As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 379 Returning to Yueyang, Reunion at the Restaurant

"As we wrote in the last chapter: A surprise attack force besieged the capital, and the emperor and the people were united in facing the crisis!"

Winter brought disaster; the Northern Fierce Army's attack on Yueyang nearly ruined everything.

Fortunately, all was well and no one was seriously hurt. Under Xiao Xinyue's leadership, Yueyang City survived this crisis.

The foundation of its centuries-old economic, political, and cultural center remains, and it has gradually caught its breath.

After the city gates were opened, the city quickly returned to its bustling and lively state.

In the bustling restaurant, the storyteller, spittle flying and spirits high, suddenly slammed his gavel down.

Xiangmanlou is now the largest and most prosperous restaurant in the capital.

His Majesty and Marquis Jing'an returned to the capital, and Marquis Jing'an was granted the title of Duke.

At the same time, Xiangmanlou also erected a plaque, publicly announcing that the restaurant's name was personally chosen by the Duke of Anguo.

With the support of Mingchen's reputation, it soared to the heavens, and no other restaurant could rival it.

A constant stream of guests came and went.

Recently, the country has been receiving a series of good news, and the people are beaming with joy.

The capital city is full of wealthy people, and they often come here to eat, drink, and listen to storytelling. The atmosphere is lively and bustling.

The storyteller, holding his gavel, leaned forward, his face tense: "That Hong Tianyang is truly extraordinary. He is tall and strong like a mountain, with four arms growing from his ribs, a gaping maw, and sharp fangs. He looks like a demon who will devour anyone he sees."

"At this time, the area below the city was already a dark mass of demons, with hundreds of demons advancing on the capital. The people in the city were terrified and filled with panic."

"Hoohoo!"

"Suddenly, a gust of wind arose, right at that moment!"

The storyteller, beaming with pride, pointed his index finger to the sky and cried out, "Hey! You fiend, stop your arrogance!"

"But then they saw colorful clouds overhead, the sun shining brightly, and auspicious clouds and mist, from which came the sound of dragons roaring, and a golden dragon soaring straight into the sky."

"As the saying goes: Heaven-sent heroes and magnificent figures are not as good as Xin Minglang of the imperial family. So it is the Crown Prince of Shenjing, Xin Ming."

"At the critical moment of the nation's survival, he resolutely stepped forward, holding a red-tasseled spear, and led only two hundred cavalrymen into the enemy ranks, where he fought fiercely with the evil demon general. The battle was so fierce that it darkened the sky and the sun and moon disappeared. The blades were sharp and the momentum was magnificent. Countless demons were crushed into dust by the mighty power of heaven in the collision between humans and ghosts."

"However... Hong Tianyang is a born killer from that Ghost Kingdom, his murderous aura is overwhelming and unstoppable. The Crown Prince has not had a proper rest recently, and with the battle going from sunrise to sunset, he is exhausted and gradually falling into a slump."

"The general roared and pointed his halberd straight at the crown prince's head! It was clear that the future glory of the capital was about to be dimmed."

"No sooner said than done! A divine light pierced the sky!"

"Whoosh!"

"A flash of light, an arrow hummed, and the flying divine arrow pierced through the gap, firmly pinning the halberd to the ground."

"Everyone was startled and turned around in unison. They saw that where the afterglow of the setting sun shone, the evil was gone, and there stood a man and a wolf, who were unstoppable by ten thousand men."

"Snapped!"

The storyteller, spittle flying from his mouth, slammed his gavel down: "As the saying goes: Divine soldiers descended from the heavens, startling the sun and moon; the Divine Marquis bravely saved the capital!"

"The owner of this restaurant is really bold!"

"How dare you speak ill of those gentlemen..."

Inside the restaurant, glasses clinked and diners listened with great interest to the storyteller's tales.

Although the characters have been modified to some extent, it's not particularly subtle.

It's easy to guess who they're talking about with a little thought.

"What's wrong? Have you forgotten who's behind this restaurant?"

"Maybe it was someone who tacitly approved it, maybe they just like this kind of thing!"

"The shopkeeper's book doesn't say anything bad about the people in power; on the contrary, it's full of praise."

"What? We can't even praise their achievements?"

One of them seemed to have drunk a bit too much. Listening to the storyteller, he swirled the wine in his cup, his eyes filled with a longing and intoxication: "A true man should be like this!"

"If it were me, I would be content just to leave my name here."

His classmate at the table laughed at him after hearing what he said, "Look at you, so pathetic!"

But after a moment, she lowered her eyes slightly and said, "Who says otherwise!"

Who wouldn't want to leave behind those legendary heroic tales, to be passed down by countless descendants for generations to come?

