Chapter 17 Sunset at the Cloud Top
Chapter 017 Sunset at the Cloud Top
Master He of the Manor?
Wang Sumo blinked, already having an expectation in mind.
Within Qingyun Manor, at this age, dressed in a white brocade robe, radiant with spirit, and possessing striking features, there is no one else but Elder He who exudes extraordinary presence and charisma simply by standing there without uttering a sound.
Even so, Wang Sumo truly hadn't expected his first encounter with Master He to be under such circumstances...
The candied ginkgo nuts were coated with a thick, solid cascade of sugar strands, and her hands were covered in them. No, even her hair and face were covered.
Right now, there's still a strip hanging on my face, and when the wind blows, it makes my face a little itchy.
Wang Sumo's eyes flickered slightly, her clear gaze sparkling. With a mischievous glint, she reached out and grabbed a strand of sugar from her face, then consciously put her hands behind her back to prevent the sugar strands from dangling in front of Master He.
Then, he greeted him politely and respectfully, "Greetings, Master He."
He Linxian then realized what was happening.
Compared to Wang Sumo, He Linyi's sugar threads were even more exaggerated, covering his face and clothes, as if he wanted to be covered from head to toe.
He Lin grew up in Qingyun Manor, watched over by the old manor lord. The task assigned to each disciple by the manor fell to He Lin, which was cleaning the old manor lord's room. Therefore, the old manor lord was very familiar with him, and could tell from his appearance that he was having a lot of fun.
He Lin quickly stepped forward, respectfully cupped his hands, and bowed, "Old Master, this is the head chef of Bazhenlou, Miss Wang Sumo. She was specially invited to Qingyun Manor by you, Master."
As they spoke, the sugar strands stuck to their palms and arms fluttered in the wind, creating a spectacular scene.
Yesterday, he asked his senior brother to inquire with the old manor lord whether he wanted to eat stir-fried lamb liver or have lamb soup for supper. The old manor lord knew about this, but had never met Wang Sumo.
Old Master He also shifted his gaze from him to Wang Sumo, and incidentally glanced at the candied ginkgo nuts beside her and the candied ginkgo waterfall tower high on top of them.
Master He didn't say anything, but strolled forward leisurely.
Wang Sumo and He Lin both blinked, looking at him curiously.
Old Master He hesitated for a moment, then picked up the chopsticks beside him, tore off a small piece from the Pulled Silk Waterfall Tower, examined it closely, frowned slightly, and, to the surprise of Wang Sumo and He Lin, put it directly into his mouth.
Wang Sumo: (⊙o⊙)…
He Lin: (｀Д)!!
The syrup melts in your mouth without needing to be chewed.
Old Master He put down his chopsticks, lowered his head slightly, and remained quiet. At least, his expression was not discernible from his back, nor was it possible to tell what he was thinking.
Wang Sumo and He Lin looked at each other, but neither of them dared to step forward to find out what was going on.
After a moment, a figure in a white brocade robe let out a soft sigh tinged with laughter, then said gently, "It tastes like it did when I was a child, and it even brings back the feelings and joy of childhood. It reminds me of my original intention in wandering the martial world: to follow the footsteps of a chivalrous knight, to punish evil and uphold justice, and to savor a bite of my master's wife's sweet fried dough. Every time we ate it, my fellow disciples and I would be happy for days..."
Just like He Lin just now...
Wang Sumo and He Lin suddenly understood.
The old manor lord was reminiscing about the past.
Old Master He slowly turned around, his gaze softening slightly compared to his previous imposing demeanor, and revealing a weariness that had been subtly lurking in his eyes.
Perhaps, compared to his dignified demeanor and radiant spirit, this is the more authentic Old Master He.
Flowers never bloom again, and youth never returns.
Compared to the later establishment of a sect and the boundless glory of Qingyun Manor standing at the pinnacle of the martial arts world, the original aspirations of wandering the martial arts world are deeply buried in the shadow of that youthful past in their hearts...
Old Master He also came from the former "Helin".
Old Master He saw a reflection of his former self in He Lin…
"It's delicious," said Master He in a low voice.
Because the deliciousness lies not only in the candied ginkgo nuts, but also in the state of mind one experiences while tasting the dish.
Youthful spirit.
"Let the kitchen put the bill on Nanshan Garden's tab," Old Master He whispered.
Ah! He Lin's eyes immediately lit up.
