This year, Liu Ying gained another younger brother named Liu Heng.

Empress Mother didn’t pay much attention this time, because this brother’s mother, Consort Bo, wasn’t favored. The only one she guarded against was Consort Qi.

However, Liu Ying felt this brother was somewhat pitiful. It was said that Father Emperor had only favored Consort Bo for one night, and even after learning of her pregnancy and childbirth, never visited again. Liu Ying sent some items over. Though he couldn’t personally care for him, this was still his own blood brother.

Since becoming estranged from his parents, and with his sister married away, Liu Ying increasingly valued family affection. As for that Han Xin he had admired, when they met again, there was no familiar feeling. Liu Ying felt he must have left, though the current General Han looked the same as before.

Days passed one by one. Liu Ying continued pretending to be slow and wooden, coldly observing the struggles between Father Emperor and Empress Mother, saying nothing.

He didn’t value his position as Crown Prince. If possible, he even wanted to become an ordinary farmer.

The clear water in the Zhen Yang Yu decreased day by day, but he didn’t care about that either.

He even felt that the clear water should represent his hope. As a child, he had hoped for many, many things, but he was continuously disappointed. Hope gradually dried up and turned into despair.

In his sixteenth year, Father Emperor passed away. In a daze, he ascended the throne, with national affairs handled entirely by Empress Mother. He was happy to be relaxed.

After all, he didn’t really understand these things anyway. With Chancellor Xiao He there, surely no great chaos would arise.

However, Empress Mother and Xiao He had conspired a year ago in the Changle Bell Chamber to kill Han Xin. Liu Ying knew that wasn’t the real General Han, but was still extremely shocked upon hearing the news.

He knew Empress Mother had changed, but hadn’t expected her to become a stranger.

“Imperial Brother, how is little brother’s calligraphy?” Fifteen-year-old Liu Ruyi held a bamboo scroll in both hands, presenting it before Liu Ying. Liu Ruyi had inherited most of his mother Consort Qi’s appearance. Though still a youth, he was delicate and handsome, with a pair of apricot eyes that showed a pleasing expression, making one unable to bear scolding him upon sight.

Originally Liu Ruyi had been enfeoffed in Zhao, but was summoned to Chang’an by a decree from the Empress Dowager. Fearing Empress Mother would harm him, Liu Ying personally went out of Chang’an city to welcome him, directly bringing Liu Ruyi to his own bedchamber to eat and sleep together, not giving Empress Mother a chance to strike. Liu Ruyi also knew that the only one in the capital who could save him was this imperial brother before him, so he became increasingly dependent on him.

Liu Ying took Liu Ruyi’s bamboo scroll and glanced at it casually, praising: “Very good.” Actually, he wasn’t interested in these things. Seeing Liu Ruyi appearing thin even in thick robes, Liu Ying frowned: “Ruyi, you should practice archery with me in the early morning.”

Looking at the heavy snow outside, Liu Ruyi shivered. These days he at most accompanied Liu Ying in rising early, watching from the sidelines at the hunting ground. The palace was heated with braziers, warm as spring – if not for threats to his life, why would he want to get up early to practice archery? Liu Ruyi had grown familiar with Liu Ying and knew this imperial brother was very kind-hearted, so he reverted to his old ways. Fundamentally, he was just a pampered young master. So he kept shaking his head in refusal, employing all eighteen methods of acting spoiled, leaving Liu Ying helplessly holding his forehead.

Liu Ying sometimes felt this fifteen-year-old Liu Ruyi wasn’t as sensible as eight-year-old Liu Heng. Perhaps this was the kind of spoiled behavior Father Emperor had been most susceptible to.

A young eunuch brought in refreshments. Liu Ying first took chopsticks and tasted every dish. This wasn’t him being particular, but fear that the food might be poisoned. Even if others tested for poison, he wouldn’t trust them – he’d rather do it himself.

Liu Ruyi watched with gratitude in his heart.

After Liu Ying had eaten a few bites and noticed nothing unusual, he nodded to indicate Liu Ruyi could eat.

