Chapter Seven:
"The Man in Purple"
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In days of old, a young man's heart was bound,
To a bird so dear, their love was joy unbound.
Each morn he'd feed it seeds, hear songs so sweet,
But love took a turn, a story of deceit.
The young man met his love, his heart did sway,
He left his little bird, to find a brighter day.
Alone, the bird in winter's icy night,
Found a jewel gleaming, in the pale moonlight.
A necklace, silver chain, a gem so bright,
Amethyst pendant, such a wondrous sight.
The bird treasured this find, through the cold it kept,
A companion through the storms, while the world just slept.
It sang and danced, a heart filled with delight,
In the warmth of winter, through the long, dark night.
But when the young man returned to the scene,
He sought to claim the bird, his selfish scheme.
The bird, it refused, to leave its prized adornment,
To go with the young man, their love now torn.
The young man, angered, his ego bruised,
He captured the bird, their bond now abused.
He locked the bird in a cage of shining gold,
Offering bribes of seeds, his demands so bold.
"Sing for me, dance," the young man would implore,
But the bird resisted, as never before.
The little bird perished, in the cage it died,
Leaving the selfish young man, alone, to bide.
In the end, the treasure, the man held dear,
Could never replace a love that was sincere.
***
With a deep breath, Xiaoniao rubbed his aching forehead, once again haunted by the merciless memories of his time in the palace. The frustration of repeatedly revisiting these painful recollections began to gnaw at him. He wished he could simply erase those memories and lead a carefree life. But as he contemplated the past, he also recognized the advantages these memories granted him in anticipating the future. Without the knowledge gained from his previous life, he would not have been successful in his escape attempts, and he would still be imprisoned within the palace alongside Emperor Ju Long.
Despite the pain Ju Long had inflicted upon him, Xiaoniao couldn't find it in his heart to harbor hatred. Every time he looked at Ju Long's face, it was Tianyu's comforting smiles that came to mind. Tianyu and Ju Long were distinct individuals, yet something in Xiaoniao's heart connected them both.
Interrupting his thoughts, a baby's cry pierced the air. A'Xiao was the source, and three voices attempted to soothe the crying baby, but their efforts were in vain. The baby cried as though there were no tomorrow.
Xiaoniao quickly dressed himself and decided to check on the others. To his dismay, he found chaos. The baby continued to cry, the dishes were unwashed, and both Lixin and Yangfan appeared disheveled and exhausted.
After only a day of looking after the baby, their situation was already challenging. Xiaoniao couldn't help but wonder how they would manage if they had to care for this little one for an extended period.
The guilt nagged at Xiaoniao as he watched the two men, both looking exhausted and stressed, struggling to soothe the fussy baby. Despite their best efforts, the infant's cries persisted.
Under his breath, Xiaoniao muttered, "A'Xiao, you naughty little one. You won't even let your uncles rest. When you grow up, mommy will have to teach you a lesson or two."
He gently rocked the crying baby in its bassinet, and eventually, the infant drifted off to sleep. The collective sigh of relief from the two men and their feathered companion resonated through the room as they thanked the heavens for their moment of respite.
While Xiaoniao focused on taking care of the few days old baby, Lixin decided to prepare a nourishing porridge for him. Meanwhile, Yangfan took charge of keeping the surroundings tidy, and Zhuque attempted to help, despite his round and small frame. Eventually, Zhuque gave in to his fatigue and opted to rest in his nest.
Once little Xiaobao was fast asleep in his bassinet, Xiaoniao gently placed him there.
"Your dinner is ready," Lixin informed Xiaoniao, who took a seat and inquired about the time he had been asleep. Lixin poured him some tea and offered a warm smile.
"You've been asleep for almost a day. The doctor said it was due to your exhaustion from looking after Xiaobao. What you need most now is rest," Lixin explained. He handed Xiaoniao a cup of tea, which Xiaoniao accepted and sipped slowly.
Lixin continued, "Grandma mentioned that you suddenly passed out in the middle of the street. Fortunately, her grandson, who happened to be visiting from the capital, found you and took you to the doctor. The children ran to get us."
"I'll visit Granny tomorrow to express my gratitude," Xiaoniao said, cheeks bulging as he enjoyed the porridge. Lixin patiently waited as Xiaoniao devoured his meal.
With a satisfied exclamation of "Finished!" Xiaoniao signaled the end of his meal. Lixin patted his head and suggested he get some rest. Xiaoniao took A'Xiao with him and retired to his room after bidding Lixin goodnight.
