Chapter 94: War on a Capital City (Part 1)
Chen Changsheng understood her meaning—if it was different from what the rumors said, Xu Yourong did not want to marry Qiushan Jun, or even marry anyone at all. Her marriage contract was the perfect excuse to reject Qiushan Jun and anyone else besides him, flawlessly silencing the clamor of the world.
That marriage document would be her best reason, and he would be the unshakable monument behind her.
Yes, this explanation best fit the current situation and perfectly echoed the words Xu Yourong had sent Shuang’er to deliver—don’t misunderstand. But Chen Changsheng disagreed with Mo Yu’s claim, not because of logic, but because what she said was somewhat harsh.
“It seems your relationship with Miss Xu isn’t as good as I imagined.”
“This has nothing to do with closeness. The demon race has been recuperating in the north for centuries. The human world needs to maintain its alliance with the demon race and, more importantly, ensure internal unity. The union of north and south is a matter of great importance. Xu Yourong’s engagement to Qiushan Jun cannot fundamentally change this trend, but it is a symbol… a symbol watched by the entire continent. Her thoughts and actions are very unwise.”
“But you can’t do anything about her, so you deliberately say such things to provoke me?”
“Do you think this isn’t the truth?”
“Any truth can only be confirmed as truth after it happens.”
Chen Changsheng thought of the words he had spoken in the abandoned garden—they could be disregarded because he didn’t want to waste anyone’s youth or life. But he had encountered too many things in the capital to trust easily; at least some words needed to be spoken face-to-face before they could count.
“If you want me to take the initiative to dissolve this marriage, it’s not difficult. Let Miss Xu come and tell me herself.”
He looked at Mo Yu and said, “Everyone says she has the bearing of a divine phoenix, but at least in this matter, I haven’t seen it.”
Mo Yu suddenly said, “Actually, I’m very annoyed.”
Chen Changsheng said, “This matter annoys me too.”
Mo Yu’s black hair gradually loosened, her slender brows like swords, as she stared at him and said, “If I could, I’d rather kill you with one finger.”
At her age, she was already a Star Gathering realm expert, trusted by Her Holiness the Empress, and in the Great Zhou Dynasty, she was second only to one and above ten thousand—a truly remarkable figure. Forced to handle this marriage and, for certain reasons, having to act with restraint, she was truly frustrated.
Chen Changsheng sensed the danger. Only then did he remember that the beautiful woman before him was no ordinary person. He stared into her eyes and asked, “You came to the National Academy today and had the Tianhai family do these things. Does Her Holiness know?”
Mo Yu sneered twice but said nothing. She could deeply earn the trust of Her Holiness the Empress and rise from an ordinary female official to the peak of power in just a few years. Besides her own abilities, the main reason was her knack for understanding Her Holiness’s intentions.
For many matters, because of various reasons, Her Holiness could not express her stance openly, or even reveal her thoughts. Mo Yu would silently begin working behind the scenes, handling those matters properly for Her Holiness.
Like this marriage contract involving the union of north and south.
Mo Yu had never made a mistake in this regard. She knew very well what outcome Her Holiness wanted.
“That chief bishop of the Education Bureau, and more old fellows in the Li Palace and elsewhere… these once-glorious figures of the state religion seem to protect the National Academy, but they’re actually using you. Can’t you see that?”
“I was arranged by you to study at the National Academy.”
Chen Changsheng looked into her eyes and said, “If those old seniors in the state religion really want to use me and succeed, Her Holiness’s wrath would fall on you before it falls on me. Isn’t it because you’re afraid of this that you’re so eager for me to annul the marriage, to make up for it with merit?”
Mo Yu’s expression shifted slightly, unsure if he had hit the mark, then she laughed contemptuously: “Her Holiness’s trust in me is known across the continent. Do you, a child, think a few bland words can influence anything?”
Chen Changsheng said, “Yes, your arrangement for me to enter the National Academy was just a coincidence. Her Holiness might not suspect you of any other intentions, but she will remember that it was your casual decision that challenged her dignity. Now, Her Holiness still likes and trusts you, so there’s no problem. But someday, if Her Holiness no longer likes or trusts you, this matter will bring you a lot of trouble.”
Mo Yu raised her slender brows, her sword intent growing stronger.
“The situation at the National Academy is indeed tense now, but the situation you face isn’t great either.”
Chen Changsheng said, “Just like I said in the abandoned garden that day, I won’t take the initiative to annul the marriage unless she comes to discuss it with me. In this regard, you won’t gain any initiative or dominance. Please go back to your residence and think of other methods.”
Mo Yu found his words amusing. Her slender brows gradually relaxed, and her voice softened: “Are you, a child, driving me away?”
Chen Changsheng said, “I wouldn’t dare. I’m asking you to leave.”
