Chapter 93: Ode to the Taiping Divine Sword
A cup of hot tea can dispel the cold winter frost.
There were no outsiders in the Huang Lao Hall. After Zhou Yi asked Dugu Feng to sit down, he told A Ruyina the story of what happened in the Black Stone Charity Manor.
The Dugu family is the backer of the Jukun Gang. Although they are secretly plotting something, it appears to be the case on the surface.
Dugu Feng naturally found out a lot of information that Chen Laomou had gathered.
only.
Due to limited vision, I have no idea about the inner workings of the Great Ming Sect in the northern frontier.
Zhou Yi spoke slowly and steadily, and Dugu Feng listened with great interest. Staring at the serious face of a certain Taoist priest, he couldn't help but recall the past events in the Great Emperor's Tomb.
It was then that she began to learn about the secrets of the Demon Sect, such as "Disciples of the Evil Emperor" and "Demons Planted in the Heart of Taoism".
At this time, he drank a few cups of tea, listened more and talked less, and found out about the exchange of scriptures and classics between the Xieji Sect and the Daming Zun Sect involving eight martial arts masters.
In the end, they turned against each other and engaged in fierce internal fighting.
Dugu Feng looked at the Uighur girl and understood how this cousin came to be.
From beginning to end, Ina spoke very little.
She was quiet and cold, like a quiet oasis in the northern desert, just listening to the two of them talking to each other.
His dark blue eyes were sometimes blank, and I don't know what he was thinking about.
"Is Mr. Zhou really exploring the ultimate secret of martial arts?" Dugu Feng is obsessed with martial arts and is very concerned about it.
Her eyes were fixed on Zhou Yi.
She had no answer to this question, but she had an inexplicable trust in the background of a certain Taoist priest.
Zhou Yi nodded first, then shook his head.
"The highest secret of the Heavenly Demon can indeed lead to the ultimate in martial arts, but Zhou Laotan's path is unconventional, and with my background, I am not qualified to follow it."
Dugu Feng pondered for a moment, "That's possible. This old demon is vicious and cunning, and his obsession with martial arts is beyond ordinary people. He might be able to achieve extraordinary evil results."
"I hope your words won't come true, that wouldn't be a good thing," Zhou Yi couldn't help but think of "Random Thoughts on the Demonic Path".
It was because Dini read "Random Thoughts on the Demonic Path" that he created "Cihang Sword Canon" based on the principle that immortal fetuses and demon seeds, although they go to extremes, have the same source.
Zhou Laotan's approach is somewhat similar to that of The Magic Way.
"Random Thoughts on the Demonic Path" is related to the planting of demons in the heart of Taoism, and the strange experiences in ancient martial arts, which were recorded by the predecessors.
Zhou Lao sighed that he also had a demon in his heart, and he also read the classics of various schools. He was not only a bold thinker, but also a practitioner.
The Black Stone Charity House is almost the martial arts research institute of Zhou Lao Mo, but it actually created a strange and evil thing.
Dugu Feng stretched out her hand and waved it in front of Zhou Yi's eyes, and he came back to his senses.
"Your thoughts are wandering, thinking about that old demon's magic?"
"almost."
Zhou Yi responded casually, and suddenly remembered that he didn't seem to be that afraid of this old devil.
Dugu Feng collected his thoughts and changed the subject: "Do you remember what I said to you when I left last time?"
"You said you had something for me."
Having a good memory has its advantages. Little Phoenix smiled and took out a few rolled-up things from his arms.
Martial arts secrets?
Zhou Yi took a closer look and felt a little confused.
She unfolded the silk, revealing a finely painted felt and some small boxes.
There are vermilion, dawn red, azurite, stone green, ochre and white powder. They are colorful and can satisfy both detailed and heavy-color paintings and freehand and light-color renderings.
"That's all?"
"Um."
"I remember when we first met in Yongqiu, Master Zhou Xiaotian called himself a painter. These are commonly used by painters in the Imperial Household Supervisor's Shangfang Office. I want to know if what you said at that time was a lie."
Her voice was gentle, and there was an indelible smile on her pretty face when she spoke, and her curved eyebrows were so adorable.
Zhou Yi swirled the painting brush between his two fingers. "The person who came today has bad intentions and said he wants to embarrass me. Is this what he's referring to?"
Dugu Feng nodded.
Aruina, who was sitting silently on the side, showed a hint of curiosity.
"Simple."
Zhou Yi called two little Taoist boys and asked them to bring all the inkstones and mix the five colors of burnt, thick, heavy, light and clear by themselves.
To outsiders, he looked like a professional chef.
In fact, Zhou Yi was just making do with them, as he was not familiar with these painting tools used by the Shangfang Bureau.
However, with the current micro-control capabilities and the spatial image sense in the brain,
A glance at the drawing paper reveals the layout.
If you get a little familiar with him, he's probably no worse than Hou Xibai.
