Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 224 Still Remembering Guanshan (Final Chapter)
Yelena stood up, looked up at Aisha, and said calmly, "It was Monroe who took the king away. What does it have to do with me?"

Aisha retorted angrily: "You still dare to argue in front of everyone!"

Yelena said, "Then let's see what the great physician has to say."

This was destined to be a restless night.

The king died unexpectedly, and the royal court was immediately placed under martial law. Several key ministers were summoned, waiting for the princess and the eldest prince to settle their differences in the palace before deciding how to handle the aftermath.

However, after examination by the great physician Gneru, it was found that the wine for invoking the gods contained no poison. It only contained the Yaohua Qiongjiang, a nectar commonly used in monasteries and large hospitals, which had the effects of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, and strengthening the body. It was also a common and fine wine offered to the gods.

Yelena calmly replied, "Does the eldest prince intend to continue framing me?"

Aisha seemed unsurprised by the result, calmly saying, "Indeed, Yaohua Qiongjiang itself is not poisonous, but what if we add Kougu Mixiang? Generu, Kougu Mixiang is also a creation of your Great Hospital. The formula has undergone several changes, but there are three herbs that must be used. And these three herbs are incompatible with the ironwood fruit in the brewing of Yaohua Qiongjiang, aren't they?"

Gneru replied, “Indeed, but such a combination requires a large amount. In the current situation, Your Majesty would need to drink at least five whole jugs of the incense and inhale a great deal of the bone-penetrating incense. This is illogical, and the princess cannot do it either.”

“Besides taking large amounts of poison in a short period of time, isn’t there another way to poison someone?” Aisha reminded him. “For example, drinking Yaohua Qiongjiang for many years and then using incense to help you sleep each time you drink it… The toxins accumulate in your body little by little until the last dose of strong medicine kills you.”

“This…” Gneru said in a daze, “This is indeed possible, but how did Your Highness know?”

"The eldest prince speaks with such conviction, as if it were the truth," Yelena sneered. "It makes me wonder, if such a sophisticated and intricate method of poisoning truly exists, how did you come to know it?"

“Because Father was not the first person to die by such means.” Aisha took out a silk scroll from her bosom and said, “When Alan was young, she saw you serving medicine and incense to the Queen Mother. You served her the nectar of ironwood fruit and incense that cost a thousand gold pills. The Queen Mother’s body gradually weakened and she was in a daze all day long. The big hospitals could not find the cause and could only let her die.”

"Afterwards, Alan became increasingly suspicious. She managed to extract information from Munandon's female slave and learned about the method of poisoning. However, after the death of the Queen Mother, you gained power, and she dared not speak out. She could only record and seal this secret, hiding it behind the portrait of the Queen Mother at the academy, waiting for the day when she could expose your hypocritical mask and let the gods punish you."

"Is that so? Too bad she won't live to see it," Yelena said coldly.

"To escape your control, Alan volunteered for a marriage alliance, but even so, you still wouldn't let her go!" Aisha continued her accusations. "The Tinu cavalry invaded the old capital, forcing our entire nation to migrate. Alan and I wanted to fight back, but you secretly colluded with the Tinu people and slaughtered the entire marriage alliance procession! Do you really think we know nothing about this?!"

"What evidence do you have?"

“Of course I have evidence!” Aisha ordered, “Bring Caizhu from the death row! Search the princess’s bedchamber and bring all the incense pills inside!”

"What credibility can be found in the words of a sacrifice disguised as a princess!"

“No, she wasn’t a sacrifice. She was the only person Alan trusted in her despair,” Aisha said. “Alan willingly relinquished the title of princess, and she even told Caizhu’er only about your secret of poisoning your mother. Admittedly, she was just an ordinary merchant woman, but she was far more discerning than you, a princess, and was capable of shouldering the responsibility of restoring the kingdom!”

"Shut up!" Yelena roared. "What do you know? When Mohe was at its peak, the king only indulged in pleasure. Who was assisting him in managing the affairs of state? It was me! Before Ti Nu invaded our borders, I repeatedly reminded him to send troops to resist, but this coward only knew how to cede territory and beg for mercy, fleeing in terror! Mohe was teetering on the brink of collapse, and it was I who was struggling to keep it afloat! It was me!"

“You just won’t let go of the power you hold!” Aisha said. “You just want to live a life of superiority, and you’re delusional about controlling people who are lower than you, even if the price is becoming a lackey of Tinu!”

“Why not? What right do you have to force me to relinquish my power?” Yelena laughed. “Compared to that fat, useless king, am I not a more suitable ruler?”

