Chapter 45 Who is the source of the shock?
The mountain path, not short, wound its way upwards, the stone steps worn smooth by wind and rain. Master Chu walked ahead, his pace unhurried. Yu Man lagged two steps behind, silently following, her heart pounding faster and faster uncontrollably. As she walked, she subtly observed her surroundings—the forest was deep and secluded, the path monotonous, and apart from the sounds of wind and birdsong, there was no other human voice; naturally, there was no chance of escape.
From ahead came Master Chu's calm and even voice, stating the facts: "There is only one road leading to the upper pavilion of Shanqing Academy. You cannot escape, and no one will come at this moment."
Yu Man's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively stopped in her tracks. She was indeed secretly observing her escape route, hoping that Gu Qiu would notice something amiss and come looking for her.
And did this old man have eyes in the back of his head? He could see right through her thoughts.
Master Chu seemed to be able to read people's minds. He stopped in his tracks without turning around, but turned slightly to the side, his sharp eyes glancing at her out of the corner of his eye: "Are you waiting for that brat Gu Qiu?" He snorted softly, his tone neither sarcastic nor indifferent, "He's quite skilled, but unfortunately, he's already been stopped below."
After saying that, he turned around completely and looked directly at Yu Man. His eyes were calm, but his words were chilling: "If you don't want to leave, then die here."
The tone was not threatening; it was simply a calm statement.
Yu Man clenched her trembling fingertips, forcing herself to calm down. A direct confrontation was unwise. She took a deep breath, suppressed her resistance, and followed.
We can only pin our hopes on that unreliable Pei Ji.
Pulling herself back from her chaotic thoughts, Yu Man couldn't help but glance back at the direction of the academy at the foot of the mountain. What she saw next caused her pupils to shrink sharply!
A blinding crimson glow suddenly erupted from the area of the rooms she had just left! Thick smoke billowed up, spreading uncontrollably with the mountain wind, and a faint, acrid smell of burning wafted through the air.
Fire?!
In an instant, a clear crackling sound of wood bursting came from the foot of the mountain, interspersed with panicked shouts, clearly from the students who remained at the academy.
"Fire! Quick, put out the fire!"
"That's where Senior Sister Chen used to live!"
"Go and report to the headmaster immediately!"
Faint voices could be heard, but in the blink of an eye, the area had become a towering wall of fire, propelled by the wind. Even standing here, at a great distance, one could feel the hot air constantly surging in, and a wave of heat washing over one's back.
Yu Man's heart leaped into her throat. Chen Jingshu! She was just there! Would she turn back? Would she be caught in the crossfire?
She hurriedly turned to walk back. However, as if remembering something, she abruptly stopped. Yu Man turned around sharply, her gaze fixed on the still steady Master Chu ahead, her voice trembling with urgency and anger:
"You knew there would be a fire?! Did you arrange it?!" She couldn't help but suspect this; the timing was too coincidental!
Master Chu also stopped. He stood on the higher stone step, turned around, put his hands behind his back, and calmly looked down at the expanding crimson expanse below the mountain. His voice remained calm: "The wind is just right today, and the weather is dry, so we should be careful with fire. However, if someone intends to do evil, arson... is indeed a clean and efficient method."
He neither admitted nor denied it, but his words undoubtedly confirmed Yu Man's worst suspicions. Even if he didn't start the fire himself, it was definitely within his expectations and even his calculations!
"What exactly do you want to do?!" Yu Man's voice was filled with suppressed anger. "Those below are innocent students from Shanqing Academy!"
Upon hearing this, Master Chu finally turned his gaze away from the firelight and turned to her, his sharp eyes still unwavering: "Come with me. Those students will be fine."
Yu Man stared intently at him, her nails digging deep into her palms. She knew that if she went back now, not only would she not be able to save them, but she would likely die there immediately. She gritted her teeth, unable to hold back any longer: "You'd better make sure they're alright!"
Finally, she suppressed her surging emotions and the urge to go back and save people, turned back, and heavily followed Master Chu's steps.
Compared to the lower pavilion of Shanqing Academy, which still has some semblance of life, the upper pavilion is even more deserted, as quiet as a secluded paradise, yet it also exudes an indescribable sense of oppression.
Yu Man followed Master Chu to a uniquely shaped pavilion. The pavilion was entirely made of wood, the specific material indiscernible, its dark color exuding an ancient aura. It employed a complex, layered bracket system, forming a standard octagonal shape with upturned eaves. Each corner was adorned with a simple, ancient bronze bell, strangely silent in the wind. Hanging in the center of the pavilion was an ebony plaque, upon which were carved two large characters in vigorous strokes—"Huai Shan" (怀山).
