Someone Offers Wine and Food (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

In an old alley of the ancient city, an elder sat curled against the wall, while a young scholar stood, hunched over.

Their gazes, one murky and one clear, met.

"Can this be repaired?"

"The roof can be fixed with new bamboo. The cloth inside is torn too; that will need sewing."

"It's good that it can be repaired."

"It'll cost two kinds of money!"

The elder, his skin dark and face deeply lined, looked at Lin Jue with a hint of worry, as if concerned for him, or perhaps afraid he wouldn't agree.

"How much will it be?"

Lin Jue's brow furrowed with concern as well.

"Three coins for sewing the cloth, and five for repairing the satchel," the elder said, gesturing with his hands.

"Eight coins..."

Lin Jue was momentarily lost in thought.

From the elder's earlier words and demeanor, he had expected a hefty sum, or to be grossly overcharged. But it turned out that in Danxun County, just like in Shu Village, what the old man worried about and worked to earn was merely eight coins.

"Thank you for your trouble, elder."

Lin Jue paid the money, arranged a time and place to pick it up, and then left.

He walked a long way with his satchel on his back, and now, walking through the city with his hands empty, he felt incredibly light. His shoulders, no longer bearing weight, felt wonderfully comfortable.

As he ambled along, his mind wandered, taking in the sights around him.

But his main thought was to buy a knife.

The times had been too chaotic in recent years, with people, Demonic Ghosts, and everything else in disarray. Traveling merchants had to carry weapons for self-defense, and a small knife was simply not enough.

Moreover, the Demonic Ghosts in this world didn't seem to possess the ability to kill people as easily as slaughtering chickens the moment they gained power. Most were still flesh and blood, so an iron weapon could defend against both people and demons. Even against more ethereal beings like ghosts, a stronger weapon in hand would bolster one's courage and spirit, making it harder for ghosts to take advantage.

Lin Jue had also heard legends of martial artists who fought and killed ghosts at night, tales of swords whose blades remained frosted for three years. He wondered how much truth there was to them.

In any case, he needed to buy a knife.

His first choice was the saber.

As the saying goes, an inch longer is an inch stronger. Even though experts in the army claimed their single sabers could break spears and halberds, when they went into battle, they all carried spears and halberds, not sabers.

This was true for the skilled, and even more so for the weak.

Furthermore, the saber was cheaper, more versatile, and more discreet.

Lin Jue browsed for a while and quickly found one.

This was because the saber was incredibly common.

It was essentially a combination weapon:

A cleaver;

A whistle stick.

When separated, they could be used individually. He could carry the cleaver in his satchel and use the whistle stick as a walking cane. When he needed the cleaver, he'd use it; when he needed the stick, he'd use the whistle stick.

If danger arose, they could be combined.

This was a result of the imperial court's strict regulations on long weapons in the past.

At that time, the court prohibited civilians from carrying long spears or sabers. Even carrying a long staff required a hole to be drilled at the end, which would produce a whistling sound when swung, hence the name "whistle stick." Those without the hole were called "mute sticks." The phrase "to hit someone with a mute stick" originated from this. This was not allowed. However, martial artists traveling the jianghu needed means of self-defense and combat. Thus, they combined a cleaver, commonly used by ordinary households for chopping firewood, with a whistle stick. The cleaver's handle was hollow and could accommodate a wooden shaft. The top of the whistle stick had a hole, and when combined, the blade became longer, and the whistle stick no longer made a sound. It was a win-win situation.

The saber was born out of necessity.

This was incredibly practical for Lin Jue.

Not only did he have a walking cane, but also a cleaver. If he were to go to the difficult mountain paths of Mount Yi later, and encountered branches or thorns blocking his way, a cleaver would be more useful than a sword or saber.

A scholar carrying a satchel, along with a wooden walking cane, looked quite fitting.

Leaning on the wooden stick, he walked back to the inn.

Lin Jue noticed he was starting to smell. The last time he washed was in a roadside river. Although the river water was cool, it wasn't as refreshing as hot water. So, he asked the inn's attendant:

"How much for a bucket of hot water to bathe?"

