Notes on Longevity

Chapter 73: To die on the battlefield is a death without shame; to die unjustly and leave behind regrets for those who spoke treacherous words.

Ping An laughed and said, "I want to go east to the Penglai Wonderland to find the immortals."

Zhou Zhou frowned slightly at Ping An's melancholy expression and asked, "Since you're going to find an immortal, why doesn't the Taoist priest seem very happy?"

Ping An smiled upon hearing this: "I encountered some mishaps while cultivating on the mountain, which led to my current state. By the way, when I came in just now, I heard passersby saying that something had happened here. Do you know what it was?"

Zhou Zhou sighed sadly, looked at Ping An and shook his head, saying, "Let's go. Come back to the manor with me first, and I'll tell you everything on the way."

The two walked together, and on the way out of the courtyard, Zhou Zhou looked around with a sad expression. Seeing this, Ping An put aside the previous question and asked him some questions: "Is that boy at the gate yours?"

As soon as Ping An appeared, Zhou Zhou glanced at him and said with a smile, "Master Ping An must not be very old, right?"

Ping An replied, "I'm already sixteen this year."

"He's about your age, or maybe even a bit older."

Ping An's appearance has changed drastically. Although he is only sixteen years old, he not only has the texture of a teenager, but also the feeling of a mature young man in his brows and expression.

Zhou Zhou was equally puzzled. He didn't know what had happened to Ping An on the mountain that could have changed him so much. Even his manner of speaking and tone of voice had changed so much.

Ping An smiled, his melancholy expression filled with sorrow, "It makes me seem a bit old."

"I heard that person call you the head of the family, but I don't know why." Ping An continued the conversation, expressing his confusion.

Zhou Zhou turned his head, looking at Ping An with equal confusion, but he quickly remembered. Ever since meeting Ping An, he had always met him as a beggar, and they had hardly ever had a chance to speak. He had never told him about his past.

He turned around and was almost at the stage in the front yard. He slowly began to speak: “My name is Zhou Zhou. I was originally the son of the Shengjing General of the Dayan Dynasty. In the turmoil more than ten years ago, my father was framed and all the men in my family were killed. Only I survived, and the women were all forced into prostitution. By the way, do you remember Xiuyi? That’s my sister.”

"Xiuyi?" Ping An recalled that there seemed to be a woman named Xiuyi who had helped him find his master on that snowy night. "I remember."

“I remember too,” Zhou Zhou said as the two walked out of the pear orchard. Instead of mounting his horse, he had the young man lead the horse behind him and Ping An. “I still remember the scene that night when my father had someone take me away in the dead of night.”

Fifteen years ago, inside the General's Mansion in Shengjing.

Not long after the great war ended, Zhou Chengzong returned to Dayan only to be falsely accused and impeached, accused of colluding with sorcerers to betray the country. Under the influence of the crowd's gossip, the emperor believed the slander and ordered the execution of all the men in the Zhou family, while the women were all sent to brothels.

That night, Zhou Chengzong received the news and looked at the messenger with disbelief.

"Are you telling the truth?"

The young man who brought the message looked flustered and anxious as he looked at Zhou Chengzong. "It's true. The Crown Prince sent me to tell you to leave with your family as soon as possible. He will find a way to help the rest of the servants."

After confirming the news with him again, Zhou Chengzong slumped into his chair, exclaiming, "General Zhou!"

Zhou Chengzong waved his hand, his brows furrowed, and said with a bitter expression, "How could Your Majesty believe those people's nonsense?"

"I, Zhou Chengzong, have dedicated my life to the Great Yan Dynasty, sacrificing my life without hesitation. How could Your Majesty possibly..."

He beat his chest and kowtowed, he couldn't believe it was actually true!
"General, you must leave with your family quickly! It will be too late if you don't leave now." The young man who brought the message looked distressed and paced anxiously in front of him.

"father!"

At the door of Zhou Chengzong's room, Xiuyi looked at Zhou Chengzong, who was slumped in a chair, with a mournful face. "Ruoru, you...you heard everything?"

Upon hearing the sound, Zhou Chengzong immediately stood up. He felt a pang of heartache seeing Xiuyi crying. He had lived an upright life, killing countless enemies on the battlefield, yet he never imagined that he would end up like this.

“Just now, a servant said that he saw a notice posted on the city wall in the south of the city, saying that you have colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, and that he wants to exterminate our entire family.” Xiuyi looked at Zhou Chengzong with tears in her eyes, her voice choked with sobs.

"Where is Zhou Zhou?" Zhou Chengzong asked.

Xiuyi cried, "They're with Mother."

Zhou Chengzong looked up and took a deep breath, feeling a pang of sadness. When he looked down at Xiuyi, the light in his eyes suddenly dimmed: "Go with your mother and take Zhou Zhou out of the city."

"Is it too late for me to go to the Crown Prince? Perhaps he can plead for me?" Xiuyi cried, tears streaming down her face.

The young man who brought the message shook his head upon hearing this. He looked at Xiuyi and said, "If the Crown Prince's plea had been effective, I wouldn't be here now. Miss, please listen to the General and go with Madam and the others first. Otherwise, it will be too late."

No sooner had the young man finished speaking than a servant rushed over and shouted to Zhou Chengzong inside the room, "Master, the Crown Prince has arrived."

Zhou Chengzong and the young man immediately went to the door, and Xiuyi turned around upon hearing this. They saw a handsome young man dressed in a golden robe walking hurriedly towards them with a anxious expression.

"Prince!"

"Bohong!"

Zhou Chengzong and the young man bowed to the Crown Prince, while Xiuyi held his arm, weeping with tears streaming down her face.

"General Zhou, you must leave now. It will be too late if you don't leave now, the army is already on its way." The Crown Prince's words were like a bolt from the blue, striking everyone directly.

"They came way too fast," the young man said, looking flustered.

"Then please, Your Highness, escort my wife and daughter out of the city. I, Chengzhong, will be eternally grateful." Upon hearing the young man's words and looking at the Crown Prince, Zhou Chengzhong immediately knelt down.

"General Zhou, what are you doing?" The Crown Prince quickly stepped forward to help him up, but Zhou Chengzong refused to get up no matter what.

"Your Highness, Chengzhong can't leave!" Zhou Chengzhong cried, tears streaming down his face, as he looked at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince, puzzled, asked anxiously, "Why is that?"

"If I leave, then the charge of treason will become a reality. I have lived a life of integrity, but if I leave today, what will future generations think of me? Will I truly be considered a traitor? And what will His Majesty think of me in the future?"

Zhou Chengzong's words were not without reason. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Take my wife, daughters and family out of the city. If Your Highness has any way to help the servants in this mansion, please do so as well."

"Father, I won't leave!" Xiuyi knelt before Zhou Chengzong, crying. Looking at his father, he choked out, "If you don't leave, I won't leave either."

"Child, be a good boy and go with His Highness and the others."

"Master." Before Zhou Chengzong could finish speaking, the sound of crying rang out again at the door. A beautiful woman led a weeping child into the room. She called out to Zhou Chengzong, who was kneeling inside.

(End of this chapter)