Only after spending three or four days in a groggy haze did Li Ping'an feel somewhat recovered.
Much of the alcohol's effects had faded.
He stepped out of the inn, and bright sunlight spilled over him.
It truly felt a little unreal.
He went to the inn's backyard and found Old Ox in the horse pen.
Old Ox gazed at him resentfully, as though saying, You brat, you finally remembered to come.
I've been hungry for days, fighting these fellows for food.
When I got too hungry, I licked the horses' ears for a taste of meat.
Now they all think I'm a pervert.
Li Ping'an smiled and stroked Old Ox's head.
"Sorry, old friend. I'll take you out for something tasty today."
Li Ping'an led Old Ox away from the inn.
Firewood, rice, oil, and salt were all expensive in the Capital City, so naturally he could not afford anything too fine.
Besides, after traveling all this way, he did not have much money left.
He asked around for somewhere cheap to eat.
Heading west all the way, he was nearly out of the city.
Not every part of the Capital City was a tapestry of flowers. Wherever sunlight shone, darkness was inevitable.
The street beneath Li Ping'an's feet, for instance, rang with a boiling clamor of voices, yet it was filthy, chaotic, and difficult to get through.
The alley to his left was narrow and long, with a musty smell.
Both sides were lined with little eateries with shabby, dilapidated storefronts, belching black smoke that made passersby cough incessantly.
There were also little teahouses like chicken coops...
The Capital City's prosperity seemed to have nothing whatsoever to do with them.
First, a bowl of noodles to whet his appetite.
Wincing at the expense, Li Ping'an ordered a bowl