[Fantasy] The Song of the Six Dynasties (Complete) - 21

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

Chapter Four.

As the voices spoke, a dashing young man stepped through the curtain. Two eunuchs knelt simultaneously, kowtowing and saying, "This servant greets Your Majesty."

The Song Emperor ignored the two eunuchs, walking straight past them. He first bowed to the Empress Dowager, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

Then he straightened up, frowning, and said, "It's you?"

Cheng Zongyang secretly rejoiced that the two eunuchs had changed his clothes; otherwise, standing before the Song Emperor in camouflage would have been enough to land him in jail. Just as

Cheng Zongyang was about to perform the proper greeting to the Song Emperor, the Empress Dowager stopped him.

"No wonder Your Majesty doesn't recognize him. Does Your Majesty know who this is?" "

Cheng Zongyang, Assistant Director of the Land Reclamation Bureau and Director of the Treasury."

The Song Emperor remembered this minor official, whom he had noted on the screen, clearly.

"I only learned today that this Master Cheng is actually my own nephew."

The Empress Dowager wiped her eyes with her sleeve, her gaze brimming with tears. "I entered the palace as a maid in my youth, and my youngest sister was still an infant. I hadn't heard from her for many years. I finally managed to rise through the ranks in the palace and sent someone back to my hometown to visit her, only to find that my parents had long since passed away and my sister had married far away in the south, her whereabouts unknown. Heaven have mercy! Today, while worshipping Buddha at Mingqing Temple, I closed my eyes and received a decree from the Bodhisattva, saying that my nephew was in the court. Following the Bodhisattva's instructions, I had Master Cheng brought here, and upon questioning him, his lineage was exactly as described. He is indeed the child of my poor sister..."

The Empress Dowager's moving words not only stunned the Song Emperor but also left Cheng Zongyang speechless. Fortunately, he reacted quickly, tugged at the hem of his robe, and knelt down, saying, "Your subject, Cheng Zongyang, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

The Song Emperor regained his composure. "Then what you just said about keen observation..."

Cheng Zongyang respectfully replied, "Your Majesty. Just now, the Empress Dowager inquired about my background. Where I was vague, the Empress Dowager seemed to see it all, and everything she said matched perfectly. That is why I was so startled and flustered. Please forgive my rudeness."

The Song Emperor looked at the respectful Cheng Zongyang, then at the tearful Empress Dowager. "So that's how it is..."

He raised an eyebrow and scolded the two eunuchs outside, "You audacious servants! Such..." "You didn't even report something important!"

Guo Huai kowtowed crisply and said calmly, "This servant deserves death. This servant was ordered by Her Majesty to secretly summon Steward Cheng to the palace, but the details of the questioning are unclear, and I dare not cause any alarm to Your Majesty."

The Song Emperor said, "Although it is a manifestation of the Bodhisattva, this matter involves the palace and cannot be spoken of carelessly. If anyone outside asks, say that Her Majesty sent people to secretly investigate for many years before finding him. If anyone speaks of supernatural phenomena, you will be in for a world of trouble!"

Guo Huai and Feng Deming said in unison, "This servant obeys the order!"

The Song Emperor turned around and said with a forced smile, "It is indeed a good thing that Her Majesty has been guided by the Bodhisattva, but if the scholars outside find out, there will inevitably be a lot of trouble."

"Your Majesty is right."

The Empress Dowager clasped her hands in prayer. "Amitabha. With the Bodhisattva's blessing, our Great Song Dynasty will surely prosper day by day."

The young Song Emperor smiled slightly. "Your subject has something to report to Your Majesty."

Cheng Zongyang quickly said, "Your subject takes his leave."

"No need."

The Empress Dowager said gently, "We are all family, Your Majesty, please speak freely."

The Song Emperor frowned and reluctantly said, "It is about Wang Yuyu. Someone reported that when the late Emperor was critically ill, he intended to make me the Crown Prince, but Wang Yuyu, who was then a Hanlin Academician, refused to draft the edict. At that time, I was still young. I wonder if Your Majesty is aware of this?"

The Empress Dowager said calmly, "What does Your Majesty think?"

The Song Emperor glanced at Cheng Zongyang. "This must be Jia Shixian's doing."

Cheng Zongyang's heart suddenly trembled. The Song Emperor and Jia Shixian were indeed secretly at odds.

The Empress Dowager shook her head. "The Jia family boy would never speak carelessly about such things. Your Majesty, please investigate. There must be someone else who reported it. But Wang Yuyu's refusal to draft the edict... is indeed true."

A cold glint flashed in the Song Emperor's clear eyes, and he bowed, saying, "Your subject understands."

The Empress Dowager sighed, "According to ancestral laws, ministers cannot be killed arbitrarily. Moreover, Wang Yuyu's actions at the time were indeed excusable."

The Song Emperor coldly said, "The death penalty can be waived, but the law of the land will not forgive. Wang Yuyu was disloyal to the emperor and formed cliques for personal gain. Even if he is spared death, he should be exiled to Lingnan."

The Empress Dowager nodded slightly, "That's it."

A few words decided the fate of the former prime minister. Cheng Zongyang muttered to himself, "This Song Emperor initially seemed to be quite protective of Wang Yuyu, but as soon as he heard that Wang Yuyu's refusal to draft the edict was true, he immediately changed his expression and was determined to get rid of him. This kid's lust for power is extraordinary."

Emperor Song said, "Liang Shicheng and Wang Yuyu have both left the court, leaving Grand Tutor Jia in sole power. This seems inappropriate."

The Empress Dowager pondered for a moment, then said gently, "Give Gao Qiu a pot of pearls."

Emperor Song was taken aback, then understood, and bowed, saying, "Your subject obeys."

Cheng Zongyang was also stunned for a moment before realizing that the Empress Dowager was implying that Emperor Song should win over Gao Qiu and firmly grasp military power. As long as he had military power, no matter how powerful Jia Shixian was, a single edict could dismiss him from office.

The Empress Dowager reminded him, "He is greedy and fond of valuables; ordinary pearls might not catch his eye."

"It just so happens that a batch of pearls has arrived from Nanpu,"

Emperor Song said sullenly, "That scoundrel Gao Qiu is insatiably greedy; no wonder the scholars disdain associating with him."

"No one is perfect. The fact that we, a widow and her children, have been able to live peacefully all these years is all thanks to Gao Qiu's command of the army."

Emperor Song was a quick-witted person, and with a little guidance from his grandmother, he could easily grasp the meaning. Sitting in his position, besides military power, the most important thing was financial power. In recent years, the Song Dynasty had suffered greatly because the court lacked funds.

Understanding this, the Song Emperor's gaze softened slightly when he looked at Cheng Zongyang. "You did a good job with the Treasury Bureau."

"It's all thanks to Your Majesty's guidance."

Cheng Zongyang wisely avoided mentioning Jia Shixian's name, attributing all the credit to the Song Emperor. It wasn't that he was ungrateful; the Song Emperor was already extremely wary of Jia Shixian, and mentioning his name again would be like adding fuel to the fire, burning both himself and Jia Shixian.

"What advice could I possibly give you?"

the Song Emperor said with a smile, then added, "Your Majesty doesn't have many relatives to begin with, and it's rare that you have such a fortunate connection to recognize her. Be careful with the paper money matter, and make sure nothing goes wrong."

"Yes,"

the Song Emperor replied to the Empress Dowager, "Your Majesty is overjoyed! This matter should be announced to the world to congratulate you. I will then order the Hanlin Academy to draft an edict granting a general amnesty."

"Absolutely not!"

the Empress Dowager and Cheng Zongyang exclaimed in unison.

The Empress Dowager said, “I am very pleased with His Majesty’s intentions. However, as His Majesty just mentioned, if the outside world were to know about this situation, we, grandfather and grandson, would be criticized for being devout Buddhists. That is one reason. Secondly, in the six dynasties, many relatives of the empress dowager who interfered in politics did not have a good end. My nephew was born in a remote and uncivilized place and is of a kind and honest nature. If this matter were announced to the world, he would suddenly become prominent, which would not be good for him. For these two reasons, in my opinion, it is best not to spread it around.”

Cheng Zongyang said, “Your Majesty just instructed me in the same way. You must not take advantage of your favor and act recklessly. That is why I said I dared not deceive Your Majesty.”

The Empress Dowager patted his hand affectionately and said, “I have wronged you.”

“My parents died early, and having an aunt is already a blessing from heaven. How could I ask for more?”

Cheng Zongyang said, “Besides, Your Majesty is thinking of me. As long as I can see my aunt often and show some filial piety, my wish will be fulfilled.”

The two men, working in tandem, finally convinced the Song Emperor to abandon his plan. He nodded and said, "The Empress is lonely in the palace. If it's inconvenient for you to come, then have your wife come and keep her company more often."

"...This subject is not yet married."

"Is that so?"

The Song Emperor looked at him suspiciously. It wasn't unusual for someone twenty-five or twenty-six to be unmarried. "Since we are close relatives, let's not stand on ceremony... You are permitted to enter the palace five times a month to speak with the Empress."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The Song Emperor bowed to the Empress Dowager. "I have other matters to attend to at court, so I will take my leave."

After the Song Emperor left, Cheng Zongyang secretly wiped away a cold sweat and smiled, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The Empress Dowager looked at him with a half-smile. "What are you thanking me for?"

"If it weren't for Your Majesty's help in covering for me, I would have fallen and never gotten up again."

"Smooth-tongued,"

Cheng Zongyang laughed. "And I must thank Your Majesty for your favor, acknowledging me as your nephew."

The Empress Dowager covered her mouth and laughed. "What a fool."

