In the sixth year of the Daye era, the Japanese ruler Doris Bigu sent envoys to Luoyang to pay tribute. Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty personally received them. This was the second foreign country to pay tribute after the Turkic Khan Qimin came to pay tribute in the fourth year of the Daye era, which also indicated that the Sui Dynasty had reached the peak of its national power.
Early April, Yangzhou City.
This is the most pleasant time of year to visit Yangzhou. As the saying goes, "Spring breeze blows for ten miles along Yangzhou Road, and the Slender West Lake is full of charm."
Yangzhou held a very high status during the Sui Dynasty, second only to the capital Daxing and Luoyang. Emperor Yang Guang had a temporary palace there and would stay there for several months every year.
At this time, Yangzhou was a bustling and prosperous city with a population of nearly one million, making it the third largest city in the Sui Dynasty.
And in this bustling city, all sorts of new things happen every day.
Yuxianlou, the most luxurious restaurant in Yangzhou, not only has calligraphy left by Emperor Yang Guang himself, but also the ink marks left by martial arts heroes after drinking. It is full of distinguished guests every day and is known as the number one restaurant in Yangzhou.
At this moment, inside the Yuxianlou restaurant, people were sitting around on the first floor. In the center of the table, a young Taoist priest dressed in a Taoist robe was sitting, slowly drinking tea.
The area around him was packed with people, probably a couple hundred if you counted. The entrance, as well as the second, third, and fourth floors, were also full of people. Everyone's eyes followed the Taoist priest as he drank his tea.
"Good tea," the young Taoist priest praised after taking a sip.
"Master, you see that almost everyone has arrived today. Shouldn't we begin our lecture?" At this moment, the owner of Yuxianlou obsequiously approached the Taoist priest, lowered his head, and whispered.
Suddenly, the Taoist priest raised his head, startling the shopkeeper, who quickly took a step back.
"Smack..."
The Taoist priest slammed his gavel, and the surrounding area fell silent instantly.
He raised an eyebrow and began to speak in a strong, clear voice.
"The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors embodied morality, while the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties achieved fame and fortune. The Five Hegemons and Seven Warring States dominated the Spring and Autumn Period, their rise and fall fleeting moments. A few lines of names are etched in history, while countless desolate mounds lie in the Northern Mang Mountains. The predecessors sow the seeds, and the successors reap the harvest; what is there to say about the struggles between dragons and tigers!"
"good…"
After the opening poem was recited, everyone present cheered.
"Although I have heard this opening poem many times, it is still unforgettable every time it is spoken by the Taoist priest."
"Great, great, it feels different every time I listen to it."
Most of the people sitting upstairs are wealthy; wealthy people always like to pretend to be cultured.
"Last time we talked about the Great Wheel King Kumārajīva competing with the eminent monks of Tianlong Temple for the Six Meridians Divine Sword. As a result, Duan Yu saw his uncle, Emperor Baoding Duan Zhengming, being injured by Kumārajīva's Flaming Blade. In desperation, he used the Shaoshang Sword with his right thumb."
"Kumārajīva was immediately alarmed and quickly used the Doro-leaf Finger technique. The powerful finger force tore through the air and flew towards Duan Yu."
"Young Sword".
"Duan Yu raised his right hand, and as he finished speaking, a purple sword aura shot out from his little finger."
"Smack!"
"The sword energy collided with the finger force of the Doro Leaf Finger in mid-air, causing both of them to take a step back."
"Immediately afterwards, Duan Yu used the Shangyang Sword, Zhongchong Sword, Guanchong Sword, and Shaoze Sword again, unleashing all six swords at once. The entire hall was filled with sword energy, and the ground was riddled with craters."
"Kumārajīva was in a panic. He used all six meridians at an extremely fast speed, giving him no chance to counterattack. He could only use his lightness skill to keep dodging."
"But who is Kumārajīva? It would not be an exaggeration to say that he has been through many battles. Seeing that he was about to be defeated, he quickly grabbed the monk next to him and shielded him in front of him."
"Duan Yu immediately stopped attacking, but the Six Meridians Divine Sword was not an ordinary martial art. It was a divine skill. Although he had learned the Six Meridians Divine Sword by chance, he could not control it skillfully. He had only used it in a moment of desperation. Now that he suddenly stopped, he was immediately attacked by the divine skill and collapsed, spitting out blood."
"Kumārajīva was quick-witted and grabbed Duan Yu. He immediately pinched Duan Yu's neck with his right hand and pressed several vital points on his body with his left hand."
"Kumārajīva's purpose in coming here is for the Six Meridians Divine Sword Manual. The original version has already been destroyed by Master Kurong. Isn't this Duan Yu the ready-made Calamity Sword Manual?"
The Taoist priest spoke with such eloquence and vividness that everyone present felt as if they were there, quickly becoming immersed in the story.
Half an hour later.
"Wang Yuyan was tall and slender, her figure like a graceful curve, her posture dignified and elegant. Her skin was as white as snow, as smooth as jade, radiating a captivating glow. Her eyebrows were like crescent moons, slender and long, slightly curved, outlining a perfect arc. Her eyes were crystal clear, bright and spirited, like two stars twinkling, revealing wisdom and agility, making it difficult for anyone to extricate themselves from their gaze."
"With just one glance, Duan Yu was completely mesmerized. He couldn't help but recall the white jade statue in front of the jade wall at the foot of Wuliang Mountain, and for a moment he couldn't help but exclaim, 'Fairy Sister!'"
