Silent Crown

by Feng Yue

  “Long time no see. Your elegant demeanor is still the same, not changed from all those years ago.” The Empress nodded slightly. “Very good.”

  “Long time no see?” Bai Heng thought for a bit, then nodded. “Ah yes.”

  “It’s been almost have a year, no?”

  He shook his head and sighed. He did not kowtow. He just casually bowed. “Disgraced minister Bai Heng, here to see Your Majesty. I wish Your Majesty long life, and health to…”

  No one answered.

  Bai Heng sighed, rose, and walked towards the Empress with light steps.

  In the corner, the eunuch bowed deeply. He did not dare to look, he just crawled backwards and closed the door from the outside.

  “I thought Your Majesty had something to say to me.” Bai Heng stood behind the Empress, and looked at her closely as she did her makeup.

  “Can’t you be a little quieter?” The Empress stared at herself in the mirror. She disinterestedly put down the brush that she had been painting her eyebrows with.

  “It seems like I came at a bad time.” Bai Heng reached out and took the comb. He walked behind the Empress and combed her white hair. Her white hair was like silver as it slid between the teeth of the comb.

  Just like so many times before, Bai Heng combed her hair familiarly. He coiled it up and pulled a jade pin from the table and stroked the sharp, cool pin gently across the Empress’s slender neck.

  Finally, he put it in her hair.

  It was either a failed assassination or a great success.

  “Come on, take some rouge!”

  Bai Heng bowed with satisfaction as he looked at the Empress closely in the mirror. “Unfortunately, though sick plums may be good, they are not suitable for humans. Your Majesty is in her prime. You should not always stay up so late. You are growing pale. That is not good.”

  The Empress glanced at him indifferently. “Maybe if you didn’t bother me I would look better?”

  Bai Heng smiled, and blew on the Empress’s ear as he whispered, “I just want to see what you look like when you get angry.”

  Her indifference wavered slightly. Her brow creased imperceptibly.

  Bai Heng nodded with satisfaction.

  “It’s such a pity that only criminals like me can see this side of you…” He held the Empress’s shoulder and whispered, “Someone so beautiful as Your Majesty, were she born into a common family, would surely already be married by now.” He did not say this like an experienced and astute regent would. He did not seem that old, and there was still a bit of licentiousness about him.

  “Why force yourself?”

  He lifted his finger and stroked it across her glamorous and majestic face. His eyes were full of pity. “The imperial seal is too heavy. May I help you bear it? I will reorganize the Empire of Aurora for you. All you have to do is sit in that chair as the eternal wise ruler. With this harmony between monarch and subject, could we not defeat any challenge?”

  Zap! A line of electricity shot out from Bai Heng’s fingertips, burning his careless fingers.

  Bai Heng’s expression did not change. He merely shook his head, waved his fingers that could not feel anymore, and did not say anything more.

  The Empress rose from the mirror.

  “It’s so boring talking in here. Come for a walk with me.”

  “By your command.” Bai Heng bowed. There was no impatience or bitterness in his expression.

  He waited quietly.

  The Empress would arrange her own end.

  …

  He followed the Empress in silence. They passed through gate after gate as they silently marched along the path. Finally they came to a courtyard with the soothing, beautiful scenery. But it was guarded by Jin Wuwei, and it was difficult to get close.

  There were more than a dozen white-haired devas sitting lazily within, reading, drinking, or making merry. The sound of stringed instruments and singing girls came from within.

  When the Empress walked through the gate, all the sound came to an abrupt end.

  Amid the noise of everyone kneeling, the Empress looked back at Bai Heng.

  “Are you familiar with this?”

  “Naturally.”

  Bai Heng bent down and reached out to wipe the traces on the threshold. They came clearly into view. “After all, I was shut in here for more than ten years.”

  778 The Pas

  Changle Palace [1] sounded like a palace for the Empress to have fun and enjoy herself. It had beautiful scenery, unique-looking pine and cypress trees, rockery and odd-looking stones… It was also complete with all kinds of luxurious enjoyments.

