Zhao Xian stared at the goat in front of him, looking somewhat puzzled, and said:
“I really don’t know. I can only imitate the sounds of small animals to attract them. This goat was definitely not summoned by me. Maybe it just happened to be passing by and was hunted down by you.”
As the two were talking, several other people arrived, and they were astonished to see that they had caught so much prey at once.
This goat was quite large, weighing nearly 100 pounds, and was carried away by the people who came.
Soon the group arrived at the camp and, before it got dark, quickly began to prepare the game.
The bandit leader was very surprised. These people were amazing. They had captured so many prey in such a short time.
Skinning a goat is a skilled job, so this task naturally fell to the bandits. They would hang the goat up and quickly peel off the skin with practiced ease, showing they had done this many times before.
Next, they cut the mutton into small pieces, and Zhao Xian took out the seasonings to marinate the mutton.
As darkness fell, all the prey meat was marinated, and the group began to roast it. Soon, smoke filled the air, and the aroma was irresistible.
As night fell, the group finally got to eat their roasted meat. These people really had a big appetite; they devoured a large goat, two rabbits, and two pheasants, leaving nothing behind.
The nights in the mountains are still very cold, but thankfully we have tents to keep warm.
The next morning, everyone got up early, packed their things, and continued on their way.
As you travel further north, the terrain becomes gentler, and there are more pedestrians on the road. You can also find inhabited villages from time to time.
Zhao Xian found it strange. This place was located on the northwestern border of the foreign country, which was very desolate and had a cold climate. Most of the area was not suitable for living, yet people still chose to live here.
Zhao Xian looked at the junior leader and raised his question.
The foreman looked around and said:
"The steward comes from Kyoto and is from a noble family. He lives a life of luxury and is naturally unaware of the hardships of ordinary people."
This place is located in the northern part of Mabu Mountain. If you go forward another hundred miles or so, you will be close to the border of the Kingdom of Luo.
More than ten years ago, no one lived here, but the foreign kingdoms frequently waged wars against foreign powers, which increased the burden on the people.
Some people, unable to endure the heavy taxes levied by the imperial court, fled to this place. Although life was hard, they found peace and freedom from the layers of exploitation by officials.
Zhao Xian nodded. Exorbitant taxes are more ferocious than tigers, and the common people avoid them like the plague. Their escape to this place is out of necessity.
It's conceivable that Yelü Khan came here seeking refuge out of necessity; the environment was harsh, making survival a challenge, let alone developing his own power.
"Where is that Taoist temple, and how far is it from here?" Zhao Xian asked.
"There should be another twenty or thirty routes, but I don't know the Taoist's name yet. I'll ask a passerby later."
Zhao Xian nodded. He did need to get to the bottom of it. When he met Yelü Khan later, he would need to know his Buddhist name.
The group continued walking for a while, and came to a field by the roadside where an old farmer was working. Upon seeing this, the foreman spoke up:
"Butler, please wait a moment while I inquire."
After the foreman finished speaking, he walked over to the old farmer who was farming.
Soon the foreman returned and, upon seeing Zhao Xian, said, "Steward, I've found out that the Taoist's Buddhist name is Guiyi, and I heard he's ill."
If that's the case, it will be difficult for the steward to bring him back to Yanjing to treat your master's illness.
Upon hearing this, everyone frowned.
Yelü Khan fell ill. When did he fall ill, and how serious was it? Everyone began to worry, hoping that his condition was not serious and that he would recover quickly.
As we walked further, there were noticeably more people on the road, and a small village appeared ahead.
After inquiring, we learned that the Taoist temple was located in the mountains, less than five miles away.
Zhao Xian then discussed with Li Guang and decided to stay here for the time being, and then go into the mountains the next day to see Yelü Khan, since it was already afternoon.
The group settled down near the village. Zhao Xian told the chief that the Taoist priest was ill and they might have to wait until he recovered before they could leave.
This meant that he and his men would have to stay here for a while, so he told the junior leader to go back first.
I will always keep my word and never go back on my promise.
After Zhao Xian finished speaking, he took out another money bag and handed it over. This money bag was larger than the previous one and contained more gold and silver.
The underling was overjoyed. Zhao Xian had called him out alone, and his two henchmen were unaware of it. This way, he could pocket the money.
"Okay, I understand. I'll take people back first thing tomorrow morning. Steward, when you pass by the mountain village on your way back, be sure to stop by for a drink."
"Of course, when I go back, I'll definitely come to your mountain stronghold for a drink," Zhao Xian said.
Seeing this, Li Xue couldn't help but sigh. These were all bandits who killed and robbed, but Brother Zhao could get along well with them and even do things for them.
Nothing happened that night. Early the next morning, the bandit leader left with two followers, seemingly reluctant to part.
The group then began to discuss how to enter the Taoist temple and find Yelü Khan.
In Zhao Xian's view, finding Yelü Khan was no longer difficult; the key was how to communicate with Yelü Khan and gain his trust.
After much deliberation, Zhao Xian disguised himself as a forty-year-old doctor, while Li Guang and Li Xue dressed as teenage apprentices. The three of them then headed to the Taoist temple.
Unlike Buddhist temples, Taoist temples are not frequented by many people, making them very quiet.
As the three walked, they looked around. There were many fields, but because of the low temperature, no one was working in them at the moment.
By this time they had entered the mountains, the terrain was gradually rising, and the mountain path was replaced by stone steps.
The group walked up the steps and soon arrived at a clearing halfway up the mountain, where a Taoist temple was indeed built.
The Taoist temple has a considerable building area, enough to house dozens of Taoist priests. Overall, the temple was built relatively recently, only a little over ten years ago.
The Taoist temple has three parts: the shrine, the dining hall, and the dormitories. As the group entered the temple, they saw the huge shrine.
At the temple gate, two young Taoist boys stood. When they saw three people arrive, they stepped forward and bowed.
Zhao Xian and the other two returned the greeting with clasped hands, and then asked the young Taoist boy where the seat of the Medicine God was located.
“Please follow me, three devout believers.” After saying this, a young Taoist boy led the three of them toward a statue of a deity. The Medicine God was one of the gods that people worshipped at that time.
The group arrived before the statue, lit incense, and began to kneel and kowtow three times.
After paying respects to the statue of the Medicine God, Zhao Xian looked at the young Taoist boy and asked:
"We would like to donate some money to the Taoist temple. Could you please tell us where the Taoist priest in charge is?"
The young Taoist priest was taken aback at first, but quickly recovered and said, "Please follow me, fellow believers."
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