Yellow Millet Dream Awakens

The lingering notes of the zither drifted into the wind, and Qi WuHuo looked up at what he saw.

The evening breeze stirred the wilderness, the slanting moon hung in the woods.

Soon, he saw a maiden, about sixteen or seventeen years old, step out of a sedan chair.

Wearing a jade crown and a purple silk gown, with a red jade pendant, and a phoenix-shaped sash.

Her bright eyes and fair wrists, her graceful steps, enchanting and beautiful, unlike anything he had ever seen.

Her gaze flickered, shining brilliantly.

Qi WuHuo's expression remained calm and composed. He asked for her name, and the maiden replied truthfully, introducing herself as Qiong Yu. They continued to be close friends, considering each other to be true confidants. Several months passed this way.

Before the grand examination, students would often go on outings in the mountains or visit temples and monasteries in various places to pray for good luck in their exams.

Qi WuHuo, along with his friends, ascended the most famous peak outside the Capital City, Dingyan Peak. At its highest point stood a Taoist temple, dedicated to a legendary goddess.

It was said to be extremely efficacious, with eight or nine out of ten people who prayed there receiving a blessing.

Qi WuHuo lit three sticks of incense and stepped into the main hall.

The hall enshrined the goddess. A thin veil covered the goddess's face, and the hall itself was built extremely high, making it almost impossible to see clearly with the naked eye. Qi WuHuo had no interest in seeing the face of this so-called goddess.

However, just as he was about to offer incense, his gaze swept to the side. His expression suddenly froze. Others followed his gaze and saw that it was a maidservant standing beside the goddess, dressed in green, holding a Ruyi scepter, with her hair in twin buns, smiling brightly and slyly.

Qi WuHuo stared intently at the green-clad maidservant.

Her appearance and demeanor were exactly the same as the one he saw every night!

The Taoist priest nearby noticed Qi WuHuo stop and asked, "Young master, why do you not offer incense but stand here?"

Qi WuHuo's expression did not change, and he replied, "I do not yet know the esteemed title of this goddess, which is why I have not offered incense."

The Taoist priest smiled and answered, "Goddess Qiong Yu."

Qi WuHuo slowly nodded, his back straight, and inserted the incense into the censer:

"Qiong Yu..."

That night, at their usual meeting place, when he saw his friend again, she came to bid him farewell, lamenting, "Originally, I only sought friendship through music, but since you know my identity, it will be difficult for us to interact on equal terms."

"I was born into a noble family, but I died due to someone's scheme. Because I practiced orthodox cultivation techniques when I was young, I did not completely perish. After cultivating for several years, my Yin spirit could travel a hundred miles, which is how I met you."

Qi WuHuo frowned slightly, "Mountain gods... deities..."

"Can one truly achieve eternal life?"

Qiong Yu shook her head:

"It's not eternal life, merely existing like a lingering spirit, barely surviving."

"With your talent, you will surely become famous throughout the world in the future."

"This scroll is the Soul Nurturing Method I obtained in Canxia Cave back then. I shall pass it on to you, as a token of our acquaintance."

The maiden reached out and touched Qi WuHuo's forehead.

A profound and indescribable essence flowed into his forehead. His spirit trembled slightly and then dispersed.

It felt as if in an instant, he opened his eyes to find it was already the next morning. His clothes were damp with morning dew, and the figure of his friend was nowhere to be seen. He sighed for a long time, then turned and left.

Later, Qi WuHuo passed the imperial examinations with flying colors, becoming a Jinshi. He was appointed as a Secretary of the Imperial Library. Due to his upright and aloof personality, a year later, he chose to take the Imperial Examination (Special) and was transferred to become the County Lieutenant of Huainan.

Seven years later, when Qi WuHuo was twenty-five, he was promoted to Censor. Then, at the age of thirty-six, he returned to the Capital City and was promoted to Imperial Scribe, concurrently serving as Director of Imperial Edicts.

Three years later, he left the Capital to take charge as the Governor of Tongzhou, and was later promoted to Governor-General of Zhongzhou. He received and sent off officials, cultivating his temperament further. Because of his experiences of hunger in his youth, he was particularly kind to the common people, undertaking water conservancy projects, digging canals, and reducing taxes in his jurisdiction. Most of his salary was used to help the people.

