12⚫Time to Depart

Yeah, compared to your cruel self whom had flogged your wife mercilessly, this was a leapt and bound progress. You actually apologized, really didn't see that coming. Yamato thought.

Initially it was beyond rude and counted as a crime to do such a thing to a royalty, however instead of rebuking Ren Xiu, Qing Rui was stunned with widened eyes and rigid body.

Qing Rui has two people he considered mother. It was the empress and her sister, his aunt. The empress was cold and strict, however she would definitely side with Qing Rui when he's in trouble. On the other hand his aunt took a warmer approach in raising him. The time he spent with her, he counted as a great and precious childhood. He loved his aunt so much he became depressed for a whole year after her death.

And what Ren Xiu just did reminds him of his aunt's touch, overwhelming his mind with nostalgia.

Yamato had no slightest idea why Qing Rui cried, but he at least knew it must've been caused by something very sentimental, or else why would a prideful tyrant like him act in such a way. However much Yamato loved to spout sarcastic teasing remark, he never ridicule a person in their vulnerable state. Considering Qing Rui's pride as a man, Yamato retracted his palm from Qing Rui's head then rubbed his own fine eyes and said, "Tsk, a sand got in my eyes as well, what a windy day" with a slightly annoyed tone.

That sentence allowed Qing Rui to rub his own eyes as well, truth be told he was also in a bind as to what he could say even as a sorry excuse for his teardrops. Ever since she was flogged, Ren Xiu had always exhibited an attitude which completely disregarded both his dignity and honor, thus it completely took him aback with this sudden considerate act, making him a bit thankful and even more guilty.

Blinking his clear eyes repeatedly as though a sand had really entered, Yamato turned to Haoyue, "It's time for us to depart."

Baili Haoyue was taken aback, he wasn't expecting Ren Xiu to talk to him in such a timing. After quickly regaining his composure, he became conflicted about whether he should just obey or to ensure Ren Xiu's well being beforehand. After all it's a long bumpy journey with a carriage, even healthy people would get nauseous and sometimes throw up if they were unaccustomed. He could guarantee that Ren Xiu have never gone anywhere that far, furthermore and more importantly, she was wounded and currently suffered a blood loss which should've made her fell unconscious by a moments notice.

Although Baili Haoyue had plastered the flattest face, Yamato still noticed the uneasiness which brewed inside his pitch black eyes. The silently disconcerted man stood still in a few good seconds till Yamato laughed softly, "I'm alright really, i do not pretend to be alright, i would just sleep inside the carriage, and my wound would get better in no time, so let's go you worrywart!"

Baili Haoyue recoiled as his mind got read so easily, he wondered if his thoughts actually shown in his mien like an open book. However the soft relaxed countenance Ren Xiu had displayed also brought him the reassurance he sought, thus it left him to abide the previous command immediately.

Qing Rui approached and kneeled before his half siblings, with a gentle concerned gaze and voice he reminds them, "Make sure to behave and eat properly, let them know if any of you feel sick, and if anything happen immediately go to Baili Haoyue, understand?" but be it slightly, he eyed Qing Youya whom had agreed to the deal with a laugh earlier, he felt a little strange and unsettled with his little brother sudden change of a few behavior.

The twins nodded obediently, leaving Qing Rui with a satisfied look. Qing Rui was indeed a tyrant towards Ren Xiu, however he was nothing but a nice big brother for his siblings. Unlike any other sibling he has, Qing Youya and Qing Lian was brought up by a gentle and loving low-profiled concubine as their mother named Su Yin. Su Yin loved to live peacefully, she was always content, grateful, not arrogant, and she only takes what she needed without unnecessary greed like any other women in the harem, even without putting on airs, she already has the clement elegance which even the emperor seek as his solace. Raised by such a mother, the twins grows up to be a nice and lovely pacifist, something so rare it was basically a legend inside the imperial harem. That's why he got so confused by Qing Youya's previous attitude.

Little did Qing Rui know, Qing Youya really was no longer the obedient nice child he once knew. Qing Rui would never expect even in his wildest dreams, that Qing Youya had become someone even more merciless than he is.

Baili Haoyue and the soldiers had mounted their horses to form a structured rows, and everyone that's supposed to tag along already seated inside each of their own respective carriages. With the lead of Baili Haoyue, the party marched to depart and exited the palace grounds.

The day was warm and sunny without a single cloud, as though blessing the journey they will travel with all the sunshine. Exiting the palace steadily, they eventually exited the capital city as well without much ruckus. They might be large in number, however they didn't exhibit a grand display as to avoid attracting unnecessary attention from the citizen. With a plain outlook, half the cavalry marched in front, and half behind. There were four carriage sandwiched between the cavalry, one were the twins's and their maidservant's, one was Ren family's carriage, one for a few maidservants, and the other one was packed with luggage and rations.

However it was all switched and shifted by Yamato's whims. He had insisted on taking the twin's carriage, thus leaving his own carriage passenger to be consisted of Xiao Ming, Xiao Meng, and An Xiao.

Beside purely wanting to stay with the little angels, he was also intending to tease An Xiao. He already commanded those two spiteful maidservant of his not to make any physical contact with her, hence the pampered girlfriend should be just fine there. However he also didn't limit those two to spout harsh sarcasm and even to curse. In short, he allowed verbal abuse, because this bullying method didn't count as cornering An Xiao to make a trouble as agreed on previous compromise.

