Chapter 154: The Wedding Date, Family Reunion

The founding Emperor of the previous dynasty was an even more legendary figure than the Emperor Ta祖 of the Great Sheng Dynasty. The sheer extent of his accumulated wealth was beyond the imagination of ordinary mortals. Legend has it that the treasure he left behind is filled with countless mountains of gold, while the rumored Imperial Jade Seal drove nobles and power-brokers of various nations into a frenzy of pursuit.

Back in the day, the Emperor Ta_zu of the Great Sheng Dynasty marched his armies through the mountain passes in his capacity as a vassal king, seizing the imperial capital and wresting supreme power from Emperor Zhaowen of the previous dynasty. Yet, for the rest of his life, his inability to locate the Imperial Jade Seal remained his greatest lifelong regret. The absence of the Jade Seal always made him feel that his occupation of the dragon throne lacked ultimate legitimacy and righteousness.

He who obtains the Mozi Token obtains the world!

Like a stray spark igniting a prairie, this rumor spread from an unknown origin. By the time it reached the ears of the people at the Prince Xuan Estate in the northwest, it was already known throughout the realm.

Meng Yuanheng glanced over the intelligence report presented by Yan Mo, casually handing it to Shen Qianmo. His expression, however, darkened considerably as cold glints flashed within his eyes. He let out a cold laugh, saying, "Hmph, Mo Hanshan is truly in a desperate rush to meet his death!"

Shen Qianmo perused the contents on the slip of paper and smiled faintly. "He has searched for the Mozi Token for so long without success, so he has probably reached his wit's end and resorted to such a tactic."

For this rumor to spread with such astonishing speed while the estate's shadow guards had received no prior intelligence whatsoever, it could only mean that someone was deliberately and secretly orchestrating the dissemination, causing it to become common knowledge across the realm in such a brief span of time. And the only person who would spread such a rumor was none other than Mo Hanshan.

At the mention of Mo Hanshan, the expressions of Mo Qingshan and the other members of the Mo family present turned rather unsightly. Beneath their awkwardness lay a deep-seated anger.

"Hmph, that unfilial descendant Mo Hanshan is truly insatiable and incorrigible!" said an elderly uncle of the Mo family with white hair and beard, whose temper was somewhat fiery, his voice laden with hatred.

"To think that our Mo family could produce such a vile and wicked villain," sighed a paternal uncle of the Mo family, his face filled with sorrow.

Although Mo Hanshan had been expelled from the Mo clan well over a decade ago, blood ties could not be so easily severed. No matter what, he still bore the surname Mo, and he was even Mo Qingshan's twin brother. Yet, they could never have imagined that the Mo Hanshan whom they firmly believed had perished in the great fire at the abandoned temple in Guan Family Village had actually survived all this time. Not only did he found the Shadowless Sect and collude with Meng Tianxu, but now he was ruthlessly suppressing the Mo clan and stirring up trouble everywhere. Possessing brilliant methods and a ruthless mind, he had conspired with Meng Tianxu over the years to commit countless evils.

Mo Qingshan's expression was similarly gloomy as he spoke, "Hanshan has been arrogant since childhood and unwilling to live beneath others. When the former elders expelled him from the Mo clan, he must have harbored deep resentment and bitter grievance, which is why he will never let the Mo clan off lightly. Now, with the imperial court's backing, the Shadowless Sect's influence is growing daily. It is hardly surprising that he is seizing the opportunity to suppress the Mo clan in a bid to replace us and become the number one sect in the world. However, I have never once heard the former elders mention that the Mozi Token concealed any sort of treasure map."

The other senior members of the Mo family exchanged bewildered glances and shook their heads, evidently having never heard of such a thing either.

If that was the case, could the treasury of the previous dynasty and the Imperial Jade Seal be sheer fabrications concocted by Mo Hanshan simply to flush out the Mozi Token? Yet, why go to such elaborate lengths to spread this rumor and force the Mozi Token to reveal itself? What on earth did he intend to do with this token?

Meng Yuanheng retrieved the Mozi Token, which he kept carefully guarded on his person. Mo Qingshan and the other senior Mo family members passed it around to examine it thoroughly for a long time, yet they could make neither head nor tail of it.

Nevertheless, once the rumor was released, it swept across the entire realm with flamboyant speed. Factions and forces from all directions mobilized successively, rushing toward the northwest to embark on their treasure-hunting expeditions.

