Chapter 116: Xizhen Qingliu
At the Tongbai Ferry, dozens of riders raised a cloud of dust.
"Yuyu~!"
The horses were reined in, and with the sound of horses neighing, everyone jumped off.
Someone was already waiting on the embankment and took the horse away.
There were many people at the ferry. Except for the cold-resistant men, all the boatmen and travelers wore thick clothes, otherwise they would not be able to withstand the bone-chilling river wind.
There are many people taking boats south from the ferry every day, including wealthy families, wealthy businessmen, and martial arts sects. There is nothing special about them.
It is common for people to make a living at the ferry.
but,
The group of people who came today were really eye-catching. Not to mention the burly men walking together, the young man in the white robe at the head caught everyone's attention the moment he dismounted.
In Huai'an County, there are few such people.
They were heading towards the large ship that was anchored.
What was unbelievable was that the man in military uniform who was waiting on the big ship jumped out of the deck to greet them from afar.
Many old people at the ferry kept their eyes on him, wondering, "Isn't this the hero Lu from Yiyang?"
Since the Ru'nan bandit was destroyed, many ferry boats on the north and south banks of the upper reaches of the Huai River have been taken care of by this hero Lu, and there is no old boatman who does not know him.
From this perspective, the young man with outstanding temperament is even more extraordinary.
Although the ferry was busy, no one came over.
Just take a look at it for fun.
It was hard for some passing young girls from the Sui Dynasty to let go, such as several girls who came from Biyang City, the seat of Huai'an, who watched him all the way until he boarded the big ship.
"Butler, who is that young man?"
Beside the carriage of the Huai'an prefectural governor, a rather pretty girl couldn't help but ask.
Her friends next to her were also very interested.
The old butler was knowledgeable, but nervous. "That's a big shot from Nanyang City. Even the governor Wei doesn't dare to neglect him. I dare not speak carelessly. If you want to inquire, you can only ask the governor."
The daughter of the Wei prefect was about to speak.
As if because their gazes were too intense, the man on the boat glanced towards where they were.
This time, it was really like our first meeting at Tongbai Ferry, and once we met Zhou Lang, we would regret it for the rest of our lives.
Several girls looked at him and turned their heads. They heard the oarsman shaking the oars, saw the masts and sails being raised, the cold waves of the Huai River surged like a galloping horse, and the figure went down the river to the east. His back was blocked by a group of big men and could no longer be seen.
Lu Zushang glanced towards the back of the ferry and said exaggeratedly:
"Uncle Master, it's better for you to tone down your charm. Otherwise, I don't know how many girls on both sides of the Yangtze and Huaihe Rivers will be heartbroken."
His call of "Uncle Master" came so naturally.
It was so smooth and natural that even Zhou Yi couldn't find any fault with it.
In Yiyang, Lu Zushang is the second best master after his master Song Yinzi.
He practices Taoist internal skills, so how could he not know the changes in his uncle?
When we first met at Riguang Mountain, although I couldn't see through my uncle's true colors, he was not like today. That kind of profound temperament was something that even if my master sat in Qingsong Temple for a long time, he would not be able to find.
One can imagine how high his martial arts attainments must be.
"Please make the trip."
"Oh, it's nothing serious."
Lu Zushang also revealed: "Master has already written a letter to Bashu a few days ago. He has a close friendship with Taoist Master Yuan Tiangang. He knows about this friendship and will wait for Master Uncle to pass through the Three Gorges. Taoist Master Yuan will definitely give him a warm welcome."
"I won't go to Guangshan. Please thank me for me."
Zhou Yi pulled out a thin booklet from his bosom: "This is some of my insights from practicing the Kanli Sword Qi. I'm also giving it to Fellow Daoist Song. It's a pity that after so much time, I still haven't reached the realm of being able to flow with the Sword Qi."
This. This.?
The muscles on Lu Zushang's face twitched and he thought, "Is this a long time?"
My master has practiced for a lifetime, but he still doesn't have the same sword energy as me.
The unique skills of Louguan Dao required countless years of refinement.
However, the look on his cheap uncle's face made it clear that he wasn't pretending.
He just thinks it's too slow.
I sighed secretly and excluded my uncle from the "people" column, feeling much better.
After all, he had tried for a long time but couldn't even master the Lihuo Sword Technique.
He put the thin book inside his clothes and put it away, then suddenly said:
"I heard that General Du is currently leading troops in the Liuhe area, and he might be planning to take refuge in the west."
Zhou Yi glanced at Lu Zushang. Since he was paying attention to these things, he must have known the inside story of Nanyang.
"But what's wrong?"
Lu Zushang showed a bit of sternness:
"The Qingliu faction is quite complex, involving more than ten sects in the Dajiang League, including the Qingjiang Sect, the Cangwu Sect, the Jiangnan Society, the Mingyang Gang, the Tiandong Sect, etc. Although they are not part of the Eight Gangs and Ten Associations, when combined, their power is much greater."
