Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo' Chapter 1350 624: Temple Fair (Part 4)

Li Banfeng, with a cigarette in his mouth, said: "Two hundred people is too much, can we settle for a hundred?"

"A hundred isn't quite enough..." The Peddler thought for a moment, and then shook his head slightly.

Li Banfeng said: "Isn't it almost New Year? If we can rescue even one, it's worth it."

The Peddler looked at Li Banfeng: "Let them have a good New Year?"

"Yes! A good New Year!"

The Peddler muttered softly: "There's a group of people who might not survive past New Year, their number isn't large, rescuing them would be suitable."

"How many are there?"

"Ten thousand."

"So many?" Li Banfeng's Dark Bridge could only hold a hundred at most, "If we were to rescue ten thousand people, wouldn't it require a hundred trips."

"A hundred trips?" The Peddler shook his head, saying, "Where would such good luck come from? If we manage one trip, we've already gained."

"Then rescue a hundred people?"

"No, if we rescue, we have to rescue them all."

"How do we rescue them?" Li Banfeng didn't understand.

The Peddler pondered for a long time, then told Li Banfeng: "Brother, go to Hai Chi Ridge, to Third Ridge to find a car."

"Who should I find?"

"Find Pan Dehai."

"Alright," Li Banfeng nodded, "I've been to the tea house he runs, I should be able to find him there."

The Peddler shook his head and said: "Don't go to the tea house, don't go to his business, Pan Dehai is timid, if you approach him directly, he might not dare to do anything,

you go to Third Ridge, wander around places with many people, if Pan Dehai can find you directly, all the better. If you don't see anyone after a day, ask around, say you're looking to rent an Old Car, ask twice and Pan Dehai should appear."

Li Banfeng didn't know what an Old Car was: "My Dark Bridge can bear a hundred people at most, if you load ten thousand people in the car, wouldn't it still be ten thousand? The bridge still can't sustain it."

The Peddler considered for a moment and seemed quite confident: "I estimate this bridge should hold up, but I'm not sure if we can cross the Boundary at Three-Head Fork."

"The Boundary at Three-Head Fork is different?"

The Peddler nodded: "It is really different. First, go scout out Third Ridge, choose a suitable location with Old Pan,

Brother, there's something else you need to handle; you must take responsibility for the settlement of the ten thousand rescued this time."

"That's easy, all able to be sent to Greenwater Bay's Sheqiao Village, there's already thirty thousand there, with an extra ten thousand, no one will notice."

"That's settled then, I'm off to find my dear!" The Peddler pushed his cart to leave.

Li Banfeng shouted angrily: "You're sending me to Hai Chi Ridge while you go enjoyed yourself with your sweetheart?"

The Peddler turned back: "I'm meeting my dear to take care of serious business, it's not as sullied as you'd think!"

...

Li Banfeng took the New Land route to Hai Chi Ridge. It was different from the train route; starting with the train, First Ridge comes first, but on the New Land, Third Ridge comes first.

Li Banfeng was very familiar with Third Ridge; when he first came to Hai Chi Ridge to provide disaster relief, Third Ridge was his first stop.

The layout of Hai Chi Ridge hadn't changed; First Ridge was a city, Second Ridge comprised of three towns, and Third Ridge had dozens of villages in various sizes.

Now these villages were extremely busy, with New Year approaching, every household was preparing goods for the celebration, as well as offerings to worship the Seventh Master.

Since Li Banfeng had controlled the pest invasion, the custom of worshiping the Seventh Master in Hai Chi Ridge had remained, with different places having different ways of worship.

First Ridge was simple, just offering incense and a few prayers, a gesture of goodwill.

Second Ridge was quite different, requiring a proper altar, formal offerings, and a strict ritual for worship.

Come to Third Ridge, there are specialized Qi Lord Temples, with many more rituals.

On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, one must come to the temple to offer incense, set up a stage, invite an opera troupe, and perform seven major acts before the temple, which is called boosting the Seventh Master.

On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, one must visit the temple again to offer incense, invite various performers to come, storytelling, singing, martial arts, acrobatics, magic tricks, lively from morning till night, known as welcoming the Seventh Master's triumphant return!

Of all the Qi Lord Temples, the largest in Pancake Village; from the 27th of the twelfth lunar month to the seventh of the first lunar month, Pancake Village hosts non-stop fairs, daily crowded like a city.

Li Banfeng stood in the temple, carefully looked at the Divine Image of the Seventh Master.

The statue wore a suit and had a top hat, with the brim so low it was almost hard to see the face.

Looking at this image, Li Banfeng found it unfamiliar, he hadn't worn a suit for a long time.

A burly man passed by Li Banfeng, glanced at him and said: "What are you doing? Where are you from? You neither offer incense nor pay respects, what are you looking at? Such lack of manners!"

Li Banfeng turned to look, he recognized this man.

Niu Fuzhi, prosperous and spirited.

When Li Banfeng had resolved the pest invasion in Pancake Village, he had stayed at Niu Fuzhi's house; after solving the pest issue, Niu Fuzhi was the first to stand up to build a temple for Li Qi.

When Li Qi went to Cheap Person Ridge, he also saved Niu Fuzhi's nephew, Niu Guangda.

Yet now Niu Fuzhi didn't recognize Li Banfeng, partly due to Li Banfeng's drastic change in attire, partly because Home Cultivation has a knack for going unnoticed.

Li Banfeng raised his eyebrows and left.

Niu Fuzhi snorted, saying: "Scolded a few words and not pleased, surely from out of town; know where this is? Not respectful to the Seventh Master, yet dare to step inside this temple!"

Li Banfeng strolled around Pancake Village briefly, spotting Niu Jingchuan selecting seeds; Niu Jingchuan excelled in Farming Cultivation, at the time Pancake Village endured the pest invasion thanks to Niu Jingchuan's major contribution.

He was selecting seeds; every year he must carefully pick a bowl of good seeds to offer to the Seventh Master, this was the custom in Pancake Village.

Li Banfeng squatted beside Niu Jingchuan and asked: "Is there a place nearby where I can rent an Old Car?"