Mo Yu really laughed, because it was too unbelievable: “You dare to treat me like this?”
Chen Changsheng said, “When words fall on deaf ears, half a sentence is too much.”
Throughout this conversation, he had acted like an adult, but in truth, he was just a youth. Seemingly eloquent and sharp-tongued, with his still-childish face and stiff arm gestures, he actually looked quite endearing and clumsy.
Only endearment and clumsiness were genuine. So Mo Yu was truly angered. The earlier words she could understand as necessary sparring, but only at the end did she realize that Chen Changsheng truly didn’t care about her and truly wasn’t afraid of her.
Since serving Her Holiness the Empress, no one had dared to treat her like this, let alone ask her to leave—whether it was the prime minister, the nobles of the Tianhai family, or the big shots of the state religion. Even His Holiness the Pope showed her some indulgence, yet Chen Changsheng had done this.
“Aren’t you afraid of death?” she bit her lip and said hatefully.
Because of anger, she lost her composure, looking somewhat like a straightforward young girl.
Chen Changsheng honestly said, “If you could kill me, I would have died two nights ago by Black Dragon Pond. Since I didn’t die, it must be for some reason you can’t kill me. So I fear death, but… I don’t fear you.”
As always, the more genuine, the more hurtful. So this sentence hurt the most.
Mo Yu’s gaze grew colder and colder.
“Right, I promised someone, so I can’t touch you… but there are many who want to touch you. Even with the marriage contract, so what? You can’t marry Xu Yourong, and she can’t marry you, because she is the unique phoenix of this continent, her status incomparably sacred. Her engagement to Qiushan Jun has been a celebrated tale for years—everything related to her, in people’s minds, should be legendary. Now you’ve become an insignificant mud stain. Do you think people will accept it?”
She looked at Chen Changsheng with a hint of mockery and said, “Do you know what you’re doing? You’re destroying everyone’s imagination or expectations of beauty. Those imaginations and expectations are naturally childish and ridiculous, but you’ve successfully made the whole world unhappy. How do you think the world will treat you?”
Mo Yu left the National Academy. Chen Changsheng, as the master of the academy, saw her off—not to the gate, but deep into the academy, to the deepest part of the dense forest. Watching her disappear through the trees, he stood there for a long time.
In the forest was a wall, the boundary between the National Academy and the Herb Garden. The wall stretched into the thick fog and vines, vaguely connecting to another thick wall. That wall showed faint signs of weathering, with thick moss on the bricks, and a door that had not been opened for a long time.
That was the city wall of the imperial palace. Mo Yu had returned to the palace through that door.
On ordinary days, standing by the lake or on the banyan tree, he could see the palace buildings appearing and disappearing among the treetops. He knew the palace wasn’t far, but only today did he realize that the deepest part of the National Academy had this door, and the palace was this close.
Because of the Green Vine Banquet, he had entered the palace once. For that vast palace complex, he remembered the middle-aged woman by the pond, and of course, he would never forget the Xuan Shuang Black Dragon trapped by iron chains at the bottom of Black Dragon Pond for who knows how many years.
Underground, he had promised the black dragon to visit it when he had time, to talk with it. He hadn’t forgotten his promise, but he didn’t know how to enter the palace. Seeing the moss-covered old door today, he suddenly realized it was possible.
But the palace was so vast. Even if he took the great risk of sneaking in, how could he find that abandoned garden? That night, he had found Weiyang Palace only thanks to the black sheep leading the way. Now, without the black sheep, he dared not act recklessly.
The curse-like words Mo Yu left before leaving soon became reality.
After the autumn rain finally stopped, hundreds of young people gathered at the gate of the National Academy. There were students from the Heavenly Dao Academy, laborers from the Qing Yao Thirteen Banners, scholars from the Capital Prefecture, and more ordinary folk and idle onlookers. The crowd was mixed, but their purpose was consistent.
Surrounding the dilapidated gate of the National Academy, the crowd was agitated, waving their arms and shouting incessantly.
“Make that surnamed Chen kid come out!”
“Villainous scoundrel, everyone should kill him!”
“What do you think you are, wanting to marry Xu Yourong?”
“Do you think you’re Qiushan Jun?”
“Hand over the fake marriage contract!”
“Where did this country bumpkin come from? Get out of the capital!”
“A toad lusting after phoenix meat? Pah!”
The harsh shouts echoed before the gate of the National Academy, growing louder and more vile—country bumpkin, shameless thief, finally devolving into direct obscenities. More and more people came to the National Academy’s gate, whether to join the cursing or to watch the spectacle with schadenfreude…
In short, at this moment, the entire capital city held no goodwill toward the National Academy.
(The black house set the wrong time, only crawled out at 9:30… The next chapter should be updated before midnight.)