Chapter 63: Hiring a Cat (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
"What is Mr. Shen looking at?"
Gong Shuwu had noticed early on that Shen Tang looked at him with a mixture of surprise and envy, and a rare smile appeared on his haggard face.
Caught red-handed, Shen Tang awkwardly looked away.
"Ahem, I've noticed that Uncle Gong is really tall." Of the four people present, she was the shortest, even Zhai Le was half a head taller than her. This made Shen Tang feel uncomfortable because she had to look up when talking to people. She humbly asked, "Is there any secret to growing taller quickly?"
It would be even better if there were muscle-building secrets.
These well-developed muscles clearly possess immense explosive power, which cannot be concealed by ordinary clothing, inspiring envy in onlookers.
If she had an impressive height and muscles strong enough to punch someone so hard their brains would be blown out, even the most idiot in the world would instinctively behave politely and respectfully in front of her.
Qi Shan: "..."
Zhai Le burst out laughing without any restraint.
Gong Shuwu was taken aback at first, then revealed a relaxed smile. He glanced at the Wenxin Huaban on Shen Tang's waist and said tactfully, "Young Master Shen is still young. It will take a few more years before he grows up quickly."
Shen Tang asked, "No trick?"
There's no secret to it.
With very few exceptions, most martial arts masters are taller and stronger than ordinary men. This is because only a strong physique can unleash great power. If the body cannot withstand the power of martial arts, the attempt to kill the enemy will backfire and injure the master.
Courage is the best secret.
Unfortunately, the young man is a scholar with a literary mind.
Shen Tang: "..."
Her disappointment was written all over her face.
Qi Shan said, "Young Master Shen has reminded me that you should conceal your appearance and the Tiger Tally to avoid trouble."
Body shape isn't a problem; after all, Gong Shuwu isn't the only one who stands out in a crowd. As long as the Martial Courage Tiger Talisman passes inspection and his appearance isn't recognized, it's not difficult to slip through the cracks. This is precisely one of Qi Shan's special skills. The only trouble is—
"This secret technique needs to be used once every seven days."
Gong Shuwu said: "Once in seven days?"
Qi Shan said with shame, "Well, my skills are not good enough; I can only maintain this for seven days. After seven days, I will return to my original form..."
Gong Shuwu sighed softly, feeling regret but no dissatisfaction—family members know their own affairs; he had too many troubles, and if outsiders got involved even a little, they would be in trouble and risk their lives. He was too grateful for the righteous help of Qi Shan and the other men.
"In that case, I will trouble you to perform the procedure."
Gong Shuwu respectfully clasped his hands in greeting, while Qi Shan's eyes curved slightly.
He waved his hand repeatedly, saying, "It's nothing, no trouble at all."
Shen Tang, who was standing to one side, raised an eyebrow.
Qi Shan's plan to help Gong Shuwu disguise his appearance and obtain the Martial Courage Tiger Tally seems to be the same as helping her conceal her literary signature?
How come she didn't know that this thing has an expiration date?
Since the last time he disguised himself, Yuan Liang hadn't mentioned anything about having to use it again in seven days... If there really was a time limit, he would definitely remind himself to avoid making a big mistake and revealing a flaw. Shen Tang's eyes flickered slightly as she tidied up these thoughts and hid them deep in her heart.
She bet Yuanliang was definitely up to no good!
"Sir, could you also help me revise it?" Zhai Le wanted to join in the fun, especially the kind that's a 'step-to-the-sky' advancement. He said, "Let me think, how about changing it to a 20th-rank Marquis? I'll use it to tease my brother later, and give him a good scare!"
The twentieth rank of Marquis is the ultimate goal pursued by all martial artists! One man can hold the pass against ten thousand, what a heroic spirit!
Qi Shan: "..."
He inexplicably recalled that Young Master Shen had also opened his mouth with "First-Rank, Top-Tier Literary Talent," while this guy in front of him wanted "Twentieth-Rank Marquis." Why don't these two just ascend to immortality on the spot? They're just daydreaming!
While inwardly grumbling and complaining, he actually fulfilled Zhai Le's little wish—to use this disguised Martial Tiger Talisman to tease his older brother, ensuring he wouldn't even know how he got beaten up.
