Chapter 65: Gaining Length

Chapter 65: Gaining Length

Lu Chang Ping had a very long dream.

In his dream, he once again returned to those restless nights of his childhood, finding himself in a bizarre otherworld.

Years later, that world remained unchanged. Just like in his memories, the streets were filled with strange carriages that moved without horses or oxen, and pedestrians wore bold and unique attire, among them were extravagantly dressed individuals seemingly off to some special event.

The only difference from his memories was that he was no longer an observer watching another version of himself but had fully immersed himself into this other world, becoming a part of it.

Lu Chang Ping couldn't understand why this change had occurred. He vaguely remembered that before falling unconscious, he was in a palace ablaze, struggling with the tear-streaked tyrant...

The tyrant, stubborn as ever, refused to heed his advice to escape first with Ah Lin, and he, infuriated by the reckless tyrant, felt dizzy and eventually lost consciousness.

Now, finding himself in this other world, he feared it was somehow connected to those events.

Lu Changping halted, his handsome brows slightly furrowed in deep thought. Was he dead now? Had the disobedient tyrant infuriated him to death on the spot, or did he perish in the flames without escaping the palace? Why didn't he feel anything before dying?

If he were dead, what about Xie Xuan Yuan and Ah Lin... were they alright?

Thus, he sat by the flower bed, aimlessly pondering life. With little understanding of this world and his remaining memories blurred and chaotic, he was unsure of where to go next.

As the sky darkened, the neon lights on skyscrapers gradually lit up, and passersby occasionally cast curious glances at the handsome young man sitting motionlessly by the flower bed, though none approached him.

Just as Lu Changping decided to make do and spend the night under the open sky, it began to drizzle. Initially light, like the gentle spring rains of Nan Chu, it soon turned into a downpour, quickly drenching those without umbrellas.

Pedestrians hurried off, leaving him alone, confused, and pitifully soaked by the rain.

Lu Changping raised his hand to rub his eyes wet from the rain, and upon opening them, he saw a woman in a black dress with an umbrella approaching him. The rain obscured her face, but her tall and graceful figure was elegantly highlighted by the black dress.

Lu Changping felt an inexplicable familiarity with her, yet couldn't recall where he had seen her before.

Soon, the woman in the black dress reached him, tilting her umbrella slightly to shield him from the rain, her tone gentle, "With the rain pouring like this, why haven't you gone home? Your father emperor has been waiting for you for a long time."

Father emperor? But he and Zhao Ping's father had long passed away.

Hearing this long-absent title, Lu Changping almost immediately looked up. By the neon lights flickering at the street corner, he finally saw the face of the person holding the umbrella for him.

The woman's features were strikingly beautiful, breathtakingly so under the illumination of the lights. Her warm and accommodating brown-gray phoenix eyes looked at him as if viewing a child who had stayed out playing too late.

Lu Changping's eyes widened in shock, nearly forgetting to breathe. Those eyes were too familiar to him... not just the eyes, but the delicate features were extremely similar to Xie Xuan Yuan's! Except for appearing older than Xie Xuan Yuan, she almost seemed like a gender-swapped version of the tyrant.

If there had to be a difference, it was that this person's gaze and tone were far too gentle, unlike Xie Xuan Yuan's bold and aggressive demeanor.

Seeing Lu Changping staring transfixed at her face, the well-concealed emotions of the woman in the black dress briefly slipped, and she smiled knowingly. Her smile dimmed the surrounding lights, as if all the splendid night scenery served merely as a backdrop to her alone.

"It seems you've met Ayan. How has he been these past years?"

Lu Changping was about to reply that he didn't know the woman's "Ayan," but in a flash, he suddenly considered an utterly absurd possibility...

When they first met, Xie Xuan Yuan told him that his name was "Xie Yan." Later, he learned that Xie Xuan Yuan was a name adopted after being released from prison.

Perhaps Xie Xuan Yuan didn't lie to him? Could Xie Xuan Yuan be the Ayan the woman referred to?

