Immortality: Starting with a grave, I'm invincible when burying corpses.

"You old man, don't you watch where you're going? With your old arms and legs, if you bump into something and get hurt, I won't be responsible!"

On the streets of Qi'an City, Jun Huayang, disguised, bumped into a street urchin of about sixteen or seventeen.

Before Jun Huayang could say anything, a barrage of curses and swears poured out of the street urchin's mouth.

After finishing his rant, the street urchin turned around and disappeared into the street, completely unaware that something had just happened, nor did he realize that a strong young man like himself had almost been knocked to the ground by an old man.

Jun Huayang and Su Xiang were left standing blankly in the middle of the street.

After a few seconds of silence, Su Xiang's eyes changed, and he spoke with murderous intent.

"Your Majesty, I will immediately go and capture that deceitful scoundrel!"

Jun Huayang, the person involved, wasn't angry about it. He stroked his long beard and, finding it amusing, stopped Su Xiang.

"I am not wearing a crown, so how can there be any reason for me to deceive the emperor? The two people on the street are just two ordinary old men."

Having established the nature of the matter, Jun Huayang changed the subject again, and said to Su Xiang in a low voice with emotion.

"After walking for so long today, I've come to understand... a person lives only for appearances."

Wearing a dragon robe and a crown, I am the Emperor of the Great Qi Dynasty, the supreme ruler. In the martial world and the imperial court, everyone bows and scrapes before me.

By changing into ordinary clothes, I become an ordinary old man in the marketplace, and anyone I meet on the street dares to give me a hard time.

The only difference here is a set of clothes, and the only difference is the word "power".

One before, one after, completely different.

"I am like this, and so are you, my subjects. Having grown accustomed to the flattery of others, how can you not eventually succumb to it? How can you tolerate the offenses of ordinary people?"

Looking at the sentimental Jun Huayang, Su Xiang lowered his head slightly and said softly.

"Your Majesty is quite right. This matter is nothing more than the word 'power'... However, I also have something to say, and I wonder if Your Majesty would be willing to listen to my words."

"Oh? Then I'll have to listen carefully to your insightful opinion, Prime Minister Su."

Jun Huayang nodded slightly, continuing to walk forward while listening to Su Xiang's words.

Su Xiang, walking beside him, raised his hand and touched his clothes, the exquisite patterns catching their eyes.

"In Your Majesty's opinion, what kind of person could afford to wear such clothes?"

Jun Huayang did not hesitate. For him, who was familiar with the distribution of social classes in Qi'an City, this problem was not difficult.

"He must be a mid-level businessman. Although his clothes are gorgeous, they lack restraint. Officials usually don't wear such clothes; they are mostly worn by businessmen."

That being said, it is still fine clothing, and ultimately not cheap. Small merchants and vendors would be reluctant to wear it. Prime Minister Su, the clothes you have chosen today should be those of the upper-middle class, belonging to those who are living relatively well among the common people.

Su Xiang nodded slightly, as if talking to himself, or as if speaking to Jun Huayang.

"Yes, at least he is a mid-level businessman, and also a member of the common people... But when I was young, I didn't think so."

When I was a child, whenever I encountered someone wearing clothes like this, I would stay far away from them, and the farther away I was, the more at ease I felt.

Recalling the past, a hint of nostalgia appeared on Su Xiang's face.

"When I was a child, I was nothing like I am now. Whenever I met men, I would want to shrink into a corner."

He was afraid that someone would smell his stench, accuse him of disrespect, and beat him up for no reason.

Speaking of his sad childhood, Su Xiang showed no resentment, only a calm acceptance that comes with the passage of time.

"Your Majesty must never have seen how fierce and menacing those gentlemen's guards were. When I was a child, I was so scared that I didn't dare to utter a sound..."

They are a bunch of unreasonable people. As long as their master gives an order, they will throw punches at their subjects.

I still remember that I was beaten three times because of so-called "disrespect" and because of your dislike, and each time I was covered in bruises.

……

When I was a child, I couldn't distinguish between merchants and officials. I only knew that they were all masters, people who could take my life, and that I should stay far away from them, the farther the better.

I was like that, and so were everyone else at the time. Everyone feared the master, and everyone lived in constant fear...

Later, I thought to myself, "I must make something of myself in the future, I must become a master, and I must get my revenge! I'll give those guards a good beating!"

Jun Huayang looked thoughtful, as if he had made a connection to something.

"Has Prime Minister Su retaliated yet?"

Su Xiang shook his head with a smile, "I'm not afraid Your Majesty will laugh at me. I couldn't even remember what the people who hit me looked like at the time, so even if I wanted revenge, I didn't know who to go to."

Jun Huayang also laughed.

"That's a real shame. If I had the chance, I'd love to see how you, Prime Minister Su, would take your revenge on those people..."

"Oh, right, I remember you mentioned to me, Prime Minister Su, that you and your sister relied on each other when you were young, and life was very difficult. Later, you both fell seriously ill, and some things happened that led to you and your sister being imprisoned."

When asked about his past, Su Xiang did not choose to avoid it, but spoke about it quite frankly.

"So that Your Majesty may know, I once attacked a constable! If I hadn't been lucky enough to meet a benefactor in prison, I would probably have died somewhere long ago, and none of what happened afterward would have occurred."

……

At this point, Jun Huayang had roughly guessed what Su Xiang wanted to say, and slowed his pace slightly, his gaze wandering between the two sides of the street.

Because of the war, the population of Qi'an City has decreased significantly. Many people have fled to other places with their families, but there are still many people on the streets, most of whom walk with their heads held high.

Even when they encountered government soldiers or people dressed in fine clothes, these ordinary people would only move slightly to the side, showing no fear whatsoever, unlike in other places.

Although they were somewhat uneasy because of the war, it was evident from their clothing and appearance.

In the past, these ordinary people lived a very peaceful life.

Having not left Qi'an City for a century, Jun Huayang had long been accustomed to such scenes, yet he remembered them all.

Long, long ago, Qi'an City was not like this.

Qi'an City gradually transformed into its current form after he became emperor.

……

After watching for a while, Jun Huayang's gaze became increasingly complicated. He looked at the dazzling array of shops on the street and muttered to himself.

"When the people are strong and the country is weak, the world will fall apart. No matter how strong the walls of Qi'an City are, they will eventually collapse one day."

I have worked hard for a hundred years, killing corrupt officials, eliminating incompetent bureaucrats, reforming the bureaucracy, reducing taxes, improving people's livelihoods, and establishing schools...

I have decreed that the people of Qi'an City will no longer be bullied as before, that they will no longer have to kneel on the ground when officials pass by, and that they can hold their heads high and live with dignity.

The people are more important than the ruler; this is what my father taught me, and it is also the will of the Qiming Sword.

"I have striven for most of my life, yet I never imagined I would end up like this, causing the Great Qi to fall into its current state."

Jun Huayang's voice grew softer as he spoke. He casually found a step to sit on and stared blankly at the bustling street.

"I wonder if Prime Minister Su still remembers... more than ninety years ago, when you twelve like-minded students came to me together and proposed a reform plan."