Chapter 127

Hanzhong, the residence of the Hua family.

A plump wealthy merchant with gold-inlaid jade finger rings on every one of his ten fingers paced anxiously back and forth in the garden. "Ugh, everything was fine, why did they have to stage a rebellion!"

"Even staging a rebellion would be bad enough, but they even want to leech off the Hua family's ships for free! Their faces are so huge, why don't they just hang themselves from a southeast branch!"

"But after all, they are the local bullies with a heavy armed force in their hands. What can I do if I refuse to hand them over?"

"If they only wanted a batch of ships, that would be manageable. The fear is that they will keep making endless demands," said a white-haired, kind-looking old man, no trace of worry hidden on his face. "Wars cost the most money and human lives. Master, word has it that the Son of Heaven's troops have reached the border area of Shu. Perhaps..."

Hua Bufang shook his head. "Seek refuge with the Son of Heaven? Not to mention that the Hua family's foundation is right here in Shu, even if we side with the Son of Heaven, do you think he won't covet the Hua family's properties once he goes to war? Won't he want to commandeer the Hua family's ships too? When the gods fight, it's the mortals who suffer. That's just how it is."

The housekeeper sighed and hit the nail on the head. "Master, the gods have already started fighting. There's no way the Hua family can avoid being affected. Since that's the case, we should make a decision early, pick a side to preserve ourselves, and maybe even seize an opportunity in this dangerous situation."

"That's the only way..." Hua Bufang mumbled as he paced and pondered.

Two factions appeared in his mind: one was the Son of Heaven's army, the other was the Du and Ruan army. His position swayed wildly between the two sides.

Shu has been a naturally dangerous region since ancient times, easy to defend but hard to attack, with abundant grain supplies and a uniquely advantageous location. It has always been a contested spot for strategists, and a place where uprisings and separatist regimes keep emerging.

When the new emperor first took the throne, he barely managed to put down the rebellion in Shu, but never truly subdued the region. Only a superficial peace was maintained.

Now that chaos has broken out again in Shu, between the rising new emperor and the powerful local overlords who have reigned here for generations, which side stands a better chance of winning...

If we side with the Son of Heaven, it would be best if he wins. But if he loses, he can simply retreat from Shu all the way back to the capital, and the Hua family's centuries-old foundation in Shu will be completely destroyed.

If we side with Du and Ruan, we will completely cut off any chance for the Hua family to expand north. If they win, the Hua family can continue to live a comfortable life. If they lose, the Hua family will perish along with Du and Ruan.

No matter which side we choose, one wrong move will leave both me and the Hua family with no way out, a dead end for sure!

The more Hua Bufang thought, the more agitated he became, and the faster he paced. Unconsciously, the two of them walked over to the wall of the Hua residence that bordered the outer street.

"This time, when Du and Ruan staged the rebellion in Shu, they raised the banner of 'exterminating the demon and rescuing the true Son of Heaven'," Hua Bufang said, his eyes fixed on the peach tree in front of him, his voice low. "So, is this Empress really a Goddess reincarnated, or a demon..."

At the same time, just outside the wall that separated them from the Hua residence, Yun Yaoyao and Niu Xiu'er were huddled together, whispering furtively.

"Your Majesty, why don't we enter through the main gate, but climb over the wall instead?" Niu Xiu'er asked in confusion, then suddenly had an epiphany. "This servant gets it now! This is called taking the road less traveled, so that we can see the views that no ordinary people can see!"

Yun Yaoyao nodded, full of approval. "Xiu'er, you really are a big genius!"

"Ehehe~" Niuniu said, blushing shyly.

Yun Yaoyao frowned with worry. "It's just that the wall of the Hua residence is far too high. Even with my nimble skills, I can't reach it."

Niu Xiu'er rolled up her sleeves and said in a serious tone. "Your Majesty, this servant has a way!"

