by Feng Yue
…
Compared to the great importance of the meeting that was to follow, this misstep was insignificant and was quickly glossed over. Everyone seemed to have an unspoken agreement not to bring up the diplomatic faux pas that had just occurred. Shortly after, a white horse carriage stopped in front of the door of the palace. Underneath the red insignia, Anglo’s diplomat, who was stationed in Sacred City, alighted from the horse carriage before stretching out his hand to help a young man off the carriage along with his crutch. The young man did not seem to be very mobile as he was leaning heavily against his crutch and seemed to be having a difficult time walking, even if it was at a very slow pace. He looked very handsome and there was a warm smile on his face but at first glance, the thing that most people would notice was those pair of grey eyes.
The glimmer of those grey eyes would leave anyone feeling respect and fear towards him. The young man, named Hua Sheng, walked slowly past the door of the palace and the road on the plaza until he finally stopped in front of the steps. The Cardinal Bishops walked down the steps to extend a helping hand, only to be rejected.
After he had completely ignored the Cardinal Bishops, Hua Sheng turned his head to look at the old knight and nodded slightly. “Father Bann, His Highness sends his regards.” He stretched out his hand and took over a box from his follower. “This is a letter and a gift from him.”
“Thank you.” Bann accepted them and carefully inspected the words on the letter. His face, which had been stern and cold like a rock all this while, finally revealed a hint of a smile that could barely be detected. “His words are already more well-written than mine.”
“I’m sure His Highness will be deeply pleased and touched to have received your praise.” Hua Sheng smiled and proceeded to ask a question like the respectful member of the younger generation that he was, “May I have the honor of inviting you to lunch today? His Highness has been yearning to hear from you.”
Bann nodded. “Nothing will please me more.”
Hua Sheng nodded and said farewell. He leaned his body heavily against his crutch and climbed up the steps one by one, leaving the Cardinal Bishops to remain awkwardly rooted to their spots for a while before catching up with him. From a short distance away, the ritual officers slapped their heads. There was a hopeless gaze in their eyes and they wished they could just knock themselves against the wall. It was yet another diplomatic faux pas. Before the meeting had even begun, such a mistake had already occurred twice.
On the steps, Ulliel stared coldly at Bann. Shortly after, a clergyman walked towards Bann and whispered to him, “Captain Bann, the Bishops that a similar incident will not happen again.”
“That is my wish as well.” Bann remained emotionless.
After a short wait, the last representative finally arrived and walked through the door of the palace. When the Bishops saw the envoy of Burgundy arrive, they all breathed a sigh of relief in unison. Richelieu had represented Burgundy as a diplomat in Sacred City several times. He was familiar with the customs so he should not make the same mistakes that Wolf Flute and Hua Sheng had made. Compared to those two annoying guests, Burgundy should be much easier to handle since they had already reached an agreement with the Sacred City in private
The Bishops watched keenly as Richelieu walked steadily forward. He was looking straight all the time and he looked suave and sophisticated and warm at the same time. Then, he stopped just below the steps. Not going further? Not going further! Really not moving anymore!
Ulliel’s face contorted. Under everyone’s watchful gaze, Richelieu turned back and nodded to the old knight in front of him. “Captain Bann, we meet again.”
Bann looked at him. “My Lord, Richelieu, have we met?”
Richelieu smiled. “21 years ago, you came to Burgundy as a knight. At the time, I was one of the secretaries tasked with receiving the guests. It has been 21 years and you still look as charming as ever. How envious.”
“You flatter me,” Bann replied indifferently.
Ulliel was secretly relieved to see that their small talk was finally coming to an end. But he did not expect Richelieu to take over a box from his follower and hand it over to Bann, “I have prepared this simple gift for you. Just some tea leaves. Hope you will like it.”
Bann rarely looked confused but he was right now. He accepted the box and saw the metal can in it. The tea leaves were not of a very rare sort and were produced by a small brand. In fact, very few people other than the locals would know about it. Nevertheless, it seemed to trigger some memories and the Father fell silent.
After a long time, he asked softly, “That child, how is he?”
Richelieu smiled. “Although there have been many difficulties along the way, he eventually managed to live the life that he always wanted in the end.”
“Is that so?” Bann did not probe further and only nodded. “Wish him the very best.”
“Thank you.” Richelieu bade farewell and began to climb up the steps.
And so, after several strange diplomatic incidents, the door of the church slowly closed and the meeting, that was called in the name of “peace,” had finally begun.
“But can this really stop the war?” Outside of the door, one of the knights sighed and looked silently at Bann. “Captain, what do you think? Everyone thinks that this war against Asgard will last for at least another year.”
“No, the war has already ended half a year ago.” Bann remained silent for a long time before sighing quietly, “It’s just that peace is still on the way.”
…
As expected, the first day of the meeting ended with everyone arguing back and forth, pushing responsibilities around and other usual diplomatic practices. The things that would set the direction of the future would not take place at the meeting. It would take place in the visits and long conversations after the meeting had ended.
It was late at night and there was a knock on the door of the Anglo consulate. As the rain continued to pour outside, the guest kept his black umbrella and smiled at Hua Sheng. “Please forgive me for coming to pay a visit so late and so unexpectedly.”
