"Where is the gentleman going?" Li Bai blurted out.
"First to Luoyang, then to Bian Prefecture, then to Yan Prefecture, and finally to Mount Tai."
The cat clamped the meat firmly in its jaws and ran back.
"Are you going to Mount Tai to observe the Buddhist rites? I'd be honored to go with you."
"I'm only going to have a look."
Jiang She didn't quite agree. "Mount Tai is a long way from here, with countless mountains and rivers in between. Even if we travel every day, it'll take months. It won't be easy."
Jiang She couldn't afford a horse, and the horse-and-carriage shops wouldn't rent one out for so long or so far.
He didn't mind the difficult journey and was happy to stroll along at his own pace. If he couldn't make it in time, he could simply use the Art of Flight when the time came. It wouldn't be a problem.
But ordinary people who traveled day after day might exhaust themselves into a serious illness.
Li Bai's tone was resolute.
"I'm willing to go!"
He continued, "Didn't you say before that you'd like to travel far and wide, sharing the road with others? Why can't I go with you?"
He added, "I'll buy two carriages. If we're going on a journey, we'll surely have plenty of things to bring, so we can pack them in advance. That'll make the road more comfortable, too."
Jiang She smiled faintly.
"Two carriages will cost a pretty penny."
Li Bai spoke with spirited confidence. "If it's for you, what are a few vulgar things like gold and silver?"
"..."
At last, Jiang She spoke.
"Then we'll set off tomorrow."
Li Bai's face lit up in an instant.
He immediately bowed, then hurried to the carriage shop to buy horses. He also brought the two servants from his household in and out, making all sorts of purchases.
The neighbors watched them coming and going, looking busy.
Just as Li Bai had carried a trunk inside, one of the neighbors caught him at the door and asked, "Young Master Li, what are you getting ready for? The Dragon Boat Festival is already over."
Li Bai laughed heartily.
But he didn't reveal the immortal's whereabouts.
"It just feels like the house is missing a few things. Might as well get everything we need while we're at it."
The neighbor eyed him suspiciously.
If you're buying things for the house, what do you need that tall horse for?
"Young Master Li, don't try to fool me." The neighbor thought for a moment, then took out a little bamboo basket that was somewhat badly woven. He turned and caught the cat as it ran around the courtyard, putting it inside.
"Ask the gentleman in there if he'd be willing to buy two catties of dried fish. He's been feeding this cat for days."
After a while,
Jiang She returned from the dried-goods shop carrying several dried fish and a packet of salt.
"This cat's been eating your meat for free, and even takes some home to share with the other cats. I've made you spend money, sir."
The neighbor took them and smiled simply.
"You've fed this cat for days, so I figured you must like it. I'd been meaning to bring it over to you, but I never had the time, and I didn't dare disturb you without warning."
The neighbor did his best to speak more elegantly.
He knew that the people in this courtyard were either wealthy or extraordinary, and he had rarely dealt with them.
Jiang She looked down at the cat. When it saw him, it grew especially bold and restless, kicking hard against the bamboo basket with its legs. Its little head was almost poking out.
He said,
"I should be thanking you."
"We're neighbors. Won't you come in for a cup of tea?"
"I'd be delighted!"
The neighbor was overjoyed.
He stamped the soles of his shoes hard against his own threshold twice, scraping off the mud. Then he turned to check whether the path he'd crossed was clean before following Jiang She inside, as cautiously as could be.
The cat was much more at ease than he was.
As if it had come home, it held its tail high and swished it from side to side, then found the most comfortable spot on the table and curled up.
A tiny purr rumbled from it.
Jiang She brewed tea, adding a few extra pinches of leaves.
He handed it to the man, who sat uneasily.
After chatting about this and that, Jiang She learned that his neighbor's family wasn't originally from Xiangyang. Years ago, the man had worked for a merchant caravan. After traveling here and there with them, he grew tired of it and finally settled in Xiangyang.
Xu Da had brought his wife and children here, and they had lived in the city for twelve years.
His children had practically grown up in Xiangyang and had long since come to think of it as their hometown.
