ryethenovel Chapter 14 Shennong City is about to open, and Chang'an is in an uproar.
Chapter 14 Shennong City is about to open, and Chang'an is in an uproar.
Fan Tao suddenly stood up, his face full of shock.
"Illusion magic murder, illusion magic murder..."
He kept muttering to himself, "There are still some illusionists in Chang'an, and there are quite a few hallucinogenic drugs."
But before Chen Yue's reminder, no one had ever thought of this possibility.
Liu Boyan nodded repeatedly.
"That's right. If it's for revenge, killing Hu Wenyuan and Hu Wenbo would be far more cruel than dealing with Lord Hu. You truly deserve to be called a master from Penglai. Your words today have enlightened me greatly, and I admire you immensely!"
He then clasped his hands together again and bowed respectfully to Chen Yue.
"Hu Gong's greatest wish in his life was that his family would produce a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) who would become officials in the court. His two sons originally had great hopes, but they both died the day after his sixtieth birthday. What kind of hatred could drive someone to use such a vicious method?"
Fan Tao had never really believed in the idea of vengeful ghosts taking lives, and he hadn't understood the key point before, but after Chen Yue's explanation, the fog in front of him instantly dissipated.
The murderer was a member of Yang Wanli's family. Due to Hu Shanren's testimony, he was executed. This was a blood feud. Afterwards, he secretly infiltrated the Hu family.
With careful planning, on the day of Hu Shanren's birthday, illusion magic was used to instill fear in the Chen brothers, causing them to die of terror in their hallucinations. Everything was perfectly reasonable!
"My lord, I will return to Chang'an immediately and will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly. Thank you for your guidance today."
Chen Yue waved his hand.
"This is just my guess at the moment. Remember to keep this matter discreet. Come to Shennong Temple when you have the results."
"As you command, sir, we shall take our leave now."
Fan Tao is now completely focused on the case and can no longer sit still.
"Brother Fan, how was it? I told you this time we would definitely gain something."
After the two came out, they stood at the temple entrance and looked back inside. Liu Boyan said with a smile.
"Yes, this Shennong Envoy is truly extraordinary. I have a feeling that the case is getting closer and closer to the truth. Boyan, I really have to thank you this time. Otherwise, I would never have imagined that the illusion murder and the killer might be related to Yang Wanli from back then."
After saying that, he was about to bow to Liu Boyan, but Liu Boyan pushed his outstretched hands away.
"Brother Fan, why are we being so polite? I also want this case solved as soon as possible."
As the two of them descended the mountain, Chen Yue also arrived at the courtyard. The weather was nice today; although the temperature was still low, the sun was shining brightly, making people feel warm and comfortable.
If you put a deck chair here, you can sunbathe and have Zhao Qimei give you a massage, it would be very comfortable.
"Young master, it's almost noon. Seventh Sister will go and fetch your lunch."
Zhao Qimei was present the whole time they were talking. Although she didn't quite understand what they were saying, her admiration for Chen Yue grew even stronger.
Go ahead, be careful on the road.
Chen Yue stretched and wandered around the temple, but there was really nothing to do.
"How about I wear a mask and go down the mountain to Chang'an for some fun? I haven't done the things Grandpa told me to do yet."
It was only the second day, and Chen Yue was already getting restless. Although the fan and ruby had been confiscated by the time portal, the sachet engraved with the words "Red Jade" was still there.
Pingkangfang was one of the 110 wards of Chang'an. It was a famous red-light district in the Tang Dynasty, divided into three sections: North, Central, and South. The North and Central sections were high-end establishments, while the South section was of a lower class.
In modern times, prostitution is illegal, but in the Tang Dynasty, visiting these brothels was legal, and many literati, officials, and nobles were frequent visitors.
Moreover, these ancient brothels were not only places to satisfy physical needs, but also places to enjoy beautiful singing and dancing, and listen to music in the brothels. What man could not be tempted?
But he was also afraid that his identity would be exposed and he would encounter some danger.
"Forget it, let's play it safe for now and wait until we get the universal card and have the ability to protect ourselves before making any moves."
