Chapter 1152: A Carriage, a Painting
This year’s first snow fell much earlier than usual.
According to military records, this was even the earliest recorded snowfall in Snow Old City in three hundred years.
Snowfall did not mean the weather would immediately turn cold, but it at least indicated a certain trend.
More frighteningly, for both sides, already exhausted to the breaking point, this psychological omen could directly alter the entire war situation.
In Snow Old City, which was about to welcome a harsh winter, the snow might not melt for half a year. For the human soldiers, fighting field battles in such climatic conditions was no different from courting death.
Everyone understood what this snowfall meant for the war.
To shatter the newly rebuilt confidence of the demon soldiers, to break this ill omen, or even just to keep the human soldiers from dwelling on this issue, Divine General He Ming did not hesitate to launch another assault on the city. The Western Route Army was also ordered to speed up clearing the battlefield.
At the most critical moment, the humans displayed extraordinary courage and decisiveness, especially the strong.
Prince Xiang, to make up for the mistake he had made at Norilang Peak, fought valiantly and was again severely wounded.
Xiao Zhang also appeared. The kite could fly over Yanzhi Mountain but could not cross that city wall, and he was once again lost without a trace.
Prince Liang Sun finally appeared on the battlefield, a golden lotus blooming before Snow Old City.
In the end, he was severely wounded, fell unconscious, and was carried back to Xunyang City.
Liang Banhu died in battle. Liang Hongzhuang died in battle. Liang Sun was severely wounded.
The former dynasty’s Liang clan, in this war to punish the demons, set aside their enmity with the Chen imperial dynasty and fought with a courage that could only be called heroic.
One wondered what Liang Xiaoxiao, who had colluded with the demons back then, would think if he were alive today and saw these scenes.
The tragic and heroic actions of the human strong, combined with Divine General He Ming’s troop deployments, somewhat alleviated the oppressive atmosphere brought by the first snow.
But as the snowfall continued, and as the siege weapons predictably returned without success, the morale of the human army grew increasingly low.
Just as Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong were preparing to act, something happened.
To be more precise, a carriage arrived outside Snow Old City.
That carriage was not pulled by horses, oxen, or mules. There were no draft animals, yet it could move forward on its own. This looked somewhat miraculous.
The wheels crunched over the remaining snow and mud, making a creaking sound. It seemed slow, yet it quickly traveled from the south into the military camp.
Even more miraculous was that, on the tens of thousands of li journey from the south, passing through countless scattered soldiers and fierce bandits, this carriage, with not a single cavalryman to protect it, had arrived completely unscathed.
Countless gazes fell upon that carriage.
The carriage curtain was lifted. A little Daoist poked his head out. Seeing the hundreds of thousands of people on the plain, he gasped in surprise, covered his mouth, and quickly ducked back inside.
In that brief moment, many people had seen clearly: that little Daoist was very handsome, like a carving of jade, with eyes like black lacquer, full of spiritual vitality.
…
…
“Am I… relatively stupid?”
Chen Changsheng withdrew his gaze, looked at Xu Yourong, and hesitated for a moment before speaking. “And… not that good-looking either?”
Xu Yourong knew what he was thinking. She said, “You were better looking than him when you were little.”
Chen Changsheng said, “When we were little, we only exchanged letters. We never met in person.”
Xu Yourong said, “This is what Crane Lord said.”
A crane’s cry came from the sky.
That was White Crane bearing witness.
…
…
That small carriage stopped on a hill outside the battlefield.
The curtain was lifted again and then hooked up with a wooden peg.
The little Daoist jumped to the ground and reached out to help the person inside the carriage out.
Countless gazes followed that small carriage as it moved from the southern plain to this hill.
Even the taunting and cursing of the tribal warriors outside Snow Old City stopped.
When they saw that exquisitely carved little Daoist, many had already guessed who was in the carriage.
Ten years of seclusion did not mean the world was unaware of the goings-on at Changchun Temple.
Many knew that a little Daoist had appeared in the temple.
As for whether this was another bout of pique between that master and disciple, who could say?
