Chapter 841
Chapter 841
Wang Feiyin sighed, "Who knows? The child has grown up, and I can't ask too many questions."
Miaozhen looked incredulous: "How could you not know?"
"How would I know if she didn't tell me?"
"Then how do you know she'll cause such a huge uproar?"
Wang Feiyin sighed and said, "Have you not looked at the celestial phenomena these past few days? Although I don't know what will happen, the unusual celestial phenomena suggest that the dynasty may be overthrown. The ominous star, ah, I mean the star of wisdom, is pointing to my Sanqing Mountain."
“After much thought, the only two people on the mountain who could cause such a terrible disaster are your fourth uncle and your youngest uncle,” Wang Feiyin said. “Xuanmiao is being watched over by Tao Ji, and I have divined twice, both times saying they are safe. After much thought, it can only be your youngest uncle.”
"Why not just divine the fate of Junior Uncle directly?"
Wang Feiyin simply shook his head and remained silent.
He couldn't figure it out. From the first day Pan Yun came to Sanqing Mountain, he couldn't figure her out clearly, and his understanding of her was also vague.
But what does it matter?
Life is full of variables. What's the point of a life where you can see the end from the beginning?
It doesn't matter if he causes trouble. There's already a mystery in Sanqing Mountain. Going back, his master was even more troublesome, so what's there to be afraid of?
Wang Feiyin was quite open-minded about the possibility that his junior sister might cause a major upheaval.
Although Miaozhen was sensible, she was still young and used to relying on adults for important matters. Since her senior uncle said it was nothing, she pretended it was nothing and happily went to chase after Pan Yun. She had already decided what kind of magical artifact she wanted.
This time, without Wang Feiyin's help, Pan Yun could directly take them to Kaifeng to find Wang the blacksmith.
The materials collected by Wang Feiyin and Pan Yun were excellent, and Wang the blacksmith was delighted.
He forges iron here, mostly making ordinary weapons, farm tools, and kitchen utensils. Only occasionally do cultivators come to his place.
But not everyone can produce materials as good as those from Sanqingshan.
He wasn't doing it for money; he just wanted to have access to good materials and use his skills.
Miaozhen and the other two lined up to say what magical artifacts they wanted, and then handed them over to him according to the materials he listed. A day passed, and it was already dark.
Wang the blacksmith went into the house and came out a moment later, handing a jade pendant to Pan Jun: "This is what you wanted."
Pan Yun took it and casually placed a money bag on the table. The bag landed on the table with a dull thud, and Xue Shao couldn't help but take another look.
Miao Zhen and the others were still immersed in the joy of soon having their own magical artifacts and didn't think much about it, but Xue Shao recognized that the jade pendant was similar to the spatial magical artifact she had given him.
The money bag she put down must have contained gold, such a large piece of gold. What was she making?
Kaifeng has a curfew, and even on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, which is still during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, the curfew was not lifted, so there was no one on the streets, and only the occasional sound of the night watchman striking the gong could be heard.
Pan Jun stopped, looked up at the sky, and said, "It's late. Let's find somewhere to stay for the night and leave tomorrow."
Several people agreed.
Instead of looking for an inn, they followed Pan Yun, who knew the way well, to a City God Temple and slept directly on the ground.
Pan Jun was wide awake, climbed onto the roof, and looked at the stars in the sky.
Xue Shao climbed up as well and sat down next to her.
The atmosphere between the two was tense and silent.
Pan Yun: "What did you see?"
Xue Shao: "My research on celestial phenomena is mediocre, but I can observe qi (vital energy)."
Xue Shao withdrew his gaze from the air and looked at Pan Yun, saying softly, "During this time, the aura around you has been mixed and unstable, and I have a faint feeling that there is killing intent from the north."
Pan Yun: "When the Oirats marched south, the emperor personally led the expedition. Isn't it normal for them to be filled with murderous intent?"
Xue Shao shook his head, and after a moment said, "It's especially bad tonight."
Pan Jun looked at the twinkling stars in the sky when suddenly the constellation changed. The moonlight in the sky became brighter, and the imperial star dimmed instantly. Along with it, the stars around it also dimmed considerably, and some even disappeared completely, as if their starlight had been obscured by dark clouds.
Only one star, constantly approaching the Imperial Star, remains dazzling.
Pan Yun's pupils contracted slightly, startling even Xue Shao, who wasn't very knowledgeable about celestial phenomena. Xue Shao abruptly stood up and asked, "What's going on? Has something happened to His Majesty?"
In a small alley in the capital, Xu Cheng was enjoying a drink and leisurely eating crabs. Feeling inspired, he looked up to compose a poem when he witnessed the sudden change in the celestial phenomena.
He was so frightened that he jumped up on the spot, counted on his fingers, his heart pounding, and immediately dropped the wine jug and ran to find his wife.
Xu's wife was sewing his undergarment when he snatched it away, saying, "Hurry up and pack your bags. You're going back to your hometown tomorrow."
Xu's wife looked completely bewildered: "What's wrong? What happened?"
"The celestial signs have changed drastically, and His Majesty may face a great calamity. You should pack your things quickly and take your son back to your hometown tomorrow."
