Niao Ni
Chapter 586: Green Hills Cannot Obscure
Today, however, the green mountain was filled with a somber and sorrowful atmosphere. All the disciples of the Heavenly One Taoist Sect watched the black building on the mountain peak with unease, clenching their fists, pursing their lips, and revealing a sense of panic in their eyes, not uttering a word. From time to time, people passed by on the stone path, heading towards the mountain top, their faces grim, not even glancing at these Heavenly One Taoist Sect disciples.
Many people were ascending the mountain, and their ranks were high, including many princes, nobles, ministers, and famous generals from Shangjing. For instance, the Grand Tutor, personally mentored by Zhuang Mo Han, Changning Marquis, and the heads of various ministries and temples. Roughly half of them were former students who had left this mountain years ago, and today they had all returned to the mountain.
Except for Shang Shan Hu, who was resisting the attacks from Southern Qing's Yanjing and Cangzhou's Northern Expeditionary Army in the southern border region, all the talented and powerful figures in the Northern Qi court gathered on Green Mountain because of this event. In other words, Northern Qi's Shangjing, its political center, had completely shifted to Green Mountain today.
The disciples of the Heavenly One Taoist Sect guessed what had happened on the mountain top, because only that major event could alarm so many people, and their faces became even more sorrowful.
Around noon, the Northern Qi Emperor, dressed in plain clothes, ascended the mountain path with a somber face. Beside him was Lang Tao, and behind him was He Daoren. The guards were scattered below the Green Mountain stone path. He was not wearing a dragon robe, nor did he display his imperial presence, but only walked towards the mountain with a gloomy face and great haste.
The Heavenly One Taoist Sect disciples knelt on both sides of the stone path, feeling even more desolate, knowing that the guardian of Great Qi, the grandmaster closest to God in this world, was about to leave this world.
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...
On Great Dong Mountain, the Qing Emperor's domineering true energy, cultivated for decades, was poured into Master Ku He's body with the force of a king. The accumulation of decades was like an ocean, instantly shattering Master Ku He's aged body.
Carried back to Northern Qi by Shang Shan Hu, Master Ku He sat in meditation within the Green Mountain Taoist Sect, not uttering a word, not eating a grain of rice, his face peaceful, but the skin on his body gradually began to crack, revealing the internal blood vessels and meridians, beginning to decompose, looking extremely terrifying.
Fortunately, a large, soft robe covered this grandmaster, preventing the disciples serving nearby from feeling more grief.
From the early morning, people from Shangjing came in an endless stream. The various princes and ministers all paid their respects as disciples. After meeting Master Ku He, they knew that this would be the last time they would meet the National Preceptor.
Unable to find peace even before death, Mu Peng, the second disciple, who was nervously regulating his master's breath, had a somewhat fierce expression on his face, but he couldn't voice any objections. This final summons was Master Ku He's order.
Each person was granted only a brief moment, but Ku He spoke a few more words when he met the Grand Tutor.
Ku He had protected this country for decades, and today he was about to leave. Even though his mind had cleared the boundary between life and death, there were still things he couldn't let go of – precisely this country. Today was his final farewell to this country, and his final explanation.
Whether a grandmaster lived or died, his words would inevitably have a great impact on this country. So, he wanted to use his last moments to say a few words to the ministers who controlled the Northern Qi court, to lay a more stable foundation for His Majesty's future governance.
Ku He looked at a military general in front of him, subconsciously falling into some kind of contemplation. His Majesty's ability was not a problem, but he was still a bit young. Although Shen Zhong had been executed and Shang Shan Hu had surrendered, if he really died, could he truly grasp the power of the military?
That military general was the Right Chief of the Privy Council. After receiving several instructions from the National Preceptor, he did not hear any further sound. He couldn't help but raise his head in fear to take a look. In the country of Northern Qi, whether it was the imperial family or the great generals, they always had boundless reverence for Master Ku He, because Ku He was different from Ye Liuyun of Southern Qing. From the very beginning, he had spread his influence and ability into every crevice of the Northern Qi court.
