Heaven's Formula

"May I ask, Miss Chi's purpose for coming to Jinxia City this time?" Xia Fan asked, "If it is to avoid the pursuit of the Privy Council, coming here is definitely the right choice. In addition, I heard that Penglai Island has been captured by the Privy Council. Keep an eye on, I wonder how many of your kindred are left on the island? If they intend to move, I can also make arrangements. It should be safer to travel by sea than by land.”

Although the dragon can fly, it consumes a lot of gas when it transforms. It can take a person across Shenzhou at most, and then it has to rest. This is also the conclusion he drew from Olina's test.Chi may be more capable of flying, but out of safety considerations, he still brought up the migration method.

The other party directly asked the purpose!

Now is a great time to get straight to the point!

Kong Xuanzi stared at his servant master, secretly encouraged him.

Say it, this time there must be a satisfactory result!

"Do you think that dragons are like flying lizards, everywhere in the streets?" Chi's answer was completely different from Kong Xuanzi's expectation, "Even in its heyday, there were only three dragons on Penglai Island, and now I am the only one left. In addition to the dragon, there are tens of thousands of people living on it, and there are more than 20 people who are sensitive to it. I really don't want them to fall into the hands of the Privy Council."

"As for the purpose of this trip..." She paused, "I——hope to find a place where dragons are needed to live for a long time."

Kong Xuanzi almost coughed.

"A place that needs a dragon?" Xia Fan asked curiously.

"Haven't you heard the rumors before? Dragons can disperse clouds and mist, and they can also bring down rain. Once a place is protected by dragons, the weather will be smooth and the crops will be harvested." Chi raised his chin slightly, "This is the ability of dragons, and it can also be harvested." It's the vocation of a dragon—although I'm still underage, my talent in this area is beyond doubt."

Is it actually closely related to agriculture...

No wonder the other party dared to pretend to be an asylum.

We must know that in the long course of history, farming has always been a matter of depending on the sky.

This is absolutely of extraordinary significance to a big country in the agricultural era.

It's just that Xia Fan is a little puzzled. Even today, the abundant rain in the arid land can save thousands of people. How did the dragon suddenly disappear?

He asked the question.

"These contents are recorded in the Penglai history annals. Kong Xuanzi, let you tell him."

"Yes." Kong Xuanzi quickly restrained his mind, and cupped his hands at Xia Fan, "Master Xia, this matter can be traced back to more than 1000 years ago."

More than 1000 years—Xia Fan felt a slight jump in his heart. This span has already allowed some civilizations to emerge from nothing, and then from their peak to their extinction.

"At that time, there was no unified dynasty on the mainland, and there were countless scattered tribes and city-states. In some places, a city was even a country. And whoever can get the blessing of the dragon will be able to prosper forever." Kong Xuanzi said seriously , "However, there were also very few people who sensed Qi at that time, but anyone who can awaken the ability to sense Qi will become a famous person in the world."

"After hundreds of years of union and annexation, two dynasties finally came to the fore, one named Wei, and the other named Chu. The territory of the Wei Dynasty is almost the current Mao, Feng, and Qi countries. It was Wei that Long protected at that time. Dynasty. And Chu State can be regarded as the predecessor of Yong Dynasty.”

In terms of geographical distribution, it is probably the dispute between the east and west of the mainland - Wei and Chu are almost equally divided.Xia Fan thought, "Since Long chose the Wei Dynasty, there should be no shortage of food and grass, strong soldiers and horses, why did they lose to Chu in the end?"

"Because of the change of people who sense qi." Kong Xuanzi replied, "According to the records of Penglai, people who sensed qi were still extremely rare thousands of years ago, but then gradually began to increase. This was especially true in the period of the Four Kingdoms 500 years ago. Almost every town has one or two qi-sensing people. Chu State took the lead in strengthening the management of qi-sensing people, formally conferring officials on them, and calling those with official titles alchemists. This policy attracted a large number of qi-sensing people Go. By the time it annexes the other two countries in succession, the number of qi-sensing people has already surpassed that of the Wei country by a lot."

Xia Fan suddenly realized the key point, "These alchemists... make the meaning of the dragon seem less important?"

Chi frowned and glanced at him, but didn't open his mouth to refute.

Kong Xuanzi sighed, "I admire your ingenuity. When the number of qi-sensing people increases, people's ability to resist wild animals, bandits, evil spirits, and natural disasters will be greatly improved. For example, some alchemists who are good at mixing magic can also moisten the soil. Turn barren land into fertile land little by little; alchemists who specialize in Kanshu can turn gas into water, even in severe drought years, people will not be helpless. On the contrary, in the country of Wei, where there is a dragon blessing, the wind is well balanced Shun, but it is impossible for Long to take care of every piece of land. Under the ups and downs, the state of Chu is not much worse than the state of Wei in terms of farming."

