Underneath The Moonlit Night

Chapter 75 - Crowns Of Gold And Emerald (Part 2)

Qing Yi stepped into the hallway, his thoughts still heavy with the weight of the conversation he had just had. A sense of guilt settled in his chest, lingering like a shadow. Jing Shi, a newly-made mother, had already endured so much, and yet he had placed the burden of Baihu's twisted need for newborn energy upon her. She deserved peace, but instead, he had shattered her world with more uncertainty and fear. He sighed, wishing there had been a better way to deliver the truth, or perhaps, to spare her from knowing altogether.

Lost in thought, he barely noticed where his feet had taken him until a familiar voice snapped him from his reverie.

"Young Master?"

Qing Yi blinked, looking up, and to his surprise, he found himself standing near the Apothecary Study. It was a path etched into his muscle memory, one he had unconsciously walked after so many years. Even after all this time away from the palace, his body still sought out the familiar space—the place where he had once felt the most at ease, surrounded by his people.

The voice that had called him belonged to none other than Jing Wei, Jun Lang's uncle. The older man's eyes were wide with surprise and joy, his wrinkled face lighting up with recognition.

 "Young Master, is it really you?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly with emotion.

Before Qing Yi could answer, more figures emerged from the nearby chambers—familiar faces he hadn't seen in what felt like a lifetime. Su Ju's parents were among them, along with several other apothecaries who had once worked under his guidance.

"Young Master!" they called out in unison, their voices filled with relief and warmth.

"You've finally returned! We were so worried!"

"We knew you'd come back one day!"

"You've changed so much!"

Qing Yi's heart swelled as he took in their faces, each one lined with the marks of time and the weight of years spent under the old king's oppressive rule. Some of the younger apothecaries, who had once followed him with wide-eyed enthusiasm, now carried a more mature air about them, though the years of worry were etched deeply in their expressions.

He smiled, his visible eye gleaming with warmth as he took in the sight of them. "Everyone... I'm so happy to see you all safe and well," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I'm sorry it took me so long to return."

But his people shook their heads, their smiles filled with understanding. "Don't apologize, Young Master," one of them said softly.

"We knew you would come back. Jing Xiang never let us lose hope. She always reminded us that you were alive—that you were fighting for us."

Qing Yi's throat tightened with emotion, and before he could stop himself, tears spilled from his eye. He pulled them into a hug, embracing them all in turn, as if he could shield them from the hardships they had endured in his absence.

They spent time catching up, the apothecaries updating him on the palace's activities since his departure. Qing Yi, in turn, reassured them that their days of suppression were over.

"From now on," he told them, his voice firm but gentle, "Khufu is your home. You are no longer bound by your slave contracts to the royal family. You are free."

The joy that spread across their faces was palpable, a weight lifted from their shoulders at last. The apothecaries laughed and embraced each other, their relief evident in every gesture.

"I also ask one thing of you," Qing Yi added, his tone softening. "If possible, when you can, travel outside the palace walls and offer your skills to those in the kingdom who cannot afford care. There are many who need help but cannot find it within these walls."