I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 289 How can a celestial donkey compare to a mortal donkey? (+3)

No sooner had he finished speaking than a gust of cold wind blew over.

The servant sniffed, and the two shivered in the winter wind.

Meng Haoran wrapped his thin clothes tightly around himself, looking quite disheveled.

Their carriages and horses had been stolen by bandits, and now they could only rely on their own two feet to move forward with difficulty.

We are currently on the southern slopes of the Qinling Mountains. Although the climate is cold, it is not unbearable.

But once you cross the mountain ridge, the northern foothills will likely be covered in heavy snow, making the mountain roads difficult to traverse.

"Let's go, let's look around as we go, hopefully we can find a place to stay tonight."

The servant was still thinking about those damned bandits, muttering indignantly.

"That letter from Chief Secretary Cheng..."

"I'll give it a shot, but I don't know if it'll work." Meng Haoran wasn't sure either.

Meng Haoran thought to himself that he had written quite a few poems in the past two years. He wondered if he could make some connections with people in Lantian or Chang'an. Although he might not have Cheng Changshi as his guarantor, he might be able to get into a few prestigious families.

In the cold wind, he and his servants huddled together for warmth, shivering as they made their way forward.

"Why did it suddenly get so cold...? Isn't today the Beginning of Winter?"

"It's the Beginning of Winter."

The more disheveled they looked, the more spirited Meng Haoran became, even encouraging the two of them, saying:

"In the past few years, Taibai and Xiazi have been traveling with Mr. Jiang. Perhaps they are also like us today, moving forward in the north wind."

"We'll be there in a few hundred miles. Let's go."

The servant, shivering and tucking his hands in, walked along cursing and hurling insults at the damned robbers.

The footprints of the master and servant were left in the woods.

……

……

The emperor bestowed a special residence upon Zhang Guolao, located in Daningfang, the same area as Chongxuan Hall, and he visited him frequently over the past few days.

Members of the imperial family, the Prince of Ning's family, ministers of the court, students of the Chongxuan Academy, and even literati who had heard of his legend and admired his demeanor all came to visit him.

For a time, the area in front of the gate was bustling with cars and people.

Zhang Guolao rarely met.

Even so, everyone was content to be able to stand at a distance in front of the door.

When Prince Ning arrived, he did see Zhang Guolao. The eunuch guarding the gate let the Prince Ning's carriages and horses in.

Prince Ning inquired about the solar eclipse that day.

Zhang Guolao remained silent, focusing intently on feeding the white donkey vegetables, as if a donkey were more important than a king or nobleman.

When asked about attaining immortality.

Zhang Guolao did speak, but his words were mysterious and rambling.

After a half-hour conversation, Prince Ning not only didn't understand, but was completely bewildered, and even the little bit of Taoist teachings he had previously grasped became doubtful.

He looked at this old man, whose hair was completely white.

Prince Ning, Li Xian, asked.

"Sir, you are an enlightened person, why have you aged so much?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Guolao chuckled and said, "I have already reached the age of decline and have no Taoist arts to rely on, which is why I have become this old."

"Wouldn't it be better if it were completely removed?"

Prince Ning was puzzled.

He was horrified to see—

Zhang Guolao plucked out his own hair and beard with his hands. In just a few strokes, all the white hair and beard were pulled out and fell to the ground.

He also wanted to pick up the box on the donkey's back, find the small iron ruyi from before, and repeat the same trick.

The eunuch who had been stunned finally reacted and stopped him.

"Why did you do this, Mr. Zhang Guo?"

The eunuch clung tightly to Zhang Guolao's legs, not daring to let go.

Zhang Guolao wanted to kick the eunuch off, but fearing he might cause him harm, he sat down again and looked at Prince Ning.

Prince Ning was still in shock.

He grabbed the two children's hands and forced them to kneel back down.

After speaking with the seemingly mad old man for a while, Prince Ning took his leave gracefully and never sought immortality or enlightenment again.

Li Mao, clutching his uncle's sleeve tightly, was also startled.

On the way, he muttered to himself and asked his uncle in a low voice, "Are all the legendary gods and immortals like this?"

Prince Ning dared not speak, nor could he speak.

He stroked his beard.

