Chapter 25

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Wángyé (王爷) – Brother of the Emperor. Referring to Jing Cheng.

Róng Qīnwáng (荣亲王) – Prince (of the first Rank) Rong. Jing Cheng’s current title.

Fūjūn (夫君) – Husband

Su Yang’s face was buried in Jing Cheng’s chest, his choked sobs like that of a frightened little animal desperately trying to muffle its pitiful crying while licking its own wounds.

Jing Cheng turned his head to gaze out the window. Soft nebulous clouds drifted in the azure sky. A yellow oriole1 was perched on one of the branches of the pear blossom tree,  chirping noisily.

Spring has arrived at Jianzhou city, but in the Northern desert, there has never been spring.

There was only endless cold and harsh winds, with no end in sight to the vast and desolate sprawl of the desert. There was only sand and swirling dust storms as far as the eye could see, with not a single greenery to break the barrenness of the landscape.

Overtime, the heart would grow desolate as well.

He thought he would not succumb to this bleakness, because back in the bustling Jianzhou city, there was someone awaiting his return, waiting for him to dress in crimson robes, and, linked by the red silk ribbon2, step into the wedding hall together .

He frequently imagined his triumphant return. With his astounding military achievements, he will escort his bride with full honours and shower him with splendor on their wedding day. No bride in Greater Ming would be more revered, more outstanding, and more glorious than Tao Ziyu, he will be the most dazzling figure in existence.

No matter how willful and arrogant Tao Ziyu was, as long as he was willing to stay by his side and keep his loneliness at bay, Jing Cheng was willing to offer him everything.

Be it wealth, splendor, status, or the moon from the skies, what Tao Ziyu wants, even if Jing Cheng has to risk his life for it, he would gladly offer it up to him.

Unfortunately, this humble wish of his was destined to be unfulfilled.

He was ambushed and critically injured by an assassin sent by Jing Qian and his son. Although it did not kill him immediately, the injury was nonetheless a life threatening one. He had wanted to see the one he cared for the most one last time, but what awaited him instead was a letter to cancel their marriage arrangement, full of scorn and derision.

T/N : Jing Qian is Jing Cheng’s brother, and the current Emperor. Previously in Ch 21, I translated his name as Jing Gan, because that was what Google translate gave me, but upon listening to the pronunciation of the name (景乾), I opted to go with Jing Qian.

Every word written by Tao Ziyu on the pure white rice paper had stabbed at his heart ruthlessly like long, cruel thorns, riddling it with holes as blood streamed down.

His dignity was thoroughly trampled upon, and the perpetrator was the boy he had treasured above all else.

Who in all of Greater Ming did not know that Jing Cheng the Fifth Wángyé was a cut-sleeve, who guarded the Young master of the Tao family like the apple of his eye; a man his age who ought to be old enough to be the boy’s father, such an old cow trying to reach for tender shoots of grass, was really despicable and should be held in contempt.

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