“Are all the elderlies so energetic these days? How envious.” Hua Sheng yawned, “Can someone please bring a cup of tea for Lord Richelieu?”
The sweet aroma of tea filled the study room. After some small talk at the beginning, they were finally about to talk about the main purpose of this conversation.
“These days, I managed to read the newspapers and gained a deep appreciation for Mr. Hua Sheng’s capabilities as a diplomat,” Richelieu began. “If it’s possible, I would like to have an open and honest discussion with you outside of the meeting.”
“What a coincidence. I am thinking exactly the same thing…” Hua Sheng smiled. “Nothing is impossible in this world as long as people are willing to talk about it.”
“I like that.” Richelieu smiled as well. “To be honest, I had thought that Hand of God would be the one coming here.”
“No choice, His Highness has other matters to attend to.” Hua Sheng shrugged his shoulders. “Besides, the boss only needs to shoulder responsibilities and face the consequences. All these trivial and menial things naturally fall on subordinates, like us, to settle.”
Richelieu raised his cup of tea. “I believe that we will share many things in common.”
As the two men continued to speak, the long night had just begun. Occasionally, when they were resting, Hua Sheng would smoke on his tobacco roll and unintentionally peek outside the window.
Looking at the time, that emotional and irresponsible fellow should have already reached Yunlou?
756 Cloud Tower
Cloud Tower, the city of silk and black gold.
It had been raised from the sea hundreds of years ago because of turmoil within the Originator, and now it occupied the main sea route between the East and the West. It could be said that it had the trade routes by the throat.
It existed only as a cash cow. As long as the waterways ke
pt operating, the money would keep flowing without end.
Ye Qingxuan had heard tales of its extravagance and prosperity from traveler’s notes and from the mouths’ of merchants and smugglers.
It was said that half of the huge city was built on the sea. Those civilians and untouchables without property or identity had to live on the sea. Their houses made out of sampans, and wooden boats were like barnacles clinging to the rocks and the city walls.
With land so scarce in this sea, every inch of soil was worth as much gold. Every vacant inch of soil was filled as soon as possible, and every foot of space would be used up.
In the end, the whole city had become a three-dimensional labyrinth.
Behind the thick walls, the builders had done things very skillfully. Behind a very thinly constructed layer, they had stuffed in the lowest class, slaves. Then they had put in a layer of wood, and behind another thinly constructed layer, they put the civilians. And then there were those with property, the officials, the wealthy, powerful merchants. In this way, it went constantly upward, layer after layer, until above the nine layers the sunlight illuminated a tall tower, the highest place in the city.
To the poets, the seat of the castellan of the city used up all the extravagance of the mortal world. Every brick and every tile was made by the hands of a craftsman. Even the roof tiles were decorated with black gold and jade.
The whole city was like a tall building created by a skilled hand, and the castellan’s seat was the crystallized magnificence at the top. Below it, the dark city never slept. For the 360 days out of the year, the lights were not extinguished, and crowds of people walked back and forth along wooden ladders and rails, consuming both goods and wealth.
Gold, silver, and jade were continuously transported through the deepest part of the maze. Nowadays no one knew how much wealth was hidden within the city.
There were all kinds of rumors, some beautiful, some solemn, some strange, and some dark, but in all of them, Cloud Tower had a mysterious attraction, like a mirage, inviting curiosity.
But Ye Qingxuan had never thought that when he came here it would be so desolate.
The Mountain of Nomadism sailed through the quiet waters. Everywhere it passed, the deteriorated, rotting houses on the sea were lifeless. Through the fog, they could occasionally see one or two hidden shadows moving through the layers, but when they got closer they could find no trace of them.
It was like they were avoiding them on purpose.
The fleets that in the past had come and gone had all vanished. They did not see anyone until they sailed through the gates of Cloud Tower. Although it was normal that after the Great Wall of the East was cut off there would be some desolation, this extreme level of desolation was unexpected.
“There’s something wrong with this d*mn place, Your Highness.” At the helm, Egor scratched his bald head. “It’s eerie.”
Ye Qingxuan was amused. “Leviathan’s Lightless Sea didn’t scare you, and now just a little bit of desolation and you’re like this?”
“This is different.” Egor gathered his thoughts, and after ruminating for a while said, “The Lightless Sea was made by a monster. I’m not afraid of monsters. If I can fight them I’ll live, if I can’t fight them I’ll run, and if I can’t run I’ll die. But this is different. This is man-made. I fear humans much more than monsters.”
Ye Qingxuan was surprised, and couldn’t help but laugh. Although Egor’s philosophy of survival was rough and simple, he did have some flashes of insight.
“Relax, no matter what’s going on here, I can protect you.” He patted Egor’s shoulder and walked to the front of the bridge. He stared out in front of the Mountain of Nomadism.
They were under the city of Cloud Tower now, and in front of them was the main gate—a 10,000-ton watergate.
Cloud Tower’s main gate was divided into two layers, isolated by two sluice gates at both ends of the city gate. It was said that the water level inside the city was completely different from outside, and that the elevation difference was like a steep cliff.
