The next morning, the two got ready and headed towards Lancheng.
Worried that someone might be watching them from the shadows, Tang Nian didn't dare use magic and decided to do what she always did: hitch a ride with Ming Huan on the carriages of passing merchant caravans.
Unfortunately, the plague in Nanyu City had drastically reduced the number of caravans passing through the city, and the two searched around but couldn't find a carriage to Lancheng.
Lancheng is just a small city, so it's normal that few caravans go there. But the fact that everyone is vague about Lancheng is quite intriguing.
There are many small towns between Nanyu City and Lan City, but after thinking it over, Tang Nian still spent a lot of money to find a caravan to take the two of them to a post station not far from Lan City.
The official road was deserted, and the post station could no longer function as a post station. Who would have thought that there was not a single person in the post station, and the roof, which had been in disrepair for many years, had several large holes?
"With the post station in such a dilapidated state, won't urgent letters from the north never reach the capital?"
Tang Nian's eyes showed a hint of seriousness. It was obvious that this was not something that had happened overnight, which meant that problems had been brewing in Lancheng for a long time.
Fortunately, there was a teahouse not far from the post station, and the two decided to go there to gather information.
"Waiter, why are there so few people passing by here?"
"Oh, sir, please don't mention it." The waiter vigorously wiped his hand on the apron in front of him. "I don't know what happened to Lancheng, fewer people are coming out. There used to be quite a few people going in to do business, but then they gradually disappeared."
"Oh?" Tang Nian became interested.
Perhaps because no one had passed by for so long, the waiter had a lot to say, and seeing Tang Nian's curiosity, he opened up.
“Those merchants who came out all looked like they were scared out of their wits. Their faces turned pale when they mentioned Lan City.” He leaned down and lowered his voice. “In my opinion, there are man-eating monsters in this city. I saw a caravan of about ten people before, but only five of them came out.”
As he spoke, a hint of apprehension flashed in the waiter's eyes. He looked around and lowered his voice even further: "Sir, I advise you not to go to Lancheng."
Tang Nian nodded casually: "Judging from your accent, you're not from Lancheng, but rather from the capital."
The waiter's eyes lit up: "Sir, you have a good ear. It's just that our manager has given me too much money, so I'm here guarding this little tea shop. But don't worry, sir, although our tea shop is small, we have everything you need."
Upon hearing this, Tang Nian raised her eyebrows slightly, leaned to the other side of the bench, and looked up at the flag fluttering in the wind.
Below the large character for "tea" are three delicate and small characters embroidered: Qingyi Pavilion.
You can't notice it unless you look closely.
"It's like a persistent ghost," Tang Nian cursed under her breath.
It's Lou Mu again!
He's everywhere I go!
She had heard Jing Yao mention it when she was in the capital, but she never expected that Lou Mu would open a teahouse in this desolate wilderness!
So, does he also know about what's happening here?
"Qingyi Pavilion, isn't this Lou Mu's teahouse? Why does he have a tea shop here too?"
Tang Nian looked up, surprised that Ming Huan also knew.
Unexpectedly, Minghuan then said, "Sister Tang, why didn't you teach him a lesson?"
"What?" Tang Nian's mouth was slightly open, her face full of confusion.
"Sister Tang, don't you remember? It's the one with the title 'First Detective Xiang Liu'."
If Minghuan hadn't reminded her, Tang Nian would have completely forgotten.
but……
"Don't mention this again." Tang Nian pretended to be calm, picked up the teacup on the table, and took a big gulp.
Since he did such a thing back then, let him use Xiang Liu's name for now.
"Why?" Minghuan couldn't understand how Tang Nian, with her vengeful nature, could give up so easily.
Tang Nian turned her head away from Ming Huan: "Ming Huan, have you absorbed the merit bead?"
Merit beads are beads that store merit and can also be used to display merit. The one in Tang Nian's hand is the one that displays her merit, while the one given by the God of God is for storing merit and can be converted into one's own merit.
