Chapter 54
Zhao Shu: "They exist, but Your Highness, they are not frightening."
Mo Yinghuo raised his eyes and looked into the depths of the bamboo forest. "The stone statues are from the Stone Spirit Kingdom, aren't they?"
Zhao Shu nodded and said, "Yes, they are a species with a very high level of civilization. They have mastered the mysteries of wormholes, caverns, and multidimensional universes, but they were defeated by Guangjing alone."
Mo Yinghuo: "Therefore, what Father Emperor has always feared has never been the Stone Spirit Kingdom, but rather the word 'vision'."
Zhao Shu said gently, "Yes, the late emperor noticed it back then, but he couldn't understand it, yet he had no choice but to believe it."
Mo Yinghuo sighed, "So, General Long's reinforcements were not late. They were trapped in a huge Yin Stone Formation without realizing it; while General Long was trapped in a Yang Stone Formation. In this way, in what outsiders would have been less than a few hours, the elite troops led by General Long were worn down."
Zhao Shu nodded. "Your Highness, you are very intelligent."
Mo Yinghuo lowered his head and said, "So, Father had no choice but to behead all the reinforcement generals and display their heads to the public. He had to quell the anger of the court and the people, but he also knew... that those people were not wrong. At that time, he had no choice but to do so. His hair turned white overnight because of his guilt towards the generals of Yunxiu Kingdom."
Zhao Shu moved slightly closer to her.
Mo Yinghuo raised his eyes, rubbed his temples hard, as if trying to rub all his troubles into his brows and make them disappear, and laughed, "Zhu Chunhua and that old soldier, it makes sense now. The two of them entered the wormholes in different stone formations by chance, just like the story of the Rotten Chessman. It's just that Zhu Chunhua was more lucky, while that old soldier was less lucky."
Zhao Shu stood with his hands behind his back and nodded.
Mo Yinghuo suddenly burst into laughter. She turned around and looked at the person behind her who remained calm and composed. "Zhao Shu, isn't it ridiculous? You've driven Yunxiu Kingdom to this point, the Starry Sky Division has spent decades on this, and even after my father's death, he still harbors resentment. The being I always thought was incredibly terrifying is actually just a stone statue. Hahaha, a stone statue in some unknown bamboo forest in Yunxiu Kingdom. Unbeatable! Absolutely unbeatable! Shouldn't I just blow it to smithereens?! Reality is truly deadly."
Zhao Shu looked at Mo Yinghuo and listened attentively.
"What about the Xuan Tie Arrow?" Mo Yinghuo stared intently at Zhao Shu.
Zhao Shu said calmly, "Your Highness, there is another Yin-Yang Stone Array, but for some reason, it seems to have been hidden away, and I have been unable to find it."
Mo Yinghuo: "So, the Xuan Tie Arrow was used to deal with the final Yin Yang Stone Formation."
Zhao Shu seemed to be deep in thought, and after a while, he nodded.
Mo Yinghuo glanced at him, "That Yin-Yang Stone Array was also left behind by the people of the Stone Spirit Kingdom."
Zhao Shu: "Mm."
Seeing that he seemed a little absent-minded, Mo Yinghuo smiled and walked closer to him. "Zhao Shu, is something bothering you lately?"
Zhao Shu: "Let's go back to the mansion."
After saying that, he took a few big strides and left as if fleeing.
Mo Yinghuo watched his hurried back, touched her chin, and unconsciously revealed an interesting smile, completely forgetting the bitterness and sadness she had just felt.
"Wait for me, Zhao Shu."
Jietai Temple is an elegant and tranquil place, where unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter. Whenever Yunxiu Kingdom is about to go to war, Emperor Zhaoming would come here in advance to offer sacrifices. Early in the morning, Emperor Zhaoming, accompanied by his civil and military officials, ascended the ordination platform in the northwest courtyard of Jietai Temple.
The first ordination platform in Yunxiu Kingdom is indeed extraordinary.
The white marble platform, over five meters high, is exquisitely carved. Inside the platform are three hundred statues of guardian deities, each over a foot tall, made of clay and gilded. Each statue has a unique form: some are majestic and imposing, some have ferocious features, some are clad in armor, and some are otherworldly figures. They are all lifelike and breathtaking.