Zhou Yi didn't touch the scroll of exquisite silk. He just took out a piece of paper, dipped the brush in ink, and looked at the little phoenix:
"How about this, I'll draw you a picture of a divine bird paying homage to a phoenix."
Dugu Feng responded and watched him write with anticipation.
Ink flew from his hand, and Zhou Yi seemed to be performing the Wind God Shadowless Technique. After just a short moment, he raised his sleeve and stopped writing.
"It's done, how's it going?"
Dugu Feng was stunned for a moment: "What kind of picture is this?"
"A painting of a divine bird paying homage to a phoenix."
"There's no such thing as a divine bird," Little Phoenix's expectations vanished into thin air. "This is clearly a chicken eating rice."
"I drew a circle of light, isn't it a divine bird?"
Zhou Yi pointed at the circle of light, and the little phoenix felt suffocated.
She held the painting in her hand, thinking to herself that Zhou Xiaotianshi lied to her when they first met in Yongqiu, and she thought that he would blame her after the truth was confirmed.
But when I looked at this strange painting, I couldn't help but smile.
I think he is just that kind of person, sometimes eccentric, but interesting.
At this time, there was a distant cousin present, and Xiao Fenghuang was very considerate and blew the ink dry and prepared to put it away.
But when I came to my senses, I saw that a Taoist priest had cleared the tea table.
Spread out the roll of exquisite silk.
He began to paint again.
This time, it is no longer funny, but exudes an immersive feeling that cannot be ignored.
It seemed that all that was left before his eyes were the various colors and this scroll of silk.
This kind of temperament is really eye-catching.
Dugu Feng did not disturb her. She rested her elbows on the table, supporting her beautiful cheeks, and stared at her quietly.
The Uighur girl, who had shown little interest before, could not take her eyes off him.
The hall suddenly became quiet.
Huang Laoer seemed to have witnessed the whole thing for more than an hour.
This time, Zhou Yicai officially finished his work and threw the brush into the brush washer with a graceful and smooth movement.
The silk painting was mainly in malachite, ochre and cinnabar. In the painting, the woman had fluttering sleeves, a sword on her waist and a book in her arms with the words "Huainan Honglie" on it.
The brushwork used is of the ancient style, with lines like spring clouds floating in the sky and flowing water on the ground.
It perfectly suits Zhou Yi's sword technique, which is elegant and agile.
Just looking at the charm of the woman in the painting, it is undoubtedly Little Phoenix.
Dugu Feng took the silk, feeling surprised and delighted. She turned her back to look at it, and a blush spread across her pretty face.
Then I heard Master Zhou Tian say:
"Back then, Gu Kaizhi painted 'The Goddess of the Luo River' on silk. Today, I'm following his style and painting 'The Goddess of the Phoenix'. Are you satisfied, Miss Feng?"
"Of course I'm satisfied," Dugu Feng was very happy. "I suddenly feel that this silk has become so precious. I didn't expect Master Zhou to have such skills. All the painters in the Shangfang Bureau are eclipsed."
“That’s not entirely true.”
Zhou Yi sat down to drink tea. "The quality of a painting is completely different in the eyes of different people. I wouldn't dare say I'm better than the painters in the Shangfang Bureau. I just took advantage of them a little bit."
"What's cheap?"
"Because the figure in the painting has the appearance of a goddess, not inferior to the Goddess of Luo River, the silk painting is full of Gu Kaizhi's charm."
Little Phoenix smiled shyly after hearing this, raised her hand and patted Zhou Yi lightly, "Master Zhou, please don't be so nice."
Aruina on the side was slightly stunned.
She had never seen such a person in the Mobei grassland, nor had she ever experienced a scene like this.
I thought of the teachings of the Great Master and the Good Mother, the fighting in the northern desert, the hatred of the tribes, the wind blowing through the grasslands, the cattle and sheep everywhere.
Such a silk scroll unfolded in front of her made the Uighur girl envious.
Even though she knew nothing about Gu Kaizhi and other things, it did not affect a young girl's expectations for beautiful things.
Such a beautiful state of mind even touched Subhārakān.
therefore
She leaned closer to look at the colorful paints, picked up the brush and stirred it gently in the brush washer.
There is the blue of malachite and the red of rouge, so gorgeous.
He didn't seem to care much about what his two close friends were talking about.
Dugu Feng was immersed in the joy of "Ode to the Phoenix God", while Aruina intertwined the colors of Mobei with the colors of this place.
They each have their own thoughts and ideas.
The two swordsmen had long forgotten the sword energy that they had been holding back.
Zhou Tianshi naturally enjoys peace
Dugu Feng talked to him about Runan again. Don't think that Nanyang is peaceful. The outside world is not peaceful at all.
"In Runan, several rebel armies rose up again."
"Zhang Xutuo fought across counties, traveling north and south. Although the Runan righteous army was defeated, most of its experts fled and were absorbed by other forces."
There were fires everywhere, and Zhang Xutuo, the fire brigade captain, was overwhelmed.
Zhou Yi asked: "Have you finished your work?"
