Sword of Coming

In the dusk, a strange guest came to the blacksmith shop. The man was about thirty years old, tall, with slender eyebrows, fair skin, delicate and feminine appearance, and a burly and masculine body, which gave him a unique style.

After Ruan Qiong learned the identity of this person, he was not as casual as the last time he received Emperor Cui Ming of Guanhu Academy. He just chatted for a few words at the door of the sword-making room. This time, Ruan Qiong asked Ruan Xiu to move two bamboo chairs to the corridor and He took out two jugs of good wine, one for each person. The man didn't hesitate. He took the wine jug and unsealed it, then took a sip of wine and said with a smile: "Master Ruan, your move this time has shocked the government and the public. The court has specific details." How to deal with it, I don’t know yet, but as the new kiln superintendent and the first Longquan County Yamen chief official, I can save a lot of words. Logically speaking, it is my turn to pay a visit with good wine, but I was halfway there at the time. After hearing about the incident, I worked hard, I was really in a hurry, and I thought I owed Master Ruan the two big jars of apricot blossom wine at the New Year's Eve shop in Qilong Lane."

Master Ruan waved his hand, "There is no need to say these polite words. If you and I reach an agreement today, we will have many opportunities to drink and chat in the future. If the agreement fails, you and I will not have to work hard to win over our feelings."

The man laughed heartily. He was not like a Dali court official who held two jobs, but more like a chivalrous man walking around the world. He wiped the corners of his mouth, put the wine bottle on his knees, and stopped talking while drinking. signs, "Jialiu Mountain was banned during the Spring Hui Period of Dali. Of course, this is the official statement from the confidential files of the Imperial Household Department. According to the name recorded in the local county annals, it should be Longji Mountain. Halfway up the mountain, there is a natural Before I came here to take up my post, there was a duel between the emperor and his ministers about the large-scale dragon-slaying platform. His Majesty the Emperor made it clear that this thing would be handed over to the Fengxue Temple where Master Ruan is located and Zhenwu Mountain. It will be jointly owned by both of you. As for the two of you, As for the power of the military strategists, we, the Dali imperial court, will not interfere in the details of how to excavate, cut, and divide the Dragon Slaying Platform, whether to leave it as an ancestral property, or to move it back to their respective sects. Even if necessary. There is no need for Master Ruan to be polite about such small things as Da Li's men and women, such as driving the two young mountain-moving apes under Da Li's command to crack Jialiu Mountain, exposing the Dragon Slaying Platform."

Master Ruan smiled and said, "You Da Li are very sincere."

Just as the new supervisor was about to say something for the occasion, Master Ruan added: "Before I came here, our Fengxue Temple and Zhenwu Mountain had already reached an agreement on the Dragon Slaying Platform. I, Ruan Qiong, Fengxue Temple, Zhenwu Mountain, each has his own. You should have heard some gossip from your emperor. I plan to establish a sect here, so the identities of father and daughter have been moved away from Fengxue Temple. Within the next sixty years , it is definitely not convenient for me to officially open the mountain, but as long as you, Dali, please my eyes, once the sixty-year period is over, I will choose a decent mountain here as the starting point of the Shanmen Sect in the future."

The man who was the superintendent and the county magistrate did not hide his joy. He seemed to be waiting for Ruan Qiong to speak, and immediately said: "Master Ruan, you can rest assured. Except for Piyun Mountain, now within the territory Sixty-one mountains are roughly divided, and Master Ruan can choose any three as the foundation for establishing a sect in the future. If Master Ruan is not willing to make a decision in a hurry, I can first show Master Ruan the old and new pictures of Lizhu Cave. Regarding the mountain situation map, I will accompany Master Ruan to explore and inspect it personally, and then Master Ruan will make a decision, how about it?"

It is a great blessing for any dynasty to have a great monk like Ruan Qiong to help control the country. In particular, Ruan Qiong's implication is that he chose to take root here, and not just be attached to Dali as a guest minister, worshiper, or national advisor. Therefore, it is not the kind of situation where people get together when they get together and disperse when they don't get along. Ruan Qiong It is truly spreading branches and leaves in the land of Da Li, and it is invisibly related to the fate of the dynasty. Let alone a small governor, even the emperor of Da Li will feel happy sitting here.