Liu Ruyi pointed to the side: “Imperial Brother, why is there always half a bowl of water in that lacquered yu by the bedside?”

Liu Ying’s gaze followed Liu Ruyi’s finger to the Zhen Yang Yu placed by the bedside. He stared blankly for a long time before lightly changing the subject without answering.

Liu Ruyi stuck out his tongue, not taking it seriously.

The next day, when Liu Ying rose, seeing Liu Ruyi sleeping soundly beside him, he couldn’t bear to wake him and quietly got up alone to practice archery. When he returned, he found not a single young eunuch attending outside the palace doors.

A nameless chill rose in his heart. Liu Ying called out Liu Ruyi’s name loudly and rushed into the palace, but first saw the Zhen Yang Yu that had fallen to the ground.

The yu was completely empty, the water having long since dried up. And Liu Ruyi, who had been acting spoiled beside him yesterday, was already lying on the bed with blood flowing from all seven orifices, lifeless.

“Imperial Son, are you listening?” Lu Zhi slammed the table before her, looking with disappointment at Liu Ying who sat cross-legged across from her, drinking wine from the lacquered yu one sip at a time.

After Liu Ruyi’s death, Lu Zhi was extremely pleased, venting all the years of resentment and unwillingness on Consort Qi. She ordered people to chop off her limbs, gouge out her eyes, pour copper into her ears, cut out her tongue, and turn her into a “human pig.” Still not feeling satisfied, she ordered Liu Ying to go observe. Unexpectedly, this viewing shocked her useless son into serious illness, and it took over a year for him to gradually recover. Afterward, he began drinking heavily every day, using that very lacquered yu that had contained poison to entice and kill the curious Liu Ruyi. Lu Zhi found this both irritating and chilling to watch, but she couldn’t lower herself to fight with her son over a lacquered yu. Though she was the most noble woman in the Great Han Dynasty, wearing the most magnificent robes, the most exquisite golden hairpins, the most delicate makeup, essentially she was still that peasant woman from Pei County.

So she paid extra attention to her words and actions, but more often than not, she still couldn’t control her true nature.

Perhaps she should have a young eunuch find an opportunity to throw away this lacquered yu.

Lu Zhi knew her son was very dissatisfied with her, but she could no longer care. Years of experience had taught her that only when women possessed power were they safest. At least power wouldn’t be like men – after several years or over a decade, one morning upon waking, completely abandon her like worn-out shoes.

She didn’t regret being so ruthless to Consort Qi and her son, but she regretted letting her soft-hearted son see that horrific scene.

Lu Zhi took several deep breaths, calmed her emotions, sat up straight, and said in a commanding tone: “Imperial Son, you’re approaching adulthood and should choose a woman as empress.”

Liu Ying didn’t answer. His face didn’t even show a ripple of emotion as he continued pouring wine from the nearby wine pot into the lacquered yu.

Lu Zhi didn’t expect any reaction from him and continued: “Yan’er is very good. This dowager is very satisfied. Let’s choose a date next month for the wedding.”

Liu Ying had just finished the wine in his hands when upon hearing this, he was immediately choked by the liquid, coughing several times and looking at Lu Zhi in disbelief.

Who was Yan’er? That was his sister’s daughter! His own niece! Only twelve years old this year! Had Empress Mother finally gone mad?

Lu Zhi was actually quite satisfied to see a different expression appear on her son’s face, but this didn’t mean she would allow him to refute her decision. She glanced one last time at the lacquered yu in Liu Ying’s hands. Since younger brother Liu Ruyi’s death, the clear water in the lacquered yu had become even scarcer.

The vermillion red interior wall of the lacquered yu was gorgeous and smooth, still hanging with a few wine drops that slowly slid down the yu wall to the bottom, then gradually and slowly produced a small amount of clear water. That clear water was extremely bitter and astringent, only drinkable when mixed with wine.

Liu Ying smiled bitterly. Empress Mother hadn’t been seeking his opinion just now, but merely informing him.

Drinking the remaining mixture of wine and water at the bottom of the yu in one gulp, Liu Ying wiped the residue from his lips and smiled helplessly.

