Chapter 1209: Awe-Inspiring Spirit
Chen Ping'an's figure rose into the air. Between the azure heavens, a brilliant azure light blazed forth, radiant and dazzling. The sword light was vast and magnificent, the sword intent thick and abundant, enough to terrify any cultivator above the middle reaches of a continent.
In the study of the Grand Scholar's residence in the Great Li capital, on the sword rack, and on the wall of the private training ground at Floating Parasol Ridge, each sword hummed and rang in its scabbard like a dragon's roar that had been building for a long time.
"Nightwanderer," a long sword forged from the tip of the celestial sword Taibai, with its scabbard made from the Dragon Lord's dharma robe. "Floating Duckweed," a long sword transformed from half the ruins of the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Both swords autonomously followed their master Chen Ping'an, accompanying a figure in a blue robe as he roamed the heavens with his sword.
Above Bottle Gourd Continent, the sea of clouds churned again, eventually forming seven enormous, ever-shifting vortices. One lifebound flying sword, "Northern Dipper," transformed into seven golden beams of sword light, pointing from beyond the heavens toward the mortal world, biding its time to strike.
The Earth Branch lineage of Great Li, figures one after another, also transformed into rainbows, following the young Grand Scholar of Great Li, the Ascension-level sword cultivator Chen Ping'an, as they left the Great Li capital together. Using escape arts and following the formations, each took their position at a certain mountain or river within Bottle Gourd Continent.
Beyond that, the Five Sacred Mountains of Bottle Gourd Continent were also stirring.
Previously, according to calculations by the Great Li Ministry of Justice and the Imperial Observatory, as long as the Earth Branch lineage was fully complemented, they could kill a Immortal-level cultivator who was not a sword cultivator.
Unfortunately, the formation’s central eye was that always-vacant pure martial artist, which meant that the eleven qi refiners of the Great Li Earth Branch were always severely lacking in killing power.
It was like a set of Twelve Month Flower Spirit Cups from the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land—simply missing one cup would greatly reduce the collection's quality and price.
Similarly, having only eleven people in the Great Li Earth Branch was worlds apart from having Zhou Haijing to fill the vacancy.
Within a continent's territory, talented cultivators were easy to find, but martial arts grandmasters were rare. Before Zhou Haijing, the Great Li court had considered Pei Qian of the Fallen Mountain, or even that female martial artist known as the Embroidery Lady from Northern Juju Continent.
The former was actually the most suitable. "Zheng Qian" had shone brilliantly on the battlefield of the subsidiary capital, earning great prestige both in the Great Li border army and among the mountains of Bottle Gourd Continent.
But no one in the Great Li court was suitable to act as an intermediary. The capital hinted at it to the Prince of Luo, Song Mu. The prince flew into a rage on the spot, and the wandering knight Xu Ruo, who was tasked with delivering the message, had no choice but to drop the matter.
Song Jixin—that fellow was still missing and presumed dead at the Sword Qi Great Wall. And I’m supposed to poach his people here on Bottle Gourd Continent? Even if he couldn’t strangle me, I couldn’t bring myself to do such a conscience-less deed! Don’t talk to me about the great situation of Bottle Gourd Continent, or how it could affect the course of the war. I’m a mud-legged prince who crawled out of Mud Vase Alley, guarding the kingdom for the Son of Heaven, presiding over the war until now, fighting and retreating all the way from the Old Dragon City battlefield to the central Great River… So at that time, the prince’s face was gloomy as he had Xu Ruo send a message to the capital: why not let His Majesty come here and discuss this matter with me face to face?
Relatively speaking, the Embroidery Lady was easier to negotiate with. But the capital thought that, first, this female martial artist was not a native of Bottle Gourd Continent, and second, her martial arts realm was not high enough at the time. After weighing the pros and cons, they let it go.
And whether there was a backbone to hold the overall situation together for the twelve members of the Great Li Earth Branch made for two completely different "Earth Branches."
If this leader who commanded the group was only high in realm and long in Dao age, it still wouldn't work. The eleven cultivators and one female martial arts grandmaster would definitely pay lip service but not be convinced in their hearts. In fact, they might not even agree verbally.
But there was one person who was definitely an exception. They were not only convinced in their hearts but actually terrified of him to the bone, both respecting and fearing him. That person was "Chen Ping'an," who had toyed with them all twice before—once the former Mountain Lord of Fallen Mountain, now the new Grand Scholar of Great Li.
So whether Chen Ping'an was part of the new Earth Branch lineage at the Ascension level brought about a earth-shattering change.
Chen Ping'an, who could mobilize the twelve flying swords imitating the Jade Capital, his strategic planning and central command were a truly deserving timely help.
Especially since, besides Chen Ping'an, there was also one more person in the Great Li capital: a golden-crowned Daoist, quasi-Ascension, with the Dao name Yingning, Song Yunjian. He was the icing on the cake.
Since everything was ready, all that was lacking was a hearty, thorough battle, and someone’s death.
Before today, when they were responsible for the secret security of the Great Li capital celebration, they had found time to gather and chat. In the end, the conversation always circled back to the issue they cared about most.
They all wanted to know the answer: if Mr. Chen would show himself and personally command their Earth Branch lineage, instead of letting the drunkard Vice Minister Cao Gengxin give orders for some trivial surveillance tasks.
Then could the twelve of us in the Earth Branch lineage kill a single Ascension-level cultivator who had crossed the border without permission and provoked Great Li?!
Except for Song Xu and Yuan Huajing, who didn’t state their opinions, each had their own take, but the answer was roughly the same: easy to kill. Kill however you want. Wouldn’t that be like cutting vegetables?
But Song Xu raised a question that plunged the eleven into silence.
Since you all think Ascension-level cultivators are easy to kill.
Could you kill a Fourteenth Realm cultivator?
No one dared to say yes or no. Saying yes seemed a bit too arrogant, with suspicions of not knowing one’s place. Saying no, none were willing to speak.
To be honest, below the Ascension level, seeing a Fourteenth Realm cultivator was already harder than ascending to heaven.
To injure a Fourteenth Realm cultivator, it was universally acknowledged that only two types of people could do it: apart from the handful of Ascension-level cultivators in the entire world, only a Fourteenth Realm cultivator could do it—they had to be a Fourteenth Realm cultivator themselves!
So then, kill a Fourteenth Realm?
They were all very curious, but none dared to guarantee it. However, they were extremely eager for such an opportunity to arise.
But at the time, they all thought Song Xu’s question was interesting but meaningless. After all, how could such a thing happen anytime soon?
Who would have thought that today, a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity would come!
And Mr. Chen said it was for them to "behead a ghost in broad daylight" within Bottle Gourd Continent’s borders. This was their Earth Branch lineage’s major exam!
Even if they succeeded in beheading the ghost, if they exceeded the time limit, they would be a bunch of useless good-for-nothings, all trash!
The pressure was enormous! Enormous! Did they have confidence? It had to be even greater!
We’re not enemies with Mr. Chen, so why the hell should we be afraid?!
We must kill!
On the city wall, Song Yunjian received a secret order from Grand Scholar Chen—or to be precise, an imperial edict. He felt as if pardoned, and his figure shot out in a long arc toward the imitation Jade Capital above the Great River of Bottle Gourd Continent.
This condensed, unyielding Dao sentiment stretched an extremely long rainbow between heaven and earth, long-lasting. It was like building a bridge, paving a road, a great flood dragon moving through water, or a celestial dragon ascending to the sky.
Xiao Mo remained where he was, looking from afar toward the sable-hatted girl at the Grand Scholar’s residence.
No matter whether because he was the last Hidden Officer, or the Mountain Lord, or the Sect Leader, anyone whose karmic ties with Chen Ping'an went deeper could perceive that unusual turmoil in his Dao heart and the surging killing intent.
Among the various vassal peaks of Fallen Mountain territory, the Sword Worship Platform was most keenly aware. Qi Tingji cursed with a laugh, "Liu Tui, you sly old fox." He sighed inwardly, "You guessed right, Liu Tui."
Mi Yu asked, "Qi Tingji, you should at least give us a straight answer. Even if we can’t help much, a little help wouldn’t hurt, would it?"
