Chapter 146 · Extra Four
The third year of Qing'an.
The remnants of the Liang family, who had instigated the chaos in Lingnan, appeared in Yuzhong, causing numerous incidents and leading to the death of the then prefect.
That was because Song Shang was a good friend of Qu Maoze when he was away. After many years of separation, he heard news of Qu Maoze's passing. He changed his appearance again and came to Yuzhong in the name of his old friend.
During his time in that dark and gloomy dungeon, he was mostly in contact with various insects. His mother said that he was very talented and that she should have taken him back to the Gu clan sooner.
However, she was just saying it; even if it were a first time, she wouldn't be able to take him back.
After all, the Gu clan is extremely xenophobic, and going back would only mean certain death.
As a Gu woman of the Gu clan, Qu Yaya is quite dangerous. If she were alone, she could escape, but she has a child, an unsuspecting husband outside, and dozens or even hundreds of people in the surrounding area holding her hostage.
She could only be confined in the dungeon, enduring the pain of having her flesh cut off and blood drained.
But she was also an optimistic person. She would talk to Song Shang about the Gu clan and teach him about Gu clan things. Before she died, she left the Gu to him. Among them, the amoeba that could disguise him was the one he was most good at using.
Amoebas aren't actually as magical as people imagine, but human features are amazing. With a slight alteration and attention to one's demeanor, it's as if one has become a completely different person.
He was only ten years old when he escaped the dungeon. He was completely lost about the future and was being pursued by soldiers. He could only hang out with beggars on the street and survive by doing sneaky things.
To make things easier and avoid getting caught, he would often change his appearance when he went out, which always resulted in more success. However, after doing this a few times, he found that even familiar faces were not sure if it was him and would become suspicious.
After all, the face can change, but the body cannot.
After that, he rarely changed his identity, sticking to only two.
One of them is Song Shang, a gloomy young master who lived a life of luxury but was abducted at a young age.
One is Qu Maoze, a gentle and optimistic little beggar whose father is unknown and who lives with his deceased mother.
From beginning to end, both of them were him. However, due to various coincidences, the one who ended up on the stage was Song Shang, a person he did not want to be.
That year, he faced pursuing bandits and enemies, pushing forward until he broke his leg and severed his hand. He found his way home based on the information his mother gave him.
His mother said that his father was a good man and that he should go to his father if he had the chance, so that his father could protect him. This matter had nothing to do with his father; it was her fault. If she hadn't fled the Gu clan and hadn't hidden her identity, he wouldn't have suffered with her.
Song Shang thought to himself, "My mother is so silly."
She shouldn't have had to suffer like this if it weren't for them.
As a rare Gu woman of the Gu clan, she could have easily left if she wanted to. But she was foolish, worried that others would be implicated because of her.
But what does this have to do with her?
It was clearly the fault of those in power who were bad people; it was their greed that led them to commit murder. She was just a victim.
Others might use the emperor to command the nobles, but she could control even pigs and dogs to imprison herself.
Song Shang spent three years in the dungeon. His wails and cries of pain evoked pity, and while his mother bound him, it also left him feeling awkward and confused.
He thought, "If I'm already in so much pain, why should I continue living?"
That day, he asked that question.
That night was very dark, but he clearly remembered her shocked expression. Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed, and her lips trembled slightly, as if she had spent half her life building a small house, only to have it trampled on by someone else in one night. She tried to comfort and console herself, but she couldn't hide her collapse and despair.
She held him in her arms and sobbed for a long time. In the days that followed, she kept telling him to live, to live well, and to live happily...
She added that death is not liberation, but merely the beginning of another kind of suffering.
Song Shang didn't understand at the time, but she cried so pitifully that he still agreed and made promises one by one until ten days later, when he escaped from the dungeon, held her broken limbs, and understood the other meaning of those words.
Death is one's own liberation, but it is the beginning of suffering for others.
