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墨書 Inktalez
"Plop!"
A tear fell heavily into the white fungus and jade soup, splashing a small droplet of water that quickly disappeared.
"Brother, what did I do wrong? Why do you hate me so much?"
Ajin's voice was filled with grievance. "It was the Empress Dowager who wanted to take me back to the palace, and it was the Empress Dowager who treated me as her daughter. I didn't seek to climb the social ladder, nor did I occupy my sister's place. Why do you misunderstand me like those others?"
"Maybe," Jiang Wei said, not even wanting to look at her.
"Your innocence is all caused by the Empress Dowager. Your misfortune is also caused by the Empress Dowager. For eleven years, you have been the Penglai Princess, enjoying the love and wealth that should belong to my sister. It's all the Empress Dowager's fault, so I must find my sister as soon as possible to free you from this suffering."
"Brother!" Ajin cried out loudly, "Why do you misunderstand me like this? What have I done to offend you? I admire you so much and like you so much; why can’t you ever see my existence?"
Jiang Wei was already consumed by intense anger. He suddenly stood up, looking down at her from a high position with a disdainful expression.
"Maybe you think everyone owes you something, but you should consider this: if it weren't for my Empress Dowager's unbearable pain of losing her daughter and my father's well-known love for his wife, how could I allow someone with such ulterior motives as you to occupy my sister's position, receiving daily tributes from officials and enjoying immense wealth?"
"Is that my fault?"
Ajin's face was already drenched in tears, her voice hoarse from crying. "Becoming an orphan is not my fault; becoming your sister by chance is not my fault either. Why do you always look at me like that? I just want to be your good sister; is that such a crime?"
"You will never be my sister!" Jiang Wei's voice was cold and rational. He had regained his composure and no longer bothered to look at her again.
Ajin wiped away tears and looked at him one last time. "Do you really hate me this much?"
"Hate?" Jiang Wei scoffed with a sarcastic laugh. "How could I hate someone I never even regarded?"
"Enough!" Ajin shouted, covering his ears, and rushed out the door.
Afu appeared at the doorway, stunned, looking at the people inside. "Young Master..."
"Go after him," Jiang Wei waved his hand weakly, seeming to lack the energy to care about anything else.
Upon hearing this, Afu immediately took off in pursuit. Jiang Wei's gaze fell on the pastries, coldly swiping them onto the floor.
"Am I sorry for you?" Jiang Wei murmured. "Sorry? Not at all!"
Jiang Wei could never forget the day he snuck out of the palace with his younger sister to play, only to be captivated by street performers, leaving his young sister behind on the street, never to see her again.
He found it hard to face the tear-streaked face of the Empress Dowager, or to confront his father, who was gradually turning gray. Several times he tried to search for his sister, but each time he was stopped by the Empress Dowager, who cried out, "I have already lost one child; can you bear to make me lose you too?"
From that moment on, he understood his responsibilities and burdens!
He confined himself within the palace every day, practicing martial arts, studying, practicing calligraphy, discussing state affairs with scholars, and strategizing military tactics with generals.
At that time, he had already begun to grow up too soon because he knew that only by becoming stronger quickly could he hope to find his sister and restore the smile that had vanished from the Empress Dowager's face.
But one day, seven years later, he was practicing swordsmanship with his master at the residence when a eunuch from the palace came in with a smile, announcing that the princess had returned!
He was so happy and excited that he galloped on horseback, knocking over countless servants, rushing to the Empress Dowager's palace, eager to see his sister, his dearest sister. When she left him, she was so small, her voice soft and gentle, murmuring "En en ya ya" to him, wiping her nose on him, and laughing "kekeke" while hugging his neck...
He had so much to say to his sister. He wanted to apologize; he wanted to promise that he would never let her be harmed again. He wanted to say that from now on, he would protect her for a lifetime...
But what did he see?
His Empress Dowager, his noble Empress Dowager, the most esteemed woman of Penglai Nation, was cradling a beggar who was thin, small, dirty, and smelly like a madwoman. She lovingly soothed the beggar to sleep while softly singing the gentlest lullaby she had heard since childhood.
"Baby be good, go to sleep now. When you wake up, ride a big horse, draw your bow, and shoot the tiger..."
His Empress Dowager, the kindest and gentlest Empress Dowager in the world, had gone mad!
At that moment, he too went mad!
"Ah..." he shouted as he rushed forward, wanting to pull the filthy beggar from the Empress Dowager's arms. The palace maids and eunuchs around him all knelt down and bowed their heads repeatedly: "Your Highness, please calm down."
