Chapter 102: Sweet Dew Terrace, Recalling the Past
Xue Xingchuan, leading the Fire Cloud Qilin, awaited at the passage exit. This powerhouse, ranked second among the thirty-eight divine generals of the continent, now displayed an attitude of utmost deference. The Fire Cloud Qilin he led was even more pathetic, its body trembling incessantly, unable to stand steadily, its fire-hammer-like tail swinging back and forth, looking truly pitiful.
The middle-aged woman raised an eyebrow slightly.
Xue Xingchuan had no idea why his mount was behaving so strangely tonight. After rising, he tried to explain, “Your Majesty’s sacred might is boundless…”
The middle-aged woman was none other than the Grand Zhou Holy Empress, the most honored master of this world.
“It has nothing to do with me, and you don’t need to be nervous.” Recalling the scene from earlier at the gate—the young man from the National Academy gripping his sword hilt—she walked over to the Fire Cloud Qilin, reached out, and gently stroked its neck. After a moment, the Fire Cloud Qilin calmed down.
“Next time, stay farther away, or it might truly die from exhaustion,” she said, looking at Xue Xingchuan.
Xue Xingchuan felt a chill of caution, thinking, *Could it be because of that ordinary youth named Chen Changsheng?*
“Do you think he’s truly ordinary?”
The Holy Empress seemed able to see through people’s thoughts, saying calmly, “If he were truly an ordinary youth, how could he have stood his ground against Gou Hanshi at the Green Vine Banquet without losing? Without some skill, would those old fellows have pushed him forward to embarrass me?”
Xue Xingchuan remained silent, because at such a moment, it was not appropriate for him to speak. Especially today, when Her Majesty had clearly shown her displeasure toward the National Academy. His handling of the mob besieging the National Academy during the day had likely been a grave mistake.
On the Sweet Dew Terrace, only one of the night pearls was lit. The black goat named Black Jade stood beside that night pearl, lowering its head to rub its nonexistent horns against the pearl. Mo Yu was grinding ink at the desk. The night wind at this height brushed the strands of hair by her cheeks, leaving them slightly disheveled.
Hearing a sound, she turned to look. Seeing it was Her Majesty the Holy Empress ascending the terrace, she quickly went forward to support her.
“Your Majesty, the autumn rain has washed the sky several times. Tonight is perfect for stargazing, but you’ve come a bit late.”
The Holy Empress said, “I’ve already seen the stars tonight.”
Mo Yu was slightly startled and asked cautiously, “Where did you see them, Your Majesty?”
The Holy Empress replied, “The Hundred Herbs Garden.”
Mo Yu was shocked at this. Everyone in the palace knew that since the late Emperor’s passing, Her Majesty had never set foot in the Hundred Herbs Garden. Why had she broken that rule tonight?
“You went to the National Academy today?” the Holy Empress asked, seemingly casually.
She didn’t say, “I heard you went to the National Academy,” because she was the Holy Empress—she had no need to beat around the bush.
The chill in Mo Yu’s heart deepened. How could she dare hide anything? She said softly, “Yes.”
The Holy Empress raised her right hand and gently stroked Mo Yu’s delicate cheek, asking, “Were all these things your doing?”
Mo Yu knew Her Majesty was referring to the two bloody incidents that had occurred consecutively today and the role the Tianhai family had played in them.
Unsure of Her Majesty’s stance, how could she casually admit it? She said softly, “I wouldn’t dare.”
“Without your say, how would they dare to act so recklessly? The National Academy is so close to the Imperial Palace.”
The Holy Empress looked at her and said flatly, her right hand continuing to gently stroke her face.
Mo Yu noticed the faint, almost imperceptible smile at the corner of Her Majesty’s lips. Her heart grew icy cold, feeling utterly terrifying.
Little did she know that the Holy Empress was merely recalling the young man from earlier and comparing the texture of their skin.
Mo Yu lowered her head and said, “The matter of the engagement must be resolved somehow… Xu Yourong used the engagement as an excuse, refusing to marry the Autumn Mountain Lord. The unification of north and south…”
“What of the unification of north and south? I’ve said it before—if Yourong doesn’t want to marry, then she won’t. It’s just that… no one believes what I say.”
The Holy Empress withdrew her hand, clasped her hands behind her back, and walked to the edge of the Sweet Dew Terrace. Gazing at the capital under the night sky, her voice carried a hint of loneliness. “You all think I prioritize the realm above all else, that sacrificing a few youthful romances is nothing. So you don’t believe me, and even Yourong doesn’t believe me. For that reason… you’ve used every means.”
Mo Yu was silent for a moment before saying, “Even setting aside the engagement, I find that youth somewhat strange. His timing is too coincidental.”
By “coincidental,” she meant that Chen Changsheng’s engagement to Xu Yourong had an extremely detrimental effect on the Grand Zhou’s established state policy, and that the National Academy, where he now resided, had become a symbol used by the old factions in the capital to counter Her Majesty.
The Holy Empress did not turn around. Her tone was indifferent: “Wasn’t it you who let him into the National Academy?”
Mo Yu’s expression tightened slightly. “Yes, but I wonder if someone is secretly pulling strings behind the scenes, using the Eastern Imperial Divine General’s mansion’s suppression and Xu Yourong’s letter to mislead me into making this wrong decision, thereby bringing Chen Changsheng before the eyes of the capital.”
“And what if he has appeared?”
“His surname is Chen. I suspect those people deliberately want the capital’s populace to associate him with the imperial clan.”
“…And what have your investigations turned up?”
“His teacher is indeed the Daoist Calculator… and then the trail goes cold. According to news from Xining, that dilapidated temple is still there, but there’s no one inside.”
At the mention of the name “Daoist Calculator,” the Holy Empress was silent for a long time. Suddenly, she said, “Stop investigating.”
