Little Merman - Finale

  Last part

Still in his dripping wet clothes, the set Cao Xin gave him, which was more comfortable for him, Lu Cang leaped out of the high walls of the Forbidden City. Walking aimlessly in a place he absolutely unfamiliar with, he arrived at the crowded red-light district. The noise and the bustle in this nightly heaven for men and women made his head hurt to the utmost point, he should really have avoided this place yet, his instinct told him to come to this noisy place. His body gradually getting weaker and weaker, his vision also gradually becoming blurred.

Just before he tumbled down, he bumped into a bulky man. That man unhappily glared at him before letting out a loud shout : "Heaven! Big Brother, what a coincidence to meet you here!"

As it turned out, he actually ran into Cao Xin. Seemed like he was still favored by the Goddess of Fortune. Running into the one and only person he was familiar with in this land, it was truly a blessing for Lu Cang.

"Brother Cao. It is good that I meet you here and now. I have a favor to ask......" Maybe because he was walking too much, he felt that his knees were about to fail him. He barely could stand if not for his strong determination.

"Big Brother, why the need to be so polite. You just have to say it, this Cao Xin will definitely help you no matter what." Cao Xin didn't even ask why Lu Cang was in red-light district with his damp clothes. He just assumed that Lu Cang must have offended someone with his reserved attitude. Granted, for most people, Lu Cang's silence could be counted as rude.

"Can you take me back to that place? That place where we first met?" That was the only place that came to his mind at this moment. After all, the beautiful lake would be a worthy place for his last slumber.

Cao Xin looked at Lu Cang with such weird eyes. "Big Brother. I was actually planning to go back tonight. Look, my carriage is all ready to go." Didn't know why, Cao Xin couldn't help but think that Lu Cang was truly favored by the Heaven. That time, when Lu Cang wanted to come to the Capital, Cao Xin just happened to pass by. And now, when he wanted to return to Hangzhou, he ran into Cao Xin who was buying some wine for his journey back to Hangzhou. If they didn't meet tonight, most probably they would have missed seeing each other forever.

He was happily staying in the Capital for the past four months, the money he got from selling one of the pearls he got from Lu Cang was still plenty. In fact, even if he was to spend the money lavishly, he still could stay in the Capital for a year or so, not to mention he still had two of the remaining pearls safely stored away. But this afternoon, a sudden impulse made him yearned for his hometown so much. And just a few hours ago he decided to go home, abruptly made his preparation to go back to Hangzhou. Who would have thought that he would run into Lu Cang once again.

However, Cao Xin couldn't help but wonder, perhaps, his impulse to go back to Hangzhou was also pre-arranged by the God of Fate? He was destined to help his Big Brother in need.

------

Jing was unusually distracted when he returned to the pavilion. In his palm, he was clenching tightly the pearl that Lu Cang had just given to him. He should be glad that he had gotten rid of the source of his uneasiness, yet, he seemed hollow.

"Jing'r. What had happened just now? Who was that guard?" And who was that guard to you? Yong Yi didn't say the next line he wanted to ask. He only worriedly stared at his favorite nephew. Between Jing and his twin brother, Zheng, Yong Yi had always favored Jing the most. Since he was a little Prince, he had shown his brilliance more than other kids his age. For this ever confident Jing to be in such state, even Yong Yi himself found it a little hard to believe.

The frown between his brows became even deeper. "Only a rude guard. He never addressed me properly, calling out my name so casually, brazenly refused to answer my questions, looked at me right in the eyes, leaving his post without permission, entering my private bath as he pleased...... But don't worry. I have asked him to leave." Reciting the many offences that Lu Cang had made, yet, there was not a hint of wrath in Jing's manner of speaking. Instead, it was more like he was reciting fond memories. Yong Yi was truly shocked by Jing's action but he chose to stay quiet to further observe his favourite nephew.

His expression at this moment was hard to be described by words. It was as if he had lost his most precious possession. In all his life, this was the second time he wore such expression on his face. The first time Yong Yi saw the always in his highest confident Jing made this expression was right after he returned from the leisure voyage a year prior.

Just like now, his also held something tightly in his right palm. And Yong Yi dared to bet his life, Jing wasn't aware of the face he was making at that moment. A deep frown in the space between his brows, eyes that were searching for something at a far away place, lips that pursed tightly forming a straight line. Seemingly he was trying his best to recall what he had lost.

"Jing'r." Heaving a long sigh, Yong Yi placed his hand on Jing's shoulders. "The you that I know, no matter what other people think of you, the things that you wanted, you definitely will get itthem by any means. To let goof something important to you is so unlikely of you."

