RAGING FATE (Hiatus)

CHAPTER 9

FOX SKIN

Jiang Cheng, who was also taken aback by what his mother had done to his younger brother, remained stiff at his post for a moment until one of the guards, who was taller and filled with muscles, called him out of his trance and forced him to reflect on the situation at hand.

The man kneels in front of him, paying his respects.

"The Empress, Prince Cheng, had successfully entered the YangDung Hall. She is now in the company of the Emperor,"

The empress's second son looked over at him and into his younger brother, who was looking at the medium box that their mother had given him, holding it tightly in his right hand, tears streaming down his cheeks, and seemed unaware of the other person present in front of them. Wei is still haunted by his regrets over what he said to his mother.

"How are the people? What about the children's? Is everyone already on the boat?" He asks, sighing along his words, while the guard looks nervously at the ground, which made Cheng feel uneasy.

"What's the matter?"

He inquired, but before the guard could respond, another explosion with raging fire occurred not far from where they stood.

The guard immediately stood up and took a defensive position. Jiang Cheng bit his tongue in annoyance and grabbed his younger brother's left hand, pulling him closer to his arms.

"We talk later, return to the dock, assist our people, and then depart. Those who cannot be saved any longer should be abandoned; do not waste time saving them. I meet you all at the Cloud clan," he said, summoning his sword, making it float to the ground, jumping on it alongside his brother, and flying away as he mumbled a barrier spell around them to keep the cold wind and snow away from them.

"Hold tight, brother," he instructs as Wei stares at him for a moment, stunned by his brother's actions, then nods, lowering his head and biting his lower lip tight, angry at himself for feeling useless.

"Brother, the children's in our clan..." he asks, closing his eyes tight and swallowing all the worry inside his stomach, hugging the medium box tighter against his chest.

"Don't worry, I'm sure they're already in the boat and safe," Jiang Cheng assures him, and Wei simply nods, tucking himself closer into his brother's firm chest for warmth.

'I'm hoping so. I can't bear the thought of all of them dying. If that happened, I could never forgive myself,' Wei thought, as pain wrapped around his chest at such imaginations.

The night was hugged by thick snow and stiff coldness, but half of Yao city and palace were being cooked through fire as agonizing cries and the sound of harsh steel swords clung along the icy wind.

Inside the YangDung Hall, two sects stood and made way for the beautiful and loyal woman who had just arrived, holding a firm and sturdy posture while dragging a full injured and blooded poor man from Hu clan, fully wrapped on her whip like a half wrapped meat with no mercy.

When she walked in with such a vague and audacious mannerisms, the hall fell silent, with only the dragging and whimpering sound of a man on the floor loud enough to be heard.

They were so taken aback and speechless by her actions that all they could do was stare and feel sympathy for the young man being dragged to the floor like a floor mat by her, releasing a sound of gritted teeth and a dissing tone every time she passed by.

Empress Vie walks through her husband's throne and stops when she is beside him, turning around and shoving the man she had dragged at her to the floor with her whip, showing no fear or nervousness.

"I'm sorry for putting a dirty rug in front of you all. He was disrespectful, pointing a sword at me and calling me names like a whore. I was about to ask their master to remind him about manners, but given how busy the place is, I decided to do the honour of teaching him some ethic of respects," she said, taking a white handkerchief that she keep inside her chest and wiping the blood from her whip, paying no attention to all the disrespectful people in the hall as she continued.

"I'm assuming you're all here for my son's twentieth birthday. I must say that your entire gift was quite demanding, but it was to my liking. Though my son would not be placed by it, I guess your entire gift was for useless? "

The hall fell silent for a long time, as they all struggled to respond to her words, until Empress Vie uncle emerged from the crowd, proudly stepped closer to the throne, and boldly inquired, ignoring the Empress's presence.

"Brother Fen, if you surrender your other son right now, this will all be forgotten, as will our alliance law, and all will be at peace again,"

Empress Fen rose from his throne and walked over to his wife's side, laughing as he looked straight at the person who had just made such an impudent request.

"Peace you say? How thoughtful of you to ask and say such fragile world out of your filthy sinful mouth, when you all went behind my back and planted a snake inside my territory for so long, to study all my flaws!" Emperor Fen responds, eyes pointing like a sword to all as he releases a sharp breath and continues speaking, chest thumping fast from much anger.

"So tell me, where's the peace? You're all very good at poisoning the sleeping panther, ha?"

The emperor gave them all a disappointed look and a playful toothy grin.

"A second son, you say?" He laugh,

"Are you all BLIND? Or maybe you all ate something and are now hallucinating? Are you all suggesting that my wife cheated on me? Is that what you're trying to say to me? You're all here that year! You're all there that day! My son, Jiang Cheng, has been seen by all of you!" Emperor Fen went on to dismiss their unproven speculation.

Everyone was staring at him, all of them feeling a surge of rage, inconsideration, and desperation. The hall heated up with each passing second, until a piercing cry of a bird could be heard circling above them, completely distracting the suffocating and uncomfortable atmosphere inside the room.

Emperor Fen looked up and sighed in relief as he spread his left arm in the air, saying.

"Come here, Yoyo,"

The spirit bird immediately responded to his call and flew over to where he stood, gently landing on his left arm so as not to injure his master with his sharp and lethal claws. Everyone who witnessed the bird's loyalty behavior could only stare in disbelief.

To be continued...