"We haven't found anything we've been looking for all these years. The people sent to the Hezhou grassland also returned empty-handed. Have you found out the key to the artifact?" Gao Cai quickly took out a pattern from his sleeve. Hands forward.
"Back to my Lord, the spies who went to Hezhou reported that the Thunder God's weapons seemed to be just large barrels made of wood and covered with cowhide. Although the shape was strange, there was nothing special about it.
"After secret inquiring, I found out that the key is a mysterious gold and stone formula. Without this formula, the required items cannot be made, and the Thunder God's weapon will become useless.
"But after all these years, no one knows about the gold and stone formula. The person who mastered the formula back then has no way of finding out. I just heard that the person who created it was just a child. I don't know if it's true or not." The man in the robe did not turn around, he just reached out to take the drawing and looked at it carefully for a while, then shook his head helplessly.
"Although the shape of this object looks very special, it is obvious that there is a lack of filling material. Without this filling material, this thunder weapon is just an ordinary wooden barrel, but the person who created this thing is indeed It's a fantastic idea.
"Who would believe that this seemingly ordinary wooden barrel can stop thousands of troops and cause heavy casualties to armored soldiers? How could such an earth-shattering and shocking thing be made by a child? Are you sure? Is this news correct?" Gao Cai hesitated for a moment, then nodded and replied: "I have confirmed this matter repeatedly. At first, I couldn't believe that such a magical artifact that shook the mountains and rivers could be made by a child.
"However, the spies who went to investigate were very sure of the information they got. That was that the thunder weapon used in the battle on the grassland ten years ago was made by a six or seven-year-old child and a Taoist priest.
"The battle at that time was the battle between the Toth Tribe and the Mao'an Tribe on the grassland. After that, the Mao'an Tribe was in ruins, and the Toth Tribe never used this thing again after that battle. Today, these are the only things left in the Toth Tribe. It's just a wooden barrel. As for the filling that the Lord mentioned, it must be a secret that has not been passed down.
"It's just that the child and the Taoist priest from back then have disappeared now, and our people can only ask so much. No matter how detailed they are, they can't ask. It seems that the people in the Tot Department are very secretive about this matter and are unwilling to disclose more. "When he heard Gao Cai say that the person who made this thing was a six or seven-year-old child and a Taoist priest from the Tot tribe, the man in black robe suddenly stopped turning the object.
"Tot tribe? A child of six or seven years old? Gao Cai, when Luo Hancheng of Wandaomen failed to capture the old man and the young man on the grassland, was it the Tot tribe who rescued them just now?" The man in black robe asked and was stunned for a moment.
"Lord, you mean...?"
"Hmph! Don't you think it's too coincidental? Are there really so many coincidences in this world? That old man and the young man were rescued by the Tot tribe, and then the war between the Tot tribe and the Mao'an tribe came about. Appear.
"If according to the rumors, the person who created this thing was a six or seven-year-old child, from the perspective of time, could it be someone else? The Tote Department has been suppressed by the Mao'an Department for many years. Why did they save this old and young boy after they rescued them? Then suddenly this thunder god weapon appeared and defeated the Mao'an tribe with a crushing force?
"If this is a coincidence, I'm afraid you don't believe it, right? The kid who escaped back then had such abilities? Did we miss something and didn't find out?" At this time, Gao Cai also looked confused. He said with some hesitation: "According to what I learned back then, the young master from Fengjiazhuang has never shown anything special. He has been doted on by Feng Changlin since he was a child. Although he is very smart, he has not shown any special characteristics. Discover any special abilities.
"And I was personally involved in the Fengjiazhuang incident. The child's reaction after seeing the fire in Fengjiazhuang was no different from that of an ordinary child. How could such an ordinary-looking child suddenly be able to create the God of Thunder? A magical object like a weapon?" The man in black robe resumed the movement of turning objects in his hands, and did not speak again for a long time, seeming to be thinking about something.
Gao Cai bowed and stood behind the man in black robe, not daring to interrupt, but quietly waiting for further instructions from the man in black robe.
"It seems that I thought about this simply back then. Now that child has something more that we need. Our power did not develop to Hezhou back then, so I don't advocate a large-scale search for that child on the grassland. Old and young.
"Now it seems that my original decision was a bit too conservative. After ten years of gradual penetration, although we have controlled some tribes in the grassland, we have also missed the best opportunity to find this old and young man. .
"Gao Cai, you immediately send people to the Tote Department in the grassland to find out where the old man and the young man are now, and at the same time, step up the integration of the tribes in the grassland. If you cannot find them in the future, you can only use the Tote Department to force them to show up. If We must capture them again if we have another chance. We can't miss it again." After Gao Cai heard the instructions from the man in black robes, he quickly bowed and responded: "I obey, and I will arrange for people to go to the Tuote Department in Hezhou to investigate the past. The whereabouts of the old and the young.
