She is devoted to cultivating immortality

Chapter 83: Song of Righteousness, Dream of Eternal Life, Moon in the Water

Luo Laoqi wiped the table quickly and brought the food up.

"I'm afraid I'll have to leave for a while."

"Then this old man has something to ask, and before I leave, I would like to ask Madam Xie what you think.

"You said."

"It is this skill of making tofu and soy milk that I want to pass on to my fellow villagers, but I have to get the approval of Lady Xie first."

"Passing on the skills to others?"

Xie Lian took a bite of the bean cake and asked with interest.

"Aren't you afraid that you will starve your master to death if you teach your apprentice?"

Luo Laoqi showed a simple and honest smile.

"How could I do that? When life was tough in the past, I relied on the help of my fellow villagers. Now that my fellow villagers are having a hard time, I, Luo Laoqi, am having a better life. How can I just sit there and do nothing? Besides, even if I don't teach you this recipe, many people have already figured it out privately. They just eat it at home because they're afraid that Madam Xie will be unhappy, and they don't dare to sell it outside."

"Is there such a thing?"

Zhuang Mochen was slightly surprised.

"This is normal. The wisdom of the people is endless. The methods of making tofu and soy milk are simple and cannot withstand scrutiny.

Xie Lian thought about it and said.

"Uncle Qi, it's definitely a good thing that you have this idea. You can tell everyone openly that whether you cook it at home or sell it, it has nothing to do with me."

"Although I came up with the recipe, I am just copying others. Besides, I don't run a business, so what's the point of monopolizing the tofu trade? On the contrary, if Xie eats Xiaoning County tofu in another place one day, he will be happy."

"As for you, Uncle Qi, although your business will be affected to a certain extent after everyone else does this business, you are the first person to do business after all, and many people will still remember your old brand. Moreover, the potential of tofu has not been fully tapped, such as stinky tofu, tofu pudding, dried tofu, etc. You can think about it more privately."

As Xie Lian spoke, Luo Laoqi nodded repeatedly, trying hard to remember all the words.

After finishing the meal, Xie Lian touched his stomach and walked out of the morning market with Zhuang Mochen.

There was an earthy smell between heaven and earth. This was because it rained a little last night. Xie Lian had always thought that this smell was very pleasant. After closing his eyes and taking a little taste, he said.

"Xie will leave tomorrow."

Zhuang Mochen was a little surprised.

"So fast?"

"I was originally planning to leave in the next few days, but I couldn't say when. However, after this trip, I suddenly felt a little bored. I might as well leave tomorrow."

"What time is it? I'll take you there."

"No need. It's not like we won't meet again someday. What I hate most is separation. Mr. Zhuang should just teach the children well."

"Ah, I really envy Mr. Xie. You can go anywhere in the world, live a carefree and carefree life."

"Everyone has his own way of living. Mr. Zhuang just doesn't want to live like this. Before leaving, Xie said something to you: Nothing is difficult in this world as long as you are determined. No matter how far-fetched a dream is, it can be realized as long as you are willing to do it. Didn't Mr. Zhuang always think that he has a noble spirit? The so-called noble spirit is the righteousness between heaven and earth. No matter how filthy the world is, the righteousness will exist!"

"But even Zhuang himself has recently begun to doubt it. I have never seen the Haoran Qi."

"The heaven and earth have righteous energy, which is mixed and flowing. Below, it is the rivers and mountains, and above, it is the sun and stars. Just because it doesn't exist now doesn't mean it won't exist in the future. Where there is a will, there is a way. Now may just be the time has not come yet!"

Xie Lian finally patted Zhuang Mochen on the shoulder.

She could always feel that Zhuang Mochen was rather depressed, a kind of suffering of having great ambitions but no place to use them.

If you keep doing this for a long time, you will run into problems sooner or later.

Before leaving, it would be great if a few words of encouragement could have any effect.

“Heaven and earth have righteousness”

Zhuang Mochen stopped and looked at Xie Lian's receding back. A subtle warm current slowly flowed through his body.

Fengdu.

Several fast horses rushed into the city gate and headed straight for the palace.

