Chapter 50 : Helping Each Other In Humble Times

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The next day, Murong Heng and Shen Ci left Bailiu kingdom and set off for Shu province. Having sat in the carriage for a long time, Shen Ci clearly didn’t want to get in. When he caught sight of the tall, sturdy horse, he suddenly went over to pet it.

“Want to ride a horse?” Murong Heng guessed what he was thinking. Apart from Shen Ci, he was also a little tired of sitting in a carriage for so many days. Thus, he pondered for a moment, then carried Shen Ci and mounted the horse, letting him sit steadily in front of himself.

After allowing the horse to calm down, Murong Heng permitted Shen Ci to hold the reins and patiently taught him how to ride the horse. Then he gradually let the horse walk a few steps, enabling Shen Ci to adapt to the manoeuvres.

Needless to say, during the course of learning, Murong Heng also took advantage to sexually harass Shen Ci many times, which satisfied him very much. After an hour, he got off his horse and let Shen Ci sit on the horseback alone while he stood beside him and carefully protected him.

Shen Ci took a deep breath, and following what Murong Heng said earlier, he tugged the reins with a light shout before letting the horse walk slowly. Subsequently, he ran a few steps at a faster speed. It was an entirely different experience from riding in the carriage. There was a feeling of recklessness when riding a horse. Shen Ci laughed. It had been tough for Murong to sit with him in the carriage for so many days, to the point where he was about to suffocate.

Just when he was enjoying himself, the horse became frightened all of a sudden and whinnied. Before he could react, the horse raised its front hooves. Shen Ci abruptly lost his seat and fell sideways.

“Watch out!” Murong Heng’s eyes instantly widened, and he rushed over to gather the fallen Shen Ci into his arms. His heart was pounding. Fortunately, he moved quickly; otherwise, he wouldn’t dare imagine if Ah Ci had tumbled to the ground. Although it was desert sand, injuries were inevitable.

“What happened?” Murong Heng stood up with him in his arms. He lowered him to the ground and gently patted him on the back to comfort him. The undercover guard, who’d been following not far away, walked over and answered in a low voice, “It was a scorpion. A scorpion shocked the horse.”

When he heard it, Murong Heng abruptly frowned. Luckily, nothing happened, but he never dared to let Ah Ci ride a horse by himself again. He thought this way as he flipped onto the horse with Shen Ci in his arms and let him sit in front of him while he rode the horse himself.

After swapping the carriage for riding horses, the speed was much faster. In just seven days, the two arrived in Sichuan. They got off the horse. Murong Heng led the horse with one hand and Shen Ci with the other as they walked towards the city.

Sure enough, Sichuan was very different from the west. Not only was the population more numerous and lively, but the scenery had also become much more beautiful. After entering the city, Murong Heng and Shen Ci first located an inn to rest and change their clothes, then went out to have a meal.

Upon arriving in Sichuan, Murong Heng didn’t know what to eat. He only knew that the most famous ingredient here was chilli peppers, so he casually stopped a passerby to ask.

“If you want to talk about this place of ours, the best food, of course, is hot pot. The Chuanwei Restaurant on the street in front is the best restaurant in the area. The hot pot there is really authentic.” The passerby answered with a smile and gave a thumbs up.

“Thank you.” Murong Heng nodded to him, then turned around and led Shen Ci to walk ahead. He had heard of Chuanwei Restaurant when he was in the capital. It is a world-famous restaurant that gathers dishes from all over the realm. There were all kinds of dishes; it’s just that you couldn’t have imagined that you wouldn’t be able to eat them here if it wasn’t for them.

After walking for a quarter of an hour, the two came to the front of the Chuanwei Restaurant. Seeing the endless stream of customers coming and going through their door, Murong Heng couldn’t help sighing, “Business is really good.” After speaking, he led Shen Ci to walk inside.

“What would you two guests like to eat?” As soon as they sat down, a waiter approached with a smile.

Murong Heng pondered for a while, then immediately recalled what the passersby had said just now: that Chuanwei Restaurant’s hot pot was delicious, so he said, “I heard that the hot pot here is delicious. Let’s order a portion and some signature side dishes.”

