When passing a section down the mountain, Song Huiya stopped, pressed her apprentice's shoulder, and asked her to kneel and kowtow three times to the north.
Song Zhiqi didn't understand what she meant, but still obeyed.
She had plenty of experience kowtowing. She knelt upright and bowed smoothly, very solemn. However, as soon as she opened her mouth, she exposed the impropriety in her nature. "Master, what am I worshiping?"
Song Huiya only said: "When I'm gone, bow to this place again. Your home, anyway."
Song Zhiqi said "oh" and took the initiative to explain: "There's a guy at the inn over there who used to like beating and scolding me. As soon as a guest came, he'd chase me with a stick. If I picked up something to eat, he'd chase me away with a dark face."
She shook her arms, her steps extremely large, sticking to the edge of the dirt road like grass swaying in the wind, walking very loosely.
"But......" Song Zhiqi drew out her voice for a long time and grinned. "People aren't all bad. If I'm successful in the future and come back to this broken village, as long as he calls me Hero Song nicely, I won't hold it against him!"
Song Zhiqi was so happy she forgot about the topic after a while and turned to something else.
Song Huiya never spoke.
As they approached the official road, the two met a walking corpse of a woman carrying a half-grown child on her back, staggering and walking crookedly.
Her back was deeply hunched, her head almost lowered to her waist. Only when she got close to Song Huiya could they see her figure clearly—her two legs were like wooden blocks that couldn't bend. She turned in their direction and fell straight to the side in a daze.
Song Huiya quickly caught her with sharp eyes. Upon touching the child on her back, she found it silent. On such a cold day, the flesh and skin had begun to decay. The child had likely been dead for several days.
Song Zhiqi was short and had seen the pair of hands hanging in front of the woman earlier. Seeing Song Huiya's movements, she wanted to speak, opened her mouth, but still held back.
She thought a good person like Master would show compassion, but Song Huiya remained silent, no overflowing pity in her eyes. Her expression was very light, her gaze thoughtfully chasing the other person's back, as if looking at the moon reflected in water—something too far away to touch.
"People who went out to escape some time ago are now coming back one after another." Song Zhiqi observed Master's expression, her immature voice speaking extremely mature words. "Under heaven, the world is all the same. When they went out, they found there was nowhere for us to go. When they come back, they can still be good citizens who starve to death. If they go out, they can only be starving refugees."
Song Huiya gave a low "hmm." It wasn't until the bloated shadow dragging from beneath the other party's feet faded away that she returned to normal and smiled lightly with her apprentice.
Song Zhiqi finally knew to ask at this point: "Master, where are we going?"
"I have an agreement with someone." Song Huiya said. "If I survive, I'll meet them in Broken Goose City before the first month."
This is what was written in the letter. Song Huiya wanted to see what kind of person would be the first she'd meet after surviving.
"Who?" Song Zhiqi stood on tiptoe timidly, caring only about one thing. "Is he rich?"
"Maybe." Song Huiya said ambiguously. "Among the people I know, there should be few ordinary ones."
"Rich people?!" Song Zhiqi's eyes suddenly bloomed with bright brilliance. She began fantasizing about wealthy days in the future, looking toward the end of the mountain road.
Sitting on the ox cart, she was still gesturing restlessly: "Do rich and noble families have particularly troublesome etiquette? I heard they don't use their own hands to eat."
She simulated various tea-pouring actions, brought it to Song Huiya, nodded her head and said: "Master, please drink tea!"
Song Huiya tapped her forehead and pressed it down, then closed her eyes and lay on the dry straw with a smile, falling asleep muttering.
The cart wheels rolled forward with the old cow's neighing. Old dreams were crushed in the yellow dust that rose, remaining with the retreating mountain lines on both sides in the desolate, calm town.
The horse let out a long snort, and the vehicle stopped on the bluestone bricks. In the faint dawn, the man emerged from the carriage. The servant beside him carried a lamp and trotted ahead to light his way.
The officials attending court had already lined up in front of the hall to wait. When they saw him appear, their expressions differed—some approached with greetings, others nodded distantly. After a short commotion came another calm wave.
The morning court hastily discussed only a few matters, ending early in less than half an hour. After retiring, Wei Lingsheng went to the study with the rest of the important ministers.
The young king sat behind a spacious table, two points more restrained than in court. First he worried about Wei Lingsheng's condition for a few sentences, then sat upright to discuss business.
Wei Lingsheng took the initiative and asked for credit for Lu Xiangze.
The young man at the top looked at the faces of the courtiers below from the corner of his eye. Seeing everyone bow their heads in silence, he pressed the armrest of his seat and vaguely pushed to discuss it again.
Wei Lingsheng was noncommittal. He took out a document from his sleeve, handed it to the eunuch with both hands, and reported: "I still have a proposal. Please Your Majesty, reflect on the situation."
