Chapter 494

"Little one, you've been away so long, not a single word from you. Your auntie wrote you over a dozen letters, and every time you said 'almost there, almost there,' yet you just stayed holed up in Xiyicheng, not moving an inch."

"What, has the little tomcat grown wings and become disobedient?"

In the Murong household, Murong Qiushui pinched Li Guanyi's cheek, her autumn-water eyes wide open—though she sounded reproachful, her face carried joy; beside her, the silver-haired girl held pastries and nodded vigorously.

Yes, yes.

"If you've grown wings and won't listen, you're coming of age—you've stubbornly stayed outside until the New Year arrived before returning. If not for that great matter, would you still be lingering in Xiyicheng, refusing to come back?"

The silver-haired girl nodded vigorously.

Expressing her complete agreement with her auntie's decision.

Li Guanyi begged and apologized for a long while, promising he would return home often to keep his auntie company; only then did Murong Qiushui loosen her grip on his cheek and say, "I know you've suffered on the battlefield, but you must take care of yourself."

"Alright, today your auntie cooked personally—go on out now."

Murong Qiushui's cooking had improved, and Li Guanyi felt reassured; the winter in Jiangnan was damp and cold, but not as biting as the icy east winds of Xiyicheng in the northwest—the sun still warmed pleasantly.

While in Xiyicheng, Li Guanyi never took off his armor; this journey, challenging the Turkic Khagan and subduing the Seven Kings, expanded the empire's frontier to the far northwest, increased its population, and uncovered new opportunities for advancement.

After constant travel, returning to Jiangnan finally brought him relief.

He changed out of his armor; the Jiuli Divine Weapon, forged of gold and iron, had transformed into a ring-like band coiled around his wrist. He donned a fine, understated robe, tied his black hair with a jade hairpin, crossed his arms before his chest, and strolled leisurely.

Jiangnan's winter held its own quiet charm.

Li Guanyi, languid, stepped on the cobblestones still littered with yellow leaves, not yet fully swept clean, walking through the Jiangnan city; behind him, the silver-haired girl walked with her hands clasped before her, swaying gently.

Li Guanyi noticed a street vendor roasting Western Regions sweet potatoes.

There were Central Plains sugar-coated haws and southern pastries too.

Smoke curled upward, full of vitality.

Master Yan Daiqing's policy of nationwide commercial exchange and cultural interaction had proven highly effective; in this chaotic age, people's mobility was astonishing—the sweet potatoes roasted black on the outside, their interiors glowing honey-yellow, steaming and irresistibly fragrant.

Li Guanyi smiled and said, "Yao Guang, want something to eat?"

He paused his steps, then froze slightly.

Li Guanyi stopped walking.

The silver-haired girl behind him kept walking and bumped straight into his back; Li Guanyi said, "What were you thinking? If it weren't me, you'd have crashed into the wall."

It was just his usual teasing, but he quickly sensed something was wrong.

The faint smile on his face vanished.

The silver-haired girl pressed her forehead against his back, her silver hair falling down, swaying slightly in the winter wind; she reached out, gently tugging his sleeve.

The silver-haired girl's voice held no ripple, quiet as still water:

"Ten months. Three hundred and twelve days."

"I've missed you a little. Just a little."

"So, please let me stay quietly with you for a moment."

"Just for a moment."

The proud Qin Wang lowered his gaze; the silver-haired girl, the unparalleled genius of Shiwaisan Sect, the greatest sorceress in eight hundred years, had used her art for herself for the first time—faint ripples spread.

Clear, tranquil starlight fell upon the mortal world; passersby, bustling crowds, smoke, laughter—all seemed sealed away in another realm. They moved about, laughing and chatting, yet saw nothing of the two standing there.

Li Guanyi felt the silver-haired girl's hand slowly withdraw.

Yao Guang's voice was quiet: "As we first promised, I will accompany you to the end of this tale, becoming the destined hero."

Her voice was like starlight—utterly without ripple.

After a pause, the silver-haired girl whispered softly:

"But… will there come a day when you no longer need me?"

Just those words pierced Li Guanyi's heart like a tiny needle; the Qin Wang pressed his palm over hers, then turned to face the quiet silver-haired girl.

