plumnovel Chapter 51: No Regrets
Chapter 51: No Regrets
"Whoa—"
Fusu, who had already reached the top of the hill, suddenly tightened his grip on the reins.
The horse beneath him reared up on its forelegs and then came to a steady stop, exhaling heavy white breath.
As expected, the young master, who had been skilled in riding and archery since childhood, won the match.
The sunlight shone on him, outlining a dazzling golden edge.
After Fusu gently patted the horse's neck to completely calm it down,
Zou Yun finally arrived at the top of the hill. He reined in his horse, his face showing no sign of defeat, but rather full of joy.
"I have won, Great Master!"
Fusu turned around, looked at Zou Yun, and announced triumphantly.
"Haha, that's right..."
Zou Yun laughed heartily and waved his hand dismissively, "Young master's horsemanship is superb; I am ashamed to admit my inferiority."
The two men stood side by side on the hilltop, reined in their horses, and looked around.
The vast expanse of withered grass stretches into the distance like ocean waves, until it meets the clear blue sky.
The cold wind was still blowing, but it felt refreshing on my face after the speeding ride.
Facing this vast expanse of heaven and earth, though there is no heroic spirit to shout wildly, only an indescribable tranquility remains.
"How is it?"
Zou Yun turned his head and his gaze fell on Fusu's profile.
"Young Master Fusu, would you like to travel with us?"
Zou Yun extended an invitation to him, then paused before adding, "As for His Majesty, I can explain to him on your behalf."
Before leaving Xianyang, Zou Yun dared not make such a big promise.
But now, the sky is high enough for birds to fly freely, and the sea is wide enough for fish to leap freely, far away from that capital city that symbolizes supreme power.
In addition, given that he already possessed sufficient self-protection abilities and Ying Zheng's desire for immortality, Zou Yun's mindset was already quite different at this point.
To be honest, in Zou Yun's view, the relationship between him and Ying Zheng has now been reversed.
Therefore, even if we take away the heir to the empire, what difference does it make?
Anyway, as long as he still had Meng Xuande with him and didn't sever Ying Zheng's last shred of reason, how could Ying Zheng possibly recklessly lead a large army to besiege him?
Moreover, deep down, another idea was stirring within Zou Yun.
He wanted to try and see if he could take Fusu off the original historical trajectory.
So, will the course of history change because of this?
As Zou Yun pondered, a deeper meaning unconsciously crept into his gaze as he looked at Fusu.
Fusu, gazing at the vast天地 (heaven and earth) before him, letting the wind blow through his hair and robes, did not respond immediately.
"What? You don't believe me, sir?!"
Seeing that he did not react for a long time, Zou Yun assumed that Fusu was still hesitant, so he joked.
Upon hearing this, Fusu slowly turned around, carefully examined Zou Yun, and then solemnly said, "I believe you!"
He paused, then emphasized.
"I...believe in the Great Master!!"
Having witnessed the mystery surrounding this great master, Fusu naturally couldn't help but believe him.
"Then?" Zou Yun raised an eyebrow in confusion.
The smile on Fusu's lips slowly faded.
"Great Master..."
His expression was calm as he gazed into the distance, as if he could see the distant city of Xianyang.
"Before this journey to Shangjun on His Majesty's orders, Fusu had never truly left Xianyang."
"Everything about the outside world."
Fusu's voice lowered, and a trace of reminiscence appeared in his eyes.
"The empire's territory, the people under its rule, the hardships of the frontier..."
"These were all spoken to Fusu by his several mentors and His Majesty, both within the palace, in memorials, and in the court."
He paused slightly at this point, as if gathering his thoughts.
"Um?"
Zou Yun's face showed even more confusion, not understanding why Fusu suddenly brought up these past events.
"so......"
Fusu's voice carried a hint of melancholy.
Even though Fusu always knew that the common people of our Great Qin were not living very well, he didn't really have much of a true understanding of the situation.
His gaze fell to the withered grass and wasteland beneath him.
"I only thought that the hardships of the common people were nothing more than eating less and being poorer..."
"If Fusu were to advise His Majesty to implement benevolent governance, their lives would certainly change."
Fusu's voice grew softer and softer, more and more suppressed.
Looking back now, I realize how ridiculous I was!
He said self-deprecatingly.
Looking at this young master, whose reputation in history is mixed, Zou Yun couldn't help but feel somewhat taken aback.
"If it's Fusu before he left Xianyang City."
Fusu raised his head and looked at Zou Yun, his eyes flashing with a glimmer of light once again.
"Faced with the Grand Master's casual and easygoing invitation today, I suppose he will gladly accept."
Fusu remained calm.
"But now..."
He didn't say anything more, but Fusu's choice was self-evident.
"Yeah?!"
Zou Yun sighed softly, a complex and unreadable emotion flashing in his eyes—surprise, appreciation, and perhaps a hint of understanding.
However, Zou Yun changed the subject, his gaze fixed on Fu Su's clear eyes.
"Even if... staying in Shangjun might mean your death, will you not regret it?!"
Although he didn't know why the Grand Master had said that, Fusu met Zou Yun's piercing gaze without flinching.
He solemnly replied, "I have no regrets!!"
Fusu's voice was not loud, but it was unusually firm.
Each syllable seemed to carry immense power, resounding loudly across the boundless wilderness.
Looking into the distance.
In the boundless天地 (heaven and earth), two riders stood facing each other, their robes fluttering in the wind.
long silence.
Thinking that the worry between Zou Yun's brows was because of the northern barbarians, the young prince tightened the reins and smiled reassuringly.
"Great Master, do not worry. With General Meng here, the barbarians will certainly not dare to invade our Great Qin."
"Young lord, sometimes the sharpest blade doesn't just come from an open attack from the outside; often, it's the hidden arrows from within that are more deadly."
Zou Yun shook his head, saying meaningfully.
Seeing that Zou Yun was not joking, Fusu's smile faded, and after a moment of thought, he bowed to him.
"Master Dafang is right, Fusu will remember it."
Seeing that Fusu was determined to leave, Zou Yun stopped trying to dissuade him. However, his expression remained solemn as he spoke to Fusu, "How about I perform a divination for the young master?"
"That is exactly what I wish for!"
Upon hearing this, Fusu bowed solemnly once again.
"good."
Zou Yun nodded slightly and said no more.
After saying this, he began divination under Fusu's solemn gaze.
Unlike the diviners in Xianyang Palace, Zou Yun did not solemnly take out tortoise shells or yarrow stalks.
He dismounted and stepped onto the soft ground.
Standing alone between this vast天地 (heaven and earth), I slowly closed my eyes.
He slightly raised his chin, as if his entire being had merged with the howling wind, the low-lying grass, and the vast sky.
In this solemn atmosphere, Fusu also dismounted and waited.
He gazed at Zou Yun quietly, as if he were infected by her spirit.
For a moment, Fusu began to feel that the sound of the wind in his ears was no longer just a simple sob, but a mysterious whisper between heaven and earth.
"Is this the world as seen through the eyes of the Grand Master?" Fusu wondered.
He followed Zou Yun's example, slowly closing his eyes, trying to recall that faint feeling he had just sensed.
However, they were never able to glimpse the world as Zou Yun saw it.
After several attempts, he simply gave up and just quietly gazed at the Grand Master in front of him.