"So, you are at Zhao's place, chopping firewood for an afternoon?" Wei Xueying showed an extremely disgusted look towards Ma Yan.

At this time, the three of them were having dinner downstairs in the inn, and Ma Yan recounted the news he had found out that afternoon.

"It's not called chopping wood, it's called apprenticeship. Ma Yan hurriedly explained.

"Shame!" Wei Xueying finished speaking, eating silently.

"How can this be called a shame?" Ma Yan defended, "I went to Zhao's place today, and Zhao is already sick in bed, and even the chrysanthemum wine is sold by her son. They were short on manpower, so I thought I would stay as an apprentice and try to learn the secret recipe for making chrysanthemum wine......"

Ma Yanyue said, his tone became deeper and lower. It is true that he didn't think about it at the time when he became an apprentice, and now it's too late to regret it.

"Alas......" Ma Yan sighed, "This sword courtyard is too, what task is not arranged for us......?

"What's the use of complaining about this? Now that the day has passed, let's think of something useful. Xu Changfeng whispered, "Otherwise, if we continue like this, we really won't be able to complete the task." ”

"I suddenly came up with a solution!" Ma Yan said suddenly excitedly.

"What?" Xu Changfeng asked.

"Let's help the Zhao family get Baoyu back, she will definitely be grateful and can't reciprocate, and when the time comes, we will take the secret recipe of chrysanthemum wine as a reward, won't that be it?" Ma Yan said with a smile.

When Xu Changfeng heard this, he hurriedly picked up a piece of meat and stuffed it into Ma Yan's mouth, "What kind of messy methods are you thinking of? This treasure jade is so easy to find, and people have already died dozens of times with half a sword." ”

Ma Yan shrugged helplessly, and the three of them fell silent for a moment.

This is indeed a tricky question......

"I have a plan now. Wei Xueying suddenly put down her chopsticks and said in a low voice, "Since Ma Yan is now an apprentice, let him find an opportunity to explore the steps of making chrysanthemum wine, and even if we can't get the secret recipe at that time, we can hand over a semi-finished product, so that we can complete the task, right?"

"That's right!" Ma Yan said happily, "As long as we get the secret recipe from the Sword Academy, we don't say that we have to complete it." ”

"It's a loophole. Xu Changfeng said, "The risk is too great." ”

"So it's the only way to go. Wei Xueying nodded and said, "There are still six days, let's see if we can find another way." If not, that's the only way to go. ”

Xu Changfeng and Wei Xueying ate very little at this dinner, but it was Ma Yan who ate seventy percent of the dishes alone.

......

In the blink of an eye, the night was deep, and Tiandu County seemed to be sealed in this endless darkness, so quiet that it was almost impossible to hear a sound.

At this time, a man cautiously pushed open the door of the inn and ran quickly towards the side of the alley. Although Tiandu County is not Chang'an, the curfew at night is not so strict, but now the half-sword wind is very tight, and the yamen has increased the number of night patrols.

The man hurried around the corner and came to the door of a courtyard, through which he could glimpse that there were still houses with lights on.

The man took out the key, opened the gate of the courtyard, closed it gently, and walked into the house with the lights on.

The house was very simple, and the masked man in his night clothes was sitting on the bed, and when he noticed that the door was being pushed open, he quickly stood up and drew his short sword.

"It's me. The man who walked in lowered his voice.

The masked man breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the man. If Xu Changfeng and the three of them were present at this time, they would definitely be surprised. The man who sneaked in in the middle of the night turned out to be the shopkeeper of the inn!

"How's the fish?" asked the innkeeper in a low voice, looking at the masked man.

"I've put her to sleep. The masked man nodded and said, "What's the matter with you coming to me in the middle of the night?"

"I have a batch of goods here, and they are of the highest quality. The innkeeper smiled and said, "I think I have plenty of time, it's seven days, do you want us to do a vote?"

"Seven days?" Listening to the masked man's tone, he was obviously a little moved, "Yes, but it still has to be on the premise of ensuring the safety of the plan." ”

"No problem!" The innkeeper nodded, looked around, and couldn't help asking, "Is there any news from Half Sword now?"

"There it is!" the masked man nodded, and was about to continue, when he heard a thud coming from the wall, and then stopped the sound.

