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墨書 Inktalez
The Master of the mansion helped the two children inside and lit the lamps. The faint glow dispelled some of the chill, revealing Emperor Shao and King of Chenliu, both covered in mud and looking disheveled. He settled them into chairs and poured a cup of warm water, gently asking, "Whose children are you? How did you end up in such a state?"
Emperor Shao lowered his head in silence, cradling the cup with trembling fingers. King of Chenliu glanced at his brother, bit his lip, and finally spoke, "We are not ordinary children. This is His Majesty the Emperor, and I am his brother, King of Chenliu. We were forced to flee due to the chaos caused by the Ten Eunuchs."
The Master of the mansion was taken aback, the light in his hand flickering slightly as shock registered on his face. "What?" He slowly crouched down to examine the two children closely. Their demeanor was distinctly different from that of ordinary commoners; an innate sense of nobility made him instinctively believe their words.
"The Emperor... has fallen to such misfortune?" The Master's voice was low, clearly shaken by the sight before him. He immediately knelt on the ground, bowing several times with deep remorse and respect. "I... I am Cui Yi, brother of the former Chancellor Cui Lie. Years ago, when the Ten Eunuchs sold positions and persecuted loyal officials, I was heartbroken and chose to live in seclusion here. I never expected to see Your Majesty today!"
Emperor Shao was stunned, a flicker of surprise and hope crossing his eyes. He slowly reached out his hand to help Cui Yi up but lacked the strength to do so and withdrew it instead. " Uncle Cui... please rise. I... am merely a refugee now; there is no need for such formalities."
Cui Yi lifted his head and saw Emperor Shao's haggard yet resolute expression. His eyes reddened slightly as he bowed deeply once more. "Your Majesty is revered; how could I dare be negligent! The world is in chaos now with the Ten Eunuchs causing turmoil, forcing loyal officials into hiding. It is my honor to provide shelter for Your Majesty!"
He stood up quickly and retreated to one side, instructing his family to prepare food. Soon, steaming plates of simple yet heartfelt dishes were brought out. He knelt beside the table, carefully handing a bowl of rice to Emperor Shao. "Your Majesty, please eat something first; you and King of Chenliu are too thin."
Emperor Shao accepted the bowl with trembling hands. Seeing the steaming white rice and a few slices of vegetables nearly brought him to tears. He whispered, "Thank you... Uncle Cui..."
King of Chenliu had already started devouring his food hungrily, rice scattered all over his mouth. Between bites, he mumbled, "Brother, hurry up and eat! Uncle Cui's food is much better than the cold noodles we had on our journey!"
Cui Yi watched the two children with tears welling in his eyes. He made a silent vow that no matter what happened, he would protect both the Emperor and King of Chenliu; he could not allow them to suffer any further harm.
"Your Majesty, please rest easy here; I will do everything in my power to protect you," Cui Yi said firmly, anger and determination evident in his eyes. "If loyal ministers in court learn of your safety, they will surely come to escort you back to the capital and restore peace to the realm!"
Emperor Shao nodded slightly; although his face remained pale, for the first time he showed a hint of a weak smile. He lifted his head and softly said, " Uncle Cui... thank you."
Meanwhile, Duan Gui was desperately fleeing but ultimately could not escape from his pursuers. Min Gong intercepted him with a group of men on the mountain path; swords glinted coldly in the moonlight as they surrounded Duan Gui.
"Traitor! Where is the Emperor?" Min Gong's voice was as cold as steel as he pointed his sword at Duan Gui's throat.
Duan Gui gasped for breath, sweat covering his face as he pointed into the distance, speaking incoherently, "I... I got separated from them! The Emperor... I don’t know where he went!"
"Scoundrel!" Min Gong roared, advancing with his sword drawn, and pierced Duan Gui with a single thrust. There was no hesitation on his face as blood splattered onto his armor. Coldly, he declared, "A shameless traitor like him is a menace that must be eliminated."
Duan Gui's lifeless body fell to the ground. Min Gong cast a cold glance at it before ordering his men to sever the head and hang it from the horse's neck. He commanded, "Split the troops to search for the Emperor and the King of Chenliu! The rest of you, continue pursuing me!"
The soldiers quickly dispersed, while Min Gong rode alone, searching along the path. His gaze was sharp, scanning every bush and hillside, fearful of missing any clues. Suddenly, his horse's hooves struck flat ground ahead, revealing a small courtyard with dim lights flickering at the entrance, suggesting some activity within.
Min Gong reined in his horse and glanced down at Duan Gui's severed head. A thought crossed his mind. He dismounted and strode towards the courtyard, knocking on the door and shouting, "Who is inside? Come out and respond!"
Cui Yi, the master of the mansion, heard the call and hurriedly opened the door. Under the light, he saw the bloody head hanging from Min Gong's horse and his expression changed slightly. "General, what is this...?"
