Longevity Candle

Chapter 121 The world is in chaos; one should not be too upright.

Yunmeng Tavern.

The light of the setting sun shone on me, giving me a sense of holiness.

Jiang Yunmeng, preoccupied with her own thoughts, walked towards the tavern.

Jiang Zhu's magic performance truly amazed her.

She really wanted to learn that kind of magic trick, but Jiang Zhu simply vanished without leaving a trace.

Like many others, she wondered if it was an immortal.

She was too young back then to remember that Jiang Zhu had once held her, and she was still wondering why he knew her.

Jiang Zhu didn't disturb her; the young girl deserved a happy childhood.

This time, he stayed for three days.

The world has changed again; the once peaceful and prosperous era is now in its twilight.

In the Sheng Kingdom, Emperor Ning obtained a formula for an elixir of immortality, and he embarked on the same path as Emperor Sheng before him.

Suddenly, various taxes were introduced throughout Ningguo, suffocating the people.

At the beginning, the people complained about the wealth accumulated during the peaceful and prosperous period, but they could accept it.

But time goes by, and no matter how much savings you accumulate, they can't withstand the pressure.

Meanwhile, the Sheng Kingdom continuously invested financial and material resources in its quest to find the Peaches of Immortality at sea.

The cost of finding the peaches of immortality increases every year.

The wealth of Shengguo was also continuously transported to Ningguo. Strangely, this wealth seemed to have evaporated and did not enter the national treasury.

No one knows where the wealth of the Sheng Kingdom went; it's as if it evaporated into thin air.

In the second year of stagnation, taxes were raised again, and the people could no longer make a living.

Zhang Ming's magic trick business initially earned him a lot of money, but life became difficult again.

When ordinary people have no money, no matter how good the performance is, no one will pay for it.

Many people in Yigu City have started migrating to big cities because they can no longer survive locally and have no choice but to go out and look for opportunities.

By this point, the imperial court was in complete chaos, but the search for the peaches of immortality did not stop; instead, the cost was increased again.

The peaches of immortality in the South China Sea have always been elusive, seemingly within reach, just a step away from being obtained.

But each time, it was just a little short.

That was bait, constantly enticing Emperor Ning to obtain the peaches of immortality.

As a result, Ningguo increases its tax revenue several times a year.

As taxes are passed down through the layers of government, they have long since changed, with all sorts of exorbitant taxes and levies following one after another.

Peach Blossom Village vanished, and Zhang Youwei and the other Taiping Dao Qi cultivators disappeared without a trace, as if they had planned it all along.

In just one year, Taipingdao seemed to have evaporated.

Emperor Ning sent people to search for it, but there was no trace of it.

It's too easy for a Qi cultivator to hide their abilities.

In the third year, the major powers of the Sheng Kingdom suddenly raised their banners and began a counterattack.

They had waited too long for this moment.

They seemed to know about Ningguo's situation, and were aware that Ningguo had gone from being wealthy to being a destitute pauper.

The army was underpaid, and families were oppressed; everything seemed to have returned to the Qian Kingdom era.

A once-prosperous nation, in a short time, was thrown into turmoil.

The generals dispatched to fight either met with unexpected events or carved out their own territory and became kings in the Sheng Kingdom.

Clearly, Ningguo is facing a major problem, and it's not just about financial resources.

In the fourth year, the entire city of Yigu became desolate.

Yunmeng Tavern is not open.

Jiang Zhu woke up from his deep sleep and looked at the empty tavern, momentarily stunned.

He sensed that the father and daughter were picking peaches in the peach orchard.

Jiang Zhu arrived at the noodle stall from years ago with practiced ease.

It has a rich aroma, and the formula has been improved.

"Shopkeeper, do you still remember me?" Jiang Zhu said with a smile.

The once lean man is now weathered and worn; he is not only thin but also somewhat haggard.

He stared at Jiang Zhu for a moment, then remembered him: "Sir, it's you! Come, come, try my noodle shop. Everyone who's tried it raves about it."

He quickly scalded a bowl of noodles, added a spoonful of meat and a spoonful of vegetables, and filled the bowl.

"Wow, so willing to spend money, are you not living a good life?" Jiang Zhu asked in surprise, "Why aren't there any guests?"

He was the only one at the noodle stall, and there were no other vendors or stalls in the distance. There were a few pedestrians here and there, but the scene was very desolate.

He took a bite of the noodles; the flavor was rich and delicious, and he became even more puzzled as to why no one was eating them.

"Sigh." The man sat down opposite him. "Everyone's dirt poor these days. Who would come to eat noodles anymore? Everyone's gone out to make a living."

"Hmm?" Jiang Zhu frowned. "Is the world in chaos?"

"That's about it." The man sighed deeply. "I thought that once I developed this delicious noodle, business would be booming and I'd make a fortune. I never imagined that the world would suddenly change."