Jing made a snort, mocking Yong Yi for his careless remark. Roughly brushed off Yong Yi's hand from his shoulder, "Who do you say is important to me?" Jing was in his highest agitated self. Not knowing the answer to a question was so unbecoming. When he was in this kind of state, even the slightest mistake could trigger him fly into rage. And Yong Yi had chosen the worst possible moment toadvise him."Uncle Yong Yi, you certainly know who is the person I love the most, yet you said these words as if they were nothing!" His eyes were shining in such brilliant light of fury, the blazing flame in his eyes as ifit could burn Yong Yi alive.

Yong Yi lowered his head to avoid Jing's burning eyes.

The reason he left without leaving any words behind was because he knew, he was fully aware of Jing's inappropriate feelings towards him. But he couldn't accept it. His love for Jing was not more than a love of an uncle for his nephew. He watched Jing growing up, he personally taught him so many things, there was nothing he didn't know about Jing. If he loved Jing more than an uncle for his nephew, certainly it was a love of a father for his son. There was nothing romantic in his love for Jing. But he knew, with Jing's selfish personality, if he carelessly show his concerns for Jing, Jing would definitely wield the highest power as the Emperor and force him to yield to him. In every possible way, Yong Yi wanted to avoid this disastrous scandal.

"You are only momentarily confused."

"Momentarily? My dear Uncle, you actually regarded my more than ten years affection as a momentarily confusion?"

Couldn't find any better answer to reply, Yong Yi fell into silence. After a while, Yong Yi spoke again.

"The You now surely can understand why I left at that time. And the You now, already know how to treasure your most important person." The Jing he saw after a year was certainly not the same as the always so flamboyant Jing. The Jing as the Emperor was so much calmer. That's why, relying on his experience, Yong Yi was sure that Jing had met someone more important and more precious than how he had previously regarded Yong Yi. He was certain that Jing was either not aware or in denial of his own feelings towards the person he had fallen for.

Glaring at Yong Yi, Jing hissed, "Don't speak like you know me so well! You don't have the right to advise me. You, the coward, who ran away without the guts to properly face me!"

It was true. Yong Yi indeed chose to run away instead of facing Jing's feelings head on, for that, Yong Yi could only hung his head in shame. But he did that because he understood Jing's nature too well. Jing, at that time definitely would be too stubborn to accept the fact that Yong Yi's love for him had never crossed the border of a family love.

He couldn't let Jing sink deeper in his feelings. This might be the perfect timing to make Jing realize his own feelings.

"Deep in your heart, you are just afraid that he would leave you. You make him leave to ease your ego, so you can tell the world that you kick him out......"

 "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP!"  

Before Yong Yi could finish his words, a glittering round thing had flown in his direction. Jing, in his rage, had thrown the pearl he was holding at Yong Yi to shut him from saying anything further.

Indeed, what Yong Yi said was precisely the things Jing didn't want to admit. He was afraid that after Lu Cang got back his lost item, he would leave just like that, to a place where Jing couldn't see him. From the very first encounter, Lu Cang had caught his attention. That was why he wanted Lu Cang to be part of the Inner Palace Guards, so he could see him frequently. He actually knew about Lu Cang leaving his post while he spent his time in his Concubine's chamber, ---of course there would be a busybody or two who would come to report such matters to him, but he had always turned a blind eyes. And he also knew about Lu Cang's activity in his private bath, but he didn't mind it the least bit. It was as if he built that pool specifically for Lu Cang to use.

Catching the silver pearl, Yong Yi was stunned by the brilliant light it radiated. This pearl was definitely not an ordinary pearl. The light it radiated reminded Yong Yi of the same peculiar thing Jing brought back from his voyage, although he couldn't remember where or whom he got that thing from.

Extremely fascinated by the light of the pearl, Yong Yi had completely forgotten that he had to drill some senses into Jing's head. Lifting up his face, he asked Jing in such curious tone. "This pearl...... it has the same light as the thing from before..... Do you still have it?"

The curious tone in Yong Yi's voice snapped Jing out of his anger and made him frown. "That thing you had in your hand when you returned. It was a translucent silvery-grey scale. Under the sunlight, it shone beautifully with seven shades of color, and under the moonlight, it radiated with silver light, remember?"

Upon hearing this, Jing was as if reminded about that peculiar scale which he always carried. ---Whenever he looked at it, he always felt that he had forgotten something important but couldn't remember what was it, thus, he just simply carried it with him. 

From his sleeve, Jing took out a brocaded pouch. From that pouch, a translucent silver thing in the shape of a scale was taken out. This scale like thing was found when Jing took off his clothes after Xiao Gui Zi fetched him from that small island. He couldn't remember how he was stranded on that island. The last thing in his memory was he was swept into the sea, and when he opened his eyes, he was already on that island. But Xiao Gui Zi told him that he was probably with someone else, because Jing said that he would wait for someone in the Capital and made a promise to return something before getting up on the small boat.

