Chapter 66: To Ascend is Human; to Fall is Also Human (Part 1)
Xie Lian turned his head and asked, "What do you mean?"
"The homeless street urchins of the royal capital all run together in a gang, and they'd come to my neighbourhood often to beg for food. I know all of them but I've never seen this child before."
That young child stared at Mu Qing and didn't say a word. Feng Xin was incredulous, "Who do they beg for food from? You? And you'd give it to them?"
Mu Qing glared at him, "If they pester relentlessly there's no other way."
Feng Xin still thought the notion rather unbelievable but didn't make any further commentary. "Oh."
Xie Lian wanted to laugh watching them talk. Mu Qing continued, "Besides, there's sewn patches on his clothes; judging by the needlework, it must have been done by a grown up only just recently, so there's at least someone of age in his household. His family situation might not be the best, but he's definitely not a beggar."
Naturally Xie Lian would not notice how the needlework of sewn patches was, nor if it was done by adults, but Mu Qing used to be an errand boy at the Huang Ji Pavilion, and also did all kinds of chores at home, so when Xie Lian looked closely, it was indeed as he had said, so he asked. "Do you have grown ups at home?"
That young child shook his head, but Mu Qing said, "There must be. If he doesn't go back, his family must be worried sick looking for him by now."
"No, no way! There's nobody!" That young child cried, sounding like he was afraid to be sent back, and he opened his arms reaching for Xie Lian. He was still covered with mud and blood, and Feng Xin couldn't stand it anymore, "Kid, what the hell are you doing? Things were urgent earlier so whatever, but shouldn't you know better by now? This is the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince, do you understand?"
That young child's arms immediately shrank back, but he was still gazing at Xie Lian, "There's fighting at home and I got kicked out. I walked for a long time but I've nowhere to go."
The other three looked at each other. After a moment, Feng Xin said, "So what now?"
One of the imperial doctors suggested, "If His Highness is troubled, he can be placed here in the palace, and have a few attendants take care of him."
Xie Lian hummed but after some thought, shook his head slowly.
At the end of the day, he was afraid Qi Rong wouldn't drop the whole thing, and would sneak out to cause trouble. "The way I see it, it's still best if I watch over him until his wounds are healed. It seems his family won't be able to look after him, unfortunately. Feng Xin, when you go take care of the affected stalls toppled by Qi Rong, see if you can find out where his parents are and let them know so they don't worry."
"Alright." Feng Xin nodded.
One of his arms was still in a sling, but he extended the good arm to reach for that young child, intending to pick him up by the collar. Xie Lian laughed, "You're wounded. Don't worry about it."
However, Feng Xin shrugged it off, "Only one arm is broken, the other's still fine. If both my arms were broken I can still use my teeth to carry him by the collar and bring him up the mountain for you."
Mu Qing rolled his eyes from behind, then spoke up, "Nevermind. Let me carry him." But just as he made one step forward, that young child jumped off the bed himself and said, "I can walk on my own."
An expression filled with rejection spoke louder than words, and it made Mu Qing's second step extremely awkward, unsure of whether or not to proceed. That little kid had five broken ribs and a leg but he was still as lively as a dragon, Xie Lian really didn't know whether to laugh or feel concerned and said, "Stop running around!" Then he bent down and picked him up.
The three of them with a child in tow left the palace. Since Qi Rong caused havoc on the streets earlier and disturbed the townspeople, toppling a number of stalls, Xie Lian felt deeply guilty, having no face to meet any of the citizens, so the group snuck around, afraid to show their faces, using only the back alleyways. Throughout the entire way, that small child was extremely docile in Xie Lian's arms; they told him to be quiet and he uttered not a single sound. Feng Xin glared, "This brat kicked me yesterday, but look at him now. He really knows how to pick them."
"It's His Highness the Crown Prince. Of course he's more well-liked than most people." Mu Qing said.
For some reason, even if he said something well-meaning, the words he use still make people feel uncomfortable. Feng Xin refused to acknowledge what he said. After walking for a while, Feng Xin spoke up, "No. I still feel Your Highness shouldn't let anyone see you're holding a strange child."
