The Word of Heaven

Chapter 359 Weiyang

Chapter 359 Weiyang
The White Emperor looked at her silently, without saying a word.

The queen's lips twitched, her smile revealing undisguised provocation.

"What is the point of trying to provoke me?"

The White Emperor's tone was indifferent, as bland as water.

The empress seemed to have lost interest; her smile held a hint of annoyance, and her words became more direct.

"I have never seen you in such a wretched state, so I thought you were probably going to die at Gu Zhuo's hands. Rather than losing your composure before you die and ruining the reputation of Great Qin, it is better to be angry now."

She said gently, "Although this is the Cold Palace, there is still a mirror here so you can see yourself clearly."

A sigh rang out.

The White Emperor shook his head and asked, "Do you really want to die by my hand?"

Upon hearing the word "death," the Empress showed no murderous intent and said, "I don't mind dying at your hands. Of course, I'd rather live. Otherwise, why would I have asked you if you wanted to entrust your child to me?"

The White Emperor calmly said, "Continue."

The Empress smiled casually, her expression nonchalant, and said, "Bai Langxing is too inexperienced. His methods and level of understanding are far from sufficient. What difference is there between him sitting on the throne and a child? At that time, the court will inevitably be in chaos. In the past, chaos was acceptable, and even in the worst situation, the army could be used to suppress it. But is that still possible now?"

The White Emperor remained silent.

The Cold Palace was not a prison, and the Empress was never isolated from the world.

With her cultivation talent and realm that even Yingxu admired, how could she not sense the earth-shattering change that had transformed the wasteland?

Without needing to examine the files sent from the border, she could tell from her intuition honed over more than twenty years of handling government affairs that the Qin Dynasty would face far greater pressure in the north than ever before.

Under such circumstances, the Qin state must have a strong ruler step forward, otherwise chaos will inevitably arise, which could very well lead to the collapse of the thousand-year-old Qin state in a single day.

These words need not be spoken aloud; the two people sitting opposite each other understand perfectly well.

"You are a wise ruler."

The Empress looked into the White Emperor's eyes and said slowly, "You are the wise ruler who saved the Qin Dynasty from collapse and ushered in its second millennium. For the past hundred years, you have always been a wise ruler. Now that you are about to pass away, it is only natural that you should consider your affairs after death, isn't it?"

The White Emperor calmly said, "You are indeed the most suitable choice."

"Or else?"

The Queen's smile deepened, whether mocking or something else, as she said, "Your only concern is what if I kill Bai Langxing? But that's not an insurmountable problem, is it?"

The White Emperor wasn't angry. He looked at her gently and said, "What if you really can do it?"

The Empress said, "Why must I speak frankly?"

It may seem like nothing was said, but in fact everything was said.

It's nothing more than a change of dynasty.

The White Emperor stood up and walked out of the Cold Palace.

The empress watched his retreating figure, her expression unchanged.

Halfway there, the White Emperor stopped and said, "I will give you a chance."

The Queen sighed, "You've really gotten old."

The White Emperor said, "I am looking forward to it."

The Queen said, "Hope is actually the two most boring words in the world."

The White Emperor remained calm and thus ended the conversation.

After watching her husband leave, the empress walked into the cold sunlight, bathed in the chilly wind that offered no hint of spring.

Her mind grew increasingly cold and hard, like a stone sunk to the deepest part of a pond, without a single soft spot.

But she still didn't understand what the White Emperor wanted to do or why he was behaving this way.

Fortunately, none of that mattered to her anymore.

she thought.

……

As time goes by, the capital bids farewell to the cold winter amidst the hustle and bustle, and welcomes the first hint of spring sprouting on the branches.

Thin ice floes, not yet melted, float on Baima Lake. When they encounter the boat, they shatter into pieces, producing an unexpectedly pleasant sound.

Gu Zhuo lay on that ship, as if sleeping in the sky.

Contrary to everyone's expectations, he hadn't made any preparations these past few days, simply wandering around at his own pace.

Three meals a day, and occasionally a late-night snack.

He ate attentively when it was time to eat, and if the afternoon was sunny, he would go out for tea and sit and watch chess. If the clouds were thick, he would light the lamps early and go copy books... He lived this old life with a poetic touch.