The common people even erected a stone tablet for him, recording his merits.

After his term ended, he was transferred to become the Military Governor of Bianzhou. At the age of forty-six, he was summoned to the Imperial City and appointed as the Prefect of the Imperial City.

During this period, the nation was in turmoil. The human emperor's reign was known as the Shenwu Era, and they were at war with the demon race. A general from the Candle Dragon Tribe broke through the border defenses, using the Cloud Riding and Mist Driving technique. The Military Governor was killed, and someone needed to be sent to quell the situation.

Qi WuHuo had always avoided forming factions, so this suicidal mission naturally fell upon him. He was appointed Vice Censor-in-Chief and sent to command the army. Having been on missions outside for over twenty years, Qi WuHuo had come to know many heroes. In this battle, heroes fought bravely, and soldiers died valiantly. After several years, they decisively defeated the demon country.

They expanded the border by over nine hundred li and built three cities, using the Three Powers Formation to suppress and resist the demon onslaught. The border residents erected a monument for him on the former sacred mountain of the demons, recording his achievements.

Upon his triumphant return, his reputation grew even more. He was transferred to become Vice Minister of Rites, and later, through accumulated merits, was promoted to Minister of Revenue and Grand Censor. Everyone praised him as capable of both military and civil service, and his fame reached its peak, even surpassing that of the Chancellor.

The Chancellor, consumed by jealousy, spread rumors and slander. Under this pressure, Qi WuHuo was demoted and sent to serve as a provincial governor. At this time, a sense of injustice still lingered in his heart. When he played the zither alone in his courtyard, he would press down on the strings, sighing deeply. His words revealed his extreme dissatisfaction and deep resentment towards the corrupt officials in power.

Three years later, Qi WuHuo was summoned back to the Capital.

This time, his reputation for integrity was exceptionally high, and he was appointed Chancellor of the Secretariat and the Department of State Affairs, wielding immense power. Together with the Director of the Secretariat and the Palace Attendant, he managed the court's affairs. However, upon his return to the Capital this time, he felt a profound weariness. He once lamented to a friend:

"When my reputation was at its peak, the Emperor suppressed me and supported the Chancellor. Now that the Chancellor's power is great, he calls me back."

"He also brought in two others to keep me in check."

"In this imperial court, we are all merely chess pieces of the Emperor. Even wanting to do something for the people requires constant scheming."

"Speaking of which, when I was young, my family wasn't wealthy. We lived below a small mountain, but in spring, I would farm my own land. In summer, I'd go to the mountains to cool off and gather inspiration. In autumn, there were all sorts of wild fruits. It was truly much more carefree than now."

"If only I could be like I was back then, young and carefree, gathering firewood on the mountain. It's all like a dream now. How I wish I could return to my youth, to play music and talk with you by the bamboo grove. I truly wish I could go back, but how can that ever happen? How is it possible to go back..."

Qi WuHuo's melancholy was beyond words.

Several more years passed. Qi WuHuo had become almost the foremost scholar in the land, when suddenly rumors spread that he was colluding with frontier generals, plotting rebellion. One day he was a powerful minister who didn't need to bow in court, and the next he was thrown into the Imperial Prison. Qi WuHuo's expression was indifferent and peaceful; he no longer cared about such matters.

When the cruel officials, armed with sharp blades and chains, kicked open the door to arrest him, the foremost scholar, dressed in simple cloth robes, was calmly eating a bowl of rice porridge. A serene glance from his eyes was enough to subdue the dozens of cruel officials, as if it were a light breeze.

He then calmly submitted to capture.

Due to his great achievements and fame that shook the world, he was spared execution and merely exiled to a desolate land.

Upon the ascension of the next emperor, Qi WuHuo was immediately exonerated, summoned back to the Capital City, and appointed Director of the Secretariat. He was to be enfeoffed as the Duke of Qi and marry the late Grand Princess. Qi WuHuo politely declined. He calmly said to his disciple, who was also an informant for the emperor:

"The old emperor is dying and wants to leave a sword for the next emperor."

