To the south, the north, the west, I traveled freely. All of the issues I would heard from the misplaced hikers, I obtained to expertise. My sorrow over separating from my brother was nice, however attending to see the world helped distract me.

What an exquisite world! The animals, the crops, the folks, the locations! So many issues existed that I would by no means seen, by no means heard. I liked each second.

However ultimately I got here to the ocean. I would by no means seen such an enormous physique of water and for a time I believed it was wonderful. Till I attempted crossing it. The second I tried it, I felt weak and unwell, as if my energy was draining from me. I would by no means felt that approach earlier than, so I rushed again to the land.

Apparently my spirit was tied to the land, not simply the mountain. If I left the land, I misplaced all energy, and I would die. Or not less than that was my idea. I had no intention of testing it. I had a robust need to dwell, in spite of everything.

After touring each which approach, I spotted I used to be surrounded by ocean. I couldn’t depart the land to discover different locations. I knew the world was a lot larger than this, however I had no technique to see it. I used to be trapped. Identical to the mountain had trapped me, the ocean trapped me. I might by no means depart.

I sulked for fairly some time once I realized I could not journey the world like I would hoped. Whereas I used to be sulking, I settled in a big metropolis. It was the largest metropolis people had made but, prosperous and effectively related. If I could not journey, I might not less than discover a place that will let me expertise the world vicariously. Human commerce was an exquisite factor.

By then, I would gotten used to the evil in humanity. I nonetheless discovered evil repulsive, however the urge to destroy it had lessened considerably. I believe this was partially due to my separation from the mountains but additionally my lack of ability to cease the by no means ending evil that flowed from humanity’s coronary heart. I grew to become numb to it with time, which I nonetheless discover very unhappy to this present day.

Which is why I might dwell in that metropolis. Should you recall that military we repelled all these years in the past? The ruler had created the very metropolis I used to be in, although he’d lengthy since died. He conquered many smaller tribes and international locations round him, in his thirst for energy, creating an Empire that spanned all through the ages.

Nobody in that metropolis might see me, and even the youngsters struggled to see my fairies. I mourned most for the youngsters. The evil an infection was deep if it stripped even kids of their innocence.

Even when I used to be numb to evil, I nonetheless helped good flourish the place I might. A household right here, an individual there, the place ever I used to be in a position, I inspired folks to do effectively, to deal with one another kindly, to hunt redemption. I didn’t assume a lot of what I used to be doing, as they have been solely very small issues and did not appear very impactful.

However I lived in that metropolis a really very long time. And as I stated as soon as earlier than, good is extra highly effective than evil. A part of how evil survives is by mendacity about its power and attraction. When folks have skilled nothing however evil after which style the pureness of fine for the primary time, the pull towards good is amplified considerably. My affect on the town was subsequently amplified many occasions past what I would ever anticipated.

Good started to return to that metropolis. Kids noticed my fairies once more. I used to be stunned by the shift, overjoyed. However when good is available in, evil fights again. There isn’t any change with out sacrifice. Evil makes positive of it.

Throughout this time of ethical upheaval, I met somewhat boy. He was very common in look, black hair and eyes, sharp eyebrows. However to my utter astonishment he might see me.

The story of this little boy is thus: his household was associated to the Emperor. His father was the youthful half-brother of the Crown Prince. An influence battle broke out among the many princes and his father sided with the flawed particular person. The whole household was worn out. It was cleverly executed, a mix of assassinations, poisoning, and a home fireplace that burned down their property, leaving no proof. To the surface world, it was merely a tragic collection of occasions.

The little boy was referred to as Fu Jing, which means wealthy and quiet. Maybe his dad and mom hoped he’d be rich in quiet contemplation, which they most likely wanted since he was the youngest boy out of 5 rowdy brothers. I merely referred to as him Jing, which means spirit. In any case, he might see me, a spirit.

Jing escaped demise by dwelling as much as his identify: he was a quiet little boy who sought quiet locations. He’d been in a distant a part of the property, the place few folks bothered with, when the slaughter began. And, having explored each nook and cranny of the place, he’d squeezed by a crack within the property partitions to flee being murdered.

By the point I would met him, he’d already been homeless for fairly a while. Even he had forgotten how lengthy. He was skinny, sickly, and surviving off rubbish. He by no means stole meals, or pick-pocketed cash, or bullied different orphans for what they’d discovered. I believed it was a disgrace his household was lifeless, for they will need to have been good folks to lift a baby akin to this.

