Chapter 153: Perhaps She Always Knew
The King of Linghai looked at this old man who had once been like a teacher and father to him, and said, "Her Majesty has already changed Chen Changsheng's fate against the heavens. Why must you still choose this path?"
"This matter has nothing to do with Chen Changsheng, nor does it have anything to do with Senior Brother. A choice can only be one's own choice."
The Pope glanced at the green leaves in the basin, a hint of melancholy in his tone. "All my life, I have never known how to make choices. I have drifted like grass wherever the wind blows—so it was hundreds of years ago, and so it was twenty years ago. Senior Brother was right. I am truly useless. I can only act according to my heart at the very last moment, but by then it is often too late. That is why Senior Brother broke with Her Majesty, and why Zhu Luo and the Star-Gazer died. If I think carefully, all of this should be considered my fault."
Although in the past two years, due to the new students of the National Academy, His Holiness the Pope no longer supported the new faction of the National Church, both the King of Linghai and Master Siyuan harbored deep resentment toward him. Yet they never entertained any malicious speculation about him, because they knew well that in the thousand years of the National Church, His Holiness was a true and pure cultivator.
Hearing these words, the King of Linghai and Master Siyuan raised their heads. They saw His Holiness standing in the holy light, too dazzling to look at directly.
Master Siyuan said painfully, "You don't have to force yourself to make a choice."
The Pope said, "My choice must benefit all living beings."
With these words, he walked out of the Hall of Brightness.
Thousands of clergy outside the hall knelt like a tidal wave.
The Pope looked toward the Mausoleum of Books and said, "Why not return together?"
Her Majesty the Empress's reply to this proposal was very clear. Her voice was cold, filled with mockery—or perhaps disappointment?
"Hand over the position to these fools? You're truly senile. Go ahead and die then."
The Pope smiled faintly, knowing she was in a bad mood at the moment, and then shook his head.
The basin of green leaves was no longer in his hands but floated behind him in the night.
As the night breeze gently brushed, the green leaves swayed slowly, as if also shaking their heads.
With the swaying of the green leaves, many people began to appear in the Hall of Pure Virtue, some distance from the Hall of Brightness. These were the strong cultivators of the National Church who had been in seclusion to break through realms, clergy who had been quietly cultivating the Way, long accustomed to life in the Green Leaf World. Suddenly summoned out, their expressions were bewildered, unsure of what was happening.
After a moment, they learned of the current situation, and their faces immediately turned solemn. They joined with clergy from various parts of the detached palace, then left along the sacred path, dispersing throughout the capital.
...
...
The detached palace had finally moved, and the situation in the capital was settled.
The Prince of Liang left the Lingyan Pavilion. For some reason, the Second Master of the Tang family had not killed him.
The Imperial Guard fell into internal strife. The sounds of slaughter echoed everywhere in the imperial palace. It was not until the Prince of Chenliu, holding the so-called imperial edict of the late emperor, charged into the palace alone that the situation was somewhat brought under control.
Soon after, several princes followed closely. Eighteen cardinal bishops led three hundred clergy into the imperial city, and the palace finally returned to silence.
The situation in the court was even more complicated. The rebel faction encountered fierce resistance. If the Minister of Rites had not insisted on accompanying them, perhaps the experts of the Green Vine Academies led by Dean Zhuang Zhihuan of the Heavenly Dao Academy would have killed even more people tonight.
The turmoil in the capital gradually subsided.
The rebel faction gradually took control of the situation, but the true outcome was far from decided, because the Mausoleum of Books was still there.
There were no troops around the Mausoleum of Books, nor any cultivation experts from the various prefectures, because the level of battle here was too high.
People came to the Mausoleum of Books one after another. Even the most inconspicuous among them were great figures.
Mao Qiuyu arrived, and with him came a tall, thin old man in a Daoist robe and a young girl.
In the night around the Mausoleum of Books, on the opposite bank of the dried-up river, hidden experts from various noble families and sect mountain gates gradually revealed themselves.
The Second Master of the Tang family did not appear. He had quietly left the Lingyan Pavilion and never showed himself before anyone again. This was the style of the Wenshui Tang family—finish the deed, brush off the dust, and only reappear when it was time to collect payment. Few would know that the Tang family had played the most important role in tonight's capital upheaval.
As many people arrived at the Mausoleum of Books, the head of the Qiushan family left. On the official road leading south, facing his attendant's question, he thought for a moment and said, "Too many people."
...
...
Chen Changsheng watched these scenes at the foot of the Mausoleum of Books, silent, unsure of what he was thinking.
In truth, he himself didn't know what he was thinking or what he should think.
The tall, thin Daoist standing shoulder to shoulder with Mao Qiuyu should be the Grand Archbishop Ling Bai Shi. And who was that young girl?
She looked very delicate. How could she be qualified to stand with these two great figures of the National Church?
"Mu Jiushi, when did you return from the Great Western Continent?"
Her Majesty the Empress looked at the young girl, raising an eyebrow slightly.
