V2C154

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the depths of the Purple Pavilion nearly froze.

“Shi Ying, that’s why you chose her as the Crown Princess, right?” After a long silence, the emperor looked at his firstborn son with an intricate look in his eyes, “You said that I underestimated your heart… cough, that’s really true. Heh… I would have never thought that you would be so broad-minded as to accept a mother and son altogether!”

In his indignation, the emperor’s tone sounded harsh, and Shi Ying endured the wrath of his father in silence and refrained from answering. Zhu Yan was apprehensive and wanted to speak for her Master, but had no idea how to argue, and her lips twitched and fell silent.

“What are you thinking about?” The emperor pounded on the edge of the bed and snapped, “Are you going to take them into the palace and raise this child as your own? Aren’t you afraid that when the child grows up, he will kill you for revenge?”

“What’s the point of seeking revenge?” Zhu Yan couldn’t help but argue, “It’s not like he killed Shi Yu!”

What? The emperor was slightly stunned and looked at the eldest son.

However, Shi Ying did not justify himself, but simply spoke lightly, “Killing me for revenge? If that child has such ability in the future, it would be a blessing for Kongsang.”

“You…” The emperor was so exasperated by this son that he burst into a bitter laugh and coughed violently.

“Your Imperial Majesty, you should take a rest!” Zhu Yan looked alarmed, fearing that the dying old man would not be able to catch his breath again, and hurriedly went forward to rub his back, “Don’t speak so many words… calm down, calm down. Do you want to call the Imperial Physician to come in and have a look?”

The emperor ignored her and just stared deadly at his son, coughing: ”In conclusion, Princess Xue Ying must not become the Crown Princess! Cough… otherwise it will look like the opposite. It’s all a mess!… Don’t even think about this marriage… I, I had to cancel it for you!”

“Good.” Shi Ying actually agreed in one word, “I agree.”

The emperor seemed to have not expected his son to actually not give any resistance, and could not help but be stunned for a moment, “Why did you… suddenly change your mind again? You are not trying to kill Xue Ying and her son now, are you?”

“Of course not.” Shi Ying replied coldly, “Don’t worry. I will take care of them both, mother and son.”

The emperor gazed at his son with a complex expression, “That’s good. After all, that child is also a descendant of the Imperial Blood… Ahem, I hope you really have a generous heart and won’t drive the widow and orphan to their deaths.”

Before Shi Ying could make a statement, Zhu Yan couldn’t help but speak up, “I promise, Master he definitely is not that kind of person!”

“You promise?” The emperor turned his head to look at the young girl, and after a moment of silence, raised his hand and waved, “Little girl… ahem, come closer, over here.”

Zhu Yan flinched for a moment and glanced at Shi Ying who was standing on the side. When Shi Ying’s face remained calm and showed no objection, she cautiously walked over and stood a foot in front of the emperor’s bed.

The emperor examined the young girl in the glowing light, and his eyes gradually changed as he sighed in a whisper: “Really as vibrant and dazzling as the rising sun… No wonder… ahem, no wonder Shi Ying, who was living in eternal night, would fall in love with her… Young girl, is he good to you?”

Zhu Yan blushed for a moment and nodded hastily, “Good, very good!”

“Come over a little more.” The emperor beckoned again.

“…” Zhu Yan cautiously moved forward a few more steps and was almost close to the edge of the bed, wondering what the emperor was going to do and her heart was pounding.

The emperor gazed at her for a moment and whispered, “Lower your head.”

Startled, she lowered her head in apprehension. Suddenly, she felt only a slight movement in her hair, and a strange shimmering light lit up and enveloped her from the void.

“Jade Bone?” Zhu Yan raised her hand and touched it, exclaiming out of breath.

“It’s yours.” That small gesture just now appeared to have taken a lot of energy, and the dying emperor leaned back into the soft sofa, coughing, “Take good care of it.”

Zhu Yan was stunned for a moment, understanding that the emperor was officially acknowledging her position, and could not help but feel overjoyed in her heart, touching the Jade Bone and being unable to speak, only half a moment later mumbling, “Thank you!”

The emperor looked at the young girl’s bright eyes, and a smile gleamed in his cloudy old ones as he coughed and instructed, “Cough… In the future, you two should get along well and stop quarrelling.”

“I, how dare I argue with him… I’m scared to death of him.” Zhu Yan muttered and gave Shi Ying a blank look, “He can be scary when he gets angry! It’s already good if he doesn’t hit me…”

“What? He dares to hit you?” The emperor lost his smile, “If he dares to hit you in the future…”

However, halfway through his words, although the smile on the emperor’s face had not subsided, his entire body collapsed backwards!

In that moment, Shi Ying rushed to the front of the bed and exclaimed, “Father!”

Zhu Yan was startled to see Shi Ying turning pale as he rushed up and clasped the emperor’s wrist vessels, and a tiny amount of ethereal blue light quickly rose up between his ten fingers, spreading up along the old man’s withered arms – Zhu Yan recognized that it was the highest level Soul Gathering and Soul Returning spell in the Jiuyi magic, which was very spiritually draining.

