Chapter 42

For several days after the weather turned cool, Zong Zi Heng was busy in his orchid garden, preparing his flower beauties for winter.

The winter in Daming is very cold and many flower species are naturally delicate and fear the cold, so if the roots are not protected, they will not survive the long winter. Some need to be moved indoors and planted back into the soil next year, while others need to be covered with blankets and pressed with layer after layer of hay to keep them warm.

Zong Zi Heng's third sister, Zong Ruo Ning, also loves flowers, so she usually helps him out, and this year she has done the same.

Zong Zi Xiao, on the other hand, had never had such leisure time, but he insisted on sticking to his elder brother, so he was practicing his sword at the side.

"Ruo Ning, be careful with your hands."

"It's alright, as a sword cultivator, who still cares about delicate hands?" Zong Ruo Ning said briskly.

Zong Zi Heng laughed, "I was afraid that if you hurt your hand, you would be lazy and not practice."

Zong Ruo Ning pouted, "How can big brother say that about me, I'm not lazy." She glanced back at Zong Zi Xiao, "Ninth brother is the one who loves to be lazy."

"Since when? Ask big brother, when have I ever been lazy in the past three years." Zong Zi Xiao said unconvincingly.

"Well, Xiao Jiu knows how to behave now."

"That's because big brother is watching over you." Zong Ruo Ning said, "You should stop practicing, take a break and come over and do some work."

"Are you letting me rest, or are you letting me work?"

"Nonsense, do whatever sister tells you to do."

Zong Zi Xiao grunted lightly, put down his sword and came over to lend a hand, but after he had worked for a while he became misbehaved. He rubbed the dirt into Zong Ruo Ning's face, and the two siblings made a scene.

"Alright, alright, you two." Zong Zi Heng scolded with a smile, "Xiao Jiu, don't bully your sister. Ruo Ning, you are about to get married, why are you still acting like a child?"

"He was the one who started it." Zong Ruo Ning said sullenly, "Besides, it's not like I wanted to get married."

"Third sister, if you don't want to, why do you have to get married."

"You don't understand."

"It's because I don't understand, that’s why I'm asking you."

Zong Zi Heng looked at his witty and lovely sister, his heart felt begrudged: "Wuling is not far from Daming, big brother will visit you often."

When she was very young, Zong Ruo Ning had a marriage engagement with the son of the head of the Wuyun Sect. Now she’s an adult and would be married off after the New Year.

Unlike ordinary people, most people in the immortal sects are not in a hurry to get married because most of them live long and youthful lives. They are obsessed with cultivating in a lifetime, so it is not uncommon to see people who remained single, especially when female cultivators have the ability to go to great lengths and are not as easily manipulated as compared to ordinary daughters.

It's just a pity that they were born in a royal family and wrapped up in too much power. Sometimes even have less freedom than ordinary people.

"But I've never left the Daming, I've never left my mother, I ..." Zong Ruo Ning glanced at Zong Zi Heng fearfully, "Big brother, I'm a little scared."

Zong Zi Heng gently stroked her hair, "Don't be afraid, Mr. Xue is young and talented, he is a perfect match for you, you will definitely be happy."

Zong Zi Xiao also said, "Third sister, if he dares to bully you, big brother and I will go and beat him to death."

Zong Ruo Ning snorted with laughter.

A chambermaid suddenly hurried into the Orchid Garden, "Your Highness, Your Highness."

"What is it?"

"Consort Shen is throwing a tantrum at Qinghui Pavilion, you should go and take a look."

Zong Zi Heng put down the shovel in his hand and wiped his hands hastily, "You guys play by yourselves, big brother is leaving first." He ran towards Qinghui Pavilion with his long legs.

Zong Ruo Ning and Zong Zi Xiao looked at each other.

Just as they walked into the courtyard, they heard a breaking sound from inside, like the sound of broken porcelain.

"Mother." Zong Zi Heng hurriedly ran into Qinghui Pavilion and saw several servant girls and chambermaids all kneeling on the ground, not daring to breathe, with vases, tea sets, fish bowls and bonsai smashed all over the floor by Shen Shi Yao.

"Mother, what's going on here?!" Zong Zi Heng waved his hand and told his servants to all go down.

Shen Shi Yao's back was facing Zong Zi Heng, her slim shoulders heaving violently, obviously moved with great anger.

Zong Zi Heng lightened his steps and walked over, carefully holding her shoulders.

Shen Shi Yao turned around. Her eyes were red and her originally soft and beautiful face was now full of resentment and ruthlessness.

Zong Zi Heng was startled. He had never seen his mother like this before. Although his mother was somewhat jealous, it was all justifiable. The majority of the time, she was gentle and loving.

"What are you ... doing?"

Shen Shi Yao grabbed Zong Zi Heng's hand, looked at the sludge that he hasn’t washed away from his fingers, and said coldly, "You've gone to tend the flowers and plants again."

"..."

"As a prince, why do you like to do such work done by a servant?"

Zong Zi Heng said helplessly, "Mother, singing of the wind and the moon, and enjoying flowers and plants are elegant things to cultivate one's body and soul."

"You as a cultivator, don’t spend your efforts on cultivation, yet doing these useless things is just a waste of time!" Shen Shi Yao forced her eyes on Zong Zi Heng, "Your ninth brother is now in the limelight. In a few years' time, he might be above you. Why don't you know how to panic?!"

Zong Zi Heng's mouth was opened and speechless.

"Zong Zi Mo has the position of the crown prince and has powerful relatives. Zong Zi Xiao has supreme talent and the emperor's favor. What about you? What do you have?" Shen Shi Yao's delicate face almost twisted, "You have nothing!"

