Chapter 572: The Courage of the Artist (I)
Zhu Xiaobao is just trying to get some face, but Jumei is doing all the defenses according to Zhu Xiaobao's words, and it will fall apart!
"Jumei, don't listen to him, why don't you have any resistance in front of him!" Zhu Rong said with Jumei at this time.
"I ...... I don't know......" Jumei said with a little blush.
"Haha! See, my current kung fu is profound, and my cultivation is diligent, do you feel it? Zhu Xiaobao unfolded the footwork of the mandarin duck knife and shuttled between the two women, deliberately showing off his kung fu.
"Poof! I didn't see the profundity of kung fu. But your way of practicing is different from others, everyone practices in the martial arts training field, and you mostly practice in bed! Zhu Rong couldn't help laughing, and pointed her finger at Zhu Xiaobao's forehead and said.
"Hey, it doesn't matter where you practice, as long as you can win, that's real kung fu!" Zhu Xiaobao said unashamedly. Then he stood on the bed with his head held high and said loudly: "I declare that the seventy-seven forty-ninth day has arrived, and we can go back tomorrow!" ”
"Yikes! Really, I didn't even think that time passed so quickly, and I was really a little reluctant to leave! Only then did Zhu Rong remember that the consolidation period of Zhu Xiaobao had arrived. But Zhu Rong's harvest these days is also very huge, she really doesn't want to leave, if she can also break through the mental method to the sixth layer, then she can compete with Zhu Xin! Now for the Suzaku clan, Zhu Xin has always been a huge hidden danger.
"Huh! It doesn't matter, as long as we're together, we can cultivate anywhere! Asking Murong Feng to send something tomorrow can be regarded as my gratitude to the Vermilion Bird Clan! "Zhu Xiaobao still has a good impression of the Vermilion Bird Clan, especially the Vermilion Bird Law Appearance in the inheritance place, he is very tolerant of himself, he does not feel sorry for himself, and he has also been sheltered by it here, so Zhu Xiaobao is also full of gratitude to the Vermilion Bird Clan. Murong Feng has already prepared a rich gift, which can be regarded as expressing his gratitude. And this time for conscription, the Suzaku clan doesn't need to send people, he still has this power in his fiefdom!
However, Zhu Xiaobao did not leave the Suzaku clan with great fanfare, but left in the middle of the night, and his whereabouts cannot be exposed yet. Even those female warriors did not move for the time being, and they returned in batches in a few days. Of course, these were all Murong Feng's ideas, because next Zhu Xiaobao was going to go to the Southern Zirui Kingdom, this matter was also quite risky, and Murong Feng himself was a little uneasy. But seeing Zhu Xiaobao's confident appearance, I also feel that he should be allowed to break through according to his own ideas, and a lot of experience is to be accumulated by himself in danger!
"I'll leave for Nanzirui Country at night, don't tell my sister about this matter first, so as to save her worry!" Zhu Xiaobao returned to his palace and immediately called Murong Feng over.
"Yes! What else is commanded? Murong Feng nodded, knowing that Zhu Xiaobao still took great care of this sister.
"Hmmm! What are you going to do with those people and families who have already handed over the official seal and secretly fought against the imperial court? Zhu Xiaobao asked again, this time most of the officials in the conscription began to lean towards Yu Qianrou, but there were still a few officials who really handed in their official seals and resigned and returned to their hometowns! Correspondingly, the conscription tasks in these counties were not successfully completed.
"After handing over the official seal, the person who should be out has also come out. Otherwise, I have an excuse to kill them! Murong Feng said lightly, she was very decisive in this regard.
"Hmmm! Try not to kill on a large scale, this is easy to leave hidden dangers, and it is a ...... of extermination" Zhu Xiaobao also frowned a little, it is easy to kill a few people, but this kind of thing still has to be operated carefully, after thinking about it, Zhu Xiaobao suddenly remembered a person, and immediately said to Murong Feng: "That's it, let Tao Zhiqian deal with these things, he definitely has enough means, and his brain is also good, the key is that he has a lot of experience in this area!" Let Yu Li go with him, and you can also protect his safety! In addition, bring the 200 female warriors of the Suzaku Clan with me, just in time to test their martial arts! ”
"Huh? yes, how did I forget about him! Tao Zhiqian is indeed the most suitable candidate! Hee-hee, thanks for the reminder! Murong Feng's eyes suddenly lit up, and Tao Zhiqian's ability was beyond doubt. Use it well, it's definitely a good knife!
