Transmigrated Into The Book

THE TIME OF REVENGE I..

Another part of the past,

"What happened to the Emperor!!?" 

Everyone inside the room was stunned and shocked. They were all trembling in fear when Huanxue, the second prince, came rushing.

Beside the bed was a man with fine features. You can still see the youth in him after his 40s. He was crying and couldn't speak. He was holding the cold hand of the emperor lying on the bed.

Huanxue approached the bed with his raging voice, "What did you do?!" He exclaimed.

Master Lan pressed Yinzhao's hands and said. "T-The emperor, h-his majesty..is dead," he stammered between his heavy breaths, trying to control his sobs.

Silence fell upon them. 

Master Lan recalled the last days he had with the emperor. Since he was always alone after sending his son, Prince Yuan, in the battle. His condition became worse and worse. Yinzhao is always talking about how brave his son was. He even told Master Lan that he will follow his steps when he grows up.

Master Lan's expression turned sorrowful. The last words he heard from the emperor was. "When Yuan comes back, we will traverse the kingdom while riding our horses... I will wait for him,"

How would he ever embrace his son when he was already dead? His unconscious body was lying on the soft bed of his favorite room. He never had the chance to ride the horse with Yuan, even for the last time. 

The thick and wide doors of the room opened. Spatting two men with a bottle in their hands and a bowl. When Master Lan observed it, it's the herbal medicine he was concocting for the emperor. One of the men whispered something to Huanxue.

'Is it bad news?' Master Lan mumbled to himself as soon as he saw Huanxue's knitted brows. Suddenly, Huanxue screamed in anger. "TAKE HIM!!"

Two of the palace guards punched Master Lan in the stomach and seized his arms. Groaning in pain, he asked. "What did I do, your majesty?" 

Huanxue glared at him, sharp and cold. He faced everyone and proclaimed, "THIS PHYSICIAN HERE ARE NO LONGER PART OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, HE WILL NO LONGER GAIN ANYTHING FROM US!! HE BETRAYED THE KINGDOM BY PUTTING POISON TO THE LATE EMPEROR'S MEDICINE!! I WILL BANISH HIM!!"

That day, Huanxue proclaimed himself as the new emperor and threw Master Lan away from the Palace. They took everything from him, including his medicinal hall that was given to him by Yinzhao.

They threw him like a child wandering in the cold weather. He and Yinzhao are very close to each other. He will never betray or kill him. They're like brothers, after all. Master Lan took all the blame and grieved alone. 

Until the late emperor's burial ended. 

***

"OPEN THE GATES!!"

The big iron thick gates opened up, creaking itself until the edge. The noises cheering from inside became louder.

"The prince had won the war!!!"

"Long live the prince!!"

"Finally!! The war has ended!!"

Yuan had this big smile stretching his cheeks. When he reached the very entrance of the palace, he mounted his horse cheerfully. He was a bit surprised because the guards watching the doors were different.

'What happened here?' he asked himself. 

He trudged inside, since the guards quickly opened the door for him. His hands were swaying in the air with his sword clanking beside his waist. He really didn't want to change. He wants to visit his father wearing his armor. 

"Old man, I won the war!" he exclaimed to himself while practicing his line. He will surely brag about his bravery to his father. His father, Emperor Yinzhao, promised him that they will traverse the entire kingdom while riding their horses if he won the imperial war. 

The hallways were silent, though the maids still greeted him and he still felt uncomfortable. Before he left, the entire palace was vivacious and noisy. He observed every spot. Everything was different.

"What happened here while I was away?" Yuan frowned. He ignored it and walked forward. 

He still had this excitement in his eyes until he reached the right door. His father's room. He prepared himself as he scoffed to laughter. "I shouldn't be laughing. I will surprise him," he mumbled with a grin.

Yuan twisted the door. It was locked. His father never locked his room, he was always welcome to the people. Everyone loved the emperor, so it's impossible to lock himself because of danger.

Before he could utter a word, a servant that was passing by approached him. "Greetings, your highness the crowned prince." he bowed his head. "Welcome back," the servant said with respect.

"Where's my father? Is he inside? Why did he lock the room? Can you get the key for me? I want to surprise him.." Yuan replied.

The servant trembled and backed away. "Your highness," he lowered his head more to hide his eyes. "Follow me, please,"

Dumbfounded, Yuan followed the servant. Both quiet while striding the pathway. Yuan stiffened when he recognized the path they were taking. He placed his closed fist on his chest and mumbled. "Don't overthink,"

"WE ARE HERE, YOUR HIGHNESS"

Yuan slowly lifted his head and saw the big gate opened in front of his eyes. The surrounding trees fluttered with the wind as he slowly took a step. The servant didn't follow him to respect his privacy. 

Inside the enclosed room, Yuan roamed. The walls are covered in green vines and above it was a glass roof, penetrating the warm sunlight from above. It was like a garden full of peaceful ambiance.

In the middle of the room, there was a big stone carved in a very royal way. Every edge was perfect and smooth. The gray cold stone caught Yuan's attention. He approached it and read the letters engraved on it. 

IN LOVING MEMORY OF THE GREAT EMPEROR, BAI YINZHAO

Yuan wobbled and stumbled. His knees hit the soft grasses underneath. He gasped and touched the cold stone, "F-Father.." his voice cracked. Because of the shock, no tears came out of his eyes. 

He stayed there, not even moving. Still processing what happened, still gathering his thoughts back. 

Yuan slapped himself. Thinking that maybe this was just a dream, he wanted to go back and woke up. Nothing happened. 

Yuan punched himself. Maybe the slap wasn't painful enough to wake him up from this dream.

Yuan bumped his head into the cold stone, his forehead bleeding. It drips down on his face thinking that maybe he needed to feel actual pain to wake up from this nightmare.

Nothing happened.

Yuan then felt the soreness from his bleeding head. Then he realized that it was all real. This is not a nightmare. The sting reached his system. Yuan made a punch. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE FATHER?!!" he yelled.

He clenched his fist once more, but when he was going to make another punch, he trembled. 

Yuan cried, sobbing like a child while murmuring. "Please come back, you need to fulfill your promise,"