Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

Within a courtyard at the Sifang Pavilion in Wudu, Zhu Cici sat upright on a chair, her small figure maintaining perfect posture. Her delicate, fair hands gripped a writing brush as she carefully wrote line after line of graceful characters on the white paper before her.

The little girl was only nine years old, yet her calligraphy already hinted at the refinement of a master.

After finishing the poem, Zhu Cici carefully held the rice paper with both hands, lifting it toward the warm sunlight. She gazed at the elegant characters she had transcribed, words that had been composed for her—at least in name—by the boy called Xu Ming.

Over the past few days, Zhu Cici had heard rumors that Xu Ming's poem hadn't been written solely for her. It was said that he had an old childhood friend at the Tianxuan Sect.

But Zhu Cici didn't mind.

She didn't care whether or not the poem had her name in it.

She didn't care whether or not the poem was meant for that girl at the Tianxuan Sect.

Zhu Cici simply loved the poem. That was enough for her.

"You've written this poem dozens of times over the past two days. Do you like it that much?"

Just as Zhu Cici held the paper up to the sunlight, a voice called from outside the door.

"Mother." Zhu Cici set down the paper, jumped off the chair, and walked toward her mother. Folding her hands politely in front of her, she bowed slightly in greeting.

"It's been so long since I've seen you so captivated by a poem." Madam Zhu gently stroked her daughter's head.

"Because it's written so beautifully," Zhu Cici replied with a soft smile. "This poem is simply lovely."

"The most fleeting thing in this world: Beauty fading from the mirror, like blossoms from the trees," Madam Zhu recited the final line and nodded in agreement. "It is, indeed, very beautiful."

"To think that someone in Wu Kingdom could possess such poetic talent," Madam Zhu sighed with a hint of admiration. "What a pity he is merely a shuzi (child of a concubine)."

"Mother, what's wrong with being a shuzi?" Zhu Cici asked curiously. "These past few days, I've heard so many people lamenting the fact that Xu Ming is a shuzi. What's the difference between a shuzi and a legitimate heir?"

"You silly girl." Madam Zhu sat on a chair and pulled Zhu Cici into her lap, holding her gently. "In our Qi Kingdom, there's indeed little difference between legitimate and illegitimate children. But that's not the case in Wu Kingdom."

"Why is Wu Kingdom different?" Zhu Cici pressed on.

Madam Zhu patiently began to explain.

"This difference stems from an event that happened in Wu Kingdom one hundred and fifty years ago."

She continued slowly, recounting the story.

"Back then, in the era of Shenwu Emperor, there was little distinction between legitimate heirs and shuzi. Shenwu Emperor had five sons—one born of his empress and the other four born of his consorts.

The emperor's five sons were all extraordinarily talented—capable of excelling in court affairs or guarding the borders on the battlefield.

For an ordinary family, having five such children would be a blessing from heaven. But for the royal family, having five equally capable sons could be a curse.

As the sons grew older, they began to compete against one another, both openly and in secret. The imperial court splintered into five factions, and the ministers of the time became more focused on taking sides than on governing the kingdom.

Shenwu Emperor himself grew deeply conflicted, unable to decide which son should be named crown prince.

If it had only been a struggle for the throne, the situation might still have been manageable. But before Shenwu Emperor passed away, he chose his fifth son—a shuzi—to succeed him.

What happened next remains unclear. But before the imperial edict could be publicly announced, the eldest son lured his four brothers into the palace and had them all executed.

To eliminate any lingering threats, the eldest prince ordered the complete purging of his brothers' households.

However, it is said that a loyal old servant from the fifth prince's estate managed to escape, carrying with him the youngest imperial grandson."

After that, when Emperor Mingwu ascended the throne, he issued a decree that not only restricted the offspring of merchants and artisans (sanjiao jiuliu), but also greatly diminished the status of shuzi (children of concubines), rendering them little better than servants. Emperor Mingwu ordered that this law remain unalterable for all generations.

Perhaps Emperor Mingwu feared that the descendants of the escaped imperial grandson might one day return to challenge the throne, so he sought to eliminate the threat from a legal standpoint once and for all.

Now, one hundred and fifty years later, the laws established by Emperor Mingwu have become ironclad. Moreover, the disgraceful act of fratricide by Emperor Mingwu remains an unspoken stain on history. Anyone daring to alter this law would effectively dredge up the past, reopening wounds better left untouched.

And beyond that, if the distinction between shuzi and legitimate heirs were erased, what would happen if the descendants of that imperial grandson suddenly reappeared?

Zhu Cici thought for a moment before looking up at her mother with a frown. "But Mother, that was one hundred and fifty years ago! Father said that in court, everything depends on connections and power. Even if the imperial grandson's descendant reappeared, what would it matter? No one would take him seriously. He wouldn't have any power or influence, and no one would believe he's truly a royal descendant."

"Silly child." Madam Zhu flicked her daughter's smooth forehead with a finger.

"In the capital, there is a Shenlong Token. Only those of true royal blood can activate it, and that alone is proof enough of their lineage.

Besides, even if the claim were false, so what? Why would anyone need to believe it? If there's a powerful force working behind the scenes, even a lie can become the truth. After all, the Shenlong Token isn't something you can just summon anytime to verify someone's bloodline."

"I don't understand." Zhu Cici shook her head in confusion.

Madam Zhu smiled faintly and sighed. "You don't need to understand. The imperial court is full of filth."

"Then, Mother, can I go find Xu Ming and play with him?" Zhu Cici asked eagerly, her bright eyes full of expectation.

"That… should be fine, I suppose." Madam Zhu thought about it for a moment.

"However, I can't interact with him directly. Otherwise, it might look like our Qi Kingdom is trying to poach talent from the Wu Kingdom. But you, on the other hand, can go find him.

You're both children; no one will think much of it. In fact, it might even become a charming tale."

"A charming tale?" Zhu Cici tilted her head in confusion.

Madam Zhu playfully tapped her daughter's nose. "Nothing. Just your mother rambling. Go ahead now. Take Xiao Ye with you for protection, and head straight to the Xu family's residence."

"But Mother, isn't it unseemly for a young girl to seek out a boy to play with?" Zhu Cici asked with some concern.

"Do you like him?" Madam Zhu teased with a smile.

"Yes, I do," Zhu Cici answered without hesitation.

"I mean the kind of liking where you want to marry him and spend your life with him," Madam Zhu clarified.

Zhu Cici thought carefully for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't think it's that kind of liking."

"Well, there you go. You're still young; there's no need to worry about things like propriety yet."

"Then, Mother, I'm going now~!"

With her mother's permission, Zhu Cici gleefully jumped down from her mother's lap and ran toward the courtyard exit.

"Xiao Ye, we're heading out~~!" her cheerful voice echoed softly in the courtyard.

Not long after, a little girl in a flowing ruqun dress happily stepped over the threshold, accompanied by Xiao Ye, and began heading toward the Xu family's residence.

Meanwhile, outside the Sifang Pavilion, at a small tea stall, a middle-aged man holding the leashes of three dogs let out a long sigh.

"Not even sparing such young kids... The Prime Minister really isn't a human being... Wait, we aren't human beings to begin with."