“It’s not uncommon for highly accomplished people to be eccentric.” Li Mao nodded, glancing at the house with awe, before returning to the Ning Prince’s Mansion with his uncle. As he boarded the carriage, he saw another person approaching in the distance, seemingly also there to pay a visit.

Li Mao felt a little sorry for the other party.

Jiang She walked to the door, turned his head to look at the carriage, and exchanged a glance with the richly dressed young man.

The carriage curtain was lowered, swaying back and forth.

Jiang She withdrew his gaze.

The gatekeeper bowed and said, "Master Zhang Guo does not receive guests. Please return, young master."

Jiang She touched his sleeve; the few copper coins he had left weren't enough to bribe the gatekeepers, so he simply refused to give them a single coin.

"Please inform them again."

“My surname is Jiang, and that donkey knows me.”

The attendant had turned down many people in the past few days, including quite a few who tried to curry favor with Zhang Guolao, but the one in front of him was quite novel.

Do you know what a donkey is?
The attendant chuckled inwardly.

If it were an ordinary donkey, it might just call out or whistle and follow the person.

But how can a celestial donkey compare to an ordinary donkey?

Over the past few days, they've figured out the temperament of Zhang Guolao's white donkey. It ignores everyone except Zhang Guolao himself, doesn't respond to anyone's calls, and acts as if it can't hear them. It has a very strong temper.

Moreover, he has a very keen sense of smell; he can smell the freshest vegetables from afar. These vegetables, which were specially given to Zhang Guolao by the sage and grown in the Hot Spring Palace, weigh no more than ten catties in total.

The attendant initially wanted to refuse.

But when he looked up, he saw several students from Chongxuan Academy coming from behind him.

A piece of silver was handed to him, and the servant laughed.

"Greetings to all the gentlemen. I will go and inform them now."

He then glanced at the man in blue and nodded.

This person was quite lucky; he encountered Prince Ning first, and then he met the disciples of Chongxuan Hall.

The attendant thought to himself.

Let me pass on the message for him too.

The attendant left another person to guard the main house and went to the front of the house himself. The house was large, and it took quite a bit of effort just to walk there. The attendant stood outside the tightly closed door, catching his breath, and said respectfully.

"Sir, we have a guest visiting."

"not see."

The servant, clutching the silver, said one more thing.

"Those who have arrived are disciples of the Chongxuan Hall, the son of Vice Minister Zhou, the grandson of Supervisor Li of the Waterways Bureau, and..."

After the servant finished speaking, there was still no sound from inside the courtyard. He knew that these people were indeed not going to be seen. Just like the previous group, they had all come for nothing.

Even the sons of these high-ranking officials were not granted an audience, let alone the man who claimed to know donkeys; the servants dared not mention him either.

“I understand, and I will now leave.”

The attendant bowed with his hands clasped and was about to turn and leave.

The sound of a donkey braying came from inside the gate, followed by an old man's cry of pain. The servant stopped in his tracks, and asked in surprise:
"...Old sir?"

The door was pushed open with a bang.

A disheveled old man grabbed his sleeve and asked:

Have you met someone surnamed Jiang?

The servant stared blankly at the other person, then paused.

The old man who rushed over had no hair or beard, and there were a few streaks of blood on his head. I don't know what he had gone through... Didn't Prince Ning come here just now?
He nodded blankly.

"Yes... there is a young man named Jiang, whose name I have not revealed, but who says he knows a donkey."

"Quickly, bring him over here!"

After Zhang Guolao finished speaking, he shook his head.

"Fine, I'll go with you."

The attendant was greatly alarmed.

Jiang She had been waiting at the gate for a short while when he saw an old man rushing over, causing the servants to turn pale with fright wherever he went.

Jiang She glanced at it a couple more times, then asked with a smile.

"What's going on, Elder Guo?"

Zhang Guolao touched his bald head and then suddenly realized what was going on.

He laughed heartily, waved his sleeve, raised his hand to beckon his beard and hair back onto his head, and in the blink of an eye, he was once again an old immortal with flowing robes.

"It was just feigning madness; I hope you'll forgive my foolishness, sir."

"Did you come here specifically to see me, sir?"

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)