  Apart from the fact that one could not enter and exit it freely, the palace simply had no faults.

  Or rather, it should be said that after one walked inside, one shouldn’t even expect to leave the place alive.

  It was the place where the hostages from the nine families of the Dragon Bloodline were kept. The important members of the direct line of descent of the Deva families and the children of the heads of the Houses would be detained here, and so would the heirs when they inherited their positions as the heads of their respective Houses.

  To phrase it nicely, they were accompanying the Empress day and night, listening to her teachings and improving their self-cultivation.

  To put it bluntly, they were just hostages.

  Bai Heng walked into the yard, showing little regard for anyone around, and walked forward along the curved roads and pavilions. In the end, he opened a door, and the courtyard behind the door seemed to have retained its original appearance.

  Bai Heng turned back and smiled. “It seems that I’ll be living here from now on?”

  “Do you like it?” the Empress asked. “I specifically instructed them to tidy up your original room. From now on, you shall live out the rest of your life here and behave yourself. I will find another woman for you to give birth to a few children and pass on the music theory of House Bai…”

  “Sounds good, so be it… At least this place is somewhat meaningful to me.” Bai Heng nodded amicably and did not resist. He simply strolled around the courtyard, finally stopping under the aged pagoda tree, stroking the burl on it.

  “I was here,” he said, ” when I saw you for the first time.”

  “Is it so?” The Empress glanced at him. “You still remember such a pointless thing, Bai Heng?”

  “Yeah, after all, how should I put it… It’s worth commemorating.” Bai Heng sat on the stone bench in the courtyard, patting his knees where he felt a dull pain, just like an old man returning to his native place with honor.

  He had returned to his hometown.

  “So, let’s talk about something irrelevant. I still remember that I was a nameless hostage in the imperial capital back then, indulging myself in wine all day long. I was good at nothing other than writing poems and singing songs about the wind and the moon, and when I heard that my father had died of illness, I was in a state of unending anxiety. I didn’t know how that brother of mine who would inherit his position as the head of House Bai would treat me, and how should I spend my days in the future.”

  Bai Heng lamented, “So, I can only grieve over spring and mourn for autumn [2] all day long. Only one stray cat in the palace accompanied me, but the stray cat also fell from the stairs eventually and broke its neck…”

  The Empress laughed. “Let me guess, according to the stories in the novels circulating among the common folk, back then, I probably consoled you with gentle words and helped you walk out of the shadows, away from your pain?”

  “No, you were still young at the time,” Bai Heng said softly. He simply looked at the ground under the shade of the tree, but he couldn’t see the little grave built back then.

  “…You did something cruel,” he said. “Like a child.”

  After a long silence, he laughed self-mockingly. “But soon after, you weren’t like one anymore…”

  “Girls mature fast,” said the Empress.

  “Probab
ly.” Bai Heng shook his head and waved his hand unenthusiastically. “I’m exhausted from my long journey, and I’m going to get some rest. If Your Majesty has no other matters to attend to here, please leave at your own discretion.

  “As for any other words you may have in mind that are of no necessity, you might as well not say them to me.”

  The Empress cast one deep, final look at him, then withdrew her gaze and turned to leave.

  In the silence, Bai Heng closed his eyes, leaning against the tree.

  20 years, Bai Heng, it’s been 20 years.

  How many more 20 years do I have in life?

  Amid the scent of flowers and plants that he hadn’t come across for a long time, he vaguely felt a small creature jumping onto his knees. Mewing softly, its tail slapped against his wrist. He subconsciously reached out to stroke it, but touched nothing.

  The cat had already died.

  20 years ago, it fell from the attic and broke its neck. It lay in his arms, at its last gasp, licking his hand. But it did not whine forlornly, instead, it simply looked at his eyes.

  Its gaze was full of sympathy and a reluctance to part with him.