Cheng Zongyang was completely bewildered. "Did I say something stupid?"

The Empress Dowager raised her wrist. "He said: If someone recognizes this Rolex, that person is his reincarnation, and everything he left behind will be inherited by that person. Do you understand?"

Cheng Zongyang said blankly, "I'm a little dizzy..."

The Empress Dowager chuckled. "This old woman is too old to offer herself up. Besides me, many of the Empress Dowagers and concubines in the palace are your former concubines. If you wish, you can summon them to serve you."

Cheng Zongyang was completely dumbfounded. Did she think he was the reincarnation of Yue Pengju? How much water was in Yue Pengju's brain to come up with this idea? Just because someone said "Rolex" and he would accept his entire inheritance? Even if he were generous, he wouldn't share his entire harem, would he?

Wait a minute! Cheng Zongyang suddenly realized that Yue Niaoren's plan was all for his own benefit! While there were many time travelers from the Six Dynasties, the possibility of their paths overlapping was extremely slim. Yue Niaoren's parting words could only be a contingency plan he had arranged for himself. Once he returned to the Six Dynasties world, he could regain his wealth and status—even if his appearance and identity were completely different!

Cheng Zongyang's heart pounded wildly. If these deductions were true, then Yue Niaoren must know he wouldn't die and had a way to return. Otherwise, all his arrangements might have benefited another lucky person. But the reality was that Yue Niaoren had disappeared for over a decade without a trace. Was his plan unworkable, or had some unexpected event occurred?

Guo Huai said, "Your Majesty, it's already late, the palace gates should be locked."

Once the palace gates were locked, the inside and outside would be cut off, and he wouldn't be able to leave. Cheng Zongyang quickly said, "It's late, I must take my leave."

The Empress Dowager's eyes showed a hint of disappointment, and she said softly, "Even staying overnight is fine."

What a joke! Although he didn't know which unfortunate cuckold angel the former Song emperor had been, the current Song emperor seemed quite formidable. If the Song emperor discovered he had stayed overnight in the palace, while the Empress Dowager might have nothing to fear, his own life would be in danger.

"His Majesty has granted me permission to enter the palace monthly. I will come to pay my respects to Your Majesty again tomorrow."

"My surname is Liu, and my given name is E'er,"

the Empress Dowager said. "You should call me by my given name. But it might be inappropriate if others heard. Since we address each other as aunt and nephew, you can call me Aunt."

"Very well,"

Cheng Zongyang smiled, "I will come to pay my respects to Aunt tomorrow."

He still had a lot of questions to ask: Why was Yue Fei so arrogant back then? Was there any hidden story behind his departure? Since the Song emperor and Jia Shixian listened to him so readily, why did they allow the Song army to attack Jiangzhou? More importantly: The Empress Dowager, who had borne Yue Fei's child, was still in the palace. Who exactly was Mengniang in his possession?

But there was plenty of time; he could ask her another day.

Guo Huai, carrying a bundle in one hand and a lantern in the other, escorted Cheng Zongyang out of the palace. His back was slightly hunched, and white hair grew profusely at his temples beneath his gauze hat. From behind, one would never guess that this disheveled, old, and eunuch-like fellow was a hidden master.

Cheng Zongyang secretly admired him. Although these two eunuchs stood outside the pavilion, their hearing was so sharp they could probably hear even a mosquito flying by. Having overheard so much private information, their faces remained unchanged; their composure was truly profound.

Then again, in the eyes of the nobles in the palace, these eunuchs were probably no different from pieces of furniture.

With the Empress Dowager's most trusted concubine, the Grand Sable, leading the way, the two left the palace without hindrance. Guo Huai handed him the bundle containing Cheng Zongyang's belongings, said nothing more, and then closed the palace gates with his lantern. Standing before the silent palace gate, Cheng Zongyang felt as if he had just experienced a bizarre and unbelievable dream. (Advertisement: Still relying on your hands? How can that be enjoyable? 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 sexual positions and vibration frequencies. Click to enter.)

The Heaven-Slaying Sword, with its distinctively powerful design, still leaned against the stone stone in front of the palace gate, radiating a cold light under the moonlight. On the city wall, the Imperial Guards' hawk-like eyes constantly swept over, checking for anyone approaching.

Cheng Zongyang took a deep breath, then walked past the Heaven-Slaying Sword without looking to the side, heading towards the outer city, which was shimmering with countless lights. ...

Back at Cuiwei Garden, everyone was like ants on a hot plate. Upon seeing the head of the family, Qin Hui immediately breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness, the young master is finally back."

Cheng Zongyang put down his bundle and laughed, "Didn't I say I had things to do these past two days? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Lin Qingpu smiled, "Lieutenant Yi is here."

"Lieutenant Yi?"

Cheng Zongyang was taken aback, then jumped up, "Biaozi! How come you're here so fast!"

Yi Biao strode in, put his legs together, saluted Cheng Zongyang, and said loudly, "Lieutenant Yi Biao of the First Regiment Direct Battalion of Xingyue Lake Camp greets Major Cheng!"

Yi Biao was originally an elite soldier of the Northern Army. During his time training on the Jiangzhou battlefield, his spirit, energy, and character had all improved dramatically. Standing there, he was like a battle sword, its sharpness fully revealed.

Qin Hui laughed, "I originally estimated it would take another two or three days to arrive, but Brother Yi traveled day and night, completing a journey that would normally take over a month in just over ten days. Judging by that speed alone, you're truly a elite force!"

Before Cheng Zongyang could speak, Feng Yuan shouted, "Boss Cheng! Look who this is!"

Cheng Zongyang looked up and was overjoyed, "Old Kuang! You're here too!"

Kuang Zhongyu, with an air of otherworldly elegance, bowed and said, "Amitabha!"

Cheng Zongyang laughed and scolded, "Stop playing tricks on me!"

Cheng Zongyang pulled the two men down to sit, "Although Qingpu helped with communication, we're separated by mountains and rivers, so we can only exchange a few words each time. Quickly tell everyone about the situation in Jiangzhou these past few days."

"Yes!"

Yi Biao cleared his throat and, along with Kuang Zhongyu, recounted the important events of the period.

After the Battle of Jiangzhou, the Xingyue Lake camp made a fortune from the supplies they seized in the final battle. However, selling these supplies became a problem. The Yun family severed ties with Jiangzhou, and the repercussions are still felt today. Due to the siege lasting for several months, the houses in the city are in ruins. If the people who had moved to Ningzhou were to return, they would have to rely on merchants to transport food and building materials for their homes.

Besides, there were other expenses: mercenary commissions, severance pay for laborers, bounties for various tribes, and compensation for the fallen... Every aspect of the aftermath required money. The small merchants of Jiangning and the two prefectures alone couldn't possibly cover it all. The Yun Clan's resolute refusal to trade had left even Meng Laoda dumbfounded, and now the leaders of the main camp were all having a headache over it.

Cheng Zongyang was kicking himself, but he couldn't complain to everyone. He pleaded and assured everyone that he would handle the Yun family's affairs single-handedly, finally persuading Meng Laoda not to let the little fox propose marriage to the Yun family. But convincing the Yun family was easier said than done. Wu Sangui's trip to Jiankang had been fruitless, and Ao Run hadn't even entered the gates. He had even swallowed his pride and asked Shi Chao and Huan Xin for help, trying to find Yun Ruyao's whereabouts through the powerful families of Jin, but these influential scions of Jin families had also wasted their efforts.

The young lady of the Yun family, along with the maids and guards from the inner quarters, vanished without a trace, as if they had evaporated into thin air. Yun Cangfeng, his closest friend, also disappeared after falling out with the Xingyue Lake camp. Only Yun Qifeng and Yun Xiufeng remained, their faces increasingly long. Cheng Zongyang, far away in Lin'an, was powerless to change the Yun family's attitude; he couldn't even find a way to kowtow and confess.

Logically, he should put everything aside and rush to Jiankang to openly explain the matter to the Yun family, but what matters at hand could he easily abandon?

Then Kuang Zhongyu spoke of camp affairs, forcing Cheng Zongyang to pull himself together and put the Yun family's affairs aside.

Currently, the Xingyue Lake camp, including its directly subordinate battalions, was divided into three regiments and nine battalions. The original First and Sixth Battalions, along with the newly formed directly subordinate battalions, became Cheng Zongyang's direct subordinates. After the war, all battalion personnel were replenished, but there was a significant shortage of officers.

The directly subordinate battalion currently has two lieutenant company commanders: Wu Zhanwei and Yi Biao. One position is reserved for Ao Run, but only two second lieutenants have been promoted from the newly recruited sergeants, leaving a shortage of seven.

Of the original three captain company commanders in the First Battalion, only Zang Xiu remains. Xie Yi died in the southern wilderness, and Cheng Zongyang is away on business. As a senior captain, Old Zang naturally took over the battalion's duties. Fortunately, he has many capable subordinates. After the war, Lu Ziyin was promoted to captain, and Wu Sangui was granted the rank of lieutenant and transferred to the First Battalion, thus filling the three company commander positions.

Wu Sangui's transfer from the directly subordinate battalion to the First Battalion was the result of Cheng Zongyang's repeated deliberations. If all his men remained in the directly subordinate battalion, clearly separated from the old Xingyue Lake troops, not only would the integration of the old and new be a mere formality, but it would also betray Meng Laoda's efforts to cultivate him. However, integration cannot be achieved by simply reshuffling personnel; it can only be done step by step, through thorough communication, minimizing misunderstandings. Wu Sangui was adept at worldly affairs, making him undoubtedly the best candidate Cheng Zongyang could offer.

