Way of Choices II_Youths We Were, Schoolmates

by Mao Ni

  Without looking at him, the middle-aged woman gave a slight nod. She had probably assented.

  Chen Changsheng took a sip from the tea cup and realized that the tea was strong and moistened his heart and spleen. This was truly an excellent tea that was difficult to find. Even those famous teas gifted to him by Luoluo could not compare with this seemingly unsophisticated dark tea in the pot.

  The quality of tea's flavor rested on the quality of the tea leaves, but more importantly, it relied on the brewer of the tea.

  A person that was able to brew such a pot of dark tea was naturally unusual.

  The gaze Chen Changsheng aimed at the middle-aged woman became even more respectful and cautious.

  He put down the teacup and waited for her to ask a question.

  And yet, even when the starlight descended into the bottom of the cup, the middle-aged woman still had not done anything.

  She calmly sat by the table, watching the trees and flowers of the Hundred Herb Garden. There was no emotion in her eyes, yet there was also all sorts of emotions.

  But he was not in her eyes.

  Chen Changsheng felt somewhat awkward and nervous. He was not very used to sitting across from someone in silence.

  As time passed, he gradually grew used to the mood. He no longer thought. He poured tea for both himself and the middle-aged woman and then drank. No words passed between them, and he silently listened to the final chirping of the insects in the autumn garden. His mind gradually grew serene, even began to fall into intoxication.

  It was only at this point that he remembered that he always loved the quiet, was used to the quiet.

  He didn't like to speak, which had been the case since he was small.

  However, after coming to the capital, whether it was the Divine General of the East's estate or the abandoned garden in the Imperial Palace, whether it was speaking with Madam Xu, Shuang'er, or Lady Mo Yu, for several reasons, he had talked a lot. And after Tang Thirty-Six came to the Orthodox Academy, it was no longer like when they first met where he valued words like gold. His nature as a chatterbox had been exposed, and so Chen Changsheng had no choice but to accompany him in conversation.

  All this had been very painful for him.

  No one had set down a law, but when two people sat across from each other, they talked.

  But to quietly sit like this was also quite fine.

  If they felt the occasional need to communicate, they didn't need to speak, just make a few gestures. This was also quite fine.

  It was like he had returned to Xining Village, sitting by the stream behind the old temple. He and Senior Yu Ren would quietly read Daoist scriptures and when they saw a place they didn't understand, he and his senior brother would gesture at each other on their observations, and then they would quietly continue to read.

  The side of the stream from that time was just like the Hundred Herb Garden now: very quiet and very comfortable.

  Xining Village was incredibly remote, and when night set in, it was pitch-black. The starlight, however, was extremely bright, falling upon the ground like snow. After coming to the capital, what he was least accustomed to, besides the complicated people that lived here, was that the lights in the night seemed to greatly muddy and dim the starlight.

  Several periods of autumn rain had washed the sky above the capital. Coupled with the fact that the only light present in the Hundred Herb Garden was the feeble glow of the oil lamp on the stone table, the lights on the arrow towers of the nearby Imperial Palace blocked by the dense foliage, the starlight seemed to be much brighter.

  The starlight penetrated through the branches of the trees and fell upon his face.

  He raised his head up to the innumerable stars in the sky, yearning for Xining Village's old temple and his senior brother, but the dazzling brilliance of the starlight caused him to squint his eyes.

  Under the silver brilliance of the starlight, his face seemed very clean.

  The moment he squinted his eyes, the childish air that he usually kept concealed revealed itself.

  He was still as amiable as usual, but he was also somewhat cuter.

  It just so happened that it was this moment the middle-aged woman chose to draw back her gaze from the Hundred Herb Garden and look at him.

  She quietly gazed at him.

  He squinted his eyes, completely unaware, yearning, reminiscing.

  She gazed at him in a daze.

  Her yearning and reminiscing had just concluded, and it had just been yearning and reminiscing.

  She raised her right hand and gently placed it on his face, slowly caressing it.

  Startled, Chen Changsheng opened his eyes wide and looked at the middle-aged woman.

  He was deeply unaccustomed to such an intimate closeness. He had never experienced it as a child, and that wasn't even considering the fact that he didn't even know this middle-aged woman, having only met her twice.

  He subconsciously wanted to back away, but then he saw the middle-aged woman's eyes.

  Those eyes like two lakes of stars contained incomparably complex emotions which gradually transformed into sorrow and grief.

  When he thought of how this middle-aged woman could not speak and had lived deep within the palace for many years, probably experiencing many sinister and sorrowful events, he found himself somewhat unable to leave. He found it best to just let her move her hand lightly about his face, but that feeling was truly very strange.

  The woman's warm and broad palm slowly caressed his face, and his body became extremely stiff. Only after a long while did he gradually begin to relax.

  Suddenly, the middle-aged woman pinched his cheek, just like an elder playing with an infant.

  Chen Changsheng found it impossible to continue peacefully sitting. He quickly stood up and retreated two steps, then bowed. "I must go back."

  When he spoke, he realized that the woman was deaf and quickly gestured.

  The middle-aged woman, seeing how intense his response was, heartily laughed.

