Konoha Aogen

Jianhu Villa is located in the north of the east bank of "Jianhu". It's called "Mountain Villa", but it's surrounded by a vast plain, and not a single hill can be seen as far as the eye can see.

To be precise, this is a weapons workshop with a "wall". The fence is very short, just to block the small groups of prairie horses that invade south from time to time.

The rangers may not be able to tell clearly whether "Gu Changqing" lives in the workshop. Even if you know it, you may not dare to rob it. The grassland is short of iron, and the "prairie people" are more fanatical about precious knives and swords than the "Central Plains people". If there is no wall to block it, the robbery may only become more fierce.

Compared with the "Night Palace", the "Jianhu Villa" after several expansions is more than ten times larger.

At first, "Gu Changqing" retired to the shores of Jinghu Lake, and "Gu Daxia" became "Gu Blacksmith", only hoping to bring a few apprentices to build some rare magic weapons. Later, he gradually felt the joy of doing business, and "Gu Tiejiang" became "Gu Boss" again.

His ambition at this time was not only to make exquisite swords, but also to care about how much money "Jianhu Village" made this year, whether it was more or less than last year. As for what to do after making money, that comes second. He believes that silver is the world's recognition of another talent of his. The larger the stall, the less this recognition has to do with his "talent for killing."

When he made the first weapon on the bank of Jinghu Lake, the asking price on the market was tens of thousands of taels of silver, probably because of the name "Gu Changqing"; when he made the 116th one, he was still asking for it. It can be sold for tens of thousands of taels, probably because the item itself is really good, but after all, it still cannot erase the brand of "Gu Changqing".

However, when the hundreds of thousands of iron knives and steel swords made by the "ordinary craftsmen" of "Jianhu Village" were sold to hundreds of cities and sects, large and small in the North, even the "Hangzhou" south of Tianhe, As a disciple of the "Gang", all the ordinary products mass-produced by "Jianhu Village" were hung on his waist. The joy that surged in his heart seemed to be greater than when he witnessed the "Battle of Glacier" with his own eyes.

"You killed my biggest buyer, and you still have the nerve to come see me!" Seeing Ye Xuan, Gu Changqing scolded him.

"So now, I am your biggest buyer. If you scold me, your accounts this year will be even more embarrassing." Ye Xuan replied slyly.

"Humph, was that the knife that killed Hu Kang? Show me!" Gu Changqing looked a little impatient, pointing to the "snow dirty" held by Ye Xuan in his left hand. He is no longer easy to kill, but his obsession with weapons remains the same as before.

"Not now. I have something to ask you, and this is a bargaining chip to lure you." Ye Xuan spoke bluntly, revealing his little thoughts: "If Boss Gu doesn't take a nap, why not just get down to business. This is Mingzhu .”

"I've met Senior Gu." Ming Zhu took two steps forward and bowed down Yingying.

When a woman kneels down, she does not put her forehead to the ground. She can only bury her head as low as possible, hoping to hide the uncontrollable disappointment in her eyes. How could Senior Gu, the "Gu Changqing" whom everyone in the world admired, be so ugly?

This man was as thin as a bamboo stick, a whole head shorter than Ye Xuan. His eyebrows, eyes, mouth and nose were randomly stacked on a long and narrow horse face. He didn't look the same at all, but rather looked like he was from different faces. Taken apart and pieced together. The two eyes are also misaligned. While the left eye is staring straight ahead, the black pupil on the other side is tilted to the right.

His complexion is quite rosy. But the flush on his face made him look even more vulgar. If his face were dry and sallow, he might look more decent. Mingzhu didn't go to many theaters. The last time was two months ago, and the last time was seventy-four years ago. But she only glanced at "Gu Changqing", and the "clown face" and "treacherous sycophant" on the stage appeared in her mind. Faces" stacked together.

"I've met Boss Gu." Gui Mo also followed Ming Zhu and came forward to pay his respects. But he does not kneel down and worship, nor does he call himself senior.

Gu Changqing stretched out his left hand to help Ming Zhu up: "Don't worship me, it's unlucky. Follow her example and call me Boss Gu." He said and smiled at Gui Mo: "Is that whip still suitable?"

Gui Mo's face turned red: "Yes, it works."

"Xiao Zhu, you may be a little embarrassed later, just bear with it and get over it." Ye Xuan warned from the side.

"what?"

Seeing Ming Zhu's confused look, Gu Changqing said dissatisfied: "Why are you telling people now that you did this on purpose?"

Hearing what Gu Changqing said and seeing Gui Mo also wearing a sinister smile, Ming Zhu felt even more at a loss.

"Anyway, don't hit anyone." Ye Xuan ignored Gu Changqing's accusation and ordered Mingzhu.

"Yes...Young Master."

