Chapter 553: A Treasure That Lady Calico Likes

The calico cat turned its head, scanning the grand hall of the temple and the many monks illuminated by candlelight. There was a vague sense of doubt creeping into its mind, though it couldn't quite pinpoint the reason.

If only Yan An were here...

Yan An was often foolish, but sometimes, he could be surprisingly clever—especially when Lady Calico didn’t recognize something. In those moments, he would suddenly become very knowledgeable.

If Yan An were here, he would definitely know why this felt strange.

For now, the calico cat could only turn its gaze toward the Daoist behind it, staring at him without blinking.

The Daoist merely lowered his head and smiled at her.

“Just watch and see...” His voice was so soft that only she could hear it.

The cat's unsettled heart immediately calmed.

At that moment, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside.

Two figures entered. The first was the young monk who had left earlier, now carrying a tray covered with a red cloth. It was impossible to tell what lay beneath. Closely following him was an older monk, walking in step with him, his protective stance revealing just how valuable the object must be.

The two monks quickly approached the higher platform of the hall, setting the tray before the head monk. Only then did they lift the red cloth.

Song You looked up.

The calico cat stretched its neck forward.

By the flickering candlelight, they could make out a golden awl resting atop the tray—entirely crafted from gold, its intricate design gleaming under the candle’s glow.

Gold...

The cat blinked.

“Our temple has many treasures, but this one is especially remarkable,” the head monk explained, lifting the golden awl from the tray without the slightest hesitation, showing no concern that the guest might covet it. His words, though earnest, were still oddly phrased due to his accent. “This treasure was obtained by chance from a land even farther west. We do not know its name.”

He continued, holding the golden awl up for Song You to see.

“This awl grants wishes. Anything of the mortal world will come to you without fail when you strike the table with it and state your desire.”

Song You understood the head monk’s words and gazed at the golden awl with a thoughtful expression.

Meanwhile, the calico cat’s eyes widened in shock.

At the same time, several monks were closely observing Song You’s reaction. Seeing that he found the awl intriguing but wasn’t particularly astonished, they exchanged glances, as if contemplating something.

“Ah, it’s summer now, almost autumn—the season when grapes ripen. The grapes from Jade City are the most famous, making them the best treat for guests. In the city, the first grapes to ripen are always those from the royal palace, and they are the finest of all.

“Since our guest has traveled all the way from the Changjing of Great Yan, surely he has seen much of the world. Let us use the first ripe grapes from the royal palace in Jade City to welcome him properly.”

The head monk, seated at the highest position, seemed eager to demonstrate something to Song You. As he spoke, he tapped the golden awl against the table.

“We request the fully ripened grapes from the royal palace of Jade City!”

“

Bang

!”

The golden awl struck the wooden surface.

In an instant, a bunch of grapes appeared on the table.

“

Meow

!”

The calico cat’s pupils suddenly dilated.

One of the monks standing nearby immediately stepped forward, picked up the grapes, and placed them on the table in front of Song You.

Before Song You even had a chance to take a closer look, his cat had already clambered onto the edge of the table, stretching its neck toward the fruit, seemingly inspecting whether it was real.

The grapes were a large bunch, likely weighing several jin. Each individual grape was plump and sizable, covered in a fine layer of sugar frost. Even without touching them, their rich, sweet fragrance filled the air.

“Please, sir, have a taste!”

“Many thanks.” Song You plucked a grape from the bunch.

It was perfectly ripe, the skin peeling away effortlessly to reveal the juicy, fragrant flesh inside.

The calico cat stared at it in disbelief.

Song You also examined the grapes, then smiled faintly. His first remark, however, was, “It seems that Jade City has not had any rain.”

The grapes were completely dry, unwashed, with no trace of water droplets on them.

“Ah, my friend, don’t be surprised. In summer, rain often falls in just one place,” a nearby monk chuckled. “Sometimes, it even seems to aim right at your head!”

“That makes sense...” Song You popped the grape into his mouth.

The flesh was tender, the juice abundant, bursting with sweetness and fragrance.

Grapes were not a rare delicacy—back in the heartlands, they were commonly eaten. Yet, here in the Western Regions, these grapes somehow felt like an entirely different fruit altogether.

Not just grapes, many of the fruits here felt distinct from those in the Great Yan heartlands.

Song You finished his grape with a slight smile, then peeled another one and placed it into his cat’s mouth.

Good things should be shared. Lady Calico deserved a taste too.

The calico cat took a bite and was even more astonished.

At that moment, a voice came from above, “Daoist Master, does it taste good?”

“It does,” Song You answered honestly. “They are worthy of being Jade City’s grapes, worthy of being grown in the royal palace.”

“Hahaha...” The monks in the hall all burst into cheerful laughter.

“Grapes are delicious, sure, but they’re just the most common thing we use to welcome guests. Daoist Master, you’re an honored guest, having traveled from such a distant place. You can’t just have grapes!” The head monk at the highest seat said. Then, leaning forward, he looked at the monks seated below and asked, “What dish should we use to host our guest?”

“There is a dish that in Great Yan is called

zuanlicai

[1],” one of the monks below replied. “Why not serve that to our guest?”

“Good!”

The head monk then raised the golden awl. “I want

zuanlicai

!”

“

Bang

!”

Suddenly, a plate of roasted chicken appeared on the table.

It was served on a large, shallow white porcelain dish.

“If we have

zuanlicai

, why not also serve a plate of

shuisuohua

?” another monk suggested.

“A plate of

shuisuohua

!”