"Not yet, Sister Tang, why don't you want it? Doesn't the High God mean that he has already forgiven your Xiangliu clan?"
The merits within the merit beads, combined with Tang Nian's merit beads, perfectly met the requirements of the Supreme God.
"Minghuan, you must remember that only merit earned by yourself is truly useful. Merit given by others is ultimately not yours. I appreciate the God's good intentions." Tang Nian spoke earnestly, worried that Minghuan, being inexperienced in the ways of the world, might do something wrong in pursuit of merit.
Divine beasts need more merit than ferocious beasts. Since Minghuan is with her, she always wants him to do more so that Heaven can give him more merit. However, it seems that Minghuan's merit is not enough.
Moreover, there were still many things she didn't understand, so she couldn't go to the gods to report back so quickly.
“I see…” Ming Huan scratched his head. “Then I’ll keep the Merit Bead.”
The teahouse was quiet, the teapot was almost empty, and Tang Nian murmured, "Tell me, Nanyu City and Lan City are so far apart, does Song Shiyan really have the heart to marry his sister off here?"
"Maybe Song Shiyan's appearance was just an act." Ming Huan pursed his lips, unaware that Tang Nian was frowning and scrutinizing him.
Suddenly, Minghuan pointed to the mountain behind Tang Nian and said, "Sister Tang! Look what's that?"
Tang Nian quickly turned her head, squinting as she said, "People, wait, why are there several mountain demons following behind?"
The mountains were overgrown with miscellaneous trees, and one could vaguely see a person dressed as a scholar running wildly up the mountain, looking back from time to time.
Three white-haired monsters followed closely behind him, looking down at the terrified scholar as if they were walking a moving toy, leisurely following behind.
"Minghuan, go save them."
"How come there are mandrills here?" Tang Nian watched Ming Huan's departing figure, stood up, leaned forward, and looked up at the mountaintop. "There's only a little snow on the summit..."
Legend has it that mandrills are ferocious, but they only live on mountains covered in snow all year round. This mountain doesn't look like it should have any mandrills.
Before long, Ming Huan was seen walking down the mountain with a displeased expression, followed closely by a tail.
“He insisted on coming with me.” Ming Huan plopped down opposite Tang Nian, pointing irritably at the timid scholar standing beside him.
Upon seeing Tang Nian's stunning appearance and demeanor, the scholar's eyes widened. However, with Ming Huan by his side, he feigned seriousness and said, "I am Cui Wensong. Thank you for saving my life, Miss."
"Why are you thanking her? I was the one who saved you." Ming Huan saw through Cui Wensong's ill intentions at a glance, stood up abruptly, and said irritably.
Tang Nian raised her hand to stop Ming Huan, staring intently into Cui Wensong's eyes, her smile not reaching her eyes: "You're just a scholar, why did you run up the mountain? There's no official road up there."
“This…” Cui Wensong glanced at Tang Nian, then at the formidable Ming Huan.
“Young master, there is no need to worry. My attendants and I are Taoist priests who exorcise demons and ghosts. You can tell us any problems you may have.”
Seeing that the two were indeed dressed exactly like Taoist priests, Cui Wensong made up his mind and knelt down in front of Tang Nian without warning. "Miss, you don't know, Lancheng is haunted and you can't go there. I finally managed to escape and hide in the mountains, but I didn't expect there to be such a terrible monster on the mountain."
What do you mean?
Tang Nian became very excited when this topic was brought up.
She turned and called out to the waiter who had been secretly watching them, "Waiter, another pot of tea!"
"Okay!"
“Lan…Lan City is full of water, water ghosts.” Cui Wensong trembled as soon as he mentioned Lan City.
Tang Nian thoughtfully poured him a cup of tea, and her gentle demeanor made Ming Huan think that Tang Nian had been possessed.
"No rush, take your time."
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