(Note: Huang An's Everything Red is recommended to listen to when reading this chapter.)
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Time passed in this manner between farewells and quarreling.
Although there was still no sign that Su Li and the southerners he represented would abandon the beliefs they had upheld for countless years, everyone could see through countless details that the confluence of the north and south was inevitable. Right at this moment, a relatively insignificant matter actually overshadowed this major matter.
The reason this matter was a minor matter was because it was a marriage.
According to the news from the Li Palace, in an extremely private conversation, the Pope had admitted that he had already annulled the engagement between Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong.
This news was secretly spread throughout the capital and the continent, but there was no evidence. The Divine General of the East's estate and the Orthodox Academy maintained their silence, but gradually, people began to believe it.
At the Ivy Festival, the southern diplomatic mission had proposed marriage on behalf of Qiushan Jun. At the time, the nameless Chen Changsheng had pushed open the door and entered. He took out a marriage contract, and then a White Crane flew over from Holy Maiden Peak.
From then until now, this marriage had always been the focus of the entire continent's discussion. This was because this marriage contract concerned the three most outstanding youths with the greatest prospects in the human world, as well as many other things: the Orthodoxy, Holy Maiden Peak, the Divine Empress, the Qiushan clan, and the Mount Li Sword Sect. It could be said that the strongest powers of the continent were all linked together because of this marriage contract.
Was it really going to end like this?
If this matter was true, if Chen Changsheng had taken the initiative to ask the Pope to annul the engagement, then what would the Divine General of the East's estate, which had been ridiculed for so long, do? What sort of mood would that Heavenly Phoenix true daughter, who was loved or worshipped by everyone, feel when faced with such a difficult situation?
Many people were furious at Chen Changsheng because of this rumor, especially those worshippers of Xu Yourong.
But in the end, it was only a rumor. No one could ask the Pope, so there was naturally no reason to vent their anger on the Orthodox Academy.
Even if people wanted to ask Chen Changsheng if this matter was true, they would find it very difficult to find Chen Changsheng. As a result, all their emotions could only gradually simmer and ferment. Perhaps it was anger, perhaps it was ridicule, or perhaps they just wanted to watch the spectacle. Because of these various emotions, the entire continent increasingly anticipated the day that Xu Yourong would return to the capital. They anticipated the battle that seemed destined to happen.
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Chen Changsheng truly was very difficult to meet. In the past few days, he had been in seclusion, especially after the rumor that his engagement had been annulled by the Pope began to circulate.
Because of this matter, he felt a bit apologetic towards Xu Yourong. Because she was a young girl, he decided to keep silent about this matter. After Xu Yourong returned to the capital, he would think of a way to tell her the truth about this matter. He would let her ask the whole world to cancel the engagement, and then he would accept it. In this way, perhaps she wouldn't have to bear the strange gazes, even if those gazes were filled with pity. As for the ridicule and sympathy that would inevitably be given to one of the parties to the engagement, he would do it, because he was a man.
For some reason, he had never met Xu You Rong before, but he was certain that she was not a person who was willing to accept sympathy from others.
So when Tang Thirty Six heard the rumor and asked him, he shook his head and said nothing.
The youth who had just entered the capital did not understand matters such as engagements or relationships. Only after entering the Garden of Zhou did he realize that this was actually the case.
He liked a girl, but that girl died.
He was liked by a girl, that girl left.
He hoped that Xu Yourong would be happier than him.
In this period of time, he did his utmost to avoid meeting with other people, and the number of times he met with the Black Dragon increased.
He would often go to the bottom of the well at New North Bridge and deliver all sorts of food to the Black Dragon, especially the large pot of rice from the Orthodox Academy's cafeteria that she specifically requested to eat.
Every time the Black Dragon pretended to be gentle and quiet as she slowly ate, he would crouch under the stone wall and study the array that imprisoned the Black Dragon and that chain, but he never made any progress.
On a certain night as autumn passed and winter came, it was already a quarter to three, but Chen Changsheng still had not gone to sleep.
He stood in front of the window, gazing at the great banyan tree whose leaves had already fallen and the frozen surface of the lake. He was thinking about a few things, and then he heard the sound of singing coming from the distant wall.
Recently, he could often hear some singing at night. He shook his head.
The Orthodox Academy had now become a famous attraction of the capital. Because the duel had temporarily come to an end, the number of people who came to see the excitement had greatly decreased, but the number of tourists from other counties had increased instead of decreasing. In addition, the number of students, teachers, and workers in the Orthodox Academy added up to several hundred people. With people, there would naturally be business opportunities. Merchants would never miss any opportunity. The entire street across from Hundred Blossom Lane was either sold or rented, or transformed into various places. There were inns and restaurants, gradually becoming more and more lively.
Every night, the business of the inns and restaurants would become very good. Some of them were famous guests, but of course, even more were students of the Orthodox Academy. No matter how strict the academy's rules were, no matter how strict the entrance was, the students could always find various ways to overcome the gatekeepers and the walls, and then enter the inns and restaurants to do the things that young people liked to do.
For example, eating, drinking, listening to music, and talking about life … …
The teachers of the Orthodox Academy obviously wanted to control it, but they couldn't control the students. They also wanted to drive away the restaurants that brought a lot of excitement, but it was very difficult. No matter if it was the Orthodoxy cavalry, the city gate department, or the Imperial Guards, none of them could do anything. Tang Thirty Six, who truly had the ability to take care of all the inns and restaurants across Hundred Blossom Lane, couldn't do anything, because two of the inns and restaurants were owned by him.
Late at night, the bustling streets were still there. The singing on the other side of the wall became louder and clearer, drifting into the Orthodox Academy.
Chen Chang Sheng was just about to find the fur that Mo Yu left here one night and stuff it into his ears to help him sleep, but he was suddenly attracted by the lyrics of the song.
