Chapter 185 Part 2 - Shielding One’s Shortcoming (Part 2)
Chapter 185: Shielding One’s Shortcoming (Part 2)
Su Ming Feng looked at Xie Jing Xing in a daze. As his words were somewhat confusing and he was also unclear about some matters, he asked, “You meant that from the beginning you are not the son of the Marquis of Lin An and someone substituted a raccoon for the crown prince and brought you in. You grew up in Din capital but you are not a Ming Qi citizen. You are Great Liang’s citizen and the younger blood brother of Emperor Yong Le of Great Liang. How could this be possible? This is just impossible.”
When he was talking, he saw clearly Xie Jing Xing’s expression and he suddenly stop. On that familiar and handsome face, there was only the expression of indifference. Su Ming Feng understood Xie Jing Xing. When Xie Jing Xing was talking about serious matters, he did not like to repeat and when he was impatient, it would often be this expression.
What he said was the truth.
Su Ming Feng could not tell what his heart was feeling at this moment, as if it was blocked by a mass of cotton. Just now he felt the joy of seeing one’s old friend was gone and what remained was empitiness and some inexplicable anger.
He asked, “When did you know about your identity?”
“From when one remembered things.” Xie Jing Xing replied.
Su Ming Feng took two steps back.
“When one remembered things?” He asked, “You have long knew that you are from Great Liang.”
Xie Jing Xing did not express an opinion.
Shen Miao lamented in her heart. Why did Xie Jing Xing need to be this honest? In fact, the more he said so, the more Su Ming Feng would feel deceived and sometimes it would be easier to him and acceptable for other when he said some lies.
However Shen Miao asked herself, if it was her, one feared that she would also be as honest as Xie Jing Xing.
There was really no need to deceive the people one was closest to.
Sure enough, as Shen Miao expected, after Su Ming Feng heard Xie Jing Xing’s reply, his expression became extremely complicated. After the surprise, horror and suspicion, there was a deeply betrayed expression on his face. He coldly laughed and asked, “Oh? Then why are you back now? Could it be that you are unable to take that Ming Qi is better than your Great Liang or you have ambitious intentions to step your phone here?”
His words were harsh that even Shen Miao could not help but cast a sidelong glance. However she knew in her heart that from an outsider point of view, which was the clearest, for Su Ming Feng to know this much secrets, he would not be able to accept it and it was very easy to hurt the people that were closest to them.
“So what of it?” Xie Jing Xing said in a low anger and not only did he not smoothen Su Ming Feng’s ruffled feathers, he actually calmly admitted it.
Shen Miao wanted to speak but after thinking about it, she gave out. It was not gentlemanly to speak when watching a chess game so she would take it as though one was watching a show today.
Indeed Su Ming Feng got even angrier. He yelled at Xie Jing Xing, “I finally know what is a rebellious thief is and what a white-eyed wolf is. I thought that you are not close to the Maruqis of Lin An since young because of Princess Yu Qing’s matter but now it seems that you clearly knew that you were not related to them as the son of the Marquis of Lin An but enjoyed everything that the residence of the Marquis of Lin An had to offer, that even the two Shu sons of the residence of Lin An was not as good as you. You kept on saying that Princess Rong Xin is your family but you deceived her and make her suffer in pain upon your news of death. You treated me as your brother but concealed your identity for so many years. One feared that there was a reason to have a good relationship with me.”
“You don’t like Ming Qi and Ding capital but that it after all the place that raised you. Birth is not as significant as raising one up. You have enjoyed everything that Ming Qi gave you but because still took drastic measures and be your Prince Rui of Great Liang. Your Great Liang is a rich nation with strong people and even has a strong military. You have abandoned everything in Ming Qi for wealth. Xie Jing Xing, you have no feelings or sense of justice, not worthly to be one’s Di son and do not deserved to be a brother even more. Go back to your Great Liang.”
“Enough.” Shen Miao stood up and interrupted Su Ming Feng’s words.
Su Ming Feng’s words were just too hurtful.
