Chapter 669: Disciple and Son

On the evening of July 20th, Wang Sen's spirits were somewhat better than when he had met the Mu brothers. When the visitor entered the room, he could even stand and nod, trembling slightly. The visitor, however, dared not be remiss and hurried forward a few steps, supporting Wang Sen as he sat down on the bamboo couch, saying gently, "Master, you are about to ascend to immortality. You must not harm your mortal body; you must take good care of it."

"What ascension to immortality? It's nothing more than being close to the grave. Such talk is only for fooling the muddle-headed. There's no need for that between master and disciple." Wang Sen seemed quite cheerful, his speech unconsciously taking on a bit of a streetwise tone.

After saying this, and being helped to sit down, Wang Sen clapped his hands together and said self-deprecatingly, "But I mustn't say such things in front of the current Sect Hierarch. This old man is getting senile!"

"Master, you overwhelm Hongru with such words. Before you, Hongru is merely a disciple; how dare I claim any title of Hierarch." Xu Hongru, dressed in a blue robe, spoke with a smile, standing respectfully to the side with his hands at his sides.

Wang Sen slowly raised a hand and patted Xu Hongru, saying with deep emotion, "Without you, our sect would never have reached its current state. I am unworthy to be your master. If I had remained in charge, who knows what the Incense-Smelling Sect would have become. But look at the situation now across several northern provinces. If that good-for-nothing Haoxian had taken over, we would have long been swallowed by the Non-Action Sect and the Cudgel Society. It all depends on you!"

Xu Hongru smiled faintly and merely said, "It is all due to Master's wisdom and Master's boundless good fortune. Your disciple is merely basking in the reflected glory."

"When one gets old, one always thinks of the past. Back then, this old man thought our future lay in the capital, believing that if we could convert those nobles and high officials, then glory, wealth, and achieving the Great Dao would all come naturally. But you felt our future lay not in places of wealth, but among the poor and suffering. So this old man lent you the position of Sect Hierarch. Looking back now, you were right!"

When Wang Sen said the word "lent," he glanced, intentionally or not, at Xu Hongru, who stood to the side with a gentle smile on his face, showing no reaction whatsoever. Wang Sen's face still held that expression of deep emotion. He simply patted his forehead with his hand and laughed self-deprecatingly, "I'm old and senile. What 'lent'? This position should rightfully be yours. Haoxian never suffered hardship in his youth and loves his comforts. How could this position be given to him? He would surely ruin this great situation."

Only upon hearing this did Xu Hongru reply gently, "Master, what are you saying? Second Brother is a man of utmost sincerity. He will certainly have great use in the sect in the future, and glory and wealth will not elude him. Please rest assured on these matters, Master."

Wang Sen nodded repeatedly, his beard quivering with laughter. The misplaced breath agitated his lungs, and he couldn't help but cough. Xu Hongru quickly stepped forward to gently pat his back, saying softly, "Master must take care of your health. Once you leave this place, there is still a long road ahead and many years of happiness to enjoy."

"There's no real need to preserve this body. It's already rotting inside. I don't wish to leave here anyway. I've grown accustomed to living here; it's more peaceful than the outside." Wang Sen spoke slowly.

Xu Hongru's expression remained as placid as still water. He looked around and said with a smile, "This place is indeed a paradise beyond the world. Master is more open-minded than in years past!"

Unlike the visit from the Mu brothers the night before last, where the two brothers had completely placed themselves in the position of servants and disciples, Xu Hongru, though polite in address, maintained an attitude of equality, and was, at his core, quite cold and detached.

At this point, master and disciple fell silent for a moment. Wang Sen looked at Xu Hongru. Both their faces were calm and composed. They gazed at each other like this for a while, then Wang Sen's eyes began to lose focus, and his expression grew weary. He broke the gaze, lowered his head dejectedly, sighed, and said, "Hongru, we are rootless and without backing. What do we worship Buddha and preach the scriptures for? Is it not to live a little better? Reaching this point is enough. Taking another step forward could easily invite disaster!"

Xu Hongru did not respond. Wang Sen could no longer maintain his sitting posture and wanted to lie on his side. Xu Hongru stepped forward to help support him. Lying there, Wang Sen murmured again, "This old man has been captured several times. Why have I never suffered torment and still enjoy my days now? It is precisely because I knew my place and did not violate the taboos of the authorities. So many people don't understand this. They start scheming to deceive others. They deceive too much, deceive too grandly, and end up fooling themselves. They rise up in a noisy rabble, and when the imperial army arrives, it's too late to wake up. Hongru, you are naturally brilliant. If not for the setbacks of those years, had you pursued scholarly studies, you might well have become a figure of pure prestige. But you're not doing badly now either..."

His voice grew softer and softer, and his eyes gradually closed. After pausing for a moment, as if gathering strength, he continued in a weak voice, "Those imperial relatives and such... this old man thinks they may not necessarily live better than you. This is enough. Be content. Passing it down generation after generation, how wonderful that would be..."

"Master, a man should be content. But if Heaven bestows and one does not take, that instead invites disaster." Xu Hongru replied briefly, the gentle expression on his face having vanished.

Wang Sen seemed to have fallen asleep. Just as Xu Hongru was about to withdraw, Wang Sen spoke again, weakly, "Treat the Mu family side well. We all come from the same sect. If fellow disciples destroy each other, it will allow others to reap the advantage..."

"Master, rest assured. I will take good care of Second Brother Haoxian and Master's family members and descendants." Xu Hongru replied, his answer deliberately missing the point.

