Shinyuemon couldn't understand why he didn't have ready-made answers for a while, and had to think of a solution for himself. But he didn't mind very much, because the order he got was to protect Yixiu's safety, and Master Huiri said so, so he did it, and he didn't want to stay in Luoyang as a craftsman.

The two returned to the place where they were staying, and Ichishu locked himself in his room. Shinyouemon is guarding the door, he is a person who is unwilling to use his brains, and he is not willing to think about things other than his duties.

Being able to follow the Wa Kingdom mission to the Tang Dynasty, Shinyouemon is also a leader among the samurai. In the past, when he was in the Wa Kingdom, his reputation was also very great, and the whole country could not find an opponent. Young and vigorous, he refused the solicitation of many powerful people, and came to Datang wholeheartedly, wanting to try his own catties.

But when he really arrived in Datang and tried it with a few swordsmanship masters, he was a little autistic.

His kung fu, although not unmentionable, is also average. At the martial arts competition of Jingdong set a few years ago, he didn't even pass the third round. And the few people who won in the end, when they competed with Dugu Jiu, he watched from the side, and he felt even more ashamed. Dugu Jiu's name, since then, has been imprinted on his heart.

A young genius master.

Shinyouemon was very discouraged, he felt that he might not be able to reach the level of Dugu Jiu's swordsmanship that he saw that day in his lifetime.

He looked at the sword in his hand and smiled bitterly, feeling even more hopeless.

Compared with the Japanese sword respected by later generations, the forging level of the Japanese kingdom in the early Tang Dynasty was very low. Most of the weapons they created imitated the Central Plains system, but the quality was much inferior. In the Middle Tang Dynasty, that is, after several batches of Tang envoys returned to the Wa Kingdom and brought the smelting technology of the Central Plains back to the Wa Kingdom, the level of forging swords in the Wa Kingdom gradually improved. Although Shinyouemon is a master of the Japanese Kingdom, his weapons are also very ordinary in the Central Plains. In Chang'an's East Market, you can buy better quality for a little more, and the price is just a little higher.

As for the 'nameless' in Dugu Jiu's hand, this kind of good sword that can't be bought with money, Shinyouemon has no chance to come into contact with it.

For a martial artist, a sword is a friend that can accompany him for a lifetime. It's not that Shinyouemon didn't think about buying a better sword, but he was reluctant to use this weapon that had been with him for many years, so although after Master Huiri made money through healing and the economic conditions of the mission improved, he did not change his blade.

However, if Yixiu can become Li Mu's disciple, he will learn his smelting method. He didn't mind asking Ikyu to build a weapon for him, he had already thought about it, and if he could, he didn't want a sword. He wanted the kind of horizontal knife that was similar to that of the Forbidden Army, and he preferred chopping to 'stabbing'.

"Ikyu here?"

Suddenly, a voice rang out next to him. Shinyouemon was startled, and his body subconsciously dodged, and at the same time, the sword was out of the sheath, and the sound of stabbing was coming from, and there was a 'ding' sound, and he stabbed something, and Shinyouemon was overjoyed, and he was just about to pierce harder, when suddenly his wrist flipped over, and the sword was already out of his hand.

"Not bad, but it's still a little rougher." Dugu Jiu threw the sword back, and returned to the scabbard impartially. Dugu Jiu looked at him and said, "Jinyiwei, what about you, Yixiu is here?" ”

"Your Excellency!" Shinyouemon saw the person clearly, and immediately bowed, his voice trembling a little: "Yes, Ichikyu is resting inside." ”

Dugu Jiu glanced at Xinyouemon who was so nervous that his hands trembled, and said, "I seem to have seen you?" ”

"I participated in the martial arts tournament a year ago." Shinyouemon's face turned red and said, "It's just that he lost in the third round." ”

"A little impression, the Japanese people." Dugu Jiu looked at Xinyouweimen and said, "You are not suitable for using a sword, use a knife, it is more suitable for you." After that, Dugu Jiu said again: "Master Hou already knows about your affairs here." He asked me to tell Ikyu that if the method he used was used by others, then he was considered unqualified. ”

Shinyuemon couldn't help but say, "My lord, this is a little unfair!" ”

"It's not fair, you can also go back to Chang'an." Dugu Jiu said, turned around and walked lightly, Xinyouweimen chased out two steps, Dugu Jiu was gone, turned around, and saw that Yixiu had come out of the room, and said, "Did you hear that?" ”

Ikyu nodded and said, "I heard you." ”

"What shall we do?"

