Ah Qing led a sturdy donkey into the city, and his thin figure looked a little weak in front of the black donkey with white hair poked on his forehead, riding a donkey and wearing a straw hat, his slender legs were swaying. When entering the city, the armor soldiers at the city gate all had gloomy faces, and carefully interrogated Ah Qing and the fairy on the donkey, and learned that the two were from Longhu City, and their families were businessmen from Longhu City.

The so-called text of the people of Longhu City that Ah Qing took out is an excerpt, and there is a piece of rice paper produced in Huizhou in the territory of the Great Chu Dynasty, which is very famous. The rice paper is tough, the surface is smooth, not moth-eaten or rotten, and the ink rhyme is ever-changing, which is respected by many romantic scribes. The names of the two are written in this fold, as well as the exact location of their home in Longhu City, and the end of the origami is also stamped with the red seal of the word "Longhu".

Walking into Yecheng City, Ah Qing raised his eyes and looked around, but did not find the figure of Master Zhou Tong. Yecheng is obviously not as prosperous as Longhu City, whether it is a paving stall or a restaurant inn, it does not seem to be as high-end as Longhu City from the outside. The houses in the city are old, and the roof rubble is mostly dull yellow.

Ah Qing led the donkey and walked slowly through the city market. The people in the city are now wearing thin clothes in the twilight of spring, and between people coming and going, Ah Qing sees that almost every adult has a solemn expression on his face, as if he has something on his mind.

When Ah Qing was queuing up at the city gate to enter the city, he heard some rumors that the new county commander would choose a girl who was in the age of eighteen in recent days and contribute it to Hebo, which means "Hebo marries." ”

The Zhanghe River, a tributary of the Yellow River within the boundaries of Yecheng, has almost dried up to the bottom, and the common people's agricultural irrigation is nothing more than rainfall every day, the canal diverts water, and the flow of the Zhanghe River decreases for no reason, which is tantamount to natural and man-made disasters. Three years ago, Yecheng was still a relatively prosperous city, although it was not as full of merchants as Longhu City, but the annual taxes handed over to the imperial court were never overdue. When Ah Qing heard this, he was interrogated by the soldiers at the city gate, and he didn't know what happened later.

Ah Qing was wandering around the city with a donkey, and his spiritual power quietly searched for the breath of Master Zhou Tong in the city.

Time passed like this, the bright sky was now dark, and the temperature had dropped a little.

Xian'er held a sugar gourd in one hand on the back of the donkey, swaying left and right, very happy, and the pink hair exposed under the straw hat was eye-catching. Ah Qing led the donkey to an inn.

"Laifu Inn" business is deserted, the shopkeeper is sitting on the lobby bench yawning, his eyes are listless under the turban, squinting his eyes and finding that Ah Qing and the two at the door seem to want to stay in the hotel, he quickly got up and bent over and ran to the two, not caring to see whether Ah Qing's dress is rich and noble, these days, mosquito legs are also meat.

The shopkeeper took the reins from Ah Qing's hand diligently. Xian'er turned over and got off the donkey, jumped twice when she landed on the ground, tidied up her dress, and the shopkeeper was stunned when she saw Xian'er's face, and reacted that this should be the daughter of a big family......

Xiao Er said tentatively: "Is this Miss Childe eating or staying in a hotel?"

Ah Qing has always been very unaccustomed to being called a son, and always thinks that it should be Brother Huan who is the real son.

Xian'er took the lead and said: "Of course, it's a hotel, come to a good room, and prepare good wine...... Just eat good food! Don't drink!" With that, Xian'er swaggered into the inn.

Ah Qing touched the donkey's head and said, "Just as she said." ”

"Okay!" Xiao Er replied, and led the donkey to the backyard stable, thinking to himself, "Will there be a young lady who likes to ride a donkey this year?"

When the delicacies were served, Xian'er's index finger moved, regardless of the image, and Ah Qing's eyelids twitched. The shopkeeper who was not far away was also shocked to see this pink-haired girl behaving like this, but she was also an innocent character, and she didn't know which family's daughter she was.

