It wasn't until three o'clock in the morning that Xiaoshui City woke up lazily.
There were pedestrians in twos and threes on the street, and the shops on the street removed their door panels and opened their doors to welcome customers.
In Dongcheng, the best jewelry store in Xiaoshui, Fuxiangji, also received its first order of business.
Unfortunately, it didn't go well.
"This hairpin was priced at a hundred taels the day before yesterday. Why is it worth a hundred and fifty taels today?!"
"Mr. Sir, what day is it today? The Dionysus Festival! The price of food and clothing has not increased. Even the kiln sister in the building opposite has to pay three cents more for powder. Isn't this going to increase? It
Is it appropriate?”
The spacious shop was full of jewels, and the shopkeeper's smiling face welcomed everyone, but he asked a series of rhetorical questions that made Zhang Yi choked up.
The knight-errant clutched the jade hairpin tightly, like a knife.
The shopkeeper's smiling face remains the same.
"In this case, my guest, you can come and buy it tomorrow, and it will cost you one hundred taels tomorrow."
This is purely perfunctory.
It is a custom in Xiaoshui that on the second night of the Dionysus Festival, men and women give tokens to each other.
After tonight, no matter how cheap this hairpin is, what meaning will it have to Zhang Yi?"
"I just want to buy it today."
There was no surprise on the shopkeeper's face, he had already prepared something.
"That's all, I think you sincerely want to buy it."
Take out another hairpin.
"This hairpin is of the same first-class craftsmanship, but the material is half as good. I'll sell it to you for a hundred taels cheaper."
He smiled and said "cheap", but a tail slowly emerged from under his robe, with fluffy brown hair, swaying slowly behind him.
What's strange is that in the shop, neither Zhang Yi nor the other clerks turned a blind eye to the tail, or in other words, they saw it but didn't take it seriously, as if those doing business should have such a fox tail.
If you continue to push your eyes out of the shop, you will fall on the street that is gradually getting busier.
You can see pedestrians one after another, some with long horns, some with scales, protruding fangs, green eyes... There are always some inhuman features on their bodies, and from time to time, you can see each other's horns touching each other, and their tails hooking their feet.
No one paid much attention to the sight, as if those claws, claws, scales and horns were dust on the clothes, not worth mentioning.
Ignoring the strange statues on the street for now, just talking about the inside of the shop, Zhang Yi answered without hesitation.
"I only want the best."
The shopkeeper suddenly changed his face.
"Then I'm sorry, the best one is one hundred and fifty taels, the price is the same."
His tail stopped wagging, and he stretched out his hand to take back the hairpin in Ranger's hand.
At this time.
Snapped!
A loud slap hit the table, which frightened the shopkeeper. His tail retracted under his clothes. But then, he saw a shiny silver "cute" on the table, so his tail swung again.
It tilted out unsteadily.
A voice interjected from the side.
"Wrap this hairpin for him, and I will make up for the lack of silver."
"Yo!"
The shopkeeper wagged his tail quickly and gave a thumbs up.
"Loyalty! Heroic!"
Look at Zhang Yi again.
"Guest, look..."
Zhang Yi tilted his head and said that the man who was helping him looked like a young man on a trip, but looking at his body shape and posture, he could tell that he was a vigorous warrior. The most important thing was that he did not know this person.
Zhang Yi hesitated for a moment and finally nodded.
Not long after.
He carefully put the carefully packaged hairpin into his arms, breathed a sigh of relief, and looked a little excited.
But he soon regained his composure and returned to his usual cold demeanor.
"How much do you give me, how much do I do, killing or..."
Turn around.
There was nothing in front of me.
…………
Li Changan did not come here specifically to find Zhang Yi.
The prosperity and tranquility of the city are about to disappear like fireworks. Wouldn't it be a pity not to take a walk and take a look?
So on this day, the Taoist priest visited many places and saw many people.
In Changfengfang, in front of Xing's house, I saw Mrs. Xing looking out from the door and describing her weight loss.
In the hook stall at the base of the city wall, I saw Zhang Shaonan and his "brother" fighting against the beggar leader.
At a wine stall by the bridge, I saw Zheng Tuzi holding "swordsman" Xu Zhan's neck and pouring wine. When he was drunk and paying the bill, he didn't have enough money, so he paid the bill with the swordsman's long sword that was used to show off.
…
I originally planned to go to Li'er Tower.
But I heard the oarman say that the third lady is feeling tired today and Li'er Tower is on holiday and is too lazy to open the door to welcome guests.
Ever since.
Going round and round.
Arrive at Yanjia Winery.
Didn't come to the door.
I just pretended to be a tourist who was tired of shopping and found a nearby snack shop.
What they sell is Xiaoshui's famous product - glutinous glutinous rice dumplings.
After ordering a bowl and sitting down, someone at the other table was talking.
"Brother Yu, you are an expert. Do you think which of the dozens of wineries in the city can win the title of wine champion this year?"
"It's hard to say, this winemaking relies on craftsmanship and raw materials. In terms of craftsmanship, the Wang family's bamboo leaf roasting is undoubtedly the best; in terms of raw materials, the Xu family's secret koji is also unique in the world, as well as the Zhang family's Beauty Zui, and the Wu family's Yue.
Zhaoqing, Lu family’s Baihua Brew..."
He knew all the treasures in his family and spoke eloquently, but it was a pity that he missed all the guesses.
The chief winemaker will only be the Ninglu Bai from Yanjia Winery.
It’s like this this year, and it’s like this every year.
In the reincarnation of Xiaoshui, Jiugui will always fall into the Yan family.
Not long after.
Rice dumplings are served to the table.
