Chapter 80
Impossible to forget
The Beauty Emperor stared blankly out the window of his magnificent Daoming Palace, remembering once again the dreaded tour to the Moon Kingdom. He whispered,
"Impossible to forget!"
The Beauty Emperor's destiny was written in the stars, but not his love story.
Thanks to Zao Baocung, who healed his forgotten memories, they returned to his present mind.
He vividly remembered all his feelings, what happened from his enthronement day to his death, and how Chu Qiao tried to save him from crossing into the afterlife twice.
He promised himself not to reveal anything to Chu Qiao. And so, Xiao Ce put on his mask and played his pantomime.
After Chu Qiao's encounter with the peasant girl, who temporarily offered her wind and cloud decree powers in favor of the Ersatz realm, she became an ordinary citizen. She traveled to every town and state to find Viper.
However, she failed to locate Viper, who was hiding in secret within the Moon Kingdom, after having traveled around Qinghai.
From then on, she remained elusive, keeping a low profile.
Occasionally, she met Zao Baocung in the Thousand Caves in secret, where she explained what had happened to her powers.
Zao Baocung was instructed not to inform any of the Qinghai authorities about her presence in the Moon Kingdom and was directed to instruct Skyshadow to release Yuwen Yue's Band of Brothers.
As a result, the Moon Kingdom remained in a hibernated state. Although some of its people began to rebuild, they were unable to restore the former glories of the kingdom.
As the Moon Kingdom continued forward, it struggled to maintain a stable financial and economic state, which needed restructuring, as their supplies had been cut off from Qinghai, one of their main sources.
Zao Baocung's relic store could not provide everything, but with the help of the Datong Way, a portion of funds was transferred through Zao Baocung's stewardship.
In return, Zao Baocung oversaw the distribution of these funds, redistributing them to the Moon people as food, often in the form of mooncakes or dumplings, and providing shelter to protect families during harsh winter nights or mid-summer droughts.
Chu Qiao also received a spy report from Skyshadow, the underworld spy, stating that the lesser master of cloud decree, Zhong Yu, wanted to meet her in secret. She refused, as the agenda did not fit into her timetable.
However, she stated that if she could achieve her goal and had time before it expired, she would like to meet both Zhong Yu and the leader of the Datong Way, Mr. Wu.
Chu Qiao's primary goal was to unite the Underworld spies and Jianghu spies.
However, this would not be possible without the help of both Zhong Yu and Viper, lesser masters of non-governmental elite spies.
She was regarded as the heir of the wind and cloud decree, but after the death of Lou He, she took responsibility for the wind and cloud order.
Since losing her memories from the cliffhanger battle with Yuwen Hao, she had been unable to fulfill her responsibilities up to this day.
She found herself entangled in a beautiful mess with the Yuwen household, serving as an iron bell maidservant, becoming the Tiger General of the Yan-Xiuli army, nearly becoming the next Queen of the Great Summer Dynasty, and almost ascending as the Empress Dowager of Liang State.
Nevertheless, can she recover from her condition and unite the Underworld and Jianghu spies?
Is there any possibility left that she can triumph over the Ersatz realm?
Can she escape the seal of her own decree?
The Oracle of ancient Chinese calligraphy inscriptions was temporarily suspended in the Ersatz realm, which contained the power of the wind and cloud decree.
Until the quarter incense time expires, the order of the wind and cloud decree will remain forgotten, and its owner will share its fate.
There is no known remedy, only consequences, with no option to abandon the seal of the decree.
A throwback after Chu Qiao saved Yuwen Yue from the Ersatz realm...
Yuwen Yue was drifting in the Lake n' Sky and was found by the little Moon children playing along the green fields near the river lake.
The Moon children also found his Poe Yue Jian sword, and many little hands carried it over to him.
Yuwen Yue looked at their faces and noticed that the Moon children seemed to know him better than he knew himself. He asked, "Do you know the name of this place?"
One of the youngest Moon children replied, "You are in the mirror of the Lake n' Sky."
Still disoriented, Yuwen Yue was amazed by the unique colors of the Moon children's almond-shaped eyes but noticed their skinny bodies. He asked, "Where are your parents?"
One of the Moon children answered, "They are working in the field of plum blossom flowers."
Curious, Yuwen Yue suddenly wanted to see the plum blossom fields. With a cold face but a light smile, he stood up and took his sword from the children's hands.
Yuwen Yue appeared almost godly, his clothes untouched by wear. His calm but cold face was bright and handsome, and the Moon children were instantly drawn to him.
He felt a strange sense of unease, as though something wasn't quite right with the surroundings. He believed this was his first time in the Moon Kingdom, and he was awestruck by the view. Strangely, some of its citizens seemed to know him well.
The workers in the plum blossom fields noticed the Moon children and the strikingly cold, handsome man gazing at them. Eventually, they all ran to meet the Qinghai Crown Prince.
