The cobbled streets near the Chenghuang Temple teemed with folk come to burn incense and offer prayers. Stalls overflowed with wondrous trinkets and savory delights, catering to both young and old. Chen Ping’an, ever the thoughtful companion, purchased a string of glistening candied haws for Li Baoping and Li Huai. A playful rivalry ensued, each child vying to possess the largest, most succulent sweet. Fortune favored Li Huai, his string boasting a bountiful six, eclipsing Li Baoping’s mere four. Overjoyed, Li Huai leaped and twirled, brandishing his sugary prize as he circled Chen Ping’an and Lin Shouyi in a joyous dance.

Li Baoping, however, silently nursed her disappointment, her gaze fixed on the triumphant Li Huai. With a swift, subtle movement, she extended a leg, a silent trap laid in jest. Unsuspecting, Li Huai stumbled, his joyous victory turning into a muddy fall. The string of candied haws, once held high in triumph, scattered across the dusty ground. Thankfully, his sturdy green bamboo bookcase, strapped securely to his back, had borne the brunt of the impact, preventing grievous injury. Yet, seated amidst the debris of his fallen sweets, Li Huai wept bitterly.

The red-clad Li Baoping, feigning innocence, glanced innocently about. Her charade earned her a gentle reprimand, a playful flick to the brow from the amused yet stern Chen Ping’an. He helped the shaken Li Huai to his feet, and, seeing his distress, bought him a fresh string of candied haws. Li Huai, his tears mingling with laughter, accepted the pristine treat. Yet, the discarded, dirt-covered sweets were not forgotten. He gathered them, one in each hand, and, casting a wary glance at Li Baoping, retreated to a safe distance, brandishing his remaining sweets as if guarding a precious treasure.

“Childish!” Li Baoping declared, rolling her eyes at the spectacle.

A curious dynamic bound these two young souls. Though often the target of Li Baoping’s mischief, Li Huai never seemed to harbor true resentment towards the young scholar-girl. He could not even muster anger, only a sense of sorrowful injustice.

Chen Ping’an and Lin Shouyi found themselves at a loss to explain this peculiar bond. Lin Shouyi, ever practical, offered the simple adage: “There is always one who tames another.” Li Huai, it seemed, required Li Baoping’s occasional “taming.”

Meanwhile, the young scholar Cui Feng had long broken away from the group, pausing at a humble stall overflowing with curiosities. Yu Lu, ever dutiful, lingered, ready to wait. Yet, the white-robed scholar, with a dismissive wave, urged her to rejoin Chen Ping’an and the others. He surveyed the wares with discerning eyes, his expression hinting at both interest and distaste. Ultimately, without uttering a word, he turned to leave.

The stall’s proprietor, a weary youth, was accustomed to being ignored. He had long since grown indifferent to those who merely glanced and haggled, only to depart without a purchase. But the air of refined nobility that clung to the young man in white, like a fine perfume, stirred him. When he saw the scholar turning to leave, untouched by any of his wares, he sprang from his stool in a flurry of nervous energy. Bowing low, he launched into a tale of hardship and heirloom. These, he declared, were ancestral treasures, passed down through three centuries of noble lineage. Disaster had befallen his family, forcing him to part with these precious relics, a sacrifice he would never make under ordinary circumstances.

The young man, seemingly untouched by the plea, remained silent. The stall owner, desperate, stammered and pleaded, yet the scholar gave no sign of interest. Defeated, the youth slumped back onto his stool. How dare he pressure one so obviously of noble birth? Such families, he knew, could crush him with a mere word. And besides, rumors whispered of immortals dwelling in the nearby mountains, their arrival heralded by elaborate rituals that shook the entire county. To offend such a powerful being would be to invite ruin.

Suddenly, Cui Feng spoke, breaking the heavy silence. “These items… the entire lot. Would ten taels of silver suffice?”

The young man shook his head vehemently, his face contorted with despair. “Ten taels, good sir? These are ancestral relics, treasures of untold worth! My lineage is recorded in the most reputable genealogies. Our ancestors served the Prince Young Master in the Jiqing Dynasty of Houshu! A single item is worth seventy, eighty taels! Surely, that is not too much to ask?”

His face flushed, he carefully picked up a diminutive glass figure, barely half an inch tall. Its color was faded, its craftsmanship unremarkable. Yet, the young vendor leaned forward, eagerly presenting the trinket. “Good sir, behold! With a keen eye, one can discern the delicate eyebrows, the intricate folds of its lacework! Such a rare glass artifact! Even if the glass itself is not of the highest grade, surely such a masterpiece is worth three or four coins of silver? Add to it these other treasures, both large and small… ten taels is simply too little! I implore you, good sir, reconsider!”

