Cang Yun had never known affection since childhood. The sudden appearance of a gentle and amiable uncle made him so happy he could laugh in his sleep, and during the day, he clung to Leng Qingqing incessantly. Leng Qingqing, in turn, showered this pitiable child with care. When the two were together, the sound of happy laughter often drifted from the hall.
However, the ugly little snake seemed to have been neglected. Ever since Cang Yun and Leng Qingqing recognized each other, the number of times Leng Qingqing spoke to Leng Jing had noticeably decreased. Furthermore, every time Leng Qingqing tried to call out to Leng Jing for a chat, Cang Yun would suddenly develop a stomachache or a headache. This would send Leng Qingqing fussing over him, eventually pouring all his heart and soul into Cang Yun.
Leng Jing also noticed that Cang Yun was becoming increasingly willful. Sometimes, before Leng Jing had even touched him, the boy would burst into tears. Leng Qingqing would come running in a panic, and Cang Yun would accuse Leng Jing of hitting him. Leng Qingqing would then become furious, scolding Leng Jing right in front of Cang Yun.
In response, Leng Jing would sneer while Cang Yun smirked in secret. Thus, the seeds of conflict were sown.
Before they knew it, two months had passed. Cang Yun kept Leng Qingqing firmly by his side, but he grew increasingly resentful of Leng Jing. He frequently spoke ill of Leng Jing to Leng Qingqing, who never said much in return, only replying with a smile, "Jing-er is just like that. Yun-er, don't take it to heart."
The more he said this, the angrier Cang Yun became. To him, Leng Jing was a thorn in his side and a mote in his eye.
Leng Qingqing also began to sense that something was wrong. One day, he called the two of them before him and said, "Jing-er, Yun-er, you are cousins; you must get along well. Today, I have to go out to help Lord Golden Turtle with some matters. You two stay at home and be harmonious, alright?"
Cang Yun nodded quickly. "Don't worry, Uncle. I will definitely get along with Brother Jing. We won't fight."
"That's a good boy~" Leng Qingqing patted Cang Yun’s head and looked toward Leng Jing. "Jing-er, Yun-er has said so. What about you?"
Leng Jing shot him a glare. Leng Qingqing felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine and quickly said, "Never mind... you two play. I'm leaving."
Cang Yun sent his uncle off with an innocent smile, but the moment he turned back, his expression shifted to one of pure loathing.
"From now on, you are not allowed to go near Leng Qingqing! Do you hear me?" he commanded Leng Jing arrogantly.
Leng Jing gave a cold laugh and sat down to drink his tea.
"Did you hear what I said?!" Cang Yun flew into a rage, stepping forward to slap the teacup out of his hand. Leng Jing merely raised an eyebrow, ignoring him.
Seeing that he was being ignored, Cang Yun felt as though he were making a scene for nothing. Unable to contain his anger, he threatened, "If you dare go near Leng Qingqing again, I'll make you regret it."
"I'm waiting for you to try," Leng Jing said composedly.
"You... you..." Cang Yun smashed the teapot into pieces and then, incredibly, threw himself onto the shards!
In an instant, Cang Yun’s body was cut and bloodied by the fragments. Having never endured such pain before, he groaned a few times and fainted.
When he woke up, he found himself lying in bed. Leng Qingqing was looking at him with a face full of tears, exclaiming in joy, "Yun-er! You're finally awake!"
Cang Yun’s nose twitched, and he began to sob. "Uncle... Brother Jing mistreated me... He said I was disobedient, so he used broken porcelain to cut me... He said he wanted to eat fish meat..."
"Haha." Hearing this from the side, Leng Jing couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Cang Yun trembled in fear. "Uncle... Uncle, save me... He must have told you I did this to myself! He forbade me from telling the truth!"
"How could this be! This is outrageous!" Leng Qingqing was struck by a fit of rage. He stood up, walked over to Leng Jing, and rebuked him, "How could you be so heartless! I don't have a son like you!"
"I wasn't your biological son to begin with," Leng Jing replied.
Hearing this, Leng Qingqing’s entire body shook. "You... you... how can you be so heartless!" He actually raised his hand and gave Leng Jing a light slap across the face.
