Outside the city of Shizhu, the ancient temple towering on the top of the mountain fell silent as night fell.

The mist formed by the rise of the yin qi surrounded the top of the mountain, making the ancient temple white and foggy, covering the figure of the temple on the top of the mountain.

Xiao Shizhu, with the black monkey and a few sergeants who were good at shooting, walked around the bamboo forest near the temple for a whole day, with the rhododendrons shaking red, and the giant trees towering among the rocks.

I also hunted for a day with great interest.

Over the years since he came to the underworld, Xiao Shizhu has learned a lot of novel things to play. He learned the old entertainment such as Liubo, pitching, and keju, and his favorite and best thing was hunting.

When Xiao Shizhu has nothing to do, his favorite thing is to lead the team out of the palace and go straight to the royal hunting ground, running Ma Nanshan. Come to the left lead the yellow, the right Qingcang, the brocade hat mink Qiu, and the thousand horses roll Pinggang.

In the evening, the Xiao Shizhu in the temple is a good harvest.

They beat a lot of fat, human-shaped beasts with pig-like mane, which hid in burrows in winter and were called cunning beast spirits. There are also a lot of deer and tall black stalks, fruits and wild vegetables, all dragged back with beast souls and handed over to the palace people who cook.

It just so happens that the ghosts who stay here today are also blessed, and they can have a good tooth sacrifice. This kind of game is really not easy for the ghosts who stayed in the city in the past.

After Xiao Shizhu handed over his mount to Qinglan to take care of, he went to the shrine, burned incense and bathed, and washed away the dust and sweat.

After washing and changing into clean clothes, Xiao Shizhu came to the main hall of the shrine. On the table set up there, there was already a sumptuous and delicious food, all of which were cooked with the beast souls brought back by Xiao Shizhu and the wild fruits and vegetables collected.

The ghost mother was already sitting at the table, pouring wine into Xiao Shizhu's wine jue.

"The Xuanjiao disciples here, the mulberry that they brewed themselves, said that they were used to repay the meat you gave them, and it smelled okay, you tasted it. As the ghost mother spoke, she had already poured Xiao Shizhu's wine jue full of purple-red mulberry wine.

This kind of liquor made from mulberries that have been ripe to the ground has existed since ancient times, and after the ancient methods of beating the world were lost, only the underworld could drink it.

This luscious and slightly sweet wine is a bit like wine. Every time the mulberry falls, take the greetings obtained, and on September 9, the well water is very good for wine, so it is named.

In the Yuque Palace, there are many kinds of wine that have been brewed since the era of the ancient gods, but there is no such wine. Out of the Yuque Palace, Xiao Shizhu drank it.

He sat down and picked up the wine lord and smelled it, the aroma of the wine entered his nose for a while, and Xiao Shizhu, who put down the wine lord, recited Bai Juyi's poem softly: "The mulberry falls and the air is warm, and the sound of the branches is high." ”。

"It's a pity that it's not autumn, otherwise this wine tastes quite delicious. After that, Xiao Shizhu raised the wine jue and took a sip, and after tasting it slowly, he said, "Well, it's delicious." The Xuanjiao here, you can go buy wine. ”。

"Two. Xiao Shizhu's eyes rolled, turned his head to look at Xun Xiang and Chen Ruo on the side, and said, "You all go to eat, don't pestle here." The barbecue outside is fragrant, and if you don't go to Qinglan and the black monkey, the two hungry ghosts, you can only leave the bones and scum of the temple for you. Leave it to me for a little alone time with my dear wife and a good dinner. ”。

"You dead Xiao Shizhu!" the ghost mother glanced at him, but her slightly red face was full of joy. In the huge Nine Shadows Kingdom, only she dares, and only she can talk to Xiao Shizhu like this.

After Xun Xiang and Chen Ruo smiled slightly, they nodded and turned around and left the shrine.

