Chapter 148: Lingering Nightmare
Chapter 148: Lingering Nightmare
The courtyard full of chrysanthemums was populated with various famous specimens, but the three men had no interest in the blossoms. They were silent as they walked, finally reaching a wooden pavilion behind an artificial mountain before Jing Mo spoke to Gu Xingnuo.
"Your emperor wants to drag things out regarding Junior Master Fenglin, but I don't think that's appropriate. Fenglin has a mouth, so it'll be up to him to decide how to spin the tale to Head Monk Mo Wen when he returns to Eternal Life Temple."
Zuo You sat on one of the stone seats in the pavilion and laughed coldly. "Then just make it so he can never return to the temple. He's only a junior master. You really think he'll inherit Mo Wen's position one day?"
"Are you going to kill him?" Jing Mo asked.
Zuo You's face turned green. He despised the Eternal Life Temple monks, but he didn't want to see White Tiger destroyed, either.
Guo Xingnuo picked up the purple clay teapot resting on its small stove and poured them all some tea. In a small voice, he said, "I only found out today that those two high-ranking monks, Chen Qi and Chen Mie, came with Fenglin to Fengtian."
Jing Mo was quick to reply. "You think they're not of one mind with Fenglin? Even if that's the case, they would never go against the temple and do something untowards to Fenglin."
Zuo You nodded. "Jing Mo's right. Those two have superb martial arts skills, but they have no guts to go against Mo Wen."
Gu Xingnuo rotated the tea cup in his hands. "In a previous year, Mo Wen wanted to take on another disciple. However, that child took ill on the trip and died from lack of treatment."
Jing Mo replied, "You think Fenglin did that? That year, it was my Zhuri Country's State Preceptor who went to pick up the child. As Mo Wen's eldest disciple, shouldn't he be a more suspicious suspect?"
Gu Xingnuo smiled and nodded. "Eldest Imperial Prince speaks rightly. I'm not interested in who sabotaged the child. In truth, there's not a single person in Eternal Life Temple who would turn down the chance to be Mo Wen's personal disciple."
Zuo You was getting impatient. "Both of you have fought your share of battles and led troops. Can't you talk like military men and get to the point? Just what are you trying to say?"
Gu Xingnuo said, "Since State Preceptor Wu Huan couldn't even accept a small child with no guarantee of mastering the Buddhist precepts, how could he ever tolerate someone like Fenglin?"
Jing Mo's eyebrow arched up.
Zuo You said, "You mean to say—no way, right? Wu Huan and Fenglin are like blood brothers. Just ask Jing Mo. Has there ever been a year where Wu Huan didn't write letters inviting Fenglin to be his guest at Zhuri? This time, Fenglin wanted to kill your Cheng Guan. I'm guessing he's doing it all for Wu Huan's sake. We all know that Cheng Guan once went against Wu Huan in the early years."
Gu Xingnuo struck the nail on the head as he replied, "But in the end, didn't Junior Master Fenglin never visit Zhuri Country, not even once?"
Zuo You gave a start before slapping the stone table. "Gu Xingnuo, you're saying that we should borrow Wu Huan's hands for this matter?"
Gu Xingnuo lowered his head to sip his tea, his expression hidden from the other two by his hand. Jing Mo stared at him a while before giving a bark of laughter.
"Gu Xingnuo, how are you so sure I'll help you?"
"Our Gu Clan only wants to protect the safety of the princess," Gu Xingnuo replied. "However, our Fengtian Country is small and weak, to say nothing of the fact that we Gu Clan are only its courtiers."
Jing Mo asked Zuo You, "Are you going to bet the welfare of your White Tiger Country on helping Princess Linglong?"
Zou You opened and closed his mouth. He could die for the sake of the princess, but he couldn't drag his country down with him in death.
