—
Shi Hao left the pavilion and walked under the moon.
Although Gong Muhong and Chuan Daoren tried their best to keep him, he decided to stay for another day tomorrow and leave Bashan the day after tomorrow.
When I came to the back garden, I saw Yueyaer holding Du Yuejiao's arm, talking and laughing there.
Shi Hao walked over and smiled at Yueyaer, "This time it's really thanks to your help, otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to solve it so easily last night."
Crescent Moon waved her hands: "It's nothing! It's nothing!"
He let go of Du Yuejiao's hand: "Glad that I can help! Well, I have to leave too."
Shi Hao was surprised and asked, "Leaving so soon?"
Yueyaer smiled and said, "I have to take these people back. Someone told me that they can just help and not stay here. If they stay for too long, they will arouse suspicion."
Shi Hao couldn't help but nod secretly... This doubt was actually not wrong.
When Du Yuejiao heard that Yueyaer was leaving, she breathed a sigh of relief and put her arm around Yueyaer to try to keep her.
Crescent Moon inexplicably had a desire that "since you are sincerely trying to keep me, then I will mercifully stay."
She wanted to see what Du Yuejiao's expression would be.
Shi Hao and Du Yuejiao escorted her out of the villa.
The people brought by Yueyaer were already waiting for her in an orderly manner in the open space.
"I'm leaving, don't miss me too much!" Yueyaer rode on a Yingzhao and swung the reins.
Ying Zhao turned around, flapped her wings and flew up. Behind her, the team just followed her.
"I didn't expect that she would really leave like this!" Du Yuejiao looked regretful, "I wanted to chat with her for a few more days."
Shi Hao smiled and said, "Really?"
I have been quite busy these past few days, and even encountered a dangerous situation last night. Now I can finally relax.
The two walked outside for a while and returned to their residence. Shi Hao picked up Yue Jiao by the waist and carried her into his room.
—It was a passionate night. On the next morning, the two were still sleeping in each other's arms when there was a knock on the door.
Du Yuejiao rubbed her eyes and dazedly climbed up from Shi Hao's chest: "Who is it so early in the morning?"
The person outside had sharp ears. Hearing her complaint, he smiled and said, "It's me!" Du Yuejiao muttered, "She came to see you so early in the morning. What does she want to do
Xu Xiaoyan called out from outside: "By the way, I'm here to say goodbye to you."
Farewell? Shi Hao glanced at the door in surprise.
Shi Hao hurriedly put on his clothes, came to the door and opened it. Then he saw Xu Xiaoyan standing there in a flowered skirt.
Xu Xiaoyan was much smaller than him. She raised her head, looked at Shi Hao, and said with a giggle:
"Actually, I just want to tell you that I'm leaving!"
Shi Hao couldn't help but ask, "Where are we going?"
Xu Xiaoyan said: "Jiangsu and Zhejiang!"
Shi Hao looked at her in confusion: "Why so sudden?"
Xu Xiaoyan waved her hand: "It's not sudden, actually. I wanted to leave a long time ago, but I'm needed here, and it wouldn't be good for me to leave immediately, so I stayed until now."
"Now that things here are over, I don't want to stay here anymore. I'm the 'Night Lily' from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and I don't want to stay in a place like this. The north is getting colder and colder, and I'm not used to it."
Shi Hao said: "Actually, I plan to leave tomorrow too. How about we go together?"
At this moment, Du Yuejiao walked behind him. She tightened her collar and tied her belt around Shi Hao, and said softly, "Yes, wouldn't it be better if we walked together tomorrow?"
Xu Xiaoyan smiled and said, "Actually, I have some personal matters to attend to, so I don't want to stay here any longer."
Shi Hao looked at the bag on her back and knew that she had made up her mind, and he was helpless for the moment.
So he said, "Then I'll give you a ride!"
Du Yuejiao said: "Well, we'll give you a ride."
Shi Hao and Du Yuejiao escorted Xu Xiaoyan out of the villa and all the way to the foot of the mountain.
"By the way! I'll return the sword to you!" Xu Xiaoyan pulled the sword from her waist and returned it to him.
Shi Hao shook his head: "Actually, it suits you better, so just take it with you."
Xu Xiaoyan said, "No need, it originally belonged to you, I'll give it back to you!" and stuffed it into his hand.
Shi Hao smiled, grabbed her hand, and put the sword back into her palm, saying, "Although it was originally mine, I will give it to you now."
"Is that so?" Xu Xiaoyan did not refuse and put the sword back into her waist.
He turned around and said, "I'm leaving!" and walked out of the mountain.
