[Fantasy] Clouds Dance and Moon Rises (Complete) - 19-21

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

019

"What good will it do you if Western Xia suffers a defeat?"

"Within Western Xia, there are many stubborn and incorrigible individuals who are determined to be irreconcilably opposed to the Song Dynasty. Such people are an obstacle to peace between the two countries and must be eliminated."

"Aren't you afraid that Western Xia will suffer a crushing defeat and be wiped out by the Song Dynasty?"

"If that's the case, then it's only because Western Xia's fate has run its course. If Heaven still favors them, Western Xia will escape this time. But after their strength is further weakened, they will only have the power to protect themselves and will no longer have the resources to invade the Song Dynasty. In this way, those stubborn people will see the difference in strength and will obediently accept reality."

"You... are truly a madman."

"You flatter me, Grand Commandant."

"You came here only for this matter?"

"There is another matter, which is related to the upcoming great battle, and it requires the Grand Commandant's help. Does the Grand Commandant know Sun Erniang?"

"Of course I know her, she's just a bandit."

"If she were just an ordinary bandit, would Empress Dowager Liang of Western Xia have personally ordered me to enter Song territory to find her?"

"Oh? Is that so?"

Zhe Keshi's expression changed for the first time.

"Does the Grand Commandant know about the arms robbery three years ago?"

"Of course I know."

"It was done by this Sun Erniang."

"Daring to rob and kill government soldiers, this Sun Erniang is truly no ordinary bandit. Could she be plotting a rebellion? She is a remnant of Maitreya, so a rebellion wouldn't be surprising."

"And this batch of stolen military equipment was originally intended for Western Xia!"

These words were like a thunderclap, and Zhe Keshi's expression finally became serious. Only after hearing Tang Yun finish speaking did he breathe a sigh of relief.

"So, there must be spies within our Great Song Dynasty colluding with Western Xia, perhaps even those old clique members!" "

This batch of weapons was originally intended for Liang Yibu's rebellion, and after his death, Empress Dowager Liang also coveted them.

After the crushing defeat of Pingxia, they've brought it up again. What's so special about these weapons? Could they possibly be capable of defeating thousands of troops?

Could they help Western Xia turn the tide?"

"Those weapons are the Tiger-Breaking Cannon and the Divine Strength Bow, practically the last batch. Production has ceased due to material scarcity."

"So these are the powerful weapons! Grand Commandant Hongdezhai defeated the enemy with these very weapons. Could Western Xia intend to use them against our government troops?"

"Impossible. These two items are incredibly powerful, capable of surprise attacks and achieving a decisive victory. However, once the enemy is prepared, they won't cause a ripple in a large-scale battle. Their greatest use isn't killing enemy soldiers, but rather instilling fear and chaos. If the enemy isn't in disarray, even a thousand of them are useless."

"Could Western Xia be trying to replicate them?"

"Even our Great Song Dynasty can't do this now, so what merit or ability does the Western Xia have to do it?"

"Regardless, Empress Dowager Liang sent me to find Sun Erniang, undoubtedly for this batch of weapons. Whatever her true intentions, this matter must hold a significant place in her plan. When Sun Erniang fled, she was pursued by a patrol inspector from Hedong named He Guan. I don't know what happened to him afterward, but I suppose he wasn't captured."

"He Guan? He was the one who captured Su Yanfu, yet Sun Erniang also fell into his hands."

"That He Guan is truly formidable; his archery skills are truly remarkable."

"His archery skills are arguably the best in the Great Song Dynasty. You escaped with your life from him; it's a stroke of luck. However, this matter is indeed strange. I will send a letter to He Guan to inquire about this matter, but you will have no chance to know the answer."

"This humble general understands. Sun Erniang was originally a subordinate of Su Yanfu, a notorious bandit from Hedong. In that case, she must have some old acquaintances in Hedong . Many of the bandits in Hedong worship Hong Niangzi. This humble general has many dealings with Hong Niangzi's followers, and they will naturally gather information for this humble

general." "You really shouldn't have told me this."

"It's alright to say it. Does the Grand Commandant not care about the relationship between Hong Niangzi and the Grand Commandant's clan?"

Seeing Zhe Keshi's expression change again, Tang Yun thought to himself, "Just as I thought."

"A scholar should be viewed with new eyes after three days' absence. It seems I have indeed underestimated you. So, do I really have to tell you the contents of my reply?"

"I was just about to trouble you, Grand Commandant, for a few days. Han Yue, a disciple of Hong Niangzi, is a close friend of mine. My smooth journey from Hedong to Weizhou was thanks to his excellent travel permit. We had already agreed to spend the New Year together in Hedong. If I cannot return in time, I fear some unpleasant rumors will spread. As far as I know, the eunuch Liang Congzheng from Bianjing is still in Hedong. If he learns of these rumors, it might cause some inconvenience for you, Grand Commandant."

"Han Yue..."

Zhe Keshi murmured the name, a subtle expression flashing across his face, but it did not escape Tang Yun's notice.

"Grand Commandant, have you heard of this person?"

Tang Yun asked calmly, as if asking a trivial matter.

"No."

Zhe Keshi seemed to hesitate for a moment before giving the answer Tang Yun expected.

Zhe Keshi couldn't possibly have heard of the name Han Yue. Han Yue, in the bandit world of Hedong, used the alias Ma Liang.

Ma Liang, a disciple of Hong Niangzi, was already quite famous in the bandit world, but no one knew his real name was Han Yue. Even if he recognized Han Jiu on the grasslands, most of the bandits wouldn't know the truth, especially since Han Yue had already concealed it.

He deliberately revealed Han Yue's real name; if Zhe Keshi investigated, he wouldn't find this person. At that point, Zhe Keshi would think he was using a false name, and in this interplay of truth and falsehood, he would become even more convinced that he was deliberately creating a mystery, and that this person named "Han Yue" truly existed, just under a different name.

His strange expression just now further proved that he knew the inside story of Hong Niangzi's organization, which was why he was curious about the unfamiliar name "Han Yue." However, he disdained playing such tricks with Tang Yun, speaking frankly and displaying extraordinary confidence and composure.

Tang Yun was certain that Zhe Keshi had tried to kill him at least twice just now; the murderous intent he exuded was definitely not feigned. He was even certain that Zhe Keshi still wanted to kill him, this "traitor" of the Song Dynasty, without a shred of pity. Therefore, he had to use some means to save his life. Although this method might not work, Tang Yun had no choice but to gamble. It could be said that he had gambled his entire life like this. For someone like Zhe Keshi, manipulating things required a delicate balance, otherwise it could backfire.

He strongly doubted whether Sun Erniang had truly escaped. In such a vast world, how could she remain completely hidden without a trace? Unless he asked the key figure, He Guan, who could be praised as "the number one archer of the Song Dynasty" by a martial arts master like Zhe Keshi, and whose archery skills he himself had personally witnessed, it was clear that this person was no ordinary individual.

Now, with the court determined to expand its borders and the west engulfed in war, it wouldn't be difficult for such a talent to gain fame and fortune on the battlefield. Logically, he should have already distinguished himself. How could he still be a minor inspector, relegated to Hedong?

It was hard to imagine that someone with such unparalleled skills was unambitious.

If he truly harbored ambitions, yet willingly chose to remain in the remote and desolate Hedong region, there was only one explanation: Hedong held a far greater allure than conquering Western Xia for fame and fortune.

But this was merely speculation…

he simply couldn't understand it…

These thoughts raced through Tang Yun's mind in the blink of an eye. However, he was unaware that Zhe Keshi, opposite him, maintained a composed expression, but upon hearing the name "Han Yue," he showed only surprise.

He had heard of this name before.

Three years ago, he received a secret letter from Zhang Jie, who was far away in Guangzhou. The letter mentioned this name. It was said that the person was someone personally ordered to be arrested by the current Prime Minister Zhang Dun, and it seemed to involve some palace secrets, so the details were vague. Zhang Jie and Zhang Dun were relatives and allies, both hardliners. Zhang Dun considered him a confidant, so naturally he served Zhang Dun and wrote to him specifically to keep an eye on him. He was also specifically reminded not to act rashly if discovered, but to report to the Prime Minister's office in Bianjing immediately and wait for someone from the Prime Minister's office to deal with it.

Even he, as a general of the court, might not have received a second glance from the current Prime Minister. But this Han Yue, a Taoist priest from the common people, was someone the Prime Minister wanted to get. Zhang Jie, far away in Guangzhou, was worried about this matter and wrote to him specifically, which showed that Han Yue was indeed involved in a

very important and sensitive matter!

At that time, he was stationed in Lanzhou and had also investigated carefully, but to no avail, and had gradually forgotten about the matter.

Unexpectedly, three years later, I heard about this from Tang Yun.

Is this "Han Yue" the same "Han Yue"?

Who exactly is this person? What did he do? If it really involves privacy issues that I'm not qualified to touch, would it be inappropriate for me to act rashly?

It seems I really will have to "bother" Tang Yun for a few more days.

Not long after Tang Yun left, a carrier pigeon flew away from the mansion, heading straight for Weizhou...

The first day of the first month of the first year of the Yuanfu era of the Song Dynasty, Huoshan Army in Hedong Road.

Huoshan Army was a well-known place among the military prefectures of the Song Dynasty. Although it was not large in area and had a small population, it was located in a strategic location on the border of Hedong. The people were extremely fierce, and the terrain was mostly steep mountains, with many dangerous points, making it very easy to defend. Therefore, the Song army had always stationed a large number of troops here. During the Five Dynasties and early Song Dynasty, this place was a place that had been ravaged by war for a long time. The famous Yang family generals rose to prominence here.

Within the territory of the Volcano Army, besides the military town, there were also large fortified villages such as Henggu Village, Xiongyong Village, and Dongjia Village, all important strongholds of the Song army and settlements of border residents. Two consecutive days of heavy snow had blanketed the world in silver. It was the New Year festival, and even in this border region, lanterns and decorations were everywhere, creating a festive atmosphere, with laughter and joy filling every household.

Even the government offices were closed, and the officials had gone home for the holiday.

South of Henggu Village, in the valley between the County River and Zhujia River, many villages were scattered. Located near the river, irrigation was easy, and this area was also one of the few remaining flat areas. Over 70% of the arable land within the Volcano Army's territory was concentrated here. This land belonged to a few large families in the town, and the farmers were mostly tenants.

These tenants were mostly farmhands and farmhands, and many wore vests embroidered with their landlord's name.

Beyond the south bank of Zhujia River, heading east along the river, behind a small grove, lay a village. After the heavy snow, the manor became even less noticeable, seemingly buried in snowdrifts. However, the manor thronged in and out, each wearing a uniform embroidered with the character "He."

In the Volcano Army territory, only He Guan held such power. This was one of his manors. But this manor differed from others; among the servants were many burly men, some with intimidating scars on their faces. There was also an archer's guild within the manor, and those entering and leaving mostly carried weapons, resembling an archery club, though it wasn't registered with the government. This place belonged to He Guan

, a high-ranking general in the imperial army, so the government couldn't investigate closely. Moreover, it was an open secret for border generals to maintain private armies; the Zhe family was a prime example, with thousands of private troops, tacitly approved by the court. Therefore, local officials and censors had no interest in such matters. Over time, this place became a semi-military fortress, with watchtowers on the walls and guards armed with guns and clubs standing watch, gazing at the distant snowfield.

Five miles away, on a hilltop, Han Yue slowly climbed, his footsteps crunching through the snow, looking at the indistinct village.

He wore a white fur coat and a leather hat. A bundle wrapped around his back carried a simple broadsword. Behind him were more than twenty burly men, armed with bows, crossbows, and swords. These were the best men handpicked by Hong Niangzi, each exceptionally skilled in martial arts, fierce and fearless, some even deserters skilled in archery. Beside him was Li Gui, one of Hong Niangzi's generals, nicknamed "Winged Tiger" in the martial arts world.

"Is that village the government's prison?"

Han Yue frowned, looking at the village. It was too far away to see clearly, separated by a grove of trees. However, it was clear that the village's location was unique and strategically advantageous. If it were a military stronghold, it would be easy to defend and difficult to attack. Clearly, the owner of the manor was no ordinary person, but this also meant that this trip wouldn't be easy; it wasn't just a simple banditry.

"Indeed, this is the manor of that corrupt official He Guan

. He's always used it as a private prison for all sorts of shady dealings." Han Yue's expression grew even uglier. He had suffered at He Guan's hands before and knew how formidable the man was. He Guan was a powerful figure in the Hedong army, a local tyrant. He never expected that they would come to rob his manor today. He wondered what Hong Niangzi was up to, why she would provoke this devil for no reason.

"A private prison? He's an official, he has his own official prison, why would he set up a private dungeon? Aren't they afraid of being investigated by the authorities?"

"He's the local tyrant, who dares to investigate him? He set up this prison to do some shady things. Do you think his hands are clean?" "

Then Sun Erniang is imprisoned here?"

"Exactly."

Han Yue was quite puzzled. No one knew about his relationship with Sun Erniang. Han Jiu had already been silenced by him, so Song Jiang and the others probably didn't know. Although the Maitreya Sect was also a branch of the Green Forest, they had done something as rebellious as raising a flag to rebel, unlike ordinary bandits. Ordinary Jianghu people didn't want to provoke them, fearing they would get into trouble.

Although they knew he was a Han Chinese from Liao, no one knew his true identity. It was common for Green Forest people to have different identities, so no one cared about this matter. He had never used the martial arts of the Maitreya Sect. The only ones who knew his background were Zhang Huaisu and Sun Erniang. Zhang Huaisu, that sorcerer, is still working as a charlatan in Bianjing; we've lost contact in recent years.

The worrying one is Tang Yun. I wonder if Han Jiu, when he was a bandit under him, mentioned this matter to him. But judging from his later words and actions, it doesn't seem likely.

This man, however, has no connection with Sun Erniang, yet he asked me to inquire for him. If he knew about my relationship with Sun Erniang, why would he be so roundabout? Moreover, he seems to have urgent business with this person, yet he's unwilling to speak openly. What connection could a bandit leader who roams between Western Xia and Liao, and a female bandit from the Song Dynasty have?

Could it be a feud in the martial arts world?

Thinking back, my first meeting with Sun Erniang was five years ago. Later, I went to the Song Dynasty capital, stayed there for a while, and got involved in my affair with Consort Liu. That painting of mine was also from three years ago. At that time, I was a lone wanderer, a carefree rogue, thinking little, and driven by greed, I did that. Looking back now, it's truly terrifying. Who was Consort Liu? The favored concubine of the Song Emperor, having an affair and keeping a lover. If such a thing were exposed, countless heads would roll.

Moreover, I heard that the Song Emperor recently deposed the Empress, and most likely intends to make Consort Liu the new Empress. Once she becomes Empress, if my erotic painting depicting her adultery were to circulate, and the Song Emperor's new Empress were revealed to be a shameless, adulterous, and depraved woman, the entire Song court would be thrown into chaos…

I myself had an affair with Xiao Yanliu's concubine, which resulted in the downfall of my entire family. I made the same mistake twice. I really don't know what I was thinking back then.

And then there's Sun Erniang. Since we parted ways in Shaanxi three years ago, I haven't had any contact with her. I have no idea what she's been doing all these years. I suspected she might have connections with the Western Xia, but too much time has passed, and it's none of my business now. How can I find out now? I wonder what happened to her painting?

Now she has fallen into the hands of the authorities, but who knows if this matter has been leaked?

Furthermore, she didn't know if her identity had been leaked. Sun Erniang was a notorious bandit wanted by the Song Dynasty government, with countless lives on her hands. She was also a remnant of the Maitreya Sect and had robbed military convoys, a crime punishable by rebellion.

If caught, she would inevitably face the wrath of the authorities. If she couldn't withstand the torture and confessed her involvement, it would be a disaster. She had finally managed to settle down here; was she really going to be a fugitive again?

After much thought, she was fortunate to have come; she had to rescue Sun Erniang and find out the truth.

"Just who is this Sun Erniang? Why do we have to go to such lengths to rescue her?" "

This Sun Erniang is a formidable woman, a heroine. She was the one who robbed the military convoys in Chang'an back then. Hong Niangzi respected her as an extraordinary woman and had some past ties with her. They were both from the same bandit group, so since she knew she was in trouble, there was no reason not to help her."

Li Gui's words sounded convincing, but Han Yue didn't believe him at all. You, Hong Niangzi, aren't some vegetarian monk; it's not your place to save all living beings. We're not even related; why would you give away such a huge favor for nothing?

As far as he knew, Sun Erniang bore two deadly burdens: the stolen military rations and that erotic painting that would condemn countless people to eternal damnation.

Could it be… related to this?

But he didn't dare ask further, simply turning away and retreating to the bottom of the slope.

