"If you are a mountain ghost and you want anything, just tell us. We have been walking this road for decades, and we will continue to walk for decades in the future. We can bring you whatever you want.
I wonder if I can sit down and have a cup of tea with you every time I pass by here in the future." The merchant said to Song You, "If you want to do something wrong, there are a lot of us in broad daylight, so you are not easy to bully, and you are not stupid either.
I won’t be fooled by you, so I advise you to put this thought aside and find someone else.”
"I have misunderstood you, I am really human."
"How to prove it?"
"It's absolutely true, why do you need proof?"
"Do you dare to point your finger at Thunder Lord?"
"There is a mountain god on this mountain, why do you point at Thunder God?"
"Which mountain god? The villain doesn't know..."
"Forget it, which Thunder Lord do you want to refer to?"
"How is Duke Lei of Zhou?"
Song You then smiled and said casually: "I would like to ask Lord Zhou Lei to give me a clear warning. If I am not a human being, just strike me with thunder."
"..."
The merchants looked at each other again.
I know in my heart that this kind of oath may not have much real effect, but Song You has a kind face and gentle and polite conversation. Even if he is a demon, he does not seem to be a vicious one. In addition, he is wearing a Taoist robe and walking in the mountains.
It was a bay-red horse that could swear calmly, which made them feel relieved.
Then I thought about it, if the other party is really a monster, dares to attack a group of them in broad daylight, and turns into a human being, I guess he is not a bad person, then they can only admit that they are unlucky.
It's better to be kind, don't anger others, and avoid conflicts.
"Mr. Misunderstanding! How offended!"
"Where is it?"
Song You quickly said to them: "You should be more cautious when walking in the barren mountains."
Even though Song You had encountered this life-saving philosophy of traveling merchants many times, he still found it interesting every time.
"Sir, you are not familiar with the road, but you dare to walk alone in the barren mountains. He is not a ghost, but must be an expert. I don't know where to practice?"
"I can't be called an expert, I'm just a wandering Taoist who originally practiced in Lingquan County, Yizhou."
"There are other ways to Pingzhou, why did you take this one?"
"When we reach Xiangle County, we will take this route."
"There are monsters on this road."
"I'm brave."
"Where did you sleep last night?"
"There is no owner in a barren mountain, so you can stay overnight anywhere."
"Sure enough, a skilled artist is brave."
"If you are calm in your heart, you will not be afraid of monsters." Song You looked at the group of merchants with a smile, "Aren't you guys leaving too?"
"us?"
The merchant talked back and forth with Song You. Although he did not relax his vigilance, he felt that he was not like a monster and was no longer on guard. Hearing this, he just shook his head and said: "We are used to walking. We know where to stay and we can go faster."
If you walk slower someday, you can get to the city or the edge of the military town. Secondly, we have no choice. This is the shortest road between Pingzhou and Xuzhou. Although the other road is easier to walk, it is much farther.
, although there are no goblins and ghosts on that road, bandits and bandits are not necessarily easier to talk to than the goblins and ghosts. We are just making some hard money, how can we have so many choices."
"rational."
"Sir, have you heard that people disappear inexplicably along this road every year, and that people encounter ghosts here every year?"
"Appreciate further details."
Song You looked at the group of merchants. The pot of ham and mushroom soup in front of them was still bubbling and the heat was rising. He said to them: "Would you like a bowl of hot soup? I'd like some dry food."
The merchant immediately refused.
Song You picked up the banana leaves wrapped with wild fruits again: "I also have some wild fruits picked in the mountains, do you want to try them?"
The merchant still refused.
Song You was not surprised and did not ask twice.
When walking in the mountains, it is okay to exchange a few words with strangers when meeting strangers, whether human or demon, but how dare they eat each other's food casually, regardless of whether they are humans or demons?
Evil people have their own methods of intoxication, monsters have their own methods, and it is common to use the method of making people stun people on food, water and drink.
Song You only asked symbolically.
Once the etiquette is met, that's all.
I just heard the tanned merchant say: "I don't know those people who walk this way and only see the mountains but never come out. Whether they are eaten by monsters or tigers and wolves, they are walking on the edge of the cliff."
Who knows whether I accidentally slipped and fell and died? I only know that my second uncle passed by here last year, but he saw countless fairies and ghosts."
A young man standing next to him immediately asked: "What kind of monsters and monsters? How did you meet them?"
"You're not brave! You're not restless!" The merchant shook his head, "I've been walking on this road for decades, and I haven't encountered anything wrong, so I thought it was nothing. Did you walk slower that day?
When I got to the place I wanted to go, I thought I would spend the night in the mountains. But I felt light for no reason in the middle of the night. When I opened my eyes, I found that I was sleeping in a market town. The lights were very bright, and there were stalls and restaurants everywhere.
People were coming and going in the store, and everyone was holding a kind of lantern in their hands."
"What lantern?"
The boy opened his eyes wide and asked.
