Chapter 423: Zhao Duan mobilizes troops, the imperial army tramples the gate (5k)
"Prefect Luan, please take a closer look at who I am."
In the Jinfu Inn, when Zhao Duan took off his mask, his handsome face was revealed.
Binhaidao Governor Luan Cheng was stunned at first, then his pupils trembled. He took two steps back and almost fell. He subconsciously raised his finger and pointed at the smiling Zhao, stammering:
"Zhao...Zhao Shaobao?!"
The newly appointed Prince's Guardian, a third-rank official, and the Empress's favorite, Zhao Duan!
Luan Cheng had never seen him, but he had seen Zhao Duan's portrait many times.
The most recent one was a report from the capital some time ago, which reported that Zhao Duan had been promoted to the rank of Junior Guardian. Seeing so many imperial officials and soldiers at this moment, he already had some suspicions and immediately recognized their identities.
"It seems that your eyes are not blind yet." Zhao Duan said lightly.
Luan Cheng's mind was in a mess, almost crashing. As the prefect, he didn't know about the existence of this team. How could he not be surprised?
Shocked, his body reacted before his brain did. He stumbled forward a few steps, shook his sleeves, and bowed.
"Your humble servant, Luan Cheng, greets Young Master Zhao."
Captain Zhang Jian, who was walking behind him with his hands covering his chest which was painful but not seriously injured, was surprised and quickly lowered his eyes.
The constables, who were already trembling with fear, didn't know who had taken the lead, but they all fell to their knees and shouted:
"Young Guard!"
It was as if he was afraid that if he was a step slower, this noble who was rumored to hold great power but was vindictive would bear a grudge against him and find a reason to deal with him.
Zhao Duan calmly glanced at the group of people for a moment, then said indifferently:
"No need to be polite."
Then he turned and walked towards the house, leaving behind a sentence:
"Prefect Luan, please go inside and discuss this in detail. The rest of you will remain outside. No one is allowed to leave until I come out."
"Yes, sir!"
Lihuatang Jinyi grinned and detained a group of local officials who were like deflated balls like prisoners.
After the main door of the inn was closed, Gongshu Tianyuan and others were bored and gathered under the eaves, whispering to each other.
"What do you think is going on?"
Gongshu Tianyuan looked curious and started the conversation first.
Lang Shiba and Ji Yue are silent background characters. They only take action, never talk, and never respond at all.
Jin Jian was dozing off;
The two shadow guards, Shusheng and Hongye, were not familiar with the crowd and were reluctant to speak.
Haitang, with a row of flying knives hanging from her waist and teardrop moles at the corners of her eyes, crossed her arms and glanced at everyone:
"Didn't Zhao Shaobao just say that?"
Gongshu Tianyuan was surprised and asked, "Sister, are you referring to what Brother Zhao just said about the enemy being cunning?"
Big sister... Haitang's mouth twitched, and she said helplessly:
"Isn't it obvious? But there's no point in making random guesses. Once he interrogates the prefect, everything will become clear."
About one stick of incense later.
The door creaked open, and the prefect Luan Cheng came out with a smile on his face, sweating profusely, as he walked Zhao Duan out.
"Lord Luan, you and I are colleagues. Let's forget about these misunderstandings. You can take your people back to the county government office first. If anything happens later, I will find you." Zhao Duan said with a smile.
Luan Cheng forced a smile and said, "Don't worry, Young Master Zhao, I will keep the news of today's incident secret and strictly prohibit any disclosure."
Zhao Duan smiled and said nothing. With such a big commotion happening, it was useless to block the news.
In other words, after this incident, Zhao Duan's "incognito" team was forced to be exposed to the sun as soon as they entered the city.
After Magistrate Luan and a group of officials left in disgrace, Haitang finally looked at him, her heroic eyes filled with curiosity: "You're just going to let him go like that? That's not your character."
No... How bad is my image in your eyes... Zhao Duan complained, shook his head, and looked at the sky in the distance with a sigh:
"They are all colleagues. Besides, he was also used. As the prefect, Luan Cheng has the task of arresting the rebels all year round.
Some time ago, a suspicious outsider was arrested in the prefectural city. After questioning, they discovered he was a peripheral member of the Kuangfu Society. They then revealed false information: a group of rebels would appear at the Jinfu Inn.
Luan Cheng then came over in person with a group of officials. He was a hands-on official indeed.
Haitang frowned and said:
"What a coincidence, and the direction is too obvious. Could it be that the rebels took the initiative to spread false information?"
Zhao Duan sighed:
"It seems so, and the person who has such a skill is most likely Zhuang Xiaocheng."
Zhang Han came over and asked doubtfully:
"But what's the purpose? What's the purpose of doing this? The rebels should know that this won't cause us any real harm."
