Stealing the Pen: Kirin's Primordial Lotus

Chapter 549

Xie Yuchen sat in the Zheng Palace with a solemn expression. Beside him was Zhuo Yichen, whom he had forced to take with him, intending to take the demon-collecting team to the Jiuchen Valley for fun.

"Brother, why isn't Zhao Yuanzhou here?" Zhuo Yichen looked at Xie Yuchen suspiciously, wondering why Xie Yuchen had called him over. However, as soon as he stepped through the gates of the Zheng Palace, he was surprised to find that, with the exception of Zhao Yuanzhou, all the other team members were there.

"Yes, Young Master Xie, why haven't we seen the demon?" Wen Xiao echoed Zhuo Yichen's question. She had keenly noticed the unusually tense atmosphere within the palace gates recently. Furthermore, Mr. Gong Er and Yuan Zheng, who lived in the Corner Palace, had disappeared. Even more puzzling was the fact that Miss Shangguan, who had been residing in the Corner Palace, had vanished without a trace.

An idea suddenly flashed through Wen Xiao's mind. She remembered that when she was chatting with Gong Zishang a few days ago, she heard Gong Zishang mention that Mr. Gong Er was going on a long trip.

According to Gong Zishang, Mr. Gong Er needed a large number of weapons for this trip. For this reason, Gong Zishang worked non-stop for the past two days and finally completed the production of the first batch of weapons.

Pei Sijing stood quietly beside Wen Xiao, her body leaning forward slightly, her hands tightly clasped around the exquisite bow and arrow, as if it were the most precious treasure in her life.

In a corner not far away, the two children, Bai Jiu and Ying Lei, seemed to have sensed some ominous aura. They were huddled together tightly, not daring to take a step forward.

Seeing this, Xie Yuchen hurried to Zhuo Yichen's side and whispered, "Yuanbao, Zhao Yuanzhou has gone out with Daddy. Daddy has something that needs Zhao Yuanzhou's help, so he left first."

Zhuo Yichen raised his head, his large eyes gazing at Xie Yuchen in bewilderment, seemingly puzzled by his words. However, having been coddled by Hua Yu and the others since childhood, his thinking was indeed simpler than those who frequently navigated officialdom. Furthermore, everyone around him, even the emperor, treated him with respect because of Hua Yu and the others. Therefore, the people under him held Zhuo Yichen in awe, daring not to harbor any ulterior motives.

Xie Yuchen's brief explanation was enough for Zhuo Yichen. He blinked, a smile of relief breaking across his tense face, as if the doubts within him had instantly dissipated. Then, relieved, he stopped questioning Zhao Yuanzhou's whereabouts.

Wen Xiao stared at his innocent captain, and after exchanging a glance with Pei Sijing beside him, they both sighed softly.

"Yuanbao, come and play chess with me for a while! It's a good opportunity for me to see if your chess skills have improved recently." Xie Yuchen took out the chessboard with a smile and enthusiastically invited Zhuo Yichen to play chess.

Wen Xiao and Pei Sijing thought to themselves that since they had nothing to do at the moment, they might as well watch the chess game together, which would be better than sitting here and counting ants boredly.

On the other side, the two kids, Bai Jiu and Ying Lei, were so hungry that they couldn't wait to greet Xie Yuchen, and then ran happily to the small kitchen of Zheng Palace, ready to explore some new and delicious food.

"Yinglei Yinglei, do you remember what you said last time about making almond milk for me?"

Bai Jiu was standing in Zheng Palace's small kitchen. He saw almonds among the ingredients on the side, and remembered that he had been asking Ying Lei for a long time whether he could make almond yogurt. Now, after seeing the things, he couldn't wait to ask.

I don't know who Bai Jiu went out to dinner with, but he had a dessert called almond yogurt on the table. Even on the way back to the Yaosi, he kept talking about almond yogurt. He looked so greedy, as if almond yogurt had become the most important thing in his life.

So, as soon as he returned to the Demon Collection Division, Bai Jiu rushed to find Ying Lei as if he had greased his feet. He was afraid that he would forget to tell Ying Lei to help him research almond milk. Wouldn't the almond milk he had been thinking about be ruined?

As for Ying Lei, he didn't have any special feelings about almond yogurt. After all, he had never tasted it, so he naturally didn't know how delicious it was. However, he couldn't stand Bai Jiu's constant chatter in his ear. The repeated mention of "almond yogurt" was like a tight ring, making Ying Lei's head almost explode.