"One of my family's businesses was plundered by bandits in Zhenyang, and many people died. So I went all the way south to hunt down the bandit leader, and ended up in the neighboring Yong'an County."
"We killed a few leaders, and the remaining people joined up with several groups of the Iron Cavalry Society. There are many experts there, so I dare not pursue them rashly."
The Iron Cavalry Society is also one of the Eight Gangs and Ten Societies.
Behind these guys are the Tiele people, subordinates of the northern Great Master Feiying Qu Ao.
"Is the Iron Cavalry Society going to become an enemy of your family?"
"No, those bandits were afraid of being killed by me, so they joined the Iron Cavalry Society, and the Iron Cavalry Society is currently hunting someone."
Dugu Feng smiled mysteriously: "I ran into this person, and you know him."
Will the Iron Cavalry mobilize a large army to hunt him down?
"Is it a short and fat Taoist?"
"It seems like you two are quite familiar with each other."
Dugu Feng pursed her lips and smiled:
"He said you owed him gold and hadn't paid him yet. He said you had cheated him. He went to collect the debt from the Pushan Public Camp, but he ran into a bunch of experts and was almost detained by Li Mi's men."
"This Taoist Mu is so unreasonable."
Zhou Tianshi's face darkened: "You don't have the ability to collect the debt, so why do you want to ruin my reputation?"
Dugu Feng added, "He said he would come look for you sometime."
"Did you tell him where I was?"
"I saw that he was furious and looked like he wanted to fight you, so I didn't say anything."
Zhou Yi nodded with satisfaction, secretly saying, "What a great phoenix!"
"Nanyang is stable for now, but the neighboring areas of Huai'an and Xiangyang are experiencing frequent unrest. Upstream, there's also the formidable threat of Zhu Can from Guanjun City. It's best for you to remain anonymous here."
She continued, "I've already been to the county town and greeted the people from the Ju Kun Gang. You can go to them to ask for information, and they won't charge you any fees."
"Among the major factions in Nanyang City, there's the Zhenyang Gang. Their leader, Hou Yan, is in the hardware business with the Sha family, a prominent clan in Dongdu. Their business involves crossbows and weapons for defending the city."
"The Sha family controls ten major mines in Guanzhong, some of which are operated jointly with my Dugu family. Their craftsmanship is world-renowned."
"The Zhenyang Gang's large-scale transactions really depend on our attitude."
She pulled out a jade pendant from her bosom and said, "This is my identity jade token. If you seek work for the Zhenyang Gang, just show this to Gang Leader Hou and he will most likely give you face."
Zhou Yi looked at the exquisite jade pendant in his hand, and his heart felt warm again.
"Aren't you afraid that I might take advantage of your identity and do something wrong?"
"Don't be afraid, you are not that kind of person."
Dugu Feng looked at the painting again: "I like this painting very much. When I go back to Luoyang to visit my grandmother, I will definitely bring you something nice."
Zhou Yi asked what it was, but Dugu Feng turned her back and ignored him.
He knew that she was a person who was very good at keeping secrets, such as testing whether he could paint.
Zhou Yi simply stopped asking.
He looked at the Uighur girl again. She was studying the paint with great concentration.
As it grew darker, Zhou Yi cleared out a guest room next to his own for Dugu Feng.
The next day, it suddenly snowed heavily.
The wind and snow kept Dugu Feng inside the temple for several days.
She and Aruina went from having the intention to fight to starting to talk. Perhaps the phoenix and fire are a match made in heaven. They discussed kendo martial arts together.
If the Uighur girl had no interest in martial arts, she would not have been tricked into the charity cemetery.
When two combative people meet, a fight is inevitable.
It was the eighth day after Little Phoenix climbed the mountain, and sporadic snowflakes were flying in the sky.
At the foot of Wolong Mountain, on the ice of the Baihe River, two men, one Xuan and one Zi, drew their swords and fought.
There were a few people on the thick ice in the distance, surrounding a few ice holes.
Zhou Yi, Mr. Xie, Xia Shuyanqiu, each holding a fishing rod.
"Brother, the two sisters are fighting."
"Don't worry about it."
Zhou Yi knew that they were just competing with each other, and they were somewhat familiar with each other.
This is very different from the first meeting in front of Wuzhuang Temple, so I am not worried.
Xia Shu was dazzled by what she saw: "Brother, what is their sword technique called? It seems like snowflakes are flying into the sky. It's so beautiful."
"One is called Biluo Hongchen, the other is called"
Zhou Yi casually said, "Let the snow drift across the world."
Yan Qiu asked, "Who will win?"
"I will win."
Zhou Yi caught a glimpse of Yan Qiu's fishing rod moving, so he rushed forward and pulled up the fishing rod that Yan Qiu had placed on the ice.
With a loud crash.
A huge redfin croaker was pulled out of the water, and Zhou Yi came to Mr. Xie with the fish.
"Mr. Xie, I won today."
He placed the redfin croaker on the ground and measured it with his feet.
It is nearly three feet long and is a big creature!
