Fu Shifeng

Chapter 14
The situation was exactly as Su Wangting expected, when Cheng Sanwu and his party returned to Quzhi City, just after washing up, Wen Changshi from the Duhu Mansion took the initiative to pay a visit.

"It's rare for Wen Changshi to come to the humble house, please take a seat."

Since Wu Maocai took away almost all the people under his command, the property that originally belonged to Baochang Society was left unattended, and Su Wangting was able to return to his mansion safely.Seeing Wen Changshi Dengmen, he took the initiative to welcome the other party into the back hall.

I saw a dining table on the long couch, displaying various dishes, a pot of steaming alfalfa wheat rice, next to it was a delicious and rich mutton soup, and vinegar celery, candied apricot dates and cheese physalis as cold dishes.

Cheng Sanwu sat at the table and ate heartily, his cheeks were rounded by the dishes, his neck was thick and his forehead was sweating.

Afu, who was sitting opposite, was much more elegant. She took off her boots and socks, leaned on the bed, scooped up the yogurt with a spoon, tasted it carefully, and then picked up a candied fruit and took a light bite.When she saw Wen Changshi coming, she just glanced at him lightly, then held up the glass cup filled with wine, and looked at Cheng Sanwu again, with curiosity in her eyes, as if she wanted to see how much this man's stomach could hold.

Seeing this, Wen Changshi put his hands behind his back and didn't say a word, and there was no emotion on his face. Su Wangting led him aside and sat down, and apologized: "I made Wen Changshi laugh. We have been on the road for days, hungry and thirsty, and we finally returned home." When we get to Quzhi City, we don’t have to worry too much about it.”

"Don't worry about it." Wen Changshi couldn't hear the hidden meaning of resentment in the other party's words, but he has other important tasks here, and said: "Recently, the military affairs in the Western Regions are busy, and the government really has no time to take care of them. I heard that your company and Mao Is there a conflict between the clubs?"

Su Wangting said with a smile: "Our two families do have some disputes over business, which makes Wen Changshi worry."

Wen Changshi persisted: "Oh? But I heard that the two of you are fighting for something called Mani Pearl?"

Su Wangting thought for a while, and replied: "Actually, the colleagues of the White Horse Society were responsible for escorting the Mani beads at first, and I was entrusted to go to the White Horse Society later. Unfortunately, in the middle of the journey, the Maocai Society intervened and took away the mani beads. Manizhu didn't say anything, but resorted to force and violence to seize the property of our Baochang Society in Quzhi City. Wen Changshi, the Duhufu must uphold justice for us!"

The Western Region has a vast territory, and it is impossible to set up states and counties, appoint and remove officials like the Central Plains, but retain most of the princes and chiefs, and additionally appoint and confer titles.In addition to regular tribute and sending sons to the court, each ministries must also be appointed by the court when the successor changes, which is considered to be in line with the rules and regulations.

In addition to defending against the enemy in the Western Regions, reclaiming land for reclamation, and checking household registrations, the chief guardians of the four towns are mainly responsible for implementing the administrative order system.

But even so, even Quzhi City, which is under the watchful eyes of the Duhufu, often faces a shortage of manpower, and many things cannot be avoided without the help of big families such as Maocai Society or Zoroastrianism.

Therefore, Su Wangting's so-called "upholding justice" could not be going to the prefectural and county yamen to lodge a petition to redress his grievances, but directly discussing with Wen Changshi in private.

"I can't just listen to one side of things like this." Wen Changshi's attitude was ambiguous: "You must know that many properties of your company do not comply with the court's laws. Maocai Club took the initiative to file a lawsuit with the government before, complaining about your company's various illegal activities. operate."

Su Wangting endured the anger in his heart, his Baochang Society has been in Quzhi City for more than ten years, and you Wen Changshi has been doing well before you came, and you have never neglected to make contributions to the Duhu Mansion in the past.Some things are well known to everyone, and there is no need to write a big book on the stage!

"The properties under the Baochang Society are all obtained from honest management in the past years, and I dare not do anything to bully the market, let alone illegal." Su Wangting put on a gentle look: "But I also know the court's laws, if you really want to investigate thoroughly, then Please Wen Changshi come up with a charter, so I can arrange it."

Su Wangting really didn't intend to make the situation completely deadlocked. Anyway, Mr. Wu was dead, and the Maocai Club had no backbone. With a little effort, he could bring back all the original properties.In order to stabilize Wen Changshi, Su Wangting didn't mind cutting his flesh and bloodletting him.

After all, he traveled thousands of miles to the Western Regions to become an official, and faced complicated military affairs and civil affairs all day long. If he could not make progress in his official status, he would have to use money to make up for it.

Wen Changshi leaned slightly on the back of the chair, slightly satisfied, but still not satisfied, and tapped the chair handle with his fingers: "Director Su just came back from the outside, could it be because of the Manizhu incident?"

