The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 445 Counting the Nine Seasons
The north wind, carrying fine snowflakes, lashed against the eaves of a solitary mountain pavilion on the outskirts of Xia Prefecture, producing a dense yet cold and harsh sound.

Inside the pavilion, the stone chessboard was as smooth as a mirror, with black and white chess pieces scattered across it, seemingly silently depicting a battlefield far more desolate than the snowstorms beyond the Great Wall. Yuan Tiangang sat upright before the chessboard, still dressed in his old coarse cloth robe. His gaze behind the mask was as calm as an abyss, and he held a black chess piece between his fingers, suspended in mid-air, as if freezing the howling wind outside the pavilion.

Jing Xinmo's figure appeared silently at the foot of the pavilion's stone steps, like a shadow swaying in the wind. He held a scroll of silk in his hands, bowed his head, and spoke in a very low voice, as if afraid of disturbing the invisible killing intent in this small space: "General, urgent report from the headquarters."

Yuan Tiangang's gaze never left the chessboard; he only let out a barely audible "hmm" from his throat, which could be considered his agreement.

Jingxinmo stepped forward and gently placed the silk scroll in the empty space beside the chessboard. He then stood at attention, holding his breath and lowering his head even further. He knew the commander-in-chief's habit: he disliked speaking unless it was crucial, and he especially disliked others making noise.

The silk scroll lay open in the cold air. Yuan Tiangang finally shifted his gaze from the chessboard for a moment, sweeping over the still-fresh ink on the characters.

Jingxinmo lowered his eyelids, his gaze fixed on the stone surface an inch in front of his toes, but his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily. He clearly remembered every word and every detail on the silk scroll, enough to shake the heart of anyone who knew the state of the world.

"On the day of Guiwei, King Xiao Yan of Qin led a hundred cavalrymen and suddenly arrived at the city of Zhao." Jing Xinmo's voice was calm, deliberately maintaining a flat tone. "At that time, several thousand elite cavalrymen of Jin, the army of Dingzhou, and the army of Zhao were facing each other in the field. Xiao Yan, with only the might of a hundred cavalrymen, shouted orders to the three armies and shocked the whole scene."

Jing Xinmo spoke at a steady pace, but every word was clearly uttered.

"Force Li Cunli to publicly acknowledge that the Jin state has accepted the Liang dynasty's calendar and that Jin law must follow Liang law... Pardon Ba Ge and Li Cunren, and take them away; order the Jin army to remain in Zhenzhou for ten days, providing their own food and fodder, as punishment for crossing the border... Capture Wang Yu, the commander of the Dingzhou army who attempted to escape, and hand him over to Prince Zhao, Wang Rong, for his own disposal..."

Upon reading this, Mirror Heart Demon felt a chill creep up his spine. A hundred riders could intimidate an army of ten thousand, three words could decide the fate of the world, forcing a ruthless hero like Li Siyuan to kowtow and confess his crimes in the snow, and compelling Wang Rong to personally execute the son of his ally... This was no ordinary man; it was almost divine power.

He forcefully suppressed the turmoil in his heart, maintaining a calm tone: "The Zhao Kingdom thus changed its allegiance. Wang Rong presented a replica of the imperial seal, along with detailed maps and household registers, and surrendered. The Tian Ce Prefecture issued the following edict: The Zhao Kingdom shall cede Luancheng and Yuanshi in Zhao Prefecture to establish the Zhenji Military Camp; the household registers, taxes, and salt monopolies of the four Zhao prefectures shall be reported to Yingzhou in Hebei for verification; the Zhao Kingdom's garrison troops shall be disbanded, and a new Iron Forest Garrison of 3,000 men shall be established, under the command of Li Honggui, directly under the Tian Ce Prefecture; the second son of the King of Zhao, Wang Zhaohui, shall be sent to Bianliang as a hostage..."

"Upon hearing the news of Wang Yu's death, Wang Chuzhi, the Prince of Beiping in Dingzhou, killed General Zhang Song, burned the secret agreement, stripped himself of his title of Prince of Beiping, and changed his title to Military Governor of Dingzhou. He sent his second son, Wang Du, with the royal seal, bound with thorns, to plead guilty and sent him as a hostage to Bianliang..."

