Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior

Chapter 401 - 235: The Drunken Moon Festival, Xiaohu Gets Married! (Part 2)

"Does this mountain have a name?"

"No."

In front of the tombstone, Su Mu lifted the wine jar and poured wine into his mouth. At first, Li Lu was dazed, and then instinctively wanted to stop him, but then she recalled her father’s death. Gritting her teeth with hatred, she didn’t stop it.

It wasn’t until she saw Su Mu drinking mouthful after mouthful that Li Lu reached out to seize the wine jar and spoke anxiously.

"Are you crazy... I, I’m not worried about you. You promised to help me with something. You can die after it’s done, but not now!"

"Moreover, this is my father’s wine. If you drink it all, there will be none left for him!"

"Alright."

Su Mu put down the wine jar. Li Lu held the jar in her arms, remained silent for a moment, and then started talking about what she intended to do.

"Father loved wine... When he got tipsy, he would say drunken words. More than once, he cried bitterly when mentioning the Li Family. He lamented his guilt towards grandpa and grandma, and the uncles in the clan. Father left the Li Family back then because of mother, and he always wanted to return but couldn’t get past this barrier in his heart. I know he brewed fine wine hoping one day he could return to the Li Family..."

"Father truly was disappointing. Why didn’t he personally complete it after making such fine wine..."

"I want you to take me and the wine to participate in the Drunken Moon Tournament. Father’s wine will surely get a good ranking. What he couldn’t achieve, I, Li Lu, will accomplish for him."

"Where and when is this Drunken Moon Tournament held?"

"The Drunken Moon Tournament happens once every ten years. The next one is in October of next year, in Donglai County."

Donglai County?

Upon hearing ’Donglai County’ once again, Su Mu’s eyes flickered. It was where Tao Xingzheng had mentioned the Tao Family was located several times, but Su Mu didn’t say anything. Since he’d agreed, he would fulfill it.

Su Mu had promised the Pharmacist to pick up the Little Doctor from the Huo Family in the Capital City. Now, how could a mere Tao Family intimidate him?

Moreover, Su Mu suddenly remembered that sometimes the most dangerous place is often the safest. Right now, most of the Tao Family people are likely searching for his whereabouts, so going to Donglai County might not be a bad idea.

"Alright, I’ll take you... But before that, I have some matters to handle in the Qingyun Three Counties."

"I’ll go with you."

"As you wish."

The long night passed without words.

"Are you really that Li Feiyu?"

"I am."

"Why don’t you look like the drawing in the bounty notice? Are you wearing a mask on your face? Can I touch it?"

Su Mu: "..."

...

The next day, there was a young girl accompanying Su Mu.

The girl occasionally stole glances at the simple ring on Su Mu’s finger. She was worried about how to transport her father’s wine safely to Donglai County, a journey of thousands of miles that would take a lot of effort.

But soon, with a mere flash of spiritual light from Li Feiyu’s hand, all the wine, brewing tools, and the distillation equipment were stored into the small ring.

Such marvels were beyond Li Lu’s understanding. She suddenly thought that some of her father’s drunken ramblings might actually be true. Her father had said many things about the Li Family while drunk, mentioning that their Li Family was not insignificant.

He said something about being a branch of a Great Noble Family in Qingzhou, with some sort of heritage that seemed to be related to wine. All very mystical, and in her childhood, Li Lu had only listened to it as stories.

After seeing the ring, Li Lu stole a few glances at Su Mu’s current appearance, clicking her tongue. Even at this close range, she couldn’t make out any trace of the disguise.

She only knew the person beside her was named Li Feiyu, but she couldn’t really tell which face was Li Feiyu’s true appearance.

At this moment, Li Lu wouldn’t have thought that Li Feiyu wasn’t even Su Mu’s real name.

"Li..." As Su Mu glanced over, Li Lu immediately corrected herself, "Doctor Lin, why are we going to Donghe Town? Do you know anyone there?"