“Very well, guest. The hot pot has a clear, spicy, and mandarin duck pot. Which one do you two want?” The waiter asked again.

This question instantly confused the two of them. Murong Heng and Shen Ci looked at each other and asked in unison, “What is this mandarin duck pot?” Could it be that there is a mandarin duck in the pot?

“It’s like this. Mandarin duck hot pot is divided into two sides. Half of which is clear soup and half of which is spicy. There are two flavours, so that guests who eat spicy food and those who don’t can sit at the same table and enjoy delicious food.” The waiter explained with a smile.

Murong Heng suddenly realised, “Then let’s have this mandarin duck pot.”

The waiter smiled and withdrew. After a while, a round pot was brought over. The round pot was divided into two halves. One half was filled with clear soup, and the other half was filled with peppers and chilli oil. Just looking at it made one feel terribly hot all over.

Owing to the fact that both their tastes in the capital were inclined towards mild, they don’t usually eat much spicy food. As such, they both want to have a go at some spicy food. Moreover, the Su is humid. If they accidentally fall sick, it will penetrate their bones. Consuming some spicy food was good for removing moisture.

As he thought this way, Murong Heng dipped a slice of meat into the spicy pot and boiled it. When the slice of meat was cooked, he placed it in Shen Ci’s bowl and took a slice for himself.

Shen Ci picked up the sliced meat and put it in his mouth. A pungent taste overflowed into his mouth, making him cough repeatedly and turning his complexion somewhat red. Murong Heng, next to him, quickly poured him a glass of water and patted his back lightly.

“It’s too spicy.” Shen Ci’s choked out until tears appeared and his face was flushed. He swore he would never eat spicy food again. He truly couldn’t stand it, so he shifted the spicy pot over to Murong Heng’s side and obediently ate from the clear soup.

On the contrary, Murong Heng got used to the spicy hot pot very quickly. He got used to the peppery taste after a while and felt that the more he ate, the more delicious it was. The food was fragrant, and he kept eating while shouting that it was spicy.

After eating, the two of them walked back to the inn. As they passed by a small stall, Shen Ci stopped in his tracks, with a look of nostalgia in his eyes. It was a sugar figurine stall. He remembered that when he was young, his father had brought him to this kind of sugar figurine stall. Back then, he was bawling nonstop. His father said it was this kind of sugar figurine that made him happy. As such, he’d also retained that moment in his heart.

Many years later, the sugar figurine maker died of illness, and this kind of sugar stall was never seen in the capital again. Later, Shen’s house was searched and their possessions confiscated, and everyone in the family died except him. Aside from cherishing the memory of his parents, there was nothing else. Now, when I noticed the familiar sugar figurine stall in Sichuan, he couldn’t help feeling nostalgic.

“Master, give me a sugar figure. Just make it look like him.” As he was immersed in reminiscing, Murong Heng, who was beside him, walked up and spoke to the sugar figurine maker.

“Sure.” The sugar figurine maker picked up the sugar ladle and quickly made a sugar figurine. It resembled a floating fairy and almost looked the same as Shen Ci. Satisfied, Murong Heng took the sugar figurine and paid the money.

“Murong…” Shen Ci came back to his senses and realised that the sugar figurine in his hand actually resembled himself. He couldn’t help laughing, then he turned to the sugar figurine maker and said, “Make another one that looks like him.”

“Right.” The sugar figure maker’s movements were quick, and he made another lifelike one that mirrored Murong Heng.

“Thank you, master.” Shen Ci took the sugar figurine and eyed it contentedly. Now that he has let go of his worries, he feels that the sugar figurine is so cute when he looks at it. The memories of his childhood seemed to have been yesterday. He twirled the sugar figurine in his hand and took a bite of it.

“Why are you eating it?” Murong Heng smirked when he saw this, then leaned over to Shen Ci’s ear and whispered, “I’m far more delicious than this. Do you want to give it a try?”

Shen Ci blushed when he heard the words. He glared at him and walked forward angrily. This person is getting more and more improper. He’s beyond saving!