Seeing Bai Jiu's anxious expression, Ying Lei couldn't help but feel a little amused. He knew of Bai Jiu's love for almond curd. Every time their team went out for dinner, Bai Jiu would ask if the restaurant had almond curd as a dessert. He also remembered that he had promised to make it for him. However, although Ying Lei always considered himself the little culinary god of the Demon Collection Division, he could actually only cook a few dishes.

Even worse, even when new dishes appeared, they often did not suit the tastes of the people in the Demon Collection Division. This made Ying Lei very distressed about his cooking skills. He often felt that he had a lot of cooking skills but nowhere to display them.

However, this time was different. Ying Lei smiled and said to Bai Jiu, "Don't worry, Xiao Jiu, I've developed the almond yogurt you've been dreaming of after my dedicated research with Chef Zheng Gong!" He spoke with full confidence, as if the almond yogurt was already in front of Bai Jiu.

When Bai Jiu heard Ying Lei's words, his eyes lit up and he nodded happily like a child, saying, "That's great! I knew you could do it!"

Bai Jiu sat happily on the small stool in the kitchen, a happy smile on his face. He listened attentively to Ying Lei's instructions, and used the tongs in his hands to constantly adjust the fire, controlling the fire in the stove just right.

Ying Lei did not disappoint Bai Jiu's expectations. He was busy in the kitchen with skillful movements. After a while, the almond cheese that Bai Jiu had been thinking about appeared in front of him.

"Tap, tap, tap, tap! Xiaojiu, your almond yogurt is ready! Come and try it. Does it taste like the one you remember?" Yinglei shouted excitedly, as if he had accomplished something great.

He carefully carried the small bowl of almond curd to the kitchen table where the dishes were placed. The curd looked like a fine work of art, off-white in color, smooth and delicate like skin fat. A few almonds and a few pieces of emerald green mint were placed on it as embellishments, adding a touch of freshness and elegance.

Bai Jiu held the small bowl of almond milk carefully, as if it were some rare treasure. Tears shone in his eyes, tears of emotion and joy. He sobbed softly, so quietly that only he could hear it, but Ying Lei still noticed it.

Seeing this, Ying Lei looked at Bai Jiu with some confusion and asked with concern: "Xiao Jiu, why are you crying? Is this almond cheese not tasty?" He was completely unaware of the real reason for Bai Jiu's emotion.

Bai Jiu quickly shook his head and said in a tearful voice: "No, this almond cheese is delicious, the best thing I have ever eaten. I just... I am just so touched." His voice was a little choked, and people couldn't help but feel pity when they heard it.

Ying Lei suddenly realized, he smiled and comforted: "Xiao Jiu, don't be so polite. If there is anything you want to eat in the future, just tell me! As long as it is something I can cook, I will make it for you!" His tone was confident and generous, as if nothing could stump him.

As Yinglei spoke, he secretly marveled at his culinary talent. He thought, "Oh my! My culinary talent is legendary throughout the wilderness! Next time I return to Kunlun Mountain, I must show it off to Grandpa." Grandpa kept nagging him to inherit the Mountain God Temple, but he wasn't interested. He wanted to open an inn so that friends from all corners of the world could come and taste the Mountain God's cooking!

Bai Jiu wiped away her tears and took the spoon that Ying Lei handed to her after cleaning it from the cupboard beside her while he boasted about his cooking skills.

Bai Jiu tasted the almond cheese in small sips, but deep down he felt a sense of old acquaintance.

...

Zhang Qiling led the little demons from the Great Wilderness to busily capture these people in the Wufeng stronghold, and the scene was in chaos. The people in the Wufeng stronghold fled in all directions, but were all subdued one by one by Zhang Qiling and the little demons.

On the side, the people in the government office of the town where Wufeng's stronghold was located were also busy. They were happily shackled and shackled the Wufeng assassins who had their martial arts sealed and their mobility lost. Each assassin was chained tightly and then sent to the detention cell one by one.

The magistrate of Jing'an County followed Zhang Qiling with a smile on his face, repeatedly expressing his gratitude to him: "Thank you, Mr. Zhang, for helping us get rid of these parasites! If it weren't for you, I don't know how much oppression our people here would have suffered from them!"

However, Zhang Qiling didn't seem to grasp the deeper meaning behind the magistrate's words. He simply replied, "It's just a simple favor. Besides, hasn't the current emperor also issued a new law allowing the little demons from the Great Wilderness to trade normally with the human world?"

Zhang Qiling changed the subject, suddenly sighed, and continued: "Speaking of which, it's also the fault of the little demons in the wilderness for being too naive. Not only were they deceived, but they were almost tricked into doing something wrong." His tone revealed a hint of helplessness and regret.

