Chapter 73 The Grand Finale (Part 1)

The icy water of Taiye Pond washed over Lin Yu.

The night wind on the deck and the pain in his palms did little to clear his head.

The tree lights in the second-floor cabin dimly illuminated two tall figures on the gauze curtains of the windows, which then appeared to separate and overlap before disappearing again.

Footsteps, the sound of water, and whimpering could be faintly heard through a floorboard. He took the white cloth from Huangmen's hand, casually wrapped it around his palm, and staggered to the side of the ship.

His stomach was still burning, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, licking him, gnawing at him, eroding him, drawing out all the desires and hatred in his heart.

He is Xiao Yu, he is Xiao Yu.

He was neither Lin Yuan's brother nor the blacksmith's son.

His father was the Crown Prince, and his mother was the Crown Princess.

The South Garden, Siqi Garden, which is connected to the Shanglin Garden, was originally his home. It was even more beautiful than the Shanglin Garden.

Shanglin Garden... Ah, Shanglin Garden, it was once his too. From childhood, everyone said that it would be his.

"So what's the third thing you want me to promise?" Xiao Xun looked at him, his eyes flashing. "I haven't thought about it yet. I'll tell you when you grow up."

He smiled slyly, "When you grow up and become the emperor..."

He could have held Lin Yuan's hand and led her to the hundred-foot-high platform, to see the green mountains and clear waters, the rivers flowing in all directions, the crane-covered islets and duck-filled shores, the stars and the sun and moon. He could have told her that all of this was hers, all of it was hers.

He knew she would like it. She liked it very much.

But the surroundings were steaming hot. It was the heat of the flames.

The dim light was dim, the tree lanterns had fallen, the dark curtains were ablaze, every vermilion pillar was burning, the phoenix-patterned beams had broken, and the dragon-patterned roof tiles had fallen. The dragons and phoenixes on the roof were bathed in fire, and the magnificent pavilions and palaces were all melted in the flames.

In my hazy eyes, the stars fell like sparks.

It plunged into the green mountains and the clear waters.

It fell beside him, at his feet.

The fire started, the mountains were burning, and the water was burning.

The fire burned, devouring everything, devouring all the people.

It's time to devour him too.

He jumped into the water.

The spring water, like a pair of slender, cool hands, caressed his body and touched his cheeks.

He saw his mother.

His mother was in the water, and all he saw were a pair of watery eyes. Those eyes were filled with tears, and the tears just wouldn't stop flowing.

Just like on that last day, she reached out to say goodbye to him, but she was holding a sword in her hand, while he was being dragged away by the guards, getting further and further away from his mother, further and further away from his mother's hand, only her gaze followed him.

It was his mother… She looked at him tenderly, and finally touched his face. She said, “Live on, Ayu.”

"You must live! Live on, Ayu!"

He couldn't tell if the voice was calling A-Yu or A-Yu.

The sound came crashing in like a tidal wave.

Urgent and rough. It was his father, his blacksmith father.

When he was a little over eight years old, he was hiding with the blacksmith. One night, he saw the Imperial Guards patrolling the streets among a group of refugees sleeping on the streets.

He hid a black iron dagger that the blacksmith used for self-defense, intending to take advantage of the large number of people to rush out and fight them to the death.

He had long been unwilling to live a solitary life and had planned to perish together with them.

The dagger was drawn, but it pierced the blacksmith's palm.

The blacksmith, his face pale, shouted sternly, "It's curfew! What are you doing out causing trouble?"

He gritted his teeth, silently snatched the dagger, concealed it under his sleeve, and whispered in her ear, "You live! Live well, survive!"

He turned to the Imperial Guards, who had come to investigate the situation, and smiled apologetically at his own ignorant child.

The knife and the blood only fell through the fingers after those people left and the weary people around them finally rested.

It was the first time he had ever seen hands like that, covered in years of rust.

The blacksmith mistook the look of surprise on his face for fear, casually wiped his hands with the hem of his indistinguishable-color robe, chuckled, and said it was nothing; when forging iron, the injuries one might accidentally sustain are far more serious and numerous than this.

He said casually, "For people like us, living is the most important thing. Remember, nothing is more important than living."

Red rust and red blood rose and spread before his eyes, gradually forming a bewitching flower.

Living, living...

While he was in the water, he heard the voice of the prince's father again. It was a completely different tone from that of his blacksmith father, gentle yet steady.

They said the same thing: the people are the most important, the state is next, and the ruler is the least important.

He heard his childhood self look up and ask, "Why is the ruler less important than the people?"

Someone replied: Your Highness, the Book of Documents says, "The people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is firm, the state is at peace."

That was a professor at the Imperial Academy wearing a scholar's cap.