“

Bang

!”

Immediately, a dish of grilled fish appeared on the table.

This time, it was served on a long, rectangular iron plate.

The attendant monks carefully placed the dishes in front of Song You.

“We have food and grapes now—there should be soup as well. Let’s have a bowl of

banruotang

!”

“

Bang

!”

A tray of fine liquor appeared on the table.

A wooden tray carried a gleaming silver jug, adorned with golden floral engravings and intricate patterns, inlaid with red and green gemstones. The three cups beside it were crafted in the same elegant style—just by looking at the set, one could tell the wine inside was extraordinary.

“The guest has brought a cat, so let’s bring a bowl of milk for the cat as well!”

“

Bang

!”

A bowl of fresh milk appeared on the table.

This time, the bowl was made of rough pottery.

The monks bustled back and forth, bringing each dish, the wine, and the milk to Song You.

The roasted chicken was still steaming hot, releasing a rich, meaty aroma. The grilled fish looked as if it had just been taken off the fire. Its sliced flesh was covered in fragrant spices, and the oil on the iron plate was still sizzling, making the dish even more appetizing.

The wine exuded the sweet scent of grapes, while the milk had a thin layer of cream on top.

Every single item was of the finest quality.

The head monk even used the golden awl to summon a pair of chopsticks for him.

At this point, the calico cat’s eyes had widened to their limits, her mouth slightly agape in utter astonishment.

“Please eat, honored guests!” The monk at the head seat invited him warmly.

The cat turned back to look at Song You, as if seeking his approval.

“...”

Song You pressed his lips together. He wasn’t particularly surprised that the monks were serving him meat, but he didn’t immediately pick up the chopsticks. Instead, he said, “These dishes and wine were taken from elsewhere. If their original owners have not given consent, I would not dare to eat them freely.”

Hearing this, the calico cat, who had already leaned in to sniff the grilled fish, immediately straightened up, pulling her head back at once.

𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

“Eh?” The monks were all taken aback.

“Daoist Master, how do you know these were taken from elsewhere and not created by this treasure itself?”

“You yourself said that the grapes were taken from the royal palace in Jade City,” Song You replied with a smile. Then, glancing at the other dishes, wine, and milk, he added, “Besides, how many treasures in this world can conjure such things out of thin air?”

“Amazing, truly amazing...”

“As expected of a Daoist from Great Yan!”

“A cultivator from the Celestial Empire is indeed extraordinary.”

“Such keen insight...”

The monks murmured among themselves, alternating between praising him and discussing his observation.

“

Ahem

...”

A nearby monk cleared his throat and then leaned forward with a grin. “Daoist Master, you’ve misunderstood. Although we do take these things from elsewhere, we don’t just take them randomly. Except for the grapes from the Jade City palace, we always inform the owner beforehand—and we even leave silver behind as payment.”

Song You listened but simply smiled without saying a word.

“Do you still have any concerns?” the head monk asked. “Our temple is so well-known, and everyone in Jade City knows that if something goes missing, it was taken by us. The people of Jade City are more than willing to have their things taken. In fact, they are happy when we take them, because we leave behind gold and silver worth far more than what we take. There's nothing here that cannot be eaten.”

“Oh, I see.”

Song You seemed to find the explanation reasonable and nodded. However, when he reached out his hand, he only picked another grape.

The grape was so ripe that the skin separated easily. Holding it between his fingers, he gently peeled off a small strip of skin, then brought it to his mouth and squeezed lightly. The juicy flesh slipped right into his mouth with a soft pop.

Eating this way required no washing and kept his hands clean.

Meanwhile, the aroma of the roasted chicken and grilled fish continued to waft through the air.

The calico cat sat upright, clearly tempted but determined, resisting the urge to even glance at the food.

After several more attempts from the monks to persuade him, Song You began to feel a bit annoyed. Seeing how pitiful his cat looked, he finally picked up his chopsticks to let Lady Calico have some fish and milk.

After all, they were already staying here for shelter from the rain, and it would be impolite to refuse endlessly. Whether or not what the monks said was true—whether the people of Jade City truly accepted this, whether they really left gold behind—there was no way these dishes would be returned. He might as well use them to feed his cat.

Unsurprisingly, the calico cat ate with great enjoyment.

It wasn't just because the fish and chicken were delicious or the milk was rich, but also because they had been conjured with the golden awl. To a childlike mind, this added a special charm—making the meal even more delightful.

As they continued eating, a monk finally brought up another topic.

“It is said that in those demon-infested mountains, a Great Yan army once looted the entire royal city of Weilan Kingdom, carrying away countless treasures, all of which are now frozen on the mountain. Daoist Master, since you passed through there, did you see those ice-entombed riches? Did you perhaps take a treasure or two to show us?”

“There were indeed many gold, silver, and jewels on the mountain,” Song You replied honestly, “but I did not take any treasure.”

The monks were slightly taken aback.

“Not a single treasure?”

“My cat was playful and took a single foreign gold coin as a keepsake.”

“Just one gold coin?”

“Indeed.”

“You passed through a mountain filled with gold and jewels and only took a single coin?”

“That’s right.”

“This is...”

The monks exchanged glances.

One of them suddenly burst into laughter, finally revealing their true intent. “Daoist Master, you must have ignored all that gold and silver because you have something far more valuable!”

1. According to Su Shi's

东坡志林

, monks use the euphemistic term, 钻篱菜 zuanlicai, to refer to chicken; shuisuohua refer to fish, 般若汤 banruotang to refer to wine. ☜