Even at night, the high temperature in southern Xinjiang seemed not to have dissipated yet. A gust of wind blew in the face, making people feel as if even their throats were burned by the being invited to the General's Mansion by Bowie Lam, the General Zhennan did not dare to slack off. He served four cold dishes, four hot dishes, and a pot of soup, not daring to have any less or more, and they were all cooked exquisitely and deliciously. Yin Xiu and Ma Xiaoyu finished all the food on the table and drank the wine. When they lay down on their beds, they felt that the fatigue from traveling in recent days had disappeared. There was a door between the two beds. Ma Xiaoyu slept in the inner room, while Yin Xiu lay at the other end of the living room. Ma Xiaoyu gently covered her body with a thin blanket, feeling quite comfortable. Yin Xiu couldn't help tossing and turning, feeling like he was sleeping on a board of nails instead of a bed, and he felt uncomfortable no matter how he lay down. Ma Xiaoyu glanced at him and asked, "Do you have lice?" "It's not lice or fleas." Yin Xiu gnashed his teeth and said, "Maybe that master bears a grudge against me and deliberately found a hard bed for me, which hurts my body. You know I've been in so many fights, I'm bound to have some old injuries." “I don’t think I can do that.”
Yin Xiu immediately stood up and asked, "Then let me try?" "Sure," Ma Xiaoyu patted the bed, "Come over here." Yin Xiu smiled, "I said you have enough space for two people lying there." "Yes, you sleep on this one and I'll sleep on yours. I don't mind it being too hard." Hearing this, Yin Xiu did another reverse sit-up, then lay heavily on the bed, looking at the blue bricks above him and sighed, "Forget it, a few bruises are nothing." "That's good." Ma Xiaoyu closed the door between them. Yin Xiu also fell into a deep sleep. After a while, he suddenly heard the sound of the wooden door being opened, creaking. Yin Xiu turned around and vaguely saw Ma Xiaoyu wearing a nightgown under the light with a smile on her face. "Hey, Brother Xiu, are you angry?" Ma Xiaoyu pouted, "I was just joking with you." "What? Do you want to get up and go to the bathroom?" Yin Xiu was still lying there. "Oh, you're really angry." Ma Xiaoyu raised one foot and pressed it against the door frame, revealing her snow-white and smooth thighs under her nightgown. "I'm not going to the bathroom. I just feel a little hot and can't sleep." Yin Xiu suppressed the urge that surged up in her head, and just put her hands together, under her hair, and said expressionlessly: "Hot? Just get some water and wipe your body." "Then come in and help me wipe it, Brother Xiu, your hands are cool." She twisted her body, revealing her distinct collarbone, and blinked at Yin Xiu.
Yin Xiu still had a straight face, "You asked me to do this yourself." He stood up and walked towards the door. "What are you doing?" Ma Xiaoyu's questions came from inside. Yin Xiu was stunned for a moment and rubbed his eyes, "Oh, I was sleepwalking, it's okay, go to sleep." After a pause, Ma Xiaoyu's soft voice came from inside, "Good night." The doubts in Yin Xiu's heart disappeared and he smiled, "Good night." At the same time, in another place in the general's mansion, the advisor also showed a satisfied smile. On the table in front of him, there was a scarecrow with Yin Xiu's name written on it and a strand of Yin Xiu's hair tied to it. During the day, he was humiliated by Yin Xiu and Ma Xiaoyu, and was embarrassed. The lawyer is not a broad-minded person, so how could he not think of ways to take revenge and get back his place? So after getting Yin Xiu's hair, he couldn't wait to perform a ritual and use his "bewitching magic" to tease Yin Xiu. The Soul-Bewitching Method is a magic spell from the Longhu Mountain lineage, but serious Taoists generally do not use it because it is considered an "evil way". This spell usually requires the target's hair and date of birth, but when the caster and the target are very close, only the hair and the name will suffice. Another reason why the Taoists of Longhu Mountain generally do not use it is because of its low power. Although it is called Dafa, in fact the power of the technique is not very great. At best it just makes people feel like they are having a dream. Even the caster himself cannot control the content of the dream. Generally, the target will dream the corresponding dream based on what he is thinking at the moment. So to some extent, this is even a kind of magic that makes people's "wishes come true". Its greatest use is to tease others and make them look