Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Method of Extending Life

Majestic and towering, the Forbidden City welcomed Dustless for the first time, in both her past and present lives. Previously, she had only glimpsed its grandeur on television or through images online, never truly experiencing the royal dignity and imposing atmosphere by walking its halls.

Dustless had brought Yunhua along to the palace to "broaden her horizons." Yunhua, in turn, had brought her fox to "bathe in imperial grace." The pair's arrival left both the entire White Cloud Temple and the eunuchs sent to deliver the imperial summons speechless, though they could only swallow their mutterings. Was this what people meant by the demeanor of a true master? It was indeed different from anything ordinary folk could imagine!

Led by a eunuch, Dustless and her disciple entered through the Meridian Gate, crossed the Golden Water Bridge, passed through the three grand halls—Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony, and Hall of Preserving Harmony—and were brought directly to the Palace of Heavenly Purity. The eunuch left Dustless and Yunhua to wait while he hurried inside to report. This gave the pair a chance to carefully observe the imperial city.

Soon, a chief eunuch arrived with several attendants and said, "His Majesty summons Master Dustless and disciple into the hall." With that, Dustless and Yunhua were led through the great doors of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Inside, no ministers were present; the Emperor was clearly unable to rise from bed, half-reclining on a couch with assistance. Beside him sat a middle-aged woman wearing a phoenix crown, and nearby stood a youth of fifteen or sixteen dressed in a yellow dragon robe, though the golden dragon embroidered upon it lacked a claw. It was obvious—this was the Empress and the Crown Prince, Zhu Houzhao.

Dustless, accompanied by her determined disciple Yunhua, who was resolved not to embarrass her master, approached the trio and saluted together: "Boundless blessings to the Heavenly Lord. Your humble servants, master and disciple, pay respects to Your Majesty, the Empress, and the Crown Prince."

"Master, thank you for coming from afar. I have long heard of your illustrious reputation. May I ask, how old are you now?" The Hongzhi Emperor spoke with great effort, his voice low and faint.

"Your Majesty, I was adopted by my late master in the fourteenth year of Yongle, and have followed him in cultivation ever since. Later, my master passed away for reasons unknown, leaving me young and alone. I closed the temple gates and practiced in solitude in the mountains. When I descended, Your Majesty had already reigned for fourteen years."

"Ah, the fourteenth year of Yongle—that would make you over a hundred years old?" The Crown Prince, quick-witted and youthful, was the first to react. The Empress shot him a sharp glare, forcing him into silence. The Emperor, clearly intrigued, continued, "Your ordination certificate was once brought up by the Ministry of Rites, accusing you of impersonation. I suppressed it. You claim to be born in the Yongle era; do you have any proof?"

"All those I knew in my youth have long returned to dust, Your Majesty. I have no evidence. When my master found me outside Jinshan County, he discovered half a piece of jade pendant in my swaddling clothes, though its origin was unknown. He searched throughout Jingshan but found nothing, and eventually let it go. As one who dwells outside worldly matters, with my master gone, I ceased to concern myself with my origins. I only kept the jade pendant as a memento of our bond." She finished and handed the half-pendant to the nearby eunuch for presentation.

"Oh," the Emperor murmured, neither affirming nor denying. A century had passed—mountains and seas changed; indeed, no witnesses remain. He examined the jade pendant carefully; its color clear and lustrous, its texture delicate and warm, clearly not something commoners could possess. Yet among noble families, such things were rare. Investigate those who lived in or passed through Jingshan in the fifteenth year of Yongle, and perhaps the truth would emerge. Dustless presenting the pendant was indeed grounds for inquiry; her words seemed not to be false.

"I have heard, Master, that your cultivation is profound. Do you possess methods for extending life?" The Emperor gazed steadily at Dustless, projecting the aura of one long accustomed to power—the true face of a Son of Heaven. The gentle tone earlier was but a facade.

"I do," Dustless replied.

"Truly?" The Emperor was delighted, seeking confirmation.

"To increase blessings and prolong life, to beseech fate and avert ill fortune—I do possess such methods, yet..." Dustless affirmed, but withheld her conditions, unsure if she should speak them.

"The method for averting ill fortune—I know, I know! Wasn't it used by Zhuge Liang at Wuzhang Plains, only to be broken by Wei Yan?" The Crown Prince, naturally impulsive, burst out again.

Dustless was embarrassed. Crown Prince, can you not treat the Romance of the Three Kingdoms as historical fact? In reality, Dustless misunderstood him; Zhuge Liang's story of averting ill fortune had long been widely told, and the Crown Prince's knowledge did not come from novels.

This time, the Empress did not restrain her son, but watched Dustless with shining eyes.

"Master, what difficulty do you face?" The Emperor noticed Dustless's hesitation and inquired.

"To beseech fate and avert ill fortune is to offer petition to the Lord of the Northern Dipper. Success is uncertain. Your Majesty bears the weight of the empire, and great karmic ties bind you to the world. To defy fate is no easy task. Should the Lord of Fate not respond, the attempt may bring calamity instead. Does Your Majesty wish to proceed?" Dustless cautioned.

"What calamity do you mean?" the Hongzhi Emperor asked.

"Your Majesty’s calamity lies in the empire, in the Empress and Crown Prince. The method is an exchange; Your Majesty must offer something to receive a stroke from the Lord of Fate. Balance is the foundation of the Heavenly Way," Dustless explained.

The Hongzhi Emperor fell silent. If there remained anything he cared for in this world, it was no more than the ancestral empire and his wife and son. On one side, his own life nearing its end; on the other, hope of survival. The Hongzhi Emperor was speechless for a long time, unable to decide. At last, he said, "It grows late. Master, please rest with your disciple in the palace tonight. The Empress and I will host you."

Dustless said nothing. The matter was of great consequence and could not be decided in haste. Had the Hongzhi Emperor made his choice immediately, Dustless would have left at once. Though the palace was restrictive, Dustless paid it little mind. Behind her, Yunhua, holding her restlessly wriggling white fox, rolled her eyes—wasn’t it still morning? How could it already be late?

The Empress noticed Yunhua’s little gesture. Yunhua was adorable, and her antics touched the Empress, who had long wished for another child. Smiling at Yunhua, the Empress watched as Yunhua, out of habit, rolled her eyes back at her, and the two locked gazes—big eyes to small, a charming scene. The Empress genuinely liked Yunhua now.

The Emperor said he needed time to consider, so Dustless could only wait. Soon, Dustless returned to the Eastern Palace with the Crown Prince, while Yunhua and her little fox were spirited away to the Palace of Earthly Tranquility by the Empress. Dustless knew that in the Hongzhi Emperor’s harem, there was only the Empress—a tranquil place. Seeing Yunhua’s enthusiasm, Dustless permitted it, merely reminding her not to neglect her studies before letting her go.