Chen Shi's heart was instantly filled with sorrow and tenderness.
Since his resurrection, he had never seen his parents, living only with his grandfather. After his grandfather passed away, he had relied on Black Pot as his sole companion.
Black Pot was sensible, always taking care of him, making sure he never felt lonely. Only at night, when the daytime clamor faded away and all sounds settled, would he miss his grandfather, fantasizing about being doted upon by his parents' knees, the scene of a happy, harmonious family.
Yet it was just a fantasy.
Now, he had finally seen his mother, not in a painting from an old trunk back home, but his mother in the real world.
It was just that his mother seemed to be in a painting herself, sitting in a wheelchair in a dazed, foolish state, Chen Tang's calls having no effect whatsoever.
Although she still had breath, still had a heartbeat, immense sorrow enveloped her, preventing her from waking for a long time.
Chen Shi came to her side, squatted down, and asked, "What happened to her?"
Chen Tang's expression darkened: "Little Ten... After you died, she was probably too heartbroken. First, she went mad, always looking for you everywhere. Later, she became like this, unable to be woken no matter what."
The two of them seemed to have forgotten their earlier argument, becoming gentle again.
Chen Tang said, "I asked Granny Sha to take a look. Granny Sha said the sorrow and pain in her mind are too strong, her soul couldn't bear it. To escape the grief, her soul left her body, drifted far from her flesh, and cannot return."
Could even a soul not withstand sorrow and pain?
Chen Shi held his mother's hand. The palm was very soft, very thin, with just skin over bone. The palm wasn't warm, devoid of any strength.
He was silent for a moment, then said, "Where do I stay?"
Chen Tang was slightly taken aback: "A while ago, I already had the maid tidy up a room for you. I'll have her take you there later."
Chen Shi said, "I also have a cart and a dog. They need a room too."
Chen Tang said, "I'll have the maid tidy up again, clear out a room."
Chen Shi settled down in the Chen residence.
He went with several maids to move things from the Wooden Cart and to clean the room. Black Pot also came over, helping them tidy up.
The room Chen Tang gave them was originally a woodshed, later used to store miscellaneous items. Nowadays, burning coal was popular in the Western Capital. A coal mountain had been found near the Western Capital, underground. Every day at the third watch, people would pull coal carts into the city, and servants from wealthy households would go purchase coal.
If one was more particular, they burned charcoal, but that required money. Charcoal was much more expensive than coal.
Black Pot carried a bucket of water, sweeping the floor. Several maids chatted with it, laughing and talking. At this moment, Black Pot seemed to sense something, turned its head, and saw Chen Tang looking at himself.
Black Pot grinned at him, nodded, and continued cleaning.
It turned its head again, looking at Chen Tang with confusion.
Chen Tang withdrew his gaze, pushing his wife out to bask in the sun.
Black Pot looked at him with increasing bewilderment. Chen Tang didn't turn back, as if not feeling its gaze.
The Wooden Cart moved in and out of the room. Eyes the size of bathtubs grew from its four sides and underside, curiously examining its new home.
However, the maids were cleaning, and its driving back and forth was somewhat obstructive, easily blocking people.
Whenever this happened, the Wooden Cart would grow arms, lifting the girls by their waists, moving them from one side of the cart to the other.
These maids weren't afraid either, giggling with laughter, probably influenced by Black Pot.
Black Pot looked towards Chen Tang's direction again. Chen Tang happened to withdraw his gaze, not meeting its eyes.
At dinnertime, Chen Shi, Chen Tang, and Chen Shi's mother ate in the main hall. A maid helped Chen Shi's mother eat. She couldn't chew; the maid had to help control her jaw, chewing bit by bit, mashing the food before she could slowly swallow it, requiring great care and patience.
"Don't help."
Chen Tang said to Chen Shi, "Ping'er is patient and meticulous. If you help and the food isn't chewed properly, she could easily choke. Sit down and eat."
Chen Shi sat down, pulling out a round stool for Black Pot.
Black Pot, dressed in human clothes, also prepared to sit.
