Chapter 3: No Worry About a Thousand Li Journey
“Mister, according to rumors, the fog spirit on this road is not easy to handle!” Fear lingered in Mr. Li’s heart. “It has been causing trouble here for more than a few months. Before this, Nanhua County’s administrative office asked a master from a temple to come but he wasn’t able to settle this matter. After heavy rain, a mountain fog has arisen. This has been convenient for the fog spirit…”
Someone said, “Yes, also it’s dark and the road is slippery…”
Another said, “How about this? You can wait until dawn tomorrow and look for it when the weather is fine?”
Mr. Chen said, “If you go, I am willing to come with you!”
Everyone spoke at once and most of them tried to persuade Song You not to go.
While concern was implied, they probably didn’t want him to leave either, which was merely due to human nature. They spoke so much that Song You didn’t know who to reply to for a moment. He continued to stare at the fire for a few seconds and finally decided not to reply one by one. He only said to Mr. Chen, “You should remain here.”
He had made his attitude clear.
This Mr. Chen was a particular person who was both trustworthy and courageous. No matter how good his abilities were, such a person was worthy of respect.
After this, Song You was unwilling to say any more.
Not long after, the fine rain stopped.
Song You stood up directly and withdrew a stick of wood from the fire. Under the eyes of the merchants and armed guards, he walked alone into the great fog.
The dark night was lonesome and the cold rain had just stopped. The figure flickered in the fog, the cold wind blew and even the wild grasses sounded an alarm. Only that figure moved forward without fear.
Everyone was both full of admiration and worry but there was no other way so they just stayed beside the fire. They stared worriedly into the depths of the fog, perhaps hoping that the young man would come back or afraid that the fog spirit would appear in the fog again.
Not long after, fire erupted in the fog.
Following that was ghastly howling that sounded like mournful wailing or vicious howling which made one’s scalp crawl.
Hiss!
Goosebumps rose on the merchants’ arms and every single hair in their follicles stood on end. In their hearts, they became even more worried about that young mister.
Yet, no one dared to go and check.
Only Mr. Chen had the courage but he could not leave everyone behind and go into the fog.
The sound ceased abruptly soon after.
They didn’t know how long it had been when there was movement again nearby.
Everyone craned their necks and gazed into the fog without blinking. Their hearts were in their throats.
They only saw that this fog was so thick that it couldn’t disperse as if it was an early winter morning in the mountains. Suddenly, a gust of mountain wind blew and the mountain fog flowed with it. Under the firelight’s reflection, they seemed to be able to see those tiny fog particles. Amidst this scene which was as hazy as a dreamscape, a figure gradually walked out of the fog calmly.
That person was young and handsome, wearing a plain Daoist robe. His expression was as serene as ever, as if he had only accomplished some trivial thing.
He only spoke again after he had entered the pavilion and sat down again in front of the fire.
“The night is still long. Everyone, please rest early.”
Everyone looked at one another. With Mr. Li taking the lead, the others got up one after another and bowed deeply in unison.
The fire crackled and that young mister had already closed his eyes.
The merchants could not sleep for some time. As they looked at one another in consternation, they recalled the previous scene—The young mister returning from the great fog, his figure gradually becoming clearer as if he was bringing hope. Probably some of them would not be able to forget this scene for the rest of their lives.
***
The night neither seemed to be long nor short.
The mountain wind carried the fog and the chill was disturbing. Song You woke several times during the night. He clearly didn’t sleep well, yet was unable to fall asleep. He woke just when dawn brightened the sky. The rest of the merchants woke one after another. They also couldn't sleep well, with many being unable to sleep all night.
The early morning dew was heavy, and the air humid, carrying the earthy scent of soil and grass. The current conditions, like the atmosphere during dusk, were ideal for cultivation.
Although Song You had awakened, he continued to sit cross-legged with his eyes closed.
He could hear the sounds around him.
The dew bent the wild grasses with its weight and the droplets slid downwards along the blades to fall onto the stone slabs. Squirrels darted about in the ancient cypresses and there were also birds in the forest who were up early.
Mr. Chen whispered to Mr. Li saying that his junior brother was skilled as an armed guard, proficient in martial arts and courageous. However, it was the first time he had encountered a ghost. It had unnerved him for a moment, causing his performance to suffer. He hoped that Mr. Li wouldn’t mind.
