The strange story of Huai'an Inn

After a light rain, the clouds were blown away by a sudden gust of wind.The bright sunlight is not as vicious as a sunny day, and it gently shines on the damp green bricks and ink tiles, making people's eyes and heart a lot brighter.

Chong Liu moved a bench and sat under the locust tree. In front of him were two big baskets of boiled beans. He picked them up one by one and cut them open in the middle with a knife so that they could be moved to the backyard to dry in the sun.While concentrating on doing the boring and single job, he hummed a ditty carelessly, as if he had nothing else to do, as if it was the most important job in the world.

Shopkeeper Zhu stood under the porch of the east building with his sleeves tucked in his sleeves, quietly looking at the locust tree and the people under the tree.

The leaves of the locust tree this year are more blooming than last year. The leaves are green and green, revealing a healthy and watery light. The branches are majestic, but the direction of the branches is stretched and soft. Just looking at it like this, no one will know that this luxuriant tree What is buried under the bright ancient pagoda tree.

And the person under the tree, is it not the case.

Chongliu carried the burden and followed Yaren with a low eyebrow. On the first day when he came to Huai'an Inn, Zhu Helan had a strange intuition.

The people who work in his inn are all drawn by the filth.Even ordinary people who have no connection with his inn still carry a little bit of filth that doesn't bother them.

But there was not even a trace of filth on Guan Chongliu's body.

When everything is over, there must be something strange.

Guan Chongliu did not hide his ability to read and write, and explained his life experience in detail, even a little ordinary.A scholarly family in decline in Gaotu Mountain, the family land was sold out, there are six brothers and sisters in the family, two sisters are married, the eldest brother fails in many tests, the second brother is weak, and the fifth brother works as a teacher in the local academy.Chong Liu chose to come out to beg for food by himself to reduce the burden on the family.

The relative he mentioned who was studying alchemy in Qingming Guan also existed, but...Zhu Helan knew that that person was not Chong Liu's real relative.

There are many people who want to ask for work in Tianliang City, but there are only so many jobs.People with local connections and backgrounds always have an advantage over those who are alone in a foreign land.Therefore, some people spend a little money to temporarily find a local person to be their "relative" and then introduced by a dental worker, in order to find a decent job in the fierce competition.

But Zhu Helan still accepted Chong Liu because he found it interesting.

He wondered why this young-looking young man was begging for nothing to come into his old, windy inn.

For three months, he secretly observed Chong Liu.Watching him perform all the duties of the waiter skillfully and dutifully, watching him tirelessly yelling in the hall with that amiable philistine smiling face, watching his shining eyes wandering around, watching him relaxed Within a month, he collected all the information that people who grew up in Tianliang City didn't necessarily know.

Chong Liu has a meticulously concealed and indomitable attachment to all information and all secrets.But Zhu Helan has seen very few such people in his long life.

It's a purposeful obsession that borders on paranoia.

He guessed that this was the reason why Guan Zhongliu came to Huai'an Inn.He's here to gather secrets.

The Huaian Inn is probably one of the most secretive places in the world.

Guan Chongliu didn't seem to want to hide himself very much, especially in the past month, he even intentionally or unintentionally showed some lies to arouse Zhu Helan's interest.Even sometimes, Zhu Helan would feel that although he was always teasing Guan Chongliu on the surface, in fact, it was Guan Chongliu who was quietly leading him.

Because Guan Chongliu knows that in this long and boring life, those small abnormalities that cannot be classified are the most exciting.

The shopkeeper's rosy lips curled up slightly, and a hint of amusement was quietly brewing in the deep pupils.

On the other side, Guan Zhongliu paused the work in his hands, and looked up at the dense green dome above his head.In the past few days, this locust tree seems to be more... alive?

It was an indescribably subtle difference, and only those who often saw this locust tree could perceive such subtle changes.The locust tree in the past was also very magnificent, but compared with the present, it is still a little dim.

How did the shopkeeper water the locust tree?

