Chapter 517 (1/2)
Chapter 517: In the Future and Ours
Ning Que did not reply because he did not know how to . However, since Xian Zhilang had mentioned Chao Xiaoshu and Li Yu, he felt more at ease when he asked the man his question .
”His Majesty wouldn't be unaware that you have once been Empress Ren Xiao's page boy . I don't believe the rumors in the imperial court either . I want to know why His Majesty sent you to the Lanke Temple . ”
Xian Zhilang's expression grew grave . He looked at Ning Que and said, ”All countries have gathered at Lanke not just for the Yue Laan Hungry Ghost Festival . . . They have also gathered to discuss the war with the Desolate Man next year .
Ning Que furrowed his brows slightly as he thought of the constant wars in the wilderness in the last two years . He asked confusedly, ”The Left King's Palace had been plowed through by the Desolate Man once, and then weakened by the Divine Hall coalition and Xia Hou . They do not have any power to take back the gra.s.sland from the Desolate Man . . . I can't think of any reason for the Tang Empire and the South Jin Kingdom to fight on behalf of the Left King's Palace . Why not allow the Desolate Man to live peacefully in the Wilderness?”
There would have been nothing wrong with his statement had he not brought up the distant past between West-Hill Divine Palace and the Devil's Doctrine . After all, it was better to have someone else to lose their life than to lose your own . No matter how miserable the Left King's Palace is, as long as the Desolate Man do not continue southwards and affect other countries in the central plains, who would be willing to face such a powerful enemy?
”The West-Hill Divine Palace is unwilling to see the Desolate Man tribe own such a beautiful piece of land . It implies that the Devil's Doctrine will rise again . Other countries in the Central Plains are afraid that the Desolate Man tribes will grow in size . Without the cold region in the Far North as a limitation, the Desolate Man will have many children and their children will procreate . Then, they'd need more land and will force the Left King's Palace's shepherds down south . Then, they might go to war with the Golden Palace . How will that end? Just like a thousand years ago, the Desolate Man will become strong again and then, they will go to war with the Tang Empire . ”
Xian Zhilang looked at him and smiled . He said, ”Since there will be a war sooner or later, why not whittle them down while they are still weak?”
Looking at it from an emotional point of view, Ning Que had no reason to treat the Desolate Man as his enemy . His only niece in the Academy was one of them . Furthermore, he had joined the Devil's Doctrine, so he was not as vigilant against the Devil's Doctrine as those in the Haotian Taoism were .
He said, ”That might take decades, or even centuries, to occur . ”
Xian Zhilang said, ”Even if it happens in a thousand years, it begins now . ”
Ning Que had to admit that this statement was very convincing . However, it did not change how he viewed things . He had once been to the Wilderness and knew that it was a rich piece of land that could feed many people . Xian Zhilang had mentioned the war between the Tangs and the Desolate Man a thousand years ago . But that war had occurred, not because both parties needed a place to live, but because China needed to establish a new leader . In his opinion, unless there were any changes, the Desolate Man would not continue southwards .
As the word 'changes' appeared in his mind, he suddenly remembered the dream he had and the conversations he had with Headmaster . He felt a chill run down his spine .
Xian Zhilang noticed that he was behaving oddly .
All was silent in the room onboard . Only the sound of water splas.h.i.+ng against the sides of the s.h.i.+p could be heard .
Ning Que suddenly asked, ”Do you believe in the Underworld Invasion?”
Xian Zhilang's expression stiffened slightly . And then, he laughed self-mockingly and said, ”Of course not . ”
Ning Que looked into his eyes and said, ”Chang'an has become colder in the last two years . ”
Xian Zhilang said, ”When I was little, I fed horses in even colder winters . ”
Ning Que said, ”You know that's not what I meant . ”
Xian Zhilang said, ”I have been staying in the west all these years . ”
Ning Que said, ”Then why are the Desolate Man moving south?”
Xian Zhilang did not speak . After a while, he suddenly smiled, and said, ”Legends will always be legends . Even if they become fact, only legendary places like the Second floor of the Academy have to worry about it . As a serviceman of the empire, we do not need to think as much . Should the underworld invade us, the cavalry will do what they have to do when His Majesty orders us . ”
This was the standard answer of a Tang serviceman . Ning Que was not surprised . But he was one of the few people on earth who had heard Headmaster say that the darkness would come from the north . That was why he had to think .
This was especially so when he realized that this great meet at the Lanke Temple would involve sending military to the Desolate Man . The wilderness in the north would flow with blood from now on . This was beginning to look more and more like that dream he had . The chill that had wrapped itself around his body grew more intense and he could not dispell it .
Xian Zhilang obviously wanted to have a long conversation with him . But Ning Que's emotional state was in a mess and he had grown wary without reason . Ning Que rejected the man forthrightly and walked towards the cabin .
Xian Zhilang walked to the window and watched Ning Que as he headed downstairs . He watched the figure on the lake bank heading towards another battles.h.i.+p . His brows rose, and a myriad of emotions crossed his eyes .
The House of Red Sleeves song-and-dance troupe traveled with the Tang diplomatic delegation . As a result, they received plenty of conveniences . With Ning Que having made his inclinations clear, the girls were all treated well and were given their own s.h.i.+p .
Where there were women, there was noise . However, this s.h.i.+p was extremely quiet today . The beautiful women sat in their chairs and looked solemn . However, they could all barely repress their curiosity, glancing at the two girls speaking from the corner of their eyes .