The Confucian scholar handled things briskly.
Not long after subduing that madman, he handed Li Ping'an a share of the money.
The scholar sipped the tea Li Ping'an had brewed, smacking his lips.
"Mm, good, very good."
The scholar glanced at the little girl practicing her writing nearby.
Suddenly, he said, "That cat of yours..."
"What about the cat?"
The scholar said, "There was a rat demon running rampant. I intended to slay the demon and vanquish evil, restoring peace to the people..."
Li Ping'an raised his head. "Hmm?"
The scholar hesitated, then amended, "Of course, it was also for the generous reward."
"Oh~"
"But that rat demon is terribly cunning. I can never catch him. Can your cat catch a rat demon?"
"I'm very good at catching rats!!"
The little girl suddenly sprang out, banging her head hard against Li Ping'an's chin.
"Ow~"
With a faint smile, Li Ping'an lifted her onto a stool.
The scholar looked at the little girl. "That rat demon is very powerful. Can you catch him?"
Unconcerned, the little girl repeated, "I'm very good at catching rats."
"That rat demon isn't an ordinary rat."
The little girl added, "I can catch any kind of rat!"
Li Ping'an said, "We can let Cat Immortal try. If she can't catch him, that's fine. If she can, all the better."
The scholar said, "Quite a few cultivators have fallen at that rat demon's hands. But the reward is very generous, too. Think it over."
With that, he took his leave.
For dinner, Old Ox made a thick cornmeal porridge, served with some sort of flatbread.
The cornmeal porridge was thick and viscous.
With a little white sugar sprinkled over it, it was full of flavor.
It steamed with heat and felt wonderfully soothing in the mouth.
Outside,