Chapter 263: Temple Fair

Past midnight, it is the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Xinchou year!

The sound of firecrackers all around is clearly more lively, and Xiao Yu is already flushed from drinking.

Duan Rong's dark face is also slightly flushed; he half-slumps in the grand armchair and waves his hand, saying, "I can't do it anymore."

"What can't you do? I won't stop until I drink you under the table today!" Xiao Yu rests her elbows on the edge of the table, looking at Duan Rong with a flushed face.

Duan Rong says, "Can't I just admit defeat?"

"No!" Xiao Yu says, "I don't want you to admit defeat, I want you to truly lose!"

"I am truly losing."

"Stop talking nonsense, get up! Let's drink more!"

Duan Rong does not get up; he kicks the two empty wine jars at his feet and says, "They are all empty, where is there any more wine?"

Xiao Yu shakes the wine jar on the table again and realizes it is also empty.

The two of them have already drunk three jars of wine. And what they drank was not rice wine, nor yellow wine, but aged strong liquor, Bamboo Leaf Green.

Seeing that there is truly no more wine, Xiao Yu stops shouting; she lies on the edge of the table, the effects of the alcohol rising, and her head throbs in waves.

Xiao Yu knits her brows, turns her head to look at Duan Rong, and says, "On the first day of the Lunar New Year, there is a temple fair at the City God Temple, which is very lively. Father's legs are not good, and Xiao Qi has injuries on his body, so you accompany me to go for a stroll."

Duan Rong rests his hand on the armrest, twists his body—which was about to slide down—back up, and smiles, "That would be great. I love strolling through temple fairs the most."

Duan Rong is speaking the truth; the City God Temple's temple fair on the first day of the Lunar New Year is the liveliest time of the year in this Xiangu County.

It has been almost a year since his soul transited to this world. He missed the temple fair of the Grain Buds solar term while on the Escort Route. This time, for the temple fair on the first day of the Lunar New Year, he must go for a stroll no matter what.

Just as Duan Rong agrees, Xiao Yu is already lying on the edge of the table, asleep; Duan Rong half-slumps in the grand armchair, tilts his head, and also falls asleep.

The sounds of firecrackers from far and near all around mix together, becoming a booming, rumbling roar.

Clearly, it is the most intense time for firecrackers; most people can barely stay up for the "staying up for the New Year" tradition, and after setting off a few strings of firecrackers, they prepare to go to sleep.

Duan Rong is shaken awake by the rumbling of the firecrackers; he wipes the drool from the corner of his mouth and sits up.

The cold air from the fields rushes in, and the air is filled with a faint smell of scorched sulfur; the effects of the alcohol have mostly dissipated by now, so Duan Rong stands up, stretches, and wants to return to Liu Lu to sleep.

Duan Rong turns his head; Xiao Yu has also fallen asleep on the grand armchair, her head resting on the back of the chair, her face tilted toward Duan Rong's side, a waterfall of black hair hanging down.

The moment Duan Rong looks over, his eyes brighten; he sees a kind of tranquil beauty on Xiao Yu's face. Her suet-like nostrils move slightly, her breathing fine and long...

The dim yellow light hits her face, the flush on her cheeks has not yet faded, contrasting with her fair and tender skin; the three colors converge, like a flower with complex hues blooming in the dark night...

Duan Rong's gaze falls on Xiao Yu's two red lips; they are like the pistils of this beautiful flower...

Red lips like raging fire, Duan Rong's heart flutters!

Duan Rong suppresses the palpitation in his heart and prepares to leave; just as he reaches the door, he suddenly feels that Xiao Yu has drunk quite a bit of wine, and sleeping here like this, exposed to the cold air, she could easily catch a chill.

Duan Rong walks back, infuses his Internal Breath, and suddenly grabs the grand armchair and lifts it up; Duan Rong controls the angle of the grand armchair so that Xiao Yu is nestled securely inside.

Duan Rong walks into Xiao Yu's boudoir while holding the grand armchair like this, feeling somewhat like the Overlord lifting a cauldron.

