Chapter 75 The Twenty-Third Cycle of Destiny!

Chapter 75

Ye Xiren's pupils contracted in disbelief.

wrong!

If he were seriously ill, how could the imperial physicians of Daliang not have noticed? From the moment he stepped into Nandu, the entire Imperial Medical Academy had reviewed his medical records; how could none of them have discovered it?!

Ye Xiren stood up abruptly, about to go out and call the imperial physician to examine her, but Chi Zhanlan Ce grabbed her hem and said indifferently, "Don't waste your time. They can't tell. Guess what the Imperial Preceptor Wu Qiao is here for?"

Ye Xiren turned to look at him, incredulous:

"The Imperial Preceptor of Northern Yan...is skilled in medicine?"

I've never understood why, if Chizhan Lance came here to die, what was Wu Qiao's purpose? Why would a dignified Grand Preceptor come along to die?

It turns out that he did this to suppress Chi Zhanlan Ce's illness.

What kind of national advisor in Northern Yan knows witchcraft? What he clearly knows is medicine, exceptional medicine!

The Crown Prince of Northern Yan was chosen by divine favor and is the faith of Northern Yan. If this "holy son" is seriously ill and will not live long, he will not receive divine favor at all. What will happen to Northern Yan?

A light appeared in Ye Xiren's eyes.

At least she knew the truth and could make a long-term plan... She never expected that this person would actually be willing to reveal the deepest secret.

Chi Zhanlan Ce released his hand and said with a smile, "Miss Ye, the tea is gone. Brew another pot and let's continue."

There are still many questions, waiting for the other party to answer them.

Ye Xiren suppressed her shock, turned around and poured more tea. When she came back in, Chi Zhanlan Ce was sitting opposite her, with a notebook in front of her.

His expression showed a sudden realization.

Ye Xiren immediately reached for his sleeve, and realized that he had somehow managed to steal Yan Wan's note!

Chi Zhanlan Ce laughed loudly, his face full of mockery: "So that's how it is. No wonder my schemes, which seemed impossible to fail, all fell through. It's as if someone had read my mind beforehand..."

He had always wondered how such a secret scheme, those unknown methods, could be detected and prevented in advance.

It turns out that it wasn't that someone had seen through his most secret scheme, but rather that they relied on the cycle of time to evade the plot.

He looked up at the person in front of him.

The unusual behavior of Ye Xiren at the hour of Yin today alerted him to something amiss. Recalling his previous failed schemes, he began to suspect something was wrong. Now that it was confirmed, he felt his blood rush to his head and was filled with immense anger.

“The cycle of death, the recurrence of cycles, Heaven is truly unfair! It allows you Liang people to glimpse the secrets of Heaven and receive divine protection.” Chi Zhanlan Ce’s voice trembled, his eyes gradually reddening, anger and resentment intertwined in them. “While my Northern Yan only has a Holy Son gravely ill, burdened by divine punishment, a dying man…”

Why should I?!

He was so angry that he was trembling all over.

Ye Xiren remained remarkably calm, standing opposite him at a safe distance, and slowly said, "You are afflicted with a serious illness and do not have long to live, which is why you came to Daliang alone. It's not that you don't want to live, it's that you can't live."

Thinking back to the few times I've seen Chi Zhanlan Ce, he seemed particularly afraid of the cold, even with a brazier burning inside the carriage, and he always seemed listless and unwilling to move...

It turned out that the Holy Son had been punished by Heaven and was terminally ill.

No wonder the Northern Yan leadership is keeping the news under tight control. They have to deal with the terrible situation of losing their "Grand Strategist" after Chi Zhan Lan Ce's death, as well as the growing unrest among the various factions of Northern Yan. The King of Northern Yan, the Grand Preceptor, Chi Zhan Lan Ce, and Chi Zhan Cheng Ye are all preparing for this!

If the Holy Son were to die suddenly in the army without divine protection, all units would be thrown into chaos in an instant, and there would be no will to fight.

Moreover, he is not only the Holy Son, but also the strategist and general.

But with Yan Danqing in Daliang, he is his biggest threat.

So he came to Nandu, risking his life to kill Yan Danqing.

When the Imperial Preceptor came to Daliang, his initial purpose was not to enter the Southern Capital, but to cure Chizhan Lance's illness. However, the Imperial Preceptor Wu Qiao was helpless and could only use medicine to keep him alive for a period of time.

To ensure the plan's success without revealing his illness, Wu Qiao and he ventured to Daliang, sacrificing Mingqi Chizhan Lance in exchange for killing Yan Danqing and disrupting Daliang.

This was the initial goal, but as they faced repeated failures, Chi Zhanlan Ce constantly sought ways to turn the situation around.

Just like what Yan Wan, Ye Xiren, and Yan Danqing are doing, Chi Zhanlan Ce, the Imperial Advisor Wu Qiao, and others are also under immense pressure and despair...

