The Rakshasa people are divided into three classes. The first class is the royal family, which consists of less than a hundred people. They are all handsome men and beauties, gifted with supernatural powers, and can live up to 800 years. All the kings of the past dynasties are selected from the royal family without exception. The second class is the Rakshasa. They are the backbone of the Rakshasa kingdom. The brave and skilled warriors conquer all directions and plunder people. The smart ones serve as officials and govern the city. The top few are prominent figures with high positions, including the royal family. They all deigned to make friends. The third class is the herdsmen, with different appearances. Most of them come from overseas countries. There are also many Xia people, most of whom are fugitives and thieves. In order to seek a place of refuge, they must pay a large "redemption tax" every month. .
"Redemption" means to redeem the body for freedom. If you cannot pay the "redemption tax", the men will work as coolies and the women as camp prostitutes. It lasts for a year and a half, and there are hundreds of survivors If you don’t save one, you won’t waste the body after it’s dead. You’ll chop it into pieces and feed it to the horses. Horses in the Rakshasa Kingdom are born of a different species, with violent temperaments and a thirst for flesh and blood. They only occasionally eat grass to change their taste and clear their stomachs.
Shen Yuanqiong and Bixiazi walked a long way to the "Pingchuan City" at the foot of the mountain, blending in with the crowd and not conspicuous. There is a tax office at the gate of the city. A few herdsmen holding a "Bronze Rhythm Bell" with sad faces. Their faces were oily from the sun. Two Rakshasa soap officials with big horses and golden swords were sitting under the eaves to enjoy the cool air. He narrowed his triangular eyes and looked at the flow of people coming in and out. Everyone honestly showed their tax receipts. It was a triangular piece of iron with uneven thickness and twists and turns. When they struck it on the "Bronze Rhythm Bell", it made a strange metal and stone sound, and it was able to pass without any obstruction. , pay the "redemption tax" honestly, any gold, silver or jewelry is acceptable, the amount depends on the official's mood.
Bixiazi used a trick to turn stones into gold secretly, and offered him a "ransom fee". The official picked it up, weighed it in his hand, nodded slightly, and threw out two pieces of iron. Shen Yuanqiong and Bixiazi went into the city without hesitation. , after three or two turns, he disappeared into the crowd.
Pingchuan City is crowded with people, everyone has their own livelihood, the strong are working hard, and the weak are selling themselves. They are lifeless under the sun, the application is dull, and it is so depressing that it makes people panic. Stealing and robbery are serious crimes here. Once they fall into the hands of Rakshasa chiefs, they will break bones and suck out marrow, extort in every possible way, and have to peel off their skin even if they die. The herdsmen grit their teeth and work hard for the "redemption tax". After paying this month and the next, No one dares to pay it this year or next year.
slack off.
Bixiazi had already restrained her appearance, and at first glance she looked no different from ordinary people. She stretched out her hand to summon a tall Yaman, asked a few words in Rakshasa language, and ordered him to lead the way. If you like the courtyard of the household, you can rent it. The Ya woman was elderly, stooped, slurred in speech, and looked very respectful. Shen Yuanqiong unexpectedly discovered that she was actually a "Yaksha Po" with a dark face, green eyes, and a section of gray fangs exposed at the corner of her mouth. His hair was sparse, and he was skinny and skinny.
After walking around and looking at several courtyards, they were adjacent to the market and were too noisy for either of them. The "Yaksha Po" made some insinuations and learned that they didn't care about the rent. After thinking about it, she led the two of them along. Come to the south of the city. Deep in the alley, a quiet place amidst the hustle and bustle, hides a small courtyard with sparse flowers and trees, and is kept spotless. Shen Yuanqiong is very impressed satisfy. Bixiazi threw her a golden bean and ordered her to quickly inform the owner to prepare a deed and hire an official to be the matchmaker.
