Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
The old lady wore a muted color robe which made her complexion look paler. Her skin had grown dull and creased with age, and her head was bare, almost bald; just a few strands of grey hair flickered in the breeze.
She seemed very emotional, breaking Bai Xuanyu and Bai Xuanshuang’s grip while rushing to have a close up look of Zhang Ruochen. Holding his hands, she broke down in tears. “My prince… my prince… is that really you? You have returned, haven’t you?”
The old lady’s cultivation was so strong that the space surrounding them felt as if it had been carved from the rest.
No one could see nor touch them though they were standing in the middle of a busy street.
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes met the old lady’s. He felt a strange sense of recognition and familiarity despite meeting her for the first time. He could also tell she wasn’t faking her tears.
Someone at her age would not have broken down so easily.
Having been affected by her emotions, Zhang Ruochen did not attempt to hide his identity. He asked, “Do you know me?”
The old lady answered with her shaky voice, “I am Bai Su, Bai Su! You had two handmaids when you were younger, and I was one of them. Don’t you remember?”
Zhang Ruochen was stunned for a moment, and stared at the haggard dying old lady in disbelief. He said, “You are Bai Su, Little Su from the Bai family? You were only nine years old when you came to the palace. It was a snowy night and your cheeks went rosy in the cold. The elder of the Bai family sent you to the East Palace herself, and you became my handmaid ever since. At that time, you were only this tall. How have you grown… so…”
He did not say the word ‘old.’
It had been eight hundred years after all. It was a miracle that she was still alive when many had died of old age.
Tears spilled down her wrinkled cheeks when she was reminded of her childhood memories. Overwhelmed with emotion, she fell to her knees. “My prince… You are the crown prince. Seeing you again before my life ends… I have no more regrets… I’ve had a worthwhile life!”
Qin Yutong, Bai Xuanyu and Bai Xuanshuang were astounded by the sight of Granny Bai Su kneeling in front of Zhang Ruochen. They followed after her and bowed, “Crown Prince.”
“The Sacred Central Empire fell eight hundred years ago. I am no longer the crown prince. Get up, all of you.”
Zhang Ruochen let out a long sigh, extending his hand to help Granny Bai Su up.
“The Empire is still standing so long as the crown prince is alive.”
Keeping her emotions under control, Granny Bai Su asked, “My prince, is the Emperor back with you?”
Qin Yutong, Bai Xuanyu and Bai Xuanshuang did not get up off the ground. Their eyes flashed in anticipation.
The news of Emperor Ming returning would be even more exhilarating.
“No. I have been looking for him too.”
Zhang Ruochen shifted his gaze at Granny Bai Su and said, “Bai Su, I have a lot of questions about the palace plot. Can I ask you in private?”
Granny Bai Su nodded.
They went to a cultivation residence back in the Phoenix Dance Palace.
Qin Yutong, Bai Xuanyu and Bai Xuanshuang waited at the entrance, leaving Zhang Ruochen and Granny Bai Su alone in the residence.
Bai Xuanshuang was delighted. She exclaimed, “He is the Crown Prince, and we are the first who have been in touch with him. What if… what if I become the wife of the Crown Prince? What should I do?”
Bai Xuanyu seemed more composed than her sister was. She answered, “Sister, there is nothing to worry about, for you will never be the wife of the Crown Prince. I think Senior Qin will be a good match for the Crown Prince.”
Bai Xuanshuang gritted her teeth in silent fury.
Qin Yutong stood slightly further from the sisters in silence, looking like a charming angel in a painting, her eyes gleaming with a gentle smile.
The Crown Prince’s appearance was indeed delightful news that made the three of them beam with joy.
In the cultivation residence, Granny Bai Su hunched forward, walking extremely slow. With a trembling voice, she said, “Eight hundred years ago, the Crown Prince was assassinated in the East Palace. The Emperor went missing on the same day. The palace and the imperial court went into complete chaos.”
Zhang Ruochen asked, “The day I was killed… Did you know what happened?”
Granny Bai Su shook her head and sighed, “I had no idea. That day, I went back to the Bai’s family mansion. When I heard of the assassination, it was already late in the evening. There were many sides to the story, and no one knew which was the truth.”
“What have you heard?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Granny Bai Su answered, “Some said that the Lady of House Peacock was seen at the East Palace after your death. And that it was House Peacock that initiated the rebellion, attempting to take the throne from the Zhang’s family.”
“There was another rumor saying that the one who murdered you was Princess Chi Yao of Chi Qing Central Empire.”
“Some even said that the plot was related to the Immortal Vampires, that this was the Blood Empress’ revenge.”
Zhang Ruochen was intrigued when Granny Bai Su mentioned the Immortal Vampires. He asked, “How did this relate to the Immortal Vampires? Shouldn’t the Blood Empress have been dead in the Bottomless Abyss already when the plot happened?”
