164 times, the demons of the mountains and lakes were evil, and they forcibly wrote a letter of appointment to Suo Yuzhen

Zhong Liquan said, "You're fine, it's okay to find trouble!" But he also restrained the immortal aura according to the apprentice's request, although his appearance has not changed much, but with his divine sense, he has become no different from ordinary people.

Mei Zhenyi explained to the others, Mei Yi, Zhang Guo, Xingyun, Lilan, etc. also restrained their spirits, and among the group, only Qu Zhensheng, Gu'er, Sui'er and other three people with the lowest cultivation did not deliberately do so-their cultivation was not to such a point.

The northern border of Pengze is the Yangtze River, and when crossing the river, he did not look for a boat, but came to a place where no one was around, and rode a horse directly as if he were walking on flat ground. If you want to talk about Ling Bo's journey, Zhiyan, Mei Zhenyi, Mei Yi, Zhang Guo, and Xingyun Shitai all have such skills, but to let these people cross the Yangtze River with chariots and horses like walking on flat ground, only immortals like Zhong Liquan can do it.

The carriage walked on the waves of the river, a group of white cranes flew to hover and danced left and right, Yuzhen and others watched with a curtain in the car, looking fascinated. It's really worth this trip, so wonderful, how many mortals in the world can experience it personally?

There are mountains in the north of the river, the mountains are not high but the ups and downs are continuous, the spring flowers are full of fields, there are large and small lakes dotted in the mountains, and this place is still in the range of the Pengze water system. The next day they passed by a town called Twin Peaks.

The geographical location here is very special, there are mountains on two sides, and the other two sides are surrounded by lakes and rivers, and the radius of a hundred miles is like a paradise, with large and small villages distributed. With more than 800 households, Shuangfeng is the largest rural market town in the vicinity, and there are wine shops and inns in the town for merchants to rest. The inn is called Jianglu Inn, but the wine shop is called Lujiang Restaurant.

Mei Zhenyi and the others didn't care whether they stayed or not, but it was more convenient for Yuzhen, Gu'er, and Sui'er to freshen up and rest in the inn, so everyone temporarily stayed in the Jianglu Inn, planning to rest for a day before leaving. The innkeeper's surname is Jiang, and he was a little surprised to see a few Taoist priests traveling with their female dependents, but so many people are a big business. Greet each other with a smile, and follow the busy.

The group was very generous, and all the five upper rooms in the inn were contracted, and the sleeping utensils used by the ladies turned out to be their own in the accompanying carriage, and they did not need the things of the inn.

After staying here, she freshened up and rested for a while, and Sui'er pushed the window upstairs of the inn to watch, and found that there was a place outside the town where the flow of people gathered was very lively, like a temple fair. If you ask the guys, it's really a temple fair - the lake temple fair here once every three months. Yuzhen and the others were also interested when they heard it, so they had to go and see it.

Mei Zhenyi went out this time to travel with her family. Appreciating the scenery and people in various places, he was also very curious about the local worship of the "lake god", and it seemed that he had encountered an obscene shrine, so everyone went out to see the excitement together.

Thousands of people gathered in front of the Lake Shrine outside the Twin Peaks, not only the townspeople but also the villagers from the nearby villages. In addition to the worship of the three animals, the worship activities also offer silver coins, and some of the ceremonies are like signing in by name, some people bring tributes and hand over the gift post, and the temple in charge of the lake god temple is read out loud in public. A certain village, a certain village, a certain family, what is the worship of the lake god, how much money, and so on.

The fire and candles in the ancestral hall are smoky, and the people outside the ancestral hall are crowded, and many people are still setting up stalls in the open space to sell various objects, and the temple fairs in the countryside have always been gatherings. Yuzhen, Gu'er, Sui'er, and Xingyun looked around strangely, and they also crowded to the front of the crowd to watch the ceremony of worshiping the lake god. Zhang Guo and Mei Yi followed not far away.

The statue of the "Lake God" enshrined in the ancestral hall is a white-faced man with a short beard, a thin neck, small eyes, and a somewhat strange appearance. Zhiyan and Mei Zhenyi stood in the distance and watched, and quietly said with divine thoughts: "There is divine consciousness attached to the statue. This monster should be near the left, and along the way, I finally met the spirit enshrined in the obscene shrine, but I don't know what the origin is?"

