Chapter 555: Chapter 555 : (Extras) The Mausoleum (1)
I did not know how precious life is until yours seeped past my fingers, leaving only a cold, lifeless body behind.
I did not know what loss felt like until you stepped into my world, left your traces everywhere, only to disappear all of a sudden.
I did not know what longing felt like until I visited your body at the mausoleum during the day, and hugged your ghost in tears during the night.
Baby, I miss you so much.
Please come back soon.
I cannot live without you.
Will the wind carry my love for you to the Underworld?
Will you hear my pleas?
Will you please return to my side?
The Supreme General of the Heavenly Empire, Zhang Fengxi, pushed the heavy door of the mausoleum open, allowing a streak of sunlight to stream inside the room.
In his arms, he carried his precious twin babies. Their small bodies were snuggled against his chest, delicate tears from this morning’s tantrum still clinging to their eyelashes.
Although the babies were born slightly premature to the world, the physicians were confident that they would grow up robustly given proper postnatal care.
While this was a source of comfort for Zhang Fengxi, it did little to alleviate the cloud of sorrow hanging atop his head these past few weeks.
His wife was gone.
They would meet again one day, but once a soul re-entered the cycle of samsara, it would begin its ascent from the bottommost lifeform. Despite Xie Jianyu’s virtue and karmic merits, who knew when he would return to the Heavenly Realm?
When that day finally came, how many decades would have passed?
How old was he going to be then?
Would Xie Jianyu still love him?
Would he even recognize his own children, his flesh and blood?
Would the children acknowledge their mother...?
As if able to read their father’s thoughts, the twins began to squirm in Zhang Fengxi’s arms.
"Babies, don’t wriggle so much," Zhang Fengxi chastised. He tightened his hold around them, afraid of dropping them.
But Zhang Mingrui and Xie Junjie simply did not listen. They struggled even harder, until Zhang Fengxi had no choice but to lower them onto Xie Jianyu’s bed.
Once they were set free, they raced toward Xie Jianyu’s body on their hands and feet. Stunned by their agility, even Zhang Fengxi failed to react in time.
"Ah... Babies!"
Zhang Fengxi grabbed them in time before they touched Xie Jianyu, but then the two babies began to let out a heartrending wail.
"Ssssshhh... I know, I know, but you must not touch your mother’s body. Your body heat will only increase its decomposition rate..."
Unfortunately, the babies did not understand.
They were separated from Xie Jianyu so soon after birth. They were too young to understand what happened back then. All they wanted was to be by their mother’s side, to seek his body warmth, and to revel in the fragrance of his pheromones.
Zhang Fengxi knew that much, but he still couldn’t allow it.
Forcefully, he yanked the babies away from Xie Jianyu and dragged them off the bed.
Their frantic cries could be heard throughout the Fuxi Palace.
Mingyu, Qingyun, and Head Servant Zhou exchanged a round of exasperated glances and let out a series of long, heavy sighs.
"The Little Masters miss Master so terribly," Qingyun said.
"We know that," Head Servant Zhou sighed again. "It must be difficult not only for His Highness but also the Little Masters. Ah, if only Master will return..."
"Babies need their mother’s omega pheromones and their father’s alpha pheromones to grow up well. I thought that Master’s body is being well-preserved by the spiritual stones. Why can’t the Little Masters get close to their mother?" Mingyu asked, genuinely confused by Zhang Fengxi’s protectiveness over Xie Jianyu’s body.
"Because the spiritual power gets depleted over time, and we don’t know when Master will finally return. His Highness is just being careful, that’s all."
Their conversation ceased when the wailing cries grew louder, indicating that the babies were close.
Zhang Fengxi put the babies in the maids’ expectant arms. His face was distorted in a mixture of anger and annoyance.
"Please take care of them," he said before turning on his heels and returning to the mausoleum.
The three beta dragons could only watch his retreating back helplessly.
"We should... we should be more understanding," Head Servant Zhou said after a while. "His Highness is still grieving. He... he is going through a difficult time himself."
After that day, Zhang Fengxi no longer took the babies to the mausoleum. He locked himself up behind a closed door, watching his wife’s peaceful sleeping face for as long as possible.
The days passed quickly, and the mourning period passed in a flash.
Before he knew it, he had to take off the mourning clothes and attend to his duties as the Supreme General of the Heavenly Empire.
The day was spent overseeing military training and devising strategies in an endless war against the Demonic Realm.
The night was spent watching over his sons, who seemed to grow too quickly with each passing day.
At first, they were just crawling on the ground, chasing after each other like two animal cubs.
And then, they pushed themselves off the ground and began walking unsteadily with their wobbly little legs.
And one day, they simply disappeared.
Zhang Fengxi came home as soon as he received the news. As soon as he crossed the gate of Fuxi Palace, he saw a scene of utter chaos.
The entire Fuxi Palace was practically turned upside down. All servants and guards were asked to check every nook and corner for the two little masters, who practically disappeared into nothingness.
"What exactly happened?" Zhang Fengxi, impatient, dragged Head Servant Zhou by his collar and pulled him to the side. "How can two little boys escape your close watch and disappear just like that?"
"We... I also don’t know what to say, Your Highness," Head Servant Zhou stammered, his pupils shaking in fear. The entire palace, no, the entire realm knew how important the twins were. If the Heavenly Emperor found out, heads might roll starting from his!
And then, Mingyu, equally pale-faced, came rushing toward them.
"Your Highness, we have checked everywhere, except for..." she swallowed hard before she continued, "... the mausoleum."
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Author’s note :
No, the previous arc hasn’t ended yet. I just need to write something else right now because I am too sad.
Two days ago, I went outside to pick up some dinner. And this $#&!@ heartless person of a random driver stepped out of his car and placed a very smol kitten next to a garbage basket.
He was weak, with open wounds on his neck and rear, and presumably only several days old.
The mortality rate for orphaned kittens at that age was between 21% and 90%. Still, I couldn’t let him die like that, so I took him home with me.
I did everything I could to save him, but in the end, he died after being in my care for only 30 hours.
I can’t even describe my heartbreak. RIP, little kitty. I love you.