Qi Tingji shook his head. "No need for small favors. Big favors are beyond our ability. Besides, this is Chen Ping'an and Great Li’s household affair. You and I are outsiders—why meddle?"
Mi Yu said doubtfully, "How am I an outsider? You might be, Qi Tingji, but I’m not. I’ve never had the idea of getting a ‘promotion’ in the Jise Peak Patriarch Hall, but I don’t want to regret not having drawn my sword today. Otherwise, next time Bai Xuan, Sun Chun, Wang and the others scold me too, how will I argue back?"
Qi Tingji said, "A fool who listens to a wise man is not truly a fool."
Mi Yu was momentarily speechless, tangled in thought. Finally, he said, "I’ll trust you this once."
At the temporarily calm Old Oriole Lake, Song Jixin saw that Song Xu, one of the Earth Branch cultivators, had not left. The prince frowned slightly.
Song Xu floated down from the wall and explained via heart-to-heart voice, "Prince of Luo, I’m staying here not to protect anyone, but because it’s my duty. The Great Li capital is one of the hubs of the first great formation, and I’m responsible for guarding this place."
Song Jixin nodded, his expression softening. He asked with a smile, "You showed up so promptly. Did His Majesty calculate that?"
Li Ba had already used Dao techniques to seal off heaven and earth, preventing "eavesdropping from behind the wall." Yu Daoren Huang Man was also pulled in by Li Ba, adding an extra layer of mountain-and-water prohibition. Don’t be fooled by Gong Yan holding a silk fan and smiling like a flower—she was actually very nervous inside. As for Xi Man, who was of terrestrial dragon lineage, he stood between Prince Luo and the martial artist Gao Shi. That guy, with such a good blade, could add wings to a tiger. No wonder Li Ba had earlier given him a "this old Daoist doesn’t seem good enough" vibe.
Too bad this guy lacked the style of a grandmaster and wasn’t tough enough in words. Why didn’t you fight the Hidden Officer a bit? Then this divine weapon would have been unclaimed!
Gao Shi, with the green-sheathed long knife at his waist, was already fairly burly, but he had unexpectedly run into an even more robust hard nut. Gao Shi stood by the wall, sensing the unfriendly eyes of this attendant of Prince Song Mu. His heart tightened. A one-on-one fight wasn’t the fear; the fear was that this man was the same breed as his master, Prince Luo. Song Mu was clearly not easy to deal with—definitely not a good bird. Those two sentences he’d said, accusing them of colluding with the Jade Capital to harm Great Li and slapping mud on Emperor Yin Ji’s face? That was like forcing His Majesty to eat shit, even if he hadn’t, he was covered in it.
Damn it. He’d heard before that the younger generation from that Lizhu Cave Heaven were all better talkers than the last. Today, he truly learned it—they were indeed formidable, with deep skill!
Xi Man was indeed coveting that sheathed knife, so he signaled the other with his eyes: buddy, since you’re free, why not mark out a path, find some open space, and we’ll spar?
Gao Shi immediately shot back with his eyes: Spar your mother’s spar. I’m currently a soldier in the Great Li border army, with an official position. I’m busy on official business. Who has time to practice boxing or talk personal matters with you?
Song Jixin pretended not to notice. He saw his nephew Song Xu with a mischievous look on his face, refusing to speak. Song Jixin, instead of getting angry, laughed. Sure enough, this was the seed of our Song family—rotten to the core.
Song Xu was relatively casual with this second uncle. When he was still a youth, as a sword cultivator of the Earth Branch lineage, he had had some official dealings with Prince Luo Song Mu in the subsidiary capital.
Song Xu sincerely respected his second uncle, and Song Jixin also liked this nephew, feeling a deep closeness to the younger generation.
Just for a moment, when Song Xu came over and said "can be killed,"
Song Jixin was actually furious inside. Just "can be killed"? Great Li court, you Emperor Song He, weren’t you still handing the problem of whether to kill or not to Chen Ping'an?
Fine. You won today.
But I, Song Jixin, haven’t lost either.
When I return to the Barbarian battlefield and finish fighting, next time I come back to Bottle Gourd Continent and take command of the Luo capital’s princely mansion, that Great River will still be surnamed Song, but it might not be yours.
Because I will restore my true name, "Song He." You either admit you are Song Mu, or you try to fight me and see who is truly the late emperor’s eldest son?!
But Song Jixin had not expected that at the palace, the emperor could convince all the major ministers of Great Li who attended the small court meeting. Not only could they kill Yin Ji, but they would also declare war on both the Grand Sash Dynasty at the same time!
It was only at this moment that Song Jixin completely abandoned any thought of "first dividing the land by the river, then unifying Great Li and the entire Bottle Gourd Continent."
Song Jixin asked, "Daoist friend Cuizhang, what background does that ghost have? After taking such a sword blow, it still didn’t die completely?"
Li Ba replied, "Prince of Luo, I’ve heard from a friend that in Central Earth Divine Continent, there is a ghost of extremely high Dao power at the Ascension level, with the single-character Dao name 'Xian.' Its whereabouts are extremely hidden. It has long wandered within the Grand Sash Dynasty’s territory. Strangely, the Confucian Temple doesn’t restrain it, and it doesn’t disturb the underworld. However, very few cultivators at the mountain peak level know of its existence."
Song Jixin smiled. "How do you know it’s 'very few'? Couldn’t it be that everyone knows about it? Are you a mountain peak cultivator?"
Li Ba was unfazed by the prince’s sarcasm. He continued, "That friend of mine, when traveling through Central Earth in his early years, happened to pass through the Grand Sash Dynasty. He only managed to detect the faint aura of this female ghost thanks to a piece of ancient merit heavy treasure he carried. He wanted to... accumulate some yin virtue from beheading ghosts. He provoked her multiple times. The ghost finally appeared. They exchanged spells for a while, and he was completely outmatched. My friend suffered a disastrous defeat, even destroying that immortal-grade merit treasure. He had to surrender. He thought his physical body and soul would both become her Dao resources. But she simply let him go, even allowing him to take back the fragments of the broken treasure. She only warned him never to set foot in Grand Sash territory again."
Song Jixin laughed. "Daoist Cuizhang, that friend of yours who kicked a steel plate and broke his leg—isn’t that the old Ascension from Golden Armor Continent, the old immortal Wanyan Laojing?"
Li Ba nodded. "Prince of Luo, Wanyan Laojing is certainly a sinner of Golden Armor Continent, but he treated me well enough. Back then, I wouldn’t help him join the Barbarians, and now I can’t bring myself to curse or hate him."
Song Jixin said, "Li Ba, you’re a honest man."
Xi Man whispered via secret voice, "Prince of Luo, this 'Xian' is definitely extremely powerful. It feels like... the first time I saw Prince Fu’s Lord Wang. Afraid without reason."
Song Jixin asked, "Yu Daoren, Gong Yan, do you feel that way about 'Xian'?"
Yu Daoren shook his head. Today’s storm, even in his old-brand Immortal’s view, could be called bizarre and perilous. Huang Man was even more determined not to wade into Great Li’s muddy waters.
Back then, he just went fishing at sea and fought for a fishing spot, and got beaten by Zhang Tiaoxia. This time, just accompanying Prince Fu’s Lord Wang to meet Prince Luo Song Mu had already witnessed the young Grand Scholar’s violent methods. Not only did he kill several people, but he also wanted to uproot the grass, forcing the souls of Yin Ji and others, who had already died once, to obediently stay with that ghost in Bottle Gourd Continent?
Huang Man was utterly perplexed. This Chen Ping'an guy—was he really the final disciple of the Literary Sage lineage, truly a scholar who had read the sages’ books? There had been similar incidents at the Mandarin Duck Islet in the Central Earth Confucian Temple before. Back then, cultivators on the mountains and major dynasties thought they roughly understood: compared to his literary lineage identity, the young Mountain Lord of Fallen Mountain seemed to value his identity as the last Hidden Officer more? Now Huang Man wanted to tell them, no, you still don’t understand enough.