Mei Zhenyi: "Looking at the posture of this temple fair, it is clear that it is collecting money and extortion, and the nearby villages have to deliver their property on time." ”

At this moment, Ti Zhuan, who was hiding his tracks, floated over out of nowhere, and said as if he had merit: "Mei Gongzi." I've got you covered!"

It turns out that the obscene shrine here was newly erected in recent years. Ten years ago, a "stranger" appeared on the edge of the nearby Daguan Lake, stepping on the waves and setting off huge waves, and said to the fishermen on the shore: "I am the god of the lake in this place, and you should set up a shrine to worship it, so as to ensure the level of peace!"

One of the two major local clans, the Lu clan, set up this lake shrine outside Shuangfeng Town, and the temple blessings and worship ceremonies were also controlled by the Lu clan. There are many offerings by fishermen in the vicinity. The next few years were uneventful. But three years ago, the situation changed again, and the temple relayed the words of the lake god. It is said that the nearby landed villages and families have not respected the lake god for many years, and the gods will punish them.

Sure enough, a few days later, some people from the villages and families named by the lake god went to the lake to fish, and there was an accident. In this way, Siye was shocked and had to rush to offer property, and the temple fair once every three months has lasted for three years.

After listening, Mei Zhenyi praised: "Mention it, it's really yours, and you can hear so many things in a circle." ”

Ti Yu turned around and blossomed, and pretended to be modest: "Don't praise me, this is my best ability!"

Zhiyan pointed to the banner hanging in the Lake God Shrine and said: "Such a demon even has the name of 'Wind and Rain, Country and People's Peace'?"

Mei Zhenyi sneered: "That's a deceptive word, just a demon just has the magic power to make waves." Now that I've met him, I'm sure I'm going to return this place to a quiet place. ”

Zhiyan: "There are many people here, and most of the villagers are ignorant, so it is inconvenient to do it openly, and then wait until midnight to interrogate the demon carefully, I don't think he can escape." ”

Mei Zhenyi: "Although there is a master in case of foolproof, but I am embarrassed to let the old man do it himself, wait until you guard the inn at night, and it is enough for me to take Zhang Guo and Mei Yi to do it." ”

Ti Yu hurriedly shouted: "Does Mei Gongzi want to catch demons?

Mei Zhenyi: "Don't scream, be careful to expose Xingzang, count you as one." ”

After a while of the temple fair, it was getting late and everyone dispersed, Mei Zhenyi beckoned everyone to gather and returned to the town to eat at Lujiang Restaurant. The shopkeeper of this hotel is surnamed Lu, and there are seven or eight tables in the store that are quite clean and bright, and Mei Zhenyi and others sat at two full tables and ordered some local specialties to drink.

While talking and laughing, a person walked in outside the hotel door. Wearing a high hat and a ribbon, he was the temple blessing who presided over the ceremony at the temple fair, and he was followed by two entourages. As soon as this person entered the door, he smiled wickedly, walked up to Mei Zhenyi and the others and hugged his fists and said: "I am the temple Zhu of the Lake Shrine in this town, surnamed Lu, may I ask where the officials and Taoist chiefs come from?"

No one got up to return the salute, Mei Zhenyi sat there and replied, "We are traveling Taoist priests, passing by here with servants and families." May I ask what Lord Miaozhu is doing?"

Lu Miaozhu: "I am here to congratulate, the local lake god took a fancy to this little lady, and wanted to marry Qin and Jin, so he ordered me to send a letter of appointment, and the dowry has been sent to the inn where you settled." As he spoke, he walked up to Princess Yuzhen and handed over a big red post.

If it weren't for Mei Zhenyi secretly stopping everyone with divine thoughts, this Lu Miaozhu would have flown out of the door a long time ago. Mei Zhenyi hadn't started to catch demons yet, and the "Lake God" actually came to the door. If you want to marry Princess Yuzhen, you really don't know whether you live or die. Mei Zhenyi instructed everyone not to show abnormalities, and to see how they played.

The guests at both tables showed a look of "shock", Zhang Guo stopped in front of Lu Miaozhu in a flash, took the post, and handed it to Mei Zhenyi next to Yuzhen. Mei Zhenyi didn't look at it. He stood up and said angrily: "We are just passing tourists, we don't know each other, why do we force our family to marry?

