Immortal Travel of Longevity

The inner palace was silent and desolate.

This immense Imperial Palace had trapped Xie Huan, leaving him unable to move an inch.

The Imperial Kitchen brought in his lunch. A total of thirty-six dishes were served—an undeniably extravagant spread that gathered cuisines from every region onto a single table.

First, the eunuchs tasted the food for poison. Only when everything was confirmed safe were the dishes presented to Xie Huan.

To Xie Huan, even if they made these dishes look like blooming flowers, they all tasted exactly the same. He was growing tired of it.

"Your Majesty..."

The head eunuch hurried in to report.

Xie Huan asked, "What's the matter? Why the rush?"

"Commandery Princess Xuanji has arrived."

Commandery Princess Xuanji was the adopted daughter of the late Commandery Princess Ruyi. After Commandery Princess Ruyi passed away, she had been raised by Madam Dong of the Commandery Princess Manor. When Madam Dong died a few years ago, Xie Huan had recalled the deep bond Yan Nantian shared with Commandery Princess Ruyi, and had thus bestowed upon the girl the title of commandery princess, using her given name as her title, just like Commandery Princess Ruyi.

"Let her in."

Wang Xuanji entered the Main Hall. Upon seeing the emperor, she first bowed in greeting. "Xuanji pays her respects to Your Majesty."

"Have you eaten?" Xie Huan asked.

"Not yet."

Xie Huan smiled helplessly. "Sit down and eat."

"Sure, sure."

Wang Xuanji didn't stand on ceremony; she sat down and began eating immediately.

Xie Huan asked, "I personally selected the steward of the Commandery Princess Manor, and your chef also came from the palace. Why do you love running into the palace to eat so much?"

Wang Xuanji took a few bites before answering, "Your Majesty, the palace has all sorts of dishes. There's definitely more variety here than at my manor."

Xie Huan smiled helplessly. "Commandery Princess Ruyi was just as carefree in her early years. You've certainly taken after her."

Wang Xuanji swallowed her food and said, "Big Sister was great. She wasn't that carefree, was she? I just remember she was a bit lazy and liked to lie down and sleep."

"Is that so?"

Xie Huan smiled and dismissed the attending servants.

Soon, only the two of them were left in the hall.

Xie Huan asked, "Tell me the truth. Who asked you to come?"

Seeing that no one was around, Xuanji finally admitted, "Sister Nianyi said Your Majesty must be bored alone in the palace, so she told me to visit more often and keep Your Majesty company."

Xie Huan finally understood and murmured, "So it's her..."

Xuanji nodded. "Sister Nianyi worries about Your Majesty a lot."

A rare smile appeared on Xie Huan's face.

He asked, "What has she been up to lately?"

Xuanji blinked. "Nothing much, just handling official business. Oh, right, Sister Nianyi said the monthly accounts in the Ministry of Revenue are piling up. She's getting overwhelmed doing it all alone and wants Your Majesty to find her a disciple."

"She wants me to find one?"

"Mhm."

Xie Huan couldn't help but fall deep in thought.

He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Xuanji, tell me the truth. Is your Sister Nianyi trying to resign from office?"

Xuanji blinked and shook her head.

"I haven't heard her say that."

"Is that so..."

Xie Huan seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Tong Nianyi was the only person he cared about in this Imperial Court.

He didn't want Tong Nianyi to resign and leave him. This was one of Xie Huan's desires—one of the very few he still held after taking the throne.

Xie Huan rubbed Xuanji's head and said, "It's nothing. Eat up. The Imperial Kitchen recently brought in a chef from the Northwest. The dishes might not be very refined, but the flavors are quite delicious."

"Okay~"

Xie Huan looked at her and inexplicably found the girl very cute.

Xuanji was a good girl.

But speaking of which, she seemed to have reached marriageable age.

Xie Huan thought for a moment and asked, "I heard you've frequently been dressing as a man to attend poetry gatherings lately. Xuanji, could it be that you've taken a liking to someone?"

Xuanji shook her head. "No. Big Sister and Second Sister never married, so I won't marry either."

"Huh?"

Xie Huan said, "Your Big Sister and Second Sister..."

He couldn't help but ponder this, then shook his head. Wasn't this just nonsense?

However, Xie Huan understood Xuanji. This girl was sensitive but incredibly stubborn. If it wasn't something she wanted to do herself, she wouldn't yield an inch.

"You aren't young anymore. It's time to find a husband. With such a massive estate at the Commandery Princess Manor and your mind focused solely on having fun, you'll ruin it sooner or later."

Xuanji blinked. "The steward at Sister Nianyi's manor is very capable. Sister Nianyi has been helping me manage things all these years."

"Oh..."

Remembering this matter, Xie Huan couldn't help but shut his mouth.

After a moment of thought, he said, "Forget it, do as you please. If you ever meet a man who catches your eye, come find me, and I will arrange things for you."

Xuanji nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Good girl."

Xie Huan rubbed her head and added, "When you leave the palace later, bring a message to your Sister Nianyi for me. Tell her that everything is fine on my end, and that she shouldn't worry."

"Okay."

After finishing her meal, Wang Xuanji left the palace.

She entered the palace basically once a month, mostly just to pass messages for Sister Nianyi.

Xuanji was quite puzzled by this. It was always just standard greetings, and His Majesty's replies were equally ordinary, yet His Majesty never grew tired of it.

And when Tong Nianyi received Xie Huan's replies from Xuanji, her reaction seemed just as ordinary.

Xuanji asked, "Sister Nianyi, why do you and His Majesty send messages like this?"

Tong Nianyi rubbed her head and said, "Because our statuses are different."

Xuanji thought for a moment. "But why can I?"

Tong Nianyi said, "Because your Big Sister was someone who followed her heart in her early years, and His Majesty had a very good relationship with her. Only you can mess around like this. Anyone else cannot."

Xuanji couldn't quite wrap her head around it.

She pondered over it, yet her thoughts drifted back to Big Sister and Second Sister.

She had an easy time being a commandery princess. She played around all day and basically didn't do any real work, simply because there was nothing else for her to do.

Big Sister and Second Sister had both passed away...

"Sister Nianyi, I miss Big Sister and Second Sister."

Tong Nianyi stroked her hair and said, "In this world, there is life, death, and Reincarnation. Perhaps one day, Xuanji might even get to meet them in their next lives?"

"Really?"

"Of course."

Xuanji smacked her lips. "Sister Nianyi, I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm not that easy to fool."

Tong Nianyi smiled helplessly. "Everyone who comes out of your Commandery Princess Manor is a little girl."

"Huh?"

"It's nothing."

Tong Nianyi exhaled softly, her gaze drifting toward the distant Imperial Palace.

Times had changed, and her mind had long since calmed.

Everything from the past had dissipated like smoke and clouds. She had become the Minister of Revenue, devoting all her effort to this Imperial Court.

Looking back at the original intentions she had set back then, she couldn't help but sigh. She could only say that time spared no one, and that the principles of this world were the cruelest at grinding down the human heart.

Neither she nor Xie Huan had managed to obtain what they truly wanted.

She had watched helplessly as Xie Huan became trapped in his predicament. Everything that had happened was still so vivid in her mind.

"Xuanji."

"Mhm?"

"His Majesty is suffering..."

"What?"

"It's nothing..."

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