The capital.
That year on the long street, spring was in full bloom.
The warm breeze of early spring carried wisps of warmth, like a lover's hand, brushing across one's face, gentle and delicate.
On the distant mountain peaks, the snow caps that had not yet melted were still faintly visible. What remained of the melted snow had transformed into trickling streams, converging into the river channels, moistening the entire land.
By the roadside, willow trees began to sprout tender buds. A casual brush of a hand would leave it full of freshness, along with the emerging blades of grass that, before one knew it, had laid a green carpet across the earth.
The breeze was just right, and the air was filled with a fresh scent… it was the essence of spring.
The willow branches swayed, vibrant green and fresh. As the spring breeze blew, a child suddenly grabbed a willow branch, plucked a large handful of tender buds, leaving behind a string of cheerful laughter.
Where the snow had melted, small grasses quietly poked their heads out, looking around for the traces of little flowers.
The small stream at the foot of the mountain finally thawed and, winding along the serpentine mountain path, rushed towards the great river it yearned for.
The best time of the year is spring, far surpassing the capital filled with misty willows.
"Scram, all of you, get lost. Don't fucking follow me. I get annoyed just seeing you."
Outside the city, a young man on horseback stood on the official road, his face displeased, shouting angrily at the attendant guards behind him.
The youth had sharp brows and piercing eyes, a handsome appearance, and a tall stature. Dressed in a white robe, he exuded an even more refined charm of a dashing young master.
Although the weather was still somewhat cold, the young man held a fan in his hand, adding a touch of dashing elegance to his demeanor.
As beautiful as jade on the road, a peerless young master in the world.
"Young… Young Master, if we don't follow you, the Patriarch will punish us."
A guard appeared quite troubled.
"If the old man asks, just say I forbade you from following. I want to go out and clear my head. What are you rough men following for? You'll spoil my elegant mood. Tell the old man, if he bothers me again, I'll never come back. You can go back."
With that, the young man spurred his horse and galloped towards the distance.
The guards exchanged glances, could only shake their heads and sigh, but dared not return, remaining in place.
In the sky, dark clouds were blown by the wind, coincidentally obscuring the sun. The sunlight was somewhat dim, inexplicably causing a sense of oppression, much like the youth's current mood.
"Marriage proposal, marriage proposal, what the hell is this marriage proposal? I'm so angry. I'm only twenty-eight this year, and I haven't had enough fun yet, and they want me to marry that tigress.
Who knows what that tigress looks like? She's never shown her face or met anyone. She must be an ugly monster. So annoying."
The young man slowed his horse and ambled along a small path through the wheat fields. He glanced back at the city, now far behind, and muttered a few words impatiently.
His name was Wang Fugui. His family was a wealthy and noble household in the Helan Kingdom, not because his family had extensive businesses, but because his father was the Minister of Revenue in the current court, managing the empire's finances.
And his betrothed, to whom he was engaged, was the eldest daughter of the Qi family, the foremost merchant family in the Helan Kingdom. It was a perfect match, a union made in heaven.
The minister who managed finances, and a prominent merchant family. Those who understand, understand.
This marriage alliance, in everyone's eyes, was a beautiful tale. The union of the two families would surely make them richer than the state.
Everyone except Wang Fugui.
It was said that the eldest daughter of the Qi family never showed her true face, residing in her boudoir for most of the year. When she occasionally appeared, she would cover her face with a red scarf, making her true appearance difficult to discern.
But in Wang Fugui's opinion, that meant she was ugly. If she were good-looking, why wouldn't she let people see her?
Pah!
Disgusting. Dafeng Novel Network.
Wang Fugui looked at the overcast sky and shook his head, continuing to ride his horse along the official road.
Aimlessly.
Going out to relax is all about going with the flow, following your heart, and going wherever you end up. If you travel with a destination in mind, it's not relaxing, it's rushing.
Unknowingly, Wang Fugui arrived at the foot of a mountain.
Looking up, the scenery on this mountain was indeed beautiful. The peaks were not high, nor were they strange or precipitous, but they possessed a certain softness, making it a good place to relax.
The mountain path was not suitable for horses, so Wang Fugui found a large tree and tied his horse to it.
The wild grass beneath the tree was quite dense, so there was no worry about the horse not having anything to eat.
He walked forward for about half a mile and saw a stream winding down from the mountain. He stepped to the stream's edge, squatted down, scooped up a handful of clear water, and splashed it on his face.
The icy stream water hitting his face brought a moment of clarity. Wang Fugui stood up and, following the rugged rocks beside the stream, began to ascend the mountain.
Along the way, listening to the gurgling sound of the stream and accompanied by the chirping of birds and insects, he felt quite at ease, and the mountain path became less arduous.
As he went higher, the undergrowth gradually thinned, and tall trees came into view.
Above the trees, a hint of green was visible. As Wang Fugui walked, the gloom that had accumulated earlier seemed to dissipate.
Faced with this scene, Wang Fugui, feeling refreshed and invigorated, wanted to compose a poem. But he suddenly remembered that although his father was a top scholar, he himself had failed the imperial examinations three times.
Forget it, no need to embarrass himself.
Passing through the dense forest, he had now reached the mountaintop. Even with Wang Fugui's strength of the second level of the Initial Strength realm, he was slightly out of breath.
Alas, he was getting old, his waist was weak, and climbing a mountain made him feel a bit tired.
Emerging from the forest, the view opened up before him. There were few trees on the summit, offering an excellent vista.
Seeing a winding path not far away, Wang Fugui casually strolled onto it and walked forward.
Before long, he saw a Taoist temple in the distance.
The Taoist temple was not large, situated before a bamboo grove, yet it exuded a serene and elegant atmosphere.
Entering an ancient temple at dawn,
The early sun shines upon the tall woods.
A winding path leads to secluded places,
Where tranquil rooms are deep among flowers and trees.
The mountain light delights the birds' nature,
The pool's reflection empties the human heart.
All sounds are silent here,
Only the sound of bells and chimes remains.
"How can there be a Taoist temple in this desolate wilderness? I've never heard of it before."
A smile flickered on Wang Fugui's lips as he ambled towards the Taoist temple.
As he walked, he admired the surrounding scenery. Suddenly, a flicker of fire caught his eye.
Wang Fugui stopped and looked up. He saw a figure in the distance, indistinct, crouching on the ground and fiddling with something.
The fire was in front of the figure.
"Alas, setting fire to mountains leads to imprisonment. Starting a fire on the mountain is a very uncivilized act."
Wang Fugui, the self-proclaimed justice seeker, was about to go and lecture the person when he saw a protruding mound of earth behind the fire. He assumed it was a grave.
Wang Fugui froze, then chuckled wryly. He suddenly remembered that it was the Qingming Festival today. The person must be paying respects to their ancestors.
With this thought, Wang Fugui abandoned the idea of intervening. After all, the person was showing filial piety, and it wouldn't be appropriate for him to criticize.
Following the small path, Wang Fugui eventually arrived at the Taoist temple.
In the center of the temple was an incense burner. The sandalwood incense in the burner had burned down to its base, emitting wisps of faint blue smoke, which was quite refreshing.