To save their own country.

Chi Zhanlan Ce is destined to die, but he must take Yan Danqing, the greatest threat, with him before he dies, and incidentally disrupt the situation in Nandu, throwing the Great Liang into chaos. At that time, although he will be dead, the Northern Yan will use the pretext of avenging the Holy Son to destroy the country effortlessly.

Northern Yan is destined to fall into chaos, and Great Liang must fall into even greater chaos, or even be completely destroyed, for them to have a chance to survive!

Without Yan Wan's cycle, the Great Liang would have been destroyed; without Ye Xiren's cycle, Yan Danqing would have been killed.

Ye Xiren felt a chill run down her spine.

For the first time, she was so grateful for the cycle. If she hadn't fallen into the cycle, Chi Zhanlan Ce would have truly traded his dying body for their general and the stability of the court!

She was relieved, but Chi Zhanlan Ce was furious. He could be inferior in skill, but he never expected the truth to be like this.

cycle?

Yan Wan? Ye Xiren?

If one is not enough, God will arrange two. How can man fight against God?

"All my calculations were correct, but it's hateful that fate is unfair and works against me!"

His face showed a mixture of anger and defeat, as if all his strength had been drained. His tense shoulders slumped, and he looked at Ye Xiren, clutching the note, his voice growing weaker:

“I was born intelligent and blessed with exceptional talent. I have a keen mind and a photographic memory. I was favored by my father at a young age and was made crown prince to assist in government affairs. I helped Northern Yan gradually become stronger and recuperate.”

"The grasslands are not suitable for cultivation, the soil and water are not fertile, and there are vast deserts. Why should your Great Liang occupy the Central Plains? This land should belong to the strong. Whoever can seize it can own it. Since I, Chizhan Lance, was born, I should lead Northern Yan to take over this land!"

His eyes were filled with ambition.

Ye Xiren seemed to see the young Chi Zhanlan Ce standing on the grassland, gazing towards the Central Plains. At that time, he had already designated this land as his target for conquest.

"The grasslands of Northern Yan are vast, with various tribes governing themselves and not submitting to the royal court, making it difficult to unify them. However, the Central Plains have been powerful for thousands of years and are difficult to deal with. If we do not win over the hearts of the various tribes, Northern Yan will never be able to occupy this land."

Chi Zhanlan Ce was lost in memories, his voice softening:

“I need divine help, so I discussed with the Grand Preceptor to hold a ceremony, become a holy son, be called the chosen one, and receive divine protection. I will gather the faith of the Northern Yan into my body and make the various tribes of the Northern Yan my vanguard.”

The plan went very smoothly. The Northern Yan had a holy son, whose status was extremely high and who was the faith of everyone. He said that God told him that the Northern Yan should conquer the land of Daliang. All the tribes would contribute money and manpower, and would be at his beck and call until their dying breath.

"Everything was going smoothly, but since I, Chizhan Lance, was born, why is Yan Danqing here as well?"

Chi Zhanlan Ce both cried and laughed:

"Fortunately, although Yan Danqing is strong, he has a loyal and patriotic heart. The best strategy is to subdue your enemy without fighting. Your Great Liang is corrupt and rotten, and the people in the court are treacherous. With so many people holding you back, I may not lose if I use my strategy... But why? Why must I be punished by heaven and die soon!"

He clutched his clothes at his chest, his face deathly pale with rage.

They were about to invade Nandu, but Yan Danqing suddenly appeared and intercepted their Northern Yan army, causing them to suffer repeated defeats. Before they could retaliate, Yan Danqing fell ill twice during their battle with Yan Danqing. The Imperial Advisor Wu Qiao arrived and confirmed that Yan Danqing was not long for life.

Heaven has not blessed Northern Yan!

"If I had known I wouldn't live long, why would I have fabricated the identity of a holy son and proclaimed that I was divinely ordained?"

"How could I ruin my brothers just because I don't want my position to be threatened!"

"How could we have invaded the Great Liang, carried out massacres, and forged a blood feud with you?"

Ye Xiren looked at the distraught Chi Zhanlan Ce. This Northern Yan Crown Prince, who was always rational, composed, and confident of victory, was now disheveled and looked like he had gone mad.

He originally wanted to lead Northern Yan to a glorious path, to concentrate faith, and to do things to the extreme, but in the end, he will become... the culprit.

"If I die on the road to war, what will happen to the Northern Yan army? If another divine punishment is mentioned, Northern Yan will surely fall into chaos. Our actions on the land of Daliang in recent years have already created an irreconcilable enmity between the two countries. Even the Liang Emperor and Jiang You, who are pro-peace, are thinking about how to become strong and then destroy Northern Yan to avenge our defeat!"

