Zhang Shisan remained unmoved, still half-sitting and half-reclining on the cloud, watching the scene in the hall with an amused expression. Mei Qing’s cultivation had improved, and his vision had broadened. Although he dared not release his spiritual awareness to probe around, he could still tell that the masked man’s cultivation was incomparable to Zhang Shisan’s. Thus, he felt reassured and obediently watched the spectacle from the clouds. However, Hou Shen, accustomed to being a thief, found it awkward to observe others so brazenly and felt uneasy. When the masked man’s gaze swept toward him, his heart involuntarily tightened. Yet seeing that the others remained calm and motionless, he too stayed still.
The masked man’s gaze swept around the hall three times, finding nothing. Then slowly withdrawing his technique, he spoke in a somewhat weary voice, “Don’t say anything else, Grand Master. Please depart with me immediately from this place.”
“Alright,” the Grand Master dared not feign strength anymore and stood up nodding, “Yutan, I’ll follow your lead.” Then he turned to the dwarf, saying, “Dingding, quickly pack up.”
Upon hearing this, the dwarf immediately ran and jumped to one side, shouting at the group of musicians, “Quickly get up, it’s time to go!”
The masked man, known as Yutan, looked at the confused musicians with a sneer: “Grand Master, the situation is urgent now. This temple was originally a secret location of our sect. How can these lowlifes be allowed to remain here? If they spread this information later, it will greatly harm our sect’s grand plans. Since Grand Master might not understand the severity of the matter, perhaps I should help you eliminate this potential threat, so we can leave without dragging our feet.”
“No!” Seeing the murderous glint in Yutan’s eyes, the Grand Master was seized by great fear and regretted his decision bitterly.
The Grand Master had come here originally to prove a point. Earlier, he had heard from his subordinates that mysterious deaths had occurred in this port, prompting people to seek a Taoist priest to exorcise evil spirits. Previously, he had heard that Daoism had several times tried to set up altars here but was thwarted by a local lord named Shi Mengzhu. Hearing about the trouble in the port naturally delighted him, and he wanted to do something to settle matters with Shi Mengzhu and demonstrate his abilities.
Precisely because he wanted to show off, he didn’t notify anyone, pretending it was just a routine outing, and brought along a group of people straight to the port. Normally, no one paid much attention to the Grand Master, and these days the sect’s affairs were complicated, so the key figures were too busy to notice him. Thus, he managed to reach the port, set up a grand altar, and caused a great commotion.
Unexpectedly, everything went smoothly at first, but halfway through, someone burned his ceremonial hat, making him feel something was amiss. However, in the Grand Master’s mind, he only thought he had lost face, and the ritual wasn’t completed. He was still thinking about how to retaliate. Thus, he brought his group to the Fishbone Temple temporarily to rest and plan for the evening.
He hadn’t expected that just outside the village, he encountered a deputy altar master from the sect who had come upon hearing the news. The deputy immediately noticed that someone had tampered with the palanquin, quickly cast a spell to neutralize the tracking talisman, and ordered the procession to circle around outside the village to confuse the pursuers. Then he urged the Grand Master to return with him immediately.
The Grand Master, whose mission was not yet accomplished, naturally refused to go back, claiming he was tired and needed to rest at the Fishbone Temple first. The deputy, unable to persuade the Grand Master, knowing that the Fishbone Temple was a crucial location for the sect, was at a loss for how to explain things to the Grand Master, who didn’t understand the situation. He could only nod in agreement but quickly used magic to notify his own altar master to come and meet them.
When the Grand Master arrived at the temple, he found it dilapidated and desolate, far from a good place to rest. However, determined to show off, he disregarded everything else. Seizing an opportunity when no one was looking, he secretly released Liu Ling’er, intending to scare Shi Mengzhu. The next day, he would claim there was a monster in Shi’s mansion and go there to perform a ritual to capture the monster, thus teaching the old man Shi a lesson. However, not long after, Yutan arrived, leading to the scene witnessed by Mei Qing and others.
Now, seeing Yutan’s stern expression and intent to deal with his group, the Grand Master understood that Yutan wanted to use this opportunity to confront him as a warning. As the Grand Master of the sect, he had always been like a puppet. If it weren’t for the fact that the Second Master was his own younger brother, and they were both leaders at the founding of the sect, he probably would have been discarded long ago. In recent years, besides these musicians, who had ever truly respected him? If he allowed this Yutan to eliminate his people, he would be even more insignificant in the future.
