Chapter 584: Past Events
"About your father… accept my condolences and try to move on…"
Chen Huaian said softly.
He had figured out that Liu Cui'e only had her father left as family, and now even that last relative was gone.
Her father had only died a few days ago—he went hunting in the mountains and was killed when a pack of wolves attacked.
In tis as bleak as these, a weak woman like her had almost no way to survive.
At the ntion of her father, Liu Cui'e burst into tears again. She and her father had relied on each other; life had always been hard, and when strings are thin they break at the weakest point.
With her benefactors sitting right in front of her, she quickly composed herself, wiped the tears from her face, and forced a smile. "Young master, miss, I have no way to repay your kindness. Please co to my ho for a while so I can try to return so of your favor."
Chen Huaian had the sa idea and nodded in agreent.
He still needed to observe Liu Cui'e a little.
At the very least, he had to confirm she had no lover.
Liu Cui'e's ho was at the east end of the town: a very ordinary farmhouse. Though simple, it was kept clean, which showed that while her father was alive their life had been barely sustainable.
Several animal hides hung on the surrounding walls; hunting tools were piled in a corner. Clearly Liu Cui'e's father had been a skilled hunter.
"Young master, miss, please sit. I'll pour so tea—my father used to like tea, we still have a little left."
Having said that, Liu Cui'e busied herself with chores.
Chen Huaian scanned the room’s furnishings; his gaze finally stopped at the ancestral table in the center of the main room.
Two morial tablets sat on the table, and beside them hung a portrait—one man and one woman, both dressed in military armor.
The man looked majestic and imposing; the woman was heroic and spirited. They stood shoulder to shoulder, their expressions resolute.
When Li Qingran saw the portrait, she froze instantly.
She stared at the two figures in the painting, her face draining pale, lips trembling, eyes full of shock and deep sorrow.
"This… this is…" Li Qingran's voice quavered as she pointed at the portrait.
Liu Cui'e, who was brewing tea, sensed sothing wrong and hurriedly set down the bowl and rushed over.
Seeing the tears on Li Qingran's face, she was montarily at a loss.
"Miss, you… what's wrong?" Liu Cui'e followed her gaze to the portrait and explained, "These are the two generals my father worshipped when he was alive—General Li Zhennan and General Wang Qingyue. My father said they were the bravest generals of the Southern Dynasty and the most caring officials, but unfortunately…"
"Li Zhennan… Wang Qingyue…" Li Qingran muttered the nas, each syllable heavy, tears instantly welled up and spilled over. "This—this is the Southern Dynasty… Father… Mother…"
Her voice choked, and large hot tears blurred her vision.
A flood of mories surged into her mind.
Images she never dared think about in waking hours—only appearing in nightmares—rushed back.
Scenes of war, of death, of a ho that could never be returned to.
"Qingran." Chen Huaian's heart tightened; he hurried forward and steadied his staggering disciple.
He hadn't expected that the portrait worshipped in Liu Cui'e's ho would be Li Qingran's parents. What an awkward coincidence. But why would Liu Cui'e be worshipping them?
"Master, the people in the portrait are… my father and mother…" Li Qingran buried her face in Chen Huaian's chest, tears sliding down her cheeks and darkening her robes.
Liu Cui'e gaped in shock, disbelief written across her face. After a long mont she managed to ask in a trembling voice, "You… you are the daughter of General Li and General Wang?"
Li Qingran nodded hard, tears streaming without end.
With a thud, Liu Cui'e dropped to her knees, her eyes reddening. "So it's you, miss! My father always said our family survived only because of the two generals' kindness!"
Chen Huaian helped Li Qingran into a chair and patted her shoulder to comfort her, then said to Liu Cui'e, "Please rise and tell us slowly."
Only then did Liu Cui'e stand, looking at Li Qingran with deep reverence. No wonder she had felt familiar when she first saw the miss; the resemblance beca clearer the closer she looked.
She had never expected to et her benefactor's daughter in her lifeti. Even more dramatic was that the benefactor's daughter had now beco her benefactor—this debt could never be fully repaid.
