The calico cat that came out of Xu's house still took small steps, briskly avoiding the horse manure on the road, but with a little frown on its face.
The swordsman was also somewhat silent.
But when the Taoist looked over, the swordsman was very calm. He held his sword and said to him:
"gentlemen."
"What's wrong?"
"Shu wants to go to the city and buy a quilt." The swordsman glanced at the quilt on the maroon horse, "I will also buy a thin quilt, which will make it easier to travel north in the future."
"Do you need me to accompany you?"
"No need, go down from here to the North City Gate. Shu has already asked Mr. Xu that there are shops selling quilt bags only in the south. Sir, you can wait for me at the North Gate. If you don't want to wait, you can also go ahead to avoid Mr.
Come with me and take some more detours." Shu Yifan said, "After Shu bought it, I asked for directions and will catch up soon."
Song You thought for a while before replying: "Then I will go out from the North City Gate and walk along the official road."
"good!"
The city was deserted, and the swordsman mounted his horse and trotted away.
Song You looked at the swordsman's figure.
This swordsman was originally free and easy, keeping everything simple in his luggage, so that he could come and go as easily as the wind. Even in the cold winter, he would wear at most one thick coat, and he didn't seem to be afraid of the cold weather. But now he had to buy a quilt and mattress.
Most of them were brought by me...
Song You turned around, lowered his gaze, and saw the calico cat squatting on the roadside in front, frowning, looking like a sad face, waiting for him.
Who knows what the cat is thinking.
"Let's go."
After hearing this, the calico cat also stood up, turned to look at him, and then continued to walk forward with small steps.
"Why is there sorrow between Sanhua Empress's eyebrows?"
"Well?"
The calico cat stopped slightly and looked back at him.
Facing the Sanhua Cat's gaze, the Taoist smiled and asked, "Is Sanhua Empress thinking about something?"
"..."
The calico cat continued to stare at him.
After staring for a few times, she withdrew her gaze again, said nothing, and walked forward shaking her head.
Just walking slower than before.
When Song You caught up with her and was almost at the same level as her, she turned her head, raised her head, stared at him and said, "If Sanhua Empress's mother was still here, Sanhua Empress would also be very good to her...
…”
The voice is soft and thin, and it sounds really nice.
Song You thought for a while and only replied:
"That's natural."
The Xu family originally lived in Beicheng. Going down this street is the Beicheng Gate.
Song You left the city gate and did not stop.
About two quarters of an hour later——
There is a green hill on the small road outside the city. A man, a cat and a horse are standing on a hillside, looking into the distance while the wind is blowing.
At the foot of the mountain is the official road, which is not very wide, but is very different from the road to the south. Most of the official roads in the south go around the mountain and are winding, but here it is a straight road, and the turns are only a twist. At the same time, here
The mountains here are also much sparser than those in the south. No matter how big or small they are, the roads seem to be less prone to bends.
The calico cat had nothing to think about, just sitting on the ground and combing its hair carefully.
Song You turned around and looked around.
One is the direction of Lei Qingguan.
It's just that this place is only a day's journey from Lei Qing Temple. Although the view is wide, it is still far away.
One is Zhijiang County behind him.
You can have a panoramic view of the county seat.
The river that protects the city, the archery towers on the city wall, and the houses and courtyards inside can all be seen clearly. Even the courtyard of the Xu family can be vaguely seen if you look closely.
Song You didn't say anything, but quickly withdrew his gaze and continued to look north.
A straight road leads to the north.
Song You glanced at it for a few times, then turned around and took out the painting box from the back of the bay horse next to him.
After a while——
Master Dou took his luggage and stood on the mountain, looking around.
"This is Zhijiang County, Hezhou. Master, look behind you and see that the county seat is Zhijiang." Song You stood next to him, his hair and clothes were ruffled by the breeze, "This place is eight hundred miles away from Changjing.
It’s far away, Master’s departure from here shouldn’t be noticed by people in the world.”
"Hezhou...Zhijiang..."
"Yes."
Song You explained patiently: "After leaving Beijing, I prepared to go to the north, so I went all the way north. However, the north is dangerous and there are many monsters. For the master, the south is better."
"Dou is deeply grateful for what you have done, sir."
"After the master leaves from now on, it's best to go south and bypass Changjing." Song You said and asked him again, "Does the master have somewhere to go?"
"I just want to find a secluded place."
"If there are no more requirements, I know a place with few people."
"Sir, please enlighten me!"
"There is an old road walking from Xuzhou to Pingzhou, from Xiangle County in Xuzhou to Nanhua County in Pingzhou. There are hundreds of miles of mountains in the middle. Because the mountain road is difficult to travel, there are many demons and ghosts. Although it is closer, it is also there.
In recent years, business travelers have slowly given up on this road, and there are only a few people who still walk on this road." Song You said and paused, "I came from Xuzhou, but I have walked this road before. Although it is in the mountains.
There are many demons and ghosts, but there is a mountain god in the mountains. Under the control of the mountain god, the demons and ghosts in the mountains are also very honest and do not hurt people easily. There are also some residents in the mountains. As long as they don't run around at night, they will be fine."
"Sir, do you really mean what you say?"
"Don't dare to talk nonsense."
"In this case, it would be a good place to go."
"There are thousands of miles from here to Pingzhou. If Master really decides to go, I will give you a gift." Song You said to him.
