On this day, Hengshan City was crowded with people and in full swing, and the inns in the city were even fuller. It's not because today is the day of Liu Zhengfeng's "golden basin washing" in Hengshan, although it is only two o'clock, Huashan Yue Buqun, Hengshan Dingyi, Taishan Tianmen, Qingcheng Mountain Yu Canghai and other heads arrived early.

It was nearly noon when five or six hundred more distant visitors poured in. Jin Ao, the deputy gang advocate of the beggar gang, and the old boxer of Zhengzhou ** Menxia led the three sons-in-law, the old man of the Three Gorges of Sichuan and Hubei Feng Tie, the leader of the East China Sea Sand Gang Pan Roar, the second friend of Qujiang Shendao Bai Ke, and the magic pen Lu Xisi and others arrived one after another. Some of these people knew each other well, and some of them were just admired and had never met each other, and for a while the hall greeted and introduced each other, and there was a lot of noise.

The disciples of the Liu Mansion commanded the cooks and servants, and set up more than 200 tables inside and out.

Liu Zhengfeng's relatives, doormen, tents, and disciples of Liu Men respectfully invited the guests to Danian and Mi Weiyi. According to the status and prestige in the martial arts, the head of the Taishan faction, Tianmen Dao, should sit in the chief, but the Wuyue Sword Sect is allied, and half of the Tianmen Daoist and Yue Buqun, Dingyi Shitai, etc. are the masters, and it is inconvenient to sit down.

Suddenly, I heard two bangs outside the door, followed by the sound of drums, and the sound of gongs and shouts, indicating that the government had come to the door.

The heroes were stunned, and saw Liu Zhengfeng wearing a brand-new familiar robe, hurriedly running out of the inner hall. The group of heroes congratulated happily, Liu Zhengfeng bowed his hand slightly, and walked out of the door, and after a while, he saw him respectfully accompany an official in official clothes and a son in brocade clothes to come in.

The heroes all wondered: "Could it be that these two officials are also martial arts masters?" ”

Although the official in public service was dressed in royal clothes, his eyes were dizzy, and his face was wine-colored, showing that he did not have martial arts. As for the young man next to him who even had to be carefully served by the public service officials, although he was majestic and energetic, he looked like a scholar.

Just when the group of heroes did not know why, they saw the official official stand straight in, standing in the center, and the official behind him knelt down with his right leg, his hands raised above the top, and presented a tray covered with yellow satin, and a scroll was placed on the plate.

The official bowed, took the scroll, and said loudly: "The holy decree has arrived, and Liu Zhengfeng will listen to the decree." ”

A good "golden basin to wash hands" conference, how could there be officials here, the heroes really thought that Liu Zhengfeng had done something rebellious, and the officials came to the door.

Unexpectedly, Liu Zhengfeng was as calm as constant, and as soon as his knees were bent, he knelt down, kowtowed to the official three times, and said loudly: "Weichen Liu Zhengfeng listens to the order, long live my emperor, long live, long live, long live." ”

When the heroes saw it, they were all stunned.

The official unfolded the scroll and read: "Fengtian carries the emperor's edict and says: According to the governor of Hunan Province, Liu Zhengfeng, a commoner of Hengshan, is anxious for justice and righteousness, and his merit is in Sangzi, and he is skilled in bows and horses. ”

Liu Zhengfeng kowtowed, and said gratefully: "Weichen Liu Zhengfeng thanks, long live my emperor, long live, long live." ”

Then standing up, Liu Zhengfeng bent down to the public service officials and said, "Thank you Lord Zhang and Master Li for cultivating and promoting." ”

The official surnamed Zhang smiled and said, "Congratulations, congratulations, General Liu, from now on, you and I will be ministers in the same palace, but why be polite?" ”

Although it was a polite remark, Liu Zhengfeng, who is well versed in officialdom, said: "The young general was originally a reckless horseman, and today he was awarded an official by the imperial court, which is indeed the emperor's grace and wide beneficial, and the young general is glorious and glorious, but it is also the over-the-top cultivation of the Dao Grace Minister, the Governor, Lord Zhang and Lord Li." ”

The public service official smiled: "Where, where." ”

Liu Zhengfeng turned his head to Fang Qianju and said, "Brother Fang Xian, what about the gifts from Lord Zhang and Master Li?" ”

Fang Qianju said: "I have been preparing here for a long time. ”

He turned around and took a disc, which was wrapped in a brocade wrap.

