《Can Drink A Cup of Nothing》


 Chapter 1.1

    Chapter 1.1


    The fall breeze was cool in the winter phase, and the heat of midsummer was gradually retreating, with a slight chill in the wind.


    It¡¯s a great time for outings, especially autumn outings, foliage appreciation, and climbing.


    A carriage rocked, and the person inside bowed their head in meditation as they heard the wheel squeak over the uneven path.


    ¡°The Capital of Great Yuan is just ahead.¡±


    Gu Ziyuan, a great scholar dressed in a white robe, reigned in the reins, turned the horse¡¯s head, and said with a smile.


    A towering city wall was not far away.  Iron armored troops were patrolling everywhere. The Great Yuan appeared to be soaring upward, with dark colored walls at the bottom and vermilion dragon flags at the top.


    ¡°This is the Capital of Yuan! How spectacular!¡±


    All of the sudden, each of the young Confucian students¡¯ exhaustion from the few days of dusty travel vanished, and they began to debate with each other one by one.


    ¡°It¡¯s no surprise that back then, while the opposing country surrounded the Yuan capital for countless days, it still failed to break Great Yuan¡¯s defense, but was instead counterattacked until to its capital by the Yuan cavalry. Now, if you think about it, Great Yuan¡¯s wall is truly solid.¡±


    ¡°Such a large nation is very different from a small country where I¡¯ve previously gone to. It really makes a person yearn.¡±


    There were many countries in the Great Wilderness, hundreds of contending schools of thought, cross sectioning of sorceries, and innumerable legends of immortals.


    During the tempestuous days, the fires of war raged across the length and breadth of the land, and the course of time created people¡¯s desires. Princes competed for power, and many countries were hungry for talents.


    In the past, commoners worshiped one another and bore witness to the Six Kingdoms. Later,  a farmer led an army and emerged triumphant. It was a time when heroes were born in vast numbers, dominant countries compete with one another, and chivalrous desire reigns supreme.


    (t/n Six Kingdoms-The name is derived from the six successive dynasties of South China that had their capitals at Jianye (later Jiankang; present-day Nanjing) during this time: the Wu (222¨C280), the Dong (Eastern) Jin (317¨C420), the Liu-Song (420¨C479), the Nan (Southern) Qi (479¨C502), the Nan Liang (502¨C557), and the Nan Chen (557¨C589)


    The country of Great Yuan was just as powerful and strong as the country of Wei.


    However, the country of Wei now was no longer dominant, and was already in a state of decline. On the other hand, the Great Yuan, restructured to fortify its own country and flourished again.


    A brilliant prospect like this naturally attracts talents from all across the world.


    This was also true for the Confucian students who came to study on the continent. They sought to promote their own ideologies of government to Great Yuan, notwithstanding their disagreement with Great Yuan¡¯s current political orientation.  Studying outside is an essential way for them to showcase themselves.


    The Confucianists got off their horses at the gate of the city, held each of their horse¡¯s reins, and waited in line to enter the city.


    A garrison guard stationed at the city gate read their diplomatic note, ¡°Confucianists?¡±


    Gu Ziyuan, the leader of the team standing at the forefront, quickly made an obeisance by cupping one hand in the other before one¡¯s chest, ¡°Precisely.¡±


    The Great Yuan¡¯s policy for governing its country was mostly based on legalism, and people from various schools of thought can be seen in the Great Yuan. Political strategists, Taoists, Yin-Yang scholars, Miscellaneous scholars, and War strategists were all welcome. The only unpopular one was Confucianism.


    This cannot be blamed on the Great Yuan. In fact, throughout the Great Wilderness, only small countries that adhered to the etiquette of the previous dynasty pursued Confucianism. Regardless of the fact that there were now many great nations, none of them actually adopted Confucianism to govern their countries.


    Confucianism coincides with the Warring States Period where all countries were pursuing reforms, strengthening their military forces and expanding their territory. Confucianism emphasizes benevolence and propriety, which was easy to implement, but was extremely difficult to practice.


    Gu Ziyuan was aware of this. He couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly.


    For many years, the Confucianists have wandered around small countries, rarely entering powerful countries such as the Great Yuan. One, because they were dissatisfied with the ruler of Great Yuan¡¯s oppressive attitude, and second, Great Yuan fiercely supports the legalist ideology.


    For a long time, Confucianists and Legalists had been hostile with one another. Isn¡¯t it begging to be humiliated by entering a territory dominated by their adversaries? But, unlike in the past, the Great Yuan was now a prominent and powerful country. If Confucianism wants to gain a foothold, it must have the assistance and recognition of a major country.


    The garrison glanced behind him and asked, ¡°Who is seated on the carriage?¡±


    Gu Ziyuan replied, ¡°Replying to Sir, on the carriage is a distinguished guest of my Confucian leaders. He has a problem in both of his eyes, you see¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense!¡± The garrison interrupted him directly. ¡°If you want to enter the capital, you have to be checked. Call the person in the carriage to come out and unpack all of your luggages at once! Otherwise, don¡¯t blame me for being rude!¡±


    Gu Ziyan swallowed the lump formed in his throat due to fear. The surrounding  guards clenched their spears one after another, with a stern look on their faces.


    The people who were queuing up behind them to enter the capital all backed away, showing obvious fear on their faces.


    A young girl, grasping the hem of an adult¡¯s clothes, was taken aback and began to sob. ¡°Auntie, are we going to be arrested and beheaded?¡±


    ¡°Stop talking gibberish!¡± For fear of attracting trouble, the elder in commoner¡¯s clothes immediately covered her mouth.


    The Great Yuan possessed millions of strong troops. Such troops were also regarded as the division of tigers and wolves. They were well-known throughout the world.


    Furthermore, severe criminal regulation was practiced in the Great Yuan, and any form of torture that was implemented can even make any person feel terrified. Citizens of foreign countries who were accustomed to freedom and unrestricted movement found it difficult to accept such stringent restrictions. As a result, the Great Yuan was becoming known as a flood beast.


    (t/n flood beast- a metaphor for a great scourge; A beast that cannibalize humans and animals)


    Just as everyone was at a standstill and was only lying in wait for the first one to move under the city gate, a man¡¯s clear and melodious voice was heard behind the carriage¡¯s curtain.


    ¡°Sir must not mobilize the troops and stir up the masses. This commoner will now come down.¡±


    Bony hands lifted the curtain away.


    The individual who exited from the carriage donned a snow-white robe with dark cyan lining, emerald gilded lapel and cuffs, and a face as warm as jade. He carried a sword tied across his waist and without a crown on his head. Instead, he styled his hair in a ponytail, like a warrior from some other country. Allowing his long black hair to fall behind him, he appeared gallant and very heroic.


    There was no one in the area who did not utter ¡®Yue Zhi¡¯ and ¡®Huaijin holding Yu¡¯ making people feel like a spring breeze. However, such a pure and noble person had an inch of white silk covering his eyes, losing a bit of luster.


    (t/n-Yue Zhi- as noble as a lofty peak; describing a person¡¯s bearing or character)


    (t/n Huaijin holding Yu-carrying gems in one¡¯s bosom and grasping valuables in one¡¯s hands-a man of scholarly virtue)


    The passively attracted onlookers all shook their heads and sighed with pity.


    ¡°For those who carry weapons, go to the other side to register.¡±


    Seeing as the man in the carriage was certainly blind, a beautiful blind man with an exceptional temperament and who also appeared to be some son of an aristocratic family. The guard also didn¡¯t want to be difficult anymore. He waved his hand, allowing him to register himself.


    ¡°Brother Luo, please come with me.¡±


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    Gu Ziyuan took a step forward, and after instructing the Confucian disciples behind him to wait here for a while, he led Zong Luo to the side.


    The separation of civil and military forces had not yet begun. From the monarch to the literati and to the warriors, there was still the tradition of wearing swords. Most people back then even had both civil and military skills. For example, the great masters of Mohist School and  Feng Yuejun of the country of Wei. They were all famous swordsmen.


    Confucianists were no exception, and there were many students in the school who were skilled in both pen and sword. It¡¯s just that Gu Ziyuan, a renowned Confucian with a tremendous literary gift, was only a middling martial artist. He doesn¡¯t even spend much time contemplating it.


    Zong Luo casually untied the sword on his waist and handed it to a guard.


    His sword¡¯s scabbard was unremarkable, its whole body was silver, and had no other features. Only on its hilt hung a jet-black ancient jade, which was engraved with an intricate and mysterious Kui pattern.


    (t/n Kui-is a one-legged monster in ancient Chinese mythology. A beast, shaped like an ox, with a pale body without horns, and only has one foot.)


    At the location where weapons were registered, there was a unique measuring platform. Not only should the breadth of the sword be measured, but the salient attributes of the sword¡¯s body should also be recorded and stored in the armory order file to avoid future problems.


    The guard assigned at the weapon register drew out the sword offhandedly to inspect. When the lengthy blade was unsheathed, a cold light flashed. The blade was the color of autumn frost, and its keen edge was very intimidating. The coldness can be felt even by just holding it in hand.


    ¡°Fine sword!¡±


    A painter in charge of the registration saw it and nearly knocked the table over. His eyes glowed. ¡°This gentleman, could you perhaps allow me to have a closer look at it?¡±


    A good saddle should be paired with a fine mount, and a fine sword should be paired with a good master. Such a frigid and glistening sword, it appears to have been crafted by a renowned craftsman. Who would think the owner to be just a nameless martial artist?


    It¡¯s just a pity that the master turned out to be a blind man and he seemed to be carrying a heavy medicinal scent on his body.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Zong Luo nodded with a smile.


    The painter was overjoyed and took it with both hands.


    He was a sword lover. He carefully held the sword in his hand and examined it carefully.


    ¡°Good, good, good! The sword is three feet and eight inches long, can cut gold and jade and cuts iron like mud. This is indeed a good sword!¡±


    The painter said the word ¡®good¡¯ three times in a row. While testing the sword, he caught a glimpse of its texture and became suspicious.


    He held the sword¡¯s hilt with his backhand. When he peered down at the sword¡¯s body diagonally, he was like a man who climbed the mountain and stared down at the abyss. There was a crouching dragon coiled at the bottom of the said mountain, yet was too low to reach. It was daunting and very frightening.


    Ordinary swords have no sword intent. However this sword, when taken out of its scabbard, you could clearly feel its intent which was obviously extremely extraordinary.


    He may have underestimated it previously. This sword should be included in the arsenal record file!


    Or¡­ it was already listed there.


    The longer the painter stared at it, the more familiar it appeared to him, and the more frightened he became. A sword description that could clarify his doubts mentioned listed in the file flashed across his mind, but it was too ludicrous, and he didn¡¯t dare jump into conclusions.


    His face was solemn, ¡°This gentleman¡­ if I may take the liberty to ask, does this sword have a name?¡±


    Zong Luo shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡±


    Gu Ziyuan, who was accompanying him, clarified. ¡°Brother Luo is a distinguished guest of my family¡¯s leader. He fainted near our Confucian Cold House a year ago, and he was seriously injured, almost losing his life. Fortunately, there were physicians and medical saints present, and they worked hard to save him, which made him return from the gates of hell. Unexpectedly, after Brother Luo woke up after half a year of coma, he lost his memory. It was just like waking up after a long dream.¡±


    Gu Ziyuan was not skilled in martial arts. He just enjoys tinkering with paintings and does not like using surveying and mapping instruments. He believes he is only happy at seeing the heart of the hunter. Yet, right now he only wanted to quickly dispel the other party¡¯s thoughts, ¡°This sword was always by Brother Luo¡¯s side even at the time when he was seriously injured. It was obviously a sword he carried around everywhere before he lost his memory.¡±


    (t/n seeing the heart of the hunter- it is a metaphor for seeing what others are doing is exactly what I liked in the past, I can¡¯t help but be moved and want to try it; anxious to display one¡¯s skill ;   be burning with eagerness for ;   be reminded of one¡¯s old hobbies ;   itch to have a try)


    He said tactfully, ¡°A gentleman does not take people¡¯s favor. If Sir has finished his inspection, you can return it to the original owner as soon as possible.¡±


    (t/n A gentleman does not take people¡¯s favor(proverb)- It means that people with moral character do not ask for what others have.)


    The painter was silent. He turned to the garrison and whispered something. Then faced them back again and said, ¡°Sorry, this sword cannot be given back to you for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Please wait a moment. This matter is of great importance. I have sent someone to invite the commander to come and decide.¡±


    Now it was Gu Ziyuan¡¯s turn to be surprised.


    The Great Yuan Commander¨C the one in charge of the capital¡¯s garrisons and the nearly 100,000 strong Great Yuan troops. If this painter just wanted the sword, why must he also invite the Commander of the Great Yuan. Could it be that he wanted to rob it by force? This is too absurd!


    ¡°Forget it, Brother Luo. Let¡¯s just go.¡±


    Gu Ziyuan was a remarkable scholar with excellent self-control. However, after listening to what the person had said, his expression shifted on the spot, and he wanted to only pull Zong Luo away.


    ¡°It is said that the laws of the Great Yuan are strict, but now that I look at it, I am afraid that it is only a paper tiger. In broad daylight, they even rob a sword by force. If so, let¡¯s not come here again!¡±


    (t/n paper tiger-one that is outwardly powerful or dangerous but inwardly weak or ineffectual.)


    Zong Luo was noncommittal. He was about to move forward when he heard a thick male voice coming from a distance.


    ¡°What seems to be the matter here?¡±


    A big armor-clad commander carrying a steel hammer, strided forward. His eyes swept across the two people with their backs to him, which he didn¡¯t care too much about.


    The painter replied respectfully. ¡°Reporting to the commander, this subordinate was just registering a weapon, when he suddenly discovered this peculiar sword.¡±


    Lord Duan raised his eyebrows. ¡°Bring it here. I¡¯ll have a look.¡±


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    He was a man of integrity. He thought that the newly promoted painter was trying to find him to deal with the inside and outside and to swallow alone swords of others. He was about to raise his eyebrows in anger, but when he saw the sword, his eyes widened and exclaimed in disbelief, ¡°Qixing Long Yuan?!¡±


    (t/n inside and outside(Chinese idiom)-outside and inside forces collusion)


    (t/n swallow alone-to profit without sharing with anyone else)


    (t/n Qi Xing Long Yuan- Seven Star Dragon Abyss)


    Everyone around was stunned when he called out the name of the sword, and there was complete silence.

 Chapter 1.2

    Chapter 1.2


    Qixing Long Yuan, one of the ten famous swords in the world, was jointly forged by master swordsmith Ou Yezi and Gan Jiang. The sword¡¯s body was made of black iron from Hanshan and iron meteorite. This sword was  listed in the armory file and had a great reputation.


    There were no martial arts practitioners throughout the world who did not know of this sword.


    (t/n Hanshan-Cold Mountain- means deserted and quiet mountain, which is often used in poetry.)


    However, more famous than the sword itself, was its owner.


    Everyone knows that Qixing Long Yuan was the sword of the Third Prince of the Great Yuan. However, the Third Prince had already died on the battlefield a year ago in order to defend the country. He died on the battlefield without any remains.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    The reigning Emperor of Great Yuan had yet to crown an empress or nominate a crown prince. He also makes no distinction between descendants and concubines, and treats them equally.


    The Great Yuan had nine princes in total. The firstborn prince went on an expedition and was killed in battle. The second prince died tragically not long after his birth. The seventh prince accidentally fell into the water and drowned when he was a child. The third prince, who followed in the footsteps of the eldest prince, fought and died on the battlefield just a year ago.


    The Third Prince was a steady individual. He once was held captive and was used as a hostage in the country of Wei when he was young. Fortunately, he studied in the Ghost Valley and acquired high-level swordsmanship.  After being taken back to Great Yuan, he personally took charge of the battle, and a black cavalry led by his subordinates, maneuvered and made use of the cavalry¡¯s mobility and flexibility against the enemy. Defeated the enemy with a force inferior in number and turning over countless desperate situations.


    He made great contributions to the Great Yuan and helped sweep the three remaining opposing kingdoms. He won the love of the people and was the most popular candidate for the crown prince position.


    Despite the fact that the Third Prince had been battling outside for several years and only returned to the capital once every year. But, Lord Duan had naturally seen him.


    The time when the Third Prince conquered the country of Lu, gathered the troops, carried a relegation letter, and galloped back to Great Yuan in the breaking dawn made the deepest impression.


    The ten-mile-long street was crowded with people the day the good news arrived. The general was dressed in fresh clothes atop a raging horse and looked spirited. However, everything was not what it seemed on the surface.


    Nothing was more gratifying in life than witnessing that scene from that time.


    That day, Lord Duan followed other officials¡¯ son¡¯s and juniors to wait on the pavilions while looking out far into the distance. However, they only saw the Third Prince dismount and stand in the middle of the crowd of people on the street,  bowing his head in all directions, apologizing.


    Across the distance, only a clear sound of a stone hitting the ground was heard.


    ¡°Everyone had handed over each of their family¡¯s strong men for the Great Yuan. I naturally wished to return safely, and also hoped that my men would return safely along my side, but I was not strong enough. Although I returned with a great victory, my subordinates still lost thousands of their brothers¡­ They were all people of Great Yuan, and they only hoped to support their own family. I am truly ashamed and deeply sorry.¡±


    Lord Duan¡¯s mood was difficult to express. Everyone, from officials down to the common people, was taken aback by what they just witnessed.


    In all fairness, the battle against the country of Lu could not have been more exhilarating.


    The Third Prince led the Black cavalry. He took advantage of the dark of the night and severed the enemy¡¯s supply lines as fast as lightning. It was said that a single sword was better than a million masters. He even went down to the connecting three towns without costing a single soldier, forcing their opponent to open the city gate and surrender.


    It can be said that in those past few years, conquering the country of Lu was regarded as the lengthiest fight that Great Yuan had waged with the least amount of loss.


    But that was all there was to it. The Third Prince nevertheless still believed he wasn¡¯t doing well enough.


    Even if the atmosphere of the Great Yuan was reopened to the world, the core social structure would remain unalterable. There were already princes and generals who were in harmony with the common people, and individuals who cared about the country and the people, but very few had the bravery to recognize their faults in front of the common citizens. Those who openly admitted their flaws in public, the Third Prince might be the only one throughout the Great Wilderness.


    (t/n atmosphere-Atmosphere is an intangible manifestation of a place¡¯s cultural connotation, humanistic quality, and various aspects of temperament. Every place has its own characteristics, and the natural atmosphere is different.This is just like every place has its customs, and the customs are different. They may have the same aspect in general, but there are still many differences in subdivisions. This is as the saying goes, ¡°No two leaves in the world are alike.¡±)


    Later, Lord Duan learned that the Third Prince would open his private treasury every year in order to provide further compensation to the families of soldiers who died and sacrificed in battle.


    Lord Duan knew how much the other side protected his men like calves. It¡¯s no surprise that the Black Cavalry became famous in the Great Wilderness and pledged to follow him to the death. He was convinced.


    Externally, the Third Prince was unstoppable in his battles with the surrounding countries. Internally, he was kind to people and treated all of his subjects as if they were his own children. During the northern natural disaster a few years back, he volunteered and commanded the army for disaster assistance. He also spends money on relief goods during the annual drought.


    Even the literati of the Great Wilderness have changed their attitude about the continent¡¯s royal family, praising the Third Prince of the Great Yuan.


    Civil and military qualities, gentle breeze and bright moon, truly having a gentleman¡¯s atmosphere.


    (t/n Bright moon and gentle breeze- a poetic way of describing a leisurely life beyond/above the buzz and dust of the material world/regular day-to-day concerns.)


    The tragedy happened during the battle at Hangu Pass a year ago.


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    Hangu Pass had only 50,000 permanent troops. Because the forces were insufficient at the time, the Great Yuan deployed reinforcements.


    However, multiple countries unexpectedly joined forces to strike while the Great Yuan was deploying troops. It was a surprise attack, and they struck like lightning. A massive army of 500,000 troops gathered and assaulted the Great Yuan.


    If the siege at Hangu Pass fails, the Great Yuan Capital will be next. The capital was only guarded with 100,000 men, not to mention that they can¡¯t all be mobilized instantly, and even if they were all mobilized, 100,000 vs 500,000 was impossible to fathom.


    Just at the most critical moment, The Third Prince, who had received the news, arrived with 3 ,000 black cavalry, like a god of war descending. They split it into three teams, and charged into the opposing camp¡¯s weakest spot, catching the enemy off guard. He also deployed his disciples and advisors, who¡¯d been recruited by his subordinates, to use lobby and solicitation to undermine the policy of unifying all countries.


    Lord Duan was not yet appointed commander at that time, but he was highly impressed. Because the previous commander was his father, his filial piety compelled him to step forward and lead some of the guards out to the Pass to fight, nearly dying before the Third Prince.


    What no one anticipated was for the 500,000 army to be torn apart with this 3,000 cavalry and flee in terror. However, the cavalry also suffered a heavy price. The cavalry was nearly completely wiped out because of the unavailability of backup for a long time, and the Third Prince¡¯s whereabouts also became unknown.


    Following the retreat of the enemy, Emperor Yuan directed the troops to meticulously scrutinize every corpse on the battleground. Yet not even a scrap of the Third Prince¡¯s clothing could be located, let alone his traces.


    In grief, Emperor Yuan  issued a decree to posthumously confer him the title of crown prince, set up memorial tablets in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and a burial ground.


    People of Great Yuan mourned deeply. Those who went to the Ancestral Temple to offer incense and grieved lasted for several months. They raised orchids from door to door and placed them on the street during the festival because they knew the Third Prince liked them. The flowerpots stretched for tens of miles and the fragrance lasted for a long time.


    Afterwards, a great number of people recalled that a renowned shaman had predicted the emergence of 9 constellations in a sequence linked like a string of beads before the great war at Hangu Pass. That night, as the world slept, everyone dreamt one by one, as if floating in Huangling dream.


    (t/n Huangling dream-illusions of wealth and glory; pipe dream)


    Black clouds blanketed the country in the dream, with thunder streaks resembling coiling dragons surging just above sky.


    A white-clad general riding a horse approached from a distance. He was surrounded by smoke, flames, sand, and halberds. Blood dyed his white robes red. Looking around, all the black cavalry behind him had fallen, some staggered and slipped off their horses one by one.


    The Third Prince collapsed to the ground, and suddenly laughed facing the sky. He picked up his sword and placed it across his neck.


    Torrential rain poured in an instant. His black hair was completely scattered, his eyes were unfathomable, and his appearance was like frost.


    All who dreamed fell into a trance. They witnessed him wielding a long sword, guarded the border, came out from the Hangu Pass and stumbled under the city gate.


    When Lord Duan awoke from his dream, he couldn¡¯t tell the difference between Zhuang Zhou¡¯s dream of a butterfly or a butterfly dreamed of Zhuang Zhou. After word spread that the Third Prince had died at Hangu Pass, the common people brought up the strange dream one after the other, claiming that it was because of Heaven¡¯s compassion that he allowed an immortal to visit in one¡¯s dream to make a request.


    (t/n Zhuang Zhou¡¯s dream of a butterfly or a butterfly dreamed of Zhuang Zhou-This idiom means that I don¡¯t know if it was Zhuang Zhou who dreamed and became a butterfly, or whether the butterfly dreamed and became Zhuang Zhou. Later, it refers to a wonderful dream, or a metaphor for the fickleness of life.)


    Legend has it that immortals who have gone down to earth to experience calamities, should naturally return to the heavens after protecting the common people.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    Since then, the Third Prince¡¯s sword, Qixing Longyuan, had likewise followed the owner to his death, and its current whereabouts remained unknown.


    But now, it has reappeared in front of the Great Yuan Capital.


    It appeared¡­¡­. in the hands of a blind swordsman.


    Lord Duan was about to come forward to clarify his doubts, when he looked up and accidentally saw the face of the swordsman in white, which made him almost fall to his knees.


    Even if there were a few more layers of cloth on his eyes, Lord Duan would never forget his outstanding face, his noble and graceful temperament.


    Lord Duan was immediately drenched in sweat. He quickly clasped his fists with the other and knelt, saying-


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    ¡°This general welcomes His Royal Highness the Third Prince back!¡±


    The author has something to say:


    The first chapter is for everyone to read.


    This article has no complete basis, but the background of the times has reference to the real history. You should also see which period it is. The overhead of this article is that according to the needs of the plot, the author has made a mess of the address system of each dynasty. In addition, there is a little mysterious martial arts background in the background of this article, so it is really an overhead state of the whole line. Don¡¯t come here for textual research, because I won¡¯t change the textual research! There is only a small amount of talent and learning. I am illiterate. I will scold myself first. If you can¡¯t accept this overhead setting, don¡¯t look down!!!


    In addition, although this is a serious play, it has no machinations. The author¡¯s IQ is limited and he can¡¯t write it out. Only his gratitude and resentment, love and hatred. That¡¯s all.

 Chapter 2.1

    Chapter 2.1


    The surrounding was dead silent.


    First,  it was because of Lord Duan¡¯s exclamation of ¡°Qixing Long Yuan¡±, then later they witnessed the Great Yuan Commander knelt and saluted  the white-clothed gentleman. All the onlookers, from the stationed guards to the common people, had an incredulous and bitter look on their faces.


    Even the little girl who had grasped her aunts¡¯ clothes stopped crying, stuck her head out from behind, and peered curiously in front of her.


    The deputy commander who accompanied Lord Duan was perplexed as well, but he did not join him and knelt down on one knee. ¡°Commander, the Third Prince had already perished at Hangu Pass. His Majesty had conferred on him the posthumous title of crown prince, buried him in the Imperial Mausoleum, and his memorial tablet had been enshrined in Tai Temple for more than a year.¡±


    That¡¯s right. The Third Prince was already dead for more than a year now.


    When at war, the commander was normally in command of the major forces; this was a standard procedure. Back and forth communications within the main troops were as fast as breathing.  Morale would remain high as long as the flag did not fall. However, some generals on the continent were exceptionally rebellious, leading both left and right flanks of soldiers to surge to the front.


    Even the reigning Emperor Yuan. When he was still a prince, was equally eager to wear armor, lead troops to battle, and create a reputation for himself in the Seven Kingdoms.


    The Third Prince was already known for his bravery and good fighting skills in battle. He even led his troops and made a surprise attack. Naturally, it was impossible for him to sit in the rear and stand by idly.


    Emperor Yuan ordered 100,000 troops to clear the battlefield after the war at Hangu Pass. Hundreds of thousands excavated Hangu Pass three feet from the ground, practically turning it over,  yet they still were unable to find any traces of the Third Prince.


    Unexpectedly, the Prime Minister, Nang Qianxue, wrote a letter of remonstrance, stating that the four countries that jointly attacked the Great Yuan had their own reasons.


    The status of the Third Prince in Great Yuan was self-evident. If the future crown prince was sure to be captured, a living hostage was naturally more valuable than a corpse.


    Despite that, no one from the other four countries has implied or declared that they have the Third Prince even half a month after. However, a possibility of him being alive was still there.


    Unfortunately, at that moment, a consensus was reached that the Third Prince was killed at Hangu Pass.


    ¡°Commander, speak with caution!¡±


    Not only was it for the commander, but also for the painter who was trembling and splashed ink on the ground.


    As everyone knows, the current Emperor has been tyrannical and violent these days.


    -One that carved the heart of wild goose claws, a paternal monarch represented by a snake. Furthermore, Emperor Yuan was very skeptical. If a false clue surfaced about the whereabouts of the Third Prince, death or severe torture will be administered instantly. It had been a common occurrence for the monarch¡¯s relatives of nine generations to be punished. Discussing the matters of the royal family was a serious crime punishable by law.


    (t/n carved heart goose claw-kind on the outside but vicious on the inside)


    Gu Ziyuan, who was standing beside him, was stunned and hesitantly said, ¡°This¡­. the commander is probably admitting the wrong person, right?¡±


    Although Confucianism was an excellent school and its disciples had only been wandering around in small countries such as Bo and Huo, the name Third Prince was so well-known that it was difficult to ignore.


    A weak scholar¡¯s heart like that of Gu Ziyuan¡¯s, who can¡¯t even lift their hands, thinks that all the generals of Great Yuan were roughly equal to the King of Beining, the general of Wuning, known as the ¡°God of Carnage¡±, who was blue-faced fangs and ferocious.


    (t/n blue-faced fangs-terrifying in appearance)


    However, ¡°Gu Luo¡±, this close friend of the Confucian leader, was a man covered in moonlight and an excellent swordsman. Although he lost his memory due to serious injury, he had never been confused or worried. Instead, he was cheerful, optimistic and dignified.


    (t/n obviously referring to Zong Lou here.)


    Furthermore, he would get up every day before dawn to practice and when someone asked him some advice on swordsmanship, he would answer any questions. After a year of recuperation in the Confucian Yalu, when he decided to travel along to Great Yuan, it was no exaggeration to say that half of the entire residents saw him off. Its scale was comparable to that of a leader, which shows his high moral integrity.


    Such an inherent impression made it difficult for Gu Ziyuan to associate the Third Prince of the Great Yuan with ¡°Gu Luo¡±.


    As for the sword, the same as all the famous swords under the land of heaven,  would also wander and eventually get lost. Zhan Lu, also one of the top ten swords listed in the arsenal file, was once treasured in the Imperial Palace of Yue Kingdom. After the Yue Kingdom fell, it was taken away by Emperor Yuan, who was still a prince at that time.


    If something like that could happen to Zhan Lu, the same thing could also happen to Qixing Long Yuan.


    Gu Ziyuan never thought about the possibility.


    ¡°Yes, I also think you got the wrong person. You should get up first.¡±


    Under their joint rebuttals, Lord Duan was also a little uncertain. He looked up and saw that the young master in white was still standing in front of the city gate calmly. His side profile was clear and beautiful, like that of an immortal.


    The more he stared at him, the more glaring the obvious answer was.


    This was clearly the Third Prince. Lord Duan couldn¡¯t help asking himself. Apart from him, who else in the world can have such a magnificent appearance?


    But if he really was the Third Prince, why had His Highness never returned to the Great Yuan, not even a word or a message of his whereabouts for more than a year? Furthermore, why did he only return now and even appear in such a state?


    The more Lord Duan thought about it, the more frightened he became, but he couldn¡¯t just sit back and watch.


    Because in the final analysis, the garrison owed the Third Prince a great favor.


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    Although Lord Duan was an idle son of an official, if he hadn¡¯t nearly died at the battle on Hangu Pass, he wouldn¡¯t have taken over as the chief commander.


    But, regardless of how idle you are, you can¡¯t help but be apprehensive of individuals who you suspected to be your life benefactors.


    ¡°¡­ This young master, can I take the liberty to ask, can you temporarily take off the white silk covering your eyes?¡±


    Even though he believed in his heart that nine out of ten possibilities, the young man was  really the Third Prince, he still needed to clear that small percent of uncertainty. Lord Duan would not give up and he would need to see the man¡¯s eyes. Before that, he did not dare jump to conclusions.


    Zong Luo, who had never spoken from beginning to end, immediately showed an apologetic smile, ¡°A few days ago, the medical sage advised me before he left that this white silk must not be taken off and that I should wait for the old man to come back and change the dressing for me.¡±


    This was a rejection and a blunt reason that people can¡¯t find fault with.


    The scene was at an impasse for a while.


    Hearing Zong Luo¡¯s refusal, Gu Ziyuan also added, ¡°Don¡¯t make it difficult for Gu Luo¡¯er, commander, he has been seriously injured and suffered amnesia. Even if you have doubts about his identity, why not ask someone from Zongzheng Mansion to come and make a decision instead of continue asserting under the city gate.¡±


    (t/n Zongzheng Mansion, official name Zongzheng- in charge of the emperor¡¯s relatives or foreign relatives and other related affairs in the court)


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late now, we have to enter the capital and take a rest. If the registration is already completed, I would also ask to let us pass as soon as possible.¡±


    Gu Lou? His surname was Gu yet his name was the same as that of the Third Prince, was injured a year ago and lost his memory?!


    Then it all makes sense! Not only did it make sense, but everything also fits perfectly. Lord Duan was suddenly in a predicament. What if he¡¯s wrong? Then what if he¡¯s right?


    He gritted his teeth and was about to take the risk of letting his men ask the Zhengcheng Mansion¡¯s assistant officer to come and decide, when he noticed a cloud of dust and sand from a distance, rushing towards them accompanied by the sounds of horse¡¯s hooves and whips.


    ¡°Imperial decree arrives¡ª¡±


    A eunuch sat upright on horseback, unfolded the imperial edict, and read aloud:


    ¡°Receive the mandate of heaven of both longevity and eternal prosperity for thousands of days to come, the Garrison Army General will immediately open the gates of the capital to welcome the King of Beining back. Respect the order!¡±


    The crowd was in an uproar.


    King of Beining, the Wuning General and the only vassal state of the Great Yuan.


    Countless rebellions led by princes from past dynasties sparked fires of war that blazed across the nation, wreaking havoc. The Great Yuan had invested scrupulous efforts for numerous generations simply to defend its land. If they followed the previous dynasty¡¯s course, their ancestors would be so enraged that they would rise from their graves in the Imperial Mausoleum.


    For this reason, in order to avoid repeating the same mistake, all the princes of the Yuan Dynasty, even Zong Luo, the Third Prince with the most outstanding achievements, were not given the title Prince.


    And the brothers and sisters of Emperor Yuan, either died on the battlefield, or were killed by him, and none of them lived to see him ascend to the throne. Naturally, there was no way to talk about it.


    (t/n no way to talk about it-It means that things are too complicated and there is a lot to say, but don¡¯t know where to start.)


    In the end, the only remaining relative of Emperor Yuan was the King of Beining, who had a different surname.


    Although the King of Beining was still young, he was already entitled  the ¡°God of Carnage¡±. He led his troops to Zhenbei and reclaimed the lost land in the hands of Huns during the late emperor¡¯s reign in barely half a year.  As a result, he established a meritorious deed, a notable achievement, an unprecedented record, and became notorious across the continent.


    (t/n Huns- nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD)


    Because of his outstanding military exploits, Emperor Yuan¡¯s dragon¡¯s face was very delighted. With a wave of his hand, he was immediately promoted to the rank of nobility. He hardly even waited for the next promotion, and directly conferred him as King.


    Now, the King of Beining, who had been out for more than half a year, had finally returned.


    The garrison soldiers who bowed and saluted in the rear whispered, ¡°There should be a progress in the battle at Nanliang!¡±


    After the King of Beining settled the northern border, he was then transferred to lead the Tianji troops, focusing on external expansion. He dispatched troops to Nanliang a few years ago. After counting the days, it should be the time to return.


    ¡°This minister heeds the decree!¡±


    As soon as the imperial edict arrived, Lord Duan didn¡¯t have time to worry about whether the gentleman was really the Third Prince or not , and hurriedly organized the surrounding guards to clear the scene together. ¡°Quick, quick, go to the side, and register later.¡±


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    The registration tables were removed and the people who queued to enter the capital consciously stood aside.


    Seeing the commotion, Gu Ziyuan took advantage of it and pulled Zong Luo without forgetting to grab the Qixing Long Yuan sword and returned to the queueing Confucian disciples.


    Now the sky was getting darker and burning red clouds could be spotted at the horizon. The guards stationed at the periphery lit up their torches and finally saw a string of fast-moving figures at the horizon where the sky and land meet.


    Upon closer look, a majestic black and red war flag was hoisted above the string of figures.


    The Yuan people respected dark colors. If this unyielding color would be put in the past, it would certainly be ridiculed by the other six countries. But now if it were to stand on the borders of the remaining three countries,  beacon towers would immediately relay a warning faster than one point at a time, scaring the enemy to death.

 Chapter 2.2

    Chapter 2.2


    ¡°It¡¯s the battle flag of the King of Beining! Quickly, open the gates!¡±


    At the command of the Marquis, the half-closed heavy city gates were immediately pulled open to both sides, and the rumbling sound traveled far and wide on the main road. The wind swept the dense golden leaves from the ground and scattered them down in a swirl.


    Guards holding spears and halberds in their hands trotted neatly. They stopped and stood upright on both sides of the road with their weapons at their sides.


    ¡°Give way, give way! Open the gates!¡±


    It was clearly noon, the time for the common people to eat, digest their meal and rest, yet noticing the commotion, they all shunned and quickly cleared a path for the guards. When many people heard the news, they stopped eating and called friends to go out and watch, blocking the long street.


    ¡°Guards were clearing the road. Seems like some troops are returning to the capital.¡± Some discussed amongst the crowd. ¡°Returning? Which army is it?¡±


    In the Great Yuan, every martial artist¡¯s dream was to join the Great Yuan¡¯s forces. Whether it be the Black Calvary, the former Third Princes¡¯ personal soldiers, the King of Beining¡¯s Tianji Army, the Dingbei Troops guarding the border, the Garrison Army guarding the Imperial City, or the newly built Weishan Army. All these forces were famous for their bravery in the Great Wilderness.


    ¡°It seems to be the Tianji Army of the King of Beining!¡±


    As soon as the words fell, the crowd of onlookers stopped in unison, and stood up in a proper manner, each and everyone became silent.


    It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that just by mentioning this name could make a child stop from crying at night.


    When the King of Beining vanquished the Huns that year, legend has it that he advanced all the way to Mobei¡¯s hinterland and slaughtered everyone, leaving no one alive. Such harsh methods were unprecedented. The Huns certainly have been terrified after. In recent years, the border had been so peaceful that even the trivial incident of sneaking around had not happened. The words ¡°Yu Beizhou, King of Beining¡± became even more associated with the malevolent ghost who takes lives, making anyone terrified.


    (t/n Mobei-also known as Lingbei, refers to the desert in northern China)


    (t/n Hinterland-which refers to the mainland, the area close to the center)


    The Yuan people revered him, and at the same time feared him.


    In the distance, the dark and profound military flag fluttered in the wind with the burning clouds at the horizon as its backdrop.


    ¡°Yu¨C¡±


    Not long after, a group of men came riding in fast horses with whips. They tightened the reins and slowed down as they approached the city gate.


    ¡°Silence!¡±


    The guards made a hard thump with their spears and halberds on the ground, and the garrison deputy took a step forward and clasped his fists. ¡°We welcome His Highness the King of Beining of his return to the Great Yuan!¡±


    ¡°We welcome His Highness¡¯ return!¡± In an instant, a chorus of loud voices rang together, reverberating across most of the Imperial City streets.


    A neat and solemn army approached. Looking around, the soldiers were all dressed in cold armor, with somber faces and straight backs. The huge number of soldiers was so quiet that only horses¡¯ hooves stirring sand could be heard.


    The man at the forefront had a white fur cloak and dressed in fine red clothes. His long black hair was hung down loosely behind his back. The sunset glow illuminated his red clothes making it more intense yet his wanton eyes were displayed openly, which abruptly forced down this extremely gorgeous color into a foil.


    Everyone present was silent. Who would have thought that the fierce and famous King of Beining would be so handsome.


    Zong Luo just stood where he was and said nothing. Although his eyes were covered, he could still guess what the scene looked like. It should be nothing more than the inherent routine of the protagonist surprising the audience.


    He stood behind Gu Ziyuan quietly, sighing inwardly that he was unlucky.


    Pretending to be blind, pretending to have amnesia, intending to let his sword be discovered and specially choosing to appear under the city gate as the starting point¡­


    This was his plan.


    After knowing that thousands of people chose such a day to enter the Great Yuan and with careful calculations, he followed the ever indulgent Confucianists to enter the Great Yuan together. Lord Duan, the Commander-In-Chief, a loyal subordinate of Emperor Yuan, who was born a general but had no clear standing in court and with shallow foundations, was his target.


    If all goes well, Lord Duan would have sent someone to report to Zongzheng Mansion. Following that would be the issue of ¡°the third prince escaped from death but lost his memory and became blind¡± be put to the table.


    Who would have thought that he would meet the King of Beining, Yu Beizhou sooner. He just had to encounter the biggest and most difficult enemy.


    What is this, fate and hatred?


    (t/n fate and hatred-which means to describe bad luck and often encounter setbacks)


    Zong Luo comforted himself.


    There were a lot of people at the city gate, and the majority of them were common people wearing white clothes. As long as Beizhou doesn¡¯t look in his direction carefully, the matter of his return to Great Yuan after his death could still be carried out according to the original plan. Although there were some slight changes, it should not have deviated too much.


    When the sound of the horse¡¯s hooves approached near the city gate, he heard Yu Beizhou¡¯s lazy voice, ¡°This King¡¯s goshawk, while flying in the sky, saw people crowding under the city gate from a distance, that it could even be hardly opened. What happened?¡±


    Zong Luo: ¡°¡­¡±


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    How could he have forgotten that Yu Beizhou had a very ugly looking goshawk which was pitch-black from top to bottom. It was even better than carrier pigeons used to send messages to the troops stationed in distant locations. It had even intercepted his secret messages to his cavalry several times in the sky and simply put them back quietly like nothing happened.


    The most terrible thing was that this ugly goshawk can understand human nature and secret signs. It can be regarded as the third eye.


    Thinking of this, Zong Luo suddenly missed his horse, Zhao Yebai again.


    His Zhao Yebai was completely snow-white, without a trace of variegation and can even travel thousands of miles a day. But the most significant aspect is that it was loyal and very well-behaved.


    That tragic year, Zong Luo took off Yebai¡¯s saddle, yet it followed him while whimpering until to the border of Bo country while he was escaping with his exhausted body. He had no choice but to slap its buttocks and force it to go back.


    He didn¡¯t know if his men had taken good care of his Zhao Yebai for more than a year.


    Lord Duan clenched his fists and said ¡°Reporting to His Highness, this subordinate found a treasured sword during the routine inspection of weapons, so this subordinate came to take a look.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Yu Beizhou raised his eyebrows, his tone was indifferent, ¡°A treasured sword?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ it was the Qixing Long Yuan.¡±


    After speaking, Lord Duan suddenly remembered something.


    It had been known that the Third Prince was a top disciple of Ghost Valley.


    Ghost Valley¡¯s master was the most famous great master in the Great Wilderness, a master in the art of war and military strategy. Legend has it that he possessed great wisdom. Almost all the amazing and brilliant characters in the Great Wilderness came from his family.


    However, his whereabouts was a mystery, his true identity was a mystery, and even his gender and age were also a mystery. Even if the master was well known, it still depends entirely on fate to encounter and be accepted as an apprentice by the master.


    Coincidentally, the King of Beining also studied at Ghost Valley and they seemed to be the only direct disciples of their generation. Not only were they apprentices from the same master, but the King of Beining was also the junior martial brother of the Third Prince.


    The course of imparting knowledge to its disciples had always been important. That¡¯s why the Ghost Valley sect closed its doors for ten years and only opened it after the disciples graduated. In other words, martial brothers who have been together for ten years should already be intimate with each other, right?


    ¡°From a Confucian disciple.¡±


    Lord Duan hesitantly added, ¡°This subordinate dare not make any wild assumptions, but he¡­¡­.this subordinate don¡¯t know whether to say it or not.¡±


    However Lord Duan remembered to not dare test Yu Beizhou¡¯s uncertain disposition and hurriedly continued.


    ¡°This subordinate thinks¡­¡­ that the one wearing the Qixing Longyuan¡­ may be the Third Prince himself.¡±


    There was dead silence.


    Then the King of Beining chuckled unintelligibly.


    After a while, the goshawk hovering above chirped loudly, dived down, perched firmly on Beizhou¡¯s outstretched arm and folded its wings.


    In the early years, when Beizhou was still not famous, many people laughed at its ugliness. However Beizhou protected and defended it. Now, the grass on the graves of those people who mocked it was already two meters high.


    Now, he was the known King of Beining. He bore the name that brought fear in the Great Wilderness. People dare not come up to him casually. Instead they go back and forth just to please him.


    ¡°Ugly. You haven¡¯t learned the slightest bit of charm from your master for so many years.¡±


    Beizhou lazily slapped the goshawk behind the back and threw it back into the air, ¡°Why had I catch a stupid bird like you in the first place, get out of here.¡±


    The latter cried out in dissatisfaction, turned around and pecked at Yu Beizhou. It flapped its wings and flew back above afterwards yet it suddenly let out a high-pitched cry as if it saw something.


    Hearing the shriek that tore through the air, Zong Luo¡¯s heart pounded. His one hand firmly clenched the edge of his sleeve, while his other grabbed the hilt of the sword. His cold blade lay waiting and is ready to attack at any time.


    On the other hand, the commander who kept clenching his hands and had big drops of cold sweat on his forehead, never yet received any reply from Yu Beizhou.


    Lord Duan finally remembered what he had forgotten.


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    He forgot that the Third Prince and the King of Beining had a bad relationship that was known to the whole court. It¡¯s the kind of fight that happens in the next second they meet each other. Their tit-for-tat confrontation happened everywhere, whether it be on the court or out in the field. It was so bad that some people say they had a blood feud with each other.


    Now, Lord Duan had just said in front of the King of Beining that the Third Prince might have been alive and escaped death unexpectedly. He had just experienced a narrow escape from death a year ago, why must he seek death again and pick a pot that shouldn¡¯t be opened.


    Just when Lord Duan was so flustered and his heart was beating thunderously, Yu Beizhou, who had just thrown the falcon above, suddenly dusted off his hands from an invisible dirt and said in a casual tone. ¡°Where is the person? Take this King to see him.¡±


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    Here come the Jianghu rules, and search ¡°Zongluo¡± in NetEase for the song list.  It blends better when reading this article. The songs in the playlist are the bgm assigned to you when writing something dense and black, everyone should be careful not to leave comments about the text below the original song, obey the etiquette of listening to the song, and listen to the song quietly.

 Chapter 3.1

    Despite hearing the horses hooves approaching and seeing the goshawk swooping down from above, Zong Luo remained unusually calm.


    When misfortune depends on blessing, and blessing lies in the misfortune. Whats going to happen must be a blessing and not a disaster, however, the upcoming casualtywould really be inevitable to escape from.


    (t/n misfortune depends on the blessing, and the blessing lies in the misfortune-Fortune and misfortune are not absolute, they are interdependent and can be transformed into each other. A metaphor that bad things can lead to good results, and good things can lead to bad results.)


    As long as Yu Beizhou comes, it will be no good.


    Who made him the favorite protagonist of the book Can Drink a Cup of Nothing?


    That is, everything revolved around him, everyone adored him, and hes the center of the world within the novel.


    Even if he were to run into him on an ordinary day, Zong Luo would not dismiss it as a casual coincidence.


    If it hadnt been for the little change in plans, he would have begun to suspect that there may have been an error with his fake death plot a year earlier, causing Yu Beizhou to receive the news ahead of his arrival. Hed then rush back to the capital and see him with an unpleasant expression.


    After hating each other for years, Zong Luo believed that he could really do it.


    Zong Luo simply gave out a breath of relief because he knew no one had caught on about his whimsical scheme that year. There was just truly such a coincidence in the world. He who wishes to avoid him will not be able to do so indefinitely. Theres nothing he can do if they happen to meet each other.


    While contemplating, the sound of horses hooves also stopped.


    The handsome young man in red leaned forward against the black iron horse bit with one hand, tilted his head, and stared down. His gaze sweeping over the inch of white fabric that covered the other mans eyes. His phoenix eyes squinted indistinctly, looking both attractive and arrogant.


    Before the commander could say which one of the Confucian scholars was the owner of Qixing Long Yuan, Yu Beizhou spoke lazily first.


    Oh? Are you the Third Prince who came back from the dead from the commanders mouth?


    Duan Junhao silently closed his mouth.


    (t/n Duan Junhao=Lord Duan)


    Zong Luo adjusted his expression, neither modest nor conceited, and made a salute when the inquisitive gaze turned to him. The King had seen this lowly person. What the King said, this lowly person must not accept.


    Yu Beizhou, this fellow, surely must have already recognized him.


    The person that knows the other most in the world was always the adversary.


    Zong Luo and Yu Beizhou had been hostile with each other for many years, and they have long known each others bottom line. It was no exaggeration to say that even if Yu Beizhou turned to ashes, Zong Luo would still recognize him, and vice versa.


    Furthermore, when returning to the Great Yuan after a year, Zong Luo had no intention of hiding his identity. He did not even make the slightest disguise on his face. As for pretending to be amnesiac and pretending to be blind, those were all foreshadowing he laid for himself. He merely hoped that Duan Junhao would go back to report that the Third Prince, who had been believed to be dead, had reappeared amnesiac and blind.


    He had just simply covered his eyes with a piece of cloth, yet its strange how Yu Beizhou kept on pretending not to know it was him.


    Duan Junhaos palm was cold with sweat as he hurriedly introduced the blind gentleman after the King of Beining remained silent. This Young Master is the master of Qixing Long Yuan, a respected Confucianist guest, who was gravely injured a few years ago and became not only blind, but also amnesic. Your Royal Highness, you see?


    Yu Beizhou suddenly raised the corner of his mouth and laughed loudly, startling the black crows perched above the city wall.


    After a while, he finally stopped laughing and sat upright, with a look of subtle excitement. Looks a bit the same.


    Duan Junhao breathed a sigh of relief.


    Along with that sigh, those doubts resurfaced again.


    If hes really the Third Prince, then why?


    Duan Junhaos breath had not been fully released when the King of Beining suddenly leaped upward from the corner of his eyes. He flew off his horse like a dragon, and crimson afterimages quickly flashed. A tremendous gust of wind was rushing directly at the blind young gentleman.


    The incoming palm strike was violent and cold, and an undisguised killing intent was undoubtedly present.


    It was clearly a lethal move.


    At the same time, the goshawk in the sky also screamed and swooped down.


    Brother Luo!


    In addition to being shocked, before the words were finished, Gu Ziyuan was pushed away by Zong Luo.


    Zong Luo abruptly pivoted sideways, his boots stepping on the ray of light cast by the sinking sunset on the maple leaves, and expertly avoided the cold palm strike. He swiftly returned to parry, meeting him palm to palm, and reacted as quickly as thunder.


    Even though he couldnt even see, Zong Luo could identify where Yu Beizhou was merely by listening to the sounds hes making. Furthermore, there was no lack of training in jumping away from thorns and spikes while blindfolded, which was considered an advanced drill when mastering martial arts in the Ghost Valley.


    Two figures, one white and one red, had traded countless blows with their bare hands in front of the city gate in that short amount of time. Ordinary people couldnt perceive their movements clearly, and the garrison guarding the entrance also didnt dare to step forward to stop them.


    The first to leave its owners waist was Qixing Long Yuan.


    In the end, his vision was still limited. The opponent was also pressing him step by step with strong moves with no intentions of holding back. Zong Luo had no choice but to take half a step back, and the silver scabbard shone with cold light as it swept through the opponent, like a fragrant peach blossom being broken off at the end of a sharp sword.


    Before the actual unsheathed sword came in contact, its intent was felt first. The goshawk let out a loud cry and was swept back into the air.


    Tai A, the sword of the person in red, approached silently, about to deflect Zong Luos own sword.


    Tai A was different from Qixing Long Yuan, whose body was silver and white. This swords body was a dark crimson, as if it reflected an eerie blood tint. According to legend, when Tai A was forged, sacrificed human individuals were required and tossed into the furnace. It was the Great Wilderness most infamous evil weapon. As it drew near, intense cold could be felt that was barely manageable.


    Closing on each other, the dark red and the silver white swords were pressed together, and their owners breaths were also intertwined.


    Yu Beizhou leaned closer and in a voice that only the two of them could hear, chuckled, like a sigh sinking into his lips and teeth, whispered,


    Youre finally back, Senior Martial Brother.


    Really this mad dog that doesnt play according to common sense!


    Zong Luos face sank like water.


    Qixing Long Yuan slid to the side at a tricky angle, the long hair that was tied up was lifted up by the sharp action, stabbed diagonally in front of Yu Beizhou, and touched the white fur on his left shoulder.


    Yet when the hilt of the scabbard didnt push forward, Zong Lou realized something and he sighed in his heart.


    The scabbards of both swords rested on each others left shoulders.


    This time, it can only be regarded as a draw.


    Before the people around them could react, this sudden competition was over.


    That alone was enough to shock everyone.


    Who doesnt know that the King of Beining was a student of the Ghost Valley? The vigorous sweeping wind palm strike was enough to finish off someone yet it was parried by the other and even won a draw with the fiercely famous King of Beining who had experienced a hundred battles, while being blind. This Gu Lou Confucian disciple undeniably possessed an equally extraordinary swordsmanship skills.


    The tip of the scabbard resting on Zong Luos left shoulder began to move dangerously downward.


    From the young mans thin shoulder line, Beizhou slid it to the position of his heart, pressed it ambiguously, and then slowly moved to the beautifully curved jaw before the other party got angry.


    To this, Zong Luos reaction was to press the scabbard directly to Yu Beizhous throat, without hesitation.


    Although neither of them drew their swords, they both pointed their scabbards at each others lifeline. A slight change would result in one thousand injuries to the enemy and eight hundred to themselves.


    (t/n killing a thousand enemies and losing eight hundred- It means that if you fight head-to-head with others, it is not only the enemy who suffers heavy losses, but in actuality, both parties will suffer losses.)


    Feeling Qixing Long Yuans killing intent, the pair of black jade-like irises immediately lit up, like a child who just recovered his favorite toy, as if there wasnt a sword pointing at his throat.


    Even if he cant see it, Zong Luo can feel the gaze of the other person. Like a cold-blooded animal waiting for an opportunity to crawl in the dark. The heat in his body was rising steadily, and it still felt creepy and exceedingly uncomfortable even with the layers of fabric covering his eyes.


    Zong Luo:


    After transmigrating inside the book for too long, he forgot that Yu Beizhou was actually a masochist pervert.


    He gets thrilled when he sees blood. Pain and murderous aura were both pleasurable sensations for him.


    After hesitating for a moment, he took the lead in withdrawing his hand, hung the sword back on his waist, and said lightly. This lowly individual doesnt know why the King suddenly struck. He had no choice but to defend. Please take no offense.


    The smile on Yu Beizhous lips widened, and hypocritically replied, Where, I havent seen this Qixing Long Yuan for a long time. I got excited when I saw it, I gave it a try. Gentleman, dont take it to heart.


    He was born good-looking, with a face like a bright moon, and crimson lips. The flamboyant red clothes made his eyebrows and eyes more beautiful, and the ends of his eyes were faint red due to Zong Luos killing intent. He looked like a ghost crawling out of a coffin to seduce peoples souls.


    Now, if this gossip was said, Yu Beizhous long and narrow phoenix would only curve slightly and he would smile lazily. There was no sense of formality at all, and it only made people feel like a rambunctious teenager who didnt grow up.


    Precisely like an enchanting and sinful demons face.


    Zong Luo took back hissword, but he didnt. The words coming out of his lips were only said on a whim. Instead, the TaiA under the opponents chin gently moved, forcing Zong Luo to lift his head towards him.

 Chapter 3.2

    The young man in white had a calm face, yet his thin lips were tightly pursed, and the white silk covering his eyes made him look weak. His expression was neither sad nor happy. Just how clear and transparent this person was.


    Yu Beizhou stared at him for a while, his crow feather-like eyelashes blinked twice, his mind uncertain.


    Seeing Duan Junhaos expression on the side, he suddenly said casually, Dont you suspect that this is His Royal Highness the Third Prince? Dont you want to come and take a look.


    It turned out that he simply struck the person suddenly, just to see if he really was the one?


    Duan Junhao was sweating buckets.


    He was the garrison commander who temporarily took over after his father. Although he had previously commanded a few minor battles, he was still a long way from the generals like Yu Beizhou who were in charge of a large army and expanding the territory of the Great Yuan. Hell only be overwhelmed if they stand side by side.


    Moreover, what is the identity of the Third Prince?


    Its fine if he guessed it right, but if it was the opposite, he will end up being charged with falsely testifying a person as a member of the royal family.


    This humble minister is stupid and he cant see it.


    Looking at Yu Beizhou, he was already used to his usual appearance. Duan Junhao only dared to bow his head on one side while silently deepening the impression of the cruel and twisted character of the King of Beining in his heart.


    Stupid. Yu Beizhou lazily spit out a word.


    Forget it, after all, you are not this King. How can someone know better than this King on what this Kings good senior brother looked like?


    He deliberately emphasized the pronunciation of the word good, and his tone was particularly malicious.


    Duan Junhao looked at the white-clothed gentleman who was still standing in the same place, with his chin lifted up by Yu Beizhous Tai A sword, and felt a little numb for a while. Then this


    If the person was really the Third prince with amnesia, the King of Beining was tantamount to committing a crime, and of course no one would dare to accuse him of anything. Then, if the person wasnt, the act of the King of Beining fighting him just now, and his expression of great delight, really confused people.


    Theyre quite similar.


    Yu Beizhou smiled and said. This King leads troops all the year round, and this King hasnt seen his senior brother for a long time. Not to mention that there were even no bones left after the battle of His Royal Highness the Third Prince in Hangu Pass. This King hadnt even seen his face for the last time, it was really a pity. Now, looking back, this King doesnt really remember what he looked like clearly. But seeing this Young Master now, theres a bit of a glimpse.


    This is clearly reversing black and white and slandering the innocent- all hes saying were nonsense!


    Across the layer of cloth, Zong Luo felt his blood surged up and his temples jumped.


    Can Yu Beizhou really not remember the face of his long-time enemy?


    Besides, this fellow was acting intimate, referring to him as senior brother one after another. Zong Luo cant even remember a time when he and Yu Beizhou had become acquainted with each other to the point where they could call each other martial brothers. Hes afraid it can only happen inside a dream.


    Sure enough, as soon as Yu Beizhous shit-stirring stick comes out, the outcome would be bad.


    (t/n shit-stirring stick- calling someone who loves to gossip, likes to stir up trouble, stir up trouble everywhere, mix good things into bad things, and get tangled up.)


    He just had implemented the first part of his plan, yet it unexpectedly died immediately afterwards.


    Originally, Zong Luo thought of approaching the inexperienced commander Duan Junhao at the gate of the city who just took office recently and let him report his suspicious identity. Afterwards, he would naturally and logically start the layout of his plan from there. Where would he have the time to deal with Yu Beizhou?


    Yet still saying it now to his own face after what happened, was like being slapped by his own words. If he wants to return back, he has to make another plan.


    Zong Luo was a postgraduate tutor before he transmigrated into the book. On usual days, students brought by his subordinates would be too pissed at him for something. Yet he would just still talk about anything while holding and taking a sip of wolfberry wine steadily and calmly. After crossing into the book, he did not act arrogant nor impetuous in his affairs, and even the old officials in the court had to praise him for his indifference, unmoved by either gain or loss.


    Only in front of Yu Beizhou, was it difficult for him to maintain this steadiness.


    The great commander said embarrassingly. So its like that. This humble servant was abrupt on his decision. The Third Princes celestial appearance, could it be something that can be guessed at will?


    Since the King of Beining only said like, it was unlikely that this person was the Third Prince.


    Indeed, on second thought, as long as the white cloth was not taken off, no one would dare to jump to conclusions.


    The doubts in Duan Junhaos heart were completely extinguished, and he saluted towards Zong Luo apologetically. Its really that Im too irritable and thoughtless. I had thought about it for a while and I had really offended this gentleman.


    Zong Luo was annoyed in his heart, and returned the salute with a vacuous expression on his face. The great commander controls the garrison army, and he manages all kinds of problems all day, so naturally this common man wont mind.


    Seeing the twos exchange, Yu Beizhou reluctantly took back his sword and got on his horse again.


    He condescendingly swept over Zong Luos bony hands, he suddenly seemed to remember something, and laughed to himself.


    Zong Luo listened to the laughter and felt that if this person were placed in the modern time, he would definitely be sent to a mental hospital.


    When Yu Beizhou saw him, he just stayed where he was and laughed for a few minutes without panting. After laughing, he made a killing move, which was fatal, and incidentally ruined his plans.


    With a smile, Yu Beizhou said again. Its a coincidence that this King has recently acquired several Confucian and Taoist classics, which seem to be written by Wen Zi.


    Since the senior martial brothers passing, this King had been in pain and missed him very much. Presumably in the future, this King will stay in Great Yuan for a long time. Looking at this gentlemans good face, since you came to the Great Yuan with these Confucianists, if you have time in your spare time, you might as well come to Beining Palace to give a lecture or two to this King.


    Yu Beizhou took off the jade pendant tied on his waist and threw it, but secretly used a little more force than normal.


    Zong Luo raised his hand and caught the jade pendant accurately. His tigers mouth became numb, and he was speechless for a moment by such a childish trick.


    (t/n tigers mouth-the web between the thumb and forefinger of a hand)


    When this gentleman comes, just show the jade pendant directly at the gate of the palace, and this King will definitely be there..


    He lowered his voice and said meaningfully, This King will definitely sweep the couch to greet you.


    (t/n sweep the couch to greet the you- welcome the guest (you)


    After speaking, Yu Beizhou blew a whistle and didnt give the rest of the unrelated people a look. The horses hooves kicked up dust as it galloped away.


    The pitch-black goshawk extended its wings and followed him.


    After the group of troops disappeared, Gu Ziyuan, who was standing beside Zong Luo, came back to his senses, with an excited expression, exclaimed, Brother Luo!


    Wen Zi was a Confucian teacher who had died hundreds of years before. Wen Zi enjoyed traveling over the world, studying, preaching and leaving many classics in numerous nations whilst he was still alive. However, the Confucian Han Lu was left out with nothing of his classics left behind.


    Nevertheless, most of Wen Zis classics fell in the hands of princes and nobles and its difficult to associate these people with common identities on ordinary days.


    Gu Ziyuan had long heard that when the King of Beining conquered the capitals of many countries, he not only did not destroy the ancient inscriptions, but he also ordered his men to load these wooden slips into carts and take them to Great Yuans capital. Although what hes doing was a robbers act, in all respect, besides defeating the enemy, he also didnt let some old classics be lost, which was very fortunate.


    He sighed, I didnt expect the King of Beining to be so handsome and young, instead of the green-faced fangs from some folklore.


    (t/n green- faced fang-terrifying in appearance)


    Now that the King of Beining had left his jade pendant with him.


    It was not only a request for Gu Luo to show up on his doors, but also an acknowledgment for the Confucianists who were about to enter the Great Yuan that had no foundation. Given the King of Beinings pivotal position in the capital, its almost the polar opposite of Confucianisms unfavorable status inside the big country. It was not an exaggeration to say that it was a step to the sky for the Confucianists, and it simply raised Gu Ziyuans favor towards the King of Beining.


    Gu Ziyuan, who was still feeling exuberant, added. Even if you dont agree, Ill still say it. Although the King of Beining acted violently, it was also a blessing in disguise Brother Luo, what do you think?