"What's the problem?" Xie Lian asked.
"You're the Crown Prince!" Feng Xin exclaimed.
While he spoke, he saw a worn down handcart further up the alley and said, "Put the kid in that cart and pull it to go."
Mu Qing immediate voiced, "Just so we're clear, I will not pull that thing up the mountain."
"No one's asking you to." Feng Xin said. He reached out and pulled the child from Xie Lian's arms, and the child started struggling again.
"Nevermind, forget it. Maybe someone else needs that cart!" Xie Lian said.
Just then, from somewhere nearby, someone suddenly called out, "Are you... the Crown Prince?"
Another immediately shouted, "YES, YES, YES! THAT'S THE CROWN PRINCE! HIS MASK FELL YESTERDAY AND I SAW HIS FACE WITH MY OWN EYES! THAT'S HIM!!!"
"CATCH HIM!!!"
The three of them froze, their hearts dropped. Although Xie Lian didn't think he did anything wrong at the Heavenly Ceremonial Procession the day before, he also knew that others might not believe the same. To cut short the God-Pleasing Martial ceremony was an ominous sign of misfortune; it's unspeakable amongst the nobility, and when all the excitement wore off after the fact, when the people start wondering what it all meant, they probably wouldn't be as forgiving either. Plus the havoc on the streets caused by Qi Rong, the complaints must be endless. If they were to be surrounded now, it may end badly. Without thinking any deeper, Mu Qing grabbed him and shouted, "Your Highness, run!"
Feng Xin was pulling the cat and urged too, "Your Highness, I've a broken arm, I won't be able to stop anyone rioting. Go!"
However, outside the alleyway there were already a mass number of people who were pouring in, their faces filled with excitement, blocking all viable exits. The four of them had nowhere to run, and watched wide-eyed as they became encircled. Xie Lian thought bold-headed, 'If anything, I'll just let them beat us down without fighting back.'
However, unexpectedly, although the crowd poured in, they didn't pulverize them but instead, a number of hands reached out and threw him into the air, cheering, "YOUR HIGHNESS!"
Xie Lian was thrown into the air countless times but still maintained a calm and steady disposition. The people shouted, "YOUR HIGHNESS, THAT LEAP IN THE MARTIAL DEITY AVENUE YESTERDAY WAS SPECTACULAR!"
Someone exclaimed, "That was such an amazing jump! Really, really, I totally thought the Heavenly Martial Emperor himself had descended! I had goosebumps!"
Another validated, "His Highness was right to save that kid! A life is a life, did they think kids from us poor people aren't the same? If it were me, I'd do the same!"
Another raged, "That's right! Today there was talk of how His Highness had ruined the event and I just couldn't stand it! If it had been a royal or a noble who had fallen, they wouldn't say the same! Your Highness, don't mind those people!"
"His Highness is the one who truly cares about us...."
Xie Lian went from feeling guilty at the beginning, then disoriented halfway through, until finally, he was affected by the passionate and cheerful faces all around. The crowd clustered around Xie Lian and when they emerged onto the main street, more and more joined them. Feng Xin, Mu Qing, and that young child were pushed away and separated a far way back without any means of pushing through, and could only follow along behind the parade. This large assembly of people was surprisingly not smaller than the crowd from the day before. Every time Xie Lian made a move to leave, he would be forcibly dragged back in and thrown into the air without any chance of being let down.
Xie Lian couldn't help but find it both funny and reassuring as he thought to himself, 'The people and Guoshi have completely opposite sentiments. It looks like I was in the right.'
When at last they reached Mount Taicang, the setting sun was ablaze brightly and vividly.
Passing through the large mountain gates, on the long winding stone path, there were a number of trainees and cultivators carrying water buckets and firewood going up and down the road, greeting Xie Lian and company, but many watched the four plus a cart with wonder. Feng Xin was pulling that handcart with one hand like a hardworking, serious young black bull. Xie Lian and Mu Qing smiled back dutifully at first, but after a while they stopped caring.
