The teachers and students of the Orthodox Academy watched as Chen Changsheng walked to the gate of the academy, their gazes very complex and their emotions very sorrowful.
The female disciples of South Stream Temple were waiting for him at the gate.
Chen Changsheng indicated that the girls did not need to follow him and walked out.
"This is the order of the temple master," Ye Xiaolian angrily yelled from behind him.
Chen Changsheng knew that it would be very difficult to convince these girls, so he said to Priest Xin, who was waiting outside the academy, "Please."
Priest Xin sighed and waved his hand, indicating that the priests of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education and the Orthodoxy cavalry should step forward and surround the Orthodox Academy. Naturally, they also kept the girls of South Stream Temple within.
Chen Changsheng gazed at the Orthodox Academy and silently bid farewell.
Three and a half years had passed since that spring.
He didn't know when he would meet the ivy and the people of the Orthodox Academy again.
He had written four letters and given them to Su Moyu, just as Su Li had done before he left, clearly explaining everything that needed to be said.
The chill in the well of New North Bridge was getting heavier and heavier. In another two years, the little Black Dragon would be able to escape.
He no longer owed this world, no longer had any burdens on his shoulders, so he could move forward with ease.
As he watched his figure disappear into the depths of Hundred Flowers Lane, Priest Xin felt rather complex.
It didn't take long for the news of Chen Changsheng's departure from the Orthodox Academy to spread to the entire capital.
In the last few days of late autumn, Zhou Tong was often not in the Imperial Palace, but in the newly renovated Department for Purging Officials.
When this news reached the alley of the Northern Military Department, he was sitting on a new but old armchair that had been repaired with a great deal of effort, drinking tea.
He was still drinking tea in the most expensive Great Crimson Gown, and he was still wearing that crimson official's gown that seemed to exude the stench of blood.
His face was very pale, his eyes indifferent as if devoid of human emotion. He looked just like a wraith.
"Prepare to welcome an esteemed guest."
He lightly placed the teacup in his hand on the table and calmly ordered his subordinates in the courtyard.
The officials accepted the order and hurriedly began to move. The atmosphere inside and outside Zhou Prison became exceptionally oppressive and somber.
On the distant street, that man exuding a gloomy and cold Qi like iron glanced at the sky upon hearing the news.
The sky was getting darker, not because of the passage of time, but because the clouds were getting thicker and thicker. It was no longer the season of clear autumn air. It seemed that it was about to snow.
It didn't take long for the latest news to reach the alley of the Northern Military Department — Chen Changsheng had entered the Li Palace.
In the small courtyard, the most loyal and powerful subordinates looked at the armchair in front of the hall, wondering if their superior was thinking too much.
The Imperial Court had deployed such an array of forces. Even if that person was Chen Changsheng, would he still dare to charge into Zhou Prison?
"Just because he went to the Li Palace doesn't mean that he won't go anywhere else today."
Zhou Tong looked at the red clay teapot in his hand as if he was looking at an inanimate object. He indifferently said, "Just wait for him to come out."
…
…
There were no four seasons in the deepest part of the Li Palace, so naturally, there was no cold winter. Nor was there any sign that snow was about to fall in that square-cut sky.
Just like that pot of green leaf, it was still full of vitality, very tender and very green. As the clear water flowed down, it gently swayed, revealing its beautiful waist.
There was no sign of illness on the Pope's face, only that his wrinkles had increased and deepened, making him seem much older.
Just like in the autumn before Mei Lisha's death, the old man had revealed his old age in a very short period of time.
Seeing the Pope's face, Chen Changsheng felt somewhat sentimental, somewhat sad, somewhat unjust, towards this great earth, towards that starry sky.
The Pope was even younger than Shang Xingzhou by two years.
He was keenly aware that if his martial uncle's demands on himself were not so much in conflict with the current state of the world, making it so difficult for him to obtain a truly tranquil Dao heart, he would not have aged so early.
The Pope could tell what he was thinking from his expression. Smiling, he said, "Are you perhaps thinking that good people do not live long?"
Chen Changsheng said nothing, then nodded his head.