Thinking about the indifferent gazes of the sect members toward him, the Grand Master felt as if he had swallowed a mouthful of straw, extremely uncomfortable. He shouted, “You dare!”
Having spoken, the Grand Master was determined. He defiantly declared, “If you dare to harm my people, this Grand Master will not leave this place even if it costs my life. Just try to make a move!”
Seeing the Grand Master, who had suddenly become defiant over a few performers, Yutan frowned. In his mind, these people were merely the Grand Master’s playthings, and he had planned to eliminate them all together during this opportunity to enjoy some peace and quiet. However, he hadn’t expected the Grand Master, who he thought he had already intimidated, to suddenly become so defiant. Although he didn’t care much for this empty-headed Grand Master, he was still the elder brother of their sect leader, so he needed to maintain some face. Moreover, with major events approaching in the sect, it would be inconvenient to create more trouble over such a trivial matter.
“Why must the Grand Master get so angry?” Yutan’s voice seemed to force out a hint of softness. “Since you insist on keeping them, let it be. However, this place is indeed not safe to stay. Perhaps I should leave first with the Grand Master, while Deputy Altar Master Liu brings the others to follow later.”
“Alright, as Yutan suggests,” the Grand Master sighed in relief. “However, Dingding must come with me.”
Upon hearing his name, the dwarf moved closer to the Grand Master.
By now, it was the latter half of the night, and the dew was heavy with a chill. As soon as they exited the small temple, the Grand Master shivered violently from the cold. Without a word, Yutan raised his hand, and a carriage appeared before them.
This carriage was peculiar—it was entirely dark and shrouded in a faint mist. The Grand Master, shivering, climbed aboard, followed by Dingding scrambling up behind him.
Yutan gave a few instructions to Liu, the deputy altar master, behind him, then lightly leapt onto the carriage. Without any apparent movement, the carriage silently set off.
There was no coachman on the carriage, nor anyone directing it. The two horses in front moved soundlessly, and the faint mist swirling all around them. As they left the Fishbone Temple and turned a corner, the carriage vanished like a ghost, floating away into the dark, endless waters of the Minghai Sea.
Meanwhile, another unremarkable cloud drifted silently alongside the carriage, flying away without a trace.
“Mmm… excellent, excellent indeed! There’s something to this after all!” Zhang Shisan, squatting on a bench with a beaming smile, held a cracked porcelain wine bowl in his left hand and chopsticks in his right, clamping a large slice of fish meat. As he ate, he praised loudly.
The previous night, when the carriage departed, Zhang Shisan, Mei Qing, and Hou Shen had followed it closely, while Master Ku returned to Shi’s mansion in the port.
The reason for this arrangement was their concern that after this incident, the Fragrant Sect might employ further measures against Shi Mengzhu. Thus, they split into two groups, with Master Ku returning to protect Shi Mengzhu.
As for Mei Qing and the other three, they pursued the carriage all night until just before dawn, when they arrived at a small town.
Seeing the carriage enter a courtyard and confirming that the Grand Master had disembarked and entered the residence, they first sought a small inn to rest briefly. Mei Qing and the others had tracked the carriage all night. Although Zhang Shisan didn’t mind, Mei Qing and Hou Shen were somewhat exhausted.
Mei Qing slept until nearly noon before waking. These past days had offered no real chance for a proper rest, so this time he had slept sufficiently. Upon waking, he found that Hou Shen had just risen too. After tidying themselves up, they exited their room and found Zhang Shisan squatting on a long bench beneath the inn’s awning, happily drinking.
“Hehe, you two young ones have woken up. Come on over! The raw fish slices here are really quite good. Waiter, bring us two more plates!” Seeing the two emerge, Zhang Shisan laughed and called out.
“Coming right up!” A fifteen-year-old waiter drawled loudly as he reached into the water vat behind him and pulled out a big carp. Grabbing the fish by the head, he slammed it onto the cutting board, then with a flick of his foot-long steel knife, he swiftly sliced the fillets from the fish’s back in an instant.