Xie Jiyou pointed at Yan Qiu and said, "That was Yan Qiu's first fish, a gift from the River God. How could the Heavenly Master take credit for it?"
"oh"
Zhou Yi smiled and said, "The combined fishing experience of the three of us brothers and sisters is far less than that of Mr. Xie, so we naturally work together."
"Okay, Tianshi wins this time."
Mr. Xie added with a smile, "Now it's one to nine."
"Brother, the gap between victory and defeat is still huge," Xia Shu said solemnly.
Zhou Yi rubbed her little head. "How could you forget my Taoist teachings? As the saying goes, one begets two, two begets three, and three begets all things. Winning once means you'll win the next nine times."
He was speaking when the fight finally ended.
Huo Mei didn't come over here. After she fought with swords, she seemed to have realized something. She gave Zhou Yi a look and went all the way to Wolong Mountain.
The little phoenix smiled, it seemed that he had won.
"Actually, I won unfairly."
"Why?"
"Ina and you have shared martial arts with me these days, and I have learned a lot about Subragan, so..."
Zhou Yi interrupted her: "Same, you also share your experience with Huo Mei, and complement each other."
The martial arts talent of this person in front of him is extremely terrifying. At such a young age, his skills are comparable to those of the old lady of the Dugu family.
Just because of inheritance, my vision is limited.
Although the Dugu clan's martial arts were among the best, they lacked top secret scrolls such as the Four Great Books.
but
Ever since she had her encounter with him, Xiao Fenghuang's horizons have expanded beyond the framework of the Dugu clan.
Dugu Feng didn't say anything else, but looked at Zhou Yi and said, "I'm going back to Luoyang."
She had already been delayed in Runan and stayed in Nanyang.
If I don’t go back, I’m afraid the Dugu family will send people to look for me.
Zhou Yi did not try to persuade him to stay and stood up to see him off.
Dugu Feng said goodbye to the two little Taoist boys and greeted Old Man Xie.
The two did not take the main road, but walked side by side along the ice of the White River.
Cold clouds hang low over the fields, like a lead curtain covering all sides.
Reeds hang low by the river, and icicles hang on the branches, swaying gently.
The two little Taoist children looked at a vast expanse of white in the distance, two shades of blue and black, disappearing into the narrow path that curved the river.
After Zhou Yi sent Little Phoenix away, he stopped by the county town and asked Chen Laomou about the latest situation around Nanyang. When he returned to the temple, it was already evening.
The two little Taoist boys and Mr. Xie have all returned.
Entering the backyard of the palace, he thought about things from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.
Wars broke out around Nanyang, and various forces competed for power.
Although the strength of the Taoist temple has greatly improved, there are now five Taoists who have cultivated the power of Gangqi.
But it’s nothing. To compare, each of the major sects in Nanyang City has thousands of people.
Even if we fight with real guns and swords, we can't defeat them.
Zhou Yi didn't expect that the Uighur girl would come over with a bunch of things in her arms.
"Aren't you going to comprehend the Zhenjiao Treasure Book?"
"Yes, I found something that is good for my mood."
The girl pointed at the paint left by the little phoenix and said, "Please help me draw a picture. I want to learn by following your example."
Zhou Yi shook his head: "I have to practice martial arts, I'm very busy."
The girl was very straightforward: "I promised before that I would only help you defend the house, but now I can extend it and help you go down the mountain and take action once, no matter who I kill."
This is how the bottom line is broken.
Zhou Yi smiled: "What do you want to draw?"
"It will be fine if it's similar to Dugu Feng's painting."
Half an hour later, Zhou Yi finished his work, just as Yan Qiu was calling for dinner.
Huomei didn't even look at what he was drawing. She only came over when she saw him put down his brush.
She thought there would be a beautiful girl with exotic charm in the painting, and she also wanted to see how Master Zhou Tianshi would paint her eyes.
But
There is not a single figure in the painting.
It was a corner of the Mobei grassland, with green grass, cattle, sheep, horses, and an oasis.
However, the painting is dark in color, the background is night, and a crescent moon hangs above.
“This is a painting that brings peace of mind to me, but it seems different from what I wanted.”
“Same.”
Zhou Tianshi said calmly, "This is the 'Ode to the Clear Spring and Moon'."
"That day by the White River, you said, 'Aruina,' meaning a spring under the moonlight. I hope you enjoy this tranquility."
After Zhou Yi finished speaking, he turned and walked out.
The Huihe girl stared at the painting with her dark blue eyes, her breathing was slightly rapid, she suppressed it and remained silent for a long time.
…
The Lion King calendar has one hundred and forty-two days.
On the last day of the ninth year of Daye, all the wise men gathered at the Wuzhuang Temple on Wolong Mountain.
Behind the peach garden, there is a second row of people. Although there are no delicacies from all over the world, the simple tea and wine are enough to express the deep feelings.
