Dance Of The Dragons
Chapter 304 : The End Of A Reign (5)

Chapter 304: Chapter 304 : The End Of A Reign (5)

"Your Majesty..."

Jiang Rufeng was visibly shaken when he saw the Empress’ appearance.

The Empress did not pay him any heed. She stumbled past Jiang Rufeng and Zhang Fengxi like someone who had lost part of her soul.

Once she saw the Emperor’s coffin, she threw herself in front of the coffin and cried out loud.

"Your Majesty...!!! Ahhhhh, Your Majesty!!!" she wailed uncontrollably as she gave in to her grief and sorrow.

The palace masters, who were gathered around the ice coffin, quickly offered words of comfort to the mourning empress.

"Your Majesty the Empress, please be strong."

"The empire needs you in this time of bereavement."

The Empress clutched the end of the late Emperor’s robe and wailed.

"Your Majesty, ahhhh... Your Majesty, why did you leave so soon? Your Majesty!!!"

Xie Jianshen’s gaze pinned the woman to the spot, his glare icy and unforgiving. The Empress spoke of the Emperor’s passing as if it were a natural occurrence, an unfortunate twist of fate rather than the heinous act of murder that it truly was.

But this was not the time for confrontation. Xie Jianshen’s heart ached for his younger brother, Xie Jianyu, who trembled in his arms like a frightened rabbit.

Xie Jianyu’s delicate frame shook with each sob, his tears soaking into Xie Jianshen’s robes. A wave of protectiveness washed over Xie Jianshen, his heart overflowing with love for his fragile, soft-hearted brother.

Gently, Xie Jianshen pressed a tender kiss to Xie Jianyu’s forehead, his touch as soft as a feather. At that moment, Xie Jianshen felt a surge of regret, a pang of sorrow for not realizing sooner how vulnerable and compassionate Xie Jianyu was.

Amidst the sea of mourners, Xie Jianzhi stood as an island of solitude, his gaze fixed on the imposing coffin that held the remains of his father, the Emperor. Yet, a cloud of confusion settled upon his brow, a silent question mark creased between his eyes.

Xie Jianzhi’s position as the Emperor’s illegitimate son relegated him to the fringes of the mourning, turning him into a silent observer rather than a participant in the collective sorrow.

He watched from a distance as his half-siblings, the palace masters who held the highest position in their clans, paid their respects to the fallen Emperor, their every gesture a testament to a bond he could never fully comprehend.

It was understandable for the onlookers, considering that he barely had any connection to his biological father.

It was customary for the family members to watch over the corpse for the first seven days.

Both Xie Jianshen and Zhang Fengxi asked Xie Jianyu to think about the baby in his stomach and not join the watch, but he insisted on being there every single day.

On the dawn of the seventh day, there were only three people who stood vigil - Xie Jianshen, Zhang Fengxi, and Xie Jianyu. Having stayed in the cold mausoleum for seven days straight, they were all on the brink of collapse.

"Little Yu, you should go and rest a little," Xie Jianshen furrowed his brows at his little brother.

"No," Xie Jianyu answered for the umpteenth time. "Big Brother, I can do it. It’s the seventh day*. Only a little more."

Xie Jianshen sighed.

"Alright, but you have to tell when you don’t feel comfortable."

"I will," Xie Jianyu promised.

A sudden, violent gust of wind tore through the mausoleum’s imposing doors, disrupting the hushed stillness of the chamber. It howled through the hall, its icy breath sending shivers down the spines of those gathered within.

The flickering flames of the torches danced wildly, casting eerie shadows that leaped and contorted across the walls.

Instinctively, Zhang Fengxi drew Xie Jianyu, closer, shielding him from the sudden chill that had descended upon the room. His brows furrowed in concern as he gazed at the wide-open doors, the wind still howling through the entrance like a mournful lament.

Xie Jianshen, his senses heightened by the eerie gust, rose to his feet. He turned towards the open door, his hand outstretched to close it, but as he did, a sound echoed through the mausoleum, a sound that sent shivers down his spine and raised the hairs on the back of his neck.

"My. Sons."

Despite the ghastly tone that echoed through the mausoleum, the words were unmistakable - the Emperor’s voice, deep and resonant, cutting through the silence like a spectral blade.

A collective gasp rippled through the room as all eyes turned towards the ice coffin, its crystalline surface reflecting the flickering torchlight and casting an eerie glow upon the motionless form within.

Then, as if defying the very laws of nature, the Emperor’s eyes fluttered open, their glassy orbs devoid of life yet imbued with an eerie, otherworldly vitality. They stared blankly into the void, their gaze passing through the terrified onlookers as if they were mere wisps of smoke.

A wave of dread washed over the room, the temperature plummeting even further as the Emperor’s spectral presence seemed to seep into the very air.

"Imperial Father," Xie Jianshen mouthed in disbelief.

"Jianshen. Jianyu."

Both of the Emperor’s sons quickly overcame their shock and knelt before the coffin as low as possible.

"Father, we are here."

"Imperial Father, we are listening."

The Emperor then continued speaking.

"The. Peace. Of. The. Heavenly. Realm. Is. Under. An. Immense. Threat."

"Demons. Are. Going. Rampage. You. Have. To. Do. Your. Job. As. The. Protector. Of. The. Realm."

"We will, Father," Xie Jianshen said with eyes gleaming with vengeful lust. "We are going to hunt the demons to the end of the world.

"Zhang. Feng. Xi."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Zhang Fengxi rushed to kneel in front of the coffin as well.

Wordlessly, the Emperor raised his hand. With a sickening, crunching voice, the dead sovereign clawed into his own chest and dug for something within.

Xie Jianshen and Xie Jianyu watched in paralyzed horror, their eyes wide with disbelief and terror, but they were unable to do anything to stop the corpse.

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Author’s note :

*According to Chinese cultural belief, the soul of the departed will come to visit its corpse one last time before it departs for good to the Underworld.