Some people cite Mencius, saying that Heaven gives birth to people not for the sake of rulers, but for the sake of the people.

He was a commoner seeking officialdom.

Some say: For people like us, nothing is more important than staying alive...

Water rose up from his body.

Those rusty hands stroked his face and patted his face.

The water was no longer calm; it churned and surged continuously.

Countless figures and faces were reflected in the water. He finally saw their faces clearly.

Their faces became clearer and clearer, like his neighbors, like the villagers of Cuiwei Mountain, like the people in Huaiyang Academy, like everyone he had seen coming and going in Siqi Garden.

They come and go in his dreams, which have lasted for years, without ceasing.

Living... living...

"Brother, brother!" The seven-year-old girl came to him like a bird.

She threw herself into his arms, causing him to stumble. Pain, pain... that was the taste of being alive.

"You'd better live! Ayu!"

This is... Xiao Xun's voice.

It came from the whirlpool of water.

He turned his head and saw him, clutching his heart.

The memories that followed were a jumbled mess; the water became a whirlpool, the night became a whirlpool, and so did the person.

After changing out of his wet clothes and taking his medicine, he still had some chaotic dreams. The vermilion red of dusk in the cabin, the red of flames, and the red of blood kept spreading across his eyelids, and finally they all became the lights in the dim palace, and he didn't know where he was.

He was somewhat more lucid, but his head was still throbbing. He walked out of the unfamiliar inner room.

The hall was empty and silent, save for the dripping of the water clock, indicating that everyone had settled down.

Xiao Xun turned his back and sat leisurely behind a table, drinking tea, as if waiting for him.

Lin Yu slowly stepped forward: "Your Majesty, A Yuan, she..."

"I took my medicine and rested."

Where did she rest?

“There are naturally empty palace rooms available for A-Yuan to settle in.”

Xiao Xun looked over leisurely. "What? You don't trust the imperial physicians and palace maids in my palace?"

Where is this place?

"Xuan Room, West Side Hall."

Lin Yu was slightly taken aback, then bowed to him: "This humble subject thanks Your Majesty for saving me."

"It wasn't me," Xiao Xun said quietly. "It was a member of the Imperial Guard who pulled you out of the water."

"Oh," Lin Yu replied softly, "This humble subject humbly requests Your Majesty to inform me of my name so that I may go and express my gratitude."

“Surname—Li,” Xiao Xun blurted out, “Given name, Liu.”

Lin Yu pondered the name "Liu" (Six). Xiao Xun's maternal relatives were surnamed Li, and he was the sixth among his brothers.

Lin Yu still remembers that when he was a child, his father would sometimes affectionately call Xiao Xun "Xiao Liu". "Xiao" and "Xiao" sound similar, and sometimes he would tease him and suddenly call him "Xiao Liu".

He nodded respectfully and said, "This humble subject will seek the guidance of the Grand Master of Ceremonies tomorrow so that I may find this Lord Li Mingliu to express my gratitude."

Xiao Xun took a sip of tea: "It's the duty of the Imperial Guards to accompany and protect you; there's no need for you to come and thank me."

He put down his teacup and continued, "Besides, Ling Feng has been on official business recently. After returning from Shuofang, one of the generals asked to retire because he had to go back to his hometown to support his elderly mother, and the other because of wartime injuries. After Ling Feng returned to Chang'an, I sent him to take over the army in the capital region. He is still reorganizing military affairs and has no time to deal with your trivial matters."

Lin Yu understood, and slightly raised the corners of her lips: "In that case, thank you Your Majesty for sending someone to rescue us."

"No need. Please sit down."

Xiao Xun's voice was cold: "You survived even the hardest times. You named A Yuan 'Yuan,' showing how resolute and invincible you were. Who would have thought that you would be so useless when it comes to yourself? You were drugged, couldn't take it for a while, and wanted to commit suicide?"

He poured himself a cup of tea, and the jade teapot landed coolly on the table.

"I do not intend to die."

Xiao Xun scoffed, "You know perfectly well that Taiye Pond is over three zhang deep, full of hidden reefs and weeds. It's dark and windy at night; if you jump in, isn't that tantamount to suicide?"

Lin Yurong said calmly, "I stumbled while walking along the side of the boat and accidentally dropped something into the water."

"What could be so precious that it's more important than your life?"

Lin Yu said casually, "It's nothing worth much. I'm sorry for making a fool of myself, Your Majesty."

Xiao Xun frowned: "What is it?"

“A jade pendant. An old artifact.” Lin Yu sighed, pointing to her heart. “It’s very important to me. More important than my life.”

Xiao Xun felt a pang of sorrow and stopped asking questions. He pointed to the seat at the lower left of the desk and said, "Sit down."

