Sword of Coming

After Chen Pingan came out of the mountain, he first went to the blacksmith shop. When he walked across the stone arch bridge, the young man clasped his hands and walked quickly with his head lowered. His expression was extremely solemn and sincere, and he muttered: "If the old immortal has something to say, please tell me. Don't hit anyone. If you have any requests, you can ask me in your dreams at night, preferably not in broad daylight. I'm really scared."

Fortunately, when they reached the other end of the stone bridge, Chen Ping'an was safe and sound. The young man immediately beamed and went looking for Master Ruan and Ruan Xiu.

Young people don’t know what it’s like to be sad.

Ruan Qiong still entertained Chen Pingan under the eaves, each with a small bamboo chair. Ruan Xiu stood behind her father, with a face full of unconcealable joy.

When Ruan Qiong saw the dusty straw-shoe boy, he carefully placed the basket in front of him, then gently took out the cloth bag containing two pictures of mountains and rivers from under half of the basket of herbs, and handed it to him, feeling guilty. : "While climbing Dieng Deng Mountain, the mountain road was blocked by a large waterfall. I found a place to hide the basket near the deep pool under the waterfall, and built a small tree stand to protect me from wind and rain. I didn't expect to climb to the waterfall. It rained heavily not long after we reached the top. The rain was really heavy. When I hurried down, the tree stand had indeed been crushed. The basket and cotton bag were soaked by the rain. Fortunately, the two maps were wrapped tightly with butter paper. , after the sun came out, I took it out and took a look. It was just that the corners of the map were a little wet, but there were still obvious traces after drying..."

Ruan Qiong opened the cloth bag and butter paper and found that the two maps were almost intact, and the damage was negligible. Besides, they were just two copies of the map, so the Kiln Affairs Supervision and Construction Office and the Longquan County Government were He had no intention of taking it back, but Ruan Qiong was not willing to comfort the young man with this truth. He glanced at Chen Ping'an, who was standing uneasily in front of him, and asked: "During the heavy rain, that dragon Qiu in the Dengdeng Mountain?" The waterfall is climbing up and down, are you looking for death?"

Chen Pingan smiled and said nothing.

Ruan Qiong waved his hand and motioned for the young man to sit back and stop standing in front of him and obstructing his eyes.

Chen Ping'an sat back on the cute green bamboo chair. When he returned the two maps to Master Ruan, he finally felt relieved. If he hadn't been afraid of ruining the two precious maps along the way, he would have been at least a lot worse during his trip to the mountains. You can save three or four days. And having been dependent on each other for so long, the young man who has always been nostalgic actually feels a little reluctant to let go of the two maps deep in his heart. Whenever the weather is fine and he can climb up to see the distance, Chen Pingan likes to choose a place with the widest view, and then spread out the two maps. Make a map, look up at the mountains and rivers in the distance, look back and look down at the map.

For more than half a month, Chen Pingan has never felt so fulfilled.

Ruan Qiong suddenly gently threw the two maps to Chen Pingan, "The chairs are not bad. I will make two more later. The maps will be considered as rewards and given to you."

Although Ruan Qiong still doesn't like this boy from Mud Bottle Lane, Ruan Qiong still doesn't completely deny Chen Ping'an because of this.

Ruan Qiong could completely imagine the scene. In a torrential rain, a thin and anxious boy went down the waterfall, just to take a look at the map to feel at ease.

Of course, in Ruan Qiong's eyes, this behavior is not heroic at all, on the contrary, it is very stereotyped and pedantic.

To be honest, compared to this bitter young man, Ruan Qiong admires Song Jixin, the prince of Dali, who knows how to assess the situation at a young age, Liu Xianyang, who is cheerful and has no worries about anything, or even Ma Kuxuan, who shows his sharp edge. There are also many merits. Even Zhao Yao, who has been following Qi Jingchun since childhood, is not as rigid and ignorant as Chen Ping'an.

The reason why he temporarily changed his mind and found a reason to give the map to Chen Ping'an was that he was determined to draw a clear line with this young man. The blacksmith shop could accept him as a sword-making apprentice, but he would never become his first disciple. As promised, he will protect the hilltop he bought, but this kid must not want to have anything to do with his daughter.

In fact, in the final analysis, Ruan Qiong did not look down on Chen Pingan because of his background, but because he had different paths and did not work together.

Ruan Qiong's apprentice must be someone of the same sect as him. Both parties are both teachers and friends. They can work together to create a prosperous world for the sect for thousands of years. Therefore, it is extremely important to have compatible temperaments.