He wasn't stupid; this all happened too suddenly. He'd never heard of it before, and suddenly they said they were coming to rescue people. He suspected something fishy was going on, but Hong Niangzi's orders were absolute…

Night fell, inside the manor.

The manors of wealthy landowners in Hedong, like those in Shaanxi, functioned as military fortresses, with deep moats, high walls, and fortified ramparts. The manors housed archers and able-bodied men, who were usually tenants, but would serve as local militia if bandits came to raid their fields. If conscripted by the government army, they were forced to serve in the military, so most of the local villagers were skilled in martial arts and had a basic understanding of military affairs.

There were many sentry posts in key areas of the village, and numerous underground cellars and secret passages.

One small courtyard within the village was off-limits to unauthorized personnel. This was a forbidden area, guarded by ruthless men; even ordinary villagers dared not venture here, for the village head, He Guan, had strictly ordered that anyone who trespassed would be beaten to death according to family law. Some speculated that it might be a cellar or storeroom containing gold and silver, but no one dared to verify this guess.

Beneath the main house in the courtyard, through a passage nearly four zhang long, lay a large and hidden dungeon. However, there was no gold or silver inside. Candles were lit, and the room was dimly lit, but the shadows cast on the walls revealed the outlines of male and female bodies, intertwined, swaying violently in a wave of lust.

The woman's painful moans and the man's excited panting mingled, creating a decadent atmosphere.

A strong, naked man, his sweat glistening in the candlelight, radiating heat like a panting, rutting beast, straddled the woman's legs.

His hands gripped her waist, thrusting wildly, showing no mercy, only seeking pleasure. His thick, engorged penis brutally filled her dry, fleshy opening, tearing and ravaging the delicate membranes within. His dark, foul-smelling testicles swayed with his movements.

The woman, bound hand-to-hand with thick rope, stood with disheveled hair and limbs spread wide, utterly defenseless against the man's assault.

Her beautiful face and hair were covered in foul-smelling semen and urine, her body reeking of stench. Completely naked, her beautiful skin was covered in bite marks and pinch marks, her delicate inner thighs swollen and bruised, her wrists raw from the rope, and her ankles bearing horrific scars—her Achilles tendons appeared to have been severed. Blood seeped from her genitals, clearly indicating she had been violated countless times by countless men. The white, blood-streaked fluid smeared her pubic hair, and her labia were an unnaturally dark red and swollen from excessive intercourse, seemingly severely inflamed.

The man's strong body violently pounded into her painful areas; the squeezing and friction of flesh against flesh ignited both pain and pleasure, his panting breaths filled with excitement and bestial lust.

His sweaty hands pinched her nipples, kneading her buttocks and waist. Because she was standing with her arms suspended by ropes, her body was in a position where the man forcefully held her legs, suspending her in the air, and thrusting into her from below. Her entire weight rested on the ropes around her wrists, causing her skin to tear and bleed. The man's violent movements, each shake of her body, made the weight fall even harder, intensifying her gasps and moans of pain.

The man's flesh pressed against hers, making her want to vomit, but she couldn't. The man's penis forcefully penetrated her lower body, fully accommodating her and reaching her deepest point, pressing them intimately together. Sometimes, he would thrust all the way in without withdrawing, merely twisting his hips and churning inside her—a complete insult and shame.

The woman tried to spit at him, but the man gripped her chin, distorting her mouth, and laughed lewdly as he excitedly raped her, savagely thrusting in amidst the squeezing and constricting of their bodies.

"You filthy bitch, today you'll learn how powerful your grandpa is. Tell me, how does my balls taste!"

"You dog... you damn dog..."

"Haha, grandpa is a damn dog, a damn dog, am I straight or not? Am I straight enough to make you feel good?"

The man moved even more violently, the woman's body swaying incessantly. Soon, the man forcefully gripped the woman's buttocks, pushing hard to the deepest point, his face showing the swelling lust within him reaching its peak, followed by a trembling and explosive release of extreme pleasure.

The woman was like a piece of wood, numbly letting the man ejaculate into her body.

After the man finished venting, he breathed heavily for a while, then finally released her body. The woman's Achilles tendons were severed, and she could only drag herself helplessly. Being bound and suspended in this position for a long time had also caused many tendons in her arms and shoulders to be strained and torn, making her basically a cripple. Her legs, which had just been ravaged by the lustful hands, were spread apart, and cooled semen flowed down her thighs.

"Considering you're also a fellow outlaw, I'll spare you some suffering if you just tell the truth."

"Hmph, hahaha..."

The woman was like a disheveled madwoman, "If I tell the truth, you'll just rape me to death. My body is good, isn't it? Use it all you want, just don't expect me to utter a single word!"

"You filthy bitch, you think I don't want to kill you! If it weren't for the master's orders... I'll give you a piece of advice: if the master asks you anything, you'll answer; otherwise, I'll make you suffer all the cruelest tortures in the world..."

Before she finished speaking, another man entered the cell, even stronger than the first, with a face full of scars, carrying a broadsword and a shield. He placed the sword and shield at the door and loosened his belt as he walked.

"He Er, when you're done, go out. It's your turn to go on patrol!"

The man pinched the woman's cheek with lingering pleasure, spat, chuckled lewdly, and walked towards the door to take the sword and shield. The newcomer unzipped his pants, revealing his naked genitals, his penis erect and throbbing. Looking at the woman's pitiful state, he frowned, grabbed a wooden bucket of water from the corner, and prepared to wash her—he didn't want to drink someone else's dirty water.

Just as he bent down, he heard a loud crash behind him. Startled, he turned and hid to the side. He saw He Er tumble in headfirst, sprawled on his back, blood gushing from his chest, barely breathing. Immediately afterward, a man rushed in from outside, wielding a long knife and slashing at He Er's head, splitting it in two.

The man was terrified. Seeing the newcomer dressed in black, his face covered with a black cloth, and wielding a broadsword, he was instantly scared out of his wits. He screamed at the top of his lungs

, "Thief! Thief!"

while trying to fight back. But he was unarmed and naked from the waist down, utterly pathetic. The newcomer severed her arm with a single stroke, then cleaved her in two at the waist, hot entrails and blood splattering everywhere. The woman stared in astonishment at the scene before her, at a loss for what to do.

"Senior Sister, it's me!"

The masked man ripped off his veil, revealing himself to be Han Yue. The woman was none other than Sun Erniang, who stared at Han Yue in disbelief, wondering if he had fallen from the sky.

"You…"

"Senior Sister, this is not the time to speak!"

Han Yue swung her sword, severing the rope, and Sun Erniang fell from mid-air. Han Yue quickly went to help her up, but found that Sun Erniang could no longer walk, so she carried her out of the dungeon.

Outside, she found the village in complete chaos. Villagers and militiamen carrying torches and lanterns were running around like headless flies, shouting everywhere,

"Catch the thief! Catch the thief!"

"Don't let the thief escape!"

From the shadows, countless men in black seemed to be darting around with weapons, attacking anyone they saw. The villagers were also armed with knives and spears, hacking at anyone they encountered. The scene was extremely chaotic. Some people were firing rockets indiscriminately, and a fire had already broken out. The firelight reflected the glint of swords and the clash of blades, and many dead and wounded lay scattered on the ground.

Han Yue, carrying Sun Erniang, dodged left and right, her single sword flashing like lightning, forcing back several people and managing to reach the wall.

A servant swung his staff at him, but he sliced the servant in two with a single stroke, then beheaded him with another. Seeing his ferocity, the others dared not approach, only shouting for arrows. Taking advantage of the situation, Tang Yun leaped onto the wall, yelled "

Take it!" and jumped down first, then ran for his life. Immediately afterward, figures rushed out of the manor, all heading towards him. Then the manor gates swung open, and a dense crowd emerged under countless torches. Han Yue reached the woods, where several men led out horses, only to find several corpses on the ground—presumably the manor's hidden sentries, now dead.

"Quick! They're coming!"

Han Yue only managed to say this before a terrifying gust of wind swept in, and with a crack, a powerful arrow flew from nowhere, piercing a two-foot-thick tree trunk and striking a man in the neck with unbelievable force and accuracy, killing him instantly.

Han Yue was all too familiar with this kind of archery.

"He Guan! He Guan is here!"

A group of people could be seen approaching rapidly from the southeast, led by a knight, none other than He Guan.

He roared repeatedly, shouting, "Who dares to come and cause trouble?" His great bow, capable of striking with deadly speed, fired arrows in rapid succession. One after another, the fleeing men in black were shot down, while the rest, disregarding the darkness, shouted for them to run. Those who were supposed to provide backup also abandoned their duties, each mounting their horses and fleeing. Those behind suffered greatly; the lucky ones managed to grab horses and escape, while the unlucky ones either fell to He Guan's arrows or were overwhelmed by the pursuers.

Han Yue, carrying Sun Erniang, mounted her horse and fired another arrow. Sparks flew as the arrow penetrated deep into the rock. Looking back, He Guan's silhouette was at least three hundred paces away. Such power from such a distance was remarkable; it was only because of the darkness that his aim faltered, otherwise, the arrow would have pierced both of them.

He dared not slacken, galloping wildly, and finally managed to shake off his pursuers under the cover of darkness. He Guan probably didn't know who to chase in the dark, and in any case, he didn't pursue them.

Reaching a fork in the mountain, he dismounted and stabbed his horse in the rump. The horse neighed in pain and charged down a path. Han Yue, holding Sun Erniang, leaped forward with all his might, covering more than two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) in a single bound. He

touched the rocks with his toes, then leaped again, repeating this several times, covering more than ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) before finally collapsing from exhaustion and landing heavily on his backside. They were now in a grove of trees. Han Yue caught his breath and leaned against a tree, looking outside.

He was originally a horse tracker, so this kind of tracking and reconnaissance technique was second nature to him. Sun Erniang, on the other hand, was a seasoned bandit, even more adept at it. If there were pursuers, they would only run in the direction of the horses. Han Yue used leaping techniques to move, precisely to avoid leaving too many tracks in the snow.

After waiting for an hour without anyone coming, Han Yue finally relaxed.

If she didn't come now, it meant no one else would.

Turning to look at Sun Erniang, he saw her disheveled hair obscuring her

face, looking like she was barely clinging to life. She was a far cry from the charming and spirited woman he had seen before; clearly, she had suffered greatly in the dungeon. He went over and helped her up, but his hand was covered in blood. Looking closer, he saw a gash under her ribs, blood seeping out. Most likely, she had been grazed by someone in the thicket of knives when she broke out.

As he hurriedly covered it, Sun Erniang looked at him, seemingly regaining her strength. Han Yue didn't know if this was a final burst of energy before death, but the injury was certainly severe.

"How did you get here?"

Sun Erniang asked, her breath coming in short gasps.

"Senior Sister, have you heard of the Red Maiden of Hedong? I've been a disciple of hers for the past two years. How did you end up in such a predicament?"

"You came to rescue me, could it be that the Red Maiden wants me?"

"To be honest, Senior Sister, I truly don't know the Red Maiden's intentions. I'm afraid it's not for the sake of chivalry."

"Hmph, chivalrous people… hmph, what chivalry! They're just like that corrupt official He Guan! I've been in this predicament for over a year, and that corrupt official He Guan has only imprisoned me here privately, without taking me to the government hall. He has his own plans. You came to rescue me, could it also be for the Red Maiden's sake?"

"Senior Sister, you misunderstand. The Red Maiden doesn't know about our relationship. I only heard about your predicament a few days ago."

"I've seen through it all. In this world, everything is bullshit! This Red Maiden is trying to bribe me, I'm afraid she's just in cahoots with that corrupt official."

"What Senior Sister is saying is perhaps…"

"You know, of course. The case that Chang'an Prefecture committed back then—that batch of military supplies! That corrupt official He Guan only wanted that. Last year, I was captured after a mishap, and that corrupt official interrogated me day and night about the whereabouts of those military supplies, yet he wouldn't openly escort me to the government to claim credit and rewards. It's clear he has a guilty conscience. I know that if I reveal the truth, I will be silenced, so I've kept quiet until now. I don't know what this Red Maiden is planning, but nine times out of ten, she's also after that batch of military supplies."

"Elder sister, back then, that painting… could it have been for the Western Xia?"

"What, are you afraid He Guan is after that painting?"

Sun Erniang looked at him with a cold smile.

"Is that so?"

Han Yue thought to herself, if you knew what that painting really meant, you'd probably be scared to death right away.

"Don't worry, no one knows about that painting. It was indeed sought after by the Western Xia's Yipintang. I've kept this strictly secret, so no one knows. He Guan, that scoundrel, doesn't know anything about it."

"How did you get captured by the authorities, elder sister?"

"Back when I was trading with Western Xia, things took a turn for the worse. I intended to kill the Western Xia messengers, but I was caught off guard and ambushed by government troops. The leader was He Guan. Su Yanfu was one of his victims. I showed myself to him then, and you were there too."

"I remember, it was the time we first met. I almost died from his arrows. So, there must be Song soldiers spies within Yipintang, otherwise, how could they have gotten involved so conveniently?"

"Yes, I ran away back then, but who knew that guy had so much influence on the border, with spies everywhere, relentlessly pursuing me. I hid for two years, but I still couldn't escape. Sigh, if it weren't for those Western Xia dogs, I wouldn't have had to expose myself before the King of Hell. That Tang Yun truly deserves to die!"

"Tang Yun?"

Han Yue's heart skipped a beat.

"Tang Yun is the Western Xia First-Rank Hall envoy who led the team."

"Is he the notorious Liao bandit, Sand Hawk Tang Yun?"

"What Liao bandit? That's just an identity he has. He was originally a government soldier, serving under Zhe Keshi. Later, his unauthorized return to Yi was discovered, and he fled to Western Xia, becoming a traitor! He's an official of the Western Xia First-Rank Hall, the head of spies specializing in gathering military intelligence for Western Xia. I originally wanted to kill him... You know Tang Yun?"

"Brother, I do know Tang Yun. We met on the grasslands a month ago. He even asked me about my senior sister."

"What did you say to him?"

"I just told the truth, I didn't know."

"That batch of military supplies was originally intended for Western Xia, it seems he hasn't given up yet." Sun Erniang suddenly seemed to remember something, noticing Han Yue's strange gaze, and then asked out of the blue, "What do you think of Tang Yun?"

Han Yue was confused; you just called him a traitor, and now you're asking me.

"I hit it off with him at first sight."

"Hahahaha...hit it off at first sight, hit it off at first sight, that's how it should be..."

Sun Erniang laughed inexplicably, aggravating her wounds and coughing painfully.

"What do you mean, Senior Sister?"

"What do you intend to do with me?"

Sun Erniang didn't answer him, but asked instead.

"If Hong Niangzi really has ill intentions towards Senior Sister, I certainly can't sit idly by."

Han Yue spoke righteously, but in reality, he hadn't said anything definitive.

"Do you want to let me go?"

"Can Senior Sister go on her own?"

"If I leave, how will you explain it when you go back?"

Han Yue remained silent.

"It's all for that batch of military supplies anyway, so I'll give it to you. Whether you give it to Hong Niangzi or Tang Yun, you'll be well-off, and it won't be in vain that we're fellow disciples. I'm already badly injured, my time is up, give me a quick death."

"Senior Sister, why do you say that! Hong Niangzi..."

"If I don't die, will you have a good life back home? Staying here, you'll freeze to death! Hong Niangzi will never let me have a good life. Rather than being tortured to death, it's better to end it quickly!"

"Senior Sister... is there anything else you want to say?" "

In my life, I've robbed, murdered, and killed too many people. This is my retribution. I hope I'll be reborn in a peaceful and prosperous world in my next life. Also, don't trust Hong Niangzi too much. That woman is treacherous. Be careful."

"I understand."

"Go find Fang La. I've given him all the clues about that batch of supplies to bury. I have a token; he'll know its authenticity when he sees it." "

And... goodbye Tang Yun. Ask him about his background..."

******************************************* (Separator) Longmen Mountain, Hezhong Prefecture, Shaanxi Province, Song Dynasty.

Snow covered the official road, yet crowds thronged to and fro. This place was north of the Fen River, at the junction of Shaanxi Road and Hedong Road. Merchants and travelers flowed endlessly along the main road. Hezhong Prefecture was a large prefecture, adjacent to Jiangzhou of Hedong Road, with Longmen Mountain serving as the boundary between the two. To the north was Hedong, and to the south was Shaanxi; both were prosperous commercial centers. Due to their proximity, intermarriage between the two places was common, so after the New Year, large-scale visits to relatives began, making this official road bustling.

With so many people came many tasks, and the local government, as usual, dispatched soldiers and archers to patrol the road, setting up checkpoints to inspect refugees.

After the snowfall, the official road was mostly muddy, with little snow left.