The Sixth Battalion's two heroes, Du Yuansheng and Su Xiao, had distinguished themselves in battle; with Xiao Yaoyi resigning, Du Yuansheng unsurprisingly took over as acting battalion commander. However, the Sixth Battalion had suffered heavy losses, having experienced both the Great Plains War and the Jiangzhou War, resulting in almost a complete overhaul of its personnel. Therefore, when replenishing personnel, Cheng Zongyang favored the Sixth Battalion, even prioritizing it over his own directly subordinate battalions.

Of the other two regiments, the Second Regiment, composed of Cui Mao's Fourth Battalion, Wang Tao's Fifth Battalion, and Hou Xuan's directly subordinate battalion, was the strongest, now the main force of the Xingyue Lake camp, bearing the heavy responsibility of defending Jiangzhou.

As for the Third Regiment, the three battalion commanders, Meng Feiqing, Si Mingxin, and Lu Jing, had all delegated authority, entrusting all military affairs to Yue Shuang.

Meng Feiqing's focus on cultivating Yue Shuang was expected, but entrusting the entire regiment to her at once still surprised Cheng Zongyang. Given Yue's violent nature, the sudden addition of such a large group of fierce thugs drastically increased the danger level, a thought that sent chills down one's spine.

Kuang Zhongyu stroked his beard and said, "Major Yue has formed a women's battalion, and her subordinates are those barbarian women from Jingxi."

"No way!"

Cheng Zongyang exclaimed, "Yue dares to poach even my women!"

Yi Biao said, "This is Zi's idea. She said that since the people of Jingxi are all women, it's not appropriate for them to follow Chief Cheng."

"What's inappropriate about it!"

Cheng Zongyang slammed his fist on the table righteously and said, "Am I the kind of beast who would sleep with all the female soldiers under my command!"

Qin Hui said sternly, "I can testify that the head of the family has absolutely no connection with the people of Jingxi!"

Cheng Zongyang glared at them one by one, and under his pressure, everyone nodded repeatedly, indicating that Zi's actions were indeed an overreaction.

Cheng Zongyang slammed his fist on the table, "Continue!"

Yi Biao quickly replied, "Yes!"

As for those who came to Lin'an from Jiangzhou, besides Yi Biao and his group, there were two other teams. One group was a New Year's greeting delegation from the Jin Kingdom, led by Marquis Zhang Shaohuang of Wudu. The Battle of Jiangzhou had been a bloodbath, and these spoiled young men, even just seeing the carnage from the city walls, were terrified. A few of the more cowardly ones had even fled to Ningzhou for a while. But as soon as the Battle of Jiangzhou was over, these lads became incredibly arrogant, as if driving off the Song army was all their doing. Hearing that Zhang Shaohuang was going to Lin'an and that Young Master Cheng of Panjiang was also there, they all insisted on coming. Seven or eight young masters from prominent families, along with their servants and guards, formed a large entourage of several hundred people.

Cheng Zongyang, who had only intended to invite Shi Chao, Zhang Shaohuang, and others to the planned shareholders' meeting, could only smile wryly upon hearing this. For these young masters coming to Lin'an, making money and achieving success was secondary; their real purpose was to enjoy the scenery and admire the beauty of the Song women.

The other group was a key delegation from Jiangzhou, led by Yue Shuang, representing the Xingyue Lake camp, heading to Lin'an to attend the shareholders' meeting. Since Yue Shuang was here, Qiu Shaojun would definitely stay by her side. What frustrated Cheng Zongyang even more was that a third of the Snow Falcon mercenaries he had painstakingly recruited had voluntarily gone to Yue Shuang's command. Thinking about it, it wasn't surprising; after all, Yue Shuang had also worked as a mercenary in the Snow Falcon, so she was certainly more familiar with the recruits than he was. But regardless, these two had poached him from his ranks, causing him considerable pain.

In front of everyone, Cheng Zongyang couldn't directly ask Xiao Zi, so he asked, "Where is Marquis Shang?"

"I don't know. They were still in Jiangzhou when I left. They heard the Marquis was ill and couldn't get up for a while."

"Ill?"

Qin Hui pressed from the side.

Yi Biao scratched his head. "I don't know the details, but I overheard the Marquis sending someone to ask Colonel Meng for medical expenses."

Cheng Zongyang's face darkened upon hearing this, while Qin Hui remained calm, stroking his beard and sighing, "Your Excellency has truly exhausted yourself this time."

"Come on,"

Cheng Zongyang said irritably, "That old fellow is just refusing to leave, isn't he just trying to make a little more money!"

"What about the young Marquis? Is he still in Jiangzhou?"

Xiao Yaoyi was seriously injured by Qin Han and needed the Crimson Sun Sacred Fruit from the Taiquan Ancient Formation to heal. This matter, along with Yun Ruyao's, were his two most important tasks after resolving the affairs in Lin'an. Although Yun Ruyao was important, the little fox's matter was a matter of life and death, and Cheng Zongyang had decided to go to the Taiquan Ancient Formation first to heal the little fox—he couldn't let people say he valued romance over friendship.

Kuang Zhongyu said, "Major Xiao and Major Yue were originally supposed to travel with Lord Zhang, but Major Yue refused, so they split into two groups."

If Yue were with those spoiled brats, seeing their outrageous behavior along the way, probably few in the entire group would survive to reach Lin'an. Separating them is better than seeing them.

Yi Biao passed through Junzhou and brought the latest news from there. Because of the large-scale mobilization of manpower and resources during the Jiangzhou battle, Junzhou, as the Song Kingdom's logistical base, has become much more prosperous. Although Teng Fu has resigned, Qi Yuan has already established himself in Junzhou and has cultivated excellent relationships with various parties. In addition, various Zhaonan specialties are transported from Muyu City downstream via the Fuling River, all handled by Cheng Ji. The Panjiang Cheng family now has businesses in Junzhou, including trading houses, grain stores, and money shops, making them the largest merchants in Junzhou.

Qi Yuan is doing very well in Junzhou, and county officials and gentry have become his guests. With his connections in the Song Kingdom, no one could shake the Cheng family's position in Yunzhou. Qi Yuan, the chief steward of the Panjiang Cheng family, would undoubtedly be attending this shareholders' meeting.

Hearing Yi Biao say that Qi Yuan was traveling with Zhang Shaohuang, Cheng Zongyang couldn't help but wonder. Qi Yuan's health wasn't good enough to keep up with Yi Biao's rapid march, but which of those young masters was easy to serve? Traveling with them would just be asking for trouble for the fourth brother.

Yi Biao chuckled, "Aunt Lan and the others are traveling with Lord Zhang."

Cheng Zongyang laughed, "Well, Aunt Lan is planning to take her business all the way to Lin'an, huh?"

"Fourth Brother asked me to tell Boss Cheng that those two haven't shown up yet; I wonder if they missed each other."

Cheng Zongyang nodded. He had originally asked Qi Yuan to meet Lu Zhishen and Lin Chong in Yunzhou, but they hadn't met. Lin Chong's injuries were quite serious, and that Flower Monk, though rough, was shrewd; he would most likely find a secluded place to treat Lin Chong's injuries before continuing the journey. Therefore, Cheng Zongyang wasn't worried.

"And also,"

Yi Biao said to Jin Wuzhu and the others, "a group of your clansmen have also been brought over and are temporarily settled in Jingxi. Good heavens, the hundred-odd sheep that Brother Qi prepared were all eaten up in one meal! There was this skinny old man who ate sheep like they were cornbread! He swallowed a fat sheep in just a few bites, without even drinking tea!"

Jin Wuzhu and the others beamed with joy, "Uncle is in good health, that's wonderful! That's wonderful!"

Cheng Zongyang hurriedly called out, "Leave them all in Junzhou! Don't bring them here! Sheep in Lin'an are much more expensive than in Junzhou!"

Jin Wuzhu and the others said nonchalantly, "It doesn't matter! Where there are sheep, there is home!"

"Speaking of Lan Gu,"

Kuang Zhongyu smiled, "we owe her a lot this time."

"What happened now?"

Cheng Zongyang personally poured tea for Kuang Zhongyu, "What good deeds has Lan Gu done?"

"When the fighting in Jiangzhou came to a head, Major Xiao was completely broke. It was Aunt Lan who got money from Shuixianglou to save him in his time of need."

Cheng Zongyang asked in surprise, "How come I haven't heard about this?"

Yi Biao coughed, "It was Miss Zi who made the decision."

Cheng Zongyang said generously, "Just pretend I didn't ask."

"Aunt Lan didn't take this money for nothing."

Kuang Zhongyu laughed, "I heard that Aunt Lan reported the expenses to Miss Zi, and that's how Major Xiao found out that half of the gold coins spent went back to Aunt Lan's Shuixianglou and gambling den. In the end, Aunt Lan spent 20,000 gold coins to buy Shuixianglou and dozens of acres of surrounding land. I heard she's going to open a weaving workshop to provide a livelihood for the women in the brothel who have reformed."

Cheng Zongyang sighed, "I didn't expect Aunt Lan to have such foresight."

"It's also thanks to Sister-in-law Wu,"

Yi Biao said. "Sister Liu came to visit Brother Wu, discussed it with Aunt Lan, and then reported it to Miss Zi before coming up with this idea."

Cheng Zongyang laughed loudly, "So that's how it is! Sister Liu is much better at business than Wu Dadao. I've gotten a good deal by marrying into the family!"

Kuang Zhongyu nodded and said, "I've seen Mrs. Wu before. She has a full forehead and a square jaw! A truly auspicious face! Many children and many blessings..."

"Hey, hey,"

Cheng Zongyang interrupted him, "Old Kuang, can you change a couple of lines?"

