noveltune Chapter 38 Trouble has struck!
Chapter 38 Trouble has struck!
Upon hearing the innkeeper's words, Zheng Tu was astonished, and his drunkenness vanished instantly.
Although he did not witness Wu Song fighting the tiger in his previous life, he had heard the story of "Wu Song Fighting the Tiger on Jingyang Ridge" countless times.
I clearly remember eating "a total of fifteen bowls," how did it become thirty-six bowls?!
"Could it be that because he was drinking with someone, Wu Erlang was in high spirits and drank more than twice as much?!"
He muttered to himself.
"This is terrible! I've really messed up!"
Putting aside everything else, he remembered that crucial passage in the book clearly: "After walking for a while, the effects of the alcohol took hold, and he became hot and bothered. He saw a large, smooth blue stone, leaned his staff against it, lay down, and was about to go to sleep."
After only fifteen bowls of wine, the tiger-slaying hero was already drowsy.
Now that I've downed thirty-six bowls, what should I do?
Even if Wu Song had an iron body and a huge stomach, after drinking like that, he would probably be overcome by the alcohol and fall into a deep sleep by now.
"If he were to fall drunk on the hill and encounter that white-browed, snarling tiger..."
Zheng Tu's forehead was covered in cold sweat.
"Is this tiger-slaying Wu Song going to become tiger-dung Wu Song instead?"
Thinking of this, Zheng Tu dared not delay any longer.
He struggled to get up, feeling a splitting headache and weak limbs, but he couldn't care less.
Without even bothering to find socks, he haphazardly put on his two shoes, grabbed his coat draped over the back of the chair, and rushed out of the guest room like a whirlwind.
Upon reaching the shop entrance, he picked up the sword wrapped in cloth that was leaning against the wall and hurriedly asked the shopkeeper, "Sir, which road do I take to cross Jingyang Ridge?!"
The shopkeeper was startled by his hurried appearance and instinctively pointed in a direction: "Go north along this road, and you'll reach the foot of the hill in about four or five li..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zheng Tu had already rushed out of the shop and to the horse-tethering post.
His yellow horse was munching on hay when he suddenly ripped off the reins, mounted it, and without even adjusting the saddle and bridle, spurred the horse on with his legs and shouted, "Giddy up!"
The horse, in pain, let out a long neigh, and galloped eastward along the official road like an arrow released from a bow.
The shop owner chased after Zheng Tu outside, watching his departing figure, shaking his head repeatedly, muttering to himself, "These two customers are truly cut from the same cloth, so impatient! The first one drank thirty-six bowls of wine and insisted on crossing the hill, and this one, half-drunk, still wants to chase after him even after waking up. They're determined to seek their own deaths, and I can't stop them, I can't stop them..."
It is:
Thousands of cars have overturned in front, and the same is true for the cars that pass behind.
Clearly pointing to Pingchuan Road, yet they mistook honest advice for malicious words.
.........
Meanwhile, Wu Song, carrying his staff, strode over Jingyang Ridge.
He drank thirty-six bowls of wine and was now quite drunk, feeling hot all over and having inexhaustible energy as he walked.
After walking about four or five miles, they came to the foot of a hill and saw a large tree. They scraped off the bark to reveal a piece of white wood with two lines of writing on it.
Wu Song was literate enough to read a few characters. When he looked up, he saw that it read: "Recently, a tiger on Jingyang Ridge has injured people. However, merchants traveling through the area are advised to cross the ridge in groups during the hours of Si (9-11 AM), Wu (11 AM-1 PM), and Wei (1-3 PM). Please do not jeopardize your travel plans."
Upon seeing this, Wu Song burst into laughter: "This is a trick by the innkeeper! They're trying to scare away timid customers so they'll stay at that scoundrel's inn and make more money. What am I afraid of!"
Fueled by the wine, he continued up the hill. After walking less than half a mile, he came upon a dilapidated mountain god temple, its walls crumbling and tiles scattered.