"How could you serve the Empress Dowager like this? I will kill you all!" he screamed in a frenzy, as if this was the only way to vent the guilt and self-blame deep within him.
"Smack!" The Emperor arrived and slapped him hard: "Are you done making a scene?"
He stood frozen in place, looking at this man who had never spoken harshly to him since childhood. He wanted to say something but opened his mouth only to burst into tears: "Father, the Empress Dowager has gone mad!"
His father, like a great tree providing shelter, seemed to age twenty years in that moment, his voice hoarse: "Shh, don't make a noise, the Empress Dowager is smiling."
At that moment, he was terrified that even his father had gone mad!
Fortunately, his father had not; he only loved the Empress Dowager even more. He would comb her hair, help her with her makeup, and do everything to make her smile.
For instance, he accepted that beggar and made her his sister, the princess of Penglai Nation, allowing her to live in the palace, in the very palace where his sister was supposed to reside.
He let her enjoy everything his sister deserved: titles, noble status, parental love, and the ministers' reverence. Everything that should have belonged to his sister was stolen by this beggar!
It was all because of him—his own playfulness and foolishness had buried all of his sister's happiness!
And that beggar brazenly claimed everything! She enjoyed it all as if it were her right!
She possessed everything and even dared to covet him!
No!
Absolutely not!
Everyone had given up on his sister, but he would not!
He firmly believed that his sister was still alive; she must be somewhere in this world. Perhaps she was happy, perhaps not, but what did it matter? Once he found her again, he would return her happiness bit by bit!
Family, status, dignity, wealth...
Everything, as long as my sister wants it, as long as I possess it!
And this beggar, he will never forget that one day, after neglecting this beggar for three years, his father said to him: “Avi, your father knows you still miss Cloud Pearl, but she is no longer here. We who are alive must continue to live well. Promise your father to treat Ajin better; she is just an innocent and pitiful person.”
He looked at his father's head full of White Hair, his nose feeling sour: “Does father still remember why my sister was named Cloud Pearl?”
His father's gaze turned distant, as if the faraway sky might hold his sister's smiling face. After a long while, he sighed.
“What does it matter if I remember? Over the years, I have exhausted all my efforts and resources, yet there has been no trace of your sister. Watching your Empress Dowager's health decline little by little, I would rather believe that Pearl is no longer in this world than endure this endless torment.”
Jiang Wei remembered his voice turning cold from that moment: “Perhaps in father's eyes, my sister has become a heavy burden, a name you no longer wish to mention. Indeed, you already have a daughter; how could you care about the life or death of the one you lost?”
The look his father gave him was filled with pity and pain: “Perhaps you hate me for not trying hard enough! But Avi, you must believe your father; my suffering is no less than yours and your Empress Dowager's!
But besides being your father, I am also the husband of your Empress Dowager and the monarch of Penglai Nation. Your Empress Dowager still needs me; the millions of citizens of Penglai Nation still need me. I cannot fall.”
In that moment, his heart felt like a cold stone, unable to see everyone's pain; only one voice shouted within him: another person who has forgotten his sister, another person who has betrayed her. They are all petty people, all treacherous scoundrels.
He heard his own voice saying: “Yes, high and mighty father, you have too many people to care for, so you have no energy left to concern yourself with where your true daughter is at this moment.
For all these years she has been lost, a beggar like a wild dog has crawled into her clean and tidy palace and occupied everything that belonged to her.”
Perhaps in some corner, you don't have time to care about whether your sister is full, where she will sleep, or if anyone is taking care of her.
All these years have passed, do you still remember that you have a precious daughter lost in the world, unaware of her whereabouts? Not the beggar from Cloud Pearl Palace, but my sister, my biological sister!"
By the end, he was hoarse!
The Penglai Monarch had long since weakened knees and trembled. He rejected the eunuch who came to support him and looked one last time at his son: "If you truly hate me this much, then hate me! I hope that one day, when you are strong enough, you will bring your sister back home with you."
After saying this, he turned and walked away unsteadily.
When he reached the door, he paused and spoke with sorrow: "I remember when Cloud Pearl was born, it was at sunset, and the sky was filled with clouds like silk and satin stretching for miles, breathtakingly beautiful.
I remember holding her when she was just born, all wrinkled and tiny, saying she was my only pearl in life, so I named her Cloud Pearl!
I want everyone to remember that she is my Yun Zhu Princess, my daughter, and my honor. I have not forgotten... not for a moment."
In that moment, he was not an emperor; he was just a father!
After speaking, he left!
Leaving Jiang Wei curled up in a corner of the room like an injured young beast, trembling for a long time before letting out a piercing roar.
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