bookcurios Chapter 885 Getting Lost (2)
Chapter 885 Getting Lost (2)
Chapter 885 Getting Lost (Part Two)
"Waaaaah, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god..."
The middle-aged man spoke in a thick, incomprehensible dialect, as if he were explaining something.
Han Yi frowned as he listened, unable to understand what the other person was saying at all.
The common language in the north, or Mandarin, is the same as in the Central Plains, but in daily life, there are always some actual differences.
Especially for the Hundred Lineages, there are many races, humans, demons and monsters mixed together. Different branches, different surnames, different schools and families may have unique languages for internal communication.
Therefore, it is not surprising that some people from the north, even if they can understand the common Mandarin, cannot speak it.
"With such a harvest, isn't this a bumper crop?" Han Yi raised his voice, but slowed his tone.
"Hand...hand...handwork?" The middle-aged man asked in surprise, finally understanding what he meant. He spoke in a strange, broken Mandarin, "Go...over there...over there...there are women there...who can do handwork..."
He pointed in a direction, which was also a vast expanse of white snow, and it was impossible to tell what place he was talking about.
"...It's about the harvest, not just the skill!"
Han Yi was speechless.
Knowing that the other party had misunderstood him, he had to slow down his speech again and use simple words to describe it.
"There are so many fish, why are you unhappy?" Han Yi pointed to the fishing net and then to the middle-aged man's expression.
Now the middle-aged man finally understood, let out a long sigh, and gave a bitter smile.
“You…I…going home to explain is too much trouble.” He gestured a few times, signaling Han Yi to follow.
Han Yi didn't mind. He had originally planned to ask someone for directions anyway, and now that the other party could communicate, there was no need to bother looking for others.
To be able to successfully find a benevolent intelligent being to communicate with on the first attempt in this vast, sparsely populated, and harsh northern land is already considered quite lucky.
It might also be related to the fact that getting lost in the previous blizzard had used up a wave of bad luck.
After helping to tidy up the fishing nets and declining the plump, live fish offered by the middle-aged man, the two of them set off one after the other.
The middle-aged man's home seemed far away from this glacier.
We walked from noon until dusk before finally seeing a tall lighthouse faintly appearing in the distance. Dusk in the North is not the kind of evening that people usually imagine, with the sun setting and twilight descending.
Throughout the entire northern region, there are only two seasons: eternal day and eternal night.
We are currently in the season of long daylight, which is also a relatively warm and storm-free time of year.
Therefore, even in the evening, the sky is only slightly dark and the light is dim, obstructing the view of the distance, but if you look closely, you can still see the road clearly.
Therefore, even if you travel at night, the impact will not be too great.
After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they finally reached the vicinity of the lighthouse.
In fact, with Han Yi's strength, there was no need to go through so much trouble for such a short distance, let alone bring an ordinary person.
Even if you bring a boat full of ordinary people, you can arrive in an instant with just one step.
The reason for all this trouble is simply to conceal one's identity and strength. Being too astonishing, creating a disparity in abilities, would hinder subsequent questioning.
Rao is so.
We've come this far.
Han Yi walked on the ice without batting an eye, as if on flat ground, and even had the energy to help drag the fishing net, which already drew the attention of the middle-aged men.
After walking for a while, the distance closed and the view opened up, and we were able to see the lighthouse in its entirety.
The tall, dark gray lighthouse stands in the rushing river, its lower half submerged. A warm, yet gentle yellow light emanates from the top, like candlelight—faint yet resilient, never dispelled by the biting wind.
It's not hard to tell from the middle-aged man's intermittent, obscure voice.
Lighthouses provide illumination and protection against danger.
During the perpetual night, when temperatures plummet and it is extremely cold, they move to live in the lighthouse. The river below also freezes completely, allowing them to catch a considerable amount of fish without having to travel far.
High on the cliff next to the lighthouse, there is a small village that seems to have been built around the lighthouse.
Upon reaching the village, Han Yi and his companion considered their journey complete.
Squeak...
The door wasn't locked and was easily pushed open.
The courtyard was quiet, with a layer of snow on the ground, and only a clear path of footprints between the gate and the main house.
The middle-aged man skillfully tossed the fishing net and its catch aside, then shouted something, and immediately a middle-aged woman with an angry expression stormed out of the main house.
This woman possessed a unique charm, exuding both the allure of a mature young woman and an indescribable, captivating allure.
Her face was delicate, her eyes alluring, and though she wore cotton clothes, they couldn't conceal her slender figure and smooth skin. One glance was enough to tell that this woman was the type who had never done housework, having never lifted a finger in her life.
It's not surprising that such a woman, raised in a wealthy or noble family, would be pampered from a young age and seem detached from worldly concerns.
But appearing here...
An ordinary village, an ordinary courtyard.
She was also a fisherman's wife, which makes things a bit more intriguing.
The two stood in the courtyard and chattered in a language that Han Yi couldn't understand at all, as if they had planned it beforehand.
The beautiful woman suppressed her anger and walked towards Han Yi with a smile.
"Honorable guest, we apologize for keeping you waiting. My husband is rather slow-witted, and we hope you will forgive him." She spoke softly and politely, her accent perfectly standard Mandarin.
This time, Han Yi was quite impressed. It was as if a phoenix had suddenly emerged from a remote mountain valley, leaving everyone in awe. "You're too kind, Madam," he smiled. "It's my fault for disturbing you with your visit so late at night."
"It's alright. Let's go inside and talk about it," the beautiful woman said warmly with a light laugh.
"It's nothing." Han Yi stood still, not moving. "I was just passing by when I accidentally got caught in a blizzard and lost my way. I wanted to ask for directions."
