CG Chapter 173: Last Prince of Han
Some might believe that being gifted with a good family that cares about you when you're low, loving companions who stand beside you even against the whole world, a good life without much suffering is the highest blessing one can wish for in life. In reality, this could turn into a curse more cruel and painful than any other.
A man who has never known the light of hope will believe that the darkness of suffering is but the color this world was painted by.
The higher the peak, the harder the fall. And when fate knocks, it knocks hard. No matter how one struggles to escape, they are merely dancing in the palm of its hand.
…
The sixth prince of Han, Han Yi, had returned to the Star Gazing Sect he had treated not too long ago with utmost contempt and arrogance.
This time, however, he wasn't there as the Exalted prince of Han, but as a mere trifling pilgrim seeking refuge under the mercy of the same ant-like commoners he once viewed with cold disdain.
After being received by the warm welcome and overwhelming generosity of the Star Gazing Sect's young disciples, he was guided into a room where he had a chance to wash and change from his travel-worn clothing.
Heavens only knew how hard and treacherous the journey to this place had been. Surviving the winding journey from the heart of the empire to the borders would have been hard for anyone at any time.
This was even more accurate for a young boy who had just witnessed the fall of his entire family in front of his own eyes. Not to mention the countless bandits and crooks that filled the borders during the chaotic times after the rise of a new empire.
The only thing that kept him going thus far was the thought of survival, and more importantly, vengeance. Retribution against the man who had taken everything from him, the idea of holding Wu Wuqing's severed head was the only reason he was able to make it until now.
At some point, his body was fated to give up. And for Han Yi, that time was when he had reached the room they had prepared for him.
A bowl of still-hot rice porridge was waiting for him on the wooden table; it was as if they had known of his arrival long ago.
Han Yi's mind, however, couldn't think of any of this as his throat started to gulp at the savory aroma that filled the room. After finishing his meal, he had the chance to wash the dust of the journey and fatigue from himself.
He knelt in the hot water of the tub, gazing mindlessly into the old wooden canopy of the bath as if he were replaying that scene countless times over.
At the moment, the scene that remained engraved in his mind till this moment wasn't of his family, but Wu Wuqing's chuckle after he had severed his father's head with the same sword he used to train him with.
A stream of silent tears came from each of Han Yi's eyes as he, for the first time in his life, truly felt alone.
He understood the tricks and underworkings of the imperial family; until not long ago, he thought that he was hated by his father and siblings, which was the main reason he had been acting like a good-for-nothing prince, as he feared what might happen if his brothers saw him as a threat.
Yet after returning to the capital, he had realized that his father, who had been thought lost in his own madness, had foreseen the fall of their empire.
The true reason why his father, the Emperor of Great Han, sent him to the Star Gazing Sect with such a grand gift wasn't for any teaching, but as a last-ditch effort to save the last remnant of the Han imperial bloodline.
A painful, throat-aching chuckling came out of his mouth; it sounded more like the laugh of a grieving ghost that was stuck not belonging to either Heaven or Earth, stuck in an endless cycle of suffering and anguish.
Some time passed.
As the thought of Wu Wuqing crossed his mind again, Han Yi clenched his hand so forcefully that his fingers dug into his flesh, his blood staining the surface of the tub red.
Ultimately, he stood from the tub, drenched in water, as he readied himself to meet the Grand Overseer.
After he had changed into his new clothes, Han Yi walked out of the room, where he was guided by the same snotty-nosed disciple to where the Grand Overseer waited.
Han Yi walked through the same winding road; the scenes were the same ones he had seen before, of disciples training and studying the celestial bodies, and the music was the same one that irritated him.
Everything was the same, yet everything was different. The music felt serene, soothing Han Yi's turbid heart and bringing him peace. The disciples, who had once seemed annoying, now appeared steadfast. Perhaps he was the one who had changed?
The moment he saw the Grand Overseer, he cupped his hands in respect. "Han... Han Yi greets the respected Grand Overseer. This foolish one has shown you great disrespect prior, yet you welcomed me with open arms in my most desperate moment. If this one's fate is to change once more, I shall promise upon my own name and heart to repay this kindness a thousandfold."
The Grand Overseer remained unaffected by Han Yi's words, as if they fell on a flat surface. Instead, he was welcomed by a question, "Fate. What is fate...? We claim to see through the veil of the stars. The sect that is closest to the heavens, but what are the heavens? And what fate do we seek? If fate has truly been sealed, then what meaning does the farmer who rises each day to feed his children hold? What drives the bird to wake up in the morning to chase its meal? What purpose does our sect hold if we can't change what is fated?"
At first glance, the Grand Overseer's words seemed to be directed at him, but he felt as if the Overseer wasn't even expecting him to answer, as he knew that they held a more profound significance.
"Even if things can't be changed, if we don't even try, are we worth living? You say your eyes see through the stars, yet what can you see through yourself?" Han Yi responded defiantly; he sensed that if he were to go along with the Grand Overseer's words, he would be giving up the sacrifice of his father and family.
Hearing that somewhat childishly naive tone, the Grand Overseer's eyes glowed for a fleeting moment as his gaze shifted toward Han Yi, returning with his familiar smile.