Upon arriving at the temple, one sees a notice with an official seal affixed to the temple gate, bearing the seal of Yanggu County.
Wu Song stopped and, by the moonlight, read it carefully. It read:
"Notice from Yanggu County: A large tiger has recently appeared on Jingyang Ridge and has been causing harm to people. All village officials and hunters are currently ordered to hunt it down, but to no avail. Merchants and travelers are advised to cross the ridge in groups during the hours of 9-11 AM, 11 AM-1 PM, and 1-3 PM. Travelers and solo travelers are prohibited from crossing the ridge during the day or at other times to avoid potential harm. All are advised to take note."
After reading the official notice, Wu Song realized that there really was a tiger, and the tavern owner was not just making empty threats.
If it were an ordinary person, they would probably be terrified and turn around to leave.
However, Wu Song was intoxicated at the moment, and his courage swelled up as if inflated, making him incredibly strong.
He patted the staff at his waist and sneered, "Even if there really is a tiger, Wu Er can take it down! What's there to be afraid of! Just go up there and see what happens!"
Having said that, Wu Song continued forward, climbing the hill.
Wu Song walked a little further, but the effects of the thirty-six bowls of strong liquor in his stomach gradually took hold.
I felt unbearably hot all over, as if I were in a furnace; my mouth was dry and my throat was parched; and I felt dizzy and lightheaded.
He carried a staff in one hand and opened his shirt in the other, staggering and stumbling as he ran through a tangled grove of trees.
Moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns. The hooting of owls in the forest added to the eeriness of the place.
As they were walking, they suddenly saw a large, smooth blue stone in front of them, about the size of a millstone, with a flat and smooth surface.
At this moment, Wu Song's eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and his legs felt weak. Upon seeing this stone, he felt as comfortable as if he were seeing a bed.
He thought to himself, "I'll rest here for a bit and sober up before continuing."
Reaching the stone, he immediately leaned the staff against one side, lay down, and a cool sensation penetrated his clothes, clashing with the internal heat, bringing him indescribable pleasure.
Once drowsiness sets in, it surges in wave after wave, like a tide, and is impossible to stop.
"I only dozed off once, it doesn't count as sleep... I'll just sober up..." Wu Song muttered to himself as his eyelids grew heavy, his voice growing softer and softer.
Moments later, snoring began.
This hero, who should have killed the tiger on Jingyang Ridge, has now fallen into a deep sleep due to excessive drinking.
As the night breeze began to rise, all was quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the woods.
In this world, clouds are born from dragons, and wind is born from tigers.
A foul-smelling wind suddenly arose in the wilderness of Jingyanggang.
.........
Zheng Tu rode his horse at breakneck speed, his whip never ceasing, leaving the rump of his yellow horse red and swollen.
The horse was in pain, its hooves pounded rapidly, and it almost became a blur of yellow.
"Faster, faster!"
Zheng Tu was anxious, wishing his horse could grow wings.
The mountain road ahead was winding, with swaying shadows of trees, but Wu Song was nowhere to be seen.
A thought suddenly arose in Zheng Tu's mind: Could it be that he had already been swallowed up by that monstrous tiger with its piercing eyes and white forehead?!
He dared not think any further and instead whipped his horse even harder.
Halfway there, they finally saw a road sign. Zheng Tu spurred his horse forward to take a closer look and was greatly alarmed.
In his haste to catch up, he chose the wrong direction at the fork in the road!
They've missed Jingyang Ridge! He wondered how Wu Erlang could be so fast.
"We've gone astray! We've gone astray!" Zheng Tu cursed angrily, whipping his horse hard. "You beast, you didn't even warn me!"
The yellow horse neighed in pain, reared up, and nearly threw him off its back.
He quickly turned his horse around and rode back.
Having been delayed for so long, Zheng Tu had already lost much of his hope.
I only hope that Erlang won't be completely devoured by that tiger, so that some of his clothes can still be left as a cenotaph...