A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated 2

14

"Why?" Yangfeng spat out between clenched teeth, "Has he not done enough yet to her? That cruel-hearted He Xia." Anger bubbling in her chest, she suddenly stood up looking out the window at the snowcovered mountains before her.

She must not allow Pingting to be hurt again.

Taking a few deep breaths of the cold wintery air, still facing the window with her back to him, Yangfeng composed herself and sweetly asked Ze Yin, "Would my dear husband please grant me a favour?"

"Do you wish for me to write a letter to Pingting?"

"No." Yangfeng turned to face the love of her life and slowly responded, "I would like you to personally write a letter to Chu Beijie himself."

Chu Beijie purposefully climbed up the steep steps leading to the palace.

He finally stopped, facing the King's personal palace, the pale light of the winter sun shining on his face and warming him yet he could not ignore a feeling of anguish in his heart.

There was no one present to disturb him, all the palace attends had withdrawn even Chu Zairan left. He was left standing in front of his brother's palace.

He had once shaken the mighty battlefields yet at this moment he feared opening the wooden doors before him.

His brother's illness had begun from the pain of losing his young sons.

By loving Bai Pingting, he betrayed his only brother.

The confrontation between the two had long begun, ever since the Queen had send assassins to wait near his residence. The two parties had been frozen in stalemate, all that was remaining was for them to make a move.

He had betrayed his brother, the brother who he had grown up idolising and the King he pledged his life to.

He could barely lift his feet, heavy from the burden in his heart.

Before he could reach out to push open the wooden doors, the it silently opened. Chu Beijie looked up into a familiar face which had lost its former radiance to grief, the cheeks shrunken and dark rings around the dim eyes.

"Sister in Law..."

The Queen stepped out, her face weary and assessed Chu Beijie for a moment before gifting him a heartwrenching smile. "The Duke of Zhen-Bei has returned."

Her voice was calm and steady. The grief-stricken cries accompanying the deaths of the young princes that had shaken the Dong Lin's Royal Residence seemed almost like a lifetime ago.

Chu Beijie whose heart was heavy with turmoil replied, "I have returned."

The Queen steps were unsteady; she paused for a moment, closing her eyes to compose herself before quietly stating, "The King has been waiting for you, come." She assessed Chu Beijie for another moment before leaving.

Chu Beijie eyes followed her until she turned the corner and disappeared from his view. It was only then that he turned his gaze toward the partially opened door.

Taking a deep breath, he reached out and pushed open the heavy wooden doors.

Stepping inside the palace he felt as if he was slowly being swallowed up by the darkness. The dying King had become photophobic. Heavy curtains hung over the windows, blocking out all the sunlight. Upon closing the wooden doors, the room became dark as night.

The only light came from a single flickering candle.

To think that the dazzling and majestic palace had fallen into such a wretched state.