Chapter 094 – The Tragic Prefect’s Son – “With you, this is home.” (09/10)
The emperor spoke placidly, “He has left for the Western Deserts, and I know not if he will return.”
“If you will it, he shall.” Prince Wu sat beside the bed. Removing a vial from his robe, he shook out a pill and held it to the emperor’s lips.
The emperor bowed his head and swallowed it.
This was the antidote to the Soft Muscle Powder. After a short while, he would regain full mobility. Yet, his freedom of movement meant little before the might of the highly skilled Prince Wu.
“His heart is as pure as a child’s. Having avenged his family, he should have slipped away, not journeyed to the Western Deserts, far from his homeland, to serve as someone’s plaything.”
Prince Wu raised an eyebrow. “You pity him?”
The emperor lowered his gaze. “He has earned his freedom.”
A flicker of anger and helplessness passed through Prince Wu’s eyes. He understood the emperor’s meaning. The emperor felt constrained by his own lack of freedom, and thus pitied Yang Su’s similarly restricted existence!
“Since you wish it, I’ll send men to bring him back. Let him serve at your side. Is that acceptable?”
“He should be free.”
“Very well, very well. Let him be free. If I rescue him from the West and set him free, will Ah-Hong grant me one request?”
The emperor remained silent for a long moment before murmuring, “Agreed.”
Prince Wu unfastened his sword and leaned it against the bedside. He leaned forward, lifted the emperor’s chin, and kissed him. The emperor did not respond, allowing the kiss to linger for a long moment before slowly reaching out to embrace him.
Prince Wu’s breath caught. He likewise wrapped his arms around the emperor, pressing himself against him. Closing his eyes to hide the wild joy within, he surrendered completely to the moment.
Xie Chenyang seized his chance and silently crawled out from beneath the bed. With swift movements, he drew the prepared dagger and fiercely slashed Prince Wu’s carotid artery.
Blood splattered across the emperor’s face. He clung to Prince Wu with all his strength, preventing him from rising.
The wild joy faded from Prince Wu’s eyes, leaving only bitter sorrow.
Under normal circumstances, he would never have allowed someone to approach without noticing.
But today, he was simply too overjoyed.
The emperor had taken the rare initiative to embrace him, and Xie Chenyang had concealed his presence well, performing his actions swiftly and decisively. Thus, Prince Wu only sensed danger when the dagger was already close.
But it was too late.
The blade was too swift, too ruthless. His lifeblood had already gushed free. Such a wound, such loss of blood—no one could save him now.
The prince clutched his bloodied neck, his head tilting back slightly, pulling away from the emperor’s lips. He did not glance at the figure behind him, his gaze fixed only on the blood splattered across the emperor’s face and the calmness in his eyes. “Do you hate me so much? Your kin—I did not kill them…”
The emperor: “You conspired with the others to rebel. You brought them in to commit slaughter. You are the chief culprit. You have since imprisoned me, trampled me, and destroyed me. You deserve this death.”
Even as these words left his lips, his emotional fluctuation remained minimal, his tone utterly serene.
Prince Wu stared deeply at him. “The imperial family is cruel…”
“Anyone has the right to say that, except you.” The emperor lifted his sleeve, meticulously wiping the blood from his face, “Without my father, you would be nothing.”
King Wu’s eyes dimmed. “But I… loved you deeply, loving only–Mmph.”
Xie Chenyang had no patience for his rambling. Expressionless, he buried the dagger deep into Prince Wu’s back.
[This moron—instead of calling for help, he has the audacity to ramble on about nonsense.]
Prince Wu’s gaze grew empty. Abandoning the futile effort to staunch his bleeding neck, he lifted his blood-stained hand, which trembled as he fished a token from his robe and offered it to the emperor. “With this, you can command… Ugh—”
Xie Chenyang didn’t want to give him another chance to speak, silencing him forever.
The emperor picked up the token that had fallen onto the bed.
Xie Chenyang reached for Prince Wu’s sword. “Wait here. Don’t go out. I’ll deal with those outside.”
The emperor raised the token in his hand. “Try this.”
He changed out of his bloodstained clothes and donned the dragon robe.
Xie Chenyang stood rigid as a mountain, his gaze fixed toward the doorway, ignoring the rustling sounds behind him.
