Chapter 480 - 397: No Matter How Many Lifetimes, No Matter How Many Times
Chapter 480: Chapter 397: No Matter How Many Lifetimes, No Matter How Many Times
Xiao Mo personally wrote a letter and sent the news of his father’s passing to the Qin Kingdom Royal Palace by Flying Sword.
Reading the news of Xiao Shi’s passing, the Sovereign of Qin, Qin Shengtian, sat alone in his study for a long, long time.
Soon, news of Prince Zhenbei Xiao Shi’s passing spread throughout the Imperial Court of the Qin Kingdom, then rapidly traveled across the realm.
Everyone also knew that before his passing, Xiao Shi had passed the title of Prince Zhenbei to Xiao Mo.
The fifty-seven generals of the Northern Wilderness, the four hundred thousand Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry, and the one million two hundred thousand Northern Wilderness foot soldiers all pledged their loyalty to Xiao Mo.
Combined with his own previous fiefdom and those of the Northern Wilderness generals, the Three States of Northern Wilderness and the Wei Region were now entirely under Xiao Mo’s control.
Xiao Mo could establish his own kingdom at any time.
But everyone unanimously believed that Xiao Mo would not rebel.
The Sovereign of Qin also quickly issued an Imperial Decree: Xiao Mo’s title was to be hereditary. While his peerage remained Frost King, he was also appointed General of the North, succeeding his father’s original post to govern the Three States of Northern Wilderness and the Northern Wilderness Army.
No one had any objection to Xiao Mo becoming the new Prince Zhenbei.
Everyone felt it was only natural.
Besides, they wouldn’t have dared to object.
After all, the Northern Wilderness Army would not accept anyone other than Xiao Mo.
"I came from the battlefield, so I shall die on the battlefield. My funeral should be simple."
Following Xiao Shi’s wishes, Xiao Mo held a funeral for him in the Northern Wilderness.
The attendees were the soldiers and officers of the Northern Wilderness, as well as officials from the cities across the Three States of Northern Wilderness.
None of the sycophants from the Imperial Court were at the funeral.
Xiao Mo didn’t summon his mother or Siyao to the Imperial City either.
The reason was quite simple.
Xiao Shi’s last words had specified that he didn’t want any women at his funeral with red-rimmed eyes, acting all delicate.
In truth, Xiao Mo knew his father simply felt that women were prone to tears, and he didn’t want anyone crying at his funeral.
Xiao Mo did, however, send a letter to his older brother, Xiao Yichuan.
But the reply he received was penned by the Sect Leader of the Shaking Mountain Sect.
The Sect Leader of the Shaking Mountain Sect explained that Xiao Yichuan was currently in seclusion, attempting a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm, and thus could not attend the funeral. He asked for Xiao Mo’s forgiveness.
Xiao Mo could understand this.
A breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm was exceptionally perilous, with no room for error. If his brother were to learn of their father’s death at this critical juncture, it would severely affect his Dao Heart. At best, his cultivation path would be damaged; at worst, he would perish, his Dao obliterated.
Still, Xiao Mo couldn’t help but sigh.
’Who knows how many years it’ll be before Big Brother comes out of seclusion. I can’t imagine how he’ll feel when he finds out about Father’s passing.’
After Xiao Shi was laid to rest.
Xiao Mo raised a wine jar and poured Sangluo Wine out before his father’s tombstone.
Behind Xiao Mo, all one million six hundred thousand soldiers of the Northern Wilderness Army did the same, pouring out the Sangluo Wine in their hands as they stood in solemn silence.
On the eighth day after the funeral, Xiao Mo’s mourning period ended, and he formally took control of all operations in the Northern Wilderness.
This was because before his death, Xiao Shi had already made all the necessary preparations for the transition. He had purged unreliable elements from the various organizations and cleared all obstacles for Xiao Mo.
As a result, these organizations cooperated fully with Xiao Mo.
When the Qi and Zhao Kingdoms learned of Prince Zhenbei’s death, they saw it as a golden opportunity. Believing the Northern Wilderness Army would fall into temporary chaos, they sought to launch a counterattack and retake their lost cities.
But Xiahou Nan, Li Jing, and Zhao Guang had already anticipated this.
Not only did the two kingdoms fail to retake a single city, but their armies walked right into an ambush set by Xiahou Nan, Li Jing, and the others, suffering disastrous losses.
For a time, the Qi and Zhao Kingdoms quieted down again.
After Xiao Mo returned to the Imperial City of the Qin Kingdom, many people wished to visit the Frost King’s Mansion to offer their condolences and express their concern.
However, Xiao Mo refused to see a single court official or accept a single gift.
When Qin Siyao learned that Xiao Mo had returned to the Imperial City, she hurried to the Frost King’s Mansion.
In Qin Siyao’s eyes, this was his own father who had passed away. She was deeply worried about his state of mind.
But Xiao Mo simply smiled, tapped her lightly on the head, and said, "I’m fine."
But Qin Siyao knew he wasn’t really fine.
Even though Xiao Mo hadn’t spent much time with his father, Xiao Shi was, after all, still his father.
’How could any child be fine after their father passes away?’
She could tell from the way he would often just stare blankly into space in the courtyard these days.
But Qin Siyao didn’t know what else to do. So every day, after giving her mother her medicine, she would rush from the Imperial Palace to the Frost King’s Mansion to be by Xiao Mo’s side.
At mealtimes, Qin Siyao would cook for him.
In the afternoons, she would brew tea and make pastries for him.
If Xiao Mo was lost in thought in the courtyard, she would simply sit beside him and be lost in thought with him.
"Don’t you get tired running back and forth from the Imperial Palace to the Frost King’s Mansion every day?" Xiao Mo asked the girl beside him with a smile.
"Not at all." Qin Siyao shook her head. "You and Mother are the people I care about most. How could I get tired taking care of the people I cherish? Besides, I’m your fiancée. I’m supposed to spend the rest of my life with you."
Looking at the girl beside him, Xiao Mo felt his heart stir. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace and gently stroking her hair.
Qin Siyao loved being held by Xiao Mo. She pressed against him, as if wanting to melt her soft body into his very bones, and nuzzled her fair cheek against his chest.
Xiao Mo calmly watched the flowers and trees in the courtyard, while Qin Siyao quietly listened to his heartbeat.
After a moment, Qin Siyao lifted her head, blinking up at Xiao Mo. "Xiao Mo, I think I said the wrong thing."
"What was wrong with what you said?" Xiao Mo asked.
"I just said I’d be with you for a lifetime, right? But I’ve realized, a single lifetime doesn’t seem like enough. Both the Daoist Sect and the Buddhist School talk about reincarnation, which means we have many, many more lifetimes ahead of us," Qin Siyao said earnestly, her eyes blinking.
"And so?" Xiao Mo gently tapped the tip of her pert nose.
"So, in every one of your future lives, I’m going to find you. I’m going to stay by your side until you get sick of me," Qin Siyao said, her expression earnest as she leaned against his shoulder.
"I could never get sick of you, but... reincarnation isn’t such a simple thing."
A small smile touched Xiao Mo’s lips as he said teasingly,
"I’ve heard that to be reincarnated, you have to cross the Bridge of Helplessness and drink the Soup of Oblivion. Once you drink it, you forget everything about your past lives. What happens if I forget you?"
"It’s okay."
Qin Siyao said with total confidence, pressing closer to his chest.
"It doesn’t matter if you forget me, because I will always remember you.
Even if I drink the Soup of Oblivion.
I will still remember you.
And then, I’ll find you.
And make you fall in love with me all over again.
No matter how many lifetimes.
No matter how many times."