Boiling Wine Discussing Longevity

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Crown Prince Residence, Garden Pavilion.

Li Qinglin and Qin Yi sat opposite each other at a stone table. It was already dark, the moon hung in the middle of the sky, a gentle breeze blew, and the garden was filled with a faint fragrance.

There were no servants around. Li Qinglin personally warmed the wine, watching the small stove fire by the pavilion flicker slightly, lost in thought.

Qin Yi watched him for a long time, truly feeling that this was a super contradictory person, with an extremely complex impression. In fact, he could see that some of Li Qinglin's postures were not for show. Just like him warming the wine with his own hands at this moment, it was definitely not pretending to be humble and respectful to scholars, because there was no need. What impression could letting a maid warm the wine affect? On the contrary, ever since they met, he had always been like this, doing things himself and being self-sufficient, not at all like a prince. In many ways, he always made Qin Yi feel more like a warrior, or rather, a pure martial artist.

But precisely this kind of warrior had done many things that only cold-blooded politicians would do.

"Don't keep looking at me." Li Qinglin suddenly smiled: "Although I resemble Qingjun somewhat in appearance, I am not a woman disguised as a man."

Qin Yi was also amused and laughed out loud: "You rarely joke."

"I said, because I don't have that much energy. If I were still dreaming like Qingjun, then I would also like to joke." Li Qinglin smiled: "Who doesn't want to smile every day? Having a gloomy face, full of worries, and a belly full of schemes is not a good feeling."

"Then you..." Qin Yi pondered for a moment, but still asked: "Why did you choose such a feeling?"

"People must always have an ideal and move forward for it, otherwise, what's the point of drifting with the current throughout one's life, living numbly?"

Qin Yi was startled, and then remembered Liu Su saying something similar about the point of living during the banquet, but their views were completely different. One believed that if you couldn't be unrestrained and have your thoughts flow freely, what was the point of living? The other believed that if you lived your whole life like a salted fish without an ideal, what was the point of living?

He thought Liu Su would comment on this, but the stick was completely silent, with no reaction.

Li Qinglin continued: "What are your aspirations, Brother Qin? To wander freely in the forests, with pine and bamboo as friends, not involved in the hustle and bustle of the mortal world, free and unfettered?"

Qin Yi hesitated for a moment and replied: "Something like that."

Li Qinglin smiled: "Although our aspirations are different, I don't think there's anything wrong with it. This is the mark of a noble person. What's most fearful is living a mediocre life, and instead comforting oneself that being ordinary is precious. That is a fool."

Qin Yi's face felt a little hot, feeling as if he was the latter...

However, he also knew why Liu Su didn't comment, because in fact, what Liu Su said didn't conflict with Li Qinglin. Essentially, both were about having an ideal and a pursuit. The essence was the same, so there was nothing to argue about regarding different personal pursuits.

On the contrary, he, Qin Yi, who thought he was detached and indifferent, was actually a salted fish... because he didn't know what he was pursuing, even though he had once pretentiously told Li Qingjun that people should know what they were pursuing, he himself didn't know.

He finally opened his mouth and asked in return: "Then what is Brother Li's aspiration? The great power of Nanli?"

"Heh..." Li Qinglin was dumbfounded and laughed, not answering immediately. He slowly extinguished the stove fire and picked up the wine pot to refill Qin Yi's cup, as if he was also organizing his words.

Qin Yi didn't urge him, quietly watching him.

"Brother Qin is a Nanli person, and also a Fangshi." Li Qinglin weighed the wine cup, staring blankly at the wine in the cup, "In your eyes, is Nanli considered a patient?"

"Hmm..." Qin Yi sighed: "Yes."

"My father is devoted to the Dao and has no interest in state affairs. Even the news of the Western Wilderness invasion is not as important as him taking pills and cultivating." Li Qinglin said slowly: "In state affairs, listening to the Demonic Daoist's nonsense is better than listening to loyal and upright officials, and even better than listening to me, his son. When there is a Southeast Earthquake, he doesn't prioritize disaster relief, but instead sets up altars and performs rituals; when enemy countries invade, he doesn't sharpen weapons and feed horses, but instead prays to the heavens."

Qin Yi was silent.