Zhou Yi had some impression that this group of people had chased Ba Fenghan all the way and chased him everywhere.
"Besides that, there are also the troublesome Langya bandits.
The bandits are quite skilled in martial arts, with many top-tier experts among them, and they have connections with many surrounding forces, including Zhang Shan'an, the leader of the rebel army in Lujiang County."
"It seems you've learned a lot."
Lu Zushang explained, "I once went to Lujiang with the Dajiang Society to do the liquor business. Zhang Shan'an and I once had a conflict, so I know something about him."
"A few days ago, General Du came south from the Huai River and led me to meet Mr. Xu. After a brief conversation, I had many ideas. If my uncle is short of manpower, I can lead them across Kaihua and directly into Lujiang."
"Now that there are no more bandits from Runan, I can spare some time."
Lu Zushang did not say it casually, but had thought it over carefully.
On the way from Tongbai to Yiyang, he talked about many topics related to the recent situation in Jianghuai.
When getting off the boat at Huangshui Ferry, Zhou Yi did not give him any extra instructions, and focused on stabilizing the situation in the upper reaches of the Huai River.
At the ferry, Wang Honglie, the prefect of Yiyang County, had been waiting for a long time and came to see Zhou Yi off.
He was a very close friend of Lu Zushang. Although he was only a county magistrate, his power was greater than that of a prefect.
Wang Juncheng didn't say anything nonsense, but just brought the wine.
Watching the big ship set sail again, Lu Zushang, who had completed his mission, exchanged ideas with Wang Juncheng for a while, and then returned to Guangshan.
He rode to Qingsong Temple and handed the thin book given by Zhou Yi to Song Yinzi.
After that, he discovered something extraordinary.
From the afternoon until dusk, the master never took his eyes off the small words in the book.
When the lights were on, Lu Zushang couldn't hold it in any longer:
"Master, why are you so obsessed?"
The old Taoist priest, who had not spoken for a long time, sighed and said, "There are indeed geniuses in the world, with ingenuity and wisdom, who can understand simple principles deeply, which is not something ordinary people can see."
"Um?"
Lu Zushang was a little skeptical: "Could it be that Uncle Zhou's cultivation in the Louguan Sword Qi in just a few months is more profound than yours?"
"Everything cannot be measured by the length of time."
Song Yinzi said, "I want to write two more letters."
"Who is it for?"
"First, I'll send it to Fellow Daoist Yuan from Bashu. Second, well."
Song Yinzi said seriously, "I'm going to send it to Brother Ning Dao."
"What is this for?" Lu Zushang was confused.
"I want to tell Ning Sanren that he is old."
Lu Zushang shook his head repeatedly: "It's not good for you to do this. It will bring hatred to Uncle Zhou."
Song Yinzi looked at the small words on the book again: "In my heart, Fellow Daoist Zhou is already the best in my sect. What your great master couldn't do back then, he might be able to do."
"Even if it's biased, I will support it."
"I still remember that when I first mentioned our sect's inheritance, Brother Ning thought for a long time, then looked at Brother Zhou and answered without hesitation. What a huge difference."
"Based on what you just said, how come Brother Ning Dao's knowledge over all these years is not as good as that of Brother Zhou Dao?"
It turned out that the master had always remembered this incident, and he valued Daocheng very much.
It’s a pity that I don’t have the talent to practice sword skills.
Lu Zushang understood his master's intentions: "Will Mr. Ning be angry after reading your letter?"
"No, no."
Song Yinzi said unhappily, "How could he lack this little bit of grace?"
"I hope Brother Ning will be curious and turn his attention from Buddhism to the genius of Taoism. This will be of great benefit to Brother Zhou's matter."
…
After crossing Huainan and arriving at Zhongli, Zhou Yi heard someone singing a fisherman's song in Wu dialect as soon as the boat docked:
"The Huai River surges, the winter nights are long. A reed boat sails across the river, and the sea is my home."
He walked out of the cabin of the big ship and saw several fishing boats passing by the ferry.
At this time, the setting sun sank into the harbor, and dusk gathered all around. Occasionally, a solitary wild goose could be seen flying over the water, and frozen carp could be seen jumping in the waves.
In this situation, Zhou Yi also felt like a drifter in a foreign land.
I recall the days when Dayu dredged rivers, dug the Longmen Gate to guide the Huai and Si rivers. The philosophers of the Jian'an period stood by the clear stream and composed passionate poems.
He sighed and seemed to smell a fishy wind blowing from the Tongji Canal downstream.
His eyes flickered, as if he saw the scene of Meng Rang fighting with the Sui army a hundred miles away.
As soon as I got off the boat, someone came to greet me.
The man had an untidy beard and was obviously Kan Leng, a fierce general under Du Fuwei.
There were many people at Zhongli Ferry, and many of them were looking around.