"Sir, Mr. Dou is already so kind to Mr. Dou. How can Mr. Dou ask for Mr. Dou's gift again?"
"That's wrong." Song You shook his head, "In terms of kindness, I have benefited a lot from the master. In terms of friendship, I have been entertained by the master several times in the painting, and I feel very grateful.
Regardless of the friendship, there is no need for me to talk to you. Besides, it is not a great gift, it just helps me to reach Pingzhou better and live in the mountains."
"Then Dou will accept it shamelessly..."
Song You then groped for a moment on the horse's back and took out three talisman papers and a pill from the quilt bag.
"These two talismans, one to drive away demons and the other to drive away ghosts. When the master arrives in Pingzhou Mountain, if you don't want to be disturbed by demons and ghosts, just hang them on the wall in the house." Song You said, "If you make friends with demons and ghosts,
, If you want to invite her to your home as a guest, just take it off."
"Thank you sir."
"As for this talisman and the elixir." Song You smiled, "When I left Beijing a few days ago, I happened to meet a strange man on the road and chatted with him. It was quite speculative. This man traveled thousands of miles in a day.
I was curious about his abilities, so I shamelessly asked for a talisman and a pill."
"this……"
Master Dou stared at him blankly, deeply moved.
"Master, don't be anxious. I'm traveling all over the world and I'm never in a hurry. I'm asking for this talisman and this pill. One is to learn the ingenuity in it, and the other is to ask for it for the master." Song You said, "I'm just studying it.
I haven’t seen much success in the past few days, but now that Master is about to leave, it’s just for Master’s use.”
"..."
Master Dou was stunned for a long time before he bowed deeply.
"No need to be polite."
Song You took out a thick bowl, poured half a bowl of water, dissolved the elixir, held the talisman paper and shook it, and then it started to burn.
"According to that strange man, if the talisman elixir is turned into water and smeared on the calf, it can travel three hundred miles a day and manage hundreds of miles. Although I have not studied the secret of this spell, I can add it to it.
It can still be done if some spiritual power allows it to take care of it for a while, and maybe it can make the master go further."
The talisman paper was pressed into the water, but it did not go out. Instead, it still burned and bubbled.
By the time the paper burns out in the water, the bowl of water has turned into paste.
"When you apply it, you will feel cool at first, and then you will feel a sting. Just bear with it, and it will be fine soon." Song You handed it to Master Dou, "Master, do it yourself."
"Thank you."
Master Dou took the bowl and lifted up his robe and trousers without any doubt.
After applying the ointment, as Song You said, at first I just felt cold and cool, like an ice compress, but I don't know if it was the coldness superimposed or getting colder. It didn't take long before I felt bone-chilling cold.
Master Dou's cry of pain echoed in the mountains.
After a while, the coldness gradually disappeared.
Master Dou began to feel as light as a swallow.
He jumped back and forth a few steps, finding it very interesting. When he looked at Song You again, he saw that Song You had already picked up his luggage, handed it to him, and said with a smile: "Master, this is the farewell.
"
"..."
The excitement on Master Dou's face also stopped, and he took the luggage and a sword box from Song You. When he looked at Song You again, his expression was already very complicated.
"The first time we met, in Taiwei's Mansion, it was Mr. Dou who offended Mr. Dou. Not only did Mr. Dou not blame Mr. Dou, but he also did not covet Mr. Dou's family paintings. On the contrary, it was more helpful..." Master Dou's expression became more and more complicated. "It is possible to meet Mr. Dou."
Such a master is a blessing in Dou's life. Now that I have to say goodbye to him here, I'm afraid it will be difficult to see him again in this life."
"Meeting is fate, parting is also fate."
"Sir, please accept my courtesy!"
Master Dou packed his luggage and gave a great gift: "Sir, you are so kind and kind that I will never forget it."
"Master, walk slowly."
"Farewell."
No matter how much I said, I couldn't say anything at this time.
Master Dou packed his luggage and put two paintings in a sword box on his back. He took a step forward. He was as light as a swallow and could take several steps as easily as an ordinary person. After a few steps, he had already followed the path down the mountain.
For a moment, he seemed like a knight with good martial arts skills.
Song You was still standing here, watching his figure appear on the official road at the foot of the mountain, stopping and crossing hands with him, and then disappeared on the official road again.
"Taoist priest……"
"Um?"
"Shall we leave too?"
"Listen to Empress Sanhua."
So Song You turned around, closed the painting box, and put the empty painting box back into his quilt bag to avoid meeting people from the world on the road.
"Sanhua Empress listens to you."
"Well, I will listen to Empress Sanhua first, and then Empress Sanhua will listen to me."
"..."
The calico cat raised its head and stared at him, then followed him down the mountain.
The bay-red horse followed obediently.
A man, a cat and a horse also appeared on the official road below, but they were walking in the opposite direction to Master Dou, taking their time.
"thorough!"
Not long after, the sound of horse hooves came from behind.
A man, a cat, and a horse all stopped. Looking back, they saw a swordsman galloping over on a black horse. There was already an extra quilt bag on the horse's back. It was somewhat similar to Song You's, but smaller, so even if
It doesn't matter much if you're sitting on horseback. The quilt bag is bulging, and it's obvious that a thin quilt and cushions have been packed in it.