Merchant of the Underworld

Professor Zhou was stunned for a moment, then said with a smile: "There is such a student. Why, Master Zhang has something to do with him? Do you want me to call him over?"

"No, I'm just asking casually." I waved my hand to tell Professor Zhou not to send it off, and then I went downstairs with Mazi Li.

Li Mazi let out a laugh: "When I just heard Xu Shen's name, Professor Zhou's reaction was obviously not right!"

I smiled and said nothing. Indeed, although Professor Zhou responded quickly, the shock and fear at that moment after hearing my question could not be concealed. Besides, his subsequent questions were too strange. People usually only ask a few questions in an instant when they are nervous. I just don’t know the secret between him and Xu Shen and the extent of the evil spirit this time. Relationship?

But Li Mazi became energetic and said that he couldn't sleep even if he went back now, so he might as well follow Xu Shen first. The young couple should still be in the hotel at this point, and it would be easy to follow them, saving them the trouble of finding them after they leave.

It was not easy for me to stop him. Anyway, when we were busy, we would sometimes stay up for days and nights, so I had no choice but to let him go first and go back to the store alone.

When I entered the store, I took out the wooden dog from my pocket. I don't know why, but I didn't tell Professor Zhou that I wanted to take the wooden dog back for research. Maybe it was because this matter was too strange!

The material of the wooden dog was very old. I looked at it for a long time and couldn't determine which dynasty it was from. Just when I was about to give up, I suddenly remembered someone and quickly took out my phone.

"Master Liang, I'm Zhang Jiulin." I introduced myself as soon as the call was connected. After a few words of greeting, I explained my purpose to Mr. Liang. Mr. Liang happened to be free, so he asked me to come.

I quickly picked up the wooden dog and went out. Although Li Mazi and I had some opinions on Master Liang because of the jade fan business, when it comes to seeing treasures, only Master Liang in Wuhan can accurately read them!

After a while I entered Mr. Liang’s collection shop, and he asked me with a smile what I wanted to see.

I took out the wooden dog and put it on the table: "Master Liang, can you help me check and see what year this thing is?"

"Huh?" Mr. Liang didn't care at first, but when he saw the wooden dog, he immediately became interested and even took out a magnifying glass. However, he held the wooden dog, which was the size of an adult's palm, in his hand and played with it inch by inch, looking at it for almost half an hour.

I couldn't rush him, so I could only wait aside.

Fortunately, he didn't keep me waiting too long. After about forty minutes, he put down the magnifying glass and asked me with surprise where did I get this thing? Do you want to take action?

"Huh?" I was confused by his words, and it took me a while to react. I explained that this was the client's object, and at least for now, I had no way to take action.

Mr. Liang was a little disappointed after hearing what I said, but he still didn't forget the purpose of coming to him.

"Do you know Zhuge Liang's wooden ox and flowing horse during the Three Kingdoms period?" Mr. Liang did not directly tell the origin of the wooden dog, but asked another question.

I was stunned: "Is it that mountain transport machine?"

Mr. Liang nodded.

I exhaled. Of course I knew this wooden cow and flowing horse. It was a mechanical beast invented by Zhuge Liang during the Three Kingdoms period. At that time, Zhuge Liang had already prepared for the Northern Expedition to Wei. However, because the road to Shu was difficult to walk and the mountain roads were rugged, transporting grain and grass became a very big problem! So Zhuge Liang invented the wooden cow and horse. According to legend, a wooden cow and horse can carry a weight of "one year's grain", which is four hundred kilograms, and can travel more than thirty miles a day.

You must know that during the Three Kingdoms period, such a means of transportation was unprecedented and unprecedented! The small human-powered carts at that time could only pull more than two hundred kilograms on flat ground, let alone on mountainous terrain. Therefore, Zhuge Liang still gained great convenience with his wooden ox and flowing horse.

Even the Wei State had a strong interest in the wooden cow and flowing horse. They finally raided the grain transport team and captured one, but found that the mechanism of the wooden cow and flowing horse was too profound and could not be copied at all, so they had to give up in the end.

However, there are too few records about the wooden cow and the flowing horse in the Three Kingdoms materials. Zhuge Liang himself did not leave any notes about the wooden cow and the flowing horse. Of course, it may have been destroyed in the war. Some experts now believe that the wooden cow and the horse are mounted on the carriage of a four-wheeled vehicle with a bull's head, the double shafts are mounted on the front and rear strut shafts, the long and short struts are hinged on the strut shafts, the double shafts are hinged on the car body, and the double shafts are shaken. The ground supports the wheels to rotate. This design can stop at any time whether it is going uphill or downhill. It is no problem for one person to drive it. In other words, this thing invented by Zhuge Liang can not only pull more things but also save manpower. No wonder it can It has been passed down for nearly two thousand years.

It's just that I don't quite understand why Mr. Liang is bringing this up at this time. Could it be...

"Master Liang, you wouldn't say that this wooden dog was also invented by Zhuge Liang, right?" I opened my eyes wide. If Zhuge Liang invented this, it would be valuable. No, it should be said that if Zhuge Liang invented it, then yesterday's Yin Ling would also be Probably Zhuge Liang?

The more I think about it, the more I think it is possible. Zhuge Liang in history was also good at using formations, and he always used them without the enemy noticing.

But Mr. Liang shook his head: "It's hard to say. This wooden dog is indeed made of the same material as a wooden cow and a horse. Look..."

As he spoke, Mr. Liang pressed the bottom of the wooden dog, and the wooden dog suddenly moved with a creaking sound, and it looked like a living creature.

I stared at the wooden dog in amazement, admiring the wisdom of the ancients. Even today, this craftsmanship must be beyond the reach of many people!

Mr. Liang explained that both the material and the craftsmanship were exactly the same as Zhuge Liang’s wooden cow and flowing horse, but there was no record of the wooden dog in history, and it might have been made by someone else during the same period.

"But as far as the material and craftsmanship are concerned, it is very likely that Zhuge Liang invented it." Mr. Liang stared at the wooden dog with bright eyes: "Brother Zhang, if this matter is resolved and your client doesn't want this wooden dog, remember to come Find me and I’ll keep it to your satisfaction!”

I laughed twice, neither refusing nor agreeing. After all, this wooden dog is not mine. It would be nice to have a collection from the Three Kingdoms period if it were mine. I guess I wouldn’t be willing to sell it.

Mr. Liang seemed to see what I was thinking and patted me on the shoulder: "Let it go. Just remember when you want to do this, you must come to me."

"Sure, I will be the first to find Mr. Liang." I smiled lightly, exchanged greetings with Mr. Liang, and then returned to the store with the wooden dog. Then I put the wooden dog on the table and stared at it in a daze.

The words "Three Kingdoms" and "Zhuge Liang" were turned over and over in my mind, and I almost believed that the evil spirit inside the wooden dog was Zhuge Liang.

Zhuge Liang dedicated his whole life, but failed to support two generations of kings, which led to the decline of Shu. It would be possible for him to live in peace and rely on wooden dogs.

Just when I was thinking wildly, the phone I put aside rang. When I saw it was Li Mazi, I quickly picked it up.

"Brother, come here quickly, hey, Xu Shen really has a problem!" Li Mazi's excited voice came over.