I Only Want to Lie Flat But Am Forced to Cultivate Immortality-Chapter 83 - 68 Golden House, Yan Ruyu_2

The grandson of the Tian family inevitably went mad, drooling foolishly as he tried to run outside, shouting delirious words like "Yay, I passed! I am the top scholar!

Xu Qing followed him out. Not far from the courtyard, at the moon gate entrance, Guo Dongyang stretched his neck to listen for any commotion in the courtyard, with the Wu family brothers and the Tea House Shopkeeper also straining to hear the situation inside.

Then they saw the grandson of the Tian family run out, only to be slapped down to the ground by the pale youth chasing after him.

Everyone shuddered in fear.

Guo Dongyang no longer dared to crane his neck forward, and turned his head with a dry laugh. The group then tacitly supported the grandson of the Tian family and left the courtyard.

...

Inside the room, Xu Qing, having just finished beating the grandson, turned his gaze to the old grandfather.

By this time, the old grandfather had long left the straw mat, and the ground was now only left with a paper quilt quietly scattered, covering the corpse.

Old Tian She was still banging his head against the window, trying to escape.

Xu Qing stepped forward, just about to speak a few words when visions of being on the honor roll, achieving top ranks, flashed in his mind.

This thoroughly infuriated Xu Qing, as the old man’s actions felt like forcibly inserting a commercial in his mind without permission, and it was not even one he liked.

If the hallucination had been about bodies falling from the sky, it might have been acceptable; he would even enjoy such a dream, but this?

Shrugging off the illusion of ranking in the honor roll, Xu Qing followed suit with another slap, and the world returned to quietude.

Although old Tian She could move freely, he was already a primary walking corpse influenced by his obsession.

However, this walking corpse was different from the ordinary ones Xu Qing had seen, as Tian She already possessed the ability to affect others’ consciousness.

After dispelling the influence, Xu Qing pulled Tian She by the back of his collar and dragged the thoroughly obedient old man back to the cold couch.

...

Inside the dim room, Xu Qing lit incense candles. Having not dealt with corpses for a long time, he was already hungry and thirsty.

"The Immortal Dao values life, the Ghost Dao values death.

The Immortal Dao is always auspicious, the Ghost Dao is always ominous..."

Familiar scriptures echoed, and the Sutra of Salvation turned its pages.

Old Tian She’s original name was Tian She, he was native of Quyang, and his family was wealthy. He began to study literature from a young age, and by the age of fifteen or sixteen, he had already thoroughly read the classics and histories.

But later, the family fell into decline, and the Tian family had no choice but to sell off their assets, leaving only two boxes of scrolls.

During his wealthy days, Tian She had many classmates who befriended him, but when he fell into poverty, not one came forward to inquire.

It was then that Tian She understood one thing: only by studying can one rise up, only by achieving fame can one be respected!

At that time, the Tian family struggled to even eat a bowl of millet porridge.

Despite this, Tian She refused to let his parents sell the family’s scrolls, and instead studied even more diligently.

Later, one of Tian She’s classmates experienced the county examination and made the list. From then on, he rose above the mud pit, transforming from a lowly earth-clinging eel into a highly esteemed scholar.

Not only did he travel by sedan chair, but when he returned to the village, all the gentry and wealthy families who once lorded over others now fawned and flattered him.

Seeing this, Tian She’s belief in studying and achieving fame grew even stronger.

If three years was not enough, then ten years.

If ten years was not enough, then ten more years. Tian She’s parents aged, and on their deathbeds, his mother held his hand and said, "If you can’t pass the exam, then don’t try anymore. In your mother’s eyes, being a scholar is not that important."

Tian She didn’t speak, kept mourning silently for three years, and then returned to the examination hall.

By this time, his pursuit of fame had reached a nearly obsessive level.

This was the year when fifty-year-old Tian She met storyteller Guo Dongyang at the tea house.

In their idle chat, Tian She spoke of his past, of how his equally impoverished classmate had become a scholar, how splendid it was.

Guo Dongyang, though young, had knowledge beyond that of an average bookworm.

Upon hearing the classmate’s name Tian She mentioned, he mocked, "Could it be the Chief Administrative Officer responsible for the water affairs in Hejing?"

Tian She asked how Guo Dongyang knew about this, and why he laughed.