The adults came close to the Crown Prince, but none dared to look at his face. Everyone performed a kowtow, pressing their foreheads to the green field's ground. Not even a glance at his feet was allowed.
Yuwen Yue, sensing the special attention, realized that these people regarded him as a royal figure. This prompted him to respond with noble acts. Holding his glistening sword as the sun's rays kissed its blade, he stood still.
Suddenly, the Moon children gathered some of their harvests, offering him a basket of sun-dried golden plum fruit. Others brought him a bale of peaches. They presented everything to Yuwen Yue as if he were a statue of a cold god.
Unable to refuse, Yuwen Yue picked and tasted one of the sun-dried golden plums. The next moment, he forgot everything he had intended to say.
The Moon children, waiting anxiously, looked at Yuwen Yue in silence. However, the Qinghai Crown Prince remained mute, his face appearing upset.
The parents of the Moon children didn't dare move until their esteemed guest gave a word of command. They held their breaths when, suddenly, Yuwen Yue ran swiftly to cut a branch from a nearby plum blossom tree near the greenfield's edge.
A rain of petals swept through the beautiful green field, their fragrance filling Yuwen Yue's nostrils. He was reminded of a familiar scent, a memory from childhood, but he couldn't recall when or how.
On the verge of falling into a dream, Yuwen Yue's sharp eyes narrowed, and he saw a horrific, vast land.
Behind the glorious plum blossom trees, a land of dry, parched ground appeared in his sight. Feeling uneasy, Yuwen Yue went to touch the only plant serving as a protective barrier between the devastated and safe ground.
Yuwen Yue, an expert Mohist master with knowledge of herbal plants, immediately recognized the tall, grass-like plant as citronella.
"Why? Can't you believe this grass-like plant works wonders?"
Yuwen Yue turned to see the cold druid priest dressed in monkish attire. Feeling strange, he replied, "Not at all. When I write, the scent of this grass clears my mind. It also sharpens my sense of protection from deadly elements."
"That explains your anger earlier," said Zao Baocung, "when you cut some of the plum blossom trees and started to uncover the dangers that have engulfed the whole kingdom." As Zao Baocung spoke, Zuo Zong and Yue Qi arrived at the greenfield.
Previously informed of Yuwen Yue's condition, Zao Baocung had told them to act normally and treat him as their Master and the Crown Prince of Qinghai. Zao Baocung never believed in surprises.
He knew almost everything, but one thing he couldn't do was find a cure for the Zàn Shí Chibi.
For this reason, Yuwen Yue would have to rely on his present judgment and goodwill to guide his actions in dealing with both Qinghai and the Moon Kingdom.
Given Zao Baocung's knowledge of Yuwen Yue's condition, he foresaw this happening during one of his deep meditations. In his mental vision, Yuwen Yue was released from the Ersatz realm through an unknown source of energy.
He was also aware that Yuwen Yue's memories were somewhat distorted and could not function in the normal continuum of Ximeng continent, whether in Qinghai or the Moon Kingdom.
Yuwen Yue's condition, known asZàn Shí Chibi(temporary short), left him unable to recognize his past memories. These memories would return one at a time if someone esteemed from his past allowed him to remember.
Is this a reversal of fate? Yuwen Yue was saved, but at the cost of his memories.
What about his wisdom? Has it also been taken from him?
Now that Chu Qiao remembers everything, Yuwen Yue's memories are gone.
It seems misery always finds a way to break the hearts of these two lovers.
Can they still meet in the end?
Memories must return, or nothing can cure this sickness and allow these two lovers to meet again.
During his temporary memory loss, Yuwen Yue became occupied with Qinghai's affairs.
He no longer had the heart to search for the woman called Chu Qiao, nor could he remember his past with the maidservant, Xinger. He even forgot his Cangwu bird and could not recognize his former comrades or his band of brothers.
This ill-fate brought many changes to his behavior, yet his cold heart remained the same. Yuwen Yue began to accept his role as the Crown Prince of Qinghai and worked closely with his stepmother, Queen Zhejue, and his brothers: Qinghai's Silver Prince, Ra Zheng, and Qinghai's Velvet Prince, Ra Zhun. Yuwen Yue was also given the codename Snow Prince.
The eunuchs thought it was the most suitable codename they could suggest, and Yuwen Yue did not object. As cold as he was, it became easy for him to handle his duties, with Zuo Zong spying and Yue Qi overseeing the punishment and reward system in Qinghai's political and state affairs.
Meanwhile, Zao Baocung occasionally met him in the Thousand Caves.
Whenever Ra Yue visited, a specially designed mooncake was always available to reveal his identity, ensuring a safe passage.
There were times when Zao Baocung was tempted to let the Moon and the Star meet under one sky in the Thousand Caves.
However, whenever an attempt was made, Yuwen Yue would play tricky lures and traps, using unpredictability as a strategy. He often sent several mooncakes, only for some to turn out to be decoys.
