Chapter 19 A Joyful Funeral
Three major events occurred in Jiangjinmeng in March.
The first item was truly astonishing.
Elder Dihuangbei threw Elder Huangqindong and Elder Chenpixi into prison and locked them up for a whole month. It is said that they were originally going to be beheaded, but the alliance leader and Chaihunan stopped them by holding them around the waist.
The leader of the alliance embraces the back, while Chaihu Nan embraces the front.
So Dihuangbei had no choice but to retreat a great distance, making the two copy the alliance rules a thousand times and fining them silver for three years.
Secondly, the entire Jiangjin Alliance now knows that Miss Lin, whom Alliance Leader Bian rescued earlier, was actually their young leader.
Although Miss Lin vehemently denied it, claiming that she was not a member of the Jiangjin Alliance at all, she wanted to return the alliance leader's position, but the alliance leader refused, and forcing her to do so was like forcing her to jump off a cliff.
The people of Jiangjinmeng cheered and said that their successors were there.
No one paid attention to Miss Lin's statement; since the Alliance Leader's token was still in her hands, she was essentially the Young Alliance Leader.
Thirdly, after Lord Huang Qindong was released from prison, he arranged a funeral for someone. White lanterns were hung in the courtyard, and the whole place was covered in white mourning clothes. The children that Lord Huang Qindong had brought back carried the coffin and held up the banner to bid farewell as it headed west towards Wucheng.
But no one heard the weeping.
The girls were all like swallows in spring. Apart from the white headbands on their heads, they all wore pale yellow dresses, their faces were smiling, and they were constantly whispering, as if death was not a sad thing.
But Elder Huang Qindong, who was at the very front, was dressed in white, his eyes were lifeless, and he seemed to have aged a lot.
...
Huang Qindong buried the children in Yunling. He then settled down at Yunling Temple, kneeling before the Buddha statue every day.
Lin Chengye once again had Chai Hu Nan act as the driver, and they first went up the mountain to visit the graves of those girls.
The scenery there is beautiful; it's near a cliff and faces the sunrise, so you can probably bask in the first rays of sunlight every day.
Now, at the end of March, tender buds are sprouting and the spring breeze is warming the land. The grave is covered with large bunches of yellow and white flowers, and even woven wreaths, all clustered around it, creating a lively scene.
The girls were buried together, so it must have been quite a lively scene down there.
More than twenty people perished in the fire, except for Qi Si, whose remains were never found. When they left Jiangjin Medical Clinic to avoid implicating Huang Qindong, they left cleanly, but now they can't even be given a cenotaph, and can only bring a handful of soil from Qinghonglou.
Lin Chengye didn't know what Qi Si liked to eat, so he brought some pastries from Li Ruizhai and put them on top, and also brought a pot of wine. The wine was mild, and even the younger ones could drink a couple of cups.
"Don't blame me for being domineering. Our meeting was too rushed, and I really didn't know what you and your sisters liked to eat."
She had only met Qi Si once, and hadn't even gotten a good look at the girl's face. But Qi Si's every word was filled with tears, and her intense emotions moved her deeply.
This affection weighs a thousand pounds; though I die, I will not regret it.
Lin Chengye poured the wine on the ground in front of the grave.
"...Your wishes have been fulfilled in this life, go in peace. Let's walk hand in hand, don't be afraid."
Suddenly, a spring breeze arose, and it seemed that the girls had truly heard Lin Chengye's blessing. Two chrysanthemums, one yellow and one white, rolled down from the grave, brushed against her cheek, and fell into the empty wine glass.
Like a fleeting, light kiss.
...
Lin Chengye then took Chai Hu Nan to Yunling Temple, but the man resolutely refused, saying that he didn't want to see Huang Qindong for the next six months, as he was extremely annoyed.
Then, just as they were about to enter the Cloud Ridge, it suddenly flew away to who knows where. Lin Chengye sighed at its excellent movement technique and couldn't help but miss his own Lingyuan Taxue.
The Sweeping Monk was still the same Sweeping Monk. He bowed to her upon seeing her, and Lin Chengye smiled faintly and returned the bow before going inside.
"Young Master Lin, it's been a long time. Why isn't Alliance Leader Bian here today?"
Master Shichen sat in the side hall, showing no surprise at her arrival, and smiled as he invited her to sit down. He truly liked this young woman; her manners were impeccable and her temperament composed, qualities most likely honed by a prominent family.
