newbobooks Chapter 687 Bitter Fruit
Chapter 687 Bitter Fruit
There were tigers and bears doing evil near the inn, eating many passers-by. Li Changxiao drove away all the tigers and bears with a thought.
Although only Li Changxiao was in charge of the inn, everything was in good order and looked very warm and comfortable. Li Changxiao planted flowers and plants, took good care of them every day, and kept the inn clean and tidy.
When Qingxiao was in charge, the tables and chairs were spotless and meticulous, but cold and without the smell of an inn, which made people feel daunted, as if they were in a graveyard. But Qingxiao couldn't be blamed, as everyone has his own mindset. Now that Li Changxiao was in charge, he only needed to go to the lobby to feel that there was nothing in the world but this place was a pure land.
Since the tigers and bears left, the number of travelers in the mountains has gradually increased. The inns have returned to their old normal state, with twos and threes of travelers staying there, some asking for wine, tea, or food.
Li Changxiao's flowers and plants are in full bloom, and travelers always come to admire them from the window when they stay, and comment on them from time to time. If they meet flower lovers, they will ask Li Changxiao for flower-picking techniques, and ask him the names of the flowers and where they were picked.
Li Changxiao actually planted flowers randomly. He planted flowers because he thought they were beautiful and because he wanted to study the growth of trees and plants. In this way, he could solve the mystery of how firewood trees can produce burnt fruits.
When someone asked him for advice, he would never hide his knowledge. He was always happy to communicate with others. One day, a flower vendor passed by and wanted to spend a lot of money to buy flowers from Li Changxiao.
After Li Changxiao refused, the merchant did not get angry. He held the flower and looked at it for a long time, praising it from time to time. After obtaining Li Changxiao's consent, he used his fingers to open the stamens and carefully observed the shape and growth of the flower from the inside to the outside. Li Changxiao knew that this man was an expert at first sight, and the two of them started to talk.
The two chatted and became more and more cheerful. From his words and actions, Li Changxiao knew that this person had great attainments in flower arrangement and had unique insights. In terms of this art alone, he was his predecessor. Li Changxiao was happy and never relied on his seniority to bully others. He humbly asked for advice on flower cultivation, how to make the flowers bloom more beautifully, and even bear fruit.
The merchant heard Li Changxiao's question and gave his own answer, "For flowers to bloom more beautifully, they need to be carefully cultivated. Flowers are like people. When people are hungry, they need to eat. When they are tired, they need to sleep. The same is true for flowers. As long as you do this, you don't have to worry about the flowers not blooming and the fragrance not coming. But as for bearing fruit, unless the flowers can bear fruit, no matter how you cultivate them, it will be in vain."
Li Changxiao took careful notes and learned from the experience. The merchant stayed there for about two days.
The traveling merchants also had a very good impression of this humble shopkeeper and often talked to him. When they left, they took out a flower-growing manual that they had written themselves and gave it to Li Changxiao as a gift.
Li Changxiao did not take it for nothing, and gave the merchant a blessing that was worth a thousand gold coins, and a few great dreams that were hard to find in the world. Although both were illusions, everything that people wanted could be satisfied in them.
After the two parted, Li Changxiao carefully opened the flower-growing manual and suddenly paused. He said that growing flowers is nothing more than four words: follow the natural season.
It involves watering, spreading powder, loosening the soil, and fertilizing. To be meticulous, it is also necessary to make corresponding arrangements based on the climate, weather, the alternation of day and night, and the changes of seasons.
Only in this way can the flowers bloom more beautifully.
Li Changxiao suddenly realized and laughed out loud, finally understanding the deep meaning of "burned fruit".
This is true for flowers and even more so for trees.
If the growth of a tree is considered as the combination of the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, including seasonal changes, topography, weather, sun and moon, etc., all of these can be replaced by the word "Qian Kun". Forcing a tree that should not bear fruit to bear red fruit is a manifestation of the person wantonly fiddling with the ultimate principles of heaven and earth and playing with the universe.
That is to say, a small piece of baked fruit may hide one of the most powerful methods to control the world: holding the universe in your hands.
Normally, a firewood tree cannot bear fruit, but under the influence of the palm of your hand, it not only bears fruit, but also bears fruit every year. The fruits are red and plump, attracting people's attention. They hang on the branches for people to pick.
But it also reflects Mei Sanniang's arrogance. Her means are hidden in an inconspicuous place. Anyone can get it, it depends on your own ability and understanding.
This is what she left to the world.
She could have predicted that one day in the future, a man in white would go up the mountain to chop wood and see the wood tree bearing fruit, so he would study it out of curiosity.
In fact, there were hints of this long ago. After all, when naming the firewood tree, Mei Sanniang insisted on calling it "Sanniangzi Tree". The fruit on the firewood tree naturally reminded people of Mei Sanniang's backup plan.
Li Changxiao realized this, and felt worried and depressed. Although he had the magic trick in his hands, Mei Sanniang left this thing behind on purpose, which must mean that she didn't think she could come back after this trip.
Li Changxiao sighed lightly, holding the roasted fruit in his hand, and tried to close the door of the inn and leave several times, but he gave up in the end.
He knew that the time had not come yet. As for when the time would come, he himself did not know, only relying on the feeling in his heart. Li Changxiao looked at Shao Guo and thought, "Well, maybe she has something else in mind."
……
Li Changxiao went to the mountain to chop wood more often. Although he knew that the magic method "The Universe in the Palm" was hidden in each of the roasted fruits, how to comprehend it and how to take it out was really a difficult problem.
He guessed that only by understanding the fundamental principle of firewood trees bearing fruits could he understand the world in his hands. So every morning and evening, he would go to the mountain to chop firewood.
He observed the growth trajectory of the firewood trees, the principle of growth, day after day, spring goes and autumn comes, and a year is over. The Laiqu Inn was open as usual, with guests coming in twos and threes every day, and it did not require much energy to take care of it.
This day.
Li Changxiao suddenly realized something and opened his palm. A halo of light flickered in his palm, as if the entire universe was contained in this palm.
He finally gained something, and he had some understanding of the wonderful method of controlling the universe in his hands.
But it was also because of this that he discovered that the burning fruit of the firewood tree, although it was a finger left by Mei Sanniang on purpose, contained the mystery of the world in the palm of her hand. But at the same time, it was also something that Mei Sanniang had never completed.
Mei Sanniang used the power of the universe to make the firewood tree that could not bear fruit grow bright fruits. But the fruit... tasted very sweet at first, but then became bitter and difficult to swallow.
It is a bitter fruit.