coobybook Chapter 237 Farewell
Chapter 237 Farewell
Ji Jinjin and Yue Zhongshi were quite accepting of Xue Lan's actions in the mortal realm, while Yin Shishi simply did not want to admit that she knew Xue Lan.
The woman sat opposite Xie Xiao, gently rubbing her temples. For a moment, she felt that the Xuanhuang Sect's reputation was probably in jeopardy.
She waved her hand slightly, her voice hoarse:
"His Majesty didn't come to Luoxia Mountain just to accuse Xue Lan, did he?"
Unlike Ji Jinjin's hesitant speech or Yue Zhong's outspokenness, Yin Shishi was determined to get the Emperor of Da Shun back to his original purpose and save face for the Xuanhuang Sect.
Upon hearing this, Xie Xiao's handsome face broke into an even brighter smile: "As expected of Miss Yin. I did come here for something else."
As soon as he said that, everyone around him turned to look at him.
The young man lowered his eyes in thought, seemingly considering his words. His long, pale fingers tapped the armrest of the chair, making a "tap tap tap" sound.
When he is thinking, His Majesty will uncontrollably exude the aura of a ruler.
It's a sense of gloom hidden beneath a calm atmosphere, unknown to anyone.
After about fifteen minutes, Xie Xiao finally spoke: "I believe that I am quite compatible with that Miss Xue on certain matters."
Yin Shishi's expression froze upon hearing his words.
How did we end up talking about Xue Lan again? Is there no way to get around this person?
She was extremely displeased, but she couldn't show it on her face. Yin Shishi feigned curiosity and asked:
"What are these matters?"
Xie Xiao straightened his back, a hint of pride appearing on his face: "For example, the matter of letting my imperial sister usurp the throne."
Yin Shishi's pupils suddenly contracted.
She had heard before that Xue Lan had instigated others to usurp the throne, but that was just instigation, so she took it as a joke. She never expected that Xie Xiao would have such thoughts.
Xie Xiao, oblivious to Yin Shishi's subtle lapse in composure, continued, "Miss Xue said that the Great Shun Dynasty has never had a tradition of a woman as emperor, but in this world, someone always has to be the first to break new ground. Besides, given my health..."
As if to prove that he really wouldn't be emperor for long, Xie Xiao got up from his chair and walked around in front of the group.
"You won't live much longer."
Ji Jinjin spoke up: "So His Majesty wants the Eldest Princess to become the first female emperor since the founding of the Great Shun Dynasty?"
Xie Xiao nodded slowly: "I was thinking that since Miss Xie can lead troops to fight against the demons and protect the human race's land, my elder sister can naturally also become the empress and lead the Great Shun to survive in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
When the young man spoke, his eyes were clear and bright, like a veil of gauze soaking into a babbling stream.
"Is this all it's for?" Yin Shishi asked softly, the young man clearly had more to say.
Xie Xiao looked at Yin Shishi and gave a wry smile:
"Naturally, it's to atone for my sins, to atone for my father's sins..."
The young man took a long sword from his waist and placed it on the table beside him: "This was given to me by my royal uncle..."
The young man's eyes were filled with nostalgia as he recounted a secret from many years ago:
In the spring of the twenty-second year of the Yuanhe era, Emperor Xie He of the Yuanhe era unexpectedly fell seriously ill. The illness came on suddenly and fiercely, like a ferocious wild beast, scaring Xie He half to death. At that time, the general guarding Luoxia Mountain was not Ji Jinjin, but Xie He's third younger brother, Xie Jin.
The Emperor was critically ill, and the Imperial Medical Academy was helpless. Even Empress Shen Zhi, who came from a family of doctors, was unable to help.
At this time, Liu Lin, the Minister of Revenue, submitted a memorial proposing that there was a military doctor surnamed Zhang in the Prince of Jin's army who was extremely skilled in medicine and could be summoned to treat Xie He.
Dr. Zhang traveled thousands of miles to the capital to treat Xie He, which was originally an extremely ordinary thing, but no one expected that... Xie Jin would also come.