Lu Miaozhu shook his head nonchalantly and said, "The little Taoist is wrong. How can it be said that it is a forced marriage? Please read the letter of appointment carefully, the lake god takes a hundred taels of silver as a dowry, which is enough for you to put a few more beautiful flowers, and the lake god only needs this little lady. ”

One hundred taels of silver to hire Princess Yuzhen? Everyone deliberately stiffened their faces and almost didn't laugh. Mei Zhenyi opened the letter of appointment and glanced at it, shook her head suspiciously: "I am not greedy for money, if I don't want to, I don't want to." ”

Lu Miaozhu: "The government can't control the lake god, and the gods take a fancy to this little lady, which is a blessing for you." Where is there any reason to push back and obstruct everything? The lake god deliberately hired you with a lot of money, which was to show your sincerity in order to save face. Then he said to Yuzhen with a shy face: "Little lady, you have the favor of the gods, that's your earth immortal fate!"

Mei Zhenyi threw the letter of appointment back: "Is the god of the lake really not afraid of provoking the government? I took this letter of appointment for fear of leaking the news and being reported by someone in the future, and if I accept it, the lawsuit will not be completed." It is claimed that the gods still play this kind of trick, but I don't accept it. Do you still want to rob people in broad daylight?"

The letter of appointment was thrown back into his arms. Lu Miaozhu's face was ugly, and the shopkeeper of the wine shop over there was also very nervous. Leaned over and whispered to Miaozhu: "Third brother, which one are you singing today? They are not locals, and the lake god never touches the passing merchants?"

Lu Miaozhu whispered: "I don't understand, this time it was Lord Hushen who spoke personally, and I think I really fell in love with this little lady." Then he turned around and said viciously to Mei Zhenyi and the others: "Don't eat the toast, blame the gods, wait and see!" and then hurried away with two entourages.

Everyone didn't speak, only a sentence came out invisibly: "The lake god must be a man, why doesn't he take a fancy to others, we have a lot of beautiful women here?"

When they finished their food and drinks and walked out of the wine shop, they found that many people outside the door were pointing and talking, and when they saw them going out, they lowered their heads to avoid their eyes. Zhong Liquan walked in the front, sighed and didn't say anything, flicked his sleeves and walked back to the inn, everyone followed, angry and funny in their hearts.

Back at the inn, there were eight dowries in the courtyard, presumably also sent by the "Lake God". Shopkeeper Jiang stepped forward and whispered: "Ladies and gentlemen, why are you still acting like you're nothing? Since the little lady is not married, you should hurry up and leave!" It seems that the news that the lake god is going to marry has spread in the town.

Mei Zhenyi: "I haven't paid the house yet, how can I leave like this?"

Shopkeeper Jiang patted his thigh: "At this time, you still talk about the house money, I won't blame you if you just don't say goodbye, that lake demon has great powers, even if you have Taoism, I'm afraid you can't afford to provoke it." ”

The shopkeeper Jiang called the lake god "Lake Demon", and also said that he had great powers, it seemed that there was something in the words, Mei Zhenyi also whispered: "I am not satisfied with you to say, we have indeed learned the demon subduing method, and we are not afraid of ordinary demons." What is the so-called lake god here, and can the shopkeeper give me a private advice?"

Shopkeeper Jiang came to Mei Zhenyi's room, closed the door and told a story about the past, some of which were in a hurry and didn't inquire clearly-

There are two major families in this place, whose surnames are Jiang and Lu, and they have always been dissatisfied with each other. Ten years ago, the lake god appeared, and the Lu family preemptively set up the lake god shrine and sent people to control it, suppressing the Jiang family in the name of the gods. The Jiang family secretly suffered a lot of losses and raised heavy funds to try to subdue the demons. But it never worked.

Three years ago, there was a wandering Taoist named Ling Xuzi passing by here, claiming to be from Laoshan Mountain with immortal mana, and was invited by the Jiang family to perform the flying sword magic in public. So the Jiang clan promised a hundred taels of gold and silver and asked him to kill the lake demon. As a result, Ling Xuzi never returned, and he didn't even find the corpse.

Soon after, the god of the lake appeared again and punished the ungodly villages and families. The Jiang clan was helpless. can only bow to the "lake god" and offer property to the lake god shrine on a monthly basis, and I don't know if these treasures will fall into the hands of the lake god or the head of the Lu family who holds the obscene shrine?