Shi Hao was behind her, looking at her silently without saying anything.
Du Yuejiao turned her head and looked at him, taking in his silent expression.
Xu Xiaoyan's sudden departure made Du Yuejiao feel more at ease.
Although she and Shi Hao already had a closer relationship, she knew in her heart that in the beginning, he approached her just for the sake of the Sealing Stone.
A lot of things happened later, and the two of them went through a lot before they got to this point.
But deep down in her heart, she vaguely felt that her senior brother liked Xu Xiaoyan more than she liked her.
Even Yueyaer couldn't put such great pressure on her.
Xu Xiaoyan's departure made her feel at ease. Even in a peaceful era, two people from different places might not have many opportunities to meet each other.
But now everything is in chaos, and this separation may very well be a farewell forever.
Although she felt relieved, she was smart enough not to say anything at this time and just stayed quietly by his side.
Shi Hao called Hou Boming, Xianggu and He Guangtao together.
After all, he was the one who brought them into Bashan in the beginning.
He glanced at Hou Boming, wanting to ask him if he knew why Xiaoyan left suddenly.
Xiaoyan left too suddenly, and he always felt that there must be some reason behind it.
Hou Boming might know the inside story.
But he didn't ask because Xiaoyan didn't tell him herself.
He told them that he was going to leave.
He spoke his true feelings to them: "Although Xiong Wanghu used Li Dai Tao Jiang to take over the power and territory of the Hanyang Gang, which made us fail, our main purpose of coming here has been achieved."
"The Bashan Mountains are a continuous terrain, and the Bashan Jiuzhai is a self-contained entity. Xiong Wanghu's development will be greatly restricted. In particular, his strategy of heading south to cooperate with Sheng Menghui has been completely interrupted."
"Whether going north or east, Danyang will inevitably encounter powerful enemies if it wants to develop. If it goes west, since it has not been able to take over Bashan, it is pure wishful thinking to want to 'close the door' on Western Shu and bring it under its control."
"But at the same time, this also makes it difficult for us to achieve greater success if we stay here. I originally wanted to take advantage of the situation to defeat the Hanyang Gang, and then use Bashan as a backing to develop along the Han River. But now we have no reason to deal with the Danyang Association. If we force an attack, even the people in Bashan Jiuzhai will not support it."
"We have completed our mission here, but we cannot go any further, although there is nothing we can do about it."
After a pause, he continued, "But this also made me realize the importance of reputation. I spent a lot of effort and thought to unite the Bashan Jiuzhai. Xiong Wanghu only needs to use the name of 'Tiger Swordsman' to attract countless righteous men to join him."
"Strength and reputation are the two essential foundations for achieving great things in troubled times. Although the results of our visit to Bashan were not perfect, this period of time did help us lay the foundation for our reputation. At least, everyone in Bashan and Hanshui has begun to know my master Chongyun."
He looked around at them and asked, "Now what I want to know is, are you still willing to follow me?"
Hou Bomin smiled and said, "Anyway, as an old man like me, I don't have many places to go."
Shiitake nodded slightly.
He Guangtao said resolutely: "If you were not here this time, Bashan Jiuzhai would never be able to restore peace so quickly. If you have any orders, I will go through fire and water."
Shi Hao said: "Thank you!"
Looking at He Guangtao: "I hope you will continue to stay in Bashan. The location of Bashan is very important. Although it is difficult to develop itself, it blocks West Shu from Guanzhong and Fuli, and at the same time blocks Hanshui and Xiangshui.
"At this time when troubles are about to break out, I hope someone can stay here and exert influence on Bashan Jiuzhai. It may be of great use when necessary."
He Guangtao nodded: "I understand!"
Shi Hao looked at Hou Bomin and Xianggu again and said, "As for the two of you, just do your own things for now. Personal strength is sometimes more important than anything else. I plan to look for the immortal materials to advance to the next level first."
Hou Bomin nodded: "If you can enter the fifth rank, you will be more respected in the martial arts world. I wonder what other immortal materials you need? If you don't mind, you can tell me. I have some connections in the unconventional ways."
Shi Hao said with a headache: "The Fantasy Sea Divine Ganoderma should not be a problem. We are still short of three Dream Grasses and one Blue Sky Vermilion Fruit. The most troublesome thing right now is the Blue Sky Vermilion Fruit. I don't know where to find it."
"I know!" Xianggu, who had been silent all this time, suddenly rubbed his hands together, looking a little excited, "I know where it is!"
Chapter 167: Leap or Abyss, Hidden Dragon Emerges from the Mountain
"You know?" Shi Hao looked at the mushroom in surprise.
