Divine Stride Guard and Jiang Youzhi disappeared without a trace, and the atmosphere in the side hall showed the warmth of the family.
Lu Xingmin played with the waistband engraved with "Geomancy Office" in his hand, with a smile on his face, but there was a hint of contemplation in his eyes.
Li Tingyun Da Ma Jin Dao sat there, even though he still had the wine bowl in his hand, his tiger eyes occasionally flashed a glimmer of light.
Ye Lanzen put down the wine cup and tapped the table with his chopsticks. It made a crisp sound and brought everyone's thoughts back.
"I have received my official status and obtained my waistband, but I have to explain the truth to you clearly."
Master Ye zi cleared his throat and glanced around the circle of disciples.
"This officialdom is like a battlefield, even more sinister than the battlefield. On the battlefield, there are bright swords and clear guns, but in the officialdom, there is a smile hidden under the knife."
Ye Lanzen pointed at Zheng Tonghe, who was carefully examining the waist badge of the medical officer, "Let me talk about your second senior brother first. Medical officer Principal Eighth Rank sounds like he is of high rank, and is in charge of the identification and circulation of medicinal stones. But this is a technical job and a noble position.
Zheng Tonghe looked up when he heard this and smiled gently, "That's what Master said."
"Principal Eighth Rank is high, but you have no one in your hands."
Ye Lanzen hit the nail on the head, "The reason why I gave you this official position is because of your eyesight and Hundred Herb Hall's foundation, so that you can be a master of the eye. But within the authority, you are not given the right to open a mansion or recruit subordinates."
Zheng Tonghe nodded. "My disciple thinks so too, but I have no intention of fighting for power and profit. It's enough to guard Hundred Herb Hall and take care of the medicinal materials for everyone."
"Well, this is your duty and your blessing."
Ye Lanzen nodded slightly, then turned his eyes to Chu Xing and Lu Xingmin: "As for the fourth and seventh children, your approach is different."
Chu Xing shook the folding fan and smiled without saying a word.
"Wind-Listening Hundred-Household of the Customs Bureau, Earth Official Chief of Geomancy Office."
Ye Lanzen said in a deep voice, "These two are the real key parts. One listens to the wind, and the other sees the ground.
These two jobs cannot be done without the people below. Therefore, the authority given to you by the court includes the word "recruitment."
"You can justifiably give your beggar leader, Tomb Raiders Boss, a non-staff status. If you have made meritorious deeds, you can even turn them into a full-time official and give them an official position."
Lu Xingmin chuckled, "From now on, I will show people Feng Shui and move ancestral graves, and I will really harden up a lot. If those Tomb Raiders know that they can get an official career, I'm afraid they will have to marry me too."
"That's nature, that's authority."
Ye Lanzen finally looked at Li Tingyun, with a slightly solemn look on his face. "Laoba, you are Principal Eighth Rank Patrol Chief Banner of the Wave-Quelling Bureau, the military position in Water Official. Logically speaking, this is the real power of holding the handle of the knife in your hand. You can mobilize troops, arrest people, and have the power to make arbitrary decisions when the opportunity arises."
"Your position is too hot. Although you have real power, there are probably at least two high-ranking officials above your head. Moreover, this Wave-Quelling Bureau is a newly built yamen, and the people in it are mixed. There are people like you who are from the world, and some who have been transferred from the military."
"More importantly, the water behind this is too deep, and it involves the struggle between the two saints Capital."
"Two Saints?"
Qin Geng, who had been listening, finally couldn't help but asked in surprise.
He has heard this word several times today. Jiang Youzhi mentioned it just now, and now Master mentioned it again.
"The court today is very chaotic."
Ye Lanzen sighed, showing his helplessness and sarcasm at the current situation. "Our old emperor was said to be seriously ill a few years ago and is about to die. Even the imperial edict has been drafted to pass the throne to Crown Prince, who is now the new emperor."
"What's the result?"
Ye Lanzen smiled and said, "After a few years, the old emperor's illness, hey, actually got better! And he became more energetic as he lived, and his body bones looked stronger than those of young people."
Qin Geng was stunned, this is a strange news.
"The old emperor has recovered from his illness and will not let go of Imperial Jade Seal in his hand. But what about the new emperor? He has actually become half of the family. Now you want him to go back and become Crown Prince? Then you might as well kill him."
