His Majesty sat silently watching the rain drops into the lutos leaves. He is waiting for someone, and that someone meant everything to him. He is not just a loyal subject but also a comrade and a brother.
"Though something happened that made a wall for the two of us. . for the sake that we were once a friend. .Im going to break those walls and start again.!" He thought bitterly.
Then he remember the girl from the other day. She looked exactly like her little sister when she was still alive. Brave and mischievous in her own little way.
The way she smiled and lied were exactly the same ."Chun"er. ." He said bitterly, while thinking his late sister."she is exactly like you. .she looks down everytime she lied. .and"
He suddenly remember that one of his son do exactly the same. That son is the fifth but commonly known as "third" prince.
He shook his head, he think of it as a coincidence.
He look arround and in the distance he saw a man walking fast towards him. He was once a handsome young man, with a thick brows and an expressive grey eyes, not dull one but perhaps, they were the grey of the last ashes on a fire. .
A thin line of lips that gives an authoritative aura. .a facial features that has a very good sense of humour.
But now he seems to aged too much, he frowned most of the time and seem to forget how to laughed.
just like him. ."yes. .indeed, we are old and forgotten"
"Brother I never ask anything from you..just this one please!" He remembered his little sister begged him to grant her wish to be married with this young general. She was supposed to be sent as tribute in a neighboring country but she was too stubborn to submit.
That time no matter how he turn her down she was still persistent. She even threaten him to end her life.
"I could not take her your Majesty. .I already promise to someone else"
The young general once told, He was bold enough to reject him, but thinking of it by now it was supposed to be a very wise decission. .atleast her sister would still be alive by now.
What really scared him was watching his little sister living like dead. She was truely smitten by that young general.
Even though those two fools never get a chance to see each other, his fool little sister was already contented by watching him from afar and blushed everytime they meet their eyes. .two stupid fools!
He was turn between the love for her sister and affection for his friend. Then he dicided to change the fate of the two most important people in his life by joining them in unexpected marriage.
"Greetings huángshang!" He kneel down before his Majesty cupping one hand in other before his chest and bow down his head into the ground. "wànsuì, wànsuì, wànwànsuì !"
He was brought back into the present when he heard a famillar voice.
The great young general he remembered is here in front of him now, even though he is no longer a general but still, he holds a very important position not only in his life but also in his sovereign. .
He is one of his hands. .Duke Yan Wu or known as Prime Minister Yan.
He saw him kneeling and giving him a courtesy he did not even deserved.
"No need for such courtesy. .there is no one else in here"
"Thank you. .huángshang!"
Prime Minister Yan sat heavily opposite to him, he looked rather tired and exhausted.
"Did you still blame me for what I did?"
Duke Yan looked at him, uncertain and surprised. It was probably a very harsh question or perhaps he just touch a very sensitive spots that both of them were trying hard to hide and avoided for so long.
This is after all their unofficial meeting.
"I understand. .you might as well, never forgive me for what I"ve done"
Duke Yan smiled."I never blame you for anything. .and I will never forgive you!"
He cough. .almost choked from his tea. He put the gla.s.s down and look away.
"I understand. ."
"You never understand. .Chun"er was very special to both of us we grew up together. .how could you do such things to her? You knew that she deserved someone better than me!"
He clenched his hands. "You fool!" he almost shouted at him. "You clearly loved her so why would you keep on tormenting yourself?"
"If you called me just to talked about the past. It would be better if I leave.!"
"You fool!" This time he already lost his temper. He stand while Duke Yan already stood in his ground. When the guards heard his Majesty"s voice they came rushing.
"Stay back!"
They said in chorus. Then both of them started exchanging punch. Even though Duke Yan was mad still he was careful not to hurt his Majesty.
"Why are you holding back? Come on.!"
Right after he said it Duke Yan gives him an upper cut that makes him sleep for a while.
"Ouch. !That was hurt, you fool!" He said when he walked up. .he was touching his jaw.