"How could that be? Besides, even if His Majesty were in trouble, you would only be a minor official of the sixth rank, and..."
"What do you know? His Majesty is leading the expedition in person this time. Do you think Datong is far from the capital? If something happens to His Majesty, the Oirats will definitely attack the capital. If the capital cannot be defended, no one can escape death."
"Then, what will you do?"
"You go first, I'll come find you later."
The Xu family hurriedly packed their luggage.
The officials in charge of spring and winter, who were observing the celestial phenomena in the palace, sighed in unison. After exchanging a glance, one of them took his notes and went to the cabinet, while the other went through the passageway to a secluded room in the inner palace and bowed, saying, "Senior, the celestial phenomena have changed suddenly. I'm afraid His Majesty is in trouble."
After a long silence inside the door, a cold voice came out: "Dynastic changes are their own destiny. I am only following the orders of the founding emperor to protect the palace from evil spirits. The rest is none of my business."
Dong Guanzheng understood that Zhang Zijin wouldn't interfere, and even the Zhang family wouldn't get involved; they would only do their duty.
The Winter Official bowed and withdrew.
The official in charge of the Spring and Autumn Annals was urgently knocking on the door of the cabinet, hurriedly reporting: "Danger! Danger! The celestial phenomena have changed, and His Majesty may face a calamity."
The entire cabinet was busy.
Yang Pu was very old and rarely worked, so officials could only send people to his residence to find him, and at the same time, to find the Prince of Cheng.
The emperor left the capital and appointed the Prince of Cheng to oversee the country.
As the silent Forbidden City was illuminated, lanterns began to light up, their light flowing slowly, as if they had come alive.
Inside the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain, Master Zhang looked up at the sudden change in the celestial phenomena and murmured, "How could this be?"
He spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed onto the prayer mat, his face ashen.
Zhang Liuzhen also experienced a sharp pain in his heart and fell off the bed, almost unable to breathe. It took him a while to recover before he rang the bell. The young Taoist boy came in, saw him fall, and rushed to help him up in a panic.
Zhang Liuzhen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, glanced at the crimson liquid in his hand, and couldn't help but laugh.
The young Taoist was terrified: "Senior Brother?"
Zhang Liuzhen raised her hand to interrupt him, her eyes seemingly blazing with fire: "Help me back to the Celestial Master's Mansion!"
The young Taoist priest quickly carried him on his back and hurried downstairs. Just as they were about to leave, Zhang Liuzhen stopped him and whispered, "No, go and call Zhang Ziwang. Let him come and take me down the mountain."
If the young Taoist boy carries him out of the courtyard like this, everyone will probably know immediately, which is not what he wanted.
The young Taoist priest quickly placed him by the door, then quietly opened the door and ran towards Zhang Ziwang's courtyard.
After a long while, Zhang Ziwang and the young Taoist priest rushed over, helped Zhang Liuzhen up, and quietly led him down the mountain.
Zhang Maocheng fainted at the Observatory and was not discovered until Zhang Liuzhen returned.
The information was temporarily contained within the main courtyard.
Zhang Ziwang was pacing anxiously. Seeing Zhang Liuzhen withdraw her fingers from taking his pulse, he immediately stepped forward and asked, "How is it?"
Zhang Liuzhen, his face pale, said, "My lifespan has come to an end."
"How could this be?" Zhang Ziwang clenched his fist and said in a low voice, "I'll go and invite Wang Feiyin right away."
“It’s no use,” Zhang Liuzhen called out to him, and whispered, “Father could have made it to the end of the year, but something unexpected happened.”
“The master’s cultivation is high, and his health has always been good. He doesn’t even catch a cold or cough normally. How could he suddenly become unwell? He’s only fifty-nine years old! No, the Double Ninth Festival hasn’t arrived yet, he’s not even fifty-nine yet.” As Zhang Ziwang spoke, tears streamed down his face.
Zhang Liuzhen's own son, however, remained calm and said, "Ziwang, I'm afraid I don't have that lifespan. Even if I hadn't been injured, I might still only have this lifespan."
Zhang Ziwang froze and looked up at him.
Zhang Liuzhen looked up and smiled at him: "Isn't it strange that since the establishment of the new dynasty, no matter how high the cultivation level of the direct descendants of my Zhang family is, their lifespan is not long?"
Zhang Ziwang's heart pounded, and he couldn't help but take two steps back. He wanted to hear, but his body's instinct made him afraid to hear this secret.
Zhang Liuzhen lowered his eyes and said, "I am a Dao body, and many people have placed their hopes on me since I was born. But my father has always been indifferent. He never forbids me from cultivating, and he is never stingy with the treasures I need for cultivation. But he only gives them to me if I ask for them. He never takes the initiative to plan resources for me, and he never even takes the initiative to inquire about my cultivation."
I didn't understand before, and I was even happy, thinking that it was because my father trusted and loved me, so he gave me freedom.
Later I learned that no matter how high my cultivation level or how talented I was, I could not escape death in the end.
