You have mastered the art of thunder and you tell me that it is in a strange world?

Chapter 221 Prince Jing
After leaving the wilderness, we followed a deserted path, walking from sunrise to sunset, and finally returned to a small town near Yuzhou City.

After arriving at the town, Qi Changan and Hu Wuniang planned to say goodbye and leave:

"I have been taking my apprentice out for a year and a half. I have to go back to Xiguan City and send her home. I have to find the parents of my other apprentice." Hu Wuniang sighed, "His death is related to me. I need to meet his parents."

Qi Changan naturally had to go back with them. He had been out for a year and a half just to find his wife. How could he let his wife go back by herself?

The young couple wanted to say goodbye.

Zhu Lao Ba was also hesitant. Zuo Chen could probably tell that he also wanted to follow the young couple, so he smiled and said:
"It's a dangerous journey. One of them is injured and the other is weak. You should go back with them. When you are done, come to find Prince Jing. If I hadn't left, you would have met me again. If I left, we can still meet in Kyoto in three months, which is not long."

"Okay." Zhu Laoba was reluctant to leave, but finally walked to the young couple.

It’s not that he wanted to learn some secret cultivation method from Zuo Chen, but they have been together for a long time and have developed a friendship.

As we say goodbye now, I naturally feel reluctant.

"Master, I'm leaving first! See you later!"

When they reached the exit of the town, Zhu Laoba waved goodbye to Zuo Chen.

When Zuo Chen saw Zhu Laoba leaving, he suddenly remembered that there were still two gourds of monkey wine left in his bamboo basket, so he reached out and took out the wine jug.

One was kept in his hand, and the other was thrown far away.

Zhu Laoba caught it subconsciously.

Zuo Chen opened the cork and raised his glass.

Zhu Laoba understood what he meant and raised his glass as well.

Drinking together at sunset.

You can laugh a few times in your life, but you have to get drunk when you meet in a drinking competition.

After drinking the last of the monkey wine, Zhu Laoba's face turned slightly red and he was already staggering.

He bowed to Zuo Chen, turned around, and walked towards the distance following the sun that was already setting in the west.

Zuo Chen sighed softly until Zhu Laoba and his group disappeared from view completely.

After traveling together for a long time, we have become friends.

Now that Zhu Laoba has left, Zuo Chen feels somewhat disappointed.

However, this feeling of disappointment did not stay in his heart for long. With the fresh afternoon breeze, this feeling of disappointment disappeared.

It was still early, so Zuo Chen led the rest of the people directly towards Yuzhou City.

Passing by farmlands, feeling the autumn wind, seeing rice waves, and the sun setting in the west, I passed many farmers returning home and said "Hello, fellow villager" to each other before I finally saw the towering city walls.

When they arrived at the city gate, the soldier guarding the gate glanced at Zuo Chen and the strange couple, then took out a notice and read it. His expression suddenly became strange:
"Master, donkey cart, and a girl... Are you Master Zuochen Zuo?"

"it's me."

The soldiers guarding the city looked surprised:
"It's you! Please wait a moment, I will go find our commander."

Zuo Chen agreed and was led by the guards to a small shed next to the city wall, where he sat down to rest.

Guan Jinping huddled up in a ball, feeling uneasy.

After avoiding the prince for so many years, she was like a bug that was not used to the sunlight. Even at this moment, she was still curled up her body and would run away immediately if there was any danger.

"Don't be nervous, I'm here." Zuo Chen comforted her: "Besides, not all vassal kings are evil people. Under the raging sea of ​​suffering, although there are thieves with different minds and greed, there are also those who protect one side."

Hearing Zuo Chen's words, Guan Jinping also smiled bitterly:
"I hope Prince Jing is someone who can protect this area."

"He will be."

While we were chatting, we suddenly saw a handsome soldier with a beard and a tough face walking towards us from a distance.

What a good city defender!

The commander strode up to Zuo Chen and his men and laughed heartily:

"Master Zuo Chen, I have long heard of your great name! I am Bai Tang, the commander under Prince Jing."

After looking at the people around Zuo Chen, Bai Tang smiled and said:
"This is the eldest aunt of Xuzhou. Yes, it should be the immortal donkey. This is..."

Bai Tang looked at Guan Jinping. Guan Jinping was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to introduce herself.

It was Zuo Chen who helped her out:
"She is a disciple of the Imperial Academy, and will be traveling with us for the time being."

"He is actually a disciple of the Imperial Academy!" Bai Tang was also surprised, but he did not doubt that Zuo Chen was lying. He just looked at Guan Jinping twice before saying:

"Several days ago, Lord Jing told us that you might come over. I have been waiting here for several days. I didn't see you and thought you were not coming."

"We should have been here a few days earlier. But something happened along the way and delayed us."

Encountered something?

It only takes a few days to walk from the port to Yuzhou City, and since Yuzhou Yandao is built on it, there is basically only one main road.

The guards of Yuzhou City can also monitor the situation on this main road at all times. Bai Tang recalled.

