The Little King

9 | Consolation

Translator: PastTimer

Editor: PastTimer

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His mother's letter only told Xia Xi that she wasn't in good health around the time it was penned. That sentence was also placed at the end and was rather unremarkable, but Xia Xi was used to reading his mother's handwriting on paper. The handwriting was still the same, but the strokes were weak and sometimes there would be some traces of trembling and dragging at turning points. Xia Xi had always been careful and he felt a bad premonition in his heart. If his mother really wanted him to come back with being ill as an excuse, it wouldn't be through something like a letter. Sure enough, Xia Hui confirmed in her own letter, the first sentence was about the mention of his mother's death.

Xia Hui also did the delicate work of preserving the date, and according to it, the day of death should've been three months ago.

Xia Xi slumped to the ground, his tears falling like beads from a broken necklace instantly rolling down his cheeks. Cai Huan had never seen him cry like this. When they first came here it was she who couldn't stop crying, but Xia Xi stayed calm and composed, comforting her. Now it was Xia Xi who was crying so sadly, it made Cai Huan worry to death but all Cai Huan could do was persuade him helplessly by the side.

Chu Lan formally saw the envoy out, holding two objects in his palms he walked happily and briskly, he wanted to see Xia Xi soon. When he approached the Palace, he happened to hear Cai Huan's desperate voice. He was shocked, almost running inside. After seeing Xia Xi who was crying, his expression turned panicked and his tone of voice towards Cai Huan became a little harsh, "What's the matter? Why is Xi'er crying?"

Cai Huan jumped with fright. After seeing him, her face flushed and she couldn't speak. Xia Xi recovered, he wiped away the tears on his face hurriedly and looked up at Chu Lan with a reluctant expression, forcing a smile, "The King is back."

Chu Lan saw Xia Xi's red and swollen eyes and his heart ached. He knelt and took Xia Xi's hand, softening his tone, "What is it? Who offends you?"

Xia Xi gently shook his head and whispered: "It's nothing, it's just— seeing objects from my homeland, it just made me feel a little sad..." He wanted to hide the letters scattered on the ground, but Chu Lan had already noticed it and stretched out his hands to pick it up. He got up and browsed it, he soon knew the ins and outs, he said: "It turned out to be... Xi'er, you...."

Xia Xi felt that Chu Lan wanted to comfort him, he endured tears and nodded gently.

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Ever since he got the news, Xia Xi had been depressed. His tears had stopped flowing but he had no energy to do anything, his appetite was half less than usual. He was originally thin but now he was even bonier, with a sharper chin and a worrying waist. Cai Huan was anxious and tried every means to coax him to eat more, seeing him sitting by the vegetable garden, she took the sweets box sent by princess Xia Hui and cheerfully presented it to him, saying: "Your Royal Highness, it's noon and you haven't eaten anything, aren't you hungry? You haven't yet tasted the preserved fruit that princess Hui sent you, would you like to try it? It looks very delicious and appetising."

Xia Xi glanced at Cai Huan and then at the contents of the box before saying softly: "I'm not hungry, you can eat it."

Cai Huan was anxious and said, "How could I? This is what princess Hui especially gave you to eat! Speaking of which, princess Hui is really good to you, she gave you delicious food and many new books, and also clothes..."

Xia Xi interrupted her and said, "My mother gave the clothes, I can recognize her craftsmanship."

Cai Huan realized that she had said the wrong thing, she closed her mouth quickly, and after a while, she said pitifully, "Your Highness, you should eat some more. If you become too thin, you'll get sick. The King will worry about you, and me— I will also worry about you," as she said that her eyes turned sore, she couldn't help crying.