Every decision on the silk scroll struck a chord in the heart of the Mirror Demon. The four states of Zhao, with tens of thousands of soldiers, were swiftly stripped bare, reduced to a mere shell of their former self; the Prince of Beiping, who had held sway over Dingzhou for years, was forced to kill his generals, stripped of his title, surrender his seal, and send his son as a hostage—a truly humiliating fate. And all of this was but a fleeting moment of brilliance from the King of Qin.

After reciting the last sentence, he lowered his head and lowered his eyes, as if trying to shrink himself into the shadows, not daring to look at the commander's reaction, much less reveal the slightest bit of horror in his heart. His fingertips curled up slightly, almost imperceptibly, inside his sleeve.

Unconsciously, Yuan Tiangang's fingertip pressed lightly on the five characters "Hundred Riders Awe the Three Armies," leaving a barely perceptible mark before moving away, as if merely brushing away a speck of dust. His gaze returned to the edge of the chessboard.

On the chessboard, three ancient Bagua coins lay quietly, arranged according to specific positions. One was in the first position (Hidden Dragon, Do Not Act), one was in the fifth position (Flying Dragon in the Sky), and one was suspended at the top (Overbearing Dragon, Regret).

These copper coins have always been arranged in this way whenever Yuan Tiangang plays chess in recent years, as if they were the coordinates of stars that have never changed since ancient times.

When the Mirror Heart Demon recited "Wang Chuzhi killed his son and stripped him of his title," the copper coin in the ninth and fifth position shifted slightly inward without warning, no longer in its upright position. As if propelled by invisible fortune, its sharp edge had already faintly touched the threshold of the emperor's status.

In the instant this subtle shift occurred, the air opposite Yuan Tiangang seemed to ripple slightly. A figure dressed in a plain white robe, with an ethereal and otherworldly aura, solidified silently, like ink spreading on rice paper. After taking shape, the figure sat down opposite Yuan Tiangang, a knowing smile playing on his lips. His gaze swept over the shifted nine-five copper coin, then settled on the black coin between Yuan Tiangang's fingers.

"Back then, the commander observed the celestial phenomena and the flow of fortune in the Hidden Army Valley, and said, 'Hidden dragon, do not use it,' meaning to bide one's time and wait for the right opportunity."

Li Chunfeng's illusory voice was clear, yet possessed a penetrating insight into the world, as if resonating directly within Yuan Tiangang's heart. He extended his illusory finger, picked up a white piece, and steadily placed it near the position representing the first line of the hexagram on the chessboard, forming an invisible barrier.

"Now, the 'hidden dragon' has not yet moved, but the flying dragon is already in the sky, its momentum magnificent, its claws and fangs fully revealed, heading straight for the throne. This game of chess, with the world as the board and the common people as the pieces... General, how do you plan to make your move?"

Yuan Tiangang's gaze remained calm, as if the questioning from the phantom was merely the wind and snow brushing against the eaves of the pavilion.

Without the slightest hesitation, the black piece in his hand landed with a soft thud on a crucial spot on the chessboard where the white pieces were connected. That position vaguely corresponded to the direction of Yunshuo in Jin.

“The higher you fly, the more abundant your wings become; however,” Yuan Tiangang’s voice was as calm and still as a frozen river, “the most dangerous thing is to have your wings broken, even when suspended in the heavens. Once your wings are broken, it is difficult to rise again.”

Li Chunfeng's smile deepened, his gaze seemingly piercing through the chessboard and landing on the distant northern grasslands: "A broken wing needs a sharp blade. Is the broken wing blade in the General's hand the flame of rebellion against the king, or the 'Protect Tang' banner that is about to be raised in the misty rain of Jiangnan?"

As if to confirm his words, Jingxinmo suppressed the lingering excitement in his heart from reading the battle report, stepped forward again, and presented a sealed letter with sealing wax, the envelope unsigned. He whispered, "General, this is a secret letter from Zhenzhou, written by Li Siyuan himself."

Li Chunfeng's illusory figure didn't even glance at the letter. He simply raised his hand, his fingertips twirling a strand of his illusory hair, as if sensing some invisible trajectory. He shook his head and chuckled, a hint of knowing amusement in his voice: "Li Siyuan... this sword of the General is indeed coated with deadly poison, sharp and ruthless. He knows full well that spring planting is imminent, all things await revival, and the people are struggling to survive, yet he still brazenly urges the use of force in the dead of winter. This is not a plea for survival, but a desperate attempt to drown himself, dragging the northern deserts down with him, seeking only a sliver of hope for a comeback. His heart is in turmoil, his mind is clouded, and that kneeling in the snow has completely burned away the last shred of reason."