  It was as if it was saying goodbye to this old friend.

  All I could do was to sit under the tree helplessly after begging around for someone to save it, holding it in my lap. Thinking of my own situation, I teared up cowardly.

  I didn’t even notice it when someone climbed over the wall and saw my ugly, unsightly state.

  “Is it going to die?” a voice asked.

  “Mhmm,” Bai Heng replied.

  “It’s very sad.” The little girl looked at him. “You shouldn’t let it continue to suffer.”

  “But what can I do?” he asked.

  “Do what you can do.” The pair of clear eyes looked at him, with innocence and cruelty that he didn’t have. “You know what to do it, and you shouldn’t ask others to do it for you.”

  In the reflection in the pair of eyes, he saw his ugly and weak self clearly.

  He could still do one only thing.

  Bai Heng closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face, and embraced the faint warmth in his arms for the last time.

  Then he reached out…

  He personally cut off the only warmth he had.

  Until the very last moment, I dared not look at its eyes.

  Only a small hand clutching a handkerchief wiped away his tears and ugliness, making him look somewhat more decent.

  “Don’t be sad, strong people don’t cry, and they don’t feel lonely.” She whispered, “I want to be a strong person, you have to be one too, together with me.”

  For a moment, Bai Heng seemed to have received salvation.

  It seemed that he had obtained something.

  But it also seemed that something had been taken away from him.

  But after many years, Bai Heng still couldn’t help but wonder, at the very last moment, while it was liberated from its suffering.

  Were the pair of eyes full of resentment or relief?

  He did not know.

  Even though he already had power and had become so strong, and he could save 1000, or even 10,000 cats, he only cared about that one cat.

  And he only cared about that one person.

  But when he could present himself before his Empress, she couldn’t remember the him from back then anymore.

  She was no longer like how she used to be either.

  Fortunately, after putting in all his efforts and doing all he could to seize everything that he could seize, he finally became a person who would not feel lonely nor cry.

  Never again.

  He closed his eyes.

  He slipped into a deep slumber.

  …

  In a hazy state, Ye Qingxuan heard hoarse panting, as well as screams, rumbles, whines, and roars. Silver flares rose from the ground, and fire from the heavens fell from the sky. In the turmoil of the heavens and the earth, disasters swept across the silent world.

  A blood-stained Zhangsun stood in front of him, revealing a heroic smile. “Ye Xuan, stay alive…”

  In the stable beeps, Ye Xuan was startled awake from the hazy state. He lifted his head, and saw Zhangsun who was soaked in the recovery dish. She was naked, and the internal organs in her abdominal cavity trembled with difficulty, her long hair fluttering in the liquid.

  The electrodes pierced into her chest maintained her heartbeat, awakening her from the scene. Through the glass, she winked slightly at Ye Xuan.

  “You’re awake?” Ye Hao was pleasantly surprised. He climbed up from the chair, pressing himself against the glass, wanting to say something, but did not know what to say.

  “I suggest that it would be better if you let the patient rest properly.” Liu Dongli stood behind him, his pale face reflected on the glass of the recovery dish, and it looked slightly distorted. “There aren’t any serious problems with her, she just lost her right leg and parts of her internal organs.

  “The implantation surgery will be done on her today, temporarily replacing the organs with machinery. After two months, the cultivation of the cloned organs will be completed. They will replace the machinery again, and she will be whole. “

  Having said that, Liu Dongli, whose face was always expressionless like a dead man, made a joke at an inappropriate timing, as always. “You can also use this opportunity to experience the feeling of hugging an iron leg while making love.”

  Ye Xuan turned back and glared at him. “Shut your damn mouth.”

  “You are the family member here, you have the final say.” Liu Dongli shrugged. “The crew committee has convened an urgent meeting. I’m here to inform you to go make a statement. You look worn out, do you want me to give you a shot?”