With a flick of his left hand, he flung the still-wriggling fish body out the nearby window into the pigpen in the backyard. Immediately, the two fat pigs darted forward, fighting and biting each other fiercely over the fish. Meanwhile, the waiter spread the two large fillets on the cutting board and began slicing them rapidly with his knife, creating a flurry of movements. In no time, the fish flesh was cut into thin slices as delicate as paper.
Placing the two mounds of raw fish slices onto two large plates and adding two small bowls of dipping sauce, the waiter balanced a large wooden tray and brought it over, smiling as he said, “Sirs, two plates of raw fish slices. Please take your time.”
Mei Qing and Hou Shen watched with wide eyes, while Zhang Shisan impatiently said, “What are you two staring at? Aren’t you hungry? There’s nothing else in this inn except raw fish. If you don’t eat, you’ll just go hungry.” Saying this, he dipped a slice of the raw fish into the sauce, popped it into his mouth, and began savoring it slowly. Then he took a big swig of wine, shaking his head and praising, “Truly fresh! People say that crabs should be eaten alive and shrimp should be eaten raw, but I never expected raw fish to surpass them both!”
Seeing this, Mei Qing and Hou Shen could only sit down with reluctant expressions. Each picked up a pair of chopsticks, took a slice of fish, and cautiously tasted a small piece. Fortunately, although the fish smelled a bit fishy, when dipped in the sauce, it tasted remarkably tender and delicious. After a few more bites, they found it increasingly tasty and appetizing. After finishing two plates, they each ordered two more.
Zhang Thirteen remained unmoved, half-sitting and half-leaning on the clouds, watching everything in the hall with a playful expression. Mei Qing, whose cultivation had grown and whose vision had broadened, dared not release his spiritual sense to probe, but he could tell that the masked man’s cultivation was far inferior to Zhang Thirteen’s. Thus, he felt assured and quietly watched the scene unfold from the clouds. Hou Shen, however, being accustomed to sneaking around, felt uneasy about observing others so openly. When the masked man’s gaze swept over him, he couldn’t help but tense up. Seeing that everyone else remained calm, he also stayed still.
The masked man’s eyes scanned the surroundings three times, finding nothing, before he slowly retracted his technique, his voice weary as he said, “Enough talk, Great Leader. Please come with me and leave this place.”
“Alright,” the Great Leader, no longer able to maintain his bravado, stood up and nodded. “Altar Master Yu, we’ll follow your lead.” He then turned to the dwarf and said, “Ding Ding, quickly gather our things.”
Upon hearing this, the dwarf immediately scampered to the side and shouted at the group of musicians, “Get up, we’re leaving!”
The masked man, whom the Great Leader referred to as “Altar Master Yu,” watched the chaotic scene with a cold smile. “Great Leader, the situation is urgent. This temple is a secret location of our sect. How can we allow these lowlifes to remain here? If they spread word of this place in the future, it would greatly harm our sect’s cause. Perhaps you don’t understand the gravity of the situation. Allow me to help you eliminate this potential threat, so we can move swiftly without delay.”
“No!” The Great Leader, seeing the murderous glint in Altar Master Yu’s eyes, was filled with terror and regret.
The Great Leader had come to this port town to prove a point. He had heard from his subordinates that unexplained deaths had occurred here, and someone had sought a sorcerer to perform rituals to dispel the evil. He had previously heard that the Daoist sect had tried to set up an altar here several times, but each attempt had been thwarted by a local landlord named Shi Mengzhu. When he heard about the incidents in the port town, he was overjoyed, thinking he could deal with Shi Mengzhu and demonstrate his own abilities.
Driven by this desire to show off, he had informed no one, treating it as a routine trip, and brought a group of people with him straight to the port town. Normally, as the Great Leader, he received little attention, and with the sect’s affairs being so busy recently, the key figures hadn’t noticed his absence. He had set up an altar in the port town, causing quite a stir.
At first, things had gone smoothly, but halfway through, his ritual hat had been burned, and he began to feel uneasy. However, in his mind, he was only concerned about losing face and not completing the ritual, and he was already thinking about how to seek revenge. He had then led his group to the Fishbone Temple to rest temporarily, planning to make further arrangements that evening.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they left the village, they encountered a deputy altar master who had come after hearing the news. The deputy altar master immediately noticed that the sedan chair had been tampered with and quickly dispelled the tracking spell. He then ordered the sedan chair to make a detour around the village to confuse any pursuers before urging the Great Leader to return with him.
