Chapter 2 — Our Strategy Failed, Our Final Duty Is to Save Ourselves

My blood brother personally cut off the tendons in my hand, then kicked me out of the house. The Crown Prince who once had a heart-to-heart with me tore up our engagement, banished me to the Cleaning Department, turned me into a bed-warmer that he could not bring to light. As for Ta Quy Hac, the Patriarch whom I taught myself, he bribed the eunuchs in the Cleansing Department, ordering them to oppress and humiliate me every day. Now that Tham Lam Lang has returned, the Emperor wants to make her Queen. The system judged that my last chance was lost, the mission was completely failed, and I could only quickly leave this world. Seeing me still bowing my head in silence, Ta Quy Hac didn't understand why his voice carried some frustration.

“Do you want to die?”

"The woman the Emperor cares about was originally sister Lam Lang. Now that they are both emperors and queens, they have become a story. Do you think they still care about your life and death?"

“Pretending to be fake makes people feel nauseous.”

Hearing those familiar sarcastic words, I thought I would still be as heartbroken as before. But the mission is over, we're about to go home. Rarely, I don't bother to object, I just nod to show my approval.

“You are right.”

"No one cares about my life or death, so please don't bother me anymore. I'm really in a hurry."

Having finished speaking, without waiting for Ta Quy Hac to react, I bowed my head and rushed towards the bronze cauldron next to me. The scene of the head falling and bleeding as we expected did not happen. Ta Quy Hac used his own hand as a shield, blocking my forehead. But those long, white fingers were cut by the edge of the copper cauldron, the bruises were even bleeding. I remember in the past, when I relied on selling banh troi to support him, because I wanted to protect the hands used to write that word, I didn't even let him pick up a branch of firewood. But now, he doesn't know how to appreciate himself anymore. The anger in Ta Quy Hac's eyes was almost irrepressible.

"Tham So Huynh! What are you crazy about?"

"Do you think that just by pretending to be quiet and living and dying like that can make up for the crimes you caused to sister Lam Lang?"

“You dream.”

I laughed softly to myself.

"Then why are you stopping me? Just let me use this life to compensate for the sister Lam Lang that you love the most, wouldn't that be great?"

Ta Quy Hac's face instantly became extremely awkward.

"I... I just can't let you die today. Today is the day sister Lam Lang is appointed Queen. If you die, it will damage her reputation."

I was speechless. Ta Quy Hac was so thoughtful towards Tham Lam Lang that it left people speechless. It's clear they've known each other for less than four years, less than half the time I've been with him, yet Ta Quy Hac almost sees Tham Lam Lang as his own biological relative. It seems that with Ta Quy Hac on my side to hinder me, it will be very difficult for me to find an opportunity to continue looking for death. I turned around and went back to my room to get the silver the Emperor gave me as a reward.

"The Emperor has given me permission to leave the palace to retire. Please, sir, please feel free to do so."

I walked towards the outside of the palace, but Ta Quy Hac never left, on the contrary, step by step, I followed closely behind.

“You have always had many tricks up your sleeve, who knows if you are planning to bother the Emperor and sister Lam Lang Are not. As Master, I have the responsibility to look after you.”

“At least I have to see you enter the General's mansion with my own eyes.”

My steps suddenly stopped. That is my home in this world. Inside there are our real blood relatives in this world. However, the time I lived at Tuong Phu was only two short years, completely incomparable to Tham Lam Lang growing up there since childhood. In the eyes of the people at the Tuong Palace, I was the one who came uninvited, and even almost killed the fake genius they loved and respected the most. I used to think that in this life I would never return to the General's Palace again. But at this moment, that place has become the most suitable place for me to escape from Ta Quy Hac. There is the person who hates me the most in this world, my blood brother, National Protector General Tham Nghien Chu.