Chapter 247 – Debt

Luo Wei sat in a messy room, calming down and pondering carefully. It was not that he couldn’t understand why he had to go to Northern Yan. Everywhere was plagued by disasters, and Great Zhou was no longer capable of fighting multiple battles simultaneously. The treasury was running low, and even the starving citizens couldn’t be fully rescued. Where could they find enough resources to provide three meals a day to the soldiers going off to war ? But just thinking about the situation he would face in Northern Yan made Luo Wei feel afraid and resentful. Why did it have to be him? He was Emperor Xingwu’s son, but the emperor had ten other sons. Why was he the one chosen to be the hostage? It wasn’t for his own sake that he had earned Sima Qingsha’s hatred.

“Your Highness,” several eunuchs lifted a small round table filled with food, “Please, Your Highness, have a meal.” The eunuchs placed the table down and bowed to Luo Wei.

Luo Wei glanced at the table full of food, all of which he usually ate.

“Your Highness,” the leading eunuch, unable to discern Luo Wei’s thoughts from his frosty expression, dared to speak up, “It’s been a day since you ate. Please, at least have something.”

“Take it away,” Luo Wei’s temper had already flared up once, but now facing these eunuchs, he wouldn’t vent his anger again, saying, “I’m not hungry.”

“Your Highness, this was specially prepared by His Majesty’s kitchen,” the eunuch saw that Luo Wei’s tone was quite calm, so he became a little bolder, continuing to persuade, “Just taste it and see if the dishes suit your palate.”

“Everyone, leave,” Luo Wei waved his hand irritably.

Seeing the darkness outside the window, Luo Wei knew he had been confined here for two days already.

Luo Zhiqiu approached the front of the room and asked the eunuch guarding the door, “Has His Highness dined today?”

The eunuch hurriedly replied, “His Highness is currently dining.”

Hearing that Luo Wei finally ate, Luo Zhiqiu felt a little relieved.

“Sir, please,” the eunuch pushed open the slightly ajar door for Luo Zhiqiu.

Luo Zhiqiu entered the inner room to find a table of untouched food. Walking to the bedside, he saw Luo Wei slouching on the bed. When he looked up to Luo Zhiqiu standing before him, he didn’t react much and just gave him a indifferent glance.

“You haven’t eaten in two days. Aren’t you hungry?” Luo Zhiqiu asked softly.

“No appetite,” Luo Wei said.

“Wei’er,” Luo Zhiqiu reached out to pull Luo Wei up.

Luo Wei didn’t let Luo Zhiqiu’s hand touch him, saying, “I’ve had ginseng soup. I won’t die.”

Luo Zhiqiu had a hard time these past two days, with Fu Hua causing a scene in the mansion, and Xu Yuemiao crying for two days straight while holding Luo You. “Are you still angry?” Luo Zhiqiu asked Luo Wei.

“No,” Luo Wei said, “I’m not that temperamental. I was just thinking, if I killed myself here, His Majesty probably wouldn’t blame the Luo family, because I have nothing to do with the Luo family anymore.” Luo Wei even smiled, “People outside have been watching me closely these past two days, I guess they’re also afraid I might commit suicide.”

“Wei’er!” Despite Luo Wei’s reluctance, Luo Zhiqiu grabbed his hand. “You will come back. I promise you, Sima Qingsha won’t harm you! Just wait for a year, just a year, once this storm has passed, we’ll come and get you back. If Sima Qingsha still refuses to let you go by then, then Zhou and Yan will go to war!”

“Father?” Luo Wei didn’t shake off Luo Zhiqiu’s hand, but still coldly asked, “I thought you didn’t want me anymore. Am I still part of the Luo family?”

“You are Luo Zhijin’s son,” Luo Zhiqiu said to Luo Wei, “You will always be part of my Youyan Luo family.”

“Then why send me away?” Luo Wei asked.

“Because I’ve always regarded you as my son,” Luo Zhiqiu said, “So I can’t be partial. Wei’er,” Luo Zhiqiu ran his hand through Luo Wei’s messy hair, “This war between Zhou and Yan cannot be fought at this time. I can’t bear to see Great Zhou decline like this.”

“Things were fine before, why did so much suddenly happen?” Luo Wei truly didn’t understand.

“There have always been floods in the south,” Luo Zhiqiu sighed with a bitter smile, “But we have never done a good job, so Heaven will no longer give us a chance.”

“What about the epidemic? The rebellion of the southern barbarians and the severe drought in the northwest? Are they related to the water-borne diseases in the south?”

“No, they’re not related, they just happened to occur at the same time,” Luo Zhiqiu said, “That’s how it is with natural disasters and man-made calamities.”

“I didn’t cause any of these, why should I be imprisoned because of them?”

Luo Zhiqiu turned Luo Wei’s head to face him, looking into his eyes. “I don’t believe that after thinking for two days, you still can’t understand this simple truth.”

Luo Wei lowered his head. He didn’t want to look at Luo Zhiqiu’s face, the pain on it was clear to him.

“Wei’er,” Luo Zhiqiu sat beside Luo Wei, the father and son had never been this close before, “You’ve had a luxurious life since childhood. Good clothes and good food, do you know that such glory isn’t easy to enjoy? You always have to pay for it. You alone can stop the war, so you have to go. This is what you owe this country and our people of the Great Zhou Dynasty.”

“When did I owe this debt?” Luo Wei asked. He didn’t argue with Luo Zhiqiu again. He truly didn’t understand Luo Zhiqiu’s words, but he vaguely felt that his words made some sense.

“This country has protected you, and the people of Great Zhou have provided you with food and clothing. How can you not owe them?” Luo Zhiqiu asked Luo Wei.

“If you put it that way, isn’t everyone indebted?”

“Indeed, everyone is in debt. That’s why those in power must govern the country diligently and love the people, officials must fulfill their duties, soldiers must defend the land and expand it, and those who work in agriculture must toil and sow. Everyone has their responsibilities. Wei’er, let me ask you, what is your responsibility?”

Luo Wei was a little bewildered. What was his responsibility? After thinking for a while, Luo Wei couldn’t come up with an answer.

Luo Zhiqiu got up and went to the round table, brought back a bowl of white porridge, and offered a spoonful to Luo Wei’s lips.

Luo Wei’s eyes reddened. He couldn’t bring himself to hate Luo Zhiqiu, especially since he knew his father was also feeling miserable.

“Eat,” Luo Zhiqiu said, “I know you only like these bland foods.”

Luo Wei didn’t let Luo Zhiqiu feed him. He sat up and took the bowl of porridge, drinking it in several gulps.

“Do you want something else to eat?” Luo Zhiqiu asked.

Luo Wei shook his head.

Suddenly, Luo Zhiqiu didn’t know what else to say to Luo Wei. Standing there, looking at Luo Wei, his heart felt sad. He wanted to look the same as usual, but he couldn’t.

“Father, please go back first,” Luo Wei said at this moment, “Let me think about it again.”

Luo Zhiqiu turned around quickly. The word “father” from Luo Wei made tears well up in his eyes. Not wanting Luo Wei to see him like this, Luo Zhiqiu didn’t speak again, nor did he look at Luo Wei again, but just walked away.