The maple trees were endless, and the wheels turned calmly. As they hiked, Xie Lian helped push the handcart from behind. He was feeling good, and asked that young child another question casually, "Little kid, what is your name, really? Hong what?"
That young child watched him and said in a small voice, "I... I don't have a name."
Xie Lian was taken aback, "Your mother didn't give you a name?"
That young child shook his head, "My mother passed."
Xie Lian felt sad for him, "Then what did your mother used to call you?"
That young child was hesitant for a minute, then replied, "Hong Hong-Er."*
Xie Lian smiled, "That's a cute nickname. I'll call you that from now on."
Hong Hong-Er seemed to be shy whenever they talked, and lowered his head. Just then the sun was about to set, and lights were ignited from each of the pavilions all over the mountain. Among them, the brightest was of course the highest peak, the Great Martial Summit.
Atop the Great Martial Summit, within the Great Martial Hall, it was as bright as day, the lights gathered like stars. Xie Lian sighed as he watched.
The sigh wasn't borne of sadness, but from the scenery was that emanated such beauty and glory. Every bit of light was an offered Everlasting Lamp within the hall. Each lamp contained the prayers and wishes of each devout worshipper. The more Everlasting Lamps there were within the temple of a god, the more powerful that god becomes. The chance to offer a lamp within the Great Martial Hall of the Huang Ji Pavilion was difficult to buy even with a thousand pieces of gold. Wealth, power, ability, passion, affinity, there must be one of the five conditions fulfilled in order to enter the hall to offer light. Yet, there were more in the world that had none of the five.
The four of them stopped, gazing upon the Great Martial Hall that shone like the sun, their expressions dissimilar. Just then, there was a familiar voice that called out to them, "Your Highness!"
Xie Lian turned his head and saw a plain-looking young man hurrying towards him. It looked like the trainee who guarded the entrance of the Si Xiang Pavilion, and Xie Lian schooled his expression, "Zhu-ShiXiong, what's the hurry?"
Zhu-ShiXiong noticed Mu Qing standing behind, but felt awkward and spoke pretending not to have seen him, "The Guoshi has been asking after you for a while now. He's at the Great Martial Hall waiting for you."
Xie Lian was taken aback hearing this, but figured it must be in regards to the incident during the Heavenly Ceremonial Procession the day before. "Very well. Thank you, ShiXiong."
Xie Lian had Feng Xin and Mu Qing took Hong Hong-Er back to the Xian Le Pavillon first before heading towards the Great Martial Summit.
Outside the great hall, clouds borne from the incense vessel floated and wrapped around the Great Martial Hall, forming a dream-like state. On either side of the vessel were long rows of bright Everlasting Lamps hung in the air, neatly lined into a wall of lanterns. Every Everlasting Lamp had on them the name and prayer of the worshipper in elegant, decorous writing. Once in the hall, on either side of the wall were also rows upon rows of hung Everlasting Lamps. The lamps offered within the Great Martial Hall were of course, even more valuable than the ones outside.
In the gigantic, spacious temple, the Guoshi was offering incense before the statue of the Martial Heavenly Emperor, and the three Deputy State Preceptors were behind him, uniformly prostrating before the great god.
Xie Lian inclined his head when he entered, "Guoshi."
The State Preceptors completed their ritual before they turned their heads back and made a gesture for him to come forward. Thus, Xie Lian approached, took an incense and also paid his respects in sincerity.
It was a moment before Guoshi finally spoke, "Your Highness, the four of us have deliberated. In regards to the Heavenly Ceremonial Procession, there are but two ways to resolve it."
"Please do enlighten me, Guoshi." Xie Lian said.
"The first method," Guoshi said, "was to find the child who disrupted the procession, and we shall conduct a ceremony. At the very least, one of his five senses must be sealed as penance."
________________________________________________________________________________________
●"Hong Hong-Er" means 'My son, Red' or just 'Little Red'.