Chapter 119 [VIP]

In June, the sweltering heat of Dingzhou City was oppressive.

Xiao Shen had been in Dingzhou for some time now. For some reason, his elder brother had been transferred to Dingzhou this time... He was always worried about him and came all the way from the capital to see Xiao Qi.

I wonder if it's because he contracted malaria... he's become quite sentimental.

Accompanying him was Yue Lanxin, daughter of the Prince of Bingliang. They had been childhood sweethearts and had been engaged before the new year. Yue Lanxin was worried about his health and came with him to visit her brother.

"Jintai...why are you up so early today?" Yue Lanxin asked.

Xiao Shen: "It's so hot in the summer and the weather is so early... I couldn't sleep, so I came to check on you. Lan Xin, you've gotten up early to take care of me. I'm so grateful... You can leave these things to the servants."

He recalled how they used to bicker and argue when they were young, always thinking about having fun, leaving his elder brother to worry about his future. Until he contracted malaria, the young lady of the royal family changed her personality and began washing his clothes... He knew Yue Lanxin's concerns, worried that someone with ulterior motives might put something in them again, and perhaps the past would repeat itself.

But seeing his fiancée lower her noble body for him... he could not feel at ease.

Yue Lanxin: "You don't need to take it to heart... I was just taking a look. Now that I've learned how to use fragrances, I can tell at a glance whether these clothes have been touched by anyone. Besides, why can't I do what servants do... You comb my hair and dress me every day, isn't that also what servants are supposed to do?"

“…I can never win an argument with you,” Xiao Shen said.

Yue Lanxin: "You only need to worry about General Xiao's side... What did General Xiao say?"

“The situation is not good… Last night, the deputy general sent word that he had ordered the city to be sealed off. We don’t know who this Golden Crow Sect is… First, they made Liancheng rain down and wipe out the local people, and then they threatened us with divine punishment. Seeing that the morale of the surrounding cities was low, my brother was worried that panic would spread, so he sealed off the city early,” Xiao Shen said.

Yue Lanxin: "This rainfall is the will of Heaven... how could it be predicted by humans?"

Xiao Shen: "It is precisely because it is unpredictable that the Liang army that rebelled against Wei was no different from gamblers... and yet they won the gamble, which makes it seem as if Heaven is on their side. Even though we know some methods to judge rainfall, and there are records in the classics of signs that heavy rain is coming, these people do not know them."

"The deputy general has investigated and found that in the southwest region, where the capital borders the Hu tribe, there is a water tribe called Feng. They can predict the timing of rainfall based on environmental changes. The Golden Crow Sect may have received their assistance. Unfortunately... Liancheng has not seen rain for several years, but today, overnight, rain fell thanks to the Golden Crow's blessing. The people are as if they are bewitched and have all become attached to them."

"If His Majesty had sent someone three years ago... before they gained momentum, my brother might not be in this situation today."

Both of them clearly knew that this matter could not be deduced. The rise of religions in the south was partly the work of the Shadow Guard, which originated from the Xie Prince's Mansion... If this matter were to be investigated further, the origins would be complex and entangled. In addition, Xue Yi relied on the Shadow Guard when he ascended the throne. In terms of timing, he would never have sent troops there three years ago.

Regarding the long drought in Liancheng, although the people are willing to obey the monarch... judging from the monarch's bestowed grace and the signs shown by heaven, the most primitive instinct of mankind is to submit to the will of heaven.

Whoever is grateful for the rain from heaven... is the sovereign whose will is in the hands of heaven.

"Second Young Master... someone requests an audience," a guard announced.

Xiao Shen: "...Who is it?"

"The person didn't say his name, he just brought this over."

The guard held an ugly pig-face mask in his hand.

When Xiao Shen and Yue Lanxin saw it together, it was as if they had returned to the time they spent together in Zhizhang Palace several years ago. On that day, the streets of Shengjing were filled with lanterns, and they saw the masks sold by the vendors, arguing together about what was beautiful and ugly.

Nearly five years have passed.

Five years ago, driven by their own selfish desires, they let the boy wearing the pig-face mask go.

Now, this mask has reappeared before them, whether by fate or by the seeds they planted themselves that have now sprouted new branches.

They exchanged a glance, already recognizing each other.

Yue Lanxin asked, "...Should we go see him?"

Xiao Shen: "Although five years have passed, perhaps the Ninth Prince is now connected with the Golden Crow Sect... The friendship of our youth doesn't count, we still need to go and see him... Lan Xin, do you agree?"

Yue Lanxin: "Since you are going, I will naturally go with you."

