Under the sky

Chapter 151 Volume [-] "Catching the Wind and Catching Shadows" first shows its charm ([-])

Fan Shun always goes to bed early.He always slept deeply, and he had never woken up like this today.

No, it's not quite right to say he woke up. Strictly speaking, he was woken up. Before he was woken up, he seemed to hear a slight scratching sound, which seemed to be the sound of a chair being moved.But he wasn't sure, and he didn't wake up until a hand covered his mouth.

He immediately wanted to resist, but the hand on his mouth increased in strength.She said softly to him: "Quiet. Don't move."

"A bandit?" he thought, realizing that his life was hanging on the line, and he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.Although Fanjia Quan is just a small sect in Shi'e, managing several small towns and villages around Baili.But he is the leader after all, and there are twelve patrolling disciples in front and behind the door.This man was able to break in silently, and he didn't even have room to resist.Ordinary bandits can't have this skill, but how can powerful thieves come to this remote place to collect grain and oil?

Perhaps realizing that he had no intention of resisting, the big hand moved away from his.Then he warned: "If you don't move, I won't hurt you. Listen to me."

He nodded. Under such dim moonlight, he didn't know whether the man could be seen or not.Not long after, an oil lamp was lit on the desk next to the room, but I didn't hear the sound of footsteps?He saw a figure whose back blocked the light, and he could only make out a figure about eight feet tall.He has a long sword hanging from his waist and has a lean figure.A pair of calves are extraordinarily slender.

The man sat at the crescent table under the window.That was the other side of the dormitory where the firelight could not reach.Fan Shun tried his best to distinguish the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.Still no way of knowing who this man is.Just having this little light doesn't mean you are blind.

He clenched his fists, leaned up and got up, thinking about whether to call the guards and step forward to deliver a fatal blow. He thought that this person could sneak into the sect, and it goes without saying that he has great martial arts skills.But as a dignified leader of a sect, how could he just sit back and wait for death, letting a bandit break into his house and take away his belongings, then bury his face in the dustpan?

The action of getting up disturbed the concubine next to him.The concubine shouted in confusion: "The chamber pot is under the bed."

The black figure stretched out his finger, as if making a silent gesture.Fan Shun ignored it, turned around, and waited for his feet to hit the ground before rushing forward.Punch the man in the nose.

"Do you remember Chen Xi's case two years ago?" the man asked softly.

"Why are you asking this?" He couldn't help but be stunned. He remembered Chen Xi's case. Shi'e is located in the north of Shiqu, Sichuan, close to the border with Gansu, not far from Kunlun Palace. It is under the jurisdiction of the Tang Sect. It has many mountains and little land, and the terrain is rugged.It is a poor place, and Fan Jiaquan only controls one town and two villages nearby.The population is only a few thousand and the people are simple.It's a rare case of human life.

Two years ago, Chen Xi committed adultery with a concubine of the Li family. Li Laoer caught her on the spot and beat her to death together with the concubine. Since she was caught in bed, Li Laoer was acquitted.There were doubts about this case from the beginning.How could Chen Xi, a farmer, hook up with the concubine of the Li family?However, it is not impossible for chickens and dogs to hear each other in remote places.Chen Xi's brother has been complaining about being wronged for the past two years.I really thought about checking it several times.With all the witnesses and evidence available, how could the good-natured Chen Xi crawl into the Li family yard?We can't find anything wrong with Li Laoer by talking about the matter.

Speaking of the Li family, Shi E is indeed evil, cunning and arrogant.He is a wealthy local man, and many of his fellow villagers work on the Li family's land as tenants.Some said he was selling humans privately, while others said he was colluding with the horse bandits in Gansu to sell red goods.I have been paying attention, but the Li family is really cunning and can't catch any evidence.He also has a sister who is married to a branch of the Tang clan in Guan County.I'm a little bit scared myself.

