Married to the Dragon Prince 34: Epilogue
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墨書 Inktalez
Lin Qingmo's heart felt like it was pressed against a burning furnace, hot and restless. He was in a daze, struggling to wake up but unable to do so. He murmured, “Ao... Yan... Mother... Mother... Ao Yan... Mother.” At that moment, Mother Lin, who was at home mending the small clothes Lin Qingmo wore as a child, suddenly felt a jolt in her heart. Her hand trembled, and the needle pricked her finger, blood dripping onto the fabric. She clutched her chest and slid down from her chair, looking around in panic as she whispered, “My child, my child.” She raised her head, knelt upright, and clasped her hands together in prayer, saying to the heavens, “There are deities above us. A mother and child share a bond; I know my child is in trouble. I beg the heavens to save my child...” 0
 
Trembling, she stood up and stumbled outside. The sky had darkened, the wind was strong, and the waves crashed against the rocks with a terrifying roar. She climbed onto a rock, exposed to the elements, feeling like a cold stone herself. The moon emerged—a round, pale yellow orb reflecting on the sea. The dark sky and the murky waters resembled a giant black cat with a curled tail, staring with a pair of round yellow eyes fixed on the person on the rock. 0
 
“I am willing to trade my life for my child's; I beg the heavens to save my child...” Mother Lin pressed the small garment against her chest and gazed straight ahead toward where Lin Qingmo was. The wind crept up her feet like icy seawater, inch by inch climbing higher; with each inch, her feet grew numb; with another inch, her calves stiffened... 0
 
Lin Qingmo slowly regained consciousness, feeling waves of burning pain in his chest and a strong smell of something charred in the air. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he reached for his chest to see what had happened. Something fleshy blocked his hand; he heard a voice beside him say, “Don’t move; that’s your wound; you can’t move it.” “Xi'er.” Lin Qingmo grasped that fleshy thing tightly and pulled it closer to see—it was a plucked wing covered in tiny holes resembling needle marks. “Xi'er, what happened to you? What... what happened to me?” 0
 
“It’s me, Xi'er is here.” Xi'er peeked out with its head wrapped in a colorful scarf, its body bare and glistening. Its long eyelashes fluttered as it looked pitifully at him. It sniffled and continued, “My feathers were pulled out by the prince. You...” It glanced at Lin Qingmo's chest. “You don’t remember? You were injured; you almost lost your life! It scared me to death! Trouble never comes alone; something happened in Dragon Palace too; the princess called me to take care of you.” 0
 
Following Xi'er's words, Lin Qingmo struggled to look down at his chest; the skin around it was burned and slightly curled up. The remnants of Jinzi Jia hung on him—some black and some yellow. “I remember now! I took the Twin Hammers given by Plum Blossom Fairy to... Plum Blossom Fairy...” 0
 
“Yes, that wretched woman caused you so much suffering.” Xi'er wiped its tears and asked softly, “Does it hurt, Qingmo?” Lin Qingmo nodded then shook his head; suddenly he jumped up but was struck down again by immense pain. He anxiously asked, “Xi'er! What did you just say? What happened in Dragon Palace? Huh?” 0
 
Xi'er quickly covered its mouth and shook its head. “It’s nothing; nothing at all...” But seeing Lin Qingmo’s anxious expression and furrowed brows as if about to cry made Xi'er’s heart soften again. “In Dragon Palace... umm... it’s about Third Princess. It’s not good news either—it’s that wretched woman’s doing! Third Princess has always admired Wolf King from the demon realm but he has never shown interest in her. This time she disregarded her dignity as a lady and went personally to propose marriage; Wolf King still refused her. Out of anger and humiliation, Third Princess stole Lord of Thunder's Twin Thunder Hammers to kill Wolf King, seriously injuring him—his life or death is unknown now! Third Princess broke heavenly law and has already been captured! And it was Plum Blossom Fairy who helped clear obstacles for Third Princess so she could successfully steal the Twin Thunder Hammers! On the surface she helped her but actually harmed her!” 0
 
