Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Beautiful, Strong, and Miserable Dad (End)
The north wind blew, and the first snow of the year fell in the capital. Diners in the restaurant ate hot pot and chatted about the latest news from all over the world.
The stories of the Xiongnu in the north being driven into a panic and General Gu Yuan being a brilliant young man were outdated. Well-informed merchants whispered, "We've already started fighting with Qi, and we've reached Shuiyun Pass."
Shuiyun Pass is a checkpoint of Qi State, and further ahead is the first city on the border of Qi State.
Everyone else was surprised. "Why would we attack Qi?" Qi Zhang had died in the palace, and the people of Great Zhou had been deeply worried, fearing war between the two countries. Unexpectedly, after all this waiting, it was Great Zhou that struck first. Was it a case of preemptive action?
"Speaking of which, why hasn't the new emperor ascended the throne yet?" As soon as these words were spoken, everyone fell silent. Everyone knew the reason, but no one dared to speak.
After the death of Emperor Zhengping, Prince Li, the sole surviving prince, commanded the attention of his officials with his overwhelming power. Everyone expected him to ascend the throne swiftly. However, after selecting an auspicious date and completing the embroidery of his dragon robe, Feng Pansheng announced the postponement of the coronation ceremony.
At first, everyone thought Feng Pansheng was being particular, and that he was justified in being invited three times. The court officials were all ready to go to Prince Li's mansion to ask for his services. Suddenly, news arrived that the young princess was suffering from a long-term illness. Feng Pansheng had no time to deal with such unimportant matters.
The ministers, who had long understood Zhuo Zhuo's position in Feng Pansheng's heart, still couldn't believe it. Could the throne be less important than the little princess? But out of caution, the ministers consulted Shen Xingyun, and the advice they got was not to bother King Li with these red tape.
If you don't want to bother me, then don't bother me. The ministers who value their lives and know the current affairs have long been taught to be honest by Feng Pansheng. They have become masters of practical work and handle things that they can handle by themselves. They usually write memorials in a concise and clear manner. From thousands of words of nonsense in the past, they are now reduced to a few hundred words.
Even so, despite being without a ruler for months and locked in a war with the Xiongnu, the Great Zhou continued to operate stably and efficiently. However, the officials were beginning to feel the strain, not because of the excessive workload but because Zhuozhuo's condition worsened and Feng Pansheng's condition became increasingly precarious.
When Feng Pansheng recruited renowned doctors from around the world, his ministers worried he might kill them all in a rage. When he began seeking out Taoist priests, those familiar with the situation feared he would dig up Emperor Zhengping from the imperial mausoleum and chop his body into pieces. When Feng Pansheng ordered sacrifices for Empress Jiang and the two Generals Jiang, everyone began to worry he might go mad and kill everyone.
The carriage raced along the road in the snowy wind. From the alley came the tender voice of a child singing, "...doing evil will bring punishment from heaven, the precious jewel in your hand will be cut short..."
In the warm carriage, Feng Pansheng, holding the scorching flame, trembled his eyelashes and uttered a low, hoarse voice, "Gan Song, go check."
"yes."
Gan Song quickly returned and whispered, "My Lord, someone used a nursery rhyme to spread rumors, saying that my Lord had murdered his father and brother for his warlike nature, which had angered the heavens, and was punishing the young princess."
After saying this, Gan Song, facing Feng Pansheng's oppressive gaze, quickly said, "Master, although the young princess's illness is strange, how does it relate to divine punishment? Please don't believe the rumors. This is probably Qi State trying to ruin your reputation!"
A suffocating silence followed. Feng Pansheng then spoke arrogantly, "If there is divine punishment, it should fall on me. Zhuozhuo is kind and innocent, so God must be blind to implicate her. Or is it that God, being timid and cowardly, dares not punish me and only strikes down a three-year-old child?"
Gan Song didn't dare to answer, kneeling outside the carriage in a cold sweat. He didn't know how long it took, until the snow on his shoulders turned white. He heard Feng Pansheng say, "Find the source of the rumor and kill them without mercy."
