Chapter 649 – The Grief and Song of Relatives and Others (1/2)
Chapter 649 – The Grief and Song of Relatives and Others
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
”If you want to know why we have not appeared at the Mausoleum of Books...that is because that level of battle is already beyond our ability to participate in, let alone yours.” Tianhai Chenwu stood up from his chair and slowly walked to the door, silent for a few moments before speaking, ”As for this conflict in the capital, since I've already made my decision, I will no longer change it.”
”Even if Father can so easily make your decision, how can we so easily accept it?”
Tianhai Shengxue's face was as pale as snow.
”I am the patriarch of the Tianhai clan. My decision is the will of the Tianhai clan.”
”Father should not forget that the Tianhai clan is the Tianhai clan because the Empress carries the surname of Tianhai!”
”But you must also not forgot that phrase that has circulated throughout the continent for so long: Tianhai is Tianhai, and the Tianhai clan is the Tianhai clan!”
Tianhai Chenwu gazed at his son like he was an idiot and harshly yelled, ”For what reason should I have the entire Tianhai clan accompany her to the grave!”
Tianhai Shengxue gave a somewhat despondent laugh, saying, ”Could it be that Father believes that when the Empress is no longer here, our Tianhai clan will be able to continue to exist?”
”The truly intelligent person will never reject the slightest chance of survival.”
Tianhai Chenwu gazed in the direction of the Mausoleum of Books, the corners of his eyes slightly twitching. He took in a deep breath, forcefully calming his mind, then said in a slightly hoarse voice, ”His Holiness and Principal Shang swore an oath to the starry sky; they have no space to back off. Afterwards, if the Imperial Court wishes to stabilize as quickly as possible, they will require our existence.”
Tianhai Shengxue said in anguish, ”Father, you usually aren't such a naive person. Why have you become so confused?”
”Naive? Confused?” Tianhai Chenwu spontaneously laughed, a tinge of pain and hatred flashing through his eyes, his voice growing even more hoarse. He harshly cried out, ”If the final moment had not come, do you think I would have made this sort of decision? Just a moment ago, the Empress saved Chen Changsheng—do you not understand what this means?”
Tianhai Shengxue was slightly startled, then an expression of struggle appeared on his face. He wanted to argue a few words, yet he had no idea where to begin.
”This means that the Empress has already decided to pass down the throne to Chen Changsheng!”
”But...news just came from the Mausoleum of Books that Chen Changsheng is not Crown Prince Zhaoming.”
”And how is that important? Regardless of Crown Prince Zhaoming's identity, all that means is that the Empress has never thought about passing the throne to me.”
Tianhai Chenwu's voice became even colder. ”Since this is the case, why should I let the Tianhai clan split their skulls and spill their blood for her?”
Tianhai Shengxue still could not accept this, saying, ”Even if this is the case, could that mean that Father will be able to ascend to the imperial throne afterwards? No! The only person able to ascend to the throne will still be that Crown Prince Zhaoming that no one knows the whereabouts of! Principal Shang has planned for so many years, and he simply will not allow anything else to occur. The Prince of Xiang cannot, the Prince of Zhongshan cannot, and Father, you have no hope either, so what's the difference?”
”The difference is that if the Empress wins, for the sake of her son, she will assuredly do her utmost in the coming years to weaken us, and then just kill us. But if the Empress loses, if her son wishes to rule this country under the watch of the seventeen princes, he will require the Tianhai clan to act as arms.”
Tianhai Chenwu's voice was incomparably cold. ”After all, we are his mother's family, he is my cousin. We are all one family, no?”
......
......
The rain over the capital had already stopped, but a torrential rain was still falling over the distant plains. The occasional lightning bolt in the night sky would illuminate the figures of the Red Falcons shuttling back and forth with startling clarity.
Suddenly, a lightning bolt struck down and a rain of crossbow bolts rose up, a torrential rain flying in reverse, to shoot down a Red Falcon flying south.
Soon after, thunder boomed from the rain clouds, rumbling along while the thundering hooves instead gradually came to a stop. What replaced it was the sound of crossbow bolts whizzing through the air and the clashing of metal.
Similar scenes occurred in many places, taking place in the several great armies preparing to return to the capital as reinforcements. The armies of the Great Zhou fell into turmoil in the rain and then quickly grew quiet, making not a single sound.
Just like that, tens of thousands of cavalry halted their forward march, stopping in the pouring rain in a bizarre silence. No one knew just what had happened.
At the very front of the cavalry of the Great Zhou Mount Song Army returning to the capital from their fort in the Wusong Mountains, a carriage was quietly parked.
With the support of her Guardian, the Old Lady of the Mutuo clan descended from the carriage with great difficulty. Standing in the torrential rain, she gazed at the mass of cavalry before her.
”Where is your general?”
The several thousand cavalry of the Mount Song Army parted like a tide. The seventh-ranked Divine General of the Great Zhou, Tian Song, rode out from the back on a black dragonhorse.
Seeing the old lady standing by the carriage, Divine General Tian Song slightly lowered his head, allowing the rain to wash his armor in silence for a very long time.
Ultimately, he still dismounted from his horse and said awkwardly to the old lady, ”This child is wearing a full suit of armor, so cannot bow to Mother.”
”At this time, what are you still doing caring about these overly elaborate rituals?”
The Old Lady of the Mutuo clan was not angered by his attitude, only nagged like an old lady, ”Your daughter is about to give birth. It's best to quickly return home with me to come and see.”