Joy of Life

“Actually, I don’t have any other intentions in going to Danzhou.”

The Emperor pushed the wheelchair to the corner of Taiji Palace. The railing in front of him reflected a faint white light, giving it the sense of there being a few meters difference in height to the square. The most terrifying official and ruler pair, who also made Qing Kingdom and the world cooperate for the longest time, sighed at the same time. Although the walls of the Palace were tall and large when compared with the expansive square, they didn’t seem so tall. The southern night sky in the distance had pinpricks of starlight streaming down.

“I just want to go visit,” The Emperor said very casually. “It’s been a long time since I’ve gone. I wonder if it’s still the same as before, with that many fish.”

“If I remember correctly, the last time you visited Danzhou, that place wasn’t yet completely part of our Qing Kingdom’s borders.”

“Yes. Taking a boat from Dongyi to Danzhou seems closer. If to the north of Danzhou wasn’t that large swathe of ruthless and dangerous forest...I think Sigu Jian would not have given up such a good port.”

“Fortunately there is that swathe of forest,” Chen Pingping smiled and said. “Only then she would have taken the boat, so we could meet her on the sea.”

The Emperor fell silent. It was clear that he did not want to continue this recollection. Chen Pingping sighed and turned the subject around. “Your Majesty stands higher than people under heaven and sees further. I don’t dare to doubt your judgement and decisions, however...I can’t think of how, if the Eldest Princess really has that intention...how will she persuade those two people?”

The Emperor didn’t think more. He directly said, “There is no need to persuade. If there is a chance to be able to pierce me through with a sword, such a large lure, no matter whether it is Ku He that Ascetic Monk or Sigu Jian that idiot, I trust none of them would want to miss it.”

If Fan Xian had been listening at the side, he would certainly have sighed in admiration that the Emperor’s analysis right aligned with the analysis of that old Prime Minister in Wuzhou. Qing Kingdom lost a Lin Ruofu. He wondered whether the Emperor felt it was somewhat of a pity.

Chen Pingping’s hand that had been stroking the blanket on his lap slowly stopped, like he was digesting the Emperor’s words. A moment later, he slowly said, “If the two of them really staked everything all on one throw, what will Qing Kingdom use to stop them?”

“When the soldiers come block them with generals,” the Emperor said coldly.

“Who are the generals?” Chen Pingping calmly asked. “Ye Liuyun chopped down half a building in the South. Other people can mistake him for Sigu Jian, that idiot, but I think so. It will be impossible to count on him to strike. I’m also afraid that he will become mad in his old age.”

“An Zhi also spoke of it in a letter,” the Emperor coldly said. “After all, he is a person of the Qing court. It’s not good for him to collude with outsiders.”

“As for those two people, in the end, they are not gods. I hold the world in my hands, so why would I fear those two ordinary people? As for the question of generals...” The Emperor lightly continued, “Lao Wu is the best killing general of this time.”

Very calm words, very strong confidence, but a glimmer of an unfathomable smile hung from the corners of Chen Pingping’s lips. Since he was sitting in front of the Emperor, the Emperor could not see his strange smile.

“I will give Yunrui an opportunity,” the Emperor said coldly.

Chen Pingping was silent, but in his heart, he was thinking, I’m afraid...Your Majesty is only giving yourself an opportunity, an opportunity to convince the empress dowager and yourself.

Up to now, Chen Pingping still did not know where the Emperor’s great confidence came from. Although he had been working toward the side closest to the truth, because of Fan Xian’s interference in the Hanging Temple, the show he wanted Wu Zhu to see was still not yet finished.

“Your Majesty.”

“Speak.”

“I want to know what plans you have made for future matters.” Chen Pingping sighed, asking a question he would certainly not ask again.

The Emperor also seemed to be surprised. He smiled slightly. The beard on his chin slowly fluttered in the night wind, and the worldly gaze particular to middle-aged people softened slightly. This was the first time in many years that Chen Pingping had taken the initiative to ask this. The Emperor’s heart was slightly moved.

“I thought you didn’t like to acknowledge these things?” The Emperor mocked. “In the past, when I asked for your opinion, you were like an old rabbit running as far as you could.”

