The afterlife blew up Gensokyo

P.S.: I'm unhappy because I don't have tickets, so I don't want to update more chapters ヽ(ー_ー)ノ

Chapter Forty-One: The End (End of Volume)

It is no coincidence.

Just as someone who hadn't caught a single fish all day was starting to desperately try to drain the pond to catch all the fish, on the other side, Toyosato Mimiko was also busy with his own affairs.

However, compared to Soga no Tojiko, Toyosato Miko was much more decisive. It was because she was intelligent from a young age and could see things more clearly that she naturally understood the greed of those nobles and how dangerous Qin Hesheng was.

—The other party needs a talisman.

This talisman could be Huo Qing'e, Mononobe, Soga, or naturally, the Kamiya family.

Actually, the Mononobe clan is the best option, but due to the prejudice of the head of the Mononobe clan, Mononobe Moriya, even his sister Mononobe no Ue is imprisoned and cannot leave, so this path is naturally blocked... at least for now.

As for the Soga clan, they are staunch supporters of Buddhism and it's even less likely they would offer help at this time; it would be quite generous of them not to kick someone when they're down.

So after much deliberation, Toyotomi no Miko decided that she needed to take action herself. She still hadn't forgotten the divination Huo Qing'e had given Qin Hesheng before—it meant an early death... a violent death!

So as soon as she got home, she went straight to her father, the current supreme ruler of the country, Emperor Yomei.

No one knew what the father and daughter were discussing in the room, but when Emperor Yomei came out, his face was noticeably terribly gloomy, while Toyosatomimi no Miko herself looked as usual.

There was only one perfect way to get Qin Hesheng into the Shanggong family: to have him marry into the family, since it just so happened that Qin Hesheng was of marriageable age. This reason was reasonable enough that the nobles would have no excuse.

As long as we get through this difficult time first, we can deal with the rest later. Anyway, I don't dislike the other person, so it wouldn't be a big deal if I really married him...

In this era, it was quite normal for men to have multiple wives and concubines.

Thinking of this, Toyosatomimi no Miko suddenly felt much more relaxed.

While she was relieved, on the other side, Mononobe Moriya, who had just learned of the information his subordinates had gathered, had a gloomy expression.

The Mononobe clan and the Soga clan, two powerful families, had been locked in a fierce struggle for countless years, with neither side able to gain the upper hand. The so-called conflict between Buddhism and indigenous Shintoism was merely a catalyst that brought their covert struggle into the open.

The so-called pro-Buddhist and anti-Buddhist factions are not necessarily those who deeply admire or firmly believe in Buddhism or Shinto; it is simply a matter of conflicting interests.

For a family that has grown from nothing to become a top-tier aristocratic family, faith has long become meaningless. In their world, only pure self-interest matters.

The rivalry between the two top clans naturally involved countless underhanded maneuvers. For example, the Mononobe clan had its own informants within the Soga clan, so after Soga Tojiko and her father's conversation, the contents were quickly and quietly relayed to Mononobe Moriya.

Of course, Mononobe Moriya also believed that the Soga clan had definitely placed people within their own Mononobe clan, which was already an unspoken understanding between them.

However, upon learning that the Soga clan intended to recruit Hata Katsumi into their family, Mononobe Moriya's expression darkened rapidly.

Qin Hesheng is an anomaly.

Previously, he had repeatedly considered recruiting the other party to work for him, but all his attempts had been unsuccessful. In his view, the other party was simply an ungrateful freak who wouldn't listen to reason and whose actions were always unpredictable.

Take this recent incident for example. Not only did the other party exhaust all of the Qin family's wealth to help those civilians, but they also almost died from exhaustion during the treatment process. What is this if not idiots?

Of course, it would be even better if I really died from exhaustion, at least then I wouldn't be able to kidnap my sister anymore...

Most importantly, the other party is only seventeen years old this year.

At the tender age of twenty, he accomplished so many great things, challenging the rules and bottom lines of the nobility time and time again. He not only won the hearts of countless people, but also amassed an astonishing number of titles.

...And what if the other person gets older?

Think about it carefully. The other party is only sixteen years old and has already caused so many losses to these nobles. So, when the other party gets older, is it possible that the nobles might even disappear because of the other party?

