Chapter 2 – Prologue: Nation Ruined, Home Lost (Part Two)

Chapter 2 - Prologue: Nation Ruined, Home Lost (Part Two)

Uncle Hao and Qin Niang's expressions drastically altered.

Could it be that they had been discovered?

Their nerves instantly tensed, but to their surprise, the approaching figure was alone, with no other soldiers in tow.

Uncle Hao and Qin Niang's faces betrayed a hint of confusion, though their eyes remained vigilant.

"Wait, our general asked me to give this to you. Use it to buy medicine for the child."

A soldier who had caught up threw a pouch of silver coins without approaching. He then turned his horse around and left.

It wasn't until the soldier's figure was out of sight that Uncle Hao and Qin Niang exchanged another glance.

In a breath, Uncle Hao picked up the pouch.

There were two ingots of silver, each weighing a hefty fifty taels.

"The Su family..."

With a soft murmur, Uncle Hao cast his gaze upon the pouch of silver coins. After a fleeting moment's hesitation, he tucked it into his robes. They needed the silver now more than ever.

The family didn't stop for a moment.

Onward I walked, unwavering, until nightfall descended once more. Beyond the city limits, thirty li away, I came across a desolate manor courtyard, ravaged by passing soldiers. I pushed my wooden cart right in.

Scanning the surroundings, I saw numerous beggars and refugees huddled together for warmth, their eyes immediately fixing on Uncle Hao's family as soon as they caught sight of them. It was as if hungry wolves had spotted a delectable feast, and they rushed over without hesitation.

Uncle Hao hastily repeated his warning, but the beggar-refugees seemed to have completely ignored him.

They pounced without hesitation.

In the face of the unknown threat of infection, their immediate concern was the gnawing hunger and biting cold. They were willing to risk death just for a single meal, a meal that would make their passing worthwhile.

Seeing this, Uncle Hao, who had been hunched over, finally straightened his back. With a swift movement, he kicked the successive wave of beggars and refugees away, sending them crashing into wooden posts. Blood spewed from their mouths as they clutched their abdomens in agony. The ones who hadn't yet dared to approach now retreated in fear.

Under the cloak of night, the snow highlighted Uncle Hao's stern expression.

The biting cold winds howled.

The beggars and refugees cowered, no longer daring to approach.

With a cold snort, Uncle Hao bent down to lift Rao Rao from the wooden cart.

This courtyard was unusually spacious, likely once belonging to an aristocratic family, but now it had been thoroughly plundered.

Uncle Hao carried Rao Rao and led Qin Niang and the others to a courtyard with no other refugees or beggars.

Despite this, some refugees still followed, but they dared not get too close.

Uncle Hao ignored them and led Qin Niang and the child into the dwelling.

Only then did Rao Rao open her eyes, revealing the most dazzling peach blossom gaze. They should have been bright with charm, but in that moment, there was no shimmering radiance in those peach blossom eyes, nor were there any sparkling teardrops. Instead, only a red, swollen circle surrounded her eye sockets.

Two coughs escaped her, and her already pale cheeks flushed even more.

"Rao Rao, Qin Niang will prepare medicine for you right away. Once you take it, everything will be alright."

There were no firewood in the courtyard, but fortunately, there were broken tables and chairs to utilize.

Yi Ying and Yi Su collected several fragmented planks from the ruined furniture to serve as fuel.

Uncle Hao started a bonfire, and their icy bodies gradually regained some warmth.

They left with nothing but a few silver bills hidden in their shoe tubes, coarse cloth clothing, and medicines concealed within the garments.

Ying Ying searched around but found no bowls, not even a single chipped one. Eventually, they had to make do with pottery shards. Qin Niang hurried to prepare the medicine for Rao Rao.

Rao Rao lay in Uncle Hao's arms, coughing occasionally but otherwise quiet and still, like a lifeless doll without any vitality.

