RAGING FATE (Hiatus)

CHAPTER 5

THE SNOW PRINCE

After five minutes, the eunuch announced the arrival of the emperor's son, prince Jiang Cheng.

"Prince Jiang Cheng of the Yao clan has arrived,"

The massive silver steel door then swung open, revealing a child with a charismatic and solid aura, the future next emperor and master of the Yao clan.

Everyone's gaze is fixed on him, all eyes watching his every move and step inside the silent hall.

A Cheng walks further inside before coming to a halt in the middle and bowing to all of the dignitaries present in the YanDung hall.

Following that, he flawlessly positions himself beside his parents' throne, his body firmly in place and his face straight ahead, and the ceremony begins.

Every six months, the three clans visit the Yao clan to strengthen and tighten their bond. The ceremony began quickly and ended quickly as well.

The moon now shines above the sky, accompanied by sparkling stars and a free breeze that blows all over the place; the night was abundant and full of life.

Emperor Fen finally expressed his gratitude and thankfulness to all of his brothers and guests before releasing them completely.

Empress Vie summoned all the servants in charge of guiding all the guests, and they all suddenly appeared behind her back, forming a straight line. They were women who had been taught a light martial arts practice by the Empress herself.

"You must be exhausted from your long journey; please allow our servant to lead you to your respective rooms."

All of the servants who were standing behind her back hurriedly approached their assigned guest to assist, and the three elders then paid a final bowed to her alongside their trained disciples, before they all proceeded to the location where the servant was leading them.

"Please follow us,"

Following suit, the three different sects went their separate ways, each being guided to their specific chamber. After a five-minute walk, they arrived at each different residence, each with a unique design to match their culture and preferences.

Others were stationed on the right wing, while others were stationed on the left wing, with the Cloud clan stationed near Emperor and Empress Vie's residence.

The breeze passed through each residential area as everyone retired to their respective residences, and it didn't take long for the three Cloud clan representatives to make their way to their respective rooms, where the servant hands them the Lotus jade tablet, allowing them to freely roam around the area if they choose to do so later. 

After completing their task, the assigned servant decided to leave, giving their guest a private time to adjust at their assigned residence, but before they could walk away, one of the women who appeared more mature among the other servants spoke to the grandmaster of the Cloud clan first, bowing.

"If you require anything, simply ring the bell inside your respective chambers, and the others will rush to assist you immediately,"

"Thank you," Master Woo replied, and the woman, along with the other four servants, bowed once more before leaving them fully in their home.

The grandmaster of Cloud clan watched them go before turning to his left to check on his two grandson, who were busy examining and looking through every corner, mesmerized by how beautifully this place was arranged based on their preferences. The place assigned to them is similar to the design of their Cloud sect, which hooked them off guard.

"Did this place appeal to both of your tastes?" Master Woo inquires as he walks over to the wooden chair beside the table in the living room, where warm tea is being served.

"Yes, grandfather, we do. They truly prefer to be considerate of their guests," Lan Xichen said, and his grandfather simply nodded, taking a cup of hot tea into the jade table, which had been prepared by the Yao servant before they arrived.

"Brother, I need to use the restroom," Lan Zhan said abruptly, his voice desperate and impatient. He'd been holding it for thirty minutes, but he didn't ask permission to leave as he was embarrassed by the presence of others among them.

Lan Xichen looked at him and smiled warmly, as if he knew what had occurred to him earlier.

"I'm assuming you've been dealing with it for quite a while now?" Xichen asks with a genuine smile, while Lan Zhan mumbles at his feet.

"Yes,"

Hearing his response, Xichen couldn't help but exhale and reach out with his right hand to touch his younger brother's head.

"Come on, let's get going. Next time, don't put up with it and just ask me to help you get out of it in whisper; don't care about other people; the most important thing is that you're comfortable and not hurting, you understand?" he advised, and Lan Zhan simply hummed.

"Great, it's not good for your health if you went too long without peeing," he added, looking at his younger brother with concern.

Seeing his brother with the same expression and not reacting in any way worried him; they were now walking to the bathroom.

Lan Zhan always maintained a calm demeanor and kept his worries to himself. He never once mentioned his problem or complained to his elder brother about anything; even when he was badly injured or hurt, he kept his cool and did not show any weakness towards his brother.

Lan Xichen was worried that if his younger brother's attitude and behavior remained unchanged, he would never make friends or find a suitable person to be by his side. He can't possibly spend all of his time with his younger brother.

After all, life is full of mysteries and surprises; you never know where your time will be or what will happen tomorrow; only the creator of all things in this world knows such a thing.

"Wangji, after this, why don't we go see Prince Jiang and talk to him?" Lan Xichen suggested, having considered how to help his younger brother develop a social life and make friends.

"Em," Lan Zhan replied, still wearing the same expression. 

He had somehow detected his elder brother's intention, but he never displayed such obvious thoughts, knowing that his elder brother is only thinking about what is best for him.

It's also not a bad idea to meet the prince of Yao up close and chat a little; perhaps he can then propose a little tour; he also wants to explore this place before they leave. 

We still don't know what kind of formation this place has, and we might get lost wandering around alone later, so why not let this elder brother of mine have his way for a change?

The two siblings enjoyed each other's company as they travelled to their destination, and when they arrived, Xichen proposed that he wait for him outside, and Lan Zhan nodded.

He was about to enter the bathroom when he heard a beautiful lullaby being sung by a young boy with a wonderful voice. This piqued his interest, and he was curious as to who was singing such a calming but sad lullaby.

To be continued...