Chapter 52
Two Star Guard spies took out some special tools and carefully unlocked the lock.
Lord Wu: "Your Majesty, this red box is very unique. Only someone who knows how to open it can open it safely."
Mo Yinghuo nodded and said, "Indeed, I asked the Queen Mother, and she has never opened it either. The Queen Mother said that only the King of Dongliang can open this box."
Why did the King of Dongliang give this box to Mo Yinghuo without revealing how to open it? Mo Yinghuo was completely baffled. Now that the King of Dongliang has passed away, it will likely remain a mystery. However, perhaps knowing what's inside the box will allow him to guess the general reason.
Lord Wu: "Yes, the Starry Sky Division has been secretly investigating extraordinary individuals in the Eastern Liang Kingdom these past few days, and has finally found someone who can open this box. It took this person nearly a month to safely open the mahogany box."
After the box was opened, everyone looked even more confused.
The two spies carefully took out the contents of the box—two paintings. Or rather, there was only one painting, because the two paintings were identical.
Mo Yinghuo approached, took a closer look, and suddenly his face was full of surprise.
Emperor Zhaoming looked at Mo Yinghuo and asked, "What's wrong, Princess?"
Mo Yinghuo exchanged glances with Lord Wu and then said to Emperor Zhaoming, "Your Majesty, I have seen the contents of this painting with Abbot Zhao before. Lord Wu must also know that it is located in that bamboo forest."
In the painting, two wild cranes are embracing each other with their necks intertwined; behind the cranes is a huge stone statue with its hands in a flower-picking gesture.
Lord Wu: "Yes, Your Majesty, it is the bamboo grove where those two who claimed to be General Long's soldiers were first discovered."
Zhao Shu glanced at the two paintings, remaining indifferent and silent throughout.
Emperor Zhaoming carefully examined the two paintings, finding no differences, and asked, "Why is the land of Yunxiu depicted in a mysterious box in Dongliang?"
After speaking, the three of them looked at Zhao Shu, who had remained silent behind them.
After a moment, Zhao Shu said calmly, "The two paintings are different."
The three of them carefully examined the two paintings from beginning to end again, looking at each other, but found no differences.
Zhao Shu: "Ink."
Mo Yinghuo immediately understood, "Zhao Shu, you mean the painting was done at different times."
Zhao Shu nodded slightly.
Lord Wu immediately looked at the two Star Division spies beside him. In a short while, the two of them took out a bunch of strange and odd objects from somewhere. After examining the paintings, one of them said, "Two paintings, painted nearly five years apart."
Zhao Shu: "That's right. Also, the stone statues are different."
The stone statues in both paintings have kind and benevolent faces; the corners of their eyes, lips, and the hands that hold flowers are all the same, so it is impossible to see any difference between them.
Zhao Shu pointed to the stone statue's hands, one hand holding a flower and the other supporting it; he was referring to the hand supporting it from below.
Emperor Zhaoming, Mo Yinghuo, and Lord Wu stared wide-eyed, but still couldn't discern any clues.
Mo Yinghuo rubbed her temples again. She knew that if Zhao Shu said it was different, then it must be different, and in her understanding, it must be extraordinary. The three of them took turns practically pressing the painting against their faces, but they still couldn't tell the difference.
Emperor Zhaoming tapped the table repeatedly with his hand, and Zhao Shu glanced at him unconsciously upon hearing the sound.
"Lord Wu, can you see anything different?" Emperor Zhaoming asked Lord Wu.
Lord Wu shook his head, looked at the two spies beside him, and asked, "What about you? Have you noticed anything different?"
The two spies from the Star Division also shook their heads.
Emperor Zhaoming: "Where is the eldest princess?"
Mo Yinghuo happened to be holding two paintings in her hands at that moment. She overlapped the paintings, her eyebrows twitched, and she looked up at Zhao Shu, asking, "Zhao Shu, the difference you mentioned, you don't mean this, do you?"
Zhao Shu: "It's this one."
Mo Yinghuo: "Your Majesty, Lord Wu, look, the left hand of both stone statues."
