The quiet wine shop, without the smoke and miasma of the Jianghu people, and the smell of the rich businessmen.

In the afternoon, meeting friends and family, looking at the crowded streets, and enjoying the quiet time that has not been seen for a long time is the life that many people dream of.

Xia Qiudong looked at the wine cup on the table and didn't take it, but still had an expressionless face.

He didn't dislike the boy in front of him, but he didn't like it either, he just instinctively didn't want to get close to him.

Obviously, the two had not met before in Yuezhou City, but this spontaneous feeling seemed to be deeply engraved in his soul, making him unable to change his opinion no matter what happened.

"Why is the shopkeeper looking for the official office?"

Four days ago, when Wei Zigeng and Xu Yue were familiar with the surrounding environment of Fu Yin Yamen, they inadvertently saw Xia Qiudong in a big red fish dragon robe in the crowd.

Dali implemented a new policy, the Daozhou government added the secretary in charge, the deputy section of the envoy, the marching Taichang Sima and the Taiping Xielulang, the original official rank of the local officials was promoted to half a grade, and the government Yin was promoted from the original four grades to the third rank.

An official from the third grade, let you be a disciple of that wealthy family or a big faction, if you trespass into the imperial court from the mansion of the third-grade official, it will be a big hat.

There are many family sects with such strength, but there are very few who have such courage and courage.

is willing to be a widow and dare to pull the emperor off the horse, but how many people are really widowed?

Therefore, just when Wei Zigeng was at a loss, Xia Qiudong appeared in their eyes.

After many inquiries, I learned that Xiaqiu and Winter are now living in the Happy Building, and after several matchmaking matchmaking, the letter was sent to the commander.

Wei Zigeng handed the wine cup in front of him, and the latter's brick face that had not changed for thousands of years made Xu Yue very unhappy.

"Drink, Lord Shi will definitely not come here to enjoy the fireworks Jiangnan, it is better to drink a glass of wine first, maybe there is something that the two of us can help the adults, maybe you can't say."

The wine bowl was placed in front of Xia Qiudong, Wei Zigeng's harmless smile made him a little unpredictable, and he reached halfway, but he still didn't pick up the wine bowl after all.

"The young shopkeeper should say something first, if it is speculation, it is not too late to drink this bowl of wine."

For the character of Xia Qiudong, Wei Zigeng already knew a thing or two when he was in Yuezhou City, this person is absolutely loyal to the court, and there is no room for a little sand in his eyes, but at the same time, he will not do anything beyond his authority.

Thinking of this, Wei Zigeng said with a smile:

"According to the law of Dali, anyone who buys and sells people and picks and breaks branches will be cut in half, and their families will be exiled to the border, and the crime of being an official will be added to the first degree, what I said is wrong."

Summer, autumn and winter cold opening:

"Naturally, it's good."

Wei Zigeng went on to say:

"Within the scope of Jiangnan Dao's economic envoys, thirteen state officials openly bought and sold women for sexual pleasure in the Yin Liu Xiao Mansion of Guan Yuan Mansion, does this regard my Dali Law as nothing?!"

There was a hint of fluctuation on the face that had not changed for thousands of years in summer, autumn and winter.

"If it's because of this, less shopkeeper? I'm afraid you're just looking for the wrong person, and I'm only in charge of the affairs of the rivers and lakes, but this official can help you report this matter to Your Majesty. ”

Xu Yue couldn't hide something in his heart, and when he heard that Xia Qiudong intended to excuse himself, he said:

"Isn't it the consensus of ordinary people to report to the official if something happens? The result? Level by level, level by level, now the evidence is conclusive, and you, the second-class official of the court, are next to you, but you told me that you can't do it? Or even to alarm the saints of today? What is the purpose of raising you to "enlighten Your Majesty"? People always say that officials crush people to death at the first level, and it's useless for you? You're wearing this fish and dragon python robe in vain! ”

Wei Zigeng quietly gave Xu Yue a thumbs up in his heart.

Xu Yue took a sip of tea, and was about to open his mouth to continue, but Wei Zigeng gently stopped him and said:

"Lord Servant, this brother of mine is so quick to talk, don't mind, if you really care about the power of Xuanjiawei and decide that the responsibility of inspecting the hundred officials is not yours, then there is one more thing in the future, Lord Servant will be interested in coming."