Taiping Chronicle:
At the beginning of the tenth year of Daye, Zhou Tianshi, after drinking, was inspired to compose a poem while watching Zhanlu painting. A boy held a dustpan, another held the Zhanlu, and the Tianshi sat behind them. He composed the poem "Taiping Shenjian Fu" and hung it high in the pavilion, wishing to bring peace to the world.
…
More than half a month later, the sky cleared up.
"drive!"
"drive!"
“…”
In the city of Nanyang County, a fast horse was galloping, and on it was a woman of about thirty-five or thirty-six years old. She had a pretty face, bright eyes, and was quite heroic.
She was an excellent horseman and could ride through the city without any injury.
In front of several shops in a row, one of them reined in his horse.
The sturdy black horse raised its hooves high, raised its head and neighed, but was pulled so hard that it could not move forward another step, which shows how strong it is.
Inside the Dangyang Caravan.
Seventeen or eighteen people, both men and women, came out one after another.
Everyone had an angry look on their face and fixed their eyes on the person who came.
"Gang leader!"
Chen Ruiyang, deputy leader of the Dangyang Horse Gang, immediately went to meet them.
Deputy Gang Leader Chen looked to be over fifty years old. Judging from his appearance alone, he was definitely older than Lou Ruodan, but there was no trace of resentment in his eyes.
The previous gang leader died in the northern border, and this one was parachuted in from Pegasus Ranch.
Not to mention his martial arts skills, his horsemanship alone is beyond reach.
In a caravan, if you can't train horses, it's useless no matter how high your martial arts skills are.
If you encounter a tribe in the northern part of the borderland and they give you a fierce horse, but you have no skills and only rely on brute force, you will be laughed at by the people in the northern part of the borderland.
Moreover, once you enter the grassland, horse bandits and robbers are rampant.
People with poor horse riding skills are not worthy of doing business in the northern frontier.
Gang leader Lou Ruodan jumped off his horse, his expression stern: "What's going on? Is the news you brought true?"
"Absolutely true."
"As soon as our goods entered the city, they were seized by the Nanyang authorities."
Chen Ruiyang grinned angrily: "Ren Zhi's men brought nearly a hundred people, we can't do anything."
Lou Ruodan came all the way from Huai'an, and walked in with a horsewhip in hand:
"How could the Jingshan Sect be so bold as to touch the owner's things? Didn't we agree with the Big Dragon Head last time? Why did Ren Zhi go back on his word again? Does he think that Pegasus Ranch is easy to bully?"
She snorted coldly: "If our business fails, the horse caravans under Ren Zhi will have no chance of surviving in Saibei."
"The gang leader calmed down for a moment"
Chen Ruiyang was also very angry, but when he saw the gang leader get angry, he quickly comforted her.
"If the deal goes wrong, it will be bad for both sides. Recently, our people in the northern frontier have had some unpleasant disputes with the young Khan's men. It would be a huge loss to use the favors from the northern frontier on such dirty matters."
Pegasus Ranch often transports the best war horses back from the Turks and brings them to the ranch for breeding, thus ensuring that the ranch produces an abundance of good horses.
Sometimes, if we get a good horse, we will take it to the northern frontier.
Their pie is big enough that they let those tribes take advantage every time. As long as there are interests involved, their relationship is very good.
but
Previously, many of those tribes were under the rule of the Great Khan, and now the influence of the Small Khan is also rising.
The Sui Dynasty is not at peace, and the grassland is also in chaos.
In addition to the big and small khans, there were also the four major tribes of Shiwei, Tuyuhun, eight tribes of Mohe, Khitan, Gaochang and other tribes.
The forces that had originally submitted to the Great Khan were now suddenly fighting everywhere for some unknown reason.
Under this situation, it is not easy for them to do business as a horse caravan.
But no one is willing to let go of this big deal in Mobei.
Firstly, the profits are high, secondly, there are unique resources in Mobei, and thirdly, the relationships that have been maintained for so long involve too many people.
Once you let go, the cost of going back will be high.
As soon as Chen Ruiyang mentioned the chaos in the northern border, Lou Ruodan calmed down.
She was just unhappy and complained, but she didn't dare to cause any more trouble for the owner.
"Brother Chen, you were right not to go back to Jingling this New Year."
Lou Ruodan said, "Except for those who are far away, a total of 29 gang leaders have returned for the ranch's annual gathering. Everyone is doing a great job in their respective places, but only here did the ranch owner have to come personally."
"Now we've gotten into trouble again. If we ask the owner to make another trip, how can we face returning to Ranch City?"
She held a horsewhip in her hand and brushed off the dust on her body as she spoke.
Chen Ruiyang thought of the look in the ranch's old manager's eyes and felt uncomfortable.
"I've already gone to see Yang Dalongtou, and he was very kind. He sent someone to go to the government office with me."
"But recently, a batch of goods from the Jingshan Sect was hijacked by Zhu Can from Guanjun City. He insisted that our sheepskins belonged to him, implying that we were in cahoots with Zhu Can. He threw feces and urine on us, and there were two other factions in the city to support him."
