I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 180 Observing Life and Death

When Jiang She pushed open the door, Zhang Guolao glanced at the sword sheath in front of the door.

He said with a smile, "Sir, you certainly have an interesting way of doing things!"

He could tell at a glance that the hanging scabbard was extraordinary; the patterns carved on it had come to life. General Red Blade remained hidden inside the scabbard, saying nothing.

Jiang She glanced at it.

"It was a masterpiece back then."

The craftsman who forged and carved it back then has passed away, leaving behind a sword sheath that developed sentience, acquired a demonic body, committed some evil deeds, and died prematurely, not accomplishing much. Jiang She didn't know what quirks his previous master had; perhaps he loved listening to storytelling and singing, which led even General Chidao to develop a penchant for drama in the mortal world.

The group walked into the courtyard.

Hearing the sound, the cat stumbled and staggered through the snow to greet them.

The monk bowed to the group in turn, and then clasped his hands together in prayer before Jiang She.

"Hello sir."

Jiang She nodded and sat down with Zhang Guolao in his courtyard. He picked up his teacup, poured out the old water, and went to the kitchen to boil a pot of water.

The black cat followed him closely all night, never leaving his side.

He called out.

She gently rubbed against Jiang She's leg.

Jiang She patted the cat's head: "Thank you for watching over the house."

The cat quietly raised its tail, looking somewhat pleased.

Jiang She couldn't help but smile.

He carried over a pot of boiling water, which emitted a cloud of white steam. He then took a packet of tea powder, poured it into the pot, and released a faint fragrance. He then sat down opposite Zhang Guolao.

Guo Lao smelled the fragrance and sighed.

"Sir, your tea is still as good as ever."

The cat, overhearing this, felt proud and raised its furry head, letting out a meow in response.

"it is good!"

Zhang Guolao laughed heartily, looking at the little cat with affection, and showering it with praise.

"That cat is so clever!"

On the other side, after the monk finished greeting Li Bai, Yuan Danqiu, and the mountain god, he heard this sound and looked down at the beautiful and spirited blue-eyed black cat.

He clasped his hands together and smiled as he bowed in return.

"Greetings, Cat Fairy."

The kitten didn't understand, tilting its head and speaking in a childish voice.

"Cat... Fairy..."

The crowd burst into laughter, even the usually solemn monk smiled. Some neighbors outside heard this and curiously peeked inside.

Jiang She took a sip of tea and said:

"Master Guo's timing is perfect. Someone just asked me this morning how long the Prince of Qi would live."

Zhang Guolao became truly curious.

"How did the gentleman answer?"

“That man told me to tell the truth.” Jiang She leaned back in his chair, stroking the cat that had jumped up to him. “Then tell him that he won’t live for more than a few days.”

"At the time, I figured we probably wouldn't be able to enjoy our New Year's Eve dinner properly, so I told them to eat early. I don't know if they listened to me."

Zhang Guolao laughed heartily.

"It seems they didn't listen!"

Old Deer Mountain God, holding a teacup, listened from the side and added, "It is indeed a bit of a pity."

Zhang Guolao asked, "Why?"

The old deer mountain god looked at him and said slowly:
"The man said he wanted to ask you something, and you agreed."

"If he asks about the methods of cultivation, then he can enter the Taoist path. If he asks about fame and fortune, then acquiring wealth and status is nothing more than taking something out of a bag!"

"But they inquired about the lifespans of Prince Qi and his son."

"It's a pity."

Li Bai and Yuan Danqiu listened in a daze.

Isn't this a predestined connection with the immortals?
Did I really miss it?
Zhang Guolao was unaware of this story, but upon hearing it from the side, he felt a pang of regret, saying, "It's truly a pity! They were destined to meet but not to be together."

"Who asked that?"

The Old Deer Mountain God paid little attention to a mortal, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "He is a young man of sixteen or seventeen, the son of an official from Yanzhou."

They all sighed for a while.

Only Jiang She didn't feel regret and drank some tea.

He didn't think that much when he agreed.

He doesn't have that much ability. If he wants wealth and fame, he can seek it out himself. It has nothing to do with him.

Li Bai, standing nearby, held a steaming cup of tea and took a couple of sips to warm himself. He listened to the idle chatter around him, casually mentioning the king in the palace and the cycle of life and death.

He suddenly remembered something.

In his previous letter to Mencius, he mentioned that he would be gone for a year.

After watching the Fengshan ceremony with their husband, they returned to Xiangyang.

The gentleman is reasonable. They were originally traveling together, and it was up to them to decide whether to stay or leave. If Li Bai and Danqiu Sheng wanted to go back, the gentleman would certainly agree.

But now...

Li Bai looked at Yuan Danqiu and whispered.

"The New Year is approaching, and the post donkeys will probably need to rest. Danqiu Zi, why don't we write a letter to Master Meng as soon as possible?"

Yuan Danqiu didn't understand.

"Are you going to write about that painted-skin demon to Master Meng as well?"

Li Bai reminded him.

“We said in our letter that we would only stay for a year.”

Yuan Danqiu suddenly remembered that there was such a thing, and he should remind Meng Haoran again to say that he would be returning later. He exclaimed in surprise:

"Yes, it's time to write a letter to Master Meng. I'll write it today and have the messenger deliver it tomorrow."

The two went inside, laid out paper, and ground ink.

Only Jiang She, the Old Deer Mountain God, Zhang Guolao, and the monk remained in the courtyard.

Zhang Guolao had gone to great lengths to save the lives of two monks, so he naturally had no good temper towards the imperial family who had killed them, and was happy to see the King of Qi and his son die.

Savor a cup of fine tea from Mr. Jiang.

Zhang Guolao then invited Jiang She and asked with a smile.

"Would you be willing to accompany me to the imperial palace to see when the Prince of Qi will die?"

With nothing else to do, Jiang She was naturally willing to join in the fun.

"nature!"

Zhang Guolao led out the white donkey and made it grow to an enormous size.

Four people, a cat, and a donkey set off on a whim.

No one noticed in the alley. People lined up to sharpen scissors and knives, children continued to play and frolic, and the neighbor's yellow dog lay asleep without even lifting its eyes.

In the room.

Li Bai, who was writing a letter to Meng Haoran, suddenly felt that the courtyard was much quieter and he could not hear any voices.

He pushed open the door and took a look.

The courtyard was empty; the teacups were finished, and even the cat had been taken away.

What about people?

……

……

The group trudged through the cold wind and snow, passing through one archway after another. They arrived at the palace in no time at all.

Zhang Guolao patted the white donkey's head and smiled.

"Good job, little donkey."

They just took the paper donkey.

He had his own methods for changing his life force. Death and rebirth were common occurrences, so he could naturally conceal his own life force and pick up the paper donkey to put it in his pocket.

Zhang Guolao glanced at Jiang She.

I wonder if Mr. Jiang can do it...

The group entered the palace as if no one else was there. The palace was full of people hurrying by, and the atmosphere was somber. The incense in the room had been removed at the imperial physician's request, and the servants and attendants moved silently.

King Qi and his son lived there.

The young Prince of Hedong lay pale-faced on his sickbed.

Unless you look very closely, you can hardly see the rise and fall of his chest.

Jiang She looked Li Jin up and down. The brocade quilt was gorgeous and embroidered with noble patterns. He had survived until now only because he was kept alive by the most skilled imperial physicians and the best medicines in the world.

Behind him was the monk who was supposed to die.

Zhang Guolao asked with a smile.

"In your opinion, how much longer can he live?"

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)