Of course, Chen Ping'an didn't know that Master Ruan's thoughts had gone around in such a big circle. The young man just caught the map, held it in his arms, and asked, "Does the superintendent over at the government office have any ideas?"

Ruan Qiong sneered and said: "I will be the Supreme Emperor of Longquan County for at least sixty years, so I have the biggest rules."

Ruan Xiu muttered: "Dad, how can you be so arrogant in your own face?"

Ruan Qiong turned a deaf ear to his daughter's trouble and said to Chen Pingan in a deep voice: "Let's get down to business, which five mountains did you choose in the end?"

Chen Ping'an subconsciously sat up straight, "I selected three mountains around Shenxiu Mountain, Baolu Mountain, Caiyun Peak, and Xiancao Mountain."

Ruan Qiong nodded, "My vision is pretty good. Baolu Mountain occupies a large area and ranks among the best among more than 60 mountains, and it is not an empty frame. If I hadn't considered the mountain protection formation in the future, I would have given up Hengshan Mountain." Chaofeng chose Baolu Mountain, after all, in this thousand-mile mountain and river, unless the mountain god is in charge or has a secret treasure, whoever occupies a larger territory will have more spiritual energy, and will definitely have an advantage."

"Xiancao Mountain is the only Feng Shui treasure land that is expected to give birth to the essence of grass and trees. Unfortunately, the place is too small. Even if one appears, the root and appearance will not be very good. The reason is very simple. How can one grow in a small pond? Big dragon. As for Caiyun Peak, it is relatively average. Apart from the high terrain and beautiful scenery, it does not have much benefit for practice. Unless you have the ability to get Yungen stones from Yunxia Mountain and place them in several mountain apertures on Caiyun Peak. Only then might it be a good deal.”

"Have you never seen the lake in Huanghu Mountain?"

Ruan Qiong's last question made Chen Ping'an stunned, "I've seen it."

"Go on, what are the other two hills?"

Ruan Qiong stopped talking and did not continue the previous topic. He had done his best and would not continue to reveal the secret.

Because the small lake in Huanghu Mountain is similar to Xiancao Mountain. The difference is that Xiancao Mountain is expected to have beautiful plants and trees, while Huanghu Mountain is entangled with a python as thick as the mouth of a well. It is a veritable "local snake", but Unfortunately, he was defeated in the "battle for water" with a certain little loach, and lost the chance of a great road that was just around the corner.

But the beauty of the great road is that there is no absolute road. Now the Lizhu Cave sky is broken and falling, the golden carp caught in the Sui Dynasty by the Dragon King's basket, the fire dragon that turned into the bracelet on Ruan Xiu's wrist, and the one beside True Lord Liu Zhimao of Jiejiang. A loach, the wooden dragon that was the finishing touch of Zhao Yao, and the khaki four-legged snake that tried its best to follow Wang Zhu. These five little things are the Li Xiaozhu Cave Sky. When he is about to die after three thousand years, The five great opportunities that have truly accumulated, as for those magic weapons such as the sword gourd and the demon mirror, are certainly not bad, but compared to the five living blessings and luck, they are still much inferior.

But the big python in Huanghu Mountain has now become a blessing in disguise. There is no opponent within a thousand miles that can compete with it, and it has become the overlord in one fell swoop. In the future, once the mountain gods and river gods settle in it, as long as this big python is wise enough to be recruited by one of them, and obtains the official amulet from the Great Li court, it may be a smooth road from now on, and it may truly embark on the path of spiritual practice.

Chen Pingan said: "I plan to buy Zhenzhu Mountain and Luolu Mountain."

Ruan Qiong was stunned and asked curiously: "Zhenzhu Mountain is nothing more than a Spring Festival coin. It can be said that a lot of money can't buy it. But how did you fall in love with Luolu Mountain? Logically speaking, this mountain is located in According to your itinerary, you must have never been to the southwestern border of Longquan County in Dali. It used to be a forbidden mountain in Dali, so you chose it just by a name?"

Chen Ping'an was a little embarrassed and unwilling to tell the reason.

At that time, Chen Pingan was spreading the map and was hesitant about which mountain to choose. As a result, a bird flew over his head and pooped on the situation map. Chen Pingan quickly wiped it clean and found the location of the poop. It just happens to be on the word "Luo Luo Shan". Chen Ping'an didn't think much about it, and decided to choose Luolu Mountain, regardless of whether the name of the mountain was unlucky or not.

