Chapter 509: Old Friends, Like the Moon, Cannot Be Overtaken

The first thing Qin Wang did after breaking into the Chen Kingdom's capital and imperial palace was to gather and consolidate all kinds of archives and records, protecting every last document; the second was to seek out Chen Kingdom's armory and treasury.

The treasures within, even though Chen Dingye had taken a great portion of them, still left a considerable amount behind; Qin Wang, without the slightest ceremony, swept them all up without hesitation, preparing to take them away as military funds and logistics.

Once the great army sets out, every day that passes represents a day of consumption.

Several hundred thousand men — men eating, horses chewing, logistics transport, weapons damaged, wound medicine consumed.

It is burning grain, burning supplies, burning money.

Everyone in Tiance Prefecture, from top to bottom, could completely understand Master Yan Daiqing's irritability during this period.

Over a year, several hundred days and nights.

Wearing himself to the bone.

Gold and silver accumulated bit by bit, granaries filled mouthful by mouthful.

Like sand piling into a tower, water drops wearing through stone.

And then — whoosh — all spent in an instant.

One day of the army's march consumes what it took ten days, even a dozen-plus days to scrape together; watching the stockpiled supplies vanish at a speed visible to the naked eye, with no way to predict when the war would end.

Anyone in that position would fly into a rage.

Li Guanyi pried open the grain sacks in Chen Kingdom's granary with a small knife, pulled it out, and saw grain pouring forth, falling to the ground; in truth he had been terribly worried that inside those sacks was nothing but gravel.

If that were the case, he would have gone mad — would have dug up those noble ministers whom Chen Dingye had already burned, and burned them a second time!

Now, at last, he could set his mind at ease.

Li Guanyi gazed at this vast store of grain and let out a breath of relief; at least on this point Chen Dingye had not been too ruthless — he had not truly set fire to the city, nor burned Chen Kingdom's capital Jiangzhou's granaries to ash in one blaze.

Qin Wang bent down, pinched a handful of grain, and felt that sense of solid reassurance.

At the very least, the logistical drain brought by this surprise campaign could now be enormously replenished; though the soldiers were weary and the grain consumption could not simply be erased, it had not crippled them either.

If at this moment a conflict arose with the Ying Kingdom, the realm would not be left hollow and powerless to respond.

Steady.

Qin Wang wrote a letter, informing Tiance Prefecture in Jiangnan of the general situation there.

In it he also mentioned the family affairs of Master Yan Daiqing, Ye Buyi, Zhou Liuying, and others; Ye Zhongdao and Zhou Xianping were the only great generals remaining in Chen Kingdom — these two led their troops across the battlefield of Xiyicheng, loyal to Chen Kingdom to the bone.

Yan Daiqing's father, though he had lived simply, had also gone along with the great army.

At the letter's end he mentioned this haul of supplies, then added that he hoped they could make use of Jiangnan's position as a waterway hub, and see if anyone was willing to buy the captured dragon throne of Chen Kingdom.

Ninety-nine percent brand-new.

Personally taken by Qin Wang himself. Guaranteed authentic.

Price is negotiable.

Will accept small knives.

General Yue Qianfeng nearly laughed until he spat blood.

In fact his wound really was spurting blood from his wild laughter, but he paid it no heed — eyes laughing out tears, wound spurting blood — he slapped Li Guanyi's shoulder and said that under heaven no one would dare take the dragon throne of a fallen king.

Let alone buy it from the conqueror who had stormed in.

Tired of living?

"Otherwise, Your Majesty, you'd better just melt the thing down."

After pondering for a long while, Li Guanyi made a new choice; he said: "If we melt it down, that really would be too much of a pity." When Qin Wang spoke these words, his palm rested upon the dragon throne, and just as those around him thought that His Majesty Qin Wang too was about to sit upon the dragon throne—

Li Guanyi said: "Ship it back. Prepare a courtyard to house it."

"Open it up for the common folk to see."

Yue Qianfeng, who had been laughing uproariously, cut off short: "Huh?!?!"

Qin Wang's eyes shone bright as crystal; counting on his fingers he said: "If we melt it down, it's just gold of not-very-high purity. Of course gold is valuable, but gold is only a one-time transaction."

"This thing here is a dragon throne!"

"A symbol of imperial authority, the embodiment of a hegemon — something generations of ambitious heroes would have given anything to possess. Whether from a historical standpoint, or any other, or a cultural one, melting it down would be far too much of a pity. How could we possibly melt it down?"

