The night in Chang'an was as dark as ink, with only a Lonely Moon hanging high, seemingly watching all the joys and sorrows of the mortal world.
Inside the Imperial City, the lights were brightly lit.
That golden light tearing through the sky did not stop at the city walls, but fell straight into the depths of the inner palace.
As the radiance dissipated, several figures appeared.
The Emperor came running from a distance, stumbling along, with the Old Eunuch following close behind, panting heavily.
"Lonely Moon!"
The Emperor stopped just ten steps away from the figures, his outstretched hand suspended in mid-air.
It wasn't until he clearly saw the young girl's face, which remained as cold and aloof as ever, that this Emperor of the Great Tang finally let his shoulders, which had been tense for days, suddenly slump down.
"It's good that you're back... It's good that you're back."
Jiang Yuechu stood where she was, looking at the man before her who appeared somewhat haggard from lack of sleep. The hostility she had brought back from Five Immortals Mountain quietly dissipated by more than half.
She casually tidied her cuffs and gave a faint greeting: "Imperial Brother."
This address of 'Imperial Brother' made the Li Family Emperor feel a lump in his throat.
Only then did he notice the group of people behind Jiang Yuechu.
A Daoist Child who looked only seven or eight years old was standing with his hands behind his back, sizing up the palace's eaves and brackets with an air of worldly wisdom.
A burly, dark-faced man with a copper ring hanging from his nose was shrinking his neck, seemingly somewhat intimidated by this place.
As for the last one... it was the hunched-over, sycophantic Old Flood Dragon.
He had seen the Daoist Child and the Old Flood Dragon before.
But this dark-faced man... "This is..." The Emperor was somewhat hesitant.
Why did Lonely Moon always bring back such shady-looking characters every time she returned... Surely she wasn't being led astray?
Jiang Yuechu did not offer much of an introduction, simply saying casually: "I picked him up on the road. He seemed useful enough, so I brought him back. You needn't worry about him, Imperial Brother; just find a place to settle him down."
Upon hearing this, Running Ox actually straightened his back, looking extremely honored.
Although the Emperor was puzzled, he knew his sister's personality.
He didn't ask further, simply waving for the Old Eunuch to make arrangements.
Once the others had withdrawn, only the brother and sister remained on the vast plaza.
The night breeze was slightly cool, swirling up a few withered leaves.
The Emperor rubbed his hands, appearing as if he wanted to ask but was somewhat afraid to.
After hesitating for a long time, he finally spoke cautiously: "Lonely Moon, this time..."
Although Jiang Yuechu hadn't said why she was going, how could he not guess a thing or two?
It was eighty percent likely related to Five Immortals Mountain.
But... being able to repel Five Immortals Mountain back then was already a stroke of immense luck.
As for anything else... he didn't dare think about it, nor did he want to.
Seeing the Emperor's apprehensive state, Jiang Yuechu sighed in her heart.
She didn't answer directly but instead asked: "Imperial Brother, what do you think of Five Immortals Mountain?"
The Emperor was startled and gave a bitter smile: "The Five Immortals Masters have celestial powers, and Five Immortals Mountain has a deep foundation; it is a true immortal blessed land. Our Great Tang... currently, I'm afraid we cannot afford to provoke them."
"Yes, we can't afford to provoke them."
Jiang Yuechu nodded: "So when I went there, I didn't intend to do much. I just wanted to talk some sense into those Immortal Masters."
"Talk some sense?" The Emperor's eyes widened.
What kind of people were at Five Immortals Mountain?
Who didn't know by now?
Talking sense with those Immortal Masters... "Correct."
Jiang Yuechu spoke nonsense with a straight face: "Five Immortals Mountain is actually quite easy to talk to. When I reached the foot of the mountain, they came out to greet me. Not only did they invite me up for tea, but they also very politely inquired about the current state of the Great Tang."
