About ten days later, a small boat carrying Ji Yuan, Wang Li and Zhang Rui was sailing on a small river, gradually approaching Tongtian River.
The boat was sailing very smoothly, with almost no shaking. There were pens, ink, paper and inkstone on the small table in the cabin. Wang Li was writing something on the table, and Zhang Rui was sitting beside him watching.
After a long time, Wang Li finally wrote the last word, breathed a sigh of relief, and put the pen on the pen holder.
Looking at Zhang Rui beside him, Wang Li remembered the previous lesson and quickly asked Ji Yuan a question.
"Mr. Ji, the people in your story, do you mind if I change some of the plots? Some things are not convenient to be written into a book. It would be more appropriate to change them to the previous dynasty or to make up a dynasty."
What I just heard Ji Yuan tell was the story of the old turtle on Chunmu River. Since it was said by Mr. Ji, it is very likely that it really happened.
No matter how ignorant Wang Li was, he knew that it was not good to publish such a story without any modification.
What happened during this period of time has brought great shock to Wang Li's heart, but when it comes to his job as a storyteller, he can still remain relatively calm.
“Hahahaha… As long as you don’t change it too much, the old turtle won’t mind.”
"Um… "
Wang Li responded, thought about it, and then hesitated to continue speaking.
"Mr. Ji, I actually think the ending of this story is a bit inappropriate."
Ji Yuan rowed the boat and answered casually.
"Mr. Wang, what do you think is wrong? Tell me."
Over the past few days, Wang Li has roughly understood Ji Yuan's temper, so he spoke boldly with confidence.
"Mr. Ji, this story has twists and turns, it's magical, it's full of vicissitudes, and it's not lacking in depth, but I always feel that the ending is inappropriate. Think about it, whether it's the Taizu of our dynasty or the Xiao family, they may have to bear some price. You are a god, so you naturally understand this, but it's not obvious to me."
Wang Li considered his words and continued.
"Wang believes that storytelling, in addition to bringing some joy to the public, also serves to warn people. It is indeed difficult to clearly state the retribution for good and evil in the world, but at least in stories, there should be, and can be, retribution. If even the storytellers' stories cannot make people happy to get rid of evil, how boring it would be..."
“Pah pah pah pah pah…”
Ji Yuan put down the oar and clapped his hands towards Wang Li a few times.
"Well said, well said! Change it as you like."
"Hey, then I... will change it?"
Wang Li asked again for confirmation, Ji Yuan started rowing again, nodded and said in emphasis.
"change!"
In this case, Wang Li was no longer polite. He directly took the pen, dipped it in ink, turned the page and started writing again.
What he has now is just a rough draft. He just writes down the general content of what Mr. Ji said before his memory fades. He will then polish it and gradually perfect the story.
To create a good story that can be remembered, the core itself is of course indispensable, but the storyteller's polishing is equally crucial. Wang Li has worked hard in this process. After all, compared with the rumors or copied other famous stories in the past, this kind of true magical story can make him more excited.
Zhang Rui looked at Wang Li in surprise. This man was like two different people when he was writing and telling stories as he was in the brothel. The question and answer session with Mr. Ji just now was even more surprising to her.
The fact that Wang Li could just say those words and cause Mr. Ji to applaud him made Zhang Rui look at Wang Li with new eyes.
If I think about it carefully, the original adaptation of "White Deer Romance" actually has a similar meaning. I feel disgusted only because I happen to be the "victim" of the adaptation. And although the ending of Bai Lu and Zhou Lang has a sad core, they are reunited in the underworld after all, and they can be said to be a couple in the end. While the tragedy is even more sigh-worthy, the strict laws of the City God are also impressive.
However, Wang Li didn't know how severe the whipping in the underworld was at that time, which made her, who knew some hardcore knowledge, over-interpret the story.
Wang Li was still writing and revising, and he would stop from time to time to grind the ink. Zhang Rui, apart from occasionally looking at what he had written, spent most of her time meditating with her eyes closed. She could forget about the incense and prayers for the time being, but she could slowly absorb the yin spiritual energy that came up from the water.
About half a day after the boat merged into the Tongtian River along with the stream, some special bubbles began to appear beside the boat.
"Mr. Ji?"
Zhang Rui opened her eyes when she noticed something unusual, asked, and found that Ji Yuan just shook his head.
"No problem."
Sure enough, after a while everything returned to normal, and nothing strange happened in the water. Wang Lizhe had no idea that Zhang Rui had been on guard for a moment, and was still immersed in his own story world.
When they reached the Tongtian River, there were more earthen mounds and woodlands. About a quarter of an hour later, the boat turned around a winding area under the rowing of Ji Yuan. Zhang Rui suddenly found two people standing on the shore near the back of the earthen mound.
The two people were dressed in gorgeous clothes, one man and one woman were extremely beautiful, and Hongxiu's face pales in comparison to that woman. But how could there be two people standing on the shore in such a remote and desolate place, with no carriages or boats nearby
"Hey, Wang Li, there's a beautiful girl over there."
"oh."
