Chapter 1 Inside the Residence of the Marquis of Pingxi

The capital, the Marquis of Pingxi's residence, the inner quarters.

"Oh, my dear Lord A'ming, what on earth is happening outside that's causing such a commotion?"

Inside a room,

Cahill, the vampire locked in a cage, shouted at a coffin in front of him.

The coffin remained silent, clearly not wanting to pay any attention.

"Lord A'ming, don't you want to see what's happening outside? I guarantee you, it won't disappoint."

At that moment, the door was pushed open and Xue San walked in.

Third Master covered his chest with both hands,

And said:

"Oh, as soon as I come in, I hear this damned tone again. I really want to kick your ass!"

Cahill also covered his chest with both hands,

And said:

"Oh, my dear Third Master, do you want to kick my ass? Then quickly wake up Lord A'ming and kick my ass together! I'm ready!"

"Hehehe."

Xue San walked to the coffin where A'ming was and knocked on it,

And said:

"A military report has come from the west. The Yan army has won a great victory, and the two princes have flattened the barbarian royal court. The old barbarian king is dead too."

"Heavens!"

Cahill let out a scream.

Xue San looked at him in the cage and said, "Enough is enough."

"No, no, Third Master, I'm really shocked this time. Heavens, the Yan Kingdom is really terrifying. You have to understand that there are still many wandering singers in the West who are chanting the horror of the barbarian invasion of the Western world a hundred years ago!

Then,

You just told me,

Its royal court, its capital, its king, were actually crushed by the king of Yan and the knights of Yan. Heavens, heavens, heavens.

Is Great Yan preparing for a Western expedition?"

Saying that,

Cahill clenched his fists,

And said:

"It's time to give the nobles of the West a lesson and let them know who is the most powerful and terrifying empire in the world."

"Bang!"

The coffin lid was lifted,

A'ming sat up,

And said;

"I'm hungry."

"........" Cahill.

Cahill, who had been emotionally excited, suddenly closed his mouth tightly.

Xue San placed his left hand on his chest,

And said:

"Great Lord A'ming, do you wish to feed?"

"I'm not interested in dwarf blood."

"Great Lord A'ming, you are at a higher realm than me now, I can endure anything."

"I want to drink wine." A'ming looked at Xue San, "Let's go to the palace and get some wine."

"The palace?" Xue San blinked, "Actually, I'd rather go to another place, while our lord and the emperor are on the best of terms."

"Where is it?" A'ming asked.

"The Imperial Beast Bureau."

"I'm only interested in fine wine. I don't have such a heavy taste as you."

"Doesn't the great Lord A'ming want to see the place where pixiu (mythical wild beast) are raised?"

"I don't want to. Pixiu blood doesn't taste good either."

Obviously,

A'ming had drunk it before.

"Ah, but I really want to go."

"Then go."

"That's why I came to you. I remember the lord's waist tag is here with you."

"No, I want to go drink wine."

"Then how about this, I'll accompany you to the palace to drink wine first, and then you accompany me to the Imperial Beast Bureau?"

"Why do I need you to accompany me to the palace to find wine?"

"Think about it, when you find good wine, you need someone next to you to ask you with a surprised look: Ah, what kind of wine is this? It smells so good.

Then, you explain it to him.

Doesn't this wine smell even better?"

A'ming didn't answer,

He got out of the coffin,

And the Marquis of Pingxi's order was hanging on his waist under his tuxedo.

"Let's go."

Xue San quickly bowed,

And said:

"Okay, let's go."

………

When Lord Zheng and the emperor were meeting with important officials in the Hall of Mental Cultivation,

A'ming used the Pingxi Marquis order to take Xue San into the palace and went straight to the wine cellar.

The imperial palace wine is divided into two types: one is for the emperor's daily drinking, and the other is for temporary purchase outside the palace for large banquets.

However, because the late emperor did not like drinking and rarely held large banquets, the huge imperial wine cellar was a bit deserted.

But undeniably, the royal family has a royal foundation. This is something that even a diligent and self-disciplined Yan Emperor cannot completely change, and Great Yan is located on the only route for trade between the East and the West, so the wine cellar contains many fine wines from the East and the West that have been treasured for many years.

However, they are hidden very deep inside.

"Oh, what kind of wine is this? Why is it this color?"

"Oh, why is this wine so sticky?"

"Oh, this wine bottle is so special, is there anything special about it?"

Xue San tried his best to provide a refreshing style of questioning.