The situation here is chaotic and has changed hands several times, so it cannot be considered the territory of the Jianghuai Army.
Moreover, there are spies from various major forces.
But I dare not be as high-profile as I was in Huai'an.
When Zhou Yi saw Kan Leng coming to pay his respects with his men, he reached out to stop him. Kan Leng looked around and then stepped forward in a low-key manner.
Dozens of experts who went south with Zhou Yi stood around to block out any spying eyes.
He looked around coldly, asking all forces to keep a close eye on things.
They were so aggressive that no one on Zhongli Jin's side dared to offend them.
"Grand Commander, we cannot rest in Zhongli tonight. There may be a major battle during the day. We must cross Chishui overnight and pass through Zhaoyi County."
This place is the beginning of Wu and the end of Chu, and is close to the Huai River.
The battlefield between the Sui army and Meng Rang has spread here.
"Let's go."
Zhou Yi wasn't too particular: "I brought quite a few people with me. Are there enough horses?"
Kan Leng glanced at it briefly and said, "It's enough. Maybe if we're short of a few horses, we can just take one for two."
The big boat was handed over to the servants of Lu Mansion in Yiyang, and Zhou Yi and Kan Leng walked out of the ferry.
"Has Meng Rang been captured?"
"Not yet."
"Where's Liuhe?"
Kan Leng said in a deep voice, "Dad has once again defeated the rebels. However, except for that bastard Li Zitong who occupied Hailing, all the other rebel groups around were wiped out by the rebels."
"Some stragglers joined our army, while the rest fled towards Hailing."
"The situation isn't looking good. If Meng Rang is defeated, we'll have to face the forces of Zhang Xutuo, Lai Zheng, and Yuchi Sheng."
"General Fu is in Yongfu, and I don't think he can hold on."
When he heard Fu Gongju, Zhou Yi frowned slightly.
This guy is also a guy who can stab you in the back at any time. He is also the successor of the Tianlian Sect of the Demonic Sect and Anlong's junior brother.
Kan Leng interrupted his thoughts: "If the three armies attack, Liuhe cannot be defended, and we will have to retreat to Shouchun and reorganize the Huai River."
"Besides Liuhe, are there any other deployments?"
"Yes, Captain Li once suggested attacking Qingliu. At first, General Fu disagreed, but once Military Advisor Xu arrived, he decided on the matter."
“It’s been in preparation for a long time.”
Zhou Yi had no doubts about Li Jing and Xu Xingzhi's decision.
The information provided by Lu Zushang was also correct.
The only thing that caught his attention was that "Fu Gongju disagreed."
Zhou Yi was thinking in his mind as he walked.
Fu Gongju is in Yongfu. If he cannot hold it, Liuhe, although an important city, will become an isolated city.
Qingliu is the center of Chuzhou, on the west side of Liuhe. The two are connected by the Chu River. If you occupy Qingliu, you can form a Yijiao shape.
It can not only support Liuhe, but also threaten Liyang and Danyang.
Why did Fu Gongju disagree?
After Zhou Yi had this idea, he communicated with Kan Leng all the way and asked about all the big and small things that had happened during this period.
Kan Leng and Du Fuwei visited Wuzhuang Temple together.
Others don't know, but he knows the relationship between his father and the Grand Commander.
Therefore, nothing is endless.
That night, everyone rode non-stop, and at dawn, they finally saw the city of Liuhe.
The Jianghuai Army was nervous at first, but after seeing who was who, they quickly reported.
Because of the continuous battles with Lai Zheng, most of the Jianghuai troops slept with their clothes on. When Zhou Yi arrived at the foot of the city, the winch turned the big rope with a creaking sound, the suspension bridge and the hanging door were linked, and a large group of troops came out to meet him.
The ones who came out were none other than the most elite Shangmu Battalion of the Jianghuai Army.
"Grand Commander!"
All the soldiers shouted together, and the shouts echoed to Jiangbei, shaking away the morning mist around Liuhe.
Spears and halberds were arranged like a forest. This kind of solemn and murderous military formation coordinated with each other. Even a martial arts master would not dare to break into it lightly. Once he failed to escape or was held back by others, he would probably be exhausted to death by the endless stream of soldiers.
Zhou Yi walked ahead of Kan Leng and met Du Fuwei on the Liuhe City suspension bridge under the city.
In full view of the crowd, the two smiled at each other.
This is a scene that thousands of Jianghuai soldiers will never forget.
"please!"
"please!"
Zhou and Du each said something, and finally entered the city together amid the laughter of old Du Lang.
Xu Xingzhi, who was not far away, looked at this scene and couldn't help but stroke his beard and smile.
The figure in white was reflected in Li Jing's eyes. This second-in-command of the navy, who became famous in the Jianghuai Army after the battle of Huai River, immediately patted Xu Xingzhi on the shoulder.
Pull him back to reality from the illusion.