Chen Pingping pursed his mouth and said, “The matter of a bunch of children, but in the end, they are the Emperor’s children.”

The Emperor understood the meaning in these words. After thinking for a moment, he said in a calm and determined voice, “I haven’t decided.”

Now it was Chen Pingping’s turn to be surprised. He couldn’t resist shaking his head, sighing like an old man from a village.

The Emperor slowly said, “Chengqian is too weak, the eldest is too kind, the Second...” He furrowed his bros, “The Third is too young.”

Chen Pingping sighed again.

The Emperor suddenly laughed and released the hands from the back of the wheelchair and placed them behind his back. He walked to stand in front of Chen Pingping. He gazed at the expansive square hidden in the depths of the Palace across the white jade railing as if he was watching thousands of troops and tens of thousands of horses, as if he was looking at everything under heaven.

“I know many people think that I’ve pushed these children too harshly.” The Emperor’s back appeared somewhat desolate. “One time Shu Wu had drunk too much alcohol and directly said it to my face.”

Speaking of this, there was a glimmer of anger in the Emperor’s tone.

“But, can just anyone be the Emperor?” The Emperor turned his head back and looked at Chen Pingping’s clearly aging face like he was asking him. It was also like he was asking himself, or perhaps he was asking those restless sons of his inside and outside the Palace.

In the distance, the serving girls and eunuchs looked in their direction. They couldn’t hear what the Emperor and Director Chen were talking about. They had no idea that the Emperor and Director Chen’s conversation involved the future ownership of the dragon chair.

...

...

“As an Emperor, one cannot be emotionless or overly emotional.” The Emperor turned his face away. “Those without emotion would treat the world without emotion, and the world will certainly fall into chaos. Those with too much emotion are certain to be hurt and be the one to bring sorrow to the world, and there will also be chaos.”

“I am not a muddled ruler. I want to achieve great deed, but I also need someone to inherit. Choosing an Emperor cannot just be based on personal favorites.” The Emperor smiled coldly and said. “I have watched the Crown Prince for 10 years. He is an overly sentimental person among the merciless. He is suitable for guarding the city, however, when I go, I think the world will have just become united with chaos still existing. He has neither a stone heart nor ruthless methods. How will he guard this united world for me?”

“The Second Prince?” The cold smile on the Emperor’s face still did not abate. “In the beginning, I had favored him. In his battles with Chengqian these years, he did not come off at a disadvantage. However, later he disappointed me slightly. He blindly walked toward the road of mercilessness under the guise of being overly sentimental. If he ascends to the throne, he is certain to be a humane Emperor. However, these sons of mine...I’m afraid not one will be able to survive.”

Chen Pingping was silent, but he thought that the ways of the world were not something that could be explained or understood. Back then, the Second prince was a handsome young man that only knew how to read books. If he had not been forced by you to this degree, had not been subjected to such pressure and temptation, how could his personality become like it is today? Your Majesty, ah, Your Majesty...the ways of raising a lion were truly not suitable to use in raising someone to take over the position of Emperor.

The Emperor’s thoughts these years in allowing his sons to compete for the position of heir were simple. It was difficult to rule the world. Whoever could endure, this world would belong to them. He never thought that not all young people were like him, used to standing in a current as dark as ink and appreciating the scene on the riverside. He had changed his sons a great deal, but the final results of these changes might not be something he wanted.

“What about the Great Prince?” Chen Pingping’s words tonight had far exceeded the beliefs he usually held.

When the Emperor heard these words, he was surprised again. He smiled more brightly. It seemed that he very much liked that Chen Pingping was once again speaking the whole truth like he had in the past. “I am not surprised you would bring up his name.”

The Emperor smiled slightly and said, “The lives of the mother and son were both rescued by you and Xiao Yezi, naturally you have extra affection toward him. I also love him...but he is overly sentimental. In this dangerous battle, whoever has a soft heart will likely be consigned to eternal damnation.”

The Emperor sighed. “In addition, he is half Dongyi after all. It will be difficult to convince the people. More importantly, if we have to massacre Dongyi in the future. Do you think he has the determination?”

