Chapter 17: The Top Scholar
Capítulo 17: O Melhor Erudito
As the top scholar, Mengjiao had the right to petition the Emperor for any favor. He prepared a powerful and moving document, detailing the story of his parents' love and his mother's long imprisonment. He argued that she had paid for her sins and that her devotion to her family proved her noble character.
Os resultados do exame foram anunciados, e Xu Mengjiao obteve a pontuação mais alta, tornando-se o "Zhuangyuan" (Melhor Erudito) do país. O Imperador gostou muito de seu talento e caráter, concedendo-lhe um alto cargo oficial.
"Love is not a crime," he wrote. "And the bond between a mother and her child is sacred. I ask for nothing for myself, only for the release of my mother from the Leifeng Pagoda."
Xu Mengjiao vestiu suas vestes oficiais e voltou para sua cidade natal com honra. Os moradores saíram para recebê-lo e parabenizá-lo. Xu Xian chorou de orgulho pelo filho.
The Emperor was moved by Mengjiao's words and his filial piety. He issued a decree, ordering that the seal on the pagoda be broken and that Bai Suzhen be set free. However, the decree had to be enforced by someone with spiritual authority.
"Pai, eu consegui! Sou o Zhuangyuan!", Xu Mengjiao abraçou o pai.
At that moment, a powerful figure appeared at the city gates. It was Xiaoqing, her green robes shimmering with a light that had not been there before. Her twenty years of training had made her more powerful than any spirit Hangzhou had ever seen.
"Filho querido, estou muito orgulhoso de você. Sua mãe certamente ficaria muito feliz", disse Xu Xian.
"I have come to fulfill my vow," she declared, her voice ringing through the streets. She made her way to the pagoda, where she was met by Fahai.
Xu Mengjiao não esqueceu sua promessa. Ele liderou a procissão de honra até a frente do Pagode Leifeng para prestar homenagem à mãe.
"The order has been given, monk," Xiaoqing said, her eyes flashing. "The Emperor has decreed her release. Will you stand in the way of justice, or will you accept that your mission is over?"
"Mãe, eu consegui. Sou o Zhuangyuan. Vim levar a senhora para casa!", gritou Xu Mengjiao.
Fahai looked at the powerful spirit and then at the young scholar kneeling by the tower. He saw the strength of their combined love and realized that the natural order had been restored in a way he hadn't expected. The son of a spirit and a mortal had become the greatest scholar in the land.
A piedade filial de Xu Mengjiao comoveu os céus. Os deuses louvaram e simpatizaram com o destino desta família.
"The debt has been paid," Fahai finally said, stepping aside. "The seal is yours to break."
Xiaoqing raised her hands, and a massive surge of green energy struck the pagoda. The ground shook, and the heavy stones began to crack. The final moments of Bai Suzhen's imprisonment were at hand.