Chapter 683 – The Time-Traveling Time-Traveler (4)
“Long Zhai, you called her an evil woman, so she must have some sinister magic. A mere mortal can’t easily take her life! This evil woman is indeed strange; clearly, she hasn’t practiced martial arts, yet she not only dodged my lethal move but also fought me to a standstill…”
Standing outside was a middle-aged man in a long black robe, looking even younger than Xie Qian by two years due to proper care.
“If we don’t kill the evil woman, I won’t find peace.”
The middle-aged man known as “Long Zhai” entered the room and sat not far from Xie Qian, his slender face showing a gloomy expression.
His surname was Wan, given name Xuan, courtesy name Long Zhai, a highly revered scholar of his time.
Xie Qian scoffed, “What a coincidence, I’m thinking the same. The evil woman’s methods are evil; relying on ordinary strength may not suffice to eliminate her. She’s hiding in the imperial palace, heavily guarded… After today’s incident, she’ll be much more cautious. Once we try again to kill her, it will be even harder.”
Upon hearing this, Wan Xuan clenched his fists, despair flickering in his eyes.
“Does this evil woman actually have celestial powers?”
How can mere mortals wrestle with otherworldly beings?
This evil woman caused his family to be broken and ruined. Isn’t there anyone who can deal with her?
Three or four years ago, Wan Xuan’s daughter was only fifteen, just coming of age.
That year, she went to a Buddhist temple to pray for the family’s fortune but accidentally lost a fragrant handkerchief, which was picked up by a local ruffian.
Not only did he pick it up, but the ruffian also claimed far and wide that it was a gift from a certain woman, making everyone believe that his daughter had some unspeakable relationship with him, ruining her arranged marriage.
The rigid clan elders, feeling humiliated, took advantage of his absence and kidnapped his daughter, drowning her in a swamp.
They called it: to preserve her purity and safeguard the clan’s honor.
Furthermore, even Wan Xuan’s close sister, who married early and divorced later, received the same fate.
In a single night, he lost two dear family members.
Fueled by rage, Wan Xuan not only hated the Wan clan but also loathed the source of all this—the Empress of Zhong Zhao!
If it weren’t for that woman’s schemes and her ridiculous “Women’s Four Books,” would his daughter and sister have lost their lives?
He never believed in such supernatural nonsense, but if even Xie Qian couldn’t kill her, he had to believe it.
Xie Qian mocked, “Even if the evil woman has techniques, they’re clearly wicked ones.”
Celestial?
That woman, who treats men like toys and brings suffering to the people, deserves to be called that?
Wan Xuan steadied himself and calmly asked, “So what now, Shao He?”
Wan Xuan and Xie Qian had used their connections to meticulously plan, allowing Xie Qian the chance to infiltrate Tianfeng Palace and assassinate the Empress. Now with the failure of the assassination, Wan Xuan feared that if the Emperor sincerely pursued the matter, it wouldn’t be long before they were found out.
Before the Emperor could react, they needed to prepare to escape.
Staying in Zhong Zhao, it was only a matter of time before they were caught and torn to pieces.
Xie Qian paused in tending to his wounds, as if deep in thought.
“Right now, the best plan is to ensure our own safety before plotting further. Staying in Zhong Zhao will lead to death; it’s better to escape to another country. The South Sheng is chaotic; it’s unwise to go there. Beiyuan and Xichang are too far; those two countries have good relations with Zhong Zhao, going there would be self-seeking death. Looking at things now, Dongqing seems to be the safest. Liu Zhongqing’s son is thriving; both he and his father are well-read and have a deep grudge against the evil woman. Aligning with them seems like a solid choice.”
Wan Xuan listened attentively and agreed without hesitation.
“I’ll pack my things and leave tonight.”
Xie Qian grabbed Wan Xuan’s sleeve, stopping him from acting foolishly.
He wasn’t like the homebody Wan Xuan, having rich experiences in the martial world, “Now isn’t the time; the situation is too sensitive. Let’s bide our time and wait a day or two. The Empress has just been attacked—if you start packing up, it’s like declaring yourself guilty!”
“Do what needs doing in the next few days; do not reveal any clues.”
Reluctantly, Wan Xuan agreed to Xie Qian’s suggestion.
Dressing slowly, Xie Qian tied his waist sash and asked, “What about the Wan family?”
Wan Xuan’s face darkened, and he coldly replied, “They’re not my concern anymore; I’ll leave it to fate. They owe me, after all.”
Wan Xuan had also lost his wife at a young age and had originally considered remarrying for his daughter’s future, as a girl’s upbringing requires a mother. But just then, his sister’s family troubles led to a divorce, so he asked her to help raise his daughter instead, abandoning the idea of remarriage, and immersed himself in studies, slowly building a name for himself. He had made many connections with renowned scholars and established himself in politics, bringing glory to the Wan clan.
To put it bluntly, without Wan Xuan, the Wan family wouldn’t have achieved its current status in Zhong Zhao.
However, the Wan clan showed no gratitude—instead, they pushed their advantage, taking him for granted.
In the end, under the guise of protecting purity and maintaining family honor, they forcibly drowned his two most important loved ones.
If not for the hatred still fueling him, he might have crumbled under the series of blows and long since faded away.
Burdening the Wan family?
That was a debt they owed him, and they would pay it back eventually.
Xie Qian said nothing further; this was Wan Xuan’s personal matter, not his.
Two days later, the imperial city heightened its defenses, and the search radius expanded. Seeing the situation, Xie Qian urged Wan Xuan to get moving.
At this moment, Wan Xuan’s connections proved invaluable.
Before long, the cart rolled towards Dongqing, leaving the imperial city far behind.
With a hint of regret, Wan Xuan gazed back.
“We’ve left the imperial city… sigh, probably won’t return in this lifetime.”
At over forty, he was essentially halfway to the grave, now forced to endure the pain of leaving his homeland.
If it weren’t for that evil woman, he wouldn’t have descended to this state of a near-lost cause.
Xie Qian, still healing and unable to ride, sat in the carriage.
Hearing Wan Xuan’s lament, he scoffed.
“If you could live a bit longer, perhaps you’d return.”
Wan Xuan looked at him in surprise.
Xie Qian said, “Look at the current situation in Zhong Zhao; it’s just a second Dongqing…”
The Emperor was incompetent, favoring the evil Empress, allowing the corrupt to exploit the common people and fatten their own pockets, utterly unconcerned with the people’s livelihood.
The struggles within the court became increasingly fierce, with so many innocent renowned scholars becoming collateral damage in these celestial battles.
As for the established aristocratic families of Zhong Zhao, they were even more laughable, all enjoying high positions and wealth, holding aichou of power, monopolizing land and tenants while evading taxes, and on the other hand, relentlessly squeezing the common folk.
In this comfortable environment, a large number of aristocratic youths indulged in decadence, holding power yet neglecting state affairs.
Tell me, is there still hope for this Zhong Zhao?
Eat jujube pills!
Wan Xuan lowered his gaze in thought.
Xie Qian said, “Let’s take it step by step. If Zhong Zhao descends into chaos, it may truly be our opportunity.”
The evil woman’s audacity stemmed largely from her position as the Empress of Zhong Zhao; the entire country was her backing.
If Zhong Zhao fell, taking care of that evil woman would surely become much simpler.
Wan Xuan sighed and said, “Let’s hope so.”
