Chapter 37: Hiking the Mountain in the Dead of Night?

After acquiring the knife, Zhang Hao wandered around the village for a while before heading home.

Seeing "Little White" trembling and wobbling unsteadily in the courtyard, Zhang Hao stepped forward to play with the little creature. Calling it play was perhaps more accurate to describe it as training. He would occasionally use a few remaining crumbs of *Dipsacus* to lure Little White toward the mud, over the threshold, and onto the steps, or he would scoop the little one up to help it stretch and exercise.

The afternoon passed quickly. As the sun dipped low, painting the western mountains in twilight hues and shrouding the dome of the sky, the crescent moon began to reveal its outline.

Li Siyu stepped over the threshold wearing a deep indigo *hanfu*. The hem and surface of her dress were stained with spots of mud. This was inevitable; when one truly wears *hanfu* to work the fields—rather than merely posing for social media photos—getting dirty is simply part of the job. She carried a vegetable basket in one hand and held up her skirt with the other, walking over to him.

"How was Little White this afternoon?" she asked, watching the puppy as it practiced walking.

Zhang Hao toyed with the little creature and smiled. "Doing quite well. It doesn't have much trouble walking now; it should be even better by tomorrow."

Little White was severely malnourished, and it would take time to fully recover. It required continued feeding with medicinal herbs, combined with a steady regimen of domestication. Fortunately, Zhang Hao possessed the *Mountain Wanderer’s Illustrated Record*, and the methods of domestication recorded within were more than enough to guide him.

"Well, that’s good to hear. I’m going to start dinner," Li Siyu nodded lightly, carrying the basket into the kitchen. She briefly removed the outer layer of her *hanfu*, revealing the inner tunic, which served as comfortable daily attire, and began her chores.

Zhang Hao continued to dally with Little White, casting occasional glances at the sunset in the distance and the mountains gradually sinking into darkness.

Before long, Li Siyu’s voice called out from the kitchen, "Dinner is ready."

"Coming!" Zhang Hao said, rising to join her.

Soon, steaming, fragrant dishes were laid out on the dining table. A few more crumbs of *Dipsacus* were added to Little White’s bowl, and the two of them—and the dog—quickly dove into their meal.

***

Today, Zhang Hao ate with unusual haste. He finished his dinner quickly and set down his bowl and chopsticks.

"You go ahead and eat. I need to head back to my room for a moment."

Under Li Siyu’s puzzled gaze, he stood up and walked into the side chamber. When he emerged, he had changed into straw sandals and was carrying a worn basket containing some items, with a pickaxe in his other hand.

"Just leave the dishes in the kitchen when you're done; I’ll wash them when I get back. I’m heading out for a bit," Zhang Hao said to Li Siyu. He had just turned to leave when he heard her call out from behind, "It’s pitch black outside. Where are you going? And why are you taking a pickaxe?"

Zhang Hao smiled. "I’m going up the mountain to gather some food for Little White, and to look for a few things while I’m at it."

"Can’t that wait until tomorrow? It’s too dangerous to go into the mountains at night," Li Siyu urged.

Zhang Hao waved a hand. "Don’t worry, I won’t be long."

Without waiting for a reply, he walked to the door and crossed the threshold. Li Siyu watched his retreating figure, hesitating for a long time before finally letting out a helpless sigh. She turned back to the table full of food, her chopsticks hovering in mid-air for a long time, never descending to eat.

***

Zhang Hao followed the muddy village road, guided by the bright moonlight, and trekked toward the mountains. Before he reached the foothills, four or five elderly men sitting at the village entrance, fanning themselves with cattail-leaf fans, looked at him with curiosity.

Zhang Hao greeted them with a smile. "Good evening, elders. Out here enjoying the cool air again?"

Seeing it was him, the old men immediately began to question him.

"Is that you, little Hao? You’re wearing straw sandals and carrying a pickaxe—what are you doing out at this hour?"

"Heading in that direction? Are you going up the mountain?"

"Going into the mountains at night? You’re a brave lad, aren't you afraid of trouble?"

Zhang Hao replied, "Just looking for some things on the mountain. The items I need can only be gathered at night." With those words, he quickened his pace and continued toward the mountain without looking back.

The old men watched him go, whispering among themselves.

"What on earth is that boy up to lately? They say he’s out wandering the mountains and performing all sorts of strange rituals."

"Who knows? The kid was a slacker before, and while he’s shaped up, he’s become incredibly mysterious."

"Aye, it’s dangerous to be up there at night. If he loses his way, he’s done for."

"Did you forget who brought Bao Cong’s family down today? If anyone can avoid getting lost in those mountains, it’s him."

"That’s true, I suppose..."

***

*Huff, huff, huff.*

Following the path at the foot of the mountain, he stepped into the dark, silent dense forest where no light could be seen. Zhang Hao panted for a few breaths, then steadied his breathing.

The effects of the *Dipsacus* decoction were undeniable; his perception and hearing had been significantly heightened, and his physical constitution had greatly improved. Even a full day of trekking through the mountains no longer left him exhausted, and a short rest was all he needed to recover.

He looked up at the path winding further into the heights and clicked his tongue. He had underestimated the difficulty of acquiring the burial shroud and the grave-site wood. The items required to participate in the "Fox Wedding" had to be collected at specific times. The butcher’s knife, for instance, had to be taken when the *yang* energy was at its peak—any time before 3:00 PM. But the burial shroud and the grave-site wood had to be retrieved between the *You* hour and the *Zi* hour—that is, between 6:00 PM and midnight.

Furthermore, items like the shroud and the wood could only be found in a graveyard. Going to a graveyard at the hour when *yin* energy was strongest was not something a sensible person would do.

After grumbling to himself, Zhang Hao let out a wry smile and continued up the path. He already had a target in mind for the shroud: Old Man Zhao, who had been buried just today.

According to the customs of Zhao Village, there were specific rules regarding the burial shroud. Before the body was placed in the coffin, the portion of the shroud covering the head was to be cut away, while the rest was buried with the body. The piece that was cut off was not buried, but left at the graveside as an offering. The tradition held that this allowed the deceased to linger in the world for seven days, to take one last look at their family and the world, so they could depart without attachment and never return to haunt or bring disaster upon their kin.

Zhang Hao had his eyes on that piece of shroud left at the graveside. Since it was the part that had covered the head, it perfectly met the requirements set out in the *Mountain Wanderer’s Illustrated Record*.