Mu Peng, the second disciple of the Heavenly One Taoist Sect, leaned close to his master's ear and whispered, "Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager have arrived. Shall I summon them in?"
In the entire world, only Ku He was qualified to use the word "summon" when addressing the Emperor and Empress Dowager.
Ku He calmly shook his head. The crack in the skin on his neck slightly brushed against his clothes, causing a tearing pain. This kind of pain was undoubtedly unbearable for humans, but he didn't seem to feel anything, only slightly furrowing his brow.
Mu Peng knelt on his master's left side, looking at the bloodstains on the back of his master's clothes, his heart filled with great sorrow, and he couldn't help but cry.
Hearing this cry, the Right Chief of the Privy Council, kneeling in front of Master Ku He, also felt sorrow welling up from within. Coupled with his panic about the future of Northern Qi, his eyes moistened, and he crawled forward two steps on his knees. He kowtowed heavily three times in front of Master Ku He and said with gritted teeth, "General Shang Shan is in the south, and I am in Shangjing. Unless we die, we will not allow the country to suffer any harm... Even if we die, we will definitely protect His Majesty's safety!"
Ku He looked at him with gentle eyes and said warmly, "You have been out of the mountain for twelve years. The future of Great Qi requires your dedication."
The Right Chief of the Privy Council kowtowed again, gritted his teeth, and stood up to leave. His eyes were already slightly red when he went out. He unexpectedly saw the Emperor with a livid face outside the door, and he couldn't help but sigh.
The Northern Qi Emperor had been waiting outside for a long time. Seeing the red eyes of his subordinate, his heart skipped a beat, as if sinking into the deepest abyss. He stepped forward and rushed into the room.
Lang Tao beside him grabbed his sleeve. The Northern Qi Emperor turned his head and glared at Lang Tao coldly. Lang Tao actually felt a chill in his heart - although His Majesty followed him to practice martial arts, he had never had any talent in martial arts, but his imperial aura was becoming more and more powerful.
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...
"You few, come in." Master Ku He's voice was clear and faint, reaching outside the room. The Northern Qi Emperor straightened his clothes, put on a solemn expression, turned around and took the Empress Dowager's hand, and walked into the room.
At this time, within the Green Mountain Heavenly One Taoist Sect on the mountain top, besides Ku He, who was sitting on the ground like withered wood, there were only his closest disciples, plus the Emperor and Empress Dowager.
Indeed, he looked like withered wood. Although a large and soft robe covered the body of this grandmaster, everyone who saw Ku He felt a chill in their hearts, as if they could see through the thin robe the dryness and cracking on the National Preceptor's body, like drought-stricken fields, and... the faint bloodstains at the collar.
Such a severe injury was indeed beyond human recovery. The Northern Qi Emperor's heart chilled. Without any pretense, he knelt cleanly in front of Ku He, kowtowed to him for the last time, and said, "Uncle Ancestor."
All the people of the world bowed to the Emperor, and the Emperor did not bow to anyone in his life. However, the Little Northern Qi Emperor bowed to Ku He twice in his life, and kowtowed twice.
The first time was when he was very young. At that time, the late Emperor had just passed away, and the Empress Dowager held the little Emperor and sat on the main hall of the beautiful imperial palace in Shangjing, kowtowing to Master Ku He. Ku He had protected them, mother and son, for more than ten years, preserving the Northern Qi imperial family's surname, Zhan, and allowing the little Emperor to grow up.
And this second kowtow was the Northern Qi Emperor saying goodbye to his Uncle Ancestor. In his heart, he always felt a sense of estrangement and fear towards this deified Uncle Ancestor, but more than that, he felt gratitude.
The Empress Dowager sat beside Ku He, lowered her head, weeping silently, and remained silent.
"Alright, who can avoid death?" Ku He lowered his eyes slightly and said softly, "I have already lived for so many years, which is already a great favor from heaven. Everyone will die, and that one in Southern Qing is no exception."
