Longevity Noodles

What is the meaning of this bowl of noodles?

I made some longevity noodles just for you. Aren't you going to try it?

Why?

Because today's your birthday, right?

A little squirt told me the True Lung's birthday is a day after the Mid-Autumn Festival, but he celebrates his birthday together with the festival out of humility—

I know a little something about hiding your birthday myself.

I just thought it was so sad for a man of such high status to not get to decide when to celebrate his own birthday.

You...

I know you...

Making your way here despite the odds, the risks, and even the possibility of losing your life...

You must have something to say to me.

Of course.

To think that my life is so closely connected to someone I haven't even met before. That feeling is just so surreal...

So I had to come and meet you.

I was planning to offer this to you yesterday during the Feast, but a whole bunch of things messed up my plan.

Now's a good time as any though.

I know it's Yanese custom to discuss important matters over a meal.

So dig in. When you're done, I have a load of questions to ask—

And I want answers.

*cough* *cough*... Pah, there's so much dust on the table I almost ate some by accident...

You...?

It's me. What's with the attitude? Not happy to see me?

I didn't think you would be the last one to get in my way.

Get in your way? What for? I've got better things to do.

I just want my worrisome brother who hasn't been home in a long time to have a proper meal.

After a century, the first thing you do is return to this run-down temple. Do you feel like you haven't been locked up enough here—or do you actually like it here?

I started this round of weiqi here, and likewise, I will end it in this temple—

All right. But first, clear up the table. There's no space for a bowl.

Why?

To eat, of course. What else?

You know what I'm planning to do?

Whatever it is, you shouldn't do it on an empty stomach.

What a show you've put on, with so many people for just one meal.

Moons on the fifteenth are fullest on the sixteenth, as they say. So we can still have a reunion dinner today, even if we missed our chance yesterday.

...

There's no need to rush, so why not finish this meal before you go, Wang, my second eldest brother?

Is Your Imperial Majesty surprised to see a woman who shouldn't exist...?

No...

I looked for you, for a long, long time...

I just didn't think you'd be taken so far away, hidden so deep.

I only found out yesterday that I'm still alive because of a heavy price that someone paid for me.

I'm afraid the story will be hard to imagine for Your Imperial Majesty.

But you know, I made it in here without much trouble. Must have been your doing.

So... you probably have something to tell me too, right?

Your very appearance here is itself the answer I seek.

I know you have many questions...

Ask them. Whatever your questions, I shall permit them...

That so...? I thought my mere presence would have angered you.

To be honest, you're quite different from what I expected.

I thought the True Lung would be like the rumors said, imposing, indifferent, impersonal.

How rude.

You know well to whom you speak, at this very moment?

To be honest, not really. I mean, two weeks ago you were still just someone from the stories.

When I was little, my dad told me lots of Yanese stories—historical classics, myths, and legends. But no matter what, he always spoke of a wise and strong emperor.

An emperor who toiled for his people.

He had to make major decisions for the whole nation, every decree issued was in the name of absolute justice. Great Yan thrived under his governance.

Sometimes I'd ask him, why not go back if you liked it so much? I was curious what this Yan he always talked about was actually like.

After all that curiosity, I got to tour around Baizao these past few days. I saw a flourishing nomadic city, where most work and live in peace and contentment...

So I figured, his stories were true, and you're probably a good ruler.

Your father...

You probably don't remember him. He was just a nameless nobody to you. My guess is even the dish that offended you a decade ago isn't worth remembering.

He wasn't actually my real father, even. Just acted out of his so-called 'morals', and saved a baby he thought was innocent.

So I think he was probably a good man too.

Gu Quan...

Actually, my dad talked about another Yanese too... someone who was a teacher to many.

He said that she devoted herself to the country to better everyone's lives, giving many scholars from humble backgrounds like him a chance to study.

After I arrived in Baizao, I heard a lot of stories and found out she wasn't someone from a fairytale. Yan did indeed have someone like her.

I found out... she was actually my relative.

Your Imperial Majesty. Could you tell me her story?