Cui Feng considered the plea, his face etched with a thoughtful frown. “Eleven taels, then?”

The vendor nearly choked. He gazed upon the white-robed scholar, radiant as a celestial being, and sighed. “Good sir, you mock me.”

A faint smile touched Cui Feng’s lips. “Do you know snowflake silver?” he inquired.

The vendor nodded, bewildered. “Of course, good sir. My father’s family was wealthy, prosperous. More than a dozen shops on Chenghuang Temple Street once belonged to my ancestors.”

Cui Feng reached into his sleeve and produced a gleaming ingot of silver, slamming it onto the table with a resounding thud. “Twenty-two taels of official silver. Converted to the lesser currency of your Huang Tingguo, that should be twenty-five taels. More than enough for this collection of shabby relics, wouldn’t you say?”

The vendor had secretly hoped for twenty taels at best. Overjoyed, he snatched up the ingot, clutching it tightly in his palm. He weighed it, tested it with his fingernail. It was genuine, of the finest quality. Fearful that the scholar might change his mind, he quickly concealed the silver. Then, with a swift, practiced motion, he gathered the corners of the cloth beneath the table, drawing them upward to create a makeshift sack. The objects within clattered together, a discordant symphony of forgotten treasures. He tied the bundle tightly and thrust it toward the white-robed youth, his face beaming. “Good sir, they are all yours!”

Cui Feng hefted the bundle, a playful glint in his eyes. “If I purchase these, I will surely bring misfortune upon you, causing you endless misery.”

The vendor chuckled, forcing a lighthearted tone. “Good sir, I am known throughout the county for my honesty! I would never cheat a customer. Buy with confidence, good sir! This is a transaction that will bring you only profit, never loss!”

Cui Feng slung the bundle over his shoulder and hurried after Chen Ping’an and the others towards the Chenghuang Temple. Catching up to the carriage, he tossed the sack to the driver with a curt thanks. Then, joining Chen Ping’an, he gestured towards the temple’s distinctive roof. “That magnificent Chenghuang Temple, the largest in all of Huangting Kingdom, once governed several provinces during the reign of the late Western Shu dynasty. Its eaves are adorned with precious green glazed tiles, an extravagance rarely seen. City God Pavilions dare not typically employ such costly materials. The original temple was not located here. After the dynasty changed, the Hong family seized control and moved the temple to its current location. The original site, with its ancient well and spiritual spring, was far more auspicious. It has since been transformed into an inn by a mountain gate in Huangting Kingdom, catering to those seeking cultivation and wealthy families. The spiritual energy emanating from the spring is said to aid in enlightenment. Such a place is a rare find indeed.”

Chen Ping’an inquired, “Is it expensive?”

Cui Feng paused, a wry smile playing on his lips. “For you, death is expensive.”

Chen Ping’an glanced at Lin Shouyi, who was intently studying the mythical beasts adorning the temple’s roof. “How expensive?” he repeated softly.

Cui Feng smiled. “A hundred taels of silver per person, per night. A room nearest the well would likely cost twice, perhaps even three times that amount.”

As a National Master of Dali, Cui Feng possessed access to the dynasty’s vast intelligence network, focused primarily on the mountain sects within Dali and neighboring kingdoms. The history of the Huangtingguo county town and the story of the Chenghuang Temple were essential intelligence. As for knowing the precise prices of the inn… well, that was merely a way for National Master Cui Feng to alleviate boredom in his spare time. And perhaps, during an audience with His Majesty the Emperor, it could serve as an intriguing topic for a charismatic monarch and his minister.

Chen Ping’an lowered his voice. “If I were to possess a gold-scented copper coin, how much silver would that be worth?”

The white-robed youth gestured towards the approaching Chenghuang Temple, his expression unreadable.

Chen Ping’an frowned. “What does that mean?”

Cui Feng’s smile widened. “It means it is worth a mountain of silver as vast as that temple itself.”

Chen Ping’an’s jaw dropped. He stared at the sprawling temple complex, its buildings stretching endlessly into the distance, and surreptitiously adjusted the basket on his back.

The straw-sandal boy, realizing he carried a silver mountain upon his back, suddenly felt a great weight upon his shoulders.

Cui Feng noted this detail, but said nothing.

After a moment of hesitation, Chen Ping’an stopped just before entering the City God Temple. “Cui Dongshan,” he began, “may I borrow money from you?”

The white-robed youth, as if anticipating the question, placed his hands in his sleeves and nodded with a smile. “Of course. Consider me a treasure chest overflowing with gold and baubles. If you seek money, if you desire magical artifacts, I can provide anything your heart desires.”