Ku He did not personally tell the truth about Great Dong Mountain, but Shang Shan Hu guessed a little and reported it to the Shangjing Imperial Palace. Hearing Master Ku He say this, the Northern Qi Emperor's heart turned cold, knowing that it was indeed so, that the one in Southern Qing had acted in unison... and was so powerful.
Looking at the Emperor's expression, Ku He said faintly, "Are you afraid?"
The Northern Qi Emperor closed his lips tightly, not knowing how to answer. His whole life, he had taken the Southern Qing Emperor as his goal, even vaguely regarding him as an idol, only thinking that one day, he would definitely defeat him. But now he discovered that the Southern Qing Emperor's forbearance for more than ten years was all a facade. Such a calculating ruler was far more sophisticated than himself.
What's more, the other party was also a grandmaster.
"Fear is also a very normal emotion." Ku He said quietly, "When his finger touched my brow, I... also felt a trace of fear. This person has the heart of an emperor, the strength of a grandmaster, and no weaknesses or openings anywhere on his body. But the most terrifying thing is his perseverance. For the goal of sweeping across the four fields, he can plan for decades, wholeheartedly, and never deviate in the slightest."
"Such a person is not human-like at all."
Master Ku He gave the Southern Qing Emperor a smiling comment. "The world mistakenly calls me the one closest to God in this world. Little do they know that the apathy, hatred, lovelessness, and separation of that one in the South is what truly resembles a deity."
"Could it be... that we really have no way to deal with Southern Qing?" It was Lang Tao who asked this question with a trembling voice. He knew that His Majesty also wanted to ask this question, but as an Emperor, he couldn't speak.
"It is impossible to defeat a person who has reached the pinnacle in martial arts, worldly power, and wisdom." Ku He was a little tired, closed his eyes, and said, "Wanting to defeat him from the outside is basically an impossible thing."
The Northern Qi Emperor was still kneeling in front of Ku He at this time. Two emotions flashed in his eyes, and suddenly he bent down and bowed, saying, "Uncle Ancestor, I... want to sacrifice... at the Shrine."
Shrine!
The entire room fell silent as these two words came out of the Emperor's mouth. None of the six people answered. Lang Tao and his Third Brother, Bai Shen, looked at each other, and they could see the shock in each other's eyes, while Mu Peng gently supported his master's body, looking at His Majesty with surprise. In an instant, the emotions in the eyes of these three great disciples of the Heavenly One Taoist Sect turned to seriousness and hidden excitement. Yes, in the current world, no one could defeat the Southern Qing Emperor, but... there was still the Shrine. Using the posture of an immortal to deal with a mortal, wasn't there a way?
The Shrine was ethereal and illusory, only existing in myths or legends, but all six people in the room knew that after Xiao En's death, there was still one person who knew that the Shrine truly existed and knew where it was located.
It was Ku He!
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...
The Northern Qi Emperor had never given up the idea of sacrificing at the Shrine to obtain the support of mysterious power. In the past, he had wholeheartedly rescued Xiao En and imprisoned him, even at the cost of a head-on clash with Ku He's faction, because he wanted to know the secret in Xiao En's mind.
"The Shrine?" Master Ku He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the Emperor kneeling in front of him.
The Northern Qi Emperor thought that his Uncle Ancestor's eyes would be extremely sharp and angry, because he was the only one in the world who had been to the Shrine, and he was also the one who had been trying his best to hide the true existence of the Shrine from the world. However, there was only a faint mockery and a complex smile in Ku He's eyes. He knew that, including his own disciples, facing the powerful Southern Qing Emperor, everyone subconsciously had the idea that they could not defeat him, so they would place their hope on the ethereal Shrine.
"I know where the Shrine is." Ku He slowly closed his eyes again, "But I won't tell you."
Everyone around him showed shock, thinking that if you were to take this secret into the yellow earth, how could the Great Qi's Jiangshan be preserved?
Ku He closed his eyes and said softly, "The Shrine... is just a pair of eyes. It never interferes in worldly affairs, so why bother disturbing it."
