"Call him over right this instant." Xie Lian said.
Feng Xin closed the index and middle fingers of his right hand together and pressed
them against his temple, connecting with Mu Qing in the spiritual communication array.
On the other side, Qi Rong clicked his tongue, "So you came out of that remote place
Yong'an? Truly, barren lands produce unruly radicals. Think you can rob the gods just
because you're poor?"
"Then I won't rob," Lang Ying said, "I will pay my respects and worship this god of yours
right now. I will kneel and kowtow and beg him to give me money to save the lives of the
people of my hometown, but will he do so?"
Qi Rong "eh"-ed and muttered mentally thinking this guy wouldn't actually run away with
all the money like it's his right?! Thus he replied, "His Highness the Crown Prince has
become a god now, and gods are busy to death! Who has the time to mind you
radicals?"
Hearing this, Lang Ying nodded slowly, "I didn't think he'd care either. It's not like we
never prayed nor begged, but it didn't work at all. Those who are meant to die will still
die,"
Xie Lian was shaken, and another cultivator shouted, "YOU! TO BE SO
DISRESPECTFUL IN THE HALLS OF GOD, AREN'T YOU AFRAID OF HEAVEN'S
CONVICTIONS!"
However, Lang Ying replied, "It doesn't matter anymore. Convict me if they must. I'm no
longer afraid of not being saved, so why should I be afraid of being convicted?"
Qi Rong gave a wave and a number of guards waiting on the side rushed forward,
surrounded that young man and started beating him down. Feng Xin was still working to
soften their attacks and it only appeared like Lang Ying was being pulverized. However,
he was in a dazed state, not avoiding or evading, and only occasionally raised his
hands to protect the satchel on his back. On the side, Qi Rong grabbed a handful of
melon seeds and munched, shaking his leg, "HIT HIM! HIT HIM HARD IN THE NAME
OF THIS PRINCE!" Truly the very image of a mobster. Hearing him call his own title,
Lang Ying shot his head up, "You're a prince? Prince of what? Do you live in the
palace? Can you meet the king?"
Qi Rong spat, "I'M YOUR GRAND DADDY! You still think you can see the king, don't
you? His majesty's got a million things on his plate, he ain't got time for you!"
Lang Ying twisted his neck and demanded stubbornly, "Why hasn't he got time for me?
The gods don't have time for me and neither does his majesty, then who has time to
hear me? Just who should I go to? Does the king know just how many has died in
Yong'an? Do the people of the royal capital know? If they knew, why would they rather
throw money in the water than giving it to us?"
Qi Rong chuckled coldly, "It's our money, we'll spend it as we will. Even if we use it like
stone to skip it in the water it's nobody's business, so why do we have to give it to you?
What, you've more reason just because you're poor?"
Although that's got logic in its own way, it was incredibly inappropriate for that time and
place. Xie Lian was about to find away to seal Qi Rong's mouth when just then, a black
clad youth appeared in a hurry from just behind the pavilion, "Your Highness sent for
me?"
Xie Lian waved him over, "Mu Qing, come over here quick. In all the prayers you've
received recently have you heard anything about the drought in Yong'an?"
Mu Qing was also taken aback, "No, I haven't heard anything."
Feng Xin blurted in the midst of his task, "How could you not? The refugees have
already escaped here!"
His tone was overly accusatory and Mu Qing stiffened. He replied in a hard voice, "I told
the truth, there really wasn't. Are you trying to say that I'm purposely withholding
information? Well, did you receive anything yourself? I'm on duty at the Temple of the
Crown Prince on odd months, and you're on duty on even months. If there really were
people from Yong'an praying for the end of a drought, there's no reason all the drought
related prayers were sent in on odd months, and you knew nothing."
Feng Xin paused and realized that was certainly the case, "I didn't say you did it on
purpose. You think too much."
Seeming like they were ready to start quarrelling again, Xie Lian gestured a 'pause'
hand signal in annoyance, "Alright, Feng Xin didn't mean anything. Both of you stop this
instant."
The two immediately closed their mouths and stopped fighting. At the same time, Qi
Rong finally got tired of watching his subordinates beat up Lang Ying, and grabbed for a
small pouch to dump all the melon seed shells while saying, "Drag that robbing crook to
the prison and lock him up." The guards acknowledged the command, "Yes sir!" And a
number of them picked up Lang Ying.
"Let's deal with the problem at hand first." Xie Lian said, "Save this man and I'll ask him
about Yong'an properly later."
