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Chapter 22: One Sentence is Worth a Thousand Words
Nanhua County Cat Temple...
Lady Calico...
Treated her as a person...
Master Kong carefully pondered the meaning behind this.
It was often said that those who lived long lives had all seen ghosts, and this statement was not wrong. Some also said that when craftsmen reached the pinnacle of their skill, they could communicate with the divine, and this was also true.
As for someone like Master Kong, who had seen it all and mastered unparalleled craftsmanship, tales of ghosts and spirits—mere stories to others—may represent only a fraction of the extraordinary events he had witnessed.
Master Kong immediately understood that this guest was different from the usual ones who came to buy wood carvings, satisfy their curiosity, or increase their knowledge by seeking out unusual individuals.
This guest was quite extraordinary.
In addition to being courteous, Master Kong also showed a bit more respect.
"Young Master, you went into the mountains in the morning and only returned in the evening. The mountain roads are difficult to traverse. Did you have anything to eat along the way?"
"While journeying through the mountain, I came across a wild golden monkey and boldly asked it to lead me to some wild fruits. They tasted quite good," Song You replied respectfully with a bow. But today, he wasn't merely observing the formalities of this world; instead, he was showing respect to a master.
As soon as he entered the house, he looked around.
He saw wood carvings and semi-finished products all over the room. Each finished product was lifelike; so much so that some seemed to be able to come to life, even without eyes carved into them. It was as if they would move on their own if one were distracted, making it hard to imagine what would happen if eyes were carved into them.
"Dongyang(东阳)."
"Master."
"Go kill a chicken."
"Alright."
The child obediently turned and left.
Master Kong then turned to Song You and Lady Calico and said, "It's getting late. Since you two cannot return to the city, you will have dinner here at my place. I was lucky today and found some mushrooms in the mountains. Stewing an old hen with them makes the broth incredibly delicious. After dinner you can rest here."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Master Kong."
"I can't accept such thanks."
"Thank you, Master Kong."
"It's only natural."
The sound of the old hen clucking and flapping outside had already begun, but soon subsided.
By the time the chicken soup was done, the oil lamp had been lit.
In this era, the delicacies naturally couldn't compare to those of Song You’s previous life, but there were also a few exceptions. Some dishes would remain virtually unchanged for thousands of years, while others may not necessarily surpass their current quality even thousands of years later.
Just like the pot of chicken soup before Song You at the moment, it was simply made with ginger, chicken, and mushrooms, with only a pinch of salt added. No other seasonings were needed. This method had been used for thousands of years and would likely continue for thousands more.
Wild mushrooms had a unique freshness, and each variety had its own flavor. They couldn't be replaced by the artificial flavors of later generations. Song You also often went mushroom picking in the mountains near his Daoist temple, so he could recognize the bamboo fungus, matsutake mushrooms, lurid bolete, shiitake mushroom and golden chanterelle mushrooms, among others in this pot of soup.
The soup turned golden and thick with the combination of the two flavors making it so delicious that just one sip could make your tongue tingle.
This was an irreplaceable delicacy from the exotic food, an indescribable delight, and the highest form of hospitality in the wilderness.
Song You lost count of how many bowls of soup he had drunk, only knowing that his stomach was full of liquid. The large pot of chicken soup had been emptied, and although he had eaten many mushrooms, he had eaten little chicken.
Lady Calico on the other hand had eaten a lot of meat.
She couldn't understand why these humans only drank soup and didn't eat meat, but she dared not ask, afraid of reminding them and getting nothing left.
Under the starry sky, the oil lamp flickered.
The guests were satisfied, and Master Kong felt content. Seeing the child tidying up the table, he turned to Song You and asked, "So you traveled here all the way from Spiritual Spring County?"
"I traveled from Yidu."
"From Yidu?"
"Master may not be aware,” Song You explained, “I come from the Crouching Dragon Temple on Mount Yin Yang in Spiritual Spring County. It is a tradition for every disciple to travel down the mountain, ranging from three to five years, or even decades. Because I grew up practicing on the mountain and have limited knowledge of the world, my master ordered me to travel down the mountain for twenty years to observe the world. I have only just arrived in Yidu."
"I see..." Master Kong nodded thoughtfully.
It seemed that he had encountered a true reclusive practitioner.
Crouching Dragon Temple...
It sounded familiar, yet he couldn't remember.
"Then, why did Young Master come all this way to visit me? Do you want to buy a wood carving to take back? If so, feel free to choose anything you like. I will give it to you as a gift."
"I once heard that Master Kong's wood carving skills are so unparalleled that there were incidents in the past of your wood carvings coming to life. Curious about the rumors and deeply admiring your skills, I made a special trip from Yidu, hoping to witness firsthand this divine skill of bringing wood carvings to life."
“Haha…” Master Kong laughed heartily, raising his head as he did so. “That's just a misconception among people. How could wooden carvings come to life?”
"I'd like to hear more about it."
"It was a long time ago, I can only vaguely remember that once, at the invitation of the esteemed official Chen in the city, I carved an eagle so lifelike that the onlookers were startled by it. Later, when the wind blew from outside, the eagle fell off the stool, scaring many people. Everyone thought it had come to life, but it didn’t." Master Kong said with a smile, "People love to hear such stories, and over time, they turn the rumors into the stories people love to hear."
"I see."
"I'm sorry that your trip will be fruitless."
