In recent years, the imperial court has become more and more strict about "privately slaughtering farm cattle". Beef has become increasingly difficult to buy in other places and the price has become more and more expensive. Lingbo is not affected at all.
The Taoist did not visit the family who had helped bring the letter, but stayed in a hotel in the city for the night.
We had beef that night, and we had a great time.
Lingbo’s beef is still so good.
I was just walking through the streets of this small town. I originally thought that I had just taken a quick stroll. Over the past thirteen years, my memory has long been blurred. Unexpectedly, the memory has been blurred. However, in the past thirteen years, this small town has become almost a bit different.
Nothing has changed. Once you step onto the street, the memories of those years immediately come flooding back.
The Taoists of that time were naturally different from those of today.
The Sanhua Empress at that time was also different from now.
Back in the hotel room, the Taoist took out a horn comb and combed his hair randomly. The memories and memories of that year still kept coming back, as if a long time had passed, and it seemed like it was not long ago.
It seems that not long ago, the Taoist came here with a bay red horse and a calico cat. The road was really unfamiliar. After several inquiries at dusk, he walked to Qianzao Lane, found the businessman named Chen Han, and handed over the letter.
Later, he cried bitterly and persuaded him to stay as a guest. However, it was getting dark and there was the sound of horse hooves outside again.
She was a woman, her face covered with cloth, tall and tall. She brought with her a short southwestern horse with yellow mane and a long knife with a wooden handle and a wooden scabbard. She also came to deliver a message.
The streets I walked through during the day were those I walked with old friends at that time.
I seem to still remember the days we spent chatting randomly.
Ganzao Lane has not changed much either.
Under the old trees at the entrance of the alley, there are still people telling ancient stories at dusk, and there are still children lying on the trees listening, but the number of people listening to the stories has changed.
Even the horn comb in my hand was bought in this small town that year. In the following thirteen years, it has not been broken or lost. It has been used to this day and is almost the same as when I first bought it.
The most amazing place is right here.
This small town has hardly changed, and Taoist felt that he had not changed much, but suddenly, it was already thirteen years ago.
It really felt like it had been stolen.
Early the next morning.
The Taoist still bought two kilograms of beef and went on the road. He left Lingbo County, walked along the official road along the river, and soon entered the temple.
The temple is not big. It is similar to Wang Shanggong's temple next to Jinyang Road. It is also similar to the second temple of Sanhua Empress. There is a stone statue inside, which can be vaguely identified as a Taoist. It is just carved according to the oral image.
It was not allowed in the first place. During the carving, some decorations were added according to people's imagination of the gods, and some parts of the clothes were painted in colors. When the Taoist stood in front of the stone statue, they could hardly recognize that the other was themselves.
.
There is a horse behind the stone statue, which was shrunk during the carving to the size of a donkey. There is also a squatting cat at its feet. The carving is not lifelike, and it can only be seen that it is a small animal no higher than the knees.
The Taoist stood in front of the stone statue and looked at it.
The girl also stood in front of the cat statue, sticking her head out and observing the cat statue without blinking.
"Is this us, meow?"
"should be."
Song You recalled that when he had just left Xuzhou and arrived in Pingzhou, when he practiced night mooring in Jingdao Lake at the foot of Yunding Mountain, the first wisp of incense and aspiration came from here. As expected, it came from here.
"It's not similar at all." The girl raised her head, "It's not like Sanhua Empress at all."
"Me neither."
"It's even less like you!"
"Yeah?"
The Taoist looked down at her: "Then please tell me, Lady Sanhua, is this a cat or a dog?"
"..."
The girl raised her head and stared at him.
After staring for a moment, he turned around and went out.
There seemed to be someone coming and talking outside.
The Taoist ignored it and took out three sticks of incense, intending to burn one for himself.
When no one is approaching, shake the incense stick.
"..."
Smoke naturally came out from the top of the incense stick.
The Taoist had a smile on his face, but he was not perfunctory at all. He held the incense and bowed respectfully three times before inserting it into the stone cauldron.
The fragrance of the thread floats upward leisurely.
"Quite interesting..."
The Taoist looked at him for a moment, then turned around and left.
A family of three came outside, carrying incense and candles, and chatting while walking. Their children, dressed in three-color clothes, stood under the tree outside the door, standing on tiptoes, raising their left hands, and plucking leaves from the tree.
The Taoist was about to leave directly, but after taking only two steps, he saw his own boy picking leaves on tiptoes. He could clearly pick them, but he didn't move. He turned to stare at the three people.
"I originally thought that the story told by the Taoist priest was false, but I didn't expect that when I left the next day, I followed you Wengweng out and walked around. I met the Taoist priest and said hello to him. It was the Taoist priest who took me there.
The calico cat actually started talking, and I realized that what the Taoist priest said was true, and that cat god was the cat next to him." The young man in commoner clothes said, "And do you know who that Taoist priest is?"
"who is it?"
"In this temple..."
"ah?"
"Now you know why our family bought a boat. The first thing we wanted to do was worship the gods here, right?"
"Have you seen the gods!"
"yes……"
"How old were you, daddy, at that time?"
"A little older than you now, about seven or eight years old."
Several people walked towards the temple while talking.
