Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 1133 – Xunyang

The reason for Xue He’s agitation was not that Chen Changsheng had freed him from his bitter imprisonment and allowed him to return to official life. Rather, he was grateful that Chen Changsheng had buried his older brother’s body, attended the funeral, taken care of his nephew and niece, and even safeguarded Cong Province City. With the passage of several years, the Cong Province Army headquarters had already regained the glory of Xue Xingchuan’s days. That it could now be regarded as one of the most important of the Great Zhou’s army headquarters, along with Snowhold Pass and Blue Pass, was because he had the assistance of Xue Xingchuan’s old subordinates.

Chen Changsheng said, “There’s no need for such courtesy. Please, rise.”

Xue He knew his personality, so he rose and had his wife leave with the children.

Before leaving, the Younger Madam Xue nervously glanced at him and wondered, is there a need to prepare a banquet? Are the two Saints unhappy?

Xue He did not notice his wife’s expression, as all his attention was focused on the Red Cloud Qilin led by Chen Changsheng.

“Someone wanted me to bring it to you in the hopes that in the near future, you can ride it into Xuelao City.”

Chen Changsheng added, “On that day, I think that Divine General Xue Xingchuan would be extremely happy.”

Xue He took the reins and said, “Rest easy, Your Holiness. I will definitely take very good care of it.”

The Red Cloud Qilin was extremely intelligent. It had already recognized who he was and lowered its head to lightly touch his cheek.

Xue He was somewhat touched, but when he thought about how it was most likely the Emperor who requested the Pope to bring the Red Cloud Qilin over, he also felt uneasy.

He seriously declared to Chen Changsheng, “I only know that it was Your Holiness that gifted it to me.”

There was only one meaning to these words: devoted loyalty.

It was also why he had his family come out to kowtow to Chen Changsheng.

Although it was the emperor that had let him take up the post of Divine General of the Cong Province Army headquarters, he was well aware of who the true benefactor of the Xue clan was.

The Xue clan followed Chen Changsheng.

Both the Xue clan of Cong Province and the Xue clan that lived on the Road of Peace in the capital.

As long as the Xue clan existed, as long as he still lived, the Cong Province Army would only follow the Li Palace.

Even if the Imperial Court and the Orthodoxy fell into hostilities again, he would immediately take his army of tens of thousands and stand behind Chen Changsheng.

Even if it seemed like the Emperor and Pope had a deep affection for each other, the bond between martial brothers surpassing that of blood brothers, making such a thing impossible… who could say what might happen in the future? When Emperor Taizu led his army out of Tianliang County, had those young princes imagined all the blood that would flow through the Hundred Herb Garden several decades on?

Chen Changsheng knew that Xue He was mistaken and said, “This is probably the will from Luoyang’s side.”

These words made Xue He fall silent for a very long time.

The eastern capital of Luoyang had been silent for all these years, making not a single noise, but many eyes were still watching it.

Why? Because the Monastery of Eternal Spring was there.

Whenever anyone mentioned Luoyang now, if they appended nothing else to it, they were referring to the Monastery of Eternal Spring, referring to the elderly Daoist residing within its walls.

If the Red Cloud Qilin had truly been sent by the Monastery of Eternal Spring, the meaning was crystal-clear.

“This general does not dare to hold any sort of grudge.”

Xue He spoke very slowly, his tone incredibly solemn.

Since he had made his decision, he did not want the Pope to think he was keeping anything from him.

Even though saying these words made him extremely unhappy and reluctant.

“When one thinks about things that are impossible to control, love and hate are among them. Moreover, you have a reason to hate, so who has the right to stop you from hating?”

Chen Changsheng added, “But before we break into Xuelao City, we might have to temporarily forget these things.”

In this war, the Cong Province Army led by Xue He was naturally the main force.

That person had returned the Red Cloud Qilin without a word, but the deeper meaning was clear.

It was precisely the meaning of Chen Changsheng’s words.

……

……

As the twilight deepened, Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong decided to not eat at the Divine General’s estate, instead choosing to leave immediately.

Now, the two of them had to ride the crane together.

Such circumstances had taken place many times now, and the White Crane was already used to it, but it immediately sensed that something was different today.

The open country was boundless in the hazy dusk of twilight.

Xu Yourong attentively watched the scenery. When Chen Changsheng conversed with her, she would return every four or five of his sentences with one of hers, making her seem rather aloof.