"Not at all, Master Kong. Whether it's the conversation with you, the trip in the mountains, or this delicious soup, it's not a fruitless trip even if there's only one of them."
Song You smiled, but then paused, looking around at the many wood carvings in the room, and asked, "I noticed that none of the wood carvings in Master's house have eyes carved unto them. Is there a reason for that?"
"Young Master may not know, but once these lifeless objects become too lifelike, they can instill great fear upon closer inspection."
"I see." Song You nodded thoughtfully.
He couldn't help but look back at the kitchen, where the child was scooping water from the tub to wash the pot. He opened his mouth, as if about to speak, but then hesitated, ultimately remaining silent, his expression betraying a sense of helplessness.
"You should rest early, Young Master."
"Thank you for your hospitality."
“It's my pleasure."
"Please rest early too, Master Kong."
"All right, I'm getting old, not as energetic as before. If I've been remiss in my hospitality, I do apologize."
Master Kong glanced at Lady Calico, hesitated for a moment, then stood up and bowed to Song You before walking step by step into the room.
Song You also entered the guest room.
There were no other activities that night, and once the oil lamp was extinguished, all that remained was the canopy of stars overhead. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Song You left the windows open, allowing the autumn breeze to enter the room. He gazed outside at the twinkling stars and the silhouette of the mountains, waiting for sleep to overtake him.
Suddenly feeling a tingling sensation on his legs, he glanced down to find the calico cat had climbed onto him. Its round paws pressed gently against his thigh, and he could feel the softness of its plum-like paw pads.
Gently, tingling.
Song You remained composed on the surface but felt pleased inside.
This was the first time Lady Calico had been so close to him.
"Lady Calico, is there something wrong?"
"That old man keeps looking at me." The calico cat stood on his bent legs, tilting her head up to meet his gaze, their eyes locking in a close encounter with their faces inches apart.
Song You thought for a moment and organized his thoughts: "I've heard that artists who are good at painting would not be able to help themselves but stop and capture the scenery when they saw something beautiful. It's probably the same for people skilled in wood carving. Lady Calico is beautiful and intelligent, so Master Kong probably wanted to carve a wood carving in her likeness. However, for various reasons, he couldn't bring himself to ask."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why couldn't he ask?"
"Lady Calico needs to ask him."
"Lady Calico will go ask."
Without hesitation, Lady Calico turned and walked away.
"Wait!" Song You hurriedly called out to her.
Sure enough, it was followed by a barrage of "whys".
But he was patient.
The night was long, but he slept well.
When living in Sweetwater Alley, there would be night watchmen patrolling at midnight, and in the early morning, there would be calls for collecting human waste. Additionally, there were early vendors selling vegetables. Though one might think it would disturb peaceful sleep, it was not necessarily the case, but it was still noisy. However, in this mountain village, from night to morning, there really wasn't a sound. Occasionally, there would be a few barks of dogs at night, but they didn't disturb the sleep, ensuring an extremely high-quality rest.
When Song You woke up and searched for Lady Calico on bed, he found that she was no longer in the room.
Not keeping it in mind, he put on his shoes and pushed open the window.
As the sky brightened outside, morning mist enveloped the village, signaling the arrival of autumn. Celebrated in countless poems for its breathtaking beauty, this season painted a scene where clear waters met bright mountains, while frost settled in the night. Trees adorned with deep scarlet leaves, mixed with gentle yellows, further stirred Song You's spirit, instantly awakening him to the enchanting allure of autumn.
He pushed open the door, wanting to go outside to collect the morning dew, but as soon as he stepped out of the guest room, he saw someone carving inside the main hall.
A carving knife, passed down through generations, its wooden handle smoothed to a glossy shine from years of use, effortlessly slices through wood like paper. A piece of fine boxwood, under the blade's precision, sheds wood shavings as thin as paper, prompting one to wonder why this wood felt so soft and brittle.
The carving knife was held in Master Kong's hand.
Master Kong had his back to Song You, and in front of him, on the stool, sat Lady Calico, sitting upright. She quickly glanced at Song You when he arrived but then refocused her attention ahead.
She was a good model.
Master Kong was completely absorbed, unaware of the person behind him.
Song You also held his breath, afraid to disturb him.
Only the sound of carving, soothing and healing, could be heard.
Master Kong used different knives to finely polish the wood, causing sawdust to fall like snow. Gradually, the piece of wood took shape and began to exude a sense of charm and vitality.
It was a carving of the calico cat sitting in front of him with a balanced body and a lively expression.
When Master Kong finally put down his carving knife, the wooden carving in front of him still had no eyes carved into it, but it already seemed to have come to life, nearly indistinguishable from the calico cat sitting behind it.
Not only was Song You amazed, but even Master Kong, who had carved it himself, was astonished as he carefully examined it.
It wasn't until then he noticed Song You behind him.
"Did you sleep well, Young Master?"
"Very well, thank you for your hospitality."
Song You respectfully replied, then looked at the wooden carving. Just as he was about to praise it, Lady Calico also jumped off the stool and approached the wooden carving, narrowing her eyes as she looked at it. Then she widened her eyes and looked at Master Kong.
All of sudden, Lady Calico spoke, her voice clear and puzzled, tilting her head to the old man and asking: "How did you know it was inside?"
Song You was taken aback for a moment, then a smile spread across his face.
This one sentence was worth more than most praises in the world.
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