Chapter 272: Encountering a Clear Day Chapter 247 Encountering a Clear Day

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

When Shaowei woke, her body was as weak as the lingering aftermath of seven or eight cold ailments flaring up all at once; she could not move her limbs, her mind was briefly blank, and the first thing to awaken was an animal's territorial alertness. She forced her mouth open and asked, "Where am I... right now?"

"Young Master, on the bed!"

Mo Li suddenly sat up from the mat on the floor, answering earnestly and seriously.

Shaowei struggled to turn her head to look at him, gesturing with her eyes around the room, her voice strained: "I mean, where is this...?"

"Young Master, it's a room!"

Had these words come from Jiang Fu, they would have been somewhat hateful, but from Mo Li they only retained the craftsman's spirit of accuracy and truth-seeking. Shaowei had no choice but to remain silent; fortunately, her mind was rallying to wakefulness, her consciousness slowly returning, and she soon identified this place as the Feng Shan Xing Palace at the foot of Taishan.

Mo Li's voice startled those in the outer room, and Shaowei soon saw Mother, her maternal grandparents, Qingxiang Sister, Ji Jin, and Xiao Yu and Zhan Zhan.

While Shaowei was in a coma she should not be disturbed, so most people stayed in the outer room, with Marquis and Zhan Zhan serving as guards, not easily letting anyone enter to check on her.

Mo Li was an exception. Having suffered such a near-fatal injury for the first time in his life, though he did not know what fear was, he already had some trauma-induced stress response; he could not rest easy unless he saw the Young Master, so he could neither be dragged away nor persuaded to listen, and thus stayed.

Qingxiang understood his feelings well and interceded for him with Feng Zhu and Marquis, allowing him to stay in the room. She moved a mat for him to lie on, arranging his place, and told him to keep quiet.

Mo Li was very obedient, not even making a sound when turning over. He curled up on the mat, and when he occasionally woke from pain, he would quietly stare at the Young Master on the bed above, his eyes clear and at ease as he stared blankly for a while, then closed his eyes to sleep again—just like that time in the Di Shi of the evil formation at Lianqing Guan, curled up filthily beside the Young Master, sleeping soundly in peace.

Shaowei, surrounded by family and friends, was also carefully observing everyone's condition. After this calamity, everyone looked haggard in different ways, and Xiao Yu, who had not directly participated, was haggard to the point of swelling and disarray—

Because the Young Master needed rest, under Zhan Zhan's strict supervision, Xiao Yu had not dared to cry out loud for these past two days. She often wept silently, covering her mouth to stifle her sobs—truly stifling her cries over small matters, quietly crying until her whole face was swollen, crying herself into a squinting-eyed, fat-headed fish.

Afterwards, Yu Si Wu, Liu Ming, and others came to visit one after another, but Liu Qi, Shan Gu, and the household slaves were not seen.

These three were also badly injured. Although they had previously been able to hold on in the mountains, Shaowei had experienced more than once the process of "after escaping from the Self-Death Realm, once the body no longer needs to maintain a frenzied state to preserve life, every part of it would foam at the mouth, groan and collapse, close its eyes and wave its hands, give up and run a high fever," so she could well imagine their current state.

After the visitors had come and gone, Shaowei, who already knew upon opening her eyes that Jiang Fu's condition was acceptable, asked in detail about these people. She learned that Shan Gu had also been unconscious for two days. As for Liu Qi, Xiao Yu answered first: "Young Master, Uncle did not lose consciousness; he just cannot get off the bed to move around. He is recuperating in the next room right now!"

As Xiao Yu's loud voice fell, Shaowei heard the wall on the inner side of the bed being slowly knocked twice, as if conveying: I am here.

Marquis sighed helplessly: "This child insisted on coming to recuperate."

When his granddaughter went down the mountain, she already had a fever and was unconscious. When entering the Xing Palace, that boy weakly and pitifully said something like: "This calamity surges violently; without the Wu God to resolve it, I would have long been dead. I have heard that when people are seriously injured and weak, they easily attract evil qi into their bodies, so the Wu God must still protect and stabilize them, so that I can rest my mind and recover from my injuries"—

The heir apparent, in such a lofty position, actually said such shameless words of attachment in public. The officials pretended not to notice and bowed their heads. Marquis initially gritted his teeth in secret, but then thought: never mind being shameless; this child not only didn't care about his life, but also rushed to rescue at the first opportunity...

Forget it. After all, he is the consort chosen by my granddaughter, and I will indulge and take in this boy for a while.

The indulged boy was lying in the next room. Shaowei stared at that wall for a while, and for a moment, feeling that her relatives, her little bird, her civet cat, and her people were all by her side, she couldn't help but feel very reassured.

She then struggled to shift her body toward the inner side of the bed, raised her hand and knocked three times, responding to indicate: I understand.

Who would have thought that within a quarter of an hour, this person would be helped over by a palace attendant, limping on one leg. In such a state of poor mobility, it gave the impression of resuming his old trade.

Shaowei was surprised: "What are you coming over for? Aren't you not supposed to move around yet?"

Liu Qi retorted: "Shaowei, wasn't it you who knocked on the wall just now to signal me to come over?"

The two words "I understand" were understood by him as "you come over." Marquis felt it was unsightly and unheard of. If his granddaughter had only knocked twice just now, wouldn't it have been heard as—come over? Four knocks—you come over? Five knocks—you come over to me?

If she hadn't knocked at all, it would have been even more serious. He would surely have come to ask why there was no response, whether she still couldn't raise her hand after waking, whether the situation was too serious.

If someone is determined to be summoned, they can't be stopped. Seeing that the boy had probably spent about a quarter of an hour having someone comb his hair and tidy his appearance, Marquis made no comment and simply went to the outer room with everyone else.

The room soon became much emptier. Besides Xiao Yu and Mo Li, who had lain down again, only Liu Qi remained, sitting on the footstool under Shaowei's bed. He stretched out one of his injured long legs, leaned his back against the edge of the bed, placed his right arm horizontally on the bed, and leaned forward, smiling as he looked at Shaowei, who was wrapped in the quilt and watching him.

