Chapter 258

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

The Emperor's low voice carried a tremor after his rage: "Why must you return before Us again to endure humiliation and bear heavy burdens? Or is it... that only by toying with and scheming against Us within the palm of your hand, by repeatedly seeking to kill Our heart, can the hatred in yours be appeased?"

Liu Qi did not turn back. After a long silence, he said: "With Imperial Uncle speaking these words, this Child Minister's every endurance of humiliation and burden has been worth it."

These words were even more vicious. The Emperor's face trembled, and he heard that back figure continue: "But to speak carefully, the reason within is not merely for this."

"The highest warfare attacks plans; the next attacks cities. The so-called attacking cities is a last resort; once employed, blood will flow into rivers, both sides injured." Liu Qi spoke slowly: "Imperial Uncle, this Child Minister bears much hatred toward You, precisely because You are so hateful, therefore this realm is truly not worth letting shed more blood for Your sake."

Within the light, floating three words "not worth" was revealed a tremendous negation and disdain. The Son of Heaven possesses the realm and sits owning the Four Seas — how could he be connected to these three words?

The Emperor's eyes were as if weeping blood; his face flushed red from heavy, labored breathing. He could not speak for a moment, and Liu Qi said: "Moreover, Maternal Uncle's entrustment cannot be defied. That year I swore an oath before Maternal Uncle: if I rashly moved troops and stirred up great chaos, I would betray Maternal Uncle's dying will, and deserve heaven's execution and earth's destruction."

But he had never given up the plan of mutual destruction either. If the path of attacking plans failed, he would likely still choose that road. Fortunately such a person appeared, sparing him from heaven's execution and earth's destruction.

And the Emperor fell into bewildered doubt. What oath? What dying will entrustment... That night outside the palace gate, Ling Ke had already perished before Liu Qi rushed back. How could there have been time to leave any instructions?

"Imperial Uncle must also have been curious, must have asked in your heart many times why — why Ling Ke made not the slightest resistance, why the Ling Family Army from beginning to end showed no sign of rising up, everything concluded in silence. The price paid for this purge was far, far lower than Imperial Uncle anticipated."

Imperial Uncle could not understand, yet had no way to investigate. You could only conclude it was Ling Ke's treason losing the army's hearts, the Son of Heaven's awe overawing the military.

"But Imperial Uncle, the facts are not so. Let this Child Minister resolve the mystery for You."

The Emperor's blood-red tearful eyes stared unblinkingly at the youth's back figure. Before that back figure, through the crack of the hall doors closed by palace attendants, a thread of light leaked out, lying across the ground, like a sharp narrow sword.

In the Emperor's daze, a certain premonition stirred in his heart — that formless sword light would soon stab toward him...

The thought had just surfaced when the voice entered his ears: "Because Maternal Uncle, while on the return journey from Lu State to the capital, already knew that this return to the capital would bring great calamity."

What?

The Emperor never expected to hear such an answer. His first thought was absurd and ridiculous.

Knew beforehand that returning to the capital would bring disaster?

If he knew beforehand, shouldn't he have made preparations in advance, mobilized every mobilizable force, to fight him to the death instead?

If he knew beforehand, why after returning to the capital and handing over his tally, when this Emperor revealed intent to campaign against the Xiongnu, did he still risk provoking his anger, worsening their estrangement, and still strenuously advise against further war? — From head to toe, where was any of the response one who foreknew crisis should have?

If he knew beforehand, what countermeasures did Ling Ke actually take... Could it be instead that he preemptively appeased and instructed his soldiers not to stand up for him, Ling Ke?

Absurd, absurd...

Although... no, impossible...

The Emperor let out a low laugh filled with absurdity. His gaze wandered in uncontrolled panic. He murmured: "What reason does We have to believe this ridiculous claim with no living witness..."

"The Changling collapse was not the first prophecy made by the Heavenly Mechanism." The youth's voice seemed to come from afar: "In the winter month of Tianhe Year 12, on Tianlang Mountain in Taishan Commandery, a warning that the one returning to the capital would suffer extermination of his clan — that was the beginning of the Heavenly Mechanism's prophecy saving the world."

The Emperor's laughing, trembling body gradually stilled like a jagged mountain mausoleum, frozen rigid.

Liu Qi spoke no further. Stepping on the fallen shards of bowls and cups, he left. He pulled open the tightly shut hall doors. That light, like a narrow sword, suddenly magnified in the Emperor's sight. Heaven and earth plunged into piercing snow-brightness.