The next second, Niu Xiu'er lifted Yun Yaoyao up. Her muscular, firm thighs slowly bent down, gathering strength, and then with a loud heave, she tossed her upwards. "Your Majesty, off you go!"

Inside the wall, Hua Bufang, so distraught that he had plucked the twelfth unopened peach blossom bud, was moved by the scene and about to compose a poem.

Who would have thought that a huge force would suddenly hit him from behind. Hua Bufang was kicked flying two meters away, and rolled three and a half times before stopping.

The housekeeper was so shocked that his face paled. "Master! Someone has attacked—"

Before he could finish his sentence, another figure leaped over the wall from outside.

This figure was even bulkier. When it landed, the shadow it cast on the ground was so large that it could cover Hua Bufang's entire body.

Hua Bufang was trembling all over in utter terror. Yun Yaoyao was also so shocked that her mouth gaped open, and she was about to stretch out her arm to stop them.

The next second, Niu Xiu'er, who had just landed, sat down on the ground with her full weight—right on top of Hua Bufang.

Hua Bufang: ...... He almost kicked the bucket on the spot.

The housekeeper was furious and panicked, and quickly tried to pull Niu Xiu'er away with all his might, but he couldn't budge her an inch.

Realizing what she had done, Niu Xiu'er quickly lifted herself up from where she was sitting, scratching her head awkwardly. "I'm so sorry, I'll pay you for the damage..."

Those words made everything worse. A heart-wrenching yell burst out from the person on the ground. "I'm the richest man in Hanzhong! Do you think I'm short of... ow! ... short of your stinking money!"

The housekeeper helped Hua Bufang get up, his body shaking unsteadily.

Yun Yaoyao silently withdrew her outstretched hand, thinking that this plump figure that had suffered such unprovoked misfortune looked strangely familiar.

When Hua Bufang finally got to his feet and glared at her angrily, Yun Yaoyao raised her eyebrows.

Oh my goodness! Isn't this exactly the wealthy Hua merchant I was looking for!

When Hua Bufang got a clear look at Yun Yaoyao's face, he was so shocked that he stepped back three steps. "Oh my Lord! Your... Your Majesty the Empress?!"

This shock made him stumble backward again, and his already battered plump body suffered yet another mishap.

"My waist!"

"Master!!"

Half an hour later, Hua Bufang was lying on the bed, his whole body fixed in place with splints and white bandages.

The two of them stared at each other, eyes wide, neither saying a word.

Yun Yaoyao: This start is so bad, he's definitely going to turn me down easily...

Hua Bufang: The scale in my heart that judges whether the Empress is who she claims to be is now tipping heavily toward the "demon" side...

That awkward silence between them was finally broken by Yun Yaoyao's sharp, solemn shout.

"Hua Bufang, do you know what the Book of Life and Death records about your past life and reincarnation?"

This sudden question left Hua Bufang completely confused. He shook his head instinctively. "I... I don't know."

Yun Yaoyao looked down at him from where she stood, and said slowly, "In the ninth year of Jingyuan, a rebellion broke out in Shu. Hua Bufang, the richest man in Hanzhong, sided with the traitors Du and Ruan, providing them with money and ships, dragging a rebellion that could have been put down in half a year all the way out to three years."

"Chaos spread across Shu. The war burned everything, and the people lived in utter misery. After the Son of Heaven finally crushed the rebellion in Shu, he flew into a rage and ordered that everyone involved be executed along with their nine clans!"

Humans instinctively hold deep reverence for the fate of their nine clans. Hearing this, Hua Bufang couldn't help shivering, and gave a dry laugh. "Your Majesty the Empress..."

There was a look of pity in Yun Yaoyao's eyes. "In that life, your entire nine clans were put to death. As for you, you were torn apart by five horses. You were so fleshy and full of blood that the startled horses took a whole joss stick's worth of time to pull your arms, legs, and head completely apart."

That cool, casual line about his arms, legs and head being torn apart made Hua Bufang shrink his neck back in fear. "Your Majesty, this joke of yours is a bit too scary..."

