Retirement begins with summoning Yuan Tiangang

After noon, the mountain road gradually leveled out, and the dirt road underfoot became wider, with scattered field ridges appearing on both sides.

"We're almost there," Mo Wen said, pointing ahead.

"Once you cross that slope, you'll see Yuanyang County."

The children perked up and quickened their pace involuntarily.

Even the most exhausted Li Qianqian straightened her back and stood on tiptoe to look at the top of the slope.

Upon reaching the top of the slope, a breathtaking view suddenly opened up before me.

It was a plain much larger than the valley where Hexi Town was located, with a great river winding through it like a jade belt, shimmering with golden light under the autumn sun.

On both sides of the river, there are large clusters of houses with white walls and gray tiles, standing side by side, with a few towering pavilions interspersed among them, their upturned eaves appearing and disappearing in the distance.

The most conspicuous thing is that city wall.

The gray-blue brick wall, about three zhang high, stretches for several miles, like a sleeping giant python, encircling the county town.

The crenellations on the city wall were neat and orderly, the city gate tower stood majestically, and on the black plaque, two large gilded characters gleamed in the sunlight—

Yuanyang.

"Wow...it's so big..."

Lin Feng opened his mouth wide, and it took him a long time to finally utter this sentence.

Hexi Town also has a wall, but it's made of rammed earth, a low perimeter that's fine for keeping out stray dogs, but not for keeping out people.

The city wall in front of him was the most magnificent building he had ever seen in his life.

Zhang Kai was stunned, and the wooden stick in his hand unconsciously drooped down.

Li Qianqian's eyes sparkled, and her little face was full of curiosity.

Even Zhao Mingxuan was slightly moved—the Zhao family mansion was considered grand in Hexi Town, but compared to the city in front of him, it was like comparing a pit to a well, not even in the same league.

Only Chen Jing'an remained quietly watching, her eyes vacant, as if the bustling scene before her was no different from the weeds by the roadside.

Mo Wen smiled, said nothing, and took the lead in walking down the slope.

The closer you get to the county town, the more pedestrians there are on the road.

Peddlers carrying loads, farmers pushing carts, travelers riding donkeys, and several ornately decorated carriages, their bells jingling, passed by, raising clouds of dust.

The road was transformed into an official road paved with bluestone slabs, smooth and wide enough for two horse-drawn carriages to pass side by side.

Tea stalls and restaurants began to appear on both sides of the road, with flags fluttering in the wind and shouts from the waiters rising and falling.

"Steamed buns—hot steamed buns—"

"Tea—two coins, all you can eat—"

"Please take a rest, sir/madam."

The air was filled with various smells: the aroma of freshly baked cakes, the fragrance of brewing tea, the pungent smell of horse manure, and the warm, cozy atmosphere unique to a gathering of people.

These flavors blend together to create a unique, down-to-earth atmosphere—passionate, bustling, and full of life.

There aren't enough eyes for all the children.

Lin Feng saw a sugar figurine stall. The old craftsman's fingers flew, and in no time he had sculpted a lifelike monkey, which was stuck on a straw target and glistened in the sunlight.

Li Qianqian was drawn to a stall selling silk flowers. The silk flowers were brightly colored and exquisitely crafted, much prettier than the two she was wearing.

Zhang Kai stared at a blacksmith's shop, where the furnace was glowing red, the hammer was clanging, sparks were flying, and a shirtless man was forging iron, sweating profusely.

Zhao Mingxuan was reserved, but his eyes couldn't help but wander to the luxurious carriages and the pedestrians dressed in silk.

Mo Wen walked ahead, occasionally turning back to look at the children with a gentle smile on his face.

Without stopping, he led them through the crowd toward the city gate.

A queue formed at the city gate, where two soldiers in black uniforms leaned against the gate opening, lazily checking the people coming and going.

When it was Mo Wen's turn, the soldier glanced at the travel-worn children, then at Mo Wen's gray robe, and waved them through without asking any questions.

As I passed through the doorway, a bright light appeared before my eyes.

The city is more lively than the area outside the city.

The street was about two zhang wide, paved with smooth bluestone slabs, and lined with shops on both sides with flags fluttering in the wind.

Cloth shops, grain stores, pharmacies, restaurants, teahouses, inns... one after another, all with their storefronts clean and tidy. Some even had lanterns hanging on them, which were already lit and cast warm yellow glows, even though it was still early.

The streets were teeming with pedestrians, shoulder to shoulder. Scholars in long gowns strolled leisurely, fanning themselves.

Women carrying baskets haggled over prices, children chased and played, and peddlers carrying loads walked around shouting loudly.

The various sounds mixed together, forming a huge, buzzing wave that rushed towards us.

In Hexi Town, the noisiest time is when it's market day, when dozens of people gather together to talk.

Lin Feng was also a little unaccustomed to it, but he was more excited.

He opened his eyes wide, greedily taking in everything around him—several young men in fine clothes were sitting by the window on the second floor of the restaurant, drinking and laughing, while in the cloth shop, a shop assistant was unfurling a bolt of silk, its sheen as smooth as water.

On that stall, steaming hot buns had just come out of the steamer, plump and white, looking incredibly tempting...

So this is the county seat.

So, the world really is this big.

Mo Wen led them across the main street and into a slightly narrower alley.

