Chapter 160: Inn Anecdotes, Rat King Recruiting a Son-in-law

"Big rat, big rat, don't eat my millet! I've served you for three years, but you don't care about me..."

The so-called exorcism and dharma practice must have a method. This method doesn't mean that you can solve the demon with three punches and two kicks.

Since you are invited to subdue demons, you must have the appearance of a dharma master. Sometimes spells may not be useful, but chanting them will make them look more professional.

Xu Qing chanted anonymous lyrics in his mouth, and the elm wood sword made of lightning-struck wood drew circles back and forth.

This move really bluffed Guo Dongyang and the granary official responsible for supervision.

Don't say, it really looks like that!

After circling the grain warehouse and chanting, Xu Qing's brows wrinkled tighter and tighter.

The Yin Pupil appeared. In the center of the granary, laid out with 'Mountain' and 'Stop' formations, only a sliver of demon qi leaked to the surface. If not for Xu Qing's Heavenly Eye Yin Pupil, he likely wouldn't have seen even a single rat hair.

The demon rat hid in the deepest part of the grain cellar in the center of the grain warehouse, just like a shrinking-headed turtle. No matter how you circled above, you couldn't start.

The granary official followed Xu Qing and ran around the grain warehouse. After a circle, the grain official who had been sitting in the public office for a long time was already sweating profusely.

This official asked you to come to subdue demons, not to take the imperial official to train!

Enduring the anger in his heart, the granary official wiped his sweat with a handkerchief and questioned: "Master Xu, you've seen it. When do you plan to drive away the rat infestation?"

Xu Qing didn't pay attention to the granary official, but turned to look at Xuan Yu and Guan Dazhuang.

Xuan Yu turned its head, as if it had no face to face Xu Qing.

Guan Dazhuang shook his head: "The demon rat is hiding in the hole. If you guard the hole for three or five days, you might be able to catch it."

"But there is so much grain here; never mind three or five days, even if it held out for three or five years, who could do anything about it?"

The granary official was unhappy when he heard this: "Since you don't have the ability to subdue demons, don't delay this official's work..."

Xu Qing raised his hand to interrupt the granary official's reprimand and said: "Man proposes, God disposes. This matter is just difficult to handle, not impossible to handle."

"Don't tease this official. Since there is a way, then do it quickly!"

Enduring the impulse to hold a funeral for the grain official in front of him, Xu Qing pinched a handful of soil on the ground and raised his eyebrows: "The layout of this grain warehouse is particular."

Guo Dongyang's heart moved, and he hurriedly asked: "What is the saying?"

Xu Qing pondered: "This grain warehouse uses the layout of mountain and stop. In Feng Shui, Gen stop generates wealth, and grain gathers like a mountain."

"This warehouse occupies the northeast treasure position. This position belongs to the place where the wealth treasury returns to hide. Setting the grain warehouse here can lock the essence of grain. When we came in, we took the South Gate. It is said that the South Gate opens, and the five grains come to the subject..."

In terms of Feng Shui, Xu Qing hadn't seen any funeral master who could be stronger than him. One method leads to a hundred methods. When the geomancy of the local cave reaches the extreme, other aspects of Feng Shui will naturally be proficient.

"This grain warehouse is near water but not facing water, which can fire the fire dragon. There is a water-suppressing stone three steps outside the granary. It should be that when the warehouse was built, there was a high person's guidance. This gray stone tablet can just block the moisture."

The granary official's brows eased slightly: "You have some vision. This grain warehouse was built under the supervision of a high person from the Celestial Master's Mansion invited by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, so it is naturally extraordinary."

"I haven't finished speaking yet." Xu Qing smiled and said: "The granary should be long or square, corresponding to the earth virtue in the round sky and square earth, and needs to avoid sharp corners and arcs, which are broken shapes. There is an ancient saying: If the granary is not regular, rats and ants will invade the grain, and the family fortune will decline!"

"But looking at this grain warehouse now, there is an extra sharp corner. Official, look at that. Does it look like an old rat's mouth?"

The granary official looked in the direction Xu Qing pointed.

Goodness! That place is not elsewhere, but the relief warehouse newly built to relieve the disaster victims!

Pointing to those nine granary rooms, Xu Qing said: "If the grain in that warehouse can be released, this sharp-mouthed layout can just be broken. If the big rat has no mouth, it can't steal grain, and the official's problem won't be solved?"

The granary official flicked his sleeves and carried his hands behind his back, his face iron-blue: "Alarmist talk! What does the rat infestation have to do with that relief warehouse? You subdue demons, don't manage these idle affairs."

Xu Qing looked at the five-grain energy full of the relief warehouse, but could only sigh helplessly.

No wonder there are so many refugees in the world. It turns out there is so much grain.

It's a pity that they would rather feed the grain to the rats than truly send out the grain that should have been sent out.

Looking at the sky, Xu Qing pondered for a moment, turned around, and began to walk out of the warehouse.

"Official, let's go out and talk."

