National Division

Chapter 15 I am a martial artist, what do I have to fear from demons and monsters? (Seeking monthly votes! Let's climb the rankings!)
County government office, west duty room
Shen Xian and Li Yan were talking, both of them worried about money.

Li Yan said, "Why don't we start our own business? That might be better."

Shen Xian said, "The business in the county has probably all been taken over by others."

According to memory, Guhe County was a key point in the Grand Canal, with many ships passing through from the north and south, which led to the emergence of a large number of taverns, inns, gambling dens and brothels.

But if he's not mistaken, these industries must all have powerful backers.

“Of course! Although your father is a county constable, he never gets involved in these things. Apart from some merchants, most of the county's businesses belong to County Magistrate Liu and Registrar Pei,” Li Yan said with a soft sigh.

Shen Xian said, "Father still can't do these business things."

These things don't necessarily require you to take the lead; you can delegate them to others.

Now he realizes he's still short of money and needs to make some plans.

Moreover, it must be a profession that brings in money quickly. Copying books and stories is relatively slow, but it is easy to spread one's fame.

Or he could start a newspaper, something like Jin Yong's Ming Pao, to comment on current affairs. Well, that needs to be done carefully, but he could serialize novels to increase his fame.

As for the methods of making money...

In fact, he was a senior reader of a certain website in his previous life, and he was very familiar with the so-called time-travel set—glass mirrors, wine, soap, perfume, fine salt, and even, in earlier years, stockings.

Well, we've gone off on a tangent.

In short, he needs to conduct some research before taking any action.

Fine salt may not be feasible for the time being. According to the salt and iron monopoly system of previous dynasties, the Great Jing Dynasty mostly had a salt and iron monopoly. Now that he has developed a distillation method to purify refined salt, salt, a strategic material that is related to the national economy and people's livelihood, will attract the upper-level forces to fight for it once it appears on a large scale.

Basically, it means... Grandpa, I want this.

Since wine involves grain brewing, there may be some official procedures involved. It is unknown whether the Great Jing Dynasty implemented a system of monopolizing wine.

He turned and asked his father.

However, Guhe County is the central hub of the Grand Canal, and Luoyang, the capital city, is only 500 li away. It is foreseeable that once a new invention appears, it will become popular in both capitals and then spread throughout the north and south of the country.

It is both an opportunity and a risk.

Fortunately, his father was a county constable; otherwise, he would have worried about others eyeing his property.

Of course, once the business grows big, it won't be his own anymore. Even his father, a county magistrate, can't be protected by the Shen family of Lanxi, but at least he can exchange resources.

In fact, this is the insight of people from later generations. They not only anticipated the project, but also the possible risks that might follow, and were able to plan ahead.

"What are you thinking about, so lost in thought?" Li Yan noticed the boy standing there, frozen in place.
"I'm thinking about making money," Shen Xian said.

Li Yan: "???"

After calming himself down, he warned, "Let me warn you, you're a decent young man, don't even think about doing anything that violates the laws of the Great Jing Dynasty. If you do, your father will definitely not let you off the hook."

"No, it's all legitimate business. We'll still need Uncle Li's help in the end," Shen Xian said with a smile.

No matter what industry it is, once money is made, wealth is a powerful motivator.

"Alright, put the prescription away first. I have to accompany your father on a business trip later," Li Yan said.

Shen Xian nodded and hid the prescription that Li Yan handed her in her inner garment.

Just as the two were talking, Shen Bin came in from the outer room and asked, "What are you two discussing right now?"

It was clear that they had already learned from the yamen runners that Shen Xian had arrived at the yamen.

Shen Xian said, "Father did not return home last night, and I am very worried."

Shen Bin glanced at him suspiciously and said, "Don't try to fool me. This is a government office, not a place for you to run wild. Go home now."

At this moment, Zhao Lang saw Shen Xian and his heart stirred slightly. He said, "You've come at the right time. You should persuade your father later. He wants to use his innate blood essence to draw talismans to suppress demons."

Shen Bin said, "Second brother, you mustn't speak carelessly."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xian froze on the spot and asked, "Father, what's going on?"

He's also a martial artist who has acquired skills, hmm, a martial artist who has acquired skills? My father is indeed a martial artist who has acquired skills?

The smile on Li Yan's face also disappeared. He said, "Brother, why? Why didn't you discuss such a big matter with us?"

As fellow martial artists, Li Yan, though not yet at the Innate Realm, had already touched the threshold of the Innate Realm. How could he not know the power and danger of Innate Realm essence blood?
Shen Bin said, "The demons are rampant and the situation is urgent. We can only expel the demons first."

