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Chapter 28: Finding Acquaintances at Mount Qingcheng
The journey to Mount Qingcheng was over a hundred miles long.
The transportation around Yizhou City was well-developed, with many main roads leading to Mount Qingcheng.
If it was in Song You's previous life, such a distance could have been covered in less than a hour, but in this era, even with good walking speed, it was difficult to reach within a day. The existence of thoroughfare was a convenience for travelers; otherwise, it would take even more time to find mountain paths and navigate through them.
To arrive early, one had to start early.
Song You had already begun packing his bags.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
Song You went to open the door again, finding Head Constable Luo standing outside.
"Greetings, Master Song."
Song You was somewhat surprised, bowing his head in response.
"Head Constable, what brings you here?"
"The persimmons from my hometown have ripened, Master Song. Yesterday, someone from my family brought some over. They may not look appealing, but they're remarkably sweet. However, there were too many for my family to consume alone, so I've brought some for you to taste," Head Constable Luo explained, presenting a bamboo basket filled with persimmons resembling lanterns. "It's not a substantial amount, just enough for a sample. Please excuse the modest offering."
This constable is quite the eloquent speaker. Song You mused. How could he possibly decline such a thoughtful gesture?
So, he accepted the bamboo basket, picked out the small lantern-like persimmons one by one, and placed them on the stone table.
Allowing Lady Calico to approach and sniff them, Song You returned the empty bamboo basket to Head Constable Luo, pondering before saying, "Thank you, Head Constable Luo. However, there's one more thing I'd like to ask for your help with."
"Feel free to ask, Master Song."
"Yesterday, I had the privilege of meeting Governor Yu at the entertainment district. The governor presented me with ink sticks and also gave me some felt. I feel unworthy of such generosity, and upon much reflection, I've decided to present him with a painting as a token of gratitude. However, I'm in a hurry to visit old acquaintances at Mount Qingcheng, so it's inconvenient for me to go. I remember that you would pass by Governor Yu's mansion every day on duty, so I thought to ask for your assistance in delivering it along the way."
"Governor Yu!" Head Constable Luo was taken aback.
That was a provincial official, a high-ranking official.
Yizhou was a significant province even within Dayan. Not only did it have jurisdiction comparable to two or three ordinary provinces, but it was also economically prosperous and culturally rich, with its governor holding more weight than governors elsewhere.
But Governor Yu was more than just that.
Governor Yu had a considerable reputation and influence, and his arrival in Yizhou as governor was actually a demotion. Compared to such a prominent figure, he was just a lowly Head Constable, even though he came from a family of Head Constables. Nonetheless, there would likely be many benefits in merely acquainting himself with such a person.
Was this merely asking for help with a gift?
It was clearly a blessing from Master Song.
"It will be done, Master Song!" Head Constable Luo promptly took the scroll and thought to himself, Delivering it while I'm on duty? No! This requires a special trip!
"Thank you, Head Constable Luo."
"No, I have to thank you, Master." Carefully holding the scroll, Head Constable Luo left.
Song You stood at the door motionless, watching Head Constable Luo's departing figure, lost in thought.
It seemed that he was getting more and more involved.
Song You originally didn't intend to have too many connections with people, though the reasons were hard to explain. However, after living in the city for two or three months, even though he kept a low profile, his involvement with people seemed to deepen, as if it were unavoidable.
Like today, asking Head Constable Luo for help—
Song You didn't want to do it, but also didn't want not to do it, which was quite contradictory. However, this contradiction was worth pondering over, worth contemplating.
After much thought, there was only one answer.
Perhaps that line of thinking was flawed from the start.
Traveling down the mountain meant getting involved with people, or rather, part of its significance stemmed from that.
"Are you dead, Daoist?"
"Not yet."
"Oh."
Lady Calico had been watching him for a long time, finally exhaling in relief.
"Why did you ask that?"
"Lady Calico noticed you weren't moving."
"I was just thinking."
"Thinking."
"Let's go then."
"Let's go then."
"..."
Although Song You still had some doubts in his mind, he packed his bags and letter, took Lady Calico, and headed out of the city.
As they walked, things became clearer the more he thought.
Clarity led to refreshment.
It was then that he noticed the scent of osmanthus blossoms in the air, making the city smell sweet.
With this, the journey didn't seem so long anymore.
Speaking of Mount Qingcheng, it was truly a famous Daoist mountain in Yizhou and even in the southwestern Dayan. However, Mount Qingcheng was vast and well-known, with many reclusive practitioners building temples or cottages on the mountain. Although the cultivation levels of these practitioners varied, most of them were mere enthusiasts of Daoism without much accomplishment. Still, there were indeed many temples on the mountain.