Zhao Duan calmly said two words: "Provocation."
After a pause, he looked around at the pairs of eyes around him and said seriously:
"This old villain, Zhuang Xiaocheng, is deliberately declaring war on me, telling me that he already knows of my arrival.
Haha, originally I thought we would be in the dark and use spies to bring Zhuang Xiaocheng out into the open, but now this old thief has made it so that we are in the open and he is in the dark."
What is obvious and what is hidden... A few simple warriors and sorcerers were confused by what they heard. They just felt that it was unfathomable, but they were unwilling to show that they didn't understand.
So everyone nodded in understanding, as if they understood everything.
Zhang Han was still confused:
"You mean, Zhuang Xiaocheng knew our whereabouts in advance, so he might have already escaped? And then played a trick on us?"
Without waiting for Zhao Duan to answer, Haitang, who is good at solving cases, suddenly spoke:
"No, definitely not. Zhuang Xiaocheng is not that kind of boring person. Moreover, from the analysis of the intelligence provided by Luan Cheng, the arrangement of false intelligence by the Kuangfu Society does not seem to be a sudden decision, but more like it is done with ease.
I even suspect that the clue that the headquarters is in Fengcheng may have been deliberately released by the enemy in order to lure us here."
Zhao Duan, who had confirmed through Fengyue Baojian that the old thief was still in this area, nodded with a sharp look in his eyes:
"If my guess is correct, this old thief has been cornered and is using himself as bait to fight me face to face to decide who lives or dies. Ha... Don't you think this style and tactics are quite similar to those used by the old thief Zhuang in the capital?"
Last year, Zhuang Xiaocheng was in Beijing and used himself as bait to try to lure Ma Yan into the bamboo forest in the southern suburbs and assassinate him.
The plan was unexpectedly broken by Zhao Duan.
Today, the old thief used the same trick again, but with greater courage. He used Fengcheng as a trap and the survival of Kuangfu Society as a bet, inviting Zhao Duan to fight.
"So what are you going to do next? We have been exposed. Do we still need to contact spies?" Haitang asked.
Zhao Duan shook his head.
Zhuang Xiaocheng must have known about the existence of spies, he just didn't know who the spies were.
If we rashly use Wu Ling, Yun Xi and others now, we will only be exposed in advance.
But if we don't contact the spies and everyone is exposed, how can we find out the location of the Kuangfu Society's headquarters?
"Things are getting interesting. Zhuang Xiaocheng wants to play a game of chess with me. That's what he wants, but I want to see if he has the guts to do it."
Zhao Duan suddenly said:
"Brother Gongshu, before we entered the city, you said that the Taoist from Zixiao Palace was very powerful in the local area, right? So, it's highly suspicious that this person knew about the rebels' hiding place but didn't report them, right?"
Gongshu Tianyuan was stunned for a moment, and felt something was wrong.
Zhao Duan just smiled arrogantly and said coldly:
"Even a three-year-old child knows that if you don't know the way, you should ask someone for directions. Since you can't hide your identity, let's make a big fuss. Scholar, Hongye, give the signal for the army to enter the city early."
The two gold medal shadow guards looked at each other, both of them showing fear.
The former responded, walked into the yard, took out a bamboo tube from his arms, and lit it towards the sky.
“Swish!!”
A ball of red light, like a star, shot straight into the sky, shining brightly for a long time in the sky and never going out, and could be clearly seen within a radius of ten miles.
…
…
As a county town, Fengcheng's city gate is not very high.
The surface is mottled with time and traces of hundreds of years of wind and rain.
The official guarding the city gate was originally a low-ranking clerk, but today he was replaced by an official from the county government.
And they all stood straight, not daring to relax at all, because when the prefect led his men to open the city gate at dawn, the night watchmen were frightened to death.
Later, when officials from the county government arrived, they learned that there was a rebel party in the city.
This frightened a group of petty officials, who were afraid that they would be pushed out by the county magistrate to take the blame and be charged with lax supervision. Otherwise, how could the rebels enter the city so brazenly?
However, the frightened petty officials did not wait for the prefect to arrive, nor did they see the rebels. They only saw a flash of red rising in the city, which lasted for a long time.
About two hours later, in the afternoon, a faint rumbling sound was heard from the ground outside the city.
"Officers and soldiers! A large number of officers and soldiers!"
The clerk on the city wall cried out in alarm, holding on to the parapet with trembling hands, and staring wide-eyed at the sight of the dark mass of cavalry approaching on the horizon like a torrent of steel.
The people entering the city along the way were terrified and hid away.
Soon, a cavalry team riding on war horses, wearing armor, holding spears and with steel swords hanging from their horses arrived at the city gate.