It was Quan Shaoze and his five companions.

Although they were riding two horses each, they were in such a hurry to get on with their journey that they almost broke the horses.

Passing by the post station, everyone changed their horses and returned to Fengdu as quickly as possible.

Several people were almost exhausted.

As a minister, he was able to move freely in the palace, and Quan Shaoze and his party soon reached the depths of the imperial palace.

It was already late at night.

Emperor Qian had gone to bed early.

The eunuch on night duty said impatiently.

"If you have anything to say, we can talk about it tomorrow. Your Majesty has already fallen asleep. Can you bear the consequences of disturbing your Majesty's sweet dreams?"

After saying that, he yawned and was about to leave.

It was obvious that the eunuch did not take Quan Shaoze seriously at all.

But Quan Shaoze, who used to be timid, seemed very different today. Even though he had been traveling all the way, he was still full of energy because of the glass of wine. Not only did he not leave, but he also responded in a neither soft nor harsh manner.

"I am here on the emperor's orders to search for the immortals. Now I have made some important discoveries, so I came to the palace to see Your Majesty late at night. But the eunuch stopped me and disturbed Your Majesty's sweet dream. We can make it up tomorrow, but I have delayed the search for the immortals. May I ask how many heads the eunuch deserves to be chopped off?"
-
Perhaps due to his old age and weakness, Emperor Qian stopped living in the harem seven or eight years ago.

He preferred to live in the newly built Taoist palace.

It was built according to the directions of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. As soon as you enter the palace, you can smell the rich scent of sandalwood.

The ground was paved with templates made of cold fragrant wood. When Quan Shaoze and his group knelt down to pay their respects, they could clearly smell the aroma of the wood.

"It turns out that the Minister is back. I thought you were gone forever!"

Emperor Qian spoke in a bad tone. It was hard for him to be in a good mood after being woken up in the middle of the night.

So he always had a sullen face, and there was anger in his eyes.

The eunuchs who were familiar with him all knew that Emperor Qian’s state was the most terrifying, and he would kill people if they disagreed with him.

So they all lowered their heads, not daring to breathe, and tried hard to reduce their presence.

The eunuch who was frightened by Quan Shaoze and went to wake up Emperor Qian was already trembling slightly. Thinking about it now, he felt a little regretful. If Quan Shaoze could not come up with an answer that satisfied Emperor Qian today, not only would he die, but he might also be implicated.

So he had already cursed Quan Shaoze eight hundred times in his heart.

Quan Shaoze could clearly feel the solemn atmosphere in the hall. Facing such a tyrant, he was not the only one who was walking on thin ice.
However, compared to the past, he was now calmer. Facing Emperor Qian's obviously unfriendly words, he bowed lightly and spoke calmly.

"I was entrusted with a great responsibility by your majesty, and I dared not slack off for a moment. I rushed back from Xiaoning County day and night. Five of us ran away and ten horses were worn out. Fortunately, we changed horses at the post station, so we did not miss the important event and returned to Fengdu as quickly as possible. We did not even go home. After entering the city, we went directly to the palace, for fear of missing your majesty's important event."

Oh?
Upon hearing this, Emperor Qian raised his eyebrows.

He didn't really believe this at first.

He was not a fool. When he was in the court, he was confused by the situation. But after the court meeting, he gradually came to his senses.

Quan Shaoze volunteered, saying that he was going to look for immortals, but in fact it was more likely that he was taking the opportunity to avoid the limelight.

He wanted to withdraw the order at that time, but when he sent someone to inquire, he found out that after Quan Shaoze finished the court meeting, he returned home, took his valuables and immediately left the city, with almost no delay.

In his heart, he had almost sentenced Quan Shaoze to death.
Anyone who dares to flee due to fear of punishment shall be put to death!
If you dare to return empty-handed, you will die!

Quan Shaoze was just a small character promoted by him on a whim. Killing him was as easy as crushing an ant, and it wouldn't even bring any pleasure to Emperor Qian.

