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(End of this chapter)
Chapter 171 Discovery
Lijiang City, Lijiang Tower in the east of the city.
Chen Mu sat in the corner of the lobby on the first floor.
While waiting for the food to be served, Chen Mu looked up at the flow of people on the first floor. This was his third day in Lijiang City.
There is a dining table next to the kitchen serving passage.
A thin old man in black was slicing a duck for his grandson with a small curved knife.
"This grandfather and grandson..."
After thinking about it for a while, Chen Mu remembered that he had seen the old man in this Lijiang Tower when he came to Lijiang City to live in seclusion last time. At that time, the old man also cut meat for his grandson to eat.
Chen Mu smiled and turned to look at the crowd at the dock not far from the door.
“The proportion of outsiders seems to be a little higher.”
"They are all warriors in gorgeous and powerful costumes."
"Aristocratic family?" Chen Mu frowned slightly.
Lijiang City is the closest to Shouyang Mountain. Most people who obtain the Thousand Machine Order will come to Lijiang City to live in seclusion and wait until the day they leave.
Anyone who can grab the Thousand Machine Order is very powerful. This kind of big man is used to being free and easy, and he will not wrong himself to hide in the wilderness.
"This gives the noble families an opportunity." Chen Mu frowned slightly: "Don't cause any trouble."
"No, it will definitely cause trouble!"
Chen Mu sighed: "I can't feel at peace anywhere."
"After this meal, let's stock up on some more supplies."
He didn't want to be involved in unnecessary trouble.
"The Thousand Machine Order is covered by the Five Ghost Bags. Although it cannot be completely blocked, it will not be noticed unless the distance is too close."
Before, there were no fixed rings or fixed soul stakes, and they could only be sensed at close range.
"I'll hide at home peacefully. As long as the family doesn't search every inch of my house, I'll be safe."
……
Five days later, at Chen's house in Jiazi Lane, Yongtongfang, east of the city.
Chen Mu sat under the pavilion on the east side of the yard.
The house had been vacant for more than half a year. When I first arrived, the pavilion pillars were moldy, the thatch was rotten, and the wooden floor near the gate was soaked and swollen. It took three or four days to renovate and repair it.
I also bought new pots, pans, mats and bedding.
With the addition of soul-fixing stakes, the courtyard becomes comfortable and livable.
"I have to live here for three months, so I can't let myself suffer."
Curled up in the rocking chair, Chen Mu was holding a medicine book and reading it with great interest.
The originally difficult and obscure text, combined with the insights gained from proficiency, became very interesting.
After taking a glance at the pharmaceutical skills which had increased by five points, Chen Mu put away the medicine book with satisfaction.
"I don't need a very high level, just enough to be able to identify the ingredients of the Bigu Pill."
"We have to continue the copycat business." Chen Mu thought with emotion.
There is never enough money.
We were going out to sea and the journey would take an unknown amount of time, so we had to prepare some high-energy, long-lasting food such as the Bigu Pill 3.0.
So he bought another bottle of fasting pills and spent twelve thousand taels at once.
Qingfeng powder, Lingsha pills, and Mishenyan, these emergency medicines for healing and self-defense, also need to be prepared. The preparation of bigu pills also requires medicinal materials. So I bought a large number of medicinal materials.
If Zhang Ye hadn't given him a gift of four to five thousand taels in return, he would have almost been unable to pay the bill.
Now I only have more than two thousand taels of silver on me.
……
After taking a sip of the cold tea on the low table, Chen Mu rested enough and got up and walked to the thatched hut near the courtyard gate.
On the western edge of the thatched hut, there stands a row of seven wooden stakes as thick as a bowl.
Chen Mu stood behind the first wooden stake near the courtyard gate.
Whoosh whoosh!
The hidden dagger appeared and disappeared silently.
Tiny bits of sawdust flew up from the top of the wooden stake like snowflakes.
Soon, a smooth spherical outline appeared.