The leader was a sturdy general, twice as wide as an ordinary man, and the horse he sat was also extremely strong. The general's face was full of flesh, probably weighing several hundred pounds. He held a war hammer in each hand, connected by a chain.
"Matsuji, the deputy commander of the Binhai Military Prefecture, has been ordered to rush to the rescue. Open the gate immediately!"
The stocky general holding the war hammer roared.
The county town has a big gate and a small gate. Normally, only the small gate is opened to allow the people to enter with their horses and carriages. Now that the army has entered the city, the small gate is difficult to pass through.
The petty officials on the city wall were trembling with fear. Where had they ever seen such a scene?
The official guarding the gate under the order of the county magistrate stepped out with a dignified attitude, clasped his hands and said:
"General, the county magistrate did not inform you of..."
"Shut up! You've delayed my business. Even if I crush you to death, it wouldn't be enough compensation!"
Deputy General Yuanji's eyes were wide open, and he was on his horse, and the pile of armored flesh weighing hundreds of pounds began to tremble.
The big hand grasped the chain as thick as a baby's arm, and swung the hammer into a whirring fire wheel, which spun and stirred up a strong wind.
The hammer was thrown out, leaving an afterimage that brushed against the official's body, pulling the chain like a cannonball, and slammed into the city gate.
"boom!!"
A big hole was instantly blasted in the middle of the city gate, and under inertia, it opened to both sides!
The city gates are wide open!
The officials from the county government and the clerks guarding the city all swallowed their saliva, their legs went weak, and they watched helplessly as the army roared into the city.
Just like watching a train rushing into a tunnel, the group of people looked at each other in bewilderment:
"Doesn't the prefect have the authority to mobilize troops? This general calls you 'Sir' and says 'I obey your orders'... Could it be that some important figure has arrived in the city? An official higher than the prefect?"
"It's over. How could we, a small place like Fengcheng, alarm such a big shot? Could it be that the leader of the rebel party is here?"
…
A large number of cavalry entered the city, immediately causing a sensation in the city.
When the news reached the county government office and fell into Luan Cheng's ears, even with the prefect's great composure, he suddenly stood up and his expression changed drastically.
"What did you say? General Yuanji entered the city? Where is he?"
Inside the county yamen, the head constable Zhang Jian, who came to report, had a complicated expression:
"He said he went to the Jinfu Inn."
Luan Cheng paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back.
Because Lang Shiba showed mercy, Zhang Jian, who was only slightly injured, hesitated and said:
"Sir, it seems this is the work of that Zhao Shaobao. What is the purpose of this person coming here?"
Luan Cheng stopped, glanced at the charcoal-black guard with two swords, sat down, and sighed:
"They came here to rebel against the Party. The bandit leader Zhuang Xiaocheng might be in Fengcheng."
Zhang Jian was shocked: "To think that this is true... Then what happened before..."
Luan Cheng, who looked like a middle-aged scholar, shook his head and said bitterly:
"I'm afraid this government has been used by the rebels as a pawn to support Zhao Shaobao. That's unimportant. The key is that Zhao Shaobao has ordered the army into the city, which is not good."
Zhang Jian asked curiously, "Why?"
Luan Cheng said seriously:
"Zhuang Xiaocheng was once the Grand Tutor and Imperial Preceptor. What kind of person was he? After Jianwen's death, he escorted Jianwen's widow and young son into the underworld, where he founded the massive Kuangfu Society. How could such a person and his methods be easily dealt with?
"Zhao Shaobao had previously entered the city incognito, but was instantly defeated. He had already lost the initiative. Now, rashly summoning a large army into the city reveals his cowardice. His trump card has been revealed first, putting him at an even greater disadvantage. How can this opponent play chess?"
Zhang Jian thought for a moment and said:
"It is said that this Zhao Shaobao is extremely talented. Although he has a bad reputation, he has repeatedly defeated rebel factions."
Luan Cheng smiled bitterly and said:
"This government doesn't doubt Zhao Shaobao's methods, but this government also knows that he is only a young man in his twenties. In the past, when he was in the capital, he had the advantage of location and people, so it was naturally much easier to deal with the rebels. Now that he has come to Fengcheng, his opponent has become a seasoned figure like Zhuang Xiaocheng..."
He shook his head, clearly lacking confidence:
"After all, you are too young and full of youthful energy. How can you defeat an old fox?"
After thinking for a while, he gritted his teeth and stood up and said:
"I will go to the Jinfu Inn right now to discuss this matter."
Immediately, the prefect led several guards and headed straight for the Jinfu Inn, but when he arrived, he did not see the government troops entering the city.
Inside the Jinfu Inn, a sickly scholar came out, covering his mouth and nose with a handkerchief:
"Ahem, the prefect is late. Lord Zhao ordered me to stay and wait for you. He said that if you come, he should tell the prefect to go back and rest, so as to be able to cope with all kinds of changes with the same attitude."
