Otherworldly Evil Monarch

Jun Wu Yi’s head shook as he broke into laughter. Beside him, even Little Yang Mo was laughing. Though he didn’t understand the true meaning behind those words, the little rascal was aware that the combination of sliced potato and warm water wasn’t delicious.

Tang Yuan wasn’t just extremely fat; his memory wasn’t that good either. He had forgotten the instructions long back. As a result, he wasn’t left with much to go on. This section of the speech was a pure improvisation based on whatever little he could remember. Surprisingly, he had still managed a presentable performance. He was surely a very talented individual.

Fatty Tang was still speaking in an endless torrent. The Young Master Jun was in no mood to listen to the speech again. He turned and smilingly looked at Yang Mo, “How’s your mood, Little Miss Yang?”

Yang Mo’s pretty little face drooped instantaneously. Usually, he would refrain from retaliating when Jun Mo Xie called him ‘Little Miss Yang’. This time however, he snorted and turned his head to leave. The Prince equivalent’s son was a clever and mischievous little devil for his age. However, he was just a ten year old boy. He had already been embarrassed in the incident which had previously taken place. Therefore, it was only natural that he would find it hard to remain calm. Moreover, no one had consoled him after that. In fact, even an adult wouldn’t have reacted calmly, and would’ve found it difficult to endure.

“It’s no use getting angry,” Hit-man Jun snorted as he made no effort to coax the boy. Instead, he crossed his legs, “You know that all you can do is get angry when you meet a bully, and nothing else. You might as well refrain from losing your temper since there is no gain in it.”

“What’s the use of controlling my anger if there’s no gain it?” Yang Mo had been enduring that pain for a while, and the tears had finally started to fall.

“Calling you a ‘little girl’ wasn’t wrong since you’re crying over such a small matter. What are you crying for? If a ‘real man’ is frequently reduced to tears, he loses respect. Such a man will obviously get bullied,” Jun Mo Xie spoke in disdain as he picked up a big apple from a table. He cut out a piece and took a bite of it, “Is crying useful? Will crying solve the problem? You will leave my sight right away if you cry again. Get lost and weep somewhere else! I will not follow to console you. Moreover, I won’t try to help you vent your anger.”

“I won’t cry,” Yang Mo quickly wiped his tear, but continued to sob for a little while. He was very attached to the Jun Family’s Young Master. “Dad tells me that elder brother Jun is very clever. Can you please tell me what I should do? Those three have been bullying me since childhood. I… I get so scared that I can’t even think of anything. And I just want to run away… Elder Brother, can you please tell me… How can I make them stop? Or how I can get revenge, and vent my anger?!”

“Taking revenge to vent your anger? That’s not a good way.” Jun Mo Xie’s eyelid remained motionless as he calmly said, “They are the Emperor’s sons. Who is the biggest in this world? The Emperor is! If the Emperor’s son wants to bully you, is there anything you can do? All you can do is endure since your family isn’t as powerful as theirs.”

“I do not want bear it anymore! Elder brother Mo Xie, dad said that you are the smartest, and that no matter can baffle you… ” Yang Mo caught Jun Mo Xie’s right arm and started shaking it, “I request you elder brother Mo Xie… please give me an idea… ”

“Stop it. Stop it. Stop it right now!” Jun Mo Xie hastily pushed his hand away. He then continued impatiently, “Their father is the Emperor, while your father is not. This matter cannot be solved with intelligence. You want me to help you? There is no chance. We don’t have the means.”

Yang Mo stared blankly for a moment. Then his eyes started getting watery again, and soon the tears gushed out. His tiny mouth had just let out a few sobs when, suddenly, there was a resonant flash in his eyes. His temperament immediately reverted back to the way it was before he had started crying. He became quite, while his eyes opened as round as the full moon, “Elder brother Mo Xie, you just said that their father is the Emperor, while mine is not…

“Why isn’t my dad the Emperor? They are both the sons of my grandfather, the previous Emperor… why is my father merely a Prince, while his elder brother is the Emperor? I am also the blood of the old Emperor. So why is it that they can bully me, and I cannot rebel?” Yang Mo opened his big round eyes as he looked at Jun Mo Xie inquiringly.

