ch 70. Fallen Golden Statue; Boor Buries Suffering Son
"Call him over right this instant." Xie Lian said.
Feng Xin closed the index and middle fingers of his right hand together and pressed them against his temple, connecting with Mu Qing in the spiritual communication array.
On the other side, Qi Rong clicked his tongue, "So you came out of that remote place Yong'an? Truly, barren lands produce unruly radicals. Think you can rob the gods just because you're poor?"
"Then I won't rob," Lang Ying said, "I will pay my respects and worship this god of yours right now. I will kneel and kowtow and beg him to give me money to save the lives of the people of my hometown, but will he do so?"
Qi Rong "eh" and muttered mentally thinking this guy wouldn't actually run away with all the money like it's his right?! Thus he replied, "His Highness the Crown Prince has become a god now, and gods are busy to death! Who has the time to mind you radicals?"
Hearing this, Lang Ying nodded slowly, "I didn't think he'd care either. It's not like we never prayed nor begged, but it didn't work at all. Those who are meant to die will still die,"
Xie Lian was shaken, and another cultivator shouted, "YOU! TO BE SO DISRESPECTFUL IN THE HALLS OF GOD, AREN'T YOU AFRAID OF HEAVEN'S CONVICTIONS!"
However, Lang Ying replied, "It doesn't matter anymore. Convict me if they must. I'm no longer afraid of not being saved, so why should I be afraid of being convicted?"
Qi Rong gave a wave and a number of guards waiting on the side rushed forward, surrounded that young man and started beating him down. Feng Xin was still working to soften their attacks and it only appeared like Lang Ying was being pulverized. However, he was in a dazed state, not avoiding or evading, and only occasionally raised his hands to protect the satchel on his back. On the side, Qi Rong grabbed a handful of melon seeds and munched, shaking his leg, "HIT HIM! HIT HIM HARD IN THE NAME OF THIS PRINCE!" Truly the very image of a mobster. Hearing him call his own title, Lang Ying shot his head up, "You're a prince? Prince of what? Do you live in the palace? Can you meet the king?"
Qi Rong spat, "I'M YOUR GRAND DADDY! You still think you can see the king, don't you? His majesty's got a million things on his plate, he ain't got time for you!"
Lang Ying twisted his neck and demanded stubbornly, "Why hasn't he got time for me? The gods don't have time for me and neither does his majesty, then who has time to hear me? Just who should I go to? Does the king know just how many has died in Yong'an? Do the people of the royal capital know? If they knew, why would they rather throw money in the water than giving it to us?"
Qi Rong chuckled coldly, "It's our money, we'll spend it as we will. Even if we use it like stone to skip it in the water it's nobody's business, so why do we have to give it to you? What, you've more reason just because you're poor?"
Although that's got logic in its own way, it was incredibly inappropriate for that time and place. Xie Lian was about to find away to seal Qi Rong's mouth when just then, a black clad youth appeared in a hurry from just behind the pavilion, "Your Highness sent for me?"
Xie Lian waved him over, "Mu Qing, come over here quick. In all the prayers you've received recently have you heard anything about the drought in Yong'an?"
Mu Qing was also taken aback, "No, I haven't heard anything."
Feng Xin blurted in the midst of his task, How could you not? The refugees have already escaped here!"
His tone was overly accusatory and Mu Qing stiffened. He replied in a hard voice, "I told the truth, there really wasn't. Are you trying to say that I'm purposely withholding information? Well, did you receive anything yourself? I'm on duty at the Temple of the Crown Prince on odd months, and you're on duty on even months. If there really were people from Yong'an praying for the end of a drought, there's no reason all the drought related prayers were sent in on odd months, and you knew nothing."
Feng Xin paused and realized that was certainly the case, "I didn't say you did it on purpose. You think too much."
Seeming like they were ready to start quarrelling again, Xie Lian gestured a 'pause' hand signal in annoyance, "Alright, Feng Xin didn't mean anything. Both of you stop this instant."
The two immediately closed their mouths and stopped fighting. At the same time, Qi Rong finally got tired of watching his subordinates beat up Lang Ying, and grabbed for a small pouch to dump all the melon seed shells while saying, "Drag that robbing crook to the prison and lock him up." The guards acknowledged the command, "Yes sir!" And a number of them picked up Lang Ying.