"I am not a good person." The Pope continued, "Of course, even if this statement is true, we cannot become bad people just because of it."
Chen Changsheng very much liked these words. Opening his bright eyes, he earnestly said, "Yes."
The Pope wiped away the water droplets on the Green Leaf, then took a handkerchief from Chen Changsheng's hand and wiped his hands clean. He indicated that he should sit down and asked, "Your master has been very quiet these past few days. Don't you find it strange?"
Whether it was the Orthodox Academy's defiance of the decree or Wang Po's entry into the capital, they were both major events for the new government, but Shang Xingzhou had never expressed any opinion on these matters. He had not even spoken during the celebration of the confluence of the north and south.
Chen Changsheng was keenly aware that this was not in accordance with his master's personality, but he truly did not care about these matters.
"In the past few days, he has been constantly attempting to have the Imperial Court control the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets," the Pope said. "It seems that he is about to succeed."
Even if Chen Changsheng did not care about these matters, he still could not help but be shocked at these words.
The Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets was no ordinary organization. It possessed unimaginable resources and strength. During the reign of the Divine Empress, it could be said to be the most important pillar of the Great Zhou Imperial Court. Now that the Divine Empress and the Elder of Heavenly Secrets were both dead, if Shang Xingzhou could have the Imperial Court continue to control the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, it would truly be extraordinary.
In terms of importance, it was impossible to overestimate this matter.
Through the rebellion in Xuelao City, he had killed humanity's strongest foe in the last one thousand years, temporarily resolving the danger of the demons invading the south. Afterwards, he had unhesitatingly accepted the Tianhai government's conditions for negotiation, cautiously and steadily pushing forward the confluence of the north and south until both sides signed the contract. If Shang Xingzhou had even settled the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets …
Even if he was currently reading books in that small room in the Imperial Palace, rarely meeting people, he would still be a god in the hearts of the common people.
"To Senior Brother, this is not perfect."
The Pope looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "You know what he was thinking at the very beginning."
Chen Changsheng knew.
To Shang Xingzhou, the most perfect situation was that after the Pope died, he could once more possess the authority of the Orthodoxy.
However, although he was a legitimate successor of the Orthodoxy, so many things had happened in the past, and he was also the Pope's senior brother. No matter how one looked at it, it was impossible for him to succeed as Pope.
Thus, after that night in the Mausoleum of Books, the first thing he did was push out Mu Jiushi in an attempt to replace Chen Changsheng, but he had failed.
It was precisely because he had failed to smoothly seize the Orthodoxy that he had expended so much effort to ensure that the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets would fall into his hands.
The Pope suddenly said, "Position is relative, and so is importance."
Chen Changsheng remembered that the phrase 'position is relative' had been written on the first page of Wang Zhice's notebook.
"To obtain a balance between position and importance, thus preventing the entire world from dancing with us, is what I have always wanted to do in the last few years."
The Pope looked into his eyes and said, "Only this way can the ordinary people living in this world live a little more peacefully."
Chen Changsheng understood.
In Emperor Xian's later years, the Pope had supported the Divine Empress. This time, he had supported his master and the Chen Imperial clan. Now, his master and the Imperial Court were powerful, so the Orthodoxy needed to walk in the opposite direction, the further the better.
This was related to emotions and the Dao, but it could also be said to be unrelated. This was an indiscriminate benevolence towards the people of the world, but on a specific matter, it would often seem sticky and uncomfortable.
He also understood why his martial uncle had said these things to him.
This was a teaching, an inheritance, a guidance from the current Pope to his successor.
"Just because I understand doesn't mean I can do it."
Chen Changsheng thought of the storm in the Mausoleum of Books, the corpses by the road, and the blood and fire in the capital.
"Perhaps I still haven't learned how to be a powerful person."
… …
… …
(In the last few days, the synchronization between the World of Creation and the starting point has been somewhat problematic. Students who are unable to see the main text at the starting point can come to the World of Creation to take a look. Of course, it is rather embarrassing that the updates in the last few days have been rather frequent, making it rather messy. These days will continue for a few more days, so everyone should persevere. Thank you, everyone.)
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