Such is the weight of a beauty's grace.

These four characters—he had read them in books before, wondering if they were overstated—but now Li Guanyi understood: this word "weight," it carried far more than he ever imagined.

Yet in this chaotic age, he roamed the heavens and earth as a hero of turmoil—he could not stop.

A tender embrace is the grave of heroes; this tenderness is not merely a woman—it is the emotion within that awakens the hero's heart, making him unable to return to battle, unable to bear parting.

Li Guanyi exhaled, and with his actions gave his answer—he reached out and drew the silver-haired girl into his arms, as gently as if she might slip through his fingers like starlight.

The silver-haired girl fell still for a moment, her hand still clutching his sleeve, closed her eyes, and buried her head against his shoulder.

"Ah, in this chaotic age, a beauty's grace is heavy, entangling, impossible to let go, impossible to understand—this is the gate of the Dao. Even a living Buddha of the Buddhist path, walking through this mortal chaos, tasting love's tangles, would not escape unscathed."

"Alas, human emotions are never simple, never explained by grand principles. These girls and young Li Guanyi—hmm, stubborn, tangled, inseparable, unsolvable."

"What is love, in this world?"

"It is not flower, yet seems flower; not mist, yet seems mist."

"Cannot be near, cannot be entered, cannot be exhausted."

With a sigh, the old Master Siming leaned against the dragon-scale exterior of the distant tower, watching the scene below—the silver-haired girl's art had not fooled this old man.

He merely watched, deeply moved.

The old tortoise stared blankly at the scene, then at the old Master Siming, who, while sighing, had already set out a plate of peanuts, a plate of cucumber with garlic, a plate of ginger-sliced century egg, and a jug of wine—eating and drinking while watching.

The old tortoise stared blankly: "What? You spy on the young ones, fine—but now you're drinking too?"

The old Master Siming drank, speaking firmly: "What do you mean 'spy'?"

"I'm observing the affairs of the great elders—no spying here. I'm watching openly, honestly. Don't slander me."

"Hmm, beautiful scene, fine wine!"

At that moment, a hand gently tapped the old Master Siming's shoulder.

He was engrossed, didn't think—he turned instinctively.

He saw white hair.

Then two fingers poked out with a whoosh.

One move, the same infamous yet extremely useful "Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl" — as notorious in the jianghu as a monkey stealing a peach — went crack straight into old Siming's eyes.

"Aaaah, my eyes, this old man's eyes!"

A certain shameless old coot rolled around on the rooftop clutching his eyes.

The silver-haired Whale-Catching Guest kicked aside the dazed old Black Tortoise, sat down on the rooftop just like that, gazed at the scene in the distance for a long while in silence, then simply picked up Siming's wine, not caring whether the old man had just drunk from it.

He just wiped it carelessly with his sleeve, tipped his head back, and drained it in one go.

"What wine, so bitter!"

Bitter wine slides down the throat, the heart aches within.

The old father looked at his daughter over there and the young Qin Wang, veins throbbing wildly on his forehead, but in the end he could do nothing, helpless — during these ten months, while Li Guanyi was out campaigning, he had watched helplessly as the silver-haired girl grew especially quiet.

In others' eyes, Yaoguang was always that quiet, no fluctuation of emotion on her face, as if she would never show joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness.

But in the Whale-Catching Guest's eyes, his daughter's emotions were rich.

She was nothing like those people imagined — expressionless, blank as white paper.

The Whale-Catching Guest knew where his daughter's emotional changes came from: they came from her worry about Li Guanyi. For Li Guanyi, Yaoguang had been by his side since she was thirteen or fourteen, wandering the world with him — but wasn't it the same for Yaoguang?

In the six years since leaving the Star-Gazing School, she had been inseparable from Li Guanyi; it was only in this past year that they had been apart for ten months, and only then did that aloof girl discover her own change.

Apart for ten months, missing him so very much.

The Whale-Catching Guest let out a long breath and let out an old father's anguished wail:

"What kind of thing is this!"

"What kind of thing is this?!! Huh?!"

"Yaoguang, Papa is right here, during these ten months Papa has been right here too, Papa hasn't taken a single step away, why would you feel lonely, why would you feel sorrowful?"

