Chapter 363: Traveling Together to Fengzhou

“The road to Yangzhou passes through Fengzhou,” Miss Wanjiang said calmly and sincerely, explaining her thoughts. “I’ve heard that the State Preceptor has built a Ghost City on Mount Ye, leveraging the current circumstances. It may serve as the prototype and future bridge between the underworld and the human realm, forming a counterpart to the Heavenly Palace. It’s quite extraordinary. To be honest, I’m indeed curious, and I’d like to see it for myself.”

“You’re so guarded against us,” the maid said, looking deeply hurt. “I thought that after sharing a few meals, we were already good friends.”

“Perhaps we’ll even meet some old acquaintances there,” Miss Wanjiang added.

“But there’s another reason for going to Fengzhou,” the maid said, her tone more serious in deference to her mistress’s sincerity.

She continued, “Her Highness, the Princess, was demoted to commoner status and sent to Yaozhou. The last time she left the capital, it was in such a rush, and the journey was so crowded that we didn’t get the chance to see her off. This is a good opportunity to visit her in Yaozhou, bid her a proper farewell, and repay a past debt of gratitude.”

“As my mistress puts it,” the maid continued, “everything should have a beginning and an end. It’s like when we returned that painting from Mount Chang to Lady Calico and you, Daoist Master.”

“If you disapprove of demons observing the Ghost City, we’ll take another route,” Miss Wanjiang said. “I’ve heard it’s heavily guarded. The State Preceptor has his defenses in place, and we may not even be able to approach.”

“Exactly. Even without the Daoist, we probably wouldn’t be able to reach Mount Ye. At most, we’d spend some time chatting with old acquaintances in Zi Commandery.”

“...”

It was an unusual way of speaking—carrying a conversation entirely by themselves without needing anyone else to respond.

Song You listened quietly, watching them. Once they finished, he finally asked, “The old acquaintances you mentioned—who might they be?”

“Didn’t we already tell you?” the maid replied. “Great demons from Yuezhou have been heading south, searching for a new path under the current Heavenly Dao.”

“Mind your manners,” Miss Wanjiang said, casting a sidelong glance at the maid before bowing her head to Song You, her voice gentle. “In truth, we can’t be certain. But since the marsh dragons have been heading south, and now, the National Preceptor of Great Yan has used the momentum of the world and the evolution of the Heavenly Dao to build a Ghost City in Fengzhou, which will eventually develop into the underworld.

“If we were powerful demons of the marsh dragon clan, we certainly wouldn’t let this opportunity slip by. That’s why we suspect there might be something worth investigating and would like to take a look—perhaps there’s an old acquaintance from the marsh dragon clan we met many years ago over there.”

“Besides, we don’t have a specific destination,” the maid added.

“I see,” Song You replied, nodding thoughtfully.

“What do you think?” Miss Wanjiang asked.

“Can we travel together?”

“If it’s inconvenient, that’s fine too,” she added gently. “We can follow the Yuqu River and Yin River south, visit the Princess, and then head directly to Yangzhou. You needn’t feel pressured.”

“You misunderstand,” Song You said with a smile. “I was just asking. Since the timing aligns, and our routes overlap, meeting again by chance feels like destiny. Traveling together would naturally be a good thing. However, my travels are usually quite spontaneous. I don’t follow a fixed route and often camp outdoors. I’m not sure if our paths will stay aligned for long.”

“You misunderstand as well. I’m not picky at all—our behavior in Changjing was merely an act.”

“Don’t forget, Daoist Master, we’re foxes. Foxes are born to the wild. The sky is our blanket, the ground our bed. Wherever we go, we can curl up in a spot sheltered from the wind and rain and sleep just fine.”

“That’s good, then.”

Song You wasn’t sure what their intentions were, but he figured it was better to have them where he could see them than where he couldn’t. So he simply said, “Do you two need a rest?”

“Sitting in the carriage is enough rest for us.”

“Daoist Master, don’t worry about us. Just go at your own pace. We’ll follow behind, and we won’t interfere. That way, we’re all comfortable.”

“That’s best.”

With that, Song You started walking again.

The child and the horse followed behind him.

The group moved at a steady but unhurried pace. Miss Wanjiang’s carriage trailed behind, traveling at a walking speed. The wooden axles creaked and groaned as the carriage swayed along. Miss Wanjiang remained inside, hidden behind the curtain, so her figure was obscured. The maid, however, sat outside beside the driver, chatting with him cheerfully.

“Lady Calico, would you like to ride in the carriage?”

“I’ve ridden in a carriage before!”

“Would you like to ride again?”

“I can walk by myself!”

“Isn’t it tiring to walk?”

“We also have a horse!”

The little girl stayed close to the Daoist, holding her candy stick and keeping her eyes fixed on the others, her gaze slightly wary.

This sense of vigilance was derived from observing how the Daoist treated them. The judgments of the young about good and evil were often clear-cut yet irrational. If they sensed that their own guardian didn’t get along well with another, the adult might handle it with tact, but the child would instinctively follow suit without hesitation, mimicking the adult's choices.

However, unlike adults, children wouldn’t conceal their feelings as easily.

“Why do you feel the need to guard against us?”

The maid sat on the wooden plank at the front of the carriage, her body rising and falling with the bumps of the uneven road. She appeared extraordinarily light, entirely unbothered by the motion. Swinging her legs, she looked at the Daoist with a playful smile.

“Your wariness toward us stems entirely from what we’ve chosen to share with you. If we hadn’t said a word and simply headed south after the New Year, how would you have any reason to guard against us?”

“Fair point,” Song You replied, continuing to walk.

Though it was the maid speaking, he treated it as though the fox demon herself were addressing him directly.