She turned to look at Xie Jing Xing and one the face that was no longer covered with a mask, Xie Jing Xing’s expression was unobstructed. There was no anger, smile but his expression was bland as he looked at Su Ming Feng calmly. It was as if the person that Su Ming Feng was speaking about was not him and as if he did not care about what Su Ming Feng said.
Suddenly in Shen Miao’s heart, there were a few waves.
She looked towards Su Ming Feng but there was a mocking smile on her face, “Oh? Gentleman Su looked devoted to righteousness that inspires reverence and could not wait to come over and uphold justice. Unfortunately the white-eyed wolf that you call others, to me, you are also one.”
Xie Jing Xing was stunned.
Su Ming Feng became angry with Shen Miao too, “What did you say?”
“You are a white-eyed wolf.” When Shen Miao was fighting with Mei Furen in the Inner Palace in her past lifetime, naturally she would had to be involve in war of words everyday. When it came to mocking people, even though it was not outstanding, she had learnt a lot of things from Mei Furen.
She smiled gently and looked dignified and composed. The more she was like it, the more Su Ming Feng’s rudeness was brought out. Her voice was soft and gentle, like drizzling rain, but each word and sentence were merciless.
“Before pointing the blame to other, it it best to first take a look at oneself. Gentleman Su thinks that Prince Rui is a white-eyed wolf and felt that Prince Rui had made used of you. I would like to ask Gentleman Su that in the residence of the Count of Ping Nan, from young, how much did Xie Jing Xing helped you?”
“From you entered officialdom, you did not know how to socialise, it was Xie Jing Xing who fork out money to arrange matters. When you wanted to learn martial arts, it was Xie Jing Xing who help you to seek a Master. When the Emperor wanted to suppress the residence of the Count of Ping Nan, it was he who was by your side reminding you and persuaded the Count of Ping Nan to quickly retreat from the torrent. If this was not the case, do you think that there is still a residence of the Count of Ping Nan in today’s Ming Qi? One fear that the grass on the gravestone would be one Zhang (1 zhang = 10 feet = 3.3m) high.”
“You spoke of Xie Jing Xing making use of you, using your relationship to plot against the entire Ding capital but when one mention of Su Ming Feng, who would not know that you are Xie Jing Xing’s childhood friend. From young, your health was weak but there was no one who dared to bully you. Do you think that it was based on the reputation of your residence of the Count of Ping Nan or because you have a close childhood friend in Ding capital that no one dared to provoke? The matters of the world is just this simple. Gentleman Su might fight that the words I speak are not nice to listen but since childhood, how many roads had Xie Jing Xing help you to lay, how much help was given to your Su family? If this is the so-called making use then I also help that someone would make use of me. Gentleman Su, do you not say that?”
She had a smiling expression but the words said were like raindrops drumming ceaselessly on the banana leaves and each answer had a slight chill to it, “Gotten the benefits from others but turning around and giving a slap before saying and blaming others. If this is not a white-eyed wolf than what is? Gentleman Su, can I also not say that you do not have no feelings or sense of justice and is not worthy to be brothers? To blame the person for giving you your current enjoyments, is it shameful or not?”
Su Ming Feng was not one who knew how to fight a battle of words with females and moreover Shen Miao’s words were all of ridicule but the truth that it made his complexion turn to purple-red. In extreme anger and with Shen Miao’s words, a roll of pictures floated up in his mind.
In all fairness, Xie Jing Xing treated him indeed very good. If it was not good, Su Ming Feng would not had thought about it for so many years. Xie Jing Xing was arrogant, rude, unruly and did whatever he wanted to do, as if nothing could restrain him. Even though he said he was without feelings, but with regards to Su Ming Feng’s matters, he would always help. For example, when someone bullied Su Ming Feng when he was young, Xie Jing Xing did not say another word and beat the other person up. Even if the person was a child of the Imperial family, there was no hesitation in the beating until the people around finally dared not bully Su Ming Feng.
It was just that even though Xie Jing Xing did so much, he would never come to claim merits or even mentioning it and often had a bad attitude towards it. As time passed, people would remember his bad points and his good points was gradually forgotten.
After Shen Miao said all of that, her heart was extremely carefree. She did not know why but when she saw Su Ming Feng accusing Xie Jing Xing, she felt the scene was very piercing to her eyes. Now that she had finished speaking, even though she was somewhat blushing, she did not regret it.
