Don't farm, cultivate immortality!

When the shopkeeper touched the heavy feel of the product and looked down to see its quality, his expression immediately improved, and his impatience disappeared.

He coughed twice, took a plate of roasted peanuts from the cabinet behind him, and placed it in front of Zhuang Xing.

The peanuts were shelled, and each one was bright red. Zhuang Xing grabbed a handful and gave them to his younger sister, who was not even as tall as the cabinet. He also tried two himself. They tasted fresh and very crunchy, so they must have been roasted today.

"You've come to the right person."

The shopkeeper spoke calmly and smiled, showing no trace of his earlier impetuousness.

"The third day of the twelfth lunar month is the birthday of the Eastern King God. Every year on this day, Yidu holds a temple fair," the shopkeeper said. "However, this is our local temple fair. In previous years, it was mostly people from nearby villages or the same county who participated, but this year is different..."

"Sir, although you don't seem to be a local, you should know that it's getting colder and colder these days, right?"

Although the shopkeeper thought that with heavy snow every year, even a fool would know it was cold, he still made a point of giving Zhuang Xing a little bit of educational advice, out of consideration for their connection.

Zhuang Xing smiled and nodded: "Of course I know."

“That makes things easier.” The shopkeeper smiled. “Since you know it’s cold, you must also know how difficult it is to get through the winter. I still remember when Yidu was short of firewood a couple of years ago. But thanks to a Taoist priest on that sacred mountain in Chenzhou, we were able to find cotton, coal, and wheat to get through the winter, and things became easier.”

"That Taoist priest is quite famous. He is an enlightened immortal master from Xuanqing Temple on Qingxuan Mountain. It is said that he was enlightened at the age of one, understood the profound mysteries at the age of three, and was able to kill all the man-eating wolf demons at the age of five. He is a lucky star descended from heaven."

Zhuang Xing was taken aback by the shopkeeper's words. It was obvious who the Taoist priest was. Since his trip to the capital, he hadn't gone anywhere else and hadn't expected that the descriptions of "Taoist priest" had become so exaggerated, with rumors of "a lucky star descending to earth" circulating.

He wondered how much of this was artistic embellishment. He recalled the time he came to Yidu with Daoist Qingxuzi and saw a little boy dressed as a Daoist priest with a sword, acting out a play with a tree branch he had picked up from the roadside. He had a strange feeling that the people in the story and the real people were so different.

However, he didn't feel embarrassed at all; on the contrary, he found it interesting and treated the shopkeeper's words as a fantasy story.

The shopkeeper spoke with great relish. In Yidu, a certain person had long been a household name, and there were many versions of his story. In every teahouse, you could hear storytellers pounding their clappers as they recounted his tale with dramatic ups and downs.

In short, that's the story. Because a remarkable person appeared in Chenzhou and provided these three items for getting through the winter, the prefect of Chenzhou received a reward from the emperor. And this year is the beginning of the Yuankang era, the first year of the new emperor's reign.

At the beginning of everything, we should all pray for good fortune.

Just like on the first day of the Lunar New Year, many high-ranking officials and nobles would go to famous temples and Taoist monasteries to compete for the first incense offered to the gods and Buddhas at the beginning of the year, in order to ask for their blessings. On the first day of spring plowing, they would first burn incense for the Dragon King who was in charge of favorable weather. In the first year of a new emperor's reign, he would also ask for good fortune.

The emperor considered Chenzhou an auspicious place and ordered the prefect to hold a grand celebration.

At the beginning of the year, a grand opening ceremony was held in Yidu.

This is the end of the year. The harvest is good and the population is growing. Therefore, the temple fair at Dongwang Temple has become an opportunity for the prefect to personally preside over the ceremonial procession and perform sacrifices for the temple fair on the third day of the twelfth lunar month.

Zhuang Xing was quite surprised by what the shopkeeper said.

Unexpectedly, there were quite a few people in the store who had come from other states and counties, their influence extending to several states.

It's astonishing that some people would travel thousands of miles over half a month just to offer incense, spend a few days enjoying the temple fair, and then spend another half month going back.

"This year's temple fair is the most lively one I've ever seen in my life," the shopkeeper said proudly. "You've come at the right time, sir."

Zhuang Xing got the answer and knew that the inns in the city were completely full.

It seems I can't stay at this inn; I'll have to ask a friend for help to find a better place to stay.

