Gu Ning'an cupped his hands in greeting. "Indeed, it is I, Gu Ning'an. I did not expect to see Mr. Li working so diligently, even doing river labor late at night."
Hearing Gu Ning'an remember him, Li Xunshan couldn't help feeling a bit excited. After unloading the cargo from his shoulders, he returned the greeting with a bow. "Please, just call me Xunshan. I'm merely a tutor, not a proper gentleman deserving such a title."
"I earn a modest amount as a tutor in the evenings, but I figured I'd take advantage of my youth to earn some extra money, so I work here as a river laborer at night."
"Are you here at the riverbank tonight to catch a boat, sir?"
Gu Ning'an waved his hand. "Sir is merely a form of address. You don't even know what I do, yet you call me sir, don't you?"
"I'm not taking a boat today. I just came to the riverbank to take in the scenery, though I didn't expect Gucheng County's river to be a freight transport route."
Hearing that this refined gentleman had come to enjoy the riverside scenery at midnight, Li Xunshan's eyes flickered, and his tone rose slightly. "Mr. Gu, with such leisure and freedom, you truly inspire my envy."
"Li Xunshan! Stop chatting and get back to work! Do you want to be paid or not?"
A bellow echoed across the riverbank, and Li Xunshan quickly turned around with an apologetic smile. "My apologies, Foreman Yang! I just ran into someone I know. I'll get back to work right away!"
"Hurry it up!" The towering foreman didn't press further, simply urging him before moving on to another spot.
Li Xunshan crouched down, braced himself, and hefted two tightly packed burlap sacks onto his shoulders. Straining slightly under their weight, he grinned at Gu Ning'an. "Mr. Gu, I'll get back to work. Let's chat another day when I have time."
Gu Ning'an nodded. "Alright. Have you filled all the boat-sharing spots yet? If not, could I join?"
Hearing this, Li Xunshan was overjoyed. "Not yet, not yet! If you're willing to join, of course, you can!"
"Good. Let's discuss the details when you're free." With that, Gu Ning'an stepped aside to make room.
"Tomorrow at noon, I'll come to House of Prosperity Inn to discuss it with you, sir. Will you be available?" Li Xunshan took a few steps, glanced at the foreman to ensure he wasn't looking, and paused again.
Gu Ning'an smiled. "I'll be waiting for you in the inn's main hall at noon tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, then!" After confirming, Li Xunshan quickly carried his cargo away before the foreman noticed him lingering.
…
The next day at noon, Li Xunshan arrived as promised.
In the daylight, he wore a white robe and a scholar's cap, exuding the air of a refined intellectual.
Looking at his attire, no one would have guessed that he spent his nights wearing a short hemp shirt, hauling hundred-pound sacks along the riverbank.
Gu Ning'an had prepared tea, intending to have a proper conversation with him. However, Li Xunshan was pressed for time.
Hurriedly agreeing on a departure time of the following day at the hour of the Dragon(Chen) (7–9 AM), he downed a cup of tea and left in a rush. [I'll be using the English name from now on. Check Chinese zodiac for info.]
This left Gu Ning'an feeling that Li Xunshan's lifestyle was quite at odds with the traditional image of a scholar in this era. Instead, he seemed more like the many young people from the modern era.
In Gu Ning'an's understanding, many "dream-chasing" youths in modern times would work in office towers during the day and take on part-time jobs at night, such as delivery work or driving.
They worked so hard simply to establish themselves in the cities they lived in.
Finding similarities between people in this world and those in the modern era intrigued Gu Ning'an further about Li Xunshan.
Since the destination he planned to visit required passing through Jiangling Prefecture, traveling with Li Xunshan and his companions by boat seemed like an interesting way to journey…
…
The sun shone brightly, with a few wisps of pale white clouds drifting lazily across the deep blue sky.
On the bustling riverbank, Li Xunshan, wearing a bamboo hat and chewing on a stalk of straw, squatted on a modest wooden boat.
At the stern, an old beggar in tattered clothes lay sprawled lazily, while in the cabin, a rotund middle-aged man held a wine flask, occasionally taking a swig of the murky liquor inside.
"Mr. Gu! Over here!" Li Xunshan waved enthusiastically when he spotted Gu Ning'an approaching through the crowd.
Walking to the riverbank, Gu Ning'an cupped his hands in greeting. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting."
"Not at all! You've arrived early, sir—it's us who came too soon." As he spoke, Li Xunshan picked up a paddle and gestured courteously. "Please, step aboard, and mind your footing."
With a smile and a nod, Gu Ning'an stepped onto the wooden boat in a single stride.
"Everyone's here. Time to set sail!"
"Old Wen, hold on tight—don't fall into the water again!"
Calling out to the old beggar at the stern, Li Xunshan pushed the boat away from the riverbank with a firm stroke of his paddle. The wooden craft began drifting slowly into the current.
As the boat glided away from the shore, Li Xunshan introduced the passengers to one another while paddling.
The old beggar lying at the stern was surnamed Wen, a native of Gucheng County who often roamed the bustling marketplaces. This time, he'd scraped together enough money to book passage, saying he planned to try his luck in Jiangling Prefecture.
The rotund, alcohol-reeking middle-aged man in the cabin was named Wei Hai. He had once owned a tavern in Gucheng County, but after three years of operation, he managed to drink the business into bankruptcy. Now, he was headed to Jiangling Prefecture, claiming to seek refuge with relatives.
Of the four passengers, only Gu Ning'an was simply passing through Jiangling Prefecture on his way to another destination.
"In about an hour or so, we'll reach the main flow of the Xiangjiang River," Li Xunshan said, giving the paddle a practiced push. Water droplets splashed onto the river's surface, creating ripples that spread outward.
"Hic!" "Great!"
From the cabin and stern came a drunken hiccup and an excited exclamation in response.
Gu Ning'an chuckled. "Mr. Li, it seems you're skilled in all trades—tutor, boatman, and river laborer alike!"
"If you get tired, just call out, and I'll take over paddling."
Li Xunshan laughed heartily. "Oh, I wouldn't say skilled—it's all just for a living."
"As for taking over, there's no need. Once we're in the main flow of the Xiangjiang River, it'll be much easier to navigate… but I appreciate your kind offer."
With that, Li Xunshan took a deep breath and began paddling with greater vigor. Beads of sweat continuously dripped from his forehead onto the wooden planks of the boat.
Seeing that Li Xunshan seemed determined to handle the heavy oars himself, Gu Ning'an decided not to press the matter. He resolved to step in and take over once Li Xunshan grew exhausted.
As for using spiritual powers to move the boat, the thought hadn't even crossed his mind.
If he were in a hurry, he could easily fly, which would compensate for the lack of precise divination to locate "Shi Yi's" homeland. The speed of flight would significantly shorten the time needed to find it.
But first, he wasn't pressed for time. Second, he felt that, as a teacher burying a student, the journey should be made step by step, grounded and sincere.
"Hic~"
A long, drawn-out hiccup interrupted Gu Ning'an's thoughts.
"Mr. Gu! How about a drink?" Wei Hai, thoroughly drunk, waved his wine flask toward Gu Ning'an with an unsteady hand.