Two men and one woman, dressed differently, mingled among the crowd, heading north.

A woman dressed as a Taoist priest, with a cold and aloof air, carried a whisk and a satchel. A man with a gloomy face was dressed as a scholar. The last one was dressed as a merchant.

Tong Guan mingled in the crowd, occasionally glancing at his target.

It was a young man who looked like a fur trader; having spent several years in Hedong, he'd seen many like him. If not specifically pointed out, he probably wouldn't have noticed him passing by.

Three years ago, since missing his chance at Zhuolunchuan, Tong Guan had never had a chance to return to the capital.

He knew that without completing his mission, he couldn't return. If he failed in his lifetime, he might die an old man, never to rise again. Was Liang Congzheng, who came from Bianjing to Hedong as military supervisor, really just a supervisor? Tong Guan's name was on his entourage's list, so Tong Guan knew that this favored official in Consort Liu's court also had a mission to supervise them.

For the past three years, he had no choice but to obediently serve under Liang Congzheng in Hedong, relentlessly searching for Sun Erniang's whereabouts. He hadn't even realized he was fixated on finding her, believing that only by finding Sun Erniang could he find Han Yue, without even considering directly confronting Han Yue.

However, despite his immense efforts, he couldn't find any clues, not even with He Guan's help.

He Guan was a renowned general in Hedong, a true local tyrant, whom Liang Congzheng had deliberately cultivated and won over when he was supervising the army.

He Guan, being quite shrewd, reciprocated by secretly helping, but to no avail. Thinking of this, Tong Guan lamented his own unfortunate fate. With He Guan's abilities, how could Sun Erniang have escaped the surprise attack on Zhuolunchuan? Was it divine intervention?

But heaven rewards the diligent, and his luck finally turned.

He hadn't found Sun Erniang, but the villain Han Yue had reappeared.

It seems life is always full of surprises and unexpected events.

When Liang Congzheng summoned him, he realized his hard times were over. The urgent secret letter came from Weizhou, mainly about a person, a strange name: Tang Yun.

It turned out Heaven hadn't abandoned him after all.

Now, this Tang Yun was swaggering along the road, but they dared not make a move. Although Tong Guan was truly anxious and wanted to capture this guy immediately and force him to reveal Han Yue's whereabouts,

who knew if this guy was the same person?

Before coming, they had already learned something about Tang Yun: formerly a subordinate of Zhe Keshi, a traitor to the Song Dynasty, and now possibly a spy chief for Western Xia. Such a person, aside from anything else, must be incredibly skilled in martial arts. Although the three of them were also confident in their martial arts, they weren't confident they could capture him alive without anyone knowing. In fact, unless they were gods, probably no one could do it.

On this busy official road, under the watchful eyes of everyone, if they started fighting, it would inevitably alarm the local government.

Their mission was one that absolutely could not be revealed, nor could their identities, so they could not possibly use the power of the government. In fact, even if they went to the authorities and revealed their identities, the local officials would absolutely not pay them any attention, and might even arrest them.

What about Cai Jing's retainers? Even if Zhang Dun's retainers came, they would only be household slaves. Add to that a eunuch and a palace maid, who had left the palace without imperial permission and were wandering the streets. If they were caught by the local officials, it would be perfectly reasonable for them to be beaten to death.

The Song Dynasty was not the Han and Tang Dynasties. Eunuchs could not be powerful in the Song Dynasty. This was the world of the scholar-officials. Even an insignificant eighth-rank clerk had passed the imperial examination and was qualified to rule the country with the emperor. As a eunuch slave, it was a blessing if those scholar-officials even gave you a second glance. You wanted to order this person around? What else could it be but courting death?

Therefore, they did not disturb any government officials along the way. They even avoided the lowest-ranking officials, for fear of their identities being exposed.

Even if he didn't say it himself, Liang Congzheng's position as the Grand Marshal of Hedong sounded incredibly prestigious. However, according to Tong Guan's observations, Liang Congzheng's life in Hedong wasn't exactly smooth sailing. The position of military supervisor oversees military officers, not civil officials. Furthermore, the Song Dynasty's ancestral rule was to use civil officials to control the military, and the generals on the Hedong border were mostly local warlords. If they had to choose sides, they would inevitably choose civil officials. Moreover,

the commander of Hedong was Lü Huiqing, a renowned minister of the Xining era—a super-powerful figure with a prestigious position, having served in the Council of State. Under Lü Huiqing's watchful eye, Liang Congzheng dared not abuse his power.

Although Lü Huiqing was a controversial and power-hungry man, he was also proud of his scholar-official status and held eunuchs in utter contempt. He found Liang Congzheng, this eunuch servant, an eyesore in Hedong and would summon him every few days to give him a severe dressing-down. Liang Congzheng, in turn, dared not utter a word in front of Lü Huiqing, nor dared to utter a single utterance regarding the military and political affairs of Hedong. He lived in constant fear, his heart pounding whenever Lü Huiqing summoned him, terrified that this cunning old fox might one day dislike him and impeach him, condemning him to eternal damnation.

Therefore, in three years, Liang Congzheng failed to win over even a single influential official in Hedong. His only achievement was securing the services of He Guan, a mere patrol inspector of the Huoshan Army, which required covert efforts.

This time, the three of them feared being outnumbered and outmatched, so before setting out, they secretly informed He Guan, hoping he could arrange for reinforcements. Although He Guan readily agreed, the three remained uncertain.

He Guan was a border general, so dealing with him in his own territory was relatively straightforward. However, this place was Jiangzhou, several prefectures away from the Huoshan Army, nearly a thousand miles away. It was hard to imagine that He Guan would have the ability to send a large number of his men here to commit illegal acts, unless he thought the officials along the way were all blind. No matter how much they bribed He Guan, he would never risk his career. Unauthorized cross-border troop deployment was tantamount to rebellion. The Song Dynasty had a family law of not killing scholar-officials, but not of not killing military generals.

After much thought, they realized they could only rely on themselves. However, they couldn't figure out if Tang Yun was alone.

This fellow was a spy from Western Xia and a bandit leader, so he must have a group of followers. If he wasn't alone, a hasty action might alert him. That was a minor matter; if they tried to catch the thief but ended up being harmed by him, that would be fatal.

After much deliberation, unable to report to the authorities or take action themselves, they could only follow him, observing him slowly and waiting for an opportunity to outwit him.

This waiting was truly agonizing.

They were now almost in Hedong, and they still hadn't discerned his true nature. This fellow seemed to have acquaintances everywhere he went, staying at inns, eating, drinking, and using ferries, but always traveling alone. He deliberately chose the busy official roads, making it impossible for them to get close to him.

Further ahead was Jiangzhou; once they entered Jiangzhou, they would be in Hedong territory. However, the three men's patience had almost worn off, and they unanimously decided to make their move once they reached Jiangzhou. At the

Chen Family Inn in the south gate of Jiangzhou

, seeing Tang Yun enter, the three men discussed it and decided to stay there as well. The specific plan was for Su Hu to use her beauty to lure him into her trap. With her seductive arts, she could suddenly attack during their intimate moments, confident she could subdue him.

To their surprise, upon entering the shop, they found Tang Yun seemingly meeting an acquaintance, mingling with a group of burly men resembling caravan members. They were all happily arm-in-arm, ordering food and drinks. The three men, however, felt uneasy. These men were all robust and strong, carrying broadswords and clubs, clearly martial arts practitioners.

One of them, a thin man with piercing eyes and bulging temples, was likely a martial arts expert.

They vaguely heard Tang Yun address the thin man as "Brother Song Jiang," which further alarmed them.

Having lived in Hedong for a long time and frequently investigated the bandit forces, they naturally knew Song Jiang's name. He was a trusted subordinate of the powerful Hong Niangzi, a powerful figure in the north! In the underworld of Hedong and Hebei, who didn't do smuggling business from the north? All those involved in this business had to pay homage to Hong Niangzi. Any brother who made a fortune in the underworld had to share with Hong Niangzi.

Anyone who dared to violate this rule was sure to die young. It can be said that Hong Niangzi is the leader of the largest underworld gang in the entire northern frontier.

There are even rumors that some of the Song Dynasty's border generals in Hedong, and even some border generals in the Liao Dynasty's Xijing Circuit, have fixed shares in Hong Niangzi's vast smuggling network, using it to secretly carry out their schemes.

Every year, the Song army receives over a thousand fine horses of unknown origin, while some Liao tribes also receive superior armor. In turn, Hong Niangzi uses these connections to further solidify her position and power; now, she controls the entire underworld of Hedong.

It is also said that Hong Niangzi intervened in the internal strife in the Liao Dynasty's Shangjing Circuit, and that some of the Liao rebels possessed highly skilled and mysteriously obtained weapons and armor with unclear connections to Hong Niangzi or those behind her.

Liang Congzheng's mission in coming to Hedong was to investigate this matter, but not only did he find no evidence, there were even rumors that it involved Yan Shuai Lü Huiqing. Liang Congzheng was like a mouse before a cat in Lü Huiqing's presence, fearing he would anger the old scoundrel and be harmed, so he dared not investigate further, and the matter was dropped.

However, all three of them were very clear about what the name "Hong Niangzi" represented.

This guy actually knew Hong Niangzi's people? They seemed quite close!

The three exchanged glances, all feeling a chill.

They were just the three of them, while the other side had formed a gang. Undoubtedly, if they and Tang Yun were to fight, these people would not stand idly by. These people openly called upon their friends in the city, making no attempt to conceal their identities, clearly indicating they had some influence in both the local underworld and legitimate society. If trouble were to break out here, the three of them would definitely suffer.

Judging from the appearance of these burly men, they probably all had murder on their hands; they might even dare to do it themselves.

The laws for apprehending fugitives in the Song Dynasty probably wouldn't apply to them.

Feigning concern, they requested a room in the upper room and the three huddled together to discuss the matter.

"I didn't expect this fellow to recognize these bandits. If we act rashly and fail, we might not even be able to escape,"

said the gloomy-faced man. Although he knew the Maitreya Sect's Eight-Step Lotus Step technique, he wasn't arrogant enough to believe he could take on ten men single-handedly.

"Brother Yang, is this Red Maiden really that powerful? After all, this is still the Song Dynasty. No matter how powerful she is, can she be more powerful than the government?"

Tong Guan wasn't a true江湖人 (jianghu person, a term referring to the martial arts world), although he had traveled the jianghu for several years, his deeply ingrained official mindset still dominated him. He felt his companion was exaggerating. From ancient times to the present, the people cannot fight against the officials. The government has always been above the people. 江湖寇 (jianghu bandits) might make the government wary, but for them to be above the government would make the government itself the government. Such a thing was unheard of throughout history.

"Don't be careless, Eunuch Tong. They may not be as powerful as the government, but the government can't function without them! You don't often travel in the Jianghu, but these Jianghu underworld figures are mostly local bullies. They can do almost anything in the local area. What the government can do, they can do too. What the government can't do, they can still do. There are things they want the government to know, and the government will know. There are things they don't want the government to know, and the government won't know. Don't underestimate these people!"

The gloomy man's face was already bad, but now it was even worse.

"To put it bluntly, if they had any ill intentions towards the three of us, this Jiangzhou City would probably be our burial ground. We might die and no one would even know where we are buried! I'm not exaggerating!"

"This...this...is there no law anymore?"

Tong Guan realized that the other party was serious, and he suddenly felt a little scared. He was naturally bold and had followed Li Xian before, so he was no stranger to the clash of swords. But those were all open and direct confrontations; this situation was unlike anything he'd ever encountered before, leaving him completely at a loss.

"So, are we still going to make a move?"

Su Hu asked.

"This... I'm afraid it won't be easy,"

Yang Lie said, fiddling with the incense box in his hand.

This thing is the most treasured item among outlaw thieves. It's shaped like a small bronze crane, with a small eye on its pointed beak, curled wings, two thin bronze legs, a tail, and a hollow belly filled with medicine. It's exquisitely crafted. When used, pulling the tail activates a mechanism, the wings flash, and a sleeping incense is sprayed out from the pointed beak. Ordinary people become dizzy upon smelling it. Outlaws use this thing to break into houses and commit crimes. 03-21 020

As for the formula of the sleeping incense, it varies from place to place. The one Yang Lie has is from Gui Fanlou in Bianjing, and its main ingredient is datura pollen. The crane-shaped box is also a unique trademark of Gui Fanlou. There are many counterfeit versions on the market, but the one Yang Lie has is the genuine article.

He originally had two opportunities to strike on the road, blowing the sleeping incense into the house at midnight and capturing the thief easily. The first attempt failed because the inn's dogs barked too fiercely. The second time, someone else beat him to it. Before he even reached the door, he noticed the innkeeper sneaking around, seemingly up to no good. Tang Yun punched

him to the ground as soon as he got to the door. This served as a wake-up call; Tang Yun's alertness was truly remarkable. Even in the dead of night, he could keenly detect the slightest movement at the door. It seemed he had likely practiced martial arts, with hearing and sights far exceeding those of ordinary people. Afterward, Tang Yun became even more vigilant, extremely careful with his food and drink, only drinking his own water and eating his own dry rations and steamed goose. He also chose inns with dogs.

He never took any more risks after that, because he was completely unsure of his safety.

"I think not," Tong Guan said. "Those caravan men didn't seem to be waiting for him here on purpose; they were just passing by and happened to run into him. They might not go with him! What about Song Jiang? They're in the open while we're in the shadows. We still have a chance to succeed. We just need to wait until they separate. I don't believe Song Jiang would go into the house with that fellow to sleep."

Now Tong Guan was really impressed with Su Hu. Of the three, Yang Lie was the most experienced in the martial arts world, so being second to him wasn't a big deal. But what was so great about this palace maid named Su Hu? No matter how good her martial arts were, she was still just a woman, only knowing some low-class unorthodox techniques. She was also Liu Xianfei's confidante, so while they were polite to her on the surface, they looked down on her.

At this moment, when the two of them were about to back down, this woman showed her true decisiveness, truly a tough woman.

"Isn't this too risky?"

Tong Guan finally blurted out after a long pause.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If this fellow were alone, his wariness would be natural. It's only because he's met friends that he feels safe. When people feel safe, their vigilance unconsciously decreases, making it the perfect opportunity to strike! Do you think Tang Yun or Song Jiang would think anything bad is going to happen?"

"He's been traveling alone without incident, and now that there are more people around, he'll only think nothing will happen. If someone really has malicious intentions, this is the worst time to strike! But I really didn't expect you to be so daring!" "

You all can't imagine it, and they certainly can't. We'll just snatch his teeth from the tiger's mouth!"...

************************************ (Separation line) Eight miles south of Fengzhou City, Feiyunpu.

This is a large village, with over a thousand households within the village. The houses are densely packed, and the sounds of chickens and dogs can be heard everywhere. Under the heavy snow, everything is covered in silver, a rather beautiful sight.

According to government regulations, the village is surrounded by walls and moats, and within the village are the Loyalty Society and the Baojia system. The villagers here mostly make a living by animal husbandry, fishing, and hunting, and do not engage in farming. Over 90% of the able-bodied men in the village are registered archers and militiamen, known for their rough and fierce nature, fondness for fighting, and fighting on the battlefield in times of war. In peacetime, they are entangled with the underworld and bandits, and although they are called the Loyalty Society, they are actually more like dens of thieves. However, this phenomenon is commonplace in Hedong and Shaanxi, and the local government has not even bothered to investigate it.

Of course, this is only the official data. Even ordinary people in

the martial arts world think so. In fact, since the Jiayou era, Feiyunpu has been one of the largest black markets for selling stolen goods on the Hedong bandit route, mainly dealing in cattle and horses. The village heads and village chiefs in the village are mostly horse breeders, and they are actually local tyrants who divide the spoils. Most of the privately owned horses and livestock from the north are sold in Feiyunpu, and with the horse breeders as cover, they can often deceive the government.

Of course, even these local thugs have to pay tribute to Hong Niangzi. Therefore, this place is also one of Hong Niangzi's branches.

Han Yue arrived at Puzikou at sunset.

He was accompanied by more than ten others, three wounded. Li Gui did not return; he was said to have died from He Guan's arrows. Of the fifty heroes who went, only thirty percent returned; the rest perished at the hands of the Volcano Army.

After all, that place was a government prison. Prison breaks were only stories told in tales, tales of chivalrous outlaws in the Han and Tang dynasties; in reality, no bandit had ever dared to do such a thing. That anyone returned alive was a miracle.

After burying Sun Erniang's body, Han Yue kept thinking about her dying words.

He naturally wouldn't confide in Hong Niangzi; true loyalty was rare these days, and most people were driven by self-interest. He was certain he hadn't misjudged Hong Niangzi; she possessed the heart of a ruthless hero, but unfortunately, she was born a woman. Such people are ruthless in achieving their goals; otherwise, how could a woman become the most powerful bandit leader in the north? If he were to truly sell his life to Hong Niangzi, he'd probably be counting the money for her even after she sold him.