Old Siming opened his eyes, two streams of bloody tears, not wanting to touch this old fellow's bad luck — he raised his head and saw Xue Shen's puppet automaton appear over there like a street loafer.

Old Siming treated a dead horse as a living one and cast a pleading look for help.

Xue Shen saw old Siming's pleading look.

Xue Shen looked thoughtful.

Xue Shen had an epiphany; Xue Shen broke into a hearty "don't worry" smile.

For some reason, old Siming's heart trembled.

He wanted to stop it, but it was already too late.

Xue Shen's puppet automaton stood there arms crossed, patted the Whale-Catching Guest on the shoulder, and consoled: "It's fine."

"Once they give you a granddaughter, you won't be lonely anymore."

Smack!

Old Siming and the old Black Tortoise raised their hands in perfect unison to cover their own eyes.

Heaven-Centered North Star Profound Heaven True Warrior Great Heavenly Honored Lord above.

The Whale-Catching Guest's forehead veins bulged, and he turned and unleashed a beggar's martial art — Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl — straight into Xue Shen's eyes.

"Aaaah, eyes, eyes, my eyes!!!"

Xue Shen clutched his eyes and rolled around on top of this tall building.

He suddenly stopped, lowered his hands, and said with sudden realization: "Oh, almost forgot."

"Hahaha, I don't have eyes!"

"Hahahaha!"

Old Siming: "………………"

The old man's forehead veins bulged.

That thing's mouth — better bury it.

Having successfully, in just three short lines, ruffled the composure of the contemporary Yin-Yang School Grand Master and the martial arts legend, Xue Shen was thoroughly satisfied, feeling that today's self had truly, just as Yaoguang said, gotten along peacefully and friendly with everyone.

So back then, that fellow Chen Baxian saw me and immediately wanted to roll up his sleeves and fight.

It must have been Chen Baxian's problem.

Just as the two men and one turtle here began to make a ruckus, someone below this ancient tall building poked upward with a stick and called out loudly: "Up there, is any guest present?"

Everyone exchanged glances.

Xue Shen called out loudly: "No guest is up here!"

Old Siming felt he couldn't bear to watch this wretched thing.

Is this really the number one divine general from five hundred years ago?!

But the shopkeeper of the tavern below politely said: "Just now His Highness Qin Wang sent a letter and a jar of wine for you all."

"I'll bring them right up to you."

A letter?

The Whale-Catching Guest raised an eyebrow, lifted his gaze toward that direction, and found that with Xue Shen's meddling, there was already no one there — Li Guanyi and Yaoguang had both already left. He frowned, raised his hand, and made a grab.

That letter flew up over a zhang from below, was caught in the Whale-Catching Guest's hand; with a flick of his wrist he spread the letter open before his eyes, and a line was written on it in neat, elegant script.

【Do not read】

The Whale-Catching Guest froze, then raised his hand to cover his eyes, fell backward, and just like that collapsed onto the dragon-scale-like layered rooftop, suddenly bursting into laughter, yet helpless, saying: "Enough, enough!"

………………

The winter scenery was clear and bright; the world stood on the eve of change.

Here in the lands south of the river, Li Guanyi was granted a stretch of peaceful days.

In ordinary days he played chess with Great-Grandfather, went to chat leisurely with Master Yan Daiqing and Master Wen Qingyu, and wherever he went the silver-haired girl followed along, swaying lazily. His personal prestige throughout all the lands south of the river was extremely high — unlike the bitterness of Xiyicheng.

Time passed unhurriedly; the situation across the realm surged with rising winds and gathering clouds. Though things had already reached an extremely tense state, the various kingdoms and heroic talents of the world all watched Xiyicheng with worry, speculating on the changes in the realm's situation, and preparing to place their bets.

In the annals of history, it was a time of stirring winds and rising clouds, where heroes lay in wait, and the storm was about to break upon the tower—Chen State's imperial power and noble houses, Ying State's civil and military officials, the Crown Prince's faction and the Second Imperial Prince's faction, the common folk of the Central Plains, the warlords of the grasslands.

In these chaotic times, the various forces and contradictions that had accumulated for a full three hundred years intensified madly in the span of just a few short months, as if a wound had been torn open; countless schemes, both hidden and open, struggles, and grudges took turns playing out.

