Meng Ran gave a fist-cup salute to the four Kunlun practitioners who were bidding farewell to Hu Jinqiu. It was considered that they were reunited with each other. He turned around and thanked the fat businessman with a kind face who helped him translate the two sides' conversation, and then said to him. Two steps forward, she stood side by side with Hu Jinqiu, with the delicate long sword following behind her, which gave her quite the demeanor of a swordsman.
The two men and two women no longer looked as ferocious as before when facing these people, and they probably couldn't pretend to be so. Looking at it this way, all four of them actually looked quite remarkable. The man was quite handsome, and the woman was quite beautiful.
Anyway, the purpose is to collect people's money and eliminate disasters. These four people also collect money under the orders of the mountain. Other things have nothing to do with them.
The long caravan set off again, and the four people gave up the only decent road in front of them, letting the people and horses pass.
Meng Ran actually didn't understand why there was only such a passage to the Western Region in such a vast land. Thinking that this was in a game and not in reality after all, he stopped caring about it.
After walking forward for about half an hour, Hu Jinqiu saw that this aunt had no intention of leaving. She just smiled secretly and said nothing.
On the contrary, Meng Ran felt a little uncomfortable, and kept thinking in his heart, ask me, ask me.
In the end, if it was a matter like Luncheng Mansion, Meng Ran was not as good as this old fox who had been in business for many years, so he could only bite the bullet and said: "Brother Hu, don't you have anything to ask me?"
Hu Jinqiu smiled slightly and asked, "Is the girl thirsty?"
Meng Ran pursed his lips and said, "You know that's not what I'm talking about."
"Then let me ask." Hu Jinqiu chuckled: "Now that the matter has been resolved, why don't you leave the caravan? Do you want to follow us to see the scenery of the Western Regions?"
Meng Ran first bowed with his hands clasped in fists, and then replied softly: "I'm sorry, Brother Hu, we..."
Meng Ran was about to tell Hu Jinqiu about the "other plans" of the team, but was instantly stopped by Hu Jinqiu's outstretched hand.
"It doesn't matter. I don't know what you do, and I don't care. I can just be my errand boy. Knowing too much is not a good thing." Hu Jinqiu touched his beard and smiled. explain.
"Brother Hu, you won't blame me for not telling you, right?" Meng Ran asked tentatively.
"No, no, it's a great fate to meet again in this vast land of the Western Regions. We should cherish it. I still remember the good wine I was given at that time. It was the taste of my hometown!" Hu Jinqiu revealed. He had a look of reminiscence, as if he was still recalling the taste of those drinks.
"I dare to ask Brother Hu, do you know why these practitioners in Kunlun Mountain suddenly charge so much in protection fees?" Meng Ran asked.
When Hu Jinqiu first heard the word "protection fee", he was still stunned. After understanding what it meant, he felt that this term was quite appropriate and interesting.
Then he shook his head and said slowly: "I have been traveling on this trade route for many years, and this is the first time I have encountered such a situation. The money paid has increased or decreased in the past years, but the price is still fair. It also ensured the peace of many caravans coming and going."
"This trade road is extremely long, rugged and difficult. A businessman can make at most two round trips in a year. Not to mention someone like me whose family is in the Central Plains. One round trip per year is already the limit. One trip will cost money. A sufficient amount of silver, so you see." Hu Jinqiu pointed to the horse team behind him, "There are often many horses to carry goods, which has advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that you can earn more at one time, and things cost more. It can also be spread thinly. The disadvantage is that the target along the way is too big. Several old guys from our chamber of commerce usually work together. There are twenty or thirty people in bodyguards and escorts just so that nothing happens to the goods on the way. Accident."
"The first half and the last part of the journey are all dependent on our own escorts in the caravan, mainly to deal with the hunting and harassment of horse thieves and sand bandits. These people have a knife in their hands and a horse under their buttocks. Relying on its speed, it actually has little combat effectiveness. Generally, caravans of our size would not dare to come here to ask for trouble. It is not worth it to lose a few lives here. After all, in a place like the Western Region, there are Talent has the ability to fight.”
"The most dangerous part is the middle part of the road, which starts from the four people just now and ends at the Kunlun Mountains." Hu Jinqiu took a breath and continued.
"Aren't there practitioners on Kunlun Mountain? Why is it still so dangerous? Don't those practitioners care about it?" Meng Ran asked.
"If you meet some kind-hearted practitioners, you will probably take care of them, but many of the robbers here are also practitioners!" Hu Jinqiu said helplessly.
Well, it went around in a circle and back again. Meng Ran became more and more confused as he listened to Hu Jinqiu's words. It was all a mess. Are the four people just now robbers?
This is related to the actual situation of Kunlun Mountain. It can be summed up in six words - the place is big and there is no threshold.
