Willow River Grand Gathering

After the meal, the two of them fed the horses in the courtyard.

It was already late in the first lunar month. The weather was excellent—not too sunny, not too cold. A spring breeze drifted past, and the old tree outside the gate rustled softly. It was wonderfully comfortable.

The woman sidelonged a glance at Song You's horse.

"Your horse doesn't need reins?"

"It's obedient."

"And there's no saddle."

"I don't ride it."

"That's interesting..."

The woman continued looking Song You's horse up and down, apparently very interested. Her tone was like men in later generations chatting about cars: "It looks like a Northern Yuan horse."

"Yes."

"When I was in Yi Capital, I wanted to buy a Northern Yuan horse too, but even after searching the entire horse market, I couldn't find more than a few. They were also outrageously expensive." The woman shook her head. "I couldn't afford one, couldn't afford one."

"There are fewer horses this year."

"I heard the imperial court intends to go to war again."

"I've heard that too."

"Although your horse looks a little short and thin, perhaps it fell ill in the womb or its mother went hungry, it's still a Northern Yuan horse. It looks healthy too. You definitely got a bargain."

"Yes."

"How much did it cost?"

"An old friend gave it to me."

"Tsk, tsk..."

The woman clicked her tongue repeatedly.

Though she was praising Song You's horse, she kept feeding her own horse hay, doing so very carefully. Her other hand stroked its mane without pause. She seemed to be someone who valued old feelings.

As if she had suddenly remembered something, she turned her head.

"By the way! I traveled by water too, so why wasn't I as fast as you? Could it be you didn't rest at all along the way?"

"I rested for two days."

"Then you still traveled quite fast."

"Traveling alone is easier."

"That's true. I was held back."

"What of your companions?"

"We're only going as far as Long Commandery, not Lingbo. Several of my senior and junior fellow disciples suffered terribly from seasickness and got off at Anqing. I came here alone." The woman said, "Besides, accepting this letter was my decision in the first place. There was no need for everyone to make the trip with me."

"That makes sense."

"Did you encounter bandits on the road?"

"I did."

"How did you get away?"

"I told them I was merely a wandering Daoist, poor as a church mouse, with only a cat and a horse for company, and asked them to let me pass."

"And that worked?"

"More or less."

"Hmm..."

"..."

"Aren't you curious whether I encountered bandits?"

Song You immediately understood and respectfully asked, "May I ask whether you encountered bandits?"

"I did."

"And how did you escape?"

"I frightened one group away and cut another group down."

"You have excellent martial skills."

Song You glanced at the saber in her hand. It still carried a faint scent of blood. Thinking of when he had encountered her in Yi Capital, when there had been at least a dozen of them, he figured the Xishan Sect must be a renowned sect of the martial world.

The woman suddenly asked him again:

"Where are you going?"

"Huh?"

"I'm asking where you're headed on this journey."

"I'm traveling throughout the world. I have no fixed destination for now."

"Interesting."

The heroine looked him up and down several times, a smile appearing at the corner of her mouth. "A wandering Daoist?"

"Yes."

"You're relying on just yourself and this horse?"

"There's also a cat."

"Oh, and a cat..." The woman could not help smiling. "This is my first time seeing someone take a cat on a long journey. And this cat is so obedient—it doesn't even run away without a leash. Your horse doesn't have a leash either. Are all the animals raised by you Daoists this miraculous?"

"The world is vast, and nothing is too strange to exist."

"You must have some ability. No wonder you dare to travel the martial world alone."

"I'm a Daoist. Ordinary bandits won't trouble me."

"The world is vast. The road isn't so easy to walk just by relying on that Daoist robe."

"The road is blocked and long, but if one keeps walking, one will eventually arrive."

"I don't understand."

"As long as you're willing to walk, you'll always reach the end."

"Then where are you going tomorrow?"

"Perhaps Anqing."

"Anqing County?"

"Yes."

"Are you also going to the Willow River Grand Gathering?"

"The Willow River Grand Gathering? What's that?"

"You don't know?"

"I don't."

"Before wandering the world, had you never mixed with the martial world?"

"I usually practiced austerities in Daoist temples."

"Then what are you going to Anqing for?"

"On the way here, I saw beautiful mountains and rivers. The boatman said that Anqing was the most beautiful, so I decided to go see it."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"Delivering a letter."

"Just delivering a letter?"

"I don't know where else to go anyway."

"Did you know of Long Commandery before?"

"No."

"Interesting..."

The woman looked at him a couple more times.

She had thought he was traveling the same route and that even if he did not come to Lingbo County, he would at least be going to Long Commandery, which was why he had brought the letter along. She had not expected him to be purely traveling around to admire the mountains and waters, going wherever the fancy took him, and coming all the way to these unfamiliar mountains and rivers thousands of miles away just to deliver a letter.

This Daoist was quite something. He was interesting.

"Anqing's scenery is indeed beautiful—the Ten-Li Gallery. But I've only heard of it myself. This is also my first time there." The woman smiled. "After seeing the scenery, you could go join the fun at the Willow River Grand Gathering."

"May I ask what the Willow River Grand Gathering is?"

"The Willow River Grand Gathering is a martial-world festival. Originally, martial artists from several southwestern prefectures gathered to compare their skills, compete over their drinking capacity, and discuss business. If there were grudges between them, there were enough people here for them to explain themselves in front of everyone. They could settle whether to reconcile or fight. It's held once every five years. If you don't mix with the martial world, it's normal that you don't know about it."