bad. Apart from that, it has no other function. This kind of useless technique is a burden to others if they learn it, and it is improper to use it. But the master was happy with it and was obsessed with this kind of magic. During the years he spent in Longhu Mountain, he had realized that he would not become a great master or Taoist priest who could exorcise demons and monsters in the future. Therefore, when it comes to spells and the like, it would be enough to just pick some useful knowledge that would produce quick results. Therefore, he specifically chose to learn some spells for home use, travel, murder and arson, which was a way for him to choose a "deviant path". For the lawyer, teasing Yin Xiu and making him look bad in front of such a beautiful woman was enough, so that he could rest contentedly. After taking down the altar and throwing the scarecrow with Yin Xiu's name on it out of the window, the lawyer yawned, but was still proud of himself. He shook his head and chanted: "I have come to plan and strategize, and I am in charge of the maps and records of Penglai." Just as I was about to go to bed, there was a hurried knock on the door. The master was startled for a moment, and suppressed his emotions. He asked in a deep voice, "Who?" A high-pitched voice immediately answered at the door: "The Imperial Envoy, the Commander-in-Chief of Jianghuai Military Affairs, the Inspector of Thirteen Provinces, the Grand Secretary of the Military Affairs Council, the Duke of Leshan, the First-Rank Official Gan Linmu, Lord Gan is here, why don't you come out to greet him?" [Why are there so many people here? My yard can’t accommodate them all. ] The master hesitated for a moment, and finally pushed the door open.
Then he saw several soldiers with long swords on their waists standing in the yard, surrounding a man. The man was wearing an official robe with a crane embroidered on the patch on his chest. Is he really a top-ranking official? The master immediately knelt down and saluted, "I am here to greet you, Lord Gan. I am sorry for not coming to greet you from afar. I hope you will forgive me!" "Mr. Lin, you're welcome." The first-rank official read out the master's surname and called him "sir", which made the master feel frightened. "Don't be nervous." The senior official took out the imperial edict from his sleeve and said to the master, "The emperor has taken a liking to you and wants to summon you to Yujing." "What?" The master was obviously startled, his heart pounding like a drum. "Is such that." The official frowned and looked at him again. "The emperor saw your article while he was going to the toilet." "Oh?" The master's suspicion was reduced. "I thought that when His Majesty went to the toilet in the palace, the things he used should be made of gold foil..." "He also eats five sugar pancakes at one meal." The official snorted coldly, "The emperor thinks your policy proposal has merits and you are a talent, so he plans to invite you to Yujing to accompany him day and night and serve him. What do you think?" Accompany you day and night, always by your side? The lawyer immediately associated himself with those ancient wise ministers. Although he shouldn't think like this and should be more humble, he obviously does so now! The official coughed lightly, asking the master to sober up a little. Then he handed over the imperial edict, "I won't read what's on it, you read it once, look at it once, and then get ready, we will enter the capital tomorrow." 【tomorrow? 】 The master could never have imagined that his fate would change so quickly. He had taken out that policy paper when he was very young, after spending several nights in his study thinking about it. What is written in it are all about how to enrich the country and strengthen the military, make friends with distant countries and attack nearby ones, and how sages and wise kings rule the world. They are the secret dragon-slaying techniques. Since it is a dragon-slaying technique, the master does not want it to be understood by the general public. Therefore, he always wanted to report this to the emperor and present this treasure to him. Unfortunately, he was stopped by the guard at the first checkpoint. Later, he visited this Taotai and that governor again, but was turned away as expected. No matter whether he spent money or gave gifts to the housekeeper or the doorman, no one informed the inside, but just kept chasing him away and told him to leave. He didn't know that for those high-ranking officials, the number of talented people who came to offer advice in a day were more than the flies at the door.