Yet even as the spell enveloped the old man, she saw the emperor’s soul floating out of his seven orifices and collapsing beyond control!

“No… don’t force it.” The emperor’s voice was feeble and low, like a candle in the wind, and his body twitched slightly, “The time is long overdue. I… ahem, I have dragged this out for too long…”

However, Shi Ying still refused to let go even a bit, and continued to cast a large expenditure of energy spell, whispering: “The world is in turmoil, great events are yet to be completed, you are still needed to hold the reins.”

“Cough… I can’t take it anymore…” the emperor’s entire body trembled and his eyes slowly began to fade as he muttered, “Originally… I had hoped to wait for Da Si Ming to return… but unfortunately… cough, cough, there is no more time left.”

“There is still time.” Shi Ying’s voice, however, was cold and determined, “You’ll have to hang in there.”

“No… there is no use.” The emperor murmured, and his entire body twitched, his hands and feet grew cold, “It’s too… painful… to prolong my existence while my lifespan is over, every moment… every single instant is like being tormented in purgatory… I, I don’t want to endure any longer.”

Shi Ying’s fingers trembled slightly, and his eyes wavered for a moment without speaking.

The hands in his palms were old and withered, so light that they felt weightless, trembling violently, obviously suffering great agony – that kind of suffering, enough to destroy a person’s will to live. How could an old man in his old age withstand such pain?

“Ying, I will soon… meet your mother…” the dying emperor released a sigh from his throat, “I will go and beg for her forgiveness… But… what about you? Ying, do you forgive me?”

Shi Ying shook for a moment and didn’t reply, his expression shifting in a convoluted manner.

Zhu Yan looked at the old man’s supplicating eyes, and her heart ached, almost wanting to blurt out a reply on his behalf, however, knowing it was better to hold back, she pursed her lips and stood to the side, watching the father and son.

“By the way, there is one more thing…” the emperor murmured, straining to exhale his last request, “After my death, please bury… me and the Autumn Water Songstress… together.”

As he watched his dying father from the edge of the bed, he felt his own hands trembling slightly – he had been a priest since he was a child, and had spent his entire life cultivating, thinking that his heart had already been strengthened to the point where life and death would never faze him, but at this moment, when he was faced with his own father’s dying plea, he could not help but feel his heart and soul stirring, unable to contain himself.

The tragedy of his mother’s life and that of his own had been caused by the man in front of him. But not only did this man abandon his wife early in life, but at the end of his life, he still chose to spend his eternity with that shark!

This person does not regret his choices. So, should he, in turn, be forgiven?

Seeing his long silence, Zhu Yan could not help but gently reach out and press her hand on Master’s shoulder. In that instant, she was suddenly startled to find that Shi Ying’s body was shaking intensely.

“As you wish.” Finally, he whispered out a few words.

The emperor trembled, and surprisingly a tear escaped from the corner of his eye, he stretched out his withered hand and spasmodically grasped his son’s wrist, his voice grew weaker and weaker, so low that it was almost too low to be heard against his ear, “Wait… for Da Si Ming to return… ahem, you tell him… that I am… sorry that I did not wait for his return…”

Shi Ying nodded slightly and didn’t say anything more. However, in that moment, uncertain if it was an illusion, Zhu Yan seemed to see a twinkle of light in his eyes. As she stood watching, she only felt her heart tightening over and over again, almost unable to breathe.

The emperor’s voice ceased and he resumed his violent coughing, his entire body hunched into a ball as if he were about to cough out his heart and lungs. Shi Ying grabbed his father’s wrist, hesitated for a moment, and then let go again, splitting his grip inch by inch – the moment he released his hand, the emperor exhaled his last breath, and his depleted three souls and seven spirits collapsed out of control in all directions, forever.

A strong gust of wind swept through the emptiness, and the invisible spirits left the dying body like shining stars, and vanished with the wind!

“Ah!” Zhu Yan exclaimed in shock, and tried desperately to hold her cry.

However, without waiting for his father’s breathing to cease, Shi Ying resolutely stood up and walked out without looking back. As if he was running away from something!

Why was he… walking away at this very moment? Zhu Yan wanted to go after him, but she could not bear to watch the old man die alone like this, and still remained hesitant for a moment at the edge of the bed.

“Autumn Water…”, the emperor spat out his last whispered words, and there was silence.

The name of his long-lasting love was still engraved in his heart until the end of his life.

Zhu Yan was frozen there, watching the emperor’s breathing suddenly stop, and for a moment, her heart turned upside down, and she felt the urge to cry her heart out – was this a cycle of life and death? Was this how she would have to send her father and mother off one day in the future? Although she did not want to, she could not do anything about it.

The cycle of life and death, like the coming and going of the tide, is an irresistible force like the torrential rain.

If you loved my translations, help me to keep up with the good work!

Your contribution is highly appreciated, Thank you!

NOTE: This translation belongs to me. It is prohibited to copy / Re-translate / Re-distribute my translations without my prior permission. Thank you.

Like this:Like Loading...

Related