Chapter 369: Don’t Know?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The emperor was even more high-strung now. "Did Supreme Wind unearth something peculiar again? Is it about the Four Seasons Tower or Dongxuan? It must be about Dongxuan – Dongxuan has mobilized its troops out of the blue. It’s just illogical. There must be something behind it. What is the particular situation…"
His Majesty thought out loud, giving an incessant analysis and praying hard that it would be best if Supreme Wind investigated the conspiracy of Dongxuan immediately; it better not be about anything else!
Lord Supreme Wind had purged the high-leveled authorities of Yutang recently and almost half of the officials in the imperial court were gone, thanks to his witch-hunt. All of them were penalized with concrete evidence and there was no doubt that they were traitors and spies as well!
Faced with such a sordid reality, His Majesty was truly ashamed!
Being an emperor for so many years, he had relied on this group of men, yet a small portion of them were all spies… and he was oblivious to it. How could he not feel uneasy?
"It actually isn’t related to Dongxuan, neither is it about the other officials as well." Old Marshal Qiu frowned, a strange expression on his face.
"Oh." The emperor was relieved. "Then what did he find you for? Something regarding Four Seasons Tower?"
"It isn't that either. He revealed something to me, and I’m hesitating whether I should tell Your Majesty about it." Old Marshal Qiu was thinking, pondering, contemplating, calculating. If he tossed this matter out in the open, what sort of chaos or panic would it cause?
That sort of consequence could only be described in four words.
Difficult to clean up.
His Majesty was blissfully unaware of what he was about to hear as he sat himself down on the chair, relaxed, and said, "Just spit it out. No wonder you wanted Leng Daoyin out of here. So, it’s related to the Nine Supremes. This is indeed inappropriate for Marshal Leng’s knowledge. I will speak on your behalf later. I guess that the old man is about to go crazy from the anger."
Qiu Jianhan chuckled dryly and said, "This doesn’t involve me. Supreme Wind just told me that he got hold of Supreme Water’s will not long ago which revealed something truly unexpected."
"Something unexpected…" The emperor lifted his head and cracked his neck as he said distractedly, "What is it? I’m suddenly very interested. Just speak frankly, stop baiting me. Otherwise, be warned that I will help Marshal Leng when he snubs you the next time!"
The emperor’s tone was teasing, unaware of the gravity of the situation.
Qiu Jianhan said, "The will states that Supreme Water of the Nine Supremes is actually a woman."
"What?" His Majesty who was massaging his neck stopped and looked at Qiu Jianhan.
Obviously, this information was very unexpected indeed! Lord Supreme Water of the renowned Nine Supremes was actually a female! What a huge secret that had been kept under wraps for so many years!
It was a massively shocking secret.
In spite of it, it was still a personal matter of the Nine Supremes, despite its shock value. It did not actually have much to do with Qiu Jianhan, the royals, Yutang, and even the world!
The emperor looked surprised on the outside but his heart was unmoved. He had learned the art of being an emperor and had long sharpened his heart to be stronger than gold, immutable and steady.
Once Qiu Jianhan began to speak, it was difficult to stop. It was easier to just spill everything out. He had gotten to this point anyway, there was nothing left that could not be said.
"Not only was Lord Supreme Water a woman, she was married." Old Marshal Qiu said quickly, "She also had a son."
His Majesty was unruffled, not knowing the intention behind Old Marshal Qiu’s words. DId he want to ask for a title and rewards for her son? That shouldn't be too difficult a task.
Qiu Jianhan then tossed the main point out in the open, "Supreme Water’s husband is Supreme Earth."
Upon finishing this line, he suddenly felt very much lighter at heart. He had finally spoken about what mattered most.
"Why does it matter who the husband was? Both Supreme Earth and Supreme Water are among the Nine Supremes. It’s only a matter of course before they would get married. It’s so very common for a man and woman to tie the knot. If you had said that two Supremes had gotten married first then only told me that Supreme Water is actually a female, I might…" As His Majesty talked, his teasing words faltered.
Crack!
His head whipped around to look at Qiu Jianhan, his eyes hawk-like. However, his neck obviously could not sustain the sudden movement; it cracked aloud as if the bone was broken.
Then, the emperor remained still.
Two Supremes tying the knot – Supreme Water’s husband was Supreme Earth.
Supreme Water had a son.
The emperor stayed frozen for a long while before he bellowed in an earth-shattering voice, "What? Repeat what you said!"
Half of the palace could hear his hollering, and whoever heard it shuddered immediately.
