Chapter 43

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Chapter 43

At a quarter past midnight, the soldiers began to drift into dreams, one after another.

High on the cliff, Ji Yang raised his fan, summoning a long wind that carried hundreds of shimmering dreams toward the two camps.

The Yun Kingdom remained oblivious, while the Yan and Zhao Kingdoms were enveloped and permeated by intoxicating dreams, ensnaring everyone from the highest generals to the lowliest soldiers.

Ambition, killing intent, hostility, recklessness—these dangerous traits within them deepened, becoming the silent foundation for future chaos on the battlefield.

The young man’s fan radiated warmth, heating the dreams to a fervent, almost tangible intensity.

In the dreams, some achieved glory and were granted noble titles, while others fled desperately through scenes of boiling blood, seeking survival.

It was as if a spider’s web had been cast over a critical point, waiting silently for them all to rush headlong into its trap.

At the same time, Du Ren finished preparing a large bottle of powder. Standing in the wind, she removed the stopper, letting the pale purple substance scatter into the air.

The same powder, when dispersed in the Yun Kingdom, served as a soothing aid for sleep, but in the Yan and Zhao Kingdoms, it became a heart-confusing poison.

Gong Wu’s sleeves billowed in the long wind as she gazed up at the moon in the sky.

She had never truly considered what it might feel like to be a deity.

It seemed to be just another cycle within countless destinies, a constant rhythm amidst the waxing and waning of life.

The next day, the war erupted earlier than expected. Both the Yan and Zhao Kingdoms abandoned their previous strategies and launched reckless assaults.

From commanders to soldiers, a feverish intensity took hold, driving them to charge at the enemy with unrelenting ferocity.

As anticipated, the Yun Kingdom, having planned meticulously, calmly entered the fray, seizing victory as the two opposing sides lost all reason in the heat of battle.

From the outset, it was clear that victory was assured.

The incantation accelerated the evolution of the jade pendant, allowing them to witness the unfolding of the battle over the next ten days. Soon, they saw the changes that swept across the land after the Yun Kingdom unified the world.

The battlefield transformed back into farmland, with cottages gradually rising and streams meandering through the fields.

The once desolate fields, strewn with corpses, became peaceful and prosperous villages where people thrived.

They faced bandit raids and government crackdowns, appearing to undergo vast transformations, though in reality, only a decade had passed.

In the blink of an eye, the scenery before them shifted back to the familiar capital, where the fourth ink dot representing the fourth tribulation suddenly turned green.

"It is the Peachtree Tribulation—" Du Ren said, her voice filled with disbelief. "Have we truly passed the first three trials? Are we entering the fourth tribulation?"

With their speed, they were likely the fastest team, oh my heavens!!

She couldn’t even begin to imagine the many benefits promised by Master Qin of the Satin Red Workshop, such as secret manuals, celestial toads, and the unparalleled lucky formation.

What a blessing to be with Wu Wu!! This feeling was simply marvelous!!

Gong Wu originally didn’t pay much attention to the Peachtree Tribulation; her thoughts were pure and her heart had yet to awaken, so she didn’t mind catching a glimpse of the emperor’s hidden romantic history.

But yesterday, merely lending a bit of spiritual energy to her senior brother seemed to have thrown everything into disarray.

The little girl glanced down, finished flipping through the spiritual scroll, and handed it to Du Ren.

"It seems… we might have to break apart a couple?"

Du Ren had already read it several times and passed the scroll to Ji Yang.

"Let your Daoist of the Path of Emotionless senior brother make the decision."

Yun Junxi’s final tribulation came from the wife of a loyal minister.

In his life, he had only faced this one emotional trial, nearly leading to utter disaster.

Against all odds, he fell in love with the wife of the minister he valued most.

Yun Junxi’s childhood was confined to the narrow eaves of the Firewood Room, where even a brief moment of play in the yard would earn him fearful scoldings from his mother and hands beaten bloody by bamboo branches.

But he understood that his mother was not harming him; she feared for his early death.

