Zhao Pingyuan's expression turned serious. Today, since I have already ntioned the Golden Order of Recomndation, I have so words prepared, "If I recomnd Young Friend Li, naturally Young Friend Li will belong to the Demon Slayer Bureau of Canghe County. I will write a letter to inform Director Li."
"Secondly, whether this matter succeeds or not, the Golden Order of Recomndation will be used. In the future, Young Friend Li will need to do one thing for ."
Zhao Pingyuan waited for Su Mu to nod.
However, Zhao Pingyuan's expression froze for a mont, as Li Feiyu shook his head without much thought after listening.
"Director Zhao, regarding the second point, as long as it doesn't cross the line and the matter is achievable, I can agree, but the first point is not acceptable."
Su Mu shook his head and politely declined. He still carried Li Zhihe's Tiger Head Profound Order, and Li Zhihe had helped him during the Banquet of Hongn with the Qingfeng Gang.
If it weren't for Li Zhihe's intervention, Su Mu knew it would have been very difficult to obtain the Muscle Strengthening Formula, not to ntion the Six Eighth-Grade Martial Arts thereafter.
Su Mu had killed many people by now, and he didn't consider himself a good person, but one must not forget their origins and should have a bottom line.
Zhao Pingyuan rapped his knuckles thrice on the Zitan Desk, showing no anger or joy on his face, but a thin layer of frost had already gathered in his eyes.
"This matter..." Zhao Pingyuan elongated the end of his sentence, then raised his cup, "No rush, if Young Friend Li changes his mind, you can co to at any ti."
"Thank you, Director Zhao, for valuing ."
Su Mu clinked his cup against Zhao Pingyuan's, drank it all, then got up to bid farewell and left.
Su Mu naturally noticed Zhao Pingyuan's subtle change in expression, but he didn't care. Whether this Golden Order Blade Catcher would succeed or not was unimportant to him.
"Shall I go to a wine shop in town... Canghe Brew, perhaps?"
After leaving the Demon Slayer Bureau, Su Mu stopped concerning himself with today's matters. Rembering the Pharmacist's praise for Canghe Brew, he couldn't help swallowing and strode away.
As he left, several little tails naturally followed him. On his way in, Su Mu had walked this Canghe Avenue once and, with his photographic mory, had already ford a map of the surrounding streets and alleys in his mind.
Su Mu walked into an alley, and when he erged again, all the tails had been shaken off.
"Old man, how do I find a wine shop market in this town?"
"A wine shop? Walk along the avenue, and when you see a bluestone archway, turn right, and you'll get there."
"Thank you for the direction."
After walking several hundred steps, the fragrance of wine suddenly wafted through the air. He saw a bluestone archway standing in the middle of the way, with the characters "Jiuchen Workshop" carved into the pillar, worn into honeycomb-like holes by ti, yet still discernible in the calligraphy of a master.
The Cang River, running through the city, branched off here, with the water reflecting the flags of wine shops lining both banks. On indigo cloth banners, black characters like "Wu's" and "Ancient Family Cellar" floated with the waves.
Su Mu slightly twitched his nose, slling the blend of the crispness of new wine and the aged aroma of old wine in the wind.
"The wine aroma drifts along the river beautifully, making this Jiuchen Workshop more deserving of the na 'Jiuchen' than Wine Dust Lane in Qingyun City."
Now, in early spring, the Canghe County area has a tradition of 'brewing winter water into sumr wine', and in the brewing industry, they also say, 'Spring wine matures in ten days.' Right now, the entire Jiuchen Workshop is in a busy season.
Additionally, many locals and rchants ca here to buy wine, filling the market with a clamor of voices. Su Mu initially wanted to find out which shop had the best wine.
But then he heard so drinkers arguing heatedly in the distance about which shop's wine was the best, a burly, bearded man slapping the table and standing up.
"Nonsense, clearly it's my Wu's wine that's the best. Even the County Magistrate praised it endlessly after tasting our wine."
"You're talking nonsense with your eyes wide open. No matter how good Wu's is, can it compare to Zhang Family's brew?"
"Don't listen to their nonsense. If you want to talk about the best, in my opinion, neither of these two deserves that title..."
Similar argunts occurred along the way, so Su Mu simply didn't ask. He let the voices of the argunts fade into the distance, and followed the aroma of wine, walking through Jiuchen Workshop by feel.
Hmm?
At a certain mont, Su Mu paused, suddenly catching a scent of strong liquor. It ca from an inconspicuous liquor shop in the alley, with an unassuming dark-colored flag displaying the words "Old Wine Shop."