    Zong Luo didnt say a word.


    He had grown accustomed to everybody in the book treating Yu Beizhou with favor. Even if one had a negative initial opinion of him, yet just after a few interactions with him, they would unexpectedly adore him.


    After all, the charm of the protagonist was not nonsense either.


    Only a Confucian scholar like Gu Ziyuan, who knew nothing about martial arts, could not recognize that while Yu Beizhou was talking about learning on the surface, he was actually intent on aiming for his life.


    If he had been a bit more negligent, he would have sprayed blood on the spot, and even if he survived, he would be already halfway to deaths door.


    Come on, dont delay any longer. Enter the city early, and when you arrive at the station, you have to verify your identity and take the time to sort out your luggage.


    Zong Luo flicked his sleeves and returned to his usual calmness. After nodding towards Duan Junhao, he boarded the carriage again.


    They havent seen each other for two years, but Yu Beizhous ability to reverse black and white had improved a lot.


    Zong Lou will definitely write this down. As a transmigrator, he holds the secrets of Yu Beizhou in his hands, and he can take revenge at any time.


    Dressed as cannon fodder in the book, the best way to ensure his own life was of course to hug the protagonists thigh tightly.


    But Zong Luo didnt. He had a stubborn temper like a cow, and it was absolutely impossible for him to submit to just anyone.


    Letting him hug Yu Beizhous thigh? Hed rather be killed instead.


    If a time would come in the future where the white cloth covering his eyes would be untied, he would without doubt have to directly clash with Yu Beizhou again.

 Chapter 4.1

    Zhuque Avenue was coming to an end.


    (t/n Zhuque Avenue (refer to the architectural design of the Ancient Capital City: Changan)- a wide road which fronted the main gates of the imperial palace and inner city, also strictly segregating the imperial palace and government buildings from the civilians dwellings)


    The palace gate was getting closer and closer. The whole person donned on vermilion red, the color that was both bright and solemn, formed a sharp contrast with the palace wall next to it.


    The sunset that was almost sinking on the horizon, shone on the dead branches with its fiery red rays.


    Yu Beizhou dismounted from his horse and threw the rein to a guard who had been waiting for quite some time. With his hands behind his back, he nonchalantly followed a palace servant holding a lantern inside.


    The current emperor of the Great Yuan was very talented and had a broad vision for the future. Had the foresight of sweeping the world, encompassing the universe, the four seas, and absorbing the heart of the Eight Wastelands.


    (t/n sweeping the world, encompassing the universe, the four seas, and absorbing the heart of the Eight Wastelands- means to describe a powerful force that controls the whole world. From the book called Guo Qin Lun.)


    There were originally seven countries in the early years, but the Great Yuan swept away the three neighboring states, leaving only three to survive. The rest of the little nations amounted to none, naturally, there would be nothing to be concerned about. It would not be inconceivable to look forward to seeing it, given Emperor Yuans integrity.


    Beizhou had also conquered Nanliang this time. Overall, only the Wei and Yu states have still yet to be amalgamated into the Great Yuan territory, and the accomplishments that no one had accomplished throughout the years were now within reach.


    (t/n Nanliang- Liang Kingdom)


    Soon, Yu Beizhou reached the front of the palace.


    After the palace servant made the announcement, he waited and stood at the door with his head bowed, not daring to take a step beyond the thunder pond.


    (t/n dare not to step beyond the thunder pond- warns people to abide by the laws of something, to act within the allowed range and boundaries; refers to not daring to do things beyond a certain range, and mostly refers to being conservative and rigid)


    Beizhou then lifted his foot and stepped into the main hall.


    Inside, Emperor Yuan, dressed in a black dragon robe and seated on a dragon chair on a high platform, was not angry or arrogant. The twelve jade tassels dangling from the Emperors crown obscured the Ninety-Five venerables deep and dark pupils, heightening the impression of condescending aggression.


    (t/n not angry and arrogant- to describe a person who is not angry, but still has a majestic temperament. Generally used to describe the aura of a leader who is in a high position or is upright and awe-inspiring.)


    (t/n Ninety-five venerable (Ninety-five Zhizun) a Chinese idiom, pinyin is ji w zh zn- which used to refer to the honor of the emperor. Ancient China divided numbers into yang numbers and yin numbers, odd numbers are yang, and even numbers are yin. Nine is the highest in the number of yang, and five is in the middle. Therefore, nine and five symbolize the authority of the emperor, which is called the honor of nine and five.)


    The spacious main hall was extremely quiet.


    All the eunuchs and servants inside crouched on the ground, not saying anything to His Majesty to convince him to calm down. It was almost frightening how silent it was.


    At this time, only Yu Beizhou, who was greatly favored by the emperor, could still stand.


    Yu Beizhou swept a glance at the scattered letters on the ground with sharp eyes, and knew in his heart which one had caused Emperor Yuans rage.


    As the saying goes, accompanying a king is like accompanying a tiger. Especially in front of an emperor like Emperor Yuan, who was normally callous, didnt say much and neither joy nor rage could be seen on his face. He had to be wary, as if treading on thin ice.


    (t/n accompanying a king is like accompanying a tiger-there is a danger of death at any time. Refers to the moody big people, causing disasters.)


    Yet Beizhou was not afraid, and directly made an obeisance. This General sees Your Majesty.


    (t/n sees- pin yin cn jin, the definition means to meet; to meet the superior with certain etiquette.)


    Seeing him come in, Emperor Yuans expression improved slightly. Yu Qing.


    (t/n Qing- referring to a minister or a high official in ancient times ; an emperors form of address for a minister ; a term of endearment formerly used between husband and wife or among close friends)


    In front of Emperor Yuan, Yu Beizhou, who usually lacked courtesy, was forced to stand up straight. His statements were succinct, to-the-point, and without reservation. Your Majesty, Nanliang has already written a letter of descent, and it will be delivered to the Imperial Capital in two days.


    Emperor Yuan laughed, Good! As expected of Yu Qing!


    The original chilling atmosphere dissolved in an instant, and a Lang Zhong, who was prostrating on the ground, finally released a sigh of relief. He was well aware of Emperor Yuans volatile temperament. He was afraid that if the Son of Heaven remained angry, he had no guarantee that he would be able keep his head.


    (t/n Lang Zhong- is a senior official who is in charge of the affairs of various departments, and its position is second only to the prime minister. A general name of an imperial attendant. Its responsibilities were originally to escort, advise at any time, counselor and dispatch.


    Later, the title of Lang Zhong as a physician began in the Song Dynasty. Respectfully calling doctors Lang Zhong is a southern dialect, which was caused by the proliferation of official titles after the end of the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties)


    Fortunately, the King of Beining was present. There was no one in this nation who didnt know how much His Majesty appreciated the young King of Beining.


    At the end, the Emperor continued to ask, I dont know how Yu Qing broke through the city gate of the Huyan clan in Nanliang?


    In fact, these were already written in the battle report, but Emperor Yuan was concerned about military affairs.Therefore, naturally wanted to ask in detail.


    This General had been laying siege to their capital for a few nights. When the troops of Nanliang were concentrated at the north gate, we took advantage of it and let elite troops surround the rear, and struck simultaneously, smashing the south gate, driving straight in, encircling the officials, and capturing the king to capture the thief. Now Nanliang is at the end of its power, and as long as Your Majesty orders, the Tianji elite troops can help the Liang Emperor to open the city gate at any time and welcome the Great Yuan iron cavalry.


    (t/n to capture the thief, first to capture the king [qn zi xin qn wng ]-capture the ringleader first in order to capture all his followers; Before you can get rid of the petty criminals you must catch their boss; Destroy the leader and the gang will collapse)


    Despite the fact that its only just a few words, Emperor Yuan, whod been likewise eager to lead troops into battle, could not have been ignorant of the risks involved.


    Lets not mention anything else, just taking hundreds of elite soldiers to break through the city gates and just seizing the key point, like beating the snake and hitting it seven inches. A desperate move was enough, and if one werent careful enough, youd wind up surrounded by the Imperial Guards.


    (t/n Beating the snake and hitting seven inches -means that one must grasp the main link when speaking and doing things.)


    Yuan policy was rigorous, and even minor infractions will be handled in accordance with military law.


    But Yuzhou not only invaded swiftly, he also fought such a magnificent battle. The shameful surrender of the Huyan Clan of Nanliang by only a hundred elite warriors will undoubtedly spread around the world and become a laughing stock among scholars and common people.


    When numerous nations collaborated and deployed troops to assault Great Yuan, who made Nanliang leap the highest?


    Emperor Yuan looked at the high-spirited young general through the hanging jade tassels, and the admiration in his black eyes became even greater.


    Beizhous reputation outside of Great Yuan was not very good, and it all had to do with his ruthless methods. After capturing several large tribes of Huns, tens of thousands of them were either buried alive by him or beheaded and drowned Except for women and children, no one was left.


    However, Emperor Yuan himself was a tyrant, no matter when he was leading an army or being an emperor. In addition, the rapid expansion of Great Yuan in recent years was also related to his ability to select talents and make good use of them.


    Therefore, Emperor Yuan not only did not hate Yu Beizhous methods, but fully appreciated it.


    The entire country of Great Yuan supplied army provisions to hundreds of thousands of troops. Even if it was handed to the Huns, their own soldiers rations would be insufficient. If admitting surrender was that simple, the Huns could still reassemble at any time and make a resurgence as long as they didnt perish. It will cost men and material resources at the time, and the Great Yuan army would still suffer in the end.


    Furthermore, the battlefield was always changing rapidly. Hundreds of years ago, the King Fucha of Wu almost relented and let go of King Goujian of Yue. However, who would have thought that King Goujian would lie down and taste the courage and finally lead an army to destroy Wu after nineteen years. Cutting the grass without eradicating the roots will inevitably lead to endless troubles later.


    (t/n lie down and taste the courage [ w xn chng dn] sleep on the brushwood and taste the gall- to nurse vengeance. It is a Chinese idiom that first comes from the Records of the Grand Historian: The Family of King Goujian of Yue in the Western Han Dynasty .


    The original meaning of this idiom means that after the defeat of King Goujian of Yue, he sleeps with firewood and often licks his gall, so as to always be vigilant and not forget the story of his suffering. Later, it describes a person who works hard and strives hard)


    After Nanliang, only the Yu and Wei states were left. The long-cherished wish of the several generations of emperors of Great Yuan to unify the Central Plains was about to be fulfilled, and even the ruthless reigning Emperor Yuan couldnt help but be overwhelmed.


    Thinking like this, Emperor Yuan showed a rare smile, It is the great luck of Great Yuan to have Yu Qing. Tomorrow morning, We will reward Yu Qing heavily!


    This General isnt worthy of His Majestys compliments.


    Beizhou also laughed, with an air of high spirits.


    Seeing that he was in such a good mood, Emperor Yuan asked one more question. We noticed that Yu Qing was in a good mood when he entered the palace today, but whats the happy event?


    The general in red bent his phoenix eyes. Its not a happy event, but this general just saw an old friend.


    Emperor Yuan was also polite, so he naturally did not continue to ask questions after hearing what Beizhou said and just nodded. Since there are only Wei and Yu left, and the Guishan Army has not yet returned, there will be no war until the end of the year. Yu Qing, you should take a good rest and prepare to siege the Yu Kingdom in the future.


    Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. If nothing happens, this subject will now retire.


    On the other side, Zong Luo and Gu Ziyuan led the Confucian disciples and successfully arrived at their designated destination.


    It was purported to be a residence, but it was actually just a few modest courtyards. The Great Yuan was eager for talents, so they set aside a section of the imperial capital for the students to settle in.


    For example, next door to the Confucianists resided physicians and Mohist disciples, and they all greeted and saluted one another just now, and the atmosphere was harmonious.


    During this period of time, the number of schools stationed in Great Yuan increased significantly, all for the Baijia Banquet that was about to be held in the Great Yuan capital.


    (t/n Baijia Banquet (Hundred Family Banquet)- is a unique and ancient traditional folk culture, which belongs to the Lantern Festival custom. Developed from the original doing spring blessings, it is a prayer ceremony held within a tribe. It was gradually reduced into a gathering of social nature later.)


    The Baijia Banquet held every three years was a feast for disciples and hundreds of scholars to exchange knowledge and ideas. The banquet lasted for several months. The main competition included martial arts, hunting, writing, ceremonial rites, music and debate. There were a total of six categories and for each category, a leader would be chosen.


    Furthermore, there were a sequence of activities such as discussions by hundreds of schools of thought, Taoism debate by various schools, ritual sacrifice on a Laba Festival, drinking wine during the winter moon, and so on, which continued until the New Years Day.


    (t/n winter moon- another name for November in the Lunar Calendar)


    (t/n The Laba Festival- which is the eighth day of the 12th lunar month every year, is also known as the Dharma Treasure Festival, Buddha Enlightenment Festival, Enlightenment Meeting and so on. Originally a Buddhist festival to commemorate the enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha, it has gradually become a folk festival.)


    The varied perspectives from the different schools of thought will complement each other, and Qing Dafus will also ultimately monopolize a large number of high-ranking government positions. If the commoners want to make their mark and join into a school of thought, this would be the best opportunity.


    (t/n Qing Dafu-high ministers and nobles)


    And the Baijia Banquet, the banquet that draws the attention of the entire world, was the ideal prospect to ascend the sky in one leap, and students from low-income households would naturally not pass it up. All schools of thought would also contend furiously for the position of an official.


    Zong Luo had only just put his stuff away when he noticed Gu Ziyuan knocked on his door.


    Something wrong Ziyuan?


    Gu Ziyuan said, Its not a big deal. I just happened to pass by a bookshop around the corner and noticed that they were selling some exquisite annotation sheets. There were also five-color wax papers with golden clouds and dragons for sale, as well as Chengxintang Paper and fine silk books.


    (t/n five-color wax paper with gold clouds and dragon-Five-color wax paper depicting the golden cloud and dragon, is a kind of paper. It is made of vellum paper, which is painted with pastels, then calendered with wax, and then painted with mud gold to depict the pattern of cloud dragons. In addition, it can also be painted into patterns such as flowers and birds, landscapes, broken branches and flowers, and Bogu. )


    (t/n Chengxintang paper- was first produced in the Southern Tang Dynasty. There was a book collection in the palace of the Southern Tang Dynasty named Chengxintang. The special paper refined from here, namely Chengxintang paper, was the imperial paper.)

 Chapter 4.2

    Zong Luo immediately understood.


    The Baijia Banquet was not only a venue for academic excursions and exchanges, but it was also an excellent occasion for students from other families to meet and form friends. Renowned papers were analogous to modern business cards, which can be used not only to offer to various dignitaries, but also to create acquaintances of an equal footing. In this scenario, the paper or brocade used in notable pouches was extremely valuable, and it can even reflect the owners taste.


    It was already late when they arrived at the capital. The Baijia Banquet would take place the day after tomorrow. If one doesnt hurry up today to buy a name and offer some conditions, it might be hard for them to make it tomorrow.


    (t/n buy name-Buying a name, pronounced mi mng, is a Chinese word meaning to exchange money for fame)


    Okay, please wait a moment.


    Gu Ziyuans disguised good intentions were known to Zong Luo.


    Although he accompanied the Confucianists to the Great Yuan, merely referred to as a renowned visitor of Confucianism on the surface, yet was actually identified as a Confucian disciple.


    In the eyes of others, because he was blind, and if he wanted to gain benefits, he had to work harder.


    Furthermore, writing was always more challenging for blind individuals. If one arrives early today, one could start preparing in the evening and not have to worry the next day.


    Autumn nights were getting cooler.


    Zong Luo added an outer shirt and opened the door. Its getting late, lets go.


    On ordinary days, he and Gu Ziyuan were somewhat acquaintances, so he naturally accepted his good intentions.


    The two walked side by side and out of the courtyard.


    Zong Luo halted for a moment when he noticed a curled sleeping civet cat by the gate, then he slightly raised his boot and stepped over from the side.


    Gu Ziyuan sighed quietly to himself on the side. Brother Luos martial arts were excellent, as were his hearing and positioning discernment.


    He still remembered when the leader brought Zong Luo back to the Confucian Han Lu, he was said to be gravely hurt and needed to rest. No one was permitted to enter the courtyard where he was recuperating, and it had taken a long time for him to be able to walk outside and indulge in some activities.


    A gentleman was more likely to gain the approval of others. Not only does Zong Luos character have nothing to criticize about, but all Confucians also treated him with respect.


    When getting along with Zong Luo, Gu Ziyuan could easily feel the dignified and mature nature of the other party. Even though he didnt seem to be too old, he always gave people a sense of stability similar to that of a teacher.


    Gu Ziyuan had assumed that Zong Luo would remain in the Han Lu, but he had not anticipated that the leader would permit him to travel with them to Great Yuan. Those who dont want to settle in a corner these days are all ambitious people.


    Brother Luo really had the world in his heart. Although physically disabled, his spirit was firm. This made Gu Ziyuan admire him from the bottom of his heart.


    Speaking of which, after arriving in Great Yuan, what is Brother Luos plan next?


    Zong Luo threw the question back. Ziyuan asked me so, but have you figured out where to go?


    Not really.


    Gu Ziyuan embarrassedly touched his nose. I just hope I can do well at the Baijia Banquet. If I can win the admiration of the nobles, become a Menke, and carry on my Confucianism, it will be very good. If not, I can only blame my lack of talent and shallow learning. Its not too late to return three years later, after going back to Han Lu to restudy.


    (t/n Menke (doormen)-Doormen are divided into several levels according to their different functions. The lowest level is only enough for food and clothing, while the highest level of doormen can eat fish and have a car. Doormen mainly play its role as the masters counselor and bodyguard, and may also develop into the employers personal armed force when necessary.)


    Gu Ziyuan really cares about Zong Luo.


    He was an orphan himself, and he was picked up by the leader when he was a child. He grew up in the Confucian Han Lu since childhood. Since Gu Luo was given the Confucian word Gu after losing his memory, he was naturally regarded as a family.


    He believed that, despite Zong Luos physical illness, his swordsmanship was incredibly strong. Gu Ziyuan didnt realize how formidable he was at first, but after seeing him and King Beining reached a stalemate, he had a feeling that he was.


    Speaking of which, Brother Luo had such a fate with the Third Prince of the Great Yuan Dynasty. I didnt notice that you both have the same name character, and you were even seriously injured a year ago. If it wasnt for Brother Luos memory loss, there might be some connection.


    (t/n fate (Buddhist term)- what is far is predestined, and what is near is cause. It is an invisible connection between people; an opportunity and possibility of some inevitable encounter.)


    Gu Ziyuan added, jokingly, without the smallest suspicion. By the way, since Brother Luo has gained a favor from the King of Beining, why not make a visit to his residence?


    If Gu Lou can truly accept his invitation, he will advance to the top in the future, given the King of Beinings standing in the Great Yuan. Gu Ziyuan will be relieved as long as he can secure an official position.


    Zong Luos smile was a little stiff. Not really.


    In order to prove it, he added another sentence. Everyone sees things differently, but good birds choose wood to live in, and good ministers choose their masters. The King of Beining is violent and wilful, and he is not just someone to get close with.


    (t/n Good birds choose trees to perch [proverb]- The original meaning of it means that good birds will choose ideal trees as their habitats. A metaphor for outstanding talents should choose a good unit that can give full play to their talents and a good leader who makes good use of themselves.


    A good bird chooses a tree, which is a metaphor for a worthy minister to choose a master. Later, good birds choose wood to live in is often used as an allusion for worthy ministers to choose their masters. )


    Makes sense.


    Recalling the malevolent appearance of the King of Beining at the city gate, Gu Ziyuan had a lingering fear. At first, I thought the stories were fake, but now it appears that the widely circulated rumors should be genuine.


    Zong Luo was a little surprised. He thought that anyone who had seen Yu Beizhou in person would be affected by his charismatic aura, but he never expected Gu Ziyuan to remain sensible.


    Just when Zong Luo was silent, Gu Ziyuan added another sentence. Nevertheless, the King of Beining still honored a virtuous person, otherwise he would not have given Brother Luo his jade pendant.


    Zong Luo: .


    He now seemed to know why his Martial Uncle asked Gu Ziyuan to lead the students to the Great Yuan.


    Although Gu Ziyuan was quick in thinking, brilliant in writing, and profound in Confucianism and Legalism and can be called a great Confucian of his generation, in the end, he was still young, building a car behind closed doors, and lacking experience in the world.


    (t/n Building a car behind closed doors is a chinese idiom [b mn zo ch]- carry out ones idea irrespective of external circumstances; divorce oneself from the masses and from reality and act blindly; do whatever one likes individually, oblivious of the world)


    Beizhou luring him with just a few of Wen Zis classics was really too cunning.


    As the two were conversing, they had already walked together to the bookstore on the corner of the street. In the past two days, many scholars have bought notable pouches, pens and paper here. Now that the stall was about to close for the evening, horses and carriages began to arrive one after the other.


    Ah, there are so many people!


    As soon as Gu Ziyuan saw many classics displayed there, his eyes lit up. This famous post with plum patterns is really beautiful. If you buy some, you can fumigate it with fragrant incense when you go back, and then add some dried flowers. Its really elegant.


    (t/n famous post [mn ti]- a name card used to pass when visiting; is an indispensable tool for the communication of ancient officials. The visitor writes his name and other introduction words on the bamboo or wood (paper was not invented at the during the Warring States Period)


    Since there are so many people, then I wont come forward. I have to trouble Ziyuan to choose a few for me.


    Thats only natural. Brother Luo can rest assured to leave this kind of trivial matter to me!


    Obviously, Ziyuan would not back down, taking Zong Luo to a discreet spot near the storefront entrance. The two agreed on an approximate time, and he turned back, eager to enter the shop.


    Zong Luo stood alone under the eaves, but he didnt feel bored, instead began to listen to the sounds around him.


    He wasnt blind at all, and he could see with his eyes intact after removing the strips of cloth covering his eyes, but occasionally shutting one of the five senses was fascinating, and it sharpened the remaining four senses.


    He could hear the chatter of the scholars in the bookshop not far away, the axles of the carriages rolling, the servants horse whipping, the cicadas in the autumn, and the thunder rolls in the sky as he stood here now, concentrating carefully.


    Its going to rain, Zong Luo sighed, took two steps back slightly, and completely shrank his body under the cover of the eaves.


    After being away from Great Yuan for more than a year, he always felt that standing in the Imperial City was something of the past.


    In fact, this was already his third life. Just listening to the various sounds in the imperial city, he felt like a dream of Huang Liang, as if separated from a lifetime.


    (t/n as if separated from a lifetime(Chinese idiom, hung ru g sh)- refers to the feeling of great changes in people and scenery.)


    (t/n a dream of Huangling (Chinese idiom derived from a fable)- According to Records in the Pillow, Lu Sheng met Taoist Lu Weng at the Handan inn and lamented his poverty. Lu Weng took a celadon pillow to let Lu Sheng sleep, while the owner was cooking small rice. Lu Sheng enjoyed all the glory and wealth in his dream. When he woke up, the little rice in the store was not cooked. Based on this story, later generations summed up the idiom huangliangyimeng, which is a metaphor for illusory dreams and unrealizable desires)


    Sure enough, the trickling rain began to fall, as if someone had poured water down the sky, and it quickly developed into a downpour.


    After half a column of incense time, he heard a loud noise amidst the rain in the distance.


    Its the Xuan Cavalry! The Xuan Cavalry has returned to the capital!


    As if echoing, a group of neat and solemn black cavalry passed by like a ghost, galloping on the road of the imperial city, splashing beads of muck everywhere they went.


    The cavalry sat on black horses with upright backs, wearing black armor, helmet, and tall boots on their feet. When he listened raptly, even the horses rushing hooves sounded synchronized. They were extremely well-trained and amazing.


    Zong Luo suddenly raised his head and looked at the intersection. Even if he cant see anything now, he can imagine the heroic appearance of the Xuan Cavalry in the mouths of the people.


    These were the personal soldiers he had spent years and painstakingly cultivated. Accompanying him through life and death, fighting in the surrounding countries, watching the sunset from a tower, watching the full moon in the sand sea, and wading through the sea of blood and mountain of knives. Even in his previous life, even after he committed suicide in front of the city gate, the Xuan cavalry remained united.


    Even though he was claimed to have died already according to the outside world, the Chief Martial Uncle requested the Mohists to provide them with information concerning the Great Yuan from time to time while he was in the Confucian Han Lu.


    Naturally, Zong Luo knew. After his death at Hangu Pass, it was his former deputy general Mu Yuanlong who took over as the General of Xuan cavalry.


    Now listening to the sound of horses hooves falling into the rain with almost the same rhythm, Zong Luo felt a little more relieved.


    For more than a year, although the main general had changed, and they had not often gone out to fight a battle, at least the training of Xuan cavalry had not lagged behind.


    At the same time, the Xuan cavalrys leading general looked back from afar, suddenly reined in the horse, and came to a complete halt in the rain.


    General Mu, whats wrong?


    The captain of the second row was a little surprised to see him stop.


    They were all covered in dark frigid armor, and the rain poured on them looking like weeping candle.


    Mu Yuanlong fixedly looked at the location where he had taken a glimpse just now. Under the curtain of thick rain, an obscured person in white can be hardly seen.


    I just


    He murmured to himself, I seem to have seen His Highness, the Third Prince.

 Chapter 5.1

    Mu Yuanlongs words silenced the Xuan cavalry.


    For a while, there was nothing but the sound of rain falling from the sky and the howling wind that occasionally whisked the fallen leaves off of the ground.


    They were standing under the pouring rain. The chilly rain water streamed horizontally from the crest of the helmet gear to the lower jaw, then down across the breastplate, cleansing the black iron armor as it flashed with a frigid light.


    General Mu, His Royal Highness he has already


    The captain opened and closed his mouth several times in a row. His voice was dry, his throat was blocked and he couldnt say a word.


    Yeah. Mu Yuanlong smiled bitterly, I was a little bewildered.


    Right. If His Highness was still here, would they still be unable to take even a single Nanliang?


    He threw one last gaze while holding the reins. The white figure beneath the eaves, veiled by the rain curtain, vanished. Like the flower in the mirror and moon in the water, an illusion of a boundless autumn moon.


    (t/n the flower in the mirror, and the moon in the water- Originally refers to the flexible and elusive artistic conception in the poem, and later refers to an illusory scene.)


    Just like in that dream, he lured the enemy to go deep alone, and finally resolutely put the sword across his neck.


    Mu Yuanlong turned his head, gave a low command, and thumped the protruding belly of the horse to move forward.


    With the sound of horses hooves stepping on the rain, the well-trained light cavalry finally disappeared at the end of Zhuque Avenue.


    Not far away, Zong Luo, who was watching them galloped away through the door of the bookstore, quietly pulled the white silk up, covered his eyes again, and stood back without saying a word.


    Now was not the time, at least not after the first step of the plan was destroyed by Yu Beizhou.


    He can logically reappear in front of the Xuan Cavalry, but not right now, otherwise Emperor Yuan will be suspicious.


    On the way back, Gu Ziyuan kept talking to him, looking very excited.


    Just now, I bought several kinds of famed papers, the ones with plum patterns, a peach blossom paper, and a narrow paper with rib, sprinkled with beautiful gold powder. Brother Luo, what do you want?


    (t/n Rib, Chinese word, pinyin is lu wn, refers to the swirling pattern or water pattern. Also refers to fingerprints.)


    Zong Luo somewhat got a headache from his blabbering. Ordinary is fine.


    I understand. Ziyuan immediately showed a knowing smile. I chose all the colors that were simple and elegant. I also brought an incense from the Confucian Hanlu. After Brother Luo is done writing on it, give it to me and Ill smoke it with the incense.


    Zong Luo took the ridge paper. After thanking him, he turned around and placed it on the desk inside his room. The oil lamp dimly shone on the table, casting deep and shallow shadows around it.


    Outside the window sill, the rain was still falling,pitter-patter, hitting the window with a slight force. The flames burned for a long time, and finally went out shortly after nightfall.


    That night, Zong Luo had a very long dream.


    He dreamed of his past.


    In the beginning, he was just an ordinary new postgraduate tutor, who worked diligently in research every day and led students at the same time.


    One day, after reading the students unintelligible papers, Zong Luo slumped on the chair, turned on his mobile phone as usual, and was going to find some online novels for entertainment.


    Then he clicked on the Can Drink a Cup of Nothing series.


    The narrative was fascinating. It effectively encapsulates the crux of the story. It depicts the story of a merciless hero who was beloved by tens of thousands. He rose from a prince of an aristocratic family of the state of Wei, turned his hands into the clouds and covered the rain with his hands among the seven countries. His power was immense. Finally, he usurped the throne, and successfully unified the Central Plains.


    (t/n Turning ones hand over for cloud and covering ones hand for rain, pinyin fn shu wi yn, f shu wi y- describes people who are capricious or accustomed to playing with power.)


    Zong Luo read the comments and discovered that the author was still serializing and had published only 40 chapters. The plot had recently been modified to the point where the main character had been crowned Emperor. But so far, the author has not revealed the identity of the true CP. There were a lot of fan wars in the comments, neither side was superior, and many supported the final MPs decision. Many fans even chastised some other protagonists supporters for merely being powder fans.


    However, the most important thing was that this protagonist was still a beautiful, strong and miserable character who was more intelligent than a demon.


    Beauty was the standard configuration of a leading role of ten thousand fans. To be able to attain power and usurp the throne in troubled times, naturally, theres nothing much to say. It was said that he had suffered from a serious illness since childhood, and that he couldnt control the urge to self-mutilate every night of the full moon. Although it was not stated in the story, viewers in the comment section had already produced essays on their own initiative.


    Glancing at the latest chapter, even if the story was only up to 40 chapters, Zong Luo was immediately hooked.


    But because he had to get up early the next day and continue to write the materials for an application, he had to go to bed early tonight. He made a point of only reading 3 chapters then afterwards, put the phone down to go to sleep.


    And then this sleep was one he struggled before finally falling asleep.


    When he woke up again, he found out that he had transmigrated inside the incomplete story and even became a damned cannon fodder in the first chapter of his appearance.


    Great Yuan was the country that finally successfully unified the Central Plains in Can Drink a Cup of Nothing, and it was also a hotbed for the protagonist to realize his ambition and conspiracy to usurp the throne.


    When he transmigrated, Zong Luo became Third Prince of Great Yuan.


    When the Third Prince of the Yuan Dynasty was born, the current Emperor Yuan was still only a prince, and the strength of Great Yuan was far less powerful. The most powerful country at that time was the Wei Kingdom right after its implementation of political reform.


    Therefore, under the pressure of the Wei Kingdoms army, the Third Prince, who was still under one year old, was forced to leave the Imperial City and go to the Wei Kingdom to serve as a hostage.


    Growing up as a child with a proton identity in a different country, one can imagine how difficult life must be.


    (t/n Proton identity, taken from Proton Diplomacy- Emperors and warlords sent their children, wives and other close family members abroad, mainly to hostile countries, forming a strategic diplomatic compromise. Proton diplomacy is an important diplomatic strategy in ancient China, which originated in the Spring and Autumn Period. It is generally seen in small countries expressing their surrender to big countries, and from then on diplomatically, they are subject to enemy countries everywhere.)


    Fortunately, despite the hardships of life, there was an aristocratic family in the Wei Kingdom, who was betrothed to the royal family, willingly receive them in private and surrender to the Great Yuan, so that he, the Third Prince of the Yuan Dynasty, would not starve to death in a foreign country.


    In addition to being grateful, the Third Prince got acquainted with the son of the noble family, Yu Beizhou.


    As the protagonist, Yu Beizhou, who was loved by the heavens and had a halo of admiration from the tens of thousands of people, was naturally also of noble birth. In terms of biological relations, he was likewise the Crown Prince of Weis cousin. With such a prominent background, he did not mind the status of the Third Prince at all. So the two hit it off at first sight and became good friends who talked about everything.


    But, because Can Drink a Cup of Nothing was a danmei novel, and the protagonist had the halo of as long as he is a person, he would fall in love with me, it was natural for the Third Prince to harbor a hazy infatuation for Yu Beizhou.


    Zong Luo:This tutor felt very puzzled.


    No, they are only seven years old, is it reasonable to think about romance so early!


    I dont know if its reasonable or not, but thats what the author wrote anyway.


    Not only that, but it was also written in Can Drink a Cup of Nothing, that when Yu Beizhou and the Third Prince once went out together, they were spotted by the wandering master of the Ghost Valley, and wanted to accept the two as his closed disciples.


    Beizhou readily agreed, but the Third Prince was unable to do so due to various reasons, so the two had to part ways and agreed to meet again after ten years.


    Ten years later, Yu Beizhou started his apprenticeship and embarked on the road of stirring up the situation among the seven countries.


    His first act was to effectively use his childhood playmates proton status to incite strife between Wei and the Yuan Kingdom. He poisoned the Third Prince himself and framed others. He wiped down the massive aristocratic Yu family with minimal effort and clever strategies. He personally destroyed the clan that gave birth to him and withdrew. From an outsiders perspective, it looked like a major catastrophe.


    The poor Third Prince in the original text was thinking about his little bamboo horse. He didnt go back when Great Yuan sent someone to pick him up several times. He just wanted to wait for Yu Beizhou and see his only good friend one last time.


    (t/n Bamboo horse are used to describe the beautiful childhood feelings between men and women)


    It was indeed the last time, after all, he was poisoned to death after finally meeting each other.


    Until his death, the Third Prince did not know that Yu Beizhou had never regarded him as a bamboo horse. He was used as a stepping stone that was thrown away when he was done with it. The first chapter cant be pushed past, so it served as the stepping stone for the spring of hatred for Zong Lou.


    When reading the text that night, Zong Luo didnt think there was anything wrong with this, and even sighed that the protagonist was as ruthless as the author said.Very charismatic!


    Now that he was dressed up as this cannon fodder, he cant wait to buy a train ticket to escape this planet overnight.


    Although he had only read a few chapters, thanks to the comment area. Zong Luo was very aware of the true character of the protagonist of Can Drink a Cup of Nothing, and the meaning of this is not a good person was revealed between the lines.


    In the book, Yu Beizhou was skilled at manipulating powers in court and calculated peoples hearts. He was unscrupulous. He would do anything to achieve his goals and he would do things according to his preferences. Even close family members agree. His entire being was insane and in a state that could not be treated by any medicine.


    Just like this, there were so many people in the book who have followed him forward, swearing allegiance to the death, helping him to seek power and usurp the throne, and change the dynasty, without asking for anything in return.


    By the time Zong Luo transmigrated inside, the Third Prince was already seven years old and had already officially met Yu Beizhou. It was the time where the two got along very well together and often went out to play together when they had nothing to do.


    After Zong Luo found out, he wished he could draw a clear line with Yu Beizhou that night. So in the next month, whenever Beizhou came to find him, he had his servants avoid him, or pretend to be still in bed.


    It was hard counting the days and waiting for that opportune date. Zong Luo secretly went out with his baggage and arrived at the place where the Ghost Valley master appeared in advance according to the location written in the book.


    Sure enough, Zong Luo met the master himself there, and the other party also wanted to accept him as a disciple, just as what was written in the book.


    This humble servant is from the Ghost Valley. I had observed the stars last night, and had the intuition that I should head West. Sure enough, I was not wrong.


    The middle-aged Taoist threw out three copper coins, lowered his eyes, and said with satisfaction. I see that you have excellent bones. You are a martial arts prodigy and you have an extraordinary destiny ahead of you. You are without lofty aspirations and can determine right from wrong. Would you like to worship me as a teacher and devote yourself to 10 yrs of painstaking cultivation?


    Everyone knew that the Ghost Valley Master traveled around the world all year round, and his whereabouts were uncertain. Even the greatest sorcerer cant figure out where he was, saying that it was covered by heaven and cannot be leaked or it would be like a confirmation of the reality of a fantasy.


    Zong Luo remembered the reason why the Third Prince in the book refused to be a disciple. It was because he didnt want to make his father and brother worry far away in Great Yuan. However, now that he had become the Third Prince, and his life was about to die. Who would still care about this? He immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed. Without looking back, he left the country of Wei with the Ghost Valley master.


    The master himself was an all-rounder, and so were his disciples. He can recite poetry, kill the enemy in battle, manipulate the world chess game while talking and laughing, and travel all over the seven countries.


    Furthermore, Zong Luos bones were unique, and he was an adult behind the shell, not to mention he was carrying the wisdom of future generations. He was intelligent and quickly picked up on everything, which made the Ghost Valley master, who loved talents, taught him without any reservation.


    It just so happened that Zong Luo was also very interested in the world inside the book, not to mention that there was a slightly mysterious setting in Can Drink a Cup of Nothing, there existed a wizard island and there was Qinggong and internal force. Although a sword can not open mountains and rivers, it had no problem splitting a wall.


    Just study hard, maybe you can find a way to return to reality.


    Just when Zong Luo was studying the six arts, thinking that he had escaped his inevitable death, he did not expect that the next year, the master would suddenly bring a young boy in red to him.


    (t/n Six arts- learn etiquette, music, archery, horsemanship, calligraphy, and numbers.)


    This is your junior brother and the last closed disciple this Master will take. His name is Yu Beizhou.


    The Ghost Valley master beckoned: Come on, call him Senior Martial Brother.


    Jin Yu! Its great that youre alright.


    The little boy stuck his head out from behind and gave him a sweet smile. The Yu family and the two countries have been looking for you, but they couldnt find you, so you are here all this time!


    Zong Luos face was cold.


    Logically speaking, table characters should be given along with the coming-of-age ceremony, but the Third Prince left his hometown when he was young. If he stayed, the crowning ceremony would have to be held in the state of Wei. Thats why when he left the Great Yuan, he was already given a table character.


    (t/n Table characters- are names other than the real name that express virtue or the meaning of the real name. Also called secondary personal names.)


    Because the Third Prince admired Yu Baizhou so much, he naturally told him his character.


    The master clasped his hands behind his back and said, The etiquette cannot be ignored. Even if you know each other before, you still have to abide by the rules after entering the door.


    AhOkay. So Xiao Beizhou had no choice but to be good and behave well.


    In the book, it was written that in the early stage, in order to restrain his wings, Yu Beizhou disguised himself with a harmless appearance, and it was precisely by relying on this camouflage that he deceived the Third Prince and let the latter dig his heart and liver for him.


    (t/n Dig the heart and dig the liver, Chinese idiom , pinyin is w xn to gn, which means to be very kind to a person, to be kind to him wholeheartedly)


    But no matter what, Zong Luo was a little relieved that he was a generation older.


    After that, the entire Ghost Valley became lively.


    Although Yu Beizhou was cruel by nature, he was still young, and most of the time, as described in the novel, it was largely him disguising himself. But, on the other hand, he had an exquisite appearance, a sweet mouth and can talk very well, and it had never been a disadvantage to please others. Furthermore, the original attribute of having tens of thousands of peoples attraction was still there. Therefore, in just a short period of time, the entire Ghost Valley was captured by this sweet and beautiful little junior brother, except for Zong Luo.


    Zong Luo not only did let himself be fooled by this, but also treated him lukewarm and extremely cold. In the beginning, Yu beizhou would still pretend to be a white lotus flower and every day he would intentionally meet him by chance. One day, he caught up to him


    -why did you leave without saying goodbye at first? Why were you suddenly so cold, and what did I do to make Jin Yu unhappy?


    Annoyed by the noise, Zong Luo swiftly remarked, Only friends can call each other by their secondary personal names. You and I have not yet reached our coming of age ceremony, and we are both martial brothers. This time is different from the past, so the names should also be changed.


    Then he admired the whole process of the twisting and changing of Yu Beizhous perfect mask that it could barely even hang on.


    In the end, he was still young, and his attainment in Tao skills and abilities was still shallow. Since that unhappy breakup, Zong Luo has not seen Beizhou for a long time.


    The latter must have also realized that the other party might already know something, and secretly tried to test it. However, Zong Luo only made a cold face when he stumbled or met an obstacle several times, and eventually, came to Beizhous door for a fight.


    After the two fought with their bare hands in the valley, Beizhou finally let go of the pretentious disguise, and the two reached a settlement.


    On the surface, they treated each other like normal martial brothers, but they played tricks behind each others backs. Of course, Zong Luo always had the upper hand.


    No matter how talented Beizhou was, he was still a little kid, and no matter how powerful he was in the future, it was still in the future. Zong Luo was a dignified tutor, who was upright and selfless and awe-inspiring. If he asked to change the graduation thesis tonight, the students would never dare to delay it until the next day. Where cant Zong Lou handle such a naughty boy?

 Chapter 5.2

    As far as becoming enemies, it was better than to be killed. But if you let him compromise and hug Beizhous thigh, then its better to hold a grudge against each other..


    After all, where was the final end of the Third Prince in Can Drink a Cup of Nothing, Do you still expect Zong Luo to give him face?


    After ten years of hard training, Zong Luo directly returned to Great Yuan and officially became the Third Prince.


    The outclassed by the opponent Yu Beizhou, used other means to deal with the Yu clan of the Wei Kingdom, gave up his plan to travel around the world, turned his head to the Great Yuan military camp, and began to earn military merit step by step. With the halo of the Son of Heaven, he climbed to the rank of Colonel in just one year.


    It just so happened that Zong Luo saw the war raging in the Great Wilderness and the people in dire straits. He had already learned and studied at the Ghost Valley, and did not want to divorce himself from the masses and from reality and act blindly, so he turned to Emperor Yuan to ask for military power and began his military career, hoping to follow the main line and complete the unification of the Central Plains as soon as possible.


    So the two, who should have had little interaction, faced each other again, and the venue of the game changed from the Ghost Valley to the battlefield. Although it was unlikely that people from the same camp would use weapons to beat their own people, there had never been less secret rivalry behind their backs.


    One goes to the next city first, and the other goes directly to the capital. One defeated the Huns, and the other offered the letter of surrender of another country. They dont see each other once a year, but the two each made enough effort to try to trip each other up.


    This situation continued until the First World War at Hangu Pass.


    In the battle of Hangu Pass, 500,000 troops fought against 3,000 elite soldiers. It was a textbook case of a desperate overturning of the situation using few to defeat the enemy, and it directly sent Zong Luos reputation to its peak in the Great Wilderness.


    As the New Year approached, Emperor Yuan informed the kingdom that the coronation of the Crown Prince, which had been delayed for two years, would take place a year later. In general, the ceremony should be put on the agenda following the Shaman Festival ritual.


    However, it was only the other princes who competed for the title of Crown Prince of the Great Yuan.


    As a transgmigrator, Zong Luo did not have the arrogance of ordinary princes and aristocrats who hold their own identities, but was extremely sympathetic to the common people.


    In troubled times, such a noble character naturally makes people look up to the lofty mountains. Coupled with Zong Luos illustrious military exploits, he had a considerable degree of prestige among the common people, and what was rare and valuable was that these were convincing achievements. The other princes were either young or old enough, and they didnt have such strength, so they were forced to look bleak when compared to him.


    (t/n look up to the lofty mountains- a Chinese idiom, pinyin is go shn yng zh, which means a metaphor for noble morality. A metaphor for admiration for noble character. From Book of Songs Xiaoya Che Jurisdiction)


    Moreover, he was the highest in rank among the current princes. But If one really wanted to be the Crown Prince, one must not do what Zong Lou was doing


    Zong Luo had a stable personality, had no ambition, and only had a casual attitude towards the position of the Crown Prince.


    His parents died earlier before he transmigrated into the book, and he was particularly eager for family affection. After passing through, his biological mother died in childbirth, and he became even more fond of several imperial younger brothers and admired and respected his father, Emperor Yuan.


    However, after his coming-of-age ceremony, the great shaman, who had been out of the country, kept the contents of the divination of the destiny of the nation a secret. The next day, Zong Luos military power was suddenly withdrawn, not only was he placed under house arrest in the Imperial City, but also the talk of being crowned as the Crown Prince became distant and impossible.


    Such a development was no different from a thunderbolt out of the blue for Zong Luo. Impulsively, he confronts Emperor Yuan in the palace just to get an explanation.


    But when he came, he did not see him behind closed doors, and instead directly sent Zong Lou to the frontier with an Imperial edict of indefinite date of return.


    Not only that, even his close friend, the Prime Minister Pei Qianxue, didnt say anything about it.


    Zong Luo was finally disheartened. He kowtowed to say goodbye, and left the Imperial City without looking back, and had been stationed at the border ever since.


    Two years later, Emperor Yuan suddenly fell ill and the Imperial City changed.


    For a time, dark tide was surging, the momentum of the several princes seizing the throne heightened, and the fifth prince took the lead in forcing the emperor to abdicate. When the urgent news arrived at the frontier, several days had already passed. Zong Luos spy in the capital, sent a flying pigeon and a letter to him, stating how the matter progressed due to Yu Beizhous participation and becoming the fourth princes biggest reliance.


    After all, everyone knows that the force represented by Yu Beizhou was the biggest force in the capital. After that, not only the prime ministers lineage, but also the remaining Third Princes party after he was transferred to the frontier, was attracted by him. Most people admire him and follow him. His power and influence was at its zenith.


    It can be said that whoever You Beizhou supported, would surely be the next emperor.


    Seeing this, Zong Luo almost laughed out of anger.


    He had been hostile to the other party for many years, and he knew the general direction of the story. How could he not know the character of Yu Beizhou? Him, who had a wolfs ambition and who does not submit to others, helped the fourth prince to make the wedding dress? Push the fourth prince onto the dragon chair?


    (t/n wolfs ambition-a person that is greedy and cruel and full of wild ambitions)


    (t/n making wedding dress for others- chinese saying, A deeper meaning is to say that you are busy and busy, and you do not get any benefits, but instead contribute to the good things of others)


    Im afraid its a joke. After the rebellion, it would almost be the same as stabbing the fourth prince in the back.


    The Huns were casting a covetous look on its prey, and Zong Luo didnt have the half of the tiger talisman to mobilize troops. To say the least, even if he had to press his own prestige and forcibly mobilize the troops, he would never give up the lives of the people in the border areas.


    (t/n The tiger talisman is a military talisman used by the ancient emperors to dispatch troops. It is made from bronze or gold in the shape of a tiger,and it is split into two halves. The left half is given to the general and the right half is kept by the emperor. As long as two tiger talismans are used together, the bearer of the talisman will have the right to dispatch troops.)


    Therefore, after getting the news, Zong Luo could only bring his 3,000 personal soldiers to return and fight back, but he was unexpectedly intercepted in the middle.


    After a long journey along the way, when they were the most exhausted, at the dead of the night, a surprise attack came. This elite army, cultivated by Zong Luo himself, suffered the most serious damage ever in history. When the Imperial city was near, Xuan Cavalry was near to non-existent, and he hadnt received any news from the capital for three days.


    Whether Yu Beizhous rebellion was a success, whether the old dynasty was replaced with a new one, or whether Emperor Yuans condition improved and the court was reorganized, there was no final conclusion.


    In the end, Zong Luo eventually arrived at the foot of the Imperial City wall after going through untold hardships. Black clouds overwhelmed the city and cold winds howled.


    The dark brown city gate was tightly closed, filled with grimness that did not open up to the Third Prince of the Yuan Dynasty. He waited for a little longer, only to know from the secret letter handed by Imperial Censor Xue that Emperor Yuan had woken up from a coma. Although his condition was still not optimistic, the entire Imperial City was already in a state of turmoil and began to enter the mode of reckoning after the autumn.


    (t/n reckoning after autumn-The Chinese idiom, qi hu sun zhng, means to settle accounts after the autumn, which means to wait until things develop to the final stage before judging who is right and wrong, and also to wait for the opportunity to take revenge afterwards. From Mo Yingfengs Generals Song.)


    At nightfall, a eunuch came in a hurry and recited an imperial edict on the tower.


    Listen to the mandate of heaven with a thousands of years of prosper; first offense, he was sent to the border but was unable to move forward to defend the border that was without merit, this was seen as cowardice; second offense, as a minister, he discussed the government affairs in an orderly manner and refused to change his mind after repeated remonstrations. It was unrighteous; third offense, because he cannot be relinquished as a prince, he resents day and night, which was unfilial; fourth offense, under the edict of the indefinite date of return, he privately brought troops back to the capital, intending to rebel, this was disloyalty.


    A long sword was thrown from the city wall along with the Imperial edict, and Zong Luos pupils shrank. He remembered this sword, it was the famous sword Zhanlu that his father Emperor Yuan had treasured. It was usually shelved and was even hard to look at.


    It may have been just a suspicion before, but Zhanlu and the Imperial edict were obviously from the hands of Emperor Yuan. Once the vigorous and powerful handwriting was seen, all doubts became reality.


    The voice of the eunuch continued. Today, the sword is specially given for self-determination, and it must be implemented immediately!


    (t/n self determination-commit suicide, take ones life)


    What a disloyal and unjust person, not brave and unfilial.


    Zhanlu, also known as the sword of benevolence, was the sword forge at the pinnacle of the casting master Ou Yezi sword-forging life.


    It was ironic that Emperor Yuan gave it to Zong Luo to commit suicide.


    It was known in the seven kingdoms that the Third prince of the Yuan Dynasty had taken benevolence as his own foundation.


    Now, this personally written imperial decree trampled Zong Luos pride and was ridiculed by the world.


    Zong Luos throat was filled with a hint of bloody sweetness, and the corners of his eyes were dry and astringent.


    He didnt know what he had done wrong, but what could he do? Whether he wanted to set up troops, whether he wanted power or not, he had already been driven to a dead end. Even the last bit of decency was deprived from him.


    Zong Luo bent down to pick up Zhanlu on the ground and laughed loudly in the rain.


    What joy is life, what fear in death!


    (t/n pinyin is shng yu h hun-It means: dont be happy to be alive, and dont be afraid of death. Calmly looking down on life and death. It is the same as What joy in life, what fear in death, What joy in life, what pain in death.)


    Do you think he would really perish after?


    This life was only this and nothing more, where he had not truly lived.


    Zong Luo raised his hand and swiped the sword on his neck, however he didnt expect to wake up again in a cold sweat, and what caught his eyes was the roof of the military camp.


    His neck was still intact, yet the pain was still vivid in his mind, like he had fallen into a Huangliang dream.


    He repeatedly asked the deputy general Mu Yuanlong, and finally confirmed it. He had returned three years ago, to the critical moment of the battle at Hangu Pass.


    Zong Luo suddenly remembered that there was indeed such a predicted phenomenon in his previous life. The great shaman foretold that there would be a vision of nine stars linked like a string of beads on such a day. In addition, many soldiers in the army also said that many of them dreamed of him walking under the Imperial City walls which they deemed to be a vision of Heaven and Earth that made Zong Luo even more suspicious.


    Only Zong Luo knew that he had really died once.


    As for why he was still alive now, perhaps God does not allow him to die, and Lord Yama dared not to also accept it. Letting him to pass through and be reborn again, and letting him undergo a wonderful experience.


    At this point, Zong Luo was still the Third Prince of the Yuan Dynasty who held military power, the number one seed contender for the position of Crown Prince, and the high-spirited General Zheng Yuan. He had still not returned to the Capital to be placed under house arrest, nor had the great shaman predicted the destiny of the nation, nor was he rejected by Emperor Yuan.


    In other words, he had every opportunity to change his fate and re-plan for the future.


    After all Up to now, he still hasnt figured out what was the reason for him to be rejected by Emperor Yuan, so much so to the point of giving him a sword to take his own life..


    Was it Yu Beizhou who stirred up discord behind the scenes? Was it the emperors younger brother who once treated each other with sincerity, but behind his back was a black hand? Or the male supporting characters who surround the protagonist in the bookor. Who was it exactly?


    (t/n The black hand in the general sense is an abbreviation for behind the scenes, which means someone who secretly instructs, manipulates other people or events, and usually has a derogatory meaning. It can also be used to play a black hand, that is, to attack in the dark and behind the back. It often means that the person is sinister and vicious.)


    Death was death, but he cant let his previous death be in vain without knowing what really happened.


    After the agitation, Zong Luo calmed down. He instructed his subordinates to bring the sand table and woodcut prints, staring at the situation of the Yuan Dynasty and the other three kingdoms in the Great Wilderness, and recalculated for a whole night.


    According to the development from the previous life, Zong Luo still holds the tiger talisman of the entire Southeast Army in his hand, but thinking that the Xuan Cavalry should be enough, he led the small army to return to the Capital. As a result, he did not expect to catch up with the multinational alliance by accident. He destroyed a large number of enemy troops at Hangu Pass, drove away half a million troops with 3,000 mysterious cavalry, and turned the tide against the wind and was regarded as a legend in history.


    The battle of Hangu Pass was exceptionally beautiful, enough to go down in history.


    However, high prestige, high merit, and self-respect were always fatal to the ruler.


    Not to mention that the Emperor Yuan was not only an absolute tyrant, but also monopolized power during his reign, implemented strict laws and tyranny, and achieved a highly centralized model centered on imperial power. The court could only remain silent.


    Although he was cruel and inhumane, Zong Luo thinks that it was not about merits and demerits. He thinks that his deeds outweigh his faults. The visible power of Great Yuan after he ascended the throne was the best explanation.


    Zong Luo never guessed it right what he was thinking, and emotionally, he was mostly left in awe, and it was even difficult to talk about family ties. The truth in the emperors heart is difficult to guess and understand.


    In the past two years, Zong Luo thoroughly thought about the reason why Emperor Yuan suddenly turned his face around in the previous life. In the final analysis, he thought that maybe he was too thirsty for family affection, that he was in the middle of the game without even knowing the game, ignoring the difference between monarchs and ministers, and the simple truth that the emperor was merciless.


    Furthermore, the general trend of seizing the position was there, even if Zong Luo had no superfluous ideas about it, it was impossible for the other princes to not have any. Since he was in this position and had such prestige, it was no wonder that he was in the way of others.


    After living in the modern age for a long time, being a proton after wearing a book, and learning the six arts in Ghost Valley for so many years, it was very funny that he had not realized his situation and lived in vain for so many years.


    After thinking about it for a night, Zong Luo decided to go against the trend and take a risky move.


    He decided to run away.


    When many countries cooperated to attack the Great Yuan, Zong Luo couldnt stand idly by and watched as how the country survived from the turmoil.


    But he could only rush back with three thousand light cavalry at most. If he could manage it, they would again win more with less, make a beautiful comeback, and repeat the path of what occurred in his previous life.


    After weighing the pros and cons, Zong Luo could only lead troops for support, and finally pretended to die in battle.


    Only in this way can he not return to the situation of the previous life and avoid the subsequent series.


    So he deliberately sent his deputy general Mu Yuanlong to lure the enemy to go into the deep, escaped from the entanglement, and finally disguised his identity and entered the Bo country. Although Bo country was a small country and was not much bigger than the gravel in the multi-nation hegemony, it was the residence of Confucianism.


    Few people knew that the Confucian leader was his masters senior martial brother and Zong Luos senior martial uncle. Therefore, he used this relationship to successfully achieve his plan.


    But then again, he could hide for a while, but not forever. Death was just an expedient measure, not a long-term plan. His foundation was in the Great YUan, where else can he go?


    So Zong Luo came back with Ziyuan.


    Before returning, in order to avoid being suspected by Emperor Yuan, he prepared excuses for amnesia and blindness. Both were a cover up but the latter was the ultimate disguise.


    After returning, Zong Luo wanted to restore his identity as soon as possible, and then make another plan. But after being interrupted by Yu Beizhou at the city gate, he changed his mind again.


    Its better to avoid the limelight first than to recover his identity upon his return. In addition, he wanted to find out the reason why he had to die in his last life. Its better to watch the fire from the other side than to fight in person.


    Because once his identity was restored, he was bound to get involved in the seizing of the position. In his last life, Zong Luo didnt care about that position, but after his rebirth, he rarely got aroused and wanted to compete.


    Next, he only needed to plan slowly, not act too hastily.


    As for the restoration of his identity, he was such a famed person that he would undoubtedly be discovered while walking in the Imperial City one day, it only depends on who the fuse was.

 Chapter 6.1

    Perhaps it was the reason for the heavy rain. Two days later, the weather became fine, and the sun was rising for thousands of miles. The East was just dimly lit, and the residents began to stir up.


    After Zong Luo woke up, he changed his clothes, and tied his hair. He looked out of the window, and just so happened to see a small servant holding the horses rein and watching over it outside, while boringly feeding it with horse grass. It seemed that he was waiting for a long time.


    Before Gu Ziyun came, Zong Luo simply put down the window buckle, removed the ancient jade with black Kui pattern on the Qixing Long Yuan, and tied it to his waist.


    Today was the opening of the Baijia Banquet. Last night, an imperial edict came stating that the venue of the banquet was specially changed to the palace. Since they were going to enter the palace, naturally, they couldnt carry weapons and swords.


    The Baijia Banquet was held every three years, and every time it would attract the attention of the world. If one can win the top spot in the Six Arts Competition, it would be no less than ten years of cold windows and no one will object, and become famous in one fell swoop. In the future, no matter which country you go to in the Great Wilderness, you can enjoy extremely high treatment.


    (t/n Ten years of cold windows, Chinese idiom, pinyin is sh nin hn chung, which means to describe hard study for many years)


    As a big country, the Great Yuan would undeniably be thirsty for talents. It treated the talented people with courtesy and gave them the honor of a guest. To attach great importance to this Baijia Banquet, it was not surprising that they deliberately changed the venue.


    Brother Luo! Todays a good day, have you changed your dressing already?


    As Zong Luo wrapped the white silk, Gu Ziyuan knocked on the door.


    The white silk that he wrapped around today was dipped in shadowless water, making him able to see some contours around him.


    Certainly. Zong Luo replied casually. How dare I forget the important matter entrusted by the elder medical sage?


    The two walked to the entrance of the courtyard, and carriages of other students outside their station passed by one after another, and the noisy voices piled up together, making it very lively.


    Brother Luo didnt go out yesterday, Im afraid you dont know, but the hundred students who attended the Baijia Banquet this year can be described as hidden dragons and crouching tigers.


    Yesterday, Gu Ziyuan, who had been inquiring about the news for a day yesterday, was like counting the treasures of ones own family. The Prime Minister of the Great Yuan is the master of the Legalist School, and now his disciples have also come to participate. Not to mention the Yin Yang School, even the strategists of the same lineage have sent a direct disciple. Many gambling houses have opened their bets, and the number of the most popular candidates for the top of the Six Arts has not yet been determined. Such a grand event has not been seen in decades.


    (t/n counting the treasures of ones own family- Chinese idiom , pinyin is r sh ji zhn, which means that it is like counting the treasures of ones own family. It is usually used to describe someone who is very familiar with what they are talking about.)


    Hearing Pei Qianxues name, Zong Luo was silent for a while, The Qilin also chooses the master. The Great Yuan is unstoppable now, naturally, talented scholars are anxious and are very eager.


    Seeing his calmness, Gu Ziyuan couldnt help but wonder. Brother Luo is not anxious? Taoist Wuwei swordsmanship, Yin-Yang puppet art, Mohist non-political lawThey all sound famous with infinite power, however, even the teahouse storytellers cant tell who the leader of the martial arts is.


    Zong Luo smiled slightly, lifted the curtain of the carriage and boarded inside. Whats the hurry, martial arts is the content of the last day. However Ziyuan, since you want to participate in calligraphy, you should be more worried.


    Gu Ziyuan immediately stopped talking, his face was inevitably filled with tension, and the hand holding the reins was a little absent-minded, and began practicing calligraphy and painting in his mind.


    Not long after, the carriage stopped at the gate of the palace. One by one, the students either dismounted or unboarded to walk instead. The imperial guards in front of the palace checked them one by one, and only after confirming that they were not carrying weapons did they allow them to pass.


    Zong Luo didnt want to attract the attention of unrelated people, so he specially changed into an ordinary white robe, although it was not very useful. Along the way, because of the white silk on his face, he had gained the attention of many students.


    After the interrogation was over, the guard looked at his back and whispered in a low voice.


    Just now, a young master seems a little familiar


    The blind man with the white silk covering his eyes? It is indeed a bit familiar, so how can a gentle and elegant person end up with such a vicious disease.


    I know why he looks familiar.


    One of the guards hesitantly said, Do you remember that day last year when the great shaman foresaw the phenomenon of the nine stars linked like beads in the sky? That young man in white was clearly carved out of the same mold as the third prince


    As soon as these words came out, they thought of that dream in unison. The chief guard turned pale in fear. To talk about the royal family is a crime of being beheaded. Moreover, His Royal Highness had a notable reputation, how can we guess it at will, be careful of what you say !


    As soon as these words came out, everyone shut up and dared not say any more.


    The Third Prince leads troops all year round, and most of the guards in the palace had never seen the deity, and only got a glimpse of the charm in a dream last year.


    Only the people in the Great Yuan dreamed of the Third Prince committing suicide, most of the students from other countries only heard about it. Even if some noticed the guards becoming oddly silent, they wouldnt know the real reason behind it.


    As for the other students, they were even more indifferent. A few even greeted Zong Lou.


    Confucianism and Mohism were known as the worlds two great schools of thought and were likewise incompatible with each other.


    The relationship between Legalism and Confucianism was also extremely poor. Confucianism had never been able to enter the Great Yuan because todays Prime Minister of the Great Yuan was a master of Legalism. In the early years, when he was not an official prime minister, he wrote a full-fledged denunciation, criticizing the mainstream ideas of Confucianism as worthless.


    Of course, not only Confucianism, but also the relationship between other schools of thought were the same. Along the way, only Taoist students were big-hearted and greeted any students everywhere. Although the relationship between Confucianism and Taoism was the same, most wont reach out and hit the smiling person to save face.


    (t/n Reach out and dont hit the smiling person, a Chinese saying , which means that after you admit your mistake in the opposite direction, you cant bear to hit someone. It means that when you raise your hand to hit the wrong party, the other party is already acknowledging your mistake with a smile on your face. At this time, you cant bear it and feel embarrassed to hit others again.)


    Walking to the front section open-air plaza of the palace, the eunuch who led the way stopped and stood respectfully to the side.


    After a long time, the sound of Your Majesty has arrived came from the elevated palace entrance far away.


    Emperor Yuan, dressed in black dragon robe, walked slowly from inside of the hall.The crown with 12 jade tassels hung down from his cold and harsh face. He was not angry and arrogant. The students who were stared directly at by the deep black eyes behind the Mian Liu couldnt help but tremble in their legs.


    (t/n Not angry and arrogant, to describe a person who is not angry, but still has a majestic temperament. Generally used to describe the aura of a leader who is in a high position or is upright and awe-inspiring.)


    (t/n Mian Liu- ceremonious hat of the emperor and high officials with jade tassels)


    Greetings to His Majesty.


