Chapter 531: Martial Temple's Mountain Gate |
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The thirty-second year of Jianing, July 14th.
A two-masted large ship drifted on the sea for a very long time. Erected at the boat's bow was the banner of the Jing Dynasty's Eastern Capital Circuit Regional Military Governor. Princess Liyang was currently hugging the flagpole vomiting.
Behind her, Jiang Pan said with a heart full of worries: "Your Highness, steady yourself somewhat. Do not fall into the sea. If anything goes wrong with you, I'm afraid the Military Governor will exile this entire ship of people to Ningguta."
"Relax your heart. I walked out of the Ning Dynasty's Capital City alive. A grievance as massive as the heavens I have also endured. How could I willingly die in this obscure place without a name?" Princess Liyang said weakly: "Didn't you say seasickness can be endured past in two or three days? Why could you guys endure past it, yet I cannot endure past it?"
At this time the warmly hot sea breeze blew on the hair strands at her temples. Her lips were pale, appearing outstandingly frail and weak.
But the wild fires in that pair of eyes persistently burned on as before.
She entirely wasn't entangled with her own lassitude and lack of energy when seasick. She only cared, relying on what reasoning could others accomplish it, yet she could not accomplish it?
Jiang Pan hurriedly explained: "—There also are those who, no matter what, cannot endure past it. Some troops and braves endured for a month, enduring until their intestines were almost vomited out. This kind can only be sent back to shore, unable to act as naval forces. It is not that you are inferior to bystanders, it is that bodily constitutions are each different."
Jiang Pan said troublesomely: "Your Highness, this final general did not think Lu Jin colluded with sea pirates, actually arranging so many sea pirates beforehand to encircle, chase, block, and intercept us. Now both Lüshun and Jinzhou cannot be gone to. This final general must wait for the Military Governor's news. Only then can it be determined when to dock, and where to dock."
The canvases of this two-masted large ship possessed the chopping and paring marks of axe blades. The soldiers on the ship also possessed injured ones. Even on the brow bone of Jiang Pan in the Path-Seeking Stage there multiplied a trace of blood.
Princess Liyang sneered coldly: "What sea pirates would have Path-Seeking Realm Practitioners mixed among them? It's merely the merchant ships of the Southern Dynasty's Chen Family and Xu Family flying black flags, acting as Wolves and Jackals in Collusion with Lu Jin and that's all."
Jiang Pan asked bewildered: "Your Highness, was it Southerners leaking the news to Lu Jin? Otherwise how would the sea pirates be waiting for us beforehand?"
Princess Liyang sneered coldly: "Then you underestimate Lu Jin too much. He didn't obtain the news beforehand. It's merely his habit to prepare a rear-guard in all matters, advancing steadily step by step."
Jiang Pan comforted: "Your Highness calm down somewhat and don't be impetuous. Wait a bit longer. The Military Governor will very quickly know of this matter; he will think of a way to receive and match up with you."
Princess Liyang said solemnly and heavily: "Wait? On the battlefield what is wanted the least is precisely waiting — Blergh!"
Speaking words halfway, she again hugged the flagpole vomiting towards the sea.
At this time, a troop brave hastily and hurriedly walked up the deck. Saying a few words to Jiang Pan in a low voice, Jiang Pan's complexion turned ugly.
Princess Liyang used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth, asking in a sunken voice: "What's wrong?"
Jiang Pan hesitated for a moment: "Your Highness, the Privy Councilor dislikes the fish meals as fishy and greasy, wishing to eat beef shoulder meat and lamb... also wishing to eat watermelon and grapes."
Princess Liyang's complexion turned cold: "Looking around in all four directions it is entirely sea. Ten thousand miles without a port. Where to go find cows, sheep, melons, and fruits for him? How come he doesn't say he wants to eat dragon meat... this palace would simply carve out a piece from my body for him right now."
Jiang Pan said in a low voice: "Your Highness, he is deliberately making things difficult for us."
