Chapter 058: Condolences
The station at Shengyu was surrounded, inside and out, by members of the Beihua imperial court. The Empress Dowager had dispatched people to escort the Emperor back to the capital, and naturally, their arrival was marked with grandeur and splendor. Yet beneath this display lay only heartache and sorrow; cries and tears could no longer capture the depth of this grief.
A deathly silence prevailed, broken only by the mournful whisper of the wind and the cold detachment of human hearts.
“Your Majesty, please restrain your grief!”
Li Gonggong, the attendant sent by the Empress Dowager, covered Liu Qing’s body with a white shroud and continued to comfort Liu Li. “Your Majesty, the dead cannot return. Let the heir accompany the prince—so the family may stay together.”
Liu Li cast Li Gonggong a sidelong glance and rebuked him loudly, “Why don’t you go join your own departed relatives, then?”
“Your Majesty, please take care of yourself!”
“Silence!”
Li Gonggong sighed, muttering discontentedly, “Your Majesty, I’ve come to escort you back under the Empress Dowager’s orders. Please don’t make things difficult for me.”
Seeing this, Feng Xing stepped forward, sword in hand, and glared at Li Gonggong. “Do you wish to die?”
“Oh dear, General—what are you planning to do?” Li Gonggong shrank back in fear, too afraid to make any sudden movements.
Feng Xing snorted coldly. “The corpses in the royal mansion are barely cold. If you were buried with them, who would care?”
“General Feng Xing, I serve the Empress Dowager!”
“Li Gonggong, do you truly believe you rank higher in the Empress Dowager’s heart than anyone else?”
Li Gonggong was too angry to speak, his face twisted with displeasure as he stood aside.
Two groups stood in stalemate for some time, until Liu Li finally welcomed Gao Hai.
Gao Hai, leading his team, arrived in haste and knelt before Liu Li. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, for arriving late!”
“Why have you come?” Liu Li asked, though he knew the answer.
“I am commanded to return the heir’s body to the royal mausoleum.”
Liu Li gave a sad smile and answered coldly, “My royal brother is not yet dead. All of you, leave at once!”
“Your Majesty, please restrain your grief!”
Liu Li’s bitter smile lasted a long while; he coughed, then fainted into the arms of his attendant.
Seizing the moment, Li Gonggong hurried to Gao Hai and said, “With you in charge, I am reassured. Please, make certain the heir’s body is returned to the Beihua royal mausoleum.”
Gao Hai nodded, expressionless. “Certainly. I ask you, Gonggong, to depart before His Majesty awakens, and report to the Empress Dowager. Arrange a grand funeral for the heir.”
“Very well!” Li Gonggong smiled and left with his men.
Once everyone had departed, Gao Hai and Feng Xing carried Liu Qing to the rear hall, where Liu Li awaited.
“Your Majesty!”
Liu Li nodded with a smile and said to Gao Hai, “Go back and send the body to the mausoleum. Even if Mother wishes to open the coffin, there will be no flaw—let her do so without worry.”
“Yes! Gao Hai takes his leave!”
Liu Li looked at the sleeping Liu Qing, then at Feng Xing. “I entrust Liu Qing to you. You must take him to Kunlun Mountain. Time is short; soon I too must depart for the capital. You must return before I arrive at the imperial city!”
“Understood!”
Earlier, Yu Qixian had offered advice—the feigned death would dispel many crises and stabilize the situation for now, saving Liu Qing’s life entirely. To recuperate on Kunlun Mountain was the safest choice; Liu Li cared little for the royal mansion’s treasures or the surrender document.
When Liu Qing awoke, Feng Xing explained Liu Li’s plan. Liu Qing was shocked, yet resigned.
“His Majesty is doing this for your sake. The palace is unsafe; it’s best you live quietly here.”
“Feng Xing, you’ve known me for years. Surely you know my temperament?”
“The royal mansion’s case will be thoroughly investigated by His Majesty, rest assured. Now is not the time for vengeance—you must recover. Even if the truth is revealed, His Majesty cannot overturn the verdict directly. Only patience remains. ‘The gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even after ten years.’ You will have your chance.”
“You want me to survive here? How can I—” Liu Qing, overwhelmed with grief, sighed softly. “It would be better if I took His Majesty to retrieve the key and the treasures—I wish to follow my family into death.”
