Chapter 529

After that, Pan Yun went nowhere, staying home with her father to help him pack for his journey.

Pan Yun took out all the money she had on her and gave it to them; after repaying Xue Shao, there was still over seven hundred taels, and she gave it all to them.

This made Pan Hong look pained; he pushed the money back into her hands, saying, "Your second uncle sent us money—I'll eat and stay at the relay stations, I don't need any."

Pan Yun: "What if you miss a relay station? What if you and Second Brother need to buy something? A poor home, a rich journey—you can't go without any money at all. Besides, Brother and Second Brother said they borrowed a lot to get you out of prison—have those debts been repaid?"

Pan Hong's hand froze as he held the silver, turning to look at his two sons.

Pan Yue immediately said, "After Father's case was cleared, the Ministry of Justice returned most of our money—we paid off the urgent debts, and only a little remains; we'll pay it off slowly later."

"Little sister, you're young and earning money isn't easy. When we're no longer by your side, you must save more. You yourself said: a poor home, a rich journey—you're the one always on the road."

Pan Yue patted her head and smiled, "I'm in Jingcheng—it's no different from staying home. Father holds an official post and receives a monthly salary. Only you..."

Thinking of how, at such a young age, she had been displaced, wandering to earn money—not just to support herself but the whole family—Pan Yue felt deep sorrow.

Pan Yun's eyes shimmered with tears; she grabbed his hand off her head and held it tight. "Big Brother, you don't know how happy I am—I earn money when I want, travel when I want."

Pan Yue swallowed his tears: "You... actually, Father and I have been wanting to talk to you about something."

Pan Yun's heart tightened; she looked at Pan Hong and asked warily, "What is it?"

Seeing her expression, father and son sighed deeply.

Pan Yun grew even more cautious—were they trying to bring her back?

Seeing her so wary, Pan Yue sighed: "Father, I told you—Little Sister won't agree. You didn't believe me."

Pan Yun's eyelid kept twitching; she hesitated, "What is it Big Brother is referring to?"

Pan Yu couldn't bear the tension any longer and blurted out: "Father's name has been cleared—he wants to bring you back to be an official's daughter. But Big Brother said you'd never agree. Little Sister, just tell us: do you want to come back?"

The stone in her heart dropped; Pan Yun blinked and asked, "Father, I've already taken the Three Pure Ones as my masters—why would you want me to come back as an official's daughter?"

Pan Hong: "Life is long, the Dao is hard. I'm afraid you'll grow old alone, and one day regret it."

"How could I?" Pan Yun gripped his large hand firmly. "I won't regret it. Right now, I only feel time passes too fast—life is short, and I don't find the Dao hard at all."

Pan Hong looked at his daughter's bright eyes and gently stroked her head, unable to bear it. "Even if you're far from family, even if you face joy or suffering alone in the future—you won't regret it?"

Pan Yun nodded firmly: "I won't regret it!"

A quiet, piercing pain welled in Pan Hong's heart. He softly stroked the top of her hair, silent, only nodding.

Since moving into Yin Zhai and meeting Yin Song, he'd had a feeling—his daughter would never return.

He saw in Yin Song a transcendent ease; though bound by the bureaucracy, his heart was utterly free.

What kind of place could produce such a free soul?

If his daughter entered such a place, would she ever want to leave and return to the Pan family, merely as his daughter again?

This was the first time father and daughter touched on this topic; though briefly mentioned, both understood fully.

This parting—when would they meet again?

Only Pan Yu remained clueless; he asked, confused, "Isn't it just that Little Sister keeps being a Daoist? Father, why are you so sad?"

Pan Hong's eyes were slightly red; he wiped his corners with his sleeve. "You don't understand..."

Pan Yu stared blankly at his older brother.

Pan Yue comforted his father: "Father, everyone's life is lonely. Think of Little Sister as having already married—married to the Dao. Then it won't hurt so much..."

Pan Hong lowered his sleeve without expression: "Shut up."

"Father, I'm serious," Pan Yue said. "When Brother and I pursue our futures, we'll leave you too. Alas, only spouses never separate—and Mother passed away early. Why not remarry?"

Pan Hong began turning his head, searching for something.

Pan Yun silently pulled a ruler from her space and handed it up; Pan Hong seized it and struck him.

Pan Yue didn't run—he covered his head and turned his back, letting Pan Hong strike him several times.

Pan Yu silently counted; as soon as the third strike landed, he rushed forward to stop him: "Father, that's enough! Big Brother knows he's wrong!"

Pan Yun also began coughing, clutching her chest, feigning weakness: "Father—Father—"

Pan Yun's image as a frail, sickly girl was too deeply rooted; Pan Hong had forgotten she was fully healed, now perfectly healthy. Hearing her cough, he immediately dropped the ruler and rushed to check on her.

The courtyard was lively.

Yin Song simply didn't return, staying at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau with Yin Qingjun, giving the family space and time to reunite.

Yin Qingjun was puzzled; he came back from the canteen with food: "Master, today's only cabbage with tofu, tofu skin stir-fried with cabbage, and two steamed buns per person."

Yin Song stepped down from his meditation platform, sat at the table, glanced at the plain meal, and said, "Fine. Clears the heat."

Yin Qingjun handed him chopsticks: "Why don't we go back? This parting—when will we see Little Uncle again? Don't you miss him?"

