My enemies became my companions

Chapter 613 The Journey (Part 2)

The carriage stopped in a clearing at the edge of the woods. The horse, its reins untied, buried its head in the half-muddy, half-clear lake water, while Chen Yi, squatting to the side, pointed at the map with a twig.

Southern Frontier is the southern border of Dayu, bordering Sichuan and Chongqing. There were several kingdoms there in ancient times, such as Nanzhao and Dali. Chen Yi was most impressed by the latter. Even though he couldn't explain exactly what Dali was or what it had, he knew that the Duan and Gao families were the rulers of Dali. However, the story was not like that of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. There was no One-Finger Divine Skill or Six-Meridian Divine Sword. Now there was only the Annam Prince's Mansion and the only remaining hereditary prince of the current dynasty—Qin Qingluo.

The journey was long and arduous. Jiangxi is separated from southern Xinjiang by Huguang and Guizhou, and the main route relied on post roads and a combination of land and water transport, requiring multiple transfers. Due to the complex terrain, the route was rarely a straight line, and it was necessary to detour around major post stations and ports.

Moreover, since it requires multiple trips up the river, the days of traveling three thousand miles in one night when descending Longhu are now impossible.

You don't know until you see it, and once you do, Chen Yi realizes what it means to be separated by vast distances.

The leaves rustled.

Chen Yi turned around, and the female Taoist priest parted the branches and leaves, walking gracefully towards him.

"Not staying in the car? Didn't you say you were going to take a break?" Chen Yi put away the map and said casually.

"After it's fixed, I might as well get off and see you," Yin Weiying replied. Seeing him folding up the map, she asked, "How much further?"

"It hasn't been that long, it's still quite far," Chen Yi said, then sighed softly.

Yin Weiying's eyes were unfathomable, and he desperately wanted to say, "Since it's so far, let's not go."

Mount Taihua may not be without a way to repair the meridians. Even if it is, one can seek opportunities on other mountains, which is far better than the evil sects like the Demonic Cult. Moreover... there is nothing worth seeing about that Qin Qingluo. Even if one really wants to see her, one can cultivate with her and ascend to immortality, which allows one to travel thousands of miles in a few steps to reach the Southern Frontier. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
Thoughts raced through his mind, and various words circled around him, but he ultimately didn't utter them. These were words he could have said when their love was deep and sweet, and even if he had, he wouldn't have cared. But if he were to blurt them out now, he would inevitably bring trouble upon himself and have to brew chrysanthemum tea again...

The journey was already bumpy, and Yin Weiying was unwilling to endure such torture.

Chen Yi glanced at her sideways and said, "You don't want to go?"

Yin Weiying suppressed his desire to nod and said softly, "A perfect match is a golden boy and a jade girl. Wherever you go, I will go."

"Oh, that's a very pleasing thing to say."

"Just saying what I wanted to say," she replied.

Chen Yi smiled. Since he stopped spoiling Da Yin as much as before, his Da Yin had learned how to be "well-behaved". He was neither cunning nor complaining along the way. Moreover, he was more pleasing and docile than ever before.

Seeing that he was in a good mood, Yin Weiying thought for a moment and then said, "Actually, the reason I got off the carriage to keep you company was not only because I had been in the carriage for too long, but also because that Crown Prince was causing me a lot of trouble..."

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Yi interrupted, "Don't whisper in my ear, just bear with it."

Yin Weiying bit her lip slightly, a hint of resentment in her voice, but she didn't dare complain. Her eyes flickered, and she said softly:
"So, once we're in each other's arms, you can whisper sweet nothings in each other's ears?"

"That's a great idea,"

Chen Yi glanced at her, smiled again, pulled her into his arms, kissed her forehead, and said:
"Don't think about it anymore. We'll be in Wuchang in a few days, and then we can spend some quality time together."

…………

I came from Wuchang Prefecture, and I left from Wuchang Prefecture.