She was one of the Three Grand Ministers. Admired by all, stern and unyielding, a timeless role model... the Grand Preceptor.

She was the wisest and most learned erudite in Yan. Most imperial decrees issued in court at the time were based on her judgments.

She was a teacher to many, including me.

A teacher to many...

My dad said that although he was only her student for a few days, he was fortunate to have benefited from her 'wise words' and remains forever in debt to them.

It's an ancient Yanese saying. I can't recall it exactly, but it basically means everyone has their own standards of right and wrong, so there's no universal definition. Despite this, people should still follow what's right in their hearts.

'In worldly turmoil we tread, in our own conscience we trust'.

I remember it... she said it to me as well.

Which brings me to my next question: As your teacher, what did she teach you?

How to conduct myself as a person, as a minister, as a ruler.

Sounds complicated. What are the differences between the three?

As a person, to exercise decency and virtue, and keep the house in order; As a minister, demonstrate utmost loyalty and concern to the nation and people.

As a ruler... Always put the people before yourself, and strive to govern wisely...

Make decisions for the sake of the realm, my words weigh heavy, and can never be rescinded.

Can I understand that as: You have all the power in your position, but you lose the right to admit any mistakes?

...

True Lung of Yan, I want to ask you this.

How did such a good person turn into a 'scheming traitor' in everyone's eyes?

Do you think she was falsely accused?

No...

Sacrifice the life of one, so that the entire nation can be stabilized, and its people pacified—

True Lung, how do the noodles taste?

Why?

I hear it's hard to get even good food down when you're feeling bad over something.

Do you have regrets?

*huff*... *huff*...

I heard... you were here.

Grand... Tutor...

I have an urgent... matter to report...

...Zuo Le.

I just consolidated the survey data from the Feranmutologist who has just returned from outside Yan.

In the northeast, north, and west of Yan, a total of five Feranmuts have shown signs of awakening.

Currently, this behavior cannot be explained by pure coincidence.

Although it is currently unknown how this relates to the convict's plot... if we start a war against the bestial Sui now, I fear the situation may spiral out of control!

...

You don't seem surprised at all... Was this within your calculations as well?

...He has been scheming for a century. This is but one of his plots.

After all that he has done, it cannot be mere mutual destruction he seeks.

But he's in Baizao right now, only one step away from the Tomb of Sui. If he adamantly presses on...

If he does, then Yan will not hesitate either.

...Was the capital like this also, a hundred and twenty years ago?

...

The convict had sneaked into the Tomb of Sui in a futile attempt to eliminate It by himself. This resulted in the death of a proxy, and the bestial Sui began to stir.

I looked through the Sui Regulator archives... but I never managed to figure out how he entered the mausoleum in the first place.

Just who... helped him enter the Tomb of Sui?

Why haven't you touched your chopsticks? Don't feel like eating?

A worthless move. A waste of time.

I know you're in a hurry, but I'm sure you can squeeze a meal in at least. Sheesh... I didn't even complain about the time it took to make all these.

Do you know how long I spent preparing this pot of soup?

Tell me.

If we start counting from the moment you left... About a century? Even longer if I include the time I spent sourcing ingredients and figuring out what to cook.

Have you found the 'flavor' you were searching for, after all this time spent in preparation?

No, I haven't. How could it be that easy?

But I came to understand something.

There is no perfect dish in this realm.

No matter how long I let this pot of soup stew, there's no way I could include every single flavor there is in it. It's just one dish.

Even a banquet spread of myriad delicacies will leave some unsatisfied.

But so what? People will always think about what to eat for their next meal. Saving what they didn't get for next time is what gives life hope, what keeps life going.

I remember a phrase Jie, my third eldest sister, taught me... 'What is truly complete, becomes incomplete'. That should be the shorter version of what I just said, right?

'Water fills, then spills. Moons wax, then wane'... Wang, do you still remember what Jie meant when she gave you your true name in one lone word?

...You came here to convince me.

With all I've said, am I not also convincing myself...?

When I walked out of that tomb, I couldn't tell the difference between how a 'human' should live, compared to a 'beast'.

