Chapter 738: Chang'an, Chang'an

Chapter 738: Chang'an, Chang'an

Clouds veiled the Qinling Mountains; where was home? Snow choked the Blue Pass; the horse would not go on.

As the typical north-south dividing line, Zhao Changhe rode north swiftly and was fortunate to witness a scene where a mountain range separated north and south—no snow on the southern side, while the northern side was covered in white.

After flying over the mountain ridge, a chill immediately struck, and even the black steed couldn't help but shiver, shrinking back a little.

Seeing the silver-clad world ahead, Zhao Changhe felt a surge of emotion.

When he returned from overseas, it was the first snow; now winter had not yet fully passed, yet it felt as long as several years. How many things had happened in these two or three months...

Sima Xiao said that the deeper one cultivates, the sooner white hair appears...

It was a joke, of course—white hair was impossible—but there was truth within the jest. In these mere two or three months, Zhao Changhe had braved wind and snow, traversed the divine land, fought countless battles with his blade, and bathed in blood. Amidst it all, how many schemes and worries had he endured? An ordinary person would never have held out.

And the only region he had never set foot in now lay before him.

Guanlong... Chang'an.

This place name could easily evoke feelings of the present world. Especially when combined with the surname Li, that feeling became even more pronounced. Zhao Changhe had once been reluctant to regard them as enemies.

But clearly, in this world, the Qinghe Cui and Langya Wang were mere imitations, and the Longxi Li was naturally the same—nothing like what he knew, so there was no need for any special sentiment.

What remained unchanged was that this world's Chang'an was still the ancient capital of many dynasties. Apart from Xia Longyuan, who had chosen the present capital due to the qi of Beimang, most previous dynasties had selected Chang'an, for its mountains and rivers were still suitable.

And... this place was not entirely unfamiliar; there was a local to guide him.

Yue Hongling herself.

She was a girl from Shaanxi, though thankfully her accent wasn't "Oh my god."

"Luoxia Manor is not far from the foot of Mount Hua, do you know?" Yue Hongling was asking.

Zhao Changhe felt a little awkward: "I know."

He knew but had never thought to come and see it—caught red-handed, a bit embarrassed. But he was truly too busy; when had he ever had such leisure? And she herself, Yue Hongling, didn't know how long it had been since she last returned home.

Speaking of Mount Hua and the surname Yue, the omen wasn't great—though it referred not to Yue Hongling but to her master, Yue Fenghua.

Yue Hongling was a refugee at the foot of Mount Hua, her family long dead. She was adopted by Yue Fenghua, took his surname, and her original surname was unknown. For this reason, no matter how far she roamed the jianghu, Yue Hongling still had a natal home. Hence, she had previously told Zhao Changhe to go propose marriage.

Luoxia Manor was merely a third-rate minor sect. Yue Fenghua was only at the seventh level of Xuan Pass, not even comparable to the Luo Family Manor. Yet it had gained great fame because of Yue Hongling. Back then, Lord Luo had told Luo Zhenwu that if he wanted to win Yue Hongling, he might start with her sect—threatening her master, for instance.

In truth, Lord Luo lacked research and was being presumptuous.

Many had thought the same, but none had acted on it. Why? Besides, Yue Hongling had many enemies from her chivalrous deeds in the jianghu, yet no one troubled Luoxia Manor.

Because on the surface, Yue Hongling had long been "expelled from the sect." Long ago, not long after the underage Hongling first emerged, she killed an evil servant of the Longxi Wei family. Yue Fenghua couldn't bear the pressure and had to expel her to sever ties. This was why Yue Hongling had never returned home. Since the matter was minor and she was already expelled, the Wei family didn't bother Luoxia Manor further, nor did they hunt down a little girl across the world. The matter simply passed.

However, this so-called "expulsion" was from the start a protective measure, as Yue Fenghua told his disciple: we still regard you as our disciple; come back when the storm passes. With those words, Yue Hongling knew her youthful recklessness had brought trouble to her master, so she didn't blame him. After tearfully leaving the sect, she still considered this place her natal home.

What Yue Fenghua truly thought in his heart was unknown, but objectively, it freed Yue Hongling from future worries, making her the most famous young female chivalrous figure. The stain of expulsion was no stain at all; everyone knew it was due to her righteous deeds, not wrongdoing.

