[Fantasy] The Song of the Six Dynasties (Complete) - 3

page views:1 Publication date:2023-07-23

In the seventh chapter,

Cheng Zongyang slowly smoothed out a strip of red paper, about an inch wide. This was a slip of paper taken from the prayer list at Mingqing Temple, which read: "May the virtuous man be blessed, and may the East be auspicious." It was signed "Zhang Guanren of Bianmenwa, February 19th, Shen hour."

The informant's messages all began with the word "virtuous man," making it easy for the contact to distinguish them from nearly a thousand prayer slips. The key was the signature: the meeting place was "Bianmenwa," the time was "February 19th, Shen hour," and the clue was "Zhang Guanren."

Cheng Zongyang put down the slip of paper, stirred the lamp wick with copper chopsticks, and after a long pause said, "Commander Xue wants to see me?"

Feng Yuan nodded. "The brothers from the branch said that Commander Xue arrived in Lin'an half a month ago. He was struck on the back, and his meridians were severely injured. His enemies are still chasing him, so he dares not stay in the city and is now hiding in a farmhouse by West Lake. Captain Ao met with him and told him about the Jiangzhou incident. After listening, Commander Xue said he wanted to see you."

"When?"

"Young Master is going to the Ministry of Personnel tomorrow. If you have time this afternoon, let's meet at West Lake."

"Alright."

After Feng Yuan left, Qin Hui said, "I have something to say..."

Cheng Zongyang sighed. "I know what you want to say. Xue Yanshan is a powerful enemy. If I stand up for him on behalf of Xingyue Lake, I'm afraid it will cause a lot of trouble. But I can't refuse to see him."

The Snow Falcon Mercenary Group is not weak. Although the Jiangzhou battle damaged their strength, those who remained were all elites. Whether from the perspective of Xingyue Lake's expansion or from the perspective of cultivating their own power, they must bring this force under their wing. Severely injured, Xue Yanshan was unable to support the Snow Falcon Regiment, but Cheng Zongyang needed to demonstrate sufficient strength to take over the group smoothly. This was a deal; after all, there's no such thing as a free lunch.

"What I mean is..." Qin Hui lowered his voice and gestured.

Cheng Zongyang paused, realizing that the treacherous minister was indeed far more ruthless than himself.

Qin Hui calmly wiped his fingers. "I'm 70% confident."

"Even 100% won't do!" Cheng Zongyang flatly refused. This treacherous minister was too cunning; he needed to keep him in check to prevent him from completely losing his principles. However, the treacherous minister's idea was probably the best choice. With his Demon-Shocking Finger, eliminating an injured Xue Yanshan wouldn't be difficult. He could smoothly take over the Snow Falcon Regiment without incurring Xue Yanshan's wrath or provoking his enemies—a win-win situation.

Cheng Zongyang rejected this tempting idea. "At worst, we can just give up the Snow Falcon Gang. We absolutely cannot do such a thing. My treacherous brother, if I were to give you a grand theory, you would certainly disagree. So I'll just give you a simple one: if we kill Xue Yanshan this time and take over the Snow Falcon Gang, will we kill Master Yun next time and seize the Yun family?"

Qin Hui pondered for a long time, seemingly thinking that it was not impossible.

Cheng Zongyang gave a bitter smile: "Next time, you might as well just kill me and take all my business."

Qin Hui was startled, "This subordinate wouldn't dare."

Cheng Zongyang said, "Should I kill you before you dare?"

Qin Hui bowed and said, "This subordinate understands."

"My bottom line isn't high, but even the lowest bottom line can't be without one. There are some things that absolutely cannot be done." Cheng Zongyang shook his finger, "I won't use you as cannon fodder, and you shouldn't treat me as an unscrupulous schemer. Some things, once done, are hard to turn back from." Cheng Zongyang

had used the cannon fodder analogy before, and Qin Hui bowed deeply: "This subordinate will certainly keep your words in mind today, young master."

Cheng Zongyang laughed: "Alright, you have to go to the Ministry of Personnel tomorrow, get some rest. Hey, Old Qin, how's it going with this? Want me to find you a girl?"

Qin Hui laughed: "If you ever go out to enjoy yourself, young master, don't forget me."

Going to the Ministry of Personnel was just a formality. The Six Dynasties vied to recruit talent from various states, all establishing the position of Guest Minister. Some Guest Ministers held high positions and wielded great power; for example, Li Linfu of the Tang Dynasty served as Deputy Privy Councilor in the Song Dynasty, and was renowned alongside the famous prime minister Kou Zhun. Li Guang, the Flying General from the Han Dynasty, rose to the high position of Grand Chancellor in the Qin Dynasty and was enfeoffed as

Marquis of Changxin. However, the official titles of Guest Ministers were generally honorary, without any specific duties. Cheng Zongyang's position as Assistant Director of the Ministry of Works' Agricultural Reclamation Department was similar. The advantages were an official robe, exemption from kneeling before officials, a salary sufficient to support a family, the ability to submit petitions to the court, and occasional use of official post stations. Beyond that, there was little else. Without official business, there was no office, no superiors, and no need to go to work. This was once Cheng Zongyang's dream job, but now it had become an undesirable choice.

Ultimately, the position of Guest Minister was a means for various states to recruit and cultivate talent. Distributing one or two thousand meager salaries was nothing to the Six Dynasties; once talented individuals were selected from among them, all the investment would be worthwhile.

However, this formality led to an unexpected trouble. Cheng Zongyang, having filled out his place of origin and verified his identity, was exchanging polite pleasantries and waiting to receive his official

robes when he encountered Lin Chong, who had been transferred from the Imperial Guard to the Imperial City Guard and was at the Ministry of Personnel reviewing files. Although they only exchanged a brief glance, Cheng Zongyang immediately sensed that this genuine Leopard Head was suspicious—he had overacted at Mingqing Temple yesterday, and who knew he would run into him here; he had forgotten to conceal his identity, so it was no wonder Lin Chong was suspicious.

After receiving his official document, Cheng Zongyang did not leave but instead found a clerk and secretly handed him a few gold coins. Sure enough, the clerk quietly told him that Lin Chong, the instructor from the Imperial City Guard, had just come to collect the files, taking away the place of origin and other information Cheng Zongyang had just filled out.

Cheng Zongyang's heart pounded with anxiety. He hadn't deliberately concealed his identity while doing grain business in Yunzhou. Although information exchange during the Six Dynasties was far less developed than in his time, if someone were determined to investigate, it wouldn't be difficult to discover his past prominence in Jin. Moreover, the person who had been making a name for himself alongside him was none other than the young master of the Shaoling Marquis's mansion, now the governor of Jiangzhou, Xiao Yaoyi.

Cheng Zongyang felt a headache coming on. While his two slips of the tongue were certainly due to his lack of professionalism as a spy, the Imperial City Guard's reach had indeed gone too far. Would he be caught by the Imperial City Guard on this trip to Lin'an?

Perhaps he should just kill Lin Chong outright…

A murderous thought flashed through Cheng Zongyang's mind, but he quickly dismissed the idea. If Lin Chong died a violent death, the Imperial City Guard could simply compare his past actions with theirs, and he would be exposed, truly handing himself over to their blade.

"If we can't kill him, why not use him?" Qin Hui said calmly, "Gold and silver can move people's hearts."

"Bribe Lin Chong with money? Heh, I wouldn't even dare to think of that."

"Why not give it a try?"

Cheng Zongyang shook his head: "Brother traitor, with your way of thinking, it's hard for you to understand what kind of person Instructor Lin is."

Cheng Zongyang rubbed his knees, and after a moment said, "Let's wait and see. Even if Instructor Lin becomes suspicious, it won't be easy for him to come to Jiankang to investigate. It will take at least two months, at most three months. By then, we'll be long gone."

Qin Hui's suggestions were rejected by Cheng Zongyang several times, yet he remained calm, displaying the excellent psychological qualities of the number one traitor.

"Then we will do as you command, young master."

The carriage rumbled towards West Lake, with Ao Run carrying an iron bow, leading the way on horseback, his tiger-like eyes alertly scanning the surroundings.

At a farmhouse on the shore of West Lake, Cheng Zongyang met Xue Yanshan, the leader of the Snow Falcon Mercenary Group. Ao Run had once said that their leader was a majestic and burly man, whose Taiping Saber was invincible. This was certainly an exaggeration, but upon seeing Xue Yanshan, Cheng Zongyang still couldn't reconcile the man before him with the image in his mind.

The imposing, burly man Ao Run had described was now nothing but skin and bones. Xue Yanshan lay on the couch, his life force seemingly drained, veins bulging beneath his withered skin.

"Sit," Xue Yanshan said, exhaling a wisp of white breath.

Cheng Zongyang's expression changed drastically, and he grabbed Xue Yanshan's pulse. Two men from the Snow Falcon Gang tried to intervene, but Xue Yanshan rebuked them.

Silence fell over the room; you could hear a pin drop. Cheng Zongyang's expression grew increasingly grim. After a short while, he released his grip: "Who was that person?"

"I don't know," Xue Yanshan said with difficulty. "I, Xue, am confident in my cultivation, having achieved some minor success. But that night, I was suddenly attacked and fell victim to the attack before I could even see the attacker's face. Heh! To this day, I still wonder if the attacker was a human or a ghost?"

Cheng Zongyang hesitated for a moment, then took something out of his backpack: "Has Commander Xue seen this before?"

Xue Yanshan gestured, and the man beside him wiped the ice crystals from the corner of his eye and helped him sit up. Xue Yanshan stared at it for a long time, then shook his head.

What Cheng Zongyang had taken out was the ghost tooth that Xiao Yaoyi had given him. Although there was no evidence, Cheng Zongyang strongly suspected that the "ghost" the little fox had encountered more than ten years ago was the culprit who injured Yun Ruyao, and might even be related to Yue Shuang's cold poison. He was all too familiar with Xue Yanshan's injuries; they were the same cold poison as those in Yun Ruyao and Yue Shuang!

The cold poison within Yun Ruyao and Yue Shuang's bodies was entangled in their meridians, rendering both Wang Zhe's unparalleled cultivation and the Yun family's immense wealth ineffective against it. Fortunately, the cold poison affecting the two women was merely persistent, while the cold poison afflicting Xue Yanshan was extremely potent, like a greedy monster constantly devouring his life essence.