“I need to go back to Dragon Palace; I must return!” Lin Qingmo struggled to get up but was pressed back down by Xi'er. “The prince has gone to Heavenly Palace; they will announce judgment today. Third Princess will be fine; her crime isn’t severe enough. That wretched woman won’t escape this time.” 0
 
“But what if that Plum Blossom Fairy doesn’t admit it? After all, it was Third Princess who stole Twin Thunder Hammers—not her,” Lin Qingmo argued. 0
 
Xi'er laughed lightly. “Don’t worry; I have witnesses.” It picked up a bronze mirror from the dressing table and said, “You can see what’s happening in Heavenly Palace through this mirror. Just lie down properly.” With that said, it pointed at the mirror where mist swirled around Lingxiao Palace appeared. 0
 
Inside the hall stood various deities on both sides; on the throne sat Jade Emperor—fat and lazy—napping with one hand propping his forehead while his drooping eyelids let out a glimmer as he secretly peeked at Chang'e below him. Beside him sat Queen Mother with her chin held high and an expression of stern authority—a symbol of fairness and justice—making it seem as if she had swapped places with Jade Emperor. 0
 
In the hall knelt Plum Blossom Fairy while Ao Yan stood beside her. Lin Qingmo couldn’t help but reach out towards the mirror; his brows, eyes, face... he looked thinner and more haggard than before. 0
 
Xi'er sighed deeply and pretended to be mature as it said: “The prince—he hasn’t been able to eat or sleep well since he’s been thinking about you so much. He even made a doll that looks just like you! He doesn’t even know you’re hurt yet; we’ve kept it from him because we’re afraid he might kill Plum Blossom Fairy out of anger.” 0
 
“Plum Blossom Fairy! Did you assist Southern Sea Third Princess Ao Bi in stealing Lord of Thunder's Twin Thunder Hammers?” Queen Mother spoke up with an elongated tone that echoed throughout the hall. 0
 
But Jade Emperor muttered quietly under his breath: “It’s such a trivial matter; just deal with it accordingly—what’s there left to investigate?” 0
 
Plum Blossom Fairy paused for a moment before saying: “This little fairy knows nothing about this matter; I ask Your Majesty and Your Highness to see clearly.” 0
 
She glanced up at Ao Yan who squinted down at her making her break into a cold sweat as she discreetly shifted aside. 0
 
“Oh—but Third Princess Ao Bi claims that you gave her Twin Thunder Hammers,” Queen Mother continued. 0
 
Plum Blossom Fairy replied: “This little fairy knows nothing.” 0
 
Queen Mother nodded thoughtfully: “Well—there are no witnesses either; this is all just her word against yours.” She seemed intent on protecting Plum Blossom Fairy and quickly added: “In that case, you may withdraw for now. As for how Southern Sea Third Princess Ao Bi should be dealt with—that will be decided by Jade Emperor.” 0
 
“No!” Ao Yan finally spoke up after remaining silent for so long; stepping forward he declared loudly: “My sister never tells lies! If she says Plum Blossom Fairy gave her Twin Thunder Hammers then this matter must have something to do with her!” 0
 
Great White Venus also stepped forward bowing slightly: “I have close ties with Nanhai Dragon King; I watched over his granddaughter Dragon's Third Princess grow up—I believe Dragon's Third Princess would never speak falsely! I ask Jade Emperor for your fair judgment.” 0
 
Jade Emperor finally straightened himself reluctantly upon being named directly; lifting his eyelids he said: “If there are witnesses then bring them forth; if there is physical evidence then present it too! If not then proceed as Queen Mother suggested.” 0
 
 
The great hall fell into a moment of silence. Suddenly, the Dodder Princess, who had been lying at the feet of the Plum Blossom Fairy, rolled forward and knelt upright, her plump body making her appear as if she were sitting. Being a white rabbit, she blended seamlessly with the white silk skirt of the Plum Blossom Fairy, and no one noticed her. Because of her size, her short legs were nearly hidden beneath her body, and the flesh on her cheeks squished together, narrowing her eyes into slits. She spoke slowly and hesitantly, enunciating each word: "I can prove it. Um, I can prove that the Plum Blossom Fairy first stole the Twin Thunder Hammers from the Lord of Thunder and then handed them over to the Third Princess, Ao Bi, who wanted to steal the Twin Thunder Hammers. I am the Plum Blossom Fairy's pet rabbit; she takes me wherever she goes, so I witnessed that scene with my own eyes." 0
 
