After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 148

Chapter 148: Severing Ties

Two days ago, upon hearing that he intended to investigate the events of the past, Chancellor Lu personally came to the Zhou residence, bringing all the information he had gathered and handing it over to Zhou Xun.

When Zhou Xun opened the door, he saw Chancellor Lu standing outside the Zhou residence, holding an umbrella. His back was hunched, and he kept pounding his knees with his fists, as if the rain had aggravated his rheumatism. From afar, Zhou Xun noticed a few strands of white hair atop his head.

Chancellor Lu had aged.

In recent months, he had acted like an old man burdened by guilt, unsure how to make amends. He clumsily tried to be kind to Zhou Xun in every way possible. Just a few days ago, he had sent over fish and crabs, reminding Zhou Xun to take care of himself during his busy schedule. The previous day, while Zhou Xun was reviewing accounts at the Ministry of Revenue, he noticed the leaky window curtains had been replaced. The servants said Chancellor Lu had ordered the change during his last visit.

This was despite Zhou Xun having no connection to him. Chancellor Lu claimed he wanted to repay a debt and seemed guilt-ridden over his past prejudices. He even took in a talented illegitimate son, long suppressed by his legitimate brothers, as a student.

Zhou Xun always regarded Chancellor Lu’s gestures with indifference, feeling no personal connection and unmoved by the man’s attempts at redemption, which seemed like a one-sided story. Yet at that moment, seeing the older man, Zhou Xun thought to himself: Chancellor Lu had grown old.

He recalled the emperor’s words, hoping he could grow to like himself a little more and perhaps like the world a little more too.

Chancellor Lu’s story might belong only to him, but the man had aged. Zhou Xun felt neither touched nor entitled to forgiveness. Still, he thought, there were already too many regrets in this world. If these small acts could bring Chancellor Lu even a little joy, that would be a good thing.

If making one person a little happier could brighten the world just a bit, then why not?

When Chancellor Lu left the Zhou residence after sharing a meal and discussing questions Zhou Xun already knew the answers to, the man seemed overjoyed. Zhou Xun hadn’t expected such a simple gesture to bring so much happiness. Chancellor Lu’s back, once bent with rheumatism, appeared straighter as he departed.

Watching his retreating figure, Zhou Xun thought: So this is how simple it can be to bring someone a bit of happiness.

Perhaps he truly could learn to like the world a little more.

A few files lay on the desk, covered in dust. Zhou Xun sat there, opening the documents one by one. They unfolded not just the tangled history between the Lin, Zhou, and Ye families but also the story of a woman’s life—his mother’s life.

The woman who had given him life, whose choices had defined the source of his despair, self-loathing, and every unwanted burden he carried for the first decade of his existence.

But now, thanks to another person’s blessing, he had found the courage to face it all. To confront his past shadows, his present enemies, and for the first time, to see his mother for who she was. This woman, Lin Yan, the former shining star of the Lin family, now known as the “General” of Northern Wei.

Only by fully understanding her could he hope to find her.

The Lin family of Jiangzhou was a scholarly family. Lin Yan, the eldest daughter, was their treasured jewel.

The Lin family, known for their generosity, owned several rice shops and pharmacies in Jiangzhou, often helping the poor. The patriarch, a man deeply passionate about the arts, maintained friendships across social divides, valuing the beauty of both Northern Wei’s huqin and Zhongyuan’s guqin equally.

His broad artistic vision blinded him to the reality of the political world. To him, all people were good, and the boundaries of states seemed irrelevant.

In peaceful times, he would have made an excellent artist, poet, or painter. But as a family patriarch, he was woefully ill-suited.

Thus…

“The Lin family did indeed shelter a high-ranking official from Northern Wei who had wandered into Jing Kingdom and hid him despite his severe injuries.”

That official was exceptionally skilled in the arts, but decades ago, he was also the head of Northern Wei’s largest intelligence agency—Liangfang—named Qin Liang. He was the one who orchestrated the defection of Shen Laotou’s senior brother, Li Zhiwei.

And the person who severely injured him was one of Shen Laotou’s men. For all these years, Shen had been chasing the truth behind this event.