Lin Yu then made a gesture of bowing.

"Alright. I was just worried you might not be able to stand properly. I have something important to tell you."

He pushed a black lacquered box over from the table.

"This is……"

"The truth behind the three years of the Heavenly Hunt."

Xiao Xun pursed his lips. "I owe you."

Lin Yu looked up at him, her eyes flickering, and her hand, which was opening the box, trembled slightly.

Xiao Xun sighed, thinking of how he still refused to acknowledge his identity: "Never mind, I owe him."

Inside the box were rolls of yellowed, old books, the writing faded and the bamboo slips worn away.

Tiny specks of dust danced in the beam of light, dazzling Lin Yu's eyes.

Xiao Xun's words gently entered my ears, one by one: "Fourteen years ago, I wanted to know why. I asked the Grand Marshal, I asked many people. The Grand Tutor, the Chancellor, the Commandant of the Guards, the Commandant of the Imperial Guards. They repeated to me again and again the late emperor's edict, the records of the Commandant of the Capital Region, and the case files of the Court of Justice. Fourteen years later, I am still asking."

His voice wasn't loud, but you could still hear the wind pounding against the axe handle.

"Why?" Lin Yu suddenly asked out of the blue, "Why...beg?"

“Because I don’t believe.” Xiao Xun raised the corners of his lips and looked at Lin Yu, “And also because… I believe.”

Lin Yu's eyelashes trembled.

"I'm not the only one who believes."

Crane Cries on the Boat.

"Sister, you didn't come here today just to bring a pot of peach juice, did you?"

Su Chan smiled slightly: "A pot of wine is certainly not enough to repay His Majesty's kindness."

She had Zhilan bring over a black lacquered box and place it on the table.

“These days I’ve been staying at the Su residence. The days are getting longer and I haven’t left the house. With nothing to do, I found some old books and some letters at home.”

She walked to the table and opened the box.

"I guess Your Majesty might find it interesting, so I brought it here for Your Majesty to see."

Xiao Xun withdrew from the crowd and quickly scanned the scrolls.

"Sister, how did you get it?"

"His Majesty issued that edict, and my father thought I was afraid of the rumors outside, so he stayed at home and wept incessantly. He is, after all, my father, and his reputation is a burden. I am probably still of use to him, so he dared not watch me try to kill myself. The rules in the mansion were loosened a bit, and I finally sneaked into his old treasure library. These are probably the last few copies I could find."

"Sister, aren't you afraid that Prime Minister Su will find out about these things?"

Su Chan chuckled: "When I was a child in Chengming Palace, I still had the skill of secretly hiding books right under my father's nose."

Xiao Xun looked down at the book: "Sister, you're so thoughtful."

Xiao Xun tapped the lacquer box: "These are things I found in the palace between the Jiaping and Jinghe periods, as well as some sent by Su Chan."

"Why didn't you tell me this before I went to Huaiyang Kingdom?" Lin Yu clutched a wooden slip in her hand, her fingertips turning pale without her noticing.

“Because this isn’t a deal.” Xiao Xun looked him straight in the eye, his gaze intense. “I believe you are him. He will do this.”

The smoke from the tea became a mist in Lin Yu's eyes, and he was transported back to that rainy night.

...

"Xiao Jin!"

The sound rang out like shattered jade, landing in the study of the Prince of Huaiyang's mansion.

Lin Yu's face turned pale, and the sky outside also turned pale, as if it were about to rain.

"Ayu, this is the best solution! Marry Ayuan to me!" Xiao Jin insisted. "The imperial court has issued an edict inviting princesses and noble ladies from various countries to a banquet in the palace. Mother can go and propose marriage. Are you really going to just watch these people you care about..."

"Ah Jin, the person I care about..." Lin Yu clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms.

He took a breath, his eyes filled with sorrow, "But what if what I care about is more than just these things?"

Xiao Jin stared at him for a long time, her expression gradually shifting from bewilderment and confusion to solemnity.

Lin Yu stood tall, with dusk settling behind him, a storm brewing.

“You really are your father’s child.”

The sound, accompanied by the rumbling thunder from the sky, landed on the ground.

The lightning of the Awakening of Insects illuminated Xiao Cheng's face. Lin Yu greeted him on the frosty steps.

The rain poured down.

The two looked at each other through the rain curtain under the eaves.

Separated by the curtain of time, by a layer of life, a layer of death.

Xiao Cheng saw the young Xiao Heng.

Lin Yu saw the aging Xiao Heng.

Raindrops splashed into their eyes, making them wet, but the corners of their lips slowly turned up.

"The Huaiyang Kingdom currently has 10,000 cavalry and 50,000 elite soldiers, all of whom are well-trained. In addition, there are more than 80,000 military households, which can be conscripted into 200,000 people."

