Immortal Travel of Longevity

It had only taken Chen Changsheng a few hours to write the medical book.

He had drafted it while walking. Smelling the stench of rotting animal carcasses around him, he anticipated that a plague might break out.

The book didn't actually contain any life-saving prescriptions. Chen Changsheng didn't understand medicine; he only knew how to prevent infection, how to quarantine, and how to rely on one's own constitution to fight off such a plague.

He didn't know if the text would ultimately provide any help, but it should at least have some meager effect.

The road ahead was still long, and he had to take it slowly.

Continuing forward, he was about to reach the borderlands.

This was the edge of Prince Kang's territory. Further ahead lay the King of Wei's lands. Countless soldiers guarded this so-called border: Prince Kang's forces on this side, and the King of Wei's on the other.

The border line was forged by a wall of men.

"Who goes there?!"

He made no move to evade and was quickly surrounded by the guards.

Chen Changsheng cupped his hands in greeting. "Gentlemen, This Chen is a wandering traveler heading south. Could you make an exception and let me pass?"

"Arrest him!"

He wasn't as lucky this time around.

Chen Changsheng was immediately seized by the soldiers and escorted to the Military Camp stationed at the borderlands.

Many others were imprisoned here as well. Chen Changsheng asked around; some, like him, had wandered to the border and been captured, while others had been thrown in for committing crimes.

Even though they were locked up, they were at least provided with food.

However, the meals were completely rancid.

"Little brother, hurry up and eat," an old man sharing his cell said. "If you don't, you'll only starve to death."

Chen Changsheng picked up his chopsticks and started eating.

He didn't show much disgust. It was all food; rancid or not, it was still edible.

Although it was unnecessary for him to eat, Chen Changsheng still wanted to taste it.

It tasted awful.

Yet he still finished it in the end.

Chen Changsheng asked, "Old man, what did you get thrown in for?"

After finishing his meal, the old man picked at his teeth, spat, and replied, "What did you get thrown in for?"

"Wandering into the borderlands."

"Oh, no wonder..."

The old man said, "I was thrown in for saying the wrong thing."

"Saying the wrong thing?"

"Mm."

The old man stretched and said, "I cursed someone."

Chen Changsheng asked, "Who did you curse?"

"I cursed The Prince," the old man said, waving his hand.

"This Chen has heard that Prince Kang has a foul temper. Years ago, because a few scholars insulted him, he burned all their books. Old man, how exactly did you curse him and still keep your life?"

The old man blinked. "You actually believed that?"

Chen Changsheng smiled. "Sometimes, the most casually spoken words are the truth."

The old man sat up and carefully scrutinized him.

The old man asked, "You certainly have the face of a scholar. Who is your teacher?"

Chen Changsheng shook his head. "You're mistaken, old man. This Chen is no scholar."

"You aren't?"

"I am not."

The old man said, "What a pity. With your features, you would definitely be a great talent if you studied."

Chen Changsheng smiled. "The books This Chen reads would not catch the eye of the world. They might even be spat upon for overturning the heavenly order."

"What kind of books do you read?" the old man joked. "Don't tell me it's romantic drivel?"

"Not quite," Chen Changsheng chuckled.

The old man said, "Let's hear it, then."

Chen Changsheng shook his head and said, "If I spoke just because you told me to, I wouldn't have much face."

The old man froze at those words.

"Hey, you brat!"

He stared straight at Chen Changsheng and asked, "Do you know who I am?"

"Does it matter who you are? No matter how formidable you might be, aren't you sitting here eating prison food with me right now?"

"..."

The old man was momentarily speechless before saying, "You really know how to mock someone, kid."

Chen Changsheng smiled and lay back.

"After walking for two days, This Chen could use a rest. This place isn't too bad."

The old man shifted closer to him and said, "You smell like ink. You must have studied."

Chen Changsheng waved a hand. "I just wrote a few things recently, that's all."

"Oh..."

The old man asked, "What is your name?"

"I'm not telling you."

"..."

The old man opened his mouth and muttered, "Stubborn as a mule."

Chen Changsheng smiled and said, "This Chen is going to sleep."

The old man said no more and lay down to the side to rest.

The prison cell only had a small skylight, too narrow for a person to squeeze through. At first, a sliver of light spilled in, but as the sky darkened, the light vanished entirely until torches were lit.

Chen Changsheng slept rather comfortably.

He let out a yawn and stretched his limbs.

The old man said, "If I were you, I wouldn't have been able to sleep at all."

"That's because you have no other choice."

"What? Do you have backing, so you feel fearless?"

"No one."

Chen Changsheng glanced at the old man and said, "But if I want to leave, no one can stop me."

"You certainly know how to talk big," the old man laughed, clearly not taking him seriously.

The long night stretched on, and it was exceedingly dull inside the cell.

The old man asked, "I'll have a proper chat with you, and you speak to me properly, alright?"

"We can chat. Sure."

"How are things outside lately?"

"Not too good."

"And then?"

"I encountered a plague on my way here. A severe drought killed off many wild beasts and livestock. There's a stench of rot everywhere. No water flows down from the mountains, so the crops in the fields have all withered and died."

"Ah!"

The old man gasped in shock and said, "Isn't that the end of it all? Doesn't that mean starving refugees are everywhere outside?"

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng shook his head and said, "I haven't seen that, actually."

"That shouldn't be the case..."

"Perhaps they've all died."

"Died?!" The old man froze, staring at him. "Kid, don't speak nonsense. There are a hundred and fifty thousand households in this region; how could they all be dead?"

Chen Changsheng looked at him. "When did you get thrown in here?"

"It's been a few years."

"Times have changed since then. Now, not even a hundred thousand households remain, to say nothing of the tyranny from back then. Many people fled to the King of Wei's side, and some even ran off to the Northern Desert."

"What!" The old man shot to his feet. "How could they go to the Northern Desert?! How is that any different from treason?"

"Here, they couldn't get a meal even on their knees, and they weren't even treated as human. So they went to find a place where they could eat standing up. People only know they need to survive; what do they care for all those grand principles?"

"Nonsense!"

The old man said with some anger, "Without a nation, how can there be a home? How could they abandon their homeland?"

Chen Changsheng said, "That is something you people with books to read and food to eat worry about."

The old man opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

But the words caught in his throat.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!