Chapter 207 The World of Open Source
The snow fell heavier and heavier, starting at the head of Xunyang River and then spreading to the entire Jiujiang Yuzhang.
This has nothing to do with Zhou Yi.
The weather is good and the auspicious snow indicates a good harvest.
Before the spectators from Jiangbei had dispersed, many troops on the south bank of the Yangtze River withdrew from the shore one after another and were taken back to Jiujiang by many generals to clean up the mess.
Many people either turned around or glanced at the river out of the corner of their eyes.
The ferocious waves remained motionless, frozen in the wind and snow. This crystal-clear and magical scene may be forever rooted in everyone's heart.
We often hear about how great martial arts masters are, and storytellers and wanderers always like to brag about them.
In the past, everyone treated it as a joke.
But now it seems that their words are still too insufficient.
Because some people were distracted and stood there blankly watching, the army formation became scattered, and the rebukes of the captains and brigade commanders in the team were heard.
After a while, footsteps gradually began to move towards the city in an orderly manner.
Perhaps because the shouting and screaming had stopped, the braver people in Jiujiang City came out.
Someone else returned from the riverside and told about the amazing things he had just seen.
In crowded places, voices filled with astonishment were heard one after another.
"It's over! The three emperors of Wu, Chu, and Liang are all dead!"
"The Heavenly Master walked on the waves, freezing the river. Waves dozens of feet high froze over a thousand ships!"
The sound was so loud that everyone on the long streets of Xunyang who had just heard the news cried out, "What? How is this possible?"
A square-faced man carrying a sickle on his back excitedly shouted in Jiujiang local accent:
"Last time, the Heavenly Master killed that beast Ren Shaoming here. This time, he really fulfilled his promise and killed Lin Shihong with one sword!"
"Hahaha, good thing you died!"
There was a great noise all around!
"Where? Where!"
Someone shouted urgently: "Hurry to the river! You will regret it if you delay!"
One stone can cause a thousand ripples.
Soon, there was a sensation in the city, and the reaction was even greater than the Battle of Jiujiang!
In troubled times, fighting and conquest are commonplace, but martial arts legends in the world are extremely rare, let alone such miraculous scenes.
So many people who missed the battle also flocked to the riverside.
Because there are military arrays on the river bank, we can't get close.
However, one only needs to observe the situation on the river from a distance to find it difficult to look away because of the incredible scene.
Considering the rumors that were boiling in the city, many martial artists who traveled all over the city were shocked.
This is the first time I have seen such a scene in my life.
Especially the frozen raging waves, which were like an ice wall. I couldn’t imagine what would happen if I was hit by them.
But
But it was frozen in the wind and snow.
What kind of skill is this? Is this something a martial artist can achieve?
Occasionally, my sight passed through the moving army formation and caught sight of a particularly conspicuous figure in white by the river. The awe and yearning I felt in my heart were indescribable.
Anyone who has witnessed this scene is bound to have a subversive change in their understanding of martial arts.
At the end of this year, not only did the situation of division and struggle for supremacy in the southern regions change.
The changes in the southern martial arts world will also be earth-shaking.
The perspective of people in the underworld is completely different now.
Compared with the four great books of ancient times, Taiping Hongbao has transformed from the fifth great book into the most desired secret book among many martial artists.
It is almost certain that this is a precious book from heaven.
Has incredible power
…
After Xu Xingzhi, Li Jing and others came forward to meet him, they also entered Jiujiang City first under Zhou Yi's arrangement.
Three people from the Song clan came up together.
Their attitude towards Zhou Yi was different from that in Lingnan.
To be precise, it is more friendly.
Thinking of the battle in the Lingnan mountain city, Song Lu's eyes were full of kindness.
No wonder the Heavenly Master only broke through the attacks in the mountain city and didn't actively draw his sword; it turned out he was holding back. For a young man, the ability to suppress his own immense power, not compete for superiority, and consider the feelings of his master's family is a state of mind that's even more admirable than his martial arts skills.
Song Zhi, who was standing by, also looked at him with respect.
Putting aside age, he felt that the young man in front of him had the demeanor of a senior master.
Others called him Earth Sword. In Lingnan, his swordsmanship was second to none.
The ideal gentleman among swordsmen in one’s mind should be someone with the temperament and talent of the Heavenly Master.
At this moment, Song Zhi admired from the bottom of his heart.