Before everyone could answer, Ku He revealed a self-deprecating smile at the corner of his lips: "Besides, do you think the Shrine is really omnipotent?"
He opened his eyes, stared at the Emperor in front of him, and said earnestly: "Don't place your hope on something that doesn't exist in hope."
"Your Majesty... Before I went to Great Dong Mountain, I had a meeting with Si Gu Jian and made full preparations for the situation on the mountain." Ku He looked at him and said quietly, "Do you know what we guessed was Qing Di's last trump card?"
The Northern Qi Emperor shook his head in a daze. Although he was the Supreme Being of the world, he still felt fear towards the strange existences of grandmasters and shrines.
"Si Gu Jian and I thought that Qing Di's last backer was someone from the Shrine." Ku He smiled gently, but the others in the room were shocked. Did the Qing Emperor have a secret connection with the Shrine?
Ku He smiled and said, "If it were just someone from the Shrine, it wouldn't be too scary. What's scary is that the Shrine breaks its own rules, but Qing Di doesn't have the ability to do that."
No one in the world knew the Shrine better than Ku He, although his understanding was only the shallow layer on the outside, but his understanding of that person was enough. The Shrine did not interfere in worldly affairs, but if someone really came to help Qing Di, then the blind man in black on the mountain would definitely stand on the other side of the Shrine. This was why Ku He had never worried about this matter.
"There are no immortal emperors or saviors in the world." Ku He sighed, thinking of the words that the little fairy had said to him and Xiao En many years ago: "When you reach the realm of a grandmaster, you will discover that the Shrine is actually nothing more than that. What is the difference between an existence that does not appear in the world and a dead thing?"
Although he was about to die, his faint words revealed an extremely calm and accurate evaluation of the Shrine.
"Then what should we do?"
Although the fire in the Northern Qi Emperor's heart was still burning and would not be extinguished by Master Ku He's two sentences, which dispelled the idea of finding the Shrine, he knew that he could not ask any more questions because Uncle Ancestor did not have much time.
"When a person cannot be defeated from the outside, one can only hope that some problems will arise within him." Ku He said softly, "If Southern Qing wants to send troops north, it will take at least three years, and Your Majesty must do everything possible to delay that time even longer."
"Delay time?" The Northern Qi Emperor repeated it in his heart, his brow furrowed, this was only a temporary solution.
"The longer the delay, the more beneficial it will be to us, because no one knows what will happen on the Southern Qing side."
"Are you saying... Fan Xian?" The Northern Qi Emperor looked at Ku He's old face in surprise, pursed his thin lips, and shook his head firmly, "Fan Xian is not enough to change Qing Di's mind, no one can... Moreover, he is a Qing person after all, it is impossible for him to stand on the side of my Great Qi."
"Who knows?" Master Ku He looked at him with a peaceful gaze, "Fan Xian is different from anyone else."
"He is Qing Di's illegitimate son, and... Qing Di trusts him very much." The Northern Qi Emperor expressed the opposite opinion very calmly, "What I can give him, Qing Di can give him more... Besides, even if he surrenders to me, it is impossible to cause any harm to the general trend of the world."
"But you forgot, he is also the son of the Ye family's daughter." Ku He's smile seemed a little strange, "And you have always underestimated Fan Xian's role. Don't always regard him as a poet, a Southern Qing Prince, or a powerful minister. These are all very important figures on the surface. His most important identity is actually the son of the Ye family's daughter. He has inherited and mastered many very important things."
The Northern Qi Emperor's heart was shocked. He looked up at Master Ku He in amazement. Great waves were surging in his heart. He understood what his Uncle Ancestor meant, but he simply couldn't believe it. Being able to share the benefits brought by the Jiangnan Internal Treasury through Fan Xian's hands was already the best situation that the Northern Qi Emperor could imagine. But according to his Uncle Ancestor's meaning... was he actually... expecting Fan Xian to move the entire Internal Treasury to Northern Qi?
