Chapter 41. Just like this.

Wu, Chu State.

Jing Ke's POV.

It's been ten years just like this. It's been a decade since I lost my Qi'er just like that. I remember it as if it happened yesterday. That day Qi er came between me and that demon and took my death. She died for me and made my life a living hell. My life has become hell. My world has been doomed after losing my light. When this happened, my wife was six months pregnant. I had a lot of dreams about Qi'er and my child. But it all was shattered when that evil stabbed her in her womb. I couldn't think straight for a few days. After that, we came to Wu leaving Han state where I lost the two most important people of my life.

I and Zhejiang left the city of Han, Yangzhai, and came to Wu, a small city in Chu State. On the way to Wu, we faced an attack. It was harder than we expected, a bandits' attack. It was one old but skilled man. He was alone but managed to fight with both of us. His hair was long and white. He wore a gray and long outfit. He was attacking like a skilled swordsman. But before the further attack, we told him about our whereabouts and he left us. Surprisingly, he let us stay in his house. He and his two daughters accepted us wholeheartedly. The old man was no other than Haoyu. Chu Haoyu. He was a prince of the Chu State. We heard about his legend when we were in the forest fighting the deceased king, Ting Ming. Even, when Zheng controlled Qin, he made his younger sister the 3rd imperial concubine. Yes, Lady Fei. Chu Fei. I stayed with Haoyu thinking the enemy of my enemy isn't just a friend but a best friend. Chu Haoyu has two daughters, Hua the eldest one, and Fen the second one.

Zhejiang still hasn't regained his memory but moved on with his life with Hua. They have got married yet had no kids. Seeing them, I always remember the sweetest chapter of my life with Qi er. She was my strength and courage in my hardest times. I can't love anyone else like her. Loving another girl is difficult for me because it's like killing Qi er for the second time in my heart.

"Some juice, brother Ke," Fen said. She is a good sister to me as well. I am blessed not only with a selfless brother like Zhejiang but also a sweet and kindhearted sister like Fen.

"Thank you," I said taking the papaya juice from her hand. She sat beside me and asked,

"You look worried. What is the matter?" she asked in concern.

"I am absolutely fine, Fen," I lied.

"No, you are not. Is it about your wife again?" she knew exactly what I was thinking as if she read my mind.

I couldn't deny that "Yes, it is about her. I didn't have a life without her. She was my everything. She was my joy in the time of sorrow. She was my strength in the time of my weakness. She was my love and forgiveness in the times when I was filled with hatred and revenge. But all of a sudden, from the blue a sword, took my wife. That cruel, demon king, Zheng took my Qi er. After killing her, he was roaring here and there like a hero. I will make him pay for what he did to Qi er. He will pay for it dearly."

She just patted my shoulder and said, "My mother was a crown Princess and my dad was a crown prince when the war exploded. My grandfather was killed. My mother was also killed and my aunt was taken to be a concubine to the king. It all happened fifteen years ago.

"Ke, do you know what I learned from this chaos? We, people, are different. We don't know at whom we are angry and as long as he can hold our intense anger we will exact that on him. When we get angry, when we think of revenge, we don't usually think of strength. The King has no problem with us or our father. His political problem was with his Grandfather, the emperor of Chu. You see, Ke, if our father or we wanted to get revenge on the king of Qin, we would definitely do it long ago. But when we attack him we would also attack his innocent civilians and children. And it's obvious that one day their sons and daughters would attack ours as revenge. So, you tell me, when will be the end of that? Enmity will separate us forever. That's why our father and I stayed these all years without a single attack. Not to keep another bloodshed for our children.

"Ke, I am not telling you to do anything. But I believe you are a leader. And a leader usually thinks about a generation more than his personal feelings. You know the best so I won't tell you anything to do." she said. I didn't expect this much intelligence from Fen. But she is wise.

"Wisdom is not a special type of knowledge, but it is a way of using the knowledge you have," I remember Pragya's saying. After sending Lady Pragya I heard that she befriended the famous embroidery business owner, Feng Leng. I had also heard that she has given birth to a baby boy. But the thing that amazed me is how the king tried not to find her. I know he is a dump but I didn't know that he is fool enough to throw that extraordinary creature, Lady Pragya away from the palace.

Thinking about what Fen told me, Mr. Chu Haoyu and Zhejiang came. Zhejiang got inside with Fen and me and Mr. Haoyu went to the field.

"I heard that the king is burdening a huge amount of tax on the people." Mr. Haoyu said. I smiled ironically and commented,

"I don't think this is the king's idea. The King can't think of this. Because he can't use his mind properly. If he was the one who is doing all these, he would also know that the way he has just started will take him to his grave." I said.

"What are you saying, Ke?" Haoyu asked me in a haze.

"I am saying that it is all this chief advisor's idea. However, the king is not smart enough to understand that whoever proposing this idea is plotting to take his throne." I smiled.

"We don't know what Sheng Li is up to," Haoyu said, to withdraw the topic.

"Why do you think Sheng Li wanted people not to learn? It's because he knows that if people learn and know the right and the wrong, they will ask. And the question to the answer. To liberty. To the world of Pragya." I unknowingly mentioned her.

"Who was that?" the old man asked curiously.

"It was an old friend. Do you know what she once said to me,

'If the first man didn't know he was nude, cloth makers would be extinct.' she was right. If the people know about their abuse, they won't be in the palace. Don't you think, Master?" I said, smiling.

"You are right. But if they continue to abuse the plowers with their heavy taxes, one day something will explode." he agreed.