Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 403 To Have the Capability Does Not Mean One is Useful

Mo Yu opened the curtain in front of her and walked out. She looked at that elegant and cute, and yet also completely noble, little girl and smiled. “Your Highness, I am very confused by your meaning.”

Luoluo did not smile, but her eyes were still very bright. “You know my meaning. I want Zhexiu to return to the Orthodox Academy.”

Mo Yu slightly raised her eyebrows, feigning perplexity. “Wofu Zhexiu…what does he have to do with the Orthodox Academy?”

Luoluo sincerely replied, “Zhexiu is a student of the Orthodox Academy.”

Mo Yu calmly replied, “The Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education has not recorded this. No one will admit it.”

This was a very direct rebuttal. If the Orthodox Academy could not prove Zhexiu was a student, then no matter how respected Luoluo’s status was, she still had no basis to place any pressure on the Great Zhou Imperial Court.

Luoluo stared into her eyes. “You clearly understand that I and my teacher will definitely protect him.”

Mo Yu replied, “The Imperial Court emphasizes laws and decrees. Whether Zhexiu has committed a crime or not, he must at least be interrogated.”

Luoluo asked, “Then did you ever think about how you plan to explain this to Teacher once he returns?”

Listening to these words, and then thinking about the words Zhou Tong had said to her, for some reason, Mo Yu became irritated. “And just why do I need to explain to Chen Changsheng? Can it be that I’m afraid of him!?”

Luoluo said, “Then why don’t you quickly bring my teacher back?”

Mo Yu sneered, “The reason Chen Changsheng does not come back is because he wants to accompany Su Li. At present, the entire world wants to kill Su Li, but this idiot wants to protect Su Li! Just what does that have to do with me? And what does it have to do with the Empress? Your Highness seems to have the capability, so might as well let him recognize his own stupidity!”

These words were said very quickly, like pearls landing on a jade plate, their clear sounds ringing out without end. It was because she truly was very angry.

It was anger over his stubbornness, anger over his idiocy, anger over his failure to cherish his own life.

This ‘his’ naturally referred to Chen Changsheng.

Luoluo’s eye continued to get brighter. Looking at her, she said, “If Teacher does not come back, he naturally has his reasons for not coming back. If you really are concerned about him, if you have the capability, just bring him back.”

Mo Yu grew even more furious as she thought to herself, just why would I be concerned about Chen Changsheng’s life or death? She declared, “Your Highness should know very well who is standing behind those people that want to kill Su Li in Xunyang City. If you have the capability, just have His Holiness withdraw his order!”

Luoluo gave her no more attention. She turned around and headed out of the Imperial Palace. Only her childish voice continued to echo, “In short, you think of a way. Or else, if you have the capability, don’t get into my teacher’s bedsheets anymore.”

At these words, the edges of Mo Yu’s cheeks blushed. Staring at the girl’s back as she forcefully restrained her shame, she said, “Her Highness is still very young and seems to be quite concerned about these matters, but I certainly don’t have that capability.”

She said that she didn’t have the capability, but when Mo Yu walked to the Dew Platform and saw the Divine Empress illuminated in the splendor of the Night Pearls lining the platform, she still couldn’t help but want to open her mouth and say something. In the end, when she opened her mouth, she instead spoke about the encounter she just had. The Divine Empress listened to her then turned quiet for a few moments. Then she said, “Just what’s so good about that kid Chen Changsheng…to actually make Luoluo so nervous?”

Mo Yu lightly responded, “Presumably, Chen Changsheng still has some use.”

The Divine Empress laughed. “Over the past few days, news has been constantly circulating around the capital that Chen Changsheng did not make it out of the Garden of Zhou, that his life might have already come to an end. When she heard this news, was she very broken-hearted?”

Mo Yu thought to herself, it wasn’t something so simple as being broken-hearted. Just as she wanted to say something in passing, the Divine Empress suddenly turned her body and glanced at her. It was just a very simple glance, very understated and lacking in any sort of profound meaning. It was casual and even less asking about her relationship with Chen Changsheng, as Zhou Tong and Luoluo had done. And yet…her body suddenly cooled by several degrees.

When she heard the news that Chen Changsheng had died in the Garden of Zhou, her mood had not been quite right.

Of course, she did not cry. She just felt a little disappointed, her mood very frustrated, as if something had gone missing in her life. She knew that this sort of emotional response was very problematic. She was very worried that people would be able to see this problem of hers. Yet tonight, first it was Zhou Tong that asked, then it was Luoluo that brought it up, and now it was the Empress glancing at her.

Luckily, the Divine Empress did not do anything, only extended her hand and lightly caressed her smooth and exquisite cheeks. It was like she was playing with a cat or fiddling around with some beautiful object. Anyone could tell you that Mo Yu was a very beautiful woman, so beautiful that she was like a work of art.

The Divine Empress was rarely so intimate with others, even her own daughter, much less those sons that were already dead and their descendants that had been banished to the counties. In the past few years, Mo Yu was the only exception. On certain occasions, there were even some busybodies who would look at this relationship between the two supreme women of the Great Zhou Dynasty and see many romantic implications, but these sorts of conclusions were not spread too widely. This was because the Divine Empress’s status was far too majestic, and also because the Divine Empress was also a very beautiful woman, even more beautiful than Mo Yu. From the time of Emperor Taizong, she had been acknowledged throughout the world as its supreme beauty.

“Chen Changsheng will not die.”

The Divine Empress looked up at the millions of stars in the night sky, her expression very casual.

When Mo Yu heard these words, it was like she had heard the voice of an immortal. She instantly relaxed and walked over to the Divine Empress’s side. Just like the times when her mood had been at its best, she lightly pulled on the Divine Empress’s arm.

“Then what about Su Li? Will he die?”

It was only today at noon that the news of Su Li and Chen Changsheng’s presence in Xunyang City was relayed to the capital, and Zhu Luo’s appearance was not confirmed until the late evening. Su Li was a feared enemy of the demons and at the same time was also an opponent of the Great Zhou. Mo Yu would not show as much concern for his fate as she had for Chen Changsheng. She was just a little concerned because Su Li was no ordinary person. His death would have a high possibility of changing the entire situation on the continent. Just what did the Divine Empress think about this?

“What do I think…it is not important, because no one has ever asked me what I thought about this situation.”

The Divine Empress stood at the edge of the Dew Platform, her two hands held behind her. Although her figure was clearly lithe and graceful, she gave a feeling of vastness that seemed like it could embrace the whole world. However, when she spoke at this time, her words seemed somewhat mocking and cold.

Mo Yu understood the Empress’s meaning. When general Xue He took action, he had not obtained the Empress’s order beforehand, but the entire continent took his action as the Divine Empress’s intention—no matter if it was the old or new powers of the Zhou Dynasty, no matter if it was the Imperial Court or the Orthodoxy, there were far too many people that wanted Su Li dead, because the millions upon millions of the people of Zhou all shared one dream: the converging of the north and south and the unification of all under heaven.

“But…if he dies, he dies.” The Divine Empress looked up at that star in the night sky that had shone for several centuries but had now grown abnormally dim. After a moment of silence, she continued, “Anyway, I also don’t like Su Li. He and the world of humans…are too alienated from each other. What use is there in keeping him?”