  “Nah.” Ye Xuan shook his head, and took one last look Zhangsun, and gestured to her that he would visit again later, then turned around and left with Liu Dongli.

  In the hallway, Ye Xuan asked, “Is the computation of the statistics of the loss from our investigative landing completed?”

  “Most of the equipment was ruined, six people were seriously injured, and no one died.” Liu Dongli was much better informed than he was. As the chief physician on board, many things couldn’t be concealed from him. “But that’s not the worst part. Take a look for yourself.” He pulled out a photo from the file and threw it into Ye Xuan’s hand.

  On the photo was a silver-white star. It was in turmoil, as if it was bathed in silver flames. Through the numerous solar flares, one could almost see the turbid torrents flowing on the earth.

  Starting from a small round scar, blood water spread in all directions, engulfing the entire star.

  It seemed to be on the verge of destruction, but also seemed to be evolving and being reborn…

  “What is this?” Ye Xuan was stunned.

  “A few hours ago, weren’t you all still there?” Liu Dongli walked in front and didn’t answer any more questions from him.

  The silence persisted until the door of the large conference room opened. Everyone’s eyes fell on Ye Xuan, their gazes solemn. The atmosphere was not like that of a meeting, but more like that of a court trial or some sort of hearing.

  Captain Xiao pinched his beard and gestured for Ye Xuan to sit in the seat in the center, where all their gazes intersected.

  It didn’t feel good being stared at by everyone.

  Although he could feel Ye Xuan’s uneasiness and pain as if it was his own, Ye Qingxuan, who was like a phantom, couldn’t help but investigate the various incredible machinery in the conference room, shocked by how developed the Deva civilization was a long long time in the past.

  Finally, he looked at the corner, where Peter sat on an iron chair, looking down at the scroll in his hand.

  His expression was indifferent.

  He looked as if nothing had happened.

  “Dr. Ye, please relax, we just have a few questions to ask you this time around.” He said, “Regarding the investigative landing of the Silent Sta
r, we have already learned the detailed course of events from Peter’s report, but we need to confirm a few parts with you. It is a necessary process, and we seek your understanding.”

  Ye Xuan didn’t waste time with words but just sat upright. “Please go on.”

  “During the landing process, did you discover any operations and actions carried out by the members of the other colony ships that violated the regulations?” the captain asked.

  “No,” Ye Xuan replied.

  “Are you sure?” the captain asked again.

  “Yes, I am sure. The whole process was cross-supervised and investigated by autonomous machinery. The sensory records of machines are more reliable than that of people. You all can check Peter’s records as proof for my answer,” Ye Xuan replied.

  “Don’t say irrelevant nonsense.” Another person asked, “Was there any abnormality in the process of landing?”

  “No.” Ye Xuan’s expression was cold and he tactfully rebuked, neither haughtily nor humbly, “We don’t have any politicians in our ranks, and everyone has sufficient respect for their respective profession. It is a serious matter.”

  Captain Xiao coughed twice, motioning for the rest to refrain from interrupting, and continued asking, “So, when did the disaster begin?”

  “It showed presages while we were in the process of landing, but unfortunately we were not aware of their significance, and simply took it to be blizzard-like weather.”

  The other person asked again. “Why didn’t you all report it?”

  Ye Xuan turned back and looked at him, expressionless. “Weren’t you all monitoring it from the beginning till the end?”

  The person couldn’t maintain his expression. “Mind your attitude, Ye…”

  His words were interrupted by the captain. “Shut up, or get out!”

  The man was stunned and closed his mouth awkwardly. He said no more.

  “Continue reporting, Dr. Ye.” Captain Xiao waved, with a focused expression. “I am listening.”

  “Visually detectable changes occurred after we landed. After exiting the cabin, we saw an abnormal snowstorm phenomenon, but the temperature was normal. The color of the snow was not normal either, it was closer to the color of metal. The analyzer reported that the temperature was normal, it was not close to the freezing point, and no hydrogen or oxygen was detected in the snow.