When Zhou Xun saw Shen Laotou’s name, his breath hitched.

It turned out that long ago, all these entanglements had already intertwined. Nothing was a coincidence; it was all predestined.

The head of the Lin family was unaware of Qin Liang’s true identity. Although he knew Qin Liang was from Northern Wei, his openness in making friends blinded him. Seeing Qin Liang gravely wounded, he kindly took him in and saved his life. Of course, he had sent someone to investigate Qin Liang’s identity, but the person sent was bribed by the Ye family, who had long been at odds with the Lin family.

—In fact, Qin Liang’s acquaintance with the head of the Lin family was initially orchestrated by the Ye family.

The Ye family coveted the Lin family’s wealth for years and had promised the Zhou family to form a marital alliance, planning to divide the spoils together. Thus, everything fell into place.

The prefect Qin discovered not only the items Qin Liang had left behind after receiving advance notice and escaping from the Lin family but also forged letters, allegedly proving collusion with Northern Wei, fabricated by the Ye family. At the time, Qin, then only a deputy, was eager to achieve political merit and gain the recognition of the two prominent families in the region. The Lin family, accustomed to their lofty demeanor, made an easy target, and Qin swiftly handed down the harshest sentence.

Thus, when the wall crumbled, everyone pushed. The Lin family’s elder brother went door to door begging, but those who had once benefited from the Lin family’s kindness all shut their doors. The commoners who had received porridge and medicine from the Lin family simply said, “You can know a person’s face but not their heart.”

It was during this time that his mother, Lin Yan, was carried into the Zhou family in a small sedan chair.

Zhou Xun closed his eyes. He could smell the blood from those days, as well as the many unbearable beginnings that followed.

The subsequent case files came from various sources: some from Shen Laotou, some from Jiangzhou, some from his memories, and others from testimonies of former Zhou family servants in Jiangzhou. Finally, all the pieces came together.

The full truth was revealed.

It turned out that his mother’s entry into the Zhou family was not merely because she was “blinded by love.” She had bet everything on entering the Zhou family as a last resort to seek justice for the Lin family.

When she became pregnant with him, Zhou’s father had promised to bring her brother back to Jiangzhou. By then, she no longer loved Zhou’s father; she only saw this child as leverage to achieve her goals. Unfortunately, she later learned the truth—that her brother had died in an accident, purely by chance, on his way back. Thus…

She immediately drank safflower tea to kill the child.

And yet, he was born—his very birth a blood-soaked bargaining chip. Afterward came a childhood filled with his mother’s alternating aversion and embraces—until—

It turned out that by the time he left Jiangzhou and first went to the capital, his mother had already reunited with Qin Liang.

Qin Liang, filled with guilt toward the Lin family, vividly remembered the bright girl from back then. Upon hearing about the intricate relationships between Zhou Cai, the prince, and even the emperor, he reconnected with the vengeful Lin Yan, forming a bond.

Lin Yan hated the malicious Zhou family, the ungrateful commoners, the entire Jing Kingdom, and both the emperor and the prince.

Later, Zhou Xun was framed and sent to the prince’s residence. There, he heard that his mother, who had always been cold and hot toward him, had knelt and begged for his life, ultimately being sent to a secluded manor. He had wept for days because of this.

Yet, the truth was that her kneeling, offending Zhou’s matriarch, and being sent to the manor were all parts of a scheme to stage her “death” in a mountain flood.

Indeed, it was a “fake death.” Seeing Zhou Cai’s cruelty, she decided to leave the Zhou family and orchestrated this ruse, convincing Qin Liang to assist her.

Then, the emergence of “the General” occurred. Qin Liang had grown old and needed someone trustworthy and absolutely loyal to act on his behalf. Lin Yan was the perfect choice.

They had plotted numerous assassination attempts on the emperor, leveraging their knowledge of Zhou Cai’s and the emperor’s shared past. All failed. However, with Lin Yan’s help, their network of spies in the capital—especially among the often-overlooked circles of noblewomen—grew deeper and broader.