"No," Yin Song said flatly. "I've calculated it—we'll meet again soon. Time is better left for those who need it."

Yin Qingjun: "Does that mean Little Uncle will come back to Jingcheng later?" Yin Song merely glanced at him, saying nothing.

Yin Qingjun stopped asking. He knew asking too clearly was bad for both sides—it was something that hadn't happened yet, a matter of heavenly fate.

Pan Yun spent a full night and half a day quietly with her father and brothers.

Only after lunch the next day, when there was no more time to delay, did she rise to take her leave.

Pan Hong walked her to the gate, eyes shimmering with tears, but didn't stop her—only warned, "Be careful on the road. Write to your Big Brother when you arrive. Don't be reckless. Eat when you're hungry. Add clothes when you're cold."

Pan Yun nodded: "Father, wear the talisman I gave you always. If it stops working, write to me—I'll send another."

Pan Hong nodded: "Alright."

Pan Yun looked once more at her father and two brothers. After Pan Yue gave her a slight nod, she turned and left.

Pan Hong, Pan Yue, and Pan Yu stood at the gate, watching her stride away.

Pan Yun quickly left the city, found a secluded spot, took out the Three Treasures Cauldron, silently climbed in, and flew up. Moments later, she flew back down and landed, peering over the rim of the cauldron with effort.

Pan Xiaohei, covered in grass clippings, glared at her furiously.

No error! One verse! One emission! One content! One look!

Pan Yun fell silent: "My fault? You're a cat that runs slower than me—is that reasonable?"

Pan Xiaohei angrily mewed at her: "Who told you to send Yang Shiqi a Peace Talisman? Just for a moment, just a moment—you already forgot me!"

Pan Yun mumbled as she leapt out of the Three Treasures Tripod, snatched it up, and tossed it into the pot. The Tripod flew back up, and the air rang with the bickering of woman and cat: "I told you to deliver it while I was eating! Who knew you hadn't returned even after I'd left? You're always hiding in corners—how was I supposed to know you weren't following?"

"Don't you know whether I followed or not? If you'd just paid a little attention, you'd know where I am. You just don't care!"

Pan Yun fell silent.

Pan Xiaohei grew even more brazen: "You've got nothing to say now, don't you? You're in the wrong, aren't you? Speak up! Say something—"

Pan Yun bit back her temper: "Pan Xiaohei, that's enough."

"What do you mean 'enough'? Who did I run this errand for? You went to see him yesterday—why only today do you remember to send him a Peace Talisman? Are you trying to get rid of me? Abandon me?"

Pan Yun: "... Then I flew halfway and came back to pick you up? If I wanted to ditch you, would I go through all this trouble? Do you think I can't just drop you now and turn you into a pile of mush, your spirit too slow to even catch up?"

"You're threatening me?" Pan Xiaohei: "Fine! You're threatening me!"

Pan Yun's mind was filled with Pan Xiaohei's crying.

Pan Yun's head throbbed: "Alright, alright, I'm wrong, okay? Just tell me—what do you want?"

Pan Xiaohei: "I want Spiritual Power!"

Pan Yun: "I'll give it to you!"

"Not the essence—give me the actual thing!"

Pan Yun raised an eyebrow: "Pan Xiaohei, do you still remember you're a Spirit of the Spirit Realm, not a cat demon?"

"I know what I am. Just say whether you'll give it or not."

Seeing the conversation about to collapse, Pan Yun immediately said: "Fine, fine, fine—I'll give it to you when we get back."

Pan Xiaohei finally looked satisfied: "The spiritual medicine your senior brother brewed for you..."

"I'll give you two pills."

Pan Xiaohei was now thoroughly content—worth every shout of this fight.

As Pan Yun flew toward Long Hushan, the Emperor's imperial carriage departed the palace for the Yang residence.

That morning, the Yang household had summoned a court physician, who said Yang Shiqi had fallen into an unresponsive sleep.

After reviving him, the physician hurried to the palace—Yang Shiqi had little time left.

Zhu Qizhen knew that without the matter of Yang Ji, Yang Shiqi would never have deteriorated so rapidly.

He suppressed the memorials accusing Yang Shiqi, and also halted the review of Yang Ji's death sentence, hoping to soothe his heart.

But it seemed to do little good—in less than a month, Yang Shiqi had already drained several years' worth of vitality.

When the Emperor's carriage arrived at the Yang residence, Yang Shiqi was staring blankly at a corner of the Peace Talisman. Hearing the Emperor had come, he trembled as he barely managed to stuff the talisman into a sachet, then struggled to sit up.

Zhu Qizhen stepped in and saw his feet already on the ground; he rushed forward and pressed him down: "Master, don't move—lie back down."

Yang Shiqi was dazed—he hadn't heard Zhu Qizhen call him "Master" in many years.

In that moment of daze, Zhu Qizhen had already helped him lie down and pulled the quilt over him.

Yang Shiqi's hand rested on the Emperor's— he could see large patches of age spots, and skin barely clinging to the bones of his hand...

These age spots had only begun appearing in large numbers this year.

Yang Shiqi accepted it calmly; Zhu Qizhen, however, was heartbroken. He gripped his hand, eyes wet and red: "Master..." (End of Chapter)