It turned out to be the case.

Xia Fan thought, if ignorance was still the main tone of the world a thousand years ago, the next 500 years gave time for ideas to germinate.People get in touch with the world, understand the world, and transform the world with their own hands—this process accumulates knowledge, which leads to a significant increase in the number of people who sense energy.

It's just that no one can perceive the connection between the two from a macro perspective.

The "abnormal" awakening rate in the school may also be used as one of the evidences. Compared with the half-guessed practical experience, what the school teaches is the essence condensed from thousands of years of theory. There are several well-known masters standing behind an eye-catching formula, and the growth rate of knowledge cannot be described as taking off.

"People have gradually discovered that neighboring countries can live a good life even if they don't need dragons, so doubts about dragons began to appear." Kong Xuanzi's voice became a little low, "Because according to the ancient law, asking a dragon to summon rain requires a gesture of relief." To sacrifice at the altar, in addition to the three animals, ten children under the age of three must also be prepared."

Xia Fan looked at Chi in surprise.

This time Chi couldn't help it anymore, "I don't know who came up with this crooked idea! It's just that the tradition is hard to change. The children they used as sacrifices were all taken to Penglai Island to be raised!"

"Master Chi is telling the truth, I am one of the descendants of the sacrificed." Kong Xuanzi testified, "It is a pity that Penglai's explanation has little effect, and the Wei army has lost consecutive battles and taxes have increased. It is becoming more and more common. If it was just the people who opposed it, everyone could endure it, but no one expected that in the end it was King Wei and the upper-class family who dealt the most fatal blow to Penglai."

Xia Fan suddenly had a bad feeling, "What happened... what happened?"

"At that time, a new rumor spread in the royal palace. Dragon blood and dragon heart are great tonics, and eating them can prolong your life for a hundred years." Seeking imperial physicians and those affected by qi from all over the world failed to heal them, so they turned their ideas on the dragon."

Chapter 348 Visit invitation

"They did it?"

"The one who was killed was a dragon named Zhu." The girl said again, "From the perspective of relationship, he is my ancestor. King Wei introduced Zhu to the palace, and then set up an ambush to kill him. There is no record in the book, only know Zhu finally died in the palace, and his chest was cut open, not even his remains were left."

Her voice was very soft and her tone did not fluctuate.

"Master Chi..." Kong Xuanzi worried.

"It's okay, this is a tragedy that Penglai will never forget, and I should be the one to say it." Chi stretched out his hand and interrupted him, "After the dragon and his partner are combined, they will be inseparable, and they will live and die together. Zhu's wife suffered almost half of the pain. Unfortunately, or fortunately, she is a human being, so she didn't last until the heart was picked. It was her experience that made Penglai realize that something happened to the candle far away in the capital of King Wei."

"It's ridiculous that King Wei didn't know about this connection. He even wanted to trick another dragon into going to the capital." She tightened her fists on her knees at this point, "But this time, he waited until It was the anger of the ancestors. The king’s capital rained heavily for more than ten days, and the flood overflowed the embankment and rushed into the city. King Wei fled in a panic, but was killed by another dragon halfway, and the latter also died in the hands of many people who felt angry. Under the siege and suppression. This accident not only caused Long San of Penglai Island to go to the second place, but also affected the surrounding people. The flood flooded many villages and farmland, and nearly ten thousand people died in the flood. The one protected by the dragon."

Xia Fan noticed that her thumb was shaking slightly.

"The only remaining dragon is my grandmother. She knew that the relationship that had been maintained for hundreds of years was gone, so she sealed off Penglai Island and set up a formation on the seashore to fill the fog all year round. From that day on, the dragon Then it disappeared from everyone's sight." Chi paused, "The people on the island only found out later that Wei State was defeated by Chu State in less than ten years and declared to perish."

"I see..." Xia Fan couldn't help sighing a little. Although the situation at that time could no longer be traced to the source, he had a vague feeling that there might be shadows of neighboring countries behind those rumors.The people of Wei State have been protected by dragons for hundreds of years, but in the end they were destroyed because of dragons. This is undoubtedly a lose-lose situation, and the only beneficiary is Chu State, which does not rely on dragons for development.

"No wonder there is no record about dragons in the Privy Council's Yaoxie Book. Your grandmother's choice is correct, and only time can appease resentment and hatred. It is estimated that in the eyes of most people, after the two dragons are gone, there will be no real dragons in Penglai. .”

