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墨書 Inktalez
A group of people carried their burdens on their shoulders and in their hands, and Mo Wen was no exception. Initially, Erniu felt hesitant to let Mo Wen help, but eventually, they found it impossible to manage without his assistance and accepted his offer.
Er Zhuzi led Mo Wen to a separate courtyard that clearly had not been inhabited for some time, though it had been tidied up. "Er Gou Brother, this is a place in our village specifically for travelers to rest. Even the officials from the Official Family stay here when they come," he explained. "You can rest here."
"Brother Zhuzi, as a newcomer, I’m not familiar with the customs of this village. It would be helpful if you could share any important rules with me to avoid accidentally offending any local taboos," Mo Wen said. This was his first visit to a human settlement, and while he understood some of the major courtesies, he knew that every place had its own set of customs.
"In Mountain Village, there aren't many rules. You can walk around freely and explore. Just remember that you can't enter the ancestral hall without the Village Chief's permission; even we are not allowed," Er Zhuzi replied.
"Oh, that's good to know. You can go about your business; I’ll rest for a bit," Mo Wen said.
"Then I’ll take my leave. Feel free to use anything in this courtyard," Er Zhuzi said before exiting.
Mo Wen did not enter the house but instead stood in the courtyard, observing the entire village. Kao Shu Village truly lived up to its name; behind the village stood a towering tree that reached a height of over a hundred feet, rivaling the massive trees he had encountered deep in the forest. This tree grew atop a mountain peak, making it appear even more majestic. Aside from this tree, there were no others on the mountain—perhaps all were cut down during the village's establishment or it had always been this way. Kao Shu Village was built on a hillside beneath this great tree, consisting of around two hundred households. The houses were all made of wood, each with its own courtyard, arranged closely together. Each courtyard contained a main house and two side rooms, surrounded by stone walls, suggesting that there were standardized building requirements for the village.
In the central area of the village was a stone-paved square with a well at its center. At the highest point of the village stood another separate courtyard with flying eaves and upturned corners—likely the ancestral hall of the village. The main entrance to the village was located on one side, and a massive stone wall encircled the village starting from this gate. The wall was five or six meters high and featured watchtowers at regular intervals, giving it the appearance of a small fortress. Beyond the wall lay an open expanse directly in front of the village—a small river meandered through it, bordered by fields cultivated by villagers, though there were hardly any crops growing.
Outside the village, Mo Wen noticed several larger courtyards surrounded by stone walls. The layout of these courtyards resembled those of the villagers but contained more buildings within each.
The courtyard where Mo Wen stayed was not far from the main gate; there were two or three similar courtyards in that area. Unlike those occupied by villagers, Mo Wen's courtyard had only one main house without side rooms. Its three-foot-high stone wall was topped with wooden fencing that served as its enclosure. There was a wooden archway with two wooden doors leading into the yard, which contained some flowers and grass along with a small pavilion featuring a stone table set with tea utensils. Beside it was a stove for boiling water and a stone jar filled with water. Mo Wen scooped up some water to drink but frowned and poured it back into the jar instead.
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