He didn't expect that there was really someone who knew where to find this magical material.
Even Fairy Shengxuan could only provide an alternative plan. This shows that this fairy material had already become a scarce commodity three hundred years ago.
Although a plan of refining 100 kilograms of Zhu fruit was given, to be honest, getting 100 kilograms of Zhu fruit is also a very troublesome task.
So many red fruits cannot be obtained in ordinary places, so it is better to go directly to the main base of Chongxianmen to rob them.
"Yeah!" Shiitake rubbed his hands, "I know where it is. I can take you there."
Du Yuejiao couldn't help but ask, "Where is it?"
Xianggu said: "Baxiantai!"
Shi Hao asked: "Baxiantai?"
Hou Bomin laughed and said, "That is the highest point of Changbai Mountain in Qinling Mountains. Although it is too high for ordinary people to climb up, there are still people who go there occasionally. I have never heard of any immortal materials there."
Xianggu looked at Shi Hao intently and said with certainty, "It's there!"
Shi Hao nodded: "Then we will start tomorrow and go to Changbai Mountain!"
"Yeah!" Shiitake nodded vigorously, looking a little excited.
"There shouldn't be any problem, right?" Shi Hao couldn't help but ask again.
Shiitake panicked and shook his head vigorously: "No, no!"
Shi Hao and others: “…” I always feel a little uneasy.
As he was talking, someone outside reported, "Master, there is someone from the Yuanrong Chamber of Commerce who wants to see you, Master."
Shi Hao came to the side hall and saw a man sitting there. It was Deng Liang, whom he had not seen for a long time.
"Brother Hao, it really is you!" Deng Liang ran over and said with a smile, "They were all talking about Shi Chongyun on Mount Bashan. At that time, I was thinking that it might be you, Brother Hao. I didn't expect it to be true."
Shi Hao couldn't help but laugh and asked, "Why did you come here?"
Deng Liang said: "Some time ago, the Hanyang Gang cut off the Han River, which had a great impact on our business. Now that the Hanyang Gang has collapsed, Danyang will reopen the trade route. I also came to see if there is any better business to do with Bashan Jiuzhai."
He sighed, "Although I've known for a long time that you are great, I didn't expect you to be this amazing. I heard that you have reached the sixth rank, Brother Hao? Last time in Jin County, you were still the eighth rank. How long has it been since then?"
Shi Hao said: "It was just a bit of luck!"
The two of them sat down, and Shi Hao said, "You came at the right time. The Wuzhai in the Nine Villages of Bashan is preparing to start turning to brocade weaving. When the time comes, we will need your help in the sales."
Deng Liang said: "There is definitely no problem with this! Prices are in chaos everywhere now. In order to raise military funds, the imperial court has begun to produce shoddy copper coins. That's fine, but the key is that the 'Zhizheng Baochao' they have created is forcibly equivalent to gold and silver, and the government does not redeem it, so prices everywhere have begun to rise wildly."
"Many people were out of money and were left with a pile of newly issued 'treasure notes'. Some places had even resorted to barter. Silk was hard currency. We dared to take as much as they could produce."
Shi Hao shook his head and said, "In the final analysis, this is a disguised way of plundering the people. The government uses the treasure notes to buy things from the people, and the people have to sell. The treasure notes held by the people cannot even be used to pay taxes to the government, and they have to get silver and copper coins."
Deng Liang sighed, "Who says it's not true? Not to mention the common people, even those of us doing business are having a hard time. Everyone is saying that it's simply unjust if the court doesn't fall. In fact, not to mention us, except for those wealthy families who made a fortune by issuing 'treasure notes', other 'royal families' are also cursing."
"They are having a hard time now. This is our Western Shu. Other places have long been in chaos."
Then, he leaned towards Shi Hao and lowered his voice: "Brother Hao, are you planning to develop in Bashan? I told my father that if you develop and grow here, our Chamber of Commerce will definitely support you. It goes without saying that we will provide money and food. Even if it is weapons, we don’t make them ourselves, but we still have ways to do it."
Shi Hao smiled and said, "It's hard for you to think highly of me, but I will be leaving tomorrow."
Deng Liang was disappointed: "Brother Hao, you worked so hard to help them defend their territory, and now you want to leave? What do you want?"
Shi Hao said: "Reputation!"
Deng Liang asked doubtfully: "Reputation?"
Shi Hao said: "Bashan and Hanshui are one family. Now Bashan has formed a militia, and Hanshui is controlled by Danyang. While both sides are developing, in fact, neither side can develop."