"I see."

"That's not all," the woman said. "Later, the Willow River Grand Gathering gradually expanded. Martial sects from the northwest came, and then those from the southeast came too. By now, it has become the largest gathering in the martial world. Aside from those in the farthest northwest and northeast, who live too far away, even many people who don't mix with the martial world come rushing over. Some come to watch the spectacle, some to seek sources of wealth, and some to find experts to recruit as household retainers. In short, it's incredibly lively."

"Thank you for telling me."

"You want to go?"

"I do."

Song You barely had to think.

Since he had come out to travel and see the world, how could he miss such a grand gathering if fate had brought him across it?

He must not look down on the martial world as crude.

After traveling for half a year, if someone asked Song You what he had gained, "Do not be arrogant; remain humble" would rank among the top three.

He must not be arrogant toward this world, nor toward this era, nor toward the old boatman.

Naturally, he must not be arrogant toward the martial world either.

Besides, the martial world was dazzling and colorful, filled with wind and rain. It was both an important part of this era and utterly different from most of the era's other parts. It was something he had to go and see for himself.

"When and where will the Willow River Grand Gathering be held?"

"On the second day of the second lunar month, at Mati Mountain in Anqing."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The woman waved her hand casually. Her horse was a pure southwestern horse, even somewhat smaller than Song You's. It had nearly finished eating. She patted its neck, then asked Song You:

"Where are you going this afternoon?"

"I don't know."

"I'm going out to look around Lingbo County. I want to see what's so special about this place that's so remote and difficult to reach, with bandits everywhere... Do you want to come along?"

"If we are fated, we'll meet again."

"Then I'll go first!"

The woman did not mind. She turned and left.

Though she was only going out for a casual stroll, she still brought her long saber. She merely did not lead her horse this time. She went out alone, and her figure soon vanished into the bright afternoon sunlight. She had quite the carefree air.

Song You found her interesting too.

After a while, he saw that the Chen Clan couple had begun packing their things and were preparing to return to Yizhou. Staying here alone would be boring, and it would also trouble Chen Han to keep him company, so he took the cat outside as well.

He might as well stroll around Lingbo County, where he had happened to meet someone by chance.

Lingbo County had been built against the mountains. The entire city stood atop a mountain, with the Willow River running below.

Legend had it that in ancient times, a Great Yao had run amok. During the rainy season, it summoned raging floods that submerged a thousand miles of land. The waves surged violently and did not recede for three years. Some lucky people escaped to this mountain and managed to save their lives. Later, to prevent the Great Yao from running amok again, a city was built on the mountain and named Lingbo.

Although it was called a county, it was actually very small.

There was only this one stretch of mountain. It was merely that the mountain roads were difficult to travel, winding up and down, costing both strength and time.

The people here loved eating beef. Whether because the emperor was far away or because of local custom, the prohibition against privately slaughtering farm cattle—which was already not strictly enforced—seemed not to exist here at all. Beef stalls were everywhere, and they did not sell it expensively. Eating beef here was more convenient than in other places.

"A horn comb..."

Song You stopped before a stall.

He casually picked up a comb. Seeing that it was finely made, he liked it. He ran it twice over Three Flower Lady's back, finding it quite smooth to use, then haggled over the price and bought it.

He also bought a new toothpick incense holder.

At dusk, he wandered back to Ganzao Lane.

Like Tianshui Lane, there was a large tree at the entrance of this lane, planted by those who came before for the people who came after to enjoy the shade. The later generations did not waste it either. Every evening and morning, or whenever they had spare time, they came here to escape the heat.

The adults played chess or chatted about household matters, while the children ran wildly around the tree. The children's cries rose and fell, shrill enough to hurt the ears.

Today, however, this place was different.

Because an old man was telling ancient tales.

What did telling ancient tales mean?

It meant elders telling stories to the young, or recounting things the young had never seen or heard of. In this delightful form, they passed on wisdom and experience. In this era, it was one of the most important ways for young people to gain wisdom and experience and learn about the world.

A group of people surrounded the old tree. Some sat on the stone steps, some on rocks, and some brought stools to sit on. A few children had even climbed into the tree, lying on its branches and staring down below.

The Woman of the Wu surname was there too, leaning against the wall with her saber in her arms.

When she saw Song You approach, she waved to him.

Song You walked over without affectation or hesitation and casually sat down by the entrance of a household. Three Flower Lady obediently followed and sat beside him, curiously watching the children nearby.

Some of the children were drawn to her as well. They stared at her without blinking, but because of Song You and the woman carrying a saber, they did not dare approach for the moment.

"Is this fate bringing us together?"

The woman asked Song You in a low voice, not daring to disturb the old man.

"It is fate."

Song You answered softly.

The old man was telling a story from the previous dynasty.

This was an amateur telling ancient tales, without a storyteller's skill. The story's structure was not particularly complete either. As he spoke, he would stop to think, like an ordinary neighbor recounting something that had happened in the neighboring village the year before. Yet this plain way of speaking had its own charm. From time to time, people interrupted with questions, then discussed things with the old man. They talked and debated freely, making for a very relaxed scene.

As the story continued, the children grew dissatisfied.

If the old man had been telling legendary tales of ancient heroes, they could just barely listen. But he was talking about dukes, ministers, and chancellors. Compared with those, what they most wanted to hear were stories of gods, ghosts, and demons.

The old man's heart softened. Doting on them, he began telling such a story.