"They were unreasonable, saying they would investigate thoroughly before returning the goods to us. This way, they were dragging out the time."
"It would be difficult for us if the Jingshan Sect could continue its business as usual."
"He wants us to compromise and cooperate with them."
Lou Ruodan said with a cold face: "Ren Zhi is a local scoundrel. I really want to spend money to hire an assassin to chop off his head."
"It's not that easy," Chen Ruiyang said honestly, "Ren Zhi has extremely strong internal strength. It's impossible for ordinary people to assassinate him, let alone those who have gone through the Jingshan Sect's elders and guardians."
"Unless I can contact the Shadow Assassin, kill him with one strike, and then escape immediately, otherwise if I kill Ren Zhi, I will also die in the Jingshan Sect."
"Once the matter is exposed, we may not even have the chance to return to the ranch to receive punishment."
"These major forces are very shady."
Lou Ruodan asked, "Did you visit the Tiankui Sect, the Huiyi Gang, and the Chaoshui Gang during your time in the city?"
"Of course I have looked for it. Only Mr. Lu Zhong is sincere enough to help us ask without saying anything else."
"The other two are also blood-sucking insects."
"Moreover, even if we offer them benefits, they may not necessarily be able to get things done."
Chen Ruiyang thought for a moment and added, "This is only the first batch of goods. If this problem can't be resolved, I'm afraid the subsequent goods will continue to be detained."
"There are three solutions I can think of right now, and I need the boss to decide."
"you say."
"The first thing is to find a leader, take the initiative to attach our gang to the Nanyang Gang, share the profits with Yang Dalong, and become a subordinate faction of the Nanyang Gang. In this way, the other factions led by the Jingshan Sect will not dare to make things difficult for us."
"This requires the owner's approval."
Lou Ruodan shook his head. "The world is in chaos right now. Rebellious armies arose everywhere around the New Year, and there are many powerful forces eyeing the ranch."
"We've never made such a compromise before, and we absolutely cannot set a precedent. Otherwise, if everyone sees that the Jingshan Sect can bully the ranch, won't they treat us like prey?"
Chen Ruiyang added, "The second is to sell favors to the big families and put pressure on Nanyang from upstream business to force them to make concessions."
"This is a last resort," Lou Ruodan said. "The four major clans are like four tigers. The fate of the world is uncertain. The owner cannot go against the ancestral teachings and make promises to other forces. The Jingshan Sect is unworthy of this favor."
"I've already considered these two options. What's your third option, Brother Chen?"
Speaking of the third method, Chen Ruiyang himself was a little hesitant.
Lou Ruodan looked at him with some confusion.
"I recently ran into an old friend from Mobei. He's an extremely skilled horseman, far superior to even the biggest bandits. Back then, he was very famous among the Mobei horse gangs, known as the Goose in the Wind."
"I originally wanted to invite him to join the caravan, and when we were chatting, we mentioned the caravan's predicament, and he said he had a way to help us solve it."
Hearing this, Lou Ruodan thought for a while. She had traveled all over the country and was always on guard. At this moment, she suddenly sneered.
"Brother Chen, you've been fooled."
"Why do you say that?"
"Let me ask you first, how long has he been in Nanyang City?"
"Even later than us."
Lou Ruodan asked, "You wouldn't deliberately tell him about the caravan's situation, would you?"
Chen Ruiyang took a deep breath and said, "He was the one who took the initiative to ask about the conflict between us and the Jingshan Sect."
"Humph, the conflict with the Jingshan Sect happened before the owner came. How would he know if he didn't take the initiative to inquire?"
Lou Ruodan tapped his palm with the whip, a look of anger flashing across his face:
"In Nanyang City, everyone dares to look down on us."
"Do you know what he's doing now? Which faction does he work for? I want to see who's targeting the ranch."
After hearing this question, Chen Ruiyang became even more hesitant.
If I had known this, I wouldn't have mentioned it.
Sighed:
"He didn't say who he was working for. Now he's saying he's raising horses and driving carriages for someone."
Lou Ruodan laughed angrily and looked at him with a confused look in his eyes: "Brother Chen, you really need to open your eyes."
"This man is full of lies. If his horsemanship is as good as you say, why would he confine himself to a carriage?"
"Who would want to wear shackles like this?"
"Who else is worthy of him doing this?"
"Brother Chen, have you thought about it? Answer me."
“Naturally thought about”
Chen Ruiyang said, "He was a man of his word and had a very good reputation in Saibei. That's why I mentioned this to you. Otherwise, I wouldn't even believe him myself."
Seeing him like this, Lou Ruodan couldn't help but frown.
"Where is this person?"
"We're in the city now," Chen Ruiyang said, "Would you like to meet us, sir?"
Lou Ruodan cracked the whip in his hand and said, "I'd like to meet such a contradictory person."
Chen Ruiyang looked at the sky and said, "Boss, please wait a moment."
After saying that, he stepped out
Half an hour later, footsteps were heard in front of the Dangyang caravan.
