At that time, I saw pines and oak trees all around.
When the stream flows barefoot on the rocks,
The sound of water stirred up the wind and blew clothes.(1)
…
Accompanied by the soft chanting of verses of poetry.
A handsome young man in gorgeous clothes, riding a tall horse and carrying some simple luggage, appeared alone and slowly from the mountain path.
In fact, the mountainous terrain is not suitable for ordinary horses to travel, but the horse the man rides can actually walk on the flat ground in this mountainous terrain.
The only ones who can do this are those well-trained war horses in the army, or the rare horses under certain large forces in the world.
The scene slowly zoomed in, and on top of the horse was the Prince of Zhenbei—Yan Wulu.
…
Yan Wulu had a faint smile on his face at this moment.
He doesn't know why, but when he came to the Taihang Mountains in the east of Hedong and saw such beautiful scenery in the mountains, he would not want to leave.
Suddenly, a poem that I had read in a book came to mind, and I sang it softly unconsciously.
For a moment, perhaps due to the effect of this beautiful landscape, even the occasional haze in Yan Wulu's eyes seemed to dissipate a lot at this moment...
However, Yan Wulu did not forget what he came to do.
It’s great to discover this beautiful scenery by accident, but the most important thing now is to get down to business!
I didn’t come here just for fun!
He came to Hedong only for three things -
The first item is to take the [General Sword] from the Jiang Family Sword Tomb;
The second item is also taken from the Jiang Family Sword Tomb [General Sword];
The third item is the [General Sword] from the Jiang Family Sword Tomb!
only……
While going to the Jiang family to get the sword, it would also be good to travel and practice as a side trip.
…
This Taihang Mountain is a dangerous mountain road between Beidi and Hedong that is often visited by strongmen.
Yan Wulu's team could have avoided passing here, but Yan Wulu listened to his master Jun Xing's advice and took a detour here.
After the Taihang Mountains, there is the Hedong Plain, which is vast and fertile.
By then, it will be difficult to meet bandits and strongmen.
And if Yan Wulu couldn't meet his opponent after this trip, wouldn't Yan Wulu have wasted a great opportunity?
Therefore, for this reason, Yan Wulu ordered all the accompanying guards, including Zhang Chunhua, Qiuyue, and Tie Mian, to delay following him, leaving him alone to go first...
Come to think of it, this time we will definitely succeed in one fell swoop!
Yan Wulu thought to himself, feeling very proud.
Just as he was thinking about it, Yan Wulu seemed to recall the night conversation in the camp when he said goodbye that day after leaving Beidi...
He always felt that Jun Xing's words seemed to be intended to guide him.
In addition to the superficial meaning, there is a deeper meaning.
It's just that... Yan Wulu couldn't think of a reason for it for a while.
…
"Taihang Mountain, Yaowang Valley, and [General Sword]..."
Yan Wulu, who was riding alone in the mountains, kept mumbling and repeating these words.
That night in the camp, he really wanted to ask why Jun Xing had to leave the team early? And why did he make a detour to the Taihang Mountains?
However, just when he was about to speak, Jun Xing had disappeared without a trace...
In front of Yan Wulu, he had already passed through the mountain road and arrived at the stone bridge on the avenue.
A small mountain teahouse suddenly appeared, and Yan Wulu stopped slightly, but was attracted by a tall figure wearing a red cassock in the teahouse...
…
"Donor, this cup of tea costs two taels of silver. Isn't it a little too expensive?"
Beside Taihang Mountain Shiqiao Avenue, inside the mountain teahouse.
I saw a young monk sitting on the bench in the teahouse, wearing an exquisite red cassock and apricot yellow monk's robe. His body seemed to be decorated with a few ancient and unsophisticated gems, which were obviously authentic and fake. He was obviously dressed like a Tibetan monk from Western Yi.
He is in his twenties, wearing civilian clothes and sandals, and his face is full of energy, and there seems to be a faint flow of precious light, just like the bright jewels and jade, which naturally shine.
As long as others look at this young monk a few times, they will feel admiration and closeness to him.
The words just now were spoken by this young monk.
But the tea shop owner opposite the young monk, a middle-aged greasy man with a sinister face, obviously looked down on this strangely dressed Western monk...
"Can't you afford it?"
The tea shop owner didn't have a good look on his face. He picked his teeth rudely with something unknown and said contemptuously——
"...I see that you, a monk, are dressed like a human being. Why, you can't even pay for a cup of tea?"
"The donor was joking."
The young monk had a faint smile on his face and ignored the insulting tone of the tea shop owner. He held the Buddhist chant in his hand and continued——
"The young monk just thinks that all items should have their corresponding value."
"...Although the donor's tea quenches my thirst, it does not have the intricate workmanship required, nor does it have the world-shattering nectar of the Immortal Palace. It only costs three cents at most. How is it worth the price mentioned by the donor?"
Facing the young monk's calm and reasonable questions, the tea shop owner was at a loss for an answer...
But the tea shop owner didn't care. He was determined to make a fortune from this young monk, and he didn't care what his reasons were!
"You damn bald ass, you can talk in a roundabout way, but I can't understand you!"
The tea shop owner was already embarrassed and began to take off his short coat, revealing his chest which was a mixture of muscles and fat.
"...I told you openly that this tea is only worth three cents, but today I have to charge you two taels of silver!"
The tea shop owner said viciously, and at the same time, there were several big men dressed as handymen who gradually surrounded the young monk.
…
"Hahaha……"
"Is this teahouse in the land east of the river so welcoming? There are several waiters waiting on any monk?"
A clear male voice, like the gentle playing of a guzheng, slowly came from a distance.
The tea shop owner and others were stunned and looked towards the source of the sound...
I saw a handsome nobleman, riding a good horse, approaching the teahouse in a hurry.
The screen zoomed in, it was Yan Wulu who broke away from the team and came first.
When the tea shop owner saw that the visitor was just a good-looking young man, he looked hard and was about to get angry, but he saw the long sword hanging next to his horse...
The long sword seemed to be forged by the Zhenbei Army, and it also bore the obvious Northland logo.
The tea shop owner swallowed secretly and suppressed the anger in his heart. The Taihang Mountains in the east of Hedong are very close to Beidi!
This man looks noble and good-looking. Who can be sure whether he has any connection with the Zhenbei Army?
I own this roadside teahouse, and I just bully passers-by... The Zhenbei Army is someone I can't afford to offend!
The tea shop owner with a sinister face didn't even put on his short coat at this time, so he said coldly——
"I wonder who this young master is!"
…
(1) This poem is quoted from Mr. Jin Yong’s "The Eight Parts of the Dragon".