The two of them went forward to meet him.
"Grand Commander!"
Li Jing seemed to be influenced by the temperament of the young man in front of him, and his words were full of excitement.
"I didn't misjudge him. The pharmacist lived up to my trust."
Zhou Yi patted his arm and said only this.
Then he went to the Liuhe government office with Du Fuwei.
Lao Du is a straightforward man. He had said all the unnecessary words in Nanyang long ago. At present, he wanted the Jianghuai Army to take root in Liuhe, and preferably fight to the south of the Yangtze River.
Zhou Yi hadn't slept all night. He drank a few cups of tea with Lao Du to wake himself up, and then headed straight to the Jianghuai Navy camp.
He and Lao Du had a clear division of labor. Lao Du was in charge of guarding the front and reorganizing the army, while he was in charge of clearing the stream.
After not coming for a while, the Jianghuai navy has become completely different.
Especially defeating this group of enemies will greatly boost the military's prestige.
Having chatted with Kan Leng all the way, he already understood the situation in general.
When the tent was opened, Li Jing and Xu Xingzhi wanted to get up.
Zhou Yi waved his hand to stop them, sat down with them and told them to continue.
The two quickly adapted to the situation and discussed how to deploy troops and how to mobilize military supplies.
Zhou Yi just listened and had no intention of micromanaging, so he didn't interrupt.
Xu Xingzhi was indeed capable and could actually keep up with Li Jing's pace.
After they finished their discussion, they relayed the strategy for dealing with Qingliu to Zhou Yi.
The Jianghuai navy has now expanded to 4,000 people, while the Qingliu regular garrison is less than 2,000.
But this was a siege, not a plain battle.
The city wall of Qingliu is not very high, only three meters, far less than the magnificent wall of Jiangdu.
A good soldier in the army can climb up the city wall with just a little help.
Some masters who know some light skills can come to the city and fly over it by just raising their true energy.
After Lao Du went to Nanyang, he did not hide anything and assigned some of the masters from the recruitment camp to the navy.
Qingliu was not a strong city for the Jianghuai Army.
However, once the battle begins and they climb onto the city wall, there will be experts in Qingliu City who will fight against them, so they may not necessarily gain the upper hand.
Li Jing said, "We've been studying this for several days. Taking this city won't be difficult, but we absolutely cannot afford to incur too many casualties. Otherwise, we won't be able to control the situation in the city. If we do occupy the city, we'll be caught in a dilemma and become a burden."
"Should I join the war?" Zhou Yi asked.
"My family only has one martial arts master, the Grand Commander. How can we let such a powerful weapon go unused?"
Xu Xingzhi consoled him, "Of course, this is because we are still immature. We just need to wait for our troops to grow stronger, and the Grand Commander can just stay at the rear and rest."
Li Jing also nodded, and Zhou Yi naturally had no objection.
Then, the two talked about many strategies before and after the Champa.
He found that the situation was more complicated than Lu Zushang had said.
"Although Qingliu's location is not as good as Liuhe, its area is more than five times larger than Liuhe. If the forces in the city support the officials, the soldiers defending the city will number tens of thousands in an instant. In addition, all the major families have retainers and masters, as well as the Tiandong and Tujiang factions of the Dajiang League."
"Although they are not a united force, we dare not rush to mobilize troops due to the situation in the city."
"So, once we attack the city, we must take it quickly."
"At that time, for the forces within the city, it was just a change of office. They couldn't work together in the short term, so they had no choice but to accept it."
After Li Jing finished speaking, Xu Xingzhi added:
"The Jianghuai Army's reputation isn't great, and it's very different from the situation in Nanyang. The surrounding rebel armies are also like this. To avoid dealing with the city's powerful families, some rebels simply enter the city to plunder and leave.
Those who failed to capture the city became vagrants, such as the bandits on Mount Langya."
After some thought, Zhou Yi decided not to consider what would happen after the siege.
Suddenly asked:
"When are you going to start?"
"In another eight or nine days, let's see what Yuchi Sheng is doing in Yangzi County."
"Does anyone else know this time?"
Xu Xingzhi immediately became alert: "Who is the Heavenly Master on guard against?"
Zhou Yijing listened to the movements from all directions and whispered, "Fu Gongju."
The two were shocked and suspicious.
Zhou Yi then told him about Fu Gongju's origins and his suspicions.
Li Jing's expression changed, he crumpled up the paper on the table and immediately changed his strategy:
"It seems we can't wait too long. We will take action immediately on the evening of the fourth day."
Xu Xingzhi said: "It's a good thing that we have the fighting power of the Heavenly Master, so it's not too hasty. However, the county magistrate Kuang Yao in the city must be kept alive and not killed."
"Oh? Is this County Magistrate Kuang very popular among the people?"
Li Jing quickly shook his head: "Military Advisor Xu means to behead him and display his head on the city wall for seven days."
