764: Not Sharing the Same Sky (Part 1) [Please Vote for Monthly Tickets]

In the young scholar's mind, Zhai Le was a decisive and fearless general, still young but steady in his ways, and occasionally rather dependent on his elder brother. However, when Zhai Huan learned what the young scholar thought of Zhai Le, he added with a laugh, "Steady... sigh, that's all for show. A Le's softhearted and cries easily."

The young scholar was surprised. "He cries? What does that look like?"

That rascal Zhai Huan had egged him on to tease a passing child until the child cried. He'd been at a loss, enduring the wailing right in his ears, while the rascal cupped his hands in his sleeves and pursed his lips. "Like this."

The young scholar: "..."

He pulled himself back from those distant memories and looked at Zhai Le, kneeling before Zhai Huan's bed and sobbing so hard he could barely catch his breath. He looked at Zhai Huan, whose eyes were closed, and thought that Zhai Huan hadn't been entirely right. Zhai Le had improved, at least; his crying wasn't as irritating as a child's.

The eunuchs and palace maids knelt in rows, sobbing softly.

One by one, Zhai Huan's trusted men wiped away their tears, too.

Zhai Le didn't care what anyone thought of him. He cried until he hiccupped, and only stopped when his throat began to spasm. Seeing that he had calmed down a little, the young scholar fetched a Da Gong mourning robe and draped it over Zhai Le's shoulders. "Please, my lord, take care of yourself and bear your grief."

Zhai Le looked down at the mourning robe on his shoulders.

He said hoarsely, "Elder Brother had prepared it long ago..."

The young scholar said, "He prepared it some time ago."

It was for the day he passed away, so Zhai Le