Liang Ye and Wang Dian exchanged glances, both frowning simultaneously.
Although Liang Ye’s memory wasn’t good, he had countless intelligence networks under his command. As long as he wanted to investigate matters of the past and present courts, he could find out most things. When Wang Dian first arrived, he had studied many historical books in the palace library. While he couldn’t remember everything, he was certain that since Northern Liang’s founding, there had never been an official position like State Preceptor.
Before the Da’an Dynasty, during the early and middle periods of the Li Dynasty, the people had suffered greatly from the influence of Buddhism and Taoism. In the middle period, there had been a large-scale movement to eliminate Taoism. By the Da’an Dynasty, Buddhism flourished, and the later anti-Buddhist activities were also dramatic. By the time of the Four Kingdoms period, the emperors of all countries were deeply wary of Buddhist and Taoist activities. One wrong move would earn them the label of an incompetent ruler. Even when Liang Cong later became obsessed with immortality cultivation and alchemy, he was far more restrained compared to previous dynasty’s emperors.
The title of State Preceptor almost always represented national destruction, confusion, and people’s suffering.
Even Liang Ye himself, though Yue Jingming had saved his life, had only ever been willing to practice martial arts. He was even more opposed to supernatural beliefs than Wang Dian, a modern person.
“Nonsense,” Liang Ye’s face darkened, making Yang Man tremble even more violently.
Yang Wujiu anxiously looked to Wang Dian for help. Wang Dian, standing behind Liang Ye, discreetly shook his head at him.
It wasn’t time to plead yet.
Yang Wujiu turned pale as he looked at Yang Man.
Yang Man lay prostrate on the ground, crying as he spoke, “This lowly servant dares not speak falsely. During Emperor Huixian’s time, there was indeed a Taoist priest kept in the palace. This person’s origins were unknown, and he always appeared wearing black robes. No one in the entire palace knew his true appearance or even his name. Emperor Huixian personally appointed this person as Northern Liang’s State Preceptor. At that time, Lady Cui Yuxian, who was still Empress, personally led all the imperial concubines to kneel before Emperor Huixian, begging him to expel this person from the palace. But Emperor Huixian not only refused to listen but flew into a rage and confined all the ladies to their quarters…
However, before the edict appointing the State Preceptor could be issued, Emperor Huixian fell seriously ill and seemed near death. The State Preceptor suddenly said he had a solution, and within a few days, Emperor Huixian was vigorous again. Even some imperial concubines became pregnant. Emperor Huixian was overjoyed, and the State Preceptor’s favor grew even greater. However, three months later, the State Preceptor left the palace, and immediately afterward, a strange plague broke out in the palace. Palace servants, concubines, and even princesses and princes died in great numbers. Several important court officials also died mysteriously at home…
Emperor Huixian believed this was a warning from the State Preceptor and became even more obsessed with Taoist teachings. Cui Yuxian took advantage of this to seize power. She deeply despised the State Preceptor, and her two sons had died during that time. When Emperor Huixian passed away, she ordered everyone who knew about this matter to be executed, and all related edicts and records were burned…”
Yang Man, with his graying hair, tremblingly raised his head, his clouded eyes flashing with fear, “Your Majesty, that State Preceptor was extremely supernatural. During his time in the palace, strange events occurred frequently… This token was the only thing he carried with him.”
Wang Dian looked at the token.
Wang Xusui and Liang Hua had probably discovered some clues, but at that time, one had been living carefree in seclusion while the other had been barely surviving on the edges of power. The true witnesses from that time had all died, and those who remained probably only knew fragments, so they could only piece together a vague guess.
If one considered it carefully, this “State Preceptor” was likely the cause of everything.
Since his appearance, the diligent Emperor Huixian’s personality had changed dramatically, Cui Yuxian had begun seizing power, and Bian Cang had developed ulterior motives after losing his twin children. After that came Wang Xusui disguising herself as Bian Rufeng to go to war, then changing her identity to Bian Xin to enter the palace, cooperating with Liang Hua, with various factions fighting endlessly. From then on, Northern Liang had fallen into chaos and declined rapidly.
The person’s identity as a Taoist priest, along with the sudden appearance of Xiang Meng and Xiao Chunhe, and recalling their earlier mysterious mentions of Liang Ye’s death tribulation, made Wang Dian’s frown deepen.
Previously, whether fighting with Cui Yuxian, battling with Liang Ye, engaging in life-and-death struggles with Eastern Chen, stumbling over fools like Bian Feng, or drawing out old foxes like Bian Cang from behind the scenes, none had given him this sense of losing control.
He disliked this feeling of being in an unknown realm that was vague and ethereal. It felt exactly like those illusory and complex death fears during his depression episodes.
Not knowing the enemy while they knew you meant losing the initiative.
What troubled him more was that he almost uncontrollably began to ponder his own somewhat “abrupt” transmigration. He tried hard to avoid it, but his mind became increasingly clear.
He would rather simply believe that he had transmigrated to this unknown dynasty due to his sudden death, met Liang Ye, and was forced to adapt and stay, rather than—-his cold gaze fell on Xiao Chunhe.
Xiao Chunhe gave him a meaningful smile.
Doubting reality would cause the dream to collapse. This thought instantly broke through all his defenses. Disregarding the many people present, he grabbed Liang Ye’s shoulder.
The force startled Liang Ye, who instinctively gripped Wang Dian’s hand on his shoulder and looked up at him, “What’s wrong?”
