Immortal Travel of Longevity

Over the next two days, quite a few people came to collect Waist Tokens, but the official handing them out had to be replaced daily. The one on the second day returned home babbling nonsense. Word spread that he had gone mad, and the many doctors called to see him could only shake their heads.

By the third day, the new official arrived looking thoroughly reluctant. No one wanted the wretched assignment, but a stroke of terrible luck had seen him drafted for it.

Unsurprisingly, he too returned half-mad. He fared slightly better than his predecessor, though he still muttered nonsense under his breath.

After that, no one took the assignment.

Officials were ready to resign rather than accept it.

Rumors had spread that the people coming to collect the Waist Tokens were not mortals at all. It was a lethal assignment; who would dare touch it?

This left the presiding official in a bind. If he couldn't find a replacement for tomorrow, he wouldn't be able to report back.

"What am I to do..."

He spent the entire afternoon searching in vain. His subordinates preferred resignation over the assignment. He considered enlisting some constables or servants, but word had already gotten out. Everyone was saying that demons and evil spirits were driving men mad, so not a single person stepped forward.

"Lord Xu, why hasn't such a critical matter been reported?"

At those words, Lord Xu's palms immediately began to sweat.

"E-Eunuch, I..."

The eunuch gave a cold snort. "I knew you would bungle this. I've had eyes on you from the start. Did you really think you could hide something this huge, Lord Xu?"

"Of course not! Of course not!"

"No? Do you realize word of this has already reached Your Majesty?!"

"Ah!"

Lord Xu's legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees.

In that single moment, he had already imagined exactly how he was going to die.

But then the eunuch squeezed out a smile. "Are you afraid, Lord Xu?"

Lord Xu opened his mouth to speak, his back already drenched in cold sweat.

The eunuch huffed. "Don't say I never help you. I put in several good words for you before Your Majesty. Otherwise, you would already be rotting in a cell."

Relief washed over Lord Xu, and he quickly began kowtowing.

"Thank you, Eunuch! Thank you, Eunuch!"

Within moments, his forehead was bleeding against the floor.

"This matter isn't over yet, however."

"Your Majesty might have shown leniency, but someone still needs to handle this assignment," the eunuch said.

Lord Xu stammered, "I understand! I understand!"

The eunuch shot him a glare. "I wasn't finished."

Lord Xu hurriedly slapped his own mouth, leaving his cheeks flushed red.

"Since no one dares to do it," the eunuch said, "Your Majesty has ordered you to go to the Jingzhaoyin Office and invite a certain expert to take charge. His surname is Chen. This is your one and only chance, and you must invite him with the utmost respect. If you succeed, everyone goes away happy. If you fail, I will have no choice but to personally escort you to the Imperial Prison."

The emperor certainly hadn't meant it exactly like that.

But this eunuch before him would absolutely follow through on the threat.

Lord Xu was merely a minor official. To a palace eunuch, men like him were a dime a dozen.

"The Jingzhaoyin Office..."

"Tread carefully, Lord Xu."

The eunuch rose to leave.

Lord Xu scrambled to his feet. "Let me see you out!"

He escorted the eunuch all the way to the palace gates before finally letting out a sigh of relief.

He still had a chance.

Taking advantage of the time before curfew, he hurried straight to the Jingzhaoyin Office.

He prepared a lavish gift, slipping in a few private offerings of his own, including several gold bars.

Ping'an was a bit puzzled to see a visitor arriving just as night was falling.

"A visitor at this hour?"

"Master, it is Lord Xu from the Ministry of Rites."

Ping'an searched his memory but couldn't place the name.

But since the man was a court official, he figured he ought to see him.

To his shock, the moment Lord Xu stepped through the door, he dropped to his knees before Ping'an.

"Lord Wang, you have to save me!"

Ping'an stared, completely caught off guard.

"Don't cry, Lord Xu. Just take your time and tell me what happened."

Through a mess of snot and tears, Lord Xu spilled the whole story.

When Ping'an heard the mention of a Mister Chen, he paused.

"Whose idea was this?"

"According to the eunuch, it is the will of Your Majesty."

"This..."

Ping'an stood there, entirely bewildered.

The will of Your Majesty?

Wiping away his tears, Lord Xu asked, "Lord Wang, is Mister Chen currently in the residence?"

"That depends on the Mister's intent," Ping'an replied. "I will go ask him. Please wait here a moment, Lord Xu."

"Yes, yes! You must help me, Lord Wang. You must save me!"

"Set your mind at ease, Lord Xu."

Only then did Lord Xu reluctantly let go.

Ping'an immediately went to find Mister Chen.

When he reached the courtyard, he found Mister Chen playing a game with Ruyi.

The Tabby Cat perched on Ruyi's shoulder, carefully studying the board.

Mo Yuan stood nearby, occasionally chiming in.

"Play here! Play here!"

"No, if you play there, you'll lose."

"Ruyi is so dumb."

"You've gotten pretty bold lately, Lihua."

"Hmph."

Ping'an stepped closer to look at the board, feeling a little bewildered. "What game is this?"

Ruyi looked up. "Gomoku. Come help me, Ping'an! I can't beat Uncle Chen."

Ping'an smiled helplessly. "I'm here on business."

Mo Yuan asked, "Did a demon come knocking?"

"Not quite."

Ping'an quickly recounted his conversation with Lord Xu.

Chen Changsheng understood the situation immediately.

Mo Yuan, however, was confused. He looked at the Mister and asked, "Mister, what is he trying to do?"

"He is probably worried that I am getting too bored here in Shangjing City," Chen Changsheng replied.

Yan Ruchu had been thinking exactly that.

He figured Mister Chen would enjoy such an arrangement.

"Lord Xu is waiting outside," Ping'an said. "Do you want to see him, Uncle Chen?"

"There is no need," Chen Changsheng said. "Pass on my reply for me, Ping'an. Tell him I will be there tomorrow, and he can set his mind at ease."

Ping'an nodded. "Understood."

Ruyi, meanwhile, was brimming with curiosity. "Uncle Chen, just how well do you know the emperor?"

Chen Changsheng thought about it for a moment. "We've had tea."

"Huh?"

"What do you mean, 'huh'? Keep playing. You're about to lose again!"

Ruyi jolted, her eyes darting to the bowl of game pieces at the edge of the table.

"Oops..."

She feigned a clumsy bump, and the game pieces in the bowl spilled all over the board.

"Oh dear, it's ruined! We can't keep playing!"

Putting on a look of sheer panic, she added, "We'll just have to start over."

Lihua on her shoulder widened its eyes in outrage. "You're cheating, Ruyi!"

Ruyi hastily clamped a hand over Lihua's mouth.

She gave Uncle Chen a smile.

"They just spilled, that's all."

Chen Changsheng merely waved his hand. Under Ruyi's gaze, the game pieces that had scattered across the board flew right back into the bowl.

Chen Changsheng said, "Isn't it fine now?"

Ruyi's eyes went wide, and she stared at Uncle Chen in utter disbelief.

Isn't this bullying?!

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