Circle

The setting sun casts its golden rays, and a hazy golden glow flows across the Great Marsh.

Liang Qu leaned against the railing, the river breeze ruffling his hair.

Should we tell Xu Yuelong that the bait he has is a bucket of yellow mud?

A battle between Celestial Person...

"Ah, it's raining."

Liang Qu looked up and suddenly water splashed onto his face, and then the world was shrouded in a misty Water Mist.

Fine, misty rain drifted in the orange sunset, the river breeze mingling with the drizzle, and the temperature dropped rapidly.

"Why does it always rain in Huaiyin Prefecture? When I was in the Imperial Capital, it was either pouring rain or dry for a whole month. Hey, I've taken the bait!"

Xu Yuelong swung his fishing rod, lifted his wrist, and pulled a silvery-white mandarin fish out of the water, vigorously flicking its tail and splashing water everywhere.

It's quite large, weighing about five or six ounces. Steam it with scallions, ginger, and garlic, then drizzle with soy sauce, and it'll make a dish.

Liang Qu glanced at it and rubbed the water droplets on his fingertips.

"By the end of May, it's estimated that the Plum Rain Season will begin, and by the end of June or the beginning of July, there will be light rain almost every day for a month."

Furthermore, fishing is done in shallow water when it rains and in deep water when it's sunny. On rainy days, fish in Great Marsh will rise to the surface to breathe, and as long as there aren't strong winds or big waves, there's not much danger. Many fishermen will set out their boats at this time, which is good for them.

"There's such a saying?" Xu Yuelong was taken aback. "Wait, you mean it'll rain every day for the next month? People will all get moldy!"

Having grown up in the Imperial Capital, Xu Yuelong had never been to the south and found it hard to understand why some places could experience a month of continuous rain.

"Yes, it will get moldy. The character 'mei' in 'meiyu' has two meanings: one is 'mei' for plums, as this is the season when yellow plums ripen; the other is 'mei' for mold."

Xu Yuelong frowned.

"Wouldn't that make it prone to flooding?"

Liang Qu nodded.

"It is easy."

These days, it's not that there aren't dams, and there are various canals and weirs, but their effectiveness and quantity are far inferior. Not to mention floods, waterlogging is a common occurrence.

"However, the Plum Rain Season is mostly drizzle," Liang Qu pointed to the sky, "And the possibility of major floods is relatively small."

Xu Yuelong nodded, removed the fishing hook, and put away the fishing rod.

"Let's go eat."

After the two returned, the entire hall was cleared out. The wine jars were moved to a corner, and all the low tables were pieced together, surrounded by a circle of Arhat Bed.

The door opened, Bai Yinbin brought over a huge Porcelain Plate that almost filled the entire low table.

Liang Qu had never seen such a huge Porcelain Plate before, and he quickly learned Porcelain Plate purpose.

The deaf man followed closely behind, holding a huge iron fork, holding a whole roasted lamb, which he arranged perfectly on Porcelain Plate.

Xiang Fangsu picked up the wine jar and placed it on the table. The man nodded his thanks and poured spoonfuls of wine onto the mutton. The moment he lit the fire, blue light shot out, and the strong liquor instantly evaporated into Green Smoke.

The rich aroma of wine, combined with the smoky fragrance of mutton, spreads throughout the room, stimulating one's appetite.

Xiang Fangsu saw the two enter and waved to them.

"I was just about to call you. Please sit down. There are more main dishes to come. Let's have the appetizers first."

"Ci Mu Sheep? That's good stuff! Where did it come from? Didn't we eat all our last stock?"

Xu Yuelong took out his dagger, cut off a piece of oily mutton, stuffed it into his mouth, and kept Hā Qì.

"My mother and those Ice Platform delivered it yesterday. She said she was worried that I would miss home if I stayed in Huainan for too long, so she brought some good mutton to satisfy my cravings."

Hey, what's the rush? The smell of alcohol hasn't even dissipated yet, it'll be too hot to eat. There's another lamb being roasted in the back, along with Flying Ox Camel, and Azure Horn Antelope.

"Okay, okay!"

Xu Yuelong praised it repeatedly, glancing at the table.

"Perilla leaves and dipping sauce, how can you eat mutton without perilla leaves and dipping sauce, or your mouth will be tasteless?"

"But it hasn't been played yet, has it?"

Ran Zhongshi shouted as he carried two large plates in his hands. One plate contained powdered red dried ingredients, and the other was piled with perilla leaves.

Ran Ying carried a small jar of sesame oil.

The man cutting the mutton hurriedly stepped forward to take it, first dividing the dry ingredients, then slicing the roasted mutton into thin slices with a sharp blade, arranging them on a silver plate, and presenting them to each person.