Thanks to the well-developed waterways, the journey from Jiangxi to Huguang was smooth. Upon arriving in Wuchang Prefecture, Chen Yi and the four women, who had been bored throughout the journey, were finally able to rest. They had grown tired of Jiangxi cuisine these past few days. Jiangxi food is very spicy, which most women dislike and find difficult to eat. Although Chen Yi could handle spicy food, Jiangxi cuisine seemed repetitive and monotonous compared to other places, with the same dishes over and over again.

The journey to and from Wuchang was not much different. After Su Hongtao's death and Kou Jun's investigation, there were indeed dramatic changes in the officialdom of Huguang. However, under the coordination of Wei Wuque and Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Han Xiu, Huguang was eventually stabilized quickly. With the entry of the Imperial Guards and the relocation of the White Lotus Sect to Jiangxi, the turmoil here had been almost quelled.

The prosperity here is no different from before.

However, unlike before, Chen Yi found himself famous again, even more so and more widely than before.

The gathering of heroes attracts worldwide attention, and the fact that good deeds are weighed against evil and that merits are so great that even the Heavenly Officials kneel down is already extremely significant, and the more it is spread, the more bizarre it becomes.

Of course, the only thing that remained unchanged was that terribly ugly portrait.

Chen Yi didn't care much about this, but he was a little harsher on Yin Weiying that night.

The night was dark and Yin Weiying was panting heavily. In recent days, whenever they reached a place where they could rest, Chen Yi would pour out all the hardships he had endured along the way to her.

Of course, he would sometimes ejaculate into Lin Wanguan, but that young woman was too frail and didn't ejaculate as much as Yin Weiying.

The female Taoist priest gently drew circles on his body and asked in a soft voice, "You went to the Southern Frontier just to replenish your meridians?"

He was always easy to talk to when they were in bed, something Yin Tingxue had told her.

“It’s not just that,” Chen Yi glanced at her, thought for a moment, but still didn’t mention that he had repaired the Bridge of Longevity for her. He then said, “I’ll also go and see the Prince of Annam.”

Yin Weiying stopped drawing circles with his finger.

Chen Yi, sensing her thoughts from the subtle details, added, "I haven't seen her in a long time."

"…how long?"

"We haven't seen each other since we parted ways."

Upon hearing this, Yin Weiying realized that it had probably been almost three years. During these three years, she and Chen Yi had broken up and gotten back together many times, with each short separation feeling like a new marriage.

In comparison, the woman who was unusually tall was not particularly favored among his women.

It seems Chen Yi doesn't really care; he just remembers it.

Yin Weiying's mood, which had been slightly sluggish along the way, improved considerably. Upon further reflection, she realized that if she were to object, it would make her, as the First Madam, appear petty, so tolerance might not be out of the question.

"You should still meet him," Yin Weiying said with a hint of pity. "You should have gone to see him a long time ago, otherwise, where would you place him?"

Normally, upon hearing this, Chen Yi would have already sneered and pinched her nipples, watching her tremble. But now, as the words were spoken, he was lost in thought.

She was the first woman in the world to carry his child, and the only woman he hadn't visited in the past three years.

The Spouse Palace...Sun is afflicted by negative influence.
The marriage exists in name only.

Chen Yi's thoughts were in a state of confusion, and he pondered many things. He slowly gathered his thoughts and murmured, "Southern Frontier... what kind of place is that?"

Upon hearing this, Yin Weiying replied, “Since ancient times, compared to the Central Plains, the Southern Frontier has been a land beyond the reach of civilization. It is dense and high, blocking out the sun, and is inhabited by barbarians, snakes, insects, beasts, and miasma. Compared to the Central Plains, it is undoubtedly a hell on earth. However, whenever the world is in chaos and the land is in ruins, wave after wave of common people will rush to the Southern Frontier to cultivate the land and reclaim the wasteland. Generation after generation, due to the increase in the population, by the time of the Yu Dynasty, the Southern Frontier had become even larger and had become quite impressive.”

"Oh... well, it might be quite... bustling."

“The prefecture should be no less than the Central Plains,” Yin Weiying said.