“Let’s go.”
The chamber doors opened. Xie Chenyang and the emperor stepped out together.
In the blink of an eye, guards surged forward, blocking their path.
The guard captain stared in horror at Xie Chenyang beside the emperor. “Who are you? Where is the Prince? Why is his sword in your hands?”
They hadn’t even noticed when this man had entered!
The emperor produced Prince Wu’s token and said calmly, “Stand down.”
The prince had maintained strict control over his men. Upon seeing the token, the guards immediately retreated.
Only the guard captain remained unmoved. “Xiao Song, go check inside!”
A guard stepped forward. Before he could take two steps, Xie Chenyang suddenly appeared before him, ending his life with a single stroke.
The guard captain shouted, “The prince has been murdered by a traitor! Seize him!”
“Prince Wu is dead. His Majesty is now the undisputed ruler of the realm. Those willing to submit still may live.” Xie Chenyang raised his sword, wielding it like a blade. “But resistance means death!”
Guard Captain: “Do not forget the royal family’s tyranny! It was the Prince who brought this realm its peace! Kill them!”
After shouting, he seized the chaos as guards swarmed forward and dashed toward the sleeping quarters.
The prince was so formidable—he refused to believe he’d die so easily!
A bloody battle erupted.
Xie Chenyang held a single broadsword, yet wielded it like an immortal master.
To the emperor, Xie Chenyang’s blade was a fearsome guardian. To the guards, it was a deadly demon king.
Such a powerful, dazzling, and lightning-fast swordplay they had never witnessed in their lives!
Gradually, corpses littered the ground around Xie Chenyang and the emperor.
Suddenly, someone dropped their sword and knelt.
“It’s impossible… We can’t defeat him…”
“He’s not human…”
“He’s a demon…”
The wind blew off Xie Chenyang’s hood, revealing his close-cropped hair.
[Dad!]
You Huang: “I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at the one who called you a demon.”
The emperor’s calm voice rang out, “Surrender and you shall live.”
More and more men dropped their swords. Those who resisted were cut down one by one by Xie Chenyang.
[Dad, what about the archers?]
You Huang: “They’ve been taken care of.”
“You dog! Return the prince’s life!” A furious roar erupted. The guard captain charged forward with his sword, only to fall beneath Xie Chenyang’s blade.
The emperor surveyed the scattered corpses and the remaining guards who had discarded their weapons, huddled together with heads bowed.
[Where are the shadow guards?]
You Huang: “They’ve been taken care of.”
At that moment, a figure clad in light armor entered with a contingent of Imperial Guards. Kneeling, he paid his respects. “Your Majesty, Zheng Jun, Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, presents himself!”
“We, your subjects, present ourselves before Your Majesty!”
The guards who had abandoned their swords knelt in unison, echoing the cry.
A flicker of emotion rippled across the Emperor’s calm eyes. “Zheng Jun… you’re still alive?”
Zheng Jun bowed his head in submission. “Your servant has survived thus far, plotting in secret, awaiting only an opportunity. Now, it has arrived.”
Xie Chenyang pulled up his hood and strode toward the emperor’s bedchamber.
“Yang Su…”
Xie Chenyang waved his hand. “Your Majesty, I pray you establish an era of peace and prosperity. I must now seek my beloved. Once you have firmly secured the throne, I shall bring him forth to discuss trade between our two nations.”
The emperor: “…Very well.”
Xie Chenyang returned to the inner chamber. After closing the door, he tore apart the teleportation talisman and vanished.
Afterward, the emperor had his chambers thoroughly searched, yet no secret passage was found.
How Yang Su had entered the palace, and through which exit he departed, remained an unsolved mystery.
Unsure if Mu Xin had awakened, Xie Chenyang dared not return directly to the inn. Instead, he headed back to the stone forest, quickening his pace toward the exit.
The moment he emerged from the stone forest, Xie Chenyang met Mu Xin’s cold, dark eyes. The subordinates following behind Mu Xin immediately turned and retreated a safe distance.
Xie Chenyang’s legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees with a thud.
You Huang: “…Quit being such a baby.”
