The system told me I was a transmigrator, and that if I wanted to go home, I had to do as it said. Only today did I realize that I am actually a reincarnated soul.
Love is a marvelous thing; it allows the living to die and the dead to live. System, you tell me am I living or dead now? Is this a retrospective of a past life, or a dream returning to the present? Am I reading the book, or is the book writing me?
There was no longer any response in my mind, only Zhu Yunyin holding him tightly.
Xie Chengyun turned his head and looked at Zhu Yunyin’s face. Before he could even manage a smile, he struck Zhu Yunyin’s neck with a palm, knocking him out.
Zhu Yunyin’s eyes were full of disbelief. He gripped Xie Chengyun’s lapels tightly, refusing to let go, tearing at them as if a vengeful ghost trying to drag him into hell. Zhu Yunyin collapsed to the ground, and Xie Chengyun shook off his hand.
Zhu Zhao watched this scene, sipping hot tea nonchalantly. “You know everything now?”
“Know what?”
“Master Xie, we are grasshoppers tied to the same rope now. Why bother with the riddles?”
Xie Chengyun gathered his hair, which had been blown into disarray, behind his head. “I want you to take him away.”
“Ha.” Zhu Zhao let out a laugh. “Master, you must be muddled. Since you know my identity, you should know that I am the one in this world who wants him dead the most.”
“Has the Princess found the Snow Lotus?”
Zhu Zhao stood up. “What do you mean?”
“You said it yourself how coincidental. It just so happens that I know where the Snow Lotus is.”
Zhu Zhao’s smile vanished. “Do you take me for a child? Why would I believe anything you say?”
“I never lie. With the Hu cavalry surrounding the city, His Majesty cannot wait. Does Yu Lianlian have the luxury of time?”
Zhu Zhao faced Xie Chengyun. “I will take him away. I hope you will keep your promise.”
“Naturally.”
Xie Chengyun picked up Zhu Yunyin and handed him over to the followers of the Cuckoo Blood cult.
Zhu Zhao wrapped her face with a cloak. “Are you not coming?”
“No.”
“There are fewer than two thousand soldiers in the city, and grain is scarce. The Suizhou pass relies on trade; once the gates are closed, it is no different from a besieged city.”
“I know.”
The bustling streets were now empty; the surroundings were silent and desolate.
Zhu Zhao looked at Xie Chengyun. “In my life, I have never admired anyone, but Prime Minister Xie, you are a true gentleman. However, I am no villain myself.”
“You repay the late Emperor’s appreciation, and I repay Yu Lianlian’s support. I will definitely deliver him to a place of safety.”
Zhu Zhao saluted with a fist. “Take care.”
“Take care.”
Zhu Zhao mounted her horse, and Xie Chengyun stood there watching their retreating figures. Both knew this was a final farewell.
Xie Chengyun smoothed his robes; only now did he notice that the young Emperor had draped him in that tapestry silk robe.
The Brave General stood at the head of the formation; the Hu troops were strong and vigorous. Lieutenant Zhaluo shouted, “Listen, those inside! Surrender quickly, and we will spare your lives!”
Xie Chengyun looked at them and reached for his bow. An arrow struck the Hu banner, and the entire army fell into an uproar. But it was not out of fear it was out of admiration for the excellent archery. The Brave General looked up at the tower. He was far too familiar with that technique; it was Xie Chengyun.
The pale green robes fluttered in the wind; his black hair danced. The Brave General’s first thought was: Why isn’t he wearing white today?
Xie Chengyun stood on the tower, his figure thin and slight. “Brave General, you and I are old acquaintances. Withdraw your troops now, and this Prime Minister can act as if this never happened.”
The Brave General laughed heartily. “Does the Prime Minister take us for fools? If we withdraw now, the Marquis of Dingyuan will surely march straight upon our forty-eight tribes of Mongolia.”
“I guarantee that will never happen.”
The Brave General stopped smiling. “Prime Minister, you should think about how you plan to retreat. Why not surrender? The children of the grasslands will treat you well.”
With a wave of his hand, he commanded, “Attack the city! Whoever reaches the top first shall be the next warrior, enjoying glory for generations!”
The Hu people roared, raised their weapons, and charged toward the city gates. The officials on the tower hurried to draw their bows. Xie Chengyun watched this scene, countless phantoms overlapping.
