Chapter 25 The Prince's Gift

Xiaoqiu has become obsessed with it recently. Although the library's study room is full of ordinary books introducing Taoism, which Mei Chuanan judged as useless, he still reads them with gusto and has gained a lot of knowledge. When he encounters unfamiliar words or If he doesn't understand something, he can ask the most patient teacher.

"Did you know? The Nine Great Paths surround the Holy Talisman Dynasty and have been fighting against demons. It is because of the protection of Taoist priests that humans can enjoy a peaceful life. I always thought it was the Mysterious Talisman Army of the various vassal states protecting the borders." Xiao Qiu was surprised by this record.

It was mid-afternoon, and the sun shone slantly into the study, which was not dazzling. Xiaoqiu sat cross-legged on the floor, and Fangfang sat behind the desk. When she heard Xiaoqiu talking, she put down the book in her hand and thought for a while, "It should be said. Everyone is performing their duties, and there are also Fu Lu masters who are also protecting the border and fighting against demons. Our Yelin Town is too small and we have only had contact with the Xuan Fu Army and don’t know much about other people.”

"Taoist priests should go out often, just like Li Yuechi, so that ordinary people can know the truth. In this way, everyone will be vigilant beforehand, and Yelin Town will not be unprepared to face the demon species."

"Taoist priests don't like to appear in public. This seems to be a rule set long ago."

"This rule is not good." Xiaoqiu immediately made a judgment.

The relationship between the Nine Great Traditions and the Shengfu Dynasty was very complicated. Every rule had its own reasons. Fangfang didn't know much about it, so she grinned and immediately put the book up in front of her mouth.

"Fangfang."

"Um?"

"There's something...do you find it strange?"

"About the spell?"

"Yes, that Lin Dujie said it was crazy talk and nonsense, but I always felt that those five words... seemed to have some influence on me."

"What impact?"

"I can't forget these five words. Sometimes I read them in my dreams. Then I can recognize the words easier than before, and my boxing practice becomes smoother."

"After the Dao root is ignited, everyone will learn boxing and literacy very quickly, but it is useless if you don't work hard. You work harder than others. I saw you practicing boxing alone in the yard at night, and you were the only one willing to stay. Come down and read more books.

Xiaoqiu smiled after being praised. He had to work harder than others. He wanted to become a Five Elements Mage like Li Yuechi. The most important thing was that he wanted to find his relatives in Yelin Town and challenge the demon species himself.

"But I understand how you feel." Fangfang tilted her head and looked at the front right, as if there was an invisible book there, "I often think of those five words, and occasionally read them accidentally, twice. After reading it, I really felt that something strange had changed in front of me, but if I looked carefully, nothing had changed. "

In order to verify her statement, Fangfang stretched out her right arm, held her fingers diagonally in front of her, and whispered softly: "Don't be wrong or weak."

Ever since Lin Dujiao from Yangshen Peak claimed that these five words were meaningless, no one was afraid of them anymore, but no one was willing to hear them with their own ears. Even though there were no outsiders in the study, Fangfang still did not dare to raise her voice.

Xiaoqiu's eyes widened and he stared at Fangfang's palm without blinking. He held his breath and the hairs on his body stood up. He had a premonition that a miracle was about to happen in front of him. He even felt the stagnant air in the room flowing for no reason, stirring up waves. A very slight wind, like a sign of an approaching rainstorm.

"Brother Xiaoqiu, come out quickly!" Erliang Shen Xiuwei rushed in. The door of the study room was not closed, and he jumped in front of Xiaoqiu.

Fangfang trembled and quickly retracted her arm. Xiaoqiu almost fell backwards.

He stood up and asked, "What happened?"

Shen Xiuwei had only run a few steps, but she was out of breath and her face was red from holding in her breath, "Yun San'er, Yun San'er is here. They are standing at the gate. Taoist Zhang is forcing everyone..."

Young people with Taoist roots must be sent directly to the guest house by Taoist priests. Their families are not allowed to enter Jinghu Village, even princes from vassal states are no exception. However, Xin Youtao, the prince of Xijie Kingdom, has his own way to show his noble status.

The piles of items delivered three days in advance were one of the ways. Now, he wanted to establish his position among the new disciples of Pangshan Taoism in one fell swoop.

Erliang Shen Xiuwei was delayed for a while, so when he took Xiaoqiu and Fangfang to the front yard, the yard was already full of people, and all the children were looking at the newcomers with curiosity and awe. Xiaoqiu was surprised that several children from Yelin Town actually stood at the foot of the steps, lowering their heads and lowering their hands, as if they had made a huge mistake and were admitting it to the person involved. Only Shen Hao stood far away on the other side of the courtyard, his face blue and red. .

Shen Xiuwei whispered: "I can't hold my brother back."

The reason why Daliang, Shen Xiuming and others surrendered in front of the prince soon became clear.

"Put everything here." Zhang Lingsheng stood next to Xin Youtao, trying to remain calm, but whenever his eyes turned to the prince of Xijie King, anyone could see the gratitude and flattery in his eyes.

"Are you all going to move out?" Zhang Lingsheng asked in a low voice. In order to cater to Xin Youtao's height, he unconsciously became half shorter.

Xin Youtao nodded slightly, "Well, everyone move out. This is the gift I want to give to everyone."

Speaking of the gifts, Zhang Lingsheng's gratitude was even more expressive, and he said loudly: "Listen up, everyone, His Royal Highness the Prince of Xijie King has come all the way to prepare some gifts for everyone. These are the boxes and packages. Each person is only allowed to take one. , don’t pick randomly. Now go and move everything out of the house.”

Children all over the yard rushed to the room where the bags were stored, and moved things out excitedly. Only a few stood still.

