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The barrier between Star Fields was a very big hurdle for cultivators, but to Star Generals who had inherited a Star Name, free traversal was not very difficult at all. If Yu Xuanji had a special method, then bringing one more person was possible.
Chen Mo was very eager to go to the Inner Star Fields.
That was a swift and fierce world ruled by Star Names. Compared to the Outer Star Field, the Star Names of the Inner Star Field were innumerable.
“I’ve already promised Auntie that I’d handle Huan Wen first before I go…And given the current situation, I can’t leave Chang’an Mansion as it is.” Chen Mo turned down Yu Youwei’s kind suggestion. Although he really wanted to go to the Inner Star Field, it was necessary for him to finish matters he had already promised to take care of.
“Huan Wen…” Yu Youwei bitterly smiled. How could Earthly Attack Star Huan Wen be that easy to handle. Chen Mo’s ambitions were honestly too big. If it was anyone else, even an average Star General, they would not have this kind of thinking.
“Since Your Highness is so determined, Xuanji shall not stop you either.”
“When are you preparing to go.”
“After today.”
“The Buddha Washing Festival is almost here. Do you want us to go browse a Buddhist fair together.” Chen Mo blinked. The Buddha Washing Festival was a Buddhist holiday held each year in the middle of June. When the time came, the Wanshou Temple would hold a magnificent temple fair. In the Great Chong Dynasty that rooted itself in Buddhism, this was considered a universal celebration.
Yu Xuanji did not have any interest in the Wanshou Temple’s holiday or a fair.
“If you’ve already made your decision to go to the Inner Star Field, Youwei, then take good care of yourself.” Chen Mo instructed.
Yu Xuanji gently nodded.
“Please take care of yourself as well, Your Highness.”
…
Imperial study, Tang Mingshi’s imperial countenance was furious. Supervisor Yin fled the imperial study with his tail between his legs. This number one supervisor of the imperial palace stood outside the door with his head lowered in fear and trepidation.
The various their Highnesses the princes, headed by Crown Prince Tang Feng, also seemed to be staring into an abyss, cautiously and solemnly leaving the imperial study. Each person seemed to have serious apprehensions and were in indefinite panic.
Wu Tunan slowly walked over. He looked at these worried and fearful imperial princes and felt intrigued.
Supervisor Yin pitifully said: “Daoist Skyless…”
Wu Tunan stopped the rest of his sentence: “No need to speak. I will go see Tang Mingshi now.”
Supervisor Yin adopted a humble posture.
Wu Tunan pushed open the door and walked into the study room. He had barely entered when he sensed the extremely frozen atmosphere in the imperial study. There was an invisible force currently constricting every object, lampstand, censer, bookshelf, table, and more in the room. Everything felt this rage and shuddering tremor; it could all collapse at any moment. This kind of Dragon Among Men power was able to make a Thunder Tribulation cultivator keep quiet out of fear, as if they were walking on thin ice.
Daoist Skyless had served the Tang imperial family for a hundred years, but this was the first time he had seen Emperor Tang so furious, practically to the point of toppling this Peaceful Mind Hall, ever since he helped Emperor Tang ascend the throne.
It seemed that this affair was not minor at all.
Wu Tunan wrinkled his brow and waved his hand, sealing the doors tightly shut.
Tang Mingshi saw Wu Tunan walk in. He forcefully suppressed the anger in his heart and slowly breathed. The hall’s atmosphere finally had some calm.
“Your Imperial Majesty.” Wu Tunan respectfully bowed.
“Daoist, no need to stand on ceremony. Daoist is in the middle of concocting the Bowl Stars Pill, how could you have the time leave seclusion?” Emperor Tang asked.
“The Bowl Stars Pill is already mostly complete. We need only wait for a good opportunity.”
“Congratulations, Daoist.”
“This Daoist heard from a little bird that His Imperial Majesty’s countenance is furious, and thus, This Daoist specially came to take a look.”
Emperor Tang smiled: “Then We have troubled Daoist.”
“This Daoist wonders what matter has made His Imperial Majesty so irate, to nearly destroy even the imperial study.” Wu Tunan was very curious. As the ruler of the Great Chong Dynasty, not even Chang’an Mansion turning traitor could possibly make Emperor Tang forget himself like this.
“Not so long ago, We received news. The Star Gathering Wagon containing the Star Weapon upgrade materials that we secretly dispatched to the Sword Casting Villa has been stolen by someone.” Tang Mingshi’s tone sank.
What?
Wu Tunan was dumbstruck. He thought that perhaps he had misheard.
“Is this true?”
