Chapter 3: The Way of Survival
"Presumptuous, how dare you speak ill of the lady?" the old butler scolded. "That child was merely encountered by the lady when she entered the city. They are all beggars, orphaned and parentless, with distinct features. How can we explain this to you? Since the lady has said that if we arrive here, we will naturally recognize them, then we will indeed recognize them.
Come here, everyone!" As they walked onto the bridge, a young servant raised a lantern and shouted loudly. The beggars, who had been sound asleep, were startled awake by the shout, trembling in fear as they looked at the three people standing at the bridgehead.
"Master Butler, what should we do? We are afraid we cannot explain this to the lady. We had a bit to drink this time and missed our duty; upon returning, we are likely to face her punishment." The lady had originally assigned the two of them to find that child, but due to the cold weather, they had indulged in a bit too much alcohol to keep warm, which led to their failure in the task. The old butler, noticing their prolonged absence, sensed something was amiss and took a lantern to find them. In Lin'an City, there are numerous taverns, and the two of them had no idea how the butler managed to locate them.
The child that Madam is looking for is not inside! The old steward glanced once and declared decisively. The two young servants did not question how the old steward knew the child was not inside; they had long been aware that this old steward possessed certain abilities.
When the three returned to the Ziyi Mansion, a slender figure emerged from the dense woods about half a mile away from the stone bridge. Seeing that the surroundings were quiet and no one was paying attention, Lin Junxuan finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had deliberately taken a detour of more than half a mile, primarily to avoid being noticed, fearing that the items on him would attract unwanted attention.
In Lin'an City, compared to those beggars who can only fight with dogs for scraps, eat moldy leftovers, or even go hungry, Lin Junxuan already feels quite satisfied. Just like before his time travel, he does not pursue the taste of food very much. As long as fish can provide the nutrition he needs for growth and is not too difficult to swallow, that is sufficient.
Not far from the front, the river surface was dim, with a layer of cold mist floating above the water. Lin Junxuan emerged from the woods and crouched down by the riverbank. He took the star-shaped pendant chain from around his neck. In Lin Junxuan's hand, the star-shaped pendant emitted a faint, weak, and soft pale yellow glow. Lin Junxuan did not understand why this was happening; he only knew that after entering this world, every night, the pendant would automatically emit a weak light. Holding the pendant, Lin Junxuan leaned down at the riverbank, slowly lowering his palm to let the faintly glowing star-shaped pendant immerse in the river water. In the darkness, quietly, the star-shaped pendant radiated a glow like that of fireflies on the river surface. Lin Junxuan held the star-shaped pendant, motionless by the riverbank. After a while, a circle of lively shadows emerged from the depths of the river around the pendant, and under the faint light of the pendant, it could be vaguely seen that they were small fish, each about the width of a finger.
A fish was consumed in no time. Lin Junxuan took off the chain again and, following the law of nature, continued to eat more than ten small fish. He also found several types of plants rich in salt and moisture in the woods and chewed them. Lin Junxuan had learned how to survive in this environment using his previous knowledge. He could only eat once a day, and that could only be at night, as the chain could only attract fish during the night. For most of the day, he had to endure hunger. Therefore, for this one meal of the day, he ate a lot, as he had to prepare for the daytime. He could only eat once a day, and that could only be at night, as the chain could only attract fish during the night. For most of the day, he had to endure hunger. Therefore, for this one meal of the day, he ate a lot, as he had to prepare for the daytime.
Lin Junxuan sat on the bridge, the sound of flowing water gently reaching his ears. He glanced at the sky, where dark clouds hung like gauze, enveloping the city of Lin'an. On the stone bridge, only a few beggar children huddled together remained. Lin Junxuan observed that no one was paying attention to him, so he stood up and quietly walked towards the city outskirts, soon disappearing beyond the city walls.
In the wilderness, there is a profound silence, with only the resounding sound of reading drifting far away on the treetops, carried by the wind. The originally eerie and towering forest suddenly transforms into a realm of righteous energy, as if even the trees have been imbued with that grand and righteous spirit.
Lin Junxuan did not notice that after he fell asleep, a slender white figure was quietly watching him from the treetop not far away, and only after he had fallen asleep did it turn and silently leave, stepping lightly on the treetops
This dinner has finally been secured Lin Junxuan chuckled lightly and with a punch, the small fish was knocked out, ceasing its struggles. At night, the faint light source easily attracts the fish in the river. When the fish see the gentle light, they mistake it for the starlight in the sky and automatically swim closer. Before Lin Junxuan entered this world, the people in that world utilized this principle, hanging glowing night buoys on their fishing lines at night and going out to fish.
"Yes, yes, yes, the steward is indeed correct!" The two young servants quickly replied. In the Purple Robe Marquis's residence, this steward is quite mysterious, and everyone in the household holds him in considerable awe. This time, they were delayed in their duties due to drinking and were afraid of punishment, which is why they spoke in such a manner.
