The Hidden Immortal

Chapter 57 Sudden Bad News

Knowing that Chu Xun loved good food, Tang Shijun took him to try all three delicacies of Fenggu City.

Slice soft tofu, stuff it with a filling of chopped chicken breast, shrimp, and shiitake mushrooms, coat it with egg white, fry it until golden brown, and then simmer it in broth to make stuffed tofu.

These are wheat-flavored shortbreads with both savory and sweet flavors. The savory ones are filled with preserved mustard greens and minced meat, while the sweet ones are inlaid with osmanthus honey.

Fresh grass carp is pounded into a paste, mixed with buckwheat flour, and shaped into dough fish that are pointed at both ends and round in the middle.

Mix with Sichuan peppercorns, minced garlic, and aged vinegar for a tangy, spicy, and refreshing flavor.

Chu Xun was delighted with the meal and couldn't help but say, "The city is so much better. Unlike in the village, where we could only eat things like pig's head, roast chicken, sausage, and roast duck."

Passersby were dumbfounded. Was this even human language?

Tang Shijun laughed loudly upon hearing this, pointing at Chu Xun and saying, "You, you have such great abilities, yet all you think about is eating good food. What a waste!"

Chu Xun didn't take it to heart and said, "Life is long. If you can't even eat well, it's too boring."

Tang Shijun naturally couldn't understand these words.

Everyone says life is short, so how can it be long?

Thinking back to when I first met Chu Xun, I was only twenty-two years old.

Now, more than a decade has passed in the blink of an eye.

Although not yet old, his hair has already turned white.

Two years ago, Tang Shijun had already married and had children.

His wife was the granddaughter of Duke Qingguo, Jia Xingzhou. She was beautiful, dignified and elegant.

Among the civil officials, the Duke of Qing ranked among the top three, wielding immense power.

Although a woman's family background may not necessarily bring benefits to her husband's family.

However, intermarriage among court officials had become a common practice.

Various forces are deeply intertwined, and even the Tang family is not immune to this.

Tang Shijun was slightly disappointed that Chu Xun did not allow his wife and children to appear during his visit.

After touring Fenggu City for two days, Chu Xun and Huan'er bid farewell and returned home.

Tang Shijun gave Huan'er more than a dozen annotated classics, all of which he had read and annotated himself.

He instructed Huan'er to study hard after returning home, so that she could once again excel in the imperial examination next year.

Huan'er naturally thanked him happily, and from that moment on, the teacher and student had established a bond.

Before leaving, Chu Xun made a special trip back to the secluded courtyard.

"Why did Uncle come back here?" Huan'er asked, puzzled.

Chu Xun said, "Since we picked the flowers from this locust tree, we should at least thank it and return the favor."

Huan'er was even more puzzled. Steamed locust flowers have been a traditional dish since ancient times, so what was there to thank her for?

Besides, it's just a tree; it wouldn't even know if you thanked it.

Chu Xun didn't explain further, but simply said to the old locust tree, "Thank you for the hospitality. The locust blossoms are delicious."

Although Huan'er didn't understand, she still followed Chu Xun in bowing to the locust tree.

After leaving the courtyard, he locked the brass lock on the door, tugged at it twice, and then left.

They hadn't gone far when a gentle breeze blew by.

Huan'er let out a soft "Eh?", wiped her face, and looked up at the sky: "It's raining?"

Sure enough, a light drizzle began to fall, but it was limited to the vicinity of the courtyard.

The raindrops on my face were blown on by the wind.

Chu Xun, his fingers forming a hand seal hidden in his sleeve, chuckled, "Let's go, or we'll get soaked in the rain."

In the courtyard, the old locust tree was bathed in the rain, and its leaves became even greener.

The branches swayed gently, as if stretching out to welcome this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

As the branches and leaves swayed, petals of locust blossoms flew out of the courtyard like white snowflakes.

A gentle breeze blew, and Chu Xun seemed to sense it, raising his hand to catch a few locust blossoms.

I put it in my mouth and chewed it carefully; it was a little sweet.

He turned back, smiled and cupped his hands in greeting towards the courtyard again, before leaving without looking back.

Upon returning to Songguo Village, Lin Qiaoxi was overjoyed to learn that Huan'er had won first place in the prefectural examination.

She came from a wealthy family and naturally hoped that her son could pass the imperial examinations and bring honor to the family.

Zhang Sanchun didn't care much about this; whether he could become an official or not was none of his concern.

As long as my wife and children are happy, that's enough.

Several months later, Li Tianjian's family received devastating news.

When Li Tianjian's wife woke up in the morning, she saw that her husband was still lying there and called out to her several times, but he did not respond.

After pushing her a few more times, I realized she was no longer breathing.

Despite not having a good relationship with Li Tianjian's family, Chu Xun and Zhang Anxiu still rushed over to help.

The villagers helped set up the mourning hall, but Li Tianjian's wife was always finding fault with him.

One minute this place is uneven, the next minute that place is misplaced.