Chen Tang raised an eyebrow, displeased: "Dogs can't sit at the table."
Chen Shi raised his eyebrows, putting down his chopsticks: "Black Pot can sit at the table. At the old Chen family home in Huangpo Village, that's how we ate!"
Chen Tang glanced at him, his face darkening: "I am the head of this household. I set the rules. Here, dogs cannot sit at the table!"
Chen Shi was about to slam the table when Black Pot placed its front paws on his shoulder, shaking its head, calming his emotions.
Chen Shi withdrew his hand.
Black Pot picked up its rice bowl, took its chopsticks, got up, went to the corner, and squatted down to eat.
Chen Shi stood up, scooped half the dishes from the table onto another plate, leaving half for Chen Tang, picked up the plate and bowl, went to the corner, squatted next to Black Pot, and gave half the food from his plate to Black Pot.
One man and one dog squatted in the corner eating.
Black Pot gestured with its eyes towards Chen Tang, telling Chen Shi to go back and eat to avoid conflict with Chen Tang. Chen Shi shook his head, indicating he wanted to share both good times and bad with it.
Chen Tang tightened his grip on his chopsticks, then relaxed, eating by himself.
—There weren't many tables left in the house. His monthly salary wasn't high to begin with. If he smashed another table, he'd have to squat and eat like Chen Shi and the dog.
Chen Shi's mother sat at the table, as if seeing father and son arguing, anxiously shaking the fingers of her right hand.
Chen Tang was both surprised and delighted, but unfortunately, she soon stopped shaking.
"Come up and eat."
Chen Tang thought for a moment, then said, "Black Pot sits opposite you, don't face me directly."
Chen Shi got up, pulling Black Pot to sit at the table.
Chen Tang picked up some food, placing it in Chen Shi's bowl, saying calmly, "There are many experts in the Western Capital. Don't go around influencing others at the drop of a hat; it's easy for people to notice your unusualness. And your own family members, you must not influence them."
He picked up more food, placing it in Black Pot's bowl, saying, "You followed my father, so you're half family. I won't ask about your origins, nor do I care if you're an evil spirit. I'll treat you as family."
Black Pot nodded, wagging the tail behind the chair.
"But that cart."
Chen Tang gestured with his chin towards the Wooden Cart, saying, "I can't afford to keep it. Its appetite is too big. My monthly salary isn't enough. You'll have to figure something out."
As soon as he said this, even Chen Shi couldn't help but feel somewhat worried.
The Wooden Cart had a huge appetite, eating over ten jin of Spirit Beast Meat per meal, or it could eat evil spirits. But prices were high in the Western Capital; Spirit Beast Meat was no longer one tael of silver per jin, but three taels per jin. There were also no evil spirits in the city.
Keeping the cart fed every month was a significant expense.
Chen Shi was somewhat skeptical: "Haven't you embezzled a little?"
Chen Tang clenched his chopsticks, then relaxed them: "A gentleman remains poor in principle, not taking wealth that is not rightfully his."
"Grandpa taught you that, right?"
Chen Shi laughed, "Grandpa also said not to take money from the dead, otherwise the dead would come looking for their money at night. I used to believe it deeply, but later I took..."
He stopped here abruptly, not continuing.
He was still a good kid, just a bit rebellious, almost letting it slip.
Chen Tang acted as if he didn't understand, saying on his own, "I am now a third-rank official, with a monthly salary of thirty-five dan. One dan of rice costs five qian of silver, so that's seventeen and a half taels of silver per month. Your cart eats a month's worth of my salary in one day. I can't afford to keep it."
Chen Shi didn't understand: "There are six maids and servants at home. How can you afford to keep them?"
Chen Tang shook his head: "They weren't hired by me; they were foisted upon me by others. Every month, the maids and servants get paid by other households; I don't spend money on them. My monthly salary only needs to cover the household's daily expenses."
His official post was truly one of integrity.
Black Pot took out a hundred-tael Silver Note, placed it on the table, and gently pushed it towards him.
