Journey to the West: The Immortal Clan Begins by Feeding Monkeys at Five Elements Mountain

Chapter 155 Imperial Edict, Retribution to the Commandery

Chang'an remains the same Chang'an. Beyond the sounds of drums and horns, the bustling marketplace is alive with the glow of lanterns illuminating the golden years.

Jiang Ming walked through the crowd, like a drop of water entering a river, leaving neither ripples nor traces.

After winding through several alleys selling flower cakes and rouge, the music from the restaurant gradually faded away, replaced by the barking of dogs.

He turned into an ordinary alleyway with practiced ease, stopped in front of an inconspicuous old blue brick courtyard gate, and gently knocked three times.

The door opened with a click, revealing a young servant peeking out.

Upon seeing it was him, the servant hurriedly stepped aside.

In the courtyard, there was a pomegranate tree. Most of its leaves had fallen, leaving only a few ripe fruits swaying gently in the wind.

Under the tree, a person was pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back, his feet rustling softly as he stepped on the fallen leaves, a furrowed brow between his eyes.

It was Li Yunyi.

Upon seeing Jiang Ming, his anxiety instantly vanished. He rushed forward, lowering his voice, and asked repeatedly:
"How is it? How is it? Have those immortals from Crane Cry Mountain given their word yet?"

Jiang Ming raised his hand, brushed off any non-existent dust from his shoulders, and finally uttered a few words in a low voice:

"The Celestial Master's Mansion agrees."

With just that one sentence, Li Yunyi felt like a punctured sack, suddenly deflated, his tense energy instantly dissipated, and he let out a long sigh.

The anxiety of the past few days receded like the tide, replaced by an overwhelming excitement that was impossible to suppress. Even the few carefully groomed strands of gray beard on his chin trembled slightly.

Half a month ago, he would never have believed that he could get involved in such a heaven-reaching and earth-shattering matter of bestowing divine titles.

What's more, that person was their own son-in-law.

Even a storyteller wouldn't dare to embellish such a story.

However, while he felt relieved, Jiang Ming's face showed no sign of ease; the faint frown line between his brows remained unresolved.

The words of the Mysterious Moon Immortal from Crane Cry Mountain still echoed in my ears, like a few fine thorns stuck in my heart.

Matters in heaven are easy to handle, but the real challenge lies in the court on earth.

Having spent most of his life navigating the complexities of life, Li Yunyi possessed an exceptionally keen eye. With just a glance, he discerned what Jiang Ming was thinking.

Instead, he offered words of comfort, stroking his beard, his usually shrewd eyes now revealing a shrewd and calculating wisdom.

“Nephew, don’t worry. Now that we’ve come this far, I dare say we’re at least 80% sure we’ll succeed.”

Jiang Mingshu was well-read, but he spent most of his time sitting quietly in the mountains, so he was still somewhat lacking in the shrewdness and cunning of the mortal world.

Upon hearing this, he raised his eyes, a hint of seeking advice in them.

Seeing this, Li Yunyi couldn't help but stroke his beard and smile. His calm and collected demeanor truly gave him a sense of strategic mastery.

"Nephew, you may not know this, but your sister-in-law, Wenya, is quite a prominent figure in Luoyang, the capital city. Her medical skills have saved countless lives, and which of the empresses and noble ladies in the palace hasn't received a favor from her?"

He paused, then changed the subject, his tone becoming tinged with a worldly-wise and detached understanding:
"Although feelings are a very superficial and unreliable thing, Wenya's medical skills that can bring the dead back to life are a living handle. Who dares to say that they will never get sick or suffer any misfortune in their life? And who can guarantee that they won't have to ask her for help in the future?"

"As long as she's willing to pass on a message, those ladies will most likely be happy to whisper in His Majesty's ear to make things easier for him in the future. That's one point."

At this point, he held up two fingers, his expression becoming increasingly resolute:
"Secondly, and most importantly. In the current court, although it is called the emperor’s regency, it is actually a case of 'two rulers governing together.' The Empress Dowager sits on the east side, and His Majesty sits on the west side. For more than ten years, they have been holding court together. Her students and old friends are all over the court, and her prestige is even greater than His Majesty’s. Now, when court officials report on matters, they must prepare two copies of the document, one to be presented to the emperor and the other to be sent to the Empress Dowager."

A glint flashed in Li Yunyi's eyes, and he lowered his voice even further, almost to the point of whispering:

"The Empress Dowager...she is also a woman, and an elderly one at that."

He paused meaningfully for a moment, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, forming a smile that was neither a smile nor a frown.

"What do people fear most when they get old? They fear illness and death. The Empress Dowager's good health is entirely due to Wenya's meticulous care. Tell me, how could she not favor a 'miracle doctor' who can prolong her life?"

After listening to Li Yunyi's analysis, Jiang Ming's slightly furrowed brows finally relaxed a bit.