Zhang Lingsheng had already received his gift, which was why he was grateful to the prince and even forced the children to admit their mistakes without asking for the truth. He didn't think it was excessive at all, and even thought that he owed Xin Youtao. He couldn't help but take out a small porcelain bottle from his arms in public, and gently stroked the plant pattern on it eagerly, "A bottle of five-section green wood perfume, Your Highness, this gift is too heavy."

"Since you have entered the Taoist tradition, regardless of your origin, please don't call me 'Your Highness'. I am just an ordinary person with Taoist roots like everyone else here. As for the perfume, it is not a rare thing. Taoist Zhang likes it. I will have someone bring you some more in the future."

Zhang Lingsheng was almost in tears. If there were no other children present, he really wanted to kowtow to thank him. Ten years, ten years of managing the guesthouse, he finally got his reward.

"What is that thing that makes Taoist Zhang so happy?" Shen Hao had already walked to Xiaoqiu and asked in a low voice.

Fangfang answered this question, "The five-section green wood fragrance ointment is a very precious medicinal fragrance. It is said that applying a little on the philtrum before practicing is very helpful for cultivation."

Zhang Lingsheng has the root of Taoism. After the most basic opening of the seven orifices, he has been unable to move forward. As a disciple of Pangshan, this is his greatest shame and heartache. Of course, he is grateful to get the five-section green wood fragrance ointment.

Zhang Lingsheng felt that he had given too little in return. He turned his eyes to the young man from Yelin Town under the steps and angrily scolded: "I felt something was wrong when I saw you the first time. It turns out that you are a group of little robbers who have taken advantage of others' dangers to rob others of their property. Tell me, after Daoyou Xin risked his life to defeat the snake demon and save your lives, how did you become ungrateful?"

The forest and the place where humans gather are two completely different worlds. The identity of a prince is worthless in the former place, but it is a priceless treasure in the latter place.

The young men at the steps lowered their heads even lower, and none of them dared to say a word. The disappearance of Yelin Town had a huge impact on them. Facing the reprimands from the adults, they had no intention of resisting.

Xiaoqiu at the other end of the yard was so angry that her lungs were about to explode. This Xin Youtao was timid and cowardly. As an officer, he abandoned his subordinates and fled by himself. In the end, he took away the only oil lamp that could fight against the demons. Now he actually turned black and white through Zhang Lingsheng. He immediately took a step to expose the true face of this prince.

Shen Hao held Xiaoqiu's arm tightly. He had beaten Xin Youtao severely in the forest, but now he had no courage at all. "Forget it, we can't win."

Shen Hao looked depressed and had no fighting spirit. What he called "can't win" had nothing to do with eloquence, but money. Just three days ago, he was the richest child in the hall and had many followers. Now compared with Prince Xin Youtao, there is a world of difference. Seeing that his best friend, Mu Feihuang, also ran to the bottom of the steps to apologize, Shen Hao completely admitted defeat.

Xiaoqiu forced herself to hold back, and warned herself in her heart that this was not Yelin Village, so it was better to avoid trouble.

The children had already moved all the bags to the yard, and Xin Youtao deliberately said in a tired voice: "One for each person, and leave the rest there for those who come later."

The children scrambled frantically, and many people couldn't wait to open the bags. There were clothes, gold and silver inside. Although there was no treasure like the five-section green wood balm, it was enough to make the poor children from remote areas extremely satisfied and grateful.

Xin Youtao lowered his eyelids and glanced at the five Yelin Town teenagers under the steps, "If you are willing to plead guilty, you deserve my forgiveness. Now go and get the gifts."

Daliang Shen Xiuming, Lengzi Mu Feihuang and others were relieved. They didn't choose gifts like other children, but took one nearby, held it in their arms, and didn't dare to open it immediately.

Xin Youtao's first battle when he first arrived at the pavilion was almost a complete victory, with only the last step left: there were still four children from Yelin Town standing in the distance, not bowing to him.

This won't do.

Xin Youtao looked up, and his childish face was full of majesty that looked down on everyone.

The role of gifts is not just to win people's hearts. Starting from Zhang Lingsheng, everyone in the yard understood that they should give back. Even the most innocent children, under the guidance of their friends, put down their bags and looked in the direction of their benefactor.

Xiaoqiu, Fangfang, Shen Hao and Erliang Shen Xiuwei became the targets of public criticism. They were invisible and silent arrows, but their lethality was not reduced at all.

Daliang Shen Xiuming kept winking at his brother, and Shen Xiuwei felt a little flustered. The pressure brought by dozens of eyes was not something a teenager could bear. He took a step forward, but turned his head to look at Xiaoqiu and retreated back to his original position.

Shen Hao didn't have many choices. He knew that he was the person that Prince Xin Youtao hated the most. He had to pay several times the price of others to get forgiveness. He was the second young master of the Shen family. He had never done anything to bow and scrape since he was a child, so he stood there without moving. He also glanced at Xiaoqiu and calmed down a little.

Fangfang stood behind the boys, lowered her head slightly to avoid the gazes of others, but she didn't hesitate at all. This was not the first time she had been tested in public. At the gate of the Shen family, she had torn off her veil and jumped on Xiaoqiu's red horse under the gaze of the whole town.

Xin Youtao made adjustments quickly. The person he wanted to retaliate against the most was Shen Hao, but he now understood that he had to defeat this opponent named Xiaoqiu to make today's victory completely complete.

Zhang Lingsheng was very impatient. Just as he was about to issue an order as the only adult and manager in the building, Xiaoqiu spoke.

Thanks to Shen Hao holding him back, Xiao Qiu got over his initial impulse. Now he can use more subtle means to fight back against his opponent. His voice is cheerful and natural, as if he is talking to an old friend who has not seen each other for a long time. "Hey, Yun Saner, I didn't expect to see you here again."

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