Her enemies generally wouldn't think to trouble Luoxia Manor; who knew if she hated the sect? Attacking it might actually help her vent her anger? Thus, Luoxia Manor remained peaceful to this day, untouched.

Later, as Yue Hongling's cultivation grew and her fame rose, the relationship changed.

When Yue Hongling reached the seventh or eighth level of Xuan Pass and ranked among the top ten of the Hidden Dragon, she was already a renowned martial artist. At that time, there were only about a hundred people in the world who had broken through to the Secret Treasury. The head of the Wei family was only at the ninth level of Xuan Pass, and Yue Hongling, so young, was nearly his equal, with even greater potential. A sensible family head would naturally not dwell on a trivial matter of killing a servant years ago (he might not even have known about it then). Instead, he should use the "connection" to show magnanimity and win over a Hidden Dragon genius.

Thus, Wei Changming, the head of the Wei family, began to call Yue Fenghua "brother," declaring that Luoxia Manor was under their protection. Yue Fenghua no longer worried and began to boast everywhere that this was their sect's disciple. Yue Hongling, in turn, showed respect and began to call herself "Yue Hongling of Luoxia Manor." From then on, Luoxia Manor truly gained fame, with disciples flocking in like a river of fish, becoming the foremost sect on Mount Hua. Yue Fenghua himself, with a surge in resources, slowly cultivated to the ninth level of Xuan Pass over the years—truly a master elevated by his disciple.

When Lord Luo thought he could threaten the sect, it was already far beyond his reach; he couldn't threaten it at all.

Under normal circumstances, Yue Hongling could return home in glory, and the villagers would welcome her with drums and gongs.

But now, things were a bit delicate—Zhao Changhe was the Prince of Zhao of the Great Han, in a hostile situation with Guanlong. Given Yue Hongling's relationship with Zhao Changhe, it might not usually affect Luoxia Manor, which she had never returned to, but once she did, no one could predict the outcome.

The two sat on horseback, gazing at distant Mount Hua. Yue Hongling pondered for a long time, then said softly: "Our love affair, though widely rumored, is mostly just 'jianghu gossip.' Few truly know we are together. Besides, given my nature, even if in love, I might run off tomorrow. So in others' eyes, our bond may not be as deep as we think."

Zhao Changhe's mouth twitched: "You seem quite proud of that, don't you?"

"Hmph. Now I'm caught by you... Are you very proud?"

"..."

"Oh, anyway, what I mean is, if I go back, I can shake off my connection with you. I can swagger back and help you find out the current situation in Guanlong."

Zhao Changhe was a bit uneasy: "You're going alone?"

Yue Hongling couldn't help but laugh: "Hey, I'm at the Imperial Realm. Do you even know what that means?"

"Not really. I've beaten down nearly a handful of Imperial Realm cultivators."

"...I think it's more like the Imperial Realm cultivators you've held in your arms that number nearly a handful. You have no reverence."

Zhao Changhe counted silently: "Not that many."

"You actually counted?" Yue Hongling was both amused and exasperated: "Alright, we've broken up."

"?" Zhao Changhe was holding her waist as they sat on the horse; at her words, his hands moved upward directly: "Say that again?"

Yue Hongling softened at his touch, panting as she leaned against him: "Don't... I'll have to say that when I go back. Get used to it. If we meet publicly, don't slip up. It's just acting—you and that stinky Sisi are quite familiar with this, aren't you?"

This was indeed the most direct and effective way to quickly understand the current situation. Zhao Changhe thought about it with some displeasure: "If we split up to gather information, we still need a meeting place."

Yue Hongling smiled: "Chang'an has many famous spots. Pick any one... How about the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda? Yuan Cheng said they were in Chang'an before; I reckon they're there. It's also a good chance to see what the Buddhist sect's situation is in Chang'an."

Zhao Changhe considered it. Feasible. Indeed, Yuan Cheng had said they were originally in Chang'an but, due to lack of trust, had moved out to Xiangyang. So were there still monks in Chang'an now? If so, was Yuan Cheng being duplicitous? Or could the Buddhist sect be brought into this matter? What was the situation with their Buddha?

After all the twists and turns, many things he had learned before might not end up corresponding to the Western Regions and Kunlun, but could converge entirely on Chang'an.

