The document is clear to the world

Chapter 121

He nodded, his smile deepening: "Very similar."

His gaze was unfocused as he looked at me, and his words afterward were not quite clear, "If only you were my son."

I wasn't surprised by what he said; in fact, my father would often say such incoherent things to me after he got drunk. What surprised me was that I heard him not address me as "朕" (Zhen, meaning "I, the Imperial Emperor") in his presence. Perhaps he didn't know that at that moment, he wasn't like an emperor, but simply a father, wounded and in pain.

I am indeed his son, as later proved.

I don't call him father, and my mother never asked me to. I know she was worried it would hurt my father, so she never mentioned how to address that man in front of me. So I still call him Seventh Uncle. Sometimes, he would stare at me blankly for a long time because of this address, his eyes filled with emotions I couldn't understand, but he would eventually smile calmly and try his best not to care.

The night before he set off for his campaign, he seemed to have a premonition of something, and actually came to the Prince Duan's residence to visit me. I pretended to be asleep, but I secretly watched him tuck me in, as gentle as an ordinary father. Perhaps at that moment, those two words should have been uttered. I never thought that if I didn't say them then, it would be so hard to say them later. I told myself that on the day he returned victorious, I would go with my father to Xuanwu Gate to welcome his imperial procession. I would take advantage of my father's inattention and secretly run to that man's side, tug at his sleeve, and call him "Father." I couldn't be too ostentatious; I was afraid my father would be saddened. But I really wanted to call him Father, because I loved his gentle smile at me, that warm smile, which still haunted my dreams.

He returned, without a smile, only a cold coffin. Even though calling out "Father" to the cold sandalwood was futile, I did it anyway. When my father took me to Fengxian, I stared at the gilded characters on the coffin and uttered those two words in a daze.

That one sound, and nothing more.

Just like now, my heart is in turmoil, but I really can't bring myself to utter those two words.

I looked at him, nodded slightly, and said, "Okay."

He smiled gently, nodded in response, and uttered a single word, "Okay."

Chapter Seven: Following

We've finally arrived in the capital! Lu Li's footsteps are getting closer!

Go to Beijing.

Wearing the Khitan clothes felt somewhat strange. Since Liu Shang was too controlling, I left her in Youzhou and entered the Liao capital city that very night. I'm now in the bustling capital, and Liu Shang is probably anxiously searching for me after she wakes up.

"Brother, do you know how to get to the West Gate?" I pulled a burly man next to me and asked in broken Khitan. As far as I knew, the Imperial Mausoleum Stele was located in the Imperial Mausoleum Palace outside the West Gate on the outskirts of the city.

The man looked at me with amusement, leaned closer to my face reeking of alcohol, and mumbled something. I vaguely heard something about a nice girl, going back home…

As I turned my head to try and get away, he suddenly reached out and pinched my chin, his lewd eyes looking me up and down with a slight smile.

Another hand had already reached around my waist. I was annoyed. I didn't expect that there would be people in Liao who would harass respectable women in the street. At first, I endured it, but the smell of alcohol made me dizzy and I just wanted to slap him.

Suddenly, a powerful and authoritative shout rang out behind me. I had no interest in listening to anything, so I just stood there dumbfounded. A hint of surprise and confusion flashed in the man's eyes, but he released me.

The man snorted, mumbled something to the person behind me, then flicked his sleeves and left angrily.

I turned around and looked at the unfamiliar foreign man behind me. His gray eyes gleamed with a faint silver light, and he was tall and slender, unlike the burly man I had just met. Surprisingly, he exuded a faint scent of ink... a scent similar to Lu Li's. I had assumed that the scent of ink was only associated with men from the Central Plains, but this foreign man unexpectedly didn't have the fox sweat smell of the Khitans; instead, he had a refined ink fragrance.

He seemed to notice my surprise, took a step forward but kept his distance, and said something very politely. Unfortunately, he spoke too fast and I couldn't understand what he said. I just smiled slightly, trying to get by.

