The once-deserted Xue Estate was still not very lively, but at the very least, some people had come, and all of them important figures. In front of the memorial tablet, the Prince of Zhongshan very casually nodded his head, then turned and left. The Minister of Rites very earnestly lit an incense stick and then whispered something. No one knew what he was saying.
A quiet room had been set up in the eastern courtyard. Chen Changsheng, Su Moyu, Prince Chen Liu, and Tianhai Shengxue sat on chairs.
The four of them were all very young. The oldest, Tianhai Shengxue, was only thirty-some years old.
Chen Changsheng looked at the wound on Tianhai Shengxue's face and wanted to say something.
Tianhai Shengxue was the first to speak.
After the Grand Examination, the grudges between the Orthodox Academy and Tianhai Shengxue had been resolved, and there was even a private tacit understanding between them. That tacit understanding and the promise they had made seemed so fragile in the coup of the Mausoleum of Books, unable to withstand a single blow, but the two sides still had a tacit understanding.
And just as was said before, they were all still young.
When young people spoke, they were much less stale and more direct.
"You should be well aware that the important figures that have come to the Xue Estate today all want to borrow your power to probe or confirm the current situation in the court."
Tianhai Shengxue continued, "The venerable Daoist's supreme authority in the Imperial Court requires Zhou Tong to be alive to prove it. At least up until now, no one has dared to challenge this point, but I believe that as time passes, our father will no longer be willing to remain a junior."
His father was Tianhai Chenwu and Prince Chen Liu's father was the Prince of Xiang. They were both truly important figures of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Chen Changsheng understood his meaning. After a moment of silence, he said, "No one knows how long that will take."
"You cannot casually step forward because you are uncertain about the path ahead, because that is very easy to walk into a wrong path."
Prince Chen Liu looked at his expression and earnestly advised, "In any matter, the greater picture is the most important. You succeeding as Pope is the greater picture that is more important than anything else. It is worth enduring and waiting for."
Chen Changsheng said nothing. He had a different view of this matter.
He understood his teacher better than anyone else, including the Pope.
In the fourteen years he had lived in Xining Village's old temple, that middle-aged Daoist had been both a teacher and a father to him. But now that he carefully thought about it, neither he nor Yuren had ever seen the true face of that middle-aged Daoist. All they had seen was a corner of a mountain shrouded in thick fog, a line in the blue sky on a cloudy day, a flower by the stream.
Now that so many things had happened, many scenes and fragments of memories were gradually condensing and taking shape. Whether it was the flowers by the stream, the mountain in the fog, the blue sky behind the clouds, or the Daoist scriptures in the temple, these seemingly aimless details actually hid infinite wisdom and wisdom. They formed the real picture, which was his teacher, Shang Xingzhou.
The Pope wanted to pass the Orthodoxy into Chen Changsheng's hands. He believed that by relying on the strength of the Li Palace and his own prestige, it would be enough to guarantee that after he returned to the sea of stars, at least no one within the Orthodoxy would dare oppose this matter. Then, as long as the Orthodoxy was stable and unified, the Imperial Court would have no means of interfering in this matter.
But Chen Chang Sheng knew that this matter would definitely not develop like this. He was very sure that the day his martial uncle the Pope returned to the sea of stars would be the day his teacher moved against him. He would either be killed, or like the little Black Dragon, forever imprisoned in some abyss that would never see the light of day.
Regardless of which result it was, it was not the result he wanted.
Tianhai Shengxue sensed something and said, "If you really think that something major is going to happen, you should make preparations now."
Chen Changsheng shook his head. "Any kind of preparation is too meaningless."
Just like that night, when the Imperial Design lost its effectiveness, the entire situation in the capital rested on the battle in the Mausoleum of Books.
The history of the continent had always been decided by the experts of the Divine Domain.
There was an insurmountable chasm between the divine and the secular.
No matter how talented Chen Changsheng was in cultivation, it was impossible for him to cross this chasm in a few short weeks.
"You should leave."
Prince Chen Liu had a different view from Tianhai Shengxue. "Take advantage of the fact that the Pope can still force your teacher to not move … this is the best and final opportunity."
Su Moyu glanced at Chen Changsheng.
In the Orthodox Academy, he had once made a similar proposal.
Chen Changsheng said nothing. He knew that he could not leave.
Tianhai Shengxue left. Before walking out of the quiet room, he said, "In a few more days, the celebration will begin."
Many major events had taken place this autumn. The Tianhai Empress had returned to the sea of stars and the Demon Lord had fallen into the abyss of death.
There were also other events that were about to take place. The only thing that could compare to these two events was the confluence of the north and south.
In a few days, the celebration for the confluence of the north and south would be held in the capital. Based on what was said in the spring, the White Emperor couple might come to observe the ceremony.
Chen Changsheng understood what Tianhai Shengxue wanted to remind him of.
Luoluo might return to the capital.
… …
… …
Zhou Tong returned to the alley of the Northern Military Department.
He stood at the base of the courtyard wall, his hands held behind him as he gazed at the deep hole in the tree. His expression was indifferent and he said nothing as he waited for the crabapple tree to return.
In the autumn sky, the shrill cry of a bird suddenly resounded. He and several of his subordinates raised their heads and saw a black silhouette dejectedly and powerlessly descend from the sky.
This was a Red Eagle, a creature most suited for long-distance flight. In a single night, it could cross a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers without feeling tired.
This Red Eagle that had returned from the south had died of exhaustion.
A major event had assuredly occurred in the south.
The Mount Li Sword Sect? The Qiushan clan? Or … Scholartree Manor?
Zhou Tong's brows rose.
A subordinate hurried over to present an urgent report from the south.
Wang Po had left Scholartree Manor.
The spies of the Department for Purging Officials who had been following him this entire time had been thrown off at Clear River two days ago, losing track of Wang Po.
No one knew where Wang Po was going or where he was now.
Zhou Tong stared at his subordinate, saying nothing.
The subordinate's voice was somewhat hesitant. "He … might come to the capital."
Zhou Tong's expression subtly changed. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, "I want to enter the palace."
The subordinates were somewhat unable to react. If Wang Po really was coming to the capital, why was His Excellency not hurriedly arranging for people to intercept or kill him, but instead rushing to enter the palace?
"Are all of you deaf?"
Zhou Tong's face was rather pale, his voice rather shrill.
He was in a rush to enter the palace because he was currently very uneasy, even afraid.
Only in the Imperial Palace, under the gaze of the venerable Daoist, would he feel safe.
He was very sure that Wang Po would come to the capital.
He was very sure of what Wang Po wanted to do.
… …
… …
Upon returning to the Orthodox Academy, Chen Changsheng also learned of this news.
Su Moyu was very confused. "What is he doing in the capital? To offer sacrifices to Xue Xingchuan? "
No one dared to collect Xue Xingchuan's corpse, no one dared to pay homage. At this sort of time, if Wang Po appeared, it would very much conform to the impression the common people had of him.
Chen Changsheng did not believe this. He knew that it was not to offer sacrifices, nor was it for anything else.
Wang Po had only come to the capital to do one thing.
He wanted to kill.
Kill Zhou Tong.
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