Book 7: Chapter 39: Doing Things One Doesn't Dare Do
Book 7: Chapter 39: Doing Things One Doesn’t Dare Do
When one became famous, it was better to start early.
Once one became famous, more people would pay attention, so there would be even more opportunities.
However, for Yunqin’s elite soldiers who were destined to leave behind a thick brush stroke in Yunqin’s history, appearing too early instead wasn’t a good thing.
When one’s own wings didn’t mature yet, companions who would go through life and death together’s wings not mature yet either, shining brightly too early might very well result in becoming a falling star.
That night, Lin Xi followed Guo Fangying to Three Reeds Peak. He knew that from this point on, his life already began to head down an entirely different direction. This night, Yunqin’s emperor smashed a table into smithereens.
This night, many events that would have a huge impact on the massive Yunqin Empire took place.
Great Mang Dynasty’s Imperial City wasn’t as grand and imposing as Yunqin’s Central Continent Imperial City. The buildings were mostly low in height, the materials used also the most basic clay baked bricks. However, private schools and academies could be found everywhere in Great Mang’s Imperial City, the number of them far greater than in Central Continent Imperial City.
This night, Great Mang’s Imperial City was brightly lit.
Just like normal, Great Mang’s old emperor Zhan Taimang was dressed in ordinary sackcloth robes. He had the extravagant carriage stop before a private school.
Turns out the only reason he had the old mute driver stop was just so he could take a look at a deep red flower that seemed especially beautiful under the bright moonlight.
However, the moment he got down from the carriage, he instead began to cough. This short statured old emperor who seemed to have experienced many hardships covered his mouth, wishing to forcibly stop something. However, two blasts of bloody mist still sprayed out from his nostrils, as if endless dust was blown out from within his body.
Zhan Taimang stopped.
He released a sigh, no longer looking at that unnamed flower he had never even seen before, turning around to return to his carriage.
Beauties’ hair turning gray, heroes going past their prime, this was this world’s greatest sorrow to begin with. No matter how formidable one was, they still couldn’t win against time, nor could they defeat sickness. Not even he who had dominated Great Mang for an age was an exception.
Right now, this Great Mang’s most ambitious and ruthless figure didn’t know what Yunqin’s emperor was thinking. If he did, if he could meet him and have a discussion, he might very well just tell this Yunqin emperor who was focused on vainly expanding the borders that in this world, there were already endless things to feel helpless about. Even if he could satisfy all of the aspirations and desires within his mind right now, there would still be new areas to feel vexed and helpless over.
“It’s about time… Let’s bring him back into the palace tomorrow.”
After using an embroidered handkerchief to wipe the traces of blood between his mouth and nose clean, this old emperor didn’t have half a trace of a tyrannical bearing as he said this to the old mute driver.
The old mute river released two sounds, indicating that he understood.
“Let’s head to Jin Yangshen’s place now.” The old emperor nodded, speaking an extremely influential name in Great Mang.
Great Mang Dynasty had a cabinet, the use of the cabinet precisely to assist the emperor in evaluating each day’s memorial to the throne. Jin Yangshen was precisely the prime minister with the cabinet seal, the one who granted the final approval!
That night, the ordinarily dressed Zhan Taimang entered Jin Manor himself. In Jin Manor’s rear garden, where there was only him and Jin Yangshen left, he produced a scroll, handing it into Jin Yangshen’s hands.
Jin Yangshen’s stature was tall. Even though his age already exceeded seventy, his body was still filled with endless energy, not a single strand of hair turning white. When he received this imperial scroll, he sensed a different feeling.
He was born as a Great Mang rich merchant, all of his wealth secretly used to assist in Zhan Taimang’s campaign. When Zhan Taimang ultimately ruled over Great Mang, he also became one of the most influential figures. In reality, him and Zhan Taimang were close like brothers, always speaking without formalities in private.
