Chapter 52: How Could Anything Escape Destruction

Chapter 52: Is There Anything That Never Perishes?

The appetizer over, Qin Yuan straightened up, composed his expression, and got down to business. "Historically, forces that capture the capital seize the opportunity to plunder. Will such a thing happen among the aspirations of the Ambition Army?"

"Absolutely not."

Zheng Sanfa guaranteed without the slightest hesitation.

Then, he added, "Before entering the city, I gave strict and repeated orders. Anyone who dares to plunder will be dealt with by military law."

Given the military discipline the Ambition Army had displayed so far, Zheng Sanfa’s words carried a high degree of credibility. Making a mental note of it, Qin Yuan asked the second question: "How does the Grand Commander intend to treat the former officials and functionaries?"

"We must treat them differently. Those who committed evil alongside the demons will never be pardoned. The innocent ones, as long as they are capable functionaries, may remain in their posts."

Qin Yuan gave this answer a full score.

Jotted down with quick strokes of his brush, Qin Yuan asked the third question: "How will the Grand Commander govern?"

"There will be no major changes for the time being, so as to avoid unnecessary turmoil."

Another full-score answer.

After making his notes, Qin Yuan asked a bold question: "Will the Grand Harmony Society and the Ambition Army continue to walk hand in hand?"

The Grand Harmony Society had been established by Lin Dongze in the name of Zhao Luoting, operating as a semi-independent force within the Ambition Army.

Earlier at Shiliting, what Yang Huchan had meant when he said the two sides were about to tear off their masks was precisely this rift between the Grand Harmony Society and the Ambition Army.

The smile vanished from Zheng Sanfa’s face. After a prolonged silence, he said, "I am very willing to continue walking hand in hand with the Grand Harmony Society."

The subtext to this was clear: if the other party was unwilling, he would simply have to resort to other means.

Qin Yuan asked a few more questions before taking his leave.

Zheng Sanfa escorted Qin Yuan down to the steps.

"Wait a moment."

A low command rang out.

Qin Yuan pulled back the foot he had already stepped forward.

Zheng Sanfa walked closer and said with a solemn expression, "Your official hat is crooked."

Are you out of your mind? Do you have a severe case of obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Qin Yuan straightened his official hat, thanked Zheng Sanfa, and left with undisguised haste.

Once outside the Grand Commander’s Mansion, as he mounted his beloved little donkey, Qin Yuan glanced back over his shoulder. I wonder how long it will take to outlive this man?

Back inside the grand hall, Zheng Sanfa mounted the dragon throne, unable to suppress a swell of triumph. He never imagined that one day he, too, would sit upon the dragon throne.

Suddenly, a thought struck him.

So many people had sat on this dragon throne—had any of them suffered from hemorrhoids?

The more he thought about it, the dirtier it felt. He stood up and walked into the inner chamber.

The space was tiny, not even as large as the room he usually lived in, leaving him feeling somewhat constrained.

It was time to write in his diary.

Writing in his diary was something Zheng Sanfa did every single day, a habit he had maintained for many years.

Swish!

From his sea of qi, Zheng Sanfa retrieved a thread-bound book.

Brush and ink.

He spread it out on the table and began to pen his diary.

"Entered the city today, saw a woman by the roadside, quite comely. My heart skipped a beat."

After a moment’s thought, he cursed himself in the diary: "I, the Sovereign, have an affliction; I am fond of beauty."

"Must curb my desires, must curb my desires..."

He repeated it to himself several times.

Before long, his urges got the better of him, and he summoned a guard: "Are there any courtesans in this place?"

The guard was startled for a moment and said, "Grand Commander, this is the imperial palace."

Zheng Sanfa froze, then said with a hint of agitation, "Go and find a few pretty palace maids."

"There isn't a single woman left here; they were all eaten."

"Those damned demons!"

Zheng Sanfa slammed his palm on the table and stood up.

Then, sitting back down dejectedly, he muttered, "Dismissed."

After the guard left, Zheng Sanfa retrieved three heavy tokens from his sea of qi.

Carved upon them respectively were the words: Sorcery, Alchemist, and Five Beasts.

His fingers brushed across the three tokens, and his gaze suddenly sharpened. "It is time to make a move."

At that very moment, the guard walked in again: "Old Man Sun's estate has sent someone over with many things."

The fierce look in Zheng Sanfa’s eyes instantly transformed into a calm expression. "Bring them in," he said indifferently.

Soon, the guards carried in ten heavy large chests.

"Open them."

As all the chests were thrown open, the grand hall illuminated brightly.

Both the guards and Zheng Sanfa were stunned.

They had never laid eyes on so much gold, silver, and rare treasure in all their lives.

"Why is there a Chinese cabbage?"

"That’s jade."

"A cabbage."