Zhou Yi realized that he had misunderstood: "It seems that the people of Qingliu are not living well."
"It's very bad."
Xu Xingzhi pointed in the direction of Chuzhou and said, "It's not that we're starving, but we're living in constant fear. We feel like our heads are on the line, and we might be robbed by bandits at any moment. This County Magistrate Kuang is a local bully, tyrannical and forcibly marrying many concubines."
"Is there any way for the Grand Commander to change this situation?"
Zhou Yi's eyes were calm: "I only know one way, and that is to kill them all."
"Very good."
Xu Xingzhidao said: "Those people on the city wall are all Kuang Yao's lackeys. They are used to bullying others by taking advantage of their power. No one dares to offend them. When the Grand Commander kills, do not hold back."
Li Jing on the side looked at Xu Xingzhi, then looked at the Grand Commander who had suddenly fallen silent.
This time, the martial arts master's murderous intent was completely aroused.
County Magistrate Kuang is here and must thank Military Advisor Xu.
After talking with the two of them, Zhou Yi went to take a nap.
When I woke up, it was already dark.
At this time, Li Jing and Xu Xingzhi came together, and a group of people from the Jukun Gang brought back news from the city.
When Li Jing attacked "Lai Zheng" before, Bu Tianzhi provided a lot of ships.
This time, most of the news in Qingliu City was brought out by the Jukun Gang.
As it turned out, Zhou Yi's worries were completely correct.
There were indeed changes in Qingliu City.
The next morning, he went to see Du Fuwei again.
Old Du assigned Ximen Junyi and Wang Lanfang to him. This couple were the two strongest men in the Jianghuai Army after Wang Xiongdan and Kan Leng.
After assigning two capable generals to Li Jing, Zhou Yi set out from Liuhe ahead of time.
The people he brought from Nanyang were all strangers, so they disguised themselves as a caravan, pulling several carts of tea, medicinal herbs, and silk cloth towards Qingliu.
Before leaving, Zhou Yi called Feng Si, the most clever person working in the Taoist temple.
He was given some instructions and asked to lead the caravan with several accompanying experts.
Less than ten miles out of Liuhe City, you will pass a fir forest.
There was a sound of footsteps coming from the front.
"Behave yourself!"
Feng Si shouted at a lean man, "Boss, we've caught a thief."
At this time, disguised as a horse caravan, they naturally have to be called the gang leader.
"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding! My friends, I am not a bandit."
The man was stared at by everyone and was scared to death.
Feng Si sneered:
"You're treading on the plates around our gang. If you're not a thief, what are you? I heard that Langya is full of thieves, and the seven thieves are running rampant. You're most likely one of those thieves."
"Yes or no?"
One of the leaders of the Nanyang Gang was over sixty years old and his name was Di Fangsi. He was also one of the first people to follow Yang Dalongtou.
Among the masters accompanying him, he has the most profound skills.
At this time, he pretended to be the deputy gang leader, rode his horse a few steps towards Zhou Yi, and shouted directly at the man:
"Tell me, where are you going to start?!"
Seeing that he still didn't speak, Di Fangsi pulled out the knife: "Boss, just kill him."
Zhou Yi said without hesitation: "Kill him, and we will return to Liuhe to hide."
"Slow down!"
The man fell to the ground, looking so miserable that it was hard to tell that he was a martial arts expert.
"My name is Jin Jin, and I'm a disciple of the Tujiang Sect!"
He introduced himself and shouted repeatedly: "Boss, I am really from the Tujiang faction. The guards of Qingliu Tower also know me. If you don't believe me, you can go and ask around."
"Are you serious?" Although Di Fangsi's old face was stern, he put away the knife.
"Just ask and you'll know, just ask and you'll know!"
Feng Si said, "Two gang leaders, don't believe it."
"The Tujiang faction is a branch of the Dajiang Alliance. How could its followers step on the official road?"
"Huh?!" Di Fangsi drew his sword twice, "How do you explain it?"
His old face was dark, and murderous intent surged: "Look into my eyes and answer me!"
Jin Jin swallowed hard, not daring to hide it: "I saw you coming out of Liuhe City and thought you were from the Jianghuai Army, so I investigated a bit and planned to go back and tell the Qingliu garrison."
Seeing that he didn't seem to be lying, Di Fangsi put away the knife.
Zhou Yi waved his hand, and Feng Si and others also moved away from Jin Jin.
At this time, several men in the gang laughed.
He spoke in a Central Plains accent, "We are from Huai'an. How could we be the Jianghuai Army? What nonsense are you talking about?"
Jin Jin thought their accent was very authentic.
I couldn't help but ask: "Which caravan are you from?"
"Biyang Caravan, the Wei Taishou of Huai'an is also familiar with us. Last time, when rice was stolen from Yongfeng Warehouse, we helped the Wei Taishou hunt down the thief."