On the two overlapping paintings, the left side of the lower painting is slightly lower than the upper one, by less than half a centimeter.
Mo Yinghuo looked at Zhao Shu thoughtfully. Emperor Zhaoming and Lord Wu glanced at the painting, then at each other, feeling quite annoyed. This was like nitpicking, or finding a missing hair in a hair. Even if the same person painted, it was impossible to create a completely identical painting.
Emperor Zhaoming knew that this Yelan Starman would stand by and watch if he didn't ask a few more questions. However, for some reason, although he was the emperor of Yunxiu Kingdom, he was always somewhat wary of this Yelan Starman. Looking at his perpetually calm face, he never dared to ask too many questions. Only when he really couldn't figure things out would he dare to ask for advice. He thought for a moment and was about to ask when Mo Yinghuo suddenly spoke.
"Zhao Shu, was the painter's work intentional or unintentional?"
Zhao Shu said softly, "Neither."
Mo Yinghuo slowly stroked his chin with his fingers, then fell into deep thought again.
Zhao Shu was taken aback, and quickly turned to look to the side, just in time to meet Emperor Zhaoming's still puzzled gaze. He then said indifferently, "Your Majesty, the painter painted it as it is."
“It’s a true depiction…” Mo Yinghuo murmured. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she picked up the painting on the table again. The painter was highly skilled, and the stone statue, with its kind face, was painted so lifelike that it would be indistinguishable from a real person if other paints had been used.
Mo Yinghuo asked incredulously, "Master Zhao, you're not going to tell us that this stone statue... moved on its own, are you?"
Zhao Shu: "Mm."
...
An eerie aura emanated from the two paintings and lingered throughout the tent. The three men's gazes fell on the stone statue's face with its upturned lips, as if mocking it. At this moment, it inexplicably carried a hint of looking down upon all living beings, and Emperor Zhaoming and Lord Wu felt a chill run down their spines.
The entire Starry Sky Bureau of the Stone Spirit Kingdom, despite decades of effort, still knows very little about him. The only breakthrough they made was in Stonehenge, and even that was achieved at the cost of more than a dozen of their brothers in the Starry Sky Bureau.
Like the Stone Spirit Kingdom, they knew very little about this Nightfall Star person. However, they were fully aware of Zhao Shu's mystery and abilities, which even exceeded their imagination. Emperor Zhaoming couldn't help but secretly rejoice and admire his father's foresight in figuring out how the late emperor had made acquaintance with the Nightfall Star people and had them assist the Cloud Xiu Kingdom.
Therefore, when Zhao Shu said the two pictures were different, they were indeed different; and when the stone statue was moving, it truly was moving.
Emperor Zhaoming murmured "This..." and then didn't know what to say. Fortunately, Mo Yinghuo had already seen strange things such as Stonehenge, the emperor's black jade urn, the white jade coffin, and the King of Dongliang. Zhao Shu was often by her side, like a teacher, and patiently explained to her many things that only the people of Yelan Star knew.
Mo Yinghuo raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Zhao Shu, you're not going to tell us that this stone statue has come to life?"
Zhao Shu stared intently into Mo Yinghuo's eyes, and after a moment, said softly, "Your Highness, Your Majesty, I read many books from Yunxiu Kingdom during my time there. As far as I know, Yunxiu Kingdom seems to like to explain all unsolved matters with demons, ghosts, and monsters. However, please forgive my intrusion, but I will speak the truth."
Seeing that he had stopped and his gaze was fixed on him with a consultative tone, Emperor Zhaoming said humbly, "Master Zhao, please speak freely. The matter of Shiling Kingdom has already exceeded our imagination. Isn't Yelanxing also a place beyond our reach and imagination?"
Zhao Shu said indifferently, "Your Majesty, the Yunxiu Kingdom and the Yelan Star will meet in the Milky Way sooner or later; it's just a matter of time. There is a difference between the people of Yunxiu Kingdom and the people of Yelan Star: when we encounter something unknown, we will try our best to explore it; but the people of Yunxiu Kingdom seem to be more... you think about it for a while and then attribute everything to strange and mysterious things."
