"It's Prince Wang Jin." Zhao Peng uttered slowly as he turned to face Wang Lei before dropping the curtain. Wang Lei asked with a brow raised, "Wang Jin?"
At that instance, one of the guards on foot who had been walking beside the Carriage announced, "Prince Wang Jin is here."
Wang Lei retracted his hands from his sword with a small sigh. Zhao Peng noticed. Of course, he always did.
"You've been sighing a lot these days." He pointed out.
Wang Jin walked around the carriage to the side where Wang Lei sat to greet him and with the fakest smile and what could hardly be considered a bow, he opened his mouth.
"Welcome back, Your Highness. It must have been a long and tiring trip from your house to the Palace."
"Barely long but very boring." Wang Lei yawned. "What are you doing here? Even my brothers are not here."
Some guards pretended not to listen, others turned their faces while some just cleared throats or pretended to kick pebbles. Zhao Peng shifted uncomfortably inside the Carriage. It was going to be a very long ride from now.
Wang Lei nearly rolled his eyes. He managed to control his anger and put up another smile. Wang Lei rolled his eyes and yawned again.
"I am here to personally escort you back. As you may know, our-"
"I don't care about anything else." Wang Lei interrupted and the smile on Wang Jin's face disappeared completely and his hands returned to his side. He looked at the guards and the entire set-up and spoke again, "Your Highness, I took my time to come here and personally escort you back to the Palace. I'll -"
"Took your time?" Wang Lei interrupted again and chuckled. He looked at his half-brother and just threw him a pitiful look. He gestured for him to draw closer and when Wang Jin leaned closer, he whispered with an evil smirk, "I'm back, you see. Your mother should be on the lookout. Oh, you as well." He concluded and pat his shoulder from the carriage while Wang Jin stared at him with barely contained anger.
"Wang Lei." He spat out furiously but with a controlled voice. Wang Lei paid no attention to him. Wang Lei gave him one last cold look before dropping the curtain right in Wang Jin's face. The servants who came with Wang Jin kept their heads down, no one willing to risk anything in this moment.
Zhao Peng ordered, "His Highness orders you to move the carriage and continue the journey now. No more stops till we get to the main Palace."
"Yes, Your Highness." The Carriage riders and the other servants accompanying the convoy responded in obedience, riding away and leaving Wang Jin behind who was fuming red with fury.
After they had rode away, one of the servants tried to approach Wang Jin but just as he approached, Wang Lei grabbed the sword of one of the few guards and plunged it into his chest. At once, everyone fell on their knees pleading for mercy.
"Your Highness, calm your anger." They tried to chorus incoherently.
Your Highness? Your Highness?! Wang Jin had made sure everyone addressed him like that. That Wang Lei would disappear and never come back and he could finally inherit the throne. Your Highness? Is that even his title anymore? Why did Wang Lei have to come back and just who does he think he is?
Wang Jin withdrew the sword from the pathetic corpse and threw the sword back at the guards who caught it swiftly. He laughed and turned to them, "Your Highness? Me? Your Highness? Is that even my title anymore?"
No one dared to make a sound. Making a sound at such critical moment was similar to signing a death warrant. He smiled to himself as he looked ahead.
"Wang Lei, you Bastard! Oh, just wait and see."
He began to walk away, not caring if they were following behind or not.
........
Elder Wei sat under the plum tree, drinking a clear liquid and listening to the sound of the wind. His long white beard was now cut short and the wrinkles on his face seemed to have increased. He heard footsteps approaching but he didn't bother to check. Elder Mu spoke as he walked closer, "What are you doing here all by yourself? Drinking?"
Elder Wei said nothing. Elder Mu sighed and folded his hands behind him, "You've been this way ever since that child was sent down. She can do well on her own."
"You knew she didn't do that....and you still had her sent down." Elder Wei finally opened his mouth and turned to face the other man. Elder Wei looked up at the tree and down at the petals on the floor.
"Flowers are blooming already?" He asked rhetorically. Elder Wei just sipped from his cup until he heard Elder Mu's voice again, "You were involved too, weren't you? We all saw evidence of everything."
"Evidence? Mu Xiaoshe, you know the truth. A-li would never do such. I strongly believe she was framed by we-know-who." Elder Wei said calmly and Elder Mu flared up, "What are you trying to say? Are you accusing Ziyi of stealing the sacred sword?"
Elder Wei turned to him fully and shook his head, "I never called names. Why would you automatically assume it's your daughter? Is there something I should know about?"
Elder Mu took the small cup from him and emptied his contents into his own throats. After he had drank, he smiled slyly, "Wei Yuyan, you've always had a soft spot for that girl. That war-orphaned girl."
"Since when did our sect discriminate against war orphans?" Elder Wei asked. His demeanor was calm and contained as usual. No wonder he was the Sect Leader. Before Elder Mu could come up with a response, Zhu Xin ran towards them with a panic-stricken face. Elder Wei immediately stood up and Elder Mu asked, "Child, what is the problem?"
Elder Wei focused on her too, eager to hear whatever had caused a ruckus bact there. Zhu Xin bowed in respect as she continued to pant heavily. When she finally found her voice, she managed to speak.
"Elders, please come with me quickly."
Elder Wei urged, "What is the matter, Zhu Xin?"
"There's a fire and...and...." Zhu Xin tried to speak but she couldn't.
"And what?" Elder Mu pressed on, his patience wearing out.
"And someone's dead."