In the Jietai Hall, the upper and lower eaves of the roof are surrounded by a covered corridor, and all the eaves are adorned with the same wind chimes, truly embodying the principle of round on the ground and square on the ground.
Emperor Zhaoming was at the head of the procession, with the eldest princess standing on his left and the eldest prince on his right. The deep, orderly tolling of the bells began, and all the civil and military officials bowed three times; the monks of Jietai Temple chanted sutras while striking fish-shaped pendulums, creating an atmosphere of solemnity.
After the prayers were completed, the civil and military officials were arranged by the monks of Jietai Temple to have a meal in the inner courtyard.
Outside Jietai Temple, however, the area was packed with people.
This was also a rule of Yunxiu Kingdom: after the emperor finished his sacrifice at Jietai Temple and all the civil and military officials had left, the common people could enter the temple to kneel and pray for blessings. Jietai Temple did not allow unauthorized personnel to enter, so the people of the capital attached great importance to this day. Some people from outside the capital would even travel several days in advance if they knew in advance that the emperor was going to offer sacrifices.
After the worship ceremony, as soon as Emperor Zhaoming left, the entire Jietai Temple was filled with people, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
Mo Yinghuo had changed into a white casual outfit during the mealtime. Zhao Shu, as the abbot of Jietai Temple, should have made an appearance, even though it was a title bestowed upon him by Emperor Zhaoming. However, he was nowhere to be seen this morning. The civil and military officials had hoped to catch a glimpse of the abbot, who had been specially granted the white robes by the emperor, but they couldn't even catch a glimpse of his attire.
"Fourth Prince!" Mo Yinghuo called out to the crowd upon spotting the man in the floral robes and carrying the floral umbrella.
Fourth Prince Mo Wangshu turned around, his long eyebrows relaxed slightly, and walked towards Mo Yinghuo.
Mo Yinghuo laughed, "Fourth Prince is quick too, changing his clothes so fast. Ah, Xiao Hua, you're still so lovable."
Xiao Hua said in a deliberately coquettish voice, "The Princess hasn't come to see us since she returned, and the mansion feels strangely deserted."
Mo Yinghuo smiled and said, "Here we are."
Mo Wangshu tapped Xiao Hua's head lightly with her fan. "Naughty. Unlike us, the Princess is not idle all day long."
Xiao Hua stuck out her tongue. "It's not like we want to be idle."
"Xiao Hua." Mo Wangshu's tone suddenly became a little serious.
Mo Yinghuo patted Xiao Hua's head and smiled, "Xiao Hua, go and light some incense for us." She knew in her heart that since childhood, this fourth brother had rarely associated with anyone except her. Being the son of a courtesan was never a glorious thing. She had never minded these things, perhaps because she had suffered too much and had no time to pay attention to such trivial matters.
Mo Wangshu: "Your Highness, I heard that the Emperor has issued an edict to attack the Northern Frontier. Will you be going?"
Mo Yinghuo shook his head. "I don't know. I don't know if you'll need me when you see it."
Mo Wangshu was puzzled, "With the Eldest Princess here, isn't that..."
Before he could finish speaking, Mo Yinghuo interrupted, "Fourth Prince, the Northern Frontier has the Marquis of Beiding, which is more than enough."
Mo Wangshu knew she didn't want to talk about it, so she smiled and said, "Your Highness, are you still feeling cold all the time?"
Mo Yinghuo: "Nothing's wrong, just like before."
Mo Wangshu: "I have some tonics that a friend sent me. I'll have Xiaohua deliver them to your residence another day."
Mo Yinghuo cupped her hands in greeting, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Fourth Brother." She couldn't help but feel annoyed. Where did Fourth Brother get these friends? As far as she knew, he was always alone and rarely interacted with anyone other than her. It seemed this friend was quite close, even sending tonics. Well, it was good; making more friends meant he wouldn't always be just composing poems.
Mo Wangshu took out a very thin book from her sleeve and handed it to Mo Yinghuo, saying, "Elder sister, before you went to war last time, you asked me to write some good poems for you. I wrote them, and they are all in here. If you don't mind, I'll give them to you."