He didn’t dare refuse to marry. Even now, in his nightly nightmares, Consort Qi’s tragic state still appeared. Empress Mother’s methods were truly too cruel. Why had that once kind mother become like a madwoman now?

“Brother… brother… what’s wrong with you?” A gentle voice sounded beside his ear, with a familiar tone that almost made Liu Ying want to cry.

“Sister… Sister!” Liu Ying crawled up from the table, looking at his sister whom he hadn’t seen for a long time. After Liu Le married, she lived in seclusion, and Liu Ying hadn’t seen her many times. But in her somewhat haggard features, he could still vaguely see the expression that had often cared for him in childhood. Grabbing Liu Le’s sleeve, Liu Ying was like grasping a lifeline, pleading: “Sister, go talk to Empress Mother – you can’t let Yan’er marry me!”

Liu Le’s eyes filled with tears. If she could choose, naturally she wouldn’t want her daughter to enter this prison-like deep palace, but what could she do? How could their Empress Mother be someone who listened to persuasion? “Brother, listen to sister. You absolutely mustn’t refuse. The rumors outside are already spreading wildly. If you don’t marry Yan’er, she’ll never be able to marry anyone else in the future. Marrying into the palace is at least better than not being able to marry at all…”

Listening to Liu Le’s rambling words, all about worrying for her own daughter, Liu Ying slowly loosened his grip, letting his sister’s sleeve slip from his palm.

Yes, sister had long since married and had her own family. She couldn’t possibly think only of him like before…

“Brother, sister has never asked you for anything. Back then sister brought you to escape in the forest…”

Liu Ying’s face forced out a smile uglier than crying, and he nodded with difficulty: “I understand. I’ll do as you wish.”

The change from “I” to “I” (using the imperial “zhen”) made Liu Le realize something. But after hearing Liu Ying’s agreement, she was satisfiedly relieved and left stammering.

Liu Ying miserably raised the lacquered yu in his hands, completely failing to notice that no clear water would ever seep from this lacquered yu again.

He continued drinking heavily.

Yes, he could protect Yan’er. Though he couldn’t be a true husband to her, with the empress title, he could protect her for life.

But why was there no one to consider him…

In his sorrowful mood, Liu Ying drank more and more. In his drowsy state, words from many years ago repeatedly echoed in his mind.

What’s so good about being emperor?

His father no longer treats him as a son, his wife no longer treats him as a husband, his son doesn’t treat him as a father. He will suspect everyone around him, trust no one, and die alone in the end.

This is a punishment…

Liu Ying painfully curled into a ball. He had never done anything wrong – why must he endure such punishment?

In the vast and lonely great hall, the young emperor of Great Han fell asleep drunk as usual. A young eunuch peered about for a long time, finally tiptoeing over, picking up the empty lacquered yu from the ground, tucking it into his bosom, and quietly leaving.

188 BC, Chang’an, Tea House

Two young gentlemen silently drank tea, listening to nearby customers whispering about Empress Dowager Lu’s autocracy since Emperor Hui of Han’s unexpected death.

The young gentleman in white sighed softly and lowered his voice: “Sir, thank you for saving me.”

The young gentleman in black smiled, pointing at the lacquered yu on the table: “If I hadn’t seen this item for sale, I wouldn’t have thought to see you one last time.” It turned out that young eunuch had taken this lacquered yu from Liu Ying’s side on Lu Zhi’s orders, but instead of smashing it, seeing its value, had secretly sold it outside the palace, and it had passed through various hands among the people.

The black-clothed gentleman drank a sip of tea and squinted: “Since you’re willing to abandon the supreme position in the world, what harm is there in helping you once?”

Liu Ying sighed silently. He knew this gentleman before him had supernatural powers. He was already twenty-three years old, yet this person still looked as young as when they first met twenty years ago. Sitting together now, he even looked somewhat older. Liu Ying no longer mentioned the past. Being able to crawl out of that man-eating abyss, he had no other desires. As for the throne, he felt younger brother Liu Heng could inherit it, but whether Liu Heng could ultimately ascend the throne was beyond his ability or desire to interfere.