Currently, Su Mu’s attire was that of a Wandering Doctor, appearing around thirty years old, and Li Lu was the Medicine Boy by his side, having to address Su Mu as Doctor Lin.

"Yes, to see an old acquaintance."

Thirty-five miles east of Canghe City, Donghe Town is built against the mountain.

In front of a steaming wonton stall, Li Lu’s gaze swept past a house at the street corner hung with red silk. Suddenly, she leaned towards the elderly couple at the next table and casually laughed and asked.

"Old man, is the house with the lantern having a celebration?"

"Young lady, you have a sharp eye. It’s the boy from the Li Family’s bun shop getting married."

The woman among the elderly couple squinted towards where Li Lu pointed and then pursed her lips towards the diagonal opposite door, "The bride is the girl from the Yang Family’s pastry shop. It’s not been easy for the two of them to become a couple, thanks to the knight who eliminated the villainous Guo Family."

"Is there really such a thing? Can you tell me more about it, old lady?"

At this moment, the old man took over the conversation, grinning as he began to narrate the knight’s exploits of spilling blood at the gambling den and eradicating the Guo Family, with such vivid drama that it seemed as if he had seen it himself. Many passersby stopped to listen, some even sitting down to order a bowl of wontons, making the wonton stall owner beam with joy.

Only the other person sharing a table with the young girl sat quietly eating wontons, occasionally glancing at the brightly decorated bun shop not far away.

Once the story was over, the crowd slowly dispersed.

At this time, Li Lu thought of the wedding again and asked the old man, "Old man, do you know when the big day for both families is? Maybe I can get some celebration candy."

"It’s set for noon the day after tomorrow. According to our town’s custom, they’ll carry the bridal sedan chair around the market three times to distribute the celebration candy, which won’t be missing if you are there!"

"The day after tomorrow, huh."

Li Lu looked at Su Mu by her side. Seeing Su Mu nod slightly, she smiled broadly. After eating wontons, the two went to the inn and booked two superior rooms.

Time passed quickly, and two days later.

"No candy, no crossing!"

In the street crowd, Li Lu mimicked the children, shouting. The families laughed as they tossed out red paper packets filled with candied longans and celebration candy, inciting everyone to scramble for them.

Li Lu squeezed into the crowd and grabbed a handful of candy, sharing a few pieces with Su Mu when she returned.

"Are we going to the wedding banquet later?"

"Since we’ve encountered one, we might as well go."

Inside the bun shop, five or six tables were set up, and those that couldn’t fit were set outside in the street. Outside, two elderly men sat behind a red cloth table, one collecting guests’ gifts and the other recording the gift amounts with a flourish of the brush, announcing each record aloud.

"Kindly don’t announce it, just record it discreetly."

The elder glanced up, seeing a man in his thirties with an unremarkable face in a doctor’s attire, accompanied by a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl.

"Understood."

Receiving the red paper-wrapped gift handed over, it bore four words: Disciple of Zhou Mountain.

"Disciple of Zhou Mountain?"

The old man, puzzled, opened the red paper to reveal his eyes narrowing slightly at a stack of five hundred taels silver notes, roughly estimated to be around ten sheets.

After delivering the gift, Su Mu intended to find a seat at a table on the street, but the two elders exchanged a glance of surprise, immediately calling over a child to invite the two inside the bun shop to sit.

"The bride must be beautiful, I really want to see her."

Li Lu watched intently as the bride in the hall, dressed in red and covered with a red veil, spoke in admiration. Su Mu’s gaze swept over the two figures on the platform, his mouth curling slightly as he sipped his wine.

"Xiaohu, it’s time to start."

An elder whispered in his ear as a reminder. Dressed in a groom’s robe, Li Xiaohu looked out the street and sighed softly. He had sent several letters to the Cyan Cloud Forging Workshop but had received no reply.

Dressed in wedding attire, Li Xiaohu had no choice but to turn and enter the hall, as the auspicious time could not be delayed.

"First bow to the heavens and the earth!"

"Second bow to the parents!"

"Husband and wife bow to each other!"

...