Chapter 405: Mount Zunzhe in Huangliang County

“

Since ancient times, when loved ones part,

Tears flow more from the common heart,

Than ever graced the palace floor,

Where sorrow hides behind closed doors

.”

Song You walked leisurely, leaning on a bamboo staff. Paired with the spring scenery, he looked like he was out on a relaxing excursion. Behind him, a jujube-red horse obediently carried a bag of bedding and followed closely. Compared to the horse’s steadfastness, the cat and the swallow were much freer.

Yaozhou was a region full of rugged mountains and treacherous waters, with heavy miasma lingering in the air.

Even though it was spring, the heat already resembled the height of summer.

Places like Zhengxi and Anmin weren’t too bad, but the farther south they went, the hotter it became. The proportion of indigenous people increased, and fewer people spoke the official language.

Song You often struck up casual conversations along the way, but more often than not, he couldn’t understand what was being said. Occasionally, amidst the thickly accented official dialect, he would catch snippets about how even in winter, this area felt like a warm spring.

However, there was one thing he found particularly interesting—

“It seems like we’re getting close to Xuzhou,” Song You remarked as he sat on the ground in a bamboo grove, holding a copy of

Yudi Jisheng

. He turned to address Lady Calico.

“Xuzhou?” The calico cat, who had been nibbling on grass by the roadside, immediately turned its head to look at him.

The swallow also flew over, landing on the Daoist’s shoulder. It lowered its head and stared intently at the book in his hand.

“Yes, Xuzhou.”

“Is that the Xuzhou we passed through when we left Yidu?”

“Lady Calico, your memory is quite impressive.”

“Is it the Xuzhou where the swallow’s family is from?”

“Lady Calico, your memory is extraordinary.”

“Is it the Xuzhou where we met that neighbor, the heroine?”

“You never forget anything.” Song You said this, but then paused. “But why haven’t you mentioned that neighbour recently?”

“I remember her name.”

“You’re truly remarkable.”

“Xuzhou is far away!”

“It’s very close to here.”

“Hmm?” The cat tilted her head, looking at him with a puzzled expression. “But we’ve traveled so far!”

“Yes, it’s been seven years.”

“Seven years!”

“Come here, Lady Calico.”

Lady Calico had visibly matured. Perhaps the year spent living independently on Mount Ye, learning and taking care of her paralyzed, picky-eating Daoist on the high platform, had played a major role. Maybe it also had something to do with the intense upheaval from a year ago. In any case, with Lady Calico growing increasingly clever, Song You handed her the map.

He also pulled the half-chewed blade of grass from her mouth, using its pointed end to trace the map in the book as he explained, “We originally started here. This is Yizhou. Then we traveled east and south to Xuzhou. After that, we went east and north, reaching Changjing. From there, we circled around in the north, returned to Changjing, and then journeyed southward again. We passed through Fengzhou and arrived in western Yaozhou, which is here...”

Song You pointed to Yaozhou on the map.

The cat stared at it intently, her expression serious.

Song You then pointed to a province west of Yaozhou. “This is Xuzhou, where we traveled before. It’s also the swallow’s hometown, where Liujiang is located.”

The cat didn’t blink, her expression still focused and serious.

By this point, she no longer asked questions like, “Why didn’t we just come here directly?” Just as she no longer questioned why the Daoist climbed mountains only to come back down again, enduring such hardship.

After all, Lady Calico was remarkably intelligent. Over the years of accompanying the Daoist, she had come to understand why he descended the mountain and the meaning behind the journey.

For her, though, most of the journey’s meaning still lay in simply following the Daoist.

Just as the Daoist had told her when he invited her to leave the small temple: traveling with him so he wouldn’t feel lonely. And as she often said in her daily life: following the Daoist.

Patiently, Song You spent more time explaining to her the layout of the Great Yan and the basic concepts of geography.

“Are we going back to Xuzhou?” Lady Calico looked at Song You with a serious expression.

“Do you want to go back home for a visit?” Song You turned slightly toward the swallow perched on his shoulder. “If you want to return for a look, we can wait for you in the next county for a couple of days. It’s not far anyway. With your speed, you probably wouldn’t even need half a day to fly back. Meanwhile, we can take a break.”

The cat also turned her head, staring at the swallow.

“...”

The swallow thought for a moment before speaking. “The old ancestor has already ascended to the heavens and isn’t in Anqing anymore. I do want to go back, but there’s not much to see. A day would be enough for me to make the round trip.”

“That’s fine.” Song You nodded, gazing at the simple map in his hand, his eyes tinged with a hint of reminiscence.

When they had first reached Xuzhou, it was shortly after leaving the mountain. After departing from Yidu, they headed straight for Xuzhou. Thinking back now, if he focused solely on that moment, it felt as if it hadn’t been that long. But in reality, over seven years had passed.

Reflecting on the mountains and rivers they had traversed, the roads they had walked, and the trials they had faced over those seven years, it felt like a lifetime ago.

Song You, naturally, wouldn’t make a special trip back just to visit.

The old Swallow Immortal was no longer in Xuzhou. As for the old temple owner of Zoujiao Temple, whom he had once known, he wasn’t sure if they were still around either. The Great Liujiang Gathering would probably still be held, but not this year. Even if it were, the chances of meeting old acquaintances were slim. What remained would only be the familiar mountains and rivers.

Song You intended to revisit those familiar landscapes one day, at least once. Before his life came to an end, he would need to see the roads he had traveled in his youth. But it was evident that now wasn’t the time.

“Where are we going then?”

“To Mount Zunzhe.” Song You answered Lady Calico, tracing a line on the map with his hand. “We’ll take our time, exploring Yaozhou’s customs and scenery along the way.”

