“Heading back already?” Outside Gusu, Tang Buqi accompanied Zhao Changhe all the way to the docks. Watching him board the ship, he asked, “I heard that you can teleport and appear anywhere at will. If you’re returning to the capital, why bother with a ferry?” The vessel belonged to the Demon Suppression Bureau’s fleet—a convoy of massive ships transporting scores of apprehended demonic cultists back to the capital. Cui Yuanyang and Ling Ruoyu were already aboard. It made sense for the Demon Suppression Bureau to ferry prisoners this way. What Tang Buqi found puzzling was that Zhao Changhe, Lady Three, and Huangfu Qing were hitching a ride with them. If it had been the Zhao Changhe from before, feigning weakness while sending a disciple south under the guise of needing a ferry, perhaps it would be understandable. But now that his identity was out in the open, did they really need to travel this way? Zhao Changhe cast a furtive glance at Lady Three and Huangfu Qing sharing drinks at the prow, then cleared his throat awkwardly. “After a thirty-year dream, I’ve realized one truth: everything is best experienced slowly and thoroughly. There’s no need to rush.” Though clearly a deflection to hide his own embarrassment at being roped into “paying public dues” while aboard, to Tang Buqi’s ears, the words struck a deeper chord. He sighed softly, eyes fixed on the river, saying nothing more as if accepting Zhao Changhe’s pretentious musing as a rare moment of genuine insight. Tang Buqi, once a dashing gentleman of troubled times, still looked rather handsome in his silver-streaked old age. His melancholic silhouette by the river’s edge had an air of artistic poignance almost fit for a painting. The Tang Clan had good genes... But on Tang Buqi, such poetic sentiment always seemed a touch out of place. Zhao Changhe glanced at him and suddenly said, “Even with Baoqin’s cultivation being fairly ordinary, she could still have eternal youth. You could have done the same. Did it never occur to you to ask me for help? Or even better, just ask your aunt. She could easily have Chichi help you.” Tang Buqi smiled faintly. “And what sort of family would an undying Marquis of Wu raise? It defies both natural law and human virtue. The imperial examinations have only now, after thirty whole years, thinned the roots of the old aristocracy. My aunt would never willingly create a new, even more terrifying one.” “You never asked her.” “She’s already placed restrictions on the Tang Clan in countless ways. Do we really need to force her to say no out loud? It would only leave a bitter taste for everyone involved. If I am to seek longevity or even immortality, it should come through my own cultivation, not from leaning on others. Be it my aunt or you.” Zhao Changhe opened his mouth to speak but found no words. He was momentarily choked into silence. Tang Buqi was just short of saying that he had calmly accepted the inevitability of death. And to think that this was the same man who once wept bitterly in drunken fear of death, afraid to step into the jianghu.... That moment felt like it was only yesterday. Tang Buqi offered a cheerful smile. “I, Tang Buqi, have ruled the southeast in this lifetime and rose to be the highest commanding official of an entire state. I quelled the Maitreya uprising and opened the prosperity of maritime trade. I governed the region with great success, and at home, I’m blessed with a house full of children and grandchildren. The Rankings of Troubled Times may no longer carry my name, but history shall remember me. Let the waves sift the sand; a gentleman is no mere tool. Mountains are high and each climbs as much as he can; what need is there to crave the impossible?” With that, he cupped his fist and bowed deeply. “This is farewell.” Zhao Changhe turned and boarded the ship, returning the gesture with a solemn clasp of his fist. The vessel headed north. Two figures bowed, then parted. From afar, Huangfu Qing sipped her wine and watched Tang Buqi’s receding figure on the riverbank. After a long pause, she quietly said, “My father has passed away. Did you know?” Zhao Changhe was silent for a moment, then said nothing. Huangfu Yongxian had already been in his sixties back then, a seasoned general scarred by a lifetime on the battlefield. His cultivation had long stagnated, and his life span was never expected to be lengthy. This outcome had been anticipated for some time. But no matter how expected... waking one day to find an old friend gone still struck like a thunderclap. “But he died a hero, honored in life and mourned in death. As Tang Buqi said, he achieved all that a minister could ever hope for, and then some. No regrets. Just the same, Yanmen is now under Shaozong’s command. Would you say the Huangfu Clan still qualifies as an enduring aristocracy?” Zhao Changhe finally replied, “Shaozong has years of experience. He’s earned the right. We can’t deny someone their post just because they carry the Huangfu name. If Chichi was concerned, she would have reassigned him already.” Huangfu Qing nodded slightly and fell quiet again, eyes distant as she gazed at the river. The affairs of the mortal realm felt increasingly remote to those who had long since stepped beyond it. Even matters concerning one’s own father and brother seemed more like gossip from another household, devoid of real impact. Time was the most terrifying thing as it could wash everything away. Zhao Changhe mused aloud, “Speaking of which, is