Terminology:
Death by a thousand cuts – was a capital punishment carried out from the Ming Dynasty up till the early 20th century. The criminal was bound to a pole and literally parts of an individual were cut off until they ultimately died from blood loss.
---- --- --- ---
The following morning Feng Ming’s eyes fluttered open with the warmth of the rising sun.
Shortly after, the memories of last night’s activities flooded back into his mind, he could not help but to blush from ear to ear.
He contemplated for a while on what to do, but decided in any case he had to face the King so he prepared for the worst and committed himself to confront his bed partner.
His gritted as he rolled over give the King a good stare down.
Once he had moved, he was surprised to discover the man who had embraced him as they shared the bed for the night was no where to be found and in fact had disappeared without a trace.
In a flash, an overwhelming anger hit him, feeling dejected by the desertion discontent bubbled from the depths of his heart.
Feng Ming sat himself up on the bed and stared blankly at the spot where the King had slept.
His slender fingers reached for the surface of the bed was still warm where the man had laid remained slightly depressed from the older man’s weight.
Why did he leave in a hurry?
Chiu Lan was outside, waiting on her master to wake, hearing the shuffling inside the Prince’s chambers prompt her to enter and assist the Prince to change into his outfit.
“Chiu Lan…”
“Your Highness, what is the matter?”
Feng Ming dipped his head, thought about it briefly and decided to not pursue the matter.
He shook his head.
“Forget about it.”
Is it possible that Rong Wang is even more thin skin than me?
Was he was too embarrassed to see me so he made his break before morning?
The idea of the Regent King scrambling in panic before taking flight made his stomach twitch, though it was more likely due to hunger.
Chiu Lan had also brought his meal.
Feng Ming indulged his imagination over the question “why?” as he ate his breakfast absentmindedly.
For the past few days, Rong Tian had been turning up to his quarters like clockwork, bright and early every morning.
As much as Feng Ming didn’t welcome the man, the King did provide some type of muse for Feng Ming upon each visit.
Boredom can make one desperate.
Feng Ming found the King annoying when he ever he hung around however when the King was absence a bit of him was missing that daily “muse”.
After taking his meal, he waited for two hours hoping that something would happen. His impatient hit the roof when nothing more than insects paid him any attention. So he decided to try his luck and see whether he could escape out of the Prince’s quarters again.
Considering it wasn’t his first time, he knew the chances were slim given that every other time the guards easily caught him.
As if it had become a routine for him to try and only be dragged back to his confines. He was beginning to treat their daily episodes as good exercise.
He stealthily stuck his head out to check the coast was clear around his chamber before attempting his dash to escape the guarded doors of the hall’s main entrance.
Sure enough, as soon as he stepped foot outside the perimeter, he smacked into someone’s chest, and that someone immediately arrested Feng Ming.
The strong grip hauled the Highness back into his cage.
Only this time his handler wasn’t a palace guard, it was the King himself.
“What? You can’t tolerate staying still for a second?” he chided.
The King released his hold on Feng Ming’s collar and dragged him along to sit down next to him at a table before ordering Chiu Lan to bring a hot meal.
“Prepare our meal and bring some light refreshments.”
When Chiu Lan left the two, Feng Ming studied the King’s face when he didn’t see any signs of awkwardness from their activities in bed he was able to ease up his concerns.
Not before long, Chiu Lan returned and promptly placed dozens of delicious snacks and down on the table before excusing herself.
“Haven’t you had breakfast?” Rong Tian asked as he reached for his chopsticks and picked up a palace made savory dumpling. He gladly fed himself and chewed it delicately and nodded to the Prince.
Instead of a reply Feng Ming interrogated the King, “Where did you go so early in the morning?”
Rong Tian suddenly snorted at the question, a smile pulled across his lips as he studied the boy.
Feng Ming went red, the eyes that pinned down on him was making him flustered.
However, that was short lived as he defended himself angrily.
“Don’t you mistake it as if I’m concerned about you.” He spat.
“Why do you blush so easily? What are you ashamed of?” Rong Wang shuffled in his seat and outstretched his hand for Feng Ming’s waist.
“Come over here.” He commanded the Prince.
“What are you going to do?” The boy looked at him with suspicious eyes.
“You have to sit on my lap.”
“Get out! I’m not a ‘call girl’” offended Feng Ming struggled away from the swaying hand in front of him.
“What’s a call girl?”
Feng Ming face pulled back in a grimace, he stuck out his tongue at the King.
“It’s not like you’d ever have the fortune to see one, she’s a beautiful woman of goddess like proportions.”
With that said the Prince dodged the hand that shot out for him again, and he escaped to sit the furthest he could manage from the King’s position.
Rong Tian looked at Feng Ming’s display, rested the pair of chopsticks and calmly reached into his chest pocket, and drew out yesterday’s offending handkerchief.
The younger man’s eyes widened like saucers as soon as he caught the first glimpse of the white material, he suddenly jumped up and demanded angrily.
“That’s mine! Give it back to me, we had a deal!”
Rong Wang gave him a scandalous smile.
