Chapter 1.6:
For Sui Yuan, his experience in prison is something he is reluctant to ever think about again. Although he has system 5237 by his side to provide mental strength and encouragement, it is still far from enough to help him cope with his current situation.
...After all, the story did not focus on the hardship the supporting male lead endured during his period of imprisonment, merely skating around it. The most emphasis is placed on describing the lives of the male and female leads. Hence, Sui Yuan can only endure this experience day after day, not knowing what is in store.
Moreover, in the original plot, Fan Caiyao was the mastermind behind the entire operation, while the ignorant Sui Yuan was merely used to make everything go smoothly. This time, the one who planned and handled everything is Sui Yuan himself. Therefore, his crime is many times greater, and the punishment for it will be many times heavier.
Under Qin Zheng’s command, the rebel army slices through the Emperor’s soldiers like a hot knife through butter. Very quickly, more than half the country falls under their control.
When the present Emperor eventually visits the prison, the originally healthy man in both spirit and mind has undergone a huge change, his age showing in every crease of his face.
Sui Yuan’s appearance is also not much better. The originally gorgeous crimson robes have long become dull with dirt and grime. The waist-length, silky hair tangled together, forming messy braids. Being placed in such a difficult situation, it is no wonder he has lost a lot of weight. However, he still retains his usual flower-like, alluring visage. Those dark phoenix eyes are no longer bright, gaze becoming cold and indifferent. One can even say empty or soulless.
The Emperor’s throat trembles faintly as he chokes on his surging emotions. That day when he heard the truth about the situation, he had been so furious he thought about striking the prince down. In the end, his heart won out, rendering him incapable of such an act. After all, when all is said and done, he nurtured this child from childhood, watching him grow and mature.
In the Emperor’s eyes, Sui Yuan is a naïve and innocent soul still unversed in worldly matters. Blinded by love, made use of by others.
"...Do you regret?" The Emperor’s voice is old but no less forceful.
Sui Yuan shakes his head wordlessly. In order to complete his task, he is naturally not remorseful.
"No regrets?" The Emperor repeats. "Your love for him[1] remains bone-deep?"
While Sui Yuan doesn’t quite understand the meaning behind the Emperor’s words, he merely keeps silent and shakes his head again.
No matter who the Emperor is referring to, he definitely doesn’t harbour a bone-deep love for anyone.
"...Who exactly is he talking about?" Being wrongly accused of having a lover, Sui Yuan feels he must investigate this matter. Hence, he directs this questions to 5237.
"It’s Qin Zheng." 5237 replies helplessly even as it gnashes its teeth in annoyance. "A good old BG world is unexpectedly transformed into a BL one. You’re really capable!"
Sui Yuan becomes gloomy. He feels he really is innocent ah! He followed the script accordingly and put as much effort as possible into being the best supporting male lead!
"Haha...indeed, one should not love him! Absolutely cannot ah!" The Emperor laughs bitterly. Lifting a hand to stroke Sui Yuan’s head in reminisce of the past, he continues, "Zhen doesn’t wish to kill you, but I also cannot let you go free, do you understand?"
Sui Yuan obediently nods his head. While he does regret not being able to walk free as a commoner, he can only accept it after changing so many things in the plot. As the main offender, he doesn’t expect anything more.
"Zhen will keep you locked in here. If zhen succeeds in putting down the revolt, you will die together with him. Be companions on your journey to the Yellow Springs. Who can say that you might meet again in the next world? When that time comes, do not be as feeble-minded as you were in this life, being used and thrown aside." The Emperor falls silent for a moment, then exhales heavily. "If zhen is defeated, then wait here for Qin Zheng to free you..."
"...Thank you for your benevolence." Sui Yuan’s blank expression finally relaxes. He can feel relieved now in mind and heart.
System 5237 has guaranteed he will not be destroyed even if he dies in this world, that as long as the mission is completed, he will simply receive his rewards and immediately travel to the next world. But the feeling of dying is, of course, nothing good. Sui Yuan also doesn’t wish to think about it.
After the Emperor leaves, silence falls in the prison once more. Occasionally, Sui Yuan can hear the jailers discussing about the revolt, and whether or not the rebels have made headway. But as one day bleeds into another, he has long since lost count of how many days he has stayed in this tiny cell. Inevitably, the calm and collected him begin to feel impatient and anxious. How he wishes for a fast-forward button he can use that will take him straight to the end of the story.
This feeling is akin to being cut to pieces with a blunt knife!
Naturally, Sui Yuan doesn’t waste his time in prison staring at the wall. In order to pass the time quickly, he learns a lot of essential knowledge from the system so he would be better equipped in dealing with unexpected circumstances in different worlds.
On this particular day, he has just started making a crack at a language called "English" when hurried footsteps ring out, as though someone is urgently running along the corridors of the prison. A few seconds later, the cell door opens with an ear-piercing creak.
Sui Yuan raises his head at the sound only to see Qin Zheng still clad in his full body armour stained with speckles of blood. He blinks, wanting to display his customary haughty smile, but that urge is instantly dashed when he recalls where the plot is currently at right now.
Un...his scene has already come to an end. The only thing that remains is to bid the capital farewell, renounce everything and become a wanderer travelling across the lands. On top of that, according to the established plot, Qin Zheng and him can be considered completely inharmonious now. Even without the female lead bringing about the rivalry for her love, there is still Sui Yuan’s hatred for Qin Zheng after the latter seizes the throne and put his family to death.
Moreover, with Fan Caiyao happily married to someone else, Sui Yuan doesn’t have the conflicting feeling of love and hate for anyone. Fundamentally, only hatred exists. Thus, as soon as he determines what he should be feeling and doing, Sui Yuan slips into character, entering acting mode. The vacant look in his eyes - when he was deep in contemplation - is abruptly replaced by deep resentment.
