The drumbeats lasted for a while and then quieted down. The passers-by on the long street talked for a while and then continued to do their own things.
"Let's go too."
Lu Liangsheng called Hong Lian who was beside him and went for a walk in the nearby street. Now that the woman had been enlightened for several years, it was not impossible for her to stay in the sun for two hours. It even had many benefits for the cultivation of the physical body. While walking among the passers-by, the scholar cast a protective spell on Hong Lian who was following him to block out the scorching sun.
It was almost noon, the temperature was getting much hotter, the West Market was crowded with all kinds of people, the sound of clanging iron came from the blacksmith shop, the sturdy blacksmith had a gloomy face, he took a towel to wipe the sweat off his face, and then he smiled when he saw the customers. In front of the rice shop, the young and strong guys stretched their arms, and bags of new rice were moved to the warehouse one by one after being counted by the shopkeeper's wife. The chubby young master of the rice shop was happily climbing up and down on the cart, which caused his mother to scold him!
Loud shouts echoed throughout the entire street. Hong Lian enviously stroked the cloth displayed at a stall, looked at the two clay figurines in her hands, touched them lightly, and turned to leave the stall.
"Don't you want it anymore?" Lu Liangsheng said softly.
“No.”
Hong Lian shook the two clay figurines of a man and a woman in her hands and waved the one that looked like a scholar in front of Lu Liangsheng.
"These are enough. Bring me the cloth and silk. I don't need them now. If you really like something, you can just make one yourself."
The change here actually refers to using magic power to create something you like, which does not feel close to the skin and cannot be taken off.
"Your body has been enshrined in the temple for many years. In another two years, it may become flesh and blood."
Lu Liangsheng took the woman's hand and walked to the side of the street. While he was comforting her with a few words, Hong Lian, who was standing beside him, smiled at him with dimples without caring. Then she suddenly turned her head to look at a couple who had missed them passing by. She walked a little further and was still looking back.
"Sir... the couple just passed by, the man..."
"Um."
Lu Liangsheng turned his head slightly and glanced at a pair of silhouettes hiding from the pedestrians behind him. That was the Lu Yuan he drew, which was actually just the appearance of Lu Liangsheng himself. As for the woman next to her, the scholar said softly, "It's just a debt of love to repay."
"oh."
Hong Lian didn't quite understand what he said. Since the young master didn't want to say more, she tactfully didn't ask any more questions. After walking a few steps, she couldn't help but look back and saw a pair of figures disappearing at the end of the long street. The woman was undoubtedly Min Yuerou.
Then, she shook her head, put the thoughts behind her, and happily took the young master to continue strolling on the bustling street. It had been a long time since she had felt such an atmosphere, and she was full of joy.
Soon, it was noon and the two returned to Wanshou Temple. Lu Liangsheng continued to be busy with the matter of collecting orphans from all over the country to enter the temple. He also wrote a memorial and handed it to Emperor Yang Guang in the palace. Then he reviewed it without stopping and sent it to the Ministry of Personnel to draft an imperial edict. Since it was related to the matter of the national teacher, the officials in the Ministry did not dare to delay. In the afternoon, the imperial edict was drafted and sent to various places.
In the golden autumn of October, while the states were sending back news, the first batch of orphans had been selected and sent to Chang'an. Lu Liangsheng, who was practicing in the attic at noon, received the news and couldn't help but sigh that the convenience of human rights is sometimes something that people who practice Taoism cannot understand. Such a huge workload can be accomplished in just a few months in the hands of the court.
The wind turned the leaves yellow and they fell down.
Lu Liangsheng walked out of the attic, spread out his palms, and watched a dead leaf fall into his palms. During this period of time, his spiritual realm has been completely stabilized. During the two months of practice, he not only mastered the ability to call the wind and rain, but also mastered another magical power: restraining spirits. Compared with various spells, magical powers are quite difficult and are closely related to the realm.