Di Fangsi said, "Business in Nanyang is tough. It's been taken over by the Dangyang horse caravan from the Pegasus Ranch."
"So, I'll just run south to see if there's any business."
After hearing this, Jin Jin looked at everyone carefully.
If it weren't for the original source, I wouldn't be able to explain things so clearly.
The Dajiang League exchanges intelligence, and some of the information matches what he knows.
He brushed off the dust on his body, and his disheveled look disappeared by about 70%.
At this time, he clasped his fists and said:
“It turns out to be a friend from Huai’an.”
"I wonder what business you are going to do?"
Zhou Yi was surprised: "Can Brother Jin speak for the Tu Jiang faction?"
Jin Jin smiled and said, "I am an acquaintance of the Sect Leader. Why don't you go to Qingliu with me?"
Di Fangsi said, "If you fight the Jianghuai Army, we won't be able to transport the sheepskins."
"sheepskin?!"
Jin Jin perked up: "I wonder how your gang got the sheepskin?"
"Of course it's the Northern Horse Gang from Saibei."
Zhou Yi said, "That leader of the Northern Horse Gang, Xu, owes me a large sum of money, which is why I've been able to maintain my business. If it weren't for the Pegasus Ranch's influence, we wouldn't have to travel down the Huai River from Tongbai."
"I see."
Jin Jin was much more enthusiastic: "There's nothing wrong with Qingliu. Even if they fight again, it won't affect us."
He continued to talk about the situation in Qingliu City and finally calmed this group of people down.
Jin Jin got on a cargo carriage and headed towards Qingliu, Chuzhou with Zhou Yi.
As the sun was about to set, we finally saw the city wall.
The copper nails on the iron-clad wooden door of Jijiang Gate reflect the afterglow of the setting sun.
A glance at the top of the city wall revealed armored guards. Several tall men with good eyesight raised one hand to cover their foreheads and looked around, while archers were on standby at any time.
"Stop, who are you?!"
A tall captain was walking towards them with a knife. Jin Jin jumped off the carriage and went up to talk to him.
"So he's a friend of the Tu Jiang faction."
The team laughed and said, "But now is an extraordinary period. Since they are distant visitors, we must also be careful that they are Jianghuai rebels in disguise."
"Brother Jin also knows that we have received orders from the government and dare not act arbitrarily."
"Several major families in the city also mean the same thing."
Zhou Yi glanced at the team and rode up on his horse.
Feng Si hurried over, reached into his pocket, and stuffed a handful of silver into the team's hand.
Zhou Yi smiled and said, "Invite some friends to drink."
"I also admire County Magistrate Kuang very much. After I finish discussing business with my friends from the Tujiang faction, I will come to visit with generous gifts."
The captain laughed heartily and changed his expression: "Friends from Huai'an, please come in!"
"Get out of my way!"
Hundreds of armed guards at the city gate made way.
Jin Jin thanked him and said something else, then led the Bi Yang Horse Gang into the city.
At this time, he walked to Zhou Yi and explained:
"Don't be offended, Gang Leader Zhou. This is the official rule. Anyone entering the city for the first time must pay a meeting fee. I've already told them that next time, friends from the Biyang Horse Gang enter the city, they can come and go freely."
"That's normal. Everyone has their own rules."
Zhou Yi was very generous and glanced at Feng Si.
Feng Si came closer and whispered, "Boss, I gave 10,000 gold to the Qingliu government office."
Zhou Yi nodded slightly.
"Brother Jin, how good is County Magistrate Kuang's martial arts?"
“It’s quite remarkable.”
Jin Jin said, "Qingliu is a large county, and County Magistrate Kuang's abilities are among the top five in Chuzhou."
"No wonder the forces in Qingliu City all support him and resist Du Fuwei."
"Boss Zhou, you don't know this. Kuang Yao's strength isn't in martial arts. He can't compare to Du Fuwei in terms of martial arts. But he's quite resourceful and knows how to deal with the major forces in the city."
Jin Jin opened the conversation: "For example, at the Chushui Ferry, most of the business is done by the Tiandong faction and our Tujiang faction."
"If Du Fuwei enters the city, given his strong character, we will have to give up a lot of our interests. Other forces in the city also see it this way, so many support Kuang Yao."
Seeing Zhou Yi nodded.
In order to close the deal with him, Jin Jin revealed, "We had already learned that Du Fuwei was going to attack Qingliu, so we made preparations."
"Once the majority of the Jianghuai Army moves, Yuchi Sheng in Yangzi County will receive the news and counterattack Liuhe."
"If he only sends a small team and hopes to take over the Qingliu, it will only be a foolish dream."
He stopped at that point and gave Zhou Yi some peace of mind.
You can do business in Qingliu City with peace of mind.
Zhou Yi no longer had much interest in talking and began to admire the scenery in the city.
Qingliu is indeed bigger than Liuhe.
We passed through Gulou Street, Xianyu Lane, and Xiqiao Street, and passed the "Xiaosha River", an inner river in the city.
