Everyone rested outside the town for two days, arranged their carriages and horses, and set off again. For the next five days, everyone was camping in the wild, and there was no one in the town. The mist gradually rose along the road, and at dawn and dusk, not only did it not disappear for a moment, but it became thicker and thicker. It was already the cool of autumn, but it had not rained for several days and there was a strong golden breeze. This was not the season of thick fog, but the sky was filled with gloom and gloom out of thin air, which naturally made people feel uneasy. People asked about serving officials, but they said that this was a common thing in the local area, so there was no need to be alarmed.
In the next few days, the sky was covered with white mist, and it was difficult to see anyone ten feet away. It was because the official road was straight that the carriages and horses would not turn over. The accompanying sergeants were also prepared. As soon as they reached the thick fog, they made torches from tung oil and rosin, covered them with gauze bamboo, and hung them at the front and rear of the carriage. Even though they couldn't see the road ahead clearly, each car could see the light of the fire, and they were connected to each other, so there was no risk of getting separated.
Everyone used to sit in the car for a long time and get bored, often raising the curtains to look at the scenery outside. But since the thick fog started, they couldn't even see the scenery outside. They couldn't help but feel suffocated. Only Jing Shi still sat by the window, repeatedly raising the curtains. Looking outside, sometimes I even stretch out my hand a little, as if I want to touch the white mist. Wang Li felt strange when he saw his strange behavior and asked, "What does Ziyun think is wrong with this fog?"
Jing Shi shook his head and said: "It's just that I haven't seen such a foggy scene for a long time, and I just remembered some past events."
Wang Huan lived in Longye, with few mountains nearby and warm weather all year round. He had never seen such thick fog in his life, so he added: "In the past, when I read geographical records, it was said that clouds and fog occur frequently near the sea. I never thought it would be so thick." . Not to mention the ghosts and ghosts that are causing trouble, this is the fog that lasts a lifetime, and it is difficult to see a person three steps away. How can it be a place where you can live for a long time? I read ancient records that there are countries such as Aige, Ruohui, and Shouma near the sea. Most of them are still the same. It is impossible for people to make up stories and survive to this day. If we continue to travel east like this, Tang Jikang and I will have to take off our shoes and compete in the sea."
Jing Shi listened to what he said and never forgot to bring some soup to keep healthy. He felt speechless and thought for a while and said: "Although the origin of this fog is unknown, it is neither poisonous nor miasma. It seems that humans and animals have not been affected by it since they have lived there for a long time." The harm is somewhat like that caused by the formation. If there is a blessed land in front of us that can gather the sun and turn it into a clear one, it should be able to disperse this fog."
Wang Mian was not interested in metaphysics and did not pay attention to what he heard. He still tried his best to provoke Tang Xingjian to quarrel with him for fun. On the contrary, Lou Jian was very interested in this road, so he asked Jing Shi: "I don't know what kind of auspicious soil Ziyun mentioned."
Jing Shi said: "Ji soil does not have a fixed pattern, it depends on the changes in Feng Shui. Since this place is close to the sea, if there is a hidden fire in the earth, and the veins are flowing, the fog may be shielded by the flow of the river."
What he said were all images of Feng Yu. Although the Lou Jian had a simple understanding of Xuanyi and could understand its meaning in general, he did not understand the details. He immediately followed the images mentioned by Jing Shi and asked them one by one. Jingshi also has no selfish thoughts, and whenever asked, he answers everything. However, although the theory of Feng Shui is simple to explain, its application is ever-changing and has evolved many ways. It cannot be explained in just a few words. The two of them chatted intermittently for a long time, talking about the water-shaped phenomena in the world. They were still not fully enjoying themselves and forgot about the fatigue of the carriage and horses.
The two of them were enjoying themselves when they suddenly heard a sharp sound in the distance, similar to the sound of a golden trumpet. The carriage they were riding in stopped at the sound, and everyone was caught off guard. They all swayed and almost fell into a ball. Lou Jian held onto the wall of the compartment and asked in a panic: "What's the sound outside?" The other three were also at a loss, but they couldn't answer him.