The White Crane recalled Xiao Zhang’s words and thought to itself, is there really something wrong between the two of them?

Even someone as slow as Chen Changsheng had noticed Xu Yourong’s aloofness and knew that something really was off.

Unfortunately, he didn’t know what the problem was or where the problem came from. He didn’t even know how to start asking her what the problem was.

The cold wind assailing his face not only failed to clear his mind, it made it even more muddled.

The White Crane flew to the southwest, and in a short while, it entered Tianliang County.

The sight of this familiar wilderness and that familiar city made Chen Changsheng recall his long journey with Su Li. He couldn’t suppress his nostalgia.

Following his orders, the White Crane landed in a forest outside the city. In their descent, Chen Changsheng noticed that the largest estate in the city was deserted, its main gate tightly shut. Bewildered, he wondered, did Liang Wangsun leave? Why is his estate completely empty?

The White Crane flew into the twilight as Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong emerged from the lush forest next to the road.

Xunyang City was an ancient city, but its southern gate looked rather new. At the very least, it seemed to lack any ancient aura.

“That year, it was your teacher that blew open this city gate, giving Guan Xingke and Zhu Luo a terrible beating.”

Chen Changsheng felt rather excited when he thought of those events, but he was also rather ashamed at his lack of storytelling talent. He thought to himself, if it was Tang Thirty-Six, he would definitely tell the story in a much more exciting fashion.

The story about the storm in Xunyang City had been spread throughout the entire continent ages ago. Xu Yourong had learned of all the details long ago and simply did not require Chen Changsheng’s explanation.

A faint smile emerged on her lips as she looked at the city gate and thought of her teacher.

Chen Changsheng felt somewhat relieved, gratified that his arrangements had been correct.

Upon entering Xunyang City, they went straight to the Liang Estate.

The gate of the Liang Estate was tightly shut.

A sweep of their spiritual senses confirmed that no one was inside.

Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong glanced at each other in confusion. They thought to themselves, just what happened that caused Liang Wangsun to dismiss everyone in his estate?

They entered the estate, saw that famous imperial carriage, and then they found the letter left behind by Liang Wangsun.

Liang Wangsun had a powerful influence on the people and cultivators of the north. The palace had issued a decree several times inviting him to enter the court, but he had always refused.

Since he was a descendant of the previous Imperial clan, his hate for the Chen Imperial clan had burrowed into his bones, so he could never be willing to help them.

They had come to Xunyang City to convince him. Back then, Liang Wangsun had come to the capital to help the Tianhai Divine Empress manage the Imperial Design, so he should have had a good impression of Xu Yourong.

But nobody expected Liang Wangsun to immediately take the old and young of the estate out of Xunyang City with him the moment he got news from the capital. He had not even been willing to meet them.

But Liang Wangsun had written everything very clearly in his letter: he could never help the Imperial Court, but if he was truly needed, he would naturally appear.

Just this sentence alone was enough, but he had also left a name on the letter.

Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong left the estate and came to the street.

Many soldiers hurriedly walked past them with dazed expressions on their faces.

The various armies of the provinces and counties were currently in the middle of redeployment, at the same time engaging in field training.

Logically speaking, they wouldn’t be appearing on the battlefield, but nobody really knew how many people would die this time.

Even the Imperial Guard tasked with defending the Imperial Palace were preparing to mobilize to the north at any moment, so how could they be excluded?

Deaths on the battlefield were unavoidable, and the phrase ‘One steps into the breach left by the fallen’ was commonly cited.

Chen Changsheng understood that this was a necessity, but he still felt rather dazed.

For his views, tens of thousands of people were about to die.

At times, he would consider himself lucky that he was the Pope, not the Emperor, or else those decrees and conscription orders would all be passing through his hands.

And then he would realize that he was being very inconsiderate of his senior brother by thinking this way.

He knew that his senior brother would superbly carry out these matters, but just like him, his senior brother also did not like to do these things.

The street behind the Liang Estate was called Four Seasons’ Green. It was the straightest street in the western part of Xunyang City, and no stores lined it, only two identical walls of gray stone.

The street was quiet, but music was coming from some courtyard, and it seemed like somebody was singing an opera.

Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong followed this sound. Crossing an alley, they came to the gate of an estate, with two rows of red lanterns hanging over it.

The lanterns were made with extremely red paper, the color so thick that the paper still seemed to be wet. The light of the tallow candles shining through seemed strikingly like blood.