Feng Pansheng's purpose for this trip was the Imperial Mausoleum. Passing Junshan, he settled Zhuozhuo at the foot of the mountain and braved the snowy winds with several others to ascend the mountain overnight. The forest at night was particularly eerie, with the howling wind resembling the wails of ghosts and wolves, easily enough to scare anyone to death.
When they reached the top of the mountain, a branch of a century-old tree suddenly broke and fell to the ground, as if the ancestors were angry at the descendants who had intruded late at night. Feng Pansheng ordered the branches to be chopped and used for fire. He then calmly entered the Taimiao Temple, performed a solemn ceremony, and said, "I, the sixth-generation descendant Feng Pansheng, ask the ancestors to bless my daughter Zhuozhuo."
Feng Pansheng respectfully offered incense, but the flame flickered unsteadily, as if the ancestors were unwilling to grant Feng Pansheng's request. So, Feng Pansheng took a candle from the altar and burned the entire stick. After confirming that it wouldn't go out, he said, "The incense is damp and improperly stored. The Taimiao Wei will be dismissed and investigated."
The Taimiao Wei who was waiting outside fell to his knees with a pale face. Just as he begged for mercy, the secret guard covered his mouth and dragged him away.
Feng Pansheng waited for the incense to burn out, then knelt before the tablet and said, "This is an urgent matter. There is no time to hold a coronation ceremony in the imperial palace. Tonight, please witness me as Feng Pansheng ascends the throne as emperor."
After he finished speaking, two attendants came forward to help Feng Pansheng put on the dragon robe and crown. After he was done, another person brought the jade seal.
Feng Pansheng picked up the jade seal and took a look at it, his expression calm. Then he wrote an imperial edict, stamped it with the jade seal, turned around and left the Taimiao and went down the mountain.
The wind and snow intensified, the forest roared, and the heavy snow nearly blinded our eyes. The thick snow impeded our movement, forcing us to move at a snail's pace. Branches, broken by the snow, kept falling, breaking more branches, creating a terrifying creaking and rumbling sound that challenged our ability to endure.
Under the dual pressure of physical and psychological pressure, someone soon collapsed. The attendant mustered up the courage to say, "Your Highness, the wind and snow are too strong. It's too dangerous to continue on. Let's find a place to wait until daybreak before descending the mountain."
"Keep going." Perhaps because things were going smoothly in the Imperial Temple, Feng Pansheng simply rejected the suggestion without getting angry, which emboldened the attendant. "Your Highness, the snow is so heavy that the carriage won't be able to travel tomorrow. There's no need to rush."
As soon as the words fell, the servant was grabbed by the neck and lifted up. He looked at Feng Pansheng with horror, his expressionless face, as if he would strangle him at any moment. However, the next second, the servant, who thought he was going to die, was thrown to the ground by Feng Pansheng. "This king will not kill any living beings recently."
The attendant, still terrified, knelt on the ground and kowtowed, confessing his guilt. Feng Pansheng didn't even glance at him, his mind fixed on going down the mountain to accompany Zhuozhuo. He and the rest of the attendants continued on their journey. After taking a few steps, they heard a crashing sound behind them.
One of the attendants looked back and saw a fallen branch, as thick as an arm, piercing his abdomen and pinning him to the ground. Blood stained the snow red. With such serious injuries, even carrying him down the mountain would not save him.
When I returned to the villa at the foot of the mountain, it was already the end of the Chinese New Year. The snow had stopped, the wind had died down, the sky was dotted with stars, and the surroundings were quiet.
After changing out of his cumbersome clothes and warming up, Feng Pansheng gently made his way to Zhuozhuo's bedside. In the dim candlelight, he glanced at her sunken cheeks, feeling a pang of pain in his heart. He placed a finger under Zhuozhuo's nose, waiting for the slightest draft to return to life.
"Zhuozhuo, don't be afraid. Wait for Daddy. Tomorrow Daddy will ask your grandma, great-grandfather, and uncle for help. They will help you beat the bad guys away. Just wait for Daddy..."