Xu Yue's words made Xia Qiudong's already cold face even more gloomy, and when he heard what Wei Zigeng said, he asked:

"Tell me about it."

When speaking, Xia Qiudong's cold eyes kept looking at Xu Yue, who was drinking.

Wei Zigeng pushed the wine cup in front of Xia Qiudong again.

"This matter is related to the border city villa, there was another person that day, who was the righteous son and first disciple of the lord of the Hanging Sword Pavilion who was now in the limelight in the rivers and lakes, and the Hanging Sword Pavilion Ying Jianqiong, and ......"

As he spoke, Wei Zigeng picked up the wine bowl on his side and took a sip of it, pausing deliberately for a moment to arouse the interest of Xia Qiudong.

Wei Zigeng's words successfully attracted the attention of Xia Qiudong, if it was just the buying and selling of human beings between officials, it was indeed difficult for him to intervene, and now the affairs of the rivers and lakes between Xuanjiawei and Yulongwei were handed over, if they touched the other party's eyebrows at this time, I was afraid that it was in the hands of some powerful people in the middle of the court, and they would take this opportunity to impeach him, the commander of the newly appointed officer.

At this point, Xia Qiudong asked:

"And what?"

Hearing Xia Qiudong's active inquiry, Wei Zigeng secretly said in his heart:

"Sure enough, the second lady Cheng Huan's intelligence is not wrong, now the court is changing rapidly, Xuanjiawei Zhenfu Shi Liu Weixuan is not concerned about the affairs of the rivers and lakes, and is bent on finding out the truth behind the armor case in the capital back then, and now the affairs of the rivers and lakes are divided into the newly established Yulongwei, so that he can have more time to strictly inspect the princes of the court, and after the death of Shangshu Ling Zhuge Yu and the resignation of the old chief assistant Lu Yuan, such supervision has become more unscrupulous, and the princes and princes have been very dissatisfied with this, The impeachment has been fruitless many times, so he turned the spearhead to the head of the fish dragon guard to command the affairs of Xiaqiudong and winter, and if he wants to sit in this position, he must make some practical achievements, the princes are good at scheming, and the new Kandi is a good means. ”

If there is an entanglement of interests, there is the possibility of cooperation, thinking of this, Wei Zigeng did not sell Guanzi, and drank it in one gulp.

"And this matter is also involved in the Shangsheng Sect, and what they showed at the banquet was the person who was made by the Shangsheng Sect using the grafting technique."

Previously, Xia Qiudong was still able to maintain his composure and calmness as a commander, but as soon as Shang Shengjiao came out, Xia Qiudong could no longer sit still.

"Shangsheng Sect! Is this true?! ”

Shangshengjiao, a mysterious organization that has suddenly emerged in recent years, is active in various state capitals of Dali, specializing in abducting and trafficking women, children and out-and-out beggars, and there are many ignorant believers among the people. Although he has caught many people who have entanglements with the Shangsheng Sect before, they are not all core members of the Shangsheng Sect without exception.

Wei Zigeng nodded, which completely ignited the desire in Xia Qiudong's heart.

"It's not a secret, His Majesty the Emperor has already personally ordered that no effort should be spared to eradicate the Shangsheng Sect, do you know why?"

"Why?"

"The Shangsheng Sect has already shaken the country's foundation, and even he has shaken my Dali luck!"

Xu Yue's drinking action came to an abrupt end, and Wei Zigeng also put away the frivolous expression on his face.

"What do you mean?"

Xia Qiudong drank all the good things he had poured before he picked up the table, and said to the two of them:

"This is not a place to speak, let's talk in another place."

Wei Zigeng also took the last glass of wine and drank it, wiped his mouth, picked up the long sword on the table, and left a tael of silver.

"Let's go!"

The three of them returned to Cheng's Mansion in Pinghu Villa, and the old man Cheng had been waiting outside the door for a long time, and beside him was the drunkard Xu who was leaning against the door frame.

"Your Excellency, you're finally here."

It was a little embarrassing for several people to meet, Xu Yue lowered his head, not knowing what to say.

"Master Cheng, this official has been bothering your mansion for a few days."