He had never heard of this news in the mountains, nor had he heard anyone mention it in the village.

Thinking about it, it makes sense. Their parents were farmers, and they were orphans. No one had ever taken them to temple fairs before, so they had no concept of such things when they grew up.

While he was on the mountain, he was simply practicing asceticism, so it's understandable that the news didn't reach his ears.

"Would you like to stay at the inn, sir?" the innkeeper asked one last time. "Once you go elsewhere, it will be difficult to find an empty room again."

“No need,” Zhuang Xing said. “I have a few old acquaintances in Yidu. I should be able to find a place to stay by asking around.” “Thank you for helping me out,” he added.

The shopkeeper said, "Why thank me? You should thank that Taoist priest. He is the real immortal master. I heard that he lived in Yidu a few years ago. It's a real pity that I didn't get to meet him and share in his good fortune."

Zhuang Xing laughed: "Perhaps the shopkeeper has met that Taoist priest by chance, and the priest has even eaten the peanuts in this plate."

"Haha," the shopkeeper laughed, "You're joking, sir. If that Taoist priest had ever been to my shop, I would have put up a signboard. I wonder how much business that would have brought in."

Zhuang Xing smiled without saying a word, and led his sister out. Just then, the shopkeeper called out from behind, "Have a good time, sir, and have fun."

Chapter 271 A Friend Comes from Afar

If you want to find a place to stay, the best way is definitely to go to the prefect.

The prefect of a capital city is in charge of the lights of thousands of households; arranging a comfortable room for him is a piece of cake.

But the temple fair is just around the corner, and the prefect will be presiding over the procession, so he's probably busy with preparations right now.

This was a grand ceremony that the entire city of Yidu eagerly awaited, and it also took into account the significance of the sacrificial ceremony in the early years of the new emperor's reign. Zhuang Xing didn't have anything important to do, so he felt there was no need to bother the prefect.

If he really goes, the prefect will have to take care of him, which would be bad if it interfered with important matters.

As for the White Horse Temple, according to the shopkeeper, it should be full of people by now, and the side halls are probably filled with travelers.

Temple fairs, originally religious activities, were simply gatherings of believers to perform certain rituals. But where there are many people, there is business, and gradually people began to sell food in front of the temples. As more and more people gathered, it evolved into the festival celebrations we see today, suitable for all ages and social classes, where everyone can enjoy themselves to the fullest.

Those who traveled from other states and counties to attend the temple fair were either江湖人士 (jianghu figures, martial arts practitioners) and craftsmen, or followers of the Eastern King God; they were truly there for pilgrimage.

As a religious site similar to Yue Fei Temple, it would be only natural for Baima Temple to provide accommodation for travelers during such times.

After excluding the prefect and the White Horse Temple, the remaining few were his old friends.

Zhuang Xing thought for a moment and decided to go to the Wu family. The Wu family runs a tea shop and a lodging business. In Yidu, tea shops have always been associated with lodging. He thought that the Wu family, with their business, might be able to spare a room for him and his younger sister to rest.

He didn't ask for much; all he needed was a bed and a quilt. He didn't care whether he covered himself or not; the main thing was to wrap his little sister up in it.

He led his younger sister toward the Wu family's tea shop. The Dongwang Temple was nearby. Although the temple fair had not yet started, many merchants and performers had already set up stalls on the street. The stalls had been planned before the temple fair began.

Yidu was indeed a large city, well-managed, and at this time, officials with swords could be seen patrolling the streets everywhere.

Although temple fairs are grand, they can't be held all over the city. With so many people, it's already difficult to manage, and if it gets chaotic, who knows what kind of trouble might occur. Therefore, most of the vendors are restricted to one street.

The street is very long, and red lanterns for celebration have been hung on both sides. The scene before us is exactly what it means to be decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations.

Zhuang Xing walked through the streets and alleys until he arrived at Wu's tea shop.

The teahouse was bustling with activity and constant noise.

Before Zhuang Xing could even go up to greet him, Wu Erge had already spotted a figure.

Wu Erge, carrying the teapot, looked up, puzzled. When Zhuang Xing approached, he took a closer look, his eyes filled with doubt and a sense of bewilderment.

He wasn't sure if he had mistaken someone for someone else, but he still handed the teapot to the woman beside him and walked towards Zhuang Xing.