"Do you think I don't remember the date? Haha, it's been almost a month since you left Fengdu. You've wasted so much time, yet you still dare to make up such absurd stories about traveling day and night and killing several horses. Do you really think that I'm old and blind and can't tell the difference between loyalty and treachery?"

Emperor Qian smiled grimly, the murderous intent in his eyes was extremely intense.

It was as if the next sentence would be an order to kill.

The eunuchs who were familiar with his temper had already begun to observe a moment of silence for the five people kneeling below.

The imperial power was terrifying. If it were the former Quan Shaoze, he would have been terrified. But after meeting Xie Lian, his mindset became more open and his fear of the imperial power faded a lot. So even though he was afraid at the moment, he was still able to speak clearly.

"Your Majesty, please listen to me. The reason why I have been delayed for so long is not because I am delaying on purpose, but because I must show my sincerity to see Madam Xie. I sat on the ground outside the Xie residence and waited for many days. I only drank a bowl of water every day and had a meal every two days. Only then did I move Madam Xie and get to meet her. The four palace guards can testify to this, and the officials and servants of the Xiaoning County government can all testify!"

"Who is Lady Xie?"

Emperor Qian was stunned. It was the first time he heard this name.

"That's the immortal I'm looking for on this trip!"

"What did you say? Immortal... Immortal?"

"That's right. And it was only after I met Madam Xie that I learned that she was the Taoist priest I beheaded at Caishikou that day. After leaving Fengdu that day, she went to Xiaoning County with Mr. Zhuang Mo Chenzhuang, who resigned from his position as a counselor, and settled there afterwards."

"What? Madam Xie is the one from Caishikou? No, no, are you sure there really is an immortal in Xiaoning County?"

Emperor Qian could no longer sit still, a look of astonishment appeared on his face.

In fact, he didn't expect Quan Shaoze to find the immortal at all, because it was too slim.

After so many years of searching for immortals, he has never been able to see the true appearance of an immortal.

The reason why Quan Shaoze was sent out was just because there was a glimmer of hope in his heart.

Now Quan Shaoze kept insisting that immortals really existed, which made him feel a little confused.
"There is indeed an immortal in Xiaoning County, and it is the one in Caishikou. The four palace guards can also testify to this. These are some of the things I have recorded. Please review them, Your Majesty."

As he spoke, Quan Shaoze handed over the records he had made initially.

This record is very detailed, describing in detail what he saw and heard in the villages under the jurisdiction of Xiaoning County. Because it is specific to a certain person or a certain household, it appears to be very detailed. Emperor Qian, who has been reviewing memorials for many years, is very experienced and can often tell at a glance what is fabricated and what is substantial.

However, Quan Shaoze's record could not be fabricated at all. He believed most of it as soon as he read half of it.

"There really is an immortal in Xiaoning County! No wonder the entire eastern part of the country was hit by the disaster, but Xiaoning County was the only one that was spared. It turned out that an immortal took action. Peach charms, Spring Festival couplets, thank you, my lady."

Emperor Qian's hands were shaking constantly, and every wrinkle on his face was releasing excited messages. He took a few steps forward and spoke in a trembling voice.

"Where is Madam Xie? Has he come back with you? Is he outside the palace?"

There was actually an attitude as if he wanted to go out to greet him in person.

The four palace guards felt nervous when they saw this, and one of them stammered.

"Your Majesty, thank you for not coming with us."

silence.

It was as quiet as death. Emperor Qian's eyes were wide open and originally filled with excitement and joy, but at this moment, the excitement gradually faded away, and what surged up was extreme anger.

He was so angry that he covered his chest, pointed at Quan Shaoze and was speechless.

Several eunuchs rushed forward and stroked his chest and back to help him recover. Then, they heard Emperor Qian let out a roar that sounded almost like resentment.

"Quan! Shao! Ze!"

"Who do you think I am? You're going to tell me the same story for the second time?"

"Last time you saw the Immortal, you didn't invite him back. You did it again this time. You deserve to die!!!"

He gritted his teeth and even grabbed the Emperor's Sword himself, ready to rush forward and kill.

At this moment, he felt as if he had suffered a great humiliation.

This person is taking me for a fool, a fool!

