On the night of the full moon, the wind chases the moon; on the night of the waning moon, the wolf howls at the moon...
Daozun Feiyan knew this was a poem composed by Lady Zhuyue in a moment of inspiration. She was also absolutely certain that under the vast heavens, aside from Lady Zhuyue, Monarch Chixiao, and herself, there was not a fourth person who knew of this poem.
How did he know?
First, the detailed process of how she treated Monarch Chixiao's injuries.
Now, a poem composed by Lady Zhuyue.
Just who was he!
Could it be...
Monarch Chixiao?
No!
Monarch Chixiao could not possibly still be alive. Moreover, this person carried not the aura of reincarnation, nor the aura of possession and rebirth, not even the aura of ordinary fortune. How could he be Monarch Chixiao?
But if he wasn't Monarch Chixiao, how did he know these private matters?
Daozun Feiyan did not know.
Nor could she figure it out.
Her mind was completely blank.
Beside her, Gu Qingfeng helped her into a chair, then picked up the wine pot to pour himself another cup. He tilted his head back and drained it in one go, saying, "I told you, you are someone who showed kindness to Gu Tianlang, and not just once. To put it bluntly, not only did you have nothing to be sorry to him about, even if you did, it wouldn't outweigh the kindness you showed him. Back then, if you hadn't intervened to save him, there would have been no later Monarch Chixiao."
"I heard from Handong that you've never been able to let go of deliberately revealing Gu Tianlang's identity back then?
Hah!"
Gu Qingfeng shook his head, his tone tinged with helplessness. "There's nothing to 'let go' of. It was always an insignificant matter. If anyone was at fault, it was Gu Tianlang. Back then, if he hadn't seduced Feng Zhuyue, Feng Zhuyue wouldn't have fallen for him. If she hadn't fallen for him, she wouldn't have thought of eloping with Gu Tianlang. You revealed Gu Tianlang's whereabouts to keep Feng Zhuyue."
"After all, she was the successor of your Demon-Moon Palace. You were her closest kin, and the Grand Elder of the Demon-Moon Palace. You had the duty and the responsibility. Not to mention you merely revealed his identity; even if you had killed Gu Tianlang, it would have been justified. His life was saved by you all in the first place."
Gu Qingfeng drank his wine, gazing at the scenery in the garden as he continued, "So, you have absolutely no reason or excuse to feel guilty. If anyone should feel guilt, it should be Gu Tianlang."
"Let me say something else blunt. If you truly feel guilty, it's just you being sentimental. Back then, when Gu Tianlang severed his own cultivation at the foot of Demon-Moon Mountain, it wasn't because you revealed his identity, nor was it to repay your life-saving grace. The reason he severed his cultivation was solely to leave Feng Zhuyue. There was no second reason."
"If you feel guilty because Feng Zhuyue left, that's even more unfounded. Whether Feng Zhuyue became melancholy or lovesick to the point of madness, it wasn't because of you, but because of Gu Tianlang. It has nothing to do with you."
"If you feel guilty because the Demon-Moon Palace declined, that's even more laughable. Not to mention your small Demon-Moon Palace, even the Immortal Dynasty has its time of demise, the Nine Heavens have their day of falling, eternity itself can end, heaven and earth can collapse. If everyone felt guilty because of such things, how could they live?
How could life go on?
If everyone were as guilt-ridden as you, think of how many people Gu Tianlang let down back then?
Wouldn't he have died from guilt?"
Turning around, Gu Qingfeng looked at Daozun Feiyan and said softly, "What are you feeling guilty for?
What is there that you can't let go of?
Still refusing to forgive yourself?
If that's not being sentimental, what is? If there is one person in this world you have wronged, that person is neither Feng Zhuyue nor Gu Tianlang, but Handong."
"What a fine young lady she is, yet her mind is always weighed down with worries. In all her years, how many times has she truly laughed from the heart?