His father doted on the noble concubine, reluctant to reprimand her despite knowing of her numerous wrongdoings.

Later, fate turned, and he ascended to become a mighty emperor, combining lands far and wide, embodying the spirit of ambition, yet he remained wary of those closest to him.

In his lifetime, he would never develop any feelings for any concubine.

He would reside in the queen’s palace on the first and fifteenth day of each month, and all promotions in the harem strictly followed the rules of the calendar, never swaying from indifference.

No favored concubines, no beloved queens; all women kept their distance, ensuring no intimate feelings arose.

Because of this absurd absolute fairness in the harem, everyone shared equal attention, creating a surprisingly peaceful atmosphere.

Many women revealed desires for favor, but those who flattered were sent away to guard the Concubine’s Tombs, ultimately regretting their tears of sorrow.

In decades, only those who were heartless and had severed emotional ties remained.

Even if they bore many children, it was impossible to see him often.

Such strange self-restraint lasted for decades until one day it was utterly shattered.

While secretly visiting the minister’s mansion, the emperor accidentally glimpsed Lady Fuju and fell deeply in love, losing all appetite.

He became frantic, trying every possible means to see her again, a second time, a third time, and countless times more.

He sought her in vain; feeling guilty, he yearned for her to smile only for him, to cry only for him.

"So… the Old Immortal Chen’s plan is…" Ji Yang read the latter part, dumbfounded: "He actually ran off to seek a miraculous herb for fertility, quietly curing Lady Fuju’s incurable disease."

Lady Fuju was completely unaware of the emperor’s infatuation and had a deep, affectionate relationship with her lawfully wed husband.

Approaching thirty without children, she felt a bit anxious, but eventually gave birth to twins, making her husband overjoyed, even requesting two days off from the emperor for maternity leave.

From the time she became pregnant to finally giving birth, the emperor gradually lost interest, cutting off the emotional ties.

"This kind of medicine isn’t easy to prepare," Du Ren sighed, troubled, "Since everyone’s body has different conditions, even targeted treatment would require a long adjustment period."

"Moreover, the miraculous herb that Old Immortal Chen brought back was likely made from precious materials, and we can’t find these raw ingredients."

"Then," Gong Wu quickly said, "senior sister, you pretend to be a doctor, and we two will act as your little medicine boys. Let’s go into the Prime Minister’s residence and check the situation."

"You might as well check her pulse to see if there are any hidden ailments."

Time was of the essence, so they immediately changed their outfits and used some silver to spread rumors at several famous teahouses in the capital, claiming that a renowned doctor from another state had come, a master of women’s diseases, who also possessed the unique skill of pulse diagnosis.

Soon, people began to come to the inn where the ‘renowned doctor’ stayed, requesting their services.

Some women directly approached for consultations, and Du Ren quickly assisted, even if they were merely fleeting figures not recorded in history books.

As the sun set in the west, the maids from the Prime Minister’s residence finally dressed in secret and mingled in the crowd, helping them gain entry into the palace for a look.

Gong Wu, disguised as a little medicine boy, walked at the back of the line when suddenly a silver ingot was slipped into her hand.

"Please stick to your roles; don’t say anything that shouldn’t be said… Don’t reveal anything to outsiders."

Du Ren stroked her beard, her voice booming: "I have practiced medicine for many years and know my boundaries."

Lady Fuju hid deep behind the curtain, with only a red thread tied around her right wrist for Du Ren to check her pulse.

The Prime Minister, sitting nearby, seemed restless, his heart heavy with worry for his wife.

Du Ren examined her closely for a long time and finally said, "Madam, did you fall into a lake when you were young? Since then, have you gradually developed symptoms of nighttime palpitations?"

Lady Fuju exclaimed, "The doctor can even perceive that? Truly miraculous!"

Du Ren explained the cause of the ailment in detail, wrote several prescriptions, and advised her to rest. When her heart was at ease, she would naturally recover.

The Prime Minister showed a pleased expression and personally escorted the three individuals out, generously rewarding them with a good amount of silver.