Mu Qing relaxed his expression and asked cautiously, "Your Highness what do you plan
to do? You can't just casually show yourself."
After ascension, that was one of the rules Xie Lian just couldn't understand. The
heavenly officials said they need to help the common people, yet they all put on airs and
position themselves above mortals, barring themselves from appearing before the
mortals at will, which often restricted him left right and centre, causing much frustration.
Good thing Xie Lian also had a number of ways to get around this, and without blinking,
he raised his hand and pushed. The people standing just ahead noticed the shadows on
the ground shaking and turned around, confused. The next moment, Qi Rong yelled in
horror, "COUSIN CROWN PRINCE–"
Xie Lian had pushed his own divine statue over!
That sword and flower holding, kind and beautiful golden statue swayed back and forth,
then slowly toppled to its side. Qi Rong looked as if he saw his own mother kick off the
stool after hanging herself, his heart bursting, and had lost all mind to care for Lang Ying
as he rushed desperately to grab hold of the leg to that statue, stubbornly trying to keep
it upright, screaming in fright, "WHAT ARE YOU USELESS TRASH ALL WAITING
FOR? HELP ME HOLD HIM UP! DON'T LET COUSIN CROWN PRINCE FALL!! HE
CAN'T FALL!!!"
While he was terrified, Xie Lian passed by him calmly and casually and stepped out of
the hall. Feng Xin and Mu Qing's faces both dropped to the ground. It took a moment
before Feng Xin finally cried, "YOUR HIGHNESS! THAT WAS YOUR OWN DIVINE
STATUE!"
Something like a fallen statue really was a bad omen so it's somewhat of a taboo. A
heavenly official who'd push over his own statue just like that was unheard of, a rarity of
the three realms.
"It's only a large chunk of gold." Xie Lian said, "If I didn't do this their attention wouldn't
shift otherwise. You two go and keep pushing down on that golden statue, don't give
them a chance to leave. I'm going to meet with that man."
Feng Xin and Mu Qing were still speechless and could only obey. They obediently stood
next to that divine statue, each using but a finger to press it down. They only needed to
use that bit of power and it was enough. The ones on the other side holding on had to
use every ounce of their strength and still they could only keep the status quo, their
teeth gritting, "... this is indeed pure gold through and through, such weight!"
Lang Ying, who had fallen on his bottom, saw that those guards were no longer
attending to him, stared at the golden shine of that divine statue for a long while before
he rose to his feet, dusted himself off, and ran away carrying his satchel. Xie Lian
followed behind him. He ran for quite a distance and entered a lush and heavy forest,
looked around him, before sitting down under a tree to rest. Xie Lian hid behind that
tree, easily casted a spell and transformed into the form of a little white clad cultivator.
After changing, he looked himself over, making sure there was nothing amiss, and
swung the whisk. He was just thinking how he should appear without alarm when he
saw Lang Ying squat next to a puddle by the tree, his head down and using his hands to
dig at it.
"..."
That young man's hands were large, and one gouge was enough to create a wide and
deep dent. Mud and dust flew as he dug, looking very much like a thin black feral dog.
Xie Lian was just wondering why he was suddenly digging holes when he saw him wipe
off mud on his pants, scooped a handful of water with both hands, and brought it to his
lips.
Seeing this, Xie Lian couldn't hide anymore and rushed out, stopped his hand, took out
a water bottle from his charmed sleeves, and passed it to him.
Lang Ying already had a mouthful of that puddle water, his cheeks round then
swallowed. He watched the little cultivator who had appeared too suddenly, didn't think
it strange and didn't reject his offer, and took the water bottle to drink, gulping down the
entire contents in one go. He only uttered after he finished, "Thanks."
Since he already abruptly appeared, Xie Lian stopped caring for any natural opening.
He tried his best to swing that whisk like a practiced immortal, someone trustworthy, and
asked, "My friend, where did you come from and where are you going?"
"We came from the Bay of Lang-Er in the city of Yong'an. I was going to go to the royal
palace, but I've changed my mind. I'm not going anymore."
Xie Lian was taken aback, "We?"
Lang Ying nodded, "We. Me, and my son."
Xie Lian was growing even more confused, but his heart was dropping. He watched as
Lang Ying removed that satchel from his back and opened it, "My son."
Inside that satchel he was carrying on his back was the dead body of a small child!!!