"Princess, are you planning a rebellion?" an elderly courtier rebuked.

“Rebellion? Why would I rebel?” Yelena pointed madly at the assembled courtiers. “Munandon is dead, and you think I’ve lost power? A bunch of stubborn fools! I never placed my hopes on my stupid son. He’s just like his father, good for nothing except for his physical strength! You should support me! I am the future king of Mohe!”

"Absurd! The throne should naturally be passed to the prince..."

"So we've all been fooled by you!"

Just as everyone was discussing this, the guards brought Cai Zhu'er and the incense pills they had collected from the princess's bedchamber.

Aisha said gently, "Caizhu'er, can you identify the sleeping potion you smelled when the marriage procession was attacked?"

After listening to the corner of the wall outside the hall for a while and glancing around at everyone inside, Cai Zhu'er roughly understood the situation. She nodded in agreement and took each of the incense pills to smell.

Princess Wang's incense pills were numerous and their scents were mixed, making them difficult for ordinary people to distinguish. However, Cai Zhu'er was an expert in this field and quickly selected one: "This is it. It should be a modified version of the Bone-Piercing Incense, which is more potent and can even cause people to faint."

The great physician Gneru stepped forward to examine it: "Indeed, it is so." He added, "Just now I checked the incense burners in the temple and the king's bedchamber, and they also use this kind of incense. Years of use of this incense will create dependence, and when combined with the nectar of the Jade Flower... Alas, Princess, why did you commit regicide!"

Aisha said, “Because she could no longer hide it, and she couldn’t wait any longer. Several courtiers who colluded with her have confessed. They still have letters in their possession from the princess to King Tinu. After the sacrificial ceremony, in order to help Tinu fight against Da Xuan, they will have to offer half of Mohe’s wealth to Tinu. As a result, the nobles who are exploited will also become slaves of the Tinu people.”

The courtiers were shocked: "Princess, you've gone mad!"

Now that things had come to this, Yelena no longer bothered to hide it. She turned around, tossed the handkerchief she had used to wipe King Mohe's blood into the incense burner in the hall, and then walked towards the throne high above: "So what? What can you do to me?"

Cai Zhu'er was the first to react: "Quickly cover your mouth and nose! That handkerchief has a bone-penetrating incense on it!"

But it was too late for her to say it.

The handkerchief burned extremely quickly, and was soaked with a lot of incense. By the time the guard lifted the incense burner, it had already burned to ashes. As the thick smoke dissipated, everyone in the hall gradually lost their strength.

Aisha, undeterred, approached her step by step, long sword in hand: "You can't escape."

With her back to him, Yelinya's eyes were only on the throne: "Escape? I never thought of escaping, never. I only wanted... I only wanted to sit in the highest seat and see the scenery of this world."

Her vision blurred, and Aisha staggered.

Yelinya was also affected by the incense, but perhaps because of its long-term use, she did not faint as quickly.

Finally, she ascended the throne.

Aisha pointed the knife at her: "Get down, this doesn't belong to you."

He heard Cai Zhu'er shouting from below, "Come back quickly! Your Highness, her body..."

The surroundings were chaotic, and he couldn't hear clearly. When he turned around again, he saw Yelena reach out and take a candle from beside the throne. Looking at the flickering flame, she smiled and said, "Whether it belongs to me or not is not for you to decide."

With that, she released her grip, and the candle flame fell onto the hem of her skirt.

The flames suddenly shot up, and the fine silk emitted plumes of smoke, obscuring the view of the people below.

Aisha involuntarily took two steps back: "Your clothes... are they also soaked in the intoxicating fragrance?"

Flames engulfed her entire body, burning along with the silks and jewels on the throne. Yelena said, "Even if I die, I will die as the Queen of Mohe." Aisha lowered her longsword: "You've truly gone mad."

Yelena laughed, her face contorted with the burning pain. She glared at Aisha with resentment: "I'm crazy, but aren't you crazy too? Cough cough, you knew my plan, why didn't you stop it in time?"

"Why... did you only expose me after your father had drunk the incantation wine? Eldest Prince... your timing is impeccable..."

"You accuse me of regicide... Haha, you're the one who's trying to kill your father! Hahahaha..."

"You killed my child, I curse you, I curse you for the rest of your life... cough cough, but that will never come..."
-
Yelinya died by self-immolation, and the court of Mohe was filled with a strong, bone-crushing incense.

Just then, a group of Tinu cavalry stormed into the Naxi Valley. They had been colluding with the princess and planned to take advantage of the chaos in Mohe to plunder a large amount of wealth and slaves from them.