During his last visit, Yuwen Yue sent two or three mooncakes before confirming his visit with the fourth, ensuring that his trip would not be compromised, yet missing the chance to meet Chu Qiao.
Truly a former heir of the Eyes of God, Yuwen Yue acted as if he were still the fourth young master of the Yuwen household, taking care of Qinghai's core intelligence.
Yue Qi suspected that his master might be recalling some of his past memories, but whenever Yue Qi asked, Yuwen Yue would always give him a cold stare.
Aside from his daily royal duties, Yuwen Yue began to explore the outside world for opportunities. He visited the political tribal bones of Qinghai and reserved time to meet with the Great Summer Dynasty, the beautiful Liang state, and the harsh, cold empire of Yanbei.
As Crown Prince of Qinghai, he started to implement reforms, particularly in military affairs, with a focus on guarding the Mountain Pass at the Great Wall of Bohei Mountains.
Learning that Yanbei's Black Hawk forces were putting pressure on the area, Ra Yue deployed commanders to guard it day and night.
One day, an evasive retreat by several Qinghai troops triggered a chain reaction.
Unsurprised by the well-trained first row of Yanbei's Black Hawk Cavaliers, the Qinghai troops seized the opportunity to take down their horses.
Defeated and miserable, Yan Xun's face turned blue.
He remained speechless for a long time, despite there being almost no casualties. A report was delivered to Ra Yue stating that Yanbei's Black Hawk Cavaliers had attempted to infiltrate the Bohei Mountain Pass.
This gave Ra Yue the idea that the Yanbei King was aggressively testing Qinghai's Great Walls. For what?
To test its strength, or perhaps to provoke Qinghai's infamous attacks.
Ra Yue knew they would return to seek revenge. While Ra Yue was not particularly worried, he took precautions to defend Qinghai's frontier.
In addition to improving Qinghai's ground troops, Yuwen Yue began to explore the skies.
He had been studying gravity and forces through the flight of birds like black hawks, vultures, and the mighty eagle.
He already knew that wings could give a man an advantage not typically available to others.
This was nothing new to him.
In fact, he had prototypes from his time as the heir of the Eyes of God in the Wei Empire.
He had even used wings on one of his trips to Jile Pavilion when Xinger and her sisters were sent to die at the hands of Yuwen Xi.
Fate had reversed, but the hatred could never be balanced. Xinger had killed Yuwen Xi, yet lost her sisters in the Pavilion of Death.
Occasionally, a bird would come to the palace, chirping the name "Xinger."
Yuwen Yue heard this bird more than twice, three times even. Sometimes he would open his palace windows and throw birdseed.
The bird would fly down and eat the seeds, while Yuwen Yue stared at it coldly. His face emotionless, he seemed indifferent to the Cangwu bird but always kept bird food in his princely garments.
Yuwen Yue kept this secret, and no one knew he was feeding the bird. No one knew that the Cangwu bird had inspired him to form paratroopers.
After months of development and research, Yuwen Yue finally unveiled an airborne unit that relied entirely on the power of the wind.
Training Qinghai's new troops, he etched basic principles into their wingspans: to fight enemy forces, attack swiftly, be prepared for less, and win against the odds.
Airborne combat was absolutely necessary.
It provided an advantage of surprise but also carried the risk of sudden defeat if faced with a prepared enemy. This was the weakness Yuwen Yue warned them of.
"What advantage do I have that the enemy is ignorant of? How can I control the winds of the skies and win against my opponent?"
Yuwen Yue's mind soared as he contemplated these questions.
The idea lingered until one day, a flying bird carrying an object entered the Crown Prince's palace.
With a crossbow beside him, Yuwen Yue reacted quickly, causing the bird to drop its balloon-like lantern. Instead of falling, the lantern rose higher, reaching an unusual altitude.
Yuwen Yue hurried to grab his bow and arrows. With precise aim, he released the arrow into the air.
The balloon-like lantern popped, and both the arrow and the object fell into the waters of the palace's man-made lake.
Frowning, Yuwen Yue called for his royal guards to swim and retrieve the fallen object. He advised them to be careful and handle the object with care.
A tall figure, with eyes as beautiful as spring flowers, watched the scene unfold and remarked,
"Even an heir of God can still be tricked!"
Yuwen Yue did not particularly like the idea of using his bow and arrows to pop a balloon lantern in the middle of the afternoon.
The next scene unfolded with exhausted Qinghai men swimming in the man-made lake, retrieving useless, wet pieces of a rabbit-shaped lantern. Yue Qi and Zuo Zong laughed a bit and said, "Do you remember Miss Hell?"
Both men burst out laughing but quickly fell silent when Yuwen Yue shot them a cold, rough stare.
Yuwen Yue began to feel that his palace was not well-guarded or safe, and this left him dissatisfied. He summoned the royal guards, his mind preoccupied.
A figure cloaked in Kashmiri silk, with the corners of her lips stretched into a faint smile but her lonely eyes filled with sorrow, whispered quietly, "This is it. I have little time left, and the palace security is becoming even tighter. I'm a hopeless being, no longer anyone to you. If I can't breach your space anymore, how can I breach your mind to make you remember me?"
