Qinlan City
Is anyone there?
Under a bright moon and sparse stars, Fang Zelin stood in front of a village and called out with a helpless expression.
So captivated by the beautiful scenery along the way, we ended up spending the night outdoors.
Seeing that there were still lights in the village, Fang Zelin went up to them and called out.
The village is surrounded by a fence; if you don't call out to anyone, you'll have to climb over the wall to get in, and then you'll be mistaken for a thief.
Who is it?
As soon as Fang Zelin finished speaking, torches immediately lit up above, and people looked down.
Fang Zelin cupped his hands in greeting to the people above and said loudly, "I was traveling and missed my stop. I wonder if I could stay here for the night?"
Upon hearing this, the people above immediately began to whisper among themselves.
A moment later, an old man arrived.
The old man looked down and asked, "Young man, where are you from?"
"I am from Anzi County."
After hearing this, the old man hesitated for a moment, asked a few more questions, and confirmed that Fang Zelin was alone. He then waved his hand and let Fang Zelin in.
"You young man, you don't even keep track of time while traveling? Aren't you afraid of wolves and tigers lurking in the night?"
Fang Zelin had just entered when the old man in front of him glanced at Fang Zelin and shook his head.
Fang Zelin scratched his head sheepishly, "Before coming here, I heard that the scenery in Jiangnan was beautiful, but after arriving, I realized that was true, which is why I missed my stop."
As soon as he finished speaking, the villagers around him all smiled.
No one is unhappy when they hear others praising their hometown.
Fang Zelin's words made them feel more favorably toward Fang Zelin.
"The scenery in Jiangnan is indeed beautiful, especially with its misty rain adding a touch of ethereal beauty. You've come at the perfect time, young man."
The old man, with a broad smile, led Fang Zelin into the village.
Fang Zelin only noticed after entering that one house in the village was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, as if it were a happy occasion.
"Today, the second son of the Li Household got married. Young man, you can go and ask for a cup of wedding wine."
As the old man spoke, he led Fang Zelin to the house where the wedding was taking place.
"Young Li, we have a guest today, so we've come to ask you for a drink."
With that, he led Fang Zelin inside.
Fang Zelin felt a little embarrassed; he had only come to ask for a place to stay for the night.
At that moment, the groom from the inner room came out and greeted Fang Zelin with a smile.
"Distinguished guest, please come in!"
Fang Zelin was pulled inside. The villagers, who were drinking and talking loudly, did not notice the stranger who had just entered.
"Since we are currently unavailable, how about we arrange another table for you, esteemed guest?"
The groom looked around and then clasped his hands in a fist salute to Fang Zelin.
Fang Zelin looked closely and saw that there were indeed seats in front, but the food on the table was almost gone, consisting mostly of leftovers.
That was roughly the case; the groom was just about to prepare another table for Fang Zelin.
"Thank you for your trouble."
Fang Zelin nodded slightly.
Upon seeing this, the groom quickly arranged for his family to add a table, and then asked the kitchen to prepare a few side dishes.
A moment later, Fang Zelin sat down at the table and saw the host bring out a jar of fine wine.
"This is the daughter's red wine brewed by the old man's daughter-in-law's family. They dug some out today and sent it over to entertain guests. We hope our distinguished guests will also have a taste of this daughter's red wine."
"Compared to the Daughter's Red wine sold in restaurants, our own brew has been aged sufficiently."
As the old man spoke, he personally poured some Shaoxing wine for Fang Zelin, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to smooth out considerably.
Fang Zelin took the bowl with both hands, looked down and saw that the Daughter Red wine was amber in color, transparent and clear, which was pleasing to the eye.
The aroma of the wine emanating from the bowl was incredibly rich and fragrant.
Fang Zelin picked up the bowl and took a bite. The sweet, sour, bitter, fresh, and spicy flavors blended together, and he savored each taste in his mouth, leaving a lingering aftertaste.
"Good wine!"
After tasting it briefly, Fang Zelin immediately exclaimed in praise.
Upon hearing such praise, the old man immediately burst into laughter, appearing extremely pleased.
"Please enjoy your drink, esteemed guest. Please do not hesitate to ask if you require anything!"
After saying this, the old man turned and left.
Meanwhile, the side dishes prepared by the kitchen were also served one by one on Fang Zelin's table.
Looking at Fang Zelin, he felt that the local people were very hospitable.
Fang Zelin sat at a table alone, and after eating and drinking his fill, he immediately took out silver as a gift.
Upon seeing this, the old man immediately put on a cold face, saying, "Honored guest, what do you mean by this? I invited you to drink, not because I wanted to take advantage of this small gift!"
"That's right. Although we haven't been to school, we do understand the concept of reciprocity. Now that we've accepted your gift, how are we supposed to return the favor?"
The groom, standing to the side, muttered something under his breath, adopting an attitude that he wouldn't accept the money.
Seeing this, Fang Zelin had no choice but to put the money away, which made the two of them smile.
"The side room has been prepared; you can stay there tonight."
The old man pointed out the way to Fang Zelin and led him to a side room.
The room wasn't big, but it was clean enough.
Seeing this, Fang Zelin decided to stay.
However, Fang Zelin Fang Zelin couldn't fall asleep after lying down. He felt a little embarrassed that he had been given a meal for nothing.
Around midnight, Fang Zelin saw that everyone else had gone to sleep, so he secretly got out of bed.
Seeing that no one was around, Fang Zelin went to the front gate, circulated his Spiritual Power, and slightly raised his right foot to tap the ground.
The Spiritual Power at his fingertips glowed with golden light as he silently recited an incantation.
Then, Fang Zelin pointed a golden light at his hand and directly touched the lintel of the main gate. A golden character for "peace" appeared above it and then slowly disappeared.
The minor Law Technique in the Comprehensive Regulations of the Underworld Bureau have the effect of protecting homes, warding off evil spirits, and exorcising demons.
With Fang Zelin's current level of cultivation, this Law Technique can probably last for several decades.
"Having attended your wedding banquet, I should at least do something in return!" Fang Zelin clapped his hands, quite satisfied.
After doing all this, Fang Zelin thought for a moment, then climbed over the wall to the fields outside the village and began to cast the Lesser Cloud and Rain Technique.
It wasn't until late at night that Fang Zelin returned to his side room and began to meditate cross-legged.
The next day.
As dawn broke and he heard the continuous crowing of roosters in the village, Fang Zelin opened his eyes.
After greeting the host, and ignoring their attempts to persuade him to stay, he left the village and continued his journey towards Qinlan City on the main road.
Yesterday caused a slight delay, but today it won't take long to reach Qinlan City.
We can buy some steamed buns to eat after we get to Qinlan City.
I've heard that the steamed buns in Qinlan City are incredibly delicious, a true delicacy of Jiangnan. I absolutely have to try them.
With that thought in mind, Fang Zelin immediately hummed a tune and hurried forward.
After an hour, a towering city wall came into view in the distance.
In front of the towering city walls was a moat more than ten meters wide, and the banks were now lined with willow trees, creating a vibrant scene.
Even before they arrived, the sounds of commotion ahead could be heard, a lively and bustling atmosphere.
Please continue reading this every day for the next two weeks.
Compared to other books published around the same time, my collection growth is negligible, so I'm afraid I won't be able to get listed in the Three Rivers Awards, but I still want to try.
Please help me!