5: Sichen

Inside the Time-Space Merchant Guild, Nangong Yu suddenly felt his cheek being stroked and couldn't help but be slightly startled.

Thinking of something, he quickly turned and left, his consciousness returning to his physical body.

"My poor child, your father looked forward to your arrival every single day, yet he departed from this world without ever seeing you once. You must grow up healthy!"

Nangong Yu slowly opened his eyes and heard a slightly sorrowful voice ring out; he couldn't help but turn his gaze toward it.

He saw his mother, Shangguan Yuexi, with a pale complexion and red eyes, tears streaming down her stunningly beautiful cheeks.

Her expression was filled with sorrow, and her gaze was fixed intently on him, as if she were looking at someone else through him.

Seeing this, Nangong Yu felt a pang of heartache for some unknown reason; perhaps this was the bond between mother and son?

In his previous life, he was an orphan who had no parents and didn't know what it felt like to have them.

In this life, the heavens favored him, granting him parents, yet his father died on the very day he was born.

At this moment, Nangong Yu looked at his hard-won mother, who was weeping bitterly, and wanted to say a few words of comfort, but because he had just been born, he could not speak, nor dared he.

He wanted to use a smile to influence his mother, but then thought of his recently deceased father and felt it would be inappropriate.

He wanted to use crying to attract his mother's attention, but feared it would make her even sadder, leaving him at a loss for what to do.

Just then, a worried voice sounded from the side, "Your Highness, the imperial physician advised that you must not be too sorrowful. Perhaps you should stop thinking about the Prince of Zhenbei?"

Nangong Yu remembered this voice; it was the woman who had been holding him. Wasn't she guarding outside the door? Had she come back in?

Nangong Yu turned his eyes to look and discovered it was indeed her!

He saw her looking at Shangguan Yuexi with a worried expression, speaking hesitantly, "Your Highness, please don't be too sad. If you harm your body, how will you take care of the Young Heir!"

Hearing this, Nangong Yu quickly turned his gaze to look at Shangguan Yuexi, and saw that after being slightly startled, she indeed suppressed some of her sorrowful emotions.

Nangong Yu had wanted to reach out and wipe the tear stains from her cheeks, but after thinking about it, he gave up.

After all, he was just a newborn less than a day old; how could he be that sensible?

If he really did that, wouldn't the title of 'cursed star' be firmly placed upon him?

He wanted to be a low-key man, so it was better not to over-perform.

However, seeing that his mother Shangguan Yuexi's sorrow had lessened slightly, Nangong Yu couldn't help but have a faint smile appear on his face.

Seeing that Shangguan Yuexi's sorrow had indeed lessened by two parts, Aunt Shen continued to change the subject, "Your Highness, the Young Heir does not have a name yet. Please choose one for him."

Upon hearing this, a flash of reminiscence crossed Shangguan Yuexi's eyes, followed by even more sorrow.

However, she glanced at Nangong Yu and forcibly suppressed the sorrow in her heart.

She spoke slowly, "The Prince of Zhenbei and I once talked about this. We wished for our child not to be bound, to pursue their own freedom, and to fly toward higher skies. Since my child is the Young Heir of the Prince of Zhenbei's Residence, let us take the single character 'Yu'!"

"Nangong Yu! That name sounds wonderful. Young Heir, you have a name now!" Hearing Shangguan Yuexi's words, Aunt Shen couldn't help but squat down and smile at Nangong Yu.

Nangong Yu opened his small mouth slightly and revealed a smile. He hadn't expected that in this new life, he would actually use his previous name again.

Seeing Nangong Yu's smiling face, Aunt Shen couldn't help but look surprised, "Your Highness, look quickly, the Young Heir is smiling!"

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yuexi also half-propped herself up to look at Nangong Yu. Seeing the smile on his little face, her own sorrow was also dispersed by two parts.

Shangguan Yuexi reached out and took Nangong Yu into her arms, "Yuer, it seems you also like the name we prepared for you!"

The smile remained on Nangong Yu's small face, and his little hands waved about randomly, as if he were truly happy.

Seeing this, the sorrow within Shangguan Yuexi dissipated by another two parts, and a rare smile couldn't help but flash in her eyes.

But very quickly, she thought of her husband, the Prince of Zhenbei, again, and her eyes couldn't help but dim once more.

Immediately after, she looked at Nangong Yu and spoke again, "Yuer, although a courtesy name is usually chosen when you come of age and isn't often used, how about Mother helps you decide on one today?"

Hearing this, Nangong Yu was slightly startled, then revealed a smiling face again, his big eyes blinking.

Seeing the change in Nangong Yu's expression, Shangguan Yuexi was slightly surprised in her heart, but didn't think much of it.

She continued, "Let the courtesy name be Si Chen. I hope you will be able to understand Mother when the time comes!"