Naturally I grew to become excellent mates with Jing.

I had fairly a number of connections within the metropolis by then, even when the folks I used to be related to did not understand it. To feed him, material him, give him a roof over his head, have been all quite simple issues for me to perform. To present him a bonus, I personally taught him. Not simply within the common sense of training a baby, but additionally the secrets and techniques of the town that nobody was presupposed to know.

Data is energy, make no mistake. And Jing was a really intelligent little boy.

Although revenge was a typical and accepted idea in his tradition, Jing didn’t search revenge. Fairly, he sought justice. What he needed was for what occurred to him, to by no means occur once more. He needed rule of legislation to imply one thing, even to the Imperial Household.

Jing used my connections and secrets and techniques to develop very rich, in a short time.

The subsequent factor he did was completely take up my teachings from the Blue Flower Mountain Sect, even bettering upon them. Earlier than he was twenty, he managed to be one of many richest, most bodily highly effective folks within the metropolis. Even I used to be amazed by how he turned his life round. These with fairy-sight have been, certainly, a sort set aside from the remainder.

However earlier than all of that, at seventeen he joined the military. His intention was to rise by the ranks. It was the quickest technique to get the Emperor’s consideration and be taken significantly.

I couldn’t comply with him. A lot of the preventing executed on the Emperor’s behalf was nonsense, stemming from greed and satisfaction. The evil within the military was notably robust, even I could not tolerate its stench.

Regardless of our a few years as mates, he didn’t perceive my objections. In the long run, I informed him that if he was going into the military, not less than do me the favor of reforming it into one thing respectable. I would really come by and go to if he did.

As together with his industrial ventures, his success within the military was simply as beautiful. As a low rating soldier, he reduce a path of destruction. As he was given extra duty, he lead the military to higher and higher victories. By the age of twenty-two, he’d develop into a common.

He took my suggestion of reformation significantly. Everybody below his command was required to comply with his “warrior code”. There was no extra raping, pillaging, and promoting off warfare victims into slavery. Meaningless torture and destruction of property was forbidden. They have been there to win, not take pleasure in probably the most bestial needs of mankind.

Cities confronted with invasion prayed that it was Common Jing who got here with the sword, for his type of conquering was counted as merciful. If a city surrendered and swore allegiance to the Emperor, he would let even the management dwell. All he required is that they hand over their wealth, which he gave to the Emperor immediately as proof of the city’s loyalty. In the event that they selected to struggle, he killed with out hesitation, but it surely was swift and clear. Those that did not struggle, kids and ladies and the aged, have been allowed to dwell. By the point he was a Common, cities have been extra more likely to give up than to struggle.

As Common Jing grew increasingly well-known, the Emperor grew increasingly impressed. The cash provided as tribute by the cities, which he by no means skimmed off of, was given again to him as a reward. Or not less than a portion of it. By his third profitable marketing campaign at 26 years outdated the Emperor named him Commander of the Northern Fleet. He was the youngest soldier to ever be conferred such an honor.

Between his enterprise success and his Commander’s wage, he grew to become the richest man within the nation exterior the Imperial household. This allowed him to reward troopers from his personal wages when wanted. When a soldier died, he lined the funeral value personally and even made positive the widows and their kids have been effectively taken care of. Each commoner household within the Empire knew that serving below Commander Jing was nearly assured monetary success. On high of that, as a result of he promoted on benefit moderately than household and political ties, anybody might acquire honor and be renown below him by merely working laborious and exhibiting their excellence.

The Emperor favored Commander Jing. Regardless of all his success and recognition, Commander Jing was a really easy particular person. He by no means lied, he by no means schemed, and if he disliked one thing he stated so, even to the Emperor. Everybody knew the place he stood on any given situation, and in the event that they did not, all they needed to do was ask.

Many discovered this extremely disrespectful, however the Emperor was relieved. In his lifetime, whether or not it was his courtroom, sons, or the navy, he’d at all times needed to cope with sly, unwell intentioned folks. It was a vicious, chilly hearted world he’d lived in. Commander Jing was a breath of recent air. The Emperor was reminded of his son, who’d died all these years in the past. Commander Jing was very similar to him, and typically the Emperor even fancied that Commander Jing appeared like him too.

Regardless that a few years had handed, the Emperor nonetheless mourned the demise of Jing’s father. He by no means found who’d murdered his son and his son’s household. He was not an ignorant ruler, he knew foul play had been concerned. However none of his sons have been prepared to come back ahead, the almost certainly culprits, and his investigations result in lifeless ends, or lifeless investigators. He’d been pressured to place his seek for the felony on maintain.