"But Your Highness, Your Majesty, Lord Wu, how insignificant are humans! You often say that summer insects cannot discuss ice, and cicadas do not know spring and autumn. [1] Humans are born on this earth. When gazing at the sky, what difference is there between us and a frog in a well? And when living in the long river of history, time flies by like a white horse passing through a crack. What difference is there between us and an ant?"
"In this vast world, there are countless things that grow differently from humans. Then why can't other civilizations, different from the civilization of the Yunxiu Kingdom, exist in this boundless universe? Why must that stone statue, which appears still to you, be truly still? Perhaps it is moving, but to them, humans are like ants. Our world has its own laws; their world has its own laws. In five years, the people of Yunxiu Kingdom can accomplish countless things; five years, for them, may be but a blink of an eye, barely enough time for them to lift a hand."
Mo Yinghuo's gaze fell on that black-clad figure, and she felt a strange feeling in her heart, but she couldn't quite grasp it. It was as if she had become open-minded, or as if she had become empty, as if the soldiers who had fought alongside him and died were nothing but smoke and clouds, as if her own worthless life was nothing more than this.
The person's voice, the incredible things they said each time, their perpetual calmness, always carrying a faint but unwavering conviction.
Emperor Zhaoming stared blankly at the Nightfall Star person in front of her. It was the first time she had heard Zhao Shu say so much, and the first time she had heard someone stand at the perspective of a god, looking down on everything, yet looking up at everything.
Lord Wu's eyebrows twitched incessantly, as he tried to conceal the professional ethics he had cultivated over decades. Beside him, two Star Bureau spies stood upright, deep in thought.
After a long silence, a loud roar suddenly came from outside the tent. At first, they thought it was thunder. Perhaps the group was too engrossed in pondering Mo Yinghuo's incomprehensible yet undeniable words. They only realized what was happening when the voices gradually approached the tent.
"Seventh Prince, His Majesty has said that no unauthorized personnel are allowed to enter."
"Seventh Prince, I didn't mean to oppose you or stop you. The Marquis sent me to dissuade you..."
"Hmph, am I still a nobody? Xu Yong, go back to the Marquis's place. I will take full responsibility for my actions and will never implicate the Marquis of Beiding and the soldiers!"
The tent flap was lifted, and Emperor Zhaoming walked out coldly. Looking at the ring-pommel sword in the Seventh Prince's hand, he actually laughed and said, "Seventh Brother, if you continue to act so impulsively, I will not let you go to the battlefield."
Seventh Prince: "Your Majesty, my seventh brother has always been like this..." He suddenly stopped, his voice trembling slightly, "Your Majesty, you...you mean, you want to send troops..."
Emperor Zhaoming looked north and nodded. "Wait three more months, Seventh Brother. By then, I will surely make all the northern barbarian tribes submit to my Zhaozhao Yunxiu Kingdom!"
The Seventh Prince was stunned for a moment, then knelt on one knee. "Your subject accepts the decree."
Emperor Zhaoming looked at Xu Yong and said, "Deputy General Xu, pass on my order to summon the Marquis to the camp."
Xu Yong: "Yes!"
Inside the clean yet imperial tent were Emperor Zhaoming, the Eldest Princess, and the Marquis of Beiding.
Emperor Zhaoming hurriedly helped up the Marquis of Beiding, who was kneeling on one knee, and said with a smile, "Uncle, you have worked hard all these years."
Marquis Beiding glanced at the two siblings who bore a striking resemblance and had to admit that the crumbling Yunxiu Kingdom had been propped up by these two, creating a magnificent new world. Like father, like son. The late emperor, too, possessed great ambition and was skilled in both literature and martial arts, but for some reason, he was brought to a halt after the battle with General Long.
Fortunately, during the crisis, the two siblings, one a scholar and the other a warrior, worked diligently to govern the country, achieving a clear and efficient administration. They were decisive in their actions and made numerous military achievements, which finally made up for the regret of establishing Emperor Zhaoming. However, what surprised him was not Emperor Zhaoming's ability to govern the country, but rather that the once radiant and beautiful eldest princess actually possessed such military talent.
