Chapter 362

Five months later, there was no more war within the Great Song.

The barbarians were gone, foreign troubles were gone, commoners had food to eat, soldiers had pay to receive, there were no beggars on the streets, and the grain that couldn't be piled in the granaries began to be sold out.

The night market in Bianliang City became more lively day by day.

Zhao Kuangyin stood on the city tower, looking at the lights at his feet, and said to Gu Shanhe beside him:

"I can finally say I am truly worthy of the two words Great Song."

Gu Shanhe didn't speak, but nodded.

One morning half a month later, Zhao Kuangyin called the Crown Prince to the Imperial Study.

When the Crown Prince entered, his steps were steady.

He had been the Crown Prince for three years and knew his father was not the type to drag things out.

Sure enough, the first sentence Zhao Kuangyin said was: "I am leaving."

The Crown Prince was stunned: "Where is Father going?"

"To see other dynasties with Immortal Master Gu."

Zhao Kuangyin pushed a cup of tea in front of the Crown Prince.

"The Great Song is good now, it's the same whether I'm here or not."

"You just do your job well."

The Crown Prince took the tea but didn't drink: "I'm afraid I won't do it well."

"Won't do it well?"

Zhao Kuangyin glanced at him, "I have cleaned up the Mongols, Jin, and Xiongnu, the territory is several times larger than the previous dynasty, the granaries are overflowing, firearms can pierce iron armor, steam engines can pull hundreds of ships out to sea."

"If you still can't do it well, just wait for me to come back and clean you up."

The Crown Prince held the tea, lowered his head, and the corners of his mouth bent.

Zhao Kuangyin stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the whitening sky outside: "I'm not here, you be a good emperor."

"Be diligent, love the people, don't learn from those muddled emperors."

"Don't lose the country I fought for."

The Crown Prince finished the tea, put down the cup, stood up, and bowed deeply: "Your son will remember."

"Alright, go out."

The Crown Prince turned and walked to the door, just about to step out, Zhao Kuangyin called him back: "Wait."

The Crown Prince turned back.

Zhao Kuangyin stood with his back to him and said: "Be a little better to the commoners."

"I released military power with a cup of wine back then to prevent military generals from rebelling."

"But soldiers follow orders, reward those who should be rewarded, enfeoff those who should be enfeoffed, don't be stingy."

The Crown Prince nodded and went out.

Zhao Kuangyin stood alone by the window, looking at the star that had been bright all night and was now starting to dim.

The morning light was spilling out from behind the clouds, dyeing the entire Bianliang City in warm colors.

He stood for a while, turned, and went out the door.

On the square outside the palace gate, six people were already standing in line.

Ying Zheng stood with his hands behind his back, the cyan spirit sword stored in his sleeve.

Liu Bang leaned against a pillar, a blade of grass in his mouth.

Liu Che and Liu Xiu stood side by side, talking in low voices.

Li Shimin carried a small cloth bag, which contained dry rations prepared by Empress Zhangsun, although he knew cultivators didn't need to eat.

Empress Zhangsun stood beside Li Shimin, wearing a neat outfit.

Gu Shanhe stood in the middle, with nothing in front of him.

Zhao Kuangyin walked over and stood next to Liu Bang.

Liu Bang glanced at him: "Handed over everything?"

"Handed over everything."

"Not afraid of your son messing around?"

Zhao Kuangyin thought about it: "If he messes around, I'll come back and clean him up."

Liu Bang laughed: "I like that sentence of yours."

Gu Shanhe raised his hand.

There was light gathering in his palm, not golden light, but white with blue light, like the fiercest sun at noon in midsummer condensed into a small ball.

He pushed the ball of light forward, and the light ball exploded in the air, not hurting anyone, only expanding into a circular outline.

The outline became more solid, brighter, and finally turned into a door.

The door frame was condensed from light, not shaking, not trembling.

Inside the door there was nothing, a vast expanse of white, unable to see distance, unable to see depth.

Ying Zheng took the first step, without hesitation.