  Her laugh naturally made no noise, but from the bold way in which she moved her head up and down, anyone who saw it could tell that she was laughing to her heart's content.

  Without waiting for Chen Changsheng to leave, the middle-aged woman stood up and headed deeper into the Hundred Herb Garden.

  Chen Changsheng thought for a moment, then followed.

  In the gentle night breeze, fallen leaves drifted onto the stone table, surrounding the teapot and two teacups and gently rotating about them.

  After waiting for twenty years, the teapot, the teacups, and the water boiler by the table had welcomed their owner once more. No one knew how many more years they would have to wait.

  * * *

  What somewhat surprised Chen Changsheng was that the middle-aged woman did not go to the Orthodox Academy. Instead, she walked deeper into the Hundred Herb Garden, all the way until she reached the old-fashioned and mottled wall of the palace. Seeing the old door there, he realized that the door she used was different from Mo Yu's.

  The middle-aged woman ignored him, not caring that he followed. She took out the key and inserted it in the lock. With two clacks, the lock opened. A creak cut through the night as the old wooden door was pushed open and she entered.

  Only now did Chen Changsheng confirm that there was nothing going on. He relaxed and slackened his grip on the hilt of his dagger. Watching the middle-aged woman's back, he lightly called out, wanting to say something, but unexpectedly, the door swiftly closed before his eyes.

  Just leaving like this? He was rather stunned, but then he realized that she couldn't hear, which put him somewhat at ease.

  The closed wooden door seemed to be one with the palace wall.

  He looked at the door, somewhat confused.

  Were the events of tonight actually real?

  Why were they so similar to those stories of ghosts and immortals described in the Daoist Canon?

  But the slightly tart and fragrant flavor of the tea
was still lingering on his tongue.

  The warmth of her touch was still upon his face.

  Shaking his head, he turned and left.

  * * *

  On the side of the door unseen by Chen Changsheng was a long and quiet passage.

  All around the passage was moss and vines. Beneath the vines, at least six mechanisms or arrays capable of killing an expert of the upper level of Star Condensation were concealed.

  The floor of this passage was formed from dry bricks of stone.

  As the middle-aged woman slowly proceeded forward along the stone bricks, her expression gradually began to change.

  With only ten-some steps, an indescribable majesty once more returned to her body.

  The ordinary face became one of unmatched beauty.

  Not a delicate beauty, but a blindingly dazzling beauty.

  When she walked out of the passage, the scene surrounding her also changed.

  The Imperial Palace in the darkness, towering and magnificent.

  Chapter 102 – Contemplating the Present on the Dew Platform

  Xue Xingchuan, leading the Red Cloud Qilin, welcomed the woman at the exit of the passage. This second-ranked expert of the continent's thirty-eight Divine Generals was extremely deferential at this moment. The Red Cloud Qilin he led was in an even more unbearable state. Its body incessantly shook and it found it impossible to stand straight. The hammer of fire that was its tail swung back and forth, seeming very pitiful.

  The middle-aged woman slightly raised her brow.

  Xue Xingchuan did not know why his mount was acting so strangely today. After rising, he attempted to explain, "The Empress's divine prestige is limitless…"

  The middle-aged woman was the Divine Empress of the Great Zhou, the most revered master of the world.

  "It has nothing to do with me, and there's no need for you to be nervous either." She recalled the scene of that youth from the Orthodox Academy tightly gripping his sword on the other side of the door. She walked up to the Red Cloud Qilin and gently caressed its neck. After a moment, the Red Cloud Qilin calmed down.

  "Next time, stand a little farther, or else it truly might escape and die," she advised Xue Xingchuan.

  Xue Xingchuan shivered slightly at these words as he thought, Could it be because of that ordinary youth, Chen Changsheng?

  "You still think he's really so ordinary?"

  The Divine Empress seemed to be able to see into the minds of all and know what they were thinking. She indifferently continued, "If he really was an ordinary youth, how could he vie on an equal level with Gou Hanshi at the Ivy Festival? If he didn't have any ability, would he be able to push out all those old codgers and have them appear before my face?"

  Xue Xingchuan fell silent, because at this moment, it was not convenient for him to speak, especially today, when the Empress had clearly displayed a stance of displeasure toward the Orthodox Academy. This meant that during the day, when he managed the matter of besieging the Orthodox Academy, he might have already committed a great offense.

  * * *

  Of the Night Pearls embedded in the Dew Platform, only one was lit. The Black Goat that carried the name of Black Jade stood by this Night Pearl, its head lowered to rub its nonexistent horn against the surface of the pearl. Mo Yu was in front of a desk, grinding ink. The night wind at this high altitude blew against her cheeks, making it a little messy.

  Hearing a sound, she turned around and saw the Divine Empress ascending the platform. Hurriedly, she went to assist her.

  "Empress, the autumn rain has washed the sky several times, making it a perfect night to view the stars, but Empress came late."

  The Divine Empress replied, "I've already seen it tonight."

  Mo Yu was somewhat startled. She cautiously asked, "Where did Empress see it?"

  The Divine Empress answered, "The Hundred Herb Garden."