The crowd was not surprised; they understood who was right and who was wrong. However, since the Queen Mother was openly and secretly protecting her, they dared not speak up. The Plum Blossom Fairy was startled and furious, her face flushed as she pointed at the Dodder Princess and exclaimed, "You... you... why would you..." Almost letting slip a curse, she quickly corrected herself, "Why would you slander me?" She then tried to shrug it off as if she were completely innocent. The Queen Mother interjected, "Dodder Princess, as the pet of the Plum Blossom Fairy who loves and cherishes you, your baseless accusations against your master are ungrateful and unjust." The Dodder Princess blinked slowly and replied, "I am not ungrateful or unjust; I am speaking the truth. The Plum Blossom Fairy does not treat me well; she often hits me and pinches me and even takes away my food and drink. If you don’t believe me, look at my wounds." 0
 
She rolled again until she reached Chang'e's feet, lifting her plump backside to show Chang'e her injuries: "Chang'e, please look at the wounds on my bottom." Chang'e leaned down to inspect before looking up and saying, "What Dodder Princess says is true. The wounds are deep; although they have healed, clear scars remain. And there is more than one." The Jade Rabbit chimed in: "Dodder Princess is my cousin. Although she is a bit dull-witted, she always speaks honestly; she wouldn’t dare lie." Taking advantage of this moment, the Dodder Princess performed several somersaults in front of the deities to display her injuries while everyone echoed Chang'e's words. 0
 
At this moment, the Jade Emperor perked up, surveying the entire hall with a piercing gaze fixed on Chang'e. He declared, "Since all the immortals say it is true, then Dodder Princess's words cannot be false. The Plum Blossom Fairy should also be punished for this..." The Queen Mother shot a glance at the Jade Emperor and interrupted him: "Your Majesty, Dodder Princess's words may not be credible. She could very well be seeking revenge because she is no longer favored by Mei Xian. Those wounds might not have been inflicted by Mei Xian but could have been caused by accidents during play." Her words left the Jade Emperor speechless; his face turned purple with anger as he slumped back into his throne and decided to let it go. 0
 
The Plum Blossom Fairy quickly added: "What Your Majesty says is absolutely right. Recently I have taken a great liking to the jade squirrel that Your Majesty gifted me a few days ago and have neglected Dodder Princess; perhaps she thinks she is no longer favored. Besides, I usually indulge her too much; she has become petty and narrow-minded, thus taking this opportunity to slander me." 0
 
"I want to go to the Heavenly Palace. Xi'er, take me to the Heavenly Palace." Seeing that the Plum Blossom Fairy was about to escape punishment, Lin Qingmo became anxious and struggled to get up. Xi'er said: "No way. To be honest with you, if it weren't for Jinzi Jia and that piece of Cold Jade protecting you this time, you would have been blown to bits long ago." Lin Qingmo insisted: "I’m fine now. If we don’t go soon, Plum Blossom Fairy will escape punishment! I need to testify." Unable to refuse Lin Qingmo's determination, Xi'er carefully helped him dress before they soared into the heavens. 0
 
Ao Yan stood silently by, coldly watching the Queen Mother's protective farce unfold. He had only one thought in his mind: if Plum Blossom Fairy were found innocent, he would kill her on the spot. 0
 
Upon arriving in heaven without any hindrance due to familiar guards accompanying Lin Qingmo, they stumbled into the great hall and immediately knelt down before anyone could speak. He was drenched in cold sweat and blurted out before either the Jade Emperor or Queen Mother could respond: "I am the Crown Princess of Nanhai Dragon's Eighth Prince and have come to testify against Plum Blossom Fairy." Upon seeing Lin Qingmo again, Ao Yan felt both surprised and delighted but restrained himself from rushing forward to embrace him. He gazed at him intently while repeatedly whispering in his heart: "Wife... wife..." 0
 