    All the students clasped their fists and saluted.


    They were all seeing this tyrant who was famous among the various nations for the first time.


    Among these people, Zong Luo was the only one standing behind, with his head lowered, trying to reduce his sense of existence.


    In the last life, he was sent to the frontier for two years without any explanation, and then died of an imperial decree ordering suicide.


    Zong Luo thought that even if he saw his father again after a year, he should have hatred in his heart. But when he actually stood here, he was shocked to realize that his mood was so calm at the moment.


    Perhaps he finally understood that he was never the one who was actually cared for.


    The Third Prince was sent to Wei Kingdom as a hostage when he was less than one year old, and he returned to the Great Yuan when he was seventeen. In the middle, he was vacant with blood relatives for more than ten years. The other princes had never seen him, this older brother in name. At ordinary times, he was more like a guest and a stranger to them, not to mention Emperor Yuan.


    Afterwards, he had been fighting outside for years, spending less time together, and did not return to the palace for several years.


    Emperor Yuan seemed to be entrusting him with a heavy responsibility, but no matter how beautiful Zong Luo won the battle and how perfect he was, he never heard a single word of praise from him.


    He did his best to do his best, he admired his father, and loved his younger brothers, but he couldnt compare to the youngest prince, who fluttered and acted like a spoiled child.


    It was a well-known fact that Emperor Yuan favored the youngest ninth prince, and he simply wanted the stars and the moon to be plucked off for him. The other princes also took advantage of the protection of an elder more or less when they were growing up, only Zong Luo, standing in a huge palace, no matter how much he wanted to blend in, he would always look like a person who stayed out of the way.


    Fortunately, Zong Luo taught and educated people before passing through the book, but he still fell into a trap,sank into it and lived two lives in vain. He thought to himself mockingly. However, now there was no need to duck his head to hide.


    If he could see him like this, Emperor Yuan should be relieved.


    As we all know, those who were sick cannot inherit the throne.


    After an unknown amount of time, the announcement of being dismissed was heard and Zong Luo breathed a sigh of relief.


    Although Emperor Yuan had the reputation of a tyrant, his handling of government affairs was unequivocal, and he was still able to review hundreds of wooden memorials every day when he was nearly fifty. It was also already a great gift to be able to take the time to meet with the students. As for the next meeting with the Emperor it should wait until the closing of the banquet in the coming year to award the document to the leader of the Six Arts.


    The eunuch saluted everyone. Please come with me, the Taoism discourse will be held in Lanting Waterside Pavilion in the next few days.


    According to the rules, five days prior to the banquet, each family is free to discuss Taoism.


    No invitations were required in the banquet. From the generals of noble families down to the common people, as long as they can pass the question and answer, they could all participate in the banquet, which was usually the most lively few days.


    Zong Luo followed Gu Ziyuan. In order to take care of him, all Confucian students consciously fell to their rear end and followed. As soon as he walked near a river pavilion, which was not far from the palace, he heard the cry of the servant in front.


    Hurry up, lets make way! dont bump into the nobles!


    Gu Ziyuan was about to pull Zong Luo back when he saw that the latter had already moved away from the road of the passing Imperial carriage, so he lowered his hand and said in surprise, It turned out to be the carriage of the princes of Great Yuan.


    Zong Luo said nothing.


    Since the aristocrats can come, naturally the royal family members and their relatives will not miss it. Whats more except for Gu Ziyuan, who had no such sense of smell, everyone knows that the seizing of the Crown Prince position had reached a white-hot stage.

 Chapter 6.2

    For many years, Yuan has not had a Crown Prince.


    The most favored ninth prince on the surface, was still far from coming of age, his biological mother passed away early and he had no foundation in the court. Unless Emperor Yuan was determined to abandon the old and set up the young, otherwise, its unlikely for him to be made as the crown prince. The Eighth Prince was a bit stupid, so he doesnt take him into consideration.


    (t/n Abolishing the elder and establishing the younger refers to the practice of abolishing the inheritance rights of the eldest son in ancient hereditary feudal society and transferring the right to other sons except the eldest son.)


    After some calculation, there were only the fourth prince, fifth prince and the sixth prince staring at the crown prince position.


    Here, the Fifth Prince was an embroidered pillow martial artist. He was supported by the heroes of his mothers family. He had been on the battlefield a few times and had more failures than success. Although he had the military power of the Northern Army, he was not not enough to be afraid of.


    (t/n Embroidered pillow, Chinese idiom, pinyin xi hu zhn tou, which means a person who has only appearance but no learning ability. From Black Books.)


    The Sixth Prince also had dignitary relatives. A powerful aristocratic family, took root like an old tree, and the support rate of the court and the people was high. His strength was deep.


    The Fourth Princes biological mother was born from a lowly background. His strength seemed to be less than half and was a low-key person. But in fact, he hides his capacity and bides his time. He was deep-minded. On the surface, he looked like a young child who only loved beauty, but in reality he went to the back of the two to build up his strength.


    Im afraid the Fourth prince would have had to be crowned if the protagonist Yu Beizhou hadnt intervened. Im sure the Fourth Prince did not anticipate that his actions would be equated with nurturing a tiger and bringing infinite problems in the future.


    But maybe the Fourth Prince doesnt care, he doesnt actually love the country and the beauties.


    Zong Luo remembered that the voice for the Fourth Prince was also very high at the beginning. Many readers in the comment area joined Yu Beizhous CP, and there were also comments that after Yu Beizhou ascended the throne, the Fourth Prince would be named the emperors husband.


    (t/n voice- a publicly or formally expressed wish, choice, or voice of opinion conservatism)


    Although Zong Luo didnt live to that time in his life, based on the copywriting of Can Drink a Cup of Nothing, Yu Beizhou finally succeeded in stealing the big country and its millennium inheritance, which was really ironic.


    After finally leading the Confucian disciples to a few good futons, the students of various schools stood up and saluted. Looking at this situation, the three princes who were interested in the position of the crown prince have all come.


    The Sixth Prince, Zong Yongliu, was the first to pace forward, raised his voice and laughed loudly, Gentlemen, It is a great honor for the Great Yuan to have you here. These few days of discourse, everyone must speak freely. We, the Great Yuan, are thirsty for talents. At this time, as long as there are talented people, we will not refuse anyone who comes, and I hope you all dont be cautious.


    Zong Luo pondered for a moment, and whispered to Gu Ziyuan, and asked the book boy to deliver a message to a servant, and excused himself from behind with the excuse of tidying his clothes.


    At this time in the previous life, Zong Luo was already on his way to the frontier, and most of the news in the capital was learned through secret letters.


    Sir, the side hall is right in front of you. You can choose any one to go in. The clean clothes and things you need are on the table, and you can pick them up yourself.


    Zong Luo thanked him in a low voice, and put a bunch of silver in the little servants hand. Thank you. I dont want to be disturbed when I change clothes.


    The servant nodded and bowed quickly. Yes, I understand. If someone comes later, this little one will take them to the other empty side halls, and no one will disturb the young master.


    After closing the door, Zong Luo confirmed from the crack of the door that the servant had turned around and left, and then he went to the rear of the hall, pushed open the back door, and deliberately left a half hidden trace.


    The Lanting Waterside Pavilion was close to the palace gate, and it was the place where the royal family holds summer banquets on weekdays. The interior was contrary to the solemnity of the Great Yuan Palace, there were pavilions, carved beams and painted buildings, and an eighteen-bend canal was specially dug for drinking and poetry. The meandering water was extremely elegant.


    There was also a royal residence. It was close to the palace and was guarded by the palace guards on weekdays. No one was allowed to enter.


    Zong Luo grabbed a stone, aimed at a sparrow on the branch, and used a little strength.


    When the guard heard the movement and went up to check the sparrows injury, he softly tapped his toes and sprang up in the air. He left the ground and moved as fast as lightning, and flew into the brick red palace wall.


    The palace was deserted. Only a few people know that there was a gate in the back garden of the waterside pavilion, and the cold palace was just around the corner.


    It had not been repaired for many years. The logs and beams were covered with thick spider webs. The walls have fallen off and discolored. Looking around, the place looked gray. Not a single servant was seen walking and there were even quite a few fat mice.


    Zong Luo walked in the quiet hall, skillfully turned left and right. He reached a slightly dilapidated courtyard and knocked on the door.


    Knock.Knock.Knock.


    For a long time, he did not hear any movement inside the door.


    Just when Zong Luo wondered if the person had already escaped and moved out of the cold palace, the back door was abruptly opened.


    A thin young man stood behind the door, with a pair of black eyes wide opened, he didnt speak and he just looked over at him timidly.


    Across the white silk, Zong Luo showed a reassuring smile. Xiao Ba, its me, your third brother is back.


    (t/n Xiao Ba- Small Eight)


    After looking at him again and again, after seeing the ancient jade with Kui pattern on his waist, the young man was startled like a rabbit, suddenly burst into tears, ran over, hugged him and chokingly said, Third brother Is it really you? Everyone in the palace says you died on the battlefield


    Its alright, its alright, how did your Third brother die? Look, arent I fine?


    Zong Luo patted him on the shoulder. Dont stand at the door, lets go inside and talk.


    Good!


    The young man hurriedly closed the door again, not an ounce of stupidity was seen on his face.


    If Zong Luo was the outsider in the palace, then the Eighth Prince Zong Ruichen was the invisible person in the palace. Zong Ruichens mother concubines side, the Rong family, participated in the rebellion in the early years.


    When dealing with the Rong family, Emperor Yuan had no mercy, and directly executed the whole family up to its ninth generation.


    The mastermind was even punished by tearing its body asunder by five carts, and the smell of blood failed to dissipate at the Meridian Gate for three days and three nights. Zong Ruichens mother concubine was sent into the cold palace and was even given poisonous wine.


    (t/n tie a persons head and limbs to five carts, put on a horse or an ox, and pull them in five different directions, thus tearing the human body into five pieces, hence the name Chacha. Sometimes, five oxen or horses are used to pull the punishment without using a car, so the splitting of the car is commonly known as dividing the body by five horses . It takes a lot of effort to chop off a persons head and limbs, not to mention pulling. And the torture suffered by the prisoners is even more conceivable. When it is really torn apart, I am afraid that the prisoner will no longer feel the pain. The pain is when its being pulled.)


    (t/n Meridian Gate- main gate of the Imperial Palace)


    At that time, Zong Ruichens mother concubine had a big belly, and when she heard that her family failed to rebel, her eyes turned black and she gave birth prematurely. On her deathbed, she had no choice but to entrust her child to the nanny who had been accompanying her in the palace for a long time.


    With the blood of a sinner flowing his body, although he was saved from death as being one the emperors heir, Zong Ruichen had not had a good life in the palace these years. In addition, the nanny taught him not to cause trouble since he was a child, so he had always been extra cautious in front of outsiders. After a long time, he ended up being called a fool.


    Fortunately, Emperor Yuan didnt pay attention to him either, just treated him as an invisible person. The servants in the palace were used to it and went with the flow. Over time, there was no one to serve personally inside the cold palace. Occasionally, one would come over to deliver something. His treatment was not even comparable to the hostage in the Proton House next door, which was under house arrest next to the palace. Its really a pity.


    There were so many people in the royal family of Great Yuan, only Zong Ruichen and Zong Luo were the most pitiful.


    Zong Lou may have treated the others insincerely. But he really regarded Zong Ruichen as his own younger brother, and Zong Ruichen also sincerely admired this older brother of his.


    When he returned to the palace from Wei Kingdom, Zong Luo not only had no foundation but also hadnt yet had his coming of age ceremony. It was the time where he spent a period of time with Zong Ruichen.


    In his last life, he was exiled to the frontier, where he could hardly survive. Later, he heard that Zong Ruichen got himself involved fighting for the Crown Prince position along with the three princes in order to protect him. Eventually, he became a chess piece and was beaten to death at the Palace banquet.


    Zong Luo, who was far away in the frontier at that time, received the secret letter and almost scared him to almost vomiting a mouthful of blood.


    Zong Ruichen was not at all stupid as outsiders say, on the contrary, he was not only talented and intelligent, but also had a very good foundation. Zong Luo still remembered that he had promised him that after Zong Ruichens coming of age, he would take him to the battlefield to expand the territory, teach him martial arts, become a famous swordsman and be a good man.


    But in the blink of an eye, things were different, he didnt even get to see him for the last time. His corpse was collected by Zong Lous division left behind in the capital.


    (t/n things are different an idiom, the pinyin is: w sh rn fi. It means that things are still the same, but people are no longer the same people. It is mostly used to express the passing of time and the remembrance of the deceased. It is from the Book of Wu Zhi by Wei Cao Pi of the Three Kingdoms.)


    In this life, Zong Luo had to find a way to take Zong Ruichen out of the palace.


    Thats about it. He gave a brief account of himself, hiding his true purpose. Only saying that he had been seriously injured and was saved by Confucianists. Now his eyes have not yet healed, but with the help of a medical sage, there might be some hope for it to be completely healed.


    Zong Luo conveniently blamed the other three princes for his serious injuries in the battlefield, and found a perfect excuse for why he had to spend so much effort to disguise his amnesia.


    Its not that he doesnt want to tell the truth, but that he had a lot of plans. If he was not fully prepared, Zong Luo wouldnt disclose it to anyone until he had accumulated enough strength.


    Zong Ruichen nodded hurriedly, and really believed Zong Luos plan to catch big fish by disguising memory loss with his palm sized skinny face still wet with tears.Third brother, Itll be alright!


    In Zong Ruichens heart, Emperor Yuan was no different from a cold-blooded Asura.


    Now that he heard that the Third brother had concealed his presence from the cruel father emperor, the worship and admiration in Zong Ruichens heart once again broke through the sky.


    Zong Luo rubbed his head. All in all, I still need Ruichen to help me keep this matter a secret, and if necessary, you may have to cover it up for me.


    Do not worry.


    Zong Ruichen patted his chest and assured. Third brother, dont worry, such a trivial matter, I can definitely handle it.


    That.


    Zong Luo was in the middle of speaking, when unexpectedly, a loud kick at the door outside the hall was heard.

 Chapter 7.1

    Outside the door, a few palace servants led at least a dozen young slaves and also with a lot of maidservants dressed in various colors. A mighty group of people stood at the door of the Cold Palace. At the forefront was a young prince in royal clothes looking very arrogant and domineering.


    Behind them was a young man in purple clothes who looked about seventeen or eighteen years old, and there was only one solitary servant by his side, which looked particularly afraid.


    Boom boom boom!


    A little servant was first ordered to knock on the door, but no one came and opened it from the other side no matter how much he knocked, so he kicked it instead. Although it was the Cold Palace, the architectural style of every palace in Great Yuan was solemn and dignified. The pillars were made of tall logs. As long as the door panel was fastened from the back, it would be difficult to push it open from the outside, even if it was kicked.


    Good! This fool dares to not open the door even if knocked!


    Zong Hongjiu, the ninth prince who saw this scene from a distance, became angry. Break the door open for this prince!


    Yes. The young servant dared not to disobey, and immediately ordered a few slaves to get a wooden pillar.


    Those of them who were mixed in the palace were the most clear in their hearts. There were only two people in the Imperial Palace that couldnt be provoked the most, one was the current Emperor Yuan, and the other was the Ninth Prince.


    Emperor Yuan didnt have many harems, and he didnt have an empress. Only when they gave him a prince and a princess would they be given a share. So far, the Empresss position was vacant. In addition, over the years, his thunderous methods had not diminished, and the concubines in the harem were as obedient as cranes, and no one dared to make any mistakes.


    The Ninth Prince was the youngest prince in the palace. Although his biological mother died early, he was still the most favored.


    In the early years, when Emperor Yuan had not yet fully taken charge of the continent, he was so busy with government affairs that his feet could not even touch the ground. At night, he would collapse on the floor behind the screen of the Zhang Palace and was even unable to visit the harem several times a year.


    Later, as the old ministers were removed and the national strength became stronger and stronger, Emperor Yuans body was not as tough as when he was in the battlefield in the earlier years. Coupled with the fact that other princes had their coming-of-age ceremonies one by one and have gone out of the palace to build their own palaces. At this time, the youngest sons who were born after the government affairs loosened up were naturally spoiled by thousands of people and others could not help but envy them.


    All of the above caused the Ninth Prince to be high and mighty in the palace.


    He had just turned ten years old, yet he was already jumping everywhere he went and creating trouble. Being obedient in front of Emperor Yuan was not out of the question, however, he immediately changed his face in front of the palace servants. A few days ago, a Shaofu went to the Emperor Yuan to file a complaint, suing the Ninth Prince that he was without manners, and that every time, he was always late for class, he even brazenly dragged the proton of the Wei Kingdom out to fight and play.


    (t/n Shaofu-a palace official who tutors a prince)


    Emperor Yuan asked the Ninth Prince to plead guilty in front of the Shaofu, however he turned his head and banned the proton of Wei Kingdom, and the punishment for those who should have been responsible for it all fell on the small frame of the latter.


    How can the Ninth Prince be so favored?


    Hearing what Zong Ruichen said, Zong Luo couldnt help but be surprised.


    He didnt spend much time in the capital in his last life, and he was busy plotting his next move in the year that he came back. Although he knew that the Ninth Prince was favored, he didnt remember it to such an extent.


    One must know that if someone else was like this in front of Emperor Yuan, even if they were both princes, they would have to lose a layer of skin.


    Indeed, especially in the past year, the father simply favored the ninth prince up to the skies. Zong Ruichen sighed. Perhaps.as the father thought about the Third Brother dying in the battle, his heart became sad, so he doted on the Ninth prince more and more?


    Maybe. Hearing him say that, Zong Luo didnt say anything more, but he felt ironic in his heart.


    If he hadnt been sent to the frontier and was given a sword for suicide in his previous life, he would definitely think the same as Zong Ruichen.


    Seeing that the door was about to be smashed open soon, Zong Luo whispered something to Zong Ruichen, turned around and went out through the back window of the palace, and flipped over the beams with ease. When he turned around, he saw that the Ninth Prince had successfully opened the Cold palace door.


    Zong Hongjiu stood at the door, looked at the darkness in the hall, he was immediately disgusted. Get him out!


    At once, some attendants who knew Kung Fu were given the task to do it. These servants practiced Kung Fu, and the strength in their hands was astonishing. It was impossible for Zong Ruichen to let others see that he had studied martial arts, so he could only pretend to stand stupidly, and let his servants grab his two hands and drag him out of the palace.


    As soon as he was dragged out, Zong Ruichen saw Ye Linghan, the proton of Wei Kingdom, standing behind Zong Hongjiu, and he immediately understood that the Ninth Prince wanted to have fun with the two of them again.


    Zong Hongjiu acted arrogantly and domineeringly, and no one in the palace was qualified to be his playmate. The children of the courtiers were also trembling and respectful towards him, and he felt all the more bored.


    In order to have fun, he would bully Ye Linghan, the proton of the state of Wei, and the foolish Eighth Prince Zong Ruichen when he had nothing to do, and make them both unhappy.


    Zong Ruichen was still a prince after all, even if he was banished to the Cold Palace, he cant do too much. But Wei Kingdoms proton was already miserable. The most extreme he had done was deliberately humiliated Ye Linghan, put a collar on his neck, and rode him like a dog.


    You fool, how dare you not open the door? Youre too bold.


    Zong Hongjiu was displeased and grabbed the whip held in the hand of the maid next to him, and asked the palace servants to restrain Zong Ruichen. Without saying anything, he beckoned to the latter.


    This was a small horse whip he got from his horsemanship class just now. Several skins were peeled off like flowers, and a long whip in the middle was stretched out. It looked less powerful than an ordinary whip, but it was actually specially made by the Hu people in the Western Regions. It had barbs at the tail end, which made any horse to immediately quicken its pace upon contact.


    If this whip was implemented on people, it would be certain that blood would shed.


    The servants around were not used to it, and no one stepped forward to stop it. If it was another prince, Zong Hongjiu might have to rethink about it, but if it was Zong Ruichen, then he really would dare.


    For many years, Emperor Yuan had ignored Zong Ruichen, and even Zong Ruichen was not allowed to attend the annual banquet in the palace, which was enough to show the Emperors indifference.


    Its true that the Emperor Yuan was ruthless when he killed his brothers and he was just still a prince back then. Was fratricidal incidents rare in other countries? Not to mention to a child with the blood of a sinner.


    Besides, even if blood was shed, it might be because the fool knocked himself too hard. Who would care about a fool who lives in the Cold Palace?


    Just when Zong Hongjiu showed a smile, as if he had foreseen the beauty of this fools flesh and blood, the whip that he just waved out of his hand was suddenly caught.


    He was stunned for a moment, only to realize that there was a young man in white standing not far away, facing him sideways and the end of the whip was firmly held in the hands of the young man. Zong Hongjius turned suddenly gloomy, he subconsciously pulled it, but found that the whip did not move at all. He couldnt help being furious.


    Whos assassin dares stop this Prince? Go! Take him down for me!


    Guards rushed forward to stop him, but they only saw the young man in white directly and easily pulled the whip out of the Ninth Princes hands with ease and made him stumble forward.


    In the next second, the whip that had just been taken away swung out like thunder, and it danced in the palm of the young master in white, forming dazzling afterimages. Before the guards could react, they were pushed back a few steps by such fierce force, and their clothes were split inch by inch.


    This was not the most frightening. The most frightening thing was the exposed face of white-robed young man when he turned around and faced them.


    In an instant, all the servants and guards seemed to be frozen, their faces were stunned, their knees went weak. Many of them were scared and directly knelt down to the ground.


    Zong Hongjiu just stood firm, and when he saw that they all stopped moving, he suddenly became furious. You bastards, didnt this Prince order you to catch this assassin? When he is caught, this prince will definitely skin this bitch!


    The next moment, the Ninth Prince finally saw the whole face of the young man in the open space.


    The young man in white stood tall and had an ink hair tied into a high ponytail. Like the bright moon in the woods an impeccable beauty.


    Such a unique bearing, other than the Third Prince who died in battle, who else could there be?


    Zong Hongjiu opened his mouth wide, his eyes were round, he took two steps back, and fell to the ground, with unconcealed fear, You, you, you, you ghost!!!


    Zong Hongjiu saw with his own eyes the memorial tablets of the Third Prince enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and his clothes tomb in the Imperial Mausoleum.


    (t/n clothes tomb-y gun zhng, are tombs in which the clothes and crowns of the deceased are buried instead of the remains. This is because the body of the deceased cannot be found, or has been buried in another place, and a burial mound is set up here to commemorate.)


    Moreover, during this years Spring Festival, he kowtowed to his tablet in the Imperial Ancestral Temple in a proper manner.


    The servants who were kneeling on the ground were trembling, and none of them dared to raise their heads.


    Behind Zong Hongjiu, Ye Linghan, who had been silent for a long time, saw this scene, and his indifferent face also showed surprise. After the astonishment, he fell into an unspeakable trance and felt complicated.


    After Zong Luo returned home from being a proton that year, the once prosperous Kingdom of Wei gradually declined. On the contrary, after the reform of the Great Yuan, it became stronger and stronger day by day.


    In order to avoid its sharp edges, Wei Kingdom had no choice but to send Prince Ye Linghan to the Great Yuan in exchange. In fact, Ye Linghan was just a victim of the power struggle in the Wei Kingdom.


    His mother was born in the Yu family, Yu Beizhous Yu family. His mothers clan was very powerful, and at the age of three, he was named the crown prince. He was supposed to be the next Emperor of the Wei Kingdom.


    However, after Yu Beizhou left the Ghost Valley, he turned around and wiped out the Yu family.


    He acted very cleverly and did not leave any clues. The people outside only thought that the Yu family had provoked Wei Kingdoms powerful people, and the real person behind the scenes only left appearing clean and without any stains in his hands.

 Chapter 7.2

    After the demise of the Yu family, Ye Linghan lost his greatest support. Coincidentally, they encountered another spring tide. The courtiers in Wei who had ulterior motives and stood behind different princes jointly wrote a letter and sent Ye Linghan, who was the Crown Prince, to Great Yuan as a pledge.


    After so many years in Great Yuan, Wei Kingdom seemed to have no plans of taking Ye Linghan back. One reason was that they dare not compete with todays Great Yuan, and the other was that Ye Linghan had long been far away from the power center of Wei Kingdom and had become an abandoned son. In recent years, news came that they would even re-established a new Crown Prince.


    From being a Crown Prince to a humiliated prisoner, no one could calmly accept the gap.


    Ye Linghan hates the treachery of the Kingdom of Wei, hated the cruelty and inhumanity of Great Yuans tiger and wolf division, and even more hated Great Yuan for coercing his cousin Yu Beizhou to do things. Although he was in the enemys camp, he was like a poisonous snake lying on the ground temporarily, silently accumulating venom for that one strike to defeat the enemy. Then suddenly rising up to launch a deadly attack.


    Among the people in Great Yuan, Ye Linghan hated the Third Prince and the Ninth prince the most.


    If it wasnt for the Third Prince being a hostage in the Kingdom of Wei for many years, Great Yuan would not have asked Wei Kingdom to send the Crown Prince by name. In addition, the collapse of the Yu family was clearly designed by someone, and when it comes to the culprit, it was inevitable that it had something to do with Zong Luo who was in Wei at the time. Under such circumstances, it was difficult for Ye Linghan to give Zong Luo a good look.


    After the Third Prince died in the battle last year, Ye Linghan was thrown to the ground by Zong Hongjiu like a dog in the palace, and he was shocked when he heard the palace servant laughing at him that he would be like a lost dog without the protection of the Third Prince.


    It turned out that the person whom he hated had been silently watching over him from behind.


    At the beginning, Zong Luo saw Ye Linghan to be very pitiful. He also had the same experience as him of being a hostage in another country. Although he didnt say it on the surface, he privately ordered the servants in the palace to take care of him more.


    When the news of the death of the Third Prince came back, seeing that Wei Kingdoms proton had lost its protection, the palace guards who were driven to act according to opportunity, turned against each other, wishing that they could trample Ye Linghan into the soil.


    Because of this, Ye Linghans feelings for Zong Luo were extremely complicated at the moment.


    On the one hand, the hatred in his heart was hard to pacify; on the other hand, Zong Luo was the only person who had been kind to him in silence since he was a child, without asking for anything in return.


    Even his cousin Yu beizhou, who led the army all the year round when he was in the Great Yuan, never took care of him in private when he met him to avoid suspicion. The most important thing was that Ye Linghan always thought that Zong Luos literary and military skills, clear wind and bright moon, and gentlemans demeanor were all pretended to win over the position of crown prince.


    It was also true that he really loved all sentient beings. Unexpectedly, he died at the battle in Hangu Pass.


    However, right now, Zong Luo didnt give him a look.


    In other words, he didnt give anyone a look because he was blindfolded in a white silk. Instead, he bent down to help Zong Ruichen up, who was sitting in the same place and giggling. He turned around and left, and no one dared to step forward to stop him as the people around him still knelt down tremblingly.


    Wait Your Royal Highness!


    A palace servant who was kneeling on the ground fought his courage to look up and suddenly realized that something was wrong, and repeatedly reminded the Ninth Prince beside him.


    Zong Hongjiu was so frightened that he didnt dare to look at it when he was still in shock. After a while, he looked up, the white robed young man had disappeared. In his mind, he could only remember a glimpse of his figure.


    Zong Hongjiou fought two battles in his head, and looked terrified. Xiao Fuzi, you tell me, its not really a ghost, is it


    Your Highness, you have good fortune, how can you provoke ghosts?


    The servant also wiped his cold sweat. This servant was also frightened just now, but thinking about it now is wrong.


    What do you think, if His Highness the Third Prince is not dead, how could he not return to the palace all this time?


    He lowered his voice and said, Besides, if it really is His Highness the Third Prince, why do you have to cover your eyes? Who knows whether it is a person or a ghost, a black chicken can even be called a phoenix, we dont know for sure who that person really is.


    Zong Hongjiu was not afraid of anything. He had never officially seen the Third Prince since he was a child. If it werent for the grand state funeral last year, he would not even remember that he had such a brother.


    Zong Hongjiu had never heard his father mention this Third Imperial brother. The other Imperial brothers would only say more or less a few words. Emperor Yuan only hardly talked about it publicly only when it came to the Third Prince.


    He had heard people say that the grand state funeral was not necessarily due to how much Emperor Yuan loved the Third Prince, but its because the Third Prince died for the country, therefore he must show his attitude.


    Also, which emperor would put his most valued and favorite prince on the battlefield? Isnt this self-inflicted?


    After listening to the reminder from the palace servant, Zong Hongjiu also came back to his senses. Although the man in white just now had the same face and temperament as the late Third Prince of Great Yuan, his eyes were wrapped in cloth, therefore its hard to say whether its the same person.


    Besides, if the Third Prince really was still alive, it would be impossible to wait until now to appear.


    Thinking of this, Zong Hongjiu suddenly became hard-hearted and became furious.


    Good! Not only did he ruin this princes good deeds, but is also a fake.


    He stomped his feet on the ground, couldnt stand the feeling of being wronged and angrily led the servants towards the direction of the Zhang Palace. Judging from his fierce momentum, he should be planning to go and complain to Emperor Yuan, who was handling government affairs in the Zhang Palace.


    Ye Linghan, the forgotten proton of Wei Kingdom, was left on the spot.


    The servant watched Zong Hongjiu swaggering departure, and suddenly heaved a sigh of relief.


    If it werent for the coincidence of todays incident, his master might have been tossed by Zong Hongjiu.


    As long as the Ninth Prince came, Ye Linghan would not be able to escape the pain of flesh and blood. Occasionally, if the Ninth Prince was in a good mood, he would only try his best to humiliate him.


    However, for the once arrogant Crown Prince of Wei, humiliation was far more difficult than the suffering of pain of flesh and blood.


    Ye Linghan didnt say a word.


    Zong Hongjiu didnt even notice that the palace servant made up a self-deceiving statement, however, he was very clear.


    Looking at people was not just about appearance or temperament. Just like a sword out of its scabbard. There was no lack of sword intent like that of a spring breeze. However, to a person, there was only one in the world who could be like a spring breeze.


    But why was he blindfolded in a white silk? The proton stood on the spot with a blank expression, glanced at the Cold Palace in front of him with a complicated expression, then left without saying a word.


    Zong Ruichen squatted in the hidden place on the top of the palace to watch the whole process, and couldnt help but marvel. Third brother, its really the same as what you said!


    Just now, when Zong Hongjiu came knocking on the door, Zong Luo thought about his next move. As his plan using Duan Junhao failed, a Ninth Prince was instead sent to his door. He can completely use the Ninth Prince to make his existence known to Emperor Yuan..


    Emperor Yuan was suspicious by nature, if Zong Luo appeared directly, his father would definitely be suspicious.


    On the contrary, appearing as an unexpected person or as a fake in the mouths of others can increase the credibility of Zong Luos accidental amnesia and blindness who survived by chance on the battlefield a year ago.


    Zong Luo took his eyes back and said coldly, By the way, from now on, remember to stay away from Ye Linghan. Then, he added: Ye Linghan is a man with profound knowledge. He does things by unscrupulous means and is not suitable for deep friendship.


    Hearing this, Zong Ruichen had doubts in his eyes.


    The relationship between him and Ye Linghan, the proton of Wei Kingdom can only be regarded as ordinary, but after years of being bullied together by Zong Hongjiu and his subordinates, they developed some revolutionary friendship and could regard each other as friends.


    For example Ye Linghan actually knew in his heart that Zong Ruichen was not as stupid as he appeared on the surface. On the other hand, Zong Ruichen also knew that Ye Linghan had not given up on returning to Wei Kingdom during the past few years, and had privately flatter many officials of the continent and nobles of aristocratic families, some of which were even done in a filthy and unseemly means.


    They knew each others details and knew that it was not easy to survive in this man-eating palace, so they kept silent. They each had their own plans and tried not to interfere with each other, yet they would still help each other occasionally. However, what they had was not a deep friendship. Just like todays situation where they were unable to protect themselves, its certain that he wont say a word and defend him.


    However, doubts were still doubts. Zong Ruichen naturally believed in his brothers words. He didnt ask any more questions, and nodded directly. Okay, I understand. I wont communicate with him again in the future.


    Xiao Ba is really good. Zong Luo smiled and rubbed Zong Ruichens head, looking at Ye Linghans back with a long gaze.


    Ye Linghan was the cousin of Yu Beizhou, the protagonist of Can Drink a Cup of Nothing and had the same brain disease as the latter. Its just that Yu Beizhous hidden disease was that he cant control self-mutilation on a night of a full moon, Ye Linghan, on the other hand, was that he kept constantly mentally abusing himself.


    When he saw the comments about this person in the comment area, it was said that his methods were extremely vicious, but he always maintained a yearning for a light in his heart. It may be that he experienced too much misery from childhood to adulthood, which caused him to have an almost paranoid preference for all beautiful people and things, just like a person in a quagmire.


    Just like the routine of all the fans, the male supporting character Ye Linghan would regard the male protagonist Yu Beizhou as his savior. After completely losing hope and blackening, he worshiped Yu Beizhou like a god, and followed him to seize the foundation of the Great Yuan. Almost all the dirty things he did in the struggle for power were done by him alone, which he also found to be self-satisfying.


    Of course, Yu Beizhou used him more.


    Ye Linghan may or may not know, and even if he knows, he doesnt care. On the contrary, he was ecstatic to be of use to Yu Beizhou.


    One was willing to fight and the other was willing to suffer. The combination of these two diseases constituted the popular orthopedic CP and set the article on fire, which attracted many readers to cry out proudly.


    Zong Ruichen didnt know, but Zong Luo was very clear about it. In the previous life, the culprit at the palace banquet that led to the tragic death of Xiao Ba was this Wei Kingdoms Proton, who was a whistleblower behind his back.

 Chapter 8.1

    Zong Hongjiu rushed all the way to the Zhang Palace aggressively.


    The servants who came and went in the palace all avoided him when they saw him, lest they provoked this little highness. Some servants had offended this person before and they were directly registered as criminals and exiled for penal servitude to Xinzhe Library. This was not too grave, in serious cases, people were even dragged out and beaten to death with random sticks, and hastily thrown into the mass grave.


    (Xinzhe Library-Xinzheku- some treatises describe Xinzheku as an organ specializing in the supervision of criminal slaves or an extra-criminal law enforcement agency that takes care of criminal slaves)


    When the palace servant guarding the door saw him coming, the servant hurriedly greeted him. What can this servant do for His Higness?


    He asked, crying inwardly.


    Emperor Yuan never liked to be disturbed when dealing with government affairs. But the Ninth Prince was indeed favored, and if something really happened, the servant would not dare not go in and report.


    Whats the matter?


    After hearing the sound, an old servant with white beard and hair suddenly walked out from the side of the hall.


    When Zong Hongjiu saw him, his arrogant and domineering appearance did not restrain even in the slightest. Instead, he couldnt wait to say, Yuan Jia, this Prince has something important to discuss with his father, you hurry in and notify him.


    The old servant didnt say anything, but a little eunuch who listened, widened his eyes.


    Yuan Jia was the old servant who accompanied Emperor Yuan when he was a child. He went through the turbulent changes of the previous generation with Emperor Yuan, and once watched with his own eyes how he led the army to launch a bloody coup outside the Zhang Palace.


    After all the princes of the previous generation died tragically and Emperor Yuan took the throne, Yuan Jias identity naturally became more important.


    What was rare was that Yuan Jia was not complacent because of this. Instead, he acted low-key and walked as if on thin ice every step. He can be regarded as a person who can speak well in front of Emperor Yuan.


    To put it bluntly, high-ranking officials and ministers in the court, and even the young prime minister who had always been arrogant and self-controlled, had to yield three points of courtesy and called him Gong gong when they met him. Only the Ninth Prince, upon coming up, called him directly by his name and arrogantly ordered him around. He really deserved to be called favored.


    (Gong gong-In ancient times, the title of elder eunuchs, has the higher status than eunuchs).


    Hey, do you hear me? Go quickly


    After Zong Hongjius order, seeing that the old servant still didnt move, he immediately became furious. What? Is this prince cant command you anymore?


    How can it be?


    Yuan Gong gong lowered his eyebrows and smiled kindly. The Prime Minister just went in and was discussing important matters with His Majesty. His Majesty forbade anyone to enter, although he did not specifically instruct to not let His Highness disturb him, But in the end, we believe that national affairs are the most important


    (Lower eyebrows, pleasing to the eyes , aChinese idiom , pronounced d mi shn yn, refers to lowered eyebrows, with asubmissivelook in both eyes . Describe thedocile, obedient appearance, but also describe thehumbleattitude of the people at the bottom)


    Zong Hong was angry now.How can he listen to this?


    Zong Hingjiu said coldly. Since Yuan Gong gong doesnt want to inform His Majesty, then this Prince will have to go in himself. At least none of you servants would be daring to want to block this Princes way?


    The Ninth Highness is serious, this old servant naturally dares not.


    Yuan Jia didnt seem to be surprised by his answer and bluntly turned to his side, revealing the palace entry behind him.


    In fact, after just saying this sentence, Zong Hongjiu, who was hot-headed, also recovered a little. (rejuvenated)


    Strange. Emperor Yuan had always plainly responded to this Ninth Princes request, however Zong Hongjiu has seen the great power and the means of the ruler who holds life and death. Truthfully, Zong Hongjiu feared his emperor father from the bottom of his heart.


    But since he said it so impulsively, it would be a bit embarrassing if he didnt enter.


    It doesnt matter, my father loves me the most.He thought.


    Last time, a courtier made him unhappy, and Emperor Yuan ordered to behead the person without saying a word. This time, His Majesty was just talking about state affairs with the Prime Minister, and he would just directly enter without prior notice from a palace servant.


    Whats the harm of interrupting them?


    After such a mental preparation, Zong Hongjiu pretended to straighten his clothes, and stepped straight in.


    The decoration in the Zhang Palace was extremely cold and stiff, and even the incense was a cold fragrant, which was not very pleasant, but it was better to freshen the mind and clear the eyes and meditate.


    Suddenly, a gust of wind passed through, blowing a little bit of the heavy curtain used to separate the front hall, revealing shadowy figures behind.


    When Zong Hongjiu walked in, he heard a few intermittent voices.


    The Shaman Sacrificial Ceremony has been postponed for a long time. Now that Great Yuan has a strong military force, several countries have been conquered in a few years, and the unification of the Central Plains is imminent, it is the time where morale is high. If the Sheri Festival can be held together with the ceremony next year, it will surely stabilize the hearts of the people, to attract talents from other countries and prepare for the attack on Yu and Wei.


    (Sheri Festival-the oldest and the most prevailing festival in Chinese history, it became a sacrifice ritual to appease/in honour ofTudishen(God of the Soil and the Ground)


    It makes sense.


    Emperor Yuan bowed his head and said calmly. Right. We, must also announce the candidate for the crown prince position at the Shaman Ceremony that had been vacant for years,


    This is the reason why the minister came to persuade Us today.


    The cold voice of pine and bamboo hitting jade sounded from behind the veil.


    Your Majesty, a country cannot be without a ruler for a day, nor without a crown prince for a long time. Even if the sacrificial ceremony of the previous dynasty collapsed, the establishment of a crown prince is still what the peoples hearts desire. This minister hopes His Majesty to think twice.


    Zong Hongjiu was startled and he subconsciously stopped.


    Crown Prince? The prime minister is actually discussing the establishment of a crown prince with the royal father?


    Although most of the things he did on orinary days was to be ignorant and incompetent, when it comes to this kind of big thing, Zong Hongjiu cant help but feel a little overwhelmed in his heart.


    Even if hes the emperors child, he dared not to say that he had no desire for that dragon chair, and its very impossible even just thinking about it. Its just that he was too young and his mother concubine died early, Zong Hongjiu knew clearly that while he was in the palace all the year round and although favored by his father, but without his mother concubines support, he would not be able to develop his own power at all.


    Furthermore, several of his imperial brothers were very powerful, whether by seniority or strength, placing himself in line to them was impossible. Unless Emperor Yuan was in a daze and transferred the inheritance rights of the eldest in line to the throne to the youngest son, Zong Hongjiu would have nothing to do with the crown prince position. Obviously, even though Emperor Yuan was a tyrant, he would never be confused in matters of national affairs, otherwise it would be impossible to create the grand and ambitious hegemony of Great Yuan for hundreds of years.


    In this case, Zong Hongjiu can only find another way. For example, choosing a good team in advancein this way you can find a good place for yourself after the Imperial brother takes the throne.


    After a long time, Emperor Yuan said, Then according to Minister Pei, which prince should We appoint as the heir?


    Zong Hongjius heart suddenly tightened, and then subconsciously tried to relax by breathing in and out.


    Pei Qianxue, the prime minister of the Great Yuan Dynasty, was an accomplished disciple from the Legalist School. At the Baijia Banquet that year, he once pressured the famous scholars who were good at music, calligraphy, and painting and easily won as the champion in the categories of calligraphy, music, and debate.


    He was born a commoner, but due to his actual achievements, he reached the sky in one leap and became prime minister. He never interfered with the various forces in the court, and even more disdain to join forces with aristocratic families. Over the years, countless courtiers had used this advantage to make trouble for him, and have written many impeachments, but these had not affected Pei Qianxue at all. It can be seen that Emperor Yuan attaches great importance to him.


    Now that the Prime Minister mentions the matter of the crown prince, doesnt he intend to be an honest and upright official and only watch the fire from the shore? Did he already decide to support a prince?


    Pei Qianxue cupped his hands without hesitation.


    This minister thinks that the Fourth Prince is calm and has a sophisticated style; the Fifth Prince has the ability to lead troops in battle, and he is brave and good at fighting; and the Sixth Prince has a high support rate in the Imperial Court, which must be outstanding. Your Majesty should probably choose one of these several princes, crowned a Crown Prince after the Shaman Ceremony, and the establishment of the Eastern Palace can also be put on the agenda as soon as possible.


    Not being able to hear his name made Zong Hongjiu feel uncomfortable.


    As they continued to talk.


    He sensed that what they had said next was not within his scope of hearing..Just as he was about to take the initiative to come out from behind the curtain, he suddenly heard the laughter of Emperor Yuan, which shocked him.


    Emperor Yuan stood in front of a shelf where the sword Zhanlu was stored and stared at it. He then raised his head and laughed.


    At the end, he said. Minister Pei has also learned to speak nonsense with his eyes open.


    The emperor wearing a black dragon robe clasped one hand behind his back and said, Then I might as well tell Minister Pei why We didnt choose these princes.


    Zong Hongjiu, who was eavesdropping, jumped in his heart, but he couldnt figure out the specific meaning of the phrase why did not choose, and listened to Emperor Yuan again.


    The Fourth child acts calmly? That is just hiding in the back while playing with power and scheming, and cant stand on the top.


    Emperor Yuan sneered. The Fifth led the troops twice, and he made frequent mistakes without saying anything. He actually left the lieutenant on the battlefield and ran back to the gate by himself. Afterwards, he ordered him to keep his mouth shut. If it wasnt because the lieutenant was Our person. We wouldve been fooled.


    As for the Sixth, doesnt he only rely on the support of those aristocratic families? Without the family that supports him behind his back, he is nothing. Choosing one of them as the Crown Prince, can one even stabilize the great cause of my Yuan Dynasty?


    Pei Qianxue stood behind Emperor Yuan, with an indifferent attitude, and said nothing.


    After a long time, he sighed. It was hard for his words to fade away from the coldness and acrimony of the past and add more human feelings. Your Majesty, the Third Prince is a dragon and a phoenix among men, and it is hard to find a talent for hundreds of years. It would be too harsh to compare the other princes to him.


    Pei Qianxue remembered the scene in that dream, and his eyes lowered. His Royal Highness sacrificed himself for the country and guarded the gate for the great cause of the Yuan Dynasty. His Highness has already passed away. His Majesty should still focus on the overall situation.

 Chapter 8.2

    What? The Third Prince??! What does this have to do with the dead Third brother again?Zong Hongs face was astonished.


    Even if Pei Qianxue and the Third Prince have a good relationship, if he says such things in front of his father, is this not life-threatening?!


    Zong Hongjiu unconsciously took two steps back, calmed down, and felt scornful.


    The father emperor never mentioned the Third Prince in the court on ordinary days, and even when he was in command, he never went to the city gate to send him off. One must know that the King of Beining, who was deeply favored by Emperor Yuan, had this treatment, but the Third Prince does not. Anyone with discernment can see that this person was not actually favored by Emperor Yuan at all.


    Although Emperor Yuan criticized all the other princes in front of Pei Qianxue, Prime Minister Pei shouldnt be so outspoken. Did he really think that his father is the kind of monarch that is easy to get along with?


    When Zong Hongjiu, who was behind the curtain, thought that the head of the sad and modest man was about to fall to the ground in the next second, he finally heard the voice of Emperor Yuan.


    Youre pondering more and more about this monarchs thoughts, you are daring. Emperor Yuan snorted coldly, his eyes darkened, and his face was without joy nor anger. For the sake of your courage to speak out and persuade, I will spare your life for the time being.


    Its okay to hold a Shaman Sacrificial Ceremony. We will create a decree to serve the people and ask them to prepare for the ceremony. As for the candidate for the crown prince..Who is there?!


    In the next second, the sword placed on the shelf was unsheathed.


    With a swoosh, the thick curtain was immediately pierced by the swords edge as bright as a cold light, which formed into a white arc of bright light. Not far away, all the papers piled on the desk and official correspondence were swept away by the wind, and they were scattered all over the ground.


    Zong Hongjiu stood there dumbfounded, only feeling a tingling pain in his neck. He unconsciously reached out to touch it, only to find blood on his hand, and the whole person collapsed to the ground.


    Emperor Yuan was standing in front of him with Zhanlu in his hand across his neck. After seeing the unknown visitor clearly, he raised his sword eyebrows and looked unhappy. In the end, he moved the tip of the sword away.


    Why is it you?


    After hearing the sound, the guards and palace servants who were guarding the door rushed in one after another. After seeing the situation inside, they all knelt on the ground.


    Emperor Yuan glanced at Zong Hongjiu, who was trembling all over, and turned his head to ask, Yuan Jia, whats going on? We and the Prime Minister are talking about important matters, why did you let irrelevant people wait in?


    The eunuch with all white hair and beard knelt on the ground with his forehead to the ground. Your Majesty, this old slave is guilty.


    Seeing that Yuan Jia didnt say anything and directly confessed his guilt, what else did Emperor Yuan not understand?


    Anyhow, the Ninth Prince is the master and a servant is the slave. If he really wanted to break in, he wouldnt be able to stop him.


    Zong Hongjiu finally reacted, his lips trembling as he watched the sword, the sword that was among the top ten famous swords in the world, move away from his neck, and suddenly said loudly, Father! I just saw Third brother in the palace! Not only that, but he also injured my bodyguard!


    The atmosphere in the entire hall was stagnant, and even Pei Qianxue couldnt help but look sideways. The little eunuch who followed Yuan Jia wanted to bury his head in the ground.


    Although His Majesty never said it, which among the palace servants kneeling in Zhang Palace doesnt know that the Third Prince who died in the battle outside Hangu Pass was a scale of the Emperor Yuan that must never be touched? Even the Eldest Prince, the Second Prince and the Seventh Prince, who also died early, did not have such treatment.


    It was not only a scale that must never be touched but more like a taboo. At the beginning of the year, when an old servant unconsciously mentioned the Third Prince, Emperor Yuan pulled his tongue out without saying a word. Only the Prime Minister, who was deeply favored by Emperor Yuan, repeatedly spoke bluntly in front of the tyrant and dared to mention it.


    Zong Hongjiu believed in his heart that the Third Prince he saw earlier was a fake, but when he heard the secret conversation behind the veil, he immediately changed his statement, saying that the Third Prince had returned.


    He didnt believe that the emperor who favored him the most on ordinary days would value the Third Prince so much, however Prime Minister Pei wouldnt necessarily dare to create something out of nothing.


    If the father emperor really valued that Third Imperial Brother so much, to the point where he would not establish a crown prince without seeing the dead body, he should be shocked after what he said, and then immediately issue a decree to send the Imperial Guards to conduct a thorough investigation. In this case, even mobilizing the Imperial Army, blocking the gates of the city, and digging three feet into the ground, just to find the person mentioned who had returned from the dead.


    If it was really found to be a fake, then fathers anger will be transferred to the fake.


    If the royal father does not really value the Third Prince, then his act of eavesdropping in the hall today will be forgiven.


    However, to his surprise again, after Zong Hongjiu finished speaking, Emperor Yuans expression did not change, and he only glanced at him lightly. This look made Zong Hongjiu feel cold all over and his next words stuck in his throat as he watched Emperor Yuan continue to ask Yuan Jia in astonishment.


    When did the Ninth Prince enter the hall?


    Yuan Jia: In response to His Majestys question, His Highness came in about half a column of incense. This old servant reminded His Highness, but His Highness insisted on breaking in, thus this old servant couldnt do anything.


    As for why he didnt notify him, its because Emperor Yuan personally ordered it, he naturally wouldnt ignore the emperors orders.


    Listening to the conversation in the hall, for the first time in his life, Zong Hongjiu, who was kneeling on the ground, felt a great fear in his heart. For some reason, he felt as if something was happening that was gradually breaking away from his cognition and control.


    The blood on his neck still continued trickling down his, dyeing his clothes deep crimson red.


    However, if he were to be wounded on ordinary days, countless Imperial physicians would come and treat him. But now, Zong Hongjiu was kneeling on the ground, not daring to say a word, and did not dare to lift his head, for fear of seeing his fathers face that was so cold and inhumane.


    But Zong Hongjiu couldnt figure it out.


    He could only watch Yuan Jia summon one of his personal attendants, and chose an inconspicuous one instead of the person closest to him.


    As soon as the attendant came in, he knelt down on the ground and said tremblingly that they had indeed encountered an assassin in the palace. As for the assassins face, he did not mention a word, and when asked, he only said that it was somewhat similar, and he did not dare to use the word impersonation.


    Thats right, even if he gave his attendant a hundred courage, he wouldnt dare to talk about the royal family.


    Whats more, this was the personal attendant that Emperor Yuan put next to the Ninth Prince, therefore he knew better than Zong Hongjiu, what can be mentioned and what cant be mentioned in front of Emperor Yuan.


    How could Emperor Yuan not know that Zong Hongjiu had been tyrannical and wanton in the palace before? It was just merely turning a blind eye and tolerating all his actions


    Emperor Yuans doting on him was more like an old fathers doting on his young son for no reason. Although for no reason, there was still a bottom line.


    After listening to these words, Emperor Yuan said indifferently, Hongjiu, We are very disappointed with you.


    Eavesdropping on a secret conversation, arguing about your Imperial Brother, shouting in the hall, where are the things Shaofu taught you?


    Emperor Yuan looked straight at the Ninth Prince who was kneeling on the ground, and threw the sword to the ground.


    Zhanlu, who was ranked among the top ten famous swords, rolled to the ground like a thrown rubbish, and lay there coldly and abandoned.


    Hes back yet he went to see you and didnt come to see Us? Lying without making a manuscript first.


    Emperor Yuan did not name who he was, as if it was just his name, which was a taboo. However, everyone present knew who the other person he was referring to.


    Zong Hongjius forehead oozes cold sweat.


    In the end, he was still too young. It was not easy to think of another way of saying it in a hurry, and he didnt even have the time to think about it so much.


    Eventually, he couldnt hold it anymore, and his tears poured out.


    *******


    Zong Luo told Zong Ruichen a few words, and after he made some remarks, he sent Zong Ruichen back to the cold palace again and waved goodbye.


    After such a mess, Zong Hongjiu probably wont focus on Xiao Ba, Zong Luo was finally relieved. Next, as long as the matter in his hands progresses, he will find a way to take Zong Ruichen out.


    When he returned the same way, Zong Luo still used his old trick to attract the attention of the guards first, lightly climbed over the wall, and walked quickly towards the side hall where he had previously excused himself to change his clothes.


    The door at the back of the side hall was still the same as when he left. Zong Luo raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise, then ducked in again and locked the door.


    He originally thought that after being away for so long, Gu Ziyuan would come to look for him in agitation. Thats why he left a gap when he exited the back door. At that time, he would have a good excuse that he did not see it because he was blind, therefore thought that the back door was the front door and accidentally lost his way in the Lanting Waterside Pavilion, and unexpectedly met Xiao Ba along the way. As the other party helped him find his way again, and seeing him suffer injustice, he would logically help the other.


    But since Gu Ziyuan didnt come, he didnt need to be so troublesome, he just had to say some words to him when he saw him later.


    Thinking like this, Zong Luo turned around and threw down the whip in his hand, and went to clean his hands. Yet suddenly he turned around alertly, his eyes were sharp.


    Who?


    Across the white silk, his gaze pierced the screen not far away like electricity. The next second, a whistling sound rang out in the empty room.


    The water contained in the pan was filled with oscillating ripples, with dark red python patterns swaying on the surface of the water, and a few gold lights leaped inside. It merged with the spotless white and quickly staggered several times before retreating. The strong wind that swept out fell into the air, splashing a curtain of water.


    After the short fight, Zong Luo understood who the uninvited guest that broke inside the side hall was.


    Resisting his anger, he gritted his teeth and said, Yu Beizhou!


    The moment the water splashed down, Zong Luo swept his palm towards the opposite side, and a large portion of the mans crimson robe was instantly wet.


    At the same time, a sudden cold flashed past, and the white silk that was wrapped around his eyes snapped, turning into strips of cloth and scattered on the ground, revealing slightly angered eyebrows behind it.


    These eyes were like the stars and the moon. The look that was lost because of the cover up was restored in full. With the remaining sharpness of the brow tip, it added and diluted the deliberately disguised unconventional sick atmosphere, and suddenly unfolded something that was bright.


    Yu Beizhou stared deeply at these intact eyes and laughed softly.


    Senior martial brothers eyes are so beautiful, what a waste to cover them up.

 Chapter 9.1

    In fact, after meeting Yu Beizhou at the gate of the city, Zong Luo was already mentally prepared that he wouldnt be able to hide from the other party at the beginning of his two-way fight.


    As to be expected, they knew each other too well.


    If Zong Luo really died in battle and would not appear again, its estimated that this lifelong confrontation would at the same time cease to exist.


    But he not only appeared and came back, his momentum of seizing the Crown Prince position also intensified. When the peoples reverence for the Third Prince was thoroughly fermented, Qixing Longyuan just so happened to appear at the city gate.


    There were so many coincidences in this that it was not enough to explain in just a single sentence.


    Although Zong Luo was incompatible with Yuzhou, he was also well aware of his temperament. If the same thing happened to Yu Beizhou, Zong Luo would also be the first one to have doubts.


    However, the most important thing was that when Yu Beizhou made his move, he was full of killing intent. If he doesnt want to be killed on the spot, its impossible for Zong Luo not to answer. However, once he did, he would not be able to hide the fact that he did not have amnesia. Even logically, in front of Yu Beizhou, the excuse of being blind also became precarious.


    The last time, it was at the city gate. Now, he saw Yu Beizhou again, and came uninvited in the side hall. Zong Luo, who always had a good temper, was a little more angry.


    It was said that the enemy would be very resentful when they meet, and it would really be difficult to end without a fight.


    As for the disguise of blindness, since he had all been seen through, what was the need for it? Covering the eyes will only serve as a hindrance.


    Like in tacit understanding, they shot at the same time again.


    In all fairness, both of them were the proud disciples of the Ghost Valley. Even if one used the sword and the other used a heavy dueling sword, their previous basic Kung Fu skills were still learned together. Even if one doesnt use a sword in fighting against the other person, the difference wouldnt still be that big.


    As soon as they got closer, Zong Luo seized the time and waved the whip in his hand towards Yu Beizhou.


    Seeing this, Yu Beizhou directly deceived him and abandoned his defense and changed to offense. He endured being whipped in exchange for a firm hold on the white-robed princes wrist with his backhand.


    Tear


    The whip tail barb made a tear like scratch on his dark red lapel embroidered with golden threads.


    Yu Beizhous long and narrow phoenix eyes squinted but his brows did not wrinkle at the blow that took almost 70% of his strength. The end of his eyes was as red as the last time when Zong Luo pointed the tip of his sword against his heart, emitting a magnetic killing intent towards him. In his eyes, something floated within its bottomless pitch black, as he felt more and more pleasant inside.


    Senior brother, we havent seen each other for a year. Its just reminiscing about the past. Theres no need to be so cruel, right?


    Zong Luo asked back indifferently. The attack you made two days ago at the city gate was a killer move. What the master taught, you actually used it to mutilate your fellow sect member?


    Senior brother, dont wrongly accuse me.


    Yu Beizhou lowered his eyebrows and eyes. His crows eyelashes casted shadows against his cheeks.


    The life and death of the Third Prince of the Great Yuan are uncertain, and there has been no news for a year. When one suddenly appears, as a fellow sect disciple, naturally the person must be punished properly. How can we allow others to impersonate him?


    This was not the first time he had heard Yu Beizhou refer to a deer as a horse, reversing black and white, and it would surely not be the last time.


    Zong Luo sneered, You at least pretended to act when you were young, but now you dont pretend anymore. Why? Have you let go of your nature now?


    Seeing Zong Luos straightforward recognition, Yu Beizhous face became more and more full of smiles, Where, isnt Senior Brother the most clear about my nature?


    Indeed, if he was not clear about his nature, how could Zong Luo go to the Ghost Valley and leave without saying goodbye. This was also the point that had troubled Yu Beizhou the most over the years. Most importantly, Yu Beizhou couldnt still figure out where he was exposed.


    As he mentioned the old past in his mouth, his fingertips carefully rubbed the slender wrist at the bottom of his hand, following the lines of the others palm all the way down, and dodged away in time before Zong Luo drew the next whip.


    However, even just a short moment was enough to find clues.


    Senior brother, you are injured.


    The long fingertips of the general in red were stained with scarlet, and the sticky color was particularly shocking against his pale knuckles.


    He raised his hand condescendingly, placed his fingertips gently near his lips, licked the warm blood with the tip of his tongue ambiguously, and rolled it into his mouth, looking just like the ghost recorded in the books that feeds on fresh human blood. It seemed like he was trying to endure something, and his eyes were covered with a magnificent red glow.


    This action gave Zong Luo an inexplicable illusion. It was obviously extremely cruel, but it made him blush for no reason.


    Zongluo asked stiffly, Whats the matter with you?


    The white-clothed prince had his ink hair in a high ponytail, his face was as clear as jade, and his eyes stared at him coldly.


    In order to stop the attack, he grabbed the barb of Zong Hongjius horse whip with his bare hand, which seemed to be an understatement. In fact, he was accidentally stabbed by the barb from the whip and had no time to deal with it.


    He covered it up very well along the way, but it was unexpectedly seen through by Yu Beizhou.


    Although they seem to be standing casually now, in fact, both sides were in a very delicate state. As long as the other party moved slightly and showed even a trace of murderous intent, each can only defend against the other with the best posture.


    In the end, it was Yu Beizhou who broke the silence first.


    Alas, I clearly care about senior brother, but senior brother is so indifferent, it really makes this junior brother feel cold,


    But since the senior brother is injured, lets just leave it for today. Anyways, future days are still very long.


    The general in red turned over to the windowsill, and his expression became dull again, like a child who didnt get a candy.


    When I heard the news of what happened at Hangu Pass, I tossed and turned and couldnt sleep every night, its really a pity. Yu Beizhous voice was like a sigh as though he felt a little regret. Its fortunate that senior brother is not dead, otherwise, I would really hate that kind of trouble.


    He stared at the face that he thinks about every day, and thought to himself, this was really a big surprise.


    Zong Luo only looked at him calmly, and retorted, From junior brothers words, I will only live longer than you.


    Hearing this, Yu Beizhous throat was full of laughter. His jet black eyes looked down at him, and suddenly he fell back. A clean and fierce back somersault as he jumped out of the hall. Immediately, his figure disappeared.


    Zong Luo frowned slightly in doubt and confirmed that Yu Beizhou had really already left. Then he picked up the white silk on the ground again, lowered his eyes and pondered in silence.


    In the beginning, the misunderstanding between them stemmed from Zong Luos unannounced farewell when he was seven years old.


    Its just that Yu Beizhou, although he took it step by step, it was still smooth sailing in the end, just like what was written in Can Drink a Cup of Nothing. This proud son of heaven was on the rise. No matter what he wanted to do, its like he had Gods help, that made it possible for him to do whatever he wanted.


    This made Zong Luo, who had been fighting against him from the very beginning, an eyesore.


    Fierce-hearted and vicious. High-minded and arrogant.


    Even their master in the Ghost Valley did not know Yu Beizhou as well as Zong Luo. This alone was enough for Yu Beizhou to kill him. Perhaps coupled with the accumulation of old grudges, the secret competition with each other, the many stumbling blocks, which was mixed with some unclear hatred.


    However, the glance that Yu Beizhou threw at him just now was not without these things, but rather, it was obscure and complicated. From floating on the surface to sinking to the bottom of the deep pool, and even the killing intent changed from cold to unpredictable.


    Zong Luo felt like he had missed something.


    Two years into his life, one year of supposed death after being reborn, perhaps because of the time, he no longer remembered how Yu Beizhous eyes looked at him in his previous life. He could only assure that it was not as strange as it was now.


    Could it be because of the dream when nine stars linked like beads in the sky ???


    While guessing, he sank his hand into the basin and let the cold water dipped on the wound then hastily wrapped the broken white silk on it and took a spare piece and wrapped it around his face.


    The day of Zong Luos rebirth happened to be the night when the great shaman calculated the nine stars phenomenon. It was clearly night, but the sky was as bright as day.


    The sun, moon and stars all existed in the same sky. All the people felt inexplicably sleepy, unable to lift their spirits all day long, and just wanted to fall asleep.


    That day also existed before his rebirth, but it was not like this life. The world fell into a dream. At the same time as the world dreamed, Zong Luo also ushered in his own restart.


    Everyone thought that in that dream, the Third Prince led troops to support Hangu Pass, and died when he was besieged on all sides. In fact, only Zong Luo himself knew that what they dreamed was actually the scene of him committing suicide using Zhanlu in despair when he received an imperial edict from Emperor Yuan ordering him to commit suicide when he returned to the Great Yuan alone and helpless.


    Perhaps it was in this dream that Yu Beizhou saw something. After all, the appearances of Qixing Longyuan and Zhanlu were very different. As long as one had seen these two swords with their own eyes, they would never admit theyre mistaken.


    Zong Luo looked at the calm water and felt that a storm was coming.


    When Zong Luo returned to the Baijia Banquet again, he found that there were three or four layers of scholars around Gu Ziyuan. Looking at it from a distance, he seemed to be arguing with another student.