Finally,

A'ming selected a lot of wine and said to the eunuch in charge here:

"Load it into the car and send it to the Marquis of Pingxi's residence."

"This..."

"What, is that not allowed?" A'ming asked.

"Not at all, this servant has already sent someone to ask Eunuch Zhang. Eunuch Zhang said that the Marquis's residence needs, if the palace has it, there is absolutely no disapproval, but several of the wines that you have selected are stored here and are not owned by the Department of Internal Affairs."

"Stored?"

"Yes, it was left by the Grand Tutor."

"The Grand Tutor in the palace?"

"Yes."

"Wine is not for drinking, but for storing?"

"I will naturally come to drink the wine."

At this time, a small eunuch in a red robe appeared at the entrance of the imperial palace wine cellar.

A'ming came to move the wine with the Pingxi Marquis order, and the people below naturally couldn't stop him. When they chose the red-robed eunuch's wine, the people below went to report immediately. The affairs between dignitaries are naturally left to the dignitaries to negotiate themselves. How could they risk their lives to stop them?

"This wine, is it yours?" A'ming looked at the red-robed eunuch and asked.

"Yes." The red-robed eunuch nodded, "I heard that the Marquis of Pingxi doesn't like wine."

The habits of important figures are not a secret.

For example,

The Marquis of Pingxi doesn't like wine,

For example,

The Marquis of Pingxi likes married women.

"I like to drink wine, can you give it to me to drink?" A'ming asked.

"You want to drink it?"

"Yes."

"You're using your Marquis's name to come to the imperial palace to move wine back to drink?"

"Yes."

"Interesting, interesting." The red-robed eunuch smiled, "Half of it for you, is that okay?"

"Okay."

A'ming wasn't an unreasonable person either.

Of course,

As a Demon Lord, he took advantage of the lord's name to get a bargain.

Perhaps, as far as the emperor is concerned, he is really not afraid of you being greedy or having hobbies. He is only afraid that you are pure and desireless like a saint, which is the greatest crisis.

So,

A'ming felt that he was helping the lord to tarnish himself,

Well,

He was sharing the lord's worries.

But as for saying that for some wine, for some face, you have to tear your skin and have a fight with others here, there is no need for that, and he is not interested in that.

Anyway, it's just wine for recreation, not another living Cahill.

"Sir is a lover of fine wine, why not come to my place for a drink?"

A'ming hesitated.

He could sense that the aura on the other person was unusual. If nothing else, he should be a Qi Refiner.

The red-robed eunuch added:

"I also have private collections at my place."

"Okay." A'ming agreed.

Xue San was a little anxious next to him. He was still thinking about going to the Imperial Beast Bureau.

"Hey, didn't you say you'd take me to the zoo!"

A'ming handed the Pingxi Marquis order to Xue San.

They were both Demon Lords, and the other party had just been so understanding, so there was no reason not to give him some face.

"Hehe."

Xue San took the token and said:

"This wine is not as fun as pixiu."

"Pixiu?" The red-robed eunuch's ears were very sharp, "Coincidentally, I have one there too."

"You have one there too?" Xue San asked in surprise, "There are only four pixiu walking in the world, do you have the fifth one there?"

"Yes, it's under my palace."

"You're not lying to me?"

"I'm not."

"Then I'm a little strange. This eunuch, you and him are just wine friends, right? I understand people like you, a thousand cups are too few when you meet a kindred spirit, but people who really understand wine are even fewer than kindred spirits.

But, what is the relationship between you and me, Eunuch? Why do you still want to pull me along?"

The red-robed eunuch said as a matter of course:

"In the palace, finding an adult who is as tall as me is more difficult than finding a kindred spirit who understands wine."

"Awesome!"

……

"Rice cakes, plain or fried?"

"I don't like appetizers." A'ming said.

"Fried." Xue San said.

The red-robed eunuch took a small stove with a small pot on top, greased it, and started frying the rice cakes.

"No appetizers?" The red-robed eunuch asked.

"No need." A'ming said.

"Okay."

The little eunuch fried the rice cakes and put two pieces on his plate and two pieces on Xue San's plate.

Xue San took a bite with chopsticks. It was very fragrant and crispy, and the heat was well controlled.

"How is it?"

"It's okay." Xue San replied.

"Years ago, when my master was here, His Majesty and the Prince of Zhenbei liked to eat the rice cakes made by my master."

"Oh, I feel like it tastes even better now."

The red-robed eunuch smiled,

And said:

"I don't have a surname. My master gave me the Daoist name, Zike."