I watched the people around me—both nobles and peasants alike. No matter the time or age, the people in this realm are mostly unhappy, miserable.

Yes, this land is flooded with suffering. Mortality is inevitable, meetings are fickle, requests go unfulfilled, and love will leave one day... what happiness and joy there is seems so minuscule in comparison.

Humans seek happiness and satisfaction, but they are no gods from the legends with their remarkable powers. Most times they find themselves helpless, powerless...

My curiosity continued. What's the point of living when there's so much hardship everywhere?

Only after a long time did I come to discover...

There is no happiness without sadness. How can one feel the joy of birth without knowing the grief of death? How can one rejoice over a meeting without experiencing the reluctance of separation?

I finally realized... every taste in this realm, begins from the flavor known as 'regret'.

Wang... do you still remember?

You had just returned from the northern border with your troops. I heard you just were back fresh from a fierce battle.

I'd just opened my restaurant in Baizao then. Jie was also in town for some errands, so the three of us enjoyed a rare dinner together.

I still remember, Jie made an exception and drank several cups of wine. She imitated our eldest sister's drunken posture, writing poems on the wall. I never saw you so happy before.

It wasn't until midnight that the dinner ended. I was so tired I fell asleep at the table. The next day I awoke in bed, the two of you nowhere to be seen.

I was happy. It was the first time you had a meal with us, but I didn't think it would also be the last...

After that, we never met up again... neither you, nor Jie...

What exactly do you mean to say...?

At first, I didn't understand why humans insisted on having meals together.

Afterward, I slowly realized... A will to eat well also means a will to live well.

People who eat together, can help each other, and live on together...

It's hard... but I've always been hoping to eat together as a 'family' again.

I've imagined many times of how my big brothers and sisters would come back to Baizao one day.

Maybe Nian and Dusk would squabble on one side of the table. Shu would bring back some fresh greens, while Ji would show off some mysterious treasures he'd gotten from who knows where.

Maybe you're sitting together with our eldest brother and sister, talking about the view from a frontier fortress I've never seen, and the strange stories that happened over there.

I know our eldest brother is busy with official duties, and our eldest sister seems so freewheeling, but they're always thinking about their younger siblings... same as you.

I remember all your favorite flavors. I racked my brain thinking about what dishes to make for our feast.

Even if I knew deep down the day might just never come...

But I still keep on hoping. Because this is what keeps me from feeling hollow inside. It's what keeps my life going.

You know well it's an impossibility...

Harboring these unrealistic ideals will only increase your burden.

I know, but deep inside I just can't stop thinking about it... it's just human nature to do that.

To be honest, I miss Jie pretty deeply too.

When she vanished, I spent every day thinking about her.

I would think about her when I woke up, when I prepared meals... I'd remember how she taught me to read and write, and how she'd taste my cooking... And every time I would cry.

That was when I learned how eternal separation tastes to humans.

Of course... I know you feel the same.

So... the regret and pain inside you... I can sympathize too.

Sympathize...? How exactly do you plan on sympathizing with what I've gone through?

You forget, we are all 'I'!

I know you hate how the Sui Regulator watched Jie die, you hate our eldest brother because he stopped you from taking revenge, you even hated Jie... resented her for paying the price on your behalf.

But... the one you hate most, is yourself...

...

I know you, Wang. You're off to do something you have to do, and there's no way I can convince you to give it up...

I just want to say... you don't need to go in there ready to die. I can't bear to lose any of you...

Ji gave you a brocade, Shu gave you seeds... the only thing I can give you is this bowl of soup.

What is this...?

It's a 'power' I've never used before. I combined it with everything I've seen and experienced over a hundred years outside the tomb to make this bowl of soup.

Just take it as a helping from Yu to you...

Wang, my brother, I really... want you to come back safe...

I didn't want you to get involved in this. You, especially.

You've forgotten who you are, forgotten the difference between man and beast, and even forgotten the answer you sought... which is fine.

You could have just lived on as you were...

So why... why did you remember, and come here?

It's fine if I forget who I am, but I can never forget the flavors deep inside... the feelings for the people I care about.