    No wonder he didnt notice that Zong Luo had been gone for such a long time, it turned out that something happened.


    A literati normally contended in the most elegant way. Even if they argue until theyre face was flushed red, they could still sit on their knees in front of you with a posture that was not necessarily crooked. It was rare to see them directly stand up and argue.


    When Zong Luo saw that there were several princes standing there, he immediately stopped to watch the excitement. He immediately wiped the hem of his robe, sat quietly on the futon, grabbed a tea ball made of tea buds, put in some oranges, green onions and ginger, and slowly ground them with a stone grinder. An attendant drew water from the winding river of the water pavilion, knelt down in front of the charcoal stove with a palm fan, and when he saw that the water was boiling, he immediately brought it over and poured the boiling water in.


    The popular tea drinking procedure in Great Yuan was to take a bamboo tube or roasting pot, put the tea leaves in it, and put it over the fire and stir continuously. After frying until the edges of the tea leaves turn slightly yellow and emit a burnt aroma, add boiling water for drinking, and done. The method of cooking tea porridge was now popular in other countries.

 Chapter 9.2

    Zong Luo thought that the taste of the tea leaves after roasting was too heavy, so he always omitted the roasting step, put some fruit to enhance the taste, and brewed it directly, which was kind of a modern fruit tea. He would occasionally add goat milk. Although goat milk had a fishy taste and was barely considered milk tea, it was still not very delicious to drink.


    He waited until the tea leaves twirled inside the tea pot. Then he opened the lid after half a column of incense, and a light sweet and greasy smell came out from it. Zong Luo unhurriedly poured himself a cup, holding a tea bowl, and slowly watched the students of hundred schools of thought in the Lanting water pavilion.


    It had to be said that a young man with eyes covered in white silk, which exuded an extraordinary temperament, was quite eye-catching. Many disciples from hundreds of schools who came to discuss Taoism have noticed this scene and secretly inquired about who this person was.


    Such bearing, it would be absolutely impossible to be just a quiet and nameless person. However, the Confucian disciples only said, Master Gu Luo is an honored guest of our Confucianism, so he should only be regarded as a follower, not a formal Confucian disciple.


    Not an official Confucian disciple? Then why was the surname Gu?It was already known that Confucianism and Mohism like to pick up orphans who were alone and whose parents were dead because of the war. The Mohist School followed the great Mo Zhais family name, Mo, while the Confucian family had the surname Gu. A kid growing up under their wing naturally would become a family.


    The other disciples from hundreds schools of thought understood: Young Master Gu is just following along to discuss the Tao, and does not plan to participate in the Baijia Banquet.


    Although it was a Baijia Banquet, it was not limited to the participation of only the students from hundreds schools of thought. As long as there are talented people in the world, they can answer the questions and enter, discuss the Tao with wine together, and compete for the top of the six arts.


    Thats not true. A Confucian disciple smiled and said, Although Brother Gu is only a follower, he will also participate in the Baijia Banquet Competition.


    Everyone was startled. So thats the case, then is Mr. Gu going to participate in the music competition?


    The reason why they first thought of music was because there was once a very famous court musician in the Jin Kingdom. Even after the city gate was breached, the enemy general still listened to him playing the poignant and mournful music of subjugation on the high-rise building, and couldnt bear to kill him. Instead he blinded him and let him go. In the six arts, martial arts, hunting, calligraphy, etiquette, music and debate, there should be little hope for the other arts for a blind man except for music.


    The Confucian disciple was also a little stunned. Music? I beg your pardon? Brother Gu cant play the Qin.


    At this moment, an attendant brought a plate of cut bamboo slips.


    This was the process of signing up for Baijia Banquet. If one wanted to sign up, one just had to write their name on the bamboo slip, give it to the little servant for registration, and put it into the six red tubes placed in front of the Lanting Water Pavilion.


    According to traditional practice, there was no clear definition for the number of signatures that can be put in one of the red tubes. One can compete for only one item, or directly compete for all six arts. Its just the difference between writing more and only writing one.


    Zong Luo took a bamboo slip and asked an attendant to write one for him.


    The competition for each art in the Baijia Banquet was fierce.


    At present, the practice of martial arts is prevalent. In addition to hand and foot kung fu, horsemanship and archery were also part of the basis for learning martial arts. However, horsemanship and archery were classified as hunting skills. As for calligraphy, painting, etiquette and music, they were all symbols of elegance.


    The last category, the debate art, was traditionally reserved to be the finale of the Baijia Banquet. The dignitaries of various countries sit at the top and refer to objects as the topic, and students use the ideas advocated by each schools of thoughts to debate.


    The chief debater naturally should have limitless insights and views on things, but as long as the words were reasonable and convincing, theres no need to worry about not having a good place to go after the Baijia Banquet.


    Some curious people quietly leaned over to look, and found that the blind Young Master Gu actually participated in the hunting category. He couldnt help but be surprised. Just as he was about to say something, he heard a loud voice not far away.


    Someone actually participated in the six arts in one fell swoop!


    What? Six? The last time one participated in all the six arts..it seems to be like ten years ago?


    Indeed, who was the winner of the last six events? You should also know, It was Pei Qianxue, the current Prime Minister of the Great Yuan Dynasty.


    Come on, most of the people who participated in the six arts, if the first-rounder didnt say anything, he would be out in the first round. Those who dared to vote in six are either talented or sensational.


    The students were talking about it, and their attention suddenly shifted to there. Although only the students of the hundred schools of thought participated in the Baijia Banquet, there would occasionally be many noble children who came to join in the fun. If they could gain their appreciation, they would even be able to take advantage of it within the scope permitted by the rules.


    Lets go, lets go and have a look By the way, whats the name of the person who participated in all the six events?


    It doesnt seem to be a student from any schools of thought, but a lone person named Gongsun You.


    Hearing this, Zong Luo continued to drink tea with his head down, his expression calm.


    At this point in his last life, he was in the Imperial City of Great Abyss. Although the Baijia Banquet had not yet arrived, he had also heard of this madman who had thrown six bamboo slips all at once.


    Although he was a madman, his talent was not fake.


    Thats right, this person was one of the male supporting characters in Can Drink a Cup of Nothing, a powerful follower of Yu Beizhou. His true identity was actually a descendant of a recluse family, and one of the hottest competitors of the main palace CP.


    Although he was still unknown now, after winning several categories in succession at the Baijia Banquet, he became famous in one fell swoop, and several major forces in the capital competed to extend an olive branch to him.


    Gongsun You was very thoughtful, and he had a strategy in his heart. He does not clearly declare his allegiance to whom. Instead, he deals with several princes, gains the trust of several people, and becomes their counselor.


    Several princes thought that they had won over this resourceful and diversified leader, but in fact, as early as the start of the Baijia Banquet, Gongsun You was already fascinated by the demeanor of the King of Beining, Yu Beizhou, and was secretly loyal to him. He was the backbone that helped him seize the Great Yuan Dynasty.


    The reason why Zong Luo knew about him was because Gongsun You circled around Yu Beizhou in his previous life, and he even calculated against him twice behind his back. Only by personal experience can one know that there was also a gap in IQ between a counselor and a counselor. Thus it was expected that the powerful advisor would surely follow the protagonist willingly.


    In this way, it would be good for him to disregard the suspicions of his previous life and go down with Gongsun You.


    Now there is an opportunity to suppress Yu Beizhous henchmen and advance his identity plan, so why not?


    He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and waited until the surrounding disciples were almost dispersed, then got up again, straightened his robes, and walked over to the other side.


    When he got closer, he heard a clear and arrogant voice.


    so what if Im rude? I dare say that none of you here will be able to fight with me. If there is, I will break my martial art bamboo slip on the spot.


    Wow


    This time, the students who were just interested in coming over to watch couldnt sit still. Each one stood up without a word, and many people showed indignation on their faces.


    They just heard that someone had thrown six bamboo slips, and they were curious, so they stepped forward to invite the person to discuss Taoism. However, what no one expected was that this non sectarian individual was so arrogant, and showed on the spot that only those who could fight with him had the qualifications to discuss Taoism with him.


    This madman! How arrogant! Isnt it just an embroidered pillow, lets see what he can do later!


    (t/n Embroidered pillow, Chinese idiom, pinyin xi hu zhn tou, which means a person who has only appearance but no learning ability.)


    As soon as Gongsun Yous remarks came out, it immediately aroused public outrage. Everyone was young. Who among them was not proud?


    Almost all the students from the hundred schools of thought both studied civil and martial arts. Otherwise, it wouldnt be really easy to go out and walk in this world. There were more people who were capable in both writing and martial arts, but there were also a few talents like Gu Ziyuan who were only hell-bent on literature.


    Swords were not allowed in the palace, but since they wanted to discuss Taoism, one cant be unreasonable. The servants of the palace had already prepared some ordinary long swords for them to use in the sword friendly exchange.


    This side was full of excitement, and even the students who had just gathered around Gu Ziyuan to watch him argue with a Legalist disciple also came over to see what the confidence of this lone person who dared to speak madly.


    After about a stick of incense, the discussion gradually subsided.


    Several students stepped forward one after another, having thought of teaching this Gongsun You a lesson. However, they didnt expect that they couldnt even make a move towards the opponent after they went up. They couldnt help but look ashamed.


    His sword move is really weird.


    Other onlookers also saw and understood that although Gongsun You made a lot of nonsense, he had the confidence in the end. Some of them hesitated for a while, not daring to go forward again.


    Zong Luo, who listened carefully to the sound of the sword, revealed a small smile with confidence.


    He took off the ancient jade from his waist and patiently waited for the challengers to be defeated one by one. When there was no one, he followed the fragrance of the flowers and went forward. He raised his hand and broke off a section of an osmanthus branch next to the water pavilion. Holding it in his hand, he said warmly.


    That being the case, I also would like to ask for some advice.

 Chapter 10.1

    As soon as Zong Luo stepped forward, the surrounding students who were chattering about immediately fell silent.


    Anyone with eyes could see that this young man dressed in unstained white was blind.


    Moreover, in the face of Gongsun Yous strange and unpredictable swordsmanship, he only came with a branch broken from the osmanthus tree beside the water pavilion.


    Everyone was dumbfounded.


    Originally, it was said that Gongsun You was a madman, but now it seems that this was not the case. The real madman was the young man in white in front of him.


    Could it be that he has lost his mind? Thats an iron sword, can a branch match against an iron sword?


    Although its just going through the motions of a friendly sword fight, and one was not limited to whatever one wanted to use, still a branch was soft, and if it was cut by an iron sword, it would be gone. If it was cut in half, naturally the fight couldnt be continued.


    Gongsun You, who was surrounded by the crowd, also frowned.


    He came from a recluse family, and only one disciple of the family was allowed to go out into the world every ten years. Unlike the self-made Ghost Valley next door, their recluse family had a foundation. He was equivalent to a master in the Yin-Yang family. With a token at his disposal, disciples of the Yin-Yang family did not dare to disobey him.


    If one still lived a hermit life, one still has his own life. However once one goes out into the world, he must choose a wise master, seek the lands under the heavens, and make amazing achievements without outstanding performance.


    Gongsun You went out into the world this time in order to find a wise master to assist him in unifying the Central Plains and to calm down the current raging war situation.


    In fact, whats happening now at the Baijia Banquet was just one of his plans. Although Gongsun You was arrogant by nature and looked down on others, it was not mindless arrogance.


    But he had no intention of revealing his origin and only attracting the attention of many forces. Nonetheless, if he wanted to choose a master, he had to show his ability. He simply needed to act in a high profile and use this as a reference.


    The aristocratic family had collected many famous family sword techniques, among which was a fragment of a piece of paper that was said to be the remnant of the sword sages enlightenment a hundred years ago. Although there was no way to put it into practice, it was enough to just talk about its sword intent.


    As an outstanding disciple of the Yin Yang Family Headquarters, Gongsun You was excellent at puppetry, and his swordsmanship could only be considered to be above average. However, he was also confident that none of the hundreds of students in the audience could figure it out, let alone the blind man who came up with a branch asking for a sword discourse.


    If thats the case, then please.


    Gongsun You glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw that many dignitaries had been attracted by his deliberately created momentum. He took a step back a little, the iron sword in hand was ready to go.


    He made up his mind to cut off the sweet-scented osmanthus branch in the hands of the white-robed young man in one move.


    *****


    On the other side, Yu Beizhou stood lazily in place.


    Today, he was still dressed in the same clothes, white fur and red robe, with loose black hair, which made his face even more beautiful, handsome and compelling, making people dare not look directly at him. No matter how one looked at it, he looked like a noble son raised in Zhongling Yuxiu by an aristocratic family. It was really difficult to associate the three characters of the King of Beining with him, who could stop a crying child at night.


    (t/n Zhongling Yuxiu-a place endowed with the fine spirits of the universe)


    Almost half of the students in the Lanting Water Pavilion were peeking at him. Several princes were also beside him, which made Yu Beizhou look like the owner of this Lanting Water Pavilion.


    The Sixth Prince saw with sharp eyes that there were traces of dampness on his golden threaded lapels on his chest part, and asked kindly, Huainan, why is your chest wet, do you want to go to the side hall to change clothes?


    Yu Beizhous eyelids did not lift. Sixth Highness, we have never exchanged secondary personal names.


    The Fifth Prince, Zong Yuanwu on the side broke out a burst of laughter mercilessly, and said while laughing, Yes, His Royal Highness has been going on expeditions for the Great Abyss for many years, and he is dealing with all kinds of problems everyday. How can he be the same as us idle princes?


    Not like some people. Zong Yuanwu pointed out. Even without having exchanged secondary names, yet still called the other in advance. He really treats himself familiar enough.


    Zong Yonglius face turned blue and white for a while.


    You!


    The status of Yu Beizhou in Great Yuan was well known to everyone present.


    Not to mention the military power in his hand, he was also deeply appreciated by Emperor Yuan. It can be said that if one can win him over, the general trend of seizing the Crown Prince position would be almost settled.


    Zong Yongliu also had this idea.


    Originally, he wanted to get close. If Yu Beizhou ignored the way he addressed him, in the future, he would let nature take its course, exchange secondary personal names with him and pay a visit to his palace if he doesnt have anything to do, then spread the rumors that hes close to the King of Beining.


    Unexpectedly, the King of Beining was so merciless, and directly pointed out his thoughts which made him lose face, moreover, he was also trampled by the Fifth Prince. He was really annoyed.


    Seeing this, the Fourth Prince, Zong Chengjian hurriedly smoothen things out.


    Imperial brothers, dont argue, itll hurt your friendly feelings. Then skillfully changed the subject.


    We are still at the Baijia Banquet, it is not something that should be taken lightly.


    However


    Zong Chengsis eyes swept across the red-clothed general, expressing his admiration bluntly. Nowadays autumn is gradually becoming dense, and wearing wet clothes is always bad for your health. I have already ordered the servants to go to the weaving room to find the same crimson robe of the same style, if His Royal Highness does not dislike it, it would be better to change it when the servants come back.


    Like this, after taking a turn, favors were instead won by Zong Chengsi.


    Zong Yongliu rolled his eyes at this Imperial brother who had no foundation, no action done on ordinary days and who only loved beauties. He simply felt that the previous rumors circulating in the capital were true, that the Fourth Prince was really interested in the boundless autumn moon face of the King of Beining, and didnt think in the direction of his intentional involvement in seizing the crown.


    Compared with the others who were beating around the bush, Zong Yuanwus thinking was much simpler and cruder. What the Fourth Prince said, I think it is also better for His Royal Highness to change his clothes.


    He didnt even think about setting up a defense against Zong Chengsi, but instead followed his statement with righteous indignation. What scumbag is so careless and spilled water on the masters clothes.


    Yu Beizhou, who had always been ignoring them, said, Its not a servant, I wont change. After speaking, he casually played with his fingers, his expression full of boredom.


    Ohso its not a servant.


    Zong Chengsi was the first to react. If it was not done by a servant, then who? Why was he also willing to wear a wet robe for so long? He unfolded his folding fan and deduced the appearance of the children of the capitals aristocratic family with a hundred percent.


    It was well known in the court that the biological mother of the Fourth Prince came from a lowly background, and his appearance resembled that of his mother more.


    Now, such a pair of peach blossom eyes that were exactly the same as his biological mothers peach blossom eyes, was also on Yu Beizhou, which made him look extra frivolous.


    I dont know which beautiful woman is so fortunate to be able to win His Royal Highness eyes, that he doesnt even want to change his clothes.


    Beauty?


    Yu Beizhou was stunned for the first time ever. Then, like he had seemed to hear some kind of funny joke, his shoulders shook then laughed non-stop, without any intention of explaining his confusing behavior.


    The other princes: ?


    They had no idea why the King of Beining laughed, however they each had their own thoughts. But because they would never want to make the scene embarrassing, they also laughed along.


    The scene was awkward for a while.


    After laughing for a long time, Zong Yongliu swept his eyes, and noticed a newly gathered crowd. He hurriedly suggested, Why are there so many people gathered there? Is there another wonderful argument like the Confucianism and Legalism just now? Why dont we go and have a look?


    After repeatedly hitting a wall, he made up his mind to make a comeback.


    Although what Zong Yongliu suggestion looked like he was asking the opinions of the other two princes, in fact the leader of the opinions was Yu Beizhou. If he said that he was not interested, the others would definitely find excuses to continue to accompany him.


    Yu Beizhou glanced out of the corner of his eye, and was about to refuse, but after seeing the white colored robe, his originally uninterested expression suddenly became vivid, and the words in his mouth suddenly took a turn.


    The Baijia Banquet was held with a large number of people and was extremely lively. For the sake of elegance, the river channels in the water trees were specially trimmed to look curved. The servants heated liquor or tea in the upper stream, poured it into a cup, placed it on a lotus leaf then let the stream carry the lotus leaf and the wine glass downstream. If students were thirsty as they discussed Taoism or playing games, they could go to the stream to grab one any time.


    When the many students standing by the curved stream, who were either talking, laughing, or discussing Taoism, saw the nobles pass by, they all kept silent, consciously making way for them.


    Next to the water pavilion, two individuals were facing each other.


    One was in a coarse linen clothes with a stubborn expression. The other person was dressed in bright white clothes, with a peaceful and beautiful appearance and a noble temperament.


    Because of the angle, they could only see half of the handsome face of the young man in white. At first glance, several princes felt a little familiar, but for a while, they couldnt think of where it was familiar.


    What is this?


    Zong Yuanwu, the only one of the princes who had a talent for martial arts and was particularly keen on practicing martial arts, asked incredulously. A blind man holding a branch in his hand, is it possible to have a friendly swordfight using that?


    The one with good eyes held an iron sword in his hand, but the one with eyes covered with a white silk only held a green branch with a cluster of yellow osmanthus at the end.


    Just as they were frightened and uncertain, the two moved.


    Unlike the fight with Yu Beizhou at the city gate, Zong Luo and Gongsun Yous sword discourse did not last long, only with three moves.


    The first move, the branches swept across, and the long sword stabbed. The second move, an afterimage passed through the air, as if it could be predicted, the branches brushed past the blade of the sword, and then the whole body retreated. The third move, the osmanthus flowers in full bloom at the end of the branch, fell like the scattered flowers from a heavenly maiden, and were swept into the stream beside the water pavilion by the rising wind. It happened to fall into a wine cup at the center of the lotus leaf in the meandering water stream, spreading the fragrance of osmanthus flowers in the hot liquor


    When the onlookers looked more closely again, the tip of the branch had already been pointed at Gongsun Yous sword-holding hand.


    The latter, holding the iron sword tightly, took two steps back and let it go with a loud clang.


    Although this life was not the previous one, the feeling of beating Gongsun You was still quite good. Who told Gongsun You, this fellow, to hide his capabilities? Counselors were not like assassins, who only sit and wait for the other to come to the door.


    Zong Luo bowed with his hands slightly. I accept.


    (t/n Acceptance-generally said after the competition when the winner is modest and polite. For example, if A wins a game between A and B, A will politely say to B: Ive accepted it, meaning the advantage I have achieved is that you did not use all your strength, and you are letting me win.)


    Dead silence.


    It wasnt until a burst of applause suddenly sounded that everyone woke up from their stupor.


    When the students looked back, they saw that the King of Beining had raised his hand and clapped lazily. Apparently, the nobles also gathered to watch the sword discourse just now.


    After the distinguished person started, sounds of applause and cheers came one after another.


    Whoever wants to, can win even by using a twig? Zong Yuanwu was speechless. This young master in white is very good at swordsmanship.


    He loves martial arts, and was somewhat a martial arts maniac. He had been practicing martial arts since he was a child. Although he did not realize that his talent was mediocre, he had also laid a foundation after more than ten years under the guidance of some famous martial arts experts.


    No, even with the acquired foundation, its impossible for him to have this kind of insight. His heart of solicitation suddenly rose.

 Chapter 10.2

    Furthermore, even a layman could see that he really defeated an iron sword with only a branch.


    Its really amazing, but its a pity, his eyes..I dont know which disciple this is.


    Zong Yongliu followed suit, intending to disturb Zong Yuanwus good deeds.


    If His Royal Highness is interested, why not take a closer look?


    Yu Beizhou had no intention of responding to the Sixth Prince at all. He looked at the young man in white who was being complimented by everyone on the field and the smile on his face gradually deepened. He lifted his feet and strode over.


    The Sixth Prince, who was successively ignored, couldnt hold the smile on his face. If it werent for the fact that there were too many things behind the three characters of the King of Beining, how could he, a dignified prince of Great Yuan, be reduced to the place where he first has to observe the others complexion before speaking?


    It was true that the father Emperor was really too powerful and monopolistic. After ascending the throne, he would rather be named a tyrant in the annals of history, reorganizing the dynastic framework. Not only had he inherited the advantages of his own military leadership, but also seized the military power with a sharp knife, tossed the distinguished family that had been rooted in the Great Yuan for a long time and made them suffer terribly.


    Being backed by an aristocratic family was Zong Yonglius advantage, and it was also his capital to seize the crown.


    However, none of the adult princes had a seal. As Emperor Yuans trusted follower, Yu Beizhou, who had real power in his hands, could of course give him any favors at will. They couldnt do anything about the King of Beining, they could only knock down their teeth and swallow them in their stomachs.


    Nonetheless, the most important thing was still the military power in Yu Beizhous hands. This wont do, he must win over the King of Beining.


    With this in mind, the Sixth Prince gritted his teeth and followed him again.


    On the other side, Zong Luo slowly took back the branch without hesitation.


    After the competition, the osmanthus flowers blooming on the branch scattered one after another, leaving only a bare pole.


    Now, no one dislikes this unremarkable branch, just like no one dares to underestimate this tall, jade-like, blind young man in white clothes. Before the two sides made their moves, they were not optimistic about him. After the competition was over, the shock that they felt was so great.


    A branch? Its really unheard of for a branch to knock down an iron sword. If the branch was to be replaced by a sword, how powerful would it be?


    In fact, it can be attributed to his time in the Ghost Valley. It was true that the hermit aristocratic family was rich in classics, but the Ghost Valley, which had been passed down for many years, was not far off.


    Coincidentally, Zong Luo had really read the second page of the fragmented script of the sword sage in the Ghost Valley. Having learned of Gongsun Yous swordsmanship, it can only be said to be a coincidence.


    Simultaneously, he was also wondering, could it be possible that Yu Beizhou used this second page fragment to take Gongsun You as his younger brother in the Can Drink a Cup of Nothing? Could it be that he also robbed the supporting male lead role? This couldnt be just coincidental right?


    The opposite, Gongsun You, seemed to be frozen, and he didnt say a word for a long time. Zong Luo was about to speak when he heard a voice behind that couldnt be more familiar to him.


    The sword discourse just now was really wonderful, dare I ask which school this master is from?


    How could he not be familiar with it? As soon as he heard the voice, he knew that it was his mindless Fifth Imperial Brother. Zong Luo breathed a sigh of relief.


    It seems that several princes came, and Yu Beizhou should be nearby.


    Why is the surrounding suddenly quiet? I think this is also because of the protagonists charisma, which makes everyone shut their mouth the moment he appears.


    Zong Luo answered, I am without talent. I am nothing but a loose person and only usually receive the care of the Confucianists. It was just a fluke winning against this brother.


    As soon as the voice came out, the princes felt more and more strange in their hearts.


    When he looked at his side face just now, he felt familiar, but it was too far away and there was also a white silk covering his eyes. He couldnt see it very clearly, therefore he didnt press on it. But now that hes closer, the more he looked at him, the more familiar he was in his eyes. Even the voice sounded familiar.


    Zong Chengsi seemed to remember something and his face changed instantly. He was about to stretch out his hand to hold Zong Yuanwu, yet Zong Luo unexpectedly had already taken the initiative to turn sideways in front of him.


    After seeing the face of the white-robed young master, it was not only Zong Yuanwu, but even Zong Chengsi, who had always been thoughtful, was frightened and took a step back, holding on persevering his dignity.


    Imperial Third Brother?!!


    As soon as these words came out, many onlookers widened their eyes.


    Zong Yuanwu was the one who responded the most.


    For no other reason than it was because after Zong Luo returned to Great Yuan from Wei State as a hostage, he accidentally learned that he was the only one among his younger imperial brothers who specialized in martial arts, and also took the path of leading troops to fight. Therefore he usually trained with him in ordinary days, but of course, with very little effect.


    However, this resulted in Zong Yuanwu feeling comfortable enough to lay down for half a year after his death, but as soon as he saw this face, he automatically recalled the fear of being dominated.


    Imperial brother, be careful of your words!


    Zong Chengsi was the first to react, and hurriedly reprimanded the other. The meticulous and full of filial piety, Crown Prince, with a cold demeanor, sacrificed his life for the country, how can you arrange it at will.


    Zong Luo:


    Even though he knew that after his death that his cheap father had given him the posthumous title of Crown Prince, as he was standing here and listening to Zong Chengsi say this, he felt that it was too ironic.


    Its funny that he lost his life before he died, but became a Crown Prince after his death.


    On the other hand, Zong Yongliu, who was also startled, made full psychological preparations, rushed up, took advantage of the situation and also blamed Zong Yuanwu.


    Fifth Imperial Brother, if the father hears these words, it would be terrible.


    When he suddenly met the other just now, Zong Yongliu was also choked enough by surprise. But his mind was not as mindless as Zong Yuanwu, and after thinking about it carefully, he figured out the key.


    Last year, when the army did not find anything after the battle at Hangu Pass, and when there was no news from other countries, the death of the Third Prince was already a certainty. Many officials with different ideas were sending out letters to persuade His Majesty to show mercy and make a burial in the Imperial Mausoleum as soon as possible.


    Not to mention, there were too many people in the capital who were looking forward to the death of the Third Prince in battle, and the princes were definitely one of them. The top contender for the Crown Prince was now gone, this wont suffice, he needed to go to the temple to burn a few more high quality incense sticks.


    What if the Third Brother hadnt died?


    Zong Yongliu didnt think about this possibility even for a moment. But after all, the feet were on the Third Prince himself. If he didnt really die, wont he come back by himself?


    Even with just his unparalleled swordsmanship learned in the Ghost Valley, it would be impossible not to come back.


    Zong Yuanwu was still a little frightened. Ah? Oh, oh I saw it wrong for a moment, dont blame this Prince.


    He stood still silently for a while before regaining his senses, then secretly raised his eyes to look at the older young man, trying to find some traces on his face that didnt look like his Third brother.


    However, except for the covered eyes, Zong Yuanwu was disheartened to find that the other parts were exactly the same as the Third brother in his memory, which made his legs weakened at a glance.


    Zong Luo smiled in a good-natured manner. Its okay. Your Highness is also saddened by the situation and thought of his brother anxiously.


    Its fine if he doesnt speak. However, as soon as he speaks, the similarity would return to 100% again. Several princes only fell into a trance, as if they saw the shadow of the stable and mature Imperial brother on him.


    Just when Zong Yuanwu refused to be misled by fallacies and was about to inquire a few more words, Gongsun You, who had been standing there for a long time, suddenly opened his mouth.


    Only by fluke?


    He asked a question in return, which was a response to Zong Luos previous reply to Zong Yongliu. Although he became a defeated general, Gongsun Yous face did not show annoyance and frustration after being defeated, however his eyes were full of splendor, showing implicit colors.


    Although he was good at Ni Shu strategy, his swordsmanship was also not bad, and he could naturally see the way of the sword just now. But determining peoples nature with its sword intent was the most important.


    Gongsun You played petty madness until he became a big man, and now he has begun to be cautious about himself. He was shocked to realize that he was just like any common man. Being prejudiced once he saw the blind man, he felt ashamed.


    If you lose, you lose, and I, Gongsun You, is not someone who cant afford to lose. This bamboo slip with my signature for martial arts, I will break it.


    Saying that, Gongsun You directly picked up the bamboo slip in the tray, snapped it, and threw it into the water.


    On the side, there was a good person who looked displeased with what the madman did.


    Young Master Gu wont be competing for martial arts, whats the use of you breaking it?


    This time, it was Gongsun Yous turn to be surprised.


    You are excellent in swordsmanship, but you didnt even choose martial arts?


    Zong Luo smiled bitterly. Im blind and cant see, how can I participate in the martial arts competition?


    Yes, apart from the branch, the most eye-catching thing was this white silk. In that short time, countless students sigh at this.


    Gongsun You frowned. Then what did you compete for? Ill also compete in that category.


    He bent down to pick up the iron sword on the ground, and said in a cheerful tone, When will the Tao discourse happen again, for so many years, I have never met such an opponent


    But before he could even finish speaking, Gongsun You suddenly felt a pain in his tigers mouth, and the sword in his hand was dropped again, and it fell to the ground with a loud clang.


    (t/n tigers mouth-part of the hand between the thumb and the index finger)


    Not far away, someone was playing with a wooden bead in his hand, his careless voice suddenly chilled, as he said a message full of meaning. You are not worthy.

 Chapter 11.1

    Hearing Yu Beizhous voice, Zong Luo was not at all surprised. Through the cuff, he tightened the Kui patterned ancient jade pendant hidden in his hand.


    Although he does not know the original plot, after all, Gongsun You was one of the male supporting roles. Since hed already appeared, how could Yu Beizhou, who had the halo of thousands of peoples adoration above his head, not be there.


    That was just his guess.


    Zong Luo sighed in his heart. Not out of jealousy, but out of habit.


    In the last life, he and Yu Beizhou had been head to head since the time he tore his facade back in the Ghost Valley.


    The protagonist of Can Drink a Cup of Nothing was the most popular growth-type protagonist in the online literature circle before he transmigrated inside the book. Although the early starting point was not as high as Zong Luo, the upgrade was still fast. By the time Zong Luo, who had returned from the Wei Kingdom as a proton, could gain a firm foothold in the capital, Yu Beizhou had been able to accept the summons of Emperor Yuan and wandered in front of Zong Luo every day.


    When Yu Beizhou officially entered the capital, it was like fish in a water.


    Surrounding him were countless male supporting roles like concubines who were all loyal to him. Everyone regarded Zong Luo as a thorn in the eye. Zong Luo and Yu Beizhou fought secretly for an enumerable number of times, but was stopped in the end. What happened to Yu Beizhou, Zong Luo was the first to take the blame and was transferred to guard the borders. Although it was the order of Emperor Yuan, they still did not lose their efforts in tripping each other.


    At the beginning, how ignorant and arrogant he was of planning to turn against several male supporting roles. After a long time of bumping into walls more often, he eventually got used to it. What a painful realization at the end.


    Who made Yu Beizhou the protagonist of Can Drink a Cup of Nothing, the whole world revolves around him, and Zong Lou was nothing more than a mere cannon fodder.


    Its good that the cannon fodder survived, yet still wanting to fight against the protagonist. Isnt it courting death?


    This feeling of powerlessness was comparable to that student Zong Luo met when he was reviewing his final project which was still the same no matter how much he tried to change it.


    Its just that after a lifetime of experience inside the book, he got used to it. Anyway, since the goal had been achieved, hes too lazy to do useless work again.


    He was not at all worried about what the other princes were thinking. As long as his brain was not kicked by a donkey, it would be impossible to hold him in the eyes of the public and ask him to the end when he made his own goal.


    However, just when Zong Luo made up his mind to find an excuse to leave, there was a sudden noise at the entrance of Lanting Water Pavilion.


    Looking over to the entrance at a distance, a servant swept away the curtain of a carriage, and what walked out was a man in a blue-robed with refined eyebrows and a bearing that can only be described as all beyond mundane things.


    At this point in time, many dignitaries have already entered the arena one after another. The day of the Baijia Banquet was not only for the students, but was also for the nobles.


    The custom of keeping menkes in the aristocratic circles of foreign countries was prevalent. The more powerful the nobles were, the more menkes were under the family, which became a symbol of wealth and status of an aristocratic family.


    For example, King Fengyue of the State of Wei and King Wuan of the State of Yu, all have three thousand menkes, and it was no more than taking the words from somebody elses mouth to gain face.


    (t/n Menke- disciples that served under an aristocratic family)


    Menkes were also divided into different categories.


    There were full-time assassins or well-trained dead men, literati who guide the children of aristocratic families to study, swordsmen and samurai who specialize in protecting the safety of their masters, and advisers who specialize in making plans. In addition to this, there were even jugglers who specialized in acrobatic juggling on the street, a stable groom for driving the carriage and a skilled cook.


    (t/n deadmen- a warrior that is willing to die)


    Usually, most of the menkes defected to the aristocratic family. However, those who had real talents and practical learning were mostly proud, especially the students who could pass the screening of the hundred schools of thought. Overall, the quality was much higher than that of ordinary menkes, and it was naturally worthy of being treated with courtesy.


    His Excellency the Prime Minister is here


    It is said that Prime Minister Pei is busy solving various problems every day. How come he has time today?


    Signed up for the Six Arts, and won three titles, from a commoner to the Prime Minister, he really ascended to the sky in one step. Pei Qianxue, the Prime Minister of the Great Yuan Dynasty, was simply the object of envy and admiration of the students of the hundred schools of thought.


    Have you forgotten? The team leader of the Legalist School in this years competition is the proud student of Prime Minister Pei.


    Speaking of this, it suddenly dawned on everyone.


    Since Emperor Yuan took the throne after eliminating the civil strife, he had paid homage to Pei Qianxue, who was a Legalist. As soon as Pei Qianxue took office, he immediately began to recompile the Yuan Law Reform.


    Since the political reform, it was natural to take down some group of people. At that time, several old nobles united to resist, and this new Prime Minister was bound to get killed. As a result, Pei Qianxue turned around, did not know where the old nobles got their accusations of him from and went directly to the accounts.


    Emperor Yuan didnt say a word, and dealt directly with the newly compiled strict laws without mercy.


    Now even those with no eyesight can see that Pei Qianxue was a person of the Emperor Yuan. This battle established Emperor Yuans reputation as a tyrant, and also made known Pei Qianxues inhumanity. Since then, no one dared to underestimate this commoner Prime Minister.


    Although on the surface he looked as unattainable as the snow lotus in the sky, and was indifferent to mundane things. But the officials who had gone through the original reforms still had lingering fears when they saw his face.


    Because no matter what, when these people saw him, they would have to call out Prime Minister Pei respectfully while their teeth ached.


    Only Zong Luo, who was standing, couldnt help but sigh deeply.


    What a good day today was. After only half a day, he had basically encountered almost all the male supporting roles in Can Drink a Cup of Nothing.


    Thats right, Pei Qianxue, Prime Minister of the Great Yuan, was one of the important male supporting roles.


    The comment section clearly stated that Pei Qianxue was the first person who knew that the protagonist was suffering from a serious illness but did not feel disgusted, and had a different position in Yu Beizhous heart.


    Zong Luo: ..


    Alas, this bloody plot. Its no wonder that in the comment area, there was called Pei Yueguang, and its limelight was almost catching up to the Fourth Prince.


    Although Zong Luo had complicated feelings for Emperor Yuan, he still had confidence in his cheap father.


    As long as Emperor Yuan was alive, Yu Beizhou would definitely not be able to make any waves.


    No matter how ambitious you are, if you want to change the dynasty, you will have to wait a hundred years after Emperor Yuan.


    But combined with the secret letter Zong Luo received when he was guarding the frontier in his previous life, plus the chronic ailment of Emperor Yuan that was deteriorating his health. Even if Emperor Yuan woke up to rectify the rebellion, his body would not last long.


    Therefore Zong Luo gave Pei Qianxue the black pot without any guilt. In the original book, if Yu Beizhou wanted to become emperor, he would definitely not be able to avoid encountering him. Since the author dared to write it this way in the copy, Pei Qianxue must have acquiesced.


    The most embarrassing thing was that Pei Qianxue used to be Zong Luos best friend.


    He was the first friend he made after returning to Great Yuan in his last life. He thought that he had successfully subverted the male supporting character, but he didnt expect for Pei Qianxue to still end up on Yu Beizhous side, which also directly led to Zong Luos defeat in his previous life.


    Anyway, Zong Luo didnt really want to see Pei Qianxue.


    Just when Zong Luo was silent and was about to find a way to turn around and leave, the other male supporting role, Gongsun You, asked Yu Beizhou coldly. Who are you? Im talking to this white-clothed brother, what does it matter to you whether Im deserving or not? There must be something wrong with your brain.


    The onlookers all gasped.


    The King of Beining had a beautiful face, and his red attire was known throughout the Great Wilderness. For a time, the custom of wearing red clothes became popular among the children of aristocratic families, but after a few times of wearing clothes of crimson color, the owner found it ridiculous, therefore the people stopped wearing it.


    Besides, even if he really hadnt heard the rumors, does he really not recognize him? Even the princes around the King of Beining always recognize him and they always recognize the four-clawed python robes on him.


    Its really a first seeing someone rush up bravely, does he still want his future?


    Yu Beizhou sneered. Who am I? You also dont deserve to know.


    Although his expression was still casual, the obvious displeasure was palpable.


    Seeing him say this, the princes who were eager to flatter him naturally followed suit, with the intent of directly accusing Gongsun You of being disrespectful. As long as these few opened their mouths, even without saying anything else, their identities alone could crush all the nobles present.


    None of the onlookers dared to speak, not even a hint. They only felt sorry that this madman was robbed of the limelight by the young man in white, but when he tried to do it again, it really offended everyone.


    Zong Luo didnt want to stay any longer.


    He went straight to Gongsun You and said, the Six arts competitions, its just a matter of luck. If we meet, then its fate. Otherwise, you dont have to force it. As for others..No need to be so troublesome, I am staying in the Confucian residence temporarily. Brother can always come to me to discuss swords in your spare time.

 Chapter 11.2

    Yu Beizhous complexion suddenly sank.


    After speaking, Zong Luo slightly folded his hands and turned to leave. However, the moment he took a step away, the pitch-black goshawk spread its wings and circled for a while, before rushing down again without warning.


    Again?!


    Zong Luo keenly heard the sound of splitting wind, however he had no weapon at hand and had no choice but to stretch out his hand to block it.


    However, who would have thought that this ugly goshawk would not attack, but would dodge a few times and circle around him. Because Zong Luo was obviously blindfolded, he couldnt see it very clearly, not to mention that this bird had wings, and it was extra laborious to fight.


    Just when Zong Luo and this goshawk were fighting wits and courage, Yu Beizhou suddenly laughed and said, Its rare for this bird to be so close to strangers. It seems that the relationship between this gentleman and this King is really not shallow.


    Then continued seemingly unintentional. Last time, this King neglected this gentleman. Why didnt the gentleman come to the palace to look for this King with the jade pendant?


    Hearing this, with a sudden realization, all the students looked at the white-robed young man with envious eyes.


    The event of the King of Beining bestowing his pendant at the City gate spread all over the capital of Great Yuan. Everyone lamented which student was so fortunate to get the favor of the King of Beining. Unexpectedly, it was this gentleman in front of them!


    If he was normal, their hearts would be more or less unconvinced. Before the fight just now, no one was completely sure that he could defeat Gongsun Yous sword move, as he was a blind man.


    It was no wonder that the King of Beining, whose eyes were higher than the top on ordinary days, would treat the other with courtesy, and respected him very highly.


    Zong Luo frowned in his heart, not knowing what Yu Beizhou was planning to do this time.


    It cant be that its fate. Thats too predestined. Not only did he have a grudge against Yu Beizhou, but he also did not want to deal with the ugly goshawk he raised. At the beginning, Yu Beizhou sent it to spy on him, but it was shot down by Zong Luo with a slingshot, pulled out its tail feathers and threw it to the air back again. How annoying to death it was in the light of the night.


    He nodded lightly. The King of Beining is very kind, this common man doesnt deserve it.


    This gentleman, why do you have to be so humble? Do you think that this Kings jade pendant can be simply given to anyone? Yu Beizhou laughed. I had just met you at the Baijia Banquet today. Since I have invited this gentleman..you wouldnt want this King to lose face, will you?


    As if responding, the goshawk fluttered its wings in the air and fell steadily down to his shoulder with the white fur.


    The other princes seemed to have something to say, but because of the King of Beinings reputation, they couldnt say it directly. Therefore they could only watch helplessly. Staring as if their eyes seemed to penetrate the white silk, and saw the flower in Zong Luos face.


    Zong Luo didnt know what Yu Beizhou meant by inviting him to discuss Taoism in public, but since that was the case, it was obviously not realistic to refuse.


    He was about to speak when he heard a noise ahead. The surrounding students saluted one after another: Greetings Prime Minister Pei. (Greetings)


    Pei Qianxue walked over, followed by his eldest Legalist disciple.


    Several princes naturally wanted to win over the Prime Minister, but Pei Qianxue was a stubborn person and was only dedicated to doing things for Emperor Yuan, so they also stopped having the idea of winning him over. However, even if they have no more thoughts about it, they still need to show him face, at least to not make the relationship deteriorate.


    Facing their greetings, the dignified Prime Minister in blue bowed his head and returned the salute one by one.


    Zong Yuanwu was always the most enthusiastic one. How come Prime Minister Pei is so interested in coming to the Baijia Banquet today?


    It just happened to be on the way, I came to have a look on how my disciples are doing.


    Pei Qianxues expression was calm. Several His Royal Highnesses are gathered here, did you find a favorite menke to choose?


    Although it was clear that it was just a casual talk, Zong Yongliu rolled his eyes and took Pei Qianxues words very naturally. Letting Prime Minister Pei witness something funny, we just got together and watched the extremely exciting sword discussion. Seeing a broken branch defeating a sword, it was like seeing the hunters heart. Its a pity that the King of Beining stepped in first.


    (t/n seeing the hunters heart- it is a metaphor for seeing what others are doing is exactly what I liked in the past, I cant help but be moved and want to try it)


    Sure enough, Pei Qianxue was slightly interested when he heard that a broken branch was used to defeat a sword, and looked up.


    At that one glance, he immediately stopped and stayed rooted on his spot.


    A white-clothed gentleman stood by the river. He was simple and elegant, aloof and detached.


    However, after a moment, whether it was intentional or unintentional, Yu Beizhou simply took a step forward and covered Zong Luos entire body, directly carrying out the invitation he had just made with Zong Luo in front of everyones eyes. The two left only showing their backs and walked towards the Lanting Pavilion.


    A few steps away, with just only a glimpse, not much more and was immediately out of sight.


    A thousand-year-old fox naturally does not need to play Liaozhai with me.


    (t/n means that since they are all the same, no one should lie to anyone.)


    In just a split second, Pei Qianxue understood the intention of Zong Yonglius intentional words. At the same time, he also remembered the lie Zong Hongjiu had told in the main hall before.


    In just a few short thoughts, Pei Qianxues heart turned a thousand times. His slightly cold fingertips pinched the wide cuffs, as he remained silent.


    Zong Luo was his good friend. Although they get together less and depart more, it did not reduce their friendship. In retrospect, he found that he almost forgot the real face of the other party, but when he recalled it, the scene in that dream was engraved into his mind, which was unforgettable.


    Howeverhis image. Its too similar.


    As long as one had seen Jin Yu face to face, it was difficult to forget this appearance.


    Its not how beautiful and stunning the appearance was, but the kind of temperament he possessed.


    Zong Yongliu seemed to inadvertently add fuel to the fire. Its a pity that Prime Minister Pei didnt come earlier, otherwise he could have seen the sword discussion. Its really a pity.


    They look the same, have the same temperament, are of the same age, and even have the same voice. Could this be just a coincidence?


    Even as they saw it, they were inevitably shocked and gaffed, but because they were not sure of his identity, they couldnt rashly open their mouths. Anyway, when they couldnt make a conclusion, the more people knew about it, the better.


    Zong Yongliu originally had an idea, and wanted to push this student who was suspicious from head to toe to Pei Qianxue. No matter what happened that time, there would always be this person to help. After all, everyone in Great Yuan knew that Prime Minister Pei and the Third Prince had a very close personal relationship.


    As a result, he didnt expect this high ranking Prime Minister to not only not accept his move at all, he even asked indifferently, Really? It seems that the Sixth Highness needs to forcibly take the other person from the King of Beining.


    His statement was without holes. Everyone knows that Pei Qianxue doesnt keep menkes, and that this upstart from the Legalist School scoffs at the habits of the aristocratic family.


    In this case, I will not disturb His Highnesss aesthetic moods.


    After speaking, Pei Qianxue nodded, suppressed the surprise in his heart, and left without looking sideways. A few princes were left alone to watch his back.


    ***


    On the other side, Zong Luo had no choice but to walk into the water pavilion with Yu Beizhou.


    The lighted incense was still circling the incense burner with few futons spread on the ground. On one side were various tea sets that Zong Luo brought to make tea not long ago, however, autumn was getting colder, and the hot tea was obviously already cold.


    The students sitting in twos and threes hurriedly got up and hurriedly gave the place to them.


    Zong Luo chose a futon at random and sat down, completely treating the King of Beining beside him as air, which was completely different from the gentleness and steadiness he had when talking with various students.


    He even started to make tea without haste, showing his attitude of turning a blind eye.


    Senior Martial Brother, Im in a good mood today.


    After everyone fled and there was no one in the surrounding area, Yu Beizhou looked down from a commanding height with a rich smile. Anyone could see the inexplicably good mood of the King of Beining after watching the discourse.


    Only Zong Luo was able to easily discern the ulterior motives behind this smile.


    I dont know what bad idea is going on in this little perverts mind.


    The general in red swept his hem casually and sat on the ground opposite Zong Luos table, with a very relaxed posture.


    A length of cold white wrist protruded from the cuff of the white swordsmans sleeve, and his steps of brewing tea were flowing smoothly. Yu Beizhou accidentally caught a glimpse and inevitably remembered the feeling when he held this wrist not long ago.


    It was cold, much lower than his body temperature.


    Obviously, it was nothing unusual, but it instantly neutralized the dry heat like scars attached to the bones, which was even more miraculous than the thousand-year-old cold jade that was an ancient treasure that was presented by a vassal country.


    But my Senior Brother seems to always be like this. He is elegant and warm to others but so indifferent to me. It really makes me sad.


    Yu Beizhou retracted his gaze, suddenly leaned his upper body closer, and said with a smile. Let me tell you, there are only two of us in our generation during our stay in the Ghost Valley. If Senior Martial Brother is more warm and cordial to me, maybe I wouldnt hate Senior Martial Brother so much.

 Chapter 12.1

    As soon as the rules of the Ghost Valley were mentioned, it was inevitable that the meeting between the two would break up in disagreement again.


    Regarding Yu Beizhou¡¯s nonsense, Zong Luo didn¡¯t bother to say a word, ignoring him to the end. Anyhow, he wouldn¡¯t get a single ivory even in ten sentences that would come out of his mouth. When the time came, he got up and left.


    After the rebirth, Zong Luo¡¯s purpose became very clear. There were only two things he had to do, one was to find out why he fell out of favor with the Emperor in his previous life, and the second was to seize the Crown Prince position.


    Yu Beizhou and him were mortal enemies, and they have been hostile with each other  for a long time. Zong Luo never also compared himself against the protagonist of the original book, who¡¯s journey was smooth sailing. After all, nevertheless he was also on a steady stride, but if he was a little careless, he would slip into the abyss of his previous life again.


    *****


    In the next few days, Zong Luo did not show up again at the Baijia Banquet.


    Until the beginning of the hunting category, he stayed at the Confucian station. Every day, he would not go outside the door. He only brewed tea in the room. Occasionally, he would ask an attendant to carry a writing desk under the osmanthus tree in the yard, admiring the flowers and practicing with his sword.


    In the previous years, the Baijia Banquet started with martial arts competition and ended with the debate category.


    Martial arts and debate have always taken the longest time. Midway of this year coincides with the La Ri festival of the twelfth lunar month. Not only the civil and military officials, but also the students who participated in the Baijia Banquet were also invited in the Wu Temple to offer sacrifices to the gods and ancestors. This event was right after the end of the third category competition. It can also be regarded as an interlude in the middle of the Six Arts competition.


    (t/n La Ri ¨C Chinese folk traditional festival. This is a festival to worship ancestors, worship the gods and celebrate the harvest at the end of the ancient year. The La Ri is usually held in the last month of each year (the twelfth lunar month).


    When Gu Ziyuan returned from the martial arts competition, the sun was just setting in the west.


    ¡°Brother Luo, have your eyes been more comfortable these two days?¡±


    He looked at Zong Luo who seated himself right in front of a writing desk. He lifted the hem of his robe and sat on the ground, with undisguised concern in his words.


    Zong Luo answered casually. ¡°I feel more comfortable.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Gu Ziyuan breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°The hunting competition is about to start. Brother Luo, you know that hunting lasts a day and a night, and even the horses have to be borrowed in advance. If one has any physical problems, it will definitely affect one¡¯s performance.¡±


    ¡°If you really don¡¯t feel well¡­..don¡¯t force yourself, Brother Luo.¡±


    Gu Ziyuan¡¯s words were euphemistic enough.


    In the early years, the Six Arts were not actually Six Arts, but the Seven Arts. There was no hunting, but only horse riding and archery. However, when horse riding and archery in Hu Fu became popular later, the two arts were neutralized and integrated into a hunting art, and its difficulty was also greatly improved. It would be hard even for ordinary people if they participated, let alone Gu Luo who was blind.


    (t/n Hu Fu-Hufu is a general term for the clothing worn by the ancient Han people in the Xia Dynasty to the Hu people of all ethnic groups in the west and the north . Later, it was also called foreign clothing other than Han clothing. Hu clothing was quite different from the loose clothing in the Central Plains at that time. It was characterized by tight and narrow trousers, Guoluo belt on the waist, and belt hooks, which was convenient for riding and shooting activities.)


    ¡°Brother Ziyuan, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Zong Luo smiled and said, ¡°Perhaps the medicine of the senior medical sage has worked. According to legend, when the great sorcerer raised the dead, he turned his flesh into white bones. Didn¡¯t he go through such piercing pain?¡±


    Gu Ziyuan thought about it¨Cseems to be the same. Therefore he felt reassured and said, ¡°Brother Luo has always been stable and is wiser than his age, therefore he naturally understands the truth better than I do.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    The Great Confucian picked up the tea, and seemed a little unaccustomed to the astringency of the un-fried tea dregs, and frowned.


    ¡°Recently, many disciples from the different schools have come to inquire about Brother Luo.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Zong Luo remained calm.


    ¡°There are all kinds of questions, most of which were about the competition. There are also questions about which school or sect Brother Luo came from. Really, just a mix of people with good and bad intentions.¡±


    Gu Ziyuan put down the tea cover. ¡°Brother Luo, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m very tight-lipped, and I won¡¯t reveal any of this. I¡¯ve also ordered the other Confucian disciples, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Zong Luo: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    He had no doubt now that Gu Ziyuan was really a pig teammate.


    (t/n Pig teammate-refer to teammates who are as stupid as pigs; hold back the team)


    In fact, Zong Luo expected that someone would come to inquire.


    After all, he made such a big scene at the Baijia Banquet a few days ago. Pei Qianxue also met him face to face, not to mention the three princes.  If the appearance was similar, even the sound of the voice and the character, it was no doubt unusual. It would be strange if they didn¡¯t send someone to inquire. Come, it was what Zong Luo¡¯s heart desired. It would even be better to get the clues about his serious injury and amnesia from the Confucian disciples, so as to facilitate the next step.


    Fortunately, although Gu Ziyuan was not familiar with the ways of the world, the other Confucian disciples were not so unclear.


    Although the Confucian leader apparently appointed Gu Ziyuan to lead the Confucian team on this Great Yuan study visit, in fact, Zong Luo was the real leader of this team of Confucian disciples.


    His death plan was too big, even if the Confucian leader was his Senior Martial Uncle, it was impossible to do charity for no reason and put the entire sect in a dangerous situation.


    Therefore Zong Luo made a deal with his Senior Martial Uncle. If Confucianists strongly support his return to the Capital and provide unconditional help for the battle for the Crown Prince position. In the future, if Zongluo inherited the great lineage, the Confucians will also get what they want and become a true scholar of state governance.


    This kind of thing was not uncommon in other countries. The Hundred Schools of Thought seemed to be detached and refined, providing commoners with an opportunity to ascend to the sky. In fact, they were inextricably linked with the dignitaries of various countries, even the disciples cultivated from the Ghost Valley and Hermit Aristocratic Family. In fact, after each generation of disciples stepped out into the world and wandered in various places, all of them became good players in politics.


    There was nothing wrong for the Confucians choosing this way.


    After all, according to the general trend, the future of the Great Yuan was bright. The protagonist and the supporting characters gathered here together, with or without Zong Luo, in the future, they would sweep the six directions, the surrounding and faraway places and unify the Central Plains.


    Zong Luo was a science student, and his history could only be considered acceptable.


    ¡°Can Drink A Cup of Nothing¡± was an overhead world. The level of productivity was not high. Similar to Greece, there had been such an era when various kinds of people rose, various schools of thought contended and philosophers appeared in large numbers. If he had to set a timeline for this fictional era, it might be in BC.


    (t/n Overhead- without foundation)


    I don¡¯t know if the world in the book will be in line with the real world, but in reality, after discarding the dreg portions, Confucianism did have a profound impact on various dynasties.


    Only after Zong Luo transmigrated inside the book did he understand how much of an empty talk the world peace he imagined was while staying in Ghost Valley. Under the tide of the great era, one person¡¯s strength was meager. His future will only end up with the same fate as in his previous life if he looked at it arrogantly.


    As a result, the reason why Zong Luo finally chose to cooperate with Confucianism was revealed.


    In this group of people who came to Great Yuan to study, only Gu Ziyuan was unaware, while the other Confucian disciples had been given orders personally¨Cto obey Gu Luo¡¯s orders.


    As for Gu Ziyuan¡­.his Martial Uncle said that although Ziyuan had outstanding talent and read through works of sages and men of virtues, he had no experience in dealing with the world, just like a newborn child. If Zong Luo and Confucianism¡¯s joint plan were to be disclosed in advance, people might see some clues from him, therefore they simply keep it a secret from him.


    However, for this kind of objective, the point that should be mentioned still had to be mentioned. So Zong Luo said politely, ¡°Ziyuan, revealing a little bit is actually fine.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Why?¡±


    Gu Ziyuan opened his mouth in confusion, but halfway through speaking, he finally realized. ¡°Okay.¡±


    I don¡¯t know what strange things this guy had in his head.


    The expression on his face was a bit strange, he was looking embarrassed and he  blushed several times before he stammered, ¡°Sorry, Brother Luo, it¡¯s me who didn¡¯t think about it.¡±


    ¡°Clearly, Brother Luo is not affiliated with the Confucian team. I always forget this.¡±


    Gu Ziyuan¡¯s expression looked very upset. ¡°They came to inquire, maybe they were tempted to recruit. It was obviously a good thing for Brother Luo, but I screwed it up¡­¡±


    Although what Zong Luo meant was not this, however¨CHow did it come to this? In the end, he went around and came back to this meaning.


    Therefore, Zong Luo didn¡¯t say anything.


    On the contrary, Gu Ziyuan was unhappy in his heart. He made tea for him silently, and repeatedly decided in his heart that if someone asked him next time, he would definitely boast Brother Luo into the sky and certainly find him a good home.


    But Zong Luo really should also take action.


    Hunting lasted a whole day and night, which required an extreme high endurance horse. If it was only used for riding, one only needed to pick a fast horse. But the ultimate determinant of the hunting competition was not speed, but the number of prey hunted.


    Time, endurance, speed, archery accuracy, martial arts¡­ these were the scope of the hunting arts. Most of the students would choose to borrow a horse that matches their character from the military barracks on the outskirts of the Capital. Many princes and nobles would also join in the fun. If one were to get their appreciation at the Baijia Banquet, they may even award you with a good horse.


    Otherwise, there would not be so many students vying to emerge at the Baijia Banquet. But these were secondary, the most important thing was that now two of the princes seizing the Crown Prince position had progressed to a white-hot stage. This life, without any pretenses, Ye Linghan will still do anything possible to get ahead, Zong Luo must hurry up and cover up Zong Ruichen¡¯s affairs before then.


    ****


    The next day, Zong Luo got up early.


    After he got up, he didn¡¯t rush to go out first, but waited under the osmanthus tree.


    Sure enough, after waiting for a while, a familiar figure appeared at the door.


    Gongsun You stopped a Confucian disciple. Obviously, all the Confucian disciples knew this madman who was in the limelight at the Baijia Banquet on the first day, but was eventually defeated by Gu Luo. He suddenly became vigilant.


    ¡°Brother, what can I do for you?¡±


    Gongsun You asked in a low voice, ¡°The disciple named Gu Luo who lives in your station, is he feeling better today?¡±


    In reality, after the first day of the Baijia Banquet, Gongsun You got up early the next day and went to Lanting Waterside Pavilion to wait early. He wanted to talk to Gu Luo for the second time. However, he waited till the sun went down, yet the blind gentleman didn¡¯t appear.


    On the third day, the same result again. Hence Gongsun You blocked a Confucian disciple, and learned from the other party that Gu Luo was ill and was unable to attend, and was recuperating in the Confucian station.


    In the next few days, Gongsun You came to check in every day. Unfortunately, Gu Luo never showed up for the second time.


    Now that the martial arts competition was about to start, the calligraphy only took a day, and the hunting was close behind. Gongsun You didn¡¯t know what category Gu Luo applied for. Anyway, his martial arts bamboo slip had already been broken by himself, thus he took advantage of the free time to come to the Confucian station every day to hang out, and every day he blocked people to ask.


    All the Confucian disciples got Zong Luo¡¯s orders, therefore they naturally denied and shook their heads to all of his questions. Gongsun You was a little disappointed, and after asking repeatedly, he had no choice but to leave unwillingly.


    After confirming that he was gone, Zong Luo turned around and asked the attendant.


    ¡°What day is it today?¡±

 Chapter 12.2

    The attendant replied respectfully, ¡°Replying to the gentleman, today is the fourth day.¡±


    Gongsun You have been here for four consecutive days.


    Zong Luo unconsciously frowned.


    Whether it was according to the memory of the previous life, or according to the plot of ¡°Can Drink a Cup of Nothing¡±, Gongsun You should be around Yu Beizhou at this moment and displaying his devotion, why was he instead running to him repeatedly?


    However, it was not much of a surprise actually.


    Zong Luo remembered what Gongsun You did silently behind Yu Beizhou in his previous life.


    After Gongsun You lost his temper with Yu Beizhou, he became very close to the other princes on the surface. Had private allegiance to no less than one prince, and became their advisor.


    In fact, the only master he was really loyal to was Yu Beizhou alone. He was also the key person used by the latter to conquer the Great Yuan Dynasty. How many front-line military reports he got from other princes while being undercover. Let alone grasp the trend of the front-line reports, even a little leakage from his fingers could make the other princes turn around in circles.


    Now that Gongsun You was running to him, what¡¯s behind isn¡¯t yet certain.


    Zong Luo had always disliked trying to figure out his nemesis with the greatest malice. At this moment, he only put a big red circle on Gongsun You¡¯s name in his heart, smiled and told the attendant to prepare a carriage for him.


    Although Zong Luo withdrew from the Imperial Capital in his previous life, it did not mean that he had no cards in hand.


    Ranked among the top three, the Imperial Censor, who was in charge of supervising officials, was Zong Luo¡¯s secret line. This person¡¯s real power was self-evident, even if Zong Luo was in the frontier, he could still get a lot of the latest updates on what¡¯s happening in the Imperial Capital.


    Gongsun You¡¯s multi-faceted ambush was exactly what Imperial Censor Xue reported to him along with Yu Beizhou being involved in the seizing of the throne. However, at that time, the sky was high and the emperor was far away, therefore he couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    (t/n he sky was high and the emperor was far away- ti¨¡n g¨¡o hu¨¢ng d¨¬ yu¨£n, originally refers to a remote place where the power of the central government cannot be reached.)


    But now, the information learned from the previous could help him in this life.


    ¡°Go to the suburbs of the Capital.¡±


    He lifted the curtain of the carriage, bent his slim waist as he stepped inside and sat down steadily, flipped his fingers and hung the ancient jade with Kui pattern back on his waist. This simple-colored carriage galloped all the way and went straight out of Baihu Gate.


    ****


    The horses used in the hunt were all military horses of the Great Yuan Army. The Great Yuan Army was a well-known division of tigers and wolves in all countries. They were well-trained and their armaments were beyond the reach of other countries.


    If one wanted to borrow military horses, one had to find a cavalry. This type of unit was present in a regular large army. The army stationed near the Imperial City included the permanent Garrison Guards, and some cavalry.


    Early this morning, hundreds of students came to the military camp in the suburbs of the Capital to borrow horses. They made their intentions clear outside the guard barracks, and the guards at the gate told them to wait for a while and went inside to report.


    In their spare time, the students were amazed when they saw the Xuan Cavalry training in the distance. Looking around, this team of cavalry horses were all black, and there was not a single stray hair on their bodies. They were black, beautiful, and handsome.


    ¡°The Xuan Cavalry has actually returned to the Capital?¡±


    One person said, ¡°It seems to be the news of the past few days. Xuan Cavalry went to Nanliang a few years ago, but due to their poor state, it became somewhat of a deadlock. Later, they were replaced by the Tianji Army of the King of Beining. After the great victory, they returned to the Capital together.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s face was clear.


    The news that the King of Beining conquered Nanliang spread throughout the Great Wilderness. With the ambition of conquering the nations for the Great Yuan, even if he accepts the letter of surrender and does not harm the common people, he would still certainly cut down the weeds and root out the royal family.


    Just like the other nations that had been conquered. In a few years, they would completely disappear from history and be naturalized as citizens of the Great Yuan. At this point, Great Yuan¡¯s grand plan for hegemony had taken another step forward.