After the group of people arrived outside the grain warehouse, which covered dozens of acres, Xu Qing finally opened his mouth: "This grain warehouse covers a vast area, storing more than a million shi of grain, but why are there no rat shadows in the grain warehouse today?"

"Even if the demon rat is cautious, the small rats below should show their heads."

The granary official hesitated: "The master means..."

Xu Qing laughed: "This demon rat must have scouts and eyes. Those scouts heard that the official wanted to invite the Cat Immortal Hall to catch rats, so they ordered the rat group to hide."

Before Xu Qing continued, the granary official realized: "I understand. The master means to pretend to leave, and wait for those rats that can't see the light to relax their vigilance and come out to move, then return to subdue it..."

These officials may be black-hearted, but most of them are not stupid.

Xu Qing nodded: "Rats are also called Zi rats, and they often move at the Zi hour at night. It's not too late to deal with them then."

"This makes sense." The granary official nodded: "Then you guys follow this official to the post station to rest, and come to the grain warehouse to treat the rats later."

Twenty miles away, the official post station.

Guo Dongyang diligently added tea and handed seats. A person approaching fifty lived like an old servant.

Xu Qing knew this person's nature. He couldn't walk when he heard fresh things. If anyone had a good story to sell, he would definitely spend a lot of money, even if he had no money in his pocket, he would have to listen to people talk about the past and the present.

Unfortunately, Xu Qing was also quite urinary. Telling stories is tiring, listening to stories is fun!

You add tea for me, then I add tea for you. You hand me a seat, then I let you sit first.

The two let each other, and Guo Dongyang was held up and praised by Xu Qing to tell a book for an hour.

Guo Dongyang is a professional storyteller. When he tells a book, he brings a teahouse flavor.

As soon as that unique storyteller's tone came out, the quiet and elegant post station seemed to become lively.

Xuan Yu sat on the mat, listening carefully.

Guan Dazhuang rarely heard about things in the world, and he was fascinated for a while.

Officials and servants passing by saw Guo Dongyang talking eloquently, wondering when this post station had added a storytelling project.

Upstairs in the post station, an official from Jiangnan leaned on the railing and looked down.

"I heard early on that the people in Jinmen Prefecture tell stories and talk very interestingly. Now it seems that it is indeed quite interesting."

Beside him, the servant who was responsible for all travel matters smiled and said: "Speaking of which, the young master is also from Jinmen. The old master and this place are destined."

"It is extreme. Tomorrow, I will go to see his aunt. He lost his relatives early, and his uncle and aunt have always taken care of him. I passed by here, and in reason, I shouldn't go to visit..."

In the hall of the post station, every time Guo Dongyang was dry-mouthed and prepared to say he wouldn't tell, a new cup of tea was handed over in time.

Another half an hour later, Guo Dongyang finally caught the opportunity to go out and relieve himself.

When he came back, he looked at Xu Qing excitedly.

Looking at the hesitant appearance, Xu Qing knew that this was to let him return the story.

"I'm not good at telling stories, but I have heard some rural anecdotes recently. If Guo brother wants to listen, then I will tell them..."

"I'll tell the first one. This happened decades ago. It is said that twenty miles outside the old Taishan Mountain in Jinmen, there was a Mountain Lord Temple..."

Beside, Guan Dazhuang's expression was strange, and Xuan Yu pricked up its ears, listening more carefully than anyone else.

The witch raises a tiger, the two pumas turn against each other, and the passerby subdues the demon and tiger in the broken temple on a rainy night...

Guo Dongyang was fascinated, as if this really happened.

"People are divided into good and evil, and pumas are also different. That big tiger is more loyal than some people. It's a pity that the story is always a story, otherwise I would like to drink and have fun with it..."

Beside, an official servant who was resting laughed: "You storyteller is really bold. I'm afraid that if the big worm really sat in front of you, you would be scared to shit and pee."

Most of the others who heard this couldn't help but laugh out loud. For a time, the atmosphere in the post station was happy.

Guan Dazhuang silently added new tea for several people.

Finally, the yellow-clothed big man picked up a cup of tea from the table and placed it in front of the black cat sitting quietly in the post station.

The black cat looked at the tea, then looked at the laughing crowd in the post station, and its expression was strange.

After telling the story of the demon tiger, Xu Qing pondered for a moment, and then told an anecdote that happened outside Luojing City, saying that it was outside the West Gate, beside Guangning Temple, there was such a carpenter...

In the evening, the granary official finally realized that it was not early.

"Hey! You guys only care about telling stories and talking about the past, but you missed the big event! It was agreed that there is official business tonight, why not make some preparations in advance, but sit here for half a day."

The granary official was also quite annoyed. It was because the things available for entertainment in this light were too few, which made him fascinated.

Xu Qing smiled slightly: "It doesn't matter. Speaking of which, telling the past may not be easier than official business."

"..."

If it were before, when the granary official heard Xu Qing say this, he would definitely say he was arrogant, but after listening to these bizarre stories, he inexplicably felt that the other's words were from the heart, without any falsehood...

There were officials who tried to keep them, saying that it was late, so it was better to stay and talk by candlelight. Xu Qing and Guo Dongyang politely refused on the grounds of official business.