During these past few decades, it was unknown just how many times he and Zhan Taimang chatted in private, long lost track of how many difficult records were read and evaluated. However, this time, just from the words on the imperial scroll, he lost self control. With a pa sound, his sleeve knocked over a brush pot on his table.
“This person… you are actually going to hand the title of emperor to him?!”
This great virtuous figure recognized by all of Great Mang raised his head to look at Zhan Taimang, saying this, not caring that he was currently doubting the emperor’s will at all.
Zhan Taimang chuckled, because of this chuckle, his always hidden powerful presence was fully revealed. “If not this, what were you expecting?”
Jin Yangshen took a deep breath and slowly said, “I originally thought you only wished to have him take over my position.”
“You still have time. This country still needs you to look after it for another ten years.” Zhan Taimang shook his head proudly and said, “Since not even you could predict this, then it would be even more impossible for others to… Who am I? The things I do are naturally not ordinary. From past until now, the emperor’s position has always been passed down to next of kin, who dares do things like me?”
“Zhantai Qiantang…” Jin Yangshen’s face that was turning slightly purple found it hard to hide his shock. He continuously shook his head. “Even though you granted him this name, equivalent to taking him in as your adopted son, even though I know that since he is someone who is worthy of your attention, he is definitely stunning, many people won’t be able to understand it, won’t be able to accept it. This might result in great chaos.”
“There is still you, there is Li Ku. With you two supporting him, who can overturn Great Mang’s skies?”
Zhan Taimang was incredibly proud, also extremely dignified as he pointed into the distant Imperial City’s skies, saying with a cold laugh, “If there is going to be chaos, then so be it. Yunqin’s situation from east to west isn’t that great, within five years, they definitely don’t have any room to cross the Thousand Sunset Mountains. This is an opportunity for my Great Mang, as well as a blessing for my Great Mang. After this chaos, we might be able to forever stabilize the peace of my Great Mang. Don’t tell me the two of you don’t believe you can quell this chaos?”
Jin Yangshen looked straight at Zhan Taimang, saying, “You are sure that he can do it, but will he himself be able to endure this sudden change in identity?”
Zhan Taimang nodded and calmly said, “Cultivation, temperament, wisdom, if there was even one point that was less than me myself… I wouldn’t hand the imperial throne to him.”
Jin Yangshen was still shocked, knowing that Zhan Taimang was currently doing something that would shock all of history. However, he understood how wise and farsighted Zhan Taimang was better than anyone, so he didn’t say too much either, only receiving this imperial scroll and asking, “Let’s take it one step at a time… when will he be first summoned into the palace?”
Zhan Taimang looked at Jin Yangshen, saying, “Tomorrow.”
…
“He is merely a heaven’s choice student, not worth the emperor and academy going to war over.”
Within a calm residence, Yunqin’s up and coming only son Liu Ziyu looked at Liu Family’s important strategist, as well as his teacher Su Zhongwen, his expression extremely fierce as he said, “He definitely has an even more important identity.”
“For you to not let your emotions be affected by his matters, making the correct judgment, this means that you’ve made some progress during this time.”
Su Zhongwen released an indifferent chuckle and said, “However, regardless of whether he is a Braveslayer or a Windstalker… he will instead incur the emperor’s killing intent. That is why normally, the emperor will at most try to end his prospects in the royal court, make him at most become a black-robed lecturer in Dragon Snake Mountain Range in the future, but because his victory was done so flawlessly, things are no longer that simple. It will be quite hard for him to even spend his last years in a black robe.”
Liu Ziyu’s mood immediately became much better, laughing complacently. He picked up a tea cup, but was surprised to be met with a special cool and refreshing fragrance. He immediately removed the lid of the tea, seeing that there were several dozen golden wisps floating inside. He had a taste, immediately tasting a bit of sweet and bitterness, extremely refreshing. He raised his head towards Su Zhongwen with shock, asking, “Mister, what kind of tea is this? I’ve never seen it before.”
