The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 246 The Storyteller (3k)

Upon hearing the middle-aged scholar's words, the man who had been holding the ebony dagger showed a hint of satisfaction and said:

"Since you think this way, we can rest assured."

Two major repairmen had already forcibly ushered in a new era, but it seems that we will have to wait a few more years before it can be considered a truly great era.

But who can predict that those senior figures at the top won't make a move again? What if, at some unexpected moment, they suddenly unleash the full force of history?

Therefore, their sect's founder had this in mind and made plans early on. The other sects were all wary of the variables hidden behind the capital city and the unknown matter.

But this family is different. They plan to take a different approach, focusing on the present and never placing their hopes on anything unrealistic!

The most crucial element of this scheme was to kill the reigning emperor. However, it was a grave taboo for the Confucian Temple for cultivators on the mountain to kill the ruler of the land below.

Moreover, at this point in time, even if the Temple of Literature stands idly by, the emperor, who is currently in the midst of a great upheaval, will likely turn on them with his immense fortune, leaving them with nothing but ashes.

Therefore, not only must the emperor die, but he must also be killed by someone who can allow them to escape unscathed.

This middle-aged scholar was the best candidate they found after countless deductions!
If everything goes perfectly this time, this person might just become the new ruler, and might even fight for the destiny of this new world on behalf of the Medicine Master!

The middle-aged scholar remained noncommittal, simply turning to look at the Lan River in the distance. He then asked:
"Excuse me, gentlemen, approximately how long until it begins?"

The man shook his head, a hint of helplessness in his voice:

"This sword involves a great deal of importance, and my ancestor must be extremely cautious. Please be patient, sir, and rest assured that we will do our utmost to help you!"

They never imagined that the sword would end up in this obscure place.

What was even more unexpected was that the Taoist priest in the southwest would defy the will of Heaven and follow the example of the Buddha to pry open the great world ahead of time.

Besides, they didn't expect that the Confucian Temple seemed to have no intention of getting involved.

Often, if you're one step behind, you'll be behind in everything.

But now that they are so much slower, they naturally cannot be completely sure and cannot give a definite answer.

The only saving grace is that if they're already in this situation, the others won't be much better off.

The middle-aged scholar nodded and then fell silent.
-
On the old cobblestone street of Hexi County, the boatman cheerfully led Du Yuan forward. Catching sight of a sign fluttering in the distance, he smiled and pointed to the banner embroidered with "Hexi Old Wine," saying:

"Young master, look, this is the place! As for the dishes, they are indeed just ordinary, but their homemade Hexi Xiaoqu (a type of distilled liquor) is a unique delicacy in our area!"

"The price is reasonable too; a whole pot can be filled for just five copper coins. It's really good value for money!"

Du Yuan nodded and smiled, "Then let's choose this one."

The boatman was clearly a regular here; as soon as he stepped across the threshold, the manager and the waiters greeted him with smiles. He responded to each of them and led Du Yuan to his usual seat with practiced ease.

Before he could even sit down, the boatman's eyes suddenly lit up, and he pointed to the doctor sitting in the hall and said:
"Oh my! Mr. Zhang is here too! Young master, we're in for a treat today!"

Du Yuan looked in the direction he pointed and saw a gentleman in a blue shirt sitting in the center of the restaurant.

Judging from his appearance, he had more of the ruggedness of a martial arts master than a scholar. In front of him was a black wooden table, on which were neatly placed a piece of wood, a pot of steaming tea, and a portion of seasonal fruits.

Having stayed here for some time, Du Yuan naturally knew that this spot was reserved specifically for storytellers.

In those days, with little entertainment available, the waiters in restaurants and teahouses became the most popular figures among the general public.

He turned his head slightly and asked:

"Who is this?"

"This is Mr. Zhang, a renowned storyteller in our area! He loved to travel all over the world, so his stories are numerous and wonderful, unmatched by anyone else!"

After saying that, the boatman glanced around at the still empty seats and added:

"I reckon Mr. Zhang just sat down, and the news hasn't spread yet! Otherwise, if we had been any slower, we might not have even gotten a seat!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Du Yuan saw a number of customers filing into the shop. They were all clearly there because of Mr. Zhang's reputation.

Seeing this, he was quite satisfied. To him, the more people, the better. He immediately smiled and called over his waiter:

"Hey buddy, bring me a pot of warm tea and a few local specialties, and then refill this old gentleman's pot of fine wine. Oh, and also bring a pot of top-quality Maojian tea for that storyteller, Mr. Zhang."

After saying that, he placed a few pieces of silver on the table.

Du Yuan didn't know what the storytellers were like in his hometown, after all, he wasn't from ancient times, nor was he a professional scholar.

In this world, storytellers are a highly respected and refined profession, unlike street performers who directly solicit rewards with copper plates.

If the listeners appreciate the story, they will order tea and wine for them. If there is no wine on the table, it will be served directly. If they do not finish the wine, it will be noted on the counter and converted into silver and given to them after the storyteller finishes, which is called "tea money".