"Here, eat a thigh meat. After Xiao Shizhu saw them leaving, he picked up a piece of roast lean meat from the dinner plate and gave it to the ghost mother.

He knew that his wife didn't like to eat fat or tendons, so he picked a piece of lean leg meat.

"Okay, you can eat quickly, aren't you hungry after running outside for a day?" The ghost mother was a little shy, and hurriedly diverted the conversation, saying, "Earlier, there was news from Howling Wind City, saying that the second leader of the organization that resells minerals has been arrested. The girl personally interrogated his subordinates and learned that these minerals were indeed smuggled into Dongyingzhou little by little. ”。

The ghost mother also said while giving her husband Xiao Shizhu vegetables.

Their pleasant dinner is always unavoidable, and they are all the heads of the Nine Shadows Kingdom, so it is inevitable that this will happen.

"Qingqiu Fox Country?" didn't eat the vegetables, but asked after a little thought about it by Xiao Shizhu, who was tasting the wine.

After that, he smacked his lips, reminiscing about the slight sweetness left by the mulberry fruit wine in his mouth.

"Yes, and every smuggling is transported on the east coast, but the west coast and south coast of Dongyingzhou, plus the vast sea, so my country has not found it. The ghost mother nodded, and said the news that came from Xiaofeng City when Xiao Shizhu was not there during the day: "Then only some of them stayed in the Qingqiu Fox Country, and most of them were sent to the Six Heavens Continent. Our market company, with our money, is buying our own minerals. The money was also divided equally between them by the Northern Yin Dynasty. ”。

When Xiao Shizhu heard this, he stared at the delicious fruit wine in his hand and fell silent.

Looking at it now, there are really a lot of Xiao Jiujiu in Qingqiu Fox Country.

All kinds of small actions are endless, they are like the Chu River Han Realm sandwiched between the Nine Shadows Kingdom and the Northern Yin Dynasty, very inconspicuous, but secretly linking the two sides.

But it doesn't seem to be as peaceful as the Chu River Han Realm, and the Qingqiu Fox Kingdom is more willing to profit from it and slowly strengthen itself.

Xiao Shizhu can see this clearly.

"The Fox King and the old ghost of Xudu, I'm afraid they have secretly formed an alliance. After a long time, Xiao Shizhu, who took a sip of wine, sighed leisurely.

"It's very likely that this is the case, and the moon girl also judged it this way. After swallowing the chewed food in her mouth, the ghost mother said thoughtfully: "With my understanding of the old ghost of Xudu, if the old ghost of Xudu promises to give the Fox King the entire Dongying Continent to split our alliance, it will also be earned. Moreover, the Qingqiu Fox King weighed it again and again, and he would also feel that it was advantageous. After all, on our side he is still a vassal state. But on the side of the Northern Yin Dynasty, he is the Hades King of the Ghost Kingdom who can govern himself. ”。

When Xiao Shizhu heard this, he thought silently again.

After a few moments, he was not angry or surprised, nor was he panicked, but he was happy.

He was worried that there was not enough reason to send troops, and he ate the Qingqiu Fox Country to fight Dongyingzhou alone, but the Qingqiu Fox King did it.

"Let him do it, and I wish they wouldn't do it." Xiao Shizhu, who thought so, opened his mouth and asked again: "Is my daughter okay?"

Xiao Poria is still in Howling Wind City. is still surging in the dark tide, and in a place full of dangers, Xiao Shizhu is inevitably worried.

"It's fine. Seeing that his worried look quickly spread all over his cheeks, the ghost mother became playful, deliberately pretending to be angry, and pretending to be angry: "You have been playing outside for a day, why don't you ask me if I have anything to do in this shrine?"

"Don't you sit in front of me in a good way?" Xiao Shizhu smiled sheepishly and replied cheaply.

"That makes sense. The ghost mother thought about it and couldn't find fault with it, so she gave up.

