The next night.
Yu Lin River, Green Jade Pavilion.
The two palanquins crossed the bustling street and stopped in front of the restaurant. Zhou Jing and Ye Shunzhong were sitting on them.
The two of them alighted from the palanquin, and the magistrate’s personal guards waiting at the door immediately welcomed them.
“Lord Ye, the magistrate is already waiting in the private room on the third floor… Is this Daoist Ling Fengzi?”
The subordinate first said politely, then looked at Zhou Jing curiously.
Ye Shunzhong nodded and cupped his hands politely, “The two of us are invited by the magistrate to the banquet. Please lead the way.”
Hearing this, the subordinate suppressed his thoughts and led the way upstairs respectfully.
As Ye Shunzhong climbed the stairs, he whispered to Zhou Jing,
“Lord Zhao has been in charge of Ning Tian Prefecture for many years. This time, he specially invited all the nobles of the Prefecture to accompany him. Many of them really want to get to know an expert like you, Daoist.”
Zhou Jing nodded, but he did not think so in his heart.
Because he had displayed his divine power in front of the Ye family, Ye Shunzhong believed it from the bottom of his heart. However, these high-ranking officials and noble families only at most had hearsay of his powers. With the experience of these powerful people, it was impossible for them to believe it without a doubt.
In his opinion, other than getting to know him, this group of high-ranking officials probably still had the intention of exposing his methods and making him reveal his true colors. It would probably not be a good banquet. At most, they would not go overboard on account of him curing the Ye family’s Old Master.
“Only by suppressing these high-ranking officials and nobles today will I be able to truly gain a foothold in Ning Tian Prefecture. My reputation will then be established…”
Zhou Jing calculated.
The two of them quickly arrived at the third floor. When they were brought into the private room, they immediately became the center of attraction for those already within.
Everyone present was a dignitary of Ning Tian Prefecture. Their gazes immediately focused on Zhou Jing, their eyes filled with curiosity, sizing him up with surprise, and other emotions. They felt that this Ling Fengzi was far from the sage-like appearance they had imagined. Not only did he look strange, but he was also a little fat.
“Lord Zhao.” Ye Shunzhong hurriedly took a few steps forward and bowed to the white-robed man on the main seat.
This white-robed man was the current Ning Tian Magistrate, Zhao Xingan. At this moment, he was not wearing an official uniform. He smiled and comforted Ye Shunzhong.
“I heard that the Old Master Ye has recovered from his illness. I haven’t congratulated you yet. When he recovers, I’ll invite him for a drink another day.”
Then, Zhao Xingan turned to look at Zhou Jing and cupped his hands with a smile.
“I presume this is Daoist Ling Fengzi?”
“This one is precisely him.”
Zhou Jing did not bow and only cupped his hands.
He had already changed his clothes and was wearing a Daoist crown and cloud shoes. Although he looked out of place, his appearance already gave off the feeling of a Daoist priest.
(TL Note: Cloud shoes are those worn by ancient China men, with a curled up area at the toe box.)
“I’ve heard a lot about you in the past few days. Seeing you today, you’re indeed extraordinary. Daoist, Brother Ye, please sit down.”
Zhao Xingan smiled and led the two of them to their seats. His etiquette was quite considerate.
No matter what everyone was thinking, they were not in a hurry to put it into action. They cupped their hands and bowed, introducing themselves. They could be considered to have gotten to know each other simply.
Now that everyone was here, Zhao Xingan instructed the restaurant to serve all kinds of exquisite dishes.
“The head chef of the Green Jade Pavilion is one of the top chefs in Ning Tian Prefecture, his skills are outstanding. I wonder if it suits Daoist’s taste, if Daoist Ling doesn’t like it, I’ll let the kitchen change.”
Zhao Xingan nodded at Zhou Jing, his tone amiable.
“This poor Daoist is used to living in the wilderness, so I’m not particular about anything.”
Zhou Jing replied casually.
“Looks like you’re a simple person.” Zhao Xingan smiled. Then, he looked out of the window and found a topic to talk about, “This Yu Lin River is the most prosperous place in the world. Looking down from here, it has a different flavor compared to elsewhere. What do you think?”
Zhou Jing also looked over. Seeing that there were endless pleasure boats and tourists outside the window, he nodded and echoed,
“It’s indeed not bad. The prosperity of Ning Tian Prefecture is indeed rare.”
Zhao Xingan retracted his gaze and asked with a smile, “Is this the first time you’ve come to my Ning Tian Prefecture, Daoist? I wonder where you’re from, how’s your family, and where you used to cultivate in the past?”
These words sounded like a CEO interrogating him during a job interview about his family background and qualifications.
Zhou Jing looked back and realized that everyone was staring at him with burning eyes. However, he remained unflustered and simply replied,
“I’m a wanderer, and I treat the world as my home. The place where I came from in the past is no longer important. In the future, I’ll go wherever I want. The way of cultivation is in the heart, so there’s no need to find another way nor learn guidance from anyone.”
When Ye Shunzhong heard this, he also chimed in from the side and said with a smile, “When I first met Daoist a few days ago, I also asked about this matter.
He also replied in the same way. He even said that the Dao is not in the temple, and in the wilderness, there is no need to use external objects. These words are enlightening and have taught me a lot.”
The hearts of the rich and powerful people present skipped a beat. After thinking about it carefully, they felt that these words were quite interesting. It really sounded like what an expert would say.
“In that case, Daoist, are you going to write a book and establish a sect?” One of the aristocrats raised his eyebrows and said in a teasing tone.
“As long as one has the heart to seek the Dao, anyone can establish a sect.”
Zhou Jing pretended not to hear the other party’s sarcasm and only chuckled.
Another member of the aristocratic family could not help but say, “Daoist Ling Fengzi, your words are so profound, how could anyone understand?”
“So what if you understand? So what if you don’t understand? Most of the things in life are illusory. Flowers bloom and wilt, and in the blink of an eye, they disappear without a trace. Even if you understand, will it affect today’s food, clothing, and accommodation? If it is fated with you, you will naturally understand.”