No one can say for sure about such matters, but these nobles who control wealth and power dare not gamble.

So, after the pandemic ended, quite unusually, all the noble families united together, including the Soga and Mononobe clans, two powerful families with a long-standing feud, to put pressure on the Qin family, forcing them to expel Qin Hesheng from their home.

The nobles jointly established the rules among them, and naturally, no one would be allowed to break those rules. Such a person's only fate was elimination or...death!

There was no other way; Qin Hesheng's existence had caused them too much damage, especially this time, when their wealth had collectively shrunk by almost a third. If they didn't deal with him as soon as possible, what would happen if droughts, floods, locust plagues, or other disasters broke out later?

In the world of the aristocracy, there is no distinction between right and wrong, only between interests.

However, Mononobe Moriya did not expect that even in this seemingly hopeless situation, he would still find a way out for Qin Hesheng.

"No, if Qin Hesheng really chooses to join the Soga clan... it seems we need to act sooner rather than later."

Taking a deep breath, Mononobe Moriya stood up from his chair, summoned his subordinates and gave them a few instructions, then walked toward the solitary confinement room.

Mononobe no Futsu was originally confined to her room, but after she forcefully escaped by climbing through the window and over the wall last time, Mononobe no Moriya had to change her confinement location.

Although the location had been changed, all the items in the solitary confinement cell remained intact.

When Mononobe Moriya walked in, Mononobe Futsu was sitting at the table, lost in thought, seemingly preoccupied with something.

"Brother."

Noticing his arrival, Mononobe no Futo looked up at him, said something in an extremely flat tone, and then turned his head away again.

"What, are you still angry?"

Walking to the table and sitting down, Mononobe Moriya glanced at the spot where his younger sister was looking, only to find an unremarkable cup on the table.

“You are no longer a child, and I believe you should be able to understand my good intentions. Do you know how much wealth our Mononobe clan has lost because of your willfulness?”

"...Brother, do you think money is more important or human life?"

After a moment of silence, Mononobe no Futo raised his head.

"I know you hate me, but do you think some things are just things you can do whenever you want?"

Mononobe Moriya sighed without answering the question.

"When I was a child, I was just like you, disgusted by the practices of those nobles and determined to change this corrupt system. But as you grow up, you will understand that there are too many things that are beyond your control. Qin Hesheng can disregard his Qin family, but I cannot, because I carry the expectations of our entire Wubu clan on my shoulders."

"...Is that all?"

Mononobe spoke in a low voice.

"Brother, do you still remember what you said to me when you took me to the mountaintop to watch the sunrise when we were little? I've always remembered it. But ever since you took over as head of the family, I feel you've become much more distant and cold-blooded. You haven't changed anything; on the contrary, you've been constantly maintaining..."

"Budu, you're still too naive."

Mononobe Moriya shook his head.

"The higher your position, the more you will be unable to control your own destiny. Yes, I have indeed changed, but I have to force myself to change because I cannot lead the Mononobe clan to destruction. Qin Hesheng has no attachments, but I do."

"No, it is he who has courage, while you, elder brother, have not even the courage."

Mononobe no Futo stood up to his elder brother and confronted him head-on.

“Brother, you once said that your ambition was to change this corrupt system, but your actions have left me utterly disappointed.”

"Disappointed...?"

After a moment of distraction, Mononobe Moriya suddenly burst into laughter.

"So do you know what the final outcome will be for Qin Hesheng if he continues like this? I can tell you very clearly that he will die, because no one will allow him to live."

"You're going to attack him!?"

His expression suddenly changed, and Mononobu abruptly stood up from his chair, his tone turning icy cold.

"Brother, if you..."

"You should leave here with him."

Interrupting his younger sister's words, Mononobe Moriya closed his eyes, and for some reason, his voice suddenly sounded quite weary.

"There's no place for Qin Hesheng here anymore, because he's lost everything. Don't you like him? Then leave with him, go far away, the farther the better, preferably away from this vortex of power struggles."

"...Brother...?"

Mononobe Futo suddenly froze.

"Too many people here want him dead; he has to leave. If he tries to break the rules without the ability to challenge them, do you think he can survive?"

When Mononobe Moriya opened his eyes again, his expression returned to its indifferent state.

