Song of Adolescence

The snow was getting heavier and soon, a soft layer of snow began to cover the corpses on the street. This tumultuous night had finally subsided into peace. But, with all the corpses everywhere, and the flutter of falling snow, the night appeared all the more lonely and cold.

"It's finally over." Lei Wujie exhaled a deep sigh.

Ye Ruoyi sighed with him. "So many have died. This night is finally over."

But, in the courtyard, there was still somebody who was standing there silently.

The ghost doctor was dead, Su Changhe was dead, and even the one who plotted everything, Xiao Yu, was dead. But, he was still standing there whole and unscathed, occasionally looking at the sky, sometimes looking at the ground, as if everything that had happened had nothing to do with him.

Luo Qingyang carried the unconscious Lady Consort Xuan in his arms. "Wuxin, we will wait three days for you in the temple outside the city."

Wuxin nodded and said, "I'll leave Mother in Mister Luo's care."

Luo Qingyang turned around and with Lady Consort Xuan in his arms, he swept out of the compound and left in the direction of the city gates.

Xiao Se looked at Grand Eunuch Jin Xuan and asked slowly, "I'm curious, Grand Eunuch, what have you been looking at this whole time?"

Jin Xuan seemed to come back to himself only when he heard Xiao Se. He pointed a finger and waved it lightly. "I hear horses approaching."

Everyone was startled, and they heightened their alert to listen carefully. Sure enough, they heard the sound of horseshoes clustered together and coming closer and closer.

Was it another ambush?

That was Ye Ruoyi's first thought, and the same thought crossed the others' minds.

But Xiao Se shook his head. People who worked for a person like Xiao Yu might follow him when he was alive, but once he was dead, very few would be willing to risk their lives for him.

Long Ye walked to Jin Xuan's side and whispered, "Shifu, what should we do?"

Few people knew that Long Ye was actually Jin Xuan's disciple, and even in the Red Prince Residence, not many people were aware. Because he always stuck on a fake moustache and pretended to be a normal person.

Jin Xuan shrugged. "Wait and see."

The sound of horseshoes were coming closer and closer. Everyone's heart tightened again and they clenched the weapons in their hands. Suddenly, a horse neighed, and right outside the door, something that sounded like heavy armour dropped onto the ground.

"Your Highness, you could release the arrows and set this entire place on fire on the grounds that there are rebels inside. In order to prevent the evil demons from getting out, none of the people inside can be spared," the blindfolded counsellor suggested in a solemn voice.

Xiao Chong looked at the corpses that covered the entire street, and shook his head after a long time. "Too many people have died tonight."

The counsellor reminded, "This is Your Highness's best chance. And your last chance."

"If I were to become the emperor by doing this, then the word 'white' in my title, the White Prince, would have long been stained with blood." Xiao Chong did not hesitate any more. He brought his heavily-armoured soldiers with him and walked inside. Just as he stepped through the door, he was horrified by the scene in front of him. His soldiers almost instinctively drew their long swords.

When they saw it was Xiao Chong, Lei Wujie breathed a sigh of relief, but Ye Ruoyi looked nervous and whispered, "Don't let down your guard."

Xiao Chong looked around and finally looked at Xiao Se. "Did you end all this?"

Xiao Se shook his head. "Everyone here did their parts."

Xiao Chong sighed. "Indeed, none of us brothers are as good as you. Even after resorting to this, Xiao Yu still failed to kill you."

Xiao Se chuckled. "Maybe I have a slightly better fate."

Wuxin clasped his palms together and whispered Buddha's name. "Greetings to this benefactor. What can we do for you here?"

"You've awakened?" A thick voice sounded.

Wuxin raised his head and saw Yan Zhantian sitting on the roof eaves. He hurriedly bowed in respect. "Oh? Isn't this the big demon head, Yan Zhantian, who almost killed me back then?"

Ye Ruoyi thought to herself, "this is bad." Yan Zhantian could hold off Xie Xuan, and Jin Xuan could fight against Wuxin. Then, the completely uninjured Xiao Chong could lead his heavily-armoured soldiers to wipe out everyone else in this courtyard.

However, Xiao Chong merely leaned over and used his hand to brush over Xiao Yu's opened eyes, closing them forever as he sighed. "Lao-Qi's obsession was too deep."

"Are you here to lay him to rest?" Xiao Se asked. f𝘳𝚎𝑒𝚠𝑒𝚋𝘯o𝘃eƖ.co𝓂

Xiao Chong straightened, his expression solemn, and he announced loudly, "Grand Eunuch Jin Xuan, Yong'an Prince Xiao Chuhe. His Majesty summons you to enter the palace immediately!"

Everyone was surprised. Even Xiao Se's expression flickered. "Father is awake?"

"Thanks to the genius doctor Hua Jin's treatments, Father's poison has been neutralised." Xiao Chong stood up and walked to the door. "Let's go. I'm afraid Father can't wait much longer."

Xiao Se could hear the hidden meaning in Xiao Chong's words and he felt his heart clench. He turned and told the others, "I'll head to the imperial palace. Wait for me here."

Wuxin patted Xiao Se on his shoulder and glanced at Jin Xuan. "Aren't you worried? You're going to be travelling with a vicious wolf."

Xiao Se ignored his words but leaned in to whisper in his ear, "Protect everyone here."

Wuxin grinned. "Leave everything to me."

Lei Wujie stood up. "I'm going with you."

Xiao Se frowned and looked at him. "How? Do you expect me to carry you?"

Xiao Chong interrupted them, "His Majesty only summoned the Grand Eunuch and lao-Liu. I will have to wait outside the palace too."

"I'm off." Xiao Se waved a hand and walked right out the door.

Lei Wujie chuckled bitterly. "What do you guys think? When we see him again, do you think he'll be the next emperor?"

Ye Ruoyi watched Xiao Se's retreating back and had a thought. "Actually, I think he'd already made his choice a long time ago."

On the horse carriage, Jin Xuan and Xiao Se were sitting facing each other, completely silent.

After a long time, Xiao Se finally asked, "I'm guessing you were sent by my imperial father."

"You're very clever," Jin Xuan's answer was blunt.

Xiao Se pulled open the curtain in the carriage and looked in the direction of the palace gates. "I know very well what kind of person my imperial father is. He wouldn't let the people of this city fight openly and manoeuvre covertly. And if he was sick and confined to his bed, he would definitely leave his own chess piece in play."

"That's right. I've followed His Majesty for decades yet I've never figured out what he's thinking," Jin Xuan said faintly.

Xiao Se didn't say any more. He released the curtain and closed his eyes to rest and recover his energy.

The horse carriage arrived at the palace gates and everyone stepped off. As Xiao Chong stated, he waited outside the palace gates and did not enter. Jin Xuan and Xiao Se walked into the palace and saw the person waiting to escort them.

The Golden Lanyue Marquis.

Lanyue Marquis looked a little tired and he walked over to pat Xiao Se's shoulder. "I heard the chaos and calamity in the city has been pacified. I'm guessing you were the one who solved the problem. As your huang-shu, I'm glad I was right about you."

Xiao Se shook his head. "I couldn't have done it alone."

"Now's not the time to talk. We need to hurry to the Hall of Supreme Peace." Lanyue Marquis sent Jin Xuan a cold glare as he turned around.

Xiao Se said in confusion, "Didn't they say Father is already out of danger? Why are we in such a hurry?"

Lanyue Marquis sighed softly and walked straight ahead without speaking.