“I’ve only received half of your deposit and if you succeed in assisting me to become the ‘ruler of all’ then I’ll happily return the rest to you.”
He then tucked the handkerchief back into the cavities of his garments.
Feng Ming just stared at him in disbelief but his mouth rushed to rescue the situation.
“You can’t possibly be serious! Are you planning to keep something that’s dirty on you all the time?”
Feng Ming pinched his nose to exemplify how possibly unhygienic it was to carry something that had been soiled around.
His face then scrunched up into a scowl, having his hand and face occupied making his disgust Feng Ming completely dropped his guard.
Seizing the opportunity, the King abruptly snatched the boy’s wrists immobilizing the smaller man and drew him into his arms and subsequently pressed his mouth tightly against the scowling pair, kissing any rebuke out of them.
“Feng Ming you are so attractive…”
“Hey! You aren’t allowed to be rude to the Prince!”
When the Regent King satisfied his quota of kisses, he reluctantly released the boy and sternly asked.
“Feng Ming, are you really the Prince himself?”
From the beginning Feng Ming has always stood his ground on this question.
He immediately nodded.
"There is no need to lie to me, even if you are not the ‘real’ Prince, I will protect you."
"I have no need to lie to you from my head to toes which part of me isn’t the real Prince!"
His answers were becoming cyclic.
Rong Wang stared at the defiant boy momentarily before commenting, “From your words and your behavior, in contrast to the original Prince you are completely two separate people.”
All of a sudden, his voice turned sinister as he asked the next question.
“Feng Ming, you have to be honest, are you using some type of ‘soul possession’?”
As the King finished this eerie question, the words practically hit Feng Ming, he jolted on the spot and his body was frightened stiff.
He had reflected on his own experiences so far, and was sure that no one in this backward ancient civilization could possibly comprehend his situation.
The fact that anyone in Xi Rei could understand “possession” was insane.
In his case, the term “soul possession” could be partially be used to described what had happened to him and his journey to his new world.
Rong Wang had what he wanted, he had purposely asked the question to elicit a reaction from the mysterious character and judging from the boy’s strange display the King was already connecting the evidence in his mind.
He let out a sigh “So this is really the case then.”
“The thing is, this is a really a very very complicated and long story, and it’s probably longer that the longest river of Xi Rei.” Feng Ming gulped as his mouth went on the defense he actually had no idea how long the longest river in Xi Rei was but he was buying time to figure out how he could stop Rong Wang from misunderstanding why he had deceived him from the beginning.
Shaking his head, he decided it was only best if he explained the facts to the Regent King.
Rong Wang immediately interrupted his explanation asking him seriously.
“Feng Ming, how many people know of you using “soul possession”?
Seeing the intense expression on the King’s face, he couldn’t help to get scared.
He desperately shook his head and in a small voice replied.
“I’ve always said I was the Prince himself.”
“Do you understand what it means to commit ‘soul possession’ in Xi Rei?”
The blood drained from Feng Ming’s face as he stood without an answer for a while then he bitterly replied.
“Rong Tian, don’t you dare threaten me by telling me you will have me burnt to a crisp.”
"In terms of ‘possession’, Xi Rei’s history records this type of paranormal events in ancient fables. It starts when a soul of the ‘dead’ with the help of an external power invades and steals the body of a living being, eventually killing the host and expelling the original soul. Additionally, to survive in its borrowed body the occupant will need to devour the life force of another being each day. In Xi Rei, if an individual is suspected of committing such dark magic, they would be captured and be publicly executed. Death by being sliced to death alive, the act ensuring no other human will fall victim to the evil.”
Feng Ming shuddered to the information he was dealt.
The punishment was on par with the sickening ‘death of a thousand cuts’ that was reinforced as capital punishment by a famous Eunuch during the Ming dynasty of China!
Feng Ming’s complexion changed with the blood curdling images that flashed into his mind, he tugged at Rong Wang’s sleeve.
“Hey, it’s not like I was the one that killed the Prince, I haven’t even harmed anyone you can’t charge me of any crime.”
Rong Tian tipped his head lower to the boy, who by now was wearing fear on his face.
"Well, I’m not saying you are guilty of a crime."
The beautiful black eyes were stricken with fright the usual lively light they held had dimmed as the younger man stood stiff.
Seeing the boy’s state the Regent King could not refrain from smiling.
"Do not be afraid as no one knows your condition. I believe that you are not an evil spirit, otherwise, the first person you would have killed would have been I.”
Relieved Feng Ming regained his composure.
"As long as you know, Rong Tian, don’t you dare to threaten me instead you should hurry up and tell me how you came up with the idea of ‘soul possession’.”
The Prince paused.
“Also, how are you going to deal with me now?”
Another hesitation before he gulped.
He asked suspiciously, “you can’t possibly be serious about dragging me out to be executed, right?”
“This morning, I left to practice martial arts, coincidentally as I made my way around the palace I came across part of the palace chamberlain quarters, and there in one room something caught my eye. After investigating I found the room was filled with a collection of relics and sacrificial offerings. I was suspicious, so I immediately summoned the servants living in that quarter to explain themselves. After interrogation they confessed that the Prince’s strange behavior had made them all recall the stories of “body possession” and in fear they had prepared for a ritual to seek their ancestor’s protection from evil spirits.”
