Chapter 47: Chapter Forty-Seven: Dream-Walking Through the Modern Age

Cheng Chengxuan hated himself beyond measure.

To help Zhou Old General smoothly take over the Cheng Battalion, he had spread those rumors—never expecting they would become a self-fulfilling prophecy!

Is this heaven's punishment for his lies and cursing of his own kin?

He had harmed Grandmother and Mother!

Regret and grief churning together in his heart, Cheng Chengxuan spat out another mouthful of blood.

Grandmother, Father, Mother, Uncle…

Chengxuan is coming to beg your forgiveness now…

The next moment, he lost consciousness.

"Prince's Son?!"

Quite a few passersby crowded around. Fearing they might be recognized by someone with ill intent, Cheng Yao quickly helped him put on his veiled hat, then carried Cheng Chengxuan on his back and ran off, putting distance between them and the crowd.

As night fell, to avoid drawing attention, these past days they had been sleeping in abandoned temples or deserted houses.

Finding a dilapidated temple outside the city, Cheng Yao spread some dry grass and laid Cheng Chengxuan down.

"Young General, please wait here a moment. This Subordinate will go find an Imperial Physician and get some medicine right away."

He wiped his reddened eyes and was just rising to leave when his ear twitched slightly. He whipped his head toward the half-closed door, his hand silently tightening on the sword hilt.

Someone was coming!

And the person had martial skill!

He was about to take Cheng Chengxuan and leave through the window when he heard a familiar voice, lowered in pitch.

"There's someone inside. Let's change spots."

Cheng Yao rushed over and flung the door open. Seeing the familiar face, he was so moved his eyes welled with hot tears.

Finally found the organization!

"Eldest Miss!"

Cheng Qiuyun turned sharply.

"Cheng Yao?"

Then, her face full of anxiety, she asked.

"Where is Chengxuan?!"

……

Capital, the Sun Residence.

In the Study, Minister Sun and Vice Minister Meng sat facing each other, both with tightly furrowed brows and faces full of worry.

Speaking of which, it was rather amusing.

The two men were of similar age, but Vice Minister Meng's daughter had married the Pingnan Marquis, and Vice Minister Meng's granddaughter had married Minister Sun's grandson.

Minister Sun poured two cups of tea and handed one to Vice Minister Meng.

"The Xiyue Emperor has already issued an Imperial Decree, ordering Zhou Old General to take over the Cheng Family Army. What is your view on this matter?"

Vice Minister Meng took the tea cup.

"Zhou Old General is wholeheartedly devoted to the nation. That can be considered good news."

Then he frowned in thought.

"I feel this matter is not that simple. I keep sensing a hand pushing from behind."

Minister Sun lowered his eyes in thought.

Yes, he had considered it too—this might be Cheng Old Madam's doing. But one was in the south, the other in the north, a thousand li apart; the timing simply would not allow it.

As for Qiuyun, with her temperament, she would absolutely never abandon Cheng Old Madam and head to the border alone,

Suddenly, the two men looked up at the same time.

"Could it be?"

The two men nodded slightly, exchanged a look, and tacitly stopped discussing the matter.

Minister Sun's face was heavy.

"The men I sent out reported that along the way, they encountered numerous assassination attempts."

Hearing this, Vice Minister Meng's hand holding the tea cup trembled violently, tea spilling all over his hand. He drew a deep breath, his voice still unable to hide its tremor.

"Don't we both understand? That person never intended to let them reach Bei Huang alive in the first place."

Minister Sun continued.

"But aside from the Jiedai, the Cheng Family suffered no casualties."

Vice Minister Meng's tone grew agitated.

"Could someone be secretly helping? But if they've weathered all the dangers along the way, why is it that once they reach Bei Huang instead…"

Minister Sun gave him a deep look.

"The Cheng Family will not be so easily wiped out in one fell swoop."

Vice Minister Meng drained the tea in his cup in one gulp, then slowly nodded.

"Therefore, we cannot withdraw yet."

They still had to remain at the Imperial Court to help maneuver things.

And in the late night in the Capital, inside Guoshi Fu.

A person wearing a black cloak edged with gold thread, guided by a young Dao boy, arrived at a room.

The moment the door opened, a wave of scorched stench mingled with the bitter tang of medicine rushed at them, the smell making one feel a wave of suffocation.