The Emperor felt the world spinning. In this white vastness, Liu Qi's figure vanished, yet another shadow seemed to condense and emerge.

The Emperor saw Ling Ke, dressed in coarse hemp short clothes, salute him with clasped hands. With a touch of raw vigilance, he walked to his side alongside A Jie — learning characters, studying military strategy, fighting battles, winning battle after battle...

The coarse hemp clothes and grass shoes had long since turned into armor. The year of the Taishan Fengshan, Ling Ke was the only one who accompanied and escorted the sovereign to the absolute summit, the one who buried the Jade Tablet. Atop Taishan, the Son of Heaven looked down, heroic passion ten thousand zhang. He once sighed with hands behind his back, asking when he would see the true spectacle of a peaceful, prosperous All Under Heaven, making the realm unified, making the Xiongnu never dare invade again.

Ling Ke's eyes were bright and spirited. He cupped a fist, bent a knee, and knelt. His sworn promise still rings in the ears:

【Once I heard the National Preceptor say, twelve years is the cycle of the Year Star's circulation. Ling Ke requests to use twelve years as the term. First six years: I swear to pacify those of different surnames and different hearts for Your Majesty, so All Under Heaven returns to the Liu clan! Next six years: I wish to rest and recuperate with the people, accumulate strength, build chariots and cavalry, raise war horses. When six years are complete, this minister shall lead the elite royal army's iron cavalry northward. I will surely drive back the Xiongnu in one stroke, plow their court, sweep their lanes, so they never dare look south again!】

【Heaven and earth bear witness. This minister swears by these twelve years. First six years: settle the internal situation. Next six years: accumulate the state's foundation. When this sword is forged, it shall point straight at the Xiongnu. If I cannot fulfill the pledge and return, this minister is willing to let my skull fall in the North Border!】

The Emperor of that time laughed loudly, eyes holding excited hot tears. He bent down and lifted the man up.

The Emperor of this moment also could not help laughing loudly. Tears rolled in his eyes. He bent his spine, raised his hands — yet there was nothing left to support.

Ling Ke spoke and acted. That Fengshan was Tianhe Year 6. After six years passed, Ling Ke truly pacified the final Lu State rebellion. By the agreement, the six years of rest and recuperation should have begun...

But at that time he had already seen that "Secret Letter Evidence." So after Ling Ke returned to the capital, he proposed wanting to campaign against the Xiongnu as soon as possible. Ling Ke insisted on dissuading him. He grew even more suspicious that the collusion and dealings in the secret letter were true. Therefore Ling Ke was unwilling to clash with the Xiongnu... From this he developed an obsessive heart demon. Even after Ling Ke's death, he still overrode all objections to send troops against the Xiongnu, ultimately suffering defeat and returning last year.

Now it is Tianhe Year 18. If that incident had not happened. If there truly had been six years of recuperation. This year Ling Ke should be leading the iron cavalry northward on campaign in the spring. He would surely see them off together with the Empress and Si Bian. Si Tui might also be among the great army on the iron cavalry...

This departure, all officers and soldiers would surely harbor the resolve not to return without victory. The promise-keeping Ling Ke would surely reiterate the Taishan oath — if unable to fulfill the pledge and return, willing to let his skull fall in the North Border!

He was the Son of Heaven. He would surely retract these words for Ling Ke. A great battle imminent — death must not be spoken.

But where is the General's skull?

Where is the General's skull?

Not fallen in the North Border — shattered outside the palace gate!

The Emperor's laughter turned into sobs. The sobs gradually became grievous weeping. His body trembled, like a jagged mountain mausoleum about to collapse, rustling down countless stone shards and dust. Every grain a remnant image and echo of the past.

The Empress's shallow smiling eyes. Si Bian laughing and calling Imperial Father. Ling Ke's open, upright back figure. Si Tui still a child. Back then heaven was vast, earth was vast. Only he himself did not know when he turned into a face of gloom and suspicion. Elixirs rolled, the incense burner toppled, burning into bone-ash-like fog. Heaven and earth contracted along with it. Gradually only a cold palace chamber like a grave remained. The one most afraid of death turned out to have long since become a dead man in a coffin.

The Emperor looked around blankly. His face twitched with blue veins. His eyes were fearful and bewildered. His hands grasped at emptiness. Missing his grasp, he tumbled off the bed.

