Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

The black dragon thought, humans are all shameless liars. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have to suffer for so long in this place. Just because I’m black, doesn’t mean I like darkness. In the very beginning, the nights were truly dark, mom…..

Wait no, what am I thinking?

Ok, the youngster looks very honest and smells very nice. He doesn’t look like a liar. He’s just like the man whose last name was Wang back then. However, I am not even sure if the man’s words were real or not. Why should I trust this youngster?

After I let you leave, you definitely won’t come back anymore. What do you mean by finishing your thing and then coming back to chat with me? You think I really didn’t see that, you were also fooled by someone to come here? Why would you come back after escaping? Also, on top of this place is the royal court. You think you can come back as long as you want? You are just trying to comfort me, no, you are lying to me. Yes, all humans are liars, you are all liars!

I suffered in this underground dimension by myself for so long. Never saw a living creature beside that terrifying woman – that terrifying woman couldn’t be counted as human. I would rather not see her. Finally, I met someone who could speak to, how could I let you leave?

If you leave, then my day will be gloomy again!

“I understand your feelings and your uneasiness, but you should believe in me.” Chen Chang Sheng looked at it and said.

The black dragon’s look was cold but also moderately doubtful as if it wanted to say, you are only a bit older than ten year olds. How would you know the suffering I faced all this time.

“I really know. Although I definitely didn’t suffer as long as you did, it’s just like I said in the beginning, I am unfortunate too. Fine, I know you can hardly believe in me, but it’s just like a gamble. You let me go, I probably will keep my promise and try to find a way to come back later. If you kill me now, I think there will be small chance of you seeing anyone in front of you again. No matter what, you should take the gamble.”

Chen Chang Sheng looked at it said frankly and seriously, “This is your best choice.”

The black dragon remained silent. Suddenly, it looked up at the top with its eyes falling between the thousands of Nightly Pearls

………………………………

In the Wei Yang Palace, the Ivy Festival was continuing or rather, it already ended. The test on literature that should have been held last night was moved to a later date. Even so, no one cared about its result. How could the competition between the Six Ivies be more interesting than the great thing that was going to happen later?

Everyone was reserved and kind because what was going to happen next was a good thing, marriage. Even Guan Fei Bai from the Li Mountain, the most arrogant and cold fourth ruling of the Seven Rulings, was also laughing now because he knew this was a very important thing to his oldest senior. It was also a very important thing to his sect and the entire South. Most importantly, even the thought that his oldest senior could marry junior Xu, was a thing that he should feel proud of and celebrate.

The elder of Li Mountain Xiao Song Gong already stood up and was speaking something. The Southern ambassadors were officially proposing the marriage to the Great Zhou dynasty. Now that the process was started already, it just needed a few more steps and this marriage that was wanted by the entire world would turn real.

The Bishop closed his eyes like he was about to fall asleep. Prince Chen Liu was smiling mildly and was speaking with Xiao Song Gong. Mo Yu was calm as she looked into the darkness outside of the palace. Luo Luo looked at these people with her right hand tightly holding onto the pack. She decided to open it.

………………………

Another long time of silence. The underground dimension was like a graveyard.

Chen Chang Sheng looked at the black dragon and waited nervously for its decision.

The black dragon glimpsed at him and suddenly slowly flew backward.

The light of thousands of Nightly Pearls went out at the same time. Only some light remained. They shone on the front half of the black dragon.

The dragon gradually disappeared in the darkness.

Chen Chang Sheng understood its glimpse. It wanted him to remember his promise and to visit here frequently.

Going to the royal palace was very difficult already. He had to pass through Tong Palace and then walk deep into the underground. After doing so, he would be able to finally see it again. He didn’t hesitate. He nodded to the dragon.

He felt very thankful to this black dragon. He wanted to something at last. Although it understood the human language, Chen Chang Sheng didn’t know how to call it.

Master? He already had one. Elder? This didn’t sound close. You? Too disrespectful. Yo? Does he want to die? ……..These all seemed inappropriate.

Chen Chang Sheng thought for a while and shouted to the black dragon that was gradually disappearing in darkness, “Big Uncle….Dragon.”

The black dragon was a bit dumbfounded from the title it was given.

“Big Uncle Dragon.” Chen Chang Sheng did not know what he should say. Saying thank you without doing any actions wouldn’t help. He suddenly remember a thing. He pointed at the roof said, “I have to take the Nightly Pearl with me.”

