Chapter 185: Toast

"Worship... worship the God of Joy? No, at least not in our Liang State."

"I remember when my second elder brother got married, typically, after the bride entered the home, she would first bow to Heaven and Earth, and then to the parents."

"However, for weddings, this round character is pasted on doors and windows, just like this."

Sandgouwa pointed with the sheep's hoof in his hand at the "Double Happiness" character, cut from red cloth, in the distant hall. Upon hearing this answer, Li Huowang's expression didn't improve much.

He stood there for a while, only slowly sitting down after confirming that the circular red "Double Happiness" character in the distance showed no abnormalities.

"Eat quickly. After you're done, find a place to sleep." Hearing Li Huowang's words, the others quickened their pace of eating.

Li Huowang plucked a dried date from a jujube bun beside him, chewing it slowly while vigilantly observing all the joyous sounds and laughter around him.

His heart was not entirely at ease.

It wasn't surprising he was so cautious; having learned from past experiences, in this already mad world, no amount of carefulness was too much.

Besides, he had suffered multiple setbacks already.

Li Huowang didn't want to know why; he just wanted to live peacefully with the people around him.

As dusk fell, and hot torches were lit and placed on the walls, the wedding banquet grew increasingly lively.

Seeing the hosts toasting at other tables, Li Huowang initially thought they wouldn't approach their table of outsiders.

However, to his surprise, they actually sent someone over.

The square-faced young man who had just struck the gong to welcome the bride approached Li Huowang's table, holding a wine cup in one hand and a wine pot in the other, a smile on his face.

He arrived at the table, and without a word, first filled his cup. Holding it with both hands, he addressed Li Huowang:

"Come, come! Thank you all for attending my elder brother's wedding feast. I, Hou Wen, would like to toast all you escort masters. I wish you all the best and a safe journey!"

Hearing such a cordial greeting, the others couldn't just sit idly; they all raised their cups in return, and even Li Huowang used tea instead of wine.

Ordinarily, it was already quite good for outsiders to receive such treatment.

However, Hou Wen, holding the cup by its neck with one hand and supporting its bottom with the other, tilted his head back to drink. Immediately after, he refilled the cup and specifically offered another toast to Li Huowang.

"Esteemed Daoist, I wish to toast you separately. May you soon ride a crane to the immortal realms and ascend to Dao!"

Although these were kind words, to Li Huowang, a fake Daoist priest, they sounded very awkward.

"You're too kind, too kind," Li Huowang said, lifting his teacup and drinking. Just as the teapot momentarily blocked his view,

He sharply sensed that the man in front of him was staring.

No, to be precise, he wasn't staring at Li Huowang himself, but at the sword on his back, the one given by the abbess.

The moment Li Huowang put his teacup down, the gaze quickly vanished, and the young man in front of him was smiling cordially.

If Li Huowang's perception hadn't been far superior to others', he might truly have been fooled.

"Why was this person looking at my sword? Did he recognize its power?"

Regardless of Li Huowang's thoughts, after the young man finished his toast, he did nothing else. He picked up his wine pot and turned to walk towards other tables.

It was as if his visit truly had been solely for the purpose of toasting.

"Everyone, eat well and drink heartily, and be sure to enjoy yourselves before you leave!"

Watching his receding back, Li Huowang, with a complex expression, turned to the others and said, "We've eaten enough. Let's go."

The others looked somewhat reluctantly at the table full of unfinished dishes, but since Li Huowang had spoken, they eventually stood up, still a bit hesitant to leave.

Eating at this banquet had another benefit besides satisfying their hunger and thirst: it made finding a place to stay much easier.

Seeing that they were escort masters who had just dined at the same banquet, the homeowners readily agreed to let them stay temporarily, even feigning reluctance when Baimiao offered payment for the rooms.

"Oh, since you've come and eaten at the banquet, you're our guests. What's this talk of money? No need to be so polite."

Despite these polite words, the loud-voiced old man eventually accepted the copper coins with a pleased expression.

Indeed, money proved to be very useful. Soon, the host provided a two-story old earth building for Li Huowang and his group to stay in.

Although the earth building was old, its detached structure and private courtyard perfectly suited Li Huowang's preferences.

Night deepened, and the previously lively village gradually quieted down.

Li Huowang stood by the second-floor window, gazing at the red lanterns of the household celebrating the wedding in the distance.

Seated sideways on the bed, Baimiao moistened a thread in her mouth, then carefully threaded it through a needle's eye by the candlelight.

Following this, she meticulously stitched scraps of useless fabric onto a chain on a nearby stool.

She continued sewing until her eyes ached. Baimiao then looked up at the broad back by the window. "Senior Brother Li,

Perhaps that person just glanced at your sword casually; it doesn't necessarily mean they intend to harm you for wealth."

"I have two swords on my back. Why did that young man specifically look at only this one? It's always wise to be cautious. When you go down later, inform the others in the house that we still need to take turns on night watch."

Baimiao nodded obediently and began to spread out the quilt.

"Li... Li... Li..."

"Something wrong?" Li Huowang looked down into the courtyard below, where Gao Zhijian was looking up at him.

"I... I really am not... I really am not a village... a village guard." It was clear that Gao Zhijian was very sensitive about this matter.

"Alright, I know you're not a village guard. So where are you from? You can't have just popped out of a rock, can you?"

Because of Gao Zhijian's intellect and stutter, Li Huowang and the others weren't very keen on conversing with him; his speech was simply too slow.

Consequently, apart from knowing he could read, they knew nothing else about Gao Zhijian.

Gao Zhijian stood rooted to the spot, pondering for a moment with a very conflicted expression. "Senior Brother Li... Li... Li!! Do... do you trust me... me... me? No... no matter... how shocking... shocking... shocking my words are!"

"I trust you, I trust you. Just say it quickly. If you keep dawdling, it'll be dawn by the time you finish."

"You!! Don't... don't interrupt! Don't interrupt... me when I'm speaking!" This was the first time Gao Zhijian had spoken to Li Huowang with such a tone.

"I... I most... most ha... ha... hate! When others... int... interrupt me... me when I'm speaking!"

Li Huowang looked at his flushed face, red with urgency, and his tightly clenched fists, and nodded.

"Alright, speak."

"Senior Brother Li... Li... Li!! Do... do you trust me... me... me? No... no matter... how shocking... shocking... shocking my words are!"

"I trust you. Speak."

Hearing this, Gao Zhijian stomped his foot fiercely. "I... I... I'll come up and say it!!"

Glancing at Baimiao behind him, Li Huowang stopped the agitated Gao Zhijian. "Don't come up. Just say it here. You can go back to sleep after you're done."