"I have prepared the carriage in advance, and I have sent people to pack your luggage and money. You can leave tonight."

................................................

"Sigh, so why bother? Why didn't you just obediently let me fish you out in the first place?"

With his back to the pond he had wrecked, and looking at the few fish struggling weakly on the ground in front of him, Shi Bai sighed with great emotion.

If he hadn't been so enraged by his inability to catch a single fish, he wouldn't have done something as insane as draining the entire pond.

"What a pity, we've lived here for so long..."

Turning his head to look at the pond behind him, shaking his head, Shi Bai turned and walked into the inner room.

He chose and built this courtyard himself for peace and quiet. After all, he had served for so long and had so many memories. It would be a lie to say that he had no feelings for it.

Back in his room, Shi Bai opened the closet, carefully put the mask he was holding back, and then closed the closet door again.

Although this body belonging to Qin Hesheng was just an ordinary mortal, he had at least studied Taoist arts with Huo Qing'e for a month or two before. Based on the most basic divination, he had already deduced his own date of death.

If he had lived past tonight, it would have been his eighteenth birthday. However, according to the divination he performed this morning, he would not have survived the night. This also corresponds to the divination that Huo Qing'e would die young and violently.

However, the divination he performed for himself also indicated that if Qin Hesheng could survive this life-threatening ordeal tonight, then Qin Hesheng's life would be smooth sailing from then on, and he would reach the pinnacle of his life.

However, since he had already exceeded his mission objectives, he didn't intend to waste any more time. After all, if he continued, he was genuinely worried that his mental suppression might cause problems, and what if some evil god suddenly appeared out of nowhere...

But if Qin Hesheng hadn't died tonight, how would he have reached the pinnacle of his life? I've offended all those nobles to the core... How could I possibly turn things around like this? Do those nobles even know how to play the game?

This question left someone completely baffled.

He didn't have much time to think. With Mononobe no Futsu's arrival, after listening to the other party stammer out those words, he was clearly stunned.

"This, this isn't eloping!! It's just a temporary escape to hide out for a while!! We'll come back later... Hey, Qin Hesheng, are you listening to me!?"

"Huh? Of course I'm listening."

He glanced at the carriage parked in front of his courtyard behind the girl in front of him, smiled at the gray-haired girl, and then suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms when she was caught off guard, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

"Don't hate your brother; he had his reasons."

"What? Qin Hesheng, you..."

A sense of foreboding and a nameless fear suddenly welled up in his heart. Just as Mononobe was about to ask a question, his consciousness suddenly sank into exhaustion, and his vision narrowed until all that remained was someone's radiant smile under the moonlight.

"Get a good night's sleep."

ps: Good morning_ヽ(ー_ー)ノ

Temple of the Dead

The night was cool and clear, and the moonlight was as cool as water.

After seeing Mononobe no Futo suddenly fall into a deep sleep, several figures silently emerged from the darkness behind the carriage that had been parked at the entrance of his courtyard.

After casually glancing over there, Shi Bai carried Mononobe Futo back to his room, placed him on the bed, covered him with a blanket, and then got up and went outside.

"Let's go, take me to see him."

After a moment of silence, the figures in the darkness quietly made way.

Half an hour later, in a newly built temple outside the city, Mononobe no Moriya met Hata no Katsu.

"...How did you spot the trap?"

Looking at Qin Hesheng, who was indeed as stunningly beautiful as the legends after removing his mask, Mononobe Moriya remained silent for a moment before speaking in a cold voice.

"It's simple, because I know you will never let me go."

After finding a futon to sit on, Qin Hesheng answered casually.

“If you really want to do something big, you wouldn’t be so indecisive. If you let me go, you won’t be able to explain it to the nobles standing behind you… You will have to give them an explanation.”

"Oh? How come I didn't know anything about something important?"

Almost instinctively, Mononobe Moriya placed his hand on the longsword at his waist, his words already carrying a chilling killing intent.

"Hmm, aren't you planning a rebellion?"

As if completely oblivious to the lingering murderous aura in the air, the person's voice remained unaffected.

The moment he uttered those words, the atmosphere in the entire empty Buddhist hall instantly plummeted to below zero.

"...People who are too smart often die young."