Wandering Gods of Day and Night

Chapter 1393 - 519: The Big Fish Takes the Bait (Part 3)

On the road outside, Little Fuzi and Hua Zi were playing with an iron toad, and greeted Zhou Xuan when they saw him."Brother Zhou."

"Young master, are you heading out?" Little Fuzi also asked.

"Oh, I’m going to see Lao Yun and learn how he’s so good at fishing. I want to learn a trick or two."

"Are you coming back for lunch?"

"You guys go ahead with lunch."

Zhou Xuan waved his hand and then flagged down a rickshaw.

"Mr., where to?" The rickshaw driver asked while enthusiastically handing Zhou Xuan a "little trumpet" cigarette.

The driver, living frugally, couldn’t afford fine rolled cigarettes, so they bought ones with a large head and a small end, like a "little trumpet."

Zhou Xuan took the cigarette, lit it, and said, "To the Mingjiang Sixteen Piers, where Lao Yun fishes every day."

"Alright."

The driver lifted the handles and set off in the direction of the Sixteen Wharves, running with large strides...

...

The Sixteen Wharves is also a pier, but in the past two years, it’s become somewhat desolate, and instead has become a place where fishing enthusiasts gather.

In front of the abandoned pier, a group of middle-aged people were arranging baskets to sell fish.

Among these middle-aged people, many were dressed in luxurious clothes, not looking like poor folks.

Such people were often passionate fishermen who caught more than their family could eat, so they sold it for a bit less.

Zhou Xuan got out of the rickshaw and had only walked a few steps when a fisherman in a long robe called out to him, saying: "Sir, interested in buying fish? I have big, fresh fish, just caught."

"No, no," Zhou Xuan waved his hand and was about to continue on his way when the fisherman approached again to promote his business, but was called away by a nearby partner.

"That’s the Mr. of our Mingjiang Prefecture, don’t bother him to buy fish."

"Ah, he’s the Mr.?"

"Of course, he’s probably here to find Mr. Yun."

Hearing that the partner knew Lao Yun, Zhou Xuan immediately asked, "You know Yun Ziliang?"

"Oh, Mr., how could I not know Yun Ziliang, Mr. Yun? He’s bought fish from me twice."

"Buying fish?" Zhou Xuan’s eyebrows furrowed immediately.

"Yes, he looks at fish here every day. A few days ago, I caught two half-meter-long fish with my good luck, and he bought them at once."

The partner recounted with lively enthusiasm.

Zhou Xuan felt a blackness before his eyes—he originally thought Lao Yun had a high fishing talent and could catch fish at the riverbank easily, turns out the fish were purchased?

"Not catching is one thing, but buying fish is too much."

Zhou Xuan was exasperated and asked, "Buddy, where’s Lao Yun now?"

"Fishing." The partner said, "Honestly, with so many fishermen along the river, who’s as hardworking as Mr. Yun? Sure, he hasn’t caught fish recently but give it time and he’ll catch fish over a meter long."

"Exactly, despite Mr. Yun’s age, he’s got the strength. He heaves sacks of bait every day, and he’s made all the fish along the riverbank fat."

The passers-by, knowing Yun Ziliang’s reputation, chimed in in agreement.

"Where is he fishing, point me the way." Zhou Xuan was still a bit angry, but thinking of how hard Lao Yun worked yet couldn’t catch fish, buying to maintain appearances seemed justifiable.

"Mr., over there." The partner pointed in a direction,

Zhou Xuan walked over slowly.

When he found Lao Yun by the river, he almost laughed out loud.

Yun Ziliang sat upright fishing, only paying attention to his floating bobber. Behind him, there were six bags of corn, piled higher than a person.

His back lightly leaned against the corn sacks, and around him, many fishermen gathered, all knowing of Yun Ziliang’s generous baiting, coming to share in the area.

"Got one, got one."

Just as Zhou Xuan approached, a fisherman caught a fish, about the length of two palms.

After removing the hook, he asked Yun Ziliang, "Mr. Yun, this fish isn’t big, how about I give it to you?"

"No, no. Today, if anyone catches a turtle, sell it to me. Fish I don’t want at all."

Yun Ziliang waved his hand in distaste.

Zhou Xuan quietly approached and asked, "Lao Yun, are you here to fish or to make a purchase?"

Hearing the voice, Yun Ziliang immediately turned his head and said, "Xuanzi, what brings you here?"

When he spoke, everyone around also looked over, and seeing it was Zhou Xuan who had come, they immediately grasped their rods in one hand and doffed their hats in the other, bowing to Zhou Xuan: "Mr."

Zhou Xuan smiled and said, "I have something to discuss with your Mr. Yun."

Hearing this, the crowd wisely cleared their fishing gear and moved to a farther spot, continuing their fishing with smiles.

Once the area was clear, Zhou Xuan sat down and asked Yun Ziliang, "You buy six bags of corn for fishing, someone who doesn’t know might think you’re hunting whales, why don’t you go by The Whale Fisher, isn’t that more impressive?"

"Tch."

Yun Ziliang, unfazed by Zhou Xuan’s teasing, pointed to the corn sacks and said, "What’s six bags of corn—today I bought twelve, I’ve already used six for bait."

"..." Zhou Xuan squinted his eyes, "After all that feeding, still no fish?"

"Who said that? Look at those who share my bait area; they’re catching plenty, just my luck isn’t great."

Yun Ziliang continued shamelessly, "By the way, Xuanzi, I’m sure you heard about me buying fish. Let me tell you... those fish were caught eating my bait, they might not have bitten my hook, but they are still my fish."

"So what?"

"So, it’s not buying fish, it’s reclaiming what’s mine," Yun Ziliang quibbled.

"..." Zhou Xuan nodded, "You Dragon Seeking folks sure can twist things, making a case where there isn’t one. But let’s not talk fish now, I need to tell you—Mr. Yan has already taken the bait."

"The real big fish took the bait?"

"That’s right." Zhou Xuan said, "Yesterday I sensed underground with my perception. My perception could travel underground for twenty zhang, which means Mr. Yan’s Heaven and Earth Net hasn’t tightened yet."

"But today, my perception only traveled two feet... Mr. Yan is closing the net." Zhou Xuan said.

Mr. Yan’s Feng Shui formation envelops East Market Street but not Mingjiang—Zhou Xuan spoke without concealing anything.

Yun Ziliang, hearing this, became excited and said, "Xuanzi, did Mr. Yan suddenly mess up today and prematurely tighten the net?"

"Not him messing up, it’s the news I spread these past few days having taken effect."

Zhou Xuan grabbed some corn and started tossing it into the water one by one...