"After spending the New Year in Qingzhou, I led over two hundred brothers from my group to Jiangzhou," Xue Yanshan said bluntly, knowing his days were numbered. "To avoid alerting the Song people, we didn't take the Yuan River, but instead split into three large boats and traveled along the Taihu Lake. On the night of the ninth day of last month, as our boats reached the center of Taihu Lake, more than ten small boats suddenly surrounded us."

"Those people seemed to be water bandits who made a living on the water; they were excellent swimmers. In less than half an hour, all three of the Snow Falcon Group's flagship boats were sunk by their water monsters."

Xue Yanshan paused for a long time, recalling the horrific scene. Two hundred mercenaries fought a bloody battle in the lake, and none survived. In the chaos, he was struck by a palm strike, but fortunately, he was wearing a leather water armor made by the Yun family, and his men risked their lives to save him, allowing him to escape the winter lake. However, the cold poison soon flared up, each time causing excruciating pain that devoured his flesh. Xue Yanshan had barely held on until now, exhausting all his cultivation to resist the cold poison, and was now utterly exhausted.

Cheng Zongyang knew that his Life and Death Root could counteract the cold poison, but he only knew one method, and that method was clearly ineffective against Xue Yanshan.

"We don't even know who our enemies are, so revenge is out of the question," Xue Yanshan said magnanimously. "I have no other thoughts. Xiao Ao said that you intend to recruit my men. These brothers have followed me through thick and thin for many years. As long as they are well-fed and clothed, I can die in peace." " Don't

worry, Commander Xue, your brothers are my own," Cheng Zongyang said. "There's something I want to ask you, Commander Xue."

After everyone in the room had left, Cheng Zongyang asked, "Commander Shi visited my residence several times before his death. He said someone commissioned him to investigate a woman around me. Does Commander Xue know about this?"

"I asked him to investigate," Xue Yanshan said without hesitation. "Tao Wu from Tao's Money Shop approached me and commissioned me to investigate the concubines around you, sir."

"Tao Hongmin?"

"In my opinion, Tao Wu has no ill intentions towards you, sir. The Tao family has great influence in Qingzhou. Every year, they organize banquets on islands in the Qingzhou Inner Sea, attended by the elites of the Six Dynasties. Judging from his actions, he is most likely trying to recruit you, sir."

"What is there for me to recruit?"

“We’ll have to ask Tao Wu.”

Xue Yanshan was exhausted after saying this, exhaled a cold breath, and fell into a deep sleep. He didn’t know if he would wake up again.

In the carriage, Qin Hui pondered repeatedly for a long time before saying, “Commander Xue’s words are flawless, but I feel something is amiss…”

“Because of Meng Niang’s identity, I suppose,” Cheng Zongyang said. “If he’s been commissioned to investigate Yan’er, I have nothing to be nervous about. Tao Hongmin… could he be planning to use a honey trap on me?”

Qin Hui said, “If Young Master Tao uses such a scheme, it will surely play right into your hands.”

“Exactly, I wish he would use it on me a few more times. Oh—” Cheng Zongyang suddenly sat up straight and whispered, “The beauty is here!”

Cheng Zongyang jumped off the carriage and laughed heartily, “Life is full of unexpected encounters! Miss Shishi, we meet again.”

The carriage slowly came to a stop, and then the window was half-rolled up, revealing Li Shishi’s beautiful face. After a day apart, the anxiety between her brows had turned into a deep worry, making her look troubled. She looked at Cheng Zongyang with some surprise and asked,

"It's you?"

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "I just happened to be in Lin'an on business. I didn't expect to meet Miss Shishi here."

Cheng Zongyang was clear-headed. Reason told him that now was definitely not a good time to provoke Li Shishi, but his lower body told him: "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, lest the good cabbage be eaten by pigs." Especially Li Shishi, a famous cabbage in history who had been eaten by many pigs, a moment's delay could leave eternal regret.

A soft voice came from inside the carriage: "Shishi, who is this gentleman?"

A jade hand rolled up the carriage curtain, revealing a beautiful woman opposite. She wore a crimson narrow-collared brocade jacket, revealing a slender, jade-like neck, and a face as beautiful as a begonia. At this moment, she was holding up the carriage curtain, and her sleeve slid down a few inches, revealing a section of her smooth white wrist wearing a green jade bracelet, and a faint fragrance seemed to emanate from her sleeve.

Cheng Zongyang's heart stirred slightly: "Is this your aunt?"

"She's my maternal aunt." Li Shishi said to the beautiful woman, "Aunt Ning, this is Young Master Cheng, a merchant from Qingzhou. He's donated money to the orphanage in Qingzhou that my sect runs."

The beautiful woman nodded slightly, smiled at Cheng Zongyang, and then lowered the carriage curtain.

Seeing the barbarian behind Cheng Zongyang, Li Shishi's eyes flickered slightly, and suddenly she revealed a bright smile, saying, "It's fate that we meet... Young Master Cheng, do you have time to accompany me for a walk?"

Cheng Zongyang immediately replied, "Of course! Where does Miss Shishi want to go?"

Li Shishi lowered her eyes and said softly, "I want to go to Leifeng Pagoda."

"Leifeng Pagoda at Sunset! One of the famous Ten Scenes of West Lake! I've been there before, but when I got there, I found out that Leifeng Pagoda had long since collapsed..."

"Cough! Cough!"

Qin Hui coughed desperately. This patriarch has really lost his mind, spouting nonsense. It seems that if anyone tries to use a beauty trap on the patriarch again, we must be very careful.

Cheng Zongyang snapped out of his reverie and chuckled dryly. Li Shishi, preoccupied with her own thoughts, hadn't noticed his words, but the beautiful woman opposite her, through the curtain, had given Cheng Zongyang a few curious glances.

Leifeng Pagoda is located on the south bank of West Lake. Nanping Mountain stretches from the south into West Lake, where a solitary peak rises, known as Leifeng. Leifeng Pagoda is built atop this peak, a seven-story structure surrounded by a covered corridor. Copper bells and bronze horses hang from the eaves, its flying eaves and brackets creating a

magnificent spectacle. At sunset, the pagoda was bathed in a myriad of rays of light, reflecting off the water and sky, making it appear as if it were coated with a dazzling golden glow, standing majestically amidst the lush trees. Climbing the pagoda, one could see the water and sky merging seamlessly, and the distant evening bell of Jingci Bao'en Temple drifted softly in the air. The

scenery was breathtaking. Even though Cheng Zongyang wasn't in the mood to appreciate the view, seeing it still filled him with a sense of exhilaration. Cheng Zongyang glanced furtively at the pretty girl beside him. He remembered that Li Shishi was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and had a refined artistic taste. It was said that these literary young women were the easiest to win over; all he had to do was recite a timeless masterpiece, and he could instantly capture her heart. (Advertisement: Still relying on your hands? How can that be satisfying? Forum reputation guaranteed! Healthy anti-premature ejaculation masturbation exerciser, real oral sex pleasure experience, hot recommendation! Maintain the feeling of ejaculation for 30 minutes, so pleasurable you'll faint! Fully automated masturbation with 12 different sex positions and vibration frequencies. Click to enter.)

Cheng Zongyang coughed softly, attracting Li Shishi's attention, and then recited in a deep voice, "West..."

Before speaking, Cheng Zongyang thought there were at least 80,000,000, if not 100,000, poems about West Lake throughout history. He figured he could recite at least eight, if not ten, and one of them would be enough to make Li Shishi fall head over heels for him. But when he opened his mouth, he realized he didn't remember many. He was somewhat familiar with "If West Lake were compared to Xi Shi," but that treacherous minister had recited it yesterday. The Six Dynasties included the Tang and Song dynasties; Tang poems and Song lyrics were probably outdated. If he were to parrot others and get caught, not only would he fail to impress her, but she would also look down on him.

Li Shishi frowned slightly, seemingly lost in thought. She hadn't noticed Cheng Zongyang when he first spoke, but when he stopped after only one word, it drew her attention.

Without Tang poems and Song lyrics, his choices were limited. The more Cheng Zongyang thought, the blanker his mind became. He was going to lose face big time.

Seeing that he couldn't come up with the famous lines about West Lake, Cheng Zongyang changed his mind, saying, "Mountain..."

He got stuck on the word "mountain" again. At this crucial moment, Qin Hui was the most loyal, stepping forward to defend his master:

"White egrets fly before Xisai Mountain, peach blossoms float on flowing water, and mandarin fish are plump... What a poem! What a poem!"

Li Shishi showed no expression, but her eyes casually drifted away. However, Aunt Ning beside him raised the corners of her lips, revealing a gentle, encouraging smile.

"Beyond the mountains, green mountains rise; beyond the buildings, more buildings stand!" Cheng Zongyang recited expressionlessly, his tone almost clenched through gritted teeth: "When will the songs and dances of West Lake cease!" Upon hearing

these two lines, a look of surprise flashed in Qin Hui's eyes, and Aunt Ning's body trembled, her expression astonished. She hadn't expected this merchant, who only knew how to count money, to actually recite a couple of lines of poetry.

After a moment, Li Shishi turned her face: "What's next?"

"That's all." If she continued, she would give herself away. Thank goodness, this Song Dynasty is different from the one in history. This poem, "Always treating Hangzhou as Bianzhou," was finally written by the imperial decree.

Aunt Ning smiled and said, "Young Master Cheng, why don't you add a couple more lines to complete this masterpiece?"

Do you want me to make a fool of myself by adding a dog's tail? Cheng Zongyang said with a disappointed look, "It's a rare treat to enjoy the sunset at Leifeng Pagoda with Miss Shishi and Madam. I had intended to compose a poem to amuse Miss Shishi, but this servant's interruption has ruined my poetic inspiration. Please forgive me."

Qin Hui said in a panic, "This subordinate deserves to die."

Aunt Ning recited the two lines of poetry several times, then said with regret, "Such fine lines, it's a pity the poem wasn't finished." Li Shishi

twirled her hair with her jade-like fingers for a moment, then smiled sweetly, "Young Master Cheng, these two lines are indeed a masterpiece. In the past, Pan Dalin wrote 'The city is filled with wind and rain as the Double Ninth Festival approaches,' but suddenly the rent collector arrived, ruining his poetic inspiration. He left this one line and it became a famous poem. Young Master Cheng, these two lines are no less than those of the ancients."

