Chapter Seven, Qianjue

On the day the door opened, countless emaciated refugees prostrated themselves in the dust, their cries and pleas soaring straight to the heavens

After the tumultuous battles and bloodshed, success was achieved. In the blink of an eye, the years had transformed, adorned with crowns and exchanged for new battlefields

Following the guidance of her sect, she walked only westward. One day, as she passed by the entrance of the idle Prince of Huainan's residence, she paused and smiled

The last two words were held between the teeth, softly uttered in a barely audible tone, yet they caused the noble consort to instantly turn pale.

She, Qin Changge, has always been one who does not dream

Yet he felt inexplicably at ease

Gazing deeply at the youth who was driven out of his home due to his passion for martial arts and mocked by his peers, I was astonished by the blazing brilliance that soared in his eyes

The young man, sword in hand, stood in the street, facing the heavy vermilion door that had been shut firmly before his brothers. He was filled with anger, yet not sorrowful; he simply stepped forward with pride and struck twice with his blade.

Why do you not want them to approach step by step, bowing down with each step, coming from a thousand miles away, merely opening the main gate wide and kneeling in welcome

The love of the Son of Heaven is a broad love, encompassing love for the country, love for the subjects, love for power, and ultimately, love for women

Qin Changge cast a glance at Consort Shu, whose name was Zhang Yuluan. She was the daughter of Zhang Ting, the Grand Commandant of the current dynasty, who held command over one hundred thousand troops. As a descendant of a meritorious minister who had contributed to the establishment of the dynasty, she was not the only one; all the concubines here were taken by Xiao Jue to consolidate his power and balance various factions. Xiao Jue had sworn countless times in front of her that once the imperial throne was secured, he would certainly dismiss the three thousand beauties and dedicate his life solely to her.

As people in the world continue to gaze longingly and speculate about the mysterious portal that slowly opens above the mist, they wonder which extraordinarily talented individual will emerge, destined to stir up tremendous waves upon entering the mortal realm, overturning the chaotic governance and liberating the people from their dire straits.

Those knowledgeable individuals from both the court and the opposition also changed into simple attire, drove their vehicles to the foot of the mountain, dismounted and abandoned their cars at a distance from the mountain gate, and hurriedly made their way halfway up the mountain, murmuring prayers.

He suddenly turned around

Zhang Shufei, who ranks just below the Empress and Qin Changge, and is one of the four consorts, wore a gentle smile and said: "If the Noble Consort has any instructions, we dare not disobey. However, the term 'guidance' is truly undeserved. If His Majesty were to hear it, my sisters and I would likely bear the blame again"

I will assist you

At that time, the Qianjue Sect, which had long enjoyed a prestigious position both in the court and among the people, known as "The Son of Heavenly Secrets, The Gate of Seclusion, with one disciple one can attain the world," could no longer bear the tragic sight of starving people and scattered bones in the chaotic world, and thus reopened its mountain gate that had been closed for sixty years

Qin Changge merely smiled

A lifetime, a world, a pair of people, merely an unattainable dream that shatters upon grasping it

Qin Changge, the junior sister of the Qianjue Sect, has already left the sect a day earlier, tasked with wandering the martial world to seek the ruler of the world for the suffering people struggling in the turbulent sea of chaos.

Yet a woman behind him chuckled softly

Laughter echoed from behind the courtyard gate

Your words sound strange, little sister... The mere phrase of 'offering guidance' is nothing but ordinary speech. How can you be so certain that His Majesty would take offense at this? ... Are you implying that our wise and extraordinary sovereign is someone who easily judges others based on a single remark? ... A mediocre ruler?

Her expression is so languid, her smile so cunning, her figure so slender, and her words so vague

No problem, even a casual game is fine

The main door is split open, with two deep gashes resembling the gaping, dark mouths of a giant, laughing at the world, where people are blind to the truth

The young man with black hair flew in the wind, brandishing his sword and shouting: "You are not worthy to drive me out. It is I who shall break through the door today, and one day, I will have you open the main gate wide and bow down to the ground, kneeling in welcome for me"

Not as good as the battlefield where soldiers are summoned, at hetushu.com, the yellow sand stained with blood, the sword energy soaring into the clouds, the exhilaration of composing poetry while wielding a spear, yet it is far more sinister, more ruthless, and more devastating than the red knife going in and the white knife coming out, inflicting harm invisibly.

In childhood, when learning to walk, one stumbles and falls, only to be lifted up by someone behind, who offers a reassuring smile.

That promise, that long street where they first met, the young man and the young woman, one harboring a still vague future, the other already having sketched the map of pursuit in their heart

Qin Changge smiled faintly, and in that fleeting moment of recalled memory, she was instantly drawn back.

She listened with a lazy smile

He also smiled, bright as fire

In those years, the former dynasty's Emperor Yuanjing was obsessed with alchemy and the pursuit of immortality, neglecting state affairs for many years. The court was controlled by treacherous officials, leading to a reversal of governance. As the military governors in various regions grew stronger, they gradually became estranged from the court, disregarding imperial orders, failing to pay tribute, and establishing autonomous regions. The situation of warlords vying for power began to emerge, with constant battles over territory, and they frequently plundered the crops painstakingly cultivated by the common people. All able-bodied men were taken away, resulting in smoke and flames everywhere, leaving the land desolate and the people in unbearable suffering. In the states where battles were most intense, the local populace fled in droves, and on the roads of exile, lacking food, they resorted to cannibalism, with blood and tears staining their path, crying out in despair.

Days spent with the tongue as a knife and the lips as a sword are truly tiresome

The young man stood on the desolate long street, his gaze unwavering; however, his shoulders had already borne the weight of profound melancholy.

She smiles more gently than Zhang Shufei

His gaze suddenly ignited, becoming two blazing wildfires in the autumn wind

Silent, yet exuding a chilling aura of menace; beautiful, yet with sharp, menacing fangs

From Youzhou to Pingzhou, a journey of a thousand miles from the capital, white bones are starkly visible, scattered along the dark road, with no one to bury them

You are indeed lacking ambition

After all, still young, with aspirations that no one understands, standing alone on a long street, feeling utterly isolated, inevitably succumbing to melancholy. Thus, the autumn wind rustles, lightly tinting his brows with frost.