Knife splashing

Chapter 143 Guo Du Town

"Any big job?"

When Li Yan heard this, he immediately became interested.

He quickly put on his clothes and walked out.

It had just cleared up after a heavy snow outside, and the whole yard was covered in silver.

Sha Lifei was also drunk, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was walking towards Wang Daoxuan's house, crunching on the snow.

Seeing Li Yan coming out, Sharifei immediately showed a meaningful smile on his face, "Brother Yan, was the view of Hua'e Tower nice last night?"

“Yes, it’s worth a visit.”

Li Yan raised his eyebrows, nodded and smiled.

Sharifei had been thinking about this for a long time. Hearing this, his face was filled with regret. He cursed, "It's all the fault of those grandsons in the dental clinic. They drink like crazy. Otherwise, I would have gone there too last night."

"By the way, how much did it cost?"

Li Yan subconsciously touched his empty pockets.

"It's all gone."

"What?!" Sha Lifei was struck by lightning, "You... you brought one thousand taels with you, but you lost it all?"

Li Yan sighed, "You can't stop spending money."

Although Shen Sanyou is reliable when he takes action and he helped him gain some experience last night, he is really unruly when he is not serious.

This guy doesn't take money seriously at all.

No matter whether it's yours or someone else's, you have to spend it all before you leave.

"Never mind, it's okay..."

Sharifei touched his chest twice and consoled himself: "After all, that is Hua'e Tower. I have returned the favor and made you, Brother Yan, a man."

As he spoke, he became interested again, "Which girl did he fall in love with? I heard that there are many beautiful flowers in Hua'e Tower, including skinny horses from Yangzhou, women from Mizhi, and Hu Ji from the Western Regions..."

Li Yan shook his head and said, "No, I just drank and listened to music, I didn't do anything else."

"what?!"

"I spent a thousand taels and didn't even get into the girl's bed!"

Sharifei was furious and trembling with anger. "You must have been taken advantage of. Are you...are you worthy of your father? He can walk around the brothel without spending any money!"

Li Yan laughed in silence, "Let's not talk about this. Uncle Sha is so happy, what big job did he get?"

Wang Daoxuan had also gone out by this time. Seeing this, he smiled and said, "Yeah, it's almost the end of the year, how come there's still a big event?"

It’s no wonder that the two were confused, this is Chang’an!

There is the Duchenghuang Temple here, the largest garrison of community soldiers and horses in northwest China. They regularly search the mountains, catch the five devils, and perform Yimakou rituals...to protect the peace in northwest China.

Not to mention, there are also numerous Dharma lineages and side sects of monks.

Especially during the winter solstice, the Taixuan Orthodox Sect had just launched a major operation. Several major caves joined forces with city god temples in various places to hold a grand ceremony to suppress evil, and swept the entire area north of the Qinling Mountains.

This is a habit that has been formed over the years.

In ancient times, when celebrating the New Year, the four seasons alternated between yin and yang, and people performed Nuo dances to ward off evil spirits and avoid the monster Nian. But now, they have to do this during the winter solstice so that they can celebrate the New Year in peace.

It is equivalent to a severe crackdown before the New Year.

Therefore, Xuanmen is also very quiet during the New Year.

"Remember the Master Bai from the dental clinic?"

Sharifei smiled and said, "It's a coincidence that I got some news from him. If it works out, we can have a prosperous new year..."

…………

Southwest of Chang'an, the Wei River Plain is vast.

After a heavy snowfall, the entire plain was covered with a white blanket. The sky was high and the land was vast, looking vast and boundless.

On the official road, several riders were galloping, and the snow was splashing everywhere.

"Everyone, the town of Guodu is just ahead."

The person leading the way was a disciple of the Yahang, who was eloquent and well-informed, and knew all the ways in Chang'an City. He said with a smile on his face, "Everyone, this Guodu Town is not simple. It was the ancient Bo State during the Spring and Autumn Period, and the place where King Wen, King Wu, and King Mu of the ancient Zhou were buried."

"Later, the Guo and Du families migrated here, with Guojia Village in the south and Dujiabao in the north, collectively known as Guodu Town."

"By the way, Xiangji Temple is also here. Wang Mojie, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, wrote: I don't know Xiangji Temple, it's a few miles into the clouds..."

"Alright, alright!"

Sharifei interrupted him and said impatiently: "This land of Guanzhong lacks everything except celebrity stories."

"What's the point of saying this? Have you found out how much money Mr. Du can offer?"

"this…"

The young man was scolded, but he didn't dare to offend them, so he smiled and said, "Mr. Du is very wealthy. Not only does he have a large piece of land in Guanzhong, but he also went to sea with the Li family and reaped a lot of rewards."

"He is a man who never worries about money. Now he is as anxious as a headless fly. If you can find him, how much to give is up to you."

"Then hurry up, don't let others get there first."

