"There isn't a single honest official like us martial artists, who are all single-minded."
"I also can't understand why some martial arts practitioners always think that their brains are better than those of officials. They don't need to practice martial arts, and all they think about are conspiracies and tricks. How can you compare to them?"
Qiao Feng sighed with emotion. Having followed Li Chang'an for so long, he had come to understand some of the intricacies of court politics.
These things are far more complex than the scheming and intrigue of the martial arts world. After all, there is no such thing as chivalry in the imperial court; there are only real interests at stake.
These people are willing to give away their wives and children in order to get promoted and make money; they are far more ruthless than those in the underworld.
Upon hearing his words, Murong Hongxue said, "Alright, my great leader Qiao, stop being so sentimental. The prince will handle this. We shouldn't try to think about it ourselves, lest we make a fool of ourselves."
"Tiger is about to go to Fujian. Instead of thinking about these things, you might as well go out for a couple of drinks tonight."
"That's right, then my treat tonight, where shall we go for drinks?"
Murong Hongxue thought for a moment, then chuckled and said, "Let's go to Yihong Courtyard for a drink, and then we can spend the night there."
Zhao Hu rolled his eyes at him: "You're supposed to be the number one swordsman in Liao, how come your head is full of such low-class stuff?"
"Hey, Tiger, you don't understand. A swordsman not only needs to practice the sword in his hand, but also the sword under his hip."
Qiao Feng looked at him and sneered, "How can you train like this?"
Murong Hongxue smiled and shook her head, saying, "You don't understand, do you? There's a sword technique called 'Brother doesn't move, sister goes all out.'"
“We paid to go to the brothel, so why should we have to work ourselves to the bone to make those girls feel good?”
"Let them do it themselves, that's the only way to make the money we paid them worthwhile."
Zhao Hu and Qiao Feng looked at Murong Hongxue with disdain as he chuckled lewdly.
“You can go if you want, I’m not going to those kinds of places. I’m going home to be with my dad and mom. I’m leaving in a few days, and I probably won’t be back for another year or two.”
In ancient times, the mountains were high and the roads were long, making transportation inconvenient. A journey of several hundred miles could take a month to make and take a round trip, and there were various dangers along the way.
Sometimes, when you go on a long trip, you don't know how many years will pass before you return home.
After saying this, Zhao Hu turned around and left the palace, intending to go home and spend time with his parents.
Watching his retreating figure, Qiao Feng felt a little down: "Sigh, I envy him. He still has parents, and he can call out to them when he goes back. But when I get back to my room, it's all empty. I can't even call out to my parents if I want to."
Murong Hongxue patted his shoulder and comforted him, "It's alright, Chief Qiao. If you don't mind, I can be your father. Just call out and I'll respond, so you won't feel lonely."
"Get out of here. If you keep babbling, I'll break your middle leg too."
Qiao Feng was cursing and preparing to leave when Murong Hongxue looked at him and said, "No, it was just a joke. Why are you angry? Help me up."
"I'll give you a piece of my mind!"
Murong Hongxue thought for a moment and nodded: "That works too!"
"We're all brothers, so if you want to help me up, I'll help you up. That's just how kind I am."
"I'll be your mother's good!"
Qiao Feng left cursing, leaving Murong Hongxue with no choice but to look at the blind man standing to the side, who seemed to have no presence at all.
"Hey bro, wanna go to the brothel? My treat."
Li Qing took two steps back: "I am a monk, I cannot visit prostitutes."
"You pig-headed idiot, you didn't pay, how can it be considered prostitution?"
"Come on, carry me on your back, I'll show you the way, I'll take you to enjoy some paradise on earth."
While Murong Hongxue was deceiving Li Qing, Yang Zhi also arrived at Fenghe Tower.
Dressed in a black robe, he looked at the restaurant in front of him and felt a little breathless.
"call!"
He hesitated at the door for a long time before finally mustering up the courage to go inside.
Inside the restaurant, Li Chang'an sat in front of Wu Cheng, somewhat dumbfounded.
He stuffed eight bowls of rice, a table full of dishes, and half a roasted whole lamb into his stomach.
He had always thought that Lin Dongdong and Miao Qingqing were already quite big eaters, but he never expected to encounter someone even bigger eaters here.
"Are you full?"
"Uh~"
Wu Cheng downed a bowl of wine and then let out a satisfied burp.
"Seven or eight tenths full is enough. My wife says that you shouldn't eat too much, or you'll get a stitch."
After saying this, he knelt down and said, "Thank you for your hospitality, sir. I have no way to repay you. In my next life, I am willing to serve you like a cow or a horse."
Li Chang'an looked at him and asked, "No need for repayment, consider this a debt owed to you by the government. What are your plans now?"
"Once I kill Constable Wang, I'll escape to Lüliang Mountain. The government won't be able to reach there."
"Lüliang Mountains?"
Li Chang'an looked at Zhang Sanfeng with some doubt, but Zhang Sanfeng shook his head and then looked at Zhang Zhiwei.
"The Lüliang Mountains are located at the border of Jiangnan and Guangdong and Guangxi, so it's unclear which jurisdiction they belong to."
“It was a poor and miserable place, located deep in the mountains. It was sparsely populated and many fugitives who had committed murder or people who could not survive went there.”
"Gradually, it gained momentum, and many people in the martial arts world, when they offended enemies outside and had nowhere else to turn, would run to Lüliang Mountain."
Zhang Zhiwei explained, "However, many people went there but couldn't stand the poverty and returned."
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