This scale, Uncle Yong Yi was sure it was a scale of a snake or its kind, and when Jing said it was a scale of a fish, Uncle Yong Yi laughed while saying, it would be impossible for a fish to have such a large scale. For a fish to have this size of scale, certainly the fish must be as big as a human, and there was hardly any fish that big to live near the shore.

Fish. Human size fish.

Jing widened his eyes in realization......

At the moment when he seemed to realize something, all of a sudden, from the pit of his stomach, a strong urge to vomit caused him to bend his body. Covering his mouth to hold in the urge, an uncontrollable wave pushed something from his stomach all the way up to his throat. With a barfing sound, he spat out a brilliant blue bead, as brilliant as the color of the glittering sea under the sunlight.

After this beautiful blue bead came out from his body, in an instant, as if being hit by a strong wave, all of his memories came back to him. The memory of him seeing a weird creature, his upper body was of a extraordinarily handsome man while his lower body was of a fish. When he was nearly losing his consciousness, he saw the silver gleam of the man's scales coming his way and shared with him his breath before the man took him to the surface.

"Give me back my Bead of Life, I accidentally gave it to you when I saved you."

"Yes. It is basically my life."

"Then, come with me to the Capital, I will give it back to you if you promise to go with me."

"I will wait for you in the Capital. I will return your Bead then."

"Lu Cang......"

He really had come to the Capital. Heaven knew how much trouble for a sea creature like him to live on dry land. Yet, Lu Cang had come to him, but he didn't fulfill his promise to give him back his Bead of Life......

"I don't have the leisure of time. My time is limited. I must retrieve my item as soon as possible."

"How long is your time limit?"

"I also don't know. But it is less than a year."

"After that?"

Recalling how Lu Cang scooped up the water then spilled them...... Did that mean, after the limited time, Lu Cang would disappear?

"It is better if I become one with that beautiful lake."

No! No! No! Lu Cang may not, absolutely may not disappear from his sight again.

"GUARD!" Shouting at the top of his lungs, Jing frantically ordered them to search high and low all over the Capital for Lu Cang. But all of them returned with such disappointed news. Then he recalled that Lu Cang once told him where he came from.

Hangzhou. Lu Cang must have headed to Hangzhou. That beautiful lake he mentioned, must be West Lake of Hangzhou.

After he ordered Xiao Gui Zi to quickly prepare for his journey to Hangzhou, he promptly left a letter for Zheng to take care everything during his absence, Jing stopped for a spell when he saw Yong Yi standing by the side of his carriage. All this while, Yong Yi only wordlessly watched as Jing frenzily ordered the guards to look for Lu Cang. Jing also didn't say anything to him. Not even a single word about the man he called Lu Cang in his soft whisper.

Facing the still in a rush Jing, Yong Yi opened his mouth, seemingly wanted to say something, but Jing raised his hand to stop him from talking.

"I know why you come back this time, do as you please." Since earlier Jing had known that the real reason for Yong Yi's return this time was to fetch Xi Zhen, his daughter. But hearing Jing had taken her into his harem, basically had become the Emperor's property, Yong Yi couldn't find the right moment to ask this from Jing. ---And Jing had kept quiet because he didn't want Yong Yi to leave as soon as he got Xi Zhen. Now, however, Jing had basically given him permission to take his beloved daughter, Xi Zhen, away with him. Yong Yi was overjoy but more importantly he was glad that Jing had finally came to his senses and had accepted his love for this Lu Cang. Yong Yi prayed for his nephew's happiness and hoped for Heaven's mercy that Jing would be able to find his Lu Cang. Otherwise...... ---Yong Yi didn't dare to even imagine it.

All of these didn't matter now. What's more important was to find Lu Cang and gave him back his Bead of Life before it was too late, before Lu Cang vanished.

Without looking at Yong Yi's face for the second glance, Jing ordered the carriage driver to make haste to Hangzhou.

Everything must be in a rush. Lu Cang didn't seem to have much time left. His condition was not good at all. That very thought caused his heart to throb painfully.

------

"Big Brother, are you alright?" Stealing occasional glances at the sweating Lu Cang, Cao Xin asked anxiously.

"I am fine. How long again before we reach the port?"

Instead of going to Hangzhou, Lu Cang gave all of his remaining pearls to Cao Xin and asked him to find him a boat or a ship which could take him to the sea. He wanted to see his Colony for the last time before turning into water.

The sea was his home, even without any sign to show him the way, even with his eyes closed, he would always find his way in the sea.

