The MC forgot the plot

- SIXTY-ONE -

I'm finally finished! Y'all probably know why I didn't update for the last week from my announcements. Today, I only have our thesis left and I'm finished!

Thank you for your understanding and patience! Enjoy!

六十一 A journey to freedom

Dawn broke out into the horizon symbolizing a new day but for the people in the land, it was a day of seeing bloody corpses in the street and fleeing for one's life. Everyone was greeted with the sight of a massacre, the royal guards were still fighting with the groups of rebels and even the estate of the third prince was turned into ashes resulting in the sacrificial death of Meng Jia Yi.

Fu Jun Bei was held into the palace doors mainly in the chamber of the Emperor who is now lying on his bed with a dying, pale face.

"Father Emperor must hold on, elder brother and second brother must have been deceived by their retainers to create this rebellion. But even so, they have to be punished for their crimes" he said with a righteous tone through suppressing his pain.

"Absurd! They... are fools!" The emperor raged, his chest moved up and down in unison but it couldn't match his breathing.

"Father Emperor shall rest, this son of yours will protect the palace and preserve your reign" he swore which made the Emperor's hand clench tightly.

"You... you have t-to!"

Eyes greedy for the domination of his absolute power, he gave full trust to his son who was a beast in sheep's clothing. Unknowingly giving this son of him the chance to kill the two stumbling blocks in his hands.

The head eunuch whom the emperor also trusted the most was given an order— the third prince will quell the rebellion of his two brothers and bring back the power to the emperor.

Fu Jun Fen watched as the greedy old man, muddled by his sickness and overdosed by the life-lengthening pills that were given to him by monks, stamped the order with his dragon stamp.

"Your son will now leave" he bows down to his father, for the last time he lowered his head to this greedy emperor.

"Go!" The withering hand fell on the sheets, and the eyes of the emperor brightened as he watch his outstanding son defend the power that he will take without batting an eyelid.

Of course, the Emperor still retained some of his reasoning, he was still sane but hovering in that area of insanity. Since knowing that two of his sons and even the Minister of War and Finance agreed to consolidate their power to push him down, he was enraged to death.

Now knowing from his subordinates, those that hid in the shadows that his third son was also implicated made him fully aware of the handle he has on his son. Rumors of the third prince killing the Emperor and his two elder brothers battling to take away the throne from an unfilial brother of them spread.

If Fu Jun Bei did betray the Emperor, the people would think that it was because he defeated his brothers and killed his father to get to the highest position of power.

"Your majesty is wise, this one believes that the third prince will not make that mistake," his head eunuch said and he nodded.

A pressing boulder was making him hard to breathe but he could still sustain his life for two months (according to his royal doctor) and that would be enough time to look for more nourishing and life-lengthening pills.

On the other hand, Fu Jun Zhong and Fu Jun Long were having a meeting, two brothers who do not trust each other but still have to work because of the crimes that have pushed their heads down.

"The propaganda for the third prince has been done, we should now move to other small territories to make up for the number" Fu Jun Long logically mentioned, that there were not enough soldiers to them and some smaller groups are made of rustic street gangs that wanted to rob and do crimes to the capital.

"We should go and strike while the iron is still hot! The palace would be abandoned sooner by other soldiers to fight with ours, it's the best time!" Fu Jun Zhong on the other hand refuted his words and wanted to go to the palace recklessly.

Two brothers with matched powers and weaknesses couldn't create a plan that is cohesive with their ideas.

"We do not have much manpower, your soldiers have been disbanded for a long time" Fu Jun Long combatted.

"Your plan of seizing small territories will allow the enemy to gain their strength!" Fu Jun Zhong protested.

The soldiers hated the officials that treated them as if they were their watchdogs and on the other hand the officials disdain the soldiers that continue to fight without thinking about their brains.

Some cracks were formed in just a day and ultimately, the peaceful arrangement between the two factions would collapse.

...

A group of survivors affected by the rebellious forces formed and decided to flee the capital. Some would go back to their hometown, some would sail through the sea and some would go to far places away from the capital and wait for the entire matter to die down.

Each of the survivors reeked of blood and sweat, abandoned children and elderly were seen frequently while sick and injured ones were left to fend for themselves. No one could afford to be a Samaritan this time, each of their goals was to leave the capital and reach safe bases.

Meng Jia Yi held her mother's hand as they trekked to another road; this road will lead them to the port that was about to sail off after learning of the events happening in the capital today. They will take all of their possession and ask for a middle man to help them smuggle themselves to the other away land.

"Mother, drink this"

"No, you should reserve it for yourself" Seeing Ban Rushi suffering aches her heart but there was no way.

Her mother was a lady from the boudoir and usually only perform small movements but in the past months, she told her family to exercise to strengthen their bodies.

The exercise did work but it was not enough, Meng Jia Ruo and her were fortunate, they were young and active but not their mother and so they had to spend some time resting before continuing to move.

"Mother is sorry for burdening you, a dragging oil bottle like me should be left behind" she heard her mother say, pitying their situation.

"You are not mother, we will leave the capital and you can do whatever you want after we've reached new lands and you can show your talent there," she said, giving hope and guidance to her mother.

And it worked. Ban Rushi was invigorated with the future that her daughter said, it was just at the tip of their fingers and it would be a chance lost if they do not take it.

"My daughter is right, come on son, your mother will walk again" she patted her children's heads.

Ban Rushi felt that her children has grown up so much after these past few months and she couldn't help but feel saddened seeing their matured and solemn selves. No more of that colorful, naive waves of laughter as they played in her yard.

Today marks the new start of their life and this time, they will be the master of their fate.

Notes:

• Dragon stamp
• Towing oil bottle/ Dragging oil bottle means trouble and burden. The earliest tow oil bottle was not glass bottle but bamboo. The people from villages used a long rope and drag all the bamboo tubes together in a string, dragging them from the city.

***
Have a great day and stay safe!

Please do VOTE. COMMENT. SHARE.

Thank you!