In the situation where Eternal Peace was filled with displaced refugees, attempting to go against the military forces of the Divine Joy Imperial City was akin to smashing an egg against a rock or using a mantis to stop a cart.
Yet, those with no way out possess the daring courage to face such insurmountable odds. After a commotion, ten thousand people of Eternal Peace finally left the city gates, moved a distance away, and set up their camp elsewhere.
They simply refused to leave. There was no guarantee of survival on the road, and staying here was likely to lead to death as well. What difference did it make? Sustained by the meager rations previously granted by the king, along with tree bark, wild grass, vegetable roots, insects, snakes, and rats from nature, and their pent-up grievances and discontent, these people astonishingly persevered with unyielding vitality. A few days later, more than a thousand hastily gathered people, wielding hoes, rakes, stones, and branches, returned to fight.
The battle was chaotic and the defeat disastrous, with more than half of the thousand casualties occurring, but it wasn’t without its gains. One of their own, Lang Ying, stormed into the city gates alone and returned with several large sacks of rice and bundles of weapons, despite being severely injured. This instead ignited the fighting spirit of these desperate people.
At this point, they resembled more of a band of bandits. Once, twice, thrice. The soldiers of Divine Joy found that this group of "bandits" was rapidly improving.
Initially, these attackers were disorganized and inexperienced, but gradually they learned their tactics. Each subsequent attack became more challenging, and more of them came back than before. New waves of refugees continued to join, swelling their ranks. The internal conflict within Divine Joy about dealing with these "bandits" grew increasingly heated. After five or six such absurd battles, Xie Lian could no longer sit by and do nothing.
He hadn’t reported to the Heavenly Court for quite a while, and now, silently, he headed straight to the Divine Martial Hall. When he burst in, Emperor Jun Wu was seated above, with numerous divine officials listening attentively, seemingly in the middle of an important discussion. Xie Lian would have chosen another day to visit, but now he couldn't wait any longer. He was straightforward, “Emperor, I need to return to the mortal world.”
All the divine officials were stunned, immediately covering their mouths, not wanting to expose too much emotion. Jun Wu pondered for a moment, then stood up from his throne, speaking softly, “I am somewhat aware of what happened in Divine Joy, but calm down first.”
Xie Lian replied, “Emperor, I am not here to inquire but to announce. My people are suffering in great distress, forgive me, I cannot stay calm.”
Jun Wu said, “Every matter has its destined resolution. You should know, descending this time, it would be breaking the rules.”
Xie Lian declared, “Breaking the rules it is!”
Upon hearing this, the divine officials’ expressions drastically changed. Never before had any divine official dared to speak so boldly and confidently. Even though Jun Wu favored this young Celestial Music Crown Prince who had ascended early, this was brazen beyond belief.
Then, Xie Lian bowed deeply, stating, “Please grant me mercy and grant me some time. Since the battle has already begun, casualties are inevitable. But, if I can end this conflict with the least loss of life, and contain the situation to its smallest scope, I pledge to return and face any punishment post-war, regardless of whether it's being crushed beneath a mountain for a century, a millennium, or ten thousand years—I will never regret it.”
Having said this, he maintained his bowed posture and backed out of the hall. Jun Wu called after him, “Divine Joy!”
Xie Lian paused. Jun Wu looked at him, sighing, “You cannot save everyone.”
Xie Lian slowly straightened up, saying, “Whether or not I can save them all, I need to try before I know the answer. Even if fate says I am destined to die, as long as the sword has not pierced through my heart and pinned me motionless to the ground, I am still alive, and I will fight to my last breath!”
Returning to the mortal realm this time felt different from every previous descent. Xie Lian felt as though he had cast something aside. It was both liberating and burdensome. The first step he took was to hastily return to the Imperial Palace.
The king and queen were in the study behind the chamber, looking heavy-hearted and weary as they spoke in low voices. Xie Lian came to the door, felt a brief moment of anxiety, then calmed his emotions, lifted the curtain, and went inside, saying, “Father.”
The king and queen turned to him simultaneously, both in shock. It was the queen who stood up first in delight, exclaiming, “My son!”
She reached out to embrace him, and Xie Lian supported her. But the joy was short-lived, for the king's face suddenly hardened as he said, “Why have you come down?”
Xie Lian's smile froze.
Previously, listening to his parents' conversation behind closed doors, Xie Lian thought his father missed him and was not as critical of him as he seemed. He believed that upon his return, the king might show some joy, and if so, Xie Lian was prepared to soften his stance. Unexpectedly, his father reacted so sharply, showing no warmth, thus fueling Xie Lian's frustration. He sternly said, “Why have I come down if not because of you? Eternal Peace's present chaos, should you not examine yourself and see if you bear some responsibility?”
The king's expression changed drastically, and he shouted, “My responsibility? Is this what you should be saying to me?!”
