Chapter Six: Is This Such a Cramped World?
lan Duke. Loulan Duke had fought alongside Your Majesty in many battles in his early years, conquering cities and destroying nations, earning a brilliant military record. His reputation is not inferio..."Jiāng Wàng ah," Qítīanzǐ's voice seemed to fall from the heavens: "Are you truly unafraid of death"
"I fear death, I'm terrified of it!" Jiang Wang said. "There are so many things I haven't done yet, there are so many people I care about in this world, I owe...so much..."
“If I am to submit to the State of Qi now, I will not be content!”
“But for some reason, I have a feeling of trust in Your Majesty. People say the imperial family is heartless, people say the emperor has a calculating mind. But I always feel that the Son of Heaven treats me very kindly and sincerely. I also repay the Son of Heaven with sincerity!”
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"I have heard that a thousand entanglements become demonic afflictions, and a heart unwilling to accept it shall be imprisoned by itself!"
“As foolish as I am, how can I deceive myself Can one deceive for a while or for a lifetime One may be able to deceive oneself, but can one deceive the ruler”
"Your Majesty, I have come to realize that my path lies elsewhere, outside the confines of this nation's established order. After leaving Qi, I shall not join any other state. From now on, I will wander the vast expanse, seeking enlightenment alone."
"What a 'hundred tribulations become demonic entanglements, and the heart is unwilling to be reconciled, it will inevitably be imprisoned!' Emperor Qi Jie stroked his palm and said: "I never knew, in Qi State, you were so unwilling!"
“Your Majesty,” Jiang Wang remained bowed, not straightening up. “My unwillingness doesn’t stem from Your Majesty treating me poorly, nor from Qi State lacking greatness. My unwillingness comes from Your Majesty treating me too well, and my inability to repay you fully!”
>“For Your Majesty’s grand ambition, I am willing to wield my sword in bloodshed, enduring a thousand wounds without retreating. But my three thousand soldiers, my two hundred personal guards, and my trusted captain Fang Yuan… when I have to part with them, it pains me deeply. Killing Chen Zhi tao benefits the nation, yet I find myself wanting to save him. Surrendering Zhu Bi qiong benefits the nation, but I dare not face this.”
"Your Majesty, your kindness towards me is beyond compare. I truly want to dedicate myself wholeheartedly to Your Majesty's great undertakings, sparing no effort and sacrificing everything. But I have failed!"
In the vast Deer Palace, everything was frozen. Only Jiang Wang's voice still vibrated.
Every single person in the world will pledge their loyalty to the emperor. They will all say that they are willing to give their lives for the emperor and the country, sacrificing everything until their last breath. Some of them are truly sincere, while others are not.
But there should not be a second person who, before the Son of Heaven, would dissect their heart and speak candidly, saying they cannot disregard everything for the imperial command.
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How foolish!
The Son of Heaven said slowly, “I believe this is what you truly feel, but I suspect it’s not the whole story.”
Jiang Wangdao: "My heart is open, Your Majesty can see it at a glance."
"You truly are unintelligent! Illiterate! And ignorant! I made you study, I made you read history, but what did you learn" The emperor picked up a jade cup beside him and smashed it to pieces before Jiang Wang's feet: "You learned nothing but dog dung!"
The jade shards burst evenly, spreading out on the ground like a flower. The broken teacups' water flowed like a river, and the few tea leaves resembled tiny boats, meandering and swaying.
Han Ling's eyelids twitched.
This celestial river tea is the emperor's favorite, the tea of morning moon. All those who came to drink and play here in the past have now shattered it. This shows his anger.
Even so, he did not kill Jiang Wang. But Jiang Wang remained silent, only bowing his head lower.
The emperor, gazing at him silently for a while, said, “Stand up. Is the world so cramped that you cannot stand straight”
Then Jiang Wang stood up straight and said, "Thank Your Majesty!"
"Good riddance!" the emperor sneered. "Everything you gained in Qi, you earned through your efforts. Your achievements cannot be erased. Our great nation can accommodate the free movement of people from all over the world; we don't need one Jiang Wang. But the glory and honors that Qi bestowed upon you, you cannot simply cast aside."
I know that I have been rash and arrogant, stubborn and short-sighted, causing pain to Your Majesty's heart. I deeply regret it! I am willing to accept any punishment in order to find a sliver of comfort.
"I rule over the entire world, I am not just talking to you, Jiang Qingyang!" The emperor flicked his sleeve: "Fight the Champion Marquis. If you win, I will let you leave without any ties. But if you lose, I will strip your title, remove your office, confiscate your fiefdom, and have you imprisoned for reflection!"
"Yes"
"I haven't said the rules yet."
This is a line of text.
"Your Majesty holds Heaven's Mandate, naturally just and impartial. Whatever the regulations may be, I accept them all."
"You still call yourself my subject"
“At least for now. Your Majesty, I still consider you my elder. Though I am no longer in court, my heart remains with You.”
"There is a rule in this world," the Son of Heaven said, "You cannot kill him because he is the Marquis of Qi, and he can kill you because you are unwilling to be his subject!"
