Too high to reach

Chapter 392 Seeing Zhou Dong off

After finishing our business, we returned to the backyard.

Consort Tian and Qianqian looked unchanged. Aunt Mei, who had been helping with household chores lately, seemed much more energetic.

After the last incident, Xiangxiang's relationship with Moyi is closer than before.

And the prince's concubines, still young and beautiful. But in the backyard, without favor or love, even with the lavish food and clothing, the vibrancy on their faces is fading... Li Jing glanced at Mo Yi, a thought stirring in her heart.

The one who changed the most was Shao Ge'er. He had a sallow complexion, was extremely thin, his right shoulder drooped involuntarily, and his expression was melancholy and wooden.

Thinking of that little boy from before, he was cheerful, spoke without restraint, and was always running around laughing.

Having led troops herself, Feng Liniang also intended to train Shao Ge'er in that direction, even though he was young and hadn't started training yet. But because he talked so much, his eyes would light up when he saw swords and spears.

Not like it is now?

"What should we do now?" Li Jing sat down and turned to ask Mo Yi.

Mo Yi then recounted the events: "...He saw Feng Liniang, broke free from his wet nurse, and ran away. Unfortunately, Feng Liniang was still calling out to him... Just then, a crossbow bolt lodged in his shoulder blade..."

During later treatment, he fell into a coma several times. The process was very painful. He became extremely fussy and cried easily, ate poorly, and vomited frequently. He would often wake up in the middle of the night, covered in a cold sweat. He was afraid of thunder…

The wound finally healed, but it must have damaged the tendons and bones, affecting the movement of his right arm. Any slight movement hurts, and his fingers aren't as flexible. He's young and doesn't understand, so he refuses to practice much. If you try to make him move, he cries and fusses… It's fortunate you're back. The imperial physician said that if he doesn't exercise and move around, this arm might be ruined. Alas, I wonder if Feng Liniang regretted it when she died.”

"Ha!" Li Jing sneered, "She'll only regret using the wrong methods! This person is hopeless, and so is Zhou Dong..."

"Your Highness, Zhou Dong has been locked up in the underground vault. Would you... like to go and ask him?" asked Granny Zhao.

"No! Handle it according to the rules." Li Jing said without any hesitation.

……

When Mo Yi and the others returned home, they sent someone to inform the Mo family.

"Great, finally some good news! I feel relieved..." Mo Ruhai's eyes welled up with tears. He looked at Wang Shi, who was carefully taking care of her grandson.

……

The dungeon is right next to the basement where Mo Yi and the others took refuge last time.

This place has been built, but it hasn't been used yet.

There are no windows, but there are ventilation holes. Every day, light shines in through them.

Inside the house, candles were always lit.

There was a bed and a table, and meals were delivered and filth was cleaned up daily. There were no guards, and no one interrogated them.

There are paper, pens, and several books on the table.

Every day, Zhou Dong just sits like this all by himself.

As soon as he came in, he wrote down everything he had done and knew... without holding anything back. He gave it to the person who delivered the food, but there was no reply, and no one came to ask him anything.

Time seemed to drag on endlessly, and sometimes I would just count my heartbeats out of sheer boredom.

As soon as the door opened, Granny Zhao came in with several people.

Through the swaying light, Zhou Dong stared blankly for a while before realizing: it wasn't a dream.

This was the first time he had seen Granny Zhao since the incident.

"Granny Zhao..." His voice was hoarse. He didn't even stand up, but knelt down directly, kowtowed loudly, raised his face, and looked at Granny Zhao seriously.

“Granny Zhao… Zhou Dong deserves to die a thousand deaths; he has failed your nurturing and trust…”

"No need for that, get up and sit down," said Granny Zhao calmly.

Zhou Dong turned his head and saw that Zhao Mama was surrounded by his childhood friends. He shook his head in shame, his eyes red-rimmed, unsure of what to say to them.

"The prince has returned safely," said Granny Zhao.

“Okay…Granny, can Zhou Dong see the Prince? The Prince saved me and raised me. I’m sorry to him and want to apologize to him in person.”

"The prince refuses to see you," said Granny Zhao coldly.

Zhou Dong suddenly sat back, covered his face with his hands, and began to sob.

"Dong-ge..." His friends were really disappointed in him, but they also felt sorry for him.

One of them said, "This time, Xiao Liu didn't come back; he died in battle."

Zhou Dong looked up again...

"The Prince posthumously conferred upon him the title of Fifth-Rank General Dingyuan and granted him a generous pension. His son's education and future, as well as his daughter's dowry, were all taken care of by the Prince. We all helped him both at home and outside... Zhou Dong, what about you? You were the most promising among us. How did you end up like this?"

"Yes! I don't understand why?"

“I advised you before, it was still not too late to turn back then, why did you do this?” This was the friend who went to his house to visit him last time.

Zhou Dong shook his head and smiled bitterly: "I don't know either... I was just like a man possessed, not thinking about anything, just keeping my head down and doing things."

"Feng Liniang, she was the one who didn't want you in the first place! Why are you so stubborn? She's the prince's woman, what more do you want?"