Kunlun Mountain sounds like a mountain, but it is actually an entire mountain range. That is to say, after the Kunlun Qionghua Sect was built, the floating mountain and several surrounding mountains were officially called Kunlun Mountain by the outside world. The reason why for so many years, practitioners from the Central Plains have been pouring into Kunlun Mountain, but they have never been able to fill this mountain range.
It is well known that Kunlun Mountain does not care about the practice of practitioners, and the Qionghua Sect seemed to have returned to its original state after its collapse. Since there is no threshold for entering the mountain, naturally there is no such thing as control, but it does not matter. Anyone can practice in a circle here.
There are kind-hearted practitioners, but naturally there are also not-so-kind people, and even people who just come here to absorb the energy of the dragon veins to prolong their lives and have no real Taoist skills are also here.
The nature of Kunlun will not be messed up, but over the years, businessmen passing through this place will suffer frequent disasters.
In terms of combat effectiveness, the worst practitioner can probably defeat ten of the strongest bodyguards.
As a result, the safety of merchants suddenly became less reliable.
Some of these people who covet money and goods are quite polite, euphemistically calling it alms, giving them things or food and drinks and then leaving. Some simply want money, some want money and goods, and some not only want it, but also want it all. After getting it, there are some that I use for my own use, and some that are resold to other practitioners, and some that are even more sinister in nature, killing people and stealing goods.
Why kill people and buy goods? Because Kunlun Mountain is still a righteous sect in name. Although the Qionghua Sect has been disbanded and no one cares about it, Kunlun Mountain has never condoned such things. Once discovered, it will be expelled from the mountain at the least, and the whole body will be destroyed on the spot at worst. Spiritual power. It can only be said that even such a loose religious sect still has bottom lines and ethics that they cannot cross or break through.
There are more ways to kill people and get goods. Again, the Kunlun Mountains are huge anyway. You can either bury them in a quiet place or burn them with magic. There are many ways.
Naturally, there are still some ordinary thieves who really occupy the top of the mountain and become kings living here. They are naturally honest in front of the powerful practitioners, and occasionally help the immortal masters with trivial matters at the bottom of the mountain. However, they suddenly become evil-doers. Rough bandits also pose a great threat to passing merchants.
These two types of people are passed down orally among the merchants. Among them, those who commit robberies are called Ling bandits. As the name suggests, they are bandits who have mastered spiritual power. The other common bandits are called Fu bandits. It means bandits who are attached to the practitioners of Kunlun Mountain.
The spirit bandit is like an airplane, and the bandit bandit is like a car.
When encountering a plane accident, a businessman will either bleed or bleed. In short, there is no chance of any accident. If something happens, it will be a big deal.
It's not bad when you encounter a car accident. Depending on the situation, it can be quite painful if you encounter something more serious. But most of the time, you can still deal with it by relying on the bodyguards and guards around you. Even if it bleeds, it is only a minor injury and it will not hurt your muscles. bone.
One look at Kunlun Mountain revealed that this was not possible.
That's why Kunlun Mountain officials came to protect the passing merchants.
Meng Ran knew some things and some she didn't know, but after listening to Hu Jinqiu's introduction, she finally understood.
Such a holy land of practice is unexpectedly complicated. It seems that the people from the Central Plains have not only brought more advanced practice concepts, but also a lot of dross and so on.
But it is really not easy to talk about these businessmen. While spending money to purchase and ship goods, they also have to seek protection from the local Central Plains Chamber of Commerce. On the other hand, they have to maintain bodyguards to protect themselves and pay protection fees on the road, just to make money. Counting money is like putting your head in your belt.
Meng Ran couldn't help but feel a little admiration for Hu Jinqiu and these merchants traveling to the Western Regions. It's no wonder that people miss home. It's really not easy.
Meng Ran sincerely praised Hu Jinqiu, which made him blush.
The two continued chatting wordlessly for a while, and the team finally came to the fork at the foot of Kunlun Mountain, one going left and the other right.
The path to the right is the path the team came from, and the caravan should turn left at this time.
Hu Jinqiu looked at the sky and ordered the caravan to rest where it was, but the time changed from three quarters to one. The time just lost must be made up bit by bit from behind, neither too fast nor too slow. .
Meng Ran nodded, realizing that it was not easy for such a large businessman to travel and sell goods. It really required strong experience and abilities in all aspects, otherwise he would not be able to cope with it at all.
The two of them were sitting by the roadside. Hu Jinqiu took out a new bag of water and handed it to Meng Ran, and asked softly: "How is your little brother? Has he been cured of his illness in Buzhoushan?"
Meng Ran smiled bitterly and shook his head without saying anything.
Hu Jinqiu's next words made Meng Ran spit out the water he just drank in his mouth in shock!
"Then this year, you have been wandering around the Western Region?"