Da Liwu people emerged in large numbers, led by the vassal king Song Changjing. The number of masters above the five realms surpassed that of the East Aquarius Continent. However, there are really few gods on the mountain, which is completely inconsistent with the strong national power of Da Li. This has always been the heart problem of Emperor Da Li.

Ruan Qiong smiled and said: "There is no need to worry about occupying the mountain as the king. To put it bluntly, except for the Piyun Mountain that you are unwilling to take out, there is no mountain that can catch my eye."

The young inspector looked a little embarrassed. In fact, before coming here, not only him, but also Emperor Da Li and his mentor also felt that there was a possibility of Ruan Qiong establishing a mountain in Da Li, but it was definitely not big, because Da Li actually Can't show enough sincerity, Dragon Slaying Platform? If Ruan Qiong hadn't had the ability to negotiate with Fengxue Temple and Zhenwu Mountain and get a piece of it, how would Da Li have dared to turn against Fengxue Temple and Zhenwu Mountain just to win over Ruan Qiong? The price was too high, even if it was anger The Great Li Dynasty, which swallowed thousands of miles like a tiger, could not afford it.

Ruan Qiong suddenly said: "Although Fengxue Temple and Zhenwu Mountain have never proposed it, I personally hope that you, Da Li, can come up with two sharp enough magical weapons, whether they are swords or knives, it doesn't matter, as long as they are enough That’s fine, I can help you then and hand it over to the two military monks who are here to separate the Dragon Slaying Platform. You can report it to the court first and wait for Emperor Da Li’s reply. There is no rush in this matter.”

The young supervisor thought for a moment and said in a deep voice: "I can settle this matter with one word. I will agree to Master Ruan first!"

Ruan Qiong nodded and took a sip of wine, quite satisfied with this person's posture and courage. After all, I will have to deal directly with this man named Wu Yuan for a long time. If he is a fool, it will be very tiring. If you are a stingy and timid guy, it will be even more tiring.

Wu Yuan hesitated for a moment, then took a sip of wine, as if to embolden himself, and said: "Master Ruan, first of all, there are more than thirty dragon kilns outside the small town, and they will reopen the kilns to make porcelain, but from now on From now on, only ordinary imperial ritual vessels will be made. Secondly, the county government will be built to the east of the town. After it is completed, the county government will post the laws of Dali on the posters, and will also let the household office servants who are somewhat knowledgeable in literature The purpose of preaching and explaining it all over the town is to let the ordinary people in the town truly know their identity as the people of Dali."

Ruan Qiong looked sternly and glanced at Wu Yuan, the nominal magistrate of Longquan County. The latter explained with a smile: "This is just a superficial show against ordinary masters. In the past sixty years in this town, Master Ruan's rules are still the most important. The rules of the four surnames and ten clans follow closely, and Dali has the lowest law. If there is a conflict, this order will be used as the criterion. Dali not only does not interfere with everything Master Ruan does within a thousand miles of the town, but also I will side with Master Ruan without any doubt. Just like Master Ruan smashed the body of monk Ziyanhe before, that man refused to repent, and even tried to clear up connections in the capital and tried to file a complaint to His Majesty the Emperor. My mentor learned the news Then, without saying a word, he sent people to suppress and kill the monk’s soul.”

Ruan Qiong frowned slightly, a little impatient, "Tell your husband, don't do such superfluous things in the future. It doesn't matter if you lose face. I'm just a rough blacksmith. I'm not used to bending my intestines. You guys Li is really serious and gives me real benefits, that's enough. As for whether I'll take it or not, that's another question. If I really wanted to kill monk Ziyanhe, a waste like him, would he be able to escape? I'd give him another hundred. Not even a single leg. If he really wants to kill someone, how many of you in Dali can stop him? Even if he can, will they be willing to stop him?"

