24. His Past and His Present

Feng Delun had always been the astounding person ever since he was a child. He excels in many aspects; swordfighting, martial arts, literature, debates, and maths. Before when their parents were still alive, Delun received too many praises from them, including his only older brother Qing Yuan. In the class, he is always number one, even the Crown Prince looked up to him.

Of course, Feng Delun is kind. And like any other kids, he too had his own group of friends. They are Qin Wang Yong, Chen Chang Bao, and Wei Haoxuan. He treated them like brothers, always helping them when they are in need of help. Even though he was a little stoic sometimes but as their friends, the three knows what's his true self. But among the circle of friends, there is a person whom was really close to. Among the three, the one he trusted the most is Wei Haoxuan.

Wei Haoxuan is the son of the Grand Herald. Like him, Wei Haoxuan is also intelligent and open-minded person. His free-spirited nature makes him really inscrutable. Howbeit his selfless attitude makes him admirable, and that is how he was in loved with him.

Wei Haoxuan is too beautiful for a man. His body is not as good as them. But still, he can outdo other people with martial arts. Despite its appearance, he was strong enough to beat people, but not as strong as the three. However, his trustable nature made Delun close from him and it made Delun admired him.

One night, a group of bandits attacked their manor. There were so many of them that surrounded the manor. All of the people, excluding him and his older brother, died on the same night. Qing Yuan, despite being a twenty years old grown up, cried with his fifteen years old younger brother. Delun didn't even know that he was crying. He just stood there, watching his parents' corpses, tongue tied. Qing Yuan hugged his younger brother away from the sight. Qing Yuan's anger rose up to his head and cried with hateful tears.

Ever since that night, Delun shut himself out to the world. His face was emotionless, and it doesn't have the slightest kindness that he has before. His brother takes up his father's position in such a young age, and being the youngest Prime Minister recorded in the state of Qin.

Chang Bao always reached up to him, telling him that they were at his side always. But Delun still chose to throw him away. Wei Haoxuan and Wang Yong were worried. No matter how he becomes a different person, he was still their friend.

Chang Bao had thought to himself that he was Delun's closest friend. He believed that one day, he swore that Delun will open his heart to them again. He didn't lose hope, even if the two were distant from Delun, Chang Bao remained by his side.

Until one day, Wang Yong had announced that he and Wei Haoxuan were engaged and Wei Haoxuan was the first male crown princess in the state of Qin.

Delun was devastated. He thought that it was only a rumor and he decided to go to the palace to confirm it. He hoped that the rumors were wrong, but no. He saw Haoxuan and Wang Yong intimately hugged to each other, and smiled to each other. Their eyes could tell that they were in love.

In his sight, it was hateful. He was angry. He was angry at the Crown Prince for stealing his love from from him. He wanted him to die. He could not believe that Haoxuan and the Crown Prince were in love, and it made him feel betrayed.

He was blinded by greed.

One faithful night when Chang Bao had sneaked out to the royal kitchen. However, as he was about to go in, he saw Delun in the kitchen so he wanted to surprise him. As Chang Bao sneak a peek, he noticed Delun's agitation and as if he was guarding if anyone has seen him. He then poured something on the teacup which makes Chang Bao wrinkle his eyebrows.

'What is he planning to do?' Chang Bao thought as he peeked on the inside. After Delun poured the liquid to the bottle then he hid it on his sleeve.

'No. Delun. Are you really...'

Chang Bao couldn't believe what he saw. He was sure, that teacup was for the Crown Prince. He noticed because of the dragon pattern of the teacup. When he saw Delun was about to go out of the kitchen, Chang Bao hides in the corner that didn't reached Delun's sight. Delun walked out, without even looking back.

As he managed to walk out of the corner, he saw the servant who was about to deliver the tea to the Crown Prince. Without hesitation, Chang Bao rushed to the servant and grabbed the teacup, he drank all the tea without spilling any tea from his mouth.

He was right. It was poisoned. The servant was aggrieved as he saw Chang Bao sweating heavily and was about to fall. Luckily, the servant is on his side and quickly held both of his shoulders to support his body from falling.

"Master?! What happened?!" The servant shrieked, looking at the pale face of Chang Bao. His lips became purple as a sign of effect from the poison.

"The tea, it's delicious." After he let out such words, he collapsed. The servant was horrified and looked at the teacup that he was about to serve from the Crown Prince.

Chang Bao, who drained his strength looked up to the servant and clutched his sleeve. The servant who was frustrated looked at the pale hands of the man he clutched.

"You... Don't tell His Majesty about this. Okay? Also, take me to my house." He said hoarsely. And then he fainted. The servant was hectic, he carried his body to the Chen's Manor as he requested.

When he got there, his siblings were horrified as they looked at Chang Bao who looked like he has no blood. Cheung Chao then let the servant inside and led him to Chang Bao's bed. Cheung Chao was only a practitioner back then, and his knowledge about medicine was not as vast as the present. But, lucky for Chang Bao, Cheung Chao knows what kind of poison he ingested and he knows how to make the antidote. Chang Bao's luck didn't let him down.

The servant was outside the balcony and was fidgeting his fingers. If Chang Bao hadn't come in time he would have delivered the tea from His Majesty. This day might be the last day of his life if it weren't for him. However, Chang Bao nearly died.

After Cheung Chao cured his brother, he then walked towards the servant with dark mist hovering above his head. He asked him if what happened earlier.

"I don't know. I was about to deliver the tea from His Majesty the Crown Prince when Master Chen suddenly grabbed the teacup from the tray. And when he gulped it all he...he..."