Zhuozhuo couldn't hear Feng Pansheng's whispers, but 9972 was almost unable to bear the torture. It had never known that it could empathize with the mission target! Feng Pansheng was truly miserable. A father had to watch his child grow weaker day by day, unable to do anything. Is there anything more tragic in this world?
A dull knife sharpens a person. It would be better to log out instantly like in the last world.
9972 The only thing to be thankful for now is that Zhuozhuo has been in a deep sleep since he fell into a coma. He can't feel the pain and can't hear Feng Pansheng's words. Otherwise, the little guy would have cried his eyes out.
The next day the sky cleared up, the snow melted, and the road became muddy and difficult to travel on. The journey, which was originally planned to take two days, was not completed until the evening of the third day.
The imperial mausoleum is the burial place of five generations of emperors since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty and their co-buried empresses, as well as some civil and military ministers who have made great contributions. It is large in scale, heavily guarded, and is only opened during burials and large-scale sacrifices.
But these rules mean nothing to those in power who don't want to follow the rules.
Before setting out, Feng Pansheng ordered the imperial mausoleum to be opened, allowing them to enter any tomb they wished. Unable to wait for the night, Feng Pansheng took Zhuozhuo into the mausoleum, found Queen Jiang's tomb, and began arranging the sacrifices.
For some reason, 9972 didn't sleep with Zhuozhuo. It had nothing else to do, so it just watched Feng Pansheng and watched what he was going to do this time.
At first, the offerings were all normal, and the process was fine. But soon, 9972 noticed that Feng Pansheng had brought out two tablets. The angle was wrong, and 9972 had to work hard to read the words on them. One was for the Protector of the Nation General Jiang Shanwu, and the other for the Southern Expedition General Jiang...
Although he didn't read the whole thing, 9972 knew that the owner of the other tablet was Zhuozhuo's great-uncle and Feng Pansheng's uncle.
9972 watched with mixed emotions as Feng Pansheng placed the two tablets, knelt down, offered sacrifices, burned incense, and made a wish.
Feng Pansheng, like a child finally under the protection of his parents, revealed his vulnerability and pain, which he had hidden from others. "Mother, Uncle, Grandfather, my child Zhuozhuo is haunted by the ghost of Emperor Zhengping. There is no cure. Please save her."
9972 sighed. How can he save her? This is just an ordinary world. There are no ghosts or gods, no spiritual energy to cultivate immortality. It's useless to ask anyone for help. And no wonder they say raising a child is like paying off a debt. Even though the person is dead, he still comes to burn paper and ask for your blessing. Tsk tsk tsk tsk.
But after saying this, Feng Pansheng just slowly talked about his encounter and relationship with Zhuozhuo. His body gradually relaxed, and his expression became gentle and doting.
9972 looked at him and felt that Feng Pansheng was not asking for blessings. He mainly wanted to find someone to talk to about these overflowing happy and painful emotions. He could hardly bear it anymore.
Poor thing, a truly beautiful, strong and miserable person. But just when 9972 felt sorry for Feng Pansheng for a second, he saw him burn a set of paper weapons, poison and hemp rope, a paper boat and five paper horses.
Under the bright flames, Feng Pansheng spoke calmly, "Mother, you hate Emperor Zhengping. I have burned weapons, poison, and hemp rope for you. You can kill him however you want. Grandfather, Mother is weak, so please help her. Uncle, your remains are at the border. I have burned a horse and a ship for you. Please return as soon as possible."
Suddenly a gust of wind blew and blew the paper man, which had not yet burned out, out of the brazier. Feng Pansheng picked up the burning paper without changing his expression and threw it back into the brazier.
9972 shuddered, suddenly realizing that Feng Pansheng was going mad. Seeking Queen Jiang's blessing was Feng Pansheng's last hope. If Zhuozhuo still didn't recover, there was no telling what he would do.
When the fire was almost done, Feng Pansheng added some majestic paper figurines, paper money ingots, and a beautiful three-story courtyard to the brazier. "If your majesty, mother, doesn't wish to use Emperor Zhengping's things, you can move out and live here. I'm an unfilial son who never thought of this before."