Su Wangting knew that he couldn't avoid it, so he could only answer: "I am also a matter of loyalty. Manizhu has a lot to do with it, so I have to come forward in person."

"So, the Mani Pearl is in the hands of Chief Su?" Wen Changshi asked.

"Yes." Su Wangting was not polite anymore: "Wen Changshi, you and I are both doing things for others, so there is no need to ask too deeply, right? Otherwise, we will not look good to each other."

Faced with Su Wangting's hint, Wen Changshi turned a blind eye: "But you said just now that the Maocai Society took away the Mani Pearl. Now that your society has the treasure, I wonder how the Maocai Society is in charge of Young Master Wu?"

"The vast Gobi, the road is dangerous, and horse thieves and monsters emerge one after another, who knows?" Su Wangting gently brushed the dust on his legs, not paying attention.

Wen Changshi's voice was low: "Master Su, I'm worried that you forgot. Let me remind you - Wu Maocai is the son of the British prince. He died in the Western Regions, and someone has to pay the price."

"The [-]-mile sand sea between the two states of West and Iraq is the most dangerous. Wen Changshi might as well send troops to search along the road." Su Wangting said in a cold tone.

"Okay, very good." A bit of anger appeared on Wen Changshi's face, he changed the subject, and said seriously: "This government believes that the recent turmoil in the Western Regions is caused by the Mani Pearl, and the Duhu government has the right to confiscate this object , for security. Su is in charge, you know what to do."

Su Wangting stared ahead without saying a word, as if he was deaf, Wen Changshi frowned slightly, and was about to press him.

boom!
Suddenly there was a loud noise, and it was Cheng Sanwu who jumped up against the crime and shouted outside the room:
"Is that roast chicken ready?! I didn't go up for half a day, do I want to starve to death?!"

Cheng Sanwu shouted like thunder, reverberating in the back hall, some beam dust was shaken down, Wen Changshi swallowed back the words that just came to his mouth.

Immediately, a servant came in with a roast chicken, put it on the dining table, and hurriedly left.

Cheng Sanwu was cursing, grabbed the roast chicken with his hands, tore it into two easily, and handed it to Afu who was opposite him: "Do you want it?"

Afu held back her smile, shook her head slightly, Cheng Sanwu sat down and said, "You don't want me!"

After saying this, Cheng Sanwu held the freshly baked roast chicken and gnawed it, chewing it together with the bones, making a chilling crisp sound.

Wen Changshi didn't speak, of course he knew that Cheng Sanwu was a thug raised by Baochang Society, with superb martial arts skills.Being in the same room with this kind of warrior and reckless man, his status as the governor of the Governor's Palace might not be able to stop the other party from being impulsive.

Mani beads are very important, but it's not worth giving up your life easily for this thing.

"It seems that Director Su is unwilling to assist the Duhu Mansion." Wen Changshi got up slowly: "Forget it, then the mansion can only do business."

Wen Changshi left in a huff, and the room fell into silence, only the sound of Cheng Sanwu having a good meal remained.

"Can you still eat it?" Afu couldn't help but asked Cheng Sanwu, "You guys are going to fight against the Protectorate."

Cheng Sanwu raised his head and drank a bowl of wine, put a mouthful of chicken into his stomach, wiped his mouth casually, and said indifferently: "You treat me like a three-year-old child, don't you understand anything? This Wen They are just here to ask for trouble, how can we give away the Mani beads that we fought so hard to get back?"

"But he is the chief of the Protectorate's Mansion after all, and it's enough to give face to discuss in private. If you really want to do business, you can't insist on it to the end, right?" Afu asked with her chin propped.

"Ask Lao Su about these things, I have never had the brain." Cheng Sanwu lay down on the couch after eating and drinking, "Old Su, I scared the plague god away, it's up to you to come up with a plan."

Su Wangting lightly pressed his temple: "Before Prime Minister Lu sends someone here, I plan to place the Mani beads in the Fire Worship Temple."

"It is said that Mani beads are sacred objects of Zoroastrianism, can they be taken out after entering the Fire Worship Temple?" Afu asked.

"The hot potato can't be held, so it's best to throw it to someone else." Su Wangting got up and said, "At present, Qi Dadu is still leading troops outside to quell the chaos, and Wen Changshi is in charge in Quzhi City. I know this person, he Seeing that Baochang Society was weak, he immediately came to ask for Mani beads, but he dared not take the risk of inciting a popular uprising among the congregation.”

"A coward who bullies the weak and fears the tough." Cheng Sanwu cursed.

"And..." Su Wangting thought about it for a while, glanced at Afu secretly, and continued: "I suspect that Manizhu may not be a sacred object of Zoroastrianism, and even people like Muxid don't know anything about it."

"Are you sure?" Afu's blue eyes flooded: "For this Mani bead, all kinds of demons and ghosts have been dispatched. Like the sand-diving dragon before, it can be grown without 200 years, and it can accurately sense the location of the Mani bead." , indicating that someone secretly manipulated it.”

