Overturning the World

Chapters 5-6

Is everything slowly becoming clear...? Conspiracies are intertwined with yet more conspiracies, creating a web of complications.

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When he first awoke from his afternoon nap, Yun Cheng opened his eyes on his bed but his spirit seemed to be stuck within his dream. When he sat up blankly, everything in front of him seemed like the illusory moon reflected within the water. He felt this place was where the true dream was. The true Yun Cheng only lived in a dream, existing in the past.

He still remembered the start of summer in that year. The Emperor of Yue had come to the Qi Nation to ask for help with the rebel army who was beating them up badly. The Emperor consented and lent some soldiers to them, with the promise that after they suppressed the rebellion, the Yue Nation would cede ten cities to the Qi Nation. It was also around that time that Yun Cheng did the most reckless thing he would ever do in his life. In front of all the officials and all of the monarchs, he broke away and lashed out at the Emperor of Yue.

He shouted, "Why have you run away? Where's the Princess? Where's the Princess of Qi? Where's..." my most precious Qing Shi?! Yun Cheng had handed her over to another emperor. Originally, she had been worthy of that emperor overturning the world for her, and worthy of that emperor's kindness, but he had let her die from flogging!

He hadn't expected that after he vented his anger, he would be sent to prison. Three days later, the Emperor personally came to visit him, "Are you willing to acknowledge your sins and go to the Yue Nation to suppress the armed rebellion?"

He lifted his head and looked at the Emperor. "Your majesty, will settling the rebellion bring back the Princess's remains to the Qi Nation? Qing Shi... she must really want to come home."

The Emperor was silent. After a sigh, he said, "If you can find her, then bring her home."

Without the slightest hesitation, Yun Cheng draped the bladed leather over his body, and travelled to the Yue Nation. On the battlefield, Yun Cheng was exactly like a killing machine- whenever he came across the Yue State's rebel army, there would not be a good ending. Daily, he slaughtered people; his heart was full of profound viciousness. He couldn't sleep soundly at night, and the pain in his heart merged into an unerasable hatred. It burned luminously in him, day and night, making him unable to stay still, like maggots nibbling away to the bone, devouring him until he became clean, inch by inch...

His emotions bubbled forth. He didn't think that even now, he would be unable to think about the past without his heart beating unevenly.

A "ge da" sound came from outside. Yun Cheng put on his clothes and walked out, and saw Qing Shi near his desk. She was currently looking at the painting on his desk. When Yun Cheng walked over, Qing Shi was startled and slightly bowed, "General."

Yun Cheng nodded. He looked her over again. "How come you aren't wearing your red clothes today?"

Qing Shi looked down. "My clothes... got dirty." She softly finished, as her fingers stroked the fine writing paper on the desk lightly. "General, how come... this painting doesn't have a face?" She could tell that the person in the painting was a she, but the charm and grace that this person had was completely different from her own. In addition, none of his paintings had a face, almost as if another spirit was living among these paintings.

Yun Cheng walked in front of her and silently rolled up his paintings. "I've already forgotten what the face looks like." He softly answered, his words bringing a trace of a sad sigh with them.

He had once thought that he would forever remember Qing Shi's face, no matter what happened in the future. But, how long was the future? In the endlessness of the years that surpassed his memories, he gradually forgot her voice, and slowly, he forgot her face. Time scraped his bones more sharply than the most merciless sword, scratching the Qing Shi in his head until she became little bits and pieces, until she could never be pieced together again.