"He's gone to practice medicine again. He said that a previous patient's old illness had relapsed and he couldn't delay. He's been there for two days now, and the situation is probably serious."
Lin Chengye accepted the tea and thanked Master Shichen, but before he could even taste it, he sighed again.
"Young benefactor, do not worry. You've come here today for Lord Huang, haven't you? She's in the main hall."
Master Shichen's eyes saw through everything, and he chuckled. Incense filled the room, and an unopened green lotus pod hung on the wall, with dragonflies lightly touching it. This seemed to ease some of Lin Chengye's worries, and her brows relaxed a little. She then spoke again.
"A lot happened in the past few days, but now that I think about it, it seems like an unsolvable problem."
"If there is no solution, then there is no solution. If it hasn't happened yet, just accept all possible outcomes."
Monk Shichen gently shook his head and pointed to the main hall to the side.
"Lord Huang is over there. Young benefactor, please go and persuade him. After this is over, please come back here. I have something to say to you."
Lin Chengye's expression shifted slightly, and he stood up and solemnly bowed.
...
Inside the main hall of Yunling Temple, incense smoke curled and sunlight streamed down. A slender figure knelt amidst the dust, shoulders slumped, dressed in white mourning clothes.
Lin Chengye stopped one step away from Huang Qindong.
After a long while, another melodious bell rang out.
Huang Qindong, with his back to her, suddenly spoke.
"Chess is a good girl, they... are all good girls."
"Um."
Lin Chengye's reply was devoid of emotion. She looked up at the kind-faced Buddha statue, lost in thought.
Suddenly, she took a deep breath and said in a cold voice.
"Do you even have a brain, Huang Qindong?"
"If you truly can't let go of your hatred, then leave Jiang Jinmeng and make your own plans. Trying to use Jiang Jinmeng's power and then absolve yourself of all responsibility and take the blame—who believes Jiang Jinmeng is completely unaware?"
Having said too much in one breath, Lin Chengye felt dizzy and stopped to catch his breath before continuing.
"Although this was a close call, thankfully nothing serious happened."
If everyone were like you, Jiang Jinmeng would never have a peaceful day!
I don't know how many people in your Jiangjin Alliance share your views. Bian Yi knows this, but he can't bear to blame you. He even helped you kill Xie Shengmin.
But to hold her responsible for all these fatal debts is utterly absurd!
The alliance leader killed Xie Shengmin? Huang Qindong's expression suddenly became dazed for a moment.
"...Those children you saved, including Bian Yi, probably only want you to be Huang Qindong. I don't know what you used to be called, but from today onwards, forget them all."
Finally, Lin Chengye's tone softened, and he let out a long sigh.
She wasn't still angry with Huang Qindong, but she knew she would eventually have to embark on the path of revenge, at which point she would inevitably have to leave Jiang Jinmeng. She was really worried about Bian Yi's actions, so she had to give him a heads-up beforehand.
"...After I abandoned my name, I'm afraid my desire for revenge wasn't so firm anymore. At that time, I thought...I wanted to start over in the Jiangjin Alliance, do my business and make a lot of money, and like the Alliance Leader, heal the sick and help the world."
Huang Qindong suddenly laughed, but his eyes were filled with desolation, and his eyes welled up with salty tears.
"My conscience won't be at peace until I get revenge, but I'm still filled with remorse, and I could never atone for it even if I died. Why, why did I betray both of them?"
Tears slid down her chin, one by one.
Then it turned into a long, choked sob, lingering in this vast hall.
"Qisi is happy now; she is at peace knowing you are alive."
Lin Chengye patted Huang Qindong on the shoulder and felt the man suddenly stiffen for a moment, staring blankly at the Buddha statue.
Huang Qindong was at a loss and wanted to ask if the Buddha was real, but the Buddha statue just smiled silently, watching her struggle in the mortal world.
That's all I have to say; there's no point in saying more.
Lin Chengye turned and left, waving his sleeves and leaving behind a single sentence.
"Live well, and stop thinking about dying."
...
"What this old monk has to say is related to Alliance Leader Bian."
When Lin Chengye returned, Shichen gestured for him to sit on the other side of the table and gently flicked the prayer beads in his hand.
“Yes, I’ve thought about this a lot these days. The most likely explanation is that she’s separating the name Bian Yi from her identity as the leader of the Jiangjin Alliance, so that one day she can leave without being implicated in the special place that is the Jiangjin Alliance.”