The Cangwu bird suddenly flew back to her shoulder and stayed still. Both figures walked sadly into the afternoon.
That night, when Yuwen Yue was about to close his eyes, he remembered the perforated rabbit-shaped lantern. He woke again to examine the lantern that had been left in his chambers. He searched for clues about who had the courage to invade the Qinghai skies and throw a seemingly childish lantern toy.
Suddenly, he noticed part of the dried paper revealed a Chinese calligraphy character: "幸," meaning Xing. Yuwen Yue read it aloud repeatedly.
He noticed another faint character beside it but couldn't make it out. He grabbed a small jade bottle of powder and sprinkled it on the paper. The second character read "而," meaning 'er.
Like a broken record, Yuwen Yue repeated the words: "Xing'er, Xing'er, Xing'er."
It became a puzzle he needed to solve. It delighted him when he thought he had uncovered a clever reason behind the message.
"I will create giant rabbit balloons to add to my paratrooper glider troops," he mused, smiling.
He continued to think, "I'll ride one of these giant rabbit lantern balloons to open the curtains of war and make the enemy fall in one swoop. That way, there won't be much bloodshed, just a surprise attack to throw the enemy into panic, unable to organize a defense."
The lantern sender's intent was to help him remember his past, but Yuwen Yue ignored that part of himself, despite beginning to uncover his memories. These memories would have to return naturally for him to recall his past. There was no cure for his condition except his own recognition and acceptance.
The next morning, everything returned to normal. Yuwen Yue hid behind a facade, pretending he didn't care about what had happened the previous day. He issued a decree with a detailed plan to construct giant rabbit-shaped balloons that could fly.
"Consider it done, Your Highness," the eunuchs replied, leaving to carry out the decree.
Everyone was astonished by how quickly the Snow Prince of Qinghai had developed such plans, something that would take an average person many years to complete.
The Qinghai princes heard about the decree and laughed, saying, "Ra Yue will call them White Rabbit Balloons?"
"Are we really going to ride these things in the sky and risk our lives?" they joked.
Yue Qi and Zuo Zong exchanged shocked looks and asked their master, "Your Highness, do you remember the lantern festival a few years ago?"
Yuwen Yue, shutting down any potential sparks of memory, replied, "What is there to remember?"
Yue Qi and Zuo Zong looked at each other, quiet but not confused. They understood that Yuwen Yue was undergoing significant changes. Even after knowing him for so long, it was still difficult to predict his actions.
Chu Qiao was busy reading news articles when she came across a headline:
"Liang Emperor's Prairie Silk Road travels to meet the Lord of Qinghai."
"The Khan Road to the Sky."
The road would pass through eight major prefectures, stretching from the Southern territories to the Eastern and Northern regions, controlling the passages between Central Asia and China.
Strings of struggling camels and the sounds of camel bells created a rhythmic flow of traffic along the Prairie Silk Road, while the main Silk Road remained unimpeded. Foreign merchants referred to these ancient trade routes as the Silk Road, though inside China, it was originally called the Jade Road, with the Prairie Silk Road as a secondary route. Wealthy Chinese silk traders would often buy slaves and sell lower-grade silk along these roads, engaging in barter trade.
Chu Qiao was shocked to learn that the Beauty Emperor was traveling to the Far East to meet Yuwen Yue.
She remembered how much Xiao Ce despised long journeys, always complaining that they made him look ugly. Chu Qiao chuckled at the thought of surprising her former best friend.
Would Xiao Ce remember her? According to Zao Baocung, the Beauty Emperor's memories were left at the Forgotten River.
Zao Baocung and Chu Qiao spoke in secret but did not meet face to face in the Thousand Caves.
Chu Qiao asked him what had happened after she disappeared on the day of her enthronement, and Zao Baocung replied, "Mimi Gongzhu, if you show yourself to the Liang people and claim you disappeared with the dead emperor, chaos will erupt. The dead emperor's soul was taken to the afterlife by the Urshan at the Forgotten River. However, Viper interfered, disrupting the order of the wind and cloud, and was punished by the Urshan, swallowed by the ancient dark breeds. A year later, I saw her roaming, but…"
Zao Baocung stopped himself.
Chu Qiao pressed, "And what did you do to help?"
Zao Baocung remained silent for a moment, took a deep breath, and said, "She lost her memories, and I could not cure herZàn Shí Chibicondition."
Chu Qiao understood what this meant and sighed, "Pity her. She took it upon herself to save my best friend."
Zao Baocung responded, "She must have felt miserable and lost her faith when she learned you were trapped in the Ersatz realm with no guarantee of return."
"I was dreaming, floating, and all my memories flashed before my eyes, but I couldn't move," Chu Qiao said softly.
