Wearing a brown outer robe with the character for longevity, donning a tall cap, and sitting in a grand armchair, Li Gang cut an imposing figure on all sides. In the academy, by age he was the eldest, and by seniority he was undoubtedly the leader. So today, since there were no outsiders, the old fellow sat in his chair too lazy to move, watching the courtyard full of students bustling about with extraordinary satisfaction. In this era, living long enough was itself seniority.

The academy had a very strange custom—they tried their best not to use servants. Most teachers’ homes had at most one or two loyal servants responsible for sweeping the courtyard, carrying water, and other rough work. The courtyards rarely grew flowers, mostly vegetables or grain that the masters personally tended. Potatoes had already shown a spreading trend in these two years. The teachers going to the Yun household to beg for one or two potatoes to plant in their gardens had already become a status symbol.

Last autumn, the imperial-planted potatoes achieved an astonishing yield of five thousand catties per mu, truly putting the name of auspicious omen to good use. The various rumors about Yun Ye in court immediately vanished without a trace. Everyone kept their mouths tightly shut. Regardless of whether Yun Ye was a scoundrel or not, with the success of potatoes, this alone was enough to let the Yun family enjoy a hundred years of wealth and honor. From the palace to the common people, there wasn’t the slightest discussion about the Yun family’s title—it was considered well-deserved. There were even criticisms circulating that the imperial family was too harsh.

Yun Ye now smiled at everyone he met, displaying an attitude of being content with having a title. After all, there was still a difference between praise and killing with kindness. Li Er said he wouldn’t consider the Yun family’s title issue for ten years. This was the result of Zhangsun’s maneuvering behind the scenes. Yun Ye was very grateful. People needed to have a contented mindset. Too much ambition or too much arrogance wouldn’t have good results. A marquis title matched Yun Ye’s age of eighteen very well. If one reached the top official position too early, how could the imperial family continue to ennoble you? One could only live off past achievements waiting to die.

When Cheng Chuliang’s arm brushed against the corn leaves in the flower bed, Li Gang’s face twitched. Immediately after, he switched to a harmless and benevolent expression. When Qin Shuang casually poured a cup of cold tea into the flower bed, Old Li became fierce with bristling whiskers, grabbing Qin Shuang and scolding him for a full quarter hour. He also made him guard by the corn and watch carefully. If anyone dared touch the corn again, they would immediately be buried in the ground as fertilizer for the corn.

Last year at the Yun household, he’d seen corn. Very curious—he’d never seen this type of grain. Old Madam Yun had a string of corn cobs hanging under her eaves, golden yellow, covered with gauze netting. No one was allowed to touch them. Whoever touched them would get their legs broken. Even the most mischievous Xiao Ya didn’t dare.

Pestering endlessly, he’d obtained ten corn kernels. After spring began, he planted them in the flower bed. He personally watered and fertilized them himself. The Yun family’s seeds were also competitive—all ten corn seedlings broke through the soil. Old Li specially raised the flower bed for these ten corn plants. Apart from his elderly wife who could water them when he wasn’t there, whoever touched them would die. His nephew had already been kicked several times for being meddlesome.

“Old Li, they’re just a few crops. The child touched them unintentionally. A few words of scolding would suffice. Is it necessary to lose your temper on such a joyous day?” Seeing his youngest son standing pitifully in the hot sun, Qin Qiong came up to plead for him.

“You don’t understand shit.” Old Li was quite domineering now. When did a student’s parent get to joke around with him?

“If ancient paintings and calligraphy, porcelain, or jade in the house were broken by children, this old man would definitely be all smiles, considering it peace year after year. Who would get angry with children? But these few crops are different. These are new crops. I hear their future yield will be ten dan. Nurturing one more plant means more seeds in the future, and tenant farmers can eat a few full meals earlier. You say my anger is unjustified?”

Qin Qiong’s eyes nearly stood on end: “Old Li, is this true?” He sought further confirmation.