Of course, he would not focus all his attention on cultivation. Occasionally, he would take Hong Lian and Qi You to stroll around the streets and feel the human atmosphere. Sometimes Zuo Zhengyi and Yan Chixia would pass by Chang'an and visit here to talk about the situation outside. Lu Liangsheng asked if they had seen Li Sui'an, and they both shook their heads. After all, that kid went to the southwest and there had been no news from him. Who knew what he was doing.
What puzzled Lu Liangsheng was that his master, Toad Taoist, had been elusive recently. He often ran to Mount Li with his gourd on his back, and when he came back he hid in the alchemy room, refining some strange pills of various colors.
It is said to be used to recreate dreams.
Of course, what the scholar was most concerned about was the Western Expedition to Tuyuhun. A month ago, food and fodder had gathered in Sanpu, the capital, and the public opinion manipulated by Yang Guang had also spread among the people. Storytellers in restaurants and teahouses in various cities and regions made up stories about this.
"A few months ago, a small country in the Western Regions came to Chang'an, the capital of the Great Sui Dynasty, to pay tribute. Those foreign envoys were really ruthless and wanted to undermine the prestige of the Great Sui Dynasty. They presented three foreign national masters to show off their magic in front of the current emperor. What was the result? They were beaten so badly by the current national master Lu that they fled in panic..."
The storytelling in teahouses and restaurants cannot be taken seriously, but it does not prevent people from listening to them as stories. However, those literati and elegant people actually sneer at the barbarian country in the Western Regions, and they are as heroic as Ban Dingyuan of the Han Dynasty who gave up writing and took up arms.
Public opinion had already begun to take shape, and when Yang Guang's edict was issued, there was not much resistance among the people and the various aristocratic families. After all, if the northwest was taken over, the large tracts of land would be something that people would be tempted to see.
There was not much content in the edict, just a few simple sentences.
"The barbarians in the Western Regions have brought ruin to our great Sui Dynasty. How can we continue to be toyed with by them? I am determined to personally conquer Tuyuhun, show the power of the Sui people, and enhance the prestige of our country!"
"To enhance our country's prestige..."
Lu Liangsheng murmured softly the words of the emperor's edict and walked through the woods between the mountain gates. Withered yellow leaves fluttered down one after another. The old donkey following nearby was happily jumping back and forth in the fallen leaves, wagging its tongue to catch them. After a moment, a pair of donkey ears on its swaying mane trembled, as if it heard a different sound, and signaled its owner beside it to neigh towards the mountain gate below.
"It's Tuo'er, Yuanfeng, and Cheng'en."
The scholar standing under a golden cypress tree felt the breath of someone coming, stroked the old donkey's mouth and nose, walked up the stone steps, and arrived at the mountain gate in a blink of an eye.
In the distance, two people on horseback were leading a carriage slowly approaching. When the two horsemen saw the figure with his hands behind his back at the mountain gate, they hurriedly dismounted and came over to greet him. Among them, Qu Yuanfeng was covered in armor, and when he lifted his cloak, a "whoosh" sound was made, he knelt on one knee with his hands clasped.
"Yuan Feng greets Master!"
"Get up and talk."
Lu Liangsheng hadn't seen him for two years. He had heard from Yuwen Tuo before that he had followed Li Yuan to Taiyuan. Could it be that he came back because of the war in the northwest
"Disciple Yuwentuo (Wang Chengen) greets Master!"
Qu Yuanfeng stood up, and the old man who got off the carriage came over energetically, and bowed with Yuwen Tuo beside him, "Master, Yuanfeng will go to the battle soon."
Banxia was afraid that his two junior brothers would speak first, so he directly told them the reason for coming. Lu Liangsheng nodded and looked at Qu Yuanfeng who was standing in the middle of the three people. "Before, you went to Taiyuan with Delong. Are you coming back for the Northwest War this time?"
"Master, I will be setting out for battle soon."