Having met Li Shishi twice, only now did Cheng Zongyang realize that she had let down her guard and revealed her true feelings... She really seems to be a literary young woman.

Yu Ziyuan came upstairs and winked at Cheng Zongyang from afar. Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "Excuse me for a moment. Huizhi, you should come too." After leaving Leifeng

Pagoda

, Yu Ziyuan said, "I've found out. The goods lost by Weiyuan Escort Agency before the New Year were from the Grand Commandant's mansion. The jewelry alone was worth no less than 100,000 strings of cash, and there was also an imperial jade belt inside. If Weiyuan Escort Agency can't recover these goods, I'm afraid the agency itself will be ruined."

Qin Hui interjected, "Who robbed them?"

"No news. We haven't found out who robbed them yet."

Ordinary thieves rarely dare to touch the goods of escort agencies; those who do are usually powerful figures who dominate a region. In the world of escorting goods, martial arts skills are secondary; what's important is having a wide network of connections and prestige. Usually, if an escort agency loses goods and can't recover them, they'll find someone to mediate. Sometimes they'll even pay several times the price of the goods to redeem them, just to protect the agency's reputation. Cases like this, with absolutely no clues, are extremely rare.

"The son of the Grand Commandant? Could it be the son of Grand Commandant Gao Qiu?"

"That's right." Yu Ziyuan said, "Grand Commandant Gao Qiu has no sons. Because his elder brother died early, he adopted his nephew as his adopted son and doted on this young master. This fellow was born domineering and tyrannical, and he loves to seduce other men's wives and daughters. He has a nickname: Playboy Grand Commandant... Young Master, what's wrong with you?"

Cheng Zongyang's expression was strange: "The current Grand Commandant of the Song Dynasty is Gao Qiu?"

Yu Ziyuan sneered with some disdain: "Gao Qiu was born a favored official. Because he played football well, he was favored by the Song emperor and later joined the army. He has been in charge of military power for twenty years."

Grand Tutor Jia Shixian, Grand Commandant Gao Qiu, and General Xia Yonghe, only Cai Jing and Qin Hui, the two prime ministers, are missing. The treacherous officials and scoundrels of the Song Dynasty are complete. This Song emperor is truly remarkable; it's rare to see someone with such a terrible hand. I really don't know how he's managed to survive all these years.

"So it's this Gao Yanei..."

Cheng Zongyang, having spent so much time in the Six Dynasties, is no longer the naive young man he once was. Li Shishi's invitation to Leifeng Pagoda felt strangely suspicious. Li Shishi had traveled a long way to Lin'an solely for the lost shipment from the Weiyuan Escort Agency. He had initially guessed she had found the bandits who robbed the shipment and was trying to get him to help her. But such matters should be handled by her father, the head of the Weiyuan Escort Agency; there was no reason for two women to take the lead, especially since Aunt Ning seemed completely unskilled in martial arts. Now it seems that what she's dealing with isn't robbers, but the legendary Gao Yanei...

Yu Ziyuan continued, "I just spoke with a few of the escorts from the Jianju Bureau. Apparently, Gao Yanei has set a price: either return the goods or send the General's daughter to the Grand Commandant's mansion for him to enjoy for a year."

Cheng Zongyang clicked his tongue, "That fellow has come up with a good idea."

Yu Ziyuan smiled, "If this matter can be settled, General Li and his wife might actually do it."

Cheng Zongyang paused, "That couple is really willing to go all out."

"Although Li Yinchen has a great reputation, his cultivation is actually not that great. The Weiyuan Escort Agency has gotten to where it is today by being opportunistic and currying favor with the government and various sects. When they encounter a tough opponent, they're helpless."

"Why would he throw his daughter into a fire pit?"

Qin Hui said. "If he could protect his family business with a daughter, why wouldn't Chief Escort Li do it? Besides, if he really goes to the authorities, let alone a daughter, his escort agency and family might not be able to be saved."

Yu Ziyuan said, "When I came here just now, I saw Gao Yanei's carriages and horses. He was probably meeting Miss Shishi here. Young master, what are you going to do later?"

"What are we going to do? Do nothing!" Cheng Zongyang said, "She thinks she can get me to take the blame for her with just a smile. This girl is too clever. We'll just watch the show from the sidelines. Hmph, when will it be our turn to stand up for the disciples of the Bright Temple?"

Yu Ziyuan perked up. "Yes!"

As he spoke, a group of carriages and horses crossed the long bridge over West Lake and sped towards Leifeng Pagoda. A dozen or so young men in brocade robes rode in a row, some carrying slingshots, some carrying blowpipes, some carrying sticky poles, and some carrying hawks and leading yellow dogs. The carriages and horses were noisy and arrogant.

Cheng Zongyang dismissed Yu Ziyuan and the Blue-Faced Beast, then returned to the tower with Qin Hui as if nothing had happened. Li Shishi and Aunt Ning were whispering when he appeared. Li Shishi smoothed her hair and gave a faint smile.

Even though she knew he was using her, her beautiful face still stirred Cheng Zongyang's heart. He had met several disciples of the Bright Temple, and while Li Shishi might not be the most beautiful or skilled in cultivation, she was far superior to Pan Jie'er and Xiao Xianggua in terms of shrewdness, manipulation, and the ability to fully utilize her feminine charm. This kind of woman didn't deliberately use her charm; she was a natural beauty.

Li Shishi curtsied and said, "Today, I invited you to the lake, young master, but I had another ulterior motive. Please forgive me."

Cheng Zongyang chuckled and said, "It's alright, it's alright, please speak."

"I am a military physician from the Tiger Wing Kingdom of Mingzhou, but my home is in Lin'an. My father runs a security escort agency, and before the New Year, he lost a shipment. The cargo owner took the opportunity to extort money from me..." Li Shishi's face showed sorrow. "That scoundrel is a notorious playboy in Lin'an, the womanizing Gao Yanei. He somehow heard about my beauty and forced my father to take me as a concubine..."

A concubine? He said he'd only play with me for a year. Cheng Zongyang stamped his foot and exclaimed, "That scoundrel!"

Li Shishi said sadly, "If I don't submit to him, my father will be sent to the authorities for punishment; but if I do submit, how can I be content? I dare to ask you, sir, for a decision."

Cheng Zongyang asked in astonishment, "What decision?"

A hint of anger flashed in Li Shishi's eyes, then she lowered her eyes and said pitifully, "May I ask you, sir, should I submit to Gao Yanei, or not?"

"This...you've stumped me." Cheng Zongyang scratched his head. "Gao Yanei is not a good person, and it would be a real injustice for you to marry him as a concubine. However, Gao Yanei's father, Grand Commandant Gao, is in charge of the Grand Commandant's Office and holds military power. It would only take him a matter of issuing an order to transfer you to the Grand Commandant's Office. Gao Yanei didn't rely on his father's power, but only proposed to take you as a concubine after losing his goods—Miss Shishi, I think Gao Yanei is truly sincere towards you."

Even with Li Shishi's intelligence, she was stunned by this. He actually advised me to become Gao Yanei's concubine? Does he have any conscience at all?

Cheng Zongyang sneered inwardly. He wants me to risk everything for him with nothing but empty words? Even if I look like a steamed bun, I can't just let you eat me up, can I?

He said earnestly, "I'm just a small merchant. I can't even curry favor with the sons of the Grand Commandant's family normally. Miss Shishi, you must seize this opportunity to rise to the top."

Li Shishi's jade-like face flushed and paled, and she suddenly flung her sleeve and said, "Aunt Ning! Let's go!"

Aunt Ning said softly, "What this young master said makes some sense. Shishi, even if you don't think about yourself, you should think more about your parents."

Li Shishi bit her lip and said after a long while, "Aunt Ning, even you say that! Did my parents give birth to me and raise me just so I could become a concubine for that playboy?"

Aunt Ning said softly, "My aunt married a minor military officer. Although the couple has been harmonious these past years, seeing him being ostracized and unable to get promoted despite his excellent martial arts skills... how can you understand such hardship?"

Li Shishi took a step back and said sadly, "I'd rather jump off the tower than marry that man who's worse than a pig or a dog!"

Aunt Ning said in alarm, "Shishi, be careful!"

"Let's talk this over!" Cheng Zongyang said. "Miss Shishi, don't try to kill yourself over this!"

The carriage stopped at the foot of the tower, and the group of boys hurried up. Cheng Zongyang said in a low voice, "Calm down!" Then, with a beaming smile, he went over and asked, "Which one of you is Gao Yanei?"

The boy in the lead was dressed in fine clothes, twirling two jade balls in one hand and carrying a belt on the

other. He looked to be about sixteen or seventeen years old, with short, stout limbs, resembling a smaller version of Shi Chao. His appearance wasn't particularly ugly, but his features were all crammed together on his fat face, making him repulsive. The boy pursed his lips and rolled his eyes, clearly not taking him seriously. A boy next to him chimed in, "Who are you?"

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "I'm a merchant who happened to be visiting. You all look so handsome and promising young men! I'm filled with admiration."

This wasn't entirely a lie. To be honest, Cheng Zongyang's idol in his youth was Gao Yanei. Rich, powerful, with a doting father, and no school to attend, he spent his free time leading a gang of lackeys to bully men and women on the streets – a life of luxury.

The boy who spoke smiled: "Good eye! We are the famous Thirteen Protectors of Lin'an City! This is our boss, the playboy Gao Yanei!"

A bunch of little brats, barely grown up, trying to emulate gangsters? Cheng Zongyang clasped his hands and said repeatedly, "A pleasure to meet you! A pleasure to meet you! My apologies! My apologies!"

Gao Yanei, with his protruding belly, asked, "Where's the girl?"

With such a group of unfamiliar men approaching, Aunt Ning, supported by her maid, had already moved away. Li Shishi, however, was unfazed, gracefully walking over, her beautiful eyes coldly fixed on Gao Yanei.

Upon seeing her, Gao Yanei stumbled backward, and a young man behind him quickly caught him, using his acting skills to exclaim, "Boss!"