After surviving a great calamity, they gazed at each other in reunion after escaping death. Shaowei watched him quietly for a moment. He couldn't help but raise his left hand, wrapped in bandages at the tiger's mouth, and gently touch the somewhat tousled hair on top of Shaowei's head.

Then he very sensibly lowered his head and brought it close, and Shaowei patted his beautiful head that had escaped death.

There was only this quiet mutual gazing and slightly childish mutual comfort, with no more lamentations. Shaowei had never liked or been good at lamenting. The first thing she asked him was: "Have the captured living mouths confessed? Who exactly did Du Shulin act as a blade to clear the way for?"

Liu Qi: "They are still being interrogated. So far, they insist that they are all dead men raised by Du Shulin."

Shaowei furrowed her brow: "This person, acting as a yellow oriole in the rear, used Du Shulin as a cover. Whether the matter succeeded or not, he left himself room to retreat intact and push all the blame onto Du Shulin."

She already knew about the "transaction" between Yan Xiang and Du Shulin. In that negotiation, the yellow oriole had shown no trace, and Yan Xiang had not known beforehand that Du Shulin had such an accomplice. Therefore, the people Yan Xiang sent to silence Du Shulin were also caught off guard.

Du Shulin had previously harbored treasonous intentions, so it was not surprising that he had residual forces in private. Although it was shocking that he could mobilize such a powerful force this time, Du Shulin was now dead, and there was no one to corroborate. If Shaowei had not survived and personally witnessed those belated yellow orioles not protecting or rescuing Du Shulin, but only using him as a broken blade to clear the way, she would not have been so certain that there was another master behind the yellow oriole.

Since she was certain, she would investigate to the bottom. The interrogation must continue. Even if those dead men, blindfolded and raised, might not know who their ultimate master was, digging layer by layer would surely not yield nothing.

Besides interrogating, they also needed to roughly lock in the suspicious range from the motive aspect. While Shaowei and Liu Qi were speculating, a household slave, also limping and with a face full of bruises, appeared, bringing a guest.

The guest wore coarse cloth clothes and sat by the bed. Looking at Shaowei's miserable state, he felt quite distressed and sighed: "Look at this, a fine young master of a family, actually injured worse than Old Zhao... Those restless things are truly committing sins."

Looking at this simple and kind face, Shaowei realized who it was and couldn't help but ask: "Yingniang... how did you come to this place?"

Yingniang's rough and strong palm gently patted the corner of Shaowei's quilt: "This has to start from two months ago, when I left Danyang Jun..."

Last year, Yingniang had sent a letter back to the capital, saying that she had once searched for traces similar to Chi Yang's early years in Jiujiang Jun.

After that, Yingniang continued south on her errands, winding her way to Yu Zhang Jun, then east to Danyang Jun. These two commanderies were exactly the places Tang Jia mentioned as having abundant copper mines, both belonging to Wu Guo.

There is nothing in the world done without leaving any trace. The only difference is the depth of the trace, and whether it will be noticed by those with intent or dug out by those with ability.

Just like the case of the Marquis of Changping. Although it was concluded on the surface, Liu Qi still had a doubt that he only voiced to Shaowei: Even though the evidence of Du Shulin's motive and framing was complete, and Ji Xu could recite the secret letter from back then backward and forward, everything seemed airtight, but it was ultimately because Ji Xu was at the end of his strength when tortured into confessing, and could not personally replicate the handwriting of that secret letter... The timing of his confession was the only doubt.

Liu Qi knew that perhaps he was being overly suspicious. Even if he couldn't find any clues for the time being, this suspicion was destined to make him, in the long days ahead when great power was in his hands, silently capture any suspicious spider silk and horse tracks without showing a trace.

Under long and intentional scrutiny, the Ghost of Liqiu nearby would eventually show a flaw one day. It was just that this Taishan heavenly calamity prematurely exposed its true form.

Also pushed out together by the heavenly calamity was that vicious yellow oriole. It was likewise a hidden calamity drawn out prematurely by the power of heavenly secrets, and likewise could not achieve being truly traceless and flawless.

This calamity was a heavenly fire ignited by the various selfishness of the people of the chaotic world. Under this heavenly fire that destroyed all variables, the Heavenly Secret walked out alive, and the goblins and demons burned by the fire were destined to have nowhere to hide.

This was also a calamity that indirectly ended and overturned the root of all chaos in the world. And in the moment Shaowei completely survived, all results of victory and defeat were already decided.

Two days later, on the night the Zenith Land Grand Ceremony, which had been delayed for several days, ended, suddenly a public uproar arose again—someone reported to the Emperor: the Wu King was the true mastermind who colluded with the rebel Du Shulin and assassinated the Heavenly Secret.

In the Feng Shan Xing Palace, where soldiers were highly vigilant, the Wu King Liu Sui was brought before the Emperor. He had an explosive temper and angrily shouted his innocence, cursing the accuser's ancestors for eight generations, and clamoring to confront face-to-face this frame-up artist who was so immoral that his whole family was probably destined to die out.

The young man he cursed and shouted at was no one else, but the Crown Prince of Wu Guo.

The Wu King's cursing stopped abruptly, and he saw his son kneel down in despair, weeping as he pleaded: "Father King, just admit it!"

The Wu King barely collected himself, his anger flaring even higher: "You beast, how dare you frame your own birth father, aren't you afraid of being struck by heavenly lightning!"

"Father King, you assassinated the Heavenly Mechanism, surrounded and killed the Heir Apparent, shook the foundation of the state — heaven's principles cannot tolerate it... If your son covered for you, I'd be the one struck by lightning!" The Crown Prince's expression was tragic, as if he had already pre-mourned his father's death, wailing at the funeral while the man was still alive.

He was indeed a notorious good-for-nothing silk-pants, but he didn't actually want to die.

"Father King, you kept dead soldiers in the copper mines of Danyang Commandery, secretly recruited all manner of Talented Persons — your son noticed long ago, only never dared truly believe it... Before this departure from home, you once secretly met a mysterious visitor, your son knew that too, but never in a million years imagined that person was Du Tai... no, that thousand-cuts traitor Du Shulin!"

The Wu King's eyes nearly split with rage: "You debt-collecting monster... who instigated you to spout such nonsense!"