This ruthless Chen Ping'an—yes, yes, Yu Daoren finally understood the most important joint: Chen Ping'an definitely valued the literary lineage Dao tradition extremely much. But precisely because of that, if you thought you could take advantage, that this was Chen Ping'an’s weakness, and dared to provoke him, Chen Ping'an certainly wouldn’t be soft-hearted. And if it happened too many times, the Confucian Temple would become increasingly embarrassed. Perhaps over the years, they had been trying to recruit him in "the most appropriate way," but then each of you would try to drag this young man away from the Confucian Temple, right?
Gong Yan said, "Not at all."
Li Ba said, "Wanyan Laojing speculated that 'Xian' is both a ghost and likely an ancient existence akin to a manifestation of the Great Dao."
Song Jixin asked, "Is she a Fourteenth Realm candidate, or already Fourteenth Realm?"
Li Ba shook his head. "Cannot be determined."
Song Jixin fell into thought.
Gong Yan waved her silk fan, dispelling the pungent smell of blood.
The headless corpse of the maid Cui Ji lay in a pool of blood. Her head seemed to have gone to Old Oriole Lake. Earlier, Yin Miao hadn’t thrown a Snow Flower Coin into the lake? The head was probably looking for the money.
The Grand Sash scholar Cai Yushan had turned into a mass of minced flesh on the spot. He should have been utterly annihilated in soul, but was forcibly detained within the Old Oriole Lake garden. It seemed that "Xian" had just gathered him up and taken him away. Truly a terrifying divine ability, to repair such a shattered soul and escape right under Grand Scholar Chen’s nose. If she were a Fourteenth Realm ghost, how could Bottle Gourd Continent hold her?
Gong Yan glanced at the ground. The body of Prince Yin Miao had disappeared, but Emperor Yin Ji’s body remained where it fell. Maybe she couldn’t take more flesh—had to choose one of two? Or was it because the emperor’s body was too close to Grand Scholar Chen, and she feared losing everything, even implicating herself, and being intercepted in the Great Li capital, where Chen Ping'an had all the advantages of timing and terrain?
Gong Yan shuddered. The dangers on the mountains were indeed great.
Song Xu spoke, "Prince of Luo, if the second great formation is activated, I will probably have to leave Old Oriole Lake."
Song Jixin asked with a smile, "Was there a quarrel at the Imperial Study small court?"
Song Xu nodded.
Before Song Xu came here, a temporary emergency small court meeting had been convened in the Imperial Study. There were quite a few people, so much so that the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial had removed all the chairs.
Even the elderly Minister of War, Shen Chen, who was in his eighties, had no chair to sit on. But this council was missing two important figures: Grand Scholar Chen Ping'an and Prince Luo Song Mu.
Song Xu and the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial stood by the door.
Song He’s first words were not his usual style in the Imperial Study. "I have decided: formally declare war on the Grand Sash Dynasty. Emperor Yin Ji can be killed, must be killed!"
These words were like a thunderclap out of a clear sky, leaving all the Great Li civil and military ministers in the room, who were still in the dark, exchanging bewildered glances. Only then did Song He briefly explain the events and reasons at Old Oriole Lake.
Song Jixin asked, "In the end, you succeeded in overriding all dissenting opinions? A final decision by His Majesty?"
Song Xu nodded again.
Song Jixin looked at the second prince, Song Xu.
Song Xu understood.
Those who objected, for whatever purpose or stance, and what arguments they made—Song Xu remembered everything.
"The one setting the exam is the Embroidered Tiger Cui Chan; the one grading the papers is the new Grand Scholar Chen Ping'an."
Song Jixin patted his nephew’s shoulder and asked, "In answering this exam, can no one, including you and me, be an exception? Understood?"
Song Xu wanted to say something, wanted to say, "Second uncle, actually I’m an exception." But he also had his Earth Branch identity, and it seemed he couldn’t stand aloof. So he remained silent.
In the two waterside pavilions, since the teacher said her proud student couldn’t calculate more of the greater situation, she might as well calculate the immediate affairs of Yichi Lane and Xi’er Street.
As she calculated, the young girl Xu Mi’s face turned pale.
Hong Chongben sighed and said, "Finally figured it out?"
Xu Mi’s voice trembled. "Teacher, what should I do?"
Hong Chongben said, "What can you do? You can do nothing. All these years, following this useless old pedant like me, hiding in the mountains studying and writing—that’s all."
The old man said, "In the Great Li capital, there are three yamens that no one wants to deal with. Among them, the Capital Patrol Inspectorate handles all miscellaneous affairs of the capital. Its commander, Hong Ji, is neither greedy nor corrupt. He has genuine military merits, having lived on a clean salary all these years, most of which he sends to others. And Hong Ji manages the Patrol Inspectorate well. He is from the place of Great Li Song’s dragon rise, and a trusted military general of the Son of Heaven. What does he fear? As long as he has no personal grudges with the new Grand Scholar, as he said on horseback, in the capital, besides His Majesty and the Grand Scholar, if he dislikes anyone, he can manage them. This is because having no selfish motives makes one upright; being upright gives one courage; having courage allows one to act decisively."
"But no matter how high-handedly the Patrol Inspectorate acts—like a young colonel daring to block the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial at the gate—in the end, it’s only curing minor illnesses in plain sight."
"The Ministry of Justice oversees the criminal laws and edicts of the state, reviews criminal names. Over the years, it has had to lean toward the mountains, restraining cultivators. Now, within Great Li’s borders, which cultivator dares to blatantly massacre mortals? The three 'Trouble-Free Tablets' issued by the Ministry of Justice—not just within Great Li, but even south of the Great River, or even on Parasol Leaf Continent—who dares to deliberately ignore them? They either pinch their noses and actively avoid! Since the Ministry of Justice has such confidence, what else does it fear?"
"But the Ministry of Justice is not responsible for healing people. They are more responsible for convicting people, for stripping officials of their posts and throwing them in prison, or even executing them."
"The Court of Judicial Review is very similar to the Ministry of Justice. It only handles the interrogation, trial, and review of major and important cases."
"As Minister of Justice Ma Yuan himself said, his yamen is more like telling certain people that they are beyond saving."
Having covered the Capital Patrol Inspectorate and the Ministry of Justice, only the Great Li Capital Censorate remained. And it was the Censorate that the Grand Pillar of State Yuan Chong had directed for many years.
Xu Mi’s heart grew more fearful. A dread seeped slowly from deep within, making the girl’s hands and feet ice-cold, as if she had drunk several large bowls of iced plum soup.
Hong Chongben said, "No need to calculate anything. The Censorate’s duty is to supervise the hundred officials of Great Li. In short, it’s what the Embroidered Tiger said to your grandfather back then."
"The Censorate treats illnesses before they occur, and it must do so!"
At these words, Xu Mi felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.
Her grandfather Yuan Chong’s study was a "forbidden area." Many Yuan family descendants had never been allowed in even once. Yuan Chong almost never entertained distinguished guests there, preferring to talk with friends or colleagues in the main hall. Xu Mi, however, had no such taboo. She often went there to browse books. The study was small.
On the wall hung a very small square painting with calligraphy, unsigned and without a seal. When Xu Mi was little, she asked many times who wrote it, but her grandfather just smiled and wouldn’t tell her.
"It holds both a sword that gives life and a blade that takes it. Without a word, it awes all officials. It can save people just before certain death."
Xu Mi’s eyes blurred with tears. What to do? She didn’t know. What about her grandfather, who had managed the entire Censorate for so many years, and the family bearing the surname of the Grand Pillar of State?
The outsiders like Grand Sash Emperor Yin Ji and Prince Yin Miao were already dead. How many who were not outsiders would die next? Wei Jia of Yichi Lane was doomed. Whether Wang Yongjin of Yongtai County would die or not was uncertain, but losing his post was inevitable. Then the Great Li Censorate, which had failed to "save people just before certain death," could it really stay out of it, and escape like the outsider martial artist Gao Shi?
Hong Chongben sighed. Perhaps, aside from the common folk who could only listen, endure, suffer, and weep, every official in Great Li—this "it"—could not escape blame?
