Don't farm, cultivate immortality!

After asking the old man for directions, they embarked on the last stretch of the road. The crowds increased, and after walking for two or three hours, the shadows suddenly spread from the stream and peach grove ahead to their heads, making it much cooler.

As Zhuang walked out of the peach grove, he saw a black city wall that blocked out the setting sun, seemingly reaching endlessly.

This is the imperial city of Dayu. Yunling looked at the city wall and exclaimed that it was much higher than the city wall of Yidu.

Zhuang Xing smiled in agreement. The city wall was very high, but he had seen even higher walls before, so he walked straight in.

They traveled from spring to summer and finally arrived in the capital.

(The following plot is quite important, so I'll only post one chapter today and update again tomorrow.)

Chapter 204 Charm

Even at dusk, long queues formed in front of the capital.

This is the most magnificent city under heaven in this dynasty, the residence of the emperor, and the center of power of the Great Yu.

Before the capital was moved, this was an ancient city.

Almost every day, the city gates were blocked by dignitaries and commoners entering the city, and Zhuang Xing and Yun Ling had no choice but to obediently walk at the end of the long queue and wait silently.

Fortunately, it was their turn before sunset. The originally serious officers were stunned when they saw the talisman in Zhuang Xing's hand. The soldiers who were about to check the horses and luggage were immediately stopped. Several people came over, took Zhuang Xing's talisman, and carefully examined the seal and writing on it.

This document is stamped with many official seals. At each post station, the local officials would leave a seal. There are dozens of seals of various sizes on it.

After verifying the authenticity of the talisman and carefully examining the Taoist's attire and the magnificent horse beside him, the officials, seeing that the two had come from Yidu and traveled hundreds of miles across three prefectures, immediately invited them into the city.

At the same time, a messenger mounted his horse and quickly rode towards the city.

It seems that the prefect of Yidu has really made all the arrangements. They traveled at a leisurely pace for three months, and the news that the Taoist priest was coming to the capital had already reached the emperor's ears.

The officials respectfully invited the Taoist priest into the city. The people queuing behind him whispered among themselves, all asking which immortal sect he was from and how he could enter the city without being checked. Unfortunately, they couldn't find out anything.

After entering the city gate, the sky had already turned from golden yellow to dark.

I had expected to see a city about to fall asleep at dusk, but even as darkness approached, the capital was still bustling with activity.

As night completely enveloped the city, the lights of the streets came on.

The flat bluestone roadside was illuminated as if it were daytime, and the street was crowded with pedestrians. Swords were not forbidden under the emperor's nose, and men with swords and knives could be seen everywhere. They were dressed simply, with their sleeves cut very short. Each of them looked like a peerless swordsman, but Zhuang Xing could tell that most of them were just putting on an act.

They probably think this outfit is cool, and many young men with unstable breathing wear this outfit.

There were stalls selling juggling and other goods along the roadside. Women dressed in revealing clothes walked in twos and threes. Both women and girls had their arms exposed. Some wealthy women wore only a tube top wrapped around their chests, generously displaying their fair skin.

This is a sight you would never see in the small village of Zhuangxing. Even in Yidu, few women dress like this. You can only see such a sight in brothels.

The sex and entertainment industries in Beijing are particularly developed, and the snow disasters of the past few years seem to have had no impact on them.

Along the way, we have seen many taverns and brothels, and some even solicit customers directly on the street. The officials and people from the capital turned a blind eye to this. Scholars and officials frequented these places, which was commonplace in this era.

But for Yunling, this was completely unfamiliar territory.

She watched the women walk by, bewildered, and whispered a question in Zhuang Xing's ear.

"Why are they wearing so little clothing? Aren't they ashamed?"

"What is that man doing...?"

Zhuang Xing followed Yunling's gaze and happened to see a man embracing a courtesan.

The man seemed to be drunk, groping the woman's body.

Yunling looked at the two people with innocent eyes, but she seemed to know that this was not a good thing. Her face flushed slightly, and her eyes darted around, as if she wanted to look but dared not.

These images were probably quite stimulating for Yunling.

Since Yunling came up the mountain, she has been busy in that small medicine shop all day long. She has no time to read the pharmacopoeia, let alone those miscellaneous books.