Nanshan Garden is the estate of Master He. The fact that the kitchen's bill is charged to Nanshan Garden means that Master He paid for this meal of candied ginkgo nuts? He didn't have to use his own savings?!
He Lin could hardly believe it, but he was overjoyed!
He Lin was overjoyed: \(￣︶￣)/, I'm going right now!
"Come back," Master He said in a deep voice.
He Lin turned his head in surprise, looking at Old Master He with pleading eyes, as if he was suddenly afraid that he would deny it.
"Eat first, then go." Old Master He glanced at the plate of candied ginkgo nuts.
He Lin scratched his head happily, "Then I'll take it with my senior and junior brothers, thank you, Elder Master!"
Watching He Lin holding the candied ginkgo nuts, both excited and careful, afraid of dropping them, there was no doubt that He Lin was the happiest at this moment!
Old Master He couldn't help but let out a soft snort, finding it both amusing and exasperating.
Wang Sumo also laughed.
Only after He Lin's figure disappeared from sight did Old Master He slowly turn his gaze to Wang Sumo.
If Wang Sumo had only come to show off his petty cleverness, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to make a dish of candied ginkgo nuts for He Lin. And when He Lin ruined all the candied ginkgo nuts, he patiently made another candied waterfall tower.
There are many smart people, but they don't necessarily need to be smart all the time.
He had actually been there for a long time and had been watching for a long time.
Especially when she saw the two of them having a great time at the Upside-Down Waterfall, she realized that Wang Sumo wasn't just being clever; she was genuinely putting her heart into it, truly loved cooking, and was willing to spend her time making the people who ate her food happy.
Therefore, he would believe that Yang Wei of Jinwei Escort Agency had regained his appetite after eating her cooking.
No doubt about it.
"Have you been to the top of Qingyun Mountain?" asked Master He.
Wang Sumo paused for a moment, then shook her head.
"Come with me for a walk." Master He had already turned around.
Wang Sumo: -_-||
No, is it absolutely necessary to go to the top of Qingyun Mountain today?
*
Finally, we climbed from the mountainside to the rest pavilion, then from the rest pavilion to the mountain-viewing stone, and finally from the mountain-viewing stone to the legendary Qingyun Peak.
Wang Sumo was completely unprepared.
He was panting heavily along the way, feeling like he could barely lift his legs, and then he took a thick tree branch that Old Master He had broken off halfway through the journey to use as a walking stick.
She didn't bring a water bag, but Lao Zhuang taught her how to find large leaves to collect dew on the mountain path to quench her thirst, and which sour fruits on the back mountain path leading to Qingyun Peak were edible and could replenish fluids.
Although she walked and stopped frequently, and Wang Sumo said several times that she couldn't climb anymore, Master He always stopped to wait for her.
She gradually discovered that if she rested long enough, she could still continue climbing with the help of trekking poles.
As luck would have it, just as we reached the top of Qingyun Mountain, we caught the sunset over the mountain.
Sitting in Qingyun Pavilion, quietly watching the sunset over Qingyun Mountain, the scene was magnificent, the sun sinking into the west, yet it seemed to last only a moment.
Before you could even react, it had already descended the mountain.
As it descended the mountain, the disciples on duty in Qingyun Mountain happened to light lamps on the stone wall at the top of Qingyun Mountain.
After finishing his work, he saw that Master He was also there, so he put down what he was holding, respectfully cupped his hands and bowed, "Master He."
Master He nodded gently.
After the disciples of Qingyun Manor left, Wang Sumo also got up with his hiking stick. Looking down from Qingyun Pavilion, although the sun had already set, the lamps that lit up every now and then on the mountain's stone walls were dim and peaceful, not abrupt, but able to illuminate the path to the top of the mountain.
Wang Sumo asked curiously, "Do disciples come here to light lamps every evening?"
Master He stepped forward, placed his hands behind his back, and said gently, "Yes."
"Then, will the lamp oil burn out at night, or will a disciple come to the mountain to extinguish the lamps the next morning?" Wang Sumo asked.
"Many villains are imprisoned in the dungeon of Qingyun Manor. The disciples of Qingyun Mountain also patrol the mountain regularly at night. Not every lamp in the mountain needs to be lit. The rules for lighting and not lighting are known only to the disciples patrolling the mountain that day. The disciples observing in the manor can tell whether someone has broken in from the back mountain and whether the back mountain is safe by whether the lighting of the lamps on the mountain conforms to the rules of the day."