You have all dwelled in the mortal realm for too long and resemble humans too much.

But in the end, it is a mere 'resemble'.

I will help all of you...

I will help all of you, become human.

Brother...?

You know well it was a critical time...

The True Lung had just died from an unknown cause. The court was in panic, and powerful foes were waiting just outside...

If the situation hadn't been stabilized in time, the bloodshed would have been more than a thousandfold greater.

No, you don't understand. How could you...?

It's true, I don't...

All these considerations you've mentioned are leagues away from me. I couldn't even begin to imagine what it feels like, being responsible for the fate of so many people.

The most noble sacrifice I've seen was just a few idiots who shed all their blood on the battlefield for their ideals...

But Your Imperial Majesty... you definitely know it's a lie, convincing the masses with this 'explanation'.

A lie that happened just because the people will not allow the True Lung to make a mistake.

The Yan under your rule has so much land, so vast it can accommodate a hundred nomadic cities, millions of people...

So why couldn't it hold one more kindhearted person?!

Don't you feel... any remorse for her?

...

Well... I get it.

It's not a choice you'd make alone, when considering the so-called big picture.

Truth is not always power, when public opinion can triumph. Everyone sees and believes in different things...

The so-called truth only holds true to whoever claims it first.

My dad spent his whole life trying to find out the truth, but he chose to accept this.

It's not because he forgave you... he just agreed with the result you and that Grand Preceptor wanted to achieve together.

How do you want me... to compensate for this?

Compensate? No... that's impossible.

I know... to you and Yan, the reputation of one or the fates of a few are not even worth mentioning.

But for those unfortunate souls swept away by your grand plan, their suffering can't be undone.

Then, how do you want...?

Yeah, well... I was thinking about it before I came here. What kind of outcome do I even want?

An apology from you? To clear their names?

But is that enough comfort to those who are gone? Does it mean anything to those left behind?

I even considered the worst outcome of our meeting...

I just want you to promise me one thing.

Don't forget them.

I said before, there is no need to wait on me here...

Your Imperial Majesty's safety is paramount, so I beg your pardon for our defiance against your rule.

...

The traitor's descendant wantonly barged into the Forbidden City. It was a merciful act to grant her an audience.

Shall we charge her on grounds of deceiving Your Majesty?

...

...No.

News from the Sui Regulator. The convict has returned to the ancient temple.

Both Tianshis and Imperial Guardsmen are already in position. Yumen is also ready for battle.

Shall we give the order to slay him at once?

...

Pass on my decree...

Leizi!

You...

Heh... Good to see you alive.

What happened to you? Your face's all black and blue. Got your ass whooped?

Pah! You're one to talk! I can feel your hand trembling!

Are you scared...?

I...

Yeah, I'm scared!

That's the True Lung after all! The king, the boss of a whole country! Just one word from him and many heads will roll!

I'm not scared of dying! I've been on the battlefield after all. I've been in shit more dire than this!

I'm just scared... that my meeting with the True Lung would be fruitless, wasting the opportunity everyone fought so hard for.

You idiot...

Then, tell me quick... what did you... talk about with the True Lung?

I... asked him for an explanation—For my dad, my younger sister, the relative I never met.

Hmph. I couldn't see his face clearly, but I'm sure he felt—

What's wrong?

...It's snowing?

Time's almost up.

We should go... Deputy Minister Yu.

Put it on me.

But...

Deputy Minister Yu, we are all aware of the man you are... so why not—

'All criminals should walk with a cangue and chains; even suspects should be clapped in irons'... And this is how you conduct yourself as a warden?

Put it on me!

As you say. Forgive my dereliction of duty.

Go slow... Let us savor this moonlight.

...?

What the...? Weather like this in the middle of autumn, and we even have snowflakes...?

(Gu Quan... I've done what I promised you, brother.)

...

What...? It's snowing?

Blaze...

Is your shopkeeper still not here?

He... he's really not here this time...

It's fine. I guess I'm bound to never meet him.

I vowed to show everyone a Feast of a Hundred Delicacies never before seen, but it turned out to be a joke in the end.

I'm a joke myself as well.

