CROWN PRINCE'S CONCUBINE

335 An Old friend

BaiYing in a very majestic attire with long robes sweeping the floor, walked gracefully accompanied by Prince ChenMing and his servants, including Yan and Bi who appeared wearing the palace’s main maid outfits.

BaiYing appeared wearing a gold mask studded with colorful gemstones covering his eyes to the top of his nose, lucky he didn’t have to wear a full mask because surely he would have a hard time enjoying all the food that was already sparkling on every table, BaiYing thought. Even so, his figure and long beautiful hair still attract the attention of anyone who sees it, especially his sweet lips that smile when he sees the many people who greet him with respect.

“May His Majesty the King live long, Long live the King!” the roar of the whole hall resounded, the large chair in the middle of the room, the large, beautifully carved chair with the soft seat, looked very comfortable to sit on, but, that was where it would be the center of everyone’s attention. BaiYing’s hands were cold, this was very tense, when he was nervous like this usually the Crown Prince would hold his hand, but, now that he was alone, he had said he would face all of this himself, even though he wasn’t ready yet, and the Crown Prince trusted him, his grandmother too, everyone who knew him said that.

He remembered the time he fled towards the rocky mountain because he couldn’t sleep all night, sitting on top of the cliff where he had conquered ErWang with his power. BaiYing’s eyes looked far into the darkness where the paths in and out of PaiHua town were, unlike before, now the cliff included PaiHua town which was protected by high walls with fortifications and high gates being refurbished, there were lanterns lit up at the guard posts where PaiHua city soldiers were already guarding a city that was three times smaller in size than SanPo. And that cold windy night, a huge creature accompanied him, who else could it be if not the spirit of the dragon ErWang who curled up above him accompanying him to talk.

“King of Nature, why do you look so restless, your sighs can make my spirit wander as far as I feel the restlessness of the King of Nature” ErWang’s voice that only BaiYing could hear.

BaiYing who was sitting folded his knees and resting his head on his knees again took a deep breath, his eyes keep staring at the road hoping that someone he missed would pass, even though, it unlike to happen, he started to fantasize because it was a day and a night that he lacked sleep, it was so difficult to sleep.

“Heh Old Man, tomorrow Ying will be King in front of many people for the first time, Ying is so scared, what if I don’t deserve it? Heh, it feels like want to run away, do, Old man can help Ying get out of here?” asked the young man looking at ErWang.

The dragon chuckled, currently, his body was still meditating inside the pagoda of Heaven in LiuYang city and had to serve that city for at least a hundred years before he could ascend to the heavens, and that was what ErWang agreed when he received the whole bloodstone from BaiYing, although they could still feel each other’s emotions because of their special bond, including when BaiYing was very restless and thought about ErWang when he had no one else to talk to because everyone would worry about him, especially his grandmother.

“Hehehe Realm King, if the Realm King can’t do this task, I can’t think of anyone else who is more deserving, the Realm King is the ruler of the realms and XinHua, this small, very powerful nation must have a strong and wise leader, and the Realm King possessing all the right criteria, being strong and wise, why would the King of Nature doubt himself?”

.....

BaiYing smiled, he had never heard of a dragon that used to be so arrogant as his boundless strength spoke quite softly, he turned into a more sympathetic dragon.

“Hehe old man can speak smoothly like that, where did you learn? Is meditating in the pagoda of Heaven so soothing to the old man’s soul?” he asked.

ErWang chuckled again.

“Hehehehe meditating does give good soul enlightenment, but, ever since the pagoda was opened for worship, so many people have come to visit, lots of people talk about their problems, heh, they pray thinking that this dragon can grant their wish”

“Oh yeah? Then, can Old man do it?” Bai Ying asked.

ErWang snorted, he took a breath as his body spun around changing its head position, the huge dragon the size of a cliff brought its head closer to BaiYing.

“What does the Realm King think this dragon should do? If I just give rain, or a bountiful harvest, that I can do, or give a lot of money, a piece of my scales can turn into gold to sell, of course, that’s all I can do to grant people’s requests, but, sometimes there are citizens asking for offspring, or loyal lovers, heh, they do have a lot of desires”

BaiYing chuckled at ErWang’s languid voice as if he was complaining.

“Hehehe, that’s right, old man, this old man is not a fertility goddess, why did they even ask you for offspring? It’s very strange”

“Well that’s the King of Nature, humans are so innocent, they don’t ask knowing it will work, but many of them ask simply to blow their minds over what happened to their lives, servant, living in the pagoda of Heaven as a punishment, but, in fact living there does teach a lot of wisdom lessons, it is very valuable.”

BaiYing was silent, he put on a serious face, looked back at the road ahead which he couldn’t really turn away from, his heart always wanted to look that way, he hoping that whatever it was, he would eventually be able to be with the Crown Prince again, and, he didn’t want to be someone else who’s praying to the dragon god ErWang to make all of that happen.

“Heh old man, then, according to the old man, do I have that much wisdom to become a supreme ruler in such a great country? Everything is like a dream, and as if all of this is just a game, and, you are still luckier, at least you can learn wisdom without any other pressure, if Ying, I don’t know what Ying can still learn everything while my heart is too full just for one person, this, so lame, and become a King, heh...”

ErWang turned his head to look at BaiYing so closely, he took a deep breath.

“Heh that’s true, the King of Nature does have a very heavy burden in your heart, but, take it as a spirit to be the best King, because that burden actually makes your feet heavy so that you will stay on the surface, use it as an anchor to hold you steady, it will work.”

BaiYing turned his head, saw ErWang’s dragon white shining face, even though it was only the spirit but the dragon was very clear in his eyes, only in his eyes, no one else could see the dragon other than the person who summoned him.

“Is that really going to work?”

ErWang’s dragon pulled its body, coiling its way up and down as if it was tugging at its waist from sitting too long.

“King of the Realm, you are the ruler of the universe, and the Crown Prince is the King of the Heavens, somehow, but you are meant to always be together, each one of you being complementary to each other, that is a reality, so no matter what happens, just believe on yourselves”

BaiYing smiled, the dragon was indeed full of mystery, long time no see he turned into a Semi God dragon with a much better personality, apparently confining his mortal body in the pagoda of Heaven did teach him a lot of valuable lessons, the dragon finally coiled up to the top and roared loudly before disappearing into the dark sky, leaving BaiYing alone. What he said might be true, if the Realm King and the Heavenly King were destined to walk together, complementing each other, he, wouldn’t be separating from the Crown Prince, would he? Although talking was indeed much easier, in reality now, they were very far apart.

“Heh” the young man took another deep breath while propping his chin on the folds of his knees, still looking at the street lit only by a small lantern near the gate which had been closed late that night.

“Your Highness”

BaiYing walked steadily towards the center of the hall, where everyone including his grandmother was waiting for him there, while he was still so nervous that his heart was beating so fast as if trying to jump out, someone grabbed his hand that was beside him, holding it tightly, that, just like what the Crown Prince did when he was nervous.

BaiYing turned his head, he found ChenMing’s smile already holding his hand.

“Brat, what are you thinking? You can definitely do it.”

BaiYing restrained himself, ChenMing’s face glowed with a smile that although flat but warmed his chest.

“Older brother”

#####