Facing the rising sun, Qin Ziling quickly arrived at Hantie Palm Courtyard.
When Qin Ziling entered the Cold Iron Palm Courtyard, many people were surrounding the martial arts training ground for the apprentices in the outer court.
In the middle of the wall, Bao Yingjun was lying on the ground with a bruised nose and a swollen face. Wu Cheng pressed his elbow across his chest. Half of his face was swollen and he looked quite ferocious.
"Boy, my name is Master Wu!"
"You, call me Mr. Bao first!"
"Idiot!" Wu Cheng heard this and punched Bao Yingjun in the stomach with his left fist.
"Ahem!" Bao Yingjun immediately coughed violently, and everyone curled up.
"Senior Brother Qin is here!" Someone shouted, and the onlookers dispersed, but Wu Cheng did not let go of Bao Yingjun, but turned to look at Qin Ziling, with a hint of sarcasm and provocation in his eyes, and The three or five Nangong Yue's followers did not disperse. Instead, like Wu Cheng, they turned to look at Qin Ziling with a sarcastic expression.
Qin Ziling glanced at Bao Yingjun, then looked back, and then walked through the large martial arts training ground with a calm face as if nothing had happened, and walked towards the place where the disciples in the inner courtyard were practicing.
"Boy, have you seen this? Your senior brother Qin doesn't dare to stand up for you. You should just call me Master Wu and I will let you go!" Wu Cheng said with a proud look on his face.
The other apprentices had different expressions when they saw this, some were angry, and some looked disdainful and sarcastic at Qin Ziling's back.
"What a coward!" Luo Yuke whispered to Muxuan next to him, with disdain and contempt written all over his face.
"Junior brother Qin is indeed a bit cowardly, but you should advise Nangong Yue when you have time. Isn't it fun to bully people like this?" Muxuan said coldly.
"What does this have to do with me? Besides, Qin Ziling is a disciple of the inner courtyard, and Wu Cheng is a disciple of the outer courtyard. He doesn't even have the courage to shout at him, so who can be blamed?" Luo Yuke curled his lips disdainfully.
Muxuan was speechless after being retorted, and couldn't help turning her head angrily and shouting at Wu Cheng: "Wu Cheng, you have as many goals as you want, and you won't let go!"
"Hehe, okay, pastor sister, I'll let you go right now!" Seeing Mu Xuan shouting at him, Wu Cheng replied with a smile, and then slowly let go and stood up.
When he stood up, he did not forget to kick Bao Yingjun's butt and cursed: "Stay away from me next time!"
Seeing this, Muxuan was so angry that her face turned blue. It took her a while to suppress the anger in her heart, strode up to Qin Ziling, and lowered her voice: "Are you still not a man? Since you agreed to bring a handsome man, seeing him like this Being bullied, don’t you even have the guts to say a word or two for him?”
"He doesn't need me to speak for him. He can solve his own problems!" Qin Ziling replied calmly, as if Mu Xuan was saying that the other person was not a man, not him.
"You..." Muxuan became angry after hearing this, then stamped her feet and said, "I've finally convinced you. Master Zuo and Brother Zheng are waiting for you in the backyard. You can come with me to meet them."
After saying that, Muxuan flicked her black ponytail, twisted her waist, and walked straight towards the backyard.
Qin Ziling smiled nonchalantly when he saw this, and then followed Muxuan and walked slowly towards the backyard.
"Bah, you're still a cowhide warrior!" Wu Cheng rubbed his nose with his hand and said with disdain.
"That's right!" Several other apprentices who were with Wu Cheng nodded in agreement with disdain.
No one noticed that the way Bao Yingjun looked at Qin Ziling's back was not complaining, but hot, with a look of crazy admiration in it.
"Happy New Year, Master Zuo. Zi Ling wishes you a happy New Year!" After entering the backyard, Qin Ziling bowed to Zuo Leshen in a polite manner.
"Yes!" Zuo Le nodded, and then said: "This is the first time you have participated in helping to pick Qinghan Snow Lotus. This Qinghan Snow Lotus is the main medicinal material used to make Xuanhan Iron Chicken Secret Pills. It is mainly produced in Beizhenzhou. In the past, I usually asked someone to buy it from there.
However, in the past few years, there have been rebels and wars in Kitazhenzhou, and the road from Xiyunzhou to Kitazhenzhou is far away. The world has been bad these years, there are bandits and bandits everywhere, and the road is very uneven, so this procurement route is broken.
Fortunately, a few years ago, I discovered a secret place where the cold snow lotus grass grew. In the past few years, I secretly sent Xinghan and Muxuan to collect it. Nowadays, the world is not peaceful, and your actual combat ability is pretty good, so I specially called you this year to have an extra helper. "
Qin Ziling immediately understood and said with a serious face: "Thank you Master Zuo for your trust. I will definitely keep this secret."
"Well, I still trust your character, otherwise I wouldn't have called you here." Zuo Le nodded and continued: "You two must follow Xinghan's arrangements in everything along the way."
"Yes!" Qin Ziling and Muxuan replied seriously.
"Okay, you go, be careful on the road. If you are really in danger, you can put away the snow lotus grass first. Life is the most important thing," Zuo Le said.
"Don't worry, Master Zuo, we will be careful." Zheng Xinghan and the other three bowed their hands to Zuo Legong, then turned and left the backyard.
The origin of Qinghan Snow Lotus Grass is in the east of Fangshan City, and the three of them left through the east city gate.
The majestic and undulating Wuyang Mountains are like a giant dragon lying on the ground outside Dongcheng, stretching to the distant sky.
Because of the existence of the Wuyang Mountains, the terrain outside the East City is very different from that outside the West City.