He glanced at Song Que and made a comparison secretly.
The eldest brother is the one who uses the knife, so he should also be ranked behind the Heavenly Master.
Song Zhi asked before his elder brother could, "Master, may I ask you a question?"
"You want to ask about the sword strike just now."
"Yes."
At this time, Song Zhi looked like a student asking questions to his teacher.
If the descendants of the Song family in Lingnan saw the Second Master like this, they would definitely feel a strong sense of discomfiture.
Not to mention Song Lu, even Song Que cast a glance over.
Judging from the skills displayed by Lin Shihong, not to mention his martial arts realm, with the help of secret techniques, just looking at his combat power, he might be able to compete with a martial arts grandmaster.
Even if Zhou Yi had a deeper understanding of martial arts, it was really hard to understand how he could be killed with just one blow.
With Song Que's eyesight, he could only make a rough guess.
When he looked at Zhou Yi, he found that he was smiling. He didn't keep anyone in suspense and said directly:
"That sword move actually didn't involve any skill. Lin Shihong's weakness is too big for me."
They listened carefully, not missing a single word Zhou Yi said next.
"He melted the Purple Blood Art in water, controlled it with an extremely cold field, and then constructed a spiritual body, akin to a spiritual essence, to achieve a perfect harmony between the spirit and the vital energy. The idea was good, but the foundation was too weak. He resorted to trickery and deceived himself."
"This extremely cold energy can condense in the water, thus driving huge waves and generating tremendous force. Unfortunately, compared to my cold energy, his is somewhat inferior, and the same is true for his spiritual cultivation."
Zhou Yi's voice was light and it sounded like he was talking about a trivial matter.
Song Zhi and Song Lu almost thought it was 'natural'.
You can change your mind.
That's not right. No matter how many flaws Lin Shihong has, based on the fighting power he has displayed, he is still one of the few in the world.
When Song Lu stroked his beard, he almost pulled out his beautiful beard.
Everyone thinks about problems from completely different perspectives.
Such a gap is really sad.
Song Que said, "Master, can you let me experience the power of heaven and earth?"
"Why is that so difficult?"
The wind and snow are blowing hard right now, so Zhou Yi can take advantage of it.
Song Zhi on the side widened his eyes, and saw a ball of true energy in Zhou Yi's hand, like a real stream of water, which could be infinite.
Suddenly, the wind and snow seemed to be guided by him.
The north wind changed direction and rolled into a ball with the goose-feather white snow. In the blink of an eye, it turned into a dragon of wind and snow and rushed straight towards Song Que!
The Heavenly Sword slashed out, and the wind and snow dragon split apart.
The sword energy rushed towards the river surface with the remaining force of wind and snow. With a crackling sound, a huge crack appeared on the frozen river bank.
Zhou Yi smiled and asked, "How is it?"
"magic!"
Song Que was very interested and thought:
"It's as if invisible, yet powerful and relentless, making one feel the boundless vastness of the universe. It's as if they are invincible. Even the slightest flaw in their spirit will lead to immediate and disastrous defeat. No wonder Lin Shihong was defeated miserably. Even if there were ten of them, they would not be your match."
After saying this, he felt both grateful and confused at the same time.
Such martial arts secrets were never kept secret.
Zhou Yi followed his gaze and instantly guessed what he was thinking, and asked with a smile:
"Brother Song is in good spirits. Judging from the might of his sword strike just now, he is even more powerful than Lingnan. He is certainly no match for Lin Shihong. But do you have the intention to compete with me?"
Zhou Yi was itching to show off his skills, so he advised:
"In fact, a high level of martial arts does not necessarily mean greater combat power. For example, Yan Fei in the Eastern Jin Dynasty's borderland was able to open the immortal gate and shatter the void, but he was tortured by Sun En's Zhiyang Wuji."
As Song Zhi and Song Lu listened, they felt something was not right.
He quickly used his eyes to remind his elder brother.
The Taoist priest's words of persuading a fight were too strong, and the expressions in the two men's eyes probably meant 'We can't win, big brother, don't lose your mind because of the desire to fight'.
Song Que laughed loudly and bowed slightly:
"Thank you. If I have the opportunity to make further progress, I will come back to ask for guidance from the Heavenly Master."
In the Lingnan mountain city, his mind was confused.
At this time, the door is clear and we know that it is difficult to win.