He narrowed his eyes. The silver glint in them faded slightly. He stared intently into my eyes, seemingly deep in thought. After a while, a slight smile played on his lips. He spoke fluent Chinese, “Aren’t you a Khitan?”

I nodded and smiled. "I am Han Chinese. Finally, I can hear a language I can understand."

He coughed slightly, dismissing his attendants. He lowered his voice, "You, a woman from another tribe, have entered the Liao Dynasty alone. Don't you know the danger?"

"Since we're allies, they shouldn't make things difficult for me," I said casually, while secretly wondering how to bring up the imperial tombstone.

He nodded, looking at me. "What brings you here...?"

"Purpose?" I was taken aback. If I told him I was there to see my man, would he believe me?

"Is it just a trip?" He smiled, a hint of wariness in his expression.

"It's about finding someone." I calmly looked at him.

He lowered his guard slightly, and a smile returned to his lips. "That girl should be careful and avoid any more dangers."

Seeing him turn away indifferently, I quickly asked, "Are all Khitans as uncouth as that man just now?"

He didn't turn around, but just laughed out loud, "Not entirely... but I still have to apologize to the girl on behalf of my brother."

"That person was your brother." It was a world of difference.

"yes."

"In that case, I don't need to thank you. But... what's your name?" Having encountered all sorts of people in the martial arts world, he vaguely sensed that this man was not ordinary.

"My name is Xiao Jue."

He mounted his horse, raising a cloud of dust on the road.

"It's someone with the surname Xiao again." I smiled, then suddenly froze. In the Liao Dynasty, the Xiao family would be either royalty or nobles.

"Character divination, character divination... young lady, would you like your character divination done?"

Wandering among the bustling shops, an elderly yet still energetic voice sounded behind me. I turned around and saw those sharp eyes.

I laughed, "Did the Khitans also like this?"

"I learned it in the Central Plains." The old man, with his white hair, smiled and pulled a sheet of paper from a stack, placing it in front of me and waiting for me to write. A gust of wind blew by, and a few sheets of paper drifted by. I quickly bent down to help pick them up. A graceful and resolute Chinese character came into view, but the character on it made me pause. It was the character "归" (guī). When I suddenly saw this character, my heart ached.

Seeing this word suddenly brought up so many thoughts: when will I return, and where will I go? So many people are waiting for my return, but alas, I can't stop my weary steps.

"Sir, I'd like to buy this calligraphy." Without thinking, I handed over a silver ingot, smiled, and put the calligraphy in my sleeve.

Standing in Miaochun Tower, I couldn't help but chuckle a few times. Brothels, no matter where they are, are always auspicious locations. A sign in clerical script read: "Seeking women from the Central Plains, gentle in nature, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting." So, women from the Central Plains are treasures everywhere. Behind me, the procession of our dynasty's envoys passed by. I recognized the leading group a few times at court, though I couldn't recall their names, but I was certain they would recognize me. I concealed myself and stepped into Miaochun Tower.

The man sat in the corner sipping tea. He must have received my letter; I knew he would come to collect his ashes. Although I despised this meeting, he did come nonetheless, and seemed to have waited for a long time, a few steps ahead of me.

When she saw him again, only silence and calm remained. Too much time had passed, and the story of Princess Zhaozhi and Guard Xiao Xuan had long been forgotten in the streets and alleys, vanished under the crabapple trees of Huainan.

Although I was reluctant, I still handed over the exquisite little box. "I guess you'll want to see him again. He's not the same as when he was little."

Xiao Xuan's hand froze in mid-air, finally landing on the cold box after a long while. He slowly said, "Actually, I don't remember. But my master said I did have a younger brother."

"Are you still called Yelü Mengshuo?" I took a sip of tea and asked casually. "He always thought you were dead. There were some things I couldn't explain and didn't want to explain, so he said you were dead. In fact, Xiao Xuan was already dead."