Sanhua Empress turned her head and followed their movement, watching them closely. Naturally, the family of three also saw the girl under the tree, and the Taoist priest next to them who was about to leave, especially the unblinking man who looked at them.
The girl who was staring could not help but cast her gaze.
The Taoist took the bamboo stick and walked onto the official road.
The girl finally picked off the leaves and followed.
"That little doll is staring at us..."
"Leave people alone."
The young man waved his hand and felt strange, but as soon as he walked into the temple, took out the incense and prepared to pay homage, he suddenly felt that something was wrong, and couldn't help but walk out of the temple and look at the Taoist priest who was gradually walking away.
For a moment it just felt very familiar.
…
"Miss Sanhua, that person seems familiar, but she doesn't seem to recognize it." The girl took the leaves and rubbed them in her hands, rubbing them into pieces. "She seems to remember it, but she doesn't seem to remember it."
"Maybe he's an old friend."
"How come they have grown so big, but Sanhua Empress has only grown so little?" The girl looked at the Taoist in confusion, feeling that the matter was not simple.
"Perhaps it's because they live a short life and will grow old in a few years. Naturally, they have to grow up quickly, otherwise it will be too late." Song You opened his mouth and said, "And Empress Sanhua has a high level of cultivation, at least she has
With a lifespan of hundreds of years, there is no need to rush to grow up."
"But you said before that if a monster wants to grow up after turning into a human, he must wait until his heart grows. As big as his heart is, he will be as big as he becomes a human."
"Ms. Sanhua has an extraordinary memory."
"Why hasn't Sanhua's heart grown up yet?"
"Of course Sanhua Empress has a pure and exquisite heart."
"What's this?"
"I just thought."
"Is Sanhua Empress stupid?"
"No, on the contrary, this is rare." Song You's expression became serious, and he turned his head to look at her as he walked, "Many people and monsters will envy such a Sanhua Empress, well, including many years later.
The Sanhua Empress herself. So don’t change it easily.”
"I don't understand~"
"When will I lie to Empress Sanhua?"
"right……"
The bells on the horses' necks jingled, echoing in the mountains and riversides. The mountain road was winding, and the group walked farther and farther.
Listening to the sound of the bells, looking at the familiar winding mountain road, looking at the mountains beside the road, the green river water reflecting the mountains, and the picturesque scenery, the Taoist sometimes feels in a trance, always feeling behind him
At any time, there might be a sound of bells and hoofbeats, and a woman from the world riding a yellow-maned horse might be coming, passing by the Taoist, stunned for a moment, and suddenly reining in the horse.
When I came back to my senses, I was still alone on the road.
Walking all the way to Anqing, we encountered heavy mountains and winding rivers, and the fog on the river and between the mountains persisted even in the afternoon.
I met mountain bandits three times. Today's thieves are even less sophisticated than before. I only relied on the protection of Sanhua Empress to be able to pass safely. I also met several waves of business travelers, talked with them, and listened to them talk about Anqing's last episode.
The Liujiang Conference, the increasingly prosperous Yanxian Temple, the story of the Lingbo shepherd boy and the gods.
This time I seemed to be walking faster than last time.
At dusk, we arrived outside the city.
Song You did not enter the city first, but went to the Taoist temple outside the city first.
The Taoist temple is still closed. There is a banner on the top of the mountain gate with gilt calligraphy: dragon and snake:
Go to Jiao Temple.
Look at the left and right sides of the mountain gate:
There is no selflessness in heaven and earth, and you will naturally gain blessings by doing good;
The sages and sages have the education, and if you cultivate yourself, you can bring order to your family.
It seems like nothing has changed.
"Tuk tuk..."
The Taoist raised his hand and knocked on the mountain door.
Not long after, footsteps were heard from inside.
"Squeak..."
The mountain gate opened immediately.
Inside was a young Taoist boy, younger than the one who opened the door many years ago. He looked at Song You strangely. Maybe it was because he had not encountered the Liujiang Conference at this time and there were not so many Jianghu people coming to disturb him. Maybe it was because the Taoist boy had changed.
After changing his temper, Tao Tong did not give him a cold face, but asked:
"Where did the Taoist priest come from? Who are you looking for?"
"My surname is Song You, a Taoist from Fulongguan in Yizhou. I came here to visit my old friend." Song You said, "I wonder if Taoist Master Qingyangzi is still there?"
"Master? Master has passed away long ago..."
"..."
The Taoist pursed his lips. He had encountered so many things. Apart from his feelings, he was not too surprised. He just asked: "When did it happen?"
"It's been several years and I don't even remember it."
"several years……"
Even if it is not far away from his own old ways.
The Taoist shook his head, smiled, and said to him: "In that case, we won't bother you and leave."
"etc……"
The Taoist boy opened his eyes wide but refused to let them go.
Since you know your master and come to your door again, you are a guest. No matter whether you are a cultivator or an ordinary person, when a guest comes to your door, even if your master has passed away, why should you let the guest leave just like that?
So he warmly persuaded him to stay and invited him into the mountain gate.
Fortunately, there are still old friends in the temple——
He was the direct disciple of Qing Yangzi and the Taoist boy who opened the door for Song You. He was a teenager at the time and is now thirty. He has achieved success in practice and has become the new master of the Taoist temple.