Notes on Longevity

Chapter 94 The beauty and ugliness of the world are all said to be natural.

As night deepened, at the residence of the Vice Minister of Revenue.

"Commander Tong, why are you here at this hour?" Wang Quande, who had already gone to bed, asked the plainclothes guard commander in his room with great confusion, wearing only an outer robe.

"I've come to tell you some news." Commander Tong sat in his chair, looking at the sleepy Wang Quande.

"What news?" Wang Quande asked, puzzled.

“I only found out today. Zhang Jinggong investigated Eunuch Li. He was also responsible for the confiscation of Lord Yi’s house later.” Commander Tong stood up, walked up to Wang Quande, and looked at him indifferently: “Also, His Majesty has fallen out with Zhang Jinggong and almost sent him to the Ministry of Justice’s prison.”

"What do you mean?" Wang Quande looked at Commander Tong in confusion. "Are you saying that His Majesty really approved of what happened today?"

Commander Tong replied, "Yes."

"Then why did they fall out?" After realizing that this matter was the emperor's intention, Wang Quande immediately woke up, but what he was most concerned about now was not this, but why the emperor and Zhang Jinggong had fallen out.

"Today at the Qitian Palace, Zhang Jinggong plotted to have His Majesty send troops to kill you all."

Commander Tong truthfully recounted everything he had heard that day to Wang Quande. Wang Quande laughed uncontrollably, “Indeed, he’s still too young. How could His Majesty possibly listen to him? Whatever he does, if an investigation were conducted, how many of the civil and military officials would be clean? None at all!”

"For over a thousand years, apart from a few minor skirmishes with the Southern Kingdom, when has there ever been a real war? The officials of today are not the same as they were back then. They've gotten used to a comfortable life and hold high positions, so who wouldn't want to seek some personal gain? Except for those ministers in the Ministry of Rites, who talk about the etiquette between the emperor and his subjects all day long. His Majesty doesn't care, so why are they taking it so seriously? Don't you think so?"

"I don't get involved in these kinds of things much."

"But you always take the most."

"That's what I deserve."

"Fine, fine, you deserve it."

"So what did His Majesty say after that?" The two talked back and forth. Although His Majesty said that the matter would be let go, it was unclear what His Majesty would do about the death of Minister Qu. Although everyone knew about his death, no one had brought it up, so His Majesty turned a blind eye.

But now that Zhang Jinggong has made such a fuss, bringing the matter to light, he wants to know what His Majesty has to say about it.

"That's all," Commander Tong said.

"That's all?" Wang Quande felt something was wrong. How could it just be gone? Could they be putting on an act on purpose?
"What's wrong?" Commander Tong asked, looking at Wang Quande who was frowning in deep thought.

Wang Quande took a deep breath and asked, "Are you sure there's nothing behind that?"

Commander Tong asked, "That's all. Don't you believe me?"

"No, no! How could it be gone? This is not right. Are you sure you heard the emperor say it with your own ears?" Wang Quande was getting anxious, so anxious that he couldn't even think straight.

“There is indeed nothing more, but His Majesty sent me to the Ministry of Personnel before.” When Commander Tong heard Wang Quande’s words, the corner of his mouth secretly lifted up as if he were smiling, but he quickly returned to his original expression.

Wang Quande asked, puzzled, "What are you going to the Ministry of Personnel for?"

"I don't know. He gave me a letter and told me that the position of Minister of Rites is still vacant, so they're probably going to transfer someone back." Commander Tong had barely finished speaking when Wang Quande rolled his eyes at him: "Can you finish what you're saying next time? I was wondering how it could be over, turns out it was done before. It seems His Majesty doesn't plan to investigate the Qu case anymore. Do you know who they're going to transfer?"

"How would I know? He's probably just some official in charge of the Ministry of Rites in some prefecture or county. What can he possibly do in the capital?" Commander Tong smiled. "Alright, I've said my piece, so I won't disturb your rest any longer."

"Alright, I won't see you off. Please go ahead."

-

"Have you delivered the message?" Inside the Emperor Shangyuan's bedchamber, he stood in front of a table and chair, fiddling with his sword, and asked Commander Tong with his back to him.

"Your Majesty, we have brought them all," Commander Tong replied, kneeling on one knee behind Emperor Shangyuan and bowing his head.

"You may go and rest. The rest is up to our young minister. Oh, by the way," the Emperor suddenly remembered something, "has that letter been sent out yet?"

"It's been sent out. We just need to set it on fire before we can eat the carrier pigeons," Commander Tong replied.

"Go." Emperor Shangyuan drew his sword. He looked at the sharp blade and his own reflection in the gleaming blade, and said, "It's been so many years. It's time to kill some people, otherwise I, the emperor, will really be sidelined by my officials."

-

The next morning.

Wang Quande hurriedly arrived at the residence of Tang Wanchao, the Minister of Revenue, carrying a letter delivered by someone, and personally handed the letter to him.

"Yan Yu?" Tang Wanchao looked at the name on the letter, a slight unease flashing through his heart, but it quickly disappeared.

"My lord, this Yan Yu used to hold concurrent positions in the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue, but he made a mistake and was demoted to Qingzhou where he only took over the affairs of the Ministry of Rites," Wang Quande said, glancing at Yan Yu's name.

"Don't worry, this person is useless." Tang Wanchao laughed. "This person loves to take advantage of small things, but I didn't expect him to actually try to take advantage of the prince. So he was demoted to Qingzhou and only in charge of the Ministry of Rites. That's all he can do."

"Since there's no threat, what about Zhang Jinggong?" Wang Quande asked.

"Don't worry about anything else, let's wait for him to come back. By the time he gets back, it'll probably be almost winter."

"I never imagined that the power struggles within the imperial court could be so treacherous," Ping An sighed as he listened to Emperor Wenshang's account.

"Hmm? You sound quite sentimental. I was worried that you were just a child, and you had been traveling with your master since you were little. The world you see and the immortals you seek are all beautiful, and I was afraid you wouldn't be able to handle it and it would ruin your Dao heart."

Emperor Wen Shang was also somewhat moved.

"Although Ping'an was still young, he had traveled with his master through mountains and rivers and seen all walks of life. However, he was too young to understand much at the time. After I entered Zoumaguan, in addition to studying the scriptures, Uncle Qingshui also showed me many books about worldly affairs. He said that the dangers and beauty of the world could not be summarized in a single word in a book, and he taught me a lot of principles. The development of all things in the world has its own laws, and everything is natural, so there is no need to worry too much."

Ping An's words made Emperor Wen Shang's thoughts very clear. He smiled and said, "Indeed, you cultivators have unique insights into everything in the world, whether it's your mind or your understanding of the universe. It's just that we mortals can't understand or do these things. Just like your master before he entered the Dao."

"Your Majesty, what happened next?"

(End of this chapter)