Princess Liyang looked at the sea surface, her expression exhausted: "Jiang Pan, do you know? Before a fierce tiger meets its end it will willingly and gladly leave its own territory, seeking a secluded and quiet place to await death. It has been brilliant and glorious its entire life, so it wishes to quietly die carrying its own dignity. But Yuan Cheng doesn't think this way. He knows he himself is already very frail and weak, but he still wishes to pretend he himself is extremely strong, because he is unwilling to reconcile... He is not a fierce tiger. He has always merely been a very well-disguised wolf."
Jiang Pan didn't dare to receive those words.
Princess Liyang laughed lightly: "The Privy Councilor is already no longer the Privy Councilor of the past. The Southern Dynasty's Eunuch Faction broke his spine. But those important figures in the royal court, would rather believe such a person is able to save them from water and fire (dire straits), than believe me."
Jiang Pan hastily said: "The Regional Military Governor believes Your Highness."
Princess Liyang looked out at the rough and turbulent vast sea: "These few days this palace couldn't help but think... that stretch of road fleeing from Baidadan City toward the Southern Dynasty's Capital City, was actually quite happy."
Jiang Pan was bewildered: "What meaning does Your Highness have by this?"
Princess Liyang smiled faintly: "At that time although it was fleeing for our lives, there was no need to worry about anything oneself, nor was there a need to shoulder the life and death of so many people. The people journeying together, were also all completely people one would not regret knowing after getting to know them."
Jiang Pan was even more bewildered.
"Let's go. Let's see what our Privy Councilor is making a fuss about." Princess Liyang lifted the hem of her skirt walking into the ship's cabin. Simply entering the door, she precisely saw Yuan Cheng slanting and leaning behind the desk. On the ground were the bowls, dishes, and meals knocked over by him.
Opposite him were troops and braves kneeling in a row. There also was a troop brave with a broken head pouring blood.
Yuan Cheng wore loose and flabby white inner garments. Hearing the sounds of footsteps, he simply snatched up the final porcelain bowl on the table and smashed it over.
Princess Liyang had just stepped half a step in the door. Without changing expression, she retreated a step dodging the smashed-over bowl. Following which she leisurely walked into the room: "Lord Privy Councilor, our hospitality is not meticulous, we have neglected you. It is merely that on this sea, we are 'Even the Cleverest Housewife Cannot Cook Without Rice'. What you want, we truly cannot give."
Yuan Cheng raised his head casting a sidelong glance at her: "Do you guys feel that even if this old man returned to the Jing Dynasty his great power would fall aside, so you deliberately neglect and slight me? Actually bringing out this pig feed to brush this old man off!"
Princess Liyang said slowly and methodically: "Privy Councilor. This palace walked thousands of miles of road. My feet also walked until broken twice. Assassinated over ten times. After a Narrow Escape I was only then able to receive you back from the Southern Dynasty... where does the talk of brushing you off come from?"
She lowered her head to inspect the wound of that injured troop brave, wrinkling her brows: "Privy Councilor. Let's not speak of my matters of a Narrow Escape. First let's talk about these sons of the Eastern Capital Circuit. These days the ship's fresh water and coal are not plentiful. They couldn't bear to drink a single mouthful of hot water, yet also had to ensure you could absolutely take a hot bath every day. Normally anyone who is a person would naturally harbor some benevolent thoughts in their heart, retaining a few fractions of gratitude. How does it reach the extent of making a move and harming people?"
Yuan Cheng pointed at her mocking and ridiculing: "Arriving at this time you still wish to buy people's hearts?"
Princess Liyang waved a hand to the generals and soldiers: "Go out. First treat your injuries."
Waiting until only three people remained in the room, she bent her waist to pick up the broken porcelain on the ground.
Yuan Cheng sneered coldly: "Yuan Yin, do not engage in a False Display Of Emotion. Do not think this old man does not know what you are calculating and planning. You wish to coerce and control this old man to re-return to the Upper Capital. Taking this old man as your puppet, paving the road for your wild ambitions. This, and nothing more."
