Strange Stories

Chapter 508 I wish you a prosperous business
Purple air, auspicious clouds, and rosy glow, these are things that one has to seriously consider whether they are true or false even when reading about them in history books, but they appeared before our eyes with our own eyes.

The emperor's inclinations and the new policies he promulgated became the greatest concerns of the merchants and common people who came and went.

But those trivial matters sound interesting.

Some said that many years ago the emperor was a county lieutenant in the capital, but he resigned because he was fair and upright and could not stand the official atmosphere of the previous dynasty. Some said that he was the protector of Lin Zhenren. Some said that they had seen him in the capital that year. Some said that he was also the one who killed the Green Narcissus and the Crocodile King by the Wei River. Others talked about the famous generals and the wise prime minister under Luo Gong, which sounded quite interesting.

Steam was rising from the stall next door, with the aroma of tea, wheat, and even wine mixed in.

This is novel.

Amid the aroma of wine, the people around chatted more and more enthusiastically. Lin Jue and others sat at a small table, holding morning tea cakes, and because it was related to them, they also listened with gusto.

The two Taoists had a look of aftertaste on their faces, while the three young boys and girls had a pair of surprised eyes, as if even Ziyun didn't know that his master and uncle had done such deeds. Listening to it now, it was like getting to know his master all over again.

The girl transformed by the fox had no expression on her face, and didn't think it was interesting. She just kept looking around, and it was obvious that she had ADHD.

Suddenly a person came and blocked the Taoist's view.

With a bang, the last bowl of meat porridge was placed in the middle of the table. The stall owner smiled and said to Lin Jue:

"The things that the Taoist priest wants are all here!"

His words were spoken with a strong northern accent.

Lin Jue raised his head and looked at him. Seeing a dark face, he was curious and asked, "In addition to morning tea, you also sell morning wine?"

“Sell! Sell!”

"Anyone drinking so early in the morning?"

"I don't know about that, Taoist priest! This wine doesn't have much strength. Drinking just one bowl won't make you sick. In the morning, you need a bowl of hot wine, just like you people make tea, add some dried plums and red dates, cook it until it's steaming hot and sweet. Drink a bowl early in the morning, no matter how cold the weather is, you will immediately warm up!" said the vendor, "Those northern soldiers love to drink it, they drink it during battles! Drinking it makes them energetic and less likely to get sick!"

"Is this a northern custom?"

"Exactly! It's cold in the north!"

"Are you from the north?"

"I am from Longzhou. God doesn't give me food, and there is a war going on. I have no choice but to beg for a living. I used to be a merchant accompanying the nobleman, and I came here with the heavenly soldiers led by your majesty. Now that you are here, your nobleman is going to set up a building, store or business in the capital, so you let us come out to beg for food."

"I see……"

Lin Jue turned around and found that many guests also found it novel and there was hot wine on the table. He couldn't help but think about it.

In fact, it is different from the impression of many people, who think that marching and fighting are very serious matters without all those miscellaneous things.

actually not.

Since ancient times, when the army marches out, except for a few raids and special operations, there has always been a large number of merchants accompanying the army.

It can be said that in most cases, where there is an army, there are merchants.

Wherever the army camped, the merchants also camped nearby.

When some generals are kind-hearted and the battle is not urgent, they will specially set aside an area in the barracks for merchants, where officers and soldiers can go to spend money.

Firstly, when there are many people there are business opportunities, and merchants value profit and will not ignore this opportunity. Secondly, the army also has such needs. Sometimes the imperial court will even issue decrees to recruit merchants, or use preferential policies such as salt permits to attract merchants to accompany the army, escort food and fodder for the army, mail letters and other items, purchase spoils, relieve logistical pressure, provide convenience and entertainment, and sometimes even provide female services.

The two sides rushed to each other, which gave rise to a large group of merchants accompanying the army. Even some of the top merchants in some dynasties became rich because of a huge war.

These merchants were also protected by their own army.

Therefore, with Lord Luo's victory, it was not only Lord Luo who entered the capital, nor was it only the army and the northern noble class, but also northern merchants, civilians, cultural customs and even regional aesthetics.

Therefore, every change of dynasty will bring about huge changes in social customs and habits, because this is a huge fusion.

There was no habit of drinking early in the morning in the capital before, but now there is.

There were not so many northern merchants in the capital before, but there are now.

The customs and habits of the next dynasty will certainly be different from those of the previous dynasty, but only by seeing it with your own eyes can you know how it will evolve into.

"Give us two or three bowls too. Forget it. Since we don't have much energy, let's just have one bowl each."

"okay!"

When a new dynasty comes, it is like going to Beijing to take a look at it on the first day; when a new trend comes, one must be the first to experience it so that he can tell future generations about it.

The wine was boiled in a large pot and six bowls of morning wine were quickly served.

The wine sloshed in the rough bowl, looking slightly thick.

The aroma hits your nose first.

It has a slight taste of alcohol and a rich sweet aroma. It looks like homemade wine. In addition to plums, red dates, and wolfberries, it also contains white fungus, so the wine has become a little thicker.

Holding the wine bowl, I could already feel the temperature on it.

Lin Jue took a bite and thought it was delicious.

Just as the stall owner said, the wine taste was lighter because it had been cooked, and the added ingredients neutralized the miscellaneous flavors of the wine, making it sweet, like a dessert.

Turning around, I saw my junior sister nodding as well.

Lin Jue then said to the younger ones, "Try it."

The three younger ones then picked up their wine bowls and started drinking with curious eyes.

