Chapter 1089: Chapter 72: Eighty-Two Years Cultivating the Mountain, The Young Emperor Wu (End of Volume)
"A prominent figure has sent you a gift to celebrate your promotion to a fifth-rank War Musician."
"A prominent figure? I don’t want it." Qin Qingqiu shook his head, feeling some bad associations.
"Aren’t you even going to listen to who sent it?" Qin Qingqiu’s teacher said, "His name is Zhao Xing, and he is the Duke Divine Might."
"Zhao Xing?" Qin Qingqiu’s face immediately showed a hint of excitement, "Teacher, where is he? Did he come?"
"No, there’s only the gift and a letter. Do you want them?"
"Yes, I want them!"
...
Pinghai State, Anping Prefecture, Prefecture Lord Hall.
A figure was passionately speaking:
"Our dynasty has been founded for 2,700 years, and the Yin Gods sealed in Anping Prefecture alone exceed a million!"
"The established clan temples and branch temples are innumerable!"
"Not to mention the extravagance brought by sacrifices, just the land enclosed for building clan temples is astronomical!"
"Prefecture Lord, I think we should submit a report to the court to implement the policy of abolishing clans and abandoning temples..."
"Wei Xuancheng, enough! I don’t want to hear you spouting off here!"
"Prefecture Lord..."
"Get out! For the next three months, you don’t need to participate in the prefecture discussions!"
"Hmph, worthless official! Why do you need to ban me from the discussions? I don’t care for this flower-topped cap!"
Finishing speaking, Wei Xuancheng took off his hat and threw it on the ground, walking out of the Prefecture Lord Hall.
Just as he stepped out, he encountered a stranger yet somewhat familiar figure.
"You... Mr. Zhao?"
"Mr. Wei." Zhao Xing took off his bamboo hat, revealing a slight smile.
"Why are you here?"
"I sensed that Mr. Wei seems to have some worries, so I specifically came to find you for a drink. I wonder if you’re free?"
"Hahaha, yes, yes, yes!" Wei Xuancheng laughed loudly, "You came at the right time, come, let’s head to my home!"
...
Xier County, training ground.
"Everyone, perk up!" Liao Rulong shouted, "The Southern Barbarians’ treacherous hearts are not dead; they occasionally harass our borders, and our Divine Might Army will have its use one day."
"You are all officers! If the soldiers are fierce, the camp will thrive, if the officers are fierce, the whole group will thrive!"
"If you don’t sweat today, you’ll bleed tomorrow! Train hard, train relentlessly!"
"Hah!" A vigorous shout was the response.
Liao Rulong turned around satisfied, then froze in place.
"Liao Dutong, such a grand presence~"
"Marquis!"
...
The sun rises and the moon sets, and unknowingly, Zhao Xing had been cultivating on Qitian Mountain for thirty-five years.
The Qitian Mountain where he resided had also grown from a height of a hundred meters to a thousand meters.
On this day, Zhao Xing suddenly opened his eyes, looking thoughtfully at the cloud sea ahead.
"Now it is the 59th year of Da Zhi; next year, we will enter the Yongzhi period."
"My Karma Soul senses a causal line about to break."
In Zhao Xing’s mind, an image appeared — a courtyard ceremony with spring flowers blooming, an old man palm casting clouds, a young man observing the Three-foot Heavenly Thunder in his palm.
...
During the Da Zhi Spring Equinox, Zhao Xing’s avatar accompanied his family back to his old home in Gucheng, Nanyang County, to visit relatives.
Zhao Xing arrived at the Xue Mansion, where he was greeted by Xue Bai.
"This humble one greets the Marquis, greets Mr. Zong." Xue Bai was about to kneel.
"At ease." Zhao Xing gestured with his hand, "I heard that the Old Minister of Agriculture’s health is not well, so I came with Mr. Zong to visit. Don’t be restrained."
"Yes, please come in; Grandpa is sunbathing in the courtyard." Xue Bai led Zhao Xing and Zong Shichang into the estate.
People seem to enjoy sunbathing as they get older.
When Zhao Xing arrived, Xue Wenzhong was napping on a recliner under the locust tree.
Zhao Xing glanced at him, indeed, Xue Wenzhong was terribly old, his hair completely white, skin full of wrinkles and spots.
The two did not disturb him, just quietly watched from the corridor, waiting for Xue Wenzhong to wake naturally.
"Old Minister of Agriculture retired with a Secondary Eighth-Rank honor in the 15th year of Da Zhi, and after returning home, he has been tending flowers and plants at home, accompanying his great-grandchildren." Zong Shichang whispered.
"He has always been in good health and spirits until this year; he rarely goes out and can’t perform spells anymore."
"How many times has the court extended the Old Minister of Agriculture’s life?" Zhao Xing asked.
"Four times." Zong Shichang replied, "But the Old Minister of Agriculture was only a Secondary Eighth-Rank, so each time wasn’t much."
"You return to visit every few years; you should know the officialdom in Nanyang County is stagnant now."
"There are virtually no opportunities for advancement."
"He is already 190 years old this year; if he is leaving, it will be in these few days. I was about to inform you, but you happened to return... "
Zhao Xing nodded, without the National Fate’s blessing, 200 years is the limit for an eighth-rank, yet not everyone can reach this limit.
Xue Wenzhong reaching 190 years old was due to Zhao Xing having previously given him many longevity treasures of the corresponding rank.
A typical eighth-rank official, busy with daily governmental affairs, would not live to the theoretical age?
The Jiazi cleansing during Emperor Jing’s reign was not without cost.
It affected the motivation of officials to work; if promotions were hard before, during Da Zhi, it became even harder.
"He’s awake; let’s go over."
The two approached Xue Wenzhong and squatted beside him.
"Mr. Xue, open your eyes and see who has come to visit you?" Zong Shichang shouted in Xue Wenzhong’s ear.
"Who~ is it?" Xue Wenzhong opened his eyes.
Zhao Xing grasped his hand: "Teacher."
Xue Wenzhong’s smile spread like waves: "It’s you, Chen An, you’re back again?"
"Yes." Zhao Xing held the Old Minister of Agriculture’s hand, transferring a strand of vitality into Xue Wenzhong’s body, "How have you been?"
Xue Wenzhong was a bit more spirited, his complexion turning rosy: "I’m very good, I can still eat and sleep, just a bit lazy, hahaha."
"How have you been doing outside?"
"I am also well." Zhao Xing smiled.
Xue Wenzhong held Zhao Xing’s hand tighter: "No need to waste your vitality, I am neither sick nor in pain, it’s just time."