Three Kingdoms Lords: Starting by walking into the mouth of a giant python

Chapter 74 The Grass Man at the Bottom of the Lake

As Li Yu walked through Shaoyang City, what he heard most often were various sarcastic remarks about the newly appointed governor of Shaozhou, Li Yu.

Li Yu went to the prefectural government office and saw that the officials and clerks were incompetent, entering the office, bowing, and leaving without accomplishing anything.

He shook his head and left the city.

After asking for directions, Li Yu rode his bamboo-ribbed ox toward Dongting Lake.

During the prosperous Tang Dynasty, Dongting Lake was said to be eight hundred li in circumference, "a vast expanse of water, with raging floods."

It was midday in the height of summer, and Li Yu hadn't seen a single one of the Eight Views of Xiaoxiang, including Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank, Snow Falling Over the River at Dusk, Sunny Mist Over the Mountain City, and Sunset Glow Over the Fishing Village.

He walked to a secluded spot on the lakeshore, waved his hand, and summoned [Snake Princess] and ninety-eight [Hairy Men].

"Search the lake bottom, look for the person in the sand. Remember to conceal yourself, don't startle anyone."

After Li Yu finished speaking, the men obeyed and jumped into the water.

The long-haired people all have the characteristic of living on water; entering the lake is like returning home. In just a few breaths, they sink underwater and disappear without a trace.

Upon seeing the great lake, [Snake Princess] cheered and jumped into the water. Her snake tail swayed in the water two or three times, and then suddenly transformed into a small red fish about a foot long.

With a flick of its tail, it disappeared.

This transformed fish [Snake Princess] is not Jiang Yaya, but a newly summoned Jiang Hongyu using [Red Ridge Stone].

------

[Name] Jiang Hongyu

[Unit Type] Snake Princess

[Level] Strength 70, Intelligence 28

【Characteristics】[Flying Fish], [Stone Sword], [Morph], [Petrification]

[Skills] Sword (Minor Mastery), Shield (Minor Mastery)

[Equipment] [Serpent Armor], [Serpent Scale Shield]

------

[Flying Fish]: It can transform into a red fish, which can wade through deep waters and soar through the blue sky.

------

With everything arranged, Li Yu strolled along the lake shore, admiring the scenery for a while. He then took out some loose silver from his pot and waved to summon an old boatman.

The old boatman asked the young man where he was going.

Li Yu tossed some loose silver onto the boat, saying he would take him boating on Dongting Lake.

The old boatman picked up the silver coins, weighed them in his hand, and then bit them in his mouth before finally feeling relieved. He greeted Li Yu with a smile as he boarded the boat and began to row.

Amidst the shimmering waves, the old boatman started a conversation, asking the young man where he came from.

Li Yu said that he came from Hebei and had long heard of the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan, so he came here to visit.

The old boatman asked with a smile, "Did you have any luck, young man?"

Li Yu said, "Entering the Jiangnan West Road, the water is soft, the mountains are warm, and the scenery is boundless. It is indeed very rewarding. There is only one shortcoming."

The old boatman asked what was lacking.

Li Yu said that his surname was Li and his given name was Yu, which means fishing, woodcutting, farming and reading. The official in charge of Shaozhou was named "Li Yu," which means snipe or clam fighting. The snipe is the same as "Yu" but has a different tone.

The old boatman laughed and said, "That's quite a coincidence."

Li Yu smiled wryly. Indeed, all he heard were people saying bad things about "himself".

The old boatman laughed heartily but didn't respond.

Li Yu then asked Governor Li if he had ever been to Dongting Lake. The old boatman pointed to the center of the lake and said, "Governor Li traveled by boat to take up his post. When he arrived at Dongting, he saw that Junshan Mountain was so beautiful that it resembled a 'Penglai in the water.' He was greatly intrigued and climbed the mountain to enjoy the scenery."

Li Yu instructed the old boatman to row the boat to Junshan.

After leaving the boat, the old boatman asked when he would return. Li Yu replied, "I will return when I am done enjoying myself," and waved for him to go.

Junshan Island is characterized by its winding peaks, lush bamboo and trees, elegant scenery, and countless visitors.

Li Yu walked around the island's shore but found nothing. As dusk fell and the tourists and boats had all left, he sat on a rock and splashed water.