"Keep thinking!" Ikyu said stubbornly.

……

When Dugu Jiu returned to the Hou Mansion, Li Mu was roasting chicken wings. A few days ago, he collected a lot of chickens, ducks and geese, among which there were some 'culled chickens' that could not lay eggs, so they could only be killed and eaten for meat. Li Mu asked the cook to leave the chicken wings for him alone, and after a few days, it was barely enough for a small barbecue.

Li Siwen hasn't returned from running errands outside, and Bai Qiaoqiao and Jin Chen are not good at this, so only Li Mu and Zhang Tianai are there. When Dugu Jiu came, Li Mu asked him to add dishes and chopsticks, and handed over a pair of chicken wings that had just been baked.

"Am I right? Is that kid a rest? ”

"Yes, he also brought a guard with him, called Shinyoemon. It's a good stretch of hand, but it's a pity that you went the wrong way. He is not suitable for sword training, he is suitable for sword training, and if he has the guidance of a famous teacher, he will be a good swordsman. ”

"What love is, I don't see him." Li Mu took a bite of the chicken wings and said indistinctly: "Yixiu, this kid is what I value." ”

Zhang Tianai has seen Yixiu, she doesn't like this little monk, and thinks that this little monk is always working against Li Mu, although he is smart, but he is not very cute. Seeing that Li Mu attached so much importance to Yixiu, he asked, "Do you want to accept him as an apprentice?" ”

Li Mu didn't deny it, and said: "There is such a plan, but it still depends on whether he can pass my test before deciding." Of course Li Mu wouldn't admit it, he had this idea because of the name Yixiu. Although there is such a small reason, the real reason has little to do with it.

After seeing Yixiu's faces, Li Mu can be sure of one thing, that is, Yixiu's identity is absolutely extraordinary. Whether it is the ambassador of the Japanese Mission, Inugami Mita, or his master Huiri, there is always some subconscious care when treating the little monk. This kind of care is not so much like the care of juniors, but a bit like an old servant. Just like Yu Zhining in the East Palace treated Li Chengqian, although he can manage the prince, after all, there is a difference between monarchs and ministers.

Li Mu guessed that the Yixiu he saw was not only a name like Yixiu, but also a similar identity. If this is the case, it is necessary for him to take a break as an apprentice. He coveted the silver of the Japanese kingdom, and he had to find a suitable excuse to intervene. Although he can build a ship and bring people over, he can easily take possession. But there is no need, the Wa Kingdom in this period is not worth being ruled. The benefits from it are far less than those that can be taken up.

In Li Mu's philosophy, war is always the last resort. What can be solved without force, it is better not to use force. How can it be good for people to take the initiative to send it? After all, what Li Mu wanted was just the silver of the Wa Kingdom.

"Didn't the eldest brother say that our good things can't be given to outsiders casually?" Dugu Jiu couldn't help but ask, "Has the eldest brother's mind changed?" ”

"No, of course you can't just give it." Li Mu hiccuped and said, "If they give money, it's another matter." ”

Li Mu looked at Dugu Jiu and said, "It doesn't involve issues of principle, it can be measured by value." If anyone gives me a million taels of silver now, I may sell him the secret recipe for wine. ”

"......" Dugu Jiu was too lazy to talk to Li Mu, and he didn't know if it was an illusion, he felt that Li Mu had been paying more and more attention to money recently. Why do you care so much about people who are obviously rich?

"Big brother, if you are short of money, I can tell my father. I don't know how many there are at home, but there should be quite a few. I remember, my mother said it. ”

"Save it, your eldest brother hasn't fallen to the point where you have to rely on you to find a family, you can open your mouth, I can't afford to lose that person." To be the face of the big brother, you still have to take care of it. However, calculating the recent expenses, it is indeed a little unbearable, and after a pause, Li Mu said: "Why don't you repair a book, ask your father, if you have any ideas to invest in Chidao, I can contract the warehouse, inn, warehouse, etc. of the site to him." ”

Dugu Jiu didn't understand business, but he believed that Li Mu would not cheat him, so he agreed without thinking about it. It was not too early, so he got up to say goodbye and went back to his house to write a letter to his father.

After Dugu Jiu left, Li Mu roasted the remaining chicken wings and ate them with Zhang Tianai, it was already the top of the moon. After eating and drinking, the next person cleaned up the charcoal and grill, and the two of them also went back to the room. I ate a little too much tonight, and neither of them had much thought, so they hugged and chatted together.

