24 End of Hunting (1/2)
The last hour of hunt seemed darkly comical. Men from a variety of backgrounds raced to return when the gong rang throughout the land. They dragged their finest kills to the presentation area and huddled around the corpses, wary of others. One man died trying to snatch a mere bird from a rival.
The emperor stood by the mechanical lotus that had fully blossomed. He eagerly listened to every man present their kill as an offering to him. A large eagle made his eyes twinkle and he applauded at the sight of a wolf. Ying's boar received a remarkable amount of enthusiasm but the farmer with a dead fox won. Symbolism triumphed over weight and kill difficulty. Many people believed even a tiger would lose compared to this fox. The farmer requested a wife to give him sons to continue work the farm and the emperor accepted, promising a beautiful woman to be delivered in a week. After that, everyone dragged their kills home to feast on with family.
Meanwhile, Joaolong lost himself in dreams of his childhood. At first, his parents appeared. They were an average couple with no remarkable qualities except their dedication to work and care for Joaolong. They taught him the best they could about fairness and life, encouraging him to play with other children with no consideration about wealth or status. Then, on Joaolong's eighth birthday, the village suffered from a plague and many people died, including his parents. That day, he lost part of himself.
The only reason he perservered and lived was because of Yenay. During that time, she involved herself in political issues and the emperor agreed to this interest, seeing it as a distraction from their dead son. She invested all her time into saving people and that included Joaolong. He still remembered her walking towards him like a goddess as he whimpered by his mother's bedside.
Even during his time in isolation because of the illness, she broke rules to be by his side. The nightmares of his parents' death fled when she sung sweetly to him. She felt like another mother, granted to him by the gods.
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”And did you know what the proud and extravagant emperor did?” Yenay asked, nearly finishing her story.
”What?” Joaolong croaked, his voice hoarse from days of crying.
”Empress, it is time to return.” Jiang waited at the door.
Yenay sighed and kissed Joaolong's fevered forehead. Tenderly, she stroked his cheeks and acted reluctant to leave. ”He ran to find his finest scholars and requested they write a tale for his son. This story told not of his accomplishments but of all of his mistakes.”
”Why would he do that?”
”So his son could learn from them. The wisest men reflect on themselves, not others. Joaolong, I hope you grow up to be a wise man, just like the second ruler of Shanhe.”
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It felt bittersweet to leave the memories behind and wake up to reality.
”You finally stir,” Disung said gratefully. ”I'm relieved.”
Every inch of the room had gold or red decorations that contrasted against the dark hues of the wood in the chambers. Joaolong tried to sit up but groaned at the sharp, throbbing pain in his shoulder. The bowl of soup on his beside table smelt strongly of medicinal herbs.
”Where am I?”
”Yinying Yueguang's finest Inn. I dare not risk returning you back to the palace in a weak condition. Especially when the person wanting you dead resides there.”
”It is too early to spout nonsense,” Joaolong replied and drank deeply from the bowl of soup. The contents tasted like burnt grass and overripe fruit. However, it cleared the fogginess in his head. ”Did we win the request?”
”No. A local farmer won a wife by killing a fox. You only won the worry of a specific maiden. She sent fruit to your room,” Disung said.
The name didn't need to be spoken. Instantly, Joaolong knew the gifts were from Xioali. The romantic feelings she developed for him complicated things. She was to be empress. Joaolong was to be a scholar. Their lives weren't compatible. Yet, he couldn't bluntly reject her love, both because of their friendship and her unpredictable reaction.