Liu Zhen woke with a start, his heart pounding. He didn't understand why he was still alive. Hadn't he already died? He panicked and put his hands to his neck, then to his arms and chest. Everything seemed back in place, and he was about to breathe a sigh of relief until he lay down on her lap. He trembled a little, hesitated, but soon, anxiously, he removed the blankets that covered him. He was whole, unharmed, everything seemed normal.
Then someone knocked on the door.
"Gege... gege, are you awake?" Liu Zhen recognized the voice almost immediately. It was her third sister, Liu Ling. She stood up and noticed the bed was a little low, because everything looked so low, and also because her sister's voice sounded so childish. Everything was too confusing.
He remembered perfectly well that Liu Ling was twenty years old when she died, so why...? Without waiting any longer, Liu Zheng walked to the door of her room, but before he could open it, it had already opened. It was a ten-year-old Liu Ling. Liu Zhen was even more confused. Why did Liu Ling look the same as she had ten years ago? Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice Liu Ling looking at him in confusion.
"Gege... are you feeling unwell?" the ten-year-old girl asked, very worried. Awakening from her thoughts, Liu Zhen saw her sister, her chubby, cheerful face filled with worry. Suddenly, she felt a warm feeling in her heart.
"It's nothing, gege, he's just distracted," Liu Zhen said, trying to calm her sister down. Seeing that it was nothing, Liu Ling pouted.
"If it's nothing, why aren't you listening to me?"
Liu Zhen INT: Liu Ling was so sweet as a child that no one could have imagined that she would grow up to be a grumpy and shameless woman.
"Sorry, I'll buy you some candy later," she said with a smile. Hearing that there were candy, the little girl was in a good mood, so she tugged at Liu Zhen's clothes and, filled with curiosity and joy, said,
"What candy are you going to buy me, Gege?"
Touching her chin, she playfully replied to her sister.
"Hmm, let me think about it... whatever you want," she said with a slightly silly and cheeky smile.
"But I'll do it later. Gege has matters to attend to first."
Liu Ling's radiant smile disappeared without a trace, and she kicked Liu Zhen in the ankle. Although she was a child, her strength was quite questionable, and Liu Zhen howled in pain.
"Ow... why did you do that?" she said with a pained expression.
"Liar," the girl said with a grim expression.
Liu Zheng: This brat already told him she'd do it later, so why did she have to hit me?
Though she thought about it, she said to her younger sister with a smile, "Don't worry, wait for me outside. I won't be long." Hearing those words, the girl finally nodded in satisfaction and left her older brother's room.
When his younger sister left, Liu Zhen was finally able to think clearly. He wouldn't waste any more time. He would do anything to prevent whatever happened. Suddenly, a memory appeared in his mind. It was his younger brother. If his calculations were correct, he must have been 8 years old.
He made a decision: he wanted to see his brother, but right now there's a dispute with his mother and his younger brother's mother over the inheritance to the throne.
"I guess I can see him later when I go out to play," he muttered, thinking about how to kidnap his brother for a while.
int liu zheng: now that I think about it if liu ling is 10 years old it must be the year 98 of the shenglong era then.. he should be 16 years old I remember that this was the year where hatred and remorse towards me grew which makes my future.... he shook his head he didn't want to imagine that ending again never in his life it was very terrifying
After calming down again and taking a deep breath, he continued to think. He remembered that there were three conflicts that sealed his fate of becoming a human stick. None of that should happen yet. So I can change what will happen ten years from now.
With that in mind, he went out to get some candy for his little sister. Although they could have asked a servant to get it, it was more fun to sneak off to the kitchen. He left his room, and his sister waited for him outside. As he told her, he took her arm, and they slipped into the kitchen.
Liu Zhen's legs still felt numb, but his young body didn't let him down. It responded quite well. He approached the outer corridor with his younger sister at his side. The girl's face was slightly red from holding back laughter and excitement. The corridor was lit by oil lamps on the tall lacquered wooden pillars and a faint scent of sandalwood incense.
In the distance, they heard the servants' quiet footsteps. With stealthy steps, he and his sister crossed the corridor to the east side, where the kitchen was.
"Gege... what if they see us? We'll be in so much trouble," the girl said, covering her mouth.
"Relax, gege, they won't let them catch you," she said, winking at him and smiling mischievously. The girl nodded, her expression mischievous.
As she entered the kitchen, the familiar, warm smell reminded Lie Zhen of her life in prison, where she could barely eat once a day. This intensified her desire to steal sweets with her younger sister. The kitchen was filled with the scent of toasted sugar and ginger.
On a wooden table were baskets covered with a linen tablecloth, and inside were small pastry gems: sesame candy with caramel, red bean-filled cakes, and honey rice balls, sticky and golden. Their eyes shone as if they had seen great treasure. "Ohh, gege... can I have one?" Liu Ling said as she took one out. Liu Zheng nodded. "I'll have one too," Liu Zheng said, holding one in his hand.
But before they could bite, they felt danger creeping up their backs.
"You two... what are you doing?" said the lady in the kitchen. She was so angry that if a fire started breaking out around her, it wouldn't be strange at all.
"W... w... we're so sorry," Liu Ling said, so scared she was almost in tears. Liu Zhen was no different from her; even as an adult, he was always afraid of this woman. His face paled, and he smiled stupidly. "Miss Mei, hehe, we weren't doing anything, we were just leaving, hehe," he said, grabbing Liu Ling's hand and trying to escape this demon.
"Hold on, what were you holding?" Miss Mei asked cautiously. Although she was a thirty-year-old woman with no children, her aura was worse than that of a war general. Cold sweat quickly broke out on the siblings' backs, and they turned around slowly, terrified.
After being expelled from the kitchen, a servant took Liu Ling to his room as punishment. Since Liu Zhen was of age and the crown prince, he didn't need company, let alone being punished. As he walked toward his room, he heard some servants murmuring. "The Qi clan was accepting young soldiers to join their army," a random eunuch said. "Yes, yes, I heard it too. I heard that one of my nephews will be entering there. My family is humble. I hope to become a renowned general."
Int Liu Zhen: The Qi clan? Oh, right. In my previous life, I accused the Qi clan without evidence, believing they were bribing the council and seeking power. But now I remember something important: the Qi clan never acted with scheming. They were military by blood, straightforward, honest, and a bit rude. It was later discovered that a high-ranking official tampered with the records, but the Qi clan had already resigned from the imperial court.
"Shit," she said suddenly before running out of the hallway to go to her room, her heart about to jump out of her chest.
Liu Zhen: How could I forget? After the Qi clan's unjust accusation, it was a key moment for my execution.
Liu Zhen (刘震 · Liú Zhèn)
• 刘 (Liú): Royal surname of many Chinese dynasties (Han, etc.)
• 震 (Zhèn): Meaning "thunder" or "shake," it gives an idea of strength or agitation
.Liu Ling (刘伶 · Liú Líng)
• 伶 (Líng): Can mean "smart," "actor," or even "agile." In this context, she feels like a bright, lively girl.
Qi Clan (齐氏 · Qí Shì)
• 齐 (Qí): An ancient surname, it can also mean "uniformity" or "order".
• 氏 (Shì): Suffix for family clans.
Shenglong era (盛龙纪 · Shèng Lóng Jì)
• 盛 (Shèng): Prosperous, great.
• 龙 (Lóng): Dragon.
• 纪 (Jì): Era, time.