novelraw Chapter 119: How Did Qinghui Territory Become Like This?
Chapter 119: How Did Qinghui Territory Become Like This?
The Ying River was a long waterway born from the Purity Forest, nourishing the territory.
Its gentle, clear waters flowed ceaselessly. At night, it would shimmer with a fluorescent glow, like a tangible silver ribbon, achingly beautiful—hence its name.
But now, this river, held so dear by the Qinghui People, was no longer as clear and pure as it once was. The fluorescent glow on its surface had dimmed considerably, and murky, dark brown stains drifted upon the Ying River.
Every time Roy saw the filth in the Ying River, he felt a pain like a knife to the heart.
It was as if the inviolable goddess in his heart had been brutally defiled by filthy, vulgar thugs. The piercing, bitter anguish was indescribable.
’Damn it, how did the Qinghui Territory turn into this mess!’
The elegant man standing by the river sighed again and again. His mid-length, light purple hair was tied into a ponytail. Though no longer young, his gentle and handsome profile seemed to have frozen in time.
"Mr. Roy! Mr. Roy!"
After strolling along the riverbank for a while longer, Roy heard someone calling his name.
So he stopped and waited for the group of people running toward him.
"What is it?"
"He’s here! The Lord has returned!"
The young man at the front said frantically, "The Lord is gathering everyone in the square right now! Everyone has to go!"
"So Duke Qinghui has finally arrived?"
Roy said calmly, not the least bit surprised.
Because looking up, one could see the Floating Battleships hovering in the sky. A few days ago, these battleships had descended from the heavens, bringing news of Duke Qinghui’s impending return.
’That Lord, who left the territory two years ago, is finally coming back to the Qinghui Territory. And from the looks of it, he actually plans to reclaim his homeland?’
"Mr. Roy... perhaps you shouldn’t go."
The young man who had come to inform him hesitated for a moment before saying, "If you leave right now, you should be able to get away. Otherwise, the Lord will surely punish you. After all, you accepted..."
He had accepted aid from an outside power. That was an undeniable fact, something that could be discovered with the slightest investigation.
And almost no lord would tolerate such disloyalty. If it had been from other Imperial Nobility, it might have been forgivable, but the Ring of Clear Skies was an outside power explicitly banned and even wanted by the Imperial government.
Disloyalty was a grave offense. The punishment was left to the local lord’s discretion; even execution would not be considered excessive.
"And where would I run?"
Roy retorted, "Cross the Ying River and go die in the Chaos Domain?"
"To the core Imperial Provinces! With your abilities, Mr. Roy, where couldn’t you go?"
"Then when would I ever be able to return? Would I have to be a fugitive for the rest of my life?"
Roy smiled and shook his head. "I won’t leave. If I am to die, I will die on Qinghui soil... Besides, I have to face Duke Qinghui sooner or later. I was already mentally prepared for this when I accepted the Witch’s aid."
The gentle, refined, purple-haired man strode toward the town on the riverbank.
This small town was originally an unremarkable settlement on the border of the Qinghui Territory. But after the Chaos Tide, it became one of the few strongholds that remained intact. Under Roy’s leadership, the town had been expanded several times over the past two years to accommodate the growing population.
The arrival of the Floating Battleships brought with it modular construction technology from the Imperial Capital, allowing a temporary camp to be erected overnight on the town’s outskirts.
It was even neater and more orderly, complete with dormitories, a mess hall, a weapons factory, barracks, and a vast, open square.
In contrast, the town itself was filled with crudely built shacks. Even though Roy had done his best to plan it out, it still looked chaotic and messy.
At a glance, it was impossible to tell which one was the hastily constructed camp.
And because of Westheid’s command, droves of people were heading toward the square.
Even though he had been away from the territory for two years and had lost virtually all of his land...
But according to Imperial Law, Westheid was still a genuine Branch of Prosperity, the Duke Qinghui.
He still held absolute sovereignty and claim over the Qinghui Territory. Even the people who had lost their homes were still subjects of Duke Qinghui. This was an identity that could not be shed unless by death or enslavement.