Wu Yuan's face turned slightly pale and his voice was slightly astringent as he said, "Master Ruan, I understand."

Ruan Qiong didn't want to make things too tense. After all, it was the first time for the two of them to get along. He couldn't expect others to have his own way. That would be forcing others to do something difficult, so he took the initiative to ask: "In the secular dynasty, build Wenchang Pavilion and Wusheng Temple, and seal the mountains and rivers by imperial edict." The righteousness of gods and the prohibition of local prostitution temples are the proper responsibilities of a court. What are your plans in this small town?"

Wu Yuan, who had suffered a loss just now, answered with careful words: "As for Wenchang Pavilion and Wusheng Temple, the two places currently favored by our Daliqin Tianjian Earth Master are the Porcelain Mountain in the north of the town and the Immortal Tomb in the southeast. , the people offering sacrifices are the two who walked out of the small town back then. They happen to be both civilized and military, and they have done a great job for me, Da Li. What do you think, Master Ruan?"

Ruan Qiong's tone was not relaxed, "It's quite suitable for two people who enjoy the incense of civil and military affairs, but the location has been finalized like this? Have you ever asked Mr. Yang what he meant?"

Wu Yuan was stunned on the spot and asked cautiously: "Master Ruan, may I ask who Mr. Yang is?"

Ruan Qiong was also stunned for a moment and joked: "Your Mr. Hu Xiu didn't even tell you this? Are you going to be the supervisor and parent officer? Wu Yuan, tell me honestly, are you following Qi Jingchun is about the same. He failed in officialdom, became an outcast, and was relegated to this position? If this is the case, I will regret what I have agreed upon before. "

Wu Yuan was speechless. He didn't know how to explain, and he was even more confused.

Next to a well in the distance, three peers were squatting on the ground. Ruan Xiu was teaching Chen Pingan the names, functions and practice meanings of the acupoints. The extra boy was the one who shamelessly joined him. Ruan Xiu and Chen Pingan were talking about it from the beginning. Erasing the handwriting and saying nothing, the two of them stared at him. The young man had handsome features and a finishing touch of a red mole between his eyebrows. He looked very attractive and festive, but both Chen Ping'an and Ruan Xiu underestimated his patience and determination. Shameless, smiling, he looked at the straw-shoe boy on his left and the girl in green clothes on his right. After the three of them burned half a stick of incense, the boy seemed to feel that he had also underestimated the perseverance of the two people around him, and finally took the initiative to speak, using a smooth and rounded small town dialect. , saying that he came from the capital and came here with the supervisor to see the scenery, especially the porcelain mountain.

"You continue to talk about your acupuncture points and Qi Mansion, don't be so stingy, what if I listen to it? Could it be that after listening to it, I can suddenly become a land god?"

After that, Chen Ping'an and Ruan Xiu were busy with their own affairs and ignored this strange guy's conversation.

"Your handwriting is not very good. It looks like you haven't put in any hard work. It floats very much, almost like oil residue floating on the water."

"Girl, your explanation here is not complete enough. The so-called half-pot cooking of the world, and the incomprehension of drawing pictures makes ghosts and gods laugh. In fact, it is like this...ah, why don't you just skip this Qi Palace and stop talking?"

"Hehehe, girl, why don't you explain to him where the Tanzhong point is? Isn't it difficult to show him? Oh, girl, if you are embarrassed, I can help... Girl, you have a murderous look in your eyes. Girl, you must have misunderstood. What I mean is that I am here to point out to him where the Tanzhong point on my body is. Girl, the Tanzhong point on your body is even difficult to find even by gods. Why should I ask for trouble... "

"Hey? Girl, why did you hit someone? Are you still here? Girl, I was wrong!"

"Girl, there are three levels on the back of the Taillu Jiaji Jade Pillow. Why did you miss it? The ancients said that clearing the back level is half the effort, and closing the back level is half the effort. It can be seen that it is very important..."