The river is so clear that you can see fish swimming in the water under the setting sun.
As dusk fell, more than half of the pedestrians on the road suddenly disappeared.
Even Liuhe City cannot compare to this.
As you can imagine, it is unsafe at night and few people dare to walk at night.
The street lights were much fewer than Zhou Yi had expected.
"Are there many thieves and robbers at night?"
After hearing what Zhou Yi said, Jin Jin did not hide it: "Yes, no one cares about it now."
"These bandits are related to the Seven Great Bandits of Langya. These seven bandit leaders have great backgrounds, and no one wants to offend them. There was a prominent one in the city before, but his entire family was killed, and no one dared to intervene after that."
"Is this true? What about Magistrate Kuang?"
Jin Jin sneered: "Kuang Yao only likes women's bellies, he doesn't care about these things."
"Boss Zhou, we're here!"
As he spoke, he walked quickly towards a mansion with two large lanterns hanging at the door, but he did not see the young man behind him with an extremely cold face.
Zhou Yi had amazing hearing and could hear the sound of toasting and clinking glasses inside.
Standing next to the two stone lions at the gate, I looked up and saw a large plaque with two large gold-plated characters "Lianfu" written on it.
"Two gang leaders, please!"
The four people in front were carrying lanterns, and Jin Jin led Zhou Yi into the mansion.
There were fifteen people who followed Zhou Yi in, and the rest stayed at the door to guard the caravan's property.
The sheepskin business in Mobei is too tempting.
Jin Jin took it very seriously and took Zhou Yi to a brightly lit hall, which was where the head of the Tujiang faction, Lian, met guests.
At this time, there were still two guests.
The three of them were drinking, and when they saw them coming, they all looked over.
There were eight or nine other people standing behind the three men, doing the same thing.
Jin Jin looked closely and found that it was these two people.
He immediately restrained his words and said, "Master, let me introduce you to someone. This is a distinguished guest from Huai'an."
Jin Jin's face was full of smiles, and she was about to continue the introduction.
Suddenly, he saw the expressions of the three people in the main hall change.
Including the head of the Tujiang faction, Lian, all looked towards him.
Jin Jin's smile froze and he glanced back.
The dozen or so people who were originally following him suddenly stopped and lined up to block the path behind him.
This. What is this for?
Are we going to take action at Tujiang’s headquarters?
Crazy. Are you crazy?!
The young boss Zhou was extremely bold. He seemed to not take the people in the hall seriously and walked straight to the place with the brightest lights.
"Boss Zhou Zhou, what are you going to do?!"
Jin Jin shouted out loud.
However, Gang Leader Zhou ignored it.
As he moved, the three sect-level masters in the hall did not move for a moment.
They didn't understand what was going on either.
The two people in the guest seats looked at Master Lian in confusion.
The enemy is coming to your door?
Lian, the head of the Tujiang faction, glanced at his capable subordinate Jin Jin, put down his wine glass and said:
"I am not very good at seeing. I don't know where your friend is from."
"Oh, I'm here to discuss business with you."
Zhou Yi was still moving in and standing in the circle of people behind the three masters.
A bald man frowned and said in a low voice:
"One more step forward, kid, and you'll suffer the consequences."
After he finished speaking, he drew his knife!
Because the young man in white ignored his warning and took three steps forward.
This is the secret method of drawing the sword of the Tiandong School. The stronger the momentum accumulated before drawing the sword, the faster it will be drawn.
At this moment, he was furious, poured in his true energy, and slashed out a phantom with his sword.
Once this knife comes out, no one dares to underestimate it.
However, the young man did not blink, and brought his sharp knife within a foot of him, his left sleeve flying.
His hands didn't seem that fast, but they happened to be faster than the bald man's knife.
The bald man's knife was a show of quickness.
At this moment, the back of the knife was held by two fingers.
With a "click" sound.
There was a crisp sound like breaking a green bamboo, and the bald man poured his true energy into the knife, and the tip of the knife broke off.
The young man bent his fingers and snapped them, making a sound of breaking wind!
The tip of the knife scraped against the bald man's blade, sparks flew, a line of blood ran down his neck, and it hit a vase behind him and broke it.
The porcelain pieces fell and the bald head hit his neck.
Looking at the blood on my hands, I was so shocked that I couldn't speak.
My heart is beating wildly!
It was almost a death.
No, it was the other party who spared his life.
Before he could figure out how the other party broke his sword's momentum, he heard:
"Put your toys away and get out of the way."
After hearing this, the bald man became even angrier. How could this be possible?
As the ninth of the twelve sharp sword masters of the Tiandong School, when had he ever suffered such humiliation?
There was a struggle between conscience and desire in his heart when the young man looked up.
He sheathed the broken knife and rolled it aside.
"Are you the headmaster of the Tujiang sect, Lian?"
