Chapter 6

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...

Outside the ancestral hall, Wujiao turned back to look...

The surroundings were lush and verdant, with high peaks shrouded in mist, making the entire valley as fresh and charming as an ink painting. The familiar ancestral hall and distant villages dotted the landscape, with a light mist and curling smoke adding vitality to the picturesque scene.

However, this young master is about to leave!

To the south, just around Qijia Village, one can exit Fenghua Valley. Another ten miles ahead, there is said to be a great river. Continuing on, one must cross the heart of Nanling, traverse the marshes and deserts, and head straight for Lingxia Mountain. Imagine, when Ziyun sees this young master holding the token of trust, what will happen? Such a long journey, with such deep affection, will surely move heaven and earth, and she will be overjoyed...

Wujiao turned to look ahead, feeling full of ambition. Following the path, he soon approached Qijia Village. Despite the recent rain, the ground was covered with wild grass, free of mud, making walking quite light and easy. As he was about to go around the village pond, he stumbled.

Two children, a boy and a girl, emerged from the bushes by the pond. They were Shan Yazi and Nuer, who didn't have to go to school.

Shan Yazi was playing with a string of grasshoppers, and upon seeing someone, he wiped his nose and said in surprise, "Sir..."

Nuer, with her hands behind her back, said timidly, "Greetings, sir..."

There was no one else around.

Wujiao walked over and tapped Shan Yazi's head, saying, "Brat, you've been thinking about driving the teacher away all day, haven't you? Your wish has come true..." He then pinched Nuer's nose and made a funny face.

Shan Yazi "Ouch"ed and dodged, covering his head. Nuer covered her face, her pigtails swaying as she giggled.

Wujiao didn't want to meet anyone from the village and walked past the two children.

"Sir, I was just playing, I didn't mean to drive you away..."

Wujiao turned back at the sound of the voice, his steps pausing.

Shan Yazi, no longer mischievous, was awkwardly trying to explain. The boy was perceptive and guessed from the teacher's backpack that he was leaving Fenghua Valley. He couldn't help but plead, "Sir, I'll be good from now on, please don't go..."

Actually, being a teacher isn't bad, at least it's peaceful. But even if he didn't want to leave, he had no choice. Fortunately, there's a sacred mountain ahead, and a fairy!

Wujiao chuckled at the two children, said nothing more, waved, and continued on his way.

Leaving Fenghua Valley, he headed south.

It started raining again.

Wujiao opened his paper umbrella and walked alone in the rain.

...

Three days later, in the afternoon, the continuous rain finally stopped. A few rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds, and a rainbow hung high in the sky, looking very beautiful.

A young man emerged from the roadside forest, dressed in a green robe, looking like a scholar, carrying a backpack and an umbrella, and eating a peach while looking up.

This was none other than Wujiao, who had left Fenghua Valley. Over the past two years, despite the dangers he faced, he had learned various survival skills, such as fishing, catching shrimp, birds, and rabbits. Picking a few peaches to eat was nothing unusual for him.

A great river lay ahead, with a ferry crossing in the distance.

Wujiao threw away the peach pit, wiped his mouth, and walked through the grassy path, stepping carefully. Soon, he reached the shore. He shook off the mud from his shoes and, seeing someone already there, greeted them with a smile.

A row of slanted trees stood by the shore, and on the stone bench under the trees sat an old man, a man in his thirties, and two children.

The old man, wearing a straw hat and short-sleeved shirt, with his pants rolled up and straw shoes on, got up and smiled, showing his missing teeth.

The man was sturdy, wearing a dark robe, with a silk band in his hair and a cloth bag at his waist, dressed for travel. His round face was a bit dark, with a few pockmarks, and his squinting eyes were full of energy.

The two children were girls, about eight or nine years old, both pale and thin, with tattered clothes, huddled together and looking timid, clearly from a poor family.

Wujiao walked to the tree, put down his backpack and umbrella, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said, "This rain has been quite annoying, but it's finally clearing up. I wonder if there's a boat to cross the river..."

The old man, seeing the young scholar's polite and friendly manner, felt a liking for him and said, "A rainbow in the east means the sun will rise, a rainbow in the west means rain, a morning rainbow means rain, and an evening rainbow means clear weather. Wait a moment, the ferry will be here soon!"