“Liu Qing!” Feng Xing’s gaze grew stern. “You must not act rashly. To take revenge, you must learn the cause; to learn the cause, you must first remain alive, so that you may see the day the truth comes to light!”
“Well said!” A deep, resonant male voice came from nearby.
Liu Qing, startled by the newcomer, looked at Feng Xing in confusion.
“This is the master of Kunlun!” Feng Xing introduced him to Liu Qing, then explained the circumstances and reasons for coming to Kunlun Mountain.
Upon hearing this, Liu Qing quickly rose and bowed. “So it is Master Yu. Liu Qing pays his respects!”
“Rise, rise! In the world of wanderers, such formality is unnecessary.” Yu Qianye lifted Liu Qing, speaking earnestly. “Feng Xing is right. Rest and recover here. Only by living can you fulfill your purpose. Though the royal mansion has suffered disaster, you must not despair—you are their sole hope. You must support the entire royal house!”
“Indeed, you must stay strong! His Majesty has labored greatly for this, risking much. In every sense, you must not let him down!”
Liu Qing, tearful, nodded and sat dazed upon the bed. “Now, I am but a wanderer. No father or mother, no name or title—but I will have my revenge!”
Feng Xing breathed a sigh of relief. “Such determination is good! Now I can return with peace of mind.”
“Hahaha! A youth with ambition! You are not nameless, not orphaned. From now on, follow me. A fortune teller once said I needed a son—why not become my adopted child?”
Liu Qing was stunned, honored yet unsure how to respond.
Yu Qianye’s words were half earnest, half playful; they carried genuine feeling yet a touch of humor, never awkward but always elusive.
Feng Xing was delighted and answered for Liu Qing, “Naturally, Brother Liu would be honored. He has long admired Master Yu’s heroic spirit and wished to come to Kunlun as a disciple. Now that Master Yu wishes to take him in, Brother Liu is surely thrilled!”
“Yes, yes, as long as I can see Master Yu often, I am already content!”
“What does that mean? Do you agree or not?” Yu Qianye smiled.
“Well—” Liu Qing pondered, “It’s not that I’m unwilling, but now isn’t the right time. Besides, I’d rather remain here without tarnishing your heroic reputation. As for becoming your adopted son, I fear I am not blessed enough for that honor!”
“Hahaha! Very well. Let’s leave it until you change your mind! With my wife and daughter away, you can accompany me in training.”
“Gladly!”
The glow of sunset, the fragrance of plum blossoms.
A fresh breeze carried the scent of flowers, intoxicating the mind.
“You’ve come?”
“Looks like you’re happy. Did that troublesome little wretch die?”
“Yes! You failed to finish him off before, letting him escape, and now things have become troublesome.”
“Hahaha, so what? Didn’t I poison him in the end? Don’t worry—no one threatens you now! And I can finally consume the prince’s soul directly!”
“You kept him alive?”
“Of course. One must always keep a card in hand. If Liu Qing survives and returns, I can use his father to threaten him!”
“What do you plan to do with him? Where should the body be placed?”
“Where do you suggest? How about hanging him on the palace ramparts? Don’t you hate him? I can display him for all to see. Perhaps you could make a spectacle of it!”
“Brilliant!”
“As are you! But after I feed, my power will grow, then—”
“With your master’s powers increased, you will be free to roam, unrestrained?”
“That’s not what I meant!” Shuo took his time before speaking, “Once my power grows, I will inevitably attract attention. Tianshan will become restless. Then, I’ll need you to cover for me.”
“What do you need from me?”
“When the time comes, pretend to borrow Tianshan’s snow lotus, claiming the palace is plagued by evil forces that need purification. They’ll refuse, but will descend the mountain to investigate. Or, seek experts to probe into Beihua’s mysteries. Tianshan will not miss such an opportunity!”
“Bringing Tianshan’s people into the investigation? Wouldn’t that expose you?”
“Of course not. Not only will I remain hidden, but I’ll wipe out the Tianshan women.”
“What? You wish to eliminate them? Their identities are unclear—why act recklessly?”
“Hahaha, that task is yours. Identify only the best female disciples. For every one that descends, I’ll eliminate her! If this draws in Tianshan’s own, it benefits all three of us.”
“How should I act to ensure everything goes smoothly?”
“That’s up to you. Someone as clever as you surely can manage it, no?”