Chapter 20: The Shang Family

Reality proved that those who can speak are not necessarily demon beasts; they could also be parrots.

"What kind of demon bird is this!"

Lu Yang was furious. Suction appeared in his palm, and he pulled the parrot over. The parrot didn't even have a chance to react before it was captured.

The Township Head could also do this, but the Township Head thought it was some kind of Qi Condensation or Foundation Establishment demon beast and didn't dare to do so.

"Demon beast! There's a demon beast!" The parrot chirped endlessly.

Hearing the commotion in the room, Tao Yaoye hurried over to check, her mood similar to Lu Yang's.

It's a good thing the mission was completed, and it's a good thing there was no need to fight, but the problem is that they traveled all the way from the Wendao Sect, took a flying boat for three days, just to catch a parrot?

How should this mission report be written? It would be a joke if it got out.

The people of Taiping Township had little knowledge and didn't recognize this kind of bird from the depths of the rainforest, but Lu Yang and Tao Yaoye recognized it. This was the most basic knowledge in the Wendao Sect.

"Worthy of being Daoists, they easily captured the demon bird!" When the Township Head and others learned that the parrot had been caught, they praised Lu Yang one after another, saying his cultivation was profound.

The two were helpless and patiently explained to everyone that this was a very ordinary bird, just not common in the north of the continent.

"This parrot... or what you call the demon bird, is best at imitating human speech."

"Imitating human speech, imitating human speech." The parrot kept calling out from the side. Lu Yang pinched the parrot's beak and continued to explain to everyone.

"It shouted that Zhang Guanjia is a demon, not because it wanted to shout it itself, but because it heard Tailor Feng shout 'Demon' before, so it learned to follow suit. When it met Zhang Guanjia, it happened to repeat it."

Zhang Guanjia breathed a sigh of relief. Worthy of being Wendao Sect disciples! They cleared his grievances as soon as they arrived.

"By the same token, it shouting 'Who are you? Where is Zhang Guanjia?' is the same. It cannot understand the meaning of this sentence, it just heard it somewhere and repeated it meaninglessly."

"Damn this broken bird, watch me slaughter it." Zhang Guanjia felt angry when he saw the parrot.

Lu Yang raised his hand to stop Zhang Guanjia: "This place is half a continent away from the rainforest. This bird definitely didn't fly here by itself, but was brought here by someone."

"Except for someone who is bored and spares no effort to cross half a continent to bring this parrot, which has no use other than being rare, only the Landing Money Chamber of Commerce would specifically do such a thing."

"Is there a Landing Money Chamber of Commerce here?"

The Township Head shook his head: "The chamber of commerce won't open in our poor and remote place. There is one in Quhe County, which is in the most prosperous area, with an endless stream of people. It is possible that someone bought it from the chamber of commerce, and the parrot accidentally escaped."

As for the parrot escaping directly from the Landing Money Chamber of Commerce, that is absolutely impossible.

Lu Yang asked again: "This bird has been circling Taiping Township for twenty days and hasn't gone anywhere else. Perhaps its owner is here. I wonder if the Township Head has any ideas?"

The Township Head thought for a long time before saying: "Everyone in this township knows about the demon bird. If there is anyone who might not know, it is the Shang family in the east."

"The Shang family rarely goes out and is unwilling to talk to people. It is said that it is because the head of the Shang family is also a practitioner. He suffered setbacks when he was young, his cultivation plummeted, and since then he has lost the heart to practice and lives in seclusion here."

"The Shang family's financial resources are also considerable. They are the richest in the area. If it is said that they bought the demon bird from the Landing Money Chamber of Commerce, it is reasonable."

"In that case, let's go ask the Shang family."

Taiping Township is not big, and the three people and one bird soon arrived at the entrance of the Shang family.

After a knock on the door, someone soon opened it. It was a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache, and his Confucian robe made him look gentle and refined.

"So it's the Township Head. I don't know who these two are, so I can report to the Master." The handlebar-mustache man said.

Lu Yang pinched the parrot's wings, like a rooster waiting to be slaughtered when visiting a relative during the New Year: "We accidentally found this parrot. After asking around, we thought it might belong to the Shang family, so we came to ask."

The handlebar-mustache man was surprised when he first saw Tao Yaoye. He had never seen a woman as beautiful as Tao Yaoye.

He looked at the green parrot and showed a joyful smile: "So that's how it is. Thank you, two young heroes. This should be the young lady's parrot. Since the parrot was lost, she has been depressed all day, making us servants very difficult."

"If the young lady knows the parrot has been found, I don't know how happy she will be."

The Township Head tilted his head and whispered: "He is the butler of the Shang family, surnamed Zhang. Every time I come to the Shang family, he opens the door."

Butler Zhang hurried to report and soon got a reply.

"The Master invites the three of you in."

Passing through the screen door, passing the outer courtyard, from the second gate to the corridor and then to the main room, only then did they see the head of the Shang family.

The head of the Shang family was wealthy in appearance, and the gloom on his face kept people thousands of miles away. He was unwilling to talk too much with others, but seeing the Township Head, it could be seen that he was quite happy.

"Old Brother Huang, it's been a long time."

The Township Head's surname was Huang.

The two bowed to each other.

The head of the Shang family looked at the parrot for a moment and nodded: "Hmm, it can't be wrong. This is what my daughter bought from the Landing Money Chamber of Commerce in the county. At that time, I thought this broken bird wasn't worth much money, but the chamber of commerce asked for a sky-high price. My daughter wouldn't agree and insisted on buying it, so I had to follow her wishes."

"Butler Zhang, take the two young heroes to see Xiao Yuan."

"Yes, Master."

Butler Zhang made a gesture of invitation and beckoned a maid to serve tea and water for the head of the Shang family and Township Head Huang.

On the way, Tao Yaoye asked casually: "How long has Butler Zhang been at the Shang family?"

Butler Zhang said respectfully: "The Master saved me on the way to seclusion. Since then, I have served the Master. Calculating the time, it has been twenty years. At that time, the young lady hadn't been born yet."

"So speaking of it, the relationship between Miss Shang and you should be quite good."

"I won't hide it from the two young heroes, I watched the young lady grow up. I have no children, so I treat the young lady as my own daughter. Seeing the young lady depressed all day, I, as a butler, also feel heartache."

Lu Yang suddenly asked: "Were you there when the parrot was lost?"

Butler Zhang sighed, and one could feel the self-blame in his tone: "I was distracted at the time and didn't notice the parrot flying away. If I had paid more attention at the time, I would definitely not have let the young lady be so sad. This is my dereliction of duty."

Lu Yang said "Oh" and didn't say anything more.

Butler Zhang knocked three times lightly and said unhurriedly: "Young lady, your escaped parrot has been found. It is two young heroes wandering the world who brought the parrot here."

A voice came from the room: "Then let them in."

"Yes."

Lu Yang and Tao Yaoye opened the door. Miss Shang was leaning against the window, reading quietly. The evening sun shone on her hair, as if time had frozen, with a kind of static beauty.

In Taiping Township, there were countless young men who were infatuated with Miss Shang.

Lu Yang kindly reminded: "Reading in the sun is not good for your eyes, especially the sunset. Light a lamp, your father is not short of money." ===== CHAPTER 21 =====