"Does that mean it will be clear tomorrow and the day after?"

Wujiao looked at the direction of the rainbow, raised his thumb, and said, "The sage said, 'When three people walk together, one of them must be my teacher!' Old sir, your words are very wise!" He glanced at the man and bowed, "This gentleman looks distinguished, may I ask..."

"I am Liao Cai, a merchant."

The man introduced himself as Liao Cai, bowed calmly, and said with a forced smile, "I don't know your honorable name and where you are going?"

Wujiao nodded and smiled, "I am Wujiao, a teacher in Qijia Village, determined to travel the world. My journey of ten thousand miles begins today." He gestured behind him, puzzled, "These are..."

The two girls looked away, timid and confused, not like they were traveling together, but rather being brought here.

Sure enough, Liao Cai said, "They are my cousin's children, I'm taking them to the town to find a living." He seemed unwilling to say more and said dismissively, "I didn't expect to meet a teacher, my apologies!" Although he said this, he turned to look elsewhere.

The river was about thirty yards wide, and the water was murky after the rain. A small boat was slowly approaching from the other side.

Wujiao didn't think much of it, sat on the stone to rest, and loosened his collar for coolness, asking curiously, "What are your names, little sisters..."

The two children didn't dare to answer, looking at each other. The taller one, with dirty hair, her black eyes blinking, said timidly, "Sir, I'm Xing'er, and she's Zao'er..."

Simple and easy to remember names, even without surnames.

Wujiao wanted to joke a bit more but heard a low grunt, and the two children trembled and lowered their heads. He looked up and saw Liao Cai slowly turn around.

Liao Cai, as an elder, was too strict, seeing how scared the two children were...

Wujiao felt a pang of sympathy but knew not to meddle in others' affairs, shook his head, and smiled, sitting on the stone to rest. Fortunately, the weather wasn't hot after the rain, and a cool breeze made it comfortable.

It was early May, the summer grass was lush, the clouds lingered, and a few rays of sunlight shone through, making the scenery orderly and vibrant.

After a while, the ferry arrived at the shore.

The boat was about six feet long, somewhat old, with a wooden deck and visible water in the bottom. The boatman was a simple, honest villager, about forty years old, with dark skin, bare-chested, and barefoot. He stopped the boat and invited the passengers to board.

Wujiao followed the others onto the boat, sat at the stern, and tightly hugged his backpack, feeling the boat might fall apart.

Liao Cai and the two children sat in the middle, glancing at the sword scabbard in Wujiao's backpack, but seeing the owner's nervous face, he secretly sneered.

After a while, the boat safely reached the other side.

Wujiao paid the fare, got off the boat, and was confused again. There were two paths ahead, one to the left and one to the right, but he didn't know which way to go.

The old man with the basket might live nearby and walked along the riverbank. Liao Cai and the two children were ahead, but he didn't know where they were going. He decided to ask the boatman...

Wujiao turned around, but the boatman had already left. He took out the map from Qi Sanren, but before he could figure out where he was, he heard someone say, "Mr. Wu, why are you hesitating?"

Liao Cai had stopped not far away and turned to ask. The two children followed closely, still looking timid.

Wujiao hurriedly said, "From here, I need to go south and pass through Tieliu Town, but I don't know which way to go..."

Liao Cai stroked his sparse beard and smiled, "I live in Tieliu Town!"

Having a guide was a stroke of luck!

Wujiao put away the map, tightened his backpack, and caught up.

Liao Cai squinted his eyes, took a step forward, and said, "I thought you were traveling and didn't care about the destination, but it turns out we're going the same way. If I had known, we should have gotten closer earlier..." He paused, curious, "You carry a short sword, are you a martial artist?"

Wujiao caught up and said, "I heard there's a sacred mountain in the south, and I want to visit it." He patted his backpack and said honestly, "It's just for show, to boost my courage!"

"Mr. Wu is quite honest, ha ha..."

Liao Cai laughed, looking much friendlier, and continued, "You've chosen the right person to follow..." He glanced back, smiled mysteriously, and then couldn't resist revealing the secret, "The Ruyi Inn where I stay is always full of travelers from all over, including many interesting people. If you can make a few friends, it might be beneficial to travel together!"

