After Gu Xu and Shangguan Jin returned to the Exorcist Division's Yamen in a carriage, they immediately went to the observatory and truthfully reported what they saw and heard during the mission to Chief Luo.
After hearing the news that "there is a waiter who looks exactly like a former member of the 'Shenji Camp'", Luo Chuan couldn't help but frown.
"This sounds a little weird," he said, "You two go deal with other things first. I will go to the palace later to ask about the recent situation of the 'Tianlong Formation'."
Gu Xu and Shangguan Jin nodded.
Seeing that Chief Luo personally took over the case, they did not delay on the matter.
After leaving the observatory, neither of them spoke, but they came to the Exorcist Department's library together with a tacit understanding and looked through the information about the previous generation's "Shenji Camp".
After a brief silence, Shangguan Jin pointed to a few lines on the information and said to Gu Xu beside him: "Because the first generation of 'Shenji Camp' members often had to go out to deal with dangerous ghosts, they all stayed in the Yamen. The next 'soul lamp' - if the 'soul lamp' goes out, it means that they have unfortunately died.
"The 'soul lamps' left by senior Wu Danggui and his comrades were all extinguished in the battle against Qiongqi, but no one can find their bones."
Hearing her words, Gu Xu couldn't help but think of the "Snow Girl" and "Han Ba" in Qingzhou Prefecture - he secretly guessed whether the group of monks who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty in the eighth year of Tianxing's reign had passed through a method similar to "Zhao Ming Forbidden". "Art" method to resurrect the dead in another life form?
"The 'Shenji Battalion' back then was definitely full of talents. Bao Xun, the master of formations, Zhuang Xingchen, the master of stick techniques, Mao Chichang, the famous 'Poison Doctor', and Su Ying'e, the Gu master from southern Xinjiang... were all among them. members. Their leader, the famous swordsman Su Hao, had reached the sixth realm when he was under forty," Shangguan Jin continued, "But none of them could escape from that mission safely. Return."
Having said this, she sighed softly, took out the "Divine Machine Token" from her pocket, and held it in her hand.
Golden sunlight shines through the window lattice into the library.
With the help of the light, Gu Xu could clearly see the nine-tailed fox carved on the surface of the token, and also noticed a hint of sadness between Shangguan Jin's brows.
"To be honest, Fellow Daoist Gu," Shangguan Jin turned his head and showed a complicated smile to Gu Xu, "Ever since the Chief of Staff handed me this token, I have been both proud and terrified.
"I know that having the qualification to join the 'Shenji Camp' is the recognition of my qualifications and strength by the chief minister and the imperial court. It is an enviable honor.
“I really want to seize this opportunity to climb higher and see the scenery from higher places.
"However, since the 'Long Night' is approaching, the ghosts and ghosts our generation of 'Shenji Camp' will encounter will only be more powerful than the previous generation.
"Sometimes I'm really scared, what if we never come back during a certain mission..."
Her voice became softer and softer, becoming as thin as a mosquito's fly, and soon like a wisp of smoke, it completely dissipated in the library and was never heard again.
Gu Xu looked at her elegant and graceful face, looked at her eyes that had become hazy due to loss of focus, and felt that she was a little strange today.
The impression Shangguan Jin left on Gu Xu was that he was always smart, capable and well-rounded. She seems to get along with everyone and handle everything with ease.
Unexpectedly, deep down in her heart, there was still a fragile side and a fear of the future.
He pondered for a moment and said softly: "In fact, in my opinion, the long night is a doomed fate in this world. Whether we join the 'Shenji Camp' or hide in a corner, we will encounter terrible ghosts and monsters, and we will all die. possibility.
"In the 'Shenji Camp', although we often need to take the lead, from another perspective, we also have more opportunities to become stronger than outside."
After hearing his words, Shangguan Jin covered his mouth and chuckled.
She took a serious look at Gu Xu, and the worry on her face instantly disappeared without a trace, and returned to her usual calm and elegant look.
"Gu Daoyou, you are the youngest among us," she teased, "but you are calmer than everyone else in the face of various crises. Sometimes, I wonder if you are really only eighteen years old. .”
Gu Xu smiled and did not respond.
As a time traveler, his mental age is originally more than eighteen years old.
Besides, since he came to this world, he has been living in the shadow of death and has been striving hard for the goal of living a long life. Because of this, he has become calm and unable to make big emotional waves.
Next, Shangguan Jin asked Gu Xu about his future arrangements.
Gu Xu replied without hesitation, "Go home and practice".
