strokinit Chapter 67 A Small Gathering
Chapter 67 A Small Gathering
Chapter 67 A Small Gathering
Just as the Mo family was immersed in the joy of awakening their bloodline, the official road outside Shangyin County was filled with a large number of constables.
County Magistrate Fang Daquan, accompanied by three other county officials, quietly awaited the envoys from several powerful forces.
"Good heavens, who's here today? Such a big fuss!" a constable asked, puzzled.
"According to Constable He, they are some powerful figures who have made their mark in Liangzhou, such as the Sihai Trading Company and the Luo family of Yincheng. They are here in our small county town on business," the more well-informed person replied.
"The Sihai Trading Company and the Luo Family of Yincheng are both powerful forces with experts at the Internal Organ Realm. Why would they come to Shangyin County on business?" The head constable who spoke first was surprised. After all, in a small place like Shangyin County, the strongest martial artist was only at the Skin and Flesh Realm. What could possibly be worth the attention of such powerful forces?
"I don't know, but we need to be careful and avoid any mishaps. Otherwise, no one can save us, and even the county magistrate might get punished!"
The constables whispered amongst themselves, each feeling a little apprehensive.
After all, Shangyin County is such a small county that people have only heard of these forces. Suddenly, so many important figures have come, and everyone is a little nervous.
Wang Dahu was also among the constables.
He looked into the distance with a mixture of anticipation and awe. Although he was the squad leader, this status only allowed him to be powerful in Shangyin County. Not to mention the distinguished guests who were about to arrive, even in front of Constable He, it would only take a word for him to deal with him.
The head constable is an official, while the squad leader is a clerk. The difference between the two is that the former is a martial artist.
All the officials were martial artists who had entered the country.
"We've arrived." Fang Daquan looked into the distance.
"Silence! Everyone, be alert!" Officer He shouted.
Everyone immediately fell silent and looked ahead at the official road.
A cloud of dust drifted over, and the sound of horses' hooves could be faintly heard. The sound of hooves grew clearer and clearer, and soon the horses' true form was revealed to everyone.
More than ten knights rushed toward the group at great speed.
"Let's go greet our distinguished guests!"
Fang Daquan gave an order and led three county officials up. The others were not qualified to follow, because they were not martial artists.
Soon, the horse slowed down and arrived in front of the group.
However, it was noticed that the armor worn by those knights was all engraved with the two small characters "Sihai" (四海), clearly indicating that they were members of the Sihai Merchant Guild.
They were all riding tall, black horses with scales on their hooves—the Blackscale Horses!
Upon noticing this scene, Fang Daquan and the others were secretly shocked. After all, black-scaled horses were expensive, and there wasn't a single one in the entire Shangyin County. Yet, this group of knights were all riding black-scaled horses!
The leading knight was an elderly man with a white beard and a friendly smile. He scanned the crowd, his gaze lingering on Fang Da, and said, "You are the magistrate of Shangyin County?"
"Indeed, I am Fang Daquan, greetings to our distinguished guest." Fang Daquan bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, distinguished guest." The other three also bowed.
"Hahaha, no need to be so polite. My surname is Qin, and I am the steward in charge of the three southwestern prefectures of Liangzhou. Just call me Brother Qin. I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you again this time," the old man said with a smile.
Fang Daquan and the others were shocked again. The manager of the Sihai Trading Company, who was in charge of several prefectures, must be a martial artist at the Bone and Tendon Realm. Otherwise, he would not be able to handle matters across prefectures.
So the four of them just watched in awe, not daring to say anything out of turn.
The Sihai Chamber of Commerce is too powerful, spanning several states, and cannot be offended by a mere county official.
Putting aside everything else, just the dozen or so black-scaled horse riders in front of them, plus the musculoskeletal martial artist at the head, were enough to easily deal with them, leaving them no choice but to be in awe.
"Is Young Master Mo Zheng at home?" the old man asked.
"Yes, Steward Qin. He only got home around noon," Fang Daquan replied.
"Very good, it wasn't for nothing that we chased them all the way from Liangzhou City to this place. We finally caught up."
The old man nodded in satisfaction. He looked at the sky and said, "Come on, take us to rest. It's getting late today, we'll visit again early tomorrow morning."
"Yes."
Fang Daquan responded and then led them into the city to rest.
However, the constables, led by Constable He, remained quietly waiting in place.
In the dead of winter, although the constables were all at the minor stage of Qi and Blood cultivation, they couldn't help but become impatient after waiting for so long, and some began to complain.
Several squad leaders approached Constable He and complained all at once, "Sir, it's too cold. The brothers are all feeling the chill and are thinking of going home."
"Yes, the brothers are complaining. How long are we going to stand here?"
"It's almost the Lunar New Year, and in previous years everyone would be resting at this time."