Chen Ping’an steeled his resolve. “We will stay at that inn tonight. However long we remain, all expenses will be your responsibility. You will provide me with a total amount later, and you shall determine the interest. Upon my return to Longquan County, I will repay you the principal, along with the accrued interest. Is that acceptable?”

Cui Feng withdrew one hand from his sleeve and waved it dismissively. “Forget the interest. Repay only the capital. Lending a hand to a friend is its own reward.”

At that moment, Li Huai, clutching his half-eaten string of candied haws, suddenly squatted down, his eyes fixed on the white-robed scholar’s boots.

Upon Cui Feng’s boots rested a tiny grasshopper, as white as freshly fallen snow. Spied by Li Huai, the strange insect, which had evidently been intent on climbing Cui Feng’s robe, froze. The strange creature had piqued Li Huai’s curiosity, and he wanted to reach out and take it. The silver-white grasshopper, frightened, dared not continue pretending to be dead and immediately jumped up with agile movement, hooked the fine silk thread of Cui Feng’s outer robe, and ran quickly up, and quickly came to Cui Feng’s waist, and the last one jumped, hung under his cuffs, swaying slightly.

The white-robed youth, unperturbed, smiled as usual. With a deft twist of his wrist, he captured the grasshopper between his fingers, held it gently in his palm, and tucked it into his left sleeve.

Then, a most astonishing sight unfolded. The lively snow-white grasshopper melted like ice in summer, transforming into a silver ingot, pulsing with an unnatural life.

The young man smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He hid the silver ingot in his sleeve, looked around to be sure Yu Lu and Thank You Two, saw the two Lu dynasty girls, and smiled pleasantly. Chen Ping’an, a group of small local buns from the Lizhu Cave Heaven, were all more than shocked.

Cui Feng, clearly unwilling to elaborate further, turned to Yu Lu. “You and Thank You may purchase incense for us. We will require it within the City God Temple. Acquire a decent incense tube as well. One of elegant design. I will not be paying for any poorly made goods.”

The stalwart youth escorted the dark-haired girl to purchase the incense.

Chen Ping’an cut through the polite formalities. “Cui Dongshan, was that silver ingot the money you used to purchase that sack of items? How did it transform into a grasshopper and then return to you?”

The white-robed youth adopted an air of innocent bewilderment. “I paid the vendor fairly, I assure you. But the money seems to have a mind of its own. It ran back to me, leaving me in a most awkward predicament.”

Li Huai, still squatting on the ground, gazed at the silver ingot with envious eyes. “What a wondrous thing! With such a silver ingot, one could travel the world in comfort!”

The white-robed youth leaned down, addressing the boy directly. “Do you like it? Would you like to have it? This little fellow is called Zhuyin. It is useless, a mere curiosity. A strange creature indeed. They say such a thing is only born from the great silver vaults of ancient dynasties, after a hundred years. It’s rare indeed to find a worm silver, and even rarer to see one this large. Most changing silver is no larger than a coin. It’s also incorruptible in water or fire and can bear more than a thousand pounds of pressure without being harmed at all. No matter how much you cut it into dozens of pieces, as long as it is stacked together, it can quickly restore its complete appearance. Li Huai, if you want it, I can give it to you?”

Li Huai stood and replied seriously, “I only have one sister named Li Liu, but she is still Aliang’s wife for the time being.”

The white-robed youth knew the little bastard’s style of talking, “Do you want it for free? I have no idea about your sister.”

Li Huai asked, “Then I will pay for my meals in the future and bring Chen Ping’an and the others to eat delicious food and drink spicy food every time. Can it run back by itself every time?”

Cui Feng nodded with a smile, shook his sleeves, shook the silver ingot off the cuff, and handed it to Li Huai.

Li Huai wanted to take the silver ingot, his movement paused slightly, and turned to look at Chen Ping’an beside him.

Chen Ping’an said, “Of course you have to pay for your meals, and you can’t rely on your debts in different ways. I can’t control how Cui Dongshan is, but you, Li Huai, is Mr. Qi’s disciple…”

Li Huai immediately put his hands behind him, pressed his butt tightly, shook his head at the boy in white and said, “Oh, let’s forget it.”

Chen Ping’an continued, “Li Huai, I haven’t finished speaking yet, but the insect silver can be put away. If you are kind enough to give you good things, you can take them away first. As for how to use them in the future, then follow the rules in the future. ,”

Li Huai’s eyes lit up, and he snatched the silver ingots from the boy in white and stuffed them into his arms. After thinking about it, he quickly turned around, turned his back to everyone, opened the small bookcase, and threw the silver ingots inside.