In the chaos, the curtain of the car at the front was suddenly opened, and the soldier driving the car came in and said, "Gentlemen, don't panic, this is the military response call. Your Highness will be waiting at the front."
Everyone heard the sound and looked outside the curtain. They saw thin fog and rocks on the side of the road, as if they were walking to the front of a canyon. The accompanying officers and soldiers had all dismounted and lined up to assemble. The number of calls was heard one after another, and the officials boarded the carriage one by one to verify the number of people. After confirming that there was no difference in the number of people, everyone was asked to get off the car and gather together to walk through the valley and the mountain.
Jing Shi got out of the car behind Lou Jian. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he looked around. I saw towering stone cliffs on both sides, with roads forming a line, stretching forward and stretching for unknown miles. The rock and soil on the cliff are exposed, with many ocher-brown and red-black colors. There are few plants and trees among the rocks. Only light mist and smoke can be seen, lingering on the high places. After walking for three or four hours, the valley seemed to be sinking deeper and deeper into the mountain. Although it was early evening at this time, because the mountain walls on both sides blocked the sunset, it was already like dark night. Everyone then set up camp on the spot and went to bed early to wait for dawn.
That night Jingshi was lying in his tent, half asleep and half awake, when he heard a mournful cry echoing from above, just like the cry of an ape and the cry of an eagle. And when I opened my eyes and listened carefully, I found nothing, only the sound of the rustling autumn wind. Ah, the next morning, everyone set off again. I seldom walk such long distances in my life, and often feel hardship and suffering, so I walk and take a rest. Wang Pian was bored and depressed when he suddenly saw a person in front of him and exclaimed: "That's not Zi Yun's friend." He quickly stepped forward, patted Zhang Duan on the shoulder and said, "This brother has no companions, so he might as well come with us. It’s also a good idea to chat on the road to avoid depression.”
Zhang Duan looked back, recognized Wang Mian, and was about to stop to salute and say a few words. Unexpectedly, Wang Mian was so enthusiastic that he waved his sleeves and called for the three people behind him to catch up.
Jing Shi had known that Zhang Duanxing was in the team, but he expected that she would be exhausted if she spoke in a false voice, and it was not appropriate to talk to outsiders, so he did not come forward to say hello. At this moment, she was summoned by Wang Mian, so she had no choice but to step forward to greet her. When she looked at Zhang Duan again, she found that she was not wearing her old wooden clogs. It turned out that Xiaotianlu River was full of shallow swamps and quagmire, so she was used to climbing high clogs. Now she had to wear a pair of high clogs because she was walking on a mountain road. Black ankle boots. Although this is convenient for rock climbing and crossing the stream, it is still half a head shorter than usual. Fortunately, she is tall, so she is not unusual among men.
Zhang Duan had been chatting with Jing Shi since before, but he didn't speak again after that. He bowed his head and bowed his head and said nothing else. Others didn't know the subtlety of it, they just said that she was tired from the journey and had no intention of gossiping. At that moment, the five people supported each other and walked together, but Wang Li was tired and refused to stop talking. Sometimes he provoked Tang Xingjian to bicker for fun, and sometimes he chatted with Zhang Duan. It was extremely pleasant and happy. In order to avoid arousing suspicion, Zhang Duan did not shy away from Wang E. Everything the other party talks about is discussed freely. Although she did not learn the music of bells and drums, she had the same music theory as the palace merchants, and she spoke freely and freely. She even made Wang Pian dance with joy, almost forgetting the hard work of moving far away. He didn't go out for an hour, and he seemed to be a close friend, and said enthusiastically: "Since Zhuang Qing is an old friend with Ziyun, he might as well sleep at our place tonight. I think there are so many repertoires in Beifu that I can't explain them all at once. I just hope to be able to communicate with Zhuang Qing. Let’s have a long talk.”
Zhang Duan went camping with others and always slept in a secluded place with his clothes on, which caused a lot of inconvenience. Hearing this at this moment, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed, and I quickly refused, saying that I talked a lot at night, and I was very rebellious, which could easily disturb others. Unexpectedly, when Wang Li heard this, not only did he not mind, but he even said happily: "It's just right. Anyway, these people think I am noisy at night, so Brother Zhuang Qing might as well sleep with me tonight."
