Lin Dong left after controlling the small drone to place the camera.
Su Han and the others had also finished eating and drinking by then.
Su said, "Well, we've eaten and drunk our fill here. But Lin Dong and Xiao Yan haven't eaten anything yet. Let's pack some food to take to them!"
Ye Fan nodded and immediately went out to call the waiter.
"What can I do for you, esteemed guests?"
Su Han said, "Pack me a portion of the dishes we just had, and then deliver them to the flying artifact outside the city gate."
The waiter's face showed confusion and he asked, "Esteemed guest, what does 'pack' mean?"
It was not unusual for this world to not have the word "pack."
Su Han explained, "It means to make a portion of all the dishes we just had, and then deliver them to the flying artifact outside the city. For the people on the artifact."
As he spoke, Su Han tossed a piece of silver to the waiter.
The waiter immediately took the silver, a smile appearing on his face, and said, "Yes! I'll go and do it right away!"
Su Han said, "Alright, then we'll go and see the county magistrate next. We'll ask why he wants us to eliminate those mountain bandits."
Su Han and the others then left the tavern and headed towards the county office along the street.
The county office was also on this main street. Su Han and the others soon arrived in front of it.
The gate of the county office looked large, but it was too dilapidated. And there were no guards at the main gate of the county office.
The gate of the county office was open. Su Han and the others walked in.
Upon entering, they saw the county magistrate in the main hall, handling some official documents. Beside the magistrate were only two guards, sitting listlessly at other tables.
The sound of Su Han and the others' footsteps immediately drew the county magistrate's attention.
Seeing Su Han and the others, the magistrate quickly stood up to greet them.
"Esteemed cultivators, welcome to our county office. I am greatly honored."
Su Han looked around the county office. Upon entering the main hall, one could see it directly. Behind the main hall was the rear courtyard, where the magistrate usually resided.
In the main hall, besides the table and chairs in the center, there were two rows of chairs on the sides.
A plaque that read "Zheng Da Guang Ming" (Justice and Fairness) was hung above the main hall. It seemed this was where the magistrate usually presided over cases. Of course, in such a small city, there wouldn't be cases to try every day. So, this was mainly the magistrate's office for handling other official business.
Su Han walked directly to the main seat in the main hall and sat down.
The others also took their seats in the two rows of chairs on the sides.
The magistrate dared not sit down at this moment. After all, in his imagination, Su Han and the others were cultivators. As long as the cultivators did not speak, he dared not sit down.
Su Han looked around; there were still many empty seats in the two rows of chairs. The two guards had respectfully stood up and were waiting with the magistrate.
Su Han said, "County Magistrate, please sit down as well."
The magistrate glanced, then directly sat down in the chair at the very end.
Su Han asked, "May I know your esteemed name, County Magistrate?"
The magistrate replied, "My name is Bei Jialiang. Esteemed cultivators, you can call me Old Bei."
Su Han did not stand on ceremony and said, "Old Bei. Then tell me about the Qingfeng Sect."
County Magistrate Bei Jialiang's face showed a distressed expression as he said, "The Qingfeng Sect is the closest cultivation sect to here. Besides recruiting disciples from the surrounding areas, they also demand offerings from us. In the past, the offerings they collected were still affordable for our small city. But in recent years, the offerings they demand have become increasingly high. If we were to pay these offerings, it would become very difficult for the people of our small city to survive. Thus, our small city has not been able to pay such high offerings."
"The Qingfeng Sect calls itself a righteous sect. After we stopped paying offerings, they did not do anything to us. However, on the mountain sixty li south of our county town, a Black Wind Stronghold appeared. The bandits in the Black Wind Stronghold often waylay travelers. That road is a vital transportation route connecting our small city to the larger city above. With it being intercepted, our small city is effectively cut off from the larger city above."
Su Han asked, "So you didn't ask the Qingfeng Sect to eliminate that Black Wind Stronghold because you haven't paid them offerings? County Magistrate Bei Jialiang, do you also suspect that the Black Wind Stronghold was created by the Qingfeng Sect?"
County Magistrate Bei Jialiang repeatedly waved his hands and said, "I dare not make wild guesses about the Qingfeng Sect."
Su Han smiled and said, "You've already said that the Black Wind Stronghold appeared immediately after you stopped paying offerings. Doesn't that mean you believe the Black Wind Stronghold was created by them? By the way, since you've already stopped paying offerings, why would the Qingfeng Sect still come here to recruit disciples?"
County Magistrate Bei Jialiang said, "Even cultivation sects need young disciples to join them to maintain the sect's legacy. Therefore, even in this situation, the Qingfeng Sect still came down the mountain to recruit disciples."
Su Han naturally did not believe Bei Jialiang's one-sided account.
"Alright, if that's the case. Then County Magistrate Bei Jialiang, wait here for our good news!"
County Magistrate Bei Jialiang's face immediately showed a look of joy, and he kowtowed, "Many thanks to you esteemed cultivators."
Su Han led the others away from the county office.
Upon going outside, they headed towards the hovering flatbed vehicle.
As they passed a stall, Chu Shi said, "Young Master Su, we need to purchase some of these items."
Su Han looked over and realized that the stall was selling a large quantity of seeds.
Seeds were also a very important resource. Especially seeds from another world. Even if they were exchanged for gold, Long Guo would be willing.
"Yes, that's right, Young Master Chu. Let's buy them then."
Chu Shi nodded, then picked up a handful of bean seeds and asked, "What kind of seeds are these?"
The stall owner said, "Esteemed guest, these are da shu."
Chu Shi picked up another type of seed and asked, "What about this one?"
The stall owner answered one by one.
After answering, Chu Shi said, "I'll buy all the seeds here."
The seed stall owner looked delighted. This young master, dressed in expensive clothing, was buying these seeds without even knowing their names. The seed stall owner happily began packing the seeds bag by bag and weighing them for the price.
Su Han saw that the seed stall owner was weighing them too slowly. He took out a piece of silver and asked, "Can this piece of silver buy all the seeds?"
The seed stall owner repeatedly said, "It's more than enough. It could buy ten times the amount."
Su Han directly threw the piece of silver to him and said, "No need for change."
The seed stall owner looked delighted and said, "Great, thank you, esteemed guest."
All these seeds combined weighed less than twenty jin. Merely to separate the various types, these seeds were packed into more than a dozen cloth bags.
Su Han and the others each carried two to three bags of seeds, as if they were out shopping, buying whatever caught their eye. It took an hour before they finally exited this small city.
By this time, Lin Dong and Xiao Yan had been waiting on the hovering flatbed vehicle for a long time.
Su Han said, "Let's go, to the Black Wind Stronghold!"