Chapter 82 The Shadow: He Might Not Be a Wise Ruler
My father said, "This is what they call 'putting yourself in a desperate situation and then finding a way out.'"
Judging from her father's tone, he seemed to have some admiration for this emperor named Mu You. Guan Ye was indignant. "I don't think he's necessarily a wise ruler."
"Do you want to die?!" The father hurriedly covered his daughter's mouth.
—If he is such a wise ruler, why can't he find out the truth behind the crossbow incident? So many people died tragically, and we can't even go home.
Father sighed. This is a dead end. The shopkeeper has confessed and signed the confession. Those who should be killed and those who shouldn't are almost all dead. Investigate again? Father pointed to his forehead. If we investigate again, only I will be left. But I didn't do this case.
Guan Ye remembered that she had seriously asked her father, "Mother is dead, and it's just the two of us left. Tell me the truth from the bottom of your heart." Guan Ye swore to the heavens: "If anyone tells, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death! This case really has nothing to do with you, Father?"
Guan Ye originally just wanted to joke with her father. How could she have actually suspected her own father? Who knew that her father would take it seriously, his rough face turning purple with anger, and he roared that he would expose the heavens. Guan Ye's ears were ringing just thinking about it.
Guan Ye glanced at the inner ward and only caught a glimpse of Mu You's figure from afar. Now that she could see him up close, she had no interest in him at all. Mu You had come to Xingguo Ward to see the Heavenly Furnace, not to see anyone else. As a mere sword slave, it made no difference whether he was there or not. Everyone longed to meet the Emperor, but Guan Ye did not.
Behind Mu You, Cui Jin followed at a distance, his body wrapped in a wide black robe. Although he was calm and expressionless, his single, piercing eye still made those who saw him shudder.
"Pei Yuan of Xingguo Ward, along with the ward's inhabitants, pays his respects to the Emperor and the Crown Prince." Pei Yuan opened his robes, knelt down, and kowtowed. The people of Xingguo Ward followed behind him, kneeling in unison.
"Rise, all of you." Mu You looked at the crowd before him. "I am here today to witness the completion of the Heavenly Furnace. Xingguo Fang, there is no need for formalities. Rise and speak."
Pei Yuan led the way in standing up, and the others followed suit, all bowing their heads and not daring to look at the Emperor. Mu You looked at them one by one and said with a gentle smile, "Everyone in this neighborhood is a person of importance. Since you are all people of importance, raise your heads and let me see you."
As soon as he finished speaking, Feng Shisan was the first to look up. Seeing that everyone else was still standing still, he looked around in confusion. Mu You saw this and smiled at Cui Jin.
"A-Jiu." Mu You noticed A-Jiu standing behind the crowd. "You've seen me several times already, why don't you dare look at me?"
Ajiu raised her head and respectfully said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Mu You glanced at Mu Chenbi and asked, "You arrived before me and have already met them?"
Mu Chenbi said in a calm tone, "At first glance, I thought he looked exactly like me, but now that I look at him again, he doesn't seem to resemble me at all."
“People are shallow. In fact, there is no shortage of people who look alike. It just so happens that Ajiu looks like the Crown Prince.” Cui Jin repeated what he had said to Pei Yuan. “The Crown Prince is the Crown Prince, the one and only Crown Prince. Ajiu, there is only one Ajiu, the swordsman of Xingguo Ward, Ajiu.”
“When I first met Ajiu, I was also surprised.” Mu You gestured for Ajiu to come closer. “I thought then that if you, Shenbi, met him, you would also find it interesting. Your interactions would be as harmonious as your appearances.”
The Emperor is indeed the Emperor; his words are both pleasant and reasonable. Feng Shisan, a young man who had wandered the world, had seen many strange and unusual people and events. The world is full of wonders, and it's not uncommon for people to look alike. His mother had said that he looked more and more like his father. Wait! Feng Shisan suddenly stopped. Looking more and more like his father… Feng Shisan squinted and looked again. The Emperor was nearly fifty, his face mature and weathered, but his facial features vaguely resembled those of Crown Prince Mu Chenbi. The Emperor and Crown Prince were father and son, so what was his relationship with A-Jiu? Could it be…
The moment the thought crossed Feng Shisan's mind, he wanted to slap himself. They were all boys who had been tricked by Hu Xian. How could any of them have the good fortune to climb the social ladder?
"Of course then." Mu Chenbi said calmly, "Your subject is fond of casting techniques, and Ajiu is skilled in swordsmanship, so they will be a perfect match."