Unfortunately, they ran into the Zhenxi Army brought by Shentu Zhuo.

After a fierce battle, the Tinu cavalry were defeated and fled.

Seeing the palace of the royal court on fire, Shen Tu Zhuo did not have time to wipe the blood off his face. He spurred his horse into the fire and searched for a long time in the unfamiliar place before finally finding Cai Zhu'er being carried out by Ai Sha.

Shen Tu Zhuo nearly fell off his horse, and asked in a trembling voice, "What...what happened to her!"

Upon encountering him, Aisha collapsed to the ground, feeling dizzy and breathless, saying, "It's alright, the Bone-Piercing Incense..."

Shen Tu Zhuo felt a little relieved, but then remembered something and kicked Aisha hard: "I heard you wanted to send her to the stake? I think you're the one who should be sacrificed!"
-
Aisha was hastily enthroned during the Monroe festival that year.

After everything calmed down, ten days after the sacrificial ceremony, Caizhu'er's caravan was about to set off again.

Aisha handed her a travel document: "You are my sister, the princess of Mohe. This is your hometown, and the royal court is your home. Why do you still need to travel so far?"

Cai Zhu'er had refused the title of princess many times, but Ai Sha insisted on doing so.

Cai Zhu'er happily accepted the document, and looking at the "Mo He Merchants" seal on it, she couldn't stop smiling: "Being a princess is no fun, I still want to be a merchant's daughter, so I can go to many places, meet many people, and earn a lot of money..."

Aisha sighed helplessly, "Fine."

In the vast desert, camel bells jingled as the Daxuan delegation traveled alongside the Salan caravan.

Shentu Zhuo leaned close to Caizhu'er's ear and asked, "I'm also very curious, why don't you want to be a proper princess and instead choose to live this kind of life of hardship and exposure?"

Cai Zhu'er said, "Because I have some questions that Aisha will never answer. For example, whether my 'Joyful Tent Incense' actually fell into Mu Nandun's hands, and why he didn't stop the princess from poisoning her when he already had the clues left by Princess Alan..."

"After becoming the king of Mohe, he will have more things he has no choice but to do, but I can't help him, and I can't bear to see him torment himself. Since that's the case, it's better to withdraw as soon as possible and forget each other in the world."

Shen Tu Zhuo spurred his horse forward: "I thought... you couldn't bear to part with me."

Cai Zhu laughed loudly: "I really can't bear to part with you, Uncle."

Shen Tu Zhuo: "..." When will I be able to get rid of this title of "uncle"!
-
Five years later.

The trade routes to the western border became increasingly prosperous, and Shen Tu Zhuo was promoted as a result. However, he did not choose to stay in Andu, but instead went to Dunhuang County to serve as the county governor.

In the Singing Sand Valley, a four-year-old boy sat in a cave, swinging his legs boredly and peering into the distance.

Shen Tu Zhuo was intently painting the mural behind him.

The boy asked, "Grandpa, haven't they come back yet?"

The vermilion brush tip touched the silk robes of the flying apsaras in the painting. Shen Tu Zhuo patiently replied, "Wait a little longer, they should be back soon. Qiao Mao brought a message yesterday..."

Just then, the melodious sound of camel bells rang out, and he put down his pen.

A murmur rippled through the valley: "Look, the Salan caravan is back..."

The children cheered, "Great! We have new black beard toys to play with!"

"As expected of a royal merchant, the scale of their operation is impressive. There are about twenty cartloads of goods."

"Of course, this is the largest caravan traveling to and from the Western Regions. Even the Guangli Merchant Guild relies on the goods brought by Salan."

"I also heard that the owner of the Salan caravan is Princess Mohe? A member of the royal family!"

"Not only that, but that boss is a legendary figure..."

Shentu Zhuo, holding his son's hand, came down the mountain and eagerly awaited his arrival.

Ding-ling--ding-ling--

When the girl in red appeared, the boy could no longer contain himself and rushed forward, shouting, "Mother! Sister!"

Caizhu rode on a camel, her daughter gathered in front of her, and smiled at them.

She said, "We're back."

In the vast sea of ​​sand, there are songs that will never cease to be sung.

A woman, as beautiful as a pearl, dances swiftly in the vast desert.

The wind swept away the tattered banners, and the souls lingered by the old city.

A long song can shatter metal and stone; in dire straits, a silken string can be plucked.

Merchant banners fly high across ten thousand miles, and the remaining years are spent traversing mountains and passes.
-
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