He struggled to survive, limping and with a broken hand, wandering all the way from Yong'an City back to his hometown, only to hear the news that his father was about to remarry. That day, he stood at his doorstep and saw his former pageboy and servant boy, as well as the person his mother had longed for for three years.
No one recognized him, the young master who should have died three years ago.
He began to wander again.
Life isn't always miserable, and his luck wasn't always bad either. He later met a good teacher and learned a lot.
The master said that he was very talented and that if he lived in a peaceful and prosperous era, he would definitely become a famous minister. Even in this chaotic world, he would surely make a name for himself.
Song Shang thought of his father, Qiu, who was still working diligently for the old dynasty and had become a high-ranking official, and asked his master with a smile, "Then why do you still want to be an official here?"
"What I do is always for the people of the world, not for that dog emperor." The master pointed to his heart, speaking seriously, and then quietly added, "Shh, but let's just say this in private. It's nothing to be ashamed of, just trying to survive."
A month later, the master died tragically, and his body was hung on the wall.
Song Shang was surrounded and captured again.
He continued his wanderings.
In chaotic times, people are as insignificant as weeds.
Starvation, disease, traffic accidents, animal attacks, cannibalism...
Corpses lay piled on the ground and floated in the river. Every now and then, he would see familiar faces, their once smiling faces now silent and twisted in a grimace, left to rot. There was no past and no future.
As Song Shang walked along the road, he carried the weight of his promise to his mother in his heart.
Don't seek revenge, just live peacefully and happily.
But Mother, in this world, how can he live in peace? And how can he be happy?
Song Shang walked along roads and through cities, finally witnessing the villagers, driven to desperation by life, rise up in rebellion.
They will all die.
Those government officials were well-trained, well-armed, and held a geographical advantage. Most importantly, they had spies planted among the villagers. Their resistance was like moths drawn to a flame, heading straight for certain death.
After they died, their bodies would be hung high on the city walls like dead fish, as a warning to others.
Song Shang watched them embark on their journey, and at that moment, he remembered his mother's words again.
His mother said that it's not wrong for people to have compassion, and it's not wrong for them to be willing to die for others.
As long as you're willing, you're not wrong.
Neither of them is wrong.
His mother made him happy, and he felt quite happy watching those corrupt officials and scoundrels die one by one, piled up on the roadside like pigs and dogs.
But some paths, once stepped onto, are hard to leave.
He led his men from south to north, and then from north back to south. Along the way, many people believed, and even encouraged, him to take that position. If he wanted to, he certainly could.
But Song Shang was unwilling. He was born in blood and grew up with blood on his hands. He thought that if he were to take that position, he would surely become the next tyrant. He had no such intention, but those around him did, and the Qi family did too.
With a large army closing in on the city, the city walls may be breached, but the hearts of the people are hard to contain.
Taking another step forward, one will face off against old friends with swords drawn, and a fierce battle will be inevitable.
Take one step back, and there's nowhere left to retreat.
The city was ahead, but the atmosphere in the camp was more tense than ever before.
By the time Song Jiang was sent out, everyone knew what the dog emperor was up to.
After all, that's his own father. Even if he can't be persuaded to surrender, shouldn't he at least be given some face? What if he tries to sabotage things again?
No one agreed with Song Shang going there. No matter how suspicious or distrustful they were, they were comrades who had shared life and death and did not want him to be harmed.
At that time, some people suggested that Song Jiang be imprisoned and the city be breached directly.
Although it doesn't sound good to others, it's nothing compared to the grand ambition of becoming an emperor.
Song Shang still refused. He met with Song Jiang, his biological father whom he had not seen for more than ten years, alone. He listened to Song Jiang talk about his regrets, what he had done over the years, and how the lives of the people had been changed.
Song Shangxin remained unmoved, his heart as still as dead water. He scoffed, "So what? Is that enough? Did you see the mountains of corpses piled up outside? Did you see the fish that died from overeating in the river?"
