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  Spring Trees and Sunset Clouds

  by Wei Liang

  春树暮云 by 未良

  Chūn Shù Mù Yún by Wei Liang

  Genres: Transmigration to alternate space-time, rural, slice of life, BL

  Novel status: Finished, 54 chapters

  Translation status: Finished

  Translator: Rikko

  Editors: Wagahai Fujoshi, Addis, (Marika)

  ePUB Creator: EyesOnly

  ~~~~Brought to you by ExR~~~~

  SUMMARY:

  * * *

  An average, normal university student transmigrates into the royal family in another world, where he becomes one of the successors of the throne. Although it sounds nice, who would understand the hardships that come with it?

  And thus, he should simply leave, conceal his identity, and disappear into the depth of this flourishing mortal world.

  Chapter 1

  * * *

  As the fire broke out, even the air breathed in had a pungent, burnt smell, he felt intense pain all over and thought he definitely wasn’t going to survive.

  In fact, he actually did die.

  When he opened his eyes again, he realized he had become a toddler in a certain country of another world – with an even younger toddler than himself lying down beside him in bed.

  His current identity is a prince of that country, and the child lying beside him is his younger brother to the same mother.

  Previously, he was just a normal and ordinary college sophomore, born in a peaceful era, living in a happy family. However, he is now in the glamorous but dark royal family, standing right in the center of the whirlpool of all (power) fights.

  Using only a week, he gave up on useless weaknesses and luck.

  No longer was he a blissful student, for his younger brother and himself, he had to survive.

  His concubine mother had died of poisoning from the power struggles in the palace at the same time that he came back to life here. The reason why he was able to open his eyes was probably because the original owner of the body had passed on as well, and he, instead, was able to live on due to that.

  When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw in this unfamiliar world, was that child. Perhaps it was the laughable imprinting trope, perhaps it was merely just wanting to find a reason to live on, but he instinctively treated that child as his only redemption; his only reason in this unfamiliar world.

  He used thirteen years to teach the young child how to survive in this glamorous cage, using various unscrupulous tactics, various dirty schemes, to get rid of all competitors.

  At last, only the two of them were left in the enormous palace, the debauched king had finally passed on as well.

  And then, the throne was logically inherited by the best candidate in his heart.

  He never needed the throne, and never longed for power or wealth.

  The reason for bringing his younger brother up the throne was because he thought that bringing the person he treasured the most to the highest position was the only genuine way to protect him.

  During over ten years’ time, both of them were like young animals, relying on each other, cuddling up to each other for warmth, never trusting anyone else, only trusting each other – or so he thought.

  He thought their minds were alike.

  Which was why, when he was suddenly sent to the palace prison, he even thought it was a joke on his younger brother’s part.

  When he was mercilessly whipped, he thought that child was probably duped by schemers, but would eventually know what he was thinking.

  When the Bronze Toaster1 was used on him, he could only hypnotise himself, telling himself that his younger brother would understand, his younger brother would understand ……

  In the end, with a face scratched messily and a body full of severely decaying wounds, he was thrown into the boundless ocean like a dumped corpse.

  He finally knew that he was wrong.

  Before being suffocated, as though being released, he mocked himself in his heart.

  The soul that should have died long ago took a chance in the unfamiliar world, and yet gained nothing. Ultimately it had only dyed his previously pure white hands with blood, creating a paranoid, wilful and tyrannical king.

  ……Finally, everything was over.

  Turns out that the one that I wanted to protect didn’t need my protection at all.

  And I am finally going to return back to my path.

  However, fate decided to play yet another massive joke on him.

  ~~~~

  As he opened his eyes, he found out that he was still living, with that battered body, deformed face, still in that other world.

  Oh well, actually, after being in darkness for countless years, he had already forgotten what he initially looked like.

  And slowly, he began to forget his previously peaceful life.

  Insecurity and fear will always take up a human’s soul in comparison to happiness and stability.

  He is still living nonetheless, through an ugly shell, a soul riddled with countless wounds, in a half-human half-ghost state within this already unfamiliar world.

  After being suffocated, he was miraculously swept along the ocean currents, carried along to some extremely rural small town in another country.

  Not knowing how many inconceivable routes he had passed by, he somehow was able to land on the river bank of a small town that only rivers passed through, and it was extremely far from the sea.

  He was settled in an awfully cramped and shabby room.

  At a glance, it was filled with a worn out table and chairs, along with paint-peeling furniture, appearing rather dilapidated.

  The fading white thin door curtain was lifted open. Carrying a paint-peeling medicine box, an old man with a small moustache and waxy yellow complexion walked in.

  Not even shocked that he had woken, the old man raised his eyelids, casually looked him over, before adeptly pulling at his arm, disregarding his gruesome wounds, touching his wrist.

  “Awake?” The old man asked nonchalantly.

