EWRN - Chapter 74
Chapter 74: Epilogue (I)
Time flew. Huo Jinyu spent several months with Yan Xi in the Northern Kingdom, seeing all the sights, big and small, and eating all the local specialties of its various cities. It could be said that her days were exceptionally pleasant.
Yan Xi was particularly perceptive. Although Huo Jinyu had seemed very happy these past few months, Yan Xi always felt that Jinyu was hiding something, or rather, shouldering some burden. There were even several times when Huo Jinyu was startled awake from a nightmare. Yan Xi could never forget the sight of her, drenched in sweat, her face contorted in pain.
In the dead of night, whenever Yan Xi thought of her beloved's pained expression, her heart would ache unbearably. She wished she could be the one to suffer and be plagued by nightmares instead.
She had tried asking Huo Jinyu what was wrong, but Huo Jinyu would either stare blankly, lost in memory, or change the subject. In short, Yan Xi never succeeded. Her informants had also investigated, both openly and secretly, numerous times, but they found nothing. For a time, Yan Xi was plunged into a deep sense of helplessness. She wanted to help Huo Jinyu but didn't know where to begin.
As winter drew nearer, Huo Jinyu's dreams of her past life became more frequent. Night after night, she was jolted awake by heart-rending pain, and her face grew paler by the day. She could see the heartache in Yan Xi's eyes and secretly rejoiced that Xi'er cared for her. But when night fell, Huo Jinyu would be overwhelmed with a pain that made life feel unbearable. The bizarre scenes of her past life, the agony of being torn apart by chariots, tormented her again and again. Huo Jinyu thought to herself that perhaps Heaven was reminding her it was time for revenge.
Huo Jinye had sat on that throne long enough. It was time to reclaim all the sorrow and resentment from her past life.
The next day, after Xi'er returned to her bedchambers from the morning court session, Huo Jinyu announced her intention to leave.
"Xi'er, I still have unfinished business. I can't stay with you in the Northern Kingdom any longer for now," Huo Jinyu said apologetically to Yan Xi, who had just changed out of her dragon robes. "I must return to the Great Yuan Kingdom."
Yan Xi was somewhat surprised. She knew Huo Jinyu would return to the Great Yuan Kingdom sooner or later, but she hadn't expected the day to come so quickly.
"…It's because of Huo Jinye, isn't it?" Yan Xi asked, though she already knew the answer in her heart.
"Yes," Huo Jinyu nodded in reply. On this trip back to the Great Yuan Kingdom, she would have to prepare thoroughly and then make her move against Huo Jinye. With her current power, crushing Huo Jinye would be as easy as turning over her hand.
"In that case, I'll go with you, Jinyu," Yan Xi decided cheerfully. How could she miss out on something as good as teaching Huo Jinye a lesson? She was determined to settle the score for being the cause of her beloved's nightmares.
"Xi'er, if you come with me, what will happen to the Northern Kingdom?" Huo Jinyu asked, puzzled. The entire Northern Kingdom was supported by Xi'er alone. What would happen if the emperor just left?
"It's fine. It's about time Prince Rui got some practice," Yan Xi said. With that one sentence, she sealed Prince Rui's fate for a miserable yet fulfilling life to come.
"Since you've already decided, Xi'er, then so be it. We'll pack our valuables in the next two days and set off." Having Xi'er's company on the road would be the best thing she could ask for.
That night, the two held each other as they slept. Because Huo Jinyu had been restless and not in the best of spirits lately, they only shared a few kisses before Huo Jinyu nestled securely in Yan Xi's arms, closed her eyes, and fell into a deep sleep. They didn't do anything more strenuous.
Perhaps because she had made up her mind to deal with the matter of Huo Jinye that had been weighing on her, Huo Jinyu's stress was greatly reduced these past two days, and she slept especially soundly. Yan Xi, too, felt a little more at ease. Only when Huo Jinyu slept well could she relax even a little.
Two days later, Huo Jinyu and Yan Xi, both dressed in snow-white, mounted tall horses. Leading the hundred or so Brocade Guard Army soldiers they had brought to the Northern Kingdom months ago, they set out from the Northern Kingdom's imperial city. The group galloped toward the Great Yuan Kingdom. Because the journey was urgent, Yan Xi rode her own horse, though she was actually a little displeased. It was all that damned Huo Jinye's fault. If not for him, she would be nestled in Huo Jinyu's warm embrace, enjoying the scenery along the way.
The group sped hastily toward the Great Yuan Kingdom.
In the imperial city of the Great Yuan Kingdom, a few days had passed since the court officials learned of the empty national treasury. These last two days, Huo Jinye's temper had grown increasingly foul. He always felt that the ministers were looking at him with ill intent. In recent days, the number of ministers dragged out for a caning had increased. If a minister said even the slightest thing that displeased him, Huo Jinye would immediately have him taken out to be caned.
Ministers with stronger constitutions could withstand several dozen strokes, but for those who were weaker or older, a single caning would nearly cost them their lives.
This led the ministers to be furious but not dare to speak out. Officials from several great families simply claimed illness and stopped attending court. For a time, the other ministers followed suit, all claiming to be sick and staying away.
The court was much emptier, truly an "unprecedented" sight.
"Rebellion! They're all rebelling against Us!" Huo Jinye roared at the ministers below, losing his temper on the dragon throne and slamming his palms on the table.
The force of the movement pulled at his waist, which in turn pulled at his (indescribable parts). Huo Jinye grimaced sharply in pain. Thankfully, the ministers were all kneeling on the floor and didn't see.