"Early this morning, before dawn, we will reach the port. But Big Brother, these are too much. I don't need this much fortune......"

"Just take them. I don't need them anyway. Just take me to the sea." To my home. To my family.

At the very moment when they made a turn to the left, to the direction of the port, a magnificent carriage pulled by four finest steeds was rushing to the right, to the path they initially intended to take.

Jing and his fastest carriage rushed to Hangzhou while Lu Cang and Cao Xin were heading towards another direction. On that branch of roads, Jing and Lu Cang's destiny made its turning point.

"Wow! What a great carriage. Must be someone important riding in it. Oh, speaking of which, Big Brother, did you manage to see any of the Imperial Family?"

Lu Cang fell silent again. Different from his anxious face before, the Lu Cang now mostly wore a gloomy expression. His face was also so pale. And whenever he made that in pain expression, Cao Xin wouldn't dare to ask further anymore.

The money he got from selling one of the pearls was more than enough for him to buy a big and luxurious ship, but Lu Cang only wanted a simple but swift ship. With Cao Xin who insisted to accompany him, they sailed to the sea. To that small island where Ding Peng and the Colony were waiting for him.

The scent of the sea which was brought by the sea itself caused Lu Cang to feel so peaceful. He was finally home. He had nothing to regret. From the beginning, it was impossible for Jing and him to be together. They were from two different realms. And Lu Cang was not a human at all although his form was of a human. No matter how much he loved Jing, they were world apart.

His sharp senses could hear the voices of his Colony from far away. After sending a signal which could only be heard by his Colony, he turned to Cao Xin.

"Brother Cao, I bid you farewell."

Cao Xin could only stared with his jaw dropped when Lu Cang elegantly leaped out of the ship and dived into the sea.

From the deck, he faintly could see a brilliant gleam of light reflected from the depth of the sea. All of a sudden, a beautiful mermaid playfully came to the surface and gave Cao Xin a teasing wink before she dived back into the sea.

Extremely shocked, Cao Xin fainted on the deck of the ship.

------

All of the members of the Colony were looking at Lu Cang with various kind of eyes. Some were so curious to see him with human feet. Some were so sad to see him lost his brilliant grey colored scales. Among the Colony, Lu Cang's scales were the most peculiar ones. Shining so beautifully under the sunlight and radiating with such brilliant color under the moonlight.

"So, in the end, you couldn't retrieve your Bead?" As the leader, Ding Peng was of course the saddest one. He had placed his hope on Lu Cang's shoulders. Heaven knows how much he wished for Lu Cang to be the next Leader of the Colony.

Slowly shook his head, Lu Cang looked at his feet. If he was born with this pair of feet, would it be possible for him and Jing to be together?

"I am here to bid you all farewell. I don't want to disappear before seeing you all for the last time."

"I understand......" It was hardly five fullmoons since Lu Cang left, and he had returned to them, with such peaceful look on his face. Ding Peng understood that he had accepted his fate. He didn't have any lingering feelings anymore. "Then, we will leave now......"

Nodding his head, Lu Cang watched as the Colony swam further and further away from him. Leaving him all alone on this small island.

"Leader, is it alright to leave him alone?" One of the mermaids who was swimming beside Ding Peng asked in a low voice.

"It is alright. He also doesn't wish to be seen when he is losing his form and becomes one with the sea."

"But......"

"Amongst us, Lu Cang is the most prideful. He absolutely will hate it if we look at him with pitiful eyes."

It was true. Despite being the youngest, Lu Cang was also the haughtiest one. But he was also the brightest, that was why all of his attitudes were forgiven by the Colony.

"It is fine. As long as he doesn't shed his tears, he certainly would return to us one day." Mermaids and mermen had never shed any tears because they didn't have the same emotions as humans. Mermaids and merman only shed their tears in the final stage of their life. Afterwards, they would vanish completely.

"For such strong soul, I wonder how long it would take for his crystalize soul to hatch." Every mermaids and mermen knew about this, when their lifetime had been spent, their physical form would become one with the water while their soul would crystalize and wait for the right moment to hatch again. Some of them took a few thousand years to hatch, some only needed a few hundred years. And for such a strong one with leader quality, it may only need ten to fifty years to hatch.

"I will be looking forward to the day he hatches."

The sea was blue as far as one eyes could see. The sky was stretched far and wide.

Laying alone on the shore, letting the wave washed over his body with their strong force, Lu Cang closed his eyes.

Peacefully waiting for the moment when he would become one with the ocean.

Jing......

Only this name and this face he would be engraved in his heart. Only the memory of this beautiful person he would take to his eternal sleep.

A small translucent bead of water rolled down from the corner of his eyes......

The end.......