After the sky darkened, he would sit in front of the small clay stove and drink with Lin Wanyi, who returned wearing a straw hat.

You can talk a lot, but you shouldn't get drunk.

It wasn't until one winter's end, when spring rain crept in with the wind into the night, that Lin Wanyi became slightly tipsy.

The rain fell like silk threads, and even the lamplight seemed damp.

The two sat facing each other and talked for a long time until the night ended, saying many things.

This was probably their longest conversation ever.

As dawn broke, Lin Wanyi got up to take a bath and change her clothes.

The girl changed into her most beautiful clothes.

It was a long, bright red dress embroidered with dark gold, extremely beautiful.

Then, the two set off.

Stepping onto the old street stained with blood from Baima Lake, they walked slowly forward in the gentle spring breeze, looking more like two travelers who had traveled from afar, unnoticed by anyone.

Unfortunately, as with all things in life, tranquility is ultimately fleeting.

The rain cast a hazy blue hue over the sky, making the slowly approaching black umbrella stand out starkly. The entire court of officials silently parted to make way.

The prime minister watched this scene with great pain, wanting to step forward several times, but ultimately had to give up.

Passing through the long, dark, and abyss-like city gate, the majestic palace bursts into view like a mountain, its grandeur undiminished.

……

Weiyang Palace was the center of power in the entire human world.

The only one comparable to him is Xuandu from a hundred years ago.

Rainwater flows on the ancient eaves tiles, washing out the distant smell of time. The stone steps seem to still retain traces of that winter solstice, perhaps because of the faint fishy smell lingering in the air.
Lin Wanyi looked at Gu Zhuo and said, "This is my stop."

Gu Zhuo asked, "Okay."

Lin Wanyi smiled gently and said, "I will come back."

"That's an unlucky phrase."

Gu Zhuo shook his head and said, "I'll pretend I didn't hear you."

Lin Wanyi was somewhat surprised and asked, "Is this okay?"

Gu Zhuo said, "Of course."

Lin Wanyi liked the tone of his words and said earnestly, "Goodbye."

After she finished speaking, she took a few steps forward, but then suddenly felt it wasn't enough.

then.

The girl suddenly turned around, her skirt billowing in the wind, her eyes sparkling with a bright smile.

Like flowers in the rain.

"see you later."

……

The moment Gu Zhuo stepped into Weiyang Palace, the lights suddenly blazed on.

The darkness was gone, and the White Emperor sat alone on his throne, his chin resting on one hand.

He still didn't tidy his appearance; his pale beard was casually disheveled, but what he exuded was not dishevelment, but power.

Fragments of the morning and evening bells drifted through the empty hall, rotating along a complex and indistinct trajectory. Even cultivators who had reached the Ascension Realm would be disturbed by their gaze upon them for a long time.

Gu Zhuo glanced at it briefly, his eyes revealing no emotion.

He moved a chair from who-knows-where and sat down, about ten feet away from the White Emperor.

The very first scene that determined their future meeting in the human world was so hastily arranged.

"Wait a minute?"

The White Emperor spoke up to ask.

Gu Zhuo nodded slightly and said, "Would you like a cup of tea?"

A tea tray appeared out of thin air.

The White Emperor personally brewed him a pot of tea.

Gu Zhuo picked up the teacup and brought it to his nose, as if gently smelling a crabapple blossom, and said with a smile, "Very good."

The White Emperor said, "It's all about practice."

Over the years, he has spent his time either fishing or brewing tea at Jinghai. How could he not be an expert in this field?
After taking a sip of the tea, Gu Zhuo began to wait.

The same applies to the White Emperor.

Outside Weiyang Palace, the night mysteriously returned, growing deep.

……

The morning light shines brightly on the human world.

Lin Wanyi, holding the oil-paper umbrella, entered the Cold Palace.

In this desolate world, she became the only color, growing ever more intense and vibrant.

The palace came into view.

With the creaking sound of the door hinges turning, that person arrived.

The Queen seemed somewhat surprised.

This is mainly reflected in the eyes.

She did not stand up, because there was a zither in front of her, and her fingers were pressing the strings.

The wind and rain brought a chill.