Chen Tang's eyelid twitched. He shook his head: "I can't accept this."
Chen Shi said, "This is pocket money I gave Black Pot. It lives quite frugally and hasn't spent it all. If you're short on money, take it for now."
Chen Tang still shook his head.
Chen Shi took out several pieces of gold: "This is what I earned on the road. Take it for now."
A vein throbbed on Chen Tang's forehead. After a moment, he finally said, "What I mean is, don't think about being a profligate young master. Find a proper livelihood. You are now a provincial graduate. In principle, the court should assign you an official position. There are definitely people in the Western Capital worried you'll cause trouble; they'll probably give you an official post. Don't refuse it."
Chen Shi smiled: "I'd actually like to be a profligate young master. You never gave me the chance."
Chen Tang snapped his chopsticks in half, finishing dinner with the broken halves.
The commotion Chen Shi brought by entering the Western Capital for the exams was greater than Chen Tang had imagined.
The news of the Child Prodigy's death and resurrection, coming to the capital for the exams, had already spread. That very night, the whole city was abuzz. From the three dukes and nine ministers at the top to the common people at the bottom, everyone was discussing it.
"After being dead for so many years, resurrecting and entering the capital, what is his purpose?"
"Revenge? Or to participate in the metropolitan examination, earn a scholarly honor?"
"His Innate Dao Embryo has already been cut out and transplanted into someone else. How does he plan to make a comeback?"
"The Western Capital is full of his enemies. How dare he come to the Western Capital?"
"I heard a demon resides within him. Wherever he goes, countless die."
"Back then, his grandfather killed many of our people. Talented individuals in the Western Capital were almost wiped out back then. Otherwise, how could Jin Hongying and those other few young generals and civil officials have risen?"
"I heard he's at odds with the Young Master. How dare he offend the Young Master?"
...
The former Chief Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, Yan Xianzhi, was currently frowning slightly. At this moment, several Cabinet ministers had come to visit him one after another, crowding into the Yan family's tea talk pavilion, each taking a seat, all chattering about the Child Prodigy entering the capital, saying the implications were significant, asking him how to handle it.
Among the thirteen heavyweights of the Cabinet, only the Chief Grand Secretary, Zhang Fuzheng, hadn't come to ask his opinion, clearly having his own decisions.
Unlike usual, Eunuch Feng, who always rushed over first, actually hadn't come this time either. No one knew what medicine he was selling in his gourd.
The Thirteen Great Clans had strong opinions, all feeling the Child Prodigy had been wronged back then, that he needed to be compensated, and couldn't be allowed to continue suffering.
Yan Xianzhi looked at the crowd, just sneering coldly, knowing these people were merely worried about the demon hidden within Chen Shi's brow erupting.
Who doesn't fear death and love life?
But the hard part is solving the problem.
Chen Shi entering the capital was just a provincial graduate. What major trouble could a provincial graduate entering the capital cause?
The Western Capital had plenty of means to suppress him!
And plenty of means to win him over!
"The Western Capital is too big, there are too many capable people. Throwing a Child Prodigy into it is like a stone dropping into a still lake. Ripples appear for a moment, but they quickly settle."
Yan Xianzhi waited for everyone to finish speaking before leisurely saying, "In life, it's nothing more than eight words: eating, drinking, playing, enjoying, merit, fame, power, influence. Satisfy eating, drinking, playing, and enjoying, and one will want merit, fame, power, and influence. He enters the capital, acknowledges his ancestors and returns to his clan, gains a family, and thus has attachments. Give him an official post, and he has hierarchy. Give him a woman, and he has concerns. Give him a child, and he has reluctance."
He picked up his teacup, took a gentle sip, his eyebrows slightly raised, and said softly, "Even a man of iron will turn into something that winds around a finger."
As soon as he said this, the other twelve Cabinet ministers all laughed.
Someone laughed: "In 'Journey to the West', how capable was Sun Wukong? Yet he couldn't escape the Buddha's palm! So give him an official post, give him a woman, let the woman bear him a child, and wear him down!"