He looked towards the south, his eyes dark, then suddenly turned serious:
"The South has been divided for a long time, but it has finally been pacified. Although my Song family is located deep in Lingnan, separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, it still belongs to the Nine Provinces. As the saying goes, all land under heaven belongs to the king. All the people in the world are his subjects."
"After the Heavenly Master establishes his rule, the Song clan of Lingnan will also follow the general trend of the world and obey the Emperor's orders."
When these words were spoken, Song Lu and Song Zhi were surprised, but they also felt that it should be so.
During the heyday of the Sui Dynasty, Lingnan was ruled by Tiandao, who also did not take the orders from above seriously. They just maintained a tacit understanding and saved face for each other.
Therefore, the Li and Liao tribes only knew the Song clan and did not obey the Sui emperor.
This time, Song Que's promise will change the situation in Lingnan for nearly a hundred years.
The days of local tyrants are gone forever.
Faced with the most special emperor who is about to appear in the world, changes in the Lingnan Song clan are inevitable.
Song Zhi and Song Lu, standing aside, acknowledged their elder brother's wisdom and judgment, and bowed together towards Zhou Yi.
The attitudes of the three leaders of the Song clan are enough to represent the entire mountain city.
From Cangwu, Yulin to the entire South China Sea, the flags will be changed immediately.
For Zhou Yi, this is another good news at the end of this year.
He also returned the gift with a smile and invited Song Que to go to Jiujiang City together.
Unexpectedly, Song Que refused.
He mentioned two things, the first was to find his children, so after finishing his work in the south, he immediately set off for Chang'an.
The second thing is the recent rumors in the world.
The rumors not only include news about Yang Gong's treasure house and the evil emperor's relics, but also the secret of breaking the void.
This place is naturally Chang'an.
As an insider, Zhou Yi guessed that it was Da Zun's gang who were behind the incident, so he gave them a warning.
Song Que thanked him, gave his two younger brothers some instructions, and then headed north.
…
Jiujiang City is experiencing a very special New Year's Eve. It is filled with fighting and blood, but it is still lively.
The shouting and screaming on the street gradually turned into discussions.
So, the residents in the city who were hiding opened their doors after making sure it was safe.
After a little inquiry, I learned that the owner of the city had changed.
When the ordinary people learned that Lin Shihong had been beheaded, they were overjoyed.
Back then, the Iron Cavalry committed rape and looting in Jiujiang, Yuzhang and other places, committing all kinds of atrocities. Although they were destroyed, there were still many similar forces under Lin Shihong.
When he died, many people who had grudges against him cheered loudly.
This New Year, even though I see many dead people, I still feel it is a festive occasion.
So, the residents of the city began to prepare for the customs that were necessary for the New Year.
Although there are many soldiers here, they are subject to strict constraints and no one dares to harass the people.
Peach charms were hung and firecrackers were set off one after another.
The once desolate and gloomy Jiujiang City is recovering its vitality at a very fast speed.
On this day of falling snow, the most simple wish of ordinary people living in troubled times is for the war to stop and for them to live a peaceful life.
In front of Xunyang Palace, military formations passed by one after another.
There were a large number of surrendered soldiers and generals in the city, many of whom were criminals.
Therefore, before dispersing the surrendered soldiers, they must be screened.
Those who committed the most heinous crimes and aroused the greatest public outrage would be beheaded after being verified to be guilty.
Now that the South has been settled, there is time to do these things in more detail.
After Xu Xingzhi sorted out all the mundane affairs, he went into Xunyang Palace to report.
Zhou Yi took a look at the Wangjiang Building and only made a few suggestions. The rest was done according to Xu Xingzhi's method.
Xu Xingzhi carefully noted down what Zhou Yi said, then bowed and said:
"At the beginning of the new year, my lord, have you decided on a reign title?"
Year number?
Zhou Yi felt that he had failed in his duty and had never really thought about it.
The first thing that comes to mind is Zhenguan and Kaiyuan.
Erfeng is about to go to cultivate immortality, and these reign titles are probably only known to people related to Cihang Jingzhai and Jingnian Zen Temple.
However, the beginning of the Tang Dynasty was indeed a prosperous era, ushering in a new era.
A sense of familiarity flashed through Zhou Yi's heart. He didn't care about overturning the titles of what country to establish or what era name to use.
Tang Dynasty, Zhenguan Period. These are all good.
Just a second thought.