For so many years, the old man had been observing the changes in Great Li’s court and countryside from the mountains. Every time he traveled out, he observed the results of various court policies in local prefectures and counties, using this to meticulously study and verify the mutual transformation of the great tradition in books and the small tradition outside them.
If those works on frontier studies were the visible, tangible national borders, then these years, Hong Chongben, who styled himself "Old Man Yulu," what he saw, thought, and recorded were the virtual, intangible borders of Great Li. This was by no means a useless study for a pedantic old man buried in old papers. On the contrary, the deviation between the two "geographic maps" of the national borders could not be ignored. Understand that this intangible "virtual-to-real transformation," formed over years and months, could one day turn heaven and earth upside down, change the imperial surname, and sever the dynasty’s mandate—all in an instant, seemingly triggered by a trivial matter.
Han Yi felt that if the Embroidered Tiger Cui Chan were still the Grand Scholar of Great Li, he would have charged in without hesitation. Because he had no fear of losing his official hat or implicating his family over this matter.
The young colonel Situ Dianwu sat tall on his horse, blocking the officials of the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial from entering the Old Oriole Lake garden. His face was full of worry. The young man glanced toward the Grand Scholar’s residence.
His colleague Qin Biao watched those civil officials handle things according to the rules, as expected—no surprises, meticulously... Qin Biao had actually made his decision long ago. How many years had it been? After ten years, twenty or thirty years, what would it be like? In that case, it was better to return to his hometown, get a high official position and generous salary, maybe he could take care of his relatives.
Once the capital was full of officials like Wang Yongjin of Yongtai County, and these officials were destined to become more powerful, Qin Biao felt that with his own brains, either he would have to go along with them, or sooner or later, he wouldn’t know how he was played to death. In his hometown, whether it was those corrupt local governors or infamous treacherous ministers, Qin Biao thought that at least he knew roughly what kind of evil deeds they were up to. Great Li officials were different—each and every one of them was too smart. Grand Scholar Cui Chan had presided over the court for a hundred years, especially before and after the war, teaching them too much about vision, ability, and tactics.
A few years ago, Qin Biao still felt that the nations outside Great Li on Bottle Gourd Continent should fear the Great Li iron cavalry.
After some time, Qin Biao felt that even he, the Patrol Inspectorate colonel who had chosen to stay in the Great Li capital of his own accord, found Great Li terrifying in an intangible, indescribable way.
Inside the waterside pavilion, what the girl thought of as "County Magistrate Han is probably a good official"—the "probably" was itself an answer.
When the wife of Capital Patrol Inspectorate colonel Qin Biao, a native of the capital, heard her husband’s proposal, she "paused, and said 'okay'." That, too, was an answer.
These, along with Great Li, officialdom and the people, the mountains—more hearts, more words, more actions.
These were all the answers between the Embroidered Tiger Cui Chan leaving Great Li and Chen Ping'an arriving in the capital to take over as Grand Scholar!
The old man stood up. Although worry still creased his face and concern filled his heart, his eyes shone brightly. Not afraid of your thunderous fury, afraid of your ambiguous brushing aside, even more afraid of your killing a chicken to scare the monkeys, with loud thunder but small raindrops. Now is very good, could not be better! But still not enough, far from enough. Next is the test of whether you, as Grand Scholar of Great Li, are qualified.
Embroidered Tiger, I was indeed wrong. You were right!
Back then, giving me that study plaque inscribed "Fool's Hut" was a good scolding. It scolded me for so many years. You're ruthless!
I only hope that next, in the Great Li capital, in the entire court and officialdom, and even in the Great Li border army, you dare to wield the knife. Dare to make the entire court no longer misunderstand one thing: your willingness to take up the post as Grand Scholar is not everyone being in the same boat. Instead, you want them to understand the most solid truth: what exactly "enemy within the boat" means!
——
Yin Miao had brought a group of retainers out of the courtyard. Apart from Gao Shi standing by the wall, there were actually three other living people. But they had no say. For now, they could still stand and live.
They were all quite jealous of Gao Shi, who had "gone to the side to cool off."
Cao Lue hesitated for a moment. He felt that, as an outsider to both the Grand Sash Dynasty and the Great Li Song clan, standing around was improper. After thinking it over, he went to keep Gao Shi company, to avoid trouble.
Gao Shi used his eyes to stop this foremost guest of the Grand Sash Dynasty, but to no avail. Cao Lue turned and leaned against the wall. Gao Shi was helpless.
Cao Lue asked with a smile, "Grandmaster Gao, are you truly clean?"
Gao Shi said irritably, "Master Cao, don't say sarcastic things to me either. In that foul Grand Sash Dynasty, what was my status? The top guest official of the Grand Sash Yin clan! At least a mountain peak realm at the ninth-level bottleneck, and not that old. What was Prince Yin Miao's status? If there were any dirty business that couldn't see the light, would it be my turn to personally do it? Wasn't Cai Yushan specially in charge of arranging who did what?"
Cao Lue nodded. "These aren't things recorded in books, but I've heard something about the inner workings."
Gao Shi wiped the bloodstains off the knife sheath with his palm, asking suspiciously, "Master Cao, why did you come to wade this muddy water?"
Cao Lue said, "I came along for sightseeing. How could I have guessed beforehand this would be muddy water."
Gao Shi said, "I thought you clever people of this status, unless you were squatting on a latrine, even a fart you let elsewhere would be with purpose and calculation."
Cao Lue laughed. "I'm not a clever man like Yin Miao. I don't have the big guts of a Huai Qian, a god-like figure."
Gao Shi had heard that Huai Qian had taken a great fall in Northern Juju Continent, lighting the ancestral hall's life lamp to extend his life, exchanging for a new body, barely managing to start cultivating again.
As for Cao Lue beside him, Gao Shi's impression of him was decent. The young man seemed to have a fairly high opinion of Great Li and the young Hidden Officer. If words could be false, his expression was difficult to fake.
Gao Shi at least had that discernment.
From the Great Duan Dynasty, "Cao Lue". His fate was good.
His real name was Cao Jiong. Jiong was a rare, obscure character. It was said that his grandfather had searched through several nights of dictionaries to pick it.
He was brought up by his grandfather, who taught him everything: ways of life, ways of handling affairs, reading, boxing techniques. The first three, his grandfather was very insightful. But the boxing technique... was truly atrocious.
Because his grandfather particularly loved reading martial arts chivalric novels, Cao Jiong also yearned for those fascinating stories full of flashing blades and sword shadows, without any cloud-riding or mist-traveling.
So grandfather and grandson often read some steamy travelogues together, each with their own preferences and opinions. For example, his grandfather always complained that the protagonist Chen Pingan was too timid. That lady is so stunning, that woman so bewitching—take them, why not take them all? Why only drink a few ladles from the three thousand weak waters? It makes all the other beauties heartbroken and weeping.
When young, Cao Jiong also yearned to roam the martial world, to know a few female chivalrous fighters. His grandfather said that to wander the martial world, not being able to drink wouldn't do. Cao Jiong thought that was reasonable, but he really couldn't drink. As a youth, he practiced hard, but besides vomiting a few times, it was useless. Damn stuff was awful.
He had a friend with the same surname, named Cao Ci, who was exactly twelve years older than Cao Jiong.
His grandfather used to always trick Cao Jiong, saying that Cao Ci was actually his illegitimate son. He would even deliberately let Cao Jiong guess who Cao Ci's mother was... When Cao Jiong thought of that awe-inspiring, incomparably beautiful female Grand Scholar, he felt the answer was easy to guess. Oh ho! So the good friend Cao Ci was actually blood-related! No wonder they hit it off, doubly close!
Cao Ci seemed to be the kind of person who could make everyone feel at ease. Cao Jiong traveled outside with "his own little uncle" Cao Ci, wandering wherever, and his grandfather was at ease.
But going on a journey with Cao Ci always required explaining his name to others. So this trip, he simply used the pseudonym Cao Lue.
The Great Duan Dynasty was the second largest dynasty in Haoran World. It was surnamed Cao.
The female Grand Scholar, Pei Bei, was the number one martial artist in Haoran World.
Cao Ci was her direct disciple.