After saying this, she hugged Nangong Yu tightly, and two lines of clear tears could no longer be held back, sliding down her stunningly beautiful cheeks once more!

Nangong Yu felt a bit squeezed, but thinking of his mother's sorrow, and because he didn't feel too uncomfortable, he didn't cry or fuss.

He looked at his tear-streaked mother, feeling a bit unsettled inside.

Perhaps it was because he had never met his father, or perhaps because he had no emotional connection to this father he had never met, so he found it somewhat difficult to empathize with his mother's sorrow.

But watching his mother's sorrow, he didn't know why, but he felt like crying too.

Just then, Aunt Shen noticed that Nangong Yu's complexion looked a bit off and quickly said, "Your Highness, please don't hold him too tightly, otherwise the Young Heir will be uncomfortable."

Hearing this, Shangguan Yuexi realized belatedly and quickly relaxed her grip significantly.

She looked at Nangong Yu and couldn't help but show an apologetic expression, "Yuer, I'm sorry, it's Mother's fault!"

Hearing this, Nangong Yu quickly suppressed his urge to cry and met her with a smile, as if he didn't mind at all, or as if he hadn't understood at all.

Seeing this, Shangguan Yuexi thought to herself: Yuer, my Yuer, Mother will surely protect you as you grow up!

Before long, Nangong Yu felt weariness wash over him and drifted into a deep sleep unconsciously.

Seeing this, Shangguan Yuexi looked up and whispered instructions, "The Prince of Zhenbei's remains were not recovered, but what needs to be done must still be done. I will have to trouble you, Aunt Shen!"

Aunt Shen quickly shook her head, "Your Highness, what are you saying? These matters are things that the Servant Girl should have handled. Now that Your Highness has woken up and is resting and recuperating well, I will go down to get busy!"

"Thank you, Aunt Shen!"

Shangguan Yuexi thanked her, and Aunt Shen bowed in trepidation before taking her leave.

Northern Territory, Beiji City.

Three figures arrived at high speed, and before long, they reached the space above Beiji City.

"We hurried and rushed, but in the end, we still arrived too late!"

The middle-aged man in the lead said with an ugly expression. Although they had received news of the Prince of Zhenbei's death halfway through their journey, the three of them still came.

The three were none other than General of the Cavalry Yang Zhong and the two attendants he had brought with him!

"There is no help for it. The Qingyou Empire is neither large nor small. If it weren't for using the teleportation array between the Imperial City and Fuguang City in the Northern Territory, which saved ninety percent of the time, who knows how much longer it would have taken us to get here!"

The White-Haired Old Man among them spoke, his tone filled with helplessness and even more regret.

It seemed he felt helpless for not being able to save the Prince of Zhenbei, and felt regret that the Empire had lost a top-tier military commander like the Prince of Zhenbei!

"Let's search. Although this trip was not our fault, it can be considered failing Your Majesty's commission. At the very least, we should bring back some of the Prince of Zhenbei's personal effects!"

The white-haired woman spoke, a sigh flashing in her eyes, though it seemed to be more of a reminiscence.

"That is only right!"

The three searched for a while and eventually found a Spirit Rank longsword, which was none other than Nangong Aochen's personal sword!

The Chenguang Sword!

However, the Chenguang Sword, which should have been a glistening, sharp, top-grade spirit artifact, was now severely damaged, appearing dull and lusterless, and its rank had even fallen to somewhere between a Mortal Weapon and a Spiritual Artifact!

The three looked at each other and all shook their heads.

Throughout the entire battlefield, this was the only Chenguang Sword that could be found; nothing else could be recovered.

Yang Zhong sighed, then looked at the two attendants and said, "Elder Zhao, Attendant Liu, I have been ordered to defend the Northern Territory. I need one of you to return and report to Your Majesty, and the other to assist me. I wonder..."

The two looked at each other, and the White-Haired Old Man immediately spoke, "Liu Mingyue, you go back. I will stay here and assist General Yang in defending the Northern Territory!"

Liu Mingyue nodded and did not decline.

At this time, Yang Zhong said, "Many thanks to both attendants. However, before heading to the various troops to receive and reorganize them, we need to visit the Prince of Zhenbei's Residence first!"

"That is only right!"

The three nodded and turned to leave.

Fuguang City, Prince of Zhenbei's Residence.

When Nangong Yu woke up again, it was already nightfall, and the entire residence was filled with sounds of mourning.

Even though Nangong Yu was in the depths of the back courtyard of the residence, he could faintly hear the sounds of crying coming from the front courtyard.

He turned his eyes and looked, but saw that Shangguan Yuexi was not by his side; he didn't know where she had gone.

Nangong Yu didn't think much of it and turned his gaze toward himself; he still had two small things to do!

However, before that, he needed to make sure there was no one around, or if anyone would see his actions.

Nangong Yu stirred his mind slightly, and a screen of light appeared clearly in his mind.