All of the deities knew that Nanhai Dragon's Eighth Prince had married a male consort; upon seeing them together now sparked whispers among them. What should have been a serious trial turned into a gossip session. The Queen Mother held an advantageous position now and wanted a quick resolution; considering Lin Qingmo's noble status made her refrain from pursuing his recklessness as she impatiently said: "Just say what you need to say." 0
 
Xi'er found a spot to stand while Dodder Princess quietly moved closer and whispered: "Boss, did I do well? I spoke only truthfully; I'm not being ungrateful or unjust?" Xi'er crossed his arms and raised his chin thoughtfully before replying softly: "You did well. It’s everyone's duty to expose evil; you’ve turned your back on wickedness for goodness’ sake—I won’t treat you unfairly when we return; there will be rewards." Dodder Princess excitedly rubbed her hands together: "Following Boss means there will be meat to eat." 0
 
Lin Qingmo recounted how Plum Blossom Fairy had handed over Mother Thunder’s Twin Hammers to him that day when suddenly he tore open his clothing to reveal a gaping hole in his chest adorned with a shimmering white lotus that sparkled like sunlight reflecting off water. Although his skin around it was gradually healing and closing up, it was still quite shocking for everyone present who gasped in horror. Ao Yan’s eyes turned red as flames suddenly erupted from his palms; he shouted furiously: "I will kill you!" The fireball shot straight toward Plum Blossom Fairy. 0
 
"Ah—" Plum Blossom Fairy screamed as she stumbled forward several steps before falling to the ground. The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord reacted swiftly by flicking out Buddhist dust that ensnared the fireball. 0
 
As chaos ensued further in the hall, Great White Venus stepped forward: "This matter cannot be delayed any longer. Since it involves Dragon's Third Princess Ao Bi, Dragon Eighth Prince Ao Yan may act impulsively out of anger; I hope Jade Emperor will consider his youth and refrain from pursuing this matter." He then shifted his tone: "Since Queen Mother still has doubts about this issue, I recall that Queen Mother possesses a treasure called Liuli Mirror which can reproduce yesterday’s events. Why not use Liuli Mirror to reveal these two incidents? Who is right or wrong can be determined by what truly happened—no amount of words can change what has already occurred." All deities nodded in agreement with Great White Venus's suggestion. 0
 
 
 
The Queen Mother forced a smile. She understood the situation better than anyone else; truly bringing out the Liuli Mirror would only serve to slap her own face. As the circumstances grew increasingly unfavorable, she had no choice but to sacrifice a pawn to protect the king. "Since there are multiple witnesses, the Plum Blossom Fairy must have made some oversight. Your Majesty, you may handle this as you see fit." 0
 
In the end, Ao Bi was punished to reflect on her actions at the bottom of the Thousand-Year Cold Pool on Kunlun Mountain for five hundred years. The Plum Blossom Fairy was banished to the mortal realm, never to return to Heaven. 0
 
On the Dragon Lock Platform, Ao Bi stood resolutely against the wind. Before her lay rolling clouds and mist, a vast expanse of white, ethereal and empty. The wind billowed her orange silk skirt, resembling a faint glow of dawn amidst the clouds. Ao Yan stood behind her, cradling the unconscious Lin Qingmo. The two remained silent. Suddenly, Ao Bi spoke, "Xiao Ba, were those ornaments sent in Xiao Lang's name?" 0
 
"Sister, I... I was wrong; I shouldn't have done that." As soon as Ao Yan spoke, tears streamed down his face. He regretted his meddling; his good intentions had led to disastrous consequences. Ao Bi smiled sadly and said, "I thought they were from him. I always believed he had a sliver of genuine affection for me. After he repeatedly rejected marriage proposals, I even went to him personally... But I should have realized that someone who continually refuses would never gift me jewelry... The most painful thing isn't what I can't have; it's that what I desire is always out of reach while what I don't want comes easily. I'd rather be a humble fisherwoman, barely scraping by each day, as long as he is with me..." 0
 