Naturally, with the true Lord’s return, the Qinghui People had to obey his commands.
"Mr. Roy!"
"Mr. Roy... are you going too?"
As Roy returned to the town, greetings came from all directions.
Some greeted him casually, but others, aware of Roy’s delicate situation, hesitated to speak.
"Yes, let’s go together. We’re going to see the Duke Qinghui, whom we haven’t seen in a long time."
However, the former tax officer of the Qinghui Territory merely gave a slight nod and merged into the crowd.
The crowd flowing toward the square was a constant buzz of noise as everyone discussed this unexpected major event.
"The Lord must have struck it rich in the Imperial Capital! These Floating Battleships, and all these supplies... Tsk tsk, he must be loaded."
"Does the Lord really plan to retake the Qinghui Territory?"
"That’s what they say. Otherwise, the Lord could have just stayed in the Imperial Capital and enjoyed a comfortable life. Why would he bother coming back?"
"If it comes to a war, will you go?"
"Sigh. Me? Fight Chaos?"
"Are you kidding? Even the territory’s elite Guard was completely wiped out. You expect us to go and risk our lives?"
"...But if it’s really possible, I want to go home, too."
"..."
Roy listened to the whispers and discussions around him, his expression grave, as he walked with the bustling crowd toward the square between the town and the camp.
Around the square, the refugees of the Qinghui Territory had surrounded the central platform in layer upon layer. On the platform were many unfamiliar faces Roy didn’t recognize.
But the young man standing in the main position was someone he knew all too well.
The current Duke Qinghui, Clan Leader of the Purity Forest, Westheid Qinghui.
Slightly different from Roy’s impression, the Duke Qinghui of this moment was even more handsome than he remembered. The brilliant Charm that radiated from him was almost overwhelming. Even without seeing his face clearly, one could feel this Lord’s majesty and good looks.
Dressed in simple, form-fitting hunting attire, a beautiful Long Saber hanging at his waist, he stood ramrod straight on the high platform, calmly facing the stares of thousands of pairs of eyes. He looked truly wise and martial.
But Roy, who had dealt with Westheid before, couldn’t judge him by his appearance. In his memory, while Duke Qinghui couldn’t be called a fatuous or tyrannical lord, he was certainly far from wise—just an exceedingly mediocre Monarch.
Only after the people of his territory had all gathered did Westheid slightly raise his head and announce in a loud voice:
"Everyone, I believe you all know me. I am the head of the Qinghui Clan, a descendant of the Pure Holy Spirit, and your Lord."
"Two years ago, the Qinghui Territory suffered a devastating catastrophe. The Chaos Tide destroyed our homeland. Most of our relatives and friends died in that disaster."
"It is a memory the Qinghui People do not wish to look back on, yet it is a past we must all confront..."
Westheid’s voice was steady, sincere, and powerful. His slowly spoken words pulled everyone’s thoughts back to those nightmarish days.
A wave of intense discomfort washed over them, and some even began to tremble.
Westheid continued in a calm but firm tone:
"After that disaster, the people were displaced, struggling to survive to this very day. Yet I, disheartened and discouraged, left the Qinghui Territory at that time, fleeing to the Imperial Capital like a stray dog."
"Only now, having gathered some strength, do I dare to return to the Qinghui Territory, to return to the people I abandoned for two years."
Roy furrowed his brow, staring at the Lord, not understanding why he would bring this up now.
’Afraid everyone didn’t know you ran away, are you?’
’Putting aside the fall of the Qinghui Territory—after all, the Chaos Tide wasn’t a crime of war—a lord abandoning his people to run off to the Imperial Capital was no small stain on his reputation.’
’Roy had expected Duke Qinghui to just gloss over history and obscure the matter, but he never thought he’d bring it up himself right from the start.’
"Now, in front of all the people of Qinghui, as your Lord, as your sovereign father, there is something I must do!"
Westheid took a deep breath, and then, under countless curious gazes...
...he dropped to one knee.