there still a need to guard Yanmen? Wait, there was some faction trying to seize Dragon Bird to offer it to Mobei. Has the Grasslands stirred again?” “Batu fears us. But if he senses we’ve withdrawn from worldly affairs, his ambitions will certainly resurface. It’s only natural that he harbors such intentions,” Lady Three said, her tone calm as always. She had long been responsible for foreign affairs. “But Batu is old now, and Chichi has been fanning the flames among his sons, turning them against one another. With their internal chaos, they can’t make any big moves for the time being. As for that faction trying to take Dragon Bird, it’s more likely those rogues were desperate fugitives clutching at straws, wanting to offer her as a tribute to curry favor and escape the Demon Suppression Bureau’s pursuit.” As they were speaking, Cui Yuanyang stepped lightly across the water from another ship, her voice reaching them even before she arrived, “The Demon Suppression Bureau cannot claim the credit. This is all thanks to the unity of a nation and its people. In such an environment, they couldn’t stir up trouble even if they tried. Back when the mortal realm was still in troubled times, no matter how much blood First Seat Tang coughed up, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference.” Zhao Changhe turned toward her, a flicker of surprise in his eyes as if seeing her for the first time. Setting aside his old comrades who had aged into seasoned veterans, the one who had changed most among the women around him was undoubtedly Yangyang... Though her face remained perpetually youthful, she no longer played the same cutesy act she always did even though she had long since grown up. From the moment she appeared, she had been tirelessly handling affairs with poise and purpose, exuding a sense of loyal service to the realm. It was a vivid echo of Wanzhuang in her prime. When he first suggested she join the Demon Suppression Bureau, he had never imagined she would come this far. Perhaps the role of a bureau chief truly did carry a tradition of public-minded succession? “What’s with that look you’re giving me?” The image shattered the moment she boarded. Cui Yuanyang plopped down squarely in Zhao Changhe’s lap, arms looping around his neck. “Seriously, after all that arguing, none of you thought to sit here? It’s the comfiest seat on deck.” Piaomiao rolled her eyes. Even Lady Three and Huangfu Qing seemed briefly speechless as they drank. Why is it that the younger the woman, the less reserved she is? Meanwhile, we older ones maintain our dignity only to end up eating our frustration in silence. Cui Yuanyang opened her mouth. “I want a drink.” Zhao Changhe lifted a cup to her lips and chuckled, “And here I thought you’d really matured... Come, a reward for meritorious service.” She took a sip and smiled sweetly. “One must fulfill one’s duties before sneaking off to rendezvous with her lover, right? Especially when Big Brother Zhao has young and old beauties flocking around him. Even if I finish my business and come running back, you’re still not done... So there’s no rush.” Zhao Changhe cleared his throat, unable to deny it. “You’re already done with your business? That fast?” Cui Yuanyang grinned and shrugged. “I threw it at Ruoyu. I told Chichi ages ago that Ruoyu is to be the next chief of the Demon Suppression Bureau.” Zhao Changhe could not help but laugh. “It sounds more like you’re trying to shirk your responsibilities.” “Took you long enough to figure that out. After all these years, who wouldn’t want to retire? I’ve been grooming my successor for ages. Just because I look young doesn’t mean you can keep squeezing me dry. I’m already an old auntie...” “So you’re dumping it all on Ruoyu now?” “How is that dumping it on her?” Cui Yuanyang said indignantly. “Are you saying giving the job to me back then was dumping it on me?” “Wasn’t it because you wanted the job yourself?” “And how do you know Ruoyu doesn’t want it?” “Because she has other things to do...” Zhao Changhe sighed. “If she were just Ruoyu, maybe it would be fine. But she’s also River of Stars. We’ll need to find someone else to take the post...” Cui Yuanyang pouted, clearly considering alternative candidates. After a long pause, she said, “You were talking about border affairs just now, right? Then you should be asking me. Most of the others have turned into hermits. They haven’t bothered with mortal matters in ages...” That settles it. Next time we meet one of his younger women, we should just toss her straight into the river. And yet, they could not really refute Cui Yuanyang’s words. These past years, the two venerables had truly stepped back from worldly affairs. Of all the people who could still banter with her about politics, only Piaomiao remained, and Piaomiao certainly would not undermine her. Cui Yuanyang cast a satisfied glance at the visibly wilted Four Idols group and spoke with an air of authority, “Over the years, the imperial court has been steadily building cities and relocating people across the outer regions. The cultural shift of Monan has accelerated, and the dynamics have shifted completely. The real battles now are political, cultural, and economic. Her Maj—Chichi is a real schemer in these areas. She’s done things that even the last emperor never did.” A transmigrator outshone by his native-born daughter, what a disgrace... Ah, but I’m a transmigrator too, and look at my daughter... Oh. Never mind, then.