Princess Liyang's movements of picking up the bowls and tableware slightly paused. The fingers pinching the porcelain turned white.
A moment later, acting as if nothing happened she straightened up her waist. She said smiling: "Privy Councilor, this palace knows. Having been a prisoner beneath the steps became a knot in your heart. In all matters you wish for it to be like the past. Having people echo in front and crowd behind. Having people kneel on the ground offering brocade clothes and jade food (luxuries). When you wish to spit a mouthful of phlegm, having people immediately open their mouths to act as spittoons for you... But the one single matter a person cannot accomplish their entire life, is returning to yesterday."
Princess Liyang smiled faintly: "Lord Privy Councilor. Concerning this matter of you having been a prisoner beneath the steps... if you have the ability to cross past this hurdle in your heart, then returning to the Upper Capital you can still cross hands with Yuan Xiang and Lu Jin. But if you can't even cross past this hurdle, even if you returned to the Upper Capital, how could it be? If a person is dizzied and muddled by anger and low self-esteem... if they lack power and lack influence it is fine, it will only harm themself alone to death. But if they possess power and possess influence, it will harm a crowd of people to death... Would you say it is or not?"
Yuan Cheng was abruptly enraged: "When did it become your turn, an old woman, to come lecture this old man?"
Princess Liyang paid no attention to him, but instead pinched a piece of fish meat from the fragments of the broken porcelain bowl, placing it into her mouth and chewing. A moment later she sighed: "It truly is not good to eat. But we have currently lost influence ah. We must hug as a group eating wild food like wild dogs, only then will it do. If we can't even eat this down, then how can we still live?"
Saying so, she carried the broken porcelain fragments arriving before Yuan Cheng.
Yuan Cheng said angrily: "Taking it before my face to do what? Take it away!"
In the next moment, Princess Liyang's hand gripped the broken porcelain fragment, waving her hand slashing across Yuan Cheng's neck. Following which she quietly watched the blood spurt out, splashing onto her face, onto her body.
Jiang Pan's complexion changed. Hurriedly stepping forward a few paces, but it was also late.
He turned his head looking towards Princess Liyang: "Your Highness?"
Princess Liyang's expression was calm as she said: "They all feel that only if Yuan Cheng returned could they stand up to Yuan Xiang and Lu Jin as equals. But they do not know yet, they are waiting for a piece of trash. Jiang Pan, now Yuan Xiang ought to have also reacted and realized. His opponent is Lu Jin, not us. He is old, but Lu Jin is still a fierce tiger in the prime of life. Yuan Xiang needs us."
Jiang Pan lowered his gaze: "The Regional Military Governor once said, everything is up to Your Highness to make the primary decisions— but Yuan Cheng is dead. How should our peers explain to the royal court?"
Princess Liyang wiped away the dark red blood on her face, quietly watching Yuan Cheng cutting off his breath (dying). Turning her body she exited the ship's cabin: "This is not the first important figure I have killed, nor will it be the last one. Take his head and return. Simply say Yuan Cheng was killed by sea pirates."
She arrived anew at the ship's gunwale, supporting herself on the flagpole gazing at the faraway distance.
Not knowing why, after killing someone, she actually was no longer seasick.
Merely feeling that in her heart there was a Drifting and Unpredictable stone block, that finally hit the ground.
Jiang Pan arrived behind her, asking respectfully: "Your Highness, following this what to do?"
Princess Liyang said in a light voice: "Allow this palace to think a bit. If it was him encountering this desperate situation, what would he do."
Jiang Pan asked bewildered: "Him?"
Princess Liyang suddenly pointed toward the east: "Not going to Lüshun and Jinzhou anymore. Go to Goryeo."
Jiang Pan's complexion changed: "Go to Goryeo?"
Princess Liyang calculated and planned in her heart for a moment: "Go to Goryeo's Mirror City Port."
