Chapter 212 - We meet again
Amidst the myriad of thanks from Jin Ling'er and his mother, Ye Qingyu rose and said his departures before leaving from Hundred Herb Hall.
According to their agreement, this female herbal master would send her son to the White Horse tower the next day. Everything had been arranged accordingly. Ye Qingyu already possessed the power to recruit soldiers, and Jin Ling'er, who was four years old, could be counted as the first soldier this heroic Marquis had recruited.
Recruiting Jin Ling'er was not a momentary impulse by Ye Qingyu.
Jin Ling'er's background easily made Ye Qingyu relate to his own history. He was able to sympathize with the sensation of losing one's own father, and Jin Ling'ers actions in protecting his mother even when facing disaster made Ye Qingyu's heart moved. Furthermore, this little child really did possess a surge of yuan qi around him; Ye Qingyu's premonition told him that this little child would definitely have success in the future.
As for his naturally weak constitution, apart from ingesting demonic blood, there were many other methods of solving this; it was not a problem.
After coming out of the Hundred Herb Hall, Ye Qingyu again went to several other stores.
Apart from ingredients for the refining of the pill, he also required other tools and minerals. However, these were more common, it was not something the pill formula required, but was something required in the process to refine the pill. They were still difficult to find though, and Ye Qingyu spent roughly two hours of time before completely acquiring these items.
The time was about noon.
Ye Qingyu thought it over, and then decided to eat before he returned to save himself from troubling Mother Wu.
There was a little restaurant on the way back, extremely busy, with many people coming and going. Seeing this bustling atmosphere, Ye Qingyu was instantly delighted, and entered. Since Ye Qingyu came from a common background, he liked these kinds of places very much. Passionate and bustling, there was none of the nonsense of etiquette and such. One could experience the true lifestyles of the citizens.
Snow Empire had been founded for near a hundred years, with a stable border and rule. It caused the economy to become prosperous and people paid much more attention to what they eat. Some people had once estimated that the dishes within the borders of the Empire could be split into ten different styles, with special attributes to each style. But for a roadside restaurant like this, there was not such care paid to what they eat. The most popular cuisine was meat and alcohol.
Ye Qingyu ordered roasted lamb and rye alcohol, sitting down on a seat beside the window.
There were unrestrained and rough sounds of alcoholic drinking games, and an acute smell of strong alcohol pierced through the nose; there was an unrestrained and complex atmosphere. The female proprietor, whose figure was like a bucket, was shouting as she greeted her customers and the bartender, who was wearing a dirty outfit as he carried a black wooden tray, traversed between the crowded tables.
In such an environment, Ye Qingyu was unprecedentedly content.
These were familiar scenes to him from his childhood.
Seeing these rough faces, in reality these were the most primitive and truest faces of people.
Kadong!
The coarse jar of alcohol and a small dish heavily thudded before Ye Qingyu. Before the waiter had even finished saying 'enjoy yourself', his figure had already turned and placed the contents of the black wooden tray onto another customer's table.
Ye Qingyu smiled slightly.
He suddenly remembered, in his most desperate years, when he could not bear his hunger, he had stood outside the little restaurants in the poor areas of Deer City. Seeing the tall and unrestrained adults slamming silver with a crash on the table and shouting for the waiter to bring their best alcohol and meat here…
The him at that time, while dripping with saliva, also longed for the day that he could sit in restaurants like this, ordering what he wanted. Drinking good alcohol and eating good meat for the entire day, completely devouring what he wanted…
That was the greatest thing that could happen in one's life.
Then right now, could he himself already be counted as very fortunate?
Ye Qingyu quickly forgot about all other thoughts, two hands grabbing the roasted lamb leg, and began devouring it in large mouthfuls. He directly grabbed the coarse earthen jar, gulping down a mouthful of strong alcohol…
In such a restaurant, in such an environment, it was as if Ye Qingyu had found a state where he could do whatever he wanted.
Only after finishing the third jar of strong alcohol did Ye Qingyu feel slightly tipsy.
There were already people with shocked gazes that looked towards this youth. Ye Qingyu's tolerance for alcohol was greater by far compared to other people.
"Perhaps previously, my heart did not feel great because there were far too many things that I was too cautious of. Therefore, I always felt something uncomfortable?" Ye Qingyu leaned by the window side, abruptly falling into deep thought.
Thinking back to the matters that had occurred these days in Youyan Pass, there were times that he was afraid of the slightest thing. Such as the times where he was going against the supply department, and the times where he was dealing with those people of the sects. Slapping them and giving them a warning, could it really make them change? Could it really change everything?
It seemed like this was not possible.
In this world, where the strong preyed on the weak, only swords and blades could really make these people think twice.
As the patrolling sword officer, he had the power to kill and then report. If there were people breaking the discipline of the army or performing destructive actions, he could kill as he pleased. Compared to this, he had used the gentlest method possible. Was it that he wished to avoid a conflict?
But if he did not kill, could he really intimidate the others?
This time, he let Qi Yong and the others return alive to let them spread the word, so the other Jianghu people would know restraint. But at the time, just how many would show restraint?