Yamato himself never actually bullied someone, it was beyond rare to even witness him raise his voice, all due to his gentle temperament. However this time he felt the need to at least let Xiao Ming and Xiao Meng abuse An Xiao verbally. This clueless girl was oblivious to the late girl Ren Xiu's feelings, oblivious to her suffering, oblivious to her death, while living her life getting pampered and loved in content. She spared no glance towards the wife's sufferings, yet still dared to get jealous at her meaningless beauty. Yamato wont justify his abuses by saying 'she deserved it' or whatnot, but he would still do it nevertheless. After all the original Ren Xiu would love to do so.

Currently at Ren Xiu's carriage, Xiao Ming and Xiao Meng sat accross An Xiao and one of the twin's shifted maidservant, Peng Peng. The atmosphere around them was exactly at the temperature Yamato had estimated beforehand, cold.

"Meng Jie, don't you think it stinks here?" Xiao Ming made a motion of sniffing her surrounding.

*Jie jie : older sister.

Comprehending her intentions, Xiao Meng slightly smirked and played along with her farce. She also sniffed around and deliberately made an agitated expression, "Ah, yeah! It stinks..  If i recall, it's the stink of a lowly beggar."

Xiao Ming revealed a very displeased expression with scrunched raised brows, then she turned her head right and left as though searching for something in puzzlement, "A beggar? In this distinguished carriage of noble Ren Family, which shameless beggar dared to be so out of its mind as to-" her revolted gaze deliberately stops at An Xiao, "Ah, there is!" using her sleeve to cover her nose, she leaned backward as though trying to stay far away from the repulsive thing.

Xiao Meng assisted with a mocking attitude, "A shameless beggar who could only live by begging the mercy of the people above her, it's basically a parasite. Oh god, Ming Mei, it's basically a pest! How disconcerting!" Xiao Meng's acted aghast with a glare filled by reproach, clearly revealing how much she detest An Xiao.

*mei mei : younger sister

The girl in question was capable of nothing but biting her lips shut in an attempt to repress her bitter feelings. She knew beforehand that no one in this party would spare her a friendliness, she already prepared her mental for anything unpleasant, turns out it's still painful nonetheless. Furthermore she couldn't possibly run or miraculously turn deaf in such a situation, to reach goddess mountain safely, she must hear all those harsh badmouth probably all this journey. Right about now she already missed Qing Rui's comforts.

On the other carriage, Yamato was all smile. He was very pleased with the situation he's in. Across his seat, Qing Lian clinged to Qing Youya who sat beside her, looking all timid and bashful with occasional shy glances. The brother ignored her clinginess while reading a book in serenity, he was very well behaved unlike any ordinary child his age.

However Yamato recalled that the well-mannered boy had laughed and agreed ever so mockingly to the deal he previously brought for Qing Rui. Thus he became more interested with the calm two-faced angelic little prince, he guessed that Qing Youya was way more than meets the eye.

Having his interest piqued, Yamato smirked towards the twins, "Any of you want to play a card game with me? It's boring here isn't it?"

Glancing to Ren Xiu, Qing Lian stuttered without even facing her, "C-card game? What.. What game?" the voice was so young and sweet it was basically a melody to the ear.

Yamato picked up his bag from the floor, he opened it and brought out a stack of paper card. It was uno, he made the deck the earlier night. Thinking that he would travel with two children, Yamato prepared things that could possibly entertain them. The back of the cards were all ink black, while he had colored the front with paint and rogue he could find in his residence. Though it was handmade, it was finely cut and drawn as Yamato has a real knack for crafts and cooking.

Qing Lian peered at the deck with eyes full of curiosity, meanwhile Qing Youya didn't even spare it a glance as he continued reading his book.

Realizing the uninterested look Qing Youya displayed, Yamato heaved a sigh in his heart and smiled humbly, "His highness, could you please grant this sister-in-law a bit of your time?"

Originally Qing Youya was an obedient nice child, however he would turn a blind eye and became indifferent towards anything he didn't care about. He would do what he was told to do, and later would continue to adopt a nonchalant demeanor towards everything unless the issue was related to him. Even after his rebirth, Qing Youya stayed that way, precisely he 'act' that way.

Qing Youya obediently turned to Ren Xiu as he closed his book, "Alright big sister, what is it?" he slightly tilted his head in question.

Yamato felt as though his heart was squeezed. He knew Qing Youya wasn't the least interested, yet the boy was forcing himself to be a good obedient child. It tugged strings of guilt in Yamato's heart, causing his brilliant eyes to be wet as his tears almost welled up.

Qing Youya felt nothing but pure puzzlement at the sight of Ren Xiu who abruptly stopped her movement with teary eyes which were focused at him. She looked like she would cry by a moments notice, and he have no slightest idea why. He could only muster a questioning smile towards the absurdity.

Yamato slowly covered his face with his palm, and suddenly shouted, "How could i make a child be considerate towards me!! How shameful of me!!"

It startled everyone inside the carriage, including the coachman.

Removing his hands from his face, Yamato looked slightly sad facing Qing Youya, "You don't need to force yourself to be so considerate, don't need be so mindful or accommodating, just act selfishly the way you want! If you cannot do that to just anyone at least you don't have to be like that towards me! You can just ignore me and continue with your book if you think the card game was troublesome and is a waste of time, alright?"

Inside, Qing Youya was both pissed and turned off. The person he saw as an interesting smug madman was actually an oversensitive touchy person that she made a big deal out of such a trivial thing. Such a disappointment, he thought.

However, he disliked dealing with troublesome stuff, thus he patted Ren Xiu's knee and smiled, "Thank you big sister, you don't have to be like that. Let's play the cards, alright?"

Stunned, Yamato realized that he was being troublesome and shameful, be it very rare, Yamato flushed in embarrassment. So uncool!