A minor official ran up from the distance and knelt upon seeing Xie Chengyun. “Prime Minister! A letter from the Marquis of Dingyuan. He asks you to hold out for three days, and he will arrive with reinforcements.”
Xie Chengyun looked at the Hu people rushing forward in wave after wave. Holding out for even two days was already the limit for the old, the weak, the women, and the children in the city, let alone three.
“Pass the order: all women and children in the city are to be sent out of the pass. The men shall fight to the death on the battlefield. If the pass falls, our wives and daughters must not suffer humiliation.”
“Yes!”
Zhu Yunyin woke up on the swaying back of a horse. Opening his eyes, he saw only Zhu Zhao.
“Little Emperor, sleep a while longer. We will reach Qu City soon.”
Zhu Yunyin’s mind cleared instantly. He stood up and looked around. “Where is the Prime Minister!”
“The Prime Minister is in Suizhou.”
Zhu Yunyin immediately pulled the person off the horse, sat upright, and turned the horse around to gallop back.
Zhu Zhao stopped him. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Move aside!”
“Do you think it will matter if you go back? The Marquis of Dingyuan is already there.”
Zhu Yunyin did not speak; he whipped the horse and rode back.
“Leader, we…”
“Follow him! I promised Xie Chengyun I would deliver him to the Marquis of Dingyuan. I must keep my word.”
Zhu Yunyin hurried back, his mind filled with the miserable scenes of his dreams. Ah Yun, wait for me. I am coming back.
Ten kilometers from the Suizhou pass, they met the approaching Vice General Gu. Gu Minzhong only saluted from afar before galloping rapidly toward the Suizhou pass.
The Hu people had already scaled the ladders; the officials’ arrows were exhausted. Xie Chengyun wanted to shoot and take the Brave General’s head, but his arms had no strength left. Dizziness overwhelmed him, and he had to lean against the wall to keep from collapsing.
A Hu messenger reported, “General, the Marquis of Dingyuan has sent word: at all costs, do not harm a single hair on Xie Chengyun’s head. He is on his way to Suizhou. If Xie Chengyun comes to any harm, he will retaliate a hundredfold!”
The Brave General swung his heavy saber. “This Marquis of Dingyuan is truly sentimental. If Xie Chengyun accepts surrender, I certainly won’t harm him.”
The wind whipped against their faces, causing sharp pain. The Suizhou Governor was drenched in sweat. “Prime Minister, we are out of arrows.”
Xie Chengyun looked at the climbing Hu soldiers, dropped his great bow, and drew his Huaijin sword.
“Open the city gates! Abandon the bows and fight to the death! For our Shangliang, for our wives, children, and peace! We must not let these thieves cross the pass!”
The roar was deafening. “Yes!”
Xie Chengyun was the first to charge to the front with his sword. The Brave General raised his heavy saber. After a few exchanges, Xie Chengyun’s hand had lost all sensation; he could only rely on skill and maneuverability to stall.
“Prime Minister, why go to such lengths? You would be better off surrendering.”
Xie Chengyun suppressed the bloody taste rising in his throat. “In your dreams!”
Fewer and fewer men remained; it was difficult for a lone official to hold up a collapsing building.
The Brave General swung his saber again, piercing through Xie Chengyun’s chest. “Prime Minister, surrender.”
Xie Chengyun did not speak; gritting his teeth and swallowing a mouthful of blood, he lunged forward. His sharp sword pierced the Brave General’s armor. Xie Chengyun braced his body, using every ounce of his remaining strength. Even in death, he would take a companion on the road to the underworld.
The Brave General fell. Zhaluo shouted, “General!”
Xie Chengyun leaned on his sword to stand, covered in blood. Under the stain of blood, his features appeared strangely alluring. He wiped the blood from the corner of his lips. Zhaluo swung his saber at him. “Xie Chengyun, I am going to kill you!”
His body had reached its limit. Xie Chengyun stood straight and laughed toward the sky. “I have the heart to kill the thieves, but the strength to turn the tide is gone. This death is fitting!”