"I heard that Tian Hong is dead."

"Tsk tsk tsk~"

"The floodwaters submerged Chengjin City, and the great general of Beilie, who was a pillar of the nation, was defeated by our Duke. Our Duke is truly a god."

"I heard that the shopkeeper also received this news, which is why he wrote this new volume of the story on the spot."

The diners were talking amongst themselves, but they didn't pay much attention.

In a corner, a man with a thick beard and a rather rugged demeanor sat, propping his chin up, listening intently to the storyteller's tale.

There was also a pure black cat lying in my arms.

This combination of postures looks somewhat incongruous.

Suddenly, as if sensing something, she abruptly raised her head and looked towards the doorway.

"Mingchen, this time I'm going to make sure you get a good beating!"

Three people arrived, looking travel-worn: a senior monk, a handsome young man, and a junior monk.

It was Mingchen and Buchen who had returned from their journey north.

Because Fuyao was left in the Northern Territory, Yiwei Haomao Mingchen would not use her easily, and he also had to take the monk with him.

Therefore, the progress of heading north was slightly slower.

Eat your food one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time.

The North is now stable, so there's no need to rush.

He planned to make a detour to Yueyang City first.

Before leaving, Wang Huai asked him for one more thing.

The stone tablet inscribed with the names of the loyal and righteous soldiers of the Blood-Clad Army is still in the capital! He returned to investigate this matter to prevent some officials from advising Xiao Xinyue to destroy it.

Last time, because of Long Lian's tribulation, I left in a hurry and haven't returned to court to report back yet.

The rebellion in the south was quelled, and resources were redistributed.

A full-scale war is about to be waged against Beilie.

He also came back to see Xiao Xinyue and get a general understanding of the situation in Qian Yuan through her.

How much food supply is left? What are the troop deployments in various sectors? What are the national resources and technological situation?

Based on the overall intelligence, he made the next deployment to see if there was an opportunity to launch a surprise attack and capture Zhenling Pass.

While I'm at it, I'll also go home and see how the monsters and ghosts are doing.

Compared to the chaotic thoughts in Mingchen's mind.

The senior monk was much simpler and more straightforward.

Eat! Eat!
To be honest, this was Bu Chen's first time visiting Yueyang City.

When I last came here, Beijing had already been almost completely destroyed by Dong Zhenghong, and the city was besieged by the Blood-Clad Army, in complete chaos.

It was a far cry from the prosperous scene it is today.

The three of them hurried along, and were quite hungry.

Bu Chen knew that Ming Chen was a nouveau riche, so she naturally took him to the best restaurant.

"But then the divine lord pointed his finger, and a vast ocean of water fell, instantly flooding Jinshan, destroying the city, and drowning countless demons..."

"Upon seeing the vast expanse of water, Hong Tianyang felt a tremendous shock in his heart. He raised his head, pointing straight to the heavens, and tears of blood streamed down his狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) face. His robust body then fell backward to the sky..."

"Heavens above... if you created me, why did you create that wicked Marquis...?"

As soon as Mingchen entered, he heard the storyteller reciting the distorted story in a spirited voice, and he couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth.

Zheng Yang... he doesn't do his business properly, but he's quite good at writing and updating his books.

It's almost catching up with his progress.

"This restaurant is quite interesting!"

"And there are storytellers too!"

Mingchen didn't say anything, so the silly monk naturally didn't know the connection between the restaurant and Mingchen.

Upon entering, he took in the lively scene with great interest and couldn't help but sigh.

This bustling city has experienced several brutal wars, but its rich history is unmatched by those remote places.

"eat fast!"

Mingchen twitched the corner of his mouth and simply said, "Let's go after we finish eating!"

"Oh……"

"Hey, sir, would you like to grab a bite or...?" As soon as Mingchen and his companion entered, the waiter came up to greet them warmly.

However, when he saw Mingchen's appearance clearly, he was shocked.

Even her fluent tongue stammered, "You...you..."

"Why are you here?"

Coincidentally, the waiter who greeted them was the same one who had served Mingchen and his group last time.

However, the difference is that last time, this guy didn't know Mingchen's identity.

This time, however, I found out.

The stories told by storytellers with great eloquence are fabricated.

But the Duke in front of me is the real deal.

Reality is sometimes more surreal than fiction.

Mingchen raised an eyebrow and asked him, "Why, can't I come?"

"can!"

"can!"

The waiter shuddered and quickly laughed, "That's incredible!"

"Please come inside!"

Mingchen waved his hand: "No need to trouble yourself, just relax and we'll leave after we finish eating."

"Good good!"