When she arrived in Yidu, no one took her to brothels or similar places. Zhuang Xing couldn't very well take a girl to a brothel for a date.

After traveling for three months, the two of them had only ever listened to operas in teahouses.

Thinking back, Yunling's mother died in childbirth, leaving after giving birth to her. Her father also passed away early. When she was fostered at her second uncle's house, she rarely communicated with her uncle and aunt. I wonder if Master Yuanyan ever taught Yunling anything about that.

She may know very little about matters between men and women; in her mind, perhaps all it takes is a kiss and a hug to give birth to a child.

If no one taught her, Zhuang Xing felt he should take on that responsibility.

He spoke in a very low voice to Yunling, explaining to her what brothels and pleasure houses were all about.

He didn't hide much, but he didn't tell any of the most explosive things. He wanted to proceed step by step, only saying that the job of a brothel woman was to sleep with men. Men would pay money to buy a woman for one night, and then they would sleep in the same bed that night.

The girl listened very carefully. She was fourteen or fifteen years old. She said that no one had ever told her these things before. Her gaze secretly glanced at a young woman walking towards her. The young woman swayed her waist and was very charming. She had the fragrance of orchids on her body, which was the smell of rouge.

She looked down at her chest. She was still a naive young girl, and the scenery that day seemed to stir some strange feelings in her heart.

She took Zhuang Xing's hand, and like a little sparrow, cautiously and curiously peeked out, looking at the men and women on the street.

Besides brothels and entertainment venues, you can also see many men and women strolling hand in hand.

She was a little shy, but held Zhuang Xing's hand firmly.

She whispered to Zhuang Xing, "Why do men pay prostitutes to sleep with them? Is sleeping with them fun?"

Zhuang Xing said it might be fun, but I've never been there, so I don't know. Maybe I'll go in and try it sometime, and then I'll tell you if it's fun or not.

Yunling said, "It's so strange. Why do I feel so uncomfortable just thinking about you going to sleep with other women? Please don't go to brothels to sleep with women, okay?"

Zhuang Xing said, "Okay, I won't go."

Yunling smiled. The two walked in unison, their thousands of steps giving them a great understanding. They walked through the streets of the capital, through long streets, until the officials led them to a secluded courtyard.

This is a quiet courtyard, but it is not in a remote location.

Standing beside the villa, one could see the magnificent palace, surrounded by a moat. It was more like a formidable pass than a palace; they had seen another city within the capital.

The official said that the accommodations arranged for the immortal master were here, and invited the immortal master to come in and rest.

Chapter 205 The Emperor's Night Visit

The officials led the two to a secluded courtyard, a quiet and elegant place. Tender bamboo leaves and pruned leaves surrounded a stone pavilion, beneath which lay a pond. Summer was the season for lotus flowers to bloom, their bright red petals glistening with dew. The lanterns in the courtyard added to the tranquil atmosphere.

There were no maids or servants in the courtyard, but it was still very clean, showing that someone took care of it every day.

Zhuang Xing asked if there was any firewood in the yard. He and Yunling hadn't eaten yet, and with cooking utensils and a stove, he could cook some dishes to treat them.

Before they could get a reply, another person came to greet the two, and the official left.

The two were received by an old man.

He had a shrill, hoarse voice, and although he had a masculine appearance, he was not male. His manhood was cruelly removed when he entered the palace.

My father-in-law's surname is Li, and he is called Li Gonggong. He looks quite old, with wrinkled skin on his face, like an old lady.

Eunuch Li said that the two immortal masters could summon him at will, as he was originally a palace eunuch who served the emperor at his side.

He said he knew the immortal masters preferred quiet places, which was why the emperor arranged this courtyard. He also said that the two immortal masters were honored guests, and that the palace servants would naturally take care of the miscellaneous tasks. The imperial chefs were already preparing meals for the immortal masters, and that the immortal masters could go and take a bath first.

In addition, the Emperor asked him to inquire whether the two immortal masters could visit tonight.

"Does His Majesty already know we've arrived?"