Wang Sen raised his hand with difficulty and waved it. Xu Hongru offered a few more words of concern, then turned and left the room.

As soon as Xu Hongru left the room, Wang Sen opened his eyes and turned his head to look toward the doorway. His expression was not particularly pleasant, yet at this moment, there was not the slightest trace of weakness to be seen.

On the evening of July 21st, everyone knew the Old Immortal would pass away in meditation tonight. Even though he had only received one guest during the day, and that guest was some prominent figure, the other believers and incense-offering devotees still sent various offerings, hoping the Old Immortal would remember their kindness and piety after his ascension.

At night, the Ministry of Justice prison fell completely silent. The Old Immortal had already said that this passing would stir karmic ties, and those who came could easily be tainted by it, which would be like drawing fire onto oneself, canceling out years of accumulated blessings. Because of this, no outside visitors came. Even the jailers and runners of the Ministry of Justice prison kept far away; after all, this old man certainly wasn't going to escape.

Unlike the previous two nights, this time Wang Sen did not sit cross-legged on the bamboo couch, nor did he put on any air of frailty and melancholy. He simply sat on the edge of the bamboo couch, his back straight, looking at tonight's visitor with an expression of utter disgust.

The person sitting below Wang Sen was a fair, plump middle-aged man in his thirties, wearing a Daoist robe embroidered with cloud patterns in gold thread, his hair bound with a silver crown. His entire appearance was meticulously groomed, lacking none of the accessories and ornaments expected on the sons of wealthy families in the capital and Jiangnan.

A person with a sharp eye would immediately judge such a figure to be a scion of a vastly wealthy and noble house, someone who had enjoyed luxury since childhood and never suffered hardship. This man was also presentable in appearance, though his plumpness stretched his features, giving him a rather jovial look. The middle-aged man wore a cowering expression, not even daring to raise his eyes.

"How much silver did that jade pendant on your waist cost? Last time the younger brother of the Marquis of Wuqing came, even his jade pendant wasn't as fine as yours!" Wang Sen asked.

The Marquis of Wuqing was the noble title of the Wanli Emperor's maternal family, the foremost house of nobility in the entire Great Ming, possessing extreme wealth and honor. The younger brother of the Marquis of Wuqing held no title himself, but he did hold the nominal post of Assistant Commander in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, with a personal fortune rivaling a nation's.

Hearing Wang Sen's question, the middle-aged man sitting below suddenly perked up with interest. Taking off the jade pendant, he said, "Father truly has a keen eye. This jade is old material from Shaanxi, crafted by the best jade artisan in Suzhou. Your son spent a full one thousand three hundred taels of silver to acquire it. A pity it's not as good as the one Old Six of the Zheng family has; his cost two thousand taels..."

He had been speaking with growing enthusiasm when he suddenly realized something was wrong and hastily stopped. Wang Sen's face was covered in frost as he roared in anger, "Wretched fool! I've never seen you apply such attention to family business matters, yet you're perfectly clear on these wasteful, silver-squandering pursuits! Such a great family estate, ruined bit by bit by you. A situation that should bear the surname Wang is about to be taken by someone else. Wang Haoxian, where is the 'good' in you? How can you be associated with the word 'worthy'?"

Wang Haoxian below shrank back from the scolding, his face full of dejection. He lowered his head and muttered, "The subordinates only listen to Xu Hongru. What can I do about it?"

"You!" Wang Sen was so angry he shouted again, pointing a finger at his own son. At this moment, his voice was resonant, his movements vigorous—nothing about him suggested he was supposed to die tonight.

Wang Haoxian shrank back again, but the expected tirade did not come. He only heard Wang Sen heave a long sigh from above and say in a raspy voice, "It's also my fault. I didn't want you to suffer the hardships I endured in my youth. I spoiled you too much. As a result, my several disciples made something of themselves, while you, on the other hand, became useless."

"Father, if they want this situation, let them have it. We have so much silver in our hands. What's wrong with living a life of pleasure?" Wang Haoxian probed cautiously. Seeing no reaction from Wang Sen, he spoke with even more enthusiasm.

"Once I receive you outside, Father, let's not stay in this bitterly cold place. Our whole family can move to Yangzhou. I hear it's a dazzling world there, and the weather is warm. Father can spend his remaining years in peace."

Wang Sen merely gave a bitter laugh and pointed a finger at Wang Haoxian, saying helplessly, "You think too simply. Once I leave this time, I already have my own arrangements. Don't concern yourself with where I go. As for you, you're quite carefree yourself. Do you know how many people are watching you?"

"Father, you won't be living with us?" Wang Haoxian asked blankly. Though he seemed regretful, he couldn't conceal the smile at the corners of his eyes and brows.

Wang Sen frowned and asked coldly, "What, does that make you happy?"

Wang Haoxian below shook his head desperately. Wang Sen was about to shout at him again, but in the end, he just heaved a long sigh and shook his head, saying, "Perhaps it's good that you're like this. Without a competitive spirit, they, mindful of our Wang family's legacy, won't make a move against you."

Seeing the bewildered look on Wang Haoxian's face, Wang Sen grew even more helpless, yet he still continued, "Father has arranged a marriage for you. In a year or two, we'll hold the wedding. After you're married, don't concern yourself with anything. Let their family handle the affairs and make the decisions..."

Thanks to the two friends "Yuan Heng Li Zhen" and "Qiu Sheng" for their tips. Thank you all for your subscriptions and monthly tickets.