Chapter 84 – The Debate Over the World

“Crown Prince, is this not too harsh? They are still only children,” Yu Zhen said, watching from the sidelines with a pained expression. “Besides, that one is a little girl — she can barely stand anymore.”

“Before life and death, there are no children.”

Zhan Changfeng stood with her sleeves folded, feeling the bones of her own hand, her thin lips curving slightly. “What of it that she is a little girl? She may be delicate, she may be cherished — but I have never believed that women are defined by their need to be delicate or to be loved, nor are they someone who should yield in the name of fairness. Such yielding is nothing less than condescension.”

“I understand your meaning. Yet it is the prevailing tide that women in this land are treated as subordinates — that is simply the way things are, and it is difficult to change.”

He spoke bluntly. Zhan Changfeng knew this was the current reality, yet it did not mean she would accept it. “You insist on saying such things in front of me — can you truly not see my gender?”

In her younger years, she had been at an age where it was difficult to distinguish male from female, so it was understandable that no one had noticed. But over the past year, she had grown considerably taller, and her features had begun to blossom. She made no effort to hide it, and those with keen eyes could discern the truth on their own. Yet for various reasons, people tacitly said nothing and did not speak of it openly.

Yu Zhen was one of those who understood but said nothing. Whether she was a girl or a boy had no bearing on his interests — why would he say anything unnecessary?

Even so, he had not expected Zhan Changfeng to bring it up herself. Yu Zhen recognized this as a sign: she was determined to change the current state of things.

“But this is simply how things are across the land of Shenzhou. Even within Cangyun Ravine, there are those who believe women should not strive so hard — after all, the people of Cangyun Ravine originally came from Shenzhou.”

Yu Zhen sighed softly. “I deeply agree with your views. On the Grand Path, one transcends even personhood — what does gender matter then? But true cultivators are always few. Most are simply people who are somewhat stronger than ordinary folk. As people, they are bound by the seven emotions and six desires. Take me, for instance — I know that in this lifetime I will stop at the Prenatal realm at Full Completion. So I will seize whatever opportunities I can to attempt a breakthrough. If cultivation fails me, then I will do my best as Deputy Hall Master. That is where my value lies, where my desires lie — and precisely because of that, I am inevitably entangled in matters of interest.”

“Male supremacy did not form out of thin air. There must be reasons for its existence, and I believe you understand this better than I do,” he said, and as he spoke, a stifled frustration welled up in his chest. “It would be one thing if you merely wished to revitalize the martial path of Shenzhou, but you also seek to reshape the mindset of everyone. That is no different from making an enemy of the entire world. Do you realize you will be encroaching on the interests of men, inviting the resistance of a patriarchal age?”

Zhan Changfeng looked at Yu Zhen with new respect. “Fellow Daoist Yu Zhen, you are the second person I have ever met with such far-reaching vision.”

Deputy Hall Master had become Fellow Daoist Yu Zhen.

“I” had replaced “this one.”

Yu Zhen’s heart stirred slightly. He smiled with a helpless resignation. “Should I be pleased by Fellow Daoist’s recognition, or surprised that I am only the second?”

Zhan Changfeng turned her head to look at him. “I left something out just now — you are the second person I have ever met, among the living, with such far-reaching vision.”

The first was naturally the Long-bearded Daoist.

The dead, of course, were the rulers of a thousand years ago who had shaped the current order of things.

“You say that ‘women being treated as subordinates is the prevailing tide’ — you are both right and wrong. I will not speak of the equality of all beings, but the one thing I can tell you is this: the rise and fall of eras is itself a tide.”

“If a result can only come from a cause, then today, I plant the cause. Watch and see what the result looks like in time.”

Every new thing that emerges into the world is inevitably accompanied by struggle. Even if a battle of the sexes were to arise in the future, she would not find it strange.

To her, it was simply an unavoidable process before a great harmony could be reached.

This was the difference in how different people viewed the ignorance and backwardness of Shenzhou.

Cultivators let things take their natural course — though they saw through everything, they would not act.

Common folk were not even aware of their own circumstances, simply living as their ancestors had lived.

But Zhan Changfeng possessed a typical ruler’s mindset. She saw through things — and then she moved to change them. She believed reality could be changed, even commanded by her own hand, and she would carry out her blueprint step by step, verifying her every thought and idea.

From her words, Yu Zhen also understood that she had already anticipated all of this. And it was precisely because of that, that his emotions grew even more complex. Was she acting with the knowledge that it could not be done — and doing it anyway? Or in her mind, was this simply something that could be done, with no question of possibility at all?

What kind of person could hold such thoughts, and then without a moment’s hesitation, draw open the curtain of struggle?

Yu Zhen inadvertently yanked on his beard, startling himself back to the present. They were nearly out of the training ground. He looked back at the little girl who had been punished — her legs were trembling, yet she had not given up.

“Fellow Daoist, you are destined for great things.”

The words were sincere. Zhan Changfeng accepted them with calm composure. “In Huangzhou there is a Bureau of Law. From now on, it will handle all martial disputes. Fellow Daoist Yu Zhen, if you encounter any conflicts between cultivators and ordinary folk, you may seek their mediation. Of course, if Fellow Daoist Yu Zhen would be willing to serve there, I will keep the position of Bureau Chief reserved for you.”

“Oh, oh, oh,” Liu Zhao was startled. He had only let his mind wander for a moment because he couldn’t follow their tangled conversation — and somehow the Crown Prince was already poaching from the Bureau of Patrol.