Master Chu slowly pushed open the heavy wooden door, which creaked open with a long, dull sound. The interior was dark. He stepped inside, and Yu Man hesitated for a moment, but could only grit her teeth and follow.
The interior was dimly lit, with only a few faint rays of sunlight filtering through small windows high up. The space appeared more spacious than from the outside, with rows of tall ebony bookshelves densely packed with scrolls, bamboo slips, and thread-bound ancient books. The air was thick with the peculiar scent of aged ink, paper, and wood. The staircase, also made of ebony, wound around the inner walls, producing a dull thud with each step.
The people in front of her climbed the stairs, and Yu Man followed behind, silently counting the floors. One floor, two floors... each floor was piled high with books and scrolls.
They continued until they stopped on the fifth floor.
Contrary to expectations of danger, this place turned out to be an extremely simple and elegant lecture hall, with several low tables and cushions in the center.
Master Chu walked to the main seat, sat down, and then pointed to a futon opposite him, saying to Yu Man, who was still standing at the door, "Sit."
His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority. Yu Man hesitated for a moment, then sat down as instructed, her gaze daring not to leave him.
"Do you know how the Great Zhou Dynasty was founded?" Master Chu looked up and sized up Yu Man for a moment before suddenly speaking. His voice echoed in the empty school, just like a teacher beginning a lesson.
Yu Man felt as if she had suddenly returned to a high school classroom. She paused for a moment, racking her brains for her meager historical knowledge, and shook her head.
Master Chu showed no dissatisfaction or surprise, and began to explain in detail: "The founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty was neither an abdication nor an inheritance of the corruption of the previous dynasty. Emperor Taizu rose from humble beginnings and saw that the previous emperor Ai was tyrannical and the people were suffering. So he took up his three-foot sword and gathered righteous people in Huaidong."
"At that time, heroes rose up from all corners of the land, each claiming their own kingdom. Emperor Taizu first established Guanzhong as his base, and then used the strategy of accumulating grain and consolidating his territory, advancing step by step. He had a cloud of fierce generals and a rain of strategists under his command, and after more than a hundred battles, large and small, he was able to sweep away the six directions and unify the world."
"After the founding of the dynasty, Emperor Taizu did not forget his original aspirations. He reduced taxes and levies, encouraged agriculture and sericulture, promoted the equal distribution of land, developed water conservancy, and opened up the imperial examination system, giving children from poor families the opportunity to enter the halls of power. This was the cornerstone of the century-long prosperity of the Great Zhou Dynasty."
He paused briefly, then continued, "By the time of Emperor Xuan, the country had enjoyed a long period of peace and prosperity. Emperor Xuan was benevolent and followed the example of Emperor Taizu's policy of recuperation and development. He further reduced taxes, rectified official corruption, and used punishments prudently. As a result, the national treasury was full, the people lived in peace, no one picked up lost items on the road, and doors were left unlocked at night. Therefore, the historians praised it as the 'Rule of Xuan and Wen'."
"However," he said, his tone shifting slightly, "even in times of peace, there are hidden worries. Externally, the Rong and Di tribes have temporarily retreated, but their wolfish ambitions remain; internally... the power transition is fraught with undercurrents. Emperor Xuan is weak and has few heirs. In this glorious era, military strength is also necessary."
"The Emperor's younger brother, Prince Li Yan of Yuzhang, grew up in the army and was well-versed in military strategy. He was exceptionally brave and skilled in martial arts. He once personally led his iron cavalry deep into Nahe, covering three thousand miles and sweeping away the enemy's strongholds. This made the Rong people tremble with fear and dare not look south for more than ten years."
"To defend the territory, he formed the Gongshan Army. This army was selected with extreme rigor, trained with extreme hardship, and equipped with the finest equipment. Its soldiers fought with all their might, making it a formidable force. Since its formation, it has been invincible and can be considered a powerful army for the country."
When he recounted these past events, he was clear and logical, with a distinct cause and effect, but without any dry dogma. This allowed Yu Man to become unconsciously immersed in the story and temporarily forget her own situation.
"And then what?"
Master Chu paused, his tone slightly somber: "Unfortunately, Emperor Xuan was weak and passed away before he could establish an heir. The virtuous concubines in the palace supported the young emperor's ascension to the throne, but..." He looked sharply at Yu Man, "There have always been rumors among the people that before his death, Emperor Xuan favored his younger brother, the Prince of Yuzhang, for his great talent and ambition, and even left behind a secret edict to pass on the throne."