The singer should be a new student of the Orthodox Academy. His voice was very hoarse, probably still in the stage of puberty, but his voice was very loud. The lyrics of this song were very simple, not elegant, even a little vulgar, but it was filled with a unique taste of youth. When combined with the voice of the boy, it seemed especially lively.
"Youth is all red. You are the master. If you want rain, you get rain. If you want wind, you get wind. If you want carp leaping over the dragon gate is different … …"
Chen Chang Sheng stood in front of the window, quietly listening.
Listening to this song and thinking of the people and events he had encountered in the last two years in the capital, he found it somewhat difficult to calm down. Countless emotions surged forth like a tide.
Yes, they surged forth like a tide.
In the past, he had always believed that this sort of description was an exaggeration from a romance story. Only now did he know that it was all true.
He subconsciously rubbed the stone bracelet on his wrist and returned to the Garden of Zhou.
In the past few days, he would often come to the Garden of Zhou and sit in the plains in a daze.
Perhaps it was because he felt that interacting with those monsters was much simpler than interacting with humans.
Those monsters were very obedient. Under his arrangements, they dredged the waterways and restored the plains and lakes. Coupled with the self-repair from the reopening, the Garden of Zhou had already recovered some of its former appearance.
The reason why he, who cherished his time so much, was willing to spend so much time and energy in the Garden of Zhou was because he wanted to leave behind a few mementos.
He stood at the end of the Divine Path of the Mausoleum of Zhou, watching as the Mountain-toppling Fiend commanded the tens of thousands of monsters to rebuild the White Grass Path.
The monsters were a dense mass.
He felt that this scene was rather familiar, and then he remembered. Back then, he had been here with her, watching as the monsters of the plains surged forth like a tide.
Thus, sorrow and longing surged forth like a tide.
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On the official road to the south of the capital, a convoy of several dozen carriages was majestically advancing.
Several hundred cavalry from the south rode their mixed-blood flood horses, vigilantly watching their surroundings and protecting the convoy.
Several dozen disciples of South Stream Temple and the representatives of the various factions of the south sat in their respective carriages.
The carriage in the very center clearly had the highest status, because in front of it were eight snow-white Pegasi.
This carriage was very large, or perhaps it should be more accurate to call it an imperial carriage.
Xu Yourong sat in the imperial carriage.
Her black hair scattered over her shoulders, contrasting against her skin that was like white jade.
The common people liked to describe beautiful women as picturesque, but how could her beauty be painted with brush and ink?
Her eyelashes were very long, her lips very red, her facial features impeccable. Her beauty was perfect, but it did not give off any pressure.
Because her beauty was very tranquil.
Just like the tea mountain after the rain, the lake before the rain, the fog of Holy Maiden Peak, the smoke from the chimneys of a small village.
She had returned to the capital this time to bring an incomparably important piece of news to the world.
In the last few days, both the Great Zhou and the south were preparing for the confluence of the north and south, and the news she brought was the prerequisite, the permission, for all this.
And then, she had to go on an appointment, an arranged battle.
The entire continent, even the demon dukes in Xuelao City, were waiting to see this battle.
In the view of many people, compared to Demon Princess Nanke, that person was her true destined foe.
Because he had once been her fiancé, but now, in the view of many people, he was a cold man who had annulled the engagement and humiliated her.
The convoy suddenly stopped. With a few soft noises, a woman raised the curtain and sat in the carriage. She looked at Xu Yourong with a complex expression and said, "Martial Nephew, we're about to reach the capital."
This woman was an elder of South Stream Temple's outer sect, He Qingbo. She had already reached the middle level of Star Condensation.
After saying this, He Qingbo suddenly thought of something. A nervous expression appeared on her face as she awkwardly said, "Qingbo misspoke. Temple Master, please forgive me."
"Martial Aunt does not need to be so polite."
Xu Yourong calmly said to her, then stood up and walked out of the carriage.
With her movements, her black hair and her white robe gently swayed.
The front edge of her black hair was extremely neat, as if it had been cut by the sharpest sword. As it swayed, her eyes became calmer, more powerful.
Her white robe was tied with a belt studded with stars. She did not carry a sword, as she had come to the capital precisely to take a sword.
The Tong Bow was placed in a corner of the carriage, not in her hands, as she did not want to be seen by a certain person in the capital for the time being.
There was also an umbrella in the corner.
Arriving on the official road, she gazed at the city faintly discernible on the distant horizon and slowly held her hands behind her back.
The capital had no walls, nor did it have a true city gate. As a result, when she was young, she had never understood why there was a city gate guard.
With her appearance, the surrounding cavalry of the south immediately dismounted and kneeled on the ground.
The disciples of South Stream Temple and the envoys also began to kneel.
They kneeled because they had to pay their respects.
"Paying respects to the Holy Maiden."
Xu Yourong was still looking at the capital.
It had been many years since she had returned, but she was still no stranger to the capital.
Because her home was here. Mo Yu, the State of Ping, many people she had known when she was young were here. The Empress was here, and that fellow was also here.
Two lines suddenly appeared in the blue sky, one white and one gray, and they shot straight into the capital.
Seeing this sight, she returned to her senses and realized that the crowd was paying their respects to her.
It had already been a few days since that incident, but she was still rather unused to it. She did not know what words she should use to reply to these pious and respectful greetings.
Suddenly, she recalled the words that she had often said on that fellow's back in the plains of the Garden of Zhou. At that time, she would not forget to say these words to that fellow every day, because they represented her most sincere wishes. Perhaps … this was the most suitable reply?
Thus, she looked at the crowd and said, "May the Sacred Light be with all of you."
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(Book III: The Beginning of the Storm Ends)
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