Mu You looked relieved and looked up at the towering furnace. "This is the furnace of Xingguo Ward."
“Exactly.” Upon mentioning the Heavenly Furnace, Pei Yuan’s body surged with emotion, as if he had become a different person. He waved his sleeve and pointed directly at the furnace mouth, his red hair flying wildly in the wind. “The fire is already in the furnace, waiting only for His Majesty to come and witness the opening ceremony.”
"Oh?" Mu You stepped forward a few paces. "From a distance, I saw thick smoke gathering and thought the furnace had already been started. How could just the fire have such a powerful presence?"
Pei Yuan, with a hint of pride in his eyes, leaned down and said, "The Heavenly Furnace Fire has existed for a hundred years without ever going out. Even during the ten-day water journey, it is hidden deep in the bottom of the ship and guarded by swordsmen. It is as precious as life itself."
Mu You narrowed his eyes, "A fire can be reignited after it goes out, so why is it valued so highly?"
"As long as the flame remains, it will never die. This is not just a fire, but the lifeblood of the Pei family. As long as the people live, the furnace will stand; if the fire goes out, the people will perish." Pei Yuancang's voice was deafening, and everyone in the foundry shouted in unison, "As long as the people live, the furnace will stand; if the fire goes out, the people will perish!"
“Excellent!” Mu You nodded repeatedly. “After a hundred years of dormancy, its will remains undiminished. Xingguofang is Xingguofang, born for the country and existing for the country. And today, the furnace returns to Rongdu, which is also a blessing for the Great Jin.”
"The auspicious time has arrived, start the furnace!" Pei Bi shouted, raising his arm, his eyes brimming with tears.
Beneath the furnace, the strongest sword slaves, their bare upper bodies revealing dark, muscular bodies, lifted ten loads of silver charcoal onto the top of the furnace, pouring basket after basket of charcoal into it. The Mu father and son looked up at the platform several feet high, where the fire blazed fiercely beneath the stove, and the billowing smoke resembled clouds. It smelled fragrant but not pungent, and upon closer inspection, even carried the lingering scent of sandalwood.
The flying sparks landed on the sword slaves' open chests, but they seemed not to feel the burning pain at all. The firelight reflected on their shiny skin, and everyone's face was filled with pleasure.
"What a magnificent furnace! It truly lives up to its reputation." Mu You exclaimed sincerely. "Silver charcoal is precious and difficult to forge. Only the furnace of Xingguo Workshop is worthy of this rare silver charcoal."
Mu Chenbi looked up and stared intently at the igniting furnace. "The meteorite was forged in this furnace?"
—“Meteorite.” —“Meteorite…”
These three words made everyone in Xingguofang's heart clench. Jiang Muyun's sacrifice to the furnace was still vivid in their minds, a nightmare in everyone's heart. The Meteor Sword was surging with blood shadows, captivating and soul-stirring. Now, just hearing about it seemed to possess a magical power.
"Yes." Pei Yuan lowered his head.
"How long was the meteorite melted in the Heavenly Furnace?" Mu Chenbi pressed.
Pei Yuan's palms were damp, but he forced himself to say, "More than ten days."
More than ten days later, Mu Chenbi closed his eyes as if in thought. Just as he was about to ask something else, Mu You clicked his tongue and said, "I also want to climb to the top of the furnace and take a look. Could Master Pei lead the way?"
"Of course." Pei Yuan grasped at a straw. "The furnace top is scorching hot, Your Majesty, please be careful." He took a few steps and then stopped. "Would Your Highness like to come along?"
Mu Chenbi opened her eyes. "The Heavenly Furnace looks magnificent from afar. I'll just admire it from a distance."
Seeing Pei Yuan and his father ascend the furnace, Mu Chenbi asked in a low voice, "The Heavenly Furnace is valued for its Yunnan red bricks, which gather fire and raise the temperature. Why go through all the trouble of using silver charcoal for casting?"
“Silver charcoal is of higher purity than ordinary black charcoal, and its temperature is also much higher. It takes less time to melt the stone, and the molten iron is pure, thick, and clear. The weapons cast from it will be sharper and more durable,” Pei Bi replied respectfully, keeping his head down and not daring to look at the Crown Prince.
“That is true,” Mu Chenbi said thoughtfully, “but the cost is too high. If we are casting a large number of weapons, ordinary iron ore would not be worth so much silver and charcoal.”
