This village has been living off the mountains for more than a dozen generations. Farming and supporting their families is their duty, and it is rare for one or two people to be able to read and write.
When the news that Lu Liangsheng could read and write spread, Lu Laoshi felt a little regretful after his anger subsided. After all, his son was his own, and he did not ask clearly. If he was brought to court, he would not be able to make a point for a long time. Not only would he be embarrassed, but he would also be beaten with a stick.
When he hurried home, he saw Toad Taoist sitting on the edge of the bed in Lu Liangsheng's room with his flippers on his back, looking at the boy who was writing and drawing over there.
"Teacher, I know you are confused, but you have to think clearly. Most of the people in the village are your relatives. There is a saying outside: help the right, not the relatives. What's more, this side is both your relatives and the right. It would be unreasonable for you not to stand up and help everyone. A good person should uphold justice and stand in the world, regardless of his life."
Over there, Lu Liangsheng put down his brush, raised his head, and looked at his master. The thin wind cocoon pushed him and he smiled bitterly: "Master, I don't mind what you said, but I have never been to court. I have seen the highest official, the township magistrate, from a distance once."
"If you go there, the highest official you'll ever meet is the county magistrate."
Taoist Zixing sat on the edge of the bed, kicking his toad legs in the air, twisting the thin webbed feet of his forelimbs, and trying to stretch out his fingers, pointing at himself: "Think about how I have been practicing Taoism for decades. If I hadn't taken a step back then, how could I have such a high level of cultivation today? You are nothing but a coward, but as a human being, you can't hide behind for the rest of your life."
“You have a very high level of cultivation…” Lu Liangsheng looked him up and down.
Toad took back his hand and threw it behind his back: "Master, I am referring to the past."
He paused, and almost forgot what to say next because of being choked by his disciple. He reorganized his words, stood up, walked on the edge of the bed, and continued: "Anyway, you have to go this time. To practice Taoism is to practice humanity and to cultivate a righteous heart. If you don't do this, it will go against your conscience, and it will be difficult to move forward in your practice in the future."
That woman's... I've even said all these things, and you're still not going
After Taoist Zixing finished speaking, he looked straight at the young man who was pressing his hands on the table with his lips tightly pursed. After a long time, Lu Liangsheng finally relaxed his tightly pursed lips.
He nodded to his master: "Master, I'll take note of what you said!"
Taoist Zixing also let out a long sigh, jumped onto the worn-out table, and patted the boy's arm with his flippers: "It's good that you have figured it out. Let's go to court. I have figured out that you still have a wonderful fate. Don't worry, just go."
Looking at the young man in front of him who was persuaded, his pair of red eyes flashed with ferocity: I have added another sentence to attract you, I don’t believe you will not want to go.
On the other side, Lu Liangsheng also made affirmative words.
"Yes! Master."
At this time, outside the house, Lu Laoshi also rushed back. Hearing the sound, Taoist Zixing quickly lay down on all fours, and the door was pushed open.
"Dad, what's the matter?" The boy looked at his father who came in with some surprise.
Lu Laoshi walked into the room and looked at his son. He rubbed his calloused palms with some guilt, and his gentle temper came back: "Liangsheng... about going to the government office..."
Before he could finish his words, his son said, "It's okay, Dad. I'll go."
"You...really going?"
Lu Laoshi was a little surprised by his son's answer, but then he thought that Liangsheng had become more sensible over the years and should understand that if the village suffered injustice, many people would starve.
After this was settled, the village elder gathered eight men, told Lu Liangsheng the whole story, and discussed some arguments for going to court before dispersing late at night.
The next morning, each household pooled together some dry food and money for the journey. Lu Liangsheng also rode on his family's old donkey, took some dry food and some copper coins, and together with eight big men from the same village, set out on the road that had passed through Fushui County.
The old donkey neighed "Wa-ah-wa" and slowly moved its hooves forward. In the package slung over the boy's back, Taoist Zixing curled up into a heap, swaying and bumping against the copper coins.
With his eyes closed, he hummed softly.
"At this rate, it will probably be the next day before we reach the county town..."
The team moved very slowly. Firstly, the road leading out of the mountain was rugged and difficult to walk on. Secondly, this time they were not going out as casually as when there were many people. They had to walk carefully and beware of robbers.
It was dark when we arrived, and we were still about fifteen miles away from Fu Shui. Although the rest of the journey was relatively easy, after walking for a whole day, we still felt tired and sleepy.
The eight people discussed with Lu Liangsheng to spend the night outside. The people in the mountains were not so delicate. As long as it didn't rain, they could get some shut-eye even if they slept on a pile of wild grass. However, the situation was not that bad. The villagers had walked this road many times. There were a few thatched houses halfway up the hill ahead.