He also heard Mr. Li whispering with the other merchants. They were discussing pooling their money to offer to Song You to express their gratitude. However, they had trouble deciding how much to give, wanting to be generous yet wanting to save money as well.
Everything was part of cultivation; whether it be the mud, the flowers, the dew, the grasses, worldly matters or the human heart.
When Song You opened his eyes again, the merchants had rekindled the fire. They used a small pot to boil water and respectfully offered Song You a bowl of hot water.
He accepted without hesitation.
In the past when he was at the Daoist temple and came down the mountain to solve problems for nearby villagers, the villagers were similarly deferential.
He had understood a principle many years ago— Sometimes, accepting other people’s goodwill is actually a sign of generosity, not to mention gratitude.
Puff…
Early mornings were chilly in the mountains. When he blew on his bowl, instantly a layer of white mist spread along the edge of the bowl. The pancakes were very dry and meant to be eaten with water anyway. Having a bowl of hot water after spending the night in the mountains was comforting.
A sip warmed him from his throat to his lungs.
The merchants were talkative and Song You learned more about them after conversing with them during breakfast.
He already knew they were tea merchants from Yizhou. He also knew that Yizhou was an important hub for the tea-horse trade. Now, he found out from them that although the court’s guidance price for purchasing tea in various regions remained unchanged these few years, the actual regional purchase price had decreased each year.
Thus many tea merchants had no choice but chose to transport their tea to Yidu[1] and sell their tea to the Tea-Horse Bureau. Meanwhile, others took risks selling everything to specialized traders serving countries on the western border after reaching Yidu.
They didn’t mention which category they belonged to, and Song You didn't inquire.
The merchants also wanted to invite Song You to accompany them to Yidu, probably to repay him for saving their lives the previous night. However, Song You always traveled following his own heart’s desires. He stopped where he pleased and departed when he wished.
Traveling in a group with them would burden both parties, so he declined directly. He just advised them to be cautious on the road and to avoid spending nights in wild, mountainous areas again.
After finishing their water and dry rations, it was time for them to part.
Interestingly, Mr. Chen brought his junior brother after breakfast to the forest to collect some firewood which was not too damp. They chopped the firewood into pieces and stacked them in a corner of the pavilion, replenishing the amount they had burned the previous night. Perhaps after drying for two days, they would be dry enough.
Song You observed alongside, lost in thought.
After that, Mr. Li took out a small money pouch and offered it respectfully to him, saying that it was a token of gratitude.
Instead of being a matter of respect, it was more a matter of etiquette.
In this world, where demons and ghosts abounded, exorcists were common among the people. Some temples and shrines also offered such services. It was a common industry so payment had become totally normal.
The magnanimous don't fuss over trivialities.
Seeing Song You accept the money pouch and tuck it away in his bosom, Mr. Li and the others behind him breathed a sigh of relief.
Mr Li said, “We Wushan tea merchants have a store in Yidu, located in the western part of the city. Just ask around for Wushan Tea Store if you need anything when you arrive in Yidu. Whether you need to settle some matter or if you need a guide, please feel free to come and look for us.”
“Take care.” Song You's tone was gentle yet detached.
“Farewell, Mister.”
“Farewell…”
The merchants loaded their goods and hurriedly departed.
Having covered less distance yesterday, they needed to make up for it today.
Now, only Song You remained in the pavilion again.
Only at that moment did the sun emerge. Its rays instantly brought out the blue in the sky. Sunbeams slanted through the clouds, as if each ray was almost tangible. Initially, they weren’t warm when they hit his face but they soon turned pleasantly warm.
It seemed like another fine day.
“Yidu…”
Song You looked up at the sky, murmuring softly. He shouldered his traveling bag and resumed his journey.
No worry about a thousand li journey, the winds will bring him there.
Each ancient cypress tree along the road seemed to have been washed by water. Sparkling and translucent droplets hung from their branches, dripping occasionally. The early morning mist still lingered. From a distance it silently pooled in low-lying mountain areas. Up close, it blurred Jade Cloud Corridor, obscuring the end of the road. Then it all gradually dissipated under the morning sunshine.
This stretch of road would no longer be haunted by fog spirits.
1. This is a city ☜
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