93 Blood for Blood (2/2)
Ning Que took over the bowl of ginger soup and placed it by his lips weakly, before he drank it mouth by mouth. Meanwhile, he paused in the midst of drinking and replied softly, ”The hope is not high, but at least it's better than no hope. I gonna try no matter what.”
Sangsang looked at him quietly and suddenly, she asked, ”Young Master, have you ever think that what if Haotian really make it impossible for you to pursue cultivation? What would you do?”
Ning Que returned the empty bowl to her as he weakly wiped the perspiration on his forehead and smiled gently. He then replied her in a very slow and calm manner, ”If Haotian is really that heartless...keke. F*ck it, I must go against Heaven's will!”
Does f*ck mean spurting nonsense? Sangsang silently wondered as she started thinking that her master's bad habit of spurting nonsense must be back again during his rest. She showed him attitude as she laid him down before she went on with her dish washing, and she totally ignored him after that.
In the middle of the night, Ning Que started to murmur more nonsensical words. He was having fever, and his pale-looking face had unhealthy patches of red. At times, he would peer open his eyes and stared at either the yellow papers on the ceiling or Sangsang's tiny face when he was responding to her. However, his eyes did not seem focus as he would move his dry and chipped lips to murmur some words which no one could understand.
Back seat of bicycle, registration fee, youth's and children's palace, chopper, chocolate, blood. Kid, blood. Min Mountain, blood. City of Wei, blood. Grassland, blood. General's Mansion, f*cking filled with blood.
”Why should it happen? Why should it even happen?... why?”
He grabbed Sangsang's small freezing hands and his vision landed on god-knows-where. He frowned and closed his lips gently, where his dimples revealed a sorrow-looking question mark and his face was filled with grievance. He kept repeating his words and appeared pitiful.
Sangsang changed the towel on his forehead and hugged him in her arms. She then gently patted his back and softly coaxed him, ”Yes, it's all their fault. Young Master has nothing got to do with these, nothing at all. They are the bad people.”
In the morning, the rain in Chang'an city had finally stopped. Ning Que had also recovered from his fever. He opened his eyes in a daze and he felt a painful burning sensation at his throat. Just as he was about to habitually called for Sangsang to pour him a drink, he noticed there was someone beside him. With much difficulty, he turned his head to take a glance, only to see Sangsang in her pajamas, who was half sitting by the bed. It was unsure when she had fallen deep asleep in that position.
He looked apologetic at her as he tried to push himself up and off the bed to pour himself a drink. Unfortunately, his movements had caused Sangsang to wake up from her sleep. Sangsang instantly sat up and hurriedly push him back to bed before she jumped off the bed herself.
Ning Que stared at her backview as she started to busy herself with the housework. He then opened his mouth and commented, ”I am useless, aren't I?”
Sangsang placed the cup of water by her lips to test the temperature of the water, before she responded, ”Young Master, you are spurting nonsense again.”
Ning Que murmured, ”I've read Article on the Response of the Tao for many years, yet I couldn't understand it. I couldn't even remember the words in a thin book like the fundamental of Ocean of Qi and Mountain of Snow. I've tried so hard, yet I still couldn't pursue cultivation. Now, I am even in a state whereby I grumble and fall sick over killing a person... I am useless indeed.”
…
…
In the morning, behind the thick tall walls and within the imperial study room surrounded by unique plantations, the Emperor Li Zhongyi stood by the door and stared blankly at the raindrops that dripped from the leaves of the nearby tree. After the Empress had served him in washing up and had breakfast, for no reason, he suddenly felt an urge to visit the imperial study room.
Using the eyes' of a commoner, someone who is the Tang Emperor and the only male leader that was trusted by the whole empire, should not have many troubles in his life. Yet at this moment when he silently stared into the garden, his face had obviously revealed a sense of frustration.
”The Headmaster of Academy went traveling around the world again, and it is unsure when he will return. As for Chao Xiaoshu, he left as well. It is unsure...whether he will return.”
Li Zhongyi felt depressed as he thought of the departure of his great master and friend from Chang'an. He looked at the plantations that were drenched from the rain, and gradually, he felt a sense of loneliness from within. It was a feeling of emptiness and depression. Perhaps this was also the reason for him to visit the imperial study, for that was the only room where no one could disturb him and a room where he could obtain real peace.
The Emperor loved calligraphy. Though at times he would invite the officers to come forward to appreciate his calligraphy and art works, but other than his favorite Empress and the Fourth princess, no one dared to come and disturb his peace. He did not even allow the eunuchs and imperial maids to tidy the room. Every writing and book was placed and arranged by himself.
With a long breath and a short sigh, he turned around. Just as he was preparing to scribble a few words on the papers to vent out his emotions, he paused and noticed a slight difference at the bookshelves diagonally from him.
…