Chapter 116: Collapse (Part 2)

Yuan Feng had a stroke — and was paralyzed!

Who is Yuan Feng? Yuan Feng, styled Zhouyang, is the biological father of Yuan Ji, Yuan Shao, and Yuan Shu; the elder brother of Yuan Kui; the father-in-law of Yang Biao; the head of the Yuan clan, renowned for four generations of the Three Excellencies; the very "second son Son of Heaven" in those recent rumors about the "Zhong-surnamed Son of Heaven"; and the leader of the court's ducal families — the saying that his disciples and former officials fill the realm is no empty boast.

In fact, according to hearsay, some members of the Xun clan in Yingchuan have already secretly begun preparing mourning garments, and word is they plan to make a grand show of observing the full three-year mourning period the moment this Lord Yuan passes!

Of course, back here in Luoyang, Yuan Feng is not dead yet — merely paralyzed. And then... he can no longer speak either, only drool incessantly, barely able to blink his eyes, with the right half of his body completely immobile, only his left hand retaining just enough strength for a few gestures...

Faced with this condition, even when the Son of Heaven dispatched the Prefect of the Imperial Physicians, he could only respond with silence.

Come to think of it, in this day and age, what can be done once someone is paralyzed by a stroke? And at Yuan Zhouyang's age, given the average lifespan in the Great Han, how much longer could he have lived even without the paralysis?

Besides, for a man as proud as Yuan Feng, he himself probably feels that no grief is greater than the death of the heart. All he can do now is muster a shred of strength and use that barely functional left hand to convey the clan's secrets and final affairs to his younger brother and three sons.

However, for the people of Luoyang, what they relish discussing most is the cause of Yuan Feng's paralysis.

Because no matter what, Yuan Feng collapsed right at the main gate after exchanging a few words with his in-law, Yang Ci of the three generations of the Three Excellencies — in full public view, beyond all dispute!

So, setting aside Yuan Zhouyang's own physical condition and the earlier distress from the rumors, the primary responsible party has to be Yang Ci, no escaping that, right?!

Consequently, rumors spread through Luoyang that the Yuan and Yang clans were about to split and become bitter enemies.

Of course, some also quietly whispered that after Yuan Feng was carried back home, the moment he regained consciousness, in the presence of his younger brother, his sons, and Yang Ci, who had followed them in, he used his left hand to write in a sand tray: "The Son of Heaven kills me, it has nothing to do with you, Lord. Only if Yuan and Yang remain in harmony can we long endure." ... Naturally, such words had to be spoken in a lower voice.

But no matter what, Gongsun Xun had been feeling rather uneasy these past days. Because no matter how he thought about it, Yuan Feng's paralysis had to be somewhat connected to that "Zhong-surnamed Son of Heaven" rumor he himself had concocted, right? How else could it be that the very day after the Son of Heaven sent him and a eunuch attendant to interrogate the man over the rumors, Yang Ci came out of the Northern Palace, said a few words to him, and he collapsed?!

To be honest, if blame were truly assigned, the Yuan clan might not be able to confront the Son of Heaven directly, and the Yang clan might not necessarily turn against them, but if a peripheral figure like himself were found out, under the thunderous wrath of the Yuan clan, he would probably be ground to dust, wouldn't he? Not to mention anything else — if Yuan Benchu were to lead seven or eight hundred men to hack him into mincemeat on Bronze Camel Street and then share the feast with all the Yuan clan's disciples and former officials, it would surely be hailed as a supreme display of filial piety... with thirty thousand people rushing about to plead for a pardon, wouldn't it?

Heaven have mercy — the more Gongsun Xun thought about this, the more helpless he felt. When he had acted back then, on the surface it was all aimed at the Yuan clan, but in truth the real lethal move was mostly meant to deal with Cao Jie, to force that old eunuch to relinquish military power... As for the Yuan clan, he had merely hoped they would be temporarily entangled by these matters and unable to spare a hand.

But how was it that Cao Jie, at his age, could sit peacefully at home after relinquishing the post of Grand Prolonger of Autumn, while Yuan Feng collapsed with a splash instead?

However, whether it was because Wang Yun kept his mouth tightly shut or for some other reason, the Yuan clan was solely focused on seeking physicians and medicine, and made no extraneous moves.