The footsteps passed the front hall and were about to enter the inner courtyard.
Lou Ruodan had very sharp hearing and was able to determine the location of the person coming based on the sound of footsteps. At that time, she was leading a strong black horse.
Just as the visitor was about to enter the courtyard, she whipped the black horse on its butt.
The horse neighed loudly and rushed into the courtyard!
The people in the caravan were not surprised. This was a horse that was a cross between a Persian red horse and a Turkic horse. It was bred by several generations on the ranch to become Feilianju, which means a divine horse that chases wind and lightning.
Having a good horse on the grassland is like having wings.
Lou Ruodan put two fingers in his mouth and blew a horn.
Fei Lianju immediately kicked up. If the person was really an expert in horse riding, he would have known how to deal with it.
"Hahaha!"
Suddenly a loud laugh shook the Dangyang caravan.
"Boss Lou, come on over here! It's a good thing you came!"
I saw a big man rushing through the courtyard, taking a few steps, and his true energy and罡气 were circulating together. It was obvious that he was a strong man who had cultivated both internal and external skills.
He stood in front of the horse and supported it with both hands.
He actually grabbed the horse's legs and flipped it over with force. Fei Lianju couldn't get down and kicked the mud on his palms at the big man.
The big man laughed again, and with another effort, the Feilianju's four hooves were suspended in the air, and it fell down with a bang!
Lou Ruodan glared at the leopard-eyed man: "My horse!"
This horse is worthy of being called a strong horse on the ranch. After enduring such a great force, it rolled over and not only was it fine, but it became even more ferocious.
He rushed towards the big man angrily again!
Just then, a whistle sounded.
The whistle was filled with internal strength and was exceptionally clear.
When the horse heard this, the fierceness and violence in his eyes immediately diminished by three points.
Then a man with thick eyebrows and simple clothes jumped up and jumped directly onto the horse.
"Okay, stop making trouble."
He smiled and stroked the horse's head.
Something happened that surprised many members of the caravan. The hand of the man with thick eyebrows seemed to have magic. The violent Fei Lianju was calmed down instantly after being touched by him.
The man with thick eyebrows touched Fei Lianju a few more times to smooth its fur.
soon
"Fu, fu—" a sound came,
This is Fei Lianju taking a deep breath, his chest vibrating as the breath comes out of his nose, he is in an extremely relaxed state.
"Brother Shan, horses on the grassland are like human wings, they cannot be broken without reason."
"They are also the best friends and the most loyal companions."
It was very strange that when the man with thick eyebrows was talking, Fei Lianju's ears twitched slightly and turned towards the source of the sound.
This is quiet listening.
It will only remain in this still posture when its owner is talking to it, which is very well-behaved.
Who...who is this?
There is such horsemanship!
Not to mention the members of the caravan, even Lou Ruodan was stunned.
No one else could ride her horse, but now it seemed as if it had suddenly changed its owner.
Lou Ruodan blew a whistle, but Fei Lianju remained indifferent.
This time, her expression changed again.
Chen Ruiyang, on the other hand, looked as if he had expected it:
"Brother Zhang's horsemanship is even more amazing than it was back then. Even Yatubu, the most accomplished horse trainer and lassoer among the grassland tribes, wouldn't dare claim to be better than Brother Zhang."
Zhang Chi said:
"I accept Brother Chen's praise, but I also learned horsemanship from an old herdsman outside Yuguan. I will always be deeply grateful for Saibei's horsemanship."
Lou Ruodan's eyes lit up when he heard him talk:
"Brother Zhang, why don't you come with me to Pegasus Ranch? My owner will see your horsemanship and will surely give you a sacred horse from the Mountain City as a gift."
Zhang Chi got off Fei Lianju and smiled innocently:
"Thank you, Boss Lou, for your kindness. Zhang is currently raising horses and driving carriages, so he doesn't have time to visit the ranch."
He seemed relaxed and casual, not joking at all.
Lou Ruodan was suspicious. She couldn't imagine how a man with such amazing horsemanship would be willing to drive for others?
So
What kind of person is sitting in the carriage?
Judging from Zhang Chi's expression, he is not constrained by anyone, which shows that he is sincere.
With a cloud of doubts in his mind, he looked at the burly man with leopard eyes and iron tower beside him, and felt that no one in the Dangyang horse gang could match him in terms of bravery.
This man is fierce and domineering, and he is probably a general.
Lou Ruodan was somewhat suspicious as to whether they were under the command of some great rebel king or clan leader.
But I couldn't find the matching one for a while.
"Both of you, please!"
Lou Ruodan stepped aside. No matter what the other party was thinking, she had to take it seriously.
Judging from these two people, the person in charge behind them is very important.
"Brother Zhang, Brother Shan, please."
Chen Ruiyang requested again.
Zhang Chi and Shan Xiongxin responded with a smile and walked to the inner hall of the caravan.
As soon as everyone sat down, the gang members came over to serve tea.
Lou Ruodan got straight to the point: "Where are you two friends from?"