That infant was a tiny creature, looking no more than two or three years of age. His face
was yellow, his cheeks sallow, and his head had a few strands of thin and yellowing
hairs stuck to it. There were even rashes. That little face was twisted into a strange
expression, as if crying, very much miserable. His eyes were already closed but the
mouth was open, nevertheless no longer able to make a sound.
Xie Lian's pupils shrank, his spirit shocked to the core, unable to speak. No wonder he
had felt this young man had a strange air about him. He couldn't describe what that
strangeness was, but just that he was abnormal. The way he spoke, the way he
behaved, it was like he didn't consider consequences at all, blunt and berserk without a
care. But, by the looks of things, for what did he need to consider consequences?
After showing off his son, Lang Ying wrapped his child anew, and carefully stringed up
the fringes. Watching how focused he was in his action, Xie Lian was miserable. It was
his very first time seeing the dead body of such a young infant, and he asked,
stammering, "How... how did your son die?"
Lang Ying adjusted the satchel on his back and replied, bemused, "How did he die... I
don't know how he died. Thirsty, hungry, sick, maybe a bit of everything."
He scratched his head, "When I first carried him out of Yong'an he would still cough a
bit, and called 'Dad!, Dad!' on my back. Gradually there were no more cries, only
coughing. And then there were no more coughs. I thought he'd fallen asleep. Later
when I found something to eat and wanted to wake him up, he wouldn't wake up."
That child had died on the road of escape.
Lang Ying shook his head, "I don't know how to take care of children. If my wife knew
our son died she'd yell at me to death."
After a moment of silence, he added, "I really wish my wife could still yell at me."
His expression had been calm the entire time, like a branch off a withered tree; a pool of
dead water without a trace of life or ripples. Xie Lian's throat tightened unable to
swallow, and said in a small voice, "Why... why don't you bury him."
Lang Ying nodded, "Yea. I wanted to pick a nice place. Here's not bad. There are trees
to block the sun and water too. I'll go back after burying him. Thanks for your water."
He coughed a few times and bent down again, continuing to dig with his hands. Xie Lian
mumbled softly, "No, don't thank me... don't thank me, don't."
Just then, Feng Xin and Mu Qing appeared and were confused to see before them one
digging a hole, and the other watching in a daze. Xie Lian wasn't in the mood to speak
and repeatedly muttered a few jumbled words. It was some time before Xie Lian
remembered that just giving water wasn't enough; this man was returning to Yong'an.
Thus his hand went back into his sleeve and rummaged around, finally finding what he
was looking for, and passed it to him, "Here, take this."
Lang Ying stopped and looked at what was in Xie Lian's hand closely. It was a deep, red
pearl no bigger than a nail; its luster smooth and sleek, polished and brilliant, and
soul-stirringly beautiful. Even if he didn't know what it was, just one look and it was
obvious this little gem was invaluable.
This was indeed that one remaining red coral pearl earring Xie Lian had worn during the
ShangYuan Heavenly Ceremonial Procession three years ago. That pearl left a rather
deep impression on Mu Qing, so the moment he saw it his face changed. Lang Ying
didn't reject it, as if any proper manners and concerns of a normal person had left him,
and he reached out his hand to receive it. "Thanks."
He carefully tucked the pearl in his belt, then he removed the satchel on his back, and
gently laid it into the dug pit. "Dad will come back soon to visit you."
Finished, he used his hands and solemnly pushed the earth back to cover the satchel.
Xie Lian used a hand to support his forehead and closed his eyes. A moment later, that
young man left in a stride.
Feng Xin asked curiously, "Your Highness, what did he bury here? He said 'dad'? He
buried someone?"
Mu Qing was concerned with something else, "Your Highness, I went and investigated
earlier and figured out what's happened. Yong'an had never been a wealthy place; their
temples and shrines are few in number. It seems they also have a local rule where
those who don't offer donations couldn't pray, so those who visited the Temple of the
Crown Prince had all been the wealthy, and the poor suffering from disasters couldn't
even enter..."
Xie Lian didn't respond to the report but said in a low voice, "You two, go to Yong'an,
and see what the situation is. I, will go meet the Guoshi, and ask exactly what's going
on."
His face had never been this dark. The two subordinates didn't dare to be negligent and
both acknowledged his command, departing an instant after. Xie Lian himself thus
turned and raced towards the direction of Mount Taicang.
It appeared the disaster in Yong'an could only be big and not small. But, even if he
couldn't hear the voices of prayer, it didn't mean those at the royal palace had no clue at
all!
———
●This Lang Ying is not the same one as the Lang Ying from the present; the
character for 'Ying' is different.