"Shut up!"
Constable He coldly ordered, "Pass down the order: anyone unwilling to stand can go home, but starting tomorrow, they don't need to come to the yamen for roll call!"
The officers immediately fell silent, surprised that Officer He was so strict, even though they had already received the distinguished guests.
"I'm telling you, this matter is very important to the magistrate, and no one is allowed to make a mistake. After these two days, Magistrate Fang will reward you with silver!"
Managing subordinates requires a combination of kindness and severity, and Constable He was well-versed in this art. He said, "Tell the brothers to hold on a little longer; there are still a few more groups of distinguished guests. Once we've received them all, we can go back to rest. Da Hu, you stay here for a moment."
"Yes, we'll arrange it right away."
The foremen immediately went to relay the order, and soon the grumbling disappeared without a trace. Standing for a while meant getting a reward, not standing meant losing their job; the choice was self-evident.
Wang Dahu, on the other hand, was somewhat bewildered. What was the point of having him stay?
"Big Tiger."
Officer He looked at the squad leader in front of him, a slight smile appearing on his lips, and said, "You're lucky, luckier than me. You have a good brother-in-law and a good family."
Wang Dahu was even more bewildered. What was the meaning of this? Could it be that among the distinguished guests who came today were his brother-in-law's family members?
Although the Jin family is large and wealthy, they shouldn't warrant such a serious treatment from the county.
"Sir, what do you mean by that—" Wang Dahu asked, puzzled.
"Lord Fang is preparing to select a deputy constable to assist me," Constable He said with a smile. "Be prepared, the announcement should be made after the New Year."
Deputy Constable!
Wang Dahu was startled, then overjoyed.
This position is not permanent and cannot be considered an official post, but it allows the holder to manage several other team leaders, and the power and benefits are considerable.
Why would they let him take the position? Could it be that his brother-in-law, Jin Tianbao, has already broken through to the level of an entry-level martial artist?
Wang Dahu was puzzled, but he still hurriedly thanked him.
That afternoon, the city gate of Shangyin County was bustling with activity as several groups of distinguished guests arrived, and the crowds gradually dispersed as night fell and the bright moon hung high in the sky.
Mo Zheng was naturally unaware of these matters. He changed his clothes, composed himself to overcome his disappointment at not having awakened his bloodline, and strode towards Chen Wu's house.
Chen Wu's family came from a background of smuggling salt and were wealthy, so they lived in a large mansion with guards and maids.
When Mo Zheng arrived at his doorstep, he found that Mo Zheng was already waiting at the door, just like when he went to the martial arts school back then.
"Mo Er, over here!" Chen Wu called out to Mo Zheng from afar.
They trotted towards Mo Zheng.
Inside the gate stood a wealthy-looking, middle-aged, overweight man. Upon seeing Mo Zheng, he was immediately startled, thinking to himself, "He's really here!"
Mo Zheng strode forward and gave Chen Wu a big hug, laughing, "Chen San, it's been two months. I don't know if your martial arts have improved, but you've gained some weight."
"Hey, you're making fun of me."
Chen Wu shook his head and said, "I didn't want to either, but that's how it's always been for the men in our family."
He pointed to the figure at the gate and said, "See that? My dad, he's about the same size as me. He was so happy to hear you were coming that he skipped dinner and insisted on waiting here."
When the middle-aged fat man saw the two looking at him, he immediately gave them a bright smile.
Mo Zheng cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Uncle Chen, I am very polite."
"Oh, no, no, not at all!"
The middle-aged fat man waved his hands repeatedly and said happily, "Young Master Mo, I hope you will take good care of my son in the future."
9
"Uncle, there's no need for such formalities between Chen Wu and me. If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, just come to me," Mo Zheng said.
Chen Pangzi, who came from a background as a salt smuggler, had already found out what the Liangzhou Martial Arts Academy was like.
Those who can enter are all absolute martial arts geniuses, scattered throughout the eighteen states of Great Yan, and some even hold high-ranking official positions in the capital.
Their status and position can be seen from the fact that the Black Sand Gang was wiped out last time.
It can be said that there is absolutely nothing in the entire Shangyin County, or even the entire Jinqing Prefecture, that can stump the disciples of the Liangzhou Martial Arts Hall.
Upon hearing this, he immediately beamed with joy, as if he had drunk honey, secretly thinking that his third son had made a good friend.
"I knew Mo Er, you'd be a true friend!"
Chen Wu laughed too. He was still young and couldn't understand the weight of Mo Zheng's words. He simply said, "Let's go eat. I'm starving."
"Let's go, it's my treat today, let's go to Anxiang Tower," Mo Zheng said.
"Dark Fragrance Pavilion, Mo Er, you're really generous. Alright, it's rare to have dinner with you, so if you're going to bleed a lot, I won't hold back!" Chen Wu grabbed Mo Zheng and excitedly headed off into the distance.
