35 You’re not the dragon on the throne. You’re merely a dragon that protects it! Part I
Ouyang Feilong was summoned to the palace the moment he stepped out of the Bai mansion. His birth mother, or the current Empress Dowager, gave a sudden order that she wished to see her son, despite him having been staying in the capital for seven days already.
The tall figure calmly walked into Empress Dowager Wei’s palace. Even with the half-mask that concealed his expression, his gladness could be clearly felt from the atmosphere around him that became more relaxed.
Today his mother wanted to see him after refusing to do so for over three years. Up until now, Ouyang Feilong could only pay his respect in front of the palace without any opportunity to enter. The royal maid would tell him that his mother was sick every time he came back to the capital...that his mother wanted to rest more than to see her youngest son who had been stationed at the border for so long.
“Blessings to mother.”
The tall figure kneeled and bowed to the highest degree of respect to his mother who he had not seen for many years. A voice from the elderly woman gave him permission to stand up. The great general was no longer prostrating, but he still kneeled at the same spot because his mother had yet to give him a place to sit or allow him to sit beside her.
He still held a faint hope that this time he would be able to be closer to his mother. But everything was still the same like every time they were together. Cold and distant. Even since he was born and up until now.
“I mi-”
“You should hurry and leave the capital.”
“...”
.....
I miss you so much, mother.
“Aijia sent you to the border since you’re young so that you can support your brother to the throne. Now that the throne is secured, you should not remain at the capital and threaten the Emperor’s power!”
Ouyang Feilong gripped his hands so hard that bulging veins could be seen on the back of his hands. Words that he had been wishing to say to his mother were swallowed back, tinged with bitterness. He knew that his power was a double-edged sword. His authority over the military was enough to support the throne, but at the same time, it was enough to create a coup and caused him to be distrusted by the Emperor...no, by the Empress Dowager.
His mother was afraid that he would take his brother’s throne. But such a thought was never in Ouyang Feilong’s mind at all. He loved his mother and older brother more than his own life, and he knew the danger of his own power, which was why he was willing to stay at the border to keep everyone’s mind at peace.
Empress Dowager Wei, when she was Empress, she gave birth to a son amidst the joy of those around her. ‘Ouyang Hongxian’ was the heir apparent. Even with opposition and obstruction from some groups, his mother was always there to defend his rights.
Ouyang Feilong was born on the seventeenth winter of Ouyang Hongxian’s life. He and his brother were far apart in age, so the little prince was brought up by the royal maids and his brother who always found time to play with him, all without a shadow of his own mother. He had seen his father’s and brother’s faces more than his mother’s, even.
When he was five, Ouyang Feilong was sent to commander-general Yue. His mother told the Emperor that she wanted him to study and train in preparation to be of help in protecting the nation.
The little dragon at the age of five gave a tearful farewell to his brother. He did not want to go far away at all, but when his mother hugged him that one time in front of the palace gate, the young Feilong made up his mind to dedicate himself to training so that he could make his mother proud.
For commander-general Yue, there was no exception in training, not even for the youngest prince. Ouyang Feilong endured the training and started joining the battlefield when he was twelve. It was seven grueling years where he was not able to return to the capital even once.
Many times Ouyang Hongxian used an excuse of Taizi’s royal mission to travel to the border and visit his brother. His action consoled Ouyang Feilong that he was not suffering alone.
The brotherly love...Ouyang Feilong acknowledged it, and it had been the balm to his heart all along.
When Ouyang Feilong was sixteen, shortly after being titled Rui Wang, there was a riot in the capital. His mother sent a rider to ask for his help, and he, with his worry for his brother, immediately mobilized his troop to suppress the riot himself, then gladly supported his brother to ascend the throne.
At that time, Ouyang Feilong received a smile from his mother for the first time in eleven years.
Rui Wang knew full well that his mother did not love him as he had thought. For many years he grew up on the battlefield, and there was not a single letter sent from her. Even when he fought and gained various favors at a young age, there was only a royal decree that gave him the title Rui Qin Wang. No letter to summon him back to the capital.
His father was old, and there were duties and wars that he had to take care of. If the Emperor who had numerous sons and daughters forgot him, it would not be too upsetting.
But his own mother who gave birth to him and sent him to the faraway border...did she forget her youngest son already?
“General commander are you listening to aijia?!”
Even his name, mother might have forgotten it too.
“Yes, mother.” Ouyang Feilong loosened his fists, then lifted his eyes to gaze coldly at his mother. That kind of hopeless wish, he should throw it away already.
The black dragon had been waiting for his mother’s love for twenty-seven years, but no matter what he did, she would never care!
“There’s an important mission so I hurried to the capital. Moreover, the matter regarding the epidemic required me to stay here a while longer.”
“About that disease, aijia sent Ming-er to take care of it in your place. Is that important mission already done?”
“It’s almost done.”
Actually, the secret mission was accomplished because that little fool had been a great help. But he lied because he wanted to know what his mother would say about him next.
“How?! You’ve returned from the village for so many days, and you’ve yet to complete it?” freewebn(o)vel
“It’s because I was injured, so I’m not as agile as I usually am.”
“I hope it’s not because you want to stay here longer...” The former mother of the nation eyed her youngest son suspiciously. “...Or were you intending to steal the favor for what Ming-er, your nephew, has done at the village?”
His mother...did not even think to ask about his injury.
The reason that Ouyang Feilong had to hurry away and leave the villagers to face the disease also came from his mother’s order. All along, apart from his older brother was his nephew who Empress Dowager Wei would do anything for. But at the same time...she never cared about hurting him at all.
Ouyang Feilong closed his eyes, trying to repress the feeling of hurt caused by his own mother.
“You shouldn’t leave the border for too long. Even with your lieutenant there, your soldiers still need you as the pillar of Da Yang’s army to raise morale.”
“Yes, mother.”
“Remember, Feilong...”
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