And Cao Ci and "Chen Pingan" were rivals on the path of martial arts, exactly the same age with only three months difference. When young, they had exchanged punches at the Sword Qi Great Wall. Not long ago, in their forties, they had also exchanged punches at the Central Earth Confucian Temple.
Cao Jiong was just young and easily fooled, but he wasn't stupid. He soon understood that there was nothing between his grandfather and Grand Scholar Pei Bei. His grandfather probably wanted something, but dared not.
His grandfather had died. For the Great Duan Dynasty, it was called "the late emperor's passing."
Cao Jiong went from being a grandson of the Great Duan Cao clan to becoming the Crown Prince of the Great Duan Dynasty. Being Crown Prince brought a bit of happiness, but the heartbreak was overwhelming. Cao Jiong missed his grandfather very much.
Not long ago, a royal woman of the Grand Sash Dynasty Yin clan married into a top noble house of the Great Duan Dynasty. Emperor Yin Ji attended in person, of course with ulterior motives. He wanted to use the opportunity to meet the Great Duan Cao Emperor and discuss the arrangement of their forces on the Barbarian battlefield, to see if they could seek mutual support.
At a banquet with no outsiders present, his father appeared slightly tipsy and took the opportunity to advise Yin Ji to ease relations with Great Li. There was no need to make things so tense. The real big battles were coming. Both their refined cavalry were famous. Would they still have to be wary of each other on the battlefield? Would one side fight to the death without retreating while the other deliberately delayed reinforcements?
Cao Jiong of course was present, but he was young and had no say.
At least on the surface, Grand Sash Emperor Yin Ji seemed to take it to heart. He said he could take the opportunity of the Great Li Grand Scholar celebration to come in person and have a secret talk with the Great Li Song Emperor, striving to set aside past grievances and form an alliance.
Whether Grand Sash Yin Ji had long had this intention or it was a spur-of-the-moment idea, Cao Jiong couldn't be sure. The heart of an emperor was hard to fathom. Cao Lue himself came from an imperial family, so he knew this well.
As for the Great Duan Emperor, Cao Lue's father, that banquet's finale was no random mention of the matter as if making small talk.
You come to Great Duan as a guest, I politely treat you to good wine. Since we've drunk and bared our hearts, you have to give me an answer on the spot.
Cao Jiong leaned against the wall, appearing idle.
Gao Shi spoke via secret voice, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, what's the plan next?"
Cao Jiong laughed. "You have it easy. I have it hard."
Gao Shi asked, "But you don't look anxious at all."
Cao Jiong said, "Grandmaster Gao said 'look,' didn't you?"
Inside today's Old Oriole Lake garden, besides the Grand Sash Emperor, the new Great Li Grand Scholar, and the Great Duan Crown Prince Cao Jiong, there was also the Great Li Prince of Luo Song Mu, as well as the young sword cultivator on the wall. He couldn't be the Great Prince Song Geng, so that was Song Xu. It seemed you could also add the girl who had hurried back and forth earlier? The Great Li Song clan's Third Princess, Huang Lian?
Gao Shi asked tentatively, "Does your Great Duan Cao clan also want to form an alliance with the Great Li Song clan?"
Cao Jiong said, "It's complicated. Hard to explain in a few words."
Gao Shi chuckled. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, do we look like busy people right now?"
Cao Jiong couldn't help but laugh. "True. Then I'll chat a few more idle words with you?"
Gao Shi said, "Chat, why not? If I don't chat, I start thinking wildly. The more I think, the more I fear. Being able to resist the urge to jump the wall and run away while Chen Hidden Officer is out killing enemies is already showing great restraint."
Cao Jiong said, "Besides the 'Azure and White dispute' between Chen Hidden Officer and Cao Ci, have you heard any other inside information?"
Gao Shi nodded. "Once, when Yin Miao and Cai Yushan were discussing world affairs, I heard something. It seems that before Grand Scholar Chen exchanged punches with Cao Ci, he first went to find Ma Quxian and a few others, fought a fierce battle, knocked Ma Quxian down in realm, completely cutting off his hope of reaching the martial summit."
Gao Shi shook his hand vigorously to knock off the blood, then rubbed his chin. "So the Great Duan Dynasty will never take the initiative to ally with the Great Li Song clan. It would lose face. Our commoners' face is worthless, but the face of the emperor and the court is the national body. Grand General Ma Quxian was just beaten half to death by their new Grand Scholar. Your father, the new emperor, has been on the throne only a few days. If he immediately, after donning the dragon robe, has you, the Crown Prince, publicly reveal your identity and come running to Bottle Gourd Continent, it would indeed be improper. They have to consider the gossip from court and countryside."
Cao Jiong smiled. "Reasonable and well-founded. Impressive. But Grandmaster Gao's phrase 'we commoners' seems a bit like trying to cover up?"
Gao Shi resumed his secret voice. "Cao Jiong, can you let me go to the Great Duan Dynasty to join the army, to be a general leading troops?"
Cao Jiong nodded. "Whether I can get you a military position, I'm only the Crown Prince, so I can't guarantee. But taking you out of the Great Li capital and Bottle Gourd Continent, that I can do."
Gao Shi said, "That's enough!"
"Before I leave the Great Li capital carrying Gao Shi's corpse."
Cao Jiong laughed. "Grandmaster Gao, why not first think it over and pick a burial ground? I can help with the funeral expenses."
Gao Shi was stunned, then cursed under his breath. You highborns with the same surname as the nation, none of you are good birds!
Cao Jiong asked, "Still want to chat?"
Gao Shi crossed his arms and began to close his eyes to rest. Cao Jiong laughed to himself. "Although I'm not clever, I'm not stupid either, Gao Shi. Since you're clearly using my influence and playing mind games with me in words, I naturally have to make you remember this. Gao Shi, considering that your background is relatively clean and you've been fairly polite along the way, take my advice: when dealing with people ten or a hundred times smarter than you, it's better to be stupid."
Gao Shi sighed, rubbed his face vigorously, and said, "I'm really afraid of you all."
Cao Jiong asked with a smile, "Do you fear us all combined less than you fear Grand Scholar Chen alone?"
Gao Shi thought for a moment, then replied via secret voice, "With you, I fear first, then respect you a bit. With Chen Hidden Officer, I respect him first, then feel fear. It's different."
Cao Jiong smiled. "True words. It is indeed different."
As long as one is born into an imperial family, when others speak, we watch. When others act, we guess.
But this "family learning" is not something that all imperial relatives and golden branches and jade leaves can hear or understand.
These three dynasties, all at the peak of their power, were all among the top ranks of the ten great dynasties of Haoran.
If three powerful nations could, without the Confucian Temple objecting, take the initiative to form an alliance, it would be quite a morale booster.
I believe the Central Earth Confucian Temple would be happy to see it happen.
Before Cao Jiong came to Bottle Gourd Continent, his father told him to watch more and say less, to play deaf and dumb, say nothing. Even going to drink flower wine was fine, but don't father illegitimate children outside. If he did, his father would definitely acknowledge them.
As they chatted, the topic drifted. The Great Duan Emperor also said, "Your grandfather was too ruthless. I can't learn from him and give you the same chance to one day say 'Your grandfather was too ruthless.' I mean, kid, when the time comes, you'll probably use the word 'damn.'"
Actually, before Grand Scholar Chen Ping'an appeared, Cao Jiong had already made up his mind. It seemed there was no need for the Great Duan Dynasty to form an alliance with the Great Li Song clan. The Cao clan had no need to lose both face and substance.
Originally, his father, the Great Duan Emperor, had given the Grand Sash Dynasty a chance at that banquet. If your Grand Sash Yin clan could ally with the Great Li Song clan, then our Great Duan Cao clan would consider allying with your Yin clan. As for what Yin Miao thought, or what Yin Ji was planning, Cao Jiong, as an outsider, didn't care. He only looked at the result. The result was that allying with such a Great Li Song clan would be worse than directly cooperating with the Grand Sash Dynasty. The latter at least acted straightforwardly. The former was just a flashy empty shell. If they allied with the wrong side, people would die on the Barbarian battlefield, and many would die in vain.