Yuan Tiangang remained silent for a moment, and the sound of the wind and snow outside the pavilion seemed particularly noisy at that moment. He did not respond to Li Chunfeng's evaluation, but merely flicked his sleeve almost imperceptibly. A pre-prepared letter slipped into the hands of Jing Xinmo.

"Send a message to Quinn," Yuan Tiangang's voice remained calm. "Help Li Siyuan detonate the Bali Shensu."

Mirror Heart Demon felt a chill and bowed to accept the order.

Li Chunfeng's illusory figure clapped his hands and sighed softly, as if appraising a brilliant but risky move: "Brilliant. This man, Bali Shensu, has already been corrupted by that forbidden technique, driven mad like a demon. Once this fiend is detonated, its destructive power will be enough to tear apart the grasslands and shake the foundation of the royal court. Shuliduo is beset by internal and external troubles, its foundation is not yet stable, how can it withstand this attack from within and without? At that time, how can Xiao Yan sit idly by and watch the Yinshan barrier collapse? If he does not come to the rescue, the northern desert will be in chaos, Yelü Lage will collude with the Jin Kingdom, and Hebei will never have peace. But if he does come to the rescue..."

Li Chunfeng's fingertip lightly traced a line on the chessboard. "This tax exemption to support the people already intends to deplete the national treasury, tying our own hands. If we then send a large army north for reinforcements, the cost in money and provisions will be immeasurable. It's like a giant elephant sinking into a quagmire; the more it struggles, the deeper it sinks. A slight misstep will leave us in a dilemma, severely depleting the nation's strength. When that time comes—"

His gaze shifted to the southeast corner of the chessboard. "The 'Protecting Tang' piece that the Grand Marshal placed in Jiangnan, and then rose up again with the help of others, the whole world echoed... It was truly a delightful game of chess."

Yuan Tiangang remained indifferent, as if everything Li Chunfeng had analyzed was within his expectations. He picked up a black piece, preparing to place it in the crucial center of the board.

However, Li Chunfeng did not stop talking. He twirled the end of his hair, but his gaze fell on the off-center copper coin on the chessboard. It was as if he could see through the mottled copper surface and see the figure in Bianliang City who was also setting up a chessboard in the wind and snow. His tone was filled with a pure inquiry.

"However, Commander... why are you so certain that our Shujiu will be trapped in this quagmire of the northern desert, unable to extricate himself?"

He paused, then gently placed a white piece in the center of the chessboard, next to the offset nine-five copper coin, as if questioning the heavens.

"The Grand Marshal's strategies have always transcended the gains and losses of a single city or region, directly targeting the pivotal mechanism of the world's fortunes. Chunfeng is well aware of this. However, I am also puzzled: Observing Xiao Yan's actions, his ambition is to sweep across the world, his ambition is boundless, and his methods are swift and decisive. At this time when the world is in turmoil and the lords are helpless, it is the best time to devour everything and sweep away all obstacles in one fell swoop. Why... why does he suddenly stop when he has taken all the wealth of Shu and the elite troops of Qin?"

Li Chunfeng's gaze deepened, as if he were deducing the trajectory of the stars: "He stopped. Not because he lacked the strength, but because he willingly bound himself. Distributing land and exempting taxes, allowing the people to rest, this was to sever his ambition to sweep across the world, turning a fierce tiger into a plowing ox. In a chaotic world of vying for supremacy, he did not take a single penny from the people this year, but used the wealth of Qin Chuan to nourish them. With such courage, what does he seek, ultimately, to contend for the world, or... to govern the world?"

As Li Chunfeng spoke, a white stone was placed seemingly unintentionally yet deliberately, in an extremely cunning position, precisely on the vital point of Yuan Tiangang's black stone that was about to be placed, instantly creating a counterattack. With this one move, a large group of black stones that Yuan Tiangang had previously dominated on the board were rendered lifeless.

Yuan Tiangang's black chess piece hovered in mid-air, the piece at his fingertips seemingly weighing a ton. Faced with this sudden, soul-searching question and this decisive move, the notorious leader, who had calculated the secrets of heaven for three hundred years, fell into an unusually long silence. Only the howling wind and snow remained in the pavilion, and time seemed to stretch out.