In his heart he cursed: this monster was the true mantis stalking the cicada — aware of his father's deeds but not probing deeply, only enjoying pleasure day to day; if father succeeded he'd reap the benefits, if father failed he'd turn coat in the name of righteousness to save his own skin!

The Wu King's Crown Prince looked aggrieved: his father had ruined his body indulging in wine and women, the younger sons hadn't survived to adulthood — he was the most flourishing stick of incense his father had left.

If one speaks of instigation, there truly was some — such matters always require negotiating terms and an escape route beforehand — yesterday Crown Prince Qi secretly summoned him and actually revealed the time and route the assassins set out from Wu State's Danyang Commandery for Taishan Commandery, everything matched perfectly, it was absolutely not groundless rumor!

He instantly turned ice-cold all over; if Father King still had hope of returning to Wu State, he could still stubbornly hold his ground, but as things stood now, Father King this time clearly couldn't go back easily...

Crown Prince Qi, deeply versed in the way of filial piety, persuaded him — preserving himself was preserving his father's line of incense, the greatest filial duty a son could perform.

At this moment, the Wu King's Crown Prince, his eyes full of filial devotion, adopted what could only be called a redemptive posture as he spilled his father's many hidden secrets; the Wu King's vision went black, nearly filial-pietied to death on the spot.

He didn't know which shameless scoundrel had so quickly seized some unexpected evidence and intimidated his son into a thoroughgoing beast; that scoundrel played a masterful hand: with father identified by his own son, white would turn black, and under such identification he could never return to Wu State; the court, holding his righteousness-over-kinship son, could maximize appeasement of Wu State's factions, afterward casually bestowing a Danyang Commandery Prince title to display benevolence and settle hearts — truly dismantling him from within and reducing post-crisis turmoil from within, how could it be more shameless!

The Wu King's Crown Prince was still wailing: "Father King, you're muddle-headed!"

The Wu King, unable to bear it, pulled off his boot and hurled it; the Crown Prince wailed louder, red-eyed like a New Year pig thrashing wildly; the Wu King was pinned down by the Imperial Guard.

The Emperor above, face waxen-yellow and coldly silent, interrogated in a severe voice:

"Liu Sui, you colluded with rebels, plotted to harm the Heavenly Mechanism, the Heir Apparent, and the Xiang Gong, provoked heaven to send down ominous calamity — thunder and rain, smashing the Immortal Shrine, ruining the Great Sacrifice... tell me, how many lives do you have to pay for these crimes!"

The Wu King wanted to cry but had no tears — why was everything pushed onto him, he never wanted to do anything that big!

At first Du Shulin sought him out, he only wanted to kill a Heavenly Mechanism — earlier in Xian Tai Gong he'd also sent people to kill one, who knew the thing was a fake, a wasted effort!

Afterward he couldn't help being more cautious, didn't act rashly again, until Du Shulin provided this ready-made path-clearing blade and scapegoat, then he thought to make another move.

This time he was determined to succeed, committed substantial family resources, had pre-calculated the route — originally planning to encircle that uncanny Heavenly Mechanism and her uncanny master-mother, neatly wrap them up like a round dumpling bait —

But who knew first the Crown Prince would recklessly run over there, also unknown how he got the news, and how he ran so fast — he never originally intended to kill the Heir Apparent, that's direct treason, how could treason be so simple; leaving aside the excessive risk and difficulty, he had no power base in the Imperial Court, if he truly killed the Crown Prince, wouldn't he just be making a wedding dress for someone else?

He only wanted to kill the Heavenly Mechanism, let this Great Sacrifice take on the color of heavenly mandate's punishment, so this soon-to-be-peaceful situation's hearts would be thrown into chaos; then he'd inherit Du Shulin's leverage, force Yan Xiang to serve him, and gradually scheme in the Imperial Court — where exactly was the flaw in this thinking?

The Crown Prince forcibly inserting himself was bad enough, but Yan Xiang, who clearly knew turmoil would erupt, also ran over to seek death, all for a woman?

Even Marquis Changping got killed; he thought this Xiang Gong was a thoroughgoing pretender, that his reputation for undying devotion was just a disguise — who knew he was a genuine fake madman!

So all those schemes to cover up the secret weren't from fear of death, but fear of that woman learning his true face?

Such madmen weren't just one; that shameless Heir Apparent was no better — such a shameless brat actually caught that terminal lovesickness too.

Just what kind of gods did he run into, one after another, loving back and forth, loving his plans into chaos!

A perfectly good dumpling bait, poked full of holes by these people, soup leaking from all sides, completely ruined!

The Wu King's sophistry failed, his mind went blank, he sat on the ground bawling, even saying with genuine feeling: "... Before, the whole family put their strength in one direction, united against the outside, those days were so good! Just because external chaos settled, the knives turn inward!"

"Does Your Majesty know the two words I fear hearing most are 'Taiping'? Why must there be Taiping when things are fine? Aren't half-chaotic days full of promise!"

His great power and wealth had always been most valuable under chaos; once true Taiping came, he'd be the New Year pig awaiting slaughter!

Therefore he early on wanted to kill that Heavenly Mechanism bearing the auspicious prophecy; that day at the Xing Palace banquet he saw that girl, a perfectly pretty girl, why did she have to be some Heavenly Mechanism.

"Your Majesty might as well speak some heart-to-heart words..." The Wu King wept uncontrollably: "This trip to Taishan, everywhere you went you made me follow — did you truly never have the murderous intent to find a pretext to come out, pave the way for the new ruler, and eliminate future troubles?"

"It's never been that I overthink — it's all forced by that accursed Taiping!"

This rustic family thief who in Liu Cheng's dream had made him a puppet, now slapped his thigh and wailed, fat flesh quivering all over, possessing his own rustic survival logic — within his weeping from fear of Taiping lay the most primitive, simple brutality.

The Emperor closed his eyes wearily, neither denying nor responding, exhausted to the extreme.

When he slowly opened his eyes again, the Wu King had been dragged away, irrelevant parties dismissed, and the person kneeling and kowtowing before him had become a slender woman.

"Feng Zhu of Lu Hou Fu, here to confess two lifetime evil deeds on behalf of the sinner Yan Mian."

