Chapter 129: Layers Of Mystery
After saying that name, Gao Guangning told Lu Yun all the important details he knew about the Xiahou Clan and the Imperial Court.
By the time he finished completely, the bonfire in the cave had basically gone out.
Glancing at the red and white embers, Lu Yun sighed faintly and said, “End it yourself.”
After saying that, he walked out of the cave.
Outside the cave, trees stood in dense rows, lush and green like clouds. Looking into the distance, one could vaguely see Cuiyun Peak with its many palaces and temples. This was a remote mountain ridge in the three hundred li Mount Mang, rarely visited by people.
Standing atop the mountain ridge and carefully observing the surroundings, one would notice some large and small mounds. Those grass-covered mounds were extremely inconspicuous, but beneath every one was buried an emperor, general, high official, or noble from a hundred or several hundred years ago!
Mount Mang, with its back to the mountains and facing water, gathering wind and qi, was the best feng shui burial place under heaven. Since the Qin and Han dynasties, countless prominent figures had built magnificent tombs here, sleeping eternally with countless rare treasures. Yet after several hundred years, with the rise and fall of dynasties, no one remembered their names. Only grave robbers visited from time to time, excavating their tombs and stealing the burial goods.
In fact, the cave where Gao Guangning had been interrogated was an ancient tunnel.
Standing amid the cluster of tombs on Mount Mang, Lu Yun felt a myriad of emotions, his mood extremely complex.
“Young Master.” Only when Du Mao came out and softly called him did Lu Yun withdraw his wandering thoughts.
“Handled properly?” Lu Yun asked in a low voice.
“Mm.” Du Mao nodded, rasping, “That guy dawdled for a long time and still didn’t dare to do it himself, so he ended up begging me to help.”
“Death is the hardest thing since ancient times.” Lu Yun looked at the imperial tombs around him and sighed faintly, “But who can escape it?”
“Heh heh,” Du Mao chuckled, “As the saying goes, born in Su Hang, buried in North Mang. Gao Guangning died in a fitting place.”
“Let’s go back.” Lu Yun felt no exhilaration after revenge; instead, a trace of confusion arose.
On the way back, seeing him silent the whole time, Uncle Bao couldn’t help saying, “Young Master, what are you thinking about?”
“I’m thinking,” Lu Yun said slowly, “if I were Gao Guangning and faced the situation from ten years ago, how would I choose?”
“Young Master would naturally not betray heaven and conscience,” Uncle Bao said matter-of-factly.
“I’m afraid I would be the same as him.” Lu Yun shook his head, his voice deep: “Choosing his own family…” He examined his heart; over these ten years, he had thought only of revenge for his parents, never of greater righteousness under heaven. Right now, the only ones who could make him hesitate were his closest kin, Lu Ying and Lu Xin.
So what qualification did he have to demand that Gao Guangning abandon his family for his own Father Emperor?
Seeing that Gao Guangning had quite an impact on Lu Yun, Uncle Bao hurriedly said seriously, “Your Highness, do not belittle yourself. When the time comes, you will surely make the right choice! Not like Gao Guangning…”
“The right choice?” Lu Yun sighed in confusion. What was the right choice? Every option was wrong!
“Young Master…” Seeing Lu Yun waver, Uncle Bao grew anxious.
“Uncle, don’t worry. I know what I must do.” Lu Yun quickly comforted him with a glance and turned the topic to the main matter. “Do you think what Gao Guangning said can be fully trusted?”
“When a man is about to die, his words are good. It shouldn’t be false,” Uncle Bao thought for a moment and said. “I can’t think of any reason for him to deceive us.”
“If what he said is all true.” Lu Yun nodded, frowning tightly. “Then the events of ten years ago weren’t as simple as you said.”
“Heh…” Uncle Bao touched the scar on his face, embarrassed. “My official position at the time limited what I knew of the inside story.”