"No, no, no!" Zhou Dong quickly explained, "I didn't mean anything by it. Even the worst person wouldn't do something like that. I just... felt sorry for her, that she had a hard life..."

“Zhou Dong! Do you even believe what you’re saying? Feng Liniang is favored by the Prince, gave birth to his eldest son, and is already a third-rank noblewoman… She manages the inner quarters, living a life of luxury! Even when we see her, we have to stand up and bow, calling her Concubine… She’s pitiful? What kind of idiot are you?” someone shouted.

Zhou Dong chuckled bitterly, "Sometimes I wonder, whose son am I? Everything was so good, so why did it come to this? Maybe my very foundation was crooked..." Looking at the weathered and forlorn Zhou Dong, no longer the spirited young man he was when he first returned to the capital, Granny Zhao felt a pang of sadness. Their group was the largest, dozens of people. She had truly raised them all…

Over the years, several others, like Xiao Liu, have suffered setbacks. The rest, whether smart and capable or less intelligent... have all diligently done their jobs.

Zhou Dong is the only one like him!
Maybe there will always be one like that?
"Alright. There's no need to say any more about this," Zhao Mama instructed.

"Brother Dong, we brothers will help with your funeral arrangements. Your wife..."

Zhou Dong paused for a moment, stood up, straightened his clothes, and knelt down again: "Thank you, brothers. In this life, I, Zhou Dong, am a failure, unworthy of your trust and affection. In the next life..." He shook his head: "There's no need for a next life. I remember your kindness."

Everyone wiped away their tears and went outside.

Zhou Dong knelt there, staring blankly...

"Husband?!"

"Daddy!"

Mrs. Tu brought the children in.

"Husband... what's wrong with you?" Tu Shi cried, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't believe what she was seeing...

At first, Madam Tu was confused and didn't know where Zhou Dong had gone. She came to the Prince's residence to look for him, but after the incident, the residence was under tight security. She was not allowed to enter.

Later, she went to find Zhou Dong's friends, only to find that they no longer addressed her as "sister-in-law" or "brother's wife" as they used to. Their wives and children also stopped visiting her.

She realized something was wrong...

They went to Granny Zhao's house for help.

Granny Zhao said that Zhou Dong was away on business and that they would only hear from him when the prince returned, so she could stay home and take care of the children without worry.

Ms. Tu didn't believe it at all, but she had no choice.

"They said you made a mistake, what mistake did you make that has kept you locked up for so long? When, when will you be released?" Tu was terrified.

Zhou Dong looked at his wife and children. To be honest, he married Tu Shi simply because he had reached a certain age and needed to get married. Tu Shi was the best he could find at the time. He never really loved her; it was just about settling down.

He was good to his children, but not to the point of being genuinely good to them.

At this moment... he couldn't get enough of looking at them, and he couldn't say anything. He just hugged them tightly, very tightly...

After a long pause, he finally let go, saying, "Go find your uncles, and let your father and mother talk."

Seeing his state, Madam Tu became frightened. "Husband, we'll admit our mistakes. The prince is back; I'll go to him... and plead for you. At worst, we'll quit this official post and go back home. My parents can at least give us some food!"

"No way..."

"What do you mean it's no longer working? What exactly did you do?"

"I'm sorry... Heh, I've wronged too many people. I'm sorry to the Prince and Granny Zhao, and all my brothers. You and the children."

"What happened?" Tu cried uncontrollably.

“Feng Liniang... I liked her very much back then.”

“I know that!” Madam Tu exclaimed. “Your sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law have already told me. What’s the big deal? I don’t care.”

"But……"

"You won't..."

Zhou Dong chuckled wryly, knowing that everyone would think the same thing. "No, not at all."

Tu just breathed a sigh of relief.

“But I helped her train people, bribed the gatekeepers of the Prince’s mansion, and followed her to rush into the mansion to kill the Princess…which also resulted in my brothers being injured.”

"Ah?! The incident at the Prince's residence the other day... was it you?!"

"Well, it's me."

"But...why?"

"Everyone keeps asking me why... it was me who did it."

"Now what?"

“I can no longer stay with you and the child. I have betrayed the prince, hurt the prince’s son, and damaged the interests of the prince’s mansion. I am a traitor and cannot live any longer.”

Tu burst into tears, “But…it’s not your fault, it’s Feng Liniang’s fault, isn’t it? She’s a concubine in the Prince’s mansion, you were just following orders.”

"Stop talking about that." Zhou Dong calmed down. "If I die, there will be no posthumous honors or compensation. There's still some money at home, but some of it was given to me by Feng Liniang. Tell Granny Zhao about the situation at home and ask her to see what to do. Sell the house and take the children back to your parents' home. My brothers... they will make sure you get back safely."

"Oh my god... how could this be? I was so happy when I came to the capital with you. How did it turn out like this?"

"You didn't marry the right person..."

Finally, Zhou Dong was the only one left in the room when someone came in, bringing a pot of wine and a few side dishes.

Backed out.

Zhou Dong enjoyed his last supper...

Let's write it in a more melancholic style, even though he's not very good at it.

(End of this chapter)