Wang Dian’s grip instantly became stronger, then he forced himself to let go, twitching his lips as he said, “Nothing, maybe it’s carriage sickness. Please excuse me, Your Majesty, I need to step out for a moment.”
He dared not look at the expression on Liang Ye’s face, forcing himself to stop all doubts and speculations until the warm sunlight shone on his face, and the cold feeling behind him gradually dispersed.
He couldn’t convince himself that something as absurd as transmigration could truly exist in this world, just as he found it difficult to accept that in this bizarre feudal dynasty there could exist “cultivators” like Xiao Chunhe and Xiang Meng who possessed real abilities. As events began to deviate from his established logical system and cognition, his shattered worldview couldn’t be corrected, so he couldn’t fully accept it—
He would only habitually begin to doubt whether the world was real or not.
“Being too clever isn’t always a good thing,” Xiao Chunhe’s voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.
Wang Dian felt like Cui Yuxian now, extremely disgusted with these mystifying Taoist priests. If not for their appearance, he could still have taken his transmigration as a given premise, rather than some possible result or condition.
“What are you doubting?” Xiao Chunhe’s fox-like eyes, which seemed able to see through everything, stared straight at him, making Wang Dian feel horrified. “And what have you guessed, Xiao Ye?”
“I’m not Liang Ye!” Wang Dian instantly raised his defensive spikes again, looking coldly at the other person, his voice sinking as he said, “Xiao Chunhe, whatever you’re planning to do, stay away from me and Liang Ye.”
“Such a threatening tone without any backing.” Xiao Chunhe sighed, asking a cunning and cruel question, “Wang Dian, do you believe in past and present lives?”
“No,” Wang Dian stared at him with dark eyes, “If you dare spread more supernatural nonsense, I will kill you.”
If killing Xiao Chunhe could stabilize the dream, he would use any means necessary.
Xiao Chunhe drew closer to him like a ghost, laughing softly, “This isn’t a dream, Xiao Ye. Tomorrow at noon, you will die in front of the council hall, pierced by countless arrows, torn apart by five horses.”
Wang Dian’s eyes instantly turned bloodshot, “Shut up!”
“Why…” Xiao Chunhe’s words exploded in his ear one by one, “should you be the one to die?”
“I said shut up!” Wang Dian grabbed his throat, the veins on the back of his hand instantly bulging. He could clearly feel the force in his fingers, as if he had killed countless people this way before. Intense pain rapidly spread throughout his body; just a little more force and he could crush Xiao Chunhe’s throat.
“Wang Dian!” Liang Ye’s cold shout suddenly rang in his ear.
The force in his hand suddenly loosened, as if his blocked senses slowly began to return. His five fingers even had a kind of exhausted trembling that came after overexertion. He was breathing heavily, but could only hear his own thundering heartbeat.
“Wang Dian?” Liang Ye held his trembling hand, frowning as he looked at his pale face, wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes as he asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Wang Dian looked at him almost frantically, moving his lips with difficulty, “Liang Ye?”
“It’s me. Is your depression acting up again?” Liang Ye firmly squeezed the back of his neck.
Wang Dian’s mind was in chaos, unable to hear any sound, only able to see Liang Ye’s moving lips, before being pulled into Liang Ye’s embrace, slowly but forcefully.
Liang Ye’s embrace was always scorching and burning hot. His scent always carried a faint metallic smell. Previously this scent had been unclear, he had only thought it pleasant, but now he remembered it was the smell of blood.
Liang Ye embraced him very tightly, dominating and forcefully gripping Wang Dian’s waist. His other arm went across Wang Dian’s back, his palm firmly covering the back of his neck. The familiar yet cold voice came from far to near, finally becoming clear, “I’m here, Wang Dian, don’t be afraid.”
Wang Dian bit down hard on his teeth, tasting blood in his mouth. As if having experienced a struggle between life and death, he was exhaustedly held in Liang Ye’s embrace. After a long while, he said hoarsely, “Did I strangle Xiao Chunhe to death?”
Liang Ye looked at Xiao Chunhe behind Wang Dian, who still wore a very pleased expression despite the purple bruise marks on his neck, “Yes, he’s completely dead.”
Xiao Chunhe’s smile instantly froze. Just as he was about to speak, he received a warning and cold glare from Liang Ye, as if he really would help Wang Dian strangle him to death if he dared to speak.
“…” Xiao Chunhe silently rolled his eyes.
Liang Ye held Wang Dian, slowly stroking the back of his neck, “Don’t listen to his nonsense, these people always like to frighten others with their mystical act.”
Wang Dian closed his eyes and gave a cold laugh, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, “Xiao Chunhe, if you don’t explain clearly, I’ll kill Liang Ye first, then kill you.”
Liang Ye stiffened while holding him, “Maybe we can leave me out of this?”
Xiao Chunhe pointed at himself innocently, “I really just came to check on him out of goodwill.”
Wang Dian buried his head in Liang Ye’s neck, saying in a muffled voice, “It hurts.”
“Where does it hurt?” Liang Ye immediately became worried.
Wang Dian frowned and said, “Everything hurts.”
Before Liang Ye could ask more, his vision suddenly went black, and he instantly lost consciousness.
Xiao Chunhe swiftly withdrew his hand chop, reached out to check Wang Dian’s pulse, and raised an eyebrow, “He’s quite ill. As I said, extreme wisdom leads to harm – being too clever is prone to problems.”
Liang Ye immediately picked him up horizontally, looking at Xiao Chunhe with an unfriendly expression, “Martial Uncle, you’d better explain this to Zhen.”