Ah Qing's movements were slow and orderly, and suddenly he seemed to think of something and put down the dishes and chopsticks.

"Little brother, come on. Ah Qing beckoned to the shopkeeper.

"Childe, it's here!" Xiao Er hurriedly trotted to Ah Qing's side. "What do you command?"

"Do you have peach blossom brew at home?"

The shopkeeper was stunned for a moment, this kind of wine brewed by peach blossoms is just ordinary people's self-brewing and drinking, and restaurants and inns generally do not have it. Xiao Er smiled embarrassedly: "I'm sorry son, we don't have it in the store." ”

Ah Qing said: "If you don't have it, it doesn't matter, then just have some rice wine." ”

"Okay, Childe, wait a minute. "Xiao Er should arrive.

Xian'er, who was burying her head in eating, puffed out her mouth and glanced up at Ah Qing, and asked with her eyes. Ah Qing ignored it and continued to eat. Ah Qing, who knew about "borrowing wine and talking" in Xintao Village, always needed a medium to ask something from the local shopkeeper in Yecheng, and between men, "wine" is the best communication bridge.

Soon after, a small pot of rice wine came to the second end of the shop, which was the most widely known "double-headed yellow" in Chudi. There are all kinds of human wine, and different brewing methods have been passed down for thousands of years, and the oldest wine is "rice wine." "The territory of the human race is vast, and there are different practices of rice wine in the six dynasties. However, Chudi's "double-headed yellow" is unique. "Double-headed yellow" is produced in Anyang County, Dachu, the raw materials are millet and millet rice, because the production of raw materials and wine are yellow, so the name is "double-headed yellow". The drinking method is unique, without heating and adding other ingredients, it can be drunk directly all year round, and the "ice harmony" in midsummer has a unique flavor.

Ah Qing took the flask and poured himself and Xian'er a glass, the color of the cup was yellow and clear.

Ah Qing held the wine jug and motioned to the shopkeeper if he wanted to come too, and the shopkeeper smiled, and saw that the shopkeeper was looking here on the counter, so he said embarrassedly: "Gongzi Xie is kind." Our "double-headed yellow" was specially transported from Anyang County. ”

Ah Qing took a sip, the taste was excellent, grinding the throat but not spicy, mellow and sweet. Xian'er also tasted it, her eyes narrowed slightly, and she enjoyed it extremely much.

Ah Qing put down his wine glass and asked softly, "Little brother, we are not locals, and we passed through Yecheng all the way." Just now when we were at the gates of the city, we heard some rumors. I want to ask a question or two. ”

Xiao Er's expression was a little nervous: "But the son said that "Uncle He's marrying"?"

A-Qing nodded: "My sister and I went out for the first time this time, and what we saw and heard along the way was really eye-opening. Fang Zhi lives in a corner of the place, but he is really sitting in a well and watching the sky, and he is already a frog. I heard about "Hebo" at the city gate, and I was really curious. ”

"Alas, what a riverman. It's just a gossip to confuse the public, it's all the witch's nonsense, in the past three years, she has killed three yellow flower girls alive, and she is eighteen!"

Xiao Er hurriedly turned sideways to give up his position, and the shopkeeper sat down directly with a big grin: "Go, take another pot of "double-headed yellow". Yecheng has not had much business in the past three years, where will outsiders come here. As soon as Childe entered the shop, I knew that Childe had traveled here. ”

Xiao Er nodded his head, and hurriedly went to the wine cellar to drink, laughing while running, thanks to the blessing of this son, he can drink "double-headed yellow" today.

At the square table, the rich-looking and kind-looking shopkeeper sat opposite Ah Qing and said, "When the prince entered the city, he felt that the city was lifeless. ”

Ah Qing put down the dishes and chopsticks, nodded and said, "Although Yecheng is not a wealthy place in the Great Chu Dynasty, it should not be the current situation. The soldiers at the city gate strictly handled, and the expressions of the people in the city were solemn. ”

Xiao Er moved quickly, and hurriedly filled the wine he had just taken for Ah Qing and the three of them, and poured a glass for himself by the way, acting cautiously, for fear that he would accidentally spill it.