And before long, Gongsun Xun no longer had time to be fearful... As it happened, with Yuan Feng's political life extinguished overnight, the Yuan clan's political grip was also paralyzed overnight. The court thus lost its final buffer, and everyone lost their last shred of restraint. This caused waves of political strife to surge forth, and the situation utterly collapsed!

In late February, someone wrote an anonymous letter falsely accusing Cai Yong of forming a faction. The Son of Heaven issued an edict ordering the Imperial Secretariat to interrogate him. Cai Yong promptly defended himself through the Secretariat... But unlike Cai Yong, who could only submit written self-defenses through the Secretariat, those he had previously attacked by name were mostly close attendants of the Son of Heaven. They swarmed together and directly surrounded and slandered him with words before the Son of Heaven. Moreover, Cai Yong's memorial was filled with grief and indignation, carrying a tone of resentment that the Son of Heaven could not distinguish loyalty from treachery, which directly enraged His Majesty!

At the end of February, Cai Yong and his uncle Cai Zhi were both thrown into prison and sentenced to death!

Of course, Cai Bojie's fame resounded throughout the realm, so needless to say, once the news spread, people rushed to submit petitions for clemency. Even Gongsun Xun began to maneuver, preparing to save the man for the sake of those ten thousand scrolls of books.

Yet, before Gongsun Xun even needed to exert himself, there was a Regular Palace Attendant by the Son of Heaven's side named Lu Qiang — a eunuch widely acknowledged at court as possessing rare and excellent character. This man persistently argued in Cai Yong's defense, insisting that no matter what, a Nine Ministers-level official and a renowned scholar of the realm could not be executed over a single anonymous letter!

The Son of Heaven came to his senses and, too indolent to quibble, dismissed the matter with a laugh and directly commuted the sentence to the exile of the entire family to the border commandery of Shuofang.

Uh, this verdict actually let everyone breathe a sigh of relief. After all, for a renowned scholar of the realm like Cai Yong, exile... where wouldn't he be treated as an honored guest? If they traveled slowly enough, a general amnesty might even be declared, and the whole family could enjoy a pleasant half-year tour of Bingzhou.

However, the Cai Yong affair was merely the first appetizer after the court's political struggles spiraled out of control and all masks were torn off with reckless abandon. What came next regarding Empress Song was what truly shook everyone...

It happened that at the grand court assembly in late February, just as the court formally decided to change the reign title to Guanghe starting from the first day of the third month, Luoyang was once again affected by a minor earthquake. Yet, having enjoyed both a solar eclipse and an earthquake within a single month, the matter was still perfunctorily handled by merely replacing the Three Excellencies. And even though the one promoted to Grand Commandant this time was Zhang Hao, the younger brother of Regular Palace Attendant Zhang Feng, the court officials still had little mind to dwell on it.

Because it was on this very day that the Son of Heaven, using Wang Fu's investigation findings as the basis, formally decreed the deposition of the Empress and ordered the entire Song clan to be executed en masse in the marketplace!

The assembled ministers swarmed forward, all arguing that this was far too rash and the punishment excessively severe, pleading for a reduction of the sentence.

But unlike the Cai Yong case, where he had dismissed it with a laugh, the Son of Heaven, now firmly in power, simply rose and returned to the Northern Palace, abandoning a crowd of barefoot ducal ministers and high officials in the Southern Palace's audience hall!

On the same day, the Son of Heaven, citing the vacancy left by the dismissed Colonel Director of Retainers, transferred the universally acknowledged cruel official, Prefect of the Imperial Secretariat Yang Qiu, to this post.

The entire court, high and low, was left speechless.

One day later, it was the first day of the third month. The Great Han officially changed the reign title to Guanghe, entering the first year of the Guanghe era!

And on this day, Gongsun Xun, having long since requested leave from Liu Tao, finished his meal, took a few attendants, mounted his white horse, and then, carrying that willow branch he had kept for over half a month — now sprouted but nearly withered — rode with light hoofbeats out of Luoyang city... It was not for a spring outing, but to see off Cai Yong, Cai Bojie, whose entire family was being exiled to Shuofang.

It must be understood that Cai Bojie was a renowned scholar of the realm, his uncle had ranked among the Nine Ministers, and their family in Chenliu had been a prominent, high-ranking clan for generations. So even though the entire family was being exiled, the crowd that came to see them off was still dense and numerous, making the area outside the gate of the post station ten li beyond the city resemble a marketplace... It was just that the recent situation at court was very grim, the Son of Heaven's conduct had truly disappointed everyone, and they were here to send someone into exile — so no one in this marketplace dared smile. Instead, every face bore a sorrowful expression, and people could not help but shed tears the moment they opened their mouths!