The Great Leader, having not yet achieved his goal, refused to turn back, claiming he was tired and needed to rest at the Fishbone Temple for a while. The deputy altar master, unable to persuade the Great Leader and knowing the Fishbone Temple was a crucial location for the sect, could only agree verbally while secretly using a spell to notify his own altar master to come quickly.
When the Great Leader arrived at the temple, he found it dilapidated and desolate, far from a good place to rest. However, driven by his desire to show off, he didn’t care much. Seizing an opportunity when no one was paying attention, he secretly released Liu Ling’er, intending to scare Shi Mengzhu. He planned to claim the next day that there were strange occurrences in the Shi residence and that he would perform rituals to capture the spirits, thereby teaching Shi Mengzhu a lesson. Not long after, Altar Master Yu arrived, leading to the scene witnessed by Mei Qing and the others.
Now, seeing Altar Master Yu’s stern expression and his intention to deal with his group, the Great Leader understood that he was using this as an opportunity to assert his authority and issue a warning. The Great Leader had always been treated like a puppet within the sect. If it weren’t for the fact that the Second Leader was his younger brother and they had established the sect together, he would have long been cast aside. Over the years, aside from these musicians, no one had taken him seriously. If Altar Master Yu were to eliminate this group, his position would become even more meaningless.
Thinking of the lifeless eyes of the sect members when they looked at him, the Great Leader felt as if he had swallowed a mouthful of grass, making him extremely uncomfortable. He shouted, “How dare you!”
Having spoken, the Great Leader decided to go all out. He declared, “If you dare to harm my people, I will not leave this place even if it costs me my life. Go ahead and try!”
Altar Master Yu, seeing the Great Leader suddenly stand up for a group of performers and make such a fuss, frowned deeply. In his view, these people were merely the Great Leader’s playthings, and he had wanted to take this opportunity to get rid of them for a cleaner environment. He hadn’t expected the Great Leader, who had been intimidated earlier, to suddenly become so defiant for their sake. Although he didn’t care much for this incompetent leader, he was still the elder brother of his own master, and he had to show some respect. Moreover, with the sect’s major affairs approaching, it was inconvenient to cause further trouble over this matter.
“Why is the Great Leader so upset?” Altar Master Yu’s voice seemed to force a hint of gentleness. “Since you wish to keep them, we shall. However, this place is indeed unsafe. Why don’t I take you away first, and let Deputy Altar Master Liu bring the others later?”
“Alright, we’ll follow your plan,” the Great Leader said, relieved. “But Ding Ding must come with me.”
The dwarf named Ding Ding, upon hearing this, moved closer to the Great Leader.
It was now deep into the night, with heavy dew and frost in the air. As soon as they stepped out of the small temple, the Great Leader shivered violently. Altar Master Yu said nothing but raised his hand, and a carriage appeared before them.
The carriage was peculiar, its entire body dark and shrouded in a faint mist. The Great Leader, trembling, climbed into the carriage, followed by Ding Ding.
Altar Master Yu gave a few instructions to Deputy Altar Master Liu behind him, then lightly jumped into the carriage. Without any visible action, the carriage began to move silently.
There was no coachman or anyone directing the carriage. The two horses in front moved without a sound, and the faint mist around them continued to swirl. After leaving the Fishbone Temple and turning a corner, the carriage vanished like a ghost into the boundless dark waters of the sea.
Meanwhile, an inconspicuous cloud of mist silently followed the carriage, disappearing along with it.
“Mmm… not bad, not bad. There’s indeed something special here!” Zhang Thirteen grinned, squatting on a stool, holding a chipped porcelain wine bowl in his left hand and a large piece of fish meat with chopsticks in his right. He ate and praised simultaneously.
Last night, when the carriage departed, Zhang Thirteen, Mei Qing, and Hou Shen had followed, while Master Ku returned to the Shi residence in the port town.
The reason for this was that everyone was concerned that the Incense Sect might employ other methods to deal with Shi Mengzhu after this incident. Thus, they split into two groups, with Master Ku returning to protect Shi Mengzhu.
Mei Qing and the other two had pursued the carriage all night, arriving at a small town just before dawn.