"Later, we had a very pleasant conversation. Several Immortal Masters even felt that the Feng Shui of Five Immortals Mountain was poor and somewhat hindered their cultivation. They said they planned to move and travel the world, so this territory will be vacated."
"..."
The Emperor's mouth hung open, and he couldn't close it for a long time.
He stared blankly at Jiang Yuechu, his head buzzing.
Drinking tea?
A pleasant conversation?
And moving away?
He understood every single word, but when put together, why did it sound like a fairy tale?
That was Five Immortals Mountain!
The Five Immortals Mountain that would slaughter cities and destroy nations at the slightest disagreement!
How did they become a group of hospitable and reasonable old neighbors in his sister's mouth?
"This... this..."
The Emperor stammered for a long time without being able to utter a complete sentence.
He subconsciously looked at Jiang Yuechu's sleeves. They were clean—forget bloodstains, there wasn't even a speck of dust.
Could it... be true?
After all, if they had really fought, how could there not be even a slight injury?
It couldn't be an instant kill without taking any damage, right?
If the talk hadn't gone well, with the temperaments of those Immortal Masters, they would have likely attacked Chang'an long ago.
Now that everything was calm, there seemed to be no other explanation except that the reasoning had worked.
"Imperial Brother doesn't believe me?" Jiang Yuechu tilted her head.
"I believe you! I... I believe you!"
The Emperor took a deep breath, joy flooding his face.
No matter how absurd the process was, as long as the result was good, then it was good!
Five Immortals Mountain moving away meant that the great mountain hanging over the Great Tang's head had finally been moved!
"Good! Wonderful!"
Excited, the Emperor paced back and forth, his hands trembling: "Heaven blesses the Great Tang! Heaven blesses the Great Tang!"
Looking at the Emperor's excited appearance, a flash of softness appeared in Jiang Yuechu's eyes.
There were some things this elder brother didn't need to know too clearly.
It would serve no purpose other than to make him worry.
The blood and slaughter were enough for her to bear alone.
"Imperial Brother."
Jiang Yuechu called out softly.
The Emperor stopped, turned around, his face still lit with lingering joy: "What is it?"
"It's late. Let's go inside and sit."
Jiang Yuechu pointed to the Imperial Study not far away: "There are some things I want to say to you."
...Inside the Imperial Study, the candlelight flickered.
In the vast room, only the brother and sister remained.
The Emperor personally poured a cup of hot tea for Jiang Yuechu.
"Lonely Moon, try this. This is this year's new tribute Rain Before Longjing."
Jiang Yuechu took the teacup and took a light sip.
It was indeed quite good.
She set down the teacup and looked at the Emperor sitting opposite her.
Now that there were no outsiders, the Emperor had shed all his disguises, revealing an unmistakable fatigue.
Though he was only in his twenties, several strands of white hair had already appeared at his temples.
"Imperial Brother."
Jiang Yuechu said softly: "You've worked hard."
The Emperor gave a bitter smile and shook his head: "Hard work?"
"The Great Tang is plagued by internal troubles and external threats, precarious as a candle in the wind."
"If it weren't for you... if you hadn't appeared before me and turned the tide, the Great Tang would have likely..."
At this point, the Emperor looked up.
In his eyes were guilt, self-reproach, and even more so, powerlessness.
"Lonely Moon, do you... do you think your Imperial Brother is very useless?"
"As the sovereign of a nation, I cannot protect the people, I cannot protect the land, and now I can only rely on my own younger sister."
"Sometimes I wonder if the Great Tang's... if its destiny has truly reached its end?"
"If that's the case, why should I make you sink along with this broken ship?"
These words had been bottled up in his heart for too long.
Ever since Jiang Yuechu's time in Jiangnan West Circuit.
Defeating a Burning Lamp from the Mountain Gazing Realm.
This kind of inferiority and guilt had grown wildly in his heart like weeds.
She was the bright moon in the sky, and her future path was still very long.
With the talent she had displayed, Ascending the Tower... would not be her final peak.
Was it too selfish to bind her to this war chariot of the Great Tang?