"So he deposed me, and his son is now exonerating me? Using both reward and punishment, treating me as a sword. The art of ruling is nothing more than this."

The young man asked, "The imperial power is lofty and distant. Are you, sir, afraid?"

The old man, his hair now white, still had deep, profound eyes. He smiled faintly and said, "I just find it tedious."

He then disregarded the young man's subtle fear and calmly inquired:

"You do not desire wealth or pleasure, nor do you indulge in luxury."

"Have you perhaps seen through the concept of 'fame'?"

The intelligent and handsome young man replied after a long pause, "I am young and have not yet experienced the mortal world or seen all its affairs..."

"The concept of 'fame' will be overcome in this lifetime."

Qi WuHuo drank and laughed heartily. Feeling tired, he waved his sleeve, signaling his disciple to leave.

As the disciple left, he hurried to the imperial palace and recounted everything Qi WuHuo had said. The emperor was always dignified, and no one knew the turmoil within the young emperor's heart. Later unofficial histories recorded the emperor's struggle and decision on that day with simple words.

The Emperor feared.

He dispatched the Imperial Guards.

When these armored Imperial Guards stormed into the luxurious mansion, the old man was already seated peacefully inside, his eyes closed. His presence was as deep as an abyss, and the guards dared not move.

He had already passed away.

His life had been renowned throughout the land. The countless treasures bestowed upon him by the imperial family were immeasurable; his carriages, horses, fields, and residences were even more numerous.

The mansion was empty, and only a single line of poetry remained on the wall.

Qi WuHuo, known for his upright nature, rose from military service to become a minister, disliking poetry and rarely leaving any behind. This was the only line, a reflection on his seventy-year career in officialdom.

"Seventy years of chaos."

The cruel official suddenly felt that these six words were filled with a profound sense of desolation and sorrow.

Seventy years of chaos...

Outside the outer wall of the Capital City, Qi WuHuo's soul emerged. He had cultivated the Soul Nurturing Method, and his soul remained even after his death. He stepped out a hundred miles, witnessing the world's prosperity. The humble room where he had once studied diligently was now dilapidated.

Qiong Yu, the mountain spirit he had met in his youth, appeared. As if she knew Qi WuHuo's fate had run its course, a hint of sorrow flickered in her eyes. At this moment, Qi WuHuo was old and frail, with age spots on his face. Qiong Yu, however, remained as clear and beautiful as an immortal goddess, just as she had appeared decades ago.

"I have grown so old, yet you are still the same as you were back then."

Qi WuHuo sighed, then suddenly smiled:

"Is eternal life possible in this world?"

This was the only meeting in decades, and the question was the same as it had been then.

However, the emotion behind the inquiry was entirely different.

The maiden replied, "A flower in the mirror, the moon in the water – visible, but unattainable."

The old man with white hair and a wizened face played the zither. The melody stirred the mountains, causing the sea of clouds to surge, almost reaching the Dao. When the song ended, the mountain peaks remained unchanged.

He suddenly recalled his experiences in his youth. Wanting to return now was impossible. For what had he pursued fame and fortune for these seventy years? What had it all been for? Qi WuHuo lowered his head to the zither and softly sang:

"Seventy years of chaos, from east wall to west wall."

"Now, tidying up and returning..."

"It is still, the water merging with the azure sky."

When the music ended and all were gone, he closed his eyes, and his soul dispersed.

Only the mountains remained, the water flowed ceaselessly, just as it had in the past.

It was also, melancholy.

Suddenly, someone forcefully pushed his shoulder.

It felt like falling off a cliff in a dream, his body covered in cold sweat.

Qi WuHuo shivered and abruptly opened his eyes. In a daze, he saw an old man pointing at him and laughing, "Kid, you're dreaming, but why do you look like you're about to cry?"

Qi WuHuo looked around blankly for a long time:

"Where is this? What, what time is it?"

The old man chuckled and scolded, "You don't even recognize your own home?"

"As for the time?"

He raised his hand, pointing to the stove, where steam billowed, and replied:

"It's noon."

"The snow hasn't stopped falling."

"The Yellow Millet Rice will be ready in another quarter of an hour."