"Just forget everything I said."Feng did not dare face him, his pupils perceiving themselves elsewhere. Xiao Chen scantly took this to heart; he had not a sufficient amount of will to tend to whatnot.
General Jin attempted to suspend the silence after such an awkward scenario, but it was ineffective. However, Xiao Chen had just made up his mind to proceed with the report and dismiss the conversation.
"General, we seem to have found something."This catches Feng's attention, but he assays not to turn towards them. This would only raise suspicion further once Xiao had commenced his words, as he knew."A memory from the past, but not what we were entirely searching for."
"What is it?"General Jin catechized him."Feng Ge Cao...he lied about learning it later into his adulthood. He had known it since childhood, and he had forsaken it long ago."
"That's impossible, your royal highness! No child should ever know any kind of sword arts unless taught!"Xiao Chen denied these claims, and he turned in the crooked insignia."By any chance, do you notice something different?"
He eyed the cracked flank and nudged it. It was still freshly damaged, and this left all but a penetrated feeling atop his fingers."Tell me, your royal highness, did you break off a part of this or did it automatically crack off a piece of itself?"Xiao Chen's thoughts were hidden but remained in plain sight."By itself."
The general eyes had bulged out in astonishment, and for a moment he was at a loss for words."It...
resembles a compass?"Feng glances at them for a split second, but eventually gives in."We encountered something and someone."
"Oh, whatever you do, you can't go spreading around this kind of information to us, General Feng! You must report to his majesty this insta—"
There was the loud flapping of a pigeon's wings nearby, and it carried a white envelope, suggesting it must be delivering a letter. Jin then let it lay on his arm, and he carefully opened the envelope. Xiao Chen did not pay too much attention until General Jin started to read it out loud, traversing through the silence caused.
"General Jin Hei Bao. Please await further orders from his majesty once you've received this letter; Her majesty, the empress, has unfortunately passed away. Please, please do not trouble yourself with this matter. All current investigations being held outside the palace walls, including General Feng's, will be suspended from this point on. The emperor has requested his royal highness Wu Xiao Chen's immediate arrival in the morning."
"There must be no delay when the sun dawns upon us. General Feng Luo Xi has not been permitted to enter the palace within the time being, considering he is discerned from the rest of the royal officials. Again, once received, please do not let this bother your daily duties. Reverities are on the rise; we do not want a sudden breach while her majesty's memorial is ongoing. But please, do pay your respects."
"The rest of the generals will have received this by the time this has been read. Long live the Empress!"
In an instant, all the soldiers(excluding the ones in combat), including General Jin, fell to their knees and knelt towards the palace's direction. This also excluded General Feng and Xiao Chen, but they could not help but feel unsettled, so they knelt for themselves.
"LONG LIVE THE EMPRESS!"They exclaimed as loudly as they could, echoing with the rest of the posts' soldiers. Xiao Chen and Feng could only stare in awe; only now did they understand how loyal this city was to its rulers.No matter how far they went, they still truly respected them.
"(Loyalty, huh...I'm guessing this is just how that old bag of bones manages to make it through. He knows his people cares for him more than they ever could with themselves.Bastard.)"
"Your royal highness. Please, take a rest now. You will have to depart early in the morning."Feng urged him. He was quite indecisive in the beginning, but in the end, he was forced to go along with the rest of it.
By the time dawn had struck, Xiao Chen was already on his way to the palace entrance. He observed his sword while standing still, still perspicacious about the whole thing. He wasn't certain what to think of his "mother's" death just yet. His knowledge stretched far and wide; his own "sister" was slowly but surely killing her with the tea she had her drink for several years in a row. It's not like this wasn't obvious enough.
However, even if he did speak up, no one would believe him. He had to find a way to get rid of her, or else the emperor would come next."(This bitch...she really ought to suspend the investigation by causing that frail old candy cane's death. Can this get any worse? Absolutely not. But, hm...I'll look into her past...maybe I'll find something that'll get rid of her.)"
"Your royal highness? Please, do come in."
"Ah! Yes, of course. Thank you."
As he marched through the palace court, towards his "mother's" memorial tablet, it was as if there were a thousand eyes who dared peer into his soul. It had him anxious on the spot, but he did not fall back. Instead, he even approached the emperor."Father."He bowed before opening his mouth again."Hopefully, I am not late. Mother has been waiting for me all this time..."
His father no longer felt the need to respond, but he still had to articulate the situation to his son."I'm proud of you, son. You mustn't cry; your mother would be proud of you herself."
"(Proud? She's not even my mother. Why should I cry anyway?)Y-yes father..."He sniffed
ostentatiously. His father then tried to comfort him, apathetically unaware of his son's act.
The rest of the officials could only gossip as much as they wanted to, but little to their incompetence, the crown prince was no longer the once so naive soul they once knew. He was now a two-faced character with more ways than one to rid of those who went against him.
The crown princess could sense this, but she could not easily make a move. lShe had absolutely no idea if it was still him...or someone else entirely. Although, she still saw him as inferior.
After the memorial, all investigations were to be continued in a few days, just to pay respects to the empress. Wu Xiao Chen despised this idea quite literally as it was only holding them back. However, he did earn a chance for himself to dig up something regarding the crown princess. He found out a little something; a very unexpected but pleasant surprise.
Ye Zai shan had arrived that night, dressed in the most concealing of her robes. She knocked on Xiao Chen's chambers, but not before hesitating."Your royal highness. It's Zai shan, could I please come in.
As usual, Xiao Chen looked around before letting her in without making any kind of fuss.
"Your royal highness, I've acquired the information you requested for just earlier."She handed him an old scroll that was written 8 years ago; way back when the crown princess was still a young lass.
"An execution for the Yu family, a rather destitute family...they approved this? Are you fucking with me right now?"
"Not at all, your royal highness. Do you wish to see the rest of the details?"Xiao Chen then tossed the old scroll back to her."Speak."He only menacingly sat by his bedstead, waiting for all the rest." There was a young child...that survived...this."(She's referring to the execution)
"A young child, by the name of?"
"Yu Mufeng.The only child of the Yu family, and the only survivor."
"That's great! Now, let's just find him and arrange—"
"Your royal highness...we can't."
"Is that old bag of bones on the hunt for him? What reason do they even have to hunt him down?"
"That...I was not informed of, your royal highness. Either way, I found something else out."
"You needn't cut off your sentences, just say what you have to say."
"...He despised the previous General Feng. And, up until now...he still does."
"Where did you get this information?..."
"...I am not allowed to leak the informant's name, even to you. Forgive me, your royal highness."
"Doesn't matter who told you. If he does hate both Feng and the rest of the living, breathing,
imperial family then I can't blame him. I'm still part of this crooked family, so I remain in danger."
"Do you have a plan, sire?"
"Not at the moment, but...I have some expectations in mind."
"...Long live his royal highness the crown prince. May his reign be everlasting.!"
Xiao Chen's face has begun to switch.
[To be continued in the next chapter, please be patient for the next one. Thank you for reading.]