She was the only person in this world who could confess for him; she would objectively confess his crimes, and also lay bare the childhood hatred and pain buried deep in his heart.

The Emperor fell silent for a long time, watching Feng Zhu bow again, her spine revealing a hint of divine light and wind-and-bone, and the candlelight jumping behind her, listening to her final plea: "His crimes cannot be forgiven, only begging Your Majesty to show leniency to the unknowing Yan Clan members, deal with them lightly."

As Feng Zhu straightened, she blocked that half-man-tall copper crane candle stand behind her back.

Under the jumping golden candlelight, Shaowei lying dazed on the bed slowly blinked.

Shaowei had already learned the full story of Yan Mian's deeds; recalling now, she only felt that behind many great events there seemed to be no "qualified" mastermind manipulator — truly as Jiang Fu had said years ago in Taoxi Township: many so-called power struggles at the highest position often leave only human nature's game.

Behind the Marquis Changping case there was no qualified political mastermind, only people trapped by human love and hate.

Most people live a life originally empty, only by love, by hate, by sorrow, by joy as desire, giving different meanings to all things, can one see gorgeous colors, climb high mountains, fall into deep abysses, each for their own desire, each swallowing their own fruit.

Shaowei originally wanted to wait for Mother to return, but her body was too weak, as if a hundred eighty little men were gritting teeth and fiercely pulling her eyelids up and down, forcibly closing doors and windows and dropping the canopy, forcing her into sleep.

Upon waking the next day, Shaowei immediately called for Mother; Mother came from the outer room, her hair loosely gathered at her shoulder; seeing this, Shaowei raised a hand and requested: "Mother, I can sit up now, let me comb your hair once too!"

Feng Zhu smiled and nodded, sat at the bed's edge, letting her daughter arrange her hair.

Xiao Yu brought the copper mirror, stood motionless, serving as a mirror boy.

"No need to worry for Mother, this matter is ultimately different..."

Feng Zhu sensed her daughter's silent worried comfort, spoke on her own initiative, gazed at the mirror and said softly: "If he went wronged and died innocent, I would surely resent heaven's injustice, but in this matter he concealed too much; the most innocent are Marquis Changping, and my Qingniang..."

A person who distinguishes good and evil clearly, under whatever circumstances, cannot ignore the power of karmic retribution; this is a redemption like dust settling.

And to speak of it, perhaps somewhat unfairly: Feng Zhu realized long ago, after her memory recovered, that she was no longer the Feng Zhu of her youth; she had experienced too much, the thousands of days and nights of torment too long, destined never to return to the distant past.

When she found her daughter, the first time she combed her daughter's hair, her daughter asked what she had said to Yan Xiang; she smiled, tapped her daughter's head lightly with the comb, told the child not to ask so much.

In truth that night she had already told Quan Shan: she now had no intention of marrying.

Perhaps everyone thinks she should marry — such a devoted lover, seemingly just right to compensate for her suffered injustice — but her state of mind had changed, people's thoughts change, many accounts aren't calculated that way.

What she felt for the still-obsessed Quan Shan was more like family guilt; Quan Shan seemed trapped long in youthful affection — and only in the Immortal Shrine did she truly understand what that youthful affection ultimately meant to Quan Shan.

In her unknowing years, she had unexpectedly and briefly redeemed a tormented soul.

Yet in the end, nothing could return to youth.

Feng Zhu's voice, clear as a breeze, sounded relieved: "Regret there may be, but it can no longer be undone; the deceased has repaid their debt, and we may still hope for the next life."

"Mother, there will be." Shaowei's hand paused as she combed Mother's hair; through the mirror, her expression was as earnest as a promise: "There will be a next life."

Feng Zhu in the mirror smiled at her daughter and nodded gently.

In the same brass mirror, Jiang Fu's face was reflected; she sat on the bed combing her hair, sighing, "Though this grave injury shortens my life, it lends my bearing a broken beauty," when she suddenly saw her disciple, hair in a bun, hopping in on one leg with a crutch—a living, limping, lop-eared civet cat.

This civet cat had come to visit her, and solemnly and secretly said: "There is one thing I wish to confess and ask your guidance on."

"About the origin of this little ghost of yours?" Jiang Fu on the bed smiled, propping herself up on both hands, and sighed long and feelingly: "I have finally waited for the day you would speak frankly with your master."

Saying this, she lightly patted the space beside her, gesturing for the civet cat to jump up and talk.

The two spoke in private inside the room, while the house slaves sat outside on the steps, sunbathing and keeping watch.

Finally, Jiang Fu's sigh drifted out the window: "All manner of opportunities—perhaps none can be lacking; we shall see what the future holds…"

Outside the window, greenery flourished, and the sound of cicadas began to rise.

As the cicadas' song grew denser, Shaowei still sat cross-legged beside Jiang Fu, only the carved lattice of the room's window had become the same carved lattice of a carriage window, swaying amid the greenery all along the way; the carriage and horse procession was grand and mighty, leaving that Taishan treasure land where cause and effect had been broken.

The people of Taishan Commandery watched the procession depart into the distance, and some commoners raised their heads to gaze upon that candle-shaped mountain peak—within Taishan Commandery, word had spread of the wondrous rumor that on the night of the Heavenly Sealing, someone had undergone life-and-death trials here; it was said many saw the peak burn like a heavenly candle that night, as if Heaven itself was moved and watching over it; as the rumor spread, the peak gradually came to be called: Heavenly Candle Peak.

Before setting out, the Emperor had issued the "Taishan Confession of Guilt Edict" at the Feng Shan Xing Palace; besides words of self-reflection on the day of sealing Heaven, it also stated the crimes of the Wu King and Yan Mian, and the Emperor attributed Yan Mian's faults to his own failure to discern people; besides this, the Son of Heaven once again declared the Heavenly Secret and the Heir Apparent to be: bestowed by Heaven's mandate, blessed by Heaven's pity; with this pair of heaven-ordained youths tested and recognized by the Taishan divine miracle here, Great Qian would surely welcome an age of peace and prosperity; on the journey back to the capital, this unprecedented imperial confession of guilt was sent to all commanderies and kingdoms, and also stirred up all manner of splashes in the deep lake of the capital.