The incense burned out, and Feng Pansheng replaced it with a new one. He then took out an imperial edict and casually tossed it into the brazier. His low voice was filled with a smile of joy, "Mother, my son's first imperial edict after ascending the throne is to confer the title of Grand Princess Protector of the Nation. From now on, the fate of the Great Zhou and Zhuozhuo are interdependent."
A crackling sound came from the brazier, and Feng Pansheng's voice became clearer. "The Great Zhou Dynasty has a long and prosperous history. Zhuozhuo will live a long and healthy life, and be happy. If Zhuozhuo is gone, the Great Zhou Dynasty's fortune will also come to an end."
9972:[……]
Zhuozhuo, come and save me!!!
Putting aside the question of whether an imperial decree can bind a person's fate and the country's destiny together, Feng Pansheng's madness will really destroy the Great Zhou after Zhuozhuo leaves the small world!
Feng Pansheng, the filial son, continued to grumble, "Mother, please take the imperial edict with you and see if Emperor Zhengping will resist again, and if others will stop you." He stared at the brazier until the edict burned out, then said, "Mother, I'll take this as your consent."
9972: [……]
This is a hardcore worship and a hardcore wish. If Queen Jiang could show up, she would definitely give the eldest son a good beating first.
The sparks in the brazier quickly cooled and turned black in the low temperature. Feng Pansheng was completely hidden in the darkness, and his expression could not be seen clearly. He stood up and held Zhuozhuo in his arms. He said softly, "Zhuozhuo, this is grandma, great-grandfather, and great uncle. Daddy will take you to meet them."
Feng Pansheng knelt down and paid homage to the three tablets respectively, as if it was Zhuozhuo in his arms who was paying homage. Then, he stared at Zhuozhuo like a sculpture, except for checking her body temperature and breathing pulse every quarter of an hour, and he did not move at all the rest of the time.
9972 trembled with fear as he watched Feng Pansheng's movements, like a programmed robot. In this increasingly suffocating atmosphere, the hour of midnight arrived. According to folklore, "at midnight, the gates of hell open."
If ghosts really exist, midnight is the time when they display their power.
At midnight, Feng Pansheng didn't immediately check on Zhuozhuo's body. He glanced at the three tablets in turn with a heavy gaze, then slowly touched Zhuozhuo's sunken cheek. His trembling voice was a mixture of anticipation, uneasiness, and fear, "Zhuozhuo..."
Zhuozhuo didn't respond.
Feng Pansheng examined Zhuozhuo twice, desperately seeking help, but found no sign of improvement. He lowered his head, and after a moment, he chuckled softly, "Killing a demon takes time. Wait a little longer, wait a little longer... Zhuozhuo, don't worry, mother. We need to eradicate the problem completely. It doesn't matter if it takes a little longer."
Feng Pansheng held Zhuozhuo in his arms and continued to kneel in silence, mechanically repeating the same movements, checking every quarter of an hour. He repeated this countless times before birdsong filled the air outside, and bright light streamed in, signaling daybreak.
There was no sound of human presence in the entire imperial mausoleum. Gan Song, Huang Bai and others who were guarding outside felt their hearts sink as time passed. They did not dare to think about the consequences of failure, and no one dared to come in and call for help. Everyone was waiting anxiously.
It was not until three quarters after noon that heavy footsteps were heard. Gan Song and Huang Bai looked up and saw Feng Pansheng slowly walking out with Zhuo Zhuo in his arms. His expression showed no joy or anger, but it was enough for the two to infer the information they wanted.
Gan Song Huang Bai instinctively knelt on the ground, not even daring to make a sound to salute.
"Zhuozhuo, it's time to take your medicine." Feng Pansheng's voice was cold and indifferent, as if he had returned to the time before he met Zhuozhuo.
Baizhu responded and went to boil the medicine. Although it was already difficult for Zhuozhu to swallow the medicine, the medicine could not be stopped.
