Only Go East

The fifth day of the first lunar month was also the Start of Spring.

Song You was currently packing his travel bag in the courtyard.

He needed to bring all his clothing.

There were only a few garments anyway, so they did not take up much space.

A water skin, dry rations, a pot, bowls, teacups, writing brushes, ink, paper, an inkstone, the Records of Geography and Scenery, and even the unfinished meat hanging from the kitchen beam—he was not packing heavily, yet not a single essential item could be omitted.

With a long road ahead, sleeping in the open and braving the sharp spring chill were inevitable, so items for nighttime warmth also had to be brought.

The wool felt gifted by Prefect Yu was of top quality, pressed very thin, offering superior cold-proofing and warmth compared to a mattress, yet it took up little space when folded. Bringing an additional thin blanket bought at the temple fair meant he would not fear crashing in desolate mountains and wild temples.

People nowadays used a type of double-pouch bundle similar to saddlebags, also purchased at the temple fair, of the sturdy and high-capacity kind commonly used by merchants and marching armies. Once packed, it was placed across the horse's back.

The bamboo hat and straw raincoat could simply be hung over the top.

The red date horse stood obediently without moving, letting him fuss over it.

Both yesterday and today were the Start of Spring, the origin of all things springing to vitality, making the vital breath at its richest, and this trace of vital breath held immense benefits for all things in the world. The very first wisps of the Start of Spring's spiritual energy in the mountains this year were different once more, and Song You had bestowed them upon the red date horse, making it look full of vim and vigor now.

Once everything was packed, he cleaned up the courtyard as well, sweeping away both the spiderwebs overhead and the dust in the corners of the walls, gathering up whatever needed to be stored.

Only then did he cup his fists toward the bamboo grove to bid farewell:

"I have caused you much trouble over the past half year, and often listened to Madame sing tunes to while away idle hours. Though I enjoyed it in my heart, thinking on it carefully, it was truly imporous. Leaving like this, I ought to bid Madame farewell and offer an apology, only hoping Madame resolves her obsession soon, or soon awaits the return of her husband."

It was daytime, so the bamboo grove naturally gave no response.

Instead, the Three Flower Cat raised her head to look at him:

"Should I say something?"

"No need."

"Oh."

The man called his horse to set out, with the cat following closely behind.

Outside the door, Constable Luo stood in his clerk's uniform at the alley entrance.

"This humble person is here to see the Young Mister off."

"Squad Leader is most thoughtful."

Before they had even left the city, Magistrate Liu hurried over, leading Prefect Yu in tow.

"Had I known Young Mister was leaving today, Yu should have hosted a banquet to see Young Mister off yesterday. I ask Young Mister to forgive me."

"Where is such talk from the Prefect?"

"No matter what, it is Yu who has been remiss! Rushing over today, fortunately, I did not miss seeing Young Mister off. Along the way, I simply bought some non-perishable pastries for Young Mister to stave off hunger on the road, and brought along a wool felt and a Lotus Seed Pod Robe for Young Mister to fend off the midnight cold. Please, Young Mister, you must accept them."

Song You gazed at Prefect Yu for a few moments.

"Then many thanks to the Prefect."

"Where is Young Mister heading?"

"I do not yet know where to go, I shall simply head east."

"How long will this journey take, Young Mister?"

"Twenty years."

"..."

Prefect Yu was momentarily stunned.

Constable Luo and Magistrate Liu behind him were also caught in a daze.

Twenty years...

How many twenty years does a person have in a lifetime?

He had only ever heard of people spending twenty years chasing fame and fortune, or spending twenty years wallowing in depravity, but he had never once heard of someone spending twenty years wandering the mortal realm.

With countless winds and rains over twenty years, who could foresee them? When twenty years had passed, no one knew if they would still be standing here, or even if they were still alive in this world. Even the youngest, Constable Luo, had actually already passed the age of thirty; in twenty years, he would be over fifty, and even if he had not yet been put in the ground, his hair would be entirely white.

Yet when the Young Mister spoke these words, his tone was utterly calm, as if he deemed it entirely ordinary and did not take twenty years of time to be of any consequence at all.

Prefect Yu was filled with a complex jumble of emotions.

Parting ways at this moment meant they would likely never see each other again in this lifetime, right?

"Take care on your journey, Young Mister."

"Many thanks to you all."

The two parties bowed deeply to one another face to face.

Immediately, Song You led his horse away, stepping further and further off.

The few of them watched from behind, feelings stirring strangely within their hearts.

