The Universe is Vast, the Grass and Trees are Green

On a winter morning, the air was cold and clear.

The Daoist carried a shoulder bag. He pulled it open and said to the cat on the table, "Three Flower Lady, come on in. Let's stroll around this little city. Perhaps we'll run into an old acquaintance."

"What about Swallow?"

"Swallow has gone into the mountains on my behalf to visit the Mountain God."

"Visit the Mountain God!"

"We have come from afar. Before calling at someone's door, naturally we must first inform the Mountain God, lest we seem presumptuous."

"Cat sister!"

"Come in."

"Okay!"

The cat leaped, turning into a streak of mottled shadow, and slipped into the Daoist's opened shoulder bag.

Then she poked her head back out of the bag.

The Daoist opened the door and headed downstairs.

Halfway down the stairs, he reached out and patted the shoulder bag.

"Mm..."

The cat had no choice but to pull her head back in.

Tranquil Blessing Inn was far livelier in the morning than at night. Quite a few people sat in the hall having breakfast. They certainly were not all guests of the inn; most had merely come to eat. Nine times out of ten, they were having soup noodles, eating as they quietly discussed matters—either commenting on the inn's soup noodles, or talking about the rebellion rising again in the east and the court's ever more onerous taxes.

The street outside was bustling with people as well.

"Sir, you're up early. Dawn has only just broken!" The innkeeper happened to be weaving through the hall. Seeing the Daoist, he greeted him with a smile. "Would you like something to eat?"

"I'll take a walk first, then eat when I return."

"That works too. This is the liveliest time in the city." The innkeeper smiled. "This is