Old Man Yao once said that there are gods in the mountains and rivers.

So Chen Pingan took it as a hint from the mountain god.

Ruan Qiong thought for a while, "It's not impossible to choose Luolu Mountain. Then it's settled, Luolu Mountain, Baolu Mountain, Xiancao Mountain, Caiyun Peak, and Zhenzhu Mountain. Five mountains, three hundred years period, during this period, Even if you hollow out a mountain and move it away, no one will stop you. Everything produced on the mountain, whether herbs, elixirs, birds, or animals, or even secret treasures obtained by chance, all belong to the name of the person who was signed on the genealogy contract of the Dali Mountains and Rivers. "

Chen Pingan nodded and said: "I understand."

Ruan Qiong patiently said: "Things that need to be paid attention to, one is that before you die, you must inform the Dali court through the Longquan County government office that you need to change the name or names of some individuals who inherited the five mountains. Of course, Dalihu The ministry will keep a secret file. You can write down a beneficiary of your inheritance on each of the five mountains under your name, just in case you die suddenly one day and don't have time to explain your funeral arrangements before making a will. Then One is that if you want to sell Shantou within three hundred years, it cannot be decided anytime and anywhere. The transaction can only be realized with the approval of at least three parties from the Dali government, and I do not recommend you to sell. These mountains, because no matter what high price you sell, you will eventually find that you have made a loss."

Although Ruan Qiong is a military sage who is in charge of one side, discussing affairs on an equal footing with a young man from a back alley who suddenly became rich and powerful seems absurd, but in fact it is perfectly reasonable. When it comes to the great cause of founding a sect and the opportunity of his own daughter's enlightenment, Ruan Qiong could not bear to talk about it sincerely. He wished he could break down the truth and explain the situation to the young man in front of him.

Ruan Qiong asked: "Chen Pingan, do you have anything to ask?"

Chen Pingan shook his head and smiled: "No more."

Ruan Qiong nodded and said: "That's it for now. I guess you still have some copper coins left. I'll help you keep an eye on the shop transactions in the town later. You can also take advantage of the opportunity to buy it, but you can't bite off more than you can chew. In the future, the town There is a mixed bag of forces from all directions, so you can just buy one or two time-honored shops with a relatively solid foundation."

Chen Pingan's face flushed slightly, "Thank you, Master Ruan."

Ruan Qiong laughed at himself and said: "A gentleman cherishes virtue, while a villain cherishes earthliness."

Chen Ping'an was a little confused because he didn't understand what this sentence meant.

Ruan Qiong waved his hand and said, "Don't worry about these idle moans while you are busy. Besides, at your young age, you are not old enough to talk about your heart and state."

Chen Pingan stood up and carried the basket on his back. Suddenly he heard Ruan Qiong say a meaningless digression, "After Mr. Qi left, it is okay to miss Mr. Qi occasionally. It is human nature, but don't let yourself Get stuck in, let alone get to the bottom of it. Once you buy five hills and one or two shops, you can lie comfortably and collect money, marry a wife and have children, spread your branches and branches, and you will be considered a glorious ancestor. I am Ruan Qiong, too. , the Great Li court, will take care of you and your family property. Just like your name, safety and security are more important than anything else. There is no telling what time will turn in the future, and it is not without a chance to embark on the path of cultivation."

Chen Pingan left silently.

After the boy left the shop, Ruan Xiu sat on the bamboo chair and asked, "Dad, what do you mean by that sentence?"

Ruan Qiong said calmly: "It means that villains who are not as good as gentlemen in their ideological realm will only think about getting a place of comfort."

Ruan Xiu asked strangely: "What's wrong with this? You can't find any fault with the resettlement of the land. Why are you a villain? Who said this? I don't think it makes sense."

Ruan Qiong's face was gloomy and he said softly: "So the Confucian sage said again, my hometown is where my heart is at ease."

Ruan Xiu said angrily: "Students are so annoying, all the truth in the world has been explained to them!"

Ruan Qiong said earnestly: "Xiuxiu, this is not the reason why you don't like reading."

The girl with the ponytail pretended to be surprised, and quickly stood up and said: "Dad, why do I suddenly have a lot of extra strength? Then I'm going to go blacksmithing."

Chen Pingan rushed to Yang's shop and gave most of the baskets of various herbs to a shop assistant. After weighing the pounds, Chen Pingan received two taels of silver. In fact, many rare herbs were half sold and half given to the shop by Chen Pingan. The young shop assistant couldn't recognize the unknown herbal medicine. In fact, it was an important medicinal material that Old Man Yang valued very much. These flowers and plants were the real valuable things.

