Joy of Life

If three walk together, one will have something to teach me.

Fan Xian and the little Emperor pushed Sigu Jian away from the peaceful tree. Following the long street, they entered the most bustling street in Dongyi. The travelers who had been resting under the tree had long scattered in all directions and slowly passed what they had seen earlier into the ears of many people.

Not many people know who the cripple in the wheelchair was. Sigu Jian was the god of Dongyi, but not many people had met him. The pedestrians on the street found the three-person group strange. Two young and handsome people were pushing a cripple in a wheelchair. They did not look like merchants bringing in goods. They also didn’t look like travelers who had been drawn here by the city’s reputation.

Fan Xian did not pay any mind to the gazes around him. He quietly pushed the wheelchair. His gaze landed naturally on Sigu Jian’s shoulder. In the back of his mind, he finely savored the realm of the Great Grandmaster he had sensed under the large tree earlier.

He was a person who liked to learn. When he had escorted Xiao En back to Northern Qi, he had not forgotten to ask him for instruction about politics. Although there was unspeakable hatred and gratitude between him and Sigu Jian, and their relationship was incomparably complicated and subtle, if this Great Grandmaster was willing to expose such a realm to him and give him an opportunity to examine it, he would not pass it by.

Even if Sigu Jian hid a dangerous intent behind this action, Fan Xian could still not pass up this opportunity. Perhaps, for just this one day in Dongyi, he would be willing to consider Sigu Jian a true teacher.

Of the three people, only the Northern Qi Emperor’s situation was slightly awkward. She seemed to be Sigu Jian’s guest. In reality, she was Fan Xian’s hostage. She was also like a travel companion. She was unable to understand the silent communication of intent between Sigu Jian and Fan Xian. She had no choice but to watch silently from the side.

After leaving the tree, Sigu Jian did not bring up those profound words again. Fan Xian did not seriously ask for his teachings again. It was as if the two of them had forgotten what they had talked about and what they wanted to do. They only wandered calmly inside Dongyi, walking through the gazes of the surrounding pedestrians and their whispers.

Just as Sigu Jian said, many things could only be grasped intuitively and not described. Since this was so, there was no benefit to talking more. Thus, they did not talk more.

After walking for a while, Fan Xian seemed to realize the little Emperor’s unease and glanced at her with a slight smile. He quietly said something. A forced smile appeared on her cold face.

Sigu Jian took the two juniors to some old and broken down buildings. It was where the Ye family had originated many years ago but had long been converted to other uses. The people living inside had no idea that the once greatest merchant in the world had lived in these rooms.

Fan Xian knew what Sigu Jian wanted to tell him and what impact he wanted to have. He maintained his silence until they reached the Ye family’s old glass factory. He finally quietly asked, “Later, you had already become the protector of Dongyi. Why did Ye Qingmei, my mother, leave with Uncle Wu Zhu?”

Fan Xian knew about this period of history. After Ye Qingmei and Wu Zhu left Dongyi, they did not enter any of the vassal states around. Instead, from somewhere, they entered the swathe of primitive forest to the south of Dongyi and north of Danzhou. Traveling on a road between precipitous cliffs, they went straight to Danzhou.

That road was like a sheep intestine or heavenly staircase. It was difficult to traverse, but it was still a path. Three years ago, during the Dong Mountain incident, Yan Xiaoyi had used this path to smuggle in 5,000 soldiers to surround Dong Mountain. After the incident, both the Qing Kingdom and Northern Qi invested boundless interests and caution into this secret passage. Both sides posted heavy guards on the two ends of the passage.

Fan Xian did not care about the path. He only cared about why Ye Qingmei left Dongyi back then. On a seaside in Danzhou, Ye Qingmei met the Emperor, his father, and Chen Pingping. From there began the glorious life of the Qing Kingdom’s gang of four.

“At that time, I had just taken over the Master of the City and the Sword Hut had just opened,” Sigu Jian said coldly as he sat in the wheelchair. His cold words contained an anger. “Your mother’s leaving had nothing to do with how strong I was. It only had to do with how strong Dongyi was. Her ambition was very great. The things she wanted to do needed to rely on a more powerful force so that it could extend outward under heaven.”

Sigu Jian turned his head and glanced at Fan Xian. Icily, he said, “In her opinion, the strength of Dongyi was not enough to support her ambitions.”

Fan Xian silently pushed the wheelchair. He understood what had happened. Since Ye Qingmei had chosen this life and people because she pitied the suffering of these people, then this idealistic woman, who once shone with boundless brilliance, would do everything she could to carry out the project as perfectly as possible.