If he didn’t have a whole set of hubs to coordinate its movement, it would be difficult for Ye Qingxuan to break through the outer gate.
But now that the ship had arrived at the wall, there was no response from Cloud Tower. Ye Qingxuan sensed that on top of the wall, there was enough room to let dozens of horse-drawn carriages run parallel to each other, but there was not a single person up there.
In the space behind the city gate, it was so quiet that it did not seem like a city.
Now, all of Cloud Tower was like a double-layered iron coffin, sealing in corpses and their stench. The city revealed nothing, but getting closer made them uneasy.
It was like the city had died.
Amidst their perplexion, a roar burst out.
As the sluice gates shook violently, numerous green rust stains and barnacles shook off from the iron wall, and the sound of surging currents gathered together into the harsh sound of countless boulders smashing together. White foam seethed beneath the water, like a dead octopus spurting out its decomposing fluids.
Eventually, the path to the center of the city slowly became open.
But even now no one appeared before them.
Not even a signal light was lit.
“This…” Egor looked hesitantly at Ye Qingxuan.
“I’ll go, you all stay here.” Ye Qingxuan took a jacket from one of the crewmembers and put it on. “If something happens, don’t worry about me, retreat straightaway to a safe distance,” he ordered the captain. “I authorize you to use Hephaestus when necessary.”
Egor wanted to say something but stopped, guessing that there was no use in urging him again. He just sighed and called over two crew members.
“Please let them go with you.” Egor looked at Ye Qingxuan. “As a Prince, it’s unthinkable for you to go out on an inspection tour without a couple of attendants. Even if they just carry your bags for you.”
More people were better than fewer, and moreover, and if something went wrong, he could throw them in front of the blade and buy himself some time.
Ye Qingxuan looked at the pair of knights who had started dressing. He did not refuse. Soon, he stepped onto the gangplank and jumped onto one of the sampans. As he faced the dark city, the sampan slowly entered into the depths of the city gate.
On the bridge, Egor smoked his cigarette furiously, looking at the cold edge of the city, and his face twitched involuntarily.
“This d*mn place… It’s too freaking evil.”
…
In reality, Ye Qingxuan did not sail through the darkness for very long.
When his sampan stopped at the dock, he saw a figure that had been waiting there, a slender-limbed, white-haired girl with familiar eyebrows…
Bai Xi?
Ye Qingxuan was stunned and almost blurted out her name. But he soon realized the girl’s face did not have the same arrogance and playfulness. In fact, she had no expression, like a puppet.
She was just indifferent.
“You are… Yunlou Chaoyue?” Ye Qingxuan remembered Bai Xi’s rumored twin sister, but he had not thought that the first time he would see her would be under such strange circumstances.
In the silence, the girl gave him a slight salute. “Please come with me.” After saying this she turned and led the way.
Her manner suggested that she already knew he would come. There was no surprise or confusion, and no frustration or fear. Her eyes were empty, without any undulations of emotion.
It was like she was a puppet or a doll.
Ye Qingxuan followed her forward in the silence, passing through the dark, complicated corridors and stairways as they worked their way upward.
They did not see the legendary lights illuminate, and the only faint light came from a lantern that the girl carried, making the dead silent city eerier.
Markets, districts, medical centers, storefronts… everywhere they passed, there was not a single sound. Everythin
g was declining, covered in dust, and had not been lived in by people for who knew how long.
A rancid smell lingered in the air, and insects and mice could be faintly seen behind the broken boards, bringing the only faint sound into the darkness.
This city definitely had something wrong with it!
Finally, Ye Qingxuan could not help but ask, “Where is everyone?”
Yunlou Chaoyue, who was walking in front of him, heard his words and stopped, almost making Ye Qingxuan run into her. She looked back at him, and a hint of confusion showed on her beautiful, lifeless face.
It was as if she did not know how to explain it to him.
Soon she whispered, “Everyone left.”
“Left?” Ye Qingxuan was confused. “Why?”
“I don’t know.” This time Yunlou Chaoyue answered quickly, almost without thinking. “Father said they were afraid.”
“Afraid of…” Before he had finished asking the question, Ye Qingxuan already saw the answer.
Corpses.
Tons of corpses…
After passing through corridors and stairways, Ye Qingxuan had finally climbed to the top of the city and saw the legendary magnificent and mysterious white tower. But corpses hung on the tower as thick as stalks in a field of flax.
He didn’t know how long they had been dead. The shriveled shells swayed slightly in the wind. After being exposed to the sun for so long, the scent of rotting no longer spread from them, and there was no glimmer of life left in their pitch black eyes.
They just looked straight at them.
The knights subconsciously put their hands to their swords as their hair stood on end.
Ye Qingxuan was silent for a while, then with a cold smile he said softly, “Your father’s welcoming ceremony is quite original.”
Yunlou Chaoyue stopped at the gate and looked back at the knights behind her. “They stay here.”
“Alright.” Ye Qingxuan waved, indicating that his entourage should wait for him at the gate. Then he stepped into the prosperous building. “I’d like to see what kind of medicine Yunlou Qingshu is selling.”