This also made this era the most beloved by later historians and storytellers.

And made the unofficial histories of this era the finest of all dynasties.

Yet it could not affect the light, clear, transparent sunlight of Jiangnan's winter day.

Li Guanyi quietly held up his tea cup, watching the rippling glint of light inside the cup beneath the sun, while the silver-haired girl was considering how to roast a steamed bun; Yaoguang's own art of deduction was extremely powerful, but it seemed she used strange arts for many things she did.

On simple matters, she instead chose instinct.

In fact, the girl's instinct was terrible; this steamed bun was black and burnt, with cracks appearing on it.

Murong Qiushui, while feeding the silver-haired girl, said:

"Once the New Year passes, it will be the sixteenth year of Tianqi; Linu'er will also be twenty years old. Quite a few officials from the Central Province Ministry of Rites have come, having dug out many invitations and Juan Sect records, saying that a monarch-level coming-of-age ceremony is a grand occasion for universal celebration, and preparations must begin from the start of the year."

"The various expenses are no small sum."

Li Guanyi said: "Don't worry, Auntie." He set down the cup in his hand and smiled: "I already have ideas about where the silver and coin for this place will come from."

Nangong Wumeng grumbled: "As long as you don't ask me to go out for another stroll, that's fine."

General Nangong Wumeng had also reached the peak of the Sixth Heaven.

The speed of her cultivation left Li Guanyi wide-eyed and slack-jawed, but Nangong Wumeng was quite annoyed, saying: you, a divine general who at twenty is already second under heaven, saying that my mere Sixth Heaven cultivation is fast—isn't that a bit too much?

Li Guanyi listened to Nangong Wumeng's words and said: "Around Jiangnan here, you've already wandered about enough anyway. Next time, let's go wander the grasslands together; the grasslands are vast, there must be plenty of good things."

Nangong Wumeng glared at him, but in the end still agreed in a coy, reluctant manner.

"If it's 【together】, then, then together."

"Although I don't really want to go out 【with you】 either, but since you've already said so, cough, after all, you are the lord, and I am merely a roaming cavalry general under your command. If you order me to go, I certainly can't refuse."

Li Guanyi blinked: "Then, General Nangong, please receive your orders."

Nangong Wumeng was puzzled, tilted her head: "Ah?"

Li Guanyi said solemnly: "Please bring me enough gold and silver to keep the entire Tiance Prefecture running for ten years!"

He expected Nangong Wumeng to be angered by this, but instead saw the woman before him look at him with a regretful gaze and say: "Qin Wang, are you alright?"

"Is only enough gold and silver to keep Tiance Prefecture running for ten years really enough?"

Li Guanyi hesitated, then said: "Hmm? Ah? Then what else?"

Nangong Wumeng looked at him encouragingly: "Ask for more!"

Li Guanyi said: "Then, how about, fifteen years?"

Nangong Wumeng held her wine cup, tilted her head back, gulped down a mouthful of wine, and said boldly: "I can find you enough gold to squander for a hundred years!"

Li Guanyi was overjoyed: "Really?!"

Nangong Wumeng breathed out a breath of wine: "I lied!"

Nangong Wumeng laughed, triumphantly: "Since you're already dreaming, why don't you dare to dream a little bigger?! My lord, oh my lord, are you too poor and stingy, not even daring to dream a little bigger!"

Qin Wang: "…………"

Nangong Wumeng, first counter-kill on Qin Wang, success!

Then was pressed down on the head by a large hand.

But was physically suppressed by Qin Wang.

The slightly tipsy General Nangong Wumeng let out a wail; Li Guanyi was helpless. Beside them, the silver-haired girl gripped a straight wooden stick with both hands, forcefully presented this wooden stick to Li Guanyi, her face expressionless, yet with a confident eagerness to try.

Qin Wang pondered, Qin Wang was enlightened.

Then he took from Yaoguang the cracked roasted steamed bun, coated with a layer of honey, and stuffed it into General Nangong Wumeng's mouth to help sober her up. Nangong Wumeng, who had failed after her 'insubordination', hugged Murong Qiushui's waist and tearfully complained.