Palace attendants cried out in alarm and rushed in. In the palace chamber erupted a heaven-collapsing, earth-splitting grievous wailing.

Liu Qi, who had already descended the stone steps, heard this sound. His footsteps paused for an instant. His gaze, across the shallow water light, quietly watched forward. A moment later, he proceeded again. He did not look back.

The Wuzhang Palace changed masters again and again. Most furnishings were no longer those used by Crown Prince Gu and his wife in life. But one place could still count as a trace related to the old people — where the witchcraft object was dug up that year.

The object was dug out from under a peach tree. After that, the peach tree was cut down. Another beast-shaped strange stone, more than half a person tall, was placed to suppress and ward off evil. Ordinarily few people approached.

After palace attendants took the sacrificial items from Chengxiang Hall, they were all dismissed. First, Xiao Yu was still not used to so many people following her. Second, she and the Young Master would from time to time speak ill of the Emperor.

When Liu Qi approached the Wuzhang Palace, he saw palace attendants all guarding outside. Therefore he also left his followers behind and entered alone.

Shaowei and Xiao Yu, having already toured the entire Wuzhang Palace extensively, discovered a tender shoot struggling to emerge beneath that beast-shaped strange stone. It actually seemed to be what the peach tree cut down that year had produced.

When Liu Qi arrived, he saw Shaowei was just moving that giant stone aside. The object the world taboos was overturned by Shaowei with strange strength, then viciously kicked once by Xiao Yu.

Under the moving and overturning, many crawling insects surged out. Shaowei wrinkled her face and went "Huh?" Hastily she jumped back, turned, and saw Liu Qi. She called to him: "Liu Situi, quickly come look at this!"

Liu Qi came running, and Shaowei saw the wound on his forehead first; just as she was about to ask, he grabbed her in a hug.

Xiao Yu widened her eyes, quickly turned away, squatted down honestly, and stared intently at the tender sprout.

Zhan Zhan, having eaten two worms, circled around the abundant dining table, claws lightly raised, wings folded back, shaking its head and whistling in a good mood.

Shaowei questioned Liu Qi in a low voice: "How did you get hurt? Did he hit you? Why didn't you dodge?"

She reached out to press against Liu Qi's shoulder, wanting to push him away to ask clearly, but the next moment, she suddenly felt a cool, damp sensation on the side of her neck where his face was pressed.

A tear that she did not want others to see fell quietly at this moment.

After a moment of silence, Shaowei had no choice but to stop pressing: "... Not again."

"Fine, not again." Liu Qi held her, burying his face in her shoulder and neck, repeating her words in a muffled voice.

"Let me give your wound a name," Shaowei suggested. "How about Shen Nong?"

Liu Qi almost laughed, complaining in a muffled voice: "That sounds too bitter, doesn't it? You'd have to taste so much medicine."

"That way it will heal faster," Shaowei said, then suddenly added seriously: "I've tasted all the bitter medicines already; from now on you won't have to eat these bitter things anymore."

After speaking, she felt her neck grow cool again; Shaowei shrank her neck in a tickle and pushed him away: "I've comforted you like this, so why are you still crying?"

Shaowei had just finished comforting Xiao Yu, whose tears wouldn't stop falling; these two uncle and nephew really kept her busy to no end today.

Seeing that her patience was about to run out, Liu Qi smiled and explained with assurance: "It's not a new cry; it's just the one from earlier that wasn't finished. There won't be any more."

He smiled brilliantly, showing his snow-white teeth, his slightly red eyes curved and flashing, only missing raising both hands to make a teasing promise.

He eagerly responded to the question: "By the way, what did you want me to see earlier?"

"Uncle, it's this!" Xiao Yu, who had been pricking up her ears to eavesdrop, quickly took over: "The newly sprouted peach tree buds!"

The three squatted down around the sprout to look at it; Xiao Yu asked full of anticipation: "Young Master, will it be warm weather from now on? Can this tender sprout survive?"

"Of course."

After answering, Shaowei looked at the tender sprout, but Xiao Yu's words echoed in her ears.

Will it be warm weather from now on? Can it survive?

Shaowei hoped the days would pass quickly so she could get through that ominous death date from her previous life as soon as possible.