And then there's Tang Yun—this fellow was originally from Western Xia. That's not a problem; wasn't he originally a Liao person himself?

He had no interest in his entanglement with Sun Erniang; what did the struggle between Song and Xia have to do with him? But he truly regretted that painting and desperately wanted it back. As long as that thing existed, he would forever be paranoid and never have a peaceful life.

Moreover, what was so special about Tang Yun's background? Sun Erniang had mentioned this before she died. You're dead now; what does Tang Yun's background matter? Did Sun Erniang expect him to avenge her by targeting Tang Yun?

It was utterly absurd. He'd just ask Tang Yun when he saw him. Han Yue had a rather indescribable feeling about this person.

Upon entering the town, a guide led them to an inconspicuous granary. Who would have thought that the infamous Red Maiden,

renowned throughout the outlaw world, would be here? The Red Maiden's name had been known throughout the north for many years; even the most seasoned figures in the martial arts world claimed she had existed since the beginning. Everyone who made their living as an outlaw knew of her, but no one could say for sure whether she was tall or short, fat or thin, or what she truly looked like.

It seemed no one had ever seen her. Speculation abounded in the martial arts world; some even doubted her existence, or even suggested she might be a man. Yet, no one dared openly deny her existence, nor did anyone claim to know her true identity.

Her name had become a symbol, a dark veil hanging over the martial arts world, elusive and intangible, yet omnipresent. You couldn't find her; she would find you.

Han Yue even felt that the name "Red Maiden" represented more than just a person; it represented a vast power, perhaps even more powerful than the once-powerful Maitreya Sect. He sometimes suspected that the name "Red Maiden" might represent the darker side of the Song Dynasty government.

And the "Red Maiden" he was about to meet might not even be the real "Red Maiden," perhaps just someone who used the title. He still had no clue who the real Red Maiden was, or what the name truly meant.

Inside the barn, Han Yue met the person waiting for him.

Dressed in a scholar's robe, her beauty was undeniable. Her demeanor exuded a dashing, heroic air, her phoenix eyes gleaming with a fierce light; she possessed a wild beauty, yet unlike the roughness of bandits, she carried a unique air of pride and graceful bearing, subtly displaying the dignified demeanor of someone rigorously trained in etiquette.

It was hard to imagine so many qualities in one person.

No one could have imagined that Zhe Yueru, a member of the prestigious Zhe family of Fuzhou, the daughter of the ever-victorious general Zhe Keshi who dominated the Northwest, was actually the incarnation of the most mysterious and unpredictable woman in the bandits! How could a daughter of a noble family have such deep connections with the bandits, whom the imperial court and government forbade to tolerate?

The Zhe family was a powerful clan in Yunzhong, having established themselves in Hedong since the late Tang and Five Dynasties period, dominating the region. If we count from the first generation, Zhe Zongben, to Zhe Keshi, there have been nine generations. Whether it was the Later Han, Later Zhou, or the Song Dynasty, the Zhe family served as a bulwark for the rulers of the Central Plains in the northwest for generations. Zhe Yueru is the tenth generation. Although Zhe Keshi was a remarkable hero, he had no sons, only three daughters, who, according to the clan's generational

naming system, belonged to the "Yue" generation: Ru, Zhi, and Mei. Zhe Yueru was Zhe Keshi's eldest daughter. Zhe Keshi's father, Zhe Kezhong, was relatively unknown in his generation, far inferior to the renowned Zhe Kexing and Zhe Kerou. However, Zhe Keshi was different. Among the Zhe family generals of his time, and even among all the military generals of the world, Zhe Keshi was undoubtedly one of the most outstanding figures. While other members of the Zhe clan, such as Zhe Kecun and Zhe Keqiu, were also military generals, their achievements and experience were far inferior to Zhe Keshi's.

Therefore, although they were women, due to Zhe Keshi's status and position, his three daughters were influential figures in the clan.

Having accumulated connections and networks over nearly two hundred years as local strongmen, coupled with the protection of their official positions and their father's prestige and influence, it's no wonder that Zhe Yueru, a woman, could become the leader of the most powerful underground organization in the Northern Green Forest. Moreover, although Han Yue had never met Zhe Keshi, he could guess from his daughter's personality that she shared her father's ruthless and cold-blooded nature.

Indeed, Han Yue admitted that the role of Hong Niangzi was perfect for this woman.

He wondered who else knew about this sensitive identity, who could possibly suspect it? The most mysterious Hong Niangzi of the Northern Green Forest actually operated openly under a different identity, appearing brazenly in the public eye.

Did Song Jiang know? Years ago, when he first met Song Jiang, they went to the Liao Kingdom to do smuggling business together. That magnificent caravan, seemingly oblivious to the local officials, was under the protection of Zhe Yueru; she even personally led it to Liaodong. Did those caravan merchants know that their mysterious leader had been with them the entire time, silently observing their every move?

Then came the ruthless massacre, clearly a cover-up by the Zhe family.

He had always harbored suspicions about this.

If Zhe Yueru was truly Hong Niangzi, then the Zhe family was definitely involved. How could that massacre be explained?

Was Hong Niangzi truly supported by the Zhe family?

He had recalled the scene countless times. Given the circumstances, if Zhe Yueru had known, she could have remained completely uninvolved. But she was clearly forcibly taken away before the battle began, indicating she was unaware of the cover-up beforehand.

Or was there someone else who was Hong Niangzi? Or was the Zhe family separate from Zhe Yueru?

Or was this an internal purge within the Zhe family?

There were many possibilities.

He believed the most likely scenario was that Zhe Yueru's identity as a matchmaker was merely a personal act. Perhaps she wasn't a matchmaker at the time, but she was likely an important figure within the organization. The Zhe family clan was aware of this, but because it brought them benefits, they pretended not to know and tacitly approved. Until three years ago, when Liang Congzheng went to Hedong, the matter was in danger of being exposed, and Zhe Yueru's behavior became increasingly blatant, or perhaps her subordinates showed signs of instability—whatever the reason, the family felt threatened and decided to end Zhe Yueru's "outlaw game," leading to the assassination attempt.

Zhe Yueru was certainly dissatisfied with this and likely continued her activities afterward, albeit underground. Her presence here now clearly indicates that she and her family are not of one mind.

This was Han Yue's hypothesis. Song Jiang was also among those who escaped with him, but what did he think? Song Jiang was a typical江湖人 (jianghu person, a member of the Jianghu), betrayed by the government once; would he really trust Zhe Yueru again? Of course, apart from the two of them who survived that time, everyone else died. Almost no one in the martial arts world knew that it was the Zhe family who was responsible; they all thought it was the Liao army crossing the border to raid.

Perhaps that's why Zhe Yueru was able to continue being the leader. Otherwise, if people knew that her family had betrayed the outlaws, they would naturally regard her as the culprit, and who would believe her?

Neither he nor Song Jiang, the only ones who knew the truth, told her.

He just felt that this was not Zhe Yueru's intention, so he remained silent. But Song Jiang…

He suddenly realized that he had known Song Jiang for three years now, and although they addressed each other as brothers, he didn't have the same feeling as when he met Tang Yun. He seemed to have never truly understood Song Jiang as a person…

"So, Li Gui is dead?"

Seeing that only Han Yue had returned, Zhe Yueru's expression didn't change at all, as if the death was that of an insignificant ant.

"According to the children who escaped, she died from He Guan's arrows."

"Were you able to rescue Sun Erniang?"

"Although we rescued her, she was too badly wounded and died on the way. I buried her."

"Did she have anything to say?"

"No."

Han Yue certainly wouldn't tell the truth.

A hint of helplessness flashed across Zhe Yueru's face as she sighed, "Sun Erniang was considered a heroine among the outlaws, what a pity. Although we are fellow outlaws, we couldn't save her."

"The Maitreya Sect is an evil cult, and we outlaws have always kept to ourselves. Getting involved with such people seems to do more harm than good."

"Did you know Sun Erniang before?"

"No."

Han Yue's heart tightened.

"How did you know that Sun Erniang was a member of the Maitreya Sect?"

"Su Yanfu's name is known throughout the martial world. Sun Erniang used to be with him, so she's naturally involved."

"Back then, Su Yanfu was captured after a defeat in Hedong, but Sun Erniang managed to escape. It's said she was captured by Liao soldiers raiding for grain. Later, for some unknown reason, she appeared in Bianjing and became the owner of a brothel. The Liao people always enslave those they capture; few escape. How did Sun Erniang return to the Song Dynasty? There's something fishy about this. I suspect that after being captured, she became a Liao spy, which allowed her to escape and return to rebel against our Song Dynasty."

Han Yue broke out in a cold sweat. This Zhe Yueru was indeed extraordinary; the information she provided was extremely accurate. She just didn't know if she knew that the Liao soldiers raiding for grain were herself.

"At that time, I only suspected it. Seeing her living a carefree life in Bianjing, spending money like water, I secretly investigated where her money came from, but I couldn't find anything. Later, I deliberately spread rumors that I was going to investigate the background of a wealthy merchant named Lu in Daming Prefecture, because he was also secretly in contact with Liao spies, to see how Sun Erniang would react. In the end, she didn't hold back, which made me hesitate. Later, she left Bianjing and committed a shocking crime in Chang'an Prefecture, robbing government troops of their tribute. She then went to the Zhuolun River area, and I realized that she must have become a traitor, because Zhuolun River is close to the Liao border, and she must be trying to escape."

Han Yuezhen became more and more shocked as she listened. She hadn't expected that Sun Erniang had been under surveillance all along. She herself had probably been seen going in and out of brothels in Bianjing, but she was just ignored because she was mistaken for an ordinary customer.

"It's also a blessing in disguise that she was ambushed by government troops in Zhuolun River, and her evil scheme failed."

"If that's the case, why save her?"

"We, the outlaws, though we oppose the government, are still Han Chinese. We cannot be traitors! I saved her out of loyalty to my fellow outlaws, hoping she would see the error of her ways. Also, that shipment of tribute is of great importance, but we don't know where she hid it. I originally wanted to ask her about it, but unexpectedly, this calamity befell me."

"It's all my incompetence."

"It's not your fault. Those who do many evil deeds will surely perish. Since she has become a traitor, she will die a horrible death sooner or later! It's just that this day has come a little earlier."

Han Yue stood with her head bowed, not daring to utter a sound.

Unexpectedly, Zhe Yueru paused, seemingly casually asking, "Have you been to Bianjing?"

Han Yue's scalp suddenly tingled; her first reaction was that she had been exposed! She asked what this meant?

But after a quick thought, he calmly replied, "Back then, I was new to the martial world and did indeed go to Bianjing."

"Did you offend anyone?"

"Those are all past grievances,"

Han Yue said vaguely, using a generic answer.

"I've received word that several people from Bianjing are searching for you everywhere in the martial world. They're said to be Liang Congzheng's men. You wouldn't have done something behind my back, would you?"

There was something menacing in Zhe Yueru's eyes.

People from Bianjing! Han Yue's heart pounded; this was the phrase he dreaded most.

"I don't know why, but they've tracked down your new friend, Tang Yun. He came all the way from Weizhou, is he looking for you?"

"I did indeed arrange to meet Tang Yun here." "

Among those three, one is a eunuch. There's also a man and a woman. I think Tang Yun let slip, and these people are following the trail to find you. How did you offend the eunuch?"

"It's all old grudges. Since I became his disciple, I've never done anything behind his back. I swear a solemn oath!"

Han Yue said, making a very serious oath.

"How could I not trust you?"

Zhe Yueru smiled. "Anyone I've shown my true self to is someone I trust."

Han Yue cursed inwardly. Every question and answer had been a test. If she truly trusted him, would she act this way?

"What do you intend to do?"

"I don't want to implicate others."

"I knew you'd say that. Go then. Return to the sect after you've settled your grievances."

"Thank you, Master!"...

**************************** (Separator) Inside the inn, Su Hu exchanged flirtatious glances with the man before her, clearly sensing his lustful interest in her.

With her expertise in magic, she had been with many men, thus possessing considerable experience with them.

This man was likely self-controlled, not a lecherous fiend, but simply lacking female company for a long time, making him somewhat thirsty. Moreover, he was currently unguarded, allowing her to successfully seduce him.

It's rare for a normal man not to be lustful. Therefore, a man's weakness is always women. This is a gift from heaven, beyond human control.

This man, to be fair, was handsome and charming, likely quite attractive to women. In a different setting, a fleeting affair with him would be a beautiful memory. Unfortunately, now she had to deal with him. Like the young Taoist priest Han Yue, he possessed a captivating charm for women; otherwise, it would have been impossible for Consort Liu to risk the extermination of her clan by submitting to the forbidden pleasure of adultery with him.

As Consort Liu's confidante, she naturally knew how unrestrained and exhilarating Han Yue and Consort Liu's every affair was. It was like an addictive disease, once you were hooked, it was hard to break free.

If Han Yue hadn't suddenly disappeared, making Consort Liu realize the imminent danger of destruction, she might still be lost in it.

As for herself, it would be a lie to say she hadn't been attracted to Han Yue. Sometimes she had erotic dreams. Whenever Han Yue secretly entered the palace to meet Consort Liu, she would fantasize, and sometimes she would even be overcome with lust. To be honest, any woman would be attracted to a pretty boy like Han Yue, but now she had no choice but to deal with him.

Because she also had her own mission, not for the sake of the ugly corruption of the palace, but for the sake of the country.

She would not forget why she entered the palace in the first place, and the mission she bore within this palace. Her own background, and beyond the South China Sea, to the ends of the earth.

But thinking of Han Yue, Su Hu noticed that this man seemed to bear a resemblance to Han Yue. Although both were handsome, their appearances were actually different. That inexplicable similarity was truly inexplicable. At first glance, they didn't seem to be the same person, but there was a certain resemblance, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

It was truly strange, but it didn't matter.

Her painstakingly practiced "needle technique" had never failed her. This was a secret technique circulating in the Bashu region near Dali, not well-known among the Central Plains outlaws. So far, she had used this technique against nineteen people, and had always been successful. This man before her would be no exception!

"If it's convenient for you, benefactor, I would like to stay in your room later for a chat."

Su Hu's smile subtly revealed a hint of teasing. [Last edited by Sunshine of the Mind on 1-13 03:24] Recent rating record for this post: Sunshine of the Mind Original 3 Thanks for sharing, the forum is more wonderful with you! 1-13 03:28 Sunshine of the Soul (293 Gold Coins): Thanks for sharing, the forum is more wonderful with you! 1-13 03:27 Sunshine of the Soul (10 Original Posts): Thanks for sharing, the forum is more wonderful with you! 1-13 03:27 uid1110385 Essence 7 Original 159 Posts Prestige 254 Points Contribution 299 Sponsorship Value 0 Reading Permissions 95 View Detailed Information Online Citation Report Reply Top Author's Other Topics: 【Cloud Dance Moon Rising】11 【Cloud Dance Moon Rising】10 【Cloud Dance Moon Rising】9 【Cloud Dance Moon Rising】8 【Cloud Dance Moon Rising】7 【Cloud Dance Moon Rising】6 hunanarmylevel 1 Posts 52 Points 0 Gold Coins 10 Gold Pounds 0 Thanks 0 Degree Promotion 0 People Registered Time 4-11 Personal Space Send Message Add as Friend Currently Offline 2nd Floor Large Medium Small Posted on 1-12 20:12 Only Show This Author Moderator Comments Sunshine of the Soul (1-13 03:25): Borrowing a post for layout "It's alright, it's alright, I'll be waiting for you at Dingzi Fourth Room."

Tang Yun clasped his hands and watched the Daoist nun leave.

This Taoist nun was strikingly beautiful, with a captivating allure in her eyes and a hint of spring in her brows. Her peach blossom eyes revealed an undisguised, seductive charm, yet her Taoist robes exuded an air of dignified inviolability, making her truly alluring. Was

this female Taoist also a member of the martial arts world?

Judging from her movements, she seemed to have some martial arts training. Sitting before him, she displayed considerable skill. There's a saying in the outlaw world: "Monks, Taoists, women, and children—they must possess surgical skills." For such a woman to dare roam the martial arts world, even with high martial arts prowess, she couldn't surpass a man, so she must have some secret. And judging from her demeanor, there was even a subtle hint of seduction and provocation. Could she be a lewd woman

from the lower classes? He knew about lewd women in the martial arts world. They disregarded etiquette and morality, taking whatever they desired as their own, men and women alike. All the female martial artists he knew were extremely indifferent to chastity; sleeping with men was commonplace, nothing unusual. Take Sun Erniang, for example; she had been with dozens of men in her lifetime. She might be making love to you now, but could turn on you and use a knife the next moment.