As for me, Jing by no means requested me to affix him on his military missions after that first time. He realized as a foot soldier that, even when he might reform the navy, warfare was merciless and ugly. He’d over-glorified being a warrior and a soldier and the truth was crushing. He wouldn’t let me be crushed below it. To him, I used to be an attractive harmless flower to be protected.

I moderately appreciated his picture of me. So I by no means informed him I would slaughtered his ancestor’s military and soaked up the blood of his folks in my soil with out even a hint of regret. I believe even when I informed him, he would not imagine I would executed such a factor anyway.

As to the demise of his household, I had not let that slide. It was troublesome work, as a result of the particular person in the end behind all of it was intelligent in hiding himself, however I dug out the reality in the long run. The toughest half was discovering proof. Plenty of time had handed between then and now, a lot of the proof was both destroyed or lengthy gone.

The assassin was the Crown Prince.

Simply fascinated with that man sends a chill down my again even to this present day. There was not a spot of fine left in him, he’d surrendered to evil. I can’t even describe the sorts of issues he did in non-public. There was no approach I would permit Jing to serve below somebody like that. Completely no approach.

When Common Jing turned 29, the Emperor honored him with the title of First Prince. This was the best title you might get within the nation with out being a blood relation to the Imperial Household. And with it, the Emperor gave Jing a number of of the cities and a metropolis he’d conquered within the Emperor’s identify to control. Jing ended up being extra princely than most Imperial Princes, for they didn’t immediately govern any lands. As an alternative the Imperial Princes, together with that wretched Crown Prince, dominated by the Courtroom.

The Emperor additionally tried to bestow a bride upon Jing by Imperial Edict, a daughter of considered one of his decrease ranked concubines. This was really an awesome honor, as she was nonetheless thought of a Princess regardless of being concubine-born, however Jing flat out refused.

When the Imperial Edict obtained to that half, Jing really ran over and lined the announcer’s mouth, stopping him from ending. So long as Jing did not hear the complete factor, the Edict had not been delivered and will subsequently be rescinded. (That was the legislation regarding Imperial Edicts on the time: as soon as they have been delivered, they have been thought of legislation and couldn’t be overturned.)

Jing stole the Imperial Edict, the announcement having been first delivered to his home earlier than going public, and broke into the palace to personally argue with the Emperor over it. The Emperor, considering the Commander didn’t desire a concubine’s daughter, he recommended different eligible single women.

The Emperor had been completely flummoxed when the Commander stubbornly refused all of them. Seeing how offended Jing was getting by his insistence, the Emperor determined to simply put the matter apart for now. In any case, he was simply making an attempt to do one thing good for Jing, a younger man he seen with fatherly affection. He then rescinded the unique Edict and made the modifications wanted to swimsuit his willful Commander.

Commander Jing didn’t marry that day, or any time quickly after that. It ought to have been very apparent to me why on the time, however I actually didn’t perceive.

I understood the Concubine’s daughter, as Jing and her have been principally household and marrying can be extraordinarily awkward. However with the opposite ladies he didn’t have that excuse (for I would adopted him and listened to his dialog to the Emperor). I really knew among the ladies the Emperor was suggesting and so they have been candy, mild ladies. They’d have made good wives for Jing.

When the rewritten Imperial Edict was made public, the Crown Prince was livid. His father had not bothered to get his opinion on the matter and had introduced it with out informing anybody within the Palace, not even the Empress. Everybody was shocked.

The favor he gave the Commander wasn’t simply beneficiant, it was borderline harmful to the Crown Prince. The Emperor hadn’t formally declared anybody his appropriate inheritor, and the Crown Prince solely obtained the title by advantage of being the eldest son of the Empress. Issues have been nonetheless very unsure. If a greater candidate got here alongside, the Crown Prince wholeheartedly believed his Imperial Father would identify that particular person Crown Prince as a substitute.

He instantly got down to kill the newly minted “First Prince” Jing. However he did not know I used to be there, my fairies and I spying on his each transfer. It doesn’t matter what he or his assassins tried, they might not kill Jing. The truth is, the Crown Prince’s private steady of assassins took fairly the hit, as Jing had no qualms about killing those that tried to kill him first.