The black dragon roared and looked very angry. It did not think that after all that, this little kid would want more than he already got.

Chen Chang Sheng insisted and said, “Big uncle, that belongs to a little girl. I have to return to her later on.”

………………………….

There was an extremely tiny pond in a remote palace in the royal court.

As the night got darker, the lights inside the palace turned already off. A middle-aged woman was standing next to the pond. Her appearance was pretty common and her dress was also very simple. Obviously, she wasn’t one of those imperial concubines who only spent time in dresses and make up. Neither of the maids were at their youth.

She stood by the pond. It was unsure if she was preparing to wash her hands, or was washing clothes.

At this moment, Hua Hua (sounds), water flushed up like an upside down water fall. A young man was flushed out.

He was Chen Chang Sheng.

In the underground dimension, his clothes was covered fully by a layer of frost. Now it was all flushed away by water. He was all wet and he looked extremely poor.

How would this middle-aged woman expect a man to suddenly appeared in the dark night? She was startled by it. She took a step back.

The lady wore wooden shoes. The step she took backwards was on the rock next to the pond. Pa!

There was a squirrel eating in the forest. It was scared by this sound. It threw away the fruit that it carried with its two forelegs, jumped from the tree to the handrail on the second floor of the palace and ran swiftly towards the direction to the exit of the yard. Its tail moved randomly and it coincidentally touched a pot of flower that was placed at the handrail.

The flower leaned slightly and was about to fall down.

Coincidentally, the mid aged lady stood under it.

If the pot fell down, it would definitely hit her. At the very least, she might get hurt.

Chen Chang Sheng left the underground dimension, came back to land and then fell back into the pond. His face was wet. After he wiped off the water, and could see things, the first image he saw was this extremely coincidental, extremely unfortunately scene.

He did not even think and he immediately threw himself against the middle-aged woman.

He knew that here was deep in the royal court. There were countless elites, if those people heard anything, then it would probably be very hard for him to return to the Wei Yang Palace.

Yet he still went for it. Not because he was afraid the pot would fall on the ground and let others know but because the middle-aged lady was in danger.

If he thought closely, he might have made a better choice. The better choice of how to leave, and then arrive at the Wei Yang Palace promptly but he didn’t think.

He embraced the middle-aged lady in his arms androlled a half circle.

If the flower pot fell down, it would only fall on his back.

But the pot didn’t drop.

So, this image became a little embarrassing and hard to explain.

There was sound as he expected but there was no pain coming from his back. Chen Chang Sheng looked up at the handrail to see that the pot was still there.

He obviously didn’t see but the middle-aged lady took back one finger.

Chen Chang Sheng looked at the middle-aged woman and felt a bit nervous………if she shouts out now, then he would be even more troubled. At such late night, embraced by a youngster came out of pond, anyone would probably yell.

At this time, he should knock out the lady right away just like what goes on in novels.

But there was another problem. He didn’t know how to knock people out.

So, he faced a very complicated issue.

The palace in dark night, the wave in the pond and the flower pot on the handrail were staring at each other.

He and the middle-aged lady were staring at each other.

Hard to comment.

Silent and wordless.

He was a young man.

She was a mid aged woman.

There wasn’t any embarrassment related to gender.

There’s only embarrassment.

The middle-aged lady frowned. She open her mouth to say something but decided against it and closed her mouth again.

Chen Chang Sheng felt surprised. He thought, What? It can’t be!

He let go his hand, gave a salute to apologize, and then used his hands to expertly make gestures.

The middle-aged woman looked at him and made a gesture too. Chen Chang Sheng thought, That’s why. He then made a gesture to apologize again and saw that she did not have any intention to account him for fault. He didn’t understand why, but since he didn’t have much time, without thinking too much, he left urgently.

………………………….

“Dragon language, sign language, he knows a lot.”

Looking at Chen Chang Sheng’s back that was disappearing in darkness, the middle-aged lady smiled and said.

Chen Chang Sheng had thought that she was mute. She said to the darkness, “Wei Yang Palace is too far, go help him out.”

“He’s truly a good kid.”

The middle-aged woman gradually stopped smiling and said indifferently, “If his last name is Chen, that will be even better.”

After saying this, she turned and walked towards the palace.

The previously dark and seemingly deserted palace suddenly lit up.

Several dozens of eunuchs and maids, with many royal guests, kneeled down at the sides. No one dared to look up. All held their breaths.