Chapter 100: Walking the Imperial Path on Bones, Shouldering the Worldâs Affairs
The empty wine jar lay beside him as Shen Cangtian, like a drunken man, reclined on the ground without regard for etiquette. The willow swayed gently as the summer breeze blew, soft and warm.
âLanâer...â
Shen Cangtian hazily raised his hand, gently caressing his belovedâs cheek. A few wisps of summer breeze wrapped around his fingers, and the warm touch was so real.
He wanted to hold her tight, to keep her from leaving. His arms moved forcefully, but only traces of her presence remained.
Shen Cangtian opened his eyes. A verdant willow leaf had fallen precisely on the tip of his nose. He cupped the leaf in his large hand and silently stood up.
âLanâer, I have to go now.â
âNext time I come, Iâll tell you more about the annoying things that rascal has done.â
Shen Cangtianâs eyes dimmed slightly as he murmured reluctantly.
Keeping the willow leaf, he picked up the food box. Shen Cangtian took a deep breath and finally turned around, each step taken slowly.
Leaving this place, he would once again become that other person.
He wasnât a qualified father, even less a qualified husband, but he was a passably qualified emperor.
His life would have many regrets and controversies.
He had already walked half of this path. He didnât know what awaited at the end, or what the end even was.
He couldnât turn back, couldnât stop, because beneath his feet were endless dry bones, and on his shoulders were the Great Qing and its 200 million subjects.
Walking the imperial path on bones, shouldering all the worldâs affairs.
If he could start over, he wouldnât have parted with her in Pingcang City. He would have chosen to be an admired couple in the martial arts world with her.
But in this world of cause and effect, there are no âwhat ifsâ.
Shen Cangtian walked out of the garden tomb, the last trace of tenderness vanishing from his dark eyes. He had once again become that Emperor Wu who looked down upon the world.
Zhao Hai, who had been observing from afar, saw his emperor emerge from the garden tomb and hurriedly used his lightness skill to approach.
âLetâs go back.â
âYes, Your Majesty.â
The wheels creaked as they rolled, the willows rustled softly.
The summer breeze followed the willows, sending off the traveler for ten thousand li.
Returning to Tianwu City, it was already past noon when the carriage stopped in front of a pawn shop.
âCome, letâs get off and take a look,â Shen Cangtian said calmly.
âYes, Your Majesty.â
After disembarking, Zhao Hai carefully supported Shen Cangtian: âMaster, please watch your step.â
Since they were incognito, the form of address naturally had to change.
Inside the pawn shop, Shen Tengfeng was lazily sitting in an armchair and yawning.
There were no classes at the academy today, and he had only served one customer in half a morning here, who had come to pawn an item.
Ah, money, money, when would he be as rich as his fourth and sixth brothers?
He calculated that to open a pawn shop, heâd need at least 5,000 taels of silver as working capital, not to mention various other expenses. Conservatively estimating, heâd need at least 10,000 taels of silver to open a pawn shop.
Shen Cangtian and Zhao Hai turned around simultaneously at the sound.
Shen Tengfeng felt like he was suffocating when he saw Shan Yue.
My dear big brother, couldnât you have come at any other time? Why did it have to be at this crucial moment?!
Shan Yueâs pupils trembled and the hairs on his body suddenly stood up. There was no mistake. He had felt like a prey twice since he came to Tianwu City.
This middle-aged man and the old man were both experts stronger than him!
Tianwu City truly was a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
âClap!â
Shan Yue clasped his hands and said respectfully, âI apologize, Iâve come to the wrong place. Farewell!â
Without any hesitation, he turned and fled.
No joke, he couldnât beat either of these two, let alone the many experts lurking in the shadows.
Disciple, this is the first lesson your master teaches you, I hope you understand.
What to do when the enemy is strong and you are weak?
Donât hesitate, run as fast as you can!
Of course, youâre all grown up now, some things youâll have to face on your own.
âMaster, that man was not weak. Should this old servant go...â Zhao Hai said in a low voice, his eyes glinting dangerously.
âLet him be,â Shen Cangtian said calmly. He could see that Shan Yue wasnât a treacherous person, but rather had a trace of righteousness about him.
Lu Wenxuan had once said that the Fifth Son had his own great opportunity in the future and wasnât suited to cultivate the Shen Familyâs âEastern Emperor Scriptureâ.
That man just now should be one of the Fifth Sonâs opportunities.
âYes, master.â
Seeing the two look at him, Shen Tengfeng hurriedly waved his hands and explained, âI donât know him.â
âHmm, this porcelain vase is nice,â Shen Cangtian praised, picking up a sky-blue flared vase.
After browsing for a while, Zhao Hai carried a porcelain vase as he followed Shen Cangtian out of the pawn shop.
Shen Tengfeng slumped in the chair and let out a heavy breath. Working as a shop assistant for his father was too exciting!
Huh?!
Wait a minute, it seemed Father Emperor didnât pay!
Would the manager deduct it from his wages? That vase was worth 200 taels of silver.
Shen Tengfengâs face stiffened as he stood up. He was in a tough spot.
âHas His Majesty left?â The managerâs voice came from upstairs.
âWell, Father Emperor...â Shen Tengfeng awkwardly explained what had just happened.
âItâs our honor that His Majesty liked it,â the manager smiled slightly, not saying much more.
He should report to His Highness about His Majestyâs excursion from the palace.
At the King of Chuâs residence.
Shen Yian opened his eyes, keenly aware of the faint fragrance coming from beside him, while a pair of small hands was playfully toying with his hair.@@novelbin@@