I took a bite while it was hot.
Soft and sweet.
The Taoist priest couldn't help but said: What a pity.
Such good craftsmanship, but the boss is just a bug.
That's right.
Although this store owner is working diligently to promote business, he is actually a demon puppet controlled by phantom butterfly larvae.
From a distance, the Taoist priest could smell the insect residue on it.
Not only him, but also the diners he just asked, the police officers patrolling the street corners, the beggars begging for food on the roadside, and even the children playing in front of the wine shop... On this street, around the wine shop, most of them are monsters.
Dressed up.
It can be said that the remaining power of Huan Die has been shrunk in the Yanjia Winery.
There is no other reason.
Because the Phantom Butterfly is hiding in the wine shop.
Li Changan blew up the center of the illusion, Shuiyueguan, and Phantom Butterfly's control over the illusion was severely damaged. It had no choice but to carry out its original plan: to poison the wine in an attempt to control the demons.
However, all the previous preparations were destroyed in the fire, and they had to find a place to prepare it again. The Water Moon Temple was destroyed, and the Temple of Wine was crowded with people, so they had to settle for the next best thing and choose the Yanjia Winery.
In order to produce enough "gu wine" in one day, it dug out its own body that was blown to pieces, and used the main medicine, but it was not enough, and even sacrificed all the rampant soldiers and extracted their
Flesh and soul.
And all this is obtained by Dionysus through the eyes of Yu Mei.
Yes, Yu Mei is also in the square.
"You really don't need me to sneak into the wine shop?"
"Absolutely not."
The god of wine quickly advised.
"Taoist priests don't have to worry about Sophora Ling. Before the fantasy butterfly regains control of the illusion, it will not dare to attack Sophora Ling randomly. Even if it does some tricks, it is just an illusion. When the illusion is shattered, it will naturally dissipate."
"What's more, if you break in, it will be heavily guarded. If you are discovered, you will have a fight with Huandie, which will disrupt the plan."
Li Changan didn't say anything and just swallowed most of the bowl of glutinous rice balls in one go.
Then he asked again:
"What should I do with wine?"
The God of Bacchus is indeed the God of Wine. He got the Tai Sui Demon and without much effort, he created a wine with strange effects. There was nothing unusual about the first drink, but once it was introduced, the poison of hunger became a hundred times stronger.
The ground gushes out.
But no matter how poisonous the wine is, what's the use if it doesn't fall into your mouth?
Therefore, the original plan was to mix it into the Yan family's "Ninglu Bai", but unexpectedly, it collided with Huandie's plan.
The God of Dionysus was not anxious at all and laughed loudly:
"Where will the wine made by Huandie be sent?"
"The Temple of Bacchus."
"who I am?"
"Bacchus."
After the Taoist priest finished speaking, he was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and laughed, laughing that he would be confused if he cared.
Scatter a few copper coins.
He stood up and left without disturbing Huandie's sensitive nerves.
He has one last place to go.
…………
When Li Changan arrived at Yujiadi store.
Most of the guests in the store were not awake yet, and were recuperating in their rooms to enjoy the night market tonight.
But the front yard of the restaurant, that small yard covered by the lush branches and leaves of the locust tree and surrounded by brilliantly blooming wisteria flowers, was not deserted.
Amei led the boys of the Yan family and several children to play in the corridor, which occasionally attracted scoldings from the proprietress. On the stone tables and benches under the tree, the owner of the restaurant, the owner of the Yan family wine shop, and Qian Dazhi, the "resurrection from the dead"
He frowned over three glasses of wine.
The Taoist priest shamelessly went up to talk to me.
"They all say that drinking is the way to relieve sorrow, but why are you three worried about drinking?"
The three of them looked at each other in confusion.
I am still used to welcoming and delivering goods from the store, so I should be more flexible.
"This husband doesn't know something. This friend of mine is here to buy wine, but he was so confused for a while that he didn't know which of these three wines was the best."
lie.
He is obviously choosing which wine to use to participate in tomorrow's wine competition.
Li Changan did not expose it.
Pointing pointedly at the glass with clear liquid in it.
"In my opinion, this cup is the best, can you..."
"oh oh."
Mr. Yan realized what he was doing and hurriedly took the wine glass.
"Please taste it."
Li Changan sat down without ceremony, took the wine glass, and took a sip.
The wine flows smoothly into the throat.
It seemed like a slight intoxication dissipated immediately.
Timely.
Xiaoshui's soft spring breeze with a slight aroma of wine blew in. The crown of the locust tree swayed slowly, the branches and leaves made a "haloxylon" sound, and the surrounding vines also swayed. Amei chased the boy from the Yan family through it again
The flowers, with their bright smiles, burst into pieces of delicate fragrance.
The Taoist priest thought, did Master Yu look at himself like this when he was a child?
The wine god sighed in his ears:
“It turns out that ‘Ninglu Bai’ tastes like this.”
"You haven't drunk it?"
"Of course I have, but the Yu family girl has not."
Li Changan suddenly smiled and nodded.
Then he gathered his thoughts and turned into a sword of wisdom to cut away the illusion.
Then the world suddenly became gloomy, and the "black spots" of condensed resentment reappeared, covering every corner of the sight, the clouds, the soil, the beams, the walls, and even the wine in the glass and Amei's childish smile.
Li Changan stood up silently, and walked to a wall of vines under the uncomprehending gazes of the three people.
The flowers were blooming just now, but now there are only bare branches lying on the wall, without flowers or leaves, withered and decadent.
The Taoist priest poured out the remaining wine in the cup.
After all, it is just a fantasy.
The next day.
The grand sacrificial ceremony to the gods is coming as scheduled.