After a long silence, as if it had never existed, Yuan Tiangang slowly handed a well-prepared, ink-stained cursive proclamation entitled "Protect the Tang Dynasty" to Jingxinmo beside him.

“Order Shi Yao,” he began, his voice still steady, “to revise this document into a petition against the Liang dynasty and for the restoration of the Tang dynasty, and add Li Xingyun’s seal at the end.”

The Mirror Demon obeyed the order once again, and his figure finally retreated silently into the wind and snow, as if he had never appeared.

Then another black piece was placed, but it was not to save the large group that had been killed by the white pieces. Instead, it was placed with a resolute attitude to expand the position on the board that represented Jiangnan.

"The day the proclamation is sent to the world," Yuan Tiangang's voice was hoarse, "is the day when Xiao Yan completely breaks with all those who claim to be former officials of the Tang Dynasty. The knife of the heart can also sever the wings of a dragon."

Li Chunfeng's illusory figure watched the falling black piece, then glanced at the so-called "Proclamation to Overthrow Liang and Restore Tang." His usual smile faded slightly, replaced by a knowing, slightly mocking expression. "Once the proclamation is issued, the world is in turmoil. Those who wave the banner of restoring Tang—whether they are loyal or treacherous, righteous or self-serving—will be immediately discerned. This plan is indeed brilliant; it will certainly put Xiao Yan in complete opposition to the many warlords who harbor ulterior motives and seek to use the name of the Tang dynasty to establish their own separatist regimes. However…"

His gaze returned to the nine-five copper coin, his tone becoming meaningful, "The issuance of this proclamation is tantamount to revealing to the world that Shu Jiu, entrusted with the care of Emperor Zhaozong of the Former Tang Dynasty and the identity of the last crown prince Li Zuo, is a double-edged sword. For the commander-in-chief, it is probably not all beneficial. Does the commander-in-chief know that most of the so-called former officials of the Li Tang Dynasty are not truly loyal and devoted to the cause? They are merely remnants of powerful families, powerful clans, arrogant soldiers, and scholar-officials who monopolize education and control local areas and exploit the people. Their talk of restoring the Tang Dynasty is nothing more than a pretext to preserve their own power and perpetuate their separatist rule. For them, the exposure of Shu Jiu's identity is not a banner of submission, but rather a death warrant..."

At this point, Li Chunfeng's voice suddenly turned stern.

"The ministers of the realm are not those who can be subdued by a mere proclamation and who willingly bow down to submit! The heroes of the realm are even less benevolent rulers who care for the world and aspire to restore it! Their gathering to restore the Tang Dynasty is a crime deserving of condemnation, and their actions will surely lead to chaos."

Xiao Yan's intended actions—to weaken the power of regional military governors, equalize land distribution, suppress powerful clans, rectify officialdom, and seize military power—are all aimed at undermining their foundations and severing their lifeline. Would they willingly relinquish their generations-old lands, retainers, and power simply because of the empty title of a former crown prince? The proclamation revealing his identity not only failed to win their allegiance but also added fuel to the fire, causing these already scheming warlords, each harboring their own ambitions and fearing Xiao Yan's ruthless methods, to unite even more closely due to their shared fear and acute pain. Under the guise of restoring the Tang dynasty, they were actually resisting the Liang dynasty to protect themselves. The commander-in-chief truly possesses brilliant methods and a brilliant strategy!

Yuan Tiangang remained silent, but Li Chunfeng smiled inexplicably: "However, Chunfeng has another question. How can the commander be sure that Xiao Yan's break with those people is not the result he originally wanted? If he wants to cleanse the world, these corrupt things are obstacles that must be swept into the dust."

As Li Chunfeng spoke, he slowly and methodically picked up the large group of black stones that he had just captured from the chessboard, one by one, and placed them into the chess box. With each stone he picked up, he chuckled softly.

"To acquire the nine tripods so easily is to be ignorant of the hardships of starting a business."

A black stone was picked up.

"If one becomes complacent and slack in maintaining the status quo, one will ultimately repeat the mistake of the saying, 'Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.'"

Another black stone was picked up.

"If the world is easily obtained, then disaster will surely lurk from the complacency of those who are complacent in maintaining it."

The last crucial black piece, which had been captured, returned to the palm of Li Chunfeng's phantom.