"Brother Yue, you really are a rough sort!"

Yue Qianfeng went blank, a carrot-thick finger pointing at himself: "Huh??"

His Majesty Qin Wang was utterly self-righteous, but in his eyes practically shone a golden light; without a doubt, even Duan Qingyu understood exactly what that line of text written in the depths of His Majesty Qin Wang's eyes read—

"What a loss that would be!"

Sure enough, after that string of mutually admiring, highly respectful qualifiers, His Majesty Qin Wang shifted his tone and said: "Ten wen per visit to see the dragon throne! Isn't that perfectly reasonable?!"

Yue Qianfeng: "…………"

Duan Qingyu: "…………"

Qin Wang's eyes shone bright as crystal, his abacus clicking away merrily: "It can pass down culture, we can explain the materials, we can charge admission, we can keep charging admission, and during festivals we can waive the fee."

"And the gold is still there."

The corner of Yue Qianfeng's mouth twitched, and at last he burst out laughing again — laughing until his stomach nearly ached him to the ground; that little rascal from seven years ago, in a broken temple on a rainy night, who had even melted down the one tael of gold hidden inside the scabbard of the Ye Chi cavalry's saber.

And now, a hero sweeping across the Central Plains — still the very same.

No — even poorer, even more cunning!

Yue Qianfeng laughed without stopping.

Duan Qingyu thought it over, then sighed:

"Still, for a dragon throne, isn't ten wen a bit cheap?"

He had wanted to say that ten wen wasn't much money, but Qin Wang thought it over and replied: "Indeed so. Just one dragon throne alone really isn't enough. How about this — one day, we'll put Ying Kingdom's dragon throne alongside it."

His offhand words seemed like the low hum of a sharp blade.

That aura of killing intent and biting cold, the resolve of a sovereign, all poured forth.

Duan Qingyu's pupils contracted sharply; Yue Qianfeng's great laughter vanished. He looked at the young sovereign, and Qin Wang said: "Set the dragon thrones of Chen Kingdom and Ying Kingdom side by side — the blades, the seals, the marks of three hundred years of chaos — and prove their end with ten wen."

"Do you two think this price is acceptable?"

"Ten cash for a meal, a bowl of porridge, one egg."

"A bowl of tea."

"Two dragon thrones, three hundred years of chaos."

General Yue Qianfeng and Duan Qingyu's expressions grew solemn; they finally lowered their heads, pressed their lips shut, and said: "Then, best so..."

Qin Wang burst into loud laughter.

Emperor Chen Dingye executed numerous officials, yet Jiangzhou City still held countless mid- and low-level bureaucrats. After the high-ranking officials vanished, these men emerged, dressed in court robes, and came respectfully to pay homage to Qin Wang.

Chen Dingye's actions and conduct baffled Li Guanyi.

Chen Dingye slaughtered most high officials and wiped out powerful clans, yet left behind countless mid- and low-level bureaucrats, forcing them to witness—or at least indirectly observe—Emperor Chen's massacre of officials and his intent to burn the city.

This ensured Qin Wang's reputation remained spotless; no one accused him of personally setting fire to the city.

These officials declared they wished to present Qin Wang with tribute, claiming Emperor Chen was foolish and tyrannical, that both people and officials had suffered under his rule, and that heaven had sent a sage—Qin Wang raised his army, purged all evil, and arrived in Jiangzhou City, where officials came forth to welcome him.

Qin Wang merely said: "Since he was unjust, then before this—"

"Where are you all?"

Just these words silenced the officials completely.

The officials bowed again, pleading for Qin Wang to take residence in the Chen imperial palace, promising they would maintain order in Jiangzhou City. Upon hearing this, Qin Wang laughed loudly and said: "You are all Chen officials, yet you wish to wield power under me?"

"Yet look at this palace—vast, majestic, sprawling. The Chen dynasty's great age perished because of it."

"Do you intend to harm me?"

The officials' faces flushed crimson; for a moment, they could not fathom what Qin Wang meant. Was this grandeur, this majestic palace, referring literally to the building—or to them?

Their hidden dread had reached a breaking point.

Even this act of joyfully welcoming the royal army meant nothing to His Majesty. They had assumed that aligning themselves would earn favor—but Qin Wang cared nothing for their choice.