Concurrently, the Prince Xuan Estate announced the wedding date of Prince Xuan and the Princess Consort, widely issuing wedding invitations to dignitaries and renowned figures across various nations. In an instant, countless people seized the opportunity to flood into the northwestern territories, turning the formerly desolate, dreary, and sparsely populated northwestern regions into a bustling, surging sea of humanity. Every inn, tavern, and teahouse within the cities welcomed a continuous stream of guests and was packed to capacity—leaving Xu Qingzhou, who had just purchased two taverns and inns within Jingzhou City in accordance with Shen Qianmo's instructions, grinning from ear to ear.

Meanwhile, within the imperial palace in Shengjing, Meng Tianxu sat inside the Hall of Diligent Governance, staring at the intelligence report presented by the Feathered Forest Guards with a face ashen and thunderous with rage.

The Mo family of Shandong had long ago been ordered by the late emperor into exile in a desolate city, yet they had defied the imperial decree, leaving the city for the northwest. The Xie family of Suzhou had even abandoned the Lianbi Mountain Academy, moving their entire clan to the northwest.

The Mo family stood at the pinnacle of the pugilistic world, while the Xie family stood at the head of the literary scholars. With both prominent clans pledging allegiance to Meng Yuanheng, how could he not be furious?

Sweeping the memorial documents from his desk violently onto the floor, Meng Tianxu issued a gnashing, venomous command to burn down the Lianbi Mountain Academy in Suzhou and ordered local prefectures and commanderies to intercept and issue warrants for the members of the Xie family en route to Jingzhou in the northwest.

However, Meng Yuanheng had long anticipated this move from Meng Tianxu. Because Suzhou was the furthest away from the northwest, the journey required the most time. To prevent Meng Tianxu from receiving intelligence and intercepting them along the way, the shadow guards dispatched to Suzhou to escort the Xie family were all elite operatives. They bypassed major cities entirely during the journey, leaving government authorities with no trail to follow even if they wished to intercept them. Moreover, the closer they drew to the northwest, the more local prefectural yamens shrank back in awe of Prince Xuan's might, not daring to truly harass the Xie family. Thus, the Xie family's journey from Suzhou to Jingzhou proceeded with utter safety and peace.

Upon learning along the way that the Lianbi Mountain Academy had been put to the torch, Master Piaomiao merely smiled faintly before publicly declaring that because the emperor harbored wrath against the Xie family over the Prince Xuan Estate and had wantonly burned down the Lianbi Mountain Academy, the Xie family could no longer maintain a foothold in Great Sheng. Consequently, the clan had decided to relocate in its entirety to the northwest, where the Lianbi Mountain Academy would continue its operations. Students currently enrolled who were unwilling to relocate to the northwest were free to choose other academies within Great Sheng, while those wishing to remain with the academy could travel onward to the northwest to continue their studies.

Outside the city gates of Jingzhou, Shen Qianmo and Meng Yuanheng stood hand in hand, quietly awaiting the arrival of the Xie family's entourage.

Xie Mingyu, Leng Aoshuang, and several shadow guards from the Prince Xuan Estate stood behind them. Xie Mingyu possessed his customary clear, scholarly elegance, radiant like the moon in a clear stream, while Leng Aoshuang stood gracefully by his side with a faint, gentle smile, pure and immaculate as a snow lotus. Truly, they cut the picture of a flawless match.

"They've arrived, they've arrived! My lady, Grandfather and the others are here..." cried Old Madam Xu excitedly from the side.

Looking at the approaching procession of carriages, a joyful smile bloomed across Shen Qianmo's face as well.

Ever since learning that Meng Tianxu had torched the Lianbi Mountain Academy and ordered intercepts along the Xie family's route, even though she trusted the capabilities of the Prince Xuan Estate's shadow guards, Shen Qianmo's heart had remained suspended in mid-air, unable to truly settle.

Meng Yuanheng turned his head with an amused smile and said, "I told you long ago there was nothing to worry about, yet you insisted on fretting yourself into anxiety, nearly frightening me as well. Could it be that my Mo'er doesn't trust me?"

Embarrassed, Shen Qianmo offered him a self-conscious smile. "How could that be? It's just that Grandfather is advanced in years, and this journey involves a long trek across thousands of miles, so it was only natural to feel a bit concerned."

Meng Yuanheng wrapped an arm around her shoulders, gazing at her radiant face with inner comfort. Beside them, Xie Mingyu and Leng Aoshuang exchanged amused smiles.

While the carriages were still some distance away, Shen Qianmo could no longer wait and walked briskly forward to greet them. The shadow guard driving the leading carriage spotted Shen Qianmo and Meng Yuanheng behind her, halted the vehicle, turned back, and reported, "Master Piaomiao, the Prince and Princess Consort have arrived."

The door of the first carriage swung open, and the first to emerge was Xie Chun.