Xiaoniao displayed a mix of maturity befitting a mother and a wife, especially when caring for the children. However, he could also exhibit a more playful, childlike side, particularly around those he trusted.
As he cleaned the dishes, these thoughts swirled in Lixin head.
***
The next day arrived with much calmer weather than the previous day when a blizzard had raged until midnight.
Xiaoniao gathered the food he had prepared and placed it in a basket. He then secured a piece of fabric around his chest to carry little A'Xiao, who was just a few days old, but seemed to be more alert and mature than his age would suggest, appearing closer to two months old. Regardless of A'Xiao's appearance, Xiaoniao cherished him deeply.
"I'm heading out! I'll be back for lunch!" Xiaoniao informed Zhuque, who had just woken up. Zhuque yawned and waved his wings as if urging Xiaoniao to go.
With a smile, Xiaoniao grabbed a paper umbrella and headed out, a basket in hand. As he strolled through the small bustling streets of the town, some locals greeted him warmly. Elderly residents offered him fruits and vegetables, which he politely declined.
Children playing in the streets couldn't resist approaching Xiaoniao, their eyes filled with wonder as they admired his beautiful baby. This filled Xiaoniao with pride, knowing that his child was considered the most adorable in town.
Upon arriving at Grandma's house, Xiaoniao noticed several children gathered in the front yard beneath a crabapple tree. A young man dressed in purple sat amongst them, engrossed in reading stories to a couple of children nestled in his lap. Xiaoniao couldn't help but be captivated by his charm, whether in his previous life or now.
He secretly harbored hope that perhaps, in this lifetime, the two of them could be together. However, he knew the practicality of this was slim, as Tianyu seemed to have some connection to Ju Long. To preserve his peaceful life, Xiaoniao understood he must distance himself from anyone associated with Ju Long.
As he hesitated about whether to approach, Grandma called out to him, having just returned from the market with a basket of vegetables and fruit in arm.
"Oh? Little bird, I'm glad to see you're fine now. Come in, come in. The weather is getting cold, and it's not good for the baby's health," she greeted, opening the bamboo fence and ushering Xiaoniao inside. He caught Tianyu's attention, and Xiaoniao greeted him with a meek smile before entering the yard, where the children ran to him happily, followed by Tianyu.
"Brother!" they exclaimed. Grandma chuckled and handed her basket to Tianyu.
"Ah, they've missed you. They've been here since yesterday, constantly asking Yu'er when you will wake up," Grandma said with a smile, her wrinkled face stretching as she beamed. She then introduced the young man who stood behind her.
"This is my grandson, Yu'er. He's just returned from the capital, where he works as one of His Majesty's scholars. Isn't he impressive?" Grandma spoke with pride, while Xiaoniao could only offer an awkward smile.
Grandma then took Xiaoniao's hand and whispered in his ear, "He's also single and of a marriageable age. If Xiao'er wants, this old lady can arrange a wedding for the two of you."
Xiaoniao almost choked on his saliva waving his hand awkwardly and muttering, "Too young" and "Being a single parent is good too," trying to avoid Tianyu's gaze, who stared at him intently. Grandma widened her eyes and shrugged, thinking,'Youngsters these days prefer to mingled around than be tide up'
Growing bored with the conversation among the older folks, the children began tugging at Xiaoniao and Tianyu's clothes to gain their attention. The noisy commotion woke the sleeping A'Xiao, who started crying loudly. Xiaoniao panicked, uncertain of whether to tend to the fussing baby or avoid Tianyu's curious gaze.
However, a long, slender, bony hand reached out, accompanied by a warm voice that resembled the soothing sound of the ocean.
"If you don't mind, I can help, perhaps?" Tianyu offered, but Xiaoniao appeared hesitant.
Grandma, along with the children, had already gone inside the house. Grandma had promised to give them some snacks, which was, in reality, her way of providing the two young men with some privacy.
Xiaoniao's silence began to worry Tianyu, who believed he might have made the other uncomfortable. He coughed and averted his gaze elsewhere.
"Worry not, I don't eat babies. I'm trustworthy," Tianyu reassured him.
"That's not what I meant!" Xiaoniao nervously waved his hand, his face turning a deep shade of red. It wasn't that he felt awkward around Tianyu; rather, it was the fact that they both shared something romantic in their past lives in his opinion, and he was the only one who remembered it.