Gao Yanei gasped, "Oh my, this little lady... the moment I saw her, half my body went limp. This feeling... amazing!"

Another young man chuckled, "Boss, is it the lower half that's limp? This is troublesome! What if we can't get into the bridal chamber tonight? Will we brothers have to do it for you?"

The young men seemed to find the conversation amusing, laughing heartily. Several of them, while sizing up Li Shishi, whispered in Gao Yanei's ear, their faces lewd, as if they already saw Li Shishi as a cooked duck on their plate. Gao

Yanei smugly beckoned, "Little lady, come with me now! Tonight I'll give you... ouch!"

Li Shishi grabbed his hand and bent it backward; Gao Yanei's arm was twisted backward, and he knelt down in front of her with a "thump."

The group of teenagers erupted in chaos, rushing to grab her and fight. Cheng Zongyang watched coldly. Li Shishi's cultivation wasn't much stronger than Xiao Xianggua's from the Southern Wilderness, but it was enough to deal with this group of hooligans.

The wooden corridor along the tower was only wide enough for two people to walk side by side. With the group of hooligans crowding in, not one of them could squeeze through. In the chaos, a figure suddenly swept across the sky. The person grabbed Gao Yanei's wrist and gently pulled him away from Li Shishi's grasp, then helped Gao Yanei back into the crowd.

Gao Yanei was in so much pain that he almost cried, screaming wildly, "Lu Qian! Capture this little bitch! I'm going to teach her a lesson!"

Cheng Zongyang's heart skipped a beat, and he looked at the person. The man was about thirty years old, dressed in a military officer's uniform, with a dignified appearance, not much less handsome than Lin Chong, except that his face was narrow and his eyebrows drooped, making him seem a little petty. Cheng Zongyang thought to himself: So this is Lu Qian, the one who caused Lin Chong's family to be destroyed.

Lu Qian glanced around and already understood the situation. In the distance, a scholar stood leaning against a railing, with only the young lady from the Weiyuan Escort Agency and a merchant from out of town before him. Such people were nothing but ants in the eyes of the Grand Commandant's mansion; even if they were killed, it wouldn't be a big deal. However, Li Shishi had an additional status, so it wasn't easy to offend her.

Lu Qian clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute: "Miss Shishi. Your father lost 100,000 strings of cash from my master. I'm sure your father has already told you about today's events."

“Debts must be repaid. We can certainly afford 100,000 strings of cash,”

Lu Qian said gently. “Your father knows the financial situation of the Weiyuan Escort Agency better than Miss Shishi. Besides, the lost items include an imperial jade belt, which no amount of money can buy. Escort agencies are obligated to compensate for lost goods. My master didn’t take the matter to Lin’an Prefecture out of respect for your parents. Otherwise, where would the Weiyuan Escort Agency be? Even your father and mother would be imprisoned. Miss Shishi, my master’s kindness is truly commendable.”

Li Shishi stubbornly raised her head: “It’s just lost goods. As long as I ask my seniors for help, I’m sure I can get them back.”

Lu Qian looked at Li Shishi for a while, then smiled and said, “Do you think your father didn’t try? Chief Escort Li went to Mingzhou before the New Year to see several esteemed masters. However, since the escort agency lost its clients’ property, it should compensate them in full. Your sect has always had a good reputation and will naturally not favor its disciples, let alone their families. Your sect has made it clear that the Bright Temple Hall does not participate in Jianghu feuds. Your father knelt on the mountain for several days, but could only return empty-handed.”

Cheng Zongyang’s heart stirred slightly. It seemed that Bian Tou already knew, otherwise he wouldn’t have grabbed onto this stranger like a lifeline to help him.

Li Shishi’s chest heaved, but her face gradually turned pale.

Cheng Zongyang couldn't help but feel sorry for her. A perfectly respectable young lady from a镖局 (escort agency) and a disciple of the Bright Temple, she was treated like merchandise and given away because of an unexpected disaster. Having lived this long, this was probably the first time she had discovered that neither her parents nor her sect could be relied upon. This blow was likely even harder to accept than being sent to Gao Yanei.

"Today's Leifeng Gathering was personally announced by Chief Escort Li. My master has prepared a luxurious carriage," Lu Qian said politely, extending his hand. "Miss Shishi, please."

Lu Qian said "please," but his hand ruthlessly grabbed Li Shishi's wrist. Li Shishi's cultivation was more than enough to deal with a few thugs; compared to the experts of the Imperial Guards, it was nothing. She struggled but couldn't break free, and a blush crept onto her already pale face.

"Why must Lord Lu force her?"

Qin Hui smiled bitterly upon hearing the patriarch speak. He was so confident at first, but softened at the last minute. The patriarch's behavior was truly questionable…

Qin Hui stepped forward, raised his thumb, and lightly touched Lu Qian's tiger's mouth (the area between his thumb and index finger) like a dragonfly skimming the water. Lu Qian's expression changed instantly. This seemingly refined scholar's movements were swift and unpredictable, like a gazelle leaping through the air, and his cultivation was unfathomable. With a single press of his finger, his true energy fluctuated wildly several times, and his entire meridian system was numbed. Such a strange finger technique was something he had never seen before in his life. If Qin Hui hadn't shown mercy, he would have been humiliated on the spot.

The young man, dressed like a wealthy merchant, wore a lazy smile. "There should be a first-come, first-served order, right? Miss Shishi and I have an appointment to visit Leifeng Pagoda today, so perhaps Gao Yanei could reschedule."

"Who the hell do you think you are! Lu Qian! Kill him!"

Cheng Zongyang's face darkened, and he shouted, "Even Gao Qiu wouldn't dare speak to me like that! How dare you, you little brat!" Cheng Zongyang's shout was filled with true energy, causing the copper bells hanging from the eaves of Leifeng Pagoda to ring loudly. Even Gao Yanei was stunned, and the group of children were completely dumbfounded. Leifeng Pagoda fell silent instantly.

Although it was winter, cold sweat beaded on Lu Qian's forehead. There were few people in all of Lin'an who dared to so brazenly call out the name of Grand Commandant Gao like this young merchant. Moreover, regardless of his true identity, judging from the cultivation level displayed by him and his attendant, Lu Qian knew he was in deep trouble today.

Before Gao Yanei could react and start his outburst, Lu Qian leaned down and whispered a few words in his ear, then clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "My master never forces anyone. Since Miss Shishi doesn't know her background, we'll take our leave. Miss Shishi, your father and mother are both reasonable people. Let them explain things to Miss Shishi before we decide what to do."

Gao Yanei pointed at Li Shishi and said, "You little slut! You just wait! And you too!" He pointed at Cheng Zongyang and shouted, "Trying to steal my woman! Are you crazy?"

After uttering these harsh words, the group of youths left Leifeng Pagoda like wolves, shouting as they disappeared into the distance.

Aunt Ning came out from behind, looking at Li Shishi with worry. Li Shishi bit her lip, her face stubborn, but tears were faintly visible in her eyes. After a moment, she turned her face. "Who are you?"

"Me?" Cheng Zongyang tapped his nose. "I'm just a small merchant. I was just trying to scare him. What Gao Yanei? He's just a little brat! He was scared off, haha..."

Li Shishi bowed slightly. "Thank you, young master. Shishi..." As she spoke, two lines of tears finally slid down her cheeks. Who would have thought that her trusted parents and sect were no match for her, but a complete stranger would come to her rescue?

With the beautiful girl crying like this, Cheng Zongyang had no mood to look at the scenery anymore. Aunt Ning politely declined his escort and led Li Shishi away in the carriage.

Cheng Zongyang said, "Guangming Temple is quite heartless, ignoring its own disciples and watching others push this little beauty into a fire pit."

"Guangming Temple is in Mingzhou, and sending its disciples to the Tiger Wing Army as physicians is also to avoid antagonizing the Song Dynasty," Qin Hui said. "Grand Commandant Gao holds military power, so even if Guangming Temple wanted to stand up for its disciples, it would have to think twice. Besides, for Guangming Temple, only the inner hall are true disciples; the outer hall are just nominal disciples who don't even enter the main hall."

Qin Hui's explanation made Cheng Zongyang understand Guangming Temple's choice. For the sect leader of Guangming Temple to turn against the Grand Commandant for the sake of a boarding student's family member would be insane.

Speaking of which, he should go to Mingzhou to see his mother-in-law, but he's been too busy. Sending people is out of the question; the people from Xingyue Lake definitely won't do it. If they go, they might just wipe out Guangming Temple while they're at it. Sending treacherous officials like Qin Hui and Wu Sangui would be even worse; the Bright Temple would definitely think it was the Black Demon Sea Poison Sect trying to cause trouble, and they wouldn't rest until they were dead. As for Qi Laosi and Wu Dadao, one a vulgar man and the other a rough fellow, whether they could even get in the door was questionable. It seemed he would have to personally get the Little Melon back.

Thinking of the Little Melon, Cheng Zongyang felt a surge of excitement in his heart, wishing he could sprout wings and fly to Qingzhou.

"Find out her, and help her if you can," Cheng Zongyang said. "We can't let a good cabbage be eaten by a pig!"

Qin Hui said, "Young master, your words are excellent!" Cheng

Zongyang said, "If anyone's going to be eaten, I'll be the one to eat it first!"

Qin Hui clapped his hands and said, "Young master

, your words are even better!" "You're trying to drown me with your flattery?" Cheng Zongyang leaned back on the cushion. "Brother traitor, what do you think she would do if Deadhead were here?"

"This..." Qin Hui pondered for a moment, then smiled bitterly, "This subordinate dares not speculate."

Deadhead would definitely take advantage of the situation and take that little beauty as her goddaughter, right? Cheng Zongyang sighed inwardly: You brat, I miss you...

"Brothers—run—" Under the walls of Jiangzhou, the Tiger Wing Army, which had come to reinforce from Mingzhou, had just suffered a devastating blow. A whole Song army unit tried to block the water gate, but was shredded into pieces like minced meat by the monsters that rushed out of the city.

An officer in the distant ranks shouted, "No retreat without orders! The Tiger Wing Army—"

"Mighty!" Long-term training instilled in the soldiers an instinctive, unified response, but many eyes remained fixed ahead, their expressions blank.