"Let's deal with the problem at hand first." Xie Lian said, "Save this man and I'll ask him about Yong'an properly later."
Mu Qing relaxed his expression and asked cautiously, "Your Highness what do you plan to do? You can't just casually show yourself."
After ascension, that was one of the rules Xie Lian just couldn't understand. The heavenly officials said they need to help the common people, yet they all put on airs and position themselves above mortals, barring themselves from appearing before the mortals at will, which often restricted him left right and centre, causing much frustration. Good thing Xie Lian also had a number of ways to get around this, and without blinking, he raised his hand and pushed. The people standing just ahead noticed the shadows on the ground shaking and turned around, confused. The next moment, Qi Rong yelled in horror, "COUSIN CROWN PRINCE–"
Xie Lian had pushed his own divine statue over!
That sword and flower holding, kind and beautiful golden statue swayed back and forth, then slowly toppled to its side. Qi Rong looked as if he saw his own mother kick off the stool after hanging herself, his heart bursting, and had lost all mind to care for Lang Ying as he rushed desperately to grab hold of the leg to that statue, stubbornly trying to keep it upright, screaming in fright, "WHAT ARE YOU USELESS TRASH ALL WAITING FOR? HELP ME HOLD HIM UP! DON'T LET COUSIN CROWN PRINCE FALL!! HE CAN'T FALL!"
While he was terrified, Xie Lian passed by him calmly and casually and stepped out of the hall. Feng Xin and Mu Qing's faces both dropped to the ground. It took a moment before Feng Xin finally cried, "YOUR HIGHNESS! THAT WAS YOUR OWN DIVINE STATUE!"
Something like a fallen statue really was a bad omen so it's somewhat of a taboo. A heavenly official who'd push over his own statue just like that was unheard of, a rarity of the three realms.
"It's only a large chunk of gold." Xie Lian said, "If I didn't do this their attention wouldn't shift otherwise. You two go and keep pushing down on that golden statue, don't give them a chance to leave. I'm going to meet with that man."
Feng Xin and Mu Qing were still speechless and could only obey. They obediently stood next to that divine statue, each using but a finger to press it down. They only needed to use that bit of power and it was enough. The ones on the other side holding on had to use every ounce of their strength and still they could only keep the status quo, their teeth gritting, "...this is indeed pure gold through and through, such weight!"
Lang Ying, who had fallen on his bottom, saw that those guards were no longer attending to him, stared at the golden shine of that divine statue for a long while before he rose to his feet, dusted himself off, and ran away carrying his satchel. Xie Lian followed behind him. He ran for quite a distance and entered a lush and heavy forest, looked around him, before sitting down under a tree to rest. Xie Lian hid behind that tree, easily casted a spell and transformed into the form of a little white clad cultivator.
After changing, he looked himself over, making sure there was nothing amiss, and swung the whisk. He was just thinking how he should appear without alarm when he saw Lang Ying squat next to a puddle by the tree, his head down and using his hands to dig at it.
"..."
That young man's hands were large, and one gouge was enough to create a wide and deep dent. Mud and dust flew as he dug, looking very much like a thin black feral dog. Xie Lian was just wondering why he was suddenly digging holes when he saw him wipe off mud on his pants, scooped a handful of water with both hands, and brought it to his lips.
Seeing this, Xie Lian couldn't hide anymore and rushed out, stopped his hand, took out a water bottle from his charmed sleeves, and passed it to him.
Lang Ying already had a mouthful of that puddle water, his cheeks round then swallowed. He watched the little cultivator who had appeared too suddenly, didn't think it strange and didn't reject his offer, and took the water bottle to drink, gulping down the entire contents in one go. He only uttered after he finished, "Thanks."
Since he already abruptly appeared, Xie Lian stopped caring for any natural opening. He tried his best to swing that whisk like a practiced immortal, someone trustworthy, and asked, "My friend, where did you come from and where are you going?"
"we came from the Bay of Lang-Er in the city of Yong'an. I was going to go to the royal palace, but I've changed my mind. I'm not going anymore."
Xie Lian was taken aback, "We?"
Lang Ying nodded, "We. Me, and my son."
Xie Lian was growing even more confused, but his heart was dropping. He watched as Lang Ying removed that satchel from his back and opened it, "My son."
Inside that satchel he was carrying on his back was the dead body of a small child!!!
