Chapter 322 (1/2)
Chapter 322: The Prince and the Beggar
He continued to march against the north wind on this endless journey.
Prince Long Qing traveled alone in the blizzard while Flower Addict Lu Chenjia silently followed him from a distance. The Snow Horse slowly relieved fatigue by kicking its hooves in silence. They walked from day to night and then from night to day. They were slowly losing the sense of time and distance. The dark and heavy night color in the northern Wilderness still looked so far away, as if they hadn't moved a single inch thus far.
During the journey, Prince Long Qing resulted to chewing a handful of snow whenever he was thirsty and swallowing several mouthfuls of saliva when he was hungry. The more he walked, the weaker he became, and he felt like he would fall anytime and never stand up again. Lu Chenjia was also waiting for that moment in silence. But even though he fell many times, he would stand up again every time. It was inconceivable how one with such a thin and frail body could possess such vitality.
Silently looking at the figure about 100 feet away, Lu Chenjia kept a certain distance from him because she knew he wouldn't like it. She would also chew a handful of snow when thirsty and take food from horseback when hungry. When she was looking at that figure who was growing weaker by the minute due to hunger, it took her a lot of effort to suppress the urge to offer some food.
They walked through the entire blizzard with howling wind rus.h.i.+ng past them, yet the two people and one horse were still in the middle of the colorless Wilderness. The majestic Tianqi Mountains still could be faintly seen behind them, as if they couldn't escape from the desperate world no matter how they hard strove forward.
One day, Prince Long Qing suddenly stopped walking. He looked at the endless darkness in the north, and his shriveled fingers began to tremble slightly and the branches he had been collecting for the past few days fell. The branches made a sound as they hit his feet. He lowered his head to take a look at his grey-white toes, and they didn't seem to be bleeding from the hit.
He raised his head and once again stared at the darkness of the north. He then slowly turned around and shouted at Lu Chenjia who was about 100 feet away in a hoa.r.s.e voice, ”I'm hungry.”
Lu Chenjia's eyes became wet and she almost cried. She forcibly calmed down and took out dry food with her s.h.i.+vering hands. After softening the food with warm water that she secretly prepared every day, she held the dry food in front of him.
Without saying any words, Long Qing just
looked at her rough, callus filled palms which were no longer delicate as they were before, and hurriedly swallowed the food. He rubbed his throat with satisfaction before setting off again.
But this time, he, without any sign, reason, and words, stopped trying to walk northward. He thought he was abandoned by Haotian, and he also gave up chasing the darkness. Instead, he disappointedly turned around and walked towards the Central Plains.
Lu Chenjia looked at his retreating back with shock, and her newly-born happiness gradually became cold, because she was sure that Long Qing didn't decide to regain his hope. It was his real desperation. He had even lost his hope to the darkness. Yes, he was alive, but was this man the Long Qing she once knew?
She led the Snow Horse and followed after Long Qing. After furtively observing his face, she lowered her head and said in a low voice, ”Actually, returning to Capital Cheng is also a good choice. At the Peach Mountain in the past, you often said you missed the imperial garden. How about we go there together?”
Prince Long Qing looked at her with his cold eyes. His stare no longer had that authoritative and proud look to it. Instead, it was cold due to his self-abandonment. He ridiculed her, ”Why are you so stupid? What can we do in Capital Cheng? To be a.s.sa.s.sinated by those officials loyal to Chong Ming? Or to be sentenced to death by my father for political reasons?”
Lu Chenjia was shocked, but she quickly came to her senses. She realized that if Long Qing returned to Capital Cheng of the Yan Kingdom, he perhaps wouldn't even be able to see tomorrow's sunrise, because he was just an ordinary person now, and not that young West-Hill figure supported by the Divine Hall. How could he survive in such a dangerous game of thrones?
”The Hierarch Lord has always thought well of you, and besides, the G.o.d of Judicial Department may back you...” She cautiously said.
”Stupid! You really think Peach Mountain is where the light and holiness lie?”
Prince Long Qing looked at her and sarcastically said, ”What appreciation? What value? Ye Hongyu won't lie and she doesn't need to tell the lie. I've been shot useless by Ning Que, so what could I do for the Divine Hall? You really think my handsome appearance could help the Divine Hall attract more believers? Those old men in Peach Mountain fear nothing except Haotian. How would they have such cheap sympathy as yours?”
The words were mean and harsh, but it couldn't be refuted. Lu Chenjia just lowered her head and murmured, ”How about going to Yuelun Kingdom if we don't have other choices? You know I have got a garden in Jing Mountain, and I've always
always wanted you to visit.”
She immediately realized her mistake when she uttered the two words of Yuelun Kingdom.
As expected, Prince Long Qing's face became more indifferent and even some resentful emotion flowed from his eyes. He stared at her face and resentfully said, ”I didn't go northward because you, an irksome woman, kept following me. Yama couldn't see my sincerity due to your annoying action. I don't want to die, so I have to head south. It's very simple, but it has nothing to do with you. Thus, you'd better shut up if you'd like to give me some food.”