Xu Yourong glanced at these lanterns, her thin brows creasing as she seemed to think of something.

The sound of singing was coming from within the estate, but nobody was there to stop Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong from walking in.

A vast stone plaza greeted them, paved with large and unpolished stones. It lacked any sort of refinement, and the addition of the blazing torches planted around it made the place seem rather like the wastes of a battlefield.

In front of them was a stage, and tallow candles as thick as arms burned on the stage. The flames shone on the rear wall, which was pasted with white paper, and the resulting splendid white made it seem like daytime.

A man was performing an opera. He was dressed in a red dress and was adorned in gaudy makeup.

He did not use high-collared clothes to hide his throat, nor did he deliberately heighten his pitch. As he sang, his voice, both slightly hoarse and exquisite, was rather moving.

Without any warning, the singing stopped.

The man looked at Chen Changsheng at the back and asked, “What does Sir think about my opera?”

Not many people had come to see his opera tonight, only ten-some people. They sat scattered in front of the stage. Based on their dress and manner, they were probably all leading figures of Xunyang City. The question from the man on stage caused them all to turn around. Upon seeing Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong, they couldn’t help but be shocked.

Liang Hongzhuang was performing an opera in his estate today to amuse himself. He had still invited the finest theater troupe from Lanling City, and he was still singing the famous ‘Spring Night Melody’, and he was still playing the part of that charming and pleasant bride. Just as the song began to crescendo, his brows flying and eyes gentle, he saw that young couple walk in from outside. He thought to himself, you’re finally here.

“I’ve never listened to opera before, but I think it was rather excellent.”

Chen Changsheng thought some more and added, “It seems to be a little different from the operas of the capital.”

“When I was little, I went to Luling and learned opera there. They sing a little weirdly there, but it sounds very nice.”

Liang Hongzhuang noted, “I hear that it’s a singing style that came from the Great Western Continent, though I don’t know if that’s true.”

These leading figures of Xunyang City examined the appearances of Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong, especially the latter, and quickly guessed at who they were.

Tea tables fell to the ground and chairs toppled.

Led by the governor and archbishop of Xunyang City, the crowd solemnly bowed.

Chen Changsheng waved his hand and had them rise, but he also seemed to have no intention of speaking to them. Thus, the crowd respectfully stood to the side, not daring to speak.

“That was a matter from ten-some years ago, when countless people of the Liang Estate died. My father also died and Big Brother left home. I lived quite the life of suffering back then. Since the Imperial Court didn’t like our clan, there was naturally no one that liked us, and with no elders to protect me, who would be polite with me? At the worst period, I didn’t even have anything to eat, so I thought to myself that I had to find a way to make a living. Father liked to listen to opera and so did I. I was passionate about this line of work, so I decided to walk this path, though I had no other option than that at the time. You two went to the estate just now? Back then, even the estate had been occupied…”

The expressions of the leading figures of Xunyang City subtly shifted as they listened to Liang Hongzhuang. Would something happen tonight?

But then, Liang Hongzhuang was quiet for a very long time.

He had originally planned to say many things.

Those people who had taken advantage of that incident to seize the Liang Estate’s authority and wealth were precisely these leading figures of Xunyang City standing before him.

If Liang Wangsun hadn’t been so talented, becoming an expert of the Proclamation of Liberation at an early age and developing a relationship with the palace, would these people have been willing to lower their heads and concede? Even so, these people still used the Imperial Court’s wariness toward the Liang Estate and the Tianhai clan’s authority to prevent the Liang Estate from taking revenge.

It was not these people who had actually occupied the Liang Estate. To prestigious figures like them, eating in such a manner was too unsightly.

When he thought about that chaotic sight that greeted him after he returned to the estate three years later, Liang Hongzhuang sighed.

He took a box from his sleeve and threw it to Chen Changsheng.

The box contained half the fortune of the Liang Estate and could serve as war funds.

“I want to drink wine.”

Liang Hongzhuang suddenly said.

After a few moments, a middle-aged woman carrying a bowl of wine hurriedly walked onto stage.

Liang Hongzhuang took the bowl and emptied it. Then he cast it to the floor, where it shattered into powder.

He looked up at the sky, a look of indescribable contempt and tragedy on his face. As he walked down the stage, he kicked off his cloud shoes, threw away his head scarf, and walked into the darkness.

The woman anxiously called after him, “Third Young Master, where are you going?”