Yun Yaoyao didn't respond to his words. Her expression didn't change, still as calm as if she was stating a plain fact, and she continued speaking.

"You have aided the wicked in their tyrannical deeds, and your sins are too many to count. In your second life, you were reborn into the animal realm. Every day you ate swill, slept in a pigsty covered in pig manure, got lashed by your owner, and were bullied by other pigs who snatched your food away. Only flies and mosquitoes stayed by your side through thick and thin. Then one night, a drunk beggar came and tarnished your pure pig's life."

A bead of cold sweat dripped down Hua Bufang's temple, and he secretly swallowed hard.

Yun Yaoyao just watched him quietly, yet that gaze brought overwhelming pressure down on Hua Bufang.

Her pitch-black pupils held a lofty, compassionate look that made Hua Bufang feel an odd illusion. It was as if he could see his own miserable three lifetimes through those eyes.

"In your third life, you were reborn as a giant lizard in the Kingdom of Tianzhu. You were living a perfectly peaceful lizard's life, until those four Tianzhu men showed up..."

Hua Bufang completely lost his composure. "Your Majesty, the Empress, please stop talking!"

The unknown always sparked fear, especially when the words came from a Goddess shrouded in mystery.

Hua Bufang suppressed the palpitations in his heart and said, "Your Majesty, since you are a Goddess descended to the mortal realm with the power of foresight, why not just kill me directly? That way the Hua family would be unable to assist Du and Ruan, instead of coming to the Hua residence in secret today just to say all this to me?"

"Because you are no ordinary person."

That unexpected answer left Hua Bufang completely stunned.

"Really?" Hua Bufang's eyes went wide.

Yun Yaoyao nodded, her dark eyes fixed straight on Hua Bufang as she repeated every single word clearly, "You are no ordinary person, that is why I am willing to guide you onto the right path."

Hua Bufang's heart thumped wildly like a drum being struck by a big stick.

"What exactly do you mean by that, Your Majesty?" His voice shifted from fear to unbridled excitement.

"The secrets of heaven must not be revealed," Yun Yaoyao refused to elaborate.

The more she held back, the more curious Hua Bufang grew, as if a cat was pawing at his heart over and over.

He already knew he was special, but even a Goddess was saying he was extraordinary? Could he be even more remarkable than he imagined? The kind of extraordinary that would make the Hua family's entire genealogy start with his name, Hua Bufang?!

Hua Bufang knew full well he had walked right into the trap Yun Yaoyao set, but he could not bring himself to step back.

"Your Majesty, can you give me a little hint?"

Yun Yaoyao nodded slightly and said, "The Grand Canal is more than half built now. Once it is fully connected from north to south, it will become the true major transport route linking the north and the south, driving the prosperity of trade across the regions, boosting the economy, and strengthening the power of the Yan Chi Dynasty..."

"What water transport relies on is none other than ships. Your Hua family is the largest ship merchant in the Shu region of the south of the Yangtze River. You do not need me to spell out the stakes and benefits here, I am sure you understand them perfectly well."

Yun Yaoyao's words struck exactly the chord in Hua Bufang's heart. He had long been wanting to expand his business northwards, precisely because of the Grand Canal. The Hua family was already the largest private ship merchant in the southern regions. If he could ride the east wind of the canal...

Ships printed with the Hua family name would be able to sail all across the north and south, across the entire Yan Chi Dynasty!

Which merchant would not want to grow bigger and stronger? Which merchant would not want to expand their business across the whole country?

"Your Majesty, are you saying you can help the Hua family become the largest ship merchant in the entire Yan Chi Dynasty?" Hua Bufang's breath grew hot as he asked tentatively.

Yun Yaoyao glanced at him. "Your vision is far too small."

"Ah?" Those words left Hua Bufang dumbfounded all over again.

Yun Yaoyao fetched a brush and paper, and in no time at all, a drawing took shape on the page.