Liu Zhengfeng took it with both hands and said with a smile: "A little courtesy, not a respect, the two adults accept it." ”

Looking at Lord Li who was smiling next to him, Lord Zhang smiled embarrassedly: "My own brother, why is Lord Liu so polite." Besides, I am equal to the palace as a minister, and I am all doing things for the emperor, so I will save these. ”

I didn't expect that Lord Zhang, who has always been greedy for money, would say such unexpected words, the gift that Liu Zhengfeng took out was really not good to take back, and it was embarrassing not to give it to others.

This Master Li who came with him was naturally Li Mu, although Songshan Zuo Lengchan enthusiastically retained, but he still rushed to Hengyang City eagerly with a task. With the emperor's cheap promise, Li Mu was looking for the elixir for the emperor in the name of the county, and the magistrate of Hengyang City had to be careful.

Seeing Zhang Zhixian's pretending to be serious, Li Mu smiled and said: "Lord Zhang doesn't need to be polite, everyone is a brother, and in the future, the same hall will take care of each other." Lord Liu's kindness, Lord Zhang should take it! ”

With Li Mu's answer, Zhang Zhixian immediately made a look, and the errand officer beside him took over.

When the officer took the plate, his arms sank downward, and it was evident that the contents of the plate were not light, not silver but gold.

Master Zhang suddenly said with a dazzled smile: "The younger brother is on official business, so it is inconvenient to stay for a long time. However, Lord Li is quite interested in your 'golden basin washing hands', Lord Liu, you have to serve well, don't neglect the distinguished guests. ”

Hearing that Li Mu actually wanted to stay to watch the ceremony, Liu Zhengfeng was immediately flattered. Although Li Mu's identity is not clear, Zhang Zhixian has to deal with it carefully, and it is not as simple as an ordinary official.

Liu Zhengfeng was full of smiles, and after sending Zhang Zhixian outside the gate in person, he turned around and invited Li Mu to the Taishi chair in the center of the hall, and asked for warmth on the side, extremely flattering.

This scene was unexpected, everyone looked at each other, and they couldn't make a sound, and everyone's faces were embarrassed and surprised.

Although the guests who came to Liu's Mansion were not from Heidao, nor were they criminals, they were all famous in the martial arts, and they all regarded themselves very highly, and they never looked down on the government.

At this moment, seeing that Liu Zhengfeng was becoming inflammatory, but he was just giving the emperor a "general", he was grateful, made all kinds of fleshy demeanor, and even openly bribed, and looked down on him in his heart, and some people couldn't help but show disdain.

Especially a young man who gave up the highest position to the official family, whether it was a famous martial arts or a group of heroes in the rivers and lakes, was greatly dissatisfied. But this is what Liu Zhengfeng means after all, no matter how dissatisfied the others are with Li Mu sitting on this chair, the rest of the people are not good at openly objecting, at most they don't have a good face.

When the heroes sat down, the servants came up to offer food and wine. Mi Weiyi brought out a coffee table with brocade on it. Xiang Danian held a golden basin with a golden radiance and a half-foot-long diameter in both hands, and placed it on top of the coffee table, which was already filled with water.

I could only hear three bangs outside the door, followed by eight big firecrackers in a row. A group of junior disciples sitting in the back hall and flower hall all flocked to the hall to see the excitement.

Liu Zhengfeng walked into the hall with a smile and hugged his fists. The heroes all stood up and saluted. Liu Zhengfeng said loudly: "All the senior heroes, all the good friends, all the young friends. Everyone came from afar, Liu Zhengfeng is really gold on his face, and he is grateful. Brother washed his hands of gold today, and from now on he will not ask about the affairs of the rivers and lakes, and you must know the reason. The brother has received the grace of the imperial court to be a small official. As the saying goes: the food of the king, the matter of loyalty.

The rivers and lakes pay attention to righteousness; The state is on official business, but it must obey the law in order to repay the king's kindness. If there is a conflict between the two, Liu Zhengfeng will inevitably be embarrassed. From now on, Liu Zhengfeng will withdraw from the martial arts, and if my disciples are willing to switch to other sects, they will do their own thing.

Liu invited you here to ask all your good friends to testify. When you come to Hengshan City in the future, you will naturally still be a good friend of Liu, but Liu will not ask about the rights and wrongs of all kinds of grievances in the martial arts. ”

"Wait!"

Just as Liu Zhengfeng was about to put his hands into the golden basin, a domineering voice came into the hall, and he saw four men in yellow shirts walking into the gate.