After introducing himself,

The red-robed eunuch looked at A'ming,

And said:

"I only know that you are people under the Marquis of Pingxi, but it seems that you don't have official positions?"

"A'ming."

"Xue San."

The red-robed eunuch nodded, took out a jade bottle, poured out green wine from it, and then offered it to them.

A'ming picked up the glass, took a sip, and said:

"The taste is very long."

Xue San smacked his lips and said, "It's a little sour."

Zike nodded and said, "I brewed this myself. How is it, do you like it?"

Obviously, this wasn't a question for Xue San.

A'ming shook his head and said, "I don't like it."

"It's delicious, and you still don't like it?"

"Delicious things have to be in large quantities to be liked, and this one obviously can't be drunk like water."

"That makes sense."

Xue San was next to him, eating rice cakes while looking at the two of them, forcibly enduring his temper.

"I've heard that the Marquis of Pingxi has a great general named Fan Li? It is said that he is immensely powerful and yet far-sighted?"

"Rumors are just rumors. You will definitely be disappointed when you see the real person." A'ming replied.

"Well, since that's the case, I won't force it. By the way, can you also brew wine?"

"Yes."

Xue San assisted: "Years ago, when we were in Tiger Head City, we relied on him brewing and selling wine for a living."

"Wine with the aura of fireworks is definitely good wine." The red-robed eunuch said.

A'ming shook his head and poured a full cup for himself from the jade bottle.

"Is it a little boring to talk to me?"

A'ming nodded, "Too tiring."

"Then we'll just drink and talk less."

"Okay."

"Hey, hey, don't, don't, where's the pixiu? Where's the pixiu?"

You guys came to drink, but I, Third Master, don't like this.

"Look, it's over there."

The red-robed eunuch pointed to the alchemy furnace behind him.

The furnace is usually not opened, but it is still wiped regularly.

Xue San got up while holding the fried rice cake and walked to the alchemy furnace.

Zike raised his glass,

And said;

"Under this alchemy furnace, a pixiu is suppressed."

"Hiss, this is a formation, right?"

"Yes, the central formation."

"I remember when the Prince of Jingnan broke through the Chu Kingdom's Yingdu, the Chu Kingdom's Yingdu summoned a Fire Phoenix spirit."

Zike shook his head,

And smiled:

"Although Zike has never seen it in person, Zike thinks that under this alchemy furnace, there is more than just one spirit."

"More than just a spirit? With flesh and blood?"

A pixiu with flesh and blood from ancient times?

In fact,

Xue San has always felt that those pixiu outside, including his lord's, are pixiu, that's right, but...they really seem to be a bit different from the mythical beasts in his impression.

Mythical beasts,

At the very least, you can withstand a third-rank expert, right?

But obviously, those pixiu, in addition to their speed, endurance, and charging capabilities exceeding warhorses in all aspects, as well as the ability to store things, have not actually left the category of carrying tools.

"Zike doesn't know the specifics either."

"This alchemy furnace is the formation eye, and it is itself a mechanism."

"Yes, a wonderfully crafted mechanism. When my master was here, he focused on studying this, but he couldn't unlock the secrets of this mechanism. He could only use the skills of a Qi Refiner to resonate with the pixiu consciousness suppressed under the alchemy furnace.

Not only my master, but it is said that over the centuries, the people in the palace who guarded this alchemy furnace have thought of many ways, and even the former Pavilion Master of the Tianji Pavilion of the Jin Kingdom came in person, but they still couldn't crack this mechanism.

The imperial library has records,

It is said that this pixiu has a wild nature, making it difficult to control, so this layout was set up to suppress it. This alchemy furnace was originally intended to be used to melt it with the pixiu's fire, but in essence, it is to trap it.

Over the past hundred years, the physique of this pixiu should have decayed long ago, and its natal fire has long weakened.

Its own ferocity has also been worn away, and gradually, it has merged with the Qi Luck of Great Yan. It uses Qi Luck as a carrier to continue its life and survive, while also replenishing Qi Luck, allowing it to live on and on."

"So mysterious?"

"Yes, but the late emperor didn't believe in this."

"That's right. If things were so mysterious, everyone would just squat at home every day telling fortunes and not do anything, just relying on the fortune teller to sow beans and turn them into soldiers to fight."

Xue San is obviously also a materialist, although there are many idealistic things around him.

"Can I touch it and take a look?"

"As you wish."

"Brother, I'm making you my brother for sure, generous!"