A pleasant smile on his face, Qin Zheng is about to step into the cell when he is stopped dead by the ice-cold glint in Sui Yuan’s eyes. He freezes, arms still outstretched in preparation to pull Sui Yuan into his embrace. His heart that was thudding in anticipation all but stops beating.
Glaring frostily at Qin Zheng, Sui Yuan remains where he is, not saying a word and not moving an inch. The former is due to his belief that not saying anything will prevent things from going haywire, the latter due to him not having the strength to even get to his feet.
Qin Zheng lets his arms fall back to his side, staring wordlessly at Sui Yuan. Sorrow and understanding flash through his eyes. With heavy steps, he halts before Sui Yuan, then gets down on one knee and envelops the other man in a tight hug, as if afraid that Sui Yuan will disappear.
Sui Yuan can only wordlessly shoot 5237 desperate glances to request its help. But the system blatantly ignores him, rolling around in grief as it wails "this is a BG world, not a BL world ahh what do I do now..." endlessly, sounding like a broken record.
Hearing this, another thought strikes Sui Yuan. He needs to try turning this world back to a BG one.
"...Get out of my sight, I don’t wish to see you anymore," Sui Yuan says icily.
"...I understand, but your body is in a very bad condition and needs to be carefully tended..." Qin Zheng replies, tone remorseful. "At least stay until you have recovered fully, then you can take your revenge on me, okay? You must not make life difficult for yourself..."
Weighing his options, Sui Yuan feels that refusing Qin Zheng would be useless. In addition, he cannot stay in this cell for the rest of his life, right? In the end, he silently agrees to Qin Zheng’s proposal.
...Wait until after his body fully recovers, he will naturally continue to follow the story. To be honest, he actually likes the upcoming event in store for the supporting male lead. He has always wanted to see the mountains and large rivers...
Receiving the consent of the person in his embrace, Qin Zheng exhales a relieved breath. Gathering the silent man in his arms, he belatedly notices that Sui Yuan is light as a feather, thin to the point of being mere skin and bones. Heart souring, Qin Zheng tightens his hold on him and ensures his movements are as gentle as possible, as though the person he is carrying is a fragile and delicate treasure.
Afterwards...Sui Yuan is brought into the previous Emperor’s Qin Palace, fed with delicious food like a pig being reared before slaughter...
The newly crowned Emperor Qin Zheng can be said to be especially doting. If Sui Yuan wants a star, he will give it to him. If he asks for the moon, it will be placed in his hands. Only, it’s a pity that Sui Yuan has an unyielding personality on top of being a very dedicated worker. No matter how the other man tries to explain himself or excuse his actions, he simply uses one word of "hate" to solve all problems, effectively pushing everything away.
...The only sole regret he has is that there is no way to change the story back to BG, which makes him extremely worried. Every time he thinks about the evaluation he will receive after finishing this mission, he will simply feel like drowning himself.
Where in the world did he go wrong? He followed the original plot as best he could ah! Being a supporting male lead is really not easy! Peh!
When Sui Yuan regains his fair and healthy appearance, he feels that he has recuperated fully so the first thing he brings up the next time he sees Qin Zheng is about leaving the capital. Complying with the script, his reason for leaving is "broken-hearted, incapable of facing his old love - no, wait, it should be old friend - who killed his family, and not able to forgive himself for having a hand in it, he will travel the world in order to heal his soul."
Staring intensely at Sui Yuan, Qin Zheng’s expression is deeply grieved. "You are truly unwilling to forgive me? Unwilling to give me a final chance?"
Resolutely shaking his head, Sui Yuan persists on bidding farewell.
To hell with this BL world! Even if he is incapable of changing it back to BG, he absolutely cannot change the supporting male lead’s original ending! Hopefully, the system will look favourably upon his dedication to his work and give him a satisfactory reward at the end of all this... QAQ
"...I understand." Qin Zheng heaves a resigned sigh, dark eyes miserable. "You are the only one who stayed back waiting for me when I wandered for so long, the only one who sacrificed his all for my wellbeing. But I didn’t cherish what I had. It is my mistake." Lifting his hand, he runs gentle fingers along Sui Yuan’s ink black hair. "I said before that the moment you recovered, no matter what kind of revenge you would like to enact, I will gladly accept...Not having my deepest wish fulfilled...I suppose this can be considered as payback?"
Sui Yuan deliberately shifts his head, neatly evading Qin Zheng’s hand as though a mere touch is intolerable.
Qin Zheng’s lips thin, the hand left hanging in mid-air clenching tightly until the veins bulge. A good while later, he abruptly stands and strides swiftly away towards the window. Staring out at the lush spring scenery and the warm sunlight shining down from the Heavens, he feels no joy. No peace. His heart has become wintry cold.
Eyelids sliding shut, Qin Zheng eventually utters a single, grave word. "Go."
Climbing off the bed, Sui Yuan serenely bows to Qin Zheng’s back before walking slowly out of the room, straight-backed and graceful as ever. Like Qin Zheng on the day they parted ways in the Ten Thousand Miles Pavilion, he doesn’t look back even once.
Far from the capital, far from his old friend, roaming freely across mountains and rivers, Sui Yuan has at long last neared the end of a bumpy road that is his first mission. His first world. This calls for a celebration...indeed worthy of a celebration...
5237: "......why do I feel like crying? QAQ"
Footnotes:
[1] As the pronoun for "him" and "her" sounds the same in Chinese, SY doesn’t know who the Emperor is referring to.
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