How did I, a mere son-in-law lying down, become a "Fenglang Juxu" (a legendary martial art

The two arrived at the front hall. Jiang Xiaoyong looked stern. Upon seeing Liu Shan and Li Polu, he immediately cupped his hands and said, "Lord Li, Lord Liu, we have come to disturb you out of necessity. Please forgive us."

Liu Shan glanced at Jiang Xiaoyong in surprise. This man's ability to change his tune with the wind was indeed extraordinary. He had been speaking coldly to Jiang Xiaoyong just a few days ago, but now he was being so polite.

That's understandable, though. A while ago he tried to curry favor with Song Zhongwen, but Song Zhongwen was driven away by Princess Changning. Now he naturally wants to turn back and get along with Li Polu and the others.

As the saying goes, one doesn't hit a smiling face, so Liu Shan and Li Polu returned the greeting with clasped hands.

Li Polu asked, "Does Lord Jiang have any urgent military information? Please speak frankly."

Jiang Xiaoyong took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Last night, the garrison discovered that the armory had been robbed, and some weapons were missing. We are now doing our best to investigate."

Liu Shan was immediately displeased. Why come to the Li residence when the armory was robbed?

Suspicion of the Li family?

Or do they still think the Li family is an easy target, and want to take advantage of the situation to cause trouble?

However, Liu Shan did not question him directly, after all, Jiang Xiaoyong was a fifth-rank garrison commander of Cangzhou, and had some relationship with Li Polu, so he could not easily break off relations.

Li Polu asked slowly, "Lord Jiang, the theft of the armory is a matter of great importance. I wonder if Lord Jiang has any clues? If assistance is needed, my Li family will do our best."

Liu Shan nodded inwardly. Li Polu's question was both polite and sincere, showing his tact.

Jiang Xiaoyong said in a low voice, "There are no leads yet, so we are conducting a routine inquiry."

Li Polu asked, "I see. What are the characteristics of the weapons stolen from the garrison? Is it possible that they have fallen into the hands of civilians? My guards can also keep an eye out for relevant information and assist in the investigation."

Jiang Xiaoyong nodded, feeling somewhat relieved, and said gratefully, "Thank you, Lord Li. The stolen weapons are a bull-tail knife and a short blade, both of which are excellent weapons and bear the mark of the Cangzhou garrison commander."

After a moment's thought, Liu Shan said in a deep voice, "The ox-tail knife and the short blade are not something that ordinary thieves could easily obtain. There must be something fishy about this. I suggest that the city gates be sealed off immediately and that people entering and leaving be strictly checked to prevent the weapons from leaving the city."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiaoyong shook his head and said, "Lord Liu's suggestion is indeed reasonable, but sealing off the city gates will have a significant impact. It needs to be reported to the Kang Prince's residence, but the Kang Prince is not in the city at the moment, so it may take some time. It would be better to investigate secretly first and then make a decision after the Kang Prince returns to his residence."

Liu Shan frowned, about to retort, but Li Polu spoke first: "Lord Jiang is absolutely right. In urgent situations, expediency is necessary. A covert investigation is also a good strategy. My household will fully cooperate with the investigation and will not conceal anything."

A hint of gratitude flashed in Jiang Xiaoyong's eyes as he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your support, Lord Li. This matter must be kept secret to avoid causing panic."

Li Polu nodded slightly, his expression remaining polite: "Lord Jiang, rest assured, my residence will take strict precautions to ensure everything is foolproof. We will inform you immediately of any progress."

Jiang Xiaoyong cupped his hands in farewell again, his expression softening slightly, and then turned to take his leave.

Liu Shan watched Jiang Xiaoyong leave and asked softly, "Father-in-law, this matter is strange. The theft from the armory is no small matter. The short blade used by the man in black just now is most likely one of the stolen weapons. Why didn't you inform Commander Jiang?"