Gongsun Xun, being of low status, waited until a host of ducal ministers, respected elders, officials of the Two Thousand Shi rank in the capital, as well as their Chenliu compatriots and in-laws, had all taken their turns to pay respects and bid farewell. Only then did he step forward, carrying that now leafless, withered willow branch, to "break a willow and bid farewell"... Indeed, breaking a willow to bid farewell was a custom that arose in the Han dynasty.

Now, this Cai Bojie had already been weeping profusely with many relatives and friends. By now, he had gradually managed to stem his tears, his expression softening slightly. But when he looked up and saw Gongsun Xun, his face flushed red again and tears streamed down:

"Does Wenqi come to mock me with this?"

Gongsun Xun, who had just been about to bow in salute, was dumbfounded and immediately asked in astonishment: "What does Lord Cai mean? I have come today with sincere intent to see you off. How is this mocking you?"

"If you have not come to mock me, why present a leafless, withered branch as a farewell gift?" Cai Yong replied, both hurt and angry. "I had thought in vain that day that if misfortune befell me, I would entrust my wife and daughter to you. Who would have thought you would be so merciless as to expose my shame to my face!"

Gongsun Xun naturally knew that a leafless, withered branch was somewhat inappropriate, but the phrase "expose my shame to my face" truly baffled him. He could only look toward a figure seated on a camp stool nearby — Cai Yong's old friend and original patron, Qiao Xuan.

Qiao Xuan folded his hands into his sleeves and said not a word.

However, a short young man with eyes so narrow they seemed like slits, standing behind Qiao Xuan, could not help but lower his head and cough dryly before softly reminding: "Gentleman of the Household Gongsun, Lord Cai has been sentenced to the punishment of shaving the head and exile..."

Gongsun Xun suddenly understood and could not help but turn his gaze back to the conspicuously large kerchief on Cai Yong's head.

"So Wenqi truly did not know?" Cai Yong's anger subsided somewhat. "But even if you did not know of this matter, you still should not have teased me with such a withered branch, should you?"

"Ah!" Gongsun Xun let out a long sigh and hurriedly explained. "Lord Cai misunderstands. You see, ever since that day you summoned me to your home to entrust me with those ten thousand scrolls, did you and I not both know that this calamity would befall you sooner or later? So, when the willow tree by the Imperial Secretariat sprouted and put forth branches, I was moved by emotion and broke off a branch to nurture in a pottery vase at home, quietly awaiting this day to see you off. It was to show that my wish for you to 'stay' came from sincere intent, not perfunctory words to suit the occasion."

This explanation was passable enough, so Cai Yong sighed softly, repeatedly remarked that the other had been thoughtful, and took the withered branch.

Yet the moment the withered branch touched his hand, Cai Bojie's mouth and nose flared again, and tears streamed uncontrollably down his face.

"Now what is the reason?" Gongsun Xun asked, exasperated and increasingly speechless.

"I am thinking," Cai Yong finally managed to stop his tears and answered with great effort, "that Wenqi's gift of a broken willow this time, though without malice and with good intent, is a branch whose leaves and buds are all gone — withered and lifeless... Wenqi, you must understand, I am forty-seven this year, already decrepit and old. I have no heir, no wife, and now I am sentenced to head-shaving and exile to Shuofang — a situation where nine out of ten die. How closely does this resemble this willow branch? Is this not Heaven using Wenqi's hand to tell me that this journey will surely leave my bones unburied?"

At these words, Cai Bojie could no longer restrain himself. He clutched the withered branch and wept bitterly, even beating his chest and stamping his feet, wailing without restraint!

And hearing Cai Yong's explanation, the hundred-odd members of the Cai clan being exiled, men and women alike, all joined in loud weeping. Even the young Cai Yan, her hair still in childish tufts, was at a loss, tugging at her mother's hem and crying incessantly.

It did not end there. Seeing the entire Cai clan weeping, among those who had come to see them off, the Cai clan's in-laws and disciples also joined in the crying... For a time, in the post station outside Luoyang city, the sound of weeping shook the fields. Not only did the farmers busy with spring planting in the fields all stop and stare blankly, and the travelers on the road all halt in their tracks, but even the waterfowl on the nearby stream were startled into flight.