That infant was a tiny creature, looking no more than two or three years of age. His face was yellow, his cheeks sallow, and his head had a few strands of thin and yellowing hairs stuck to it. There were even rashes. That little face was twisted into a strange expression, as if crying, very much miserable. His eyes were already closed but the mouth was open, nevertheless no longer able to make a sound.
Xie Lian's pupils shrank, his spirit shocked to the core, unable to speak. No wonder he had felt this young man had a strange air about him. He couldn't describe what that strangeness was, but just that he was abnormal. The way he spoke, the way he behaved, it was like he didn't consider consequences at all, blunt and berserk without a care. But, by the looks of things, for what did he need to consider consequences?
After showing off his son, Lang Ying wrapped his child anew, and carefully stringed up the fringes. Watching how focused he was in his action, Xie Lian was miserable. It was his very first time seeing the dead body of such a young infant, and he asked, stammering, "How… how did your son die?"
Lang Ying adjusted the satchel on his back and replied, bemused, "How did he die… I don't know how he died. Thirsty, hungry, sick, maybe a bit of everything."
He scratched his head, "When I first carried him out of Yong'an he would still cough a bit, and called 'Dad!, Dad!' on my back. Gradually there were no more cries, only coughing. And then there were no more coughs. I thought he'd fallen asleep. Later when I found something to eat and wanted to wake him up, he wouldn't wake up."
That child had died on the road of escape.
Lang Ying shook his head, "I don't know how to take care of children. If my wife knew our son died she'd yell at me to death."
After a moment of silence, he added, "I really wish my wife could still yell at me."
His expression had been calm the entire time, like a branch off a withered tree; a pool of dead water without a trace of life or ripples. Xie Lian's throat tightened unable to swallow, and said in a small voice, "Why… why don't you bury him."
Lang Ying nodded, "Yea. I wanted to pick a nice place. Here's not bad. There are trees to block the sun and water too. I'll go back after burying him. Thanks for your water."
He coughed a few times and bent down again, continuing to dig with his hands. Xie Lian mumbled softly, "No, don't thank me… don't thank me, don't."
Just then, Feng Xin and Mu Qing appeared and were confused to see before them one digging a hole, and the other watching in a daze. Xie Lian wasn't in the mood to speak and repeatedly muttered a few jumbled words. It was some time before Xie Lian remembered that just giving water wasn't enough; this man was returning to Yong'an.
Thus his hand went back into his sleeve and rummaged around, finally finding what he was looking for, and passed it to him, "Here, take this."
Lang Ying stopped and looked at what was in Xie Lian's hand closely. It was a deep, red pearl no bigger than a nail; its luster smooth and sleek, polished and brilliant, and soul-stirringly beautiful. Even if he didn't know what it was, just one look and it was obvious this little gem was invaluable.
This was indeed that one remaining red coral pearl earring Xie Lian had worn during the ShangYuan Heavenly Ceremonial Procession three years ago. That pearl left a rather deep impression on Mu Qing, so the moment he saw it his face changed. Lang Ying didn't reject it, as if any proper manners and concerns of a normal person had left him, and he reached out his hand to receive it. "Thanks."
He carefully tucked the pearl in his belt, then he removed the satchel on his back, and gently laid it into the dug pit. "Dad will come back soon to visit you."
Finished, he used his hands and solemnly pushed the earth back to cover the satchel.
Xie Lian used a hand to support his forehead and closed his eyes. A moment later, that young man left in a stride.
Feng Xin asked curiously, "Your Highness, what did he bury here? He said 'dad'? He buried someone?"
Mu Qing was concerned with something else, "Your Highness, I went and investigated earlier and figured out what's happened. Yong'an had never been a wealthy place; their temples and shrines are few in number. It seems they also have a local rule where those who don't offer donations couldn't pray, so those who visited the Temple of the Crown Prince had all been the wealthy, and the poor suffering from disasters couldn't even enter..."
Xie Lian didn't respond to the report but said in a low voice, "You two, go to Yong'an, and see what the situation is. I, will go meet the Guoshi, and ask exactly what's going on."
His face had never been this dark. The two subordinates didn't dare to be negligent and both acknowledged his command, departing an instant after. Xie Lian himself thus turned and raced towards the direction of Mount Taicang.
It appeared the disaster in Yong'an could only be big and not small. But, even if he couldn't hear the voices of prayer, it didn't mean those at the royal palace had no clue at all!