Desperados Attack - Chapter 65 - The Foolish Deity

“Who am I?” Mohuoluoja was puzzled, thinking, “Didn’t I just tell you my name? Why are you asking again? Are you perhaps a fool?”

He said, “I just told you, I am Mohuoluoja. Can’t you remember my name?”

Duanmu Xun waved her hand and asked, “I’m asking, who exactly is Mohuoluoja?”

“Mohuoluoja is me, I am Mohuoluoja!”

Mohuoluoja looked at Duanmu Xun with surprise.

Duanmu Xun thought, “Why aren’t you playing by the rules?” and asked again, “You said you’re one of the Eight Deities of Heaven, so why are you here?”

“Hmph, this boy is my reincarnation. You destroyed his physical body, but you can’t destroy our soul. A mere little fire can’t turn me to ashes.”

“You claim to be one of the Eight Deities of Heaven, so tell me, what are the Eight Deities of Heaven?”

Duanmu Xun knew she couldn’t defeat Mohuoluoja, so she needed to stall for time.

“The Eight Deities of Heaven are, of course, the Devas, Nagas, Yaksha, Gandharva, Asura, Garuda, Kinnara, and me, Mohuoluoja.”

“Among the Eight Deities of Heaven, who is the strongest?”

Duanmu Xun didn’t know what she was saying but had to continue somehow.

“Of course, it’s me! I am related to Nüwa and am the strongest and most esteemed among the Eight Deities. If it weren’t for my love for Zhu’er, I would have become the master of the Six Realms.”

“Zhu’er?? Who is she? Is she the one you love?”

More and more words spilled out as Mohuoluoja seemed to forget his purpose.

“Back then, before I became a deity…”

At that time, under thick clouds, Mohuoluoja’s first life began during the Spring and Autumn Period, in Han¹.

As one of the weakest states among the Seven Heroes of the Spring and Autumn Period, Han often relied on other states.

Even so, King Xuanhui of Han was often regarded as the most useless king of the era by the public.

However, mysteriously, during the mid-Spring and Autumn period, Han underwent a qualitative leap, and to this day, no one knows why.

Spring and Autumn Period, Han.

Outside the city of Han, iron hooves galloped, and blood flowed; inside the city, peace reigned, and the mountains and rivers remained intact.

Although it was the weakest among the Seven Heroes of the Warring States, Han managed to securely protect its land and ensure the safety of its people.

Yet because Han, carved out from the previous dynasty, had long been positioned in the middle, it attracted the covetous eyes of many states, most notably Qin, Wei², and Chu³.

The siege by these three states caused Han to suffer repeated defeats and relocate its capital four times, yet it often came back from the brink of destruction.

It almost seemed like a conspiracy that, within a few years, Han maintained its strength for decades.

This is how Mohuoluoja appeared. But this time, he was truly clever, and he wasn’t called Mohuoluoja; he was the mage of Han’s crown prince, Han Lan.

“Amidst the bustling city, listen not, but sing and laugh! With a bamboo staff and straw shoes, I walk lightly, surpassing any horse, strolling leisurely as a carefree child.

Awakening from a drink in the spring breeze, see everyone joyfully greeting me; they laugh at my drunkenness, and I laugh at their foolishness. Looking back on the desolation I’ve seen before, returning home, neither amidst storms nor feelings…”

Just as historical records suggest, despite his royal birth, Han Lan had a carefree, rebellious nature.

It was him, the wayward child, who changed Han.

At that time, Han Lan spent his days drinking and reveling, for he had never experienced the horrors of war in the city.

Is war terrifying?

War is terrifying, but he didn’t know.

Wearing rags like a vagabond, Han Lan never displayed the noble style of the royal family. He even seemed out of place among his kin.

It was this demeanor that won him the people’s favor. Despite his exceptional intelligence, King Xuanhui had warned him numerous times.

Though King Xuanhui was foolish, he understood that winning the people’s hearts meant securing the world. He feared his son might threaten his rule.

Yet, Han Lan, with his untamable spirit, shrugged it off. Perhaps it never crossed his mind to usurp the throne, but he was indeed a man of the people.

One day, he was summoned to the palace by King Xuanhui.

Accompanying him were his three brothers and a younger brother.

They walked side by side, each in luxurious robes, except for Han Lan, who appeared in a scruffy, open-chested manner, standing out with his ragged appearance.

In the hall, King Xuanhui intended to name a crown prince but fretted because no one had garnered as much favor as Han Lan. However, his unruliness made him unsuitable for a steady throne, which is why King Xuanhui hesitated to pass the throne to him.

Han Lan had long understood his father’s intent. Unperturbed, adhering to his philosophy of less is more, Han Lan intended to leave but was stopped by the king.

The king’s balancing act was downright childish.

“Today, the five of you brothers are here, and the lone king needs to establish an heir. Do not leave; I will test your poetry and then your military knowledge.”

“Yes!”

The five brothers responded in unison.

King Xuanhui said, “Using the Longchun Terrace within the country as the topic, compose a poem, and I will evaluate them.”

Barely had the words left his lips when a chubby young master dressed in silk and brocade stood up. His name was Han Chong, and he coveted the throne the most.

“Father!”

He began, “The rising Longchun fills the air, desolation awaits everywhere. Upon the wall, red apricot blossoms are seen, knowing the household lacks a man in between. Spring flowers sneak, myriad blooms release, breaking cold into warmth as all beings increase.”

After Han Chong finished reciting his poem, he didn’t realize that his father, King Xuanhui, was looking at him as if he were a sworn enemy.

For a ruler, mistrust was nothing unusual. At that time, Han’s weak military situation couldn’t be changed, and ministers were most wary of such rulers.

In his poem, the eldest young master Han Chong was full of insinuations about the current state of Han. Although his intention was to draw his father’s attention to it, his approach was overly drastic.

King Xuanhui, however, laughed heartily and said, “My son has grown up. Guards!”

Instead of punishing him, King Xuanhui rewarded him with a hundred taels of gold.

Upon witnessing this, the other brothers started criticizing their father, yet Han Lan remained silent, not having spoken yet.

“Han Lan!”

Called King Xuanhui. Han Lan, who was good at reading the room, immediately said, “The dragon hides in the abyss, the tiger conceals in the forest, the great roc shields itself above the nine heavens. As the cold wind ushers dawn, after six winters pass, eventually, all will come out with a thunderous cry.”

Unlike his four brothers’ critical poems, Han Lan’s poem was one of encouragement and motivation.

Han Lan didn’t have any ulterior motives. He expressed it that way simply because he didn’t want his poem to be the same as theirs.

However, upon hearing this poem, King Xuanhui could barely contain himself and asked, “What does this mean?”

Footnote:

1. Han(韩国): A vassal state during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, but relatively weak.
2. Wei(魏国):An important vassal state during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, which was quite strong in the early Warring States period but was gradually suppressed by other powerful states.
3. Chu(楚国): A southern great power during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, with vast territory and unique culture.