For the sake of so-called legacy, you've tormented a perfectly good girl into such a state. How can you bear it? Such immense pressure—can she shoulder it?
How old is she?
And you have her maneuvering among a bunch of old foxes. Even if she isn't played to death by them, she'll eventually collapse under the pressure and die from mental strain, you know that?"
At this moment.
Daozun Feiyan had, at some point, stood up. Her expression was extremely complex as she stared at Gu Qingfeng. The corners of her mouth twitched, the corners of her eyes twitched, and her entire body trembled violently. As she looked at Gu Qingfeng, her eyes held only endless remorse.
Suddenly!
With a thud, she knelt on the ground, her spirit utterly broken.
At this moment, she finally understood.
The knot in her heart that had lasted for years was thus undone.
She realized that the so-called guilt she had carried all these years was utterly meaningless. Not only that, she had even implicated Handong...
She understood. She understood everything.
This time, Gu Qingfeng did not go over to help her up. He could see that the knot in Daozun Feiyan's heart had been untied. Although guilt remained, this guilt did not belong to Monarch Chixiao or Feng Zhuyue, but to Handong. The difference was, the former guilt was irreparable, while the guilt belonging to Handong could be made up for.
Looking at the broken Daozun Feiyan, he still spoke softly, "You exhausted a lifetime's effort to forge a necklace for Handong. That is enough to make up for what you owe her. Although your primordial spirit is now just an empty shell, if you rest and recuperate peacefully, you should be able to live another seven or eight years without issue. During this time, don't think about the so-called legacy of the Demon-Moon Palace. Spend your remaining years in peace and happiness. She has always regarded you as her closest kin. You should know that your peaceful, happy twilight years would be the greatest compensation for her."
...
Outside the Green Casket Garden in the back mountains of Demon-Moon Palace.
Ouyang Ye stood with her arms crossed, her chest heaving with agitation. She paced back and forth angrily, muttering curses under her breath.
"Damn bastard!
Lao Jiu!
That idiot!
Your humble servant here serves him good food and drink every day, and even acts like a courtesan, drinking and making merry with him all day long. And how does he repay me!"
"Before coming, I repeatedly warned him not to speak carelessly once we got here, and to keep even his boasting in check. And what does he do? Not only does he spout nonsense, he even brings up how Granny Flying Swallow saved the Monarch! Is there even such a thing?
Even if there was, how the hell would you know the details?
You're just a fake! You get so into the role you start believing you really are Gu Qingfeng!
Damn it all!"
"I'm so angry! When that guy comes out, I'm going to kill him for sure!"
Ouyang Ye was seething with rage!
She was so furious she felt smoke coming out of her head, wishing she could rush in right now and give that bastard Lao Jiu a good beating.
But anger aside.
Ouyang Ye knew now was not the time for anger or venting. The urgent matter at hand was to quickly think of a way to salvage the situation.
"That bastard Lao Jiu spouted a bunch of nonsense, but it can only prove he's lying. Granny Flying Swallow probably doesn't know he's the Young Lord Chiyan we found to impersonate. Moreover, Young Lord Chiyan's identity as the successor of Monarch Chixiao has been attested to by so many old Chixiao followers like Ziyang. Even if Granny Flying Swallow has suspicions, she can only suspect; she absolutely cannot confirm whether it's true or not. But what does it mean that Granny Flying Swallow kept Lao Jiu behind to talk alone?"
Ouyang Ye suddenly thought of something and couldn't help but feel worried. "Oh no, did Granny Flying Swallow keep Lao Jiu alone because she wants to verify it personally?"
"If that's really the case, then it's truly terrible. What if that guy Lao Jiu can't handle it and tells Granny Flying Swallow the truth?
Damn it!"
The more she thought about it, the more worried Ouyang Ye became. "That guy Lao Jiu looks like a complete pushover. If Granny Flying Swallow just scares him a little, he'll definitely sell us out!"