Before he left, the old man repeatedly warned him that the beauty of Chang'an was unforgettable, but his identity as the Shennong Envoy was also very sensitive, and he should think about all possible consequences no matter what he did.
Never let momentary pleasure lead you into a crisis; once you die, there's no going back.
"Is this portal to another dimension only accessible through Zhong Nanshan? If so, won't my area of activity be extremely limited?"
With nothing to do, he couldn't help but start daydreaming.
There were no airplanes or high-speed trains in the Tang Dynasty, so ten days was too short. If you included the round trip, even if you did nothing but travel, you could only visit Yongzhou and two neighboring prefectures.
If it's any further, I won't be able to come back in ten days.
"Why think so much? So what if the activity area is only Chang'an? I'm already lucky enough. Others wouldn't even have a minute to come."
Chen Yue has always been an optimist. He doesn't dwell on things he can't understand, so as not to cause himself unnecessary trouble.
An hour later, Zhao Qimei returned. Today's meal was still very lavish, and it was Wang Xian who sent someone to Chang'an to buy it.
Just as the two were enjoying their meal, the new Shennong envoy arrived at the Shennong Temple. The news of the reopening of Shennong Market on the tenth day of the month had spread throughout Chang'an City and attracted a lot of attention.
Even many ordinary people are talking about it, even though they can't afford those magical items.
But they all knew that Shennong was the mountain god of Zhongnan Mountain, a deity. If Shennong hadn't given the order, they would have gone to offer incense long ago.
Compared to them, the merchants of Chang'an were the most excited. Every time Shennong Market opened, it was an opportunity for them to show off their skills.
Whoever can buy more goods from those mountain people can not only make more money, but also have the opportunity to use these goods to curry favor with some powerful and influential people.
Every divine object brought by Shennong was a priceless treasure in the upper echelons of Chang'an.
Since Shennong disappeared ten years ago, Shennong City has never reopened, and they have been unable to obtain those magical items. They are all eagerly awaiting their return.
Therefore, merchants from both the East and West markets once again launched the "Shennong Conference," which had not been held for ten years.
To put it simply, it was a gathering of merchants from Chang'an to establish some rules.
In particular, everyone should keep the purchase price of those magical items consistent, otherwise some people will drive up the price drastically in order to buy them.
This has happened before; in the end, the prices kept rising, ultimately benefiting the mountain people.
In order to make money, they had no choice but to continue to raise prices to sell their harvest. In the end, the exorbitant prices not only made it difficult to sell, but also displeased some hot-tempered powerful people, who even beat and scolded them.
Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. Merchants who do not participate in the Shennong Conference are absolutely not allowed to go to Zhongnan Mountain to collect goods, otherwise they will be met with a collective boycott.
Ganlu Hall of Taiji Palace.
This was Li Shimin's daily residence, and all the ministers who could enter this hall were his most trusted people.
It is now the fourteenth year of Zhenguan. Li Shimin has just turned 40. Although he only has 9 years left to live, there are no signs of any problems yet. He is still very energetic.
He wore a yellow round-necked casual robe made of thick Shu brocade, lined with a sable fur coat, with a nine-ringed jade belt around his waist and a gold fish pouch. With his square jaw and broad face, he exuded an aura of imperial majesty.
Two ministers sat on either side of him. The one on the left was thin and refined, with heavy eye bags, clearly indicating that he had been overworked. He was wearing a purple round-necked robe.
In the Tang Dynasty, only officials of the third rank could wear purple official robes. Due to special historical reasons, the first and second ranks of official positions in the Tang Dynasty were largely honorary, and the third rank was the highest rank one could attain.
It was none other than Fang Xuanling, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the current Prime Minister.
The other man appeared to be in his early fifties, with a ruddy complexion. He was also wearing a purple round-necked robe, but the color was brighter. He was Changsun Wuji, the Grand Minister of the Tang Dynasty and the brother-in-law of Li Shimin.
Although he currently holds no official position with real power, he is an indispensable figure in the Tang Dynasty. Li Shimin would consult with him on most important matters.
"My two esteemed ministers, it is said that a new Shennong envoy has arrived from Zhongnan Mountain. What are your thoughts on this matter?"