Qu Yuanfeng was the tallest among his fellow disciples. He nearly lost his life in the battle with the Turks and could no longer practice. He followed Li Yuan to Taiyuan, where he was no longer disturbed by trivial matters. Gradually, he transformed the magic array he had learned into a battle array in the past few years and perfected it. He also participated in the Western Expedition in order to hone himself and make himself look less useless among his fellow disciples.
"Master, rest assured. Even if Yuan Feng has lost his magical powers, he will never embarrass you. In the future, he will have a place in the court and bring honor to the Qu family!"
The forest was rustling with sounds. Yuwen Tuo and Wang Bandia, who were standing on both sides, felt reluctant to leave. War has always been cruel, and it is extremely difficult to escape unscathed.
Lu Liangsheng wanted to give him some advice, but his expression was determined and his words turned into other words.
"Let's go. I'll see you off."
The army had already set out and there was no time to delay. Lu Liangsheng, along with Yuwen Tuo and Wang Banxia, walked through the long street and sent Qu Yuanfeng to the outside of the north gate, giving him some trivial instructions about his safety.
"When you get there, don't act as stubborn as you did last time."
"Yes, Master."
"You have your own understanding of your formation, and I can't tell you anything about it, but if it is beneficial to the war, you might as well kill a few more barbarians for me."
"Haha, I knew that Master doesn't like Hu people!"
The atmosphere became more lively, and hearty laughter spread across the pavilion outside the city. A horn sounded in the distance. Qu Yuanfeng did not dare to delay any longer, so he jumped on his horse and bowed to his master and two senior brothers who were standing under the pavilion.
"Yuan Feng, take this."
Lu Liangsheng took out a black iron whip from his sleeve. It was not only a magic weapon, but could also be wielded as a weapon on the battlefield. However, Qu Yuanfeng on horseback shook his head, "Master, Yuanfeng wants to rely on himself this time!"
After saying this, he waved the whip heavily and galloped towards the military camp in the north. He stopped halfway, looked back at the pavilion, and saw his master and two senior brothers still standing there. His eyes were wet and red. He hurried back to see them once before leaving.
Perhaps he felt a little reluctant, so he turned his horse around, raised his hands again and shouted, "Master! Brother!" He bowed on the horse's back, and it took him a while to calm himself down. He pulled the reins, shouted, "Gee!" and left along the official road.
Looking at the figure disappearing in the autumn sun, Lu Liangsheng patted his two disciples Yuwen Tuo and Wang Chengen who were still looking at him, and returned to the city together. They talked for a while on the way, and then the two returned to Yuwen Mansion.
The scholar went back to Wanshou Temple and saw Toad Taoist running back from behind with a purple gold gourd and his webbed feet spread out, and then he went into the attic with him.
"Liangsheng, quickly pour a bowl of water for the master!"
Lu Liangsheng looked at his master sweating profusely, poured a bowl of cold water on the table, and sat down next to him: "Master, why have you been running to the mountains every day recently? Just to refine that dream pill?"
Tons of tons of tons~~~
The Toad Taoist priest, who was sitting with his legs apart and leaning against the gourd, showed his soft belly. He took a few gulps from the bowl and put it aside. Then he burped comfortably.
"It's Hui Meng Dan. Last time, I had a strange dream. In the dream, countless pairs of eyes were staring at me. Liangsheng, you know how powerful I am. I was so majestic in the past. Now I have even repaired the demon pill, but I had such a dream for no reason. How can I sleep peacefully without finding out the truth?"
"Master, if you have time, please help me with the orphans..."
"Liangsheng, you can't rely on Master for everything... No more, no more, Master still has things to do!"
The Toad Taoist dragged the gourd off the table, fell to the ground with a loud thud, then got up as if nothing had happened and climbed to the attic excitedly.
"Master, this... ah... just use the magic of returning to the dream, why refine the elixir?"
Lu Liangsheng shook his head and didn't think much about it. He still had a lot of things to do. After all, there were more than 200 orphans coming to Beijing, and they had to prepare food, clothing and other expenses.
"It would be nice if Old Sun was here."