“Daoist Master, this vigilance makes things far less comfortable. Why not interact with us as freely as you did in Changjing?” The maid’s legs kicked up with another jolt from the carriage. “My mistress is entirely sincere in regarding you as an old friend—nothing could be more genuine. If it weren’t, why would she, upon noticing the first bloom of the plum blossoms, immediately pluck a branch to give to you?”

“So that branch of plum blossoms was from you two?”

“Indeed,” the maid said. “We visited again before the New Year. You didn’t ask, so we thought you already knew. Turns out you didn’t.”

“With your unparalleled skill at concealing yourselves, how could I possibly have known?”

“Ah, Daoist Master, you jest. Ever since we perfected our art of concealment, you’re one of the few who can still see through us.”

“That day, I merely had the benefit of the right timing.”

“Then who did you think left the plum blossoms?”

“I thought some scholar had left them,” Song You answered honestly.

“How could you lump my mistress together with those bearded scholars of Changjing?” the maid said, feigning heartbreak. Then she covered her mouth with a mischievous grin. “But I suppose it’s not too bad—at least it wasn’t another woman.”

“...” Song You was speechless for a moment. “Am I speaking to the tail, or to the true form?”

“What difference does it make?”

“...”

Meanwhile, Lady Calico had finished her candied syrup. Even the bamboo sticks had been licked clean, leaving no trace of sweetness. She kept walking while staring at the sticks with hesitation and reluctance. Finally, she made up her mind, raised her hand high, and tossed them into the roadside grass.

Then, stepping forward, she transformed into her cat form with a

whoosh

, darting quickly ahead before pausing to wait for them.

Her eyes occasionally flicked toward the coachman.

“Do you wish to hear some

guqin

music?”

“Feel free,” Song You replied.

“How about some wine?”

“I don’t enjoy drinking, and I never drink while traveling,” Song You replied.

“What about Lady Calico?”

“Humph! I don't drink either!”

“What if it’s rice wine soup?”

“Rice wine soup!”

Overhead, a swallow flitted gracefully by, alighting on a tree ahead. It lazily preened its feathers while keeping an eye on the travelers below.

As they passed by, the swallow continued grooming itself, watching them without haste. Only when they had gone a good distance did it spread its wings and glide after them.

The sound of a

guqin

began to drift from the carriage.

The scenery along the way was familiar early-spring vistas.

However, unlike the misty, rainy weather when they first came, the sky was now clear and bright. The dry road made for easier travel, and with the intermittent accompaniment of

guqin

music from behind, the journey felt rather pleasant.

Before they knew it, afternoon had arrived.

“Sir,” the swallow called as it flew down, flapping its wings to perch atop a tree beside the road. “Ahead lies the boundary of Donghe County.”

This time, they were traveling much faster than before, thanks mainly to the dry roads.

“Do you know where the Qingxiao Temple is in Donghe County?”

“Qingxiao Temple should be quite well-known in Donghe County,” the swallow replied. Having already heard of Qingxiao Temple twice while in Changjing, it hesitated briefly before adding, “About five or six li ahead, there’s a tea stand by the roadside. If you’d like to visit Qingxiao Temple, I can assume human form and inquire there.”

“That would be a great help. Thank you.”

Flap, flap, flap...

The swallow suddenly twisted in mid-air, flapping its wings as it flew off into the distance.

It alternated between vigorously flapping, gliding with its wings spread wide, and folding its wings to dive, rising and falling like skipping a stone across the sky. In mere moments, it had flown more than a mile away.

Song You glanced back at the carriage. The maid inside tilted her head and smiled, meeting his gaze.

“I plan to visit Qingxiao Temple,” he said.

“Then we’ll have the honor of sharing a Daoist meal with you,” the maid replied.

“As long as you don’t mind,” Song You said.

“As I said, Daoist Master, please feel free to do as you wish. If we’d rather not stay at the temple, we can find another place to rest. If we think you’re walking too slowly, we’ll go ahead to wait for you at the next destination. If we think you’re moving too fast and want to pause to enjoy the scenery, we can catch up to you later,” the maid said with a playful grin. “This way, everything is easygoing.”

From inside the carriage, a single note of the

guqin

sounded.

It was unclear if it was in agreement, as the music continued on its own afterward.

The tune was familiar—it was the same one often played by Mr. Yang of Pine Cottage in Yidu.

“That’s for the best,” Song You said, his mood lightening as he stopped worrying about their company.

He continued down the official road at a leisurely pace. When he reached the tea stand ahead, the young man in black and white clothing was just emerging. It seemed he had spent quite some time rehearsing what to say and had only just asked for directions.

Spotting them, he walked over to Song You and said, “Qingxiao Temple isn’t far—it’s west of the county seat. I'll go and find the way. We'll definitely arrive before nightfall.”

“Good,” Song You replied.

The young man jogged ahead, and once he reached a secluded spot, he transformed back into a swallow and soared into the sky.

“Do you know,” the maid said, sitting on the wooden plank and gazing at him, “that when a demon first takes human form, it’s the loneliest time? Neither fully human nor still the creature they once were. Take that swallow, for instance—though it has a flock, its solitary nature isolates it. Meeting someone like you is truly a blessing.”

The maid sat on the wooden plank and looked at him. "If we had met you when we were young, our journey to maturity might have been much more exciting and smooth."

“...”

Song You turned to look at her. “Your tone just now sounded quite like your true form.”

“The things you pay attention to are so interesting.”

“You flatter me.”

The Daoist continued walking forward.

The cat still followed by his side, but its four paws didn’t seem to obey it very well. With each step, it lifted its paws high, as if unable to bend them. It looked much like an ordinary cat wearing shoes for the first time, wobbling sideways every now and then and struggling to steady itself.