Chen Mu's face looked strange as he carefully felt the feeling of striking the sword just now.
"Cooking skills have this function?"
He had never practiced carving, but he had some experience with knife skills in cooking. Now he was able to apply what he had learned to other areas and the wooden balls he carved were surprisingly round and smooth.
"What a pleasant surprise." Chen Mu smiled.
Glancing at the rapid progress of his Xiu Li Jian proficiency, Chen Mu continued to practice: "Advancing is in sight."
……
half a month later.
To the west of Lijiang City, there is a five-courtyard house.
Si Kou Yang, with a smooth and rosy face and snow-white hair and beard, sat leisurely at the head of the living room in the main house.
"Elder, the news has been released." Jin Wuduan bowed slightly with a smile on his face.
"One Qianji Order can be exchanged for ten thousand acres of fertile land, three manors, and one hundred thousand taels of gold. If you have other conditions, we can discuss it in person."
"Yeah." Si Kouyang nodded without comment.
"Elder, the people are here, are you really going to change them?" Jin Wuduan glanced at the old man carefully: "Why not..."
Si Kouyang glanced at Jin Wuduan and said, "Don't worry about your possessions."
"I'm afraid no one will come to replace it." Si Kouyang sighed.
"Is there any news about that sincerity?" Si Kouyang turned around and asked.
Zuo Sheng, who had been standing next to him with his head bowed, stepped forward immediately and said, "Elder, I have arranged for five brothers from the hall to go north and conduct a thorough investigation."
"But after that guy kidnapped Miss Sikou Qing, he disappeared without a trace."
"This man has committed many evil deeds. Young Master Yu and Miss Qing have both been murdered by him."
"Please allow me, Elder. I will personally lead a group of experts to investigate."
Si Kouyang sighed: "What a pity for that Thousand Machine Order."
"Nanyang Prefecture is so big, trying to find him is like looking for a needle in a haystack."
"I can only blame Qing'er for his bad luck."
"Forget it, let those people investigate. Don't move the people here."
"It is more important to search for the holder of the Thousand Machine Order in Lijiang City."
Zuo Sheng's heart skipped a beat. This Elder Sikou regarded the Thousand Machine Order as more important than his own disciples?
Then I must not let this old man know that I have the Thousand Machine Order!
At this moment, a man in black clothes suddenly rushed in.
"Boss, there is sincere news!"
Zuo Sheng’s eyelids suddenly jumped!
It was he who ambushed and captured Sikou Qing.
If he could really catch his sincerity, his lies would be exposed!
"Where?" Si Kou Yang, who had been calm just now, suddenly became excited.
"East of the city, Jiazi Lane, Yongtongfang!"
"Is the news accurate?" Si Kou Yang stared at the man in black.
The man's scalp tingled when he was looked at and he hurriedly handed over a note.
"Someone sent a message by dart, and the note was nailed to the door."
Si Kouyang frowned immediately. He asked suspiciously, "You didn't accept the reward? Who would be so kind?"
Zuo Sheng's heart moved, and he frowned and pretended to say, "Could it be that the other companies are confusing us?"
"It's possible." Si Kouyang thought about it and couldn't help but sigh.
Is there anyone who is not greedy for money?
Not accepting the bounty must be due to other purposes. Yes, just like Zuo Sheng said, it is very likely that several other noble families are deliberately creating confusion.
"Are you testing my manpower strength?" Si Kouyang suddenly realized.
"It seems like you want to plot against my Thousand Machine Order. Haha..." Si Kouyang sneered.
Zuo Sheng nodded with the same grim expression, but he couldn't help but feel relieved in his heart.
Fortunately, fortunately the old man was fooled.
Just as he was thinking about it, he suddenly saw his master Jin Wuduan step forward and said, "The last time we arrested Cheng Yi, someone also sent a message via dart."
"I've seen the handwriting. It's exactly the same."
"Maybe this sincerity really lies in Yongtongfang!" Jin Wuduan looked excited.
Zuo Sheng: “…”