"Doctor Zhang... no, Lord Sheriff."
Zhou Changgui woke up with a start, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and quickly stood up and saluted:
"Zhou was blind at that time, but he didn't expect that Mr. Zhang would turn out to be a martial arts master!"
At this moment, he finally realized: Why did he suddenly gain the favor of the gang leader and be promoted as the helmsman of Baihe Branch?
The real reason is not because of how smart and capable he is, but because he had dealt with this master many years ago.
And because of his preconception, he never thought that he had seen Zhang Yao's other identity.
"Master Zhou, you're welcome."
Zhang Yao smiled, waved his hand and said, "Ten years ago, I was not a grandmaster."
After the two sat down again and exchanged some pleasantries, Zhou Changgui said cautiously:
"Fortunately, Zhou is favored by the gang leader and is appointed as the new helmsman of the Baihe branch."
"I came here to pay a visit to the Sheriff this time. I have specially prepared a small gift for you. I hope the Sheriff will accept it."
As he spoke, he pushed the long brocade box beside him. It was made entirely of ebony wood with complicated patterns and looked very exquisite.
"oh?"
Zhang Yao raised his eyebrows, showing a hint of curiosity:
"What's in here?"
Zhou Changgui said:
"It is a sword that can be called a divine weapon. No matter the casting method or materials, it is rare in the world, especially it is mixed with a large amount of red stone..."
Halfway through his words, he suddenly stopped.
He suddenly recalled that he didn't know about the effect of this sword and the red stone until the "Doctor Zhang" in front of him told his companions?
Before he set off from Jiangdu, he thought that the great master must be disdainful of ordinary treasures and rare treasures, so he deliberately chose this magical sword. But now it seems that it seems to be a bit self-defeating.
Zhang Yao was silent for a rare moment, looked at the long black sandalwood brocade box, and said slowly:
"So, inside this box is Chu Xingge's sword?"
"...Yes, I didn't expect that the adults would still remember that boy."
Zhou Changgui couldn't guess Zhang Yao's attitude, so he could only lower his head and respond.
"Okay, I'll accept the gift."
Zhang Yao nodded slightly.
Zhou Changgui breathed a sigh of relief. After the two chatted for a long time, he respectfully stood up and left.
After Zhou Changgui left:
"Click."
Zhang Yao stood up and walked over, opened the ebony brocade box, and saw a sheathed long sword lying quietly on the bright yellow velvet cloth.
He pulled out the sword and saw the shimmering cold light and unparalleled sharpness. Two simple small characters - Chi Xiao - were engraved on the bottom of the sword.
Always have a pure heart and never have ambitions that fall into the sky.
"Chixiao...a good name."
He sheathed the sword, put it into the ebony brocade box, and ordered:
"Hang this sword in my study."
"yes."
The two beautiful maids responded respectfully and left holding the brocade box.
He sat back on the main seat again, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly said:
"Linglong, you are from a local aristocratic family. How much do you know about Zhou Changgui?"
Based on his understanding of the local aristocratic families, now that he knows that there is a new leader of the Cao Gang, he will definitely use his influence to inquire around. He just wants to borrow their results.
After hearing Zhang Yao's question, a beautiful maid standing nearby said in a low voice:
"Reply to the master."
"This new Captain Zhou, it is said that he joined the Cao Gang when he was ten years old and became a disciple of Xiao Zirong, the then Captain of Lingjiang and the 'Wanderer'."
"But this Xiao Zirong... although his martial arts skills are very high, according to some secret gossip, he likes men and secretly raises prostitutes, which brings shame to some middle and high-level gangs."
"Zhou Changgui stayed under his sect for more than ten years. He found an opportunity to defect and leave, and turned against him. Since then, they have been on the same page."
"Until last year, under Zhou Changgui's design, 'Vagabond' Xiao Zirong was found to have enriched himself and embezzled the gang's property. He was expelled from the Caogang. Zhou Changgui personally enforced the gang's rules and died in his hands. .”
Zhang Yao couldn't help but fell silent after hearing her words.
Although there are many facts that are unclear, it is not difficult to deduce part of the truth from just a scratch.
He was silent for a while and then asked again:
"Does this person have a wife or children?"
"No."
Linglong shook her head and said:
"He is 46 years old this year, but he is not married yet, and he is well-known in Jiangdu City as a womanizer."
"Many people used to secretly laugh at him, but in recent years, after he became a great master, few people dared to mention it anymore."
"……I see."
When Zhang Yao heard this, he finally couldn't help but let out a long sigh and thought to himself:
"Master, Master..."
"If you were to know that you were so eager to love your son, but you personally pushed your only son into a pit of fire, and even caused the old Zhou family to cut off their incest, I'm afraid it would be hard to rest in peace, right?"
The love and hate in the past finally have a suitable reason, but everything has long been buried in the past.
The past is gone with the wind and can never be brought back.
…………
The gurgling river flows slowly into Baibo Lake.
The peaceful time is like running water, and fifteen years have passed in the blink of an eye.
The chaos in the Wei Dynasty continued, and even showed signs of getting worse, but Baihe City in Jiangzhou had enjoyed peace and tranquility for fifteen years.
Fifteen years later:
Zhang Yao was sitting in the garden pavilion of the Sheriff's Mansion, making tea. He looked up and saw the wild geese flying from the south. The scene was almost exactly the same as many years ago.
But he knew that the geese traveling south and north had changed several times.
"Another year is about to pass..."
He looked away, a trace of melancholy welling up in his heart.
More than ten years have passed, and his beard has become thicker and thicker. He is no longer so young and looks like a middle-aged man in his forties.
This is the result of his deliberate control. With his master-level subtle control, he can even make his hair turn white and add wrinkles. Of course, he can easily control his appearance to age.
Not only his appearance, but also his heart seems a bit old.
"I thought I wouldn't be tired of this kind of life for another hundred years."
"I didn't expect that after only twenty years, I would be tired of it."
Zhang Yao smiled self-deprecatingly, picked up the teapot on the small red clay stove, and poured himself a cup of boiling tea.
Twenty years of county guard career:
The women around him changed one after another, enjoying all kinds of things, but this kind of life made him feel more and more boring.
No matter how delicious the delicacies of mountains and seas are, if you eat them every day, there will always be a day when you can't stand it.
Wild geese fly south every year, but it is still the same person who watches them.
"Maybe I should change my environment and my life?"
Zhang Yao fell into deep thought and was a little hesitant.
For the first time, he felt a little troubled by being an immortal, and he was undecided about his future life.
"master."
At this time, the new housekeeper hurried over and said respectfully:
"Leader Li of the Cao Gang has arrived and wants to meet you."