When Sharifei heard this, he became anxious, shook the reins, and spurred his horse to speed up.

Soon, a town of considerable size appeared in front of everyone. The official roads from east to west, north to south were unobstructed, there were hills all around, and a tributary of the Wei River passed through it. The geographical location was extremely advantageous.

The town itself has many inns and coach houses for traveling merchants to rest, and the people benefit greatly from this. It is considered the richest town near Chang'an.

It was winter now, and the roads were blocked by heavy snow, so there were few passers-by on the official road.

After entering the town, they did not rush to find an inn to stay in, but went directly to the north of the town under the guidance of the Yaxing disciples.

After leaving the town, I saw a huge mansion standing alone in the fertile fields. It was several times larger than the one that once belonged to Mr. Lu in Gushui Village. It had high walls and a large courtyard, and was very impressive.

"hiss-!"

Wang Daoxuan looked at the hills and rivers in the distance, then looked around, pinched his fingers, and took a breath of cold air, "This house must have been decorated by a master."

Sharifei asked, "Master Dao, what do you say?"

Wang Daoxuan looked around. "Generally speaking, this lonely house in the wilderness is not good. It is not nourished by the popularity of the town. But it is built here, and it cleverly takes advantage of the terrain of the mountains and rivers to form a dripping marrow situation."

"Look to the west, that should be the ancient Haojing. The dragon's head was originally in the north, drinking water from the Wei River, which flowed here and was cut off by the terrain of the ancient Haojing. The Du family was built here, just like a jade bowl, receiving the dragon's marrow dripping."

"Although it's only a little, it's also a good place."

"Master Dao is awesome!"

The disciple of the dental clinic quickly flattered them, "The Du family was originally ordinary, and their old house was in the town, but since they built this house, their situation has been getting better and better every year."

Wang Daoxuan shook his head and said, "Yes, but it's not good for us. Since we know such a great man, we will probably make a wasted trip."

Li Yan clenched his left hand and said thoughtfully: "Let's go and take a look first."

Just now, Gou Die actually responded.

Although it was faint and fleeting, it still piqued his interest.

Could it be that there is a criminal hiding here?

As they approached the mansion, everyone immediately realized something was wrong.

The end of the year is approaching, and wealthy families like this are very particular about it. They all prepare early, slaughter pigs and sheep, and are very busy.

Now, there is a huge white lantern hanging on the gate, and many people entering and leaving are wearing white mourning clothes. The atmosphere is very depressing.

"Who are you!" Before they could get close, servants of the Du family stopped them, all holding knives, guns, sticks and clubs, with unfriendly faces.

The disciple of the pawnbroker quickly dismounted and stepped forward, smiling and bowing, saying, "Everyone, Steward Wang is here. Please inform him that Zhao Jiu from Chang'an wants to see you."

The leading servant had a gloomy face and was about to curse, but when he heard the name of Steward Wang, he held back and snorted coldly, "Just wait here, don't wander around."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the mansion.

As he walked, he cursed in a low voice: "What a coward, there was something wrong and a bunch of bastards came here just because they smelled something. None of them is any use..."

"Hey, you!"

When Sharifei heard this, he was about to curse, but Li Yan waved his hand to stop him. He shook his head slightly, indicating that he should hold it in for the time being.

"Brother Yan, is there a problem?"

Sharifei immediately understood and asked in a low voice.

He knew Li Yan very well and had never suffered any loss. It was just that he had just entered the world of martial arts and was keeping a low profile for the time being, so his reputation as the Ghost-Seeing Sorrowful was not made known.

He was just happy in words, but if Li Yanruo was unhappy, he would really mean it.

Being so low-key, he must have discovered something.

"No hurry, let's wait and see..."

Li Yan shook his head slightly, as if thinking about something.

As soon as he arrived here, he smelled a strange smell. It was not a ghost, but more like something rotten and smelled bad.

Of course, this smell is very light and most people don’t care about it at all. Instead, they would think the air here is fresh and pleasant.

Not long after, an old man who looked like a butler walked out quickly. He was still wearing mourning clothes and looked a little uncomfortable.

He hurried to the pawnbroker Zhao Jiu and scolded him in a low voice: "Why did you come to join in the fun? You made me get scolded."

As he said this, he glanced at Li Yan and the other two, and when he saw Wang Daoxuan's Taoist robe, he immediately understood, and said with an unpleasant expression: "Take the person away quickly, the matter is over."

"Hey hey hey..."

Zhao Jiu is a disciple of the Yahang Sect. He speaks to people in a human way and to ghosts in a ghost way. He is as good at talking and being thick-skinned as Sha Lifei. How could he leave so easily? He grabbed the housekeeper and whispered:

"Butler Wang, you are so dishonest. These people are well-known figures in Chang'an City. I had a hard time inviting them here."

"Do you know the Fire Bear Gang? They suffered a loss from these guys, but they still dare not fart. Don't you want to kill me?"

