Chapter 23 Beans, Wheat, and Coarse Noodles [New] One must strive on the path to enlightenment; even a thousand miles can be the same…
In July and August, the heat was intense, and You Mingjiang and his party, weary from their journey, finally arrived in Pingding Prefecture.
"Radishes, sweeter than pears! If they're too spicy, just say so, and we'll replace them!" The young woman selling vegetables called out quite boldly.
"Sesame oil!"
The sesame oil vendor called out, but before he could finish, the yellow rice cake vendor chimed in, "It's really sticky—"
"Mending pots and pans—mending bowls and pans—"
...
These past few days, everything I've seen has been a mess. Suddenly, I heard the clattering sounds of the market, high and low, so real. The people on the mule cart didn't speak, but they were all staring blankly at each other.
What surprised You Mingjiang the most was that there were food stalls all along the way.
The large iron pot at the mutton soup stall steamed with glistening white vapor, and the torn flatbreads soaked in the mutton bone broth, absorbing all its flavorful essence. The vendor selling roasted offal stewed pork offal in a clay pot until tender, then sprinkled chopped scallions into the boiling soup. Next door, the vendor selling fried sugar-coated sesame leaves sizzled in the oil, the leaves turning golden, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and a sweet aroma wafted in the breeze…
It should be noted that Pingding Prefecture is the stronghold of the Sun Moon Cult. A place teeming with food stalls like this is definitely a hot spot in this world.
The fact that the people could focus on making a living in peace showed that the Sun Moon Cult's foundation and methods of governance were far more transparent and pragmatic than the rumors suggested.
Thinking about it now, I realize that I had been narrow-minded and prejudiced, and had underestimated them.
As Yu Mingjiang watched the bustling market, a rare item on an old man's shoulder pole caught his eye.
It was a type of food she had never seen before.
It's a triangular shape wrapped in quince leaves, and at first glance it looks like a zongzi (sticky rice dumpling), but it also has a bit of the feel of a dumpling.
Haihongzhu, with a craving for food, poked her head out of the car to peek.
The old man, seeing this, chimed in, "Fellow villagers, these are pine leaf cakes, specially made to relieve the summer heat."
Seeing everyone staring expectantly, You Mingjiang smiled, took out his money, and gave each person a piece to try.
Peel back the leaves to reveal a glossy, steamed dough. The filling is wild chives mixed with eggs. Take a bite, and you'll find the tenderness of the eggs wrapped around the spiciness of the chives, the fragrance of the quince leaves mingling with the freshness of the filling—a perfect balance of salty and savory.
The three of them tasted it, their eyes lit up instantly, and they exclaimed "Delicious!" repeatedly before devouring it with gusto.
Seeing the three of them enjoying their meal, You Mingjiang finished off the remaining pancakes in the old man's basket, praising him with a smile: "Old man, your skills are almost as good as those of the famous chefs in Kaifeng!"
The old man waved his hand repeatedly and replied, "It never sold this well before! This filling was prepared by Chef Guo!"
Upon hearing this, Uncle Hai Si gave a thumbs up and said, "This Master Guo is so generous; he's a rare and honest man!"
Unexpectedly, the old man hesitated before speaking, and after a long while sighed, "He's a very good person, it's just..."
It's just that I did things a bit too freely.
Master Guo is a young man in his twenties.
Although he does sell food, Master Guo doesn't seem to rely on it for a living; he sets up his stall purely out of interest.
He absolutely refuses to compromise when he encounters picky customers, and his stall is always hidden in a quiet corner, saying that he is only waiting for those who are destined to meet him.
He's quick-witted, and the food he sells changes every day. The day before yesterday he sold wontons, yesterday he sold pine leaf cakes, and today he's somewhere making a new noodle soup. Judging from his extravagant lifestyle, he's probably some rich young master who's out experiencing the realities of life.
Since that was the case, everyone let him be.
Seeing that You Mingjiang had shown interest, the old man also wanted to make the best of a chance encounter, and said warmly, "Master Guo is a bit of a stickler for details, but his skills are top-notch. Eating just pine leaf cakes is too dry, why don't you go find him for a bowl of noodles? A bowl of noodle soup will make you feel much better!"
These words were exactly what You Mingjiang wanted to hear.
She thanked them and drove the three of them around the market. After several turns, they finally spotted a small noodle stall hidden in the shade.
.
The young man cooking the noodle soup was wearing a short-sleeved shirt with greasy, twisted front blouses and a worn-out rag casually draped over his shoulders. He was kneading a large dough ball on the cutting board with both hands.