"You managed to survive the snow disaster?" the beautiful woman exclaimed. "Our distinguished guest is indeed no ordinary person. Please come in, please come in."
"What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and tidy up!" She glanced back at her.
The middle-aged man nodded in agreement and hurriedly began to pack up.
"No need to trouble yourself," Han Yi said with a smile. "Tell me where you are now, and I'll be on my way. I'm in a hurry."
"Why is our honored guest in such a hurry?" the beautiful woman advised. "Although it is currently a period of perpetual daylight, visibility is poor at night, making it extremely dangerous. Moreover, aside from blizzards, there is also the possibility of encountering ferocious beasts."
You see, this is precisely the time when the ferocious beasts are most active. Traveling alone without anyone to look after you, you'd be in big trouble if you encountered danger. It's freezing outside; you might as well make do for the night and continue your journey early tomorrow morning.”
Han Yi lowered his head and pondered for a moment.
Also.
If given a choice, who would willingly spend a night alone in the middle of nowhere, freezing cold?
Given the choice between a comfortable bed and warm food, one would naturally not choose the former.
"Very well." Han Yi nodded. "Madam is quite adept at persuasion. Judging from her appearance, she's probably not a local."
"You guessed correctly, sir. When I was young, I spent a few years in the city's music halls."
Mentioning this, the beautiful woman's expression brightened, seemingly with some pride. Then she sighed, her expression wistful: "It's a pity... I couldn't stay."
A music hall is a place for teaching music and dance, which sounds quite elegant.
To put it another way, in simpler terms, this place was specifically for training singing and dancing girls, and for high-ranking officials and nobles to enjoy themselves.
Han Yi was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to answer.
It's not a good thing that I couldn't stay...
Why are you feeling sad?
"Madam, could you tell me what this city refers to...?" Fortunately, Han Yi heard a word that interested him and forcibly changed the subject.
“This is Yubei Village, located on the outermost edge of Hongji City…” the beautiful woman answered as she spoke.
After the two entered the house, Han Yi roughly understood his location. Hongji City, also belonging to the lower three levels of the Hundred Meridians School.
The difference between Hekunyuan City and Kunyuan City is that...
One is due north of Suyuejiao, and the other is due south of Suyuejiao.
I understand that.
Han Yi was immediately at a loss for words, feeling both amused and exasperated.
A blizzard.
This caused me to go in the wrong direction, completely going in the opposite direction.
In the main house.
Besides the middle-aged man preparing dishes and tidying up the furniture, a beautiful girl was also sitting at the table.
The girl was young, probably around thirteen or fourteen years old. When she saw Han Yi come in, she seemed a little shy, lowered her head, and didn't dare to speak.
The middle-aged man moved very quickly.
Not long after Han Yi sat down, a table full of dishes was quickly served. However, what made Han Yi's face twitch was that there were quite a lot of dishes.
There was a stewed fish, a fried fish, a steamed fish, and a hot and sour fish soup. The whole table was basically set for a fish feast.
This perfectly illustrates the saying, "Those who live near mountains live off the mountains, and those who live near water live off the water."
"We are just a simple village, we don't have anything fancy to offer, just plain food and tea, please excuse our poor guests." The beautiful woman's face was also not good, but she really had nothing else to offer her guests, so she forced a smile.
"It's alright." Han Yi waved his hand. It's late at night, having a hot meal is already a blessing, so why be picky?
Moreover, the dishes on the table weren't very good, but the rice in the bowls was white, with distinct grains, soft, sticky, and sweet.
Compared to the three people across from me, whose bowls of stewed, dark, mushy staple food, made from some unknown plant tuber, this was infinitely better.
The girl also seemed to be attracted by the rice in Han Yi's bowl, and she looked up and stared at it intently.
"Give it to her. After all, she's still a child." Feeling a little embarrassed by being stared at like that, Han Yi smiled and pushed the bowl over. It wasn't appropriate for a stranger to be eating and drinking so much in someone else's house.
"..." The girl's eyes were glazed over, her expression stiff, saliva dripping from the corner of her mouth, and she remained silent.
"Hmm? What's wrong with your daughter...?" Han Yi raised an eyebrow. It was obvious that something was wrong with the girl; she didn't have the liveliness and energy that someone her age should have.
"My daughter was frightened by a snowstorm when she was young, and developed a high fever that wouldn't go down. She accidentally damaged her brain..." the beautiful woman quickly explained, tears streaming down her face. Her beautiful eyes seemed to be filled with tears.
"Did he lose his mind?" Han Yi laughed immediately. "That's easy to explain. As the saying goes, 'like cures like,' and through dietary therapy, consuming similar foods may be able to make up for it." "Your esteemed guest also understands medical principles?" A hint of surprise appeared on the beautiful woman's pretty face. "Unlike my blockhead, who does nothing but fish all day long, and can't do anything except smell like dead fish."
As she spoke, she glanced at the middle-aged man across from her who was silently eating, her tone extremely contemptuous, and naturally moved closer to Han Yi.
"I know a little bit. I've traveled all over the country for years and have some knowledge of it." Han Yi smiled.
"Your Excellency is so humble, tall and strong, and so knowledgeable. You truly captivate me..." The beautiful woman's eyes sparkled, and with a charming laugh, she picked up a wine pot from the table.
“Come on, let’s… have a drink.” She moved to Han Yi’s side and bent down to pour the wine.
A pale yellow rice wine, carrying an enticingly sweet aroma, was poured out. Even more alluring than that was the glimpse of radiant, snow-white skin beneath the woman's low-cut dress. "This..." Han Yi hesitated.
As a seasoned veteran, he still retains the most basic sense of caution.