Chapter 126: The Chubby Monk

Wang Liang brought me to his home to avoid disturbing the local gentry. It was not a large house, but it was a warm and cozy home in the ancient style. His wife was a well-read and sensible woman, and at his request, she found a set of clothes for me to change into. Just as I was changing, a voice suddenly echoed in my ear: "Big brother, where have you brought me? It’s all so strange!"

"Qingting, is that you?" I whispered, looking around to see that I was alone.

"Who else would it be? I wanted to sneak out to play with you, but I ended up following you here!" It was indeed Qingting.

The mischievous girl had actually snuck out of the spirit urn and followed me. "You need to be careful; don't get lost!"

"Don't you worry, I've been tucked away in your ear the whole time," Qingting giggled.

"No wonder my ear felt so itchy!" I reached up to scratch it, and she shrieked, forcing me to stop. "You must stay close to me, don't get lost!"

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry! Who do you think I am? How could I get lost?"

That evening, at a tavern near the Luoshui Post, I had my first meal in 2,000 years. In terms of cooking methods, it was not much different from the 21st century, but the ingredients varied; the table was filled with exotic delicacies, but very few vegetables. The utensils were made of bronze rather than porcelain. The wine was also different—sour with a hint of spice, and within that spice was a lingering fragrance and a touch of sweetness. It was yellow millet wine.

I drank with some of Wang Liang’s brothers. As we chatted and drank, I soon began to feel the effects. The yellow wine went down like water, but it had a strong kick, and by the end, I was swaying. Though drunk, my mind remained clear. Half-pretending to be intoxicated, I talked with Wang Liang and the others, learning of the current situation. It was the 221st year of the Ju State, which should be the Han Dynasty. The King of Ju and the Prince of Langya were at odds, leading to years of war. Apparently, I was currently a general leading troops in that conflict.

Hearing this from Wang Liang broke me into a cold sweat. What would happen if I went to the Prince’s mansion and bumped into the Ziyi of 2,000 years ago?

I pondered for a long time without reaching any conclusion. Finally, I hardened my heart and decided to just take things one step at a time; there was nothing else I could do.

After we had our fill, we left the tavern and headed toward a three-story building. As we drew closer, I realized it was a brothel, with the characters "Yun Chun Pavilion" deeply engraved above the entrance. Several elaborately dressed girls stood at the door, greeting Wang Liang as soon as they saw him: "General, please come in."

"General Zi, this is the best brothel in Luoshui. We can go in and enjoy ourselves," Wang Liang said naturally, without the slightest hint of embarrassment.

"This... this isn't really appropriate, is it?" I waved my hand, declining. As a high-ranking General Zi, how could I frequent such a place? In the 21st century, prostitution was a criminal offense.

Wang Liang looked stunned. "Does the General not enjoy such things?"

I glanced at the girls inside the Yun Chun Pavilion. Each was quite beautiful, dressed in sheer, gauze-like fabrics that left little to the imagination. It was incredibly seductive—much more so than the beauties of the modern world, as there was no need for pretense. For a man, spending time in such an environment could be considered a worthwhile part of the time-travel experience. Yet, I did not want to go in. It wasn't that I didn't like women or that I was playing the saint; I simply didn't want to do it. Wang Ying’s fate was unknown, and Wan'er was waiting for me 2,000 years in the future. How could I indulge in such debauchery here?

"Wang Liang, I appreciate the gesture, but let's head back. I’m tired from leading troops these past few days and lack the inclination." I gestured for us to leave.

Wang Liang smiled sheepishly. "I suppose you’re thinking of Princess Shangguan."

I knew he was referring to Wan'er. It seemed our relationship was known throughout the Ju State. I smiled, neither confirming nor denying it.

That night, I didn't stay at an inn but returned to Wang Liang’s home. His wife prepared an empty room for me. Because I was staying there, Wang Liang even assigned four soldiers to guard the courtyard.

Lying in bed, I still couldn't quite wrap my head around the fact that I had actually traveled through time. I had always thought it impossible, yet here I was. Science, mythology—whatever it was, I had been granted an extraordinary journey.

I thought back to Wang Liang taking me to the brothel and found it ridiculous. Taking a high-ranking leader to a brothel—it felt like something out of a cheesy drama. That would never happen in the 21st century; a subordinate might offer a mistress to a superior, but they would never take a leader to such a place.

In truth, I didn't know that in China’s feudal society, the sex trade had always been prosperous; many poets, scholars, and great painters found their inspiration there. In the 21st century, it became a "remnant of feudalism," which perhaps was a sign of social progress.

As I lay there, my thoughts drifted to Wang Ying and Wan'er. I wondered how those two girls were doing. Especially Wan'er—what would happen to her if I never returned? The thought startled me. What if I couldn't go back? This wasn't alarmism; I had entered the underworld and struggled to get out, let alone travel 2,000 years into the past.

A cold sweat broke out over me. I remembered that in books or movies, time travel usually required a machine, but when I arrived, there was no machine at all—just a single strike of my sword against that flying dragon. Recalling the dragon, I grew even more fearful. What about Fatty Shao? Where had he gone? Had he been eaten by the dragon?

Fatty Shao—though he was lazy and a bit of a rogue, he was a good friend. We had grown close, and he had even snuck into Luoshui Temple to get rich. I hoped he had traveled to the same era. I hoped we could go back together, and I prayed he hadn't ended up in the Jurassic period.

The next morning, after breakfast, we went to Mount Luo. The mountain was different from the one I knew 2,000 years later; the vegetation was lush, and pilgrims walked back and forth along the mountain paths. Halfway up, I saw no sign of Black Dragon Pool, but Luoshui Temple sat on the hillside. Looking at it now, it was no different from what I remembered.

Wang Liang bought some incense at the gate and told me that whatever I wished for, the temple would grant it; it was very effective.

I didn't usually believe in such things, but I had no choice now. I walked inside, saw a large incense burner in the courtyard, lit the incense, and bowed with the sticks held high. I had many wishes, but they felt so distant. Finding Wang Ying or Wei Qi seemed unlikely. To achieve any of it, I had to find a way back. I could only mutter, "Let me find Fatty Shao first. No matter what, I have to bring him back."

"Greetings, donor. I see you are a person of destiny. Would you care to step over for a chat?" Just as I finished praying and prepared to place the incense into the burner, a voice spoke from beside me. It was a voice I knew all too well. I turned my head and saw Fatty Shao standing there, dressed in monk’s robes, his head shaved, hands pressed together in prayer.

I was stunned. What was going on? Had the fat guy become a monk just one day after traveling through time? "Buddy, what are you doing?" I asked, reaching out to pat his head.

Wang Liang pulled me away quickly, whispering, "General, this is the eminent Master Zhenyi of Luoshui Temple." He then walked over to the monk and spoke a few words.

The "monk" didn't get angry but smiled. "I thought you looked familiar. So, it is General Zi. Please, come inside." He gestured for me to enter.

I was even more baffled. Was this Fatty Shao? Looking closely, I realized it wasn't him. This man was much older, likely in his thirties or forties, while Fatty Shao was barely twenty.

Aside from the age, everything else was identical: the face, the mouth, the nose, the eyes, and even the black mole on his chin.

I suddenly realized: this must be Fatty Shao’s past life. His former incarnation. No wonder the guy had wanted to steal the wooden fish from Luoshui Temple—it was a subconscious attachment from his previous life!