"Marry a demon?" Teacher Jun watched Prince Dwei closely. His small but sharp eyes seemed to blend into the shadows of the long hat above his head. His thin lips seemed to blend into his slightly tanned skin. "Why do you ask such a question, Prince? I'm sure you know what the palace rules are like."
"And I'm sure you know the answer too." Prince Dwei sat upright in his place, with a closed book, as if to explain that he did not want to receive any lessons. But unfortunately, he was exploring a study, an ambiguous and deep study. "You know exactly what the answer is."
Teacher Jun cleared his throat. "After Emperor Gui's reign ended, the regulations regarding the slaughter of demons were officially abolished. But that doesn't mean the empire has accepted and welcomed the presence of the demons. They still create a huge bulkhead, although it is not very visible.
It seemed like it was one of the ways that the current empire could serve as the new ruler without too much trouble. Because they know that demons can sometimes be very profitable, especially with their magic and supernatural skills. However, still, giving full trust to the demons is still strictly prohibited until now.
It's not even permissible to grant an imperial job to a demon, Prince. Therefore, I am anxious if I can give a satisfactory answer to the question you have just asked me. Because my answer will not please you."
"That means I won't be able to marry a demon?" Prince Dwei's eyes were red and irritated.
"As a crown prince, the chances of it being realized are very small, or maybe not even possible. However, if some special things are applied, you might be able to make her a concubine."
"I don't want to make her a concubine. I don't want to have a concubine. I don't need them. I just want to marry a woman I love, who will walk with me and love me until we die. I just need someone, and that's inviolable."
"Being a crown prince doesn't mean you only have to think about your own life and interests, or the interests of those in the palace. But you have to think about the interests of your people. And sadly, to do that you can't just use your two hands, Prince. You still need help, not only from the internal sphere of the empire but very possibly from other empires.
Marrying a daughter of an emperor or noble who has strong power and influence, will benefit your position as well as protect your people even better. Even to choose a concubine, you should look at their family background, for the sake of politics and power."
"That's why I hate palace life," Prince Dwei said with a very serious face. "Because the people here are too fake, too crowded with politics and power issues. It's too hard for me to breathe, and I want to breathe. I want to live with the girl I love before I can't do that.
My life here is very empty. My parents even seemed to have a barrier when they loved me. And I don't want this to happen to my children one day. I envy my friends who can joke with their parents. I envy my friends who can freely go anywhere, and are free to do anything."
"A big responsibility is always accompanied by a big challenge, Prince. Didn't you say you wanted to save the lives of the people who were suffering and desperate? Don't you want to create a better imperial revolution?"
"I will only be able to do it if I marry the girl I love. People say love is an antidote to wounds. And I just realized what that meant."
"Bringing a demon into consort won't happen, Prince. Even though she was the daughter of the most powerful demon king on earth. She will only be able to become a concubine, before she can have that position there will be a shock from various parties at various levels of imperial. You carry an enormous responsibility, Prince, so I beg you to always be careful with your decisions."
"Then what if…" Prince Dwei looked up, his eyes almost teary. Now his throat was constricted as if struck by a painful reality. He would not be able to marry Ying Hua. "What if I keep her as my empress and my only wife? What if I relinquish the title of crown prince?"
"Releasing a position means bequeathing power to someone else. The question is, is that person worthy and capable of doing it?"
"Gui Bei can do it."
"Then what about his family? What about the neighborhood where he lives? Will that guarantee that he can carry on the empire well?" Teacher Jun took a deep breath when he saw Prince Dwei fall silent. "When an emperor does not have full power over the imperial, then he will only become a puppet emperor, who has no influence whatsoever on the imperial system. You must know how the Gui Family side held the reign in the past. You certainly know why they were removed.
Prince, this is not a trivial matter. Many lives will be sacrificed if you step down from your position as crown prince. So I beg you, think carefully!"
"I just want to live happily! I just want to live like an ordinary noble!" Prince Dwei got up from his seat and then left Teacher Jun without any intention of taking the textbook that was left on the table.
Teacher Jun got up to pay his respects, with a bowed body very polite and dignified. After the sound of the footsteps of Prince Dwei and his followers disappeared, Teacher Jun straightened his back and watched the prince leave.
"I never thought that things would turn out like this." He then looked up into the sky, looking at the clouds that were curling up in the wind. The sun was shining very bright and dazzling, which now spread warmth throughout the empire.
Teacher Jun secretly found a spot in the sky, after parting the veil from layer upon layer of complex air. Now, in front of him, it seemed as if the galaxy and universe revolved, as well as various stars orbiting spectacularly. "Will I be able to see the future of the Prince with that stealth?" he whispered and began to focus his eyes as if he was fortune telling something.
…
It was late. Ying Hua had already managed to restore her strength, after being helped by Skeleton Crow and Old Man Mo. Now she went back to the Qing Palace, with them.
"If I don't get the energy reward after this, then I won't be willing to help," said Skeleton Crow casually, which could improbably and tremendously defeat the yellow-winged bird.
"If you don't want to help, then go!" expelled Old Man Mo. "Aren't you strong enough already? You can defeat the yellow-winged bird that has sucked up Princess Ying's energy. I suspect that you are a very strong demon, who became a spy because someone sent you. Who sent you?" He coughed as he finished shouting, causing Ying Hua to interrupt them.
"Just stop it Old Man Mo! We should thank Skeleton Crows for saving us."
"You heard that?" said Skeleton Crow in annoyance. "You should have listened to Ying the Eight Wolf."
Now they had arrived in front of the Qing Palace, already standing not far from the gate with an invisible transparent body. Not far from them stood a grumpy banyan tree.
"I will wait until you guys can enter," said Skeleton Crow. "I'm still busy looking for female birds. But, yeah, what can you do without me?" he said proudly. "Go! Some powerful ghosts will appear soon."
Ying Hua and Old Man Mo left Skeleton Crow, to wait at a large tree not far from the palace walls. Then there were several statues and buildings standing not far from it.
They waited until midnight came. That's when the ghosts came out of their hiding. Their bodies floated in various forms that were sinister. Some of them appeared to be covered in blood and with dirty and torn clothes. Some of them looked very elegant but very pale-skinned. Some of them resemble sacred animals, and some of them have unusual shapes, such as horns, one leg, and also a long tongue.
A ghost with a red aura seemed to be hovering around a statue in the shape of a woman. The statue was cracked and nearly broken. From the ghost came the sound of crying that never stopped.
"It's a vengeful ghost," Ying Hua whispered. "The most powerful ghost here."
"But her aura is still too weak, Princess. I'm sure they have a leader, who has a big body."
Ying Hua was silent, but she was looking. It was then that she saw a leg full of ulcers sticking out of the trunk of a large tree not far from where they were standing. Seeing that, she immediately approached it.
"O a dweller of the huge tree! Do you want to help me? I will grant your one wish, which was not granted while you were alive. I know, you were a human who had to die because you were killed. You have a very big grudge, but also have a lot of remorse for something. I will help you to make your regret disappear. I will help you so that your spirit can rest in peace."
There was a rumbling from the tree, which sounded like an echo in a very large cave. "For what I do it? If being the leader of the ghosts has earned me respect?"
Suddenly a shattered face covered in blood appeared behind the big tree. His neck was very long, and his eyes were as red as embers. He grimaced, with his lips touching his ears.
"I won't help you," he said again, making Old Man Mo and Ying Hua stand up anxiously.
"Now who are we going to ask for help, Princess?" Old Man Mo whispered.
***