Jiang Wang bowed deeply: “Even in death, Jiang Wang bears no resentment!”
“Go and tell the Champion Marquis,” the emperor said, “Tell him that I want him to do his utmost and strike with all his might.”
Han Ling bowed and accepted the order, then went out.
He walked out of the Lu Gong, and came to the tall pillars. He leaned on them with his hands before he could catch his breath. He beckoned with his hand, calling the little eunuch who wasn't far away over.
Have you heard everything His Majesty said
Xiao Huangmen moved his stiff body forward, almost stumbling and falling. He simply knelt down on the ground: "Reporting to the manager, I heard everything."
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“The eunuch attending the Imperial Hall…” Han Ling said, then paused. “Who is the scribe”
The little Yellow Gatekeeper flipped out a roster from his bosom, searched through it in a flurry, and finally said: “Today’s on-duty staff are Chief Steward Churchill and Chief Steward Zhongli.”
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"What a coincidence." Han Ling pondered for a moment, then waved his hand. "Let Churchill go and deliver the message."
He said "coincidence" because when Marquis Wu'an and Marquis Guan were given their titles, it was exactly Qiu Chi and Zhong Liwen who presented the seals. Today, as the two marquises fight, the eunuch on duty who holds the brush is coincidentally close to each of them respectively.
And who should deliver the edict This was obviously also a choice within his Han Ling's purview.
Sometimes you have to sigh, what a coincidence!
The small yellow gatekeeper diligently remembered the emperor's words, bowed his head and got up, walking straight to the imperial study. He found Churchill, who was sitting in a room with Zhongliwen, practicing calligraphy over and over again.
He cast a fleeting glance, it seemed to be the "Drunkenness Chapter".
The work was created by the ancestor Wu during a drunken revelry, discussing the state of affairs in the world. The wild cursive script swept across the page like a whirlwind.
It's perfectly normal for a chief eunuch to write the imperial decrees of every emperor.
"Mr. Han, what orders do you have" Churchill asked first.
The little yellow gatekeeper recounted the emperor's decree, not adding a single word or omitting even one.
“I understand.” He got up and left the Imperial study.
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Churchill calmly placed the brush in his hand and, as today's on-duty eunuch, he didn't need to prepare anything else. He merely took his jade token for leaving the palace and departed alone.
The place where Chongxuan Dao goes is easy to find, it's the Floating Life Wine Shop.
Many people know that Zhong Xuan Zun's most frequent haunt is Yun Du Wine House, reputed as "The First Winehouse in Linzi".
Of course, that place now belongs to Chong Xuan Sheng.
After giving the ownership to Chong Xuan Sheng, the Champion Hou would still often go drinking, showing that he truly enjoyed it. After Yun Du Wine House, there was Floating Life Wine Shop. This shop was built by the prominent Lord Xuan of Linzi City. When it first opened, a large group of famous scholars were invited to attend its grand opening. Two months after officially opening, it was on the verge of closing due to poor management.
In the end, it was bought by a mysterious bigwig at a huge price. Master Chongxuan had someone calculate his earnings, and he actually made some money. He was once full of ambition and prepared to create another brilliant chapter, but after thinking about it, opening a shop was still a hassle, so he gave up.
The old man is too lazy to make an honest living.
Of course, this tavern went through many hands before finally ending up in Chongxuan's. Many people whispered that it should be called "The Tavern of Floating Life."
Qiu Yan left the palace and got into a carriage, heading straight for Fu Sheng's wine shop. By the time the carriage reached its destination, everything that needed to be communicated had already been arranged. He went upstairs by himself and walked to the private drinking room reserved for Wang Yiwu, gently knocking on the door.
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"Enter." Wang Yiwu's cold and arrogant voice rang out.
Churchill quietly moved the door and saw the two men toasting. Wang Yiwu sat upright and straight in his military uniform, with not a crease on it. The wine glasses and wine pots in front of them were also neatly arranged. You could imagine that every time he raised his cup, the bottom of the cup was at the same position, not even a millimeter off.
While the white-clad Chongxuan sat sprawled against the wall, a wine jug in one hand and his head tilted back as he drank deeply. He didn't even stop when Churchill entered.
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The larynx pulsed powerfully, drinking like swallowing the sea.
"Your Majesty has a decree," said Churchill. Chong Xuan finished the last drop of wine from the silver goblet, then shook it, confirming that he had drunk it all, before setting the empty goblet down beside him. Drunkenly, he said: "The wine belonging to 'Qianqiu' is strong enough to ignite the air."
As a palace eunuch entrusted with the duty of delivering imperial decrees, I was sent out to deliver this edict. Though not as formal as an imperial decree, this champion marquis's demeanor was indeed rather careless.
Churchill pretended not to see, merely saying, "Your Majesty has ordered that the Marquess of Champion enter the palace immediately and fight the Marquis of Wu'an before Your Majesty."
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"Qianqiu" was indeed a top-notch liquor. Chong Xuan's cheeks were flushed with the wine, softening his usual sternness. His star-cold eyes held a rare glimmer of amusement.
