Chapter 200: Tea and Guidance

“

Like a tiger, it climbs the trees,

Twisting round the trunk with grace and ease.

Like a young colt, free and untamed,

No harness needed, no reins to be claimed.

It hunts for mice, swift and sure,

But fish is a hunt it won’t endure.

”

The night had slowly deepened. The cat lay flat on the bed, all four paws facing the sky, softly reciting poetry while gazing at the tiled roof.

As it recited, it turned over and glanced at the paper beside it. “But fish is a hunt it won’t endure!”

Song You sat cross-legged on the bed, feeling very calm inside.

Today marked the

Daxue

[1], and Heroine Wu had already returned, but the scholar ghost was still missing.

Fengzhou wasn’t actually far. A journey of over a thousand li would take Song You about a month for a round trip, which an ordinary person could complete in about a month as well.

However, according to Heroine Wu, Mount Ye was remote, with many mountains and difficult paths, and there were no waterways. Sometimes, there weren’t even places to stay, and the official post stations were quite desolate, which meant it would take more time. An ordinary traveler would need at least one and a half to two months to make the round trip.

Ghosts, unless they had special abilities, actually traveled no faster than humans; they too needed to walk slowly.

Additionally, ghosts had to avoid the times just after dark and just before dawn to steer clear of nighttime travelers and to avoid being startled by the crowing of roosters or barking of dogs. Staying overnight as a ghost wasn’t convenient, nor was asking for directions, so giving the scholar ghost some extra time meant he might take up to three months on the journey.

But now, half a year had already passed.

Song You worried that he might have encountered danger and also suspected he might not return. He couldn't decide which possibility was worse.

Just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly noticed the cat’s voice stop beside him.

The cat instantly turned its head toward the door. Then it nimbly climbed and rushed to the window, peering through a crack to look outside before turning back to the Daoist and saying,

“It’s the deity from the temple over there.”

“...”

Song You opened his eyes, thanked Lady Calico, and got up to open the window. He glanced outside, then closed the window again and turned to go downstairs.

When he opened the door, he found the outside shrouded in darkness, with fog swirling around a few divine officers standing there.

Leading the group was the City God. Beside him were two deputy officers—one civil and one martial officer—with two martial officers behind them, accompanied by a scholar-like minor ghost.

Song You immediately focused on the scholar ghost. Compared to their last meeting, the ghost looked much more frail, with an almost ethereal quality.

“Greetings, sir!” The City God spoke first.

“City God.”

“Sir, I apologize for the impromptu visit; please forgive me.” After paying his respects, the City God straightened up. He looked far more imposing now than he did in the spring of this year. “I come to report that when Officer Wang and Officer Zhao were on their usual night patrol of Changjing tonight, they encountered a minor ghost who seemed to have just transformed; it was wandering about aimlessly in the streets. The divine officers caught him and questioned him, but he wouldn’t say anything, only that he was looking for you.”

“This one is indeed an acquaintance of mine,” Song You replied, bowing to the City God. “But how could I trouble the City God to personally come for such a trivial matter?”

“Sir, your affairs are never trivial.”

“Thank you, City God.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Seeing the situation, the City God didn’t linger and glanced back, prompting the two martial officers to bring the scholar ghost forward.

The City God then bowed again. “Since this ghost is truly your acquaintance, I will take my leave now.”

“Safe travels, City God.” Both parties exchanged bows, fulfilling the formalities.

Then, with a whoosh, the City God vanished into thin air. The accompanying officers also bowed and dispersed, leaving only the almost unsteady scholar ghost on the street.

“Immortal Master...” The scholar ghost looked up at him, his lips trembling and his complexion pale.

“Please, come in.” Song You gestured for him to enter.

The scholar ghost floated along, slowly following him into the house. The door creaked shut, and the oil lamp flickered to life.

“Please take a seat.”

“I cannot...”

“Please, there’s no need for such formality; do sit down!”