…
…
Shang Xingzhou had come after all.
At the very moment when human morale was at its lowest, at the most critical and dangerous point of this war.
After centuries, he once again stood beneath the walls of Snow Old City.
Including himself, many had already guessed that this should be his last time at Snow Old City.
Except for the injured Prince Xiang, all the major figures in the army went to that hill to pay their respects.
On the plain outside Snow Old City, dust clouds rose continuously as people traveled back and forth to the hill.
After ten years of seclusion in Luoyang, Shang Xingzhou’s prestige had not diminished; in fact, it might have grown even higher.
…
…
Watching the trails of dust on the plain, the worry on Linghai Zhiwang’s face deepened. He looked at Chen Changsheng, wanting to offer some advice, but knew this was not the right time.
Archbishop Anlin returned from the most dangerous front line, bringing back Guan Bai’s body.
The hundreds of thousands of demon warriors outside Snow Old City, hailing from various tribes, could not be fully trusted by the imperial family, but their killing power on the battlefield was truly terrifying.
Chen Changsheng sat beside Guan Bai for a long time.
Back during the Academy Tournament that year, Guan Bai had glanced at him from the street—that was their first meeting.
Then came Wuqiong Bi’s entry into the capital, her brutal killing of stray dogs, and then Guan Bai lost an arm.
Because of this, no matter what Bie Yanghong said, no matter how miserably Wuqiong Bi ended up, Chen Changsheng had never forgiven her.
He felt that someone like Guan Bai deserved more respect and a better ending.
He never expected it would come to this, just this and nothing more.
“What about Liang Banhu?”
Chen Changsheng asked Archbishop Anlin.
He remembered it very clearly.
Because they had arrived at Snow Old City the earliest, the Northern Third Battalion of the Eastern Route Army had always been a thorn in the demon army’s side, nearly surrounded several times.
A few days ago, late one night, more than a dozen major demon tribes launched a joint counterattack, targeting the Northern Third Battalion.
The battle that night was exceptionally brutal. Guan Bai led a thousand National Church cavalry in a night-long rescue, finally averting the crisis at the last moment.
But Guan Bai died in battle. Liang Banhu, one of the first three cavalrymen to reach Snow Old City… also died in battle.
“Liang Banhu chose to self-destruct.” Archbishop Anlin, recalling the tragic scene on the battlefield, showed a sorrowful expression. She hesitated for a moment, then looked at Chen Changsheng and said, “I don’t know if it was to atone for his brother’s sins, but I heard he fought with exceptional ferocity on the battlefield.”
Chen Changsheng was silent, not knowing what to say at such a moment.
Archbishop Anlin continued, “Guan Feibai’s emotions are unstable right now. We need to find a way to pull him back.”
Chen Changsheng said, “Discuss it with Yourong.”
Anlin acknowledged the order and left.
Linghai Zhiwang said, “Should we go over there?”
“Over there” naturally referred to that hill, the hill where Shang Xingzhou was.
Up until now, Chen Changsheng had not gone there, nor had Linghai Zhiwang and the other Li Palace clergy.
In fact, many clergy members had been constantly looking in that direction.
Chen Changsheng was the Pope, a position of great honor, but he was still a student. Not taking the initiative to go pay his respects was somewhat indefensible.
“No need.”
Chen Changsheng pulled the white cloth up to cover Guan Bai’s face.
He led Linghai Zhiwang out of the tent, looked at the distant hill, wanted to say something, but in the end, said nothing.
And so, Chen Changsheng remained in his tent.
Shang Xingzhou remained in his carriage.
Master and disciple were silent, separated by over a hundred li.
Occasionally, Chen Changsheng would glance in that direction.
But Shang Xingzhou kept his eyes closed, letting the not-so-warm demon sun shine on his face, as if trying to smooth out some of his aged wrinkles.
Everyone, including the demons inside Snow Old City, was eager to know what Shang Xingzhou would do next.
Surely, he wouldn’t just sit in that small carriage and watch the battle.
The next morning, people finally saw what Shang Xingzhou had done.
He hung a painting in the sky.