"Haha! I hope that when I come back, Tao Zhiqian can bring me some surprises! Zhu Xiaobao also smiled proudly, Tao Zhiqian is the best fast knife he uses, the key is that this guy is still very loyal!
When they arrived, Zhu Xiaobao and the old apprentice quietly went out, dressed in black and masked, and galloped wildly. There were also two horse changes along the way. This time, Zhu Xiaobao brought the old apprentice, but Jumei didn't bring it, because he and the old apprentice were not there, and Yu Li sent it to Tao Zhiqian again, and Murong Feng's safety could only be guaranteed by Jumei! In the number of beautiful figures and acting styles, it is not suitable to perform this task.
The more remote they became, they finally reached the mountain stream, which is also the natural dividing line between the two countries. There were garrisons on both sides to defend, but it was impossible to find Zhu Xiaobao and the old apprentice. Last time, Yu Shichang brought Zhu Xin and Nangong Seventy-two over, and the garrison here didn't notice it at all. After all, the distance of this mountain stream is too long, and many places can only be patrolled once by patrolling officers and soldiers at regular intervals. Anyway, they can't find the masters, and they can't get over the low hands. That's the way it is.
Finding a place where no one was, the mountain stream here was almost six feet away, and the old apprentice was using a rope to catch up with a big tree opposite, and then prepared to swing over. Even if it's a Great Venerable, he doesn't have the ability to fly over!
But Zhu Xiaobao looked at the people around him, and condensed the White Tiger Dharma, and the old apprentice was wondering what he was going to do! Unexpectedly, there was a white tiger law phase again, and the two white tiger law phases jumped up one after the other, jumped over the mountain stream of six zhang, and then gradually dissipated after landing, showing the appearance of Zhu Xiaobao smiling.
The old apprentice was a little dumbfounded when he looked at the mountain stream, what kind of kung fu is this? How could there be two white tigers? How could Master just jump over?
After the old apprentice also swung over through the rope, he immediately stared at Zhu Xiaobao and asked, "Master, what kind of kung fu did you use just now?" Can you cross this mountain stream? ”
"Hehe, this is a natural skill that I realized during the consolidation period, I call it the 'Phantom Phase', how about it? Awesome, right? It's much stronger than Yu Shichang's elongated tiger tail! Zhu Xiaobao said triumphantly.
"This talent skill is really too strong, not only can it disturb the opponent unexpectedly, but it can also run for its life when it is critical!" The old apprentice sighed with envy.
"Yes! Oh, yes! I think so too, with this natural skill, it's not easy to escape! Zhu Xiaobao also nodded again and again, the master and apprentice were not ashamed at all, and the first thing they thought of was to escape!
"Can you teach me?" The old apprentice asked expectantly.
"Okay, as long as you can condense the Fa Phase, you don't care anything, even if it's a pig!" Zhu Xiaobaolou, the old apprentice, said very coolly.
"That'...... Forget it! The old apprentice said depressedly. Now Zhu Xiaobao is almost a head taller than him, hugging him and giggling, the two of them are not worried at all, anyway, their senses are keen, and there is no one around at all! So the two of them had a very easy journey along the way.
After dawn, they finally found a village, hired a carriage, and the master and apprentice sat in the carriage and rushed to the imperial city with determination. The identity cards on their bodies have been prepared a long time ago, and when they pass through the passes of various counties along the way, they are also unimpeded.
Every time you go to a county, you change the carriage, and the province leaves unnecessary clues. This is all the experience of the old apprentice, and Zhu Xiaobao can't think of these at all.
The old apprentice was also a little surprised in the carriage, in the past two years, the Southern Zirui Kingdom not only did not seem to develop, but also regressed a little, and many places were very backward. The most obvious is that the population seems to be much smaller. Isn't it? Many big families have migrated to the North Zirui Country, and now they are catching laborers everywhere to build fortifications, so people usually try to go out as little as possible, and they will be arrested if they are not careful!