Hearing this, Chen Yi felt somewhat relieved. Back in Wuchang Prefecture, Zhu E had briefly recounted the origins of the Qin family's royal title and their ascension to the Southern Frontier. The Qin family's ancestor, Qin Xuzhi, had followed Emperor Taizu in founding the dynasty, fighting in the south and north, and was awarded the title of Duke of Chu for his great merit. Three years later, Emperor Taizu died, and the throne passed to Emperor Xizong. Emperor Xizong ruled erratically for five years, and chaos reigned, threatening the very existence of the nation. The Duke of Chu welcomed Prince Xin to court, executed Emperor Xizong in the palace, and helped Prince Xin ascend the throne as Emperor Gaozu. Qin Xuzhi, with his newfound merit in supporting the emperor and his past military achievements, held immense power, but within three years, Emperor Gaozu began to fear him.

At that time, the Western Jin barbarians invaded Sichuan and raided the border. Emperor Gaozu personally led the expedition and ordered Qin Xuzhi and other generals to accompany him to defend against the enemy. The two sides were locked in a stalemate for several months and fought several battles, but to no avail. When the Western Jin troops withdrew and the rebellion was quelled, just as they were about to rest and return to the capital, Emperor Gaozu suddenly issued an urgent edict to reward the generals for their merits, among which Qin Xuzhi was enfeoffed as the Prince of Annam.

The promotion from duke to king was indeed a great reward in name only. However, in reality, all the armies were in Sichuan, which was adjacent to the southern border. Emperor Gaozu's open scheme was undoubtedly to allow Qin Xuzhi to enter the southern border, establish his own fiefdom and be granted the title of king, and no longer interfere in matters concerning the capital.

This would achieve two goals: first, to eliminate powerful ministers in the court without bloodshed and seize all power; and second, to preserve the relationship between the emperor and his ministers, allowing them to share a drink together.

Hearing this, Chen Yi thought that if it were him, he might not have been able to swallow his anger and might have rebelled. However, Qin Xuzhi not only accepted the reward generously, but also relieved half of his soldiers of their armor and weapons and took up his post in the southern border. This showed that he was loyal and righteous. Moreover, according to Zhu E's account, Emperor Gaozu had a good reputation in the army when he was still the Prince of Xin. This great reward won over the hearts of the generals and soldiers. Even if they raised an army on the spot, they would be wiped out in an instant.

In any case, Qin Xuzhi and his Qin clan settled in Nanwei from then on, guarding the southwest barrier, and his name of great loyalty and righteousness is not lacking in various official and private historical records.

However, as the power of the loyal Qin Xuzhi grew, his descendants, coupled with the court's inability to exert its influence and the failure of its attempts to reduce the power of the princes and reduce the army, gradually developed a desire for change. In the past few decades, they have even produced several generations of Annamite kings who have the word "rebellion" written on their faces.

All of the above was mentioned by Zhu E when Chen Yi asked unintentionally. Zhu E listened very carefully and didn't miss a single word, which surprised even himself.

Looking back now, perhaps it was because he was afraid he would have nothing to say when he saw Qin Qingluo.

…………

After spending a few days in Wuchang, we set off again.

Not long after leaving the prefecture, the prosperity disappeared, leaving only traces of the land's devastation along the way.

After the White Lotus Rebellion, refugees sprang up everywhere, bandits roamed freely, and an indescribable deathly atmosphere pressed down on the air. People wanted to knock on doors in villages to ask for lodging, but they only saw skeletons gnawed by rats, wells blocked with stones emitting a stench, and burnt and broken trees by the roadside, their ash-black leaves soaked in the rain...

This is only a small part of a religious upheaval, not the end times of the world when the Heavenly Gate cracks open, nor the sinking of the Divine Land.

Chen Yi lowered his eyes slightly, his thoughts were complicated, and he tried his best to keep the four women in the carriage the whole way, not letting them get off.

With Zhou Yitang and Yin Tingxue absent, and only Yin Weiying by his side, whom he could barely talk to, he had neither the opportunity nor the inclination to confide in anyone.

They continued on horseback until they reached the border of Guizhou and Huguang, where they encountered a group of refugees.

The long procession stretched along the official road like a slowly bleeding stain, the crowd moving silently, each step heavy as it crushed the dust.

