Chapter 801: Spring Breeze Greens Both Banks
The Daoist sect was the state religion of the Zhou Dynasty, but it was not merely the state religion of the Zhou Dynasty. Long before the Zhou Dynasty was established, in many dynasties, the Daoist sect had been the state religion.
The Pope was the holder of divine authority over the state religion, the common sovereign of all believers under heaven. In a sense, he held a higher status than the monarch.
How could one become a good Pope?
Chen Changsheng had thoroughly read the Daoist canon and had seen the deeds of countless generations of Popes in the books, but this was not something that could be learned.
Perhaps for this reason, his Pope uncle had never taught him how to do it, only trying to influence him through his own words and actions.
For example, putting the world first, concealing one’s brilliance, being cautious and prudent, not caring about temporary gains or losses, not worrying about the praise or blame of countless ages, only acting for the sake of all living beings.
After leaving the capital, like many young cultivators, he went straight to the north, wanting to contribute on the battlefield. However, it turned out that this was useless and instead easily caused chaos on the front lines and shook military morale. Then he began to use his medical skills to save people and refine cinnabar pills, which did save many, but it was still not enough.
Wang Zhice had said in his notes that positions are relative. Being in different positions naturally requires choosing different methods of action. He was now the Pope. If he wanted to contribute to this world, he could not act like a swordsman or a doctor; he needed to employ different means.
For this dark and decaying world, Su Li disdained to associate with it, disdained to look at it. If the mundane world touched him, he would cut it away with a single sword strike. The Heavenly Sea Holy Maiden’s method was to use even darker, more brutal means to suppress it, trying to drive away all that stale air. The Pope uncle’s method was gentler and more conservative.
In Chen Changsheng’s view, none of these methods were correct.
He could not keep retreating for the sake of the so-called greater good like his uncle, willing to sacrifice himself. Nor could he remain as detached from the world as Senior Su Li. Although this world had shown him no kindness, he still liked this world and the people living in it. Of course, he could never act like the Heavenly Sea Holy Maiden. After reading Wang Zhice’s notes in the Lingyan Pavilion back then, he had already abandoned any ambition to make the world dance to his tune.
His means, or rather his method, or rather what he wanted to do, was actually very simple.
Since he did not want to hand this world over to those decaying, boring people, then he should step forward.
Just like the spring breeze greening the southern bank of the river, just like wildflowers blooming all over the hillside, openly, uprightly, proclaiming it to the world.
If it were just him alone, it would certainly be very difficult. Fortunately, he still had many peers, fellow travelers.
If that guy were willing to join in, how wonderful that would be. But unfortunately, why wouldn’t he come out of seclusion?
Chen Changsheng looked toward the room in the distance where the light was still bright, wondering what Rob was thinking at this moment.
...
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The demon race really had withdrawn their troops. There was no trap, no reservation. From the north of Tianliang Commandery to the western foothills of Cold Mountain, across the wilderness snowfield spanning about two thousand li in radius, not a single demon figure could be seen anymore. Only two squads of wolf cavalry remained by the Lahu River, presumably to monitor the movements of the human army.
Many people were still puzzled and confused about why the demon race had withdrawn, but no matter from which angle you looked at it, this was a victory for humanity. Over a dozen military prefectures and even more military stockades in the northern snowfield had begun celebrating. People’s faces were filled with relaxed smiles, as if it were a festival.
The atmosphere in Songshan Military Prefecture was different from elsewhere—tense and oppressive. The main street was packed with crowds on both sides. Whether soldiers, merchants, or the few ordinary civilians, their faces were etched with worry and unease. They were gathered here not to celebrate the demon withdrawal, but to wait for the outcome of a trial.
Over the past few days, many carriages had successively entered Songshan Military Prefecture. Some carriages came from Yonglan Pass and Yongxue Pass, some from Hanqiu City, and a few even from the distant capital. Each carriage represented a truly important figure.
Because Ning Shiwei had died.
One night, he had taken his personal guards and left his station, vanishing without a trace. When his corpse was later found, it was already mutilated. The most critical issue was that he had not died on the snowfield battlefield, but in a very remote snowy ridge.
A divine general had died mysteriously; naturally, the truth had to be uncovered.
The soldiers, merchants, and commoners on the street also wanted to know what had really happened.
They did not know that many others had died that night as well. The new head of the Zhu Clan, Zhu Ye; the second-generation disciple of the Tianhai family being groomed for importance, Tianhai Zhanyi; and the Seventeenth Master of the Tang family—all had perished like Ning Shiwei on that bitterly cold night.
With so many important figures dead, even more important figures were needed to investigate.
Two divine generals had rushed over from Yongxue Pass and Yonglan Pass respectively. The Tianhai family had sent a truly major figure—Tianhai Chengwen, the younger brother of family head Tianhai Chengwu. But even he was not the highest-ranking person in Songshan Military Prefecture today, because the Prince of Zhongshan had come from the capital as the imperial envoy. Only the Zhu Clan of Tianliang Commandery, having lost two consecutive clan heads in a row, had no strong figures left and was in rapid decline. They had merely sent a random representative, presumably only to sit in on the trial.
When the important figures arrived at Songshan Military Prefecture, their primary task was naturally to investigate the deaths of Ning Shiwei and the others. But clearly, what was more important was that position.
The position of divine general of Songshan Military Prefecture.
Back when the Holy Maiden Empress was in power, the war against the demon race had not gone smoothly, but the military was still as formidable as in its heyday, with a total of thirty-eight divine generals. During the Tian Shu Ling Incident, famous divine generals like Xue Xingchuan and Tian Chui had died one after another. Afterward, the court struggles had been equally fierce and turbulent, leaving only twenty-three divine generals remaining.
The capital and Luoyang needed divine generals to guard them, so even fewer divine generals could stay in the north.
Now on the snowfield, aside from Yongxue Pass and Yonglan Pass, which held special status, every other military prefecture had only one divine general. After Ning Shiwei’s death, the position of divine general of Songshan Military Prefecture had become vacant, and no divine general could be transferred from another prefecture. This meant the court needed a new divine general.
For the Zhou Dynasty’s military and even the court, the divine general was the most critical position.
Because a divine general held military power and could, at a critical moment, mobilize troops even without an imperial decree.
No matter what Ning Shiwei had died for, now that a position had opened up, allowing for the promotion of a new divine general, neither the Prince of Xiang’s faction, the Tianhai family, nor any other court faction would miss this opportunity.
In the depth of winter, no snow fell on Songshan Military Prefecture, but dark clouds densely covered the sky above the city stockade built against the mountain. The daylight was very cold.
Just like the expressions of the important figures sitting in the main hall of the military prefecture.
The Prince of Zhongshan sat in the center. As the rumors said, there was a natural aura of brutality between his brows.
Tianhai Chengwen and General Jianxi from Yongxue Pass sat on the right-hand side.
The Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, who had come with the Prince of Zhongshan, and General Chengtao from Yonglan Pass sat on the left-hand side.
The camps were very distinct, and so were their stances. Otherwise, why would the atmosphere in the main hall be so oppressive, even gloomy?
General Chengtao stared at the commander of Gaoyang Town standing below the hall, his face extremely ugly, and roared: “The main general arrived at your camp, and you knew nothing about it?”