Li Polu pondered for a moment, then said in a low voice, "There is still no conclusive evidence regarding the man in black. Informing him rashly might cause even greater turmoil, or even alert the enemy. Furthermore, although Jiang Xiaoyong is a garrison commander, his actions are unpredictable, and he cannot be completely trusted. This matter needs to be investigated secretly, and we should only proceed after the evidence is conclusive. You should give the order to strengthen security within the mansion, and to act with utmost care, ensuring that no flaws are revealed."

Liu Shan paused for a moment, pointed to himself, and asked, "Father-in-law, shall I go and give the order?"

Li Polu nodded and said with emotion, "That's right. I am getting old and my energy is limited, so I will need you to take care of the affairs of the manor. Besides, you are always reliable in your work, so I trust you. Go and make the arrangements quickly."

Liu Shan laughed and said, "Father-in-law, you're exaggerating. You're still very strong and experienced. Even the prefect promoted you. How could you lack energy?"

Despite saying that, Liu Shan still accepted the order and left.

Time flies like water, and several days have passed in the blink of an eye.

The city of Cangzhou was peaceful and quiet, and the people lived their lives as usual. There were no rumors of stolen weapons on the streets and alleys.

This scene, which should have been quite normal, made Liu Shan increasingly uneasy.

Even if Chiang Hsiao-yung secretly investigated, there would be some rumors circulating among the neighbors, but the current calm seemed unusual.

Liu Shan estimated that Jiang Xiaoyong probably only came to the Li residence to inquire, without conducting a thorough investigation. Perhaps, as Li Polu said, there was another hidden story behind this matter.

It is very likely that Chiang Hsiao-yung was specifically targeting the Li family.

Or was it specifically targeted at him?

Liu Shan shook his head with a smile, wondering what he had done to deserve such targeting from Jiang Xiaoyong.

However, the unease in his heart lingered.

Despite my unease, some things still need to be carried out step by step.

For example, making money.

Following "Painted Skin" and "Lotus Fragrance", Liu Shan also transcribed Pu Songling's "Liancheng", "Huanniang", and "Yatou" from memory.

These five stories are all love stories from "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio". Although they are all supernatural tales, they are full of the spirit of the protagonists who are not afraid of feudal ethics and bravely pursue free love.

Liu Shan compiled these stories into a book, named it "Liaozhai Romance," and sent it to Princess Changning.

Not long after, Princess Changning sent a reply with only four large characters: "Three months' worth of supply".

Liu Shan breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Princess Changning was satisfied, he would have the energy to deal with other matters.

The business of Sanqi Pharmacy is quite stable, with a constant stream of customers every day, an ample supply of medicinal materials, and substantial profits.

After discussing it, Liu Shan and Sun Wangang decided to expand the scale of the pharmacy, so that there would be branches of the pharmacy on the four most prosperous commercial streets in the city.

However, this time he did not do it himself, but handed it all over to Sun Wangang, and he was only responsible for paying the money.

Sun Wangang was efficient in his work. He completed the site selection, decoration, and recruitment in one go. In just half a month, the branches on Gulou Street and Wenchang Street opened their doors to customers and the business was booming.

Next, Liu Shan set his sights on opening a buffet restaurant.

Having learned from his experience with "Bei Mo Ting", Liu Shan knew that the restaurant business had great potential.

"Bei Mo Ting" is located in the bustling area of ​​Wenchang Street. With its exquisite decoration and the wine and poems provided by Liu Shan, it attracts many literati and scholars, and is always packed.

Self-service restaurants cannot replicate the success of "Bei Mo Ting" because they target a different demographic.

Self-service restaurants are geared towards ordinary people, so they need to have simple decorations, offer affordable food and drinks, and focus on a variety of dishes at reasonable prices.

At the same time, the location should not be in areas where high-ranking officials and literati gather, such as Wenchang Street or Gulou Street, but should be in a commercial street with high traffic but relatively low rent.