    ¡°Still¡­¡± A student suddenly thought, ¡°If Xuan Calvary had already returned, then can¡¯t we¡­..?¡±


    Talking about the most famous cavalry, of course, it must be the Xuan Cavalry, the personal soldiers of the Third Prince of the Great Yuan Dynasty.


    When a garrison guard heard the words, he poured cold water directly, ¡°Don¡¯t think about it.¡±


    After the battle at Hangu Pass, none of the Xuan Cavalry elites survived. Mu Yuanlong, the general who took over now, was known for his unselfishness and loyalty. In addition, Xuan Cavalry loved their horses like their life. The horses in their hands would naturally be good horses, and it was certainly difficult to even borrow it.


    Sure enough, some students dared to ask, and finally came back in despair, bemoaning one¡¯s inadequacy in the face of a great task.


    Xuan Cavalry¡¯s dark horses were slick and smooth, although not as good as the legendary snow-paced black horse, but it was certainly not far behind. If it can be borrowed, it¡¯s not certain how much it could increase the winning rate in the hunting competition, which was quite regrettable.


    While the students were chatting, two unremarkable yellow horses suddenly appeared in the distance. A small servant on one of the horses drove straight to the outside of the Xuan Cavalry Barracks and said that he wanted to borrow a horse.


    Just when the students thought that this servant was going to return without success, the outcome was not what they¡¯d expected. When a Xuan Cavalry saw his waist token, he hesitated for a moment. He directly brought a good black horse, whose saddle had not yet been removed and handed him the reins.


    The students watching from a distance were shocked. ¡°Army Lord, why can this one borrow Xuan Cavalry¡¯s horse?¡±


    (t/n Army Lord (Jun Ye)-honorific title for soldiers in the old days.)


    Just at this time, the garrison guard who lent them military horses also came.


    The garrison guard also felt perplexed when he saw this scene, who didn¡¯t know how precious Xuan Cavalry¡¯s horses are? It was his first time witnessing such a situation.


    ¡°Looking at the clothes, he should be a servant from the Proton Mansion.¡±


    Proton Mansion? Although it was not long after entering the Great Abyss, the current situation in the Imperial City had already been touched by various families.


    The students began to discuss with each other.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Crown Prince of Wei. When the Sovereign of the Wei Dynasty descended on the world, the Third Prince of the Yuan Dynasty was forced to go to Wei as a hostage. Who would have thought that ten years later, the situation of Yuan Dynasty and Wei would be reversed. Thirty years from Hedong and thirty years from Hexi, it was the turn of the Great Yuan Cavalry to press into the borders of the Wei Kingdom, so the Wei Kingdom not only returned the proton, but also sent its own Crown Prince to the Great Yuan, and now it has been six or seven years.¡±


    (¡°Thirty years of Hedong and thirty years of Hexi¡± is a widely circulated proverb , which is used to describe the rise and fall of world affairs and lament the impermanence of world affairs;


    During the Warring States Period, Qin and Wei fought for the Hanoi area. Wu Qi helped Wei to retake Hanoi, and thirty years later, Bai Qi helped Qin to retake Hanoi. Thirty Hedong, Thirty Hexi;)


    For six to seven years, and still in the case of declining, the Wei Kingdom still did not mention to the Great Yuan that they wanted to take back the proton. This situation was not very good.


    Some people can¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°The Crown Prince of Wei is in Dayuan, why is he still able to get in line with the Xuan Cavalry? Is he selling Wei¡¯s face?¡±


    ¡°Come on. General Mu doesn¡¯t even sell his own commander¡¯s face. He is a proton, how can he still have such a great reputation?¡±


    The garrison guard looked contemptuous and sneered at this.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know, this Wei Kingdom Proton has taken refuge in several big figures, and his methods are very powerful. If you go to Hualiu Street and ask about it, you will know that the ones raised in the deep palace are much better than those in the Nanfeng Hall.¡±


    This was also what the garrison heard from a brothel girl. It was said that one day when official prostitutes served their guests wine, several of them drank too much during the banquet. Some said obscene things to each other and unconsciously blurted out some secrets.  At that time, there were many people with wide social connections present, thus this fragrant story slowly spread, until it was known to everyone in the military camp.


    The garrison¡¯s voice was not lowered at all, and it spread far away in the open suburbs. Everyone did not expect the truth of the matter to be like this, everyone felt astonished.


    On a horse not far away, Ye Linghan clenched his fists, his face flashed with a forlorn humiliation.


    The servant carefully led the pure black horse to him and said, ¡°Master, the borrowed horse.¡±


    Ye Linghan looked at the military horse, and his voice sounded as cold as ice. ¡°Return it, I don¡¯t want this horse anymore.¡±


    The servant sighed. ¡°Why are you so troublesome?¡±


    He persuaded him earnestly, ¡°This servant knows that you don¡¯t want to accept the affection of the Third Prince, but now is not the time to be willful¡­ If you can win the top spot in the hunting competition, perhaps your home country will realize your value and the King will also be more attentive towards you. When that time comes, then these rumors and disturbances will collapse on their own. ¡°


    ¡°There is a knife on the head of the word forbearance, lie on the hardships and taste the gall. Your Highness, think twice!¡±


    (t/n The character of patience is not as high as the character of tolerance. There is a knife at the head of the character of tolerance- a proverb . It means that when things go wrong, being patient is the best thing to do.)


    (t/n Lie on the hardships and taste the gall- endure hardships to accomplish some ambition)


    Why wouldn¡¯t Ye Linghan know this truth?


    He was too aware of the current situation of Wei Kingdom.


    After the fall of the Yu family, the power struggle became more and more serious, Emperor Wei felt powerless. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that other countries had defected, and the common people who wanted to fight the Great Yuan which were led by the foundation of dominating the Six Kingdoms in those years, it was estimated that he would have to walk in front of Nanliang.


    But it¡¯s not impossible¡­ As long as he can successfully unite with the Yu Kingdom and unite against the Yuan Dynasty, then the Great Yuan would not be able to conquer these two countries for the last time. What country is difficult to solve?


    For a long period of time, draw slowly, accumulate strength¨Che could always escape the embarrassing situation.


    However, the premise of all this would be entirely based on his successful return to Wei Kingdom.


    Yet no one wanted him to return home at all.


    Ye Linghan¡¯s biggest support had long since perished, otherwise he would not have been sent as an abandoned son. He had been away from Wei Kingdom for so long, and all the power of the Yu family had been divided up by the family, and had long been unable to return to the sky.


    If he could find a way to return home, there was still room to fight.


    If it was dragged on further, the Crown Prince¡¯s position may not be guaranteed.


    Ye Linghan would use his life as bait before the competition, risk it to be able to send a secret letter back, hoping that his father could see his long-term commitment to the country and send envoys to Great Yuan to end his proton identity.


    He knew the character of Emperor Wei, and if he couldn¡¯t show his worth, Wei would remain determined to not oppose the Great Yuan at this juncture.


    Therefore, this was the only way to do it. Fortunately, the Baijia Banquet was not only limited to students to participate, hence Ye Linghan could also cast his name at the Lanting Waterside Pavilion on the last day, hoping to win a title.


    Now that he¡¯d taken part in the hunting competition, a good horse would be essential.


    Those tall branches he climbed only regarded him as a high-level plaything, enjoying the feeling that a prince of a noble country was forced to serve them wine. At best, they provided some convenience while treading inside the Great Yuan. If he really encountered something that might cause trouble for himself, he would directly turn his face and disown the person.


    In the end, the only people he benefited from were the ones he hated.


    ¡°You said it, the Proton Crown Prince of Wei has fine skin and tender flesh, and has a delicate appearance. If he was brought to my door, why would I not want it?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? His mother belongs to the Yu family, do you know the Yu family? Although they were exterminated ten years ago, the Yu family is famous for their beautiful appearances in all countries. The last descendant of the Yu family was even more beautiful¡­.Well, I dare not say the name, but you should know who it is.¡±


    The garrison guard did not dare make jokes about the King of Beining.


    Just remembering that this Proton of Wei Kingdom was actually related to the vicious King of Beining on the battlefield, one was high in the sky, the other was low in the dust, even the students couldn¡¯t help shaking their heads and scoff, ¡°Obviously he is a hostage in another country, and has never treated unfairly, but wanting to have glory, splendor, wealth and rank¡ªthis disciple is short-sighted and ignorant!¡±


    Hearing the obscenities of the guards becoming more and more unsightly, and the cruel words of the various students, Ye Linghan¡¯s memory of being forced to be scolded by the old man rolled over again, and a feeling of vomiting surged in his stomach.


    He sat on the back of a yellow horse, his back was straight, with eyes fixed on the black horse and the hands holding the reins showed blue veins. He was about to steer the horse away, but he suddenly stopped when his eyes swept at something.


    Not far away, a simple carriage quietly stopped. A young master whose eyes were covered in white silk went down from the carriage himself and walked towards the army barracks. At a distance, he happened to stop in front of those who were talking.


    Ye Linghan almost forgot to breathe for a while, his hands and feet were cold, like falling into an ice cellar.


    No one knew better than him who the man was standing there. But what he was most worried about at the moment was whether the other party had heard their words just now.


    If he had heard¡­what would he think of him?

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    Ye Linghan¡¯s fingernails tightly pinched the reins.


    He had always been proud and aloof but the heart that never lost its will even though he had to endure hardships was suddenly shaken. Never had there been such a moment that he hoped desperately that the other party had not heard the obscenities from the garrison guard¡¯s mouth.


    Ye Linghan was not ignorant of the rumors outside. In fact, no matter how downhearted he was, he was still the dignified Crown Prince of Wei. No matter how daring those people were, they wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything to him. The rumors about bed-climbing¨C were completely non-existent.


    However, even though one¡¯s words were light, the news that came and spread were from the mouths of those big men in person, which made it even more impossible for anyone to listen to his explanation.


    Now, Ye Linghan regrets it. Without a second thought, he pulled the reins, signaled the horse to move and rushed towards the gate of the Garrison Guards¡¯ barracks.


    Even as a proton, Ye Linghan was still proud.


    But at the same time, he was also tolerant enough and ruthless enough to himself. A prince of a dignified country might be willing to sing with wine, but this one only seeks a day to make a comeback.


    How much he hated Zong Luo for indirectly causing the destruction of the Yu family and sending him to Great Yuan as a pledge, which was also the nemesis of his cousin Yu Beizhou. However, after the death of the Third Prince of the Great Yuan, Ye Linghan, who knew that he was being taken care of by him secretly, was in a complicated mood.


    This¡­..was the only person who treated him kindly in this foreign land.


    Not one among them that were standing in front of the barracks had thought that this Wei Kingdom Proton would drive the horse borrowed from the Xuan Cavalry like a wolf. He was closely approaching the gate of the barracks. If he didn¡¯t stop, he would collide with someone, and even if he didn¡¯t die, he would definitely be crippled.


    The guard shouted sternly, ¡°Stop! Those who trespass on the barracks will be killed without mercy!¡±


    However, the black military horse had no intention of stopping at all.


    The sound of the horse¡¯s hooves slapping on the ground was rapid, like the fast beating of drums¨Cthud, thud, thud, thud¨Cit was closing in on the garrison guard who had uttered wild words just now.


    At the critical moment, the black horse raised its front hooves high, it neighed and puffed out breath from its nostrils.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes flashed. Ye Linghan pulled the reins and stopped dangerously in front of the guard. The breath exhaled from the horse¡¯s nose sprayed the garrison¡¯s face, making the latter¡¯s face pale with fright.


    This time, the people who were still making fun of him just now stopped talking.


    This short scene demonstrated enough how superb the riding skills of the Wei Kingdom Proton was.


    Although frightened, the other party was still a proton of another country, he was even the first to talk behind his back, therefore the guard dared not to be angry, and even had to bow to salute.


    Ye Linghan didn¡¯t pay attention to these irrelevant people at all. His eyes were firmly fixed on the swordsman in white, with a tension that he himself had not realized.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    He opened his mouth but got stuck halfway.


    Ye Linghan didn¡¯t know how to face Zong Luo, let alone what he should say after seeing him face to face.


    Over the past year, Ye Linghan¡¯s mood was extremely complicated.


    He had many questions to ask.


    ¨CHe wanted to ask why Zong Luo didn¡¯t die, what happened to his eyes, why he didn¡¯t return to Great Yuan since he didn¡¯t die, and why only after a year later did he suddenly appeared  and appeared in the Cold Palace even¨C


    ¨CHe would also like to ask him why he wanted to help him in the first place, why he did so much in private, that even his biological father and brother far away were only enjoying themselves in the Wei Kingdom. No one was willing to pull himself in the quagmire. Why was he the prince of the enemy country who was opposed to his position and identity?


    It¡¯s him.


    Hearing the sound of hooves, Zong Luo turned to the side, and he raised his face with eyes covered in white silk.


    ¡°Your eyes¡± Ye Linghan¡¯s voice was dry. ¡°What happened to them?¡±


    No one answered.


    After a long time, Zong Luo seemed to suddenly realize. He cupped his hands and said, ¡°Is this Lord asking about this lowly person? This¡­lowly person didn¡¯t know either, it¡¯s like this when he woke up.¡±


    Lowly person?


    Ye Linghan suddenly felt absurd. ¡°You are the dignified Third Prince of the Yuan Dynasty, why do you refer to yourself like this?¡±


    As soon as this statement came out, everyone was shocked.


    ¡°Young Master Ye, this is absolutely unacceptable!¡± The students who had been stunned by the accident just now also had recovered and gasped.


    Who doesn¡¯t know that the Third Prince had died at Hangu Pass for more than a year now.


    Even Zong Luo shook his head slightly, with a helpless expression on his face. ¡°Young Master, what you said might get me killed. Although I have amnesia and forget the past, it is impossible for me to be His Highness the Third Prince.¡±


    ¡°Have you lost your memory?¡± Ye Linghan exclaimed in a low voice.


    In this short period of less than half a stick of incense, he was in a state of confusion. So much so that after Zong Luo said that he had lost his memory, Ye Linghan found that the questions that had troubled him before and could not be answered, now made sense.


    That¡¯s right, if it wasn¡¯t for his memory loss, how could he not return to Great Yuan? He never thought about the possibility that the person in front of him was not the Third Prince, not to mention the sound of his voice and appearance, even his sword intent was the same.


    Wait¡­ sword intent?


    ¡°No, if you lose your memory, why is your sword intent still the same as usual? Why did you appear in the Cold Palace that day to save the Eighth Prince?¡± Ye Linghan keenly discovered the loopholes in Zong Luo¡¯s words, pressing him step by step.


    Zong Luo did not hesitate and answered. ¡°Although I have lost my memory, I still remember my martial arts skills, that I can hold a sword and even be able to wield it. Even I was confused. As for being in the Cold Palace that day, I lost my way in the Lanting Water Pavilion, and didn¡¯t encounter any servants to help me on my way. Since I could not see, therefore I could only grope around randomly. Fortunately, I met the Eighth Highness to show me the way. Later, when I noticed someone insulting His Highness, I got angry, and then took action¡­ I don¡¯t know how the Lord knew about this, it¡¯s a coincidence.¡±


    These remarks can be said to be flawless. Let alone Ye Linghan, even if Emperor Yuan sent a secret guard to investigate, they would never find any loopholes.


    Ye Linghan still didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why do you have the Qixing Longyuan on you? Everyone knows that this is the sword of the Third Prince.¡±


    The students burst into an uproar. Who would have imagined that this disciple who defeated the madman Gongsun You at the Baijia Banquet and made a name for himself, was the wielder of Qixing Longyuan, which was one of the top ten famous swords in the world.


    Finally. Zong Luo smiled from the bottom of his heart, yet his face was still calm.


    ¡°This sword was by my side when I woke up.¡±


    The white-clothed swordsman continued, ¡°That day when entering the Great Abyss, the Great Commander saw it. Later, when the King of Beining returned to the capital, he reconfirmed it. Perhaps I was fortunate enough to have a similar appearance to that Highness, but it¡¯s really not worth mentioning.¡±


    Before Zong Luo said this, Ye Linghan didn¡¯t believe anything he said. But after hearing him mention Yu Beizhou, even he was a little uncertain.


    Even his cousin said so, so¡­.did he really make a mistake? Ye Linghan was in shock and felt hesitant in his heart.


    He lowered his eyes and looked at Zong Luo who was standing there.


    The latter stood still on his spot, his black hair tied high behind him, and his chest was lined with a pine green front, embroidered with pale golden lines. Obviously the style was ordinary, yet he wore it with an unspeakable extravagance.


    The more upright his posture was, the more he appeared to be like the full moon in autumn frost, which instantly made the white silk covering his eyes stand out more.


    Looking like this, for some reason, Ye Linghan didn¡¯t dare to stare at his face again.


    Even if it¡¯s just a short moment, it¡¯s so dazzling that it makes people can¡¯t bear to look at it too much.


    Ye Linghan suddenly realized that even though he hated Zong Luo at the beginning, in his heart, the brief shock and the few glimpses, still left an indelible impression.


    He clearly hadn¡¯t met Zong Luo that often, but when he closed his eyes, he was still able to describe the person¡¯s appearance in his mind. Even every strand of hair and the subtle expressions on his face seemed to be engraved in his mind.


    Can ordinary people really have such a bearing, such a sword intent?


    Ye Linghan loosened the reins and suddenly turned over and dismounted.


    He pressed his lips tightly and ordered the servant to go to the Xuan Cavalry barracks to call someone.


    This time, even the students from the various schools on the side couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°Young Master Ye, why do this? This brother has already strongly denied it. If you call Xuan Cavalry over, wouldn¡¯t it only put people into a humiliating situation?¡±


    Calling the Xuan Cavalry, is it because you want people to identify the old master in person? If this isn¡¯t madness, then what is?


    Even the servant hesitated again and again. Just as he was about to say something, he noticed that Xuan Cavalry¡¯s military camp had become noisy again. The cavalry that had just been trained had returned, and now they were bringing the horses back one by one.


    In this horse-rounding up scene, a Xuan Cavalry led a snow-white horse, cloud-like all over the body and a capable divine steed out of the barracks.


    From a distance, this horse had long, slender hooves, a gorgeous mane, and a sharp-edged posture, and it seemed to be looking around. It attracted the eyes of all the students and guards present, as soon as it appeared.


    ¡°That¡¯s the Third Highness¡¯s mount, Zhao Yebai, right?¡±


    ¡°Definitely. If you look closely, even the horses Xuan Cavalry rode are still flawed. Apart from Zhao Yebai, where else is there such a majestic white horse without any variegation.¡±


    They watched from a distance, their faces full of admiration. Zhao Yebai was also famous among the famous horses. If one could ride it, one would basically win the hunting competition most of the time.


    Zong Luo was quite proud in his heart.


    Zhao Yebai was a famous horse from the Western Regions that could travel thousands of miles a day. Finding one of its kind would be hard even with thousands of gold coins. When the Ghost Valley Master gave Zhao Yebai to him, it was just a little horse, and it was Zong Luo who raised it little by little, to how it looked now at present.


    Everyone was watching this famous horse, but Zhao Yebai, who was following the cavalry, was a little anxious.


    It lowered its eyes and stared at the grass on the ground, and dug the soil with its front hoofs.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is today¡¯s grass bad?¡±


    The Xuan Cavalry was about to touch its horse¡¯s head. Unexpectedly, Zhao Yebai, who had always been docile, turned his head and avoided it, blinked its big eyes twice, and suddenly broke free from his hold, and ran towards one place.


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t run!¡±


    The Xuan Cavalry looked at his empty palm and couldn¡¯t help being shocked.


    Zhao Yebai was well-behaved and docile on ordinary days, its temperament was better than that of ordinary military horses, which could even be called extremely humane.


    When Zong Luo was still around, he didn¡¯t even tie its reins very much. Later, after the Third Prince died in battle, they originally thought that his horse followed him, but Zhao Yebai unexpectedly ran back to Xuan Cavalry¡¯s barracks after a few days.


    Because of this, everyone kept hoping. The cavalry often even bathed and talked to this humane horse, hoping that Zhao Yebai would lead them to the whereabouts of His Highness.


    Even the current general of the Xuan Cavalry, Mu Yuanlong, took good care of it, not mixing it with other military horses in the barracks. Even removing the saddle, and not choosing another owner for it.


    Everyone hoped that one day its owner could come back. Even if they knew that it was nothing but an unwarranted hope.


    The Xuan Cavalry quickly chased after it.


    However, how can two legs run faster than four legs, not to mention Zhao Yebai, a thousand-mile steed with full firepower.


    Thud..thud..thud..thud..thud..


    Zhao Yebai ran over with its reins like a gust of wind, rushed from the gate of Xuan Cavalry Barracks to Zong Luo from a distance, handed over the reins in its mouth as if asking for credit, and looked at him obediently with blinking eyes.


    The cavalry in a black armor, who arrived later, walked fast, raised his voice and said loudly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this horse was our Highness¡¯ favorite. It¡¯s because I didn¡¯t take good care of it and let it run into you¡­..¡±


    Before he could even finish speaking, he saw Zhao Yebai took the reins and handed it over to a young man in white with his back to him. It also lowered its head in someone else¡¯s arms in front of everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Cavalry: ¡°¡­..¡±


    Is this still the pure breed horse that can sustain long-distance travel? Could it be that the other party carried some delicious grass with him, which made Zhao Yebai unable to control itself?


    On the other end, noticing Zong Luo ignoring it, Zhao Yebai neigh in grievance and went to rub Zong Luo¡¯s fingers.


    The white horse walked around its owner a little anxiously for several times, and then as if realizing something, it suddenly bent down and knocked the man to its back. Kidnapped the man under the watchful eyes of everyone and ran towards the other side of the City Gate.


    Everyone was shocked by this change, while the Wei Kingdom Proton only tightened the grip on the reins in his hands.


    ¡°This¡­.how could Young Master Gu be carried away by a horse like this?¡±


    It was impossible for a horse not to recognize its owner. The appearance of Zhao Yebai made the drama of the mysterious man being only a counterfeit of the Third Prince no longer had any suspense.


    It¡¯s really him.


    Ye Linghan subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.


    If Zong Luo lost his memory, then he would not know that he was the ¡°Proton of Wei Kingdom¡± that the students from the various schools called him, let alone leave a bad impression.


    After all, as far as he was concerned, his current self¡­¡­was just an ordinary passerby.


    Thinking of this, Ye Linghan¡¯s chest was filled with inexplicable anxiety. There was anxiety, there was loss, and some more complicated things.


    In the end, these things were superimposed and turned into a faint self-deprecation.


    The other party did not even remember the kindness from the beginning, yet here he was making blind and disorderly conjectures. He couldn¡¯t even ask ¡°Why did you take care of me in the first place¡±.


    Ye Linghan held on to the reins for a moment, then suddenly raised his whip, turned the horse¡¯s head without saying a word, and chased towards the City Gate.


    When the two horses left one after the other, the Xuan Cavalry looked stunned and looked at their backs from a distance, as if he had just woken up from a big dream.


    He stood still for a few seconds, then suddenly trembled all over, and rushed back to the barracks. Without even having time to report, he went straight to the martial arts training ground.


    Mu Yuanlong, who was practicing in the field, could not help frowning, and said coldly, ¡°Such rash, have you forgotten all the rules of the military camp?¡±


    The cavalry stood on his spot, couldn¡¯t utter a full word and stammered.


    ¡°Liu Qi, didn¡¯t you take Zhao Yebai out to let it have a stroll around, where is it now?¡±


    Mu Yuanlong looked at his distracted appearance, his eyebrows tightened deeper and deeper. He put down the machete, and his face became solemn.


    ¡°General Mu¡­ I, I¡­ I just¡­ Zhao Yebai, right, Zhao Yebai¨C¡±


    Liu Qi¡¯s face turned red. ¡± ¨CZhao Yebai took His Highness away!¡±

 Chapter 14.1

    The huge military camp became terribly silent. The Xuan Cavalry on the martial arts training field stopped their movements involuntarily. Glancing to their side, one could notice that their faces were filled with consternation.


    Among them, Mu Yuanlong¡¯s face was the most gloomy.


    He shouted angrily, ¡°His Royal Highness personally selected you into the camp and taught you earnestly. Now, with just only a mere slight resemblance¨Cdo you admit your mistake? How can you comfort His Highness¡¯ spirit in heaven?¡±


    Because of the generals on both sides, Xuan Cavalry and the Tianji Army were extremely dissatisfied with each other.


    This time, the attack on Nanliang was originally Xuan Cavalry¡¯s mission, but because of their weakened state, as a result, it was robbed by the Tianji Army of Yu Beizhou.


    Mu Yuanlong blamed himself and felt guilty, and even prepared to resign when they returned to the Capital after. After considering everything, his commanding ability was limited.


    It¡¯s good to be a deputy general, but he isn¡¯t capable of being the general who could lead the team.


    If His Highness was still here¡­this would never happen.


    On the day when the King of Beining returned to the Capital, it was well known that he gave his jade to someone in front of the Great Yuan City Gate. Some good people spread word of mouth and inadvertently revealed some details. For example, the one who won the King of Beining¡¯s good graces was a blind young man who came to Great Yuan with the Confucianists.


    It was said that his face was very similar to the Third Prince who passed away a year ago. It had even frightened Duan Junwu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Garrison Guards, and almost confused the real with the fake.


    Mu Yuanlong had been paying special attention to the King of Biening. After hearing this news, his face immediately turned black after.


    Who in the dynasty did not know the relationship between these two disciples who came from the same school? Now that His Highness was dead, the King of Beining now had completely eliminated this nemesis who was not only unpleasant to the eye, but also robbed him of his brilliance. In the future, he would be the only famous young general of the Yuan Dynasty. It¡¯s expected that he should be very proud, sporting a smile like that of the spring breeze.


    The time when Yu Beizhou returned to the dynasty and then gave a jade to a disciple who pretty much resembled the Third Prince¨CWhat is his intention? What is his purpose?


    Mu Yuanlong was furious, and even sneered at this unnamed disciple.


    How clean and precious His Royal Highness was, with a noble and handsome appearance¨C how could it be imitated by any ¡°similarity¡±? I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s just a crude imitation.


    He had long heard that these students who participated in the Baijia Banquet wanted to become a nobles¡¯ Menke, and many of them even used some disgusting methods to gain attention.


    In his heart, Mu Yuanlong directly defined the blind disciple as an opportunist who had taken a crooked path.


    As the personal soldiers of the Third Prince, the Xuan Cavalry were loyal and devoted, and naturally, there¡¯s nothing that could be said more.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the sake of maintaining his bearing, Mu Yuanlong wouldn¡¯t have let this opportunist off so easily. But what happened, the soldier under his command not only admitted his mistake, but also ran up to him to recklessly report, with a look of believing it was true, which really made him infuriated.


    After being scolded like this, Liu Qi also calmed down. Indeed, he had just glanced at the person from a distance, as Zhao Yebai bluntly took the person away. Except for the side profile, he didn¡¯t even get to look at his entire face.


    But Liu Qi subconsciously felt that that person was His Highness. He opened his mouth and muttered, ¡°But¡­¡±


    At this moment, Mu Yuanlong suddenly came back to his senses: ¡°What did you just say, Zhao Yebai took a person away?¡±


    He could ignore the person, but the horse was the one left by His Highness. Nothing mattered the most besides that.


    ¡°Yes, a group of students came to the military camp to borrow horses, and it broke free of my hold when it saw them.¡± Liu Qi wanted to cry without tears. ¡°Lieutenant General, you can¡¯t blame me for admitting the wrong person, even Zhao Yebai did. Also, that person has¡­..¡±


    Yet he didn¡¯t dare say the four words ¡°Qixing Longyuan¡±.


    Mu Yuanlong became silent. At this moment, no one dared to look at his face.


    When Zong Luo was still alive, Mu Yuanlong was the deputy general specialized in handling various affairs. He managed the Xuan Cavalry in a well-organized way, and their military law was strict.  Everyone had a full reverence for him.


    Later, after taking over the position of general, General Mu¡¯s character became more and more stern and severe. This was the first time everyone saw Mu Yuanlong¡¯s thunderous rage.


    ¡°Form a team, come with me now.¡± He put on his black armor, grabbed his weapon, and strode out.


    ****


    On the other end, Zong Luo, who was being kidnapped, sighed helplessly.


    ¡ªI haven¡¯t seen you for more than a year. Although others couldn¡¯t tell, he could easily discern that Zhao Yebai had lost a lot of weight, and its fur was not at all as smooth as when he was by its side.


    He patted the horse¡¯s back and motioned for Zhao Yebai to put him down in the outskirts of the City where no one was present. Seeing that the master finally paid attention to it, the white horse gave a cheerful low cry.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t take you back now, you are too big.¡±


    Zong Luo touched its beautiful mane, and finally said reluctantly, ¡°Be obedient, find a place where there is no one and put me down.¡±


    Meeting Zhao Yebai today was indeed an unexpected situation. Fortunately, everything is still under control.


    But if this Zhao Yebai follows him back, then that would be a big problem.


    Now that everyone was guessing whether he was the Third Prince, and for the time being, no one dared to poked Emperor Yuan¡¯s sore spot by reporting to him, under this kind of relative balance of undercurrents from all sides, he could use ¡°returning Zhao Yebai¡± as a pretext. If it was not handled properly, it may disrupt his plan in advance.


    Of course, a pretext should always be handed over for the plan to go forward. It just depends on who delivers it and who¡¯s the pretext in question.


    ¡°Obedient Yebai, you go back to the camp by yourself, don¡¯t come to me again during this time.¡±


    Zong Luo got off his horse half-push and half-fell, resisted the desire to take it back with him, turned around and ruthlessly urged Zhao Yebai to leave.


    The white horse looked at him for a long time, and when it determined that its master had no intention of changing his mind, it whimpered, turned its head every three steps and left on the same road on its way back.


    Looking at this scene, Zong Luo¡¯s fingers under the long sleeves trembled slightly.


    He remembered that last year, Zhao Yebai followed him with tears in its eyes and was difficult to drive away.


    Him, who had just been reborn at that time, was even more reluctant to give it up, but when he thought about how Zhao Yebai was shot by random arrows in front of the City Gate in his previous life and fell in a pool of blood, he knew he should be cruel.


    Same as now.


    After Zhao Yebai left, Zong Luo did not leave in a hurry. He stood on the spot, making sure that the other person had a panoramic view of this scene, then turned around, lifted his feet and took a step, waiting for the appearance of a ¡°pretext¡±.


    Thud..thud..thud..thud..


    Sure enough, just as he was about to leave, the hooves behind him finally hurried forward in his direction, it sounded from far to near, falling to the ground like a drum beat.


    Ye Linghan hesitated again and again just now, but still hurried to catch up with his horse. However, he didn¡¯t expect to see this scene just now. Those hesitations, unknown worries and complexities a while back turned into a monstrous anger, constantly burning his sanity.


    It turns out that this person has no amnesia at all!


    Because he hastily urged the horse to move forward just now, the young man in purple clothes still had a faint redness on his face at the moment, and he didn¡¯t know whether he was tired or angry.


    Although he and Yu Beizhou were cousins ??to each other, with half of the blood of the Yu family and inheriting the well-known appearance of the ancestors. In this ¡°Can Drink A Cup of Nothing¡±, the protagonist that was adored by tens of thousands of fans, should absolutely be a pick that stood out among the ordinary.


    Although Ye Linghan doubted then later confirmed Zong Luo¡¯s identity, he actually believed the hearsay to be true from the start.


    Even though a Crown Prince of a country, Ye Linghan didn¡¯t actually have such political sense.

 Chapter 14.2

    At first glance, it looked like he had escaped from the battle of Hangu Pass. But thanks to that dream of ¡°seven stars linked like beads¡±, no one in the world didn¡¯t knew that the Third Prince died for the country, and that his reputation among the common people reached its peak.


    This move of retreating to advance was too high. If he came back from the dead, with the public opinion boiling, he would naturally be the one who would benefit the most. With such a help, even Emperor Yuan, who had always been lukewarm to the Third Prince, may be biased in the matter of seizing the Crown Prince position, and that it would even catch the other princes by surprise.


    Ye Linghan originally thought that Zong Luo loved all living beings, that he even ordered for the proton of the enemy country to be taken care of in secret. However, it also never occurred to him that his amnesia was just a pretense. No wonder he suddenly appeared in the Cold Palace and saved the Eighth Prince, everything was premeditated.


    Those rhetorics from the outskirts of the country, if told to a fool¡ªactually, in a sense, he was also a fool for believing him.


    Thinking so, perhaps blindness was also a pretense. False and true, true and false. He may have never spoken any truth from the beginning.


    Sitting on the back of a high horse, he stared at the back of the white-robed swordsman in front of him, almost unable to restrain the urge to rush and to ask questions.


    But when the words came to his lips, Ye Linghan paused again, his face turning blue and white for a while.


    He and Zong Luo¡­were not familiar enough to explain each other¡¯s behavior. In the final analysis, except for the so-called unilateral care that he didn¡¯t know and his own unilateral hatred for him, they had no connection at all.


    It¡¯s just that¡­he can¡¯t also imagine the Third Prince of the Yuan Dynasty, who had always been a moonlight, would actually play this trick to fool the world.


    What a ¡°clean breeze and a bright moon¡±, simply a cloud. But was actually also the same as those who unscrupulously played with power.


    Very different from what he thought Zong Luo was compared to the Great Yuan.


    That being the case, he had been wrong all along.


    An inexplicable anger of betrayal rose from his chest that could hardly be suppressed. Ye Linghan couldn¡¯t explain his current mood, but he felt very disappointed, extremely disappointed.


    The Wei Kingdom Proton¡¯s chest heaved up and down. Suddenly, he clenched his fists without saying a word, his nails deeply embedding in his flesh. He clamped the horse¡¯s belly, urging it to set off and run forward without turning his head.


    Thud..thud..thud..thud..


    The sound of the hooves sounded rapidly again. Afterwards, the black steed swept past the swordsman like a gust of wind, lifting the hem of his white clothes and his black hair that was tied behind his head, and then fell simultaneously one after the other after.


    Hearing the sound of horses¡¯ hooves leaving, Zong Luo was a little surprised. He thought that Ye Linghan would rush up to question him, but he didn¡¯t expect him that came with such a momentum to only mellow down lightly¨Cappearing like there¡¯s no sign of it at the beginning.


    At this point in time, there were rumors that Wei Kingdom wanted to re-elect a Crown Prince. This undoubtedly made Ye Linghan so anxious that he wanted to hurry and escape.


    The Proton of the Wei Kingdom had been hiding and forbearing, keeping a low profile in the Imperial City of the Great Yuan for many years. Bullied by Zong Hongjiu but only swallowed up his anger, accumulated strength in secret, and even things like accompanying someone to drink wine, he was willing to lower himself just for it.


    Under these circumstances, Ye Linghan could use everything. If it wasn¡¯t for the desperate situation, and with Ye Linghan¡¯s personality before his blackening, he wouldn¡¯t have competed in the high-profile Six Arts competition of Baijia Banquet.


    In his last life, Ye Linghan was doing everything he could to return to his home country. After having no choice, he was willing to commit himself to others, and even privately held a huge and extremely absurd auction in the Huanchun Building. Later, after the news was leaked, his reputation was discredited, even the Wei Kingdom was ashamed to take back such a prince, and simply abolished him.


    Because of this, Ye Linghan turned completely black after realizing that he had no hope of returning to the Wei Kingdom, and decided to definitely take revenge on everyone. After that, he officially joined Yu Beizhou¡¯s ranks and worked under him.


    The reason why Xiao Ba was involved in the seizing of the Crown Prince was because he fanned the flames behind his back. He came up with a poisonous plan at that time¨C to use the death of the Eighth Prince to break off a capable arm of the Fifth Prince, and incidentally made the Ninth Prince fall out of favor, killing two birds with one stone¨C which was extremely vicious.


    One advantage of being reborn inside the book was seeing the nature of these people thoroughly.


    In his last life, Zong Luo was only a book transmigrator who had acquired knowledge from reading the comment area, and transmigrated inside without reading a few chapters.


    However, this life will be different.


    Zong Luo was not a man of great virtue. Since Ye Linghan killed Zong Ruichen in the last life, then he would put this blame on Ye Linghan¡¯s head in this life. ¡°The way of Heaven is good for reincarnation, but whoever is forgiven by Heaven¡±.


    (t/n The way of Heaven is good for reincarnation, but whoever is forgiven by Heaven-means that evil will be rewarded, karma is reincarnated, and if you do bad things, you will definitely be punished. People who do bad things get bad ends.)


    According to Zong Luo¡¯s understanding of Ye Linghan, after confirming his identity and knowing that he had no real amnesia, this desperate proton will probably make good use of this precious information, and then throw it out at the right time, or go to various forces to win trust and benefits.


    If Ye Linghan becomes an informer again, Zong Luo¡¯s backhand could be used. Not only will he let him logically hand over his identity to the public, but he could also pit Ye Linghan in a way that would keep him from dying and peel off his skin. All of this had long been a planned route.


    Taking advantage of such wicked people, Zong Luo had no psychological burden about it. In any case, Ye Linghan had already become the ¡°pretext¡± that was handed over. Next, he just had to wait and see, wait and observe as to how the situation would develop.


    The sound of the hooves disappeared completely, and the surroundings became deadly quiet. The white-robed swordsman stood there for a while, then sighed and turned to leave.


    Zong Luo had always felt that he was not a very ambitious person.


    Otherwise, he would not give up the olive branch handed over by the International Frontier Research, and pursue the bright future of higher education in the eyes of everyone. Instead, he squatted in the research room, guided students, and racked his brains every day to find a way to apply for funding.


    Because of this, regarding the Crown Prince, he always had the idea of ????accommodating with circumstances.


    Maybe such a mentality didn¡¯t fit this book, but with his modern thinking and lack of sibling relationship, if he really wanted to choose one between his relatives and the throne, he would definitely choose the former without hesitation.


    Once a person abandons superfluous hopes can he recognize his position.


    Maybe because he had already tasted the feeling of being isolated and helpless in his past life, and that he had enough disappointment. After actually embarking on this road, Zong Luo found that he was also familiar with it.


    The core idea of the Ghost Valley was imperceptible insidious scheming, and indisputable victory with no cost. When it comes to the layout, the Ghost Valley disciples can¡¯t find it anywhere, but it¡¯s really just a matter of thinking and not thinking about it.


    Thinking about it this way, he really couldn¡¯t be the clear breeze and bright moon in the mouths of those literati.


    ¡°Forget it, why am I obsessed with these false names? Once you experience death, nature would naturally become different.¡±


    Zong Luo muttered to himself and shook his head with a smile.


    Suppose the experience of this matter was still unchanged, it was estimated that he would be sacrificed to be cremated to produce relics.


    *******


    Zong Luo did not expect that today¡¯s good show was not over yet.


    When he slowly walked back to the Confucian residence, the attendant guarding the door, upon seeing him returned, as if he had finally found the backbone, hurriedly stepped forward to report.


    ¡°Young Master, a distinguished guest is here.¡±


    Zong Luo raised his eyebrows with interest. ¡°Who?¡±


    The attendant said, ¡°This little one doesn¡¯t know¡­.the distinguished guest didn¡¯t say it, and this little one didn¡¯t dare to ask. Just as the Young Master told me a few days ago, I took the person to the table under the osmanthus tree to rest for a while. Several incense sticks have also been used.¡±


    Several incense sticks and still have not left yet, at first glance, the person must have come prepared.


    When the released news is received, it only depends on which fish is caught.


    Zong Luo quickly went through a few candidates in his mind.


    ¡°I see, you go and prepare some tea first.¡±


    The attendant nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 15.1

    Chapter 15.1


    On the way out of the barracks, Mu Yuanlong¡¯s expression was terrifying.


    The cavalry all knew that General Mu was in a bad mood, moreover, all of them were really anxious. No one dared to go up and provoked this misfortune, and the road was so quiet that only the sound of horses¡¯ hooves could be heard.


    Zhao Yebai was the horse left by the Third Highness. The Fifth Prince before had been greedy for it for a long time, but not only did Mu Yuanlong not let him borrow it, he also didn¡¯t even let him take a look at it.


    Fortunately, the Fifth Prince didn¡¯t have the guts to go to Emperor Yuan to ask for the horse, therefore the matter was settled by leaving it unsettled.


    ¡°General Mu, this is¡­¡±


    When the Garrison guards on duty saw Xuan Cavalry came with a group of people, they hurriedly stepped forward to inquire. After knowing that the horse left by the Third Prince had gone missing, they hurriedly notified the Commander-in-Chief.


    After a while, Duan Junhao hurried over with the sword tightly gripped in his hand but quickly loosened it after learning about the situation.


    When the Third Prince was still alive, the Xuan Cavalry was famous in the whole Great Wilderness. As soon as their flag was raised, the enemy would be terrified and their morale would be greatly reduced.


    Although the general was absent and the deputy general took over, his position in the hearts of the people was still undiminished.


    As far as the Garrison Army was concerned, in the battle of Hangu Pass a year ago, if the Third Prince hadn¡¯t led the three thousand Xuan Cavalry to support them, not to mention whether their fifty thousand-strong army would have been wiped out, even the Imperial City of Great Yuan would have possibly fallen that time. Therefore, they usually made it convenient for the Xuan Cavalry, and they would try to make it as convenient as possible.


    In addition, the garrison also provided them with a lot of leads, but the guards here said that they did not see any trace of Zhao Yebai. Such a well-fed excellent horse would not go unnoticed when entering the City. As for the young man in white clothes, there were too many, but he had never seen the young man with eyes covered in white silk.


    Since it didn¡¯t enter the City, it must be outside the City. Mu Yuanlong turned his horse¡¯s head and said, ¡°Disperse and look around the City Gate. The other two,go to the Proton Mansion and ask if the Ye Proton has seen where the person had gone off to.¡±


    The Xuan Cavalry carried out the orders and started the thorough search.


    Seeing that this Xuan Cavalry General had no intention of leaving for a while, Duan Junhao also asked one more question, ¡°Zhao Yebai was fine in the military camp on weekdays, why did it suddenly get lost?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to meddle in his own business, it¡¯s just that no one in the army didn¡¯t knew that Xuan Cavalry treated Zhao Yebai like a precious baby in their eyes. To be able to get lost under such circumstances, something bizarre must have happened.


    ¡°Commander Duan doesn¡¯t know anything.¡±


    Mu Yuanlong didn¡¯t shy away. ¡°Recently, according to rumors, a student from the Baijia Banquet has won the good graces of the King of Beining, and he was in the limelight during the banquet. Commander Duan should have heard of it¡­.This student has gone a bit crooked. It¡¯s not enough to use the guise of His Highness to take advantage of opportunities, he also had the idea of taking Zhao Yebai away¡­it¡¯s really hateful.¡±


    Hearing this, Duan Junhao looked a bit weird.


    What happened at the gate that day had spread throughout the Imperial City. Originally, he thought that the matter had already been settled under the interference of the King of Beining, but Duan Junhao did not expect that these days, many forces would come to him to inquire about the specific situation of that day.


    These waves of people include not only the few persons in the Capital who were fighting the Crown Prince position, but also the people from the Prime Minister¡¯s Mansion, and now even the General Mu of Xuan Cavalry had come. It really made people more and more unable to see the direction of the situation.


    As the Commander-in-Chief of the Garrison Guards, Duan Junhao, like his father, was directly loyal to Emperor Yuan, no clear standing in the Capital and only watching the seizing of the Crown Prince position in the sidelines. Therefore, in the face of these forces, he still held water with his eyes open, and he would not be biased.


    In the final analysis, this matter was wicked. Even if the disciple named Gu was in the limelight at the Baijia Banquet, he wouldn¡¯t have brought all these big men to him, right?


    Furthermore, the princes, the close friends, the subordinates¡­these were people who had close contact with the Third Prince. It would be impossible to have no doubts at all.


    Duan Junhao remembered that day. At that time, he almost believed in his heart that Gu Luo was the Third Prince, therefore he sent someone to Zongzheng Mansion to invite someone to come and decide. Unexpectedly, the King of Beining extinguished his intentions halfway.


    Whether it is in terms of status or other aspects, it was impossible for Duan Junhao to compare with the brothers who grew up together in terms of the number of meetings and familiarity.


    Although this matter was over, Duan Junhao still had misgivings in his heart, full of hesitation, and pressing these doubts deeply in his heart.


    While he was still thinking, Mu Yuanlong said again, ¡°Commander Duan, what happened in front of the City Gate that day? Can you tell me in detail?¡±


    Duan Junhao: ¡°..¡­¡±


    These doubts should absolutely never be said to Mu Yuanlong.


    It was a well-known fact that Xuan Cavalry were loyal. Since even the King of Beining had denied it, his suspicions were nothing but just his own, and he might offend people if he really spoke out.


    Duan Junhao was just ordinary, and he only learned ten percent of Duan Shui Kungfu from his father. Therefore, he simply repeated his remarks as he did with other forces, without any slight embellishments.


    ¡°What? Still having trouble with the thought of Qixing Longyuan?!¡±


    After hearing this, Mu Yuanlong¡¯s face darkened and his brows were tightly furrowed. The anger that had just subsided was stirred up again, causing the black horse under him to use his front hooves to scrape the soil impatiently.


    First, he was dressed like His Highness, next, Qixing Longyuan was with him, and now Zhao Yebai was involved. It was clear that this person was shameless and determined to imitate His Highness all the way.


    There was also the King of Beining, who was afraid that the world would not be in chaos¨Cdenied his identity in public, but as a result, turned around and gave him his jade.


    Thinking of this, Mu Yuanlong was furious.


    Even if His Highness was no longer valued by His Majesty during his lifetime, he still decided that he should never be humiliated by this kind of thieves and rascals.


    He pulled the reins. He planned to go directly to the palace to report and seek justice for His Highness.


    Unexpectedly, at this moment, a Xuan Cavalry, who was searching everywhere, returned, with a beautiful white horse with a magnificent look behind him.


    ¡°Zhao Yebai!¡±


    Mu Yuanlong hurriedly dismounted, checked Zhao Yebai¡¯s whole body carefully, and after confirming that nothing was amiss, he breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    When His Highness was still alive, the degree of doting on his horse was obvious to all. Even in the case of being surrounded as in the first battle of Hangu Pass, it was made sure that Zhao Yebai could return safely.


    Mu Yuanlong didn¡¯t dare think of any negative possibilities. If Zhao Yebai really got lost or something really happened, how shameless would it be for him to see His Highness after a hundred years.


    The cavalry who brought Zhao Yebai back asked, ¡°General Mu, the people you sent to  the Proton Mansion¡­.¡±


    The general in black armor was silent for a while, ¡°You send someone to call them back, no need to ask again.¡±


    After such an interruption, Mu Yuanlong also calmed down. On second thought, it was only postponing the matter of wanting to enter the palace to report.


    Today¡¯s Emperor really doesn¡¯t have such a good personality. Moreover, His Highness was not favored, this was an indisputable fact. Even if he sacrificed his life for the country and conferred the posthumous title of Crown Prince, he could still not compare to the pampered Ninth Prince in the deep palace.


    In addition, Xuan Cavalry couldn¡¯t bear the loss in Nanliang. Although the Emperor didn¡¯t say anything to Mu Yuanlong when they returned to the Capital, and only asked him to recondition themselves and await orders, compared with the King of Beining, who received a soft-hearted reward. it may just be assumed that they would have to wait long before an assignment arrived.


    If this kind of trivial matter attracts trouble, if things don¡¯t work out, Xuan Cavalry might even be implicated. Mu Yuanlong can be indifferent, but he cannot implicate these brothers who went through life and death together with him.


    The Xuan Cavalry General clenched his fists and said reluctantly, ¡°Go back.¡±


    Mu Yuanlong was suppressing a stomach full of anger.


    He only hoped that the man who deceived the world and stole fame would better seek more blessings for himself  and not appear in front of him, otherwise, even if he escaped the punishments, he would still force him to accept all the  consequences.

 Chapter 15.2

    Chapter 15.2


    On the other side, Zong Luo instructed the attendant to proceed inside the courtyard.


    The residences allocated to the students of the hundred schools of thought are self-contained, with elegant interiors, rockeries and flowing waters, and a unique scenery.


    This used to be the residence of the marquis of the former dynasty but unfortunately he stood on the wrong team, and was later rooted out by Emperor Yuan with his brother. In the end, it took a lot of effort to build it, and it was a waste of money and labor, so the inner buildings were preserved and used for other purposes.


    A sweet-scented osmanthus tree was also planted in the courtyard. Looking around, clusters of pale yellow flower buds weighed down on the branches, and when the wind blew, they would fall one after another, emitting a fragrant that assailed one¡¯s nostrils.


    Zong Luo: ¡°¡­?¡±


    In this quiet background, the Fifth Prince in brocade clothes and jade crown was standing in front of the writing desk, with both hands folded inside the sleeves, looking at the painting spread out on the table with great interest.


    That painting was painted by Zong Luo when he pretended to be ill in the past few days and had nothing to do. It specially imitated his own painting skills and brush strokes. Those who have seen his paintings or calligraphy could guess the similarities just at a glance.


    With the white silk blocking his eyesight, he could only vaguely see the outline of Zong Yuanwu, as for the more subtle expressions, he really couldn¡¯t see it.


    Hearing the footsteps, the Fifth Prince with his hands on his back raised his head, and the moment he saw Zong Luo, he straightened his back and straightened his body subconsciously. After finishing this set, Zong Yuanwu reacted and heaved a long sigh of relief in his heart.


    ¡°Sir is back.¡±


    Of course, it was clear and obvious, looking at this face that resembled the Third Imperial Brother¡¯s face, he still felt uncomfortable no matter how he looked at it. Although he had no profound learning on swordsmanship skills, now he was full of expectations of quickly finishing his business of coming, and quietly escaping and walking away.


    ¡°I happened to come here today because I remembered that Sir had signed up for the Hunting category, and I thought that Sir is still short of a good horse that could match his peerless swordsmanship.¡±


    Zong Yuanwu laughed awkwardly. ¡°As it happens, this Prince has also led soldiers for a period of time before, he could say a few words in the army for you.¡±


    He placed a waist token on the stone table. ¡°If Sir isn¡¯t opposed to it, you can take this waist token to the suburbs of the Capital to pick a horse.You can take the horse directly with you once you¡¯ve chosen one.¡±


    Saying that, Zong Yuanwu seemed to be afraid of Zong Luo¡¯s misunderstanding, so he quickly added, ¡°Mr. Gu must not be polite to this Prince, this Prince just admires Sir¡¯s unparalleled swordsmanship. If Sir is free, this Prince would like to ask Sir to come to this Prince¡¯ mansion for some advice. This Prince will wait for Sir¡¯s gracious presence at any time.¡±


    Zong Luo: ¡°?¡±


    He judged Zong Yuanwu¡¯s words in discrimination and disbelief.


    Would Zong Yuanwu just really ignore the painting he put on the table because of his sentiments? This guy was still as brainless as he remembered, very straightforward even in courting, and was not afraid of offending Yu Beizhou.


    Zong Luo felt deeply helpless.


    Among his martial younger brothers, Zong Yuanwu was the closest to him. Back then, Zong Luo also practiced this guy¡¯s martial arts with his hands, and used the same trick of how he brought up his students in his previous life to teach the other.


    It¡¯s a pity that Zong Yuanwu had no talent, even a little, in martial arts, and the Ghost Valley¡¯s teachings passed down to him could never be taught to him. He couldn¡¯t teach him anything else. As soon as he hits the battlefield, he would become a soft-footed shrimp. Several times, Zong Luo wanted to sigh with emotion that really a rotten wood could not be carved.


    (t/n Soft-footed shrimp- weak)


    (t/n rotten wood could not be carved- It is used as a metaphor for people who cannot be created or things and situations that are corrupt and incurable)


    However, Zong Yuanwu was really passionate about Martial Arts. It was said that when he was young, he secretly ran away from home with a sword on his back and wanted to go to other schools to learn Martial Arts.  It¡¯s so unbelievable that people don¡¯t know what to say.


    Although he told Gu Ziyuan only yesterday that he could release rumors about his origin, why didn¡¯t Yuanwu hurry up to investigate, and instead only came to him to ask for some advice?


    Among the three princes, the Fourth brother was deeply scheming, hibernating and forbearing. The Sixth brother was resourceful, was good at being perfunctory, pleasing others, and was very thoughtful in all aspects. Only the Fifth brother, with a single muscle in the brain, would do whatever he wanted.


    But behind this guy stood Dingbei Military Mansion. Military power, imperial court, aristocratic family, financial resources¡­he hardly lacked anything. In terms of seizing the Crown Prince position, his strength was naturally a little higher than the Sixth, otherwise, the Sixth would not have formed gangs everywhere.


    Logically, if Zong Luo was placed in the position of Zong Yuanwu, the Crown Prince position would have already belonged to him a long time ago, and maybe, if he would be too daring, he would also directly overthrow his father¡¯s throne. But what was Zong Yuanwu like now, he still argued back and forth with Zong Yongliu.


    Supporting such a master, he could only say that he felt sorry for the advisors and patrons in the Fifth Prince¡¯s Mansion for a second.


    After sending Zong Yuanwu away, Zong Luo turned his head and sat back at the table under the osmanthus tree, took some tea, and planned to burn a pot to reduce the fire.


    As a result, the pot of tea was not even half-drunk yet, and the attendant suddenly announced that a new guest came.


    ¡°Is it a good day today, why is everyone running towards me?¡±


    Zong Luo shook his head, refusing to be misled by fallacies, changed the table to a more conspicuous position and waited for the person to come.


    He still didn¡¯t believe it.


    This time, it was the Fourth Prince who came.


    Finally a wise man.


    Zong Luo was clear about Zong Chengsi¡¯s cautious and cunning character under his rambunctious style.


    The prince, dressed in gorgeous clothes, walked in with a smile on his face. ¡°That day, when I watched Sir¡¯s swordsmanship at the banquet, I was astonished. It¡¯s just that Sir didn¡¯t attend for the next few days. I don¡¯t know why and became worried. This is why I rashly harassed Sir¡¯s private time. Please don¡¯t blame me.¡±


    As expected. Zong Chengsi was able to maintain his composure when speaking while testing the waters. However, after seeing the painting, his breath stagnated, obviously he saw something.


    He first used graceful and gorgeous rhetoric to praise his swordsmanship at the Baijia Banquet that day, and then thoughtfully cared about Zong Luo¡¯s absence in the following days. In fact, the real intention hidden under these words was still a test itself.


    Zong Luo had three cards: True Identity, Amnesia, and Blindness.


    Facing different people, he would play different cards but blindness would be his last remaining trump card. Except for Yu Beizhou, who unexpectedly exposed him in a rude manner, even when he would face Emperor Yuan, he had to hold on tight on his last trump card.


    ¡°His Royal Highness has been worrying too much. This common man was just ill for the past few days, but now there is no serious problem.¡±


    Faced with these hidden sharp-edged chit-chats, Zong Luo calmly handed over the information and pushed it forward and back as if playing Tai Chi, but he was having fun with a genial on the surface.


    ¡°I see, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about Sir.¡±


    Zong Chengsi, who forgot to sit on the ground, suddenly changed the conversation. ¡°I thought it was because at the banquet that day when the Fifth Prince unintentionally offended Sir, which made Sir unhappy. Here I will first apologize for his ignorance, and also ask Sir to not take it to heart.¡±


    Zong Luo smiled slightly. ¡°Nothing of the sort.¡±


    Look at this position, it was not even the same level as the Fifth.


    ¡°Sir is really generous.¡±


    Sure enough, Zong Chengsi followed this topic and said, ¡°¡­Maybe this is a bit offensive, but Sir is very similar to an old friend of mine.¡±


    More than just like. Relying on the fact that Zong Luo was blind, Zong Chengsi scrutinized the person opposite him with unrestrained eyes.


    The young man with eyes covered in white silk sat in front of the table, like a pine and a bamboo.


    He was very thin, and the spotless white robe hung on his body, which made his skin appear pale and fragile. As he got closer, even the scent of sweet-scented osmanthus flowers in the garden was tinged with the acrid smell of medicinal herbs, but it smelled so good that it almost made people want to sink in.


    Sitting just like that, there seemed to be a fragile feeling like the full moon in autumn frost. This was a fragility he had never seen in the Third Imperial Brother before his amnesia.


    It was the same as putting the sword across the neck in that dream, letting the cold rain slide down the sword¡¯s body, the fluttering soaked robe¡¯s lapels¡ª it really made people captivated.


    Zong Chengsi spread out his folding fan, and his usual romantic peach blossom eyes became a little darker.


    Before coming to visit, Zong Chengsi had already determined 70% of this person¡¯s identity.


    ¡ªA year ago, he was seriously injured and lost his memory, he was picked up by the Confucianists in the Bo country, his swordsmanship that was unique in the world but does not lose the style of a noble person, has the same voice and temperament¡ª


    Even the most cautious person had to admit it.


    The Elder brother who was buried in the Imperial Mausoleum and was conferred a posthumous title of Crown Prince did not really die.


    But when he returned, he was blind and amnesiac, became a chronic invalid and forgot everything.

 Chapter 16.1

    Chapter 16.1


    Zong Luo thought that if he were to be polite, the Fourth brother would eventually leave. As a result, what he didn¡¯t expect was for Zong Chengsi to sit here peacefully until the sky turned dark.


    Even so, he was feeling a little tired after dealing with it all the way.


    Fortunately, Zong Chengsi had good observation skills, and after sensing the white-robed swordsman¡¯s tiredness, he said thoughtfully, ¡°Today, I have met Sir¡­it was like meeting a bosom friend, and we had a good chat, unexpectedly, I forgot the time. I won¡¯t disturb Sir for too long, I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    ¡°By the way, this is a little token of my appreciation, please accept it, Sir.¡±


    Before leaving, Zong Chengsi pushed a brocade box.


    ¡°There is a spiritual elixir recipe that I was fortunate to find a few days ago, and I asked a Taoist monk on Beiyang Mountain who practices alchemy to refine the pill. Actually, there¡¯s only half of it left. It is said that if taken, it can treat the unmentionable diseases of the body. It is quite effective, and it may be useful to Sir.¡±


    Inside the brocade box lay a half light-brown medicinal pill. After simply opening it for a moment, he immediately smelled the fragrant scent, which was enough to prove that it was of high quality.


    Zong Luo raised his eyebrows, a little surprised.


    As they chatted just now, Zong Chengsi was particularly concerned about the condition of his eyes, not about what caused them to be blind, but how to let them recover.


    Zong Luo, who had been digging a pit and waiting for him to jump, immediately showed a sad expression, and bluntly said that his blind eyes couldn¡¯t be cured, and displayed an expression of not wanting to talk about it. When all was said and done¡ª


    Total blindness and hope for regaining vision were two different things.


    In his last life, he had heard of Zong Chengsi¡¯s pill recipe.


    In the early years, Emperor Yuan led troops to fight and was left with many unmentionable diseases on his body. After getting older, his body became far less robust than when he was younger. In the end, he felt problems more or less all over his body.


    Seizing the Crown Prince position was not a rebellion, and although it was important to hold real power, if that power was too large, it would be beaten back by Emperor Yuan, which was not worth the loss. The princes fought openly and secretly in private, but on the surface they were all filial, and everything was based on trying to figure out the meaning first.


    This pill was a gift specially prepared by Zong Chengsi for Emperor Yuan¡¯s birthday next month, and it took a lot of money to find it in the mysterious tomb filled with miasma in the Great Wilderness. Each of the herbs used were extremely rare. Any piece of these herbs grew in cliffs and uncultivated ridges. It took decades to bloom, and decades to bear fruit. Naturally, it would be hard to find a second one in a short amount of time.


    After taking the medicinal pill in the previous life, Emperor Yuan felt a lot more comfortable, and the effect was immediate. At that time, the Dragon Emperor¡¯s face showed happiness and greatly praised Zong Chengsi.


    On the other hand, Zong Luo, who was still thinking about the history he had learned before transmigrating inside the book, tried his best to persuade Emperor Yuan not to take the medicinal pill of unknown origin, but he was given a cold shoulder instead.


    ¡°Can Drink a Cup of Nothing¡± was mixed with a fantasy background. Pushing it forward for a few thousand years, it was estimated to coincide with the end of the prehistoric period. According to the author¡¯s setting, immortals also existed. Even if the fantasy faded after a thousand years, there were still many independent branches left in the Great Wilderness. Ghost Valley was one of them, along with the Ancient Sorcerer that Great Yuan worshiped.


    Therefore¡­


    This elixir was not like the chronic/poisonous/drug Wu Shi San that the ancients tossed around in Zong Luo¡¯s memory. It was a divine elixir with real effect, and its value couldn¡¯t be measured.


    (t/n Wu Shi San-believed that they were stalactite , sulfur , and white quartz , amethyst , red stone. Although the formulations of ¡°Five Stone Powders¡± are different, their medicinal properties are all dry and hot. After taking it, the whole body will heat up, and it will produce a short-term effect that is confusing.)


    In the whole continent, the only eligible person to take it was Emperor Yuan.


    It¡¯s difficult to even acquire a half of it, but Zong Chengsi actually gave it to him. It seemed that he had spent a lot of money, just to win over this ¡°blind and amnesiac¡± Third Imperial Brother who had forgotten his past. This display of affection between brothers was really touching.


    Half of it was already good for treating blind eyes, and a blind person would definitely see clearly after.


    If one still wanted to ask for elixir, then he had to help Zong Chengsi and get on his pirate ship. Actually, it was no different than hanging a carrot in front of a donkey. It was a fair calculation so that Zong Luo wouldn¡¯t refuse.


    How did I lose sight of the full picture and the essence of things in the previous life and didn¡¯t see it?


    Zong Luo remembered his futile exhortation in his previous life, and his fingers tucked into his wide cuffs trembled slightly, then he smiled. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Fourth Highness, then I won¡¯t be disrespectful as to decline the gift.¡±


    At this point, anyone could clearly see the gap between the Fifth Prince and the Fourth Prince.


    One was empty-handed, with only a waist token, and full of bluff; the other, even if he was sure of his identity, he did not reveal anything, and even sent a gift that the other would surely like. Whatever was the intention behind it, at least he looked like he put a lot of thought into it.


    Zong Chengsi laughed. ¡°Sir is like a rare stone and a beautiful jade, bright and upright. If this thing is really effective¡­Sir, please be sure to inform me, so that I can also invite the Imperial Physician to take a closer look at you, and then formulate the next treatment plan for Sir.¡±


    They chatted as they walked.