At that time, the scribes made friends, held candles to each other, and even slept on the same table, all to express their closeness. Only Jing Shi, who had been walking alone, suddenly heard these words, stumbled slightly, stepped forward to help Zhang Duan, and said: "Zhuang Qing usually sleeps alone, and it is easy to lose sleep when sleeping with others. I still have to go on a journey tomorrow, so I still have to go." Please invite Jingzhi on another day."
Wang Lian stopped with regret and was about to say a few more words. The surrounding mountains were steep and low, and the white mist rose again. There were muffled sounds in the distance, as if there were a herd of beasts galloping. Lou Jian was horrified and said: "What is this sound?"
Zhang Duan and Tang Xingjian both lived in Dachuan River and had seen floods rising. Listening to his question, he replied at the same time: "Tide"
Lou Jian was shocked and said: "We can hear such a loud noise while we are still near the sea. What a scene it must be like where the tide is growing."
No matter how little chatter there was at the moment, everyone stepped up their pace. In a blink of an eye, the valley road is gone, and the road ahead is revealed to be lush wilderness, with no cliffs and peaks blocking it. However, the fog is thick, and it is still difficult to see the scene in the distance. While everyone was crouching and gazing, they suddenly heard a cry from behind: "There is a beast in the fog!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw countless shadows jumping out of the mist, and all of them fell into the team. His behavior is vigorous and flexible, which is beyond the reach of ordinary people. Everyone has long heard that there are many strange things along the coast. Now that they see it with their own eyes, most of them shout in horror and scatter in all directions. Seeing that the commotion was about to break out, I suddenly heard a thin, sharp voice saying: "My lords, please don't be alarmed. We have been ordered by the high priest to come to greet you."
Although his pronunciation is not correct and often has a twisted accent, what he speaks is indeed Mandarin. When everyone heard this, their panic suddenly subsided. Then they lowered their heads and took a closer look, only to see a dozen black hairy monkeys, about as high as a person's knees, wrapped in cloth scarves and wearing grass rings on their heads, standing on two feet. He raised his head and looked at everyone. One of the furry monkeys, with his head wrapped in red cloth, ran up to the high rock in a few steps. He cupped his hands in front of everyone and said with a grin: "My lords, you have come a long way and it's been a hard work. The inn is just ahead. We are waiting for you." Come to greet us, please just follow us."
After finishing his words, he scratched his head and looked around again. His behavior and appearance were all ape-like, which made everyone below him dumbfounded. Wang Li slapped the stone and said, "Zi Yun, you have dealt with foxes before. Do you know how to deal with this monkey monster?"
When Jing Shidou saw this red-turbaned monkey that could speak human words, he had nothing to say for a moment. He gently shook off Wang Huan's hand on his body, and then replied: "He is not a monster."
Wang Pian immediately said: "Don't lie to me. Monkeys speak human language. Wouldn't it be because the demons blame Tang Ji Kang for speaking unobtrusively and insisting on calling me a monkey along the way? Now the real master has been summoned."
Seeing that he had reached such a stage, Jing Shi did not forget to speak out and drink the soup for health. He couldn't help but admire him. He shook his head and said: "Even if the monsters are successful in cultivation, they cannot speak human words without borrowing human bodies. They are not The monkey demon just looks like this."
After he finished speaking, Lou Jian suddenly exclaimed: "The Chinese people have strange appearances and are as short as monkeys. Could it be that this place has reached the ancient country of Juhui?"
The red scarf monkey immediately held up his palms and laughed loudly, praising loudly: "This sir is so good at helping our country to rename itself. Fortunately, Marquis Yu appreciates it and invites all of you to come. Now Marquis Yu is waiting for you at the inn. Please hurry up." Follow me and wait."
When everyone heard this, although they had different thoughts, their faces were all silent, and they urged the monkey man in red scarf to lead the way. Seeing that everyone had calmed down, the monkey man in red scarf jumped down the stone wall with a somersault and jumped to the front of the queue. Then he stood still and said loudly: "Everyone, listen to the order. I will escort you all to the inn now. Let's start."