But now, leaning against the wall, Cao Jiong felt he needed to watch a bit longer. Should they skip the Grand Sash Yin clan entirely, not only form a direct alliance between the two nations, but also simultaneously declare war on the Grand Sash Dynasty?!
Gao Shi, after all, was a martial artist only half a step from the Limitless realm. He instantly sensed that the Great Duan Crown Prince beside him seemed to have no small amount of killing intent in his heart.
——
The Daoist Yang Houjue had long since pulled his own Crown Prince, who was eager for chaos, back up to the steps of the Jiazi courtyard. The door wasn't closed, so they could still see the outside.
Before traveling to Bottle Gourd Continent with Lu Jun, there had been a secret discussion with no more than five people present. Yang Houjue was about to succeed as Grand Scholar of the Great Yuan Dynasty, but Yang Qingkong still temporarily retained the title of leader of the Chongxuan Bureau's Xiaoyao Palace.
Emperor Lu Huan, Crown Prince Lu Jun. Yang Qingkong, Yang Houjue. Two surnames, two people each.
From this, it could be seen that the statement "the Lu and Yang families rule the Great Yuan Dynasty together" was not false.
Yang Houjue took Lu Jun to the Great Li capital. There was nothing to discuss. It was simply to make Lu Jun hold back his temper, not to harm relations with Bottle Gourd Continent, especially the Great Li clan, who were their own people. If he encountered any grievances, don't rush. He could go talk to his teacher. Since his teacher was about to become the new Grand Scholar of Great Li, and Lu Jun was his unregistered disciple, as long as Lu Jun was in the right, there was no reason for his teacher to favor outsiders.
Lu Jun asked a key question: "If I am in the right, and that 'teacher' still favors someone or something in Great Li, what then?"
Emperor Lu Huan seemed stumped. He pointed at Yang Houjue. "For trivial bullshit like that, go discuss it with the Grand Scholar."
The real focus of the Imperial Study discussion was the "ranking" of the Great Yuan Dynasty.
Lu Huan asked, "Old True Man Yang, Grand Scholar Yang, as the top power in Northern Juju Continent, it might be difficult for our Great Yuan Dynasty to break into the top five in the short term. At the very least, we should surpass the sixth-ranked Shaoyuan Dynasty, right?"
The old True Man seemed to be asleep, sitting in his chair with eyes closed. For such life-or-death matters of state, Your Majesty, go talk to the new Grand Scholar. He is still young.
Yang Houjue felt helpless. "Your Majesty, any step in ranking represents a very significant gap in national power. If Your Majesty says we aim for tenth place, aiming for ninth, I might dare to boast a bit."
Lu Huan said, "Tuanni, look at the Grand Scholar of their Shaoyuan Dynasty. How old is Lin Junbi? And you, Yang Houjue, Grand Scholar Yang, how old are you? It’s truly unreasonable both emotionally and logically. I myself don't mind, but I would feel ashamed for you and the Chongxuan Bureau."
The old True Man still didn't open his eyes, just chuckled.
The Chongxuan Bureau's Yang clan in Great Yuan was universally acknowledged in Northern Juju Continent for being extremely grateful and long in repaying kindness. Similarly, they held grudges for a long time and took revenge with great hatred.
Liking to sword-fight ancestral halls was a common dish for Northern Juju Continent sword cultivators. If you hadn't sword-fought another sect's ancestral hall, your life as a sword cultivator was tasteless.
But within the Great Yuan Dynasty, among the immortal residences and small and large Dao fields, although they had also been subjected to sword-fighting, about half would receive a return visit from the Chongxuan Bureau's Yang clan Daoists.
The other half, after Xiaoyao Palace understood the details, completely ignored them. If their ancestral hall was torn down, they spent money to repair it, as they had experience and knew the way. For one immortal residence, Yang Houjue even learned the inside story and went to personally add another sword-fight, tearing down only half the ancestral hall. This time, they could completely rebuild.
Lu Huan said, "You don't know how frustrated I am. For example, those few fellows who are usually on good terms and are also emperors and sovereigns, in recent correspondence, they always provoke me with words. They even gave me a nickname. Guess what? 'Lu, the Bottom Ranker'!"
"Listen to that. Is that human talk? At first I would write back cursing them, saying if you're so capable, go get a Haoran top ten ranking. Stop being sarcastic. Then guess what? They shamelessly said they really didn't have that ability, but I, Lu Huan, was still 'Lu, the Bottom Ranker.' One of the biggest bastards even said, 'Why are you fierce only at home? You're Haoran's bottom ranker!'"
"They all say 'if the ruler is humiliated, the subject dies.' Forget it. I don't have that kind of power to decide how you two gods set on ascension should act. But as an emperor, I'm suffocating. You are either the Grand Scholar or the head of the Xiaoyao Palace Yang clan. You should at least earn me a little face back, right? Now I have two requests. Either one of you quickly achieves ascension this year or next, or help the Great Yuan Dynasty earn an eighth place! Seventh is fine, sixth is good, fifth is best, I dare not think about fourth. Third is out. We are all family with the Great Li Song clan. No need to hurt feelings..."
Lu Jun noticed that the older Old True Man Yang had actually started snoring.
The young Grand Scholar Yang Houjue smiled. "Then I'll strive to achieve ascension early."
Lu Huan slammed the tea table with a thunderous sound. "It's one thing for outsiders to join forces to anger me. But you also anger me like this, in front of the nation's Crown Prince, without giving face to the current Son of Heaven?!"
Lu Jun rolled his eyes. Lu Huan told him to leave the room first. Lu Jun was happy to run outside and practice that set of boxing techniques he felt were becoming more and more pure, almost perfected.
Lu Huan said, "Just now Lu Jun was here, so some things were hard to say. In fact, this time I sent Lu Jun to the Great Li capital because I wanted Houjue to pass a message to Mr. Chen. Just three words from me: No problem!"
Old True Man Yang finally stopped pretending to be asleep. He opened his eyes and asked, "Have you really thought it through?"
Lu Huan was puzzled. "You can even guess what the matter is?"
Yang Qingkong shook his head. "Your Majesty doesn't need to tell me what the matter is. I only ask Your Majesty one question: are you sure you've made up your mind?"
Lu Huan nodded.
Yang Qingkong closed his eyes. "Then that's fine. Let Houjue accompany the Crown Prince on a trip to the Great Li capital."
Lu Huan said, "I have caused you, True Man, to be unable to ascend."
Yang Qingkong said calmly, "Two families, not three."
Lu Huan was speechless.
Back then, during a great battle that decided the nation's fate, Grand Scholar Yang Qingkong made his move on the battlefield. Although it was only to cover the retreat, it still damaged his Dao heart. To this day, he cannot achieve ascension.
You must know that Emperor Lu Huan was a son by a concubine, not even the eldest son. But the old emperor did not hide that he favored him most, wanting to establish him as the heir.
The old emperor was also a ruthless man. Back then, he fought a war against an extremely troublesome neighbor, each staking the nation's fortunes. Border smoke rose everywhere. The war was stalemated. Either side could win or lose.
First, he pretended to be severely ill, as if he wouldn't live more than a few days. Then he summoned all the imperial clan elders, a bunch of princes, and over a dozen court heavyweights. The old emperor gave them two choices: either he personally donned armor, led an imperial expedition to the border battlefield, leaving Lu Huan in the capital to supervise the state. Or let Lu Huan lead a crack army to the border, take charge of the situation. If he lost, as the commander, he should be punished. If he won, that was another matter. Then they could discuss and decide for themselves.
He called this a choice? When the old emperor was lying on his sickbed, more breath out than in, already terminally ill, if he actually donned armor, let alone reaching the border, could he even walk out of the capital alive? In the end, whoever supervised the state would have the final say. Was being Crown Prince even important? Once someone supervised the state and the old emperor died on the road, whoever wanted to be emperor could decree it.
On the spot, a meritorious uncle of the state, the younger brother of the empress and a friend who had grown up wearing open-crotch pants with the old emperor, flew into a rage.
"Surnamed Lu, don't play this game with us. Just directly make Lu Huan the Crown Prince to supervise the state and be done with it. You can rest assured. Although I am the eldest prince and second prince's maternal uncle, I am also an official of the Great Yuan Dynasty. I take my salary and eat the imperial grain. Whoever becomes emperor, I will fight for him! Fine, a lifetime of life-and-death friendship, and you still don't trust me, in the end you come up with this trick, right?"
