Secular Immortal of the Nine Realms - Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Flying General of the Dragon City

Fang Chen’s words stunned the present Guhe scholars. Frustration could be seen on their faces. Long Huixin’s expression changed numerous times.

Most Great Xia scholars knew next to nothing about Guhe’s affairs. They didn’t know that not everyone in Guhe was entitled to studying or joining the army. Most of their people spent their entire life as miners, and their children were doomed to inherit their trade.

Only the offspring of major clans need not worry about food and clothes, and had the right to climb up the ranks. There was strict social segregation in the country.

In fact, Guhe had strictly kept martial cultivation exclusive to the major clans. Its normal populace were forbidden from becoming martial artists no matter how talented they were.

Guhe’s nobles had sealed off all ways for its people to climb up the ranks.

“What rights do you have to be preaching here? Do you think Greenpine can climb over our heads if our Great Xia gives up on its civilians and religiously offers tribute to a stronger nation?” Fang Chen asked with a mocking smile.

Long Huixin’s face paled. Seconds later, she roared in anger, “Don’t talk nonsense, Fang Chen! How are our people cold and starving?”

“If a blind man like me can see it, a Long Clansman like you shouldn’t remain oblivious to it,” Fang Chen calmly replied. “Our Great Xia is fighting with Greenpine so that our people can fill their stomachs and have a tub of hot coal in winter. I agree with Jade Fairy. Those who don’t know their people are struggling shouldn’t preach about peace and non-aggression.”

Jade Fairy’s eyes lit up. Her heart filled with sweetness as she peeked at Fang Chen. She knew he was usually unbothered by such petty arguments, and the reason he had berated Long Huixin was because the latter called her a ‘secular woman’!

Celestial Xiao alternated her gaze between Fang Chen and Jade Fairy, as she keenly sensed something between the two of them.

Jade Fairy sensed her gaze and looked over, only to frown in confusion upon seeing Celestial Xiao. The young master doesn’t have a personal maid. Why did he bring a maid out with him today? Something is amiss!

Feeling threatened, Jade Fairy glared at Celestial Xiao with frosty eyes.

“War supreme-ruler Fang, we’re in a poetry festival. It’s normal to disagree about the verses, such as in the case of Miss Long and Jade Fairy. It’s unwise for someone who knows not about poetry like you to get involved,” Ye Qinghe spoke up.

Long Huixin and the others had awful looks on their faces. They intended to take their leave, but Longdu and Yizhou’s scholars persuaded them to stay.

As the one who had come up with the poem, Tao Yu was enraged to have his poem criticized. He directed his anger toward Fang Chen and said, “War supreme-ruler Fang, you have immersed yourself in this poetry festival for some time now. You have made it clear you disagree with our theme of non-aggression, so why don’t you voice out your thoughts through a poem so that we can see your point of view?”

“You want me to write a poem? You’re putting me in a spot… but I have once seen a poem in an ancient book that reflects my thoughts. Why don’t I recite it aloud?” Fang Chen said.

“Go ahead,” the crown prince said.

All eyes were on Fang Chen.

Jade Fairy and Celestial Xiao were intrigued, as they knew that Fang Chen knew next to nothing about poetry. Why would someone like that read an ancient poetry book?

Fang Chen closed his eyes, and a smile slowly formed on his lips.

“How the moon yearns for the time of great Qin, the castle gates, Han. Of the soldiers on long marches, so far returned not one man! If the dreaded Flying General of Dragon City were here, no Mongul horsemen would dare to cross the Yin Mountains frontier!”

His soft voice, under the propagation of his spirit ki, was clearly relayed to everyone.

The crowd let the poem steep for a moment, then they turned to Fang Chen in bewilderment.

“Where’s Qin and Han?”

“Mongul horsemen? What are those?”

“Flying General… Is he talking about himself here?”

“What a wonderful poem!” Jade Fairy exclaimed.

“Don’t bother guessing. I wasn’t the one who wrote the poem, and the context isn’t in Great Xia,” Fang Chen said before he rose to his feet and walked away.

In his mind, a sliver of the memories he had suppressed for 23 years surfaced.

Celestial Xiao hurriedly followed him with a grim face. She had a feeling that the ‘Mongul horsemen’ was alluding to Greenpine!

“Your Highness, I’m not feeling well. I’d like to head back and rest.” Jade Fairy got up and took her leave.

The crown prince nodded. He ordered his men to escort her back, but Jade Fairy turned down his goodwill.

Both Fang Chen and Jade Fairy had left, but they had left a ripple on this Non-aggression Poetry Festival. Silence loomed amidst the crowd.

Someone was still murmuring the poem Fang Chen had recited.

Tao Yu’s face turned livid. Jade Fairy had said his poem was trash, only to compliment Fang Chen’s. He saw this as a great humiliation.

“Cough cough… War supreme-ruler Fang has already said that he wasn’t the one who wrote that poem,” Ye Qinghe interjected. “It’d be best not to think too much into it.”

The crowd quietly stared at Ye Qinghe.

The poem wasn’t written by Fang Chen? But why have we never heard about it before?

“Everyone, there was a brief interruption, but let’s return to our theme of non-aggression,” the crown prince said.

The crowd nodded, but the crown prince could tell from their contemplative expressions that his Non-aggression Poetry Festival had failed. He coldly glared at Fang Chen’s departing figure.

“If the dreaded Flying General of Dragon City is here? It’d be a blessing to Great Xia if you aren’t here,” the crown prince mumbled under his breath.

After leaving the Great Xia River, Fang Chen made his way to the teahouse he frequented. Along the way, Celestial Xiao asked, “Was that earlier poem about Great Xia and Greenpine?”

“It isn’t.” Fang Chen shook his head. “Greenpine isn’t worthy.”

That response had Celestial Xiao seething in anger. She coldly spat, “What’s the purpose of attending that poetry festival? Are your men looking into that daoist’s background?”

“No rush. We’ll talk at the teahouse.” Fang Chen smiled.

The two of them soon arrived at the teahouse. The people here were already accustomed to Fang Chen’s presence, though their attitudes had changed since learning that Fang Chen had regained his martial cultivation.

“Here’s your tea, War supreme-ruler Fang,” a waiter served Fang Chen his favorite tea.

He glanced at Celestial Xiao before obediently taking his leave.

Fang Chen picked up his teacup. There was a note in it.

With her sharp eyes, Celestial Xiao saw what was written on it.

Six years ago, in a banquet hosted by the crown prince, the daoist was a part of the Fifth KIng’s procession.

Fang Chen was stunned. Fifth King? The carefree man, who is content being the master of the Court of Great Brilliance and was half a foot into retirement, has ties with the Blood Spirit Cult?

“Something is wrong with your Fifth King. Someone with such powerful people under his command wouldn’t be content with settling administrative issues,” Celestial Xiao said.

— — — — —

Credit for the poem translation: Frank C Yue. Retrieved from https://chinesepoetryinenglishverse.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-moon-yearns-for-time-of-great-qin.html

Quick content about kings:

In ancient China, ‘King’ is a nobility/title conferred to princes who don’t become the emperor. This title doesn’t necessarily confer them authority, which is a bit similar to how you can be a nobleman but not possess any land, military power, or influence.

That being said, it puts them at the top of the nobility hierarchy, so others would have to pay respect to them.