“These are auspicious omens! What this old man has hated most in his life is nonsense about auspicious omens. But these two things, potatoes and corn—calling them auspicious omens, this old man raises both hands and feet in approval. When the corn matures and this old man estimates the yield, I’ll personally submit a memorial about these auspicious omens. Such good things—if they’re not promoted throughout the realm, that would be the court’s fault.”

Qin Qiong came to the flower bed to look carefully at the corn, gently touching the corn’s broad leaves. With his other hand, he slapped Qin Shuang on the head: “Watch carefully. No one is permitted to touch these crops. All the lives in this entire courtyard added together aren’t worth as much as them.”

Hearing his father say this, Qin Shuang immediately stood ramrod straight. Fang Yi’ai had just run over. When still a zhang away from the corn, Qin Shuang kicked him aside. Seeing this, Li Gang was greatly satisfied. Setting his mind at ease, he chatted with his old friends in harmony and joy.

Seeing it was nearly noon, the feast under the awning had been set up, just waiting for guests to take their seats. The servants borrowed from the Yun household were quick and efficient, spreading mats on thick felt to prevent guests from being uncomfortable sitting too long in the hot weather.

Fang Xuanling came. Du Ruhui came. Wei Zheng also came carrying a jar of home-brewed fine wine. Tang Jian and Li Daliang arrived together, the two driving a light carriage themselves, observing scenery along the way, carefree all the way, though their gifts were lacking—a basket of flour-made longevity peaches and a basket of walnut cookies were their entire sentiment.

“Master Li dwells in this immortal land. When lying down, there’s a high building. When rising, there are famous mountains. In leisure time, teaching one or two students—this old man truly envies you.” Du Ruhui had good private relations with Li Gang. It was just that in recent years his health had been very poor, and he already had thoughts of rural retirement.

“Keming, you’re young—why speak such depressing words? If this old man remembers correctly, you’re only forty-one, right? In your prime, holding the position of Minister of War, precisely the time for great accomplishments. How can you have thoughts of retirement? If your health is poor, come live at the academy for a few months. Let Old Sun and Yun Ye properly regulate your body. The prosperous age of our Great Tang is about to unfold. How can His Majesty do without you? Look at this old man—past seventy, yet still able to eat and sleep. I’ve made preparations to live well for several more years to see the Great Tang’s glorious scenery. How can you be so decadent?”

Li Gang still appreciated Du Ruhui’s ability to judge matters.

“This junior student had a verbal dispute with Marquis Yun over Ministry of Works matters. I hope Master Li can mediate.”

Last time when Du Ruhui served as Minister of Works, he indeed had thoughts of competing with Yun Ye. Later, if the Empress hadn’t intervened, he would have died quite miserably. So this time when seeking help, he found it somewhat difficult to humble himself. But his physical condition was already very poor—it couldn’t be delayed. Fang Xuanling bringing him this time had the intention of reconciling with the academy.

“This old man past seventy can be unrestrained. Xuanling, Keming—you’re prime ministers and naturally have magnanimity to tolerate others. That boy Yun Ye has no sense—he’s a fellow who can fall in the same pit eight times. Keming, just come. This old man will make arrangements. Has he rebelled or what?”

Wiping Yun Ye’s backside was something Old Li had done countless times. Now that Du Ruhui wanted to reconcile, this was a good opportunity. Not seizing it really made no sense. Yun Ye was a troublemaker. If he could make fewer enemies, he should make fewer. Du Keming wasn’t a bad person—there was no need to remain enemies.

Runniang and Yun Ye carried in a large box. Along the way, the cake’s sweet fragrance assailed the nostrils, drawing sideways glances from passersby. Who would have thought that the cake finished just yesterday would have a large piece stolen and eaten by Wang Cai? When Yun Ye discovered it, only half of the largest bottom layer remained. After chasing and beating Wang Cai in the garden for quite a while, he suddenly felt he might have wronged Wang Cai. Wang Cai was very well-behaved. If others didn’t give him food, he absolutely wouldn’t help himself. This was a good habit that hadn’t been broken yet.