  He was silent for quite a while, before asking, “May I ask, where is this?”

  “Guang Tian District.” The old man answered drily, before opening his medicine box, applying medicine on him.

  ……Guang Tian District, where was that?

  There was no such familiar name in his memory.

  Forced by his environment, he had memorized nearly every name in his country, confirming that there was no such name in his memory.

  “This is Jun Yao country, where are you from?” The old man casually asked, as if trying to make a conversation, though he was still dexterous with his hands

  The medicine’s effects made him feel the sharp pain of his wounds, feeling agonizingly painful.

  Jun Yao Country……

  So he indeed was still there.

  Hearing such a reply, he found it amusing.

  Exactly what kind of coincidence made him arrive from the northernmost part, Fang Jun Country, to the southernmost country of this world?

  Moreover, to travel there, one needed to pass quite a few continents.

  Maybe fate hadn’t toyed with me enough? So it still wants to make me continue lingering feebly on?

  “This is the governmental guest room, you need to rest for a month to fully recover, and can leave then.” Though there wasn’t a reply back, the old man didn’t ask further, only caring about finishing his sentence, before closing his medicine box with a thump. “I’ll be back tomorrow.” In a clear-cut manner, the old man lifted the curtains and left.

  He spent a long time immersed in his train of thoughts, only realizing what the old man had said, after coming back to himself.

  Go
vernment……

  Guest room?

  Such a worn out guest room? And it was even the government’s?

  He suspected that that old man was talking nonsense.

  It was not like he had never visited a commoner’s house, since there was a need to know more about civilians’ lives, but he did secretly visit a few remote towns. He definitely didn’t think that the décor of this so called government guest room was any better than the houses of the poor.

  Maybe it was because he thinks that I looked too hideous now, so he said that to humor me.

  He mocked himself cynically in his heart.

  Thus, he was able to understand why he only received vegetables for his meals, and was able to accept the fact that he could only find little pieces of minced meat among the vegetables sometimes.

  Even though the meals were plain, that doctor’s medicine was indeed effective, after half a month, he felt he was able to take care of himself. After yet another half a month, as predicted by the doctor, he had fully recovered.

  Of course, the hideous and frightening scars on his face and body were impossible to remove.

  He himself thought that it was miraculous too, since he was clear about his own body’s situation – almost being at the brink of death.

  Not to mention the fact that he was able to be swept along the ocean currents and arrive in a small town that even he had never even heard of in the southern most country.

  In such a state, somehow, he was able to recover fully using merely a month.

  Even the best doctors in Fang Jun couldn’t do that!

  Finally, when that old man announced that he had already recovered, and that he could leave, he was at a loss.

  First, he couldn’t believe how skilful the old man was in medicine. Second, he really had no idea where he could go.

  There already was no place he belonged to in such a huge world

  Or should he say, the only place that he thought he belonged, wouldn’t accept him anymore.

  “What?” The old man packed his items nimbly, casually glancing at him, “Nowhere to go to?”

  He was silent.

  After he finished packing, the old man sized him up, before spitting, snobbily turning his nose up, “No salary.”

  “Hah?” He was stupefied.

  “Even though the injuries have fully healed, your heel bone is damaged and is unable to be cured. You cannot do any heavy work, it will stay this way from now on.” The old man replied.

  He was silent again.

  He knew that on the surface, the wounds on his body seemed to be recovered, but in truth, his vital essence was horribly ruined, even if he survived, the days from now on wouldn’t be great.

  Fearing the heat during the summer, fearing the cold during winter, a slight cold could get him bedridden, or even cause death.

  After all, being imprisoned and abused in an eternally lightless, dank water dungeon for three years, it was already a miracle he had survived.

  “Since you will only die if you leave,” the old man continued, “Mo Shu-xiansheng2 said that the government office still requires helpers. You can stay if you’re willing to, food and residence will be provided, no salary. You can leave if you wish to, or stay and work if you’re not leaving. What do you think?”

  He was dazed for quite a while, before nodding, “Alright.”

  From the words of the hunter that brought him his meals, he knew that the old man in front of him was the only doctor in the city, and Mo Shu-xiansheng is the district town’s official. Somehow no one ever addressed that Mo Shu as ‘District Magistrate-Daren3 ’, but instead addressed him as Mo Shu-xiansheng.

  * * *

  Translator Notes:

  1 A torturing method created by Daji :https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creations_of_Daji#The_Bronze_Toaster.5B1.5D

  2 Chinese equivalent of Mr.

  3 Used to address someone of a higher ranking, something like ‘Sir’

  Chapter 2

  * * *

  Thus, the former, only prince of Fang Jun began his life of doing odd jobs in this remote city.

  Although he was able to raise an innocent young child into a vicious, cold and ruthless man, and put him up to the highest throne, he is hopeless in regards to the chores that a typical domestic servant is skilled in.

