Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

Chapter 212

The two boys brought only a plate of stinky tofu and left. Not long after, Wei Dalang and Tu Dalang came back.

Tu Dalang was still the same burly, uninhibited man, but after tidying himself up, he didn't smell of grease or meat. Wei Dalang, on the other hand, seemed a bit reserved, but after drinking and getting into a good mood, he started making all sorts of risqué jokes, and the atmosphere immediately became lively.

With the aroma of wine and the delicious food, the two burly men soon became quite tipsy.

After seeing the two off, no more acquaintances came to visit.

A few days later, the north gradually calmed down, the east wind brought warmth, and spring had arrived.

At this time of year, in the north, it is the time when swallows are just beginning to sing and the snow in the forests has not yet melted. But in this land of Jingchu, it is already the time when the rivers are thawing, the grass is sprouting green shoots, the wind is blowing clothes wet, and all things are flourishing!

On the fifth day of the lunar new year, the day of Lichun (the beginning of spring), Li Xingzhi, accompanied by two women and without any servants, set off northward in a carefree manner.

At this time, the spring chill was still in the air, and although the magpies still sang for the New Year in Tanzhou City, the sounds of people were gradually fading. But for some reason, once outside the city and into the wilderness, the place became lively again.

As soon as you leave the city, you can smell the fresh scent of earth in the air.

On the soft, damp earth where green shoots had just emerged, two large, black-skinned water buffalo with big red spots faced each other, their horns already deeply embedded in the ground. They panted heavily through their long nostrils, and their deep, menacing calls echoed across the fields.

Beside the large water buffalo, countless adults and children gathered, each choosing one of the buffaloes and enthusiastically cheering them on.

Beside them, several children, around the age of 18, were carrying large bronze gongs and striking them vigorously. The clanging sounds echoed across the fields, mingling with the mooing of cattle and the voices of people, as if to awaken spring or to welcome its arrival.

Li Xingzhi and his two companions stopped and watched the old oxen fight with great interest. The two women beside them watched the two large water buffaloes; one secretly cheered for one of them, while the other, like the children of old farmers, shouted loudly and waved her arms and legs.

Before long, one of the cows lost its footing and took a small step back. The other cow let out a low growl and seized the opportunity to exert its strength, pushing and pulling the cow like a bulldozer.

The outcome will be decided soon!

The girl in red gritted her teeth as she watched the defeated water buffalo, wishing she could fight it herself. Beside her, the girl in white, however, wore a faint smile on her cool face, like a gentle ripple on a lake in spring.

The three arrived in a flash and then vanished just as quickly, leaving behind the lingering sounds of cheers and laughter that carried far into the distance…

The group walked slowly and steadily, like tourists enjoying the scenery, looking quite leisurely. However, what would normally take an hour for most people was covered in just a quarter of an hour by the three of them, and they soon arrived at their destination—Wangjia Village.

Despite being called 'Wangjia Village,' it's really just a cluster of a few dozen houses with no surrounding barriers or plaques or stone tablets. It's just that most of the residents are surnamed Wang, so outsiders gave it that name.

Li Xingzhi looked at the village in front of him. Although several years had passed, there hadn't been much change. The only change was that every house was filled with various grains and crops for the New Year and winter storage, and there were also muddy sweet potatoes on the side of the front room, which looked very pleasing.

It was noon, and along the way, one could see wisps of smoke rising from chimneys and the aroma of food filling the air.

Li Xingzhi led the two women into the village, familiar with the way, and soon stopped in front of a courtyard.

The courtyard looked quite tidy, and it seemed to be cleaned regularly. Unlike other houses, the doors were tightly closed and there was no smoke or fire. The outside was not like other houses, which were piled up and hung with various tools and grains.

This was the place where Li Xingzhi had previously stayed.

Looking at the extremely clean and tidy courtyard, Li Xingzhi nodded inwardly, thinking to himself that he hadn't misjudged Wu Laoliu. This Wu Laoliu was indeed someone who knew how to be grateful.

He took out his key, fiddled with the brass lock a few times, and with a "click," the lock opened. As soon as the chain was pulled off, the door creaked open on its own.

Just as Li Xingzhi was about to go in, he heard footsteps. From the dark doorway of a nearby house, a fair-skinned farm girl with a rustic air hurried out, followed by a large, golden-haired Scottish Fold dog.

The woman in coarse clothes was about to say something when she saw the open door, but after seeing Li Xingzhi's face clearly, she swallowed her words. She stepped forward, looking somewhat embarrassed and at a loss for what to do.

Li Xingzhi didn't recognize the woman in rough clothes, but he did recognize the large dog next to her, which reached her waist. Putting everything else aside, just looking at its resemblance to Da Huang, one could tell the connection.

The big dog howled a few times, sniffed Li Xingzhi's body, and its usually thick tail started wagging happily.

"You are—Liu? Wu Laoliu's wife?"

The woman in coarse clothes was none other than Wang Liu, the young widow from Wangjia Village. Wu Laoliu had taken a liking to her several years ago. Originally, due to the difference between social classes, they could not marry, but with Li Xingzhi's support, Wang Xiucai used some tricks to finally make it happen.

Originally somewhat flustered from seeing outsiders, Liu calmed down a bit, bowed respectfully, and nodded softly in response to Li Xingzhi's question.

Where is Wu Laoliu?

"I've gone to the fields, I'll be back soon." Her voice remained soft and reserved.

Upon hearing this, Li Xingzhi lost interest in saying anything more. After all, she was a woman confined to her quarters, and it wasn't appropriate for her to engage in idle chatter.

The customs of the Tang Dynasty were heavily influenced by the Hu (non-Han) culture in the north, especially in the Chang'an and Luoyang areas, where the people were more open-minded. However, in the south, the customs remained very conservative, and women were subject to strict restrictions.

"Let's go inside first. If Wu Laoliu comes back, tell him to come over." After saying that, he nodded to the woman and went inside.

The room was just as clean and tidy as the outside. The group carried only a few light items, enough to make the bed.

The timber was split in half and stacked neatly to one side. It was all made from the finest pine wood.

Li Xingzhi took a few pieces and placed them under the stove. The metal clanged, a spark fell, and "poof!" it quickly ignited into a raging inferno. The flames grew stronger and stronger until they became a roaring fire. A faint scent of pine wood wafted from the flames.

A thick hemp rope hung straight down from the roof beam, with an iron wok tied to it.

Li Xingzhi added some water to the pot, along with countless small pieces of beef dipped in salt and a generous amount of potato chunks. Finally, he covered the pot and let it simmer. He believed that when the lid was lifted again, a pot of delicious braised beef and potatoes would be ready to eat. (To be continued.)