Shan Xiongxin said, "It's at Wuzhuang Temple outside Nanyang City."
Lou Ruodan was not familiar with this title.
Chen Ruiyang thought of something and felt a little horrified. Suddenly, he felt a gust of cold wind blowing in the caravan, and his eyes were filled with obscure fear.
He whispered:
"Excuse me, is this the Wuzhuang Temple on Wolong Mountain?"
Zhang Chi smiled and replied, "It is exactly the residence of my temple master."
Lou Ruodan has been concerned with the affairs of the Jingshan Sect. He traveled to the north and went to Jingling to celebrate the New Year. He came to Nanyang not long ago.
She was naturally familiar with the major sects in this area, but Wuzhuangguan
I feel like I have heard of it, but I don’t have a specific understanding of it.
At this time, he looked at Chen Ruiyang, hoping that he could clear up his doubts so that he could have something to say.
However.
Chen Ruiyang seemed like a different person. He didn't buy her story and ignored her gaze.
Boss Lou heard Chen Ruiyang ask again:
"Has Master Yi been practicing in the temple recently?"
Shan Xiongxin felt that Deputy Gang Leader Chen's state was a little strange, and nodded in response: "Of course I am."
"Well, this is just a common matter in the human world. I wonder why Master Yi should ask about it?"
Chen Ruiyang asked again, "Isn't this disturbing the tranquility of the temple?"
Shan Lingguan smiled benevolently and said, "My master's actions are difficult for others to understand. If you want to know the reason, you must go to Wuzhuang Temple to discuss it."
Boss Lou has become a spectator.
She sensed from Chen Ruiyang that there might be something strange about the Wuzhuang Temple, so she just listened and didn't say anything.
Chen Ruiyang looked at Zhang Chi and confirmed again: "Brother Zhang, did Master Yi really mention the troubles of our gang?"
"That's right," Zhang Chi said calmly, "If the master hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have come to this point."
Chen Ruiyang nodded immediately: "You two, our gang will go to pay respects to the mountain early tomorrow morning."
"In that case, we'll take our leave."
"slow!"
Boss Lou interrupted the topic. She frowned and looked at Chen Ruiyang. Why did he want to pay a visit to the grave without asking anything clearly?
She spoke bluntly:
"If the Master wants to help, how much profit do you want from us?"
Shan Xiongxin looked at her with a smile: "That depends on your opinion. The abbot said that even if you don't give me a single penny, it's not a big deal."
"Goodbye."
The two of them left the caravan under the escort of everyone.
"Brother Chen, what's wrong with you?"
"What's so special about Wuzhuangguan? Even if we encounter the four major clans, we don't have to be humble."
"Boss, you don't know something."
Chen Ruiyang took a breath and said, "I have heard two things about the Master of Wuzhuang Monastery."
"What's up?"
"One of them happened in the Ren family in Sheqi."
"After his death, Old Master Ren of the Ren family emerged from his coffin, a sight witnessed by all. The evil spirit of the corpse then spread throughout the land. It was this abbot who burned and killed the evil spirit, sending Old Master Ren back to the underworld."
Boss Lou's brows jumped.
Then Chen Ruiyang said:
"Last year in late autumn, the Nanyang Gang's Right Sword Master, Su Yun, was severely injured. His body was stained by demonic energy and withered like a skeleton. All the masters, including Yang Zhen, were helpless."
"The Nanyang Gang has invited the county's renowned traditional Chinese medicine master, Wu Dexiu. He is a descendant of Hua Tuo, but even if Hua Tuo were still alive, he wouldn't be able to cure Su Yun's condition."
"On the night Su Yun was about to die, Yang Zhen invited the head of Wuzhuang Monastery to come. He used extraordinary means to communicate with the underworld, summon the soul, and bring Su Yun back to life."
"Boss, please don't disbelieve it."
Chen Ruiyang said, "Old Wu Dexiu is a kind-hearted doctor who never tells lies in his life. Even he said that it was this temple master who defied fate and saved Su Yun."
At this moment, Lou Ruodan's face changed drastically.
"This man is a true Jianghu eccentric, otherwise why would Mobei Feng Zhongyan be willing to be driven around by him?"
"The Bashu Heyi Sect's Tongtian Shenlao's ability to communicate with yin and yang is well known in the martial arts world. This temple master is far superior to Tongtian Shenlao."
"Such a strange person, whether real or fake, should not be offended lightly."
Only then did Lou Ruodan understand why Chen Ruiyang behaved so strangely.
"This temple master saved Su Yun's life. He is indeed capable of resolving our gang's difficulties."
Lou Ruodan muttered again:
"But, just now that man said he could give me nothing. What's the secret?"
"Absolutely not."
Chen Ruiyang's taboo expression became even worse:
"If you don't pay, it becomes a debt. This person's debt is heartbreaking. I think it's best not to owe him anything."
…
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('-'*ゞThank you all the book friends for your monthly tickets~!
(End of this chapter)
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