For days on end, they trembled, uncertain how Qin Wang would deal with them.

One among them remained calm, muttering to himself: "We are not men like Feng Yuning or Wu Yun, corrupt officials clad in crimson robes dyed in the people's blood. We wear only blue and green. After years of training, we possess real ability."

"If Qin Wang employs us, we shall serve diligently, contributing to the realm."

"If Qin Wang rejects us, can our talents not find refuge elsewhere? We may simply go to private academies and become teachers, instructing children to read and write—is that not a life well spent?"

He spoke with natural composure, yet others seethed in anger, gritting their teeth:

"We feared driving out wolves, only to invite tigers."

"Qin Wang, Qin Wang—he's merely a vagrant. His father, Tai Ping Gong, had prestige, but he himself rose from the marketplace. Uneducated, he's likely no different from his peasant ancestors."

"Such a man ascending to power may not be a blessing..."

As his voice fell, the younger officials around him changed expression instantly—as if ink-mechanism springs had been planted beneath their seats—leaping up, instantly distancing themselves by at least three zhang.

In an instant, a wide circle cleared around the young scholar.

Haa!!!

Terrifying!

Don't die and drag us down with you!

The young man froze, then realized what his words implied. His face turned purple with rage. An elder rose, strode forward, and slapped him hard—so forcefully the youth spun several times before collapsing onto his seat.

His eyes widened in shock, staring blankly ahead at his teacher.

"Teacher?"

The elder slammed his cane down, roaring: "Rebellious disciple! Wretch!"

"What blasphemous nonsense are you spouting?!"

"You are not my student. I have no right to take such a brilliant mind who critiques the times as my disciple!"

"Qin Wang is the one destined by heaven. Heaven said: every eight hundred years, a sage appears—his eyes full of mercy, for all living beings."

"He does not lust for beauty, nor crave gold or silver."

"He holds his sword only to save the people—that is Qin Wang. Now, the great Qin Wang has arrived in Jiangzhou City. Even if we lack the fortune to die for him, we must rise in this world and proclaim his grace."

"How dare you speak such reckless words?!"

The young man sat stunned, recalling how this elder had once raged when Qin Wang left Jiangzhou City—writing memorials to impeach Chancellor Xue Daoyong—and how, when Qin Wang reached the south, he called the boy a heavenly calamity destined to bring disaster.

When Qin Wang was fully enfeoffed, he called him merely a temporary warlord.

When General Yue Qianfeng launched his five-pronged army, he called him a once-in-a-generation genius who had come to the Central Plains.

This elder appeared simple and upright—but his words shifted so easily.

All fell silent. They feared. They trembled, worried how Qin Wang would treat them. Li Guanyi himself felt a slight headache. Not all these men deserved death; in a vast kingdom, even in the capital, there were many capable officials.

But their character was another matter.

The entire Chen court's atmosphere, the moral decay of the younger officials—all had been utterly corrupted by Dan Tai Xianming. To pick capable men from them was like digging gold from dung.

Better to consider how to extract hidden secrets from them.

But Li Guanyi was not skilled in such matters.

Fortunately, someone who was.

After days of waiting, the officials received a summons. Trembling, they entered the palace—but did not see Qin Wang. Instead, they met a young man, around thirty, plain-faced, gentle, sincere, harmless.

"Gentlemen, do not panic."

"Qin Wang holds you in high regard. Your affairs will be handled by me."

The officials exhaled in relief.

Yet they feared—if it were Yan Daiqing from the west, or Wen Qingyu from the southwest? Both were Qin Wang's infamous strategists, known for cunning and cruelty!

"May I ask, sir, what is your name?"

The gentle, plain young man said:

"I am—"

"Wen He."

Wen He… not Wen Qingyu, not Yan Daiqing.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, exchanged glances, and felt safe at the bottom of their hearts. They felt that this young man before them looked, at first glance, simple and harmless, without any real ability. This time, they were certain of victory!

The more they looked, the more they felt this young man was plain and honest, the more they felt he was sincere and harmless.

Wen He smiled slightly as he spoke with them, chatting cheerfully and amiably, but in the depths of Yue Qianfeng's and Duan Qingyu's eyes, there was a faint, unceasing tremor.

Mr. Wen He's performance was no different from usual.

Only this time—

He had used his real name.

One of the officials, chatting and laughing, felt that he was already safe, so he gradually relaxed and asked curiously: "May I ask where Your Majesty is?"

