Tai Hao frowned, stared at the poor two deeply in confusion, and said: "I don't know something, since you have practiced "Tanuki Worship God", why is the secret book still hidden on the ancient tower of Liuding Mountain?" His voice was full of confusion, as if he wanted to find out a secret hidden in the long river of history.

The poor two were silent for a moment, and a trace of deep remembrance flashed in their eyes before they slowly spoke: "Back then, although the master taught the moves of "Tanuki Worship God", he did not pass on the secret book directly to us. It was only after the death of the master that we learned from the last words that the secret book of "Tanuki Worshipping God" had been hidden in the ancient tower of Liuding Mountain. There was a hint of regret in his tone, as if he was sighing about the past time, and as if he was lamenting the tricks of fate.

Tai Hao frowned and asked suspiciously, "Then since it is something left by Uncle Zhexiao, why don't you directly ask for it from the Lord of the Zhuying Pavilion of the Phoenix Pavilion, but instead think of stealing it?" There was an incomprehensible confusion in his tone, as if questioning the motives of the poor two.

The poor two smiled bitterly: "Taihao, you don't know anything." That secret book was left in the ancient tower, obviously not for our senior brothers. Don't you know the relationship between Lord Zhu Ying Pavilion and our Master? There was a mixed emotion in his voice, as if he was recalling a dusty history.

Tai Hao replied frankly, "I really don't know the relationship between them. All I know is that last night on the ancient pagoda, I saw the inscriptions of Uncle Zhexiao and my master Yuan Shi. His words were full of inquiry, as if trying to solve the mystery.

The poor two continued: "Then have you seen an inscription named Chan Yin? There was a kind of expectation in his eyes, as if he hoped that Taihao would give a positive answer.

Taihao thought for a moment, then nodded: "I did see that name, but I don't know which hero Zhan Yin is." There was a curiosity about the unknown in his words.

The poor two took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: "Zhan Yin is our ancestor, the real name of the cat ancestor who has been praised through the ages. There was a kind of admiration and pride in his tone, as if he were referring to a legendary figure.

Tai Hao was shocked when he heard this, he heard for the first time that the real name of Mao Zu, the compiler of "Mao Zu Shengong", was Zhan Yin. He asked in disbelief: "What is the relationship between Mao Zu and Zhu Ying?" His heart was full of doubts, as if he had uncovered layers of mysteries, but he still failed to get to the heart of the truth.

Poor two said: "The grievances and grievances involved behind this matter are quite deep, and if you want to explain them in detail here, I am afraid it will be inconvenient." Taihao, would you like to help me go to the ancient tower to retrieve the brocade box? ”

Taihao's eyes are deep, like a quiet lake, and his thoughts rise and fall in them. After a moment, his calm voice sounded: "As long as you can guarantee that you can rescue Coriander safe and sound, I will fight side by side with you." ”

The poor eyes were firm, like bright stars, shining with determination: "Taihao, don't worry." We will definitely free Miss Coriander from Zhu Ying's hands. But that Zhu Ying...... The strength of martial arts is staggering, far beyond our match. We must plan carefully, and we must work together to have a chance to rescue her. ”

A hint of determination flashed in Tai Hao's eyes, as if the ice and snow melted, revealing the perseverance inside: "In this case, I will work with you, as long as I can make Coriander free again, I can listen to you." ”

Taihao knew in his heart that he would never be able to rescue Coriander from the enemy with his own strength alone. He realized that he had to join forces with the poor, even though it was a difficult decision. He hated the evil deeds of the "Four Great Demons", and he also understood the grievances between them and himself. However, when faced with the important task of rescuing Coriander, he must abandon his emotions and interests.

The poor two looked firm, and said in a deep voice: "Now that we have reached a consensus, can we set off tonight?" There was an urgency in his voice, as if he was ready to get the cheats immediately.

Tai Hao shook his head lightly, with a hint of tiredness in his tone: "I didn't sleep last night, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep my best shape tonight." If you act in a hurry, I am afraid that the gains will outweigh the losses. It will be more beneficial for us to go back tomorrow night. "He is eager, but he also understands that keeping himself in shape is the key to the success of the mission.

After hearing this, the poor two were silent for a moment, and then nodded in understanding: "That's true, it's not too late to go back tomorrow night." The most important thing for you now is to rest well and regain your energy. His words were full of determination, and at the same time, he also revealed his concern for Taihao.

Then, the poor two and the halberd turned away, their backs becoming more and more determined in the afterglow of dusk. They agreed with Tai Hao to gather here tomorrow and set off together for Liuding Mountain.

After the poor two and the halberd male left, Tai Hao turned to the Yuhong City Lord, his eyes were full of inquiry: "City Lord, can you talk about the relationship between the bandits in the city and Kunwu Mountain now?" There was a seriousness in his words, as if he wanted to solve the mystery once and for all.

Before the Yuhong City Lord could speak, General Houfeng, the general who had been silent for a long time, broke the silence: "Lord Taihao, you have just set foot in Jiutu City, I'm afraid you haven't had an in-depth understanding of the customs and customs here, right?" His voice reveals a unique vicissitudes of life, as if it is the double tempering of time and environment.

