Chapter 536 [Is it a destined person?]

   While eating noodles, Fang Chang chatted with this young man for a long time.

  The young man's name is Xie Jiaping. He has been a porter for several years. He is as proficient as his father in the journey between the two prefectures.

  Xie Jiaping also inherited the habit of his father Xie Guangan. Every time he returns to Huaifeng Mansion from Longan Mansion, he always stays in Huqiao Town and eats a meal or two of mutton noodles. If his wife and children want to eat tiger pancakes, he will also take a few home from Huqiao Town along the way.

  However, Xie Jiaping also expanded new business.

"In the past, there were only people who hired me to deliver goods between the big cities like Long'an Mansion and Huaifeng Mansion. Now the medicinal materials produced in Linxi Village in the mountains are selling better and better, and Huqiao Town has also become prosperous. It’s getting bigger and bigger, and now there are often deliveries from or to Huqiao Town.”

  Xie Jiaping's income is higher than that of Xie Guangan back then, so he eats noodles with an extra fried egg. After eating and drinking enough, he grabbed the shoulder pole next to him, put it on his shoulder with light force, and said goodbye to Fang Chang, before leaving the town and heading west along the official road.

  Fang Chang will also get up and prepare to continue traveling.

  The children I saw in Huqiao Town have grown up one after another, and some of them have become grandpas quickly. I don’t know what it will be like next time I come here.

  Of course, for him, these things in the world do not change, just like the sun rises and sets, it is something that is happening all over the world and will continue. In the billowing yellow dust, joy, anger, sorrow, joy, birth, old age, sickness and death are all a part of the cycle between heaven and earth, and also a corner of nature and itself.

  ...

  After Fang Chang left Huqiao Town, he didn't continue to walk forward, but turned around and headed east.

  Huqiao Town is a certain distance to the west on the official road adjacent to Linxi Village, so Fang Chang walked in this way and passed Linxi Village again, but he did not stop, and only walked slowly to the east at the speed of ordinary passers-by.

   Next to it is Yunzhong Mountain. The woods on the hillside are dense, and most places are difficult to walk through.

  However, there are still small roads leading into the mountain. Although most of the small roads are barren and few people walk on them, there is a wide road near the mountain temple, and pedestrians still come in and out. Someone even set up a small stall at the three-way intersection, selling some tea, rough snacks, and incense candles.

  When passers-by buy water and food here to quench their thirst and hunger, the stall owner will encourage them to go up the mountain to worship the mountain god, asking for blessings to keep the road safe, but some people are always persuaded to buy joss sticks and go to the mountain to worship.

  The incense in the temple of Zhangshan God is very prosperous, and several families have settled here, including Hu Yun and his wife who recently returned to Yunzhongshan. However, there is no unified name here. People from all over the place still call it "Mountain Temple" when they talk about it. Maybe in a few years, there will be a more formal name here, called XX Village or XX Town.

  Fang Chang followed the official road to the east, and entered Long'an Mansion when the sky was getting dark.

  This is a prefectural city, and the city is very large, but the buildings inside have become a little crowded over time. Fang Chang found the largest restaurant in the city called "Heshunju", ordered a table of meals and ate them all, and then found an inn next to the restaurant to stay overnight.

  He did not stay long in Long'an Fufu City, and set off the next day to continue on the road.

   Except for the east gate of Long'anfu City, Fang Chang chose a road slightly northerly. The terrain around here is flat, among the fertile farmland, the road network is dense and the traffic is busy. He even saw a small boat on a river with people passing between the bridge pillars under his feet.

  After living in seclusion for more than ten years, Fang Chang's mentality is more peaceful.

  He went down the mountain this time instead of rushing at full speed like before, but walked slowly at the speed of ordinary pedestrians. The road and the side of the road are all scenery for him. Whether it is mountains, rocks, fields, or passing pedestrians and horses, Fang Chang is very interested in observing or listening to it, and enjoys it.

  The world today is very peaceful, even things like the fusion of the two worlds, there is no need to worry because the time is too slow, after all, the countermeasures are already on the right track.

  In the evening, there are no villages or shops around, but there is a small earth temple on the side of the road. Although it is old, it is not broken. At least the roof and windows are intact, and the earth statue in the middle can also see some original colors. On the already whitish altar, the ashes of incense sticks remained.

  The weather outside looked like it was going to rain, so many pedestrians came here to take shelter in the houses here.

  Actually, the conditions of this small roadside temple are already considered luxurious for pedestrians. After all, Fang Chang has seen a lot when he traveled around. Many times, when people encounter nights on the way, they will look for a shelter from the wind and start a fire on the side of the road. If they stay overnight, there will be no shelter above their heads. If they encounter heavy rain, they can only consider themselves unlucky.

   Someone found an old brazier, searched for some firewood from the outside and lit it. The jumping fire can not only illuminate, but also make everyone's hearts quiet and rest more comfortable. It’s just that firewood is not easy to find. After all, for the people of the world, fuel is the first thing in daily life, and “firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and tea” even ranks before rice.

  Fang Chang walked into the temple with everyone, and he found a corner to sit down.

  After many people came in, they first bowed to the **** statue on the altar table twice before entering the house. If possible, they would even take out some odds and ends for offering in front of the **** statue—of course, it was useless.

  However, Fang Chang can clearly feel that the land here has actually been secretly protecting the people in the temple. In his vision, the statue of the land **** on the altar even glowed a little. The mana cultivation base of the land here is very good, after all, it sits on such a large temple and is next to the official road.

  Fang Chang remembered that he had seen the most shabby god, whose temple was just a shrine dug out of the mountain wall, only one or two feet in size. Similarly, mountain **** lands in the wilderness are also very common.

  He didn't disturb the land here, but sat silently in the corner, observing the words and deeds of these people.

  Boom—

  It was raining outside, and the wind blew in, causing the light jumping in the brazier to tremble.

  Everyone was very quiet, listening to the wind and rain outside silently, even talking quietly. Everyone took turns to change positions, and satiated their hunger with dry food baked in a brazier.

  There was a student-like person next to him, and he felt close to Fang Chang after seeing his temperament, so he came up and whispered: "Where does this big brother go to do?"

  Fang Chang smiled and said: "I am here to find someone who is destined."

  Hearing this, the student frowned and laughed, "Oh? This statement is quite old-fashioned. I don't know if I'm a predestined person?"

   Taking a closer look, Fang Chang also said: "Of course it is a predestined person. After all, it is very predestined to meet this small temple on this stormy night and chat with each other."

  (end of this chapter)