Romancing the Son of Heaven (Part 2)

Stratagem 50: Stay Calm in the Face of Adversity! (5)

Qiang Yan took a few more moments to try and calm down Jing He but seeing that the effect wasn't too good, he finally sighed. "Alright, I'll contact your mother and ask her. We'll see if she knows anything. If she doesn't ..." He hesitated, not sure what other option they had.

Personally, he was only familiar with Adviser Fu Heng. Since the guy didn't know anything and wasn't talkative anyway, that wasn't useful though. He had also had some slight contact with the other advisers on official occasions so it wasn't like he couldn't contact them as well.

The problem was that he didn't have the means to do so easily. Not to mention that he didn't have an excuse to do so and he didn't want to expose his nephew's love life that easily. Even though Qiu Ling's advisers were certainly aware after their king had relentlessly pursued Jing He, that didn't mean they needed to spread more details. Thus, this was an option he wouldn't take lightly.

He first pulled out another transmission stone to get in touch with his sister.

As for Jing He, he sat down again, trying to minimize his presence. Actually, he felt embarrassed. How could he break down in front of his uncle like this and over a man no less? It didn't seem decent. And yet, even though he knew, he couldn't help it. After being afraid of it for so long and now only finding more and more hints that seemed to prove that Qiu Ling had finally stopped caring about him after all, the tears simply didn't want to stop.

Qiang Yan rubbed his head, feeling for the first time in hundreds of years that his nephew was actually a child. From small to big, he could hardly remember any time it had been necessary to comfort him like this. Most likely, after the first five hundred years of his life or so, it hadn't ever happened again. And even back then, he had been a sensible child. At most, he was running around more because of curiosity so there was always some worry but there was never this feeling of helplessness because he didn't know how to coax him.

This really was a new experience and somehow, it even happened several years after Jing He had come of age. Well, maybe he shouldn't liken it to coaxing a child. It was more like comforting a young maiden after she had her heart broken ...

He coughed lightly when the thought came up but his thoughts were thankfully interrupted by the transmission being accepted. His sister's image leaped up and Qiang Yan heaved a sigh of relief. Without waiting for her to ask, he already spoke up. "Please tell me you heard from Longjun one of these days."

Bai Fen's brows shot up. She immediately thought of her last conversation with Qiu Ling and how she had told him to stay away from Jing He for a while so her son could figure things out. If her brother now suddenly asked ... could it be it had already worked?

Her mind churned but since she couldn't be sure, she figured it would be best to make sure first. "Well, I did see him about half a week ago I think. Why do you ask?"

Qiang Yan sighed. Half a week ago should be about as long as Jing He had been waiting as well. That didn't help unless he had told her something specific. "Uh ... he didn't turn up for a few days which is rather unusual for him. Your son is a bit worried." He faintly raised his brows at her while he kept rubbing Jing He's head, hoping that it would have some kind of effect until they managed to find out anything that might explain why Qiu Ling hadn't come back

"Oh ..." Bai Fen put on a troubled expression. It seemed that it was indeed as she had thought. Furthermore, if her brother's glances to the side were any indication, then Jing He should still be with him. Thankfully, he hadn't mentioned it so she could just pretend she didn't know and be the bearer of bad news without being too obvious.

She might be willing to play a few tricks but that didn't mean that she liked to see her son suffer. If she had believed that there was any other way of getting through to him, she definitely wouldn't have gone for this way either. She also knew that it was a bit cruel, after all.

She sighed faintly and then shook her head. "So he really didn't come back. Actually, I thought something like this might happen."

Qiang Yan's hand suddenly stilled and he stared at his sister with a blank expression, an ominous feeling gripping his heart. "Really didn't come back? Bai Fen, what are you talking about?" His voice sounded odd even to his own ears. He didn't want to imagine what was currently going through his nephew's mind.

Bai Fen sighed again, trying to put some sincerity into her expression and words. "When I saw him a few days ago, he seemed rather dejected. This ... well, you also know how long he has been trying to woo Jing He.

"Even though it seems like he has made quite a bit of progress, he seems to feel like no matter what he does, he won't be able to go the rest of the way. Ten years is a long time after all. Without Jing He even accepting his confession so far ... does he still have hope to ever marry him? And that was what he set out to do, after all. I doubt he'll be content only ever amounting to nothing more than a friend."

Qiang Yan stared at her, painfully aware of how quiet his nephew had suddenly gone next to him. His lips parted and he wanted to refute but ... he also couldn't say anything. Bai Fen wasn't wrong. If Qiu Ling felt like he wouldn't have any chance of ever making Jing He reconsider his stance, then what was the use of running over here every day? It might be best to stay away so he could clear his mind and forget about it.

Qiang Yan shook his head. "I don't believe it. He swore his love up and down all this time. He wouldn't just leave like that. Especially not without a word." He thought back to the time Qiu Ling had brought Jing He back drunk and then talked to him alone. The way he had looked at his nephew at that time and what he had said ... no, he wouldn't believe even for a moment that this man would just abandon his pursuit. If he truly felt that there was no way to convince Jing He, then at the very least, he'd speak to him about it.

Bai Fen could only shrug her shoulders. Of course, she wouldn't believe this either if somebody told her. "I can only tell you what I thought. It's not like he said 'I'm giving up and shall never return'. He just seemed really down and said some things that seemed to imply he was ready to call it quits."

"But ... just like that? Without even a word?"

Bai Fen shook her head. "I would also like to think he'd tell Jing He first if he was thinking about it but ... maybe after so much time, he felt like even that wouldn't change anything so he didn't. Well, or maybe he is just taking a few days to think it through and will have a last conversation at least afterward?"

Qiang Yan wanted to retort but at that time, Jing He next to him got up. He glanced at him and found that his eyes had turned red from crying. He had never seen his nephew like this and really wanted to say something to comfort him somehow. With what Bai Fen had just said, everything seemed hollow though.

Jing He didn't dare to look at his uncle directly. He lowered his head and then simply nodded before leaving silently. He just ... couldn't take it any longer. He did not want to think about this any further. If he could, he just wanted to forget all about it so he wouldn't have to feel this pain.