Notes on Longevity

Chapter 100 Peaceful Encounter with the Crown Prince, Green Pomelo Recognizes the Taoist Priest

"Ping An greets Your Highness." After having dinner with Emperor Wenshang last night, Ping An carried his chest and went to the place arranged by the emperor to rest early. The next morning, he was invited by the emperor to have breakfast there, and then hurriedly followed the guards carrying his chest and the eunuchs leading the way to the palace of Crown Prince Li Bohong.

"I do not kneel to the common people, nor to the officials, nor to the emperor, much less to me, a prince. Master Ping An, there is no need for such formalities."

In fact, Ping An did not kneel down; it's just that Li Bohong often said this, and he would unconsciously blurt it out whenever he saw a Taoist priest.

"Greetings, Crown Princess." Although Li Bohong said this, Ping An still gave a Daoist salute to Zhou Ruoru behind Li Bohong.

"Greetings, Master Ping An." Zhou Ruoru returned the greeting with a courtly gesture, just like a woman would.

"I wonder what business Your Highness has with me?" Ping An asked Li Bohong after finishing his greetings. He was somewhat puzzled as to why the Crown Prince would want to see him when he had never met him before.

"Yesterday, after Ruoru returned to the palace, she told me that you had come down the mountain from Zoumaguan. I was just thinking of seeing you. It's mainly because Master Yuyan hasn't come for quite some time."

Li Bohong and Yu Yan got along well. Whenever Yu Yan had the chance, she would come to the palace to see him first. The two would chat and discuss matters related to Taoism.

“My senior brother has been taking care of me on the mountain all these years, so he probably hasn’t had time to come down.” Ping An smiled when he heard Li Bohong’s last sentence. It turned out that he was familiar with his senior brother.

"Senior Brother?" Li Bohong immediately perked up when he heard Ping An call Yu Yan Senior Brother. "Is your master also the Abbot of Qingshui Temple?"

“No, the Abbot of Qingshui Temple is my martial uncle,” Ping An explained.

"I understand." Li Bohong nodded, then frowned and thought for a moment. "I heard from Daoist Yu Yan that you were going to Penglai to seek immortality?"

Ping An continued to explain, "Yes. This trip down the mountain is to seek immortals in Penglai."

Li Bohong thought to himself, then looked at Ping An and said, "If you're going to Penglai, you'll definitely pass through Crane Deer Mountain. Can I ask you for a favor?"

Ping An was somewhat puzzled as to why both His Majesty and the Crown Prince had things to trouble him with. Despite this thought, he still asked, "Please speak, Your Highness."

Li Bohong pursed his lips, unsure how to begin. After a moment's thought, he said, "When you go to Crane Deer Mountain, could you help me find the immortals in that mountain?"

Upon hearing this, Ping An immediately smiled, "Your Highness, His Majesty already told me about this last night."

"Hmm?" Li Bohong hesitated for a moment. "Did Father Emperor tell you?"

"Yes, His Majesty spoke to me at length last night. Your Highness need not worry," Ping An said with a smile.

"So Father Emperor has already said that." Li Bohong nodded, thinking that he had nothing else to do, but since the Taoist priest had already come, he couldn't just let him leave like that; it would be a little awkward.

“If Your Highness wants to see me because of this matter, then there shouldn’t be anything else.” Ping’an noticed the embarrassment on Li Bohong’s face and smiled. “If there’s nothing else, I must continue on my way. The journey to Penglai is still long, and since it’s not the capital, there aren’t many inns along the way.”

"Uh, okay. Then I'll see you off, Taoist priest." Li Bohong said awkwardly.

Ping An smiled and said, "I wouldn't dare trouble the Crown Prince; I can get out of here by myself."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Daoist Master." Zhou Ruoru glanced at the embarrassed Crown Prince, who covered his mouth and chuckled secretly. "How about this, I'll have Qingyou escort the Daoist Master out of the palace." With that, she turned and called out, "Qingyou, come and see the Daoist Master off."

"What's wrong, sister?" Qingyou, dressed as a palace maid, ran out from behind the screen. Compared to a few years ago, she was much more cheerful and her appearance had changed a lot.

"Go and see Master Ping'an out of the palace." Zhou Ruoru stroked Qingyou's face, smiling indulgently.

Looking at Ping An, who had delicate features but seemed somewhat melancholy, Qingyou quickly recalled something in her mind. Leaning on Zhou Ruoru's shoulder, she asked, "Was it a few years ago when we were in the snow?"

Zhou Ruoru knew what Qingyou was about to say, so she quickly covered her mouth and gestured to her not to say anything out of line.

Qingyou naturally understood that after Zhou Ruoru let go, she lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong.

"What does Miss Qingyou mean by that?" Ping An paused slightly when he heard the words "a few years ago" and "in the snow." He suddenly remembered that he had run away from a place and then fainted in the snow.

"It's alright, Qingyou, see the Taoist priest out of the palace." Zhou Ruru smiled at Ping An, then glanced at Qingyou gently.

Qingyou pouted, looking at Zhou Ruoru with a somewhat aggrieved expression, as if to say, "We were the ones who saved him."

"Alright, go ahead." Zhou Ruoru patted her head to comfort her.

"Okay." Qingyou agreed and came to Ping An, bowed to him, and then walked out first.

There was nothing he could do. Ping An wanted to ask something more, but seeing that Qingyou had already left, he bowed to the two of them to say goodbye, put his box back on his back, and turned to leave.

After Ping An and Qingyou had walked away, Li Bohong asked, "What? Doesn't Daoist Ping An know that you saved him?"

Zhou Ruoru shook her head helplessly. "He probably doesn't know that he was knocked unconscious when we carried him back. After he woke up, he ran away from Ying'er's place. The first time Master Ping'an met me was when Zhou Zhou came to see me that night. He probably didn't hear what we said then."

“That’s how it is.” Li Bohong nodded. “No wonder he asked what it meant earlier. But he wouldn’t have known either if you hadn’t told him.”

"It was just a small favor at the time. Besides, do you think Qingyou wouldn't have said anything on the way?" Zhou Ruoru smiled and turned to walk towards a table.

Li Bohong stood still, watching the two figures gradually disappear into the distance, and nodded, saying, "That's right, Qingyou's personality has changed a lot since she left Zuihualou. She's much more lively than before, and she even talks a lot more."

On the way out of the palace, Qingyou walked ahead somewhat sullenly, while Ping An was lost in thought, with images flashing through his mind.

"May I ask, Miss Qingyou, have we met somewhere before?" Ping An remembered that it seemed to be a brothel. He didn't understand when he was a child, but now that he thought about it, he remembered that there were many women in that building on the day he ran away.

After he ran out, he glanced at the name of the building – Drunken Flower Pavilion.

Upon hearing this, Qingyou stopped in her tracks, turned around, and looked at Ping An with some confusion, asking, "You really don't remember?"

"It's not that I don't remember, it's just that I'm a little unsure." Ping An had never actually seen Qingyou before, whether in the snow or at the Drunken Flower Pavilion. He only knew Zhou Ruoru, and it was only when Zhou Zhou mentioned her to him at the Pear Garden that he realized who she was.

(End of this chapter)