Yu Man listened intently, and subconsciously followed up with a question: "And then what happened? After the young emperor ascended the throne, where did the Prince of Yuzhang, who held considerable military power, go? Did he... recognize that child as emperor?"
The so-called weak ruler and strong ministers meant that the young emperor had not yet made any contributions, but the Prince of Yuzhang had already achieved great military exploits. How could the court be stable?
However, this time, Master Chu did not answer.
The entire lecture hall fell into a deathly silence. He stared at Yu Man for a moment, his eyes, which seemed to see through everything, revealing an unreadable emotion. The calm and detailed tone of his earlier lecture had vanished, replaced by a sharp, inquisitive gaze, as if trying to dig into the depths of one's mind.
He ignored Yu Man's question and continued, "No one has ever actually seen that so-called imperial decree. But that doesn't stop... some people want it and will use every trick in the book to scheme for it."
What about you? Do you want it?
Yu Man was taken aback by his abrupt question, and blurted out instinctively with a hint of absurdity, "...What use would I have for that thing?" She was a commoner; what would she do with a fabricated edict of succession? To burn it as firewood?
If the Prince of Yuzhang were to obtain it, it might actually be of some use; at least he would have a legitimate reason to rebel.
Upon hearing this, Master Chu's usually stern and rigid expression softened slightly, revealing a faint yet meaningful smile. Just as Yu Man felt uneasy under his gaze, his voice regained its previous calm:
"He's already here."
Yu Man was taken aback and hadn't reacted yet when Master Chu pointed to the staircase leading to the lower floor: "Go ahead."
Almost simultaneously, she pricked up her ears and finally caught the faint sounds coming from downstairs, mostly blocked out by the heavy building—the piercing clang of metal clashing! The whistling of a sharp blade cutting through the air! And short, muffled thuds of impacts!
A fierce battle is taking place below!
She stood up, rushed to the window, and eagerly looked down. But the windows of Huai Shan Lou were designed to be extremely high and narrow, like lookout holes. She strained to stand on tiptoe, but could only see a thick darkness and blurry tree shadows outside. She couldn't see anything clearly downstairs.
Without further hesitation, Yu Man turned around and rushed towards the stairwell!
Just as her foot was about to step off the first step, Master Chu's calm and unwavering voice rang out behind her once again:
“Actually, before today, I had been planning to kill you.”
Yu Man's feet froze on the spot, a chill shooting from the soles of her feet to the top of her head! She turned around abruptly.
I never expected this person to change their attitude so quickly.
Master Chu remained seated calmly on his prayer mat, as if the murderous words he had just uttered had not come from the mouth of a mere scholar. He leisurely picked up the teapot from the low table and poured tea into a plain white porcelain cup. Hot water poured into the cup, creating a rising cloud of white steam that blurred his stern and aloof face, obscuring his true expression.
He offered no explanation, nor did he glance at Yu Man again.
Yu Man's heart was pounding, and she dared not linger for even a moment, practically running down the stairs.
She ran wildly down the path she had come from, and the further down she went, the clearer and more piercing the sounds of clashing weapons and bloody battles became! The intense stench of blood rushed towards her like a physical barrier, choking her and almost suffocating her.
She finally reached the ground floor, and following the strongest sounds and smell of blood, stumbled and lunged toward the half-open side door leading to the open space outside the building.
Through the crack in the door, she saw—
Pei Ji stood with his back to the doorway amidst the chaos. He was covered in blood, his once blue robes now stained a horrifying dark red, thick liquid dripping from the hem. In his hand, he gripped a short blade, its blade reflecting a cold, eerie light, stained with blood. At his feet lay several dark figures, their postures contorted, clearly lifeless.
The setting sun in the sky was like blood, and the places on the ground it shone on were also red.
Just then, a summer breeze, seemingly out of nowhere, suddenly rushed in, causing the half-closed door to creak open even wider!
The scraping sound of the door hinges stood out starkly amidst the lingering echoes of the battle.
Almost the instant the sound rang out, the blood-red figure in front of them suddenly moved!
He turned around abruptly! His movements were incredibly fast!
The short blade in his hand was raised and pointed at him.
Who is it?
His once clear voice was now extremely hoarse, as if it had been ground by sand and gravel.
Yu Man stood frozen in place, meeting his cold gaze, and for a moment, she couldn't utter a sound.
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