Hua Bufang craned his neck as far as he could to look, only to find the drawing was a sight he had never seen before.

Yun Yaoyao explained patiently, "This is a map of the world."

"The world?"

"That's right, the world. It is also called the cosmos, all under heaven, the mortal world, the myriad of things," Yun Yaoyao's gaze drifted far away. "And Yan Chi is just a tiny, tiny spot in this whole world."

"On the other side of the sea, there are countless other kingdoms," Yun Yaoyao said, tapping lightly on the map.

"Some kingdoms are full of gold mountains, some are rich in oil, and there are people of different skin tones there too. Some have high noses and fair skin, others have dark skin that blends into the night."

"Some places know how to generate electricity with steam, and with just a thin wire, they can light up an entire palace. Some have four-wheeled iron boxes that run on steam too, and can travel fifty li in the time it takes to burn a stick of incense. There are even more wonders..."

"Between the continents stretches the vast, endless ocean. Once the Yan Chi Dynasty thrives and prospers, it will develop maritime trade, build ships to sail far across the seas, and conduct trade and exchanges with all these other kingdoms and nations!"

"At that time, the ships bearing the Hua family name will sail out of Yan Chi, ride the winds across the vast ocean, head for all those kingdoms with their mysterious, splendid cultures, and sail to the entire world!!"

"And you, Hua Bufang, will be the first maritime merchant to sail to the whole world!!!"

The moment those words landed, Hua Bufang's breathing turned completely ragged and heated!

He stared at the world map Yun Yaoyao had drawn, gasping for big gulps of air, his whole blood nearly boiling.

Beyond Yan Chi, on the other side of the sea, there were so many mysterious kingdoms!

The Yan Chi that had seemed so vast and boundless to him looked so tiny on this map!!

Hua Bufang suddenly felt that the heavy weight that had been pressing on his mind just a moment ago, the rebellion brewing in the Shu region, was completely insignificant compared to this vast, endless world.

He clutched the map tightly, his eyes shining bright, not daring to tear his gaze away from the drawing for even a second.

Yun Yaoyao was in no hurry. She slowly poured herself a cup of tea and sipped it to moisten her throat.

When Yaoyao makes a move, you know she means business.

Look, she just tossed out the bait, and Hua Bufang was already hooked completely.

After a very long time, Hua Bufang finally willed himself to look away from the world map. He looked at Yun Yaoyao with a serious expression, his tone firm and powerful.

"Hua Bufang and the entire Hua family are willing to serve the Empress, and willing to serve His Majesty the Emperor!"

"I only ask that in my lifetime, I can set sail on the open sea, and have the blessing of seeing all those splendid, prosperous nations!"

"To have the blessing of seeing the entire world!"

After he finished speaking, Hua Bufang closed his eyes, and a single hot tear splashed onto the back of his hand.

Though he was a man who feared death, he had always had a dream deep in his heart.

Yun Yaoyao raised an eyebrow. Wait, why is he crying? Did the grand vision she laid out move him to tears?

Yun Yaoyao spoke, half as a comfort and half as a promise, "Hua Bufang, you will never regret the choice you make today."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Hua Bufang wiped the corners of his eyes, immediately shifting into a fawning, smiling expression. "Your Majesty, what do you and His Majesty need this subordinate to do right now?"

"Just provide us with a place to stay."

Hearing such a simple request, Hua Bufang thumped his chest and promised, "No problem! The Hua residence doesn't have many other merits, but it is huge! All the mansions around this area are also owned by the Hua family!"

Hua Bufang had not realized the full gravity of the situation yet.

That very night, Yun Yaoyao and Tu Shanjin led the entire army to move into the Hua residence, packing the entire Hua family's compound and all the surrounding mansions so full there was barely room to stand.

Hua Bufang, who had thought only the Emperor, the Empress and a few other important figures would be coming, was forced to share a bed with the housekeeper. He could only think to himself: ......

Your Majesty, you really did not hold back at all.