Immortal Travel of Longevity

The thirteenth year of Shunzhi.

His Majesty sought to rectify the salt and iron trades. The imperial envoy, Xie Huan, was ordered to head south on an inspection tour, and the prefect of Chunhui Prefecture, Tong Nianyi, was commanded to assist.

Since ancient times, emperors had always sought to rein in the salt and iron trades. Every few years brought another such campaign, but most of the time it only briefly curbed the rampant corruption before those greedy faces resurfaced.

It seemed this had become a completely ordinary occurrence, something everyone had grown accustomed to.

After more than a year apart, Xie Huan and Tong Nianyi met again.

What stunned Tong Nianyi was that Xie Huan now wore a mask concealing half of her face.

"What happened to your face?" Tong Nianyi asked.

Xie Huan removed the mask, revealing a deep, hideous scar that immediately made Tong Nianyi's pupils contract.

"Last winter, news leaked from the palace that His Majesty intended to crack down on the salt and iron trades and had named me the imperial envoy," Xie Huan said. "A few days later, while returning home from my night shift, I was ambushed by assassins. I had poor luck—a blade caught my face in the chaos. But I had good luck, too, because I didn't die."

Xie Huan sighed. "My life exists to be put on the line."

Tong Nianyi opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.

"In comparison, I truly envy you," Xie Huan said. "You get to serve as an official in peace, instead of gambling your life like I do—a gamble I have no choice but to take."

Having spent two years as a Diarist of Daily Life, Tong Nianyi knew exactly why Xie Huan was in this position.

She had no choice.

His Majesty intended to make a move against the Xie Clan. The entire Xie Clan was now being propped up by Xie Huan alone. If Xie Huan ever outlived her usefulness, sooner or later, the Xie Clan would face the executioner's blade from His Majesty.

Thus, she had to do it.

"In just a few short years, you have become the saber and sword in His Majesty's hands, a favored minister by his side," Tong Nianyi said. "I am just a local prefect. The moment I left Shangjing, I had no idea when I would ever be able to return."

Xie Huan sighed, her gaze drifting into the distance, lost in unknown thoughts.

"Once you return, your career will skyrocket."

"Whereas I don't even know if I'll survive."

Tong Nianyi said, "I am walking the same path as you this time. If you can't go back, neither can I."

Xie Huan sighed again and said, "Sometimes I think this world truly does not favor us women. And His Majesty's heart is ruthless enough."

Tong Nianyi froze at those words. She fell silent for a moment before asking, "When did you figure it out?"

Xie Huan waved her hand. "I figured it out a long time ago. As a woman myself, how could I not tell?"

"His Majesty intends to promote a female official system," Tong Nianyi said. "Perhaps there will come a day when the clouds part for us."

Xie Huan shook her head. "I scored triple firsts in the examinations, yet my official career is far more perilous than that of the soldiers fighting at the Border Pass. I fear we won't be the ones parting the clouds, but merely stepping stones for others to skyrocket to the top."

Tong Nianyi lowered her head, remaining silent.

Xie Huan let out a breath. "At least His Majesty has no plans to abandon the two of us just yet. We still have something to fight for."

Tong Nianyi looked out the hall doors, her gaze blank as she murmured, "Is that so..."

She fell silent, her thoughts somewhat in turmoil.

She saw things more clearly than before.

In truth, after spending over a year as a Diarist of Daily Life and witnessing the countless impeachments and arguments in the Imperial Court, she began to feel that the female official system might not be a good thing after all.

With mentalities so rigidly entrenched, it was nearly impossible for women to ever rise ahead.

In such a world, even if His Majesty forcefully implemented the female official system, it might not yield good results.

Later, she came to Chunhui Prefecture.

As Tong Nianyi experienced more of the world, she suddenly realized how laughable her youthful ideals had been. Reality was incredibly harsh.

But now, hearing Xie Huan speak like this, she couldn't help but feel dazed. She asked the question lingering in her heart: "Do you truly believe the female official system can be successfully rolled out?"

Tong Nianyi's words plunged Xie Huan into silence.

The two had gone through countless experiences over the years. Witnessing event after event, reality seemed to have shown them exactly what lay on the road ahead. A triple first scholar and a second-class graduate of the Palace Examination—two brilliant minds who, in less than two years, had fully grasped the brutal stakes involved.

"We didn't catch a good era," Xie Huan said, "but perhaps those who come after us will."

"I admire you," Tong Nianyi said. "But I think I want to give up."

Tong Nianyi's words struck Xie Huan like a heavy blow.

A bitter depression welled up in Xie Huan's heart. She froze for two seconds before lowering her head.

In truth, she didn't even understand what she had been holding onto all these years.

Was it for the Xie Clan, or for her own inner ambitions?

She could no longer tell the difference.

Along this journey, Tong Nianyi was a large part of the reason she had kept pushing forward.

At the very least, with Tong Nianyi around, she wouldn't feel that the path ahead was entirely lonely. Every time she thought of her, it brought comfort to her heart.

But now, Tong Nianyi was telling her that she wanted to give up.

This was incredibly difficult for Xie Huan to accept.

"To be honest, the two of us rarely interact," Xie Huan said, "but I've always considered you my sole companion on this road. And now, you don't want to keep walking..."

"We have to face reality," Tong Nianyi said. "His Majesty's immature ideals gave the two of us a place in the Imperial Court, but one day he is going to wake up. In fact, His Majesty might have realized it already. What we should be thinking about now is self-preservation."

Xie Huan raised an eyebrow. "His Majesty will at least try. Perhaps we still have a chance."

Tong Nianyi shook her head. "Perhaps not. Have you ever stopped to think about it? I graduated in the second class of the Palace Examination, yet I spent two full years as a Diarist of Daily Life. No matter how mediocre I might be, there is no way I should have been left there for two years."

"Nonsense!"

Xie Huan suddenly stood up, her tone anxious.

"His Majesty has never sidelined me!"

Tong Nianyi looked at her, inexplicably feeling a sense of pity for Xie Huan.

She didn't know how to respond to that, or rather, she didn't want to spell it all out. It was simply too hurtful.

Xie Huan's breathing suddenly turned rapid.

Disbelief filled her eyes as she stumbled back two steps.

The thought that suddenly surfaced in her mind made her sway unsteadily.

Tong Nianyi stood up to support her. "Just treat what I said as a joke. Don't take it to heart."

Xie Huan pushed her away. Keeping her head down, she staggered two steps.

Suddenly, her eyes grew hollow. More than that, they were filled with disappointment—disappointment in herself, and disappointment in His Majesty.

"It can't be... It can't be..."

Xie Huan could hardly accept her fate. She had risked her life, yet she was nothing more than a tool.

Had His Majesty never actually believed in her?

Was everything just an illusion?

She dared not believe it.

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