The young man opened the memorial with trepidation. When he saw a dense row of names written on it, his eyes suddenly darkened and he had difficulty breathing. He remembered the stack of memorials Wei Lingsheng had left with him before requesting sick leave—he'd shirked them all. Now brought up again in the hall today.
In the end, only Wei Lingsheng's voice remained in the study. The more he spoke, the weaker he became, having to stop and cough twice from time to time. No one dared interrupt him.
It wasn't until Wei Lingsheng took a water cup from the eunuch that the gray-haired man who had been closing his eyes to rest on the side opened them and asked with concern: "Is the doctor's body still able to bear this? Don't force it."
Wei Lingsheng said in a humble tone: "Thank you, Chamberlain, for your concern. It's not a big deal. It is my duty—how can I dare to delay?"
His Majesty's eyes were weak, his shoulders collapsed slightly. He was obviously distracted and hadn't listened to more than a few words from beginning to end. After making eye contact with the gray-haired official below, he was even more like sitting on pins and needles, adjusting his posture without trace, eager to escape.
Wei Lingsheng spoke to himself. After repeating the statements of dozens of officials, he bowed and requested their dismissal.
Several old ministers stood with sore backs and weak legs, their faces full of fatigue. They were quietly relieved to see him finished.
The young man still memorized his rhetoric, saying Wei Lingsheng's report had been handed over to the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple for review and reconsideration.
But this time he spoke extremely unconfidently. He knew Wei Lingsheng wouldn't give up. He didn't know where his means of revenge remained.
Xie Zhongchu had been able to dominate the martial arts world over the years and make heroes bow their heads—how could he lack the support of court officials?
He didn't have to kill Song Huiya...... He wasn't the one with heart-wrenching hatred.
The young man glanced at the gray-haired man, then at Wei Lingsheng. His palms sweated.
Unexpectedly, Wei Lingsheng showed no anger. He let it pass as usual and continued calmly: "I have one more thing."
The shoulder muscles that had just relaxed became tense again, feeling pain in the soles of their feet. The young monarch also tensed.
Wei Lingsheng said: "I want to intercede for Inspector Wang."
Hearing it was something he could handle, the young king was shocked. His body leaned forward a little as he smiled and drew closer. "Which Inspector Wang? Elder brother is seriously ill and recuperating—what big thing needs to alarm you?"
Wei Lingsheng said without changing expression: "Inspector Wang Xiaotian. A few days ago, he accidentally erred and unintentionally killed the Governor of Hengzhou, Xu Ping."
"You kill—"
The young king's face suddenly changed. He leaned back, pressing the table to stand up. In the end he endured it. His face still changed between blue and white, the corners of his lips pursed as he scanned between the gray-haired man and Wei Lingsheng with sweat on his brow.
The gray-haired man turned his head and said in a slightly raised voice: "Oh? Is it the kind of 'unintentional' where one breaks into the Governor's Mansion and kills people with a knife?"
Wei Lingsheng had some expression on his face at this point and chuckled. "The Chamberlain's words are ridiculous. Inspector Wang met General Xu by chance in a street tavern. General Xu was drunk and spoke carelessly, boasting with his friends. He insulted His Majesty in public and praised the bravery of the Hu people—it can be called treason. Inspector Wang had a verbal dispute with him and kindly tried to persuade him, but unexpectedly angered the general. General Xu drew his knife and wanted to commit murder on the street, so Inspector Wang naturally could only flee in panic. In the midst of the chase, General Xu slipped and accidentally fell. The blade in his hand pierced his heart and lungs, and he died on the spot. It was actually an accident."
The gray-haired man couldn't help nodding and finally asked: "What about General Xu's body?"
Wei Lingsheng sighed regretfully. "Inspector Wang knew he couldn't escape his guilt, so he bound his hands and surrendered to confess. General Xu's body was temporarily stored in the government office, but somehow at night, a fire suddenly broke out in the backyard of the yamen. General Xu's body was burned before an autopsy could be conducted in time."
The gray-haired man raised his head and said in confusion: "General Xu has been in office less than two years. To die in Hengzhou—what a pity."
Wei Lingsheng then sighed. "This is the case in border states. There are often accidents. It's not a place to make money."
"The arsonist fled into the Governor's Mansion. The government officials chased all the way but didn't catch the criminal. However, they accidentally found much evidence of General Xu's crimes." Wei Lingsheng straightened his back and said loudly: "Xu Ping embezzled salaries, forcibly occupied private land, disrupted politics for private interests, and stripped away grace. He exhausted the people's blood with insatiable demands. Originally a heinous crime deserving the death penalty. I hope Your Majesty will remember Inspector Wang's loyalty and righteousness, reduce his punishment, and leniently judge him."
The gray-haired man smiled. "Good, good! An eighth-rank junior official dared to kill the governor of a border state, and the censor intercedes for him! Is there anything more ridiculous in the world?!"
