NOVEL NEXT Chapter 257: Mutual Delight
Three hundred miles west of Jinmen Prefecture, there is Monkey Mountain, which is within the borders of Xijing Mountain.
Xu Qing had never been here before, and it was only upon his first arrival at Monkey Mountain that he discovered how steep the mountainside was, as if cleaved by a blade, and how the vines intertwined like a web. A typical woodcutter or mountain dweller might easily lose their way after venturing just a little too far in.
The Red-tailed Monkey was the master of this mountain, and it navigated the area with ease and familiarity.
Upon entering the mountain, three old white-browed monkeys leapt down clinging to vines from a cliffface five or six zhang high.
The Red-tailed Monkey uttered some poetic phrase, saying, "My humble abode is mere thatched door and straw walls, built along the mountainside. It cannot compare to the stately residences of humans, with their high walls and separate courtyards. I hope Brother Xu doesn't take offense."
Xu Qing laughed and said, "Your abode is serene and clean. Though it lacks the artistry of human homes, it is rich in the charm of nature. Even if others wished to live here, they probably wouldn't be so fortunate!"
"What is so rare about a mountain dweller's abode? Brother Xu, if you like it, you could easily carve out a cave abode in Xijing Mountain. That way, I could conveniently visit Brother Xu at his residence..."
Xu Qing just smiled. If he were to reside somewhere, he would choose a place with favorable feng shui, build a good coffin, dwell in a grand Yin Residence surrounded by mountains, where the winds gather their spirits; or perhaps temporarily lodge in the Imperial Mausoleum if necessary; and in the worst case, settle for a spot in the dense Yin Qi of the Chaotic Tomb Ridge, squeezing in with the others for comfort.
As for the Immortal Caves, no matter how good, they must suit his taste.
Inside the monkey's cave, the Red-tailed Monkey showed great enthusiasm, offering fruit and wine along with selecting the most elegant and charming female monkeys to serve drinks.
"..."
One cannot quarrel with a smiling monkey, and Xu Qing found this banquet of apology and amends quite novel.
Xuan Yu, unlike the young girls and maidservants of worldly families, not only did not disdain the simplicity of the mountain wild environment and fare, but actually relished the novel sensation.
For a cat, even the finest residence might not compare to the comfort of an old cardboard box.
It was only Xu Qing who felt somewhat regretful, thinking it would be perfect if the cave abode absorbed some Earth Qi, half buried in the ground, while the other half was shaped like a steamed bun...
In the deep forests and old woods, there is no fare, only wild fruits and game, and offerings as sustenance for the Immortals. However, the Monkey Immortal Hall has something unusually unique—a kind of monkey-made wine brewed using ancient methods.
These so-called traditional methods involve placing picked fresh fruits into hollow old trees. Unlike long-life fruits that remain unspoiled within a shell, these fresh fruits naturally decay over time.
The outcome of the monkeys' storing the fresh fruits in the heart of trees is predictable, and it doesn't take long for them to rot!
Yet, there are always exceptions. From the variety of fruits stored for winter, mostly in dry, cool tree or rock holes, when the winter snow melts, occasionally a place or two will have its stored fruits undergo natural fermentation due to extreme coincidences, aligning with changes in the seasons, and become liquid.
This liquid is what is known as monkey-made wine.
Xu Qing had never tasted such a wine before. According to the Red-tailed Monkey, of the entire Monkey Mountain, only three tree cavities—and one rock pit shielded at a cliff top—had the capability to brew wine.
And in the years the Red-tailed Monkey was away from Monkey Mountain, two of these precious tree holes were lost due to the decay of the trees and infestation of insects; now, only the cliff-bottom stone pit and an old willow tree in the southern mountain remain intact in the entire Monkey Mountain.
The Red-tailed Monkey sighed endlessly; it's not just the mountain monkeys who have changed over time, but also the environment of Monkey Mountain.
"Back in the day, our Monkey Immortal Hall was one of the finest in Jin Sect. Who would have thought, after just a few years, it would come to this state?"
Xu Qing wasn't surprised. In the whole Monkey Immortal Hall, only the Red-tailed Monkey had any talent for managing human affairs. With the most socially skilled monkey king gone, what was left was a bunch of naturally mischievous but unruly monkeys. If they managed to run the Immortal Hall well, that'd be a miracle!
"In comparison, the Cat Immortal Hall managed by Brother Xu is much better organized. How the Profound Jade Immortal Family and Brother Xu achieved it is quite enviable to me."
Xu Qing didn't take up the conversation. His mind was solely focused on the monkey wine before him, and as for the matters of the Monkey Immortal Hall, he couldn't bother to engage.
In his days away, the Cat Immortal Hall had come across many new ventures and expanded its influence outward. As the Sect Leader, he still had to make time to devise new plans and instructions for the Hall, so he had no leisure to stay behind as a strategist for the monkeys.
"Brother Hou Immortal Family, there's no need to rush. Previously, the Monkey Immortal Hall lacked a leader among the monkeys, but now with you sitting in command, things will naturally get better over time."
The Red-tailed Monkey scratched its head in agitation. The calmer Xu Qing was, the more anxious it became.
In the cave, the old white-browed monkey carried a wine cup, neither porcelain nor jade, to the table.
Xu Qing glanced at it and realized the wine cup was, in fact, half of a gourd scooped open, with the clear yellow wine swirling smoothly in its belly.
Even before the wine reached his lips, Xu Qing caught a whiff of its peculiar fragrance.
At first sniff, it seemed to have a hint of wild apricot tartness, then honey's floral aroma, and finally a sweet scent of Chinese hawthorn.
Xu Qing took a light sip, and his eyes lit up instantly.
This wine was indeed extraordinary!
"Does the Profound Jade Immortal Family want to try it?"
There is no cat in the world that isn't curious. Xuan Yu usually didn't care for alcohol, but the monkey wine has a fragrance of mixed fruits. Such a flavor—never mind those who generally don't drink—even a vegetarian monk might find it hard to resist the urge.
The young maiden carefully accepted the wine gourd Xu Qing handed to her and cautiously took a sip. Once she tasted its sweetness, she began to drink little by little.
After finishing the small gourd of wine, Xuan Yu's earlobes were red, and even a thin wisp of white steam escaped from the top of her head.