The young man Cui Feng withdrew his hand in disappointment and said helplessly: “I’ve been hitting an eagle all year round, and I’ve been pecking at the eagle.”

Yu Lu had purchased a well-made boxwood incense tube, filled with a full tube of incense branches, which was enough for everyone to go to the temple to burn incense many times.

Except for the carriages on the roadside, the rest of the group walked into the City God Temple. After each respecting the incense, they saw a couplet in the main hall.

When he died, he was alone and went to the underworld to ask his descendants if he was there; in the end, he left his reputation for eternity and came to the underworld to know that everything would be gone.

The City God is in the middle and high position, with subordinate officials on both sides, arranged in sequence, and the momentum is huge. There are as many as eight clay statues with the title of general, namely the Yin-Yang Si, the Quick Report Si, and the Sushi Sushi Chief of the Office. The young man Cui Feng also said that the highest specifications of the City God Temple in Baopingzhou stopped here, but the largest City God Pavilion in the world has as many as 24 departments, even the Inspection and Epidemic Exemption Department, and the Education and Administration Department. All are almost comparable to courts in a small country.

Lin Shou was very interested when he saw it, but Li Baoping was not very interested. Li Huai was the least courageous and only dared to follow Chen Ping’an closely.

After carefully looking at the famous mural on the walls of the main hall, the eighteen-layer hell, it made people feel that the trip was worth it. Then they walked out of the main hall. The back hall was a lobby similar to the county government case. The City God sat upright behind the big case. There are civil and military judges standing on both sides, but only half of the couplets outside the hall are, “If you have sincerity, you will be virtuous, you will not need to kowtow, you should retreat quickly.” The second couplet is blank.

Li Baoping became interested and began to think about the content of the second couplet by himself, but he was not satisfied, frowned and refused to admit defeat.

The young men Cui Feng and Yu Lu were also standing under the blank couplet.

Chen Ping’an took Lin Shouyi and Li Huai to look into the lobby at the door. There were clay statues inside, kowtowed, some statues were wearing shackles, and some statues were bowed and kneeled down.

An old man in green shirt who did not bring his family, saw Li Baoping and his group of people’s eye-catching green bamboo bookcases, smiled knowingly, came to the young Cui Lai, and looked up at the blank couplets together, and asked with a smile: “Dear Masters, have you ever thought of a good second couplet?”

Cui Feng ignored it.

Once Li Baoping thinks about things seriously, he will concentrate on it, but he really didn’t hear it.

Only Yu Lu replied with a smile, “I thought about it, but I was not satisfied with it. I was too much so I wouldn’t show my ugly face to the old man.”

The old man laughed heartily and raised his hand to point to the couplet, “About this couplet, there has always been an unwritten rule in the county town, whether it is a human or a ghost, a charming or a weird one, as long as anyone can write a second couplet that will convince the public, You can become a distinguished guest of this old city god.”

Yu Lu asked in confusion: “Sir, how can you be convinced by the public?”

The young man Cui Yang said lazily, “Ask yourself.”

Li Baoping happened to think of a long time and beat him to death. After hearing the question and answer, the little girl subconsciously added: “It’s late at night, and the conscience is clear and clear. Ask yourself and blurt out.”

The old man in white-haired and blue-shirt nodded slowly.

Although the little girl in the red cotton-padded jacket was unable to come up with a suitable second couplet in the end, the old man still insisted on sending them all the way out of the City God Temple, standing in the threshold, and smiling and saying goodbye to everyone.

After leaving this ancient City God Temple, Chen Ping’an asked people about the location of the inn, but everyone was confused. It seemed that this place did not exist in the county town at all, so he had to look at the boy in white.

The young man Cui Ying asked with a smile, “Otherwise, forget it? I also heard some rumors, and may not take it seriously. Besides, if there is no such place to eat gold and swallow silver, you don’t have to borrow money from me.”

Chen Ping’an looked at Lin Shouyi, who was confused. Chen Ping’an said persistently, “You can take a look around the market first, and I’ll ask.”

The boy with straw sandals carrying a basket on his back walked forward quickly alone, asking one person after another in the distance of the team.

The young man Cui Feng walked towards the carriage, looking faintly unhappy, and couldn’t help but complain, “Even if you, Chen Ping’an, carry a mountain of gold and silver, you are spending money like flowing water, and in the end you still make wedding clothes for others. Is it so attentive?”

When the boy in white bent down and lifted the curtain of the car, he turned his head to look at Lin Shouyi who was in the dark. The boy with a gloomy eyes suddenly felt a little jealous at this moment.