Mo Yinghuo was taken aback. Before the battle, Mo Wangshu had come to see her off. At the time, she was just joking. She never expected that after a few years, Mo Wangshu would not only remember it but also compile it into a book. She quickly took the book, nodded and smiled, "Fourth Brother's talent is the best among us. It is a great honor to receive your writing."
"Moreover, they look the best among the group in their floral dresses." Xiao Hua picked a few light-colored flowers from somewhere. "His Highness praised them."
Mo Yinghuo took the flowers from her hand, broke off a branch and put it in Xiao Hua's hair, rested her chin on her hand and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Beautiful, so beautiful."
Xiao Hua said with a grin, "No matter how beautiful you are, you can't compare to my prince."
Mo Wangshu blushed for a moment, while Mo Yinghuo burst into laughter. She also put a small flower in her hair and said with a grin, "I'm not ashamed to wear a flower in my hair."
Suddenly, a figure dressed in a python robe burst into the group of three. Yu Guojiu smiled and looked at Mo Yinghuo, saying, "Princess, ever since my son Zhifan told me about His Highness, I have kept my mouth shut. Your Highness must not misunderstand me."
Mo Yinghuo smiled and said, "Oh, what is it that the Imperial Uncle is talking about?" She noticed that this Imperial Uncle didn't even glance at Mo Wangshu. No matter how noble he was as a prince, he didn't even have the proper etiquette for a prince.
Mo Wangshu seemed indifferent, nodded to Mo Yinghuo, and then walked away with Xiao Hua.
Yu Guojiu: "Ah...yes, yes, it's nothing, it's nothing."
Mo Yinghuo picked the flower and saw that the First Prince had changed into a purple casual outfit and was walking towards her, followed by Mo Wangshu, who had just left.
Mo Wangshu: "I ran into my elder brother just as I was leaving. He said some martial arts masters from the common people have come to his residence, and he'll invite us to watch the medicine-powered puppet show in a few days."
The First Prince was gentle and polite. "Since Her Highness the Eldest Princess returned from the war, she has often stayed at her residence to recuperate, so we have seen each other very little. My seventh brother has been at the Northern Camp. I only saw him once when I visited with my fourth brother. I wonder if Your Highness has some free time?"
Mo Yinghuo smiled and gave a slight bow. "Since you invited me, Brother Wang, I will naturally go. It has been many years since I've seen a medicine-powered puppet."
The First Prince asked the Imperial Uncle, "Imperial Uncle, I wonder..."
Before he could finish his question, the Imperial Uncle Yu interjected, "No need for Your Highness to trouble yourself."
Standing beside the First Prince, a simply dressed man suddenly sneered, "The First Prince hasn't even finished speaking, why is the Imperial Brother-in-law in such a hurry to return?"
Seeing that the eldest princess was present, Yu Guojiu dared not say anything more and left in a huff.
At this moment, several monks from Jietai Temple passed by, and with utmost respect, they put their hands together and bowed slightly to the Great King.
Mo Yinghuo smiled and said, "Brother Wang, it seems you are a regular and distinguished guest here."
The prince smiled, composed himself, and immediately became kind and respectful. "Look at the gods and Buddhas more often, absorb more incense offerings, and chant 'Amitabha Buddha' a few more times. People's hearts will become more at peace and open-minded."
Mo Wangshu shook his fan, on which the crabapple blossoms were in full bloom. “I often come with my brother, and my heart is naturally more open. Staying cooped up in the mansion all day long inevitably makes one’s heart narrow.”
Mo Yinghuo nodded, "It seems that I will come with Brother Wang more often in the future if I have the opportunity."
The First Prince: "Master Zhao does not reside at the Princess's residence."
Mo Yinghuo was stunned for a moment, almost forgetting the man's unique identity. She smiled and said, "Yes, yes, I hear him chanting scriptures at the mansion every day. I guess I have the advantage of being close to him."
"Granny Shen, have you seen Zhao Shu? I haven't seen him for the past few days." Mo Yinghuo was carrying a pot of hot wine. He had just finished practicing archery in the courtyard when he saw two people walking in one after the other. As the two approached, he asked Granny Shen, who had just returned from outside.
"Your Highness, I didn't see it." Granny Shen stopped in her tracks, and Zhu Chunhua behind her also stopped.
Mo Yinghuo waved to Zhu Chunhua and lowered his voice, "What's wrong with Granny Chen? She looks so pale."