These splashes seemed to all land in Tang Jia's eyes; on the day of welcoming the imperial carriage, he was once again tearful, thinking of the perilous encounter of his own ferocious bird during the Taishan Fengshan ceremony, and couldn't help but mutter fearfully: "If I hadn't watched him closely, how could he have almost lost his life again…"

Zhuang Yuanzhi, rarely, raised a hand to pat his shoulder, comforting this emotional colleague: "When have you ever watched him closely…"

And the current situation where all hidden dangers had been eliminated was precisely the work of those two masters who had burst out fighting, so stimulating and domineering, truly to the taste of our Zhuang Guoyu.

Zhuang the Adult, whose belly bred boldness and whose boldness encompassed the heavens, spoke a persuasion concealing a capital crime: "Alright, wipe away your tears; the ones to cry for are yet to come."

Tang Jia shivered, frightened so that his tears shrank back.

On the journey, the Emperor ate less and less each day, sustaining himself only with medicinal soup.

On the third night after returning to the capital, the ministers entered the palace at midnight.

In the Weiyang Palace Bedroom Palace, before the Dragon Couch, the Heir Apparent held the medicinal soup, his back to the ministers behind, and with the Emperor's tacit approval, performed his final filial duty, completing his final reputation for virtue.

Yet only the Emperor could see that the soup bowl contained no life-sustaining medicine, but a bowl of clear water, transparent to the bottom.

"All is settled; Father Emperor may depart in peace." The filial son held the soup bowl higher and said in a low voice: "Your Child Minister Liu Qi respectfully sees off Father Emperor."

A bowl of clear water saw him off—a forgiveness he had never had in death, patricide before the eyes of all.

And the father cooperatively received it, almost smiling as he drank the bowl of clear water in one gulp.

When returning the empty bowl, the Emperor saw in this son's eyes a faint glimmer of tears, uncertain whether real or false.

"Since you have done it, seen it, and remembered it so firmly, then never be like Me…" The Emperor's voice was hoarse as he spoke his final admonition.

Liu Qi looked at that face and replied slowly: "Yes, your Child Minister will forever take Father Emperor as a mirror."

"Good…" The Emperor smiled again; he looked at his son, then at his Heavenly Secret, his granddaughter, and at Ling Ke's son…

Through these children of revenge, he saw the flourishing future of this empire.

The Emperor slowly lay back down; when his aged skull fell back onto the jade pillow, Liu Qi propped himself up with both hands and slowly bowed his head down.

Immediately after, the people behind followed in kowtowing, spines connected like bamboo, as if an invisible wind passing through knocked them down section by section to prostrate; this wind of the Emperor Star's fall blew out of Weiyang Palace, carrying the palace attendants' cries of grief, and struck the great bronze bell.

The Son of Heaven passed away; the whole palace wore white, the ministers wore plain white, and they all knelt outside the great hall where the late Emperor's coffin was placed.

When plain clothes were dyed with the colors of mottled autumn, the ministers knelt and bowed again; this time they bowed to the young new emperor on the imperial steps.

The new emperor Liu Qi, upon completing a hundred days of his reign, in the name of following Heaven's will, established the Empress of this dynasty.

This was no ordinary imperial wedding or empress establishment ceremony.

Middle Attendant Guo Yu, holding the imperial silk, proclaimed loudly before the Weiyang Palace great hall—

"Imperial Edict:

I have heard that the Way of Qian initiates, and the Way of Kun gives life. I hereby address Heavenly Secret Feng Shi Shaowei: your virtue matches Heaven and Earth, your brightness parallels the Sun and Moon. You were truly born with auspicious signs, able to communicate with the will of the gods, and are the Empress ordained by Heaven.

Therefore, now following ancient rites, in accord with Heaven's heart and the people's will, I issue this clear edict:

From this day forth, I shall follow the system of the two sages, our Grand Ancestor and Consort Qu; I and the Empress shall jointly bear Heaven's mandate and both be called 'Holy Person'.

In court assemblies to discuss politics, the Empress shall attend with Me; in military and state affairs, I shall consult her before acting; in the myriad affairs of government, we shall decide together; in the memorials from the four seas, we shall review them together; white-haired and of one heart, to build our family and state—this edict, this oath, Heaven and Earth as witness, gods and spirits as witness."

"—Proclaim to all under Heaven, so that all may know!"

The Two Sages holding court had precedent, and the connection of the Heavenly Secret with the state and its altars was long since deeply rooted in people's hearts; this order met with no opposition, and what the ministers glimpsed from it was long-lasting governance, while the common people all rejoiced and leapt with joy.

On the day of the grand ceremony, before dawn, in the Ling Shu Hou Mansion where lamps burned all night unquenched, figures of palace attendants could be seen everywhere.

Indoors, many red candles were lit; Shaowei, her head covered in thick black hair, had just put on a black-red robe embroidered with the same dragon pattern, stepping on tiger-embroidered, gold-woven upturned-toe shoes, hands on hips displaying herself; though her round face showed little expression, her spirit was radiant, and her aura had become so proud as to be unrivaled, surrounded by family and friends who praised her endlessly.

In just a moment, Shaowei was pressed down to sit by Qing Wu smiling, so that she could comb this civet cat's hair.

Feng Zhu and Jiang Fu together combed Shaowei's hair and tied it into a bun; before placing the dangling pearl crown and ribbons, Jiang Fu took a gold-dipped brush dipped in vermilion and lightly dabbed between the girl's eyebrows and forehead, smiling softly: "I hope my disciple is clever and quick-witted, content and happy, brave and gallant, cleaving mountains and parting seas—"

Shaowei blinked her eyes extremely slowly, fluttering her eyelids.

Times had changed; she was to marry her beloved and become a very capable adult, but the blessing Jiang Fu gave was not a single word different from that year.

Unable to express it, Shaowei was delighted beyond measure in her heart, and couldn't help but ask Jiang Fu in a low voice: "Jiang Fu, what do you want?"

Feng Zhu hissed softly; on such a day of great joy, it was not proper to knock her daughter's head, and the daughter had already shrunk her neck, changing to ask softly: "Master… what do you want?"