When Zhou Xun accompanied Shen Laotou to the Duke Protector’s residence, he saw familiar embroidery patterns on Princess Fukang’s dress—patterns stitched by Lin Yan. At that time, Lin Yan had infiltrated Princess Fukang’s side due to Qin Liang’s wariness of Shen Laotou. Fukang was rumored to be Shen Laotou’s first love. Indeed, Lin Yan learned there about Shen Laotou’s reassumption of control over the Ciyi Agency. What she hadn’t expected was to encounter Zhou Xun there.

—The child she had long believed dead.

Thus, all stories about his mother finally surfaced. If not for Rong Haoyu’s arrival causing a turning point, it would have been a perfect revenge, and Jing Kingdom would undoubtedly have been trampled by Northern Wei’s iron cavalry. Without Rong Haoyu’s arrival, Zhou Xun would not have survived, and no one would have been able to reveal “The General’s” true identity.

This is a fascinating story, but in the end, he does not belong in it.

From start to finish, he was the person who shouldn’t have appeared in this captivating tale. His birth was a disgrace, and his death meaningless. Perhaps the only thing worth writing about in this story is when, upon hearing of her “death,” he took up a knife, went mad, and attempted to assassinate the emperor, plunging the entire Zhou family into ruin.

It was as if a self-indulgent joke.

But Zhou Xun’s expression was calm and composed. He heard from a servant who had returned from Jiangzhou: “My lord, now all the remnants of the Zhou family and the Ye family have been imprisoned. However, those involved in the events with the Lin family have all died due to various accidents. The only few still alive are a handful of people.”

“Who are they?”

“Zhou’s mother, Zhou Cai, Zhou Wanwan, and the head of the Ye family. The head of the Ye family was originally meant to be executed, but he escaped and we captured him. Zhou’s mother and Zhou Wanwan are now with Prince Kang of Northern Wei. As for Zhou Cai, he was recently brought back.”

“Good. Keep a close watch on the head of the Ye family and Zhou Cai.”

“Understood.”

Northern Wei’s line is steadily falling. Now, these desperate spies remaining in the capital will go to any lengths to turn the tide of war—it’s impossible to predict what they will do. Zhou Xun heard that last winter was incredibly harsh, and Northern Wei froze to death many horses and cattle. Without seizing enough resources from Jing Kingdom, they’ll struggle to survive this year’s winter.

The case files—each conspiracy, each arson, each assassination—terrifies him. He will not allow them to continue existing.

Zhou Xun left the room alone. He stood outside the emperor’s study, listening to the emperor’s voice inside.

“… Many orphans? Let’s build a nursery for those who are left without care. The children of sacrificed soldiers also deserve proper care.”

“…”

“White phosphorus? No, it cannot be used.”

“…”

After everything ended, Zhou Xun entered the emperor’s study. The emperor sat in his chair, placing a book over his head, gazing at the sky.

His expression seemed distant, and Zhou Xun sat beside him, taking his hand.

“… I saw them today.” The emperor murmured, his voice lost in thought. “The injured, the disabled soldiers returned to the capital. I saw them. I realized that a person’s bones, their blood, their flesh, are like that.”

These words were ones he could never share with others. Anyone who heard them would assume he had lost his mind—because he should have been an ancient emperor. But in this era, only Zhou Xun could hold his hand and truly listen to his voice.

“I used to read novels where time travelers arrived in ancient times and became emperors, conquering lands and uniting kingdoms. I once thought it was necessary—to conquer Joseon, to conquer Japan, to subjugate Siberia, and unify Europe… So when I came, I created countless weapons, cannons, claiming it was for self-defense, but I even dreamed of using them to conquer the world. Yet, have you ever heard the screams of wounded soldiers? In that moment, I felt as if they were all crying out to me because I’m the emperor, and I failed to protect my people…”

“That’s normal in our time.” Zhou Xun held his hand tightly, speaking coldly. “It was Northern Wei who initiated this conflict. Even if the person on the throne were someone else, this war would have happened. But with your existence, at least fewer people have died.”

“… No, that’s not how it is.”

The emperor suddenly spoke in a deeply suppressed voice. Zhou Xun had never heard him sound this anguished before.