"With the king like this, the subjects are even worse. In the court, they are sycophantic Donghua, flattering and bootlicking. No one does proper work, everyone studies Daoist magic. Some people even dare to wear Daoist robes to court, and my father not only doesn't take offense, but even wears them himself, it's simply a joke." Li Qinglin sneered: "In the Jianghu, monstrous fiends run rampant, everyone disrespects the king, and instead worships Daoist Temples. Every family's production is neglected, couples cultivate in seclusion, their marital relations are not harmonious, and even the population has decreased. Brother Qin, this country is not just sick, it's a fatal illness."

Qin Yi slowly nodded. He didn't have much understanding of national economy and people's livelihood, but what Li Qinglin said was clearly true. If it was really like this, this country was truly at its end.

"When did all this begin? It was when my father believed Donghua and began seeking the Dao of Longevity. This is the root of everything." Li Qinglin said: "I also tried to remonstrate, and I also formed factions, framed and slandered, trying to politically remove Dong Huazi from power, but it was all useless. I am just a Second Prince, and my political capital is not enough."

Speaking of this, he finally drank the wine he had been weighing for a long time.

Qin Yi looked up, meeting Li Qinglin's eyes directly.

"I was the one who had Ye Ling assassinate the Crown Prince," Li Qinglin said calmly. "He catered to Father's preferences and also cultivated the Dao. That would have been fine. But his biggest mistake, his unforgivable mistake, was bringing this trend into the army. That is Nanli's last line of defense. From that moment on, a thought suddenly occurred to me: if I got rid of him and became the Crown Prince myself, perhaps there would still be hope. Do you think I did it for power? Yes, I want this power. Without this position, I cannot save Nanli."

Qin Yi sighed softly and silently drank the wine in his cup.

Liu Su suddenly spoke, "Ask him what he would think if there truly was a method for longevity in this world."

So Qin Yi asked. Li Qinglin thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Brother Qin is a Fangshi himself, so I suppose he believes in this. It's no wonder he would ask such a question... But as I said, there is concrete evidence of demons and monsters, but immortality is just a rumor. So many emperors have pursued this path, yet not a single one has achieved longevity. I don't believe in it."

Qin Yi persisted, "I mean, if there truly was one."

Li Qinglin shook his head. "I am a prince, and this is my kingdom. My responsibility is to ensure the people live in peace, the nation is strong, life is prosperous internally, and we can resist foreign invaders externally. If possible, to expand our territory and awe the world. If I could achieve that, I would die immediately without having lived in vain. Longevity? What use is longevity? Without one's responsibility, having forgotten one's aspirations, living a thousand years like a groveling insect is nothing more than a walking corpse."

Liu Su chuckled softly. "An interesting person." But she didn't tell Qin Yi to ask further.

Instead, Li Qinglin asked Qin Yi, "Brother Qin, I haven't been able to listen to your stories recently, but I've heard some scattered retellings of your Journey to the West from Ye Ling. I suppose the ending is that they obtain the scriptures and all become Buddhas?"

Qin Yi nodded. "They each have their roles, but Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong became Buddhas."

"Then... I have a question. I wonder if Brother Qin can answer it?"

"What question?"

"The story of the Six-Eared Macaque..." Li Qinglin said slowly. "The one who was killed, was it the Six-Eared Macaque, or was it Sun Wukong?"

Qin Yi's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes widened in surprise.

This point had indeed been raised by some people, but he had never expected that Li Qinglin, who had only heard scattered fragments, would also think this way. You didn't transmigrate back, did you?

"Why do you have this confusion?"

"After the incident with the Six Ears, Sun Wukong's behavior was completely different. He no longer had his wild nature, hence this confusion. I always suspect that perhaps the real Sun Wukong was actually tricked and killed by the Tathagata in that battle, and the Six-Eared Macaque took his place to obtain the scriptures."

Qin Yi could only explain, "That story wasn't made up by me. There is indeed an original work. The titles of those chapters in the original work clearly indicate the 'Heart Ape,' so the general interpretation is that the so-called Six-Eared Macaque is actually Sun Wukong's own Heart Ape. After it was removed, his wild nature was restrained."

Li Qinglin silently poured himself some wine and drank it in one gulp.

"What's wrong?" Qin Yi asked curiously. "Is there a problem with this plot?"

Li Qinglin said indifferently, "I would rather believe that the Great Sage is dead than accept that the Monkey King who swept through the Heavenly Court and the Underworld would sit cross-legged with palms pressed together and live forever as a Buddha."