Heavenly Star

“As your servant, I know I have offended Your Majesty, and it is a major offense. But I earnestly request Your Majesty to cancel the marriage agreement. All the consequences, all the punishments, I’ll am willing to endure them all!”

Lin Xiu snorted angrily, “For you to endure? How will you do that? His Majesty has always respected you, and is always generous to your Hua Family, but now you are arrogant from such favor, even compelling His Majesty to commit betrayal. Do you still even respect His Majesty?”

The Emperor and the Empress simultaneously expressed their violent rage, the situation went rigid, the atmosphere was dense with repression. People shook their heads in succession, for Hua Zhentian was not destined to have his wish fulfilled today, but had instead lead to the Emperor’s anger.

“Do I still respect His Majesty?” Hua Zhentian lifted his head. He mumbled in a low voice for a while, then suddenly laughed bitterly, “Hohohoho… Hahahaha! Ever since I was a child I have lived for His Majesty. I live for Tian Long Nation. The loyalty that I, Hua Zhentian, has shown can be witnessed by the sun, moon, heaven and earth! Every person here can confirm it! Have I ever done anything unworthy of His Majesty, even of Tian Long Nation? Have I ever been disobedient to His Majesty?”

The people secretly shook their heads one by one. Although Hua Zhentian’s nature was solid and rough, not one to confine himself to etiquette, he was not rude or impetuous. Everybody knew of his loyalty towards the Royal Family, no one had the right to be skeptical of him.

“Everyone knows that my Hua Family had risen up to power due to our famous mines and poisonous flames. Nobody dares to provoke us because of them. But did you know that if it wasn’t for Tian Long Nation, I would never even touch those things. The presence of such things could easily cause the death of every person in the Hua Family. When I was thirteen, my mother was killed by an explosion, when I was twenty, my father was killed by another explosion. Before my father died, he told me, ‘For the safety of His Majesty, and for the safety of Tian Long Nation, even if we are to die with torn bodies and crushed bones, we still have to press on’.”

“Until his death, he still worried about Your Majesty and Tian Long Nation. He was not even able to get a glimpse of his own granddaughter. Even if I lost my parents, I have never had thoughts of abandoning those mines. Later on, I had a wife and daughter. When my daughter was seven years old, my wife also died from an explosion. Aside from my daughter, I have nothing. I really have nothing left!!”

After Hua Zhentian let out his loudest roar, his round, tiger-like eyes welled up with tears. This man, as rough as an iron bar, had finally cried for the first time and in front of all these people. The impression he gave was still the mountain-like version of Hua Zhentian. Losing a mother, losing a father, and then losing his wife, this carefree man had endured all the pain with gritted teeth all these years. The main culprit was the mines which the Royal Family of Tian Long used to intimidate other nations. It can be said that he had lost everything for Tian Long Nation. Who had the right to mock his tears? Who would doubt his loyalty?

The anger in Long Yin’s face completely disappeared. He sighed lightly, “General Hua, all these years have been so hard for you.”

“Your Majesty, I’m no longer in pain. Even if I were to die with a torn body and crushed bones, I will be willing to do them for Your Majesty without any complaints. But I only have one daughter, she is also the last of the Hua Family. Even if I were to die a thousand times, I will not allow my daughter to suffer from anything. Because of Your Majesty and Tian Long Nation, I felt sorry for my parents, for my wife. I never want to feel sorry for my daughter. Your Majesty, please consider my many years of loyalty and grant my unreasonable request!”

Hua Zhentian had spoken in a tearful voice. He heavily kowtowed, knocking his forehead on the solid marble floor.

“Your Majesty!” an old official, full of tears, stepped forward and knelt beside Hua Zhentian, begging, “General Hua is not only our Tian Long Nation’s pillar, but he is also a father to his own daughter! I am also a father, I can completely understand what General Hua is feeling right now. General Hua has been loyal to our nation. He has sacrificed much, but never asks for anything in return. I also boldly request Your Majesty to agree to General Hua’s request.”

Yet another man knelt in front of Long Yin, “Your Majesty, although General Hua has made an offense, he has been wholly devoted. He can’t help offend Your Majesty because of his daughter, which is highly respectable. I beg Your Majesty to consider all his years of loyalty and devotion, and agree to General Hua’s request. I also couldn't bear to see my own daughter and her lover to be separated, and suffer throughout their lives.”

“...Please agree to his request, Your Majesty!”

“Your Majesty, please give your favor.”

……………………

These people originally came here to witness the engagement between the Hua and the Lin Family and were starting to request the cancellation of the wedding on behalf of Hua Zhentian. Lin Xiao finally let out a long sigh, lacking the strength, he sat down. Lin Zhan’s facial color grew ashen and his face became so ugly it was as if he had eaten a pile of feces.

Ye Wuchen stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, please allow it.”

Long Yin directed a meaningful glance at Ye Wuchen, then deeply sighed, “After all these years, I definitely owe the Hua Family much. For the Hua Family, it won’t hurt to become a person who breaks their promise just this one time. I’ll be willing to cancel the marriage arrangement we set six year ago between the Lin and the Hua families, but General Hua must agree to my one request.”