"Smack..."
To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next episode.
Just as everyone was lost in their fantasies about Wang Yuyan's appearance, the Taoist priest struck the wooden tablet, ending the day's story.
"bite…"
"bite…"
The familiar system voice kept ringing out; the Taoist priest was none other than Li Daoyi.
"Oh, how come it's gone?"
"Master, I'll give you money, I'll give you silver, please tell me a little longer."
"Yes, Taoist priest, ten taels of silver."
"I'll offer fifty taels."
Immediately, a chorus of shouts erupted as people begged Li Daoyi to tell another story.
"That's all for today. Rules must be followed. I'll be back in three days. Thank you all for coming." Li Daoyi stood up, cupped his hands to the people around him, and then left the restaurant accompanied by the restaurant owner.
"Taoist Master, I prepared what you requested a long time ago." As they left the restaurant, the owner waved to someone on the side.
A young waiter led Li Daoyi's blue ox over, which pulled a cart loaded with all sorts of things: food, drinks, silks and satins—a dazzling array of goods.
"Thank you." Li Daoyi stepped forward and gently patted Niu Er's head.
"See you next time, boss. See you next time, everyone." Li Daoyi said to the people around him, then lightly jumped onto the ox's back, and the two of them pulled the cart toward the city gate.
Watching his departing figure, everyone couldn't help but sigh.
"I really don't know what the Taoist priest was thinking. Why wouldn't he make money when he has the chance?"
"You idiot, do you think everyone is like you, only caring about money? The Taoist priest isn't an ordinary person, he's a master." Someone retorted.
"What kind of expert is he? He's just a storyteller."
“I’m so ignorant. Let me tell you, a few days ago, a child fell into the canal. At that time, the Taoist priest happened to be passing by on his green ox. He leaped into the river without touching the water and rescued the child from mid-air.” Someone recounted what they had seen.
"Hiss... Could it be that the Taoist priest is also a grandmaster? Does Yangzhou City have a new grandmaster besides Master Shilong?"
People immediately began to discuss it. Ever since this mysterious Taoist priest came to Yuxianlou to tell stories half a month ago, people have been very curious about his identity. Some people tried to follow him, but after leaving the city, he disappeared without a trace.
The oxcart moved slowly down the street, and people would greet Li Daoyi from time to time. Many people recognized him, but the main reason was that the blue ox was so imposing that it was hard not to notice him.
"Taoist priest, these are freshly made candied hawthorns, would you like a skewer?" a vendor greeted enthusiastically.
"Put it in my car, I'll take them all."
After saying that, Li Daoyi tossed a five-tael silver ingot to the vendor.
"Oh dear, too much, too much, Taoist priest, you don't need this much," the vendor said hurriedly.
"I'll give you more as a bonus. I'll need more in three days. Don't dawdle, put it in the car quickly," Li Daoyi said with a smile.
"Thank you so much, Taoist priest. Thank you so much, Taoist priest." The vendor thanked him profusely and stuck the pole full of candied hawthorns behind the oxcart.
Soon, the man and the ox leisurely walked out of the city gate. The soldiers guarding the gate looked at Li Daoyi's back with reverence, as they dared not provoke the Taoist.
In a deserted place, the oxcart vanished instantly and reappeared ten miles away at the shore of a lake. The lake was not large, only a hundred acres or so. There was a courtyard by the lake, which, although small, was very elegant. It was built by Li Daoyi using his supernatural powers.
The oxcart slowly made its way to the door.
"Alas…"
The gate opened instantly, followed by a cute cheer as the little guy flew out joyfully and jumped into the oxcart.
"Wow, candied hawthorns!" The little guy's eyes lit up when he saw the candied hawthorns.
At this moment, two figures, one in red and one in white, emerged—it was Dongfang Bubai and Xiaolongnu.
"You're back!"
"Yes, I bought some silk for you. See if you like it."
“You know, I only like red, and Sister Long only likes white.” Dongfang Bubai flipped through his fingers, then frowned.
“Life should be colorful; you should try new things,” Li Daoyi disagreed.
"You're so good at talking." Dongfang Bubai immediately rolled her eyes at him.
"Sister Dragon, come quick! The candied hawthorns are so sweet!" Mengmeng called out happily to Little Dragon Girl, her mouth full of syrup.
"I can make candied hawthorns too. Grandma Sun used to make them for me with honey when I was little," said Xiaolongnu, taking the candied hawthorn from Mengmeng and tasting it.
"Oh, really? I want it, I want to eat it!" Mengmeng immediately exclaimed.
The group then happily took their things and returned to the courtyard.
"Brother, have some tea." In the center of the courtyard, Li Daoyi lay on a chair, feeling that storytelling was more tiring than practicing martial arts.
Thanks.
Li Daoyi's storytelling at the tavern was also an accident. This world is the world of Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty. It is currently the sixth year of the Daye era, and there are still many years before the start of the story. Li Daoyi originally hoped to travel to the Northern Song Dynasty. He greatly admired Qiao Feng and wanted to change his fate. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned, and he came to the Sui Dynasty.
So he went to Yuxianlou and discussed it with the owner. He started telling the story of Tian Long Ba Bu there. Unexpectedly, he got a reward. After the first day, he got 5,000 points. The next few times, there were more people and he got more points.
Since he had nothing else to do, he would go into the city every three days to tell stories to the people and earn some points along the way.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com