Chapter 75: Half a Pot of Rice Wine Poured into the River

Small, all-wooden boats, due to their light hulls, have a distinct swaying motion when navigating the Xiaoshun River in strong winds and waves. The most unstable parts are the bow and stern. Ji Yuan, however, enjoyed this feeling at the bow. He would occasionally put down his book to gaze at the river and the scenery on both banks, and observe other passing boats.

After leaving the dock and sailing for some time, the sail was hoisted. With a tailwind, the old boatman no longer needed to row, only needing to steer and control the boat's direction. The fishing song had stopped.

The two boatmen, an older man and a younger one, were indeed father and son, and their home was in the village beside Mount Laohua. Most residents of this village earned their living from the ferry terminal and would fish when business was slow. Consequently, fishing gear was abundant on the boat. Ji Yuan was even considering borrowing some to fish if the opportunity arose.

About half an hour after the boat began its journey, Ji Yuan finally decided to leave the bow and go sit inside.

Under the boat's round-arched black canopy, it was quite spacious. At the stern, there was also a separate wooden cabin used for the boatmen's various supplies. Two rows of long benches, fixed to the boat's hull, could actually accommodate more than a dozen people. However, to allow space for passengers to lie down at night, it was considered full with ten.

The other six passengers were seated, clearly keeping their distance from each other. Two scholars traveling together occasionally conversed in low tones, and the small child leaned against his grandfather, drowsy. Ji Yuan had already sensed something was amiss with the atmosphere while he was still outside. This feeling became even more pronounced as he approached the canopy. The cause, he realized, lay entirely with the burly, bearded man.

Although Ji Yuan's vision was always as if looking through thick frosted glass, he could still discern basic outlines and less detailed physical features. When the man boarded earlier, Ji Yuan had noted his truly imposing physique, almost rivalling Wei Wuwei. However, Wei Wuwei's primary impression was one of stoutness, whereas this man was purely brawny. Moreover, he carried a faint scent of alcohol. Ji Yuan couldn't discern if his face was fierce or not, but everyone else was making an effort to keep their voices low. Had this man not been the last to board, Ji Yuan truly doubted if anyone else would have dared to board.

They would be sharing the boat for three days; this atmosphere was simply unacceptable.

When Ji Yuan entered, several people instinctively looked at him, and some even assumed that the person who had been reading at the bow was a relative of the boat owners. Noticing the large empty sections of the bench on either side of the burly man, Ji Yuan casually sat down close by.

“Sir, have you just been drinking?”

The burly man looked at Ji Yuan with some surprise, as if to confirm he was being addressed. Seeing Ji Yuan's face was indeed turned towards him, he replied in a coarse voice.

“Before we set off, my elders hosted a banquet for me at the dockside tavern. They brought some homemade fine wine, and I had a few bowls.”

“Oh, are you from Jiudaokou County? Seeing that you are quite robust and brawny, have you ever practiced martial arts?”

Ji Yuan's question seemed to pique the man's interest, and his tone of voice clearly contained a hint of excitement.

“My name is Li Danou, and I'm from Dongwai Village. I've been strong since childhood; everyone in the village says I can do farm work better than an ox. From a young age, I've yearned for a martial arts master, one who could scale walls and rooftops, to take me as a disciple and teach me how to fight evil and protect the innocent. Unfortunately, I never met one… and then…”

At this, the man's spirits fell.

“A few years ago, when I visited the county town, the old martial arts instructor there saw me and said it was a pity. He said I had passed the age for basic training, and it would be difficult for me to achieve anything significant in martial arts in this lifetime…”

His dream was shattered.

“Oh, no, sir, don’t be disheartened. There’s always a way forward. As I understand it, there are still martial arts disciplines that aren't overly stringent about age requirements. With your natural build, you needn’t worry about not achieving something in the future.”

“Heh heh, you don’t need to comfort me, sir. I’ve long since stopped thinking about it. This trip to Chunhui Prefecture is to visit my relatives. My uncle has a small business there and needs someone strong and reliable. I plan to save money, get a wife, and settle down!”

Despite his outwardly fierce appearance, the man spoke with a loud voice that nonetheless conveyed a sense of honesty and restraint. He was clearly not a villain, but a genuinely simple countryman, harboring both aspiration and unease about the grand prefecture city.

“Excellent! Contentment is true happiness!”

Ji Yuan smiled, then subtly cupped his hands and turned to greet everyone under the canopy.

“My name is Ji Yuan. I am traveling to Chunhui Prefecture for leisure, and for the next three days, I will be sharing this journey with all of you!”

Seeing Ji Yuan's unassuming yet refined demeanor, and with their earlier apprehension about the burly man dispelled, the other passengers began to introduce themselves. The atmosphere inside the boat became much livelier, and they started conversing with one another. The two scholars were traveling for their studies. The elderly man and the child were on their way to a funeral, as a relative had passed away in Chunhui Prefecture. The gaunt middle-aged man simply stated he had business in Chunhui Prefecture. The old boatman's son would also occasionally come over to chat and hear the latest news.

As the boat sailed until approaching evening, the river mouth was already close at hand. From a distance, the vast Chunmu River could be seen.

“Zhuangzi, prepare the net!”

“Alright~~!”

Those seated in the cabin could hear the boatmen shouting to each other, and several passengers, highly interested, came out to see. They saw the young boatman had already brought a cast net to the side near the bow.

“This river mouth is the best place to catch big fish. Everyone, just wait; tonight, you’ll all enjoy a fresh meal!”