What happened last night did not affect Xiaocheng.
People lined up to enter the city in an endless stream, and the city gate guards were as usual—bossing and shoving at ordinary people, while fawning over those with literary signatures or martial prowess tallies, and conducting only symbolic inspections.
After entering the city, the four separated.
Zhai Le wanted to return to his lodgings to meet his brother. He was worried that his brother would go looking for him if he stayed out all night, so he exchanged places with Shen Tang and made an appointment to go out together. Most importantly, he wanted to know when Shen Langjun would set up his wine stall so he could patronize his business.
As for Gongshu Wu—
Because of the seven-day time limit, he couldn't stay too far from Qishan if he wanted to stay in Xiaocheng. At this time, Qishan "kindly" told him that he could rent a house next door, and Gong Shuwu felt embarrassed to refuse such a kindness, so he agreed. Shen Tang witnessed everything as an observer.
She increasingly felt that Qi Yuanliang was harboring malicious intentions.
The three returned to their lodgings. Qi Shan asked the old woman to help Gong Shuwu find a place to stay. A little while later, Chu Yao returned carrying several packets of lotus leaves, followed by a sturdy little boy. The boy had two small pigtails sticking up in the air and rosy cheeks.
Holding a living creature wrapped in cloth, arching its back.
He asked Shen Tang, "Has Wu Lang sobered up yet?"
Qi Shan said irritably, "If he doesn't sober up now, how dare we bring him back? He could tear Xiaocheng down completely!"
Chu Yao teased, "Has Fifth Brother managed to recover the treasure?"
Shen Tang blushed with embarrassment and stammered, "Oh, wasn't he drunk? You can't believe what a drunk person says, it's all a misunderstanding."
Qi Shan: "Young Master Shen has brought back the 'treasure'."
Chu Yao asked in surprise, "Didn't you say it was a misunderstanding?"
"Last night we chased after them all the way and rescued someone more than 20 miles outside the city." Qi Shan's anger reignited as he thought about what happened last night, and his tone became more forceful. "How can someone who went through so much trouble and risked so much to be rescued not be called a 'treasure'?"
Chu Yao: "..."
He was somewhat curious about the person Qi Shan brought back.
Although he had only communicated with Qi Yuanliang in spirit before yesterday and only met him in person yesterday, based on past rumors, he knew that this fellow was the kind of person who wouldn't do anything without a profit. Although he had enemies everywhere, he didn't like getting involved in trouble, and once he did, there was always something to gain.
Let him see—
Which unlucky guy has been targeted this time?
Chu Yao didn't speak, but his expression betrayed his thoughts. Qi Shan understood immediately, and her eyebrows twitched violently.
His gaze swept across the room and he immediately noticed the chubby boy following behind Chu Yao, so he asked, "Whose family is this kid?"
Chu Yao: "He's the son of the butcher at that butcher shop. His father paid me tuition, and I couldn't just abandon his son. Anyway, Wu Lang will be staying in Xiaocheng for a while, so I brought him over to teach him. In this world, it's always good to learn some skills to protect yourself."
After saying that, he patted the little chubby boy on the head.
Looking at Shen Tang, he said to the chubby boy, "Don't be nervous, this young man is the fifth son of the Shen family, my master."
The child, looking flustered and head bowed, stepped forward and gave a somewhat awkward bow. He appeared plump, but his voice was surprisingly clear: "Greetings, sir."
Chu Yao then looked at Qi Shan.
"This is Qi Yuanliang, just call him Mr.."
The chubby boy obediently replied, "Hello, sir."
Qi Shan's expression softened as he nodded to the child, and he was about to go inside to rest—he had spent the night outdoors in rudimentary conditions and hadn't slept well due to mosquitoes—when he heard a very faint meow, he paused.
Then Shen Tang asked the chubby boy, "Is that a cat in your arms?"
I was supposed to post two updates today, but something came up during the day and I didn't get back to writing until very late.
There will be another chapter after this one, which will be quite late.
Tomorrow at midnight.
(End of this chapter)
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