"So now it's a situation that's neither embarrassing nor embarrassing - the Second Saint is coming to court."
"The old emperor was practicing Daoism and refining elixirs in the deep palace, and occasionally giving orders; the new emperor was handling government affairs in the court, dealing with Foreigners."
Ye Lanzen picked up a cup of tea to moisten his throat, and then said, "The old emperor was considered the leader of the ZTE. When he was young, he conquered the world on horseback. He fought in the north and south, defeated the bandits, wiped out the Nianzi, and raised a group of proud soldiers under his command. Later, he also sealed a few iron-hat kings. These people are the die-hard loyalists of the old emperor, and they are the hard-nosed members of the royalist party."
"As for the new emperor, he has been cleaning up the mess left by the old emperor over the years, especially dealing with Foreigners. Although he has been frustrated, he has also developed a group of the New Army who are like wolves and tigers. For example, the Lord Tang who carried a coffin to fight Western Regions, that is, the new emperor overcame all opinions and withstood the pressure of the old emperor to seek peace."
"Lord Tang will determine Western Regions in one battle. His prestige is huge. This is also the strongest trump card in the new emperor's hand."
Qin Geng was fascinated by it.
"What about us? Who are we?"
Qin Geng asked, "Which end is our family from?"
"Dragon-Guard Office----"
Ye Lanzen pondered for a moment, "In name, it is the dual jurisdiction of Imperial Clan Court and Directorate of Astronomy. In fact, it is the product of a compromise between the two parties."
"As for our family."
Ye Lanzen glanced at Qin Geng and said calmly, "My master also did things in the army back then, when the old emperor was still confused. If we insist on counting, our lineage will probably be classified as the old emperor's faction in the eyes of outsiders."
Qin Geng thought. The senior brother is a high-ranking official of Capital Garrison. This must be why he gained the power.
"But you don't have to think about all this nonsense."
Ye Lanzen waved his hand and his tone became domineering. "We rely on our ability to make a living and rely on our fists to gain a foothold.
You try your best to practice, and as long as you have the ability, no matter whether he is an old emperor or a new emperor, he will use you and respect you."
"In this troubled world, only the knife in your hand and your own strength are real."
"I understand, Master.
Qin Geng nodded heavily.
"Yeah, okay."
Ye Lanzen saw that his apprentice understood it quickly, and a smile appeared on his face, "The official orders have been handed down, Jiang Youzhi will go back and resume his duties, and the reward will probably arrive soon."
"Is there any reward?"
Qin Geng's eyes lit up.
"What if?"
Ye Lanzen glared at him. "The imperial court wants you to work with Foreigners with your head up, and you also have to protect Dragon Vein, without giving any indication? Who will work for you if you are given an empty official position?"
"Although the national treasury is empty, this Great Xin Dynasty is empty for the common people. There are many good things in Royal Imperial Treasury."
"Anyway, it's just that you won't be unable to take action. Otherwise, if you chill the hearts of the world's heroes, who will sacrifice their lives for them?
Speaking of this, Qin Geng was really curious.
I am currently in need of weapons or tools to assist in my training Treasure Medicine.
When you get to Hidden Force and rush towards Transforming Force, you have to think about finding a handy weapon to practice with.
"Okay, let's get back to you."
Ye Lanzen turned the topic back to Qin Geng, pointing to the "River-Blocking Guard" sign on his waist.
"You are Subordinate Ninth Rank Water Official River-Blocking Guard. This official is big or small."
"It's not big because you are Subordinate Ninth Rank. In the officialdom, you are just a petty official as big as a sesame seed or a mung bean. The imperial court will not send you a single soldier, nor does it have the food and salary to support you."
"It's not small because this authority gives you the name River-Blocking."
Ye Lanzen's eyes were bright. "If the imperial court doesn't give you people, you have to use your own people. Now that you have Ping'an Cart Company, you have subdued Dragon King Society. Those Carriage Driver and Water Ghost are your soldiers."
"When you make some merit in the future, once you get promoted, you can justifiably give official attire to your capable officers, like Ma San, Xu Chun and the like."
"At that time, Ping'an County Town's land and sea will be truly surnamed Qin."