Leng Jing held his cheek, his face filled with disbelief. "You actually hit me!!"
"Jing-er... I didn't mean to... Jing-er... *Waaaaah*~" Seeing that his son was hurt, Leng Qingqing’s previous momentum vanished instantly. He immediately turned into a softie, stepping forward to coax him incessantly. "Let Daddy blow on it, okay? It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt~ *Puff, puff*~"
Seeing this, Cang Yun completely broke down.
It turned out that no matter what he did, he could never match Leng Jing’s status in Leng Qingqing’s heart! He bit the corner of his blanket in jealousy, a more frantic plan brewing in his mind.
Meanwhile, Leng Jing kept a stiff face and called Leng Qingqing outside.
"Jing-er, here is today's portion of fried fish." Leng Qingqing obediently handed over several layers of wrapped fried fish he had stolen from the Imperial Kitchen.
Taking the fish, Leng Jing nodded. "Mm. It's rare for someone to admire you so much. I'm willing to cooperate and let you enjoy the thrill of being a kind parent, but you broke character just now."
"But what could I do? Seeing you get hurt just now made my heart ache so much! I couldn't help but break character..."
"It's fine. He probably didn't notice anything. I'll continue to cooperate with you tomorrow, but I want shredded squid," Leng Jing said. "I say, does the feeling of being relied upon and admired really fascinate you that much?"
"Yes, yes! It feels so good! I feel like my face is glowing with golden light!" Leng Qingqing said with stars in his eyes.
That said, Leng Jing took the fried fish and hid in a quiet corner, eating quite happily.
To him, the world was always too large. Occasional small happinesses were enough to give him great satisfaction. Until now, he was still just an ugly little snake following behind his father, slowly seeing the vast world.
And the first conspiracy the little snake would face in his life was quietly brewing.
Half a month later, the Dragon Clan held a Great Sacrifice. On this day, all princes had to be present, and Cang Yun was no exception. He dressed up early and went to the Great Hall. Leng Jing and Leng Qingqing stayed behind to clean the rooms.
Leng Jing tossed his broom aside and climbed onto the bed to sleep in, while Leng Qingqing rolled out noodles.
It should have been a very peaceful day.
However, no one noticed that the frail Seventh Prince, Cang Yun, had quietly slipped into the Inner Palace during the ceremony.
Even a heavily guarded barrier was useless against a prince of the Dragon Clan. Moreover, his small stature allowed him to easily evade the guards, and he scurried into the palace where the imperial concubines resided.
At this time, even the concubines had gone to attend the ceremony, so the Inner Palace was very quiet.
Cang Yun revealed a sinister smile.
After the day's rituals ended, Cang Yun returned to his residence to find Leng Jing dozing and Leng Qingqing hiccuping from being overstuffed. The moment he saw Leng Jing, his anger flared, but he maintained a forced smile. "Brother Jing, on my way back, Prime Minister Turtle told me to tell you to go on night duty."
Leng Jing gave a grunt of affirmation, climbed out of bed, and straightened his clothes to head out.
Then Cang Yun said to Leng Qingqing, "Uncle, the Imperial Kitchen prepared a grand feast today and left behind quite a lot of good wine."
Leng Qingqing’s spirits lifted instantly. "I'll be right back!" he said excitedly, dashing out of the courtyard in the blink of an eye.
Now alone in the room, Cang Yun sneered as he pulled a bundle from his robes and tucked it under Leng Jing’s bedding.
***
Leng Jing and Leng Qingqing looked on in confusion as a large group of guards burst in.
The leader stepped forward, grabbed Leng Jing by the collar, and threatened, "Was it you who stole the Empress’s jewelry?!"
Leng Jing pushed him away and said coldly, "I don't understand what you're talking about."
At that moment, another guard pulled a bundle from under Leng Jing’s bed. Upon opening it, it was indeed the stolen jewelry from the palace.
Everything was too perfect.
Leng Jing instantly understood what had happened. He didn't make a scene, quietly allowing the guards to put him in shackles. In a situation where the stolen goods were found on the spot, arguing was useless.
Leng Qingqing was speechless, only able to watch with teary eyes as Leng Jing was taken away.
However, as Leng Jing was pushed out the door, he suddenly turned his head and curled the corners of his mouth at Cang Yun.