Why did this man break in late at night just to ask about an old case?Who would do such a stupid thing?Fan Shun suddenly remembered someone.I couldn't help but feel frightened.His knees that were about to jump out no longer had the strength, and as soon as his toes touched the ground, his thighs pressed against his calves.He knelt on the ground and said hurriedly: "Third Master, I...I didn't take the bribe. I really didn't take the bribe. The Li family is cunning. This...thing without evidence is difficult to handle."

His voice was trembling, and he finally woke up the concubine beside him. The concubine rubbed her eyes and stood up and asked, "Who are you talking to?"

"Shut up! Bitch!" Fan Shun shouted, and the concubine was even more surprised when she saw the figure.Huddled in the corner of the bed and clutching the quilt.Fan Shun lowered his body, put his hands on the ground, and hurriedly explained: "I...I didn't bully the good. At most, I...placed my brother-in-law as a guard in the sect, earning only a few taels of salary a year. This can work. Are you in charge?"

"I know you can't find any evidence." The man said, "I just want to tell you. This matter tonight has nothing to do with Chen Xi's brother. Don't embarrass others."

What's up?Fan Shun didn't understand for a while, and didn't dare to ask any more questions. He said solemnly: "Yes! Yes! It has nothing to do with him. I won't embarrass him." He was just glad that he was not reckless.An additional cold sweat broke out on top of the original cold sweat.But... such a big thing happened at the Kunlun Conference.How come the third master still has time to come to this remote place?
The "Third Master" stood up. Although he was not short, he was not as tall as the rumors said.Fan Shun thought to himself: "Sure enough, the rumors in the world are less credible than the opera script." At a glance, he saw multiple baggage on Yueya's table.Fan Shun wanted to ask again when he heard a grunting sound.Fan Shun felt embarrassed and touched his stomach. It was wrong. He didn't go to bed until after midnight snack.He couldn't help but raise his head.

The "Third Master" seemed a little embarrassed.He asked: "Where is the kitchen? I want to ask for two loaves to eat. Is it convenient?"

Fan Shun was stunned and said hurriedly: "Go to the left side of the yard, Third Master, feel free to do it yourself."

The black shadow walked far away.Fan Shun was still kneeling beside the bed in shock. The concubine crawled over from the bed and asked in a trembling voice: "Then... is that Mr. Qi?"

Fan Shun nodded silently, stood up tremblingly, took the oil lamp, and untied the small cloth bag on the crescent table under the window.

Sure enough, it was Li Laoer's head.

■

Li Jingfeng was starving. The road to northern Sichuan was far more difficult than he imagined.Why did you choose this path?I thought that in the wilderness, I could hunt some wild game to satisfy my hunger.I didn't expect that the last section of the road would be a barren wasteland without any grass growing on it.There was nowhere to even start hunting.When he was hungry, he would catch and eat any bugs he saw on the road.

I can hardly remember the last time I had a full meal.

But what can we do if we don’t take this path?He originally planned to go to Jiangxi to retrieve Peng Xiaobei's grandson. This time Kunlun discussed that such a big event had happened. Gansu was on serious alert and there were many investigations. The road from Longchuan Town was impassable, let alone the one from Tianshui to Huashan.We can only walk along the mountain towards Tangmen.

I wonder what happened to Mr. San?He must be sad when the second master passes away.But it is not easy to meet the third master.Especially in this situation.He thought of the drastic changes that had taken place in Kunlun Palace, and couldn't help but worry about the general trend of the world.I don’t know what the current situation in Qingcheng is like?It's a remote place and the news is blocked.When he left the mountain behind Kunlun Palace, he only heard that Huashan, the Beggar Clan, and Dian Cangli had discussed it again, but were rejected by Head Li.No other news was heard.

I hope Qingcheng will not get involved in this dispute.The eldest brother and the second brother, Dr. Zhu, are both safe.

Thinking of his eldest and second brothers, he still had many questions to ask his eldest brother, including the secret cave hidden in the mountain and the many collections of books. He felt that his eldest brother had many secrets that he had not yet explained to himself.

And little sister...

Li Jingfeng's stomach rumbled a few more times.He almost fainted from hunger.