As long as the lake god is worshiped by the local villagers, he never alarms the passing merchants, maybe he doesn't want to cause too much influence in the outside world, or it may be because the passers-by are not clear in the ground, and I don't know if it will involve characters who are not easy to offend. This time it was really unexpected to forcibly marry a passing beauty, but he didn't mess around openly. At least on the surface, a letter of appointment was given, and a lot of money was promised.

Mei Zhenyi realized that this obscene shrine was also involved in local clan disputes. As soon as he said this, there was a report from a guy outside the door - Lu Laifu, the head of the Lu family, asked to see him. Shopkeeper Jiang's face changed and said, "That old thing is coming, it must be no good!"

Mei Zhenyi waved her hand indifferently: "It's okay, you go." When I saw him, he was. ”

Lu Laifu is in his early sixties, and his body bones are quite tough, that is, three front teeth have been lost, and they are inlaid with gold teeth. It's polite to meet and talk. When exchanging names, Mei Zhenyi called herself Chunyangzi. Lu Laifu said: "The local lake god took a fancy to the beauty around the head of the pure yang road, and heard that the head of the road refused to cut his love, and he was afraid that the lake god would be angry and the people would suffer, so he requested on behalf of the villagers in a radius of 100 miles, and gave 200 taels of silver. ”

He said politely, but the implication was not good, and his expression seemed to say: "Isn't so much silver enough, don't be embarrassed." Take politeness as a blessing! If you annoy the lake god, you won't be able to eat and walk around!"

Seeing this posture, Mei Zhenyi shook his head and said: "It's not me who the lake god wants to marry, since Mr. Lu wants to ask for the life of the local people, I will call the beauty here and ask her what her opinion is?"

Inviting Princess Yuzhen here, Mei Zhenyi relayed Lu Laifu's words, and finally said: "This old Mr. Lu claimed to ask for his life on behalf of the villagers within a radius of 100 miles, and also sent 200 taels of silver. Please marry the god of the lake. So that he can benefit one party, how about the beauty?"

He called Yuzhen a beauty a little ridiculously. Yu Zhen walked to the side and quietly pinched him, and sneered at Lu Laifu: "Ask for your life for the people and benefit the party? It's really hard for you, you can say such a high-sounding thing when you see people's dirty things!"

Lu Laifu was unceremoniously reprimanded by a woman, and said angrily: "Today's plan, if you don't follow the lake god, you have to follow it, and the lake god's magic power is boundless, and he will come to marry." The old man clearly had good intentions, and since he didn't appreciate it, he took his leave!"

At this time, he slipped into the house and said secretly: "This old man's subordinates watched the front and back doors of the inn, as if they were afraid that we would escape. ”

As soon as he heard this, Yuzhen stopped Lu Laifu, who was about to go out: "Wait, don't you just want me to marry the lake god? ”

Lu Laifu turned around and asked, "What dowry does the little lady want?" ”

"You, and the temple Zhu who sent the letter of appointment today, I want the two of you to have a mouth full of teeth, and you can't do it without one! Aren't you going to ask for your life? Then start with yourself! I don't ask you, I only ask the lake god, see if he will give this dowry?" Princess Yuzhen was angry, she seemed weak, but she was quite difficult to mess with.

Before Lu Laifu could react, Mei Zhenyi had already ordered someone to send off the guests. After about an hour, another man came to the inn, holding a plate in his hand, claiming to be sent by the god of the lake to give a dowry. The plate contained dozens of teeth, with vague traces of blood.

This kind of filthy thing is not good for the princess to see, Mei Zhenyi glanced at the courtyard and said, "Why are there three missing, take three broken gold to make up the number?"

The man replied, "Three of his teeth fell out a few years ago, and these are the gold teeth that came later." ”

Mei Zhenyi waved his hand and knocked the plate to the ground, and scolded: "If you say that you have a mouth full of teeth, you have to count enough, and you can't have one less...... Mei Yi, close the door and send off guests!"

Mei Zhenyi knows very well that this will completely anger the demon, and then he will directly rob people. He asked the shopkeeper and his men to close the door in the room and not come out, while the others rested in the inn and waited for the "Lake God" to arrive.

In the middle of the night, Ti slipped into Mei Zhenyi's room, and his tone actually seemed to be happy cheers: "The lake god monster is here, and he has arrived outside the inn——!