If nothing changes, wouldn't the people in the Holy Land of Martial Arts think they are right again?
I think of the changes of nations and the changes in the world.
He looked at Xu Xingzhi and said leisurely, "When the water source dries up, the river dries up. When the source is unobstructed, all things flourish. The world is in turmoil, and people's lives are suffering. I wish to usher in a prosperous era and bring the living water of governance to the country. I will change the era name to 'Kaiyuan'. What do you think?"
The Way of the Void: "Excellent."
Shi Qingxuan, who was sitting next to Zhou Yi, asked curiously, "What's good about it?"
Xu Xingzhi reacted quickly and responded immediately:
"Xunzi said: 'When the people are harmonious and their work is going smoothly, this is the source of wealth. A wise ruler must carefully maintain this harmony, regulate the flow, and open up the source.'"
"Opening up the source of grain can fill the granaries. Opening up the path for virtuous men can clean up the bureaucracy. Correcting the original and clearing the source can revive the rituals and music and education."
Xu Xing's answers were fluent and made a lot of sense.
"Let's just leave it at that."
Zhou Yi confirmed it, and Xu Xingzhi asked about the country's name.
Zhou Yi had previously thought that he came from Yongqiu, which was the capital of the ancient Qi State and had deposits of Xia, Shang and Zhou culture.
If he was called "Zhou", it would be consistent with his surname.
But he himself did not have a good impression of the Zhou Dynasty.
When you arrive in Nanyang, you can also call yourself Han.
Zhou Yi thought about it, and finally, after a pause, he told Xu Xingzhi that he would name the country Tang.
First of all, the Tang Dynasty gave him a sense of familiarity.
Furthermore, Li Yuan did not have the conditions to become emperor now, and he did not dare to do so in order to avoid the spotlight.
In this world full of personal power, Zhou Yi is confident that he can create a different prosperous Tang Dynasty.
Xu Xingzhi saw that he was lost in thought, so he took his leave.
After he left, Shi Qingxuan asked, "Did you plan this a long time ago, or did you just do it on the spur of the moment?"
"It was a spur-of-the-moment decision."
She laughed: "It seems that you really don't care about becoming emperor. I don't know whether to say you are generous or honest."
"What I said wasn't true, was it just to trick you?"
Zhou Yi complained a little, then added, "Emperors always want to cultivate immortality at the end of their careers. I do the opposite, so my mindset is different. I've never been an emperor before, so I want to give it a try and do something meaningful while I'm at it."
Shi Qingxuan sat next to him and poured him tea.
She naturally appreciated what Zhou Yi said, and soon she played a beautiful flute piece for him.
Zhou Yi stood on the Wangjiang Tower of Xunyang Palace and looked at the busy scene in the city.
Then, he sat down and read the Purple Blood Technique that Lin Shihong left in the palace.
The upper limit of this skill is extremely high, but it is incomplete.
Lin Shihong was able to surpass his master Bi Shouxuan because he himself had outstanding talent and he also mastered the incomplete Purple Blood Technique.
He has a deep understanding of many martial arts, including the Way of Extinguishing Love, the Way of True Transmission, the Shengji Sect, the Yingui Sect, the Huajian Sect, and so on.
Now I have obtained the Purple Blood Method.
If we work harder, we will not only have the opportunity to collect all the methods of the two sects and the six paths, but there is also a high possibility of re-incorporating the Heavenly Demon Strategy.
Giving it to the little witch when the time comes will help fulfill one of her wishes.
Zhou Yi read the Purple Blood Method several times and then put it away.
There was no need for him to practice this skill, so as to avoid becoming a purple potato monster like Lin Shihong.
The trivial matters in Jiujiang City cannot be dealt with in one day.
In the afternoon, the chefs in Xunyang Palace became busy.
Lin Shihong's palace was newly built, and the war hadn't affected it. In terms of grandeur and luxury, it couldn't compare to Guangshen's. However, everything was brand new, and the Chaisang Hall, used for entertaining guests, was exceptionally spacious.
It is sufficient to borrow Xunyang Palace temporarily to deal with the matter.
As night fell, lights were lit in the palace.
The snow was falling lightly, but the glazed tiles were covered with a layer of snow, reflecting the light from the lamps, making the palace even brighter.
From the kitchen to Chaisang Palace, people kept coming in and out.
Two rows of guards stood upright on the imperial road, their temples bulging, all of them were masters of the army.