In the end, it was the appearance of Supervisor Wu Yuan who helped Chen Ping'an and Ruan Xiu escape from the predicament. The chatty boy with the mole between his eyebrows and the taciturn young Dali official left the blacksmith shop side by side.

Chen Ping'an and Ruan Xiu were sitting at the mouth of the well. Ruan Xiu glanced at the backs of the two people and said softly: "The older one is an official. The one who was next to us just now is not clear, and I can't feel it either." Strangely, he may be a book boy for young people, many big families outside have such book companions."

Chen Pingan nodded.

Ruan Qiong walked to the well with a straight face, turned around after saying this, "Chen Pingan, come with me."

Chen Pingan stood up in confusion. Miss Ruan said before that her father promised to lend her money, but she would have to wait for about ten days. Could it be that she regretted it?

The girl in green clothes felt a little guilty and followed Chen Pingan.

Ruan Qiong sat on the bamboo chair and asked Chen Pingan to sit on the chair where Wu Yuan sat before.

Ruan Xiu coughed and said with a smile: "Dad, these two chairs were made by Chen Pingan. They are not bad, right?"

Ruan Qiong said with a dark face: "I'm talking to Chen Ping'an about business, Xiuxiu, please don't interrupt."

Chen Pingan quickly sat upright and said, "Master Ruan, please tell me."

Ruan Qiong took out a handful of broken silver from his sleeve, about three or four taels, and said, "Go to Qilong Lane in the small town and buy a good pot of peach blossom spring roast for dad. You can buy some of the remaining change yourself. pastry."

Ruan Xiu was a little reluctant.

Ruan Qiong pretended to put away the money, "Then you go to the sword-making room and keep an eye on the stove. It will be over in an hour."

Ruan Xiu grabbed the money and ran away.

When his daughter ran away, Ruan Qiong got straight to the point and asked: "Chen Ping'an, do you have three bags of gold and copper coins?"

Chen Pingan's face remained as usual, he nodded and said, "Yes."

Ruan Qiong seemed to like the young man's honesty, and his expression improved a bit, "A small town citizen like you who has three bags of gold and copper coins on hand can't find anyone else. Even among the four surnames and ten tribes in Taoye Lane, Fulu Street, at most The Song family only had two bags, or even one bag. In addition, eight small families in the town exchanged their treasures for a bag of gold and copper coins. Basically, the valuable old people in the town All the objects have been lost, and now there are about seven or eight left, and they are in good condition."

"In the future, there will be more and more outsiders in the town. Of course, your life will be safe. The reason why I open the skylight to you and speak frankly is that I hope you will make good use of the three bags of gold and copper coins in your hand. Don't cover it in your hands." It was rotten in my hands, so I didn’t use it casually. Before me, the town would open its doors once every sixty years, and let about twenty or thirty people into the town, allowing them to look for opportunities. From now on From now on, there will be no such rules, and it will become more and more like an ordinary Dali town. Therefore, your three bags of gold and copper coins will be particularly eye-catching and will eventually cause you a lot of unnecessary trouble. I am a person who is very afraid of trouble. I will inevitably stand up for you when the time comes. But I, Ruan Qiong, have to deal with a bunch of brats every three days. I find it embarrassing. So I will give you a suggestion. Do you want to listen? After that, you decide.”

"Before I give my advice, let me make it clear to you in advance. Gold and copper coins are the most valuable right now, but not everyone can spend them. Apart from the four major surnames, I am afraid that the ten major clans are no exception, because Emperor Da Li plans to The sixty-one forbidden mountains outside of Piyun Mountain have all been released and sold to major powerful sects that have good relations with Da Li. The prices of these sixty-one mountains vary depending on their size. The reason why the outside world is flocking to them is that Now that the Lizhu Cave Heaven Formation has been shattered, it has been reduced to an existence like a blessed land on earth. Although the aura has dropped sharply, it is still much higher than ordinary mountains. It is not inferior to the mountains where the orthodox mountain gods sit. Moreover, Emperor Dali promised In the future, this place will be enshrined with a mountain god, three mountain gods and a river god. Such a dense concentration of mountain and river gods will make it possible that sixty years later, the area of ​​thousands of miles will still be prosperous and full of spiritual energy, so now we 'buy the top of the mountain' A sure deal, no loss at all.”