Gu Xingnuo placed his cup back on the table and said, "Eldest Imperial Prince is ambitious enough to set your sights on the world, but you've never been to Eternal Life Temple. For the sake of Zhuri's kingdom, you'll have to confront them sooner or later."
Jing Mo's smile vanished as he looked down to study his teacup.
Gu Xingnuo looked at Zuo You next. "As for Grand Marshal Zuo, the young prince of Zhuri matures daily while Esteemed Empress Dowager ages day by day. Your Zuo Clan has autocratic regency now, but will the imperial Rong Clan allow this to continue indefinitely? Oh, that's right. Behind the prince stands the support of Eternal Life Temple as well."
Jing Mo now looked at Zuo You as well, his voice soft. "This morning I received news that Empress Dowager Zuo fell ill. Your little emperor has been holding court himself for over two months."
"What?!" Zuo You slapped the table and stood up.
"What now?" Jing Mo echoed. "Even we Zhuri people know what's going on in White Tiger, but you as the regent know nothing?"
Gu Xingnuo's tone was light. "If the young emperor is already taking charge of the government, then it's not difficult to block such news from the grand marshal."
Zuo You thought it over. If his elder sister passed away while he was far off in Fengtian, then his Zuo Clan... A chill stole upon his back as he stopped that train of inquiry.
"All right," Jing Mo spoke up next. "We both have reasons to make Eternal Life Temple our enemy. What's yours?"
"If I say it's for the sake of the princess, will Eldest Imperial Prince believe me?" Gu Xingnuo replied.
Jing Mo shook his head. "I would if it was Gu Xinglang speaking, but I don't trust your words."
Gu Xingnuo's fingers on the table trembled before he said, "Naturally, I have my reasons. Moreover, our emperor will definitely think of some way to deal with Fenglin if it's for the princess's sakes. As his subject, it is my job to help the sovereign allay his troubles."
"You've studied martial arts at Eternal Life Temple in the past," Jing Mo stared at him. "I heard Mo Wen took extra care of you back then by having the temple's best instructor teach you. Mo Wen's never treated you badly, so why this now?"
Gu Xingnuo rested a hand on his forehead. There were some things he didn't want to remember again. The towering summit of Mt. Zhu was covered in snow year round, and the world's people believed it was a holy place of gods and Buddhas. But within the abyss between those peaks, in the dark underground places of the so-called restricted areas, screams of creatures who were either beasts or humans still rang in Gu Xingnuo's ears. It was a lingering nightmare that never left his side.
"Gu Xingnuo?" Jing Mo asked when Gu Xingnuo didn't answer.
Gu Xingnuo put down his hand on his forehead and told them, "People only live for fame and fortune, after all. Eldest Imperial Prince, you want the world. Grand Marshal Zuo, you want to protect your clan's wealth and interests. I want to protefct my family. Since we share a common enemy, why not form a one-time alliance?"
"What are you planning to do?" Zuo You asked roughly.
"Eternal Life Temple has existed for over a thousand years," Gu Xingnuo replied. "Outsiders only see it as a temple upon the summit of Mt. Zhu, high and far out of reach..."
"If we sow internal discord within their ranks," Jing Mo interrupted, "We can simply watch from the peaks as the tigers fight beneath. It's not a bad idea."
Beneath the wind and rain, a few marigold blossoms fell from their branches, abruptly ending their life of splendor.
Many years later when the dust had finally settled, this meeting between a prince, a grand marshal, and a general in the wooden pavilion would be treated by humanity as the start of all the strife and flames of war that fed the joys and sorrows of countless people in the world.
—
Yu Xiaoxiao had just finished listening to Xiao Wei explaining the enmity between Eternal Life Temple and Jing Mo and Zuo You. As she munched on a red bean bun, she told Gu Xinglang, "No need to fear this Eternal Life Temple."
Since Jing Mo would become Zhuri's emperor in the future, that meant the temple couldn't beat him in the last timeline. Now that she, Drillmaster Yu, was here as well, they had even less to worry about.