Chapter 413: The Feelings of Home
This region was truly a remote and wild land, where most of the locals couldn’t even speak the official language. Song You felt deeply that even finding someone to ask for directions was difficult as he traveled here.
Those he did manage to find were often outsiders, either officials posted here, merchants conducting business, or refugees fleeing from the north. As a result, the locals rarely encountered someone from the Central Plains, let alone a Daoist who could freely converse with them.
Every time Song You stopped to ask for directions, they were so delighted by the conversation that they would hold onto him, asking countless questions about the Central Plains or their distant homeland after he was done.
Eventually, Song You grew wiser.
When he needed directions, he would go straight to large shops or government offices.
Officials and merchants in the Great Yan empire were generally friendly toward Daoists, but this was especially true in remote, desolate areas like this.
Today was no different.
Song You arrived at the government office in Lan’an County, introduced himself, and explained that he wanted to inquire about the best way to reach the sea. The local guard at the entrance went inside to report, and before long, the county magistrate himself came out to greet him.
The magistrate, surnamed Lu, was also a native of Yizhou. He was a portly man, sweating profusely in the sweltering heat.
When he saw Song You, he was filled with enthusiasm.
This warmth didn’t come from Song You’s status or any impressive magical abilities, nor was it solely because of Great Yan’s respect for Daoists. It came from something deeper—shared roots and the feelings of homesickness.