Chapter Four: Demons, Ghosts and Scholar-officials Share the World(1/2)
Leaving Xile Street and entering Wanping Street, it is like turning off a boiling kettle and the noise disappears.
Zheng Hui said: "The people coming and going on this street are either rich or noble. I don't know which shop is located next to which high-ranking official or prince. Be careful. Today is different from the past. We night guards have to keep our tail between our legs. In your leisure time, you are the best.
You are young and the most impulsive, but I have to advise you, brother, the eastern district of the divine capital is deep in water and full of dragons and tigers. It is not the outer district where you ran wild when you were a child."
"Captain Zheng, don't worry. During the six months of my stay at Night Guard, I've slowly figured it out. If I don't make progress, my life will be in vain." Li Qingxian said, sighing softly.
"You came at the wrong time. When I saw this golden robe, I didn't dare to explode even if I was in the third rank. Now I'm not as good as the Soldiers and Horses Division, alas..." Zheng Hui sighed.
In the early morning, Wanping Street is paved with neat bluestones and crowded with pedestrians. The doors of the wine shops and flower shops are closed, and only the doors of the shops selling goods are open.
Wherever the group of four passed, shopkeepers or waiters from many shops took the initiative to say hello, shouting with laughter, "Hehe" and "Brother Zheng".
Some acquaintances gave some food to them. Zheng Hui usually did not accept them, but today he received some peanuts, shortbreads, osmanthus cakes and other snacks. Han Anbo did not eat the snacks and gave them to Li Qingxian and Yu Ping.
Yu Ping was so happy that he narrowed his eyes and ate happily. He secretly thanked Li Qingxian: "It's all because of you that you have been sick for a few days."
Li Qingxian glanced at the snack in his hand and asked, "Don't you like sweet-scented osmanthus cake?"
"I like it so much that I can't bear to leave it. I'll keep it and eat it slowly." Yu Ping carefully touched the paper-wrapped osmanthus cake.
After a while, several people passed by Liu Ji Fengxiang Silk and Satin Shop.
Two strong men in black shorts stood at the door. They looked at the four people coldly and then looked away.
After walking a few steps, Zheng Hui whispered: "The Liu Ji in front of the plaque is gone, and there is a bloody rose flower underneath. I'm afraid it was just printed on the magic gate, poor old Liu."
Han Anbo sighed and shook his head.
Wanping Street is deserted in the early morning. Near the end of the street, the faint aroma of wine echoes in the air.
Zheng Hui sniffed hard and looked at Haihua Tower.
A large three-story wooden building stands tall, and workers are cleaning the red lanterns hanging everywhere.
In the lower right corner of the three-character plaque of Haihua Tower at the main entrance is the inscription of Xu Ziping, the famous founding prime minister.
Different from other stores, the wine flag hanging in front of this store has crimson and yellow seams. Only stores where the emperor has visited can erect such wine flags.
There are two wine banners floating gently in front of the building. The left side reads "Brew into spring, summer, autumn and winter wine", and the right side reads "Drunken people from the east, west, north and south".
Zheng Hui couldn't help but glance at Li Qingxian and said, "Last time you said that when you were promoted to the tenth rank or I was promoted to the ninth rank, you would buy me a jar of Flower Sea Brew. Don't forget it."
"When the day comes that I will pawn the night sword, I will also buy you a jar." Li Qingxian said.
"Okay, I'll wait. For those of us who are advanced martial arts cultivators, if those rice wines are tasteless, we have to drink strong wines like Huahai Da Niang! Unfortunately, it's too expensive." Zheng Hui said.
Li Qingxian remembered that his father Li Gangfeng also drank rice wine occasionally. There seemed to be very few spirits in Daqi, and even if there were, the output was very small.
Arriving at the end of Wanping Street, Zheng Hui stopped in front of Zhao Ji's clothing store.
"Check weapons."
The four of them drew their knives together to check if there were any cracks or chips.
"Did you bring all the whistles?" Zheng Hui took out a bamboo whistle from the belt on his right waist.
Li Qingxian also picked up the whistle and had already tied it to his belt with a cloth strip, one on the left and one on the right with the jade pendant with deer and crane patterns.
"The troops are divided into two groups. If something happens, blow the whistle! Let's go in your leisure time."
At this time, a carriage came oncoming, with a white word "night" embroidered on the black flag on the roof, and suddenly stopped in front.
Behind the carriage, four night guard soldiers held the hilts of their swords and stared at him eagerly.
"Street patroller?"
The off-white gauze curtains were opened from the inside out, and a middle-aged man with three strands of beard poked his head out, revealing a brocade official uniform.
Li Qingxian and the other two stared at each other intently. There was a majestic Biao embroidered on the patch of official uniform, and the edges of the patch were decorated with gold threads.
The seventh grade.
"Zheng Hui, member of Team A9, has met Chief Pang." Zheng Hui took a step forward, cupped his fists and bowed.
Li Qingxian and the other three people immediately bowed their heads slightly in salute.
"You remember it, Zheng Hei, right?" Pang Mingjing in the carriage put his right arm on the window with a smile on his face.
"Yes, sir." Zheng Hui said.
