The Trial of Time

Over the next day, Kesi did a few simple things. It was nothing too hard really, just drafting a few messages and identifying a few of the right people with the help of the Furballs.

But by the time of nightfall, news and gossip had spread in the village like wildfire.

"That child of the Liu family became an eunuch? The one that they told us was sent off for better education?"

"I heard the entire family ate out of a pig's trough because they thought it was a royal meal!"

"I heard that their eldest son was castrated today as punishment for defying the royal family as well."

"Did you just say their entire family was condemned by the Crown Prince himself?"

And before long, the entire village circled around A'Hong's former family, demanding for an answer.

No matter how hard they tried to brush off these discussions as baseless rumors, their most prized possession—their reputation that they had tried so desperately to maintain—had shattered.

—

The entire time, a secret pair of eyes observed the scene unfold in silence. A bit later, the Empress listened to the news in half-amusement, thinking how these actions were surely not suitable for the Crown Prince.

"That child lost half of his own reputation by doing that," she scoffed. "Who would take him seriously after he lowered himself for a mere eunuch?"

She toyed with her ruby ring a bit more, sighing softly. "Who would take him as material to become the future emperor of the great Hui Empire?"

—

But within the Eastern Palace, it was clear that there were other sentiments.

"Kesi! Kesi! Kesi!" Mu Luming hopped up and down, the entire stoic mask from earlier discarded without a trace. "How do you think I did yesterday?"

Nearly purring, he wrapped his arm around Kesi when she didn't respond. "Didn't you think that I acted so cool! We got revenge for A'Hong!"

Kesi only nodded, barely putting down the scroll of parchment in her hands.

For the past day, she had been either looking at herself in the mirror or staring blankly at the piece of parchment. At first, she had thought that there might be a delayed effect, but now, she was no longer so sure.

Her fingertips brushed against the words again: Mi Rongliang - 6 years.

Six years should have some sort of visible difference for someone of her age. But she didn't feel or look younger at all.

There simply was no change in her at all.

The wrinkles from before had only deepened over the past few days from stress, and she was loosing more hair by the day. Even now, she felt lethargic and not her usual self.

"Do you think we actually saved A'Hong?" She clamped down Mu Luming's fidgeting arm, forcing him to stay still so that her mind could clear.

He broke free to Kesi's grasp and folded his arms across his chest. Puffing out his chest, he smirked.

"Yes? Of course!" His voice was cheerful. "We beat up his parents and his good for nothing elder brother!"

Kesi gave him a light smack across the head. "You look like a little bandit gloating about a recent robbery."

"Hmmmm…. Did I happen to steal your heart?"

That statement awarded him another smack across his back, this time much harder.

"Now you seem like a drunkard who is going to be beaten up by a bunch of bandits." Kesi's expression turned more serious. "You're the Crown Prince, so act like it."

"Fine. Fine…" Mu Luming muttered, curling into a little ball on the other chair. "But serious though, I think we did manage to save A'Hong! Form today on, I'll watch for him like the parent that he never had!"

If he hadn't darted out of arm's range, that sentence would have surely earned Mu Luming another strike from Kesi.

"Don't look at me like that! You told me to act like the Crown Prince, and we all know that the emperor watches over all citizens of the Hui empire like a father. So I'm merely starting small and working my way there bit by bit."

Kesi nodded slowly. She had learned a bit more custom over the past few days, and Mu Luming's statement was indeed true.

"By that saying, when I become emperor, I'll be your dad too!"

This time, even the distance couldn't save Mu Luming.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! If you keep on hitting me like this, I'll be dead before I can become emperor!" He protested, acting like the smack had hurt when it really was a feigned gesture.

"You little brat. At the rate you're going, you're going to be removed of your position as Crown Prince before long," Kesi sighed, furrowing her brows. "Plus, at the rate I'm going, I'll be long dead by then anyway."

Mu Luming immediately sprang up from his seat. "No you won't! I'll help you become younger and younger! We'll save more and more people! So maybe by the time I am an old man the age of my father, you'll be so young that you can be the age of my daughter!"

He caught himself, wondering why those words sounded so strange.

It also took Kesi a moment to wrap her mind around his words. Honestly, thanks to her faulty memory from her old age, she couldn't remember if she ever told Mu Luming how she could become younger.

Especially since it had become nightfall without the two of them noticing, she felt more tired than ever. Letting out a loud yawn, she looked out the window.

Outside, a full moon slowly climbed up the night sky.

Mu Luming followed her gaze as well, his face lighting up with a bright smile.

"All debts are due when the full moon shines."

The two of them looked at each other, the words simultaneously spilling from their mouths.