Peace Order

"In those days, when Your Majesty was young, a dragon lurking in the abyss of the sea, it was here that Mr. Xue assisted you, paving the way to conquer the world."

Xue Daoyong replied, "With Your Majesty’s determination and will, I was merely coinciding with the occasion. Even if he had entered the Martial World or followed Yue Qianfeng, he would have encountered extraordinary opportunities and achieved feats."

"The Xue Family merely delivered that coal."

"Lord Nan, please drink tea!"

Nan Hanwen just held the tea and drank slowly, still thinking about the impact of recent events, sighed in his heart, and suddenly said, "Mr. Xue often cared for and assisted His Majesty in his youth, supporting the nation greatly, but why today, stage such a performance?"

"Xue Yuheng, was it arranged by Elder Xue?"

"Even without this drama, the Xue Family’s prosperity would not be diminished."

Seated cross-legged in the Wind Listening Pavilion, Xue Daoyong drank tea slowly and smiled, "Though I staged this, the little bit of luck in the hearts of the Xue family descendants is real, Lord Nan, you know what ’healer’ means."

Nan Hanwen, well-read in the classics, responded:

"The realm of ’healer’ consists of three layers: First, one observes the spirit of the disease before it takes form and eliminates it; thus the name is unknown at home. Second, in treating the disease, focusing on minutiae; thus the name is unknown in the neighborhood. Only the third layer involves cutting the veins, administering poison, and curing the skin, hence achieving renown among lords."

"What do you mean, Elder?"

Xue Daoyong said, "Those skilled in battle achieve no pompous deeds."

"Handling matters before they escalate to prevent excessive consequences is the right path. Using one person to lure out the hidden desires of the Xue family descendants, then letting Shuangtao sever them mercilessly."

"Only then can my Xue Family survive."

"Only then can Shuangtao truly become His Majesty’s empress."

"Only then need Guan Yi not face the Xue Family’s issues in ten or twenty years."

Nan Hanwen said, "Elder employs brilliant methods."

Xue Daoyong said gently, "Shuangtao and Guan Yi are children who value past ties. This old man, in terms of martial arts, couldn’t even handle a single move from Guan Yi, but always hopes to assist them a bit."

"While I’m here, indeed it is as you said, Elder, but what happens a decade later when this old man is gone?"

"I don’t want to leave Shuangtao and Guan Yi dealing with the Xue family descendants’ confrontation, becoming a millennium laughingstock, laughed at by later generations, nor wanting these two good children to have any estrangement between them."

"They have weathered storms together for so many years; for some sordid people, the emperor and empress’s hearts grow distant. That would be too regrettable, wouldn’t it?"

Nan Hanwen said, "But this act somewhat affects your reputation, Elder."

Xue Daoyong laughed, holding the tea cup, pointed at Nan Hanwen, cunningly said:

"Isn’t Lord Nan Hanwen here for this?"

Nan Hanwen suddenly understood why the elder arranged today’s matter, saying:

"Elder means, you want me to guarantee your reputation?"

Xue Daoyong confidently said, "No, I hope Lord Nan Hanwen will write about today’s events in a book before passing, making it public, so everyone knows the heart of the Xue family, knows the heart of Xue Daoyong."

Nan Hanwen appreciated the elder’s actions.

To preserve his descendants, solve troubling issues for Li Guanyi and Xue Shuangtao, preserve Xue Shuangtao’s name as a virtuous empress, and also through Nan Hanwen the observer, leave his own reputation.

Meticulously calculated, calmly executed.

Nan Hanwen couldn’t help but raise his cup, sighing emotionally:

"In chaotic times, true heroes!"

Is this the aura of a fierce tiger in turbulent times?

But even such a fierce tiger in chaotic times found difficulty unveiling its claws in the later stages of the previous chaotic age, not because it wasn’t formidable, but because of the era’s rising heroes, truly a stormy gathering.

However, Taiping Duke, Divine Martial King, Chen Dingye, Lu Youxian, Military God Master, Sword Madman, last Red Emperor, Emperor Ying Wanxiang—all those heroes and leaders who stirred waves in a chaotic era, one by one, have fallen.

Before me stands this white-haired fierce tiger of chaotic times, perhaps the last hero of that era.

The stories of Your Majesty and those heroes.

Beginning with Xue Daoyong, and ending with Xue Daoyong?

But Xue Daoyong simply laughed aloud and said, "Heroes of chaotic times? Too grand! Just a gambler! If one speaks of the world, the old man has little to say. Lord Nan Hanwen, what do you think is the key of a gambler?"

Nan Hanwen respectfully said, "I would love to hear more."

Xue Daoyong said, "People think that winning every bet is the pinnacle of gambling. I’d say this perspective is too shallow, too thin. A true gambler finds importance not in winning but in retreat."

"Victory is just ordinary."

"It’s about gracefully exiting after defeating the unparalleled world."

"Boldly retreating in the height of success shows real skill."

Nan Hanwen said, "Then today marks Elder’s retreat?"

Xue Daoyong laughed, "Someday someone might say I bet on eternal peace. Good! I placed heavy stakes, and in the following decades saw peace, children in harmony, citizens living happily, Xue Daoyong, a mere merchant, a gambler in chaotic times."

"Reaching this point, what more is there to be dissatisfied with?!"

"It’s already too delightful!"

"Enough to comfort an entire life."

The outside wind picked up, swaying the pavilion’s curtains, rippling the water surface. The elder, holding a teacup, paced as he rose, while ripples stirred behind him, with the White Tiger slowly stepping, Xue Daoyong’s chest opened wide, his aura grand.

Seeing Jiangnan Misty Rain, hearing desert camel bells.

Looking at the world, feeling only satisfaction, boldly said:

"The world is vast, see where heroes are, all are gamblers."

"With a mighty wager, laugh at the wins and losses of life and death."

"Sword Qi like a rainbow, love and hatred reckless, wine and meat warm the gut."

"Martial paths distant, storms came and went."

"Return to the mountain forest, clouds lingering, leisurely watching the wind."

"Once the world’s storm settles, now flipping through poetry books."

"Ambitions achieved, spirit remains, fearing not passing time."

He turned as a fierce wind rose behind, the White Tiger roared, shaking the Wind Listening Pavilion, echoing in all directions as the elder laughed:

"Let history everlasting spread fame far and wide and esteemed!"

Xue Daoyong, making the move, concludes the game.

Retreat, whole and intact.

End in great renown.