  Mo Yu was slightly shocked at this answer, thinking to herself, Everyone in the palace knows that after Emperor Xian died, the Empress has never once been to the Hundred Herb Garden. Why was tonight an exception?

  "You went to the Orthodox Academy today?" the Divine Empress casually asked.

  She did not say 'I hear you went to the Orthodox Academy', because she was the Divine Empress, and she did not need to speak in such a roundabout fashion.

  The chill in Mo Yu's heart increased and she dared not hide anything. She softly affirmed, "Yes."

  The Divine Empress raised her right hand and lightly caressed Mo Yu's delicate cheek. "And you were the one to do all these things?"

  Mo Yu knew that the Empress was asking about the two consecutive bloody incidents that had taken place today, as well as the role the Tianhai clan had played in the matter.

  She did not clearly understand the Empress's position, so she did not dare to casually admit to it. She softly replied, "I would not dare."

  "How would any of them dare to act without first asking you? The Orthodox Academy is so close to the Imperial Palace."

  The Divine Empress continued to caress Mo Yu's face as she spoke.

  Mo Yu noticed the barely discernible smile on the Empress's lips, and her heart froze solid, fear running through her veins.

  She had no idea that the Divine Empress was just recalling that youth from earlier, comparing the feel of their faces on her hand.

  Mo Yu lowered her head and explained, "The matter of the engagement has to be resolved… Xu Yourong used the engagement as an excuse and isn't willing to marry Qiushan Jun. The confluence of the north and south…"

  "So what about the confluence of the north and south? I already said, if Yourong doesn't want to marry, she doesn't need to marry, but… no one believes what I say."

  The Divine Empress drew back her hand. Holding her hands behind her, she walked to the edge of the Dew Platform and looked down upon the capital in the darkness, her voice somewhat desolate. "All of you always feel that I put the world above all else, so what does the sacrifice of a few girls' developing romances count for? So none of you believe, not even Yourong believes, and thus… all methods possible are used."

  Mo Yu fell silent for a few moments, then said, "Even ignoring the matter of the engagement, I also think that youth is rather strange. The time he appeared was far too coincidental."

  The coincidence she spoke of was the disastrous effect the engagement between Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong had on the policy of the Great Zhou, and the Orthodox Academy he resided in was also a symbol the conservative factions were using to oppose the Empress.

  Without turning around, the Divine Empress said indifferently, "Was it not you that let him enter the Orthodox Academy?"

  Mo Yu's expression grew slightly apprehensive as she said, "Yes, but I was thinking that there might have been someone encouraging things in secret, borrowing the pressure of the Divine General of the East's estate and Xu Yourong's letter to misguide me into making a wrong decision, thus allowing Chen Changsheng to appear before the people of the capital."

  "And why does his appearance matter?"

  "He has the surname of Chen. I suspect that those people want to intentionally have the people of the capital associate him with the Imperial clan."

  "…Then what have your investigations turned up?"

  "His teacher truly is Daoist Ji… but nothing else could be found. According to the information sent from Xining, the old temple is still there, but it's deserted."

  Upon hearing the name 'Daoist Ji', the Divine Empress fell silent for a very long time. Suddenly, she ordered, "Stop investigating."

  Mo Yu was somewhat astonished, confused as to why she was given this order.

  The Divine Empress quietly gazed up at the starry sky. Fate was there, but no one could clearly see their own fate, and neither could she.

  But she had the confidence to control her own fate. Not even the heavens could disrupt that.

  Was that youth the baneful star upon her fate?

  How utterly ridiculous.

  She comme
nted, "The capital is vast."

  Mo Yu was a little perturbed, confused as to the meaning of these four words.

  "The continent is also vast, the heavens even vaster, but none of them can compare to the vastness of my heart."

  She slowly said, "Could I possibly be unable to hold an additional academy?"

  Mo Yu was even more stunned. Even if it displeased the Empress, she intended to make her opposition known.

  The Divine Empress did not turn. She raised her right hand to signal that no further discussion on this topic was needed.

  This was the first time she had displayed her stance on the Orthodox Academy, and also the final time.

  Her attitude toward the Orthodox Academy depended upon her attitude toward Chen Changsheng. She knew of Chen Changsheng's illness and felt a slight pity. Whether he was being used by someone or something else, she had decided to give him a chance, a chance to prove that he could live.

  "Stop disturbing that youth, at least before the Grand Examination."

  Mo Yu's shock was beginning to fade when she heard the Empress's order. Puzzled, she asked, "Why the Grand Examination?"

  The Divine Empress replied, "A child that up to now has still been unable to cultivate wants heart-and-soul to obtain first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination; do you not think this is very interesting? Do you not find this child very interesting?"

  Mo Yu recalled Chen Changsheng's wooden appearance and thought to herself, What's so interesting about him?

  Then she looked at the figure standing at the edge of the Dew Platform and suddenly felt that the Empress was somewhat different today, but she could not say how.

  * * *

  "Those people have moved to the Li Palace. In the future, I will no longer let anyone live there or disturb the tranquility of that place, so you should stop appearing in my dreams… Yes, even if you do appear in my dreams, can you chat about happier things and not always complain?"