Faced with this, the instigator Gongsun Xun could only stand there awkward and speechless.

However, this scene before him was not something he could simply play dumb to get past. Before long, Qiao Xuan, who had been sitting motionless on the camp stool to the side, suddenly reached out and tugged directly at Gongsun Xun's sleeve. The latter looked over helplessly, only to be met with an extremely disdainful old face.

Gongsun Xun naturally understood Lord Qiao's meaning — you started this mess, you calm it down. Not to mention how unpleasant it sounds with so many people crying at once, but if they keep crying like this until they choke and then suffer a stroke and become paralyzed... who would be to blame?

There was no escaping this logic, hadn't he seen the cautionary tale of Yuan Feng and Yang Ci right before his eyes?

So, even though he was utterly exasperated, Gongsun Xun could only exhale deeply, then muster his courage, step forward, and yank the kerchief right off Cai Bojie's head!

At this, the renowned scholar of the realm, now revealing a half-bald pate, indeed stopped crying immediately. The surrounding crowd was also stunned into silence. Even Qiao Xuan, who had earlier urged Gongsun Xun to stop the crying, looked somewhat bewildered.

"Wen..."

"Crying, crying, crying — what use is crying?!" However, before anyone could react, Gongsun Xun hurled the kerchief fiercely to the ground and demanded in a stern voice. "Is this the limit of the world-renowned Cai Bojie's resolve? That day in your eastern chamber, when you laughed and said you had already submitted a memorial directly rebuking the court eunuchs, knowing you could not escape, and entrusted your ten thousand scrolls to me — what magnificent bearing you had! Why are you so utterly wretched today? A true man living in this world — dares he act yet not dare to face the consequences?!"

This line of questioning truly left the ministers and scholars outside the pavilion all stunned into silence, standing there speechless.

Even Cai Yong could only bow and apologize: "It is not that I, Cai Bojie, dare to act but not bear the consequences. It is truly that I reflect on my age — already forty-seven, decrepit and useless, and moreover without a son. As they say, a solitary figure all alone…"

"If you weep for this reason, it is even more laughable and pitiable!" Gongsun Xun's expression turned fierce, his fury surging to his hair. "I only ask you, when you, Cai Bojie, were weeping, did you ever glance at Lord Qiao sitting beside you?!"

Everyone turned to look at Qiao Xuan, and saw him sitting composedly to one side, his expression unchanged, merely stroking his beard slightly… but the crowd had already begun to react one after another.

"Lord Cai!" Gongsun Xun continued his loud rebuke. "You say you are decrepit and old, utterly useless in all matters… I ask you, exactly what matter is it that you find useless?"

"I…" Cai Yong gaped, tongue-tied.

Yet before Cai Yong could reply, Gongsun Xun took it upon himself to ask and answer his own question: "If we speak of the punishment of shaving and exile, do you not know that Lord Qiao also once served as a wall-building convict? And you have only endured it once — Lord Qiao rose and fell three times! If we speak of heirs, do you not know that Lord Qiao at sixty still fathered a young son? You are only forty-seven, your household still has ample concubines, and you already have a daughter. If you strive thus for thirteen years, who knows whether you might not have both son and daughter in the future? As for being decrepit, that is even more laughable!"

At this point, Gongsun Xun turned away from the flushed Cai Yong and faced the grieving ministers and famous scholars behind him, saying: "Gentlemen, look at Lord Qiao. He is nearly seventy, yet he remains a pillar of the court, the backbone of the scholar-officials. No matter how dire the situation, he has never shown the slightest trace of grief… Yet here is Cai Bojie, merely forty-seven, sighing and lamenting, tears and snot streaming down! It is one thing that you gentlemen do not learn from Lord Qiao's unflinching composure, but why must you also join Cai Bojie in weeping endlessly?! That day at the Cai residence I said: the more difficult the times, the more we must strive unceasingly and exert ourselves with vigor! Is it because I am young that you gentlemen disregard these principles?!"

At these words, regardless of others, Cai Bojie behind him bowed repeatedly, admitting his fault.

