"After catching them, no new mice will come for at least a month."
"I still have some shopping to do at the moment. I'll come back to you later and take you and your cat with me. If you don't catch one of them, I won't let you go!" The man said harshly at first,
But after a pause, his tone softened again, "But if your cat works, our whole street is full of rats. They are all the mansions of dignitaries. Those rats eat too much fish and meat. Like adults,
It's like having semen, all noble people have a headache, so I can introduce it to you."
"Thank you very much."
"Here we go."
The man also bowed his hands and left.
Song You retracted his gaze and continued to smile. As he walked into the house, he said to the cat beside him: "It seems that I will have to rely on Empress Sanhua for food in the future."
"OK!"
The calico cat's tone was clear and energetic, as if he had suddenly discovered the value of being a cat.
Song You couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.
Yes--
Sanhua Empress was originally a cat god, not an ordinary cat. Catching mice for others was not only a means of survival for her, it was also her duty and the way she relied on to become a god.
This made her feel happy and satisfied.
"By the way, the clerk over there doesn't know that Sanhua Empress is a cat god. He only regards Sanhua Empress as a little wild cat. I also ask Sanhua Empress not to get angry with him or take it personally.
"
"Ms. Sanhua is used to it."
"..."
In the middle of the afternoon.
The housekeeper came back and informed his name this time, saying that his surname was Yang and that the owner of the house was a doctor from the Ministry of Industry.
I am busy with official duties during the day, and I can't get rid of the rat infestation at home. I can't sleep well at night, which is very annoying. Especially when I have children at home studying, not sleeping well at night is also a big deal.
"Let's go faster, you have to come back later, otherwise you won't be able to catch up with the curfew, and if you encounter a guard, the punishment of the stick is small, but if you meet a monster, the death is serious."
"Thank you very much."
Butler Yang quickened his pace.
Song You also attached great importance to him and followed him closely.
The cat trotted next to it.
Two people and one cat passed through the city.
Until it stopped in front of a house.
"This is it!"
Butler Yang opened the door of the house and turned to ask him: "How do you want to arrange it?"
"No need to arrange," Song You said, "Just let my cat know that this is the house. She will be here to catch mice at night, and I will pick her up tomorrow morning."
"Then how do you get the mouse hiding in the hole to come out?"
"It has its own magic method."
"Please explain this to your magical cat."
"good."
Song You then turned around and said to Sanhuamao: "Miss Sanhua, I will send you here. I will rely on you tonight. I will pick you up tomorrow morning."
"Meow~"
Butler Yang looked at this man and his cat, and found them strange.
Thinking about this man who took the cat out with him before, he did not hold it, but let the cat run on the ground. The cat followed closely, and now he talks to the cat so solemnly, saying "Sanhua Empress",
This cat really seems to understand people's words. Considering the shop sign posted on the door of this man's shop to ward off evil spirits, he may indeed be a strange person with some abilities.
However, he was not surprised that there were many strange people in Changjing.
"Is this good?"
"alright."
Song You smiled and said to Butler Yang, "Butler, please treat my cat well and don't make her suffer any injustice."
"Don't worry, my master is gentle and kind. My little master is old enough to take the imperial examination. He is well-educated and sensible, and will not bully your cat." Butler Yang paused for a moment, "You'd better walk faster when you go back, otherwise it's almost time for curfew.
, as the saying goes, the punishment of the rod is small, but the punishment of the demon is great."
"Thank you."
Song You cupped his hands and turned around to leave.
Butler Yang was still standing at the door. Seeing that he was walking slowly and unhurriedly, he was about to say a reminder, but after thinking about it, he took it back.
He withdrew his gaze and closed the door, only to see the cat sitting on the ground, looking up at him intently.
Butler Yang thought for a while, then handed her over and said:
"Please leave it to Miss Sanhua."
"Meow~"
The cat turned to look at the sunset on the horizon.
"Hey……"
Butler Yang actually seemed to understand what she said.
…
Although this is the East City, it is not far from the West City. However, I bought two steamed buns to eat on Songyou Road. As soon as I walked through the street between the East City and the West City, the sound of curfew gongs could be heard from everywhere.
Night had fallen when the gong sounded. There were not many people walking on the street, and there were even fewer shops and houses that were still open. When the sound was heard, the few remaining shops and houses closed their doors one after another and were still wandering on the street.
People also walked quickly towards their houses.
This sound was struck three hundred times in total.
The sound of gongs and the sound of closing doors coexist.
Perhaps just after the halfway mark, there were no more pedestrians on the street. The city under the moonlight quickly became deserted, and the streets became empty, with only Taoists still walking on the road.
It's like taking a walk, with the moonlight filling your shirt.
Some of the houses on the street are lit, with dim firelight coming from the windows, and there are voices and children crying. Although some gambling houses and restaurants have closed their doors, they are brightly lit and there are lively voices, and some are exquisitely decorated.
There was playing and singing in the pavilion, and there was endless laughter.
There is only the deserted moonlight and lone Taoist priests on the streets, but inside the doors of each room, there are all kinds of people's livelihood and singing and dancing in Changjing City.
Occasionally, there were patrols by the imperial guards, and they walked through the streets in groups.
