As Li Ang expected, in the early morning of the next day, there were new visitors at the door of the security hall asking to see him.
There are many river merchants and maritime merchants who pass through Zhenzhou City every day. These people spend a lot of money. In order to build relationships, the gifts they give are pearls, corals, clams, or more low-key ones, the four treasures of the study, and household porcelain.
In fact, Li Ang also witnessed the "elegant bribery" that is only available in the upper class.
Gift givers will give some extremely beautiful fakes that are close to the real thing.
These fakes may only be worth five, ten, or twenty guan in name, but as long as they are taken to a pawn shop introduced by the gift giver and pawned, hundreds of guan can be sold at the genuine price.
In essence, it is still a gift, but it avoids direct cash transactions, is more difficult to verify, and sounds more "elegant".
"I can only say that what has been done will be done again. What has been done will be done again."
Li Ang complained: "Even the gift-giving techniques are the same."
Just like yesterday, he declined all the slightly more expensive gifts - there was really no room for them at home, and the accumulation of pens, inks, papers and inkstones alone was enough to last more than ten years.
"Rouge, my Rouge..."
Chai Cuiqiao didn't listen to Li Ang's words. She pressed her chin on the table, pursed her lips, and looked sadly at the corner of the wall, where a whole box of Jinxiu Tang rouge and gouache was carried away by the servants.
"Why do you always worry about your rouge?"
Li Ang reluctantly closed "Shangqing Inspiration Chapter" and asked, "Can you think of something useful, such as what to eat for lunch?"
"That's Jinxiu Tang's rouge! Even the lowest-end bottle costs a hundred dollars. If you apply it on your hands, it won't fall off even if you soak it in water.
The fragrant buds on the apricot tips are broken. The reddish color has faded to white and the rouge is stained."
Chai Chai sighed sadly, tapping the table with his two small hands regularly. He didn't even care about the topic of what to eat for lunch. "As the saying goes, if you don't paint the Jinxiu Hall in your life, it will be in vain to call you a hero."
My heart was taken away by Jinxiu Hall, and I may no longer have joy or sorrow in this life..."
"What a mess."
Li Ang's head was full of black lines, and he tapped Chai Cuiqiao's head lightly with the scroll of "Shangqing Inspiration", "If you don't want to cook, then I will do it. For lunch, just eat the yellow croaker that Sha De just sent.
.”
"Don't!"
Chai Cuiqiao immediately jumped up from the stool and said nervously: "That yellow croaker is eleven inches long. It would be a pity to cook it casually. It would be better to have half steamed and half braised."
"How can one cut a yellow croaker into two pieces for cooking?"
Li Ang snorted, "Let's braise it in braised sauce. Braised in braised sauce is more delicious."
Just as the master and servant were debating whether it was better to steam or braise, dense and heavy footsteps sounded outside the security hall.
All passers-by along the street showed shock and fear on their faces and took the initiative to avoid him.
It was a group of soldiers riding military horses. All of them were covered in iron scale armor, with simple knives and quivers tied to their waists, and long bows on their backs. A strung bow hung on the back of the horse's saddle.
Powerful crossbow.
In the Yu people, swords were not allowed but armor was not allowed, bows were not allowed but crossbows were not allowed.
This is a group of elite cavalry from the State of Yu.
The cavalry attached to Fusi in Zhenzhou Town.
The leading soldier dismounted and asked his subordinates to stay outside the security hall. He walked into the door and said, "Is this Mr. Li Xiaolang?"
"it's me."
Li Ang stood up somewhat unexpectedly and returned the greeting, "Your Excellency..."
"Niu Wenshu, the training judge of the Zhenfu Division."
The soldiers of the Zhenfu Division said in a deep voice: "As ordered by the Academy to patrol, I would like to ask Mr. Li Xiaolang to go to the Zhenfu Division."
"Senior Brother Cheng?"
Li Ang asked unexpectedly: "For what? Why didn't he do it himself?"
Niu Wenshu blinked in silence and said softly: "There are traces of demons outside Yizhou City."
The closer you get to the path of spiritual practice, the closer you are to danger...
This sentence inexplicably flashed through Li Ang's mind. No one in Yu State dared to pretend to be Zhen Fusi on the streets of the busy city. The other party's identity was undoubtedly true.
But why did Cheng Juxiu ask him to go there?
"Judge Niu, please wait a moment. I'm going to wash my face. I'll be here soon."
Li Ang stood up and motioned with his eyes to Chai Cuiqiao to follow, and the master and servant walked to the backyard.
Chai Cuiqiao lowered her voice and said urgently: "Master, why did the demon call you over when you discovered it? Haven't you not cultivated your reputation yet?"
Is it okay to leave out the last half of the sentence?
Li Ang looked at the fallen leaves in the courtyard and rolled his eyes.
Niu Wenshu, who was standing in the security hall, closed his eyes and concentrated on the ground, pretending not to hear Li Ang's voice in the courtyard.
"It is the obligation of every citizen of the Yu Kingdom and the disciples of the academy to assist the Zhenfu Division and the academy in exterminating demons. I have to go when called. Maybe some of my skills are needed there."
"Anyway, you should take good care of your home and don't go out casually during this period."
"Be good, I'm leaving."
Li Ang casually washed his face with well water, walked out of the courtyard, placed "Shangqing Inspiration" on the bookshelf, and then nodded to Niu Wenshu.
The two walked out of the security hall. When leaving, Li Ang took the key and locked the front door. The new door lock and key were also delivered yesterday. Two bent iron plates were added to the door bolt and the iron plates stuck out of the door.
There is a hole at one end of the seam that allows the lock to pass through, so that even if someone is outside the front door, the front door can be locked without having to go through the side door of the courtyard every time.
Niu Wenshu thoughtfully prepared another short military horse. Li Ang climbed on the horse's back, sat on the saddle, and followed the elite cavalry to Zhenfusi in the south of the city.
It was a building with a similar appearance to other office yamen. The difference was that the courtyard wall of Zhenfusi was nearly ten feet high and the courtyard was filled with gloomy locust trees. It was clearly the dog days of June when I walked in.
But inside, I felt a chill on my body, as if something was peeking out of the shadow corner.
Turrets, watchtowers, hanging ladders, and shooting holes. The entire building is similar to a fortress, easy to defend but difficult to attack, and can accommodate thousands or even more soldiers.
As a native of Zhenzhou, Li Ang had never entered Zhenfusi. He followed Niu Wenshu intently and walked into the Zhenfusi hall. He saw Cheng Juxiu sitting on the chair on the left, holding a hand in his hand.
A piece of paper, and on the table next to him, there is an iron box and a palm-sized bronze bell.
"The sun rises."
Cheng Juxiu stood up from his chair, handed over the paper, and said quickly: "There are traces of demons in Shatao Village, fifteen miles west of Zhenzhou City. Several villagers and livestock have suffered injuries and need treatment.
The regimental envoy in charge of Fusi in Zhenzhou Town is still out of town. Judge Niu and I are in charge here. You come with me to deal with the demons and treat the villagers of Xiashatao Village."
"good."
Li Ang agreed, glanced at the paper handed over by Cheng Juxiu, and found that it was an IOU certificate.
Time: May 19th, the third year of Zaiqian.
Location: Fusi, Zhenzhou Town.
Borrower: Xuegong Xingxun Cheng Juxiu.
Borrowing alienated objects: Yi——Wu——Lu Qisi, Nightmare Bell.
"This bell is an alienated object I borrowed from the Zhenfu Division."
Cheng Juxiu handed the bronze bell to Li Ang, "I'll give it to you for self-defense first."
This chapter has been completed!