Their clothes were no longer enough to cover their bodies; tattered strips hung on their withered forms, their exposed skin sunburnt, cracked, or covered in mud and unidentified stains. Many were barefoot, their soles blistered and bleeding, leaving dark red marks on the dry ground, only to be erased by the numb footsteps of those behind. Occasionally, a few suppressed, hollow coughs would erupt from the crowd, only to be swallowed by deathly silence.

Most of them were hunched over, their heads bowed, their cloudy eyes fixed on the few inches of ground beneath their feet, as if that held the last bite of food or a tiny chance of survival. Occasionally, a child would be held tightly in a woman's arms, their little face buried deep in her chest, not crying, their emaciated frame visible beneath the tattered cloth.

Chen Yi's carriage followed behind the refugee caravan. Several times, some people cast glances at him as if they wanted to snatch something, but even those glances came from people who were thin and bony.

With a large crowd in front, the carriage slowed down considerably.

The four women in the car were puzzled, so Lin Wanguan lifted the curtain and peeked out, her face turning slightly pale.

Xiuhe quickly covered the curtain for her.

After catching her breath, Lin's young mistress said softly to Xiuhe, "Let's make some water cakes."

Xiuhe shook her head.

"...Are you afraid he won't agree?" Lin Wanquan gritted her teeth. "Why wouldn't he agree?"

Xiuhe shook her head again and said, "It's not that I'm afraid, it's that if I throw out even a little grain, everyone will surround us and won't let us leave until they dismantle this cart. They'll either whip us or kill us with knives. Madam, you've never been a prostitute, you don't understand these things..."

Xiuhe had already spoken lightly and tactfully, but even so, Lin Wanquan's complexion worsened considerably. She could only lean against the carriage, forgetting even to sigh.

Chen Yi stopped his horse by the roadside and waited for the refugee caravan to go some distance before catching up.

Several elderly people lagged at the very end of the line, leaning on dry branches they had picked up at random. Every step they took was shaky, as if they might collapse at any moment like the charred logs by the roadside, never to be heard again.

Chen Yi strode closer and asked an elderly man, "Old man, where are you going?"

The old man's eyes were cloudy and he was weak. He murmured, "Where to? Zhen... Zhenning Prefecture."

"Zhenning Prefecture...are you heading to Southern Xinjiang?"

“…Yes, yes…”

Chen Yi broke off half a pancake from his pocket and stuffed it into the old man's hand. The old man's eyes lit up, and he was about to speak when he saw Chen Yi make a shushing gesture.

The old man nodded quickly, without saying a word, but the joy in his eyes was barely concealed.

Chen Yi continued, "What are you going there for?"

"On the way... someone gave us porridge and invited us over, saying... there was food to eat and land to cultivate, but no one was there, it was very peaceful." With the cake in his hand, the old man's voice became much smoother. "He also said that once we got there, as long as we followed him to worship Buddha, we would have more land and more food."

"The Buddha you're referring to is... the Great Bright Buddha?"

The old man nodded emphatically.

Chen Yi recalled that Zhu E had explained that the Dark God Cult's trip was solely to recruit refugees from the religious turmoil into the southern border region, and that they would give alms and preach along the way.

Regardless of whether they are considered a demonic sect by people in the martial arts world, this is undoubtedly a good deed.

After asking a few more questions, Chen Yi turned and left, and the old man caught up with the group.

Chen Yi gazed into the distance as they walked silently toward some vague, perhaps nonexistent, "ahead." Only the heavy footsteps, the labored breathing, and the intermittent coughs beat out a heart-pounding rhythm in the deathly still world.

The air in the ranks was thick with a mixture of sweat, pus, blood, dust, and despair, more suffocating than the stench emanating from a blocked well.

Chen Yi stood there for what seemed like an eternity.

until……

"Bangkok! Bangkok's coming! Run!!!"

A panicked shout caused the crowd to erupt into chaos. The entire procession collapsed and fled backwards, a chaotic mess like a mudslide cascading down the mountaintop.

However, the bandits blocking the road were already lying in ambush in various places and moved even faster than them.

(End of this chapter)