But when Chen Pingan went into the mountains, he just picked herbs casually, without any thought of making money. In fact, after Chen Pingan learned how to go into the mountains to burn charcoal, he almost sold medicines to the shop assistants at Yang's shop. In addition to selling I gave it to the honest man named Li Er in the store, and I lost money every time dozens of times.

Old Man Yang will never take Chen Pingan's medicinal materials. If Chen Pingan dares to give it to the shop for free, Old Man Yang will throw it on the street. But if he sells it to a shop assistant or a restaurant doctor, no matter what the outrageous price, The eccentric old man Yang would turn a blind eye.

This time Chen Pingan did not see Old Man Yang.

After walking out of the shop, Chen Pingan found that many people on the road were talking about something big happening at the twelve-legged crab archway. It is said that Mr. Song, the old supervisor who paid for the construction of the covered bridge before leaving office, has returned to the town in glory, and this time he has the great status of a doctor of the Ministry of Rites, bringing with him a group of literary and majestic figures. The official in front of me fell in love with the words on the four plaques of Crab House. After all, they are all scholars, so it is understandable. However, for some reason, when the supervising government office got the news, they immediately went to the mountain in a hurry and informed that person. Mr. Xiao Wu originally planned to go to Yuanmu Peak to check on the logging matters, but then the God of Wealth and his staff went out of the mountain together in an even more anxious manner and stopped Mr. Song, an old official in the officialdom, and his party.

Chen Ping'an, who had nothing to do and was light-hearted, followed the flow of people to the archway and stood far away from the crowd.

I saw eight ladders set up under the plaques on the four sides of the archway. There were ladders on the left and right sides of the plaque. But at the moment, there were only two Confucian scholars with very different ages standing next to the plaque "Do your duty without giving in". The elder of them was lowering his head and seemed to be speaking harshly to someone at his feet, reprimanding something in the elegant language of the Li official from outside.

Someone patted Chen Pingan on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Chen Pingan, what a coincidence, are you watching the excitement?"

Chen Pingan turned around and saw that it was the talkative young man with a small scarlet mole on his forehead. He was really afraid of his chatter, so he said: "Look around, I don't seem to understand what they are saying. I will go home right away." .”

The young man with an elegant and delicate appearance smiled and said: "Don't, you don't understand, I can explain it to you. This matter is very interesting. If you miss it, you will definitely regret it in the future! Your small town parent officer, Mr. Wu Yuan, At this moment, there was a conflict with the higher-ranking gentlemen of the Ministry of Rites. The one standing on the stairs was the right minister of the Ministry of Rites, and he was considered a serious minister of Dali. On the other hand, he was probably his senior predecessor. Mr. Song, the supervising officer, took credit for the plaque and said that he would keep the plaque for you as an old man. I didn’t dare to tell you if it was sent to your hometown. It would be a sure thing if it was sent to the Yamen of the Ministry of Rites, so he became the official. A fifth-grade doctor, so this time the gentlemen from the Ministry of Etiquette took advantage of the fact that the gods of mountains and rivers were consecrated, and they came to collect things. On the other side, Master Xiao Wu, who regarded all the treasures in the town as his own, heard that someone wanted to take them away. There are only a few precious old objects left in the town, how can we agree? To say the least, even if you are willing to hold your nose and suffer this cowardice, you have to know that there are so many old foxes from the four surnames and ten tribes, holding back their bad jokes and watching them. If He is pretending to be a grandson at this time, and it is estimated that it will be difficult for him to become the grandfather of those wealthy families in the future. The site selection of the civil and military temples, which was originally not going well, will definitely be ruined. "

Chen Ping'an listened carefully to the young man's excited explanation and asked, "Who are you? How do you know so much?"

The young man stretched out a finger, pointed at himself, and said with a smile: "Me? Haha, I am not an official of the Great Li court. My surname is Cui Mingzhen. The character "瀺" is relatively rare and difficult to write. It is very troublesome, so you don't need to worry about it."

Chen Pingan looked into the boy's eyes.

The young man looked calm and said with a smile: "I am older than you, so you can call me Uncle Cui."

Chen Pingan smiled.

The young man also laughed and rubbed his cheeks gently with his hands, "It doesn't matter. I also have a nickname. It should be easier to pronounce. It's called Xiuhu."