The shopkeeper picked up the wine glass, poured it in one gulp, and said in a sigh: "Yecheng was still thriving three years ago, the water source of the Zhanghe River was sufficient, the boundary of Yecheng was smooth and rainy, and the crops in the field grew very well. ”

Xian'er asked cautiously and softly, "I heard that the Zhanghe River is drying up now." ”

The shopkeeper sighed deeply: "Yes! Three years ago, the flow of water in the Zhanghe River suddenly became so low that it could not supply the ditches in the field for irrigation. Later, an old woman came to Yecheng, claiming to be the temple of Hebo, saying that the people of Zhanghe Hebo only knew how to ask for it, and they were greedy and ungrateful because of the common people of Yecheng, so they reduced the flow as a punishment. The lord of the city at that time did not believe this man's words, surveyed the water source, mined and dug ditches. Strange to say, the Yellow River is surging endlessly, and the tributary Zhanghe River still has very little flow. ”

"Bang!" The shopkeeper slapped the wine table heavily, and then realized that he was rude, and said apologetically: "I'm so sorry for this son, let's invite this meal!"

Ah Qing shook his head and signaled that it was okay.

The old woman told the county magistrate at the time that Hebo asked her to convey it on her behalf, saying that if she wanted to marry, she must be a beautiful woman who was over eighteen years old. The county order believed it, so he chose a beautiful woman in the city, and the girl's father and mother cried heartbreakingly, it was useless, no one stood up and spoke. Then, the old woman of the temple chose an auspicious day, and let the woman sit on the bed pillow as if she were married, and floated her into the river, where she floated for more than ten miles and sank. ”

The shopkeeper's eyes revealed a little fear: "It's also strange to say, and it won't be long before Zhanghe recovers as before." The county commander was heartbroken, thinking that he was incapable of governing a city, which harmed the woman's life, and resigned and returned to his hometown. The imperial court sent a new county order, but in the second year, there was a matter of reducing the flow of the Zhanghe River, so he paid tribute to a woman who had just turned eighteen, and the new county order ignored the condemnation of the people, and even used the excuse of the river to loot the people's wealth. Last year, when the Zhanghe River was reduced, another woman was tributed. When the court found out, it dismissed this person and sent someone to arrest him and bring him to the capital. This year, another county magistrate took office, coinciding with the reduction of the flow of the Zhanghe River. This county order did not listen to the rumors of the temple and refused to offer the woman and the people's fat and ointment as a tribute to "Hebo". Judging from the previous two years, it was the day of "Hebo marrying" recently, and the temple wished the old demon woman that Hebo would be punished! This day was really abnormal, getting hotter and hotter, and the Zhanghe River was even smaller than in previous years, and it was even drying up. ”

It is said that the prefectural order finally relented and was ready to choose a woman in the city as a tribute. For this matter, the county order even fell seriously ill, and he should still be sick in bed at the moment. ”

Ah Qing and Xian'er were speechless when they heard it, it turned out that this kind of thing had happened in Yecheng.

The shopkeeper took a sip of rice wine and hurriedly added: "In the past three years, Yecheng has lost nearly 40,000 yuan, which family is not afraid of this Hebo? Not afraid that their daughter will be harmed by such a living disaster? So there are fewer and fewer people in Yecheng." We, where can we run here? The shopkeeper and the lady have already left Yecheng. Yecheng is getting poorer and poorer...... On weekdays, not many people come. ”

The shopkeeper said wistfully, "What can I do?" ”

Ah Qing and Xian'er looked at each other, no wonder the people in the city had such expressions.

