In front of Du Mei Hall, everyone quietly watched Xu Shu stand at the door for a long time, his hand resting on the edge of the curtain, hesitant to move, lost in thought.

Xu Chuanyin of the Huqiu Xu Family frowned and asked, "The old man hasn't seen him for three years, and hasn't even spoken a word to him. Why did he suddenly call him inside today?"

Zhang Zhuo glanced at him from under the eaves: "When the Official calls you in, ask him yourself."

Xu Chuanyin glanced around at everyone, his voice deepening: "Zhang Zhuo, are you planning to take advantage of the Official's illness to conspire with Xu Shu to seize the Xu family's estate?"

Zhang Zhuo folded his hands within his sleeves, lifted his head to look at the icicles on the eaves, not even glancing at Xu Chuanyin: "Listen to the nonsense you're spouting. Xu Shu is the legitimate son of the Official. If the family's estate doesn't go to him, would it go to you?"

Xu Chuanyin frowned: "Stop pretending to be confused. Everyone knows where he's from."

Zhang Zhuo replied indifferently, "According to the laws of Daning, Xu Shu is still the legitimate son of the Official. If he doesn't speak up, it won't be your turn no matter what. You'd better show him some respect."

Xu Shu ignored the quarrel around him until a violent coughing came from inside Du Mei Hall. He then took a deep breath, lifted the curtain, and ducked inside.

Inside the room, it was dark, with the windows tightly covered to keep out the cold wind.

The air was filled with the smell of medicine, mixed with the dry scent of charcoal, and a hint of the unique decaying odor of an old man, the sort of thing that seeps out from the bones as life's end approaches.

Official Xu was not lying on the bed but sitting upright in a Taishi Chair.

Watching him seriously from a few steps away, Xu Shu noted that Official Xu was wearing a stone-blue Daoist robe without a single wrinkle at the collar or cuffs.

After waking up, Official Xu was not in a hurry to see anyone but met guests only after the middle-aged scholar tidied him up.

But the moment he saw Xu Shu, the once clear eyes suddenly clouded over: "Son..."

Unexpectedly, Xu Shu exchanged a glance with the middle-aged scholar in the room.

The next moment, Official Xu shakily tried to prop himself up on the armrest, but fell back into the Taishi Chair, defeated.

His eyes clouded as he looked at Xu Shu: "Son, I had a dream that the demons of the Forty-nine Heavens took over your body. I wish I could eat their flesh and chew their bones..." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Xu Shu was taken aback and turned to look at the middle-aged scholar next to him: "Xu Biao, how is this different from cursing a monk, calling him bald?"

Xu Biao sighed and, cupping his hands, said, "Young master, the old master has been senile for some time now. Sometimes when he wakes, he only remembers when you went missing nineteen years ago, and remembers nothing of the court affairs after that. Please cooperate with him to fulfill his wish... after all, you have been using the young master's body."

"Wait a minute, we need to make this clear," Xu Shu raised his eyebrows, letting out a breath that smelled of alcohol: "Back then, his son accidentally drowned. You can't pin that on me. Later, he went to Yuanjue Temple and spent heavily on a ceremony reaching to the heavens. If it weren't for the Medicine Buddha sending me to live this life, I wouldn't have bothered making this trip."

Xu Shu turned the conversation: "Moreover, the favor of using the body has already been repaid to the Xu family, granting him three more years of life, and freeing him from illness... it can't go on endlessly."

Xu Biao cupped his hands in a deep bow: "For these nineteen years, the old master's grief of losing a son has overshadowed his bodily pains. We beg you."

Xu Shu looked at the back of Xu Biao's head and finally sighed.

At this moment, Official Xu shakily beckoned to him, incoherently saying, "Son, come, come to your father's side. How did you grow so big in a blink? I remember sending you to the Xu family school just yesterday, you cried loudly at the door, reaching only my waist, how did you grow so big overnight..."

Xu Shu hesitated for a moment, then finally squatted down in front of Official Xu, softly saying, "Father..."

Before he finished speaking, Official Xu suddenly said coldly, "You are not my son."

Xu Shu raised his head in shock, only to see Official Xu looking at him coldly, the cloudiness in his eyes gone, leaving only the steadiness and experience from decades of court struggles.

The voice was not loud, but each word was as cold as the Three Judicial Departments' verdict in the court hall.

Official Xu's mind cleared.

Xu Shu stood up, annoyed: "Why do I feel like you're deliberately taking advantage of me? Really want to send you up the Life Robbing Platform."

Official Xu rasped: "I am the Grand Secretary in office, protected by national fortune. Your Life Robbing Platform is useless against me."

Xu Shu turned to leave: "Can't take a joke, boring."

Just as Xu Shu lifted the curtain, Official Xu sternly said, "Come back. Did I tell you to leave?"

Xu Shu released the curtain and turned back: "Don't rely on your age to be overbearing. In terms of lifespan, when I took refuge under Medicine Buddha, even your Xu family ancestors hadn't been born yet... what do you really want from me?"

Official Xu said solemnly, "Take a wife, have children, so that my lineage may have descendants. I will first entrust the Xu Family to you, and when he comes of age, you can pass it onto him."