Chi Zhanlan was frustrated and in pain.

It seems that Northern Yan is suppressing Liang, but what lies behind it?

Behind them is a capable general in the Great Liang Dynasty. He is only twenty years old and in good health. There are also Liang Yue and Jiang You in the Great Liang court, the emperor and prime minister who advocate reform and want to reform the entire old system. It is their accumulated hatred that is destined to lead to a life-or-death struggle!

What did Northern Yan have?

The tribe, torn apart by the death of the holy son and the loss of its strategist; the army, its morale crumbling due to divine punishment; the ministers in the royal tent, who had been suppressed by him for years and had little say in their own opinions; the aging King of Northern Yan; and his brother, whom he had spoiled...

If the Great Liang cannot be completely destroyed, it won't be long before the Northern Yan is completely suppressed by the Great Liang and has no chance of turning the tide.

How could he accept this?

"Even if I, Chizhan Lance, die, I will be the scepter of Northern Yan to take over Daliang and flatten the Southern Capital."

Chi Zhanlan Ce overturned the table in front of him, gritting his teeth:

"I clearly succeeded, more than once, but I lost to fate because I wasn't blessed... This is unfair!"

Ye Xiren has been forgotten. According to Yan Wan's notes, this is her last cycle. He must have succeeded in at least the previous dozen or so cycles!

He killed Yan Danqing, disrupted the Southern Capital court, and died on the land of Southern Capital, arousing the Northern Yan's desire for revenge.

Once the news gets back, Chi Zhan Chengye will produce the blood-written letter he prepared in advance, claiming it was written by him on his deathbed. He will then launch an attack as the new crown prince, with his father holding a sacrificial ceremony to inform the Great Liang that they killed the Holy Son of Northern Yan and that it was ordained by Heaven to avenge the Holy Son. He will also mobilize manpower to help attack the Great Liang, using hatred to calm the panicked hearts of those who were thrown into chaos by his death...

He had planned everything out.

However, because Ye Xiren knew the situation first and was blessed by heaven, he was pushed step by step to this point. All his most desired goals had failed, and he could only hope that Northern Yan still had the will to take revenge, so that his army would not collapse in an instant...

Could it be because he borrowed the name of God?

Chi Zhanlan Ce's eyes were bloodshot, and the anger in them seemed to pierce through his soul. He said, word by word, "Heaven did not grant me a long life. If I had not been seriously ill, if you had not entered the cycle, how could I have lost?"

"I just... lack divine help!"

He's so young. If he could live a few more years, all his long-cherished wishes would come true!

Ye Xiren listened to his resentment and looked at his anger, then calmly said, "But where did you not receive divine help? You were too blessed by the heavens. If the heavens didn't help you, where would you have gotten your brilliant mind, your photographic memory, and your unparalleled strategic skills?"

"Since your birth, Northern Yan has nurtured your ambition, while the Emperor of Great Liang has done nothing, even raising a group of parasites that are gnawing away at the country from within..."

After Emperor Xianzong destroyed the country, he made a foolish decision that caused the Great Liang to lose its most important battle, and from then on it was trampled by the iron hooves of the Northern Yan.

After his death, he left behind only a young son born in his old age, which nearly plunged the country into further chaos.

The Great Liang suffered constant natural disasters, while the Northern Yan remained stable; Heaven had already done enough to help the Northern Yan.

"Besides, why should God help you?"

Ye Xiren stepped forward and met his gaze:

"The massacre in Beidu resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent civilians, and the drowning in Nandu resulted in the deaths of 300,000 people. Why should I help you after committing such atrocities?"

She felt that everything in this world, from the smallest sip to the largest bite, was predetermined.

Chi Zhanlan Ce was born with extraordinary talent, unparalleled in the world. At that time, the emperor of the Great Liang was incompetent. Thus, he combined faith and power in himself, and led the Northern Yan army to successfully invade the land of the Great Liang, massacring and trampling the mountains and rivers.

After capturing Beidu, in order to intimidate the people of Daliang, they even ordered a massacre of the city, resulting in a human tragedy.

Afterwards, Yan Wan was reborn, starting a new cycle.

Chi Zhanlan discovered his illness and changed his plan. He entered Nandu with peace talks and plotted to destroy the country. In the end, he succeeded. The people of Beiyan wanted to avenge him and did not want the country to have any chance of rising again. 300,000 people in Nandu were drowned in the river.

And so the cycle of Ye Xiren began again.

Why did they die such a tragic death?

What right did she have to drown herself?

The two stood facing each other silently across an overturned table, amidst a mess of broken porcelain on the floor. Both harbored hatred, resentment, and deep grievances.

Outside, the sun shines on the rooftops.

"Hahaha!" Chi Zhanlan Ce suddenly burst into laughter. "I'm going to die anyway. I can't interfere with who wins between Great Liang and Northern Yan. The outcome is already decided."

