Chapter 444

Cai Qiu Year 297, January 25, daytime.

The Jiuzhen territory at the southern foot, for the four Fanzhens of Mo'ao River, at least in front of the two Fanzhens of Cai Qiu and Chen Cang, is basically in a one-way transparent state.

And the high-level figures of the three northern towns also have close ties with the two Fanzhens.

Xia Hong knew these two points before he came over.

However, what he thought was obviously still a bit simple.

During the time he stayed in Changqing Valley, he discovered that the calendar used by Cai Qiu and the Jiuzhen, besides the different years, the dates were actually completely synchronized.

The Mo'ao Calendar was initially used by the three northern towns, and it was only later, with the integration of trade, that the other six towns followed suit.

The duration of camp development is different, and it is normal for the years to be different. Dates may be formulated extremely close due to the growth laws of vegetation or other coincidences, but being completely consistent is a bit strange.

For example, the Great Xia calendar differs from the Jiuzhen by four days in date, which is a normal phenomenon. This situation in Cai Qiu can only explain one thing, and that is that it began to influence the three towns very early.

From this, it can be inferred that the relationship between the three towns and Cai Qiu is far deeper than Xia Hong imagined before.

Although he reached this conclusion, the mountains are high and the roads are long, and there is no means to send any messages back, so Xia Hong can only keep this matter in his heart silently, and deal with it after returning to the Jiuzhen territory later.

Similar to when he was in Xia City, once he started closed-door cultivation, he was basically in a state of not asking about the outside world.

Although the servants like Zhou Qing in the manor had many curiosities about their new master, due to the distinction between superior and inferior, plus Xia Hong's instructions, they didn't dare to disturb the quiet room casually. No matter what happened, they could only ask Su Jing and the four for instructions.

Speaking of this matter, it can be considered a bit bizarre.

Xia Hong arrived in Qinghuacheng on the night of January 18. Although he became the master of the manor as soon as he entered the city, because he was invited by Cai Yunzhou to attend a banquet at the City Lord's Mansion that night, and then entered the quiet room to start closed-door cultivation as soon as he returned.

So the servants like Zhou Qing, in the seven days up to now, had only seen him once on the night he returned from the banquet.

It was fortunate that they saw him that one time, otherwise these servants wouldn't even recognize their own master, which is simply unimaginable in the strictly graded Cai Qiu Fanzhen.

"Intermediate Yellow-Armored Bear, the strength is about 1.5 bristles. Third brother can almost hunt alone now!"

Beside a tree, three young people, two men and one woman, suddenly jumped down. They were the eldest Su Jing, the second Su Xu, and the youngest Su Xing'er.

All six were dressed in cotton clothing. The two who were slightly ahead were two middle-aged men in their 40s, wearing animal fur felt hats and looking determined. The remaining three men and one woman, four young people in their 20s, were a few steps behind the two, the reason being that they were holding the carriage with their hands, clearly to reduce the bumps during the carriage's travel.

"Third brother is so powerful just after breaking through, I also have to break through quickly!"

Su Xing'er jumped with joy, put the long sword behind her back, quickly took out a few leather bags from her body, and gathered beast blood at the position of the brown bear's wound.

Su Jing looked at his sister and asked in a low voice: "Fourth, you are only more than two thousand jin away from the supreme-grade battle body. Is there really no hope?"

Su Xu and Su Zhi, who were on the side, immediately turned their heads to look at Su Xing'er upon hearing this, their faces full of expectation.

Facing the expectant eyes of the three older brothers, Su Xing'er naturally felt a lot of pressure. But after lowering her head and pondering for a moment, she still answered softly: "Now even intermediate beast blood has no effect. I should have reached the limit."

Su Jing and the three heard this, and a look of regret immediately appeared on their faces.

"Supreme-grade battle body qualification, after certification by the Administrative Division, can directly enter the civilian household registration; once the strength reaches, it is easy to convert to military household registration; if you can apprentice to a big figure, it is not impossible to be promoted to noble household registration."

