Chapter 4: Do not underestimate the youth in poverty

Xu Haoyue also smiled and said: "Brother Zhao, please feel free to speak; this meal cannot be enjoyed without due consideration."

Then Zhao Erleng snorted and said, "Elder brother, you can ask him; I would like to see what profound reasoning he can come up with!"

Xu Haoyue, a brave man, was about to make a run for it, when suddenly a voice in the tavern shouted loudly: "Everyone, stop!"

For several months, Xu Haoyue had been feeling very down. On top of that, she inexplicably traveled back to ancient times the day before and lost the photograph of Liu Jingru, which left her feeling even more agitated. At this moment, a tavern servant unexpectedly approached her with a broom, intending to drive her away. Xu Haoyue, filled with unexplainable anger, tucked her provisions into her bosom and shouted furiously, "I am merely eating some provisions here; what business is it of yours?"

Xu Haoyue searched everywhere in the place where he had awakened but could not find his wallet, so he had to give up. His original clothes were already tattered, so he decided to change them all and buried them at the place where he had crossed over and awakened, using stones to build a pile as a marker, intending to return to search for them when he had the time. He changed into the coarse cloth trousers and shirt of an old farmer, and intended to wear a turban to avoid being mistaken for a monk again, but unfortunately, the old farmer was poor and had none to spare. Xu Haoyue generously gave the old farmer a whole string of coins, which was about a thousand wen, and the old farmer was very pleased, saying that this amount would be enough for him to live on for several months. When Xu Haoyue set off, he bid a fond farewell to the old farmer and inquired about his name, planning to return to visit him in the future. However, the old farmer said he only knew his surname was Zhang, and because of the poverty of the times, he was illiterate and had never been given a name by his ancestors; the nearby villagers simply called him Old Man Zhang.

The tavern attendant stood up in great anger and said: "Brothers, this fellow is truly detestable; everyone, grab your weapons!"

If it's war, then let it be war. Xu Haoyue is currently struggling to fill his own stomach, how can he manage these matters? He didn't listen in detail and casually walked into the city, wandering around aimlessly.

Zhao Dahan possesses excellent cultivation, unlike Zhao Er who is more ostentatious. With a faint smile, he said: "Brother Xu has quite the ambition, but I am genuinely curious and would like to hear your esteemed insights."

The tavern attendant was taken aback; the burly man's master had already been dining in the tavern for some time. With a generous demeanor, he was indeed a distinguished guest. The attendant could not believe he had inadvertently offended his friend. Immediately, he changed his expression, bowing and smiling as he said: "I apologize, it was my poor judgment that led me to offend the esteemed guest. I humbly ask for your forgiveness."

Xu Haoyue felt as if he were a giant who couldn't make sense of the situation. Having just arrived in this esteemed place, how could he possibly know anyone here? However, seeing the sincere gaze of the robust man, which did not seem to be a jest, he also cupped his fists in return and said, "Respect is better than compliance; I thank you in advance." Having been in this ancient time for two days, Xu Haoyue tried his best to speak in the vernacular of the ancients to avoid misunderstandings and being regarded as an outsider.

Seeing that Xu Haoyue was tall and strong, the tavern attendant thought he could not handle him alone. He called out, and five or six clumsy men from the tavern—servers, cooks, and fire tenders—came out, wielding shoulder poles and benches, ready to surround and beat Xu Haoyue.

At the city gate, Xu Haoyue encountered the guards. Due to his short stature, he was mistaken for a monk. However, being mistaken for a monk was fortunate, as it spared him from a thorough interrogation. The guards at the city gate mentioned that there was a strict investigation for spies sent by the Zhou Dynasty from the Central Plains, as relations between the two countries had deteriorated in recent years, seemingly on the brink of a new war

Dust swirled around, and Xu Haoyue was furious. As he accurately targeted the broom that was sweeping towards him, he quickly stepped forward and forcefully stomped the broom under his foot, coldly stating: "Better to bully the old man with white whiskers than to underestimate the youth in poverty. There will surely come a day when the dragon soars and the phoenix dances. Do not believe that one can wear tattered pants for a lifetime! One day, I will rise to prominence, so beware of having your shabby tavern torn down!" Before his time travel, Xu Haoyue had been the vice president of the martial arts club at his university, possessing some strength and skills. Later, while working in a warehouse, he often had to lift and carry things, which not only maintained his strength but also increased it. He enjoyed practicing Tai Chi to keep fit, and his footwork was powerful. The tavern's servant was weak and, despite turning red in the face and exerting all his strength, could not pull the broom away. As a dispute arose, a crowd of onlookers gathered outside the tavern. Seeing the tavern servant at a disadvantage, they began to cheer, suggesting that the servant was not well-liked in the tavern.