They followed the guards through the long palace road, taking paths they had never traversed before. Xiao Shen grew increasingly suspicious as they walked… He even worried that they might be being deceived by villains. What was even more concerning… not only had the guards been bribed, but if this secret passage led directly outside the city, Dingzhou was no longer safe.

They followed the winding tunnels to a huge Buddhist cave, which was abruptly ended halfway through its construction... He saw a huge, carved head, with willow-leaf eyebrows and phoenix eyes, which was an image of the eldest princess.

Behind that carved Buddha head... there is an even larger Buddha statue.

The Buddha statue is over forty feet tall. Its features are elegant and otherworldly, with its lowered eyes made of amber gemstones that give it a deep brown luster. The lowered eyes are compassionate and gentle, and the Buddha's outstretched palms seem to hold countless worldly dust.

Both of them had seen the Buddha statue with its lowered head in person... so they naturally recognized who sculpted it... and the question became clear.

Who created this image?

Who sculpted the Buddha's body?

Who will be remembered for their deeds throughout history?

Who bestows upon it the title of supreme compassion?

A figure appeared not far away where the Buddha's eyes were lowered.

The boy I hadn't seen for years had grown up, tall and slender, his handsome face shining through his hooded robe. His dark, seemingly innocent eyes were as captivating as the most exquisite gems, their somber gaze revealing a fiery madness. Red earrings adorned his ears, and his smile was incredibly radiant, revealing his canine teeth.

Murong Yue removed his hood and said to the two, "Xiao Shen, Lan Xin... it's been a long time. I originally thought... you two didn't want to see me. It's so good to see you again."

Xiao Shen and Yue Lanxin noticed the golden crow pattern on Murong Yue's clothes. The golden crow pattern was bathed in sunlight, looking shimmering and sacred, like wings of flame, illuminating Murong Yue's face.

"Ninth Prince...you...you've joined the Golden Crow Sect?" Yue Lanxin asked.

Xiao Shen, sensing that things weren't going to be that easy, cut to the chase: "Ninth Prince... what brings you here?"

If he were to ask them for a favor again based on their past friendship... they might be unable to help. Xiao Shen thought to himself.

Murong Yue seemed to see his worry and smiled at him. His smile was bright and flamboyant, and he seemed to see endless flames burning and blooming in the cave.

"You two need not worry... Although I came here to reminisce with you, I see that you two are probably not in the mood right now. It is not too late to reminisce another day when there is an opportunity. I wonder if there will be such an opportunity. This Golden Crow Sect was founded by me and follows my Murong legacy to restore the eternal darkness."

Murong Yue: "As you two can see... the interior of Dingzhou City has already been cleared by my guards. If I wanted to, I could take Dingzhou City in less than ten days. Even if General Xiao is stationed here, I'm afraid it would be difficult to stop the collapse of the city. I started planning this four years ago, but now it's too late to turn back. Although I am confident... there is one thing that is on my mind."

“I harbor resentment towards General Xiao. Four years ago, he nearly took my life on Caoqi Mountain… But I have never forgotten that in Shengjing, it was Xiao Shen and Miss Yue who helped me… that allowed me to escape the capital. Although I despise General Xiao, he is the elder brother of my benefactor… Xiao Shen disobeyed his elder brother’s orders for me back then, which is why I am here today.”

"My visit here... is entirely up to you two to decide. I see that General Xiao is resolute and should be able to hold out for another month or so... If I haven't breached the city yet, consider this my visit a friendly chat. But if I have breached the city, I hope you two will take General Xiao away. If he remains in the city, our army's morale is high, and we will surely take General Xiao's head as a show of force. Xiao Shen and Miss Yue will inevitably be implicated. If you two take General Xiao away... I will send guards to escort you out of the city. As long as you never set foot in the Central Plains again, consider this my repayment of your kindness."

Xiao Shen listened, his feelings a jumbled mess, and asked, "Ninth Prince... you summoned us here, aren't you afraid we'll ambush us here?"

Murong Yue countered, "I have the same question... You two came alone, trusting me so much... Aren't you afraid I'll use your lives to blackmail General Xiao?"

Yue Lanxin: "His Highness the Ninth Prince is a true gentleman, and we are willing to believe in him."

Xiao Shen: "What you've said... we'll have to think about it carefully when we get back."

Murong Yue: "After the city falls... I will give you two three days to consider. Three days later, I will enter the city to take Xiao Qi's head."

After Murong Yue left, Feng Chen and Feng Yu finally revealed themselves.

Feng Chen: "Master! Didn't you say the other day... that you wanted to kill General Xiao and hang him on the city wall?"

