[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-peace-decree":3,"chapter-the-peace-decree-the-peace-decree-chapter-582":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Peace Decree",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2328757,4553,"Chapter 582: Epilogue · The Fated Pact (I)","the-peace-decree-chapter-582",582,"\u003Cp>Epilogue · The Fated Pact (I)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hoist the sails!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the eastern seas of Great Qin, amid loud shouts, the anchor of a large fishing vessel was retracted; shirtless men strained with rhythmic cries as the boat cut through the water, spraying a burst of mist, the fresh stench of fish still clinging to the air, slapping against faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The morning light over the summer port shimmered with ten thousand sounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scraping of oyster shells on stone, the thudding of fresh tung oil being brushed onto hulls, the clicking of abacus beads in a pawnshop clerk’s hands. Boys in summer linen tunics carried whole oyster shells past; the scent of newly baked sesame cakes mingled with the sea mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The glory of an age of peace was already evident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The summer of Tai Ping Year One of Great Qin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trade routes across the land had opened, and the Mohists had improved ship designs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seafaring had grown ever more prosperous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At one stall, a sturdy woman with strong arms spread a batter of oyster, egg, and flour onto a searing-hot iron plate—a coastal specialty, hearty and filling—and today, seated at the roadside stall was a man from the Central Plains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting beside the canvas-covered stall, he spoke fluently, recounting strange tales and anecdotes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large crowd had gathered around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man told stories well, but asked for no silver or coin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only food and drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Great Qin was at peace, if he asked for money, people might suspect a fraudster; but asking for food? Even if he didn’t tell stories, they’d still slip him a steamed bun—enough to fill the belly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this old man told stories beautifully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With just his tongue, he could swindle meals and drinks across the five lakes and four seas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, no.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He exchanged poetry and prose for wine money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stall owner suppressed his private thoughts and brought the old man a plate of the snack, along with a small dish of dipping sauce, as the man in blue robes spoke with flowing eloquence:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know how grand the Emperor’s wedding to the Empress was? All ministers donned court robes, palace ladies held phoenix fans and ornate canopies to lead the way. The Empress’s palanquin was adorned with nine dragons and nine phoenixes, jeweled curtains hanging low, a thousand palace lanterns glowing as bright as daylight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Drums and flutes sounded in unison, their music echoing through the nine heavens. The people lined the streets, burning incense and chanting ‘Ten Thousand Years!’—their clamor reaching even the ears of Heaven.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehe, that day, the Emperor arrived riding a dragon—it was truly…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he cited classics as if he had witnessed it all himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The common folk merely enjoyed the spectacle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But behind them, a man wearing a conical hat, fishing, sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could the Emperor of Qin afford such extravagance?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An old man beside him, selling turtles in a bamboo basket, twitched his lips:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Show some restraint. Don’t go spreading nonsense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fisherman sneered: “Do I need to say it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who in the Qilin Army doesn’t know how their general and the Emperor behave?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He added finally: “Don’t worry—they can’t hear us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, though the storyteller was surrounded by a crowd, passersby acted as if they saw neither the fisherman nor the turtle seller, though they stood mere feet apart—as if they existed in separate worlds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All listened as the old man recounted tales from distant lands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if the two men nearby were in another realm entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the fisherman heard the storyteller describe the Emperor and Empress’s wedding, his temples throbbed; unconsciously, his fishing rod trembled, sending ripples across the sea, scaring away the fish he was about to catch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man beside him: “…………”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old turtle in the basket: “…………”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fisherman glanced at the fish that had flicked its tail and swum away, and said casually:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tu Shengyuan’s mouth is still too loose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man and the turtle exchanged glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mohist wanderers, Confucian scholars, and traveling merchants had brought news from all corners of the land—but this man had also claimed that Mohist scholars were now building steel ships. Fishermen by the shore didn’t believe it; wood floated, wasn’t that common sense?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Iron lumps sank the moment they hit water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Build ships out of it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tsk, tsk, tsk—these traveling merchants and academy scholars, though they made life easier, also spread rumors everywhere, no one knew what was true or false.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boat captain smoked two puffs of southern dry tobacco.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Time to set sail.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd dispersed, each returning to their tasks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The storyteller shook his wine flask, still damp with the sea’s fishy breeze, slightly drunk, when he felt a tug at his sleeve. He looked down to see a child of about ten, who asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grandpa, I heard emperors have three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two concubines.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that true?