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He leaned against the wall, his words slurred with alcohol: "I was doing well after entering the palace. How could I have offended His Majesty's favor"
"Marquis Wu'an requested leave in the presence of the emperor." Churchill only said that sentence and then said, "Your Majesty emphasized that Marquis Guanjun should go all out and strike with full force."
Upon hearing this, Wang Yiwu, whose posture was as rigid as iron, furrowed his brows into a "chuan" shape. Obviously, no matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn't understand Jiang Wang's decision.
Zhong Xuan followed suit, sighing slightly. He braced himself, stood up, and swayed toward the exit. "Let's go!"
“Can’t you watch the battle, Master Qiu” Wang Yiwu asked from behind.
"No," Churchill nodded at him as a farewell, then turned to follow Chong Xuan.
Wang Yiwu sat quietly for a while, only feeling the heat of the alcohol. As a soldier, serving the army and the country was an ingrained choice in his bones. He couldn't understand Jiang Wang's decision, but he knew how much courage it took. This duel with Chongxuan Zun wasn't just about martial arts. The emperor's demand for ruthlessness couldn't be just words.
After thinking about it for a moment, he still got up and walked to the window on the second floor to look out. Just as he did, he saw Chong Xuan slip into the carriage. Only the lowered curtains were still swaying gently in the breeze.
Just as he was about to look away, a hand emerged from under the curtain and waved gently, signaling him not to worry and to just sit back down. It also snatched a strand of light into the compartment.
The Marquis of Wu'an requested leave at the palace gate.
The champion, Hou, drank too much and stumbled into the palace.
Two prominent generals of the Qi dynasty are about to face each other in a duel before the emperor. This time, the two pillars of the empire will fight to the death.
Although the news was forbidden, it took flight with wings and swiftly reached the ears of those qualified to hear it. In an instant, it spread throughout Linzi, and everyone who heard it was shaken!
Inside the residence of Marquis Bo望.
Shi Fourteen stared with innocent and confused eyes: "Why did he suddenly have to leave"
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“Sudden” Chong Xuan Sheng squeezed into the specially made armchair, pressing his forehead with a slight headache. “He’s had this idea for quite some time.”
"Why didn't he come ask you first He feels...dangerous now."
In Shi Fourteen's heart, Chong Xuan Sheng is omnipotent. No matter what knots Jiang Wang has in his heart that he can't untie, Chong Xuan Sheng always finds a way to solve them.
"Don't feel anything, it's just very dangerous. He has already walked to the edge of the cable bridge, with a thousand-meter abyss on both sides. One wrong step, and he will be lost forever." Chong Xuan sighed: "And this is exactly why he didn't come to ask me. He knows I would definitely stop him... he has made up his mind."
"What's the reason for this" Fourteenth grew increasingly puzzled. "Can't we just not go"
"Where should I begin" Chong Xuan lay back, gazing at the sky. "When we were subduing Xia, my uncle was the commander. This obscure doorman of the Chongxuan family, a mere Tenglong Realm cultivator, dared to speak out against my uncle's order to slaughter the surrendered soldiers. He claimed these Jiacheng city guard defectors were his captives, and he had promised them their lives... Do you realize who he was facing A ruthless butcher! At that time, my uncle didn't even know who he was. Just a newly arrived cultivator in Qi who hadn't proven himself in any way. Who would care about his promises" He said with a self-deprecating chuckle, "He cared."
“When it came to the Xia campaign, he was also very lost. I convinced him, and you were there as well. Outside of this war, we were very restrained along the way, barely harming innocent civilians, and even had no kill a surrendered soldier once. I don't actually care how I win, but I care about his feelings.”
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“This world doesn't revolve around him, Jiang Wang. Not everyone cares about his feelings. What happened in the Myriad Realms wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last. The further he went, the greater the conflict became. The higher he climbed, the harder it was to turn back.”
“But why did I repeatedly urge him to stay instead of advising him to leave sooner” Because staying in Qi was the most advantageous choice for him, provided he knew how to choose. We all started with tender hearts, but as we were battered by stones and gravel, our hearts gradually hardened like iron. I waited for him to develop a warrior’s heart, to become a true imperial official, capable of facing his responsibilities with composure, but he could no longer bear it.
You can say he's out of touch or that he's got a screw loose, but that's just who he is. He always has some stubborn opinions that are out of place. He just doesn't fit in with the world.
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Fourteen didn't quite understand, but she was very concerned about her friend Jiang Wang: "What should we do now How can we help him"
“Now there’s nothing we can do.” Chong Xuan sighed, “We can only wait here for the results.”
He slowly grasped Shi's fourteen hands, letting their hearts beat in unison.
> In your heart, you think your husband is the smartest man in the world and he'll surely find a way to make everyone happy. But sometimes, there simply isn't a way to please everyone.oyal retainer of the old emperors, how could I obey them"He, Hu Taisu, is the demon clan pillar loyal to the ancient Taigu Imperial City. Xuan Nan Gong is a former-generation elder of the demon clan,...