Zao Baocung turned away, his eyes teary, and said, "How could I not know… I was…"
Chu Qiao grasped Zao Baocung's shoulder and demanded, "You were what…?" She tore at his cloak and saw a black tattoo mark on his shoulder.
Shocked, Chu Qiao exclaimed, "No! You… you…" Her face turned pale with disbelief. The Chu Jing Healer shared the same fate as the Leader of the Wind and Cloud Decree.
Zao Baocung walked a few steps before stopping and saying, "I know everything, and I too will disappear if you cannot save yourself before the quarter incense burns out in the Ersatz realm."
With her head low and tears in her eyes, Chu Qiao whispered, "I'm sorry, my friend… I don't know how to escape my decree. I only know I want to save this man."
Zao Baocung paused and said, "Fortunately, I know the solution to break the quarter incense time from the Ersatz realm." He then continued to walk away.
Chu Qiao's ears rang loudly, and she shouted after him, "Wait! Wait!"
Zao Baocung stopped, and Chu Qiao caught up to him. She asked, "What is the solution?"
"The solution is a person, someone who also fell into theZàn Shí Chibicondition. You know who." Zao Baocung paused, waiting for Chu Qiao's response.
Chu Qiao was puzzled, thinking of two people deeply involved with the Moon Kingdom and the Underworld spies.
"Is it Xiao Ce?" she asked, hoping for a positive answer.
Zao Baocung frowned and replied with a playful tone, "Maybe?"
"Oh, come on! Don't do this. I'm serious!" Chu Qiao looked desperate.
Zao Baocung, enjoying the guessing game, said, "You can try… if he can break it for us."
Frustrated, Chu Qiao retorted, "I don't want to keep trying. I want a sure way! We'll both disappear if we don't find a solution!"
Zao Baocung, still teasing, snorted, "Oh, I feel so threatened! But between us, who's asking?"
Losing her patience, Chu Qiao threatened, "Fine, if you won't tell me, do you want me to kill someone now?" She smiled sweetly at Zao Baocung, but her dagger was ready to cut his throat.
"Eaaaasy, pretty princess. I found this Cangwu bird. Let its master remember!" Zao Baocung stretched out his arms and pointed toward the noisy Cangwu bird.
He smiled nervously, feeling his dry throat tighten as he struggled to breathe.
"Hmmm… Is it Yuwen Yue or Xiao Ce? Have both men forgotten me?" Chu Qiao asked, her smile still sweet, but she didn't lower the dagger.
Zao Baocung struggled to speak, saying, "You will have to be strong, Mimi Gongzhu. I cannot bear to see you suffer and have your heart broken once again. The pain of lost memories and trying to make someone remember will destroy you. If he chooses not to recover fromZàn Shí Chibi, you will break your heart, and we will both disappear from the earth. I would rather vanish than see you suffer again. It is best not to try, but it won't do you any good either way."
Chu Qiao had never heard such serious words from the old man. She slowly removed her hands from his neck, realizing that his words were true. She reassured him, "I will try. This is what I traded for, in exchange for the wind and cloud decree."
Zao Baocung didn't want to sound demanding, so he offered, "I can set it up for you."
But Chu Qiao rejected the help. "No, I will find my own way," she said.
Meanwhile, Yuwen Yue secretly met with the ex-spies. Though they had been suppressed and somewhat abandoned, Yuwen Yue did not give up on pursuing them.
When he found them, he told them they had not been retired from their posts, as they still had an important mission to complete.
He didn't inform Yue Qi or Zuo Zong because this mission was personal. It was revenge for his wounded heart, and he didn't want their help, as it would blow his cover.
For the first time in many years, he would revisit the place where he had been trained, where he thought he was loved like family, where lordship and an empire had been promised to him.
But with one mistake, driven by his love for a girl destined to be a sacrificial spy, the nameYuwen Yuewas mocked and ridiculed.
In Wei's history, it was often told that the fourth branch of the Yuwen family issued an official decree forbidding anyone from uttering the nameYuwen Yue. To make it even more grave and horrific, anyone who uttered his name would be regarded as committing a grave sin, punishable by hanging from the Tree of Death.
After the decree was passed, the elderly Yuwen Gao fell into depression for many months to a year. Especially since Yuwen Yue's body could not be found, Yuwen Gao had to fabricate a story to cover up his adopted grandson's single mistake.
To the family's eyes, Yuwen Yue's mistake was using the Yuwen government's time and resources to put on an exhibition and chase after the pretty spy girl.
This was both true and not. In reality, Yuwen Yue had come as a best friend, attempting to broker peace with Yan Xun.
When Yuwen Yue was standing on the frozen lake, he was pleading with Yan Xun to stop the slaughter of innocent families, as he had done with the Mo'er family.
But Yan Xun, ever the opportunist and skilled at manipulating headlines, saw an advantage. Knowing his best friend's feelings for his Tiger General, Yan Xun cruelly used Chu Qiao to toy with Yuwen Yue's emotions.