After about a cup of tea, Gui Mo and Ming Zhu were sent out by Ye Xuan. He and Gu Changqing were left alone, playing chess and chatting in a small room that was not very soundproof and had a wide open window. Gui Mo didn't want anyone to accompany him, so he asked "Boss Gu" to get his waist card, and wandered around "Jianhu Villa" with Ming Zhu.

"Isn't he really...indecent to me like that?" Ming Zhu recalled the scene just now, feeling even more disillusioned with "Gu Changqing", the legendary ancient hero.

Gui Mo looked indifferent: "Then how can we tell the difference? He is a swordsmith and a man."

"But...is it necessary?"

"Anyway, he gave me this after he touched me. I can't think of anything better." Ghost Moth stroked the rope whip wrapped around his forearm. "Of course, it might be the same if he doesn't touch me."

"Even so, but he...he..." Mingzhu always felt as if he had eaten something dirty.

Looking at her expression, Gui Mo knew what she was thinking: "If 'touching' is necessary, then it makes sense to touch the 'waist and crotch' area more and for a longer time. After all, that area is the hub of the body." He The same was true when touching Ye Xuan. Can this comfort you?" Ming Zhu's embarrassment made Gui Mo feel very comfortable.

"Have you...all been touched by him?" Ming Zhu asked reluctantly.

"No. Sister Qing'er only let him touch her hands. Han Xing even didn't let him touch his nails or hair. Later, 'Mo Jie' and 'Judgment'

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, and they were quite satisfied. "

"That……"

"That's why I said I don't know." Gui Mo didn't wait for Ming Zhu to finish, and cut off her words. "Unless you have the ability to ask 'Sister Qing'er' and 'Hanxing' to touch him again to see if they can find something more suitable."

"What do you think he will give me?" Ming Zhu was full of expectations at the thought of having his own weapon soon. "You didn't even ask me what I knew."

"He doesn't care what you can do." Gui Mo chuckled and said, "What he gives you is what suits you best. Just practice."

"Yeah. It would be best if he is so awesome." Mingzhu thought about the flush on Gu Changqing's face, and really felt that this person was not very reliable.

"Gui Cao - Gu Changqing." Gui Mo looked into Ming Zhu's eyes and said word by word: "He has seen the Battle of Glacier; he has killed the locust plague 'Su Mu'. But what people remember today is such a nickname. , do you still have no confidence in him?"

"Okay, let's wait and see." Ming Zhu said leisurely.

Clothes are "attached to the body", and weapons are "swung at others". Cutting out a suitable weapon is tens of millions of times more difficult than cutting out a suit that fits. Therefore, "Gu Changqing" was called "Ghost Chief" by many celebrities in the world.

"Old rule, forty thousand taels. If you lose, you don't have to, but if you win, double it." Gu Changqing said and dropped the first white stone.

The weapons forged by "Gu Changqing" are divided into two categories: one is forged according to his own preference; the other is tailor-made for the employer. The former are often auctioned in "Jingyue City", while the latter ask for a uniform price of 40,000 taels. Ye Xuan was a gambler by nature, so he proposed this idea when he went to "Jianhu Village" to order a regiment knife and armor, and it became a routine from then on. Whenever he comes to negotiate business in person, he has to bet on it.

"Okay. It's better to take two out of three rounds, so you don't rely on luck." Ye Xuan casually pressed Heizi onto the wooden plate, making a pleasant soft sound.

"Hmph, you're keeping it secret, Boss Ye. Don't say that you're just pretending to be a bad chess player." Both of the two bad chess players felt that the other one was not as good as themselves. However, "Gu Changqing" had something else to say. He was ironically referring to his surprise attack on "Hu Kang".

"Why are you still talking about this? There are tens of thousands of members of the 'Hang Gang', but I only killed one person. Isn't it the same for you to talk to the new gang leader about selling swords?"

"Liu Chengyin? He can't even sit firmly on the chair under his butt. How can he care about such trivial matters?" Gu Changqing said angrily.

"As long as the 'Hang Gang' doesn't break up, the things that need to be purchased will always be purchased. It will only take a few years at most. Gang Leader Liu is in such a difficult situation now. If you can help him, even if you just give him some false support verbally, Are you still afraid that he won't buy your stuff in the future? The Hang Bang is not short of money, but he may not be able to use the money now."

Gu Changqing frowned and waved his hands repeatedly: "Selling knives is selling knives. I will not get involved in your martial arts abuses."

Ye Xuan shook his head with a bored expression and dropped another chess piece.

"Why do you want me to intervene in the Hang Gang's affairs?" Gu Changqing suddenly became alarmed: "You just said you had something to ask me for, is this it?"