He was busy dividing the dough into portions while arguing with a middle-aged diner from the Five Tigers Broken Blade Sect.
This man is Master Guo, whose real name is Guo Dalu.
The incident started when a middle-aged customer complained that his noodles were too salty. Guo Dalu immediately flew into a rage, slamming his hand on the cutting board, making the chopsticks rack jump: "Nonsense! What do you know! It was your own spittle that splattered into the bowl and spoiled the noodles!"
The customer shrank back at his outburst, and also got angry, slamming down his chopsticks: "Can't I say it's salty? This noodle is so salty even a dog wouldn't eat it!"
"I think you've eaten too much shit, you old dog, your mouth is full of filth!" Guo Dalu punched down, making the bowls and plates jump. "I cooked noodles for you, that's a blessing you've accumulated in eight lifetimes! You're not grateful, and you dare to complain? Your tongue's broken, and you still complain about the saltiness... There are plenty of mind-altering potions in the ditch, go drink them yourself to cool down!"
The guest could hardly believe his ears.
He stood up angrily, pointing at Guo Dalu, his finger trembling: "You, you..."
Guo Dalu chuckled, hands on his hips, his imposing manner growing even stronger: "Did you hear that? If you keep nagging, I'll break this finger off and add it to your dish!"
The guest's face turned pale and then green. Looking at the fierce-looking Guo Dalu, he finally threw down a few copper coins, muttering "madman" under his breath, and slipped away.
You Mingjiang and his group looked at each other, somewhat unable to believe that the person in front of them was the kind and righteous Master Guo that their father-in-law had described.
Guo Dalu finished cursing and kneading the dough. He stopped to let it rest, and soon the dough became slippery.
He looked up and saw You Mingjiang and his group of four, all staring at him awkwardly. Guo Dalu was stunned for a moment, and the anger on his face seemed to be blown away by a gust of wind.
"Sit down, the noodles will be ready in a bit."
He changed his expression as if by magic, casually grabbing a worn-out rag from his shoulder and carefully wiping a mottled bench until it shone, then gesturing for them to sit down.
Can they say no? You Mingjiang and his group looked at each other again, and had no choice but to bite the bullet and sit down obediently.
When entertaining guests, Guo Dalu values first impressions above all else.
Including diners.
The three girls before him were so pretty and refreshing that his heart softened at the sight of them. It was like seeing a magnolia in its first bloom, or a bright full moon; all that remained in his heart was a pure and joyful feeling.
Of course, the old man wasn't unpleasant either.
Therefore, Guo Dalu was much more serious when stretching the dough than before. Holding both ends of the dough with both hands, he pulled hard, and the dough turned into a thick strip with a "whoosh".
Guo Dalu's fingers moved nimbly up and down quickly, making the noodles sway back and forth in the air. He pulled them to both sides with both hands, each pull steady, and the noodles grew longer little by little, but remained a single, intact strand without breaking.
He then slapped the noodles on a floured board a few times until they were of uniform thickness and each strand was distinct.
Finally, put the noodles into the pot. The water was boiling vigorously, and the noodles were jumping around happily, with a faint yellow hue.
A moment later, Guo Dalu scooped the noodles into several large, rough earthenware bowls. "Here comes the coarse wheat and bean noodles!"
"Thank you." You Mingjiang picked up a mouthful of noodles with her chopsticks. Before even taking a bite, the rich aroma of soybeans wafted up.
When she put the noodles in her mouth, she found that each noodle was distinct, smooth and chewy, obviously made by kneading and stretching with great effort. The base was probably a mixed vegetable stewed with soybean paste, which was very salty, but it was generously served, a big bowl full, which was enough to fill her stomach.
Hai Hongzhu and Hai Si's father didn't find it too salty.
Performing acrobatics is inherently strenuous work. Balancing bowls, somersaulting, diabolo spinning, tightrope walking... a series of movements leaves almost no time to rest. Therefore, the noodles they eat must be seasoned with plenty of salt, and the noodles must be chewy. Only with such noodles in their mouths can they feel full and endure their hunger.
It seems that the stall owner is mainly looking out for those strong, hardworking laborers.
Tie Pinggu managed to eat two bites, but couldn't eat any more.
As soon as I looked up, I saw an old woman who looked like a beggar not far away, her eyes fixed on the bowl of noodles in her hand. The old woman had a thin, sallow face, high cheekbones, and her gray hair was piled up messily on her head.
She was hunched over, leaning on a rough wooden stick. Her clothes were dark and chapped, patched upon patched, with loose stitches hanging loosely on her body.
