As everything concluded, the sun rose, breaking through the clouds and fog.
Mo Chuan had initially intended to spare some members of the Cui family. However, upon discovering that none of them were decent people, Mo Chuan decisively took the lives of the patriarch and a large contingent of the male members. He then sent the rest of the family members and wicked servants, who had abetted their crimes, to the municipal government. To the astonishment of the judge, they were all sent to the Yu Zhou highest prison.
The group watched as the prisoners departed via the teleportation array, but no joy filled their hearts.
“Has the grain been distributed?”
“If it wasn’t, those people would have started crying. At the current pace, it should all be distributed by tonight.”
Following the plan, Mo Chuan distributed a week's worth of grain to each household, then sent the Cui family's accumulated grain to the government warehouse. Afterward, he reiterated his "instructions" to the newly appointed officials.
“Are we continuing south?” Wang Hu asked.
“How about to the Yueyang Tower?” Luo Ni asked, biting into a steamed bun given by a citizen. “Sister Jing Jing mentioned that Yueyang Tower is the most famous place in Yueyang City.”
Mo Chuan was silent for a moment, then nodded. He had just witnessed the heinous crimes committed by a family and now wished to find a place to quiet his mind.
Thus, the group followed their previous path and arrived at Yueyang Tower.
Gazing west towards Dongting Lake, nestled by the river, green grass swayed gently, and clouds drifted leisurely.
Perhaps due to the early morning hour, few people were ascending the tower, and most of them were elderly.
“This is so high… it shouldn’t be much shorter than Lou Lan Palace, right?” Luo Ni asked, watching the distant flying gulls and egrets.
Mo Chuan, preoccupied with thoughts of how to deal with these influential families once his identity was exposed, didn't have the inclination to answer.
“Little girl, Yueyang Tower’s fame lies not in its height, but in its spirit.”
A voice, somewhat ethereal, sounded.
They looked to see a disheveled, lean Taoist priest smiling at them. He continued, “Yueyang Tower is blessed by many ancient loyal and virtuous individuals. As long as one can compose a poem by the river and evoke the praise of heroic souls, they will receive a treasure bestowed by Yueyang Tower.”
“Treasure?”
“Yes, treasure.”
Luo Ni stared at the boundless Dongting Lake, speechless for a long time.
She then looked at the Wang brothers, but if these semi-literate individuals could read, would they have become cannon fodder? Naturally, they ended up staring blankly at each other.
Meng Le? He was leaning on the railing, feigning profound thought.
Amidst an awkward silence, Mo Chuan snapped out of his contemplation and sighed, “The reign of Xuanyuan, the whip of Dao Zhi, the rise and fall of the empire, all commoners suffer.”
*Buzz—*
The plaque of Yueyang Tower emitted a dazzling golden light.
Mo Chuan was startled by the sight. He turned to look at the others, only to find them gazing at him with expressions mixed with surprise and envy.
“No…”
Before Mo Chuan could finish speaking, a golden beam of light shot towards him and slowly settled into his hand.
It was a craftsman's ruler.
Everyone present fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a hubbub of whispers.
“Darling! You’re amazing!” Luo Ni exclaimed joyfully, hugging Mo Chuan tightly, her eyes sparkling.
Unsure of what had happened, Mo Chuan cast a questioning glance at Wang Hu.
Wang Hu recounted what the Taoist priest had said earlier.
“That’s what the Taoist priest said. He… Huh? Where did he go?”
…
At the base of Yueyang Tower, the Taoist priest leaned against a bluestone, watching the sun gradually rise in the distance. He muttered, “What kind of monstrous talent has Qing Lianzi found… No, I absolutely cannot let that stubborn old man poach him. Such a prodigious talent should be used to foster my Taoist lineage!”
…
Sixteen days later, in Jiangzhou, Jinling.
Tao Tu and Ren Yin watched as Nuwa poured them tea. They instinctively tried to refuse, but Nuwa’s words stopped them:
“It’s alright, I am no longer one of the Three Sovereigns. You don’t need to be so formal. Just treat me as an ordinary elder.”
Tao Tu and Ren Yin exchanged glances, then both remained silent.
Before the war, when supplies were abundant, Nuwa was at least a mascot, enjoying good treatment with attendants, medicine, guards, and inspectors.
But now?
She resided in the most secluded corner of the entire Yuhua Palace, adjacent to the storerooms. All her private doctors, attendants, and guards had been withdrawn, leaving only two individuals who appeared to be guards but were in fact prison wardens, both seventh-tier ability users, watching the entrance. Tao Tu and Ren Yin, visiting their former superior, had to offer some benefits before being allowed entry.
“Tell me, it’s nearing the end of the year. Although there’s a ceasefire, there are bound to be many minor activities from various factions. What’s the situation outside?”
Nuwa could no longer even see the newspapers. Her primary sources of external information were Tao Tu, Wu Tu, and Ren Yin.
“The overseas trade for the Yao Shun faction has encountered problems. For some reason, Neon refuses to export grain, no matter how much pressure is applied. The Southeast Alliance is starting to falter.”
“The higher-ups cannot see, the lower-downs cannot grasp; it all benefits these scoundrels in official attire.”
“The Sui Ren faction experienced frost damage, leading to a reduction in grain production. The spring famine next year is likely to be more severe.”
“That’s normal. The ways of heaven are just, and no one escapes karma. Those who do much injustice will eventually perish on their own.”
“Zhuanxu has no intention of dealing with the Yellow River floods. Furthermore, he might open the floodgates during the ice thaw in early spring next year. At that time, Ji, Qing, and Yu prefectures will inevitably face floods, and Zhuanxu might seize this opportunity to launch an offensive.”
“Given his character, he would indeed do that.”
“And what about Xuanyuan Qi…” Tao Tu hesitated before speaking, carefully choosing her words. “Do you remember that Mo Chuan?”
“Mo Chuan…” Nuwa narrowed her eyes, recalling for a moment, then said, “The new Ghost King?”
“He previously joined Xuanyuan Qi’s ranks. Starting sixteen days ago, he purged all the influential families and officials along the line from Yueyang to Hengyang, greatly facilitating Xuanyuan Qi’s policy implementation. He has now earned a fearsome reputation among the families in the southeastern region – Warden.”
“…” Nuwa seemed to be processing the information. After a long while, she said, “What about you? What tasks have you been assigned recently?”
“Ever since Senior Hui Yang mysteriously left, the Southeast Alliance has been scrutinizing our every move,” Ren Yin replied. “Now, with Wu Tu, the three of us are essentially unable to leave Jinling. As for Senior Bing Huo, he’s been at the front line and hasn't returned. He seems to want to use the power of the Southeast Alliance to avenge Senior Xin Lei and Tea Pig…”
Nuwa shook her head and sighed, “As you can probably tell, this is not a place to linger… Leave here as soon as possible. Whether to live in seclusion or to pledge allegiance to others… do what you wish. With your abilities, you will certainly be welcomed by all sides.”
“Here, even if you wait until death, you will not see the day when Sui Ren is destroyed.”
“Sir… then what about you…”
“I am old, and with my injuries, I basically cannot leave this place,” Nuwa said, shaking her head. “Now, I have nothing to do all day except reminisce about the past as an old person.”
“Alright, you may leave now.” With that, Nuwa turned and left the living room.
Tao Tu and Ren Yin looked at each other, unable to speak.
However, after they left, Nuwa quietly put down her bonsai pruning shears, looked at the setting sun gradually receding to the west, and murmured, “Fu Xi… so you saw this long ago…”