Volume XIII: A Dream Returning Through a Millennium Chapter Ten: Prelude

Volume XIII: A Dream Reaching Back a Thousand Years - Chapter 10: Prologue

Sheng Chuhan clicked his tongue in amazement as he watched Yaoguang's retreating figure. His third younger sister was decisive and resolute in her actions, never hesitating in the slightest.

When Yaoguang returned to the inner chamber, Xuanruo had already finished washing up and was sitting blankly on a stool. Seeing Yaoguang enter, Xuanruo hurried to her feet and moved to bow, but Yaoguang pulled her up instantly. "None of my people need to kneel to me. From now on, speak while standing."

Xuanruo looked at Yaoguang, too emotional to utter a single word.

Early the next morning, a long queue had already formed outside the prefectural office of Ling City. Emerging from the inner chamber, Yaoguang was struck speechless by the magnificent spectacle at the entrance.

"They are all here to seek redress for grievances," Sheng Chuhan said, catching sight of Yaoguang.

Yaoguang made a helpless gesture. "Who is presiding over the trials?"

"The prefect of Ling City," Sheng Chuhan replied, then leaned close to Yaoguang's ear and whispered softly, "One of us."

Yaoguang gave Sheng Chuhan a peculiar look. So the two of you had planned this all along; no wonder Zhang Chengxian's sphere of influence disintegrated so rapidly after we entered the city. Yaoguang said nothing more, simply standing aside to quietly watch the honorable prefect conduct the trials.

Heh, she remembered that when they first entered the city, this same prefect had put on an utterly timid and submissive front. Yet now, he was impartial, iron-fisted, and utterly incorruptible.

The grievances accumulated in Ling City over many years finally erupted in this single moment.

The backlog of cases took seven whole days of trials to draw to a temporary close, and the implicated individuals spanned every single government office in Ling City. Without exception, the prefect handed down severe verdicts for them all.

At the execution grounds, the prefect sat with upright dignity, his eyes fixed on the sun as he awaited the start of the executions.

"Sheng Chuhan, the Prime Minister will never let your Sheng family go!" shouted Zhang Chengxian, who was bound tightly with ropes.

"You'd better worry about yourself instead. You're like a clay Bodhisattva crossing a river—barely able to save your own skin—yet you still have the energy to worry about others. Go on ahead; I will eventually send your Prime Minister down to join you as well, fulfilling your master-servant bond. When the time comes, you can explain to him yourself how the city was breached," Yaoguang sneered. Then, turning back to Xuanruo, she asked, "The soldier who bullied you—that one right there. Will you kill him yourself, or shall I do it for you?"

"I'll do it myself," Xuanruo said through clenched teeth. She took the blade handed to her by a nearby soldier and walked forward step by step.

The soldier had already soiled himself with fear. Xuanruo stared at the soldier, her eyes brimming with hatred. Without a shred of hesitation, Xuanruo drove the blade straight in. At the same time, tears streamed down her face, and her hands trembled so violently she could barely keep her grip on the weapon.

"Remember, if you don't want to be bullied, you must make yourself strong," Yaoguang said, giving her a supportive pat on the back from behind. Xuanruo turned her head and nodded solemnly.

"Execute the sentence!" A moment later, the executioner raised and dropped his blade. Heads rolled, and fresh blood spurted into the air. Yaoguang looked at the blinding crimson without so much as a blink.

Outside the formation, Jiang Yun felt a slight wave of nausea. "Master is actually so calm in the face of this."

"Ah-yao has seen things far bloodier than this," the male immortal replied.

Inside the formation, Yaoguang had already turned and walked away.

The bloodshed in Ling City was merely the beginning. What the crowd did not know was that the years to come would drift past amid a sea of blood. This had merely drawn back the curtain on the war for the imperial succession.

The grand army set out three days later to return to Sheng City. Yaoguang rode her horse with a placid expression. Sheng Chuhan left behind a detachment of soldiers to garrison the city, while the thirty thousand surrendered troops of Ling City were re-organized into the Sheng Family Army. Not long after the Han-character Vanguard departed, reinforcements from Yudu arrived, only to meet with fierce resistance in Ling City. Their twenty thousand troops were completely wiped out, and Ling City was thoroughly annexed into the Sheng family's domain.

After Sheng Chuhan led the army back to Sheng City, Sheng Chuxue and Sheng Chuhui also returned in triumph. This initial trial of military prowess concluded with a resounding victory for the Sheng Family Army.

Sheng City was a dazzling display of lanterns and colorful banners. The Sheng family's territory expanded once more. War is a cruel business; while everyone else was reveling in the joy of victory, only Yaoguang's gaze was desolate. The throne of an empire was forever built upon towering piles of bleaching bones and oceans of blood. Every single monarch grasped countless wandering ghost souls within the palms of their hands.

The night grew deep. Holding Datou in her arms, Yaoguang sat atop the roof of the Peony Pavilion, taking gulp after gulp of wine. Sheng Chuhan stood below, watching her quietly, unwilling to disturb her solitude.

Sheng Chuhan's heart was filled with puzzlement. Everyone else was rejoicing over the victory, yet her eyes were brimming with sorrow. This young woman remained an utter enigma...