"My name is Lian Zijun."
Sect Leader Lian glanced at the Tiandong sect member and was about to ask another question when someone beat him to it.
"The one who just drew his sword must be from the Tiandong faction."
Zhou Yi asked the burly man next to Sect Leader Lian, "Are you the Sect Leader of the Tiandong Sect?"
"good."
The man snorted, his hand on the long sword at his waist: "My name is Sang Shihan. Friends in the martial arts world, please give me some face and call me Tiandong Quick Sword. My friend can see through the sword's momentum, and his ability and vision are indeed not small."
"But if you underestimate our sect because of this, that would be too arrogant."
"oh?"
Zhou Yi said, "Master Sang's words are quite interesting."
"So your knife is very sharp?"
Sang Shihan showed his pride: "Not only in Qingliu, but also in the whole Dajiang League and dozens of other factions, I am the fastest swordsman."
The three of them saw that the young man in white smiled slightly after hearing this.
"Just right, my sword is also very fast."
"Which is faster, my sword or Master Sang's knife? I don't know for now."
"But there is one thing I can tell Sect Leader Sang."
"Once I draw my sword, someone will die."
"Just now, your disciple was disrespectful to me. I didn't kill him. I am here as a guest and I am giving you some respect."
"If I draw my sword now, your life will be left here."
"Would you like to give it a try?"
Sang Shihan has always had an explosive temper, but he is not a fool. He spoke just now just to save face.
I never expected that the other party would be so determined and not give me any way out.
Facing the strange young man who suddenly appeared in front of him, he had no confidence of winning. His body was trembling slightly. He wanted to draw his sword, but did not dare to.
He understood it in his heart.
In fact, I have already lost.
With the Tiandong School's secret sword-drawing method, if one doesn't have the courage to draw the sword, how can one have such powerful sword power?
If I attack now, I'm afraid I won't be able to exert even 70% of my strength.
The way this guy spoke, it was obvious that he had seen through the secret techniques of our sect in such a short time!
Sang Shihan was shocked and angry, but also a little bit impressed.
But as the leader of a sect, how can I show my weakness?
"Draw your sword, and see who dies today!"
Sang Shihan roared angrily and raised his momentum.
"Master!"
Several Tiandong faction masters had noticed something was wrong and spoke out to stop it.
At this moment, a calloused hand pressed on the hilt of his knife.
"Brother Sang, please be patient."
The middle-aged man sitting in the passenger seat on the right stood up. He had a short beard, a broad forehead, and very bright eyes.
"I am Li Taonian, the deputy head of the Qingjiang Sect."
Zhou Yiduo glanced at him and asked, "What is your relationship with Wu Dingfeng?"
"Xiang Qingliu is naturally my senior brother."
Zhou Yi said, "The Qingjiang Sect is famous for its swordsmanship. Sect Leader Li wants to show off his skills on behalf of Sect Leader Sang?"
"No."
Li Taonian said, "Friends and I are all guests here at Tujiang Sect today. It's not appropriate for guests to start a fight in the host's house."
"My friend is young, but he possesses martial arts skills that even I cannot fathom."
"Li admires me very much."
"I have a mediocre internal skill, and I want to show off in front of my friends."
Lian Zijun and Sang Shihan suddenly realized and sighed at Brother Li's wisdom.
The leader of the Qingjiang School, Xiang, is known as Wu Ding Feng, while his junior fellow apprentice Li Taonian is known as Wu Yi Feng.
The so-called "wu ji" means there is no end, which means that his internal strength is continuous and has strong staying power.
Even if a young master has great talent, his weakest aspect is his internal strength.
Li Taonian specializes in internal strength. Although his swordsmanship is not as good as his senior brother's, his internal strength ranks among the top three in the entire Dajiang League.
It would be unwise to rush into a fight without knowing this man's swordsmanship.
But since the bad guests came to visit, we couldn’t lose face for Dajiang Lian.
Li Taonian’s idea couldn’t be more correct.
"Okay, my inner strength is also mediocre."
Zhou Yi raised his hands slightly.
The three leaders did not check at first, but suddenly took a step back at the same time.
There was no sound of wind in the brightly lit hall, but all the candles suddenly swayed in one direction!
The blood on the bald man's neck now circled on both sides of his neck, forming a blood ring.
An unparalleled force was bursting out in all directions, centered on the young man in white.
Jin Jin was already scared silly.
The entire Tu Jiang faction hall was flickering, and the lights were jumping non-stop!
However, not a single oil lamp or candle went out.
What was even more bizarre was that the young man at the center of the momentum didn't move a single hair.
What kind of subtle control is this!
Cold sweat broke out on the backs of the three leaders.
Martial arts master!
"Master Li, should I make the first move, or should you?"
Li Taonian didn't say anything and looked at Lian Zijun.
Lian Zijun didn't say anything, just stared at Jin Jin silently.
…
(End of this chapter)
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