"Your Majesty, I did see the immortal. Whether it was the first time or this time, I did not make any false statements. It's just that the immortal did not intend to see Your Majesty. What can I do?"

Quan Shaoze knelt down, kowtowed, then raised his head and said.

"But this time, although the immortal did not come, he asked me to bring a pot of immortal wine to Your Majesty."

Hiss!
Emperor Qian almost fainted. He felt like Quan Shaoze was deliberately teasing him by only telling him the key point at this moment.

"Immortal wine? What kind of immortal wine? Can it bring immortality?"

"I don't know about this, but I am sure that the magical wine has infinite uses. It can almost transform a person, and it may also have the effect of prolonging life."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because I have taken it."

Only then did Quan Shaoze have the opportunity to tell the whole story.

".Originally, I was in such a bad physical condition that I didn't even have the strength to walk. But after taking a cup of immortal wine, I felt like I was reborn. I rushed back to Fengdu at night. The four palace guards were almost dead from exhaustion, but I was just slightly tired. This shows that immortal wine is indeed of great use to ordinary people like me!"

Emperor Qian quickly looked at the four guards.

As expected, they were exhausted, their faces were pale, and the dark circles under their eyes were especially obvious.

As for Quan Shaoze? Just as he said, he was just a little tired.

"Where is the immortal wine?"

He swallowed, his voice filled with endless desire and anticipation.

Quan Shaoze took out the gourd he carried with him and raised it with both hands.

A eunuch had already stepped forward, holding up the gourd and walking towards Emperor Qian.

Everyone in the hall, including the four guards, couldn't help but look at the gourd in the eunuch's hand.
"Is this the immortal wine?"

Everyone was filled with greed and wanted to grab it. This was the immortal wine that the immortals drank. If they were lucky enough to have a sip...
When they thought of the immortal legends circulating among the people, their mouths became dry.

However, they did not reach the point of losing their minds. In the end, they dared not move at all. They watched Emperor Qian walk over tremblingly and hug the gourd with the posture of a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey.

"Immortal wine, immortal wine"

He muttered to himself, and then began to sob, holding the gourd tightly, as if he was holding everything.

After searching for immortals for many years, he had no idea how much he had paid and was almost going crazy.

And now, the hope of immortality has finally come to him.

Two lines of hot tears flowed.
He uncorked the gourd.

A rich scent of herbs hits your nose directly.

In an instant, the tiredness from getting up in the middle of the night was swept away.

The eunuch next to him had his Adam's apple rolling and couldn't help but step forward and speak.

"Your Majesty, I will test the wine for you, just in case it is poisonous."

But Emperor Qian did not hesitate for even a second.

"roll!"

He brandished the Emperor's Sword and drove all the eunuchs ten meters away like a madman.

The medium-sized gourd in front of him aroused his unprecedented desire for possession.

He absolutely would not allow anyone to peek.

Even if he is his own son, don't even think about taking anything away!
When everyone saw this, they were all envious.

Emperor Qian had been searching for immortality for many years, thinking it was all in vain, but he never expected that he would actually become one.
Only Quan Shaoze, who knew the inside story, showed no envy at all. He remained silent and watched coldly.

Emperor Qian took out the most gorgeous wine glass and placed it on the table.

Then he picked up the gourd and shook it carefully. It was indeed full of wine. He smiled with satisfaction and felt extremely happy.
"Thank you, Madam Xie, right? For your contribution in offering the immortal wine, I will appoint her as the Great Mage of Protecting the Nation. I will build the most magnificent and noble Taoist palace for her. I will let all Taoist sects in the world worship her as the Taoist master. As for you, my dear Quan, you have made amazing achievements. I will not treat you unfairly. Only you and I have drunk the immortal wine in this world. This is a hint from heaven. From now on, you are no longer a minister. I will appoint you as the prime minister and make you a marquis! And everyone present, everyone! Everyone will be rewarded..."

Emperor Qian laughed loudly and threw out all kinds of promises like they were free.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Everyone was overjoyed and bowed down immediately.

Only Quan Shaoze had the least reaction.