The masked man drew his dagger and pushed open the door and quickly disappeared into the night. The innkeeper was alone in the house, his face turned blue with fright, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably.

He knew very well that if this matter was exposed, he would not want to live.

After a long while, the masked man walked back unhurriedly. The innkeeper stared at the short sword in his hand for the first time, it was extremely clean and did not leave the slightest trace of blood.

"Ran away?" asked the innkeeper in a low voice.

Next door is a thatched house, he should have accidentally heard the word half-sword. The masked man said in a deep voice.

"Coming here in the middle of the night to go to the thatched house, could it be the official of the night watch?" The innkeeper was startled again.

The masked man shook his head and said, "No." I can feel that that person is a cultivator, and his cultivation should only be of the first order, and there is no cultivator in this Tiandu Town who is just doing such hard work. ”

"Could it be...... Inside the inn?" the innkeeper said in surprise, "Those three people all carry swords, and they probably should also be first-order cultivators. ”

"There are no thatched huts in the inn, huh...... You can't go wrong. The masked man nodded coldly and said, "Since they heard something they shouldn't have heard, then don't blame us for not being emotional!"

......

"Xu Changfeng, Xu Changfeng, wake up!"

Ma Yan hurriedly returned to the guest room and hurriedly pushed Xu Changfeng, who was sleeping on the floor.

Xu Changfeng slowly opened his eyes and was about to light the lamp, but was stopped by Ma Yan, "You can't light the lamp!"

Xu Changfeng couldn't help but wonder, "In the middle of the night, why don't you sleep?"

"I just went outside to go to the hut, and guess what I heard?" Ma Yan said in a low voice.

Xu Changfeng shook his head.

"I heard someone talking about the half-sword in the courtyard next to the thatched house!" Ma Yan said excitedly, "I can't say, the stolen goods stolen by the half-sword are hidden inside!"

"Then what are you excited about?" asked Xu Changfeng puzzled.

Ma Yan said with a look of admitting his mistake: "Aren't I too nervous, I was accidentally discovered by them, but don't worry, they don't know who I am." ”

Xu Changfeng turned his mind and asked in a low voice, "You mean, you want to go there tomorrow to investigate?"

"That's right!" Ma Yan nodded, "I'll get up early tomorrow to go squatting, and then find a chance to sneak in and have a look." ”

"Aren't you going to be an apprentice tomorrow?" Xu Changfeng then asked.

Ma Yan suddenly realized, and couldn't help scratching his head, "This ......"

Xu Changfeng thought for a while and said, "I'd better go." Maybe people have already seen you, and you will be exposed again tomorrow. ”

"That's it. Ma Yan nodded and said, "You should be careful tomorrow, it's best to call Wei Xueying and let her help you let go outside." ”

The two talked for a while and then went to sleep.

Early the next morning, Xu Changfeng found Wei Xueying and told her about the plan he discussed with Ma Yan last night, but Wei Xueying was strongly opposed at first, which was too risky.

But the two continued to discuss for a while, and after thinking about it, it was better to go around the courtyard and take a look before talking. After all, as far as the current situation is concerned, this is the only way to be more suitable.

This is not a relative, if you want to get the secret recipe of chrysanthemum wine, you must make people owe a favor.

Today's streets in Tiandu County are obviously more lively than yesterday, but there are still fewer people than in the past.

The two of them came to the outside of the courtyard that Ma Yan had mentioned, the courtyard wall was about a foot high, and it was not difficult for cultivators to climb it.

"The location of this courtyard is relatively remote, and there are few people on weekdays, so if Banjian wants to store stolen goods here, it is a very good choice. Xu Changfeng whispered, "It's just that Banjian should be alone, how can he cooperate with others?"

"There's a corner ahead, let's go over and have a look. ”

Wei Xueying pointed to a very narrow path in front of her and said, this should be separated from each other by the two courtyards.

The two walked quickly to the front of the path, the path was only three feet wide, and could only allow one person to pass alone, Xu Changfeng took the lead into the path, trying to climb over the fence from here to take a look in the courtyard.

However, as soon as he stepped into the path with his front feet, he saw a woman in a pink dress fall to the ground with a pale face.