Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Xuanyuan Po loosened his hand.

The heavy tree thumped to the ground, sending water flying.

Hundred Flowers Lane fell silent.

The rebel soldiers stared in shock at the stalwart figure before them.

The hint of a smile could be seen in Tianhai Shengxue's eyes, as well as a tinge of sorrow. The teachers and students of the Orthodox Academy behind him, however, had nothing but admiration and respect on their faces.

Xuanyuan Po was extremely famous, mostly because his story had a legendary characteristic to it. In the view of many people, it was second only to Pope Chen Changsheng's.

Ten-some years ago, he was a young demi-human genius which Star Seizer Academy had highly valued, but because Tianhai Ya'er crippled his right arm, he elected to withdraw from the academy despite the attempts to dissuade him. While making a living off washing dishes in the night market of the capital, he ended up being taken to the Orthodox Academy by Chen Changsheng and Luoluo. He had come even earlier than Tang Thirty-Six and become the beginning of the Orthodox Academy's revival.

Several years later, in the coup of the Mausoleum of Books, both Chen Changsheng and the Orthodox Academy were beset by storms. Xuanyuan Po returned to White Emperor City to seek aid, but his efforts were fruitless. He chose to work in a small tavern in one of White Emperor City's lower city districts. Many people mistook this as cowardice, and he suffered from countless glares and jeers, but he never once argued.

It was only during the Heavenly Selection ceremony, when Madam Mu attempted to marry Luoluo off to the Demon Lord, that Xuanyuan Po finally stepped onto the fighting platform using his identity as a student of the Orthodox Academy. Starting from the most remote fighting platform in the lower city, he began to win match after match, ultimately winning nine in a row. He managed to reach the final round, and though he lost to the Demon Lord at the end, his performance still shocked the two shores of the Red River, as well as the rest of the continent.

Ten years had passed since then, and this member of the Orthodox Academy family was now a renowned general of the Demi-human race. In terms of pure fighting power, he was even the strongest of them. The Heavenly Thunder Bringer that Chen Changsheng had taught him and the fist style that Bie Yanghong had passed onto him working together resulted in an edge that not even Zhexiu was willing to confront head-on!

……

……

Everyone believed Xuanyuan Po was outside Xuelao City, leading the demi-human armies against the demon soldiers in a life-or-death struggle. No one had expected him to appear in the Orthodox Academy, but just a moment's thought would lead one to guess that he had probably concealed himself in the North-Pacifying Army and stealthily entered the capital.

Prince Chen Liu thought of a certain possibility, causing his complexion to further pale, and he seemed about to warn the rebel troops on the perimeter.

A sword glow illuminated the autumn rain, hacking at Prince Chen Liu.

This sword glow was rather unique. It was not the normal snow-white, it lacked any sense of sharpness, and it certainly wasn't cold. On the contrary, it had an aura of summer heat.

Prince Chen Liu's sleeve flew as he drew a flexible sword. He barely managed to block the sword glow, but his body was sent flying backward. Upon smashing through a stone wall, he fell unconscious.

Xuanyuan Po's right arm had regained its original appearance a long time ago. He held a thick and heavy sword in his hand: the Mountain Sea Sword.

Prince Chen Liu had once been a frequent guest to the Orthodox Academy, so Xuanyuan Po naturally recognized him. He had probably asked him who he was purely out of anger.

You actually dare to destroy the Orthodox Academy!

"Anyone who dares to take one step into the Orthodox Academy will be killed without exception!"

Tianhai Chenwu walked out of the ruined restaurant, the front of his clothes speckled with blood.

He had originally intended to save Prince Chen Liu, but when he saw the Mountain Sea Sword in Xuanyuan Po's hand, he immediately changed his mind and led the offspring of the Tianhai clan in a retreat from the lane.

Right when they were about to retreat out of Hundred Flowers Lane, Tianhai Chenwu couldn't help but turn his head to take one last glance at the gate of the Orthodox Academy.

The light of the torches and the sheets of rain made Tianhai Shengxue's figure somewhat indistinct.

Tianhai Chenwu mentally sighed.

He had taken himself to be a flawless schemer, vicious and ruthless, someone who pushed the words 'thick' and 'black' to the limit2, who did not care about being called a vile opportunist. Thus, the Tianhai clan would inevitably continue to survive through the dangerous political climates, and if he encountered any opportunities, the Tianhai clan might even welcome a second golden age.

But in the end, he had thoroughly lost. On the other hand, that arrogant son had done nothing except act according to his nature, yet he always ended up standing on the victorious side. Were his aunt's words to him back then true? Were all meticulously-made plans wrong? But why?

……

……

The North-Pacifying Army began to battle with the rebel army outside the Orthodox Academy. It was a long time before the sounds of fighting beneath the overcast sky finally came to a stop.

This place was rather close to the Imperial Palace, only separated by one Orthodox Academy, one Hundred Herb Garden. But perhaps because the forests were too lush, or maybe due to the array, the Imperial Palace did not hear too much of the fighting, only faint shouts.

The Imperial Palace in the darkness was cold and deserted. If one looked down from the Dew Platform, they would not be able to see a single person.

Only through careful observation would one discover that many maids and eunuch were hiding in the attics, the shrubs by the pools, and in remote corner rooms.

These maids and eunuchs all had pale complexions, and their bodies trembled in fear.

Yet they were not hiding here instead of defending the emperor in the main hall because they were afraid, but because they had been ordered to hide by their superiors.

There were many Night Pearls in the main hall of the Imperial Palace. Though fewer than the number on the Dew Platform and the Night Pearls studding the cave beneath New North Bridge, they were sufficient to light up the hall like it was daytime.

