Center Of The Palace

第14集

Riyang POV

I lurched forward to grab my son, but Yuan pulled him back farther from my reach. Zhennan was crying, begging his father to stop his actions because it was scaring him.

"Yuan, stop this," I begged, getting on my knees and holding my hands as if I was praying to the gods above.

"Do you think I am not serious about going through with this?" He asked, making me sob as I looked into his eyes.

"Please, I am begging you, do not kill our child," I answered, bowing to him as low as I could go. "If, if you are to kill someone today, let it be me. My heart is not faithful to you. Zhennan is innocent, let him live."

"Should I?" He asked with a chuckle, dropping both child and sword as he came up to me, wrapping his hands around my throat. "You're a ghost already, I should just make it a reality, no?"

"Baba stop!" Feifei shouted, her brothers pulling their swords out as Yixing unsheathed his.

"Not, not in front of the children," I whispered, my airway blocked too much to allow me to think of anything but protecting the life I'd brought into the world.

"There is nothing left for me to do except kill you, I will not spare their eyes." He growled, tightening his grip.

Feifei and Zhennan screamed as their father was stabbed, Rui being quick and precise with his blade. Yuan dropped me and fell to the floor, gasping as he held his side.

"Put him in the prison," Rui said opening the door for the guards to come in. "It's not a life-threatening wound, but make sure to clean and bandage it."

I watched as Rui picked me up and carried me to the infirmary, my own son carrying me instead of I lifting him. He didn't look hurt, though I saw his lip swelling from the hit he received earlier.

"You grew up so much." I softly said, brushing his hair from his face as he set me down upon the bed, the doctor coming over immediately.

"Her neck was injured, please care for her." He said, not looking at me once.

It hurt to see him as if he was in pain at the thought of looking towards me, but I understood his pain. After we came to the palace, I hadn't been there for him, sending him away in order to care for Feifei and the palace requirements. He'd had nothing except pain and rejection the entire time he was growing up.

I knew it was my doing, and that I did nothing to rescue him, even after I had escaped that life. Now that I had returned, he no longer wanted me in his life, and I knew I had to respect that decision, no matter how badly it broke my heart to see him walk away from me with no intentions of looking towards me anymore.

Xiaorui POV

I sighed, sliding down the wall to the floor just outside the infirmary. My heart was in pain to see her again, knowing it was not an illusion that night.

"Is Mama okay?" I looked up and saw the small boy from before, looking to me with fear. I offered a soft smile and nodded.

"She'll be alright," I answered, making him nod happily and sit beside me, pulling from his pocket a small snack and offering it to me.

"Thank you for stopping Baba." He said, sighing with a saddened expression. "You, you are Uncle?"

"Yes, I'm Uncle," I replied, earning a smile from the small boy. "I am Zhang Rui."

"Will Uncle take care of me from now on?" I looked back to the boy, who was now looking up at me with tears in his eyes.

"Do, do you need me to?" I asked, gaining an enthusiastic nod from him. "Why?"

"Baba is not nice. Mama cries often. I, I don't think they will be happy anytime soon." He whispered, fiddling with his sleeves. "Can you take care of me please?"

"I promise," I replied, grabbing his hand and staring him gently in the eyes. "From now on, Uncle Rui will take care of Little Zhennan."

I let him sleep in my bed as I went to speak with Xiaofu. I looked to a maid with suspicion, not recognizing her as she walked past me towards the infirmary. Despite knowing what I had to speak to Xiaofu about was important, I decided to follow the maid.

"Did Yuan send you?" I heard my mother ask, making me freeze even when I knew I shouldn't.

"He asked me to relay the message that you can never escape him, even in death." The maid softly answered, causing my heart to start racing.

"I understand." I knew I had to move, or else it would be too late to stop what I knew was happening behind the closed door of the infirmary room before me.

I slammed the door open, causing the maid to look at me in fear as she dropped the blade she was holding, falling to the ground and bowing, asking for forgiveness. I spared her no mercy as I slit her throat with my sword, ending her life without blinking my eyes.

I looked to my mother, her eyes soft as she gasped for air, a deep wound in her abdomen that was gushing with blood. I dropped to my knees and held her hand, crying as I, again, couldn't save her as I had promised when I was young.

"I'm finally free. Don't be sad." She struggled to get her words out as she weakly squeezed my hand, smiling as she looked to the heavens.

I sobbed as her hand went limp, no longer holding mine as her ragged breathing stopped. I was hurt, saddened, and angered. With one last kiss to her hand, I grabbed my sword and ran from the room, knowing what I had to do.