Chapter 4: Three Years in a Hurry: Returning to the Tavern
The hardest time is coming again...
Counting it up, this was already his nineteenth death, and he had long been accustomed to all this.
If you die twice more, you'll get used to it.
Chen Changsheng once again lost his perception of the outside world. From then on, it was boundless darkness.
In comparison, this is the most difficult.
This is completely different from dreaming, because consciousness is awake, just like people in the dead of night constantly questioning themselves. The fear that arises within is more tormenting than that from the outside world.
When Chen Changsheng was in a state of "death" for the first time, he almost went crazy. Fortunately, he managed to get through it. Later, when he went through it again, he got used to it a lot.
By now, he can also face it calmly.
During the period when consciousness existed, he would often think about some philosophical questions, either recalling his previous life or looking forward to things outside.
Sometimes when I'm bored, I also think about how to get rid of this curse. In short, I just can't let myself be idle.
In this way, one can survive another cycle.
...
At the entrance of that City God Temple.
The City God was tossing and turning at the door. Did he look outside and feel a bit anxious?
It was not until a figure of a day parade came into his view that the City God raised his head and quickly went up to meet him.
Hong Sancai respectfully said, "Lord City God."
What did that gentleman say? The City God asked anxiously.
Hong Sancai stood up and replied, "Back to the City God, Mr. Chen has agreed, but..."
"But what?"
The gentleman said that it would be three years from now before he could come to the banquet.
After hearing this, the City God's heart, which had been in suspense, finally settled down.
"It's good that I can come. It's good that I can come." "
A smile appeared on the face of the City God. He gently stroked his white beard and was no longer as nervous as before.
He turned his gaze to Hong Sancai and said, "Well done. The previous Ghost Messenger has achieved great success and has entered the cycle of rebirth. Now the position is vacant. From now on, you can serve as the Ghost Messenger."
Under the City God, there are four departments and three envoys, and the Yingui Envoys are one of them. They are in charge of the day and night Tours, and their position is similar to that of a constable in a government office.
After hearing this, Hong Sancai immediately knelt down and said, "Thank you, City God, for your promotion!"
The City God, with his hands behind his back, said, "Get up. Just focus on your own business from now on. Also, how about you talk to me about this Mr. Chen?"
Hong Sancai understood in his heart and agreed, "I'll follow the order."
He thought to himself that it was indeed so.
I just benefited from Mr. Chen.
Now it seems that Mr. Chen is much more powerful than he thought. Even the City God has to go to such lengths to invite him.
Thinking of this, Hong SAN couldn't help but recall the days when he sat opposite Mr. Chen and had long conversations before his death.
From this perspective, it's just that I don't have this fate of immortality.
If I can't catch it myself, I can't blame others.
...
Time flies and years turn.
Old Zhang still ran his tavern. That day, when he met Mr. Chen, he asked a question that he had been too afraid to ask for a long time. For quite a few days, he was worried about it. But when he gradually reflected on it, he felt less scared.
He recalled what Mr. Chen had said again. He thought about it and realized that he should indeed find someone to pass on his craft. But now that he was old, it was impossible for him to have an heir. He could only look for one gradually.
The original abbot of Liuyun Temple, Hong Sancai, led a group of people to tour day and night, wandering between humans and ghosts, maintaining the peace of Qiuyue Archway.
Come to think of it, this can be regarded as immortality, but it's no longer human.
And the Xuanhuang left in the Liuyun Temple also became the new master of the Liuyun Temple.
In the first year after the gentleman left.
A heavy snowfall hit Anning County, where Qiuyuefang is located.
This heavy snowfall was extraordinary. In Qiuyuefang alone, more than ten households' houses were crushed by the thick snow. Many people slept soundly and never woke up again, freezing to death in their dreams.
The government and the common people immediately organized disaster relief efforts. Although the situation improved significantly, many people were still displaced due to this heavy snowfall.
It was also in this year that the Taoist priest from the Liuyun Temple came down the mountain and took five children up from the foot of the mountain, four boys and one girl, all of whom were children.
It's a new cycle again.
And Hong Sancai, who was a ghost or deity, also knew about this matter and even went back to the mountain himself to take a look.
Seeing the temple regain its vitality, he couldn't help feeling much more at ease.
Winter gives way to spring.
Many people died in winter, and those who survived still had to face a new life.
In every ward of Anning County, there were quite a few beggars. These people were all homeless in that heavy snowfall. Fortunately, they didn't freeze or starve to death and thus became beggars.
And in the early spring of this year, Old Man Zhang in the Qiuyuefang Tavern also took in a little beggar.
The price is half a piece of chaff cake.
Old Zhang had a good eye. The little beggar was very hardworking. In the early spring when the weather was cold and overcast, I followed him to carry water from the mountain stream outside the ward without saying a word about being tired.
It can be said that I have picked up a treasure.
After the major disaster, people's livelihood gradually recovered and Anning County returned to its former tranquility.
Under the trees in the neighborhood, there are always idle people sitting around, chatting about interesting things. The teahouse is bustling with people and full of excitement. Even the noodle shop by the bridge has become lively as well.
-- -- --
In the blink of an eye, three years have passed...
-- -- --
One day, the City God Temple suddenly closed its doors.
It is said that a ghost or deity appeared in a dream to the county magistrate. The county magistrate of Anning County personally came to Qiu Yue Fang and ordered people to seal off the area around the City God Temple. No one was allowed to approach the City God Temple for three days.
All of this is for waiting for the arrival of someone.
The little beggar that Old Zhang took in back then is now in the age of a dancing elephant. He wears a felt hat on his head and looks like a young boy. He looks strong and his skin is dark.
After Old Zhang took him in, he gave him a new name - Xiao Liu.
A pair of soap boots stepped into the tavern.
The visitor placed the gourd on the stage and said, "Autumn Moon Brew, first serve a pot, fill it up with gourds."
Xiao Liu looked at the wine gourds handed over and was somewhat puzzled by their size. "Sir, in recent days, Qiu Yue has sold a lot of wine. I'm afraid the remaining ones won't be enough to crush this gourd."
"Not enough?"
Xiao Liu raised his eyes upon hearing this sound.
Only to see the gentleman in the green robe turn around and look at him.
Xiao Liu felt a bit dazed. In all these years at Qiu Yue Fang, he had never seen such a refined and elegant person. Even that face gave people a sense of purity.
Seeing that the man was not very old, Chen Changsheng asked, "Where is your shopkeeper?"
Xiao Liu came to his senses and said, "Our shopkeeper has gone to get petrol. He'll be back soon."
Chen Changsheng thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll just wait for a while."
Xiao nodded at six o 'clock and invited Chen Changsheng in.
"Sir, please take a seat first."
Xiao Liu asked, "Sir, would you like tea or wine?"
"Coming to a tavern is naturally for drinking." " Chen Changsheng smiled and said, "The gourd can't be broken, but with a pot, there will always be some, right?"
"Yes."
Xiao Liu responded and said, "Sir, please wait for a moment."
Chen Changsheng waved his hand and said, "Go ahead."
Xiao Liu then went to get some drinks.
Chen Changsheng sat in the tavern and sized him up.
Believe it or not, the changes are quite significant. Old Zhang even renovated this tavern, making it look much more orderly.
Xiao Liu, on the other hand, would glance at that gentleman from time to time. He thought to himself that with such speech and demeanor, this gentleman must be extraordinary and must not be taken lightly.
(End of this chapter)