Feng Yu: "Your Highness has changed your mind so quickly... His Highness is both violent and gloomy! His Highness is also tolerant and magnanimous! We still don't know how many sides His Highness has!"

Feng Chen: "Your Highness acts like a villain in public... but is a true gentleman behind closed doors!"

“…That’s enough,” Murong Yue said.

He glanced sideways in the direction of Shengjing... and couldn't help but think to himself.

He was originally a petty person, but he met someone. That person held an umbrella for him in the snow, extinguishing the hellish fire beside him and creating a gentle and loving environment for him to grow, allowing him to grow freely towards the light.

...He wished to establish a Buddha statue for Changyou.

As he had predicted, by the end of July, Xiao Qi had held out for a month. When the city fell, her soldiers fled in disarray. Three days later, when he entered the city, he did not see Xiao Qi, Xiao Shen, or Yue Lanxin. Xiao Qi's family had disappeared, and he did not send anyone to chase after them.

Meiyu——

August.

Lu Xuejin caught a glimpse of the red plum tree outside the window during a brief moment of respite. Its deep green shadow fell across the windowsill onto his desk, and the wind outside swept through the lush leaves of the flowering tree in the summer heat. Dark clouds drifted in from the horizon; rain was imminent.

“…Young Master.” Ziyan rushed over.

He peered through the window at Ziyan's face and saw for the first time that she looked pale. Her face looked as if it had been soaked by a sudden rain and was shrouded in dense shadows.

"What's wrong?" he couldn't help but ask.

"His Majesty has ordered you to go to Mount Buwen... I heard that you met a monk there, and the monk, who calls himself Jialing, insists on seeing you."

“Master Galing?” Lu Xuejin recalled that Wei Ning’s letter seemed to have mentioned him.

Not to mention that since he began studying medicine, he has met all sorts of sorcerers... many of whom have come to him seeking advice.

He looked at Ziyan's expression and noticed a strange emotion in her eyes. He then looked out the window, realizing that he hadn't been outside in a long time.

“…I understand,” he replied.

Ziyan immediately went to prepare the carriage. He hadn't noticed anything unusual while in the carriage, only that there seemed to be more guards escorting him than usual. His mind was filled with those medical books and classics, perhaps because he had read so many... Sometimes he could still see his mother's figure, as if she had grown out of his blood, still calling his name across time.

The beautiful place where my mother resides... is the end point called death.

"Purple Smoke... what happened? Why are all the households staying indoors?" he asked on the road.

Ziyan: "This servant doesn't know either... Perhaps it was because of yesterday's torrential rain that the people closed their doors to prevent flooding... I heard that the river embankment was washed away, and the rain looked terrifying."

"So... I was completely unaware of these things. Perhaps I've been spending too much time in the library. Speaking of which, Song Zhao hasn't come over lately either. It seems neither my brother nor Song Zhao wants to disturb me..."

He paused briefly, then saw his mother's figure again, looking at him with a beaming smile. Whenever he began to reflect... his mother would always appear.

“Changyou is always focused on his own things…and doesn’t notice anything else. If you feel pain…come to your mother. With your mother, no matter what choice Changyou makes, he won’t go wrong.”

“Changyou, take a look... that cliff over there. Jump down and you'll be free.”

He remained calm, unmoved by his mother's pleas. A book he hadn't finished reading lay beside him, and the love lock on his chest felt cool through his clothes.

When he entered Mount Buwen, he met a monk who called himself Jialing.

The Venerable Jialing was old and hunched over. He had been gazing at the sky as he arrived, but when he saw him, he burst into laughter, laughing until tears streamed down his face.

After laughing, he waved his sleeve and left, leaving only the scroll behind.

He opened the scroll, and there was nothing inside, just a blank page.

Meanwhile, in the Golden Palace.

As the last rays of the setting sun shone into the palace, Xue Yi was feeding the birds when Murong Yue's army broke through the palace gates.

Today was the day to release the bird, whose injuries had completely healed, but the day had been postponed again and again... In a moment of free time, he thought of some things from the past.

When he saw the Ninth Prince, the Ninth Prince coldly looked down at him. As the other party raised his halberd, he was able to see a red figure... The red-clad youth picked up the medicine pot and went to the bedside.

...Originally, there were still things to say to Changyou.

...What was I supposed to say?

With a "plop" sound.

He watched as his head rolled down the hill. The canary seemed to sense something, paused in mid-air, and then flew back towards him.

...Why did you come back?

...Changyou...Look at this canary...it actually flew back to its cage on its own.