Shaojun riding the sea

Chapter 227: Red Book and Iron Scroll
"You want me to bring my people back home?"

Shi Xuanling's heart was shocked, and she couldn't stop muttering Feng Shuxing's words. The Feng family had been wandering outside for hundreds of years, and had experienced many ups and downs. Their descendants had spent their entire lives trying to establish the Tonglu Kingdom, sacrificing everything to pursue an illusory dream of restoring their country, but in fact, the Feng family's final destination was to return to Yunzhou Island, to their original hometown. If they could really let go of their obsession and return to their homeland, and live safely on the island, this would indeed be a beautiful vision, but could she... do it? Was she really the destined person chosen by God, and could she achieve what even Jiyue's ancestor couldn't achieve hundreds of years ago?

Seeing Shi Xuanling lost in thought with a serious expression, Feng Shuxing nodded, his face also becoming solemn. He stared at her and said:

"If you are willing to take on this mission, then I have something else to give you. It is a special promise left by Kuang Heng, the founding monarch of Dongmu."

"A special promise?"

"Yes, Miss Shi, have you heard of the Red Book and Iron Contract?"

The Red Book on Iron, also known as the Red Book on Iron Scroll, is a special certificate bestowed by the king on meritorious officials from generation to generation. It is written in cinnabar on the iron certificate and records the meritorious deeds of the recipient, as well as the special treatment granted by the king, the right to be exempted from death, and even a meaningful oath of commitment.

That year, when Kuang Heng was critically ill, he summoned Feng Jiyue to the palace. They both had white hair and looked old. They were no longer the high-spirited and happy men who sang happily under the moon when they first met on Yunzhou Island.

Time takes away many things, but it also leaves many indelible traces, such as those unforgettable... moving memories from the past.

Kuang Heng was quietly recalling the past on his sickbed. He did not call himself "I" in front of Feng Jiyue, but just whispered gently like an old friend reminiscing about the past. Feng Jiyue had been listening in silence until Kuang Heng mentioned Feng Qiyun.

Yes, he actually mentioned Feng Qiyun. Feng Jiyue's pupils suddenly shrank and his heart tightened at that moment.

But Kuang Heng just leaned on the bed, sighing, "You may not understand, but I didn't want Qi Yun and I to end up in a life-and-death struggle. He was the one who insisted on being my enemy. He didn't believe I could be a good emperor. He even left the island with his people to build a Tonglu Kingdom in his mind. How could I just sit there and watch the Feng family become the biggest threat to the new dynasty? As the king of a country, I must give an explanation to the soldiers who followed the Dongmu new dynasty, to the clan members behind me, and to the ministers who supported me as emperor. So I issued a hunting order for Qi Yun and the Feng family, to kill them all, because at that time... I couldn't keep their lives at all."

“But fortunately, among the four brothers who swore brotherhood on the battlefield, there are still two who have lived up to Qiyun.” Kuang Heng said this, raised his eyes to look at Feng Jiyue, whose face was slightly pale, and smiled gently: “In fact, what Zhiqing and Afu did secretly back then… I know it all.”

After these words came out, Feng Jiyue's face turned even paler. Her heart was beating wildly, and when she was about to speak, Kuang Heng raised his hand to stop her. He shook his head, but the smile in his eyes did not diminish:

"I know what you want to say, but there's no need to talk about the past. Don't worry, I didn't punish them back then, and I won't do that now. After all, the ending back then was... something I acquiesced to."

After a few violent coughs, Kuang Heng slowed down his breathing, raised his head and continued, "In fact, I have worked hard these years, working day and night to formulate new laws and create a prosperous era. I have never slacked off for a single day and never had a good night's sleep. You know that I am a competitive person. I just don't accept it. I want to prove that I am the one destined by heaven. I have tried my best to be a good emperor. I just want to show Feng Qiyun that the one who was wrong back then was not me, but him!"

When it came to this intense point, Kuang Heng couldn't help but cover his chest and coughed violently a few times. Even though his life was almost coming to an end, his eyes were still extremely bright and burning, as if there was a fire burning in them. "I haven't looked for Qi Yun's trace for so many years. I seem to be betting with him. Even though I don't know where he is, I just feel that he must be watching me somewhere, so I never dare to relax. He is sure that I will become another tyrant Xia Fu Chong, and will plunge the people of the world into dire straits. Then I will not do as he wishes. I will lead the army in person, drive out the foreign enemies, consolidate our territory, and return a peaceful and prosperous era to the people of the world!"

