Rumilie was standing at a vast garden.
He did not stare at the beautiful flowers, nor did at the bright blue sky. His view, did not exist at present. He was turning back to the past, to the previous time.
The time when Xie Wang was still alive.
For him, Xie Wang was more than ordinary master. And he never thought that he was a mere subordinate. No. For him, their relationship was more than that. A strong emotional bond existed between them. And he was sure, Xie Wang also had the same thought.
Since childhood, he was placed as a lowly servant at Dali Palace. He was always insulted and even bullied by his seniors. Even one day, he was forced to stick his face into a large jar, and at that time he was almost out of breath, almost died...
"What are you doing there?!"
Those who were bullying the little Rumilie immediately knelt down, trembling. Before them, Xie Wang glaring sharply. "Your Highness..."
"Why do you oppress him in such a way?!" Xie Wang asked.
"That... we are just kidding, Prince... hehe..." And because they did not dare to face Xie Wang's anger any longer, they all fled in an instant.
Xie Wang turned his gaze, looking at Rumilie who was busy catching his breath with difficulty. His face was wet with water, and so was his hair.
"Why did they bully you?" Xie Wang asked.
Rumilie stammered. "That's ... because they found a lot of strange animals in my desk drawer... and they accused me of jinxing them..."
"Did you really jinx them?"
Rumilie shook his head slowly. "Even if I really want to... but I won't, because I can't do that! I haven't reached that level yet!..."
"Then it means, you can?"
Rumilie was stunned. "I..."
"No problem, just tell the truth. I won't get angry with you."
Xie Wang smiled. His smile somehow looked like an angelic smile in Rumilie's eyes. His fear immediately disappeared, he did not stammer anymore, "I really like alchemy. Science of herbs, spiritual knowledge... something like that."
"And also the alchemy for occult things?"
They continued chatting. And their relationship was more and more closer. Rumilie was deeply moved as he found that Xie Wang appreciated him so much. The prince really liked his vast knowledge and intelligence. He was promoted, he was no longer a lowly servant, but directly became Xie Wang's personal assistant.
"Rumilie, you are truly my best assistant. Such a big delight for me to recognize you," Xie Wang said seriously. At that time, they were walking along the flower garden in Mount Laojun at dusk.
Rumilie lowered his head spontaneously. "It's my big honor to receive praise from Your Highness."
"That's right. You are really a unique person. Because... somehow... your existence makes me so happy..."
The dusk sun shone on Xie Wang's face as he stared at Rumilie and said that.
Rumilie was astonished. "Your Highness..."
"Thank you very much, Rumilie, for becoming the best partner of all my life."
Xie Wang smiled. Slowly, he approached Rumilie's hand. And then, grasped it.
He grasped it tightly and warmly.
Tears shimmered in Rumilie's eyes. He said hoarsely, "Your Highness... I... I am also very... grateful for your kindness, thank you Your Highness... for appreciating me..."
A drop of tear fell down, wet Rumilie's eyes. It was the tear that brought him back to the present. His eyes had already been filled with tears when he looked at the bunch of roses in front of him.
"Your Highness... why do you leave me so quickly... I am not ready to accept your departure... I can't let you go, Your Highness... I still need you..."
He pushed his trembling hand to hold a rose stalk. The rose thorns soon wounded his hand. Blood fell, dripped down his wrist.
But Rumilie had been truly absorbed in sadness. He did not care anymore about the pain that was actually so hurtful for him. He even let the blood keep flowing down more and more, which now wet the sleeves of his clothes.
"Sir Rumilie!"
Rumilie gasped. His eyes stared at Wan Ya who had been standing in front of him.
Wan Ya screamed in surprise as he looked at Rumilie's wrist which was covered in blood. "Sir Rumilie! My Heaven... why does your hand get hurt like that?!?"
Rumilie took his hand away from the rose stalk. He forced a bitter smile. "I was too absorbed in my sorrow for His Highness..."
Wan Ya stared deeply at Rumilie. "Sir Rumilie..."
"Alright, forget about it! The dead person won't be able to live again!" Rumilie waved his hand, trying to be tough. "Miss him all the time is such a useless activity! Only hurting myself!..."
