Chapter 468: Imperial Edict

Pan Yun said: "My desires are small and proper—I don't seize others' interests through underhanded means. But you're different. Your five desires burn fiercely, and the Heavenly Dao grants people only a fixed measure. When that fixed measure can't satisfy you, you seize others' things; and when your ability isn't enough to win things openly and honorably, you can only seize them through underhanded means."

"When people like you in the world grow numerous, chaos follows. Someone like me—greatly good!"

Wang Zhen, seeing her speak so glibly and self-righteously, couldn't help but sneer: "You do think rather highly of yourself."

Pan Yun: "Just seeking truth from facts."

The two parted on bad terms again, as if a solid wall had risen between them, neither speaking another word to the person opposite.

But after this bout of sparring, dawn was nearly here. Time had passed rather quickly—only her stomach had grown even hungrier.

Pan Yun's mouth began to water. She closed her eyes; there really was no primal energy in her body to draw upon. She could only empty her thoughts and begin weighing the matter in her heart.

If she took the steamed bun out now to ease her hunger, one bite might upset her stomach;

If she kept enduring and didn't eat, she wouldn't starve to death, but she'd certainly be miserable. The benefit was that after this, her fasting achievement could be extended—in the future, as long as she had primal energy, going hungry for three to five months shouldn't be a problem.

After all, there aren't many people who can still go hungry after a great battle.

While she was weighing her options, before she could make a decision, footsteps approached.

She opened her eyes and saw a group of people stop before her cell door. With a few clinks and clatters, the cell door opened, and Cao Jixiang walked in head-down, holding an imperial edict.

The figures before Pan Yun's eyes had all gone blurry; she focused for two breaths before she could see people clearly. She slowly rose from the bed, stood with hands clasped: "An imperial edict?"

Cao Jixiang saw that her condition wasn't great—her face was pale—and assumed she'd been injured during yesterday's fight with the eagle. He hurriedly said: "Pan Yun, this is His Majesty's edict. Why don't you kneel at once to receive it?"

Pan Yun tilted her head, using her brain—grown sluggish from lack of sugar—to think: does a Daoist Priest have to kneel too?

Before she could figure it out, she saw Cao Jixiang glaring at her. Pan Yun's rebellious streak flared, and she widened her eyes and glared right back. No kneeling: "I'm one who has left the household—one who has left the household stands outside the mortal world. Apart from Heaven and Earth, I kneel to no one."

Cao Jixiang: "…This is your sovereign-father! Even your Second Senior Brother would kneel before him."

"Second Senior Brother is different from us. He's in the midst of the mortal world—unclean."

Cao Jixiang: What nonsense is this?

But seeing Pan Yun's body sway twice, he couldn't be bothered to quibble. He hurriedly unrolled the edict and read: "By Heaven's mandate, the Emperor decrees: I have heard that the cycle of the Heavenly Dao and a heart of benevolence widely embracing all are the cornerstones of a well-governed realm…"

Pan Yun's ears were buzzing; her gaze was nearly unfocused.

Finally, amid the long-winded text, she caught the key information: "…Pan Yun has always harbored a compassionate heart, and at the time of the incident was still young and unable to decide for herself. Now she has learned Gao Chao's Daoist arts and has long performed acts of chivalry."

Pan Yun nodded slightly. That's right—that's her!

"Now Mu Xi of the Duke of Qian's mansion in Yunnan has fallen gravely ill. Famous physicians have been sought far and wide without cure; his condition worsens daily, concerning the stability of the borderlands and the hearts of the people. Mindful that Pan Yun comes from the Three Pure Ones Daoist Medical lineage and possesses superb medical skill, I hereby pardon her past offenses, release her at once, and entrust her with an important task—ordering her to depart immediately for Yunnan to carefully diagnose and treat Mu Xi.

"This journey is not merely for the health of one Mu Xi, but for the great cause of the nation's stability and the welfare of the people…"

Daoist medical?

Pan Yun couldn't help raising her head, casting a quick glance at Cao Jixiang, inwardly scoffing at the Emperor's self-deception.

Still, some things truly couldn't be said openly.

Mu Xi had been infested with corpse worms for many days, but the memorial to the imperial court had always reported it as illness.