He was enraged to the point of forgetting his formal tone. The queen shed tears, “With things as they are, why do you insist on arguing?”
Xie Lian said, “This is not arguing, it’s reasoning. Even as the king and my father, if you bear responsibility, why can’t I say so? Why not strive for disaster relief? Even if the relief funds were embezzled layer by layer, why not tackle corruption? If you were decisive, arresting one greedy official at a time, what other worm would dare to take bribes? Would the situation not be better than it is now?”
The king’s temple veins bulged as he slammed the table, “Enough! Do you think the national treasury is a bottomless pit to fill endlessly? Arrest one, punish one—it sounds easy, but why has it never eradicated corruption across the ages? What do you understand, ignorant child, about governing a nation!”
Xie Lian said, “Fine, I don’t understand. But even if the capital cannot accommodate refugees anymore, and withdrawal is inevitable, why not provide these people with more means to survive? Why not comfort them properly and dispatch the military to escort them eastward?”
The king’s eyes bulged with anger as he pointed to the heavens, “Leave. Go back to the heavens immediately! Seeing you is irksome! Don’t appear again!”
Xie Lian descended filled with resolve, yet the first encounter with his parents resulted in hearing his father command his return to the heavens. Silent, he bowed to his father and withdrew. The queen followed him, pulling him back, “My son!”
Xie Lian gently replied, “Mother, don’t worry. I’m just going to the royal capital for a walk, to see what things are like now.”
The queen shook her head, “My son, I don’t understand these national matters, but I understand your father. How he governs, I have witnessed all these years. You can feel in your heart that he has not done well; sometimes I feel that way too, I just don’t say it. But don’t tell him directly. He is your father, after all. He takes to heart what you say.”
Xie Lian hesitated. The queen continued, “You may be the Crown Prince, but you haven’t ruled. Governing is not like cultivation. When you first entered the Royal Extreme Temple, didn’t the national teacher say cultivation involves a pure heart?”
Xie Lian nodded slowly, with the queen holding his hand, “However, for many things in the world, having a pure heart is not enough. You also need capability; not only do you need capability, but those working for you need it as well; and not only must they be capable, they must also be of one heart with you.”
Xie Lian remained silent for a long time before finally saying, “Is the national treasury really that empty? I don’t need temples. Ask him not to build so many for me. Let him dismantle those golden statues.”
The queen helplessly said, “Child... Building temples, of course, involves your father’s personal desires, wishing the best for you, wanting you to stand out in the heavens. But do you know how many of the eight thousand Taoist temples are truly built by him? You may not know.”
Xie Lian truly did not know. He thought for a moment, “... Half?”
The queen said, “If your father had truly drawn funds from the national treasury to build more than four thousand Crown Prince Halls, it wouldn’t have taken Eternal Peace to rise up; the capital itself would have risen first. If the treasury is strained, how could there possibly be so many funds? Your father only built a little more than twenty; others followed his lead, also building to curry favor with him or with you. Would you also attribute this to him?”
Xie Lian said, “I…”
The queen said softly, “Your father did not do well enough, but he... tried his best. But just trying is not enough.”
She paused, then continued, “Now you think those from Eternal Peace are pitiable, so you’re blaming your father. But they are all his people. Are we the ones bullying them? In truth...”
Halfway through, the king’s angry voice resounded from within the study, “Why are you wasting so much time talking to him? Let him hurry back to the heavens!”
The queen turned her head, sighed, “My son, don't come down again. Go back.”
Leaving the Imperial Palace, Xie Lian walked down an alley on the side of Divine Martial Street, coincidentally meeting Feng Xin and Mu Qing.
Mu Qing, upon seeing him, disbelievingly said, “Your Highness! You petitioned to descend? You spoke to the Emperor at the Divine Martial Hall??”
Xie Lian replied, “Yes.”
Mu Qing asked, “Why didn’t you tell me first?”
Feng Xin simply asked, “What do you mean? Does His Highness need to report everything he does in advance?”
Mu Qing, slightly agitated, replied, “Why not? We are his people; we are tied to him. Everything he does directly affects our positions. Wanting to know his intentions, what's wrong with that?”
Feng Xin said, “Whatever His Highness decides, we follow. He can go wherever, up or down, on his own terms—what's there to fear?”
“You!” Mu Qing snapped, “I’m not afraid! I just…”
Xie Lian raised his hand, “Enough. Stop quarreling!”
Both Feng Xin and Mu Qing immediately quieted. At this time, a procession passed by on the main street, with hundreds of people loudly chanting, “Eternal Peace must be eradicated; there will be no peace for the nation otherwise!”
“Tumors of chaos, bullies beyond reason!”
It was rare to see the people of Divine Joy so aggressive about anything, let alone orchestrate such a grand protest. Xie Lian found it all puzzling. Feng Xin frowned, “Why is there a girl among them?”