However, he thought that "Shuchangfang" had just opened and it must have been busy recently, so he needed to pay more attention to it, so he added: "Stop by my elixir workshop to have a look."
Hearing the words "Elixir Workshop", Shangguan Jin became curious and said with a smile: "I have long heard that Fellow Daoist Gu built a new elixir workshop in Luojing, but due to the recent busy schedule, there has been no I have the opportunity to support you. I happen to have free time today, can you take me with you to see it? "
Gu Xu thought about it and felt that background was extremely important for running a shop and workshop in a place like Luojing City. Gu Xu thought about it and felt that it would be difficult to operate a shop and workshop in a place like the capital without some background. As a native of Luojing, Shangguan Jin has a wide network of contacts. There may be places where she needs help in the future.
"No problem." He nodded in agreement.
…………
When Gu Xu came to "Shuchangfang" again, the steward Yang Shuo immediately dropped his work and went out to greet him enthusiastically.
In the past, Manager Yang had been working for the Shi family in Qingzhou Mansion, and his understanding of Gu Xu was roughly that he was "a young man with amazing talents."
Now that he came to the capital, seeing the bustling streets of "Shuchangfang" and hearing all kinds of exaggerated rumors, he found that he had obviously underestimated this young man's talent and influence.
So on the one hand, he silently sighed, "Miss Shi has really good taste." On the other hand, his attitude towards Gu Xu became more and more polite.
"Master Gu, earlier today, our workshop has signed an order with Dongping Hou, Yongcheng Bo, and the A Zi Battalion of the Capital Guard Team," Manager Yang stepped forward with a smile on his face and couldn't help but In a tone of asking for credit, he said to Gu Xu, "They have already paid the deposit and will come here to pick up the goods in a few days."
Gu Xu nodded, sighing once again at the speed of development of this workshop - before all the people were recruited, it had already entered the sight of Luo Jing's powerful people.
Shen Qiu's ability to run the industry was indeed something he didn't just blow off.
Thinking of Shen Qiu, Gu Xu casually asked Manager Yang: "Is Mr. Shen busy in there now?"
"Master Shen is not in the workshop," Manager Yang shook his head and replied, "He said he has an important matter at home and needs to go back to Jinling to deal with it. He should be able to get back within two days."
Gu Xu was not too surprised by this.
After all, as a son of a wealthy family, Shen Qiu said that he wanted to leave the family, but he must have an unbreakable connection with the family, and he would definitely encounter a lot of messy and troublesome things.
Besides, Shen Qiu's identity is that of a guest, not a servant, so he has a high degree of freedom.
It is normal to leave the workshop for two days occasionally.
Later, Manager Yang brought a young man in his twenties to Gu Xu.
This man was of medium height, with a thin build, a pointed chin, and slanted eyes. He was wearing a cyan gown similar to Gu Xu's style.
"His name is Zhong Jun, he is the alchemy apprentice our workshop just recruited today." Manager Yang introduced.
From Manager Yang, Gu Xu learned that this young man named Zhong Jun was a casual cultivator from nearby Xin'an County. He came to the capital three years ago and moved between several pill workshops in order to make a living.
Since Gu Xu was in the limelight recently and "Shuchangfang" had just been built, Zhong Jun regarded it as a God-given opportunity and left his previous employer behind without hesitation to come here.
"I have admired Master Gu's reputation for a long time," Zhong Jun said with a smile on his face. "Being able to work under Master Gu is a blessing that will take me several lifetimes to earn."
He kept talking flattering words, and at the same time he didn't forget to run into the house and pour Gu Xu a cup of hot tea.
Gu Xu had a calm expression on his face, but deep down in his heart he couldn't help but secretly comment: This person's ability to compliment others is too big compared to Guan Jin.
Shangguan Jin praises people very naturally and meticulously. He can always praise others and make them feel like a spring breeze.
But this Zhong Jun's words were a bit pretentious and exaggerated.
Even with Gu Xu's psychological quality, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.
"Good job!"
In the end, Gu Xu didn't know what to say, so he reached out and patted Zhong Jun on the shoulder, leaving a simple sentence of encouragement.
Then, Gu Xu also introduced Shangguan Jin, who came with him, to everyone in the workshop.
I heard that Shangguan Jin was a trusted assistant and indispensable right-hand man to the head of the Exorcism Department. Everyone present had a look of surprise and awe on their faces.
After all, Luo Sishou, as a mysterious and powerful saint, rarely appears in public.