A cloud of black smoke, mixed with sand and dust, rolled in with a deafening roar. The fleeing Song soldiers were swallowed up like ashes by the smoke. Severed limbs, swords, spears, flags, saddles… flew out of the smoke continuously. Whether valiant cavalry or skilled archers, all were routed before the smoke; nothing could stop its advance.

The Song soldiers watched, their faces pale, as the black smoke drew closer. A galloping warhorse was caught in the smoke, and then slices of horse meat flew out, each two inches thick, from head to leg, bone and flesh, including the saddle, all neatly sliced.

As several soldiers screamed as they were engulfed in the black smoke and indiscriminately turned into pieces of flesh, the Song soldiers in the ranks could no longer hold out. One soldier turned and fled, followed by the entire battalion, who scattered in a frenzy of screams.

The officer's shouts were futile; the black smoke drew ever closer, its eerie, metallic clanging silencing his futile cries. The officer stared at the black smoke, then sheathed his sword, carefully fastened the bandit leader's tassels, adjusted his armor, and sat cross-legged.

The black smoke rolled in with a deafening roar, occasionally splattering blood onto his face. The officer held his sword horizontally before him, gripping the hilt tightly, awaiting the moment he would be swallowed by the smoke.

Suddenly, a strange creaking sound rang out, and the black smoke abruptly stopped about a foot away from him.

The officer saw a large, dark iron block spinning less than an inch from his nose, its speed gradually decreasing until it revealed two poorly drawn eyes and a crooked mouth. Finally, it stopped with a "click," staring blankly at him.

The officer swallowed hard, staring at the iron block, his mind a jumble of thoughts, devoid of any joy at having escaped death.

What kind of monster is this?! Beneath the massive iron block was a rectangular block resembling a body, with three strangely shaped wheels, each over a meter tall, on each side. Each wheel was surrounded by serrated edges about a foot long, stained with blood and bits of flesh. To be crushed and sliced into pieces by such a thing was practically a stroke of luck; normally, one would simply become mincemeat…

A purple shadow drifted in like a cloud, landing on the monster's head. The officer looked up and saw the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

Her face was as smooth as jade, her lips as red as jewels, her eyes as clear as water… Every smile and gesture of hers exuded innocence and purity, radiating an almost holy glow. Placed next to the bloody machine, they created a bizarre scene.

"It's broken again…" the girl patted the massive iron block in annoyance, her beautiful brows furrowing slightly.

Then the officer saw the most lewd old man he had ever seen.

"I told you this thing wouldn't work..." The old man, hands in his sleeves, a smug look on his face, grumbled, "What does a big lump of iron know? It won't even go a mile with all its might, just a waste of time."

The girl skillfully opened the large iron block, took out several strange-looking parts, and then took out a clump of white powder from a small iron box.

The old man's mouth twitched when he saw it, and he said with a pained expression, "How come it's all gone again?"

The girl spread out her fair palm: "One piece of dragon's eye jade isn't enough. Get another one."

The old man said with a mournful face, "I say, girl, Xiao Chengzi treats my money like it's nothing, you should at least save me some. These days are chaotic with war, my money isn't much either... Oh dear! It's too big! Get a smaller one!"

The girl took out a small piece of jade and was about to put it in, but then changed her mind. She took out a strange, round object and looked at the pointer inside through the transparent lid. "Huh? One Dragon Eye Jade only lasts for less than twenty minutes! Hey, is your puppetry not working properly?"

The old man jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Nonsense! My puppetry is a direct descendant of the Black Demon Sea! How could it not work?" The girl wrinkled her nose and tossed the Dragon Eye Jade to the old man: "Alright, if you're heartbroken, I won't use it."

"No! You have to use it!" The old man forced the Dragon Eye Jade into her hands without explanation, saying, "I've been deciphering the puppetry techniques of the Witch Sect for over twenty years, and I know all the methods by heart! Haha, I understand! That Dragon Eye Jade is just too small to contain my boundless witch power! Here, here, I'll give you another one, it'll definitely work!"

The girl smiled and took the Dragon Eye Jade from the old man, not forgetting to take back the smaller one as well. "Don't be angry, I'll try."

The old man's face beamed like a chrysanthemum as he rubbed his hands together. "Put them in! Put them in quickly! This piece is big enough to last all the way to Lin'an."

The girl held the two pieces of dragon's eye jade in her palm, her starry eyes gleaming with captivating light. The officer almost forgot he was on the battlefield, staring blankly at the girl's slender, white fingers, as if in a dream.

The girl put both pieces of dragon's eye jade into her bag, then clapped her hands. "I've suddenly come up with a brilliant idea! Look..."

The girl twirled her slender hand, revealing a small jade bottle in her fair palm. Smiling, she said, "The Dulu Nandan Demon Bell!"

The old man glanced at the bag containing his two pieces of dragon-eye jade, then at the jade bottle. A realization dawned on his face—he'd been tricked. After a long pause, he said with a pained expression, "Little Zi, you've been corrupted by Xiao Chengzi!"

The girl put away the bag, her face beaming. "I'm with Cheng-tou-er now; how can I not support my family?"

she said, raising her small hand. Before the officer could realize the danger, the girl's icy, jade-like fingers pierced his leather armor and plunged into his chest. In the excruciating pain, he felt as if his soul was being forcibly ripped from his body, flying towards the black bottle in the girl's hand.

In the instant he lost consciousness, he heard the girl's soft laughter: "Giving an iron golem a ghost might be more effective than puppetry..."

"The spring breeze blows ten miles along Yangzhou Road, but nothing compares to the beauty of the rolled-up beaded curtains!" Looking at the bustling streets of the Imperial Street, Qin Hui was filled with excitement.

"Hey, you treacherous minister," Cheng Zongyang said irritably, "This is Lin'an, isn't it?"

If he had half the talent of that treacherous minister, he might be strolling along the Imperial Street with Li Shishi, instead of wandering around aimlessly with beasts like the Blue-Faced Beast and Jin Wuzhu every day. Qin Hui laughed heartily: "Though the scenery is different, the sentiment is the same. Young master, please look, ahead lies the Kowtowing Stone."

A majestic city gate appeared on the west side of the Imperial Street, its stone plaque inscribed "Chaotian Gate." Two squads of imperial guards in bright armor stood before the gate, their swords and spears flashing, exuding an imposing aura. In the open space directly in front of Chaotianmen, facing the street, lay a massive stone, about ten feet in size, its surface as smooth as a mirror.

"It is said that when this stone is struck with a hammer, its sound is like a chime, carrying for miles. The first emperor of the Song Dynasty specially placed it before the palace gates. When the people had grievances, they would strike the stone to plead their cases, and the palace would respond with a resounding echo; hence, it is called the 'Stone of

Knocking to Heaven.'" Cheng Zongyang's attention was focused on the center of the stone. A long sword, as if flying from the sky, plunged several feet diagonally into the ground, cleaving the stone in two. Although it had weathered more than ten years of wind and rain, and the tassel had faded, the blade remained unblemished, still gleaming like new. However… this sword was simply too long! The part protruding above ground alone was at least five feet, and including the part underground, the total length exceeded seven feet. This sword had the air of a powerful, imposing saber, extremely stylish.

Cheng Zongyang's veins throbbed, and as he pointed at the sword, his hand trembled as if he were having a seizure. After a long while, he managed to squeeze out, "How domineering!" But in his heart, he thought: Yue Niaoren, you are truly shameless!

Qin Hui read aloud the inscription on the sword: "'Commanding the world, none dare disobey!'—This is the sword that King Wu Mu personally carried. When King Wu Mu was wronged, Wang Zhenren carried this sword alone into Lin'an, shattering a stone with a single blow before the palace gate. Its accumulated power has deterred anyone from daring to act rashly to this day, but unfortunately, no one knows the name of this sword."

"How can it not be?" Cheng Zongyang said, "Look, there must be two more lines after this: 'Without the Heaven-Reliant Sword, who can contend?'—This is his mother's Heaven-Reliant Sword!" "

I've heard of the four lines of the sword inscription, but the line 'Without the Heaven-Reliant Sword, who can contend?' seems to refer to the Heaven-Reliant Sword not yet being born. As for the name of this sword, it must have a different origin."

"No mistake, this is the Heaven-Reliant Sword." Cheng Zongyang sneered, "That bastard only cares about looking cool, who cares about grammar?"

The patriarch never spoke well of Yue Pengju, but Qin Hui smiled and said, "Young master, would you like to take a closer look at this sword?"

"I'm not looking anymore. What's so interesting about a worthless fake sword?"

"Although this sword is the personal sword of King Wu Mu, he wasn't its first owner."

"Oh?"

Qin Hui said smugly, "Legend has it that this sword is a divine weapon passed down from ancient times. Whoever possesses this sword can rule the world. Would you be interested in trying its edge, young master?" Cheng Zongyang

looked at the "Heaven-Slaying Sword," then at Qin Huizhi, and then said with a smile, "Don't try to fool me! Rule the world, my foot! Yue Fei not only took the sword, but he even engraved words on it, and what was the result?"

"King Wu Mu's sword stirred up the winds and clouds, a hero of his time!"

"What's the use of being a hero when the man is gone? Let others dream of conquering the world. I'm just a businessman, making a little money and living a peaceful life for a few days."

Qin Hui said, "The world is also a business."

Cheng Zongyang paused, and after a long while, he smiled and said, "That's interesting, you treacherous minister."

"In this business deal, Huizhi is willing to be the vanguard for the family head."

"Let's take it one step at a time." Cheng Zongyang knocked on the carriage. "Go to Bianmenwa!"

Please continue reading "The Song of the Six Dynasties: The Clouds and Dragons" Episode 2,

Lin'an Chapter.

Synopsis:

Having encountered a hero like Lin Chong, Cheng Zongyang was hoping to recruit him to his side when he unexpectedly discovered that Lin's wife might be a "high-ranking figure" in the Black Demon Sea!

Now, could Li Shishi, from the Bright Temple, also be connected to the Black Demon Sea? Who set the trap for whom in the robbery of the escort agency's goods?

Yun Xiufeng finally arrives in Lin'an, but Cheng Zongyang is attacked by the Imperial Guards on his way to the secret meeting! Did he slip up, or did someone leak the secret?