I'm ready to let go, be it Ding Feng Lou or my culinary skills.

Chef Mo... He told me to give this to you when you showed up looking for him.

He knew I would come?

——!

I was told, this title weighs heavy, but it cannot feed the hungry.

He also said that while culinary skills can be compared, hunger treats kings and paupers alike.

And that it didn't matter if there would be future top chefs, or just common cooks among those people on that snowy night; he would've made that pot of noodles for them anyway.

...

...Hmph.

Heed the True Lung's decree.

Mobilize seven-tenths of the city's energy...

...To open the Tomb of Sui.

Yes.

The Feranmuts are also the citizens of Yan, no different than humans.

And if my citizen has an injustice to appeal, I will grant him permission.

Should he succeed, he would render Yan a meritorious service by ridding this thousand-year concern once and for all.

If he fails and the bestial Sui awakens, then he shall have the full might of Yan behind him. Together, we shall slay the beast, until the threat is no more.

Your Imperial Majesty, do you intend to pardon the convict?

Yes...

So much snow.

What... What's going on here?

Baizao's energy poles are reducing their power. It seems the energy is being redirected elsewhere.

The city has not seen snow for many years.

I see...

Lin Qingyan, doesn't snow that falls out of season carry special meaning in Yanese stories?

What are you trying to imply? The truth is now revealed with white? Heaven sends snow to finally right a long-standing injustice? The typical snow in summer story?

Maybe... or something else.

Those who are gone—what they leave behind will eventually disappear, just like the snow here.

You...

I know...

I hope this snow will last a while longer.

Hoo...

Oh, my head... This doesn't feel like the usual hangover from the Husong wine I had last night.

Alas. I see.

It awakens from Its farcical dream... an inevitability.

Fine. Let's go have a look after this cup.

Let's see what scenes await at the end of this millennium-long dream.

Who? Who was it?!

Professional work should be left to actual pros, who the heck messed with my adjustments—

Zip it! I've been here the entire time, and no one's come.

I sneaked out for just two rounds of mahjong with the Nongye Tianshis next door. How did this Heart get 'hypertension' again?

Do you still not get it?

I'm afraid... they've arrived.

Arrived?

Would those old fellows at Baizao let him go in that easily?

Did you forget? A century ago, he walked into the tomb the exact same way. Afterward, Jie vanished... and we still don't know what even happened.

This time...

Dusk... you scared?

...

Yes, I am.

This is it. Only someone without a heart or brain wouldn't be afraid.

I have no intention to just vanish.

Ooh, it's rare we agree on something.

Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry before those old bones realize what we're up to.

You want to...?

With how things are, there's no way we're just going to sit here and wait to die. The Sui Regulator is the least of our concerns right now.

Let's go back 'home'... and hold a real family reunion.

So it's you...

I heard your voice. It's been a long time.

Ssh, I know you're in a bad mood. I can feel it too.

*sigh*... I mean, I spent the longest time in the tomb after all. I probably know you better than the others.

Strange. We're all 'I', so what's the point of going into this 'one side must perish' situation?

There's no explaining it, so I can only reluctantly accept it.

Hmph... You're strong, but I don't think Wang—I don't think we will lose to you.

You've slept for a thousand years after all, while we've spent that time living real lives—so how can we lose, right?

I can't use the power I took from you... so take it back. Consider it a farewell from me.

There's no avoiding this outcome, so we might as well treat it as a salvation.

Sleep...

It's gotten quiet inside...? I suppose our youngest brother's soup was timely...

We ended up troubling him a little.

Was your visiting him earlier not part of your plan?

Truly, nothing gets past you...

This is it... shall we go in together?

No...

Hand me the items.

With this blade... and what we got from our dear sister and youngest brother.

Our strength still pales in comparison, but at least the odds don't seem insurmountable.

What now?

Brother...?

This is well enough.

You've done what I've asked of you. What I promised you, you already have.

Our debt is settled. I will finish this myself.

What's that supposed to mean...?

Things are finally even... If we have it your way, won't I be in your debt again?

Leave, Ji...

...

What happens next, is between us.