Lifting up Xiao Ya and smelling her mouth—a very rich sweet fragrance. Xiao Nan’s too. Xiao Xi and Xiao Bei were the same. The culprits were found. He bent the four sisters over his knee one by one and spanked their bottoms with crackling sounds. Heaven and earth had turned upside down! Not only did they steal and eat, they also smeared a layer of cake crumbs on Wang Cai’s mouth to frame someone—this was no good.

After beating them, he tossed them in the courtyard to reflect. He gave the untouched cake on top to Grandmother, aunts, and older sisters to eat. After playing mahjong all afternoon, they should be hungry. The entire second layer went to Xinyue. She super loved eating cake. Plus Xiao Qiu—there was no worry about not finishing it.

The bottom layer—Yun Ye dug out a bite for himself, then fed a bite to Wang Cai. Poor thing, beaten on behalf of others for nothing. Not being able to speak up and argue was a big problem.

Starting fresh with new drums and gongs, this time he made an even larger three-layer jam cake. Unexpectedly, the Cheng family actually had sour cream. This was a good thing. Adding sugar and putting it on the cake—he’d use it for the enormous longevity peach. He called in a dough figurine maker from the street. Using clean thick hemp cloth to put the colored cream in and cutting a small opening in the corner, many decorative patterns could be squeezed out.

The cream just wasn’t very fluffy. But no matter—under Yun Ye’s instruction, beautiful flowers appeared on the cake one by one. The huge longevity peach on the very top was extremely eye-catching with bright colors. These were all plant pigments provided by the dough figurine maker—they wouldn’t harm anyone if eaten.

He gave the dough figurine maker ten wen in wages. The man refused even unto death, only earnestly begging Yun Ye to allow him to do this in the future. A smart person. It was his craft—not letting him do it really didn’t make sense.

The four sisters’ eyes went straight looking at it. They had a strong impulse to pounce and eat it all over again. Last time with that cake, it was agreed each person would only eat a little bit. Who knew they couldn’t stop once they started? Now this magnificent cake was obviously even tastier than the last one. How could they not eat it?

Hearing this was for celebrating Grandfather Li’s birthday, the several little ones decided to go together to Grandfather Li’s house to visit Grandmother Li. Each prepared a small gift. Without even eating lunch, they urged the steward to take them to Li Gang’s house. This could truly be called “Sima Zhao’s heart is known to all passersby.”

Entering Li Gang’s courtyard, Runniang saw Qin Shuang covered in sweat guarding by the corn. Quite disloyally throwing her brother aside, she specially ran to the back courtyard to request a large pot of cold tea and brought it to Qin Shuang. This made Yun Ye, equally parched, glare fiercely at Qin Shuang.

The cake was placed on the table under the awning. The four little girls dragged Li Gang’s elderly wife and other female relatives who’d come to offer birthday wishes. The little girls had even prepared small forks for eating cake and plates. They kept urging Old Madam Li to quickly have Grandfather Li prepare to blow out the candles so they could eat cake.

Li Gang laughed heartily, instructing servants to remove the wooden box from the cake. As soon as the wooden box was lifted, the cake’s rich sweet fragrance immediately enveloped the entire courtyard. The lifelike longevity peach, the remarkably realistic flowers, and several large characters written with jam: “Longevity Like the Southern Mountain’s Ageless Pine.”

This was Yun Ye’s deepest hope for Li Gang. He truly hoped this old man could enjoy prolonged blessings and longevity.

Li Gang laughed with his mouth wide open, his eyes narrowed to slits. Lishi immediately wielded his brush on paper to paint. With just a few strokes, the image of Li Gang laughing toward heaven leaped onto the paper.

“This truly becomes more interesting the more one lives.” After Li Gang spoke, following Yun Ye’s instructions, he puffed out his cheeks and blew out that blue candle. Taking up the long knife, amid everyone’s regretful gazes, he cut the first slice.