"Stop squeezing..." Yue Hongling turned around and kissed his lips: "Be good. We've only been together a few days, and you can't bear to part?"

Zhao Changhe hugged her slender waist and kissed her fiercely.

Indeed, he usually acted alone; it was rare to have Sister Yue by his side the whole time, flying together. Even a brief separation left him feeling empty.

They kissed passionately for a while, then Yue Hongling pushed him away, gasping, straightened her rumpled clothes, leaped up, and flew toward Mount Hua.

Halfway, she turned back with a smile: "If you want to be together every day, it depends on when my great hero pacifies the world. When that day comes, Hongling will sheathe her sword, rest her horse on the southern mountain, and cook for you."

Her voice lingered as her figure disappeared into the mountains.

Zhao Changhe watched the fading red silhouette, let out a long sigh, and rubbed his head.

Yes, to be together, there would be a lifetime ahead.

Cook what? At most, you can make roujiamo. Well, with those waist and leg strength, maybe you can squeeze me?

Zhao Changhe pondered for a moment, then took out his makeup materials again, casually painted a new appearance, rode to the city gate, dismounted, and obediently led his horse, presenting his travel pass to enter.

He had a stash of various fake travel passes. The identities of Zhao Wangtang and Zhao Shouyi were still usable, but now, in enemy territory, he dared not use the surname Zhao. He picked one at random—a name called Qin Jiu. The surname Qin seemed fitting for the location, so he used it.

"Qin Jiu from southern Jin, merchant for generations..." The guard glanced at him: "A merchant traveling alone?"

Zhao Changhe sighed: "The times are chaotic; my family has declined. I've come to Chang'an to try my luck."

The guard didn't press further and waved him in: "Go on."

Zhao Changhe was startled: "No entry tax?"

The guard squinted at him: "Eager to pay? Then give it to me."

"No, no." Zhao Changhe quickly led his horse into the city, his heart shaken.

This Li family truly had the bearing of contenders for the world. With this single move, they could at least double Chang'an's prosperity and earn a good reputation.

Often, "entry taxes" could indeed be abolished. The original Great Xia hadn't always had them. The reason they persisted now was partly due to local officials' greed and partly as a temporary measure due to lack of funds. Even the capital hadn't abolished them because everyone was truly short of money and had no choice.

I never imagined Chang’an had already been abolished… How can they be so wealthy?

Zhao Changhe entered the city slowly, surveying the bustling traffic and clamor around him, and sighed to himself.

This place was even more prosperous than the capital, rivaling the sights he had witnessed when he first entered the capital before the realm fell into chaos. After the great upheaval, especially following the reckless actions of Lu Jianzhang and his ilk, the capital had withered, its former glory long gone. Now, in comparison, Chang’an seemed more like a true capital than the capital itself.

It seemed that the so-called “luring the barbarians through the passes to plunder” had never targeted Chang’an. The Guanzhong aristocracy were not so foolish as to undermine their own foundation. More likely, the barbarians had been used to destroy cities still loyal to the Great Xia.

On the contrary, the wars that had ravaged the realm in recent years had laid waste to Jiangnan and Jingxiang, to the northern plains of Qing and Xu, to Bashu and the Miao frontier, yet they had barely touched Guanzhong. At this moment, compared to the lands east of the passes, Guanzhong was almost a paradise on earth.

Moreover, they had the Silk Road. According to what Hongling had seen, there was still a thriving trade in the Western Regions, but little of it flowed into the Great Xia; it was mostly intercepted by Guanzhong, let alone the Great Han.

No wonder they were wealthy.

If he hadn’t swiftly dealt with the Cui family and pacified Langya, and if a protracted struggle had ensued, the iron cavalry of Guanzhong would have swept out, and the situation would have nearly replicated the end of the Sui dynasty.

Zhao Changhe walked forward with a heavy heart, instinctively heading toward the distant pagoda—the famous Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. In his worldly knowledge, it seemed to have some connection with Tang Sanzang, though he wasn’t entirely sure. Here, however, it likely had no such link. It was a landmark that existed before the persecution of Buddhism, and after that persecution, the Li family had still sheltered the Buddhist community here, revealing that even then they harbored rebellious intentions and had been quietly amassing their own strength.