"I'm going to Hubu Street to collect money. I need a young and smart person. You... it's up to you. Follow up." Pang Mingjing pointed at Li Qingxian and then pointed at the back of the car.
The moment he heard about Hubu Street, Li Qingxian's heart skipped a beat.
The expressions of Zheng Hui and the other three changed slightly. Zheng Hui was stunned. Han Anbo stepped forward half a step and said, "I would like to inform Mr. Pang that Li Qingxian has not recovered from his serious illness and wants to go back to see Dr. Sun. Mr. Zhou has specially taken care of it."
"Oh?" The smile on Pang Mingjing's face disappeared, and his eyes turned cold.
Zheng Hui said with a smile on his face: "Man Pangda, this Li Qingxian is a reckless man and has no cleverness at all. How about replacing him with me? Don't worry, I have the strength of the tenth grade."
Pang Mingjing glanced at the four people and raised his fingers at Zheng Hui.
Zheng Hui hurriedly walked a few steps and came under the car window. He lowered his head slightly and lowered his hands.
"Tenth grade, so majestic." Pang Mingjing stretched out his fair right palm and patted Zheng Hui's shoulder three times.
"I don't dare." Zheng Hui lowered his head.
"The status of our financial department is getting worse day by day." Pang Mingjing sighed.
The cold wind blew by and the birds were silent.
The Eighteen Departments of the Night Guard, the Finance Department is in charge of the financial power of the Night Guard and is the real first department of the Night Guard.
Zheng Hui raised his head and was about to speak.
Hee hee hee…
Zheng Hui made a harsh sound all over his body, and his clothes suddenly swelled and cracked densely. In an instant, his clothes exploded and rags flew everywhere.
Zheng Hui was not injured at all. His clothes were torn into rags and hung on his body, shaking in the wind, unable to cover his dark skin.
Everyone was shocked and speechless.
Pedestrians and shopkeepers not far away were pointing and laughing.
The redness spread on Zheng Hui's dark face and spread all over his neck.
Li Qingxian gritted his teeth.
"Are you coming, or is he coming?" Pang Mingjing asked.
Zheng Hui arched his back and cupped his fists and said: "Li Qingxian is the son of Mr. Li Gangfeng, and he has received special care from Mr. Zhou Chunfeng. Now he is seriously ill and it is inconvenient to go, but I am willing to do my best for you."
Li Qingxian looked at the usually nagging Zheng Hei, and his heart was filled with excitement.
Pang Mingjing seemed stunned, and after a moment, he threw something with his right hand.
With a snap, the object fell at Zheng Hui's feet.
Li Qingxian looked at it, his whole body stiffened.
Wooden texture, token shape, gold lettering on black background.
wrong!
A clear memory emerged in Li Qingxian's mind. This was the Night Guard's token. Once violated, the token holder could directly kill everyone below the ninth grade.
No one would give up the Golden Order for an ordinary soldier.
Pang Mingjing came prepared!
Zheng Hui looked down at Jin Zi Ling, opened his mouth, clenched his fists, and showed the veins on his forehead, unable to speak.
Suddenly, a harsh whistle sounded.
As soon as Li Qingxian turned his head, he saw Yu Ping holding a bamboo whistle in his mouth, making long and short sounds alternately, calling for help from the night guard.
"Remove!"
Pang Mingjing gave the order, and the four powerful night guards behind the carriage rushed over and took away Yu Ping's whistle, while also removing the whistles from the waists of Li Qingxian and Han Anbo.
Li Qingxian looked at Yu Ping, who said with a smile: "When you get rich in the future, remember to treat me to mutton soup. Don't be as stingy as Captain Zheng."
In the carriage, Pang Mingjing slowly took out a copper whistle and blew it three times, three long and one short each time.
Alert lifted.
The smile on Yu Ping's face solidified.
Pang Mingjing turned his head and looked at Li Qingxian with a smile: "Are you coming, or are the three of them coming?"
"The three of us!" Zheng Hui, who was beside the carriage, suddenly raised his head, looked directly at Pang Mingjing, and took half a step forward.
Han Anbo and Yu Ping took a step forward together.
Pang Mingjing frowned slightly, Zheng Hui's dark face was a bit dazzling.
Li Qingxian looked at his three teammates, sighed, and said, "I will go with you, but I have not recovered from my serious illness, so I will walk slower."
"It's okay, sit next to me."
Li Qingxian's face turned even colder and he said: "Since the Lord is so kind, my subordinates are so disrespectful. Captain Zheng, Deputy Captain Han, Yu Ping, please go back. I will go with Lord Pang."
"Quiet!" Zheng Hui shouted in a low voice.
Li Qingxian acted as if he hadn't heard anything, picked up the gold-letter, and walked towards the carriage.
Arriving at the door of the car, Li Qingxian stopped, waved with the three of them behind his back, and boarded the car.
The curtain falls.
"Go to Hubu Street."
The horse-drawn carriage moved forward slowly.
Suddenly, Han Anbo shouted loudly: "When I go to the Ministry of Household Affairs, etiquette comes first, and no carelessness is allowed!"
"Son of a bitch!" Zheng Hui gritted his teeth.
Yu Ping's right hand was tightly holding the broken osmanthus cake.
To be continued...