The moment he enters the door, a faint, elegant fragrance drifts over.

Duan Rong carries the grand armchair to the bedside, his waist slowly sinks, and he tilts the grand armchair over the bed; Xiao Yu slides off the grand armchair, lets out a soft hum, and lands on the soft bed...

Duan Rong arranges Xiao Yu's legs, takes off her shoes, covers her with a cotton quilt, and only then turns to leave.

The moment Duan Rong turns around, Xiao Yu opens her eyes in the darkness; she looks at Duan Rong's burly back in the dark, a familiar warm current flowing in her heart; not until Duan Rong's back disappears into the yellow light at the doorway does she pull the quilt up and turn inward, murmuring happily and coquettishly, "Blockhead..."

Duan Rong walks out of the main room; he does not go through the courtyard gate, but directly executes his movement technique, vaults over the courtyard wall, returns to Liu Lu, and sleeps wrapped in his quilt.

Duan Rong sleeps until the sky is bright before getting up to wash.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Duan Rong washes up more carefully, using salt to brush his teeth until they are white and bright.

Just as Duan Rong finishes washing, a knocking sound comes from the courtyard gate.

Duan Rong sweeps his Divine Sense and sees Xiao Yu standing gracefully outside the gate.

Duan Rong opens the courtyard gate and sees Xiao Yu standing there in a moon-white dress; as the breeze passes, the hem of her dress sways gently, like a water lily.

Xiao Yu stuffs a steaming dried lotus leaf into Duan Rong's hand.

That is the breakfast she brought for Duan Rong: steamed fried food and steamed buns.

"Let's go. The temple fair has started."

"Is it that early?"

"Is this early? Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year."

Duan Rong closes the courtyard gate, takes a bite of fried fish, and looks at Xiao Yu's skirt, saying, "This dress is new, right? I haven't seen you wear it before."

"Of course one must wear new clothes for the New Year. I ordered it at the tailor shop before the New Year, one for me, one for Xiao Qi."

"Only children wear new clothes. Adults always wear the same old things."

For the past half year, Duan Rong has just had two sets of Escort clothes that he wears back and forth. Although he has already made quite a bit of money, he has almost never been to a clothing store. As for the tailor shop, he doesn't even know where the door is.

Seeing Duan Rong laughing at her for being a child, Xiao Yu turns her head and glares at Duan Rong, chiding, "Even eating can't stop your mouth!"

After Xiao Yu finishes speaking, she walks forward quickly.

"Why are you walking so fast?" Duan Rong takes a bite of fried pork belly and quickly chases after her.

The two walk to the street area of the City God Temple; the temple fair has indeed already begun. Early in the morning, the streets in front of the City God Temple are already crowded with people.

The hawking of the street vendors is even more incessant; the white breath exhaled by the hawkers mixes with the morning mist, floating above people's heads...

People molding sugar figures, selling Ice Sugar Gourds, spinning cotton candy, popping popcorn, rolling egg rolls...

Performing all kinds of acrobatics, spitting fire and swallowing a Sword, everything is there...

Every stall is crowded with people; it takes Duan Rong a great effort to snatch two strings of Ice Sugar Gourds covered in maltose from the crowded mass of people.

He hands one string to Xiao Yu, and Xiao Yu takes it with a smile, saying, "Only after eating an Ice Sugar Gourd can it be called the New Year."

The two eat the Ice Sugar Gourds while watching the various stalls.

They stop in front of an acrobatic stall performing fire-spitting and Sword-swallowing; the man is performing Sword-swallowing, and in plain sight, he swallows a Long Sword flashing with cold light into his mouth.

Duan Rong smiles slightly; he doesn't need his Divine Sense to know that there is simply a mechanism on the Sword.

However, a gasp still broke out among the crowd.

Just then, a burly, rugged man with a beard as messy as tangled grass suddenly slid out a knife with a *swish* and roared, "I see you've played tricks with that sword; if you can swallow this knife of mine, I'll admit you've got real skill!"