Tang Mingshi solemnly nodded. He would never joke about something like this.
Wu Tunan’s expression was also immediately grave. He was aware of Emperor Tang and the Sword Casting Villa’s plan for an alliance. The Sword Casting Villa would help upgrade the Four Great Imperial Guards’ Star Weapons to suppress Chang’an Mansion, and then they would seize the opportunity to rope in the Four Great Sword Sects. This way, the Tang imperial family would have absolute certainty in victory over the scourge that was Chang’an Mansion.
The upgrade of the Star Weapons was an important link. For this reason, Emperor Tang had prepared for many years, and to fool the people, practically no one else knew the method that the Star Gathering Wagon was being sent over. Wu Tunan knew that Emperor Tang had seen fit to use an Azure Dragon Token for the sake of safety. Even if Human Sovereign Chen Zhangtian had personally gone to raid it, the Azure Dragon Imperial Guard would have time to issue a distress signal.
But after he heard that the Star Gathering Wagon had been plundered, even Wu Tunan, who had a century of experience, was unable to imagine who in the Great Chong Dynasty would be so exceptionally skilled.
“Just what is going on?”
Tang Mingshi thus recounted the events. If it had only been the theft of the Star Gathering Wagon, this would not have been enough to make Emperor Tang furious to the point of losing control. Deputy Commander Peng Pengxin, who was in charge of this transport, was found at his last gasp. This man said that the person who looted the Star Gathering Wagon was possibly a prince that learned the essentials of the Black Turtle Seven Changes. According to his words, this prince was concealed deep within the imperial palace, and he possibly even had the assistance of a Star General. He threatened collaboration with Chen Zhangtian to get rid of Crown Prince Tang Feng and thus continue the Tang imperial family in this fashion.
The worried and fearful princes that Wu Tunan saw before he came had just been interrogated individually by Tang Mingshi.
From Tang Mingshi’s perspective, that Prince Highness who dared to loot the Star Gathering Wagon was simply reckless to view his own father as nothing..
The corner of Wu Tunan’s lips slightly curled. Things seemed far more interesting than he had imagined. A prince unexpectedly was capable of stealing the Star Gathering Wagon, and he was able to receive the help of a Star General. This was unavoidably concealed too deeply. However, as far as he knew, other than Crown Prince Tang Feng, the other princes in the imperial family simply could not bear to be put in such an important position. This was also why Emperor Tang decided very early on who to establish as crown prince.
Now, it turned out that the missing Thirteenth Highness Tang Yunshen’s Black Turtle Seven Changes was actually somewhat mature.
“Can Your Imperial Majesty be certain that he is a prince. Do not fall for the instigations of a schemer.” Wu Tunan cautiously asked.
“According to Peng Pengxin’s statement, the mastery of the enemy’s Black Turtle Seven Changes was very high, perhaps possible only with six or seven years of training. Peng Pengxin has already become a cripple. He has no reason to exaggerate.”
Wu Tunan fell deep into thought. The Black Turtle Seven Changes was the Tang imperial family’s country-protecting treasure. Only children of the imperial bloodline had the qualifications to cultivate it. “Could it truly be the Thirteenth Highess? His disappearance was a plot?” Tang Yunshen’s talent was distinguished. If he was jealous of his elder brother Tang Feng’s position, perhaps there actually was the possibility. Furthermore, he had inexplicably vanished without a trace during the Divine Warrior Examination. Given his capabilities, those in the Divine Warrior Examination did not have the qualifications to kill him. In addition, as it turned out, he was related in countless ways to the death of the other prince.
“Princess Chang has been placed under house arrest at the bottom of the volcano by Her Highness Huan Wen. If he had the help of Princess Chang, then perhaps the Thirteenth Highness truly would have the capability to receive the aid of a Star General.” The more Wu Tunan thought about it, the more he felt this explanation was reasonable.
Upon hearing Princess Chang’s name, Emperor Tang’s expression changed.
“Impossible. How could Yunshen do such an impossibly stupid thing.” Emperor Tang’s knuckles turned white.
“Your Imperial Majesty, please reconsider. We absolutely cannot fall into the enemy’s plan to have a wedge driven between us. This matter must be investigated clearly.” Wu Tunan said.
Emperor Tang was naturally aware of the severity of this. He had already dispatched people to investigate all of Tang Yunshen’s clues, and if need be, they would turn to the Wanshou Temple for aid.
“Your Imperial Majesty, what do you plan to do next?” Wu Tunan then asked.