    A little servant had already prepared the carriage at the door in advance, Zong Chengsi got inside and bid goodbye but he then suddenly said, ¡°After meeting Sir today, I had come to really admire Sir very much¡­..I don¡¯t know what kind of graceful look Sir had if the white silk is taken off, it is really something to look forward to.¡±


    It seemed that the special visit to deliver the medicine was just a sigh in sympathy that the beauty was blindfolded, and a vain attempt to explore the virtuous radiance. No matter how much other people pondered about it, they would only think that the Fourth Prince, who loved beauty the most and being merry, had a new love.


    (t/n Merry- commonly known as Huaxin , refers to a person (including men and women) having consensual relationships with more than one person at the same time or successively, including spiritual admiration, verbal intimacy, and behavioral intimacy.)


    Zong Luo, who seemed unaware, replied, ¡°Then I will honor His Highness¡¯s auspicious words.¡±


    After the curtain of the carriage was lowered, the smile on the Fourth Prince¡¯s face suddenly became more profound.


    Thump, thump, thump.


    The black-brown fan bone was gently tapped on the elbow.


    ¡°Back to this Prince¡¯s residence.¡±


    Zong Chengsi didn¡¯t think about Zong Luo¡¯s deliberately pretending to have amnesia. After all, the Third Prince did not commit any crimes, and he also made great contributions to saving the country. How hard would he have to be unable to think it through to have the motivation to do something like this? Even he, who had always been shrewd and cautious, would think so, much less other people.


    ¡°The Third Imperial Brother is not only blind, but he has also forgotten everything.¡±


    During their chat just now, Zong Cheng tried every possible way and finally determined that his Third brother didn¡¯t really remember anything.


    He had forgotten who he was, forgotten that he was the Third Prince of the Great Yuan, forgotten the personal soldiers under his command, forgotten everything¨C just like a spring breeze passing through the border, leaving without any trace.


    This was a very good news for him.


    The battle in the Imperial City for seizing the crown was imminent, and the return of the King of Beining to the dynasty only added another spark to the matter.


    In fact, even early on, Zong Chengsi had secretly formed an alliance with the King of Beining, who was still earning military merits step by step, and placed the precious jade on this Young Master¡¯s body from the aristocratic family of Wei.


    He originally thought that the matter of conspiring to seize the crown was a sure thing, but he did not expect that after the Battle of Hangu Pass a year ago, the King of Beining would disappear and never returned any of his secret letters.


    Yu Beizhou was out all year round, moreover, it¡¯s a serious crime for a prince to privately win over generals. He couldn¡¯t get in touch with him, and there was nothing Zong Chengsi could do.

 Chapter 16.2

    Chapter 16.2


    The problem arose after the King of Beining returned to the Capital.


    After returning, Yu Beizhou stayed behind closed doors, and nobody had seen him. The Fourth Prince¡¯s Mansion handed over several salutations, all of which were like a stone sinking into the sea. Zong Chengsi was so angry that his advisors scolded and bluntly said that the King of Beining had crossed the river and demolished the bridge.


    (t/n crossed the river and demolished the bridge-discard one¡¯s helpers after their help is made use of)


    Zong Chengsi was also angry in his heart, but there was nothing he could do.


    As everyone knew, the Fourth Prince¡¯s mother concubine came from humble background, and if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he was a noble by birth, he might also become a slave. Just because of this matter, from childhood to adulthood, Zong Chengsi had received the cold shoulder and several other Imperial younger brothers even treated him rudely.


    In this case, it was necessary to keep a low profile and bide his time, as there were not many resources at hand. However, like this, when Yu Beizhou was given the title King, Zong Chengsi used his few contacts in his hand to help him socialize. He was eager to send some good things to Yu Beizhou on ordinary days.


    Over the years, he didn¡¯t say anything else to Yu Beiuzhou, as he really had a deep affection towards him, and didn¡¯t expect anything in return.


    However, he didn¡¯t expect to end up with such a result, it¡¯s impossible to say that he was not annoyed.


    Fortunately, Zong Chengsi had endured for so many years, and he could still hold back his unwillingness.


    Well, it¡¯s good now, what about Yu Beizhou¡¯s indifferent appearance as he swept the snow before his own door. Isn¡¯t there a new one coming? The carriage must have a road in front of the mountain, and the boat will naturally go straight to the bridge.


    (t/n There is an old Chinese saying, ¡°Each person sweeps the snow before his own door, and doesn¡¯t care about the frost on other people¡¯s tiles.¡± You must take care of your own affairs, but should you take care of other people¡¯s affairs also?)


    (t/n The carriage must have a road in front of the mountain, and the boat will naturally go straight to the bridge-Work hard without feeling sorry for yourself; there¡¯s a solution to any problem.)


    The Fourth Prince tapped the back of his hand and thought. ¡°No matter how much memory can be recovered in the future, if he can win over the Third Imperial Brother, it will definitely be a great help¡­..No, he must win him over.¡±


    My good Imperial brother who walked in the Imperial City unknowingly. Even if he didn¡¯t take off the white silk, presumably, in time, others would be able to recognize his true identity.


    Regardless of Zong Luo¡¯s reputation among the people, Xuan Cavalry was still his personal soldiers, and its military power was in his hands.


    It was self-evident how important military power was, especially in the environment where Great Yuan advocates martial arts. When the Sixth Prince wanted to break someone¡¯s head, it seemed like he had a relationship with the Weishan Army, because someone would deliver someone to his door to lay prostrate there.


    This point cannot be known by the other two imperial brothers.


    Before he came, Zong Chengsi was already aware of the hidden nails buried in the Fifth and Sixth Prince¡¯s Mansion, and he must delay the time for the news to be delivered to them. Fortunately, he was lucky, as it happened that he got an elixir, which he directly sent to him.


    ¡°Speaking of which, there seems to be no news in the palace recently.¡±


    Zong Chengsi also dared not to put an informer inside the palace. There was only one Ninth Prince who could deliver news to him.


    ¡°¡­I haven¡¯t heard from him for so long, could it be that something happened?¡± Thinking of this, Zong Chengsi rejected this conjecture again.


    Emperor Yuan¡¯s love for this youngest son was obvious to all. But with this sudden loss of contact, he could only find other better backers. Zong Chengxian, Zong Hongjiu¨C he was still in his teens, and he was not in the same rank at all.


    For this Ninth brother, who was favored by his father, Zong Chengsi had already planted a hidden pawn. He knows Zong Hongjiu¡¯s cruel and vicious nature, just like how he knew that Zong Hongjiu did not put all his eggs in one basket, and had close ties with the other two princes.


    If Zong Hongjiu was smart, he would certainly know what to say and what not to say. If he¡¯s not smart, then don¡¯t blame him for being a ruthless brother. Thinking of this, Zong Chengsi relaxed.


    When he heard the news from the mouth of a Confucian disciple, his first reaction was of disbelief, the second reaction was how beneficial it would be to him if it was true.


    There was no doubt that even if he was not favored by the Father Emperor, the Third Imperial Brother was still the most likely candidate to become the Crown Prince. He was Zong Chengsi¡¯s number one enemy, a strong competitor, and an inevitable enemy to the throne.


    However, if he¡¯s amnesiac and blind¡­


    The smile on Zong Chengsi¡¯s face became deeper and deeper, and his amorous peach blossom eyes became complacent at this moment.


    As known by all, those who were sick cannot inherit the great lineage. Even if the Third brother got on his boat and helped him seize the Crown Prince position, Zong Chengsi would still never give him the other half of the elixir to restore his eyes.


    Thinking like this, the scene of drinking tea and talking under the osmanthus tree just flashed in his mind unconsciously.


    The swordsman in white had a straight back, a desolate, gentlemanly and distinguished manner, pure and noble, with eyes covered in a three inch white silk, a body that was simple and elegant, and with every move that could be drawn into a painting.


    ¡°Strange, why didn¡¯t I find out before?¡± The Fourth Prince muttered to himself, his face flashing with regret.


    The Third brother was born with such a good appearance like the full moon in autumn frost. It almost made people reluctant to look at it. If he could restore his eyes, he might be comparable to the King of Beining.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a pity.¡± Zong Chengsi stretched out his hand and tapped lightly on the carriage¡¯s window.


    The carriage drove forward as the autumn wind blew the curtains. Looking at the crimson palace wall in the distance, the Fourth Prince¡¯s face that was half hidden in the shadows, was full of inhuman cruelty.


    Who¡¯s to blame, blame them for being born in the Imperial family.

 Chapter 17.1

    After sending these people away, Zong Luo ushered in a few days of relative leisure.


    As the calligraphy petition ended, it was no surprise that Gu Ziyuan won first place. After some time, invitations flew to the Confucian residence like snowflakes, which was very lively.


    Confucianism achieved good results this year, and even made great achievements in martial arts, and attained many good rankings. Every Confucian disciple would straighten his back unconsciously when going out, looking like a proud person.


    The next day would be the hunting petition. Zong Luo originally stepped out today, and planned to wander around the shops in the Imperial City to buy the necessary supplies and then go to do some errands. Since the Fourth Prince had already handed over the ¡°bait¡± to Zong Luo, he more or less guessed what the next step would be. He should be waiting for that person who received the pill to take the initiative to deliver himself to his door.


    But Zong Luo wouldn¡¯t, not only that, he also wanted to let the other Imperial brothers know the news.


    Everyone should pete fairly together. As they all knew that the Third Imperial Brother was blind and amnesiac, it would be meaningless if only one person took advantage of his situation.


    Just as he was about to go out, a white dove flew over from the sky, with the imprint of Ghost Valley engraved on its ankle ring. Zong Luo hastily unloaded the thing on the white dove¡¯s leg before letting it fly out while no one was around.


    ¡°Calculating the time period, it should be about this time.¡±


    He unfolded the letter, and as expected, he saw the same message as in his previous life. After thinking about it for a while, Zong Luo put the letter back into his pocket and was about to go out, but he was stopped at the door unexpectedly.


    ¡°Young Master Gu, my Lord invites you to see him.¡±


    Outside the gate of the Confucian residence, a low-key carriage was parked. The servant saluted him respectfully, and handed him a waist token for him to see.


    He¡¯s a person of Pei Qianxue.


    Zong Luo paused, pressed down his own business, and got inside the carriage amidst many envious eyes.


    When the carriage was far away, many students expressed their emotions one after another.


    ¡°Although Young Master Gu is blind, he is really lucky.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not right. If you have good sword skills, presumably, you would not need to worry about a thing.¡±


    ¡°Yes! If I remember correctly, Prime Minister Pei¡¯s rule is to never accept any Menke. However, now he made an exception, who would have thought.¡±


    First, the King of Beining gave him his jade waist token, and now he had the favor of Prime Minister Pei. These big figures were beyond the imagination of ordinary students. With such luck, one couldn¡¯t simply know what to say.


    ****


    On the other side, Zong Luo sat inside the carriage.


    Although it looked unattractive from the outside, the interior decoration of the carriage was quite elegant. The fragrant and cool agarwood was burning in the empty incense burner. The upholstery was also made of high-quality materials. It was covered with thick fur blankets with a slowly burning silver charcoal below, keeping the narrow space warm.


    Now that the weather was getting colder, sitting in such a carriage was really very fortable.


    Zong Luo sat up unceremoniously, propped his head, and appeared to be in deep thought.


    Anyhow, he was still a close friend with Pei Qianxue in his previous life, therefore he naturally knew that this was the carriage that the other party used in ordinary days. Since the other person used his own carriage to pick him up, he must have recognized him already.


    This Prime Minister of Great Yuan was not a man of extravagance and desire, but a man with a lot of leisure and fun. He was omnipotent in playing zither, chess, calligraphy and painting on ordinary days, and he was even more dexterous in burning incense, rituals and music. He was very particular about food and clothing, untainted by worldly desires, and had the nobility of a high-level literati.


    But when it es to writing an official public declaration and starting a debate, Pei Qianxue was really concise and powerful with every word, hitting the nail on the head, like a cannonball in a rapid succession. No one could pare to him with full firepower alone, which was quite different from his cold appearance in ordinary days.


    After he sat firmly, the carriage moved in due course. Rolled over on the stone road of Zhuque Avenue.


    Smelling the familiar cold fragrance in the carriage, Zong Luo became a little annoyed, and lifted the curtain to look outside.


    Looking outside, they happened to pass by the shops in the street. As the undoubted mercial and political center of the Great Yuan, the prosperity of the Imperial City was unquestionable.


    Today, however, these stores all laid fabrics outside their stores. Clothing stores hang up clothes, while fabric dye stores receive beautiful dye colors, as pots of orchids were placed at every door.


    Not only that, even the clothes of passers-by on the road were mostly of dull colors. There was not a chatter heard even from the City Gate, and they all looked dismal.


    As if in response, today¡¯s sky had also darkened from the previous morning light, and large chunks of dark clouds piled up in the sky, as if a storm was about to e.


    Great Yuan was located in the North. Winter es early every year, and it snows almost every year. Looking at the weather getting colder day by day, it was estimated that at the start of the hunting petition, they would presumably wele the first snow of this year.


    Zong Luo was curious, lowered his voice and asked knowingly. ¡°Which way is this? Why does the surrounding sound so deserted?


    ¡°Answering to the Young Master, we are now on Zhuque Avenue, and we are heading to Yulu, the Prime Minister¡¯s residence.¡±


    The boy driving the horse replied. ¡°Unfortunately, today is the death anniversary of the Third Prince, and the people have gathered in the Quartet Shaman Ancestral Temple to express their condolences. That¡¯s why the streets are sparsely populated.¡±


    ¡°Alas, you have just arrived in Great Yuan not long ago, you should have not known about it. In the battle of Hangu Pass, if there was no Third Prince that time, I¡¯m afraid we would all be forced to move out and it would have been hard to say whether the Imperial City would be preserved.¡±


    As if hurt by the scene, he also added, ¡°After that, all the people dreamed of the scene of His Highness saving the country. His Highness was really an immortal sent from the sky, who is determined in saving and helping us mon people!¡±


    ¡°But there is nothing we can do for His Highness. We can only offer some incense and put a pot of His Highness¡¯s favorite flower on our doorstep. If His Highness wants to go down to see the world someday, he would definitely find a way back.¡±


    Zong Luo was stunned.


    He was still wondering if it was because the Great Shaman issued an order today, and broke some taboos, that¡¯s why the people stayed behind closed doors, or that Prime Minister Pei had offended another aristocratic family, putting everyone at risk.


    But he never thought that today would be his own death anniversary.


    ¡°This is really¡­¡±


    The swordsman clad in white put down the curtain with a wry smile, and with a strange expression on his face.


    Just like the other day at the banquet, listening to others read his posthumous title in front of his face, no matter how awkward it sounded, he still felt very unfortable.


    After a long time of waiting, he bounced back to the matter at present.


    In all truth, Zong Luo¡¯s feelings towards Pei Qianxue were very plicated.


    ¡°The same as before, there should be such a day.¡±


    Zong Luo sighed silently.


    If it was said that he was playing a game of breaking through barriers now, Emperor Yuan would be the final level boss, and Pei Qianxue would be the little boss who guards the door of the final level boss.

 Chapter 17.2

    Among the male supporting characters, Zong Chengsi was scheming, insidious and cunning. Gongsun You¡¯s military strategies were excellent, and he was good at making clear plans. Ye Linghan¡¯s heart was proud and aggressive, and if one disagreed with him, he would turn black. However, each of them had its own weaknesses.


    There was only Pei Qianxue, an aloof person that seemed to be detached to the world except reaching his own ambitions, but in fact, his heart was like a mirror, discreet and considerate, and extremely transparent.


    In the book, Pei Qianxue became the first person to discover Yu Beizhou¡¯s hidden illness based only on some trivial clues, which showed how sharp his mind was.


    What¡¯s more, excluding the impression before transmigrating inside the book, Zong Luo actually had such a friendship with Pei Qianxue in the previous life, which was also the source of his plicated feelings.


    If he couldn¡¯t even pass Pei Qianxue, what about Emperor Yuan?


    The sound of wheels was still creaking, acpanied by the muffled sound of thunder and rain, pattering against the roof of the carriage.


    After an unknown amount of time, the sound of the carriage running in the rain finally stopped.


    The boy opened the curtain of the carriage, held up an oil-paper umbrella splashed with ink in his hand, and thoughtfully covered the side of the carriage, keeping all the raindrops and the flying splashes from the outside.


    ¡°Young Master Gu, we¡¯re here.¡±


    Zong Luo raised his eyes. ¡°Please wait a moment.¡±


    A gust of wind blew on the loose white silk covering his eyes just now. He turned sideways and hid in the carriage, stretched out his hand to tie it up again.


    Rumble rumble.


    Thunders were heard from the sky.


    For a moment, he saw a meandering and decadent bright red along with a floating black ghost behind the heavy curtain. The goshawk spread its wings and rushed into the sky, fighting with the thunderstorm.


    With just one glance, Zong Luo¡¯s eyes immediately became sharp.


    A qualified old enemy could be recognized even when turned into ashes.


    What¡¯s more, it was still because of Yu Beizhou¡¯s red dress and white fur, which was extremely self-revealing.


    Since his rebirth, this little pervert didn¡¯t seem to be jumping as much as he did in his previous life, instead, he had been silent for a period of time.


    However, it would be impossible for Yu Beizhou to be a good man. As the protagonist of ¡°Can You Drink a Cup of Nothing¡± with thousands of fans, he was born to stir up wind and rain, and wherever he goes, it would be destined to be a bloody storm.


    Therefore Zong Luo directly acquiesced that Yu Beizhou was holding back some big moves secretly. Anyway, no one could wrong him if he was really wrong.


    Thinking about it too, in this life, he had set up a game and escaped,Yu Beizhou must have probably applauded back then and couldn¡¯t help but be overjoyed. Now that he was back, Yu Beizhou would naturally try his best to stop him, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t say such things at the City Gate that day.


    So now the question is, why did Yu Beizhou appear here?


    There were shaman temples on each of the four sides of the Great Yuan Imperial City, and the central big shaman temple was located to the east of the center, all of which were set up according to the number of Qimen Dunjia.


    (t/n Qimen Dunjia was originally an ancient Chinese art. It is often considered to be used for divination. There is a saying that ¡°Qimen Dunjia¡± is a traditional and precious cultural heritage summed up by the ancient Chinese people in the struggle against nature, after long-term observation and repeated verification; ¡°Qi Men Dun Jia¡± is a cultivation technique.)


    On weekdays, most of the mon people would go to the Quartet Shaman Ancestral Temple to worship. The big shaman temple was personally attended by the Great Yuan¡¯s Greatest Shaman, which was closed to the outside world all year round, and even courtiers were not allowed to set foot in it at will.


    Next to the Prime Minister¡¯s Mansion was actually the big shaman temple. Now, this Great Shaman who personally attended the big shaman temple could only be called extremely mysterious. Even Zong Luo, in his previous life, only saw him once during the grand ceremony.


    The Shaman Sacrificial Ceremony was the most important ceremony in the Great Yuan, and every monarch would only hold it once when he¡¯s in power. At the grand ceremony, the Great Shaman calculates the future fortune of the country, so as to determine the candidate for the Crown Prince position.


    In other words, the result of the Great Shaman¡¯s hexagram would determine the fate of the country.


    It was not unmon in the history of Great Yuan that a Crown Prince would be established first, and then be abolished after the Shaman Sacrificial Ceremony. In the past, there were several emperors who were very fond of their own picked Crown Prince and insisted on going their own way, however, in the end they almost caused the country¡¯s demise.


    But it was really strange to say that even with divination, every change of the throne of the clan would still end up in bloodshed, and would unlikely to attain a peaceful end. Take the current Emperor Yuan as an example.


    Thus, in the future, no one dared to listen to the Great Shaman¡¯s words again.


    The Great Shaman had a detached position in the court, and his prestige was extremely high, no less than the National Teachers of other countries, and even slightly higher. It¡¯s a pity that apart from divination for the fortune of the country, he¡¯s not allowed to interfere in political affairs.


    In his previous life, Zong Luo had never heard of rumors about the Great Shaman being too biased. Could it be possible that in this life, Yu Beizhou was actually able to bee associated with the shaman?


    Among other things, besides attracting lovers, Yu Beizhou was also popular with everyone, men and women, old and young. Even his tyrant father appreciates him very much.


    After all, Yu Beizhou was the protagonist who was loved by thousands of people.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±


    As Zong Luo had already fastened the white silk again, he opened the curtain once more.


    If Yu Beizhou and the Great Shaman really got in touch, then the little pervert would have already won at the starting line.


    The most important thing was that¡­. in his previous life, he was inexplicably rejected by Emperor Yuan after the Shaman Sacrificial Ceremony.


    If Yu Beizhou really had a connection with the Great Shaman, then his own death in the previous life could hardly be said to have nothing to do with Yu Beizhou.


    The small servant rushed forward to meet him, ¡°Young master, be careful, it¡¯s raining heavily, don¡¯t get wet.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Through the slanted umbrella, the sky was divided into two distinct parts. Zong Luo looked at the pouring rain outside, his face was slightly cold, as he remained silent.


    Thinking of the secret letter from the Ghost Valley in his pocket, Zong Luo felt an unknown fire in his heart.


    Not long ago, Yu Beizhou mentioned the rules of Ghost Valley.


    Yes, Ghost Valley did have rules.


    Only a few people know that Ghost Valley Master was nothing but a mere title.


    Ghost Valley in the past dynasties only accepted a fixed number of apprentices, and eventually one of these apprentices would be selected to accept the teachings of the previous Ghost Valley Master, abandon his own name, and be named Ghost Valley Master instead.


    If one wanted to pete for the Ghost Valley Master title, one had to accept the challenge of other disciples, regardless of life or death. But even if they die, they have to pete in an upright manner, using the sword skills they learned in Ghost Valley to kill each other with their own hands.


    Rather than such a roundabout, calculating, and low-level methods.

 Chapter 18.1

    In his previous life, Zong Luo didn¡¯t know how many times he had been to Pei¡¯s mansion. He could just as well find his way even with his eyes closed.


    The attendant led the way with an umbrella, as Zong Luo vaguely looked into the courtyard through the white silk soaked in shadowless water.


    As the residence of the Prime Minister of the dynasty, although Pei¡¯s mansion was not big, it was also not very simple. What¡¯s more, Pei Qianxue was a wonderful person and he himself designed the Prime Minister¡¯s Mansion. To the nine winding corridors, lotus pond, small bridges above flowing waters, high towering eaves with a part of it sticking out like teeth, and bamboo forests. It was not as cold and dignified as the Great Yuan Palace, but rather as pleasing as a picture.


    ¡°Young Master, we¡¯re here.¡±


    While Zong Luo was still contemplating the letter sent from the Ghost Valley and the bad things in his previous life, the servant had already led him to the entrance of a corridor, put away his umbrella, and respectfully stood aside.


    He¡¯s really here.


    In the past, he and Pei Qianxue often burned incense, tuned the Qin, drank tea and played chess here. It¡¯s just that after the ¡°cold war¡± started, they never did it again.


    Zong Luo looked up at the Yulu, pushed the door open and entered.


    The inside was very quiet, as if the sound of the rain outside was cut off. A purple incense burner was placed in the corner, and the pleasing cold incense fragrant hovered in the center, leisurely scattered throughout the room. There were not only half-played chess pieces on the table, but also a freshly brewed tea.


    When the wind swept in, it just simply blew the fire on the stove a little bit. The inside was plainly devoid of the wind and rain blowing outside, and the room was very quiet and peaceful like being independent from the world outside.


    The man in Tsing Yi sat upright in front of the table, his eyebrows were picturesque, like pine and bamboo.


    His expression was still as indifferent as water, only when he caught sight of the three inch white silk covering the eyes of the white-clothed swordsman, did his usually calm face begin to fluctuate, and the fingertips tucked inside the cuffs trembled imperceptibly.


    That day at the Baijia Banquet, because he was far away, he only had a glimpse. In addition, Pei Qianxue had always been cautious and good at concealing his true emotions, therefore even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, one wouldn¡¯t find any expression on his face. However, it wasn¡¯t until he hurriedly left the banquet and sent someone to investigate that he felt unbelievable inside.


    Right. There is no such coincidence in this world.


    However, before Pei Qianxue could immerse himself in exuberance that his best friend was likely not dead, the attendant told the news from Gu Ziyuan in detail.


    A year ago, he was picked up by the Confucian leader who was seriously injured, and with a life merely hanging on a thread. He was finally rescued from the gate of hell, but after waking up, he became blind and lost his memory.


    He couldn¡¯t remember anything, amnesia, blindness¡­¡­each piece of information was really shocking.


    Zong Luo cupped his hands promptly. ¡°This mon man greets Prime Minister Pei.¡±


    ¡°Jin¡­Young Master Gu doesn¡¯t need to be too polite.¡±


    Pei Qianxue quickly got up to avoid the ceremony.


    His voice was cold, like a broken jade casting pearls.


    ¡°Young Master Gu, sit down, there is no need to be cautious. I just happened to see this gentleman¡¯s elegant demeanor during the banquet, and I was greatly astonished. That¡¯s why I invited you to have this conversation.¡±


    ¡°Prime Minister Pei doesn¡¯t need to be modest towards this mon man.¡±


    Zong Luo lightly nodded, took a step forward, and groped for his way forward.


    Pei Qianxue was startled, and subconsciously went forward to help him.


    When he regained his senses, he realized that he was tightly clasping the other party¡¯s slightly cold wrist.


    As soon as he came to, he immediately smelt the fragrance of the medicine, making him bewildered.


    ¡°Sorry, I acted rudely.¡±


    Even though Pei Qianxue said so, his hands did not loosen at all, and his cold and clear eyes were still looking at Zong Luo. After a long while, when the swordsman in white turned his head to look at him suspiciously, he let go of his hand as if being burned by fire. He closed his eyes tightly, did not dare to look at the white silk again and lowered his head in silence.


    He hadn¡¯t seen Zong Luo for a long time since the two of them had a drink together and bid farewell to each other two years ago.


    On that watery moonlit night, they sat and drank wine.


    The prince in white, a ¡°Yuan Ting Yuezhi¡±, raised his eyes in a drunken haze, and his eyes seemed like morning stars.


    (t/n Yuan Ting Yuezhi- a Chinese idiom , the pinyin is yu¨¡n t¨ªng yu¨¨ zh¨¬, which means that a person¡¯s moral character is as deep as an abyss and as towering as a mountain.)


    Pei Qianxue sat opposite him and was suddenly robbed of his wine cup when he was not paying attention.


    ¡°Ah Xue, drinking already cold wine is harmful to the body.¡±


    Zong Luo smiled and used his internal force to warm the cold wine, and when he handed it to Pei Qianxue, the place where his fingertips touched was still hot, then he immediately downed it to his throat.


    Pei Qianxue was a good drinker, but for the first time in his life, he felt drunk.


    Who knows¡­¡­¡­maybe I won¡¯t be able to see you again for the last time.


    Pei Qianxue always remembered that night. He stayed on the stargazing platform and waited all night against the cold wind. Finally, blood-stained war horses rushed forward, along with the news of the Third Prince¡¯s death.


    But now, in front of him, was a young man with eyes covered in white silk, even such loose clothes could not conceal his emaciation, as he was seated upright in front of him. Even if he had lost his memory, he was still as calm as back then.


    Those bleak memories that hadn¡¯t been seen for a long time suddenly came back to life, but were filled with a heavy ailment, and appeared astonishingly light.


    The proud son of heaven, how could he be reduced to this point?


    It feels like a world apart.


    In his dream, the person led a horse with a rope, and he was full of heroism. He would rather die than submit, and finally mitted suicide after the battle in Hangu Pass.


    Thunders acpanied the rain, blood stained his pale lips, which looked extremely gorgeous and astounding.


    For more than a year, Pei Qianxue often repeated this dream.


    It was obviously still the same face, but after a long time, it seemed that it had dug up those secret thoughts that had not been able to be expressed clearly, which caused some ripples.


    And that sword, the Zhanlu sword that shouldn¡¯t be in Zong Luo¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Lord Pei?¡±


    The familiar sound was very deafening.


    Only then did Pei Qianxue realize that he unconsciously stared at the corner of the other¡¯s lips for too long.


    He, who had always been indifferent and scrupulous about etiquette, originally wanted to avoid apologizing, but he suddenly thought that the current Jin Yu obviously couldn¡¯t see anything of what¡¯s happening at the moment.


    A little subtle thought began to sprout. He gently raised his hand, and was flustered for an unprecedented moment amidst the obvious difference in the other party¡¯s expression, yet he still didn¡¯t dare to brush off the strand of his hair, and only lowered his head to pour tea like a cover-up.


    Just like his thoughts, the tea spilled out of the cold-cracked teacup.


    ¡°No need to use honorifics with me.¡±


    Not in the past, not now, and not in the future.


    Pei Qianxue said in a low voice, ¡°The moment I saw Young Master Gu, I felt that we are predestined to be panions with each other, how I wish we could share life and death together.¡±


    ¡°If you can¡­¡­¡­just call me Ah Xue, okay?¡±


    If this is just a beautiful dream, then he is willing to sleep forever.


    ****


    Pitter-patter, pitter-patter..


    The rain outside was still falling tirelessly, beating on the lotus leaves and plantains askew.


    As the indoor incense was still hovering quietly.


    ¡°That being the case, I¡¯m relieved.¡±


    Different from Zong Chengsi¡¯s implicit temptation, Pei Qianxue didn¡¯t ask him why he lost his memory, but was more concerned about his situation in the past year, caring about his old friend who lost his memory, beyond courtesy.


    Zong Luo¡¯s thoughts gradually flew away.


    At this point in his previous life, he and Pei Qianxue hadn¡¯t reached the point where they turned against each other because of Yu Beizhou. In other words, they were still close friends at this current period.


    In all fairness, except for the inexplicable cold war that followed, he and Pei Qianxue were very like-minded.


    When Zong Luo returned to Great Yuan after finishing his studies in the Ghost Valley, because Yu Beizhou was younger than him, and he entered the school later than him, Zong Luo graduated a year earlier.


    At that time, Zong Luo was in high spirits, this newborn calf was not afraid of tigers, and he was determined to confront Yu Beizhou. After returning to Great Yuan, he planned to follow his memory before transmigrating inside the book, try his best to win over a few male supporting characters, prepare to take advantage of his favorable position, and first empty out Yu Beizhou¡¯s future family fortune.


    It was a pity that the time was a little too early. Ye Linghan, in the Kingdom of Wei was still the Crown Prince that had everything going on perfectly, Gongsun You was still studying Martial Arts in the hermit family, and Zong Chengsi was not even old enough to leave the palace and had a mansion for himself.

 Chapter 18.2

    There was only Pei Qianxue.


    Although it couldn¡¯t be regarded as even being slightly acquainted, when he met Zong Luo, Pei Qianxue was only a student of the Legalist School, and had not yet participated in the Bajia Banquet. Since Zong Luo wanted to get close to the male supporting character, it would be inconvenient to directly reveal such identities, therefore in the beginning, they actually met as equals.


    Later, at the end of the Baijia Banquet, Pei Qianxue saw the noble prince embroidered with gold patterns on a white robe behind Emperor Yuan, and realized that this was the Third Prince of the Great Yuan who had been a hostage in Wei Kingdom for many years and had just returned.


    Pei Qianxue was a down-to-earth and upright official, extremely cold, aloof and unmon. He threw himself into the Great Yuan in order to realize his ideological ambitions and his sharp edges and corners were hidden under his indifferent appearance. Although he was only a literati, he also had the dream of abandoning his pen and joining the army, fighting with shining spears and armed horses, and killing the enemies.


    This happened to fit Zong Luo¡¯s mood at that time.


    After transmigrating inside the book, he learned a lot of skills from his master, and he was thinking about making contributions. He wanted to fight the male lead, tore up cannon fodder script and made a new career, so as to realize the dream of world peace as soon as possible. In other words, he was being radical.


    Therefore, the two hit it off.


    In addition, Zong Luo didn¡¯t intentionally conceal it, afterwards Pei Qianxue successfully became the Prime Minister, which was then counted as a co-worker relationship, and accordingly, it was also logical to continue this friendship.


    Later, Zong Luo formed his own soldiers and went out to fight, Pei Qianxue had also made steady progress, and his official career had been smooth. However, the chances of meeting each other had bee less, but it didn¡¯t affect their friendship at all. On the contrary, because Pei Qianxue didn¡¯t have anyone close to him in the Imperial Court, he was often understood as one of the Third Prince¡¯s party.


    Abducting Pei Qianxue as a friend really encouraged Zong Luo a lot.


    However, he didn¡¯t expect that after Yu Beizhou came back, Pei Qianxue would not be able to escape the influence of the protagonist¡¯s halo of having ten thousands of fans. As he got closer and closer to the protagonist, he eventually got to the point where he had nothing to say to Zong Luo anymore.


    Until now, Zong Luo still remembered it.


    After the Shaman Sacrificial Ceremony, he was inexplicably stripped off of his military power by Emperor Yuan and was placed under house arrest in the Prince¡¯s Mansion.


    Even though Zong Luo already had a tacit cold war with Pei Qianxue at that time, Zong Luo still tried to find this well-known confidant of Emperor Yuan, but it was a pity that everything was like stone sinking into the sea.


    He knelt in front of Emperor Yuan¡¯s Palace for a day and a night and waited, only for an Imperial Edict to arrive at dawn.


    Later, he only heard from Imperial Censor Xue that Emperor Yuan decided to send him to the frontier, it was even said that it was adopted from Prime Minister Pei¡¯s suggestion.


    This was why Zong Luo didn¡¯t strive to win over the other male supporting characters later, because it was useless at all.


    A close friend will betray, siblings will kill each other, and between a father and son, there is also disgust and hate.


    He can only rely on himself.


    ****


    After walking out of the Yulu, Zong Luo¡¯s expression remained calm.


    ¡°Goodbye¡± to this best friend from the previous life.


    He thought he would be more or less sad.


    However, it may be that he died too miserably in his previous life, or he had accumulated enough disappointment, hence Zong Luo was not as sad as he imagined, but was rather extraordinarily calm.


    Emperor Yuan.


    Fortunately, he didn¡¯t want to hide anything. The Fourth Prince knew, and soon the Fifth Prince and Sixth Prince will also too, it¡¯s only a matter of these few days.


    Pei Qianxue knew that it would not be too long before he faced Emperor Yuan in person.


    The problem was that Zong Luo didn¡¯t know what Pei Qianxue was thinking. Logically speaking, if his identity was confirmed, Pei Qianxue should report to him immediately, and even if Emperor Yuan doesn¡¯t value him any more, the son that unexpectedly came back from the dead, he should still be summoned to be questioned.


    Unless Pei Qianxue never told Emperor Yuan about it.


    When they were talking just now, Pei Qianxue said that he was a good friend with him before he lost his memory, but he couldn¡¯t say who he was. It looked like he¡¯s not going to hide it from him, so why didn¡¯t he tell Emperor Yuan?


    ¡°It just so happens that I want to go out too. Since It¡¯s raining heavily outside, let me give you a ride.¡±


    Behind him, the Prime Minister in Tsing Yi took the umbrella from the small servant¡¯s hand and opened it very naturally.


    The small servant only opened his eyes wide in surprise.


    Because he was new in the Prime Minister¡¯s mansion, he had never seen the Prime Minister treat others so kindly.


    On ordinary days, even if the ones who came were the ¡°Sangong¡±, they would be delivered to the door at most, and those who were told to wait, would have to wait.


    (t/n Sangong- traditionally refers to the three most important ministers who assist the emperor in governing the country.)


    Except this Young Master Gu, not only did he personally send a carriage to fetch him, but he also saw him off all the way to the door, which was simply like treating an immortal.


    Zong Luo smiled. ¡°Then thank you Ah Xue.¡±


    The rain became hazy, and the side profile of the white-clothed swordsman was like looking at flowers through fog.


    He was indeed standing here, under this umbrella.


    The corners of Pei Qianxue¡¯s stern mouth also relaxed a little.


    Regardless of amnesia or blindness, there would always be a way.


    In any case¡­.as long as the person was still there.


    He clasped the handle of the umbrella with his slender fingers, and said softly, ¡°You and I don¡¯t need to express thanks to each other.¡±


    Zong Luo paused, then said with a smile. ¡°It seems that Ah Xue and I were indeed very good friends.¡±


    Farther away, under the eaves of the Great Shaman Temple, there was a clear flash of fervent red color.


    The rain gradually subsided, and the gray sky began to clear up. The goshawk fighting the thunderstorm seemed exhausted, and stopped on the man¡¯s shoulder, lightly pecking at its own feathers.


    Yu Beizhou was standing at the gate of the shaman temple, half of his face in the shadows was like a ferocious ghost face, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws.


    Hearing the sound, he turned his head and swept an indistinguishable glance over at the umbrella held together by the two people, with arms folded over his chest, and an expression that could not discern whether it was of happiness or anger.


    ¡°Lord Pei, everything should be first e first served.¡±


    Yu Beizhou still had that lazy look on his face, with a smile on his face, but no matter how one looked at it, the smile was not dangerous.


    ¡°Young Master Gu is the person I have my eyes on first, it would be inappropriate to be a cross-cut love.¡±


    (t/n Cross-cut love- idiom, refers to a third party forcibly taking someone else¡¯s lover by all means . Sometimes it is extended to grab other people¡¯s business, opportunities or talents through some inappropriate means of petition.)

 Chapter 19.1

    It was good when Yu Beizhou didn¡¯t show up, but now that Yu Beizhou was in front of him, Zong Luo remembered his previous guess, simultaneously recalling the secret letter sent from the Ghost Valley again, then he suddenly became angry.


    However, Yu Beizhou started talking nonsense with eyes open at once.


    ¡°Last time, this King and the Gentleman had a good talk at the Lanting Waterside Pavilion and made an agreement to meet again in the future. However, this King did not expect for the Gentleman to turn around and agree to Prime Minister Pei¡¯s invitation. It really saddens this King.¡±


    Zong Luo: ¡°¡­..¡±


    You clearly just made it up. Look at your smiling face, where does it looks sad.


    Pei Qianxue frowned imperceptibly.


    He unhurriedly put away the umbrella. ¡°The King of Beining has said too much.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Gu¡¯s identity, you should know better than me.¡±


    Yu Beizhou smiled again. ¡°What is the Prime Minister Pei talking about? Only an independent student, with no school nor sect, what identity can he have?¡±


    ¡°This King knows that Prime Minister Pei misses his old friend very much, but there are some things¡­¡­..that you can¡¯t say indiscriminately.¡±


    The Prime Minister in Tsing Yi began to look more and more cold.


    He glanced at Zong Luo with a little worry, but after failing to see any strange color on the other party¡¯s face, he calmed down and said lightly, ¡°The Prince should not be concerned. I am about to enter the palace right now and report this matter to His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Yu Beizhou merely replied without even the slightest interest. ¡°Since Prime Minister Pei is going to enter the palace, then why don¡¯t this Gentleman come with this King?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    Pei Qianxue was about to refuse, but when he turned his head around, he suddenly heard a gentle voice.


    ¡°This way is also okay.¡±


    Hearing Zong Luo¡¯s response, Pei Qianxue frowned slightly, disapproving in his heart.


    He wanted to reveal the relationship between the King of Beining and him right then and there, but he didn¡¯t know where to start.


    What¡¯s more, Yu Beizhou was still present. if he said something that shouldn¡¯t be said, this person would only take advantage of it again.


    ¡°Ah Xue, don¡¯t worry. Last time in the Taoism discourse in the Lanting Waterside pavilion, I didn¡¯t enjoy myself much. Now, it just happens to be sunny after the rain, therefore I intend to have another go with the Prince again.¡±


    Zong Luo only laughed. Then he drew the long sword from his waist with his backhand.


    With a sound of ¡°schwing¡ª¡ª¡±, the silver-white sword leaped out like a dragon, admirable and unrestrained with a graceful beauty.


    Qixing Longyuan was worthy of being one of the top ten famous swords in the world. Just by taking it out of the sheath, one could instantly feel the chill, and it was, at the moment, pointed directly between the eyebrows of the other person.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    Seeing Zong Luo draw his sword neatly, Pei Qianxue was no longer worried.


    His friend¡¯s swordsmanship skills, he knew very well, what¡¯s more, the King of Beining was still Jin Yu¡¯s junior martial brother. Even if it¡¯s a tit for tat, Yu Beizhou wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything at the foot of the Imperial City.


    Yu Beizhou, although he was far away from the two of them, still heard Zong Luo¡¯s address just now.


    ¡°Ah Xue?¡±


    The general in red only had a faint smile on his face, his phoenix eyes were raised high, and a little darkness fell into them.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days since the last time we saw each other, but the Gentleman is already so familiar with Prime Minister Pei.¡±


    Pei Qianxue directly ignored Yu Beizhou¡¯s reaction, and without moving his eyes away from Zong Luo¡¯s body, he said ¡°In that case, after your sword discourse, I will let the coachman take you back.¡±


    As he said this, he finally couldn¡¯t hold back, and just wanted to reach out and gently brush the strand of hair hanging from Zong Luo¡¯s cheek behind his ear.


    Unexpectedly, just as his fingertips touched the strand of hair, Zong Luo subconsciously took a step back and avoided the hand.


    Pei Qianxue was startled, and smiled as if nothing had happened. He withdrew his hand, as if the action of reaching out just now was merely unintentional.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be leaving first. If you need anything, Jin Yu can come to the mansion to find me at any time.¡±


    After saying this, he went straight into the carriage.


    The moment he turned around, the expression on his face quickly became taciturn. The hands tucked in the cuffs were slightly clenched, as if the temperature of the hair he had touched just now was still in the palm of the hand.


    Looking at Pei Qianxue¡¯s leaving back through the cloth strip, Zong Luo couldn¡¯t help but have some doubts.


    For Zong Luo, it¡¯s already a total of four years since he returned to the Imperial City, both in the two lifetimes. Many harmonious affairs between people have been obliterated by the sandstorm at the border day after day.


    Just like Zong Luo, he only remembered how disheartened he was when Pei Qianxue didn¡¯t see him behind closed doors, yet he couldn¡¯t remember how good they were when they were like-minded.


    Then again, their relationship¡­¡­was it that good?


    Yu Beizhou narrowed his eyes, and suddenly interrupted his thinking.


    ¡°Since Prime Minister Pei is gone, Young Master Gu might as well enter the Great Shaman Temple with me, since the two of us are exceedingly¡ª¡±


    They were still standing at the gates of the Pei Mansion and the Great Shaman Temple. Although there was no market around, the servants on both sides of the mansion were on guard duty, and there were also guards at the gate of the Great Shaman Temple. It¡¯s inevitable that information would easily leak when talking in the presence of other people.


    ¡°All will be according to the Prince¡¯s command.¡±


    Coincidentally, Zong Luo, who received the Ghost Valley Master¡¯s secret letter this morning, was also planning to talk to Yu Beizhou.


    If he didn¡¯t have something to ask, he would have left with Pei Qianxue long ago. How could he argue with Yu Beizhou until now.


    However, in the next second, a gust of wind suddenly rushed towards his face.


    Zong Luo dodged and raised his sword subconsciously to block it. When the opponent¡¯s palm strike changed, he realized that it wasn¡¯t the Tai¡¯A that attacked just now, but Yu Beizhou¡¯s hand.


    Yu Beizhou asked knowingly, ¡°The Gentleman do not know, but the Great Shaman Temple is not in the same direction as Pei¡¯s mansion. This King just wants to help the Gentleman go there, therefore there is no need for the Gentleman to be so alarmed.¡±


    This time, the servants guarding the Great Shaman Temple opened their eyes wide.


    The King of Beining was also known for his perverse disposition. He had always only brought a single person with him when he came to the Great Shaman Temple these few times, and was without any servant.


    Anyone who gets close to him will be dismissed, let alone someone with a pleasing, gracious face.


    Zong Luo felt his temples start to throb again.


    It had already come to this point, if he refused, it would inevitably make people suspicious. What¡¯s more, in the eyes of outsiders, Zong Luo¡¯s eyes were clearly wrapped in white silk, making anyone unable to glimpse his whole appearance.


    He squeezed out a few words between his teeth. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be troubling the Prince.¡±


    Yu Beizhou showed a triumphant smile, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to pardon, the Gentleman to me, is never a trouble.¡±


    The white-clothed swordsman, who had an aversion to cold and felt chill for a while. He felt distressed for his outstretched arm and didn¡¯t even look at Yu Beizhou anymore. However, his wrist was suddenly backhandedly grabbed by him.


    ¡°You..!¡±


    Zong Luo¡¯s surrounding vision was obstructed. He endured and forbear but didn¡¯t pull out his hand.


    Everyone who practiced martial arts knew just how dangerous it was to be close to the other person, and just one hand would be enough to kill.


    What¡¯s more, Yu Beizhou¡¯s grip had so much strength. Zong Luo could even hear the creaking sound between his wrists, as if he wanted to crush his hand.


    Zong Luo: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    What junior brother, such a childish joke.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The general in red asked knowingly. ¡°Is the Gentleman not feeling well?¡±


    He conveniently picked up the mask from an attendant of the shaman temple, and casually buckled it on Zong Luo¡¯s face.


    It was a rule that you must wear a mask when you enter the shaman temple.


    Unlike Zong Luo¡¯s slightly cold fingertips, Yu Beizhou¡¯s hands were very hot, like a small stove continuously generating heat.


    It¡¯s strange to say that although they were obviously brothers who practiced sword together in the Ghost Valley, Zong Luo¡¯s slender knuckles were covered with thin calluses from years of sword practice, but Yu Beizhou¡¯s hands were clean, except for a scar on the tiger¡¯s mouth.


    Zong Luo suddenly remembered that this scar was cut by himself.


    He had to say, when he sensed that the scar was still in Yu Beizhou¡¯s hand, he felt a sense of accomplishment in his heart.


    While thinking this way, he whispered. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, I practice two-handed swords.¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡±


    Yu Beizhou¡¯s shoulders shook and he began to laugh.

 Chapter 19.2

    He suddenly loosened strength in his hand, turned his fingers over, and stuck to Zong Luo¡¯s wrist like a snake, but he didn¡¯t act like a demon anymore.


    It just so happened that this time they had already passed the gate of the Great Shaman Temple and had crossed over the enclosure.


    As the place of the supreme divinity in the entire Great Yuan, the interior of the Great Shaman Temple was unexpectedly quiet.


    Surrounded by tall black and gray buildings full of neat shaman style, there were also incense burners with mysterious and elegant shapes every few steps, with unknown spices burning inside.


    In the distance, ethereal chimes sounded in the main ancestral hall, during which was combined with blessings and Buddhist chantings.


    Zong Luo couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, turned his palms over, and attacked Yu Beizhou.


    The latter lifted himself in the air and cunningly slid away from him to a remote place.


    In a flash, the two arrived in a hall.


    ¡°Senior martial brother is very angry today, who made the senior brother unhappy?¡±


    However, Yu Beizhou didn¡¯t fight him, instead he asked questions knowingly, that could make people¡¯s teeth itch, with ease.


    Zong Luo simply pulled the white silk, unsheathed Qixing Longyuan, and pointed at him coldly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s fight.¡±


    Originally, he wanted to talk to Yu Beizhou about that secret letter from the Ghost Valley, but now it seems to be just wishful thinking!


    There was already an unknown anger in his heart now, and he simply wanted to beat him up first.


    But Yu Beizhou was still pretending to be stupid. ¡°This won¡¯t do, words should be said clearly, what if senior brother misunderstands me, what should I do?¡±


    Zong Luo didn¡¯t bother to pay attention to him, and went straight towards him with his sword..


    Strange to say, after his rebirth, he had already met Yu Beizhou four times. Except for the one at the Baijia Banquet where everyone was watching, the other three times were full of scuffling.


    When reading the novel as a reader, Zong Luo only felt that the protagonist was volatile and very charming. After he transmigrated himself as a cannon fodder, he was forced to confront the protagonist only to find out that this guy was actually a perverted lunatic who would kill his relatives, was very ambitious, and never played cards according to common sense.


    After calming down, Zong Luo thought carefully. Based on his knowledge of this sworn enemy, it was unlikely for Yu Beizhou to join forces with the Great Shaman to set up a trap. After all, whether from his perspective inside or outside the book, Yu Beizhou was an extremely conceited and proud person, who disdained doing such a thing.


    But if a man could act entirely by reason, he would not be called a man.


    As long as Zong Luo thought of his extremely aggrieved death in his previous life, his fury would rise up.


    Now that Yu Beizhou happened to deliver himself to his door, how could there be no reason not to fight first?


    Seeing that he didn¡¯t want to communicate, Yu Beizhou only sighed. ¡°Alas, if senior brother really wants to fight, then this junior brother can only accompany him to the end.¡±


    Just when the blade was about to be unsheathed out of its scabbard, it just so happened that footsteps outside the hall were heard.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, just now I heard a sound coming from the Library Pavilion.¡±


    The two looked at each other and stopped at the same time.


    Fortunately, Zong Luo remembered that they were still in the Great Shaman Temple, therefore they fought with restraint just now, and did not sweep away the official documents placed on the shelves around them.


    The conversation outside continued.


    ¡°Could it be because of the heavy rain just now, that there was a leakage inside?¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and get the lock. The Great Shaman locked the door this morning, it should be still locked inside.¡±


    Amidst the hurried background sound, Zong Luo spoke, ¡°Why the need to be hypocritical?¡±


    Zong Luo¡¯s story of changing his identity with amnesia and blindness was only good for deceiving others, but it was useless to his master who was good at divination.


    This morning, the letter sent from the Ghost Valley Master stated that his time was running out, and hoped that the two disciples could decide a winner as soon as possible, and rush to the Ghost Valley at the summer solstice next year to accept his mantle.


    Ghost Valley was famous for being sparsely populated. There were originally two senior brothers in this generation, but when Zong Luo entered the valley, these two senior brothers who had just finished their apprenticeships, left and devoted themselves to other countries, and unfortunately died.


    In other words, there were only two living descendants of the Ghost Valley Master in the world today, which were Zong Luo and Yu Beizhou.


    If one wanted to determine the candidate for the next generation Ghost Valley Master, they could only choose between the two of them.


    Unless one voluntarily gave up his qualifications like the Confucian leader, his Martial Uncle, otherwise¡­..the competition for the next Ghost Valley Master was life or death. Just like cultivating a Gu insect, only the strongest one could survive.


    In his previous life, Zong Luo also received a letter from the master. It¡¯s just that he had already gone to the border at that time, and all his hopes were dashed into pieces, therefore he voluntarily gave up his qualifications.


    In this life, when others were in the Imperial City, Yu Beizhou was also there. Even if he just wanted to make Yu Beizhou unhappy, Zong Luo couldn¡¯t make the same choice as in his previous life.


    Fate is like this.


    ¡°Senior martial brother is right.¡± Yu Beizhou sighed.


    Tai¡¯A finally got out of the sheath, flashing a strange red light.


    Zong Luo became frightened, and his whole body was screaming of danger. He was about to take a step to the left¡ª


    ¨CWhen, in the next second, just an inch above where his clothes only covered his skin, near where Pei Qianxue touched him, his scattered hairs were unintentionally broken, and fell lightly to the ground, like a silent declaration of war.


    The general in red was fascinated by the thin bloodstain on the neck of the swordsman in white. His voice became as sweet as honey.


    ¡°Whether it be in the previous life or in this life, we will always fight like this, and we will not stop until we die.¡±

 Chapter 20.1

    Because it had rained the other day, it stood to reason that the next day would be a fine one.


    The sky cleared up in the distance, and pieces of golden rays of lights sprinkled among the clouds, scattering on the ground, looking like scales.


    Today was the day for the hunting competition.


    These days, the weather in the Great Yuan Imperial City was getting colder and colder, it had also rained continuously for days, and seeing such good weather like today was rare. Therefore the residents of the different stations became lively early in the morning. The students who would participate in the hunting were already well dressed with sturdy clothes and were equipped with their luggages, while the students who did not participate had gathered in twos and threes to watch the fun, and headed towards the suburbs in streaming columns.


    The place where the hunting competition would be held was the hunting ground in the suburbs of the Capital, with the deep mountain range behind it.


    There was also a forest nearby, which was used as a royal hunting ground on ordinary days, and several large armies would occasionally conduct their training here.


    In this large area with a vast expanse of people, Zong Luo was the most conspicuous.


    Everyone was wearing short hunting suits, those close-fitting shorts, trousers and leather boots with belts, only Zong Luo was dressed in snow-white long robe with pine green linings, looking calm and composed.


    As soon as Gu Ziyuan turned his head, he spotted him. ¡°Brother Luo, don¡¯t you want to change into a sturdy outfit?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Zong Luo shook his head without explaining too much.


    He participated in the hunting competition simply just to make up for the number, which was also equivalent to showing his face in front of the garrison, and not really wanting to win first place.


    Seeing him being so casual, he instantly remembered Brother Luo¡¯s unrivaled swordsmanship. Although Gu Ziyuan was worried, he didn¡¯t ask any more questions. After all, Gu Luo was not only older than him, but their relationship was not that close enough for him to concern himself with his matters.


    On the other hand, the other students had a lot of discussions in private.


    At the banquet, Zong Luo broke a branch to be a makeshift sword and defeated Gongsun You, everyone saw it. Afterwards, they learned that the King of Beining had given him a jade, which made them full of envy. Unexpectedly, later, this individual student with outstanding swordsmanship did not participate in martial arts, but instead competed for the hunting arts.


    Now that the hunting competition was about to start, many students were secretly paying attention to him. As it turned out, he didn¡¯t even change a piece of his clothes. He was seen as extremely arrogant, and they immediately criticized him. Hunting art was different from martial arts, while martial arts had its set place, hunting art had the forest as its ground. Being face to face was better than swords, but this art not only required swords, but also horsemanship and archery skills.


    Today, the supervisor of hunting art was another old acquaintance, the Commander Duan of the Garrison.


    ¡°Be sure that you are all equipped, we¡¯re going to do a final check.¡±


    The garrison in cold armor walked through the crowd, checked left and right, and confiscated anyone who was wearing non-compliant weapons or carrying dry food.


    For the next day and night, the students would only spend their time in the hunting ground. According to the competition system, if one wanted to eat, he could only cook by himself, and was not allowed to bring his own dry food into the site. After the competition, the student who had hunted the most prey would win first place.


    When Zong Luo was checked, Duan Junhao happened to take a look.


    Seeing the guard stretching out his hand, he suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Stop!¡±


    ¡ªWith this shout, the surroundings were directly shocked into silence.


    Many students who were quite condemning just now gloated over his misfortune.


    ¡°Commander Duan is so angry, could it be that the blindfolded man is hiding something terrible?¡±


    (t/n Terrible/Incredible¨C pinyin is b¨´ d¨¦ li¨£o, which means very serious, will lead to very serious results or consequences.)


    ¡°If it is too serious, I don¡¯t know if he will be disqualified from the competition¡­¡­¡±


    Just when everyone thought Duan Junhao saw some prohibited items on him, the latter only strode forward and said in a low voice, ¡°Go and check the next one.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Commander.¡±


    Duan Junhao hesitated for a moment, then nodded at Zong Luo, but after realizing that the other party could not see him, he quickly spoke awkwardly, ¡°Young Master Gu, we meet again.¡±


    Zong Luo said with a smile, ¡°Commander Duan.¡±


    ¡°I still have something to do, therefore I won¡¯t chat with Young Master Gu for long. I only wish Young Master Gu the best in the hunting competition.¡±


    Looking at his face, Duan Junhao felt a dull pain in his knees again.


    Anyway, even if this was not His Highness the Third Prince, with so many big figures interfering, he still had to give this person some face.


    ¡°Then thank you, Commander.¡±


    Zong Luo continued to stand calmly, as if it was just merely a brief interlude.


    Soon, the final checking was over.


    The next step was to reiterate the rules of hunting competition again.


    Each student would be followed by two soldiers to help count the prey, monitor and prevent cheating, but would not provide any help to the students during the competition. In addition, there would be someone with a role similar to a chief examiner, who would conduct fixed-point patrols and if he found something wrong, the student would be taken out of the competition directly and a ¡°one category of any arts that he had signed up- veto¡± would be implemented.


    Unfortunately, the chief examiner this time was Yu Beizhou, plus Zong Yuanwu who had borrowed connections from the army to invigilate the examination.


    Moreover, according to Duan Junhao, the King of Beining arrived early, and when he arrived, he did not wait for anyone, but entered the hunting ground enthusiastically, probably because he hadn¡¯t seen blood for a while, and wanted to practice his skills.


    The students all showed fear one after another.


    After all, who hadn¡¯t heard the name ¡°King of Beining, the God of Carnage? That it could even completely stop children from crying at night.


    Zong Luo:¡±¡­¡­¡±


    Fortunately, he didn¡¯t intend to compete for first place this time, otherwise he would definitely be pissed off.


    Zong Luo had imagined many possible changes in this life, but he never thought that Yu Beizhou would also be reborn.


    Is this reasonable?


    But thinking about being able to be reborn even if he¡¯s just a mere cannon fodder, it seemed reasonable for the protagonist to be reborn as well.


    No wonder Yu Beizhou knew from the beginning that he was not dead.


    Putting himself in the shoes of the other person, if he knew that the other defeated the countless enemies using less people in the previous life, and repelled the coalition forces of many countries in a grand and dignified manner, but unexpectedly died in Hangu Pass in this life, moreover, came back just in time, and deliberately made Gongsun You embarrassed at the Baijia Banquet, if it¡¯s impossible to guess that the other was reborn, then it could only be inferred that something was fishy.


    But the most important thing was that Zong Luo was the one who took the initiative to attack in this life. He escaped and set up a trap, which made him ignore the dormant Yu Beizhou.


    He could only say that if Yu Beizhou was also really reborn, then all his plans would need to be overthrown and restarted to prevent problems before they happen and prepare for the worst.


    However, now talking about it, what¡¯s so great about rebirth, if he¡¯s still inside the book.


    ¡°Different prey are divided into different scores¡­¡­¡±


    Zong Luo seemed to be listening, but in fact he was openly distracted.

 Chapter 20.2

    At present, Yu Beizhou, Ye Linghan, Zong Chengsi, and Pei Qianxue have all been able to determine his identity, and five or six persons were probably still kept in the dark.


    However, none of them chose to reveal it.


    Naturally, he need not to say more about Yu Beizhou, as for Zong Chengsi, choosing to hide it to gain more benefits, it was understandable, and Ye Linghan was probably still choosing a suitable time to make a move. Of course, the strangest one among them was Pei Qianxue.


    Others didn¡¯t know, but Zong Luo knew very well that Pei Qianxue never meddled in the fight for the Crown Prince position, and the only person he was loyal to was Emperor Yuan. Just like in his previous life, between his best friend and the master before him, however, in the end, he chose the master without hesitation.


    Still¡­¡­.but since this is the hunting competition, why didn¡¯t I see Ye Linghan?


    ¡°Why is His Highness the Sixth Prince here? Who is that next to you?¡±


    ¡°Should be a prince too.¡±


    When Zong Luo came back to his senses, Duan Junhao had already paused for a long while.


    Sure enough, not far away, the Sixth Prince in brocade clothes was standing there, and beside him was also a carved from jade ten-year-old child that was bossing around.


    ¡°Your Highness the Ninth Prince, why are you also here?¡±


    Hearing this, Zong Luo stood behind the horse unobtrusively, trying to reduce his sense of existence. Zong Yongwu and Yu Beizhou acted as referees, and Zong Yongliu, who also aimed to win the crown, was naturally unwilling to be outdone.


    Duan Junhao greeted the Sixth Prince first, and when he turned around, he saw Zong Hongjiu following behind.


    Everyone knew this little demon king, and it was not known how many times he had angered the Shao Fu. Duan Junhao had also served as Zong Hongjiu¡¯s martial arts instructor for a period of time before taking over as the Commander-in-Chief.


    (t/n Shao Fu-The official who counsels the prince)


    And he had to say that it was really an inhuman torture.


    Zong Hongjiu raised his chin. ¡°Father praised my archery skills a few years ago. This year¡¯s Baijia Banquet, this Prince also came to join in the fun, to see if this Prince can hunt one or two, and go back to make soup for my father.¡±


    Zong Yongliu also echoed from the side. ¡°Such is the case. The Ninth brother was clamoring to come, therefore I, the eldest brother, naturally can¡¯t disappoint him.¡±


    Zong Yongliu had been currying favor with Zong Hongjiu for some time. Although Zong Hongjiu had no family background, he was still favored by Emperor Yuan.


    Enough for five or six princes to compete to win him over.


    Zong Hongjiu, who originally planned to also cling to these imperial brothers, naturally climbed up the pole.


    (t/n Climb up/along the pole- a metaphor, to cater to the master¡¯s will in order to gain reputation and status.)


    However, Zong Hongjiu was in a bad mood at present.


    When he had eavesdropped on that conversation in the palace before, he thought that if he sincerely admitted his mistake and shed first-class tears, his father would forgive him as usual. Unexpectedly, Emperor Yuan not only restrained his feet, but also ordered him to copy books. Yesterday, as the anniversary of the death of the Third Brother was celebrated, he even drove him to the Imperial Mausoleum, made him kneel in the cold wind for a whole day, and now his body was still aching.


    This punishment was indeed a bit severe, but no one in the palace dared to plead with the Ninth Prince. Even he himself did not say any more words.


    Because Zong Hongjiu knew that his father was really angry.


    Why? Just because of a fake prince?


    Zong Hongjiu couldn¡¯t figure it out and thus secretly wrote down this important information in his heart instead, and didn¡¯t make any irresponsible remarks anywhere.


    But since he was angry and unhappy at the moment, then others should also be unlucky.


    And the first to bear the brunt were Ye Linghan and Zong Ruichen.


    Duan Junhao: ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, then I will choose for Your Highness¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡¯


    Zong Hongjiu called him back, ¡°Bring two more hunting gear here.¡±


    Duan Junhao took a look, and sure enough, behind Zong Hongjiu, he saw a young man standing on the spot laughing foolishly. His stature was extremely thin and weak, but he was a little taller than the Ninth Prince.


    ¡°Who is this¡­¡­.?¡±


    ¡°Commander Duan should have never seen him before, this is the Imperial Eight Brother. He always likes to stay in the palace. But today, he pestered me into going out, therefore I simply brought him here.¡±


    Eventually, Zong Hongjiu gave another look at the servant behind him.


    The latter understood immediately, and stepped forward with his head lowered. After careful selection in the stable for a while, he brought out a big yellow snorting horse.


    Duan Junhao had indeed never met the Eighth Prince.


    However, he knew that the Eighth Prince was a bit stupid by nature, he could stutter even when he spoke, and it was difficult for him to communicate in daily life, let alone learning in the Imperial College and only lived in the Cold Palace all the year round.