Tai Hao bowed slightly: "Indeed, I haven't had time to savor the customs here." ”

Hou Feng took a deep breath, as if he wanted to inhale the air of this Nine Earth City into the bottom of his lungs: "Nine Earth City is a place with a bad environment. Every winter, the north wind blows from the north like a wild wolf, carrying with it the kind of cold that pierces the bone marrow. Every year, many of the people in the city freeze to death because they can't withstand the cold. And the reason behind it is more because of their poverty, and sometimes even a quilt has become an unattainable luxury. ”

He paused slightly, and there was a hint of remembrance in his eyes: "The officials in this city have all been demoted here for some reason. Taihao-sama, are you the same for the sake of you? ”

Tai Hao nodded lightly, with a hint of helplessness in his voice: "As General Houfeng said, I also came to this Nine Earth City because of the emperor's derogatory. ”

Hou Feng smiled bitterly: "Speaking of which, I have been demoted to Jiutu City for five years. Five years ago, I was the general of a prosperous city in the south, and I lost a lot of money due to the political turmoil. But who can truly understand the anguish in my heart? I have survived five long years here, and every day I look forward to returning to the DPRK and China and doing my best for the country again. ”

His gaze wandered between Taihao and Yuhong City Lord, as if looking for some kind of resonance: "We, the officials who have been abandoned here by the imperial court, are like forgotten lonely ghosts, and the imperial court no longer cares about us, as if we no longer exist in this world. ”

After saying that, Hou Feng suddenly clenched his fists and slammed it on the table beside him, and the voice echoed in the silent room: "My Hou Feng has been loyal all my life and is willing to sacrifice my life for the country, but I fell into such a field because of a political turmoil. Lord Taihao, do you know how I feel? His eyes flashed with a complex light, resentment, unwillingness, but more of an expectation and hope.

Tai Hao listened to General Hou Feng's words, nodded deeply, and said, "General Hou Feng, I can deeply understand your feelings. If you think about it, you might as well call a spade, and I'll hear you. ”

A trace of firmness flashed in Hou Feng's eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "Lord Taihao, since we have been degraded by fate to this Nine Earth City, we naturally can't just sink. Are we really willing to spend the rest of our lives in this icy place? No, of course not! But how to leave is a question we need to think about together. ”

He frowned and continued: "In this remote place, we who have been forgotten by the imperial court, if we want to be promoted and return to the capital, it is far from enough to rely on our own efforts. We must actively establish contacts with those officials who are still in power in the capital, and only with their support and recommendation will we be able to get out of this predicament. ”

Hou Feng's words revealed a kind of determination and tact, and it was clear that he had already thought deeply about this issue: "We must make use of the resources we have to communicate with the officials of the capital as much as possible, so that they know that although we are in Jiutu City, our hearts are still towards the imperial court, and we still have the enthusiasm to serve the country." Only in this way will we have the opportunity to return to the capital and regain its former glory. ”

Taihao listened to Hou Feng's tirade, but he was still like a cloud, not knowing his true intentions. So, he frankly stated to Hou Feng: "General Hou Feng, I have experienced eight years of debasement in Lingnan, and I have also experienced all kinds of things during this period. However, no matter where we are in the world, as officials of the imperial court, our first priority is to govern the cities under our jurisdiction so that the people can live in peace and prosperity. General Houfeng, do you want to imply that the bandits in Jiutu City are not really from Kunwu Mountain, but the people in the city are looting and oppressing innocents in the name of bandits in Kunwu Mountain? ”

Hou Feng was shocked by Taihao's direct question, and instantly had mixed feelings in his heart. He hurriedly explained: "Lord Taihao, you don't know, now there are corrupt officials and corrupt officials in the court, and they treat the people like mustard. Even if we do our best in this Nine Earth City to keep the city in order and the people to live and work in peace and contentment, what is the use? Without the recommendation of the important ministers of the court, I am afraid that we will be trapped here forever and will not be able to return to the capital. ”

After hearing this, Taihao's eyes were as deep as the sea, and he said in a deep voice: "As officials, we should always put the well-being of the people first. We have only one goal, and that is to benefit the people, not to oppress them. Only in this way can we truly be called the officials of the imperial court and be worthy of our conscience. His words are full of firmness and perseverance, as if he is a response to Hou Feng and a spur to himself.

Yu Hong listened to the conversation between the two of them, and suddenly burst out laughing, and the voice echoed in the room: "Hahaha, Lord Taihao, your integrity and loyalty really make me admire, and you are undoubtedly a model for us officials." However, Lord Taihao, you must be clear that you are now only the lieutenant general of Jiutu City, and your duties are clear. Here, you need to be steady, you need to follow the rules, and don't change anything lightly. Maybe one day, the emperor will be in a good mood and it will not be impossible to transfer you back to the capital again. ”

After listening to Yu Hong's words, Taihao's heart instantly became as clear as a mirror. The two officials in front of him seemed to be majestic, but they faintly revealed the atmosphere of corruption. He only felt a deep sense of helplessness, because he knew that as a lieutenant general defending the city, his power was limited and he could not directly punish them.

However, Taihao also understood that he couldn't just give up. He needs to be patient, he needs to follow their words, and then look for opportunities to reveal them for who they really are. He needs to find out if the bandits in the city are related to Yuhong and Houfeng, and whether they are their cronies. When he finds enough evidence, he can write all this to the court and let the court make a fair ruling.

At this moment, Taihao's heart was full of determination. He knew that his path in Nine Earth City would not be smooth, but he still chose to move forward. Because he is Taihao, he is the official of the imperial court, and he has only one goal, that is, to benefit the people and maintain justice.