Chapter 289 Liu Wu!! (Seeking monthly votes)
Mid-grade Yellow level?
Information that's better than nothing.
Chen Yi glanced at it and then turned off the light screen.
He's very busy these days and doesn't have much free time to join in the fun.
Therefore, under normal circumstances, unless it is related to his plans, he usually decides whether to go and seize the opportunity based on his schedule for the day.
It's not that he doesn't have opportunities.
Rather, as his martial arts skills and techniques improved, he gained a certain ability to protect himself.
Especially after his martial arts body broke through to the perfect realm, his stance training and internal strength improved by leaps and bounds.
The few opportunities he gained from going out were not as significant as the improvement he made from cultivating the Four Symbols Technique.
In no time, Chen Yi circled around twice to make sure no one was following him, then took Pei Guanli to the house on Chuanxi Street.
Pei Guanli continued to mutter to herself, saying things like tonight's "show" wasn't fun.
She even begged Chen Yi to take her to see something even more fun next time.
Chen Yi smiled and nodded, without explaining the behind-the-scenes story of Liu Hong's performance that night.
Even if he did say it, Tiger Girl probably wouldn't be interested in the "Liu Hong's inner struggle and torment" drama.
We chatted for a while.
Chen Yi then removed his disguise, tidied his clothes, and said with a smile:
"You stay here quietly. In a few days, I will send that person down on his way."
Pei Guanli nodded. "Brother-in-law, who do you plan to give him to?"
"King Yama."
Chen Yi lightly patted her forehead and then slipped away.
Pei Guanli rubbed her smooth forehead, pouted at his back, and then smiled.
She looked down and stomped her bare feet on the ground a few times.
"I'm sending you to meet the King of Hell."
"whee."
Upon hearing the sound, Chen Yi smiled and resolved to take Tiger Girl to see a truly good show next time.
I just don't know when "next time" will be.
Not long after.
Chen Yi quietly returned to Chunhe Garden, took off his black clothes, changed into a dry long robe, and his expression returned to calm.
At this point, the rain intensified.
Inside the Spring Lotus Garden, the raindrops dripped softly. A cool breeze rustled through the flowers, grasses, and trees, and one could vaguely see leaves fluttering in the courtyard.
Most of the houses in the backyard were quiet.
The nearby Jiaxingyuan, the empty Sifangzhai, and several houses further away are mostly like this.
Instead, some sounds came from inside the central courtyard.
The sounds of the guards' armor rustling as they moved about, their conversations during shift changes, and the old man's deep laughter echoing through the quiet house.
"It's been a long time since I've fired a shot. How was this one?"
"Congratulations, Lord Marquis! Your marksmanship must be at half the power of your peak."
"Fifty percent?"
"You little rascal, you're not being honest. My martial arts cultivation hasn't recovered yet; I'm still far, far away from my peak..."
Chen Yi couldn't help but chuckle when he heard the old man's words.
During the day, he didn't think there was anything commendable about treating the old man's injuries.
After all, the old man's accumulated injuries and illnesses could not be cured by him using the Meridian Flow Therapy once.
It also requires the use of herbal medicine and long-term acupuncture treatment to help the old man recover to the condition he should be in at his age.
But he forgot.
The old man had suffered from illness for five years, and when it was finally relieved, his joy was indescribable.
Even now, he can wield a spear in the courtyard.
Chen Yi smiled and shook his head, "I hope the old man will still be smiling so happily in a few days."
Then he turned around and sat on the bed, cross-legged and began to practice the Four Symbols Technique.
In the past few days, he has absorbed a lot of the profound mysteries of [Martial Arts·Body], and his stance training and internal strength have made considerable progress.
If his deduction is correct, once several cultivation techniques reach perfection, his cultivation speed will be several times faster than it is now.
In other words, it took him eight days to break through from the middle stage of the fifth rank to the upper stage. If he had used the perfect Four Symbols Technique, it might only have taken him two or three days.
Such a rate of improvement is truly terrifying.
"If all goes well, perhaps by the time Madam returns from her inspection of the three towns, my cultivation should be able to break through to the third rank."
"At that time..."
...
Chen Yi and the Xiao family are living peacefully, but many people are destined to be sleepless tonight.
Inside Tingyu Pavilion.
Because of Cui Qingwu's matter, Chen Yunfan toned down his joy in improving his swordsmanship and instead focused on carefully reviewing government affairs.
He would stop from time to time to reflect on the recent situation in Shu Prefecture, trying to figure out what the White Tiger Guards were up to.
Cui Qingwu was worried because of what Jiang Xing said, and kept thinking while holding the letter written by Lin Huai'an.
In the end, she still couldn't figure it out.
However, she did come up with a feasible solution.
She may not be the brightest, but there is someone who certainly is.
She might have to make a deal with that person to avoid the worst-case scenario.
Meanwhile, inside the Liu family mansion on Zhennan Street.