Liang Qu found an empty seat and sat down next to Ran Zhongshi on the Arhat Bed.

The Arhat Bed, despite having the word "bed" in its name, actually serves both sitting and lying functions, making it more like a "sofa".

"Come, come, everyone's here. Don't be shy. This is Brother Liang's first time here, so Uncle Wang, please give him a generous portion so he won't feel embarrassed and go back saying he didn't eat enough."

Xiang Fangsu spoke, she gestured, and the man responded with hand gestures.

"Ke Wenbin, you guys should stop playing cards and come eat. Is it fun playing that stupid Ma Pai all day?"

"How many times have I told you, it's the Diao Pai, the Diao Pai! We're about to win, watch me slaughter them all! They won't even be left with their underwear when we get off the ship today!"

The clear sound of cards being slammed onto the table echoed.

"A perfect flush! Haha, I won! I won! Time to pay!"

"Pah, what bad luck!"

"I'm done playing, let's eat."

"Pay first, then eat!"

A silver platter filled with mutton was handed to me; the mutton was cut neatly, bite-sized pieces.

Liang Qu took the plate from Xie, looked at it from left to right, and pinched the plate with his fingernail, leaving a small mark.

It's not pure silver, too soft to be used for plates, but even if it's mixed with other metals, this one still weighs several ounces...

Never mind, let's eat.

Liang Qu shook his head.

One should not be too particular about the fineness of food, nor about the delicacy of its preparation.

Sliced, roasted mutton, coated with dipping sauce and drizzled with a few drops of sesame oil, is wrapped in perilla leaves and swallowed in one bite. The rich aroma of charcoal-grilled fat, along with the refreshing scent of perilla leaves, spreads throughout the mouth.

Delicious! A river breeze blows through the hall, bringing coolness to the night.

Starlight streamed down overhead, and as far as the eye could see, the Great Marsh was deep and dark, with no islands or continents. On the boundless water, the Painted Boat floated.

The candlelight shone brightly, casting an orange glow on the water's surface.

This is the true enjoyment of life! "Spicy seasoning, more spicy seasoning!"

"You're really something, you've got a knives stuck in your throat."

"You have to add spice to lamb; if it's not spicy enough, it won't taste good no matter how you cook it!"

The banquet was lively, and no one cared about social status or family background.

Strictly speaking, there was a hierarchy among the thirteen people present, but they all grew up together in the Imperial Capital, playing ball and drums, competing in various arts, or flying eagles and running dogs, roaming the marshes.

Everyone knows what style of underwear they like to wear, so there aren't many rules.

Liang Qu also understood why he couldn't get in earlier; it wasn't because Xu Yuelong wouldn't bring him.

This is supposed to be a private circle of friends. If you force people to come, it's like forcing former classmates from the state school to integrate into the circle of classmates from the Imperial College. Everyone will feel awkward.

In other words, he accomplished something great in Feng Bu County, which benefited everyone and created common ground, allowing him to integrate smoothly.

"Fang Su, where are your kidneys? I didn't get to eat any kidneys."

"Hey, I didn't hide it. You guys better tell me honestly, who secretly ate it?"

"It's definitely not me, I'm strong and healthy."

"I don't believe you, Ke Wenbin, open your mouth!"

"Hey, why should I open my mouth?"

"Wow, that smells really strong. And you still say you didn't eat it?"

"Get lost!"

midnight.

The ship docked.

Liang Qu, his stomach bulging, drank the last sip of juice.

[Marsh Essence +1.2]

Feels good.

Upon Shang An, a light drizzle still hung in the air.

The candles on the Painted Boat were extinguished, and the surroundings were pitch black.

"Brother Liang, wait a moment."

Xiang Fangsu stopped Liang Qu and brought out a large, square object.

It is over a meter long and wide, and several tens of centimeters thick. It feels like porcelain and is cool to the touch.

"Brother Liang, here's the Ice Platform I promised to give you."

Having earned a Great Merit through Liang Qu, Xiang Fangsu promised to give him an Ice Platform at the gathering, so he naturally had to keep his promise.

Liang Qu took the large object and scratched his head.

"I'm afraid Brother Xiang will laugh at me, but what is this Ice Platform? I've never heard of it before."

Xiang Fangsu was taken aback, then burst into laughter. "I forgot to mention that the Ice Platform is a new contraption created by those people in the Ministry of Works. If you want to use it, just add a pot of water to the opening. It can hold cold mist for three hours, and with one cold core, it can last for three or four years. It's much more convenient than the Ice Chamber."