Chapter 100

Chapter 100: The Setting Sun Picks Up Blood and the Mountain Pass 

Sheds Tears (Part 2)

“Hahahaha, Si Cang Qing! I can hardly wait to see you lose your mind!”

From the high throne, the man in brocade robes laughed wildly, his voice echoing long in the hall. After a moment, 

he finally quieted, eyes slightly lowered as he toyed with the confidential report in his hand. His voice grew 

solemn as he murmured, “I look forward to your performance.”

“Attendant!”

A dark figure descended silently. “I present myself before His Majesty.”

“Has Mr.Mo sent word yet?”

“The Master says all preparations are complete.”

“If so, let Mr. Mo return!”

“The Master conveyed... he has other plans and arrangements that cannot be disclosed to His Majesty at this time. 

He may not return for some days!”

“Oh? What plans does Mr. Mo have that he cannot share with this Emperor?” Cheng Tianyi's gaze was inscrutable 

as he stared at the dark figure kneeling on the ground. After a moment, he slowly commanded, “Send men to 

secretly monitor Mr. Mo. At the first sign of trouble, report to this Emperor immediately!”

At the Canghong border, the unclaimed lands stretched across rolling hills.

At the edge of a desolate cliff, a young man bent down slowly, his movements sluggish. It seemed to take every 

ounce of his strength to lift a broken sword from among the scattered rocks. Bringing it before him, a pungent 

smell of blood assaulted his nostrils. Perhaps weathered by wind and rain over time, the once-crimson stains 

were now completely faded.

Raindrops fell upon the broken blade, forming beads that slid down its length, leaving only faint watermarks 

that still carried a faint, chilling aura.

He gently traced the edge of the blade with his fingers. It remained sharp as ever. The slightest touch caused a 

gash to suddenly appear, blood surging forth. Si Cang Qing stood silently in the drizzle, one hand clutching 

Feng Lan's fallen broken sword, the other slowly clenching into a fist. Rainwater trickled through his fingers, 

tinged faintly red, falling drop by drop.

“My lord,” Feng Xiang appeared silently from behind, holding an umbrella as he approached Si Cang Qing's side, 

shielding him from the increasingly heavy rain. “Take care of your majesty.”

Si Cang Qing remained silent, slowly lowering his sword while clutching it tightly in his hand. He strode to 

the cliff's edge and looked down, seeing only a hazy expanse of mist swirling below.

“My lord, please rest first. I will notify you the moment I find a way down. The physician said your injuries 

haven't fully healed; you mustn't overexert yourself...”

Si Cang Qing waved his hand, cutting off Feng Xiang's pleas.

The rain gradually intensified. A vast white curtain descended over the world, separating this place and creating 

an isolated space.

Beneath a pale yellow umbrella, the stern young man stood as still as a pine tree, gazing down at the increasingly 

indistinct cliff below.

The soft patter of rain echoed in his ears, like lovers singing their longing, like whispers of tender memories. It 

danced intermittently between heaven and earth, capriciously mocking the emotions of lovers, twisting and 

turning; it occasionally darted through the tunnels of time and space, mischievously teasing the memories of 

lovers, leaving lingering melancholy.

When they first met, the boy with the clear eyes, ordered to lift his head, wore a forced composure that betrayed 

his nervousness;

Bathed in moonlight, the boy sat alone on the bed, a faint sadness on his face.

Over years spent together day and night, the silent man like a shadow never left his side, yet moved with perfect 

tact, gentle and considerate.

Amidst the chaotic graveyard of Zhaoyang City, the person who threw themselves into his arms could no longer 

hold back tears, trembling and sobbing softly.

During the secret investigation of the flood disaster, in a dilapidated hut, that person sat in his embrace, quietly 

and tentatively wrapping their arms around him. When he murmured his affection, caught by my ear, he flushed 

flustered, lowering his gaze, unable to meet mine.

During embraces and intimacy, his crimson cheeks and restrained gaze silently confessed the joy and longing 

within his heart.

On the carriage ride back to the palace, he smiled serenely: From the day you named me Feng Lan, I have no 

other identity but Feng Lan."