Lost in his astonishing discovery, Lu Changping sought further confirmation: "Ayan... is he the Ninth Prince of Beiwei?"

The woman in the black dress nodded: "He must be around your age by now."

Hesitantly, Lu Changping still informed her about Xie Yan changing his name to Xie Xuan Yuan.

"So, he no longer goes by Ayan..." A layer of subtle sorrow gradually veiled the woman's brown-gray phoenix eyes as she continued to inquire, "You know him, don't you?"

Lu Changping did not deny, yet more doubts arose within him. If his guess was correct, this woman was Xie Xuan Yuan's long-deceased mother, Consort Jing. But why would someone long passed appear before him? Could it be that he was truly dead?

Seeing the woman eagerly awaiting his words about Xie Xuan Yuan, Lu Changping felt a hollowness inside. By relation, this woman was his mother-in-law, yet sharing the experience of having been intimate with her son was hardly honorable.

Memories flashed before him as Emperor Lu suppressed his guilt and longing for Xie Xuan Yuan, attempting to cheer up his mother-in-law: "He... is doing very well, now reigning as the new ruler of Beiwei. He's been diligent in governance and has gradually restored his health over the years."

He selectively shared many of Xie Xuan Yuan's good deeds with his mother. Consort Jing, quietly standing beside him with an umbrella, wore a faint smile, seemingly content.

After listening for a while, she smiled warmly and said, "It's clear you two have a good relationship."

Lu Changping didn't tell a single lie to Xie Xuan Yuan's mother, but he intentionally omitted his deceitful marriage to the tyrant and the accidental pregnancy.

Hearing Consort Jing's comment, he felt utterly unworthy of facing this mother and son. He closed his eyes in self-despair, ready to confess his "crimes": "Actually... I've done many things wrong by him. Perhaps my death is deserved, a retribution for my misdeeds."

Upon hearing this, Consort Jing couldn't help but chuckle: "Who said you were dead?"

Emperor Lu looked at Concubine Jing with an incredulous gaze: "But my father emperor and A'Yuan's mother concubine have both passed away many years ago."

Concubine Jing's eyes, strikingly similar to Xie Xuan Yuan's, glanced at him lightly: "You have not died; you may consider this place as a world that does not intersect with the one you live in. Moreover, this is not our first meeting. It seems you have forgotten about our previous encounters..."

As if recalling something amusing, a mischievous smile appeared in her eyes: "Your father emperor must be getting anxious by now; let's walk and talk."

……

Along the way, Lu Changping's understanding was greatly challenged.

Strictly speaking, this was not his and Concubine Jing's first meeting. A long time ago, since he started having those strange dreams, he had already interacted with her.

Although Lu Changping was always in good physical health, his soul was inherently unstable. Those bizarre so-called dreams were actually his soul briefly leaving his body during sleep, sometimes wandering into worlds not his own.

There was a time when he often found himself in this world while asleep.

Wandering aimlessly in a foreign world, he met Concubine Jing, who had also just arrived here, deeply missing her son.

Young Lu Changping was a fair and handsome boy, his age closely matching Xie Xuan Yuan's, a rare solace for Concubine Jing who could no longer meet her son.

Furthermore, he was curious about everything at that time, unable to resist learning a thing or two whenever he saw something interesting. After "dreaming" for a long time, he accidentally learned the art of cross-dressing and tried many leisure and entertainment activities unique to this world.

Had his soul remained stable, these would have been beautiful memories forever stored in the depths of his memory.

Unfortunately, not long after, his and Zhao Ping's father emperor passed away after a long illness in a suburban palace. Since then, all the burdens fell on Lu Changping alone.

The change in mindset caused a drastic fluctuation in his soul's state, like a radio that had its frequencies scrambled with eyes closed, unable to tune back to the originally discovered channels. Forced to mature overnight, Lu Changping could no longer fully recall the events that had occurred in this foreign world.