"With this national strength, you still want to fight me? Yu Shi'an is afraid that there is something wrong with his brain, right? Zhu Xiaobao snorted a little disdainfully.
"Well, I didn't expect that Nan Zirui Kingdom would become so sluggish in the past two years! It seems that the gas is exhausted! But it's no wonder that Yu Wanfeng and Yu Shichang didn't put their minds on state affairs at all. I think when Yu Wanqiang was still alive, I used to come here, and at that time, the strength of the Southern Zirui Kingdom was very strong, and it was also very prosperous, no worse than the Great Xia Kingdom! The old apprentice said with a little sigh.
"We'll be in the Imperial City soon, and when we enter the Imperial City, we'll take a look around first. Whether there is any gas or not, you can see it when you get to the imperial city! Zhu Xiaobao flipped through the map in his hand, pointed with his finger and said, in the past few years, he has worked the correction of the map, and if he doesn't have an accurate map, it is easy to suffer!
He and Murong Feng agreed on this point, so a lot of manpower and financial resources were spent in this regard. Not only did he buy different versions of maps from various counties in the Southern Zirui Kingdom, but he also spent a lot of money to buy a lot of maps from the military, so now the maps in Zhu Xiaobao's hands are already very accurate!
When I arrived at the west gate of the imperial city, the inventory of entering the imperial city was relatively strict, and the officers and soldiers on duty at the city gate were more energetic than those in those counties, and the clothes on their bodies were relatively new, and the weapons they wore were also uniform.
Originally, I was a little worried, but there was no problem with the identity card in their hand, and it was more like the real thing! This kind of identity tag made of wood chips is too easy to imitate in Mu Junichi's hands......
Zhu Xiaobao stood under the city wall and looked at it carefully for a while, the city walls here are very tall, they are all made of red bricks, but they are a little old, and they look like they haven't been painted for several years! This is where his elder sister Yu Qianrou sat on her back to the south? That's where you started to be trafficked and wandered around?
When Zhu Xiaobao first came to the South Zirui Kingdom, he was still unconscious, so this was the first time he came to the South Zirui Kingdom!
I found the most luxurious inn and asked for the highest floor, and I could see farther from the window. I have to say that the imperial city of the Southern Zirui Kingdom is still a bit of a heritage, several times larger than the imperial city of the Northern Zirui Kingdom, and the shops and houses around it are also very magnificent, the roads are wide, and they extend in all directions, and these infrastructures are still much stronger than the Northern Zirui Kingdom.
From the window on the other side, you can see the palace from a distance, which is really a bit of a golden and splendid feeling, which is much more luxurious than the palace built by Yu Qianrou now......
The corners of Zhu Xiaobao's eyes were a little moist for some reason, where I was born? This is the palace built by my father, Yu Wanqiang?
Although he traveled to this body, he still carried some memories of the past, and he also recognized Yu Qianrou as his own sister! What's more, behind the palace is the inheritance place of the White Tiger clan that he must go to.
"Master, don't get excited! We're going to be back soon! When the time comes, I will definitely help you kill the people who betrayed you back then! The old apprentice stood beside Zhu Xiaobao and comforted in a low voice.
"Alas! It doesn't matter if you kill them or not, without the tribulations of the past, I wouldn't have what I have today, let alone you, an apprentice! Zhu Xiaobao looked at the old apprentice very gratefully, and put his arm around his shoulder, in fact, Zhu Xiaobao's heart has always been a teacher and friend to the old apprentice, although it looks a little weird master and apprentice combination, but the relationship between the two is very deep!
"Hey, hey! That's right, Master, it's time for dinner, and I'm going to take you to a very special restaurant, where the mutton soup is very delicious, and that's what I came for back then! The old apprentice said a little impatiently.
"Oh? Then we'll have to try it! No matter what, I can't delay my old job! Zhu Xiaobao was also pleasantly surprised and said, he really didn't eat any decent meals along the way, he was just barely filling his stomach. Now that he is in the imperial city, he really wants to find some distinctive restaurants and snacks.
I called a carriage and ran for almost half an hour to find this sheep soup restaurant. This made Zhu Xiaobao once again realize the grandeur of the Imperial City of the Southern Zirui Kingdom, which was no worse than the Imperial City of the Great Xia Kingdom!