Huo Jinye composed himself and looked up, only to see the General of the State gazing at him affectionately from below. Recalling the absurd yet wonderful experiences of the past few days, Huo Jinye's face flushed red, then darkened. He was rather ashamed and annoyed. He, the dignified ruler of a nation, had actually been topped by a man he considered a brother. It was truly… truly humiliating!
In truth, Huo Jinye could have resisted, could have refused. So why had he only put up a token struggle? Huo Jinye himself didn't quite understand. These past few days, the General of the State had worn him out so much that he could barely attend morning court, and he hadn't visited the rear palace to favor any consorts for several days in a row. As soon as court was dismissed, the General of the State, Hou Yuwen, would run to Huo Jinye's bedchambers and couldn't be chased away. Huo Jinye resolved to go hide with his consorts immediately after court today.
Lost in these random thoughts, Huo Jinye was completely unaware that his good days were about to come to an end.
Huo Jinyu, Yan Xi, and their entourage traveled without rest and finally returned to the Great Yuan Kingdom. It was now nearly winter, and in the northern parts of Great Yuan, snow had already begun to fall, covering the ground in a thin layer.
The group entered the Great Yuan Kingdom via country backroads, bypassing several northwestern border cities. The villages were mostly deserted.
After another day's trek, they arrived once more at Yinzhou City. The city gates were half-closed. Seeing that Huo Jinyu was leading so many soldiers, the few guards on duty didn't dare to stop them and let the group pass straight into the city. The inn from their last visit was now closed, empty and looking somewhat dilapidated. Only a few scattered people walked the city streets. The sky had already darkened, but there wasn't a single light in the city. Huo Jinyu, however, had long known what the Great Yuan Kingdom had become and wasn't surprised at all. Yan Xi, on the other hand, gave the scene a sidelong glance.
With great difficulty, they found a small inn in a corner of the city that was still open, but it couldn't accommodate so many people. Huo Jinyu had no choice but to have everyone disperse and find an empty house to make do for the night. She herself took a dozen or so people and checked into the small inn.
The innkeeper had a large scar on his face that looked quite frightening, but his service was reasonably attentive, so Huo Jinyu didn't pay it much mind.
The Scarred Innkeeper saw that the group was led by two women, both of whom were national beauties, capable of toppling cities and kingdoms. An evil idea began to form in his mind. He thought that as long as he could subdue the two leaders, the others would be no problem.
With this in mind, the innkeeper went to the back kitchen to sharpen his knife.
Late at night, the innkeeper tiptoed upstairs. He crept to the door of Huo Jinyu and Yan Xi's room, reached out, and carefully pushed the door open without making a sound. The sharp boning knife in his hand flashed silver in the darkness.
The room was unnaturally quiet, but the Scarred Innkeeper paid it no mind. He gradually approached the bed. In the darkness, he could just make out the bulging shape of the quilt. With the knife in one hand, he lunged with the other, aiming to grab what he estimated to be a neck.
To his astonishment, however, his hand met not the warm neck of a beautiful woman, but a soft quilt. The hair on his body stood on end, and he jerked backward. Just as he was about to turn, he felt a sharp blade slice across the back of his knees. He fell to his knees in pain, and the boning knife flew from his grasp.
"Aaaah!" The innkeeper let out a pig-like squeal. Realizing he had crossed someone he shouldn't have, he immediately begged for mercy. "Spare me, spare me! This lowly one was wrong, this lowly one was wrong!"
A flint was struck, illuminating two peerlessly beautiful faces in the darkness. But both pairs of lovely eyes were filled with an icy chill.
The group had been traveling for days and was already exhausted. They had hoped to get a good rest in the city, but they had been targeted by some reckless lowlife. Huo Jinyu was furious, and waves of killing intent surged through the small room.
Ignoring the innkeeper's wails, Huo Jinyu severed the tendons in his hands and feet and kicked him out the door. A dozen or so Brocade Guard Army soldiers had already gathered outside, awakened by the innkeeper's screams. Thinking something had happened to Huo Jinyu, they had rushed over. A few soldiers dragged the crippled innkeeper away. Huo Jinyu sent the rest back to bed and closed the door again.
The two lay back down on the bed. The floor was stained with blood, and the nauseating smell of it hung in the air. Huo Jinyu hugged Yan Xi pitifully and refused to go to sleep.
"Jinyu, rest now. We have to travel again tomorrow," Yan Xi said soothingly, patting Jinyu's back.
"Xi'er, someone coveted your Jinyu. I'm not sleeping, I'm not sleeping," Huo Jinyu said, resting her chin in the crook of Yan Xi's neck, her tone rather coquettish.
Yan Xi didn't share Huo Jinyu's sudden childishness. Was she supposed to say the innkeeper had coveted her too? It wouldn't do for the two of them to hug each other and act coquettish. Yan Xi stroked Huo Jinyu, amused. "Go to sleep now, be good."
Huo Jinyu fussed with Yan Xi under the covers for a while before exhaustion claimed her and she fell into a deep sleep. Seeing that Huo Jinyu had finally stopped being mischievous, Yan Xi breathed a sigh of relief and soon fell asleep as well.
The next day, the Brocade Guard Army soldiers had the horses ready and were waiting at the inn's entrance early in the morning. After Huo Jinyu and Yan Xi finished washing up, they took some dry rations and waterskins from the inn, and the group hastily set off again, heading straight for Baili Mountain.
Meanwhile, Huo Jinye, still enjoying peace and prosperity with song and dance in the imperial city, had no idea that disaster was about to befall him.
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