Chapter 638 – At the Time, I Was Already Confused (2/2)
Chen Changsheng was presently in terrible pain and could not feel the slightest delight, even if the wind weaving through the rain came from a thousand li away and was growing stronger and stronger. (TN: This seems to be a reference to a poem by Su Dongpo, '黄州快哉亭赠张偓佺'. In particular, it references the last line, 'With a little noble spirit, one can enjoy the delightful wind from one thousand li away'.)
Upon hearing Bie Yanghong's words, the Tianhai Divine Empress slightly turned her body to glance at Chen Changsheng. It was only an apathetic glance, yet she was able to get an extremely clear picture of the state of his body.
According to the Elder of Heavenly Secrets's calculations, before he was even born, his sun wheel had been destroyed, his nine meridians severed.
The present Chen Changsheng had all seventy-two of his meridians completely shattered, his three hundred and sixty-five Qi openings all torn open.
He was currently suffering an unimaginable pain, just as he had in her womb, but the him at that time had been unaware and unfeeling. The only person in the world that could sense the pain he was feeling was her.
The Tianhai Divine Empress thought of the pain when he was in the womb, the pain when he was born, and slightly creased her brow, somewhat annoyed.
The rain gradually increased, yet there were still stars faintly twinkling, and that calm, clear, and soft splendor.
Guan Xingke, pushing the wheelchair holding Zhu Luo, had also arrived at the Mausoleum of Books.
Four of the Eight Storms had arrived.
The Daoist was some place in the dark rains.
The monk was by the stream tens of thousands of li away.
Everything in the capital tonight had all been part of the Tianhai Divine Empress's plan. At this moment, everyone had arrived, so Chen Changsheng's existence ceased to have value. So naturally, he could die now.
The rain pouring from the sky increased in volume, forming into lines and then gradually into torrents. The wind carried along with the rain also grew greater and greater.
Deep within the storm came the rumbling of thunder, the occasional real lightning bolt flashing in the night sky, illuminating the scene at the peak of the Mausoleum of Books.
The Tianhai Divine Empress stood at the edge of the Divine Path, her hands behind her back, no excess emotion on her sublimely beautiful face as her black hair danced behind her. She was like a demon or god.
The torrential rain was incapable of wetting her hair, but it drenched Chen Changsheng's clothes.
Chen Changsheng's face was pale, his body soaked. He looked abnormally feeble, pitiful.
He gasped for breath, using his hands to push himself out of the puddles on the ground. With great difficulty, he raised his head towards her.
At this moment, he was truly very calm, because he was already numb. To this world, he had already lost all hope.
The Tianhai Divine Empress perceived his actions and indifferently commented, ”Yourong wished to save you. I sent her away.”
When she said this, she did not turn to look at him.
Chen Changsheng's body, which had grown somewhat numb because of the cold, pain, and disappointment, grew somewhat softer at these words, a tiny speck of warmth still left in the pit of his stomach.
Yes, there are still people in the world that care about me, like Yourong, or the people in the Orthodox Academy, or Luoluo in the distant White Emperor City, or Senior whose location I don't know…
”Thank you, my lady,” he said to the Tianhai Divine Empress's back.
He was thanking her for saying those words at the final moment of his life, thus helping him remember that there was still some beauty in life.
This way, when he left, he might be somewhat unwilling because of his reminiscence, but at least he would not be sad because there was nothing to reminisce about.
The rain grew greater and greater, flowing down the Mausoleum of Books along the two sides of the Divine Path. Gradually, it transformed into a waterfall of astonishing power.
The sound of rain in the night was vexing, but a torrential rain was disastrous. In the forest, many beasts could faintly be seen hiding away, yet it was no longer possible to hear the chirping of autumn insects.
A squirrel was leaping and weaving through the forest, seemingly seeking out a place suitable to hide from the rain, yet unable to find one, so it was quickly soaked through. The rain was too great, so much so that the squirrel's originally oily and waterproof tail was unable to completely endure it. The fluffy tail drooped down, the gray fur clinging wetly to its body. It was a very pitiable sight.
If that tail were dry and fluffy, perhaps this squirrel might look very fat.
Just like the squirrel in the forest of the Hundred Herb Garden.
The Tianhai Divine Empress's gaze followed the squirrel through the forest for a very long time before finally looking away.
The experts had already gathered within the Mausoleum of Books. Under the seemingly calm surface of the dark capital in the rain, many undercurrents were flowing.
Her reign over the Great Zhou Dynasty was currently confronting its most forceful challenge.
Yet at this time, she was attentively watching a squirrel hide from the rain.
Just what was she thinking?
”Two years ago in the palace, you should have seen a squirrel.”
She suddenly said these sorts of words.
These words had no head or tail.
Chen Changsheng was somewhat dazed, mystified as to what she was saying.
Then, in his daze, he remembered some things.
That was truly a matter from a long time ago. Two years ago, on the night of the Ivy Festival, he had been lured by Mo Yu into a cold palace and imprisoned by the Tong Palace array. In order to escape, he had risked entering an underground space through the gate of life. He encountered the Black Dragon and, with great difficulty, returned through a pool in the Imperial Palace.
At the time, a middle-aged woman had been standing by the pool, perhaps preparing to wash her hands or wash her clothes.
At the time, he emerged from the pool with an extremely sorry appearance, his clothes utterly soaked, and it was even late at night. The middle-aged woman seemed startled and took one step back, her wooden clogs clicking against the gray stones.
At the time, in the forest by the pool, a squirrel was eating. Leaping up in fright, it threw down the fruit and leaped to the second floor of the side palace, running along the balcony, its swaying tail brushing against a flower pot.
At the time, the middle-aged woman had been right below the flower pot.
At the time, Chen Changsheng had just escaped from dire straits and was still deep within the palace. He was in an extremely tense situation where he could not be found by others, but upon seeing this scene, he didn't even need to think before rushing over.
He hugged the middle-aged woman to his chest and curled around her. This way, even if the flower pot fell, it would only shatter against his back and not on the woman.
Fortunately, the flower pot did not fall.
Now that he thought about it, none of it had been real, because she was no middle-aged woman, but the Tianhai Divine Empress. How could she be startled?
Were his actions at the time excessive and laughable in her eyes?
But why was she suddenly mentioning that squirrel at this moment?
As he thought of that time, Chen Changsheng felt a little confused.
……
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