Cheng Sanwu immediately sat up, gestured with his hands and said, "Is that big bug controlled by someone? Like, like those snake charmers from Tianzhu? Can you make it swing with a flute?"

Afu was amused by his words: "You... If you insist on thinking this way, let it be."

"The key is not to control the demon, but to be able to accurately find the Mani beads." Su Wangting understood the key, and he looked at Cheng Sanwu: "Old Cheng, when you took Peng Ning to walk the North Path of the Hanhai, there were only the two of you." ?"

"That's right, just the two of us."

"So there is no possibility of the insider tipping off the news." Su Wangting scratched his head with some difficulty.

Afu's face was rare and serious: "Someone is watching the whereabouts of Manizhu closely with advanced magic..."

"Oops." Su Wangting immediately reacted: "The other party must know that we have returned to Quzhi City with the Mani beads."

"Then what should we do?" Cheng Sanwu looked at the two of them: "Could there be another monster ready to kill?"

Su Wangting pondered and said: "This is Quzhi City, the residence of the Duhu Mansion, where would any monster dare to come?"

Cheng Sanwu pointed at Afu, she slapped it away, and scolded with a smile: "Can I count?"

"I'm not worried about monsters like earth dragons and corpse vultures." Su Wangting kneaded his eyebrows, trying to cheer up: "But this expert hiding in the dark can instigate far more than just monsters."

"Are you afraid that you won't be able to keep the Mani Pearl?" Cheng Sanwu snorted coldly: "I want to see if there are any powerful people who dare to steal things."

"Where is there a thousand days to guard against thieves?" Su Wangting sighed and said, "The Governor's Mansion can't be counted on. If it doesn't work, I will hand it over to Mu Xid."

"You make a decision." Cheng Sanwu didn't bother to think too much: "If Mu Sid refuses to return the Mani beads in the future, I will rush in with a knife and grab it."

"Old Cheng, you..." Su Wangting took out the black jade box from his bosom, and said with a wry smile, "But in the end, I don't know whether it contains Mani beads or not."

……

Everyone had a good night's rest. In the morning of the next day, Su Wangting made careful preparations. First, he sent people to notify the Fire Worship Temple, then contacted various industries in Quzhi City, and gathered people again. Soma grass is used for brewing, tamarisk wood is used for burning, and pomegranate branches are used for offering.

After preparing all these, Su Wangting ordered people to beat gongs and drums, and went to the Zoroastrian Fire Temple in a grand manner, claiming to the public that the Baochang Society had survived the catastrophe and was able to escape from death because of the protection of the Great Bright Lord, so he wanted to go to the temple. The fire worship temple is also willing to offer sacrifices.

This moment immediately attracted all the Zoroastrians in the city to gather and watch. Is there anyone who lives in Quzhi City who doesn't know about Baochang Society?In the past, in their eyes, the head of Baochang Society, Su, was just one of the richest men in the city, relying on his expertise in business and lending, and relying on a group of vicious thugs headed by Cheng Sanwu, he earned a dirty family business.

In the eyes of the Zoroastrians, these merchants have always been considered sinister, stingy, and unclean in nature. It is very rare for them to volunteer to contribute money this time.

When the team arrived outside the Fire Worship Temple, Dharma-holder Sabao had already led a group of Dharma protectors to wait in line outside the gate of the Zuofang.Even though the poor congregation didn't like it, the elders who run the Fire Worship Temple were very happy to see the arrival of Su Wangting, a rich man.

What Su Wangting did was to show off on purpose, to tell the people hiding in the dark that he had entrusted the Mani Pearl to the Fire Worship Temple, and if he wanted to snatch it, he could directly face the Zoroastrianism.

After exchanging greetings with Dharma Sabao, Su Wangting ordered people to send the enshrined property to the Fire Worship Temple, and then said: "Today, I came to Guibao Land, besides paying the offering, I just want to ask Elder Mu for guidance."

Holding the Dharma Sabao, he pondered for a while: "What a coincidence, Elder Mu has occasionally felt cold in the past few days, so he can't see outsiders."

"That's it..." Su Wangting pretended to be regretful. Seeing the situation with the Dharma Sabao, he wanted to win over him, and he didn't want such a rich man to slip away, so he said quickly:

"Elder Mu is actually not seriously ill. Why don't Director Su wait for a while, and I'll send someone to visit. If Elder Mu is able to meet the guests, how about letting Director Su meet?"

Su Wangting showed joy, and took a step forward to hold Fa Sabao's hand: "Then please trouble Master Sabao."

Holding Fa Sabao nodded with a smile. From the corner of his eyes, he happened to catch a glimpse of a handful of gold beads that Su Wangting stuffed into his hand. The weight was heavy, and the residual temperature was hotter than the holy fire. It really made people feel great joy!

(End of this chapter)