Deep in the alley, a faded blue cloth flag hangs, embroidered with four characters: Ping An Inn.

The inn is small, a two-story building, and the facade is a bit old, but it is clean.

A waiter was standing at the door. Seeing Mo Wen approach, he quickly came forward and said, "Sir, would you like to stay at the inn?"

Five people, two rooms.

As he spoke, Mo Wen took out some loose silver from his pocket.

"It needs to be clean and quiet."

"Alright!" The waiter took the silver, weighed it in his hand, and a smile spread across his face.

"Upstairs, please! Upstairs, please!"

The rooms are on the second floor. One is larger and is for the three boys. The other is smaller and is for Li Qianqian to have alone.

The room was simply furnished, but the bed was clean, the table and chairs were complete, and the window faced south, letting in the warm sunlight.

The children put down their bags and breathed a sigh of relief.

After traveling for two days, I can finally take a proper rest.

"You should wash up first and change into clean clothes."

Mo Wen stood at the door.

"Eat dinner downstairs. Remember, don't wander off. The county town is different from a small town; there are too many people and too much attention here."

He paused, then looked at Lin Feng: "Weren't you going to find someone? I'll go with you after we're all packed up."

Lin Feng nodded quickly.

The children only started moving around after Mo Wen came downstairs.

Lin Feng and Zhang Kai filled a basin with water and hastily wiped their faces.

Zhao Mingxuan was quite particular; he asked the waiter for hot water and closed the door to wash up properly.

Li Qianqian was next door; I could hear her pouring water and humming a little tune, so the girl seemed to be in a good mood.

When Lin Feng was changing his clothes, he realized that the clothes Shi Yao had prepared for him, although all made of cotton, were clean, carefully mended, and comfortable to wear.

He suddenly felt homesick, missing Aunt Yao's cooking, his father, and Uncle Xiao Hei.

But soon, this longing was overshadowed by the novelty.

He changed his clothes, tucked the note his father had given him into his pocket, touched the jade pendant on his chest, and then opened the door to go out.

Mo Wen was already waiting downstairs.

He changed into a clean gray robe and combed his hair again, making him look more energetic.

Seeing Lin Feng come down, he nodded: "Let's go."

"Uncle Mo,"

Lin Feng hesitated for a moment, "Do you know where the Fengyue Inn is?"

"I know." Mo Wen stepped outside. "It's in the west of the city."

The two left the inn and rejoined the flow of people on the street.

Mo Wen walked slowly, with Lin Feng following beside him, his eyes still darting around.

He glanced at a clay figurine stall as he passed by.

The clay figures were sculpted in a charmingly naive manner, including the God of Longevity, the God of Wealth, and characters from Journey to the West.

The stall owner was a thin old man. Seeing Lin Feng stop, he asked with a smile, "Young man, want to buy one? Three coins for one, two for five coins."

Lin Feng touched the cloth bag containing copper coins in his arms, hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and quickly followed Mo Wen.

It's not that he doesn't want to buy it, it's that he can't bear to part with it.

Although my father gave me a lot of money, it was for the journey and I couldn't spend it recklessly.

Mo Wen glanced back at him but didn't say anything.

The two walked through several streets, getting further and further away from the main road.

The number of shops around gradually decreased, and the number of pedestrians also decreased.

Finally, they came to a quiet alley, where a two-story wooden building that looked quite old stood deep inside.

A black flag with gold lettering hangs in front of the building, bearing four large, elegantly written characters:

Fengyue Inn.

The characters are written with great force, each stroke exuding a sharp edge, as if carved with a knife.

The building entrance was open, and the interior was somewhat dimly lit, but you could see the counter and a few sets of tables and chairs.

There weren't many customers at the moment, except for a man who looked like the shopkeeper, who was slumped over the counter, seemingly asleep.

Mo Wen stopped at the door.

"Go inside," he said.

"I'll be waiting for you here."

Lin Feng nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

My foot creaked softly as I stepped on the wooden floor.

The shopkeeper, who was leaning over the counter, stirred and raised his head.

He was an elderly man, around sixty years old, dressed in an ordinary blue long gown, the kind of person you wouldn't notice in a crowd.

But his eyes were very bright. When Lin Feng came in, a glint of light flashed in his eyes. Although he quickly concealed it, Lin Feng still caught it.

"Sir, would you like to stay the night or have a meal?" The innkeeper stood up, a professional smile plastered on his face.

Lin Feng walked to the counter, took out the slip of paper from his pocket, unfolded it, and placed it on the counter.

"I'm looking for Uncle Qinglong," he said. "My father sent me."

The shopkeeper's gaze fell on the slip of paper.

There were only two words on it: Lin Feng.

The handwriting was crooked and messy, as if it were written casually, nothing special.

But the shopkeeper's expression changed instantly.

He suddenly looked up at Lin Feng, his eyes filled with shock, disbelief, and a hint of... awe?

His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed the words back.

He took a deep breath, trying to make his expression normal, but his voice still trembled slightly:

"Young... Young Master, please wait a moment, I will go and invite Lord Qinglong right away."

He turned and hurried into the back room, his steps somewhat unsteady.

Lin Feng stood there, feeling a little apprehensive.

Young...Master?

Did the shopkeeper mean to say "Young Master" but then change his address to "Young Master"?

Also, is Uncle Qinglong an "adult"?