"Grandmasters can be used to disrupt the country, but not to conquer or build it." Ku He said warmly, "Qing Di wouldn't run over to fight the world single-handedly, Military power and national strength are essential, and in the end, war still depends on national strength."
"Unless Qing Di runs to Shangjing to be a one-man army..." Ku He's smile seemed interesting, "But he is such a serious person, so eager to write a glorious name in history, how could he be as crazy as Si Gu Jian?"
The Northern Qi Emperor's lips were a little dry, and he still couldn't believe Ku He's judgment. Fan Xian, Fan Xian, why wouldn't he be his well-behaved prince and come to surrender to himself? Was it just because of the agreement between him and the Martial Aunt Haitang? But who would believe that a verbal agreement could make Fan Xian pay such a great price?
The others were silent, listening to the conversation between Ku He and the Northern Qi Emperor. Ku He looked at the Emperor and said softly, "But even if you place your hope on Fan Xian, you can't show anything in these past two years."
"I understand, I will arrange it immediately and attack Fan Sizhe."
Ku He nodded, feeling relieved in his heart. His Majesty was indeed very intelligent. He only mentioned it slightly, and he knew what to do so as not to arouse the suspicion of the Southern Qing Emperor.
"I said earlier that we need to delay time." Ku He lowered his head and said, "After I die, Mu Peng, you will go down the mountain immediately, to Southern Qing."
Everyone looked at Ku He in surprise, wondering why he was specially assigning a task to his Second Disciple, Mu Peng, at this time. Although there were not many disciples in the Heavenly One Taoist Sect, Mu Peng had always been the most low-key and weakest link among the Four Disciples, except for medical skills.
"You have lived on the mountain for many years, and few people outside know what you look like." Ku He coughed lightly twice, but he covered his mouth with his hand so as not to spit out blood, and looked at his Second Disciple beside him and said gently: "I want you to go to Southern Qing and not do anything, just find a way to treat Chen Pingping."
Treat Chen Pingping? Everyone was even more shocked. Who was that Chen Pingping? Qing Di's closest and most loyal minister. Whether it was thirty years ago or the recent Dongshan incident in Kyoto, Chen Pingping played the biggest role in it. It was heard that Qing Di's old black dog was getting worse and worse and would not live for a few years, and people in Northern Qi and Dongyi were happy... but Master Ku He actually wanted his disciple with superb medical skills to treat him!
Ku He stared at Mu Peng sternly: "No matter what, I want you to ensure that Chen Pingping can live and will not die naturally due to illness or something!"
These were very heavy words. Although Mu Peng didn't understand it in his heart, he still bowed his head and agreed. The others in the room all looked at Ku He, as if wanting to hear an explanation, but Master Ku He remained silent.
This was Ku He's last move before his death. After stabilizing the internal affairs of the Qi court, he turned his attention to the South. He had already made two moves, and Chen Pingping's move was when he took it back.
Master Ku He was not the Qing Emperor, he did not weave a shocking game that lasted for decades, but was only based on his recognition of the little fairy a long, long time ago, his decades of insight into human nature, and the existence that was slightly out of the game in the Dongshan incident, and keenly captured a glimmer of light.
He was guessing. He guessed that behind the current calm in Qing, there was still an old wound that tore at people's hearts. And if Chen Pingping died of illness and old age naturally, then Ku He's guess about human nature would not play any role. So he had to ensure that Chen Pingping could live well until one day in the future, someone didn't want him to live any longer.
Everything seemed to be arranged. Master Ku He no longer had any more expectations for this world. He closed his eyes as if he was about to fall asleep.
The Empress Dowager forcefully hid the sadness and fear in her heart and said in a trembling voice: "How should the Taoist Sect be handled in the future?"
The Heavenly One Taoist Sect was deeply rooted in the state court, and the austere monks traveled throughout most of the world, vaguely connected to the Qing Temple system in Southern Qing. How to arrange such a large force after Ku He's death was also a top priority. It's just that there were Ku He's three great disciples in the room at this time. These three could not ask due to their status.