Hearing this, Gongsun Xun quickly adjusted his expression, first turning to help the other man up, then picking up the headscarf from the ground and personally wrapping it around the half-bald, shaven head, before taking his hand and explaining:

"It is not that I look down on Lord Cai, nor do I deliberately speak grandly. It is only that since childhood I was taught by my widowed mother that one must not lightly speak of giving up. She often had… often had words of encouragement. Lord Cai, though this willow branch is withered, if you plant it in the earth, who can know that it will not sprout anew and finally become a towering tree?"

Cai Yong raised his head and sighed deeply, nodding repeatedly: "I never thought that today I would again encounter Wenqi's brimming resolve! If we speak of unyielding integrity, then naturally half the integrity in the world rests with Lord Qiao; and if we speak of this spirit of ceaseless self-strengthening, I fear half the resolve in the world rests with Wenqi as well!"

Having spoken, the two men together planted that withered branch by the riverbank beside the road. Then Gongsun Xun called over two volunteer guards, saying they were from Wuzhou in Yanmen and happened to be returning home along the way, and asked them to escort and assist along the journey… He clasped their hands and privately whispered instructions: if they encountered any difficulties in Shuofang, the Inspector Dong Zhuo went without saying — the other man knew him — but the Administrator of Yanmen, Guo Yun, was someone to whom they could mention Gongsun Xun's name. And if they encountered bandits or rebel troops on the road, they should not hesitate to flee toward Pingcheng in Yanmen, and there seek out a man named Cheng Pu, who could always provide shelter for a time.

In truth, at this point, the farewell ceremony that had been interrupted midway by the weeping was effectively over, and Gongsun Xun breathed a sigh of relief, preparing to step aside and observe.

Unexpectedly, Cai Yong, who had just been publicly rebuked, refused to let go of his hand, whether or not some pettiness had been stirred: "Last time I asked Wenqi to compose a short poem carrying resolve for me, you said your heart at the time held no resolve and you truly could not do it. Today, with such resolve that you have lectured me into utter shame, your heart clearly brimming with resolve, how can there again be no verse?"

Gongsun Xun's scalp tingled, and he could only strain to explain: "My mother often says that poetry, prose, and rhapsodies are all minor arts; when away from home, if one can avoid composing them, one should…"

Yet no matter what he said, Cai Bojie simply refused to release his hand. Driven to desperation, Gongsun Xun could only turn his head toward Qiao Xuan, hoping only that the other man, for the sake of the half day he had spent praising him, would speak up to help. However, Qiao Xuan, Lord Qiao, the man of highest status present, had from beginning to end remained expressionless as a wooden statue, not even glancing at him… where was there any sign of helping?

And so, left with no choice, Gongsun Xun could only nod: "I have only one untitled old poem, composed by someone else in days past, but it happens to suit the occasion…"

"No matter what, recite it to fortify my journey!" Cai Bojie flared his nostrils, tucked his hands into his sleeves, his face full of anticipation.

Gongsun Xun raised his head and sighed: "Lord Cai, listen well… A thousand miles of yellow clouds, the white sun dimmed; the north wind drives geese as snow swirls thick. Do not grieve that on the road ahead you'll find no kindred soul — under Heaven, who is there that does not know you, sir?"

It must be said, when Gongsun Xun first began reciting this poem, he was somewhat perfunctory, but by the time he reached the end, he could not help but feel the pent-up weight in his chest dissolve entirely.

And once the poem was finished, the surrounding ministers and famous scholars were each lost in silent contemplation. Even Qiao Xuan could not resist subtly scrutinizing Gongsun Xun before continuing to sit there with drooping eyelids.

"Many thanks to Wenqi!" Cai Yong savored the words repeatedly, then suddenly bowed deeply in a grand salute. "Today, Wenqi's resolve has been sent into my heart through a single willow branch and two lines of verse! All you dear friends and old acquaintances, today I, Cai Bojie, am already content. There is no need to trouble others to see me off one by one… I have kept the officials waiting long; let us set out at once!"

It must be said, after hearing a single poem, this Cai Yong actually took the initiative to set out on his journey?!

And those escorting officers and clerks, in front of so many ministers and famous scholars, how could they dare put on airs? So they bustled about like household servants and actually escorted the hundred-odd members of the Cai clan along the official road northward to seek the ferry crossing.

Gongsun Xun, mingled among the crowd, watched the other man depart into the distance, both breathing a sigh of relief and feeling a complex mix of emotions.