Zhang Liuzhen chuckled lightly: "The Celestial Master's Mansion, the reclusive seniors, and all the sects in the martial arts world believe that they might be able to see an ascended cultivator in their lifetime, but only Father knows that it is impossible."
Zhang Ziwang asked with difficulty, "Why?"
“Because the Zhang family’s direct line is tied to the royal family, we are sharing their karma,” Zhang Liuzhen said, spreading his palms. “When the emperor is prosperous and the vital energy is abundant, the Zhang family’s direct line will have a long lifespan. When the emperor is weak and the vital energy is insufficient, the Zhang family’s direct line will lose their lifespan. The lost lifespan is used to fill the royal family’s fortune.”
Zhang Ziwang never expected to hear such a secret, and his mouth dropped open in astonishment.
Zhang Liuzhen: "Zhang Zhengchang and his grandson only have eyes for the wealth and power that the Zhang family has accumulated over a thousand years. They are unaware of the details, so they have always wanted to replace me."
He laughed, and the more he thought about it, the louder he laughed, filling the room with Zhang Liuzhen's distorted "hahaha" laughter.
Zhang Ziwang was filled with worry and knelt down with a thud: "Young Master!"
Zhang Liuzhen stopped laughing and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with her fingers: "What idiots! Just for a position that would cost them their lives, they used tricks to ruin me and kill so many people."
Originally, I wasn't absolutely certain about it, since it wasn't my ambition, but since there's no turning back, I'm not going to give an inch.
Seeing Zhang Zhenren lying motionless on the bed, his face ashen, Zhang Ziwang grew anxious: "Young Master, this is not the time to discuss this. I already know, so please rest assured, I will definitely support you. It's just that Zhenren cannot be harmed right now. Li Wenying has gone out to celebrate the festival and we don't know where she is right now. Lin Jingle has been ordered to go to the capital to deliver birthday gifts and will not be back for several days. Please let me go and invite Wang Feiyin. Even if it is fate, with his golden needle technique, he might be able to help Zhenren hold on for a little longer. And... even if it is unfortunate, he will protect you for Zhang Li's sake."
Zhang Liuzhen shook her head: "No need, we just need to guard the courtyard."
"But……"
Zhang Liuzhen raised her hand to interrupt him, her eyes lowered, and said, "I've already dragged his junior brothers and sisters into this mess at the Celestial Master's Mansion. How can I possibly drag him in as well?"
Zhang Ziwang pounded the ground and said urgently, "Zhang Li's surname is Zhang, and she is our Zhang family's daughter. She left because of the power struggle. Everyone knows what Tao Ji's intentions are towards Zhang Li. He wants to be our Zhang family's son-in-law, so isn't it only right that he helps you? How can you say he owes you anything?"
"Young Master, please allow me to go and invite Wang Feiyin here."
Zhang Liuzhen shook his head: "It's not just Zhang Li."
"what?"
Zhang Liuzhen didn't answer the question. Instead, she looked up and asked Zhang Ziwang with a smile, "Aren't you even a little curious about why Father suddenly vomited blood and fell into a coma?"
Zhang Ziwang paused, his lips moving for a long time before he finally said, "You, you just said, because of the Emperor..."
“Yes, because of the emperor,” Zhang Liuzhen laughed, “It’s all because of the emperor!”
Zhang Ziwang's heart was pounding. He didn't want to know at all, but Zhang Liuzhen was staring at him intently, making it hard for him not to ask.
Zhang Ziwang couldn't help but stomp his foot, then plopped down on the footstool, turning his head to the side and saying, "Just tell me straight, what are you trying to do?"
Zhang Liuzhen murmured, "My Zhang family promised Emperor Taizu, and a gentleman's promise is as good as his bond."
But I refuse to accept that the lifespan of the Zhang family's direct descendants is tied to an emperor!
Zhang Ziwang swallowed hard: "So what do you mean?"
"Since we're going to calculate fate anyway, why not be generous and just link it to the nation's fate?"
Zhang Ziwang was dumbfounded.
Zhang Liuzhen turned her head to look at him: "Isn't it good?"
"But how does this differ from the emperor's fortune? If the emperor is wise, the country prospers; if he is foolish, the country is bleak. Isn't it all the same?"
“Of course it’s different. If the emperor is weak, perhaps there will be strong ministers? If the emperor is poor, perhaps the country will be rich?” Zhang Liuzhen slowly clenched his fist: “Moreover, I would rather die for the fate of the country than live past my prime for the fate of an emperor.”
He was born a chosen one of heaven, how could he die silently for someone?
If it's for the fate of the nation, it's worth a try.
"But, but..." Zhang Ziwang hesitated for a long time, unable to find a rebuttal, and could only manage to stammer out, "How can this be changed?"
Zhang Liuzhen walked to the window, looked at the star-filled sky, imagined the tiny particles of stardust in the vast universe, and smiled, "We're already making changes."
Zhang Ziwang's heart clenched, and he instinctively looked at Zhang Zhenren lying on the bed.
Zhang Liuzhen murmured, "The nation's fate is in decline. We must try to see if we can reverse it. If we can turn the nation's fate around, then nothing is impossible." (End of Chapter)