Waiting for you online - - - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Ever since the ancestors established the sect, they have been famous all over the world for their Zongxuan sword and Guiyuan heart method. The name of Song clan has ruled Jiuzhou for 3 hundred years, even if it violates the common knowledge of “when the great way prevails, the world is equally shared by all” in the cultivation world. It is openly and legally to ascend the throne and proclaim oneself emperor. All immortals in the world dare not to comment, only dare to acknowledge one’s inferiority. Divide one’s territory and become the king; having a Song Emperor as the Human Sovereign, will be the ruler of Jiuzhou.

It’s just that there is Chang in Wuchang*, extreme prosperity forebodes the beginning of the decline, the change is unchanging since times immemorial. Until the generation of Emperor Ninghua Song Ming He, the power of the Song clan was already declining. There were many people of talent coming forth in large numbers in the immortal realm. Within that few centuries, the accumulating dissatisfaction with the Song Clan looked as if a seemingly calm water surface, yet it was already turbulent.

Actually, the decline of the Song clan has a lot to do with the failure of producing a good ruler in the past three generations.

Learning doctrines and cultivating, acquiring diligence and comprehension are of course important, but innate abilities often determine the upper limit of a person from birth, and the cultivation world is a person who has attained Dao in nine degrees of kindred to ascend to heaven. A leader who cannot reach great heights is difficult to convince people even just by relying on a large number of people.

Song Ming He has nine sons and three daughters. The eldest and the youngest sons have great roots and have the potential to aspire to the path of immortality. Unfortunately, the confrontation between the immortals and the clan, the decline of the ancestral industry and the precarious situation cannot be reversed by the two young children.

Daming Mansion – Wuji Palace

There was a burst of laughter in the back of the garden. A teenager rolled up his pants and sleeves and was leading a group of children playing Cuju*. That round sheepskin ball looks as if grown onto his feet, unable to escape his control no matter what. Children of different heights buzzed around him and running around, all trying to snatch the ball under his feet. That scene was like a big dog leading a group of puppies.

That young man has a handsome look, eyes as bright as a starry sky, demeanour like a blazing sun, and a smiling face looks better than fine jade. He really is an attractive and elegant young man.

“Big brother…Ah!” A child tripped, landed on the ground with a thud and immediately started sobbing.

Song Zi Heng puts down the ball, pushed aside the crowd, smiled, carried the child up from the ground, pinched his nose and teased: “Aiya Xiao Jiu, you gonna cry just because of this?”

Song Zi Xiao had no tears in his eyes, yet still wants to act out a crying expression. He wiped his eyes with his dirty hands: “I fell on my leg, and you’re still laughing at me.”

“Let me see.” Song Zi Heng lifted his trouser leg and saw blood on his knees, “Big brother bring you to apply ointment alright?”

“Ok.”

Song Zi Heng picked up Song Zi Xiao with one arm and several children tug Song Zi Heng’s clothes: “Will big brother come back and play with us?”

Song Zi Heng rubbed their heads one by one: “The sun is too strong, you all should go rest, next time big brother will play with you guys.”

Song Zi Xiao hugged Song Zi Heng’s neck tightly, secretly revealing a smug smile.

“Big brother, it’s so hot.” He pressed his face into Song Zi Heng’s neck and whispered his complaint.

“Then you still hug me so tightly.” Song Zi Heng pulled one of his small arms from his sweaty neck and took a breath, “Big brother still can drop you ah.”

“I…”

Song Zi Heng suddenly grabbed Song Zi Xiao’s waist, swung him three times in mid-air and then swung his head down behind him, and finally pulled him out from under his armpit.

Song Zi Xiao screamed and laughed, his face flushed with excitement.

Song Zi Heng smiled and said: “Not painful anymore?”

“It doesn’t even hurt initially, I just didn’t want to play anymore.” Song Zi Xiao said coquettishly, “I want to eat ice white fungus soup big brother makes.”

“Only you have so many little tricks.” Song Zi Heng carried him back to Qinghui pavilion and tested him some homework on the way back. Seeing that he answers fluently and did not goof off, he praised him.

“It’s delicious, so sweet.” Song Zi Xiao sucked a big mouthful of white fungus and licked his lips to his heart’s content.

Song Zi Heng took a wet cloth and wiped Song Zi Xiao’s dirty face first. At the age of 8, as if smeared with fine powder and delicate as polished jade, his face and his mother’s, who is known as the world’s number beauty, are almost carved out of the same mould, especially that fox eyes which are hooked at the outer corner of his eyes. When looking at people, his pupils shine like bright gems, as if wanting to speak but don’t speak.

“Eat slowly.” After wiping his face, Song Zi Heng wanted to clean his wound.

Song Zi Xiao shooked his lower leg: “No need, it’ll be fine in a few days.”

“At least rinse it clean.”

After treating his wound, Song Zi Xiao’s bowl of white fungus soup almost bottomed out. He blinked his eyes: “Big brother, I want to tell you good news.”

“What good news?”

“I’m about to form a core.”

Song Zi Heng was startled: “Really?”

“Yeah.” Song Zi Xiao raised his chin proudly, “Big brother also formed a core before 10 years old, I want to be the same as big brother.”

Song Zi Heng patted Song Zi Xiao’s shoulder with gratification: “You will be earlier than big brother, Xiao Jiu, you must cultivate diligently. When you get the Great Dao one day, everyone one will not ridicule our Song clan having no successors.”

“Big brother is here, who dares to ridicule us? ” Song Zi Xiao’s eyes are filled with adoration, “Big brother is the best!”

