The more you believe me, the more true I am. Chapter 053

The tea shed owner, Du Yuan did not know what became of him.

He was leisurely walking on the official road in Qingzhou.

When he left Qing County earlier, he was complaining that it was exhausting without a means of transportation and that he definitely needed to acquire a skill for it.

Now, it was great; not only did he have the convenience of (Shorthanding), but also the convenience of (Storing Objects).

It was wonderful!

However, as he walked, Du Yuan discovered another problem that he wasn’t sure if it counted as a problem.

That was, he hadn’t deliberately avoided crowds when using (Shorthanding) along the way, but it seemed no one noticed his peculiarity.

Was it because of the small seal, or was this divine ability inherently like this, or was there something else?

Du Yuan wasn’t sure of the reason, but he silently pondered as he stopped outside Qingzhou City.

There was no talk of customs duties; that was for merchant caravans and horse gangs.

In fact, they even used another city gate.

Ordinary passersby, as long as they didn’t openly carry weapons or other prohibited items, would not be bothered by either the yamen runners at the city gate or the soldiers guarding the city wall.

Even those country folk carrying vegetables and livestock could pass through here without having to detour to the commercial road to pay taxes.

Du Yuan naturally followed the general flow of people on the main road.

As he walked, Du Yuan saw two or three familiar martial artists riding tall horses, directly entering from another less crowded official road.

After a few glances, Du Yuan recognized them as the Qian family’s martial artists.

Because their paths were different, Du Yuan was still in the crowd, and the three martial artists did not see Du Yuan.

However, Du Yuan noticed that the three martial artists were carrying the ghost-head sabers that Qian Youcai had bought at a high price.

It seemed they were bringing the items home for Qian Youcai.

However, had the Qian family not gone back to worship their ancestors yet?

The person next to him noticed Du Yuan looking at the three martial artists, so he also said enviously:

“If I’m not mistaken, those are people from the Qian family. Alas, in this world, it’s better to depend on a prominent family. Look at them, they were once common folk just like us.”

“But having climbed up to the Qian family, they don’t have to queue with us when entering and leaving the prefecture; they can directly use the noble path reserved for high-ranking families.”

Du Yuan nodded and said:

“So that road over there is specifically for those high-ranking families?”

“Not really, that road is actually a convenient path for public servants such as imperial messengers, but most of the time it’s used by nobles.”

The passerby was talkative, and as he spoke, he excitedly added:

“And let me tell you, many people don’t know this, but the Emperor once ordered local prominent families to be forbidden from using this path. However, with the Emperor opening the imperial examinations, this decree was quickly abolished.”

A few words, yet they subtly hinted at the early struggles between the imperial court and the aristocratic families.

So, a heroic emperor?

This Emperor is quite interesting.

“I’ve learned a lot.”

“It’s nothing.”

—————–

Inside the Qian family.

Qian Dafu, the head of the Qian family, was in a fit of rage.

He pointed at his eldest son, who had rushed back, and cursed:

“Look at the foolish thing your brother did! He actually dared to say that I… I, I. Forget it, it’s fine that this beast said my Qian family was immoral.”

“He even dared to come back and tell me this, wanting to take credit!”

Qian Dafu was truly furious; saying that his ancestral home was haunted, and that it was haunted by their ancestors, and the reason was their unfilial behavior!

This was something that couldn’t be said normally, let alone now that the southwest was still plagued by demon cultists!

Qian Youde, Qian Dafu’s eldest son, tried to comfort him:

“Father, perhaps it’s true…”

“Hmm?!”

Qian Youde was about to say that this matter might actually be true, but seeing his father’s angry glare, he quickly lowered his head and changed his words:

“Perhaps younger brother was merely deceived by that Taoist. You are different from us; in your early years, you traveled all over the four provinces, and you must have seen many charlatans who used their tricks with incredible skill.”

“Younger brother doesn’t have your experience and insights, so he naturally couldn’t resist.”

After these words, he both excused his younger brother and elevated his father.

This naturally made Qian Dafu feel much better.

“You’re right. This can serve as a lesson for your foolish brother.”

But before Qian Youde could let out a sigh of relief, he saw three martial artists, who had accompanied his younger brother to Qing County, burst into the house with great joy.

They immediately took off the long sabers from their backs, presented them with both hands, and shouted:

“Master, the second young master has brought a divine treasure saber for the family!”

Oh no!

Qian Youde’s heart sank. Why did they have to come at this moment?

“What? How much did it cost?”

Qian Dafu was even more startled.

Invited?

He wouldn’t have been tricked into selling the house, would he!

“Only five thousand taels of silver!”

The martial artist was truly delivering good news, because in his perception.

Money lost can be earned back, but where could one find a treasure saber that could slay demons with money?

And Master Qian almost fainted.

But he still forced himself to walk to the martial artist, snatching the ghost-head saber.

He looked at it from every angle, but he couldn’t see anything remarkable about it.

At this point, Qian Dafu’s last glimmer of hope completely vanished.

What followed was an endless rage.

“Five thousand taels for this piece of junk?”

The martial artist was also greatly surprised and said:

“Master, you don’t know, this is truly a divine treasure!”

“Treasure your big head!”

In his rage, Qian Dafu threw the unimpressive ghost-head saber aside.

Coincidentally, it precisely impaled itself on the pillar of the corridor in front of the door.

“I’m telling you, no one is allowed to touch this saber! I want that unfilial son to come back and kowtow until his head bleeds for the mischief he caused!”

After speaking, Qian Dafu clutched his chest and painfully collapsed.

Those around him rushed to help him, and no one dared to mention the ghost-head saber or the strangeness of Qing County anymore.

They could only frantically send Qian Dafu to his room to rest.

Until he was awakened by the doctor’s silver needle, the first thing Qian Dafu did when he opened his eyes was to grab his eldest son’s hand and say with grief and indignation:

“Five thousand taels, that was five thousand taels of silver!”

Qian Youde braced himself and comforted him:

“Father, perhaps that saber truly has divine powers, but our mortal eyes cannot see its true nature.”

Qian Dafu immediately cursed:

“You’re saying that too? Tell me, what can that broken saber do?!”

Qian Youde dared not speak further, and could only hold his father’s hand, quietly keeping him company.

—————–

In the tea shed outside the city, as the sun set in the west, the owner, who estimated there would be no more customers, put down his ledger and began to tidy up the tables and chairs by himself.

The two apprentices had already gone back.

They were both young men who had recently married; how could they stay here with him, an old man, all the time?

So the owner had sent them back early to accompany their wives.

But as he was lowering his head to tidy up the tables and chairs.

He saw several pairs of dirty, long boots standing outside in the twilight, beyond the lamplight.

Looking up again, he clearly saw a dozen or so soldiers clustered around a tall man clad in iron armor.

“Oh, military sir, would you like some tea or food? Although my small shop isn’t big, I can still make some noodles!”

Little did he know, as soon as he said this, the faces of those seemingly dazed soldiers and the leading general changed:

“You, you can see us?”

The owner was stunned to hear this:

“Aren’t you right in front of me?”

In the owner’s confusion, the general and the soldiers exchanged glances, then said to the owner:

“Then please make each of us a small bowl of noodles. Noodles from home, we haven’t had them in a long time.”

“Alright, I guarantee it’ll be authentic Qingzhou small noodles!”

The owner happily went into the inner room, unaware that the soldiers outside remained in the dim lamplight, not lighting lamps nor entering the house.

The night wind was desolate and hard to describe, and the iron armor was rusted and crimson.