Wen He smiled slightly and said: "Your Majesty, you ask…"

His gaze looked out the window, watching the trees swaying in the wind, the rustle of leaves desolate, and said: "Your Majesty has gone to visit an old friend."

……………………

The sound of hooves was crisp, passing over the bluestone-paved road. The wind of Jiangzhou was as it had always been. The young monarch had changed into a set of everyday clothes, a blue robe with a jade belt, his hair bound up with a jade hairpin, riding alone on an ordinary horse, galloping through this street.

He passed by the tavern where he had drunk with Ye Buyi and the others.

He passed by the place where he had fought with Yan Daiqing, passed by the ancient path where Li Zhaowen had pulled his hand and run that day. This old bridge was as it had always been. In a daze, one could still see, from seven years ago, the great ship sailing slowly across the water's surface, and the lame old man standing on the deck, looking like a wealthy merchant.

In his ears, it seemed he could once again hear that bold, hearty laughter.

Li Guanyi reined in his horse to a stop, watched the river flow surging, never ceasing, then urged his mount onward, all the way to the Daoist temple in the city. At the entrance of the Daoist temple, he dismounted and tied the horse to one side.

The current Jiangzhou City had undergone great changes. Although it had the name and reputation of the Qin Wang, the people's hearts had not fallen into great chaos. The brief disturbances that had appeared, as well as those who wished to take advantage of the troubled times to stir up the situation and gain profit and benefit, had all been dealt with by Yue Qianfeng.

Even back in those days, Yue Qianfeng had been incompetent as a bandit.

But he had still mixed his way along this road.

Order, livelihood, laws.

A vast great city cannot be completely controlled in a short time. Now the streets could not be compared to the prosperity of the past; even this Daoist temple in the city was unusually desolate, with few visitors.

Another young Daoist Priest came out to greet him, respectfully saying: "May I ask if this gentleman has an old acquaintance here?"

Li Guanyi took out a Daoist ordination certificate and handed it over, saying: "I am an apothecary. My master once stayed here, so I wished to come in and look around again."

The young Daoist Priest was surprised, saying: "So it is a Daoist brother, please come in quickly."

He stepped aside to let the young man pass. Li Guanyi paced through this Daoist temple; the scenes of the past were as if before his eyes. It was here, in this Daoist temple, that he had paid respects to the Old Ancestor and learned the Fire Qilin Palace Grand Array.

It was also here that the Old Ancestor completed that earth-shattering scheme.

The foremost master of the Calculation Classics of this era, within this one occasion, shifted the threads of fate, helped them complete their stratagem, and then successfully departed. In this instance, Chen Wenmian, Yue Qianfeng, Yue Pengwu, Fire Qilin, and Li Guanyi all withdrew unscathed.

Only the old Daoist remained, in the past.

Quietly watching these young flames rush toward the heavens and the four corners of the world.

The young Daoist Priest led Li Guanyi forward, his brows carrying a smile, lively and animated, saying that this Daoist temple had quite a reputation. Back in the day it had actually been a Buddhist temple, but later when the Regent King abolished Buddhism, the monks here all ran away, and at that time the Daoist Priests rebuilt this temple.

Slowly, the incense and offerings grew more numerous, and this place became a rather famous scenic spot in Jiangzhou City. In the past there had been a blind old Daoist Priest here who told fortunes for people, and he was quite accurate, but no one knew when he left.

But the affairs of this world, coming and going, gathering and scattering, are all commonplace.

"Ah, Master!!"

The young Daoist Priest suddenly called out and ran over quickly. Li Guanyi stopped and saw a young Daoist Master of about twenty years old standing there, with a clear, light bearing, gentle brows, a single clean Daoist robe, holding a horsetail whisk.

Only when he looked at the gentleman before him did he pause slightly, stunned.

The young Daoist Master was silent for a long while, then cupped his hands and said softly:

"This poor Daoist, Zhuiyue, greets the gentleman."

Seven years ago, this young Daoist Priest had been the one Li Guanyi was most familiar with. When the Living Buddha came that day, it was the young Daoist Priest Zhuiyue who had led him all the way inside. Now it seemed that the young Daoist Priest who still had baby fat back then had already become a Daoist Master.

Li Guanyi said: "Daoist Master, it truly has been a long time."