This led to Yuwen Yue's disgrace and the defeat of his best spy guards. It culminated in his humiliating death on the frozen lake, where Chu Qiao had been used as bait.
The next day, rumors spread like wildfire, shaming the heir of the Eyes of God. However, some opposed the lies, hiding the true events of what had occurred on the frozen lake.
The Wei Empire endured contempt, and the Yuwen household was plunged into internal chaos, resulting in the shutdown of its spy and repository systems.
The maidservants of the Greenhills courtyard were expelled, and Yuwen Yue's best spies defected, abandoning him. Meanwhile, the elderly Yuwen Gao was kept alive in the Greenhills courtyard prison for many months until he was temporarily restored as the master of the Greenhills courtyard and the Eyes of God.
Yan Xun sought to extend Yuwen Yue's defeat into a full-blown ruin. He wanted to destroy them all and bring down the proud political entity of the Great Summer Empire.
To satisfy his revenge, Yan Xun said, "Sell these useless dead bodies to that old filthy Yuwen Gao for 200 taels of gold. Let's profit from it!"
The Yanbei generals examined the corpse. Cao Meng Tong, with his usual lack of tact, remarked, "It's barely recognizable, my Lord! I'm sure the old Yuwen fox isn't foolish enough not to perform a post-mortem. He'll know we tricked him!"
Yan Xun shot Cao Meng Tong a sharp look, but the general, known for his nerve, continued, "That's exactly the point. The old fox will know it's fake, but what can he do? This is the only way they can end Yuwen Yue's story. As the master of the Eyes of God, he must admit defeat and punish this 'dead meat' to satisfy the outrage of the Yuwen nobles and ancestors. The Great Summer Emperor will never recover."
One of the Yan generals grinned evilly and added, "I bet these corpses won't even make it into the noble mausoleums of the Yuwen ancestors, my Lord."
Yan Xun chuckled sarcastically. "Are you new to this world? If they don't throw these fake bodies to the dogs, then Yuwen Gao has truly lost his mind. These two bodies will crush his spirit. It will remind him that he lost face in front of Wei and the world."
A'Jing, stepping forward to advise one last time before they handed over the fake body, said, "My Lord, please reconsider. If you execute this today, having already exacted your revenge on the frozen lake, karma will reverse on you."
Cao Meng Tong, with a husky laugh, said, "I can just imagine the old Yuwen fox grilling this 'dead meat' in front of the Yuwen nobles. Not to mention, they'll have to pay a high price for it! My Lord, this revenge is brilliant!"
Cao Meng Tong couldn't contain himself and blurted out in front of the Yan assembly, "Two hundred taels of gold for useless meat?Cào nĭ zhǎng! That price could feed the Yan army for ten years!"
The Yan generals exchanged glances, silently agreeing that nothing good ever came out of Cao Meng Tong's mouth. One murmured, "If He Xiao were here, he'd already have cut off his 'goat' head."
Another general quietly joked, "So, Cao Meng Tong is the goat?" referring to the insult.
Cao Meng Tong overheard, spun around, and barked, "Stop talking trash behind my back! I am the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time)! Want to be killed today?" He flashed a dagger, ready to prove his point.
Yan Xun intervened, his voice low and haunting, "It does not matter who the goat is. Sit down, Cao Meng Tong."
Yan Xun took a moment to compose himself, then looked at A'Jing and said slowly, "A'Jing, let me remind you...how many lives were lost in my family? How many innocent Yan cities suffered after the massacre of my own bloodline? I am not just avenging my family; I represent Yan Shi Zi. In other words, I am the world."
A'Jing, remembering the loss of his own family members, fell silent. Yan Xun's words rang true.
There would never be justice between the Yuwen and Yan households.
The scales of injustice were etched in Yan Xun's veins, and karma would not cease until the last drop of Yan blood had been avenged.
Another general, a woman of great beauty, wanted to speak, but the feathered girl beside her sealed her lips.
Though Yuwen Yue's actions had once benefited Yan Xun, it didn't erase the fact that Yan Xun's methods were brutal and cruel. His revenge was the embodiment of the old adage: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
He had never considered how this would affect his relationship with Chu Qiao, nor did he care about Yuwen Yue's sacrifices. Yan Xun had blindly abused his power to defend the Yanbei crown prince without compromising his own position.
Yan Xun's heart was cold and dark.
When Shen Jin Gong, Emperor of Wei, read the decree, he issued an exception to the Yuwen order and approved it. The Eyes of God passed it through secret communication channels addressed to the Wei nobles and princes. The Fourth Yuwen branch order was amended to state:
"The Great Summer Emperor and his royal sons may use and utter Yuwen Yue's name without bearing the consequence of the Yuwen Order."
Since then, the Yuwen family had to endure another slap in the face, losing even more face in front of the Great Summer Dynasty Emperor and Wei nobles. It was one of the most difficult times for Grandfather Yuwen Gao.
With growing hatred and misfortune surrounding the Yuwen household, the Yuwen ancestors had to be appeased.