Although Dongyi was by the seaside and gathered the wealth of the world, at the time, it was just an annexed territory of the Wei Kingdom that was not particularly remarkable. The people in Dongyi made a living as merchants. While they were very shrewd, they lacked execution. If she wanted to begin something big and use her ideas to influence the entire world, without question, Dongyi was not a good choice.

“Why didn’t she go to Northern Qi? Or, rather, the Wei Kingdom at the time.” The long silent Northern Qi Emperor suddenly interjected, drawing Fan Xian and Sigu Jian’s eyes to her at the same time. She sighed helplessly and said, “I can’t be mute for a whole day.”

The reason the little Emperor could not resist asking this question was simple. Before she had listened to the their story, she already had a deep understanding of the famous Ye family from when she was a child. She also felt a faint admiration of the Ye woman. Later, when she came into power herself, she had worked hard to collude with the Qing Kingdom’s palace treasury and learn how much influence such a palace treasury could have on a country.

Thus, she very curious as to why Ye Qingmei did not go to the Wei Kingdom, which was presently her country. If she had gone, perhaps Fan Xian would have been born in Shangjing. Perhaps Northern Qi would not be struggling like it was now. The biggest uncertainty was that there might not have been a person like Fan Xian in this world.

Fan Xian smiled and explained before Sigu Jian spoke. “Back then, the Wei Kingdom ruled the entire mainland. It was the center of feudalism and corrupt power. Although revolutions should happen in the most difficult of places, in reality, it is not practical. At the time, the Qing Kingdom had already been at war with Western Hu for many years. The country was on the rise, but it was stuck in one corner and did not attract much attention. Additionally, the Qing people were open-minded and upright in character. It was easier for them to accept new things. So, it is not surprising that mother chose the Qing Kingdom.”

After hearing these words, the little Emperor furrowed her brows and shook her head unhappily. She wondered what nonsense this was. How could she have understood each word but have no idea what he meant?

Sigu Jian glanced at Fan Xian and said, “It is for this reason that she left Dongyi and went to the Qing Kingdom. Hmph… She thought that heir in the Qing Kingdom would listen to her obediently. Then, after the Qing Kingdom took over the world, it would be time for her to change the world. Who would have thought that the heir would, in the end, become a true dragon among people. How could he tolerate having someone ride above him?”

In the end, this Great Grandmaster laughed irrepressibly. There was some satisfaction in his laugh. Fan Xian felt slightly angry and stared at him coldly.

Sigu Jian did not care about this look and indifferently added, “In my childhood, I had the joys and sorrows of life countless times. I almost lost my life numerous times. Many of my servant wet-nurses who raised me died. One day, when I finally held power in my hands and had newly mastered the sword, I went into the manor of the Master of the City. I decided to kill everyone in revenge, but I was stopped by your mother.”

“After your mother left Dongyi, I could let go and kill people.” Sigu Jian lowered his head slightly. “In one night, I massacred over a hundred people in the manor. In one night, my aura became chaotic, and my realm began to form. After that incident, your mother and I severed all communication and each went our own ways.” Sigu Jian gently patted the arm of his wheelchair. His words were filled with endless emotion, hatred, and severity.

Fan Xian mockingly said, “Don’t tell me that this ends so commonly. Surely you’re not also someone who adored my mother.”

Sigu Jian mockingly replied, “No matter how beautiful she became or how capable she was, in my eyes, she was still that little girl under the tree. I have not an iota of interest in such abnormal things.”

“In my entire life, I’ve only ever loved the sword in my hand.”

There was no need to say anymore. Fan Xian could clearly sense the resentment Sigu Jian had suppressed for a long time in his heart. Perhaps it was a sense of loneliness at being abandoned. Or, perhaps this Great Grandmaster saw for certain Ye Qingmei’s heartbreaking ending but was unable to change anything.

Sigu Jian had traveled to the Qing Royal Palace three times and attempted to assassinate the Qing Emperor. He had been beaten back by a Great Grandmaster level ace in the Royal Palace who never showed himself because he could not use his life as a gamble. His life represented the lives of countless people in Dongyi. Yet, he still went to the Qing Kingdom. This one action demonstrated his unreasonableness.

Why did Sigu Jian wan to assassinate the Qing Emperor? People in the past may have thought that under the Qing Kingdom’s imposing force, Dongyi was like a bird’s nest caught in a storm and could be destroyed at any moment. Thus, this sword-wielding Great Grandmaster had tried to use his powerful martial ability to change the progress of history.