‘

Chen Pingping sighed. The Director seemed to have sighed more tonight in this Royal Palace than at any other time.

“Thus, there is no need to consider him,” the Emperor slowly said. “The Third Prince...he is still young, I can still watch him for a few more years.”

Chen Pingping suddenly smiled strangely and made a suggestion that would perhaps make the entire world tremble.

“What about...Fan Xian?”

The Emperor slowly turned around and gazed at Chen Pingping with almost a smile. After an indeterminable amount of time, he still not answer the question. After a long time, the Emperor suddenly roared with laughter. His laugh echoed through the long empty corridor in front of Taiji Palace. It scared the serving girls and eunuchs at the end of the long corridor witless.

The sound of the laugh gradually quieted, and the Emperor slowly reined in his smile. He calmly, yet unquestionably, said, “Without question, he is the most suitable.”

Overly sentimental was always more annoying than mercilessness. The aura Fan Xian had exhibited in this world coincidentally aligned with the Qing Emperor’s requirements for his heir. Appearing warm and sentimental, but in reality, cold and merciless, along with a glimmer of sorrow for the universe and mankind in the depths of their bones.

The Emperor still thought that glimmer in Fan Xian’s bones should have been inherited from his mother, right?

If these words of the Emperor got out, the entire Qing court would probably be shocked, and a powerful change might even happen across the entire world.

“He has no title,” Chen Pingping said with a strange smile.

The Emperor’s smile was also somewhat strange. “A title is just a word from me...there will eventually be a day when everyone from that time is dead.”

Chen Pingping knew that the Emperor was talking about the empress dowager in the Palace. He gently coughed a couple of times and said, “I think you should let it be.”

The Emperor gazed at him. “Why? I always thought you didn’t like Fan Xian, but judging by these two years, you truly love him greatly.”

“Love is one matter,” Chen Pingping smiled insincerely and said. “Fan Jian and I not seeing eye-to-eye is another matter...however, in my opinion, given Fan Xian’s personality, he would not want the Fan and Liu families to become white bones under the earth because of their connection to him.”

The Emperor smiled slightly and didn’t say anything more.

Chen Pingping understood this Emperor in front of him too well. He sighed in his heart. If the Emperor really wanted to support Fan Xian onto the throne, then before he died, he would definitely completely wipe out the Fan and Liu families. He would stop at nothing to wipe them all out, and this was something that Fan Xian would certainly not accept. What made Chen Pingping slightly tired was that he finally confirmed that the Emperor had not placed Fan Xian on the inheritance list at all.

Chen Pingping stood in the middle and knew that the road was not passable, so he could only go through a different path—the Emperor had a sickness, a sickness of the heart.

...

...

“I like the eldest and An Zhi because I like their hearts.” The Emperor stood in the night wind in the Royal Palace and made a determined choice for the ownership of the dragon chair. “What I want to see are the hearts of these sons...if they have none, then this matter can be put aside. If they have them, I want to know whether the Crown Prince and the Second Prince’s hearts value me, this father of theirs.”

Chen Pingping didn’t make a sound. He just coldly thought, As a father, if you don’t treasure your sons, what right did you have to ask that they treasure you?

“The Emperor’s gaze should look further than ours.”

...

...

Fan Xian thought, at this moment, he was just like a monkey. Having climbed to the top of the mast, he looked at the sun rising to his right. Welcoming the slightly wet and salty sea wind, he yelled loudly and happily.

What satisfaction to travel on the ocean. There was no need to pay attention to the vat of dirty water in Jingdou, or the troubles in the officialdom, and no need to look at those dead heads in Jiaozhou. Fan Xian seemed to have returned to the restless youth he was when he arrived in Danzhou. Every day, he climbed up and down the boat until he finally climbed to the top of the tallest mast on the boat.

He built an awning and looked at the swathe of warm red in the distance. He thought, he was already looking far enough, except, he still didn’t know just what step the Emperor had already seen.

The boat came from Jiaozhou and followed the winding shoreline on the east side of Qing Kingdom heading slowly north toward Fan Xian’s hometown.