The sword-swallower looked at the provocative brute, his expression very ugly.

Someone causing trouble early in the morning immediately drew people's attention; not only did passersby gather around, but people from the two adjacent stalls were also attracted over.

The brute shook the steel knife in his hand and said, "What? Don't dare!?"

"Swallow it!"

"Swallow it!"

At this moment, people in the crowd also began to jeer.

The sword-swallower was somewhat caught in a dilemma and had no choice but to sullenly take the knife from the brute's hand, and amidst the shouting of the people, he thrust the tip of the blade into his own mouth.

The onlookers immediately gasped in shock!

Then, the sword-swallower actually swallowed that knife bit by bit.

Duan Rong's brow twitched; that provocative brute was clearly a shill.

Xiao Yu also saw it; the two left that stall, and many others clearly saw it too, dispersing while grumbling, but the number of people gathered in front of the sword-swallowing stall was already more than double what it was before!

The two continued strolling and stopped at an old man performing monkey tricks.

After the monkey finished jumping through a hoop of fire, it actually took the monkey-keeper's tobacco pouch, stuffed it with tobacco leaves, lit it on the fire hoop, and started smoking it itself.

The way it puffed out smoke was incredibly seasoned, just like a human...

"This monkey has practically become a spirit!" Xiao Yu was amused into giggling.

Duan Rong also watched with delight, so he tossed a few pieces of broken silver to the monkey holding the copper gong, as a bit of compensation for the wandering performer.

Perhaps seeing that Duan Rong was somewhat generous, just as the two turned to leave the stall, someone brushed past Duan Rong.

The moment that person got close, Duan Rong's heart stirred. "A pickpocket."

In Weiyang Workshop, he had devoured the Spirit Tool of Fang Jingbao's Jade Thumb Ring and had long since attained the Proficiency level of the pickpocketing technique.

Before that person even made a move, Duan Rong had already seen what he was about to do.

"The technique is alright!" Duan Rong commented internally, continuing to walk along with Xiao Yu, chatting and laughing.

The man fished something out of Duan Rong's bosom; it felt slightly cool to the touch, and his heart leaped with joy, thinking it was a silver ingot. When he opened his hand to look, he saw that in his palm was actually a bright red Ice Sugar Gourd coated in sugar.

How could this person not know he had encountered an expert? He glanced at Duan Rong's back with fear in his eyes and immediately tucked his head and dove into the crowd...

Duan Rong looked back at the man once, then continued strolling along the street with Xiao Yu.

The two strolled all the way, watching many juggling acts and eating many snacks, before finally arriving at the entrance of the City God Temple.

At the entrance of the City God Temple, a long line had already formed!

Duan Rong said, "The incense for the City God is truly flourishing!"

Xiao Yu said, "It's not just the incense. It is said that the Prayer Tablet on the first day of the Lunar New Year is also the most efficacious."

"Prayer Tablet?"

Just then, two people were seen coming out of the temple gate, walking quickly to the Ancient Mulberry Tree not far away, standing under the tree, throwing their hands up toward the sky, wanting to hang the Prayer Tablet in their hands onto the branches of the Ancient Mulberry.

Xiao Yu said, "As long as it can be hung on the Ancient Mulberry, it counts as the City God having received it."

It was midwinter, the leaves had withered, and this thousand-year-old Ancient Mulberry had high, distant branches; those two threw it several times but failed to hang it up.

Just at this moment, a youth wearing fine clothes was seen reaching out and throwing; the Prayer Tablet in his hand hung steadily at the very highest tip of the tree, making those two look on with envy.

Duan Rong's gaze sharpened; that youth's throwing technique was a hidden weapon technique, and it was no weaker than his own.

Duan Rong looked at that person; it turned out to be Tao Rong, the son of the Weapon Shop owner Tao Jiusong.

A few months ago, Duan Rong had already heard rumors at the teahouse that this Tao Rong had already achieved the Great Accomplishment of the Inner Breath Realm at that time.