Yuwen Gao called for a ceremony to honor their ancestors, but before it took place, he purchased the fake bodies of Yuwen Yue and Yue Qi.
Yuwen Gao ordered the Yingge Hospital to conduct a post-mortem examination of the two bodies and deliver the report to the Emperor.
Not long after, Yuwen Gao ordered his servants to burn the fake bodies and place the ashes into Chinese urns, along with their spirit tablets.
In the temple of the Yuwen ancestors, a huge gold lion basin stood in the middle, filled with tall fragrant incense sticks that burned day and night.
Fruit and money offerings were frequently burned to honor and remember the dead relatives. When Yuwen Gao entered, he felt upset at the sight of the monument tablet the Emperor had sent in remembrance of the late Yuwen heir. Beside it stood Yue Qi's spirit tablet.
The old man, holding a machete, suddenly smashed Yuwen Yue's spirit tablet monument. After the act, he felt exhausted and collapsed onto the dusty floor tiles.
His servants rushed to help him, but Yuwen Gao, angrier than ever, pointed a dagger at them and shouted, "Throw these temple urns, you idiots!"
Before being called the Lord of Qinghai, Yuwen Yue had already scouted Qinghai, his newfound land after his "death" on the frozen lake. To survive, he forged connections with various peddler lords of the East by delivering goods to the addresses of wealthy lords. He studied every map and strategic location of Qinghai's black market.
He knew exactly how Qinghai controlled trade routes of essential commodities like wheat, rice, and oil, crucial to the survival of the grass dynasties.
The East was always the gateway to the West, where he discovered the floating black market known as Shangrila. Shangrila was a gigantic trading vessel that transported goods between East and West via water channels.
Often, Shangrila conducted its business in the middle of the sea, allowing ship merchants to trade goods and services there.
While Yue Qi and Zuo Zong were busy managing Qinghai affairs, Yuwen Yue secretly operated within the Wei Empire. His most trusted spies, Yue Lui and Meng Feng, helped him carry out his revenge plan against the Yuwen household. After all, who knew the Yuwen household better than the late Yuwen heir, Yuwen Yue?
In essence, Yuwen Yue became a "White Robin Hood." As the rightful heir of the Eyes of God, he appeared like a ghost. When he revealed himself as the Master of the Eyes of God, everyone welcomed him and offered to help. His response was simple: "What can you offer?"
He robbed the Wei Empire's commodities from the black market and turned all trade alliances in his favor. This effectively blocked essential goods from entering the waterways of the Wei Empire. Instead, the logistics were rerouted to large warehouses near the Yanming Guan Pass.
Yuwen Yue also had a nephew he called the Black Sun Pirate, who led a group of ruthless Qinghai defectors and mercenaries. They performed acts of evil to counter more evil.
These barbaric pirates from the Qinghai world showed no mercy to those who didn't surrender to their smuggling operations, but they also saved thousands of children and adults from the illegal slave trade in the Wei Empire.
A secret meeting was about to occur.
A black palanquin suddenly stopped in the middle of the road.
A tall, handsome 16-year-old young man, wearing a Black Sun bandana with a black ninja suit, greeted Yuwen Yue. He bowed before him and said, "Uncle, as of today, the Yuwen household has been unable to purchase more slaves as they had expected. We have halted their logistics operations and recovered 1,000 children and 500 adults. They are currently housed in our temporary shelter near the Yanming Guan Pass, and soon, the adults will join the workforce in our local warehouses to support their families. I have wished them a prosperous and normal life."
Yuwen Yue listened, feeling a sense of ease in his heart. He replied, "Mo'er, did you ensure the Wei Empire and the Yuwen household know the source of their frustration?"
Mo'er, with a serious expression, responded, "Yes, Uncle. I left another Black Sun bandana as a clue, along with a snow paper and a small bingxue (snow ice) arrow tip as a token."
This was the third time Yuwen Yue had sent such clues to the old Yuwen Gao. Although the bingxue arrow token wasn't as perfect as those crafted in the Yuwen household's winter foundry, Yuwen Gao, wise and experienced, should recognize the mysterious sender.
The pirated bingxue arrow was nearly identical to the original.
For the third time, Yuwen Gao quietly confirmed that Yuwen Yue was alive and sending him secret messages.
Yuwen Gao, wanting to leap for joy at the realization that his grandson was alive, asked his servants to bring the appearing powder and the first two snow papers. He sprinkled the powder on the three papers.
The message read:
I can never repay you.
But Grandfather owes me a lot.
And I am going to collect all of Yuwen's debt.
Yuwen Gao whispered to himself, "He is truly the rightful heir of the Eyes of God."
Yuwen Gao's response to all of Yuwen Yue's aggressive moves was passivity. "How can I fight the true heir of this household?" he thought. "It's futile. I cannot win."
Even if the Emperor were to have Yuwen Gao executed for negligence, he was ready to face the consequences. He only hoped that Yuwen Yue would remember mercy after collecting the debts from the Yuwen household.