Zong Zi Heng squeezed Shen Shi Yao's shoulder and said softly, "Mother, what's wrong with you? Who has made you angry?"

Shen Shi Yao's eyes were filled with tears.

"Son doesn’t have nothing, this son has a mother." Zong Zi Heng gently wiped away Shen Shi Yao's tears that were about to come out of her frame.

Shen Shi Yao choked out, "The head of the Huaying Sect sent someone up to Daming to ask for marriage, and it was clearly you that he was interested in, but that bitch Li Xiang Tong said that Zong Zi Mo and the Hua family's daughter had met at the Jiaolong assembly, and they still miss each other."

Zong Zi Heng was stunned for a moment and slowly frowned: "Does second brother really like the Hua family’s daughter, or ..."

"If he really liked her, how could he have ignored her for three years?! Li Xiang Tong just can't see your good!" Shen Shi Yao shouted shrilly, "She wants to steal everything from me. She stole my husband, she stole my throne, she stole your throne, and now she even wants to steal your wife!"

"Mother, keep your voice down. Calm down." Zong Zi Heng was sweating coldly. Although this was their bedchamber, he was really afraid that there were ears outside the walls.

"How do you want me to calm down?" Shen Shi Yao gritted her teeth, "Do you still not understand? The marriage with the Huaying Sect is your only chance. Are you willing to lead a vain and humdrum life? You have already missed out on the Jiaolong assembly, you must not miss out on this marriage!"

"Mother, one's achievement ultimately lies in oneself. Even if I am not the son of Emperor Zong, as long as I concentrate on my cultivation, there will be a place for me in the immortal cultivation world."

"You speak so lightly, have you forgotten that you have a younger brother who is no less gifted than you?"

Zong Zi Heng was as if he had a fishbone stuck in his throat.

"You have nurtured him well, but have you ever thought that one day when he wins the championship at the Jiaolong assembly and gets the divine sword quenched by the Shen Nong Ding, you will have to live under his shadow for the rest of your life?"

More than once, Shen Shi Yao had explicitly and implicitly expressed her scorn for Zong Zi Xiao. He was reluctant to talk back to his mother, but never took it to heart either.

Zong Zi Heng sighed, "Mother, why do Ninth Brother and I have to be compared? Wouldn't it be stronger for us two brothers to join forces?"

"You ... how could you be so stupid!" Shen Shi Yao was so angry that she fiercely pushed Zong Zi Heng away, "You think you have deep brotherly love, but has the emperor treated you both equally? Weapons, magical treasures, immortal pills, cave houses, has he ever given you these things before? Will he give them to you in the future? You will only end up with nothing! Am I doing you a disservice by trying to get you to marry the daughter of a famous sect?!"

Zong Zi Heng pursed his lips, his heart clogged with pain. He whispered, "It's not that this son doesn't understand mother's painstaking efforts, it's just that ..."

Shen Shi Yao grabbed Zong Zi Heng's arm again with force and glared at him, "Listen carefully, although Li Xiang Tong crossed the line, but Hua family’s daughter may not look at that waste Zong Zi Mo. The emperor also knows what kind of virtue his first son is, so he’s hesitating. Next year, at the Jiaolong assembly, you should take the initiative, so that the Hua family’s daughter only marry you."

"This son does not know how to get along with the girl."

"Are you stupid? You have been out of the palace several times to travel and you can't even find a woman?"

Zong Zi Heng blushed.

"It's okay." Shen Shi Yao stroked Zong Zi Heng's face, "Mother has given birth to a handsome son, any girl will like you. Remember, I don't care what method you use, you must marry the Hua family’s daughter."

Shen Shi Yao was tired of making a fuss and was helped into the house by Zong Zi Heng to rest. Only after guarding her as she fell asleep did Zong Zi Heng walk out with a gloomy face.

His mind was still in turmoil, and when he looked up, he saw Zong Zi Xiao leaning on the doorpost, his boyish face had a few coldnesses on it.

Zong Zi Heng was startled in his heart. Zong Zi Xiao had been able to hide his scent, and he wondered when he had arrived and how much he had heard.

Zong Zi Xiao said coldly, "Consort Shen wants you to woo the Hua family’s daughter."

Zong Zi Heng nodded woodenly.

"So you're really going to do it?"

"... Big brother's heart is in turmoil, so go back."

"Why?" Zong Zi Xiao asked viciously.

The word "why" contains too many questions.

"Don't ask why. There are some questions that you can only understand when you grow up, and some questions that you may not understand even in your lifetime." Zong Zi Heng's voice was very low, he also had many "whys" in his heart, but he did not even have someone to ask them openly.

He felt that a lot of Shen Shi Yao’s point of views are inappropriate. He did not want to compete with his younger brother for favor, nor did he want to live a life of competition and calculation. He had grievances in his heart. He had been upset and resented his father's indifference and harshness towards him, but he did not want to confine himself to this place, either in body or in mind. He saw Jianghu before and knew that only birds can fly wherever the sky and sea are broad. As a man, how can he be depressed about this?

But his mother was already bound by this deep palace, thus he could not blame her for her narrow-mindedness, for he knew that she had suffered too much to dispel the hatred and grievances in her heart. His heart ached for his mother.

Zong Zi Heng's expression in his eye changed as he walked past Zong Zi Xiao and headed out.

"Big brother, where are you going?"

"To find your second brother."

 

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Edited on 24 Mar. 21 (Emzie)

 

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