Wujiao nodded and took the opportunity to chat.

From Liao Cai, he learned that Tieliu Town was about thirty miles away, nestled by the mountains and water, with beautiful scenery, famous for Tieliu Ridge, and the Yi River running through it, making it a bustling place. The Ruyi Inn was always full of guests, and so on...

An hour later, the four of them stopped to rest.

They were on a hill with a simple thatched pavilion, stone tables, and benches for travelers to rest. It was nearly dusk, and the sky was dark. From the high vantage point, the town a few miles away was clearly visible, with mountains, trees, houses, and streets faintly visible, and the misty smoke adding a mysterious touch.

That was Tieliu Town.

Liao Cai sat at the stone table and gestured, "We've been walking for a while, and it's getting late. Let's rest a bit before continuing!" He took off his cloth bag and pulled out a few oil paper packages, revealing dried meat, nuts, and a small wine flask and two cups, inviting warmly, "Mr. Wu, don't be shy, have some snacks..."

Wujiao hadn't eaten since morning and was exhausted and hungry. He went over and grabbed the dried meat, eating it quickly.

Liao Cai had just laid out the food when it was swept away. A package of meat was gone in a flash, followed by the nuts, without any politeness, as if they were old friends, but they weren't that familiar yet. He was slightly surprised but then smiled, poured a cup of wine, and said, "Mr. Wu, have a drink..."

After another package of nuts, Wujiao finally straightened up, eyes wide, punched his chest, and after a moment, waved to refuse, turned away from the pavilion, and saw a puddle nearby. He leaned over and drank a few mouthfuls, then burped and smiled, "I get drunk easily, thank you, Brother Liao, for saving me dinner..."

Liao Cai sat in the pavilion, still finding it hard to believe, "Is this how you travel, Mr. Wu?"

Wujiao laughed, "Having food and drink, isn't that great..."

Liao Cai took a sip of wine, his eyes flashing, and said, "You must be a poor, pitiful soul, never having tasted fine food..."

Wujiao was content and happy, smiling as he walked back to the pavilion. Seeing Xing'er and Zao'er huddled together, secretly swallowing and looking pitiful, he leaned down and asked, "Little sisters, are you hungry? Brother Liao, why not give them something to eat..."

The two girls didn't dare to speak, nodding and shaking their heads.

Liao Cai didn't care, drinking alone, and grumbled, "They've already cost me a lot of money, it's only right they go hungry for a few meals!"

Aren't they your cousin's children? How can you treat them like this?

Wujiao was puzzled for a moment, but his expression remained the same, and he didn't say more. He walked to his backpack, took out two peaches, and handed them over, saying casually, "Eat to fill your hunger..."

Xing'er and Zao'er hesitated, looking uncertain.

Liao Cai didn't ask, his disdain growing. To him, today he met a poor scholar who couldn't even feed himself. How could such a person travel the world? It was both pitiful and laughable!

Wujiao handed the peaches directly, complaining, "Do you not want them..."

Having food was already a blessing, how could they refuse? Xing'er nudged Zao'er, and they both grabbed the peaches and ate, secretly looking at Wujiao with gratitude in their eyes.

Liao Cai, being unusually generous, took the opportunity to stand up with his wine cup and said, "Since we met by chance, how can we not share a drink?"

Wujiao was watching the two girls eat and turned at the sound of the voice. He heard a sharp crack, followed by Liao Cai's exclamation, "Oh no, my jade cup..."

It turned out that in turning around, he accidentally knocked over the wine cup, which he hadn't been careful about.

Wujiao looked at the broken cup and said in surprise, "Brother Liao, I said I don't drink well..."

Liao Cai lamented, "If you didn't appreciate it, why did you deliberately break my jade cup? It's made of fine Nanling jade, and I bought it for a hundred gold pieces..."

Who would deliberately break your jade cup, worth a hundred gold pieces? I said I don't drink well, and you still did this. It really fits the saying, 'When someone offers help without reason, they are either a villain or a thief!'

Wujiao was stunned, "Brother Liao, let's talk this out..."

...

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