If he continues to be hungry, he won't even have the energy to think wildly. When he is exhausted, he may really starve to death in this wilderness.The water in the bag was already empty, and his mouth was dry. He looked down the cliff from the mountain road, trying to find a water source.If you are lucky, you can expect to catch some small fish to satisfy your hunger.

My eyes are wet with hunger.He didn't see the water source.But I saw a small forest at the foot of the mountain.

Li Jingfeng was as happy as if he had stuffed pancakes into his mouth. At least there was something to eat in the woods, and at worst there was tree bark.Relying on this hope, he felt a surge of strength and walked towards the foot of the mountain with his original intention in mind.

The result was better than he expected. Not only did he see trees, he also saw millet fields.Where there are fields, there are people, and maybe even villages.If he hadn't known that there was someone nearby, he would have eaten all the unripe millet alive.

"Help..." He knocked on the door of a small earthen hut and almost fell at the door. He said in an almost pleading tone: "Can you give me some food?" He didn't realize that his voice was hoarse until he spoke.Throat is painfully dry.

The young man who opened the door was very thin and looked at him with confusion.The woman in the room shouted: "Who is it?"

"He's an outsider." The young man replied with a thick accent, "I want something to eat."

"Where is the spare food at home? Drive him elsewhere." The woman inside shouted.

Li Jingfeng shouted: "Please give me a bowl of water."

The young man said: "There is no water."

Li Jingfeng said: "I have some silver." He took out a small ingot of broken silver.About a dollar.When the young man saw the silver, he perked up and said, "I only have two pieces of cake left. There is no water."

Li Jingfeng had no choice but to exchange for two pieces of millet cake and swallowed them whole. The millet cake was sticky in his mouth and almost choked him to death. After eating, it satisfied his hunger but made him even thirstier.I had to ask: "Where is the water?"

The young man pointed forward and said: "You go forward, there is a resting place in the town."

Li Jingfeng was reluctant to part with even a glass of water. Li Jingfeng complained in his heart, but he was not annoyed that the other party was stingy.This is probably the most filling meal I have eaten in more than ten days.So I cheered up and walked along the yellow mud path.Finally saw a place with many people.

It's a small town, not much bigger than an ordinary village.It is estimated that there are more than 300 households, most of which are low earth houses.The top is covered with weeds, which looks a bit like the original Raodao Village.Li Jingfeng looked at him kindly.I didn't expect that there could be a village of this size in this deep mountain and wilderness.Perhaps too few outsiders passed by, and everyone was looking at him.Some people even opened the door to see him.The townspeople were all quite skinny, as if they hadn't had enough to eat for a long time. Of course, there were a few who were strong and strong, and it was obvious that life was not easy.Residents will still shy away when asking for directions. If not wary of outsiders, they are not friendly either.

It turns out that there is an inn here, and the yellow mud path is the official road, probably used to issue orders to the sect.It's just that it's so remote, and I don't know which sect under the Tang Sect is in charge of it.Because there is still this inn, there is a small shop next to the inn.The inn in this barren town would not be a good place. There are guest rooms in the inn, but as for the dishes, they only include millet cakes, wild vegetable soup, noodles, and flatbreads.

Li Jingfeng asked for water as soon as the table was served, and ordered two pieces of millet cake and vegetable soup. The shopkeeper was surprised that there was an unfamiliar customer, and looked at him up and down. Li Jingfeng took out a few coins from his waist and asked the shopkeeper not to eat. Worry about Overlord Meal.The shopkeeper asked with the same strong accent: "Where are the guests coming from?" "North, Gansu!" Li Jingfeng replied.

"Our store doesn't sell anything to outsiders," the shopkeeper said.

Li Jingfeng was a little annoyed. He was hungry and thirsty. If he didn't eat and drink enough in this town, he would probably die of thirst or starvation when he left the town.So he asked: "I haven't drank water this day. Even if you don't sell me food, can I ask for two glasses of water?"

The shopkeeper said: "Waiter, if you want a drink of water, leave the store and go south. There is a well outside the town. You can go there to get water."