"Master Zhuang?" he called out tentatively.

"Brother Wu, it's been a long time," Zhuang Xing replied.

It's been a long time. I haven't seen him since I stayed in this teahouse for a while after returning from the capital that year.

Back then, Zhuang Xing and Yun Ling traveled to Pingzhou together with Brother Wu's caravan. They spent half a month together and got along very well.

It's been a year and a half now. In that time, Wu Erge hasn't changed much, but Zhuang Xing has grown taller.

"It really is Master Zhuang! I didn't recognize him at first, how embarrassing!" Brother Wu's eyes lit up. "Master, are you here for the temple fair?"

"I did have that idea," Zhuang Xing said, "but I arrived too late and couldn't find a place to stay, so I thought I'd come and ask Brother Wu."

"By the way, this is my little sister, Zhuang Ming." Zhuang Xing picked up his sister. "I originally wanted to bring her to Yidu to have some fun, but I didn't expect it to be so crowded. I just found out that the temple fair at Dongwang Temple is in two days."

"I see." Brother Wu said in realization. "Please come in quickly, Daoist Master. It's not hard to arrange a place for you to stay."

"Thank you for your hospitality, Brother Wu," Zhuang Xing said with a smile.

Indeed, it is a great pleasure to have friends coming from afar. Although he was the one who came from afar, he was naturally very happy to receive such a warm welcome.

Wu Erge spoke to the woman over there, and then led Zhuang Xing into the inner room.

He then introduced her to Zhuang Xing: "Daoist Master, this is my wife. We got married last June."

"Congratulations to you both, congratulations to you both," Zhuang Xing offered his blessings.

Marriage is a major event in life. As the saying goes, there are four great joys in life: rain after a long drought, meeting an old friend in a foreign land, passing the imperial examination, and the wedding night.

He glanced at the woman beside Brother Wu. She was also pretty, with regular features. A bronze hairpin held her long black hair in place. She looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, a beautiful young woman.

Although she was a young woman, the fact that she could work alongside Brother Wu in the cold winter to help her husband's family showed that she was a beautiful and intelligent woman.

The Wu family is well-off, so it's no surprise that they were able to marry such a virtuous wife.

However, thinking back to how his friends who had traveled with him all those years ago had all started their own families, he felt a slight ripple in his heart.

I wonder what it will be like when he gets married in the future.

While he was lost in thought, the younger sister politely greeted him, "Hello, Uncle and Sister."

In principle, he should call his brother and sister-in-law, but Wu Erge looks quite mature, like someone of his uncle's generation.

She called the person on the other side "sister" and the person on this side "uncle," which made Mrs. Wu chuckle.

Brother Wu didn't mind at all and laughed heartily.

The tea shop was so busy that the two of them stopped for a short while before the shouts started coming from the other side.

There were a few workers busy at the tea shop, but even so, they couldn't keep up.

Brother Wu was about to decline and ask the people over there to wait.

But Zhuang Xing said, "The people in the teahouse are guests, and my sister and I are guests too. There is no distinction between high and low status among guests, only the order of arrival. Brother Wu, why don't you go and serve the guests over there first? I'll wait here."

"But..."

"Brother Wu, hurry up and go. In business, you can't break the rules."

Zhuang Xing has never liked people who cut in line. He's not in a hurry to do anything, so waiting a little longer won't hurt.

Wu Erge was taken aback for a moment before being persuaded by Zhuang Xing, and said, "What the Taoist priest says makes sense."

Wu Erge felt that Zhuang Xing truly lived up to his reputation as someone who had cultivated on the immortal mountain for many years; every word he spoke contained profound truths.

He was fortunate to have met such a friend; it was truly a blessing for him.

Chapter 272 Wu Family's Little Sister

After greeting the first guests, Brother Wu led Zhuang Xing and his younger sister toward the innermost door of the teahouse.

He said, "Actually, my elder brother and I have already separated and started our own household. It's just that the temple fair these past few days has kept our family shop too busy, so my wife and I came to help out."

“I moved out at the beginning of the year. Although I moved out, I still keep that room. If you don’t mind, I will go and vacate that room. As for my wife and me, we can go back to our own house tonight.”

"We'd be incredibly grateful to have a place to stay; we can't be picky at a time like this," Zhuang Xing said with a smile.

"There are definitely more people coming this year," Brother Wu said with a smile.