Jiang Yue chose a spot with a wide view and sat down, gazing at the magnificent scenery before her. The mountains stretched endlessly, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone on them as if spreading a golden veil over the earth. She took a deep breath and began to wield her paintbrush quickly.
Paint was splashed freely on the canvas, and as her brushstrokes moved, a magnificent landscape painting gradually took shape. After finishing the painting, Jiang Yue admired her work with a satisfied smile on her face.
After getting up, the painting was left on its original spot; the paint wasn't dry yet, so they'd leave it for now. After stretching a bit, the puppet poured them a cup of tea. After they finished drinking the tea, the female puppet prepared the meal. While the three of them were eating, passing caravans found them quite unusual. Everyone else was busy traveling to the next post station or city, but these three were still setting up tents and cooking.
After finishing her meal, Jiang Yue took out her fishing rod, intending to cast it a couple of times. She had seen fish in the river when she went to water the horses earlier. After getting ready, Jiang Yue started fishing. Although she had a fishing skill level of five, an hour passed and she still hadn't caught a single fish. It was really strange. Shouldn't fish these days be stupid?
Jiang Yue didn't plan to continue fishing after not catching any fish. Although she had a sachet on her body that kept mosquitoes away, she still felt a little uncomfortable listening to the buzzing sound. After packing up her fishing gear, she returned to the tent, sat on a small chair, and looked at the stars. If there was anything that ancient times had over modern times, it was probably the starry sky and the air.
After staying there for two days, they continued their journey. The road was difficult to walk on, and Jiang Yueai was heading into the mountains, so their walking speed was very slow, and the route gradually deviated a lot. However, they hadn't decided on a specific route beforehand; as long as the general direction was right, they would just go wherever they ended up.
As she walked, she realized she was going further and further off course. She had originally planned to follow the coastline, such as south from Yangzhou, Hangzhou, Yuezhou, and Quanzhou, but when Jiang Yue looked at Yizhou (Chengdu) in front of her, she realized she was going the wrong way. After thinking for a while, Jiang Yue decided to make the best of it and see different scenery along the way, since she was just following her heart.
So she led the puppet into Yizhou City. The city was bustling with activity, the aroma of various snacks filled the air, and the acrobats drew cheers from the crowd. Jiang Yue looked around curiously until she got tired and found a teahouse to rest. She ordered a pot of local specialty tea and listened to the conversations of the people around her while drinking it. This was the quickest way to learn about a place.
The chosen location was indeed excellent. Before long, Jiang Yue had learned about some of the major events that had recently occurred in the city. As she finished her tea and her stomach was full of gossip, the male puppet, who had also rented a house, came to pick her up. This time, the house was rented for a longer period of time. Having finally arrived in a big city, she needed to rest. Besides, the weather was getting colder, and she needed to buy some new things.
The horses pulling the carriage had been traveling for several months and needed to fatten up. After the puppet paid, the three of them went downstairs to their lodgings. After Jiang Yue left, the new topic of discussion in the restaurant became her. After all, she looked like she was from out of town, so it would be strange not to gossip about her.
After arriving at the destination, Jiang Yue looked around the small courtyard, which had a very local style. After settling in, the three of them went out to find food. Whenever they arrived at a new place, they always had to try the local delicacies. Jiang Yue had always eaten a rather bland diet, and her stomach couldn't handle spicy food all of a sudden. She thought she should eat something sweet tomorrow. The jiao zhui she saw today looked pretty good.
After finishing our meal, we strolled around the streets to digest before heading home to rest. Traveling all day was quite tiring, even while sitting in a carriage.
The next day, Jiang Yue got up early and went out to find the Jiao Zhui she had seen the day before. The early morning in Yizhou City was unusually quiet. The vendors had just set up their stalls, and the fresh ingredients exuded a refreshing aroma. After finding the stall selling Jiao Zhui, Jiang Yue couldn't wait to taste it. The sweet and crispy texture made her feel happy.
After breakfast, I browsed the shops next door and bought a lot of Shu brocade and snacks on the way back. In the afternoon, I went to buy some top-quality Shu brocade. Jiang Yue wouldn't have been able to buy these if she hadn't received the token from Li Shimin. I guess Li Shimin wouldn't have guessed that Jiang Yue used the token to buy things.
Over the next few days, Jiang Yue explored the capital city. One day, she decided to go for a stroll outside the city. She had heard that there was a bamboo forest and a rather famous Taoist temple there, so she decided to go out and take a look. She took a carriage to the outskirts of the city. The bamboo forest was lush and green, and the breeze made a rustling sound. As she was strolling through it, she encountered a little girl of about seven or eight years old wearing a tattered Taoist robe.
Upon seeing Jiang Yue, she hurriedly ran away. Jiang Yue was puzzled. She had specially changed her clothes to visit the Taoist temple today. Normally, people in the Taoist sect would be able to tell at a glance. How could she run away without even saying hello? This is generally impossible. Jiang Yue's master had taught her this a long time ago.
However, Jiang Yue didn't think much of it at the time. Maybe the child was socially awkward and didn't like strangers. After leaving the bamboo forest, Jiang Yue saw the Taoist temple halfway up the mountain. After finding the route up the mountain, Jiang Yue set off. The mountain was not steep, so it was easy to climb. The height was much lower than the Taoist temple in Jiang Yue's home.
When Jiang Yue entered the Taoist temple, she initially thought it was a female Taoist priest because she had a preconceived notion from the little girl she had just seen. She was a little surprised to see an old Taoist priest. After exchanging greetings, bowing, and offering incense, they began to chat. The old Taoist priest was very happy that Jiang Yue had come from afar to visit him.
"Haha, it's been a long time since I've seen fellow Daoists from out of town. The last time was several years ago."
"Brother Dao, the scenery here is beautiful, and the Taoist temple is peaceful and serene. It's very attractive."
"Fellow Daoist, besides offering incense and paying respects, is there anything else you wish to discuss with me?"
Jiang Yue then recounted her travels to various places, explaining that she had simply come here on a whim. As the two were chatting, Jiang Yue suddenly noticed the little girl from before hiding behind a pillar, peeking out.
The old Taoist priest followed her gaze and laughed: "Fellow Taoist, please don't be offended. This girl was originally the daughter of a wealthy family in the city. Unfortunately, something happened to her family, and then rumors spread that she was a cursed star. Her family didn't want to raise her. When she tried to commit suicide, I happened to run into her and took her to the mountain."
“I see. I saw her once at the foot of the mountain. I thought she was your disciple, so I was a little surprised to see you.”
"I see." The old Taoist priest stroked his beard, putting aside his doubts. So that's how it is. No wonder Jiang Yue looked surprised when she first saw him.
The two left again while they were talking. Jiang Yue stared thoughtfully in the direction the child had gone. When she came to her senses, she saw the old Taoist priest looking at her. Jiang Yue smiled and didn't say anything more. The two continued chatting.
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