Divine Tang Era

Chapter 140 Rewards

Chapter 141 Rewards

"Why are you here? Didn't you practice archery?" Xu Dan asked.

"Practice? How can we not practice?"

Xue Diao smiled wryly, his face full of helplessness. "Sometimes I'm even confused, wondering who the real Xue family members are. Baoji and I have been practicing archery since we were little, through all the changing seasons, without interruption, but the Five Elements Arrow has always been like an insurmountable mountain, we can't even find the path to the beginning. And look at you, you've only been practicing for a short time, yet you not only easily mastered the Five Elements Arrow, but it's also incredibly powerful. Compared to you, we are truly ashamed and have nowhere to hide."

Sometimes, the gap between genius and ordinary people is an insurmountable chasm.

Xu Dan stood with his hands behind his back, his face tilted up at a 45-degree angle, and said with a deep expression.

For some reason, Xue Diao felt an itch to hit someone. Xue Bao'er, on the other hand, looked completely bewildered, having no idea what he was talking about.

Xu Dan feigned surprise for a moment, then returned to normal and asked, "What brings you all here?"

"The county government has issued a reward, and Master Xue sent us to call you to come and collect it together."

"Why didn't anyone tell me about this? There was even a reward, how come I knew nothing about it?" Xu Dan asked in surprise. "Because it was Master Xue who led us to the city wall, that's why the county government informed Master Xue. As for the reward, it's not always given. This time it was because we killed quite a few demonic beasts and birds, and the ghosts left behind a bunch of Yin Pearls. Plus, with people from Fengzhen Temple and Beiting Prefecture watching us, the county government had no choice but to issue this reward."

Otherwise, given the nature of the government, they might just divert this money somewhere else.

Stop arguing and hurry up, or it'll get crowded and you won't be able to squeeze in.

Urged on by Xue Diao, Xu Dan quickly closed the door, and then they hurriedly headed towards the county government office.

The reward was not received in the yamen (government office) where they usually worked, but in a courtyard behind the county government office.

The courtyard is surrounded by high, thick walls, giving it a secluded and tranquil feel. The courtyard is quite spacious, paved with bluestone slabs. These slabs, weathered and polished by time, have a smooth surface, yet bear some mottled marks.

In one corner of the courtyard, several tall and sturdy ancient trees rise from the ground, their branches and leaves flourishing like giant green umbrellas, casting dappled shadows on the ground and swaying gently in the breeze.

Xu Dan thought they had arrived very early, but when they got there, they found that there were many people who had arrived earlier than them.

The spacious backyard was packed with people who had come to claim their reward.

Some stood, some sat, gathered in small groups, discussing animatedly, their faces beaming with anticipation and excitement. Every now and then, bursts of hearty laughter or exclamations of surprise echoed from the crowd, making the courtyard exceptionally lively.

On the other side of the courtyard, several flowering trees were in full bloom.

Petals fluttered down in the gentle breeze, scattering across the bluestone slabs and creating a beautiful scene, adding a touch of romance and poetry to the otherwise somewhat monotonous courtyard.

"Grandfather, over here."

Xu Dan looked in the direction the sound came from and saw Lu Shizong waving at him from not far ahead. He quickly led Xue Diao and Xue Bao'er over.

Upon arriving at their destination, they discovered that not only Lu Shizong but also many people from the Mo Clan Martial Arts School had come, including Mo Shiwei, who was disguised as a man. Standing there with a tall and imposing figure, she was like a rose blooming in the wind, possessing a unique charm.

"Are you here to receive your reward too?" Lu Shizong asked.

"Yes, we don't even know where to get it," Xu Dan said.

"Just follow us for a bit. Don't leave after you receive your award; I have something to tell you," Lu Shizong said mysteriously.

"Okay," Xu Dan nodded in agreement.

"Next."

At this moment, someone came out of the county government compound, and the yamen runners guarding outside shouted at the top of their lungs. Upon hearing the shouts, the Mo family martial arts school members standing at the front walked in orderly fashion, and Xu Dan and the others quickly followed.

The award ceremony was held in a courtyard at the back. There was a large open space in front of the courtyard, and a row of houses behind it, with two yamen runners guarding the front of the houses.

Once they arrived at this point, the people from the Mo Clan Martial Arts School did not go in together anymore.

Only Mo Shiwei, Lu Shizong, and two senior brothers went into the room; the rest of the people stayed outside to wait. The reward distribution area was on the left and right sides of the room; from the outside, one could only see the calligraphy and paintings hanging in the central hall, and could not see what was inside.

A short while later, Mo Shiwei and the others came out of the house.

Everyone had a smile on their face and their eyes sparkled with excitement, indicating that they had received many good things and had a very fruitful harvest.

"Grandfather, it's your turn," Lu Shizong said, pointing to the house behind.

Xu Dan then walked over with Xue Diao and Xue Bao'er. As soon as they entered, they heard someone on the left call out, "This way!" So they went over.

The rewards seemed to be of a certain standard and had been prepared in advance. There was no choice for anyone; the person in charge of distributing the rewards simply took out a bunch of things from a storage bag, handed them to them, and gestured for them to accept them.

After they accepted the gifts, the man looked at Xu Dan with a hint of appreciation on his face and said, "The county magistrate is very pleased that the young master is able to share the burden of the county at such a young age, so he has given him a special extra reward." As he spoke, he took out an exquisite box from his storage bag and gently placed it in front of Xu Dan.

Xu Dan didn't open it; he simply put it away.

Seeing this, the man nodded in satisfaction and praised, "Young master, you are learning archery from Master Xue, and you will surely achieve great things in the future. But the borderlands are not a place to stay for long. You should go out and see the world. With your abilities, young master, you may very well make a name for yourself."

Thank you.

Although Xu Dan didn't know what he was saying, he still politely thanked him.

Back in the courtyard, Lu Shizong saw him come out and then led the people from the Mo Family Martial Arts School out together.

The courtyard outside was much more crowded, packed with people. It wasn't quite shoulder-to-shoulder yet, but it was pretty close.

Once they stepped out of the courtyard and onto the outside, they discovered that not only was the courtyard crowded, but a long queue had also formed outside. They couldn't help but secretly rejoice that they had arrived early; if they had been any later, the queue would probably have been much longer.

"Grandfather, do you have anything to do tomorrow?" Lu Shizong asked.

"It's nothing." Xu Dan shook his head. He was bored out of his mind every day.

"Then let's go treasure hunting together," Lu Shizong said.

"What treasure are you looking for?" Xu Dan's eyes were full of doubt.

"you do not know?"

"How am I supposed to know if you don't tell me?" Xu Dan was completely baffled by the question.

"Oh, so you didn't know."

Lu Shizong then realized what was happening and quickly explained, "Among the items we received today was a tag that recorded the aura of some ghosts. If we follow these auras, we can find where those ghosts are hiding, and we might even be able to dig up some good stuff, but it's also very dangerous."

So the curator decided to take everyone on a treasure hunt to avoid any accidents.

"If you want to go, come with us. Otherwise, it's too dangerous to search for treasure in the wilderness alone."

"Of course we'll go together, no doubt about it."

Xu Dan was well aware of the danger; he had encountered it countless times. People these days are truly heartless and cruel, even harming such an innocent and adorable child like him. It's utterly outrageous.

"When you go back, remember to prepare some food, drinks, and sleeping supplies. You don't need to come to the martial arts gym; we'll call you over tomorrow."

"it is good."