Heavenly Star

“Father, what shall we do next, could we really…” Ye Wei with a gloomy face, his heart was heavy as if being pushed down by a large stone of thirty thousand catties. It was so hard to bear, it made him almost unable to breathe. He would rather face a hundred invaders from the Gale Nation all by himself instead of enduring this torture.

During ancient times, to maintain the peace between the two nations, there were numerous distant marriages of the daughters of the royal families to the neighboring nations. Marrying off the daughter of a general was a very normal thing, but the Ye Family was clearly different, they had been loyal for several generations and killed numerous people of the Gale Nation to protect their own nation. The people they hated most were the people from the Gale Nation. It could even be said that the main reason of the Ye Family’s existence was to go against the Gale Nation. If a daughter of the Ye Family was forced to marry the crown prince of the Gale Nation… It would be the most unacceptable blow and humiliation to the Ye Family!

The Ye Family was unwilling to accept any kind of bully and humiliation. Although Ye Shuiyao’s way of shutting off herself from the world for so many had made their father and daughter relationship weaker, she was still his only daughter, interrelated through bone and flesh. How could he endure the pain of seeing her marry and join the Gale Nation?

From the moment he came back from the banquet last night, Ye Wei had not been able to sleep. Now, he was weary because of being mentally and physically exhausted. He had told the entire story to Ye Nu, including all the things that Feng Ling had said during the banquet, from Feng Lie’s wildest schemes, Kui Shui Nation’s unusual changes, the current situation of the Gale Nation, as well as the conditions that were being suggested. Apart from being astounded at first, Ye Nu occasionally interrupted a few words, afterwards he never said anything further, and just silently listened. After Ye Wei had narrated everything, Ye Nu’s body was already as stiff as a rock, as he sat speechless.

“Father, what should we do?” he asked again. Staring at his father who seemed to suddenly become very old, Ye Wei evidently knew that his current mood was as gloomy as his.

“For you to ask this question, it clearly explains that you already have an option in mind, but you are reluctant to say it and unwilling to face it so you want me to say it instead.” Ye Nu started to talk unhurriedly, his aged voice was dull and powerless, somehow surprisingly husky.

Ye Wei’s heart jumped, then in an urgent voice he said, “But father…”

“Don’t try to resist it anymore.” Ye Nu interrupted him, closing his old eyes, he said in a low and deep voice, “You are forty years old this year, no longer a young man. You have already gone through the age of indecisiveness and allowing your emotions to affect your decisions. Although this sacrifice will be painful for us, is it really worth it… Is it really hard to weigh the matter?”

Ye Wei stared blankly for a moment, then heaved out a long sigh, as he collapsed onto the chair in front of Ye Nu.

“Our Tian Long Nation and the Gale Nation will have a war sooner or later, yet it shouldn’t happen at this very moment. They had been preparing for the entirety of the twenty years, and they intended to launch a large scale attack during a very unexpected time. While we gradually lost our vigilance during twenty years of peace and security, are now completely unprepared… Even more, the Kui Shui Nation is likely to have complied with the Gale Nation. If we were to start a war at this moment, how high will the be Tian Long Nation’s chance of victory? How high are our chances to survive?”

“……”

“Five years… These five years would be sufficient to change the fate of our Tian Long Nation… Wei-er, since your childhood, I have always encouraged you to fully familiarize yourself on the books on the art of war. Furthermore, I personally taught you to arrange the disposition of troops, to scheme against the enemy, and every time I would go against your mother to let you rush to the battlefield. What was my reason for doing this?”

“To protect Tian Long Nation, protect our Ye Family’s honor… Without Tian Long Nation, there will be no Ye Family. We must never to allow those terrible wolves to set foot or snatch away even a single inch of our Tian Long Nation’s land.” Ye Wei clearly spoke out every word. This similar statement was told to him by his grandfather when he was very very young, his father had also told him. He was unable to forget it, he would not dare to forget it.

“That’s right… If Tian Long Nation died out during this generation of the Ye Family, then the efforts for several generations as well as our unyielding faith would come to nothing. The Ye Family will become a speck of dust in history and we will become criminals of Tian Long Nation and the Ye Family. After our death, how can we have the face our ancestors who will look after us in the underworld? Using one person’s life in exchange for all of these, is it worth it?” Ye Nu’s hands firmly gripped onto the left and right armrests of the chair, his fingers almost firmly sunk into them. Having heard what Ye Wei had said, his heart was overwhelmed with hate and pain which were far greater than what Ye Wei had felt. But he was already an old man, he had already experienced a lot of bumpy roads along the way, had gone through too much trials and hardships. He had long passed the impulsive age, with the obvious pros and cons, he knew all along what option the Ye Family ought to choose.

“Worth… it…” Ye Wei held his head and with great difficulty he squeezed out these two words from between his teeth.

He did not know how many years had passed, he never cared and never asked about his own daughter. Perhaps after a much longer time, he might forget about the existence of his own daughter. Facing Ye Shuiyao, how could he mention this matter?

“I know, as a father you might not be able to say some words. Let this grandfather of hers handle it. Based on Yao-er’s character… Ai!”