Qin Geng suddenly felt enlightened.
As long as you continue to perform meritorious service and upgrade, you can turn your rash team into officials bit by bit.
That is real authority.
"Understood."
Qin Geng nodded, then thought of something again, and couldn't help but ask, "But Master, there is something I have never thought about. This Tianjin realm is so important, and is suppressed underneath. Dragon Vein is the foundation of the country's destiny. Why was the Great Xin Dynasty court so confused and agreed to let Foreigners build Concession here? Isn't this inviting a wolf into the house?"
Ye Lanzen heard this and sneered, picked up the wine cup and took a sip, his eyes full of disdain.
"Why else?"
"I'm afraid of death."
"At that time, the old emperor asked in order to seek immortality. He just didn't want to die. It was False Monk, and it was Jehovah Daoist Heavenly Emperor--Foreigners. How can you believe it?"
"In order to exchange for those illusory things, I ignored the government affairs and didn't care about anything, and created a lot of confusion."
"Certain land, indemnity, and allocation Concession, as long as Foreigners says it will allow him to live for two more years, he dares to give him anything."
"If he didn't have so many people under his command, he would have been frustrated from inside and outside if he resisted. Great Xin Dynasty would have been outplayed by him long ago."
Speaking of this, Ye Lanzen seemed to feel that the topic was too heavy, and waved his hand. "Okay, let's not talk about these troublesome things. The food is already cold when we eat. I guess in the past few days, all Three Teachings and Nine Schools people from all over the world will be here soon, and Tianjin will be lively."
Everyone used their chopsticks again and pushed cups to change cups.
After dinner, Qin Geng said goodbye to his master and senior brother and went back to Ping'an County Town.
Along the way, Qin Geng keenly discovered that the atmosphere on this Tianjin street was obviously different from the past.
In the past, there were mostly vendors doing small business and pedestrians in a hurry, but today, there are obviously many new faces on the street.
Some of these people carry swords, some are in fancy clothes, and some are dressed in ordinary clothes, but the way they walk and the Essence, Qi, and Spirit in their eyes, at first glance, they are practitioners or strangers with skills.
Obviously, the news that Dragon-Guard Office was established and recruiting talented people from all over the world has spread.
This Tianjin has become a big whirlpool.
The car arrived at a lively market entrance, and a large circle of people gathered in front of it. There were cheers and cheers one after another.
"Okay! What a skill!"
"One more!"
Qin Geng stopped and squeezed into the crowd to take a look with interest.
In the middle of the field, I saw a shirtless man showing off his skills.
The man had dark skin, a body full of tendons, and held a shining steel knife in his hand.
"Dear young and old men! Rely on your parents at home and friends when you go out! Today I, Wang Dadan, will show you my unique skill - swallowing knives and spitting fire!"
As he spoke, the man raised his neck and stabbed the two-foot-long steel knife down his throat.
The people around him were stunned for a moment, and many were so frightened that they covered their eyes.
Seeing that the handle of the knife was almost in his mouth, a discordant voice suddenly came from the crowd.
"Pull him down! What's your unique skill? You're just there to fool people!"
The voice was clear and clear, with a strong smell of dirt, and it sounded like it was Beyond the Pass.
Everyone looked around and saw a young man wearing a sheepskin coat and a dog-skin hat squeezing in front of the crowd, with a look of disdain on his face.
This young man looked very thin, his body was so thin that he could be blown over by a gust of wind, and his face was a little sickly pale, but his eyes were bright, full of intelligence, and a bit of madness that didn't know the heights of the sky.
The man who performed the show made a sudden move, pulled out the knife, and his face turned red. "This little brother, who do you think is deceiving people? This is my real skill!"
"Real skill?"
The skinny young man sneered, and with a sway of his body, he burrowed into the field like a loach.
Before the big man could react, the young man stretched out his hand and touched the big man's wrist as fast as lightning.
The big man's hand went numb and he dropped the steel knife.
The young man caught the steel knife, weighed it in his hand, then held the blade and handle with both hands, and suddenly folded it.
"Crack!"
The "steel knife" that looked like a cold light was bent directly, and then bounced back like a spring.
"Look! Look!"