Kuang Zhongyu waved his hands repeatedly, "Absolutely not! Absolutely not! Be careful you don't get beaten up!"

The group chatted and laughed until late at night before dispersing. Yi Biao and his men went to rest, while Cheng Zongyang left Qin Hui behind.

"Wang Yuyu is finished."

This seemed to be within Qin Hui's expectations, and he showed little surprise, only sighing, "Disloyalty to one's sovereign inevitably leads to this end."

"The Wang family is to be exiled to Lingnan. To avoid any unforeseen complications, why not bring your Miss Wang here first?"

Qin Hui bowed gracefully. "Reporting to my lord, I have already brought my wife to the garden."

"You treacherous minister, you've moved quickly enough."

Cheng Zongyang's laughter faltered halfway through, then he slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, "You didn't do this, did you!"

The imperial edict for the exile of Wang Yuyu's entire family to Lingnan hadn't even been issued yet; if he hadn't heard it with his own ears, he wouldn't have known about it. But this treacherous minister had brought her here so early, clearly confident that he had the Wang family crippled—even the Song emperor hadn't made up his mind before consulting the Empress Dowager Ming; where did he get his confidence?

Qin Hui calmly replied, "Wang Yuyu brought this upon himself; what does it have to do with me? Besides, the young master's foundation is already established; there's no benefit for the Wang family."

"I understand now, you treacherous minister,"

Cheng Zongyang said admiringly. "You've been running to the Wang family every day these past few days not to try to rescue them, but to add soil to their graves." Qin Hui sighed, "You're ruthless, you treacherous minister!"

"I'll leave it to fate and do my best," he said. "I'm merely adding fuel to the fire and going with the flow."

"You treacherous minister, aren't you afraid your wife will betray you later?"

Qin Hui's lips curled into a smile. "I dare not deceive the patriarch. Very few outsiders know about Wang Yuyu's refusal to draft the imperial edict. My wife, with her exceptional memory and favored by my grandfather since childhood, knows the details of this matter. This desperate move was precisely my wife's idea."

Cheng Zongyang's smile froze on his face. After a long while, he managed to squeeze out two words through gritted teeth: "A perfect match!"

Although he hadn't yet met Wang, Cheng Zongyang already knew that the tide of history had prevailed. He had initially held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that Qin Hui's fate had changed and he might not be so lucky to encounter his former wife again. But despite his meticulous planning, the treacherous minister had indeed found his destined other half. Cheng Zongyang could imagine that once this couple joined forces, their power would be unstoppable, and few in the world could rival them.

Fifth Chapter

Zongyang walked towards Tianxiang Pavilion with a belly full of sighs, only to see Kuang Zhongyu standing by the lake, elegantly stroking his beard, seemingly talking to someone.

Cheng Zongyang had just stopped when he heard a woman's voice filled with surprise, "I never expected to meet Immortal Kuang here, what a stroke of luck! I have a difficult matter to attend to, and I beg you, Immortal Master, to guide me..."

Kuang Zhongyu interrupted her with a serious expression, "No need for further explanation. I already know what you wish to ask. However, there are three things I do not consult in my life."

Kuang Zhongyu held up three fingers, "I do not consult before noon, I do not consult those who are not sincere, and I do not consult more than three people a day. Today's number has been fulfilled. If you wish to ask about your husband's future and your daughter's marriage, please ask another day."

Ruan Xianglin exclaimed in surprise, "How did you know what I wanted to ask, Immortal Master?"

Kuang Zhongyu shook his head reservedly, "Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed."

Cheng Zongyang chuckled inwardly. Old Kuang was quite the smooth talker, fooling the heroine Ruan Xianglin without batting an eye. Speaking of which, Li Shishi was also unlucky. Her Panjiang Cheng Clan had not yet been formally established, and a perfectly capable and charming public relations manager was now being used as an accountant. The girl seemed afraid of her mother's nagging, spending all her time hiding in the money exchange checking accounts, avoiding Ruan Xianglin. Ruan Xianglin, however, was persistent, staying until midnight.

After Kuang Zhongyu's gesture, Ruan Xianglin dared not ask further, but her respect for him only grew stronger. She curtsied, said she would come again another day to seek his guidance, and then left.

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "Madam, please take care."

This time, Ruan Xianglin finally didn't give him a hard time, but she didn't reply either, only raising her head slightly and walking gracefully away without looking to the side.

Cheng Zongyang pulled Kuang Zhongyu back, "Old Kuang, you've got some skills! She hasn't even opened her mouth yet, how do you know what she's asking?"

Kuang Zhongyu confidently replied, "This woman has a face like jade, she must be well-off. Her eyes reveal a heroic spirit, she must be strong-willed. Going out alone late at night, she must have someone to rely on. Her expression is uncertain, she must have something on her mind. Although her clothes are clean, she has no official title. She is skilled in martial arts, but she doesn't seem arrogant. Judging from these points, I dare to conclude that her husband is either a lowly military officer or a rough-and-tumble martial artist."

Cheng Zongyang nodded repeatedly as he listened. Old Kuang's words were not mere trickery; they were clearly the result of keen observation and rigorous reasoning.

Kuang Zhongyu said, “A woman’s concerns are nothing more than her husband and children. Judging from her age, she is over thirty, and her children are just beginning to grow up. When I first met her, there was a worried look between her brows, indicating a disagreement with her daughter. Thus, her true intentions are obvious: she wants to use her daughter to climb the social ladder and secure fame for her husband.”

These words made Cheng Zongyang look at Kuang Zhongyu with new respect. “Old Kuang, you’re something else! Come and read my fortune!”

Kuang Zhongyu studied him for a moment, then suddenly raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Looking at your face, young master, your luck with romance is on the rise! Within a few days, a beautiful woman will come your way, granting you your desires.”

“Old Kuang, be clear, where does this luck with romance come from?”

“Amitabha,”

Kuang Zhongyu proclaimed, solemnly saying, “Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed.”

“Keep pretending! If no romance comes your way within three days, I’ll smash your signboard!”

"If I have uttered a single falsehood, young master, please feel free to smash it,"

Kuang Zhongyu cautioned. "Accepting this fortune will not harm your virtue, but avoiding it will bring misfortune. I earnestly hope that you will not refuse."

"Old Kuang, you underestimate me too much. If I don't take this opportunity, am I even a man?"

Cheng Zongyang joked, but inwardly he was thinking. Speaking of opportunities, the one he stumbled upon today was quite a lot. Judging from the Empress Dowager's words, he could sleep with any of the three thousand beauties in the palace he wanted. Kuang Zhongyu said avoiding it would bring misfortune, did he mean he should sleep with every woman offered to him? Putting aside the fact that the workload was too great, wouldn't it be a disaster if word got out that he was impersonating Yue Fei's successor and taking over his harem? Even if word didn't get out, picking up such a large pile of secondhand goods would make his taste highly questionable.

However, Kuang Zhongyu's words about getting what he wanted seemed to have a deeper meaning. He wanted to seduce someone, but hadn't managed to get close yet—it was nothing more than…

Cheng Zongyang glanced at Li Shishi's room, a slight thought stirring within him. He asked, "Old Kuang, do you remember telling the fortune of a young girl in Mingzhou more than ten years ago?"

Kuang Zhongyu replied, "I've told fortunes at least five or six thousand in Mingzhou, how could I remember them all? But let me look at it again, maybe I can recall a thing or two."

The candles in Li Shishi's room were already extinguished. If he dragged that big swindler Kuang inside now and offered to tell her fortune, even if she beat him up, no one would dare to speak up for him.

Cheng Zongyang said, "Let's talk about it tomorrow."

…

Cuiwei Garden was vast, with the inner courtyard along the lake alone covering dozens of acres. Even with Yi Biao and the others staying there, there was still plenty of room. Qin Hui arranged everyone's food and lodging, so he didn't need to worry about it. After parting ways with Kuang Zhongyu, Cheng Zongyang went straight back to Tianxiang Pavilion.

Today's experience was completely unexpected. Even in his most fantastical dreams, Cheng Zongyang never imagined his cheap father-in-law would leave such a substantial inheritance. Although Yue Niaoren's schemes were almost entirely for his own benefit, the fact that it all ended up in his hands was a stroke of luck. After sending him countless enemies, Yue Niaoren finally had a change of heart and gifted him a great present.

He had always worried that Jia Shixian's downfall would force his bank, without its backer, to change hands, and that all his hard work would be for someone else's benefit. Now, Cheng Zongyang felt as if he had taken a weight off his shoulders, completely at ease. With the Empress Dowager as his backer, he was practically a golden Buddha. Not to mention Old Jia, even if he joined forces with the four treacherous ministers—Cai Yuanchang, Han Jiefu, and Shi Tongshu—he could still roam freely in the Song Dynasty.

The more Cheng Zongyang thought about it, the more smug he became. After a hard day's work, he deserved a good reward; tonight's main course would be Ning Biaozi.

Night had fallen, and the lanterns hanging from the eaves were extinguished. Several long bamboo poles extended from the railing, suspending thin gauze lanterns that illuminated the water's surface for several feet. He wanted to keep his mistress hidden upstairs, so his two guards were concealed on the first floor of the waterside pavilion, discreet enough to avoid disturbing him, yet also to detect any assassins immediately.

Cheng Zongyang swiftly ascended the stairs, each step a few steps at a time. Though fast, the carpeted wooden steps moved silently beneath his feet, his movements as light as a breeze, which pleased him greatly.

Since receiving the warning from Old Man Shang, Cheng Zongyang had ceased his deliberate efforts to improve his cultivation, instead focusing on resolving impurities in his true energy and strengthening his foundation.