He had only heard of this kind of person before; this was the first time he had seen one.

This female Taoist priest approached him under the guise of asking for help, saying she had no money to buy a Buddhist ordination certificate and wanted to ask fellow martial arts practitioners for help in an emergency.

Her words were full of suggestive flirtation, indicating she was willing to risk her body. Could it be that he was having a lucky day? Judging from her expression, she could throw herself into his arms with just a flick of her finger.

Tang Yun was confident in his looks; while not quite as handsome as Pan An, he was certainly more handsome than most men in the world. Could this woman have taken a liking to him? Very likely; it had been quite a while since he'd had a woman to satisfy his desires. As Tang Yun thought about this, his mind began to wander, and his face showed a look of infatuation.

Far away, in the inn across the street,

Tong Guan was spying, watching the two people in the inn chat and laugh, soon becoming intimately close. Although he couldn't hear what they were saying, the lecherous expressions on their faces showed that the honey trap was working well.

This woman really knew how to seduce men; she could seduce them so easily. The weaknesses of all men were truly the same.

He only hoped to capture this scoundrel tonight, find out Han Yue's whereabouts, and put an end to this matter. These past three years of wandering had truly made him yearn for the splendor and prosperity of Bianjing.

Night fell in Tang Yun's upper room.

The door opened softly, and a fragrant breeze accompanied a graceful figure as she entered. Su Hu was still dressed in a Taoist robe, but beneath the wide robe, the alluring curves of her body and her long, slender, white legs seemed to be faintly visible, barely reaching her silk stockings and cloud-patterned shoes. The empty Taoist robe seemed to beckon a man to explore its secrets.

Was this woman not wearing anything underneath?

Tang Yun narrowed his eyes, his gaze greedily savoring the woman's entire body. The barely visible naked body beneath the Taoist robe was enough to make any man's blood boil.

He casually placed a garlic-shaped gold ingot on the table.

Seeking help in the martial world is nothing new. Everyone has their moments of need, and cultivating relationships might prove useful in the future. That's how it is in the martial world: more friends mean more paths, more enemies mean more walls. Since this female Taoist priest approached him under the guise of seeking help, he might as well go with the flow. Regardless of whether she truly couldn't afford the ordination certificate, he'd take advantage of her first.

"Thank you for your kindness, benefactor,"

Su Hu bowed, but didn't rush to take the certificate.

"Why do you say that, senior sister? It's just a small matter. We're both in the martial world, no need for such formalities,"

Tang Yun deliberately didn't move.

"Your kindness is immense, benefactor. I don't know how I can repay you..."

Su Hu moaned sweetly, her figure swaying as she boldly and provocatively entered Tang Yun's arms, sitting on his lap. Her jade-like arms hooked around his neck, her sexy red lips almost touching his face, her desire for pleasure couldn't be clearer.

Tang Yun smelled a faint, exotic fragrance emanating from her, and felt the undulations of her body through her clothes. His arms encircled her waist and thighs, and he truly felt that she was wearing nothing under her Taoist robe.

In the cold of December, she was dressed so thinly.

So direct, he was pleasantly surprised. This woman was either naturally promiscuous or had ulterior motives.

But at this moment, Tang Yun felt a surge of lust within him. The woman's shapely buttocks subtly pressed and twisted his lower abdomen, quickly arousing him. He was finding it difficult to control his lust. His mind was also somewhat confused, filled only with thoughts of having intercourse with the woman and indulging in his desires.

Tang Yun bit his tongue and pushed her onto the couch, panting, "Come on..."

He then lifted her robe from below, revealing that she was indeed completely naked. Su Hu moaned and writhed, her movements in rhythm with a strange cadence. Her beautiful legs intertwined and twisted, conjuring up various postures that could ignite a man's most primal instincts. Dark, soft pubic hair, dark red labia, pale thighs, and the pungent scent of a female animal in heat.

Tang Yun felt an unbearable hardness in his groin. He quickly pulled down his pants, his thick, hard penis standing erect. He pounced on the woman, like a giant toad on her body, and thrust into her with a powerful thud.

Su Hu was pinned down by the man, unable to move, feeling a thick, hard penis bursting into her, filling her completely. Then the man's lower abdomen began to thrust against her groin and buttocks, each thrust more forceful than the last. His penis churned and pumped inside her, waves of hot pleasure washing over her like a tidal wave. She hadn't expected the man to be so vigorous, to make her feel so good. Just a few thrusts and she felt like she was dying of pleasure, nothing compared to the previous man.

Her body was coated with a special fragrance that emitted an aphrodisiac scent; this man had truly won her over. However, she needed to wait for the man to ejaculate, entering a brief, euphoric state, before she could use her magic. Until then, she could only let him do as he pleased, as his strength far surpassed hers.

Moreover, she quickly began to enjoy the pleasure. This man, who seemed like a powerful beast ravaging her, brought her far more pleasure than pain. Su Hu involuntarily wiggled her hips to meet his thrusts, her bare legs, clad in stockings and cloud-patterned shoes, wrapping around his strong waist.

Tang Yun wasn't delirious; he simply couldn't suppress his lust. The woman's cooperation excited him even more. He pressed her firmly onto the bed, possessing her body with abandon. His wet penis thrust forcefully into her tight, slippery vagina, causing her to tremble. Her juices flowed freely, the tip of his penis reaching the very end of her vagina, straight to her flower chamber. The woman's body trembled even more violently, her vagina contracting tightly.

Su Hu was relentlessly penetrated by Tang Yun, wave after wave of pleasure almost making her feel like she was floating on air. Her magic could only be used when the man ejaculated, but at this moment, she was involuntarily feeling the urge to climax.

The aphrodisiac scent emanating from her was a secret drug to stimulate male libido; usually, men would become intensely aroused after smelling it, but would ejaculate shortly after intercourse due to the drug's effects. However, she had never encountered someone who could endure this long as Tang Yun. She waited a long time for Tang Yun to climax, but her own mind was filled with desire, and she longed to let go and fully enjoy this ecstatic pleasure.

Tang Yun, in a frenzy, pounded his hips, making a loud cracking sound, causing the woman's body to tremble repeatedly. The bed creaked under the force of his movements, accompanied by the woman's suppressed moans and the man's heavy breathing.

Su Hu suddenly felt a surge of pleasurable desire within her, a prelude to her own climax. This was the first time she had used her seductive magic and yet climaxed before the man; she was completely at a loss. Tang Yun noticed her condition and pressed his body against hers even more frantically, his glans rubbing against her clitoris relentlessly, causing Su Hu to gush with lustful fluids.

Su Hu knew something was wrong, but she was helpless and unable to resist. Her body reacted honestly; her buttocks involuntarily twisted, and her vulva gripped the large, hard flesh tightly, grinding it forcefully to release her desire. Her arms weakly clung to Tang Yun's shoulders and back, her red lips tightly clenched, her beautiful eyes tightly closed, looking like she was holding back her desire.

After shaking her a dozen more times, under Tang Yun's violent movements, Su Hu's body instantly stiffened, then convulsed and trembled uncontrollably, a large amount of lustful fluid gushing out. Her vagina tightly gripped the hard flesh, trembling incessantly, then trembling rhythmically and morbidly, finally relaxing, her lower body overflowing with lustful fluids, sticky and extremely erotic.

This was the first time Su Hu had been conquered by a man. The overwhelming pleasure almost made her lose herself in a daze. Her whole body felt incredibly relaxed and comfortable, and she had no strength left.

She felt like she was floating on clouds. However, she hadn't forgotten her own desires. Tang Yun continued to ride on top of her. She wanted to recover her strength as soon as possible, but because she had just had an orgasm, her body was still sensitive, so Tang Yun's movements aroused her again.

She tried to lift her arms, but Tang Yun suddenly grabbed them.

Su Hu was shocked and tried to break free, but having just had an orgasm, she was weak and Tang Yun easily controlled both of her arms. Su Hu couldn't even secretly retrieve the needles now. Tang Yun quickly flipped her over, pressing her face down on the bed. Then his thing penetrated her from behind, his powerful body pressing against her buttocks. The force made it impossible for her to turn over. She then realized that Tang Yun hadn't seen through her plan; he had just changed his approach.

This was bad. Acupuncture requires extremely accurate acupoint selection, specifically several points on the back of the head. But she was pinned down on the bed from behind by a man; how could she perform the procedure? Moreover, after the man's climax, she had very little time left—this was extremely dangerous.

In her panic, she disregarded the pleasure the man was giving her and struggled desperately to turn her body around. However, Tang Yun was pressing down on her, his strength like an ox, leaving her no chance to resist. She could only listen to the man's increasingly heavy breathing and rapid movements. She knew this was a sign that the man was about to climax, but she was helpless in this predicament. She could only close her eyes and resign herself to her fate, letting the man vent his lust from behind in such an obscene and shameful manner.

Finally, after enduring a hundred or so thrusts, Tang Yun let out a loud, labored roar and thrust deep into the woman's body, his penis throbbing violently.

Thick, hot semen gushed out, shooting into the woman's testicles. A wave of intense heat sent a shiver through Su Hu, who involuntarily reached another small climax. The man's movements remained tense, his beastly lust trying to release all his pent-up desire. He ejaculated more than ten times, even writhing as if trying to squeeze out the last drop of semen from his testicles.

Finally, he relaxed, and Su Hu heard his satisfied panting.

This was her last chance!

She forcefully rolled over, trying to lift the man off her buttocks. At the same time, with a barely perceptible twitch, two iron needles, three sizes larger than embroidery needles, were concealed in her hands. She figured Tang Yun was still in the afterglow of his orgasm and wouldn't be on guard!

However, as soon as she moved, she felt a tingling numbness in her ribs. A strong hand pinched her acupoints, and her whole body went limp. Then, her arms were restrained. Tang Yun rolled off the bed and dressed as quickly as possible. His eyes were clear now; there was no trace of lust clouding his judgment.

"This fellow is truly formidable!"

Su Hu was shocked. This man had given her far too many surprises. He had recovered his strength and sanity so quickly after his climax; the aphrodisiac's effects were clearly weak on him, allowing him to regain his senses almost immediately after releasing his lust. Moreover, this man's alertness was truly remarkable; she was certain her actions were flawless, yet he had noticed them immediately.

And this fellow's martial arts were indeed formidable; pressure point strikes, such a profound skill, were rarely seen in the martial arts world, yet he possessed them.

If he had struck her vital points just now, she would be dead!

"Who exactly are you? And why are you using such methods to harm me!"

Tang Yun tensed up, realizing he had almost fallen for this woman's trap, and a wave of horror washed over him.

Could this woman have come alone? Were there accomplices around? Could she have been sent by Zhe Keshi? Was he ultimately unwilling to let him go, and thus sent assassins to try and kill him? At this thought, cold sweat broke out on his back. Zhe Keshi's men were all battle-hardened and valiant assassins. If they were truly targeting him, given Zhe Keshi's meticulous planning, he would have already laid a trap around him.

But this didn't seem like Zhe Keshi's style. If he really intended to kill him, his body would probably be buried halfway through the journey. Would he really let him leave Shaanxi safely? He would seize any opportunity to eliminate his enemies without hesitation!

"What do you mean by this, benefactor?"

Su Hu could only stall for time, hoping that Tong Guan and Yang Lie on the outside would come to her rescue.

"Still pretending? What makes your fragrance have an aphrodisiac effect? And this!"

Tang Yun flipped her hand, snatching the two iron needles away. "You didn't suddenly decide to embroider, did you?"

Tang Yun held a broadsword, trying to remain calm. Thinking about it carefully, this woman was willing to seduce him with her body and use needles as weapons; she clearly intended to assassinate him silently. Unfortunately, he had been too careless, and his vigilance had greatly decreased after encountering Song Jiang. Song Jiang and his group were not currently in the inn; they should have left the city after parting ways, yet they couldn't even summon any help.

Since they were deliberately acting secretly, they naturally didn't want to make a scene. Perhaps shouting a few times would alert the others in the inn and scare them away.

However, it might also provoke them into a desperate act, causing them to storm in.

He had never heard of using something as insignificant as a needle as a weapon in the martial world. The fact that this woman could use such unheard-of unorthodox methods indicated she was no ordinary person. If there were anyone nearby to help her, they must be highly skilled. If so, could he withstand them?

In the end, he remained silent; perhaps the other party didn't know the woman had failed. This woman wasn't the type to die for her life; fearing he would kill her with a single blow, she dared not cry out. He quickly prepared himself, his hidden dart cocked. He swiftly lifted the woman off the bed. She was still wearing a Taoist robe, but it was torn open at the chest, revealing her snow-white breasts, which were covered with marks of madness. Although the hem of the robe covered her bare legs, her flesh still shone through as she moved.

"If you dare to play tricks, I'll take your life first!"

Tang Yun warned in a low voice, casually extinguishing the oil lamp, and then began to move like a cat.

He held the woman, light as if she were weightless, and used her as a shield in front of him. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he was about to go out through the window. Suddenly, the window opened by itself without wind. He was startled and immediately used the woman as a shield. A hidden arrow was shot out with a snap and disappeared into the night light outside the window.

"Who's there? Hiding like a coward, what kind of hero are you!"

he shouted in a low voice, but there was no answer from outside the window.

"If you don't come out, I'll kill this woman!"

His knife was placed against the woman's neck. Suddenly, a figure flashed at the window, as fast as a ghost. Startled, he instinctively took a step back. Suddenly, the door behind him opened silently, and a figure rushed in like a gust of wind, aiming straight for Tang Yun's back with an iron crutch.

Tang Yun was startled again, not expecting the person outside to be so well hidden; he hadn't even noticed. However, he was already on guard. He leaped up, floating lightly into the air like a feather, leaving the woman behind. The black-clad man's iron crutch then struck directly at the woman.

The black-clad man was no pushover either; he dodged the woman like a fish, pulling her aside with him. At the same time, another figure darted in through the window, raising his foot to strike Tang Yun in mid-air with incredible speed and perfect timing.

Tang Yun was unable to move in mid-air and could only raise his broadsword to block. But the attacker was truly skilled; even in mid-air, he could switch legs and change his attack, dodging the devastating blow of a broken leg, and then, with lightning speed, kicked out, stomping directly on the hilt of the broadsword. The terrifying Yin energy instantly pulverized the egg-thick elm pole into dust. Tang Yun's body, strangely, floated again like a feather. Discarding the broken sword, he pressed his left hand against the incoming foot before it could touch him, using the momentum to push backward and land safely on the roof corner.

The moment he landed, the iron crutch came again. Tang Yun was enraged, gathering his energy in his dantian. Unexpectedly, his left arm met the attack with a muffled thud; the expected sound of bones shattering didn't occur. The man in black had miscalculated; the force of the blow nearly knocked the crutch out of his hand, leaving him wide open. Tang Yun seized the opportunity, closing in with a powerful kick to the chest.

The man in black couldn't dodge in time, closing his eyes to await his death, but was pulled away by another person. The kick shattered the table, the loud noise clearly audible in the quiet inn.

Yet, there was no sound of human voices; it seemed everyone in the inn was fast asleep, not even a dog barking.

Everyone in the inn must have been tricked! These people are truly vicious!

He casually kicked a chair out the door, but there was no response. Were these the only three? He dared not go out easily, fearing there might be some ambush outside. Looking at the three people in front of him, they seemed to be intimidated by his sorcery-like hard qigong and were confronting him.

The black-clad man with the iron crutch wore a hood and appeared to be a man, with a hint of panic in his eyes.

The man who entered through the window was also dressed in night clothes. He was remarkably calm, likely the most skilled among them, as the terrifying, sinister force of his kick earlier was truly astounding.

"Who are you?"

Tang Yun secretly gathered his inner strength.

"Enough nonsense!"

The man with the formidable legwork lightly touched the ground with his toes, his body rising and falling rapidly, almost skimming the floor as he aimed his feet directly at Tang Yun's lower body. Knowing the power of his sinister force, Tang Yun dared not block directly, dodging to the side. The man's feet followed like shadows, kicking down and creating a hole in the floor. Tang Yun lightly touched the ground with his toes, picking up half a broadsword from the ground, catching it with his bare hands, and slashing down.

The man hurriedly rolled to dodge, but Tang Yun's speed far exceeded his expectations; his movements were lightning-fast, and his blade aimed at the lower body. The man was terrified; he had used all his skills in the previous exchange, yet he was no match for his opponent. Tang Yun, regaining his senses, unleashed his martial arts with a truly unpredictable and dangerous aura. His body seemed to spring up from the ground, his feet moving like a whirlwind aimed straight for Tang Yun's head. Tang Yun ducked to avoid it, then punched the man in the groin.

