Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

I've encountered a lot of things lately, and I've suddenly come to some realizations—taking a step back can open up a whole new world, but sometimes, especially when facing difficulties, only by continuing to move forward and facing things bravely can we hope for a turnaround!

P.S. The reason why people are born feeling distressed is simply because they see themselves differently from others.

Okay, these are my recent reflections, offered as encouragement to myself and to each other.

—The following is the main text—

Li Xingzhi returned to the caravan. As for the young swordsman, after curing his poison, he left him to fend for himself. He didn't want to cause trouble for himself, nor did he want his uncle to get involved in any trouble.

The carriage was shaking violently and was stuffy. At this moment, Li Xingzhi was lying on the roof of the carriage, basking in the sun, under the strange gazes of those around him.

The sunlight was scorching and dazzling, making people feel listless, and dust was kicked up along the way, but for Li Xingzhi, being immune to heat and cold was a minor matter, and the dust could not be touched by the vibration of his internal energy.

He lay on the roof of the car, the swaying of the vehicle giving him the feeling of sitting in a rocking chair as a child; gazing out from this high vantage point, he admired the beautiful scenery that others could not comprehend, feeling the warmth of the sun. As the journey continued, the feeling in his heart was even more wonderful—

The high sky, the white clouds, the gentle breeze caressing his face, the fragrance of earth and leaves… everything made Li Xingzhi feel so wonderful! This was the freedom that birds yearn for, the clear spring that fish love. This was a feeling that could never be experienced in the grand mansions and deep courtyards of a palace. At this moment, Li Xingzhi suddenly felt that he had become this sky, these clouds, this wind that swept across the land, and the fragrance of the earth!

Suddenly, he noticed that everyone looked travel-worn, their faces were full of fatigue, their spirits were low, and their eyes were filled with indescribable weariness. Their feet mechanically trod on this land that Li Xingzhi found so beautiful and moving. He suddenly wondered why they all looked so bored when the surroundings were so beautiful.

Li Xingzhi suddenly felt confused. Isn't this what life is all about? Isn't it just about walking on this vast land until old age, and then returning to the embrace of the earth? Why don't these people walking on this land feel the same joy and emotion as he does?

He suddenly didn't understand.

Just as Li Xingzhi was about to continue pondering the question, the carriage beneath him suddenly jolted and came to a stop. Startled from his thoughts, he looked around in confusion—the caravan had somehow veered off the main road and ended up in a field.

As the sun sets, a magnificent scene of "the setting sun over a long river" unfolds across the vast plains. At this moment, the somewhat refined Han culture merges with the ruggedness of the Western Regions, giving Li Xingzhi a unique and profound experience!

"It's time to eat!"

Hearing the shouts, Li Xingzhi lightly placed his hand on the carriage floor, and it fell to the ground like a leaf. Several people who happened to notice this were dumbfounded.

For some reason, ever since leaving Chang'an, Li Xingzhi felt incredibly refreshed, as if the shackles he had been wearing had been removed. At this moment, he made no attempt to hide his difference from others; the aura he exuded was even stronger, causing the young girl Li Linzhi to blush. Zhou Rou'er, who had been watching Li Xingzhi, quickly looked away and lowered her head when she saw his gaze.

Ignoring how others viewed him as an oddball, Li Xingzhi returned to the carriage. For some reason, it was unusually cool for summer, and it was filled with bamboo tubes. Li Xingzhi casually picked up two tubes and walked towards his uncle, who was directing the cooking over the large stove.

Li Shun was covered in sweat, and his clothes, which had been cut too short, were stained with black ink.

"Uncle, have some of this!"

Li Shun turned his head and looked at Li Xingzhi, who was spotless and without a trace of sweat, a strange expression appearing on his face. Then, his gaze fell on a yellow bamboo tube in Li Xingzhi's hand. "What's this?"

"You'll know once you try it!" Li Xingzhi said, handing over the bamboo tube in his hand.

The moment Li Shun touched the bamboo tube, he felt a refreshing coolness. "Hiss—" he exhaled with delight. "Why is it cold?" Seeing that Li Xingzhi didn't answer but was only looking at the bamboo tube, indicating that he should try it, Li Shun uncorked the tube, gently shook it, and looked at it in the sunlight. Inside were glistening slices of pear and orange. He shook the bamboo tube, and wisps of cool air emanated from it, carrying a faint, refreshing fruity aroma that dispelled the summer heat and the day's fatigue, seeping into one's heart.

Li Shun couldn't wait and carefully lifted the bamboo tube to pour a mouthful into his mouth, and his mouth was filled with sweetness!

"Sweet water?" At this time, sugar was not cheap, and the sweet water made from it was murky, unlike the clear and transparent liquid in front of us.

"Great stuff! Did the young man make this himself?"

"I had the chef at Chang'an Yuelai Inn make this."

"I'd almost forgotten!" After several months in the Central Plains, Li Shun finally learned what the 'Yuelai Inn' under Li Xingzhi's control, as described by Old Master Li Gao at the Li family, was like. Even now, he still felt a vague reluctance to admit that such a large fortune was actually built by this young man in his early twenties. This gave him a tremendous sense of defeat.

Such fine food naturally included the two women beside him, and even Wei Dalang received some. The surrounding people watched them eat with relish, secretly drooling, but no one complained. In their eyes, this kind of food was obviously expensive, and it was only natural that they were sharing it with just a few people. Wei Dalang, who benefited from the treat, inevitably attracted envy from everyone. He himself ate with gusto under the gazes of those around him, his heart filled with immense joy—not just from the bamboo tube of fruit, but also from the gratitude he felt for being remembered through such kindness.

No one lingered to watch with envy for long before the meal—or rather, porridge—was quickly prepared. White rice, a luxury even in the opulent Tang Dynasty, was not something ordinary people could afford, much less something these traveling merchants should eat. However, this time, the porridge included sweet potatoes, a newly cultivated grain of the Tang Dynasty, which everyone ate with great relish.

This time, Li Xingzhi wasn't stingy. He pulled out a large bucket of meat chili sauce from somewhere and gave everyone an extra meal! The deliciousness of the meat-infused chili sauce instantly won over the commoners of this Tang Dynasty, where food culture was still largely exclusive to the nobility. The gazes directed at Li Xingzhi, which had initially been cold and wary, softened, revealing a hint of approval and gratitude in their eyes.

The lively cooking activity here, under Li Xingzhi's onslaught of chili sauce, developed into a feast exclusively for the common people of this caravan. It also attracted the attention of an unusual creature.

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It feels like it's been a long time since I've expressed my gratitude. Here, I want to thank all my readers for their support! Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today! Looking at the 440,000 mark in the corner, I suddenly feel like I've done something I never dared to imagine before—for someone who has only ever written five or six hundred words in an essay.