The shopkeeper stood up and patted Ah Qing on the shoulder: "Son, leave Yecheng early, this place is really weird, according to me, there must be a monster in the Zhanghe River." When I was a child, I went to the border with my father and saw the demons, those ghosts, who were really ugly and ferocious. It's just that the Ordinary Academy has never sent anyone over, this is a harmful monster, where can ordinary people like me provoke it. Those people in the academy are the real immortals. ”

Xian'er laughed out loud, spraying Ah Qing with rice, and the shopkeeper and the boss looked dazed. Xian'er was about to say something, but Ah Qing glared, and Xian'er shrank her neck.

The students in the backyard of the ordinary college are all spiritual. The five academies are distributed among the six dynasties, which is to maintain the stability of the human race, which only refers to the "three tribes" in a narrow sense. Often, when there is a supernatural event in a certain place, there will be students sent by the college to carry out a mission to find out, and these students cannot reveal their spiritual practice and the identity of the college students except in the last resort, so as to avoid unnecessary impact.

Before Ah Qing and Xian'er went down the mountain, the vice president specially talked to the two about this matter: Freedom Academy, one of the five major academies, is not only the master of the academy but also the famous writer Su Zizhan of the Great Qi Dynasty, once said such a sentence: I don't know the true face of Lushan, only because I am in this mountain. The Liberty Academy is on the top of Lushan Mountain. Su Fuzi's sentence is a good explanation of the status of the backyard members of the five academies among the human race.

The vice president explained: Most ordinary people cannot know the size of the world and the things related to the "three tribes", and for some things that they cannot explain, they will note them as "ghosts and gods". The existence of the academy is to allow the common people not to be disturbed by these "ghosts and gods" to live a stable life, and the spiritual cultivation of the academy is different from the spiritual cultivation of those who are only to cultivate and strengthen themselves, and everyone in the academy should take the stability of the human race as their own responsibility.

Ah Qing clearly remembered that her grandmother said these words with such a serious expression, and even remembered the last sentence:

"The common people regard the people of our academy as immortals, but we can't think so, spirituality is not how to be a high-ranking existence, but compared to ordinary people, there is just a little more luck, there is nothing to be proud of, you and I are ordinary in the world. ”

Xian'er, who almost revealed her true identity, was glared at fiercely by Ah Qing, shrugged her shoulders and continued to bury her head in eating. She really wanted to tell the shopkeeper and shopkeeper in front of her: We are the gods you said you said!

Ah Qing thought seriously in his heart: After coming out of Longhu City, the master pointed to the geographical map and asked the two to go to Yecheng, it seems that he knew the abnormality of this place in advance. It's just that Ah Qing didn't search for the master's breath after entering the city. Besides, the abnormality in this place, will it not be enough to see the cultivation of oneself or the first rank of the mortal rank?

Ah Qing forgot that the girl fairy of the Spirit Clan, who had always been lively and active, was beside him, but the cultivation of the second grade of the Xuan Rank, Yuan Huanhuan was nothing more than that.

It was already dark, and the streets of Yecheng at night were even more sparsely populated, and the warm oil lamps of the houses next to the street shone on the street through the screen windows.

Ah Qing thanked the shopkeeper and the two people, and still paid for the meal and pulled Xian'er to go upstairs and go back to the room.

Ah Qing, who returned to the room, still had the drunken red on his face from the rice wine, but his expression was very serious, and Xian'er stood at the window and looked at the street.

"What does Xian'er think?" asked A-Qing.

"Huh?" Xian'er turned around and saw the drunken red on Ah Qing's face and sneered, Ah Qing would be on his face as soon as he drank, no matter how much.

"Yecheng?" Ah Qing was serious and had a serious expression.

Xian'er put away her hippie smile and thought about it and said, "I feel the water attribute spiritual power, which is very weak. But we Spirit Race are extremely sensitive to the perception of spiritual power. ”

Ah Qing's eyes lit up: "Zhanghe?"

Xian'er nodded, shook her head again, and said, "Not sure." After a pause, he said, "Let's go and see!"

Ah Qing clapped his hands: "Okay, let's go to Zhanghe to find out." ”

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