CH 46

The Crown Prince has fallen, the throne changes hands

Murong Yan had a lengthy dream.

In the dream, she rode a horse and galloped along a dimly lit forest trail, feeling a lack of the familiar warmth on her back.

Overwhelmed by inexplicable fear and panic, she found herself alone.

『Don’t be afraid.』

『I will protect you.』

An inexplicable yet familiar and reassuring voice echoed from far behind her, urging her to move forward.

Peering past the tightly knotted tree trunks standing guard beside her, she caught a glimpse of a shimmering lake in the distance.

Once again, the voice sounded, gently calling out to her from afar.

『I hate lakes. I just can’t learn to swim.』

It was Ah Qin!

As a sense of unease crept up her spine, the woman’s grip on the reins tightened, and she hastily attempted to maneuver her horse around, determined to locate the figure of her concern.

『Yan Yan, listen to me. Don’t look back.』

Defying the urging voice, she firmly yanked on the reins, turning her mount to face the direction from which she had come.

The inky waters of the lake surged forth from the end of the pitch-black path, sending shivers down her spine and causing a bone-chilling cold to crawl up from her feet and envelop her neck.

Slowly, a dark figure floated and sank on the water, drifting ever closer to her. As she peered closer, she realized with a start that it was the bloodless form of Ming Qin.

It was her Ah Qin.

It was the bright and sunny Ah Qin who represented everything to her.

It was all her fault! All of it!

She shouldn’t have left back then. She should have stayed with Ah Qin!

She should have accompanied Ah Qin on the road to the underworld, instead of leaving the non-swimmer to drift alone in the lake, like this now…

Drowned.

Desperate.

Lonely.

Her Ah Qin.

Murong Yan abruptly opened her eyes in bed, her face contorted with extreme horror. Beads of sweat, the size of beans, dripped from her forehead as she gasped for breath. The disturbing nightmare had been haunting her relentlessly for the past few days, as if it wanted to devour her last trace of sanity.

“Brother! Brother!” Murong Yan shouted loudly outside the tent, but her voice sounded weak.

Murong Can, who was guarding outside, quickly lifted the curtain and walked in. He bent his knees to look at his sister who was struggling to sit up from the bed.

“Brother, did we find anything today?” Murong Yan asked nervously, hesitantly swallowing her saliva.

Murong Can shook his head definitively. “No, Yue’er. We have sent a thousand people to search day and night, but we have found nothing.” He comforted the trembling woman by holding her hand.

Upon hearing the man’s words, Murong Yan breathed a sigh of relief.

Today is the day when the army sets out to march south, and it has been five days since the order was given to search the entire forest and salvage the lake. However, there has been no news indicating Ming Qin’s death, which brings a glimmer of hope to her almost hopeless heart.

Ming Qin said she wouldn’t die.

Ming Qin didn’t lie.

Ming Qin must still be alive.

She has to be alive!

When all of this is over, Ah Qin will come back. She never broke her promises to her.

Murong Yan tightly gripped the hair tie in her hand, kissed it, and silently repeated these words to herself in her heart.

On this night, atop a mountain outside the capital, Murong Yan sat alone at the highest point.

From her vantage point, she could see the lights and commotion of the city below, but she remained indifferent to the tumultuous events taking place there, events that would determine the fate of the throne.

Boiling water emitted the sound of fish bubbles, breaking the silence. The woman, dressed in a red robe, sat elegantly in front of a Go board. Her eyes glanced over the black and white pieces that were already in place, as she poured water into a teapot.

Though feeling exhausted in her body, her mind remained clear.

She had been unable to sleep for these past few days. Not because she was worried about the outcome of the battle, but rather due to the constant invasion of nightmares.

Murong Yan remained composed despite the ongoing power struggles in the city. While she disapproved of her father’s inaction towards the family, she trusted “Prince Yu,” who was entrusted with the defense of the country, and her undefeated brother, General Murong Can.

Moreover, her meticulous planning allowed her to run through dozens of simulations with her family members, ensuring they were always prepared to respond to any situation.

As she glanced at the Go board, black pieces gradually took over the white ones.

Signaling the game’s inevitable end.

While the city below remained in chaos, Murong Yan brewed herself a cup of tea. The shallow brown liquid mixed with white foam, releasing a delightful aroma that filled the small room.

The Crown Prince’s faction had gained control over most of the civil officials, who were corrupt and greedy. However, the country’s strong foundation had prevented its collapse. Despite the people’s anger towards the tyranny, they were unable to resist it.

Fortunately, Prince Yu held the imperial decree and the military seal. He was like the long-awaited sunrise, drawing people towards the light and preparing to capture and execute the dark creatures who fed on rotting flesh.

Observing the white pieces on the board, which were in a hopeless situation, she sipped her tea and casually tossed the remaining few white pieces aside. The sound of the scattered pieces did not affect her serene and indifferent expression.

Finishing her cup of tea, she gazed up at the cloudless sky.

It was a deep black velvet that seemed to crave human attention, studded with shining dots of light.

This game of Go had originally held no significance for Murong Yan.

Murong Yan thought to herself.

Yet she couldn’t help but hope to win, if only for Ah Qin’s sake.

If one day in the future she met Ah Qin, she hope to rest in the warmth of her embrace and proudly tell her that her efforts had not been in vain.

Ah Qin, you have been an excellent shadow guard and can retire with honor.

So, please, take me away.

If…

If I am unable to see you again on the road to the underworld, I will still hold your already cold hand and tell you that our mission has been accomplished, and you needn’t worry anymore.

Ah Qin, come with me, whether it is to the underworld or the cycle of rebirth in the heavens.

Please, do not leave me again this time, okay?

The wooden door creaked slightly, interrupting the woman’s melancholy. A furry big head poked through the door gap. The little tiger, almost half a year old, was already agile and had the prototype of a fierce animal.

It walked gracefully, and its sturdy shoulder bones moved up and down with each step.

“Come here, Tiger,” said Murong Yan, looking at the intruder who had entered without permission. Despite the hidden sorrow in her eyes, she smiled affectionately and stretched out her arms.

Upon hearing the call, the seemingly dignified old tiger couldn’t help but wag its tail, quickly walking towards the woman. It affectionately rubbed its face against Murong Yan’s and then obediently lay down beneath her, serving as both companion and sentinel.

As Murong Yan looked at the beast in this posture, she couldn’t help but recall its owner, and her heart was once again filled with infinite sadness.

She continued stroking the furry head at her feet, lost in thought, as she gazed at the towering city walls.

Throughout the night, she would occasionally take a sip of tea, but for the most part, she was lost in her melancholic thoughts.

With the night slowly giving way to the rising sun, the tiger’s half-closed eyes suddenly widened and shifted towards the direction of the capital.

Murong Yan followed its gaze and refocused her own.

The distant city walls were now adorned with bright red flags, which fluttered like ribbons in the wind, glowing brilliantly in the morning light.

It is done.

The sign of success.

The Crown Prince has fallen, and the throne has changed hands.

The mission, accomplished.

For a brief moment, various emotions flooded her heart, but it was not joy or relief that she felt.

Instead, it was a sense of even greater loneliness and emptiness.

The memory etched in her mind stood still, capturing the moment when Ming Qin gently adjusted the fox fur around her body and made a solemn promise on the day they left the city.

『I will protect you.』

Ah Qin, you have already protected me successfully.

The mission is completed too.

So, hurry up and come to find me just like before.