There doesn't seem to be any trouble on the main road recently, so why would it be worth it for the Taoist priest to waste so much time?
Bai Tang didn't dare to ask even though he was thinking this. He just said, "Prince Jing is not feeling well and can't come out to greet you, so he sent me here. Do you want to take a walk around the city first, or go directly to see His Royal Highness Prince Jing?"

"Of course, I'll go see Prince Jing first." Zuo Chen said, "I've wasted so much time. I should have visited him earlier."

"Then you come with me."

Bai Tang led the way in front, and the group followed behind. They did not take the main road, but took a side path.

The base is paved with wooden planks, trees are planted on both sides, flowers are blooming, and green grass grows layer by layer. It looks like a passage specially for pedestrians.

Occasionally, you can see a few people strolling around here, all of them have white beards and look very old.

They were wearing official uniforms and should be working in the city. When they saw Zuo Chen, they were surprised and bowed to him repeatedly.

"The magistrate of Dexing Town sent a letter telling us that you were coming, and we made preparations in advance. Now many officials know you."

Bai Tang introduced:
"It's also thanks to you that you took the fragment away. Otherwise, the old man would have gotten lost in it and would have harmed the people of Dexing Town over time. He admitted his mistakes and corrected them. His Majesty Prince Jing fined him half a year's salary and asked him to reflect on his mistakes."

"Where are those quacks in this town?"

"As soon as the cavalry left, they scattered. They were just wanderers, and their only concern was profit. Seeing that they couldn't get the book and didn't want to fight the cavalry, they scattered like a bird startled by a bow."

"It's a pity that the Xianyang Conference has turned out like this." Guan Jinping sighed, "Everyone comes for profit, everyone goes for profit. The martial artists no longer have the chivalrous spirit they once had. When will the Xianyang Conference really start?"

"I think it's better not to hold this Xianyang Conference in the future." Bai Tang said:

"There are chivalrous people in the martial arts world, and there are also evil people who kill people without blinking an eye. When the Xianyang Conference is held, not only will the heroes come, but also the thieves. The local people will suffer. After each Xianyang Conference, several people will die. It is better not to hold it."

Guan Jinping knew that what Bai Tang said made sense, but she still supported Jiang Hu Ke in her heart, so she simply shut up and did not continue to argue about this matter.

The atmosphere became a little awkward and no one continued talking.

After walking for a while, I finally reached the end and saw a big door.

There are three big characters "Prince Jing's Mansion" written on the door, which looks very majestic.

The gate was open and two soldiers were standing guard. Occasionally, some civil and military officials could be seen coming in and out of the gate, as if they had just left the house and returned home.

He looks a bit like an office worker who gets off work on time.

"Prince Jing is a little weak, so he likes to have his officials work in the mansion and rarely leave the compound. Now is the time to leave the mansion, and there shouldn't be many people left."

After introducing himself, Bai Tang led Zuo Chen and his party directly into the compound.

Seeing that it was the commander-in-chief coming, the soldiers naturally did not stop him. They just glanced at Zuo Chen and the others with some curiosity.

After entering the courtyard, Zuo Chen looked around.

The entire compound can only be described in two words:

Busy.

It is neither as extravagant as King Kang's, nor as lively as King Wei's.

To Zuo Chen, Prince Jing's compound was more like some office area in his previous life. What he saw first was a spacious hall with two rows of tables on the left and right sides. Above the tables were charcoal pencils and brushes, as well as many books, piled up like a small mountain.

One glance would reveal that many officials gathered here during the day to work, discuss, and write documents.

"This doesn't look like a mansion."

Zuo Chen also sighed rarely.

"You are not the only one who said so." Bai Tang said with a smile:
"Yuzhou has not recovered from the disaster it suffered 20 years ago. Disasters of all sizes continue. Lord Jing has tried for more than 10 years but has come up with no good solution. Later, he simply recruited talents and gathered so many civil officials.

"They have been trying to restore the traces of Yuzhou and have been working here to this day."

After the introduction, Bai Tang called the maid who was tidying up the desk and asked her to come in and call Prince Jing.

Not long after, Zuo Chen saw a maid supporting a thin old man walking out of the courtyard house.

The old man looked somewhat similar to King Wei, and was wearing a thick fur cloak that concealed his severely skinny body.

He was obviously in poor physical condition. After taking just two steps, he had to cover his mouth with his hands and cough lightly. His temples were also gray, and he looked haggard.

"Master Zuo, I am Li Yu." The old man raised his head gently and looked at Zuo Chen with a slightly cloudy look: "I am not feeling well and I was unable to personally greet you. This is really wrong. Please forgive me."

"It doesn't matter."

Zuo Chen looked at Li Yu twice more.

According to Li Ji, his brother Li Yu was half a year younger than him, but now he looked like he was 20 or 30 years older than him.

And Zuo Chen could also see it clearly from Li Yu.

His body was like a funnel, constantly leaking out Yuan Qi.

(End of this chapter)