Guided by enthusiastic villagers, Mo Fan finally arrived at what was known as Pingyao Town.
This was his first time seeing such a large human settlement. The houses were closely packed, with crisscrossing alleys stretching beyond sight. The streets bustled with passersby and vendors hawking their wares, creating quite a lively scene.
Mo Fan also noticed two large, round stone pillars at the town’s entrance, each topped with an elder sitting cross-legged.
Though their hair was white, these elders had radiant faces and a calm, composed air, exuding more vitality than most of the younger men walking the streets.
The townsfolk seemed accustomed to them, showing no inclination to stop and stare.
Mo Fan pondered silently, guessing these two were likely innate human martial artists, perhaps akin to village guardians.
If they were demon hunters, they wouldn’t be stationed in a small human town like this.
With that thought, Mo Fan’s eyes gleamed. He approached one of the pillars and called up to the elder, “Sir, I just hunted this leopard beast. Only two silver taels! Want it?”
The elder, who had been meditating with closed eyes, snapped them open, his slightly cloudy pupils suddenly sharpening as he looked down at Mo Fan.
At the same time, Mo Fan felt a faint spiritual energy envelop him from above, causing a slight tension in his heart.
Fortunately, after a moment, the energy receded.
“I don’t need it. Don’t loiter here. If you want to sell your game, head to the market at the back,” the elder said calmly, closing his eyes again.
The elder on the other pillar glanced at Mo Fan with mild interest but said nothing.
Mo Fan grinned, nodded, and said, “Right, got it!”
He then hoisted the leopard beast and swaggered into Pingyao Town.
Once inside, posing as a wandering hunter, Mo Fan asked locals for the market’s location. He sold the leopard carcass for one silver tael, then found a nearby tavern and ordered some dishes.
Looking at the table laden with food, Mo Fan’s appetite surged.
Having been in this world so long, this was his first real taste of human cuisine. Excited, he didn’t hold back. Chicken, duck, fish, and meat aside, he even ordered a whole roast suckling pig.
If not for the table’s limited space, he might’ve added roasted lamb, steamed calf, or braised bear paw.
Even so, Mo Fan became the centre of attention in the tavern.
His ravenous eating drew stares from nearby patrons, who swallowed hard, thinking, “Where’s this guy from? He’s too extravagant!”
After a hearty meal, Mo Fan called over the waiter, paid the bill, and asked, “Mate, are there any schools in town that teach reading?”
“You mean a private tutor, sir?”
“Pingyao Town’s small, but we’ve got two private tutors who teach reading.
Got a kid at home needing to learn, sir?” the waiter asked with a smile, clearing the table’s scraps.
“Nah, it’s for me.”
Mo Fan grinned, saying, “To be honest, I’m a hunter wandering the southern borders. I’ve roamed my whole life, made some money with my family’s skills, but I’m clueless about learning. I barely know a few characters, so no girls fancy me.
That’s why I came to Pingyao Town to rest a bit and learn some reading at a tutor’s, maybe pick up a few more characters.
It’ll help me find a wife, right?”
“That makes sense, sir.”
“Nowadays, prettier girls do care about family status, and in that, money and learning matter most,” the waiter nodded, then thought for a moment. “Our town’s tutors usually only take kids, not adults as students. But if you’re serious about learning, you could try the Fang family tutor in the north of town.
I heard Mr. Fang has a daughter of marriageable age, quite a beauty, but she’s picky about a man’s learning, so she’s still unmarried. Now, she’s supposedly gravely ill and needs a lot of money for treatment, so Mr. Fang’s in a bind and short on cash.
Since you’ve got money to spare, sir, you could give it a go. Who knows, you might even win the beauty’s hand!”
The waiter chuckled, winking at Mo Fan, looking a bit comical.
“Thanks!”
Mo Fan gave a polite smile and left the tavern.
He didn’t head straight to the Fang family tutor. Instead, he rented a house near it and bought some fitting clothes at a cloth shop to make himself look more presentable.
The next day.
Early in the morning, Mo Fan bought some fruit and headed to the Fang family tutor.
The school wasn’t large, just a courtyard with the door slightly ajar, not fully closed.
As Mo Fan approached, he heard the chaotic sound of children reading inside. He didn’t rush in, waiting outside until the reading stopped before knocking.
“Creak—”
Soon, the door opened, and a young man in coarse cloth stepped out, frowning slightly at Mo Fan. “Looking for someone?”
“Sort of!” Mo Fan smiled.
“Who?”
“Mr. Fang!”
Hearing Mo Fan’s words, the young man looked surprised, glanced at the fruit basket in Mo Fan’s hand, then shouted inside, “Father, someone’s looking for you!”
He fully opened the door, bowed to Mo Fan, and smiled, “A guest is a guest. Please, come to the main hall. My father will be here soon.”
“Alright.”
Mo Fan nodded, carrying the fruit as he followed the young man into the courtyard, where he saw several children playing.
In the main hall, Mo Fan had just sat down when a middle-aged scholar approached.
“Young man, you’re looking for me?” the scholar asked, puzzled.
“Mo Fan greets you, sir!”
Mo Fan stood, bowed, and smiled, “Yes, I’m here to see you, sir. It’s nothing major, just that I’d like to learn some reading from you.”
“Pfft!”
The young man beside him burst out laughing. “Did I hear that right? You want to learn reading? How old are you? You’re well past the age for that.”
“Lin, don’t be rude!”
Mr. Fang frowned, scolding the young man.
“What, does your school have a rule that older people can’t learn to read?” Mo Fan asked, looking at the father and son.
“No such rule, but you seem to be an adult. Why waste time learning to read? Wouldn’t it be better to earn some money and start a family?” Mr. Fang said, frowning.
Mo Fan gave a wry smile, repeating the story he’d told the waiter.
“That won’t do. I’m a teacher, but I’ve never heard of teaching adults to read. You’d best leave, young man,” Mr. Fang shook his head.
Seeing this, Mo Fan frowned and said gravely, “Sir, you just said there’s no rule against adults learning here. Why refuse me now? Is it because you look down on a rough countryman like me?”
“You misunderstand, young man. It’s not that I look down on you. It’s just that adults, unlike children, have seen too much and have too many distractions. It’s hard for them to focus on learning,” Mr. Fang said with a wry smile.
“I see…”
Mo Fan relaxed, then casually took a money pouch from his waist, pulled out a gold tael, and handed it over with a smile. “Sir, you needn’t worry about me. I’ve got plenty of money.
This is a deposit. If you teach me to read earnestly, whether I succeed or not, I’ll give you two more gold taels as payment in a month!”