Refining the essence while eliminating the dross sounds simple, but it is a meticulous process. Circulating true energy repeatedly from the dantian to the Baihui point, condensing true essence, is what is known as refining essence into qi. Most cultivators dedicate their entire lives to this, spending at least two hours a day cultivating, and even then, a breakthrough is not guaranteed. With countless things to do every day, where would he find the time to patiently meditate?

His remarkable progress in just over a month was largely thanks to Jian Yuji's generous gift. The cultivation cauldron she sent was not only beautiful but also highly functional. With such a wonderful cauldron by his side, the originally tedious cultivation process suddenly became vibrant and engaging. Cheng Zongyang, satisfied, couldn't help but mutter to himself, "No wonder that scoundrel Ximen is so interested in the cauldron."

Just as Cheng Zongyang reached the second floor of the waterside pavilion, he saw a solitary figure. A young girl leaned against the railing, quietly gazing at the distant lake under the cool moonlight.

Cheng Zongyang stopped. "Shishi?"

The girl turned around, forced a smile, and said softly, "Is she gone?"

"Your mother? She's gone."

Cheng Zongyang said, "I thought you two had talked. So you were hiding here."

"I don't want to see her."

Li Shishi said, "I came up here myself, you won't blame me, will you?"

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "Of course not."

But inwardly, he was sweating. If he hadn't locked Ruan Xiangning in the room, it would have been troublesome if the two of them had met.

Cheng Zongyang advised, "What grudge could there be between mother and daughter? She's only trying to help you; it's just that you have different ideas. A misunderstanding can be resolved by talking it out. Avoiding her all the time isn't a solution."

After a moment of silence, Li Shishi whispered, "Mother wasn't like this before. When I was little, Father and Mother loved me dearly. They did everything they could to send me to the Bright Temple so I could have a good future. Later, Father's镖局 (bodyguard agency) grew bigger and bigger, and Mother's ambitions grew higher and higher… Every time I go home, I feel Mother has changed, becoming more and more practical, more and more mercenary… Sometimes I feel she's so unfamiliar, not at all like the loving mother she used to be."

Ning Biaozi used the Meditation Technique on her older sister, subconsciously altering Ruan Xianglin's psychology, turning this forthright and valiant heroine into a snobbish woman. Now Ruan Xiangning's abilities have disappeared, but the effects of the Meditation Technique on Ruan Xianglin will take time to gradually dissipate—perhaps three years, perhaps five, perhaps even longer.

“Don’t worry,”

Cheng Zongyang laughed, “Your mother thinks that brat Gao Yanei is powerful and influential, a hundred thousand times better than me, a businessman. Once I’m more powerful and influential than Gao Yanei, maybe you’ll be worried that your mother insists on marrying you off to me.”

Li Shishi chuckled, “Don’t even think about it.”

“Don’t you believe me? By then, even a single hair on my leg will be thicker than that brat Gao Yanei’s waist.”

Cheng Zongyang said, gesturing with his hands to show Gao Yanei’s waistline, “Thicker than this.”

Li Shishi laughed, “Are your leg hairs that thick?”

“Of course!”

Cheng Zongyang pretended to pull up his pants.

Li Shishi quickly waved her hand, “I don’t want to see such thick leg hair.”

After a while of joking, the worry between Li Shishi’s brows faded considerably, and her beautiful face became even more radiant in the moonlight.

Cheng Zongyang stopped laughing, “We discussed it while you were gone, and we’re going to teach Hei Mo Hai a lesson. You and Qingpu will stay in the garden then.”

"Why?"

Li Shishi said unhappily, "No matter what, I'm a disciple of the Bright View Hall. Do you think I would cause you trouble?"

"I invited you to join the company, not for you to fight and kill,"

Cheng Zongyang said jokingly, then added, "This time it's a direct confrontation with Jian Yuji. I'm not sure how confident I am. I'll feel more at ease if you stay at home."

"I know,"

Li Shishi said softly, "but if I don't participate in this dangerous situation, and I don't participate in the next one, and I avoid danger every time, can I still be considered a member of the Panjiang Cheng family?"

Although Li Shishi's tone was gentle, the determination in her words was unwavering, showing Cheng Zongyang the gentle yet strong side of this young woman.

“I misunderstood,”

Cheng Zongyang readily admitted his mistake. “You’ll be going on this mission too! By the way, your Bright Temple and the Black Demon Sea have been enemies for many years, so you should know quite a bit about the Black Demon Sea, right?”

Li Shishi thought for a moment and said, “When I joined the sect, the Black Demon Sea had already disappeared. But I heard people in the sect mention that the greatest danger for members of the Bright Temple when traveling the martial world is encountering people from the Black Demon Sea. Our Bright Temple is renowned for its medical skills, and our most superior martial arts are the Phoenix Heart Sutra, the Bright Sword Technique, and the Butterfly Shadow Body Technique, known as the Three Wonders of Brightness.”

“In this world, evil cannot prevail over good. Our Bright Temple’s unique skills have always been the nemesis of the Black Demon Sea. Whether it’s the life-or-death battle every twenty years or a chance encounter in the martial world, we always win more often than we lose.”

“Later, a grandmaster emerged from the Black Demon Sea. It is said that he used poison to create a method specifically to counter our Three Wonders of Brightness, which caused our Bright Temple to suffer a great loss. We have fought several life-or-death battles in a row, but we have not won a single one.”

"It wasn't until the Black Demon Sea's Witch and Poison sects split, and the Witch sect was destroyed in its struggle against King Wu Mu, that the root of our Bright Temple's threat was eliminated. However, having fought the Black Demon Sea many times, our Bright Temple also has many methods to counter the Black Demon Sea's unique techniques. For example—" Li Shishi raised her hands, her index fingers together, and after a moment, a glimmer of light escaped from her fingertips. Cheng Zongyang, standing beside her, felt as if a gentle breeze had swept over him, and his mind cleared considerably.

"This is my Bright Temple's purification technique, which has a restraining and purifying effect on all kinds of witchcraft and strange poisons of the Black Demon Sea. However, my cultivation is still shallow, and I can only purify the space within a few feet around me."

Cheng Zongyang smiled broadly. I knew it! How could an old brand like the Bright Temple not have some trump cards?

"That's enough! With genuine disciples of the Bright Temple, even that treacherous Ximen will die convinced of his guilt."

...

"Master!"

The Blue-Faced Beast shouted, waking Cheng Zongyang from his sleep. Like a virtuous wife, Ruan Xiangning helped her master put on his clothes, socks, and boots, washed his hands and face, then tied his handkerchief and put on a wingless gauze hat commonly used by people in Lin'an. Cheng Zongyang hugged her and kissed her before leisurely descending the stairs.

Thirty strong and powerful men stood in three rows in the courtyard. Although their numbers were small, they possessed a formidable aura and an undeniable killing intent, befitting their status as elite soldiers who had survived countless battles.

This group of soldiers was organized as a platoon, but Cheng Zongyang immediately noticed a second lieutenant, and more than half of them were non-commissioned officers.

This was the first time in over ten years that the Xingyue Lake Camp had recruited new soldiers, and the conferment of ranks was extremely cautious. According to the Xingyue Lake Camp's custom, those who passed the test were privates. A first-degree beheading promoted them to private second class, a third-degree beheading to private first class, a fifth-degree beheading to corporal, a seventh-degree beheading to sergeant, and a tenth-degree beheading or more to sergeant first class.

Upon reaching the rank of lieutenant, the number of decapitations is no longer considered. Instead, performance in battle, combined with the soldiers' reactions, judgment, and command abilities, determines whether a rank is awarded. Therefore, these thirty men have accumulated at least a hundred decapitations.

Yi Biao crossed his arms and shouted, "The sun rises in the east!"

The crowd echoed, "We are invincible!"

Cheng Zongyang rubbed his nose. Although he thought Yue Niaoren's slogan was lame, the pride that filled these men's blood was genuine, without a drop of exaggeration.

Cheng Zongyang calmed down for a moment, then spoke, "To be able to join the Xingyue Lake camp and become one of the first warriors of the First Regiment's direct battalion, each of your abilities is beyond question. Having experienced the bloodshed of the Jiangzhou battle, I think you all understand one thing: on the battlefield, no matter how brave you are, one person's strength is always insignificant. Similarly, if we unite, even if you only have level three strength, you can still kill the enemy's experts."

Cheng Zongyang raised his voice, "The Six Dynasties is a larger Jiangzhou! To survive here, our only choice is to unite and concentrate our strength to overwhelm the enemy!"

"The Song army you fought before demanded payment for every deployment, every formation, and even their archers needed a reward to fire a volley—not because they were greedy enough to risk their lives, but because they needed the money to support their families. With the Cheng family of Panjiang as your backing, none of you will have any worries. Your military pay will be enough to support your families comfortably, and if there's any surplus, you can buy land and own your own property. Even if you die in battle, your families will receive their full compensation."

"All of this didn't fall from the sky. It was earned with the blood of every brother in our Xingyue Lake camp. The sun rises in the east, and we are invincible! Any force that dares to challenge us, whether a regular army or a江湖 (jianghu) force, is destined to become our stepping stone!"

"This time, our stepping stone is: Black Demon Sea! Lieutenant Yi."

Yi Biao stepped forward. "Time: April 12th. Location: West Lake, Xiaoyingzhou. To avoid detection by the enemy, we will enter the ambush location three days in advance. Second Lieutenant Zhou Feng!"

"Present!"

"You lead the first squad into the secluded path! Mission: Once the order is given, prevent anyone from passing."