In the dead of night, Xie He, who had just recovered slightly, flew into a rage under the dim light of the palace candles. Xie Xiao and his mother hid behind a curtain, listening to their father question Xie Jin.
"You really want this position, right?"
"Xie Jin! I asked you this question years ago... ten years, twenty years, thirty years... you finally couldn't hold back anymore!"
Through the curtain, Xie Xiao saw that half of the young man's face was hidden in darkness, his eyebrows and eyes deep-set.
He suddenly remembered that there had been rumors circulating in the court.
Compared to his father, the emperor, his third uncle was more like a grandfather.
He heard his third uncle speak softly: "Big brother..."
His response was the sound of cups falling to the ground, rolling and shattering, and finally, a dull thud, from a stack of letters.
Then came the accusations of rebellion and usurpation... Xie Xiao was led away with his ears covered by his mother and didn't hear the whole story.
Later, all I learned was that my father disapproved of my third uncle returning to the border.
He allowed him to frequent brothels in the capital, to teach Xie Xiao swordsmanship, and to associate with officials, but he forbade him to return to the border.
Xie Xiao wiped his eyes: "Those were indeed some of the happiest times in my life. My mother was gentle, my father was peaceful, and my third uncle had countless good ideas and fun things to do. He took my sister and me running around everywhere every day. But how could I know... he was faking it?"
Three months after Xie Jin was left in the capital by Xie He, an urgent report came from Luoxia Mountain: the demon race had invaded. His Highness Prince Jin, who had been living peacefully in the capital for three months, fled on a dark and windy night.
"Actually, I never told Father that on the night my third uncle left, Mother brought my sister and me to see him."
"My mother said, you know, he just didn't want you to die..."
Xie He had just escaped death, and his only wish was not for Xie Jin to return to Luoxia Mountain to die again.
Xie Jin smiled then, his eyes firm: "Sister-in-law, I know."
The young man's voice was hoarse, and tears streamed down his face: "Old Zhang said that my brother wasn't seriously ill at all, but rather he was poisoned by medicine..."
“My sister-in-law is the only daughter of the old head of the academy. She and my elder brother came up with this plan to keep A-Jin in the capital… but A-Jin had no choice.” The young man shook his head and bowed deeply to the Empress.
Shen Zhi was the most perfect empress of the Great Shun Dynasty, but even she lost her composure at that moment. Tears welled in her eyes as she said, "When I married His Majesty, you were only eight years old. For twenty-four years, I have been your elder sister-in-law, like a mother to you. I only wish that you will not leave and never return..."
The young man smiled gently: "Don't worry, sister-in-law, I will definitely come back safely. I'm looking forward to eating the peaches in the backyard of the Prince's mansion, and I'm looking forward to you finding me a gentle and kind bride."
Xie Jin was ultimately not persuaded to stay, nor was he retained by his blood-related elder brother or his sister-in-law with whom he had a deep bond of gratitude. Instead, he resolutely went to Luoxia Mountain.
In the early summer of that year, due to insufficient military rations, he was left forever at Luoxia Mountain.
He went to war to guard the pass at the age of sixteen, and remained forever on Luoxia Mountain at the age of thirty-two, resisting the demons. He never married, never had children, and never left a body.
The peach trees in the backyard of the Prince's mansion blossomed and bore fruit every year, but they could never see the young man of yesteryear again.
As Xie Xiao spoke, the moisture in his eyes became impossible to hide. He flicked his sleeve.
"Most soldiers are like him. Don't their families want them to go home? Don't they feel reluctant to let them go?"
"When I came here, I killed Liu Lin, the Minister of Revenue, who had taken action against the military rations back then, and I used this sword that he gave me."
"I am here today, despite my frail and ailing body, to represent my Xie family and the thousands of people they have protected in bidding him farewell."
No sooner had the young man finished speaking than a soldier's voice came from outside: "General, all units are in formation, it's time to depart!"
The group of people who had been sitting quietly slowly rose and looked at the faint light of day shining through the window.
As Ji Jinjin passed by Xie Xiao, she patted him on the shoulder: "It's time to go!"
The girl paused for a moment, then added, "You are a good emperor. Come with me to see the mighty Shengyu Army, the iron cavalry of the human race!"