"Jade."

The guards' bickering pulled Zheng Sanfa back to reality.

"Tell the person sent by Old Man Sun that I will ensure he remains safe and sound."

As for the promises he had previously made to the old imperial loyalists and scions—

So what if he went back on his word?

"Understood."

After the guards departed, a brilliant smile bloomed across Zheng Sanfa’s face.

In the blink of an eye, another half-month passed, and the empire entered the seventeenth year of co-governance.

Early in the morning, amidst the faint morning light, Qin Yuan rode his beloved little donkey at a leisurely pace down the main street.

Wherever his gaze fell:

Pedestrians hurried to set up their stalls.

Children rushed to the schoolhouse.

Cooks rushed to wash their vegetables.

Officials great and small hurried to their administrative offices.

Everyone was in such a rush.

Except for him.

Arriving at the dining hall, he found a corner seat and sat down to listen to the chatter around him.

"Eating here costs only five copper coins, much cheaper than outside."

"Call that cheap? At the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Personnel, it's just one copper coin, and the food is even better than ours."

"If I'd known, I would've gone to the Ministry of Revenue or Personnel."

"What makes you think you could've gone there even if you had known?"

The chatter abruptly stopped.

Life is hard enough as it is, no need to tear each other down... Suppressing a smile, Qin Yuan turned his head and spotted an acquaintance.

Li Shoumin.

He finally dared to show his face back here.

When it came to the art of lying low, this kid had truly surpassed his master.

His spirit and vitality looked somewhat better than before.

Looking closely, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were more pronounced; after all, he was growing older.

"Uncle Qin." Li Shoumin hurriedly walked over.

"Sit," Qin Yuan said.

Li Shoumin obediently sat down opposite him.

Qin Yuan turned to Chef Hua and asked, "Nong’er, have you seen any frozen-to-death donkeys recently?"

Nong’er was Chef Hua’s childhood nickname.

Not just anyone could use it.

Take Li Shoumin, for instance—if he dared to use it, Chef Hua certainly wouldn't give him the time of day.

"No frozen ones, but there is one that suffered internal injuries," Chef Hua replied.

Li Shoumin asked foolishly, "Donkeys can suffer internal injuries?"

Chef Hua shot Li Shoumin a sideways glance.

This fellow was usually quite sharp; why had he suddenly turned so dull?

After a flurry of activity, steaming hot donkey meat soup and sesame flatbreads appeared before Qin Yuan.

"Get him a bowl as well," Qin Yuan said after taking a sip of the soup.

"I won't eat; donkey meat is too tough," Li Shoumin declined.

Chef Hua served him one anyway.

Li Shoumin lowered his head to sniff it, unable to help muttering, "It smells so good."

Then, remembering something, he whispered, "Today is your junior nephew's birthday."

"Then eat your fill." Qin Yuan transferred a portion of the donkey meat into Li Shoumin’s bowl. "Actually, I don't really care for donkey meat."

"Then why, both times I went to find you, were you eating donkey meat?" Li Shoumin puzzled aloud.

Qin Yuan coughed twice and quickly changed the subject. "Years ago, when I was traveling, I passed through a place where they had a custom: on your birthday, you must make a wish."

"There's such a custom?" Li Shoumin laughed. "My parents are both gone, and Uncle Qin is a martial arts expert who will surely live longer than I will. I wish my father-in-law a long life of a hundred years."

Thinking of something else, he added, "Uncle Qin, your fiftieth birthday is coming up soon."

His fiftieth birthday.

Qin Yuan dazed for a moment before recovering his senses.

Before he knew it, he was turning fifty.

Time truly flew.

After finishing their meal, the two walked out of the dining hall.

They strolled around the slightly cramped courtyard for a while to let their food digest.

Just as they were about to head to their duties, someone suddenly rushed over to report: "Recorder Li, someone from your household has come to say that your father-in-law just passed away."

Qin Yuan took half a step back.

Does this kid possess the ability to cast reverse curses?

Good thing he hadn't wished me a long life of a hundred years just now.

Li Shoumin froze for a moment, then bolted out at a run.

In his haste, he collided with someone coming the other way.

"Hey, Brother Li?" shouted Lin Dongze, who had been bumped.

With his mind entirely consumed by his father-in-law, Li Shoumin heard nothing and vanished around the corner in the blink of an eye.

"His father-in-law passed away," Qin Yuan said flatly.

Death was far too mundane an occurrence to him.

Lin Dongze was momentarily stunned, then said with a touch of emotion, "Is there anyone under heaven who can live forever and never perish?"

Actually, there is.

Qin Yuan thought to himself.

Lin Dongze looked at Qin Yuan, about to speak.

"Let's go inside to talk."

He ushered Lin Dongze into the room and poured two cups of tea.