"A phoenix that falls into the mud is not at fault. It merely underestimated the wickedness of the human heart..."
Beneath the vast red clouds, Mr. Gao sat on the ground, muttering Song Ciwan's words to himself.
He seemed to be asking himself, yet also asking Song Ciwan, "If it wasn't my eldest sister's fault, and it wasn't our fault, then why were we the ones who had to die in the end? Why my sister?"
"My great-grandfather just wanted to provide disaster relief. Was he wrong?"
"We of the Gao Family just wanted to hold back the enemy at the border. Were we wrong?"
"Why don't the ones who did wrong die? Why did it have to be us?"
"Reward merit and punish transgression. That's what the sages teach, so why isn't that what we see? Who is the liar here?"
"Sages, the Emperor, the common people... they're all liars! And you, Xin Mian, you're a liar too!"