The man couldn't dodge in time and took the heavy blow, flying away.

The remaining man in black, wielding an iron crutch, was immediately terrified. He raised his crutch and charged at Tang Yun, but Tang Yun had clearly seen his fear. His steps faltered, and he swayed a few times, dodging several of the man's attacks. He swung his sword, knocking away the man's right crutch, and using the momentum, swept his leg down, knocking the man to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, both men were defeated.

"Eight Steps Lotus Kick?"

Tang Yun had already discerned the clues from their earlier exchange. He felt somewhat reassured; the Maitreya Sect was a rebel group against the imperial court, while Zhe Keshi was an official appointed by the court, and they had never committed any illegal acts. This was different from a private conversation with Yi Ke; this was collusion with rebels, and Zhe Keshi couldn't possibly have such people under his command.

Moreover, Zhe Keshi knew his own martial arts skills. These three relied on unorthodox methods; even the Liao Kingdom's cavalrymen were stronger in real combat than them, and their experience in battle was far inferior. How could they be a match for him? Zhe Keshi wouldn't make such a mistake.

"Who are you? Why do you know the martial arts of the Maitreya Sect? Why did you try to ambush me?"

Since he didn't think they were sent by Zhe Keshi, Tang Yun began to bluff them. These people weren't ordinary bandits; their target was clearly him. The man used the martial arts of the Maitreya Sect—could he be one of Sun Erniang's men? If so, it would be effortless to obtain them!

"Did Sun Erniang send you?"

The three remained silent, but Tang Yun could sense their surprise, further confirming his judgment.

Tang Yun sneered, "Even if you don't say it, I know it must be that vile woman Sun Erniang who sent you rats to harm my family. If that's the case, you must also be traitors to Maitreya. I'll take you to the authorities!" The one

with the highest martial arts skills among the three suddenly said, "Hero, wait! This matter is probably a misunderstanding!"

"A misunderstanding? What misunderstanding?"

"Are you Sun Erniang's enemies, hero?"

The man's tone was strange.

"If it weren't for her and that bastard Su Yanfu, would I have lost my promising future? I'm currently searching everywhere for her to take revenge! Since you two know the Eight-Step Lotus Step, dare you say you're not from the same sect as her?"

"Hero, you misunderstand. We truly don't know Sun Erniang. The reason for our misunderstanding is indeed related to her."

"What do you mean?" "

Since you're Sun Erniang's enemy, why not ask Han Yue! He and Sun Erniang are sworn brothers! The three of us have been wandering the martial world for many years, searching for this scoundrel Han Yue! It's because this scoundrel had a grudge against my master many years ago and stole a painting from him. Sun Erniang was also involved. That's why we learned of Han Yue's whereabouts and rashly offended him. It's not because we have a personal grudge against you! If you're willing to help, my master will surely reward you handsomely!"

Han Yue! Tang Yun looked at the man in great surprise and said, "Take off your masks!"

The two did as he was told and removed their masks. Only then did they realize that there was always someone better. Tong Guan, who considered himself one of the best martial artists in the palace, discovered in the martial world that there were always stronger people out there. Facing such an unknown opponent, the two of them, even working together, suffered a defeat, their arrogance completely shattered.

"Who are you? Tell us the truth!"

"If you want to know, you can, but you must swear not to reveal it to anyone else!"

"You're still haggling now? You've got quite the capital!"

Tang Yun mocked, but his inner surprise was genuine! Han Yue and Sun Erniang were old acquaintances? Why hadn't he mentioned them before?

He had foolishly asked him to help inquire about Sun Erniang, unaware of his connection with that vile woman. He had kept it a secret! And that painting—was it the one Empress Dowager Liang mentioned? What was this mysterious object? Why did she say it was in Sun Erniang's possession, while this person claimed Han Yue stole it? 03-21 021

Since he mentioned that painting, it means he wasn't lying.

"I have no capital, but I have my life!"

"Then I'll kill you all and be done with it!"

Tang Yun said, swinging his knife. The man didn't dodge, but the one next to him screamed in fright. Tang Yun's knife stopped firmly at his neck, yet he didn't even flinch.

"You're not afraid of death, but he's different."

With that, Tang Yun turned and rushed towards Tong Guan. Seeing the murderous intent on the other's face, Tong Guan felt a chill run down his spine. "Will you talk or not? If you don't, I'll kill you first..."

Tang Yun's words were threatening, but after carefully examining him for a few moments, he became suspicious. He reached into the man's groin and immediately paled.

"You're a eunuch? What are you all up to?"

Tong Guan's face flushed crimson, and he cursed, "You dog! Kill me if you want! If I even flinch, I'm no hero!"

Tang Yun ignored him. "You're from the palace? He's a eunuch, so you're... a palace guard? A guard with imperial weapons? No, the palace guards are all highly skilled in martial arts; they wouldn't use heretical martial arts like you. Who is she? A palace maid? Wait, could it be that you're looking for Han Yue... that painting... could it be that it was lost from the inner palace?"

The three were surprised by Tang Yun's quick wit, his deductions almost perfectly accurate.

"Alright, this has piqued my interest. I'll swear

an oath." Tang Yun said, making a solemn vow.

Circumstances were against them. The three knew that Tang Yun was ruthless, and might strike at any moment.

Although they weren't afraid of death, their mission wasn't complete, and dying here would be pointless. Even ants cherish life, let alone humans. Now that his identity had been exposed, he had no choice but to tell the truth. This man was clearly also deceived by Han Yue and harbored a grudge against Sun Erniang; perhaps he could be persuaded to become an ally and gain her favor.

"I am Yang Lie, a retainer of Vice Minister Cai of the Ministry of Revenue in the capital. These two are indeed from the palace, but I cannot reveal their names."

"Was your painting stolen from the palace?"

"Before I answer, I would like to ask your esteemed name, and what grudge do you hold against Sun Erniang?"

"A true man never changes his name or surname, and that is Tang Yun! What grudge do I have against that Sun Erniang? Tell me! I was once a captain of the elite troops under Zhe Keshi. Because of my lust, I fell into Sun Erniang's trap. She and Su Yanfu tricked me into going to trade with Xixia. When the matter was exposed, the two of them escaped, and I was also forced to lose my position and flee to Xixia. I was originally trying to make a living under Liang Yibu, but then Liang Yibu fell from power, so I had no choice but to flee to Liao. In the Shangjing Road of Liao..." "I do business with no capital, and my nickname is 'Sand Hawk.' Not long ago, I picked up a batch of smuggled goods from Song Dynasty merchants and by chance met Han Yue. Then, we were ambushed by Liao soldiers, my followers scattered, and my mountain stronghold was raided. I had no choice but to return to Song with Han Yue. Thinking back on all this, my years of wandering between countries have all come to nothing. It's all because of this Sun Erniang, so I'm determined to get my revenge!"

Tang Yun's words were a mix of truth and falsehood, and he wasn't afraid of being verified.

"How did you end up in Weizhou, sir?"

"I heard that Su Yanfu was killed in Huanzhou and later captured and executed in Hedong. I didn't know where Sun Erniang was, so I wanted to ask my former colleagues for help. But I didn't expect to be targeted by you all! How did you know that Han Yue and Sun Erniang were old acquaintances?"

"My lord, you don't know, but Han Yue is also a descendant of the Maitreya Sect!"

Tang Yun was stunned. He didn't expect Han Yue's background to be so complicated. No wonder he would protect Sun Erniang; they were from the same sect!

"Three years ago, Han Yue and Sun Erniang were both in Bianjing. At that time, Han Yue disguised herself as a Taoist priest, while Sun Erniang hid in a brothel. Han Yue frequently entered and exited the palace, and thus stole a painting. We were ordered to retrieve it, and it has been three years now."

"You suspect that Sun Erniang is involved, or that she instigated it?"

"Exactly, but we don't know Sun Erniang's whereabouts, so we had to find Han Yue to find out first. Unexpectedly, we have found nothing in three years. However, we have spies in various local governments, so you must have let slip, which is why we have this misunderstanding."

Tang Yun didn't need to say anything to know where he had let slip. He also realized that he had actually been begging with a golden bowl all along. Han Yue! That bastard! He kept it from me for so long!

The three of them stammered, clearly unwilling to be too clear. Something stolen from the palace obviously involved the privacy of the court, but why would Empress Dowager Liang care about the privacy of the Song Dynasty's court?

"What does that painting depict?"

"I don't know. We're only concerned with recovering it; we know nothing else. I have a suggestion; I wonder if you'd be willing to listen?"

"I know what you're thinking."

"Since we share the same goal, why not join forces? If you can help us find what we're looking for, my master guarantees you'll be reinstated, and Sun Erniang can be left to you. It's all just a matter of a word! With your abilities, you could easily earn a high rank in the border army, even in the capital's army, or even become a high-ranking guard."

Tang Yun pondered inwardly, wondering what the painting was. Why was Empress Dowager Liang so determined to obtain it?

If he handed it over to these people, wouldn't he be unable to report back? But if it was truly important to the Song Dynasty, it seemed he couldn't bring it back to Western Xia. He thought to himself, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"You're all delusional. The three of you are no match for Han Yue. Besides, Han Yue is Hong Niangzi's subordinate. You must have heard of Hong Niangzi, right? She's the head of the Northern Green Forest! If you go to her territory, you'll be drowned by her spit, let alone capture her. You probably won't even be able to get through the gate." He paused,

then added, "Furthermore, if Han Yue is disguised as a Taoist priest, you can go find the Taoist temple where he resides. A wandering Taoist priest like him needs a certificate to stay at a temple; he can't just wander around the palace like he's his own backyard."

"Well... it's because that Taoist temple is related to the current emperor's younger brother, Prince Duan, so it's not advisable to act rashly." "

Then if you want to go looking for trouble with Hong Niangzi, I'm afraid I won't accompany you."

"Good sir, no matter how powerful Hong Niangzi is, she's still a thief. Can she be more powerful than an official? Besides, we have reinforcements. Have you heard of He Guan, the number one archer of the Song Dynasty? A famous general from Hedong, holding military power! He's one of our men. With him and the government troops, what are we afraid of, Hong Niangzi? No matter how arrogant Hong Niangzi is, can she be more arrogant than Wang Ze, the leader of the Maitreya Sect back then? Does she dare to raise a flag of rebellion?"

"He Guan? He's one of your men?"

"Exactly!"

Tang Yun suddenly recalled the scene of his deal with Sun Erniang. He was tricked by Sun Erniang and was about to be surrounded and wiped out when He Guan led his troops to disrupt the situation, allowing him to escape. He even caught an arrow from He Guan; that guy's archery skills were indeed earth-shattering and awe-inspiring.

In an instant, he understood that the surprise attack was not accidental. These three must have been present at the time, and they were definitely after Sun Erniang. It seemed that his connection with these three was not shallow; he should have met them three years ago, but unfortunately, they had always just missed each other.

Clearly, none of the three of them were telling the whole truth, but he himself was no different.

He decided to use them for now.

Tang Yun made up his mind and was about to speak when a cold gust of wind suddenly rushed in through the window, and with a thud, a steel dart embedded itself in the wall.

Everyone was startled.

The moonlight outside wasn't very bright; it was pitch black and silent, and they had no idea where the dart had come from.

These men were experts; they knew that these willow-leaf darts weren't heavy darts. They were light, relying entirely on hand strength to throw, and their range was nowhere near that of bows, crossbows, or military javelins. They typically hit targets twenty paces away, at most thirty or forty paces; the idea of them injuring someone from fifty paces away was unheard of.

In other words, the furthest the opponent had come was just thirty or forty paces from their window.

But strangely, after that dart, there was no further movement outside.

The men crouched low, hiding for a long time, but there was still no sound. With their keen senses, and now on high alert, they should have heard anything from the opponent at such close range, but they heard nothing at all.

Had the opponent already fled after throwing the dart? How far away was he? Were there such masters of concealed weapons in the world?

"What's that?"

Tong Guan whispered.

Tang Yun nimbly reached out and took the dart, then removed the cloth tied to it. There were words written on it: "

Han Yue has left; the mountain gate cannot be returned.

" "Who!"

Upon reading this, Tang Yun broke out in a cold sweat. This meant that someone had been secretly observing him, and now they were issuing a warning. His identity, his secrets… the feeling of being spied on by unknown darkness filled him with raw insecurity, making his hair stand on end.

Outside the window, there was only the sound of the wind.

"What is it?"

Yang Lie asked.

"Someone warned me,"

Tang Yun said, showing him the strip of cloth. "It seems I can't go back home. I never expected Han Yue to deceive me; I trusted him completely!"

"Do you know who it was?"

"How would I know? It seems this matter isn't just known to the four of us anymore; at least the person who warned me knows too. He must have been lurking nearby just now, and he must have heard everything we said. If you want to kill me to silence me, you're too late."

Tang Yun replied politely, but his mind raced. Han Yue was gone, so there was indeed no need for him to go back. But the added warning about not returning to the mountain gate suggested something was amiss, perhaps something had happened, and there was a hidden agenda against him. Whoever this person was, he clearly knew the inside story. From this, he deduced that Han Yue's departure was related to him. Could it be related to these three?

These three had been investigating for years, with many informants within the government. Zhe Keshi was a border general; could he also know about this secret case? Therefore, it can be inferred that there were also spies around these three people; otherwise, Han Yue wouldn't have disappeared so coincidentally.

Who exactly is this mysterious warner?

"Why do you say such things, sir? The misunderstanding between us is truly insignificant, and I genuinely wish to befriend you. My master delights in associating with those of extraordinary talent. If you are interested, why not serve my master alongside me? Your future prospects will be assured. With your exceptional skills, you are surely not without ambition. Following my master is far better than wandering aimlessly in this world."

"Lord Cai of Bianjing? That's not impossible. But to turn enemies into friends in just a few words is far too simplistic. I am not a newcomer to the martial world, nor am I a three-year-old. I have other matters to attend to right now and will not be traveling with you."

"I know this, and I wouldn't dare to hinder you, sir. But here's a token; I offer it to you as a token. If you ever change your mind, you can go to Lord Cai in Bianjing. With this token, he will surely grant you an audience. This also shows my sincerity."

Tang Yun took the token, glanced at it, and put it in his pocket. He turned and slipped out the door, disappearing into the night.

Yang Lie and Tong Guan helped Su Hu sit down. Seeing her disheveled state, they felt like they were swallowing a bitter pill. Tong Guan carried her on his back. Yang Lie's thigh was swollen from a punch. Gritting his teeth, he limped out of the inn under the cover of night. Before leaving, he copied the ledger, crossing out his own name and name. Everyone else in the inn, except for them, was under the influence of incense and slept like dead pigs. So, although the fight was chaotic, no one was awakened.

Jiangzhou was an inland city with a long history of good security. The city's defenses were lax; at night, there weren't even archers or soldiers patrolling the streets. The soldiers on the city walls were just a few Imperial Guard officers leading a group of local militia, all secretly sleeping by the fire in the cold night. The lanterns on the city walls flickered. The southwest city wall was entirely earthen, long exposed to wind and sun without repair. It had several large cracks, and a section had even collapsed, with a crooked tree growing from the gap. Several dog holes had even been dug out at the corners of the wall.

From there, the three of them left the city unscathed, reaching a patch of overgrown weeds outside. They put Su Hu down and began massaging her acupoints. After a long while, Su Hu's body recovered; the soreness and numbness remained, but she could move again.

"Our identities cannot be revealed; how can we let him leave!"

Tong Guan gritted his teeth, extremely dissatisfied with Yang Lie.

"If he wants to leave, can we stop him? You've seen his martial arts skills; killing the three of us would be a piece of cake for him! What makes us think we can keep him here?"

Yang Lie said in a deep voice. "There were only two possibilities in the situation just now: either all three of us would become corpses, or all three of us would survive. In the end, he would leave anyway. Which one do you want?"

Tong Guan was speechless.

"Besides, the mysterious man outside the window, and Han Yue's sudden departure, suggest that our identities have likely been discovered by someone with ulterior motives. Killing him wouldn't be of much use. Moreover, I think this man is quite ambitious; wouldn't it be good if we could win him over?"

"These bandits are fickle and unpredictable; how do you know they'll work for us?" "

He was originally a military officer in the imperial court and was once Zhe Keshi's subordinate. I've seen the case files from Shaanxi; he is indeed a wanted deserter. But look at his words and actions just now; he has the air of a scholar, and some subtle military habits he hasn't shaken off. I think this man is no ordinary bandit."

"So what? He's just a traitorous scoundrel."

"Hmph, really? What a hero Zhe Keshi is, what vision he has! How could any of his subordinates be traitors? In the battle of Hongde Village, when several thousand remnants of the army were surrounded by 100,000 Western bandits, did even one surrender? If this man were truly such a scoundrel, why would Zhe Keshi have made him a head of the guards and a trusted confidant?"