Fifteen minutes later, a small red fish flew from the water.

Li Yu raised his hand, and the fish landed in his palm.

Li Yu asked if there had been any harvest, and the red fish wagged its tail.

"Summon the [long-haired people], and with Junshan as the center, turn over the sand and dig up the soil to find the people hidden in the mud and sand."

After Li Yu finished speaking, the little red fish flipped out of his palm and fell into the water.

For the next five days, nothing was gained.

Dongting Lake, however, is the setting for many ghostly and supernatural tales.

A child accidentally drowned, but was pulled to the surface by a "hairy monster".

Someone swam to the bottom of the lake and saw several houses, where water ghosts appeared, and the dragon woman disappeared in a flash.

……

By the sixth day, Li Yu, who was engrossed in his studies in the [Immortal Abode], had already raised his [Intelligence] to 53. Finally, [Snake Princess] Red Fish brought good news.

Or rather, it's something—a breathing lump of mud.

Three [long-haired men] swam from somewhere beneath Junshan Mountain, carrying a lump of mud. Reaching a secluded spot on the shore of Dongting Lake, they rolled the mud together.

The mud clump rolled ashore.

The red fish transformed back into the Snake Princess, wielding the Stone Sword. With a single stroke, the mud clump split open, revealing a clump of water plants.

A human figure can be vaguely seen among the aquatic plants.

[Snake Princess] Red Fish unleashed several more sword strikes, then swept the water plants with her snake tail, revealing a pale-faced, middle-aged man with his eyes closed.

Li Yu waved his hand and put the [Long-haired Man] and [Snake Princess] into the square pot.

He tied his hair into a Taoist bun, took out an old Taoist robe from the pot, and finally borrowed the pine sword from Queen Mao.

After doing this, he picked up the pine sword and stabbed it into the middle-aged man's philtrum.

The man cried out in pain and sat up.

At first, the man's eyes were unfocused. After several breaths, they gradually regained their brightness.

"Who are you? How did you get trapped in the mud and grass?" Li Yu asked.

"I...I am Li Yu, yes, I am Li Yu, the Prefect of Shaozhou, Li Yu." The man gradually regained his senses, as if he had finally remembered his past.

Li Yu, sitting opposite him, frowned and said, "Stop talking nonsense. Governor Li has been on official business in Shaoyang Prefecture for half a year. I heard that he even held court today at 9:00 AM. You, a mere clay figure, cannot impersonate him."

Upon hearing this, the man froze on the spot. After a moment, his face filled with both fear and indignation, he asked Li Yu, "May I ask, Daoist Master, what time and month is it now?"

"The ninth month of the Bingchen year of the Kaiyuan era," Li Yu replied.

"September?" the man exclaimed. "Half a year has already passed!"

Li Yu then asked him, "Who exactly are you?"

The man snapped out of his daze: "My name is Li Yu..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Yu got up and left.

Seeing that Li Yu was dressed in feathered robes, carried a pine sword, and had a dignified and imposing appearance, the man reasoned that since he had saved him from the bottom of Dongting Lake, he must be a Taoist master. So why would he let him leave?

He rushed to Li Yu's side, kneeling and pleading, "Master, save me! Master, save me!"

"Get up and speak." Li Yu helped him up. "I have already rescued you from the bottom of the lake, why do you still use the word 'rescue'?"

The man bowed deeply, first thanking Li Yu for saving his life, and then recounted a story from the past—

The man's name was indeed Li Yu, a native of Dunhuang. Six months ago, he was summoned to Shaozhou to assume his post.

When I arrived at Dongting Lake by boat, I was struck by the beautiful scenery of the lake and mountains, which inspired me to visit Junshan Mountain.

However, as soon as he entered Junshan, he suffered a nosebleed like an arrow of blood and collapsed into the mud and sand.

Dizzy and disoriented, he felt his body sinking. But another version of himself stood up from the mud and sand.

Its appearance, clothing, and voice were exactly the same as his own.

In a daze, Li Yu seemed to hear his wife and daughter rushing to his side, and his servants helping "himself" away.

As for Li Yu himself, he sank lower and lower.

He gradually lost consciousness as the water plants enveloped him and the mud and sand sealed him up.

(End of this chapter)