northernbook Chapter 334 Past Dreams 5
Chapter 334 Past Dreams 5
"Ahem," 001 coughed lightly, just about to continue her story, when she suddenly felt a little tired. So she changed the subject, casually waving her pink, tender rabbit paw in the air. "Forget it, it's really no fun just me talking. You should see for yourselves!"
At the same time, Wei Chaoyan, Wei Ying and the others felt a blur before their eyes, and the scroll that was originally hanging in mid-air quickly lost all its content, leaving only a blank space in a moment. Then, the center of the scroll was like five colors entering water, instantly spreading a colorful hue, as if an invisible brush had been used to create a brand new scroll.
The scroll slowly moved, accompanied by soft human voices. The group felt as if they were in an open-air, immersive movie theater, watching the unfolding events directly across the dimensional barrier.
The scene that appeared was a room that the group was very familiar with—the main hall of the Cold Chamber, the residence of the Lan Clan leader of Gusu. Inside the hall, Lan Qiren, with slightly graying temples and a few more traces of time on his forehead, stroked his goatee and had a complex and inscrutable expression. He stood opposite Lan Xichen, whose face was still youthful and incomparably handsome, but whose brows were misty and his dark eyes were dull and lifeless.
Lan Qiren's eyes, revealing a hint of vicissitude, flickered with struggle and reluctance. His lips moved several times before he sighed and asked, "Xichen, why did you have to do this? If you do this, how will you face Wangji and Wuxian when they return home and find out?"
Upon hearing this, Lan Xichen's eyes glazed over for a moment, as if he were reminiscing about something. However, the dazed look in his eyes was quickly dispelled by a sense of relief, and the corners of his lips, which had not turned up for a long time, bloomed into a gentle smile again. He vaguely possessed eight-tenths of the gentle and bright smile that he used to have, like a warm breeze in March. But upon closer inspection, he also had a touch of profound weightiness.
“Uncle, if you govern the people with laws and regulate them with punishments, they will avoid wrongdoing but have no sense of shame; if you govern them with virtue and regulate them with propriety, they will have a sense of shame and moreover become good.” Lan Xichen casually bowed, “Those who do wrong must be punished.”
"Everyone was at fault for what happened after the Sunshot Campaign. For this, Wuxian, Young Master Jin, my elder brother, A... Lianfang-zun, and even the innocent Wangji and Huaisang, all paid a heavy price. As one of the culprits, how can I escape blame?"
“But,” Lan Qiren seemed about to speak up in defense of Lan Xichen, “Xichen, you only trusted the wrong person…”
"Uncle!" Lan Xichen couldn't bear that his uncle, who had spent most of his life practicing self-discipline and propriety, would have to speak up for his good-for-nothing nephew who went against his conscience. "Judging by actions, not intentions, regardless of whether I was aware of the situation at the time, I must pay the price for every mistake I make based on my own heart!"
"Forget it!" Lan Qiren's back, which had been straight as a bamboo or pine tree, suddenly slumped into a long arc, as if an old pine tree in the dead of winter was drooping because of the heavy snow on it. He sighed dejectedly, "You're all grown up now. If you insist on doing this, what can I, your uncle, do? In the past, I couldn't stop Wangji, and now, I can't stop you either!"
"Uncle!" Lan Xichen's eyes welled up with tears. He couldn't help but step forward and affectionately took Lan Qiren's drooping arm, gently comforting him, "Uncle, please don't worry. Jingyi is of outstanding character and excellent in every way. He has a high reputation among the younger generation and is already a candidate for the next sect leader. It's only natural that he should take over as sect leader!"
"Furthermore, although I have abdicated, it does not mean that I will no longer concern myself with worldly affairs. With the help of me, Wangji, Wuxian, and other clansmen, and with the loyal support and assistance of Sizhui and other outstanding disciples, Jingyi will certainly not disappoint Uncle in the future development of the Lan Clan!"
"As for Uncle, you no longer need to shoulder the rise and fall of the entire Lan Clan. We, the younger generation, are here for you! You can go down the mountain to travel or go night hunting in your spare time, or you can follow your own wishes to write books or run schools! Uncle, you have worked hard for most of your life, it's time for you to rest!"
Upon hearing this, Lan Qiren's face showed a moment of bewilderment. He had carried the burden of the Lan family and his two nephews for most of his life, and had long regarded this as a responsibility etched into his bones. He had never thought of giving up. But now, his nephew, whom he had raised with great care, was telling him in front of him that he could unload his burden, take a good rest, and enjoy his own life as he pleased.
This left him completely lost and bewildered!
Although Lan Qiren was momentarily stunned by Lan Xichen's tender words, his instinctive heartache for his nephew brought him back to his senses. He stubbornly advised, "Xichen, since you have already relinquished your position as sect leader, you have already received the corresponding punishment. Let's waive the rest of the punishment."
“Especially those sixty-six lashes!” Mentioning the lashes was like reopening a ferocious wound in Lan Qiren’s heart that had never healed, still oozing hot blood. Clutching his aching chest, he trembled like an old man with a candle in his hand. “The time with Wangji already made me feel guilty and heartbroken, and I still haven’t gotten over it. Now you’ve done it again. Isn’t this going to kill me?”
“But Uncle,” Lan Xichen said calmly, as if Lan Qiren were not holding the fearsome discipline whip, but a soft, useless willow branch, “how else can we quell the anger and hatred of the families of the disciples who died innocently because of my wrong decisions? Are we to let them continue to resent Wuxian and openly or secretly reject and resent him? That would be unfair to Wuxian and Wangji!”
"Otherwise, how can I give an explanation to Huai Sang and my elder brother who suffered such a terrible fate? Am I just going to watch the generations-long friendship between the Lan and Nie families end because of me?"
"Otherwise, how can we give an explanation to the other innocent people who were harmed by A-Lianfang-zun? Are we going to let the Lan family's centuries-old reputation be ruined in one day because of me?"
“Uncle, I am a member of the Lan family whom you raised. You have always taught me that one should admit one’s mistakes and correct them, and that one should have the courage to face the punishment when one makes a mistake, and not run away from it!”
"I know that my punishments are just a drop in the ocean compared to the harm suffered by other victims, but I can't do nothing about it!"
“Aside from the punishment of abdication, I will dedicate the rest of my life to atonement in every way. Although I will be constantly busy and worried, Uncle, my heart is at peace!”
Lan Qiren saw that Lan Xichen's eyes were now shining brightly, sweeping away his previous dejection and defeat. The relief and hope that arose between his brows, which were usually heavy with sorrow, were like the golden rays of dawn that pierced through the dark sky, bringing endless hope and light!
How long has it been since we've seen Lan Xichen so spirited, energetic, and full of fighting spirit?
Lan Qiren felt a lump in his throat and subconsciously turned his face away so that Lan Xichen wouldn't see his loss of composure. He muttered, "Xichen, have you thought about how to explain this to Wangji and Wuxian?"
Lan Xichen: “…”