Countless Yanshi, dressed in narrow sleeves and light robes, walked into the hall from different directions, and from the hall to many different exits. Although their steps are fast, the expressions on their faces are very energetic, which is what people who devote themselves to their passion often show.

Ling Ai walked through the hall with the ink marks, and many people greeted them with smiles along the way. The Great Qi Empire is a place that attaches great importance to etiquette, but the people here seem to be unwilling to be slowed down by those bloated rituals because of the abnormal pace of life. Just nodding and smiling at each other, not only did they not need to salute, but they didn't even stop.

This style is very appetizing for the ink marks.

The hall was extremely open, and Yu Moji walked all the way through, passing by many exits. Some exits lead to large and small rooms, and many more connect to other halls and passages; Some have only the shape of a doorway opening, with an unobstructed view of the interior; Some are covered by simple and exquisite wooden doors, but when the door panel opens and closes, it will emit the sound of gold and stone; Some were faintly steaming with white steam, and were blocked by fang-like steel fences, and the springs had to be opened in a special order before entering.

Ling Ai walked in the direction of the ink marks, but it was a door made of pure steel.

Yu Moji stopped hesitantly, "I haven't passed the admission test yet." She whispered the humbling truth, "Is it really possible to go in?" ”

Ling Ai smiled and said, "It's okay. The admission test is very simple, and you must have no problem. Besides, the Cardinal's House was nothing special, except a huge storehouse, filled with a lot of unfinished armor, and burning the deathly expensive Chitose gold day and night. ”

Yu Mojin was amused by this beautiful and graceful eldest lady, and his heart relaxed a little.

Ling Ai said again, "Don't look at this iron door as if it was heavily guarded, in fact, this door is completely for the courage of the people inside. ”

Yu Moji said strangely, "Who is inside?" ”

Ling Ai smiled lightly, "What is in this is just some important people who are getting older and more desperate for their lives. She said but straightened her face and said, "Since we are here today, why don't we go and visit Mr. Lu." He is a teacher by which he depends. Since you are like-minded with him, and you have passed the admission test, you may also want to join him. ”

Yu Moji had never heard of such a thing, and he was a little confused.

Seeing that her face was full of doubts, Ling Ai smiled and said, "It seems that I haven't introduced you yet." Our reserves, after all, are newcomers in the study of Yanjia, and we need someone to guide us; The Cardinal pointed out a few respected old-timers to serve as teachers. ”

In Yu Moji's shallow and ill-informed head, the pedantic image of Xu Fuzi jumping to his feet and scolding people immediately appeared, and he couldn't help but show a little fear.

Seeing this, Ling Ai comforted, "Don't be afraid, in fact, they are just some old guys who stick to the old ways." It is true that they have achieved many things and done many amazing deeds; But in the future, the world will still belong to us young people. ”

This remark was quite bold, and Yu Mochen was shocked when he heard it. But after thinking about it again, she felt that this was indeed the truth, so she persuaded herself to put her mind at ease, and encouraged the little courage in her heart, which was not very much, but it was enough, and then followed Ling Ai in.

They turned two corners and came to a small room with an open door. In the small room, there sat an old gentleman with white hair and fairy bones.

Yu Mochen said in his heart that this is probably the old Mr. Lu, and quickly encouraged himself, ready to say hello to the old gentleman.

Ling Ai suddenly took a slight step, which happened to block Yu Moji's way, and said with a smile, "Oh, why is Mr. Lu not here?" ”

The old gentleman slowly raised his head, and when he saw that it was Ling Ai, he smiled and replied, "He will go and get something for me, and he will be back in a while." Xiaoling, what's the matter with you? ”

Ling Ai nodded and said with a smile, "It just so happens that your old man is here, let me introduce you, this girl is called Yu Moji, and she is a new reserve." Ink marks, this is the elder of our cardinal. ”

Yu Mochen hurriedly saluted the "Shi Lao", but Shi Lao, who was originally full of kindness, frowned at her and said, "I heard that the Cardinal has made a rare exception and accepted a reserve from the southwest border. This reserve didn't even report on time, and he was actually able to be admitted to the hospital. Is that you? ”

Yu Mochen was immediately a little embarrassed when he heard the undisguised disdain in his tone, but he still replied honestly, "Actually, it's not a reserve...... I haven't passed the admission test yet. ”

Shi Lao snorted lightly, and didn't pay attention to her anymore.

Yu Moji was really a little unbearable this time, and just didn't know what to do, Ling Ai suddenly said on the side, "Old Shi, congratulations." ”

Yu Mochen knew that she was here to relieve the siege, so he hurriedly and quietly retreated to the side, so as not to get in the way of Shi Lao's eyes that were almost raised above his head.

A little smile resurfaced on Shi Lao's solemn old face, and said, "Xiao Ling, what are you talking nonsense again?" ”

Ling Ai said, "My father has often talked about your old man recently, saying that Shi Lao has been getting stronger and stronger these days, and he has been working on new formulas with all his heart, and he has been guarding the Tiangong stove day and night. Why did you suddenly have time to come up to Mr. Lu today? ”

There was a sly glint in her beautiful eyes, and she continued, "I guess there must be some great new achievement." As a junior, you don't have much opportunity to talk to you, so while you are free at this time, of course, you should hurry up and congratulate you. ”

Shi Lao's smile became fuller and fuller, and he clapped his hands and said, "You are still clever." Yes, there is indeed a good kind of steel in the Tiangong furnace, which is called ......"