Song Jiang remained silent for a while, then wiped his eyes and said, "I saw it. I have arranged for the Duke of Yingguo to guard the city gate. The gate will be opened in an hour. The city's guards have been cleared. You can proceed without hindrance, but please do not disturb the people."
Song Shang was somewhat surprised, but remained calm, saying only, "You're quite sensible. If you try anything funny, you can go and keep my mother company."
Song Jiang remained silent, not uttering a word, but simply took out a dagger.
Song Shang scoffed, "You think you can hurt me?"
Song Jiang smiled bitterly: "I thought you and your mother had been taken away by her clansmen."
Song Shang's eyes grew colder: "Is this why you remarried after only four years?"
Song Jiang's face turned ashen. He had guessed that the child must have come back to find him, but unfortunately, he was powerless to do anything about it: "I'm sorry."
Given the dire circumstances, he had no choice but to agree to a marriage alliance in order to better leverage the situation, thereby breaking the deadlock, distributing grain, and saving countless lives.
However, there's no point in saying more.
The child in front of me didn't want to hear this either.
Seeing his death wish, Song Shang simply said coldly, "Don't even think about threatening me with your death."
Song Jiang smiled bitterly: "In your eyes, am I that kind of person?"
Song Shang: "Is it important?"
They're all insignificant people anyway.
Looking at Song Jiang's face, which resembled his own, Song Shang suddenly thought of his mother, Qu Yaya. So much time had passed that he could no longer recall her appearance, only her bright almond-shaped eyes and her incredibly optimistic nature.
She wouldn't have died if it weren't for him.
Even if the dog emperor threatens her with a lot of people, in the end, he's still involved.
He suddenly felt tired, waved his robe, and turned around: "That's it. Once the dog emperor is dead, you should leave the capital."
Song Jiang: "And what about you?"
Song Shang turned around, his phoenix eyes dark and unfathomable.
Song Jiang smiled wryly: "You've become too prominent. Of the Qi family's 100,000 subordinates, half of them are led by you. Have you thought about your future?"
Song Shang suddenly smiled, a beautiful smile that couldn't hide its chill: "What's it to you?"
Song Jiang fell silent for a moment, his face ashen. After a long while, he gave a bitter smile: "Do you want to be the emperor?"
Song Shang wanted to say it was none of your business, but when he got to the point, he remembered his mother's nagging before he left the dungeon, and silently shook his head.
He had no ambition to be an emperor, nor did he have such intentions.
Song Jiang then asked, "Have you thought about how you will leave this stage?"
Song Shang did not answer him.
He hadn't thought about this issue in detail; it was all the same, death or not, so there was no difference.
He didn't seek death on his own; he ended up like this, so you can't blame him. He didn't break the contract.
Seeing his reaction, how could Song Jiang not have guessed?
This child is like him, gentle and kind. When he was three or four years old, he would help other children. He would never complain even if he was wronged outside. It's really heartbreaking.
Song Jiang smirked, "Take my head and leave."
For a moment, Song Shang was bewildered, thinking he had misheard. The next moment, he saw Song Jiang's dagger, which he had been holding all along, strike his neck without the slightest hesitation. The dagger was specially sharpened, fast and sharp, and it severed his entire throat as soon as it struck.
There is no cure.
Song Shang still clearly remembered how he used six cuts to sever his head, how he carried the severed head into the palace under the horrified gazes of everyone, and how he painstakingly cut off the dog emperor's head piece by piece to avenge himself.
His methods were ruthless and shocking.
Song Jiang risked his life to avert an unseen conflict, ensuring peace for the world in the last time, and saving his son with minimal sacrifice.
However, this time, Song Shang truly became an orphan.
After that, he requested to leave the capital to continue quelling unrest in other places, restrain the Liang family, and resolve the troubles in Lingnan. However, since it was still local territory, some people escaped.