Guo Dongyang said, "The Jingshui River Dam in Hejing Prefecture collapsed, drowning tens of thousands. Your classmate is famous far and wide. Locals call him the ’Rice Straw Judge,’ for with a stroke of his pen and a word, he ordered straw to be used to fill sand and build a thousand-mile river dam. Such a corrupt official, a major judge; who in Hejing doesn’t know him?"

Tian She was shocked, knowing only of his classmate’s wealth but unaware of this.

On this day, to persuade Tian She not to be obsessed with fame, Guo Dongyang specifically told him a tale of the ’Yellow Millet Dream.’

In the end, Guo Dongyang sighed, "The wealthy can buy titles, but the poor believe passing the exams is the only way to power, whether they love studying or not, wearing out their sheepskin and sharpening their iron inkstones.

No one knows, the more suffering they endure, the more cold treatment they face, the easier it is for them to become major evildoers once in power. Those who remain upright even when they rise from poverty are few and far between."

"Your classmate achieved fame and harmed tens of thousands. You take him as your model, how can I not laugh?"

Tian She seemed to understand something but ultimately didn’t heed Guo Dongyang’s advice. He believed himself upright and thought that when he became an official, he would benefit the people.

Twenty more years passed in such a manner, and every time Tian She went to take the exams, he discussed with Guo Dongyang, always suggesting that once he passed, he would show what a righteous official looked like.

This year, Tian She finally became a scholar, and Guo Dongyang saw his disheveled appearance as he achieved his desire.

Everything is beneath studying, only studying is supreme.

Xu Qing finished reading about Tian She’s stubborn life, his expression of disdain was like when Guo Dongyang first met Tian She.

It was only thanks to Tian She’s children and grandchildren that he could constantly pursue studies.

If he had been alone with no one to support him, Tian She, who only knew how to study, might have long since fallen to wandering the streets of Prefecture City.

Perhaps in his idle times, he would also thick-skinnedly run to the tea house where Guo Dongyang told stories, listening while demanding drinks and seasoned beans on credit.

Having finished reading about ’Scholar Tian’s’ life, it was the first time Xu Qing felt wordless.

He had saved many corpses, usually the older they were, the more they had cared about things before they died, even if their lives weren’t spectacular, they could at least say they hadn’t lived in vain.

The seventy-one-year-old Tian She now before him was the oldest corpse Xu Qing had seen.

But besides meeting Guo Dongyang, there was nothing else notable in his life.

If summarized in one sentence, it would be failing the exam again and again, fail fail fail fail fail...

Guo Dongyang might not excel in other aspects, but he did have some insight. If only Tian She had heeded his advice midway and switched paths, chosen a new profession, his life wouldn’t have been so bland.

In his youth, he knew nothing of farming, only reading; in middle age, relying entirely on his children’s support to study; in old age, relying on his descendants’ help, finally reaching a scholar status before his last breath.

Living off his family throughout his life, it’s no wonder Guo Dongyang gave the warning, saying even if Tian She passed the exams, he wouldn’t make a good official.

Afterwards, Xu Qing looked at the corpse evaluation—grade A in humanity.

As for the reward, it was a miniature box garden residence, along with a warm and clear jade pendant.

The box garden was named the Golden House, and its tiny world was complete within itself.

Xu Qing held it in his hand, looking down; the courtyard had four entrances and exits, complete with rock garden pools, and scattered pavilions and corridors.

Examining the buildings, each was exquisitely designed with intricate eaves.

Xu Qing placed the box garden on the table, and with a thought, he found himself among the rock garden.

He touched the surroundings, everything felt as real as an actual mansion.

After a round, Xu Qing was uncertain if he was in a fantasy realm or the true miniature world.

After some exploration, Xu Qing had a thought.

Such a beautiful residence, wouldn’t it be a waste not to use it for storing corpses?

With such a portable courtyard, refining ghost soldiers or corpse troops in the future would be more hidden and convenient.

Should he engage in a magical confrontation with someone someday, flipping the box garden could release ’celestial soldiers and generals’ to catch the opponent off guard.

This was indeed a good item; with proper use, it could serve as a protective treasure...

Xu Qing’s thoughts shifted slightly, leaving the box garden, and upon opening his eyes, he was back in reality.

He stored the box garden in the Mountain and River Map, then turned to the other reward—a grade B in humanity ’Yan Ruyu.’

Yan Ruyu was not a beauty but a jade pendant, capable of maintaining youthful appearance, returning one to youth.

However, it couldn’t extend one’s lifespan, at best serving as a tool to retain beauty.