“Father means…” Xiao Jin followed him up the steps.

Xiao Cheng did not turn his head; his gaze remained fixed on Lin Yu's face, flashing like lightning in an instant. "The Tiger Tally is here. Wherever you are, the King of Huaiyang is there, and the troops of Huaiyang are there."

“Father, but how many years has it been since you led an army into battle…”

"Not just me, but you too."

"Me?" Xiao Jin was startled.

He glanced at his father, then turned to look at Lin Yu. The rain, damp and heavy, rushed towards him.

The Prince of Huaiyang stood with his hands behind his back, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"Yes." He slowly raised his hand and bowed to his father.

Lin Yu bowed deeply and said, "Thank you."

Xiao Cheng helped him up: "No need to thank me."

He looked towards Chang'an in the west, his eyes filled with the winds of yesteryear and the rains of today, his voice hoarse: "Brother, I am fourteen years too late, fourteen years."

Lin Yu did not rise, but solemnly completed the long bow: "Thank you. Not only for my father, and not only for myself."

The rain and mist gradually wove together into a vast, all-encompassing net.

Lin Yu strode inside.

Behind him were Xiao Cheng and Xiao Jin, who bowed to see him off.

The water clock dripped softly, and the hall remained silent.

Lin Yu slowly spoke: "As Your Majesty wishes. The elite troops of Huaiyang are all ready, awaiting only your command."

"The people of Yan are fierce and martial, and almost everyone grows up on horseback. The Yan army is brave and far superior to ordinary soldiers."

"The Huaiyang army, together with the imperial army, is sufficient. Furthermore, Your Majesty has given the beloved daughter of the Yan State Commandant as a hostage."

Lin Yu's eyes were deep and unfathomable. "Moreover, His Majesty granted the fiefdoms of Yuyang and Zhuojun to the Prince of Yan, which must have had other intentions. The Prince of Yan's rebellion was within His Majesty's expectations, so the Grand Master of the Palace's trip to Yan was not just for gathering intelligence, was it?"

Xiao Xun raised the corners of his lips, looking at him with amusement.

"What is Your Majesty laughing at?"

"I laughed and said that some people said they didn't understand military strategy."

Lin Yu scoffed, "Then how about I stop talking, so as not to embarrass myself in front of His Majesty if I continue?"

Xiao Xun raised his hand: "Continue. Tell me, what else can you tell?"

"His Majesty hosted a banquet and invited noble ladies from various countries to attend. Everyone thought it was to select a new empress and concubines, and they flocked to the banquet. However, the Princess Consort of Yan found an excuse to turn back halfway and sent an insignificant cousin alone. It seems that the Prince of Yan had already made plans. His military expedition should be launched in the next few days."

“You’re right, that’s what I thought too. And that’s not all. The medicinal wine on the Crane Cry Boat was sent by Su Chan. You should be able to guess what happened.”

Lin Yu paused for a moment, then said, "Su Dan."

"I mentioned the matter of establishing an empress and betrothal to Su Dan, and that's how this medicinal wine came about." Xiao Xun shook his head self-deprecatingly. "Su Chan has returned to her residence. Prime Minister Su, unable to wait for my decree, is probably already restless. The Prince of Yan's rebellion will begin in the next couple of days. The Grand Master of Ceremonies has already prepared the army for the capital and the three surrounding areas."

"Your Majesty's insight is brilliant."

Lin Yu slowly began, “The Prince of Huaiyang and I have only one concern: His Majesty has recently replaced the generals in the army, which is not advantageous for the army. The Minister of the Imperial Household is highly capable, but he has only recently taken command of the army in the capital region. Many soldiers have been fighting the Xiongnu for months and are already exhausted. Morale in the army is not high. The Prince of Yan is eager to send troops, probably because he has received word from the court that he wants to take advantage of this. But things could get complicated if we delay.”

"What if I personally lead the troops?"

"Does Your Majesty intend to lead the army in person?" Lin Yu hesitated. "However, the battlefield is dangerous, and swords have no eyes."

"What, you don't believe me?"

Lin Yu remained silent for a long time before saying, "I was just wondering, what should we do about A-Yuan?"

“You still need to return to Huaiyang. The sooner the better.” Xiao Xun sighed softly. “A-Yuan, I will tell her.”

Lin Yu bowed deeply.

The clothes prepared by the palace servants were too big and didn't fit properly.

A circular shadow appeared from between the collars of his chest, flashing past Xiao Xun's eyes.

My heart skipped a beat.

Another dragon-tiger pendant tied to his chest struck his heart hard.

Xiao Xun suddenly felt a little breathless.

I got up, walked to the window, and looked out into the endless darkness.