The battle formation was deployed, making Xunyang Palace even more majestic than before.
The palace is not important, what matters is who owns it.
At around the hour of You, Xu Xingzhi stood outside Xunyang Palace, with many people around him.
Li Jing, Xu Shiji, Zhang Xutuo, You Hongda and others were all there.
Cheng Yaojin looked at Qin Shubao next to him. The two of them usually liked to joke around, but at this moment, sensing the atmosphere around them, they remained silent.
Looking towards the palace again, he couldn't help but perk up.
Luo Shixin has a simple and honest character, but he is not stupid either.
At this moment, I was next to my two friends and only made eye contact with them.
All the generals present, no matter which army they came from, even the Lingnan generals who came with Song Zhi and Song Lu, were immersed in this special atmosphere.
Although there are still some unpacified areas in Kyushu, it is only a matter of time.
From the Central Plains to the south, it has been unified.
It is almost certain that the person in Xunyang Palace right now will be respected by the whole world!
so.
The feeling was completely different from the previous times when I met those local overlords. Thinking deeply about it, besides being excited, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
No matter how benevolent or generous he is, he is still the future emperor.
He is also an emperor who has never existed before, is at the pinnacle of martial arts, and no one can defy him.
According to the etiquette, the most solemn time for celebrating the New Year should be New Year's Day.
Because he had not officially ascended the throne, no grand court meeting was held. Considering that today was the end of the year and the war had just ended, he invited everyone to have a meal together to celebrate.
Everything in Xunyang Palace was very hasty and there was no preparation, only a small banquet.
But in the eyes of everyone, even a small banquet is of great significance.
At three quarters past the hour of You, Xu Xingzhi exchanged glances with everyone.
Most people nodded, and a few hummed, obviously understanding the previous instructions.
He walked in front with Li Jing, You Hongda and others and went to Chaisang Palace together.
They arrived at the perfect time and saw Zhou Yi and Shi Qingxuan walking towards them from the direction of Wangjiang Tower.
Zhou Yi just wanted to invite them to have a meal together to liven things up.
He was about to step forward and say hello, but suddenly realized that the atmosphere was not right. In the end, he chose to join in and swallowed his words.
As expected.
None of the generals took their seats.
Zhou Yi moved aside and sat down in the main seat.
At this time, Xu Xingzhi, Li Jing, You Hongda, Xu Shiji, Qin Shubao and others all paid homage and shouted loudly: "Your Majesty!"
Then he called out to Zhou Yi, "Empress."
Zhou Yi looked over them and saw that they were all adapting well. He raised his hand and said, "Get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Everyone responded and took their seats.
Shi Qingxuan watched from the side.
She was not used to such occasions, but she knew the etiquette, so she stayed beside Zhou Yi quietly without smiling.
This is an ordinary little banquet, but it has great significance.
Zhou Yi realized that his identity had changed again.
At the Chaisang banquet, in addition to eating and drinking, they also discussed the final arrangements after the end of the war in the south and when to recover the north.
Xu Xingzhi and others had already discussed these matters.
They casually mentioned the plan and considered it in detail. After Zhou Yi confirmed it, they could take action.
The banquet lasted until late at night.
When Zhou Yi left Chaisang Palace, Shi Qingxuan was in a deserted place, hugging his arm and laughing all the way.
The first time I saw Zhou Yi, he looked helpless.
She smiled and spoke in a lively voice, "This will be our daily routine from now on. Your Majesty, if you're already bored after just the first time, how can you be a wise ruler in the future?"
"I'm not bored, I just feel uncomfortable."
"What's there to be uncomfortable about? This has always been the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects."
Shi Qingxuan said with a serious look:
"That military advisor was very thoughtful. He should have let you get used to it sooner. After all, this is just a banquet and a pilgrimage. You will have coronation ceremonies and many other large-scale court meetings in the future. You can't let others see that the emperor lacks manners."
There was a lot of comfort in her words. Although Zhou Yi took it to heart, he felt a little strange.
"Qingxuan, it seems that you support me becoming the emperor."
“Not really.”
"oh?"
"Everyone has different ideas. I don't support this, I just respect your decision."
Her eyes moved:
"In my impression, apart from your romantic and amorous nature, you have no flaws. You seem to be able to do everything well. If you become an emperor, Qingxuan believes that you will be no worse than others. Perhaps you can create great achievements, be loved by the people, and be famous for eternity."