“With the Star Gathering Wagon looted, We fear that the alliance with the Sword Casting Villa and the Four Great Sword Sects has already failed before it could begin.” Emperor Tang’s brow was locked tightly. The Four Great Sword Sects followed the Sword Casting Villa’s lead, and the Villa completely disregarded the struggles of the imperial court. What they cared more about was casting weapons. If one was able to give them vast materials to upgrade Star Weapons, then they would very happily go support anyone that would use their weapons to unify the world.
“And how has His Highness Chen Mo been recently?” Wu Tunan suddenly asked.
“His whereabouts are strangely secret. Reportedly, he has gone to the Western Regions to train.” The spies that Emperor Tang dispatched could not possibly follow the trail of the Divine Warrior Examination’s zhuangyuan.
“Could the Star Gathering Wagon incident be ralted to him?” Wu Tunan recalled that this child had certainly been outstanding in the Divine Warrior Examination.
“We shall be mindful of this, but this child should not be so capable as to be able to convince a Star General to intercede. And the Black Turtle Seven Changes cannot be learned so proficiently by trash like him.”
“Indeed.”
“The Title Bestowal Ceremony will be held at the end of this year. This will be the only chance that We have to rid Chen Zhangtian of his ‘Lord’ title.” Emperor Tang said confidently.
“From This Daoist’s perspective, that Highness Mo is a variable. It would be better to get rid of him.” Wu Tunan said.
“He is the Divine Warrior Examination’s White Clothed Tanhua now. We fear it will not be easy to take action against him.” Tang Mingshi furrowed his brow.
“Your Imperial Majesty, these words are mistaken. Rumor has it that a Star General has been born in Nan Jiang. As it so happens, the Eight Villages are in the middle of choosing a king, so they are in the middle of internal turmoil. THis is a perfect chance for Your Imperial Majesty to unify the land. Your Imperial Majesty can give His Highness Mo a military rank and task him with leading an army to take advantage of the situation and subjugate the Nan Jiang’s Ancient Miao.” Daoist Skyless mysteriously smiled.
“Nan Jiang!” Emperor Tang’s eyes lit up.
“The Great Ancestor Emperor back then died to gu poison in battle against Nan Jiang. If anything happens to His Highness Mo, then it would be because the Great Ancestor has summoned him.”
Emperor Tang immediately understood Wu Tunan’s plan, “Good. This Chen Mo is an enormous worry in Our heart. If We can be rid of him, then We can have a better chance against Chang’an Mansion.” Tang Mingshi had never thought there would come a day that a mere cripple could become a tremendous problem. “However, this will need to be arranged delicately. There cannot be careless mistakes.”
“Leave this task to This Daoist then.” Wu Tunan smiled.
Hearing that Daoist Skyless agreed to take on the job, Tang Mingshi’s heart was elated. The prior gloom from the Star Gathering Wagon’s looting finally received consolation.
“It would be better to wait until after the Buddha Washing Festival to announce that Chen Mo is setting off for Nan Jiang.”
“Fine, We are counting on Daoist.”
…
News that Yu Youwei had left Chang’an indeed shocked all of CHang’an City’s noble families. Crown Prince Tang Feng hurried as fast as he could to the Intimate Friend Pavilion, but what received him was the empty Profound Theory Courtyard.
Yu Youwei’s guzheng music had already become an obsession for Chang’an City’s young lords and masters, the same feeling as how Confucius did not know the taste of meat for three months after having listened to “Shao” music.1 With her departure, the young lords and young masters seemed to go mad. Rumors about Yu Youwei’s departure from the Great Chong Dynasty thus sprang up. Among them, because Chen Mo was the first to be invited into such an intimate relationship, Chang’an Mansion’s neighbors all said she was hurt from love. Thus, she left this place where her heart had been broken.
Certainly not.
Yu Youwei had stayed in Chang’an City for five years. Chen Mo had a relationship with her for less than five month that the crown prince could not reach in five years. For Yu Youwei to leave immediately without prior announcement, everyone felt that Chen Mo must have done something ungrateful.
Originally, this name, “Chen Mo,” that had been gradually calming down, once again was thrust into the open.
However, Chen Mo was in the middle of preparing to intervene in the matter of the Star Gathering Wagon and the Sword Casting Villa’s alliance, so how could he be in the mood to care about this gossip. Besides, that he was the reason for Yu Youwei’s departure was not exactly wrong. The last song she composed, “Sending Silence,”2 could be considered to bear a bit of hidden bitterness.
The clear harp’s complaints drift far into the night, the strings lament in hardship.
Author’s Note:
Happy New Year to everyone, here’s to a new beginning!!! I’ll definitely work hard…Time doesn’t wait for anyone.
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