"Yes, sir! "

"Sergeant Han Yu." "Present!" "You lead the second squad to ambush in the lake on the island." "Yes, sir!" " Sergeant Kang Jie!" "Present!" "You lead the third squad into the Moon Reflection Platform. Before the ambush begins, under no circumstances should your position be revealed." "Yes, sir!" After giving his orders, Yi Biao saluted Cheng Zongyang and returned to the ranks. Cheng Zongyang's gaze swept over the soldiers in front of him. These thirty soldiers were a platoon reorganized from the directly subordinate battalion. Therefore, a lieutenant like Zhou Feng could only serve as a squad leader here. The backgrounds and origins of all thirty soldiers had been sent to Cheng Zongyang beforehand. To his surprise, of the original Snow Falcon Regiment mercenaries who made up half of the directly subordinate battalion, only five were selected this time. Although mercenaries were powerful, as soldiers, especially soldiers from a military camp like the Star Moon Lake Camp, they were far less disciplined. After the Battle of Jiangzhou, Wu Zhanwei, Wu Sangui, and Yi Biao unanimously agreed that most mercenaries needed a thorough baptism of fire at the main camp. Therefore, the majority of the thirty men who came this time were young men who had heard of the uprising at Xingyue Lake Camp and had come to join them. This group was the smallest among all the new recruits, but they grew extremely quickly, becoming the main force of the directly subordinate battalion immediately upon joining. From their vibrant faces and resolute eyes, Cheng Zongyang seemed to see the newly formed Xingyue Lake Camp of yesteryear. Given time, these young men would become heroes like Zang Xiu, Su Xiao, and even Hou Xuan and Cui Mao. He only hoped they wouldn't wither away too soon. Cheng Zongyang said, "This time, the target is two people. I will lead the team to kill them. Your task is to block any reinforcements they might send and intercept their escape routes. The entire killing process should not exceed fifteen minutes. After it's done, retreat immediately. I must remind you, the enemy is very cunning; from now on, you must remain vigilant at all times." "Yes!"

"According to the tradition of the main camp, you will be assigned a dedicated mage—Feng Yuan!"

Feng Dafa stepped forward proudly, "Present!"

"Mage Feng is the only fire mage successor of the Ping Shan Sect. He will assist you in setting up the defenses this time. Lieutenant Yi, you two discuss the details together."

"Yes!"

The soldiers of the direct battalion split up and went about their business. In the courtyard, Qin Hui, Lin Qingpu, Kuang Zhongyu, Jin Wuzhu, Leopard Head, Green-Faced Beast, and Li Shishi remained.

"Huizhi, Laoshu, Laobao, Laoshou, you four are the main force in close combat this time,"

Cheng Zongyang said. "Lao Kuang will be responsible for ranged spellcasting. Miss Shishi will assist in breaking the Black Demon Sea's witchcraft. There is only one target this time: Ximen Qing."

Everyone responded in unison, "Yes!"

Qin Hui frowned slightly, "Jian Yuji's cultivation is unpredictable. I'm afraid the patriarch alone will have difficulty dealing with her."

According to the plan, Cheng Zongyang would use the pretext of a private negotiation to lure Jian Yuji away, and then everyone would attack at the same time to kill Ximen Qing. Based on their respective strengths, Qin Hui alone was roughly equal to Ximen Qing, and with five helpers, it would be difficult for this high-ranking official of the Ximen family to survive. Cheng Zongyang, who met with Jian Yuji alone, bore the full risk of the operation, as no one present knew the true extent of Jian Yuji's cultivation.

Qin Hui had suggested that Jin Wuzhu, Leopard Head, and Green-Faced Beast act as his personal guards alongside Cheng Zongyang, but Cheng Zongyang rejected this. Since they had decided to split up, distributing their forces evenly was a major mistake; conquering one route with overwhelming force was the only viable strategy. Moreover, he was accompanied by three ferocious beast-like warriors, and it was uncertain whether Jian Yuji would even take the bait if he requested a private meeting.

Cheng Zongyang said, "I will try to hold Jian Yuji back for a quarter of an hour. You must kill Ximen Qing as quickly as possible, and then come to surround and kill Jian Yuji."

Lin Qingpu also said, "I'm afraid Jian Yuji will attack you if she sees things are going badly."

"Of course I won't do it alone,"

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "To deal with Jian Yuji, I'll need to ask for a helper. Whether I can kill Jian Yuji is hard to say, but I should be able to save my life."

Chapter Six

: The Imperial Palace. Wanshou Palace.

Two bronze incense burners quietly exhaled smoke, filling the hall with a subtle fragrance. The Empress Dowager's eyes were hazy, as if she were lost in memories.

"That was twenty or thirty years ago,"

the Empress Dowager said softly. "The first time I met Aju, I was still a concubine. It seems there were bandits causing trouble at that time..."

The Empress Dowager thought for a moment and asked, "Little Guo, do you remember?"

Guo Huai bowed and said in a hoarse, duck-like voice, "The Great Sage Heavenly King Yang Tai."

"Yes,"

the Empress Dowager said, "I remember it was chaotic for several years. The civil and military officials sent by the court all suffered defeats. The Emperor was worried every day and couldn't eat or drink. Then one day, the Emperor returned from court in a good mood. He said that an unknown general had won a series of victories and finally broke into the bandit's den alone, personally killed the bandit leader, and quelled the banditry in one fell swoop..."

"His Majesty was very pleased, saying that the court had gained a talented general. Later, when that general returned to the capital in triumph, His Majesty held a special banquet for him in the palace. I was curious at the time, so I had a beaded curtain set up during the banquet and peeked at this talented general from behind it..."

The Empress Dowager blushed slightly. "No one could see me from behind the curtain, but when he looked up, his eyes seemed to pierce through the beaded curtain, seeing right through me..."

Cheng Zongyang glanced at Guo Huai, the old eunuch, who remained expressionless and silent, just like a coat rack.

The Empress Dowager continued, “His Majesty’s health was already poor, and he fell seriously ill after the New Year. At that time, His Majesty had two sons, one born to me and the other to Consort Duan. Consort Duan’s family was of noble birth, and her child was half a year older than mine. Rumors circulated that she would make him the Crown Prince. I was of humble birth, and my family had no one to rely on. I was bullied by Consort Duan every day in the palace. Once Consort Duan became Empress Dowager, my son and I would have no place to stand.”

The Empress Dowager gripped the armrest tightly, as if recalling the tense atmosphere of that time, “His Majesty’s illness worsened day by day, and Consort Duan and her son became increasingly arrogant. Just as I was worrying, a masked man suddenly broke out of the palace one night. Little Guo Zi had just made a move when he was subdued by that man…”

Guo Huai said expressionlessly, “The martial arts of Prince Mu are unparalleled; this servant is far inferior to him.”

"I had just undressed for the night and was terrified. When he removed his veil, I recognized him as the general I had met that day."

The Empress Dowager paused for a moment, then smiled slightly. "He said he could help my child inherit the throne, on the sole condition that I become his concubine."

"At that time, the Emperor was seriously ill, and the entire palace was in chaos. Left with no other choice, I had to comply… Several days later, the late Emperor passed away. The initial news was that Consort Duan's son would be made Crown Prince, but when the will was read, it was my child who would inherit the throne."

The Empress Dowager covered her mouth and laughed. "Consort Duan turned pale upon hearing this."

Cheng Zongyang thought to himself: No wonder Yue Fei could wield such power in the Song Dynasty; he was the one who installed the previous Emperor. But how could a military general like him decide the succession?

Hearing Cheng Zongyang's question, the Empress Dowager was not surprised at all. "A-Ju's methods are all-powerful; there is nothing in this world he cannot do."

Cheng Zongyang said, "Since there is such a reason, why did you agree to His Majesty's attack on Jiangzhou? You know that those bandits in Jiangzhou are actually Yue Fei's old subordinates, right?"

It would have been better if she hadn't said anything, because as soon as the Xingyue Lake camp was mentioned, the Empress Dowager's eyebrows furrowed, and she gritted her teeth and said, "Those bandits should all be dead!"

Since she was Yue Fei's mistress, why was she so hostile to Yue Fei's subordinates? Could there be another reason?

Cheng Zongyang still remembered the conversation he had with the Song Emperor when he entered the palace yesterday. It seemed that the Song Emperor trusted this Empress Dowager very much. If the enmity between the two sides could be resolved, the pressure on Meng Laoda would be reduced by at least half.

Cheng Zongyang laughed, "Does Aunt have a problem with them?"

The Empress Dowager said angrily, "Who told them to block Aju from entering the palace and gossip all day long?"

Cheng Zongyang was speechless; so that was the root of the problem. Meng Laoda was really something, why did he care so much about what others were doing?

The Empress Dowager's anger hadn't subsided. "What right do they have to speak about what Aju does for us concubines? Aju's two most annoying subordinates are surnamed Si and Lu; it would be good to kill them one day!"

Cheng Zongyang silently sympathized with Si Si and Lu Wu. Blocking someone's path to wealth is an unforgivable offense; look at what happens when you block someone's path to adultery…

The Empress Dowager cursed a few more times, then warned, "Aju's subordinates are all bad people! They've all been keeping their distance all these years; have they ever done anything for Aju?" That would have been fine, but they made things difficult for us the moment they appeared. Not only did they use A-Ju's name to ruin his reputation, but they also kidnapped Yuan'er."

Cheng Zongyang felt his adrenaline surge, suppressing his excitement as he asked, "Yuan'er...who is she?"

The Empress Dowager smiled and poked his forehead, scolding, "Just like A-Ju, you drool over Yuan'er. She's all yours anyway, why are you in such a hurry?"