Su Mu walked up to the Old Wine Shop. A girl in a blue apron looked up sharply, her wooden hairpin swaying with her movents. Her not-so-pale face carried a slight red hue from the kitchen fire.
"Would the guest like to try the new 'Hu Hu Wine'?"
"Hu Hu Wine?"
"Yes, it's the latest brew by my father. Just one bowl, and you'll sleep soundly."
"Let have half a bowl to try."
"Sure."
The maid at the winery uses a bamboo wine dipper to draw from a large wine jar and pours it into a bowl, filling it completely. The aroma of the wine fills the air, making one's finger itch to grab it. Su Mu holds up the bowl and pours it down.
"Lu'Er, this wine is strong; don't cause a ruckus today..." A middle-aged man with dark skin appears imdiately from the store, also wearing a blue apron.
Just as the man is about to reprimand her, he sees Su Mu pouring it down and pauses. About to remind him, he instead sees Su Mu's unchanged expression as he hands back the bowl.
"Such strong wine, give two jars."
"You have quite the drinking capacity, sir."
"Alright..." The maid glances left and right and whispers, "Why no reaction... It knocked out several people yesterday."
Upon seeing the glint in Su Mu's eyes, the man's previously worried face turns joyful. His family's strong wine differs significantly from those within the city, with many unable to handle its intensity, especially the young master and miss from wealthy families who sneer at it. As a result, business isn't usually great at the shop.
"Do you have any other wines here?"
"Yes, there are two others that aren't as strong as Hu Hu wine—no, not Hu Hu wine, this is called Throat Burner wine."
"Give two jars of each."
While the wine is being filled, the man and Su Mu talk about alcohol. Su Mu doesn't know much about brewing but has so experience in drinking, making for a pleasant chat between the two.
Listening to Su Mu's affirmation about strong wine, the man's eyes shine as if eting a kindred spirit.
"Sir, my na is Li Kang."
"My na is Li Yu."
"Six jars of wine, three taels of silver in total."
It doesn't take long before the maid brings the wine. Su Mu pays the silver and chats a bit more with Li Kang, with so strange words mixed in that Li Lu had never heard before. Li Lu watches with a bit of disappointnt as Su Mu calmly walks out of the lane.
After Su Mu departs, Li Kang seems entranced, continually muttering to himself: "High-temperature brewing, distillation..."
...
Thirty-five miles east of Canghe City stands Donghe Town, built leaning against a mountain. The delicate yellow earth within the mountain is akin to fat, and this place was once a renowned kiln town in Qingzhou, with its porcelain highly prized by the forr emperor.
But with new emperors co new ministers; ti has changed.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The baozi shop's door shatters under the scar-faced man's foot. Wood chips fly as four burly n stream inside.
The scar-faced leader uses the long saber in his hand to knock over the bamboo stear on the table, with the steaming baozi smashing into Li Tie's face.
"Old man, your son Li Xiaohu owes us one thousand five hundred taels. Today, we either see money or blood!"
The man gestures, and two strong n drag Li Xiaohu inside the room. At this mont, Li Xiaohu's right arm is bent at an odd angle, and blood is seeping through the swollen skin beneath his eyelid: "Dad... they used Qingqing sister..."
"Bang!"
The sound is abruptly silenced, as the saber back hits Li Xiaohu's neck with a wind-breaking sound. Xiaohu grunts softly, his body imdiately collapsing like a torn sack.
"Y-You..."
Witnessing this scene, Li Tie's eyes nearly pop out of his sockets as he rushes forward, only for three bright sabers to press against his neck.
"Old man, I advise you to play nicely with ."
Onlookers around the shop tightly clench their fists. A hunter's face veins pop out, and the joints of the hand holding the firewood knife turn white, but an old man's withered hand holds him back: "Don't be rash, the gambling hall is backed by the Zhao Family in Canghe City..."
"Smash this shop for !"
The scar-faced man kicks Li Tie onto the ground, and those behind him imdiately grinned as they began to recklessly destroy the baozi shop, ultimately aiming the tip of his saber at Li Xiaohu's arm.
Right at this mont, copper gongs sounded from the alleyway alongside shouts, "The governnt office people are here."
The scar-faced man sheaths his saber and waves his hand, "Stop the smashing."
"Old man, repaying debt is a matter of course." He leaned down and grabbed Li Tie by the collar, then coldly patted Li Tie's face with the saber sheath, "Our master said if you don't gather the silver within three days, we'll follow the casino's rules by breaking the limbs first and then shattering the kneecaps."
"Brothers, let's go back and drink."
Before the officials arrived leisurely, the group swaggered out of the baozi shop one after another, leaving behind a scene of complete havoc.
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