Chapter 181: The Promise Between Brothers
The Emperor who wasn’t very happy about everything happening around him knew what his brother might be feeling but he saw Rijun actually in a fowl mood which was so unlike him. His mood only got worse when Shengli began to speak and only his noble upbringing was stopping himself from hitting Shengli in the face.
Rijun met his sister last evening and the ghastly sight of her made his blood boil. She was always something else and had moods of her own but he had only seen her almost this devastated previously when Shengli disappeared for a while. But if this is this hurting for both of them to do, why do it? Why not find an alternate solution?
Of course Rijun wasn’t privy to everything the trio witnessed in the temple and then at the Audience Hall of the Heavenly Emperor and no one else did, including his father. They didn’t tell anyone that they are involved in the nasty entanglements of the three realms’ future somehow.
"What? Did you change your mind, brother?", the Emperor asked. He meant it. There is still time for changes...
Shengli took a deep breath and pulled out a white pouch from his pocket. Both the Emperor and Rijun opened their eyes wide by the expression Shengli had on him... Like he was looking at the most precious thing in the entire world... Like it was his soul he was holding in his hands... Like he would usually look at her...Mingxia!
Rijun recognised that awfully embroidered white pouch... Isn’t this made of the same white silk my sister had it on her for a while some months back? I would recognise that hideous embroidery two towns away. She even had the audacity to claim that was a wolf she was making and then hid it from me because I mocked her for it.. So she made it for him...? And she had the guts to give that monstrosity to him and he is actually... treasuring it..?
As usual, Rijun could not understand those two but if that is the case, why are they trying to be away from each other?
Shengli gently traced his fingers over the pouch made of the cloth she embroidered. She was going to throw it away but he couldn’t fathom the thought of throwing away something she made for him thinking about him. So he made a pouch out of it and he even stored a lock of her hair bound with a lock of his hair inside the pouch. He had known of a tradition in the Fire Kingdom that a husband and wife would cut a lock of their hair and bind it together wishing they’ll stay together for the rest of their life and it was customary for them to put it in the alter they have for their god in their home. But Shengli had always kept it on his person till now. Gods were never to be trusted in their case anyways...
But I cannot keep it with me now...
Shengli had known from his recent stay with Shihong that he is more powerful than before or he hid all his potential till now. Even though his base of operations in the Wind Kingdom were all brought down by Xing, he didn’t seem that worried about it as he must and he still had many more connections and cash flow seemingly from other kingdoms which Shengli couldn’t investigate to the full extent while he was there. That’s why he had arrived to the conclusion that there should be some insider who should help them bring down Shihong but now as the situation has been in more dire state than he originally thought, he himself decided to be the one to do it. Also Shihong would lose his guard only around him...