He simply looked up, as if trying to see the sky above him, his eyes bloodshot, a smirk playing on his lips: "Heavens, how could you be so unfair, cutting off my life force so cruelly? I, Chi Zhan Lan Ce, would never lose to anyone!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his chest heaved violently.

Ye Xiren initially thought he was just unwilling, until she noticed that his face was pale, his lips were purple, and he fell straight down.

Chi Zhanlan Ce has fallen ill!

Ye Xiren's pupils contracted; he actually had a heart ailment!

No wonder Chi Zhanlan Ce, who called himself "Heaven's Punishment," was born with a heart ailment and was destined to die young. Moreover, it wasn't something he was born with, but rather something that happened during the attack on the Great Liang Dynasty...

Chi Zhanlan Ce cannot die; they haven't obtained any evidence yet.

She instinctively wanted to step forward, but then suddenly stopped, not getting any closer. "Where's your medicine? Since you brought the Northern Yan National Preceptor with you, he must have given you the medicine."

Chi Zhanlan Ce could no longer speak. He clutched his chest and collapsed to the ground, his eyes tightly closed. His face grew increasingly bluish-purple, and his breathing became weak.

He's going to die!

He really wants to die on the land of Daliang like this.

"Quickly, call the imperial physician!" Ye Xiren shouted, turning her head. Countless thoughts raced through her mind as she desperately pondered whether the information she had learned today would be of any use if he died like this.

There must be medicine!

Since Chi Zhanlan Ce is a dying man and needs to suppress his pulse, Wu Qiao will definitely deliver the medicine to him at the right time. However, they have never met before, so how can the medicine be delivered?

Ye Xiren was breathing rapidly.

Just then, she heard a faint sound. She looked up sharply and saw a bird perched on the windowsill, silent and still. She wouldn't have noticed it if she hadn't been on high alert.

A small medicine bottle and a note were tied to the bird's leg!

There must be medicine inside.

This is the evidence!

Ye Xiren's breath hitched, and she took a few steps forward, about to grab the bird.

On the bird's body, a mechanism was activated, and countless flying needles suddenly shot out, heading straight for her face, aiming to kill her instantly!

"Bang!"

Yan Danqing fell from the rooftop, his red-tasseled spear trembling to block the needle. With a twist of the spear, the bird was killed, the flying needle fell to the ground, the small medicine bottle rolled down, and a black pill and a piece of paper fell out at the same time.

The words on the note had barely caught my eye when the medicine bottle shattered, spilling out the medicine and instantly melting the note!

Ye Xiren's pupils contracted, and she pounced on him.

However, all that was left was a handful of liquid; the note had completely dissolved.

She gritted her teeth, picked up the pill, turned around, and fed it to the half-dead Chi Zhanlan Ce.

As soon as the medicine entered his throat, large mouthfuls of black blood gushed from Chi Zhanlan Ce's mouth. He opened his eyes, grabbed Ye Xiren's wrist, pulled her down, and burst into laughter.

Ye Xiren stared at her hands, stunned.

The hand that reached for the note had turned black; the potion was a highly poisonous substance!

"Hahaha, so what if fate isn't on my side? I already know the truth, you won't have a second chance!"

Chi Zhanlan Ce coughed up black blood, looked at the bloodstains spilling from Ye Xiren's mouth, and saw Yan Danqing's eyes widen in horror as he leaped in like a madman. His smile grew even brighter.

“I wanted to kill Yan Danqing before, one scheme after another, even if one failed, there was another. Yan Danqing should have died many times over. It was you who stopped me.”

Chi Zhanlan Ce's voice was strained and frantic:

"I was wrong. What's the point of killing Yan Danqing? You are the variable, and all I need to do is kill the variable. I will never accept my fate. Ye Xiren, let's die together and end the cycle..."

He coaxed her here, exchanging secrets for secrets, all to find out the whole truth. Now that he knows the truth, how could he possibly admit defeat?

He used his "secret" to buy time, waiting for this medicine to arrive. What's the point of killing Yan Danqing? Ye Xiren is the variable. He should kill Ye Xiren to end the cycle!

The more anxious Ye Xiren is to seize evidence, the closer she will be to death.

How could Chi Zhanlan Ce possibly admit defeat? Even if he were to fight against the heavens, he would fight with his life!

"I...must win..."

His eyes were open, his breathing grew weaker and weaker, but the light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Ye Xiren stared wide-eyed at her blackened hand, then suddenly turned and grabbed his neck, gritting her teeth as death approached:

"No, you're wrong. You won't win, because the 300,000 heroic souls of Nandu in the Protectorate River will not yield!"

Now that he knows the whole truth, what he wants to fight is people.

-----------------------

Author's note: See you tomorrow!