Chapter 961: Grace and Righteousness

Near midnight, the sky was drizzling lightly.

Several night-stall vendors' large rain awnings overhead were struck by raindrops making a rustling sound; each small square table had a simple oil-paper canopy propped up, barely shielding diners from wind and rain, and was likewise struck by raindrops into a clatter.

Wu Tie stood in the rain, his coarse hemp long robe soaked through by the raindrops.

His complexion was wan and sallow, his face pale, showing the ill-fated look of cold qi invading his body and an imminent serious illness.

Several clerks instinctively glanced at Wu Tie; Xiao Fang, a little tipsy, laughed and slapped his chest: 'What nonsense, what can a bowl of wine settle? Brother, just sit down, let's drink together, together.'

The bearded clerk grabbed Wu Tie's arm and pressed him onto the bench he was sitting on.

The fair-skinned clerk asked the stall owner for a set of bowls and chopsticks, then filled a bowl with strong liquor for Wu Tie.

The clerks heartily raised their wine bowls, clinked them against Wu Tie's, then gulped down large mouthfuls.

Wu Tie laughed while eating meat and drinking alcohol, chatting idly with the clerks.

The wine wasn't fine, but the side dishes were quite good.

The cuisine of the Fufeng Divine Dynasty was lighter than that of Wuguo and the earlier Sui Dynasty; even dishes like pork head meat and braised intestines used more herbal seasoning in their broth, lacking the heavy oil and rich sauce typical of Wuguo cooking.

Wu Tie ate a few slices of pork head meat, a segment of braised intestine, and gnawed on several chicken claws and duck skulls, finding the flavor quite good and distinctive, nodding repeatedly.

This young clerk was named Fang Jun Cai.

That fair-skinned middle-aged man was named Tang Bu Yun.

That bearded fellow was named Li Fei Yang.

There were two other clerks, one surnamed Tie and the other Yang; they were more reserved and cautious, and with the outsider Wu Tie present they spoke far less, merely smiling as they drank and ate meat, listening quietly.

"You don't believe me? Still don't? At this point, would it be fun for me, Xiao Fang, to lie?"

Xiao Fang was a bit drunk, his tongue thick, and he began to spout nonsense: "I'll tell you brothers, I'm really the legitimate son of Grandmaster Liu…… This is what our mother told us on her deathbed—how could it be wrong?"

"Alas, it's a pity our mother came from low status, and Grandmaster Liu, being henpecked, drove her out outright."

He shook his head, and Xiao Fang suddenly gave a heehee laugh: "But speaking of it, our Mountain Wind City is really peculiar—every official, general, and scholar is afraid of his wife!"

The clerks didn't really believe Xiao Fang's claim of being Grandmaster Liu's son, but at his teasing remark they all broke into mysterious smiles.

Counting on their fingers, they found it seemed indeed so.

Starting from the mayor of Mountain Wind City, this whole body of civil and military officials, from top to bottom, hardly any are unafraid of their wives.

Even……

"Even, the Prince Le who now guards Mountain Wind City is said to be afraid of his wife too." Li Fei Yang, his beard bristling, lowered his voice and chuckled furtively: "Isn't the younger brother of the former lover of Li Damei's three nephews on night watch at the Prince Le's headquarters?"

"I've heard that the Prince Le was once dragged by his consort wielding a stick from the inner three gates straight to the main gate."

"Tsk tsk… they say that Princess Consort Le, with a stick in hand, is like a flood dragon leaping from the sea, her momentum extraordinary."

"Prince Le, a mighty half-step venerable powerhouse, was beaten black and blue, unable to show his face for two or three days… tsk, this isn't just a flaw of our Mountain Wind City; how come the men of our Fufeng Divine Dynasty are all like this?"

The clerks let out long and short sighs, then began advising Xiao Fang that being single was also fine, and it was better to stay unmarried if possible.

If you don't marry, you can find a willing partner and indulge freely.

But once married… heh, what if you end up with someone even more fierce than Princess Consort Le? Wouldn't you get beaten every day?

Look at the mayor of Mountain Wind City—each year his backyard grape arbor collapses at least five or six times; tsk tsk, showing up with a face full of blood marks, is that glorious? Is that respectable?

Xiao Fang held his wine bowl, hesitating without speaking.

"Sometimes a husband fearing his wife is a good thing." Wu Tie chuckled lightly, narrowing his eyes and speaking softly: "This proves at least that you love your wife, which is why you fear her."

"Otherwise, whether in the Fufeng Divine Dynasty or elsewhere, official posts and military authority are held by men; in terms of cultivation, powerful high-level cultivators are mostly male… if you didn't love your wife, how could you fear her?"

"People, especially men in high positions, fearing their wives is a good thing."

"As long as one harbors reverence in one's heart, even if it's fear of one's wife, when faced with matters one will ponder more and consider carefully; thus one can avoid many troubles and even avert deadly disaster—this is a good thing."

Wu Tie picked up a slice of bitter liver with his chopsticks and solemnly lectured Xiao Fang and the others.

"Seems, that's the reasoning." Xiao Fang nodded thoughtfully a few times, and Li Fei Yang widened his eyes at Wu Tie: "Brother, I haven't yet asked your name. Tsk, judging by your insight, your background must be decent. But your attire—have you suffered a demon calamity?"

Wu Tie smiled faintly, pulled out the copper token he had when entering the city from his sleeve, and gently placed it on the table.

"Exactly, it's because of those demon leaders that I came to Mountain Wind City."

Pointing to the copper token on the table, Wu Tie said calmly: "By rights I should be in the refugee camp north of the city, but the steamed buns there lack enough oil and water, so I came out to mooch a few meals off the officials."

The clerks glanced at each other, then simultaneously looked at the copper token Wu Tie had placed on the table.

Xiao Fang laughed: "Ha, Brother Wu Tie, you're certainly restless. But it's no big deal—the refugee camp, where entry is allowed but exit forbidden, is also where those demon spawn cause trouble inside the city."

Li Fei Yang looked Wu Tie up and down for a while, then nodded and said: "Brother Wu Tie bears an impressive presence; he shouldn't be a demon spawn's spy…… Well then, let's drink heartily tonight, and tomorrow morning we brothers will figure out a good path for Brother Wu Tie."

Tang Bu Yun chuckled lightly: "Being able to obtain a copper token, Brother Wu Tie's cultivation is not low. Within Mountain Wind City, offices everywhere are short-staffed; finding a comfortable idle post for Brother Wu Tie wouldn't be hard."

Xiao Fang, meanwhile, stared solemnly at Wu Tie, his head wobbling, ready to collapse at any moment.

He solemnly told Wu Tie: "Although that's so, once you enter the bureaucracy, if demon spawn attack, we brothers will all have to fight desperately on the city walls."

Wu Tie smiled faintly, raised his wine bowl and said: "No need to fear; if the demon spawn come, we'll just have fought them once."

Wu Tie's smile held deep meaning.

Yin Wu Shuang probably doesn't have the time to attack Mountain Wind City.