He was probably really disgusted by the old emperor. Couldn't hold it in, and blurted out, "Why don't you just abdicate directly?! Huh?"
The old emperor on the sickbed was so angry he stretched out a finger, tremblingly pointing at that fellow, muttering "bastard thing, bastard thing..." It looked like he was about to croak on the spot.
At that moment, old Grand Scholar Yang Qingkong was the first to speak. He said the matter was feasible, but they had to set ground rules first. If Prince Lu Huan lost the battle, he would never lead troops again in this life.
The uncle of the state was silent for a moment. He looked at the old emperor, who seemed to have a flash of life and was staring straight at him. The uncle nodded. "Deal. Surnamed Lu, if you keep yapping, I'll have everyone withdraw and just strangle you."
The old emperor passed out from anger on the spot. The old True Man quickly walked to the bedside, put two fingers under the old emperor's nose for a moment, and said, "Don't worry, he's still breathing."
At that time, Prince Lu Huan, stupefied like a drunkard, stumbled out of the medicine-smelling room, donned armor, and went to the border to command the troops in the emperor's place.
But that battle was lost. The Great Yuan border army was severely depleted, with heavy casualties. Both court and countryside were outraged, condemning both the useless Prince Lu Huan and the decrepit old emperor. Occasionally, there were voices with different opinions, but they were drowned out by the overwhelming condemnation.
The two nations, originally evenly matched, saw the Great Yuan Dynasty fall slightly behind from then on. In the Imperial Study that day, it seemed they were no longer father and son, but only sovereign and subject. The old emperor, wearing a robe, approved memorials with red ink, not lifting his head, not even glancing at Lu Huan, who was kneeling for a long time.
In the end, the old emperor finally remembered there was a defeated general in the room. He looked up and said slowly, "That debt, go figure it out yourself. When you understand, come explain it to me clearly. Lu Huan, remember, you only have this one chance in your life."
The old emperor did not say that he probably had only one chance too.
Prince Lu Huan was utterly disheartened. He endured for three years, then another three, and then another damn three. He was always the most marginal figure in the court. Since he would never lead troops again, he left the capital to govern his fief, becoming a peaceful prince in the provinces. Luckily, the old emperor did not fall ill and die. He probably felt that since the heir he had chosen was unreliable, the others were even worse. In fact, in his final years, the old emperor was barely holding on. The night Lu Huan was suddenly summoned back to the capital, the old man in his eyes, the Great Yuan Emperor, who was almost at the end of his strength, was even older. Truly old. That uncle of the state, who was indeed loyal to the country, had also died. The eldest and second princes had too little patience; they had been demoted to commoners.
Everyone said the third prince had finally made it. Lu Huan himself didn't care.
In the night, the dying old emperor stepped into the Imperial Study for the last time, summoning Lu Huan to the palace.
The one who went to fetch Lu Huan and accompanied the prince into the Imperial Study was none other than Grand Scholar Yang Qingkong.
The old emperor coughed incessantly, panting, but his eyes were extremely bright. "Lu Huan, do you know? Even if you had issued that military order back then, I would have made everyone shut up, letting you succeed the throne smoothly. Because I knew full well: since I sent you to command the border, you would definitely be scolded—either by officials, or by mountain immortals like Yang Qingkong. It didn't matter. I was the emperor of Great Yuan. I could smooth it all over for you!"
Lu Huan remained silent.
The old emperor asked, "But the result was that you had to endure nine more years. You brought it upon yourself. Do you regret it? Now, after all the twists and turns, you have finally gotten what you wanted. Are you happy?"
Lu Huan shook his head. "No regrets. If I regretted it, I would have come to admit my mistake to Your Majesty long ago. Happy? Hardly. I've never been happy in this life, anyway."
Turns out, during the pivotal battle of that war, a large group of sword cultivators from the enemy nation resolutely went to the Sword Qi Great Wall, leaving only a very small number on the battlefield.
Of the two groups of sword cultivators from the enemy nation, so unequal in number, the former probably went to die in a foreign land, while the latter might be waiting for death at home.
In contrast, the Great Yuan Dynasty, perhaps because its qi fortune was mostly occupied by the Chongxuan Bureau, had a considerable number of Daoist sword immortals. But since they cultivated Dao to seek immortality, very few went to the battlefield.
The ebb and flow immediately altered the battlefield situation. The Great Yuan border forces suddenly gained an unexpected advantage. They could have pressed forward and charged the enemy.
But Lu Huan hesitated. He hesitated again and again, ultimately missing the opportunity. The enemy nation secretly paid a huge price, hastily inviting a large group of cultivators and martial arts grandmasters from other nations. In fact, the two sides were still evenly matched on the battlefield. But due to Prince Lu Huan's decision, abetted by certain individuals with ulterior motives, the Great Yuan army's morale collapsed, leading to a complete rout.
If not for the protector of the nation, True Man Yang Qingkong, covering the retreat, it's possible that fewer than three out of ten of the Great Yuan retreating border forces would have survived. A battle that could have easily led to his enthronement was turned into a defeat that nearly destroyed the nation.
The old emperor patted the armrest of his chair. "That debt, you keep figuring it out. Whether you can get past it is your own business."
"But now, although this chair is given to you a bit late, even if I croak tonight, I am very reassured. Very reassured!"
Lu Huan's back seemed to stiffen instantly. He retorted, "Why didn't you tell me these heartfelt words earlier? Wouldn't it have been better to become the Grand Emperor early and enjoy your retirement?"
The old emperor let out a curse. "Fuck your mother."
Lu Huan, not yet the new emperor, at least still a prince that night, had a dark face.
The old emperor said dismissively, "It's not a curse word. If not like that, how could you exist? Isn't that the logic?"
Lu Huan's face grew darker.
Regardless, Lu Huan ultimately became the Son of Heaven of the Great Yuan Dynasty. He figured out most things. Some things he knew but still couldn't figure out or balance the accounts.
So Lu Huan had always wanted to find an opportunity to talk face to face with that Mr. Chen, just the two of them, to consult with that account keeper, hoping to feel better in his heart.
That day in the Imperial Study, Lu Huan, who had been emperor for many years and already had a Crown Prince, looked at the two Daoists and said, "Remember, when the history books mention this event, it was Crown Prince Lu Jun's suggestion!"
The two Chongxuan Bureau Daoists, who didn't even know what the situation was, nodded without hesitation.
In our Northern Juju Continent, face is more important than heaven!
It absolutely will not be "good, good, good" at the first meeting at a banquet, then "hard, hard, hard" after leaving the banquet, and ultimately dragging things out until they fall through.
You soldiers of the Sword Qi Great Wall consider only us of Northern Juju Continent as not outsiders, right?
Then we of Northern Juju Continent will never give you the chance to consider us outsiders!
This is called Northern Juju Continent's face.
Lu Huan saw the two Daoists out of the Imperial Study.
Even if you, Chen Ping'an, become Grand Scholar of Great Li, you are still the last Hidden Officer of the Sword Qi Great Wall, right?
In the courtyard, on the steps, Lu Jun grinned and said, "Grand Scholar, how about it? How am I doing as an unregistered disciple? Great Yuan having me as Crown Prince is a blessing from our ancestors."
Yang Houjue said, "The domestic affairs of your Lu family, I will not comment on."
Lu Jun said, "Don't be like that, Grand Scholar. You are so young, and I am also a pure and lively youth. Think about it. We will probably have nearly a hundred years of working together. Find a good girl, marry her as Crown Princess, wait for my father to pass away, sit on the dragon throne, wear the dragon robe, become emperor, name our children, teach them to read and write, then watch them all become talents. They will marry and have children or marry off and manage their families. First, select the Crown Prince in mind, and maybe depose a few Crown Princes along the way, right? One thing after another, all domestic affairs. You, Grand Scholar, have to worry about them all. Forbear a bit more."
Yang Houjue was silent, with a headache. This was the kind of talk a young Crown Prince should be saying? You rascal. I am still your father's Grand Scholar for now!