Ye Nu stood up and left with heavy steps. Ye Wei looked at his old figure which seemed lonely, his nose went sour. He was aware that the bitterness in his father’s thoughts was not any lesser than his. During the days when the only son of Ye Family had disappeared, this old man had stood in the middle of the cold wind for exactly two days and two nights, motionless like a wooden sculpture. Although he was always serious and old-fashioned, his love and care for his children were always deep, never less than any other person. This time, he would have to persuade a person who belonged to the bloodline of the Ye Family to forever depart from the Ye Family, and marry to the Gale Nation… What he was feeling right now, must be like the feeling as if having his heart cut out.

Ye Shuiyao’s small courtyard was as elegant as usual and particularly silent. He could not see the shadows of maids or house helpers. Ye Nu stood beside the entrance of the courtyard for a very long time before he entered.

“Who’s there?”

Having heard the sound of footsteps while Ye Shuiyao was painting a white lotus flower, she lightly raised her brows, but she did not lift her head when she asked in a cold voice.

Ye Nu who was already by the doorsteps paused, then he gently pushed open the door.

The light sweet scent of a woman directly rushed forth as the simple arrangement of the room appeared before his eyes. The feeling that brought upon him was unfamiliar. He already forgot the last time he had visited his granddaughter’s room. In short, it was already long long time ago.

Ye Shuiyao finally lifted up her head, seeing Ye Nu, she was slightly startled as she stood up. She calmly called out, “Grandpa.”

Ye Nu nodded his head and slowly came inside as his eyes observed every corner of the room, “Yao-er, although we are living in the same house, grandpa actually didn’t see you for quite a very long time, it’s grandpa’s fault.”

Ye Shuiyao poured a cup of tea and put it on the small table which was nearest to where Ye Nu was seated, “Grandpa, please sit down.”

She was still clear and cold. Even though she was facing her own grandfather, her facial expression was still the usual stiff face, one almost could not see any trace of emotions. Ye Nu was not able to understand the true reason why she became like living under the atmosphere in the Ye Family.

Ye Nu shook his head, hinting that he does not need to sit down. He opened his mouth to say something but he hesitated, and said instead, “Yao-er, can you tell grandpa what you are usually doing in this place? Staying inside the room for a very long, it will be better if you go out more to walk around.”

“Reading and painting.” Ye Shuiyao answered concisely and comprehensively. Before, she painted in order to express her emotions, but now, she similarly did so, but the fundamental nature of the emotion had drastically changed and headed into a dangerous direction.

“Oh? Painting?” Ye Nu’s eyes looked at the table which was piled up in a thick layer of painting papers, with a smiling face he said, “Will you let grandpa take a good look at your painting? It must be nice and beyond compare, during those days your grandma also loved to paint, too bad I wasn’t able to appreciate it while she was here. When she died, I could only look at her paintings, to remind me of her.”

Ye Shuiyao did not nod her head and her face was obviously uneasy. If it was before, she had no reason to decline, but now, she did not want any other person apart from Ye Wuchen to see her current paintings. No matter how hard she tried to restrain and warn herself, she was still putting all her emotions and it tormented her deep inside her heart as she painted with great struggle as if being possessed by them.

Ye Nu saw her hesitation and quickly said, “Better forget it, grandpa is a rough man, I wouldn’t be able to appreciate such elegant matters. Now that I am old, I wouldn’t be able to know the interesting things in the paintings.”

He turned around and lifted up the teacup which Ye Shuiyao had laid down for him, took a small sip, then narrowing his eyes, gently appreciating its taste, “Grandpa… has never tasted tea that was personally made by you for so many years.”

Deep inside his heart, a low and painful voice lingered. Perhaps in the future, he would not be able to taste it anymore…

He heavily drank the tea that splashing on his heart full of hesitation. Ye Nu’s martial skills was not very high. He was weaker than the current Ye Wuchen, but those who had directly and indirectly died by his hand were countless. He was a man who never flinched even if his body was stained with blood, a man who would face a thousand soldiers without any fear. Throughout his life, he had never felt sorry for a person… Now, with a head full of white, he felt sorry for his own family.

When the warm tea was consumed, he heaved out a long sigh and put down the teacup as he gradually calm down his mind. He had not forgotten the reason he came here, even if his heart was more than a hundred percent unwilling, he must not hesitate further.

Ye Shuiyao just stood there motionless, so both of them were in a tense situation. Ye Nu’s sudden arrival, as well as his evidently odd reaction made Ye Shuiyao feel that he must have something to say. She did not take the initiative to inquire further and just silently waited for him to say it. What she ought to do was to simply reply with a yes or no.

“Yao-er, how old are you this year?”

“19 years old.” Ye Shuiyao answered.

Ye Nu shook his head, laughed at himself, “Look at me, your grandfather couldn’t even remember his own granddaughter’s age… Oh, right, you are two years older than Chen-er. Chen-er is 17 this year, you’re indeed 19.” He suddenly sighed, “19 years old. It’s already the marrying age. Yao-er, is there anyone you like?”

Ye Shuiyao almost never stepped out of the house, how could she like anyone? When Ye Nu asked this question, he already had this answer in mind. What surprised him was, based on Ye Shuiyao’s character, she would coldly answer it with “none,” but she instead flashed a touch of mournful and confused emotion on her glamorous face, her eyes stared blankly for a long time before she shook her head and replied, “None.”

Translated by:

Fatty_Uncle

Edited by:

seriouspotato patrick_father_of_dragons