"My grandson, welcome home," Yuwen Gao whispered, suddenly feeling the weight of happiness turn into sorrow.
Meanwhile, Yuwen Yue visited the local warehouses and temporary shelters. He was pleased to see a new community emerging.
The hardship these people and children had faced was no longer evident in their faces.
Mo'er reported to Yuwen Yue about the parents' conditions and whether they were earning enough to live decent lives with their children.
The people were grateful for the sense of freedom they felt, far more than the money they earned working in the local warehouse.
Yuwen Yue's heart was filled with joy upon hearing the report, and for the first time in years, he smiled genuinely.
Mo'er, noticing the wrinkles in Yuwen Yue's eyes, decided to ask, "How is Auntie?"
Still in a good mood, Yuwen Yue replied, "Auntie is roaming around, pretending I don't know where she is."
Mo'er smiled and said, "Uncle, you should talk more, rather than doing so many 'useless' actions. Auntie might think you don't care about her at all."
Yuwen Yue joked back, "If I remember everything, Auntie will soon forget. But my actions will show her that I have finally grasped the world she dreamed of."
Pointing to the children playing nearby, Yuwen Yue said in a deep voice, "Look at them. This is what Auntie calls...freedom?"
Mo'er, happy to see his uncle healing from his bitter past, understood the message. The secret to ultimate revenge, Mo'er realized, was to do good, it was never about killing.
"Thank you, Uncle, for taking care of me, and for never forgetting this orphan child who survived the blades of Yanbei," Mo'er said, before departing for Qinghai.
Yuwen Yue never expected his plan of revenge to produce such positive results rather than cause damage to the Yuwen household. He wasn't surprised to know his grandfather had taken a passive stance toward his aggressiveness. It seemed the old man was waiting for his return by doing nothing. However, if this continued, it would be almost equivalent to treason against the Wei Empire. What could Yuwen Huai do if he discovered that his cousin, Yuwen Yue, was still alive?
Chu Qiao stood among the crowd of people waiting for the historic event known as "The Khan Road to the Sky."
Rumors swirled that the Beauty Emperor was traveling to Qinghai to pay homage and publicly honor the one who had saved his life when he was stabbed by his own stepmother. The deposed Empress Yuan had died the same day after her failed assassination attempt.
It was a tragic and unfortunate day for the Liang Empire. They had lost many noble rulers, including the Empress Dowager Chu Qiao. The Liang Empire struggled to recover from the triple loss, and former Empress Lu Zhi had to take charge.
Thankfully, Empress Lu Zhi did not give up on her grandsons, believing that one day her son would return after disappearing from his throne for many months.
Viper had assisted Empress Lu Zhi in maintaining power, promising her that she would help Chu Qiao bring Xiao Ce back from death.
Xiao Ce issued a proclamation to all dynasties across the Ximeng continent, announcing his near-death experience and his desire to repay the noble act to the Qinghai Empire.
However, the Qinghai Empire could not identify the person who had saved Xiao Ce's life. The Beauty Emperor requested this person, but Queen Zhejue, though she had her suspicions about Skyshadow and the Master Healer of Chu Jing Kingdom, was unaware that it was Chu Qiao who had saved him, at the cost of Viper's life.
Queen Zhejue was not privy to the underworld spy network and had no influence in the Moon Kingdom. This made her frustrated and angry, especially because the Moon Kingdom had been exposed to the Ximeng continent by the Beauty Emperor's state visit.
This should never have happened, as it could stir up problems in the future, possibly leading to attacks on Qinghai due to the exposure of the Moon Kingdom's secrets.
But the Beauty Emperor was determined to find the person who had saved him, using all his royal resources to make this historic event possible.
Chu Qiao watched from a distance as the long Prairie Silk Road was decorated in white and gold expensive silk, serving as an opulent carpet. The road shimmered like the beautiful Chisui Lake of the Great Summer Dynasty.
The transformation of the Prairie Silk Road was unlike any other in the world.
As the royal envoy stepped on the soft fabric, the road gleamed, but the wind from the desert mountains swept sand onto the silk, stinging the eyes of those present.
Autumn trees lost their red-brown and yellow leaves, and spring flowers began to fall from branches, turning the Prairie Silk Road into a path that resembled freshly fallen snow.
Thousands of royal guards stood on either side, along with Liang army formations guarding the road. Sun Di led the procession.
Merchants, traders, and the common folk, both young and old, rich and poor, knelt in a kowtow position with their heads bowed to the ground.
In the middle of it all was the grandest palanquin, made of gold.
Inside, the Beauty Emperor, with his foxy eyes closed, sat in a Buddha-like position, calmly meditating.
At each corner of the palanquin were four braziers filled with fragrant aromatic incense.
The scent of Ylang-Ylang filled the air as Xiao Ce breathed in deeply, feeling peace and serenity within his heart.
No comments:
Post a Comment