All the unconscious guards knelt in the back courtyard.
Zhao Liuan stood in front, his expression icy, looking them over one by one, and asked in a cold voice:
"Has anyone seen what the person who came here looks like?"
The guards swayed slightly, looked around, but didn't say anything.
The head guard commander, looking ashamed, cupped his hands and said:
"We didn't see who it was. We only saw a dark figure approach in the blink of an eye and knock us unconscious with a wave of its hand."
"A shadowy figure?"
Zhao Liuan did not reprimand them, and said in a detached voice, "That means he was wearing black."
"Anything else?"
"this……"
"I'm reminding you, this matter is of utmost importance, and not a single detail can be overlooked!"
Upon hearing this, the guard commander breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that their lives were temporarily safe, and then he began to recall the events carefully.
It really reminded him of something, or rather, it reminded him of some things he had overlooked.
"Although it was only for a moment, I vaguely sensed that his cultivation level had not reached the upper three-rank realm, but should still be the middle three-rank."
Zhao Liuan frowned slightly, "Fourth rank?"
"No, I'm not sure."
"His true essence is indeed profound, but it has not revealed the rudimentary aura of the fourth-grade true qi, so he should not have reached the fourth-grade realm."
The guard commander said ambiguously, "Or... or he didn't reveal it."
Zhao Liuan was clearly dissatisfied. "Is that all?"
The guard commander bowed his head. "Your subordinate is ashamed. Please punish me, sir."
The other guards were mostly like that.
A moment of silence.
Zhao Liuan waved his hand impatiently, signaling the people to disperse.
He even had to use his words to appease her.
But after most of the guards left, a handsome guard was still kneeling on the spot.
Zhao Liuan glared at him coldly: "Aren't you going to get lost?"
But as soon as he finished speaking, the guard began to twist his body and limbs in a strange manner.
It looks like a shadow puppet being lifted up by a craftsman.
As he swayed, two crimson lights suddenly appeared in his eyes.
Zhao Liuan was startled and quickly took a few steps back, shouting, "Help! Help! Someone come quick!"
No matter how he shouted, it was as if the surroundings were blocked by something, and no sound traveled out.
At this moment, the guard seemed to notice him only then, and stared at him with his scarlet eyes, smiling sinisterly.
"Haven't seen you for a few days, don't you recognize me, Mr. Du?"
Zhao Liuan suppressed his fear and looked at him: "You...you...you are...Du Cang?!"
"Heh heh, besides me, who else would dare to be so bold as to trespass into the Governor's residence?"
Just as Du Cang finished speaking, his eyes involuntarily swept around, and he let out a soft "Eh."
"Was there a master here before?"
"This aura is definitely it; it's the scent of a fully mastered movement technique."
"Tsk tsk, the Great Wei Dynasty is indeed full of talented people. They can even master such an easy-to-learn but difficult-to-master technique."
Zhao Liuan was stunned. A perfected movement technique?
He suddenly remembered the person who had brought Asutai earlier and quickly said, "You, you are right."
“Someone came here before, and they even brought Asutai to my master.”
"oh?"
Du Cang asked with some surprise, "Asutai, you found it?"
Zhao Liuan nodded, and was about to reply when his expression changed.
He suddenly realized that, according to Liu Hong's plan, Asutai could not be handed over to Du Cang yet.
At least until the court replies, Asutai cannot leave the Liu family.
Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth and said, "My family will explain the details to you."
Du Cang stared straight at him, thought for a moment, and said, "No rush."
Then he ignored Zhao Liuan and started circling the house on his own.
Every now and then, wisps of dark light would fall around.
Amidst the pervasive black mist, faint outlines could still be discerned.
Zhao Liuan was confused, but the pressure on him hadn't subsided, and he found it difficult to even move a step, so he obediently stood still.
However, he understood Du Cang's intention—he was probably investigating the mysterious person who had come here earlier.
"Besides his movement technique, he also had a very familiar scent."
"It's so familiar, so familiar... The scent that my darling finds so familiar is..."
Du Cang muttered something to himself for a while, then his eyes blazed with red light, and he burst into laughter.
"Who do we have here? It's him!"
Zhao Liuan quickly asked, "Who is it?"
"Liu Wu!"
"Liu Wu? 'Dragon Spear' Liu Wu?!"
"How could this be..."
Du Cang's laughter faltered. He turned to look at him and asked coldly, "Are you doubting that my precious treasure has a poor sense of smell?"
"No, no..."
"snort!"
"My precious sense of smell is indeed a bit dull, but Liu Wu has been here for quite some time."
"Just like the scent he left behind when he sparred with Liu Lang on the banks of the Chishui River, something will always remain."
In fact, Du Cang has not been idle these past few days.
While hiding in the shadows, he also searched for "Dragon Spear" Liu Wu.
They not only went to the ravine along the Chishui River, where guns and knives roamed, but also to places like Black Fish Lane in the West Market.