General Hua said excitedly, “Please tell me, Your Majesty, and I will surely obey.”

“Are you aware that I have already betrothed my precious daughter, Princess Fei Huang, to Ye Wuchen?” Long Yin asked.

“I am aware!”

“I have already done it, so I cannot break it. If the Hua Family’s daughter is to be married into the Ye Family, it should be after three years when Princess Fei Huang has married into the Ye Family. Do you have any objections?”

After three years? Ye Wuchen secretly let out a cold laugh. This was a really good scheme. After finding a killer to murder me, these two marriages would be a joke, right? Ho!

Hua Zhentian said without hesitation, “The princess is invaluable. Also, she was the one who was betrothed first, how can my daughter be first? This is necessary, so I have no objections.”

“Lin Xiao, Ai… I will arrange another marriage for you. General Lin, do you have objections?”

Lin Zhan smiled painfully. He lowered his head and said, “Everything will be decided by Your Majesty.”

“I’m…tired.” Long Yin flungs his hand powerlessly, then turned around to leave. Empress Lin Xiu stared at Ye Wuchen for a while, then quietly followed. Neither she nor anyone noticed Ye Wuchen who was close to her as she turned, flick his finger. Ash grey air, which he had saved up for a very long time, penetrated her back. At the same time, the corner of his mouth smiled grimly as he was undetected.

Ash grey symbolized the element of death. This grey colored air, was naturally death in the form of air. It was one of the six elements that he could control.

If Lin Xiu had a little bit of cultivation, this act would have been detected by her. Ye Wuchen believed that nobody would know what kind of air it was. To Heavenly Star Continent’s knowledge, only water, fire, wind, thunder, earth, brightness, and darkness were the known elements. They do not know of life, death, and soul as the three elements of destiny or even of their existence. Because of this, no one knew how the black forest surrounding the Devil’s Trap Pagoda had been formed. They only believed that it was the curse of the woman who was punished by the heavens.

“Thanks to Your Majesty for the grand favor!” facing the retreating Long Yin’s back, Hua Zhentian roared loudly.

After Long Yin left, the people said their goodbyes and dispersed one by one. No one wished to say a word. Wedged between the Hua, the Lin, and the Ye, these three rich and powerful families, they did not know how to console this awkward situation. Maintaining silence was the best thing they could do. Lin Zhan forced a smile on his face to return the politeness, and he abandoned his intentions to stab Hua Zhentian with a knife.

Today’s incident would surely spread across the entire Tian Long Nation. After the big scandal regarding the marriage circulating around, Lin Xiao and the Lin Family’s prestige would have already vanished off the face of the earth. The young lady of the Hua Family had affections for the young man of Ye. In order to not marry Lin Xiao, she was even willing to offend the Emperor just to break the promise of marriage. This would surely become a big joke and a topic of mockery for the famous Lin Xiao.

Following the literary and martial competition that day, Lin Xiao was yet again defeated and left in a hopeless position.

“You win.” Lin Xiao said from behind Ye Wuchen. He had spoken with a desolate expression, though oddly without any anger.

“Don’t you plan to take revenge, or to take her back by all means?” Ye Wuchen inclined his head with a smile on his face.

“No,” Lin Xiao shook his head, “You can call me a coward, but no matter what, I refuse to become the enemy of a terrible person.”

“So even though it has turned into this horrible situation, you are still willing to concede?” Ye Wuchen plainly glanced at him, “Master Lin, having a friend is better than having an enemy. You thought I will incur another enemy without a reason? Sometimes you cannot just avoid something by not thinking about it or being unwilling to do it. For you to make such remarks, it proves that you’re still unclear where your family stands. You used your being in the Lin Family for the twenty years to achieve what you had, but me, I only used two days. This is the difference between you and me. So, I’m not afraid of the methods that you would use for your revenge, because you are not even qualified to be my enemy.”

Without any further remarks, Ye Wuchen walked past him, leaving a baffled Lin Xiao who looked like he had lost his soul.

“Elder Hua, please get up.”

After Long Yin had left, Hua Zhentian was still kneeling down. His actions today were certainly offensive for a person who had been loyal throughout his life. This was sufficient to make him feel guilty. Ye Wuchen lent an arm to support him, Hua Zhentian did not resist and stood grinning, “You need to call me father-in-law.”

“Father-in-law.” Ye Wuchen called out sincerely.

“That’s pretty good, Ai! Three years, then. Three years…..” He sighed and tried to lower his voice and fiercely said, “Within these three years, if you are to die, I will surely dig up your grave and draw out your bones!”

“Don’t you worry, father-in-law. As long as I don’t intend to die, nobody can take my life.” Ye Wuchen said.

“Good! Remember what you said… Oh! My precious daughter is still outside the door. I reckon she will be worried. You must go and accompany her.” Hua Zhentian mumbled.

“I’ll go right away.” Ye Wuchen quickly headed out upon hearing these words.

Translated by: Fatty_Uncle

Edited by: seriouspatata and patrick_father_of_dragons