The Search

"Perhaps the shopkeeper knows, but simply doesn't want to say?"

Hearing this, someone, emboldened by alcohol, shouted something.

The speaker was a burly man with a large knife hanging from his waist; judging from his attire, he was clearly a martial artist.

As he spoke, his right hand unconsciously gripped the hilt of the knife, giving off an immense sense of pressure.

The shopkeeper, seeing this scene, showed no sign of being frightened and simply smiled upon hearing it.

"If I had known, I would have gone there every day. Why would I have opened a shop like this here?"

At this point, he shook his head with a hint of regret, which startled some of the people who heard it.

I unconsciously began to believe those words to some extent.

Everyone has greed, to say the least.

If they had encountered such a paradise, would they have simply entered a treasure mountain and emerged with only a jar of wine?

Must he be thinking every day about how to re-enter the fairyland?

Some diners believed it to some extent, little did they know that the shopkeeper was completely deceiving them.

Only family members know their own affairs.

Back then, he had considered going back to see if he could find that fairyland and meet that master again.

But then he thought about it and worried that if he went, he would be seen as greedy and all the wine he had acquired would be taken away.

Having read too many stories in ancient books, and with some concerns in his heart, he abruptly abandoned the idea.

To be honest, this idea was really difficult for him.

If we really have to compare it, it's about the same as getting a gambler to give up when they're really into it.

The Great Han listened to these words with a face full of suspicion.

Having spent so much time fighting in the martial world, he never completely believed what others said.

However, sitting here now, he didn't dare to make a move openly.

Right now, the world truly belongs to the Great Qian Dynasty.

Although the Great Qian did not prohibit martial arts, it strictly controlled matters such as feuds and killings among martial artists.

This is one of the reasons why the shopkeeper isn't particularly afraid right now.

In recent years, under the rule of the Great Qian, there have been far fewer fights in the martial arts world.

In addition, there were consecutive years of bumper harvests in various places, and countless talented people from foreign countries built water conservancy projects and taught farming and animal husbandry skills in various places.

The people of Great Qian are now living much better lives.

When people live in peace and contentment, naturally there are fewer problems.

There were other martial arts heroes nearby. If this Great Han dared to make a move, one of them might just step in and show off their chivalrous spirit.

Over the years, the spirit of chivalry has indeed increased somewhat.

Unlike the bandits of the previous dynasty who relied on their superior martial arts skills to rob and plunder everywhere under the guise of robbing the rich to help the poor, this was different.

Zhang Weichu picked up the wine in front of him, took a small sip, and savored the diluted, Clear as Empty.

It does manage to satisfy my craving to some extent.

Seeing the other diners around him, he couldn't help but feel a little sentimental.

"Back then, from the previous dynasty to the present Great Qian, I was dragged down into the mire and became a water ghost, but I never imagined that I would be able to witness such a prosperous era."

Sitting in this Xiao Xiao tavern, one can see just how the Great Qian is.

The guests coming and going were all dressed in magnificent brocade robes.

It's just that the few beggars outside are a bit annoying to look at.

The reason is simple: these beggars are just lazy and unwilling to work for a living; they only want to beg for charity.

As a messenger from the underworld, he could naturally see through the true nature of these beggars at a glance.

Even capable local officials are powerless against such people.

"A golden age?"

Upon hearing this, Judge Wen, after carefully recalling the events, said with a touch of emotion, "Indeed, this is indeed the Great Qian age of the Great Qian Dynasty. Having served as an official for many years, this dynasty is truly the one I have ever witnessed that lives up to its name as a golden age."

"To have transformed a dynasty into such a golden age in just a few decades, this foreign guest is truly astonishing."

"According to the records in the Yin Scroll, the Great Qian age doesn't last a thousand years, it will likely last for several hundred years."

Judge Wen sipped his wine and began to speak, swaying his head.

His tone carried a hint of relief.

During the golden age of Human Race, the tasks of underworld officials like him have become much less frequent.

The prison burned many wrongful convictions and vengeful spirits, so there were fewer evil ghosts, and naturally, less work for them to do.

As the Human Race flourished, the surrounding demons were suppressed, and more and more demons left the area.

With fewer demons, there will naturally be fewer instances of demons causing trouble.

In short, things in the Underworld Bureau have decreased year by year.

That's why he's had time to come here for a drink these days without neglecting his duties.

"A visitor from a foreign land."

Upon hearing Zhang Weichu thought carefully for a moment, "By now, these mortals have almost forgotten about this matter."

"The foreign guests we have now are almost the same as the people from the previous dynasty."

Decades have passed in the blink of an eye, and now, few people in the Great Qian Dynasty would bother to think about the fact that the current emperor is a foreign guest.

Yes, but it's just singing and dancing in celebration of this prosperous era.

They did remember, but they didn't care.

They're just ordinary people.

From their perspective, it's essentially the same as being annexed by one of two dynasties during a power struggle.

You could even say that this result is better.

Because the other party ushered in a golden age that lasted for a century.

Although there are still many shortcomings so far, these will take time to resolve.

"Shopkeeper, the bill is due."

After finishing their drinks, the underworld officials showed no intention of lingering. They stood up, gave a shout, put down the silver in their hands, and turned to leave.

The waiter, who had come to collect the money, happily took it and then picked up the wine bowl in front of him, preparing to take it to the kitchen to wash it.

But when he picked up the wine bowl in front of him, he was stunned for a moment.

All that could be seen in the bowl in front of him was a bowl of water; when it was shaken slightly, the water spilled out of the bowl.

"Strange, wasn't this fine wine? Or did you ask for water after you finished your wine?"

Seeing this, the waiter scratched his head, somewhat puzzled.

After glancing at the shopkeeper and confirming that the amount was correct, he stopped worrying about it and went back to his work.

The Great Han with the knife didn't linger and quickly turned and left.

Several hours later, the Great Han, having sobered up somewhat, arrived at the Yongding River.

Upon seeing so many boats on the Yongding River, he was taken aback and couldn't help but give a wry smile.

It seems he's not the only one who thought of this!