Chapter 128: Secret News
In the cave, after a long time, the flames gradually diminished. Lu Yun added a few more pieces of firewood, and only then did the firelight start jumping wildly again.
After a moment of daze, Du Mao suddenly snapped awake and said: “No matter what reasons you have, for killing the Initial Emperor and so many others, you deserve ten thousand deaths!”
“Indeed. I truly deserve death. These years, I’ve lived on in the world like a walking corpse, countless times wanting to end my own life, but every time the moment came, various thoughts would always emerge, making me continue to cling to life.” Gao Guangning gave a self-mocking smile and said: “I wanted to watch my child grow up; I saw myself as a ray of hope for the commoners; I even harbored the extravagant hope that one day, I could take revenge for the Initial Emperor…”
“Hmph!” Du Mao snorted coldly and said: “When all is said and done, it’s nothing more than cowardice.”
“Yes, I am cowardly.” Gao Guangning gave a dispirited smile: “Fortunately, you have appeared, and I can finally end this neither human nor ghost existence…”
“As long as you have this realization,” Du Mao, fearing Lu Yun would go soft, drew his twin sabers. Gao Guangning already knew their secret, and no matter what, he could not be left alive!
“Don’t be hasty, I still have words unfinished.” Gao Guangning’s face at this moment was full of the relaxation after relief; he looked at Lu Yun and said: “This criminal minister must report a few secrets to Your Highness, to slightly make amends for the offenses against Your Highness’s family.”
“Speak.” Lu Yun had always kept a blank expression, and only now did he nod.
“One is that I heard the Initial Emperor tell Sun Yuanlang that the Imperial Family has a secret treasure vault, which contains things seized from Taiping Dao—this is also why Sun Yuanlang was willing to risk entering the capital. The Initial Emperor promised him that as long as he could defeat the Noble Clans, the Taiping Cult treasures including《Taiping Sutra》 Gui Scroll would be returned in full.” Gao Guangning slowly said: “Legend has it that the treasure vault was built by the Founding Emperor, collecting countless treasures he looted while pacifying Under Heaven. Thus, if in the future his descendants prove unworthy and the Imperial Family declines, his heirs could still use the wealth in the treasure vault to make a comeback.”
“I’ve heard this legend too,” Du Mao shook his head and said: “But even Huangfu Yu couldn’t find it, so it’s probably just a rumor.”
“The Initial Emperor would never speak empty words or deceive Sun Yuanlang.” Gao Guangning said with certainty: “The Initial Emperor was not that kind of person.” As he spoke, his eyes burned with fanaticism: “If Your Highness can find that treasure, once trouble arises Under Heaven, you will have the capital to raise troops and confront the enemy!”
“Alright then, where is it?” Du Mao was made itchy at heart by his words and snorted.
“This I do not know.” Gao Guangning slowly shook his head: “But from what I know, the Initial Emperor was always searching, and the Xiahou Clan is also searching for this treasure. Actually, two years ago when the Imperial Court rebuilt the Yellow River embankment, one very important reason was a rumor that the Founding Emperor hid the treasure near the Bian River, but it was later submerged by the Yellow River.”
“Did they find anything?” This claim was one Du Mao had never heard before.
Gao Guangning shook his head.
“They couldn’t find it,” Du Mao cursed: “Where is my family lord to search?”
“Them not finding it doesn’t mean Your Highness can’t.” Gao Guangning said wistfully: “The《Imperial Extreme Profound Cave Skill》 that Your Highness practices is the Imperial Family’s supreme treasure canon, which the Initial Emperor always carried with him. But now it is in Your Highness’s hands, which shows that at that time the Initial Emperor decided to act ahead of time and foresaw the possibility of failure. That is why he left the Imperial Family treasure with the Empress. By the same logic, the importance of the Imperial Family treasure vault surpasses even the《Imperial Extreme Profound Cave Skill》—how could Your Majesty not make arrangements?”
Du Mao found his words reasonable and couldn’t help glancing at Lu Yun.
“But my Mother Empress never mentioned it.” Lu Yun then said softly.
“Perhaps the Empress didn’t have time to say, or the Initial Emperor didn’t instruct her directly…” Gao Guangning frowned and pondered for a moment, then smiled at Lu Yun: “Fate is destined in the shadows, just as I always couldn’t bear to kill myself—it turns out I was waiting to die before Your Highness. As long as the treasure vault truly exists, it will surely be fated with Your Highness.”