"Am I abusing my private authority?" Jiang Fu said, then smiled, and with the other end of the gold-dipped brush lightly tapped the disciple's nose tip, smiling with narrowed eyes: "My disciple is the most miraculous Shaowei Star in the world… what I, as your master, most want, you have already given."

"From now on, I shall wait under this age of peace and prosperity bestowed by my disciple, to be the most idle person in the world."

Jiang Fu said, lightly patting the disciple's shoulder: "And I must trouble you young people to exert yourselves even more."

Shaowei, not yielding to anyone, straightened her shoulders: "Of course; Liu Qi and I have agreed to do it for fifteen years."

Jiang Fu blinked: "What fifteen years?"

Mother was putting on her crown and pearls for herself; Shaowei raised both hands to help support them, and whispered softly: "Fifteen years to tidy up the old rivers and mountains, then another fifteen years to tour the new rivers and mountains…"

Looking at this lively little ghost who wanted to see all kinds of days, Jiang Fu nodded with a smile in his eyes: "Then tidy up well… perhaps the accumulated merit can be exchanged for unknown opportunities."

Shaowei was stunned, subconsciously looked up at Mother, then looked at Jiang Fu, and for a moment was full of energy; her round eyes sparkled, full of great hope.

Inside the room it was too lively; Zhao Qie'an, arms crossed, leaning behind the jade-carved tiger screen, concealing her breath and presence to ensure she went unnoticed, watched that house civet on a day of great joy but with almost no feeling of being married off, and her eyes held rare sentiment.

The house civet's great joyous occasion, yet no intention of parting, merely changing lodgings to go with her beloved to do as she pleased; she held the greatest power, the most supreme martial arts, beneath heaven no one could bind her, she was a civet free to come and go, and still the top-tier swordsman of the martial world.

Where there are people there is the martial world, and a swordsman is a kind of character; merely recalling when they first left Taoxi Township, Zhao Qie'an truly never expected that the house civet venturing into the martial world would thus gather all the rivers and lakes of the world into her bag... this was truly the king of the "martial world."

And after Jiang Fu spoke a few serious words, he could not resist his urge to tease the cat, now curiously saying: "Speaking of which, back then on the green ox cart, I forget who said: I won't go to Chang'an..."

Mother was at her side, Shaowei's face instantly turned red, and then Jiang Fu hissed in teasing: "Aiya, how the speaker has now become the King of Chang'an."

Shaowei wished to cover her mouth, laughter filled the room, and the Marquis's laughter was the loudest and proudest, while Quan Wa, waiting outside, also laughed along.

Qingwu, coming here as an official of the Taichang Temple, laughed as he exited the room, and happened to see Ji Jin coming toward him.

The two spoke of some procedural matters, and unknowingly walked to a quiet place under the corridor.

On a day of great joy, related to marriage, it inevitably made one sentimental; Ji Jin could not help but apologize again: "A Jie, I'm sorry, it is I who have always hesitated, causing A Jie to vainly miss true feelings."

Words like these, back in Taishan Commandery, he had already said once, but ultimately could not make up for the regret in his heart.

Thinking back carefully, perhaps both had, due to their agreement, restrained the budding thoughts within their hearts.

Qingwu: "A Jin, if we are to apologize, it should be I who says it; I have vaguely sensed my own feelings, but lacked the courage to tell you in time..."

Hindered by the agreement, cherishing each other, thus though confused, they long dared not speak it out, fearing they would be the one to disappoint the other.

"After this matter of life and death, I truly understand..." Qingwu's eyes were slightly red, looking at Ji Jin, she said softly: "A Jin, we have experienced so much, willing to entrust our lives to each other, relying on each other for so long; is this not enough to prove our intimate feelings? Why must it be a husband-wife relationship? Does not being husband and wife mean betraying each other?"

Ji Jin was also moved to tears, slowly shaking his head: "A Jie, of course not; we are the closest kin in the world, and will not change because of anything."

"I think so now too," Qingwu said with tears and a smile; "to force it out of cherishing is the true betrayal."

If they had always stayed in Taoxi Township and never understood true romantic love, they could have become husband and wife who respected each other like guests, but now there are more possibilities; returning to the place of family, letting the other go to a freer world, is the greatest love, fulfillment, and respect for each other.

Ji Jin said: "A Jie, after returning home today, I will go explain to my aunt and uncle."

"No, let me say it."

"A Jie—"

"You also know to call me A Jie," Qingwu smiled gently; "since I am A Jie, I should naturally be the one to say it first."

"Good," Ji Jin agreed, and with utmost seriousness called out once more: "A Jie."

Qingwu pursed her lips and smiled: "Let's go, go in and see Young Miss Shaowei."

Shaowei had already finished dressing heavily; just as she stood up, Pei approached and followed to help her arrange the layered hems of her clothes.

Shaowei saw her and asked: "Pei, are your injuries all healed?"

Pei raised her face, looking at the girl who, on such a great day, still noticed such a small her, still cared about such small matters of her, and nodded seriously: "Replying to the Young Master, they have all healed, with no aftereffects."

"That's good," Shaowei said to her; "your courage is good; later have someone teach you martial arts, so you can protect yourself at critical moments."

Pei nodded hurriedly, and as she stood up, silently and lightly rubbed her hands.

Her courage was good, but not born of nature.

She also had her own secret; when the Marquis of Changping returned to the capital, someone had her bought, and Mother was eager to sell her: first, because her father had died and the livelihood was cut off; second, because Mother knew that the father, who had again injured Mother while drunk, had fallen and been bitten by a pig while relieving himself in the pigsty that night, and she had clearly heard it but pretended not to know...

The gruesome sight of her father being half-chewed by pigs that night was the enlightenment that gave her extraordinary courage from then on.

She had always secretly helped Mother; the Young Miss only learned of this last month, and thus had her bring Mother and her younger brother to the capital; she had already entrusted someone to send a letter.

Perhaps because of this bloody secret in her heart, a hidden resonance arose; when she first saw the Young Master, she felt great admiration.

Now the Young Master she admired was going to serve His Highness the Emperor.