What if, at that time, those Jianghu people who did not know how tall the heavens were or how deep the earth was, would still continue as they please?
Ye Qingyu leaned against the table, seriously mulling it over. He knew what he should do now.
If his actions were right, then there was no need to be afraid of the slightest thing.
Ye Qingyu's martial heart was the Asura Killing Heart. During the testing of the White Deer Academy, the examinations had already made this abundantly clear. As he thought of this crucial point, his thinking instantly aligned with his martial heart, and he suddenly felt his entire body becoming unprecedentedly comfortable. The yuan qi in his body flowed with no imperfections, surging and rolling, as if it would never end. When he activated it, it flowed more in line with his intentions.
Could this be the so called enlightenment?
Ye Qingyu sensed the yuan qi flowing within his body and blood, greatly surprised.
This was an unexpected harvest.
He could not help laughing loudly.
On the other table, there were men that were large and rough, wearing coarse woven shoes and clothes. They were currently drinking but seeing this scene, one of them came over carrying a large jar of strong alcohol, inviting Ye Qingyu to drink along with them. Ye Qingyu did not hesitate at all, accepting crisply. Going over, he placed one of his foot on the chair, rolled up his sleeves, and began playing drinking games with this group of men. The noise and bustle was like boiling oil, causing the atmosphere to be extremely lively in this little restaurant.
The people passing by outside could not help but be attracted to such an atmosphere, turning their heads to look.
And at that time, two dainty little figures appeared in the entrance of the little restaurant, having a look inside then went to find a seat. Sitting down, they called over the waiter to order…
It was two young girls.
They seemed like master and servant.
The master was approximately fourteen or fifteen years old, with an exquisite figure. She was wearing a long dim red dress, her hair like the clouds. On her face there was an intricate mask made from golden strands, seemingly extremely noble. Her exposed little hand and skin was incomparably white, like that of white mutton fat. It was as if it was radiating with a strange silver brilliance, with a type of mysterious sensation emanating from her.
The servant was also a girl, around the age of twelve to thirteen. She had two little ponytails, a small delicate mouth and nose, and large eyes. Her appearance seemed extremely intricate and there was a short dagger by her face. She had the appearance of a miniature adult, emitting with radiance, extremely cute.
The entrance of these two girls instantly attracted countless glances.
Both their outfits were extremely decadent and exquisite, from one glance they seemed like a young lady from a noble family and her servant coming out for a walk. According to normal reason, they should not appear in such a chaotic little store, but the two appeared contrary to this. They seemed not to have any sense of surprise at anything, as if everything was extremely normal and common to them.
"Heh, those two girls are really pretty." "Really pale, what noble family is this young lady from?" "What kind of noble young lady would come to such a place?" "Perhaps she sneaked out to have fun. Heh heh, in those legendary tales, is there not a noble young lady who sneaked out, eventually falling in love with a poor boy before eloping with him? Haha…" "You've drank too much. If you have the balls, then go and try and hit on them, let's see if they will speak to you…"
There was a series of whispered conversation everywhere around them. Everyone in the restaurant was extremely curious towards these two girls who were like fairies that had abruptly appeared.
Such an environment, with the encouragement of the people around them and the alcohol, easily caused many people to do daring things. A while later, there really was someone that went over to strike up a conversation with a smile. But without knowing why, after being glanced at by the young girl wearing the mask with golden strands, this man was instantly defeated. It was as if he did not dare to regard that icy and calm pair of eyes, coming back ashenly… "Sister, why must we come to such a place. It stinks…" The little girl with ponytails pinched her nose together. Evidently the room that was packed with the smell of alcohol, body odour, and sweat made her very uncomfortable.
The young girl wearing the golden mask did not say anything. She poured the strong alcohol in the earthen jar onto her little cup and then gulped it down.
The expression on her face remained as icy and as calm as it ever was. Beneath the mask, her eyes had the slightest trace of surprise, evaluating her surroundings, as if she was searching for someone.
Seeing this masked young girl gulping down cup after cup of strong alcohol, the surrounding people were completely stunned.
They had never imagined such a petite and dainty young girl would be able to drink so much.
The atmosphere of the restaurant instantly became somewhat perplexed.
This strange atmosphere was only broken when a youth with oil and alcohol stains on the sleeves of his white robe sat with a laugh opposite the masked girl without asking the permission of these two girls. It was as if they knew each other. He poured himself a cup of strong alcohol and lifted his cup to the masked young girl opposite him.
Everyone waited for this white-robed youth to be turned away.
"It's you?" The little girl with ponytails’ gaze fell on the face of the white-robed youth, surprise on her face. There was instantly a trace of cautiousness appearing on her face. "You bastard, why are you here?"
Opposite.
Ye Qingyu smiled slightly, "For me, coming here is very normal. It is just that you, little fellow, really dared to remain within the city. You really made me surprised.”
As he said this, his gaze already impatiently fell on the face of the masked girl. Somewhat emotionally moved, somewhat shocked, somewhat worried, and somewhat excited. Complicated emotions constantly conflicted each other. A while passed before he calmly stated, "We meet again. I did not imagine that you would appear here."