After hearing so many stories and seeing so many of the traces that Ye Qingmei had left in Dongyi, a different idea suddenly surged into Fan Xian’s mind. Perhaps Sigu Jian wanted to assassinate the Qing Emperor because he was angry that the Emperor had not properly protected Ye Qingmei.

The three of them gradually fell into silence again. Fan Xian could not express gratitude toward Sigu Jian for trying to assassinate the Emperor. The little Emperor could not mutter to herself that she had a lot of fun today. Sigu Jian’s expression also became stern, neither happy nor angry. The two of them did not dare to disturb him.

The wheelchair rolled over the streets of Dongyi and creaked clearly and crisply. It was as if it could follow the long street until the port at the end, turn onto those sea-faring ships, and be taken to an unfamiliar place.

Fan Xian abruptly raised his head. A clear light appeared faintly in his eyes as he swept his gaze around them. What had pulled him from his thoughts was precisely the clear and somewhat terrifying creaking beneath his body. It was daylight. During his observation a few days ago, it should be the liveliest time in Dongyi. Merchants selling goods, travelers from far away, and guests touring the city would all be crowded here making a clamor. Why was it so quiet around them at this time, to the point that even the creaking of the wheelchair could travel so far?

He looked at this scene in front of him and took a deep breath. His face turned slightly white. H was very shocked. By his side and pushing the wheelchair at the same time, the little Emperor’s expression also changed slightly. Although she had seen such scenes countless times, running into it suddenly still made her feel ineffably shocked.

There was not a single person on the street. There wasn’t even a scrap of paper. There were only the paving stones, one by one stretching into the distance.

All of the merchants and travelers were pressed below the eaves on either side of the street. Kneeling on the ground, they kowtowed to the center of the clean streets and did not move an inch.

The little Emperor knew that these people of a foreign nation were not showing respect to her. They could only be showing it to the Great Grandmaster in the wheelchair. She couldn’t resist casting a questioning glance toward Sigu Jian’s shoulder. Only at this moment did she realize that Sigu Jian’s position in the hearts of the Dongyi people was far more venerated than that of an Emperor.

There was no pressure from soldiers or anyone opening the way. Everyone had voluntarily knelt to the ground and kowtowed toward Sigu Jian. It was like they had seen their god slowly heading to the end of the street.

Everyone in the world knew that this Great Grandmaster was going to die. Few people in Dongyi had seen the true appearance of this Great Grandmaster. During these two years, they remained terrified and uneasy.

When they saw the Great Grandmaster in the wheelchair, boundless sorrow welled in their hearts. They knew that it was the cripple in the wheelchair who had used the sword in his hand to protect their wealth, freedom, and homes for decades of peace.

There was even a sliver of shame in their hearts. They felt that it was a shameful thing to have lived under this sword saint’s protection for so many years. The sword saint was tired and old.

Their god gradually aged and would eventually die. Like the sun across the street, there would eventually be a moment that it sank into endless darkness.

…

…

It seemed that the moment under the tree had finally spread out, alerting every person in Dongyi. They knew the sword saint had finally left the Hut and had come among them. That was why they had kowtowed to the ground and felt a sense of sorrow as they made their final farewell and expressed their gratitude.

Fan Xian looked at this scene but felt slightly confused. Why did these people know that the person in the chair was Sigu Jian? There was no time to think. He could already feel the powerful aura emanating from Sigu Jian’s thin body. It was one that could push people thousands of li away, an absolutely grim aura.

It was an aura completely at odds with the sorrowful appearance of the tens of thousands of people kowtowing on either side of the long street.

Fan Xian fell silent. He knew that this Great Grandmaster was giving him a second lesson. He didn’t use words. He only used his actions. He used this shocking and sorrowful scene to tell him that to enter the realm of a Great Grandmaster, not only did one have to strip away their clothes, but they also had to abandon affection.

It was not to be emotionless. Sigu Jian’s affection for this large city had probably reached an extreme, which was why he could appear so indifferent and emotionless and hold the affections people of the secular world gave him in disdain.

“Affection is a very precious thing, but it is also very cheap,” Sigu Jian said his first words on the long street. “If you have affection toward some object, you must not be controlled by this affection.”

“That was your mother’s biggest problem.”

Fan Xian and the little Emperor were each caught up in their own thoughts. They pushed the wheelchair and walked under the worshipful gaze of tens of thousands of people. The creaking of the wheelchair became louder and more ear-piercing.

Then, the wheelchair stopped outside a beautiful building. It was the manor of the Master of the City who Fan Xian had visited.

“What are we doing here?” Fan Xian asked respectfully.

Sigu Jian said in a raspy voice, “I just want to go home and also give you your last lesson. Killing.”