"How will the reforms be implemented?"

"Various taxes. Before, when you did business, you only had to pay a commercial tax. Now it's different. You have to pay stall fees, head tax, and even a pastry tax."

"You said I bought these noodles myself, and I pulled them out by hand, so why do I have to pay taxes again?"

"If you don't buy it yourself, you can grow some yourself. And guess what happened? The land tax came, and then the poll tax came too. You have to pay two taxes..."

As the man spoke, he became somewhat out of control and wanted to start cursing, but he managed to stop himself.

Two constables approached from a distance, sat down with an air of authority, and stared coldly at Jiang Zhu: "Did you pay your taxes before eating noodles?"

Jiang Zhu was stunned. Did he really have to pay tax to eat noodles?
The man quickly said, "Officers, this is my friend. The noodles are on me."

"You paid for this? Looks like you've made quite a bit of money, managing to treat someone to noodles." A dark-faced official sneered, "Were you hiding any money?"

Another officer stood up, gripped the hilt of his sword, and said in a cold voice, "There are plenty of dishonest people like you. This officer is best at dealing with people like you."

The man hunched over and pleaded, "Please, officers, have mercy! I really didn't make any money. This friend of mine is hungry because he has no money, so I'm treating him to a bowl of noodles."

The two officers sized up Jiang Zhu, who was dressed in white, spotless, and possessed an extraordinary air about him.

The stern-faced official said, "No matter how you look at it, you don't seem like a destitute person. Regardless of your circumstances, if you eat noodles, you have to pay taxes. This is what the magistrate decided."

Jiang Zhu frowned: "How much tax do you pay for a bowl of noodles?"

“Normally it would cost two copper coins, but your bowl of noodles has a lot of meat, so it will cost ten copper coins,” the dark-faced man said.

Jiang Zhu took out ten coins and placed them in his hand: "Please be lenient."

After receiving the money, they stood up and moved to another table: "Old Wang, two bowls of noodles."

The man opened his mouth, his back hunched even more, but he didn't delay. He cooked two bowls of noodles, each topped with a thick layer of meat.

The two then smiled and began to eat heartily.

Jiang Zhu ate very slowly, seemingly savoring the bowl of noodles.

After the two officials finished their noodles, they left without paying, and Old Wang didn't dare to accept the money.

After clearing away the dishes, he sat down in front of Jiang Zhu again: "They're not bad; they took the money and didn't make things difficult. Some people, after taking the money, even smashed up the stall."

"I never expected that people would have to pay for the noodles," Jiang Zhu said.

"Ah, it was just bad luck that they saw us," Old Wang said in a low voice. "Most people bought a bowl of noodles to take home and eat while the officials weren't around." "You made a profit?" Jiang Zhu asked.

Old Wang said helplessly, "I won't starve to death, but I have to do something. I don't want my noodle stall to disappear; it used to be my dream."

"A dream? Your dream is just a small noodle stall?" Jiang Zhu asked in surprise.

"Don't laugh at me, but when I was a child I dreamed of becoming a Qi cultivator. But as I grew up, I didn't have such big dreams anymore, so I just wanted to have a small stall."

Old Wang grinned, a simple and honest smile, but there was a hint of melancholy in that smile.

Like most people, he had grand dreams as a child, but as he grew up, he stumbled and fell along the way, and even a peaceful life became a luxury.

If it were still a peaceful and prosperous time, his stall would definitely have become a noodle shop, but now the world has changed.

"I don't know how long I can hold on. Maybe after a while, I'll have to go out and find another way to make a living," Old Wang said.

"Where are your wife and children?" Jiang Zhu asked.

"What wife and children do I have?" Old Wang scratched his head, his expression bitter. "I was thinking that once business was good, I would find a wife, but now I dare not even think about it. As long as I'm full, the whole family isn't hungry."

"Then won't your craft be lost to time?"

"Hey, I can't give up. Once I save up some more money, I'll go and get one. There are so many kids being given away these days, they can't make a living," Old Wang sighed.

People in chaotic times...

In the past, I would rather be a dog in Ningguo than a human in a chaotic world.

Ningguo is now in chaos.

"Do you still want to be a Qi Refiner?" Jiang Zhu asked.

"I don't want to think about it anymore." Old Wang shook his head. "I just want to keep the noodle shop and not cause any more trouble."

He has long lost the ambition he once had, and even if an opportunity were presented to him, he wouldn't want to take a chance.

Jiang Zhu finished his noodles and said softly, "So what do you want? Wealth, or an endless supply of noodles?"

"There's no such thing as an endless supply of noodles," Old Wang laughed. "As for wealth, what's the use of it? What if someone steals it from you?"

He knew he couldn't hold onto his wealth.

