A Familiar Figure

After a few rounds of obviously fake fussing around Mu Luming and a visit from the Imperial Physician, Kesi was sure that the kid was fine.

Sitting there with a fresh bandage wound around his arm and some of the supposedly best poultices in the world applied to his wound, Mu Luming smiled at her, a hint of color returning to his cheeks.

When the crowds weren't looking, he beckoned Kesi to his side, craning his neck to whisper into her ears, "Don't worry, I'm fine."

More than anything, Kesi wanted to retort that she couldn't care less, but seeing the people gathered around them, she ultimately held her tongue. But she couldn't help but flash him an obvious eye roll as the concubines flocked to the Emperor now that Mu Luming no longer commanded immediate medical attention.

Seeing all the commotion settle around, or perhaps unpleased from the hoards of women circling around her rightful husband, the Empress cleared her throat.

"My Beloved Emperor, perhaps it would be good to let the Crown Prince get his rest for the day."

Hearing those words, the Emperor only offered a small nod. "Crown Prince, I hope you find yourself at home here in the palace."

Pausing, he added, enunciating each and every word as he looked straight into Mu Luming's eyes. "After all, you are its rightful heir."

And with those words, they were all dismissed.

For their entire journey back, Code X was deep in thought.

The Emperor's parting words did not make sense. By publicly declaring Mu Luming to be the heir of the Hui Empire, he was cementing the kid's rightful position in the courts. Yet, each and every one of his actions suggested a single thing: he didn't truly care about Mu Luming.

Otherwise, why would he send the heir of the empire out on the streets to live as a mere peasant for all of his infancy? And why would he not launch an investigation against the assassinations? Heck, why wouldn't he at least assign a few guards to Mu Luming now that he was in the palace?

For goodness sake, even if he disregarded the fact that Mu Luming was the future of the empire by his own decree, this was the life of his own child at stake!

"What's wrong?" A soft voice drew her thoughts back to reality, and looking up, she found that she somehow limped all the way back to the remote Eastern Palace.

Without responding, she headed for the door.

"What's wrong?" The cheerful voice sounded again, accompanied by a light tugging against the hem of her skirt.

Closing the palace door firmly behind her, Kesi snapped.

"What's wrong? Your so-called Mother Empress sees you as a nail stabbed into her flesh, and your good-for-nothing Father Emperor can't even speak up for you!"

Heaving a deep breath, she suddenly collapsed onto a dust-ridden cushion, clutching her leg. The pain hit acutely, as if a someone had just drilled a thickly-wedged blade all the way into her bones.

Almost as if the rush of adrenaline forcing her to stay alert earlier in front of the Emperor and Empress subsided the moment she stepped back into the Eastern Palace, the before-dull pain in her legs flared worse than ever.

She could barely breathe, the torment from her wound tearing her from inside out. She tried to bite the inside of her mouth, but within a few seconds, she could taste the telltale metallic taste of blood.

Without meaning to, tears welled inside her eyes, a biological reflex. She told herself to not cry in front of the little kid, and that it was embarrassing to do so, but the tears simply rolled down the sides of cheeks.

A gentle pair of small hands pried her mouth open, and when she closed her mouth again, her teeth clamped onto a folded piece of soft cotton cloth.

Looking up, her vision clouded by both old age and tears, for a split second, she thought that she saw someone else… someone that she thought she would never see again.

The same figure…

The same features…

The same gentleness and innocence…

A warm finger dainty wiped the tears from her face, and she Kesi felt a wave of warmth surge through her body. It was comforting, almost therapeutic of some sorts. More than ever before, she wanted this flame to never go out.

Temporarily, closing her eyes, she even forgot about the pain.

When she opened her eyes again, her vision was clear.

Silently, Mu Luming used a small blade to remove a section of fabric that melded into Kesi's skin, working swiftly and efficiently.

As he ripped the cloth from her flesh, she couldn't help but bite down onto the cloth.

"Shhh… it'll be over soon." With an encouraging look in his life, Mu Luming coaxed. "It'll be alright."

For a split second, it was almost as if she was the child, and he was an older figure tending to her. Kesi's gaze was fixated, and the figure of the scrambling kid in front of her merged with someone she used to know.

He applied more of the poultice onto her wound and bandaged it, tying the white strip of fabric off with a dainty bow.

And although she never mentioned it to him, he repeated his steps and applied the medicine onto her bruising arm as well.

"There!" Smiling, he motioned for Kesi to take the cloth from her mouth.

She looked at him, dazed, no longer sure if this was her mere imagination. More than anyone, she knew that Mu Luming and that distant figure in her memories were different. That person had died before her very eyes, but Mu Luming was alive and well in front of her.

Yet… they were so similar in so many different ways.

Almost as if sensing her confusion and pain, he reached out for her again, his slightly chubby fingers smoothing out the furrows between her eyebrows.

"Perfect." He smiled, his warmth lingering on her face.

Somehow, Kesi no longer felt cold.