Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 670 – A Decree

The clear light of the autumn day shone both inside and outside the library. It was very peaceful.

Suddenly, a voice spoke. This voice was very old, calm and unperturbed. It was a graceful voice, leisurely and unoppressive, a voice that inspired trust.

Eunuch Lin said, “I know what you are thinking. You think that His Majesty has been compelled by us treacherous officials, thus requiring three days to send out this decree, for the Orthodox Academy to be surrounded, forbidding anyone from leaving. But you are wrong. This is truly a decree personally drafted by His Majesty, because…he wishes to protect you.”

As he spoke, he never took his eyes off the youth by the window, as if he was trying to see through him. Yet this youth displayed no reaction. No matter what he heard, he kept his head lowered in silence. How could there be no response? It could be gratitude, disbelief, ridicule, or anger, or some other emotion, but upon hearing these words, shouldn’t there have been some emotional change?

The library remained quiet. Perhaps it was precisely because of this silence that Eunuch Lin said nothing, did not read out the decree, and instead allowed the silence to persist.

After quite some time, the youth finally raised his head, looking out the window at the cool and refreshing autumn scenes.

Three days had passed since the momentous battle upon the Mausoleum of Books, but his face was still very pale and he had clearly gotten much thinner. His expression, however, was still very calm.

There was no sorrow or anger on his face, no frustration or helplessness, only calm.

Because of the pensive look on his face, his clear and young features seemed even more composed. He was not, as once assessed by the common people, an old-fashioned youth, but had truly matured.

In a single night, he had experienced so many things, overcome death, seen many ugly or magnificent sights. Anyone would mature after all this, right?

As he thought of these things, the gaze Eunuch Lin aimed at the youth was unexpectedly tinged with pity.

The bright yellow imperial decree had already been taken from his sleeve. He did not open it, instead tightly holding it like a spear in his hands.

“You know why I have come to the Orthodox Academy today.” After a very long pause, Eunuch Lin continued, “I am here to take the Empress’s body away.”

The library was still quiet. The autumn breeze blew in through the window and freely traveled amidst the bookshelves and floorboards.

“And then?” Chen Changsheng asked.

In these three days and nights, he had not eaten, had not drunk, and had not opened his mouth, until now.

He spoke very slowly and his voice was very hoarse, just like sands that had been baked under the autumn sun for three days.

“You finally spoke.”

Eunuch Lin gazed at him, his voice containing many emotions.

Chen Changsheng shook his head. “I spoke earlier. If I didn’t speak, how would you have been able to come in?”

As he spoke, he kept looking out the window, at the yellowing lawn, the chilled autumn waters of the lake, and the great banyan tree by the lake. His voice was very calm as if devoid of emotion. His expression was very serious without the slightest derision, because he was just giving a very cool-headed and objective explanation.

However, Eunuch Lin was greatly discomfited by this, and felt a weight on his chest.

This was a fact. Although meaningless, it was still a fact that it was he who had let Su Moyu open the Orthodox Academy’s gate.

It had nothing to do with Eunuch Lin, nor did it have much to do with the imperial decree. He just wished to say something.

As a certain youth had said three years ago in the Plum Garden Inn, Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong were both people that made others speechless.

The library became silent once more, until Eunuch Lin again spoke.

“Yes, but you still spoke. Just as how not everyone is willing to die together with the Orthodox Academy,” he said as he looked at Chen Changsheng.

“The Orthodox Academy is not Star Seizer Academy. The rules of the academy aren’t too strict and there are no ethics that need to be adhered to. This is a place of study; what right is there to require these things?”

Chen Changsheng bore no ill will towards those teachers and students that had left the Orthodox Academy, nor did he feel any need to give this explanation to the old eunuch.

“And then?” he asked, looking out the window at the autumn scenery.

This was a repetition, a reinforcement. Importantly, this was the question he wanted an answer for.

“After we take back the Divine Empress’s Phoenix body, there will naturally be a great burial, no…of course, it will be a state funeral,” Eunuch Lin expressionlessly explained. “Although in my view, the Demon Empress should have her bones ground into dust and thrown into a foul sewer, she is still Emperor Xian’s first wife, His Majesty’s birth mother. She has the status and rank—there is no need for you to concern yourself with these problems.”

Chen Changsheng still calmly looked out the window as he replied, “I’ve already buried her.”

The library became silent once more. Nobody spoke for a very long time.

Since she was already buried, she naturally had a grave. If there was a grave, it naturally could not be unearthed. Even an imperial decree would be meaningless here.

Because this was morality, ethics, respect for the deceased.

“Since even the grave within the Garden of Zhou can be opened, there is no grave in the world that cannot be opened.”

Eunuch Lin slightly narrowed his eyes as he looked at him. “Perhaps you can just tell me where her grave is.”

She was buried in the depths of the Hundred Herb Garden.

Chen Changsheng thought this silently, not answering this request.

In these past years, his several meetings with the Tianhai Divine Empress had all been at the Hundred Herb Garden.

He had never asked the Divine Empress why she liked drinking tea in the Hundred Herb Garden, or just what the stone table, the metal tea pot, and the black tea and white tea meant to her.

But in the Hundred Herb Garden, she had caressed his face, seen his eyes. He had seen recollection in her eyes, and he knew that this was her most favored place, because it was here that she had experienced the most beautiful period.

Thus, he had buried her in the Hundred Herb Garden.

“Principal Chen is defying the decree?”

Eunuch Lin narrowed his eyes even harder, his sharpness revealed and his tone growing abnormally tough.

This was the first time he had addressed Chen Changsheng as principal. He spoke with great solemnity, his expression abnormally serious.

Chen Changsheng looked out the window at the autumn scenery in silence.

It was then that he realized that an autumn day without rain truthfully did not have much meaning.

Without rain to fall upon the red and yellow leaves, the dust rising from beyond the academy walls scattered the sunlight. No longer clear and attractive, it actually gave off a sticky and greasy feeling, invoking displeasure.

He was displeased at this sort of autumn day.

“Both Zhu Luo and Guan Xingke transformed into dust and light after death, returning to the sea of stars, not leaving a single vestige in the human world. The Empress’s cultivation far exceeded these two Storms. If she was willing, she could have transformed her body into star dust on the point of death. However, she did not. Do you understand why this is?”

Eunuch Lin entered the library and stood upon the pitch-black and glossy floorboards.

The raised threshold of the door was right behind him.

He continued to look at Chen Changsheng and said, “Because the Empress knew that you valued feelings, that you would assuredly bring her body away, and thus left for you so many troubles.”

These words of his were somewhat grave, heavy, his expression very solemn and serious.

Chen Changsheng understood his meaning and knew that the vast majority of people also thought this way, but he did not believe it.

With the type of person the Tianhai Divine Empress was, before returning to the sea of stars, why would she care about these trivial matters after her death?

It was a pity that no one would believe this.

“You contributed to the Demon Empress’s death on the peak of the Mausoleum of Books, and you are also His Majesty’s junior brother.”

Eunuch Lin’s voice grew harsher and harsher. “But everyone saw her save you on the peak of the Mausoleum of Books and also saw you carry her away.”

Chen Changsheng still looked out the window at the scenery, not responding to these words.

Eunuch Lin continued, “In the eyes of others, you are nothing at all. To disregard you or kill you are both very simple tasks. Even Principal Shang believes that there is no use or benefit in having you remain, but…I do not think this way. Thus, I came today to the Orthodox Academy to issue this decree, and also to give you a chance.”

Chen Changsheng blinked as if wanting to completely crush the autumn beyond the window.