The old boatman steadied the boat from the stern, smiling as he called out to the passengers. The sail had already been lowered. The young boatman gripped a large net firmly. Twisting his body, he suddenly put his strength into a skillful forward cast, launching the large net. It flew out, forming a wide circle, and settled over the river surface.

“Splash…”

The sound of the net hitting the water was quite pleasant. A moment after it sank, the boatman began to pull it up vigorously by the ropes.

“Splashing… Splashing splashing…”

The net was only halfway up, but the fish inside were already thrashing, creating many splashes.

“Hah~~ What great luck today, several large fish! Who can lend a hand?”

The young boatman happily called out to the passengers. Ji Yuan, already quite interested, immediately stepped forward, and the burly Li Danou also quickly joined in to help.

“Splashing…” “Flop flop… Flop flop…”

After retrieving the net, the fish on the forward deck were lively, flopping about.

“Hahahaha, a good haul!” “Everyone, get ready for my father’s specialty fish head soup and steamed fish with dried vegetables!”

“Oh, splendid, splendid! We have fish to eat, big fish!”

Exclamations and the child's cheers intertwined.

A large black carp weighing over twenty pounds, a grass carp of about ten pounds, two bighead carp, and some jumping river shrimp excited everyone on the boat. If they had been on a larger vessel, such a scene would likely not have occurred.

At the stern, a clay stove was set up for steaming rice and fish, and boiling soup. Shortly after entering the Chunmu River, as night fell and the river surface was calm, the small passenger boat anchored, and dinner began. Meanwhile, at the edge of the river, another large, multi-decked boat was also moored. Compared to the small vessel, it was brightly lit, filled with constant revelry and laughter, punctuated by the faint, melodious sound of zithers, as if a lively banquet with singing and dancing were underway.

Though Ji Yuan’s small boat was simple, its enclosed rear cabin meant the black canopy was not open front-to-back, also providing shelter from the wind. The lantern light from the small cabin swayed on the river surface. The group of people who had been distinctly separated during the day were now eating at a single table in remarkable harmony. The old boatman’s skill perfectly showcased the deliciousness of the river seafood, accompanied by homemade rice wine. Especially noteworthy was the steamed fish with dried dark vegetables; with just a sprinkle of salt and no need for ginger or spring onions, it was delicious and devoid of any fishy taste. The group ate with great enthusiasm.

“Splash~”

A not-so-obvious splash reached them. Others were still eating, but Ji Yuan had already turned his face towards the outside.

“Someone fell overboard~~~ Someone fell overboard~~~~!”

Screams rang out from outside. Now, the other passengers under the black canopy also heard them and rushed out of the cabin to see what was happening.

“It seems someone fell overboard from that multi-story boat?”

“Yes, it looks like it.” “Oh dear, have they been rescued yet?”

The multi-decked boat was nearly a hundred yards away, making it hard to see clearly. All they could tell was that there was a chaotic commotion over there. For Ji Yuan, it was even worse; at that distance, his poor eyesight was utterly useless. He could only hear a cacophony of shouts and screams. However, due to his exceptional hearing, he knew the person who had fallen into the water had not yet been rescued. It seemed to be a drunken young master from some family who also couldn’t swim.

“Splash~” “Splash~” “Splash~”…

By the distant multi-decked boat, people stripped off their clothes and jumped into the river to attempt a rescue. However, the river surface even a short distance from the boat was pitch black and completely indistinguishable, and the limited range of the lanterns held by those on board offered little illumination.

“Oh dear, several more people have jumped in! It seems he still hasn't been rescued!”

“Indeed…”

A drunken fall coupled with being a non-swimmer—Ji Yuan shook his head. If his luck ran out, rescue would be difficult. Unfortunately, he was no great Daluo immortal with profound magical powers; even if he were to use a minor water-avoidance spell and jump in, he wouldn’t be any more effective than a few skilled boatmen.

“Hmm!?”

Suddenly, Ji Yuan's eyes widened slightly, fixed intently on the distant river surface below.

“The young master is there! The young master is there! He's floating right there, hurry and save him! Can't you fools see? He's right there!”

Someone on the multi-decked boat screamed excitedly. The few boatmen in the water had no choice but to swim back towards the area they had just searched. To their surprise, they actually saw the young master in white floating face-up on the water. They quickly kicked their way over together and brought him to the side of the multi-decked boat.

Hearing a faint cheer from the large boat, the group on the small vessel also breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank goodness, thank goodness, he’s been rescued!” “He shouldn't have drowned in such a short time.”

“That’s good, that’s good!” “Hmm, let's continue eating.”

“Right, right, let's continue eating!”

Ji Yuan returned to the cabin with the others, but then, feigning a need to relieve himself, he stepped back outside. Inside the cabin, the old boatman had just picked up the small rice wine bottle to refill his cup, but after two attempts, no wine came out.

“Strange, is it empty?” “What? It’s gone already? How little did we drink?!”

“No worries, no worries, I have more. I’ll just get some from the jar!”

As the evening breeze gently blew, Ji Yuan came to the bow alone. A quantity of rice wine, hidden in his sleeve, was released with a flick of his right hand. The liquid, like a small, winding water dragon, silently descended into the heart of the river.

“A half-pot of humble fisherman’s rice wine, please accept this offering!”

Having spoken, Ji Yuan returned directly to the cabin. As if nothing had happened, he picked up the wine pot and began pouring the fresh rice wine the old boatman had just retrieved. Meanwhile, beneath the river’s surface, a large black carp swam playfully where the wine had landed.