Slowly, Wan Ya stepped forward, approached Rumilie. Then grabbed his hand that was soaked with blood. He groped his pocket, took out a handkerchief, and wrapped Rumilie's wound carefully.
"Sir Rumilie... Am I on your side? I know, I won't deserve to replace His Highness Prince Turgen, but at the very least, I will try my best to make you happy. I promise, Mr. Rumilie! So, I beg you... don't be sad anymore... If you are sad, I will also be very sad..."
Rumilie blinked, staring wistfully at Wan Ya. For a long time.
But then, he smiled. But it was different from his previous bitter smile. It was a smile full of joy.
"Yes... Wan Ya... just like His Highness, you are the most beautiful gift into this life..." He rubbed his eyes. "Thank you very much Wan Ya... for your presence in my life..."
Wan Ya smiled, very wide. He took Rumilie's hand. Then, grasping it tightly.
Rumilie grasped his hands back.
Yes... I won't be sad anymore... Because I have to be strong. For His Highness!
***
"Father!.... Mother!... Uncle!... Auntie!..."
As far as the eye could see, only the scene full of cruelty happened there. The flame flared up and destroyed everything it could devour. The hefty, ruthless men killed anyone they could find, even including elders and children. Bodies fully covered in blood lay everywhere. Moreover, the soldiers also captivated the young girls and boys.
The young Yun was among the captured girls.
"Yun!..." Yun's father screamed, yet he was powerless to help his son, since a soldier had violently cut his stomach.
"Father! Noooooo... Father!!!"
Yun's heart seemed to stop beating. Following her father, her mother also passed away, as a soldier cut off her head ruthlessly.
Yun's eyes were flooded with tears and her gaze was soon blurred. The train which carried her moved faster, all the terrible scenes vanished from her sight in a flash. Suddenly she got dizzy. Maybe she was passed out by then, she did not even know what precisely happened after then.
She just knew that all at once, she had been in a big tent, along with many other captivated women. The soldiers locked all of them in a very wide tent, to molest them one by one. As General Lan Yu had promised, since they had successfully conquered Yunnan, as the reward they could have all the women captivated, and do whatever they wanted to them.
"Don't do that! What the hell will you do?!? Don't do that!!!"
Every woman screamed pitifully as the soldiers ejected their desires. But what else could they do? They could not prevent themselves from being assaulted. They were forced to accept that, this was a gloomy destiny for them to accept.
Don't even ask; although we live on the right path, although it is only a handful of people to be guilty by becoming incompetent leaders, but as the people why we have to accept that dreary consequence. Gao Qing's opinion was very suitable used in such a condition; "War always harms commoners. If their country wins the war, they get nothing, but if their country loses, they are invaded and massacred by the enemy."
"Aaargghh!"
Yun's eyes, which was closed before, immediately opened wide. Big mountains and large ravines stretched out vast in front of her. Yun rubbed her eyes. She took a deep breath. Apparently she had fallen asleep in her meditation.
"Why do I dream it again?..." She sighed. The incident had passed for a long time nonetheless. She indeed used to dream of it before, but the dream had totally vanished recently. Since she joined Rumilie and got a good chance to avenge her resentment, that dream never haunted her anymore.
"That dream reappears since Nayin comes to me so many times..." Yun rubbed his eyes. Her fury towards Hu Nayin soon appeared as Hu Nayin told her that she had become the spouse of the Lord of Kaifeng and even ordered her to submit to them, it really hurt her heart and made a deep scar in her mind. She was so betrayed by Hu Nayin - perhaps it was that feeling which incited the dream to come back and bother her again.
"She said, most of Ming rulers are benevolent? From the cruelty they did when they conquered Yunnan, do they still deserve to be called benevolent rulers?! Nayin... you are really, really a hypocrite. Just for your selfish love, you justify everything your husband does... everything! The Ming rulers are all the same! Just a bunch of people who are greedy for power!... Including you, Nayin!"
Yun supported her dazed head with her palms. "I mustn't be weak... as Master Rumilie said, past trauma will only weaken us... I can't be weepy and keep moaning on it... I have to be strong. F*ck with Nayin... what is important, is I have to be strong!"