Wei Lingsheng said without changing expression: "Why not say it is a loyal minister killing a traitor and abusive official?"
The gray-haired man's eyes were full of fierce light, almost condensing into substantial hatred. He glanced sideways at Wei Lingsheng.
Wei Lingsheng did not look away and remained unmoved.
The scene fell into dead silence until an official stepped forward and said: "I request orders to hear this case."
The young monarch said tiredly: "Fine, then trouble Minister Lu."
It was noon. The sky was blue, the sunlight dazzling.
After several days of cold, it had warmed up today. The capital was hot again.
Wei Lingsheng walked in the middle of the crowd, his lips pale and face haggard, whispering to the courtiers beside him.
The gray-haired man walked behind unhurriedly, clapping his hands and smiling. "I thought the Prince and Song Huiya were from the same family. Therefore, when the Prince was in trouble, Song Huiya went to the meeting alone and sent him off thousands of miles. Now that Song Huiya's bones are still unknown, the Prince is eager to erect a monument. Within a day, someone will be upset for you and kill someone. It seems the Prince looks forward to his senior sister's death. No matter how true or false your illness, you do this to avoid damaging your name of benevolence and righteousness while eradicating the disasters in your eyes."
Wei Lingsheng turned a deaf ear.
"What kind of master is this Inspector Wang to be able to chase and fight with General Xu on the street, causing him to accidentally kill himself? No matter how incompetent Xu Ping was, he was also a military general. When drunk, he couldn't catch up with a civil official?" The gray-haired man sighed. "If Song Huiya knew under the Nine Springs that she could be exchanged for the governor of a state, and the future of an inspector would cost one life, I don't know what she'd think? Relief or coolness? Could it be that she insisted on going to Nameless Cliff because she also listened to others' instructions and went to her death?"
Wei Lingsheng's pace became unsteady and slowed slightly. The courtiers on the side tugged at his sleeves, wishing they could carry him forward to escape these controversies as soon as possible.
A military attaché beside the gray-haired man took over. "It is said the jianghu values pleasure and revenge most, but I've heard there's no shortage of treacherous people in the jianghu. For personal gain, siblings, relatives and friends can be turned into knives in one's hands. Those are just frogs at the bottom of wells—what they see is only the size of a bowl, what they compete for is just small profit. If they could see the height of the temple and the vastness of the world, what would benevolence, righteousness and morality matter compared to power? The Prince is someone who can achieve great things at first glance. Who in the world cannot be deceived to achieve great things? Just a senior sister......"
Wei Lingsheng suddenly stopped and turned toward the two of them.
The few courtiers on the side could only bite the bullet and lean forward, each standing behind the two, ready to persuade.
As for fighting, it was half a pound versus eight taels—neither could beat the other twice. Better to leave it at that.
The general thought he'd been stepped on and hurt his foot. He turned to look at him, only to find his eyes were clear, calm, and not angry.
Wei Lingsheng recognized the direction, raised his finger somewhere, and said: "When I was born, my father originally wanted to name me Lingshan, because there was a Guanghan Mountain in the north of Daliang. It was once Daliang's land, ceded to the Hu people because of our ancestors' defeat. The Hu people can cross that mountain range and trample on the land of our Han people. The soldiers and horses of our Daliang have been buried in the wilderness one after another for decades, but have never been able to cross that mountain pass."
The general listened to him, his expression unconsciously solemn. Wei Lingsheng had a smile on his lips, but no smile in his eyes.
"A full moon after I was born, Daliang just lost a battle. After the Hu people retreated, my father stood on the city wall and looked down. The soil was red, the wind was fishy, and every inch of land under his feet was stained with blood and covered with bodies."
"He found that the mountain was higher than the sky. But what I can't cross is not just that mountain."
"So he changed my name."
Wei Lingsheng was clearly weak—his appearance, voice, and temperament all warm. But deep in his bone marrow was a kind of arrogant courage, even unscrupulous ruthlessness. When he coldened his face, he possessed an awe-inspiring power.
"You can't survive unless you die. Even if I step on the bones of countless people, one day I will lead Daliang over Guanghan Mountain." He should have been answering the general's previous sarcasm, but he looked directly into his eyes and said word by word: "I dare to deceive the way of heaven. Those who seek power, wealth, and fame should not stand in my way."
Wei Lingsheng's eyes were shining, his pupils seeming to contain a great sun. When he opened his eyes, he could see the blue sky.
Song Zhiqi raised her hand to block her eyes. Her clear pupils reflected a simple thatched hut and a circle of scribbled fences. With her mouth open, her face broke with hope. The burden on her shoulders slipped to the ground. "Master, did we take the wrong path?"
Song Huiya pondered: "Hmm...... Maybe."
Song Zhiqi said: "Then let's go!"
She turned and walked back the way they came. Song Huiya pushed open the bamboo door and entered the small courtyard.
Song Zhiqi stomped her feet, lifted her baggage, and followed inside.
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