Liu Ying picked up the lacquered yu on the table and asked curiously: “What exactly is the origin of this Zhen Yang Yu? Why did it contain water when I held it before, but gradually dried up afterward?”

The black-clothed gentleman put down his teacup and said lightly: “Do you know King Wen of Zhou, Ji Chang?”

Liu Ying nodded. He vaguely remembered past events – this Zhen Yang Yu was related to the Book of Changes written by King Wen of Zhou, Ji Chang.

“Do you know Bo Yikao?”

Liu Ying nodded again. Bo Yikao was King Wen of Zhou Ji Chang’s eldest son. When Ji Chang was still the Marquis of the West, legend said King Zhou boiled and killed Bo Yikao, making him into meat soup and presenting it to Ji Chang. Even knowing this was his son’s meat soup, Ji Chang was forced by King Zhou’s threats to eat it. This was an extremely tragic and cruel legend.

“King Wen of Zhou Ji Chang used a wooden yu to eat that bowl of meat soup, suffering unbearably. To remind himself of this towering blood feud, he carried the wooden yu with him. Fearing it would decay, he later lacquered it…”

Liu Ying immediately put the Zhen Yang Yu back on the table as if burned, shocked speechless.

“This is that Zhen Yang Yu. Legend says only when held by a true Son of Heaven will clear water appear in the yu. And this clear water represents the family affection in your heart…”

The rest didn’t need saying – Liu Ying could guess. The clear water in the yu had spilled multiple times, like spilled water that couldn’t be recovered… causing him to leave now without looking back.

Family affection was like clear water – seemingly dispensable and unvalued, seeming tasteless when drunk regularly, making people pay it no mind. But after long drought, it was like sweet rain. But once dried up…

The black-clothed gentleman also stopped speaking, silently looking at the lacquered yu on the table. He had once personally witnessed this Zhen Yang Yu’s clear water go from full to completely dry. Ironically, the previous person qualified to hold the Zhen Yang Yu had never actually ascended to the throne as emperor.

After a long while, Liu Ying withdrew his gaze and asked: “Sir, I have no other wishes in this life. I wish to follow you.”

The black-clothed gentleman’s eyes softened, no longer containing the cold killing intent from his days as a general. He nodded: “Very well. Come with me to find someone – it may take a very long time…”

“Yes.”

2012 AD

“So that Emperor Hui of Han didn’t actually die!” The Doctor wiggled his rabbit ears after hearing the story. He really had been too long without eating anything, so he begged the Boss to buy a bag of chocolate and was struggling to pour chocolate beans out on the counter. Can’t eat them, but looking is good too!

“No, he died.” The Boss calmly wiped the Zhen Yang Yu in his hands, quietly looking down at it. Lacquerware of that time generally only used black and red colors, because these two colors were most noble in ancient times. Red was gorgeous without being flashy, black was deep without being dull. The two colors together complemented each other perfectly. Though the entire lacquered yu had no extra decoration besides the cloud patterns on the outside, it remained grand and serene, a rare masterpiece.

Hearing this, the chocolate beans in the Doctor’s hands scattered with a clatter, bouncing and falling across the counter with a pitter-patter, with several falling to the ground and spinning several times.

The Boss put down the Zhen Yang Yu, bent down and patiently picked up the chocolate beans one by one, gathering those on the counter together and piling them beside the Doctor.

“Sorry.” The Doctor apologized quietly. He couldn’t imagine how the Boss had sent away friend after friend over these thousand years of time. Watching them gradually aged and eroded by time, watching them change from youth to white bones… The Doctor suddenly felt somewhat sad. Perhaps one day, he and the Boss would have the same result.

“Why apologize? All people must die.” The Boss smiled carelessly, picked up a chocolate bean, wiped it with a silk handkerchief, and casually put it in his mouth.

“I’m apologizing for spilling the chocolate beans!” The Doctor fiercely protested.

The Boss smiled slightly: “The chocolate is very delicious!”

“…Hateful!”