The fox transformed into a girl lowered her head and licked twice, paused, squinted her eyes, opened her eyes again and glanced at the people around her, then she picked up the wine bowl and tilted her head back to pour it into her mouth.

The junior sister said, "I think it will be very suitable for the cold winter."

Lin Jue nodded: "The weather has been a little warmer recently."

Gulp gulp beside me...

I don’t know where this fox girl got such a big belly. She finished a bowl in just two or three gulps.

"Master, you've finished eating. How was your meal?"

"I haven't had breakfast for a long time, but I am full and satisfied. Thank you for the hospitality." Lin Jue stood up and saluted him, then said to the junior sister next to him, "Give me the money, junior sister."

"Hmm? Isn't it Senior Brother who invited me?"

"Where do I get the money?"

The stall owner standing nearby froze in his tracks.

Then I heard a clear voice nearby: "The fox has money! The fox has gold!"

"Who is the fox?"

"..."

The junior sister looked helpless and had to reach her right hand into her sleeve and take out a purse.

"how much is it?"

The stall owner heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing this.

It had been a long time since they had had breakfast and they had no money. He was really worried that the two of them had no money, so he came to borrow his Taoist robe to pay him a visit and to establish a good relationship.

Considering that he came here with the army from the north, and few of the soldiers he met were unwilling to pay, it was really strange that he could eat for free here.

The stall owner quickly took out an abacus and started to calculate: "Early morning tea is eight cents a bowl, six bowls are forty-eight, pancakes are two cents each, three are six cents, a pot of meat porridge is twenty cents, and early morning wine is fifteen cents a bowl. Hey, Taoist priests, don't think it's too expensive. We just finished the war and are short of food and wine. Wine sold everywhere in the city is more expensive than before, not to mention that there are a lot of added things in it, a total of one hundred and sixty-four cents."

This price is indeed not expensive.

The eight-cent breakfast tea was not watery at all, there was something in it. They had a big appetite so they ordered another pot of porridge, while the customers at other tables only had the breakfast tea and pancakes for the whole meal.

With the current price, fifteen cents for a bowl of coarse wine is not expensive, not to mention that this wine is ingeniously made and tastes quite good.

Just as the little apprentice sister was counting the money, she heard the stall owner say:
"But I see that you are all Taoists. I have heard many stories about Taoist priests along the way. It is also said that there is a Taoist priest Lin in the capital who seems to be a Taoist priest and knows the current emperor. I would like to make a good relationship with you two and give you a discount. I will charge you 100 coins."

"what?"

The junior sister couldn't help but be shocked.

This is a big discount.

"Alas, it's not easy for anyone these days. I'm afraid even monks don't have much incense and oil to offer." The stall owner waved his hand, "If you're sorry, Taoist priest, our shop has only been open for a short time, so just say something auspicious."

Lin Jue and his junior sister looked at each other and smiled.

They could obviously see that the stall owner must be feeling embarrassed about their situation, but they could also see the kindness in his heart beneath his casual expression.

The junior sister gave him a hundred coins.

"It's not easy for the stall owner to come here from the north and leave his hometown. In this chaotic time, it's rare to find someone as kind-hearted as the stall owner. So, we two brothers and sisters wish the stall owner a prosperous business."

The Taoist smiled and saluted him.

The stall owner was delighted and was about to bow in response when he felt a gust of breeze and saw a thundercloud suddenly gathering under the feet of the Taoist priests and Taoist children. There were lightning and thunder, and a wet wind blowing in their faces. Under the gazes of many astonished people, the thundercloud carried them away into the sky.

Some people were so startled that they stood up, some were so frightened that they fell off the benches, and when they rushed out of the stall, the immortal had already gone away.

……

The southern gods had given up, but the King of Yue was unwilling to accept it.

Just a few days after Lord Luo ascended the throne in the capital to stabilize the country, declare his legitimacy and seize the world's situation, the King of Yue also ascended the throne in Nancheng and named his country Yue.

Both sides issued manifestos to attack each other.

He not only accused the other party morally, but also found fault with the other party from the standpoint of their status, and then threw dirty water on the other party. It was like an elegant and wonderful war of words. He even found fault with the other party over trivial matters. The King of Yue even brought up the meal that Luo Gong had treated him to when Luo Gong was fighting in Huizhou many years ago, in order to accuse Luo Gong of being unjust. Luo Gong did not show mercy, and bluntly said that he had no opinion of his own and was being coerced by the officials around him and his powerful wife's family, so that the soldiers in the south did not have to work for him. Later generations may find it absurd when reading history.

In the absurdity, Lord Luo sent out many of his generals, led an army of 150,000, and began the southern expedition, kicking off the war of unification.

At the same time, all the major palaces and temples in the world began to replace their plaques and statues. Those originally called Tianweng Temple were changed to Zidi Temple, and the statue of Emperor Zixu was moved to the center.

Of course, if you ask the Taoist priests in the temples, no one will say that in a cycle of great events in heaven and earth, the gods in heaven and the dynasties on earth divided the wins and losses and changed waves. They will only say that Emperor Zixu has completed his merits, and the emperor came from the north and respected the Purple Emperor, so he ordered the world to respect the Purple Emperor. Tianweng also had complete merits, so he either did not need incense and offerings, or gave up his throne to Zixu, or went to practice somewhere. In short, he stepped aside with a very decent reason. If you believe in him, you can also burn incense and offer sacrifices, but the Purple Emperor is more effective.

The Taoist also began to accept disciples in the deep mountains.

(End of this chapter)