Cheng Zongyang probed, "Is Yuan'er also a concubine in the palace? Isn't she His Majesty's wet nurse?"

"She's not a wet nurse, but with such a thing happening in the palace, it's not good to tell outsiders. That's why I said she's the Emperor's wet nurse."

The Empress Dowager sighed, "Yuan'er was originally the late Emperor's, my child's younger sister, and now the Emperor's aunt. When Aju was in the palace, Yuan'er was still young. When the late Emperor was alive, she was betrothed to someone, but after Aju came to power, he found a pretext and had that family wiped out. He originally said he would deflower Yuan'er when she turned sixteen. But a month before Yuan'er's birthday, Aju suddenly committed a crime and never returned… Yuan'er remained in the palace, never betrothed."

Cheng Zongyang's heart pounded. Mengniang was most likely the Yuan'er the Empress Dowager spoke of. He hadn't expected her to be the Song Emperor's aunt, the eldest princess of the Song Kingdom. No wonder her every move was so precious. Yue Niaoren had kept her in the palace intending to enjoy her alone, but instead of getting to eat the finest cabbage, the one who ate it was struck by lightning. So, the restrictions on Mengniang's body were most likely left by Yue Niaoren—that birdman is too despicable! He can't have it himself, so he simply won't let anyone else have it either. He deserves to be struck by lightning!

"How could the Princess be kidnapped by the people of Xingyue Lake while she's in the palace?"

"Little Guozi."

"Yes."

Guo Huai bowed and said in a high-pitched voice, "The Princess and Consort Hu have always been on good terms. Consort Hu was forced out of the palace by Grand Tutor Jia, and the Princess went to visit her under the guise of being His Majesty's wet nurse, escorted by the Imperial City Guard. Who knew they would encounter bandits on the way? All six people escorted by the Imperial City Guard were killed, leaving no clues. Later, it was heard that the Princess was kidnapped to Jiangzhou, by the remnants of the Xingyue Lake camp."

Cheng Zongyang's mind raced, and he said, "Auntie, this is a scheme by the Black Demon Sea to kill someone with a borrowed knife! It was the Black Demon Sea that kidnapped the Princess."

The Empress Dowager frowned, "The Black Demon Sea?"

Guo Huai lowered his eyes and said, "It's a sect in the martial arts world that has a great feud with King Wu Mu."

"Oh,"

the Empress Dowager said with a sudden realization, "So it's A-Ju's enemy."

Cheng Zongyang had prepared a whole host of excuses to pin the blame on Hei Mohai, but he found that the Empress Dowager trusted him beyond measure, accepting everything he said without even asking.

Since that was the case, he didn't need to be polite.

"The head of the Black Demon Sea's outer hall is currently in Lin'an. If we want to rescue the Princess, I have an opportunity. However, I lack manpower and will need your help, Aunt."

The Empress Dowager said, "Then let Xiao Dezi's Imperial City Guard go."

Cheng Zongyang said, "The quality of soldiers is more important than the quantity. I only wish to ask Aunt for one of your men."

"Who?"

"Guo Da Diao Dang.

" "You have good taste."

The Empress Dowager smiled, "Little Guo, you will follow your young master's orders."

Guo Huai bowed, "This old servant obeys."

Cheng Zongyang hadn't expected to borrow the Empress Dowager's confidant so easily. He smiled at Guo Huai, "This time, I'll have to rely on Da Diao Dang."

Guo Huai lowered his head and said expressionlessly, "This old servant will certainly serve."

...

"Xiao Yingzhou?"

"It is indeed Xiaoyingzhou on West Lake."

Ximen Qing smiled broadly, fanning himself with a folding fan. "The man surnamed Cheng specially sent someone to deliver the invitation, and the time is set for noon tomorrow."

Jian Yuji glanced at the dossier in her hand and said, "It seems that Young Master Cheng has freed up his hands to teach the Black Demon Sea a lesson."

Ximen Qing scoffed, "How could his little tricks escape the discerning eyes of a fairy?"

As he spoke, Granny Wu entered and handed over a sealed bamboo tube. Jian Yuji checked the sealing wax, then opened the bamboo tube and unfolded a letter inside.

Ximen Qing leaned slightly forward. "Has the Imperial Strategy Bureau made any moves?"

Jian Yuji replied wearily, "The Luoyang matter is settled."

Ximen Qing clapped his hands and laughed, "That Cheng fellow never imagined that he would move the chessboard from Jiangzhou to Lin'an, while our move is in the Han Kingdom!"

"Keeping the Eight Steeds trapped in Jiangzhou for months has been enough for us to do many things."

Jian Yuji wrote a reply as she wrote, "Yue Fei has been plotting for many years. Although we have now removed his hidden chess piece in Luoyang, who knows if he still has other plans? This young master Cheng has worked so hard, and in the end, he may have only benefited others."

Ximen Qing lightly shook his folding fan. "According to my idea, I want to turn enemies into friends with that Cheng fellow."

Jian Yuji said calmly, "Not to mention your feud with the Baiwu clan, just the fact that you took Ningyu's Yuan Hong will not let you go."

Ximen Qing raised his eyebrows. "Does even the Fairy have no other ideas?"

“Yes,”

Jian Yuji said. “Turning enemies into friends isn’t difficult. I’ll find you a common enemy. Young Master Cheng is a smart man; as long as the enemy is strong enough, he knows how to choose.”

Ximen Qing leaned slightly forward. “Shifting the blame?”

Jian Yuji didn’t answer. She put down her pen, rolled a gauze stick on the letter, and dried the ink. Then, she made a hand seal with her right hand and gently touched the center of the letter. The ink on the paper was washed away by invisible magic, swaying like waves, gradually disappearing without a trace, turning back into a brand new white sheet of paper.

Jian Yuji raised her jade hand. The witch took the letter, put it into a bamboo tube, and sealed it with sealing wax. Then, a claw reached out from the side, and the Black Crow Messenger grabbed the bamboo tube, spread its wings, and flew out the window, disappearing into the moonlight in a moment.

Jian Yuji casually opened a dossier and began to read.

Ximen Qing craned his neck to look and asked, "What are these things?"

"Medical records."

"So many?"

Ximen Qing clicked his tongue, looking at the mountain of old files beside him.

"Incomplete,"

Jian Yuji said. "As far as we know, during Yue Fei's time in Lin'an, Empress Dowager Liu forced at least three concubines in the palace to have abortions, but none of these medical records record it."

Ximen Qing sneered, "She's clever, otherwise our Black Demon Sea would have a few more playthings."

"Not just Yue Fei's descendants,"

Jian Yuji said, "At least one of these three concubines was carrying the Song Emperor's child."

"What a clever Empress Dowager Liu, what a thorough method!"

Ximen Qing clapped his hands in praise and asked, "Fairy, you went to so much trouble to retrieve these medical records, are you looking for the whereabouts of the Song Emperor's child?"

"It's about the cause of death of Consort Duan and Consort Jia,"

Jian Yuji said calmly, "but the relevant medical records have all been removed, leaving no clues."

This was all expected. The medical records of the Song Dynasty palace were all kept in the Imperial Medical Bureau. To obtain these records, Hei Mo Hai didn't hesitate to set fire to destroy the evidence. The medical records Jian Yu Ji now possessed were the accumulation of nearly thirty years by the Imperial Medical Bureau; a single review would take an ordinary person a year. But Jian Yu Ji read them at a glance, as smoothly as flowing water, her reading speed more than a hundred times faster than the average person. After reading only half, she knew that several important medical records had already been removed and destroyed.

But Jian Yuji showed no disappointment. She slightly raised the corners of her lips. "If my lord has some free time, you might as well read these medical records."

Ximen Qing laughed, "When it comes to discerning clues and deducing intricate details, how can I compare to your skills, Fairy? If you have any insights, Fairy, you might as well let me learn from you."

"The best way to understand a person is to ask his doctor,"

Jian Yuji said. "However, doctors may lie, but prescriptions don't."

Jian Yuji's fair fingers lightly traced the yellowed pages of the medical records. "Eight qian of Angelica sinensis, three qian of Ligusticum chuanxiong, fourteen peach kernels, five fen of dried ginger, and five fen of roasted licorice root—this prescription appeared nine times in the medical records from the five years before the Song emperor's death."

Ximen Qing raised an eyebrow. "Sheng Hua Tang?"

Jian Yuji said, "My lord seems quite familiar with prescriptions."

Ximen Qing sneered, "My family runs a herbal medicine shop. How could I not know this famous gynecological prescription for nourishing the body after a miscarriage? Nine times in five years, Yue Fei must have been living a carefree life in the Song palace."

"But the most commonly used herbs in the palace are not angelica, but these few."

Jian Yuji had a photographic memory and, without having to search through the medical records, casually wrote down the three herbs that were used the most in total. Ximen Qing narrowed his peach blossom eyes at a glance. "An aphrodisiac formula."

Jian Yuji said, "After Yue Fei disappeared, the Sheng Hua Tang (a traditional Chinese medicine formula) only appeared once. However, the amount of these ingredients has only increased in recent years, with only a slight decrease. Ninety percent of them ended up in the Wanshou Palace."

Ximen Qing frowned and said, "Such a large quantity, even if that old hag Liu were to turn into water, it wouldn't be enough. Could it be a mistake?"

"Empress Dowager Liu may not have taken the medicine for herself,"

Jian Yuji said calmly. "I believe that the concubines in the palace were trained by Empress Dowager Liu for Yue Fei's enjoyment."

As she spoke, Jian Yuji raised her beautiful eyes. "The only time this Sheng Hua Tang has been used in over ten years was for the entire Empress Dowager's Fuqing Palace, last year."