Seeing the carriage enter a mansion and confirming that the Great Leader had entered the residence, they first found a small inn to rest. Although Zhang Thirteen wasn’t too bothered, Mei Qing and Hou Shen were somewhat exhausted from the night’s pursuit.
Mei Qing slept until nearly noon. These days, he hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep, and this time he rested thoroughly. Upon waking, he found that Hou Shen had also just gotten up. After tidying up, they left their room and found Zhang Thirteen sitting on a bench under the inn’s awning, enjoying his drink.
“Haha, you two youngsters are finally awake. Come, come, the raw fish here is quite good. Waiter, bring two more plates!” Zhang Thirteen said with a smile as they approached.
“Coming right up!” a fifteen-year-old waiter called out in a drawn-out voice. He then grabbed a large carp from a water tank behind him, held its head, and pressed it onto the chopping board. With a flick of his steel knife, over a foot long, he swiftly sliced the fish’s back into two strips.
With a flick of his left hand, the waiter threw the still-wriggling fish body through a nearby window into the pigpen at the back, where two large pigs pounced on it, fighting and biting. Meanwhile, the waiter laid the two strips of fish meat on the chopping board, and with his steel knife moving like raindrops, he quickly sliced the fish into paper-thin pieces.
Piling the slices onto two large plates and adding two small bowls of dipping sauce, the waiter brought them over on a large wooden tray, smiling as he said, “Here you go, two plates of raw fish. Enjoy.”
Mei Qing and Hou Shen stared in amazement, but Zhang Thirteen, impatient, said, “What are you gawking at? Aren’t you hungry? This inn only has raw fish. If you don’t eat, you’ll starve.” With that, he dipped a piece of fish into the sauce, put it in his mouth, and savored it slowly. He then took a big gulp of wine, shaking his head in appreciation. “Truly fresh! People say raw crab and live shrimp are the best, but this raw fish is even better.”
Mei Qing and Hou Shen, seeing this, could only sit down with a grimace, each picking up a pair of chopsticks and carefully trying a small piece. Although the fish had a slight fishy smell, with the sauce, it tasted exceptionally tender and fresh. After a few more bites, they found it increasingly delicious. After finishing two plates, they were still not satisfied and each ordered two more.
“Enjoying it, sirs?” the waiter said as he continued slicing fish. “The raw fish from Changchun Lake is famous. It’s said that even the emperor liked it and came here every year to eat it!”
“You’re exaggerating,” Hou Shen laughed. “I’ve never heard of the emperor coming to such a small place to eat raw fish. Do you think the emperor has nothing better to do?”
“Changchun Lake?” Mei Qing now realized where they were and smiled. “He’s not entirely exaggerating. During the Liao and Jin dynasties, there was indeed a palace here, and the emperor came every year to watch the fishing. Waiter, do you know if the palace still exists?”
The waiter shook his head. “Who knows? The emperor doesn’t come to Changchun Lake anymore, but the palace is still there. It’s been haunted recently!”
“You’re just bragging,” Hou Shen laughed. “I’ve never heard of an emperor coming to such a small place to eat raw fish. Do you think emperors have nothing better to do?”
Zhang Thirteen remained unmoved, half-sitting and half-leaning on the clouds, watching everything in the hall with an amused expression. Mei Qing, whose cultivation had grown and whose vision had broadened, dared not release his divine sense to probe, but he could tell that the masked man’s cultivation was far inferior to Zhang Thirteen’s. Thus, he felt assured and calmly watched the scene unfold from the clouds. However, Hou Shen, accustomed to sneaking around, felt uneasy about openly observing others. When the masked man’s gaze swept over him, he couldn’t help but tense up. Seeing that everyone else remained composed, he also stayed still.
The masked man’s eyes scanned the surroundings three times, finding nothing, before he slowly retracted his technique, his voice sounding weary as he said, “Enough talk, Great Leader. Please accompany me and leave this place immediately.”
“Alright,” the Great Leader, no longer able to hold his ground, stood up and nodded, “Master Yu, as you wish.” He then turned to the dwarf and said, “Ding Ding, quickly pack up.”
The dwarf immediately scurried off, shouting at the group of musicians, “Get up, we’re leaving!”