Recalling everything the Young Mister had done in Yidu over the past half year—whether it was eradicating the Fog Ghost on Jinyang Road, burning the demonic monk to ashes before the Buddha's hall, helping capture the illusionist thief at the temple fair, or summoning lightning from across half of Yidu City to strike someone down—while remaining indifferent to fame and fortune, carefree and untethered... They had seen people with cultivation and abilities to varying degrees in the past, much like that Master Guanghong, but when had they ever laid eyes on a transcendent expert like the Young Mister?

The immortals walking the mortal world in stories were probably no more than this.

Such an immortal ought to be recorded in books.

The morning clouds drifted like layered silk, the traveling dew not yet dried.

A man, a cat, and a horse stepped out of the city gate.

The horse had no reins, nor did Song You need any. He simply walked ahead, and the horse quietly followed behind. Right beside them was also a cat, likewise trailing along obediently, which onlookers could only find wondrous.

Ahead lay yet boundless mountains and rivers, with clear skies and rain hard to predict.

Yet though the road was rugged and long, walking meant one would eventually arrive. Song You merely maintained a tranquil heart, putting one foot in front of the other as he walked forward.

The dirt road outside the city led toward the edge of the horizon.

Farmlands and cottages lined the roadside, the scenery picturesque and charming.

Along the way, the shallow grass was withered and yellow, its dew evaporating as the sun rose. The dust on the ground was thick, and every step kicked up a small puff of powder. Song You rather liked this sensation, as it made every step he took have a stronger visual impact, and thereby made it clearer and more real.

Three Flower Lady continued to run back and forth, sniffing here and smelling there, occasionally wearing a puzzled expression.

"We seem to have walked through here before."

"Three Flower Lady is brilliantly clever."

"Why are we going back again?"

"Only this short section is a repeat."

"Where are we going?"

"Heading east."

"Which way is east?"

"The side where the sun comes up in the morning."

"What are we going over there for?"

As the little cat took short, hurried steps to keep up with his pace, she tilted her head to look up at him: "Are you going to find where the sun comes out from?"

"No."

"Then what are you looking for?"

"Looking for places where mountains and waters are supremely wondrous, looking for locales with simple and honest folk customs, looking for the immortals of legends, looking for living beings that only exist in stories, and to see all the splendid and wondrous places in this world."

"..."

The little cat tilted her head and studied him for a long time, digesting it for quite a while before figuring it out, and then said: "There are immortals in the temple, and Three Flower Lady used to be an immortal too."

"They..."

Song You shook his head and smiled: "They are merely ghosts holding official posts."

"Then what do you call an immortal?"

"Hard to say."

"You don't know either?"

"I haven't seen one."

"Then you're still going to look."

"It's precisely because I haven't seen one that I have to go look."

This world was not as developed as his past life, yet it possessed no shortage of wondrous aspects. Even though Song You had spent the first half of his life staying in a Taoist temple, he had already witnessed a portion of it. Still, he felt there ought to be more than just that, so he wanted to go and see even more magnificent, wondrous scenery and more profound, interesting things.

Setting out once more this time was undoubtedly much more comfortable than before. Firstly, he had Three Flower Lady for company; secondly, he was fully prepared; and thirdly, he had gained a horse, meaning he at least no longer had to carry his travel bag and was journeying empty-handed. Consequently, he had more mental energy to experience every step of the road he walked.

By afternoon, they were back on Jinyang Road.

Ancient roads had ancient trees, blocking both the sun and the rain.

As it happened, the weather was fine today. Walking inside such a shaded path, sunlight filtered through in mottled, shifting patterns. As they walked slowly through it, their feet treading on blue stone slabs, the view before them alternately brightened and dimmed—now swallowed by shadow, now struck by a ray of sunlight upon their bodies. With the clip-clop of hooves beside his ear and a calm mind within, not fretting over a thousand-li journey nor fearing the sound of wind and rain, it felt utterly wonderful.

They had not gone far before they spotted another tea stall, and it had quite a few people.

Although this road was also part of Jinyang Road, once past Yi Capital, it was no longer the section they had walked previously, and this tea stall was likewise one they had never encountered before.

Just as well, he was feeling somewhat tired.

Song You led the horse over and stopped in front of the tea stall.

"A bowl of tea."

He added a sentence at the end:

"Good tea."

The stall keeper was a humpbacked old man who looked quite benevolent and immediately came over to serve them: "Young Mister, aside from tea, do you need any food? The stall also provides fodder for horses at a cheap price."

"No need."

Song You had brought steamed cakes and mantou when he set out, and simply needed a bowl of hot tea to wash them down.

And while this horse looked to have loaded quite a few things, none of them were actually heavy. This journey so far could by no means be considered heavy labor; instead, moving along at a leisurely pace, it would occasionally forage for wild grass by the roadside as they walked, and right now it was not hungry at all.

"Oh my!"