“You can speak of the second matter.” Lu Yun said in a deep voice.
“Yes.” Gao Guangning nodded and said softly: “For Your Highness to seek revenge, you cannot limit your gaze to the aristocrats. Those great aristocratic families are connected by blood, sharing honor and disgrace; hoping for their help will only end up with the same fate as the Initial Emperor…” He sighed and said: “At that time, the Initial Emperor thought that only the Xiahou Clan would risk it all with Prince Ping, at most adding the Xie Clan. Who knew that when push came to shove, top three great clans like the Pei Clan and Cui Clan would stand unhesitatingly by the Xiahou Clan’s side. The Lu Clan, Wei Clan, and Mei Clan stayed neutral, but plainly speaking, it was just standing by and watching!”
Lu Yun nodded; he had long known he could not pin his hopes on the Noble Clans.
“But has Your Highness ever thought? Among Under Heaven’s billions of people, how many aristocrats are there in total?” Gao Guangning asked.
“A few hundred thousand, perhaps.” Lu Yun said softly: “If you count in retainers, servants, and retainers, then there are countless…”
“Those retainers and servants—what difference do they have from commoners? In the eyes of the Noble Clans and aristocrats, they are no more than the difference between house dogs and wild dogs.” Gao Guangning thoroughly vented the resentment and hatred suppressed in his heart for most of his life: “In this Great Xuan Dynasty, the only ones truly treated as people are the disciples of the various clans and those smaller families dependent on them! The true people above people are only those direct lineage born to feasts of bells and tripods, destined to become high officials and nobles—how many such people are there? Three thousand or five thousand? Probably not exceeding ten thousand!”
“You’re digressing.” Lu Yun frowned slightly, but Gao Guangning spoke the truth. The class divisions in this Great Xuan Dynasty were extremely rigid; commoners and aristocrats were clearly divided, and within the aristocrats, direct and collateral lineages were equally divided. All opportunities belonged to the direct lineage in South of the Luo River; the collateral lineage in North of the Luo River could only get the scraps, no matter how capable you were.
Yes, even a prodigy like Lu Yun, if he didn’t take down Lu Feng and gain the Emperor’s favor, would absolutely have no chance of being selected.
And Lu Xin—those elders looked down on him precisely because he lived in South of the Luo River? Yet when Lu Jian caused such a huge mess, the elders shielded and protected him in every way because he was direct lineage. Where was there any reason to speak of?!
Under Heaven had never had any reason to speak of!
.
“Aristocrats are but a drop in the ocean of the Great Xuan Dynasty; commoners are that boundless ocean!” At this moment, Gao Guangning was like a fanatical preacher, waving his hands and proclaiming loudly to Lu Yun: “If Your Highness wants revenge, wants to achieve great deeds, you should set your gaze on the commoners. Once you no longer view the sky from the bottom of a well, you will discover countless pearls buried in the grass roots. The talents among us commoners absolutely outnumber those of the aristocrats by far too much!”
“What exactly do you mean?” Lu Yun asked in a deep voice.
“Beyond the aristocrats, there is the vast commoner force; among us commoners, men of insight have long despised the aristocrats’ monopoly and, from many years ago, secretly contacted and formed hidden societies, vowing to change this unfair world!” Gao Guangning said with face full of excitement: “Your Highness is the son of the Initial Emperor, with blood feud against the great aristocratic families—you are precisely the leader us lowly clans have bitterly awaited!”
“So you’re also a member of the organization?” Lu Yun looked at Gao Guangning.
“Yes… once was…” Gao Guangning said dispiritedly: “But after the upheaval ten years ago, they turned against me, and there has been no contact for many years.”
“Can you stop firing empty cannons?!” Du Mao couldn’t help cursing in anger: “Are you toying with my family lord?!”
“But I know that organization still exists, and is growing ever larger.” Gao Guangning said calmly: “I can tell Your Highness that my contact back then—when the time is ripe, Your Highness must get in touch with them! If you can bring them under your command, Your Highness can truly contend with the Noble Clans!”
“Speak.” Lu Yun nodded.
Gao Guangning then softly said a name. “Shang Yun.”