The young man took the limp knife and shouted around, "This thing looks like it has a sharp edge, but it is actually made of soft iron. It is not as hard as my kitchen knife! When you stab it into the throat, it can be retracted by clever force, and it won't hurt anyone at all!"
"This is called a soft knife! If you leave it to us, it's just pure bluffing!"
"If you want to go with it, go with the real guy. Don't use this shabby thing to defraud the common people of their two copper coins!"
When this hand was exposed, the people around him were in an uproar.
"Okay! It turns out it was a lie!"
"Refund! Refund!"
The big man's face turned red and white, his job was smashed, and he was about to become angry and violent from embarrassment.
At this moment, an old but penetrating voice came from outside the crowd.
"Tiger Cub! Shut up!"
The sound was not loud, but it seemed to carry a sinister wind and penetrated directly into people's ears and eyes, making people feel chilly.
The crowd automatically separated into a lane.
I saw a few middle-aged men wearing heavy cotton clothes and speaking with a Northeast accent, walking in surrounded by an old woman with silver hair.
The old woman was holding a dark crutch in her hand, with the bones of an unknown animal wrapped around the head of the crutch.
Although she was older, her waist was straight, and her eyes were not cloudy, but rather like the eyes of some kind of beast, green and faint.
"Grandma----"
The skinny young man who was extremely arrogant just now, when he saw the old woman, he immediately felt like a mouse meeting a cat. He shrunk his neck, threw away the soft knife in his hand, and obediently stepped aside.
"People travel around the world and rely on their own skills to earn a living. That's just relying on their craftsmanship to earn a living. It's not easy for anyone."
The old woman walked to the middle of the place and didn't look at the young man. Instead, she bowed slightly to the big man performing the show and said in a faint tone, "This kid is not sensible. This is his first time going out. He broke the rules of the world and ruined your place. I am here to make amends to you."
As she spoke, she winked at the man next to her.
The man immediately took out a handful of copper coins and put them into the hand of the big busker. "Brother, I'm sorry, take it and drink tea."
The big busker originally wanted to get angry, but when he saw the old woman's eyes, his heart was beating for some reason. When he saw the money again, his anger was suppressed.
"It's okay----it's okay----"
The big man took the money, packed up the stall and left.
The people around who were watching the excitement dispersed one after another when they saw that the excitement was gone.
The old woman turned around, looked at the young man with his head lowered, and snorted coldly, "Tianjin is the place of Nine Rivers' Lower Reaches, and it is also where Dragon Vein is. I don't know how many talented people are hiding in the streets and alleys of this city."
"Now that the imperial court has issued an order to recruit talented people from all over the world, there are even more heroes and righteous people traveling all over the world."
"We are here to do business, not to cause trouble. Honestly, don't cause trouble by inviting cats and dogs around!"
"Yes, grandma."
The young man responded in a sullen voice, obviously still a little unconvinced, muttering, "That was originally a lie----"
Qin Geng stood not far away, watching this scene with interest.
These people are a bit interesting.
Especially the old lady, she smelled very strange.
It's not like the pure Martial Artist that has strong energy and blood. Instead, it has a cold, deep, yet wild power.
Just when Qin Geng was sizing up the other party, the old woman seemed to notice something and turned her head sharply.
Those pair of green eyes directly met Qin Geng's eyes.
Boom-!
The moment their eyes collided.
Qin Geng only felt Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone inside his body shake violently, making a low roaring sound.
That's an instinctive stress response.
It was like a tiger in the forest suddenly encountering another beast that was evenly matched and even more dangerous.
The muscles all over the body tensed instantly, and Qi and blood surged like a river, mobilizing spontaneously.
Qin Geng was sitting on the stone pillar on the roadside. His originally relaxed body subconsciously assumed a posture of "Tiger Guards the Cave".
The back is slightly arched, the shoulders are sunken, and the eyes are like lightning. The whole figure is like a fully drawn strong bow, ready to be used to hurt people at any time.
What a strong sense of oppression!
Qin Geng felt a chill in his heart.
This old lady is definitely a master!
And he is no ordinary master!
When the old woman saw Qin Geng's subconscious reaction, the green light in her eyes flashed slightly, and then the coldness on her face disappeared, replaced by a kind smile.
She walked over slowly, leaning on a cane, and cupped her hands at Qin Geng.