"It's just a very ordinary lantern with no shape. It has nothing to do with lanterns. It's just the people holding the lanterns." The merchant said, "At first glance, I thought these people were human beings, but when I looked carefully, I couldn't see where they were human beings.
Already?"
"what is that?"
"There are all kinds of goblins and ghosts, and some of them turn into humans at most. But think about it, who would come here in the middle of the night to chase away goblins and ghosts?"
"and after?"
"My second uncle was frightened. Later, a ghost in uniform came to him and talked to him. How could he speak? Then he was taken out by the ghost by his clothes. In the end, he was the third uncle.
The next day, Lao Xu and his team passed by and saw my second uncle on the roadside, so they brought him back." The merchant said, "I got seriously ill when I came back. I'm fine now, but don't leave again.
Even if we ask him to walk around the village at night, he won't dare to go on this road. Every time we have dinner with him, he has to tell us about it."
"real or fake?"
"I don't think it's true. This road is inherently evil. I've heard that some people have encountered similar things before." The merchant paused and said calmly, "But not all fairies and ghosts are bad, just like me.
What the second uncle met was that he accidentally broke into someone else's place, but the others didn't harm him or do anything to him. Instead, they took him out."
"..."
Song You felt that this merchant seemed to be nodding at him, and he felt funny and interesting at the same time.
The two teenagers opened their eyes wide and listened with great interest.
The merchant also warned them: "So when you take over our work in the future, be sure to remember not to walk at night or sleep in the mountains, otherwise you may encounter ghosts and you may not have such good luck."
After a pause, he added: "There is really no way to encounter them. You must remember that fairies and ghosts are just like people. Most of them are reasonable. Don't offend others, don't anger them, and be respectful and polite to them."
, people will not harm you easily."
Okay, click again.
Song You didn't say anything, just took a bowl and drank soup.
The two teenagers had endless aftertaste and nodded repeatedly.
One of the young men was brave enough to look at Song You and asked tentatively: "Sir, have you heard of similar things? Didn't you encounter it last night?"
"I've heard people talk about it. They say they open the market here in the second, fifth, eighth, and late winter months." Song You only answered half of the answer, and then looked at the middle-aged businessman, "But that's right.
When walking in barren mountains, you should try to avoid walking at night. If you really can't avoid it, you should cover your head tightly at night. Don't run around and look around. It will be bad for people after all. If you encounter it, you should also
Remember that ghosts and ghosts also have intentions, don’t just treat them as savage beasts or dirty things.”
"you do not say……"
The middle-aged merchant's eyes flickered and he was thoughtful.
It wasn't until he heard this that he confirmed that the Taoist in front of him was probably not a monster. Even if he was, he should be a kind person.
Then he said:
"I just don't know the opening time of this monster market. How do you know, sir?"
"I heard it too, I don't know if it's true or not." Song You smiled and shook his head, "You can try to avoid it in the future, or you can tell the merchants traveling on this road, but don't spread it too far, lest those people
Idiots who yearn for monsters and ghosts come here specifically to encounter danger again."
"yes……"
Song You raised his head and drank the soup.
After adding ham, the soup became much fresher, and even the color of the soup changed a bit. It's just a pity that old hens should be used as the soup base, and the mushrooms and ham should be cooked in, then it would be beautiful.
This happens to be the last bite.
After Song You finished drinking, he went to the mountain spring to wash dishes.
When they came back, this group of merchants had basically rested enough and did not want to stay any longer and wanted to continue on their way.
Song You then stopped by the roadside and said goodbye to them.
"Go first!"
"Farewell!"
A procession of men, horses and mules passed him.
The dark-faced merchant couldn't help turning his head to look at him.
This Taoist and a girl is certainly strange.
If we say that the Taoist's complexion is fair and fair, with no traces of sun exposure, then we can only say that he has a noble bearing. But the girl is exceptionally beautiful, with glowing white skin, without any trace of tanning or redness on her body or face.
There was no dust or dirt at all, which is extremely rare for children these days, let alone walking in the mountains and sleeping in the open air.
There are many legends about immortals, gods, demons and ghosts in Pingzhou, and demons and ghosts often appear in this mountain. It is normal to think of them as demons and ghosts at first.
As for now——
Either a monster or a master!
It’s just what this Taoist said at the end...
At this moment, the merchant saw the Taoist turn around to pack his things, wipe the pots and bowls and put them in his quilt bag, and then put the quilt bag on the horse's back, and above the quilt bag, there was a simple-looking lantern hanging.
Isn’t it late February today?
The Taoist turned to look at him.
The merchant was stunned for a moment and wanted to quickly look away, but he stopped unexpectedly and instead raised his hand in that direction.
"What's wrong, Uncle Yang?"
"nothing."
"Why did you give up to him again?"
"Let's go."
The businessman shook his head, still feeling that way in his heart——
This young gentleman is either a monster or a master.
It's just that no matter whether you are a demon or a master, if you have moral principles, good character, and sincerely help others, you can be called a god.