Given such long-term planning, the Li family patriarch, Li Gongsi, had always remained merely on the Earth Ranking—wasn’t that somewhat mismatched? And Guanzhong wasn’t just the Li family; the Wei family, which had ties to Yue Hongling, was also a powerful clan. After Li Gongsi’s death, the Li family still firmly held the top position among the Guanzhong coalition—wasn’t there something off about that?

Could there be another strong figure within the Li family, like some ancestor from a previous generation who hadn’t died? If he hadn’t died and yet wasn’t on the rankings, was Blind Blind blind?

If the blind man wasn’t wrong, then what was wrong…

Zhao Changhe suddenly shuddered. What if that ancestor crawled out from underground?

“Dong!” A bell rang from near the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.

Zhao Changhe stopped at the roadside and saw many monks hurrying back to the temple, as if it was time for their devotions.

He casually ordered a bowl of bread soaked in soup at a small shop outside the temple and asked the waiter, “Buddhism is so flourishing in Chang’an, unlike in our southern Jin.”

“Sir, are you from southern Jin?” the waiter said with a smile. “Buddhism has always thrived in Chang’an; many important figures are devout. It’s a bit less now—if it were the usual time, you’d see many nobles coming to pay homage, but now there are fewer.”

Zhao Changhe asked, “Why fewer?”

“I don’t know. Master Yuancheng has been gone for a long time, said to be spreading the teachings elsewhere… Then a few days ago, the Real Man Yuxu emerged and debated publicly with the Buddhist school. With Master Yuancheng absent, how could anyone else argue against the Real Man Yuxu? The monks were left speechless and are now in seclusion for self-reflection.”

“Since their foundation is so solid, are they just giving in like that? Won’t they invite Master Yuancheng back for another debate with the Real Man Yuxu?”

The waiter sighed. “I don’t know. I hope Master Yuancheng returns soon. The master’s Buddhist teachings are profound; he may lose to Yuxu in a fight, but he shouldn’t lose in debate.”

“From your tone, you hope Buddhism wins?”

“Of course, my whole family believes in Buddhism.”

“Amitabha.” Zhao Changhe formed a mudra and murmured, “The Buddha is compassionate and will not watch the decline. After the harsh persecution back then, they endured; how could they be defeated by such a small matter?”

The waiter was overjoyed. “Sir, are you also a Buddhist?”

“Naturally.” Isn’t my mudra standard? Should I recite a passage from the Sukhavati… oh, the Diamond Sutra? I’m quite familiar with that now.

The waiter beamed and lowered his voice mysteriously. “Actually, we might not need Master Yuancheng to return. They say there’s a new Buddha in the temple now, with boundless Buddhist powers. Not just in debate—maybe even in a fight, they might not lose.”

Zhao Changhe narrowed his eyes. “Such a big matter, and you common folk know about it?”

“Ah, the masters haven’t kept it secret; they need to boost morale.” The waiter’s face suddenly lit up with excitement. “Look, look! The big shots are coming!”

Zhao Changhe looked up and saw a middle-aged man in purple and red robes, accompanied by a young man, entering the temple surrounded by a group of servants. The receptionist monks greeted them with palms together and, without much small talk, led them inside, as if they were familiar.

The young man looked quite familiar to Zhao Changhe, but he couldn’t place him immediately. So he asked, “Who is that big shot?”

“That’s Second Master Dai of the Dai family from Jingzhao… Oh, it’s not called Jingzhao anymore, but they still like to call themselves that.”

I see you all like that title too—the former glory of one’s hometown, I understand. I’d feel the same in your place. Zhao Changhe watched Second Master Dai’s back as he entered the temple and thought to himself that Chang’an indeed had an air of kingship.

But it seemed there was more than just kingship here—it was terribly complicated, a convergence of all kinds of forces, plus the various factions within Guanzhong itself—it was like a tangled mess…

The Dai family… they were relatively honest, not trying to claim ancient lineage. A family of this era, roughly on par with the Tang family, not particularly illustrious, but respectable locally. And that young man—Zhao Changhe finally remembered him. Wasn’t he Young Master Dai? He was on the Hidden Dragon Ranking. They had met at the Langya Hidden Dragon Banquet. Back then, when Zhao Changhe first entered the capital, this fool had shouted out his identity at the city gate, causing a storm upon his arrival.

Though this fellow was a bit of a playboy, simple and without guile, he wasn’t bad at heart. Perhaps it might be worth making contact with him discreetly?