There were people living there before, but later on for some unknown reason they moved away or someone died, and it has been empty ever since. No one takes care of the fields either. Sometimes when I don't want to travel at night or when it rains heavily, I will stay there for a night before leaving.
Lu Liangsheng raised his head and saw that all the hills within his sight were covered by black forests. Clouds were moving in the night sky, revealing a half moon.
Ouch—
The howling of wolves could be heard in the distance. In the woods, rustling footsteps could be heard on fallen leaves. With the moonlight shining through the gaps in the trees onto the ground, eight people walked in front, heading towards the shabby hut they were talking about.
Lu Liangsheng walked behind the old donkey, constantly observing the surroundings. The outline of the distant mountains in the darkness was like a crouching prehistoric beast. The moonlight shining through the gaps in the trees, accompanied by the occasional howl of wolves, was creepy.
"It's just ahead."
The sound coming from the front made Lu Liangsheng feel a little relieved, but the old donkey he was leading became a little restless, breathing heavily and unwilling to keep up, but was still dragged by the boy to catch up.
Walking up a gentle slope, in the cold night, there is a small thatched hut with half of its earthen wall collapsed. No one has taken care of it for a long time. After the wall collapsed, the roof also sank.
I pushed open the crooked door, and amidst the creaking sound, dust fell on my shoulders.
Lu Liangsheng coughed a few times because of being choked. The room smelled very musty, but the pile of burnt wood on the ground proved that there were indeed people who stayed here occasionally.
Soon, the fire was lit again. Someone took out a clay pot and placed it on top. They broke the dry food in everyone's hands into several pieces and boiled them. By adding water, the boiled dry food could save a lot.
The eight big men who traveled with Liangsheng all volunteered to come out together. There was not much farm work in the village, so they naturally wanted to go out and see the world. If they were lucky enough to get a good job, they would not have to go back, and would at least wait until the New Year before coming back.
After a makeshift meal, the eight of them fell into a deep sleep around the campfire.
Lu Liangsheng was not quite sleepy at this time. He was flipping through another book, "Qinghuai Bumeng". The campfire crackled and sparks flew up. Night insects buzzed in the corner. In the silence, the package placed against the wall bulged a few times and loosened, and a crawling figure crawled out silently.
Taoist Zixing glanced at the person reading, and quickly got out of a gap in the corner of the wall. He stood in the moonlight, looking at the barren mountains and wilderness, as if he felt something.
It stretched out its four legs and broke into a run, its webbed feet clattering through the thick layer of fallen leaves, its long tongue trailing out of its open mouth as it ran.
Going up the mountain along a stream, jumping over a lying rotten wood, and standing in front of a large bluestone, the toad's eyes excitedly stared at the mountain wall where the stream flowed out. There were deep gaps between several moss-covered rocks, and there seemed to be even larger space inside.
"come out… "
The Toad Man stood up, with his bulging belly sticking out, and raised his face slightly: "I have something to tell you, little demon!"
The sound echoed in the forest. The quiet leaves suddenly swayed wildly, making a rustling sound.
In the deep crevices between the overlapping rocks, there was a rustling sound, and the next moment, a pair of scarlet colors lit up.
"Hmph... a little demon in the spiritual stage."
Taoist Zixing held his front legs and pointed in the direction of coming and going.
"I asked you to kill someone, and it's okay to eat him. It's a small gift to you, my junior."
Two long black shadows poked out from the cracks in the rocks. I thought they were branches or bamboo poles, but when I looked into the area illuminated by the moonlight, I realized they were a pair of light red insect antennae swaying in the air.
After a moment, a hoarse and sharp voice accompanied by the chirping of insects came out from the gap: "You are also a demon, why don't you go?"
Taoist Zixing frowned. This guy actually asked back a question.
However, before he could open his mouth, the sharp voice turned into a deep laugh: "A little toad dares to give orders on my mountain... Hehe... I will accept your small gift... But you look delicious, too."
Taoist Zixing's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
"… How can this psychic monster be so smart?" The thought flashed through his mind, and he turned around and jumped off the big bluestone, spreading his flippers and running wildly.
Behind him, there was a loud bang, and rocks broke and splashed. At the moment they fell into the stream and splashed water, scarlet eyes quickly swam out from the deep place. The cold moonlight brushed across the links. Dense insect legs spread over the broken stones, and the pincer-like mouthparts made a "click" sound, and a long hiss was emitted.
The running toad looked back and moved forward with its short legs madly.
"Why am I so unlucky..."
Behind, a huge centipede was swimming towards them.