He didn't look at me or say anything, as if I were acting out a whole show all by myself.

I laughed indifferently, leaning back, "The Yelü Dynasty has fallen. How are you doing?"

"I have always followed my master."

I nodded and shook the glass. "Like a dog."

The temperature in his eyes suddenly dropped, and his hand holding the cup trembled. "Shut up."

“I’m usually very nice to my cats and dogs, and it would be even better if you wanted to follow me.” I wasn’t afraid of his sudden change of expression, or rather, saying something that seemed like a death wish was actually a good idea.

He ignored me, calmly poured me more tea, and his voice even had a hint of warmth: "Perhaps... one day you will die by my hand."

I nodded to indicate that I believed him: "My husband also died at your hands."

Xiao Xuan's scrutinizing gaze turned into one of suspicion.

I smiled and waved my hand in front of him, "No need to be so serious, I don't like revenge. However... I'd be happy to die at your hands anyway. Tell your master I'm here..."

I won't hide; you can fulfill your wishes anytime. But first, I need to go to the mass grave to see my short-lived husband. It's been so many years, and I haven't even seen his tombstone yet.”

He abruptly sheathed his drawn sword. I looked at the still gleaming Yinma sword at his waist and struck up a conversation, “You cherish this sword. It was given to you by your master, wasn’t it? But when you were Xiao Xuan, you liked swords.”

I brushed the dust off my clothes. "I know you're not ready to kill me today, at least not in front of your brother. You don't want to hurt him by killing me. But that's alright. There's plenty of time. Now that I'm here, I have no intention of leaving alive."

He got up and brushed past me, taking a few steps, but I still called out behind him, "I still need to ask, how do I get to the imperial mausoleum outside the west city?"

He completely ignored me and walked away.

"Not a very good personality," I sighed to myself, refilling my teacup with one hand. I vaguely overheard the people at the next table discussing the political events of the past few days. Someone said they'd heard the regent from the Central Plains had come to the Liao Dynasty, while others said he was there to find the reigning empress, who was traveling incognito. Someone asked what kind of person the empress from the Central Plains really was, and others said she was a shrewd and capable woman.

A mouthful of bitter tea stung my lips, and I smiled as I took the phone: "If you ask me, she's the heartless woman."

He leisurely poured himself another cup of tea, brought it to his lips, and let the steam moisten his eyes. "I think... that woman is just overestimating herself. She always thinks she can handle everything, but little does she know... even she can make a mistake. The Empress? Does she deserve that title? She's just a woman blinded by greed, a power-hungry schemer, seducing her brother-in-law, and a woman in the harem."

Before I could finish speaking, several soldiers quickly surrounded me at the door. I glanced at the badges on their waists and thought to myself, "How come the guards from Lu Xiu's residence arrived so quickly?"

"Who are you? How dare you speak such arrogant words and disrespect the Empress of our dynasty?" The leading guard drew his sword and pointed it at me.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man in fine clothes approaching from outside Miaochun Tower. Perhaps Lu Xiu and his men had arrived on their way and heard someone slandering their Empress Dowager by the roadside. Several guards couldn't stand it and drew their swords. The man in fine clothes whispered to the guards, "All of you, come back here."

"Your Highness—" the guard frowned, "this woman actually slandered you and the Emperor—"

"It's none of your business," Lu Xiu said, suppressing his anger.

I kept my back to the richly dressed man, taking a sip of tea. "Shouldn't the regent of the Great Dynasty be discussing state affairs with the young emperor in court?" He really has nothing better to do than leave my son aside and wander around Liaodu.

"You..." Upon hearing my voice, Lu Xiu instinctively trembled, took two quick steps, and turned me around.

I gave a faint smile. "I've long heard of the Regent's womanizing ways... I didn't expect he wouldn't even spare women from foreign lands."

Everyone held their breath and looked over. Lu Xiu suddenly couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head from time to time, and gently placed a hand on my cheek. "This mouth... it really doesn't accumulate any good karma at all."