Li Guanyi lifted his gaze to look at the distant sky, slightly narrowing his eyes.

The day was drawing near.

He went in person to find Master Yan Daiqing to discuss his plans and requests. Master Yan Daiqing was wide-eyed and slack-jawed, and could not help but say: "But, my lord, if such a matter were to spread, your reputation might become even worse."

"The scholars of this age would likely all rise up and attack you together."

"Saying that Your Majesty has fallen into the eye of a coin."

Qin Wang, though lacking in righteousness, was bold in spirit, said: "Ah? Yes!"

"What else then!"

Master Yan Daiqing was choked by such a forthright answer, unable to reply for a moment. Only Fangzi Qiao could not help but laugh. He looked over Li Guanyi's plan and said gently: "My lord's request is actually nothing."

"Because my lord has authority, has power."

"And this time, those who have come at this moment aiming for the 【Qin Wang's Coming-of-Age Grand Ceremony】 are without exception those who hope to use my lord's name to gain reputation and profit—like fat, delicious meat attracting insects; when we make our move, we need not worry."

Yan Daiqing said worriedly: "Will this matter not damage my lord's reputation?"

Yan Daiqing was in charge of logistics and internal affairs, while Fangzi Qiao was the one responsible for the grand strategic direction of the rear. He smiled gently and said: "Daiqing, rest assured, it won't come to that. If one had a nature like Daiqing's—pure and proud—such consequences might indeed follow."

"But truly noble and upright people would not come here at this moment to prepare a coming-of-age ceremony."

Fangzi Qiao smiled lightly:

"Those civil and military high officials in these chaotic times are all clever people; they all know well how to adjust their attitudes according to the rules of this world. When they should remonstrate to the death, they do not remonstrate to the death; when they should lower their stance, they lower it faster than anyone."

"And my lord happens to be the one who sets the rules."

"This game, they are very familiar with."

"However, there are still a few places that are a bit too blunt; I will polish them up for you."

The New Year of the sixteenth year of Tianqi passed.

Central Province City, and the famous scholars of the world, all arrived in Jiangnan one after another. They all felt quite relaxed in their hearts, because this Qin Wang, the monarch who defied tradition, had finally begun to understand the importance of 【ritual】.

From the heroic figure who, a year ago, fired three arrows to settle the world at the founding of the state.

To now, a monarch who, before his coming of age, announced to the world that he would prepare a coming-of-age ceremony—he truly has grown, hasn't he.

The old minister of the Central Province's Ministry of Rites who had been rebutted by Qin Wang, who had been told by Qin Wang, "Then please go die for the realm," and who was also the renowned scholar Qu Hanxiu, wore a look of gratification on his face, as though he had seen a prodigal son, under the guidance of themselves and others, finally see the error of his ways and turn back.

With such an experience, he could go back and write a few family letters.

It would say that His Highness Qin Wang, though born of the common folk, a heroic champion who had fought his way to pacify the four directions, had grown up from childhood in the marketplace, raised by a woman, ignorant of propriety, and unversed in the ways of the sages.

Under his own persuasion, he had at last shown some sign of repentance, willing to follow the rules laid down by generations of ancestors and uphold the rites and laws of this realm.

With this, he too could make his name resound through the ages.

Though this was what he thought, on the surface he said:

"This time, we must make His Highness Qin Wang's capping ceremony a level worthy of being recorded in the great compendium of the Ministry of Rites. Then your names and mine can, through this chance, be passed down to posterity, revered by scholars and literati of every generation."

But when the officials of the various nations' Ministries of Rites arrived in Qin, they discovered the Xindejuan Sect, and saw a plaque at the threshold required for entry into the capping ceremony venue, on which, in bold and vigorous strokes, two lines of large characters were written.

It was Qin Wang's handwriting.

Qu Hanxiu studied it for a moment, then fell silent.

A group of great Confucian scholars and renowned literati were rendered utterly speechless by His Highness Qin Wang's two lines for a good while.

He gazed at those two lines and felt he needed a term with even more killing power than "the collapse of rites and ruin of music."

"Qin Wang's Grand Capping Ceremony"

"Ceremony Attendance Gift-Preparation Counter — each honored guest, only one thousand gold coins!"

?? Begging for monthly tickets, friends~