Just as the hour of Zi arrived, Chen Tang had already gotten up, tidied his attire, prepared his documents, ate a little something to fill his stomach, finished getting ready, and walked to the imperial city.
Many officials in the inner city of the Western Capital had also risen, each leaving their own residences. Some boarded carriages or sedan chairs, while others also walked.
At the third watch, the sky was still early. They waited at the Meridian Gate. By the fifth watch, they passed through the Meridian Gate, crossed the Golden Bridge, and arrived at the square in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, quietly waiting.
Once the Cabinet ministers had all arrived, with the sound of a bell, everyone filed in, entering the court hall.
In the court hall, the True King's throne had been empty for thousands of years, but the assembled civil and military officials still kowtowed and paid respects to the empty throne.
Then came the discussion of affairs. First, the thirteen Cabinet ministers went through various agenda items. Usually, the Cabinet had already made decisions, just informing the assembled ministers of the outcomes and asking for their opinions. Most had no objections.
Someone reported that on a certain day in a certain month in a certain place, a demonic transformation occurred, or there was a natural disaster or flood, requesting the court send people to handle it.
Next came impeachments. Civil officials impeached each other, attacking, saying so-and-so took bribes and perverted the law, or that their wives and children accepted bribes. Then they would start fighting in the court hall, but never to the death.
Thousands of years had passed like this, nothing unusual.
Chen Tang did his part. Even if he had a memorial to present, it was to explain the scheduling of treasure notes and gunpowder for the fifty provinces.
By the time court adjourned, it was already bright daylight. Chen Tang, ravenous, exchanged a few pleasantries with other officials, then walked all the way out of the inner city to the outer city.
Not long after, he arrived at a shop called the Fragrant Bean Shop and sat down.
"A bowl of hot soybean milk, no sugar, two steamers of pork and scallion buns."
Chen Tang instructed the waiter, "Also, wrap up another six steamers. I'll take them after I finish."
The waiter acknowledged and left.
After a moment, he brought the soybean milk and set down two steamers of piping hot buns.
Just as Chen Tang was about to pick up his chopsticks, he saw a scholar across the street who looked somewhat like him but was younger, leaning against the wall at the street corner with his arms crossed, staring at him and smiling.
That scholar stood on one leg, the other bent and propped against the wall. He was far away, but his voice seemed to come from right beside Chen Tang's ear.
"Caught you!"
Chen Tang ignored him, drinking his soybean milk and eating his buns by himself. After finishing the two steamers of buns and drinking the soybean milk down to the bottom of the bowl, he finally got up, went to the counter to pay. The waiter had already wrapped the buns. Chen Tang took them and walked out of the Fragrant Bean Shop.
The scholar across the street got up, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with him.
Chen Tang didn't look at him, walking towards the inner city by himself.
"I heard you were injured, and not lightly."
Chen Tang said calmly, "You still dare to come out? Aren't you afraid someone will take the chance to finish you off?"
Creation Little Five laughed: "Who dares to touch me? This injury of mine wasn't for nothing. The Li Family's patriarch has agreed to tell me who exactly received Little Ten's Divine Embryo. Do you want to know who that person is?"
Chen Tang said: "I do. But the Li Family's patriarch won't tell you."
Creation Little Five smiled: "That depends on my methods."
He changed the subject: "Tang, my younger brother, I heard Little Ten entered the capital and is staying at your place."
Chen Tang stopped walking: "That's none of your business."
Creation Little Five also stopped, saying seriously: "He's suffered a lot. You be good to him, don't let him be wronged."
Chen Tang suppressed his anger: "He's a member of my Chen family, not your son!"
Creation Little Five walked forward, laughing: "If you can't raise him well, don't want this son, then give him to me. He called me 'father' before. I can be his fifth father."
Chen Tang's body trembled. He clenched his teeth, finally venting his anger at him, roaring: "You're always taking what's mine! You took my father, you took my teacher, you took the paternal love I should have received, and now you come to take my son! You want to take everything from me!"