Luan Cheng was stunned:
"Where did Zhao Shaobao go? And where are those officers and soldiers?"
The pale-skinned Shu smiled and said:
"Lord Zhao has led his troops out of the city, saying he wants to see the night view of Zixiao Palace before dark."
Zixiao Palace...the place where the purple-robed Taoist Lu Zhengchun practices...
In Fengcheng, the "Great Immortal" on the local fairy mountain, respected by hundreds of thousands of people, has a very high reputation. He is a well-known old immortal figure in the entire martial arts world and even in the nine roads and eighteen prefectures of the Yu Kingdom.
"not good!"
Luan Cheng's face suddenly changed, his lips trembled, and he vaguely guessed what Zhao Duan was thinking.
…
…
Zixiao Palace is located on a famous mountain of the same name north of Fengcheng County.
It is said that the mountain got its name because a thousand years ago, someone saw a divine thunder coming down from the sky. It is one of the few famous mountains and rivers in Binhaidao that are full of spiritual beauty.
Although it is far inferior to the "Luoshan" where the road is built to the south, it is the most steep and dangerous, like a long sword pointing to the sky, as if to pierce the sky.
Zhao Duan and his entourage, riding on the army's fast horses, arrived at the foot of Zixiao Mountain near dusk.
"It is said that the Purple Cloud Palace receives the clouds from the earth. Every night, a strange light shines through the ground on the top of the mountain, illuminating the entire Taoist temple. It is extremely magnificent and beautiful.
Many celebrities passing through here would make a special trip to the Taoist temple to burn a stick of incense, chat with the Purple Robe Taoist, and stay overnight to witness the amazing sight of the earth and clouds.
At the foot of the mountain.
Female agent Haitang pulled the reins of her horse, looked up at the Taoist temple on the mountain that was almost the size of a palace, and said with some longing.
Gongshu Tianyuan curled his lips and raised his chin proudly:
"The place where my Tianshi Mansion is located is the core of the earth veins in the world. The mere earth haze is nothing more than a wonder, which can only fool the ignorant people."
Got it, but it's not as good as you say... Zhao Duan narrowed his eyes and said:
"If it's so good, why did the late emperor give it to this wild Taoist priest?"
Haitang shook her head:
"That's unclear. Perhaps it's due to his gift of treasure. However, the most famous thing about this purple-robed Taoist Lu Zhengchun is his method of 'forging swords in the furnace.' While ordinary Taoists use furnaces to refine elixirs and pools of fire to forge swords, he has taken a different approach, using the furnace and alchemy methods to forge flying swords.
It is said that it takes at least 49 days to forge a flying sword. The resulting flying sword is like a pill, with three grades: high, medium and low.
The high-grade flying sword was born with a subtle spirituality. It has been entrenched in the Zixiao Palace Taoist Temple for many years and has raised a large group of swordsmen as disciples. This is also the confidence of its establishment in the martial arts world and its independence from the Taoist tradition of the Tianshi Mansion. "
Zhao Duan smiled:
"I haven't seen many Taoist flying swords, only the Golden Crow Flying Knife. This is a good opportunity to see which one is stronger."
After he finished speaking, he raised his right hand and waved it forward. Behind him, a large group of cavalrymen, led by Yuanji, advanced silently up the mountain road.
The steep mountain was not conducive to horse riding, but in order to make it easier for pilgrims to climb the mountain, Lu Zhengchun spent a lot of money to open up a wide and gentle mountain path that could accommodate three horse-drawn carriages running side by side.
At this evening, there was not a single pilgrim to be seen on the mountain path. Only a red sun hung high in the sky, wantonly casting a crimson glow on the cavalry, as if covered with murderous aura.
Halfway along the mountain path, there is a large platform for people to rest, and several pavilions have been built.
When Zhao Duan and his men arrived here, they saw a large group of swordsmen wearing Taoist robes and carrying long swords lined up waiting for them.
It seems that he had taken advantage of the terrain early on and was transferred to meet this group of troops, so he was waiting in advance.
Zhao Duan took a quick look and saw that there were at least a hundred Taoists carrying sword cases on their backs.
The leader was sitting cross-legged in the pavilion. At this moment, the setting sun was shining through the pavilion and onto the face of this Taoist who was about thirty years old.
He held a whisk in his hand and had his hair tied up in a bun with a boxwood hairpin. His Taoist robe was different from those around him, being white and purple in color. He wore a pair of slightly shabby hemp shoes on his feet.
At this moment, the Taoist suddenly raised his eyelids, flicked his whisk, and walked out of the pavilion lightly. He looked indifferently at Zhao Duan, who was leading the army.
"Stop!"
…
Typos should be corrected first and then replaced
(End of this chapter)
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