The tone of his voice did not look like he was staying in someone else's house at all, but he was the owner of the house.

Xu Yue lowered his head at this time, and Old Man Cheng looked at Xu Yue suspiciously, and asked Wei Zigeng:

"Wei Shaoxia, why is Xu Shaoxia here?"

Wei Zigeng said with a smile:

"Old Master Cheng, you don't have to pay attention to it, he has such a few uncomfortable times every month."

The drunkard Xu ridiculed:

"Isn't the old man here for the women's sunflower moon? Hahahaha. ”

Xu Yue didn't understand what Tianhua was, and when he saw the drunkard Xu who rarely smiled, he smiled so brightly, and he only thought that the drunkard Xu rescued him from the siege.

Wei Zigeng couldn't help but laugh, and casually found a reason to take Xia Qiudong back to his room in the guest house, and Old Man Cheng arranged for his subordinates to clean up a guest room for Xia Qiudong.

They didn't know that it was what the two of them did today that prevented a catastrophe for Pinghu Villa in the future.

Along the way, Wei Zigeng asked:

"Twist, twist, it's not like you."

Xu Yue said in a low voice:

"Those who eat others, those who live in others, they don't complain, and now they have brought someone over, which is also the good heart of Old Man Cheng, otherwise the two of us would have been kicked out of Pinghu Villa a long time ago."

Xiaqiudong snorted coldly:

"Old man Cheng has a good heart? Do you know that in addition to the three giants in Jiangnan today, there were Jiangzhou Lu's, Zhanzhou's district's, Tanzhou's Zhao's and Shenzhou's Feng's? But now? Old man Cheng used to be just a small boatman in Jiangnan Villa, step by step, and now he is not relying on kindness. ”

One will succeed and ten thousand bones will wither, the luxurious atmosphere of Pinghu Villa is full of white bones, and above Beigu Mountain is a head of Jingguan.

When they came to the door of Wei Zigeng's room, Cheng Xi and the three of them were already waiting in the pavilion, and when they saw the two coming back, with a person they had never seen before, Cheng Xi couldn't help asking:

"Where are you fighting again?"

Wei Zigeng ignored Cheng Xi's ridicule, and turned his head to the eldest lady Cheng Qing and the second lady Cheng Huan.

"Two young ladies, I don't know if the little boy has completed his homework today? If it is not completed, Old Man Cheng will blame it at that time......"

When he spoke, Wei Zigeng raised his eyebrows, and the two immediately understood the meaning.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, my homework today is very good, don't you think about it...... Oh, sister, what are you pulling me for! ”

Before Cheng Xi finished speaking, he was pulled by the ears of the two and left the guest house.

When they arrived at the outer door of the guest house, Cheng Xi broke free from the two of them and asked angrily:

"Sister, what are you doing? Wei Zigeng: They obviously have something to hide from us. ”

The second lady Cheng Huan's face was solemn, and the eldest lady Cheng Qing saw the clue and asked:

"What's wrong, what do you see?"

程桓 says:

"Did you just see the clothes that man was wearing?"

Cheng Xi rubbed his ears, and now they are still red and swollen, and they hurt to eat.

"What's wrong? Isn't it just a bit of bells and whistles, sister, if you think it looks good, I can ask the White Jade Pavilion under the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau to tailor it for you, and it is guaranteed to be more gorgeous than that! ”

Cheng Huan heard his brother's complaint and didn't interrupt for the first time, but he was still worried.

"The red background is rolled with gold edges, embroidered with cloud patterns, and the sea tide pattern, this style can only be used on python clothes, and ordinary people are absolutely not allowed to use it, but Dali has never heard of python robes embroidered with dragon gates and fish dragons, etc., let me think about it, let me think about it......"

Although the Dali Dynasty was not as strict as the previous dynasty, ordinary people could also wear light yellow.

After the succession of the new Kandi, the restrictions were relaxed again, allowing women to wear phoenix crowns and veils on the day of marriage and men to wear new clothes embroidered with red embroidered four-clawed dragons on the day of marriage.

After thinking deeply, Cheng Huan's eyes suddenly lit up and said:

"This is Da Li's newly made fish dragon python robe, and that person just now can only be the commander of the waiting officer fish dragon guard!"

