The ancestor of the Zhang Clan of Qinghe in its family tree was none other than Zhang Bairen, the Jade Emperor.
Therefore, Zhang Tianshou naturally counted as a daughter of the Zhang Clan of Qinghe.
"Sir, you still haven't answered my question.
Who put those scoundrels up to plotting against my younger sister?"
A murderous glint flashed in Zhang Tianshou's eyes, and Chen Fan felt a chill run down his back.
Seeing that, Chen Fan naturally didn't keep her in suspense. He said at once,
"I don't know who was pulling the strings, but I do know one thing.
Since someone put them up to it, they must have sent people to watch from the shadows!"
"Watch from the shadows!"
Zhang Tianshou furrowed her brows, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.
A gust of wind rose, blowing over the tables and chairs beside Zhang Tianshou.
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes, delight flashing across them.
The Method of Cultivation—this person was definitely an accomplished cultivator of the Immortal Path.
Ever since Chen Fan had seen Dazhuang's display of Great Strength Flying Stone,
he had known that this world was definitely no ordinary place.
That was why he had stayed in Zhao Family Village for two years.
Only after learning enough about the outside world had he begun to prepare his plans.
Who would have thought that Heaven would send a Fairy Maiden right before his eyes?
As Chen Fan pondered how to lure these Fairy Maidens back home,
Zhang Tianshou suddenly opened her eyes, drew her long sword, and cried out,
"Just as I thought! Someone's there. You've got some nerve!"
Clang!
Chen Fan saw a streak of sword light flash before his eyes.
A row of shrubs and trees along the left side of the main road was instantly cut down.
Two utterly bewildered men were revealed.
One wore a blue cotton scholar's robe, while a gray-clad servant stood beside him.
Thump!
Master and servant both dropped onto their backsides, their pale faces full of panic.
Damn it, all they'd done was give in to lust and stage a little hero-saves-beauty act.
It was one thing for that Scholar Dong to ruin things.
But what was with that woman?
That sword Qi was so long—it shot over in a flash!
Bang!
"This lowly one was blind to your greatness! Young Master Fu paid me thirty strings of cash to stage this act and play the hero, hoping to win the two ladies' favor.
I'm willing to offer fifty strings of cash and five pieces of Incense Bronze to apologize to the ladies.
I serve under Steward Zhou of the Feng Commandery Water Transport Gang. Please spare my worthless life for Steward Zhou's sake!"
One-Eyed Wolf fell to his knees without hesitation and begged for mercy.
Scholar Dong clutched his bruised eye socket: ?
"Holy crap!"
Clutching his chest, Chen Fan stared at the unknown young lady of the Zhang Clan of Qinghe.
She could casually unleash a streak of sword Qi that cut through the air for a hundred meters without so much as grazing anyone.
Just how powerful were the legendary Thirteen Heroes of Sui and Tang?
Could Li Yuanba really smash a mountain with a single blow?
Though Li Yuanba was long gone, peerless warriors like Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin were still alive.
Looks like I'll have to revise my plans!
The Zhang Clan of Qinghe would make an excellent partner.
Chen Fan's gaze shifted as he looked Lady Zhang up and down.
Dazhuang's eyes lit up, too.
Brother Fan's finally caught on!
Zhang Tianshou felt a chill run down her spine, and her heart tightened.
What was going on? Why was this man looking at me like that?
No, there was no lewdness in his gaze.
Then what did he mean by it?
"Hmph! Five pieces of Incense Bronze? Do you think we're beggars?"
The Woman in Purple lifted her chin proudly, her eyes full of disdain.
Incense Bronze?
Back home, she could toss Heavenly Gold around as she pleased!
Hearing this, Chen Fan thought to himself, As expected of a young lady of the Zhang Clan of Qinghe—what swagger!
The currency system of this fantastical Great Tang was very different from the Great Tang of his previous life.
Copper coins circulated mainly among the common folk.
Incense Bronze, however, was condensed from Incense and Wish Power and was extremely valuable.
An adult man making three bows a day would need a whole year to condense one piece of Incense Bronze.
For an old person or a child, it would take even longer.
There was another point: a healthy adult could bow just once a day without damaging his lifespan.
It was said that one of Emperor Yang of Sui's crimes in the previous dynasty
was forcing the people to pay tribute in sufficient quantities of Incense Bronze, leaving countless commoners drained of their vitality and shortening their lives until they died.
Of course, the Great Tang's taxes also included an Incense Bronze Tax.
But the Great Tang's Incense Bronze Tax wasn't very high.
Paying respects on one out of every three days was generally enough to meet the required amount.
Chen Fan didn't know exactly how the Incense Bronze was collected.
In Zhao Family Village, the villagers organized a worship ceremony every three days.
Most villages worshipped their own ancestors.
Some instead worshipped deities such as the Earth God.
Zhao Family Village had an Earth God, too. It was said that the village chief had received a dream from him.
But Chen Fan had been in Zhao Family Village for two years and visited the Earth God's temple many times, yet he had never seen him once.
"Please forgive me, miss. I scraped together those five pieces of Incense Bronze by scrimping and saving.
Most of it has to be paid in tribute. You're magnanimous, so please don't hold it against me for offering so little!"
One-Eyed Wolf wore a bitter expression. He'd been the boss of Qingshi Town for five or six years.
Even so, he'd only managed to scrape together five spare pieces of Incense Bronze.
He'd originally saved them to send his son to Qingfeng Temple.
Now he had no choice but to offer them up to save his own life.
Who could have known that she wouldn't even want them?
"Hmph, I, the princess... Ouch!"
The Woman in Purple suddenly cried out in pain again. The Woman in Green hurriedly pressed a hand against her back.
Rolling Magic Power poured into the Woman in Purple, helping her steady the power within her body.
"Little sister, what's wrong with you? Why has your Magic Power gone awry twice in such a short time?"
Only then did the Red-Clad Lady remember. She quickly cupped her fists toward Chen Fan and said,
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