On the night of the Lantern Festival, that person froze stiff while guarding the palace gates for him alone. That 

night, he tasted such frenzied passion for the first time in his life, finding it irresistible, indulging himself again 

and again upon that person.

On their wedding night, his face bloomed like peach blossoms beneath the festive robes, performing the ritual 

of sharing wine with restrained grace.

After the wedding, the nightly candlelight revealed a lingering figure, warming and calming his heart…

Drop by drop, what once seemed a quiet little stream now surges like a towering tidal wave, rising and falling 

within his heart—a touch of bitterness, a touch of dread, a touch of bewilderment.

“Lan...”

The rain drowned out his low whisper. Si Cang Qing shifted the hand frozen at his side, inadvertently brushing 

against something cool and smooth. He looked down to see a simple jade pendant tied at his waist.

Carefully taking it into his palm, his fingers gently caressed its surface. A trace of warmth lingered at his 

fingertips, seeping thread by thread into his heart. Si Cang Qing stared blankly at the dragon-patterned jade 

pendant, as if seeing that person's delighted expression and slightly reddened eyes when they received the 

phoenix-patterned jade pendant.

The wind blew past.

It seemed as though he heard that person's low sigh, “Master, I miss you so much...”

He said, “Master, I am only your Feng Lan.”

He said, “Through mountains of blades and seas of fire, I swear to follow you to the end.”

◇Cang◇Huan◇Qi◇Gong◇

Crack! A thunderbolt struck down, as if savagely tearing apart heaven and earth.

Si Cang Qing abruptly snapped out of his reverie, fastening the jade pendant back in place—When had he 

become so lost in memory? When had he grown so utterly bewildered?

A fierce gust of wind lashed his face, stinging with pain.

Si Cang Qing turned to Feng Xiang and ordered coldly, “Halt the search for now. Resume once the thunderstorm 

passes.”

In mountainous terrain like this, no one could predict what dangers lurked beneath such torrential rain. Even if he 

hoped to find Feng Lan sooner, that didn't mean he could act recklessly without reason.

Feng Lan would be found sooner or later. Feng Lan wouldn't come to harm.

—Because he was his shadow guard, the foremost shadow guard of the Canghuan royal family.

He wouldn't betray his expectations...

Si Cang Qing slowly made his way down the mountain, his expression utterly devoid of emotion.

Within the simple courtyard, he stood silently, gazing up at the azure sky. Wisps of clouds drifted lazily across 

the horizon, the scene serene and peaceful.

“My lord, the path to the base of the cliff has been cleared.”

Si Cang Qing remained silent, merely turning and striding purposefully toward the courtyard exit.

Gazing at the mirror-like pool before him, Si Cang Qing crouched down and plunged his hand into the water—an 

icy chill instantly pierced his heart. Glancing toward the distant stone ravine, he saw the frigid pool extended deep 

into the caves and crevices at the cliff's base.

In the silent valley, guards and soldiers came and went, meticulously searching every corner.

“My lord,” Feng Xiang reported in a low voice, “I probed this cold pool. It's several zhang deep, with an 

underground current below. I suspect those caves connect to an external outlet.”

Si Cang Qing asked coolly, “What did you discover?”

Feng Xiang hesitated slightly. “Not a single clue. The Empress is likely no longer here.” The implication was 

clear: whether Feng Lan was alive or dead, she might have been carried away by the hidden currents beneath 

the cold pool. No trace of life, no sign of death!

Si Cang Qing rose slowly, gazing at the caves that appeared and disappeared in the shadows. His voice grew cold 

and resolute. “Dispatch half the men to determine where this water leads, then search along its course. The other 

half will comb every inch of these mountains and forests.”

With that, he made no further delay. The cold pool below the cliff was far preferable to the chaotic boulders—even 

if Feng Lan was gravely wounded, he believed he would have sought refuge. Perhaps right now, he was recuperating 

somewhere nearby.

