By the time of Shenshi, the sky had darkened.

Fu Xiaoguan and Bai Yulian's carriage drove into Pingling County.

The news that the Pingling bandits were wiped out by the Divine Sword Special Forces had already spread, and even His Majesty's bestowal of the Divine Sword had spread throughout the world.

The sword that protects the country!

This army of only 4,000 people was actually named the Sword of Protection of the Country!

One can imagine what a powerful team this is.

In the past, Pingling County would have a curfew at night, for fear that Captain Gong would come and rob them.

Now that Captain Gong has surrendered, this place is naturally safe. The county magistrate has lifted the curfew, and Pingling County has regained some vitality.

Only a little, because those who are supposed to be poor are still as poor.

Because of the harm caused by Gong Shenchang over the past year, there has been no trading here for a long time, and business in the county town has become difficult, which has led to some well-established merchants leaving here and going to Xincheng or Yongning City, the provincial capital.

When Fu Xiaoguan and Bai Yulian walked from the beginning of the street to the end of the alley, there were very few shops open on both sides of the street, and there were also very few pedestrians on the street.

Compared with the prosperity of Linjiang... it's like heaven and earth, like two different worlds.

They found an inn on the busiest street, which made the innkeeper very happy.

The charming proprietress, wearing a cotton gown, led them to the upper room, chattering non-stop all the way, "That damned Gong Shenzhang, before he came to Pingling Mountain, I told you, Pingling County is nothing like this."

Fu Xiaoguan became interested and asked, "Tell me what it looks like?"

"There are many blind bears in Pingling Mountain, and there are also various mountain products, which are rare treasures outside. Every spring, many hunters and herbalists come into the mountains, and traveling merchants come to this county town. It's very lively, from April to now."

"But ever since that bastard came here, business has been getting worse day by day. To be honest, my inn hasn't been open for a long time... Pingling County used to have a dozen inns, big and small, but now there are only two left. Besides mine, there's another one on Shunhe Street. I heard it hasn't been open for a few days. I'm afraid it can't hold on any longer."

She took Fu Xiaoguan and the other two upstairs and opened the two upper rooms. "Luckily, the sun was shining a few days ago. I opened the windows to let in some fresh air. The bedding on the bed has just been changed. Are you satisfied with it, gentlemen?"

Fu Xiaoguan and the other man walked in. It was simple, but clean.

"Okay, that's it. Is there anything to eat or drink?"

"Would you like to try some of Pingling's delicacies?"

"What are some?" Fu Xiaoguan asked.

The proprietress was even more interested. "Braised bear liver with soy sauce... The blind bear is about to go into the cave. I heard that fellow Sun Er hunted one. If you two want to try it, I'll go buy it."

"This is fine, bear paws. Yes, let's burn a pair of these too."

I have never eaten it in my previous life, so I have to try it today.

"Alright, the other thing is some dried mushrooms, porcini and chicken mushrooms from Pingling Mountain. I'll make a pot of old hen soup with them, which should be enough for you two gentlemen. But the money..."

"How much silver do you need?"

"Including the room fee, the total is ten taels."

Bai Yulian heard, "It's so expensive?"

"Ah..." The proprietress thought she had asked for too much and was about to lower the price, but Fu Xiaoguan waved his hand and said, "That's it. Just make sure it tastes good. Also, boil some more water. My brother and I need to take a bath."

He handed the proprietress a ten-liang silver note, thought for a moment, and asked, "How is your Pingling County Magistrate..."

The proprietress happily accepted the banknote and said casually, "Zhang County Magistrate is arguably the best one Pingling has had in recent years. It's a pity he must have offended someone in the court and was exiled to this shabby place. It's unlikely he'll achieve anything."

"I'll go prepare it for you two gentlemen right away. I'll let you take a bath after the water is boiled."

After she finished speaking, she stomped downstairs. Fu Xiaoguan thought about it and decided that since he had nothing to do, he might as well go out for a walk before it got completely dark.

So the two of them went downstairs and strolled on the empty street.

Pingling County is not big. Two long streets, one horizontal and one vertical, intersect at a crossroads, and the county government office of Pingling County is right at the crossroads.

When Fu Xiaoguan and Bai Yulian just walked to the intersection, a horse happened to stop there.

A woman in white clothes, a conical hat and carrying a long sword dismounted from her horse in a heroic manner. She lifted up the conical hat and Fu Xiaoguan was shocked when he saw it. At the same time, the woman turned around and looked at Fu Xiaoguan.

Fu Xiaoguan had turned his head. He was not wearing a mask because there was no one else in this place who could recognize him except Zhang Wenhan.

But he didn't expect that the woman was Zhang Wenhan's sister - Zhang Pei'er!

Of course he remembered that face clearly. After all, they had sat in the same carriage in Linjiang and talked face to face for such a long time.

Zhang Pei'er also frowned at this moment. She only saw the man's profile, but it was very familiar, very much like Fu Xiaoguan - could it be that she was hallucinating?

Fu Xiaoguan died at the foot of the Great Snow Mountain and was buried at Zhaixingtai. How could he appear in this desolate place?

She rubbed her eyes. The two men had already walked away. She thought about it and denied that the man was Fu Xiaoguan.

She came here to see her brother. She heard from her father that her brother had a very difficult time in the past year. How difficult could it be?

After seeing the scene in Pingling County, she roughly understood that her brother's life was really not easy.

She walked into the county government office, and Fu Xiaoguan and Bai Yulian also walked into the inn.

"My lover?"

"Xiangni sister!"

"If I had a sister, I would give her a picture!"

"Get lost... Zhang Pei'er, daughter of the Linjiang cloth merchant Zhang Ji."

Bai Yulian, having heard that story before, looked at Fu Xiaoguan in astonishment. "Didn't Zhang Pei'er commit suicide by jumping into the river because she loved a heartless man?"

"Get lost! I'm not a heartless man! She committed suicide by jumping into the river. I'm afraid she was rescued... Seeing that she has a sword on her back, could it be that she has been training in martial arts this year?"

"Did you see it wrong?"

"What the hell! I live among flowers. Although I don't mess with them, they are in my heart. There is no mistake about it."

Bai Yulian pursed her lips and thought to herself, you have the intention but not the courage!

"Aren't you going to see Zhang Wenhan?"

"Xiaobai, go meet Zhang Wenhan tomorrow. I'll explain everything to you after dinner."

"I'm not going!"

"Xiaobai, are we brothers?"

"Brother is used to pass messages to you?"

Fu Xiaoguan patted Bai Yulian's shoulder cautiously, "No, brother, it's not just for delivering messages, it can also be used to deliver letters!"

"roll……!"