After briefly explaining these, Concubine Jing sighed with regret: "You were much cuter as a child than you are now; if only A'Yuan had known you since then, how wonderful that would have been."

After listening, Long Ping smiled, but his face showed no sign of regret. Being younger was certainly an advantage, but back then, he was not the kind to cherish others. Had he met Xie Xuan Yuan, it would likely have been a clash of titans, possibly infuriating the other to death.

Consort Jing held an umbrella over him for a long walk, always listening to Long Ping's stories with a side smile, even chuckling at amusing tales. Her demeanor was not that towards someone with no blood relation but rather like that towards her own flesh and blood.

Emperor Lu never expected Consort Jing, Xie Xuan Yuan's mother, to have such a disposition, almost the polar opposite of her tyrannical son.

Having such a gentle and amiable mother-in-law was rare; he resolved to seize this opportunity to meet the parents, striving to gain her approval sooner rather than later.

With determination, a fiery zeal seemed to ignite within his peach-blossom eyes. Emperor Lu strived for calm, tentatively beginning, "Perhaps you've already noticed, Xuan Yuan and I are not merely friends."

Consort Jing hummed nonchalantly, seemingly unsurprised. It was indeed not hard to tell, given no one talks about a mere friend with such endless enthusiasm and starry eyes.

Emperor Lu's cheeks turned a rare shade of red as he ventured further into delicate territory, "…Xuan Yuan and I have married."

Consort Jing paused in her steps, turning to give Emperor Lu a fresh appraisal, "You move quite swiftly."

Emboldened by Consort Jing's open-mindedness, yet more embarrassed, he added softly, "Actually… we have a child together."

This time, Consort Jing stopped entirely, asking only, "Did Xuan Yuan consent willingly?"

She knew her son was always proud and ambitious, never settling for second best. Fearing he couldn't accept his unique condition, she never told him he inherited the Northern Di tribe's bloodline, enabling him to bear children with another man.

Unfortunately… it couldn't be kept a secret forever.

Emperor Lu recalled the young tyrant's preciousness towards their unborn child during the pregnancy, his heart souring, "Xuan Yuan was willing, but I failed to protect him."

Hearing the underlying meaning, Consort Jing didn't erupt in anger, "I know you blame yourself. Although I am his mother, I can't hate you on his behalf, nor can I forgive you for him. This is something between you two, all I can do is bless Xuan Yuan, hoping he realizes his true feelings soon."

"You… don't oppose us being together?"

Finally turning around, Consort Jing's lips, as stunning as the tyrant's, curved into a faint smile, "As long as Xuan Yuan is happy and not mistreated, why would I oppose?"

Emperor Lu hadn't expected passing the parental approval to be so effortless. He promptly assured Consort Jing, "I would never mistreat Xuan Yuan, nor let anyone else do so!"

Perhaps convinced by Emperor Lu's earnest and stern demeanor, Consort Jing didn't scorn his blunt declaration, instead nodding in encouragement, "I trust Xuan Yuan's judgment; he always had good taste."

Although the compliment was directed at her son, Emperor Lu, chosen by the tyrant, also felt honored. He bowed respectfully to Consort Jing, smoothly addressing her, "Mother Consort."

Hearing the term "Mother Consort," Consort Jing's eyes crinkled in amusement. She helped Emperor Lu up, "No rush in changing how you address me, your father must be informed about you and Xuan Yuan first."

……

The rain began to ease, and Lu Changping followed the Empress Jing to the front of a garden villa in the residential area.

He watched as she skillfully unlocked the garden gate and the keypad lock after putting away her umbrella.

These novelties of another world were somewhat familiar to Lu Changping, but the memories from his dreams had faded, leaving him only able to guess their purpose without knowing how to use them.

Even so, he could still spot issues and casually inquired, "Are you and my imperial father living together now?"

As soon as he asked, he realized the question sounded a bit odd.