"I have long admired the name of Gongsun Wenqi, the White Horse Court Gentleman — the battle of burning Danhan won my heartfelt admiration. Yet meeting you today, I never imagined the Court Gentleman would be so accomplished in both civil and martial arts!" Just as Gongsun Xun was sighing inwardly, that short young man with narrowed eyes who had been following behind Qiao Xuan suddenly approached.

Gongsun Xun hurriedly bowed in return: "This worthy brother misunderstands — this poem truly was not composed by me. It is an old, fragmentary poem; I merely borrowed the flower to convey a thought…"

"Why does Court Gentleman Gongsun try to deceive me?" The man immediately narrowed his eyes in a smile. "'A thousand miles of yellow clouds, the white sun dimmed' — is this not the very scene of Luoyang today? 'The north wind drives geese as snow swirls thick' — does this not describe the scenery of the border commanderies in Shuofang? And as for the line 'under Heaven, who is there that does not know you, sir?' — apart from Lord Cai, who could bear such words? No wonder Lord Cai, after hearing this, was full of resolve and changed his grieving expression! Such a perfectly fitting poem, and you still say you did not compose it yourself? Why be overly modest?"

"The scenery of Shuofang is not like that." Gongsun Xun recalled the beautiful Hetao landscape he had witnessed with his own eyes and could not help but smile bitterly and shake his head.

But before the two could continue their conversation, Gongsun Xun suddenly spotted something, and without waiting to deal with this man, dashed off straight toward Qiao Xuan, who was preparing to board his carriage: "Lord Qiao, wait — I have something to say!"

The man smiled and shrugged, then followed back with an utterly indifferent expression.

"Gongsun Wenqi, did you come today to see Cai Bojie off, or to seek me out?" Qiao Xuan asked indifferently, turning his head as he leaned on the carriage shaft.

With such a person, there was no need for idle chatter, so Gongsun Xun immediately performed a deep bow to the ground: "Both to see him off, and also to seek you out specifically, Lord Qiao… I will not hide it from you, Lord Qiao: now everything is fully prepared, and we lack only Lord Qiao to serve as Prefect of the Masters of Writing!"

Qiao Xuan could not help but smile knowingly: "So that's it. No wonder you praised me so publicly today… 'the backbone of the scholar-officials,' indeed."

Gongsun Xun could not help but feel embarrassed: "I merely acted as the situation allowed!"

"However… I am old and frail, and do not wish to be Prefect of the Masters of Writing!" So saying, Qiao Xuan directly climbed into the carriage, then signaled his household servant to drive on. "Go seek someone else!"

Gongsun Xun stood stunned on the spot.

And just at that moment, that short, narrow-eyed young man — the one who had approached Gongsun Xun to speak — passed by here and actually, disregarding all decorum, climbed straight into Qiao Xuan's carriage.

"Meng De, get out and ride your horse!" With an angry shout from within the carriage, Gongsun Xun was even more dazed and bewildered.

————————I am the dividing line of withered branches and fallen leaves————————

"In the first year of the Guanghe era of Han, the famous scholar Cai Yong was banished with his entire family to Shuofang. The night before, Yanwu broke off a willow branch and kept it in a vase, intending to present it the next day. Yet overnight the willow branch withered, its leaves fell and buds shriveled. Those around him deemed it an ill omen and urged him to change it. Yanwu said: 'Breaking a willow to bid farewell lies originally in the heart. If one sees the branch wither and changes it, that is what is called deceiving oneself.' He thus took the withered branch to send him off, telling the truth of it. Yong sighed and said: 'I am forty-seven, a solitary figure all alone, and with my head shaven as punishment, my whole family enters Shuofang — just like this branch without leaves or buds. Is this not Heaven's will? On this journey, I shall leave no bones behind!' Yanwu replied: 'Why worry about Heaven's will? Man should strengthen himself. How do you know a withered branch cannot become a tree?' Yong was moved by his intent, rallied his spirits, and departed. Before leaving, he planted the willow branch by the riverbank, and overnight it sprouted new buds. Several years later, it indeed became a tree by the riverbank. A hundred years later, this tree flourished like a crown, still standing, repeatedly manifesting divine wonders. The Cai clan and those around them all worshipped it, with offerings unceasing through the four seasons. The people of the world all call it 'Cai's Willow'!" — In Search of the Supernatural

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(End of Chapter)