The mist he summoned had long since dissipated, and several children in shabby clothes were squatting on the ground at close range, looking at him curiously.
Seeing Yu Xian making sudden movements, the children were caught off guard and screamed in fright.
Yu Xian laughed and looked around.
The place where he was trapped was shady, but he avoided the suffering of the sun.
There was a piece of rough pancake placed as far as the hand could reach.
The cake was dark and pressed on a leaf.
Yu Xian smiled and did not move.
He has that mysterious wooden box to keep him alive. Although it will be very hard for him to live without food, he doesn't want to make himself so miserable.
Perhaps it was Yu Xian's good temper that made the children gradually lose their fear. The children came over curiously and began to ask Yu Xian some questions.
When Yu Xian was extremely bored, he answered questions attentively while asking these children about things going on around them.
After a while, Yu Xian asked him everything he wanted to know.
Hulao Pass guards the main road and is a place that those desperate businessmen cannot avoid.
In order to buy at a low price and sell at a high price, merchants in this era often had to travel hundreds of miles to sell goods. Now that the world is so unstable, businessmen who come and go can only stay together to stay warm and resist risks together.
These merchants sell goods along the way and need to stop in the city from time to time.
Whenever this happens, there will be a short-term prosperity in Hulao Pass.
After Zhu Jun took control of this pass, he thought that the world was in chaos and there were not many business travelers, so he didn't bother and directly delegated the customs duties to the captain who defended the city, so that he could make some profits and subsidize the soldiers in the pass.
Cao Bao, who was guarding this pass, was a guest general from Xuzhou.
He didn't care about long-term development, so he imposed extremely heavy taxes on businessmen in order to make a profit.
The military attaches in the city benefited a lot from the merchants, and used the money to exchange for items from the merchants to maintain their comfortable enjoyment.
Although the merchants asked for high prices, the money in the hands of these military attachés was obtained by various parties, so they did not care about that.
In addition, some supplies that the army looted from nearby areas also had to be discounted and cashed in. Merchants who stayed in Guancheng for a few days often gained a lot and returned home with a full load.
This kind of military prosperity maintained the commercial operations in Hulao Pass, and the government and businessmen got along harmoniously.
Whether it is the luxurious life of military attaches and their families, or the stay of merchants in the city, many people who are willing to work hard are needed to be busy for them.
These children in shabby clothes are the children of the woodcutter in the mountains.
Whenever a large number of caravans enter the city, these people who cannot feed themselves on the barren land will cut down dry firewood and transport it for sale.
In order to save energy, the woodcutters who work in groups usually leave their children outside the city to watch the firewood trucks, and then go into the city carrying loads of firewood to sell.
If you are lucky, you can make several trips back and forth in the morning. If by chance the caravan just leaves, you may have to wander around Guancheng all day long.
Although most of the children who stayed outside the city were sallow and thin, they could not change their playful nature.
When we get together, we can go crazy all day long.
As soon as Yu Xian's confusion dissipated, these children quickly discovered this weirdo. In the past two days, their interest has not diminished.
Yu Xian also satisfied the children's curiosity.
He told them seriously that he originally planned to sneak out of the city, but accidentally got stuck while climbing into the dog hole.
The children all burst into laughter after hearing this.
After a while, a simple-looking woodcutter wiped his sweat, picked up an empty load, and walked out of the city gate.
The tallest boy had sharp eyes and shouted, "Little Huzi, he is your father."
The little boy named Xiao Huzi quickly jumped to his feet and shouted loudly, "Daddy, here, here."
After saying that, he happily ran to his firewood truck, climbed onto the truck nimbly, and pushed down two bundles of dry firewood.
The honest-looking woodcutter couldn't help but be startled when he saw Yu Xian waking up surrounded by children.
His expression changed, and he went over and asked the little tiger a few questions in a low voice.
Then he hesitated for a moment and walked towards Yu Xian.
When they were still far away, the woodcutter knelt down from a distance and said in a frightened voice, "Master Taoist, don't be surprised. These children have always been naughty."
As he spoke, he motioned the children to leave with his eyes.
The children were enjoying themselves so much that they were neither willing nor paying attention.
Yu Xian could understand his caution, so he smiled and said slowly, "It doesn't matter. I'm not a monster, just let them be happy."
The honest man hesitated for a long time, but finally did not dare to offend Yu Xian. He kowtowed again and slowly backed away.
But I don't know what he ordered. When the man picked up firewood and went into the city, the boy named Xiao Huzi refused to come.
Yu Xian didn't care either.
He thought for a while and said to the children gathered nearby, "I'm bored here, so I just want to tell you a story. If you hear about interesting things in the city, you might as well tell me."
When they heard that Yu Xian wanted to tell a story, the children all happily agreed.
Yu Xian thought for a while and started with "waiting for the rabbit".
Yu Xian's purpose was naturally for those ghosts who had escaped from him.
At that time, the city of Hulao Pass fell, and Yu Xian himself felt frightened and his mind wandered. The little devils were so frightened that they fled in all directions.
These slave ghosts have their own uses and are a rare help. However, you have to look for them carefully to get them back as soon as possible.
The ghosts rely on human energy to survive. After escaping, they will definitely possess someone nearby. With their ability, they will definitely make that person reveal something magical.
These woodcutters may be able to find something by walking through the streets.
…
Just after noon, the woodcutter came out of the city one after another.
These children were reluctant to leave.
They had to avoid the hunting beasts and rush back to their homes in the mountains before sunset.
The honest man was the last one to leave the city. Before leaving, he went to the city wall again. With a fearful look on his face, he placed a piece of rough dry food wrapped in broad leaves within the reach of Yu Xian's hand.
Yu Xian suddenly realized it. He smiled and said again, "You are a considerate person, but you are too careful. Being ignorant will not be detrimental to those children."
Maybe it was because Yu Xian had woken up.
The next day, those children who had been warned after returning home did not dare to come forward.
Yu Xian didn't care. He quietly observed the people coming and going, feeling their anger, sorrow, and joy.
Let this rich humanity be imprinted in your heart.
The days passed day by day.
Yu Xian finally became someone that the entire Hulao Pass could no longer ignore.
This Taoist priest has been suppressed for a long time, but he has never heard of his diet.
This made the local people respect and fear him.
In addition, some people are ignorant, and some even secretly burn incense and candles nearby to pray for blessings.
Seeing that nothing happened for a long time, the woodcutter's children were gradually overcome by curiosity and still came to Yu Xian to listen to the stories.
The woodcutter gradually changed from being anxious at first to letting things go.
Some people still feel at ease, feeling that having this Taoist priest taking care of them makes them feel more at ease.
Sometimes the dry firewood is sold early, and occasionally a woodcutter picks up his children and listens for a while.
Some brave ones even dare to add a few words.
At first, Yu Xian was concerned about the whereabouts of the slave ghosts, but soon another thing attracted all his attention.
Another day, the woodcutter picked up the child and left.
Yu Xian watched their backs quietly, and looked at one person in particular.
He murmured, "Could it be that this treasure is destined to me?"