Empress Jing was the favored concubine of the late Emperor of the North, while his imperial father was the Emperor of the South. However, their titles did not distinguish this, sounding as if there was some unspeakable affair between Xie Xuan Yuan's mother and his own imperial father...

Empress Jing seemed not to find it inappropriate, inviting Lu Changping in and casually replied, "Yes, your imperial father and I are old acquaintances."

To be precise, the "imperial father" mentioned by Lu Changping and his sibling was not their biological father but their uncle, the late Emperor Lu Jialing of the South. But having been taken into the palace shortly after birth, they were raised with care, making Emperor Lu Jialing essentially their father in their hearts.

Despite being a sovereign, Emperor Lu Jialing was frail and disinterested in women, leaving no heirs. Anticipating this, he groomed Lu Changping as his successor early on, ensuring the transition of power in the South remained stable even after his premature death.

As Lu Changping entered the living room from the vestibule, he immediately saw his imperial father seated at the coffee table, slowly savoring tea from a porcelain cup. Emperor Lu Jialing retained his genteel and graceful demeanor, yet now lived with a woman strikingly similar to the tyrant of the North.

Lu Changping was even more puzzled but knew it was not his place to directly question his father's private affairs.

After years apart, father and son had much to catch up on. Over excellent tea, they quickly delved into discussions from state affairs to legal statutes, and naturally, the matter of Lu Changping and the tyrant couldn't remain hidden.

Emperor Lu Jialing's greatest virtue was his mild temperament and approachability. As he listened to Lu Changping, occasionally nodding, he showed no anger upon learning his son had fallen for the enemy tyrant.

When Lu Changping finished and sought his opinion, Emperor Lu Jialing looked at him with a gentle smile, then remarked:

"I too believe this to be a fine match. Although I have not met Ah Yuan, the constant praise from your mother assures me he is a person of exceptional character and appearance. Moreover, uniting the South and the North will end border conflicts, blessing both nations' peoples."

Lu Changping faintly remembered his imperial father's greatest concern was the resurgence of conflict between the South and the North, leading to devastation. Influenced by his father, his reign also aimed to avoid conflict with the North, resorting to drastic measures only when pushed to the brink by Xie Xuan Yuan...

Wait.

His mother?

Lu Changping belatedly realized the oddity in the title, looking incredulously between his imperial father and Empress Jing.

Yet, what shocked him more was his father taking Empress Jing's hand right before his eyes. And Empress Jing allowed it, her lips curling into a beautiful smile, radiating happiness and contentment.

Lu Changping suddenly remembered, upon entering, Empress Jing mentioned she and his father were old acquaintances.

So, this was the type of acquaintance they were!

Thus… he and the tyrant were nearly brothers?

Seeing Lu Changping startled, Empress Jing finally showed some mercy, ceasing to display affection with Emperor Lu Jialing. She shook her head in resignation, a warm smile emerging in her eyes, reminiscent of the tyrant’s:

"Don't overthink it, your relationship with Ah Yuan is not unconventional, just follow your heart… It's getting late, you should return, or Ah Yuan will start worrying unnecessarily."

As she finished speaking, everything before Lu Changping’s eyes blurred.

Simultaneously, the person sleeping on the tyrant’s bed suddenly opened his eyes.

……

Even knowing it was just a dream, Lu Changping was still frightened by the bizarre turn of events within it.

Closing his eyes, he took several deep breaths to calm his racing heart, then felt a sense of emptiness. Was that truly the tyrant’s mother? How could the tyrant’s mother be together with his imperial father?

Sunlight slanted through the window, brightening the room. He lay face down on the tyrant’s bed, a slight pain at the site of the wound he had inadvertently aggravated in his nightmare, as memories from before his unconsciousness flooded back.

He's still alive.

Realizing this, His Majesty Lu was suddenly filled with the joy of having survived a calamity. Despite his severe injuries, there was still a path to life for him, which meant the tyrant and Ah Lin must also be alive and well!