In his heart, he wasn't entirely worried about his brother who had already passed away.

Jiang Liang had already planned his path.

To be conferred the title of a righteous god is undoubtedly the best choice, a meteoric rise to heaven, and a life of carefree bliss.

Even if this plan fails, with the incense offerings and religious ceremonies currently in place in Longxi, he can gather public support and become a local deity, thus securing his livelihood.

At the very least, one could send a message to the City God Temple in Chang'an to request an ever-burning lamp for offering, which would protect the soul from dissipation and free it from the suffering of reincarnation.

If the soul remains and does not enter the cycle of reincarnation, there will always be opportunities and methods to retrieve it from the underworld in the future.

His real worry was for his parents in the mountains, especially his mother.

As children, the greatest fear is "wanting to care for one's parents but finding them no longer there."

Those who cultivate the Tao have an additional fear—"If one desires immortality, inner demons will arise."

The death of a child is the sharpest knife in the world.

It can tear a rift in a person's Dao heart, causing them to fall ill with longing, making it impossible to mend the wound for life, and needlessly severing the opportunity for immortality.

Therefore, this matter must be handled in a dignified and respectable manner.

Only when a mother sees with her own eyes that her child is not only unharmed, but has also received such a great divine blessing, can she finally put her anxious heart back into her chest.

Only in this way can one truly fulfill their filial duty.

Now, with favorable timing, location, and people, we have done everything we could.

The rest is beyond human control.

Having done all that he could, he could only wait for fate in this city of Chang'an.

Life went on uneventfully in Chang'an.

Jiang Ming and Li Yunyi appeared completely unhurried, yet the gleaming silver coins continued to flow out like water.

The incense at the City God Temple is burning brighter every day, and the swirling smoke is almost blurring the eyebrows and eyes of the deity's statue.

In the streets and alleys, storytellers who had received tips retold the story of "Loyal and Brave Captain Jiang Liang" with great enthusiasm.

With just a few words, he imprinted an image of unparalleled loyalty and bravery, selflessly devoted to the people, into the conversations of the people of Chang'an.

After about half a month, one afternoon, Li Yunyi suddenly came to visit.

His expression was one of barely suppressed excitement, yet he still tried to maintain a certain air of mystery. He grabbed Jiang Ming and headed straight for the City God Temple.

The temple was packed with people, and worshippers were shoulder to shoulder.

Li Yunyi, however, did not go to the main hall. Instead, he led him around to the corridor of a side hall and gestured with his lips through a carved window.

Inside the hall, two men dressed in ordinary blue cloth shirts were pointing at an old statue of a god.

Jiang Ming narrowed his eyes slightly at just one glance at the seemingly ordinary pilgrim.

Upon closer inspection, the auras of the two individuals were laid bare in his eyes.

It is neither the ethereal purity of a spiritual practitioner nor the fierce power of a martial artist; instead, it carries a gentle, restrained quality, like moss that has never seen the sun, with an innate sense of incompleteness and dampness emanating from its very bones.

They are people from the palace.

Li Yunyi leaned close to his ear, his voice barely audible: "See? The palace eunuchs are probably here to investigate on orders from above. This matter..."

He spread out nine fingers on both hands and waved them lightly in front of Jiang Ming's eyes, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light:

"At least 90% complete."

Jiang Ming nodded slightly, and the weight that had been hanging over his heart for so long finally lifted.

The next day, he did not go out again, but instead slowly packed his belongings in the courtyard, taking care of everything properly.

Sure enough, three to five days later, an imperial edict bearing the imperial seal and vermilion stamp was posted all over the streets and alleys of Chang'an.

First came a long and eloquent praise of Jiang Liang's service on the border of Longxi, commending his loyalty and bravery, his selflessness in protecting the people, and his outstanding virtues and achievements.

His writing is so eloquent that it seems he could be praised as a loyal and righteous man, a rare talent.

Finally, there was the imperial edict, a golden decree:
"...By special imperial decree, Jiang Liang is appointed as the 'Commander of the Department of Response and Retribution' of the City God Temple in Chang'an, to enjoy the incense offerings of the people, to monitor good and evil, and to honor loyalty and righteousness. Respectfully."

The news was met with thunderous cheers and jubilation throughout the city.

Praises such as "Your Majesty is wise" and "The court has eyes" echoed through every street and alley of Chang'an.

Jiang Ming listened to the commotion outside and just smiled faintly.

He thought to himself, "Thank goodness my brother died in Chang'an."

In such important cities and large temples, there are many shrines, so it's always possible to find a vacancy to place one of them.

In a remote and impoverished area like Longshan County, there was only one county god in the entire county.

There's really nowhere to put them.

Once the imperial edict was posted, it goes without saying that the Li family's influence and wealth in Chang'an were well-established.

In just a few days, a brand-new clay statue with gold decorations was sculpted perfectly, awaiting an auspicious day for its placement in the temple.