Li Jingfeng was really angry now. He stood up and said, "I'm just asking for two glasses of water. Why should I be so difficult?" His mouth was dry and he couldn't help coughing after saying this loudly.The more I cough, the drier my tongue becomes.I thought to myself: "I'm just trying to grab a glass of water to drink."

"Gangzi, sell him a glass of water." Standing at the door of the store was a crippled old man. He was as thin as anyone else in this town, with sparse hair, a slender tie tied around the back of his head, and a hemp jacket with many patches. Wear a robe and hang a small sack around your waist.A pair of old eyes are cloudy.He looked to be in his sixties.

The shopkeeper reluctantly agreed.The old man sat in front of Li Jingfeng and asked, "Where do strong men come from?"

"North, Gansu." Li Jingfeng said again: "I am a passerby, not a gangster. I drank water and left after eating. I spent a lot of money on meals and drinks."

"There is no alcohol in Ningka town." The old man smiled and said, "How long will the strong man stay?"

"Leaving right away." Li Jingfeng replied. He knew that strangers were not welcome in this town.

The shopkeeper brought a glass of water, and Li Jingfeng drank it all in one gulp. It couldn't even moisten his throat. He licked his teeth and said, "Shopkeeper, bring me a pot. There are also millet cakes and vegetable soup." After that, he said. Then he took off the water bag and said, "Fill the water for me. Then pack six pieces of millet cake to take away." He estimated that he was leaving soon, so he prepared the food and water behind him.

The shopkeeper looked at the old man, who nodded, and then the shopkeeper went down to make arrangements.The old man said: "The old man will not disturb the strong man's meal. I will say goodbye now."

The old man stood up, bowed his hands, and left without asking anything else.

Li Jingfeng filled a bag of water. Although the vegetable soup was only a small bowl, he drank it in one gulp and finally felt "full of water and food."He patted his belly and breathed a sigh of relief, as if he had just come to life at this moment.So he stood up and asked, "How much silver?"

"A total of 750 Wen! It's seven cents and five cents in silver."

Four dishes and one soup at Fu Ju Guan were not charged at this price. Li Jingfeng said sullenly, "Shopkeeper, can you charge me 750 yuan for a bowl of vegetable soup and eight pieces of millet cake?" He didn't expect that this small town, which seemed simple, would actually be so simple. They also tricked and killed passers-by.

The shopkeeper impatiently pointed to the water cup and kettle on the table: "Eight pieces of millet cake costs eighty cents, and a bowl of vegetable soup costs seventy cents. The water is counted as a cup, and a cup costs fifty cents. You drink one cup after another, and you get four. Cups. The water bag is filled with eight cups. A total of twelve cups, six hundred coins. If you return the water in the kettle to me, I will save you four hundred coins."

"A glass of water costs fifty cents?" Li Jingfeng couldn't help but exclaimed. The price of water was comparable to the price of wine.

"The price of water in Ningka Town is this right now. If it weren't for Mr. Ha's instructions, I wouldn't want to sell it to outsiders. If you don't believe it, just go and ask someone."

Li Jingfeng remembered that the old man had indeed said "sell him a glass of water" just now, and he understood why the young man refused to give him water at first.The place is extremely short of water, so water prices are high.But I haven't heard of Guicheng being like this. Besides, didn't the shopkeeper just say that there is a well outside the town?

He took out his silver coins. When he left Wu, there was not much silver left as a gift from Xie Gubai.He still had to leave some money for expenses. He plucked the broken silver and said hesitantly, "I don't want the water anymore. I'll go get it myself. Let's go south after leaving the town."

The shopkeeper took the water bag.Li Jingfeng was waiting for him to come back and saw a sack under the table.But wasn't that what the old man was wearing just now?He picked it up and weighed it.I just felt that the thing inside was about the size of a hand, round and pointed, and very light.not sure what it is.

The shopkeeper sent back an empty kettle, and Li Jingfeng asked: "Where does that old gentleman live just now? He left something here. I have to return it to him."