Eager to confirm his guess, he endured the throbbing pain in his back as he climbed off the tyrant's dragon bed, casually draped a robe over himself, and left the sleeping chamber.

At this time, Xie Xuan Yuan should still be in the court, listening to the ministers. The wise and virtuous Emperor Lu weighed his options for a moment before deciding against the route that would disrupt the court, choosing instead to first visit Ah Lin.

But it was only when he was on the palace's deserted stone path that he belatedly remembered Ah Lin's chambers had been destroyed by the fire, and he had no idea where the little one was now staying. It seemed his only option was to first visit his sister and have Zhao Ping guide him there.

After deciding on his destination, Lu Changping couldn't help but quicken his pace. However, he hadn't gone far before he heard someone calling his name from behind.

He instinctively stopped, and before he could turn around, his waist was tightly embraced by someone from behind.

The person who pounced from behind exerted great strength, yet seemed to possess eyes that could see through clothes, skillfully avoiding the wounds on his back that had yet to heal.

Despite having just woken up not long ago, Lu Changping's mischievous spirit had also revived. With a teasing smile in his eyes full of indescribable affection, he seriously chided:

"Audacious rogue. This is the palace of Beiwei, and I am the man of the Emperor of Beiwei. Without His Majesty's permission, how dare you hug and embrace me so freely?"

Xie Xuan Yuan still held Lu Changping's slender waist, but the tears that had unintentionally welled up in his eyes were now replaced by laughter.

He felt a mix of love and frustration for this capricious Emperor of Nanchu, yet he only responded with a nonchalant "Oh," before starting to settle scores like after autumn harvest: "Since you are my man, shouldn't you listen to me? Do you remember what you promised me?"

This question from the tyrant indeed stumped him. Lu Changping blinked, trying hard to recall the sweet nothings he had said in the past days to cheer up the tyrant.

But all he could vividly remember was the stubborn tears of Xie Xuan Yuan insisting on taking him along during the fire. His breathing hitched, and his words softened: "Whatever Your Majesty wants is fine. I belong to Your Majesty, and naturally, both my body and heart are Yours."

Upon hearing this, Xie Xuan Yuan's laughter intensified, his appearance even more radiant: "You really never learn your lesson. Do you remember how long you couldn't leave the bed last time you said that to me?"

Lu Changping felt a sense of foreboding and quickly whispered in mitigation, "As long as Your Majesty doesn't play too close to the edge..."

The word "die" seemed to evoke not-so-pleasant memories for the tyrant. He lowered his eyes, his long lashes hiding the turmoil and fear in his phoenix eyes, as he held his beloved's hand even tighter: "You dare to die when you haven't repaid your debt?"

Indeed, he seemed to have indeed promised the tyrant before losing consciousness that if he was saved from the fire, he would repay his debt to the tyrant.

The debt of love is the hardest to repay, probably taking a lifetime...

Thinking this, Lu Changping felt an inexplicable sense of security. In fact, the tyrant's constant demands for him to "repay the debt" wasn't such a bad thing, as it gave him a legitimate reason to be with the tyrant again.

Since they were to spend the rest of their lives together, they couldn't be as hasty as when they first came to Beiwei for the marriage alliance.

Emperor Lu thought for a moment and then spoke seriously, a rarity for him: "Your Majesty, there's something I've been wanting to tell you."

At this moment, when passionate lovers are reunited after a long separation, Xie Xuan Yuan fully expected to hear some sweet nothings and thus eagerly responded: "Speak freely."

But to his surprise, what he heard next was his beloved speaking solemnly, word by word: "Your Majesty, let's get a divorce."

Author's note:

A little addition and clarification:

The story of Xiao Xie's mother and the former Emperor of Nanchu will be detailed in a future side story. Xiao Xie's biological father is indeed the previous Emperor of Beiwei, and there is no blood relation between Xiao Xie and Emperor Lu.

This chapter truly represents meeting the parents, so let's congratulate Emperor Lu and Xiao Xie on receiving their parents' sincere blessings!