Embers of Sword

Chapter 735 Mountains and Sea

Heavy snow fell on the city wall, and a faint glow of primordial fire ignited in the darkness.

"Chichichi..."

The white parrot looked down at its palm.

The stack of case files that he was clutching tightly in his palm was ignited by the primordial fire and scattered by the wind, with pieces of ashes flying in the snow.

The woman's long hair was blown by the snow, obscuring her face and making it difficult to see clearly.

Accompanied by the burning of the primordial fire.

The white parrot took out the special envoy's token.

This token is simple, cast in bronze, and features a parrot drawn in delicate strokes.

White parrot, blue falcon, gray deer, and mist deer... Each of the four special envoy tokens is engraved with a beast corresponding to its title.

At this moment, the bronze token was also ignited by the primordial fire, melting away bit by bit in the heavy snow.

There are many people in this world who spend their entire lives and exhaust all their efforts trying to become the most favored "favored minister" in the Great Chu Imperial City.

Yuan Jimu, Lan Lu, is that kind of person.

But the white parrot is different.

"..."

Chu Guo watched this scene with an unperturbed expression. Destroying the special envoy's order and burning the Renshou Palace files were all expected. When the library was investigating the "White Parrot's" intelligence, they discovered the special envoy's special connection with Renshou Palace... Although deeply trusted by the Empress, the White Parrot maintained extremely infrequent contact with the capital. Perhaps because of her father's death in battle, this female envoy focused all her attention on guarding the northern prefecture. It was precisely for this reason that the gentleman agreed to his risky journey north, and that led to tonight's meeting at Zhenhai Terrace.

Chu Guo looked up and saw that the snow surging in the sky was becoming more and more abundant and dense.

This has exceeded the scope of the "Snow Lord" Dao Domain's summons.

The young man picked up the paper umbrella at his feet, opened it, and without the slightest hint of imperial airs, silently waited for what would happen next.

The white parrot only gave half the answer.

Tonight, Zhenhaitai was hit by a blizzard. Less than a hundred breaths after opening an umbrella, a thin layer of snow had already accumulated on the umbrella surface.

The flames gradually died down.

Bai Ying didn't keep Chu Guo waiting for long. She silently watched as her "first half of life" as a special envoy burned out in the flames and turned to ashes. Then she slowly lowered her body, knelt on one knee in the snow, and slightly closed her head, symbolizing submission and worship.

"Bai Ying...is willing to serve His Majesty and is willing to be loyal to the Zhenhai Terrace!"

This is the final response.

The boy holding the paper umbrella smiled gently and said softly, "The position of garrison commander was abolished ten years ago, and the order for the new garrison commander is still being prepared... I'll have the weapon-refining department send it over in a few days. By the way, what's your name?"

"...?"

The white parrot looked up blankly, not quite understanding the meaning of the question.

What should I call you?

"What's your name?"

Chu Guo slightly raised the edge of her umbrella, revealing smiling eyes: "I searched through the entire Renshou Palace file, but I couldn't find your name. They all say your name is 'White Parrot,' but that's the special envoy's title, not your real name..."

"White Parrot... let's call it White Parrot..."

The woman's heart trembled slightly.

She understood Chu Guo's meaning perfectly well. Now that Renshou Palace had collapsed and the special envoy no longer existed, the title had lost its significance.

However, she was brought to the capital city at a young age and given a "code name" at will.

Before becoming a special envoy, the name Bai Ying was just one of countless shadows.

If she died, then probably no one would know.

"..."

This answer was somewhat unexpected for Chu Guo.

The young man lowered the umbrella again, obscuring most of his face, and said with some reluctance, "Ding Jingyun was born in the second year of Taiping. In the third year of Shenshou, he was appointed the city lord of Yuanping City. After the fall of Jiayong Pass, Ding Jingyun did not defect, but bravely resisted, leading the city's iron cavalry to fight to the death against the demon tide... In the end, Yuanping City was completely slaughtered..."

The white parrot stood there, stunned.

"This is what you found out using the [Hun Yuan Yi], sir." Chu Guo's voice was a little hoarse. "Miss Ding, Yuanping City is just a small city... After Jiayong Pass was breached, half of Beijun fell, and more than a dozen similar small cities were massacred. Because of the Yueyin case, many files of the Imperial City Bureau were burned. This is all we can find about your father's story."

Throughout history, there have been many, many figures like Ding Jingyun.

They are like a fleeting wave in a great tide.

Fortunately... this wave at least left some traces of its existence, allowing the [Hun Yuan Yi] to trace its origins.

After a long silence, Chu Guo handed over the second case file.

This is a biography of "Ding Jingyun" that the bookstore painstakingly collected.

A tiny, invisible wave in a great tide.

For some, it is of great significance and carries heavy weight.

……

……

In the midst of heavy snow.

A boy holding a paper umbrella stood atop Zhenhaitai, gazing into the distance.

Tonight went smoothly, and he still had some time to enjoy the scenery.

The white parrot briefly took its leave, then returned after tidying itself up.

Tonight is an exceptionally special night for her. In fact, she had a premonition when Chen Jingxuan was banished from the capital... Although the struggle between the Book Tower and Renshou Palace began with an undercurrent, it will eventually end in a spectacular way. Regardless of who wins or loses, the capital will face an unprecedented reckoning.

In the end, Chen Jingxuan won.

The purge of "Renshou Palace" lasted for a year. Bai Ying had long prepared for the worst. She did not expect to escape unscathed, but Zhenhaitai had been unusually "peaceful" for the past year.

After tonight.

The weight that had been hanging over my heart was finally lifted.

Of course, for her, “liquidation” was nothing to be afraid of.

The four special envoys carefully selected by the Holy Empress were the strongest among thousands of elite warriors.

Bai Ying, who guards this place, has long since disregarded life and death. She had been prepared to give her life for ten years... The order from Renshou Palace was to make her regard Zhenhaitai as something more important than life itself, and she truly believed so. However, after tonight, this death order will be imbued with an even deeper meaning.

Under the will of the Holy Queen.

She was a resident official, a special envoy, but also a pawn called "White Parrot," ready to die at any moment.

now.

She can live as a "person"; she has a name, a past, and choices.

"His Majesty……"

After regaining his composure, the white parrot returned to the city wall.

She removed her heavy armor and, as Chu Guo had instructed, changed into a new set of clothes.

During his time stationed at Zhenhaitai, Bai Ying didn't wear many clothes. Even after removing his armor, he simply changed into a clean and neat black men's shirt.

Bai Ying approached Chu Guo from behind, bowed slightly, took a breath, and said respectfully, "Is there anything else you need?"

"Relax."

Chu Guo, holding up an umbrella, smiled and said, "I have another question."

The white parrot held its breath, its expression serious and focused.

She already knew that the newly enthroned young emperor of Da Chu must have something important to do in person by coming to Zhenhai Terrace tonight.

The next question is definitely very important.

"..."

After a brief silence.

The young man stood on tiptoe, stretched out his arm, pointed to the distant, rolling mountains, and asked with a mixture of confusion and seriousness, "This place is called 'Zhenhaitai'... Where is the sea?"

(End of this chapter)