Just as everyone was wondering whether Feng Pansheng had accepted reality, they heard Feng Pansheng say lightly, "Go dig up the remains of Emperor Zhengping and grind them to dust."
This order was so shocking that no one could react immediately. Feng Pansheng didn't care and continued, "Issue this decree: All prisoners serving sentences of five years or more, exiled, and sentenced to death will be sent to the army, and their labor service will be increased by three times. Concubines in the palace can pay a writing fee according to their rank, obtain a divorce certificate, and leave the palace to marry freely. Conquer the private property of Emperor Ping..."
Gan Song and Huang Bai initially thought that Feng Pansheng released Emperor Zhengping's concubines in order to humiliate him. After all, once his order came out, the families would pay to bring the concubines back home regardless of whether they wanted to or not, for fear of angering Feng Pansheng.
As they listened, they realized that Feng Pansheng seemed to be making money. What was he doing with it?
9972 nearly fainted after hearing this. Feng Pansheng couldn't wait even a second, already recruiting troops and raising funds in the middle of winter. At this rate, this war would be even more brutal and swift than in the simulated evolution, and the small world would be destroyed even sooner.
If this is the case, the points penalty will increase more than ten times, and there may be other penalties.
9972 can't hold on any longer, so he immediately buys props to wake up Zhuozhuo and persuade this living father!
Feng Pansheng was just discussing raising commercial taxes when he suddenly felt Zhuozhuo in his arms move his hands. Through the thick blanket, he couldn't tell if it was an illusion. He subconsciously held his breath, frozen in place, until he felt a gentle kick from a tiny foot on his arm.
"Zhuozhuo..." Feng Pansheng's voice was vague and trembling. He wanted to pull back the blanket to see if Zhuozhuo was awake, but he was too nervous to do so. "Qiuyu, come here and check on Zhuozhuo..."
Everyone had noticed Feng Pansheng's abnormality long ago and thought Zhuozhuo was in serious condition. They were all frightened to death. Qiuyu, who was called out, stepped forward and tremblingly extended her hand, tears streaming uncontrollably. She couldn't bear to imagine Zhuozhuo stopping breathing.
Qiuyu moved slowly, but no one urged her. Finally, the small curtain that shielded her from the wind, rain, and sun was drawn aside, revealing large, bright, dark eyes that were blazing and confused. After a moment's pause, Qiuyu burst into tears of joy, "The little princess has woken up!"
These words resonated like thunder, and everyone was filled with surprise. Regardless of rank, they gathered around, craning their necks to get a glimpse of Zhuozhuo. Feng Pansheng was brought back to his senses when a guard touched his arm. He hugged Zhuozhuo tighter and shouted in a hoarse voice, "Get out of the way."
But Zhuozhuo's awakening dispelled the gloom that had settled over everyone's heads. Everyone was beaming, unfazed by Feng Pansheng's cold face. They simply retreated a couple of steps, still looking eagerly at Zhuozhuo. The clever Qiuyu Qiufeng and the others went to call Baizhu while others prepared food and drinks.
Zhuozhuo blinked, opened his mouth, and silently called out "Daddy," which finally allowed Feng Pansheng to regain his mobility. Feng Pansheng wanted to carry Zhuozhuo back to the room, but after taking two steps, Zhuozhuo stretched out his little hand and pulled him, "Water."
Feng Pansheng saw the shape of his mouth and quickly said, "There's water in the house. Let's go in and have some."
At this moment, Qiuyu Qiufeng came running back, "The water is here, the water is here, little princess, drink some hot water quickly."
Feng Pansheng stood there, letting Qiuyu feed Zhuozhuo some water. Bai Zhu also rushed over at that moment. Feng Pansheng wanted to go back to his room to let Bai Zhu take a look at Zhuozhuo, but Zhuozhuo stopped him again, "Daddy, stop moving. Talk to Zhuozhuo, please."
Hearing the hidden meaning of these words, Feng Pansheng, who was overwhelmed by joy, felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over his head. His heart seemed to be pierced by a hole. His expression was blank for a moment, and he smiled gently and said, "Okay, Zhuozhuo slept for a long time this time. Daddy missed you so much."