Hearing this name, even in his dazed state, Chen Changsheng sobered up a bit.
So this delicate-looking young girl was actually Mu Jiushi, one of the six giants of the National Church?
He had never imagined that this most mysterious great figure of the National Church could be so young. And from Her Majesty's words, was she somehow connected to the Great Western Continent?
Mu Jiushi looked at the peak of the Mausoleum of Books, smiled a little sheepishly, and said, "Your Majesty, I was only brought here to bear witness. Please don't be angry with me."
Her Majesty the Empress said with a hint of mockery, "If it weren't too unsightly, even the demon race would have sent someone tonight."
No one answered her words—neither His Holiness the Pope walking through the night, nor the Daoist Calculator who had just entered Luoyang City.
Because as she said, this was a shameful matter.
Her Majesty the Empress knew very well that on this continent, such shameful things had happened many times, and similar scenes had appeared before.
But she was certain that she would not meet the same boring end as that man.
"The strongest beneath the stars is still beneath the stars. I am one who will trample beyond the stars."
Chen Changsheng heard her voice but didn't quite understand it, nor did he bother to think about it.
He was still alive. It seemed that defying fate to change his destiny had succeeded. He could continue living like this from now on. This should have been a very joyful thing, but for some reason, there was no trace of happiness in his heart. He had lost interest in everything—even this magnificent battle that would surely be recorded in history held no appeal. He didn't want to think about anything.
But when he looked at the black smoke and open flames rising from time to time in the streets and alleys of the capital, he still felt some worry.
He wondered how the National Academy was doing now, and how those... friends who truly cared about him were faring.
...
...
The Imperial Guard and the National Church cavalry had both withdrawn, now fighting somewhere in the capital.
In front of the National Academy, all was quiet. Fallen leaves lay in Hundred Flowers Lane, but not a single person was in sight.
After Tang Thirty-Six left, he never returned. Zhe Xiu was certain that this was not due to his own reasons.
So Zhe Xiu also left the National Academy, vanishing into the night.
The teachers and students of the National Academy had not slept. They stood before the library, their expressions anxious. Some students said they should go out to look for the dean and the others.
"Don't worry about what's happening outside. No one is allowed to leave."
Su Moyu said in a deep voice, "Anyone who dares to step out of the academy gate tonight will be expelled on the spot!"
Hearing this, the restless students gradually calmed down.
Su Moyu instructed several instructors to handle the aftermath, then walked to the academy gate and said to Ye Xiaolian, "Thank you, junior sisters, for your hard work tonight."
The sword formation of the Nanxi Zhai was enough to deter any force that might try to take advantage of the chaos to harm the National Academy.
After arranging these matters, Su Moyu walked to the gate, looked into the night-shrouded streets, and listened to the sounds of slaughter in the distance. His heart was heavy.
Chen Changsheng, Tang Thirty-Six, Zhe Xiu, and Xuanyuan Po had all left. Now only he remained in the National Academy.
He had to ensure the academy's safety. That was the only thing he could do.
Ye Xiaolian walked to his side, also gazing into the night. Her delicate face was filled with worry.
The disciples of Nanxi Zhai had been ordered by the Holy Maiden to guard the National Academy, but the Holy Maiden had gone to the imperial palace and never returned. Tonight, with the capital in chaos, was the Holy Maiden still safe?
...
...
The green bamboo carriage left the capital and headed south. Before long, it had already traveled over a thousand li.
Perhaps feeling a bit tired, or perhaps finding it too dull and boring, the black sheep stopped by the Tangwang River.
Starlight fell into the clear Tangwang River, scattered by the night breeze into countless silver leaves, reflecting into the carriage window and painting beautiful silver patterns on the walls.
These starlight fell upon the faces of Xu Yourong and Mo Yu, both beautiful to the extreme, yet they seemed somewhat dim, much like their moods at this moment.
The wooden hairpin was tucked into Xu Yourong's hair. She could not move, only speak.
She looked at Mo Yu and said in a low voice, "Did you guess something?"
Mo Yu's palace dress trembled slightly, because her body was trembling.
She looked at Xu Yourong, appearing especially fragile and helpless—nothing like the decisive and ruthless Lady Mo of the court, but rather like a little girl suddenly abandoned.
"You... what do you want to say?"
Both of them were the most intelligent women in the world. The farther they got from the capital, the calmer their hearts became, and the more guesses they made. Now, from each other's expressions, they found some confirmation, and their hearts grew even more alarmed.
Whether it was the wooden hairpin in Xu Yourong's hair, or the black sheep staring blankly toward the capital by the Tangwang River, or themselves—all were proof.
If Her Majesty the Empress had full confidence in controlling tonight's situation in the capital, why would she have them leave?
Xu Yourong's face was pale. "Let's go back."
Mo Yu was silent for a long time. In the end, she did not follow her advice and said, "This is Her Majesty's decree. We continue on."
As she said this, her expression was calm, but her voice trembled, as if she might burst into tears at any moment.