    Seeing Zong Hongjiu¡¯s arrogant and domineering appearance, how could it not be more obvious?


    Although he didn¡¯t want to get involved in this kind of thing, it was still despicable to bully the weak.


    ¡°Your Highness the Ninth Prince, this horse has a violent temper. If it is given to His Highness the Eighth Prince, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡­¡­it¡¯s not quite suitable.¡±


    Zong Hongjiu asked, ¡°Not suitable? In that case, this horse¡­¡­¡±


    He turned his head, stared at Zong Ruichen¡¯s face, and said meaningfully, ¡°This is the horse specially chosen by this Brother for the Imperial Brother, does the Imperial Brother like it?¡±


    ¡°Li-like it.¡± Zong Ruichen still smiled foolishly, as if he didn¡¯t understand the words.


    Letting a fool ride a fierce horse, isn¡¯t it harmful?


    It was said that the Great Yuan Clan had changed the throne from generation to generation and blood flowed like a river. For the past several generations in a row, there would be the killing of all relatives. It was really shocking to witness with one¡¯s own eyes that one of them in this generation was a fool.


    Except for Duan Junhao, everyone else present was bowing their heads and not saying any words, for fear of causing trouble.


    ¡°Tsk, good that you like it, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Apparently Zong Hongjiu didn¡¯t care what they thought.


    He ordered several attendants to lead the horses, and together with the Sixth Prince, they walked towards the hunting ground in a leisurely stroll, without even looking at the others.


    That¡¯s right, even if a fool who was not valued by Emperor Yuan was taken out of the palace, as long as no one was killed, Zong Hongjiu would be fine.


    In the farthest place, Ye Linghan watched this scene silently.


    On the other hand, Zong Luo¡¯s pupils suddenly shrunk, and his fists were clenched.


    No wonder Ye Linghan didn¡¯t follow Zong Hongjiu.


    Under normal circumstances, Zong Hongjiu would definitely not be able to only just take Xiao Ba and let Ye Linghan go alone, not to mention that Ye Linghan secretly signed up for the hunting arts.


    Retreating ten thousand steps back, no matter how much Zong Hongjiu bullied Zong Ruichen, it was still impossible for Zong Hongjiu to bring people to the hunting ground, let alone force them to ride a fierce horse.


    Unless¡­ Zong Hongjiu knew that Zong Ruichen was only pretending to be stupid.


    This was the only possibility¡ªYe Linghan told the secret in order to keep his hunting spot.


    This was the same in the previous life, where Ye Linghan sowed discord for Yu Beizhou and intentionally informed him

 Chapter 21.1

    Now, Zong Hongjiu with Zong Ruichen, had already entered the hunting ground ahead of schedule, yet the students from all the different schools of thought remained and still listened to Duan Junhao explaining the rules, and it seemed that it would take a while before letting them go.


    Thinking of Zong Ruichen being taken away by Zong Hongjiu, and the servant specially picking a fierce horse that was difficult to tame, Zong Luo became anxious and angry, however he couldn¡¯t leave at the moment, he had no choice but to stay rooted where he was.


    With Zong Hongjiu appearing like this, it was obvious that he had already knew Zong Ruichen was pretending to be stupid.


    If Xiao Ba couldn¡¯t catch on to his move and continued to pretend, then he would definitely suffer a serious injury today. It would absolutely be something that couldn¡¯t be considered too light, and if it was severe, his life may even be in danger.


    After all, Zong Hongjiu for certain was not a kind child, he was even more terrifying than a man who had committed countless crimes and deserved to be judged before the court.


    If Xiao Ba caught on to his trick¡­¡­¡­.it would simply be also equivalent to admitting his disguised of playing stupid for so many years.


    This matter was actually neither small nor big, and being discovered by Zong Hongjiu was just in fact a trivial matter in itself. But supposing he¡¯d already gone to Emperor Yuan, Emperor Yuan would naturally pursue the matter. Maybe he would then recall the bloody disposal of the Rong family back then, and then would wonder why Zong Ruichen knew how to pretend to be stupid at such a young age. Even if the wet nurse entrusted by Concubine Rong was found out, sooner or later the fire would still burn on Zong Ruichen himself.


    Obviously, Zong Luo had a hard time diverting Zong Hongjiu¡¯s attention last time, but now¡ª


    Sigh..well, all he did was now in vain.


    ¡°From today till tomorrow when the sun rises, is the set time for the hunting competition. Now¡­¡­let the event begin!¡±


    Duan Junhao picked up a drum stick and beat it on the big drum, heralding the opening of the hunting competition.


    The students who had already been dressed neatly got on their horses, with bows on their backs, and a quiver holding arrows that hung on the saddles of each military horse. They were dressed up in Hu Fus and all looked valiant and heroic. As soon as the words fell, they urged their horses to run towards the forest, raising loess dust under their hooves.


    After nodding goodbye to Gu Ziyuan, Zong Luo also left but at a leisurely pace.


    He sat upright on the horse, firmly locking his eyes onto Ye Linghan¡¯s back.


    The latter stopped where he was, and let a servant help him tie up his leggings. All the equipment on his body was of best quality, radiating with cold light. It looked like he had put in a lot of effort for this event, and wanted to get a good ranking in the hunting competition. He was even riding a horse borrowed from the Xuan Cavalry.


    After Ye Linghan left, Zong Luo looked back at the soldiers following behind him, turned his horse¡¯s head, and then headed towards the depths of the forest.


    What Zong Luo didn¡¯t expect was that as soon as he entered the hunting ground, someone would come to him on his own initiative.


    ¡°Brother Gu.¡±


    After seeing him, Gongsun You¡¯s eyes lit up, and he hurried over on his horse.


    His expression was still as arrogant as ever, but facing Zong Luo, it was slightly restrained for a moment, with a faint undetectable awkwardness.


    Gongsun You looked at the emaciated figure of the swordsman caged under a white clothes, and frowned when his eyes fell on the other person¡¯s pale and bloodless lips.


    ¡°Brother Gu didn¡¯t go to the Baijia Banquet again a few days ago, thus I sent someone to inquire, and only then did I find out that Brother Gu was sick¡­¡­..Are you feeling better now?¡±


    If Zong Luo hadn¡¯t arranged the attendant at the door of their station and reported back to him that Gongsun You had almost gone every day, Zong Luo might really be deceived.


    ¡°Thank you, Brother Gongsun, I¡¯m feeling much better.¡±


    Being entangled with Gongsun You, Zong Luo was impatient in his heart, but he couldn¡¯t show it on his face, therefore he could only speak absent-mindedly to deal with it.


    He couldn¡¯t figure out the reason why Gongsun You came to check on him every day in the past few days, but now that he knew that Yu Beizhou had also been reborn, he didn¡¯t even need to think about it, and the impulse came out by itself accordingly.


    He really didn¡¯t have the time to waste with one of Yu Beizhou¡¯s henchmen here.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, time is precious, so I will leave first.¡±


    Zong Luo nodded to him, as if he didn¡¯t want to say more, pulled the reins and was about to leave.


    Gongsun You saw through his perfunctory attitude at a glance.


    He was obviously quite enthusiastic during the Baijia Banquet, why did he suddenly change so much?


    The maniac commoner man pursed his lips.


    If other people gave him face like this, Gongsun You, who was arrogant in nature, would probably leave on the spot.


    But it just so happened that it was this person.


    Without even the slightest hesitation, he tightened his grip on the horse¡¯s reins and chased after him.


    ¡°Brother Gu, wait¡­¡­.Third Highness!¡±


    Gongsun You deliberately lowered his voice, and only called out after waiting for the horse to get closer to the other, thus the volume was not loud, and the soldiers guarding the two of them didn¡¯t hear it.


    But he actually called out ¡°Third Highness¡±.


    Zong Luo stopped.


    For no apparent reason, he felt a fit of being fed up.


    I thought that in this life, I could learn from the experience of the previous life, and make a comeback from a desperate situation. I even plotted to escape death, while tossing and turning in uncertainty and causing myself physical and mental suffering.


    However, to be only told in the end that his old enemy from his previous life had also been reborn with him. And was very likely that together with him, he had also awakened the memory of the previous life on the night of the ¡°nine stars linked like beads¡± a year ago.


    In other words, during the year when Zong Luo was on the run, Yu Beizhou had plenty of time to recruit troops and re-use this time to make arrangements. It was also because Zong Luo took the lead in setting up the game, but was instead exposed himself in the end and became the mantis stalking the cicada unaware of the oriole behind.


    (t/n mantis stalking the cicada unaware of the oriole behind-the metaphor is short-sighted, only thinking of calculating others, but not expecting others to calculate him.)


    Ironic?


    Zong Luo only thought it was ridiculous.


    In the previous life, I personally interpreted what kind of tragic end I would get if I fought against the protagonist. But would I want to do it again in this life? Are you kidding me!


    He suppressed his anger. ¡°Let Yu Beizhou pick up on these childish tricks.¡±


    However, as soon as Zong Luo saw Gongsun You¡¯s face, he couldn¡¯t help but thought of something¡ª


    This advisor who followed Yu Beizhou in the previous life stood on the city wall coldly, and only watched the servant wrap Zhanlu with the imperial decree and drop it from a height. At that time, Gongsun You had already socialized with the several princes, and standing behind him was Yu Beizhou, his personally selected ¡°wise monarch¡±. Like a fish in water in the Imperial City, being promoted step by step, and ranked as Jiuqing, even Zong Luo¡¯s confidant Imperial Censor Xue was almost squeezed out of his position as part of the Sangong. It could only be said that he was extremely proud of his success.


    (t/n Jiuqing- is the general term for a chief executive of the ancient central government in China.)


    (t/n Sangong-traditionally refers to the three most important ministers who assist the emperor in governing the country.)

 Chapter 21.2

    Leaving that aside, before this, he didn¡¯t know how many times Gongsun You had completely overturned his plan to pit Yu Beizhou. Zong Luo was often stalked behind by him, and they would sneer at each other three times when they saw one another. He really didn¡¯t have a good impression towards this ¡°protagonist with ten thousands of fan¡± loyal lackey.


    Gongsun You frowned. ¡°Yu Beizhou? Are you talking about the King of Beining who has a problem in his head? What does he have to do with me?¡±


    Hearing Gongsun You, who was loyal in his previous life, actually disliked the old master with some brain problems, Zong Luo finally was willing to raise his eyes, and the figure of the other party was vividly reflected in the white silk in front of him.


    He calmly said, ¡°If Yu Beizhou hadn¡¯t sent you here, why did you call me Third Highness?¡±


    The maniac commoner man became silent for a while. ¡°This is the reason why I came to find you today.¡±


    At some point, the surrounding forest fell silent.


    The guards who were just behind them who were still grabbing their reins, had a dull look in their eyes. They were obviously still sitting on the horse, but they seemed to be deaf to their conversation.


    The puppetry of the Yin and Yang School!


    Zong Luo had been guarding against this move for a long time. He held the Qixing Longyuan horizontally in front of him to ensure that he could draw his sword out of its sheath immediately.


    Gongsun You¡¯s martial arts were mediocre compared to his strategies. At least in the eyes of the Ghost Valley Master¡¯s direct disciple like Zong Luo, whom one alone could beat three.


    But after all, Gongsun You was born in the Hermit aristocratic family, and this Hermit family was the superior of the Yin and Yang School, therefore, he would naturally know the latter¡¯s good puppet skills.


    From Zong Luo¡¯s perspective, puppetry was a mystical product created from the combination of psychological suggestions and the unique fantasy background of the world in the book. A skilled caster only needed to have physical contact with the target, and those who were weak-willed would easily be under a spell.


    (t/n Suggestion is the psychological process by which a person guides their own or another person¡¯s desired thoughts, feelings, and behaviors by presenting stimuli that may elicit them as reflexes instead of relying on conscious effort.)


    It was said that during the prehistoric period, real puppetry could completely turn people into puppets of the caster.


    It¡¯s just that this had been passed down to the present, and even the puppet arts preserved by the Hermit family could only achieve the effect of a deep psychological suggestion.


    Those who could get to the point of seizing the throne were not fools. Even if the Lord was like Zong Yuanwu, who couldn¡¯t support the wall, the disciples under his door and advisors were not just for nothing, and they had to help people up even if they¡¯re forced to do so.


    Therefore in the final analysis, Gongsun You was able to handle so many princes with ease in his previous life, partly because of his own resourcefulness, and partly because of the help of puppetry. Although it couldn¡¯t be as magical as in the ancient times, it was definitely enough for a psychological suggestion.


    For example now.


    Fortunately, under the background of this era, most people rarely engage in physical contact, and even the most intimate friends rarely act like what Pei Qianxue did yesterday for no reason.


    ¡°They were only temporarily blocked by me, Your Highness does not need to¡­.be on guard.¡±


    ¡°On guard?¡± Zong Luo sneered. ¡°If I really was taking precautions, it would have been impossible for you to stand here properly.¡±


    This rhetoric¡­¡­.was completely different from what Gongsun You got from the previous information.


    At least, the amnesia was absolutely non-existent.


    Gongsun You slowly raised his hands, expressing that he had no intention of attacking, and at the same time his thoughts were spinning rapidly.


    If the information was wrong¡­but it was also naturally impossible for the Yin and Yang School to obey the orders on the surface but violate them secretly. There was only one possibility, that was¡ªthe battle of Hangu Pass was set up by the Third Prince himself from beginning to end, and he accidentally stepped into his game, and even took the blame meant for the King of Beining.


    Not far away, the white-clothed swordsman held the sword in one hand and raised his chin slightly. Even though his eyes were wrapped in white silk, it did not detract his cold and murderous aura that emerged from the sea of corpses and blood on the battlefield.


    This kind of Zong Luo had completely shed the weakness that he deliberately pretended to be before, and had turned back into the famous Third Prince of Great Yuan who came out of the battlefield and could make any enemy tremble in fear.


    If you set up the game yourself, how big is the possibility that you are really blind?


    Seeing this scene, Gongsun You only felt that his palms were slightly sweating, and his blood was boiling.


    If it was said before, that he simply wanted to test Zong Luo a few more times, and then go to other princes to weigh the pros and cons and make a final choice.


    But now, he no longer needed to make a choice. Because the only choice had been put before his eyes.


    Today, the world was raging in wars, and the heroes were vying for hegemony. If one wanted to pacify the world, a prince with amnesia, no matter how superb his swordsmanship was, would still have a difficult chance of winning. And this Third Prince of Great Yuan, who was 80% intact¨Cif needed fame, he would get it, if needed public opinion, he would definitely get the will of the common people, the love of all the living beings in the world, the character, the strength, everything, he wasn¡¯t lacking in any. Even if Emperor Yuan no longer attached great importance to him, Gongsun You still had the confidence to support him ascend the throne.


    With such a ¡°wise monarch¡±, why can¡¯t the world be pacified?


    Gongsun You trembled all over, stepped on the stirrup suddenly and got off the horse. He controlled his feverish palms, took off his ornament silently, and placed that something on both of his opened palms and reached out his arms above his head .


    It was the jade tablet carved with the Tai Chi Eight Diagrams Formation.


    Zong Luo remembered this thing. In the previous life, after Yu Beizhou accepted Gongsun You, there was indeed such a thing on his body. It was said that it was a token used by the Hermit family to mobilize the Yin and Yang School, and it was also a proof that they had chosen a ¡°wise monarch¡± to serve.


    As long as he accepted it, he would become the master of the Yin and Yang School.


    In a daze, the commoner-clothed advisor who had always been behind Yu Beizhou knelt on one knee and said in a low voice.


    ¡°Gongsun You, the seventeenth generation descendant of the Hermit family, is willing to recognize His Highness as the Monarch and assist His Highness in conspiring for the great affairs in the land under the heavens!¡±

 Chapter 22.1

    The surroundings became silent, and only the sound of the horses¡¯ hooves in the distance and the wind rustling the leaves was heard.


    The forest¡¯s narrow glade remained quiet.


    Holding a sword in one hand, Zong Luo looked down at Gongsun You who was half kneeling on the ground from a high position, silently thinking.


    Zong Luo just now really had the intention to kill him.


    If this ¡°clever¡± Gongsun You hadn¡¯t knelt down, he might have already made a move.


    He was obviously not a man who believed in Taoism, and although he was different from the serious and ruthless person Yu Beizhou, but since he could become a great general, he must also have a ruthless side.


    In the previous life, Gongsun You stood behind Yu Beizhou, and he performed well in the Six Arts, which made Emperor Yuan pay more attention to him, and because of that his official career rose step by step.


    Everyone knew that if one wanted to eradicate something, one must nip it in the bud.


    Gongsun You had broken his martial arts bamboo slip by himself, while Gu Ziyuan won first place in the calligraphy art. The hunting art was now in progress, and the sword discussion at the Baijia Banquet was used as a stepping stone by Zong Luo.


    In essence, he was still just an ordinary, nameless and unremarkable student.


    If he doesn¡¯t start now, how long will he have to wait?


    Since Yu Beizhou was also reborn, there was no need for him to hold on to the trump card of having amnesia, and he might as well recover his identity as soon as possible. If he could cut off a powerful arm of his deadly opponent here, Zong Luo would rather lose a layer of his disguise in advance.


    Zong Luo didn¡¯t hide his killing intent, and Gongsun You naturally wouldn¡¯t misidentify.


    Under such cold persecution, his excitement did not decrease but only increased.


    Those who want to achieve great things should not be faint-hearted and hesitant in his actions.


    Hearing the hearsay about the Third Prince of Great Yuan earlier, Gongsun You was still worried that this person was too benevolent and compassionate, and he even suspected him of being indecisive as well. But looking at it now, since he could become famous in the Great Wilderness, how could he be just a mediocre person? Thinking about it, maybe it¡¯s just the way he is.


    Excitement was excitement, but he still had to be steady in front of the other person.


    Gongsun You had always been proud of his talents, and had considerable confidence in his strategy. He couldn¡¯t wait to prove his strength in front of this future ¡° wise monarch¡± immediately.


    ¡°Externally, the present situation of the world is clear, and the heroes are rising together. The Great Yuan has clearly demonstrated its ambition by sending troops to other countries.  Now there is still the Yu and Wei Country stubbornly resisting to the end and the two countries have played a game of maneuver to jointly conquer the Great Yuan.¡±


    ¡°Internally, the course of the Fifth and Sixth Princes¡¯ seizing the Crown Prince position has intensified, while the Fourth Prince merely sits on the mountain and watches the tigers fight, eyeing the prey and is only waiting for the right moment. Even if His Majesty has not expressed his intention in establishing a Crown Prince yet, with everything having its bounds, whether the Shaman Sacrificial Ceremony or conforming to the public¡¯s opinions, the Crown Prince matter should be settled.¡±


    He spoke while paying attention to Zong Luo¡¯s reaction.


    To his disappointment, the expression on the latter¡¯s face was still faint, and even his murderous aura had not been restrained.


    This analysis of the situation in the world was not something any random advisor could speak out.


    Nowadays, most of the official positions were monopolized by aristocratic scholars and bureaucrats from aristocratic families. Unless the good seedlings were picked up by the different schools of thought, it would be difficult to popularize education, let alone broaden one¡¯s horizons.


    If it was instead the Fifth and Sixth Prince in front, I am afraid they would immediately rush to say ¡°this Sir is brilliant and clever, please help me to ascend the throne¡±.


    However, this Third Prince didn¡¯t even move his eyebrows.


    ¡°Continue.¡±


    While Gongsun You lamented that this person was unmoved either by gain or loss, at the same time, he was also aroused to be competitive.


    It¡¯s all to blame for that nuisance, the King of Beining.


    Gongsun You didn¡¯t understand. In the eyes of the other students, he had already offended the King of Beining all over the place during the conversation they had at the Baijia Banquet that day, furthermore, he viewed the King of Beining as someone a bit abnormal. Even if the Third Prince rejected his allegiance, he would rather ride horses than get involved with him.


    Now, the Third Prince actually mistakenly thought that he had a connection with Yu Beizhou, he felt terribly wronged.


    Gongsun You sighed.


    After talking about the internal and external situation at present, next would be to talk about the countermeasures. This was the most important thing to show personal ability.


    ¡°The Monarch of the Wei Country is cautious and weak by nature, and is also deeply involved in the struggle for the abolishment of its Crown Prince. After all, he still has a hundred years of saved monetary hegemony. The Yu Country, on the other hand, is considerably weaker than the former, with its old and fatuous Monarch and with only the famous general, King Wu¡¯an struggling to support him. I don¡¯t need to say more about the method to break with the use of political and diplomatic means. Your Highness once fought in Hangu Pass, serving as that brilliant jade in front. But if you want to send troops, you must first send troops to Yu Country. And because its terrain is dangerous¨Cwe must not be indisputable, we must be drastic, fast, and ruthless, only then can we catch King Wu¡¯an by surprise.¡±


    ¡°Although the Great Yuan has let a hundred flowers bloom, despite today¡¯s violent government, the power of discourse in the court is firmly controlled, however the core is still dominated by Legalism. Legalism emphasizes law, and it is true that strict laws enforced in troubled times can play the role of security, just like a castle in the air. Yet, even though it is built high, the foundation is not stable, after all, it is not a long-term plan. After the world is unified, it is very easy to give rise to violent insurrections.¡±


    (t/n a let a hundred flowers bloom ¨C idiom ,  Pinyin: b¨£i hu¨¡ q¨ª f¨¤ng. It is a metaphor for the free development of art in various forms and styles.)


    (t/n Castle in the air- means an attic hanging in mid-air, which is a metaphor for illusory things or unrealistic fantasies.)


    Speaking up to this point, Gongsun You bowed with his hands to him. ¡°His Highness should have seen the hidden dangers behind it, that¡¯s why he joined the Confucian excursion team. This one really admires His Highness.¡±


    ¡°The Hermit family can¡¯t come out easily, but once they do, they will choose a ¡°wise monarch¡± to stir the lands under the heavens. His Highness is the Prince of the Yuan Dynasty, therefore he is dignified and upright and has the power to compete. If this one can assist His Highness to rule the world, it will really be the first time in the history of the Great Wilderness for millions of years.¡±


    The successors of other reclusive aristocratic families were at most also supporting a prince, and even the disciples of the Ghost Valley next door were stirring wind and rain in various countries as well.


    Gongsun You had ambitions, and his ambitions were not small.


    Not only did he want to shake the Great Yuan, but he also wanted to shake the world, and participate in this unprecedented achievement.


    How important a powerful advisor was, which was no less than a crouching dragon and phoenix chick, that one person alone could even secure the world.


    (t/n Crouching dragon and phoenix chick-buzzword, sometimes it is to ridicule the other party for being too showy and silly, sometimes used when speaking ironically, and to ridicule the other party for being weak. ** Zong Luo was being sarcastic above **)


    Gongsun You was not like Zong Luo who was a transmigrator. Zong Luo was a real person who had read and then transmigrated inside the book, therefore he had the ability to anticipate what was to come¡­¡­nonetheless, he could only say that Yu Beizhou was really blessed and was worthy of being the book¡¯s protagonist.


    Zong Luo only stared at him intently, then suddenly withdrew his sword. He pulled the reins without even saying anything, and continued towards the place where Ye Linghan had left.


    Before leaving, he used Qixing Longyuan to pick up the jade token that lay motionless in  Gongsun You¡¯s hand.


    The jade tablet, to start with, was slightly cold, with distinct lines. It was indeed the token of the Hermit family.


    Zong Luo knew that Gongsun You was a descendant of such a family, all thanks to the friends in the comment area he had read before transmigrating.


    But in fact, in his previous life, until that time he committed suicide, only Yu Beizhou in the Imperial City knew about it, and the other princes who had thought that they had subdued Gongsun You were all kept in the dark.


    Presumably also, if Gongsun You¡¯s identity was revealed as the heir of the Hermit family yet refusing to give anyone his jade tablet, wouldn¡¯t it be plain and to the point, with four characters written on the face that says ¡°I am a spy¡± be labeled on him?


    However, now, Gongsun You revealed his identity in front of him, and presented him with his token. Zong Luo couldn¡¯t help being suspicious.

 Chapter 22.2

    Could it be because he defeated Gongsun You once instead of Yu Beizhou at the Baijia Banquet after his rebirth, unintentionally inserting willows and willows into shades, and got this result?


    (t/n Unintentionally inserting willows and willows into shades- common idiom, the pinyin is w¨² x¨©n ch¨¡ li¨³ li¨³ ch¨¦ng y¨©n, meaning whether something is done or not, often has little to do with deliberate planning, especially the helplessness when one¡¯s fate is related to God¡¯s will.)


    After all, apart from other things, even if Gongsun You was secretly loyal to other people, he had never said a bad word about Yu Beizhou, let alone bluntly said ¡°the King of Beining who has a problem in his head¡±.


    Be as it may, doubts were still doubts, Zong Luo still didn¡¯t believe it.


    The memory of being betrayed in the previous life, he could never get over it no matter what and it was still very vivid in his mind. Moreover, Gongsun You specialized in being a spy. Even if he was sincere now, what if he couldn¡¯t resist the pull of the protagonist with ten thousands of fans in the future and be biased towards Yu Beizhou again?


    Once bitten by a snake, afraid of well ropes for ten years. Zong Luo didn¡¯t want to gamble on people¡¯s hearts anymore.


    (t/n Once bitten by a snake, afraid of well ropes for ten years-is a metaphor for becoming timid and fearful after experiencing a setback. It was later extended to mean that once you have been hurt, you will be very afraid of similar things or events.)


    ¡°¡­Highness!¡±


    Seeing the person running away without saying a word, Gongsun You hastily got on his horse and chased after him. Finally caught up with the flying ponytail in front of him, he raised his voice, ¡°His Highness took the jade token, does His Highness accept my allegiance?¡±


    Zong Luo didn¡¯t look back, and snorted coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    He spoke very bluntly, without concealing it, as if he disdained to put on an air of hypocrisy on the surface.


    ¡°If you want to gain my trust, you have to work hard.¡±


    Being hypocritical and perfunctory to others, who wouldn¡¯t know how to do it. Even if Zong Luo got the jade tablet today, he didn¡¯t plan on using Gongsun You.


    In this way, if Gongsun You wanted to switch sides to Yu Beizhou in the future, he could simply take out the jade tablet to disgust him.


    Open and aboveboard to sow discord. With Yu Beizhou¡¯s suspicious character, Gongsun You could only become an abandoned son after switching sides.


    Gongsun You¡¯s eyes lit up, and a haughty smile hung on his face again. ¡°That¡¯s only natural¡­¡­My Lord.¡±


    Distrust was not a big problem. Since he had accepted the jade token, that meant he believed him. However, Gongsun You also felt that his Lord was reckless and easy to trust others.


    In short, Gongsun You seemed to be very satisfied with Zong luo at present, and he couldn¡¯t wait to drag this new Lord to talk about the changes in the world¡¯s situation around him for three days and three nights.


    Hearing this sudden address, Zong Luo staggered, and it took a lot of effort not to look at himself as Liu Xuande.


    (t/n Liu Xuande-was a Chinese warrior who founded the Shu-Han Dynasty, one of the ¡®Three Kingdoms¡¯ that formed China at the end of the Han dynasty. A kind and compassionate ruler that even the assassin that was sent to kill him was moved and diverted to his side.)


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that outside.¡± He said coldly.


    Although Zong Luo had decided to shed one of his disguises to speed up the progress, this did not prevent him from covering up the truth of things against Gongsun You.


    As Zong Luo thought so, he looked back at the dense forest behind him.


    There were only dense trees, a wild profusion of vegetation, and no people around.


    Although he had been delayed for a while, the essence of the hunting competition was still hunting. At the beginning, students would undoubtedly choose to explore the outer ring of the forestry, and would not delve into the dense forest at the start.


    Moreover, the big advantage of taking Gongsun You, would be that, Zong Luo didn¡¯t have to work hard to knock out the garrison guards following him, nor did he to hide from an insider¡¯s eyeliner, or lift his own disguise by himself, and it also comes with a pathfinding function.


    (t/n Eyeliner-Chinese vocabulary. Pinyin: y¨£n xi¨¤n A person who secretly investigates the situation, reports in time, or acts as a guide.)


    Originally, Zong Luo didn¡¯t know where Zong Hongjiu took Xiao Ba, therefore he wanted to ask Ye Linghan first, but now that he had Gongsun You, the guards along the way provided him a lot of information.


    Compared with Ye Linghan, Zong Ruichen, whose life was at stake, was of course more important.


    Zong Luo kept a calm face along the way, yet wished to just directly fly to him.


    In the previous life, Xiao Ba was beaten to death outside Yuanjia Palace for protecting him¡­¡­¡­Yet who would have thought that in this life, when Zong Luo himself had given him a handle, Ye Linghan still chose to take the same path.


    He must not let anything happen.


    Thinking of this, he finally saw Zong Ruichen sitting on the ground with a disheveled face not far away.


    Not far in front of Xiao Ba, a tall and fierce yellow horse roared, and its eyes were red. It raised its hooves high, and was about to step on him.


    ¡°Ruichen!¡±


    Zong Luo jumped off his horse in a fit of rage, and without a care of anything else, stabbed the horse with his sword.


    Fortunately, Zong Ruichen was not really stupid, and at the last moment, with no worries whether to be exposed or not, just rolled over.


    At such a close distance, if he would be trampled on with the horse¡¯s hooves, he would be half disabled if not dead.


    In the next moment, the snow-white sword tip was stained with blood, as it forcibly set off a wave in the air around.


    ¡ªNeigh!


    The fierce horse pawed its hooves unwillingly, and at the same time, the blades of grass rolled up in waves as it fell to the ground with a loud crash.


    Zong Luo was shocked and angry.


    As a general who had been in the army all year round, he could tell at a glance that the horse had been tampered with.


    Very violent, but to this extent¡­¡­it must have been drugged.


    This kind of insidious method was extremely disgusting even if it was put on the battlefield.


    ¡°Third brother!¡±


    When Zong Ruichen saw him coming, he still kept in mind the previous instructions. He didn¡¯t dare get up from the ground, and continued to play dumb. When Zong Luo called him, he turned around and when he noticed that Zong Hongjiu, who had been following behind him to show off his might just now, just like a cattle driver, was nowhere to be found, only then did he rushed over with a loud cry.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Zong Luo touched Zong Ruichen¡¯s head distressingly.


    No matter how much he pretended to be stupid, he was still an eleven-year-old child.


    ¡°Third brother, what about them?¡±


    Zong Ruichen adjusted very quickly, and after a moment of panic, he calmed down.


    He looked at the blood-stained Qixing Longyuan in Zong Luo¡¯s hand with admiration, then turned worried as he looked up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have sent someone to send them away.¡±


    Zong Luo was too lazy to care about Gongsun You who had already gone to work.


    He had just recognized him as Lord, yet whether he was really sincere or not, the first thing had to be done beautifully.


    Zong Ruichen breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    He wiped the dust off his face, and heard Zong Luo ask again, ¡°Xiao Ba, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Hearing this, Zong Ruichen¡¯s face showed anger.


    In addition to being angry, he was also a little annoyed.


    ¡°It¡¯s Ye Linghan.¡±


    He clenched his fists, ¡°I listened to what Third Brother said, and I didn¡¯t have any contact with him anymore, but he¡­¡±

 Chapter 23.1

    Zong Ruichen was very happy these days.


    First off, the Third brother whom he thought had died in the battle, unexpectedly returned. Although his eyes were injured, the Third brother said that there was still a possibility of being cured.


    In Zong Ruichen¡¯s eyes, his Third brother was like a god coming down to earth, omniscient and omnipotent. Since he said that the eyes could be cured, then Zong Ruichen would no doubt believe it.


    In addition, the Third brother helped him beat Zong Hongjiu away last time, which also made Zong Ruichen worried that Zong Hongjiu would go to their father to complain. Yet, in the end, nothing happened for a long time. Later, Zong Ruichen went to inquire quietly, and heard a few maids chatting that the Ninth Prince seemed to have angered His Majesty. He was then punished for copying books and kneeling in the Imperial Mausoleum, and that no one had even dared to plead mercy for him.


    Zong Hongjiu was punished?


    Zong Ruichen was taken aback.


    Over the years, the father¡¯s love for the Ninth younger brother was obvious to all. In addition, the other imperial brothers had also left the palace to build their own mansions. At present, the palace was Zong Hongjiu¡¯s world. Surrounded by clusters of people left and right, wherever he went, there would be a mighty number of people following him.


    Even if Zong Hongjiu went too far and angered how many Shao Fu¡¯s, Emperor Yuan would at most punish him to face the wall to lament on his mistakes. He had never heard of such a severe punishment being given to him.


    But this was of course a great thing for Zong Ruichen. As Zong Hongjiu didn¡¯t come to bully him, he simply stayed in the Cold Palace and practiced martial arts with peace of mind. As for Ye Linghan, he also kept Zong Luo¡¯s advice in mind, and did not contact the Wei Country Proton at all. Even when Ye Linghan came to look for him a few times on the way, he pretended to be unwell and pushed him away, without even seeing him face to face.


    Heaven knows¡­¡­¡­he is still accused of confidentiality.


    The whole Great Yuan didn¡¯t know that he was pretending to be crazy, and except for the Third brother, Ye Linghan also knew of this fact.


    Zong Ruichen didn¡¯t want to believe it at first. After all, he and Ye Linghan had no grievances nor enmities. Under Zong Hongjiu¡¯s persecution, they were also considered to be revolutionary comrades-in-arms, and they helped each other a lot in private. Even in Zong Ruichen¡¯s heart, who never had a playmate from childhood to adulthood, he saw Ye Linghan as his only friend.


    Later, when Zong Hongjiu approached him, Ye Linghan merely watched coldly from the hunting ground.


    Matters have already come to this point, what else is there that I don¡¯t understand?


    Zong Ruichen thought, feeling extremely uncomfortable. ¡°Why did he tell others? I obviously didn¡¯t do anything to offend him.¡±


    Zong Luo touched his head. ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself.¡±


    Ye Linghan was simply an unfamiliar dog, and to say that he would use any means to achieve his goals was only saying it lightly. This was already the case before his blackening, but it was even worse after the blackening. All the dirty work of Yu Beizhou¡¯s faction was done by him alone, even Zong Luo couldn¡¯t help feeling chills after hearing those methods.


    He pulled Zong Ruichen up from the ground, and after confirming that the latter was just frightened and had at most some insignificant bruises on his body, only then did he help him onto a garrison horse.


    Zong Luo also turned over and mounted himself on his horse. ¡°Go back to the palace first, and leave the rest to me.¡±


    Zong Ruichen became worried. ¡°Is the Third brother going to find Ye Linghan or Zong Hongjiu?¡¯


    ¡°Look for them all, and won¡¯t let them try to run away.¡±


    Zong Luo comforted him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your Third brother knows it well.¡±


    ¡°But Zong Hongjiu¡¯s side¡­¡± Zong Ruichen was still worried.


    ¡°The fact that he failed to file a complaint to the Emperor last time does not mean that we will still be lucky the next time.¡±


    Zong Ruichen still remembered the last time when the Third brother said that the reason why he deliberately feigned death and escaped was that there were other princes behind his back planning to frame him. He couldn¡¯t help worrying about whether to just come forward with him or that he would just instead upset the Third brother¡¯s plan by doing so.


    ¡°Since he dares to do it, he has to pay the price.¡±


    Zong Luo didn¡¯t want to say more, and lowered his eyes to stare at the blood on the sword. ¡°If all goes well¡­¡­after the hunting competition, maybe I can take you out of the palace.¡±


    Sure enough, upon hearing what Zong Luo said, Zong Ruichen immediately swept away his sad expression from before, and jumped with joy, wishing to just jump a few times on the horse.


    ¡°Remember to circle around before going out.¡±


    Zong Luo smiled, slapped the horse¡¯s back, used some internal force in his hands, and the horse obediently carried Zong Ruichen forward.


    After Xiao Ba¡¯s back disappeared into the dense forest, Zong Luo turned his horse¡¯s head and chased in the direction where Ye Linghan had left.


    All the smiles on his face disappeared, leaving nothing but coldness.


    This incident really pissed him off today.


    Since they dared to take Zong Ruichen¡¯s life, then the two of them should be punished severely.


    Although Zong Luo usually looked dignified, he was also stubborn. Even if Emperor Yuan stood behind Zong Hongjiu, it would not stop him from venting his anger today.


    Gongsun You stood not far away, waiting for the return of his new Lord.


    Zong Luo then signaled Gongsun You to undo the puppet art.


    Zong Hongjiu standing on the ground had an unfocused eyes for a moment, and before he had time to restrain the arrogant expression on his face, he saw Zong Luo standing in front of him condescendingly.


    Having knelt in front of the Third Imperial Brother¡¯s Mausoleum for a whole day yesterday, his knees at the moment were still aching. Now, seeing this face again suddenly, Zong Hongjiu, for a second, thought he was seeing a ghost, and backed away in horror.


    As he retreated halfway, he came back to his senses, and immediately erupted in anger.


    ¡°Good! You impostor, how dare you appear in front of this Prince?! Come¡ª!¡±


    Zong Luo suddenly kicked him.


    The other servants were still in a daze, not noticing the huge movement at all.


    The swordsman in white then turned and punched him in the face, his fist directly connecting to his flesh.


    Zong Hongjiu had his tooth knocked out, and his face was immediately covered in bruises.


    ¡°You¡­how dare you hit me¡­I will tell my father, you impostor¡­¡­I¡¯ll  have your whole family¡­¡­to the ninth generation be punished!¡±


    Zong Luo: ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    He really didn¡¯t want to say that if he punished his family up to its ninth generation, Emperor Yuan himself would have to be included.


    After beating Zong Hongjiu violently for a while, Zong Luo drew out his sword.


    Only then did Zong Hongjiu notice that scarlet blood stained the snow-white sword¡¯s surface.


    ¡°Somebody, help me, there¡¯s a murderer!¡±


    He then suddenly realized that he had already been shouting here for a long time, yet no one had appeared around him. Fear finally registered in Zong Hongjiu as he noticed that the situation in front of him was wrong, thus he screamed like a pig that was going to be slaughtered.


    ¡°Really useless.¡± Zong Luo said contemptuously, bending down to pick up the whip that Zong Hongjiu had dropped on the ground.


    Last time he took a whip from Zong Hongjiu, this time he also got another one, which was longer than the former. The only thing that remained the same was that there were still barbs on the whip.

 Chapter 23.2

    The kind of barbed whip that was obviously not used to drive horses, but only used for beating people up.


    When he thought that Zong Hongjiu was holding this whip and driving Zong Ruichen ahead of him like a cow, the fire in Zong Luo¡¯s heart burned up.


    He got back on his horse coldly, and looked back at Gongsun You.


    Gongsun You nodded very politely, and almost slapped his chest and said ¡¯the Lord can leave this trivial matter to me¡¯.


    Zong Luo didn¡¯t speak any more, and drove away directly.


    Clip-clop clip-clop


    Even if he got angry again, to the point of wanting to strike Zong Hongjiu with a sword¡­¡­In the final analysis, the latter was still the Ninth Prince of Great Yuan.


    Zong Luo beating him was already the limit, if he really wanted to cut off his arm¡­¡­He¡¯s afraid that the suicide edict would have to be sent to him in advance.


    Zong Hongjiu can¡¯t be bullied, but Ye Linghan, the chief culprit, can.


    So what if he is the Crown Prince of Wei? When he is in the Great Yuan, he has to abide by the rules of the Great Yuan.


    Now, there were only two countries left, the Yu and Wei, before the Great Yuan unified the whole Central Plains. Even if Zong Luo chopped off Ye Linghan, the deposed Crown Prince, Wei Country would still dare let this trifling matter go.


    When Zong Luo found Ye Linghan, Ye Linghan was crouching on his horse, pulling the bow string and focusing on a snow-white hare.


    Behind him, a hunted prey had been woven into a string and hung on the horse¡¯s back. It seemed that his hunt had been fruitful.


    Zong Luo didn¡¯t bother to talk nonsense, and sent his sword forward directly.


    ¡°Ugh¡ª¡±


    Ye Linghan only had time to barely avoid the vital point, and the bow in his hand fell to the ground instantly. In the next second, severe pain hit, and he knelt down on the ground clutching his hands, crying out in pain.


    Zong Luo lightly withdrew his sword, and without saying anything, turned around and was about to leave.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Ye Linghan supported his one shoulder and got up from the ground, his face full of shock and anger.


    His right arm was pierced by Qixing Longyuan, and a tear-like wound was bleeding, and it dripped blood to the ground. Although his own martial arts skills were not bad, he still didn¡¯t have much actual combat experience, making it impossible to deal with a Ghost Valley disciple.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be able to play sneak attacks from behind.¡±


    The moment he saw Zong Luo, Ye Linghan knew he was exposed. But he never expected to be found out so soon.


    Zong Luo sneered. ¡°Isn¡¯t it that this gentleman snitched and told on others? To deal with a villain, it is natural to use the method of a villain.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡±


    Ye Linghan clenched his fists, with mixed feelings in his heart.


    This person didn¡¯t even ask a question, and he was sure that he did it.


    Just yesterday, he didn¡¯t know who was so garrulous and leaked the news. Obviously, Ye Linghan specially chose the last day of the banquet to participate, but it was still seen by others, and finally reached Zong Hongjiu¡¯s ears.


    The Proton of Wei Country whom this Ninth Prince had been bullying had secretly participated in the hunting category?


    Zong Hongjiu became furious. As he was already angry at being punished by his father, he led a large group of people and kicked open the door of the Proton Mansion, intending to catch Ye Linghan and beat him.


    This was not the first time that such a thing had happened. The servants following Zong Hongjiu also had great masters, making Ye Linghan unable to resist at all.


    ¡°Hit him! Beat him until he can¡¯t get out of bed. Let¡¯s see how he can participate in tomorrow¡¯s competition.¡±


    A string in Ye Linghan¡¯s mind snapped.


    Tomorrow¡¯s hunting art was his only hope of returning to Wei Country.


    Absolutely, absolutely, can not not go.


    ¡°Snitching behind the scenes, what other reasons do you have?¡±


    Zong Luo sheathed his sword behind his back, and said with extreme ridicule, ¡°Did someone forced you to snitch, forced you to say it?¡±


    Ye Linghan opened his mouth, but couldn¡¯t say anything.


    After a long time, he gasped heavily, gritted his teeth and said, ¡°You don¡¯t understand anything at all!¡±


    Ye Linghan¡¯s eyes turned red, and rambled on indiscriminately, ¡°Actually, I have seen everything, that day with you and Zhao Yebai. You are deliberately pretending to be amnesiac and blind. I knew you were not like the ¡°gentle breeze and the bright moon¡± as you appear on the surface, but since I didn¡¯t tell others your secret, why are you accusing me here¡ª¡±


    Suddenly, the scabbard touched his throat again before he could even finish speaking.


    Zong Luo said word by word. ¡°Zong Ruichen is my younger brother.¡±


    Xiao Ba was the only relative he missed in this third life. He died because of him in the previous life, and if he died because of him again in this life, Zong Luo didn¡¯t even dare to think about it.


    ¡°If you still dare to touch him again, next time it won¡¯t be as simple as a sword.¡±


    Zong Luo tied the whip to his waist, took down the bow on his back, pulled it out like a full moon, and shot an arrow straight behind him without looking at it. Among the lush and verdant forests, a corner of a red cloth loomed and a low laughter sounded accompanied with the snap of the feathered arrow.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in disciplining your subordinates for you.¡±


    Zong Luo said coldly. ¡°Yu Beizhou, take care of your dog.¡±

 Chapter 24.1

    Hearing Zong Luo¡¯s words, Ye Linghan became stunned for a moment.


    He immediately raised his eyes and looked fixedly at the forest covered by the lush leaves.


    Behind the verdant greenery, a young man in red was leaning on a tree branch. His black hair cascading down like a waterfall, and his phoenix eyes looked at them at a condescending angle. Supporting his head with one hand, he firmly grasped the broken feather arrow with the other hand, and looked over with a full smile.


    ¡°Senior martial brother, what you said is not right.¡±


    Yu Beizhou twirled the white feather at the end of the arrow in his hand, and laughed in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve been here all this time, if Senior brother hadn¡¯t disturbed me, I might have already be drinking and playing chess with the Duke of Zhou now, swimming in the butterfly sea.¡±


    Zong Luo merely sneered, not saying a word to Yu Beizhou¡¯s nonsense.


    As early as when he accepted Gongsun You¡¯s token, Zong Luo felt a strong sense of being spied on. It¡¯s just that he couldn¡¯t determine Yu Beizhou¡¯s location at that time, and he also wanted to let Yu Beizhou see how his little servant from the previous life defected to him, thus he kept silent.


    In Gongsun You¡¯s case, it could still be explained in a sentence¨Cstudying knowledge and skills in a hermit¡¯s family before, but when entering Great Yuan, before he could even meet Yu Beizhou, he was intercepted by Zong Luo halfway, who came out inadvertently, and was accidentally killed.


    But Ye Linghan was different.


    Aside from the fact that Ye Linghan and Yu Beizhou were cousins, they also belonged to the same camp by nature.


    Most importantly, their attributes were too appropriate. One was a crazy masochistic pervert, while the other was mentally ill.


    In his previous life, Zong Luo always saw Ye Linghan running behind Yu Beizhou more than once, nothing more than the word ¡®cousin¡¯ in his mouth. His face full of obsessive adoration, his expression was fanatical and distorted, and he worshiped him like a god.


    Not to mention that Ye Linghan¡¯s own excellent professional ability made great contributions to Yu Beizhou¡¯s capture of Great Yuan¡¯s foundation in the later period.


    If one said that Ye Linghan had no contact with Yu Beizhou, who was he lying to?


    Sure enough, Ye Linghan knelt down on the ground, covered his wound with one hand, and said in a daze, ¡°Cousin!¡±


    He hadn¡¯t seen Yu Beizhou for a long time.


    Obviously, the Proton Mansion was not far from the Beining Mansion. Every time Ye Linghan passed by, he would stop and stare at it silently for a long time, but he dared not even knock on the door.


    They were cousins, and Ye Linghan had a deep memory of this beautiful Yu family cousin when he attended a palace banquet when he was a child. Later, he only heard that the Yu family was destroyed. In order to avenge the Yu family, this cousin of his turned to Great Yuan. These years, he had never given up on the investigation of the Yu family¡¯s annihilation.


    Later, Ye Linghan was also forced to come to Great Yuan as a proton.


    Sometimes, he would often stand at the gate of the Proton Mansion, and look over at the Beining Mansion not far away, feeling a little sad in his heart.


    They were all from the Country of Wei. One acted for revenge, while the other became a proton, yet both of them were compelled to leave their own home.


    He didn¡¯t know if his cousin had hatred in his heart when he worked himself hard for the Great Yuan on the battlefield.


    However, Yu Beizhou didn¡¯t even look at Ye Linghan.


    There was only one person in his eyes.


    The cloak with white fur hung down on the general¡¯s shoulders, as he perched lazily on a branch. He only gazed at Zong Luo, who put away his bow and arrow with a sneer, grabbed Qixing Longyuan, leaped on his horse, and left without looking back.


    Ye Linghan felt uneasy. He got injured again, his head was dizzy, and he didn¡¯t notice Yu Beizhou¡¯s abnormality at all. ¡°Thank you, cousin¡ª¡±


    But before he could even finish his sentence, as he looked up again, he only found that the person perched on the branch was gone.


    ****


    After teaching the two people a lesson just now, Zong Luo was in a better mood, and his expression was not as gloomy as before.


    He had already endured Ye Linghan for a long time now.


    In his previous life, because he was far away at the border, he couldn¡¯t avenge Xiao Ba, but in this life he would surely do it.


    A while back, Zong Luo stabbed him directly with the sword. Unless a famous physician took action, otherwise, his right arm might just be discarded if he was not careful. Of course, even if it was cured, it would take at least a year or so for the injury to recover. In a few words, during this period of time, Ye Linghan shouldn¡¯t be able to come out and cause trouble.


    Ye Linghan should be thankful that Zong Ruichen was fine, otherwise today would not have ended so simply.


    The sound of horses¡¯ hooves clattered in the deep dense forest and rustled while stepping on the dead and broken branches.


    Here, in this pleasing silence, a noisy voice broke erratically from above.


    The fiery red hem of the clothes was intertwined with the white fox fur, accompanied by the sound of the shuffling of the leaves, as the person passed by silently like a ghost.


    On the ground, Zong Luo rode a horse as it galloped away, while Yu Beizhou chased him from above calmly. He also made teasing remarks from time to time, for fear of not igniting any fire.


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long since I saw you, Senior brother, don¡¯t you want to catch up with your old friend from the previous life and talk about the past?¡±


    Zong Luo turned a deaf ear, his eyes were calm and composed and only continued to ride forward.


    After teasing for a while, seeing that Zong Luo didn¡¯t respond, Yu Beizhou felt quite bored.


    He flew in the air for a long time with his lightness skill, yet he suddenly swooped down and ran quickly. In an instant he snatched a horse from a garrison guard stationed nearby.


    ¡°Who¡­¡­¡­Royal Highness?!¡±


    The guard¡¯s eyes were dazzled, and before he had time to react, he was stunned.


    After he came back to his senses, Yu Beizhou had already rode away on his military horse, and only a glimpse of his leaving fiery red back was seen.


    After a while of not hearing Yu Beizhou¡¯s annoying voice, Zong Luo thought that the other person finally felt bored and left, thus he slowed down.


    ¡°Senior Brother, why are you running so fast?¡±


    Unexpectedly, in an instant, a rapid sound of horses¡¯ hooves caught up with him, closing in from behind.


    Zong Luo¡¯s face darkened immediately, and he slapped his sword¡¯s scabbard on the horse¡¯s back.


    Seeing him galloping fast, the horse behind started chasing him, not to be outdone.


    From a distance, two figures, one red and one white, seemed to overlap. One would gain the upper hand for a while, and the other would catch up afterwards, as if their competition should just be like this.


    While riding the horse with ease, Yu Beizhou lazily said, ¡°Fortunately, Senior brother isn¡¯t riding Zhao Yebai this time, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t be able to catch up at all.¡±


    Zong Luo:¡±¡­¡­¡±


    I really want to kill this person who doesn¡¯t speak human words and only knows how to be a disgusting liar every day.


    He said coldly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you learn from your childhood? Even if you don¡¯t speak, no one will think you are dumb.¡±


    Yu Beizhou was still cute when he was a child.


    At that time, as Yu Beizhou was still a fledgling, his scheming was not as deep as it would be in the future. He couldn¡¯t get on the stage, as well as not being able to play Zong Luo, an adult who transmigrated inside the book. He didn¡¯t know how many times he was forced to suffer losses in silence during that period.


    The best part was that Yu Beizhou had to hold back his tongue whenever he was forced to suffer in silence. He couldn¡¯t say a word when he was mad, and he had to pinch his nose in front of the Master and sweetly call him senior brother, pretending to be cute.


    ¡°It turns out that Senior brother likes the young me better.¡±


    Yu Beizhou suddenly realized, ¡°But I like Senior brother now¡­¡­ No, I like Senior brother at any time. But it¡¯s a pity that Senior brother is still too cold to me.¡±


    Fault. Always showing off.


    (t/n Fault- m¨¢ob¨¬ng, refers to a person¡¯s shortcomings or bad habits.)


    The sound of the horses¡¯ hooves was getting closer. Zong Luo immediately made up his mind, turned his horse¡¯s head and headed towards a dangerous road.


    The Ghost Valley Master mainly teaches martial arts to his disciples, supplemented by the Six Arts of a Gentleman, riding was naturally one of them.


    (t/n Six arts of a gentleman- refer to ritual , music, archery , imperialism, calligraphy , and mathematics.)

 Chapter 24.2

    Before the original riding art was changed into hunting art, an extremely steep mountain road was usually chosen as the competition site. Coincidentally, there was only such a hunting ground in the outskirts of the Imperial City, which had endless mountains from behind. In previous years, such a route was chosen from here.


    At the moment, Zong Luo chose the steepest track.


    The dense trees gradually disappeared, revealing the light of the sky behind them.


    The more one rushed forward, the more the soft black land gradually lost its greenness and turned into hard rocks. When the horseshoe pedaled up, it would feel uneven and bumpy.


    On the other side, there were deep cliffs, which were overgrown with mosses. Looking down, one would be dazzled by a sight, comparable to that of the Shu Road.


    (t/n Shu Road is the road from Chang¡¯an to Shu in ancient times. The Shu Road passes through the Qinling Mountains and Daba Mountains. The mountains are high and the valleys are deep, and the roads are rugged and difficult to pass. )


    Let alone riding a horse on such dangerous terrain, even if just by simply walking, with this violent gust of wind, a little carelessness would definitely end one¡¯s life.


    Before the abolition of the riding art, it was unknown how many students had died on this death road.


    The entrance to the narrow and winding path was small enough to only allow one horse to pass through.


    The two speeded up tacitly, wanting to pass through the entrance first.


    At the critical moment, Yu Beizhou suddenly pulled out Tai¡¯A with his backhand, and stabbed it into his own horse.


    The garrison horse neighed in pain, roared and rushed forward suddenly, and it galloped fast towards Zong Luo.


    The white-clothed swordsman¡¯s pupils shrunk suddenly, and he quickly tightened his grip on the reins.


    However, there was not enough time.


    At this angle, a riled horse that went mad was enough, and the huge impact it would produce in an instant was also enough¡­¡­to knock people and their horses off the cliff together¡ª


    ¡ªAs on the other side of the cliff, was only the abyss.


    In the blink of an eye, after Zong Luo muttered sorry silently in his heart, he flew off the horse at the last moment. With his toes barely borrowing momentum from the horse¡¯s back, he flew to the opposite direction and left the horse to fall dangerously on the edge of the cliff.


    Rumble rumble


    The two war horses fell into the cliff in this way, trampling down a large piece of earth, stone and gravel, and went further and further down with the sound of neighing, until they eventually fell to the lowest point.


    It¡¯s hard to imagine that if Zong Luo hadn¡¯t borrowed some strength in time, he might have fallen off the cliff right now, and he and both the horses would be the ones suffering a terrible death at the moment.


    Even though he was used to such big scenes, he couldn¡¯t help but break out in a cold sweat still.


    Zong Luo didn¡¯t want to pay attention to Yu Beizhou at first, after all, he was now focusing on the other princes and the male supporting characters, thus there was no need to spend time with the ¡°extremely captivating¡± protagonist with thousands of fans.


    Moreover, after knowing that Yu Beizhou was also reborn, he had to race against the clock instead of wasting extra time and experience dealing with some old enemies from his previous life. Only when the time comes where he was sure to win the throne, only then would he have the strength to compete.


    Appreciating the unrestrained anger on the swordsman¡¯s face, Yu Beizhou became very satisfied.


    ¡°Senior martial brother is finally willing to talk to me.¡±


    And Zong Luo¡­ Zong Luo was completely livid.


    ¡°You unreasonable lunatic!¡¯


    The swordsman in white didn¡¯t even draw his sword, he directly turned around and greeted Yu Beizhou with a punch in the face.


    His fist style was sharp, crisp, ruthless, merciless, and was even with internal force.


    If this were to be hit accurately, it could directly fracture the bones which would then result in a facial paralysis.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Yu Beizhou tilted his head away without even the least sincerity, and confronted Zong Luo with his empty hands on the edge of the cliff.


    He laughed as he struck, and the speed of his strikes was becoming faster and faster. It was so beautiful that there was even a magnificent smile on his face that was not like any ordinary people. His pair of phoenix eyes that were always a little lazy on ordinary days and could not lift his spirits were amazingly bright at the moment.


    ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s it.¡±


    He sighed morbidly and contentedly. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡­Senior brother, after so many years, you still haven¡¯t changed.¡±


    For Zong Luo, it was just two years of guarding the border and one year after his escape.


    However, for him, it was a real decade.


    Ten years was too long, too long.


    It was so long that when they met again, the blood in his whole body instantly boiled.


    Thinking of this, Yu Beizhou suddenly asked him, ¡°Senior brother, haven¡¯t you thought about why you were reborn?¡±


    Zong Luo suddenly paused, and an unbelievable absurdity rose in his heart. ¡°It¡¯s you?!¡±


    ¡°Naturally.¡± Yu Beizhou claimed it with a smile, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just going back in time, it¡¯s recorded in the Ghost Valley forbidden scripts, Senior brother, haven¡¯t you heard of this immortal technique?¡±


    Right, of course it should be him.


    What about the long-extinct immortal technique? Can¡¯t the dignified son of heaven, the protagonist in the book, not know and use it?


    At this moment, the astonishment and shock in Zong Luo¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t be described in words.


    He had thought about many possibilities, but he hadn¡¯t thought that it would be Yu Beizhou.


    How can that be possible?


    ¡°Why did you¡ª¡±


    Zong Luo couldn¡¯t understand why Yu Beizhou wanted him to be reborn with him.


    If an old enemy of a normal person is dead, shouldn¡¯t he applaud? What is this person really trying to catch up on?


    However, Yu Beizhou only laughed out loud, his shoulders shook as if hearing some funny joke. His laughter reverberated in the valley, making the listener¡¯s ears numb.


    After laughing, he lowered his voice, his tone was intimate and ambiguous, and full of killing intent.


    ¡°Because¡­I really hate you, Senior brother.¡±


    ¡°I hated you until you died, thus I sewed up your body and put it in the ice coffin hall, keeping watch day and night. I hate you so much that I would rather go back in time and kill you with my own hands.¡±

 Chapter 25.1

    Yu Beizhou hadn¡¯t seen Zong Luo for a long, long time.


    No, that¡¯s not right.


    In fact, they saw each other day and night.


    Only a few people knew that there was an ice coffin made of thousands of years of cold ice inside the new emperor¡¯s palace.


    And inside that ice coffin lies the Third Prince of Yuan Dynasty who drew a sword and committed suicide under the Imperial City Gate of Great Yuan ten years ago.


    Yu Beizhou sat upright on the high platform, wearing a red and gold dragon robe, resting his face on one hand, looking boredly at the trembling faces of the civil and military officials of all ranks below.


    Who would have thought, who would have known, this new emperor who stole the country ten years ago had the most violent temper, let alone Emperor Yuan, he was even more cruel than Di Xin and Jie of Xia.


    (t/n The final monarch in the Shang lineage in Shang Dynasty, King Di Xin, was considered a cruel leader who enjoyed torturing people)


    (t/n Jie of Xia was the 17th and last ruler of the Xia dynasty of China. He is traditionally regarded as a tyrant and oppressor who brought about the collapse of a dynasty.)


    When Emperor Yuan was in power back then, no matter in what way, he would level the mountains and seas, making only one country able to rule the world.


    Although the masters of other countries merely shook their heads and sigh when they mentioned the Great Yuan¡¯s violent administration, the martyrs in the world couldn¡¯t wait to lift up an uprising, urging everyone to seize its power and replace them. But in the end, the citizens of Great Yuan were loyal to Great Yuan, and the continuous expansion had eased domestic conflicts, therefore it had calmed down a lot.


    However, after Emperor Yuan died of a sudden illness, everything changed.


    The King of Beining, Yu Beizhou, publicly stood in line with the Fourth Prince and formally joined the battle for the throne.


    Although it was a surprise that the Fourth Prince, who had been very low-key and inconspicuous, was unexpectedly buried so deep. However, the throne of the Great Yuan family had already undergone bloody changes over the years, therefore it could only be regarded as continuing its old tradition and practices.


    Anyhow, the Zong family didn¡¯t care what kind of image they would have in the history. Not even a few good things were said in the history compiled by the previous dynasty, would it then be possible for the future generations to do the opposite?


    The Fifth and Sixth Princes were both shocked and angry, never expecting that this usually a playboy Fourth Prince not only hid and built up his strength, but even got the help of the King of Beining.


    Under the command of the King of Beining, there was the Tianji Army, and capable advisors who came forth in great numbers.


    If one wanted talents, you would be given talents, if one needed military power, you would be given military power, glory and favors. With his help, it was already equivalent to winning even at the starting line.


    It seemed that at that time, the Fourth Prince would be the final winner. Everyone in the court sighed one after another, preparing to take care of Emperor Yuan¡¯s funeral.


    ¡®It is obvious that His Royal Highness the Third Prince is more suitable for that position. ¡®


    More than one person thought so, but unfortunately no one dared to say so.


    Just like the important ministers in the court, not one of them understood, why Emperor Yuan had to pass down such an imperial edict, giving him a sword and ordering him to kill himself on the night when he suddenly fell ill.


    At that time, half of the civil and military officials were greatly frightened. After repeated verification, they finally confirmed that the imperial decree was indeed written by Emperor Yuan himself, and it was stamped with the imperial seal of Great Yuan.


    Even Yu Beizhou didn¡¯t understand.


    Obviously, Zong Luo could just drive away, return to the border, regroup and come back to rebel.


    But he didn¡¯t.


    He chose to draw the sword and commit suicide under the city wall.


    When he heard the news, Yu Beizhou only felt that it was ridiculous and absurd.


    His senior brother had always looked calm and steady on the surface. Just like a real lofty immortal, coldly overlooking everything, seemingly humble, but actually rebellious, and more arrogant than anyone else.


    Shouldn¡¯t such a person lead troops to rush into the Imperial City, force himself to Emperor Yuan¡¯s sickbed, and ask him why he was rejected after the Shaman Sacrificial Ceremony, why he was transferred to the frontier, and why he had to write down a suicide edict for himself.


    How could he just die like this?


    No one understood. Yu Beizhou didn¡¯t understand either.


    When he went to collect the corpse, he still couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    During the seizing of the Crown Prince position, the Imperial City was under martial law, and the people were not allowed to go out at will. Every family knew that the Third Prince committed suicide under the city gate, thus they put orchids at their doors, pasted white papers, silently expressing their condolences with actions.


    Three thousand Xuan cavalries died in battle at the foot of the city. Looking ahead, there were heavy dark clouds, rumbling thunder and flashes of lightning.


    The ground was scorched black, and red blood meandered in the puddles after the heavy rain, blurring out the shockingly bright colors.


    Among the swords and halberds, a white-clothed swordsman was kneeling down on the ground, with his black hair loose and bloodstains on his neck.


    His eyes were tightly closed, and his face showed the blue-gray hue after being dead for a long time. However, he still used Qixing Longyuan to support his body, he would rather die than fall down, like the only king on this battlefield.


    For a whole day in the city, no one dared to set foot here. The soldiers only dared to watch silently on the city wall, watching this silent and solemn funeral.


    Yu Beizhou sighed, and gently picked up the cold corpse.


    He looked down at the person in his arms, rarely getting interested, he brushed away the blood-stained hair with his hands, and stared at the tightly closed eyes.


