Ch 90 Thousand miles of heaven, from now on meet at the same destination
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* Note: This is a poetic line that implies that even though two people are separated by a great distance, they will eventually be united in the same place
In the following days, many of the accompanying royal officials and nobles went to the county town’s market for fun since they had nothing to do. The reputation of the storyteller in the teahouse grew bigger and bigger. For several days in a row, he told the poignant story of the emperor and his Lord Empress, which was a legend, but he didn’t repeat himself, and there were new plot twists every day. This attracted countless people, who were both complaining about the vulgarity of it and flocking to support it.
If it were just a story, no one would think much of it. However, their majesties’ behavior was similar to that of the emperor in the story, and now even in events like the sacrificial ceremony, they had to let that person get involved and even directly have him make a sub-offering. Who didn’t know what that meant?
It was probably His Majesty himself who arranged for this storyteller suddenly appearing.
These rumors spread quickly to Xie Chaoling’s ears. He laughed it off and even went to the county town himself, disguised, and listened to the storyteller’s tale. It was indeed interesting, but when he heard that the emperor in the story brought his troops to battle to elevate his Lord Empress and promoted his relatives, Xie Chaoling couldn’t help but be grateful that Xie Chaoyuan was a bachelor and actively contributed to the Daliang. This way, there would probably be fewer reasons for future people to criticize this emperor.
The intermittent rain finally stopped completely on the day before the sacrifice, and the imperial carriage was stationed at the mountain villa in the evening.
They had to get up early tomorrow before the hour of the pig, so Xie Chaoling ordered lights out and rest, but he was preoccupied and couldn’t sleep. The more he tried to force himself to sleep, the more useless it was, until the door opened, and he heard familiar footsteps approaching.
Xie Chaoyuan slowly lifted the bed curtain and held a palace lamp in his hand, smiling at him. “I knew brother wasn’t sleeping.”
The soft light of the lamp eased Xie Chaoling’s originally tight eyebrows. He sat up and patted the bed beside him. “What time is it? Are you on duty tonight?”
Being away from home, Xie Chaoyuan and a few deputy commanders took turns personally leading the team to guard every night, which was indeed exhausting.
“It’s almost the hour of the pig, and I’m on duty tonight. I stole some time to come and see brother. Can’t sleep without me here?” Xie Chaoyuan smiled even more smugly.
Xie Chaoling shook his head.
“Oh, so tomorrow is the day of the sacrificial ceremony, and my brother is nervous?” Xie Chaoyuan clicked his tongue. “My brother has seen all kinds of winds and waves, what’s there to be nervous about? If it doesn’t go well, won’t it be a laughingstock?”
“… Why don’t you sit down? Is it not tiring to stand and talk?”
Xie Chaoyuan reached out his hand. “Come on, it’s still early. If you can’t sleep, don’t just lie down. Let’s go outside for a walk.”
Xie Chaoling hesitated, but Xie Chaoyuan had already stood up, put on a windproof cloak for him, and even left his hair untied. He put on a hat and went out with Xie Chaoyuan.
After nightfall, the mansion was exceptionally quiet, with palace lanterns hanging everywhere, and the lights were bright.
Going out of the back door of the mansion, there were mountains and forests. A road was also built on this side, which was not the same as the one leading to the mountaintop, at the end of the road was a temple.
On this moonlit spring night, after the rain had stopped, the sky was clear, and the stars were abundant. Xie Chaoyuan held a lantern and led Xie Chaoling forward.
Passing by a mountain spring, they heard the sound of the water gurgling. Xie Chaoling looked up and saw a waterfall in front of him. Although it was not clear under the night sky, it had a certain artistic conception.
With mountains, water, flowers, trees, and even brighter starry sky and moonlight, Xie Chaoling exclaimed, “No wonder the ancient poets and wanderers yearned to retire to the mountains and forests. If there were such mountain springs and flowing water in front of their houses, it would indeed be gratifying.”
Xie Chaoyuan lightly curved his lips. “The last time we came, the waterfall here was even more spectacular. Unfortunately, my brother didn’t have the chance to see it.”
This was not the first time they had been to Mount Tai. The last time was when Xie Chaoling had just been crowned the Crown Prince. Emperor Qianming was the only emperor who had come to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices twice. The second time was after Xie Chaoling was made the Crown Prince after the death of the previous Crown Prince. Perhaps the old emperor felt guilty and came here again with all his sons to ask for forgiveness and protection from heaven.
Xie Chaoling recalled that when he first entered the Eastern Palace, he was cautious and afraid of making mistakes. He followed the Emperor’s orders every step of the way, and had no time to enjoy the scenery. As for Xie Chaoyuan at that time…
“Did you also come to play secretly in the mountain forest last time?”
“Ah,” Xie Chaoyuan casually nodded. “Anyway, I’m used to being mischievous, and no one cares. At that time, this area behind the mountain forest was still dense, and the road had not yet been opened. The temple was also built later by the Emperor’s decree. I heard that when the road was opened, half of the mountain spring waterfall was buried, which is why it looks like this now.”
Xie Chaoyuan turned around and smiled at Xie Chaoling, saying, “Last time, I wanted to invite brother to come and play, but he refused, saying he didn’t feel well and didn’t want to go out.”
“Did that really happen?” Xie Chaoling thought for a moment and vaguely remembered. At the time, he was busy transcribing scriptures for the late emperor, and Xie Chaoyuan invited him to play outside. As they grew older, they had less contact, and he had no interest in playing, so he made up an excuse and sent him away without even seeing him.