Zhuiyue said: "Indeed…"

He patted his disciple's head, told him to leave first, then personally led the Qin Wang forward to look at this place. So many years had passed, yet this Daoist temple had not undergone any particularly great changes; it remained as it had always been.

Li Guanyi was led forward, arriving at the back mountain behind the Daoist temple, where there was a small cool pavilion, and behind it many graves. Zhuiyue raised his hand and pointed at the cluster of graves ahead, saying: "…The Old Ancestor is buried here."

Li Guanyi gave a soft "Mm."

He looked among those graves. As a disciple, he wished to find the Old Ancestor, but each grave was only a mound of earth and a stone tablet, with not a single character inscribed. Daoist disciples return to the heavens and earth; past causes and consequences are not to be mentioned.

From this point onward, all is severed—no coming, no going.

Even though he was one of the twenty-four Libationers of the Daoist Gate of the Academy, after life and death, there was only an uninscribed stele.

But Li Guanyi was, after all, a top-tier martial artist of this era. His qi senses connected, and he found Zu Wenyuan's grave. Li Guanyi paid respects at the grave with the etiquette of a disciple, without any so-called royal dignity.

Only after paying respects at the grave did he pause slightly, stunned. Before him was a small mound of earth. Li Guanyi, curious, reached out and touched it. Inside the mound was a piece of wood, and on the wood were carved two lines of characters.

【You came rather early, yet you did not find the wrong person】

【Kid Li, you did not slack off】

It is always said that seeing the writing is like seeing the person, but the truth of these four characters, Li Guanyi only now understood.

Li Guanyi stood stunned, looking at the familiar strokes, as if he could still see that gentle, elegant old man, and could still hear the old man's teasing voice. This parting of life and death, the scenes of the past, seemed in an instant no longer to stand between them.

The Daoist Gate is carefree; the elder has seen through it all.

Li Guanyi suddenly could not help but laugh out loud.

"Hahahaha, Old Ancestor, Old Ancestor."

"Did you calculate even this? Or was it simply a simple trick—did you truly believe, just like that, that I could come back again? Old Ancestor, Old Ancestor…"

Li Guanyi's smile gradually faded, and he sat there.

The Qin Wang said softly:

"I, we."

"Did we not fail the choice you made back then?"

Li Guanyi laughed softly, though his answer was destined to go unanswered. That question would stay in his heart, circling and echoing through the rest of his days. He gazed at this place of old memories, knowing he still had to leave in the end.

Only when he came down, passing by a side hall, he saw an elderly Daoist Priest frowning inside, while a boy of only twelve or thirteen in front of him was shamelessly pestering the Daoist Priest, insisting on taking him as his master, and simply dropped to his knees with a thud.

At this very moment, just like back then, when Qin Wang passed by and saw this scene, the elderly Daoist Priest raised his head to look—and it was the very same Daoist Priest who had once ridden like mad on horseback to deliver Elder Zu's gift to him.

Back then he had been young; now there were streaks of white at his temples.

That Daoist Priest froze for a moment, his pupils contracting.

Qin Wang gave a slight nod—just that single courtesy.

They parted ways there. It seemed the Daoist temple was not allowing visitors inside today. Someone, seeing Li Guanyi walk out, was quite indignant and shouted: "How could he get in? What, does the Daoist Priest also distinguish between high and low, judging by one's innate talent for the Dao?"

Li Guanyi only smiled without answering, no longer responding. He walked into the distance, then suddenly murmured to himself:

"Slain a million foes beneath the sky, the blood still fresh upon the sword at my side."

"The mountain monk knows not the hero lord, but prattles on, asking only for his name!"

Zhuiyue the Daoist Priest was puzzled: "These verses are quite grand in spirit, yet they don't suit the occasion."

Li Guanyi said: "This is something I, when I was… wandering, right, when I was with the Wandering Legion, met a monk-beggar who recited a poem, and I remembered it."

"Hahaha, I've long wanted to recite it once more."

Zhuiyue was dumbstruck.

Li Guanyi burst out laughing, had already swung himself onto his horse, uttered a farewell, and departed at his ease. The transmission of news in this era was not swift; some messages took months to spread.

But the matter of Qin Wang's campaign against Chen was simply too great.

So great that the spread of the news nearly reached the limits of what this era could manage.

After several days' time, it finally still spread across the realm.

All under heaven came to know.

And Qin Wang's capping ceremony had also arrived.

?? Begging for monthly votes, friends~