"As soon as the two immortal masters entered the city, the messenger conveyed the news to the Emperor. To be honest, the Emperor has been waiting for a long time, hoping for the immortal masters to come to the city every day. I have been serving the Emperor for twenty-two years and know that the Emperor has been preoccupied with many things lately. He must want to find the immortal masters as soon as possible to seek their advice and have a heart-to-heart talk. However, the Emperor also knows that the immortal masters are tired from their journey, so he asked me to come and ask if it is convenient for them tonight."

Upon hearing this, Yunling looked at Zhuang Xing, and it was clear from her tightly clenched hands that she was very nervous.

After all, it was the emperor who wanted to see them.

Under the whole world, could it be the king's land.

Although she was practicing at Xuanqing Temple, she was ultimately just a young girl who had never seen much of the world and was unable to get along with such an important figure as the emperor with a very peaceful mindset.

In comparison, Zhuangxing is much more relaxed.

Deep down, he didn't see the emperor as an emperor. He knew that the emperor didn't have any divine mandate or the reincarnation of a dragon. He was just a person sitting in a high position with many troubles.

Even the emperor probably didn't see as much as he did, nor did he know as much.

In his mind, the emperor was not much different from the "NPC" sitting on the throne in the game. Of course, this does not mean that he regarded the emperor as an "NPC". It just means that he found it difficult to feel respect or fear for a person because of the difference in status.

However, when the prefect brought the wheat to the capital, the emperor acted quickly, issuing many favorable decrees for the cultivation of wheat seeds.

Regardless of what kind of person he was, Zhuang Xing felt that he must care about the world, or at least about the dynasty, and wanted the country to become more prosperous and flourishing under his leadership. This was one of the reasons why Zhuang Xing was willing to come to the capital to see the emperor.

He had come to this city and was bound to meet the emperor sooner or later; whether he met him sooner or later was the same, so there was no harm in meeting him tonight.

The Emperor valued the "Immortal Master" highly, arranging everything for his food, clothing, lodging, and transportation, and patiently waiting for three months. To then put on airs would be rather cold and even ungrateful.

Moreover, he didn't consider himself a celestial master. Although he had far more knowledge than anyone else in the world, he might not be able to solve the emperor's troubles and worries. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. It was better to meet him sooner rather than later, so as not to disappoint the emperor too much later.

"Please tell His Majesty, Eunuch Li, that His Majesty is concerned about the well-being of the people and is inevitably exhausted. If he has any extra energy after finishing his business tonight, then the two of us will wait for His Majesty's visit in the courtyard."

Eunuch Li bowed and said, "This servant will go and inform His Majesty that the Immortal Master is invited to take a bath; the hot water is ready."

After Eunuch Li left the courtyard, several servants brought in hot water.

Zhuang Xing and Yunling then went to bathe and change. The courtyard was very large, and the houses inside were even more elegant. Although the bricks and tiles looked simple, the arrangement had its own charm, which was pleasing to the eye.

In the sweltering summer heat, after walking around outside, a shower is the most refreshing thing to do.

Zhuang Xing took a very thorough shower, as if he had washed away all the sweat and fatigue from his body.

After he finished showering, he and Yunling tidied up each other's appearance.

He helped Yunling comb her hair, and Yunling helped him tidy his clothes.

In fact, the two of them had cultivated for many years and possessed innate Qi. Even just standing there, they were different from ordinary people. Sensitive people would feel their presence very strongly, even without looking at them, they could sense that strong aura from behind.

The auras are different. To give an example, it's like seeing a tiger and a rabbit; you can tell they're different at a glance.

The difference between a spiritual practitioner and an ordinary person is sometimes greater than that between a tiger and a rabbit.

The two of them standing together looked like a perfect couple from a traditional Chinese story.

The Emperor was looking forward to meeting them, and Zhuang Xing felt it was best not to disappoint him.

When I finished washing up, a table full of dishes was ready and placed in the pavilion in the courtyard.

There weren't many dishes prepared; there were six dishes I'd never seen before, including steamed fish, mutton and pork, and seasonal vegetables. It wasn't as luxurious as I'd imagined, but it suited Zhuang Xing's taste perfectly.

If he does too much or too luxurious a thing, it will seem extravagant and wasteful, and he doesn't like waste.

Although few people starve to death in the Great Yu, most can only barely make ends meet. There are still many people in the world who can't even eat meat once a month, just like he did when he was a child.