Hearing the second brother's words, the regret on the faces of Su Jing and the three grew even more intense, and after nodding, they sighed lightly.

"I heard from the leader before that those who convert to military household registration basically live in the county city. Among the 1.2 million people in Changqing Valley, there are less than 300 people with military household registration; there are only more than 5,000 people with civilian household registration, basically all core circles of various villages."

After Su Jing finished speaking, he sighed slightly.

Cai Qiu's management mode is strictly in accordance with the household registration system.

First, divide everyone in the territory into six ranks: world, noble, military, civilian, slave, and base; then, for these six types of people, from clothing, food, housing, and transportation, activity areas, to the occupations and trades they engage in, to etiquette and behavior, all have detailed regulations, and no one can deviate; finally, these household registration books are uniformly managed by the local Administrative Division, and promotion, de-registration, and even removal from registration all have to pass through their hands.

For everyone living in the Cai Qiu territory, household registration is definitely a top priority. It is not only proof of your identity, but also the criterion for all your actions. Once violated, it is a serious crime.

In fact, besides the six-rank household registration, there is also a kind of non-ranked livestock household registration, which includes the 1.2 million people living in the Changqing Valley area, including the four Su siblings.

You can tell from the two words "livestock household registration" that the Cai Qiu vassal town basically didn't treat them as humans. Besides collecting annual tribute every year, or sending people down to collect some slaves and handymen with the mentality of alms, they basically don't care at other times.

That's not right, for example, things like needing people to send their lives to the Bone-Eroding Path, they still think of them.

Thinking of this, a look of self-mockery appeared on Su Jing's face.

He remembered very clearly that three years ago, their family of six was actually only one step away from civilian household registration. His father already had 5 bristles of strength at that time, which met the standard for entering civilian household registration. But because he had to take his mother and the four of them to enter the registration together, he needed to pay an extra fee of 13,000 taels, so he didn't enter.

It was precisely because he wanted to save this money that his parents chose to take risks, increased the frequency of hunting, and finally met with misfortune outside.

"Big brother, do you think Lord Hong Yu will always take us with him?"

Su Jing was suddenly interrupted. He looked at Su Xing'er, who was full of hope, and really couldn't bear to extinguish her hope. He nodded and smiled: "Definitely. It has been more than four months. Not only did the Lord give us so many good things, but he also taught us boxing and sword techniques. Didn't he also teach you sword techniques? He treats us so well, he will definitely take us with him."

"I knew it, Lord Hong Yu is the best!"

Hearing these words, Su Xing'er was pleasantly surprised, her eyes immediately smiled into crescent shapes. Of course, not only her, but the two brothers Su Xu and Su Zhi also couldn't help but show smiles on their faces.

It has been more than four months since they were rescued at the mouth of the Bone-Eroding Path.

In the more than four months spent with Xia Hong, the four Su siblings felt as if they had fallen into heaven. Looking back now, that intermediate Red-Bristled Tiger four months ago was just the beginning.

Intermediate beast meat, beast blood, refined salt, Blood Spirit Pill, Blood Yuan Pill, Yang Yuan Pill, Golden Sore Pill...... The small yellow bundle Xia Hong carried with him seemed to contain endless precious cultivation resources, and he would take out one and reward them from time to time, making their cultivation progress soar at a speed of a thousand miles a day.

Material things are secondary. The key is that Xia Hong's attitude towards them was also much better than at the beginning. Not only did he point out their cultivation, teach the four of them a profound boxing technique, but even taught them a set of martial arts techniques according to their personal characteristics.

Half a month ago, Su Jing took the lead in breaking through to the Frigid Resistance level with a foundation strength of more than 100,000 jin; later it was the second brother Su Xu's 110,000 jin; until two days ago, the third brother Su Zhi's skin membrane state also reached the limit, and he successfully broke through with a foundation strength of more than 100,000 jin.