"What do you mean?"

"I think this fellow's defection to Xia and his current wanderings in the Jianghu are all deliberately orchestrated."

"Is he still a spy for the government troops? If so, he must be carrying out secret orders and doing some clandestine work. This matter... could it be related to Sun Erniang? Could it be the stolen military rations!"

Tong Guan had a flash of inspiration.

"So what? He's already gone. Where are we going to find him?"

Su Hu finally spoke.

"This man's skills are so great that he's willing to be a spy; his ambitions are clearly considerable. With ambition and drive, things are much easier. Minister Cai likes people like that the most."

"In that case, why not deceive him first? Once he's with He Guan, we can slowly manipulate him."

"Would he fall for that? If someone like him had truly been an undercover agent in Western Xia, he'd probably spend every day in a world of deceit and treachery. Making him fall for that is easier said than done. The only way is not to deceive him." "

What do you mean?"

"Everything I told him is true; I genuinely want to recruit him."

"It's just a pity you don't know if he'll fall for it."

"I have a premonition that we'll meet again. If this man is truly following the trail of the military convoy stolen by Sun Erniang, he'll eventually reach Bianjing!"

Tong Guan suddenly realized that this Yang Lie seemed to know something he didn't. Behind this mission, it seemed, lay an endless darkness. Yang Lie and Cai Jing behind him were part of this endless darkness, and behind them lurked a massive, terrifying shadow in the abyss of darkness: Zhang Dun, who had been the sole prime minister for five years; Consort Liu, who was about to be crowned empress; and Emperor Huizong, the younger brother of the emperor, who had been promoted from Prince of Suining to Prince of Duan…

Suddenly, he felt it was best not to think so much…

**************************************** (Separator) July, Xin Chou, Hebei Road, Beijing, Daming Prefecture, Song Dynasty.

Han Yue stood outside Jingfeng Gate, looking at the majestic, towering, bluish-gray city walls and the magnificent gate tower, and a sense of awe arose in his heart.

This was Beijing of the Song Dynasty, the Tianxiong Army, known as the most powerful town in the world, Daming Prefecture!

Compared to Bianjing, where he had lived, with its vast city, streets stretching for dozens of miles, and the formidable defenses of its three city walls, Daming Prefecture was in no way inferior, truly a place of dragons and tigers. Could such a massive, artificially constructed metropolis, built by moving mountains and filling rivers to alter the natural landscape, truly be created by human hands? The Liao Dynasty also had many cities, but compared to the Song Dynasty, they were undeniably fragile.

In terms of scale, the Liao Dynasty's five capitals were the most prominent, and Han Yue was most familiar with the Western Capital, Datong Prefecture, a city with walls stretching thirty li (approximately 15 kilometers) and seemingly endless, dominating the Guanshan Mountains. In his youthful ignorance, he had thought it was perhaps the most magnificent city in the world. Later, he saw the Central Capital, Dading Prefecture, whose scale even surpassed the Western Capital, and he marveled at the Liao Dynasty's power.

Then he heard that the largest of the five capitals wasn't even the Central Capital, but rather the Southern Capital, Xijin Prefecture, whose thirty-six-li (approximately 24 kilometers) of walls had caused the Southern Dynasty emperor's death on the battlefield, thus establishing the Liao Dynasty's position as the strongest nation in the world. He thought this was a city that would never fall; with such a formidable city, the Liao Dynasty would forever remain the strongest.

However, during his years in the Song Dynasty, his pride had long since vanished. Leaving aside Bianjing, even the present-day Daming Prefecture, this colossal city spanning forty-eight li in circumference, far surpasses any other city like Xijin. No wonder the Liao Dynasty's numerous southward incursions ultimately failed; such a fortified city was beyond human conquest.

Since the late Tang and Five Dynasties period, there has been a saying that "the prefectures of Hebei are the largest." Later dynasties—Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou—all devoted considerable resources to its development. During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, Empress Dowager Xiao led the entire nation south, and Daming Prefecture became the residence of Emperor Zhenzong. During the reign of Emperor Renzong, when the Liao army attempted to invade southward, the Song emperor, following the advice of Lü Yijian, designated Daming Prefecture as Beijing to demonstrate their resolve to resist. The Liao army, which was merely bluffing, retreated weakly upon seeing the Song Dynasty's strength. Daming Prefecture thus became the most important northern stronghold of the Song Dynasty.

Now, autumn has arrived, and with a pleasant autumn breeze, Han Yue has arrived in this world-renowned metropolis.

Since his hasty departure from Hedong during the New Year, he had been wandering around for more than half a year, mainly searching for Fang La's whereabouts. Before her death, Sun Erniang had said that Fang La was the person she entrusted with her affairs after her death, and following her instructions, he had found the token: the title page of the supreme scripture "The Two Sects Sutra" left by Wang Ze of the Maitreya sect, which reads "Shakyamuni Buddha has passed away, Maitreya Buddha will rule the world," the very slogan Wang Ze used when he raised his banner.

However, Fang La's whereabouts were uncertain. Sun Erniang said he was in Hangzhou, Jiangnan. Han Yue traveled for over a month, and after arriving in Hangzhou, he spent another two months traveling before learning from local Maitreya followers that Fang La had already left.

What also caught his attention was that the underground Maitreya sect in Hangzhou was clearly quite large, and had many names, such as Mingjiao, Lianshe, and Manichaeism—all similar to the Maitreya sect, just different names for the same thing. Manichaeism originated from Persia during the Tang Dynasty. After centuries of integration with Taoism and Buddhism in the Central Plains, it's not surprising that various folk religions emerged. The Maitreya religion, in fact, is a precursor to Manichaeism.

However, Han Yue wasn't interested in this at all; he was concerned with the hidden potential of these folk religions. In the Jiangnan region of Suzhou and Hangzhou, countless people believed in the Buddha Dingguang and Prince Dipankara, all of whom had intricate connections to Maitreya and Manichaeism. If the time was right, perhaps a second Wang Ze would emerge.

But all of this was irrelevant to him; he only wanted to find Fang La.

However, Fang La clearly already knew Han Yue was looking for him. After waiting in Hangzhou for some time, someone delivered Fang La's message, saying he was waiting for him in Daming Prefecture. This alone made Han Yue look at Fang La with new respect. Clearly, this man had already gained a certain reputation and status within the Maitreya religion. To effectively send someone from a thousand miles away to find him—such efficiency required considerable manpower and resources, indicating his considerable influence. The fact that he could organize a disorganized group of Maitreya followers to work for him showed that this man had great ambitions.

A few years ago, he was still Sun Erniang's subordinate. But in the past few years, he had clearly inherited the legacy of the Maitreya sect and successfully assimilated it for his own use. Once he obtained the "Two Scriptures" and had followers all over his hometown in Jiangnan, he might become the next Wang Ze.

So he turned north again, spending almost all his time on the road. By the time he arrived in Daming Prefecture after traveling thousands of miles, several months had passed since he set off from Hangzhou.

Hopefully, this time he wouldn't leave empty-handed...

As he stepped into Jingfeng Gate, on the other side of Daming Prefecture, at Yaode Gate, Tang Yun was silently watching the man in the crowd leave the city accompanied by several others.

He had been in Daming Prefecture for several months, waiting for an opportunity.

Daming Prefecture had many prominent families and powerful clans, most of whom were secretly doing business in the north. To find out about someone surnamed Yan, he would have to start with them. Fortunately, the wealthy merchant surnamed Lu wasn't hard to find. With this clue, it wouldn't be difficult to trace his target.

It was this man! The one they met on the grasslands!

Yan Dongping, a notorious figure in Daming Prefecture. He was the leader of a renowned archery society in Daming Prefecture, exceptionally skilled in martial arts, commanding thousands of fighters. He also ran a mule caravan society, owned a carriage and horse shop and a herbal medicine shop within the city, and controlled the largest mule and horse market outside the city. He was practically a powerful and influential figure in Daming Prefecture.

Moreover, his family was incredibly powerful; his aunt was Lady Yan, the adoptive mother of Empress Meng. With this connection, no one in Daming Prefecture dared to interfere with him.

Now that Empress Meng had been deposed and Lady Yan was imprisoned, his family had lost power in Daming Prefecture. However, Yan Dongping seemed to continue living a carefree life, spending his days surrounded by friends and entourage. People still addressed him as "Master Yan" in public and private. And clearly, no one in the local government wanted to take advantage of his misfortune.

This led to Tang Yun waiting in vain for months without any opportunity to approach him.

The man was highly skilled in martial arts, and this was his territory. Being alone, it was virtually impossible for Tang Yun to take him down; he had to outsmart him. However, the man frequently left Daming Prefecture to do business elsewhere, and he couldn't afford to waste time on that. After months of fruitless efforts, he was forced to recruit help.

These were his uncles and elders who had watched him grow up, all former subordinates of his godfather, Tang Shiba. For over a decade, these old bandits had hidden among all walks of life, cultivating their own power bases across the land. During his years alone in Western Xia, Tang Yun had relied on their strength more than once to gain a foothold. Although his godfather had entrusted these people to him upon his death, he had never considered them subordinates and would never call upon them unless absolutely necessary.

Now, however, was the last resort.

Although this man was a local strongman, he wasn't without weaknesses. As a member of the underworld, he was highly vigilant, but that was only in the eyes of bandits. He was often careless with ordinary people. Sometimes he would visit brothels alone. But when dealing with江湖人士 (jianghu figures), he always had bodyguards by his side.

The Ninth Uncle he had met this time was someone who didn't know martial arts. Yan Dongping didn't take such a weakling seriously at all. He thought he was really just a medicinal herb merchant in Chang'an Prefecture, and that the Ninth Uncle really did have a medicinal herb shop in Chang'an Prefecture, owned by the local powerful Wei family. Yan Dongping sent people to investigate, but naturally they couldn't find any flaws. The Ninth Uncle had been dealing with him in Daming Prefecture for more than two months, offering a deposit of a thousand strings of silver, finally making Yan Dongping completely believe him.

As long as he had this spy by his side, the rest would be easy. The sooner the better, so he would act today.

The Ninth Uncle would tell him that he was planning to buy a piece of land outside the city to build a manor for the Wei family, and invited Yan Dongping to go with him to choose a site. Yan Dongping had already expressed his desire to befriend the Wei family, so he wasn't worried that the Ninth Uncle would refuse. Inside the tavern outside the city gate, the datura wine and carriage were all ready.

Watching them leave the city, Tang Yun, dressed like a peasant, silently followed.

About an hour later, the old horse brought news of their success.

Tang Yun finished his preparations and got into character.

When Yan Dongping awoke from his unconsciousness, he found himself in an unfamiliar woodshed. Several people stood before him, all masked with black cloths.

Although his head was still throbbing, he realized he had been tricked. Something had been wrong after he drank at that small tavern. It was his carelessness; the old man there didn't know martial arts and hadn't taken him seriously. He was probably in cahoots with these people. Now, he couldn't be forceful and had to yield.

"Gentlemen, what brings you fortune? I, Yan, am grateful to my friends in the greenwood for their generosity, and I have a small reputation in the martial world. Let's not let this cause a misunderstanding. If you're short on cash, just name your thousand strings of cash for travel expenses."

He received only ridicule in return. He suddenly remembered that they had come to him for "business," and had already offered a thousand strings of cash; clearly, their purpose wasn't money. He inwardly blamed himself for being foolish, probably still under the influence of the drug, his mind not working properly.

"If you're not after money, gentlemen, I fear I have offended you in some way without realizing it. Please explain, and I will apologize."

"We've come here for no other reason than one thing we don't understand, and we need an answer from Master Yan."

A hoarse voice rang out from among the masked men.

"Please ask, friend. I will answer to the best of my knowledge."

"Three years ago, Master Yan, did you forget your trip to the Liao grasslands?"

The voice wasn't loud, but it struck Yan Dongping like a thunderbolt, making him see stars. He knew perfectly well what that trip to the Liao Kingdom three years ago represented. It was treason! A crime punishable by the confiscation of property and the extermination of the entire clan! Who were they? How could they know?

"I, Yan, have traveled to the grasslands many times, but I do not know which trip the hero is referring to?"

He forced himself to remain calm, trying to beat around the bush, even though he knew it wouldn't work. They were coming straight for him; were they government officials? No, if they were, they would have arrested him directly, not resorted to such underworld tactics. Besides, this matter involved far more important people; it would probably require the Censorate or imperial guards. These people definitely weren't from either of those places.

"Master Yan, you truly have a bad memory! It was the time you delivered that shipment of military supplies to the Western Xia envoy!"

"What! Don't you dare slander me! When have I, Yan Dongping, ever done such a disloyal and unjust thing! Who are you people?"

Yan Dongping shouted, his eyes wide with rage.

"Master, don't waste your energy; even if you shout until you're hoarse, no one will hear you,"

another elderly voice said mockingly.

"Why deny it, sir! Be brave enough to admit your mistakes. You think I can't get anything out of you just because you won't talk? There's a saying in the government: 'The people's hearts are as hard as iron, and the law is as storied as a furnace.' No one's mouth is unopenable. Don't force me to use torture, sir..."

The last sentence was delivered with a sinister and terrifying tone.

"You damned scoundrel, if you dare touch me, I'll make sure you die a horrible death. Do you know whose territory this is? You're dead! If you don't kill me today, I'll take your life, and none of you will escape..."

Yan Dongping's expression was ferocious, his face contorted, and he cursed through gritted teeth, but before he could finish speaking, he was replaced by a painful howl. Tang Yun had twisted off one of his fingers.

"Does Your Excellency think you can endure torture? Let's see. I can poke your eyes with a red-hot iron awl, force-feed you excrement, and pry open all your fingernails one by one with bamboo skewers. That's torture no living person can endure. Do you really want to try?"

Tang Yun knew this kind of person all too well; he was nothing more than a local tyrant who bullied others by abusing his power. He might be ruthless, capable of killing without blinking an eye, but he was definitely not a tough guy. Ruthlessness and toughness are two different things. He had seen too many people like this in the First-Class Hall.

Yan Dongping was pale, trembling all over, and large beads of sweat rolled down his face; he was clearly afraid. But in the end, he chose to remain silent.

"Since Your Excellency insists, then I must offend you!"

Tang Yun sighed, waving his hand. Two men came over and covered Yan Dongping's mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue. Then, someone took out a bamboo skewer and slowly pierced it under the nail of Yan Dongping's left index finger. A muffled groan, like a pig being slaughtered, immediately followed. Yan Dongping's tightly bound body struggled violently, then began to convulse, his head shaking wildly, tears and snot streaming down his face. Finally, the bloody nail was completely ripped off, and he rolled his eyes back, fainting from the pain. The room reeked; he had lost control of his bladder and bowels from the pain.

Tang Yun gestured for him to be woken up with water and removed the gag: "Does the master remember now?"

Yan Dongping's eyes showed painful struggle, but he still didn't answer.

Tang Yun sneered; this kind of person wasn't difficult to deal with. His resolve was already wavering; it was only a matter of time before the torture continued. He signaled for the torture to continue, ripping off three more nails before finally reaching his left thumb. Yan Dongping finally yielded. He was no longer the imposing figure he usually was; he was like a drowned rat, half-dead.

"What do you want to know?"

Tang Yun removed his mask, brought his face close to Yan Dongping's, and said, "My lord, how have you been? Do you still recognize any old acquaintances from Western Xia? Her Majesty the Empress Dowager of Great Xia has ordered me to ask you and the gentlemen behind you why you conspired with that traitor Liang Yibu to rebel and murder my Empress Dowager and His Majesty! And why did you break your promise and set a trap for us? I have come east today to reclaim what belongs to our Great Xia! And to seek justice for the Empress Dowager!"

"You...it's you! You are from Western Xia...wait, you are the envoy from Western Xia?"

Yan Dongping's eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost, clearly recognizing him.

"My lord has finally remembered!"

Tang Yun said with a cold smile.

"Wait, you...you're not one of Liang Yibu's men..."

"A good general serves a wise ruler, a fine bird perches on a high branch. I, Tang Yun, was originally the Empress Dowager's man, merely an undercover agent for Liang Yibu."

"Then you already know the whole story, so why ask me? Our two countries are fighting for our respective masters! Naturally, we'll use any means necessary. Liang Yibu once agreed that if he succeeded in seizing power, we would cease hostilities and make peace, therefore..."

"That makes sense, but my Empress Dowager doesn't care whether you're right or wrong. Offending her will have consequences!"

"This...times have changed. We have no personal grudges, we're just serving our respective masters! Liang Yibu is dead, and now your Empress Dowager is firmly on the throne, so why be so aggressive? As long as you don't kill me, I will repay you handsomely!"