At the beginning, they received these people with a respectful and informal attitude. It was not until they heard from them about concepts such as Zhou Li, Riding and Archery, and the Six Arts of a Gentleman that these officials truly realized that they had indeed overestimated these so-called masters - they would be better off finding a Taoist priest or monk to chant sutras at home. Because of these people's drag, the lawyer was ultimately unable to meet these high-ranking officials. Feeling disheartened, he printed out a hundred copies of the policy paper at his own expense and distributed them to "knowledgeable people" in restaurants and various societies, hoping to become famous among the people first, gain momentum, and then be noticed by the palace. Two days later, he heard that because of this policy paper, the imperial court arrested more than 200 people on the streets, and even illiterate beggars were thrown into jail. The lawyer fled overnight and arrived in southern Xinjiang without even having time to pack his luggage. Only then did he meet Lam Pou-yee, who later became General Zhennan, and became his aide. And the strategy he believed to be a way to slay dragons was eventually forgotten. Unexpectedly, today, the policy paper finally reappeared in the world and was valued by the emperor. How could he not be excited? With excitement in his heart, the lawyer opened the imperial edict and read it one by one. "The Emperor, by order of Heaven, proclaims you as the Chief of the Imperial Household, with a rank of the third rank." The legal advisor only remembered the rank of the third grade. As for the others, he didn't understand them at all, especially the so-called Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Palace. He had never heard of it. Maybe it was a new position added in the palace in recent years. It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t understand, just remember to thank him. So the legal advisor respectfully rolled up the imperial edict into a ball and kowtowed three times to express his gratitude for the emperor's grace. "Then sir, shall we go to the capital tomorrow?" The lawyer was still a little worried and confirmed with the official again. "how?" The officer glanced at him and asked, "Didn't I make it clear just now?" "That's not what I meant. Please forgive me, sir." The lawyer quickly lowered his head. The official laughed and said, "That's wrong. You are no longer a commoner. Even if others see you, they have to call you the chief steward, right?" "Don't dare to take it, don't dare to take it..." The lawyer shook his hands repeatedly, but he was very happy in his heart. "By the way, why don't you bring the clothes up so that the steward can dress up?" the senior official reminded again. So the master was full of anticipation and watched the officers and soldiers take out a box. Inside was a bamboo hat, a pure dark blue robe, and a whisk. The lawyer was stunned for a moment, as he really couldn't tell the quality and style of the official robe. But he only hesitated for a moment and soon began to unbutton his gown, preparing to change. "Manager, wait a minute." An officer stopped him. "Well?" The master frowned, somewhat displeased, "You are stopping me from changing clothes, is there any other procedure?"
"Yes." The official smiled. The master's brows relaxed, "Then please explain clearly, so that I can understand." "No need to tell them, they will do it for you." The officer nodded at one of the soldiers, and the man understood and took out another box. [Oh, so you forgot the official seal and the official seal, you little dog slave, you are so careless in doing things.] The lawyer raised his head and squeezed out words to the soldier through his nose. "Hurry up, don't waste my time and the adults' time." "It will be quick, butler. Just lie down." The officers and soldiers took things out of the box. Razor, chisel, scissors... The master's eyes widened as he looked at it, and he couldn't help but ask, "What is this for?" The official came closer and said with a smile, "You are to accompany His Majesty. This is a necessary procedure. Every eunuch who enters the palace must go through this." "Eunuch? Eunuch! The chief eunuch!" The lawyer finally reacted and was about to step back when his hands and feet were firmly grasped by the soldiers and he was pressed onto the bed. "No, I won't go! Help, help!!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, but no one paid any attention to him. "This is what His Majesty asked. How can you not go?" The officer then directed the soldiers, "Hurry up, the sooner the better, as we still have some time to get going. Don't use those. It's a waste of time. Isn't there a hammer inside? Add a saw and you'll be fine." "As ordered!" The soldier took out tools from inside and approached the master. A strange smile appeared on his face, which seemed to be excitement, but also a little regretful. "Oh, butler, look at your cute little brother. Don't worry, I will be quick..." what! ! ! Ma Xiaoyu opened her eyes and asked, "Did you hear any sound?" Yin Xiu glanced out the window and said, "It's probably just a dog barking. Ignore it." "Dogs bark?" Ma Xiaoyu felt a little strange, "Does the general's mansion also keep dogs?" "If you have a big family and a lot of wealth, you always have to have a few dogs to guard the house. Even in the countryside, you have to have a big yellow dog."
As Yin Xiu spoke, he casually threw the talisman paper in his hand under the bed. The talisman paper with the master's name on it fell silently to the ground and turned into ashes immediately. The screams soon died down and the night returned to peace again. "The dog stopped barking." Yin Xiu said. "Well, if you call me again, go kill it and make hot pot." Ma Xiaoyu closed her eyes contentedly, pulled the blanket on Yin Xiu's body closer to her, and fell into a deep sleep. (End of this chapter)