"Thank you."

"What's your name again? Zike?"

"Yes."

"Good name."

"Um."

"This thing won't be broken by me, right?"

"A third-rank martial artist general once tried it with a divine weapon, but failed to destroy it at all."

"Oh, is that so? Then I'm relieved."

Xue San looked at the patterns on the alchemy furnace in front of him,

Then,

He silently placed the half-eaten rice cake in his palm, kneaded it a few times, and then smeared it on the patterns on the alchemy furnace in front of him, and then drew some arcs.

Zike said to A'ming:

"Just now I saw Mr. A'ming choosing, Mr. A'ming seems to prefer wine from the West?"

"Yes."

"Zike thinks that Western wine is not as mellow and rich as our Xia wine."

"But it's cool."

"........" Zike.

A vampire with a red wine glass, swaying;

A vampire with a porcelain bowl, filled with erguotou (strong Chinese liquor), swaying;

The latter looks very disharmonious no matter how you look at it.

"Mr. A'ming is straightforward, really..."

"Boom!"

A loud noise came,

The red-robed eunuch quickly turned around and looked at the black alchemy furnace with a shocked expression.

The top of the alchemy furnace was actually beginning to crack, and the sealed green smoke was rapidly rising, followed by the trembling of the entire palace!

"This... how is this possible!"

The red-robed eunuch's gaze then fell on the dwarf standing on the side of the alchemy furnace.

Xue San also looked at Zike at this time,

Pointed to the furnace, whose cracks were gradually increasing,

And said:

"You said this was very strong, so I tried it. You said it, I won't pay!"

……

Hall of Mental Cultivation;

Here, the important officials were erupting in fierce arguments.

The source of the argument was the selection of the new Grand Councilor.

The emperor's intention was to split the power of the prime minister and strengthen the existing cabinet system.

But the ministers were obviously unwilling to weaken the power of the prime minister, which could resist the imperial power. This had nothing to do with whether they submitted to the new emperor in front of them, purely an instinct as officials.

The Left Minister directly said: Even the late emperor, such a divine and martial ruler, did not split the position of the Grand Councilor.

The implication was,

Even the late emperor, such a supreme being, didn't cut open the position of the prime minister. You just succeeded to the throne, are you too impatient?

Moreover, Zhao Jiulang just died.

The Right Minister was even more direct, even recommending the Marquis of Pingxi to be the prime minister, on the grounds that the Marquis of Pingxi was not only excellent in leading troops to fight, but also unrivaled in his ability to govern the local area.

Hearing this,

Lord Zheng couldn't help but laugh in his heart,

He was not flattered and felt that these important ministers trusted him so much, which was great.

He understood that this seemingly asked him to enter the capital to become prime minister, but in reality, it was a tacit understanding played by these ministers, and their purpose was to hollow out his vassal town and enshrine him in the court.

Lord Zheng was not someone to be trifled with either. He also knew that it was not his strength to reason with these important ministers, or rather, it was not very useful.

Moreover, he also knew that it was impossible for the emperor to let him be the prime minister at this time. Great Yan lost two princes at once, and then took back the remaining swords. Wouldn't that be stupid?

The ministers could make this suggestion for the sake of centralization and weakening the vassals, but the emperor had to consider the overall situation.

Therefore,

Lord Zheng directly opened his mouth with a smile and said:

"Okay, I'm really flattered to be valued by the Right Minister. Alas, in fact, that place in Jinyuan is so remote and sparsely populated. How can it compare to one ten-thousandth of this capital?

The adults can discuss it again and choose a suitable person to replace me. If there is a suitable candidate, I will immediately pack my luggage and come to the capital to live for a long time. I really haven't lived enough in the Marquis of Pingxi's residence that the late emperor bestowed.

But,

I have one thing I have to state in advance,

In the future, if the barbarians invade or the Chu people invade the border, or if there is a rebellion in Jindi, once there are these flaws, those who made the proposal today will really mislead the country.

History is clear and will be recorded."

"Marquis of Pingxi, are you threatening us?"

"I dare not, I dare not, these words of mine are all from the bottom of my heart.

After all,

My loyalty to Great Yan can be seen by heaven and earth, and can be proved by the sun and moon!"

"Boom!"

Suddenly,

There was a loud noise from the palace, like a real thunderbolt from the blue!

"........" Zheng Fan.

————

I'm feeling a little unwell today, a small problem, but it's affecting my writing. There will be only one update today, and I will make it up tomorrow.