The others also noticed something was wrong, the smiles on their faces disappeared, and they stood there in silence.
The long coma made Zhuozhuo very weak. Her voice was thin and small. "Zhuozhuo misses daddy too, but Zhuozhuo is leaving."
9972 simply woke Zhuozhuo up without teaching her what to say or telling her that she was about to be forcibly separated. However, Zhuozhuo, who had died of illness once, was very sensitive to death.
Zhuozhuo remembered that he didn't have time to say goodbye to his parents in his original world. They cried so hard, so he began to comfort Feng Pansheng, "Daddy, don't cry. Zhuozhuo won't sleep after he dies. He will go to another world and have a new daddy."
Qiuyuqiufeng has already cried like a tearful person, covering her mouth to prevent any sound. Why can't such a smart and sensible child grow up properly?
Feng Pansheng smiled a smile uglier than crying and tried to steady his voice, "Will the new father be good to Zhuozhuo?"
"Yes." Zhuozhuo said innocently and cutely, "He will be as good as Daddy."
Looking at Zhuozhuo who was trying so hard to comfort him, Feng Pansheng felt as if his heart was being crushed by a small hand. He followed Zhuozhuo's words and said jealously, "No way, Daddy treats Zhuozhuo the best. No one else can compare to Daddy."
"Why?" Zhuozhuo was a little dazed. She felt it would be just as good.
"Because I am your biological father, but Zhuozhuo is the most likable, and others will treat you very well, just a little bit worse than your father." Every time Feng Pansheng said a word, it was as if he was swallowing a knife.
"No," Zhuozhuo said softly, "Daddy is not my biological father. Zhuozhuo was not born by Daddy. When Zhuozhuo came into this world, he played with Mom in the mountains for many days. Mom asked Zhuozhuo to wait for Daddy. Daddy is good to Zhuozhuo."
Zhuozhuo blurted out everything he should and shouldn't say. 9972 wanted to stop him, but the mission in this world had already collapsed, so he just gave up and left it alone.
Feng Pansheng felt something was amiss as he listened, and couldn't help but ask, "How many days did Zhuozhuo and mother play in the mountains?"
"Well, I came into this world when it was so hot, and I found my daddy before the leaves changed color."
Judging from this description, Zhuozhuo hadn't been in the mountain for more than three months. Feng Pansheng realized that there was something wrong with Zhuozhuo's identity, but he didn't care. However, he couldn't help but pay attention to what she said. "Wasn't Zhuozhuo in this world before?"
The concept of the world is very vague and difficult for a three-year-old child to understand. Feng Pansheng is not sure whether Zhuozhuo has a cognitive error or whether it is true as she said that she does not belong to this world.
Zhuozhuo, who happened to have a unique experience and a correct understanding of the world, said childishly, "No, my father is from the ancient times."
"Ancient people?" Feng Pansheng's heart was beating wildly.
Zhuozhuo thought for a moment and said with certainty, "It was said on TV that people who wear clothes like this are all from ancient times." To make her point more convincing, she pointed at the clothes everyone was wearing.
9972 felt that Zhuozhuo was really good at getting to the point. If she described the difference between the two worlds, it might be difficult for people to understand due to her lack of vocabulary, but when the word "ancient people" popped up, everyone understood.
Feng Pansheng's first reaction was not doubt or shock, but relief. If Zhuozhuo came from the future, she would definitely not die easily. What she said about going to another world and having a new father after death seemed to be true.
Feng Pansheng wanted to ask Zhuozhuo about his identity and how he got here, but Zhuozhuo's face became increasingly pale, and it was obvious that he didn't have much time left. So he asked the most important question, "Zhuozhuo, what are you doing here? Do you need Daddy's help? Is your presence here harmful to you?"
"Come and do the mission. You will be resurrected after completing the mission. Please protect me." Zhuozhuo's voice became weaker and weaker, and he slowly closed his eyes. "Daddy, don't cry..."
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