Jiang Pan pulled out a Sheepskin Nautical Chart from inside his bosom: "Your Highness, if docking by way of Mirror City Port, I fear we will suffer interception and obstruction from Goryeo. If someone harbors malicious intentions in their heart—"
Princess Liyang sneered coldly: "Since when has Goryeo dared to make things difficult for envoys of the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Dodging them is too late; simply go from Mirror City Port."
Jiang Pan again said hesitating: "If going from Mirror City Port, for us to return to the Jing Dynasty we still have to cross over Changbai Mountain... passing by the Martial Temple."
Princess Liyang looked at the sea surface saying firmly and resolutely: "This palace wishes precisely to go to the Martial Temple. Yuan Cheng is already dead. The Jiang Family additionally is a plate of loose sand. If we do not bring some new bargaining chips back to the Upper Capital, it is better not to return."
"But the Martial Temple already stands behind Lu Jin."
Princess Liyang's gaze was obscure and unclear: "Who said the Martial Temple will forever stand behind Lu Jin?"
The two-masted large ship voyaged for eleven days, docking at Mirror City Port.
Similar to Princess Liyang's expectations, the Ministry of Rites of Goryeo did not even dare expose their faces. Allowing Princess Liyang's traveling group to drive straight in from their borders without resistance, ascending Changbai Mountain.
Princess Liyang swapped into a suit of men's clothing. All along the route traveling lightly with simple luggage, she ascended the mountain from the northern slope. Spending two days and two nights before finally seeing the Martial Temple's northern slope Mountain Gate.
Different from the southern slope.
At the end of the southern slope's long stairs stood a tall and lofty archway. Hanging upon it was a horizontal inscribed board "Beidou of the World" (Leading authority of the world). The left and right couplets wrote 'I am an outsider of Heavenly Duke; looking at mountains, looking at waters, a free body'.
The northern slope only stood a single stone tablet. Someone had used sword intent to write down four large words "Those who arbitrarily enter die".
But Princess Liyang only raised her head taking a single glance at these four words, then simply continued walking upward.
Jiang Pan and the others looked at each other for a glance, only able to grit their teeth and follow up.
...
Princess Liyang stepped on the stone stairs completely full of green moss, again walking forward a few steps. Just arriving beside the stone tablet, right when she wished to take another step forward once again, she yet saw a blade flying over from beyond the heavens. Nailing straight and directly before her, it blocked the path of departure.
Jiang Pan blocked before Princess Liyang's body, gritting his teeth: "Your Highness be careful."
But Princess Liyang raised a hand brushing him aside. Raising her head to look over, her gaze was concealed and blocked by white clouds and mist.
Changbai Mountain was encoiled and twined by clouds and mists year-round. In a year there were only a few dozen days where the Heavenly Lake could be seen. At this time the end of the stone stairs sank into the clouds and mist, not seeing human figures.
Someone within the clouds and mist opened their mouth saying: "Scram."
Princess Liyang did not retreat or shrink back, merely saying in a clear ringing voice: "Jing Dynasty's Princess Liyang, Yuan Yin, comes to pay respects and call upon the Martial Temple's Mountain Gate. Lacking fear towards a single death."
The person within the clouds and mist again lightly and flutteringly tossed over a "Scram" word. Following this, no further movement again.
Princess Liyang did not go forward again, nor did she retreat backwards: "Jing Dynasty's Princess Liyang, Yuan Yin, comes to pay respects and call upon the Martial Temple's Mountain Gate. Inviting the Martial Temple to descend the mountain and rescue and bring salvation to the common people of the world!"
Jiang Pan lightly sighed: "Your Highness, the Martial Temple will not let us ascend the Mountain Gate."
Princess Liyang calmly said: "Then simply wait here. Wait until they are willing, up until then."
Sunset and moonrise.
Moon Set and Sun Rise.
She waited beneath the Mountain Gate for a full three days and three nights, but the people within the clouds and mist of the Martial Temple yet paid no attention to her ever again.
(End of this chapter)