However, Song You's visit wasn't to the largest, most famous, or oldest temples but to an average sized temple called the Temple of Blessed Clarity halfway up the back of the mountain.
Just from its name, one could tell it was a proper Daoist temple.
"Blessed" and "Clarity" were common words used in Daoist names. Names like Crouching Dragon Temple, which lacked the Daoist connotation, were considered non-mainstream. Such temples, unless they were very old and had chosen their names before these naming conventions became customary, were considered not genuine.
Crouching Dragon Temple had both elements.
Ancient yet not orthodox.
The Temple of Blessed Clarity became connected with the Crouching Dragon Temple during the generation of Song You's grandmaster. At that time, just like Song You now, his grandmaster traveled the world and met the future Temple Master of the Temple of Blessed Clarity Temple not long after leaving the temple. After the grandmaster returned from his travels and took over Crouching Dragon Temple, the Temple Master of the Temple of Blessed Clarity at the time would almost come to visit Crouching Dragon Temple every year, often bringing disciples and students to exchange insights into cultivation and ask for advice on mystical arts.
After the passing of the Temple Master, his disciples carried on the tradition.
This connection had been maintained until Song You's master's generation and now Song You's generation. At least for now, he remembered the Temple of Blessed Clarity, and the Temple of Blessed Clarity continued to visit his temple every year, so the connection hadn't been severed yet.
Thus, he was able to ask them to help deliver the letter.
In this era, traversing mountains and rivers presented significant challenges. Although there was a postal system, it wasn't open to commoners. As a result, delivering messages became an endeavor of great difficulty, elevating the value of a single letter to that of gold sometimes.
However, Song You had never been to the Temple of Blessed Clarity before.
He had to walk there slowly and ask for directions along the way.
Fortunately, Song You was patient, and even better, he had Lady Calico accompanying him, so every step of the journey was clear, deeply memorable, and meaningful in his mind.
On the way, even better things happened.
First, he encountered an old man driving an ox-drawn cart. Seeing him traveling alone, the old man took him along for a stretch of the journey.
The ox had carried vegetables into the city in the morning and was already tired, so the owner, out of compassion, allowed it to move slowly on the way back even with an empty cart. Although it was likely moving at a pace similar to Song You's, it could help conserve some energy for him.
After bidding farewell to the old man, he encountered a caravan, traveling much faster than the ox-drawn cart. Upon seeing him in Daoist robes and stopping to inquire, they also took him along for a stretch of the journey.
Unexpectedly, they actually arrived at the foot of Mount Qingcheng in the evening.
However, it was already too late to ascend the mountain, so Song You had to find a temple at the foot of the mountain.
He presented his credentials, stating his identity and purpose, and was graciously offered a room by the Temple Master for the night. In the evening, they even took out some cured meat and cooked a good meal for him. However, the bragging and drinking during the meal made it difficult for him to cope.
...
Yidu City, the governor's residence.
Governor Yu stood with his hands behind his back, in front of a painting that had just been framed and hung up.
The content of the painting was simple—
A few strokes depicted tree trunks and branches, with no beginning or end, and a few dots of cinnabar scattered as red plum blossoms. On the tree, there was a cat outlined in ink, very expressive, and not much else.
Governor Yu was a refined man with considerable skill in painting, and in his eyes, this painting was not only simple but also mediocre in technique. However, inexplicably, he felt a kind of indescribable charm to it. The simple outline of the cat was unexpectedly vivid and lifelike.
The longer he looked, the more lively it became.
After staring at it for a long time, sometimes he would have a moment of trance, as if he felt the cat moving, either turning its head and blinking or raising its head to admire the flowers. However, upon closer inspection, it was no different from before.
This painting was truly charming.
Moreover, it was a gift from Master Song.
So Governor Yu had it framed and hung in his room that afternoon.
Then a strange thing happened.
After the arrival of the frost following the Cold Dew, winter was imminent. Not only were the common people in the city anxious, but also the mice in the governor's mansion. They often ran around the house, making a lot of noise at night. Unfortunately, although Governor Yu could manage the people in the city, he couldn't control the small creatures living with him in his mansion, which was quite a headache.
However, after hanging up the cat painting, it unexpectedly brought a night of peace.
There wasn't a sound at all.
Governor Yu initially thought he had slept soundly and missed the disturbance, but after asking his wife and the servants, all confirmed that the night had been quiet, as if the rats had collectively taken a break.
Governor Yu became even more amazed.
Perhaps even the Imperial Mentor in the imperial court may not necessarily possess such skills.
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