The "Yaksha Po" made a big deal and was very happy. She asked the two of them to sit in the courtyard for a while and then hurried away. After half an hour, she attracted the stewards and officials to turn around, nodding and bowing. There was sadness in her flattery, but there was no trace of the toughness of "Yaksha Po". The owner is a wealthy man in Pingchuan City. The steward's surname is Zhang, and he has quite a sharp eye. He had noticed something strange about the golden bean before, but when he saw Bixiazi in person, he was a little unsure. In everything, he would rather believe that he has something than something that doesn't exist. He greeted him politely, took out the deed and asked them to see it. The terms were clear and the rent was very fair.
Shen Yuanqiong was already prepared. He wrote a pseudonym with a pen, wrote down the word "Mi Luo", and pressed his fingerprint. The steward Zhang said "Yeah" and said tentatively in Daxia dialect: "It turns out that your Excellency comes from Daxia country. It's a long journey by sea and dangerous, so it's really not easy!"
Shen Yuanqiong chuckled and said, "Are the stewards also from Xia?"
The steward Zhang shook his head slightly and said, "I am from Fugui Island, and I admire the cultural relics of Daxia, which makes you laugh."
When Shen Yuanqiong heard about Fugui Island for the first time, his heart suddenly moved. He raised his eyes to look at the other person, and sure enough, he could see that there were traces of foreigners in Manager Zhang's features.
Bixiazi calmly pulled down her husband's sleeve, took out the red gold to pay half a year's rent in advance, and Zaoli took 10% of it.
He drew a monogram on the deed and walked away. Manager Zhang took the initiative to chat with the two of them, and said that this courtyard was originally a separate courtyard of the master's family. Later, the family moved to the north of the city. It had been idle for nearly ten years and gradually became abandoned. It was recently renovated and rented out by someone.
Bixiazi looked into the depths of the flowers and trees and said casually: "If the house is unoccupied and no one lives in it, it is inevitable that something supernatural will happen. Manager Zhang, is there a fox fairy here? Or is it haunted?"
Manager Zhang laughed "haha" twice and said dryly: "Girl, you are just kidding, Pingchuan City is clean, there are no fox spirits and ghosts..." He shrank his head, seeming a little uncomfortable, and put the deed in his arms. Here, he bowed his hands and left.
After Manager Zhang left, the "Yaksha Po" came forward again and asked the two of them if they wanted to recruit some slaves and maids. Bixiazi glanced at her husband and waved her hand to order him to leave. "Yakshapo" was obedient and felt a little regretful. The two spent generously. Manager Zhang took the golden beans and exchanged a lot of silver for her, and promised to spare her. One year's "redemption tax" is a once-in-a-lifetime good thing, but it's a pity that there will be no second chance.
Manager Zhang boarded the carriage and headed north of the city. The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. The two men and women who met each other were generous and took out a lot of red gold. The purity of the gold was astonishing, but where did it come from? Could it be a tribute from the royal family? He felt a little uneasy. There was something special about that courtyard. The owner rented it to outsiders and had the idea of putting the blame on others, but the woman said it clearly. This matter should not be taken carelessly, but This must be discussed with the owner as soon as possible.
He hurried back to the mansion in the north of the city, asked the servants, and rushed to the backyard to see the master. There were guests in the house. Manager Zhang waited until dark before being led to the flower hall and met Hu Kuidou, a wealthy man in Pingchuan City. Hu Kuidou was like a mountain of meat, slumped on the iron chair, his face was shiny and panting. He picked up the bronze statue and drank it all in one gulp. He breathed a long sigh of relief, and the remaining wine dripped down the corners of his mouth. Several maids were waiting beside him, wiping Wiping, pouring wine, and arranging dishes, the posture is elegant and orderly.
The three personal maids around the master were all confidants, and Manager Zhang did not shy away. He went up to meet the master, presented the deed to the courtyard in the south of the city, took out the red gold and golden beans, and explained everything in detail.
