The three of them lost their backpacks, and without any solid food to eat, they could only sit and rest for a while before leaving. However, compared to when they entered the mountains, the three of them packed lightly on the return journey. The journey that originally took half a day only lasted an hour and a half. Finally, we entered Tianshui City just as the sun was setting and the city gate was about to close.
When I found Meng Qingyao's carpenter's shop, others were cooking. When I saw the three grim-faced Taoist priests suddenly appearing, I said happily: "Siniang, are you back?! I've been away for more than a day, and I'm worried about you!"
"The way into the mountain takes half a day. It's not easy for us to get back before dark." He Siniang tilted her head and looked at the back door and asked, "What are you doing in the back?" food?"
"Oops! I have to add some more dishes when you come back! Taoist Master Luo, brother, please go to the backyard with Si Niang to wash up, and I will fry two more dishes. We will eat and chat later."
"Brother Qingyao, don't bother. Just some simple food to satisfy our hunger. But the three of us really need to wash off the dirt. Our faces are so dirty that we can hardly recognize each other."
He Siniang took the Taoist priest with a grimace and Luo Laoqi to the backyard to fetch water and wash their faces. After Meng Qingyao prepared the meal, the four of them came to the inner room and sat around the table. Meng Qingyao took out two jars to hide the wine and filled them one after another. He said: "It rained heavily all night yesterday. I couldn't sleep all night long. I was afraid that the heavy rain would cause trouble. Fortunately, the three of us returned safely. Come on, I'd like to pay you a compliment."
The four of them picked up the cups and drank them all in one gulp. The grim-faced Taoist priest grinned and said, "This trip into the mountains is full of dangers. The dangers we encounter outweigh all the battles Pindao has faced before. The three of us can come back alive. Seriously." It’s a miracle.”
"Oh? I saw that you had no luggage when you came, and I guessed that this trip was probably not going well, but from what the Taoist Master said, it turned out to be a narrow escape from death?" Meng Qingyao greeted everyone to eat food, and then said: "Then The Taoist Master should give a good lecture to open my eyes."
The Taoist priest with a grimace told all the dangers and strange things he encountered after entering the valley. Luo Laoqi also added fuel to the fire, until Meng Qingyuan was amazed and furious. When the underground palace collapsed, Meng Qingyuan was shocked. Qingyao even took a breath of cold air and said in disbelief: "The three Taoist priests were able to escape from such a dangerous situation. This is not as simple as the grand master giving him a meal. There is a certain number in it." There is no chance that one of the three people will be the Thief Kuixing."
When the grimace Taoist heard these words, he felt so familiar. After thinking about it, he suddenly remembered that in the imperial capital Jinling, Li Tianwen, the critical judge, seemed to have said this to him, but then he set up a chain of traps that almost killed him. Now that he heard these words again, the grimace Taoist priest lost any joy in his heart and felt a little more disgusted. However, he still had the same expression on his face. He told the story about his encounter with Boss Gong outside the mausoleum area, and finally sighed. : "Fortunately, I gained something from my trip to the mountains this time, otherwise I would have become a sacrifice for the Gong brothers to feed the snakes."
Meng Qingyao didn't expect that this whole thing was actually the fault of the Gong brothers. He thought about it for a while before saying: "These brothers are really vicious. They set up a trap from the very beginning when they went to the city to sell gold medals. If It’s not that the Taoist priests and others were desperate, but because of their way, Gong Laoer and Gong Laosan were poisoned to death in the mausoleum area, which was an advantage for them."
"Death is the same thing. It's just that the brothers died in the ancestral mausoleum that they have guarded all their lives. It is quite ironic to see."
"Yeah... Hey Si Niang, I heard from the Taoist Priest's description. Did you find the antidote to the poison this time?"
"I found a few pills, but I don't know if they are the antidote to the poison." He Siniang took out the eight-treasure box from her arms, put it on the table and said, "What the Taoist meant was to find a way to identify it first. If you take it without knowing the pharmacological properties, it may have counter-effects, and I also feel that this is the reason."
Meng Qingyao opened the eight-treasure box, took out the pills, took a look at them, and said, "The Taoist Master must know more about elixirs than we do. According to what the Taoist Master said, it's true. I can usually identify bright weapons. I don’t know anything about these things.”
"There are also bright weapons." Luo Laoqi shook all the things hidden in his arms on the table. All he could see were large and small pearls and jades. He said, "The Sa family has listened to the Taoist priests this time. Keep them in your arms." There is not a single piece of gold or silver in our treasures, Meng family brothers, do you think how much these things are worth?"
"Hey! Your trip was not in vain!" Meng Qingyao looked at the piles of jewelry on the table, and then looked at Luo Laoqi's clothes. She really couldn't figure out how he could hold so much in his arms. thing.
The Taoist priest with a grimace laughed at the side and said: "Brother Meng, don't be surprised. He might have some clothes left after shaking them off when he went to bed at night. Just take a look and estimate how much this pile of pearls and jade is worth. It doesn't matter whether it is high or low." And took action from you.”
"These treasures are incredible, the blue and white jade Ruyi, the yellow dragon pendant, the hibiscus pendant, the amethyst beads... Wow! The Taoist priest is not bragging about his younger brother. If you bring these items to the Southern Dynasty, you may be able to sell them, but the price must be reduced by at least 70%. But if you let me sell it in the Northern Wei Dynasty, the price will definitely be much higher."
"Brother Meng, what are you talking about? We are all our own people. If we don't take action from you, why should we try to benefit others? It doesn't matter whether the specific price is higher or lower. We can rest assured that you will do the work. Just give us the price."
Meng Qingyao pondered for a moment, then replied: "Logically speaking, these valuable weapons of yours should be worth ten ingots of gold if you throw them away, but my family's current financial resources are limited and I can't come up with so much money at once. Taoist priest, you guys Do you think this is okay? I will pay you half first - five ingots of gold, and the rest will be made up when Mingqi goes out some time later. There are ten ingots of gold in total, and all of them will be given within one month."
"So many!" Luo Laoqi said in surprise: "The Sa family thought that this pile of colorful things was not worth much, but they didn't expect that they could be sold for ten ingots of gold... How much do the ten ingots of the Meng family brothers weigh?"
"Don't be so greedy for money. Brother Meng doesn't have that much cash on hand. How can I use it to make ends meet after I've given it to you?"
"The Sa family just asked but didn't say they wanted it. Besides, doesn't the Sa family's belong to you too? We'll share whatever the price is, and the Sa family can just keep the wine money."
"They are all twenty taels of gold." Meng Qingyao replied: "If it is one tael, I won't be unable to make money."
"That's really a lot." The Taoist priest with a grimace didn't expect to sell so much. Ten ingots of gold are a full two hundred taels, which is enough for several people to live frugally for half a lifetime. It seems that the Eight-faced Golden Toad has made a lot of money in the past two years. Luo Wancai was ruthless, and the weapons he used alone were enough to support this guy's little wife.
The Taoist Priest with a grimace thought for a moment and said, "We don't have much money to spend right now. Our first goal is to get the antidote for Siniang's poison. I think Brother Meng, please pay us 10% first and keep the rest I’ll keep it here for you to come get it when you need it.”