The snow fell throughout the night and continued into the morning. It seemed like a divine mercy, attempting to veil the crimson stains that saturated the Great Qin Imperial City, concealing the massacre that took place during the New Year celebrations.

It was as if the snow aimed to provide clarity to those lost souls, illuminating their path to the afterlife.

A tiny figure emerged from the garden, her bright, apricot blossom eyes fixed on the direction of the Great Qin's imperial city, gazing at the walls that were now out of sight.

She stood there for an indeterminate time, her entire body as cold as ice.

With small steps, she made her way to the rear mountain of the courtyard garden.

Each footfall sank into the snow, her palm-sized feet entirely concealed by the white blanket.

Her diminutive form gradually diminished further and further from view.

In the garden...

Uncle Hao startled awake and, noticing Rao Rao's absence, promptly shook Qin Niang awake. The two rushed out the door.

Spotting the delicate footprints in the snow, now partially covered by fresh powder, Uncle Hao hastily instructed Qin Niang to secure the door, tend to the children, and then followed the tracks. From a distance, he saw the tiny figure climbing the mountain, stumbling yet persistently rising, her tiny hands muddied and snowy.

Yet still, she climbed and walked on, her coarse gray linen robe soaked with snow and mud at the hem, her entire being smothered in the icy whiteness.

Such a young child, she couldn't have been more than six, yet she watched her father, the king, and her mother, the queen, die before her eyes, as the entire Great Qin royal family was slaughtered. She didn't cry or throw a tantrum; she behaved too calmly for a child.

Even an adult would find it difficult to remain so composed under such circumstances.

Uncle Hao followed behind, guarding her without pursuing further.

Her hanging hand clenched tightly, as if bound by layers of green vines.

The tiny figure climbed to a height and then quietly gazed at the Imperial City.

A cold wind blew, chilling her cheeks, while blood mixed with snow and mud dripped from her hanging hands.

Her bright peach blossom eyes reddened again, their corners ablaze with a vibrant glow.

Within them, it seemed as if that New Year's Eve night had resurfaced, with its unforeseen massacre.

The tragic deaths of her father and mother...

A raging fire engulfed the entire Eastern Palace, set alight by a palace woman holding a lustrous vase, who ignited all the festive red silk curtains within the hall.

With such determination, without any hesitation, only when his gaze fell upon the hidden entrance to the Eastern Palace did a profound sense of reluctance surface.

It was as if he was saying, "Rao Rao, promise your mother that you will live on, forget who you are, lead an ordinary life. Do not seek revenge, never take revenge, do not let hatred consume you."

In the Luantian Hall,

A young and handsome prince, dressed in the imperial prince's dragon robe, knelt on one knee with a long sword supporting his exhausted body. The pale yellow robe was now drenched in deep crimson blood, staining his abdomen, back, arms, and thighs. Despite his disheveled state and ashen face, his posture remained straight, his back unbent.

A glint of light reflected off a blood-soaked sword as it descended, bisecting him. Blood gushed out instantaneously, his severed head rolling down the steps, yet his eyes remained open, fixed on the blazing Eastern Palace.

His gaze, fervent and unwavering, seemed to convey, "Rao Rao, run, run as far as you can. Live, you must live. Forget your identity and be ordinary. Live well, you must live well."

"Father..."

"Mother..."

Her eyelids grew increasingly crimson, her eyes aching unbearably, yet no tears fell; only a dark veil seemed to envelop her, as if she was about to be swallowed by the darkness. Her delicate fists were still clenched, and blood continued to drip onto the snow at her feet, turning white into red, and red into snow.

Uncle Hao could no longer bear to watch. He walked over and embraced Rao Rao in his arms.

"Rao Rao, cry! It's okay to cry now. Let it out."

Rao Rao bit her small lip stubbornly, refusing to shed tears. But eventually, large droplets rolled down her cheeks, one by one.