He didn’t expect this little rascal to remember it until today and hear the complaint in his tone. Xie Chaoling pinched his palm and pretended to be oblivious, “I don’t remember.”
Xie Chaoyuan continued to smile and didn’t expose him. If he didn’t remember, then so be it. Anyway, they made up for the regret today by chatting.
Xie Chaoling didn’t say anything more and quietly listened to the sound of the water for a moment before continuing to walk forward with Xie Chaoyuan.
The temple was at the end of the mountain path, and it only took half an hour to get there. It was a small temple with only three courtyards. Although there were many temples on Mount Tai, this one was not particularly eye-catching. However, because it was built by imperial order, it had good incense. When Emperor Qianming donated the silver from his private treasury to build this temple, it was to seek peace of mind.
When the current emperor came to worship here this month, the road up the mountain was closed, so it was particularly deserted.
After Xie Chaoling walked around and threw some silver into the merit box, he said to Xie Chaoyuan when he came out, “Actually, it was my suggestion to the late emperor to donate this temple. At that time, the Crown Prince and the Empress had died, and the late emperor was plagued by nightmares and frequent headaches. After donating this temple for peace of mind, he was much better.”
Xie Chaoyuan understood, “So that’s why the late emperor had a good reason to choose brother as the Crown Prince. Only brother understood his heart the most, and brother put in a lot of effort to become the Crown Prince.”
Xie Chaoling glanced at him and didn’t continue.
At first, he was afraid to become the Crown Prince. The former Crown Prince was a mountain he couldn’t cross. He constantly imitated and learned from the former Crown Prince, and he was extremely tired. It was Xie Chaoyuan, who was reckless and fierce, that pulled him out of the abyss of confusion. So from the beginning, he had never really cared about Xie Chaoyuan’s repeated offenses and had even repeatedly covered and indulged him.
He was not a truly courageous person. Without Xie Chaoyuan, he could have been an ordinary emperor and perhaps a wise ruler, but living like that was boring.
All along, it was Xie Chaoyuan who pushed him forward. Today, he finally had the capital to be willful and was willing to do these unusual things for Xie Chaoyuan, even if he was criticized. He wanted to please Xie Chaoyuan and let him be happy.
As Xie Chaoling was lost in thought, Xie Chaoyuan reached out and touched his hair that was blown by the wind. “What are you thinking about, brother?”
Xie Chaoling came back to his senses and smiled. “Nothing. It’s late. Let’s go back. We have to go up the mountain at the hour of the tiger. If we don’t sleep now, we’ll be up all night.”
It was already late at night when they returned. Xie Chaoling grabbed Xie Chaoyuan, who was about to go out again. “Don’t go out so late. Stay with me and sleep for a while.”
Xie Chaoyuan brushed his cheek. “Brother, can’t you sleep?”
“Yes,” Xie Chaoling admitted frankly, “I’m afraid of being alone. It’s harder for me to sleep without you.”
Although it was a joke, Xie Chaoyuan took it seriously. He took off his outer shirt and laid down with Xie Chaoling. After the palace lamps were extinguished, Xie Chaoling turned over and laid in Xie Chaoyuan’s arms in the dark.
Xie Chaoyuan chuckled in a low voice in his ear, “Are you trying to act spoiled with me, brother? Do you have to be like this to fall asleep?”
Xie Chaoling closed his eyes and murmured indistinctly, “Mmm, I’m sleepy. Don’t disturb me.”
Xie Chaoyuan didn’t say anything else. He held Xie Chaoling tightly and stroked his back until Xie Chaoling’s breathing became even, and he fell into a deep sleep.
“Remember to stay by my side tomorrow and don’t wander off,” Xie Chaoling murmured in his sleep.
Xie Chaoyuan responded softly and kissed his forehead.
At the hour of the tiger, Xie Chaoling, dressed in full imperial robes, ascended the mountain with his entourage. They had to walk up the last 108 steps themselves. Xie Chaoyuan followed closely behind him, even before the officials and even the crown prince.
Before dawn, Xie Chaoling stepped up the steep stone steps one by one, with Xie Chaoyuan behind him reaching out to support him from time to time and reminding him in a low voice, “The mountain road is slippery, brother, please walk slowly, it’s still early.”
Without saying a word, Xie Chaoling lightly held onto Xie Chaoyuan’s hand under his wide sleeve.
The altar was set at the highest point of the mountain, facing the direction of the sunrise.
When they reached the top, there were still two quarter-hours before the sunrise. The surroundings were silent, and even the force of the wind blowing was gentle and slow.
At four quarter-hours past midnight, the first rays of red clouds leaked out from the distant mountains and sea of clouds.
Xie Chaoling looked up and the glow filled his eyes, gradually becoming even more dazzling. Xie Chaoyuan had been watching him all along, until Xie Chaoling turned his head and asked with a soft laugh, “Isn’t it beautiful?”
Xie Chaoyuan nodded. The sun rising from the earth and the beautiful celestial glow were naturally beautiful.
Xie Chaoling had invited him to come and watch this together last winter, but the Mount Tai sacrificial ceremony was taking place then. Xie Chaoling deliberately postponed the date to today so that Xie Chaoyuan could come along.
The vast expanse of rivers and mountains, the immense universe, would be lonely without someone to share it with.
When the beautiful glow of the dawn spread over the mountains and rivers, Xie Chaoling stepped onto the altar.
Behind him were the glorious and revered people of Qiankun, as well as the eyes of the one person who had always looked only at him, willing to serve him.
From now on, they would journey together across the boundless horizon.
The main text ends here, with two extra chapters remaining. Please follow the author’s column~
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