When Du Yuan first arrived in this land, she made a living by storytelling, so she was naturally quite familiar with the craft. However, she had always been troubled by her unregistered status and was unable to enter the city.

He even thought at one point that he might have to make a living in this line of work from now on. But life is unpredictable, and who would have thought things would turn out like this?
The worker, without stopping his work and without looking up, replied, "Okay! Just a moment, it'll be right there!"

He didn't even glance at the silver on the table before turning and heading to the back room. This small action alone revealed a great deal of strategy.

Du Yuan, a smile playing on her lips, pointed to the silver coins on the table and said to the boatman:

"The people of Hexi County are truly simple and honest."

In ordinary places, you either finish your meal first and then pay the bill, or the customer readily slaps the money on the table, and the shopkeeper will take it to exchange for change.

But the staff here weren't in a hurry to collect the money; they were busy preparing things first.

This explains why it's rare for people in Hexi County to eat for free. Once a customer orders a meal, the restaurant owner simply prepares it to the best of their ability without worrying about not getting paid.

Upon hearing this, the boatman's smile became more genuine. He first gave a vague reply, "Indeed," then paused before quietly adding in a low voice, "This is all thanks to that Magistrate Gao."

As soon as he finished speaking, he couldn't help but point to the plaque above the restaurant's entrance and continued:

"Young master, you may not have noticed when you came in, but the signboard of this restaurant, 'Famous throughout Hexi,' was personally inscribed by Magistrate Gao back then. And there's quite an interesting story about this signboard."

“After Magistrate Gao was taken away by the imperial court, the first thing the new magistrate did upon taking office was to remove the plaque, saying that it was ‘the remnant of the Gao family and keeping it would bring bad luck.’ He then had someone replace it with a plaque he had inscribed himself.”

The boatman paused deliberately, a mischievous glint in his eyes, and said:

"But a few days later, the new county magistrate secretly had the original plaque put back up—sir, can you guess why?"

Before Du Yuan could speak, he revealed the answer himself, his tone filled with admiration:

"It turns out that this new county magistrate spent several days checking the official records in the county government office, and in the end, he had no choice but to admit that Magistrate Gao was a truly good official!"

Du Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone carrying a hint of surprise:

"This is truly unusual."

Even if the predecessor was a good official and the successor was of decent character, it would be difficult to make the successor "slap themselves in the face" like this.

It must be because the former magistrate Gao not only acted without fault, but also displayed a level of integrity and achievement far beyond that of ordinary people, that his successors could not help but feel ashamed of their own inferiority when compared to him.

This kind of ability is not something that ordinary good officials possess.

The boatman nodded repeatedly:

"That's right! That's why everyone in our county speaks highly of Magistrate Gao. But alas, let's not talk about these unpleasant things, lest we spoil the young master's mood!"

He changed the subject, and his eyes brightened again.

"Let's focus on listening to the story! I'm telling you, the stories Mr. Zhang tells will keep you savoring them for three days after you hear them!"

Du Yuan smiled and nodded, her gaze then turning to the storyteller in the hall. In no time, the restaurant was packed, with even some customers standing on tiptoe and straining their ears in the aisles, their voices filled with anticipation.

At this moment, Mr. Zhang gently tapped the table with his fingertips, the ebony wood making a soft sound, instantly silencing most of the noise in the room. He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clearly carrying to every corner:

"Fellow villagers, I've been traveling for almost half a year, and I've come back with a bellyful of fresh stories! Especially the one I'm about to tell you, I guarantee you've never heard of it before, and you'll find it incredibly enjoyable!"

"Hey, Mr. Zhang, stop keeping us in suspense! Tell us already!" someone immediately shouted, which made everyone laugh.

"Exactly! We haven't heard a new story from you in ages, we've been itching to hear it!"

Mr. Zhang smiled, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to the four directions, cleared his throat, and said loudly:
"Today's story is about a peak Quasi-Emperor who has reached the pinnacle of his power, wielding an ultimate imperial weapon on the Boundary Sea to strike down an unparalleled enemy!"

Just then, the waiter came over with warm tea and a wine pot, placing the porcelain cups softly on Du Yuan's table.

He had just picked up the teapot to pour himself a cup, taken a sip, and hadn't even tasted it yet when he heard Mr. Zhang's earth-shattering words.

Unable to hold it in any longer, she spat it all out with a "pfft," splattering it onto the ground in front of her. Du Yuan froze on the spot, her mind blank, with only one thought remaining:

No, what?!
A peak Quasi-Emperor, having reached the pinnacle of his power, wields an ultimate imperial weapon and strikes down an unparalleled enemy above the Boundary Sea.

Didn't you say that yourself?!
Du Yuan was truly stunned this time as she looked at the central hall.

Because of this commotion, everyone in the room, including Mr. Zhang, looked over in surprise.

"Young master, what brings you here?"

(End of this chapter)