Upon returning to the inn, the two washed up and went to bed to rest. After staying in Sichuan for a few days, the two continued on their way. This time, their destination was the north. It is said that the temperatures in the north at present are extremely low, and many places are frozen over. There are commoners who specially turn these into beautiful ice lanterns, and there is even an ice lantern festival. The customs of these festivals, which were completely different from the capital, made Murong Heng and Shen Ci very curious, and they wanted to go and see for themselves.

After several days of travelling, the two finally arrived in Fuzhou, in the extreme north, before the start of the Ice Lantern Festival. The weather had dropped significantly. At the moment, it was only autumn in Beijing, but it was already as cold as deep winter in Fuzhou. Murong Heng was afraid that Shen Ci would be cold, so he had already prepared a large cloak and draped it on him.

At night, they both went out together to observe the ice lanterns. Many ice lanterns with endless styles were hung throughout the winding corridor. Shen Ci looked at each one curiously and discovered that many ice lanterns were not only beautiful in style, but the internal structure was also very interesting. The people who were able to design these ice lanterns were highly intelligent.

It just happened that the Ice Lantern Festival would be held today. After a quarter of an hour, there was a loud noise from the crowd. Murong Heng and Shen Ci walked over and saw many devout and virtuous men and women holding ice lanterns. Their wishes were put into the ice lanterns, and then the lanterns were hung in tall trees, creating a magnificent sight.

“Ah Ci, let’s make one too.” Murong Heng enthusiastically dragged Shen Ci over. After buying an ice lantern, he took a brush and paper and wrote his wish on it.

I only hope that your heart is like mine and that you never abandon our love.

The note with the wish was carefully folded. Murong Heng held Shen Ci’s hand, and together they placed the note into the small slot within the ice lantern. Then Murong Heng leapt up and hung the ice lantern on the topmost part of the tree.

The people around them cheered and applauded. Murong Heng descended from the tree. He took Shen Ci’s hand and straightaway kissed the back of it, while ignoring the many people who were watching from the sidelines. He didn’t mask the tender affection in his gaze one bit. This happiness belonged to him; why should he conceal it? He was thrilled to share his joy and happiness with his people.

Shen Ci didn’t stop his actions but silently tightened his hold. The two looked at each other and walked away from the crowd, hand in hand. As they strolled back, they whispered terms of endearment to each other.

After staying in Fuzhou for three days, Murong Heng brought Shen Ci to another place. Finally, one day in winter, the two of them ended their outing and returned to the imperial palace. As soon as they got off the carriage, they received a warm welcome from the little lion. Murong Heng turned his head and gave Shen Ci a look filled with happiness.

The next morning, Murong Heng got up early to attend morning court. Shen Ci also went with him, letting the little lion lie at his feet and lick his palm. Soon the morning court began, and the ministers hailed the emperor’s long life, their voices reverberating in the golden palace.

Over the past few months of travelling, the court has been well managed by several veteran ministers. Murong Heng nodded in satisfaction, rewarded those veteran ministers with a lot of treasures, and ordered that this year’s tax collection be reduced by thirty percent. The national treasury was abundant, so there was no need to pay so much tax. It was better for the people to keep that money and live a good life.

This wise move made the ministers kneel down to express their gratitude. Murong Heng was overjoyed when he saw the excited faces of the ministers and Shen Ci, who was smiling behind him. As soon as morning court was over, Murong Heng couldn’t wait to pull Shen Ci up and head outside the hall. When they reached a place where no one was around, he kissed him deeply.

He once swore that he would sit in that supreme position some day, so that no one would dare to bully him anymore. He would also let his beloved live a good life with him, allowing his beloved Ah Ci to rule the dynasty with him.

He was glad he managed to do it. He is very happy now. After kissing, Murong Heng stroked the loose hair around Shen Ci’s cheeks. They smiled at each other, then he held his hand firmly and walked forward.

I only wish that in this life, you are in my dreams, to be with you, and never be separated again.

Spoiler. Able To Wait For You At Last

Feng Nan’s ending

After Feng Nan left the imperial palace, he had nowhere to go, so he wandered all the way. At last, he came upon an inaccessible, small mountain village. The villagers here were very down-to-earth. Even though he was an outsider, they didn’t shun him. Instead, they provided him with food and water so he could stay.

