A teary reunion was in order. The mother's eyes were an overflowing river of emotions. The son's heart was palpitating like the beat of the midnight gong. None can approach the other. In fear of the consequences of their own action.
But mother's heart can never not forgive a son.
"Son. Mother is sorry. Mother rejected to see you. Mother is very sorry."
The old frail woman's body finally held her youngest son gathering him in her arms like the precious jewel he was.
"No mother. Shengsheng was the reason for father's death. Shengsheng is sorry."
She held her sons face with both her palms and made him look into her eyes, the sincerely her words held.
"Shengsheng. Look. It was not your fault. It was mother, who feared to lose another child. You are safe in the Xiang Wang's palace. So I thought if I reject you you would stop coming and stay there. I didn't know my naive Xiao Long would keep coming back. That mother's little dragon would long for mother so much."
The mother had so much to clarify, the son had so much to say. But their tears said it all. The emotions that were to be conveyed were conveyed.
The mother listened to everything the son's beating heart silently said. And the son calmed down under the mother's affection again.
Maybe there was a bright side of everything too. Because as the saying goes, only the rain can make sure there is a rainbow.
And for Liu Changsheng this was the little piece of rainbow.
It's true that he has to live without his lao gong. It's true he has live without his father, his brothers, his sisters. But he's got his mother to spend the rest of his life in the peace he craved in the palace.
But unknown to him, his peaceful days here was going to end. When a certain monk came to meet him in chengli villege.
One morning when young master Liu was coming back from collecting woods he found Monk Han standing in front their hut.
"Monk Han!"
"Liu Changsheng."
"Greetings Monk Han."
"I'm here to make an offer for you."
Liu Changsheng was taken aback. What offer can Monk Han make.
"Come in."
"No, Liu Changsheng. I'm here to offer your sword to you and give you a choice."
The old man's eyes were as still as the north sea.
"Everything that happened in your life has something to do with me too. So I want to make it right. Xuehui is a portal to time and space. So if you want, you can choose to go back to the past and make your life right. Nothing has been ruined in that timeline yet."
Liu Changsheng wanted to to say yes. But he has his mother here. What happens to her if he leaves suddenly.
"What would happen to me in this timeline, if I choose to go back?"
The monk had a serene smile on his face. "This timeline will be destroyed the moment you go back and destroy Xuehui."
"And why would I destroy Xuehui?"
"For your future to not turn out to be the same as it is now." He kept enlightening the young master. "To destroy any connection to this timeline. You have seen how they're connected."
And thus Liu Changsheng took the hardest and most wisest decision he had ever taken. To go back. It was also somehow the easy way out. To not be hurt he could choose to go back. What is the best there could be.
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Inside the guest chambers of the imperial palace a frail body sat up suddenly after waking up, startling the other two figures present in the room.
"Liu Gongzi."
"Shengsheng."
But none of them could go near him because a safron clad figure was standing right in front of the bed holding a sword. Xuehui to be precise.
"Monk Han?" He looks around. Finding his second brother sitting at a distance. "I'm back?" Then he looks at his surroundings again. As if to double check. "I'm back!"
"You're back. Use this chance wisely. You have a lot to do." Monk Han gave Liu Changsheng his sword back. "You know what to do."
And just like that he starts to leave. But before he can leave completely, he turned back.
"I would have you know Liu Changsheng, that destroying a portal has its backlash. Be prepared for everything. Now it's time for me to leave."
"Where are you going?"
"Remember? The hole you create in time and space, you have fill it."
The serene smile the old man's face showed, acted as a reassurance that no matter what happens, this time everything will be right. That this time Liu Changsheng can do it.
A blurry figure came into the line of vision of the man on the bed. A purple and black court dress graced the tired beauty that is the fourth prince. Standing there motionless for a few moments before cautiously approaching the man he loves so dearly.
"Liu Gongzi."
"Wangye!" Liu Changsheng's eyes showed the same pain that was there the night he pushed the dagger through the man's heart.
"Th-the da-dagger! Wangye! The dagger I-I." He couldn't finish what he wanted to say before collapsing in broken-hearted tears into the warm embrace of the welcoming arms. "I pushed the dagger. I didn't mean to. I am sorry. I am so sorry."
But the fourth prince's face showed honesty.
"Mei shi le. It did not hurt."
Liu Changsheng looks at his face, trying to find the pretense of attempted comfort but found nothing but genuinity. Nothing but honesty. Nothing, but love.
The fourth prince's voice was as smooth as honey dripping slowly from the doddle into the pot.
"I was protecting the emperor. I was doing my duty. It's not your fault." He raised the tear stained face making the fragile injured man look into his eyes. "It did not hurt at all."
A frown slowly formed on the dethroned Wangfei's face. A lifetime away he did all those things. Then,,, he thought.
"Are you?"
"I'm not."
The older man held the younger teen closer to his heart holding tightly as if afraid they'll disappear.
"I may have done a lot of things to hurt you in that timeline. But I promise from this day forward, I will only cherish you, love you, protect you. I will prove with my actions how my sentiments are sincere. I will prove myself to you. Until then can you promise me something?"
"What promise?" The hesitation in Liu Changsheng's heart was slowly dissipating into something more innocent. Something a man like him should feel.
"Promise me you'll wait. I will come to you myself. I will come to you a better man. Will you wait?"
The smile through those tears gracing the half moon eyes were finally genuine. Finally those eyes could see through the phoenix eyes. The golden ember around the dark brown orbs finally comforted his broken heart of two lifetimes.
And maybe this time he was willing to take the risk.
Maybe this time the risk was worth it.
Hello everyone!! Here's a new chapter!! And Liu Changsheng decided the easy way out!! What do you think?
My phone just came back from the operator's after repairing.... And finally I'm able to update!! Hope it doesn't start making trouble again!! Fingers crossed!
And if anyone didn't tell you today,
You're beautiful
You're loved
You're enough
You're worth it
And I love you!!
Sending all the good energy and love your way!
All the love
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