Xie Chenyang gazed at Mu Xin with pleading eyes and reached out weakly. “Ah-Xin, it hurts so much…”
Mu Xin’s brows knitted fiercely. All his prior resolve crumbled at the sight of this man’s eyes. His face taut, he bent down to lift the man up. The pungent scent of blood assaulted his nostrils.
He could tell—this wasn’t the blood of just one person.
Xie Chenyang wrapped his arms around Mu Xin’s neck, leaning weakly against his shoulder. “Ugh, everything hurts… My head’s spinning…” With that, his eyes closed, and he settled comfortably into Mu Xin’s embrace.
Mu Xin quickened his pace toward the inn with Xie Chenyang in his arms. His subordinates hurried to keep up.
Xie Chenyang declared triumphantly: [See? We made it through!]
You Huang: “For now. Just wait for the consequences later.”
[Dad, you just don’t get it—my lover has the softest heart~]
Xie Chenyang had only minor injuries. After getting bandaged up, he obediently laid in bed.
He stayed there for eight whole days.
Every time he tried to get up, Mu Xin’s cold stare forced him back down.
“You’re injured. Don’t move, okay?”
“If you need anything, I’ll help you.”
“Need to pee? I’ll fetch a chamber pot.“
”Hm? I’ll help you to the outhouse and back to bed afterward.”
Mu Xin’s words were gentle enough, but his gaze made Xie Chenyang understand: disobedience would bring trouble.
Xie Chenyang… dared not move.
You Huang teased him: ”Didn’t you say he’s the softest? What are you afraid of? Get up and go!”
[A good husband obeys his partner!]
You Huang: “You’re just scared.”
[If respecting your partner is being cowardly, then so be it!]
Xie Chenyang’s defiance masked his inner turmoil.
Though he’d traversed countless worlds, he’d never seen his lover genuinely angry… Yet for some reason, his gut told him Mu Xin was furious.
If he didn’t obediently appease him, something terrible would happen.
What exactly? He didn’t know.
But his instincts screamed: Be good!
On the ninth day, they finally set out.
They wore not only hoods but also face veils as they rode camels.
Xie Chenyang tilted his head. “This veil…”
Mu Xin: “Originally, we traveled with hoods, covering our mouths and noses. This veil is adapted from your Central Plains style, using different materials and slight modifications to better block desert winds and sand.”
Of course, it also obstructed vision. Wearing the veiled hood, one’s field of vision was inevitably cloudier than when unobstructed.
“How long until we arrive?”
“Nearly two months to the capital.”
Xie Chenyang couldn’t help asking, “With these geographical conditions, even armies would struggle to advance. Why did you decide to go after the Central Plains?”
Mu Xin: “The Central Plains are prosperous with a better environment. If we could seize them, who wouldn’t want that?”
Xie Chenyang: “There’s no need. The Central Plains have their own merits, and the Western Regions have theirs.”
Mu Xin: “The evidence has been sent out. Your emperor has already learned of the Prince of Zhen’an’s plot. The mutually destructive outcome we hoped for is unlikely to materialize. Our king won’t launch an impulsive attack.”
Xie Chenyang narrowed his eyes. “Wait until I return and persuade your king to unify the Western Regions. Creating more and larger oases in the Western deserts—wouldn’t that be better than fighting the Central Plains to the death? Remember, the only thing the Central Plains has surplus of is people. You’ll help me, right?”
The camel that had been keeping pace with them quietly fell slightly behind.
The camels belonging to his subordinates huddled together, whispering, “We heard that.”
“Is this what they mean by heroes falling for beauties?”
“Can he really persuade His Majesty?”
“Do you want to move to the Central Plains?”
“The Central Plains are nice…”
“But I’m still more accustomed to the Western Deserts.
“Me too. The Central Plains are fine for a visit, but for long-term living, I still prefer the deserts.”
“Their Central Plains are beautiful, but our desert landscapes are beautiful too! Especially at night…”
Xie Chenyang walked alongside Mu Xin. “Guess what they’re saying?”
Mu Xin replied calmly, “They miss home.”
Xie Chenyang: “What about you? Do you miss home?”
Mu Xin: “I used to think anywhere could be home. Now, wherever you are is home.”
[Ah, I’m dead.]
Their voices faded as they walked further away.
Edit: Krone
Proofread: Choux_choux