“With them came a group of captives—those soldiers who once raided and pillaged Yunzhou. Their leader, General Li, personally killed over twenty people, and he was chosen by the cabinet as the best candidate to make an example of. I should have ordered their execution in front of all soldiers, decapitated their leader, and sent his head to Northern Wei. They are enemies, and killing them should have been satisfying. Yet, when I saw them die, I should have despised them, but instead…I can’t forget their eyes…”

“They deserved to die.” Zhou Xun said firmly. “If you…let me handle them.”

“I know they should die, but there’s also white phosphorus. It could have been used to coerce them into surrendering. I know how devastating those bombs are. They burn everything relentlessly, sticking to people until they reduce them to skeletons. It’s absolute horror. I only need to use it once, and they would be terrified into submission.” The emperor’s pupils narrowed slightly, his voice growing increasingly rapid. “There are such devices in the valleys. I could do it, but I can’t—using such inhumane methods is like Pandora’s box. How can I ensure that those I kill are all truly guilty, those whose deaths would stop everything? What about innocent civilians? I just have to watch them continue to fight… but in novels, dramas, and history books, those characters are so decisive. I…”

Zhou Xun quietly watched the emperor. After a long pause, he suddenly slapped the emperor forcefully across the face!

The emperor’s mouth opened wide, stunned, staring at him. He seemed momentarily awakened.

Zhou Xun leaned down, embracing him.

“You think you’re a savior, don’t you? Fool.” Zhou Xun murmured softly. “You’ve done enough. You’ve been decisive. You haven’t surrendered or appeased. You’ve given Generals like Wan a good army, and they are fighting fiercely. You’re not a protagonist from a romance novel. You’re different from them. You’re…”

“Kind, compassionate. You think that’s a bad thing? No, you love your people, love all the citizens, and that’s why you feel guilty. But if not…”

You wouldn’t be you.

You wouldn’t have those touching, shining dreams. You’ve shown me another era, and you’ve shown many people that era.

And you wouldn’t be able to create more miracles.

After a long time, the emperor spoke, his voice subdued: “You don’t think I’m pathetic, do you?”

Zhou Xun shook his head.

“You pity them. You wouldn’t treat lives like weeds—even though you have such terrifying power.” Zhou Xun said. “You’re braver than those decisive conquerors. We’re already winning. We don’t need more unnecessary things.”

The emperor hummed softly after a long pause.

“I’ve decided.” The emperor said. “I came here to make this world better, so…”

He scratched his head again. “Though I still have no clear idea, I’ll figure it out! Sigh! But for now…”

“Anyone who invades us must die! As for the cities, if there are people, we’ll rebuild them. Perfect! Let’s fix the drainage system—no more stinky sour soup from Yunzhou!” The emperor regained his vigor. “Charge!”

Zhou Xun watched him and smiled. After a moment, he asked, “Does your face still hurt?”

He used his own hand to touch the emperor’s face, and immediately, the emperor’s spirit lifted, grabbing his hand and saying, “Very painful.”

“Uh… let me call Physician He…” Zhou Xun was momentarily stunned, feeling guilty.

“Don’t worry, let me return the slap.” The emperor suddenly raised an eyebrow. “But not on your face. On your bottom.”

Zhou Xun:……

…

Leaving the emperor’s study, he told his black-clad guards, “Go check on the head of the Ye family. Make him our bait.”

“Zhou Cai returned to the capital recently…”

Zhou Xun tilted his head, pondering briefly before suddenly saying, “Give him a chance to escape. Then, follow him.”

“Yes, master!”

“Then send the news to Prince Kang. He’ll figure out a way to capture Zhou Cai.” Zhou Xun casually remarked. “We should thank him for being such a unique, love-stricken fool.”

The guards withdrew.

Until they left, Zhou Xun’s close aide, who had been by his side, looked at him with a complex expression: “I always thought you wouldn’t…”

“Wouldn’t what?”

“I never thought you’d be this… decisive.”

Zhou Xun remained silent for a moment, gazing at the night sky. “I do hate the Zhou family and Zhou Cai, but those ordinary citizens… they shouldn’t die. Jing Kingdom is where all the citizens live. For now, all I need to do is this.”

He looked down at his hand.

“I just wonder, who will Zhou Cai and the head of the Ye family go to first?” he murmured softly.