Outside, Leng Daoyin, who was angrily waiting for Qiu Jianhan to come out so he could settle what happened earlier with him, was reduced to a trembling mass by the terrifying roar.
Holy sh*t! It has to be quite serious to have shocked His Majesty to this extent!
What a large and scary matter! This place is a place of calamity! I simply can’t stay here any longer!
The emperor is infuriated now and it would make sense for Old Bastard Qiu to be affected by it, but I’m innocent! A gentleman does not stand under a crumbling wall!
It’s better that I leave first.
With a shudder, Leng Daoyin turned to leave with hurried steps.
"Marshal Leng, aren’t you waiting?"
"No, no. This old man suddenly recalls that I have something to tend to in my residence. I’ll leave first. I have a sudden stomachache. This old man doesn’t feel well…"
Leng Daoyin disappeared instantly.
Wait? Wait to be dragged into this mess? Even if it’s not the case, I’m not willing to take a scolding. This old man is a person who prizes dignity and stays far away from dark humor.
Let Old Useless Qiu shoulder this alone. Good luck, Old Qiu!
Leng Daoyin vanished with a swoosh; his speed impressed the internal palace guards.
A great marshal indeed! Such grace, such speech, such agility… we can really only watch in awe. Otherwise, how can he be one of Yutang’s two great marshals, the second-in-command of the capital city’s three greatest rogues? Impressive indeed!
I wonder why he looks a little sheepish…
A misconception, it must be a wrong impression – definitely an illusion!
Inside the study hall, long gone was the teasing manner, as His Majesty had lost his usual cool and wisdom; his reddened eyes were staring intently at the old marshal while his pupils were dilating. His entire face was flushed red, yet his lips were white.
He, who had been sitting primly, his body that recovered its health from the poison, was shaking like a sieve right now – like a fallen leaf in the wind.
His Majesty’s unblinking gaze at the old marshal screamed urgency, asking for a confirmed answer.
Old Marshal Qiu nodded and said, "Your Majesty, you heard it right. Supreme Earth of the Nine Supremes. The eldest, cough, was the one who tied the knot with Supreme Water, and they’ve given birth to a son. The boy is now two and a half years old."
Supreme Earth!
Supreme Earth got married to Supreme Water!
They had a son!
A son!
He was two and a half years old!
Two and a half years old!
These words crackled in the emperor’s ears successively like firecrackers, numbing his senses and disorientating him.
He could only hear his wheezing that was like a wind box and the fluttering in his chest.
His Majesty gripped the chair’s armrest as he lost control of his strength; the force actually indented the solid chair.
It was verified!
There was! There really was!
At this moment, the emperor did not even know what to feel. He sensed a blank buzz in his head while the world before his eyes exploded in a plethora of colors…
After a long time, when the colorful splatters were gone, the emperor finally caught his breath. His emotions were utterly mixed; he wanted to howl into the sky, wanted to laugh aloud, wanted to bawl on the floor, wanted even to offer incense to his ancestors, to thank the blessing of the divine beings and gods!
He remained stunned for a long while before collapsing into his chair in a heap of limbs without bothering to arrange himself, like a pile of mud that molded into the chair.
"It’s… my grandson?" The emperor’s eyes were wide open. "The grandson of my eldest son?"
"Your Majesty, please speak carefully!" Qiu Jianhan was startled. "This old official has been considering and contemplating whether I should tell Your Majesty about this all because I was afraid that Your Majesty would react too violently and cause an uproar in Yutang’s internal palace."
His Majesty the emperor was not behaving like a great emperor of his time at this moment, but more like an ordinary old man – an old man who had slowly lost hope on the safe return of his son only to be surprised that his son had left his bloodline behind!
A two and a half-year-old boy!
He had a grandson!
He had initially thought that all his bubbles of hope had been popped. Who would have known that God had still left him with some comfort!
God is good to me! God is good to the royal Yu!
His Majesty collapsed into a heap quietly; tears had been streaming down his face for some time.
"Where is the child now?" The next moment, the emperor, who had been like a wooden puppet, hopped up suddenly, grabbing Qiu Jianhan’s robes.
"I don’t know…" Old Marshal Qiu was startled by the sudden movement.
"Don’t know? You say you don’t know?" The words lit His Majesty’s rage at once; the abrupt rise of fury could almost set the entire palace ablaze.
"You went through all that trouble to come tell me this news and when you have delivered the news, you tell me you don’t know where the child is now?"
The emperor’s subsequent bellow was tinged with a sob and his tears shook the palace.
"Qiu Jianhan! You – you, you – this is treason!"