After a while, the waiter quickly prepared the food for Mingchen's table and waited carefully on the side.

The monks across from them were feasting, eating both meat and vegetables without restraint.

Mingchen simply smiled at him and asked, "How is your manager?"

"so far so good."

"Thanks to you, everything is fine."

"Should I inform them for you?"

Mingchen paused for a moment, then finally nodded and said, "Alright, please inform him that I'd like to speak with him after dinner."

The waiter hesitated for a moment, then quickly replied, "Yes, ma'am! I'll go tell you right away!"

No sooner had the man left than a flash of black light appeared.

"Meow~"

The cat nimbly landed on Mingchen's lap, tugged at his pants, found a safe spot, and lay down with its eyes half-closed.

"kindness?"

The monk opposite, who was stuffing himself with food, paused and suddenly looked up.

She glanced again at the black cat in Mingchen's arms.

He knew that Mingchen was a rare person who encountered demons and monsters, so he was used to the demons and monsters around Mingchen.

However, this cat... seems to be somewhat special.

It's not quite like a demon, though!
He couldn't sense anything at all.

"Yo~ Mo Xing, what brings you here?"

How did this lazy cat end up in this restaurant?
Mingchen stroked the cat and said with a smile.

Human, give the cat a good rub~
The cat simply lay on Mingchen's lap, feeling his palm, and purred contentedly with its eyes half-closed.

"Brother~"

Immediately afterwards, a rather loud voice rang in my ears.

The surrounding diners also cast curious glances at them.

A burly man rushed over and warmly embraced Mingchen in his broad chest.

Mingchen: ...

He almost hit someone.

I should never have taught that unfortunate girl the art of disguise!
Instead of obediently becoming a beautiful young woman, she keeps doing these weird things every day.

"Don't hug me with that face anymore!"

Mingchen tapped Xiudie on the forehead and said in an annoyed tone.

Shy Butterfly just smiled and then quietly sat down at the table.

"What are you doing here?"

"Listen to the audiobook, I'm waiting for you."

Mingchen: ...

Damn, everyone in the family except him likes to come here to listen to storytelling, right?!
……

"Please...please come in."

After eating a few bites of food, the waiter led Mingchen to the shopkeeper's door.

As Mingchen entered, the scent of ink greeted him.

The first thing you see is a middle-aged man who looks to be in his forties. He is sitting upright with a flushed face.

"Guo... Guo Gongye!"

He touched his legs and feet nervously and said, "This humble subject is unwell and unable to rise to pay my respects. I beg the Duke to forgive me."

Sometimes, it's better to cherish the memory than to meet again.

Mingchen looked at the excited middle-aged man in front of him and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"Zheng Yang, it's been so long, you've changed too..."

Mingchen glanced at his leg, then flicked his hand, and white flames appeared out of nowhere.

It burned fiercely around his knees.

Zheng Yang trembled, somewhat frightened.

But then, a feeling of comfort rose from my legs and to my head.

In the chaos of Yueyang, his legs were broken and he has been numb for a long time.

Several years later, under the burning of this eerie flame, he regained consciousness.

This duke was helping him.

Okay, his leg is all healed!

Zheng Yang instantly realized what was happening, tears welling up in his eyes as he thanked Ming Chen, saying, "Lord Duke, thank you... thank you so much..."

This Duke, perhaps he really is a deity descended to earth?

Write it down, write it down. It is the divine fire that can bring the dead back to life and heal the bones. This is also the divine power of the Divine Marquis.

He will write it into the story later.

Mingchen had no idea what the old man was thinking.

She just smiled at him and said, "Zheng Yang, don't be so polite."

"Don't you remember what I looked like as a scholar back then?"

This is a moment.

He was a scholar back then, but now he's a duke. How can they be compared?

Zheng Yang just chuckled dryly, "Of course I remember, of course I remember."

The person in front of him was so tall that he couldn't reach him, so he really couldn't relax.

Mingchen glanced at the hastily tidied letters beside him and asked, "The stories the storyteller told, did you write them?"

Zheng Yang scratched the back of his head: "It's me, it's me. Do you like it?"

He felt that Mingchen was an flamboyant person and would like such legendary hero stories with him as the protagonist.

Mingchen forced a smile: "It's alright."

Now that things have come to this point, creators are happy to create, and listeners are willing to support them.

He wasn't that petty.

In this world, literature and novels are not very developed; the stories that are passed down are mostly historical and some short religious myths and legends.

There are few epic and magical hero stories like this.

In a sense, Mingchen also set a precedent, bringing with him the brilliant literature of another era.

He never imagined that the beginning of enlightenment would fall upon him.

(End of this chapter)