Therefore, cronies like Shangguan Jin and Chu Fengge are often regarded as the spokespersons of Luo Sishou - every word they say makes people wonder whether it is the will that Sishou wants to convey. .
But today, Shangguan Jin showed no pretensions, with an approachable smile on his face, and greeted everyone present cordially.
In addition, she also took out a large and exquisite three-legged alchemy cauldron from the storage magic weapon she carried with her, with the outer wall engraved with cranes, pine and cypress patterns.
"This is a small gift from me," she said with a smile. "I hope that Shouchangfang will prosper and everything will go well in the future."
Manager Yang thanked him repeatedly.
Things like alchemy furnaces and alchemy cauldrons are indeed supplies that "Shuchangfang" needs very much at the moment.
The "Three-legged Alchemy Cauldron" has the meaning of prosperity and prominence, and the cranes and pines and cypresses on it symbolize longevity, which can be regarded as a suitable wish.
It's just that Gu Xu felt a little strange about this.
He thought that Shangguan Jin came to Shouchangfang with him today on a temporary basis.
Unexpectedly, she prepared a gift early and kept it with her -
It was already planned!
This woman is truly unfathomable.
As for the new alchemy apprentice Zhong Jun, his face became even more joyful after meeting Shangguan Jin.
He came from a poor background and had no background. He had been wandering in the capital for a long time, but he had never become famous.
The reason why he left his original employer and came to "Shuchangfang" was because he had speculative thoughts and wanted to rely on Gu Xu, a rising star, to find a good future for himself.
Because of this, when he first met Gu Xu, he was eager to be attentive, hoping to be remembered by Gu Xu.
But he didn't expect that besides Gu Xu, he would have the opportunity to meet another big shot in the Daqi Exorcism Department today!
This was an unexpected surprise for him!
So he rushed into the room again and brought Shangguan Jin a cup of tea. Compliments poured out of his mouth like a tide, and he praised Shangguan Jin from head to toe, from appearance to character, When it comes to cultivation and ability to do things, be as exaggerated as you want.
Shangguan Jin stood still and looked at him with a half-smile.
Seeing this scene, Gu Xu silently complained in his heart: Young man, do you know that you are playing tricks on your class?
It has to be said that Zhong Jun's performance today reminded him of some young people who had just entered the workplace in his previous life - they couldn't wait to be liked by their boss, but because of some inappropriate words and behaviors, they ended up self-defeating.
At this moment, a gorgeous-looking box carriage came from the end of the street and stopped outside the door of "Shuchangfang".
An old man dressed in rich clothes and with a long beard stepped out of the carriage with the help of a waiter.
The old man first raised his head and glanced at the plaque with the words "Shuchangfang" written on it. Then with a kind smile on his face, he walked straight towards the small building.
Since Gu Xu had never seen this old man before, he asked Manager Yang beside him: "Who is he?"
Manager Yang looked solemnly and did not answer immediately.
He took out a piece of paper with more than ten names written on it from his pocket, read it several times, and frowned more and more.
After a moment, he said to Gu Xu apologetically: "I'm very sorry, Mr. Gu, I just came to the capital not long ago and I don't know this guest."
Gu Xu looked at the familiar handwriting on the note and narrowed his eyes slightly: "Who wrote this note in your hand?"
"They were left behind by Young Master Shen when he left," Manager Yang replied. "He said that these people are all clients he brought in, and they may have come to visit him in the past few days. But, Mr. Gu, please forgive me, I really I can’t recognize which one of them this old man is…”
Gu Xu said nothing.
The Daqi Dynasty always paid attention to etiquette.
Failure to recognize the identity of the guests may sound trivial, but it also means disrespect for the host and the guests, which is extremely detrimental to the future relationship between the two parties.
However, just as Gu Xu was thinking hard about how to solve this problem, Shangguan Jin suddenly came to his ear and whispered to him: "This old man is the leader of the 'Yenli Chamber of Commerce', Ye Wuwei. His full name is Ye Wuwei. One of his cousins-in-law is a concubine of the Chen family in Xiangyang, and a large part of the funds for his chamber of commerce also come from the Chen family in Xiangyang. Not long ago, his son just got engaged to the sister of Luo, the head of the Fufa Chamber of Commerce... "
From this distance, Gu Xu could clearly smell the calming fragrance of the sachet around her waist.
He immediately remembered that Shen Qiu had also mentioned in front of him that this Ye Huishou was a creditor of Shouchangfang. He not only lent Shouchangfang a thousand taels of silver, but also waived most of the interest.
However, he used to send housekeepers to deal with him, so everyone in "Shouchangfang" did not recognize his identity.
