The old farmer had both hands tucked in his sleeves, sitting alone on a millstone, lost in thought. Leaning against the large stone roller behind him, he appeared even more frail. The guests at home had already dispersed. The joy of farming families was brief yet fervent—a hearty meal was considered ultimate happiness. Once the meal was finished, naturally everyone returned to their own homes, leaving only a few diligent women to help the host family clean up the bowls and dishes. They deliberately avoided the area where the old farmer was, even though there was still a bowl left on the ground by a naughty child.
The whole family hid in the house secretly watching the old farmer, guessing what exactly was written on that young Marquis’s slip of paper. Why was the old master heartbroken after reading it? He’d been sitting alone on the millstone for two hours already. Why were tears still falling?
The old master had been strong all his life. Not to mention his grandchildren’s generation had never seen him cry—even his peers had never seen him weep. Now, the family head who had been as hard as stone in the past was crying like a child who’d suffered endless grievances.
A few days ago, the old family head had received a letter. It was that letter that made him activate the family’s secret connections that had never been used before, just to deliver a wooden box to a certain Marquis, then closely monitor this Marquis’s movements. This was dangerous for the family, especially dealing with officials was even more dangerous. The Gongshu family had suffered enough at the hands of the powerful and influential. Why look for more trouble? Wasn’t it better to hide quietly at home educating descendants?
The siege ladder was defeated at Mozi’s hands, the hook and barricade were defeated at Qin Huali’s hands. Every failure of the Gongshu family resulted in clansmen’s heads falling. So they’d long since abandoned thoughts of advancement through the scholar-official path, only hiding in the mortal world passing down their family craft from generation to generation. Although they suffered great misfortune during the Daye reign, losing over half the family population, hadn’t they recovered these past years?
The old farmer’s hands tucked in his sleeves tightly gripped Yun Ye’s slip of paper. The content was very simple—only ten characters.
“Another fool who wants to become stone.” This was Yun Ye’s reply, with an extremely discourteous tone.
Upon seeing these ten characters, the old family head’s heart stirred up towering waves.
Indeed, he had become stone. Indeed, he had become stone! Only stone would abandon wife and children. Only stone would turn a blind eye and deaf ear to clansmen suffering disaster. Only stone would say “I seek longevity” at the family’s most dangerous time and leave, unable to see his crying infants needing feeding, unable to see his elderly white-haired father, disregarding his wife’s pleas, wearing a smile on his face, kicking away the child clinging to his legs, leaving so decisively.
Previously he hadn’t known, but Marquis Yun’s ten characters completely resolved this old man’s sixty years of doubt. Father, when you left, you’d already become a block of stone, hadn’t you?
The old farmer returned to the house with hands in sleeves, smiling at his family: “It’s nothing. I just resolved a knot in my heart and felt somewhat sad. You needn’t worry.”
“Father, what exactly did that slip of paper say?” A farmer in his forties or fifties asked him.
The old farmer handed the slip of paper to his son, letting him read it himself.
Glancing at those ten characters, the farmer was furious. “Father, how dare that dog official despise our Gongshu family so! Your son will fetch the Great Yellow Crossbow and shoot this dog thief dead to vent the anger in my heart!”
The old farmer waved his hand, telling his son to be calm, and looked at his two peer brothers, saying: “Third Brother was still young then and doesn’t remember things. Elder Brother, do you also think this statement insults our Gongshu family?”
An even older farmer sitting by the brazier looked at the slip of paper in his hand and said to the family head: “If we judge by Uncle’s conduct back then, these words are not false.”
“Elder Brother, when Father was young, his talent and wisdom exceeded ours a hundredfold. If there truly are people in this world who become immortal, Father should have been the most likely person. Marquis Yun says immortals all become stone. Just looking at Father’s actions, these words are not false.”
“Father, didn’t you say Grandfather died of illness?”
“Jia’er, this is a shameful episode of the Gongshu family. Your father didn’t want future generations to experience the same thing as him, so I concealed this past event. Now it’s time for you all to know.”
The old farmer sat by the brazier and told all the younger generation how his father, in order to seek the immortal way, had severed emotions and cut off righteousness. The story wasn’t long, but it made people feel cold emanating from their very bones. Combined with the old farmer’s choked narration, the entire family, old and young, wept bitterly.
“Anyone in the family who dares speak of longevity again shall be expelled.”
This was the Gongshu family’s new house rule. The entire family shouted in unison: “Anyone who dares speak of longevity again shall be expelled!”
Yun Ye hid in his room like an ant on a hot pan, running out to the courtyard every so often to look outside. Unfortunately, there was only the empty street and snow covering the ground. Seeing the sun about to set, still no one came. The wine in the room had been heated eight times and had almost lost its flavor.
Old Zhuang didn’t know who today’s guest was. He only knew the Marquis valued them greatly—not only cooking personally but also taking out the family’s best wine to entertain the distinguished guest. He didn’t know to what degree the guest’s status was noble. Last time when Grand Commander Chai Shao came to the house, the Marquis hadn’t cooked personally, let alone brought out those two jars of fine wine. He couldn’t understand who in Shuofang City was worth the Marquis’s such care.
Yun Ye was certain there would be a guest visiting today—the kind of truly talented expert. If he could bring this expert back to the academy, Yushan Academy’s strength would greatly increase. So he changed from his usual laziness, not only cooking personally and using fine wine but even sacrificing the vegetable seedlings in his room. He was determined to leave the best impression on that expert.