Liu Bang was second, waving to the others before entering: "I'll go in and scout the path first."

Then he disappeared into the white light.

Liu Che and Liu Xiu walked in side by side.

Li Shimin held Empress Zhangsun's hand and stepped over the threshold together.

Zhao Kuangyin stood at the door and looked back at Bianliang City.

The flags on the city wall were rolling in the wind, cooking smoke was rising in the distance, and the sound of reading came from the direction of the school, vague.

He couldn't hear clearly what was being recited, but he knew that was his Great Song, the Great Song he fought for with his own hands, the Great Song whose fate he had rewritten with firearms, steam engines, divine seeds, and immortal arts.

He looked for three seconds, turned back, and stepped into the gate of light.

Gu Shanhe was the last.

He stood outside the gate of light, waved his hand, and the gate of light began to shrink, shrinking from a door to a point, and the point disappeared into the air.

The square returned to calm, the wind was still blowing, the flags were still fluttering, and the cooking smoke of Bianliang City was still rising.

Everything was as before.

Except for those six people, and one plain-clothed Immortal Master.

Inside the gate of light, Zhao Kuangyin opened his eyes, and in front of him was a path of light, not knowing where it led.

In front was Ying Zheng's back, and behind was the sound of Gu Shanhe's footsteps following.

He took a deep breath and walked into the gate of light.

Morning.

Sixth year of Hongwu, Fengtian Hall.

The daylight hadn't fully brightened, and the one hundred and twenty-eight copper lamps in the hall were already lit.

Civil and military officials stood in two rows, the air filled with the scent of dragon saliva incense and a faint smell of sweat.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the high throne, holding a vermilion brush for red-marking, his eyelids half-drooped, listening to the Minister of Justice kowtowing and reporting the autumn execution list.

Suddenly, the air stagnated.

It wasn't the wind, it wasn't the sound, it was as if the entire space had been torn open by an invisible mouth.

Eight figures appeared without warning under the imperial steps, in the middle of the Golden Throne Hall.

The hall was dead silent for an instant.

Immediately after, a sharp voice pierced the silence: "Assassins! Protect the Emperor—!"

The hall door slammed shut, the sound of armor friction rose, and dozens of Golden Guards rushed out from the side corridor, swords unsheathed, instantly surrounding these eight people.

Spears and crossbows were all aimed at them.

The vermilion brush in Zhu Yuanzhang's hand "clattered" and fell onto the case, ink splashing everywhere.

He didn't move, just those eyes, instantly changing from sleepy to sharp as a hawk, staring fixedly below.

"What kind of monsters, dare to trespass into the Imperial Palace Hall!"

A military general shouted angrily, his hand already pressed on the hilt of his sword.

Gu Shanhe, surrounded in the middle, in white, was indeed somewhat out of place with this red and gold palace.

He ignored the swords and spears around him, just looked up, his gaze passing over everyone, falling straight on Zhu Yuanzhang's face.

"Your Majesty, do not be alarmed."

Gu Shanhe spoke, his voice not loud, but strangely suppressing all the noise.

"I am Gu Shanhe, not an assassin, but came by the mandate of heaven to resolve the confusion of future generations for Your Majesty."

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't speak, just stared at him, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of the dragon throne.

At this time, Ying Zheng behind Gu Shanhe took half a step forward.

He wore a black dragon robe, his face cold and hard as iron, the aura of slaughter around him making the nearby military generals subconsciously take a step back.

"I am the First Emperor of Qin, Ying Zheng."

He said this as plainly as if it were the most ordinary thing.

Liu Bang laughed and patted his stomach.

"I am Han Gaozu Liu Bang, Old Zhu, we both flew out of the grass nest, today I came to see your bunch of rabbits."

Li Shimin said: "I am Li Shimin."

Zhao Kuangyin also nodded, although he didn't speak, the steady aura of a man who held military power could not be faked.

The civil and military officials were in an uproar.

The civil officials looked at each other, while the military generals gripped their weapons, at a loss.