"Not only the dragon, but even Penglai Island has been almost forgotten by the world." Chi did not shy away from this point, "After I entered the Mao Kingdom, almost no one knew that there was a hidden island overseas, except for the Privy Council."

After all, that was all over 500 years ago.Xia Fan nodded, "Has the Privy Council landed on Penglai Island?"

"When I left, they were trying to disarm the magic circle. To be on the safe side, I had everyone disperse on the outlying islands. Even if the alchemists went up, there would be nothing worth looting."

There is nothing left, but it is impossible to erase the traces of living.

Xu Guo's Privy Council probably found Chi's tail based on this clue.

However, Xia Fan was still a little puzzled.

If they think dragons are a huge threat, why is Xu Guo the only one operating in secret?If Qixing's power is used to search, perhaps Chi will not be able to come to Shenzhou alive.

Or...they have something else they want from Chi Zong?

And this thing must not be disclosed to outsiders—even the Privy Council of other countries that have been encircled by the public are also on the list of precautions.

Xia Fan looked back and forth carefully at the other party.

No matter what, the girl in front of her is already the only dragon left in the world.

"Why, is there something strange about me?"

Chi slightly raised his eyebrows.

Xia Fan has already discovered that when the other party is involved in business or feels uncomfortable, he will use "I" to refer to himself.And a little girl who looks like she is only in her teens calls herself a serious old saying, no matter how many times she hears it, she still finds it quite interesting.

"No, I just remembered something." He smiled, if Li asked him that, he would definitely reply that you are beautiful, but it's fine when facing Miss Long, he doesn't want to make trouble at this time A "diplomatic accident" came. "I have fully understood your reason for coming. Jinxia City can allow you and the people of Penglai Island to live freely. As for the need you mentioned... Jinxia City, as well as the entire Shenzhou, need everyone who can support its construction."

No, Lord Xia, you didn't understand!Kong Xuanzi shouted in his heart.

"You don't understand." Chi couldn't help but said emphatically, "I can adjust the climate of this place so that the farmlands are all over the fields and the hills are covered with forests."

She raised her head, "I did some research on the way here. Jinxia, ​​also known as Yancheng, needs to cut down a lot of firewood to cook salt. There is no food here, and all the food needed has to be brought in from other places because it is too close to the city. The sea, once encountering a violent storm, can ruin the farmland. With my help, Jinxia will have enough wood to cut down and enough food for itself in three or four years.”

"It is indeed a rare ability to be able to control the cloud and rain, but..." Xia Fan cleared his throat, "Now there is no need to consume firewood to produce salt here, and the farmland is also being developed, and it should be able to meet the local demand in summer...you Is there anything else you want to do?"

"What?" Chi and Kong Xuanzi asked in surprise.

"Master Xia, on the way we came, we saw a large number of felled tree pockets on the side of the mountain." Especially Kong Xuanzi, he originally thought that the other party's "but" would be followed by "how much is the reward, too?" Gao Jinxia can't afford it" and so on, at this time Chizai said his plan by the way, it was just right, but unexpectedly the other party changed the subject and said that Jinxia didn't need this ability?

If the information from three or four years ago may not be able to keep up with the changes, all they inquired about is the latest news, how could it be invalid in a month or two?

"You...don't say that on purpose to bargain, right?" Chi's heart tightened, "The reward I want is not as high as you think."

"Of course not." Xia Fan was also a little embarrassed, what if someone felt that he lacked sincerity and decided to look elsewhere? "That's all right. I'll arrange a place to live for you first. After everyone has rested, I'll show you the new salt field and new farmland by the sea. After seeing it with your own eyes, you will naturally understand that Jinxia City is now How to produce salt and cultivate the land. Miss Chi, what do you think?"

"...I see." Chi agreed after a moment of silence, "But there is no need to wait until after the rest. If there is nothing else, please take us there now."

Chapter 349 The Salt of the Sand

Waiting for the vacancy arranged by Xia Fan, Kong Xuanzi leaned next to the waiter and said in a low voice, "Master Chi, why didn't you just say it directly at the beginning? That is obviously an excellent opportunity."

In the past five years, he accompanied the waiter to explore many cities, and the number of times he was able to meet the local chief officials was very few.Because the attitude of the other party is unclear, it is necessary to rack your brains just to test each other. The conversation can often go smoothly when you pretend to be a big businessman or a child of a family, but when it comes to monsters, progress will become extremely difficult, let alone marriage. kind of thing.

Obviously in the prosperous era of Penglai, demons can still coexist peacefully with humans, and the favor of dragons is a good thing that most people can't wait for.

