In an old alley of the ancient city, an elderly man sat huddled against the wall while a young scholar stood bending over him.
Two pairs of eyes met—one cloudy, the other clear.
"Can this be fixed?"
"The canopy can be fixed. I'll have to remake it with bamboo. The cloth inside is torn, too, so that'll need to be sewn with needle and thread."
"As long as it can be fixed."
"I'll have to charge you for both!"
The old man was deeply tanned and deeply wrinkled. He looked at Lin Jue with a hint of worry, as if he felt bad about the cost or feared the young man might refuse.
"How much?"
Lin Jue also grew worried.
"Three coins for sewing the cloth, and five coins to repair the scholar's book chest," the old man said, gesturing with his hands.
"Eight coins..."
Lin Jue blanked out for a moment.
Judging by the old man's earlier words and the look on his face, Lin Jue had thought he was going to bleed money or be extorted. It turned out Danxun County City was just like Shu Village. The old man's concerns and worries, the hard work he would put in—all of it was just to earn a meager eight coins.
"Thank you for your hard work, old sir."
Lin Jue paid the money upfront and agreed on a time and place to pick it up before taking his leave.
Having walked such a long way with the scholar's book chest on his back, strolling through the city empty-handed made him feel incredibly light. With nothing digging into his shoulders, it was delightfully comfortable.
As he wandered, he found himself in the mood to look around.
His main goal, however, was to buy a blade.
The world had been far too chaotic in recent years. Men, demons, and ghosts were all running rampant. Even traveling merchants had to carry weapons for self-defense; a small knife simply wouldn't be enough.
Moreover, it was obvious that the demons and ghosts in this world didn't instantly gain the ability to slaughter humans like chickens the moment they achieved the Dao. Most were made of flesh and blood. Therefore, an iron weapon could protect against both men and demons. Even when dealing with ghosts—things far more ethereal and illusory—holding a formidable weapon boosted one's courage and vitality, making it harder for evil spirits to take advantage.
Lin Jue had also heard legends of Jianghu martial artists slaying ghosts in the night. It was said that the frost on their swords wouldn't fade for three years. He had no idea how much of that was true or false.
Regardless, he needed a blade.
His first choice was a Simple Saber.
As the saying went: an inch longer, an inch stronger. Even if the masters in the military claimed their single sabers could break spears and snap halberds, they all rode into battle wielding spears and halberds. None of them carried sabers.
That was how experts fought, let alone the weak.
Besides, the Simple Saber was cheaper, more functional, and much more low-profile.
Lin Jue browsed around and soon managed to buy one.
This was mainly because the Simple Saber was incredibly common.
It was a combination weapon:
A Firewood Chopper.
And a Whistle Staff.
Normally, they were kept apart and could be used separately. He could carry the Firewood Chopper on his back in his scholar's book chest and walk using only the Whistle Staff as a walking stick. When he needed the Firewood Chopper, he used the Firewood Chopper; when he needed the stick, he used the Whistle Staff.
If danger arose, the two could be combined.
This was actually the result of the Imperial Court's strict control over long weapons in the past.
Back then, the Imperial Court forbade the common people from casually carrying spears and broadswords. Even a long staff required a hole drilled near the top, which would emit a whistling sound when swung, hence the name Whistle Staff. Those without holes were called sap staffs. This was exactly where the phrase "taking a sap" came from, and such unperforated staffs were illegal. However, martial artists roaming the Jianghu needed to defend themselves and fight. Thus, they combined an ordinary Firewood Chopper—used by commoners to cut wood—with a Whistle Staff. The handle of the Firewood Chopper was hollow and could fit a wooden shaft, perfectly matching the drilled hole at the top of the Whistle Staff. Once attached, the blade was lengthened, and the Whistle Staff no longer whistled. It killed two birds with one stone.
And so, the Simple Saber was born.
This was extremely practical for Lin Jue.
Not only did he have a walking stick, but he also had a Firewood Chopper. If he headed toward the treacherous paths of Mount Yi later, a Firewood Chopper would be far more useful than a sword for clearing away blocking branches and thorns.
A scholar carrying a scholar's book chest and leaning on a wooden staff was a rather harmonious sight.
Using the wooden staff for support, he walked back to the inn.
Lin Jue could smell a faint odor on himself. The last time he bathed was in a roadside river. Although the river water had been cool, it was nowhere near as refreshing as a hot bath.
He turned to the inn's waiter and asked, "How much for a tub of hot water to bathe?"
