Chapter 169: Wide-ranging implications
Salt is a necessity. Without other spices, the food will be unpalatable at best, but you can’t live without salt.
No matter which country, the control of salt is very strict. Selling private salt is a capital crime.
Yang Yiyi has already said that the official announcement mentioned that the Taoist priests in this Taoist temple are practicing Taoism on the surface, but in fact they use the Taoist temple to store and transport private salt.
But Yang Yiyi also said that this Taoist temple is not a place where no one has been for a long time. Because it was very effective, there were often pilgrims coming to the door.
In this case, it is indeed a good cover, but it is difficult to transport private salt, and it is easy to be bumped into.
Then, if you want to continue to do private salt trading, you must think of other ways.
For example, digging tunnels.
There are secret doors on the walls near the four pillars of the Taoist temple hall, and these secret doors are in the dark. Unless you take a light and look closely, you can’t see where they are.
Yang Yiyi opened the secret door according to Li Chengxi's instructions. They even found a huge basement under the secret door. The sacks of illicit salt that were almost as tall as a person were already clumped and still placed inside. Even the officers and soldiers who arrested the Taoist priests in the past might not have found this place.
The rustling sound Zheng Yinping heard before was actually the sound of Qin Yan passing through a large number of sacks of illicit salt and trying to go around the secret door on the other side to pretend to be a ghost and arrange the wire.
Although there are indeed monsters and ghosts in this martial arts script, at least this time it is not. After exposing it, it is like entering science.
After figuring out these, Yang Yiyi and the others, especially Zheng Yinping, were relieved at once.
But the people of Xingyuan Escort Agency were not at ease.
It is not uncommon for escorts to encounter robbers. No matter how big the face and how wide the network of escort agencies are, there will always be some blind types.
However, the robbers not only knew themselves, but also mentioned that there were people other than them who were targeting the escorts, which made the escort agency frown.
The secret dart is like this. It is hard to say whether the things you transport are just antiques and calligraphy and paintings, or something else that involves a wide range of things.
It can be seen that Wang the escort leader is also very entangled. He doesn't want to cause trouble in the escort business, but if the dart is lost, he will not be able to make a living in this bowl of rice in the future, and he will have to pay a large sum of money to the employer.
It feels like he has really been involved in trouble. Li Chengxi warned Yang Yiyi in a low voice not to join in the fun. If they are worried, let them worry.
Yang Yiyi's current ability is better than that of a small fish, but it is definitely not at the stage of a master.
Not to mention others, Yang Yiyi can't beat the dart leader Wang Zhen who is in a worried state. Even he is so worried. Yang Yiyi has to wade into the muddy water regardless of the consequences. Isn't this looking for trouble for herself?
Compared with this, Li Chengxi is more concerned about why Qin Yan robbed the Sky-supporting Stone when she saw it.
At first glance, this Sky-supporting Stone is just a piece of relatively transparent jade. It is quite valuable, but for those who don't know its true value, that's all.
Qin Yan came to rob it, it can't be because he saw that this thing is valuable, and he was thinking of making some extra money while working, right?
This is contrary to what the people of the Sixteen Villages said that the goods transported by Wang Biaotou were very important. It's not right to make money first for such an important matter.
Moreover, how could the Sky-supporting Stone be placed in the Three Pure Ones Statue?
It certainly couldn't have fallen in, someone must have put it in there on purpose.
This move is very worrying.
As I said just now, the Sky-supporting Stone is only valuable to those who don't know its details. It was put in the statue so carefully, and the only way to take it out is to smash the statue.
The Taoist temple used to have pilgrims coming frequently, which means that the Sky-supporting Stone can't be taken out often, and the person who put it in must also be someone in the Taoist temple.
If it was just kept as a high-value item to exchange for money later, it would never be placed in such a troublesome place.
In other words, it is very likely that someone knows its true value, but unlike Li Chengxi, who can use the Sky-Bearing Stone to cleanse the hair and marrow of others, they put it in a safe place first.
Qin Yan came to grab the Sky-Bearing Stone when she saw it, which means that she also knew what this thing was used for, and before the statue was broken, she didn't know that there was a Sky-Bearing Stone inside, otherwise she would definitely not lead Yang Yiyi to the direction of the statue. It would be more reasonable to wait until everyone else left and then secretly take it.
Unfortunately, the Taoist temple has been abandoned for seventy or eighty years. Even if someone escaped the pursuit of the soldiers, I'm afraid they have been buried in the ground now, and there is no place to ask.
However, if that's the case, the goods transported by Wang Biaotou and others are even more suspicious.
Combined with the above inferences, Li Chengxi suddenly had a bold idea.
Could it be that the Sky-Bearing Stone is also inside?
–--——----
The next morning, the sky was just turning white, but the heavy rain that lasted all night had disappeared without a trace, and it should be a good day.
Due to the heavy rain and strong wind last night, even though they knew that the people from the Sixteen Villages might come again, the people from the Xingyuan Escort Agency did not dare to carry the boxes on the road. It was even more dangerous to be spotted in the middle of the night during the heavy rain, so they had to stay in the Taoist temple for a night.
At this time, the sun had slowly risen, and it was time to set off. The people put the boxes on the carriage and did not want to stay any longer.
"Thank you three girls for standing up last night, otherwise I would have to keep only one of the escorts."
The people from the escort agency wanted to leave, of course they would not just walk away. In line with the idea of more friends, more roads, they still had to say hello.
"No need to thank me, I can't ignore it if I meet you."
"Haha, Miss Yang, you have a chivalrous heart."
Seeing that his escorts were ready, Wang Biaotou clasped his fists and said:
"If there is another trial today, I will thank the three ladies when we meet again in the future. Goodbye."
"Take care."
The three of them also clasped their hands and watched the escorts lead the carriage out of the Taoist temple and walk further and further away.
"Brother Li, can't we follow and take a look?"
Seeing the carriage disappear behind the outer wall, Yang Yiyi couldn't help but say.
"I think they will probably run into people from the Sixteen Villages on the way."
"You really think you are a hero."
Li Chengxi said through Yugui in a headache voice:
"They said yesterday that there are more than one group of people coming to rob the escort. The things transported by Wang Biaotou and his men are extraordinary. You can't get involved in such a big thing now."
"Oh, but..."
"Just listen to Brother Li."
Li Yingluo also advised:
"Wang Biaotou's trip is very dangerous. The three of us have nothing to do with this matter, so we can't force ourselves to get involved. Don't forget, we are not really safe yet. Maybe the Liu family will send people to look for us."
Don't even mention helping others when you haven't dealt with your own affairs. It would be a hindrance to do so.
In fact, Li Chengxi wanted to follow Wang Biaotou and his men. What if their boxes really contain Sky-supporting Stones? Judging from the size of the boxes, there must be more than one or two pieces.
If all of this is used up, Yang Yiyi's basic attributes will take off directly, and she will become a hexagonal warrior.
But Li Chengxi thought about it again and again yesterday and gave up this plan.
The risk is too great.
Whether he follows Wang Biaotou and others to wait for an opportunity or he personally launches a sneak attack, it is difficult from any angle.
Besides, since there is no evidence to prove that there is a Sky-supporting Stone in the box, Yang Yiyi is unlikely to agree with Li Chengxi's idea.
I am not strong enough, so I can only let it go for the time being and continue the journey.
After all, I have already got a Sky-supporting Stone yesterday, so it is wise to stop while I am ahead.