"I just said Tianjin is full of capable people."
The old woman looked at Qin Geng with a smile, and said with some admiration in her tone, "Young man, this Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone is really amazing. What's wrong? Are you afraid of an old lady like me who is half buried in the ground?"
Qin Geng took a deep breath, suppressed the surging energy and blood in his body, and let go of his guarded air.
Since the other party has shown goodwill, he cannot lose his etiquette.
He stood up, cupped his fists and returned the salute, saying neither humble nor arrogantly, "Senior, you are overly complimentary. The junior martial arts practitioners have some instinctive reactions that make the seniors laugh."
"Are you kidding me? That's because I scared you."
The old woman waved her hand and looked Qin Geng up and down with her eyes. The more she looked, the more satisfied she became. "Dare you ask me your name?"
"Qin Geng."
"Qin Geng----"
The old woman recited it in her mouth, as if she had gone through the family tree of Jianghu in her mind. She didn't think of such a person, but she also remembered the name.
"Brother Qin, let me ask you something. How to get to Su Residence in the inner city of Tianjin?"
Su Residence?
Qin Geng's heart moved slightly.
These talented people from Northeast are also here for Su Residence?
Is it for Old Master Su's birthday?
Or for----that thing?
Qin Geng had a calm expression on his face and pointed to the east. "It's at No. 78 Ganning Street. You go straight east along this road and pass the Drum Tower. The largest house in that area is Su Residence."
"Thanks."
The old woman nodded, said nothing more, turned around and left with the group of men and the skinny boy.
Qin Geng looked at the backs of the group of people, especially when the old woman walked, her crutches fell to the ground silently, and her feet felt as light as stepping on cotton.
Horse Immortal Medium.
Qin Geng This word comes to mind.
I have long heard that the lump on Northeast is said to be "Southern Mao and Northern Horse". This "horse" refers to Horse Immortal Medium.
Worship Hu, Huang, Bai, Liu, and Hui and the five great Immortal Spirit, and use the magic power of Immortal Spirit to do things.
This old lady gives people the impression that she is not just an ordinary Immortal Spirit.
"This Su Family water is getting muddier and muddier."
Qin Geng thought to himself.
Even Northeast and Horse Immortal Medium are here. It seems that the appeal of Dragon Vein Magic Artifact is greater than imagined.
And this is just a chance encounter. Secretly, I don't know how many gods from all walks of life have arrived Tianjin.
Qin Geng turned and left.
It would be good to have many capable people and strangers, and I can take advantage of this trend to hone my martial arts skills.
the other side.
Those Northeast people have come a long way.
--
The skinny boy finally couldn't help it any longer. He looked back at the direction where Qin Geng disappeared and curled his lips. "Grandma, who was that kid just now? Why were you so polite to him? I think he looks strong and stable, and there's nothing special about him."
"Stronger?"
The old woman stopped, turned around, glared at her grandson fiercely, and struck the ground hard with the crutch in her hand.
"You Tiger Cub, your eyelids are so shallow that they are not as deep as a mouse!"
The old woman lowered her voice and her tone was frighteningly serious. "I'm wearing Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone, and my blood is so strong that my Willow Immortal is trembling!"
"That's a natural killer!"
"With that kind of physique, placed in our deep mountains and old forests, he would be a ruthless person who could tear apart Black Bear with his bare hands!"
The old woman looked back at the direction she had just gone, with a trace of fear flashing in her eyes. "And there is a faint momentum chasing this person. He must be someone with a big Fate Pattern. Even God is watching."
"I just arrived at Tianjin. I met a casual observer on the street. He is such a ruthless person."
The old woman stretched out her withered finger and poked the boy's forehead. "Think about it, Tianjin, how many dragons and evil tigers are hidden underneath this pool of water?"
"Three Teachings and Nine Schools has a lot of rules, just like our Bandit Gang rules."
"We are here to seek wealth this time, not to make enemies."
"Those who show off their tricks should abide by the rules and don't cause trouble for me. If you really get into trouble like this and tear you apart, grandma won't even have time to save you!"
The skinny boy was stunned by what his grandma said.
"Grandma, I understand.
The young man shrank his neck, completely calmed down, and no longer dared to make the same fuss as before.
This Tianjin is really not easy to mess around with.