“This is Golden Pomelo Tea.” Su Zhongwen smiled and said, “A type of tea made from golden pomelo fruit. This type of golden pomelo is only found in a small area to Yunqin’s east, practically impossible to find anywhere else in Yunqin, even I myself only had a taste once a few years ago. Now, there is a merchant who is selling it by preserving it in honey, allowing this fruit that is difficult to transport to leave East Forest Province. This golden pomelo’s taste is rather special, you can try the flesh in the cup yourself, it has a rather distinctive flavor.”
When Liu Ziyu heard this, he pursed his mouth. After chewing it lightly, he immediately said in praise, “This taste indeed leaves quite a nice sweet aftertaste.”
“The pomelo right now are still early. After a month, the best golden pomelos will enter the market, so this honey tea’s taste should be even better.” Su Zhongwen said with a smile.
Liu Ziyu took another sip, saying with a sigh of admiration, “It really isn’t bad. Since it stores for some time, we should purchase a bit more to keep in reserve.”
…
It was another afternoon. Under the shade of some eaves in Swallow Descent Town, a woman was currently washing clothes by the riverside.
This woman was only dressed in the most ordinary blue rough cotton clothes, but it was hard to hide her beauty. However, between her brows, there was always a trace of worry that wouldn’t disappear.
Jiang Xiaoyi looked at her rear figure, hesitating for a long time. In the end, he didn’t hesitate anymore, walking over, sitting down next to her.
Only when the tips of Jiang Xiaoyi’s feet appeared in her line of sight, did this woman discover that someone came. She turned around, seeing Jiang Xiaoyi’s face. Her entire body trembled slightly, and then she lowered her head. “You guys… already came back?”
“We just got back.” When he was previously looking at this woman’s rear figure, taking even just a single step was incredibly hard. However, once he took the first step, Jiang Xiaoyi’s mood instead completely calmed down, thinking that it wasn’t so hard after all. He nodded, looked into the river and quietly said, “Silver Hook Lane’s person was named Mu Chenyun… his head has already been removed.”
The woman’s entire body trembled, her head hanging even lower, but didn’t know what to say.
“He died, so your grudge has already been settled. You don’t have to worry about some things anymore either. What Lin Xi said was correct, we should only live for ourselves and the people we care about.” Jiang Xiaoyi instead turned his head, looking at her and saying, “I want to understand, and I also wish for you to understand this.”
This woman subconsciously raised her head, a bit speechless as she opened her mouth. However, when she saw that Jiang Xiaoyi’s eyes were incredibly resolute, her head then subconsciously sunk, but her eyes were already completely blurry.
“These days, I’ve always been unhappy.” Jiang Xiaoyi instead laughed, looking at her and saying, “But now, I discovered that many times, my unhappiness is because I look down on my own weakness. However now, I finally dared speak about it, so I instead feel really happy.”
“Some things, it’s better if you don’t tell Lin Xi’s family… Both he and myself have a high chance of being transferred to Dragon Snake Border Army. This world is always full of too many unexpected things, so I fear that this time around, if I don’t explain things to you clearly, not only would I always remain unhappy, even if I wanted to share my thoughts with you in the future, I might not have the chance.” Jiang Xiaoyi laughed. He looked at this woman who left him with a deep impression the moment he saw her that day on the dam, and then said seriously, “If I can return… will you wait for me?”
Tears trickled down from this woman’s eyes drop after drop, landing in the wooden barrel filled with clothes below.
“I…” She choked with sobs for a long time, and then she finally raised her head to speak. However, Jiang Xiaoyi instead continued to look straight at her, a bit domineering as he said, “Let’s not talk about anything else first. The first thing I want to hear is if you are willing to wait.”
“I am willing to wait.” Wang Simin said this, and then broke out into tears. This woman with a stubborn nature, began to cry her heart out on this pier.