Lin Chengye's expression was solemn.
"I can't go into too many details, but perhaps the source of our hatred is similar."
"Then this old monk recalled some trivial matters from many years ago, which may be of use to you, young benefactor, and it will not have been in vain that I have pondered for so many days. But this old monk is not a person of the martial arts world after all, and those matters are too long ago. I hope they will be of use to you, young benefactor."
“Master Shichen, please speak.” Lin Chengye raised his wide sleeve slightly and said earnestly.
"I hadn't thought about the name Bian Yi carefully before, because it was too fleeting."
But I think the first time I heard it was during the reign of the late emperor, in the 46th year of Zhenping, which is now 23 years ago. At that time, a genius suddenly appeared in the martial arts world. His internal strength was profound, and he had a set of sword techniques called the Red Dust Winding Sword Technique, but no one knew where his master came from.
That person had no particular purpose, and refused to have the person in charge of the Yitian Scroll at Paiyun Cliff witness, so he left his name on it. It seemed he only wanted to travel the world and challenge martial arts masters at will.
Although there is no written record, it can be known from word of mouth that the person's name was Bian Yi.
In the 48th year of Zhenping, she fought against Qin Ruoliu, who was the number one in the Yunya Yitian Rank. Although she was defeated by half a move, according to legend, the battle took place on the summit of the Taicang Mountains, the highest peak in Southern Qi. The two fought for three days and three nights, leaving no grass growing in their wake, causing beasts to flee, birds to cry out, and sand and stones to fly. Qin Ruoliu even flattened the main peak of the Taicang Mountains with a single stroke.
The following year, which was the 49th year of the Zhenping era.
Bian Yi clashed with Qin Ruoliu once again, still in the Taicang Mountains, and the heavens and earth seemed to change color. Few knew of that battle, but rumors generally said that Bian Yi won by a single move. However, since the former leader of the Yunya Yitian Ranking did not witness it firsthand, it cannot be confirmed, and unfortunately, no one's name was recorded.
Bian Yi was only seventeen years old back then? The number one in the world at seventeen?
Lin Chengye did some quick calculations and was somewhat taken aback. This was unprecedented and likely to remain so even in the talent-rich martial arts world.
Suddenly, Monk Shichen shook his head, a look of regret on his face.
"But since then, the name Bian Yi seems to have been just a fleeting illusion for all martial arts practitioners, disappearing without a trace. At first, some people felt sorry for him, but five or ten years later, spring came and autumn went, new people and new things emerged in the martial arts world, and no one remembered him anymore."
Only three years?
Lin Chengye's throat tightened, and he suddenly gripped the teacup in his hand tightly.
"Alas... the 49th year of Zhenping was a turbulent year. The fight between Bian Yi and Qin Ruoliu was the least noteworthy."
Monk Shichen sighed.
"In the same year, two things happened in the martial arts world."
First, the complete annihilation of Qingluan Medicine Valley, with no survivors, shocked the martial arts world. Because this sect primarily practiced medicine, many had benefited from its kindness, leading to numerous investigations. However, Qingluan Medicine Valley was burned to the ground, leaving all investigators empty-handed.
Secondly, Qin Ruoliu claimed that she had broken through to the final realm of martial arts and become a demigod.
"No, not only that. Besides the martial arts world, the imperial court also underwent a major upheaval that year!"
Lin Chengye suddenly stood up, put his hands behind his back, his pupils slightly contracted, and tapped his index finger repeatedly, speaking in a hurried tone.
"In the same year, the late emperor fell seriously ill. His Majesty the present, together with the eldest princess, launched the 'Universal Palace Incident,' stormed into the palace, and murdered his brothers. The former crown prince and Prince Rui were both killed."
After that, the late emperor passed away in the same year, leaving a will bequeathing the throne to Your Majesty, but... even now there are still discussions saying that Your Majesty's ascension to the throne was illegitimate.
"Whether there's a connection or not, I truly don't know. But the person behind this must be..."
Shi Chen stood up, looking at the young man who stood as upright as a pine tree. His dark eyes were clear, yet they held an unyielding hatred. He couldn't utter words of comfort, and only spoke solemnly, word by word.
"Young Master Lin, the road ahead is arduous, please be careful in everything you do!"
A note from the author:
Finally... just as Volume One was about to end, the tip of the iceberg was revealed...
The next chapter concludes Volume One and the Southern Qi storyline will begin.
If anyone sees this, thank you so much!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