Min Gong clasped his hands in salute and replied solemnly, "I am Min Gong from the central region of He Nan, tasked with searching for Emperor Shao and King of Chenliu. May I ask if you have seen them?"
Cui Yi's expression shifted as if he understood something. He lowered his voice and cautiously inquired, "May I ask, General, whose head is this...?"
Min Gong let out a cold laugh. "This is Duan Gui. He conspired with Zhang Rang to abduct the Emperor and commit treason against the country; I have personally executed him. However, I have yet to find any trace of the Emperor or King of Chenliu."
A flicker of surprise and relief crossed Cui Yi's eyes as he took a deep breath and said softly, "General, please follow me."
He picked up a lantern and led Min Gong through the courtyard into an inner room. Pushing open the door revealed a dimly lit space where Emperor Shao and King of Chenliu sat by a wooden bed. Though they had changed into clean clothes, their faces remained pale and haggard.
"Your Majesty!" Upon seeing them, Min Gong immediately knelt down, gripping his sword with both hands as tears of excitement welled in his eyes. "I have arrived late; I apologize for alarming Your Majesty!"
Emperor Shao lifted his head wearily. Struggling to contain his emotions, he replied softly, "Min Gong, you have worked hard... I am well thanks to Uncle Cui's rescue."
Min Gong wiped away the moisture from his eyes and said earnestly, "The country cannot be without its ruler for even a day; I implore Your Majesty to return with me immediately for the peace of the realm."
Cui Yi brought forth a frail old horse from beside him and apologetically said, "General, resources at home are limited; this is all we have. I hope Your Majesty can make do with this mount."
Min Gong nodded and personally assisted Emperor Shao onto the horse before leading it by its reins while riding alongside King of Chenliu on another horse. The group departed from the courtyard.
As they traveled for three miles, the sound of hooves approached from afar, and the night sky was illuminated by flickering flames. Ahead, a group of horsemen formed a line, led by Wang Yun and Yang Biao. Behind them were Chunyu Qiong, Zhao Meng, Bao Xin, and hundreds of armored soldiers led by Yuan Shao.
"Your Majesty!" Upon seeing Emperor Shao, Wang Yun immediately dismounted and knelt on the ground, his eyes filled with excitement and sorrow. "We have finally found Your Majesty!"
Emperor Shao looked at the kneeling officials and generals, his eyes welling up with emotion as he gripped the saddle tightly. He spoke softly, "My loyal subjects, you have worked hard... I am finally safe and sound, thanks to Heaven's protection."
Yuan Shao stepped forward and saw Min Gong holding the severed head of Duan Gui. Coldly, he declared, "The traitor has been executed; we must send the head back to the capital to announce it to the world!" He turned to command others to help Emperor Shao down from his weak horse and onto a strong steed, while also arranging for the King of Chenliu to ride another fine horse. The officials surrounded Emperor Shao as they resumed their journey back to the capital, tears streaming down their faces.
Sitting on horseback, Emperor Shao held tightly onto the saddle, his fingertips turning pale from exertion. His back was straight, and he tried hard to maintain a calm expression, but only he knew that his heart was in turmoil. The bumpy mountain road seemed to shake the heavy stone pressing on his heart even more with each jolt, nearly suffocating him.
"Will we truly find peace upon returning to the capital?" He looked down at his small, pale fingers—hands of an emperor that held no power over fate. He raised his head against the night wind; the distant capital vaguely appeared in his mind but no longer resembled a familiar sight.
He imagined the raging flames engulfing the palace and saw the loathsome faces of eunuchs and ministers fighting for power. Each face pretended to bow respectfully while hiding coldness and schemes in their eyes. He heard the incessant bickering in the court; those voices pierced his ears like sharp blades, causing him to instinctively shrink back.
"I am just a powerless emperor." A deep sense of helplessness surged within him as he envisioned He Jin—the general who confidently walked through the palace gates only to become a victim of Zhang Rang's treachery. He could almost see Zhang Rang's cold smile; the shadow of the Ten Eunuchs still loomed over the court. And those loyal ministers who once saved him—he could not be sure if their loyalty could withstand the temptations of power.
"There will be another storm of bloodshed." Emperor Shao could almost foresee the future; his small frame was caught in countless struggles where everyone sought to use him for their ambitions while he had no strength to resist. His gaze gradually dimmed as thoughts swirled in his mind like a thick fog.
"I am nothing but a puppet," he whispered to himself, a wave of bitter self-mockery rising within him. He glanced at King of Chenliu beside him; his young brother was fast asleep on horseback, a carefree smile lingering on his lips. A pang of pain struck Emperor Shao's heart, but he said nothing more—only silently draped his outer robe over King of Chenliu's shoulders.
He turned his gaze towards the horizon ahead; a faint glimmer of dawn broke through the darkness, yet that light appeared both weak and distant in his eyes, as if it would forever remain out of reach. He gently closed his eyes and took a deep breath, striving to suppress the chaos within him but unable to quell the fear and loneliness surging deep inside.
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