Most of the areas outside Dongcheng are mountainous, and mountains of all sizes are almost connected one after another.
This kind of place is not only a good place for birds, ferocious beasts, venomous snakes and insects to grow and multiply, it is also a good place for bandits and bandits to hide and develop.
The capital of Xiyun Prefecture is located in the east, and the main access to the capital is located outside the east city.
In the past, there was no problem with peace and order in the world. Travelers and merchants only needed to be on guard against the ferocious birds and beasts, poisonous snakes and poisonous insects that appeared from time to time.
But now that the world is not peaceful, many bandits and bandits have focused on this area, which has many mountains for shelter and many travelers and merchants.
So now, the area outside the East City, which is about ten miles away from the city, is considered safe. Bandits are gradually becoming rampant ten miles away. Traveling merchants do not dare to go on the road without bodyguards to accompany them.
"Uncle Song Haichuan, the chief escort of the Xingchang Escort Agency, has a close relationship with Master Zuo. Every year, he makes many trips to the prefecture as escorts. He told Master Zuo that in recent years, there have been a lot more bandits on this road outside Dongcheng. help.
For example, Xueyun Village has only emerged in recent years. It has a huge appetite. Once their conditions are not met, they will kill on a large scale and use bloody and cruel methods.
The defenders in the city tried to annihilate the Xueyun Village several times, but they hid deep in the mountains and occupied dangerous terrain. There were many skilled and strong men in the village. After several failed attempts, they did not send troops into the mountains to annihilate them.
This time we are going to a mountain range near Gaitong County. On the way, we need to pass through territories controlled by several gangs, including the Xueyun Village.
However, there are only three of us, and we travel lightly. As long as we try to take some mountain roads to avoid it, it will usually be fine. If we do encounter it, don't say anything. Just let me deal with everything. "After leaving the east city gate and walking on the flat and wide official road, Zheng Xinghan looked at the undulating mountains in front of him and said with a solemn expression.
Xiyun Prefecture has eight counties under its jurisdiction, and Fang Changcheng is the last small county. Apart from the county seat, it only has two counties under its jurisdiction, one is Gaitong County and the other is Chenglin County.
"Okay!" Qin Ziling nodded calmly.
"But if you really encounter danger, Junior Brother Qin, don't be timid and retreat! It's different from the martial arts hall outside. Once a fight really breaks out, it won't stop. It doesn't mean that you can be safe just by retreating and giving in. Muxuan glanced at Qin Ziling, hesitated, and said.
"Muxuan, don't talk nonsense!" Zheng Xinghan said with a slight expression on his face.
"It's okay, Senior Brother Zheng." Qin Ziling smiled and pulled Zheng Xinghan, then looked at Muxuan and said, "Don't worry, Pastor Sister, I know it well."
"It's not that I don't worry about you, it's just that your performance in the martial arts gym just now was too cowardly!" Muxuan said.
Qin Ziling smiled when he heard this and did not refute.
Bao Yingjun seems to be an honest man, but in fact he is a little venomous snake. He can even transform the snake into a dragon one day after he secretly cultivated it. Wu Cheng and others will suffer a lot in the future, so why do they need his help to stand out?
Besides, with his current secret strength, let alone Wu Cheng, even if Nangong Yue really makes him lose his patience one day, he will be crushed to death if he wants to, so why fight for face in front of others at this moment?
"What's going on?" Zheng Xinghan asked with a frown.
Muxuan briefly recounted what had just happened. After speaking, she couldn't help but angrily said: "Brother, tell me, is Junior Brother Qin too cowardly?"
"Forget it, Junior Brother Qin's coming forward will only make things more complicated. I will talk to Nangong better later." Zheng Xinghan said with a bitter smile.
"When I talk about Nangong Yue, I get angry. It's been several days since the restaurant was opened, and he hasn't come to pay New Year's greetings to Master Zuo! Now there are rumors outside that Nangong Yue is very likely to switch to the Lin family. If that's the case, It would be strange if Master Zuo was not so angry!" Mu Xuan said even more angrily when she saw Zheng Xinghan mentioning Nangong Yue.
"Don't spread rumors like this!" Zheng Xinghan said with a serious look on his face.
"I know, but it's been so many days since the New Year. What does it mean that he doesn't come to pay New Year greetings to Master Zuo? Master Zuo raised him as his own son. Others can come late, but he can't!" Muxuan said.
"Maybe there is something going on at home. Anyway, don't make random guesses about this kind of thing." Zheng Xinghan said.
Muxuan snorted coldly when she heard this, stopped talking, and hurried on her way.
After walking for more than ten miles, the surroundings began to become desolate. Most of the fields were abandoned and covered with withered grass and no one took care of them. Most of the people in the villages were empty.
There are only some villages built on mountains or rivers surrounded by some inhabited fertile land.
"Those polders were basically established by some local families with big surnames, and the people around them joined them, becoming a force of their own in this troubled world and having their own sphere of influence.
These polders may not necessarily be guarded by strong men, but they are surrounded by mountains and rivers, with city walls and sentries, and many blocking and traps are set up around them. The people in the polders are also united, so they are more difficult to attack. Even if they are attacked, the casualties will be high. .
Therefore, thieves generally do not take advantage of these polders. In places like Xujiapu and Zhouzhuang, where powerful people are in charge and many private soldiers are stationed in Dawei Village, not to mention the bandits don't dare to attack them, even the big shots in the county and city have to give them some concessions.
The areas covered by these polder forces are generally safe when we pass by. "
Zheng Xinghan pointed to a polder not far away that was built on a river network and backed by a hill, and explained to Qin Ziling.
"Does Master Zuo also have a polder outside the city?" Qin Ziling was moved when he heard this and asked.