"Sister, it's all my fault..." Ao Yan fell to the ground in tears, one hand protecting Lin Qingmo while the other clutched Ao Bi's garment tightly. "Stop crying and get up. A man should not kneel unless it's before gold..." Ao Bi turned away and shook off Ao Yan's hand. "Xiao Ba, take good care of Qingmo. He loves you so much... You must cherish him..." 0
 
Two years later, Ao Bi took her own life in the Thousand-Year Cold Pool, destroying her own essence and leaving behind a soul and spirit that transformed into a silver spear, recognizing the Fox King as its master and becoming his weapon. 0
 
As night fell, the room was eerily quiet; distant waves replaced the sound of a gong as they crashed against the rocks. A solitary lamp flickered like a dim yellow flower blooming in the dark night, floating on the water's surface and swaying gently. Lin Xiao blinked and tilted his head; candlelight illuminated his face—sallow and weary with murky eyes. He swallowed hard twice and murmured to himself, "What time is it..." 0
 
"It's midnight," someone suddenly replied in a ghostly voice. In the haze, Lin Xiao saw a figure that seemed to emerge from the flickering candlelight on the table. Suddenly he broke into a smile and softly said, "Qingmo, you've come to see me off." His smile was gentle and light, like willow fluff brushing against Lin Qingmo's eyes. Lin Qingmo took his hand and pressed it against her cheek, tears streaming down silently as she nodded. 0
 
Lin Xiao continued to smile; beneath that soft laughter lay a hint of sorrow: "Qingmo, there's something I've kept in my heart for many years... Now that I'm leaving... Qingmo, do you know? Do you know how much I love you? It tears me apart..." 0
 
"I know; I know everything," Lin Qingmo wiped away Lin Xiao's tears that flowed unbidden from his eyes. "That time we escaped from Dragon Palace—you would rather be captured by Dragon Prince than return with me. That's when I realized you would never belong to me. But you'll always be my treasure." 0
 
Lin Xiao tightened his grip on Lin Qingmo's hand. His gaze drifted past the candlelight into the darkness where memories unfolded like paintings—vivid and clear. "You will always be my treasure... my treasure..." His voice trailed off like curling white smoke drifting into nothingness. 0
 
The flickering candle flame trembled before extinguishing silently. Lin Xiao passed away at just twenty-four years old. His family honored his wishes by burying him by the southern coast where he could gaze upon the South Sea forever. 0
 
After paying respects at what had become a stone statue of Mother Lin and finishing Lin Xiao's grave, Ao Yan walked alongside Lin Qingmo on the beach. Lin Qingmo remained silent and unresponsive. Suddenly, Ao Yan stopped and embraced him tightly, offering comfort: "Don't be sad anymore. Mother and Lin Xiao were good people; in their next lives they will surely be reborn into good families and live peacefully and prosperously." Lin Qingmo nodded slightly. 0
 
Ao Yan lifted his chin playfully and said, "Then give me a smile." Lin Qingmo forced a smile at him. "Good boy," Ao Yan said softly as he kissed Lin Qingmo's cheek. After pondering for a moment, he teasingly whispered, "Wife, I'm already twenty! Let's have a Little Pork Bun!" 0
 
Lin Qingmo lifted his head from Ao Yan's embrace and stared at him intently for a while before suddenly pulling Ao Yan into an embrace himself and wrapping an arm around his waist: "You give birth; I'll help you deliver." After saying this playfully, he suddenly pushed Ao Yan away and ran several steps ahead before turning back with an inviting gesture towards the dazed Ao Yan who hadn't yet reacted: "Come chase me! If you catch me, I'll give birth! If you can't catch me—then you give birth!" Before his words had even faded away, Ao Yan dashed after him eagerly. The fine sand kicked up by Lin Qingmo's swift feet sparkled like golden rain under the sunlight as their laughter mingled joyfully amidst it all. 0
 
 
 
 
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