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Emperor of Qin is even greater than the Red Emperor—he must have even more, even more!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fisherman froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his back to the storyteller and the fishermen, his ears pricked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Former Chief Guest of the First Tower, Tu Shengyuan, laughed heartily: “The Emperor of Qin rose from obscurity, dominating the four seas—he has many beloved companions who shared his life and death. But seventy-two concubines? That’s pure rumor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not to mention one woman who’s known him since youth, never left his side—even as they traveled the world. Her father? A rare master of the martial world, the youngest martial legend of the previous generation, and the undisputed master of formation arts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has a heart smaller than his asshole!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fisherman: “…………”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His temples bulged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drunk, Tu Shengyuan slurred: “Back then, he drugged her to conceive this girl.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After she gave birth, he was too afraid to face the child, so he ran off to fish in the Eastern Sea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stayed away for over a decade.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never asked after her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man beside the fisherman twitched his cheek, grabbed the turtle, shoved it forward as a shield, then shoved off with his buttocks, rocketing several zhang sideways—his rear nearly sparking with friction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the drunken storyteller, then at the fisherman, head bowed, dark aura swirling above him, then back at the storyteller.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white-haired elder and the turtle both sucked in a sharp breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tu Shengyuan, you idiot!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t die and splatter me with blood!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as the fisherman slowly rose, the First Tower guest tipped back his wine, belched, and said: “Can you imagine having such an irresponsible father?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though he’s irresponsible, he truly dotes on his only daughter. The companions who’ve walked with him through life and death? Fine. But if he truly chased after beauties everywhere, this fisherman would pick up his rod and storm the Forbidden Palace of Great Qin!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fisherman’s urge to hurl this man into the shark-infested sea slowly faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout, he retained the calm dignity of a martial legend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The serene detachment of one who walks among the myriad illusions of the mortal world, looking down upon all living things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All is under my control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until the biggest mouth in the world, Tu Shengyuan, drained his last sip and said: “But this guy’s just as unreliable—he didn’t even know his own daughter was to marry the Emperor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Envoys went to find their old home—couldn’t find a trace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fisherman’s expression slowly hardened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh????\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Set sail!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Set sail!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this summer day, another large vessel prepared to depart; the strong men shouted in unison, waves churning, all peaceful—until suddenly, a thunderous crash rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if the fishing rod had slammed into the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across the vast ocean, waves split and shattered, instantly collapsing into a trench miles long; water surged downward with a roar like thunder, forming a waterfall that seemed to tear open the sea itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A whale was yanked skyward by the immense force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Invisible qi transformed into a fishing line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whale soared dozens of zhang into the air, casting a massive shadow; the people along the Eastern Sea had never seen such a sight—they froze, pale-faced, eyes glazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Celestial Arbiter and the Black Tortoise screamed together: “F***!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell are you doing, fisherman?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi surged violently; the man in the conical hat stepped through empty air, flicked his sleeve—and the colossal whale, impossibly heavy, flew far away, crashing down with a thunderous splash that sent waves rolling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a gesture—opening the sea with a flick, snatching a giant whale from the air—was the work of a celestial immortal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whale fell into the sea, sending up a mist of water and wind that mingled like a cloud-sea crashing to earth. Though no one was hurt, many gasped or cried out instinctively, turning their eyes toward the man hovering above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wind and mist, like a cloud-sea, tore the fisherman’s conical hat from his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silver hair fell free, his features noble and striking, like a celestial being.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his face bore the expression of a man who’d overslept and missed a catastrophe—five thunderbolts had struck him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yaoguang… my daughter… getting married?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh no, oh no, oh no!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I missed it again!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, the fisherman activated the martial legend’s divine art, stepping on empty air, leaving silver ripples that formed a formation, lifting his figure like lightning toward the Jiangnan direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tu Shengyuan sat there, raised his hand, and wiped seawater from his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The alcohol had fully worn off; he murmured: “...Close call. Why is this Array Chief here in the Eastern Sea? Why does everything like this keep landing on me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But at least, since he cares about this matter, he probably won’t bother looking for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After all, he’s a peak of the martial world, a legend of the Dao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s come to this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take a sip of wine first to steady your nerves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tu Shengyuan reached for the wine, but suddenly his waist tightened—he froze, then slowly lowered his gaze, inch by inch, to see a visible silver thread bound tightly around his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silver thread looked like a strip of starlight cut free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It shimmered with radiance, yet was incredibly resilient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tu Shengyuan’s lips twitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Damn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guy was born a beggar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Revenge never waits till tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splash—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed to hear a deafening roar; the next instant, his vision blurred, and the silver thread yanked him away—he knew not where. Wind howled and slammed into his face, his beard whipping wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he saw another old man ahead, dressed exactly like himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t that Master Siming?