Tang Dynasty: The pot is tied to the duck nest, the little rhinoceros is here!

"Later, the Monkey King enjoyed himself for many years, but one day, he suddenly shed tears of sorrow."

Jiang Fan continued, "The monkeys asked him why he was crying, and he said, 'Although I am now carefree...'"

But when you get old, the King of Hell will come to collect your soul, and you will still have to die.

Then, a gibbon told him that only Buddhas, immortals, and saints could escape reincarnation.

"Neither born nor dying." Upon hearing this, the Monkey King decided to descend the mountain to learn the art of immortality.

Chengyang whispered, "Can he really find it?"

"Chengyang, listen to this," Jiang Fan continued with a smile.

"The Monkey King left Flower Fruit Mountain, crossed the ocean, and came to the Southern Continent."

He learned human manners and language, and searched everywhere for immortals, but after eight or nine years, he still couldn't find them.

Later, he arrived at Xiniu Hezhou and met a woodcutter on the mountain. The woodcutter told him...

This mountain is called Lingtai Fangcun Mountain. There is a cave called Xieyue Sanxing Cave in the mountain, and there is a deity in the cave named Bodhi Patriarch…”

The little ox's eyes widened: "Gods! There really are gods!"

Jiang Fan continued, "The Monkey King found the Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars and paid his respects to Patriarch Bodhi."

The patriarch asked him what his surname was, and he replied that he had no surname, and that he wouldn't get angry even if people insulted him.

He wouldn't even get angry when beaten. The Patriarch, seeing his great intelligence, took him as his disciple and gave him the name Sun Wukong.

"Smoke Wukong!" Little Sizi repeated, his little face full of curiosity.

"Later, Sun Wukong followed his fellow disciples in the cave to learn language and manners, discuss scriptures and doctrines, and in his spare time he swept the floor, tended the garden, and tended the flowers and trees. Before he knew it, six or seven years had passed."

One day, the Patriarch ascended the altar to preach, and Sun Wukong listened with rapt attention. The Patriarch asked him how long he had been in the cave, and Sun Wukong said he didn't know, only that he remembered eating seven full peaches.

The Patriarch said that meant he had been there for seven years. The Patriarch asked him what kind of Tao he wanted to learn, and Sun Wukong said that he only wanted to learn immortality and nothing else.

The patriarch was so angered by him that he jumped down from the high platform, struck him three times on the head, and walked away with his hands behind his back.

"Why did you hit him?" Little Si asked anxiously.

Jiang Fan explained with a smile, "That was the Bodhi Patriarch giving a secret signal. He gave it three times."

This meant he should go at midnight; the fact that he was standing with his hands behind his back meant he should enter through the back door. Sun Wukong, being clever, understood the meaning.

"Wow, Xun Wukong is so smart!" Chengyang exclaimed.

At midnight, Sun Wukong entered through the back door, and Bodhi Patriarch was indeed waiting there.

The patriarch was pleased to see his high level of comprehension and taught him the magic of immortality.

Sun Wukong diligently memorized the instructions and practiced hard for several years, finally mastering the seventy-two transformations and the somersault cloud. A single somersault cloud could cover 108,000 li!

Little Sizi's mouth dropped open in astonishment, his face filled with wonder: "Ten thousand eight thousand li! So far, so far!"

Chengyang's eyes widened as well.

Little Sizi suddenly sat up, grabbed Jiang Fan's arm, and her little face was full of anticipation: "Brother, can I learn magic? I want to be an immortal too! I want to somersault on a cloud!"

Jiang Fan smiled and patted her head: "This is a story, not true."

"But I really want to learn!" Little Sizi pleaded.

Chengyang, standing nearby, said, "Sizi, this is just a story. People can't really fly."

"I know, but I just want to..." Little Si pouted.

Jiang Fan pinched her cheek: "When you grow up, maybe you can make movies and play Sun Wukong."

"What's making movies?" Little Sizi tilted his head.

"It's a live-action film, similar to an animated film," Jiang Fan explained.

"Oh..." Little Sizi thought for a moment, then asked, "Can that nest be used to play Sun Wukong?"

"Sure, you can play the female Monkey King," Jiang Fan said with a smile.

Little Si chuckled twice and lay back down in bed.

Chengyang asked, "Brother Jiang Fan, what happened after Sun Wukong learned magic?"

Jiang Fan was about to continue speaking when he glanced at the time and realized it was almost ten o'clock.

He put down his phone: "That's all for today, time to go to sleep."

"Huh?" Little Sizi sat up abruptly. "Brother, tell me more! I want to hear more! What happened to Xun Wukong later?"

Chengyang looked at him expectantly: "Brother Jiang Fan, tell me a little more."

Jiang Fan shook his head: "No, it's too late, I should go to sleep."

"Tomorrow when we get back, your brother will show you the animated version of Journey to the West. It's much better than listening to the story."

"Cartoons?" Little Sizi's eyes lit up instantly, even brighter than when she was listening to the story. "Are there cartoons?"

Chengyang looked delighted: "Brother, there's an animated version of Journey to the West?"

"Of course there is, it's really good," Jiang Fan said. "I'll find it for you tomorrow, and after you watch it you'll know what happened to Sun Wukong later."

"Yay!" Little Sizi squirmed happily in bed. "I want to watch cartoons! I want to watch Xun Wukong!"

Chengyang smiled too, his eyes curving into crescents.

"Alright, alright, go to sleep."

Little Sizi lay down obediently, but was still muttering, "Xun Wukong... Somersault Cloud... Seventy-two Transformations..."

"Sizi, stop nagging and go to sleep," Chengyang said softly.

"Oh..." Little Sizi fell silent.

Soon, even breathing filled the air. Little Sizi had fallen asleep, her little mouth slightly open.

A small hand rested on Jiang Fan's arm. Cheng Yang was also fast asleep, lying on her side with a slight smile on her lips.

He put down his phone and closed his eyes.

He muttered "Xun Wukong" under his breath, and then fell silent.

Jiang Fan smiled slightly and fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, Li Shimin took Jiang Fan for a stroll in the Imperial Garden, accompanied by Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong.

A moment later, Zhang Anan rushed over: "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened!"

"Hmm? What's the matter that you're so panicked?" Li Shimin asked.

"The Emperor Emeritus... has suddenly fallen seriously ill and is unconscious. The imperial physicians are at a loss..."

"What? The Emperor Emeritus is unconscious? How could this happen?"

"I do not know the reason either. Your Majesty should go and see for the most urgent matter, lest...a regrettable thing happen."

This makes it very clear: if Your Majesty doesn't go,

If you don't even get to see your own father one last time, won't you regret it for the rest of your life?

After the last birthday celebration for the young prince, the rift between Li Shimin and his son Li Yuan lessened somewhat...

In his panic, Li Shimin suddenly remembered that he and Jiang Fan were together.

At this moment, Jiang Fan was chatting with his little tagalong, Xiao Sizi, Cheng Yaojin, and Yuchi Gong.

He quickly walked up to Jiang Fan and said, "Jiang Fan, hurry, go to Da'an Palace with your uncle."

Jiang Fan was taken aback: "Da'an Palace? Where is Da'an Palace?"

"This is the Emperor Emeritus's palace. Now is not the time to discuss Da'an Palace. Saving lives is the priority. Quick, let's go with Uncle to save them!"

"Your Majesty, could it be that the Emperor Emeritus is ill?"

Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong asked the question almost simultaneously.

Li Shimin nodded silently.

Upon learning this, Jiang Fan didn't dare delay and said to Li Shimin, "Uncle-in-law, go quickly..."