Lin Junxuan recited for half an hour before finally pausing. After half an hour, Lin Junxuan's mind regained its tranquility, reaching a state of completeness
The old steward pondered in silence, and after a moment said: "This Lin'an city is vast; if he is not dead, he must still be in Lin'an. Since he has been here, he will naturally return to this stone bridge. Just have the servants in the manor pay attention to this place, and if they encounter any particularly special child, they should bring him to see me. The lady will not think of that child in the short term, so you need not worry for now"
Retrieving the star-shaped necklace, Lin Junxuan once again hung it around his neck, concealing it beneath his loose clothing. As soon as the chain was in place, a wave of warmth surged forth, dispelling the chill that enveloped him.
Wow! ... ... Lin Junxuan's hand suddenly plunged into the water, swiftly catching a small fish. Before the fish could flick its tail to escape, with a flick of his fingers, he had already scooped the fish along with a small handful of river water onto the shore
Heaven bestows great responsibilities upon this person; it must first torment their will, labor their muscles and bones, starve their body, impoverish their physical state, and disrupt their actions. This is to stir their heart and strengthen their resolve, enhancing what they cannot achieve
"We acknowledge our mistake; we will never dare to let drinking interfere with our duties again. Steward, what do you think we should do?" The two looked at the old steward with pitiful expressions.
After leaving the teaching hall, Lin Junxuan wandered around the city of Lin'an. As dusk approached, the aroma of steamed buns wafted through the streets from the butcher's shop. Lin Junxuan felt a bit hungry in his stomach, but he had no money on him, so he could only endure. He had not eaten a single grain of rice all day; he was someone who could endure, so despite the hunger in his belly, he was still able to hold on at first. Other beggars surrounded the meat bun shop with faces full of longing, but Lin Junxuan calmly walked past them.
Before long, Lin Junxuan awoke from a deep slumber. The star-shaped pendant around his neck emitted waves of warmth that flowed into his body, dispelling the chill. Lin Junxuan felt a comforting warmth enveloping him, and he occasionally murmured in his dreams.
Looking at the sky, it would soon be dark. Lin Junxuan simply returned to the bridge and squatted in the same spot as before, remaining motionless.
The two were overjoyed: "Thank you, esteemed steward." The old steward remained silent, turned around, and the three of them retraced their steps...
Lin Junxuan caught a small fish with a narrow width, floated it in the water, removed the dirt from its body, then gutted it, and began to eat it in this manner. In late autumn approaching winter, the water is slightly cold, and at this time, the fish's flesh is the most tender, smooth, and palatable, making it quite easy to swallow.
After consuming more than ten small fish in succession, Lin Junxuan left the riverbank and slowly walked into the dark woods. Although the area outside the city was shrouded in darkness and had a sinister atmosphere, Lin Junxuan felt no fear in his heart. With the light from his necklace, Lin Junxuan found a large old tree in the center of the woods, its branches stretching wide and its crown expansive, and then sat down cross-legged.
"Whatever the lady says, there is no need to ask further; just do as instructed," the old steward said. The two young servants looked fearful and did not dare to speak much. The three of them walked towards the stone bridge under the hazy night.
As Lin Junxuan had just left, deep within the houses of Lin'an City, an old man accompanied by two young servants approached the stone bridge, carrying a large red lantern. On the lantern was inscribed the character "紫" (zi), which is the emblem of the Duke of Purple Robes' residence in Lin'an City. It was evident that these three individuals were servants of the Duke of Purple Robes.
"You scoundrels, can you deceive the young lady and the madam? Since the madam has not mentioned the child's appearance, yet has called us here, it is evident that she has a profound impression of that child. If it were an ordinary beggar, would the madam show such favor? If you are deceiving the madam, that would be a capital offense!" the old steward said solemnly
How about we casually find a beggar to bring back to the residence and claim that this is the young man? After all, this time the lady is mainly concerned about the young lady, and since the young lady is at a distance, she may not be able to see clearly what the beggar looks like. If we bring back any beggar, it is likely that the young lady won't recognize him. The steward—" The two young servants looked at the old steward with pleading eyes.
Rising to his feet, Lin Junxuan swiftly climbed the tree like a monkey, then found a branch of moderate thickness. With his legs hooked downwards, he hung from the tree and gradually fell asleep. For over a month, Lin Junxuan had been sleeping this way, as he believed that this method of sleeping could unconsciously strengthen his body, making his currently frail physique more robust.
Lin Junxuan has spent more than a month in this world, relying on a star-shaped pendant that glows at night to catch fish for sustenance. After a period of training, he has now become quite skilled at catching the small fish that linger near the light source. As for larger fish, given his four-year-old body, he would not be able to hold them down even if they were brought ashore.
As night deepens, the entire city of Lin'an falls into a profound silence. The merchants and laborers on the streets have long returned home, and the shops have already closed their doors. Only a few taverns remain open, leaving a narrow gap to accommodate those patrons seeking a brief respite.
"Master Butler, the lady instructed us to find a child around four or five years old, but she did not mention his appearance, only stating that once we arrived here, we would surely know which child it was. How are we supposed to find him without knowing what he looks like?" a young servant in blue complained, holding a thick red cotton jacket that appeared to be for a child.