Chapter One:

When talking about the decadent pleasure quarters of the Six Dynasties, nothing beats the various guild halls. Inside, the lights were bright, the music and dance were lively, and the alluring beauties transformed into boys were intoxicating. With the sounds of music and beautiful women in their arms, wealthy patrons would spend lavishly.

However, for ordinary people, these guild halls were unattainable. Therefore, in some prosperous cities, entertainment venues catering to the common people emerged, the most well-known being the "Wazi" (entertainment districts) in Lin'an.

Wazi, also known as Washe or Washi, consisted of different performance areas named after sheds. Inside each shed was a stage for performances, surrounded by railings, hence the name "Goulan" (meaning "railing").

Goulan offered a variety of entertainment throughout the night, including sumo wrestling, shadow plays, variety shows, puppet shows, storytelling, acrobatics, music, magic tricks, and more.

There were twenty-four Wazi in Lin'an alone, not including the standalone Goulan Wazi. The largest, Beiwa, had thirteen Goulan, offering not only various performances but also services such as fortune telling, divination, clothing repair, food and drink, gambling, and more—a far more comprehensive service than modern entertainment venues.

Wazi in Lin'an were usually named after their location; Bianmen Wazi was located outside the Bianmen Gate in the southeast of Lin'an.

As soon as the group entered, a servant greeted them, but seeing Cheng Zongyang with two barbarian servants, they dared not utter a word and obediently sang a polite "yes."

Cheng Zongyang announced the name of Master Zhang, and a servant said, "Honorable guest, please come in!" He then led the group to the Peony Pavilion inside.

The sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air, and the place was bustling with activity.

The Peony Pavilion was a large pavilion on the east side. Outside the gate, adorned with colorful ribbons, was a notice board with various strips of paper bearing names such as "Qiao Wanjuan, historian," "He Yanqing, performer of imperial dramas," "Sumo wrestling with 'Slamming Down the Mountain' and 'Iron Plate'," "Singing various court tunes, 'Flowers as Charming' at Qingzhou Biyun Pavilion," and "The monk reciting scriptures and whistling." The front listed the programs, and the back listed the performers' names.

In the center of the Peony Pavilion was a half-person-high wooden platform surrounded by railings, with an exit at the back leading to the performance area.

When Cheng Zongyang entered, he saw two burly men wrestling on the platform. Both were dressed in short, simple clothes, their muscles like iron and their skin like bronze. Standing on the platform, they were as imposing as iron towers; their mere appearance alone was worth several copper coins.

The two were agile and skillful, displaying a variety of techniques on stage, drawing cheers from the audience outside the brothel.

The Blue-Faced Beast and Jin Wuzhu watched with wide eyes, watching as the two leaped and bounded, suddenly colliding in a fierce melee.

The two fought hand-to-hand, the situation fraught with danger. The Blue-Faced Beast stared at their hands and feet, his expression shifting between surprise and delight, seemingly engrossed in the spectacle; Jin Wuzhu's neck veins throbbed, as if he couldn't resist joining in, prompting Cheng Zongyang to quickly pull the two beasts away to prevent any further trouble.

Qin Hui laughed, "The sumo wrestling in the city is mostly just for show. If you really want to watch sumo, you have to go outside the city. The underground sumo arena there not only has masters of the Six Dynasties, but I've also heard there are a few barbarian sumo wrestlers. A single match can cost tens of thousands of silver coins." "Forget it. If I want to watch sumo, I think women's sumo is more to my liking." Cheng Zongyang said excitedly, "Two beautiful young women, wearing only a strip of cloth the width of a palm, twisting together naked on the stage, pulling each other's legs and pinching each other's butts, that's really exciting."

Jin Wuzhu snorted disdainfully, "I..."

"Shut up!" Cheng Zongyang shouted, angrily saying, "You clueless bastard! What do you know!"

As he spoke, Cheng Zongyang casually glanced behind him.

Lin Chong, wearing a felt hat and dressed as a leisurely man, followed at a distance with his hands in his sleeves—Instructor Lin was really not suited for tailing; his outstanding temperament couldn't even fool a novice like himself.

Tables and chairs were arranged on both sides of the sidewalk, and there were several exquisite small pavilions nearby.

The waiter obediently led the group to a fine pavilion, saying cautiously, "This is the seat reserved by Master Zhang. Please have a seat, esteemed guest."

Cheng Zongyang tossed the waiter a silver coin to dismiss him, then sat down and watched the performance in the brothel absentmindedly.

Qin Hui skillfully crushed the tea cake, served tea, and prepared tea, performing the duties of a busybody, while saying, "Regarding the business I just mentioned, please reconsider, young master."

Cheng Zongyang leaned against the table and laughed, "Trying to make a living by trading the world? Do you want to be like Lü Buwei?"

Qin Hui asked curiously, "Who is this Lü Gong?"

"Haven't you heard of 'rare goods are worth hoarding'? The great merchant who traded the King of Qin, Prime Minister Lü Buwei."

Qin Hui pondered for a long time, "Young master, are you perhaps mistaken? There is no prime minister in Qin with the surname Lü."

There was no Lü Buwei? Had he been killed by Zhao Luhou first? Cheng Zongyang could only smile bitterly.

Others who time-travel can become sages, knowing five hundred years into the past and five hundred years into the future, while he can only offer hindsight. Cheng Zongyang chatted with Qin Hui while glancing at the brothel, his hand slowly groping under the table.

After a moment, he tucked a small bamboo tube into his sleeve, leaned back in his chair, and exclaimed in the manner of the people of Lin'an, "Good!"

The paper was covered with densely written characters in tiny script. Cheng Zongyang realized he had struck gold after reading only a third of it.

The intelligence detailed all the Song army participating in the Battle of Jiangzhou. Besides the Pengri Army and Longwei Army of the Upper Four Armies, the Tiger Wing Army, Shengjie Army, Jingsai Army, Guisheng Army, and Guangwu Army were also mobilized, totaling over 50,000 men. Information on each army was detailed down to the battalion commander level, with the number of men accurate to the last digit.

Such information was invaluable, but what caught Cheng Zongyang's attention even more was another passage.

The intelligence report revealed that after three consecutive crushing defeats, the Song court was in an uproar, and even the Song emperor considered withdrawing his troops. Only Grand Tutor Jia remained resolute, threatening to resign and insisting on sending troops.

From the description, it was clear that Grand Tutor Jia was now on the verge of collapse; if the Song army suffered a defeat at Jiangzhou, he would lose his position as prime minister. The intelligence report vividly described the reactions of the court officials, including the Song emperor, as if witnessing it firsthand.

Cheng Zongyang handed the paper to Qin Hui. "Take a look, isn't it interesting!"

Qin Hui skimmed through the text and said, "With this man's help, Jiangzhou is like having tens of thousands of soldiers!"

"Brother traitor, guess who this person is?"

Qin Hui pondered, "This person has access to so much information, he's most likely a eunuch. But he even has access to the Song emperor's conversations, so there's another possibility..."

Cheng Zongyang and Qin Hui said in unison, "A eunuch!"

Given Yue Fei's unpredictable style, it's entirely possible he's planted several eunuchs as spies in the palace, perhaps even Tong Guan—the only eunuch in history to be granted a title.

Cheng Zongyang tapped his fingers on the table for a while before saying, "Send him a message on the prayer list at Mingqing Temple, asking him to help me investigate someone."

The information provided by his informant had already proven his ability, and Cheng Zongyang didn't want to sit idly by waiting for him to deliver information, wasting such an excellent informant. As for whether this mysterious person would help, that was uncertain.

However, just one night later, the next day, all the information he needed was answered, with a level of detail far exceeding Cheng Zongyang's expectations.

If not for all the information being written on a two-finger-wide strip of paper, Cheng Zongyang would have thought he was looking at the archives of the Grand Commandant's mansion.

The informant provided information detailing Lin Chong's family background and his entire experience of being seconded to the Imperial City Guard, leaving nothing out.

It wasn't difficult for a eunuch to access intelligence from the two ministries, but obtaining military intelligence in such a short time was probably beyond the capabilities of most eunuchs.

Qin Hui slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, "This person must be a clerk from the Grand Commandant's office!"

"Not necessarily," Cheng Zongyang said, pointing to the last few lines of the note. "'On February 18th, I went to the Ministry of Personnel to retrieve the files of the officials of Yunzhou and investigate the cause of the fire at the Ever-Normal Granary. On the 19th, I requested an investigation of the guest minister, Mr. Cheng, and was granted permission after three requests. I went to Mingqing Temple and met with the monks in the vegetable garden...' If he were a clerk from the Grand Commandant's office, how could he know so much about what happened after Instructor Lin was transferred to the Imperial City Guard?"

"The Imperial City Guard," Lin Qingpu said, "Only people from the Imperial City Guard have such methods."

"Well said!" Cheng Zongyang laughed loudly, "I also guessed that this person was from the Imperial City Guard!"

Qin Hui smiled slightly. The patriarch had been deliberately trying to win over this outstanding disciple of the Shadow Moon Sect, not even hiding the matter of the informant at Star Moon Lake from him. The more he knew, the harder it would be for Lin Qingpu to extricate himself. However, the patriarch had gone to such great lengths, which was truly worthy of him.

Qin Hui thought for a moment, then said, "Young Master, Instructor Lin has already traced us back to us. Shouldn't we give him a warning?"

"No need," Cheng Zongyang laughed. "We'll visit someone tomorrow. It'll be quite a show if Instructor Lin follows us."

"Who?"

"Lu Zhishen, the Flower Monk," Cheng Zongyang laughed. "Since we've met, it's only natural that we should pay a visit to the senior brother of Monk Zang."

Qin Hui reminded him, "Although it's a plan, Instructor Lin and Master Lu have only met once; they might not have a deep relationship."

"Don't worry about that!" Cheng Zongyang said confidently. "They are both righteous heroes. Although they've only just met, their friendship is exceptionally strong. Flower Monk, Flower Monk, if you can act as my shield, preventing Instructor Lin from following me like a ghost, I'll treat you to dog meat!"

Qin Hui and Lin Qingpu both laughed.

The Blue-Faced Beast barged in without knocking. "Master, someone is looking for you."

"Who?"

"It seems the surname is Shui..." The Blue-Faced Beast scratched its head, "The name sounds like 'wet'... um, it's that pretty girl on the tower."