Zhu Chunhua: "Your Highness, she went to apologize to Imperial Uncle Yu and Lord Huang."
Mo Yinghuo said "Oh," and waved his hand, asking, "Have you seen Lord Zhao?"
Zhu Chunhua: "I haven't seen him for the past few days, but just now when I passed by Lord Zhao's room, I thought I heard voices."
Mo Yinghuo arrived at Zhao Shu's room in a few steps. Just as he was about to knock on the door, he heard an extremely pleasant and intellectual female voice.
“Zhao Shu, everything has its own destiny. A galaxy is but a drop in the ocean in this universe. If they really face this calamity, just like always, you can stop it if you can, but there’s no need to force it. Just do what you can. You’ve already fulfilled your promise to your mother, so come back as soon as possible.”
Mo Yinghuo was shocked and asked, "What calamity? Them? Does it refer to Yunxiu Kingdom? Is Zhao Shu going back to Yelan Star?" She felt inexplicably lost and panicked.
After a moment of silence, Zhao Shu's deep voice finally broke the silence.
"That's what I thought when I came here. In places unseen by people, in the vast universe, the birth and destruction of civilizations are but a fleeting moment, nothing more than natural occurrences. But now, things are different. She is here, and this is her tribulation. I'm willing to risk my life, even if it means eternal damnation, as long as she lives well in her homeland. I know she is a general, and guarding has always been her duty."
Mo Yinghuo froze abruptly, when suddenly, several understanding laughs came from inside.
"Little brother, do you think you've found someone you like?"
"Um."
"Male or female?"
"A woman."
"I never imagined that some woman could be so capable as to win Zhao Shuai's heart. Have you spoken to her yet?"
"No."
"If you like it, go for it."
"I'm afraid she'll look down on me because I'm an outsider, I'm afraid she'll think I'm not as good-looking as her, I'm afraid she'll find me boring, I'm afraid..."
"Brother, pluck the flower while it blooms, for when there are no flowers left, you'll only have bare branches to break." [1]
Mo Yinghuo raised an eyebrow. Zhao Shu and his sister seemed to have very different personalities, but they were similar to his own.
"She said that too."
"Zhao Shu, have you already...?"
"Um."
"Aren't you always together? How does she feel about you?"
"she……"
After a long silence, Mo Yinghuo wondered why they had stopped talking; they hadn't revealed the person's true identity yet. Suddenly, the door opened, and Zhao Shu looked at him with utmost gentleness.
Mo Ying thought to herself, "Oh no, he won't think I was eavesdropping, will he?" Then she thought again, "I was indeed eavesdropping, even though I was caught in the act." She could only brace herself, raise her eyes, and smile, "Um, Zhao Shu, I didn't mean to. I was just about to knock on the door when... I overheard you."
Zhao Shu kept his head down and remained silent.
Mo Yinghuo hurriedly said nervously, "If you're angry, just say so. I'll apologize to you. Even though it was unintentional, eavesdropping is still wrong."
Zhao Shu stared at Mo Yinghuo, his eyes somewhat bloodshot. He said indifferently, "Your Highness, what business do you have with me?"
Mo Yinghuo: "No...nothing."
Zhao Shu pondered in silence for a moment, then prepared to close the door.
Mo Yinghuo suddenly flashed and swiftly slipped into the house.
Zhao Shu: "You!"
Mo Yinghuo originally wanted to find a chair or table to sit down and talk to him, but she didn't expect that Zhao Shu's huge room only had a huge bed. So she pretended that nothing was wrong and asked, "Zhao Shu, do you only use your house to sleep?"
Zhao Shu: "You know I'm rarely here."
Mo Yinghuo hummed in agreement, smiled, and asked, "Zhao Shu, who is your sweetheart?"
Zhao Shu turned his face away.
The room was dark. Mo Yinghuo stared at the bed, her dream suddenly shattered in the dim light. A sly smile appeared on her lips as she said, "It's me, isn't it?"
Zhao Shu turned his face, his gaze falling gently on Mo Yinghuo's face, which was slightly flushed from the hot wine. He suddenly clenched his fist, remained silent for a long time, as if he had made a great decision, then slowly opened his fist, staring intently at Mo Yinghuo, and said softly, word by word.
Yes, I love you.
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