EMPRESS LIU

~TWENTY-TWO~

It finally registered in Liu Changsheng's head that he was alive. He rushed to sit up and regretting instantly. Because the wounds on his body were fetal. And also the fact that he hasn't moved for a whole year and his body needed getting used to.

Mu Ling rushed to help his master, helping him sit with the support of a makeshift pillow made of straw. He went to the side of the bare hut to bring water.

In the meantime Liu Changsheng observed the room he was living in. It was bare to the minimum. There were practically nothing to make this hut a bit more home. Questions started arising in his heart. What is going on? Why is he here? Where is his family? Where is Hong Daqing? And so much more.

He knew the fatal blow of Xuehui was enough to kill him. But he's here, alive and breathing. Even though he's aching all over, he looked like he's healed a lot. Now the question is, how! After being reborn ten years back he has become more cautious and calculating. He took every step with the thought in his head that everyone was out for his life. And in some sense that was probably true.

After sipping on the water given by Mu Ling, Liu Changsheng felt a bit more stable. His eyes took an once over around the room again. Then looked at the servant man with curiosity in his eyes.

"Who are you?"

"Master?"

Liu Changsheng was still looking at the other young man in the room. Not getting the answer he required to make decisions and know how he had to be cautious from here on out.

This person was sitting by his side when he woke up. He gave him water and made him feel comfortable. Given the circumstances it wouldn't be impossible to believe that this man saved him. So Liu Changsheng knew he won't hurt him. But still he didn't know the ulterior motive of all these. That is why he couldn't help keep his guard up.

"Master, do you not recognise me?" Mu Ling was confused too. His master knows him very well. There is no way his master wouldn't recognise him even after he said his name once.

Liu Changsheng felt like something was very wrong. This person is calling him master. But when did he start having this servant around?

"Master, do you really not remember? Master, I'm Mu Ling." The hopeful eyes reached the confused heart of the sick man on the bed.

"Mu Ling?" Liu Changsheng gets even more confused. "Then why are you calling me master? You never call me that? You always call me Gongzi don't you?"

Everything was getting more and more confusing. All the situations were tangling together and left Liu Changsheng speechless.

"Master, you don't remember? The Xiang Wang's order?"

"Xiang Wang's order?"

Mu Ling rushed to Liu Changsheng's bedside. He held Liu Gongzi's hand and started panicking.

"Master, why don't you remember?" His tears wouldn't listen to him. But still this Mu Ling was more mature. So he kept them at bay and asked the most important question. "How far do you remember?"

"How far?" It took Liu Changsheng some thought to arrange how he's going to speak to this man he doesn't think he knows. "I was on the edge of the Xuanhua cliff. His highness, Xiang Wang was there as well. Then Xuehui stabbed me. Here."

Liu Changsheng shows the spot where Xuehui hit its fetal blow.

But to Mu Ling all of this seems gibberish nonsense. To him his master was indeed at the edge of the Xuanghua cliff, but there was no Xiang Wang there. This made the young servant think.

"Wait. Where is he? Xiang Wang? Where is the Xiang Wang? Is he alright?"

This made even Mu Ling angry. "You're still thinking about that killer?"

Mu Ling was shocked by how he talked to his master. But he still couldn't control the anger boiling inside. His master has suffered so much to the point of killing himself. How much love can someone have in their heart to still think about them the first thing after waking up from the death? How much hurt is hurt enough to forget the love you hold dear to the point of naivety? How much pain is pain enough to start thinking about oneself instead of others first?

"Master! When will you stop?" For once Mu Ling's demeanor broke. For once he let himself be the same young Mu Ling that was greatful enough to be loyal to only one master. He let himself be vulnerable in front of the person he grew up with. Who didn't need to see his tears to know his pain.

Liu Changsheng started dreading about what was happening. He needed an explanation. Because somehow he could feel something was wrong. For now he would let this man who seemed like his savior can think what they think.

"Where is my mother?"

"She's in the Chengli village." Mu Ling answered honestly. He was loyal enough to not question his master's intension.

"Chengli village?" Liu Gongzi knew in his heart what was going on, but he dreaded to accept it out loud. He knew if what he's thinking is the case then he has so much pain waiting for him again.

He knew his life was going to turn upside down. He knew what he was told by a monk one day was going to to be true. And he was scared. He was scared to live a life which was out of his control again.

He was aware of the fact that he couldn't probably make things right anymore. He'd have to accept fate. He'd have to forget the hope that has started to grow from a seedling to a young sapling. And it was painful to feel that sapling of hope to be uprooted suddenly.

And Liu Changsheng hated that. He hated how he can't control the life he was given. He hated that his life was being toyed with and he had no idea by whom. He hated the fact that he, Liu Changsheng will have to face those nightmares allover again. The nightmares that were fading because of a certain prince.

But maybe that was how his life was supposed to be. Who knows?

Maybe one day he will know.

Hello pandas! I'm finally updating this story... I was so unfocused to write these days... Also life is so hard! So I apologise for not updating!!

I'll keep it at that! I hope you enjoy!

Next chapter we're going to uncover part of Liu Changsheng's death and rebirth secret! So stay tuned!

All the love
C 💕

Also don't just sit and read! You know what to do! ⭐⭐