"Li Shishi! What do you mean 'wet'! If you keep talking nonsense, I'll deduct the sheep!"

The Blue-Faced Beast protested, "It's actually wet inside!"

"Oh dear, I didn't realize! Blue-Faced Beast, you're still a blue-faced lecherous beast!"

"Miss Shishi, it's an honor to have you here." Cheng Zongyang greeted her with a beaming smile, speaking politely, "I should have gone to your residence to pay my respects, how could I have troubled Miss Shishi to come in person?"

At the time, Cheng Zongyang had only given Li Shishi a contact address at the Snow Falcon Gang branch, not expecting her to find him through so many channels.

"I don't live at home."

Cheng Zongyang was taken aback, his first thought being: Has this girl run away from home?

"I'm staying at my aunt's house." Li Shishi said softly, "I don't want to go back to the escort agency."

Cheng Zongyang was disappointed, but seeing her charming appearance, his disappointment immediately vanished. Li Shishi bit her lip. "I want to go for a walk."

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "It's my duty."

Those four simple words brought tears to Li Shishi's eyes.

Cheng Zongyang couldn't bear to see her like this, and quickly said, "Let's go to Beiwa. I went to Bianmenwa yesterday; it has everything. I heard Beiwa is even more lively than Bianmenwa."

Hearing about places like entertainment districts, Li Shishi frowned slightly and said softly, "How about Xiaoyingzhou?" Li Shishi's accent was that of Lin'an, naturally soft and charming, and coupled with her beautiful appearance, it was impossible to object. However, Cheng Zongyang had never heard of this place and couldn't answer immediately.

Qin Hui came to the rescue, saying, "Xiaoyingzhou is in the heart of West Lake, with the beautiful Three Pools Mirroring the Moon." Cheng

Zongyang slapped his forehead and chuckled dryly, "How could I not remember such an elegant place? Huizhi, quickly call two carriages."

Soon, two carriages sped out of the courtyard. Li Shishi was still unmarried, and although Cheng Zongyang really wanted to ride in the same carriage with her, chatting and having a heart-to-heart talk, he ultimately couldn't bring himself to do it.

Ao Run was in the carriage with them. Xue Yanshan's injuries had stabilized somewhat in the past two days, and Feng Yuan had taken over looking after him, allowing Cheng Zongyang to finally leave. With the help of the Snow Falcon Group's branch in Lin'an, they had gathered more detailed information.

"Li Yinchen doesn't have a good reputation in the martial arts world," Ao Run said. "He's shrewd, but spineless. The recent loss of the Weiyuan Escort Agency's shipment is very suspicious. Some people advised Chief Escort Li not to take it on, as business with the Grand Commandant's mansion isn't easy, but Chief Escort Li was eager to curry favor with Gao Yanei and agreed immediately. As a result, something bad happened, and none of the escorts and porters returned."

Cheng Zongyang said, "Weiyuan isn't a well-known escort agency in Lin'an. Why would Gao Yanei entrust such a large sum of money to them?"

Ao Run said, "I heard that Li Yinchen went to the Grand Commandant's mansion to offer gifts before the New Year in order to cultivate a relationship with Grand Commandant Gao. I don't know who he was lucky to get, but Gao Yanei personally received him. Later, Gao Yanei took care of Weiyuan Escort Agency's business and entrusted this shipment to them for transport."

Li Yinchen is a spineless coward. Surely he wouldn't even let Li Shishi's mother watch her only daughter jump into a fire pit?

Cheng Zongyang pondered for a while, "Who is Chief Escort Li's wife?"

"Chief Escort Li's wife's surname is Ruan. She is also a martial artist, and has a nickname in the martial arts world: 'The Enchanting Jade Belt.' Her reputation is even greater than Chief Escort Li's." "Is that so?" "

That's right! The Enchanting Jade Belt Lady Ruan is not only forthright, but I've also heard that she's incredibly beautiful. Back when she married Li Yinchen, countless people were drooling behind her back." Ao Run said, "When the escort agency lost its shipment, Chief Escort Li panicked and sought help everywhere, but as soon as they heard it was Gao Yanei's goods, no one dared to step forward. Chief Escort Li visited several times with generous gifts to apologize, but was driven away by the people from the Grand Commandant's mansion." "Huizhi, what do you think?"

Qin Hui said, "In my opinion, there are many strange things about this matter."

“That’s right. It sounds like Gao Yanei dug a pit for Chief Escort Li to jump into.” Cheng Zongyang laughed, “This pit is quite big! Chief Escort Li will never be able to get out once he falls in.”

Ao Run said, “Boss Cheng, I think Chief Escort Li’s daughter is quite pretty, a perfect match for you.”

“So you can go find Deputy Captain Yue?” Cheng Zongyang joked, “Old Ao, give up on that idea!”

Ao Run shouted, “Boss Cheng, you’ve wronged me! Captain Yue and you are a match made in heaven, I, Old Ao, am convinced. If a single word is false, I’ll jump into the lake and turn into a turtle!”

“Easy talk, you jump and let me see!”

“Not today,” Ao Run shook his head and gave his reason, “The water is too cold. Another day when it’s warmer, I, Old Ao, will jump and show everyone!”

Everyone laughed. Cheng Zongyang laughed and scolded, "Don't get cocky." Then, stroking his chin, he thought for a moment, "This matter is a bit troublesome."

Qin Hui said, "Grand Commandant Gao is of high rank and power, and he's also a member of the military. Also, Master Yun should be arriving in Lin'an in the next couple of days."

He only said half of his sentence, but the meaning was clear: business is important, and it's not worth provoking Gao Yanei at this time. Cheng Zongyang said, "It's not that troublesome—let me tell you both, since Miss Shishi has delivered herself to my door, she's my prey—alright, alright, stop laughing."

Qin Hui and Ao Run coughed and sat up straight.

Cheng Zongyang said, "Let me tell you, I'm definitely going to eat this delicious vegetable! But as you can see, that girl is quite the artificer; she'll have to take her time to get it. That's not the real problem, though. The real problem is Gao Yanei. That little brat is notoriously uncouth when he eats. I'm still slowly casting my net, and he just jumps out and eats my vegetable in one bite! I'll have nowhere to cry then! So, it's troublesome!"

Ao Run pondered for a moment, then said, "Boss Cheng, after all this talk, I'm wondering if you're worried that if you eat too fast, the vegetable will run away; but if you eat slowly, someone else might steal it?"

Cheng Zongyang nodded at Ao Run and praised, "You have a knack for it!"

"Why don't you just hide the vegetable and eat it slowly yourself?"

Cheng Zongyang slapped his thigh and sat up. "Old Ao, I've discovered you're a real talent! Your knack for it is as thick as my thigh! Are you a reincarnated Buddha? Definitely! You can't fool me!"

Amidst the laughter of the crowd, the carriages sped towards West Lake, one after the other.

Xiaoyingzhou is an island in West Lake, shaped like the Chinese character "田" (field). It's an island within a lake, and a lake within an island. The famous Three Pools Mirroring the Moon is located in the southwest of the island.

Bridges and pavilions connect the island, creating a picturesque scene. There's a temple called Baoning Temple on the island, but the monks are few and far between, and they resemble monks more than the "enthusiastic" monks of Mingqing Temple.

Strolling slowly on the island with his beloved, Cheng Zongyang felt a surge of poetic inspiration, but after some thought, decided against risking embarrassment.

Li Shishi walked beside him at a distance of two steps. Although her beauty was like a jade flower, a lingering, melancholic sadness clung to her brows, evoking a sense of pity.

Among the women he had seen, Li Shishi's beauty was easily among the best. Although young and a disciple of the Guangming Temple, she lacked the allure of a famous courtesan, possessing instead a refined, orchid-like elegance. Yet, a fleeting glance from her bright eyes revealed a captivating charm.

A night breeze stirred, ruffling Li Shishi's hair. Seeing her raise her slender, jade-like hand and gently tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, Cheng Zongyang was momentarily dazed.

Her delicate fingers subtly manipulated her hair; such an unintentional gesture exuded a captivating feminine allure, making Cheng Zongyang, in his daze, unable to deny the existence of innate charm.

Even though the Li Shishi before him hadn't fallen into prostitution and had received years of serene and tranquil training at the Guangming Guantang, it couldn't conceal her innate allure and sensuality.

How fortunate he was to have met her before she blossomed into her intoxicatingly beautiful mature years, to have witnessed the pure side of this famous courtesan; to have watched her transform from a pure, spring-like girl into a captivating and alluring beauty.

Cheng Zongyang couldn't help but let his imagination run wild. If the education at Guangming Guantang couldn't change the allure in Li Shishi's bones, then perhaps the Crane Feather Sword Maiden, also educated at Guangming Guantang, harbored the seductive and wanton nature of Pan Jinlian beneath her cold exterior?

"They all advise me to serve Gao Yanei."

The girl's soft sigh quickly pulled Cheng Zongyang back to reality.

Li Shishi spoke up, "Father said that if I serve Gao Yanei, the escort agency can establish a connection with Grand Commandant Gao, and business will at least double. Aunt said that girls eventually have to marry, and Gao Yanei is rich and powerful. Although she's just a concubine, a favored concubine is not much worse than a wife."

Cheng Zongyang felt a strange unease.

The woman he knew, Aunt Ning, didn't seem like a vulgar, greedy woman. On the contrary, both her appearance and demeanor possessed a captivating elegance. Had he misjudged her? Or was there another reason?

“I don’t want to see that person. Just thinking about his face makes me feel nauseous,”

Cheng Zongyang said. “If you want to leave Lin’an, I can…”

Li Shishi slowly but resolutely shook her head, her expression sorrowful as she whispered, “If I leave, they will have nothing left. They’ve been so good to me, even this is what they think is for my own good… Although I’m unhappy, I don’t want to hurt them at all…”

Both fell silent, but the girl’s plaintive whispers seemed to still linger in their ears. Ever since he learned that Li Shishi was dealing with Gao Yanei, Cheng Zongyang had never wanted to get involved in this trouble. Learning from

Yue Niaoren’s experience, Cheng Zongyang didn’t want to have enemies everywhere, being hunted down wherever he went. Helping Li Shishi leave Lin’an was the best he could do.