Pei Bi, afraid of saying the wrong thing, moved his dry lips but did not respond. Seeing that no one dared to answer him, and that Guan Ye had her head down, rubbing the pebbles on the ground with her feet, Mu Chenbi knew that she had heard his question but simply did not want to talk to him.
During their conversation, Mu You had already reached the top of the Heavenly Furnace. Everyone looked up and saw a yellow-robed figure in the mist, seemingly a god descending to earth. Scorching sparks flew everywhere, and the heat hit them in the face. Pei Yuan looked at Mu You with some concern, but saw that he was calm and fearless, surveying the burning Heavenly Furnace as if he were strolling in a garden. He even bent down to look at the bottom of the furnace, watching the silver charcoal turn into charred black in an instant, and then turn into wisps of smoke, as serene as an immortal ascending to heaven.
"This is the aura of an emperor!" Feng Shisan said in a low voice to the person next to him. "Do you remember when the workshop master asked us to go to the Heavenly Furnace? Ji Fang exclaimed in surprise when he saw it. We even practiced at Pei Chong's old residence for so long."
“That’s the Emperor of the Great Jin.” Xiao Ma stared intently at Mu You’s figure in the smoke. “He led the troops to turn the tide during the Xiguan Rebellion. Three thousand archers died in the Blood Crossbow Incident. He was just a hundred meters above Eagle Ridge Road.”
Upon hearing what Xiao Ma said, Guan Ye unconsciously raised her droopy eyes.
"The Blood Crossbow Case?" Ji Fang had grown up on Canglang Island. He had heard this term mentioned before, but he didn't quite understand it. "Last time... the sect leader suddenly summoned us... I remember now."
Lou Cangyu, displeased with Ji Fang's loudness, pointed to his own ear and glanced at Mu Chenbi out of the corner of his eye. Ji Fang immediately understood, and the others fell silent.
"The Heavenly Furnace is indeed remarkable." Mu You waved his hand to test the temperature. "Under the whole world, it is the best. Only the Pei family's Heavenly Furnace can forge the Meteor Sword."
Mu You unsheathed the Meteor Sword from his waist. Upon touching the familiar sword, Pei Yuan, who was perched atop the furnace, suddenly felt as if he had fallen into a freezing pool. He shuddered, and his contorted face began to twitch uncontrollably.
"Meteor Sword." Pei Yuan's lips trembled in surprise.
"I really like this sword." Mu You stroked the scabbard with his palm, caressing the patterns on it, reluctant to draw it. "The first time I saw it, I felt like I had seen it before, as if I had obtained it somewhere before." Mu You took a deep breath of the smoke. In the hazy light, even though he hadn't drawn the sword, it seemed as if the sword had already come out of its sheath, hanging over the furnace, tempting one to reach out and grasp it.
"Master Pei, did you see that?" Mu You pointed to the phantom image at the furnace opening.
Pei Yuan looked in the direction he was pointing, "This humble subject...can't see anything."
"Meteor Sword." Mu Youcang's eyes were glazed over. He saw it more and more clearly. It was his beloved Meteor Sword. "It is my Meteor Sword."
Pei Yuan shuddered. The Meteor Sword was clearly in Mu You's hand; he was still gripping the hilt, not yet unsheathed, when he pointed to the furnace and said he saw the sword… "Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"
Amidst the swirling smoke, what Mu You had described as formless and intangible drifted atop the furnace with the rising white smoke, reflecting the splashing sparks like a trailing shadow of blood. Pei Yuan looked around in horror. He seemed to smell the charred odor of a living person being burned, the hissing and burning sounds like the low murmurs of the dead. The raging fire at the bottom of the furnace seemed to have been lit by a living person, and now, as he climbed back to the top, the flames had reignited the soul of the person who had sacrificed themselves for the furnace. She lay hidden at the boundary between yin and yang, transformed into an undead phantom, condensing the flames into frost.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" Pei Yuan called out in a low voice, but Mu You seemed to be deaf to his voice, stumbling as he followed the shadow of the sword.
"Your Majesty, what's wrong?" Ji Fang had dared not speak again, but seeing the strange sight on the top of the furnace, he finally couldn't help but ask.
Guan Ye looked up and saw that Mu You seemed to be unable to control himself. He was holding the Meteor Sword in one hand and scratching wildly at the furnace opening with the other, as if he wanted to grab something. Pei Yuan's eyes were wide open like copper bells, his mouth was open but he couldn't make a sound, and his lips twitched and were almost twisted. He reached out to stop Mu You, but Mu You seemed to be pulled by an invisible force, and his body swayed and almost fell into the furnace.
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