“I found out about this later from Lord Twelve when he mentioned once that Emperor Ming and the Blood Empress shared a special relationship which had stopped the Emperor from banishing her to the Bottomless Abyss,” said Granny Bai Su.
Zhang Ruochen went into deep thought and remained silent.
He was puzzled at the fact that the Immortal Vampires had something to do with the plot.
Granny Bai Su continued further, “Later, Kong Shangling seized the throne, sending the Royal Capital chaos once again. Since then, I have never stepped foot into the Palace.”
“Thereafter, the Chi Qing Central Empire declared an open rebellion and there was yet another massacre at the Royal Capital. Some managed to escape but many did not.”
“Families who refused to serve the new empire were sentenced to death. The Bai’s family was one of them, and all the women in the family had been abused.”
“I spent five years cultivating along your side, my Prince. With the supplements you gave me during those years, my body and cultivation level were rather powerful as compared to the others. I was then sold to a saint from the Phoenix Dance Palace at a high price and have been staying here ever since for the past seven hundred years.”
Granny Bai Su and Zhang Ruochen spent another six hours catching up on many things.
They included how she bumped into Lord Twelve, how she achieved the saint level, how she became the top management of the Phoenix Dance Palace…
Some stories she shared with grief and sorrow, where she would sob occasionally, like how she used to when she was a young, timid handmaid.
While tears were in her eyes, Granny Bai Su smiled and said, “I should have been dead two hundred years ago. But Lord Twelve has been sending me pills that could help extend my lifespan annually. That is why I am still alive today.”
“The efficacy of the pills, however, has been reducing since a few years ago. Taking other factors into account, my life should end in another three month times. Seeing you again before I die has left my life with no other regret.”
Granny Bai Su did not ask Zhang Ruochen of his experiences for the past eight hundred years. Instead, she asked whether she should inform Lord Twelve of his return.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head and said, “No. Do not reveal this to anyone yet. The more people who know about it, the more danger I will encounter.”
“That’s quite true. Many outsiders have infiltrated our society.”
Granny Bai Su was worried about Zhang Ruochen getting yet another attack.
She continued to comment, “Especially the officers from the imperial court. I can’t imagine the consequences if they find out that you have returned.”
After all, a rumor was not a fact, The imperial court would have a different take if the return of the Crown Prince was a fact.
While the rumor had gone viral, there had not been any concrete evidence showing that Zhang Ruochen was the crown prince of Sacred Central Empire.
When the rumor subsided, some rational monks would probably not buy it at all.
A rumor itself was not credible unless it was proven true.
“Keep this within the few of us and do not inform Lord Twelve. I will see him myself when the time comes,” said Zhang Ruochen.
Granny Bai Su asked, “What is your plan till then?”
Zhang Ruochen answered with a smile, “Cultivate, cultivate and cultivate! I hope to achieve the saint level soon. The title means nothing if I am not a saint. And I need your help on one matter.”
“What is it, my prince?”
Granny Bai Su bowed to Zhang Ruochen, She had always been courteous to Zhang Ruochen, then and now.
Zhang Ruochen looked concerned. After some hesitation, he said, “Could you investigate the source of the leak in my identity?”
“Yes, my prince.”
Granny Bai Su took this matter seriously; she was all ready to head out and investigate it by herself.
“Hold on,” Zhang Ruochen called out to her, taking out a black berry as large as a fist from the Spatial Ring.
“This is the Shenwan Fruit which I plucked from the Netherworld. Though I have no idea how long it has been growing on the nutrient and power of a god corpse, at the very least it can help extend your lifespan for a few more decades.”
“You have not changed a bit, my prince…you always share what you have.”
Rather than rejecting the fruit, Granny Bai Su accepted it with grace. She knew he would never take back what had been offered.
Besides, she needed the fruit for she had only a few months left to live.
Not long after she left the residence, Zhang Ruochen left too.
Qin Yutong had been waiting for him outside the residence. Bai Xuanyu and Bai Xuanshuang had already left along with Granny Bai Su.
“Crown Prince.”
Qin Yutong gave a graceful curtsy to Zhang Ruochen. She was gentle and graceful.
“Don’t address me as the Crown Prince. I do not want others to know my identity yet,” said Zhang Ruochen.
“Noted.”
Qin Yutong smiled gently, “Granny has reminded me not to tell anybody of your identity.”
Zhang Ruochen gave her a sideways look. “The fourth commander of Canglong Army, Liao Huacheng… is he based in the seventh district still?”
“You haven’t given up on the idea of killing him?”
Qin Yutong wanted to stop Zhang Ruochen. He was the crown prince, and no one could afford to take the responsibility if anything happened to him.
She would be the one to be blamed.
Meanwhile, Zhang Ruochen had already left the Phoenix Dance Palace.
Qin Yutong sighed, and then followed him. She couldn’t leave him alone for such a dangerous mission.