Wang Li responded without looking up. After writing a few words, he seemed to come back to his senses. He quickly looked in the direction of Zhang Rui's finger and saw the two people with outstanding appearance.
Later, Zhang Rui and Wang Li discovered that in addition to the two people who had been watching the boat, the boat was also approaching the shore.
"Ying Feng" and "Ying Ruoli"
"Meet Uncle Ji!"
When the dragon son and dragon daughter were about seven or eight feet away from them, they bowed solemnly and greeted each other.
Ji Yuan put down the oar at the bow and bowed in return.
"Hello, nephews!"
Normally, Ji Yuan would usually address him as "Your Highness Ying" and "Goddess Jiang".
But Wang Li was on the boat at the moment, and if he called him like that directly, the man would probably be startled again, so this time he simply called him "nephew".
In fact, after seeing Wang Li's reaction to the shock he received a few days ago, Ji Yuan didn't want Wang Li himself to be exposed to too many supernatural things. It would be better for him to be a pure storyteller after retelling the stories.
At this moment, the boat just docked, and Longzi and Longnu stepped onto the bow together. Then the boat continued to sail along the river towards Kyoto.
Since the two men got on board, although there was no magical power or light manifesting, Zhang Rui subconsciously didn't dare to speak much. Even Wang Li only dared to steal a glance at the two of them, and he was mainly writing.
"Uncle Ji, are you going to the capital? My father is sleeping. Do you want to wake him up?"
Judging from Ji Yuan’s attitude, he definitely didn’t come to Tongtian River specifically. He still has some dragon ideas in his eyes.
"no, I'm fine."
"Uncle Ji, who are these two?"
The dragon girl walked to the side of the hold, bowed to the two people inside and asked.
Zhang Rui and Wang Li quickly returned the gift.
"My name is Zhang Rui, I'm from... Yanzhou, and his name is Wang Li, a storyteller."
Wang Li looked at Zhang Rui and his mouth twitched.
"Uh, my name is Wang Li, and I'm a storyteller."
"Well, I am Ying Ruoli, and that one is my elder brother Ying Feng. We are both Mr. Ji's juniors."
Afterwards, Ying Ruoli entered the cabin to find out what Wang Li was doing, and then quickly went out to chat with Ji Yuan.
In the next half day, there were two more people on the boat, and Ji Yuan did not dock the boat until it reached the next pier.
Zhang Rui and Wang Li knew it was time to say goodbye, so they went ashore, while Ji Yuan and the other two stayed on the boat.
"Take a boat from this pier and head southeast along the Tongtian River, and you will soon reach Yanzhou."
This had been agreed upon long ago. Zhang Rui would naturally not go to Kyoto. He wanted to complete the story and follow the gods at the same time, but Ji Yuan did not plan to keep him with him forever. He took him away from Cheng Su Mansion because he was afraid that he would be liquidated by the brothel, and also to keep him away from the place of prostitution.
At this time, Zhang Rui had disappeared and was standing next to Wang Li. She just bowed and said goodbye to the people on the boat. Wang Li seemed even more excited.
"Mr. Ji, when will I see you again? Do you think I have a chance to become someone like you..."
Wang Li on the shore looked at the people around the dock and asked in a subtle and expectant tone, which made Zhang Rui and the dragon son and daughter laugh.
Ji Yuan understood what Wang Li meant. Everyone says that being a god is good, and in fact, it is indeed quite good.
"Hahahaha... Mr. Wang, just be a good storyteller. We will meet again."
Ji Yuan smiled and used the bamboo pole on the boat to support the shore of the pier, pushing the boat towards the river. Wang Li stood on the shore and watched the boat go away, feeling a little lost.
When the boat was about ten feet away from the dock, Ji Yuan suddenly turned around and shouted.
"Mr. Wang, what you said on the boat a day ago, will it remain the same?"
Ji Yuan's question was somewhat confusing, and the dragon son and daughter were unaware of it. Even Zhang Rui didn't react for a moment. Instead, Wang Li understood what Mr. Ji was asking in an instant. His mind flashed back to what he had said the day before about changing the ending of the story, as well as Mr. Ji's applause at that time.
"Mr. Ji~~~Wang will always be like this~~~"
Wang Li responded by shouting towards the river.
Ji Yuan nodded and bowed solemnly towards the shore again.
Wang Li did not dare to be negligent when seeing this, and hurriedly returned the greeting. Then he watched the boat go farther and farther away, and soon it became blurred in his sight.
"Let's go, Mr. Wang, don't try to sneak into the capital!"
"Hey, Miss Zhang, you... okay, okay... But don't you think Miss Ying's name sounds familiar?"
"What the hell, you just think she's pretty!"
"It's really not..."
Wang Li gave a bitter smile, carried his bag and went to find a boat. In the eyes of outsiders, this guy might be mentally ill because he was talking to himself.
On the surface of Tongtian River, Ji Yuan rowed the boat with one hand and stretched out his sword with his right hand, and a virtual particle on it flashed away.
"I hope you will always be like this..."
"Uncle Ji?"
"fine."
Ji Yuan rowed the boat, and this time the boat went much faster than before.