Ximen Qing's face darkened. "That lowly maid almost ruined everything."

"This matter was handled poorly by you, sir."

Ximen Qing looked coldly at Jian Yuji, whose expression remained calm and showed no sign of distress. After a long pause, Ximen Qing coldly said, "I don't kill my own woman. If Xianji wants to kill her, I won't stop her."

Jian Yuji said calmly, "My lord, you've failed to meet her twice at the appointed time. Don't you understand?"

"You!"

Veins bulged on Ximen Qing's forehead. He then flung his fan aside and turned to leave.

Jian Yuji remained calm, continuing to read the medical records as if nothing had happened.

That day, Ximen Qing had used every means to get close to a reliable palace maid serving Empress Dowager Quan. Under his charming eyes, it was easy for them to get what they wanted. With this inside contact, Hei Mohai was able to find an opportunity to successfully abduct Princess Yuan.

According to Hei Mohai's methods, he should have silenced the palace maid after the deed was done. However, because Xingyue Lake appeared out of nowhere and took the blame for Hei Mohai, Ximen Qing, hoping for the best, hadn't dealt with the palace maid. During his return to Lin'an, Ximen Qing invited his lover twice, but she didn't appear, which aroused his suspicion. He then learned that Jian Yuji had secretly dealt with this potential trouble.

"Bitch!"

Ximen Qing cursed fiercely, then deflated. He turned back to look at Jian Yuji's graceful back, silently repeating "bitch" in his heart

. Jian Yuji paid no attention to Ximen Qing's thoughts. Her fingers tirelessly flipped through the medical records, hoping to find clues to the great secret.

She chose Princess Yuan as her target because the palace maid had mentioned to Ximen Qing that Princess Yuan possessed a huge secret—a secret powerful enough to control the Song Dynasty, even to bring it down. Therefore, on the day Princess Yuan was sent to the secret stronghold in the Black Demon Sea of Qingzhou, Jian Yuji immediately used magic to seal her memories. The Black Demon Sea Witch Clan was renowned for its witchcraft, and the leader naturally had secret techniques to extract her memories from her mind, providing more detailed and accurate information than a confession. Who knew that Princess Yuan, placed in the secret room, would be found by the young man surnamed Cheng and taken to Jiangzhou.

With Jian Yuji's abilities, if there was one place in the Six Dynasties she couldn't interfere in, it would be Jiangzhou, where Meng Feiqing was stationed.

If it were anyone else, the situation would be irreversible, and they would only be able to apologize to the Sect Master. Jian Yuji, however, took a different approach, coming to Lin'an herself—any secret in the world, unless it never happened, will always leave traces. As long as she knew this secret truly existed, even without Princess Yuan, Jian Yuji had enough methods to find what she wanted, such as the medical records of the Imperial Medical Bureau's outreach to the palace over the past thirty years.

Jian Yuji's flowing gaze suddenly froze, her eyes falling on the date on a prescription.

After a long while, Jian Yuji raised her eyes, her gaze calm as still water. If this was the clue, then it was truly a great secret capable of bringing down the Song Dynasty. ...

"Spring clouds cleverly resemble an old man's hat, ancient willows form a single-plank bridge, a gentle breeze softens the dust, and fallen petals drift. The sandy shore is beautiful, the grass color graces the silk robe..."

On West Lake, the water was as clear as a mirror. A painted boat with carved railings sailed by, and on it, courtesans held red ivory clappers, their pearly teeth gleaming as they sang a beautiful aria, "Spring Comes in the South, Flowers Like Embroidery; After the Rain, West Lake's Water Like Oil; Outside Xiaoyingzhou, a Little Red Pavilion... I'm Sick from Wine, I'll Lower the Curtain."

Cheng Zongyang sat on a small boat, dressed in fine clothes, leisurely and carefree, like a young nobleman enjoying a leisurely stroll on the lake.

Qin Hui listened intently for a while, then praised, "Excellent lyrics! After the rain, West Lake's water like oil; Outside Xiaoyingzhou, a Little Red Pavilion... The singing is melodious, the lingering sound is enchanting; she must be a famous courtesan in the city."

Li Shishi sat kneeling by the gunwale, one hand supporting her chin, the other stroking the lake water, "Fallen flowers and flowing water, spring is gone, heaven and earth..."

Feng Yuan clenched his fist and said, "Yes! This time, we're going to kill them all!"

Li Shishi couldn't help but laugh. Qin Hui smiled wryly and raised his hand, saying, "Young master, please look over there on the Su Causeway, where the Little Red Pavilion stands, facing Little Yingzhou across the distance. The scenery is exquisite, enough to make one forget all worries."

Cheng Zongyang stroked his chin and said, "Why isn't such a beautiful place developed into real estate?"

Qin Hui was used to his master's occasional display of his cunning businessman's face, which spoiled the scenery, and said unmoved, "It's just that the world doesn't think of this."

Cheng Zongyang gazed at the emerald-green Little Yingzhou in the center of the lake and the lush Su Causeway in the distance, remaining silent for a long time, seemingly immersed in the beautiful scenery before him.

After a while, Cheng Zongyang nodded vigorously, "Little Yingzhou is still better. The Su Causeway is too narrow. If we were to build a guild hall, we would have to fill in the lake and create land, which would be too costly. Money should be spent wisely, you treacherous minister."

Li Shishi gave this unromantic businessman a disdainful look, and Qin Hui could only smile bitterly. Cheng Zongyang, however, couldn't help but let his mind wander. Cuiwei Garden was ultimately Gao Qiu's property. Now that he had the Wumu Prince's Mansion in the city, developing Xiaoyingzhou would provide another foothold.

As the boat approached Xiaoyingzhou, Cheng Zongyang saw Yi Biao gesturing to him that someone was on the island. Cheng Zongyang's heart skipped a beat. His thirty men from his direct battalion had entered Xiaoyingzhou three days ago, occupying key positions. He himself had arrived two hours early to meticulously plan, determined to ensure Ximen Qing's demise in West Lake. Who knew someone would arrive even earlier? And judging from Yi Biao's expression, he couldn't stop that person.

Who was this person who could make Yi Biao suffer such a setback? The small boat stopped at the dock, and Cheng Zongyang jumped ashore. "Who? Why didn't you stop him?"

Yi Biao said in a troubled voice, "He lives here."

Cheng Zongyang suddenly realized, "A monk from Baoning Temple?"

There used to be a temple on Xiaoyingzhou, where an old monk was said to be in seclusion, attended only by a young novice. Cheng Zongyang had bumped into the young monk during his last visit; the boy had silently disappeared into the flower grove, his manners vastly different from those of the high-ranking monks of Mingqing Temple. However, since the monks were natives of the island, even a domineering man like himself couldn't treat them like rude guests. He chased both the old and young monks away.

"Find one of the brothers to keep an eye on them, don't let them wander around outside the temple and risk their lives."

"Yes."

Jin Wuzhu led the way, followed closely by Leopard Head and Blue-Faced Beast. The three beast-barbarian warriors stood in a triangular formation, surrounding their patriarch.

Jian Yuji and Ximen Qing had both expressed their intention to win him over, and since he had taken the initiative to propose a meeting, they wouldn't refuse. But this was a one-time opportunity; if he failed this time, it wouldn't be so easy to lure them in again.

These past two days, he had been resting and recuperating, reaching peak physical and mental condition. With superior numbers, a meticulously planned strategy, and the element of surprise, Cheng Zongyang was brimming with confidence. Unless the two dared not come, he would make sure they had no chance of escape!

Cheng Zongyang slung the sheepskin bag containing the Dragon-Slaying Saber over his back and strode confidently towards the center of the island.

From the air, Xiaoyingzhou appeared as an irregular "田" (field) shape, with a garden covering several acres at the central intersection. The agreed meeting place was a pavilion within the garden. Xiaoyingzhou of this era lacked the many scenic spots of later generations; the renowned Nine-Bend Bridge, Nine Lion Stones, and Three Pools Mirroring the Moon were nowhere to be found. The island only had a few dilapidated pavilions, poorly maintained, except for the Moon-Mirroring Terrace, which was relatively clean due to the frequent moon-viewing visits from city dwellers.

The meeting was at noon, nearly two hours away. Cheng Zongyang wasn't in a hurry. According to the plan, the two sides would meet at the pavilion in the center of the island. Then, Cheng Zongyang would use the excuse of a secret meeting with Jian Yuji, and the two would go to Yinyue Terrace together. Qin Hui and others would deal with Ximen

Qing. Thirty soldiers from the Direct Battalion were hidden in three locations: the winding path, the lake, and Yinyue Terrace, occupying the three crossroads. Their mission was to intercept any possible subordinates of the Black Demon Sea and block Ximen Qing in the center of the island.

Qin Hui, Yi Biao, and three Beast Warriors would be the main attack force. If Ximen Qing could withstand the first wave of attacks, he would then experience Feng Yuan's fire magic and grenades. Kuang Zhongyu was responsible for using a sound-blocking technique to prevent sound transmission and avoid being detected by Jian Yuji. As for Li Shishi, it would be interesting to see how her Bright Observation Hall secret technique could counter the Black Demon Sea's ultimate skills.

Besides these, he also kept a killer, Lan, the Great Sable Guo Huai. Including himself, there were exactly forty people. Among them are more than seven experts at level five or above, which would make them a mid-level gang even in the martial arts world. Dealing with Jian Yuji and Ximen Qing would be a sure thing. Cheng Zongyang's idea was to beat the scoundrel Ximen Qing half to death, and then personally end the life of this most lecherous man in the world, ridding the world of this scourge.

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