After chatting for a while, Zhang Tianai asked carefully: "Husband, our family is short of money now?" ”

"Nope." Li Mu frowned, looked at Zhang Tianai strangely, and asked, "Why do you think so?" ”

"Haven't you noticed that you've been withdrawing money lately?" Zhang Tianai said worriedly: "If my husband is short of money, I can also tell my father." He is the king of Gaochang anyway, so he can always have some money. If it doesn't work, let him collect taxes. ”

Li Mu was amused by Zhang Tianai, and said: "Fortunately, your father is the king of Gaochang, not for you to be." How can there be a person like you, if you don't have money, you will find ordinary people to collect taxes, and you can't do this. ”

"What then?" Zhang Tianai muttered: "You can't do your old job, be a horse bandit robbery, right?" ”

"I don't need to." Li Mu smiled: "Speaking of which, I'm a little short of money. But this gap is not ours. Our family has a wine shop, a phoenix, and thousands of items are made every day, how much can these people in our family spend? There is a gap, because this Luoyang City-"

Li Mu sighed and said, "I finally understand now why Emperor Yang of Sui would make a mess of the great rivers and mountains. People, you just can't be in a hurry. If you have to do something that takes ten years, you have to do it in three years, and all kinds of problems will naturally arise—"

"Then slow down?" Zhang Tianai didn't understand what Li Mu said, her mind was not so deep, if everything could follow her thoughts, Li Mu had better go back to the Western Regions with her, she was a person who grew up on the grassland, and she didn't like a big city like Luoyang Chang'an, there were too many people, and the relationship was too complicated.

"Can't be slow," Li Mu turned Zhang Tianai's body, faced her, and said, "I have to finish the infrastructure construction quickly, and then build a ship and go to sea, Zhi'en's side is not needed." Li Mu smiled: "Speaking of which, I'm a little short of money. But this gap is not ours. Our family has a wine shop, a phoenix, and thousands of items are made every day, how much can these people in our family spend? There is a gap, because this Luoyang City-"

Li Mu sighed and said, "I finally understand now why Emperor Yang of Sui would make a mess of the great rivers and mountains. People, you just can't be in a hurry. If you have to do something that takes ten years, you have to do it in three years, and all kinds of problems will naturally arise—"

"Then slow down?" Zhang Tianai didn't understand what Li Mu said, her mind was not so deep, if everything could follow her thoughts, Li Mu had better go back to the Western Regions with her, she was a person who grew up on the grassland, and she didn't like a big city like Luoyang Chang'an, there were too many people, and the relationship was too complicated.

"Can't be slow," Li Mu turned Zhang Tianai's body, faced her, and said, "I have to finish the infrastructure construction quickly, and then build a ship and go to sea, Zhi'en's side is not needed." Li Mu smiled: "Speaking of which, I'm a little short of money. But this gap is not ours. Our family has a wine shop, a phoenix, and thousands of items are made every day, how much can these people in our family spend? There is a gap, because this Luoyang City-"

Li Mu sighed and said, "I finally understand now why Emperor Yang of Sui would make a mess of the great rivers and mountains. People, you just can't be in a hurry. If you have to do something that takes ten years, you have to do it in three years, and all kinds of problems will naturally arise—"

"Then slow down?" Zhang Tianai didn't understand what Li Mu said, her mind was not so deep, if everything could follow her thoughts, Li Mu had better go back to the Western Regions with her, she was a person who grew up on the grassland, and she didn't like a big city like Luoyang Chang'an, there were too many people, and the relationship was too complicated.

"Can't be slow," Li Mu turned Zhang Tianai's body, faced her, and said, "I have to finish the infrastructure construction quickly, and then build a ship and go to sea, Zhi'en's side is not needed." Li Mu smiled: "Speaking of which, I'm a little short of money. But this gap is not ours. Our family has a wine shop, a phoenix, and thousands of items are made every day, how much can these people in our family spend? There is a gap, because this Luoyang City-"

Li Mu sighed and said, "I finally understand now why Emperor Yang of Sui would make a mess of the great rivers and mountains. People, you just can't be in a hurry. If you have to do something that takes ten years, you have to do it in three years, and all kinds of problems will naturally arise—"

"Then slow down?" Zhang Tianai didn't understand what Li Mu said, her mind was not so deep, if everything could follow her thoughts, Li Mu had better go back to the Western Regions with her, she was a person who grew up on the grassland, no