Meanwhile, Tianyu couldn't help but chuckle at the adorable way this little fool would frown and purse his lips. He found himself wishing he could pull Xiaoniao into his embrace.
"Pft... You finally look at me," Tianyu said, amused by the situation.
A'Xiao, now quiet and wide awake, busied himself by playing with his mother's hair. He clenched the strands in his small, chubby, round fist before popping them into his mouth and giggling with amusement.
Tianyu watched the small infant, engrossed in his own world, and smiled. He gently untangled Xiaoniao's hair from Xiaobao's grasp, though the baby didn't seem too pleased. However, when Tianyu playfully poked Xiaobao's nose with his finger, the infant burst into giggles. Xiaobao held onto Tianyu's long finger with his own chubby hands before putting it in his mouth.
"Jah-Jah wuhh wuh," Xiaobao made sounds.
Xiaoniao, lost in his thoughts, snapped back to reality as he heard Xiaobao's sounds.
Tianyu stared at Xiaoniao with pleading eyes, silently asking, "May I carry him?" Without hesitation, Xiaoniao nodded his head. Tianyu happily took the baby into his arms, and Xiaobao seemed equally delighted to be held by him.
"Jah-Jah!" Xiaobao exclaimed as he reached for Tianyu's face, a gesture Tianyu allowed. Xiaoniao, observing the whole scene, couldn't help but be amazed by this heartwarming image, reminiscent of a beautiful painting.
The verdant hues of the tree leaves played in harmony with the snowy flakes that danced through the air. Tianyu's white hair flowed in the breeze, and the sight of him gazing into Xiaobao's deep purple eyes created an illusion of a perfect painting-a portrait of father and son.
Xiaoniao couldn't help but feel his heart swell with emotion. How he wished that, in his previous life, Xiaobao had been born to him and Tianyu.
But that dream was dashed because Tianyu was born with a broken core, which prevented him from cultivating a hatchling of his own. Adopting another's hatchling was no easy feat unless both parents had tragically passed away, similar to the circumstances surrounding Prince Xuesong's child in Xiaoniao's past life, when both the Emperor and Xing Mei adopted the hatchling after Prince Xuesong's death.
This led Xiaoniao to ponder an unsettling question: did it mean that Xiaobao's true parents had met such a tragic fate?
Regrettably, only the Gods held the answer to that mystery.
***
Meanwhile in the East nation at Emperor's palace, a resounding growl filled the air, capturing the attention of all inside.
"Does he wish to die? Because I can take care of it myself!" bellowed a voice inside the Emperor's study. Present in the room were the Emperor's two most loyal confidants: Prime Minister Dong Haitao and Marshal Wu Junfeng. Both knelt before a rather empty throne-like seat. What drew their attention was the presence of a long, lizard-like creature with scales that shimmered in shades of blue, coiled around the armrests of the chair.
This was the Emperor's spiritual beast, a Blue Dragon named Qinglong, after the God of the East, Qinglong himself. Despite Qinglong's size, more akin to a large lizard than a dragon, he wielded formidable power. His contract had been passed down through the royal family for generations, earning him great respect, akin to the Emperor.
Marshal Wu Junfeng couldn't help but sigh and facepalm. Sometimes, Emperor Ju Long displayed a recklessness that left him exasperated.
Prime Minister Dong Haitao wore a stern frown, his thoughts dwelling on the Emperor's recent secretive journey without his spiritual beast and escorts. The mission was to retrieve his Empress, and this had Qinglong whining internally. The thought of smacking some sense into the Emperor crossed Qinglong's mind on numerous occasions.
Unlike Marshal Junfeng, who was unwaveringly loyal to the Emperor, Haitao wouldn't hesitate to confront the Emperor directly if it came to that.
"Tianyu? Where has he gone?" Qinglong inquired, prompting Haitao and Junfeng to exchange uncertain glances before Haitao finally responded, "To the Forstgate outpost."
Qinglong massaged his forehead and then signaled for the two men to rise, a sense of urgency in his voice.
"Never mind Him. You both should prepare the escort. We need to chase after the Emperor; I have a foreboding feeling that something is about to happen," Qinglong ordered, and both the Marshal and the Prime Minister immediately complied.
"As you Wish My Lord"
***
Up Next : The Marshal from West
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*Note: this is a raw unedited chapter.
Music: Tranquil Departure, Tianyu and Xiaoniao Themesong
[Oho 9k+ reads?! Thank you so much!, as regards my thanks to all of you I'll publish a new book soon so please stay tone!]