It was an incredibly elegant smile, yet it made Cang Yun shudder.
Everything fell silent; only Leng Qingqing and Cang Yun remained in the room.
After a while.
Cang Yun sniffled and threw himself into Leng Qingqing’s arms, murmuring, "Uncle, that was so scary!"
Leng Qingqing lowered his head, his hand stroking Cang Yun’s hair.
"Uncle, you'll always stay with Yun-er, right?" Cang Yun acted spoiled.
"Yun-er..." Leng Qingqing stroked his hair and said softly, "You... are just as foolish as your mother..."
"Huh?" Cang Yun looked up in shock. The moment his eyes met Leng Qingqing’s gaze, his entire body went stiff.
"It really is fate," Leng Qingqing suddenly began to laugh coldly. One could only see his shoulders shaking with laughter and the despairing Cang Yun kneeling on the ground.
"Uncle... don't be like this... I'm scared..." Cang Yun clung to his thigh, pleading.
Leng Qingqing looked down at him, his lips curling. "Go get me some wine. Tonight, I'm going to cause a major scene."
"A major scene? I'm certainly looking forward to it." Leng Jing’s voice suddenly drifted from behind them.
"Eh?" Leng Qingqing turned his head stiffly to see Leng Jing leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed.
"Jing-er~~~~~" Leng Qingqing’s face lit up with joy, and he ran over to hug him. "How did you get released so quickly?"
Leng Jing gave a wicked smile. "I tore down the prison, and about a third of the Dragon Court. This place really isn't very sturdy."
"You... you, you..." Leng Qingqing’s mouth hung open in shock.
"Weren't we going to cause a major scene?"
"I was just scaring the little fish-boy~~ *Waaaaah*~~ You actually tore down the Dragon Palace~~ Now we're in big trouble~~" Leng Qingqing clutched his head and screamed.
Leng Jing found a chair and sat down. "Not only that, I also met the Dragon Emperor. I told him if he's not satisfied, he can come find me at Xiao Ran Hall."
"What did you do to the Dragon Emperor (Imperial Father)?!!!" Leng Qingqing and Cang Yun shouted in unison.
"Ha." Leng Jing didn't answer, only smiled.
"Waaaaah~~~ Uncle, I was wrong~~ *Sob*~~ I shouldn't have framed Brother Jing!!" Cang Yun finally started crying, terrified by Leng Jing’s aura. He hadn't expected things to escalate to this point.
"Waaaaah~~~~ Yun-er, I was wrong too~~~ *Sob*~~ I shouldn't have played along with Jing-er to mess with you from the start~~~ and I shouldn't have tried to act tough in front of you~~~~" Leng Qingqing also began to wail.
But it was too late for words. The Dragon Palace gradually grew dark, and thunder rolled—a precursor to the Dragon Emperor’s wrath.
"I'm truly looking forward to this." Leng Jing could still manage a smile.
At this moment, the seawater above the Dragon Court’s barrier had formed a giant whirlpool. Inside the barrier, the atmosphere was heavy, and purple lightning flickered everywhere. It was clear the Dragon Emperor was incensed and about to explode in rage. Everyone in the Dragon Court feared for their lives; Cang Yun hid behind Leng Qingqing, while Leng Qingqing hid behind a chair.
Finally, a powerful current of air rushed in from the main entrance, completely destroying the doors and brick walls of the small Xiao Ran Hall. A dazzling, majestic azure Dragon Qi descended, bringing with it a suffocating pressure!
The Dragon Qi dispersed, and from the light stepped a towering man dressed in a pale-blue imperial robe. It was the current Dragon Emperor—Cang Lie.
"He's finally here!" Leng Jing seemed somewhat excited. He stood up from his chair and extended a hand. A purple Dragon Qi, no less powerful than the Emperor’s, instantly expanded into a barrier, separating the hall from the Dragon Emperor.
"Mere child's play!" The Dragon Emperor’s footsteps did not falter. The barrier was shattered in an instant. Carrying a murderous aura that radiated from his entire being, the Dragon Emperor finally stepped into the room.