"I——I think such a big matter really shouldn't be hasty." Chi replied bluntly, "On the surface, he really has no prejudice against demons, but in fact, no one knows what he thinks."

"How do you think in your heart, you can understand it when you get along day and night..."

"Are you looking for a husband-in-law or am I?" Chi glared at the attendant.

Kong Xuanzi closed his mouth wisely.

"Actually, if you think about it carefully, we don't know anything about him, don't we?" Chi clasped his hands together and said, "This person's hometown, background, background...why did he fall out with the Privy Council, and how did he get the princess's appreciation. I don't even know if he is married, or has a marriage contract. This kind of thing... just need to observe for a while."

That's not what you said when you decided to leave Penang Island.

Kong Xuanzi slandered in his heart, it's not like everyone didn't express their concerns at that time, but didn't you confidently say that no one can refuse your proposal and this honor.Even if the other party is already married, it is a matter of remarrying after divorce, so I have no scruples.

But this resentment was quickly forgotten by him.

After all, the outside world is very different from what everyone thinks. The servant master may have suffered more setbacks in the past five years than in the past hundred years. After going through all kinds of blows, she can persist until now... It is not easy for her.

As a person raised by Long alone, Kong Xuanzi will support her no matter what decision Chi makes.

Chi watched the crowds on the street in a daze.

She suddenly remembered what Xia Fan had said, hesitated for a moment, and tried to untie the cloth strips wrapped around her head.

With this movement, besides the curly hair, there is also a pair of forked fluffy horns—compared with the features revealed by the eyes, this pair of blunt horns shaped like deer antlers is undoubtedly much more eye-catching.

Then, she crossed the gate of the courtyard wall and stood in front of the stone steps of the office.

Soon someone noticed the strangeness on the top of the head.

This discovery spread like a trickle, and more and more eyes fell on her.

But no one showed panic or fear.

What Chi feels the most is curiosity and scrutiny.

There are also well-meaning people, but there are not so many of them.

There are also some incomprehensible whispers, such as "it's not wolf ears this time", "has the bureau changed people to lure you to take the bait?", but generally speaking, everyone didn't care about her because of her inhuman appearance. It seems repulsive or disgusting, as if it is not uncommon for demons to appear on the street.

What he said... was actually true.

"Master Chi, Jin Xia said that the carriage is ready." The guard's voice interrupted Chi's thoughts.

She nodded, "Let's go."

……

Xia Fan led a group of people through the east gate to the Yantian production area.

The snow season and the gray sky make the output of the salt farm drop to the lowest point, and there are few working people in the flat and white pools, but these square pools still give visitors the most intuitive view The visual shock—the scale of the new salt field is almost ten times that of the boiled salt field, and the white land that stretches for several miles can be seen at a glance.

The motorcade stopped in an open space, and Xia Fan introduced to everyone who got off the carriage, "This is Jinxia's new salt field. The salt it currently produces can meet all the needs of the people of Shenzhou. Winter is indeed beneficial to the open-air production area. Certainly affected, but we still have the No. [-] production area to guarantee the basic supply.”

Chi did not see any traces of firewood burning. The first impression here is that it is clean and tidy. The white bottom of the pool looks like snow at first glance, but when you look closely, you will find that it is a layer of condensation like ice crystals.

The problem is that salt production is a large-scale industry that requires a lot of manpower to maintain. There are not even a few people here. Can a sufficient amount of sea salt be produced?

"My lord, look at your feet!" Kong Xuanzi suddenly said in surprise, "It seems that the sand is not covered with snow."

Chi looked down, and immediately noticed this situation.

She squatted down and pushed away the cold snow, only to see that there were many white particles mixed in the brownish-yellow sand, and it was impossible for the snow to seep into these gaps through the surface of the sand.

Could it be—salt?

She tried to squeeze a small one into her mouth, and the salty taste melted on the tip of her tongue.

It turned out to be true!

The other attendants did the same.

"No way, they let the salt be sprinkled on the ground?"

"Look at the edge of the pool, that piece seems to be full of salt!"

"It's too wasteful."

"If you sifted the salt out of the sand, it should fill several sacks."

There was a discussion in the team for a while.

Chi walked up to Xia Fan and said with a slight sense of blame, "Although I don't know how you make salt, but the management is a bit too lax. You may not take a few bags of salt to heart, but for ordinary people It is said that one bag is enough to meet the needs of a family of three for decades. The accumulation of salt is the salt expenditure of hundreds of families."

Xia Fan didn't expect her to say this, and was a little surprised for a moment, "It's not that I want to waste it, but that this salt making method will inevitably seep the salt into the ground. Instead of spending energy to screen them out, it's better to make a new one." Get a batch."