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“Alright!”

“...” The Daoist smiled faintly, closing the book in his hand with a soft

thud

.

Unknowingly, the season of falling blossoms had arrived.

Ahead lay an endless expanse of misty waters, with the evening sun slanting across a thousand li. Countless mountains stretched into the distance, with scattered crimson petals falling like rain.

***

In the summer of the ninth year of the Mingde era, in Huangliang County, Xie Commandery of Yaozhou.

A Daoist, leaning on a bamboo staff and covered in the dust of long travels, arrived in this remote small town, looking around as he walked. Behind him followed a jujube-red horse, neither bridled nor saddled, quietly trailing in his footsteps.

This small town was situated at the base of Mount Zunzhe, only a few dozen li away. On a clear day, the towering mountain could be seen from within the town itself.

However, Song You did not plan to stay in the town. Along the way, he had already asked for directions and learned that there were several inns directly at the base of Mount Zunzhe, making it more convenient to stay there.

Mount Zunzhe was likely the tallest mountain in all of Yaozhou and Langzhou. Its vast range stretched hundreds of li, naturally dividing Yaozhou from Langzhou. Towering above this range stood Mount Zunzhe, resembling a colossal pillar holding up the heavens.

It looked much like a motionless old man standing guard, thus earning the name “Mount Zunzhe”, which meant “the Mountain of the Venerable One”.

Climbing Mount Zunzhe required a full day, so it was only natural to spend the night at its foot beforehand.

Thus, Song You merely passed through Huangliang County, stocking up on supplies before reaching the base of the mountain by dusk. He planned to take advantage of the good weather over the next two days to climb the mountain first and rest back in town afterward.

As expected, there were several inns at the mountain's base, and there were quite a few travelers.

Song You selected one and checked in. He bought a bowl of

diaohu

rice[1] from the innkeeper and took the opportunity to inquire about Mount Zunzhe.

The innkeeper, accustomed to catering to tourists, had likely answered similar questions countless times. As soon as Song You began to ask, the innkeeper rattled off the details without hesitation, “See that yellow dirt road right outside the inn, sir? Tomorrow morning, get up early and head left. Follow that road straight ahead, and you'll come to a checkpoint where they'll ask you to pay a mountain tax—fifty wen.

“Once you've paid, follow the small path, and you can head up the mountain. Horses, donkeys, or mules can also make the climb. If you're quick, you can reach the top by mid-afternoon; if you're slower, it'll be evening. There's little chance of losing your way. Not that there's only one path up the mountain, but you've come at the right time. If you start early, you'll find the trail packed with people.”

“Fifty wen for a mountain tax?”

“That's right, sir. It's a famous mountain, Mount Zunzhe. They say lighting incense at the peak brings blessings, and even bringing back a stone from the mountain wards off evil spirits. Fifty wen isn’t a bad deal,” the innkeeper explained. “Besides, it’s all collected by the local government.”

“How much would it cost for a child, then?”

“What age are we talking about?”

The innkeeper glanced curiously at the Daoist, then looked around. Seeing no children, only a calico cat sitting with its head raised and bright eyes staring intently, the innkeeper couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you traveling alone, sir? Why are you asking about children?”

“About this tall.” Song You gestured with his hand to indicate a height.

“That’s more than half the height of an adult,” the innkeeper said with a frown, shaking his head. “For someone that size, it depends. If you run into someone decent, they might not charge you at all. But if you run into someone without a conscience, they might still charge you half. If you’re willing to secretly slip ten wen into the official’s belt, maybe no one will ask for payment.”

“I see.” Song You nodded, then asked, “Are there really a lot of people climbing the mountain?”

“It’s a famous mountain, so there are plenty, sir. Even officials and nobles aren’t uncommon.”

“Thank you, innkeeper.”

“Just make sure you leave early...”

“I’ll remember.” Song You turned to look outside.

It was sunset. The distant mountains were dark and shadowy, and the clouds overhead were thick. However, a single gap in the clouds allowed the setting sun’s light to shine through, painting the clouds above the mountains in fiery hues.

Beneath the clouds, a massive stone figure seemed to stand with hands cupped, its bulky body cloaked in a robe that reached the ground. Its upper half extended into the clouds, obscuring its true form and leaving only the lower half visible.

Outside the inn, an official was seated in a bamboo litter, carried by two men, crossing from one side of the street to the other.

“Your meal is ready!” A bowl of rice was placed in front of Song You.

It was a bowl of blackened rice, served in a coarse, brown earthenware bowl. Each grain of rice was long, thin, and black, with a rough texture. A few pieces of pickled radish were scattered on top, but there was nothing else.

Song You picked up his chopsticks and took a bite. It seemed that in addition to the pickled vegetables, the innkeeper had poured a little sour broth over the rice. The meal had a slight tanginess, giving it some flavor. In the heat of summer, it was quite appetizing, though the texture of the rice itself couldn’t exactly be called good—at most, it was novel.

Diaohu

rice was, in fact, wild rice.

In the past, it was a staple food in many regions of the Great Yan, but over time, due to various reasons, it was gradually phased out. Interestingly, as it ceased to be a staple and became increasingly rare, some places began using it to entertain distinguished guests—perhaps as a nod to tradition.

“Lady Calico, have a taste as well.”

Song You scooped a spoonful of rice, paired it with a small piece of pickled radish, and placed it in his palm, offering it to the cat.

The cat obediently took a bite.

She froze for a moment, then glanced blankly at the Daoist. Out of frugality, she forced herself to swallow it, though her gaze toward Song You afterward was filled with a mix of pity and concern.

Song You, on the other hand, finished the entire bowl.

1. Diaohu is a type of Chinese wild rice. ☜