Liu Zhao didn’t take it too seriously. He clapped Yu Zhen on the shoulder and joked, “Go on then, go on. At least that leaves me to hold all the power myself.”

Yu Zhen shook his head with a laugh, yet Zhan Changfeng’s words stirred something in him without cause, his heart giving an inexplicable flutter. He pressed his lips together and joked in return, “The day the Bureau of Patrol no longer wants me, I’ll come serve under the Crown Prince.”

“You will always be welcome.”

After seeing the two of them off, Zhan Changfeng returned to her study and took up her brush to write a letter to Yi Shang. That day, she had handed the evidence that could identify the Jingyu Guard over to the Bureau of Patrol — the Bureau would surely take action. Added to the fact that over the past year, Li Mao had suffered defeat after defeat in battle and was at his weakest, if the timing of the Bureau’s move against the Jingyu Guard could be well-coordinated, it would be possible to completely eliminate Li Mao’s faction.

The scheme to deal with Li Mao’s forces inside Shenzhou was finally drawing to a close. This meant the overall situation would change dramatically.

In the chaos of Shenzhou’s civil war, Li Mao would inevitably be the first to fall. His reputation as a usurper and traitor alone would be enough to unite the lords against him. So for now, the primary focus was the Yin Dynasty’s campaign against Li Mao. Once Li Mao was put to death, the conflict would shift to Yi Shang and the lords — the pretext would likely be that a woman could not be Emperor. That would be the true critical moment.

With the Heavenward Path’s location alone, Zhan Changfeng was confident she could cultivate Huangzhou into the center of Shenzhou’s martial world. Complete control of Huangzhou would also provide Yi Shang with military power to support her rise to the throne in the future, and from there, to spread new policies across the entire realm.

For now, power in Huangzhou would inevitably rest in the hands of Zero-Two and the Crimson Blood Army, with the Xuanwu Guards overseeing and monitoring, for they alone would defend her commands with their lives regardless of right or wrong, ensuring that after she departed, the new policies would be effectively implemented.

The broad framework of Huangzhou had been built, its direction had been set. What remained was to let time be the judge.

In the fifth month, the Bureau of Patrol launched a pursuit and capture operation against the Jingyu Guard.

In the sixth month, Li Mao abandoned the Imperial City and retreated to Feiyang Commandery.

In the seventh month, Yi Shang and the allied lords’ forces stormed Feiyang Commandery, and Li Mao was slain.

In the eighth month, Yi Shang formally proclaimed herself Empress, with the reign title Zhaoming, and relocated the capital to Jinzhou. That same month, the lords rose in protest — the Marquis of Donglin, Yuan Jincheng, and the Lord of Han-Xiang, Yi Xingzhi, declared themselves emperors in their own territories.

Shenzhou entered a new era of contention for supremacy.

Yi Shang held Jinzhou, the granary capital, and commanded Hengzhou, a vital center of trade and commerce, along with the southeastern territories including the former Imperial City. She had secured half of the realm, and her advantage was clear.

After a year of toil, it was once again time for the Heavenward Path. This time, Zhan Changfeng could leave without a single worry.

A light rain drifted down in the night, and the aurora, filtered through the rain and mist, dissolved into something abstract, like a Dream.

The Coachman reined in the horses and flipped down from the Carriage. He pulled out the Stool, set it on the ground, opened an oiled umbrella, and said, “Your Highness, we have arrived.”

He gazed at the Heavenward Path that seemed to stretch without end, and a look of worry crossed his face. He bowed his head respectfully and said, “Your Highness, do you truly intend to go alone? Even taking the Xuanwu Guards with you would be better.”

“One person or two — what difference does it make?” Zhan Changfeng stepped down from the Carriage, met Yu Zhen’s glance as he looked over, and nodded in greeting. The guards at the Heaven-Descending Altar were the same as the year before.

“You are so young, Your Highness. It is easy for people without eyes in their heads to set their sights on you.” In an entirely unfamiliar environment, a place where the Crown Prince’s authority could not reach — thinking of this, the Coachman suddenly realized with a start that she was only eleven this year. Whatever her strength, in Cangyun Ravine she would be nothing more than a lone child.

“Then I will kill them.”

The Coachman’s motherly heart was nearly overflowing. “But Your Highness, you cannot even tell the difference between cabbage and taro.”

“…” Zhan Changfeng said with an expressionless face, “I will learn to tell them apart.”

“Your Highness…”

“Stop,” Zhan Changfeng cut him off. “From now on, do not call me ‘Your Highness.’ A new dynasty has been established — what does the Heir Apparent of the old dynasty amount to?”

With those words, she stepped out from under the umbrella, ascended the Heaven-Descending Altar, and let a drop of blood fall onto the Arrow Token. The ethereal staircase became solid and real, and she stepped onto it.

Through the rain came the sound of hoofbeats. Zhan Changfeng turned to look back, and through the rain and mist she saw someone reining in their horse to gaze after her. She wore her Red Dragon Crown and Black Ceremonial Robes, Long Spear in hand. The desolate look in their eyes gradually warmed, pulling up a faint smile.

They looked at one another in silence. May you take good care.

Alright, alright — Shenzhou has finally reached a stopping point. Next, let’s head over to Cangyun Ravine. The plot will be shifting more toward cultivation, so things should be a bit more relaxed (probably).