  Since for the countless years he was in a scheming palace, there was no need for him to personally handle such menial tasks.

  However, at the moment, he seemed to be a useless fool.

  Clumsily shattering the already few dishes; dropping the only bucket into the well, twice; instead of cleaning away the dirty stains on the mattresses, it got even more noticeable……

  So on and so forth, which caused him to get numerous pitying looks from others wherever he went.

  Ugly, clumsy, and having a terrible body……

  Simply a good-for-nothing.

  The kitchen aunty forced him to eat more daily, and even secretly giving him special favors, letting him eat fat meat.

  ……It really was a special favor, since most weren’t able to afford fat meat.

  He fully realized then, that that doctor wasn’t lying to him.

  The district government was really, extremely, awfully……

  Poor.

  Though it wasn’t as bad as not having food, it really was poor.

  He even thought that the food he received then was plain. After becoming a helper, he realized that the rice and vegetable dishes he received were actually meals for patients, and that he was actually given preferential treatment.

  Since he started ‘working’, he was rarely able to eat actual rice, his meals mainly consisted of rice vermicelli, congee, or rice paste and so on…

  Considering the fact that these were actually love-filled meals that had ingredients and rice specially added because the kitchen aunty was caring for him…

  Looking at furniture in the government office…

  It really was extremely pitiful, and in a state of utter poverty…

  Except for the lobby, which was the only court that needed to maintain some pride, the furniture in other areas was either obsolete, paint peeled, or had been attached by a support.

  Even the district magistrate’s bedroom wasn’t great itself – alright, it was actually even worse.

  Much simpler.

  Except for a bookshelf, a bed, and a small crippled stool, there was nothing there.

  Not even a wardrobe!

  The legs of the bed, bookshelf and stool were nailed together with several stacks of wood pieces.

  Actually, even if there was a wardrobe, there wasn’t any use for it. There were only three outfits on magistrate-daren’s stool – one official uniform, and two changes of casual wear.

  Simply pitiful…

  This caused him to get extremely curious, how penniless could this district magistrate-daren be, to be in such a shabby state.

  However, even after working there for a few months, he never did get a chance to meet him.

  It wasn’t because the magistrate-daren was avoiding him or anything like that.

  The problem was that they didn’t have the chance to meet.

  Everyday, the magistrate-daren had already gone out even before he woke up, and hadn’t even come back when he went to bed.

  That’s why after “working” for so long, he still didn’t know his superior’s appearance.

  Though, nonetheless, he was able to get a conclusion from the words of the second only helper in the district government –this magistrate-daren was greatly respected.

  By the way, the only two helpers in the district government were the kitchen aunty and himself.

  The kitchen aunty is dutiful, cooking meals daily, heading home after preparing dinner and breakfast for magistrate-daren, and then coming back early in the morning the next day to cook meals again.

  Since the district government is poor, it doesn’t have money for expenses and hiring.

  Even though he knew from the kitch
en aunty that the city residents are happy to help Mo Shu-xiansheng, but the man in question found it impolite to not pay them. Only under everyone’s forceful request was he able to reluctantly agree to let the women in the city, under the premise of having time, to take turns in helping to cook, clean, and wash laundry.

  Having him as a proper helper now, obviously meant that he had to share the kitchen aunty’s workload as well—though not only did he complete his task unremarkably, he even made quite a mess for others to deal with.

  There were a total of eighteen yamen runners1 , and there was only one advisor in charge of handling accounts, being the butler, and other duties that aren’t under the country magistrate’s job scope —since they were poor, thus, the advisor had to, unfortunately, take on multiple posts himself.

  The yamen runners were all locals, coming back for breakfast daily in the morning after their patrol, going back home in the afternoon when they were dismissed from work, and then coming back the next day to work again.

  Although dinner is provided by the district government, to save on the government office’s expenses everyone would eat at home instead.

  As for the advisor?

  The advisor was dragged into enslavement by country magistrate-daren early in the morning, and would go back when he was dismissed from work at night, he had never seen him before too.

  Thus basically, there was only him and the country magistrate-daren, who worked early and returned late, left in the huge, worn out government office at night.

  Being in Fang Jun for so many years, he really had never seen such a poor country magistrate before.

  Greedy officials are very common, and there are also quite a handful of corrupted ones. He did know a few non-materialistic ones too.

  The country magistrate is a “civil servant”after all, so how did he get that poor?

  He really couldn’t understand.

  However, he was able to learn the reason soon.

  A certain morning, magistrate-daren had gone out early in the morning, the lady cooking that day wasn’t able to get the groceries as she had something going on then, and so she got a guy from her family to send a message, asking him to get the groceries, stating that the greengrocer had already been informed, and the money had been paid.