Mo Yu was surprised, not understanding why.
The Holy Empress gazed quietly at the starry sky, where fate resided. But no one could clearly see their own fate—not even she could. Yet she had confidence in controlling her own destiny; even heaven could not disturb it.
That youth was her nemesis?
Ridiculous beyond measure.
She said, “The capital is vast.”
Mo Yu was slightly puzzled, not understanding the meaning of these four words.
“The continent is even vaster, and the sky vaster still. But none of them are as vast as my heart.”
She spoke slowly: “Can I not accommodate a single academy?”
Mo Yu was even more astonished. Even if Her Majesty disliked it, she was prepared to oppose this.
The Holy Empress did not turn around. She raised her right hand, signaling that this matter was not up for discussion.
This was her first time stating her stance on the National Academy, and it would also be her last.
Her attitude toward the National Academy depended on her attitude toward Chen Changsheng. She knew of his illness and felt a trace of pity. Regardless of whether he was being used by others or not, she decided to give him a chance—a chance to prove that he had lived.
“Do not disturb that youth again, at least not before the Grand Examination.”
Mo Yu’s lingering shock had not yet subsided when she heard Her Majesty’s next words. Puzzled, she asked, “Why the Grand Examination?”
The Holy Empress said, “A child who still cannot cultivate, yet is wholeheartedly determined to take the top rank in the Grand Examination—don’t you find that interesting? Don’t you find that child interesting?”
Mo Yu thought of Chen Changsheng’s wooden, dull expression and wondered, *Where is the interest?*
Then, looking at the figure at the edge of the Sweet Dew Terrace, she suddenly felt that Her Majesty was different today than usual, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on how.
“Those people have moved to the detached palace. I won’t let anyone live there again, disturbing the peace of that place. So don’t come to me in dreams anymore… Well, if you do dream, can we talk about happier things? Stop complaining all the time.”
The Holy Empress gazed quietly at the night sky, at a certain empty spot, and murmured to herself, “I went to the Hundred Herbs Garden today and had tea.”
That spot in the night sky was now nothing but emptiness. But twenty years ago, there had once been an extraordinarily bright star there.
That was an Emperor Star.
That star held great significance for her, just like the Hundred Herbs Garden.
Hundreds of years ago, she had been forced out of the palace and had lived in the Hundred Herbs Garden as a Taoist nun in training, staying there for several years.
During those years, the late Emperor would come out from that gate every night to meet with her.
She was a Taoist nun, and because of those matters, she was secretly watched by countless people in the court. Even among her closest attendants, she didn’t know if there were spies. Even if she dared to meet the late Emperor, it was not convenient to do anything too overt.
The thing she and the late Emperor did most often in the Hundred Herbs Garden was drink tea. They would gaze at each other in silence, tears streaming down their faces.
Occasionally, in the dead of night when no one was around, the most intimate gesture she and the late Emperor ever shared was simply touching each other’s faces and gazing at each other with infatuation.
“Tonight, I saw a youth who looks very much like you…”
The Holy Empress smiled at the night sky as she spoke.
But in the next moment, her smile abruptly vanished, and her voice turned extremely cold, even cruel: “And coincidentally, his surname is also Chen.”
The autumn rain fell and stopped intermittently, not as lingering as spring rain, but its cold dampness was just as annoying.
Though autumn still lingered, and it seemed nothing had happened, in truth, many things had already occurred.
Her Majesty the Holy Empress had not uttered a single word about the turmoil in the capital. But those qualified to know her stance already did.
And so, the capital returned to peace.
The southern envoy delegation remained in the detached palace of the imperial residence, as if isolated from the world.
The fleeting appearance of Her Highness Luoluo in the world had vanished without a trace; it was said she was also in the detached palace.
The Tianhai family was scouring the land for rare treasures, reportedly in preparation for next year’s marriage alliance between Tianhai Shengxue and the Peace Princess. As for Tianhai Shengxue himself, he had returned to the Embrace Snow Pass.
The students who had passed the preliminary examination for the Grand Examination were either recruited by various academies or diligently preparing in their inns.
The focus of life in the capital and the topic of conversation had shifted to the increasingly imminent Grand Examination.
As for the former focus—the National Academy—it was now very quiet.
After that autumn rain, no one dared to cause trouble at the National Academy anymore. Nor did the National Academy show any intention of repairing its broken gate. The dilapidated gate stood there as a silent mockery of the Tianhai family—what might be called “letting it rot.”
Countless people in the capital cherished the memory of the Chen and Zhou golden age and detested the Tianhai family. Gradually, the broken gate of the National Academy became a famous landmark. Every day, people would come to visit it, using it to express their opposition to the Tianhai family and even Her Majesty the Holy Empress.
The gatekeeper of the National Academy was also part of this scenery—a veteran of the last war against the demons and a legendary figure like Jin Yulu. Such a person was not someone you could see just anywhere, let alone every day.
As for the youths inside the National Academy… the people stopping outside the gate to observe would discuss Xu Yourong’s fiancé, their faces full of disdain and contempt. But their voices were all low, and no one dared to utter a single curse word.
Because now everyone in the capital knew that the National Academy had a lot of stones…
The gate of the National Academy had become a sight to behold, but few dared to step into this scenery.
Of course, there were also those who didn’t care about such things at all and could even sleep within this scenery.
Outside the window, the autumn forest glowed golden under the sunlight, truly beautiful.
Chen Changsheng withdrew his gaze from the window and looked at the waterfall-like black hair beside him, feeling somewhat helpless. He wondered, *What exactly is going on here?*
(To prepare for the upcoming work schedule, I’m trying to stockpile chapters. But trying to stockpile while maintaining two chapters a day is truly a living death. The next chapter will be posted around 8:20.)