At this moment, the old woman's mouth was slightly open, and saliva was almost dripping out; she was clearly extremely hungry.
Tie Pinggu felt bad. What she couldn't eat was food that some people needed to survive. She called out, "Grandma, if you don't mind, come and have a bowl of noodles."
Upon hearing this, You Mingjiang paused for a moment, looked up at the old woman, and said nothing more. He simply handed the extra few pine leaf cakes to Tie Pinggu and patted her hand reassuringly.
Tie Pinggu was extremely embarrassed and said in a low voice, "The noodles are indeed very chewy, it's my fault for having a bland palate."
The old woman didn't say anything. She seemed to have been starving for days. Suddenly, she rushed to the table and began to wolf down her food. She kept shoveling noodles into her mouth. She ate so fast that she choked and rolled her eyes back. Judging from her posture, it was as if she hadn't eaten a full meal in eight lifetimes.
Seeing that the old woman was eating heartily, You Mingjiang asked Guo Dalu to bring over another bowl of noodle soup, so that the original soup could help digest the food.
Guo Dalu then brought over a bowl of noodle soup and placed it on the table. You Mingjiang pushed the large, rough earthenware bowl and said to the old woman, "Drink it."
The old woman picked up a large bowl of noodle soup and drank it all up in no time, followed by a loud burp.
She glanced at You Mingjiang, then immediately lowered her head, clutching the bowl of noodles tightly with both hands, shoveling the remaining noodles into her mouth as if afraid that someone would snatch the bowl of noodles away at any moment.
You Mingjiang: "...Eat slowly, I won't fight you for it."
.
Seeing this, Guo Dalu's eyes flickered, and his lips moved as if he had something important to say.
You Mingjiang turned his head slightly and said softly, "Master Guo, is there something you want to say?"
"What is your relationship with this old woman? Are you relatives or old friends? Or neighbors?" Guo Dalu asked her directly.
"Neither. We met her by chance."
"meet by chance?"
"Yes, it was just a chance encounter."
Guo Dalu chuckled twice, then couldn't help but say a few more words to her: "You really are kind-hearted, but..."
“However?” You Mingjiang repeated.
Guo Dalu lowered his voice: "She used to work in the most prestigious brothels, but as she got older and lost her beauty, she ended up in the lowest of brothels. Now she's ruined, pale and thin, and in the end she can't even afford to eat, so she's become a beggar."
“You can’t blame her.” You Mingjiang said solemnly, “The world is a tough place. Once you fall into prostitution, no one can help themselves.”
"Do you know who she is?" Guo Dalu asked, intrigued.
You Mingjiang frowned and shook his head.
Guo Dalu said indifferently, "She is the infamous Lin Xian'er, the fickle and troublesome woman of the martial arts world."
.
After listening to Guo Dalu's words, You Mingjiang remained calm, without even a furrow in her brow.
Guo Dalu was stunned. It was rare to see someone remain so calm upon hearing the name "Lin Xian'er." Intrigued, he raised his voice and emphasized, "She is Lin Xian'er, don't you have anything to say?"
"What did you say?" You Mingjiang said calmly, "That she used her beauty to seduce powerful figures, stirred up trouble, and used any means to satisfy her ambition; that she's a thoroughly wicked woman?"
"This..." Guo Dalu looked bewildered, subconsciously glancing at her, trying to find a trace of disgust on her face. "Since you knew, why were you still willing to give her the noodles?"
You Mingjiang shook his head slightly. "Sigh, she has already fallen to the lowest level of prostitute, spending most of her life in brothels. In the end, am I supposed to just watch her starve to death on the streets and cheer her on? If it were you, would you be willing to give her a bowl of noodles?"
Guo Dalu's eyes widened: "Of course we'll give you some! Why wouldn't we? We'll give you three or five bowls of noodles, let alone just one!"
"She's already in this situation, how can we just stand by and watch her starve to death?" He thought for a moment, then added, "Even if Lin Xian'er did wrong things in the past, and things are like this now... let's just ask for peace of mind!"
You Mingjiang smiled, her eyes crinkling: "Me too."
Guo Dalu scratched his head, then suddenly grinned and patted You Mingjiang's shoulder heavily: "Hey! You...you really are something!"
Yu Mingjiang winced slightly, but still spoke softly and said with a sigh, "Why do we always have to focus on torturing a woman's body when punishing her? If the so-called 'evil begets evil' means letting her fall into prostitution, contract diseases, and eventually die insane... then I really don't like to watch that kind of drama, and I don't want to watch it."
Guo Dalu thought about it again and again, and wholeheartedly agreed.