The purpose was to find some trace of Liu Wu.
Unfortunately, because so much time had passed, he only managed to detect a very faint scent through a sorcerer.
It has a scent that is a blend of floral and sandalwood fragrances.
This suggests that the residence of "Liu Wu" must have been a well-appointed house.
Du Cang looked around and shook his head, saying, "Let's go, take this old man to see Liu Hong."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Liuan did not hesitate. After realizing that the pressure on his body had completely disappeared, he quickly led him to Liu Hong's room.
As he walked, he asked, "Since your treasure can smell Liu Wu, it must be able to track him down, right?"
Du Cang glanced at him sideways, "Do I need you to remind me?"
"If I could find him, I would chase after him and kill him right now, but alas..."
Unfortunately, it's raining tonight.
Unless Liu Wu, the "Dragon Spear," stopped somewhere when he came and went, he had no way of tracking him down.
Of course, Du Cang wouldn't say these things outright.
Not long after.
Du Cang arrived at a quiet room.
Liu Hong looked at his attire as a Liu family guard and was slightly puzzled.
Zhao Liuan stepped forward and whispered a few words in Liu Hong's ear. Liu Hong frowned slightly, then relaxed, stood up, and waved:
"Since General Du is here, please sit down and let's talk."
As he spoke, he gestured for Zhao Liuan to go out and close the door.
After everyone left.
Du Cang glanced around, looking at the Buddha statues and deity paintings enshrined in the quiet room, and couldn't help but sneer:
"Does Lord Liu also worship Buddha and follow Taoism?"
Liu Hong said indifferently, "Just for peace of mind."
“Unlike your Prince Lando, who lives a carefree life on the Tea Horse Road, even as the Provincial Governor of Shu Prefecture, I, Liu, am still walking on thin ice.”
Du Cang grinned, walked over and sat down opposite him. "If Lord Liu is willing, His Majesty will certainly welcome him with open arms."
"Hehe, is that so?"
Liu Hong chuckled noncommittally, then sat down and said seriously, "You've come at just the right time. Asutai has been found."
"I already know about this matter. Tell me, why did 'Dragon Spear' Liu Wu send people here to you?"
"As far as I know, Liu Wu should be a wandering swordsman. Even if he killed my Lü Jiunan before, he shouldn't know where Asutai is."
It's understandable that Du Cang was somewhat puzzled.
All the intelligence he received indicated that Liu Wu was an exceptionally talented marksman, and that his killing of Lü Jiunan must have been an accident.
He couldn't understand why the other party would kidnap Asutai and why they would return him to Liu Hong.
This is illogical.
Unless that "Liu Wu" is not a member of the martial arts world, but a member of a powerful family or a high-ranking official in Shu Prefecture.
Otherwise, he would not have been able to participate in court affairs, let alone concern himself with the conflicts between the Wei Dynasty, Vaishsa Kingdom, and the barbarians.
These are characteristics of ordinary people in the martial arts world.
Upon hearing this, Liu Hong nodded, then shook his head and said, "General Du, you are unaware of this."
"That Liu Wu..."
Then he recounted everything he knew about Liu Wu in detail:
"If I am not mistaken, then 'Liu Wu' should be a member of the Xiao family."
Du Cang's scarlet eyes flashed twice, "The Xiao family?"
He pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized, "That is indeed possible."
"From what you've said, the burning of the summer grain in the three towns caused heavy losses for your Liu family, while the Xiao family gained considerable benefits."
"If it weren't for the Emperor's words, the Xiao family would be in a much more comfortable situation right now. At least the 500,000 taels of silver that your Liu family gave us wouldn't have had to cover the shortfall in the grain tax of the three towns."
Liu Hong nodded slightly and then said, "There is one thing I don't understand."
"The Xiao family seems to have been kept in the dark about Liu Wu's help. I tried to probe him several times, but Xiao Yuan didn't say anything."
"I couldn't find a single clue, not even within the Xiao family."
Du Cang chuckled sinisterly, "Xiao Yuan... that old bastard Marquis Dingyuan, is he so easy to deal with?"
“In the past, he trampled the kingdom of Vaishsa on horseback and repelled the barbarian armies several times. Even now that he is old and toothless, he is still a tiger.”
"That being said, after 'Liu Wu's' interference, I'm now at risk of being exposed, and similarly..."
Liu Hong pointed at him and said, "You're not going to be able to carry out King Lando's order—to avenge General Lü Jiunan."
Du Cang's laughter stopped. He stared at him for a moment, then suddenly snorted coldly, "Provocation won't work on me!"
Liu Hong smiled and shook his head: "That's not what I meant."
"Hmph, whatever your intentions, I'm determined to take Liu Wu's life!"
"As for the Xiao family... never mind."
"Before they leave, I will also give them a great gift!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Hong smiled broadly and said, "In that case, thank you very much, General Du."
"Of course, of course, after all, you found Asutai..."
(End of this chapter)
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