Chen Pingan asked: "What if I buy the mountain today and die tomorrow?"

This question hits the nail on the head.

Ruan Qiong smiled for the first time and said, "First of all, as long as you work honestly in the town and be a responsible person, you will definitely not die suddenly for no reason. For example, if there are people like mountain-moving monkeys who come to trouble you, there are no more in the town now. I don't need to worry about whether Qi Jingchun is broken or not. I don't need to worry about what Qi Jingchun wants to abide by. So I can help you settle it, because at this point, it is a reasonable thing. Secondly, the Dali Imperial Court The sale of the mountain tops at a low price was to earn favor outside the borders of Da Li. It was a profit-making exercise at a loss. After agreeing to buy any mountain, within three hundred years, even if the person who bought the mountain died and there was no heir to inherit it, Da Li would not succeed. Also within the three hundred years, we will never take back the mountains without authorization, and they will be left abandoned. Finally, I will be the first to get three mountains this time. The feng shui is definitely the best. If you can get a few in the future, we will It can be adjacent to each other. If you are unable to make a profit from the mountain, even if you just rent the mountain from me for three hundred years, you can still enjoy the dividends every year and enjoy the benefits, and the same will be true for future generations."

This is the long-lasting wealth that many wealthy families dream of.

Ruan Qiong didn't bother to boast, so he didn't say anything.

Chen Pingan asked curiously: "Master Ruan, what is the approximate price of those hills?"

Ruan Qiong said casually: "The smallest mountain is just a solitary peak. It was named Zhenzhu Mountain by the Dali imperial court. The asking price is a gold fine copper coin, but it must be a Spring Festival coin."

Chen Ping'an said in surprise: "Only one is needed?"

Ruan Qiong said with a smile: "This big place is euphemistically called a mountain. In fact, it doesn't even have the word "peak" in it. It's just a small mountain. A Spring Festival coin is not worth it. This is because Da Li really can't bid for half a gold. Fine copper coins.”

Chen Ping'an murmured: "It's just a copper coin. No matter how small the mountain is, it will be yours for five hundred years or three hundred years. It's a good deal no matter how you think about it."

Ruan Qiong continued: "Medium-sized mountains such as Xuanli Mountain, Dayan Mountain, Liandeng Peak, etc., the price of Dali is about ten to fifteen gold coins. The largest small mountain range and the other two mountains, Kuquan The mountains, Xiangshan Mountain and Shenxiu Mountain all cost twenty-five to thirty gold essence copper coins. This is because no one bids. In the final analysis, what Da Li wants to keep is not the bags of gold essence, but the four surnames. The ten clans and their various connections in East Aquarius Continent hope that the real backer and wealthy man behind them can come forward and take the initiative to contact Da Li."

Chen Ping'an frowned and said, "Master Ruan, wouldn't it be very impressive if I take advantage of this at this time? I won't be resented by others?"

Ruan Qiong laughed and said: "You also have a backer, far away in the horizon, but close in front of you."

Chen Pingan scratched his head and did not agree immediately.

Ruan Qiong, instead of being annoyed by the straw-shoe boy's lack of knowledge, said happily: "I'm not too complacent. It's not bad. After you go back to Mud Bottle Alley, think about it carefully and try to give me an answer tomorrow. It may change over time. This is not my bluff." You, that’s the truth.”

After Chen Pingan left the blacksmith shop, he still hadn't woken up from the shock until he walked to the stone arch bridge.

The young man had also imagined the days when he would be rich in the future.

For example, I can eat meat buns and candied haws every once in a while, I can have Spring Festival couplets, door gods and blessing characters on my courtyard door, I can repair my ancestral home to look like a house, I can bring a bottle of good wine and a bag of wine when I visit my parents’ graves. Pastries, etc.

Chen Ping'an never thought that one day he would be able to own one or even several mountains.