“You just said that you also have the blood of the previous Emperor, so this entire matter is clearly your family’s internal issue. How would I know ‘why’?” Jun Mo Xie appeared somewhat impatient as he spoke, “Your father didn’t have future prospects, just like you. He was also bullied since childhood. He didn’t dare to rebel or call-on the nonsense that was perpetrated. Therefore, his habit became his nature. In fact, he may be willing to bear the bullying even now when he’s a grown up. It’s obvious that he didn’t become the Emperor. And now, even his son has to deal with bullying.”

“I mustn’t be bullied again!” Yang Mo suddenly clenched his tiny fists, “I won’t be bullied after I grow up! And neither will my descendants!”

“This is no good… the problem is difficult to solve,” Jun Mo Xie sighed in a false show of affection.

“Is the Emperor the only person who doesn’t have to stand bullying? Will my descendants also be spared if I don’t face it?” little Yang Mo asked.

Jun Mo Xie sighed, “I don’t know; I really don’t know.”

“I’m going to become the Emperor just like you told me, ok?” Yang Mo opened his eyes wide. There was a sincere look in them.

“You? You are the previous Emperor’s grandson. So, you are naturally entitled.” Jun Mo Xie tilted his head as he focused his eyes on the boy, “Yes, you have the basic qualifications, but you fall too short of the other required traits. Hence, you are not qualified enough.”

“Then please tell me elder brother Mo Xie, how do I change that? I must not be bullied again!” Yang Mo asked.

Jun Mo Xie was just about to reply when Jun Wu Yi, who was sitting behind him, coughed loudly; his thundering cough had sounded very similar to that of someone suffering from tuberculosis. It was evident that Jun Wu Yi was worried that other people might overhear that conversation. Hence, he tried to muffle this conversation. This deafening cough was indeed worthy of a Sky Xuan expert’s name even though it had been limited to just this room.

Jun Wu Yi had been listening to this conversation, and felt that it had started to sound a bit wrong. Though the conversation had started out as an effort to console the child, it had soon taken a completely different direction. Moreover, it had started to tread on a forbidden road, and could possibly bear a very poisonous fruit. It was possible that the method Jun Mo Xie had adopted to coax this boy might end up being etched in his young mind. Hence, the Young Master Jun’s advisor tried to indicate that they only needed to keep up with this act until they gathered the financial resources they needed. This process would only take a month or two. However, in case they ended up instigating the Equal Prince’s son against the throne, then they might end up regretting it later…

[What is this kid thinking?]

“I am unable to answer this question of yours. Ask your dad when you go back home. I’m sure of what he’s going to say: Good that they bully! Good that someone else is also taking up my role. What about it huh? People bully the true and honest,” Jun Mo Xie imitated the Prince Equivalent.

“How do you know that? My father speaks exactly like that every time I get bullied. He tells me that I should be bullied, and he even says that I should be bullied more severely,” Yang Mo blinked as he looked at Jun Mo Xie with an expression of reverence. [This older brother really is very smart!]

[In fact, even my grandfather used to talk like this… ]

Jun Mo Xie snorted and spoke the words of his heart, “I obviously know. I am also aware that you are a little traitor. You will go back and inform your dad about whatever people will tell you. Isn’t it so?”

“I will not betray my friend! My dad told me that people who betray their friends are bad. But I am a good person; I won’t betray my friend!” Yang Mo’s tender face became very red.

“Why are you worried?” Jun Mo Xie glanced at him plainly as he said, “You shouldn’t be. How about I tell you a story first?”

Yang Mo hung his head and dejectedly agreed, “Fine.”