"Do you want a small tub or a large tub, guest? A small tub is filled to the brim. We have a dedicated bathing area downstairs, partitioned off with curtains. It's only five coins a tub. The large tub is big enough to sit in and can be carried to your room. The water and the wooden tub will cost twenty coins, and taking it up to your room is an extra two coins," the inn's waiter said. "All our water comes from the canal. We're right at the very upper reaches, so it's incredibly clean."
The price was a bit more expensive than Lin Jue had expected.
Lin Jue hesitated for a moment.
Even though he had just earned some money, he didn't know how long the road ahead would be. He needed to be frugal.
Furthermore, his uncle, aunt, and cousin back home were likely still living frugally. Since this path overlapped somewhat with the trading routes used by the merchants of Shu Village, Lin Jue figured that if he happened to bump into any merchants from his village, he would ask them to take ten taels of silver back home. It would repay their kindness, at least in part.
However, after a quick change of thought, he let it go.
It was rare to get a chance to rest and get comfortable. If he denied himself this time, he would probably obsess over it and feel miserable for days.
"I'll take a large tub, and make the water hot!"
"Shall I bring it upstairs?"
"I'll save you the effort."
"Alright! Please rest for a moment, guest. I'll come get you when the hot water is ready!"
The waiter then went off to fetch and heat the water.
Not long after, steam began rising in the bathing room.
Lin Jue sat soaking in the wooden tub. After scrubbing his whole body clean, he just sat there motionless. Soaking in the hot water from the neck down, he immediately felt an indescribable sense of comfort.
This level of comfort wasn't just something he hadn't experienced in the past half-month; it was something he hadn't felt since arriving in this world. By the time his pores opened up in the heat and his head started to feel dizzy and drowsy, this extreme bliss had temporarily washed away all the frustrations he had faced since coming to this world. He felt as though everything was just a dream.
"Guest, would you like more hot water added?"
"Does it cost money?"
"Four coins a tub, or two coins for a half tub. We'll bring it to you boiling hot."
"Never mind."
"Shall we start preparing your food?"
"Just some scrambled eggs with acanthopanax greens." Lin Jue barely had the strength to speak. He paused for a moment. "And a bowl of rice. A large bowl. Plain white rice."
"Right away!"
It felt like he had been intoxicated for a moment, or perhaps he had fallen asleep.
Splash...
Lin Jue finally stood up. When he picked up his old clothes, the smell seemed even stronger than before. Fortunately, he had placed clean clothes nearby.
As he walked out, he happened to bump into the approaching inn waiter.
"Was the bath comfortable, guest?"
"I feel half a jin lighter."
"Your food is ready. I was just coming to get you."
"Alright, I'll head over now."
Lin Jue couldn't be bothered to go upstairs and drop off his things. He went straight out, tossed his clothes onto a bench, and started eating.
The so-called acanthopanax greens were actually a type of wild vegetable in this region. They grew in both spring and summer, thrived abundantly, and could be served cold, stir-fried, or boiled in soup. Mostly, they didn't cost a thing, making them a common staple for the locals.
The inn hadn't skimped on the grease; in fact, the dish was a little heavy on the oil. Combined with the eggs, the wild vegetables tasted pretty good and were quite nutritious.
Paired with a bowl of white rice, it might have seemed a bit shabby in his previous life. But right now, Lin Jue felt extremely satisfied.
He had gotten too used to drinking watery porridge at his uncle's house.
Beyond the satisfaction, it also brought a sense of ease.
After all, this was money he had earned himself.
The young scholar lowered his head and scarfed down his food. The tiny bits of scrambled egg mixed with the loose, distinct grains of white rice and rich oil went down incredibly smoothly.
He completely failed to notice that someone nearby was observing him.
At that moment, the inn waiter came out carrying a steaming clay pot. Using a wet cloth to protect his hands from the heat, he walked briskly toward the neighboring table.
Unexpectedly, the man at that table suddenly spoke.
"Is this the young gentleman who, alongside the Jianghu heroes, eliminated those strange monkeys outside the city this afternoon?" he asked.
"That's him," the waiter answered for him before Lin Jue could even speak.
"Give this pot of soup of mine to the young gentleman!"
"Huh?"
"Hurry and bring it over to him." New chapters come out on g.com first.
The inn waiter, having just reached the man, was taken aback. Not daring to argue, he nodded hurriedly, turned around, and walked briskly over to Lin Jue's table.