"We need to prepare in advance, your orders are not enough to make King Yama take precautions. After the two ghosts ate a few more bites, Xiao Shizhu thought of something, and said: "Be ready to counterattack at any time, and let the army be ready to conquer Dongyingzhou at any time, and all the forces that are not subordinate to our country must be prepared." ”。

The ghost mother was silent, silently lowered her head, and drank wine and ate meat in small sips.

Military decision-making, as long as Xiao Shizhu is there, she will not interfere. All I can do is give some advice.

How to do it has to be decided by Xiao Shizhu.

"Taking advantage of the current balance with the Northern Yin Dynasty, most of the wars have been stopped, and the problem of Dongyingzhou has been solved. At least we can control the battlefield over there. Xiao Shizhu thought about it again and said: "It's best to leave only my country and the Qingqiu Fox Country, then after finding out whether the Qingqiu Fox Country is dying, I can eat them." ”。

"If you want to die in the country, I will fulfill him. Xiao Shizhu paused and said with great interest.

"If you want to say that, I have no objection, and I even agree with both hands. The half-full ghost mother put down the chopsticks and said slowly to her husband: "But you have watched the "Chronicles of the Ten Continents of the Underworld", and you should know that the rainy season in Dongyingzhou is coming. Its rainy season is different from other places, starting as soon as winter is over and not stopping until autumn. We don't have large-scale construction of facilities in Dongyingzhou, there are no underworld tunnels, no spiritual canals to guide floods, and no towns that produce materials on a large scale. All materials will encounter problems with transshipment as a result. With heavy rain and blocked transportation, this battle may not be easier than a few battles to defend Shuoyue Island. ”。

"The mountain roads are muddy, and once the logistics are no longer guaranteed, the morale of the army is shaken and morale is low. Seeing that Xiao Shizhu frowned and was silent, the ghost mother who paused said again: "I'm worried that it is not us who will attack, but once the Qingqiu Fox Kingdom really has the intention to secretly oppose us, they will take advantage of this opportunity to drive us out of Dongyingzhou." ”。

"Therefore, it is the best policy to defend first and then attack. Xiao Shizhu bowed slightly, took the words, and said with a frown: "Do you want to say this?"

As he spoke, he raised his eyes and glanced at his wife, and saw the ghost mother who nodded again and again.

After nodding, the ghost mother picked up the plain towel, wiped the little grease stains on the corner of her mouth, and said, "Wouldn't it be better if we could build a line of defense in the place we have already occupied, so as to consume the enemy and wait for the attack after the rainy season." ”。

Xiao Shizhu thought about it and felt that this was also a good idea, his eyes lit up, and he nodded in response.

With the current engineering geniuses of the Nine Shadows Kingdom, it is not difficult to build strong fortifications in the mountains, even if it is raining heavily.

Local materials are used, and there is no shortage of construction materials in this Dongying Island. It is much simpler to attack with a large army during the rainy season than to move supplies.

What's more, as the ghost mother said, if the Qingqiu Fox Kingdom takes the opportunity to calculate the Nine Shadows Kingdom, it will not suffer a big loss.

"How many sins I did in my previous life, I can still marry such a capable wife as you, I am blessed. Xiao Shizhu praised the ghost mother, and shouted to the outside of the gods: "Qinglan, take the map and take the pen and paper, and call the fungus people in." ”

[Liubo - also known as "Lu Bo". It can be seen as the predecessor of chess, which got its name because of the six pieces per person. Liubo also has chopsticks in addition to the chessboard and chess pieces, which are equivalent to the later dice, which are used before the move, so there is a great deal of occasional chance that the victory or defeat of Liubo will be successful. The six chess pieces are: owl, lu, pheasant, calf, plug (2), and the five pieces other than "owl" are collectively called "scattered". Liubo appeared in the Spring and Autumn Period, and was very popular for a long time thereafter, and later Liubo diverged, one developed into later chess, and the other evolved into a means of gambling. The earliest form of Liubo disappeared in the Song Dynasty. 】