The masked man, referred to as “Master Yu” by the Great Leader, watched the chaotic scene with a cold smile and said, “Great Leader, the situation is urgent. This temple is a secret location of our sect. How can we allow these lowlifes to remain here? If they spread word of this place in the future, it would greatly harm our sect’s cause. Perhaps the Great Leader doesn’t understand the gravity of this situation. Allow me to help you eliminate this threat, so we can leave without delay.”
“No!” The Great Leader, seeing the murderous glint in Master Yu’s eyes, was filled with terror and regret.
The Great Leader had come to this port on a whim, wanting to prove himself. He had heard from his subordinates that there had been unexplained deaths in the area, and some were seeking a sorcerer to perform rituals to dispel the evil. He had also heard that the local landlord, Shi Mengzhu, had repeatedly thwarted the sect’s attempts to set up an altar here. When he heard of the troubles in the port, he was overjoyed, thinking he could deal with Shi Mengzhu and showcase his abilities.
Driven by this desire to show off, he had set out without informing anyone, bringing along a group of people. They headed straight for the port. Normally, the Great Leader was of little concern to anyone in the sect, and with the sect’s affairs being so chaotic, the key figures hadn’t paid him any attention. Thus, he had managed to set up an altar in the port, causing quite a stir.
However, things didn’t go as smoothly as he had hoped. Midway through, his ritual hat was burned, and he began to feel that something was amiss. But in his mind, he only thought of the loss of face and how he could seek revenge. He then led his group to the Fishbone Temple to rest and plan for the evening.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they left the village, they encountered a deputy leader from the sect who had heard of their actions. The deputy leader immediately noticed that the sedan chair had been tampered with and quickly dispelled the tracking spell. He then ordered the sedan chair to take a detour around the village to confuse their pursuers before urging the Great Leader to return with him.
The Great Leader, unwilling to give up, claimed he was tired and needed to rest at the Fishbone Temple. The deputy leader, unable to persuade him and knowing the temple was a crucial location for the sect, could only agree and quickly informed his own leader to come and join them.
When the Great Leader arrived at the temple, he found it dilapidated and desolate, far from a good place to rest. But driven by his desire to show off, he didn’t care. Seizing an opportunity when no one was looking, he secretly released Liu Ling’er, intending to scare Shi Mengzhu. He planned to claim the next day that there was a monster in Shi’s residence and that he would perform a ritual to capture it, thereby teaching Shi a lesson. However, Master Yu soon arrived, leading to the scene witnessed by Mei Qing and the others.
Now, seeing Master Yu’s stern expression and his intention to deal with his group, the Great Leader realized that Master Yu was using this as an opportunity to assert his authority and issue a warning. The Great Leader had always been a puppet in the sect, and if it weren’t for the fact that the Second Leader was his younger brother and they had co-founded the sect, he would have long been cast aside. Over the years, aside from these musicians, no one had taken him seriously. If Master Yu were to eliminate this group, the Great Leader would be even more insignificant.
Thinking of the lifeless eyes of the sect members when they looked at him, the Great Leader felt as if he had swallowed a mouthful of grass. He shouted, “How dare you!”
With that, the Great Leader threw caution to the wind and declared, “If you dare to harm my people, I will not leave this place even if it costs me my life. Go ahead, try it!”
Master Yu, seeing the Great Leader suddenly stand up for these performers, frowned. In his mind, these people were just the Great Leader’s playthings, and he had wanted to use this opportunity to get rid of them for some peace and quiet. He hadn’t expected the Great Leader, who had been cowed by his earlier threats, to suddenly become so defiant. Although he didn’t care much for this incompetent leader, he was still the Second Leader’s elder brother, and he had to show some respect. Moreover, with the sect’s major event approaching, it was inconvenient to cause further trouble over this matter.
“Why is the Great Leader so upset?” Master Yu’s voice seemed to force out a hint of gentleness. “Since you wish to keep them, we shall. However, this place is indeed unsafe. Why don’t I take the Great Leader with me first, and let Deputy Leader Liu bring the others later?”
“Very well, as you say,” the Great Leader said, relieved. “But Ding Ding must come with me.”
The dwarf named Ding Ding immediately moved closer to the Great Leader.
By now, it was the middle of the night, and the air was heavy with dew and frost. As soon as they left the small temple, the Great Leader shivered. Master Yu said nothing but raised his hand, and a carriage appeared before them.