Xu Shu leaned against the doorframe and refused resolutely, "I can't do it. I haven't intended to return to the Forty-nine Heavens, iron-willed to steal some leisure in this lifetime. How could I possibly get involved with the karma of the Xu Family? If I do, I'm afraid of endless exhaustion and suffering. How could I be carefree then?"

Official Xu spoke gravely, "Living in this mundane world, how can you not involve yourself in karma? The debts you owe at various taverns and brothels in the Imperial Capital, isn't Xu Biao the one to pay them for you?"

Xu Shu retorted indifferently, "Zhang Zhuo has also paid for me."

Official Xu sneered and asked, "Let me ask you, whose name is written on the deed of the house you live in? You eat from the Xu Family, live in the Xu Family's house, use the Xu Family's resources, even your drinking debts are covered by the Xu Family. Is this what you call not being involved in karma?"

Xu Shu remained nonchalant, "It's just that as a disciple of the Buddhist Sect, I must observe the Money Precepts and cannot touch money."

Official Xu began coughing, the sound like a broken bellows. When the coughing ceased, he pointed shakily at Xu Shu, "First wipe off the rouge on your face before speaking of observing precepts!"

Xu Shu leaned against the wall and sighed, "Why does it have to be me?"

Official Xu rasped, "Which of those people outside can preserve the Xu Family? They are nothing but a pack of Xu-named beasts, wolves and tigers. The current court is unstable, and they scramble for scraps like wild dogs, unable to see the Xu Family mansion about to collapse."

Xu Shu raised his eyebrows, "Is it that serious?"

Official Xu coldly replied, "The Liu Family has fallen, the Qi Family is barely hanging on, who's next? The Xu Family! The one in Renshou Palace has ruled for thirty-two years; no one sees his ambition, but as the Grand Secretary, how could I not?"

Xu Shu asked puzzled, "Isn't he immersed in spiritual pursuit in Renshou Palace?"

Official Xu sneered, "You are at the Observatory; have you seen him concoct a single furnace of elixir? He does pursue immortality, but he's walking another path."

Xu Shu pondered for a long time, "What path?"

Official Xu, voice weak like floating breath, sat curled on the Taishi Chair, "Do you remember, in the winter of Jianing Eighth Year, Hu Junyan, the legitimate grandson of the Hu Family, was abducted by the Beggar Guild? When the Hu Family found him, there was a golden flame on his brow."

Xu Shu nodded, "I know of this. That old fellow also descended from the Forty-nine Heavens, always arrogant, eyes full of only spiritual cultivation, calling him for drinks and he barely responds. However, the one beside him, Nan Mengli, is much more agreeable."

Official Xu ignored his jest and continued, "Hu Junyan was muddle-headed for eight years, until he awoke to his past and present lives at age eight. That night he entered the palace, bringing news to Your Majesty..."

Xu Shu was thoughtful, "Jianing Sixteenth Year, what did Hu Junyan tell the Emperor?"

Official Xu shook his head, "Whatever was said, only Hu Junyan and Your Majesty knows. But since then, the Inner Treasury Silver Coins flowed noisily to the Imperial Three Camps, with half unaccounted for."

Xu Shu sobered up, pacing the room thoughtfully, "Jianing Sixteenth Year... What happened in Jianing Sixteenth Year? Wait!"

Coming to this point, he was hit by realization, "Jianing Sixteenth Year, on Yujing Mountain, the one in the Thirty-third Heaven passed away."

Official Xu questioned, "What?"

Xu Shu shook his head, "None of your business, don't pry."

Official Xu looked displeased, "This matter may not concern me, but the Xu Family affairs do involve you. Taking a wife and having children—previously, I didn't want to pressure you, but now being a Xu Family member dictates you should preserve the lineage of the Xu Family!"

Xu Shu remained unmoved, "You'd better entrust the Xu Family to Zhang Zhuo; it would be better than entrusting to me... At least he cares about the Xu Family."

Official Xu panted slightly, "He's just like you, spent half a life in the Xu Family but never considered himself one."

Xu Shu shrugged, "If Zhang Zheng is adopted by the Xu Family, he'll guard it for a lifetime anyway. I'm certainly not managing the Xu Family."

Official Xu gazed at him for a long time and weakly waved his hand, "Since your mind is set, from now on you are no longer part of the Xu Family, nor shall you be involved in any of its affairs."

Xu Shu simply uttered "Oh" and turned to leave.

Yet after stepping outside, he returned again, looking at Official Xu in the Taishi Chair, like a candle flickering in the wind, and suddenly said, "Before the ritual, the Fang Zhang of Yuanjue Temple once asked you if the one revived wasn't your son but could ensure nineteen years of prosperity for the Xu Family, would you still be willing? Your answer should have been, 'Willing...,' hence the Buddhist Sect invested people and effort to prop up the Xu Family's achievements."

Official Xu remained silent.

The cold wind whistled in through the door crevice Xu Shu opened, and he softly said, "Since you chose, then do not regret."

He lowered the curtain and departed, the heavy curtain falling, dividing the inside from the outside into two separate worlds.