The two walked through a secluded bamboo path, and suddenly a brightly lit area appeared before them. The Heart Moon Terrace ahead was a place where the people of Lin’an usually admired the moon, but now, with lanterns lit, several young men were feasting below.

Li Shishi frowned in disgust, about to turn and leave, when a young boy exclaimed, "Isn't this Li Yinchen's daughter?"

"Of course! We saw her at Leifeng Pagoda yesterday! She was out boating on the lake with a guy in the middle of the night! Boss's in trouble now, he's being cuckolded before he even gets married!"

"Why was Boss so soft-hearted yesterday? He let this virgin go! Brothers! Why don't we take this chick home today and let Boss have some fun!"

A group of hooligans cheered loudly. Li Shishi was furious, her jade-like face turning slightly pale. Cheng Zongyang had no interest in messing around with these kids. He tugged at her sleeve, but Li Shishi remained frozen.

Cheng Zongyang gritted his teeth. Meeting these kids was accidental, but this girl's refusal to leave was a way of getting him to intervene.

If it were Xiao Zi, she would have giggled and disappeared without a trace, waiting for them to finish their fight before cleaning up the mess and taking the spoils home.

Cheng Zongyang could do that too, but his conscience wouldn't allow it. Indeed, conscience is the greatest enemy.

The young man at the head of the group swaggered over, pointing his thumb at his nose and declaring, "My uncle is Liang Shicheng, the Protector-General of the Nation, Grand Tutor, and Grand Master of the Palace!"

Cheng Zongyang chuckled and stepped forward, seemingly to offer a bow and scrape, but instead, he maliciously stomped on the young man's instep.

Liang Shicheng, about to take a step, stumbled headfirst into front of Li Shishi, mouthful of mud.

Cheng Zongyang didn't help him up, just watched with a smile, saying indifferently, "Young Master Liang, be careful. It's cold; too much mud can upset your stomach."

The other young thugs jumped up, cursing and ordering their servants to deal with the fool.

Cheng Zongyang, noticing Gao Yanei wasn't among them, and recognizing Liang Shicheng as some kind of military governor—a name that sounded familiar but he couldn't quite place—judged him to be no big deal and didn't need to be polite.

Cheng Zongyang bent down, grabbed the young master Liang by the collar, pulled him up, and slapped him across the face. Young master Liang was stunned, his eyes wide, panting heavily from his mud-covered nose and mouth.

Cheng Zongyang clapped his hands nonchalantly.

"Oh, in the blink of an eye, Young Master Liang has gotten so fat? His face has gotten so big!"

Li Shishi, though still angry and embarrassed, was amused by the scene. Then, a hint of appreciation appeared in her eyes; she hadn't expected this young merchant to actually resort to violence.

Cheng Zongyang didn't know the name Liang Shicheng, but she had heard of him; Jia Shixian was the most powerful minister in the Song Dynasty, and Liang Shicheng was the most trusted favorite of the Song emperor. Not to mention the commoners of Lin'an, even high-ranking officials in the court dared not provoke them.

This merchant from Qingzhou, surnamed Cheng, had struck him without hesitation; his audacity was truly admirable.

Half of young master Liang's face swelled and turned purple, and the gang of thugs were furious.

"Rebellion! Rebellion! Arrest this scoundrel!"

A group of wicked servants swarmed forward, shouting and brandishing clubs to fight.

Qin Hui, Ao Run, and the Blue-Faced Beast followed at a distance. While the commotion raged, Qin Hui remained calm and unperturbed, completely disregarding the wicked servants. Ao Run, arms crossed, watched the spectacle with amusement. With his young master's skills, these servants were no match for him. His young master was playing the hero, and old Ao had stolen the limelight – how utterly ungrateful!

But there were others who were equally oblivious. While two watched the spectacle with their arms around each other, a third couldn't contain himself.

The Blue-Faced Beast, seeing someone daring to challenge his master who fed his sheep, was instantly enraged. He strode forward and pulled out a club from his back.

The Blue-Faced Beast used a twelve-foot-long spear, but it wasn't appropriate to carry such a weapon so openly in the city. Cheng Zongyang had him twist the spearhead and use it as a club.

With a flick of his wrists, the spear shaft shot out like a dragon emerging from the water, sending the two wicked servants spinning and tumbling away. He then impaled one of the servants between the legs, sending him flying over a willow tree on the bank before plunging into the lake with a splash.

Cheng Zongyang had already witnessed the Blue-Faced Beast's skills in Jingxi. The beastmen were known for their brute force, wielding large swords, axes, spears, and shields, but this fellow possessed remarkable spearmanship, the source of which was unknown.

The Blue-Faced Beast had served in the Vanguard Battalion, and his every move was deadly. If the spearhead hadn't been missing, this single strike would have left at least three corpses among the servants.

Seeing they couldn't defeat the blue-faced, fanged beastman, the young thugs suddenly whistled, and several servants drew their swords and, despite being knocked down two more, hacked wildly, cutting several feet off the beastman's spear shaft.

The fight was raging when suddenly Young Master Liang screamed in a distorted voice, "Stop—!"

The servants halted. The young man pulled out a dagger and pressed it against Young Master Liang's face. Though he smiled, his eyes revealed a ruthless cruelty that treated human life as worthless.

The servants' eyes met his, and a chill ran through them.

Lin'an City had plenty of reckless thugs and destitute people, but this young man's eyes clearly showed he had killed before, and probably more than one. The servants' hearts tightened, and none dared to move.

Cheng Zongyang slowly shaved Young Master Liang's short beard, then patted his cheek. "Look, everyone, doesn't Young Master Liang look much more handsome now that his beard is clean?"

Young Master Liang's teeth chattered; he wanted to say something harsh, but couldn't utter a single word.

Cheng Zongyang's face hardened, and he kicked him away.

"Get lost, you bunch of scum! I'll beat you every time I see you!"

Young Master Liang, his face contorted with embarrassment, stumbled into the crowd. Still feeling uneasy, he didn't calm down until he reached the boat, shouting, "Run! Run!"

The thugs were also frightened, hastily untying the boats moored on the shore and fleeing Xiaoyingzhou as if their lives depended on it.

Cheng Zongyang extended his hand, gesturing, "Miss Shishi, let's continue admiring the moon."

Li Shishi's eyes were filled with surprise and joy as she looked at his outstretched hand, hesitating before placing it in his palm.

Li Shishi's hand was incredibly smooth, as delicate as a flower petal. Cheng Zongyang's heart fluttered, and he tightened his grip on Li Shishi's soft hand.

Suddenly, a loud curse erupted from the lake, more than ten feet from the shore. The thugs, now emboldened, declared: "If we can't beat you, we'll curse you to death!"

Young Master Liang cursed, "You little slut! How dare you oppose us Thirteen Protectors in Lin'an! You're tired of living!"

Cheng Zongyang said, "Ignore them, just treat them like a few toads croaking."

Li Shishi smiled sweetly, her beautiful face revealing a smile that could eclipse even the bright moon in the sky, and she gripped his hand tightly.

Holding the beauty's slender hand, Cheng Zongyang couldn't help but feel a surge of lust.

The young thugs' eyes turned red, and Young Master Liang, rubbing his face and jumping up and down, said, "You little slut, a born lecher! What are you pretending to be so virtuous for! Let me tell you! Your mother, that old slut, has already been slept with by our boss! And you still have to call me your godfather!"

Li Shishi's body stiffened, and her face instantly turned deathly pale.

Young Master Liang, as smug as if he'd won a battle, said, "Your mother's some kind of heroine! Begging our boss for that little bit of stuff, she'd do anything to spare your father's lousy escort agency! Why not take advantage of such a cheap knock-off? Our boss did her thing right there! He gave her a good time from head to toe!"

"Old Ao!"

"Yes!"

Ao Run stretched out his arm, drew back his iron bow, and with a whoosh, an arrow flew past Young Master Liang's head, shattering his golden crown. Then, Ao Run nocked a long arrow and, like a leopard, aimed for his throat.

Young Master Liang's mouth trembled a few times, then his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed onto the boat.

Cheng Zongyang, his face ashen, pulled Li Shishi up. "Let's go!"

Li Shishi sat in the carriage, her expression blank, her bright eyes a gray blur. Only when the carriage entered the city gate and drove on the cobblestone road did she burst into tears.

Li Shishi leaned on Cheng Zongyang's shoulder, weeping uncontrollably.

Cheng Zongyang couldn't find words of comfort, so he could only gently pat her shoulder as a gesture of solace, secretly hoping the journey would be as long as possible.

Unfortunately, even the longest road has an end. At midnight, the carriage stopped at the entrance of an alley in Huaiyuan Ward.

Cheng Zongyang said, "Siying Alley—is this it?"

Li Shishi nodded, her tears still slightly red. She didn't say anything more, bowed to Cheng Zongyang, and alighted from the carriage.

Siying Alley was lined with two-story houses facing the street. Although not as grand as the mansions of the city's officials and nobles, they were clearly the homes of well-to-do families.

Li Shishi knocked on the door of one of the houses, and an old servant opened it to invite her in.

Cheng Zongyang sighed. This beautiful young woman, though intelligent and shrewd, was still a fragile butterfly in the web of fate.

Despite having a father who was the head镖师 (chief镖师, a high-ranking镖师, a bodyguard/escort) and a prestigious sect, she couldn't escape the cruel tricks of fate. He could imagine the humiliation she was about to suffer.

By then, even if the Bright Temple wanted to maintain the sect's basic dignity, this young girl might not be willing to turn back. Becoming a renowned courtesan might be her best destiny.

However, with my presence now, I will not allow her to head down the path of her fate in the brothel.

Cheng Zongyang knocked on the carriage shaft, about to instruct Ao Run to leave, when he suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye. He paused, then the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

A woman dressed as a herbalist quietly pushed open the door and came out of the house where Li Shishi had just entered.

The night was deep, and she deliberately chose the shadowy spots under the eaves, walking close to the wall, her movements discreet. As she exited the alley, a carriage suddenly sped up from behind. The herbalist stepped aside, secretly on guard.

The carriage door suddenly opened, and a hand reached out from inside, beckoning with a finger. The herbalist was startled, then her face lit up with joy, and she boarded the carriage without hesitation.

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