In the more than four months spent with Xia Hong, they would produce a happy illusion from time to time, as if everything had returned to three years ago, before their parents had an accident, and they had a solid new reliance again.

The ups and downs of life are so absurd. A second ago, they were almost thrown into the Bone-Eroding Path by the County Guard Army to send their lives, and the next second they lived a superior life they couldn't imagine before, and this superiority also combined both material and emotional aspects.

Their feelings for Xia Hong also slowly transformed from the fear and terror at the beginning to respect and admiration, and now they have become thick dependence.

Precisely because of this, Su Xing'er would ask such a question.

Going out tonight was originally to test Su Zhi's breakthrough strength. Now that the test was completed, the four of them packed up the prey and set off to return immediately.

Su Jing led the two younger brothers to carry the prey. After walking for a while, he turned his head and said to his sister Su Xing'er: "The Lord has been going out more and more frequently in recent days. His injuries should be almost healed, and he has started to inquire about the road conditions. Xing'er, if you are sure that you have reached the limit, then seize the time to break through. I estimate that we are about to set off soon."

"Understood, big brother!"

Su Xing'er nodded and agreed heavily upon hearing this.

More than four months ago, Xia Hong said in front of them that he was going to Linchu County, and also urged them to break through to the Frigid Resistance level early and not delay his time.

"I will try to break through tonight, I cannot delay the Lord's time!"

Su Xing'er cheered herself up in her heart and quickened her pace.

"There is fire in the cave, the Lord is back!"

The area where the four hunted was less than ten kilometers away from the cave, and they arrived soon.

It was nighttime, and seeing the bonfire in the cave, knowing that Xia Hong was back, the four of them immediately showed smiles on their faces and hurriedly quickened their pace.

But after walking into the cave entrance, the expressions of the four froze suddenly.

Beside the bonfire, Xia Hong was bleeding a small cyan snake in his hand.

That small cyan snake was only as thick as a thumb, its skin membrane was crystal clear, and its body length was estimated to be less than one meter, but the blood released filled the entire wooden basin, at least more than a hundred jin; and the bones exposed in the part where it was dissected were actually pure gold......

"Lord, is this small snake a very powerful intermediate cold beast?"

Xia Hong, who was bleeding, looked up at Su Xing'er, who was full of curiosity, deliberately had the intention to tease her, nodded, and handed the small snake over.

Although Su Xing'er was young, she had also hunted outside for a long time, so she naturally wouldn't be afraid of a small snake, and stretched out her right hand to take it.

But with this take, she staggered and fell to the ground, then looked up at Xia Hong, her little face immediately collapsed, looking miserable.

"Hahahaha, this is a Beast King-level Green Jade Vine Snake. It just looks small. After bleeding, it still weighs seventy or eighty thousand jin. You actually dare to take it with one hand."

Xia Hong was amused, and while speaking, he reached out and took the small snake back.

"Beast King!"

Su Xing'er heard this and hurriedly got up and patted her butt, leaned to Xia Hong's side, her eyes full of curiosity and shock.

Of course, it was not just her. The Su Jing three brothers on the other side who had just put down the Yellow-Armored Bear also shook their bodies upon hearing this and quickly gathered around.

The four Su siblings had never seen, let alone heard of, a Beast King, but they could understand a general idea just from the literal meaning.

"Lord, can we eat this small snake tonight?"

Xia Hong turned his head to look at Su Xing'er, seeing her staring at the Green Jade Vine Snake with a greedy look, couldn't help but laugh: "Eat a little if you want, but you can't eat too much. Cut out one-fifth, and the five of us will share it."

"Wow, Lord you are too good!"

Su Xing'er immediately jumped with joy, almost clapping her hands.

Xia Hong turned his head to look at the Su Jing three brothers, finding that the three were looking at himself with gratitude, clearly intending to bow and thank him again, immediately lost interest, waved his hand and said: "Alright, you go and clean up first!"

People are probably a bit cheap, and Xia Hong is no exception.