Jiang She asked, "Where are you from, Brother Xu?"
"I'm from Chen Prefecture. Years ago, the Yellow River flooded, and there was no way to survive. We didn't just lose our fields—my parents starved to death, too. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone looking for work wherever I could, following boats and doing business."
Chen Prefecture lay on the southern bank of the Yellow River's lower reaches. When the river burst its banks, Chen, Song, and other prefectures flooded, washing away fields and homes.
Xu Da lowered his head and took a sip of tea.
"This tea...!"
Its taste seemed a little unusual. Xu Da savored it for a long while, then cradled the cup and drank, forcing himself to stop after half of it. He asked carefully,
"Mr. Jiang, can I take this half-bowl of tea home for my family?"
"Of course."
As he spoke, Jiang She found a small soup bowl, put the tea leaves inside, and poured in water until it was full.
Afraid they might be too reluctant to drink it, he added,
"Drink it within three days."
Xu Da carefully took it and had just set it on the table.
He sighed,
"You're a good man, sir."
The more he thought about the tea, the more wonderful it seemed. Thinking of all sorts of rumors, as well as the people who had been peeking around the alley lately, Xu Da couldn't help asking,
"Mr. Jiang, are there really immortals in this world?"
"There are."
Xu Da's eyes widened. He dropped to his knees, but something seemed to hold him in place—his back wouldn't bend, and his legs wouldn't kneel.
"Sir..."
Xu Da's heart pounded wildly in his chest.
He knew he'd met a man of great power.
Fearful and awestruck, he asked, "Can immortals live forever?"
"They can."
Seeing the man's wide eyes and hearing his heart race, Jiang She noticed that Xu Da's face had flushed red and that he was about to bow down. He quickly stopped him.
He smiled and pointed to the soup bowl on the table.
"Take it home and share it with your family, Brother Xu. I'll be leaving soon. You don't need to return the bowl."
Though the neighbor was disappointed,
he decided he would enshrine the bowl as soon as he got home.
He said,
"Take care on the road, sir. I wish you a smooth journey."
Jiang She thanked him.
After the man left,
he turned to look at the cat, already fast asleep on the table, curled into a ball. Its belly rose and fell with each breath. It was sleeping soundly, completely at ease.
He stroked the little cat's head.
A strange feeling rose in his heart: this was his cat now.
Before long,
the trunks had been nearly packed. One struck the ground with a heavy thud.
Yuan Danqiu was resting at midday.
At the sound, he sprang up from the bed.
He heard hurried footsteps outside.
Taibai and Mr. Jiang never walked like that. He couldn't tell whether the footsteps belonged to one person or two.
Could the two of them have gone out, leaving thieves to break into the courtyard?
Yuan Danqiu immediately scrambled out of bed, threw on his outer robe, and glanced around the bedroom. He picked up the porcelain pillow from the bed with one hand, slipped on his shoes, and cautiously pushed open the door a crack.
"...Sir?"
Yuan Danqiu froze, staring at the trunks packed in the courtyard and the servants hurrying about.
Once he'd learned what was happening,
"Sir!"
The next day.
At last, the inscription had been carved. Red silk hung from the stele as several laborers carefully carried it together.
The governor and Magistrate Cheng walked at the head of the procession, one after the other. They gazed up at the azure sky, looking refreshed and cheerful.
Behind them came a crowd of constables, runners, and other officials.
Farther back were the local gentry of Xiangyang. In particular, the men who had dreamed at the Lu Family's home that day surrounded the stele.
Constables cleared the way on both sides, while gongs and drums rang out.
They called,
"Make way for the governor—civilians, stand aside—"
"Make way for the governor—"
"Civilians, stand aside—"
At last,
the large procession came to a stop outside the courtyard gate.
Seeing so many people, with officials in robes at the very front, the neighbors leaned over their walls to watch.
The governor bowed toward the courtyard gate.
"Han Chaozong, governor of Xiang Prefecture, has come to pay his respects to the immortal—"
I couldn't find a record of who governed Xiang Prefecture in 725. I guessed it might have been Han Chaozong, so I used him.
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