Following the imperial decree issued by Si Cang Qing, the search party of guards and soldiers split into two 

groups to locate Feng Lan. The Cold Pool indeed led to an external river, flowing through the valleys of this 

mountainous region in deep and shallow stretches, heading southward toward a tributary of the Southern River. 

This, however, made the task of searching along the watercourse exceedingly difficult. Both banks were shrouded 

in dense mountain forests. If Feng Lan had indeed followed the river downstream, he could be anywhere.

“Your servant greets Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!”

Si Cang Qing furrowed his brow slightly, observing the unexpected visitor Luo Shan with detached indifference. 

“Why have you come here?” This man should be at the military camp dozens of miles away!

Luo Shan bowed his head, his voice solemn. “Your Majesty, a nation cannot exist a single day without its ruler. 

This humble officer earnestly requests Your Majesty's swift return to the capital.”

Si Cang Qing's voice turned cold. “Are you lecturing me?”

“Your servant dares not!” Luo Shan's tone remained steady, showing no trace of fear. “It is merely that Your 

Majesty has been absent from the capital for months. Your servant fears instability within the court, especially now 

that Hongcheng Kingdom is making frequent moves, causing widespread panic throughout our realm.”

Si Cang Qing lowered his eyes, observing the kneeling man with a faint gaze, offering no reply.

After waiting a long time with no response, Luo Shan grew anxious and called out again, “Your Majesty...” 

He said, “Regarding the search for the East Empress, Your Majesty may rest assured entrusting it to the soldiers 

under my command.”

Glancing at him, Si Cang Qing spoke coldly, “Who sent you?”

Luo Shan startled slightly and hurriedly replied, “This subordinate acted on his own initiative. Please punish me, 

Your Majesty!”

“Liu Yi, is it?” Though phrased as a question, Si Cang Qing was utterly certain in his heart.

Luo Shan hesitated. “The Prime Minister cares deeply for the state and was somewhat concerned, so...”

Waving him off, Si Cang Qing cut off his explanation. Rising, he walked to the window with his hands clasped 

behind his back. “Return to your barracks.”

“Your Majesty...”

“Do you refuse to heed my command?”

“This humble officer dares not!” Luo Shan's face betrayed his concern, yet he ultimately departed in silence.

Opening the folded letter in his hand, Si Cang Qing silently studied its contents. Cheng Tianyi had been frequently 

shifting troop deployments, particularly around Yaoshan Ridge, where it seemed he was preparing some sort of 

deployment.

Cheng Tianyi, have you finally grown impatient enough to wage war?

Si Cang Qing's gaze turned icy. So be it... he would see it through to the end. Though he sought neither power 

nor prestige, he would utterly destroy any who harmed him or threatened him, leaving no hidden dangers 

behind—he was the emperor, and this realm could have only one master. Cheng Tianyi... Si Cang Qing's fingers 

curled lightly, reducing the letter to dust.

This time, he would settle every debt with Cheng Tianyi—for Feng Lan's wounds, for the debt owed by the 

Cheng Tian brothers.

“Xiang!” Si Cang Qing called out coldly.

“At your service!”

“Return to the capital immediately!”

By late June, Si Cang Qing finally returned to the capital.

In the Azure Dragon Hall, Si Cang Qing surveyed the assembly with disdain as he issued his decrees in a cold 

voice:

“Anping, Luoshui, Chen Yu—each of you take your troops to the three passes. After capturing them, bypass 

Yaoshan Ridge and Hongdu and advance directly south.”

“Ye Lou, lead the New Army camp troops to Yao Pass and join forces with the Luoshan army. Once hostilities 

commence, strike directly at Yaoshan Ridge!”

“The Ministry of Revenue shall immediately mobilize laborers to transport the military provisions stockpiled 

over the past five years in batches to the border cities!”

“Effective immediately, the entire nation shall declare a state of wartime alert.”

“Your servant obeys!”

Si Cang Qing surveyed the assembled officers and declared, “This conflict determines the survival of Canghuan. 

I implore you all to unite and repel this foreign threat!” He added sternly, “The sovereignty of Canghuan shall not 

be violated!”

“The day Hongcheng invades our land shall be the day it meets its end!”
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