Liu Cui'e's eyes were wet with tears as she looked at Li Qingran.
"My father, Liu Dashan, used to be a low-ranked soldier in the Southern Dynasty's army. Ten years ago, the northern bordering state invaded and the fighting was fierce. In one battle my father was gravely wounded—almost died on the field. It was General Li who personally carried my father off the line, and General Wang who used precious healing dicines to save his life."
Liu Cui'e spoke while wiping her tears, her voice growing more emotional: "Although my father was left disabled afterward, the two generals arranged for him to return ho and even gave our family a settlent so we could live in relative safety. Our whole family has been grateful to them ever since, so we've always worshipped their tablets and portrait."
"But…" Liu Cui'e's expression darkened. She gnawed her lip, her voice full of anger and helplessness. "Since the two generals died, the Southern Dynasty changed.
The old emperor passed away, the crown prince died, and the second prince ascended the throne. The new emperor's policies were completely different—taxes and levies grew heavier, and the people's lives grew harder and harder."
Hearing this, Li Qingran clenched her fists so tightly her nails cut into her palms.
She had always known her parents died in a border battle and that many mysterious intrigues were involved, but she had never got the full details.
After joining Qingyun Sect, and because cultivators were forbidden to ddle in mortal politics, she had forced herself to bury that hatred deep.
She thought she had let it go.
Now, back in the place where it all happened and looking at starving corpses everywhere, the fury within her burned like wildfire.
How abundant the Southern Dynasty had once been! The common people were never as comfortable as officials or landowners, but they did not starve or lose their hos.
This was the land her parents had spent their lives protecting.
And now it had beco like this…
"My father always said, if only the two generals were still here—they loved the people like their own children and would never let the people endure such suffering."
A flash of indignation crossed Liu Cui'e's eyes before turning into deep sorrow. "But, I heard that the two generals encountered a large invading force at the border. There were cultivators among the enemy; they were outnumbered and… and…"
She could not finish the sentence, afraid of reopening Li Qingran's wounds.
A cold light flickered in Chen Huaian's eyes.
From Liu Cui'e's account, this very likely pointed to political manipulation. Coupled with the information he had already seen about Li Qingran, his suspicions were nearly complete.
Li Qingran's parents had died on the border.
The crown prince died, and the second prince seized the throne…
That was clearly a struggle for the throne.
"Do you know why the two generals were sent to the border?" Chen Huaian asked.
Liu Cui'e shook her head. "I'm just a nobody; I wouldn't know court affairs. My father only said that the border was invaded and the situation was urgent, so the two generals were ordered to go assist."
Chen Huaian nodded slightly.
Li Qingran's parents should have been a key force protecting the crown prince.
But being dispatched from the capital to the border at a critical mont handed the second prince an opportunity. Such a reassignnt was likely part of the second prince's sche.
More importantly, soone must have been guiding the second prince, and the presence of cultivators among the enemy implied outside assistance…
Seeing Li Qingran's pain, Chen Huaian silently vowed.
Now that they were in the Southern Dynasty, he would find the truth for Qingran.
And bring justice to the innocent who had died!
But for now, the most important thing was to soothe Li Qingran's emotions.
"Qingran, although your parents have passed, the people still rember their kindness."
Chen Huaian stroked Qingran's back gently, his voice warm and resolute. "Look—Liu Cui'e's family still worships them. That shows they were true heroes."
Li Qingran took a deep breath and forced her breathing to steady, using the back of her hand to wipe the tear streaks from her face.
"Master is right. If father and mother could see that people still rember their deeds, their spirits would be comforted."
Liu Cui'e nodded vigorously beside them. "Miss, your parents are the great heroes in all our hearts.
Though they are gone, we will never forget their kindness. As long as I live, I will continue to worship them."
Chen Huaian looked at the portrait on the ancestral table, killing intent surging within him.
The current emperor is the second prince of the Southern Dynasty, right?
Interesting.
If that dog emperor knew he had just provoked soone at the Great Ascension Stage, what would his expression be?
…
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