Her tear-streaked peach blossom eyes blurred, but the burning Eastern Palace inside them remained vivid. The image of her mother, consumed by flames, her father tumbling down the palace steps with an unseeing gaze, and the grotesque face of the one who had severed his head, all refused to fade.

"Uncle Hao, Father and Mother would rather die than see me seek revenge and let hatred mar my heart. But look, look how the crimson has stained half the sky, and my eyes are filled with nothing but red."

Her young voice, hoarse with emotion, conveyed a hatred that could not be erased.

Uncle Hao's eyes also misted over, but he pressed down on Rao Rao's shoulders with a heavy hand.

"Rao Rao, you're the most sensible and obedient child Uncle Hao has ever known. Your father and mother gave everything they had just for you to escape and survive. From that night on, your life is no longer solely yours. It's the life of your father and mother.

They only want you alive, living safely and soundly, even if your heart is filled with hatred, wishing to punish those rebels a thousand times over. You cannot risk your life in retaliation. Remember this, engrave it deeply in your heart: from now on, your life no longer belongs to you."

Rao Rao looked at Uncle Hao. His deep voice and solemn expression echoed her father and queen's, pressing down on her shoulders firmly. Despite the approaching sounds of slaughter, they gazed directly into her eyes.

Each word, each phrase...

They were telling her to run, to escape far away, as far as she could, and forget her identity.

Her father and queen's loving faces seemed to appear before her, smiling as they welcomed her into their family. Their heavy yet earnest reminders echoed in her mind, urging her to live well, to live safely, without seeking revenge. They only wished for her to be alive and unharmed.

"Aaaah..."

Rao Rao wept, wailing loudly in Uncle Hao's embrace. All the pent-up emotions from the past few days finally erupted. She cried with all her might, her small face turning red from the exertion.

The sallow tinge on her face was washed away by her tears. As two trails of tears rolled down her cheeks, her fair and delicate skin emerged, as smooth as porcelain.

Her bright, apricot-shaped eyes, now rimmed with a rosy hue from crying, sparkled brilliantly, casting away the darkness within.

Her tiny body trembled uncontrollably.

Uncle Hao looked at Rao Rao with great compassion, gently patting her back as she wept.

Cry, my child! Cry your heart out! Your father and mother will watch over you from above, blessing you with safety, smooth sailing, and free from any harm.

The swirling snowflakes, like soft goose feathers, blanketed the mountain, concealing the figure of the small one in the embrace of the large one. From afar, they resembled a snow statue standing tall amidst the peaks.

Qin Niang, accompanied by the two children, had been waiting for them to return. Growing worried, she brought them along to search. Upon hearing the sobs, her eyes also welled up with tears.

"Mother..."

Both Ying Ying and Yi Su pouted, burying themselves in their mother's arms.

Rao Rao cried for what seemed like an eternity. Her eyes, swollen from the tears, could no longer produce any more, and her voice, now hoarse, could no longer produce a single sob. Only then did she stop crying, releasing Uncle Hao's hand to wipe her face.

Looking down at Qin Niang and the two children below, she regained her composure once more.

So calm was she that it was like a still pond.

Not even a ripple could disturb its surface.

"Rao Rao, let's go down!" Uncle Hao offered to carry Rao Rao, but she shook her head and held his hand. "Uncle Hao, how I came up is how I'll go down. Rao Rao can do it herself."

With tiny steps, Rao Rao retraced her path downward.

She could, she could...

Halfway down, her foot slipped, and she tumbled down the slope.

"Rao... Rao..."

Uncle Hao's face paled in alarm, and he cried out, leaping down the mountain with swift martial arts moves.

Qin Niang also shouted, rushing over with the two children.

As Rao Rao rolled down the hill, blood instantly rushed to her forehead, blurring her left eye.

She seemed to see those two loving faces again, above the clouds, looking down at her affectionately, urging her to live on, so that her father king and mother empress could pass away in peace.

A tear of blood trickled down the corner of her eye.

Father...

Mother...