Xu Haoyue noticed the large number of people around and suddenly relaxed his foot. The tavern attendant was caught off guard, losing his strength, and fell backward, colliding with several companions behind him, all of whom tumbled over in a chaotic manner. The onlookers erupted into laughter.

The tavern servant, with a face devoid of any flesh, had a rather ugly appearance with a sharp nose and monkey-like features. He swept the dust on the ground with a broom, directing it towards Xu Haoyue, while cursing loudly: "You thieving scoundrel, this stone millstone is the property of our tavern. You cannot sit on it; even if you damage it slightly, you won't be able to compensate for it! Get lost! Get lost!"

After walking for a while, Xu Haoyue arrived outside a tavern, where a wave of delicious aromas wafted towards him, making his hungry stomach growl. He patted his body and found that apart from a little dry food, he had not a single coin to his name. Thus, Xu Haoyue had no choice but to sit on a stone millstone outside the tavern and began to eat the dry food given to him by the old man. While eating, Xu Haoyue contemplated whether he should find some work to do; otherwise, he might starve to death before he even found Ying Ruolan.

Then Zhao Da lightly coughed and said in a deep voice: "As merchants who travel from east to west, we find it increasingly difficult to conduct our business in these chaotic times filled with constant warfare. How can we bring an end to this turmoil?"

After a brief encounter with Ying Ruolan, Xu Haoyue became increasingly convinced that the heavens had brought him here for an extraordinary purpose. Otherwise, why would he have met Ying Ruolan, who bore such a striking resemblance to Liu Jingru? He felt compelled to find out whether there was any connection between Ying Ruolan and Liu Jingru. After parting ways with Old Zhang, Xu Haoyue hurried to Yingshan overnight. The journey from Old Zhang's thatched cottage to Yingshan required passing through Zouru City. After walking for an entire day, Xu Haoyue arrived at Zouru City during the shen hour, with the sun setting in the west. Not wanting to camp in the wilderness that night, he decided to enter Zouru City to find a place to rest and to experience the ancient city.

Xu Haoyue had traveled a whole day along the mountain roads before finally arriving at Zouyu City. He still needed to walk for another two days to reach Yingshan. If he had a swift horse, it would not be so laborious; unfortunately, apart from a set of coarse cloth clothes and trousers provided by an old farmer, he possessed nothing of value. Throughout the journey, Xu Haoyue subsisted on some coarse food prepared by the old farmer and drank from the mountain spring. In this ancient time, the environment was not as severely polluted as in later generations, and the spring water in the mountains was quite clear and sweet, making it safe to drink. Throughout the journey, Xu Haoyue subsisted on some coarse food prepared by the old farmer and drank from the mountain spring. In this ancient time, the environment was not as severely polluted as in later generations, and the spring water in the mountains was quite clear and sweet, making it safe to drink

This roar resembled the roar of a tiger in the mountains, and everyone present was stunned by this commanding shout. Following the sound, they saw a towering man in green clothing emerge from the tavern. His eyes were wide open like bronze bells, and he had a formidable beard beneath his jaw. His face was dark purple, and his muscles were bulging. Upon seeing him, the crowd gasped in unison, what a strong man!

While pondering what he could do, a gust of wind suddenly sounded behind Xu Haoyue. Instinctively, he lowered his head and crouched down to avoid it. He saw a large bamboo broom sweep past, barely missing his scalp. Turning around, Xu Haoyue saw a tavern servant holding the broom, cursing loudly: "Where did this wild brat come from? Go beg elsewhere; you’ve disturbed our guests. You’ll pay for this!"

In the city of Zouyu, located in the prosperous Tang County of Shouzhou, Huainan, Xu Haoyue walked curiously along the streets. Having seen many ancient cities in films and television dramas, he felt as if he were in a dream when he found himself truly immersed in such a setting. The city walls were built of bluestone bricks, the roads were paved with stone slabs, and on both sides stood wooden-structured houses. The people passing by were all dressed in attire reminiscent of the Tang Dynasty. Guided by an old farmer, Xu Haoyue inquired along the way and gradually began to understand where he was. He realized that he had somehow traveled back to the Southern Tang during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, specifically within the territory of Shouzhou, Huainan. This Shouzhou was historically known as Shouchun, and the Zouyu City of Sheng Tang County corresponds to what is now known as Liu'an. The Ying Mountain he intended to visit is located on the southern slope of Tiantangzhai, the main peak of the Dabie Mountains.

The burly man stood at the tavern door, casting a sidelong glance at a group of patrons brandishing their weapons, and shouted: "My master has arranged for this young man to have a drink, are you going to drive away the guests in your tavern?"

The burly man snorted, disregarding the tavern attendant, and walked straight up to Xu Haoyue, cupping his fists and saying: "This young man, my master requests your presence."