Shen Xian looked at Shen Bin and said, "Father, since there are evil spirits, why not seek help from the Taoist priest?"

According to the theory that where there are ghosts and monsters, there are usually gods and Buddhas, shouldn't such matters be handled by Taoist priests to exorcise demons and monsters?

As the county constable, my father's job was simply to set up a cordon outside.

When the matter was brought up, Shen Bin remained silent, but Zhao Lang said, "The Taoist priests who are skilled in magic are all neglecting their duties, and now the burden has fallen on your father's shoulders." As he spoke, he ignored Shen Bin's gestures and told him everything.

Shen Xian's expression shifted slightly, but he remained silent for a long while.

What is Magistrate Lu doing? And Qingyang Temple doesn't seem to care about this kind of thing either?

Li Yan said, "Was it County Magistrate Liu who forced you?"

Zhao Lang nodded.

Li Yan said coldly, "If all else fails, we should report it to the prefecture. If we are punished from above, we will all be in deep trouble! How can you, elder brother, use your own life essence to exorcise demons?"

“The prefecture will most likely ignore it, and Magistrate Liu has powerful backers,” Shen Bin said. “No one in the county can punish these evil spirits, so my loss of some life essence is not a big deal.”

Shen Xian thought for a moment and said, "Father, it is better to discuss this matter at length. If it is truly the work of evil spirits, then extraordinary people will come to eliminate it. We are just ordinary people and it is not appropriate for us to get involved."

In his view, it was a matter of who was in a hurry and who was busy, but his father, as the county magistrate, was indeed the first to bear the brunt and might be made a scapegoat.

If something happens to his father, he might really go and become a street performer.

All business deals have to be postponed.

This is the first time I've felt how despicable these people are.

Magistrate Lu is incompetent and doesn't care about anything, well, that's understandable. But why doesn't Crane Guardian of Qingyang Temple, who is a Qi Refiner, lend a hand?
Shen Xian frowned, finding it incomprehensible. If Qingyang Temple were to perform such a cleansing of evil spirits, its reputation would surely spread far and wide.

So it's neither important nor urgent?
tiered response?

At this moment, Shen Xian was unaware that things were not so simple.

"I didn't try to persuade you before, so don't try to persuade me now," Shen Bin said, glaring at Shen Xian.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xian was speechless for a moment.

Dad really has a strong reason.

“Since Father won’t allow me to persuade him,” Shen Xian thought for a moment and said, “Like brothers fighting tigers, fathers and sons go to war together. I will go with Father. If there is any danger, I can lend a hand from the side.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Bin's expression changed drastically, and he said, "No way!"

He only has one son, how could he put him in danger?

Zhao Lang and Li Yan, who were standing to the side, also changed their expressions.

Then he realized that this was a radical solution.

Shen Xian said, "Then Father, please wait a little longer, or I will go with you."

Actually, he wanted to see what the so-called demons and evil spirits of this world were like.

"What can you do?"

Shen Xian said, "Father said that Qingyang Temple is going to help us out. Maybe I can ask the abbot for a hand when I go to class tomorrow?"

Shen Bin shook his head, his voice somber, and said, "Qingyang Temple...it's impossible."

Without explaining the reason, or perhaps Shen Bin didn't know the reason either, these Taoists, who were detached from worldly affairs, remained completely unmoved.

Shen Xian said, "We have to try before we can give up."

Yesterday, he found that the Taoist priest was quite kind, so perhaps there was a chance for things to turn around.

"You go and try first, but the situation is urgent. I'll go to the west of the city with your Uncle Li and Uncle Zhao first," Shen Bin said.

Without waiting for Shen Xian to explain, he left the duty room with a sullen face.

Shen Xian had no choice but to look at Li Yan beside him and say, "Uncle Li, tell me about the case so I can talk to the Taoist priests at Qingyang Temple."

He wanted to try asking Qingyang Temple, at least to get a talisman or something.

Li Yan said, "Recently, there have been evil spirits in the countryside that have been sucking the life essence of strong men, turning them into dried-up corpses. It's for your own good that I'm not letting you go."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xian replied, "I am a martial artist, possessing the utmost strength and yang energy. What do I have to fear from demons and evil spirits?"

Sure enough, there were demons and monsters.

Li Yan laughed and said, "Who knows, in the eyes of demons, a martial artist like you who has acquired skills is a great tonic."

Shen Xian was speechless for a moment.

So, when will he be able to become a Xiantian martial artist?
There are no shortcuts in martial arts; if you want to become stronger, you still have to spend money.

　In the new week, everyone should read more and vote with more monthly tickets! Look at these two data points on the Qidian new book rankings right now. If you're planning to read a book for a while, don't wait!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)