He admitted that even if he were in his place, personally leading the Yunzhao army, he could not have achieved the feat of subjugating five kingdoms in five years. With this clear understanding and unwavering loyalty to his country, the Marquis of Beiding concealed his many grievances, deeply committed to defending the country to the death.
Marquis Beiding looked at Mo Yinghuo, a bitter smile on his lips. "I am terrified. I am no match for the Princess."
Mo Yinghuo stood above, unconsciously scratching the back of her neck, feeling a little embarrassed. This royal uncle spent most of his time in the northern frontier, while she was constantly fighting on the frontier, so they rarely met. However, because she was so outstanding, people in and out of the court liked to compare the two generals from Yunxiu Kingdom.
Rumors are rampant and inevitably reach each other's ears. While everyone else was talking animatedly, the uncle and nephew involved seemed oblivious to the gossip, as if they were completely detached from it all. Even so, Mo Yinghuo still felt somewhat guilty.
Emperor Zhaoming laughed and said, "You're too kind, my lord. Without you guarding the northern frontier, the people there would probably suffer a lot."
Marquis Beiding's shoulders trembled. "Your Majesty, it is my duty."
Mo Yinghuo stepped forward, smiled awkwardly, and said seriously, "The Marquis has not only taken in the Northern Frontier, but also the rebellious refugees. With the Marquis guarding the Northern Frontier, the Yunzhao Army can rest easy. Although the Imperial Uncle did not go to the battlefield, his contributions are indispensable."
Emperor Zhaoming nodded. "The eldest princess is perceptive and has also noticed this problem."
Marquis Beiding was stunned. He looked at the princess in front of him, whose delicate features were so refined that she had no trace of bloodlust. Yet, in a single sentence, she revealed all the hardships he had endured.
Everyone says that Marquis Beiding's garrison is what keeps the northern barbarians at bay, but no one sees the refugees and displaced people roaming the northern frontier, banding together for years but never gaining any real power. The mountains are high and the emperor is far away; ultimately, what they fear is Marquis Beiding. And the eldest princess, having only been here a few days, has already sensed this hidden danger in Yunxiu Kingdom.
He hadn't mentioned it to the emperor, but the memorials submitted regarding the refugees and displaced people in the northern frontier always ended with the same phrase: "Thank you for your help, Marquis of Beiding, in guarding the border." At first, it seemed that Emperor Zhaoming didn't value this matter, but now it appears otherwise.
Marquis of Beiding: "The eldest princess is so young, it's rare."
Mo Yinghuo smiled. "Thank you for the compliment, Imperial Uncle." The awkwardness of the past few years had finally lessened somewhat.
Emperor Zhaoming spread out the map on the table, his face stern and unapproachable. "My lord, this is a complete map of the Northern Frontier sent by the Starry Sky Bureau's spies. Are you confident in attacking the Northern Frontier in three months?"
Marquis Beiding stared in astonishment at the map of the northern frontier on the table. The terrain, rivers, tribes, and even cattle, sheep, and grasslands were all marked. The Beidaying camp, having defended the border for years, hadn't been entirely inactive; they had secretly sent men deep into the region to create their own maps. However, compared to the one before him, the previous map from the Beidaying camp was far too crude.
Seeing his shocked expression, Emperor Zhaoming smiled and said, "My lord, this was drawn by someone secretly commissioned by the eldest princess."
The Starry Sky Division was indeed formidable, the Marquis of Beiding thought with a secret shock. He was well aware that the Starry Sky Division only answered the Emperor and the Eldest Princess.
Mo Yinghuo's gaze was also fixed on the map, and he couldn't help but admire Zhao Shu's skills once again. This map was indeed drawn by the Star Division's spies, but many hidden parts were added by Zhao Shu.
Emperor Zhaoming: "Lord Marquis?"
Marquis Beiding immediately regained his senses and said, "With this map, the Xiongnu will surely be destroyed."
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