"Do you want a small bucket or a large one, sir? A small bucket is a full bucket. There's a dedicated bathing area downstairs with a screen, and it's five coins per bucket. A large bucket is big enough to sit in, and can be brought to your room. It's twenty coins for the water and wooden bucket, or twenty-two if you bring it to your room," the inn attendant said. "The water we use is from the canal, and we're at the very upstream point, so it's very clean."

The price was a bit more than Lin Jue had expected.

It was likely due to the scarcity of water and firewood in those times; fuel costs were a significant expense for city dwellers.

Lin Jue hesitated for a moment.

Although he had just earned some money, he didn't know how far the road ahead was, and he needed to be frugal.

Besides, his Uncle, Aunt, and Cousin were likely still living frugally. This route overlapped somewhat with the trade routes of merchants from Shu Village. Lin Jue was thinking that if he happened to meet any merchants from his village along the way, he would ask them to take ten taels of silver back for him, to repay some of their kindness.

However, after a moment's thought, he made up his mind.

It was a rare chance to rest and relax comfortably. If he missed this opportunity, he feared he would be thinking about it, feeling uneasy, for days to come.

"Give me a big tub, with extra hot water!"

"Should I carry it upstairs for you?"

"To save you some effort."

"Certainly! Sir, please rest for a moment. Once the hot water is ready, I'll come and fetch you!"

The waiter then went to fetch and heat water.

Not long after, steam began to rise in the bathing room.

Lin Jue sat in the wooden tub, scrubbing himself clean, then sat still. His entire body, from the neck down, was submerged in the hot water, and he immediately felt an indescribable sense of comfort.

This comfort was not only something he hadn't experienced in the past half-month, but it was also something he had never felt since coming into this world. As his pores opened up in the hot water, even his head began to feel dizzy and sleepy. Under this extreme comfort, all the dissatisfactions he had experienced since arriving in this world were temporarily dulled, giving him a feeling that it was all a dream.

"Sir, would you like more hot water?"

"Does it cost extra?"

"Four wen per tub, two wen for half a tub. We'll bring it once it's boiling."

"No, thank you."

"Would you like to order some food while you're at it?"

"Just the five-spice bark scrambled eggs." Lin Jue spoke with little strength, pausing, "And a bowl of rice. A big bowl of rice. Plain white rice."

"Certainly!"

It felt like a moment of immersion, or perhaps a short nap.

"Splash…"

Lin Jue finally got up and picked up his original clothes. He immediately noticed the smell was even stronger. Fortunately, clean ones were placed nearby.

As he walked out, he happened to meet the inn's waiter who was walking towards him.

"Did you enjoy your bath, sir?"

"I feel half a pound lighter."

"Your meal is ready. I was just about to come and get you."

"Alright, I'll head over now."

Lin Jue, too lazy to go upstairs to put his things away, went out, placed his clothes on a bench, and began to eat.

The so-called five-spice bark was actually a type of wild vegetable from this region. It grew in both spring and summer and was quite prolific. It could be used for cold salads, stir-fries, or soups. The main thing was that it was free, a wild vegetable commonly eaten by the locals.

The inn did not skimp on the oil. In fact, the aroma of oil was quite strong. The wild vegetable with eggs tasted quite good and was nutritious.

Paired with a bowl of white rice, it might have seemed a bit simple in his previous life, but at this moment, Lin Jue felt extremely satisfied.

He had also gotten used to eating congee at his Uncle's house.

Along with his satisfaction came a sense of ease.

After all, it was money he had earned himself.

The young scholar lowered his head and began to eat voraciously. The small egg shreds mixed with the loose, distinct grains of white rice, combined with the oil, slid down his throat smoothly.

He didn't notice someone beside him sizing him up.

At this moment, the inn waiter came out carrying a pot. Steam continuously rose from the pot. He held it with a damp cloth for insulation and walked quickly towards a nearby table.

Unexpectedly, the person at the next table suddenly spoke:

"Is that you, young master, who, along with the martial arts expert this afternoon, dealt with those strange apes outside the city?"

"That's him."

Before Lin Jue could speak, the waiter had already answered for him.

"I'll gift this pot of soup to the young master!"