“Alright then...”

The man and the ghost imitated the usual way of receiving guests in a shop. The scholar ghost sat on one side of the square table near the door, while Song You sat on the inner side. A calico cat stood on the wide bench, its front paws propped on the table, staring at the scholar ghost with wide eyes, unblinking.

Song You pointed with his hand, and the nearby stove ignited. He placed a water-filled earthen pot on it, then turned to the scholar ghost and sighed, “At last, you’ve returned.”

“I delayed for too long and came back too late; please forgive me, Immortal Master,” the scholar ghost said weakly.

“Why have you ended up in such a state?”

“It's a long story.”

“The night is still long.”

“Ah...”

The calico cat transformed into a little girl and went to fetch the good tea sent by General Chen for Song You. Song You then carefully prepared the tea, grinding and mixing it.

The scholar ghost sat across from him, feeling both weak and constrained, a hint of nervousness in his demeanor. “The journey to Fengzhou was relatively easy. I had traveled that road when I was alive, but once I reached Fengzhou, it became difficult to get to Mount Ye.”

Song You remained focused on preparing the tea. The sound of grinding tea filled the room.

“The Yinnan County where Mount Ye is located is almost isolated. The so-called ‘Yinnan’ refers to the area south of the Yin River, which is filled with deep mountains where travel is nearly impossible. There are no special products or scenic views; it is impoverished and remote.

“Normally, no merchants go there, nor do they come back; even passersby are rare. The south of Fengzhou is Yaozhou, but because of the dense mountains of Zi Commandery and the miasma, very few people heading to Yaozhou choose to go through Zi Commandery, and no one goes through Yinnan County. It’s as if Yinnan County is cut off from the world, with only tens of thousands of residents.”

Although the scholar ghost was weak, his speech remained coherent. “Thus, when I set out, I often took the wrong path, and there was no one to ask for directions. There are even no ghosts to be found there, which wasted a lot of time.”

“I thought you might not return,” Song You said, filtering the tea powder while smiling and pondering the so-called remote and desolate place that had no commerce or scenery.

“How could I dare to...”

The scholar ghost continued, “After numerous twists and turns, I finally found Mount Ye, but upon arrival, I discovered it was heavily guarded. There were high-level masters who had set up formations, and many Daoist priests and monks were coming and going.

“Additionally, there were constantly ghostly figures dressed as officials entering and exiting. Not only was it difficult for mortals to enter, but it was also hard for Daoist practitioners and even ghosts.

“Fortunately, I am skilled in this Dao, which allowed me to blend in. Once inside, I faced several dangers. After some investigation, I learned that Mount Ye stretches out in a continuous expanse, with its underground and mountain regions forming their own spaces.

“In the past, there were often people who committed murder and disposed of bodies there. Later, the State Preceptor summoned laborers to renovate and expand it, making it even more formidable. Now, it resembles a city situated within the mountains and underground, even larger than many prefectural cities.

“The State Preceptor gathered all the ghosts from the northern regions. I have no idea where all these people who turned into ghosts came from, but once they were brought here, they had to go through an interrogation. Some were burned to death, some became ghost envoys, and others were said to be sent to the underground Ghost City.

“I was discovered several times, and some of the ghost envoys and Daoist priests were quite formidable. By the time I fled from Mount Ye in a panic, I was almost scattered to dust. I wandered back to the capital in a daze, took a few wrong turns along the way, and encountered ghost envoys returning with captured ghosts from the north, almost getting caught myself.

“Luckily, I managed to escape. In the end, I nearly made it back to the capital out of sheer willpower. Fortunately, I met the City God, who lent me a bit of divine power, allowing me to regain my clarity. Otherwise, when I saw you, Immortal Master, I might not have even been able to speak properly.”

After finishing his tale, the scholar ghost finally relaxed a little. He was already weak, and while he could muster the strength to speak, he seemed even more exhausted once he let his guard down.

The water in the earthen pot was boiling, bubbling away.

