Xie Datou pointed to the long queue not far away and said helplessly, "We've arrived, but the queue is a bit long."
Hearing this, Xia Zhiying also poked her head out, her face full of surprise, and said, "It's not a holiday, why are there so many people lining up? When did Tongqiao County become so popular?"
Xie Datou shook his head. They had only heard of Tongqiao County but had never seen the city, so they had no idea why. Therefore, he got off the carriage shaft and said to Xu Jinhuan.
"Boss, you and Miss Xia sit in the carriage for a while. I'll go ahead and find out what happened."
After thinking for a moment, Xu Jinhuan instructed, "If anyone is curious, just listen from the side. Let's not attract too much attention when we enter the city."
Xie Datou nodded to indicate that he understood, then turned and left, walking forward.
He had only walked a few steps when he saw someone carrying several large baskets, with bloodstains on the sides, suggesting they contained raw meat.
Just then, someone nearby asked curiously, "Hey buddy, are you going to sell all that stuff at the market?"
The man carrying the large basket on his back smiled and shook his head, jokingly asking, "Haven't you been to Tongqiao County in a long time?"
The man who asked the question was taken aback and asked with a puzzled look, "How did you figure that out, sir? Have we met before?"
The man carrying a large basket laughed heartily and said, "If anyone has been to Tongqiao County recently, they will know what I'm doing there, so you must not have been here for a long time."
The man was even more confused by this. "Brother, after all you've said, what are you going to do there?"
Before the person carrying the basket could answer, an elderly woman in the queue next to her laughed and replied, "Oh, if he won't answer you, I will. We're all going to worship the Qilin God."
"The Qilin God? What kind of god is that? I've never heard of it before," the man asked curiously.
The old woman immediately smiled and explained, "The Qilin God is a benevolent deity who protects our land. The reason why our Tongqiao County was not affected by the flood is because of the protection of the Qilin God."
The man frowned upon hearing this and pointed to the city gate of Tongqiao County, saying, "It wasn't flooded, isn't it because Tongqiao County is located at a high altitude? What does it have to do with that so-called deity?"
Upon hearing this, the people around immediately changed their expressions, and the old woman even scolded them.
"How could you be so disrespectful to the Qilin God? The Qilin God will punish you! Quickly kneel down and pray to the Qilin God, saying that you were just speaking recklessly!"
Before the man could refute, the person carrying the basket kicked him in the knee, sending him crashing to his knees with a thud.
The people around him pressed down on him, forcing him to begin praying for his sins.
This scene made Xie Datou break out in a sweat. He quickly walked back to the carriage and told Xu Jinhuan what had just happened.
Upon hearing this, Xu Jinhuan's lips curled slightly, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes. "The Qilin God? This Tongqiao County is truly a pleasant surprise. I want to see what makes this Qilin God so powerful."
Xia Zhiying suddenly realized and said, "When I came here last time, there seemed to be something unusual about the surroundings, but Dulong didn't give me much time then, so I didn't pay much attention to it."
Xu Jinhuan looked at the bustling city gate and a sudden thought flashed through his mind: "I wonder if the gunpowder of the Qilin Divine Market is connected to the Ghost Market."
Xie Datou, whose mind was usually not very sharp, suddenly started working on it. He gasped and said, "Then these people are plotting something far too big."
After exchanging glances, the group fell silent for a moment.
Xu Jinhuan sneered, "Then let's see who comes out on top. I'm more curious about the true face of the person behind this."
Just then, a shout was heard.
"The city gates are open! The city gates are open!"
The long queue, which had been stuck in place, finally began to move slowly.
Xu Jinhuan and his group finally arrived at the city guards' side before the sun rose high in the sky.
"Where did you come from and where are you going? What are you doing in Tongqiao?"
Xu Jinhuan pulled back the curtain and presented the three of them with their travel permits and a silver ingot, smiling as he cupped his hands in greeting.
"We are merchants who came from the capital to find goods. Because the capital was flooded, and we heard that the Qilin God here can protect the peace of the area, we came here to pray for peace."
Upon hearing that he came from the capital, the guard's expression softened considerably. He quietly accepted the silver ingot, and after confirming that the travel permit was in order, he spoke with a proud look on his face.
"Then you've come to the right place. Not only are we blessed by the Qilin God, but we also have a Qilin God blessing event now, which is perfect for outsiders like you. You should check it out."
Xu Jinhuan laughed and said, "That's great! We've really come to the right place. Young man, could you show us the way?"
The guard pointed eastward, "Once you enter the city, just keep heading east. It's very conspicuous there; you'll see it immediately."
Oh, and just a heads-up, make sure to find an inn as soon as possible. There are so many people coming to town now, the good inns might all be booked up.
Xu Jinhuan smiled and thanked him, then cupped his hands in thanks to the guards before letting Xie Datou drive the carriage away.
"The Qilin God is making such a grand display, yet the county magistrate didn't stop it? It seems even the city guards are followers of the Qilin God now," Xia Zhiying remarked after confirming she had left the city gate.
Xu Jinhuan nodded upon hearing this, "Let's take a good look at this Qilin God later and see what it is. For now, let's find an inn to stay at for the time being."
Xia Zhiying instinctively wanted to say that she had a house here, but then she thought that there might be a traitor in the house, so she gave up the idea.
The horse-drawn carriage clattered along through Tongqiao County, stopping occasionally and then continuing its journey.
Xie Datou was extremely busy, asking at five or six inns, all of which said they were fully booked and had no vacancies.
"Boss, there are no rooms available here. I'll go to the next street." Xie Datou said, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Xu Jinhuan shook his head. "If we go to another street, it'll probably be the same result. Da Tou, find someone and ask if there are any courtyards for rent. Let's just rent one."
Xie Datou was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, and didn't react for a moment.
Xu Jinhuan smiled helplessly, "After renting a courtyard, it will be easier for us to move around, and we won't need others to keep watching us. Besides, your boss isn't short of money."
Xie Datou was hit again by the words "not short of money," and then went to find the servant with full confidence.
After confirming that there was a suitable courtyard, they respectfully invited Xu Jinhuan into the house.
The young man beamed with joy the moment he saw the elegantly dressed young master.
“Young master, you’ve come to the right person. There’s no house in this area that I don’t know. Take a look at these blueprints. If you like any of them, just let me know.”
Xu Jinhuan glanced at the blueprints, paused when looking at one of them, and asked casually, "This courtyard is similar in layout and size to the others, so why is it so expensive?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com