Jun Wu Yi had practically been sitting on the edge of his seat. He finally loosened up and secretly wiped away his cold sweat. [These lunatics have finally stopped their discussion on that sensitive topic. Good thing that they’ve started with a story… I was really worried about the result of that… ]

“This story is called the ‘Xuan Wu Gate Coup’(1),” Jun Mo Xie was all smiles. “Li Shi Min was the son of a Prince of the Tang Empire. He had two elder cousins — Li Jian Cheng, the heir-apparent, and Li Yuan Ji. They used to bully their younger cousin a lot. At first, Li Shi Min endured their bullying. However, when it became too much, he murdered them at the Xuan Wu gate. Then, he sat on the throne and became the Emperor. He never got bullied by anyone ever again… ”

Jun Wu Yi also listened to Jun Mo Xie’s story. Not only did he regularly listen to Jun Mo Xie’s short stories, he was also very fond of them. Especially the story called ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’, whose contents had left Jun Wu Yi stupefied. Since Jun Mo Xie was telling a story he hadn’t heard before, he naturally listened with rapt attention.

However, as Jun Mo Xie calmly continued telling his story, Jun Wu Yi, whose nerves had just started to relax, suddenly became very taut again. In fact, cold sweat had drenched his clothes down to his undergarments.

The fact that a mere story by the Jun Family’s Young Master would actually scare a Sky Xuan expert to such a degree was definitely an unprecedented feat — if not an accomplishment.

[My god… I am an experienced general.] Jun Wu Yi was extremely infuriated by the Jun Mo Xie’s actions, [Are you trying to scare me to death? What utter nonsense are you narrating, kid?!]

[Heavens me! You have just incited a revolt. Yang Mo will listen and remember your words. Even if he is a child, he may still hold a grudge… hasn’t your story just poured a barrel of oil over the fire?!]

“Good, kill them! Kill them at once! Show them no mercy!” Little Yang Mo waived his arms as he exclaimed in excitement. There was a strange flash in his eyes. Perhaps a desire… maybe it was a thirst… or some other fanatical idea…

Jun Mo Xie’s eyes were almost the same. [I’ve said too much again. How many words can a small child remember? This is a seed, and must be irrigated with a little water to make it a tree. However, it will drown if I throw it directly into the ocean.]

A sudden burst of an exotic smell flowed out from below. In fact, the scent was so powerful that everyone exclaimed in wonder; even the people who had been repressing their emotions. Even the people seated upstairs focused their attention on it.

After much promotion, the auction of the ‘Heavenly Wine’ had finally begun. On the stage, was an old man of fifty. His posture was upright, and he was dressed entirely in black. He seemed full of excitement and energy, while his concentrated eyebrows were arched like two cold swords.

Even Jun Mo Xie was surprised at seeing this person. [Isn’t this the sloppy and negligent Old Song?] He had adorned his fresh attire in the same manner as a soldier would. He wasn’t slouching anymore, and was standing straight from his waist up. All in all, he looked like a Military General right now.

“Send a glass of wine before the kill; Song Shang?(2)” Some people in the audience immediately recognized Old Song the moment he appeared on the stage. [There are rumors that Song Shang is a Sky Xuan expert. And now he is an auctioneer for the Aristocratic Hall.]

[Indeed… this is very aristocratic!]

The strong smell of the wine was floating in the air, and everyone was ferociously inhaling that scent. [This wine is worthy of the title of ‘Heavenly Grade Wine’, just on the basis of its wonderful smell alone.] Suddenly, everyone became somewhat impatient.

The eyes of that black clothed man sitting behind Princess Ling Meng flashed a bizarre light after he breathed in that fragrance. He was the Emperor of a country. Yet he had never come across such a high quality wine. This was an obvious indication of the rarity of this wine’s quality.

Notes:

A story from Chinese History.

This used to be Song Shang’s tagline. It was mentioned during the wine contest sequence.