On the way out of the city to pick up Ji Jin and Shan Gu, as they passed that mountain forest in the distance, a thought suddenly flashed through Shaowei's mind: go out to avoid the calamity and stay away from that ominous source. But her competitiveness made her reject the thought the next moment—how could she be a turtle shrinking its head? In defiance, she almost wanted to grab a mat and go sit and lie down right there in that evil mountain forest, to face off against that death date.

Yet seven days later, just after the tenth of the second month, Shaowei had a legitimate reason that she had to go out to avoid the calamity.

This seemed to further tell Shaowei that everything—people and matters—had already completely changed, the past had long since turned to flying ash; there was no need to keep staring at that death date from the past that no longer counted.

Three days ago, the Emperor summoned Jiang Fu into the palace for a discussion; the Son of Heaven obtained a prescription and made a decision.

The Emperor had recently been dreaming frequently of old acquaintances, including the late Emperor Taizu and Consort Qu.

The night before summoning Jiang Fu into the palace, he dreamed again of a white-clad immortal; this immortal had last appeared in the Emperor's dream before the Emperor first went to Taishan for the Fengshan ceremony.

The Emperor regarded this as a kind of heavenly guidance; after discussing with Jiang Fu, he decided to go to Taishan again to offer sacrifices, conducting one last Grand Sacrifice of Mount Tai.

Whenever the Grand Fengshan Ceremony of Mount Tai is held, there are usually only two circumstances: either the monarch has extraordinary achievements, or auspicious signs appear frequently and heavenly omens descend.

This time it fell under the latter: celestial opportunity has manifested, disasters have been repeatedly averted, and a heavenly-chosen heir has been selected. This auspicious sign is already known throughout the four seas; the Emperor wishes to go to Taishan in person to thank Heaven and Earth, and to make a final report of duty for his imperial career.

This decision came at the time when the two cases of the Ling family were concluded; all the ministers had a premonition: this Fengshan ceremony must have a political significance different from the usual.

Coincidentally, Taishan Commandery reported that the Yellow River flood control had seen initial results; responding to this good news, the great sacrifice was now inevitable, and the ministers accordingly submitted a memorial requesting it according to procedure.

Next came nearly a month of preparations; although the Emperor ordered everything to be simplified, there were still many matters to prepare, and a list of attendants to be drawn up.

To thank Heaven and Earth for the celestial opportunity and auspicious sign, the celestial opportunity and the heir should naturally go along; the Crown Prince Gu's daughter Liu Yu was also among them, and the rest of the list was weighed repeatedly.

Jiang Fu received the Son of Heaven's invitation to join the journey, and his disciple urged him again: "... Should we go together or not? Just treat it as revisiting old places."

Six years ago, Baili Youyi shed his golden cicada shell, transformed into a green-clothed woman, traveled east all the way, acquired Mo Li and bought a green ox, entered Taishan Commandery, holding the Star Disk stolen from the late Emperor Taizu's tomb, searching all the way for the source of that wisp of variable aura.

The tattered little ghost caught back then by following that faint variable aura had now grown into a vigorous Spirit Fox of the State; Jiang Fu lay in a rattan chair basking in the moonlight, feeling that although current people and affairs were hard to discern and the disrupted qi order was temporarily in a state of chaotic floating, fortune in the dark seemed to still have traces to follow.

Seeing Jiang Fu smile without speaking, Shaowei, who was quite interested in this journey together, couldn't help but ask again: "Are you going or not?"

?? (No update on 12.17, about ten chapters left until the ending, many details to handle, thanks everyone for waiting.)

? 【Shaowei's story originates from Taishan Commandery, and its approximate landing point will also be in Taishan Commandery.】

? (Looking back, the whole story revolves around Shaowei's growth, her destiny trajectory, and her profession (Celestial Opportunity, Sacrifice), finally drawing the starting point and ending point into a circle named the Shaowei Universe. Writing here I feel quite sentimental—just before this story began, I had happened to visit Taishan for the first time, feeling a strange sense that though I hadn't deliberately thought of drawing close, it was indeed destined in the dark.)

? Thank you all for the monthly tickets, thanks to Book Friends Stars and Moon Ten Thousand Miles, Mist Island sss, Su Xin Yin, Umbrella Red, Spiritual Koala Eating Heartily, Dragonfly Touching Water, Scroll Scroll Star Yan, Fans Not Transparent, Book Friend, Xiao Yu Yan, Book Friend, etc. etc. treasures for your rewards, good night.