A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated (COMPLETE)

25

Battle cries were heard on this night of a full moon. The King's own brother had decided to do something on this night to Dong Lin, just rebel ever so slightly.

The King of Dong Lin was standing at a high point of the Royal Residence, watching the dragon-like flames, in the night sky, that were rapidly approaching. He heard the fighting.

"King!" A guard soaked in blood hurried over. "The Royal Residence has been invaded by traitors. It's not safe to stay here, please escape King!"

The Queen and a crowd of family stood, faces drained of colour. The Queen was still wearing mourning clothes and had her head bowed gracefully. "He's already killed my sons and now he plot to kill us. As of now, his troops are guarding the city. Where else can we go?" She turned to the King, kneeling while crying, "King, I'm sorry but I do not wish to suffer humiliation. As the Royal House is broken, please may King allow me to tie a noose."

"No, King!" Many maids who had followed the Queen for several years knelt down, crying hard.

All of a sudden, the main room was full of crying sounds.

The King of Dong Lin slowly looked back, saying, "Chu Lei."

"Chu Lei is here, King."

The Dong Lin King pondered for a while, then suddenly asked, "How are the peasants?"

"King?"

"My younger brother, did he massacre normal civilians?"

"The rebel army entered the city and ordered everyone to stay in their homes. They're forbidden to look outside too, so the soldiers aren't entering the houses either. They didn't plan to create much chaos so lives haven't been lost."

The King slowly nodded, asking another question. "What about the officials? Have the ones that don't get along with brother been killed yet?"

Chu Lei could hear the sounds of battle approaching rapidly, but the King seemed to have no intention of hiding, seemingly wasting time here without a trace of expression. But he still had his duty as an official to fulfill, so he answered with a frown. "I heard that the officials' residences have been guarded. The traitor knows the officials well and I heard that he captures one whenever he sees one. I don't know where they're being kept, or whether they're still alive. King, time is precious, please leave immediately."

"Where can I leave?" The Dong Lin King laughed bitterly. "I knew this would happen ever since ordering Senior Officer of the Left to meet Chu Beijie outside the gates. I trusted our brotherhood and gave him all the military power, so it's sort of my fault? Alas, my Dong Lin is in imminent danger right now so I can only hope..."

He hadn't quite finished when the clamour abruptly increased. It was as if the fight was in front of them, but it suddenly stopped.

Everything was so strangely quiet and everyone's heart seemed to sink at the same time.

Bang! The door flew open and a small, trembling eunuch ran in, stuttering, "King, reporting to King....h-h-h-he..."

The Queen paled ever more, her heart understand the situation, but she seemed to have calmed down. She wiped her eyes and stood up, slapping the little eunuch. In a cold voice, she said, "Only report when something is important and when reporting, report clearly and precisely. What's wrong?" She lowered her hand, her fingers clenched tightly to reveal her whitish joints.

Half of the small eunuch's face was swollen, but his articulation really seemed to get better. "Servant should be punished, servant should be punished. Reporting to King, the Duke of Zhen-Bei wishes to see you."

Although they knew that the Duke of Zhen-Bei's troops had already invaded, but hearing his name right now caused the assembled crowd to shudder.

The Queen's tone was mournful. "It's better to come himself, so that he can personally kill his elder brother and his wife."