The red clouds on the horizon gradually turned black, and night also descended. Old Zhuang lit two lanterns, illuminating the doorway brightly, hoping the guest would see the lanterns and know the host was still waiting.
Yun Ye had specifically removed the guards at the gate to facilitate the guest’s arrival. It seemed all this had been done in vain.
Just as he was about to order Old Zhuang to take the wine and dishes inside to eat, suddenly there was a knock at the door.
The visiting card was very clear: Gongshu Mu with son Gongshu Jia came to pay respects. Yun Ye’s heart nearly jumped out. He’d originally thought it was just a big fish, but unexpectedly it was a giant whale—and a giant whale with a calf. Luban’s descendants—Yun Ye was too clear about these people’s significance. They were no longer merely skilled craftsmen, but ready-made physicists and the best engineers. No matter how great the price, he had to keep them. If necessary, he’d resort to kidnapping. Yun Ye made up his mind.
Straightening his clothing and cap, he ordered everyone out to welcome them. Luban’s descendants deserved him using the Marquis’s ceremonial protocol.
The old farmer was no longer dressed as a peasant. Wearing brown Han-style clothing, the old man appeared extremely classical. He deliberately didn’t wear round-collared garments, wore wooden clogs on his feet, and his hair was fixed with an ancient vine branch hairpin. The middle-aged man behind him was also dressed in Han clothing. His eyes inadvertently glanced at the Yun family’s welcoming protocol—he seemed somewhat satisfied.
Yun Ye was formally dressed in his court attire, standing inside the gate. From afar he smiled and bowed: “Elder Gongshu honors us with your presence—this humble dwelling truly shines with splendor! This late-learning junior Yun Ye pays his respects.”
“Ha ha ha, Marquis Yun is an unparalleled rare talent. This old man is fortunate to meet you—truly a blessing of three lifetimes!”
Originally, Yun Ye had always thought ancient old foxes speaking with laughter before words was something novelists added. Later, after staying long in the Tang Dynasty, he discovered this was real. Old foxes, regardless of whether there was anything funny to say, habitually added words like “ha ha.” For instance, Li Yuan, for instance Li Xiaogong, for instance Fang Xuanling. The most representative figure was Zhangsun Wuji—his face seemed to perpetually wear a smile, chubby and very honest-looking, seemingly kind to everyone on the surface. As for whether he was cursing people’s parents behind their backs, only he himself knew. When encountering these people who started with “ha ha,” Yun Ye was always on edge. The person before him also seemed to be a thousand-year-old fox. Tonight’s task was very heavy! Yun Ye secretly worried.
“Elder, you flatter me. The truly remarkable one is my teacher. This youngster is only sixteen this year—how can I be called a rare talent? You’ll spoil this youngster!” The old man deserved these words whether by status or age. Who could blame his ancestor being Luban?
“Ah, Marquis Yun’s words are mistaken. Young heroes are enviable. At such a young age already holding the rank of Marquis—making others green with envy! Ha ha ha.”
Laughter again. From entering until now, this old man hadn’t stated his purpose or discussed substantial content—just a heap of empty words and formulaic phrases, making Yun Ye anxious. The old fellows at the academy were better—whether good or bad words, they said them directly, never saying these pointless things.
“This must be Master Jia. This junior pays his respects.” Seeing the old fox was hard to approach, Yun Ye wanted to see if this medium-sized fox offered an opportunity.
“Marquis Yun is too polite. In my father’s presence, how could I be called ‘Master’?” Gongshu Jia also smiled in return.
There’s an opening! The old fox was as slippery as a loach, but the young fox had just stolen glances at the Yun family’s ceremony and nodded. It seemed there was an opening.
“Elder Gongshu, you’ve come at just the right time. This youngster personally cooked a few small dishes to hopefully amuse my elder.”
“Marquis Yun already anticipated this old man would come and prepared wine and food early. With such hospitality, how dare this old man not impose?”
The wine and dishes were set out in Yun Ye’s guest hall. The tableware was specifically borrowed by Yun Ye from Chai Shao. Though not exceptional in Chang’an, in Shuofang it was absolutely the highest grade. Unfortunately, there were no serving maids—only burly men could serve the dishes.
“Being in a military camp, things are somewhat shabby. Please forgive me, Elder.” If in Chang’an, Yun Ye would absolutely arrange this meal luxuriously, but unfortunately in Shuofang, he had to make do. Old Gongshu didn’t respond but instead studied those chairs, even sitting on them to try, then looking at the table, nodding—seemingly quite satisfied.
“Marquis Yun jests. Such exquisite dining utensils, paired with delicious food—how can this be called shabby? Moreover, having fresh vegetables to eat on such a snowy day is even more rare. This old man, a mere rustic villager, receiving such exceptional treatment feels overwhelmed by favor! Ha ha ha.”
The old fox started laughing “ha ha” again. He probably had long had thoughts of emerging into the world, just couldn’t find a suitable opportunity. He was a technical talent—impossible to have great development in officialdom. Without someone’s recommendation, even working until death he’d only be a craftsman’s supervisor. He’d investigated Yun Ye’s background, knew they were the same type of person, so boldly came calling. After all, a family couldn’t remain hidden too long—otherwise they’d long be forgotten by history. This way, maintaining the family’s longevity would lose meaning. He knew, and Yun Ye knew, but neither would speak plainly—like two idiots.