After saying this, she winked with a faint smile and said playfully, "Yes, Your Majesty."
After hearing this, Zhou Yi let out a long sigh.
Shi Qingxuan was curious: "Why are you sighing again?"
Zhou Yi looked disappointed:
"Qingxuan's words always touch my heart, like a nearly dying seedling that receives a refreshing rain. I imagine I'll encounter many similar moments in the future, and Qingxuan will be so far away from me. How sad it will be."
"Otherwise, you can stay with me and don't leave."
Shi Qingxuan started laughing halfway through listening, knowing that he was pretending again.
With a smile in her beautiful eyes, she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek, then said softly and innocently, "Your Majesty, please come to Bashu to find me."
After saying that, she continued to hold his arm and told him about the things that happened in Bashu.
For example, she returned to Qingzhu Cottage and said that there was his favorite wine there.
Xunyang Palace is not big, but it has everything it needs, so it is not difficult to find a place to live.
However, Lin Shihong's harem was in great chaos.
Zhou Yi disliked it and didn't plan to live there.
To keep watch during the New Year's Eve, the two stayed at Wangjiang Tower, the highest place in Xunyang Palace.
"What are you going to do with this palace?"
"Change it."
"change?"
Shi Qingxuan thought he was going to start a large-scale construction project.
Zhou Yi explained briefly: "There's no way I can come back to live here, and it would be a waste to just leave it here."
"How do we change it?"
"Well, transform this Xunyang Palace into Chaisang Academy, and it will serve as the local official school in Jiujiang."
After Zhou Yi finished speaking, he explained his thoughts again, and Shi Qingxuan finally understood.
She followed Zhou Yi's line of thought and thought about it carefully.
"Why do you have these thoughts?"
"Didn't Old Yang dredge the Han Canal? It's just that his methods were too cruel. I'm also dredging a road for ordinary people. Does that count as opening up new resources?"
"Calculate."
Shi Qingxuan's eyes were bright: "However, there may be some obstacles, such as..."
She was about to say that the noble families would not agree, but she stopped herself and said, "Yes, whoever dares to oppose you will probably be punished again."
At this moment, Shi Qingxuan saw a hint of a wise ruler in the likable young man in front of her.
"The opportunities for prosperity have increased so much," she gestured a little with her hand, "you still have to work hard."
Zhou Yi hummed, smiled and stretched out his hand.
Shi Qingxuan took his hand and sat in his arms.
Then she looked up at his face and asked curiously, "You want to create a prosperous era. Have you ever thought about what that would look like?"
I wanted Zhou Yi to tell her.
Unexpectedly, Zhou Yi said succinctly and pointed to the sky: "The sea of stars."
"Being an emperor on earth isn't enough for you. You also want to be the Emperor of the Nine Heavens, right?"
"No, but I do have a small dream of becoming an emperor."
"What is it?"
"That's what you said, lying drunkenly on a beauty's lap."
"No," Shi Qingxuan lay in his arms, "I remember you swore solemnly in Maple Forest Palace that being an emperor wasn't about these things."
"You remembered it wrongly."
"If I'm not mistaken, the emperor cannot go back on his word." Shi Qingxuan pursed her lips, and her pretty face nestled in his arms was actually full of smiles.
Zhou Yi had nothing to say, so he just hugged her.
What Zhou Yi didn't expect was that the girl in his arms didn't speak at first, and then fell asleep very quickly.
What he didn't expect was that nearly two hours had passed and the first half of the night had passed.
Shi Qingxuan woke up from a deep sleep.
She just rubbed her sleepy eyes and got up from Zhou Yi's arms.
Then, she half-leaned on the beauty chair in Wangjiang Tower and gave Zhou Yi the same treatment in the hazy night.
The two of them changed their positions.
A blush shone through Shi Qingxuan's snow-white skin, just like a newly blossomed peach blossom, but her eyes were as calm as the deep pool of an ancient well. However, the deep pool soon became no longer calm, and ripples continued to appear.
Zhou Yi could see her charming expression through the darkness: "Qingxuan, I thought you would sleep until dawn."
"How could that be?"
She whispered, "We agreed to stay up all night. You'll keep me awake until midnight, and I'll keep you awake until dawn. My playboy, I hope we can have this moment together every year."
At this point, she turned to laughter again, "So, has the emperor's wish come true?"
“It’s come true, that’s it.”