The Taoist just stood in the dark on the street, and they walked past him as if they couldn't see him.
Occasionally, a golden-armored priest floats over from the sky. He looks like one of the military attachés of the City God's Temple. He scans the streets below with distinct eyes. They can actually see the Taoist priests below, but the most they can do is fly down.
After carefully observing the Taoist for a few times, they found out that they were human beings but not monsters and then left. Or they noticed that the Taoist was looking at them, came down and asked a few words, and then left.
We walked to Willow Street smoothly and returned home.
The Taoist also felt no regrets. Although he did not encounter monsters by chance, he still gained a different feeling and more freedom from walking in the city during the day.
Get water to wash up and go upstairs to rest.
I don't know when I entered the dreamland, but when I fell asleep, my expression suddenly became clear again. I looked around and saw that I was neatly dressed and sitting beside the bed. There were three figures standing next to me. One was dressed in official clothes.
The two men in the robe, one civilized and the other martial, were surrounded by clouds and mist.
It was the Changjing City God and the two auxiliary officials.
Song You was not surprised and just raised his hands in salute:
"Lord City God, you are polite."
"I have met the immortal master."
"Lord Cheng Huang came to see you today. Why?"
"After the Immortal Master reminded me a few days ago, the little god and his subordinate priests checked for several nights and found one of the monsters. However, the monster was very skilled. Several military officers and the imperial army fought with the monster for half the night, but they still let him run away.
The city is gone." The City God bowed and said, "But the little god expected that he would definitely come back, and was afraid that he would escape again next time, so he boldly asked the immortal master to borrow one or two magic weapons for catching monsters."
"I don't have any magic weapons, but I can give you two talismans. Just pick them up tomorrow morning."
"Thank you, Master Immortal."
"I only want to help the public and eliminate harm to the people."
"Little God, take your leave."
"Please walk slowly."
The dream ended abruptly here.
When Song You opened his eyes, he was still lying on the bed.
It's almost dawn outside.
When I squinted again, it was already bright.
Find the talisman paper from the quilt bag, use the pen and cinnabar to draw the talismans, seduce the spiritual power, and easily make two talismans.
A thunder talisman and a fire talisman.
After thinking about it, he took out some paper and wrote a line of words to remind the city god that it could only be used to eliminate demons this time.
I packed up my pen and paper and went out satisfied.
Go pick up Sanhua Empress who is on night shift.
…
In the residence of Liu Langzhong from the Ministry of Industry.
There were four neat rows of mice in the yard. Each one was so fat and strong that the kittens were probably not as big as them. They were all lying here motionless. What was even more surprising was that these mice had all their heads and tails.
They are facing the same direction, their faces are also facing the same direction, and they are about the same distance apart.
Look next to these mice -
A calico cat was sitting upright, licking its paws intently.
“It’s really amazing!”
Everyone couldn't help but be amazed.
If some servants hadn't been curious last night and secretly watched at the window for half the night and saw with their own eyes that the cat had picked up all the mice from different rooms in the mansion and placed them here, I'm afraid they would all have suspected that someone climbed over the wall last night.
Come, put these mice away, and then climb over the wall and go away.
Suddenly, the cat moved.
However, I found that one mouse was slightly crooked, and I stretched out my paw to straighten it.
“It’s really amazing!”
Everyone couldn't help but be amazed again.
Some people are counting the mice, some are looking at the cat, and some are talking about the commotion in the house last night. The people who talk about it are vivid and lively, and the people who listen are also interested.
"Tuk tuk..."
There was a knock on the door.
Someone quickly opened the door.
But they saw a young Taoist standing outside the door. He looked at them with a smile and saluted: "I am the person who brought cats to catch mice last night. I wonder how many cats my Sanhua Empress caught last night?"
"Invite him in quickly!"
"My master invites you!"
"Thank you..."
Song You followed him through the gate.
A group of people gathered in the yard.
The servant who opened the door quickly introduced him, saying that the old man in the middle was the owner of the mansion, Dr. Liu from the Ministry of Industry.
Liu Langzhong looked at him, his eyes shining brightly: "Sir, you are such an amazing cat!"
"Thanks for the compliment."
"I wonder if Mr. Love Cat can be sold?"
"Not for sale."
"How about one tael of silver?"
"I won't sell it no matter how much."
"The current Queen is a cat lover. If she knew that this cat is so magical, she would definitely like it! If Sir, I give it to the Queen with my own hands, she will definitely become famous!"
"The doctor misunderstood. The Sanhua Empress only gets along with me, not my cat." Song Xingli said, "She is my companion and friend, not my pet."
"I see……"
Mr. Liu also showed a look of regret and returned the favor: "If you really regard the cat as a friend, it is only for an elegant person. I am offended by this."
"May I ask how many mice my Sanhua Empress has caught?"
"Have you counted clearly?"
The old man also turned to ask the housekeeper.
"The count is clear!" The housekeeper was shocked, "Forty-six, more than we thought!"
Immediately there was another burst of exclamations.
Everyone whispered again, discussing how loud the noise was last night and how they heard the screams of mice. The old man also kept praising Sanhua Empress.
Song You didn't listen, and only looked at his cat, who was obviously proud but pretended to lick its paws casually.