Each failed try left proof, and this proof was despatched to the Emperor on the sly. The Crown Prince grew to become careless in his anger on the fixed failures, making it increasingly apparent he was immediately concerned. Even the Emperor couldn’t deny it. And what’s extra, the Emperor might see how the Crown Prince operated, and that many unintended or seemingly pure deaths prior to now have been probably attributable to his personal son.

He’d at all times recognized his son was a calculative particular person. The Emperor had by no means counted that in opposition to him, as being intelligent and sly was required to outlive within the Courtroom’s political local weather. What he didn’t count on was that his son can be actively undermining his personal authority. As a result of the folks his son killed weren’t enemies of the Emperor; they have been his mates, his loyal servants, those that supported him.

And, on the very finish, he unearthed the worst reality of all: the Crown Prince had grown impatient together with his father’s lengthy life. Fairly than danger having his title of ‘Crown Prince’ taken away, he’d determined to take issues into his personal arms. He’d been slowly feeding the Emperor poison for over a 12 months, in an try to weaken his physique in order that he’d catch an sickness. The sickness would then kill him, not the poison. It was ingenious, nobody would realize it was an unnatural demise.

Every part else, the Emperor would have forgiven or glossed over. However his son searching for his personal life, he couldn’t forgive. He wept when he realized how he’d failed as a Father and a Ruler, that his personal son would attempt to kill him.

The Emperor referred to as First Prince Jing, all his sons, and the best ranked Courtroom officers collectively. Nobody knew, apart from Commander Jing, why they’d been gathered on such brief discover.

The Emperor introduced the crimes of the Crown Prince, leaving nothing out, and stripped his son of his title and wealth. He’d meant on merely imprisoning his disgraced son, loving him even then, however after the Emperor informed the Crown Prince that he’d misplaced his title, the previous Prince went mad and truly tried to kill the Emperor proper then and there. Royalty or not, such conduct was grounds for fast execution.

And that is precisely what First Prince Jing did. He’d been standing on the base of the throne the place the Emperor sat the complete time, his sword at his facet, understanding completely effectively that the previous Crown Prince wouldn’t tolerate such an end result.

When the enraged man had come on the Emperor, Jing had stepped ahead and pierced him proper within the coronary heart, killing him nearly immediately. It was so quick, folks have been confused for a second as to why or how there was blood on the disgraced Prince’s shirt.

Jing then turned to the surprised, grieving Emperor, and stated: “Your Imperial Majesty could have forgotten me, however I’ve not forgotten you. I am Shu Fu Jing, youngest son of Prince Shu Yu Rong, son of your Royal Highness. As we speak the killer of the Shu household, and lots of others, has been dropped at justice. For not revealing this reality sooner, I can solely beg your forgiveness and mercy.”

He then obtained on his arms and knees and bowed till his brow touched the ground.

At that time, I felt sorry for the Emperor. He’d not solely misplaced his son’s coronary heart, he additionally misplaced his life. And whereas discovering his grandson was alive, the information could not have come at a worse time. The outdated man couldn’t arrange his ideas. It was clear he was in shock. In the long run, he stored to his authentic announcement after which stated he’d cope with First Prince Jing another day.

Certainly, he handled Jing. He was not a silly man, merely smooth hearted within the flawed areas. The place his son used assassins and poison to get his approach, Jing labored out within the open. If diplomacy didn’t work, he’d resort to brute drive. However not less than it was very straightforward to inform the place you stood with him.

And but regardless of being such a forthright persona, he simply handled the trickery of the Crown Prince. This meant he would deal truthfully with folks whereas on the similar time with the ability to keep away from schemes and traps of his enemies. None of his different sons have been that robust, mentally or bodily.

The Emperor did one thing exceptional on the time: He disregarded his personal sons and made Fu Jing the Crown Prince. Asserting proper after that, inside 5 years time, he can be transitioning the throne to Fu Jing after which retiring.

This all occurred inside per week, rocking the nation.

The Emperor’s different sons didn’t just like the information, however did not dare do something about it. If Fu Jing might so handedly cope with the slyest, cruelest of them, what hope did the remainder of them have? They didn’t wish to lose their positions, so that they sensibly determined that currying favor was the wiser choice.

Crown Prince Fu Jing wasn’t moved by the glory he’d acquired. Whilst a Commander, he’d at all times been somewhat uncomfortable having the lives of so many depend upon him. He would have most popular to be a businessman, and depart the larger issues to another person. However since he sought justice, not vengeance, he would settle for the job graciously.

When he dominated, there can be no extra nonsense like what had led to the demise of his household. He would be sure of it.