Toast

Chapter 186: Toasting

“Worship the Double Joy God? No, not in Liang, at least.”

“I remember when my second brother got married. The bride would first bow to Heaven and Earth, then to the parents.”

“But the doors and windows did have that round character pasted on them, just like this place.”

Gouwa pointed the sheep trotter in his hand at the large double-happiness symbol cut from red cloth hanging in the hall.

Li Huowang’s expression didn’t improve upon hearing this.

He stood still for a long moment, only sitting down slowly after confirming that the round red double-happiness symbol in the distance showed no signs of abnormality.

“Eat up. We’ll find a place to sleep after we’re done.” At Li Huowang’s words, the others quickened their eating.

Li Huowang picked a dried jujube from the date bun beside him, chewing slowly while keeping a wary eye on the laughter and joy all around.

His heart was not at ease.

He couldn’t be blamed for being jumpy. A burnt child dreads the fire. In this world gone mad, no amount of caution was too much.

Besides, he’d been burnt more than a few times.

Li Huowang didn’t want to know why. He just wanted to take the people beside him and live on, safe and steady.

As the sky darkened and blazing torches were lit and thrust into the walls, the wedding feast grew livelier.

Seeing the hosts toasting at other tables, Li Huowang assumed they wouldn’t bother with the table of outsiders. But to his surprise, they actually sent someone over.

The square-faced young man who had beaten the gong to welcome the bride approached Li Huowang’s table, a wine cup in one hand and a flask in the other, a smile on his face.

He came to the table and, without a word, first filled his cup. Raising it with both hands toward Li Huowang, he said, “Come, come! Many thanks to all for attending my elder brother’s wedding feast. I, Hou Wen, toast to you escort masters. May all your wishes come true, and may you have safe travels!”

Hearing this, how could the others just sit there? They all raised their cups in return, even Li Huowang, who used tea in place of wine.

By all rights, such treatment for outside guests was already generous.

But Hou Wen, holding the cup by the neck and supporting the bottom, drained his cup, immediately refilled it, and toasted Li Huowang alone.

“This venerable master, let me toast you a separate cup. May you soon ride a crane to immortality and achieve ascension!”

Though the words were well-intentioned, to Li Huowang, the fake Daoist, they sounded grating.

“You flatter me, you flatter me.” Li Huowang raised his tea cup and drank, the pot briefly blocking his view.

In that moment, he keenly sensed the man before him staring at him.

No, not at him, exactly—at the sword on his back. The sword the abbess had given him.

The moment Li Huowang set his cup down, the gaze vanished, and the young man’s smiling face was back.

If Li Huowang’s perception weren’t far sharper than others, he might have been fooled.

“Why is he looking at my sword? Does he recognize its power?”

No matter what Li Huowang thought, the young man did nothing else after toasting. He picked up his flask and turned toward another table, as if he had truly come only to offer a drink.

“Enjoy the meal, everyone! Make sure you leave satisfied!”

Watching his retreating back, Li Huowang’s expression was complicated. He turned to the others and said, “We’ve eaten enough. Let’s go.”

The others looked reluctantly at the plates of unfinished food, but since Li Huowang had spoken, they stood up with lingering reluctance.

Having attended the feast, there was one benefit: finding a place to stay became much easier.

Seeing that they were the same escort masters who had just shared the meal, the homeowners readily agreed to let them stay, even going through the motions of refusing Bai Lingmiao’s offered rent.

“Oh, since you’ve come to the feast, you’re guests now! What’s all this talk of money? Don’t be so polite.”

The old man’s voice was booming and warm, yet he still took the copper coins with a pleased expression.

Money certainly had its uses. Soon, he had cleared out a two-story old earth building for Li Huowang and the others to stay in.

The earth building was old, but being a standalone building with its own courtyard suited Li Huowang just fine.

The night grew deeper. The lively village slowly fell quiet.

Li Huowang stood by the second-floor window, gazing into the distance at the red lanterns hanging outside the house where the wedding was being held.

Bai Lingmiao, sitting sideways on the bed, wet a thread with her mouth, then carefully threaded a needle by the candlelight.

One by one, she began sewing some useless scraps of cloth onto the chains lying on the stool beside her.

When her eyes grew tired, Bai Lingmiao looked up at the broad back by the window. “Brother Li, maybe that man was just glancing at your sword. It doesn’t necessarily mean he’s after your life.”

“I have two swords on my back. Why did that brat only look at this one? There’s no harm in being cautious. When you go down later, tell everyone else. We’ll still need to keep watch tonight.”

Bai Lingmiao nodded obediently and began spreading out the bedding.

“Li… Li… Li…”

“Something wrong?” Li Huowang looked down at the courtyard below, where Gao Zhijian was looking up at him.

“I… I’m really… really not… not a village… village fool.” It was clear that Gao Zhijian was very concerned about this.

“Alright, I know you’re not a village fool. Then where did you come from? You didn’t just pop out of a rock, did you?”

Because of Gao Zhijian’s intelligence and his stammer, Li Huowang and the others weren’t very keen on chatting with him. He was just too slow.

So, apart from knowing that Gao Zhijian could read, they knew nothing else about him.

Gao Zhijian stood there with a pained expression, thinking for a moment. “Li… Li… Brother Li!! You… you have to… believe me… I… I…”

“I believe you, I believe you. Just spit it out, will you? If you keep dawdling, it’ll be daylight before you’re done.”

“You!! Don’t… don’t you… interrupt! Don’t you… interrupt me… while I’m talking!” It was the first time Gao Zhijian had spoken to Li Huowang in such a tone.

“I… I hate… hate it… the most… most! When… others… interrupt… me… when I’m… talking!”

Li Huowang looked at his face, flushed red with urgency, and his tightly clenched fists. He nodded. “Alright. Talk.”

“Li… Li… Brother Li!! Do… do you… trust me… me… me? No… no matter… how… how astonishing… what I… I say… is!”

“I trust you. Talk.”

Hearing this, Gao Zhijian stomped his foot with fierce determination. “I… I’ll… I’ll come up… up and say it!!”

Glancing at Bai Lingmiao behind him, Li Huowang stopped the agitated Gao Zhijian. “Don’t come up. Just say it right there. Then go back to sleep when you’re done.”