Dongkou

The spring chill was biting. Wrapped in a padded coat, Old Man Wu sat wheezing on his dingy yellow wooden chair. Out by the road, the tavern banner hoisted high in the cold wind danced twice like a slippery loach before drooping limply back down. "Should be good business today." The State of Yue lay in the south, where the climate was hot and humid and winter snow was rare. A snowfall as heavy as last year's was almost unheard of, thick enough to block all carts and horses along the entire Guli Road. Old Man Wu had received only three batches of travelers all winter. Now spring had arrived and the snow had thawed, but a sharp chill still lingered in the air—the perfect time for drinking. Old Man Wu shifted lazily against his wooden chair, the rickety seat letting out a burst of creaks. He narrowed his eyes and peered through the window, spotting a plume of yellow dust rising along the distant trail. He scrambled up at once, limped to the doorway, and called out in a loud, drawn-out voice: "Meat wine—! Fresh mutton—!" Watching the carriage amble up to the front and halt, Old Man Wu hurriedly chimed in, "Masters up front, this humble shop has meat wine, and our sour and spicy side dishes are crisp and refreshing..." Before he could finish, the carriage curtain was lifted, and two men cloaked in fur pelts stepped down. The one in the lead looked under seventeen, brimming with spirited vigor. He held a long saber in hand, his face still touched with youthfulness as he gazed at the tavern with a bright smile. The man behind him appeared twenty-five or twenty-six, carrying a precious sword at his waist. He was rather refined in appearance, his eyes bright and piercing as he watched Old Man Wu with vigilant scrutiny. *Looks like an elder escorting a junior out into the world. That young man seems to have some worldly experience and keeps his guard up. And judging by that fine sword, they must be scions of two prominent clans. A fine profit to be made today!* Having weighed the situation in an instant, Old Man Wu put on a fawning smile and said, "Please, both of you, come inside! This shop's specialty, our Snowflake meat wine, is famous for its flavor all along the road." With that, he turned his head and shouted toward the stairs, "Guests arriving!" As the two took seats at a table, a pair of men came clattering down the wooden stairs, bowing low with ingratiating smiles as they took their places behind Old Man Wu. "Bring a pot of Snowflake wine and a few dishes." Wan Yuankai set down his long saber. Seeing the old man send his men off to prepare the order, he turned cheerfully toward Li Tongya and explained, "This Snowflake wine is made by slicing lean mutton loin into paper-thin strips, boiling it to a mush in the finest wine, and grinding it finely into a smooth paste. Then marrow from sheep leg bones and kidney fat are melted in a pot and folded into the paste. When drinking, one steeps it in warm wine." Wan Yuankai swallowed hard and lowered his voice. "Five years ago, I came through here with a clan brother and ordered a pot of this Snowflake wine. It was sheer bliss—I've never forgotten it. Back home, it's always the same few recipes over and over, so bland I'm sick to death of them!" Li Tongya had spent days jolting inside the carriage, eating dry rations and drinking cold water each day. Hearing this, his appetite was thoroughly whetted, and he could not help looking forward to it. The two had barely exchanged a few words when a commotion arose outside. Several men dressed in padded cotton coats strode in, noisily taking their seats before hollering: "Old Man Wu, bring on the wine!" "Ah, masters, you've arrived!" Old Man Wu rushed up with a broad smile, flattering them one after another. "This spring chill really bites to the bone! The boys and I stood guard at Dongkou all night—nearly froze our tails off! Now that the master family sent relief for the shift change, we hurried up here for a couple of swigs." The burly man in the lead, broad-backed and thick-waisted, laughed boisterously before continuing, "Don't know what happened these past few days, but the road's been under tight watch. Several prominent clans from the commandery have sent men out along the route, frightening everyone into silence!" "Dahu, that just shows what you know. It happens every few years—you get used to it! The commandery clans clamp down hard, and it blows over in a few days." A drawling voice chimed in from the table. Wan Yuankai pricked up his ears to listen for a moment, then whispered with a grin, "We're close to Guanyun Peak here. I'd wager these men are secular retainers of the Xiao family." Li Tongya nodded. The image of Xiao Yuansi immediately surfaced in his mind, and he could not help feeling a bit more favorable toward the group. The waiter soon arrived carrying a pot of warm wine, accompanied by several small side dishes and a bowl of snow-white mutton paste. Wan Yuankai eagerly took a small spoon, scooped a delicate dollop of the paste into his bowl, and tipped the wine pot to pour directly over it. As the paste steeped and dissolved into the warm liquor, an enticing aroma of mutton instantly drifted through the air. Dahu, the burly leader, twitched his nose. His eyes lit up, and he voiced his praise: "Smells wonderful! That's Snowflake wine!" Wan Yuankai did not engage the man. He took a savoring sip and gestured for Li Tongya to try it as well. Li Tongya offered a helpless smile, gave the burly man a polite nod, and began mixing his own Snowflake wine. Once it had steeped, he took a gentle sip. The mellow fragrance of the fine wine and the rich savor of the mutton, laced with a faint milky note, washed over his tongue in an instant. Without even realizing it, Li Tongya finished the bowl. He chuckled softly and said, "It is indeed exceptionally savory." Seeing that the two men had no intention of chatting with him, the burly fellow pursed his lips in mild embarrassment and muttered under his breath, "Just because you've got a bit of filthy coin..." Glancing enviously at the neighboring table, Dahu swallowed his saliva, turned away, and resumed chatting with his brothers. Wan Yuankai had taken only a few more sips when another burst of clamor echoed outside. A crowd approached from afar, escorting a young man dressed in extravagant silks and brocade into the tavern. "Clan brother! Don't be fooled by how shabby this tavern looks; the Snowflake wine here is peerless along the road. Dongkou is all desolate hills and cold wilderness—this shop is the only place to find any amusement." A lavishly dressed man was bowing and gesturing fawningly before the youth in fine silks. He looked thirty-five or thirty-six, yet bent low and addressed the youth as clan elder brother, making for an awkward, somewhat comical sight. "Mm." The youth had rather narrow eyes, a snow-white fox-fur coat draped over his shoulders, and a golden embroidered pouch tied at his waist. He was fairly handsome, bearing the smooth, delicate skin of someone raised in pampered nobility. He merely offered a faint nod in response. *Damn it, why is the master family's steward here?!* The face of the burly man named Dahu changed drastically. He looked away, pretending not to notice them, while the rest of the table lowered their heads, trembling and not daring to utter a peep. *That youth in silks is most likely from the main clan's direct line. That steward puts on an aloof, mighty air on ordinary days, yet before this youth he acts like a dog.* Dahu stole a glance at the entourage. With some effort, he recognized two of them—both prominent figures among the Xiao family's clan soldiers stationed at Dongkou. Yet now, they stood respectfully behind the steward, not daring to make a sound. Taking in the tavern's dilapidated surroundings, the youth in silks frowned slightly. That small gesture scared the middle-aged steward half to death; he bowed his head, too frightened to speak. As the middle-aged steward frantically searched his mind for the right words, he heard the youth before him let out a soft laugh. The sound nearly shattered the steward's liver and gall in terror. *This clan brother possesses a spirit aperture and has entered the immortal path. He's always been overbearing and arrogant. In the ten-odd days he's been stationed here at Dongkou, no one has ever seen him smile. Could he be smiling out of sheer fury?!* Yet the youth in silks cupped his hands with surprising courtesy. A genial smile appeared on his face as he said softly: "I truly never expected to encounter two fellow Daoists in such a remote little tavern!"