How did Lin Jiufeng know about these things?

Of course, Dachun told him.

More than 50 years have passed since then.

Dachun had also changed from a young and inexperienced youngster to an old man.

His cultivation remained at the peak of the Martial Sage Realm, he had yet to make a breakthrough.

But it was a realm high enough for him.

Dachun—who happened to be 70 years old this year—still came to deliver food and wine every month without a break.

Dachun was the one who told Lin Jiufeng these things.

Otherwise, how would Lin Jiufeng—who never left the Cold Palace—know about all of these things regarding Emperor De?

…

It was another year of heavy snow.

The appointed time every month arrived once more.

Dachun carried the food and wine as he walked amidst the snowstorm.

In the heavy snow, his plump body seemed to become even rounder.

"Your Royal Highness, Dachun is here to deliver food to you."

Dachun walked to the door of the Cold Palace and shouted.

With the white cat in his arms, Lin Jiufeng walked to the door and opened it.

Dachun didn't have to stuff the food into the Cold Palace from a small hole like before.

Sometime in the past five years, Lin Jiufeng had decided to directly open the door to drink and eat with Dachun.

When Dachun saw Lin Jiufeng, he called out respectfully. "Greetings, Your Royal Highness!"

It has been more than 50 years, but Dachun still remained respectful to Lin Jiufeng.

The commander of the imperial guards who sent Dachun to deliver food to Lin Jiufeng decades ago had long forgotten about Lin Jiufeng himself, but Dachun was still doing what he did since that order was given to him back then.

Lin Jiufeng let Dachun in and brought out the food and wine in the courtyard that was covered in the heavy snow.

"Your Royal Highness is still the same as before. You're still handsome and young-looking. Looking at Your Royal Highness's current appearance, you look exactly like you did more than 50 years ago, but I've changed. I've become different in every year that passed, and now I have become someone so fat with such a big stomach."

Dachun poured a cup of wine for Lin Jiufeng and lamented.

The decades that passed turned the relationship between the two into that of good friends from a vassal to a lord.

Lin Jiufeng didn't have many friends, Dachun was the only one.

As for the white cat, she was his closest family.

"Having a big stomach means that you have had no worries in life, isn't that a life that everyone wants?" Lin Jiufeng chuckled as he picked up his wine cup and drank the alcohol inside with Dachun.

"Your Royal Highness, I have never been an ambitious person. Since I was young, my dream was to remain energetic when I'm old, and I have already accomplished that small dream of mine," Dachun replied. His face looked serene and at peace.

"I'm not as capable as Your Royal Highness. Back then, during that chaotic incident at the top of the Forbidden City, the entire imperial court was helpless. I guarded the gates and was very anxious, but there was nothing I could do."

"At that time, Your Royal Highness appeared with a Martial Sage expert and killed the demon sect's ancestor with one stroke of your sword. Other than me, no one else in the world knew about it. I have never forgotten that scene despite the decades that passed." Dachun added.

Lin Jiufeng picked up a piece of chicken and passed it to the white cat.

Then, he looked at Dachun.

He said nothing.

Dachun was a little more talkative than usual today.

In the past, he would never talk about these things. He would only tell Lin Jiufeng what happened in the Yuhua God Dynasty and what happened in the world recently.

This was the first time that he spoke these heartfelt words to Lin Jiufeng.

Thus, Lin Jiufeng chose to listen rather than speak.

He raised a cup for Dachun once more.

Dachun drank the wine and let out a long breath.

Then, he explained. "Your Royal Highness, there has been a huge change in the Yuhua God Dynasty recently. Emperor De is wise and mighty, he has recruited many powerhouses and the Yuhua God Dynasty is becoming more and more prosperous by the day…"

"A few days ago, Emperor De gave an order."

"What order?" Lin Jiufeng asked.

"The order is to send experts from the Imperial Capital to become local officials of the various regions that the Yuhua God Dynasty occupies…"

"They will guard every region and pass on the imperial court's will so that some sort of centralized authority will be formed to consolidate the stability of every region occupied by the dynasty." Dachun added.

"You were one of the chosen ones?" Lin Jiufeng guessed why Dachun was like this today.

Dachun nodded and replied with a smile. "I can't slack even if I want to. Emperor De personally called out my name, and I'm also considered as an old minister from four dynasties. I should act as an example to the young'uns, so I can't refuse the order."

"Not bad. No wonder the dishes today are more bountiful than usual." Lin Jiufeng smiled.

The food on the table was more than twice what it was last month.