Of course, there was a lot of exaggeration in the words.

This is also a common tactic used by dentists in the industry.

If you really can't get any work, you'll at least get some labor fee and travel expenses from people. At the very least, you'll have to owe them a favor.

Of course, he was really anxious.

He was also present on the night of the fight. Although Li Yan and his companions had just become famous in the Xuanmen, in his eyes, they were already big shots. How could he dare not let them make a wasted trip?

Seeing his expression, Butler Wang was also shocked. He quickly pulled Zhao Jiu away and muttered to himself for a while. Then he came to Li Yan and the others and said with a fist: "Gentlemen, I am really sorry. The matter is over. I will go to Chang'an in a few days to hold a banquet to apologize."

Having said that, there is no hope.

Sharifei curled his lips and said, "Okay, let's go. They won't even let us in. What's the point of staying here..."

At this moment, Li Yan put his hands behind his back and made a gesture.

"Wait!"

Wang Daoxuan saw this and immediately rode out. Looking at the house in the distance, he stroked his beard and frowned, saying, "I'm afraid the matter is not over yet. Steward Wang, please inform him. If Mr. Du really thinks the matter is over, then we will turn around and leave."

Butler Wang was stunned. "What do you mean, Taoist priest?"

"Ah~"

Wang Daoxuan shook his head slightly and sighed, "I just can't bear it. That's all I have to say. Steward Wang can pass it on. Whether you believe it or not, it's up to Mr. Du to decide."

Seeing this, Sharifei rolled his eyes and said, "Master, you are too kind-hearted. They don't care about us, so why bother?"

In fact, they knew nothing.

This was a secret code agreed upon between the three of them. If Li Yan found anything wrong, he would immediately signal, and the other two would cooperate to put down the "hitching post".

Seeing the three people like this, Steward Wang was also frightened, his eyes were uncertain, and then he gritted his teeth and said, "Please wait a moment, I will go and pass the message."

After saying that, he left in a hurry.

After he left, Zhao Jiu, the disciple of the Yaxing, immediately gave them a thumbs up and said, "Good tricks, all three of you."

The "horse post" method is invisible to outsiders, but it can't be hidden from him, a man of the world.

Wang Daoxuan also hurriedly whispered: "What did you see?"

Li Yan shook his head and said, "Not yet, we have to go in first."

The three of them got the news that Mr. Du's grandson was possessed by an evil spirit and even calling in a few witches and shamans was of no use, as the man even ran away.

Originally, he wanted to use the relationship with the Li family and ask Taixuan Orthodox Sect to take action, but Taixuan Orthodox Sect seemed to have other important matters, and all its elite members were sent out, and even Luo Mingzi left overnight.

Mr. Du had no choice but to offer a high reward.

Li Yan had the ability to smell something and was very familiar with finding people, so he came over quickly to see the situation.

Mr. Du is a well-known wealthy man in Chang'an. If he succeeds, not only will he make a fortune during the New Year, but his reputation will also be completely established.

But now it seems that things have changed...

Soon, the butler Wang hurried out with a red slap mark on his face. He complained, "You guys have caused me so much trouble. The master asks you to come in, but please don't be like the last few people."

Li Yan and his companions looked at each other, then handed the horses to Du the waiter, and entered the mansion under the leadership of Wang the steward.

Along the way, Li Yan led the way with his hands behind his back.

Wang Daoxuan and Sha Lifei were behind him, always watching his gestures.

If he discovered something or received a hint, Wang Daoxuan would observe carefully and make inferences.

Both of them have shortcomings, so they need to cooperate with each other.

However, what puzzled Wang Daoxuan was that Li Yan never made any move. Looking at the white cloth wrapped around the trees and the servants in mourning clothes, he sighed in his heart.

I'm afraid it's too late and the person is gone...

Sure enough, when they arrived at the main courtyard, they saw a mourning hall already set up, but the person written on the mourning banner was the old lady of the Du family.

Sha Lifei and Wang Daoxuan looked at each other.

Didn’t you say that the grandson was possessed by evil spirits? Why did the old man die?

Finally, they arrived at the main hall and saw Mr. Du.

However, Sharifei's heart skipped a beat and he thought something was wrong.

Sitting in the main hall was an old man in mourning clothes. Although his temples were gray, he was tall and strong with a dignified look. It was Mr. Du.

There were several servants standing in the hall, all of them were burly and strong, looking very fierce.

More importantly, next to him, on the left seat, sat a Taoist priest in a white robe. He was none other than Luo Faqing, the disciple of the Shangshan lineage who had failed in the duel that night.

The other party looked at them with a sneer in his eyes.

Mr. Du also had a bad look on his face, his eyes bloodshot, and said in a deep voice: "You are all people of the underworld, so it is normal for you to use this 'horse hitching post' on Mr. Du."

"But if you can't tell me what's going on, I'll make sure you're in trouble today!"

(End of this chapter)