Anxianglou is the best restaurant in the entire Shangyin County, and similarly, its prices are extremely high.
Chen Wu had been there a few times, always on his father's behalf. As for Mo Zheng, he had only heard of him but had never been there.
"Goodbye, Uncle." Mo Zheng said goodbye to Fatty Chen again.
"Okay, goodbye! Come over to my house sometime!"
Fatty Chen replied, and watching the two walk further and further away until they disappeared without a trace, he then boasted to the guard beside him, "See that? That's Mo Zheng, the youngest martial arts genius in Shangyin County, and my son's friend!"
In this world, having money is not as good as having power, and having power is not as good as being a martial artist.
Mo Zheng, a young and promising martial arts genius, would be completely ignored elsewhere; people wouldn't even give a second glance to a salt smuggler like him, let alone try to befriend him.
Didn't you see that notorious bandit Yu Yang, who committed crimes and robbed people everywhere, targeting landlords and wealthy men like Fatty Chen?
In the face of a martial artist, having a lot of money is of no use.
Therefore, Fatty Chen was undoubtedly very proud, and even envious, that his son could become friends with a talented young martial artist like Mo Zheng.
He wanted to invite the county officials for a drink and give them some money, but they might not even pay him any attention.
"Mo Er, what does the Liangzhou Martial Arts Hall look like?" Chen Wu asked curiously.
Mo Zheng thought for a moment, then said, "Well, how should I put it? Apart from those places that assist in training, it's similar to our martial arts school. Everyone is practicing hard, wanting to become a stronger martial artist."
"An even more powerful martial artist?"
A hint of envy appeared in Chen Wu's small eyes. Which young man doesn't dream of becoming a powerful martial artist?
However, this requires not only hard work, but also talent.
Mo Zheng remained silent. He couldn't help Chen Wu with matters of martial arts; it was something he had to cultivate himself.
Especially for those who are building a foundation in the Qi and Blood Realm, it's all about practice. Even if you have Qi and Blood Pills, you still need to practice stance training and external skills continuously.
Even the headmaster of a martial arts school can only offer some guidance and correct posture; the key is still oneself.
Anxiang Tower is not too far from Chen Wu's house.
The two walked two streets and arrived at the restaurant.
The three-story building was magnificent on the outside and had an antique charm inside. Even Mo Zheng, who came from another world, couldn't help but be impressed. It was indeed a very nice restaurant.
The guests coming and going were all either rich or noble.
"Guests, are there two of you?" the waiter asked as he approached.
"good."
Mo Zheng glanced around the hall, frowned slightly, and said, "Find a nice private room and serve your best banquet."
The waiter, who comes and goes every day, naturally has a keen eye. In the dead of winter, Mo Zheng, dressed in a thin robe and exuding an air of superiority, is most likely a martial artist who has achieved mastery of martial arts.
He said respectfully, "Room number one in the Heavenly section is currently empty. Please, both of you."
"Room Number One?"
Chen Wu blinked and whispered, "Forget it, Mo Er, let's eat on the first floor. The No. 1 room in the 'Heavenly Class' is very expensive. I heard that a table of food there can easily cost twenty or thirty taels of silver. It's too extravagant."
"It's alright, go on up," Mo Zheng said with a smile. "This amount of money is nothing to me."
The Qi Gathering Pill he is currently taking costs 600 taels per pill, and he needs one every three days or so. What is the cost of 20 or 30 years?
"Let's go up first."
Guided by the waiter, Mo Zheng walked calmly inside, and soon the two arrived at the No. 1 room.
The entire restaurant has three floors, with only five private rooms of the highest rank. Room No. 1 of the highest rank is the innermost room, occupying the largest and most spacious area, with an excellent view of the moat in the distance, which is a delightful sight.
There was a charcoal fire burning inside, making it extremely warm and comfortable.
The two sat down, and soon beautiful maids brought out plates of fine wine and delicacies, making their mouths water.
"It smells so good!"
Chen Wu couldn't wait to take a bite and nodded, saying, "Eat up, eat up, Mo Er. The food upstairs is even better than what you get in the main hall. You don't go home often these days in Liangzhou, so you should really enjoy it."
"Of course, I paid for it, I can't let you enjoy it all by yourself."
Mo Zheng smiled and started eating.
While eating, the two chatted about things happening around them, creating a very harmonious atmosphere that made Mo Zheng feel very relaxed.
At the Liangzhou Martial Arts Academy, he always kept a close eye on his training and constantly strived to improve.
Although progress was rapid, I was also extremely tired, both physically and mentally.
Suddenly, a commotion arose outside.
"Don't stop me! I want to see who dares to compete with me for a private room!"
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