Pei had a cluster of unspeakable fire in her heart, which at this moment burned out a few hot tears.

Dawn light faintly brightened; when the music of rites sounded, the Son of Heaven arrived at the Ling Shu Hou Mansion to personally welcome the bride.

At the head of several fine horses sat Ling Congnan, Liu Ming, and others; the Old King of Zhao had passed away half a month earlier than the late emperor, and Liu Ming had inherited his father's position, now being the new King of Zhao, Your Highness, thus wearing the robes of a Vassal King; Ling Congnan had inherited the Marquis of Changping title, and also wore the purple ribbon.

Fine horses and flying youths met them; amid the music of rites, Shaowei came before the ceremonial carriage, lifted her hems with both hands, and nimbly stepped onto the high carriage; as she stepped one foot up, she saw Liu Qi beside the carriage smiling and offering a hand; she thus grabbed that hand in midair and in one motion pulled him up.

Their robe hems fluttered as they boarded the highest ceremonial carriage of the Son of Heaven, drawn by six pure-white fine horses; the gold and jade tack were all finely carved and adorned with colorful tassels, the carriage canopy painted with dragons, tigers, and cloud vapors, decorated with kingfisher feathers, with tassels and gauze hanging, resplendent in gold and green.

The two sat side by side in the carriage; Liu Qi held Shaowei's hand and would not let go, the corners of his mouth raised and never lowered; Shaowei's shoulder bore Zhan Zhan, and all along the way she watched the scenery along the road.

Drum and wind bands, banners and honor guards, carriages and cavalry, hoofbeats like thunder, mighty and grand, amid the splendor filling the sky, they drove proudly toward Weiyang Palace.

Mo Li, Xiao Yu, and Que'er, squeezed together in one attendant carriage, eating and drinking, were Shaowei's dowry.

House slaves secretly followed, nominally to guard against someone secretly causing trouble, but actually to witness with their own eyes—after many years, the First Swordsman once again entering the forbidden palace, to witness the house civet becoming the new mistress of this forbidden place, and incidentally to inspect her territory for her—only the top-tier thief knows best which places need stronger patrols.

During the grand ceremony, a house slave crouched on a roof ridge, watching the house civet still with her little yellow bird on her shoulder, standing on the imperial steps outside the great hall, accepting the court bows of ministers and kings and princes.

This was a grand ceremony she had previously nodded in agreement to; she was not a vassal king of one side; she and her beloved were jointly the lords of the state and the kings of the world; all vassal kings prostrated beneath her gaze.

The house slave showed a rare smile, slowly raised his head to look at the vaulted ceiling, wanting to compose a poem, but because he could not, he gave up again.

One of the officials in charge of the ceremony, the newly appointed Tai Puzhe Yu Zhi, stood among the ritual officials, gazing at the hem of the sacred person above.

It was the flower civet who personally suggested she take the position of Tai Puzhe; she was alarmed and said she could not communicate with spirits, but the civet rather decisively said: 【From now on, a spirit-medium need not necessarily communicate with spirits; you hold the rites of sacrifice in such reverence and awe, that you are the best choice for a spirit-medium in my heart.】

Tai Puzhe Yu, at this moment gazing at that solemn robe hem, felt a touch of melancholy in her heart; she would no longer be able to see the spirit civet she longed for day after day, but then she thought: this civet is full of energy, at least she will not miss any major or minor sacrifices, so they can still meet often.

Where one feels melancholy, another feels joy; in the Taiyi Shu, the Spider Woman and A Yan were pounding medicine with all their might; the Spider Woman, thinking that henceforth she could personally treat the Empress, by no means meant she hoped Her Majesty the Flower Civet would fall ill often!

A few days ago, the Flower Civet, who never forgot small matters, had Quan Wa send them a letter, only saying she would bring their spiders and snakes together into the Jiaofang Dian; the two, originally forced by livelihood to foster their beloved pets, never imagined that one day they would reunite with their children in such a way.

Shan Gu, leading patrols in the palace, had bright eyes and spirited energy, imposing and majestic; only a scar remained on his left cheek—Lu Ding had sent scar-removal ointment, instructing him to apply it three times a day, so he could soon continue inspecting the procedures.

When Shan Gu patrolled past the palace gate outside the Jiaofang Dian, Xiao Yu, crouching outside the palace steps with Mo Li, saw it in her eyes, and harbored a faint ambition to replace Shan Gu; she swore to Mo Li: "When I grow up, I want to be a general too, and lead troops for the Young Master..."

Mo Li, fed soft snacks by the palace maids of the Jiaofang Dian, nodded while eating.

The two crouched until the sky was completely dark, finally seeing the Young Master and her beloved return together; the two surrounded them like little soldiers, and Shaowei seemed to have become a triumphant commander.

Stepping into this palace gate together with those around him, Liu Qi suddenly felt that the palace, silent for many years, came alive in an instant; this would become his nest and territory, marked by him, decorated with everything related to her, while he dwelled within it, from then on inseparable.

At Liu Qi's prior signal, the nuptial wine had been switched in advance by the Chief Changqiu Quan Wa into a sweet drink, to avoid Shaowei being chased from throat to stomach by little soldiers on her day of great joy.

Wine was regarded as a holy offering communicating with spirits and ghosts, but in the world there was no spirit or ghost greater than her; her and her beloved's marriage and even lifespan were snatched by her from under heavenly fate; she was the only incarnation worthy of worship; her joy and freedom were more important than anything.

After all rites were completed, Shaowei removed her heavy bridal headdress, bathed and washed, then with her hair loose walked east and west in the bedroom palace, asking this one and that one.

She had boundless energy; though tired from a whole day, she still had much strength; Liu Qi sat cross-legged on the bed, smiling at her, and occasionally answered her words.

Shaowei waited until the inspection was complete, then sat back on the bed, sitting cross-legged opposite Liu Qi, and asked him: "Is there court tomorrow? What time do you rise?"

"There is no court tomorrow, no need to rise early." Liu Qi leaned slightly toward Shaowei, drawing close; fresh air wafted over, he gazed into her eyes, his voice soft but especially earnest: "Shaowei, thank you for coming here."

Then he asked: "I just don't know if you are happy, at ease, and satisfied at this moment?"