Entering the sheep soup restaurant, the old apprentice was a little excited, it had been twenty years, and he didn't expect to be able to revisit the old place.
Two large bowls of mutton soup were served, and Zhu Xiaobao nodded immediately as soon as he tasted it and said, "Sure enough, it's a bit special, and this pot of old soup in their house is worth a thousand gold!" "In the past, time-honored restaurants all took a pot of old soup to replace MSG. This old soup will not be changed for decades, adding water and ingredients every day, and constantly boiling. Passed down from generation to generation, even if it is a brother's separation, the most important thing is this pot of old soup, you can ignore anything else, but this pot of old soup is absolutely equally divided, and it refuses to give in at all!
"Of course, I came for this bowl of mutton soup for thousands of miles! At the beginning, a hundred copper plates had to be queued! The old apprentice also took a sip and said with an endless aftertaste.
"A hundred copper plates? This is a bit expensive compared to snacks! Dude, how much does this bowl of mutton soup cost? Zhu Xiaobao was a little surprised when he heard this, he didn't expect a bowl of mutton soup to be sold so expensive.
"Three hundred copper plates!" The guy said a little embarrassed, it seems that he also knows that the price of this bowl of mutton soup is a bit outrageous.
"What? Three hundred copper plates? Why don't you grab it? No wonder you don't even have anyone in the store! The old apprentice suddenly jumped up in shock, don't look at it as a great venerable, he is quite commoner, sometimes he likes to bargain in the bazaar, he thinks that this kind of life is real!
"Well, guest officer, it's not that we want to raise the price, it's ...... Be...... Taxes have increased, so we have no choice but to follow the price increase......" At this time, the shopkeeper also hurriedly ran over, and explained with sincere fear.
"What kind of tax is it that has risen so much? You're not talking nonsense, are you? Zhu Xiaobao asked a little puzzled.
"Don't dare, don't dare, the villain's shop has been open for forty years, and it has always been a duty business, and the child is not bullied!" The shopkeeper explained eagerly, then looked around, and then whispered: "You are from other places, you don't know, in this year's time, taxes have risen three times, there is really no way to live!" A lot of people who have the ability have moved away, and you can guess where they have moved......"
"Oh! I understand, I understand, this is two taels of silver, bring me two more bowls! Zhu Xiaobao nodded in understanding, because those so-called capable people had moved to his Northern Zirui Kingdom, so he was in a pretty good mood, and asked for two bowls of mutton soup.
"Hehe, the master is still considerate of me and asked me for a bowl!" The old apprentice wiped his mouth, licked his face and smiled.
"Less smelly and beautiful, I want to taste his mutton soup again, what is the seasoning added?" Zhu Xiaobao said angrily, in fact, he was a little surprised, the reason why this mutton soup has its characteristics is because of the pepper added to it, this kind of condiment is rarely used in this era, only the Western Turkic country can produce it, I didn't expect the boss here to use this seasoning.
At this moment, several officers and soldiers came in from outside the door, and as soon as they entered the door, they shouted: "Sheep shopkeeper, you are lucky today, the first one will catch up, this is the 'war preparation tax' that has just come out, come on, hurry up and pay it, we are still in a hurry to collect taxes from other houses!" ”
"Huh? Why do you have to pay taxes again? We just handed it over the day before yesterday! The shopkeeper of the sheep immediately cried out with a sad face.
"Look clearly, this is the 'war preparation tax'. Just came out, we don't care what you paid the day before yesterday, no one can escape this tax, otherwise come with us to the yamen! The official messenger at the head said very arrogantly, a few people sat down, picked up the mutton soup sent by the guy and drank it, this kind of official errand is basically free to eat and drink, and sometimes you have to bring some with you!
"Official, the shop doesn't have any business at all now, you can just let us go, right?" The shopkeeper of the sheep suddenly knelt down and pleaded bitterly.
"Spare you? So who will let me go? Now every house is closed to tax evasion, and we're half tired from fucking looking for you all day! Don't talk nonsense, I still have to go to Lao Li Tou to collect taxes! The official at the head suddenly shouted angrily.
"Oh my God, this really can't live!" As soon as the words fell, the sheep shopkeeper fell to the ground and passed out......