"Ichthyosaurus! Then I must go and see, Xu Yue and they don't follow his way! ”

Saying that, Cheng Xi was about to walk to the guest house, but was stopped by the eldest lady Cheng Qing.

"Jianghu Inn is not as good as Happy Building, no matter how scoundrel Sanjiao Jiuliu can only drink obediently there, he grew up in Jianghu Inn since he was a child, and his knowledge is not comparable to that of a gentleman!"

Cheng Huan also nodded and said to Cheng Xi:

"What the eldest sister said is true, the young shopkeeper must have his decision, besides, you are my sister-in-law of Pinghu Villa, anyone in the family can have an accident, even if your father is gone, as long as you are still there, Pinghu Villa will not fall."

"But...... Alas! ”

At this point, Cheng Xi can only give up, he knows that no matter how he is and how he spends money now, it is because of the protection of his father Cheng Kongfang, but if this umbrella falls down one day, then it can only be him Cheng Xi who supports the entire Pinghu Villa.

In the room, Xia Qiudong took off the Jiangshan seal on his waist and solemnly placed it on the table like a knock mark, and suddenly a qi barrier began to spread from the small seal on that side, and soon wrapped the entire room in it.

Xu Yue only felt a sense of powerlessness welling up in his heart, and subconsciously used his qi, but unexpectedly there was no response.

He looked at his hands in confusion and asked:

"What's going on? I can't feel the qi in my body anymore? ”

Wei Zigeng explained:

"This is one of the seven magic weapons to finalize the seal of the country, which can isolate a heaven and earth, so that this heaven and earth can forget this place for a short time, but the people in the period, whether it is a martial artist or a monk, whether it is a magic weapon holder or a trapped person, cannot carry out celestial and human induction to mobilize the qi."

Although the paths taken by martial artists and monks are different, in the final analysis, everything they do is the same purpose, asking for immortality.

Immortality is a journey against the heavens, and cultivation is like opening a gap in the heavens, drawing nutrients from it, so as to perfect oneself, which is the induction of heaven and man.

How bumpy the road of cultivation is, which is also the sentence of the Dharma Sage Han Xun, "Heaven and earth are not complete, and people are complete?" ”

Xu Yue looked at this small seal in surprise, his eyes full of envy.

"Zi Geng, how good would it be if you said that this seal of the country was ours, so that against a strong enemy, as long as you knock lightly, wouldn't you let us slaughter it? Don't be afraid even if you go to the Immortal Realm! ”

Wei Zigeng listened to Xu Yue's words and secretly admired:

"Xu Yue's mouth has been opened, he really dares to say anything."

夏秋冬 says:

"This can't trap the true monarchs of the Immortal Immortal Realm, and they don't need the gift of heaven to reach their realm, and they can become a world of their own."

Wei Zigeng hurriedly interrupted their conversation and brought the topic back to normal:

"Your Excellency, now you can continue the conversation."

Xia Qiudong breathed a long sigh of relief and said:

"The luck of a dynasty lies not only in the emperor, but also in the ordinary people, in the thousands of people, just like the former Dakang Dynasty, the court is so corrupt, but when it has not affected the people, they can still survive for nearly fifty years. But in the last years of Dakang, the fortune of the dynasty was rapidly dispersed, resulting in continuous natural disasters, and even more drought was born, thousands of miles of red land, the people were not able to make a living, and the people's hearts were scattered, and finally Dakang was destroyed in the peasant uprisings again and again, and Emperor Taizu at that time was a member of the rebel army. Therefore, the later emperors of Dali have learned a lesson, no matter how severe the war is, how tight the front line is, it is absolutely not allowed to affect the spring planting and autumn harvest of the people, and it is absolutely necessary to leave rations and planting grain for the people. ”

Xu Yue nodded thoughtfully, he had the most say in this matter:

"That's true, even if we are too poor to open the pot, there will be relief food from the Yamen every month, although it is not much, but saving some food, it is enough for me and Xu Yin and Old Man Xu to eat for a month."

The relief grain of the imperial court has never been deducted in the local area, first, the relief grain cannot be deducted at all, and the second is that once it is found that the local relief grain is deducted, it is a big crime to raid the family and exile, and it is not worth committing such a big crime for the sake of that relief grain.