Some officials were still reluctant, asking what official business they had, but were perfunctorily blocked by the granary official.

This place is not far from the Jinmen grain warehouse. If these official servants who love to watch the fun knew that Xu Qing was going to get rid of the demon, perhaps they would "see the hunt and be happy," and pester them to join in the fun.

At that time, watching the demon subduing is a small matter. If someone sees that "big sacrificial altar" worth five thousand taels of silver, the matter will be big!

At the second quarter of the Hai hour, there was still a period of time before midnight.

Xu Qing and Guan Dazhuang disguised themselves as granary assistants. The granary official, who should have occupied a dominant position, followed behind the two, not daring to speak loudly at all.

In the granary passage seven feet wide, several big rats no smaller than official hats were transporting water into the warehouse.

Those waters were not stored in water bags, jars, or urns, nor were they swaying in vats, bowls, or ladles, but were wrapped in the cheek pouches of the big rats, or in their stomachs.

Although the cheek pouch is a place for rats to store food, it is not so easy to store water.

The water droplets dripped along the corners of the big rats' mouths in the granary passage. In a short while, there were many damp water stains on the dry ground.

Xu Qing raised his hand to signal behind him, stopping Guo Dongyang and the granary official who wanted to come over.

Then he gave a wink to Xuan Yu and Guan Dazhuang.

Guan Dazhuang understood and turned into a granary room, disappearing.

Xuan Yu faced the granary passage that happened to accommodate a flatbed cart and touched it.

In the granary passage, the big rats responsible for transporting water were preparing to return home, but unexpectedly, they saw a black cat entering the granary passage.

The black cat of the Nine Channels is the most rat-avoiding. Xuan Yu just stood there, and the big rats in the granary passage lost their courage first.

The big rat leading the team stared with round eyes, turned back, and wanted to escape.

But just as it turned around, it saw another big cat behind the granary passage!

Although the big rat had seen a lot of the world, it had always been active in the city, so where had it seen such a big cat coming to take its life!

Several rats were scared to death, only thinking that they had committed some heavenly law, and actually attracted such a big cat to come to take their lives!

That big cat blocked the granary passage tightly, its wide mouth full of fishy smell slightly opened, and its shining tiger teeth were not ground fast.

The big rat's heart and liver trembled, and the water stored in its cheek pouches poured onto the ground like a flood. It looked at the big tiger approaching step by step, only feeling that its distance from the grandmother was getting closer and closer.

Looking back, it saw the black cat that had been guarding the granary passage without moving, taking advantage of its distraction to touch its tail, and raising a cat claw to slap its head.

Mother!

The big rat rolled its eyes, foamed at the mouth, and lay on the ground twitching.

Several big rats beside it followed suit and lay on the ground pretending to be dead.

Xuan Yu just raised its cat claw and stayed in the air, then put it down disappointedly.

It wanted to play with bigger rats, but didn't expect that although these rats were big, they were still as timid as rats.

Xuan Yu used its claws to tease the big rat's fat body, but the other party didn't move.

Feeling quite bored, it withdrew its cat claws and looked up at the big cat in front of it.

The big cat's head was several times bigger than its own!

Xuan Yu withdrew its gaze, turned around, and left the granary passage silently.

Here, Xu Qing smiled and was talking to the granary official. When he turned back, he saw Xuan Yu sitting quietly beside him, like a beautiful charcoal carving.

Guo Dongyang was puzzled: "This cat..."

Before the words fell, a yellow-clothed big man at the granary passage entrance carried several big rats and walked over.

The tails of those big rats were held in his palm as big as a cattail fan, just like a hunter holding wild game he had just hunted.

"Huo! What a fat rat!"

Guo Dongyang exclaimed, and the granary official couldn't help but click his tongue. In the past, the rat shadows he saw were all viewed from afar, and he didn't feel surprised, but now he saw it at close range, and this rat was afraid it was twenty or thirty catties!

It is said that rats are as big as cats. Now the two looked at it, and they couldn't help but marvel.

"This rat is bigger than this black cat!"

Xuan Yu looked at the granary official, its eyes gloomy.

Xu Qing kicked the motionless big rats, and his heart was happy: "Is this scared silly?"

"Dazhuang, I see this rat is quite fat, the taste should not be bad. If they don't wake up, you take them to peel the skin, tear them into thin strips, just as dry food on our way back..."

"Zhi zhi zhi—"

The leading big rat turned its body like a ball, and then kowtowed to Xu Qing, and then turned to Guan Dazhuang and Xuan Yu. Looking at that appearance, without Xu Qing's interrogation, it could sell out the rat king and other companions.

Xu Qing asked immediately, and several big rats chirped. Sometimes pointing to the central grain warehouse, sometimes twisting and turning to make the appearance of a girl walking.

That little appearance was as funny as it could be.

However, Xu Qing, who was proficient in the language of birds and beasts, only heard one thing.

From the seventh day of the eighth month to the seventeenth day of the eighth month, it is the day for the Jinmen Rat King's daughter to recruit a son-in-law!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 161 =====