Master Ku He still closed his eyes, seemingly a little tired, and said softly: "The Taoist Sect will be handed over to Haitang."
Everyone bowed and obeyed, including the three great disciples including Lang Tao, who did not feel surprised. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager also knew that Master Ku He had made this decision many years ago, and everyone had long regarded Girl Haitang as the next generation leader of the Heavenly One Taoist Sect.
It's just, where is Haitang today?
Everyone had questions in their hearts. It was said that Haitang was still on the mountain last night, but now she was nowhere to be found. At the time of Master Ku He's death, this most beloved disciple, this successor of the Heavenly One Taoist Sect, was not by the master's side.
"Haitang is going to do some things." Master Ku He said softly with his eyes closed, "She won't be back in these three years... The matters of the Heavenly One Taoist Sect will be handed over to Lang Tao, and this Green Mountain will be handed over to... your little junior sister."
He said this to the three of Lang Tao. Although the external affairs of the Heavenly One Taoist Sect were handed over to Lang Tao, Green Mountain... was the foundation of the Heavenly One Taoist Sect. Little Junior Sister? The three disciples of Lang Tao looked at each other in dismay. Was he referring to... Miss Fan?
The Northern Qi Emperor's pupils shrank slightly, and he immediately understood the meaning of this sentence, and began to prepare how to make this matter play a role - suppressing Xia Mingji, but making Fan Ruoruo's name shine on Green Mountain. The National Preceptor really had good methods. The more he did this, the more the Southern Qing Emperor suspected that Northern Qi was deliberately provoking him, and would not suspect Fan Xian. The last thing relied upon for the survival of Northern Qi was even safer.
It's just that even at this time, the Northern Qi Emperor still couldn't believe that one day, Fan Xian would come to his country with an extremely rich dowry.
After explaining all the mundane affairs, Ku He closed his lips and said no more words. He quietly felt the loss of life in his body, and in addition to the slight disappointment, he had a slightly happy realization. All the past seemed to appear before his eyes, and those pictures finally stopped decades ago, staying on that piece of white snow that seemed to never end.
In the last time, Master Ku He thought of those carrion vultures screaming strangely in the sky and those subordinates who died on the road.
That endless night, the faint light in the tent in the night, the silent Xiao En, and the neatly arranged human arms by the edge of the tent.
That black-green Shrine built against the mountain, which was extremely majestic.
The blind man who came out of that Shrine.
The little girl who ran out of that temple.
Human flesh was not very tasty. He had already lived for so many years. He knew what the Shrine looked like, so what else was he dissatisfied with? The generation of Grandmaster Ku He, just immersed in memories, passed away with a complex smile.
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...
On an ice field in the north of Northern Qi, a girl wearing animal skin clothes was greeting the people of the tribe in barbarian language. This girl's face was red, full of smiles, but a touch of sadness and disappointment was revealed in her eyes.
Successive years of blizzards made it impossible for the Northern Barbarians to survive on this wasteland. So, the tribes that the famous general Shang Shan Hu could not conquer for several years began to bypass the tall Heavenly Mountains and move to the warmer south.
Many tribes had already settled on the grasslands in the northwest of Qing, but they paid the price of many lives to be accepted by those distant relatives.
And there were still some tribes and the old, weak, women, and children surviving on the icy wasteland in the north. Perhaps because the tribes had been reduced a lot, the few prey actually supported these people to live.
Not long ago, a girl who was said to be lost from the Karna tribe came to these tribes and began to hunt and herd with everyone. Everyone liked this girl because she was very diligent and capable. The fiercest horse would only be obedient in her hands, and the most ferocious beasts seemed to be afraid of hurting her and ran away far away.
Simple and straightforward barbarians just didn't like the way this Karna girl walked because in such a difficult environment, that way of walking with a sway every three steps seemed to waste too much energy.
But everyone thought her name was very nice, Song Zhi Xian Ling - it seemed to mean a kind of flower blooming.