As it happened, Xie Chun had actually departed Suzhou for Jingzhou a few days earlier than the rest of the Xie family. However, halfway through his journey, he encountered Meng Tianxu's crackdown and burning of the Lianbi Mountain Academy. Meng Yuanheng had dispatched shadow guards to track Xie Chun's whereabouts along the route, finally locating him at an inn not far from Huizhou. Afterward, he had remained in place to await the convergence with the rest of the Xie family before traveling together to Jingzhou.

After stepping down, Xie Chun assisted a gray-robed elder with white hair and beard and refined facial features out of the carriage alongside the shadow guards.

Shen Qianmo took a few steps forward to stand before the carriage. Gazing at the kind-faced elder before her, she felt her eye sockets instantly grow warm and red.

The elder standing before her possessed a detached, ethereal serenity and a tranquil expression. Despite his white hair and beard, there was no trace of withered frailty about him; instead, his eyes were wise and vibrant, as though capable of piercing through all worldly illusions. Catching sight of Shen Qianmo, the elder revealed a deeply affectionate smile, his gentle demeanor akin to an immortal being.

Meng Yuanheng stepped forward. Seeing Shen Qianmo staring blankly at Master Piaomiao with tear-filled eyes, a bittersweet ache pierced his own heart, and he smiled gently. "Mo'er, Grandfather has arrived. Why are you crying instead?"

Shen Qianmo raised a hand to touch her cheek; sure enough, tears had moistened her eyes at some unknown moment.

She smiled faintly. Perhaps within the depths of her heart, she had long since regarded Master Piaomiao as her own flesh and blood. Catching sight of this benevolent elder summoned a long-lost warmth of familial affection.

"Grandfather... Mo'er pays her respects to Grandfather!" Supported by Meng Yuanheng, Shen Qianmo sank to her knees before Master Piaomiao to perform the formal obeisance. Without a moment's hesitation, Meng Yuanheng swept back the hem of his robe and knelt down right beside her.

Master Piaomiao hurriedly stepped forward to pull them both up. "My Lord, you truly must not."

Unfazed, Meng Yuanheng laughed lightly and said, "Master Piaomiao is Mo'er's grandfather; it is only right that we pay our respects."

"Your grandson greets Grandfather. You have had a grueling journey," Xie Mingyu and Leng Aoshuang stepped forward in unison behind them, offering a dual bow to Master Piaomiao.

Master Piaomiao raised them both up, nodding with a smile. Yet, upon noticing that Meng Yuanheng's hair was entirely white—even whiter than his own, an old man past seventy—he could not help but heave a soft sigh. Turning to Shen Qianmo and Meng Yuanheng, he said, "My children, these past days have been hard on you both."

Hearing this, the tears that Shen Qianmo had managed to stem broke forth anew. "It is Mo'er's unfilial nature that has caused Grandfather to endure hardship on a journey of a thousand miles."

"Silly child, your grandfather feared he would never see you again. Now that our grandfather and granddaughter are reunited once more, it is a blessing. What is there to cry about?" Master Piaomiao said with a gratified smile.

Xie Mingyu chimed in playfully from the side, "Perhaps it is because she is carrying a child, but Mo'er has truly grown far more prone to shedding tears lately."

Shen Qianmo hastily raised a hand to wipe away her tears, smiling as she replied, "It is simply Mo'er losing her composure. I am just overjoyed that Grandfather, Uncle, and Aunt have arrived safely in Jingzhou."

From the carriages behind, Xie Chun's wife, Madam Yu, descended alongside her children Xie Mingfeng and Xie Yao. Shen Qianmo and Xie Mingyu stepped forward to pay their respects to Madam Yu, exchanging warm greetings with Xie Mingfeng and Xie Yao as joy bloomed across everyone's faces.

Madam Yu took Shen Qianmo's hands in her own, looking her up and down before speaking with heartfelt relief, "It is such a blessing to see you safe and sound, Mo'er. I knew all along that fortune favors the virtuous. Not only have you returned safely, but you are also carrying a child—this is truly a double blessing, auspicious events coming in pairs."

With that, she cast a meaningful, sideways glance toward Leng Aoshuang and Xie Mingyu standing nearby. How could those two not understand Madam Yu's underlying thoughts? While Xie Mingyu's expression remained calm, a rare trace of shy bashfulness bloomed across Leng Aoshuang's features.

Knowing full well what was unspoken, Shen Qianmo smiled softly and said, "Aunt need not worry; Cousin knows what he is doing. Everyone has traveled a long way through wind and dust and must be exhausted. We should return to the estate first to rest."