There was also an extra pot of wine.

"Your Royal Highness, I won't be able to return anytime soon. I won't be able to bring you any more food or wine. I will punish myself with this cup of wine," Dachun said apologetically.

"There's no need for that."

Lin Jiufeng stopped him and raised his own cup of wine to drink with him.

"Your Royal Highness, I can arrange for someone else to deliver food—"

Dachun proposed a solution.

"No need."

But before he could continue, Lin Jiufeng rejected his offer.

"Actually, I don't need to consume food or water since a long time ago. This is a habit that I've developed over the decades. If you deliver them to me, I will eat them. If someone else delivered them, they wouldn't have the same taste anymore," Lin Jiufeng said.

"To be honest, I do not need to consume food or water anymore to survive…"

"But I have a habit that I have developed over the decades that passed—the habit is that—if you're the one that delivered them to me, I will eat them. If it came from someone else, it wouldn't taste the same…"

Dachun nodded and didn't talk about it anymore.

"Where did the imperial court assign you to?" Lin Jiufeng asked curiously.

Dachun was his friend, he should show some concern to his friend.

"My hometown, Jiangnan." Dachun revealed a joyous smile.

This was also the reason why he didn't refuse the order.

He wasn't born in the Imperial Capital.

Before he turned 13, he lived in the Jiangnan area.

It was only later that he followed his father into the Imperial Capital and started his career in the Imperial Capital for the next few decades.

After living in the imperial capital for 50 to 60 years, logically speaking, the Imperial Capital should've been the place that he should miss the most.

But the reality was different, Dachun had always longed for his hometown, Jiangnan.

"I've started my own family in the Imperial Capital, my livelihood also comes from the capital, and even my children are born in the Imperial Capital. But all these years, I know that my roots do not exist here."

"As the saying goes, a man does not turn away from the road, a tiger does not turn away from the mountains. After all these years, I have always been a visitor wherever I went aside from my hometown."

"After experiencing the trials and tribulations in the Imperial Capital, I've grown tired…"

"I want to return to my hometown. My old mother is just 100 years old this year. My brothers and sisters at home brought her back to my hometown decades ago. I haven't been back much in the past few years, so it's time for me to go back and fulfill my filial duties to her."

"The only person I can't let go of is Your Royal Highness. I've always felt that I still have a responsibility to fulfill. I've promised to deliver food to Your Royal Highness for a lifetime, but now, I'm about to go back on my words."

Dachun wryly smiled.

Lin Jiufeng shook his head and replied, "Actually, you know that it doesn't matter to me whether you deliver food or not. I've always treated you as a friend and I've always looked forward to my monthly conversations with you, so I can listen to you talking about all sorts of things…"

"It's a habit that I've developed over the years."

Dachun nodded.

"I know that Your Royal Highness doesn't need me to deliver food for your survival. I also know that Your Royal Highness is very powerful…"

"There are only a handful of people in the entire Imperial Capital who knows Your Royal Highness's true capabilities, and I am one of those that truly understands how strong you are…"

"If Your Royal Highness is here, then the Yuhua God Dynasty is here to stay…"

"If not for Your Royal Highness, the Yuhua God Dynasty would've already perished countless times in the decades that passed. The common people of this world must express their gratitude to Your Royal Highness."

Lin Jiufeng waved his hand in dismissal. "Let's drink."

Express their gratitude? For what?

As the Emperor of the Yuhua God Dynasty, they naturally had the responsibility to protect the common people in their territories.

Lin Jiufeng helped out the previous emperors, that was all there was to it.

Even now, Lin Jiufeng didn't have to help that much because Emperor De was doing a great job.

After eating and drinking to their heart's content, Dachun and Lin Jiufeng chatted a lot.

This was the first time that they truly had a heartfelt conversation with each other.

But in the end, Dachun still left.

After giving Lin Jiufeng a deep bow, he disappeared with his back turned to the Cold Palace.

Amidst the snowstorm, Dachun's plump back disappeared into the fierce wind and heavy snow.

Lin Jiufeng flicked his finger and a streak of sword energy shot out and entered Dachun's body.

Just like the battle on the top of the Forbidden City back then, Lin Jiufeng had once again bestowed upon Dachun a sword energy for his protection.

"I hope that this sword energy wouldn't have to be activated…." Lin Jiufeng softly mumbled.

That sword energy back then didn't activate because Dachun never arrived in harm's way.

Lin Jiufeng hoped that the sword energy this time would dissipate naturally similar to what happened back then.