The magistrate of Jing'an County naturally understood the implication of Zhang Qiling's words. He became increasingly agitated and said righteously, "Mr. Zhang, you are absolutely right! I wholeheartedly agree. My wife has also purchased many goods from the little demons in the Great Wilderness. These goods are not only inexpensive but also of high quality. My wife is very satisfied with the service and goods of those little demons and has high praise for them."

The Jing'an County Magistrate paused briefly before continuing, "Not only that, but even the people here have spoken highly of these little demons. They all deeply regret their previous misunderstandings of them."

At this point, the county magistrate's gaze fell on Zhang Qiling's face, as if trying to glean some kind of response from his expression. He then continued, "Since these little demons arrived in Jing'an County, public security has significantly improved. Every household can sleep with their doors open, and no one has reported losing anything."

Zhang Qiling spoke in an official tone to the county magistrate, "It's because County Magistrate Chen is a diligent and devoted son. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so beloved by the people of Jing'an County!"

County Magistrate Chen was completely puzzled. Zhang Qiling's words meant that he could move up a level. His old face was wrinkled with laughter. "As the father and mother official of Jing'an County, loving the people of my county is what a county magistrate should do!"

"Sir, Jing'an County has been completely cleared. Those who resisted stubbornly have been killed on the spot, and the rest have been escorted back by the Jing'an County government." A little demon not far from Zhang Qiling appeared beside him at the right time and reported the work to him respectfully.

Zhang Qiling's expression brightened slightly upon hearing this, but when his gaze fell on Magistrate Chen, who was not far away, a hint of hesitation resurfaced. He hesitated for a moment, then finally said to Magistrate Chen, "Shou Chen, since all the bandits in Jing'an County have been apprehended, we will take our leave now!"

Upon hearing this, County Magistrate Chen hurried forward, smiling broadly, and said, "Mr. Zhang, what are you talking about? You and your little demons have risked your lives for the people of Jing'an County. Now, with great difficulty, you've finally captured these bandits. How can you just walk away like that? At least, I should show some hospitality and treat you and your little demons to a meal!"

Zhang Qiling looked troubled, as if hesitant. He glanced at County Magistrate Chen, then at the little demon beside him, thinking to himself: County Magistrate Chen is so enthusiastic, if I insist on refusing, I'm afraid it would seem a bit unkind. But if I stay for dinner, who knows how much time it will take...

Just as Zhang Qiling was hesitating, County Magistrate Chen continued to persuade him, "Mr. Zhang, please don't refuse anymore. Look, it's already dinner time. You and your little demons have worked so hard for so long. You can't go away hungry, right?"

Zhang Qiling was helpless and could only sigh and say, "Since that's the case, then I'll bother County Magistrate Chen."

Upon seeing this, County Magistrate Chen was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Mr. Zhang, you are so polite! It is my honor to have such a distinguished guest like you!" After that, he warmly invited Zhang Qiling to the Chen Mansion.

Zhang Qiling asked the little demon beside him to inform the other little demons to stay in Jing'an County tonight and set off for Yidong County early tomorrow morning. After the little demon took the order and left, Zhang Qiling followed County Magistrate Chen to the Chen Mansion.

Upon entering the Chen Mansion, County Magistrate Chen led Zhang Qiling to the living room. After the host and guest were seated, County Magistrate Chen said with emotion, "Mr. Zhang, if it weren't for you and those little demons, perhaps we wouldn't have been able to save the entire county with such a small loss of life!"

It turned out that just now, the legal advisor from the yamen came hurriedly and reported the casualties to Zhang Qiling and County Magistrate Chen.

After listening to this, Zhang Qiling frowned slightly and said thoughtfully: "After all, there are some controlled little demons among those bandits. If not, perhaps those brothers would not have suffered such serious injuries!" His words revealed his regret and helplessness for the injuries of the yamen officers.

County Magistrate Chen echoed, "Yes, these little demons are innocent, yet they are being exploited. It's truly pitiful."

Zhang Qiling went on to explain: "This is because the little demons in our Great Wilderness are too naive and easily deceived, which is why they become tools of those bandits, causing injuries to the yamen officers." His tone contained both sympathy for the little demons and resentment towards the bandits.

County Magistrate Chen nodded to show his understanding.

Afterward, Zhang Qiling said to County Magistrate Chen, "I'd like to trouble you to pass on a message to the yamen officers. Tell them to rest assured and recover without worrying about the expenses. We will send all the necessary medicines, follow-up treatments, and any related compensation to their homes as an apology."

After hearing this, County Magistrate Chen quickly responded, "Of course! I will go to the clinic in person tomorrow and convey your words to the injured yamen officers." He stroked his beard, looking quite solemn.