A group of people were driven crazy by her orders, but they couldn't say anything.

She kept talking incessantly.

Li Shoutian, leaning on a cane, was helped over by Li Guangmao.

Two years later, his injured leg not only failed to heal, but became even more serious.

Now one of his legs is almost completely unable to bend, and he can only move slowly with the help of crutches.

His body grew thinner and thinner, his forehead was covered with wrinkles, his hair was white, and he aged much faster than in previous years.

Chu Xun hurried over to help support him as they walked into the mourning hall, looking at his elder brother lying in the coffin.

Tears streamed down Li Shoutian's face as he trembled and cried out, "Brother..."

No matter what others think or say, the person lying inside is ultimately his own elder brother.

That family bond is something you can never give up, no matter what.

Chu Xun stood on the left, supporting Li Shoutian, and glanced into the coffin.

Inside, straw mats were laid out according to custom, and the person was dressed in a clean blue and white floral burial garment.

She had lost quite a bit of gray hair, but she combed it meticulously.

Further down, Chu Xun noticed Li Tianjian's missing ear.

Then he remembered that when they fought over water years ago, Li Tianjian had also gone there and had one of his ears torn off, his body stained red with blood.

At that time, he thought Li Tianjian was a real man.

But at some point, the relationship between the two families became increasingly distant.

Perhaps people change as they get older.

Li Sanjing and Li Mangu, along with their son and daughter, knelt on either side of the mourning hall, kowtowing to the villagers who came to help and pay their respects in gratitude.

Only Li Tianjian's wife continued her endless nagging.

She would argue with anyone who spoke to her, becoming even more shrewish than before.

On the third day, the day of the burial, when Chu Xun arrived, he saw Li Tianjian's wife pointing at the villagers next door.

He scolded them for making such a racket so early in the morning, preventing him from sleeping well.

People were mindful that a funeral was being held, so they could only swallow their anger and not argue with them.

Zhang Anxiu was displeased and said, "How can she have no sense of propriety or manners at all!"

"Alright, can't you be quiet for a moment!" Li Shoutian was helped over by Li Guangmao and scolded.

The woman was not afraid at all, and glared at Li Shoutian: "Mind your own business!"

Li Shoutian was so angry he could hardly breathe. Too lazy to talk to her anymore, he began to preside over the burial ceremony.

The eldest son, Li Sanjing, came over, grabbed the earthenware pot, and smashed it violently.

The men from the village came over to help lift the coffin.

Yellow paper was scattered, white banners were raised, and the suona horns blared loudly.

When we arrived in the fields, the grave had already been dug.

The coffin was slowly lowered, hoisted up. Li Shoutian trembled, gritted his teeth, and said, "Bury it!"

One by one, the villagers stepped forward and took turns shoveling soil with iron spades.

No one noticed that Li Tianjian's wife had stopped nagging.

She stared blankly as the coffin was gradually covered by soil, then suddenly rushed over like a madwoman, pushed people away, and even jumped into the pit, desperately digging away the soil covering the coffin.

The whole village heard her heart-wrenching, piercing cries: "Don't bury him! You're not allowed to bury him!"

"Old man, old man!!"

Everyone was stunned; they were used to seeing Li Tianjian being scolded by his wife, who would pull his ear.

He was scolded like a grandson every day and didn't dare to talk back.

Fiery and unreasonable—that's the only impression she left on people.

She talked on and on for three days and three nights during the three-day funeral.

I don't know how many people have been cursing her behind her back.

Her husband is dead, and she still doesn't know how to behave. What a shrew!

But now I see her kneeling on the coffin, desperately digging at the dirt, crying and wailing.

Only then did everyone realize that she hadn't been deliberately picking a fight for the past three days.

Instead, I had already lost my composure and was at a loss, so I had to use this method to stop myself from thinking about things I didn't want to think about.

However, as the coffin was about to be covered by earth, nothing could stop her from feeling fear.

I'll never see that person again.

We'll never see each other again!

Li Shoutian was in tears and ordered his men to go down and forcibly pull her up.

"Bury him!" the old village chief roared again, his voice trembling with tears.

If you can't bear to part with it, do you think I can?

That's your man!

He's my brother too!

Li Tianjian's wife struggled frantically, scratching and biting, but her sons, Li Sanjing and Li Mangu, held her tightly and wouldn't let go.

Chu Xun heard sobbing nearby. He turned around and saw that Zhang Anxiu was already sobbing uncontrollably.

No matter how bad the relationship is, who could tolerate this situation?

Chu Xun sighed and began to form a hand seal.

Rain Technique +1

In previous years, he saw off many elderly people in the village, but most of them were grandfathers.

Li Tianjian's passing indicates that it's time for his uncles and aunts to pass away.

Those who leave this world in the future will be people you know better.

As the drizzle began to fall, crows flew in as usual, and weasels, field mice, and rabbits in the fields also poked their heads out.

But they didn't approach, because they knew this rain didn't belong to them.