Before he finished speaking, Ling Ai had already covered his ears playfully and said, "Don't listen, don't listen." My mouth can't hold back the joy of the day. In a few days, when the eight parts are planned, it will not be too late for Mr. Shi to announce it. ”

Shi Lao smiled, "You came to ask me, but now you don't listen to me, pretending to be sensible, it turns out that you are teasing the old man." The next time I meet Lao Ling, I want to refer to you. ”

Ling Ai hurriedly said, "Elder Shi must not sue me. My father disliked me day by day for not doing anything and being idle, and always said that he would transfer me out of Yanfentang and send me to Tiangong Furnace for training. If the weather is urgent, you really threw me over, and it wasn't a trouble for your old man. ”

"Alas," Shi Lao's expression was a little helpless, and a little spoiled, and he only sighed, "I really can't help you." ”

As he spoke, another person walked in outside the door, this person looked to be at most seven or eight years older than Yuan Pingzhi, and he would be considered middle-aged.

When Ling Ai saw him, he smiled and said, "I've been waiting for you for a while—you see, I've brought your apprentice's apprentice here." ”

Yu Moji said in his heart, it turns out that this is Mr. Lu?

Didn't Ling Ai say that there are all old-timers, old guys, and old men here?

Ling Ai understood Yu Moji's puzzled eyes, and explained with a smile, "Mr. Lu calls me Xiao Ling, and my father Lao Ling. According to my father, there are different generations, so of course I have to call him Lao Lu. ”

The middle-aged man only paid a sigh of attention to Ling Ai's crooked reasoning, and did not think it was wrong; He said to Yu Mochen again, "I've been listening to you for a long time, and now I've finally seen you." Between this person's words, he didn't treat Yu Moji as a junior at all. He introduced himself, "My name is Lu Chen, I used to be a teacher, and now I can say that I am his brother. ”

Yu Moji was stunned for a moment, isn't the etiquette of the Great Qi Empire the most respectful and humble?

She was still puzzled, but Lu Chen had already walked over to Shi Lao, handed a document to Shi Lao on the one hand, and said to Yu Moji on the other, "Xiao Ling should have already introduced you, right?" This Mr. Shi is the patriarch of our cardinal, and you will see him often in the future. ”

Shi Lao nodded to Yu Moji, smiled a little kindly, and then turned back to Lu Chen and said, "Since Mr. Lu has a guest here, I won't bother anymore." ”

Lu Chen arched his hand and said, "If there are any other requests from Yanfentang, your old man can come to me." ”

Shi Lao thanked him again and again, then propped up his cane and left.

Yu Mochen was curious about why Shi Lao had a good eye for Ling Aiqing, and why Lu Chen, who was much younger than him, respected him so much, so he heard Lu Chen add, "It's not good to nominate in front of the old-timers, this old Mr. Shi's name is Shi Xian." ”

Yu Moji still looked confused. Seeing this, Ling Ai hurriedly reminded, "It's the one who developed the 'Xuantian Blazing Sun'." ”

Only then did Yu Moji suddenly realize.

She can easily remember all kinds of interesting armor made by her predecessors, but she is not very good at remembering the names of her predecessors. In the past, when she listened to the lecture in the lecture hall, she was already very fascinated by the so-called "Xuantian Blazing Sun". It is a kind of heavy armor that is both offensive and defensive, and is known as "aggression is like fire, and immobility is like a mountain". Even though the old man is arrogant, he does have real talent and learning.

Knowing that what he had just seen was the real person who had developed the "Xuantian Blazing Sun", Yu Moji was taken aback and blurted out, "But I listened to what you just meant, why does Mr. Shi seem to have changed his career to steelmaking?" ”

Lu Chen said, "It's not a career change." The study of the armor is only a general term, and it covers many fields, and it is because of this that the Cardinal Council is divided into eight parts; Under the eight departments, there are also sub-domains. The Cardinal's refrain from doing repetitive things, and the collaboration of teachers with different specialties has led to what it is today. ”

Ling Ai continued, "Having said that, we have to blame the 'Xuantian Blazing Sun' for spending a lot. In addition, now that the Northern Barbarians and Western Liang have been pacified, this kind of overly complex large-scale armor is not suitable for today's battlefield, so it is becoming more and more difficult to come in handy. If it weren't for this, the attitude of the military department towards Shi Lao would never have become so mean, forcing him to change to Tiangong Furnace at a lot of age. She said with a wry smile, "His old man was originally very good-natured, but now he is forced to go to the other extreme, which is really embarrassing for him." ”

Yu Mochen was stunned when he heard this, and suddenly felt that the government really didn't care about talents, and even a highly accomplished Yanshi like Shi Lao, in the highest hall of Yanjia learning like the Cardinal, couldn't exert his fists and kicks according to his will, and couldn't help but sigh secretly.

Lu Chen said, "There is some truth in Xiao Ling's words, but not all of them are right. Shi Lao was indeed highly respected and accomplished, but the Cardinal ultimately served the Empire. Of course, what we Yanshi hope most is to make some achievements in the field we are really passionate about, but first of all, we must meet the actual needs of the battlefield. He smiled again, "Although Shi Lao went to the Tiangong furnace in anger, now he has also found a lot of fun and benefits from it, and it is finally a good ending." ”

This is true. However, the excitement that had been secretly ignited in Yu Mojian's heart since he stepped into the rank of cardinal was also slightly hit by reality.

Lu Chen noticed Yu Moji's expression, and said with a smile, "That's what I said, but don't worry about Xiao Yu." In fact, most of the rules and regulations are controlled by us old people; Young people don't have so many constraints, you're still young, and once you're in the Privy House, you'll have many years to explore as you please. ”

Yu Mochen seemed to understand what he heard, and turned his head to look at Ling Ai, but Ling Ai just smiled and didn't speak.

Lu Chen touched his nose and didn't explain again, only asked, "When is your admission test, has it been decided?" ”