Only when the old man wanted to tie up Song You's horse did he realize that this Young Mister's horse actually lacked reins.

"Young Mister, your horse..."

"The horse is clever, no reins are needed."

"Aren't you afraid it will get lost?"

"Not afraid."

The old stall keeper was greatly astonished, but went off to pour the tea anyway.

Filling a clay kettle, he poured a full bowl.

The Jianghu travelers and merchants nearby also repeatedly cast gazes toward Song You. What should have been a slightly unusual matter, paired with Song You's Taoist robe, seemed to instantly take on a few more layers of profound meaning, causing even arrogant Jianghu folk to rein in their disdainful looks.

Yet upon seeing Song You break open a mantou, take out the meat filling to feed the cat, and eat the outer dough himself, they could not help letting out a few more murmurs of amazement, whispering endlessly among themselves.

Neither the man nor the cat paid them any mind.

The horse also stood quietly in front of the stall, neither tied with ropes nor running about. Seeing tender blades of shallow grass it fancied nearby, it would merely take a step or two out, lower its head to nibble slowly, and go no further.

During this time, people continuously settled their tabs and departed.

Whenever someone came from the left-hand path and headed toward the right-hand one, the old stall keeper would invariably step forward, bow, and politely ask where they were headed, wishing to ask someone to help carry a letter.

Yet after asking many people, the harvest was meager.

In this day and age, mountains and rivers separated messages, and letters were hard to deliver. Once they left the official imperial highway, there were both demons and mountain bandits on the road, making letter delivery all the more difficult.

Along this Jinyang Road, aside from government officials, the rest were mostly traveling merchants and Jianghu folk. Merchants either valued trust or valued profit; those who valued trust feared the letter wouldn't reach its destination and dared not agree lightly, while those who valued profit found the money too little. After asking for half a day, only a single merchant agreed, yet even then there was no guarantee it would be safely delivered.

"..."

Song You raised his bowl higher and drank down the final gulp of tea.

He even paused after lifting the bowl, waiting for the tea broth clinging to the rim to slide down.

He had pretty much figured it out: the tea on this official imperial highway, the more expensive it was, the more ingredients it contained, the more filling it was, and the richer the flavor—it had salt, sugar, and even plums added. A full large bowl, paired with two mantous, and he actually already felt his stomach was stuffed.

"Settling the tab."

"Ten copper coins."

That was as much as a bowl of wontons.

Which was normal; drinking a cup of milk tea in his past life was even more expensive than eating a bowl of wontons.

The old man stooped his back, watching Song You count out the copper coins, and as he watched, a smile piled onto his face: "Might I ask, Young Mister, where are you headed?"

"East."

"Will you be passing through Long Commandery in Xuzhou?"

"..."

Song You counted out the ten copper coins, but did not answer immediately. Instead, he smiled and asked the stall keeper:

"Does the old man want to send a letter?"

In truth, he had only heard of Xuzhou, which lay to the east of Yizhou, and heading east meant passing through Xuzhou, but he had never heard of Long Commandery at all.

"Precisely! If Young Mister is heading to Long Commandery and it is on the way, this old fellow would like to ask Young Mister to carry a letter for me!" After saying this, the old stall keeper hurriedly added, "Young Mister can rest assured, I certainly won't let Young Mister carry it for nothing!"

"What kind of letter?"

"Is Young Mister truly going to Long Commandery?"

"I am an idle person of the mountains, traveling the world, and I am currently unsure where to head. I only know that going east requires passing through Xuzhou. If the old man has urgent matters, making a trip to Long Commandery is no trouble at all."

"I wouldn't dare deceive Young Mister. In my early years, my family was poor, and that son of mine went with his second uncle to do business in Long Commandery, Xuzhou, and later stayed in Xuzhou. With a great distance separating us and mountain bandits off the main road, the last time he came back was already two years ago. A few days ago, my old woman missed her son, worried herself sick, and could not sleep through the night. The day before yesterday, she took to her bed with an illness, and this old fellow begged an official passing by to write a few letters, hoping to find someone to carry them over so as to urge him to come back and take a look..."

"So that's how it was."

Mountains and waters could separate news and messages, but they ought not to separate maternal and filial affection.

Song You gave almost no thought to it, smiling calmly: "Then this humble person will take borrowing the matter of carrying a letter for the old man as a chance to go and experience the scenery of Long Commandery."

"Many thanks, Young Mister!"

The old man was instantly overwhelmed with gratitude and bowed deeply.

How could Song You dare accept such a gesture? He hurriedly went to lift him up: "I cannot bear such a grand courtesy. I am already roaming the four seas, and the old man is pointing the way for me—speaking of which, it is I who should thank the old man."