Chapter 236 – Successor (2/2)
The Pope said this casually as he picked a small towel up from the table and wiped his hands.
Before this conversation, Chen Changsheng imagined that the Pope would have an extravagant and lofty way of speaking to match his powerful status. His words would be cryptic and profound, filled with countless hidden meanings that would have to be carefully pondered to become aware of the truth. Who could imagine that the Pope would be able to so simply and swiftly explain all these things? The soothing wind on a starry night could not be as refreshing. The questions that he had thought up on the Divine Avenue had actually all been answered.
He did not know what questions to ask, but then he remembered that there were some details in The Pope’s story that he questions about. He sincerely asked, “Your Holiness said that my master committed an offense. What offense?”
The Pope replied, “That year, he rebelled against the decision made by the Great Congregation of Light and supported the imperial family of Chen in rebelling against the Divine Empress. He brought the entire Orthodox Academy and more into that abyss with him.”
The people of Zhou supported the imperial family of Chen, this is as it should be. What offense was there? Chen Changsheng said without the slightest hesitation. “That was not wrong.”
“At the time, only if the Divine Empress ascended to the seat of the emperor would the government be stabilized. If not, the Great Zhou would inevitably break apart, and the fires of war would blaze once more. The demons would inevitably take advantage of this opportunity to invade the south once again. Whether the starting point or the objective was correct or not, in the eyes of us old people, as long as it affected the ability for humanity to resist the demons, it was wrong.”
The Pope looked at him calmly, yet intolerant of any dissent. “It has been several hundred years since that war. For children your age, there are very few people that have personally seen a demon. They are even less capable of imagining how the desperate the straits on the continent were in that year. If you knew, then you would also believe that our decision was correct.”
Chen Changsheng was young, but he had never been someone easily convinced. “Then what about now? As Your Holiness gets farther and farther from the Divine Empress, aren’t you afraid of affecting our ability to resist the Demons?”
“I have known the Divine Empress for several hundred years. I know what kind of person she is, so I have no objection on her rule of the Zhou Dynasty. The problem lies in the fact that no one can live forever. The entire continent must consider how the world will maintain its peace after her.”
The Pope seemed to think of something and his face seemed to fill with regret. He slowly said, “If the Tianhai clan puts forth a second Divine Empress, what harm is there in pushing the Chen Imperial clan aside a second time? Yet, it is impossible for the Tianhai Clan to raise a second Divine Empress. Then, the imperial family of Chen will, in the end, return to their former position.”
After Chen Changsheng heard this, he was quiet for a long time. Then he asked, “Even if it is this way, I still don’t understand. How could my master have guessed that you changed your mind?”
“When your master agreed to send you to the capital to end the engagement, he was also using you to communicate to us that he was still alive. He was also reminding me that you are our school’s one and only disciple.”
The Pope repeated those words, then continued, “Regardless if I had changed my mind or not, I must take care of you, or else would I not be breaking our lineage? In this world, your master understands me the most, so your master is clearer on this point than anyone else.”
Chen Changsheng was somewhat at a loss. He was still unable to reconcile the image of the middle-aged man in Xining’s old temple with the famous principal of the Orthodox Academy. Then he thought of something. The Pope had said that he had cared for him because he had to continue the lineage of their school, but The Pope came from the Heavenly Dao Academy while his master came from the Orthodox Academy. How could these two be the same school? What school was he speaking of?
He asked this question.
“The Heavenly Dao Academy, the Temple Seminary, the Orthodox Academy, the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green and the Li Palace Academy… besides the Star Seizer Academy, the Six Ivies of the capital are places where the Orthodoxy nurtures the next generation. Yet in those days, the only people that cultivated in the traditions of the Orthodoxy were me and your master. This so-called lineage is naturally the lineage of the Orthodoxy.
The Pope looked at him serenely. “That year, your master almost caused a break in the lineage of the Orthodoxy. Now, it is your responsibility to take up and continue this lineage.”
Hearing these words, Chen Changsheng’s face instantly paled. For a long time, he struggled to speak.
This did not mean that his mindset was lacking, it was just that this news was too astonishing.
The Orthodoxy’s sole successor?
No matter who it was, if one was told that one would most likely be the next Pope, one would be stunned speechless. Even the insane Painted Armor Xiao Zhang was no exception.
Not to mention, Chen Changsheng was only a fifteen-year-old teenager.
The hall was silent. The wooden ladle was suspended in the air, slightly slanted. A trickle of water, like a strand of silver, incessantly fell into the pot. The Green Leaf in the pot faintly trembled, several droplets of water sparkling on its surface.
After who knows how long had passed, Chen Changsheng awoke from his daze. He looked at The Pope, and asked, “This isn’t a matter that I should have to consider now, right?”
His voice was very dry and hoarse. It was somewhat unpleasant to the ear. It was clear that it was caused by his nerves.
“In the past, Mei Lisha and I were afraid of giving you too much pressure. If you were not mature enough, you might have collapsed. Right now, it seems that we have worried too much.”
The Pope looked at him quietly. His eyes were peaceful and deep, like they could see through everything. Chen Changsheng felt that all the secrets in his body and spirit were all laid bare. This was a very uncomfortable feeling. Thankfully, in the next moment, the Pope shifted his gaze, lifted his hand, and once again grabbed onto the wooden ladle.
Two hundred breaths of time had passed. The water in the ladle had been exhausted. This round of questions and answers was over.
It was time for Chen Changsheng to leave, but he did not want to leave. Before, he felt that he had no questions to ask. However now, he realized that there were still many things that he wanted to know.
Such as the Mausoleum of Book, such as the Garden of Zhou, such as the stars.
Such as… the Orthodoxy.