The Cursed Palace (1/2)

Yang Zheyan showed no excitement in the discovery at all. More like he was filled with disgust and wanted to leave the place immediately. He would have stormed out, if not for Lu Weisheng holding onto his legs with his dear life. 

"You can't leave me here alone!" 

Lu Weisheng dropped to the ground and wrapped his body around Yang Zheyan's legs. Out of all the places to grab, he chose the legs. They were after all the main body parts that were going to take Yang Zheyan out of this place. So if he held on, there was no way Yang Zheyan can leave without dragging him along.  

"Every day, you find new ways to annoy me." Yang Zheyan fumed. To begin with, he wasn't planning on leaving Lu Weisheng alone in an unknown place. But at this very moment, he wouldn't mind ditching him here for a night. 

Yang Zheyan tried shaking Lu Weisheng off his legs, but it only urged him to hold on tighter. He was this close to giving Lu Weisheng a "compliment." He was very talented in lighting Yang Zheyan's anger. Especially when it was hard for him to feel any particular emotion. 

"Let go already! What would someone think if they walked in on this?" 

"Never!" Lu Weisheng shook his head, unwilling to minimize the strength around Yang Zheyan's legs. No matter what happens today, he was not going to give in. He has to explore the place a little. 

In the end, it became a stalemate between the holder and the struggler trying to escape. For the first time, Yang Zheyan gave up trying to leave and Lu Weisheng actually won. 

"Over here," Lu Weisheng led the way like it was his play area. But he made sure to not stray far from Yang Zheyan. On the off chance that he will take off without him looking. 

Meanwhile, Yang Zheyan wanted to smack Lu Weisheng on the head. Did he seriously think he will abandon him in the middle of nowhere? He doesn't know what got into Lu Weisheng today. Suddenly wanting to go on an adventure, and he chose this wretched place. 

This piece of land was passed down from one generation to the next in their families. Surprisingly no one ever seemed interested in exploring or exploiting it. Instead, it was preserved and forbade anyone from entering. What Yang Zheyan and Lu Weisheng were doing right now could get them into tremendous trouble from both sides of the family. 

It's been told repeatedly to them since they were kids that they can play anywhere, except here. Both of them knowing this full well and Lu Weisheng still came. He was seriously questioning if Lu Weisheng's head was in the right place today.  

"You know," Lu Weisheng stopped to observe the red pillars that still held onto their colors. "I heard this place was only closed off because it was cursed! Whoever enters will never make it back out alive. That this place is still waiting for its master." 

"And, you still chose to enter after knowing?" Yang Zheyan raised an eyebrow. So that's why this place was never used. 

"Y-you don't believe it either, right?" Lu Weisheng slowly turned around. He took a few steps closer to Yang Zheyan to close the gap between them a little more. 

"No," Yang Zheyan continued walking down the broken corridor. Tsk, scary stories used to scare children intentionally. Most likely, it was only told to keep greedy people out of this area. 

Lu Weisheng made sure to keep up with Yang Zheyan's pace, so he won't fall behind. He wasn't getting a creepy vibe from the collapsed palace, but it wasn't a happy vibe either. 

Just as they were about to pass one of the biggest courtyards, Lu Weisheng pulled Yang Zheyan back. "Here. It's this place."

Yang Zheyan studied the cracked wall to the vines making a home for themselves in the wall holes. Nothing appeared extra special about this place. It looked like all the other places they passed by, except that it was a lot bigger in size. Whoever resides here in the past must have been favored by his majesty. 

Lu Weisheng, this time didn't wait for Yang Zheyan anymore. As if his legs had a mind of their own, he walked in with his head held high and back straight. His entire demeanor changed. Like an owner returning to its home. 

The second his foot touched the inside of the courtyard, a faint whispery voice was heard, 'Until one master returns, shall the curse never break.'

"Hey, where are you going?" Yang Zheyan followed Lu Weisheng and grabbed his arm, "Careful, you don't know where dangers lurk." 

Lu Weisheng appeared in a daze and didn't respond to Yang Zheyan's concern. Instead, in one speedy move, he was able to free his arm. He kept walking until he faced the door, blocking him from entering. Without any hesitation, he pushed those wooden doors open, and an eerier creak ringed throughout the silent courtyard. 

His eyes flew wide open. It was a bedroom meant for a king! In the middle of the room was a large wooden bed. Decorated with golden silk fabrics from top to bottom. On the shelves, it had very expensive vases lined up. All the furniture in the bedroom looked brand new too. How was this possible? How can a bedroom be this preserved compared to the others?

"You cheated while I wasn't looking!" 

"Pft, I don't even need to cheat when it comes to you." 

Lu Weisheng turned his head towards the direction where two bickering voices were coming from. Unfortunately, he couldn't see who they were with a big screen door blocking them. Based on the two shadows behind it, it appears they were playing a board game.

He was going to pull the screen door away to see who it was that dared trespass. They should know this place is owned by the most powerful family in Sinwang City.

"Yang Zheyan, I will reveal your identity to your beloved Feifei!" 

What did he say? Yang Zheyan? Lu Weisheng's fingers brushed up against the screen door and stopped. He couldn't bring himself to tear down the thin fabric between him and them. Not after hearing the losing player calling out the winner's name. 

The winning player laughed. Unexpectedly, it was a laugh Lu Weisheng found to be very familiar with. Then in a condescending tone that Lu Weisheng was definitely accustomed to, he said, "That's if you can even get near her without someone knocking you out first!"

"Never underestimate a mercenary mas- Opos, shouldn't say that. Just watch, one day I will beat you!" 

The moment Lu Weisheng blinked his eyes. The scenery in the bedroom drastically changed. Those beautiful vases were shattered into a million pieces on the floor. The newly polished woods were broken into pieces. The silk screen door was split in half and the chess board game pieces scattered. It was no longer decorated in bright gold but in the color of mourning. 

"Until one master returns, shall the items be returned to its rightful owner. Shall the oath made between two lovers be intertwined once again."

Kneeling on the floor by the broken bed was a man wearing a plain white robe . As he finished his sentence, he closed a small wooden box and held it tightly in his embrace. The light-colored wooden box began having little marks of darkening droppings on it. 

"For I... Was unable to protect you in this life..." The man's voice was breaking apart as he wrapped the box with a silk cloth. Gently as trying not to damage anything inside, he laid down the box into a dug up hole in the bedroom floor. 

Next to him was a small knife. Taking it, he made a small but deep cut at the back of his right hand. Letting his blood run freely down on top of the box, he made a vow.

"In the next life, I will help protect your love in atonement for my family's sin. Let this cut be the witness between us. As long as this cut remains, will it always be a reminder that we are sinners."

The man grasped onto the small pile of dirt next to the hole and began burying the box. His hands shook each time the dirt was used to hide their sins. Yet, another painful reminder that they were gone. Never returning. 

He held back his cries while putting everything back in place. Making it appear as if the floor was never touched. Once he finished, the man broke down and cried his heart out. Digging his nails into the wooden plank, "Until we meet again."

Burying the box was indeed the end between us in this lifetime. Why couldn't you compete with me to see who will outlive who? I won, but I didn't win either. In the end, you wouldn't even let me win all the way.

Goodbye, my friend, my brother. It will be different next time, I promise.