"Exit the door and walk north, pass three alleys and turn right. The largest door is the one. If you don't know, just ask where the "North Star Gate" is."

"Is it a local sect?" Li Jingfeng really couldn't tell. In this way, the conversation just now was not only to help him out, but also to find out the origin.

The shopkeeper didn't bother to talk to Li Jingfeng and went back to the counter.He is the owner of the only inn in town, and there will be no repeat customers in this place without diarrhea.No need to be polite.Li Jingfeng took his luggage and followed his instructions to find the Beixing Gate.This Beixing Gate is still a courtyard, but the earthen wall is only higher than Li Jingfeng's.Covering is possible, but preventing theft is difficult.The double push doors seem to have a bit of decay.

Even so, it is still quite impressive in this small town.

Li Jingfeng knocked on the door, and a dark-faced man opened the door. Seeing that it was a stranger, he asked curiously: "Who are you?"

"I'm here to see Mr. Ha." Li Jingfeng took out the small sack and said, "I am a foreigner. The old gentleman accidentally left something behind and I came here to return it."

The swarthy man looked him up and down and asked, "You mean Mr. Ha?"

"Anyway, it's something left behind at your house. Please convey it to me. I'll return it to him."

Naha Lao walked out quickly, as if he had noticed that he had dropped something.Li Jingfeng's sharp eyes saw him through the crack in the door and said hurriedly: "That's him!"

The swarthy man turned his head and asked: "Old Ha, did you leave something behind?"

After hearing what he said, Mr. Ha saw Li Jingfeng from behind the door. Li Jingfeng was overjoyed and shouted: "Old sir, I have brought you something."

Ha Lao's expression changed greatly and he said, "What is that? Nonsense! Who are you? I have never seen you in town."

Now it was Li Jingfeng's turn to be puzzled and said hurriedly: "Old sir, we just met in the inn. You asked me where I came from and asked the shopkeeper to sell me a glass of water. Have you forgotten? This is less than half a day. It’s time.”

Ha Lao was anxious and angry, and said hurriedly: "What nonsense are you talking about, throw it out, where is this lunatic?"

Li Jingfeng was suspicious. Even if twins looked exactly the same, could they all have the same patches on their clothes?This really cannot be admitted.Could it be that the old man is confused?Even if he is confused, he cannot take advantage of him.So he said: "Old sir, forget it if you don't recognize me. I'll give this back to you. Just take it and see if it's yours."

Mr. Ha scolded: "What a mess, don't take it away! Where is the lunatic? Get out! If you don't leave, the old man will be rude." He shouted again: "Kick him out."

Li Jingfeng said hurriedly: "I leave my things at the door. You can just take them away."

The old man was even more angry and quickly grabbed a handful of Li Jingfeng.He scolded: "Is Beixing Gate the place where you throw garbage? Get out of here, get out of here as far as you can."

Is it worth losing such a temper?Li Jingfeng thought to himself.Suddenly I heard another voice shouting: "Ha Lao, what's the noise about?"

The speaker was a middle-aged man, wearing a blue shirt, with a strong build, thick eyebrows, thin eyes, thick lips and a big mouth.Although he is not fat, his temperament is different from the sallow and skinny people in the town.How should I put it? It's like a willow tree growing in a bamboo forest. You can tell at a glance that it's not all the way.

Mr. Ha hurriedly replied: "A stupid customer came here and insisted that we left something behind. He wanted it delivered to our door."

"What is it?" asked the strong man in blue shirt. He spoke without an accent and did not seem to be a local.

Li Jingfeng vaguely sensed something was wrong. The old gentleman tried his best to conceal it. Could there be something ulterior hidden in this sack?He turned his back and reached into the sack, pinching and touching to find out what was inside.A sidelong glance.Not only did the question not be answered, but it was even more confusing.

Inside the sack was a wooden top.There is no doubt that it looks like a very ordinary wooden top.

Just this wooden spinning top, what’s so secret about it?
(End of this chapter)