The cloaked figure covered mouth and nose with a handkerchief, stepped into the room, and looked at the silhouette behind the screen.

"The news about the Cheng Family—that was spread by you?"

Hearing his words, the National Preceptor behind the screen opened his eyes, his lips moved, and he let out a hoarse, unpleasant sound.

"It wasn't me."

The cloaked man gave a light laugh.

"Besides you, who else would wish for Da Yin to fall into chaos?"

The National Preceptor was already in a foul mood from the pain in his body, and hearing such blatant suspicion and questioning only made him more irritated.

"I said it wasn't me, and I have no reason to lie. If the Crown Prince doesn't believe me, you and I can part ways here and cancel our cooperation!"

Hearing this, the Crown Prince's tone softened considerably.

"National Preceptor, please don't take offense. I was simply too anxious and spoke carelessly."

"I'm truly anxious at heart. If things really do descend into chaos now, not to mention the three royal uncles outside the Capital, just look at my good Big Brother—he's never been an easy mark. The throne really might not fall to me."

The National Preceptor was silent for a long while.

"Imperial Prince, please return."

The door was closed once more, and the National Preceptor watched the door through the screen with a cold laugh.

"Even without those people, it still wouldn't be your turn."

Then his brows knit tightly, and his gaze grew shadowed.

"Who on earth was it?"

……

Inside the Po Miao.

Cheng Yao reached out to test the temperature of Cheng Chengxuan's forehead, then turned to look at Cheng Qiuyun with pleasant surprise.

"Big Miss, the Divine Medicine you brought is truly remarkable. In just half a shichen, the Young General's fever has already broken!"

Holding the pouch of medicine in her hand, Cheng Qiuyun's mind drifted back to the day she left Beihuang City, to the moment Yu'an handed the medicine to her.

Such a tiny little person, with a baby-soft voice, solemnly instructing her on the dosage, usage, and effects of each medicine.

And insisting she write it all down on paper before he'd feel at ease.

The little fellow could recognize very few characters, so he ran off to find Grandmother to help check it.

Thinking of that scene, Cheng Qiuyun smiled warmly.

But when her gaze fell on the unconscious Cheng Chengxuan, worry instantly clouded her brow.

"The residual poison is cleared, the fever has broken—why hasn't he woken yet?"

Meanwhile, the unconscious Cheng Chengxuan had arrived at a wondrous place.

He stood dumbfounded before a massive sheet of glass.

He gazed at the streams of people below, the straight, level roads in the distance, the iron boxes speeding along them, and the red and green lights…

He looked down once more—the spot where he stood was a full twenty or thirty zhang above the ground!

"So high!"

He instinctively stepped back, his attention drawn by the brightly lit room.

"It's clearly nighttime, yet it's bright as day."

He looked up at the ceiling and exclaimed in wonder.

"How can there be such dazzling crystal flowers in this world?"

Suddenly, he warily looked toward a certain spot and pointed in that direction.

"Who are you? Why do you look exactly like me?!"

Yet the person opposite was making the exact same gestures and expressions as him.

"Playing tricks!"

He was about to draw his sword, but he hadn't brought it with him.

He walked over cautiously, and only when he got close did he realize—this was no person who looked just like him.

It was clearly a mirror over a person's height tall.

He reached out to touch the mirror's surface, but his hand passed through empty air, and he couldn't help sighing in wonder.

"Every detail is perfectly clear—truly miraculous."

Suddenly, a door opened, and a woman walked out from within.

An Luo had just finished bathing and walked out in a nightgown.

At the sight of this, Cheng Chengxuan's face flushed red in an instant.

His nervous gaze darted about; he turned his head to look elsewhere, and even his words came out stumbling.

"Wh-which household's young lady are you? How can you appear before a strange man in such—such disheveled clothing?"

"You…"

But the next moment, he saw the woman walk toward him step by step, getting closer and closer, ever closer…

Though his martial arts were formidable, he kept backing away.

"D-don't, don't come any closer!"

In the end, he could only watch helplessly as the woman passed right through him.

He looked himself over, then shook his head with a bitter smile.

"It seems that young lady can't see me. So, in my current state—am I one of those legendary ghosts?"

After clearly seeing An Luo's face, he let out a gasp.

"How can it be her?!"