Seeing Song Zi Xiao’s carefree and innocent look, Song Zi Heng secretly sighed.

“Big brother, can I have another serving? ”

“Cannot, you ate too much cold food and had diarrhoea last time.”

“Just one more please.”

“Dinner is in 2 hours. Do you want to drink fungus soup, or do you want to eat the large meatballs big brother make? ”

“Large meatballs, large meatballs! ”

There’s a sound outside, Song Zi Heng popped his head out, took a look and stood up.

A lady was escorted in by a servant. She’s an outstanding beauty with picturesque features, wearing a silk jaded brocade and gold dangling hairpin, her bearing dignified and luxurious.

“You’re back, mother.” Song Zi Heng bowed.

Song Zi Xiao also stood up “Imperial concubine Shen.”

“Xiao er is also here ah.” Shen Shi Yao smiled, “Came here to find your big brother to play?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s almost dinner time, don’t eat too much cold food already.” Shen Shi Yao pulled Song Zi Xiao in front of herself and used a silk handkerchief to wipe his sweat, “Xiao er stay at Qinghui pavilion for dinner then.”

“OK, big brother said he’ll make large meatballs for me.”

Shen Shi Yao chuckled: “Only you love to pester your big brother. Go home and invite your mother here. After dinner, we’ll go to the shore of Luoshui Lake to enjoy the beautiful moon.”

“OK!” Song Zi Xiao scampered away.

After Song Zi Xiao left, Shen Shi Yao looked at his striking-appearance son, feeling relieved: “Zi Heng, how’s your homework today?”

“All done, just now I brought younger brothers and sisters to play for an hour.”

“I heard the Emperor appointed you a mission again.”

“There are ghosts mutiny at Pingyang dynasty, two batches of cultivators were dispatched. There are heavy casualties. Tomorrow I’ll go out of the palace to take a look.”

“Very good. Your siblings still haven’t grown up yet, only you can share the Emperor’s burden. You must perform well, don’t disappoint the Emperor.”

Song Zi Heng obediently said: “Don’t worry, mother.”

“I heard…” Shen Shi Yao’s slender fingers stroked the exquisite red gold bracelet on her wrist, “Chi Song Zi has tested your 9th brother’s roots, isn’t his talent inferior to you?”

“Yes, Xiao Jiu has a superb aptitude.” Song Zi Heng smiled, “Just now he told me he’s going to form a core soon.”

Shen Shi Yao paused slightly, her gaze drifted out of the window and said quietly: “The Song clan has not been able to produce such a root for three generations. Unexpectedly, there are two at once. The Emperor must be very happy.”

“Father is very happy, with his son and his younger siblings, restore Song clan.”

Shen Shi Yao turned around and looked at Song Zi Heng, her eyes dimmed: “You were born unusually lucky, and you are outstanding among the children of this generation. It’s a pity that your mother’s background is not good and burdened you.”

Song Zi Heng turned pale with fright: “Mother, why do you say that? As a son born in the Song clan, no need to worry about clothes and food since young, I’m already contented and never have such thoughts.”

Shen Shi Yao took Song Zi Heng’s hand and smiled warmly: “You are so talented. If one is the legitimate son, one will be the future leader of the clan in other immortal families. Mother just felt that you worked so hard, yet I am letting you down.”

“Mother, please don’t think this way.” Song Zi Heng said anxiously, “What legitimate son and concubine’s son, it doesn’t matter. I am never bothered about it.”

Shen Shi Yao stared at her son for a long time before saying: “Never mind, your 9th brother is also a son from a concubine, you’re not the only one who’s unfortunate.”

Song Zi Heng knew his mother is eager to be first. She was very strict with him since young and was not allowed to lag behind others, but it was all for his own good. This is the first time he heard her say this, which is really weird.

He doesn’t understand, so he temporarily stops thinking about it, consoled his mother for a while and went to make large meatballs for Song Zi Xiao.

When admiring the moon in the evening, Shen Shi Yao is the same as usual. She gets along well with Song Zi Xiao’s mother, so they visit each other often.

After admiring the moon, Song Zi Xiao wanted to sleep with Song Zi Heng again. The two are 8 years apart. Song Zi Xiao is mainly brought up by Song Zi Heng, so he always sticks to him since young.

The summer is sultry and there were so many mosquitoes. Song Zi Heng pasted two cold talismans on the mosquito net and used a fan to fan at Song Zi Xiao, so he won’t feel hot and flip around like pancakes, and slowly drifted into a deep sleep.

“Big brother.” Song Zi Xiao said drowsily, “Are you going out of palace tomorrow, when are you going to bring me along?”

“When you’re older, you can come along with big brother to exorcise evil spirits together.”

Song Zi Xiao yawned: “When I formed a core, what reward will big brother give me?”

Song Zi Heng smiled helplessly: “What reward do you want?”

“Bring me out of the palace. Since 12 years old big brother can travel out of palace, yet I didn’t go out of palace before.”

“Alright, when you formed a core, I will ask our father and bring you out of palace to play.”

Song Zi Xiao turned around and slipped into Song Zi Heng’s embrace: “You do as promised!”

“Aiya don’t stick to me, it’s so hot.”

there is Chang in Wuchang* [无常即是常] — To answer from the Buddhist perspective, impermanence [aka Wuchang] means that there are many variables in a person’s life, and it is not accurate to calculate based on the current situation. “Chang” means that everything that happens in life is not for no reason, it is the past. Or a cause that was planted in the previous life or many lives.

Cuju* [蹴鞠] —ancient Chinese football/soccer