Shen Miao thought that there was definitely no such thing of Xie Jing Xing having thoughts of making use of Su Ming Feng. Otherwise in the past lifetime when the Su family was sentence by Emperor Wen Hui for the entire clan to be beheaded, no one collected the corpse of Su Yu and sons. Everyone was afraid of Emperor Wen Hui’s anger and suspicion but only Xie Jing Xing stood up and buried them.
The Xie Jing Xing at that time was already burden with the death of Xie Ding in battle and the residence of the Marquis of Lin An was in jeopardy. He himself also use his life to lead into a dangerous battle.
Fu Ming’s evaluation of Xie Jing Xing was loyal to brothers, being a true hero and follow his heart. A child’s eyes would see the realest of things. Shen Miao had thought that Fu Ming’s words were just the case.
She however did not realise when she was speaking, after Xie Jing Xing was slightly surprised, his gaze fell onto her and there were was a delighted expression.
Su Ming Feng looked at Xie Jing Xing and did not speak.
His feelings were complicated and sad. His good friend was not dead and still alive and this was something that could make one happy. However one did not know why but currently he was not happy at all.
Xie Jing Xing glanced at him, “I do not owe you all anything.”
“If one were to calculate the debt, one had long paid back.” Xie Jing Xing said, “The residence of the Marquis of Lin An is a tall tree that attracts the wind, thus the Emperor had the intention to suppress it. There are tens of thousands of soldiers in the Xie family army under the Marquis of Lin An. If there was love between father and son, coupled with the son continuing the father’s mantle, the Emperor would not be able to sleep peacefully. The nearer one walk, the faster one dies. I still want to live a few more years so one protect the Marquis residence first for the Marquis of Lin An.”
“The gratitude for parenting has been exchanged for a safety of the Marquis residence, is it not worth it?” Xie Jing Xing raised his lips and asked.
Su Ming Feng was speechless at the questioning.
“If I do not do that then Xie Ding, who was originally a sore eye of the Emperor, would one day die and the residence of the Marquis of Lin An would be charge with an unwarranted charge and would fall. Even though now the sons had died and there was no decedents, at least the residence of the Marquis of Lin An was still around and the Emperor let go of the Marquis of Lin An. When one mentioned about the residence of the Marquis of Lin An, it is still a clean and clear family.” Xie Jing Xing smiled mockingly, “One have the mother and son sentiment with Princess Yu Qing by name and because of this little relations, what one could do is to preserve the dignity of the Maquis and residence of the Marquis of Lin An.”
Shen Miao looked at Xie Jing Xing’s handsome profile. He said it carelessly, as if all these things were not important at all but in all those years, all those unspoken words were only placed in his heart.
Xie Jing Xing was a candid person but he was the least honest person. He candidly stated the genuine facts and truthful process but he was dishonest to his own heart. He did not mention the grievances he had suffered or the worries that he carried. In everyone’s eyes, he played with life and trifled without respect, as if nothing in the world could stump him. However when he was arranging all these matters, in order to preserve the clean name of the Marquis residence, he was forced to bear the reputation of ‘rebellious’, ‘impudent’ and ‘no regards for one’s elders’.
Su Ming Feng was dumbfounded when he heard it.
“Being in Great Liang is not as simple as being noble and wealthy like you think.” He looked at the icicle on the tree and said heedlessly, “If it was you, you would have cried and return to look for your mother in a day.”
Su Ming Feng’s throat was suck when he heard those words.
“There no completely uncalled benefits in the world. Whatever that was gained had to be fought for. Su Ming Feng, your days are comfortable but you cannot look at me with the perspective of comfort. I have experience much more than you had.”
He sighed softly but there was still a smile on his face. That pair of peach blossoms eyes were slightly curved and the eyelashes were hang in a nice arc. From this angle, his brows were gentle and beautiful like it was a spirit that walked out from a painting but in those pair of eyes, there was no smile at all.
It was as cold as winter.
“The most important point is that there is no nurturing but only expungement from Ming Qi to me.” He said.