"What is it?"
Zhou Yi smelled a faint fragrance of a young girl, "Qingxuan, can you make one more wish?"
"Can't."
She had just finished speaking when she called out softly, "Hey, stop rubbing against me."
…
The first year of open source.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year in Jiujiang City, the morning mist, wrapped in moist water vapor, drifted through the cracks of some ruined walls, and was then dispersed by the sudden rise of smoke from cooking and the sweet aroma of steamed cakes at the alley entrance.
It is hard to imagine that this was a battlefield where hundreds of thousands of people were fighting yesterday.
The sound of firecrackers was sporadic, as if the battle of yesterday was still echoing in my ears, but was pushed away by the noise of the city.
The streets and alleys became lively, with people talking and chatting, and it seemed a bit crowded and lively.
For the three kingdoms of Wu, Chu and Liang, that meant destruction.
For the common people in the three places, this is a new life.
At the corner of the east street in the city, where Zhang Xutuo led his troops to attack yesterday.
Chen Laosan's fermented glutinous rice wine and soup cake stall had already been set up.
The small clay stove was burning brightly, and the thick white rice soup cakes in the coarse earthenware pot were floating in the boiling milky soup. The sweet and warm aroma spread with the sound of "gurgling".
Next to it, there is a tea shop.
It was opened by a Mr. Fan whose home was in Dongting Lake. The shop assistants were Mr. Fan's cousins and were good at talking, so the business was very good.
When the sky was bright, Chen Laosan saw a lot of gangsters coming to the teahouse next door.
Even though he was very busy, he couldn't help but prick up his ears to listen to the conversation next door.
These gangsters are not native to Jiujiang.
Their accents are very mixed, and you can hear that they come from many places, some are from Xiaoxiang, some are from Luzhou, and there are also rough guys from Bashu, who always say "Ge Laozi" when they open their mouths and have very hot tempers.
These people are all here to gather information.
They arrived at an untimely moment and missed the most exciting scene of yesterday.
"Shopkeeper, serve the soup quickly!"
"Okay!"
The customer on Chen Laosan's side urged him, so he quickly responded. The tall and burly Bashu man in the teahouse next door was talking to cousin Fan.
After listening to the cousin of the Fan family explain the situation in Jiujiang, he complained in Bashu dialect:
"Hey! I was delayed for a few days by my wife and missed the boat to Baidi City. Otherwise, I would have reached Jiujiang yesterday."
He slapped the back of his hand with a look of regret: "I heard that the Heavenly Master killed Lin Shihong, but I didn't see it. What a pity."
The tea shop attendant remained silent. A Jiujiang local jokingly said, "Wives are the cause of trouble. Unlike us Jiujiang people, we are not afraid of wives."
"You understand."
The Bashu rough man looked dissatisfied:
"My wife is a disciple of Tongtian Shenlao of the Heyi Sect. Shenlao received instruction from the Heavenly Master and calls herself a disciple, even possessing the ability to be a medium. Everyone knows that the Heavenly Master's martial arts are the best in the world. My wife has such a great background. If it were you, would you dare to provoke her?"
The people around were not afraid, but laughed.
"Henophobia is henpecked, regardless of status."
The man from Bashu looked embarrassed and changed the subject: "I heard the war here is over, but is that true?"
"certainly!"
Someone excitedly shouted, "The Heavenly Master has conquered the south, and it won't be long before he can pacify the world!"
Chen Laosan couldn't help but get excited by the lively conversation in the teahouse.
There were more and more people on the streets, and there were also soldiers and horses passing by.
But apart from the hustle and bustle, everything is in order.
The common people felt safe because they had heard the news from Jiangbei long ago.
There had long been no banditry or rebellion in the areas of Qingliu, Liuhe, and Luzhou, let alone a thief like Lin Shihong who claimed to be a fake emperor.
Now, it is finally Jiujiang's turn.
Everyone doesn't have high expectations, they just want to live a stable life.
Chen Laosan was scooping up the soup noodles with a wooden spoon when a man with a high nose bridge who had come from afar suddenly asked in a half-fluent Central Plains accent:
"Shopkeeper, what year is it now?"
Being asked this question suddenly, Chen Laosan was stunned. Fortunately, he was close to the city wall and had heard about the notice. He came to his senses and said to the man, "Friend, today is the first year of Kaiyuan."
…
(End of this chapter)
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