After staying for a few days, Feng Nan decided that he wouldn’t leave. Besides, he had nowhere to go. The villagers here treated him very well, and he wanted to repay their kindness.

The family that took him in consisted of an old woman and a young man around the age of crowning*. The young man obediently called him gege** the first time he saw him, and his grandmother took care of his daily life and meals when he was away.

(*TN: around twenty, when men in China began to wear crowns and hats.)

(*TN: address for an older brother; for older boys or men not necessarily related.)

He wasn’t aware how many days had passed. It seemed that there was no sense of age in this small mountain village until the young man grew up into a handsome man. He had also matured a bit; he was no longer the young and taciturn person he was back then.

On this day, he was sitting alone on the hillside in a daze, thinking back to the scene when he first entered Shen’s residence and saw Shen Ci for the first time. At that time, Shen Ci was still very young and was being held in Madam Shen’s arms. He was a fair-skinned child that looked like he’d been carved from jade, and he fell in love with him the first time he met him. When he learned that he had been assigned as his bodyguard, Feng Nan was very happy. He made a vow in his heart to protect and take care of him.

It wasn’t until so many things had subsequently occurred that Feng Nan gradually realised Shen Ci didn’t belong to him, even if Murong Heng didn’t exist. He’d chosen to leave once everything was settled.

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the man behind him. For some reason, he could always see the likeness of Shen Ci in him, but both of them were different. It’s not that he wasn’t aware of his own feelings, but his heart no longer had room for another person.

“Feng Nan, I like you.” He remembered that he’d said this to him.

“But I already have someone I like, even if he no longer belongs to me.” Feng Nan also recalled that he’d answered this way. In his heart, Shen Ci was incomparable and irreplaceable.

“It doesn’t matter, as long as I like you.” Lin Qing said to him, “If you can’t forget him, then don’t forget. But can you try to accept me? I can take care of you for the rest of your life and cook for you to eat.”

Feng Nan was shocked when he heard this. He never made a promise, but he was afraid that Lin Qing would get hurt and didn’t want him to wait for him. But he was very shaken by what he’d said. Lin Qing did all this for him, and he’d never responded. Was it too heartless?

It wasn’t until passing thieves massacred the small village that Lin Qing disregarded his own life and insisted on protecting him. His back suffered a slash from a blade, and blood flowed like a river. At this moment, Feng Nan realised that this man had suffered so much for him, and his delayed response had hurt his heart for a long time.

Thus, Feng Nan shouted violently and killed all the thieves. Once he rescued the trapped villagers, he brought them to a quiet place to resettle. He also found someone to heal Lin Qing’s wounds. From the moment he opened his eyes and smiled at him again, Feng Nan swore that he would never ignore his feelings for him again. With this thought, he bowed his head and kissed him gently.

After the kiss, Feng Nan said softly, “I promise you, let’s be together and live happily. I will treat you well.” There was a time when he thought that if he didn’t have Shen Ci, he wouldn’t have a life and would lose the motivation to survive. But now he discovered that even if he couldn’t forget Shen Ci, he was no longer his. The person before him had taken him in and cared for him, and now he’d suffered a serious injury in order to save him. His only relative had passed away the year before. He remained the only person he could rely on. Therefore, what right does he have to treat him badly?

“Alright.” After waiting for so long, he’d finally heard his words. Lin Qing immediately felt that everything was worth it, and the injury to his back no longer seemed painful. His smile was filled with happiness.

I thought I would never be able to wait for you, but luckily I did at last.

The author has something to say:

The full text ends here. Thank you for your support. Regardless of whether you are diving or commenting on each chapter, thank you for your continued company. See you in the next feature! *kissing sounds*

PurpleLy has something to say:

This is my second translation project. While I believe that this story isn’t suitable for everyone, and the pacing was quite rushed at times, it has its own flavour. It wasn’t as challenging as my first project, “Did We Agree To Be Arch-Rivals?”, but I’m glad I saw it until its conclusion.

I’m now translating a new story “This Husband is Frail and Weak”. Check it out if you haven’t yet and thank you for your support.

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