The carriage was peculiar, its entire body dark and shrouded in a faint mist. The Great Leader, trembling, climbed into the carriage, followed by Ding Ding.
Master Yu gave a few instructions to Deputy Leader Liu behind him and then lightly jumped into the carriage. Without any visible action, the carriage began to move silently.
There was no coachman or anyone directing the carriage. The two horses in front moved without a sound, and the faint mist around them continued to swirl. After leaving the Fishbone Temple and turning a corner, the carriage drifted like a ghost and disappeared into the boundless dark waters of the sea.
Meanwhile, an inconspicuous cloud of mist silently followed the carriage, vanishing without a trace.
“Mmm… not bad, not bad. There’s indeed something special here!” Zhang Thirteen, grinning from ear to ear, squatted on a bench, holding a chipped porcelain wine bowl in his left hand and a large piece of fish meat with chopsticks in his right. He ate and praised the food.
Last night, when the carriage departed, Zhang Thirteen, Mei Qing, and Hou Shen had followed, while Master Ku returned to Shi Mengzhu’s residence in the port.
They had done this out of concern that the Incense Sect might employ other methods to deal with Shi Mengzhu after this incident. Thus, they split into two groups, with Master Ku returning to protect Shi Mengzhu.
Mei Qing and the other two had pursued the carriage all night, arriving at a small town just before dawn.
Seeing the carriage enter a mansion and confirming that the Great Leader had entered the residence, they found a small inn to rest. Although Zhang Thirteen was unfazed, Mei Qing and Hou Shen were somewhat fatigued.
Mei Qing slept until nearly noon. These past few days, he hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep, and this time he rested thoroughly. Upon waking, he found that Hou Shen had also just gotten up. After tidying up, they left their room and found Zhang Thirteen sitting on a bench under the inn’s awning, happily drinking.
“Ah, you two are finally awake. Come, come, the raw fish here is excellent. Waiter, bring two more plates!” Zhang Thirteen said with a smile as they approached.
“Coming right up!” a young waiter called out, pulling a large carp from a water tank behind him. He held the fish’s head, pressed it onto the cutting board, and with a flick of his long steel knife, swiftly sliced the fish’s back into two fillets.
With a flick of his left hand, the waiter tossed the still-wriggling fish body out the window into the pigpen in the backyard, where two fat pigs eagerly fought over it. Meanwhile, the waiter laid the two large fillets on the cutting board and, with his knife moving like rain, quickly sliced the fish into paper-thin pieces.
He piled the slices onto two large plates, added two small bowls of dipping sauce, and brought them over on a wooden tray, saying, “Here you go, two plates of raw fish. Enjoy.”
Mei Qing and Hou Shen stared in amazement, but Zhang Thirteen impatiently said, “What are you gawking at? Aren’t you hungry? This inn only has raw fish. If you don’t eat, you’ll starve.” With that, he dipped a slice of fish into the sauce, popped it into his mouth, and savored it. He then took a large gulp of wine and shook his head in appreciation. “Truly fresh! People say raw crab and live shrimp are the best, but this raw fish is even better.”
Mei Qing and Hou Shen, seeing this, reluctantly sat down, each picking up a pair of chopsticks and carefully trying a small slice. Although the fish smelled somewhat fishy, with the sauce, it tasted exceptionally tender and fresh. After a few more bites, they found it increasingly delicious. They finished two plates and still wanted more, each ordering another two plates.
“How is it, sirs?” the waiter asked as he continued slicing fish. “The raw fish from Changchun Lake is famous. It’s said that even the emperor enjoyed it and came here every year to eat it!”
“You’re exaggerating,” Hou Shen laughed. “I’ve never heard of the emperor coming to such a small place to eat raw fish. Do you think the emperor has nothing better to do?”
“Changchun Lake?” Mei Qing finally realized where they were and smiled. “He’s not entirely wrong. During the Liao and Jin dynasties, there was indeed a palace here, and the emperor came every year to watch the fishing. Waiter, do you know if the palace still exists?”
The waiter shook his head. “Who knows? The emperor doesn’t come to Changchun Lake anymore, but the palace is still there. Recently, there have been rumors of ghosts haunting it!”
The waiter shook his head, “Who knows? The emperor doesn’t come here anymore, but the retreat is still there. Rumor has it there’ve been ghosts haunting it recently!”
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