In the elegant room, he sat opposite me, drank three cups in a row, and asked in a calm voice, "When will we return to the palace?"

I lowered my head and looked to the side.

His gaze fixed on me. "When I was in the capital, I learned from a secret letter that members of the Yelü royal family were plotting to kill you."

I met his gaze calmly. "I know this better than you do."

He laughed out loud: "What a bold woman."

I looked at him with hopeful eyes and said, "I have one last wish. After I fulfill it, I will go back to the palace with you."

Lu Xiu glanced at me, his smile deepening, but upon closer inspection, I realized it was just a tremor, not a genuine smile: "Will I still be able to wait until that day?"

I was taken aback and stared at him intently. How could he understand my thoughts even better than I did?!

He abruptly stood up, pushing aside the wine glass on the table, a smile playing on his lips, yet his voice was filled with shock and anger as he rebuked, “Unfulfilled wishes?! What haven’t you done yet—besides following him?! You’ve followed in Seventh Brother’s footsteps all this way, finding his tombstone, isn’t that the end? Now that you’ve arrived, what do you intend to do… smash your head against the tombstone?! You have no intention of living alone. Zhaozhi, you’re single-mindedly seeking death. If you’re truly such a cowardly woman, then I truly misjudged you! I thought… you were an exceptionally resolute woman, capable of living on with his last wishes, assisting a young ruler, supporting a nation, and holding the world in your hands. Even if you abandon everyone… what about the children? Your children with him, can you let them go?”

Lu Xiu looked at me quietly, but his gaze was so painful that I couldn't meet it.

“With you by my side… I can let go…” I let out a soft breath, my vision blurred with tears, not from reluctance, but from deep guilt. “I’m so tired, so very tired… I can’t get rid of my fatigue if I don’t see him for a day. I’m anxious to find him, but I didn’t expect… that finding him would be such a difficult thing.”

"And what about me? Tell me... how am I supposed to survive..." Lu Xiu said with difficulty.

I shook my head. In one catastrophe after another, how are those of us who barely survive supposed to live?

The silent imperial mausoleum of the Western Capital… The Shenlingfang area, nestled among mountains, had just been touched by a spring rain, leaving a rare dampness on the yellow earth, which, under the moonlight, resembled a flowing stream. The spirit path stretched endlessly, and along it, the sparsely erected stone tablets appeared somewhat forlorn. I approached each one, touching the inscriptions until I felt a familiar texture, as if the memorial tablets erected for him in the Western Capital were being smoothed over again and again by my touch. His mausoleum… was too quiet, lacking grandeur and magnificence; were it not for those few inscriptions, no one would know that an emperor was buried here. I slowly closed my eyes; the wind felt surprisingly warm.

"Sir, the environment here is quite nice..." The wind picked up, and I don't know where the sound carried, but I couldn't hear the echo at all.

I reached out and stroked every word on the monument, lingering there reluctant to let go. I forced a smile and said, "Looks like you've found a good place to recuperate. I never knew you were the kind of person who always sought out opportunities to slack off." I pulled out a bottle of Zhuyeqing liquor that I had prepared for a long time from my pocket. Under the night sky, a faint aroma of the liquor wafted over... I gradually became a little dazed.

A hand forcefully pulled me away from the stone tablet. I tried to shake him off, but my whole body was held tightly by the person behind me, and I couldn't move an inch. I couldn't even turn around and glare at him angrily.

"I knew you wouldn't do anything good!" Lu Xiu glared at me, snatching the liquid from my hand.

“Lu Xiu… I’ve finally arrived…” I smiled slightly.

Without a word, he swept me up in his arms, and I felt the familiar light behind me recede into the distance, the familiar scent fading away. I stretched out my fingers but could no longer touch the receding stone tablet. My voice was low and hoarse, "Master—"

There was no echo, only the whistling wind and the faint scent of ink surrounding me...