The curtains swayed, causing the light of the Night Pearls to scatter like snowflakes. Alas, no one was in the mood to appreciate this sight.

The ministers, led by Grand Tutor Bai Ying, gazed at that figure standing at the entrance, their faces filled with shock and fury.

"One should rule the world with benevolence and righteousness, and the court is also a part of the world. Those adopted sons of mine have understood my thoughts and had those pitiful children hide so as to avoid any harm from the soldiers tonight. This can also be considered a benevolent and righteous act. If Your Majesty's mother had been able to understand this reasoning, what need would there have been to bury her in the Hundred Herb Garden and not with Emperor Xian?"

Eunuch Lin's gaze traveled across the faces of Grand Tutor Bai Ying, the ministers, and the guards, ultimately resting on the highest place.

Mo Yu and the Prince of Louyang stood there, guarding the person behind them. A faint smear of bright yellow was faintly visible.

"There might be some problems outside the palace, but they are not important, because this is the most important place in all of the Great Zhou. And I have lived in the Imperial Palace for far too long, longer than all of you added together… It is not at all challenging for me to stop the Imperial Design. I hope that Your Majesty can understand."

Who could have expected that Eunuch Lin, famed throughout for the continent for his loyalty to his sovereign and his virtue, had become the inside agent for the rebel army and helped the Prince of Xiang break the Imperial Design!

Grand Tutor Bai Ying took two tottering steps forward and said to Eunuch Lin, "Lin, my old friend, I've worked with you for more than two hundred years and am well aware of who you are. That you still remember those lowly eunuchs and maids at this time shows that your reputation is not false, so why are you carrying out this treasonous action?"

Eunuch Lin replied, "How can the actions of a true man be weighed down by reputation?"

He was a eunuch, yet he had always considered himself a true man. Moreover, no one in the world dared to question him, and even now, it was still very difficult to doubt him.

Grand Tutor Bai Ying asked in a grief-stricken voice, "Do you intend to wipe away your reputation as a loyal minister?"

"I am still a loyal minister, but I am loyal to Emperor Xian."

Eunuch Lin gazed at that figure seated at the highest point, concealed behind his guards, and said, "Your Majesty, I also deeply respect you, even found myself liking you more and more. Alas, you are still the son of that woman, so the more I respect you, the less I respect myself. The more I like you, the less I like myself. So please forgive this old minister for today's offense."

These words were rather difficult to understand. Only Mo Yu understood them, because she was a woman, and she let out a scornful laugh.

Eunuch Lin ignored her laughter and took a step forward.

The guards nervously began to unsheathe their blades.

The Prince of Louyang, his face pale and brow dripping with sweat, constantly muttered, "What do I do? What do I do?"

But he still did not put his hands down. He was abnormally determined, protecting that person behind him like an old mother hen protecting its chick.

Mo Yu was somewhat annoyed at his muttering, but her heart went soft when she saw how nervous he was. She softly said, "When things get messy, take His Majesty and escape."

The Prince of Louyang froze, then turned to her and asked, "To that place you mentioned that night?"

Mo Yu replied, "Goodness, you're stupid. I had you memorize it twenty times. Do you still not remember?"

The Prince of Louyang suddenly began to cry. "I did memorize it, but I don't want to leave you here."

The Imperial Design had been broken, and the two Divine Domain experts that were the Prince of Xiang and Cao Yunping could appear at any time. The emperor had to leave beforehand through the secret tunnel.

Mo Yu needed to remain to stop Eunuch Lin as well as attract the attention of others. How she would end up could be easily imagined.

Mo Yu and the Prince of Louyang were conversing in a rather soft tone. Besides them, only that person behind them could hear it.

Yet at this moment, an assessment of their conversation suddenly came from outside the hall.

"True love can only exist because it is true, because it is sincere, without the slightest artifice or falsehood. You truly are a student personally taught by Imperial Mother. Grand Lady Mo, I truly admire you."

The Prince of Xiang walked into the hall.

He said with nostalgia, "Back then, when I thought about you growing up together with Little Liu, I wrote a letter to Imperial Mother requesting for the two of you to be engaged. Alas, Imperial Mother did not agree."

Cao Yunping appeared behind him, his hands behind him as he looked around the hall, occasionally saying 'not bad'. He was like some old retired official from the Ministry of Revenue admiring the sweet potato fields.

The Prince of Xiang no longer reminisced on the past. "Eunuch Lin is correct. Even if we completely lose on the outside, what does it matter? It's fine as long as we win here. As long as I can sit on that chair, even Mount Li or the Li Palace will all have to respect me, so what do I have to worry about?"

Mo Yu replied, "Your Highness, to sit firmly on this chair has never been a simple task."

"Have none of you noticed how thin I've gotten in the last ten years?"

The Prince of Xiang's hands rested on his waist, kneading the fat bulging from his belt as he bitterly smiled.

His smile faded as he turned his gaze to that highest seat. "I have no regrets about my gradually loosening belt. Your Majesty… brother, why not let me sit on that chair?"

……

……

"In…… truth…… I…… never…… wanted… to… sit… on this chair."

A voice echoed through the quiet hall.

The first two words were spoken with great difficulty, like the speaker was a baby just learning to speak.

In the following words, the speaker's pronunciation greatly improved. Though certainly not smooth or coherent, the words no longer sounded strange, just extremely slow and punctuated by pauses.

The reason for this was that this person had not spoken for many, many years.

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1. This is a line from the poem '青玉案·元夕' by the Southern Song Dynasty poet Xin Qiji.↩

2. 'Thick' and 'black' refer to a philosophical treatise published by Li Zongwu in 1911. 'Thick' here refers to a thick face, meaning shamelessness. 'Black' refers to a black heart, meaning ruthlessness.