He didn't hold much prejudice against Lin Xian'er; he didn't even know her, let alone forgive her. Only those who had been hurt by Lin Xian'er had the right to discuss forgiveness.
In Guo Dalu's eyes, Lin Xian'er was not a terrible witch, but a fool who was so empty that she had lost her true self.
"If a person lives such a fake and tiring life, her life must be very unhappy."
He felt that he was far richer and happier than Lin Xian'er.
Guo Dalu lifted his jacket to wipe his sweat, patted his chest, and said generously, "You're a really good guy. The noodles are on me today!"
Before he could say anything more, You Mingjiang put his right index finger to his lips and turned his gaze to Lin Xian'er.
Lin Xian'er held the large, rough pottery bowl, licking the rim of it with her tongue, making "woo-woo" sounds from time to time.
She was oblivious to the stares of others, lost in her own chaotic world.
You Mingjiang frowned: "What's wrong with her?"
“Her,” Guo Dalu pointed to his head and sighed, “was traumatized and her mind isn’t working properly anymore.”
You Mingjiang was stunned for a moment: "Exciting?"
"I heard that after Ah Fei left, she spent her days indulging in pleasure, wallowing in self-destruction, and only wanting men, not money..."
Upon hearing this, You Mingjiang remained silent for a long while before letting out a soft sigh.
Tie Pinggu was secretly eavesdropping when she heard this. She seemed startled by something, opened her mouth but didn't make a sound, and just stared blankly at Lin Xian'er.
Lin Xian'er stopped what she was doing and slowly raised her head. Her eyes were vacant, and she kept muttering, "...I don't want money, I just want a man...I don't want money, I just want a man!" Her voice started softly, but slowly turned into a sharp, maniacal laugh: "Hahahaha!"
Laughter echoed in the air, filled with desolation and madness. Then, Lin Xian'er suddenly stood up and stumbled out.
Tie Pinggu felt a chill run down her spine and involuntarily shivered, goosebumps rising all over her arms. For some reason, a nameless fear arose in her heart, damp and chilly, creeping up her spine.
After this commotion, all four of them lost their appetite.
You Mingjiang placed a string of cash on the table.
"I already said I'd treat you all!" Guo Dalu shouted. "Besides, there's no need for so much!"
"I paid for Lin Xian'er's noodles. If there's any left over, please trouble Chef Guo to make her another bowl next time she comes."
In fact, this sum of money was deliberately given to Guo Dalu by You Mingjiang. She could tell that even if Tie Pinggu hadn't invited him, Guo Dalu would have served Lin Xian'er a bowl of noodles.
But what about him?
Selling noodles depends entirely on his mood and so-called "favorite spot," and he can barely sell a few bowls a day. Following this capricious method, isn't he just making money at a loss? Who knows, he might even go hungry in the future.
After paying, You Mingjiang stood up, ready to take his leave.
As soon as she moved, the other three followed suit.
Hai Si's father skillfully hitched up the rickshaw, helped the girls into it, and then said a few polite goodbyes to Guo Dalu.
Guo Dalu watched them walk away with his arms crossed, then clicked his tongue and muttered to himself, "These guys are actually pretty kind-hearted."
.
As night deepened, a solitary lamp flickered dimly in a guest room of the inn.
Hai Hongzhu tidied up briefly, walked to the table, trimmed the lamp wick to make it brighter, picked up the kettle, and poured water into both teacups. Finally, she gently pushed the other bowl towards Tie Pinggu.
Tie Pinggu sat at the table, her fingers unconsciously fiddling with her cuff. A short thread came loose and hung there, being stretched longer and longer, much like her tangled thoughts at that moment.
Lin Xian'er's situation kept replaying in his mind.
A woman who viewed all men as dogs ultimately found herself discarded like trash by all those dogs. Ironically, what fueled her ambition from beginning to end was nothing more than a beautiful exterior…
But the martial arts world is not a place where you can stand on your looks alone.
Only martial arts skills are the foundation for survival in the martial arts world.
"Pinggu, what are you thinking about?" Hai Hongzhu called softly, pulling her back to reality.
Tie Pinggu forced a smile and reached for the teacup: "It's nothing, I'm just a little tired."
Before I knew it, my fingertip accidentally touched the hot bowl.
She didn't cry out in pain, but lowered her head and stared blankly at the shiny blisters on her hand.
She seems to have been able to endure pain better than others since she was a child.
Even the most painful things can be endured if you grit your teeth.
Yes? No.
