Affectionate Dream ✔

Chapter 13

 "So Xiao Pi, what's our punishment?"

Qingti's voice may have sounded totally defeated, but calling the man with the shrill voice by the informal name used when Qingti was still a general could've been considered a power move. The shrill-voiced man was slightly taken aback by the usage of this more intimate name, but quickly cleared his throat to regain his dignity before speaking.

"Only severe punishment could possibly await you, given your wrongdoings." Pi paused, perhaps just for dramatic effect. "Your eloping has ruined the wedding of HIS MAJESTY, who is higher above me in rank, and definitely higher than you."

With such words, Pi was able to take back the power he felt was tugged away from him just earlier. Qingti however, unlike Pi, seemed unbothered by this move. Even with Pi's words, his head still stayed in the same position, looking at his tied hands, and the expression on his face wasn't vulnerable, or pitiful, or weak. It was impossible to say at this moment that he was the same strong General Ye that he always was in this moment, but at least from his sharp eyes, he looked strong enough to face whatever was coming his way now.

The horse-drawn carriage rattled along as it came across a bump in the road, causing Qingti's short ponytail to swing violently to the side. Beams of sunlight flashed in and out of the carriage as the curtain over the window fluttered with every rattle of the carriage. Xiaojiu, who was seated out of his reach in the corner of the carriage away from the window, looked at the dejected yet unbothered look on his face. It looked as if he didn't care about anything anymore.

"Anyways, Ye Qingti." Pi no longer called his once superior by his title. "Although your crime is unforgivable, it will have to be put on hold. You must go defend the Lingbi stone!"

"Lingbi stone". The name of the stone echoed in Qingti's mind. Was this the point where he jerked awake from the dream at last? Reality was setting back in. This was exactly what happened before he went back in time to try to give him and Xiaojiu a second chance. Was he really unable to change anything at all?

The carriage rattled again, before the harsh rattling changed to the wheels producing a crackling sound as they rolled over the tall grass in the field. Although he was seated with his back to the window, just from the sound of the grass Qingti could recall passing through this field on their way to the unnamed town. So he was one more carriage rattle closer to his demise, was this how it would work? The defeated rustling of the grass as the wheels flattened them reminded him of the sound they made with his heavy steps as he carried Xiaojiu into the town. He made some good memories with Xiaojiu out here, in the middle of nowhere. Was it all worth nothing now just because he's been captured? He was able to change this much and have this many moments with Xiaojiu, couldn't he try one more time to make a change? The carriage rattled again, sending his ponytail into the same violent swinging it did every other time. Yes, it was worth a try. Even if he failed, the existence of this affectionate dream couldn't be denied.