Seeing Jiang Zhu's calm expression, Old Wang's expression gradually became serious: "Young master, judging from your clothes and demeanor, you are no ordinary person. You should leave Yigu City as soon as possible. The world is getting more and more chaotic. Go to a big city. Even if it is chaotic there, you can still find a way to survive."

"Okay." Jiang Zhu nodded slightly. "I will come to Yigu City again when I have time."

"Young master, do you not know his name?" Old Wang called out.

"Jiang Zhu".

Jiang Zhu responded and walked towards the school.

Inside the school, there was no sound of reading aloud; instead, cheers and applause could be heard.

Jiang Zhu watched from outside as Zhang Ming was instructing thirteen children, practicing magic tricks.

"Let me tell you, this peach trick was taught by the immortals. We illusionists are disciples of the immortals."

Zhang Ming spoke solemnly and looked serious.

He planted a peach tree, and to the children's astonishment, the peach tree grew and eventually produced thirteen peaches.

"One for each person, no fighting allowed," Zhang Ming said.

The children obediently picked peaches, and a thin boy asked, "Master, when can we learn to grow peaches?"

"Practice diligently, and when you've cultivated true qi, you'll be able to grow peaches," Zhang Ming said.

"I will definitely practice my skills hard, and when I grow peaches, I will make sure my master has an endless supply of peaches," the skinny boy said.

"Alright, Master is waiting for your Peach." Zhang Ming said with a smile.

"Master, why didn't you plant peaches last winter? That way you wouldn't have gone hungry," a little girl asked curiously.

Zhang Ming's expression darkened, as if he had thought of something bad, and he sighed, "You'll understand when you start learning how to grow peaches."

Illusionists and magicians are ultimately fake, merely entertaining the masses.

How can peaches be grown in winter?

It's just that we borrowed some peaches during the right season.

"Master, I want to learn the Immortal Rope and become an immortal like our ancestral master."

"I want to learn the Immortal Rope Technique too..."

Zhang Ming responded with a smile, his thoughts drifting as he thought of Jiang Zhu.

He arrived suddenly that year, and he left just as suddenly, disappearing without a trace as a rope pierced the sky.

He had searched for him, but no one had ever seen Jiang Zhu; it was as if he had appeared out of thin air.

His gaze fell outside, and he suddenly paused, blinking hard. The figure in white was still standing there quietly.

Just as he was about to speak, Jiang Zhu made a shushing gesture.

He immediately understood: "Go and cultivate, Master will go outside and see if anyone is watching the magic show."

The children quickly dispersed, and Zhang Ming walked out of the school. Just as he was about to speak, Jiang Zhu said, "Come with me."

"Okay." He suppressed his excitement and followed Jiang Zhu to his side.

"These people aren't the children from back then. Where are they?" Jiang Zhu asked.

“They’ve been driven away.” Zhang Ming said in a low voice, “Life has been too hard. All the wealthy people in Yigu City who could move away have moved away. I can’t support them. They were pretty good at magic tricks, so I let them fend for themselves.”

Jiang Zhu nodded slightly: "Can you support so many children?"

"As long as we don't starve to death, that's fine," Zhang Ming said bitterly.

Jiang Zhu fell silent, and the atmosphere became somewhat oppressive. Zhang Ming lowered his head, not daring to speak.

He sensed it; in the distance, there were many beggars on the streets, all driven to desperation.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Zhang Ming remained silent as well. The invisible pressure was like a mountain, making it hard for him to breathe.

"What are you afraid of?" Jiang Zhu sensed his fear.

"I... I have failed my teacher's teachings. I learned the skills, but I cannot support my disciples," Zhang Ming said, his face flushed with shame.

"That's too rigid," Jiang Zhu shook his head.

Zhang Ming lowered his head even further and asked in a low voice, "Teacher, what do you mean?"

Jiang Zhu didn't answer, but instead asked, "What happened last winter?"

"Last winter, many children lost their parents. The snow was so heavy that I couldn't save them. I gave them my own food and tried my best to help, but in the end, no one could help them."

Zhang Ming closed his eyes, his expression pained, trying his best to hold back his tears.

"You can borrow peaches, but not food, and you can't borrow gold or silver?" Jiang Zhu glanced at him.

Zhang Ming froze, his face flushing red: "But, but that was, that was theft."

He was originally a teacher at a school, and a man of integrity. Even though he had this skill, he never thought of using it to steal money.

"Sigh." Jiang Zhu sighed softly, "I stole ten coins today."

"Teacher, you...?" Zhang Ming stared wide-eyed at Jiang Zhu in disbelief.

Do celestial beings steal money?

“When I was eating noodles before, two government officials came to me asking for more noodles, so I took ten coins from their house.”

Jiang Zhu said calmly, "Is some people's money earned legitimately? I'm not teaching you to steal, but some people don't deserve your uprightness."

"me……"

"Come, I will teach you another technique, the technique of passing through walls."

(End of this chapter)