“Is there anything else you haven’t mentioned?”

“There’s one more thing...”

“Please, go ahead.”

“I heard from the ghosts in Mount Ye that the State Preceptor seems to want to build an underworld there, specifically to house the world’s ghostly spirits.”

“I understand.”

“That's all I know; I hope it is useful to you, Immortal Master.”

“Thank you.”

Song You was already aware of some aspects of Mount Ye. What the scholar ghost mentioned served as both a supplement and confirmation, possibly raising some points of doubt, but in any case, it was a great help.

“I previously mentioned that if you were willing to investigate for me, I would consider the past matter resolved and invite you for a cup of tea. At that time, I never imagined you would be so dedicated, nor did I expect you would endure so many dangers and trials.

“Though you are a ghost and have your shortcomings, your adherence to your promises has made me greatly admire you. A cup of tea may hardly repay your kindness.”

Song You lifted the earthen pot, pouring water from a height. As the water entered the cup, it stirred up the tea residue and aroma. White foam and green leaves instantly floated to the surface of the cup.

“Immortal Master...”

The scholar ghost stared longingly at the cup of tea, feeling both anxious and hopeful. He took a deep breath, as if he could smell the rich, steaming aroma of the tea.

This cup of tea was extraordinary.

“Here, try this!” Song You presented the tea to him.

“Immortal Master!” The scholar ghost accepted it with both hands.

The earthen cup was insulated, and for a brief moment, it didn’t feel hot. But he could clearly sense the warmth radiating from the scalding tea, a gentle heat that traveled from his fingertips to his body.

The scholar ghost couldn’t help but shiver. After becoming a ghost, he had no physical body, no skin; how could he feel hot or cold? For him, this was already a long-lost sensation.

Moreover, steam rose from the cup, carrying the fragrance of the tea.

“...”

The scholar ghost took another deep breath.

The freshness of the green tea mingled with a faint bean aroma, and combined with the heat, it felt both familiar and strange. He brought it to his lips and took a small sip.

“...”

The tea was rich and fragrant, slightly bitter yet also a touch astringent. The scholar ghost held it in his mouth, savoring it for a long time. By the time he swallowed, the hot tea had cooled.

Then came the aftertaste, as if his saliva had been stirred. Since becoming a ghost, he hadn’t tasted anything like this for a hundred years.

“How is the tea?” Song You asked, smiling at him.

The scholar ghost lifted his head, feeling a mix of emotions.

“It’s good tea...” He then lowered his head to drink slowly, unwilling to say more.

The ghost, initially weak and ethereal, gradually became more solid, as if he had regained some vitality. By the time he finished the cup, he had nearly returned to his original state.

However, upon closer examination, things were somewhat different. The scholar ghost held the cup reluctantly, greedily inhaling the lingering fragrance inside, reminiscent of orchids.

“If you can truly resolve to change your thieving ways, I happen to know of a place where various ghosts, spirits, demons and monsters gather. It is blessed by inherent deities, so there’s no need to worry about being captured by Daoists. It's also a place where you can converse with your kind and go to the market to buy incense and candles.”

“Such a place actually exists!”

“However, it’s a place that values rules. If you’re unwilling to change your ways, I cannot in good conscience tell you about it. Besides, if you go there and continue to steal, it would likely bring you more trouble than good.”

“I have already vowed not to steal again!”

“I’m willing to believe you...”

Song You then explained the location of the Pingzhou mountain market to him and repeatedly reminded him not to steal again.

The scholar ghost promised multiple times, and just as he was about to leave, he seemed to suddenly remember and asked, “May I ask, Immortal Master, if I could also go to the underworld Ghost City that the State Preceptor is building in Fengzhou?”

“It’s best not to go.”

“Understood.” The scholar ghost bowed to him and then departed.

1.

Daxue

, or Major Snow, is the 21st of the 24 solar terms on the Chinese lunar calendar. ☜