"Master! Master!" Zhu Yi suddenly ran from the lobby in a hurry, and shouted at the shopkeeper, "Xizhu from the Shen family has come, and said something happened!"

Chong Liu stood up immediately, only to find the shopkeeper was coming this way when he turned his head.He hurriedly wiped the lentil juice on his hands, and followed the shopkeeper into the lobby.

It was time for breakfast at this time, and there were several guests who were dining in the lobby. They were all so frightened by the little lady with disheveled hair who rushed in and nearly fainted, and they formed a circle.

Chong Liu immediately stepped forward to separate the crowd, "Let's disperse, let's disperse! There's nothing to see!"

The customers were blown away by Chong Liu like birds and beasts, and the shopkeeper saw Xizhu with a pale face and disheveled hair, sitting by the counter and crying.As soon as she saw the shopkeeper, she immediately said, "Mr. Zhu! Think of a way quickly... They said that our grandma practiced witchcraft to harm the Shen family, and they will use the family law to punish her!"

The shopkeeper knelt down and said in a low voice, "What's going on, tell me slowly."

"After you treated our grandma before, she was in pain for the first two days, and her stomach kept moving... In the last day, her stomach was deflated, but she always said she wanted to vomit... In the end, she vomited out a lot of rotten meat. things..." Xizhu said in a low voice, probably because she was afraid of being overheard by irrelevant people, and sometimes choked with sobs, "I thought it would be fine to spit it out, but the person in the east room didn't know to tell the master What, the master rushed in suddenly, saying that our grandma killed his son, and saw the things that grandma vomited out!"

Chong Liu hurriedly asked, "Then what's the situation now?"

"They locked Grandma in the woodshed, and I escaped. They said they wanted to find an alchemist to exorcise Grandma from evil spirits, but... But I heard the east room was planning to hire an alchemist they knew Come……

Na Qi has coveted our grandma's official seat for a long time, who knows what they will do to grandma!I beg you to think of a way! "

When Chong Liu heard it, he also felt angry.Pianfang Qi is also a woman, why doesn't she give people a way to survive?

The shopkeeper stopped and didn't panic, "Xiao Shun, prepare the car. Liu'er, come with me to Shen's house."

The shopkeeper didn't say much along the way, when he arrived at Shen's residence, Xiao Shun wanted to drive the car to the back door, but he didn't expect shopkeeper Zhu to order, "No need, just stop at the front door."

Chong Liu didn't know what kind of medicine was sold in the shopkeeper's gourd. Since ancient times, the main entrances of wealthy and powerful families have been reserved for officials and lords. Can they let them in?

"Liu'er, go in and find Yan Luzhi in a while, and you are responsible for leading her to follow me closely, and don't let her run around."

"Okay. But..." Chong Liu didn't have time to ask more, and felt that something changed in the shopkeeper in an instant.

His back was straight, and the water flamingo cloak was swayed along with his steps, and an awe-inspiring and inviolable deterrence shot out from his cold eyes.He raised his hand and pressed it on the closed door without even knocking it.Then the two vermilion lacquered gates suddenly fell apart and fell down.

The servants behind the door were all frightened.I couldn't react for a while.

The shopkeeper walked into Shen's house amidst the dust, and as soon as he entered the courtyard, he stared at the servant closest to him and said, "Where is Yan Luzhi?"

Chong Liu never expected that the shopkeeper's strategy was to rob people in broad daylight?

This is... too careless!

After offending such a big family with some official and business background, wouldn't there be endless troubles in the future? !

Soon, all the servants surrounded him with sticks, as if they were going to beat someone.But they stared at the shopkeeper, as if none of them dared to go forward.

Chong Liu's forehead was sweating.If he starts to do this, he won't be able to help!

"Who is making trouble!"

At this time, a man in his 30s who was wearing a dark blue cloud brocade round neck robe, tall and straight, who could even be described as magnificent, appeared.Looking at her attire, it is likely to be Yan Luzhi's husband, Shen Yuxuan, the current head of the Shen family.