With a clatter, the clay pot was set down on the table.
The waiter immediately let go and pinched his own earlobes to cool his fingers.
Inside the pot was half a free-range chicken. It hadn't been chopped into pieces, and it was submerged in the sloshing chicken soup alongside some thin, seaweed-like ingredients.
"Hmm?"
Lin Jue was caught completely by surprise.
Sitting at the adjacent table was a thoroughly ordinary-looking middle-aged man who cupped his hands in greeting.
"Young gentleman, please don't be surprised, and there's no need to be polite," the man said. "My older brother runs the tea stall outside the north city gate. He's the one who lent you the Simple Saber today."
"That was your brother?"
"Indeed."
"If that's the case, I should be the one thanking your brother. But why are you..."
"Please don't stand on ceremony, young gentleman. Those strange monkeys outside the city have been wreaking havoc for a long time, and we've all been furious about it. Today, word spread all over the city that someone had finally eliminated them and taken a horseback full of monkey heads to the County Yamen to claim the magistrate's bounty. Everyone who heard the news was overjoyed. We all admire the tremendous courage and heroism of you two heroes. I, Wei, feel the same way," the man said. "That is exactly why I came looking for you. It's nothing much. I just saw that you had worked so hard to rid us of that menace, and a single side dish and a bowl of rice simply isn't enough. So, I wanted to treat you to a pot of chicken soup to help nourish your body."
"How could I accept this?"
"Why couldn't you! Unless, perhaps, you think it's not good enough. In that case—waiter, please bring out a plate of cured pork!"
"No, no, no..."
Lin Jue couldn't possibly impose any further, so he hurriedly stopped him.
When he looked back at the man, Wei had already squeezed out a smile and cupped his hands toward him again. "Thank you for doing me the honor, young gentleman."
"This..."
It was now too awkward to refuse.
Lin Jue had no choice but to continue eating.
"We get a lot of misty rain around here, and the weather is often damp. Because of that, stone ears often grow in the damp crevices along cliffsides and riverbanks," Wei continued, striking up a conversation. "They might look thin, soft, and slippery—like there's not much to them—but they're actually incredibly savory. I'm not sure if people eat them back in your hometown, young gentleman, but we eat them here. Personally, I love using them to stew chicken soup; it gives it a very unique flavor."
"We don't eat them often," Lin Jue replied.
Since the man had gone out of his way to say all that and was watching him expectantly, Lin Jue felt obliged to scoop out a bowl and taste it.
This was the city, in an inn on the main street, and there were other people around. Lin Jue wasn't worried that the soup had been tampered with.
It was a bowl of clear chicken soup, with delicate, wispy stone ears floating in it. Lin Jue blew on it, parting the layer of oil on the surface and scattering a puff of steam, before lowering his head to take a sip.
It really was quite different from ordinary chicken soup.
The stone ears looked like seaweed, and they tasted somewhat similar as well, though they didn't overpower the flavor of the soup quite as much as seaweed would.
"How is it?" the man asked, watching him.
"It's good."
"As long as you're satisfied! If there are any other dishes you'd like, just say the word!"
"There's no need for that," Lin Jue said, declining repeatedly before changing the subject. "Are there many people in the city talking about this?"
"About what? About you eliminating the strange monkeys?"
"Of course."
"A lot of people are indeed talking about it. Before my brother even came to find me, I had already heard about it once. Those strange monkeys truly were a major scourge in Danxun. Many people said that if they ever ran into you two, they would definitely buy you a bowl of wine," Wei said. "But it seems I'm the only one who got his wish."
"I didn't do it alone. The other person did most of the work," Lin Jue said.
"And where might that person be?"
"She already left the city."
"Well, there you have it."
The man then had the waiter bring over some wine. He poured a cup for himself and gave one to Lin Jue. Raising his cup in a toast, he sighed and said, "It's a good thing not many people know you're staying at this inn. Otherwise, you probably wouldn't be able to leave tomorrow."
"You're exaggerating."
Lin Jue wasn't fond of drinking. But the wine in this era didn't have a high alcohol content, and the man had shown such goodwill by gifting him an expensive dish and raising his cup. Thus, Lin Jue took a small sip.
It was rice wine, rich with the aroma of rice.
The man continued chatting with him from across the table, offering many words of praise. For a brief moment, Lin Jue truly felt like he was experiencing a taste of the stories where "heroes, great warriors, and brilliant poets are constantly flattered and treated to meals no matter where they go."