"Do you think I'd believe your lies? Last time you colluded with Liang Yibu, weren't you also secretly plotting against him?"

"Where did this all begin?"

Yan Dongping was somewhat bewildered. Faced with these audacious "Western Xia spies," he felt a sense of relief, a relief that he no longer had to bear the psychological pressure of keeping a secret.

At the same time, he felt wronged by the torture he had suffered. They had already revealed their true colors; why had he endured all this? He couldn't help but feel an urgent need to end it as soon as possible.

This was all within Tang Yun's calculations.

"Hmph, all that so-called 'transportation goods' you provided back then were fake, weren't they? You had no sincerity whatsoever!"

"What?"

"Don't play dumb. After Liang Yibu was executed, we replaced him and went to retrieve that batch of weapons. But when we traded with the Red Lotus Society, we discovered the goods were all fake. We thought we'd been tricked and fought with the bandits, only to be suddenly attacked by Song Dynasty soldiers. I almost lost my life. That was clearly premeditated. How could this be? If it wasn't you playing tricks, then who was?"

"This…this I don't know either, it's impossible…"

Yan Dongping had heard of this, but he knew nothing of the details. Tang Yunzhen's embellished account left him utterly bewildered. Although he suspected these Western Xia people were turning the tables, he dared not speak out.

"This batch of military equipment already belongs to my Great Xia. It's not easy for me to come to the Eastern Dynasty, so I should take it with me! I wonder if you, sir, can help me?"

"This..."

Yan Dongping stammered again. What was he? He wasn't even an official. How could he possibly agree to such a huge request?

After a long pause, he finally managed a wry smile and said, "This matter is somewhat difficult, but since the envoy has spoken in this way, it means there is a possibility for us to clear up the misunderstanding. Your country needs these weapons only to fight against the government army. If the government army were to cease hostilities, wouldn't everything be fine? On this point, your country's interests are aligned with ours."

"You? Who are you? The Song Dynasty court? Now that old man Zhang Dun is in power, the Song emperor is warlike and his ambition to destroy our Great Xia is well known. What cease hostilities? Isn't that a joke?"

"Uh… not everyone wants to fight."

"Hmph, if those Yuan You ministers were still alive, this might have some credibility. Now it's just a joke." "

The envoy's words indicate that we have the possibility of cooperation. In the end, everyone is for peace. Our cooperation with Liang Yibu was also for this purpose. If we have a way to restore the Yuan You golden age, I wonder if Great Xia would cooperate with us?"

"The Yuan You era of prosperity! Hahaha, do you think I'm ignorant of the ways of the world? The ministers of the Yuan You era have all fallen! Su Shi has been exiled to Hainan, Fan Chunren has been placed in Yongzhou. Empress Dowager Gao, Sima Guang, and Wen Yanbo are all dead! Even Empress Meng has been deposed! Who can turn the tide?"

"Not necessarily. As long as Great Xia cooperates with us, it can be done!"

"A fool's dream!"

"Back then, Empress Dowager Gao, a mere woman, was able to turn the tide and implement the Yuan You reforms. Who says she was powerless to reverse the situation? Now, the treacherous Xi Feng faction is in power, and the Emperor is incompetent and tyrannical, constantly pressuring your country. I've heard that your country has suffered repeated defeats in recent years. Given this dire situation, is there truly no chance for us to cooperate?"

"How could I possibly know everything about the affairs of your Song Dynasty court? But where does the opportunity lie?"

"Currently, Zhang Dun is colluding with the treacherous Consort Liu to frame Empress Meng. He is also strongly advocating for Consort Liu's ascension to the throne. If we can bring her down from this point, Zhang Dun will inevitably be implicated. Then the Emperor will surely vent his anger on Zhang Dun and other treacherous members of the New Party. If Empress Dowager Xiang were to further fuel this, how could the New Party not collapse?"

"How can we bring her down?"

"If there's irrefutable evidence of this wicked concubine's adultery with outsiders, even the Emperor himself couldn't protect her! Zhang Dun has repeatedly petitioned the Emperor to make Consort Liu Empress; this is solid evidence. If this secret were to be spread, the Song Dynasty would become a laughingstock, Consort Liu would surely die, and Zhang Dun would be implicated!" "

Is there any evidence?"

Tang Yun already thought of the mysterious painting.

"It is a painting; the Emperor will surely understand once he sees it. However, this painting should be in your country's hands, because Liang Yibu promised to hand it over to us. Now, times have changed, but we still share common interests. In the end, we have no personal grudges, we are simply serving different masters. Now our common enemy is the New Party, why not join hands?" "

What?"

Tang Yun was stunned at first, then he understood many things.

"This is interesting, but if you want to cooperate with my Great Xia, we need to see if you're qualified first. Tell me your story in detail; how come I didn't know this painting existed?"...

************************* (Separator) When Han Yue saw Fang La again, he had to admit that three years could truly change everything for some people.

Fang La had grown taller and thinner, but not weakly; he was a very sturdy thin, and his face bore the marks of a seasoned maturity. His eyes also revealed a composure and depth beyond his years, clearly indicating that he hadn't wasted these three years but had experienced considerable trials. Standing there, he possessed the confidence and solemnity of a leader. Was

this a young man in his twenties? Han Yue seemed to think he was hallucinating for a moment; Fang La's aura involuntarily reminded him of the Green Forest Overlord, Hong Niangzi, and the two were evenly matched.

This kid is not simple.

"Greetings, Martial Uncle."

Fang La bowed, neither servile nor arrogant. Clearly, in his heart, he did not regard Han Yuezhen as his martial uncle or elder, or at least, he did not consider her inferior. Although the two were less than ten years apart in age.

"You probably already know why I've come."

"Since Martial Uncle possesses two scriptures, Master must have already passed away."

"Indeed. Before her death, Second Mother entrusted me with these scriptures, which meant she was entrusting you with important matters. However, I think you have done quite well."

Han Yue's words were laced with sarcasm.

"Life and death are predestined. How could I, Fang La, be a childish person? With Master gone, I, Fang La, have the heavy responsibility of restoring the prestige of the Maitreya Sect. Since I've become a prostitute, I won't pretend to be virtuous!"

Fang La did not shy away from the topic, speaking with great fervor.

"I also have a question to ask."

Han Yue suddenly admired this man somewhat; he was bold and responsible, and did not hide his true intentions.

"I presume it's about that batch of military supplies? Or that painting?"

"You've seen it?"

"Of course I have. Uncle, you're quite the ladies' man, and your brush is superb. The painting is truly lifelike, capturing the spirit of the subject."

"Where is it now?"

"Uncle, you've forgotten. This painting cost six thousand strings of cash back then, and it no longer belongs to you."

"I'll return the money

to you." "Does Uncle carry that much money?"

Fang La asked with a smile.

"No, not at all."

Han Yue replied calmly. "I only have an old scripture with me. I'll pawn it at a pawnshop; it might be worth six thousand strings."

"Uncle, that's not a pleasant thing to hear."

Fang La sneered. At the same time, faint movements came from the surroundings, as if more than one person was hiding nearby. Han Yue could feel the murderous aura permeating the air. Clearly, this was Fang La's territory. With just one order, the surrounding ambush soldiers would pounce and kill him.

"Hmph, are you so sure the scripture is on me?"

Han Yue remained unfazed.

"What difference does it make whether it's in your possession or not? If it's there, it's there; if it's not, it's not. What

does it have to do with me, Fang La?" "Fang La, I know your ambitions. A mere leader of the Maitreya sect is hardly enough to satisfy you. Your aspirations are far greater. However, to achieve this, the strength of hundreds of thousands of Maitreya followers is the foundation for your success. This 'Two Scriptures' is worthless to others, but to you, it's essential for bewitching people and establishing your position within the sect. With it, you'll achieve twice the result with half the effort—that's your plan. Tell me, is it none of your business?" "

Since you know my ambitions, Uncle-Master, you should also realize that those military rations are something I desire as well. If one day a great undertaking truly comes to fruition, using them to fight against the government troops would be a great help."

"Military weapons are inherently the property of the government troops. What you have, they will only have more of. Besides, betting your fortune on a few weapons of unknown use is not the wise thing to do. You have been to Shaanxi; how could a charlatan who doesn't know military formations possibly withstand the government troops there? If you intend to operate in Daming Prefecture, plotting to seize Bianjing, and following Wang Ze's path again, you will undoubtedly fail."

Fang La was taken aback. He did indeed have this plan; otherwise, he wouldn't have traveled all the way from his hometown of Hangzhou to Daming Prefecture. Back then, Wang Ze stirred up trouble in Hebei, which was very close to Bianjing, giving him a geographical advantage. His rebel troops even stormed into the imperial palace, presenting a real opportunity to destroy the Song Dynasty. Fang La saw this as an opportunity and felt he should try his luck.

"Back then, the government troops were incompetent and didn't even know their own weapons, yet they still managed to defeat Wang Ze. Now, the Western Army has hundreds of thousands of elite troops, ready day and night, all battle-hardened. If things escalate and the Western Army marches east, can you possibly stop them?"

"The Maitreya Sect has suffered repeated defeats in the north, its talent has scattered, its people's hearts have been lost, and its vitality is exhausted. What great things can you accomplish by merely guarding the north?"

Han Yue's barrage of questions was like a sudden awakening, leaving Fang La stunned. Reality was so cruel, like a blow to the head, waking him up. Everything Han Yue said was true. He had simply been deluding himself, unable to see reality.

"Jiangnan is a fertile land, and you know how many believers there are. This blessed land is prepared just for you; your future lies in Jiangnan! With dedicated effort, who says you can't create your own world and establish a new order? Why strive so hard for Bianjing? Isn't Hangzhou comparable to Bianjing?"

Fang La paused for a moment, seemingly savoring Han Yue's words, then bowed deeply: "Thank you for your guidance, Uncle-Master. I was troubled by my inner demons and lost my composure, almost ruining everything. I will return home now, and I will no longer concern myself with matters in the north!"

He then added with a wry smile, "It seems that I truly am not destined to receive that batch of military supplies."

Han Yue admired Fang La even more. This man was bold and decisive, acting on his words without hesitation. Such a person, if living in a chaotic world, would surely become a powerful warlord. With this man in Jiangnan, it was feared that he would become a major threat to the Song court in the future.

Fang La then said to Han Yue, "I apologize for my rudeness earlier, Martial Aunt. That batch of military supplies was hidden away by Master in a secret location. I, Fang La, truly do not know where it is. However, Master drew a map of that location, and I know where that map is."

"Where is it?"

"It's together with your painting, Uncle-Master. The map is printed on the back of the mounting; the two are one. This painting is currently on the roof beam of the City God Temple in Pingxia City, Jingyuan, Shaanxi. Uncle-Master can go and retrieve it."

Hearing this, Han Yue finally understood why he had said the military supplies were no longer his. Returning to Jiangnan, how could they be transported from Shaanxi, a thousand miles away? It was simply impossible. He didn't reply, took out the *Two Scriptures* from his robes, tossed it to Fang La, and turned to leave.

Fang La couldn't help but ask, "Uncle-Master, aren't you afraid I'm lying?"

Han Yue didn't turn around: "Aren't you afraid this scripture is fake?"

After saying this, a hearty laugh echoed behind him, filled with unspoken mutual appreciation.

"Respectfully seeing off Uncle-Master!"

Han Yue walked out of the courtyard and onto the main street. This was a courtyard near Jingfeng Gate in Daming Prefecture. The street was bustling with people, but his heart was at peace.

All of this was finally about to end. As long as he found the painting in Shaanxi and destroyed it, he would be completely free.

He was lost in thought, oblivious to a man a dozen paces behind him, staring at his back in disbelief, his expression shifting like a fox eyeing its prey.

Tang Yun had also happened to return to the city, his mind swirling with thoughts he desperately needed to process.

Who could have imagined that the self-proclaimed gentlemen of the Yuanyou faction would collude with foreign enemies for political infighting? What were the thousands upon thousands of soldiers who bled and fought on the battlefield to them? Pawns? Cannon fodder, ready to be sacrificed and betrayed at any moment? Perhaps no matter how many of their lives were lost, these scholar-officials wouldn't even give them a second glance.

The matter had begun many years ago, when Empress Dowager Gao was still alive. During the Battle of Hongde Village, some in the Song court colluded with Liang Yibu, plotting to use the war to eliminate Empress Dowager Liang.

Later, Empress Dowager Liang escaped death and returned to the country, and the struggle between the two sides intensified. By this time, Empress Dowager Gao was dead, the Song emperor had assumed personal rule, and appointed many members of the New Party, making the Yuanyou faction feel that their end was near. Therefore, Su Shi proposed using the internal strife in Western Xia and Liang Yibu's plan: providing Liang Yibu with military equipment, while Liang Yibu would help the Yuanyou faction retain power. If handled well, they could even manipulate both Western Xia and the New Party. Liu Zhi and Lü Dafang agreed to this.

The mastermind behind this plan was Su Shi, the leader of the Shu Party and a brilliant strategist in Shu, where many were known for their diplomacy and alliances. He was a master of these tactics, employing the strategy of "befriending distant states while attacking nearby ones," and "there are no permanent enemies or friends."

Liu Zhi and Lü Dafang's target was the palace. With support within the palace, the Old Party had a chance to survive. Although Empress Dowager Xiang leaned towards the Old Party, she lacked the political acumen of Empress Dowager Gao; therefore, Empress Meng was also needed. With these two in charge, even a new emperor could be established in the future.

Speaking of establishing a new emperor, he suddenly remembered Yang Lie and his two companions whom he had met half a year ago.

I clearly remember Yang Lie saying that Han Yue, this fake Taoist priest, entered the palace through his connection with the Prince of Suining, now the Prince of Duan. This man is the younger brother of the Song Emperor, who has no children. Is it a coincidence that the Prince of Duan is so deeply involved in this matter? Considering the timing, it coincides with the time when the old faction was playing tricks. Could it be that the new emperor they wanted to install was this Prince of Duan?

Unfortunately, they ultimately chose the wrong partner. Liang Yibu was defeated and died, and the old faction also collapsed. The truth is now lost to history.

Sun Erniang's Red Lotus Society, the remnants of Maitreya, must be henchmen bought off by Liang Yibu. They directly carried out Liang Yibu's plans, while the old faction used Yan Dongping to pass on information to me. This shows Empress Meng's attitude; even her adoptive mother was involved, and Yan Dongping, knowing so much inside information, is clearly a key figure.

Sun Erniang used Han Yue to enter the palace and steal the painting that could kill Consort Liu, giving it to Sun Erniang. Sun Erniang then handed this painting, along with the military supplies, to Liang Yibu. It's clear that both sides in this so-called "cooperation" were actually harboring ulterior motives. If they were truly sincere in their cooperation, why would it be so complicated? They could have simply handed it over to the Yuanyou faction in Bianjing.

Liang Yibu must have wanted to gain more leverage for himself, hence keeping it a secret from the Old Party.

But Han Yue… how could he steal that painting? A painting like that would be heavily guarded, hidden away only by the owner. How could he possibly steal it? Could it be…

Tang Yun suddenly thought of a possibility: what would happen if such a handsome man met a promiscuous woman? This Consort Liu was clearly not a virtuous woman; the Emperor doted on her so much, practically monopolizing the harem, yet she still had an affair. Could it be… that

the painting was actually painted by Han Yue? Or perhaps Han Yue was Consort Liu's lover?

This was the most reasonable explanation…

Thinking this way, the Old Party probably didn't have good intentions either; He Guan might be one of their members. Perhaps the Old Party somehow learned the inside story of the painting and that Han Yue was an important figure, so they immediately reneged on the deal and sent He Guan to launch a surprise attack, preventing the transaction.

The three people he met half a year ago were probably sent by the Old Party to track down Han Yue. Now, with court secrets involved, even changes in the political situation, the life-or-death political struggle between the Yuan You and Xi Feng factions, and the changing state of the nation at stake, of course, secrecy was paramount!

It's conceivable that if the New Party learned of this, they would do everything in their power to cover it up. Otherwise, they would surely be implicated!

The lesson of the Yuan You reforms was only a few years ago.

Han Yue, Han Yue, I never imagined you were such a person, involved in such a major event. You've even become a key figure.

Han Yue, truly… um?

Tang Yun thought of Han Yue, and unintentionally looked up, only to see that familiar figure amidst the crowds of people in Daming Prefecture.

Han Yue?

It was late autumn, the crucial time for autumn defense. At this time, countless troops were secretly converging on this place from all over the Northwest. All official roads and paths that could accommodate carriages and soldiers were under martial law. Local governments were also consciously cutting off transportation, strictly inspecting border defenses, and procuring military provisions and equipment to avoid delaying military operations. Every day, large groups of troops could be seen passing through those steep valleys.

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