Ye Xuan chuckled lightly: "I haven't been able to hook up with Gang Leader Liu yet. After the 'Grain Festival', it's time to hold the 'Sword Conference' again, and I want to invite you to have a look."

"Hmph. You've come and gone, provoked Xixia, killed Hu Kang, and offended the 'Southern people' all over. You want to lend me this ugly face to help you calm down, right? Don't even think about it." Gu Changqing immediately refused.

"You only show up and say a few words of hypocrisy, and you are not forming an alliance with me. If there are remnants of the 'Hang Gang' or anyone else who comes to seek revenge from me in the future, just sit back and watch." Ye Xuan continued to persuade.

"I said I won't get involved in your martial arts activities. I'm a craftsman."

"Craftsman? Then you let Xiaozhu call you 'Boss Gu'? You are clearly a businessman. What I am talking to you is also business." Gu Changqing pretended to think about chess and did not respond.

Ye Xuan had no choice but to answer the question himself: "The three regiments of Kurong City's "Field, Public Security, and Imperial Guards" already use the swords and armors of "Jianhu Village". But the "Criminal Law Department" still has three thousand yamen soldiers on hand. They are all cheap guys. I have made a fortune this time, so they should change. Boss Gu went to Kurong City to discuss this business, and he happened to catch up with the 'Sword Conference' to watch the excitement."

In fact, there were not three thousand "yamen soldiers" in Kurong City, and he even included "civilians". The real number doesn't matter, it's a bribe.

"Haha, you arranged it well." Gu Changqing was so angry that he drank a large cup of tea, chewed bitter leaves and cursed angrily: "Don't do this! If I don't go, 'Xue Zang' won't be shown to you. Is that right? If you have any other chips, just pile them up together."

With a "bang" sound, "Snow Zong" was placed heavily on the chessboard, and the black and white on the board were scattered. This game was considered overturned.

"Boss Ye, what do you mean?" Gu Changqing's tone became increasingly unkind.

"Whether I want to go or not is up to you." Ye Xuan said lightly.

Gu Changqing glanced at Ye Xuan doubtfully, and quickly copied "Xue Zang" in front of him with his left hand. He is a straightforward person. If he doesn't want to go, he won't go. If he wants to see something, he just wants to see it. He will never make himself uncomfortable for ridiculous reasons such as "integrity".

When Gu Changqing looked at the knife, he did not "raise it up to his eyes, staring at the blade slowly unsheathing" like others. He held the handle of the knife with his right hand and pulled it out. Like a rude man who first entered Nuan Pavilion and ripped off people's clothes with his hands, he was rude and eager.

The scabbard of "Xue Zang" has been replaced several times, and now it has been changed into a "dense, warm and heavy" "gray pear wood scabbard". After being soaked by the "sour leaves", the gray... has become so rotten that it is close to the pure black on Ye Xuan's body.

The moment the "gray-white and dirty" blade slipped from the "grey-black rotten" wooden scabbard, Gu Changqing once again confirmed the strangeness he had noticed when he took it: this knife... is really light.

"Is it this snowflake-like thing that resisted the 'Water Dragon's Roar' for more than ten times?" He did not hide his surprise. Now everyone knows that Ye Xuan killed Hu Kang with a "grey lancet", but few people know what it feels like to hold this "snow dirty knife" in his hand.

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"Yes." Ye Xuan was very satisfied with Gu Changqing's reaction.

"Things from Rama's family? From the tomb?" Gu Changqing asked again.

"Yes." He didn't bother to explain that it was a cave and he was not a tomb robber.

With a flash of gray light, like peeling tofu, the black and white chess pieces lying on the wooden plate were thinly sliced ​​into upper and lower pieces. "Not very sharp."

"Well, considering her hardness, she is a bit blunt. I guess the Rama family's knife is probably not used for killing people. If it is just for fun, being too sharp will only increase the danger."

Gu Changqing sighed and ignored Ye Xuan. He stroked the blade with his left hand and carefully touched every inch of "Xue Zang's" gray and dirty body. Touched it once, then touched it twice. Then he held the blade of the knife with his left hand and began to molest the "handguard" and "hilt" again.

Ye Xuan sat opposite and watched, feeling very uncomfortable in his heart. After about half a cup of tea, the "grey snow dirty" finally fell asleep again in the "gray black wooden sheath".

"How is it?" Ye Xuanqing asked.

"In terms of craftsmanship, it is outstanding. It is hard to say that it is ingenious. The key lies in the material... Well, being an emperor is not without its benefits." Gu Changqing's eyes were filled with jealousy.

"Hahaha... No one becomes an emperor just to forge swords. It is just a small capriciousness of the Rama family to send hundreds of millions of subjects to gather flying stones from the sky to find materials that should not be available in this world." Ye Xuan chuckled. I just feel that "Gu Changqing" has a "craftsman's heart", which is quite childish.

