The End of Year Festival came to a close amid the festive atmosphere that filled the city.
The stars and moon had hidden away, the lights were dim, and traces of the previous night lingered on the streets. The weary tourists had already gone home, leaving the streets empty and even more desolate.
The sound of horse hooves clacking on the bluestone pavement echoed lightly.
Wang Anfeng, leading the Green-Maned Horse, walked slowly down the street.
Last night, he had escorted the tired Zhang Tingyun back to the inn and found himself a small bed at a post house where he meditated all night. Today, he did not specifically say goodbye, leading his steed out of the bounds of Yulin City. The young man looked ahead at the bleak Heaven and Earth and sighed softly, his breath forming a white mist in the cold winter air.
Departures always stirred discomfort, even more so after indulging in utmost joy and excitement.
Although just a youth, Wang Anfeng could still feel the presence of that emotional weight.
"Brother Wang, you really planned to leave without saying goodbye..."
As he reached the willow pavilion, a cold young voice suddenly sounded. Qin Fei stood above in the pavilion, clad in white, his features gentle, seemingly unsurprised by Wang Anfeng's decision.
Wang Anfeng was slightly startled, looking at that familiar figure, the melancholic weight in his heart dissipated a lot. He laughed and said,
"... Brother Qin, you didn't tell me where you were staying either..."
Qin Fei's expression did not change much as he said,
"That's why I was waiting here."
Wang Anfeng's gaze fell on his slightly pale hand and ears reddened by the cold. He must have been freezing, no longer maintaining his usual composed demeanor, which warmed Wang Anfeng's heart a bit. He chuckled,
"Then I must ask for Brother Qin's forgiveness... I'll make it up to you when you visit."
Qin Fei looked at him, fell silent for a moment, and then said,
"Due to family matters, my brother and I will be returning home soon. Regrettably, we won't be able to visit often."
"If you ever have some free time, feel free to visit Tianhe County. I'm there, waiting to welcome you."
Wang Anfeng looked slightly stunned then watched as Qin Fei seriously nodded. He replied,
"I definitely will..."
After the End of Year Festival, Qin Fei accompanied Wang Anfeng to the outskirts of the city, ten miles out, then returned alone.
Another day, the Princess of Tianhe and her entourage left Wuxian. The officials of the entire county were near to tears with joy. For three days, the lights of the brothels did not go out. The makeup washed off the faces of the girls covered the icy surface of the river, accumulating in thick layers dyed in brilliant violets and bright reds, their fragrance drifting far and wide.
Wang Anfeng made his way back to Great Liang Village. The Green-Maned Horse, whether it had just woken up or wasn't quite satisfied with the feed at the stables, was quite lazy all the way, its pace slow but not miserable. Wang Anfeng did not suffer too much from the journey. Upon reaching Great Liang Village, he felt a bit more comfortable and dismounted, leading the horse into the village.
No more than ten steps in, he suddenly heard the plaintive cries of a dog. A black glossy big dog yelped as it dashed from the direction of the village, seemingly terrified, and headed straight for Wang Anfeng. The young man sidestepped to avoid the big black dog, a sense of puzzlement suddenly arising in his mind.
This dog, it seemed to belong to the village head...
How did it get so frightened.
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than another agonizing yelp sounded up ahead. The youth paused, only to see a flurry as all the village dogs, as if mad, rushed towards him. Lazy roosters, their cries loud, led hens and chicks towards the outskirts of the village flapping wildly, while calico, white, and black cats sprinted outside onto house roofs, almost turning into streaks of shadows.
The villagers busily chased their animals in a frenzy behind him, while Uncle Wang, holding a butcher's knife, bellowed for his old dog to obediently come back. However, the latter only ran faster. The burly man, infuriated, jumped angrily with his butcher's knife slashing wildly in the chilly wind, shouting:
"Damn it, stop right there!"
The dog whimpered and, tucking its tail, just kept running forward.
Anfeng Wang couldn't help but chuckle. Although he didn't know what had happened, he knew what he needed to do. With a reach of his left hand, he grabbed the yellow dog, and raising his right hand, he caught the big rooster attempting to fly over his shoulder. The burly man sighed in relief, and Anfeng looked at him and chuckled.
"Uncle Wang, what in the world..."
Before he could finish his sentence, a soft cry interrupted him. A small kitten, seemingly unable to keep up with its mother, fell from the sky. Anfeng stepped sideways, arms outstretched, causing the big rooster and the yellow dog to flap and whine in panic as he carefully caught the kitten in his arms.
Little did he know that this old cat had a brood to care for, and several more kittens fell. The youth caught them all in his arms, with the last one landing squarely on his face, covering his eyes. Worried that adjusting his stance might send them flying again, Anfeng simply relaxed his body and lay back in the snow.
The cold snow crept up his neck, making the young man shiver. The kittens, finding some comfort, huddled in Anfeng's embrace, trembling. The yellow dog licked his cheek while the big rooster, having calmed its temper, stepped regally over the young man. Anfeng gently stroked the nervous kittens with eyes reflecting the turquoise sky, feeling all sorrows slipping away, and chuckled out loud.
The rustling sound reached his ears as Hongyi Wang came over in a huff. Holding the butcher's knife in his right hand and raising his left, he smacked the yellow dog on the head, which whined but dared not run. Anfeng stood up, holding the three kittens, with another kitten clinging stubbornly to his shoulder. Looking at Hongyi, he asked:
"What exactly is going on, Uncle Wang?"
Hongyi gave the yellow dog another smack on the head, spitting vehemently as he said, "Who knows?"
"All the cats and dogs in the village went crazy all of a sudden."
"Luckily you were here to stop them... They've finally calmed down."
As he spoke, his anger resurfaced, his teeth itching in irritation. He said a few more words to Anfeng, then grabbing the yellow dog by the neck, he stormed off, cursing. As he was leaving, he seemed to remember something and turned back:
"Right, Anfeng, after you're settled, go see the elder brother."
Seeing the young man nod in agreement, he sneered at the yellow dog he was dragging along, occasionally patting its face with the butcher's knife. Once the dog shivered like chaff, he removed the blade and comforted it:
"Don't be afraid, I'm a pig butcher, not a dog butcher."
"Besides, I've never tried dog meat; I wouldn't know how to prepare it."
The yellow dog, seemingly understanding, pleaded pitifully.
Hongyi, teeth bared in a grin, looked at it and chuckled:
"What do you think about being stir-fried?"
The yellow dog froze, then howled out loud.
Anfeng watched from behind, unable to suppress a laugh. By now, the adult cats had returned to the village, rubbing softly against the youth's legs, circling him once with a soft meow to express their thanks, then carried their kittens away. The youth got up, looking around the familiar place, his clear eyes brimming with mirth.
He brought the Green-Maned Horse back home, adding a generous serving of soybeans to its fodder and watched as the esteemed creature 'dined' leisurely. Anfeng then chuckled and turned towards the elder's house. The path was covered in snow, but the courtyard was dry and moisture-free.
Inside the courtyard, an old man with white hair wild as a lion's mane stood with his hands behind his back. Hearing the young man entering, he turned and looked at him. There was a trace of fatigue on his face, but it was mostly filled with a majestic pride. His first words to the youth shocked Anfeng to a stand:
"Anfeng, for you, I have created a set of martial arts!"
PS: This afternoon will be a long chapter, thanks!