In this world, the only person who could look the enraged Dragon Emperor in the eye and remain so calm was likely Leng Jing. One must know that even the Heavenly Emperor held the Dragon Emperor in some degree of awe.
The Dragon Emperor stared at him contemptuously, words hissing through his teeth: "So it's a White Dragon? Rare as you may be, since you dared to provoke Us, do not think you will leave this world alive!"
"Oh." Leng Jing’s tone was nonchalant. "Wait a moment. I am only fifty years old this year."
"A fledgling dragon whose milk teeth haven't even fallen out?" The Dragon Emperor assumed he was begging for mercy out of fear. Generally speaking, a dragon under a hundred years old was equivalent to a human infant.
"I suppose so." Leng Jing curled his lips. "Therefore, if you want to kill me, shouldn't you go through my parent first?"
"Parent? Hmph, fine. Let them come out and die together!" The Dragon Emperor’s murderous intent did not diminish in the slightest.
At this point, Leng Qingqing finally screwed up his courage and crawled out from behind the chair. "Um, that... I... I am his parent... He is my son..."
He stood tremblingly beside Leng Jing.
The Dragon Emperor’s arrogant gaze turned into shock the moment he saw Leng Qingqing’s face. He couldn't help but step forward, grabbing Leng Qingqing by the shoulders and demanding, "You?! You're still alive?! Bai Shaoqing?!"
"Yes... Brother Lie..." Leng Qingqing gave a bitter smile. He had finally been discovered.
"As I thought, there's a connection." Leng Jing gave a cold smile, crossing his arms to watch the show. Meanwhile, Cang Yun was completely bewildered and had turned to stone.
"Shaoqing! Do you have any idea how hard I've searched for you! I thought you were already..." The Dragon Emperor’s rage instantly transformed into a mixture of shock and joy.
It turned out Leng Qingqing’s former name was Bai Shaoqing.
"Brother Lie, I missed you too..." By comparison, Leng Qingqing appeared much more composed.
"Shaoqing, I won't let you suffer anymore!" The Dragon Emperor pulled him into a tight embrace, making no effort to hide his longing. "For these past few centuries, you are all I have thought about day and night! Several times I considered going to the Yellow Springs to find you. I never imagined you were still in this world. This is wonderful! Truly wonderful... You are so heartless, to watch me suffer like this and never come to me. Are you still blaming me for not finding you in time back then?"
"Brother Lie, how could I blame you?" Thinking of the past, Leng Qingqing’s tears suddenly poured out.
The two clung to each other, as if trying to pour out all the longing of those hundred years.
Leng Jing merely watched with a cold eye. After a long while, Leng Qingqing finally remembered to introduce him. "This is my son, Leng Jing. His personality isn't very good. I'm sorry he made Brother Lie angry..."
Cang Lie looked at Leng Jing and gave a cold snort, seemingly still unable to let go of his anger. However, since he was his lover’s adopted son, he couldn't say much more. He simply said, "Even so, Shaoqing, you must have put a lot of heart into raising him. From now on, Leng Jing shall also be my adopted son. He is hereby enfeoffed as the White Dragon Prince. I will have someone prepare a palace for Jing-er shortly."
"Brother Lie, you're so kind!" Leng Qingqing was overjoyed.
"Thank you, Imperial Father." Only then did Leng Jing perform a formal salute. Cang Lie couldn't help but sneer inwardly; it seemed this Leng Jing was merely a mercenary sort, and leading him here must have been his goal all along. However, thanks to him, he had finally found Shaoqing.
Holding Leng Qingqing, the Dragon Emperor rejoiced at finding his old flame. He immediately issued an order to hold a celebratory banquet for the entire realm to share in the joy.
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
Cang Lie | 苍冽 | The current Dragon Emperor.
Bai Shaoqing | 白少卿 | Leng Qingqing's original name.
Dragon Qi | 龙气 | The spiritual energy or aura of a dragon.
White Dragon Prince | 白龙皇子 | The title bestowed upon Leng Jing by the Dragon Emperor.
Lord Golden Turtle | 金龟大人 | An official or figure in the Dragon Palace.
Prime Minister Turtle | 龟丞相 | A high-ranking official in the Dragon Court.
Yellow Springs | 黄泉 | The underworld/realm of the dead in Chinese mythology.
