I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 109 Riding a Donkey for Thousands of Miles

The eunuch hurriedly caught up with him and asked from behind, "Why did you leave, sir?"

The old man smiled and waved his hand at him:
"It's just that I'm too weak and incompetent to save people, and I feel ashamed!"

The eunuch had just witnessed this, but he didn't believe the old man thought that way. He didn't recognize the old man, but with his completely white hair and beard, he was clearly a highly accomplished cultivator. The eunuch then asked:

Why did you shake your head and sigh just now, old man?

The old man said:

"When I see someone about to die, I feel something in my heart."

The eunuch was startled. These were not words that could be said directly. He looked around and, seeing that no one was nearby and everyone was worried about the Prince of Qi's health, and that no one was paying attention to them, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Old man, watch your words!"

The old man stroked his beard and said self-deprecatingly:
"It's just an old man with no teeth talking, why should the eunuch take it seriously?"

The eunuch sized up the old man; his beard was white, his hair disheveled, and he seemed quite carefree. His identity was unknown; how had he managed to infiltrate the group and be invited by the emperor was a mystery.

The old man also noticed his scrutiny.

He chuckled and tugged at the wrinkled collar of his clothes, but the fabric wouldn't smooth out, so he simply ignored it.

"If there is nothing else, the eunuch may return."

The eunuch bowed and turned to go back to look after Prince Qi.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the old man lead a snow-white donkey out from under the eaves. He rode on the donkey, his face not facing the same direction as the donkey, and his clothes seemed to flutter in the wind.

He was startled.

The white donkey, the old man, overlapped with the image of a certain high-ranking Taoist sorcerer in his mind, making him seem like an old immortal.

The eunuch hurried forward and blocked the old man's path.

"I don't recognize your true face!"

The old man sighed.

"He's just an old man, what face does he have to be seen by others? The eunuch has admitted his mistake."

The eunuch refused to let the old man leave.

The old man, helpless and worried, plucked out a few strands of his white beard. After a moment of stalemate, he stretched out his wrinkled old hand and beckoned.

The eunuch listened respectfully.

Then they heard the old man's indistinct voice—

"Prince Qi has some kind of predestined affinity. Although he will not be fully cured, he will feel better and live for another year or two."

"He threw it away himself; it was just a case of being destined to meet but not to be together!"

"Since it's already lost, it's impossible to get it back. No one in the world has the prestige to ask God to extend their life. Don't tell anyone else about this."

"You only need to remember these words, and don't say them to Shangguan or the King, or they will become angry... What about you?"

The old man patted the eunuch on the chest and smiled as he said:
"My life is more important."

The eunuch was stunned.

He wanted to say something more, but his body seemed to be frozen, and he could no longer move. He could only watch as the old man rode backward on the back of the donkey, humming a tune, in a good mood, and walked away step by step.

Their figures disappeared into the luxurious palace.

disappeared.

A full quarter of an hour passed before the eunuch felt he could move again.

The eunuch was stunned for a moment, then rushed back into the palace. He hurriedly saw a group of imperial physicians and folk doctors surrounding Prince Qi, discussing his illness and deliberating on prescriptions. In the side hall, some people had already disagreed and started arguing, their voices loud and intense.

The Prince of Qi was among a group of officials, monks, and Taoists.

His eyes were closed, and his face was ashen.

A familiar eunuch pulled him aside and asked.

"Le Lou, where have you been? I didn't see you just now."

The eunuch opened his mouth, about to say that he had just seen a wise man and heard a few words from him, and that he knew that Prince Qi was really not long for this world.

My heart skipped a beat.

Looking into the other person's concerned eyes, the eunuch Le Lou hesitated.

After a while.

He heard his own voice.

"I was just thinking that the wind outside is rather cold... It wouldn't be good if it blew on Your Majesty, so I was just about to draw the curtains."

The eunuchs who were familiar with him only asked casually, nodded after receiving the answer, and continued with their own business. They didn't even notice that the curtains that sheltered the room from the wind hadn't been drawn.