If it weren't for the relief of the Yamen, the Xu Yue brothers would probably not be able to survive that winter.

"What does it mean to move the country?"

After a short interruption, Xia Qiudong drank a cup of tea and continued:

"The Shangsheng Sect advocates the alternative immortality method of body change and soul immortality, which makes many high-ranking officials and giants who have inadvertently come into contact with the Shangsheng Sect, and even the princes and ministers have a lot of evil thoughts, do you think that using the Shangsheng Sect grafting method to create an alternative monster for a class of sick people is the reason why the dynasty wants to exterminate them by any means? Then you take Shangsheng Sect too seriously......"

It turns out that those high-ranking officials, princes and ministers all enjoy the blessings of all people, but when the world is still poor, let alone people? After all, they were unwilling to die of old age day by day, and finally turned into a handful of loess, and everything in their life became a cloud of smoke.

Three years ago, the Shangsheng Sect suddenly appeared in the Great Li Dynasty, and it was rumored that they could raise the dead, flesh and bones. Even if your heart is no longer beating, they can use their special means to replace your heart with a new heart. And so on, as long as the body part is aging, it will be replaced, and it is even said that the head of the Shangsheng Sect can change the head of a person, and even the memory can be preserved.

Speaking of which, even people like Xia Qiudong couldn't help but sigh:

"Hey, the people are ignorant and still have rhetoric, but these self-proclaimed people among the dragon and phoenix of the famous family are also like this, just like that, the matter of Shangshengjiao quickly spread and gradually spread, a year ago, Qintian supervised the loss of luck, only to find that in the past two years, there are countless people secretly believe in Shangshengjiao, and the people's hearts are not in Dali, which has attracted the attention of His Majesty the Emperor."

Xu Yue slapped the wooden table after listening, if it weren't for the fact that he couldn't mobilize the qi machine at this time, otherwise the wooden table would have turned into powder in an instant.

"If the true heart is not enough to swallow the elephant, he already has such a luxurious life but thinks of eternal life, and even does not hesitate to endanger the lives of ordinary people to achieve his own goals."

Wei Zigeng was still dumbfounded after listening to Xia Qiudong's words.

"Xu Yue, you are wrong, it is the ordinary people who often believe in these things, the people's wisdom is not opened, they are not able to be educated, the vast majority of them have never even left the village where they live in their lives, they are almost isolated from the world, they only know how to work and pay taxes, and in the end, this will make them believe in a person or thing that has given them even a little hope in the most difficult time."

When Xia Qiudong heard this, he was even more determined to include Wei Zigeng in Yulongwei, and his tone eased a lot between his words.

"What Wei Shaoxia said is good, the vast majority of them are ordinary people, and according to the investigation of other state capitals, the monsters you call for lewd pleasure are sold by their families to abductors."

"What!"

Another thunderbolt sounded in the ears of Wei Zigeng and Xu Yue, and Xu Yue retreated again and again and sat on the seat behind him.

"I'll tell you one more thing, and after hearing about it, you will consider whether or not to wade into this troubled water."

Wei Zigeng had lost his ability to think for a short time at this moment, and just nodded blindly.

Xia Qiudong looked at them a little unbearable, the two young men who were just out of the rivers and lakes were shattered in their hearts, but his next words would completely break their psychological defense.

"As you can see, those people with some animal characteristics are not deliberately done by Shangshengjiao, it is their family members who begged Shangshengjiao to make them look like this, some are for healing, and then they become monsters and are discarded by their families and picked up by people's teeth, and some are deliberately done by their closest relatives, because such monsters are very popular in the circle of some rich and high-ranking officials, and they can be sold for a good price......"

"Bang!"

Wei Zigeng slapped his palm on the table, the green tendons on his forehead burst out, one leg of the table sank into the whole bluestone paved ground on the right, the table cracked inch by inch, and suddenly turned into powder, the back molars in his mouth creaked, a trace of blood flowed out of the corner of his mouth, and he spit out word by word in his mouth:

"So, most of them are cardamom girls, beautiful women, and young men with red lips and white teeth!"

Xia Qiudong was silent, just nodded.