Chapter 349 Xiaoshan

"Hmm!"

It was noon, and the sun was blazing overhead, but Shang Ruyi suddenly felt a chill for no apparent reason.

They had just finished lunch in the dining hall and were walking along the corridor back to their quarters to rest. They had just reached the entrance of the side hall, and everything was quiet when they suddenly heard her soft exclamation. Shen Wuzheng, who was beside her, immediately asked, "What's wrong?"

Yuwen Ye also looked down at her.

Shang Ruyi herself felt baffled. She wasn't cold at all, and this was a temple, with the Bodhisattva in the side hall looking at them with kind eyes. Why was she suddenly shivering?

She gently shook her head: "It's nothing."

Just then, a series of hurried, familiar footsteps came from ahead. Looking up, they saw Mu Xian walking towards them in a hurry.

He was guarding the foot of Wanggangzhai Mountain. His return meant that the situation in Wanggangzhai had changed!

Sure enough, as soon as he came over, he bowed to them and said immediately, "Second Young Master, Young Madam, Young Master Shen, there's some movement from Wanggang Village."

Yuwen Ye immediately asked, "How is it?"

"Xiao Yuansui has gone up the mountain!"

"...!"

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Ye and Shen Wuzheng immediately exchanged a glance, and Yuwen Ye asked, "When did you go up the mountain?"

"Morning."

How many people did you bring?

"There were only seven or eight people accompanying them."

"Seven or eight?"

Yuwen Ye frowned, while Shang Ruyi stared at him in surprise: "He didn't bring any extra men?"

Mu Xian said solemnly, "No, I even had people search along the way, and we found no other men with him. It was just a few people who went up the mountain; moreover, it was the third leader of Wanggang Village who personally came down the mountain to pick him up."

Yuwen Ye thought for a moment, then asked, "After that, was there any further activity on the mountain?"

Mu shook his head and said, "Absolutely not."

Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi frowned. Could it be that Xiao Yuansui's return this time did not mean he intended to break with Wang Quyi, and that Wanggang Village was still united and as solid as an iron barrel?

still--

She turned to look at Yuwen Ye again and murmured, "Was it you who said there was a third possibility?"

"..."

Yuwen Ye glanced at her but didn't say anything.

However, Shen Wuzheng said from the side, "Are you all speculating that Xiao Yuansui may not have planned to bring back a large force at all, but instead used this method to gain Wang Quyi's trust, make him lower his guard, and then take him down?"

Yuwen Ye said, "Based on my previous encounters with him, it is possible that he is capable of this."

"..."

"But he brought back too few men."

"..."

"Even if he could find an opportunity to take action against Wang Quyi and eliminate this biggest threat, there are still so many people inside Wanggang Village, including Wang Quyi's brothers. He only brought seven or eight people up the mountain, and if they counterattack, he won't even have a chance to fight back."

"..."

"unless--"

Shang Ruyi hurriedly asked, "Unless what?"

Yuwen Ye glanced at her, a complex look in his eyes. After a moment, he shook his head and said, "Instead of speculating here, why don't we go and take a look?"

Just like when they waited for Li Wenyang at the foot of Wanggangzhai Mountain, the truth about some things will not be known until the very last moment.

Shen Wuzheng nodded: "Let's go."

So the three of them immediately headed out of the temple.

Just as he reached the main gate, he encountered the abbot leading several monks toward the main hall. Yuwen Ye thought for a moment, then suddenly stopped and turned back to the abbot, asking, "Abbot, have you found your little disciple?"

The old monk gave a bitter smile: "I've been searching all day, and there's still no sign of him. I wonder where the child has run off to again. I just hope he's safe and sound out there."

Yuwen Ye nodded, turned and left.

Mu Xian knew that once he returned to deliver the message, they would definitely head down to Wanggangzhai Mountain, so he had horses prepared in advance. After the three of them left the temple, they immediately mounted their horses and rode swiftly away from Yanyue City.

Galloping on horseback under the scorching sun is naturally more uncomfortable than at other times. What's more, at this moment, all three of them had some unresolved doubts in their hearts. That sense of the unknown, that one could fall into the air at any moment, made it even more agonizing.

Fortunately, after walking for more than an hour, they finally arrived at the foot of the mountain again.

Just like when I left the day before yesterday, the scenery here is still picturesque. The pavilion still stands quietly at the foot of the mountain. The maple leaves around it are not yet red, but there are some striking bright red decorations in this landscape.

Yuwen Ye spurred his horse and leaped up the earthen slope.

The horse slowly strolled to the outside of the pavilion. Suddenly, Yuwen Ye tightened his grip, and the horse stopped abruptly.

Shang Ruyi and Shen Wuzheng followed behind, only to see him stop outside the pavilion, his back seemingly stiffening. Shang Ruyi quickly spurred her horse forward and whispered, "What's wrong? You—"

Before she could finish speaking, she froze.

The tall stone tablet, now silent, seemed to appear before their eyes with an invisible, deafening roar.

The two characters "Wang Gang" above have been chiseled off at some point.

At this moment, the words "Xiaoshan" are clearly visible!

The words were not only deep but also painted bright red. When a gust of wind blew by, it even carried a hint of bloody scent, making the two men seem like a bloodstained sword, piercing their hearts.

Shang Ruyi stopped breathing.

Xiaoshan?

Xiaoshan!

At that moment, she seemed to hear that prophetic song again: "After three generations of imperial rule, Wang Gang seized the people's livelihood. The phoenix cries beside Xiaoshan Mountain, and we must look to Mizizhou Island."

Phoenix sings beside Xiaoshan Mountain...

If she could have believed Yuwen Ye's words before that the prophecy was nothing more than a dubious thing, then after Chu Yang's death in Jiangdu Palace, the things the song had foretold were no longer just about the rebels seizing food, so the idea that "Wang Gang seizing the people's mouths" was just a coincidence.

When the song "Three Generations of Imperial Power" appeared, the late Emperor Chu Yin was still on the throne. Who knew that after Chu Yang's death, Yuwen Yuan would install Prince Zhao, Chu Chengfei, as emperor?

Therefore, the prophecy of the imperial dynasty spanning three generations has already come true!

In fact, Shang Ruyi understood very well that the Chu dynasty could only continue to the third generation, because the next emperor already had too many favorable conditions.

And the phoenix sings beside Xiaoshan Mountain...

Shang Ruyi suddenly felt a numbness in her back and subconsciously turned to look at Yuwen Ye.

A phoenix cries, beside Xiaoshan?

Just then, as Yuwen Ye looked at the blood-red characters "Xiao Shan," a hint of bloodthirsty ruthlessness seemed to appear in his eyes. He suddenly ordered, "Mu Xian, give me your knife."