"Of course, otherwise I wouldn't have come." Shaowei said, leaning back and lying down very comfortably.

Liu Qi lay down close beside her, smelling the scent on her body, unable to help asking her: "Shaowei, do you know what married couples are supposed to do?"

Shaowei turned her face to look at him: "Do you?"

Liu Qi's ears turned slightly red, the corners of his mouth curved, he nodded with restraint, his Adam's apple rolling.

"I know too." Shaowei then refused to be defeated: "I also... looked at the picture album."

"First, it seems... one must blow out the lamp?"

"Then you go blow it out—"

The two whispered secretly in the tent.

In the vast bedroom palace there was no third person anymore.

Outside the window in the palace courtyard, a thin layer of bright snowflakes had fallen at some unknown time; after the Zi hour, the snowflakes grew larger, piece after piece falling lingeringly, without rest all night, weaving a new heaven and earth.

On the third day after the wedding, the snow stopped, and the Emperor and Empress left the palace together to tour Shanglin Park to view the snow and watch tigers, with only a few people following them.

The green-robed monk was also among them; at first he stubbornly refused to wear a wind hood, until his head froze into a red-burned lion's head, did he then silently cover his bald head.

He had already agreed to Liu Qi's earlier proposal; Ling Congnan would set out with him for the Western Regions after the New Year in spring.

This was Ling Congnan's own proposal; someone who had hidden for too long now wanted to go see a wider heaven and earth, and incidentally inspect the border defenses of the northwest for the Two Saints, where his father's old subordinates from the past still remained.

"I will also participate in the autumn hunt next autumn..." Shaowei walked in the front, casually saying things she wanted to do.

"It can just let foreign envoys see the bravery of our dynasty's Empress." Liu Qi said, and quietly grabbed Shaowei's hand beneath her sleeve; Shaowei turned to look at him, he said softly: "My hand is cold."

Shaowei had no choice but to indulge him, and said to him: "This time we re-inspect the defenses; if the Xiongnu invade again, once we gather enough strength, we will fight back... Didn't you used to want to be a general?"

The tone was full of youthful heroic ambition; Tang Jia behind them listened with a pounding heart, while Zhuang Yuanzhi couldn't help but love listening more and more.

Official Zhuang fantasized about the scene of planting exotic foreign fruits all over Shanglin Park in the future, his eyes smiling into slits, very much like a gray fox in the snow; beside him followed Ji Jin, whom he had recently taken in as a seedling to teach and cultivate with care; the two looked extremely different in appearance, seeming out of place together.

The tiger that had an old connection with Shaowei was released from the tiger garden, leaping through the snow, raising snow mist, and stunning Zhan Zhan.

Until the big tiger lay down before Shaowei, its mouth full of snow, rolled over, and exposed its soft, fluffy belly; only then did Zhan Zhan poke out from Liu Qi's fur collar to peek.

Behind the big tiger came a young tiger not yet grown; Zhan Zhan was eager to try, first sneaking up to stand on the tiger cub's back, then immediately flying away, probing like this several times before plucking up courage, showing off a mighty posture, and using pure yang qi to keep warm.

Shaowei wandered in the snow; before long she began to sweat, and her pure yang soul was also stirring restlessly; at a place where no one was around, she and Liu Qi lay together in the snow, talking and watching the sky.

Shan Gu patrolled not far away; Quan Wa guarded even closer.

Thinking again of the heavy snow when they first met at Tianlang Mountain, Liu Qi turned to look at Shaowei, and Shaowei also looked at him.

One heaven and earth, two ghosts no longer short-lived, three inches of accumulated snow, four eyes gazing at each other from close by.

The two looked at each other, both recalling the other's sorry state back then; the difference was that Shaowei's sorry state back then was her own, while Liu Qi's sorry state back then was caused by her own hand.

Liu Qi suddenly had ten thousand words in his heart, but Shaowei suddenly sat up: "My Mother is here, get up quickly!"

Mother doesn't let her lie on the snow!

Shaowei's sensitive ears reported to her one step ahead of Shan Gu.

No matter how mighty the mountain lord, no matter how imposing the Majesty, they feared Mother's displeased eyes; Shaowei hurriedly brushed the snow off her body, and Liu Qi also hurriedly helped her tidy up, but he had no time to look after himself.

Just as Feng Zhu walked closer, Shaowei, feeling guilty, ran to welcome her: "Mother!"

Behind Feng Zhu, who was supported by a jade ornament, was Jiang Fu complaining: "The snow scenery is nice, and it's a sunny day, but the road is hard to travel; I won't come again next time..."

The green-robed one, who was off duty today, came along too, supporting Jiang Fu all the way.

Shaowei took the umbrella from the servant's hand, one hand holding the umbrella for Jiang Fu, the other hand going to support Mother, saying: "Since you've come, let's go see the tiger—Liu Situi, you lead the way!"

"Yes." Liu Qi answered with a smile, slightly bent his body to make a "please" gesture, and walked ahead smiling.

"I'll lead the way too! Everyone follow me!" Xiao Yu, who had been having a snowball fight with Que Er and Mo Li not far away, ran over, hopping and jumping, raising her hand.

Ji Jin and Ling Congnan slowly walked over from in front of an orchard.

Snow mist falling and floating from the treetops turned into flowing gold in the sunlight; everyone talked and laughed as they moved forward, walking into the bright snow-covered vast land, as if stepping into a bright, gorgeous, and infinitely blank scroll of heaven and earth, each step painting a brand-new chapter scene.

——(End of the full text)

——Fei 10 on January 8, 2026, at 11:28 PM

?? The story began in heavy snow, and also ended in heavy snow.

? Thank you everyone for accompanying Shaowei all the way; there will be a long message, I'll post a separate chapter to catch up with everyone~

? Thank you to book friends Zhang Shu Zou Tian Xia, Shizi Lu Kou 13, Wu Island sss, Gu Jiu Wu, Fans Not Transparent, Dragonfly Touching Water 6, Cats and Dogs Family, Suo Yu Jie Tian, Han Shan Hui, Xin Wu Ji, Book Friend, Book Friend, Book Friend, and so on for their rewards, great love!