Tao Rong noticed Duan Rong's gaze and turned his head to look over; he did not recognize Duan Rong, but he recognized Xiao Yu, so he nodded slightly at Xiao Yu and turned to leave.

Duan Rong knew that this person would definitely participate in the Registered Disciple assessment on the third day of the third month.

Clearly a strong enemy!

Duan Rong and Xiao Yu lined up behind the long queue, waiting for half an hour before finally kowtowing and offering incense to the City God, and only then did they receive the Prayer Tablet from the hands of the old Temple Keeper Xu Dongyang.

The Prayer Tablet was blank; one needed to write down their wish themselves.

Xiao Yu and Duan Rong came to the desk in the corner, picked up the prepared brush, and each wrote down their heart's desire.

Duan Rong looked at Xiao Yu and smiled, "What did you write?"

Xiao Yu hugged the tablet to her chest and said, "None of your business?"

Duan Rong could use his Divine Sense to penetrate and easily peek, but he never used such means to peek at friends without cause; that would not only consume his Divine Soul but was also somewhat base.

After the two finished writing, they took the Prayer Tablets out of the temple gate and came under the Ancient Mulberry Tree; both were accomplished Martial Artists, so they reached out and threw, hanging the tablets up!

Xiao Yu looked at the swaying tablet on the withered mulberry tree under the winter sun, her gaze flickering; she turned to look at Duan Rong and said, "Let's go, let's head back."

Duan Rong walked slightly behind Xiao Yu, looking at her thoughtful profile; the warm winter sun illuminated the fine hairs on her cheeks.

A feeling of peace in the world and quiet years suddenly rose in Duan Rong's heart.

Duan Rong was clear that this feeling was given to him by Xiao Yu.

The relationship between him and Xiao Yu was clearly not romantic love, but that faint feeling was another kind of emotion.

In his previous life, Duan Rong's parents died early; he had not yet had a family before his soul transmigrated to the Jiuzhou World, but upon arriving here, his parents had passed away as well.

He had lived two lives, yet had never felt the warmth of a family.

But for some reason, looking at Xiao Yu at this moment, a feeling of warmth and stability suddenly rose within him.

Behind the two, on the Ancient Mulberry Tree at the entrance of the City God Temple, many Prayer Tablets had already been hung; Duan Rong's and Xiao Yu's were also hanging there, swaying in the wind.

Written on Xiao Yu's Prayer Tablet was: Only wish your heart is like my heart.

On Duan Rong's Prayer Tablet were only three words: Taiyi Sect.

The New Year had passed, and in the blink of an eye, it was the sixth day of the first lunar month.

The business of the Escort Agency was clearly about to open, yet Ruan Fengshan had been in the Back Courtyard the entire time, closing his doors to guests, seeing no one, and furthermore, he had never once shown his face.

It was not until the seventh day of the first lunar month that Ruan Fengshan's personal attendant, Zheng Wei, suddenly issued an order, bringing a document stamped with the Escort Agency's seal and Ruan Fengshan's personal seal.

The document contained only one line: Effective immediately, Xiao Zongting is appointed as the Chief of Yuanshun Escort Agency, with full authority over the Escort Agency's business.

Xiao Zongting received the document, completely bewildered; he ran to the Back Courtyard to request an audience with Ruan Fengshan, but he was once again met with a closed door.

Xiao Zongting felt helpless, but he had served the Yuanshun Escort Agency his entire life, and the depth of his feelings for this place was something most people could not understand; since Ruan Fengshan had handed the management of the Escort Agency over to him, he would do his best to carry it out no matter what.

With Sun Huang dead, the Second Escort Team was left without a leader.

Moreover, the third day of the third lunar month was the day of the assessment for Registered Disciples, and both Duan Rong and Xiao Yu had to prepare for the assessment, leaving them temporarily with no time for the Escort Agency's affairs.

Xiao Zongting then directly cut the Second Escort Team, merging the Escorts and Escort Runners into the remaining few Escort Teams, while Duan Rong and Xiao Yu were relieved of their duties to cultivate and prepare for the assessment!

(End of this chapter)