Her maternal grandfather, Tie Wushuang, was the "Leader of the Hunan Martial Arts Alliance." Although he could not be considered a top-notch master, his family was quite wealthy, and she lived a life of luxury from a young age.
Even now, she still remembers the taste of crab-stuffed oranges.
But later...
The burning pain in her fingers gradually faded, from its initial clarity to a distant memory. Tie Pinggu's thoughts drifted away, and all the hardships she had endured over the years surfaced in her memory, frame by frame.
Those days of living under someone else's roof were worse than death.
She was often stung by bees, leaving her body swollen and painful. On days when she couldn't sell her beeswax, she was frequently beaten.
They were almost sold off cheaply.
Later, he met Dr. You and hoped to have a few days of peace, but he ended up having to rely on her to take care of him all the way.
Just when they were finally able to get down on the ground, they ran into Tong Baixiong.
In just one glance, he saw through her timidity and even grabbed her by the neck.
Yes, she remembered.
Back then, her father also thought she was a burden, so he forced her to be given to his beekeeping friend halfway through the journey, while he went to the Valley of Villains.
...She really didn't want to be a burden anymore.
She desperately wanted to become stronger and stand on her own two feet.
Tie Pinggu couldn't help but ask softly, "Hongzhu, you're very knowledgeable, have you ever heard of any sect that accepts female disciples?"
Hai Hongzhu quickly made the bed without looking up: "Yihua Palace, right? I heard that place is very mysterious. The two palace masters are as beautiful as celestial beings, and their martial arts are unfathomable. They only accept women as disciples. The disciples don't have to rely on anyone, nor do they have to live at the mercy of others."
"Yihua Palace..." Tie Pinggu repeated softly.
Once the thought arose, it took root in her heart like a spring bud breaking through the soil.
Hai Hongzhu made the bed, blew out the candle with a "poof," and crawled into the inner side of the bed with her pillow, saying, "What are you thinking about? Go to sleep! Hehe, I made the bed tonight, I'm sleeping on the inside!"
.
It was late at night, and the moon hung brightly in the sky.
Tie Pinggu tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
My body was exhausted, but my mind was clear.
She lay facing the outside of the bed, her back to Hai Hongzhu, and tears silently fell.
She wondered, where should she go? She felt like a piece of duckweed on the water, rootless and adrift. It was Doctor You who reached out and pulled her out of her most difficult time; along the way, Doctor You had worried so much for her…
It gave her the warmest human kindness.
The Flower Palace can be moved...
In her eyes, it was a place where one could be reborn. Once inside the palace gates, one would no longer be a weak woman dependent on others, but a martial arts master who could control her own destiny.
Tie Pinggu was truly unwilling to be manipulated by others any longer...
As dawn approached, she made up her mind.
She got up gently, without disturbing the sleeping Haihongzhu.
With only a few belongings to begin with, Tie Pinggu tucked an old silver hairpin into her bosom. This hairpin was the one You Mingjiang had given her as payment for beeswax when You Mingjiang helped her out of a predicament.
With the help of the first rays of dawn, Tie Pinggu wrote on a dusty patch of ground: "Pinggu no longer wishes to follow the crowd and has gone to the Yihua Palace to seek a master. Do not worry."
Before parting, she couldn't help but look back at Hai Hongzhu, her friend who had taken care of her for many days.
My heart ached and felt heavy, but my steps remained resolute, as if I couldn't turn back.
As I stepped out of the inn, the eastern sky was already beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.
Tie Pinggu took a deep breath.
Every step on the road beneath my feet is imbued with the bittersweet feeling of reluctance, yet also surging with the exhilarating joy of new beginnings.
"I'm going to the Yihua Palace," Tie Pinggu murmured to herself. "I want to be a woman who doesn't rely on others."
She didn't know if the Yihua Palace would take her in, nor what awaited her ahead, yet a long-lost sense of determination welled up in her heart.
All the hardships I've experienced in the past will never come again.
The morning light stretched her shadow long.
Tie Pinggu glanced back at the inn, then turned and took another step. Once she took that step, she never looked back.
.
.
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Author's Note: [Good Luck Lotus] Guo Dalu: One of the male protagonists of "Going Bankrupt at the Start, My Brother is the Tycoon of Fugui Manor". In the subsequent Fugui chapter, he will return with his three companions, Wang, Yan and Lin.
[Good Luck Lianlian] "Strive diligently on your own path, and you'll meet again at the summit, even if you're thousands of miles apart": This comes from Zhou Xingji's poem "Sending a Friend Back East" (Song Dynasty). Each of us should strive, and together we'll meet at the top. [Fireworks][Fireworks]
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