"He what?"

"He fainted. I-If he didn't grabbed that tea, I would've died. I... I am incompetent. Forgive me!" Cheung Chao took a deep breath from the commotion and looked down to the kneeling servant.

"Tell me, it isn't you who put that poison on the Crown Prince's tea?"

"No Master! I swear to an oath I will never do that!" The servant only tasked to deliver the tea from His Majesty. He didn't even bother what kind of tea is in that cup. He just delivered it without knowing.

But Chang Bao just grabbed it out of nowhere and drank it for the sake of His Majesty and to the servant. It means that, Chang Bao knew the culprit.

"Other Master Chen, Chang Bao also requested me that he doesn't want anyone to know about the poison attempt. I hope that you can hear him out."

"En."

"Then, I'll be taking my leave. Please say my regards when he wakes up." The servant was about to leave when Cheung Chao stopped him from going.

"Wait. Tell me your name."

"Hui Hua, Other Master Chen." The servant then left to the manor.

On the other side, Delun was filled with guilt and agony. His mind was clouded for a moment, and then he realized what he had done. He rushed back to the kitchen to throw that tea away.

For a second... Just a second... He wished he could have make it. But as he took one step further, Chang Bao had already drank the tea.

He saw his friend poisoned by him, Chang Bao began to pale. Delun clenched his fist and was about to run to him. But the servant quickly carried him back to his house and not in the royal physician.

'Why? Why did he drink it? It was clear that he saw me when I put the poison. But still, he unhesitatingly drank him to prevent the Crown Prince to be poisoned. Why did he do it?' Delun was full of guilt. He couldn't believe of what he had done because to his friend.

Chang Bao was the only one who reached out to him when he felt amiss. He was there, reaching his hand to him even when his path go dark. He realized that Chang Bao was there, who treated him well even if Wei Haoxuan and Wang Yong doesn't interact to him much. He realized that he had lost a true friend.

When Chang Bao was healed, he raged into the Feng manor and directly punched the door of Delun's room. When the latter was in front of his sight, he mercilessly punched him in the spot, and violently grabbed his collar.

"Why did you do it?! How can you do it to your own friend?!" Chang Bao yelled, Delun couldn't look at him in the eyes. The four lads grew up together and inseparable. But Delun, he never even gave them the attention they needed. They just pushed him off away. And he realized how wrong he was.

"How could you do that to your own friend? He never did anything wrong! If you loved Wei Haoxuan in the first place, why didn't you tell him?! Why did you pushed him away? Why did you pushed us away?! Have you not considered us your friends? How about me, did you ever consider me as your friend? Tell me!" Chang Bao punched him and yanked him. Delun's bursts out and a drop of blood gushed out. Chang Bao pushed him away. Still, he sees Delun as his brother. Yet, his trust has been broken by his long time friend.

"You... Wang Yong is your friend. He haven't even done bad to you. Just because of that, you're willing to stain your hand? Why are you not answering? Open your mouth dammit!"

In the end, Delun was frozen, speechless. He just looked away, the guilt had gobbled him whole. Just how did he end up this way? How can he?

But even so, Chang Bao covered him up. He drank the poison not because for the Crown Prince, but also for his sake. He never let himself get treated in the royal doctor in case of any suspicious getting exposed. He even let that servant shut his mouth, all for the sake of his friend. He never told Wei Haoxuan or even the Crown Prince Wang Yong. Because, it was all for his sake.

Right now, no matter how he looked at Delun, no matter how they meet coincidentally, Chang Bao treated him as a stranger...

And even now.

After he saw Delun with his younger brother, he had an urge to kill him. The hatred he felt in the past seems so strong that no matter how he sees him, his eyes sting, as if Delun himself was such a nuisance to his eyes.

When he said that he's in love with his brother, he really wanted to hang him above in the dung pit. After the Crown Prince married Wei Haoxuan and became the Emperor and the Male Empress, Delun had become a playboy. He had been sleeping with different women ever since. And now suddenly, he appeared again in Chang Bao's life and had his youngest brother on his arms.

He felt humiliated and angry. He can't help but to frown every time he faced him. And saying that his brother was his wife in front of his face? Where are all his morals went into?

Ah yes, he had no morals in the first place.

Delun felt nervous when facing Chang Bao again. He can't help but to think of the past. He then realized how childish he is. And yes, he regretted it. He regretted himself that he was so stupid.

So dumb and stupid.

He knows that Li Jie wasn't in love with him yet. But if there's a chance, he will cherish this person and never make the same mistake again. Still he knew, even if he did something wrong, his brother (LJ) wouldn't let him off. As long as the person is his wife, he will work hard for the person he love in the present, make sure he will be safe along with his family. It was only a brief moment when Delun fell in love with him, and he will not going to let his love slipped off to his arms.

Even if his brother will be the one he had to face, he will face him head on.

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And the day when he have to go to the palace for a meeting had come. Delun, together with Min Zhe had come into the palace. But as he saw Chang Bao, Chang Bao only glanced at him coldly and turned away. He clearly saw in his eyes that he was disgusted and irritated upon seeing him, but he already chose to keep silent.

He ordered Min Zhe to leave him for a bit, so he obeyed his boss. He then went on the courtyard where the played before in his childhood and Chang Bao was already there. He walked slowly towards him but Chang Bao just gave him a glare, telling him not to cross the line.

"Just because you're married to my brother doesn't mean that I forgive you just like that. Remember, you..."

Hearing the last words that Chang Bao had said, Delun was frozen to his spot.

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"You were once a murderer."