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you well, sir?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Siming and the Old Black Tortoise were bound together; at this, they rolled their eyes: “Do I look well?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was about to say more, but his expression froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shit! There’s a flock of birds ahead! Fisherman, slow down!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Whale Fisher paid no heed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His speed kept increasing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smashed through everything in his path, using the power of a martial legend to fly back to the Southern Imperial Palace in the shortest time possible, then landed without care for anything else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Yue Qianfeng, guarding the palace, tried to stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Whale Fisher slapped him flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was no longer a chaotic age of warring states; there were no great armies. Even a Grand Master was no match for a martial legend—he barely avoided having Yue Qianfeng’s armor ripped apart by a single blow. The general crashed to the ground. The Whale Fisher ignored the two staggering, dizzy men and the tortoise behind him, and strode forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ahead stood an old man, already dressed in full ceremonial robes, waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Hanwen bowed: “Master Array Chief has arrived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Whale Fisher had rushed back in a frenzy, his heart burning; he glanced around, eyebrows raised: “Wasn’t this supposed to be a grand wedding?! Why is everything so plain today?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, then roared: “What’s going on?!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What does that brat intend?! Does he think my daughter’s wedding is less important than that Xue family girl’s?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Hanwen’s expression didn’t change:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His Majesty would never do such a thing. It was Her Majesty’s own decision.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Whale Fisher frowned: “What?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where is Li Guanyi?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His Majesty and Her Majesty are both absent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Hanwen pulled out a letter and handed it to the Whale Fisher, speaking gently:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the letter Her Majesty prepared for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao Guang’s letter quelled the Whale Fisher’s rage. He snatched the scroll, unrolled it, and froze—on the paper was only one character:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“【Fool】.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak—creak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The carriage rolled across the land. Though it was summer, the fire kirin had absorbed the heat, leaving the temperature perfectly comfortable. The silver-haired girl sat quietly reading, then pulled her attention from the scroll when she sensed her letter had been opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside her sat the Qin Emperor, dressed as a wandering swordsman, cross-legged, one hand propping his chin, yawning. Before leaving, he’d rushed through piles of delayed state affairs with his ministers—only then could he depart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are we going?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silver-haired girl’s eyes remained as calm as ever. Li Guanyi said: “Would you like to visit the secret place of the Star Gazing Lineage?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silver-haired girl nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her tone held no ripple or fluctuation: “I don’t like crowds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I want to go back and see my master and mistress.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silver-haired girl picked up a sack. Her face showed no expression, yet there was a gleam of anticipation: “I’ve prepared the rations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When opened, it contained an entire bundle of steamed buns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fire kirin let out a pained whine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guanyi’s brow twitched. The silver-haired girl closed the sack and looked at the young man beside her. As he turned his head, a fingertip gently poked his cheek. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting soft golden shadows on her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl’s eyes were clear and luminous, just as they had been years ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qin Emperor saw a sense of peace and quiet joy radiating from Yao Guang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Yao Guang’s face, as calm as a seventeen-year-old girl’s, emotion was faint. She thought carefully, then asked, without expression or inflection, yet with solemnity: “According to Central Plains custom, is this considered a ‘return to the bride’s family’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guanyi paused, then laughed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Technically, no—we haven’t had the wedding ceremony yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if you say it is, then it is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, should I bring gifts when we visit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silver-haired girl’s eyes remained calm. The wandering swordsman beside her smiled. On her lap lay a scroll, closed, its surface inscribed in ink:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Yao Yu’er and Li Ni’er’s Travel Log】.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next act begins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>??Let’s get to work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>?Powering on, typing—Happy New Year, everyone~\u003C\u002Fp>",2459,"2026-06-20T19:20:36.387Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d443d143237c98bdee8037ab4b9a538fdcd09a78d3dcbdcdea563e27fa1f34db","the-peace-decree-chapter-583","the-peace-decree-chapter-581",593,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-peace-decree-cover.jpg"]