Chapter 149: A Century’s Dream Vanished Like Smoke

A warm breeze swept over the ocean’s surface, golden sunlight spilling onto the waves. Occasionally, the tide lapped against the shore, composing a tranquil melody.

An elderly couple with graying hair sat leaning against each other by the coast. The passage of time had left its unique mark on them, and even from just their backs, one could imagine the joys, sorrows, anger, and sweetness that filled their lifetime together.

“Wanzhou, you really didn’t lie to me back then. We’ve both lived to a hundred,” the elderly woman said with a faint smile.

The old man sighed deeply and, with a voice weathered by age, playfully replied with a line from his younger days, “Who are you? How could I dare lie to you?”

“Always with the sweet talk…” the woman teased, before pointing at the fish occasionally leaping from the water and laughing. “The sea is so beautiful. Why did you always insist on bringing me here when we were young?”

“And not just the sea—back then, you wouldn’t even let me go near a small river.”

At this, a faint bitterness surfaced on the old man’s face. “I can’t swim. If you fell in, I wouldn’t be able to save you. What else could I do?”

“Hmph! Always coming up with smooth excuses.” The woman clearly didn’t believe him, but since he didn’t want to explain further, she didn’t press the matter.

After all, she knew deep down that the old man would never harm her.

As the sound of horses and carriages echoed nearby, two traveling martial artists alighted from a wagon and marveled at the sight of the sea.

“The sea in peaceful lands always looks so beautiful,” exclaimed the thin martial artist.

Beside him, the older martial artist nodded in agreement. “Indeed. Just a couple of days ago, we were in a place unfit for anyone to live… That heroic Master Ma, who saved so many people and helped the oppressed…”

“And yet, just because that corrupt official couldn’t tolerate him, they decided to kill him!”

“Exactly!” the thin martial artist said angrily. “Not only him—nearly a hundred righteous martial artists died trying to rescue Master Ma, all at that official’s hands.”

“The blood back then… it turned an entire river bright red!”

“This world, ah… Let’s go. We grassroots folk can’t do anything about it. Curse it all you want, but life goes on…”

The two martial artists sighed in lament before boarding their wagon and hastily leaving.

The elderly woman watched their carriage disappear into the distance. Gently patting her husband’s arm, she asked, “Did you hear what those two young men just said?”

When no response came, she turned to look at him, puzzled.

She saw the old man gazing at the sea, his face streaked with tears. Feeling her gaze, he reached up to wipe his rough cheeks and forced a smile. “The sea breeze and sand here are harsh—it got into my eyes.”

The woman wrapped her arms around her husband and softly asked, “Wanzhou, what’s wrong?”

Hearing her gentle question, the emotional dam that had been blocking the old man’s heart for a lifetime finally burst.

The old man, his shoulders trembling, lowered his head and choked out, “Five hundred and thirteen people… How could I forget their vengeance?”

“I have to go back. I have to go back… Whether I can avenge them or not, I must return…”

Never before had she seen her husband so heartbroken. Frowning deeply, she patted his back gently and softly said, “Wanzhou, I don’t fully understand what you mean, but whatever you decide to do, I’ll support you.”

“If you’re willing to share with me, I’ll help you come up with a plan… If you’re not, I’ll just wait at home for you to come back. How does that sound?”

The old man, his eyes bloodshot, turned to look at the elderly woman beside him. After a long silence, he clenched his fists as if summoning all his resolve and said, “Lianyi, there’s something I’ve kept from you my whole life…”

“Go ahead, I’m listening.”

Over the span of about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the old man poured out everything he had hidden for a lifetime.

After hearing it all, the woman’s expression remained unreadable. She simply and quietly wiped away the tears rolling down the old man’s weathered cheeks.

The two stared at each other for a long time—one crying bitterly, the other wiping away the tears.

It was only after what seemed like ages that the woman finally spoke softly: “Wanzhou, thank you… Thank you for telling me all of this.”

“To live a lifetime with you in this fleeting dream of ours has brought me so much happiness and fulfillment.”

“So, go now. Go and seek justice—not just for me, not just for yourself, but for those 513 righteous souls as well!”

Hearing this, the old man embraced his wife tightly, his voice firm as he said, “Lianyi… In this place, we will always be together.”

The woman gave a faint smile and nodded. “Yes, always together…”

…

Oh~ Oh~ Oh!

At the break of dawn, the tranquil Old Mountain Town was stirred awake by the crowing of a rooster.

“Damn it! What’s with all the racket so early in the morning?!”

Oh~ Oh~ Oh!

A traveling merchant shot upright in his bed, pointed toward the backyard, and shouted angrily, “You wait! Today, I’m making white-cut chicken for lunch—let’s see if you can crow tomorrow!”

Oh~ Oh~ Oh!

“Ha!”

The merchant flung off his blanket, slipped his feet into his shoes, and hurriedly pulled on his outer garment while muttering, “Alright, alright! Still daring to provoke me? Today, I’ll have you prepared three ways!”

When the rooster outside finally fell silent, the merchant smirked in satisfaction. “Scared, huh? Well, too late for that now!”

“I’m telling you, your time has come. Just wait and see how I wring every last bit out of you!”

Creak!

The wooden door of the guestroom swung open!

Startled, the merchant turned his head quickly to look.

“He… Hero Jiang!”

“You’re awake!”

The merchant hurried over to greet him with a smile. “When did you wake up? Come in, have a seat, and let me pour you some tea!”

Jiang Wanzhou regarded the merchant with a peculiar expression and waved his hand. “No need. I just came to let you know—I’m returning to Great Wu.”

“What?!” The merchant was taken aback. He instinctively reached out to grab him but instead clutched the empty sleeve of Jiang Wanzhou’s right arm.

Frowning, Jiang Wanzhou said, “Why are you so agitated?”

“It’s not that I’m overreacting! But you’ve lost your blade—you’ve got nothing left to fight that old emperor with!”

“Isn’t this just sending yourself to your death?”

“Why not at least wait another two years to recover?”

As he spoke, the merchant, still gripping Jiang Wanzhou’s sleeve tightly, shouted toward the back, “Old Han! Old Han! Stop sleeping and get over here!”

“No need to shout. I’ve been standing here the whole time. Didn’t you notice?” Han Yong’s voice came from behind Jiang Wanzhou.

The merchant looked down and, sure enough, spotted another pair of feet behind Jiang Wanzhou.

“Hero Jiang’s so tall, and you’re a short little thing. If I could see you behind him, it’d be a miracle!”

Han Yong gave Jiang Wanzhou a gentle push on the back and said in a low voice, “Hero Jiang, let’s go inside to talk. This guy’s voice is so loud it’ll wake up the other guests. We don’t want to get blamed for disturbing everyone, do we?”