"A little willfulness? Huh, I'm afraid I won't be able to get this little willfulness in a few hundred years." Gu Changqing looked a little lonely. He is undoubtedly the best craftsman in ancient and modern times, but he cannot make the best swords in ancient and modern times. "You gave up the 'Xingmang' for this 'dirty thing', so I can't blame you."

"There is another thing like this." Ye Xuan looked lovingly at the "Xue Zang" that returned to his hand, and said leisurely: "Qing'er gave up the 'Mo Festival' for it."

"Gu Changqing" who was feeling a little depressed suddenly raised his head, staring at Ye Xuan's eyes with a strange light: "I asked you why you are so kind. You used 'Snow Zang' to seduce me, so that's what you meant!"

"Exactly. When you attend the sword competition, I'll show you the 'Dark Water'." Ye Xuan's tone was a little proud.

Gu Changqing looked at the scattered black and white chessboard, his eyes rolling in different directions. Ye Xuan was shocked when he saw this scene for the first time. Later I realized that it was his unique way of thinking.

Mingzhu only glanced at "Gu Changqing" and kept lowering his head to avoid eye contact with him, but he overestimated his ugliness. "Gu Changqing's" eyes are not really misaligned, but they are just a bit strange compared to ordinary people. His pupils could look in two different directions at the same time, but there was no confusion in his mind. When Ming Zhu looked up at him, he was looking at Ye Xuan and Gui Mo's left arm.

"I'm just going and not talking." He rolled his eyes for a long time until Ye Xuan felt a little dizzy. The "craftsman" in Gu Changqing's heart finally kicked down the "grandmaster" who threatened to retire.

"Don't talk, but sit next to me."

"Three thousand yamen soldiers, each with three sets of swords and armor." The craftsman Gu Changqing was lured, and the businessman Gu Changqing began to compare with each other.

"That won't work! I just made a fortune and bought nine thousand pairs of knives and armor in one go. What will others think of me? Boss Gu, please stop blackmailing me. In Mirror Moon City, I have taken care of you for more than ten thousand taels. Business. Are you the one who runs 'Mirror Pavilion'?" The most important purpose of this trip has been achieved. Ye Xuan didn't want to be blackmailed anymore and hurriedly changed the subject.

Hearing this, Gu Changqing smiled and said, "You have been to the Mirror Pavilion. What did you buy?"

"Huh, it's you after all. Can you please stop others from imitating the things you sold to me in the future?" Ye Xuan complained.

"I sold you the weapon, but I didn't sell you the picture." Gu Changqing flatly refused. "The idea of ​​'Mirror Pavilion' was thought up by my apprentice 'Nan Sun', and she was also responsible for it. It wasn't just to make money, she told me: 'There are so many friends in the world who want to imitate our things, so they have to give it to me. Isn't it a convenience for people to walk?' If you think about it carefully, it is indeed true. Most of the good things I have built have never been seen again after they are in the hands of buyers. It is really a pity." Mo Nansun is the only "Gu Changqing" "The disciple he accepted after she retired to seclusion is also the only female disciple among the seven disciples.

"But if you do this, over time, someone who is interested will be able to identify the wielder based on the appearance of the weapon. Those walking in the sun are fine, but what about those in the shadows? For example... Shuoshuo." Ye Xuan said , took out a steel thorn without a guard from his arms and threw it on the chessboard.

"You bought 'rat gallbladder'? It's not easy to imitate." Gu Changqing didn't care about Ye Xuan's accusation: "I never said that I would keep the appearance of the weapon secret. If an assassin dies in this section, , that’s his own fault.”

"Who imitated these things?" Ye Xuan asked curiously.

"Anyone who is willing to imitate the craftsmen in the village can do it. If you pass my eyes, you can enter the 'Mirror Pavilion'." Gu Changqing said casually.

Ye Xuan said casually: "If you hope others will imitate it, why don't you just spread the 'picture'?"

Gu Changqing shook his head with disgust: "You really don't understand any elegance."

"Huh, let's just finish this 'elegant' thing." Ye Xuan chuckled and put the "rat gallbladder" into his arms, then casually wiped away the thinly sliced ​​black and white chess pieces.

Exile Diary - Excerpt (56)

Today a strong man with a fierce face came and told me that to work here, I need to pay him three taels of silver every month.

This is easy to say. I paid him money, and he asked me to accompany him, looking like a scoundrel. What's wrong with that? It's the same for everyone.

Before leaving, the strong man told me that his name was Yao Er. If anyone bullied me in the future, he could mention his name.

"My name is Xiaomei. Thank you, Brother Yao." I said gratefully. This is good, there should be no trouble in the near future.

(End of this chapter)