Actually, Prince Lu Jun was of a fairly steady temperament. But ever since he recognized Mr. Chen as his martial arts teacher, the boy had become completely... lively, like a runaway wild horse. After becoming Crown Prince, he was exactly like his grandfather in his younger days. Not at all like his father, the current Son of Heaven.
Seeing that Grand Scholar Yang Houjue might have been moved by his heartfelt words,
That's right. Doesn't his teacher's Fallen Mountain always emphasize sincerity?
So Lu Jun pulled a yellowed, curled booklet from his sleeve, licked his finger, flipped a few pages, and muttered to himself, "This is a secret manual that can turn me directly into a top expert."
Yang Houjue couldn't help but remind him, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, that is just a slightly modified version of the Mountain-Shaking Fist Manual. You can buy the original at any immortal ferry port. It won't cost much."
Lu Jun shook his head. "Grand Scholar Yang, you are a Daoist cultivator. You don't understand the boxing methods of us pure martial artists. You don't know how formidable this manual, modified by my teacher, really is."
Yang Houjue rubbed his temples.
Lu Jun read a few pages of fist technique formulas, feeling his martial arts attainment had improved a bit again. He nodded to himself, carefully put the booklet back in his sleeve, and asked, "Can we go out of the courtyard now?"
Yang Houjue nodded.
Lu Jun then walked out of the courtyard, looked around, and finally chose to go stand before the two who were standing against the wall as punishment. He asked, "Senior Brother Zong, what's your name?"
Gao Shi's scalp tingled. Every time he heard that sentence, it was like someone poking his heart. Even worse, that bastard Cao Jiong actually stepped aside. What, afraid of getting splattered with blood?
Lu Jun tilted his chin toward the departing "Cao Lue" and said with a smile, "Don't be nervous. I'm an outsider too, just like him."
Gao Shi immediately said loudly, "I am also an outsider!"
Lu Jun asked curiously, "What's this knife called? Do you sell it? What price?"
Gao Shi squinted his eyes and smiled. "What, can the Great Yuan Dynasty afford it?"
Lu Jun waved his hand. "Underestimating me. Am I the same as scum like Yin Miao? Their petty cleverness in business involves buying both the knife and the person. But I'm different. I'm just curious about the price of this knife. Name your price. If I can afford it, I'll buy it. If not, forget it."
Gao Shi asked, "Can you afford ten thousand Rain Grain Coins?"
Lu Jun retorted, "You talk kind of funny. If I had ten thousand Rain Grain Coins, why would I be a Crown Prince? I'd just buy myself an emperor. I'd urge my father to abdicate right away."
Gao Shi was stunned. He immediately stepped aside. This kid definitely had a screw loose.
Central Earth Confucian Temple.
The libationers and rectors of the academy were all looking at two manuscripts. But the three principal and deputy leaders were looking at a stack of files on the geography maps of the nine continents of Haoran. However, it seemed that restrictions had been placed by Ritual Sage.
The Second Sage smiled at the Literary Sage.
The old scholar wasn't looking at anything. He was furious.
——
Emperor Song He invited Chen Ping'an to serve as Grand Scholar of Great Li. The first time was in the Great Li capital, at the wedding banquet of Chen Ping'an's fellow townsman Shi Jiachun and his family.
At that time, the blue-robed man at the wedding banquet could not be called anything but arrogant. He sat lazily in his chair, crossing his legs, revealing a pair of cloth shoes, as if waiting for the emperor to beg him.
Later, the emperor and Empress Yu Mian left the capital and went to the small village where Chen Ping'an was a school teacher. That was the second time, and they talked quite a bit more.
Compared to their first meeting in the Great Li capital, the atmosphere was much better. But it was still far from calling them friends or confidants.
Song He and Chen Ping'an once took a walk together on a path between two villages. They talked about both matters of state and personal anecdotes. In short, no topic was taboo. Both were very sincere.
Finally, they sat on a "bench" made of a stone slab under a tree trunk at the head of the village, continuing to chat for a long time.
Nearby, villagers were eating from bowls or smoking long-stemmed pipes—old folks, the strong, women, and children. They were chatting about the harvest, trivial household matters. Children were laughing and playing nearby.
Because the village was remote, the Great Li official language was barely understandable. They couldn't speak it. Occasionally, Chen Ping'an had to help the emperor explain what a local saying meant before it elicited roars of laughter or sudden cursing matches.
Song He was very interested. He even had Chen Ping'an "interpret" his own opinions into the local dialect, or ask the villagers questions.
Song He could tell that if not for their regard for Chen Ping'an's status as the village school teacher, they wouldn't have bothered to talk to him or answer those strange questions.
So he envied the... harmonious atmosphere Chen Ping'an had with them. He thought that if he stayed a little longer, he could definitely achieve the same.
It seemed Chen Ping'an guessed this little thought of the emperor. He said Song He was overthinking. To have even half of his ability, you would at least need to be able to help grab a pig's hoof in the pigsty, go to work in the fields transplanting rice seedlings and harvesting grain, carry a bamboo basket to pick tea leaves in the tea garden, laugh and scold people, talk back when scolded, flirt with fierce women, and also be able to dodge their scratching claws. Drink and play finger-guessing games at the drinking table. Go out, vomit, then come back and continue drinking—in short, you can't be a coward... Otherwise, at best you can be a school teacher who can write couplets. So you're far from my level.
"The visiting rural scholar" laughed heartily at the time. He clasped his hands and said, "Impressive, impressive. Admire, admire."
"The local school teacher" was smug. He returned the gesture with a smile and said, "You flatter me. Just average."
The villagers gradually dispersed, leaving only Chen Ping'an and Song He sitting there chatting.
Chen Ping'an said, "There's no such thing in the world as enjoying blessings without enduring hardships. Song He, you need to think carefully."
Song He said, "At least now I can guarantee one thing: the matter of the Great Li court's investigation will forever be handled by the Grand Scholar. I, Song He, will never interfere or have the slightest objection!"
Chen Ping'an waved his hand. "Don't rush. Only when you encounter problems can you truly recognize yourself with the words 'endurance' and 'curbing anger.'"
Song He was about to speak. Chen Ping'an turned his head and asked with a smile, "So should I make the Great Li emperor suffer a bit? It will also allow Song He to gauge my ability as an official?"
Song He extended one hand, tilting it toward the blue-robed man beside him, and said, "Then I, Song He, current sovereign of Great Li, beg Grand Scholar Chen to let the people of Great Li enjoy more blessings!"
Chen Ping'an reached out and heavily slapped Song He's palm, laughing, "An emperor's word is not to be taken lightly. A scholar's word is the same. Heaven and earth bear witness. It's a deal."
The emperor tightly grasped Mr. Chen's hand. "Mr. Chen, it's a deal!"
Probably from that moment, Chen Ping'an truly agreed to take up the post of the new Grand Scholar of Great Li.
——
Ning Yao, who had been sitting on the bamboo chair under the eaves of the Sword Worship Platform, stood up. But she didn't go to the Great Li capital. Instead, she took a step that shrank the ground and reached the peak of Gathering Spirit Peak. She stood at the top of the steps with her sword on her back, looking down at the foot of the mountain.
At the mountain gate archway, a young Daoist with a wooden hairpin had long since put away his books. He stood with his hands in his sleeves, thinking about something unknown.
Puffs of wind, passing through the fields and farmlands, crossed the mountain gate, following the sacred steps leading straight up to a new temple replacing an old god shrine. The wind rose like smoke and mist.
But it was blocked by a vast sword intent. Invisible, it was like hitting a wall. The wind stalled, gathering thicker and thicker, making the middle of the sacred path increasingly misty.
Ning Yao narrowed her eyes, her expression indifferent.
So what if it was the Multicolor World? What did that have to do with me?
I am merely a pure sword cultivator of the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Even if it were the entire world, what did that have to do with me, Ning Yao?
I am only the Dao companion whom Chen Ping'an has not yet married.
And I don't care who you are—whether you are the reincarnation of the first Daoist in the ancient, distant past of humanity.
As long as you dare to suppress Chen Ping'an today, I will cut you down!