However, they are just small fry and nothing to worry about.
In the early years of the dynasty, the country was in chaos, the people were unsettled, and all sorts of problems arose. There were too many things to worry about and too many people to deal with.
In the third year of Qing'an, his old friend was murdered. Song Shang changed his name again and went to Yuzhong to pay his respects and visit him under the identity of Qu Maoze.
Here, he encountered a strange woman.
She is extremely beautiful.
After traveling through the mountains for many days, her clothes were soaked by the mist, her body was covered with fallen leaves and weeds, her skirt and shoes were muddy, and she was dripping wet as she fled through the slippery forest, looking just like a frightened deer.
She had a pair of extremely beautiful almond-shaped eyes, like amber, which were reflected on her small face, which was patchy with white and yellow, and her wet, dark hair was messy and disheveled.
She just stared at him blankly: "Are you a god sent from heaven?"
Song Shang couldn't help but laugh.
This was the first time he had smiled in months.
Compared to his original handsome and delicate appearance, his features after the makeover are more dignified and gentle. His brows and eyes cannot hide his uprightness. He has a gentle temperament, and his smile is elegant. He has a kind of gentle and refined air, which makes people like him at first glance.
He also clearly saw the strange girl's cheeks suddenly turn red, and her eyes become even more lustrous, but at the same time, her body tensed up.
It seems he's realized the foolish thing he just did.
Fortunately, I'm not completely stupid yet.
Song Shang smiled as he looked at the woman who resembled a mountain spirit and asked softly, "The forest is secluded and wild animals roam here. Why are you here, young lady?"
Ruan Jinling knew she couldn't escape. She clutched her clothes tightly and stammered, "No, I don't know, I, I don't remember."
Song Shang raised an eyebrow: "Really? Are you saying that you woke up in the mountains, and after several days of running around, you still have a rosy complexion and can run and jump?"
Ruan Jinling bit her lip, becoming increasingly wary, but her face showed a pitiful expression. Her almond-shaped eyes were brimming with tears as she sniffed, "I... I had a bag on me with some food inside, and I also found some wild fruit, so... that's it. I thought I was going to die in the forest, but luckily I met you."
Song Shang said meaningfully, "Is that so?"
Ruan Jinling gritted her teeth, nodded, and then swayed slightly, her body weakly collapsing onto the slope, rolling downhill and crashing onto the rocks with a thud.
Blood dripped down his forehead, diluted by the dew, and flowed onto the ground.
Song Shang stood on the slope, looking down at her.
Her face was pale, her breathing was shallow, and her body was relaxed, showing signs of exhaustion and weakness.
He chuckled softly, walked down slowly, and looked down at the unidentified woman.
Not only was she extremely beautiful, but she also had an exceptionally slender and tall figure, with skin as white as jade. After traveling all this way, her clothes were loose, revealing a patch of white skin on her exposed chest.
He crouched down, his fingertips brushing against her neck, which was covered with scratches of various sizes, likely from being cut by branches and leaves while walking. The scratches were both new and old. Her fair hands were similar, with several cracks at the fingertips and abrasion marks on the palms, probably from handling a stick.
As for her feet, they were smooth and delicate, clearly showing that she had never suffered any hardship and had been carefully nurtured. Now, the soles of her feet were covered with blisters of all sizes, and because they had been soaked in water too much, they were also a bit wrinkled.
They look so pitiful.
He held her slender ankle, gently rubbing it with his fingertips, feeling the stiffness beneath his hand. He chuckled softly, picked her up by the waist, and walked outside.
What he found, is his.
...
[Author's Note]
Qu Maoze: If I find it, it's mine. [Shrug]
Ruan Jinling: They've already run away, so what? [shy]
Qu Maoze: (meaningfully) This is an "if" scenario, there's no escaping it.
Ruan Jinling: (Surprised) You mean, it's your turn to take care of the baby?
Qu Maoze: ...
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