Indeed, amidst the protesters, a young girl stood at the forefront. She was delicately built, her skin snow-white, her eyes bright and cheeks flushed not with bashfulness but with anger, making her very eye-catching. Mu Qing, having regained composure, coolly remarked, “Doesn’t His Highness recognize her?”
Xie Lian answered, “No, I don’t.”
Feng Xin furrowed his brows, “She looks familiar?”
Mu Qing replied, “She is one of the sources.”
Xie Lian asked, “Sources of what?”
Mu Qing explained, “The root of irreconcilable differences. Previously, as more Eternal Peace people crowded into the capital, some, unable to settle, would wander off and cause disturbances. The court was already deliberating on expulsion. A rumor spread that an Eternal Peace man, unwilling to leave, risked everything by sneaking into the house of a wealthy family and abducting their daughter one night.”
Hearing this, Xie Lian was momentarily confused, “Why abduct a rich family’s daughter if unwilling to leave?”
Mu Qing looked at him and said, “To marry her. But without resorting to abduction, no daughter from a capital family would marry an Eternal Peace man.”
He didn’t say it outright, but Xie Lian got the meaning.
He never thought it possible; he never imagined such a situation, such an event could occur in the world, and suddenly a wave of nausea came over him. Feng Xin cursed on the spot, “Disgusting!”
At that moment, a group of matronly women hurriedly came to drag the girl away. It appeared she had slipped out without her family’s notice. The girl resisted, “What is there to be embarrassed for? It's not my fault!”
Feng Xin commented curiously, “That girl has quite a fierce personality.”
Mu Qing commented, “Yes. Moreover, her family isn’t just any ordinary family; her father is an official in court, and her maternal family are wealthy merchants of the capital. They refused to eat the loss quietly, nor agree to marry her off just for appearance's sake. They first killed that Eternal Peace man and soon after, the entire city's rich merchants and influential families wrote a joint petition detailing crimes committed by Eternal Peace people since entering the city, appealing to the king to imprison them all. It's needless to say where the ministers’ loyalties lie.”
He added, nonchalantly, “It’s said the girl’s father intended to present her to the palace, vying for the position of Crown Princess. His Highness probably met her a few times before, surprised he didn’t recognize her.”
Xie Lian finally realized everything was far more complicated than he thought.
Inside and outside the city, a divide had long been cemented. The officials and populace were agitated and indignant, their wish to crush and eradicate these invaders was fervent. Any decisions from the king that might appear aligned with the Eternal Peace people seemed as if he was slapping his own people in the face. Ultimately, a minimal fund was drawn from the depleted treasury to aid their departure, though it seemed meager, it would inevitably provoke dissatisfaction from many.
What's more fearsome than enemy discontent is discontent within one's own rule. Though originally all were citizens of Divine Joy, now, few considered themselves as such anymore.
He, high above, had been detached from worldly affairs for too long, while his father remained in the mortal world. As a ruler, needing money, people, dealing with his position, the pressures, and the balances he must consider—how could they be the same for him? Don't like it, then don't live here.
As for the eternal peace people outside the walls occupying land, causing disturbances, stealing, others might see them as small matters not worth angering over. But for the capital's inhabitants, they are a real, daily, unbearable torment, a crisis ready to erupt. When the person in that position isn't him, it seems easy or trivial.
Xie Lian recalled how his father’s temples were grayer than last time, and he wondered if there were no longer efforts to dye it black.
When he was younger, he believed his father to be the greatest king under heaven, but as he grew, he realized this wasn’t so. His father, though a king, was far from wise and unparalleled, even somewhat stubborn, often making mistakes. Stripping away his unmatched status, he was just an ordinary person.
The more he understood, the more disappointed he became. The king noticed Xie Lian’s disappointment and grew increasingly intolerant of his disapproving glances and words, especially his failure being seen by Xie Lian.
No father wishes their son to see them fail. Fathers hope to always be towering figures to their sons. And appearing at such times to rebuke his father, saying, “Your handling is terrible! It's so bad I had to come down to help”—how could a king or a father bear this in heart?
The girl was eventually dragged back by her family’s servants, while the other townsfolk continued their march, waving flags and shouting the same demands: fighting, slaying, making the Eternal Peace people outside grovel.
For a moment, Mu Qing said, “Your Highness, maybe you should apologize to the Emperor and go back. Matters have reached this point, you've lost the right conditions.”
Just as Jun Wu had told Xie Lian in the Divine Martial Hall: worldly affairs follow their own course. Wasn’t he essentially saying: your Divine Joy Kingdom’s fate has ended, let it go.
Even the queen, his mother, who longed day and night to see him, upon seeing him, sobbed and urged him to return, to let it go. How could Xie Lian not know they didn't wish him to face this hardship, preferring he remain as a bystander, living well on his own?
But, how was that possible?
“…”
Xie Lian said firmly, “No way!”
Having said this, he strode forward, determined.