“According to Gao Guangning, someone was clearly stirring things up in secret, causing my Father Emperor and Huangfu Yu’s side to clash prematurely, leading to the current situation.” Lu Yun said in a deep voice, “Obviously, that person isn’t aligned with Huangfu Yu or Xiahou Ba.”
“Yes.” Du Mao nodded. Zhang Xuanyi’s appearance in the Capital City back then was an unexpected situation no one had anticipated. Without this number one Grandmaster joining, the Baoen Temple Incident’s outcome would have been impossible to predict. So both sides had been forced into the Baoen Temple as a dueling ground!
“So even if Huangfu Yu and Xiahou Ba ultimately won, they absolutely wouldn’t spare that troublemaker.” Lu Yun said in a deep voice, “I see that person clearly wanted both sides to fight to mutual destruction, so he could reap the benefits as the fisherman! To put it not exaggeratedly, that man is the real culprit of the Baoen Temple Incident!”
“What Young Master says makes sense,” Uncle Bao nodded. “The situation in the Capital City back then was truly bewildering. The various clans all had their own schemes, and no small number wanted to profit from the chaos.” He frowned tightly and said, “But who exactly is that person?”
“The other clans are all possible, even that commoner organization’s motives are sufficient, as Gao Guangning mentioned.” Lu Yun’s gaze grew clearer as he tried to pierce the layers of fog to see the face of the one hiding behind the scenes.
“Makes sense.” Uncle Bao nodded. “If what Gao Guangning said is true, that commoner organization has the capability too.” He said incredulously, “Shang Yun, the world’s richest man, has always been extremely deferential to the Eight Great Clans!”
Shang Yun was the liaison Gao Guangning mentioned, and he had another well-known identity: the patriarch of the world-famous Merchant Family. The Merchant Family wasn’t one of the great aristocratic families that produced generals and prime ministers. They rose a century ago, starting with smuggling private salt, then when the Founding Emperor raised his army, the previous patriarch of the Merchant Family offered all his resources, solving the Founding Emperor’s major problems with troops and grain and fodder.
After the Founding Emperor obtained the world, he reciprocated by entrusting the Imperial Court’s grain transport, tax silver, and other money and grain matters entirely to the Merchant Family. The Merchant Family thus flourished greatly, becoming the wealthiest under heaven. Though they couldn’t compare to the Eight Great Clans, they were seen by the world as the ninth great clan, next only to the seven clans.
By rights, the Merchant Family rose thanks to Great Xuan and should be absolutely loyal to Great Xuan, but Gao Guangning said that the current patriarch Shang Yun was a high-level member of the commoner organization plotting to overthrow the Imperial Court. It was truly hard to believe…
“It’s still too early to say which family, or even which several families.” Lu Yun shook his head helplessly and said softly, “But what is certain is that ten years ago, they neither achieved their goal nor exposed themselves, but hid away.” He smiled sardonically, “Sooner or later, they’ll stir up trouble again!”
“Yes, it’s too early to say anything now. Even if we confirm the Merchant Family truly opposes the Imperial Court, with Young Master’s current strength, we absolutely cannot contact them.” Uncle Bao agreed deeply. “Young Master might as well proceed step by step and watch quietly for changes.”
“Right.” Lu Yun stopped and looked at Uncle Bao. “Let’s part ways here.”
“Young Master, take care.” Uncle Bao obeyed, saluted Lu Yun, then turned and vanished into the deep mountain forest.
Watching the direction Uncle Bao disappeared, Lu Yun sighed deeply. Some things he couldn’t even tell Uncle Bao; he could only verify and investigate them himself… For example, what exactly made his Father Emperor lose reason back then, and did it have anything to do with his Mother Empress?
And for instance, might the Imperial Family Treasure Vault that Gao Guangning mentioned be recorded in the Imperial Extreme Profound Cave Skill?
Lu Yun stood quietly in the mountain wind. The more he pondered, the more irritated he became, so he could only forcibly suppress the jumbled thoughts and investigate them one by one.
Moments later, his gaze regained its firmness, and he sped toward the place where he had hidden the Imperial Seal and cultivation method.