The monkey men nearby were scattered in the team, and they all laughed secretly when they heard the words, and sometimes called their friends to invite their companions, and called everyone to go along the way. Everyone went on the road in silence, and dozens of pairs of eyes quietly glanced down, secretly sizing up the countryman. But I saw that the people all walked on two feet, wore clothes and skirts, held their heads high, and walked like ordinary people. However, they had thick hair on their bodies, sharp mouths and thin cheeks, giving them an ape-like appearance. The scene was both bizarre and quite strange. Ridiculous.
Jing Shiben was at the back of the team, and there was a man from the Juhui country nearby. He kept looking at the opponent's back, and saw that he was wearing a wreath of vine leaves on his head and a simple cloth and fur. The cloth that wraps the body is very rough, and seems to be woven from inferior linen. The lower body apron is mostly frayed and seems to be made of mongoose fur. He does not wear shoes or socks, and walks with the soles of his feet touching the ground.
He was observing by himself, and with his peripheral vision, he suddenly saw Zhang Duan with a smile on his face and his eyes wandering, seeming to be looking rather than looking, and he couldn't help but feel a little strange. He immediately took two steps forward, walked side by side with Zhang Duan, and asked in a low voice: "What's wrong with Zhuang Qing?"
Zhang Duan quickly turned away and said, "Nothing."
Seeing her strange reaction, Jing Shi felt even more puzzled. Zhang Duan was so confused by his gaze that he had no choice but to whisper: "Although I heard that the country is a Lilliputian country, I thought that its people were as short as children in appearance and were no different from us in other places. I didn't expect that it would be like this." Looks like that.”
Jing Shi nodded and said: "I didn't know that their appearance was really like this. It's really magical."
Zhang Duan hesitated for a moment, but still whispered: "I don't think they look strange, I just saw them playing and playing around. They looked like children, but they were a little cute. There are also monkeys near the Xiaotianlu River, I guess Medicine is always with you, so it is close to you in your heart."
The two of them whispered softly and did not dare to speak loudly without being heard by the people. Wang Li, who was standing next to him, saw them whispering to each other, and immediately joined in and said: "You two are so sneaky, why can't you see the light?"
Zhang Duan smiled and said: "I was surprised when I first met the people of Juhui country, so I wanted to ask Ziyun for advice. This big event is scheduled to be here. I don't know how we are expected to compete. What does Brother Jingzhi see?"
Wang Pian patted his head and said: "Yes, I forgot about the big move. It turns out that this trip to the east is not to go to the sea, but to come to this country. It's a pity that Brother Ji Kang knows the water well and is good at swimming, but today he has to be a mountain climber." It’s really pitiable for the middle wild people to be in the company of my own people.”
Tang Xingjian was surprised when he first saw the strange appearance of the Juhui people. However, once he knew that they were humans and not monsters, he treated them as normal and did not show any strange look to the people beside him. At this moment, when he heard Wang Mian mentioning him, he only glanced at him coldly and said: "The people are so simple and honest, how can you compare to them."
Wang Pian smiled and said: "Cats are also very innocent and don't eat fish or mice."
Tang Xingjian immediately said: "Rates are afraid of it, but people are not afraid."
The two of them were worried about having someone nearby, so although they quarreled with each other, they didn't want to be too offensive, and they both used cryptic words to ridicule each other. As expected, the Nuohui man didn't realize it at all, and walked straight ahead, picking up a thin grass stalk in his hand and holding it in his mouth from time to time. Then he looked back at Wang and Tang, wondering why these two people were talking nonsense and answering questions that were not asked. Zhang Duan looked at it with a faint smile on his face. Only Lou Jian's mind was elsewhere. After hesitating for a long time, he asked the monkey in red scarf: "This one, alas, I don't know how to call this one."
Hongjin'er cupped her hands at him and said cheerfully: "My name is Caixiadong, that's how you call me."
Lou Jian said: "Okay, General Jiaoxiadong, I am new to your country and I don't know the situation in the country, but I would like to ask where we are now."
Hongjin'er said: "Your Excellency is now on Hamou Island and wants to go to the Half-Underworld City in my country."