"Huh?"

"Hurry and bring it over."

The inn waiter, who had just reached his side, was taken aback. He didn't dare to refuse and quickly nodded before turning and walking swiftly towards Lin Jue's table.

With a clang, the earthenware pot was placed on the table.

The waiter immediately released his hand and pinched his ear.

Inside the pot was half a chicken, not chopped up. It was submerged in chicken broth along with some thin, seaweed-like ingredients. The soup sloshed.

"Hm?"

Lin Jue was surprised.

Sitting at the next table was a middle-aged man with an unremarkable appearance. He cupped his hands towards Lin Jue and said:

"Young master, please don't be surprised, and there's no need to be polite. My elder brother runs a tea stall by the North City Gate, and he lent you his saber today."

"That's your brother?"

"Indeed."

"Since that's the case, I should be thanking your elder brother. But what is this...?"

"Young Master, please don't be so polite. Those strange apes outside the city have been causing trouble for a long time, and we've all been furious. Today, news is spreading all over the city that someone has eliminated them and taken a horse-load of ape heads to the county office to claim the county magistrate's reward. Everyone who heard it was overjoyed, admiring the courage and heroic spirit of you two heroes. I, Wei, feel the same, which is why I specifically came to find you, Young Master. There's nothing else; I just saw that you worked hard to eliminate the pests, and a small dish and a bowl of rice were hardly enough. So, I'd like to treat you to a pot of chicken soup to help you recover."

"How can this be?"

"Why not! Perhaps Young Master dislikes it? If that's the case, the waiter can bring another plate of chopping board fragrance!"

"No, no, no..."

Lin Jue felt too embarrassed and quickly stopped him.

Looking at the man again, he had already forced a smile and cupped his hands towards him again: "Thank you for gracing me with your presence, Young Master."

"This..."

It was no longer appropriate to refuse.

Lin Jue had no choice but to continue eating.

"We have a lot of misty and rainy days here, and the weather is often damp. Therefore, stone ear often grows in the damp crevices of cliffs and riverbanks. This thing looks thin and slippery and not very appetizing, but in reality, it's delicious," the man continued to chat with him. "I wonder if they eat this where you come from? We do. I like to use it to stew chicken soup the most; it has a unique flavor."

"We don't eat much of it."

When someone says that and looks at you, you have no choice but to have a bowl and try it.

This was an inn in the city, located on the main street. There were other people in the shop, so Lin Jue wasn't worried about any problems.

A bowl of clear chicken soup, with thin, wispy stone ear floating on top. Lin Jue blew a breath, clearing away the oil slick and steam on the surface, and took a sip.

It was indeed different from ordinary chicken soup.

The stone ear looked like seaweed and tasted somewhat similar, about thirty to forty percent like it, but it didn't affect the soup's flavor as much as seaweed would.

"How is it?"

The man asked, looking at him.

"Good."

"It's good that Young Master is satisfied! If there are any other dishes you like, please just say so!"

"Please don't be like this," Lin Jue declined repeatedly, then changed the subject, "Are many people in the city talking about this matter?"

"What matter? Young Master's elimination of the strange apes?"

"Of course."

"Indeed, many people are talking about it. Before my elder brother came to find me, I had already heard about it once. Those strange apes were a major scourge to our Danxun. Many people said that if they met you, they would definitely treat you to a drink." The man said, "Only I have had my wish granted."

"It wasn't just me. The main part was done by that other person."

"Where is that person?"

"He has already left the city."

"Then that's that."

The man then asked the waiter to bring wine, poured himself a cup, and offered another to Lin Jue. Raising his cup, he drank with him and sighed, "Fortunately, not many people know that Young Master is staying at this inn, otherwise, you probably wouldn't be able to leave tomorrow."

"You're exaggerating."

Lin Jue didn't like drinking, but the wine back then wasn't very strong. The man's intentions were good, he had treated him to a large meal, and had even raised his cup. He took a small sip.

It was rice wine, with a rich aroma of rice.

The man continued to chat with him across the table, with many words of praise. In a daze, it truly felt like the "heroic scholar-poet who is flattered and treated wherever he goes" from the stories.