial Father! This is the sign of turmoil to our nation. If we don't kill this person, I am afraid such decision will demoralize everyone at the imperial court!" 

However, the second prince He Lianqi let out a soft laugh, "Imperial Elder Brother, your remarks are quite saddening. South Xinjiang is the land of barbarians where laws and etiquettes are nonexistent. He is still a little kid who can't even walk without someone holding his hands. Are you implying that if Father Emperor doesn't kill this child as you demanded, he is not caring for his nation and people? That he is destroying the Great Wall with his own hands and demoralizing the officials and ministers at the imperial court?  I wonder... Sirs, which one of you are feeling demoralized?

His gaze shifted to the side. He Lianqi's appearance bore a striking resemblance to his mother, Imperial Concubine Zhuang; the corner of his eye was marked with profound slantedness. When his eyes moved, it provided a feminine and gentle aura. But when he glanced to the side with his feigned smile, it was no longer tender but purely enigmatic and cryptic.

Anyone who had eyes would immediately understand the underlying meaning of these words. These were words that could only be spoken by the imperial golden branches and jade leaves (2), descendants of dragons and phoenixes (3), and for those who did not belong, they'd better shut their mouth up quick.   

Even the great Zhao Mingji who earlier had no other way to continue his life had already muted himself and no longer want to seek death.

He Lianzhao angrily said: "What do you mean by this?"

He Lianqi responded with a cold smile: "I only judge the case as it stands. Imperial Elder Brother, please don't mind it too much. Your little brother doesn't know how to speak eloquently. If I have offended you, I hope you can forgive me."