    When he was still alive, no matter which time they met, the atmosphere would turn dangerous because of the palpable killing intent.


    Only after death could the person be approached and be so obedient.


    He sneered, ¡°Senior martial brother is really pitiful, in the end you actually asked your most hated old enemy to collect your body.¡±


    The strange thing was that, obviously his life-long enemy was dead, therefore he should be overjoyed.


    But Yu Beizhou didn¡¯t feel any joy in his heart at all. Instead, he felt empty, like a piece was missing.


    What is missing?


    Afterwards, with his support, the Fourth Prince, who had been dormant and patient for many years, could finally feel proud and elated. Zong Yongliu and his people were surrounded by the Tianji army in his mansion, his favorable situation had been lost and was rendered powerless. Zong Yuanwu was forced to the cliff, besieged on all sides, and having no choice but to jump, eventually died a horrible death.


    On the night when the overall situation was decided, Prime Minister Pei Qianxue suddenly said that he had a secret decree entrusted by Emperor Yuan before his death. Then he accused the Fourth Prince of not being the heir apparent that Emperor Yuan wanted, and that his enthronement, the name was not right, the words are not right, and should have not been done.


    (t/n the name was not right, and the words are not right- idiom, if the words are used improperly in terms of names or titles, the words spoken will not have a smooth reason; if the words are not smooth or reasonable, things will not be done.)

 Chapter 25.2

    ¡°Look at what Prime Minister Pei is saying, you are from our side.¡±


    Standing before the Golden Hall, Zong Chengsi laughed loudly, ¡°So what if the name is not right? As long as this Emperor opens His mouth, the lands under the heaven are still His after all!¡±


    (t/n Golden Hall- known as the Hall of Supreme Harmony and belongs to one of the three halls of the Forbidden City in Beijing. It is the place where the emperor is enthroned and holds the grand ceremony.)


    ¡°Ugh¡ª¡ª¡±


    In the next second, the expression on his face froze.


    The general in red that stood beside him, calmly drew his sword.


    Only the tip of the sword was stained with scarlet blood, but Yu Beizhou immediately felt dirty even with just a glance, as it was inferior compared to that person¡¯s fragrance.


    ¡°What the Fourth Highness said, since the name was not right, and the words are not right, then this king also wants to fight for the throne.¡±


    When Zong Chengsi died, his face was distorted, full of disbelief.


    ¡°My Lord¡­you¡­¡±


    Yu Beizhou knew that if he told Zong Chengsi directly, with the latter¡¯s affection for him, he might just be able to give up the throne for him.


    It¡¯s just that he didn¡¯t want to.


    No one expected Yu Beizhou to be so presumptuous and daring, even Pei Qianxue was a little taken aback.


    In the past, even if the King of Beining had a perverse personality, he was just a little more blatant and wanton. Which famous general through the ages didn¡¯t have some strange hobbies? It was not surprising at all.


    But now, he directly tore off his last layer of disguise.


    It was not needed anymore.


    It was really not necessary, as the person who could see through that layer of disguise was already dead.


    Under iron and blood suppression, the change of dynasty had also become extremely simple. Not to mention that the Great Yuan was now unstoppable, the unification of the world had also become the general trend and everything was going on in an orderly manner.


    In the first year of the new Great Yuan, Wei Country was destroyed, and a new monarch ascended the throne.


    Everyone was like a marionette, repeating the boring process day after day.


    Until now.


    Yu Beizhou suddenly felt his mood waning and said, ¡°The court is dismissed.¡±


    After speaking, he immediately got up from the dragon chair and left.


    ¡°The ministers send His Majesty off respectfully!¡±


    All the people in the hall were trembling in fear, had their heads bowed deeply, and dared not to stop him.


    Yu Beizhou didn¡¯t even have the slightest interest to take another look, and only walked back to his chamber with his hands clasped behind his back.


    After he ascended the throne, almost half of the people in the palace were dismissed.


    The new emperor hated being close to others, only did everything by himself, and allowed no one to set foot in his chamber.


    The harem had been empty for an unknown number of years, and almost all the courtiers from the previous dynasty had become old courtiers, having the desire to just simply restore the old dynasty, and wishing Yu Beizhou to never have heirs. As for others such as Ye Linghan, Gongsun You and others, who more or less had admiration in their hearts, were more unlikely to remonstrate.


    Over time, the palace became deserted.


    An ice coffin was situated in the middle of the bedchamber.


    Because of this ice coffin, ice was kept inside all year round, making it unspeakably cold.


    The handsome young emperor slowly paced closer.


    Time did not leave any traces on his face, that even the pair of phoenix eyes were still raised, sharp, wanton and arrogant. The dragon robe he was wearing was different from that of Great Yuan¡¯s bright red dragon robe, which seemed to remind him and the world that the country had changed owners and that the old dynasty was replaced with a new one.


    Yu Beizhou approached the ice coffin, he sat on the ground at will, propped his head and looked inside.


    The person inside the ice coffin had already been groomed, changed into clean white clothes, and appeared very pleasant.


    Ignoring the hideous stitches on his neck, the Third Prince of Great Yuan seemed to be just sleeping.


    Not waking up, dreaming for years, surrounded by white mist, almost wanting to really become an immortal.


    ¡°Senior brother seems to have been dead for nine years. Without you opposing me, the days are really unbearable.¡±


    With just a little effort, the lid of the ice coffin was pushed open.


    Yu Beizhou touched Zong Luo¡¯s heart with emotion, as if it was still beating there.


    But in fact, only his heart was beating, only his pulse was beating.


    ¡°Senior brother, you are so cold.¡±


    The black-haired emperor in red lowered his eyes and climbed into the ice coffin very skillfully. The space in the coffin was not large, but it was more than enough for two people to lie side by side.


    Yu Beizhou couldn¡¯t remember how many moonlit nights he had spent here when he fell ill.


    He sealed the bedchamber himself, and rolled madly on the ground, digging his five fingers until fresh blood dripped, but he couldn¡¯t still alleviate the hot and thirst that came up from the depths of his soul.


    However, the illusion would eventually pop like a bubble.


    Only, that something that was missing still rang tirelessly.


    Obviously he had everything and had become the master of the world, but he seemed to also have nothing, which was even worse than a beggar.


    ¡°After Senior brother died, everything seems to have become boring.¡±


    Glory, wealth and honor, world hegemony, that will last for generations to come.


    Without him to witness, what¡¯s the point of all of that?


    Something should be done to make things interesting. Yu Beizhou thought.


    In the ninth year of his reign, the new emperor stepped into a big array.


    And when he opened his eyes again, he returned to the frontier more than ten years ago.


    The deputy general handed over a battle report, with words written that the Third Prince died in the Battle of Hangu Pass.


    *****


    ¡°In the battle at Hangu Pass that day, I had guessed that Senior brother had not died.¡±


    Yu Beizhou smiled happily. ¡°Looking at it again a year later, it was as predicted.¡±


    ¡°Unexpectedly, Senior brother still retains the memory of his previous life. What a pleasant surprise.¡±


    Nine years in the past life, one year in this life.


    Ten years was too long, too long.


    It¡¯s been so long that he almost couldn¡¯t remember how he confronted Zong Luo in the beginning, and their tit for tat that seemed unending.


    Maybe it¡¯s just an obsession. Yu Beizhou thought so many times.


    After all, during the countless days of their hostility, Yu Beizhou had never imagined the ending of Zong Luo¡¯s death in his hands.


    However, after being reborn, Yu Beizhou realized¡ª¡ª


    Even after meeting again in this life, he could still easily arouse his interest.


    Find him. Kill him.


    For countless long nights, this killing desire haunted him.


    In these grievances, fighting to death, and emotions intertwined with hatred.


    ¡°Senior brother, do you know?¡±


    He seemed to heave a sigh, but sighed with great emotion, ¡°The first time I saw you, I had a hunch¨C¡±


    ¡°¡ªthat we will continue to be entangled in this way, and we won¡¯t stop until we die.¡±

 Chapter 26.1

    Pei Qianxue stood outside the hall, with his both arms leisurely hung on both and fingertips motionless under his wide sleeves.


    Such a behavior, to him, was considered hesitation.


    In a distance, soldiers in heavy armor wild long halberds guarded around the Zhang Palace in solemn silence.


    Farther away, crimson palace walls stood tall, and early plums with yellow stamens were pitched on glazed tiles.


    The weather was just right and the sun was shining.


    The Great Shaman Temple made some annotations this morning. It was said that this would be the last scorching sun before the first snow, which also seemed to reflect Pei Qianxue¡¯s good mood.


    Yesterday, he met his best friend that he had yearned for day and night in his mansion.


    Thinking about it carefully, he felt like it was a dream.


    Before that, Pei Qianxue never believed in any gods, Buddhas, or witchcraft. But after the great war at Hangu Pass, he would visit the Great Shaman Temple almost every morning. He would light an incense stick in the huge black incense burner at the entrance, and quietly watch the white smoke swirled around while listening to the shaman¡¯s chants playing in the background.


    People may really have to lose something first before they can understand what they have missed.


    Just like Pei Qianxue, who had been avoiding being repressed, always covered in a layer of fog, not wanting to be seen clearly.


    It wasn¡¯t until he received the news of that person¡¯s death that he suddenly realized that the pain was unspeakable.


    However, although Zong Luo came back, some things became more and more unclear.


    Why is it that in that dream, the sword Jin Yu used to kill himself was Zhanlu?


    Pei Qianxue found it very strange.


    Only a few people had seen Zhanlu.


    It was a treasured sword brought back by Emperor Yuan from the Yue Kingdom in the early years. It was said that when the sword was formed, an anomaly descended from the sky, its light was chilling and sharp, mighty and irresistible, a legendary sword of righteousness and that whoever wielded it would win the world.


    Zhanlu accompanied Emperor Yuan, who was still a prince, through nearly ten years of his military life, until that sudden change during the Sheri Festival, where it was stained with the blood of the Emperor¡¯s relatives. After he ascended the throne, it was shelved away.


    (t/n Sheri Festival, a traditional Chinese festival, also known as Land Birthday, a traditional folk festival originating from China. In Shang Dynasty and the Western Zhou, it was a carnival where lovers could date. Gradually, it became a sacrifice ritual to appease/in honour of Tudishen (God of the Soil and the Ground)


    Pei Qianxue was 100% sure that Zhanlu had always been placed atop a wooden shelf inside the Zhang Palace.


    How could such a sword appear in the dream and be used by Jin Yu to kill himself?


    He hesitated and delayed his time informing Emperor Yuan about it.


    Others may not know, but Pei Qianxue understood very well.


    Back in the days, the Kingdom of Wei was the hegemon of all the nations, and it was thriving day by day. On the other hand, in Great Yuan, the previous emperor ed on his imperial concubine and youngest son, while he ignored the Emperor Yuan who had made great contributions. After the Shaman ceremony, there were rumors that he wanted to abolish the old and establish the young, thus forcing Emperor Yuan to rebel.


    (t/n Abolishing the old and establishing the young refers to the practice of abolishing the inheritance rights of the eldest son and transferring the right to other sons except the eldest son in ancient hereditary feudal society.)


    After Emperor Yuan successfully ascended the throne through a bloody experience, the country¡¯s full scale reconstruction began, and after all the princes and their henchmen were eliminated, no one was left in the upper and lower court whom he could use it to.


    Afterwards, the Wei¡¯s iron cavalry oppressed the Great Yuan¡¯s border, and as a last resort, he had no choice but to send the Third Prince to be a hostage.


    The time of childbirth between the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince was only a few months apart. If he really loved the Third Prince, why send him to Wei Country to be a hostage?


    Furthermore, after Jin Yu returned to Great Yuan from Wei Country, he still lived in the palace for half a year.


    However, in the past six months, he never said anything to him, at least a sentence of indifference, he never did. Later, when Jin Yu asked permission to fight in the battlefield, Emperor Yuan happily let him go. Even when he selected his own soldiers and formed the Xuan Cavalry, he didn¡¯t care.


    Moreover, afterwards, when there were generals in the court going to battle, Emperor Yuan would be in high spirits and go to the city gate to see them off. The King of Beining and General Wei Shan both received this honor, only Jin Yu did not.


    Originally, Pei Qianxue was appreciated by Emperor Yuan, thus he directly ascended to heaven in one step, and became the Prime Minister in commoner clothes.


    At that time, there were so many people in the court who wanted to curry favor with the new prime minister, and at that time, the Fifth and Sixth Princes¡¯ tendency to seize the crown prince position had begun to appear, and they all sent followers and advisers to lobby him in private. It¡¯s funny to say, their words only went around and around, they all say that the Third Prince was not appreciated and valued by His Majesty, and that there was no future in following him.


    Pei Qianxue was quite puzzled at that time.


    To say that Jin Yu was not valued by Emperor Yuan, yet why was he the only one among so many princes who had the right to form personal soldiers, and the only one who held a military power. Even the Fifth Prince, who was also obsessed with Martial Arts, was only given the right to lead a troop in small-scale battles, and would obediently turn it in after coming back.


    However, to say that he was valued by Emperor Yuan, then why did Emperor Yuan ignore him for many years, which was no more than being indifferent towards him.


    That one year, when he went to war in the enemy country, the Third Prince got ambushed by the opposing army and was seriously injured. After he came back, Emperor Yuan didn¡¯t even look at him, he merely asked if he was dead or not, and when he got the answer, he sent an Imperial physician back, and nothing more.


    Even if he did this to train his future crown prince, temper his will and courage, it shouldn¡¯t be done like this.


    However, if it wasn¡¯t for what happened that night, Pei Qianxue might not have believed it.


    It turned out that for so many years, Jin Yu was the prince that Emperor Yuan cared most about, and the heir apparent in his heart.


    He hesitated, not sure whether he should tell Emperor Yuan about Jin Yu¡¯s amnesia and blindness. Yet, he was eventually provoked by the King of Beining in front of his mansion, and finally made up his mind, got in his carriage and headed towards the palace.


    Pei Qianxue was recognized as the confidant of Emperor Yuan.


    Although most of the time, even he couldn¡¯t figure out what the above person was thinking, yet Pei Qianxue still knew better than others that Emperor Yuan was by no means as cruel as the person condemned in both speech and writing by the people.


    There were even times when Pei Qianxue, contrary to what was expected, felt that Emperor Yuan¡¯s brutality was just an appearance he used to maintain his prestige and ruling.


    Back then, when the Rong family plotted a rebellion, it was seen as such a serious crime even to any emperor sitting on the throne, what¡¯s more, there were witnesses and material evidence. No one could be blamed if their family up to its ninth generation was killed, all there was to say was that since they rebelled then they¡¯re also prepared to fail.


    Afterwards was Pei Qianxue¡¯s political reform. Looking at other countries, which country¡¯s reform was successful? Reform meant getting rid of the old ministers, and showing no mercy when safeguarding one¡¯s own interests. What¡¯s more, although Pei Qianxue was an official Prime Minister, he had no background in the court. Also, he stood firmly on the Third Prince who had no background as well. It was like a swaying grass amidst the raging storm, being looked down by anyone.


    At this time, Emperor Yuan suddenly summoned him secretly, and said something straight to the point.


    ¡°Prime Minister Pei, the reform is imperative. Zhen will stand behind you, don¡¯t hesitate and just do it.¡±


    Pei Qianxue¡¯s reform, without doubt, offended the interests of many aristocrats, but on the contrary, it gave preferential treatment to students from poor families, recruited talents widely, increased income and reduced expenditure, and truly implemented benefits for the people. If he was really a tyrant, it would have been impossible for him to support his reform, and for the decentralization of power to be so straightforward. It would also have been even more impossible to be so discerning, to go one¡¯s own way when almost the entire court was opposed to it.

 Chapter 26.2

    Thanks to the layer of cover up of this tyrant, after raiding a few households, the entire court was full of soldiers, looking like quails. The smooth implementation of the reform made Pei Qianxue feel incredible and amazed.


    Throughout the ages, most emperors only ever cared about false reputation.


    It¡¯s the first time he had seen someone as pure and unpretentious as Emperor Yuan.


    Since then, Pei Qianxue was determined to work hard for Emperor Yuan.


    He believed that, even if Jin Yu looked like this now, Emperor Yuan would not turn a blind eye to him. Thus he still took this risk.


    He waited here for a long time yesterday, but only to be informed that he couldn¡¯t see him.


    After thinking about it for a while, Pei Qianxue understood the reason why.


    Yesterday was Jin Yu¡¯s death anniversary.


    Usually, every time, when that day comes, at least he would mention it and then go to the Imperial Mausoleum to see his monument.


    Only on Jin Yu¡¯s death anniversary, would the Emperor Yuan mention about it in a mouthful. He would be furious in the morning, and ordered no one to see him after court. All the ministers would be very nervous, and would dare not provoke this angry emperor.


    Since he couldn¡¯t see him yesterday, Pei Qianxue returned and came back again today.


    Unexpectedly, after waiting for a long time at the door of the Zhang Palace, the voice of summons was still not heard.


    The one on duty at the door today was Yuan Jia, the Chief Eunuch.


    ¡°Prime Minister Pei, please wait a little longer. Yesterday, His Majesty¡¯s affairs had piled up, therefore there are more people coming today. Just now General Mu went in for a while, it is estimated that he had something important to report.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Chief Eunuch Yuan Jia, I¡¯ll just wait.¡±


    Pei Qianxue didn¡¯t care, and still stood directly at the door.


    After about it took to burn a stick of an incense, there was movement from inside.


    Mu Yuanlong, who had changed into soft armor, strode out and immediately saw the person at the door, ¡°Prime Minister Pei.¡±


    ¡°Lord Mu.¡±


    Pei Qianxue and Jin Yu¡¯s former deputy general were also counted as nodding friends. The two hurriedly greeted each other at the door and then left one after another.


    (t/n Nodding friends- Chinese idiom, pinyin di¨£n t¨®u zh¨© ji¨¡o, means that the friendship is very shallow, just nodding when meeting each.)


    However, Pei Qianxue glanced back at Mu Yuanlong¡¯s retreating figure.


    Years ago, the Xuan Cavalry was sent to Nanliang, but was unable to attack for a long time, and eventually, was rescued by the passing Tianji Army.


    Now that the end of the year was approaching, almost all the major wars had come to a halt.


    In the end, the remaining Yu and Wei countries were both not good bones to chew on, therefore it would be better to just wait for a while and wait until the new year.


    Since there was no war, then why was Mu Yuanlong here?


    Pei Qianxue pressed down the thoughts in his heart, raised his eyes and saw Emperor Yuan standing in front of the desk with his hands clasped behind his back.


    He made a bow with hands folded in front and saluted, ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Prime Minister Pei, you are here.¡±


    Emperor Yuan returned to his senses, pointed to the tabletop, and showed him the memorial that was laid flat on it.


    ¡°It just so happened that, you also saw Mu Yuanlong left just now, come, let¡¯s see what he wrote.¡±


    The heavy palace door closed behind him.


    Pei Qianxue looked sideways and then asked in surprise, ¡°Letter asking for resignation?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    Emperor Yuan rubbed his eyebrows. Perhaps it was because he didn¡¯t sleep last night, there was a faint bluish black under his eye sockets, indicating that he was a little fatigued.


    However, those eyes still flashed with a sharp light, not angry and self-prestige.


    (t/n Not angry and self-prestige, describing a person who is not angry, but still has a majestic temperament, generally used to describe a high-ranking and courageous aura.)


    He slammed the memorial to the ground and said viciously, ¡°This Mu Yuanlong is really inflexible!¡±


    Although Emperor Yuan didn¡¯t say anything else, Pei Qianxue already understood the unspoken meaning.


    After Jin Yu died at Hangu Pass, Xuan Cavalry became an army without a master. This brave and skilled in battle army, which made the other six kingdoms fearful upon hearing their name, were actually personal soldiers belonging to the Third Prince.


    After the commanding general died, from the court or from the opposing side, it was unknown how many generals were eyeing Xuan Cavalry, just wanting to incorporate this army into their own. Among them, the Fifth Prince was the most eager one, and even played the ridiculous banner that the Imperial brother¡¯s soldiers should be inherited by the Imperial brother¡¯s younger brother.


    Emperor Yuan lost his temper and refused to agree with any of them.


    He promoted Mu Yuanlong to be the Commanding General, and continued to make Xuan Cavalry independent from the major armies.


    The more Emperor Yuan spoke, the angrier he became, ¡°Zhen let him be the Commanding General of Xuan Cavalry, but he came to Zhen to resign. He didn¡¯t even think about it. If he left, wouldn¡¯t this Xuan Cavalry become a joke?!¡±


    ¡°This, let it pass, at least Zhen can still reject it. But he is good, he even filed a complaint with Zhen, saying that recently there was a student from the Baijia Banquet who had the Qixing Longyuan, suspected of deliberately imitating it¡ªdid he think Zhen had no idea?!


    As a suspicious emperor, Emperor Yuan had eyes and ears all over the Imperial City. No matter what happened in the Capital, the shadow guards would almost report everything in detail.


    ¡ªIt¡¯s just a student who looks like him.


    Emperor Yuan already knew about it from the first day he stepped into the City gate.


    ¡°What does Mu Yuanlong mean by such a trivial complaint? Does he expect Zhen to issue an order now to send that student to be beheaded?¡±


    Emperor Yuan snorted coldly, waved his long sleeves, and paced back and forth in the huge hall.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t even think about it, that¡¯s a student from the Hundred Schools of Thought! They are like rivers and lakes that intertwine with each other, same ambitions and same spirit. If Zhen offend one here, won¡¯t Zhen be just pushing the talents to the countries of Wei and Yu?¡±


    Pei Qianxue:¡±¡­¡­¡­¡±


    Suddenly he was speechless.


    Your Majesty, do you still remember your tyrant persona in the eyes of the world?


    ¡°What¡¯s more, it¡¯s just that they look alike, is Zhen this narrow-minded? And be ridiculed by the world?¡±


    Pei Qianxue thought it over again, ¡°Your Majesty, have you ever thought that¡­..that person might really be..¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t say his name.


    A dragon had a reverse scale, touch it, and it would kill you. Even if Pei Qianxue had 100% certainty, when facing Emperor Yuan, it was not easy to simply speak out openly.


    Many people felt that Pei Qianxue didn¡¯t know how to adapt to changes, using blunt words to remonstrate inside the court, and oftentimes provoking Emperor Yuan¡¯s black face. But on the contrary, Pei Qianxue knew how to be flexible too much, that when doing things he would say good things and bad things when it was needed.


    There was a dead silence in the hall.


    Emperor Yuan suddenly turned his head, and the beads on his crown struck together, making a crisp collision.


    The deep black eyes hidden under the crown were bottomless, like a hidden dragon lying in the abyss.


    The Prime Minister in green robe still stood where he was, standing tall and straight, like pine and bamboo, with a calm face, looking straight at Emperor Yuan without fear.


    The silence prolonged.


    When Pei Qianxue eventually thought that Emperor Yuan was about to get angry, the cold-faced emperor in black dragon robe finally spoke.


    ¡°Unlikely.¡±


    Emperor Yuan said in a deep voice, as if he was not only convincing Pei Qianxue, but also as if he was convincing himself.


    ¡°If he is really still alive, it is impossible for him not to come to see Zhen.¡±

 Chapter 27.1

    That¡¯s right. If Jin Yu hadn¡¯t really lost his memory, then it¡¯s impossible for him not to come to see His Majesty.


    Pei Qianxue knew that although his best friend didn¡¯t say anything on the surface, he was actually filial and loyal, and put emphasis on love and righteousness. Moreover, his act of rivaling his brothers was still a little restrained. After all, the situation of seizing the throne was always changing in the Imperial City, and murderous intentions were hidden early on, only showing its sharp edge.


    (t/n Emphasis on love and righteousness-Chinese vocabulary, pinyin pronounced as zh¨°ng q¨ªng zh¨°ng y¨¬. It means that regardless of your own personal feelings or the feelings of your relatives, you always care about family affection. For friends and colleagues, all aspects are righteous, and you will not do people or things that hurt relatives and friends .)


    Although he longed for family affection, he was not a fool, yet he was also not interested in the throne. When the Fifth and Sixth Princes mostly competed against each other, he merely watched the fire from the sidelines. This point was also sympathized by Pei Qianxue after that long talk all night.


    But for Emperor Yuan¡­¡­Pei Qianxue thought¨CJin Yu is a prince that should be worshiped and revered.


    Obviously, there was no need to say more when it came to reverence. Which minister in the court would not tremble in fear when they see Emperor Yuan, just wanting to simply escape? With Emperor Yuan¡¯s fierce reputation outside, it was doomed that everyone who saw him would be like a mouse seeing a cat. Even the few princes who were fighting for the crown prince position only dared to do some petty tricks in private, determined not to make it public, and even changed their tricks to show their loyalty and filial piety to Emperor Yuan.


    To others, Emperor Yuan might just be a well-known tyrant. But for those who really understood and saw the truth of the emperor concealed under the cover of cruelty, Emperor Yuan was indeed worthy of admiration, and respect, otherwise he would not be able to attract noble and arrogant students like Pei Qianxue to follow him.


    In addition, since Emperor Yuan¡¯s reign, he had achieved remarkable achievements, he had a unique vision, and strived to reform, moreover, when he was still just a prince, he fought in the army, which also earned him a reputation of a fierce and cruel man. The reason why he was able to quickly destroy the surrounding countries after he ascended the throne was also because he cleared many obstacles for the Great Yuan when he led troops. Now there were only three countries left in the Great Wilderness, excluding the Great Yuan, there were only two. For thousands of years, the long-cherished wish of Great Yuan¡¯s ancestors to unify the world was close at hand. If successful, it would really be the first time in the Great Wilderness. The title ¡°One Emperor Through The Ages¡± would absolutely be bound to win through, which only showed his great talent and bold vision.


    With such a father, worship seemed to be taken for granted.


    Zong Luo would never talk to Pei Qianxue about Emperor Yuan.


    He would only silently express his admiration.


    Even if he didn¡¯t say it, Pei Qianxue nevertheless knew it.


    Before the battle at Hangu Pass, Jin Yu asked where he could find an imperial piece of raw green jade with excellent color and luster, that would be comparable to the legendary Heshibi that had been lost for many years. Afterwards, he would face this raw material every day, grasp a carving knife, and sculpt carefully. Even when he went out to fight or only squatted in the barracks, he didn¡¯t forget to take out his carving knife to make two strokes.


    Seeing how obsessed he was, Pei Qianxue asked a little curiously.


    At that time, Jin Yu secretly showed it to him, and mysteriously told him not to say anything about it.


    The owner spent half a year carving and polishing it, and this palm-sized jade had begun to take its shape.


    Although it was only a very sloppily made raw material, it could also be seen that its momentum was like a majestic dragon that soared through the clouds and rode the fog.


    Since the prince used Kui patterns most. Therefore, it goes without saying who this piece of jade carved with dragons was dedicated to.


    He had only always led soldiers to fight a war, yet this hand that held a sword could unexpectedly carve such a delicate jade. One could only say that it must have taken a lot of painstaking effort.


    Originally, last year was supposed to be Emperor Yuan¡¯s birthday, ¡°knowing the destiny at fifty¡± big birthday, and it was supposed to be held with great splendor.


    (t/n Knowing the destiny at fifty or Knowing the mandate of heaven at fifty-means that after the age of fifty, one realizes that it is difficult to realize one¡¯s ideals, so he no longer pursues results in doing things, and merely follows destiny.)


    It¡¯s a pity that when the news of Hangu Pass came, the whole country turned gloomy, and the big day that was supposed to be held in a grand way, was changed into a white mourning dress with a plain and simple ceremony. Emperor Yuan even ordered the cancellation of the banquet, and none of the gifts prepared by the princes were sent out.


    Pei Qianxue restrained his mind, and cupped his hands again, ¡°This subject also went to see that student and confirmed it again and again. Thus this subject have come to report to His Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°Pei Qianxue!¡±


    Emperor Yuan was almost at the end of his forbearance.


    His eyes became as sharp as a falcon, and with a cold light, ¡°Don¡¯t think that because Zhen is fond of you and trusts you unduly, lets you speak out and advise, that you can be lawless and bold!¡±


    The Prime Minister in green robes paused slightly, yet still ignored the cold murderous aura that erupted from the other party¡¯s fury, and continued to speak calmly, ¡°This subject thinks that Your Majesty should go and see him.¡±


    ¡°See him, and His Majesty will understand everything.¡±


    The incident with Mu Yuanlong just now had already pulled Emperor Yuan¡¯s anger to the warning level, and no matter what he would say now, it would only backfire. What¡¯s more, Jin Yu, at present, was amnesiac and blind¡­..After weighing the pros and cons, Pei Qianxue decided not to take any more risks.


    After all, although Emperor Yuan was not as cruel as the rumors said, he was definitely not kind to others as well.


    However, as long as that capable person stood before Emperor Yuan, everything would be discredited.


    Emperor Yuan sneered, ¡°Okay, then Zhen will have a look, Prime Minister Pei is so respected, he would rather provoke Zhen to also want to look, what is so sacred!¡±


    (t/n What is sacred- used to describe the mystery of someone¡¯s background, or to ask questions about someone who doesn¡¯t understand  or ¡°Who are you and what is your background (generally refers to a more powerful person) Who are you? What¡¯s your background?)


    ¡°Servant, prepare for Zhen to go out!¡±


    ****


    Ye Linghan clutched his wound, and stood up staggeringly, he immediately applied a wound medicine and bandaged himself.


    In order to hunt prey better, he specially gave some benefits to the two garrison guards who followed him, telling them not to follow him and only observe the other students, and if they could find a big fat sheep, they would also be rewarded heavily.


    That¡¯s right, in order to win, Ye Linghan bribed some palace servants in private and abused his position for personal gain.


    In the hunting competition, one did not have to necessarily hunt prey by himself, robbing the prey of other students, and turning it in at the appointed time would also be counted. As for the other students, their prey was kept by the garrison guards, and even if one or two went missing, as long as one bit their tongue and refused to admit it, there would be nothing left to say.


    What¡¯s more, Ye Linghan before, used every means to flatter someone, curry favor while accompanying in drinking and he really climbed to several dreadful high branches. Over the years, he had also accumulated some property by various means, and was only waiting to use it all in this time of the hunt, and finally win the first place in one fell swoop.


    Yet now¡­¡­¡­..nothing.


    Ye Linghan clenched his teeth, feeling the sharp pain from his right arm, his heart cooled down and he only felt indifferent.

 Chapter 27.2

    He staggered onto his horse, leaned against it, then steered forward carefully.


    Ye Linghan didn¡¯t dare to run too fast, because everytime the horse jolted, the wound on his body would ache, it was a pain that was unbearable to endure, and blood would eventually flow out.


    At most, each student would bring some simple hemostatic cloth strips as wound medicine was not allowed. Ye Linghan took the risk to sneak some in, but he was helpless in the face of such a large wound, therefore he could only return to the camp of the hunting competition, and if he could bandage it well¡­¡­..Maybe he¡¯d be able to hold on a little longer, after all, the competition had just started not too long ago.


    For a whole day and a night, this was his last hope, Ye Linghan would not give up so easily no matter what.


    Thud¡­thud¡­thud


    Shortly, after he had run out, a voice of a garrison guard came from the front.


    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s Young Master Ye.¡±


    The guard on duty had been standing there to watch, feeling bored, it was difficult to merely wait until an interesting person unexpectedly came out. Thinking of the fragrant rumors of the other party circulating in the brothels of Liu Street, his tone suddenly became more frivolous.


    Ye Linghan looked like a girl, born good-looking, and had the status of a noble. In the final analysis, it was still really a powerful person losing all its power and advantages. It¡¯s unknown how much more advanced he was compared to those smeared young men.


    Thinking of such a person secretly having to curry favor in bed with those old men who were already in their coffins and were half buried in the ground behind their backs, the garrison guard felt disdainful from the bottom of his hearts.


    ¡°Lord.¡±


    Facing the other party¡¯s clear and undisguised expression, Ye Linghan clenched the reins tightly and lowered his posture, hatred and anger swept across the prairie ablaze, but he still didn¡¯t dare to say a word.


    In the end, the guard was still afraid of this protege who was sent by the Wei Country to be a hostage. After a few words, the guard reluctantly showed him the way.


    Ye Linghan¡¯s fingertips were bleeding on the palm of his hand, yet he still continued to ride away without making a sound.


    After a while, when the cold wind had already dried all the blood on his right shoulder and condensed into large scabs, Ye Linghan arrived at the entrance of the hunting camp.


    A witch doctor in coir raincoat frowned when he saw his wound, and ordered people to remove him from his horse. He then put in herbs in a medicine bowl in his hand, and began to mix the wound medicine on the spot.


    (t/n The witch doctor is a person with two identities. He can not only communicate with ghosts and gods, but also deal with medicine. He is more specialized in medicine than ordinary wizards.)


    ¡°Lie down, otherwise you¡¯ll lose this hand.¡±


    Ye Linghan¡¯s face turned pale with shock, and his resentment was hard to calm down.


    He did not understand.


    Since Zong Luo had ordered Xuan Cavalry to take care of him, at least for him¡­.. It was seen as being affectionate, at least a little bit.


    But now, he obviously didn¡¯t tell Zong Luo¡¯s secret, but the latter injured his arm like this for the sake of the Eighth Prince who lived in the Cold Palace all year round.


    Why, just because Zong Ruichen was his younger brother? Zong Hongjiu was also his younger brother! Why didn¡¯t I see him showing him no mercy as well.


    Ye Linghan hadn¡¯t been lying down for long when the witch doctor was suddenly called away temporarily.


    ¡°His Highness the Ninth Prince is injured! Hurry and go call an imperial physician!¡±


    ¡°What about the witch doctor? As for that witch doctor, he must be blind. Can¡¯t you see that the Ninth Prince is still screaming in pain!¡±


    Ye Linghan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he quietly opened a corner of the tent to look outside.


    Sure enough, Zong Hongjiu laid on a sedan chair and was yelling loudly. From a distance, he could see that his face was covered with blood, his nose was bruised, his face was swollen, and several of his teeth had been knocked out.


    ¡°This Prince¡­this Prince is going to kill that impostor!¡±


    Zong Hongjiu couldn¡¯t even stand up, and could only slur his speech, which made him even more furious.


    He had never experienced such a big grievance since he was a child.


    ¡°You form an army for me now, and dig three feet deep into the ground and find that student named Gu Luo. This Prince will cut him into pieces and punish him with Ling Chi!¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡­¡± Duan Junhao was a little speechless, ¡°Why don¡¯t the Ninth Prince go to Yanwei Mansion and ask?¡±


    He had just carefully questioned the two guards who followed the Ninth Prince, and they both said that they didn¡¯t see anything unusual, and that it was the Ninth Prince who fell off the horse himself, resulting in him being in this state.


    In the case of unsubstantiated claims, even if Zong Hongjiu was a prince, Duan Junhao was still not willing to wrong any innocent student.


    ¡°Bold! Daring to murder the Emperor¡¯s heir, this is considered a felony¡­¡­¡±


    The servant next to Zong Hongjiu immediately wanted to follow up to flatter his master, and when he was about to put a big hat on Duan Junhao, a sharp voice suddenly came from afar.


    (t/n Big hat- use high-sounding reasons or the power of dignitaries to force the other party to bow their heads.)


    ¡°His Majesty has arrived¡ª¡±


    Simultaneously, everyone in the hunting ground was startled.


    All the people who were busy stood up straight, cupped their fists and saluted, ¡°Welcome Your Majesty!¡±


    In the distance, the dark golden emperor¡¯s entourage moved over like a sea of clouds.


    The emperor in the dragon robe of the same color sat on a majestic maroon horse, followed by Pei Qianxue, the Prime Minister of Great Yuan, who was dressed in green.


    After arriving at the hunting ground, Emperor Yuan¡¯s expression was calm. With just one look, Yuan Jia immediately told Duan Junhao to make arrangements.


    On ordinary days, Emperor Yuan¡¯s joy and anger were not visible on the surface, but now any fool could tell that His Majesty was in a bad mood. Zong Hongjiu, who was still flaunting his power just now, shrank his neck as if being strangled, and did not dare to say a word.


    After a stick of incense, a garrison guard on duty rushed over.


    He half-knelt on the ground and said tremblingly, ¡°Reporting to His Majesty, the student named Gu Luo that you are looking for¡­¡­..Not long ago, got into an accident together with the King of Beining¡­¡­¡­¡­.rolled down the cliff, and haven¡¯t found any traces of them yet.¡±

 Chapter 28.1

    Zong Luo felt as if he had a very long dream.


    He dreamed that Yu Beizhou himself admitted that he was responsible for the rebirth. Although it was beyond Zong Luo¡¯s expectation, it was not incomprehensible.


    Zong Luo had personally experienced the power of the protagonist¡¯s halo. Since the world in this book had evolved from the prehistoric, the protagonist was truly the Son of Heaven, the author¡¯s own son, the spokesperson for the beautiful, strong and miserable, and no one would be able to wrong him.


    Looking at Yu Beizhou¡¯s previous life, it was true that he had gained what he wanted, prosperity and wealth, status, power, and admirers¡­¡­There was no shortage of them.


    The Wei family¡¯s aristocratic young master, who went to Great Yuan to become a general, successfully became a King with a different surname, and finally sought power to usurp the throne and change the dynasty.


    If Zong Luo hadn¡¯t been sure that the ¡°Can Drink A Cup of Nothing¡± he had read before transmigrating inside the book was serialized in Lujiang Literature City, he might have wondered if it was a trick written by a straight guy on a terminal website next door.


    Therefore¡­¡­¡­..this was simply comparable to a magic trick, and was not a difficult task for Yu Beizhou.


    After his death in his previous life, without doubt, Yu Beizhou must have succeeded in stabbing the Fourth Prince behind his back and led a group of male supporting characters to seek power and usurp the throne.


    Unless the Fourth Prince voluntarily relinquished the throne¡­¡­..


    Zong Luo thought back on how obsessed his Fourth Brother was with Yu Beizhou, and felt that under the halo of this heartthrob with thousands of fans, it seemed that it would not be a surprise for the male supporting character to do such a shocking thing.


    Zong Luo simply couldn¡¯t understand, since Yu Beizhou had already reached the top of his destination in that life¡ªwhat more does he want?


    What is his plan in this new life? Does he want to feel the joy of struggle again?


    Zong Luo didn¡¯t believe it, he didn¡¯t believe that Yu Beizhou was reborn with him just because he wanted to kill him again.


    ¡°¡­Do you want to embark on the journey of cultivating towards immortality?¡±


    It was no wonder that Zong Luo thought about this aspect, it was because¡­¡­..it was not impossible for this ancient court setting to transform into cultivating immortal text. There were often authors who wrote and wrote with cool plots and didn¡¯t want their story to finish, therefore they would open a new setting. In the past, Zong Luo had also seen ones that opened from modern times to the end of the world and finally opened outside to the universe. It was not impossible to think about it.


    Yu Beizhou was surprised, ¡°Senior brother, why do you think so? Is it because I use an immortal method for you?¡±


    Immortality, what is the meaning of immortality?


    But of course, it is more interesting if he can fight against the Senior brother again.


    Zong Luo repeated in disbelief, ¡°So you went back in time, really just to kill me with your own hands?¡±


    The general in red smiled and nodded.


    Zong Luo:¡±¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    He sewed up the corpse of his previous life, put it in the hall with ice and kept watch every day, tried his best to find the immortal method and bring him back to life just to kill him again?


    It¡¯s really simply like the literal meaning, just to kill him once.


    The white-clothed swordsman was silent for a long time, he stopped the actions of his hands for once, retreated backwards, and landed lightly on the ground.


    He lowered the Qixing Longyuan across his chest, conveniently drew an arc with the sword, put it into its sheath, turned around and left.


    In the past, how to say it, in ¡°Can Drink A Cup of Nothing¡±, no matter how a ¡°masochistic pervert with brain problems¡± Yu Beizhou was, Zong Luo only thought that the protagonist was quite interesting. Now that he had personally felt it, he could only say that it was particularly shocking that his Three Views had been destroyed, which made him simply want to buy a train ticket and escape from this planet overnight.


    If he was a normal person, Zong Luo might still want to reason with him, but with a lunatic¡­..there was really nothing to talk about, as it would only lower his IQ.


    If one couldn¡¯t, then at the least he shouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Alas, why is Senior brother leaving?¡±


    Seeing Zong Luo put away his sword, Yu Beizhou couldn¡¯t help but froze on the spot.


    Since it was only a warm-up just now, and there was no blood, he had not yet enjoyed himself at all.


    Yu Beizhou had been bored for a long time before and after his rebirth, he finally found the thrill of fighting, but with the abrupt halt in the middle of the fight, he felt extremely uncomfortable.


    ¡°Senior brother, come play with me one more time.¡±


    He still wanted to fight Zong Luo again, but Zong Luo looked like he had lost his fighting spirit, and no matter how much he teased him, he was not moved at all.


    However, Yu Beizhou was definitely a professional when it came to making his Senior brother angry.


    He simply would fan the flames while watching the sense of bustle and make everything worse. His red clothes were flamboyant, and he chatted vigorously. From his previous life to this life, he couldn¡¯t wait for Zong Luo to lose his cool.


    Feeling rather helpless, Yu Beizhou had no choice but to use his trump card.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Senior brother want to know the truth about his death in the previous life?¡±


    When Zong Luo pretended not to hear him, he kept a cold face along the way, but when he heard Yu Beizhou say this, there was a slight reaction.


    ¡°Since I get to live again, I will naturally check these.¡±


    He turned his head to look, with the white silk covering his eyes, his brows that were seen were gentle, but when he looked at Yu Beizhou, there was an indelible coldness hidden on those brows of his eyes.


    ¡°Yu Beizhou, there¡¯s no need for you to provoke me on purpose. The debts you owe me in the previous life, for now, we are even. In this life, you will follow your path and I will follow my single-plank bridge. We¡¯ll never mention the past again and we will not owe each other again. ¡°


    Hearing Yu Beizhou said that the rebirth was for him, Zong Luo felt somewhat complicated in his heart.


    The most annoying and helpless thing for a person should be accepting the sentiment of a sworn enemy.


    Regardless of whether Yu Beizhou wanted to do it all over again or if he would be harmed again, at least he got to live again¡­¡­Zong Luo was happy.


    There were too many unwillingness and regrets in his previous life.


    If he could do it all over again, understood these regrets with his own hands, how great would that be.


    Zong Luo claimed that he was not a benign and open-hearted gentleman, but no matter how unwilling he was, he had to admit that if there was no Yu Beizhou, there was also no third life.


    As the saying goes, saving a life was like becoming a life-saving benefactor. But even if Zong Luo was killed, it would be impossible to recognize Yu Beizhou, this stinky junior brother, as his benefactor, but if let go of his hatred¡­¡­..he thought, maybe he could do it.

 Chapter 28.2

    After all, if he had to say anything, the conflict between him and Yu Beizhou was nothing more than a cannon fodder and the protagonist in the original book, with resentments that had been piled up over the years. However, in all honesty, it was far from the level of what was often written in online articles, like killing all the family and having deep blood feuds.


    ¡°Hahahaha, Senior Brother, you are indeed worthy of yourself. People favor you, you can even shake hands with enemies just to make peace. You are really free and easy, graceful and self-cultivated, open and aboveboard, and have a sharp sense of integrity.¡±


    Yu Beizhou was taken aback for a moment, and then suddenly burst out laughing, ¡°However¡­..what did you say? Not¡­¡­¡­owe each other?¡±


    They were standing on the edge of the cliff, surrounded by open space, and the stone walls were reverberating, which made it all the more frightening.


    At a certain moment, the smile on Yu Beizhou¡¯s face suddenly changed and disappeared.


    Zong Luo almost never saw him not smiling.


    The pair of phoenix eyes that were always upturned also cooled down, the tails of the eyes were bright red, showing an inexplicable cruelty, and there were countless complex emotions that Zong Luo could not understand.


    ¡°Senior brother, you don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Yu Beizhou said word by word, ¡°We will never, never be able to not owe each other.¡±


    ¡°Yu Beizhou, what¡¯s wrong with you?!¡±


    In an instant, Zong Luo burned with rage.


    The previous life was full of colorful, prosperous and gorgeous scenes, yet to him it wasn¡¯t enough; in this life, he was dragged to be reborn with him together¡ªwhat are you trying to do, are you trying to make him a foil character?


    He even conceded, yet, he didn¡¯t expect Yu Beizhou to still be so ungrateful.


    He put up with it again and again, but he finally couldn¡¯t bear it, and drew his sword.


    This time Zong Luo¡¯s sword wind was full of anger, his moves were deadly, and he was merciless everywhere.


    Yu Beizhou¡¯s eyes finally lit up.


    Since the death of Zong Luo in his previous life, not only had he won the position of Supreme Being in the world, but even his swordsmanship was unmatched. There had never been such a hearty battle like this.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, Jin Yu, we have to fight like this to be complete.¡± He whispered intimately, like ambiguous love words.


    With just a flash of kung fu, thin wounds appeared on Yu Beizhou¡¯s wrist.


    Seeing the blood, he became even more excited, and his face that was as beautiful as a shaded peach bloomed beautifully.


    The heavy sword Tai¡¯a flashed a scarlet glow in the air, and collided fiercely with Qixing Longyuan.


    They were so close that they could feel the spray of each other¡¯s breath.


    One was cold and the other was hot.


    Zong Luo and Yu Beizhou fought at the Great Shaman Temple yesterday.


    There were still unhealed wounds on the slender neck of the white-clothed swordsman, against his pale complexion, it was slightly shocking under his chilly complexion.


    For some reason, Yu Beizhou enjoyed this scene and found it extremely pleasing to the eye.


    After being reborn in this life, Yu Beizhou let himself go.


    At this point in time, in his previous life, he still pretended to be like his little junior brother, far from being so rampant.


    Zong Luo¡¯s expression became colder and colder. Taking advantage of Yu Beizhou dodging, he pulled out the horsewhip with force and whipped it hard.


    This time, he was not as merciful as last time at the Lanting Waterside Pavilion. He aimed it straight directly at Yu Beizhou¡¯s neck, and the barb left an identical blood wound on his body.


    ¡°Senior brother is too vengeful.¡± He sighed with emotion.


    ¡°Not only do I hold grudges, but I also want to get rid of the scourge that is you.¡± Zong Luo sneered.


    He shook his hands and pulled back the whip, ¡°I will not give up fighting with you for everything that I deserve, and as for you who want to kill me with your own hands, then you can just try.¡±


    ****


    Zong Luo rubbed his head and suddenly woke up from a dream.


    This was an all-too-familiar elegant room, with soothing incense burning in the incense burner.


    Outside the bamboo window not far away, patches of clumps of tall and straight bamboos were seen, the bright moon was hung high, it seemed that it was already midnight.


    He still had some inconspicuous dull pains, but most of them had been carefully bandaged, and he didn¡¯t feel them any more.


    After regaining consciousness, Zong Luo understood that what he had just now was not a dream.


    Not long ago, he did have a serious fight with Yu Beizhou at the hunting ground, and the two of them rolled together and fell off the cliff.


    Thinking about it now, Zong Luo still felt angry.


    Yu Beizhou really pissed him off completely.


    If he hadn¡¯t provoked him, Zong Luo wouldn¡¯t have lost his mind in fury at the end.


    On the edge of the cliff, the prince in white put away his sword coldly.


    He suddenly grabbed Yu Beizhou¡¯s placket, and the latter simply looked over with a smile on his face.


    (t/n Placket-the front part of a coat or robe.)


    Yu Beizhou, who was caught by the placket of his robes, was taken aback, and his smile became more intense.


    As Zong Luo grabbed his placket and got closer, he suddenly bowed his head and sniffed intoxicatedly.


    ¡°Senior brother¡¯s blood smells so good.¡±


    It was really fragrant, and it seemed to be mixed with the cold smell of the swordsman, which made people dazzled and fascinated. Such a fresh breath was incomparable to the person laid inside the jade coffin in his previous life.


    The vacancy that he had been searching for for a whole ten years, but had no idea how to end it, was now filled with the fragrance of blood.


    The string in Zongluo¡¯s head that had been tense finally broke.


    ¡°If you want to get entangled with me so much¡­..Good, then let¡¯s die together.¡±


    He swore that this was the craziest and most daring thing he had ever done in his three lifetimes.


    However, Zong Luo didn¡¯t regret it at all, and even felt extremely refreshed.


    Because he saw the obvious astonishment on Yu Beizhou¡¯s face that he had never seen on his masked face since he grew up.


    The next second, they rolled together and fell off the cliff.

 Chapter 29.1

    Strangely, after the astonishment passed, Yu Beizhou didn¡¯t have any intention to struggle.


    In the process of falling, with the violent whistling sound of the wind, his red clothes rose up like a raging fire. If looked at from a distance, it appeared like a blazing fireball, wrapping the whole body of the white-clothed swordsman intimately.


    Under the thin clothes, Yu Beizhou¡¯s body was astonishingly hot, as if he was completely ignited.


    They were falling and gazing at each other. One pair was covered in cold ice, while the other was in raging flames.


    Ink black waterfall-like hair was scattered and blown askew, it licked Zong Luo¡¯s jaw, tracing the shape of his beautiful lips. The latter¡¯s high bundle of hair that held on and was unknown when to eventually disperse, was entangled with it in the wind in a mess, and appeared inseparable.


    Time seemed to stop, and it paused here.


    In the vague sound of the wind, Yu Beizhou looked up at him, with a joyful but obscure expression on his face, as if he was trying to endure something.


    ¡°Senior martial brother, you really¡­¡­¡±


    Pleasantly surprised me.


    He smiled happily, but he didn¡¯t finish his words, he instead raised his hand and pulled Zong Luo¡¯s long hair behind his ears. Contrary to the warm and affectionate action shown, his fingertips were stained with dense killing intent, as if it would violently explode in the next moment, and strangle the other¡¯s neck.


    Zong Luo ignored him.


    Perhaps because of the mists blocking the sight from above, the cliff was not as deep as Zong Luo imagined. The bottom of the cliff was without protruding jagged rocks, but was instead covered with a layer of soft black soil, with a vast field of white wildflowers that were in full bloom. With mist coiling around, it looked like a fairyland.


    The moment before landing, the prince in white twitched his lips. He bent his knee and used it to push Yu Beizhou to the ground.


    Ka-cha¡ª¡ª


    The sound of bone cracking was crisp, simultaneously, he gave out a violent pained breath on the ground.


    The internal organs were immediately impacted, and as Yu Beizhou laid down on the ground, he suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood.


    Scarlet blood stained his lips, it trickled down the corner of his mouth, and appeared very soul-stirring.


    But his throat was still making muffled noises, he seemed to be very elated.


    ¡°Let¡¯s let it slip this time.¡±


    Yu Beizhou licked the blood on his lips, with a bright smile, like a ghost in a storybook who feeds on human flesh and blood, ¡°Next time¡­¡­..I¡¯ll find Senior brother again to collect interest.¡±


    ****


    Zong Luo dared to swear, that this was probably the most embarrassing moment for Yu Beizhou in the past few years.


    Otherwise, the moment they jumped off the cliff, he wouldn¡¯t have shown such a dumbfounded expression, an expression that seemed to be out of his control.


    It felt great, it¡¯s almost the same as when little Yu Beizhou followed behind him and harassed him tirelessly, mouthing Jin Yu every time, eventually making Zong Luo vexed, which made him directly say that they were not so familiar with each other. Afterwards little Yu Beizhou¡¯s mask then broke and brought him happiness.


    However, now that Zong Luo had calmed down, he felt that his act of jumping off the cliff with Yu Beizhou was really stupid and reckless, which did not conform to his usual calm and sophisticated style at all.


    But rabbits would bite people when cornered. To deal with such a lunatic like Yu Beizhou, he should not play cards according to common sense.


    Nonetheless, the luck this time really defied the laws of nature, rolling off the cliff made it out like it was no big deal.


    Perhaps it was because of the light of Yu Beizhou, the protagonist. After all, jumping off a cliff was a standard configuration for the protagonist of a novel. But if it was someone else, it was guaranteed that they would die on the spot, thus if it was the protagonist, it would only be a standard configuration for an adventure.


    It was unfortunate that he was protected by the protagonist¡¯s halo, and was caught by the branches of the cliff several times in the middle, making the momentum of the fall greatly reduced. With a body protected by deep internal force, he wouldn¡¯t die so easily.


    But this would make Yu Beizhou stay in bed for ten or twenty days, so it¡¯s fine.


    ****


    ¡°Hiss¨C¡±


    Zong Luo breathed a sigh of relief and slowly got up from the bed.


    Fortunately, the feeling of dull pain in the body was not obvious.


    Clothes had been neatly placed on the head of the bed. Zong Luo casually took the plain indigo robe with a white background and put it on his body, wrapped the silk around his eyes, and slowly got out of bed.


    Pushing open the door, the night outside the window was cold, and the moon was as cool as water.


    A little farther away, the sky was painted with the coming of dawn.


    The young servant guarding the door was suddenly awakened, quickly stood firm, bowed his head and said, ¡°Young Master.¡±


    Zong Luo said, ¡°No need to be too polite, where is your Master?¡±


    ¡°Answering the Young Master, the Master is in the medicine hut, and he specially asked the Young Master to report to him immediately when he wakes up.¡±


    While they were talking, an attendant carrying a lantern passed by at the corner.


    The Prime Minister in green robe was tall, slim and graceful, following him were several children holding medicine cups in their hands, and a masked witch doctor, hurrying in the night.


    Seeing Zong Luo out of bed, Pei Qianxue quickened his pace, ¡°Jin Yu, you¡¯re awake.¡±


    He carefully looked around the white-clothed swordsman, and after confirming that the latter was fine and could stand on his own, he breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Good.¡±


    Pei Qianxue knew that it would be useless to talk about the recognition of relatives. As long as Zong Luo appeared in front of Emperor Yuan, everything would eventually fall on its own.


    That¡¯s why he took the risk of reporting in front of Emperor Yuan. After provoking Emperor Yuan¡¯s anger, he got up and drove out of the palace, and brought the Imperial Guards directly to the hunting ground, and asked to see the student named Gu Luo.


    Who would dare disobey the order of the Son of Heaven?


    The guards searched the entire hunting ground comprehensively, and finally found traces of fighting at the narrow cliff. As there was a long whip and a jade pendant scattered on the edge of the cliff, they estimated that the King of Beining might have accidentally fallen off the cliff along with this student.


    To be frank, everyone present had their hearts beating like drums.


    His Royal Highness, a precious body, as well as a judge in this hunting competition, how could he have fallen down the cliff with the said student?


    When Emperor Yuan heard this, his expression became even worse.


    He snorted coldly, ¡°My life is gone, yet still wanting to face the Holy One?¡±


    (t/n My life is gone, so why talk about XX?- The XX here can be embedded with any word. The people who love to use this sentence pattern the most are precisely those people who always label other people traitors, cents, 1450, and kneelers. A rotten heart that knows nothing about shame.)


    After he finished speaking, he whipped his horse and drove away.


    Before leaving, he didn¡¯t forget to stab the audacious Pei Qianxue. He said that if the student surnamed Gu did not die, remember to bring him to see him in Qingsi in two days¡¯ time, otherwise he would punish Pei Qianxue for the crime of deceiving the Emperor, and to never forgive him lightly.


    These were all trivial matters. Pei Qianxue then sent off the Emperor with his hands folded together, while his eyes were filled with anxiousness by the words the guard reported just now.


    Jin Yu unexpectedly got hurt?! He also rolled off the cliff together with the King of Beining?!

 Chapter 29.2

    That¡¯s right, the King of Beining had already seen through Jin Yu¡¯s identity. Now, taking advantage of his mortal enemy¡¯s memory loss, it would only be natural to take advantage of his illness to kill him.


    Pei Qianxue was burning with anxiety that he called Duan Junhao, to follow them to detour and find someone under the cliff. A group of people searched under the cliff for a long time before finally finding something.


    The white-clothed swordsman had fallen beside a cold pool, and he seemed to have walked a while after falling down. As for the King of Beining who might have fallen together with him, he disappeared without a trace.


    Duan Junhao murmured, ¡°Go look around and see if there is a figure of the King of Beining.¡±


    The jade pendant left on the cliff happened to be the jade pendant of the King of Beining.


    As known by all, not long ago, after Yu Beizhou returned from a great victory, he presented this jade pendant to the student surnamed Gu at the gate of Great Yuan City under the eyes of Duan Junhao.


    But with just this mere jade pendant, it was hard to deduce whether it was Gu Luo and Yu Beizhou who fell off the cliff. If Gu Luo accidentally chased his prey and fell down on horseback, then there would be a big misunderstanding.


    After all¡­..which student from the Hundred Schools of Thought would dare to fight the King of Beining so boldly.


    Leaving aside Yu Beizhou¡¯s identity as a descendant of the Ghost Valley Master and with unparalleled swordsmanship, even the rumors on the battlefield were enough to scare people.


    Sure enough, when they were trying to find Yu Beizhou, a servant from the Beining Palace suddenly came, saying that the King of Beining who had been wandering around the hunting ground for a while, suddenly felt bored, therefore he went back to his mansion first.


    The King of Beining was originally a judge, yet he was really willful and reckless, and there was no shortage of acting dishonestly and single-mindedly midway¡­¡­.To sum it up, no one dared to say that his actions were wrong.


    As for Pei Qianxue, he directly brought the unconscious Zong Luo back to his mansion, and invited the witch doctor from the Great Witch Temple next door for careful recuperation. After a day and a night, Zong Luo woke up slowly.


    (TL: I¡¯ll change Great Shaman Temple ¡ú Great Witch Temple.)


    ¡°Ah Xue, thank you¡± Zong Luo quickly expressed his gratitude.


    ¡°I am your close friend, why is there a need for a thank you?¡±


    Pei Qianxue smiled, ¡°It¡¯s just that Jin Yu failed to get acquainted with his relative successfully, it¡¯s a pity.¡±


    Zong Luo didn¡¯t expect Pei Qianxue to act so strongly.


    The day before the Hunting Arts, Pei Qianxue revealed himself to be his former best friend in front of him, moreover, had also told Zong Luo about many things, whether big and small. For example, his old father, or that he had several younger brothers despite having no elder brother.


    If Zong Luo really lost his memory, these things would be an extremely valuable information.


    But the problem was that Zong Luo had not really lost his memory, thus when he said all of this, it only appeared to be very embarrassing.


    However, it was interesting to hear such words from Pei Qianxue¡¯s mouth. Zong Luo wanted to test Pei Qianxue, therefore he asked about the old father in a few words in a roundabout way.


    Pei Qianxue went silent for a long time before slowly opening his mouth, ¡°Your father¡­is a very strict father.¡±


    Emperor Yuan was indeed a very strict father.


    At that time, as Zong Luo sat opposite Pei Qianxue, his thoughts wandered.


    He almost never saw Emperor Yuan smile.


    No matter how many times Zong Luo won battles, how beautifully he won them, and how many territories he opened up for the Great Yuan, his father never ever showed a smile or praised him for his good work.


    Zong Luo would always remember the first time he led an army in battle, the enemy generals were insidious and cunning, and frequently made terrible methods. Since he was still inexperienced, and also inevitably retained the thinking of modern people, thus he showed mercy, but he did not expect to be bitten back by the other party in the end.


    Nonetheless, even though in the end he used his martial arts to force his way out, he inevitably suffered a big loss.


    At that time, Emperor Yuan was standing on the high platform with his hands behind his back. When he saw him, he didn¡¯t say anything and merely directly picked up Zhanlu which was placed on top of the shelf. Its cold sword energy was released instantly, and Zong Luo¡¯s tightly wrapped robe on his body was cut.


    Seeing that his upper body was covered with bandages, which were still faintly oozing blood, Emperor Yuan¡¯s hand holding the sword shook, his face was stained with anger, and his tone was full of ridicule.


    ¡°Leading troops in battle depends on brains, not brute force. If Zhen fights against you today, you have no chance of winning at all.¡±


    Zong Luo bowed his head, clenched his hands hanging by his side, his face ashamed.


    ¡°At your age, Zhen can already lead troops to the Huns¡¯ camp hundreds of miles north without any losses.¡±


    Emperor Yuan¡¯s talent in leading troops in battle was no less than that of Yu Beizhou, this ¡°Son of Heaven¡±, he also had the title of God of War in Great Yuan. Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to carve out a bloody path among the previous princes with his baseless background.


    ¡°A man with a kind heart and a soft hand is not a general, Zhen is very disappointed in you.¡±


    (t/n Soft hand-be irresolute when firmness is needed.)


    Emperor Yuan put down his sword and turned his back, unwilling to look at him, ¡°Next time if you come back with injuries, just go straight to the Imperial Medicinal Courtyard, Zhen will not see you.¡±


    After that, Zong Luo learned his lesson. When leading the army in battle again, he was almost never seriously injured.


    Except for that one time, his injury was so severe that it was life-threatening. He was carried into the Imperial Medicinal Courtyard as he lost consciousness all the way, he slept for several days, and he indeed never saw Emperor Yuan again.


    However, Pei Qianxue¡¯s next words made Zong Luo clenched his hands tightly.


    ¡°But¡­..your father loves you very much. He loves you very much. He loves you more than any father in the world. Maybe it¡¯s just because of various reasons, or because of his identity, that he can¡¯t express it to you clearly.¡±


    Zong Luo spent a lot of effort to restrain himself, so that he wouldn¡¯t laugh out loud on the spot.


    In front of this prince, the Prime Minister of Great Yuan naturally would not say anything unpleasant.


    If it were in the previous life, he might just really be moved by Pei Qianxue¡¯s words.


    But in this life, he would never be.


    Zong Luo¡¯s parents died early before he transmigrated inside the book, and he was fostered by various relatives like passing the buck when he was a child. Later, when he got older, he worked part-time while studying to support himself. He grew up stumbling.


    He had never really tasted a father¡¯s love, thus he almost paranoidly longed for family affection, any kind of family affection.


    But no matter how eager Zong Luo was, it was also impossible not to know.


    There may be many ways to express fatherly love. But it was absolutely far-fetched so as to only remained silent, to not meet behind close doors, and to exile him to the frontier; it was even more far-fetched to pass down an imperial edict and forcibly force his own son to commit suicide under the City gate, and be sneered at by the world.


    Absolutely, absolutely far-fetched.


    After recovering, Pei Qianxue¡¯s voice seemed to be close at hand, ¡°Although you didn¡¯t get to see each other yesterday, it¡¯s still okay.¡±


    ¡°Two days later, I will take Jin Yu to get acquainted with his relative in Qingsi, alright?¡±


    Zong Luo paused for a moment, and replied with a smile devoid of any unpleasant shadow, ¡°Okay.¡±