He spread his palms, looking at the chess pieces that symbolized being easily captured, then raised his eyes to look directly into the unfathomable pupils behind Yuan Tiangang's mask. His voice suddenly rose, carrying a sense of exhilaration and pride that pierced through three hundred years of dust and smoke.

"The remnants of powerful families, the tyrants who seize land, the brutal generals, and the monopolistic officials! Have they all gathered together to rebel against me?"

Li Chunfeng swung his arm sharply, as if to sweep away all the decaying matter, his voice booming like a great bell, echoing throughout the small mountain pavilion:
"I will crush them all! Destroy them! Grind them into dust! What is there to fear in such a situation? I only feel exhilarated! It is the perfect opportunity for me to use my mighty army to sweep away the filth and deep-seated problems of the past three hundred years in one fell swoop!"

Yuan Tiangang sat upright as a rock, his figure motionless in the snow-covered wooden pavilion. Only his unfathomable eyes beneath the mask shrunk for a fleeting moment as Li Chunfeng raised his arm and pointed to the void, as if to sweep away the entire corrupt old world.

He neither refuted nor agreed. The bronze mask concealed all expressions, leaving only a chillingly calm scrutiny. It was as if the stirring scenes of "ploughing up the court and sweeping away the dens" and "cleansing up the accumulated filth" described by Li Chunfeng were not mere boasts, but a reality reflected on the astrological chart he had deduced countless times, slowly unfolding in a way he had never anticipated, or perhaps something he subconsciously did not want to delve into.

Before the words had even faded, Li Chunfeng's gaze suddenly sharpened, fixed on the edge of the chessboard. The shifted copper coin, its previously blurred patina now rippling like water, seemed to reveal a clear human figure emerging from it—a figure in black robes and a golden crown, with a composed demeanor between his brows. Who else could it be but Xiao Yan?

Suddenly, Yuan Tiangang's sleeves moved without wind, and a sharp gust of wind rose from the ground, carrying an overwhelming and irresistible aura, sweeping directly towards the copper coin that reflected Xiao Yan's image.

A fierce wind howled, causing the charcoal fire inside the pavilion to flicker wildly, and the chess pieces on the stone board to clatter. However, just before the sleeve's gust of wind was about to touch the copper coin, the violent force vanished abruptly, as if hitting an invisible dam. Yuan Tiangang's hand hovered an inch above the copper coin before slowly withdrawing. His wide sleeves fell down, concealing the fist that had clenched and then slowly relaxed beneath them.

"What...are you afraid of?" Li Chunfeng's voice carried a strange penetrating power, his gaze seemingly able to pierce through the cold mask and reach the depths of Yuan Tiangang's heart.

"Are you afraid he will truly become a second Emperor Taizong? Are you afraid that what he will create will be a glorious era far surpassing the Zhenguan era, truly ending this three-hundred-year period of chaos?"

Yuan Tiangang remained silent, as still as an abyss. After a long while, he slowly spoke, his voice deep and steady, devoid of any emotion, as if stating an eternal truth: "Emperor Taizong was divinely endowed with martial prowess, governing the world and ushering in the Zhenguan era of prosperity, his achievements surpassing all others. In this world... how could there be a second Emperor Taizong?"

The moment he finished speaking, his hand clenched almost imperceptibly beneath his sleeve. The nine-five copper coin that had just reflected Xiao Yan's image silently turned into fine dust in the darkness of his sleeve.

"Heh..." Li Chunfeng's illusory figure chuckled lightly, no longer pursuing the whereabouts of the copper coin. Instead, he stood up, hands behind his back, leaning against the railing, gazing at the vast, snow-covered mountains and rivers outside the pavilion. Though clearly an illusory figure, he exuded an unprecedented, domineering aura.

"Warfare is based on deception and is a dangerous tool. However, the ancient sages did not use war for slaughter, but to suppress violence and eliminate chaos, to bring peace to the world, and to establish an unshakeable foundation for the nation for all ages."

His voice grew clearer in the wind and snow, as if proclaiming, "In times of war, laws must be strict to deter villains; in places teeming with danger, power must be unified to command the world and quell chaos!"

His gaze seemed to pierce through mountains and rivers, landing on that same figure who was also relentlessly forging ahead through the wind and snow, filled with admiration and respect:

"What a brilliant strategy for the coldest days of winter! What a brilliant plan to make the whole world your enemy! What a brilliant strategy to use yourself as bait to lure the snake out of its hole and cleanse the world! Brother Yuan, oh Brother Yuan..."