Du Ren casually handed the silver ingots to Gong Wu, who found them heavy in her pocket, feeling as if she were dreaming.

When they emerged from this dream, would the silver turn to wisps of smoke and disappear?

After returning to the inn, the three individuals quickly set up a barrier to prevent others from peeking, returning to their original appearances.

"Senior sister, what is the actual situation?"

"According to my prescriptions, it’ll take at least three months for proper recovery," Du Ren slumped over the table, her stomach growling: "What should we do? We don’t have that much time!"

"Then we must find another way to make the emperor give up."

Gong Wu, feeling unhelpful in a situation she had never encountered before, leaned over the table too, pondering deeply.

After a while, her thoughts drifted to what they should eat for dinner, and whether they should have a lamb hot pot.

Wait! Helping the emperor through this tribulation was more urgent! They could eat after!

"Senior brother, what are your thoughts?"

Ji Yang pushed the jade pendant back, expressing slight regret: "I don’t know."

"…Ah, seriously, with so many concubines in the harem, can’t he just like someone else?!"

Du Ren, exhausted from a whole day of work, was a bit hungry, and her frustration started to rise: "His son is about the same age as Lady Fuju; how can he be so shameless as to like another man’s wife?"

"How about we lead him back to the Prime Minister’s residence and let him see how loving the couple is, so he can give up this infatuation?"

"That might backfire," Gong Wu said slowly, resting her head on the table: "Think about it. The emperor sees how gentle she is with someone else and, being unable to obtain her, might feel even more attached."

"Then let him have her?" Du Ren suggested: "We could create a dream for him, letting him enjoy a relationship with her, and then witness the failures of the Peachtree Tribulation!"

"Then… everything is just a dream," Ji Yang disagreed. "When Yun Junxi wakes up, he might not take it seriously, or he could sink even deeper."

Gong Wu also felt a bit hungry and buried her face in her sleeve, lost in thought. If they delayed for a few more hours, it wouldn’t just be the Old Emperor facing tribulation; it would be their stomachs going through tribulation. She longed for a warm crab congee, a bit of chicken soup and flower cake, along with a few refreshing side dishes… cough cough!

If it were her, what would make her completely let go of her thoughts? How do the Daoists of the Path of Emotionless usually cut off their emotional ties?

"I have another idea," Du Ren said, suddenly inspired. "Let’s send someone to impersonate Lady Fuju, making her shower the emperor with affection, so he grows to deeply despise her, thinking she is a flatterer! If Lady Fuju behaves wildly and frivolously, he might just find her disgusting, and the emotional tribulation will pass!"

"But what if it doesn’t work?" Gong Wu rested her chin on her hand, saying, "What if the emperor finds it strange, and we get thrown out of the stories? Throwing out the first three tribulations could be somewhat acceptable, but getting eliminated at the final stage would be such a pity…"

"If he has fallen into infatuation, he will naturally dig deeper," Ji Yang eventually said. "In the end, Old Immortal Chen aims to let the emperor fall into complete despair and sever his emotions on his own."

"How about we take advantage of the emperor’s secret visit and get him drunk, creating an illusion? An illusion clearer than a dream, with detailed plots and even an ending that could make this person fully understand."

Du Ren was confused and tapped on the table, asking, "What do you want him to dream about?"

"Let him dream that he married Lady Fuju, and instead, it is the Prime Minister who married his empress."

Ji Yang looked at them and began to suspect the hidden truth. "The Prime Minister is emotional and would cherish his wife, seeing all her great qualities. The emperor is emotionless, so even if a true person is right beside him, he regards them as air. If we could allow Yun Junxi to see as an outsider how he abandoned his wives and neglected so many people’s lives, he might just wake up."

Du Ren sincerely asked, "Are you sure you follow the Path of Emotionless?"

Gong Wu shook her head: "Senior brother understands much more than we do." She recalled yesterday’s words and joked, "Could it be that this kind of emotion is an inner demon you have experienced, senior brother?"

Ji Yang gazed at her, nodding after a long pause. "Mm."