Chapter 46: Mist Envelops the Cold Waters, Moonlight Covers the Sand
The journey was long, and this boat did not drift on the river all day and night. Every evening, it would always dock.
Occasionally, when they came across a ferry crossing or a place suitable for docking, the boatman would usually seek their opinions and temporarily dock. Song You would then lead his horse off the boat to relieve itself. At various ferry crossings, there were often women selling food. When Song You found something he liked, he would buy a little to add some flavor to his meals.
The boatman's words were not wrong. The meals on the boat were fine for one or two meals, but after two more days, they began to taste bland and fishy. Fortunately, Song You had brought some dry rations with him.
Unknowingly, the boat journey had already lasted six days.
As they approached Long Commandery, the scenery on both sides began to change.
The riverbanks had wide flatlands. At least the fields were flat, and filled with rapeseed flowers that happened to be blooming in early spring. They appeared as a dazzling golden expanse, and the wind carried their sweet fragrance.
On this land were countless bizarre hills that rose abruptly. Unlike normal mountains, they were steep and small, like bamboo shoots. They were difficult for people to climb and not much worth the effort to do so. These countless small hills blocked the view in the distance, overlapping like a forest of mountains, obstructing the line of sight.
It wouldn’t be surprising if people believed these hills were the domain of demons.
“We've reached the boundary of Long Commandery,” the boatman said as he rowed the boat. “Long Commandery’s mountains are like this, clustered and most of them can’t be climbed. There's no space on top, so people have to walk between the hills.”