Chapter 99 - 98: The Heavens Took Pity, He Finally Found Her
Chapter 99: Chapter 98: The Heavens Took Pity, He Finally Found Her
The assistant had been by Xie Lin’s side for three years, but he had never witnessed such a scene.
In the assistant’s impression, Xie Lin had always been gentle, poised, and elegant.
The four words "a gentleman like jade" fit him perfectly.
He rarely showed his emotions, let alone anger. It wasn’t because he was cold, but because he seemed to have transcended the mortal world, unperturbed by its troubles.
At times, the assistant would get the strange feeling that Xie Lin was like a young nobleman from centuries past who had accidentally fallen into a modern world completely unsuited for him.
He often saw Xie Lin staring off into the distance, lost in a long, heavy silence. He never knew what Xie Lin was thinking.
The assistant wondered if Xie Lin had some unforgettable lost love, which caused his severe psychological issues and constant nightmares.
And yet, he was always calm and collected in public, never losing his composure. So how could he...
Xie Qingshi silently listened to the end of the song, then played the audio again.
To others, it might have sounded unbearable, but to him, it was nothing less than the music of the heavens.
Seeing him listen to it again and again, tears streaming down his face, the assistant panicked. "S-Sir, please don’t scare me! I’ll go get the doctor, I’ll go right now!"
’Could the song have been so awful that it was an assault on Xie Qingshi’s senses?’
’After all, a musical genius like Xie Qingshi was sensitive to every sound.’
Xie Qingshi finally spoke, his voice hoarse. "No need."
But the assistant was still worried. "Are you sure? Sir, your therapist said just the other day that your condition hadn’t improved."
"Really, there’s no need. I’m just..." Xie Qingshi raised a hand and pressed it to his eyes, tears still trickling through his fingers. His voice was choked and trembling violently. "I’m just so happy... so very happy."
’It was an accident, ending up in this future era. Meeting Pei Xuan was an accident, too.’
’But it was because he’d met Pei Xuan that Xie Qingshi suddenly realized he wasn’t the only anomaly.’
’In that moment, his heart had soared with joy, for hope had finally landed upon him.’
’What if... the sovereign he had followed had come here, too?’
’But time and again, that hope was crushed by disappointment.’
’He couldn’t find her.’
’Just what kind of person was Empress Taichu, Shi Yaoguang?’
’Never mind the people of today, who face completely falsified historical records; even her own contemporaries may not have seen her for who she truly was.’
’After all, hearing something doesn’t make it true, and even seeing something with your own eyes isn’t always enough.’
’Only those who had truly spent time with her could know her true character.’
When he entered the court as an official, it was already the Second Year of Taichu, later than both Pei Xuan and Cui Jinghan.
When Pei Xuan saw him, he was greatly surprised, as if he couldn’t understand why a blind man would be appointed to such an important position as Minister of the Ministry of Rites.
His rivalry with Pei Xuan likely began when the title of the Four Great Young Masters was created. Pei Xuan was too arrogant and believed the other three were unworthy of being ranked alongside him.
Pei Xuan was famous for his martial arts and poetry; Cui Jinghan for his essays and calligraphy; Helan Jing for his ideas and philosophy; and he himself for his music and mastery of the qin.
They all excelled in different fields, so logically, there should have been no conflict between them.
That day was his first time attending court. Afterward, Pei Xuan unhurriedly blocked his path. "Lord Xie, your mobility is limited, yet you hold a vital post. What will you do if something goes wrong?"
He was neither angry nor rushed, simply offering a faint smile. "Lord Pei is welcome to report this matter to Her Majesty and have me dismissed from my post."
"Pei Xuan."
A voice sounded from behind them. It was the Empress.
She had only said Pei Xuan’s name, her tone languid, showing no sign of anger.
Yet it carried an immense weight.
Pei Xuan seemed to tense for a moment before speaking. "In all the land, no one’s skill in music surpasses Lord Xie’s. I suppose there is no one more suited for the position of Minister of the Ministry of Rites."
’He was genuinely surprised at the time. A man as arrogant as Pei Xuan—who would pick a fight with an ant if he was in a bad mood—had actually been so willingly tamed.’
’She actually didn’t spend much time in Mingjing. She was either away at war or traveling amongst the common folk to understand their lives.’
’Fortunately, she had staunch supporters to hold the fort for her in Mingjing.’
’She had the majesty of a monarch and the presence of a general.’
’But in private, she was like one of them—a close friend, with no distance between them.’
The year she turned twenty-three, she returned triumphant from the Northern Region. She had reclaimed Youzhou, a province that had been lost for six hundred years. The Barbarians known as the Tu Jie were utterly expelled, never daring to set foot in Youzhou again.
This was the final piece of the puzzle. With it, Jiuzhou was once again unified.
It was a joyous occasion, celebrated by the entire imperial court.
After the palace banquet, there was a bonfire feast.
She was no longer in her Dragon Robe but had changed into plain clothes, sitting and drinking among them.
The borderlands of Jiuzhou were barren and sparsely populated. When the soldiers were on campaign, they had little entertainment beyond singing and dancing.
She listened quietly as they sang and watched them dance, the firelight casting a warm glow upon her face.
"Sing us a song, General!"
"Yes, General! We’ve never heard you sing before."
These soldiers had followed her for years. Tens of thousands of men and women had braved life and death with her. Even though she had been on the throne for five years, they still habitually called her "General."
It was a joyous day, and she had never been one to disappoint them. So, she began to sing.
The boisterous night fell silent.
All that remained was the sound of her singing, woven with the crackle of the bonfire in the wind. Even the nightingales had fled.
When the song was over, she saw everyone staring at her, stunned. She prepared to sing another.
The young general, who had just recently been promoted, quickly raised his wine goblet with a smile. "Your Majesty, a drink."
She took the drink and forgot all about singing.
She could hold her liquor extremely well, but even she couldn’t handle the sheer amount she had drunk that night. Zhuge Mingyue and Pei Jiang came to escort her back to her sleeping palace.
The moment she left, whispers broke out.
His hearing was excellent. Despite the distance between him and the soldiers, he heard their every word clearly.
"No wonder the General never sings. Turns out she’s completely tone-deaf."
"Shh! Keep your voice down! If Her Majesty hears you, it’ll be your head!"
"The General wouldn’t do that. Her temper... well, she can be incredibly good-natured, but she can also have a fearsome temper. As long as we serve the country well, why would she care about a trifle like this?"
"That’s true... but from now on, we must never let Her Majesty sing again. Remember that. You have to remember!"
He couldn’t help but chuckle at the soldiers’ frantic expressions.
’Not a single note had been on key. In its own way, that was a talent too.’
Four hundred years later, that same cool female voice was still singing in his ears, in the exact same tune from that night—a tune only she could produce.
The heavens had taken pity on him. He had finally found her.