“Joyous, joyous…”
Before he could finish, the long saber pierced Xie Chengyun’s throat. His blood drenched Zhaluo, but Zhaluo was not satisfied. He grabbed Xie Chengyun’s Huaijin sword and stabbed several bloody holes into his body.
Supporting the Brave General’s corpse, he roared, “Hang him on the city tower! I want him to suffer the wind and the sun. I want the people of Shangliang to know the consequence of opposing the grasslands. I want him to pay for the General’s life!”
Zhu Yunyin and Gu Minzhong rushed over, only to see the bloody battlefield and the corpses. Night fell, and the Suizhou pass was pitch black. Zhu Yunyin trembled, ran into the city, and screamed, “Ah Yun! Foster Father! Foster Father!”
No one answered; only the wind and sand swept by. Zhu Yunyin searched everywhere, but the city was empty save for the corpses. The strong wind whistled, sounding like a ghost town.
Just as he fell into despair, a wail came from nearby: “Prime, Prime Minister!”
Gu Minzhong followed the sound and looked up. Xie Chengyun was hung on the city tower, his head half-severed, tilting limply on his shoulder. His green robes were stained with blood, and his dark hair was disheveled—the elegant man of the past was gone.
Zhu Yunyin’s eyes widened, and he collapsed to the ground, only to scramble up and run to the tower. His trembling hands reached to untie the rope, but his limbs were weak and he could not exert any strength. His scarlet eyes were filled with tears why couldn’t he untie it! Zhu Yunyin simply stood there, hugging Xie Chengyun’s corpse tightly, his hands shaking as he tried to reattach the head.
“Ah Yun, why is your face so cold? I will warm you… just warm you a little.”
Seeing Zhu Yunyin’s madness, Gu Minzhong finally drew his sword and cut the rope. Zhu Zhao followed all the way, looking disheveled herself. Seeing Xie Chengyun dead, she felt a sense of chilling vulnerability.
Zhu Yunyin held Xie Chengyun and refused to let go. Though Gu Minzhong was heartbroken, he had the sense to step aside; he still had to prepare the funeral rites for his brother and Xie Chengyun. Zhu Zhao stood where she was; the west wind was biting, and everything was desolate. She took a letter from her bosom and handed it to Zhu Yunyin.
“This is what the Prime Minister gave you before he left. Now that things have come to this, please accept your grief.”
Leaving the letter on the ground, Zhu Zhao departed.
Zhu Yunyin, trembling, pulled Xie Chengyun into his arms and opened the letter. The handwriting was elegant, forceful, and sharp—it was clearly Xie Chengyun’s hand. Zhu Yunyin expected Xie Chengyun to have told him many things or given many instructions. But as he unfolded the letter, it contained only a few brief words:
“May your reign last a thousand autumns. Shangliang is yours now.”
He could no longer control his tears; Zhu Yunyin hugged Xie Chengyun tightly, as if to merge him into his own bones and blood.
“Ah Yun, you cannot die! You cannot die! If you die, I will kill everything in this world to be buried with you.”
“Don’t die. I haven’t grown up yet, I don’t understand anything. I need you. Don’t leave me behind, please… I beg you, don’t leave me behind.”
The corpse in his arms was cold; there was no response. The moonlight was desolate, and dreams were hard to prolong.
Zhu Yunyin ordered them to find a medium; he would summon Xie Chengyun’s soul back to the world of the living.
Xie Chengyun’s Qi (the seventh day after death) happened to coincide with Zhu Yunyin’s coming-of-age ceremony. Since it was the crowning ceremony, how could his Foster Father be absent? Zhou Biji knew of Zhu Yunyin’s torment and allowed him to act out his madness.
As a strong wind blew, a delicate Daoist priest arrived. He had been invited at great expense by the officials of Suizhou to summon souls and ask questions of the spirits; he was a disciple of the Three Purities, descending from the mountain to save the world.
But when Zhu Yunyin saw the priest’s face, he lunged forward and gripped the priest’s throat.
The priest knelt and saluted. “Benefactor, we have not met for many days. You have become much thinner.”
“You know, don’t you? You know!” Zhu Yunyin roared, appearing completely broken.
Benefactor, we are fated.
Do tell, how exactly are we fated?
I am the medium you summoned.
“Between you and me, there is a cycle of cause and effect. That is why I have come to summon the spirit for you.”