Wang Sumo exclaimed in surprise, "So that's how it is."
Master He said gently, "These are all things that Lianchi thought of. Over the past twenty years, he has devoted a lot of effort to Qingyun Manor."
Huo Lianchi, the owner of Qingyun Manor.
He was raised by Master He himself, and was also the orphan of his best friend whom Master He rescued when he single-handedly stormed through the 108 gates of the Xiaoyao Sect.
Wang Sumo recalled what He Ping had said.
"The Yangtze River's back waves push the front waves forward; Qingyun Manor is more prosperous now than it was twenty years ago," sighed Old Master He. "But ultimately, it's the sun setting in the west, and people are getting old..."
Wang Sumo turned to look at Elder He beside her, wanting to speak, but hesitated and finally fell silent.
As the sun sets, the summit of Qingyun Mountain is bathed in the glow of the evening sky, with the lights on the surrounding stone walls and under the eaves reflecting the sunset. Above the lush green Qingyun Mountain, the setting sun at dusk presents a grandeur and inclusiveness that is completely different from the vitality of the sunrise.
Although I didn't see the sunrise, I did see the sunset, which was equally breathtaking...
Wang Sumo leaned on his hiking stick and stood outside Qingyun Pavilion for a long time, until the sunset and the light dust disappeared into the depths of the valley, leaving only the dim and melodious lamps under the eaves of the pavilion.
Wang Sumo sighed softly, "Even the setting sun has a grandeur that the sunrise in the east cannot match."
“Isn’t that right, Master He?” Wang Sumo looked at him.
Old Master He paused for a moment, then suddenly burst into loud laughter.
“My father also likes to watch the sunset, and I often watch it with him, but it’s completely different from the sunset at the top of Qingyun Mountain,” Wang Sumo said truthfully.
"Where is it?" asked Master He curiously.
Wang Sumo laughed, "The Eight Treasures Pavilion, wherever the carriage goes, you can see the sunset there. Sometimes it's by a stream, sometimes in a village or field, sometimes in the countryside, and sometimes on the roof of a town inn. Every sunset is different, and every mood is different."
"The Eight Treasures Pavilion..." Old Master He pondered softly, "Excellent, it allows us to go wherever we want and see whatever we want. Every place is different..."
Wang Sumo smiled.
"Let's go down the mountain." Old Master He seemed slightly relieved.
Wang Sumo: -_-||
"Old Master, well, I really can't walk anymore..." Wang Sumo said sincerely.
He Lin had brought her here to climb once that morning, but they gave up after starting...
Wang Sumo sighed, "The Eight Treasures Pavilion can cross mountains and valleys because it has eight horses, a total of thirty-two legs. At any time, even if two legs can't move, they can still get through by taking a break. I only have two legs, and even if I don't take a break, I can't move..."
However, Master He couldn't help but laugh out loud, feeling extremely happy.
*
Once on the gondola, Wang Sumo realized, "Oh right, besides the usual way of climbing mountains, there must be a quick way to go up and down!"
Otherwise, how can we quickly provide assistance to those in urgent situations, such as those on the mountainside, downhill, or halfway up the mountain?
This is Qingyun Manor; there's no way they wouldn't have thought of these things.
Only He Lin couldn't have imagined telling her...
But by following Master He and taking the shortcut through the hanging basket, they no longer had to take the two separate routes back.
Wang Sumo lay on the suspended basket, watching the thick ropes slowly lower the basket down.
After what had just happened, Master He was clearly in a much better mood, and the two had become much more familiar with each other. Although they no longer needed to walk down the mountain, they dared not go down too fast and needed some time.
On the hanging basket, Master He suddenly asked, "What dish did Bazhenlou cook for Yang Wei that suddenly gave him such a good appetite?"
The rumors were spreading like wildfire, and he was actually quite curious as well.
Especially after meeting Wang Sumo.
Wang Sumo had a bit of a headache. "You really want to know?"
Master He nodded.
Wang Sumo sighed softly, "Actually, he just happened to be passing by that day and saw me and the old man eating tofu with scallions, and suddenly he stopped..."
[Author's Note]
The legendary Chief Escort Yang, who had always lived on in other people's mouths, finally makes his appearance [poor thing].
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com