https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-34-The-Second-Cultivator-at-Big-Market/13688173/
Chapter 33: The Rules of Departure
“Da An Ge, Da An Ge, are you home?”
Lu Qing called out from in front of a mud-walled house.
“Who’s there? Who’s calling me?” A tall figure dashed out from inside, and upon seeing Lu Qing, his face lit up with surprise. “You’re here! Ah Qing, what brings you by?”
“Da An, who’s calling?” Before Lu Qing could answer, an aged voice rang out from within. An old man emerged, leaning on a bamboo pipe, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.
“Grandpa, it’s Ah Qing!” Wang Da An announced without hesitation.
“Wang Ye Ye,” Lu Qing greeted respectfully.
“Ah, Ah Qing! Come, come, step inside and rest—let me get you some tea!” The old man beamed, reaching out as if to pull Lu Qing into the house.
“No, thank you, Wang Ye Ye. I’m here to talk with Da An Ge—no need to trouble you or your family.”
“Right, what did you need, Ah Qing?” Wang Da An asked, shifting his weight.
“I’d like to go to the Big Market. You told me last time—if I ever go, I should come see you first. There are some rules I need to learn before I leave.”
“The Big Market?” Wang Da An blinked, then snapped his fingers. “Oh right! Today’s market day!”
The Big Market opened every five days, and today marked exactly five days since the last one.
“Ah Qing, you going to sell fish?” Wang Da An asked.
“Fish can wait. I just want to go check things out first—get a feel for the place, maybe pick up a few supplies.”
“Well, that’s fine by me,” Wang Da An said, scratching his head. “But Grandpa here was just about to send me out to gather pig fodder.”
Wang Ye Ye puffed on his pipe and said, “Since it’s come to this, Da An, take Ah Qing with you. He’s now the head of his household—he should learn the ways of leaving the village.”
“Got it, Grandpa! I’ll make sure Ah Qing knows everything!” Wang Da An grinned. He was clearly relieved—anything to avoid the dull chore of gathering pig feed.
“Come on, Ah Qing, we’ll talk on the way.” Wang Da An grabbed Lu Qing’s arm and pulled him toward the path.
At the village entrance, Wang Da An pointed to a large tree standing by the roadside.
“Ah Qing, this is where the first rule begins.”
“Here?” Lu Qing looked at the tree, puzzled. He knew this tree well—it wasn’t very tall, but thick and sturdy, its branches wide and lush, the trunk so thick it took several people to encircle it. It looked a lot like a banyan tree from his past life.
And it was important—people often came to offer incense, and children were strictly warned not to play near it, let alone climb it. Anyone caught breaking the rule would be beaten, and worse, forced to kneel in the ancestral hall without food.
That’s why every child in the village avoided it, choosing to play in the dirt elsewhere rather than risk punishment.
But in his memories, Lu Qing hadn’t found any real explanation for the tree’s purpose—only that it was a sacred site, a place for prayers for safety.
Now, Da An Ge seemed to suggest it had more than just religious significance?
“That’s right,” Wang Da An said. “This tree is our Sacred Tree—and also our Sign Tree. Every time someone leaves the village, whether to the Big Market or to the city, they must leave a mark here, showing where they’re going.”
“If someone doesn’t return on time, the village can use that mark to know where they went.”
“So this tree… actually has a purpose like that?” Lu Qing was stunned. He hadn’t expected the intimidating tree he’d always feared to have such a practical role.
“How do you leave the mark?” he asked.
“Right here.” Wang Da An stepped forward, lifted a stone slab at the base of the tree, and returned with two red ropes in hand.
He handed one to Lu Qing and pointed to the tree’s branches.
“See those old limbs? The left one means the Big Market, the center one means the city, and the right one means traveling far beyond.”
“Whenever you leave, tie one of these red ropes to the branch that matches your destination. That way, the village knows someone has gone out.”
“And when you return, just take it down.”
“That’s it?” Lu Qing was surprised. He’d expected something much more complicated.
“That’s it!” Wang Da An frowned. “What else would there be?”
“Don’t you need to hang a sign or something? How would people know who’s gone?” Lu Qing asked.
“Signs? What for?” Wang Da An looked even more confused.
“You could write names on them—like, ‘Ah Qing went to the market’—” Lu Qing started, then suddenly stopped.
He’d forgotten—most people in the village couldn’t read.
Wang Da An chuckled. “You think we’re all like you, Ah Qing, reading and writing like a scholar? Who even knows their own name, let alone writes it? Besides, the village is small. If you see a red rope still tied up, just ask around—someone’ll tell you who hasn’t come back.”
Lu Qing nodded. It made sense. He’d been thinking too much like his old world, where people could travel freely. Here, in this ancient setting, going out was serious business.
Few people left the village unless absolutely necessary. Some never left at all in their lifetime. Children were strictly forbidden to wander beyond the borders.
So in reality, only a few people left at a time—making the system simple but effective.
Now it made sense why so many came to offer incense at the tree. It wasn’t just about praying to the gods—it was about praying for the safe return of those who left.
“Alright, let me help you tie it.” Wang Da An took both ropes and secured one to the left branch—the one for the Big Market.
“Also, there’s another rule,” he continued. “The Big Market is close—so if you’re going alone, it’s fine. Just tie the red rope, and you’re good.”
“But if you’re going to the city—or even farther—you need at least two people. Traveling together keeps you safe.”
“If no one from our village is going, you can go to the next village and ask. Our neighboring villages have similar rules.”
“Going to the city isn’t like going to the market. You need someone to watch your back.”
“Da An Ge,” Lu Qing asked, “is the road to the city dangerous?”
Wang Da An paused, then said, “Not exactly dangerous. In recent years, it’s been peaceful enough. But Grandpa says there used to be bandits on the road. A man from the next village was taken—gone for years before he finally escaped.”
“Everyone thought he was dead. When he returned, we learned he’d been captured.”
“But apparently, the county magistrate’s soldiers eventually wiped out the bandits. After that, the roads became safe again.”
“That’s when our villages started setting these rules.”
Bandits!
Lu Qing’s pulse quickened. So it was true—this world wasn’t as peaceful as he’d hoped.
And the mention of the “county magistrate” caught his attention. He filed the name away—there’d be time to learn more later.
After explaining the rules and tying the red rope, Wang Da An finally led Lu Qing down the path toward the Big Market.
(End of Chapter)
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