When the auspicious day arrived, the whole city gathered around to watch, and a complex and thorough ritual was performed flawlessly.

The statue, which bore a striking resemblance to Jiang Liang in his lifetime, was steadily carried into the main hall of the City God Temple.

Unlike the previous dynasty's statue, which shattered embarrassingly in public, this one was completely unaffected.

The statue of the deity is placed to the right of the statue of the City God, just below the two judges, the Left Registrar and the Right Pen Master. Looking at it from both sides, it is quite harmonious.

From then on, the City God Temple in Chang'an had a new Director of the Department of Response and Retribution, who was in charge of the cause and effect of "retribution in this life".

These kinds of deities are the most satisfying and popular.

Jiang Ming mingled in the crowd, watching quietly.

Look at the golden statue, placed so comfortably; look at the temple keeper, lighting the first incense stick.

A wisp of smoke rose, clinging to the still somewhat unfamiliar eyebrows and eyes, as if adding a touch of life and a touch of loneliness to them.

Only at that moment did the tension in my heart, which had been taut for so long, finally ease.

That matter ended there without further incident.

A faint light seemed to flicker within the golden body, as if looking down at its elder brother, yet it was not clearly visible.

Jiang Ming didn't think too much about it. He turned around and went back to the house, where he solemnly handed a pre-prepared letter to Li Yunyi.

"Please trouble you, Uncle, to deliver this to my parents."

Li Yunyi took it, carefully tucked it into his pocket, and hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Looking up, I saw that Jiang Ming had already put on a very plain-looking bag.

"Nephew, this is..."

Jiang Ming smiled, bowed to him as a farewell, and then turned and merged into the crowd.

After a few steps, his figure disappeared from the bustling Chang'an Street, leaving only the sound of the wind passing through the noisy crowd.

……

Liangjie Village.

Jiang Ming's departure lasted for more than two months.

The whole village seemed shrouded in an impenetrable layer of ash, and even the chirping of sparrows in the trees had become sparse.

Laughter had been absent from the Jiang family's courtyard for a long time. The old locust tree in front of the door had long since lost its leaves, leaving it bare and somewhat desolate.

Liu Xiulian visibly lost weight, her eyes became sunken, and she often sat on the threshold with her knees drawn up to her chest, sometimes for half a day at a time, whether looking at the sky or the wind, it was hard to tell.

At first, Jiang Yi was able to muster his spirits and comfort his wife and daughter, always saying, "The eldest brother always has a plan when he does things."

But as the days went by, there was still no news. The more he tried to comfort her, the less confident he became, and eventually he simply shut up.

Every day he just carries a hoe to the fields, and when he gets back home he flips through old books, just getting by.

As dusk approached, a familiar Li family horse-drawn carriage suddenly appeared on the dirt road at the village entrance, kicking up clouds of dust.

Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, Li Yunyi lifted the curtain and jumped down. He stumbled and almost fell, but he was clutching a letter tightly in his hand.

That usually shrewd and composed face was now filled with barely suppressed excitement.

At the courtyard gate, Jiang Yi, who was staring blankly at the setting sun, felt a sudden jolt in his heart upon seeing his expression.

That long-numbed worry, like dry tinder ignited by a spark, suddenly sprang up again, rushing forward eagerly:
"My dear in-law, you..."

Li Yunyi couldn't even get into the house. He grabbed his arm and, right there at the courtyard gate, poured out the shocking news that had been weighing on his mind for over half a month:

"My dear in-laws! It's done! It's done! Liang'er... he's been appointed a true god! The Chief of the Ganying Division of the City God Temple in Chang'an! It was personally conferred by His Majesty!"

Jiang Yi was stunned on the spot.

After a long while, a glimmer of relief appeared in those cloudy eyes, but the light was fleeting and was quickly swallowed up by deeper sorrow.

True God...

No matter how nicely they are said, they are ultimately separated by life and death, and can never see each other again.

He forced himself to compose himself and asked in a slightly hoarse voice, "Where's the boss? Why hasn't he come back?"

“Sigh,” Li Yunyi sighed and handed over the letter in his hand. “After the matter was settled, your eldest son disappeared without a trace. He only asked me to deliver this letter. He said everything was written in the letter.”

Jiang Yi took the letter and opened it with trembling fingers.

He read on quickly, initially just focusing intently, but the more he read, the brighter his eyes became, and his breathing became rapid.

The letter trembled slightly in his hand, but the taut lines on his weathered face gradually relaxed.

"well!"

He slapped his thigh suddenly. After reading the letter, he didn't even bother to greet his in-laws. He turned around and ran out, heading straight for the dusty training ground not far away.

Over there, a group of young men from the Ancient and Modern Gang were practicing their fists and feet with bare chests and thunderous shouts in the afterglow of the setting sun.

(End of this chapter)