"It's just that ten years have passed. The old one is fine, but the younger one should have changed a lot from his figure to his appearance. I'm afraid there may not be a definite result in a short time." The man in black robe did not speak, and there was another scene in the secret room. There was silence, except for the dim candlelight that kept swaying.
The atmosphere at this time seemed a bit depressing. It seemed that even the man in black robe didn't know how to solve the problem Gao Cai just mentioned.
After a long time, the man in black robe finally told Gao Cai: "Back then, the old man returned to the Central Plains and stole the magic weapons and martial arts secrets of various sects, so that he could use them to practice martial arts.
"Go and contact Wan Tian, the young sect leader of Wan Dao Clan, and ask Wan Dao Clan to send out manpower to find out whether there are any people who have used these weapons and martial arts in the past two years except for the disciples of these sects? What if you find something? Report the clues in time." Gao Cai understood the black-robed man's intention, quickly bowed and agreed, and exited the secret room.
After Gao Cai exited, the man in black robe who was still in the secret room still stood motionless. After being silent for a long time, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a strange smile.
"I didn't expect that someone would be like me. Real and fake, fake and real, it's really getting more and more interesting! I hope this result won't disappoint me too much. Let's see who can't hide and reveal the truth in the end." Black Robe The person turned around and left the secret room, leaving only the candlelight on the candle holder still swaying, making the secret room flicker and look even weirder.
...After Shao Xi and Zhang Huanzhi settled everything they needed to discuss in Wangyue Building, they took Lao Wu and sent Zhang Huanzhi back to Taihe Trading Company.
After saluting and saying goodbye, he picked up the horses and returned home. As soon as he got home, he took Old Wu with him to his study upstairs.
After entering the study, Lao Wu poured a cup of tea by himself and asked Shao Xi while drinking: "Master, did you want to talk to me about Zhang Huanzhi again when you brought me upstairs?" Shao Xi ordered. Nodding, he asked Old Wu thoughtfully: "There are indeed some things I want to hear your opinion on. Don't you think it's unusual for him to go to the grassland this time?" Old Wu finished the cup in his hand. Tea, and then poured another cup. While pouring water, he replied: "What's unusual? Tell me and see if what you think is the same as what I think?" Shao Xi walked around the room. Stepping forward, he said slowly: "Although we asked him when we met at Yelangpo, why did the big shopkeeper of Taihe Trading Company personally escort the caravan to the desolate land of Hezhou? His answer at that time was that the caravan goods Some of them were smuggled by officials of the DPRK and China.
"Although we didn't speculate too much at the time, but now think about it, does it mean that just some salt and iron items need to be escorted by him, the big shopkeeper of Taihe Trading Company, in person? Even if the items are strictly prohibited from being sold by the government, they can be handed over to a close person. It's okay, but he insists on going there in person. Isn't it a bit of a fuss?
"Originally, if these things were transported to the Hezhou grassland among ordinary goods, they would not attract attention, but if he went there in person, it would attract the attention of others. As a person who has been doing business for many years, could he not even think of this? "Old Wu couldn't help being happy, and he taunted Shao Xi: "You, a very smart person, only now realize that something is wrong with this matter? When I was in Yelangpo, I had already expressed my disapproval of him, the big shopkeeper of Taihe Trading Company, when he appeared here. There was suspicion there.
"It's just that we had just left the grassland at that time, and what they wanted to do had nothing to do with us, so we didn't bother to ask them more. Now that you have brought it up, do you think that when he went to the Hezhou grassland this time? Is the day too long?
"How can someone go to the grassland to do business and be a year younger? And he went there in person. Don't you have any doubts about what kind of business he went to the grassland to do?" Shao Xi nodded and took over what Old Wu said.
"You are right! In his capacity, he personally led the caravan to such a desolate place and stayed there for so long. What kind of business is he doing? Or what is the purpose of going to the grassland in the name of doing business? Where have they been? What have they done? It is not convenient for us to ask them directly.
"I originally thought that Ding Yu'an would come back with them, so I could ask him. Who would have thought that he had left the caravan to join the army? It seems that we can only wait until we have the opportunity to meet Ding Yu'an in the future, and then ask him about it.
"We must be more careful when dealing with Zhang Huanzhi from now on. This person is not just a cunning businessman. I always feel that there is something else in him, but I can't tell clearly at the moment." Old Wu waved his hand and said: "You don't just think that this person is definitely not as simple as we thought before. Taihe Trading Company's business is spread all over Jiuzhou, especially in the Jingyuan Empire. It can be said that no one can match him. If we say Would you believe that he has no background behind him?”
"It's not surprising that he has a background. What I care about is who is the person behind him."