The eunuch breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at the monks and Taoists filling the hall, and the doctors coming and going in a hurry.

He secretly observed the Prince of Qi, who was sitting on the bed.

I couldn't help but recall what that person had just said.

Prince Qi is a king, a son of Emperor Ruizong, and the brother of the current emperor; his status is extremely high. He is known for his refined and elegant nature and has always maintained a close and harmonious relationship with the emperor.

Now that Prince Qi is gravely ill, the Emperor has issued a decree summoning renowned physicians and extraordinary talents from across the land to Yanzhou. How could such a noble person possibly abandon the Dao?

What kind of destiny is so precious...?

……

……

In the distance, an old man slowly rode a donkey.

The donkey was snow-white, its hooves treading on the snow. The old man's sleeves were wide, and he seemed to be floating in mid-air.

The donkey was clearly making steady progress, yet it seemed to be moving extremely fast.

By the roadside, a beggar, with half a leftover flatbread from someone else, leaned against the wall, contentedly resting. He didn't move when he saw an old man pass by.

A few breaths passed.

He looked up again, but could only see a blurry figure in the distance, hidden in the snow.

Eh?
Are you so hungry your eyes are blurry?

In the distance, an old man held a simple fish drum in his hand and gently tapped it, producing a rough rhythm, like a child randomly tapping out a beat.

He snorted:

"Green hills and white mist swirl around the pine-covered gate; the alchemical furnace is cold, and the crane has not returned—"

Walking in the wind and snow.

After calculating with his hands for a while, the old man muttered to himself again:

"Oh dear, I can't believe it, I can't believe it! Who is this powerful being? Is it a demon or a Taoist? This old man must find out..."

"We've really caught the right wave this time..."

He touched the donkey, and the white donkey swung its tail.

In the blink of an eye, they passed through a series of gates and arrived at one of the alleys. The old man, with a smile on his face, led his donkey and stood under a tree, listening to the neighbors talking for a while.

"To tell you the truth, I overheard it the other day. That Mr. Du also offered some advice, and he spoke with deep feeling."

The speaker paused intentionally.

The old man mingled in the crowd and heard them ask.

"And then what happened?"

The idler was finally satisfied and continued, "That man is quite bold. He told Du Langjun that he loves excitement and has always enjoyed strange and unusual things while traveling around."

"This house is haunted."

“He is a perfect match for me.”

The idler continued, "Not only that young man, but several others who traveled with him were also quite bold. They were so frightened that they all went to the pharmacy to get medicine to calm their spirits, and they all have to stay there."

"They also have an old man, who looks quite advanced in years..."

The old man listened.

He asked the idler, "Are you as old as me?"

The idler who had been talking looked over. The one who had asked the question was an old man with completely white hair and beard, leading a donkey; he was also quite old. He thought for a moment and said:
"He looks older than you."

The old man suddenly became interested and somewhat unconvinced.

"Older than me?"

he asks:

"I wonder which house this young man you're talking about lives in? This old man would like to pay him a visit."

The neighbors gave him directions.

They were all a bit surprised, wondering why this old man would go to a haunted house. At his age, he was simply courting death.

Fortunately, it was daytime and not yet dark.

I wonder if the house will continue to be a scene of chaos tonight, with terrifying noises coming from there.

I was puzzled for a moment.

The neighbors started talking about the emperor's procession again.

As the emperor entered the city, cavalry escorted him, and many people went to catch a glimpse from afar. Although they could only see a group of carriages and horses and couldn't tell who was sitting in which one, they were still quite satisfied.

Outside the courtyard gate.

The old man with gray hair and beard patted the white donkey's head and placed it at the doorway.

"Good donkey..."

He looked into the house and could see a locust tree in the courtyard, a wooden table and chairs, and paper and ink on the table. The owner was inside.

"Tuk-tuk-tuk-"

The old man knocked on the door.

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)