Li Chunfeng suddenly turned around, his gaze like lightning, piercing Yuan Tiangang, "This game is not due to your lack of calculation or your lack of skill. It is simply a matter of fate and the will of the people. You did not lose unjustly. But you lost completely."

As the words fell, the phantom white figure faded away like drifting clouds scattered by the wind, eventually disappearing completely into the snow mist and the dim light of the charcoal fire that filled the pavilion, as if it had never existed. Only the resounding words "thoroughly" remained, still faintly echoing in the cold air.

Inside the pavilion, deathly silence returned. There was no longer any Bad Commander or Grand Historian Li; from beginning to end, only Yuan Tiangang sat alone before the stone table, his clothes as black as ink, blending into the boundless wind and snow outside the pavilion.

The flickering firelight from the charcoal brazier stretched his lonely figure, casting it onto the cold stone wall where it swayed slightly.

He remained silent, his gaze fixed on the chaotic chessboard. After a long while, he slowly picked up a black piece. The piece was cold to the touch, yet its texture was distinct. His gaze swept across the center of the board, where the nine-five copper coin had landed earlier, the ultimate target of all his moves. However, the so-called large dragon surging towards that target had already been completely wiped out.

The black piece hovered for a moment, then, with an indescribable heaviness, gently landed, filling a seemingly insignificant yet subtly influential gap in the center.

Just as the black piece was placed, a gust of wind swept through the pavilion, blowing aside the hanging grass curtain. A single, glistening snowflake slipped in, swirling and landing precisely on the small area of ​​the chessboard representing the first line of the hexagram. The snowflake landed on the cold stone surface, but did not melt immediately. It lingered quietly for a moment before slowly dissolving, leaving a tiny, damp stain that perfectly blurred the star position symbolizing the "hidden dragon."

Yuan Tiangang's gaze fell on the water stain. He raised his hand, his wide sleeves brushing against the stone chessboard, as if trying to wipe it away. However, the hand that hovered in mid-air eventually withdrew slowly. He left the water stain there, like an indelible mark, a tiny variable, silently permeating the cold star position.

The wind and snow intensified, their howling filling the mountain pavilion. Mirror Heart Demon's figure reappeared like a ghost at the foot of the stone steps, bowing his head to report: "General, the three plans have been launched. The two towns of Dingnan and Shuofang have also sent messages, expressing their willingness to obey the General's orders, remain on the sidelines for now, and wait for the opportune moment to act."

He paused briefly and asked, "General, you have been in Xia Prefecture for a long time. Should you go to Taiyuan in person... or take charge in Yangzhou? Both Shanxi and Jiangnan require your strategic planning."

Yuan Tiangang did not answer immediately. He remained seated, his gaze beneath the mask piercing through the swirling snow, as if directed towards a distant place. Time flowed by amidst the howling wind and snow, the charcoal fire crackling softly. After a long while, a very soft, faint laugh, almost imperceptible and ethereal, escaped from beneath the mask.

"Heh..." He seemed to recall some trivial matter, his voice so calm it was almost a soliloquy, "But I suddenly remembered that it has been a year since I left Hidden Soldier Valley. The old peach tree on the back mountain of the valley, which I planted myself... In the blink of an eye, it will be time for it to bloom in full glory and be covered in rosy clouds again."

Mirror Heart Demon looked up in astonishment, completely unable to comprehend how these abrupt words had any connection to the current situation. Back to Hidden Soldier Valley? To see the peach blossoms? Spring still had a month or so left, in this dead of winter? What was going on...?

The wind and snow swept away his astonishment. Yuan Tiangang had already slowly risen, his old robe sleeves brushing against the cold stone chessboard, covering the water stains that had stained the position of the first nine stars. He stood with his hands behind his back at the entrance of the pavilion, letting the north wind blow his clothes, his figure as upright as a solitary peak.

"Return to Zangbing Valley."

Four words, calm and undisturbed, yet carrying an inexplicable resolve, vanished into the swirling snow. That solitary figure, for the first time in years, stopped looking at the chaotic chess game and the howling world, turned and disappeared step by step into the vast expanse of white snow outside the pavilion.

(End of this chapter)