His voice is loud and full of energy, and his appearance is also upright and awe-inspiring. He doesn't look like the image of a heartless man in Chongliu's imagination...

Unexpectedly, Shen Yuxuan, who was originally approaching fiercely, stopped when he saw the shopkeeper.His eyes widened, and he looked a little terrified.

Huh?Have an inside story?

"You?! Why are you here?!"

The shopkeeper stared at him coldly, and chuckled, "Boss Shen, you and I haven't seen each other for ten years, right?"

In an instant, Chongliu understood...

This Shen Yuxuan... used to ask the shopkeeper to be a dentist to win the sale...

Such important information, why didn't the shopkeeper tell you earlier!You don't have to be so sneaky before, do you?

The originally healthy blood on Shen Yuxuan's face faded instantly, "You... what do you want?"

The shopkeeper sighed, as if he was unwilling to speak, but when the situation reached this point, he could only act utterly, "Mrs. Yan, is my guest. She violated the contract, and I want to come to her for an explanation."

This news seemed to shock Shen Yuxuan, "Lu Zhi...has been looking for you? Why? What did she ask for!"

"This is a matter between me and Mrs. Zun. Boss Shen, you know my rules. The contract is bigger than the sky. If it is broken...what I can give you, I can take back." The shopkeeper paused, and glanced around. Walked around, "So, now please Mrs. Zun come with me."

"No! She is from my Shen family! You have no right to take her away!" Shen Yuxuan completely lost his composure and shouted, "Shoot him out!"

The sticks were lifted up, ready to be swung at the shopkeeper's head at any time.But the shopkeeper was not in a hurry, and had no intention of hiding.

Chong Liu was in a hurry, rushed to the front of the shopkeeper to block it, raised his hands and said, "Wait, wait! If you have something to say, talk it out! Boss Shen, everything is easy to discuss, so why bother! Even if you can't suppress your anger, but Think about it, did the Buddha bone incense that you were ordered to bring back from the Western Regions really enter the palace... Think about it, and your heart will cool down, won't you?"

As soon as he said this, Shen Yuxuan became even more flustered, and suddenly raised his hand to signal everyone to stop.

He stared at Chong Liu, "What did you say..."

Chong Liu nodded and bowed embarrassedly, "You...do you really want me to say it? Anyway, there is a saying called, what is the crime of deceiving the king..."

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

The shopkeeper didn't agree, and looked at Chong Liu with great interest, who was hesitant to speak in front of him.

It seems that the information that Chong Liu heard in dozens of cases is far beyond the scope of ordinary chatter.

After all, in this world, no matter how secret it is, as long as more than three people know about it, it will always be leaked out.

And Shen Yuxuan has been rich for so many years, but he can grasp too many things...

Chong Liu said with a smile, "That's right, the little ones talk nonsense and don't understand anything. But the little ones also understand, and a gentleman keeps his word. The little ones also know another sentence, so don't bully others too much."

Behind Chong Liu's smiling face, his tone was threatening.

Originally, if it was just these empty threats without evidence, Shen Yuxuan's will might not be shaken.But with the backing of the shopkeeper and Huai'an Inn, the effect is very different.

Most of the people who came to the shopkeeper for help wanted to avoid people's eyes.How much does the Shen family have to do with the shopkeeper to have such wealth today?

Offending a weird and mysterious businessman like shopkeeper Zhu for the sake of a wife he was already tired of, might threaten the foundation of the entire Shen family... A shrewd businessman like Shen Yuxuan would definitely think twice .

"I'm going to take Yan Luzhi out today." Shi Shiran, the shopkeeper, finally said, "Mr. Shen is also my former distinguished guest. Zhu Mou didn't want to offend him. I just want to know something about my wife today. It's just a matter. If Madam wants to come back later, I will never stop her, how about it?"

Shen Yuxuan clenched his teeth, his body trembling with anger.After a long while, I finally squeezed out a few words, "Please come out, madam."