Emperor Qian laughed wildly.

What do these things count for?

Compared with immortality, it's nothing.

He held the gourd in both hands and poured it into the wine glass with a pious attitude, as if he was on a pilgrimage.

The crystal clear wine flowed slowly, and the rich aroma of the wine spread throughout the entire hall, but Emperor Qian's expression froze.

Because there is not a drop of wine in the glass!
He clearly saw with his own eyes that the gourd was filled with immortal wine, but why, when he poured it into the cup, there was not even a drop?

He raised his glass, a confused look in his eyes.

"Am I dazzled?"

His eyes swept over everyone.

Everyone was even more confused than him.

"No, no"

An ominous premonition suddenly came over him, and he raised the gourd again and poured it into the cup.

But just like before, there was still not a drop of wine in the glass.

But the gourd felt noticeably lighter.

"impossible!"

Emperor Qian roared, and he looked at the mouth of the gourd and saw the wine sloshing.
There must be wine in here!
His nose, his eyes, and his touch were all 100% certain that the gourd was full of wine!

"It's the cup!"

Like a madman, he brought more glasses, but still not a drop of wine.

So the whole person became hysterical and poured the wine directly into his mouth, but still not a drop of the wine fell into his mouth.
"Monster, monster, that Empress Xie is a monster, she actually deliberately played tricks on me!"

Emperor Qian roared, the ups and downs in life are really exciting.

How happy and excited he was the moment before, how frustrated and angry he was now.

The gourd became lighter and lighter, as if he had really poured out a lot of wine, but he clearly didn't drink even a drop from beginning to end.

He broke down and cursed, smashing the gourd heavily to the ground.

Wow.
However, a lot of wine flowed out of the gourd directly, soaking the entire floor.

Upon seeing this, Emperor Qian was startled at first, then his face turned pale, and he pounced on it without caring about his image, licking the floor like a starving beggar.

But the wine that was originally flowing would turn into smoke and dissipate as soon as he touched it.

It's like the moon in the water, you can see it but you can never touch it.

"No, no!"

He tightly hugged the almost empty gourd, almost going crazy, crying and laughing for a while, then looked at Quan Shaoze, his eyes full of requests for help.

"My dear, my dear! Tell me, what does Empress Xie mean?"

He had never been so broken in his life.

The hope of immortality was right before his eyes, but he was beyond his reach.

"Your Majesty, I dare not speculate on what Madam Xie meant, but Madam Xie said something and asked me to convey it on her behalf."

Quan Shaoze had guessed that this would be the result, but when this moment really happened, he still couldn't bear to watch it.

Is this the emperor who is high above us?
Is this the supreme ruler appointed by Heaven?
In front of Empress Xie, what is the imperial power that everyone in the world fears?

"Hurry, speak up!"

Emperor Qian roared.

"Empress Xie said: Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, which is a great blessing, but Your Majesty does not know how to be satisfied, and instead wants to live forever. Your Majesty, have you ever seen an immortal king in this world? How is it possible that all the good things in the world are taken by Your Majesty alone?"

"What's more, Your Majesty has been constantly building large-scale palaces and temples over the years, without any regard for the fact that these are the people's hard-earned money; Your Majesty has been ignoring state affairs, seeking immortality, killing innocent people indiscriminately, causing everyone in the world to feel insecure, Taoists have all returned to secular life, and the court has become lax and corrupt.
"His crimes are too numerous to list. How can such a person deserve immortality? As the saying goes, evils sent by heaven can be forgiven, but evils brought upon oneself cannot be forgiven. Your Majesty, take care of yourself!!!"

Quan Shaoze was like an emotionless machine. He memorized this paragraph in his mind and repeated the original words that he had recited silently countless times.

Everyone held their breath.

The way he was looked at was like looking at a madman.

Emperor Qian was just standing there in a daze, the gourd in his hand, which looked like a treasure, fell to the ground and rolled far away without him noticing.
"Misfortunes sent by heaven can be forgiven; those brought upon oneself cannot be forgiven"

He muttered a few words.

A mouthful of blood spurted out, and he fell straight down.

(End of this chapter)