Chapter 59

"Actually, I have an uncle in my hometown who was very good to me. Unfortunately, I haven't seen him for many years, and I don't even know if I'll see him again..." Luo Youde's words made Hong Tao suddenly think of his timid uncle who was afraid of his wife, and the times when he helped him fight. How similar they were to Luo Youde and his nephew. He wondered how his uncle was doing now and whether his wife still scolded him. Then, he naturally thought of his parents, grandparents, Han Xue and her sister, and the women he had loved and lived with, as well as Hong Shan and Hong Jing and the other children... Once this floodgate opened, it couldn't be stopped, and everything came flooding back.

Finding a kindred spirit, Luo Youde didn't rush to leave. He and Hong Tao chatted and drank, each taking turns to speak and drink. As they say, the more you drink, the closer you become. Men live with masks on, and without a medium, they won't take them off, always protecting their face. Even someone as shameless as Hong Tao was careful about it.

But pretending all the time can be tiring and frustrating. With alcohol, it's different. It gives you an excuse to let loose and relax. Taking off your mask for a while is a form of mental adjustment. Although sometimes there are unexpected consequences, it's hard to say whether it's good or bad. For example, tonight, Hong Tao drank too much. He drank so much of the Song Dynasty rice wine, which is like beer, that he needed at least six or seven liters to get that drunk.

When Hong Tao drank too much, the consequence was that he blacked out! He didn't remember anything that happened afterward. When he woke up the next day, he was lying in the boat cabin, and everything was quiet around him. He first felt his body; fortunately, it was different from before. In the past, when he blacked out, there would be a naked woman next to him. This time, he was still dressed, and no one was around. Then he lifted the tattered curtain and looked outside. Fortunately, they were still in Zhenzhou Port. Even if he didn't recognize the place, he recognized the smell of the boats, which was incredibly foul! No wonder there's a saying about the stench of abalone shops, where the smell becomes unnoticeable over time. The smell of various salted fish, scallops, and dried abalone was so strong that he could sleep through the night and wake up when the sun was shining on his buttocks, showing that the aftereffects of Song Dynasty rice wine were quite potent. If it were weaker, he would have been woken up by the smell in the middle of the night.

"Sir, you're awake? Do you need something to eat?" Hearing the movement in the cabin, a figure sitting quietly by the boat turned around, revealing a face covered in yellowish-red beard.

"Karl, the term 'sir' is usually used for nobles. Isn't it a bit of a waste to use it on me?" Karl had been praying at the bow of the boat, and Hong Tao didn't hear what he was praying for, probably something about returning home soon. Hearing the voice, he stopped praying and resumed his usual gentle demeanor. As Hong Tao took out his toothbrush and toothpaste from his pocket, he objected to Karl's address.

"You are the leader of a clan and own many large ships. If you were in the Holy Roman Empire, you would be a noble with your own land, and you would be ennobled by the king, and perhaps even the Pope. Knights can only salute and serve nobles..." It seemed Karl had no intention of changing his mind, and his reasoning had some basis.

"You're just fooling yourself. You don't need to worry about how to explain yourself to the nobles when you return home. When you can go back, you will be wealthier than them. I won't say you were captured and became a ship slave. You can say you were washed ashore and drifted east, then became a noble in the mysterious East. It's not a disgrace; it's an honor. Just the stories of your travels in the East would be enough to entertain a hundred noble ladies at a court ball for a hundred days, wouldn't they?" Hong Tao understood Karl's thoughts. After escaping slavery and having the hope of returning home, he needed to convince himself that he was not a slave but a knight. For someone like him, who was stranded in a foreign land, life would be hard without some mental support.

"But last night, after you and that gentleman got drunk, you said you were going to fight the Tartars and asked me how much money it would take to hire the Crusaders and the three great knightly orders to launch another crusade." Karl wasn't worried about going home but about the war. As a captive, he probably didn't want to fight again, especially in a war with no clear reason.

"Spit..." Hong Tao was rinsing his mouth with bitter seawater when he heard Karl's words. Half of the seawater spurted out, and the other half mixed with toothpaste and went down his throat. He had said nonsense again after blacking out! This was what Hong Tao feared most. His mouth was already hard to control when his brain was clear, and without his brain's restraint, who knew what he might say.

"What else did I say? Tell me everything, don't leave out a single word!" Hong Tao became agitated, his expression turning very serious.

"You also said you wanted to try the taste of the Empress. I think this suggestion is inappropriate. She is over 50 and clearly not suitable for you. I think the Empress of Byzantium would be more appropriate." Karl looked around furtively, then leaned close to Hong Tao and whispered in his ear.

"Stay away from me! Why don't you use your toothbrush? From now on, you must bathe once a day and brush your teeth twice. If you don't, I'll drown you in the sea!" Hong Tao pushed Karl away. He was quite conscientious about bathing but often forgot to brush his teeth. Did European nobles not brush their teeth?

"As you wish..." Karl also took out a small wooden stick and a small wooden box from his pocket.

Did the Song Dynasty have toothbrushes? Yes, they did. They not only had toothbrushes but also toothpaste, not just salt, but real toothpaste. Except for not creating a mouth full of foam, the taste and function were excellent. They were already very common, and even in a small place like Zhenzhou, they were available in two grades. The high-end toothbrushes were intricately carved, made from hard wood to ivory, with two rows of short horsehair tips cleverly attached. They were called "tooth cleaners," and the shops that sold them were called "tooth cleaning shops."

The toothpaste was even more refined, made from all-natural, additive-free ingredients. The high-end ones included agarwood, sandalwood, musk, borneol, and a variety of Chinese herbs, all ground into powder and mixed with honey to form a paste. After use, the mouth was left fragrant, and swallowing it was harmless, acting as a cooling medicine. The low-end ones were made from a gel-like substance obtained by boiling a type of tree branch, mixed with ginger juice and green salt.

PS: Click, collect, and recommend! Throw them all at Hong Bapi...

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