"But let me go inside and pack first. Please come in for a bowl of water, sir."
"Of course. Dengzhou City is a long way off, after all!"
The old Temple Keeper followed Shao Zhen into the courtyard as he spoke. There was no hot water, though; Shao Zhen had only just gotten up, and ordinary households did not have insulated tea barrels like teahouses and restaurants. They would have to light the stove and boil water before they could drink anything hot.
A bowl of cold water and a handful of scorched rice left over from yesterday were all Shao Zhen had to offer the old Temple Keeper. The latter did not turn up his nose at them, however, and ate with relish.
With his peachwood staff tucked under his arm, the old Temple Keeper nibbled at the scorched rice in his hand. While Shao Zhen packed, he looked idly around the room.
"Crunch, crunch, crunch."
The scorched rice crackled continuously between the old Temple Keeper's teeth. He was getting on in years, but his teeth were excellent.
"Say, Mr. Shao, it wouldn't be wise to leave this painting here, would it?"
Holding his scorched rice, the old Temple Keeper stood before the portrait of the Manifest Holiness True Lord. The painting he meant was, naturally, the Hundred Ghosts Picture behind it.
Shao Zhen understood what the old man meant. He also knew that the man possessed certain unusual abilities. Folding his clothes and putting them into his Backpack, he answered.
"Indeed. I intend to roll this painting up with the True Lord's portrait and take them to the True Lord Temple in Deng Province."
The old Temple Keeper nodded in satisfaction.
"Good!"
Taking it to the True Lord Temple was quite different from merely having a portrait of