"It would be too embarrassing if I couldn't recognize this funder's father today."
Gu Xu thought silently, thanked Shangguan Jin in a low voice, then stepped forward with a smile and said to the long-bearded old man: "Ye Huishou came to visit me today. It really makes my small workshop flourish."
Ye Huishou cupped his hands and said with a smile: "I have long heard that Mr. Gu is a proud son of heaven and a young hero. When I see him today, he is indeed worthy of his reputation."
"..."
The conversation between the two took place in the midst of business exchanges.
Gu Xu's image and conversation left an excellent impression on Ye Huishou.
Ye Huishou was in a happy mood, so he waved his hand and placed an order worth hundreds of taels of silver on the spot - the Wynn Chamber of Commerce itself was not short of elixirs. He placed this order obviously out of favor and to give Gu Xu Support.
At the same time, he also mentioned that he also has a daughter who is one year older than Gu Xu - if Gu Xu is not married, he might as well consider it.
Of course, Gu Xu decisively refused, and at the same time politely stated that he had already fallen in love with the person.
Ye Huishou felt very sorry.
However, Manager Yang next to him quietly breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself: This future uncle is really a hot commodity in the capital - if Miss Shi hadn't known him early enough, someone else might have snatched him away. .
…………
After Ye Huishou, several more distinguished guests came to "Shuchangfang".
They were all people Shen Qiu had contacted before, and Gu Xu didn't know any of them.
Fortunately, Shangguan Jin followed him and told him the identities of these guests in time, saving Gu Xu from embarrassment.
These customers showed a very friendly attitude towards Gu Xu and did not hesitate to place orders. Seeing that Gu Xu was not married, they enthusiastically introduced partners to him.
But Gu Xu refused.
Manager Yang next to him looked very nervous.
He felt that it was necessary to write a letter to Lord Shi of Qianhu in Laizhou Prefecture, describing Gu Xu's popularity in the capital, and urging Lord Shi to make an engagement for his daughter quickly to avoid long nights and dreams.
Although Gu Xu and Shi Xiaohan have a deep friendship, he is still a young man with a strong spirit. If a certain family wants to recruit Gu Xu as a son-in-law, marry him a beautiful and noble daughter, and provide him with a way to rise to the top in one step. However, Manager Yang couldn't guarantee that Gu Xu could resist this temptation.
…………
After all the guests left, Gu Xu stood on the steps outside Shouchangfang, looking at the people coming and going on the street, and breathed a sigh of relief.
He had to admit that the recent extremely high reputation, the support of many monks, and the attitude of guests rushing to express their goodwill to him really gave him a feeling of elation.
His current situation can be called "proud in the spring breeze".
In the entire history of the Daqi Dynasty, almost no one could achieve what he has achieved today at the same age.
But Gu Xu didn't dare to relax.
Because his goal is still far away.
As long as he fails to become a saint one day, he will feel like there is a sword hanging over his head, making him uneasy.
In addition, he also hides secrets such as the "Ziwei Fate", the white-haired boy, and the "Huilu Rune". He has also learned about the hidden story about Emperor Tianxing behind the case of Lu's murderous house - these secrets, It would undoubtedly put him on the opposite side of the emperor.
If one day, the emperor discovers his secret, will his glory at this time be shattered in an instant like a flower in the mirror and a moon in the water?
Gu Xu didn't think about it anymore.
He only felt as if he was walking on the edge of a cliff, and he had to be careful every step he took.
At this time, Manager Yang came to him and reported to him today's income from "Shuchangfang".
Gu Xu listened silently.
Suddenly, he realized an important issue——
Shen Qiu has always been a very thoughtful person.
Ever since he signed the cooperation agreement with Gu Xu, he has handled things in an orderly and flawless manner, and has never let Gu Xu worry about things in the workshop.
When dealing with powerful people, he can figure out everyone's thoughts and give them the most appropriate gifts.
According to his personality, if he had to leave Beijing to do business, he should find the portrait and information of each customer in advance to avoid the embarrassment of not being able to recognize the customer's identity.
However, today, Shen Qiu threw down a note and left in a hurry - his handover work was completely unsatisfactory, so much so that Manager Yang looked at a loss when facing the customer.
This is completely inconsistent with Shen Qiu's past style of doing things!
Gu Xu frowned.
He guessed that Shen Qiu might have encountered real trouble when he left Beijing and returned to Jinling City.
(Change first and then change)
ps: This is a 5700-word chapter, please vote for me!
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