The important civil and military officials at court all knew he'd been parasitized by corpse worms on the battlefield, but when reporting they still avoided mentioning it.

One can see that some things cannot be said openly.

"With this edict issued, it takes effect immediately. Respect this!" Cao Jixiang finished reading at speed, swiftly rolled up the edict and stuffed it into Pan Yun's arms, waved his hand: "Someone, carry Pan Yun out."

Pan Yun slowly raised both arms. The two eunuchs behind Cao Jixiang paused in silence, then stepped forward, grabbed her arms, and began carrying her out.

Pan Yun bent her legs slightly, comfortably letting herself be carried out. Moreover, she turned her head and flashed Wang Zhen a triumphant smile.

Wang Zhen: …

Cao Jixiang seemed not to see Wang Zhen at all. With the edict read, he turned and left. Wang Zhen didn't call out to him, nor did he say a single word to Cao Jixiang.

The two had long shown signs of rivalry; from the moment Cao Jixiang was taken to the Eastern Depot, they had been enemies.

Now seeing that he treated Pan Yun with much favor, Wang Zhen was further confirmed in his own thoughts.

He was just like those at court who'd brought him down—wanting to climb up by trampling over his corpse.

Pan Yun was carried all the way out of the Imperial Prison. Before she'd even been carried past the gate, sunlight bathed her.

The gentle morning sunlight shone straight onto her face. She closed her eyes slightly, and only opened them after adjusting to the brightness.

The moment she opened her eyes, a large face filled her vision.

Pan Yun's feet touched the ground. With a slight twist she broke free from the two eunuchs, then slapped her hand onto the large face and pushed it aside. "Stop staring. I'm not dead, but I'm about to starve to death. Got anything to eat?"

"Yes!" Wang Cong immediately took out the bamboo tube he'd been holding in his arms, opened it for her: "Millet porridge I simmered last night. Simmered all night, ladled out at first light, and carried here—the temperature is just right."

Pan Yun took it.

The millet porridge had been simmered until the grains had bloomed; the rice fragrance rushed to her nose, the bamboo tube was warm. Pan Yun tilted her head back and drank straight away.

!. Read

The moment the porridge touched her throat, tears nearly came to her eyes. This was the most delicious millet porridge she'd ever eaten in her life.

The millet porridge traveled down her esophagus to her stomach. The stomach, silent for so long and protesting with tight contractions, was instantly soothed.

The porridge was transformed by the stomach into vital essence, beginning to replenish her limbs and bones…

Pan Yun swallowed in small mouthfuls, finishing the bamboo tube of porridge unhurriedly. Only then did the blurry figures before her eyes solidify, and she finally saw clearly that, apart from Wang Cong, Xue Shao and his servant were also standing nearby.

Why were they here?

Pan Yun blinked.

Xue Shao handed her a handkerchief.

Pan Yun took it and wiped her mouth. Before she could ask, Xue Shao volunteered: "I've come to see you off."

"See me off?"

Xue Shao nodded: "His Majesty orders you to depart immediately."

Wang Cong patted his bundle and said: "Little Martial Uncle, everything's packed for you. Seeing Miao Zhen and the others are waiting outside the city for us to rendezvous."

Pan Yun: "…No, this urgent? At least let me go home for a meal and a bath or something."

Xue Shao: "Officials of the Great Ming capital all leave the city immediately upon receiving an order."

Pan Yun: "But I am not an official."

Xue Shao: "The imperial edict is final; it cannot be changed."

Pan Yun took a deep breath, steadied her emotions, and pointed directly at the Imperial Prison: "Will he die?"

Xue Shao shook his head.

Pan Yun: "Can the injustices against the Yue family and He family be overturned?"

Xue Shao nodded.

She exhaled slightly, then asked: "What of my father and your uncle?"

Xue Shao said: "They are already in the game. The board's outcome is still undecided. Wang Zhen, my uncle, and your father are all pawns. The players refuse to yield. If the Emperor wins, Wang Zhen will be severely punished, and my uncle and your father will have their wrongs righted."

Pan Yun frowned tightly: "What if the other side wins?"

(End of Chapter)