"What kind of person am I, Kuang Heng? A wise ruler or a foolish and cruel tyrant? I don't need him to use a divination to judge my life or death. The heavens can bear witness to my honor and disgrace, my merits and demerits, and they will be recorded in the history books of future generations. No one can judge me!"

Even though he was terminally ill, Kuang Heng's voice still echoed in the hall with full energy. Feng Jiyue's breathing became disordered, the corners of her eyes turned slightly red, and she clenched her palms involuntarily. All kinds of complicated emotions surged in her heart, making it difficult for her to speak, and she could only fall into a long silence again.

It was not until Kuang Heng ordered someone to take out something, placed it in front of her, and told her the real reason for summoning her to the palace that she was shocked all over, her eyes widened in disbelief, and tears flowed down her face, dripping onto the red-lettered iron certificate with profound meaning in front of her.

Yes, Kuang Heng had been fighting against Feng Qiyun for his entire life. Perhaps he had figured it out before he died, and recalled their old brotherhood and felt compassion for him. Or perhaps the Dongmu Dynasty was so stable that he was no longer afraid of the potential threat from the Feng family.

So he made a decision, which was to give the descendants of the Feng family a red-lettered iron certificate.

If there are still descendants of the Feng family surviving in this world, they can be pardoned with the help of this red-lettered iron certificate. They do not have to continue to flee, but can be safely sent back to their hometown, back to Yunzhou Island, where they can live and work in peace and contentment, away from disputes like before.

But Kuang Heng still had some concerns. After all, he had severed all ties with his good brother, and it was not a glorious thing to kill all the Feng family. He did not want future generations to mention this matter, so the Dongmu Dynasty still erased all traces of the Feng family's existence, and he could not announce it to the world and go out of his way to find the descendants of the Feng family.

Everything had to be done secretly, but his people had sent out several groups but had no clues. Kuang Heng had no choice but to think of Feng Jiyue, but unfortunately, this former high priest Jiyue, Feng Qiyun's biological sister, still had no clue.

The Feng family disappeared completely from the world, as if they had never existed. Until Kuang Heng passed away with regret, he still had not seen any surviving descendants of the Feng family. Sometimes he even wondered whether those Feng family members who were stranded outside at that time had already experienced many hardships and were completely destroyed?
But no one could tell him the answer. He could only split the red-lettered iron certificate into two before he died, leaving half in the palace and sending the other half to Fenglou. After his death, everything would be gone. The succeeding king would not care about the life and death of the Feng family. The burden of finding the descendants of the Feng family could only fall on Fenglou. After all, they were of the same lineage, and Fenglou's descendants must want to find their relatives who were stranded outside!

Once their whereabouts were found, the descendants of the Feng family could bring half of the red-lettered iron certificate from the Feng Tower into the palace to meet the emperor, and piece it together with the half left in the palace to form a complete piece as proof, asking the king in power at the time to pardon the Feng family's crimes, allow them to return to their hometown and live in the Feng Tower, or have the court build another residence for them and give them a new home.

Feng Jiuyue was naturally excited to receive this promise, and she spent the rest of her life looking for the descendants of the Feng family who were stranded outside. However, she was unable to achieve her wish until her death. She could only leave behind a detailed record and will, hoping that future generations of Feng Lou would do their best to find the stranded descendants and realize their dream of reunion!
"Ancestor Ji Yue's obsession was so deep that he refused to give up until his death. However, when the first batch of elders in Feng Lou passed away one after another, many things gradually faded away. Feng Lou's life was so peaceful and tranquil that no one wanted to destroy it. Finally, a head master made a cruel decision to hide the records and wills left by Ancestor Ji Yue. From then on, everything disappeared. Feng Lou only had to bury its head in sewing wedding clothes and doing business with peace of mind, and no longer had to get involved in the disturbances outside."

"It was not until I searched every hidden corner of Fenglou for Madam Wan's treatment that I accidentally found the things left by the ancestor Ji Yue. I learned about the grievances and disputes between the four major families hundreds of years ago, and the whole story. I will tell you all of it."

"So, Miss Shi, are you willing to accept this half of the Danshu Iron Voucher and undertake the mission of leading the people back to their homeland?"