Rong Wang provided a complete understatement in fact the servants involved were all tortured to confess the truth of their actions.
Feng Ming innocently asked as he remained proud of his efforts thus far as ‘Prince’, "I have always felt I’ve performed my act very well, how did they discover me?"
"Within the Palace, there are countless people that watch each and every move you make, why would it be strange if someone suspected you? Given the situation, the only a quick solution was to suppress the problem, I have already had the servants involved executed."
"You what!?" Feng Ming cried out in disbelief. .
Since the very beginning Feng Ming was at least thankful that he was given the role of being a Prince, compared to a servant. But nothing would have prepared him to meet a man that could treat human lives so lightly.
"Why?" Fengming asked still shell shocked at the cold blooded man in front of him. .
"They were only scared, but why did you have to kill them?"
"Feng Ming, you are too simple and need to pay attention to your own identity.”
The Prince looked like he was going to pass out, so the Regent King ushered the younger man to sit down.
His voiced lowered to a menacing tone, “You are the Crowned Prince of Xi Rei, on top of foreign disputes, even within the country there are countless people who would better see you dead to an early grave.”
“On this occasion you’ve manage to make mistakes on your behavior, people are always on the watch for your flaws, once they have a reason it would only take a matter of time for rumors to spread. They will seek every opportunity to have you executed. All they need is an excuse and this time you gave them an interesting excuse.”
It goes without saying the flowery nature filled palace of great splendor Feng Ming had liked to envisage himself imprisoned in of was completely shattered with the King’s dark words.
Feng Ming realized his nightmare just got a lot worst than the Regent King.
He was surrounded by traps with enemies waiting for him to turn his back, they were around him waiting to pounce he was in a living hell where his life was on the line.
The thought made the Prince shiver.
“However…” the younger man hesitated.
“However… what? A Prince fearing his own country would shake the very foundations of the nation’s system and prestige. The Royal Palace is a horrible place of treachery. As your soul ‘possesses’ the Prince’s body, you will have to live in his place. Accept your duties as the Crowned Prince. If it was the original Prince in your place this event of ‘soul possession’ by an evil spirit would merely be another a rumor. Do you think perpetrators of the rumors will get off lightly? I purposely stayed in the Prince’s chambers, to provide a warning to those who target you that your identity has been acknowledged by me hence no one is permitted to question your status and if they do I shall take them as directly challenging me.”
Feng Ming forced a smile, "Rong Tian, I'm getting confused, what did you mean by my fear?"
Rong Wang caressed his cheek, smiled softly and replied with no rush to his words.
“The knowledge you have to gain about the Palace, would take more than 10 years of studies to accomplish, for now the most important aspect is that you should remember exercise caution regardless of where you are and you must not be brash in your actions, try to fight that hardhead of yours”
"Rong Tian, are you not afraid?....I am a ghost."
The Regent King burst into a fit of laughter, exhilarated by Feng Ming’s rather silly question.
“I’ve come across the most fascinating creature I’ve met during my whole lifetime, and that’s you, you little demon.”
Then his voice lightened as he exclaimed “There’s something I am even more worried about.”
Feng Ming was getting nervous, having no idea what the King was on about.
“What do you mean?”
“The Original Prince’s body was not bad, however it couldn’t withstand the love making between men, his entrance was too tight, and easily tore so each time he ended up with injuries. If you really possess the original Prince’s body, how am I going to fix this problem?”
Feng Ming was stunned like a fish out of water, his mouth was left gaping and his eyes pierced the Regent King with another level of his deadly stares.
After a long awkward period, something inside the Prince finally snapped as incoherent roars of anger burst from his lips before he finally shouted, “Rong Tian what did you just say you are going to do with the Crowned Prince? Get out of here now!”
As one can well imagine even with all the screaming the result was that it didn’t convince the King to retreat from the Prince’s quarters.
Instead Rong Wang had managed to intimidate the poor boy, till he was too scared to give a fight.
The imitation obediently sat down and picked up a brush to begin practicing his imitations of the original Prince’s calligraphy skills.
Feng Ming understood that getting his writing down to pat equated to staying alive and if he got caught as a fake there were dire consequences which most likely would be fatal.
All he could do now was to surrender to the King, reluctant to be the man’s student, but Rong Tian was his life line.
Even Feng Ming wasn’t that stupid to throw it away, so he was now renewed with determination to commence studying the art of being the original Prince.
For two consecutive months, Rong Wang continuously dragged Feng Ming to participate government proceedings and requested sermons on the awe inspiring theories that the mysterious boy had in his mind.
Each day Rong Tian accompanied Feng Ming to study the world around him as well as the Prince’s own history.
In regards to how Feng Ming felt towards his new regime, he was obviously miserable but none the less he through his hardship and torture Xi Rie and the world beyond was becoming a clearer picture.
Even his ugly calligraphy skills that could make a grown man laugh was forming into strokes of art.