"I should have done that long ago. .I feel relieved now" Duke Yan smiled.
"You never change afterall. !"
"You too, I supposed!"
They both laughed. For them it was like, reminiscing the old times, when they fought they will make up right after. He understand his majesty better than anyone.
He is already with him long before he become a crown prince and later sit on his throne.
"The truth is I never blame you for anything. Chun"er was such a virtuous wife and we were happy together and it was really hard for me after she was gone."
Duke Yan"s voice crooked from holding himself. .
"I said I never forgive you because there was nothing to be forgiven. .you never done anything wrong. it was me. ! Its me who should not be forgiven.!" He almost sob.
Now, his Majesty understood why he keeps his distance away from him for a long time.
He felt guilty.This fool thought it was all his fault when he clearly knew I was the one who arranged it. That night. .that very night made them of what they were before chun"er pa.s.sed away.
That night that change everything. .but he never regretted whatever happend that night.
He heard that Yan Wu was about to get married on the next day. .and her sister will be send far to be a tribute.so he planned everything for their unexpected union.
On that very night, he arranged someone to set them up in one room, with out their knowledge. They woke up the next day with the furious sight of Yan Tàihòu. .their royal mother and Yan Wu"s faternal aunt.
They got married on that day and found out later that they had been tricked.
"It was all over. .lets move on."
"Holding on to it makes us both look stupid. .I admit being with Chun"er was the happiest days of my life. If I knew she was not supposed to have a child I should not have. . ."
"Stop. !"
Duke Yan look at him in confusion.
"Lets not talk about Chun"er. .there is another one I want to ask you"
"Im sure you will not ask me to marry one of your daughter. .
His majesty laugh out loud.
"I never though of replacing my sister in your heart and beside you already have many women to worried about."
"Thats a relief. !" He sighed.
"I am talking about your daughter. .Ye"er!"
"By any chance did she. . ?"
"Not what you think. . she was with me yesterday. .I happend to run on her. . " and she save me. .he almost muttered but stop himself.
He was certain that her fighting skills was beyond her father"s knowledge or else why would she disguised herself into a gōngzǐ!
"What? How did you know she was my daughter?"
He smiled. "You never pay much attention to your household, do you?"
"You been keeping me here how could I do my duty in my Manor?" The old minister murmured under his breath.
"Don"t make me as an excuse. ! I know you been keeping a distance away from your daughter. .now that she grow up somehow she looks exactly like her mother!" He paused and sighed. "I knew. .she"s only a painful reminder of your beloved wife . . that, I understand."
"Don"t beat arround the bush!" Duke Yan said dryly.
"She will decide who will be my successor"
"Don"t be rediculous!" Duke Yan protested. "How could a child decides who will sit on that d.a.m.n throne?"
There"s a female star that born under your rolling star. .find her, she will be a future queen. .she will choose your successors for history will repeat once more. .Grand tutor He, once told him.
He is probably the oldest man in the kingdom, with no family on his own. Hes been here for three generations, the oldest in Yan clan, and there"s humor that he is waiting for someone to come back.
"I still believed what the prophecy said. .I already investigated it, the day the star showed up under mine, was the day your daughter was born"
"I have many daughters" Duke Yan said difiantly, frowning.
"You know what she asked me?" He asked ignoring him.
"What?" Duke Yan"s raised his brows that almost meets in between.
"She asked me to marry her to one of my sons"
Duke Yan laughed."it must be a child joke!"
"A joke that I had to considered, since I asked!"
"You"re too old for that nonsense. .
"Whatever you think it was. .just make sure she will not meet any of my son in the following days."
"What do you mean. ?"
"Whoever she chooses to be with, he will be my successor.!"
"Nonsense. .
"Make sure to send her here tomorrow, Quitely!" His Majesty said ignoring his protest.
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Note:
Yan Tàihòu - Empress dowager Yan