[Fantasy] The Song of the Six Dynasties (Complete) - 7

In the second move,

Cheng Zongyang's blade moved with him, attacking Lu Qian like a tiger. The fallen leaves on the ground were whipped up by the wind from his blade, swirling in the air and adding to the power of his strike.

Lu Qian's expression turned serious. He gripped his hilt, his eyes fixed on the surging leaves, and suddenly swung his arm out, striking Cheng Zongyang's blade squarely.

Both leaped backward, creating a distance of about ten feet. After exchanging blows, Cheng Zongyang knew his strength: Lu Qian's cultivation was similar to his own, both at the fifth level of the Sitting Illumination Realm, and in terms of depth of skill, Lu Qian was slightly inferior.

Li Shishi's gaze towards Cheng Zongyang grew increasingly astonished. She couldn't believe that someone his age could clash head-on with Lu Qian, a renowned swordsman from the Imperial Guard, and not be at a disadvantage at all!

She had some understanding of cultivation advancement; unless one was an exceptional individual with a renowned teacher, very few could reach the fifth level of the Sitting Illumination Realm before the age of thirty.

Li Shishi knew that her talent in martial arts was rather mediocre. After several years of practice, she had only just passed the Inner Vision stage, and reaching the fifth level seemed hopeless for her.

Someone like Cheng Zongyang, who had reached the fifth level at such a young age, was probably only comparable to the exceptionally talented Crane Feather Sword Maiden.

Such a talent would be sought after by all the major sects and the Ten Directions Forest, so why was he still just an insignificant small merchant?

"Boss Cheng not only runs a successful business, but his skills are also extraordinary. This one strike is enough to make him famous."

"You surnamed Lu! Try taking another strike!"

Cheng Zongyang sheathed his twin swords behind his elbows, then took a step forward, unleashing a Tiger's Roar that sent countless leaves swirling around him. The sharpness of his twin swords was concealed among the leaves, like a pair of tiger fangs poised to strike at any moment.

Lu Qian suddenly said, "Boss Cheng guessed wrong. This time, it's not me leading the team, but Chief Instructor Shi from the Grand Commandant's Mansion."

Before he finished speaking, a bronze staff flew through the air, shattering the falling leaves with a loud crash, and struck the hilt of Cheng Zongyang's sword.

Cheng Zongyang's left wrist trembled violently, and the steel sword flew out of his hand.

A burly man shouted imposingly, "Traitor! Surrender now!"

Chief Instructor Shi was tall and imposing. Although he was also at the fifth level of cultivation, his moves were skillful and his skills were fierce, easily overwhelming Cheng Zongyang.

Cheng Zongyang ultimately lacked experience in the martial world. One mistake put him at a disadvantage, and he could no longer regain the initiative. Now he only had a single sword to protect his body, and after only a few exchanges, he was repeatedly caught in dangerous situations.

Lu Qian sheathed his sword, then strode over and grabbed Li Shishi. Li Shishi struggled desperately, but Lu Qian used his strength to seal several of her acupoints.

The head instructor, surnamed Shi, raised an eyebrow and said, "The Grand Commandant has ordered that anyone entering or leaving the Lin family residence be killed without exception! Lu Yu, do you dare disobey this order?"

"Head Instructor Shi, it wouldn't matter if someone else were killed, but this woman was specifically requested by Young Master Gao. I captured her and sent her to the manor for Young Master Gao to deal with. If the Grand Commandant blames me, I will take full responsibility."

Head Instructor Shi scoffed, somewhat disapproving of Lu Qian's methods of currying favor with Young Master Gao. However, the Grand Commandant Gao doted on the young master, and if he were to kill the woman according to the Grand Commandant's orders, he would find it difficult to bear the blame from the young master.

Cheng Zongyang found something increasingly amiss. The "kill without exception" order was actually issued by the Grand Commandant Gao himself, while Lu Qian, in order to please Young Master Gao, had arbitrarily added "not to kill female relatives." What was going on? But with his life hanging by a thread, he couldn't afford to ponder the strangeness of the situation.

Cheng Zongyang unleashed three consecutive strikes, all with offensive force, risking mutual injury as he attacked Head Instructor Shi. Chief Instructor Shi, firmly in control, naturally refused to fight to the death and stepped aside to temporarily avoid the attack.

Taking advantage of the situation, Cheng Zongyang lunged at Lu Qian, shouting, "Trying to escape? Ask me first!"

Lu Qian, holding Li Shishi with his left hand and drawing his sword with his right, sneered inwardly. This young businessman was indeed inexperienced. If he fought Chief Instructor Shi to the bitter end, he might survive a few more moments. But now, he was fighting Lu Qian. If Lu Qian could only block two or three of his attacks, Chief Instructor Shi would attack from behind, and it wouldn't take long to finish him off.

Cheng Zongyang was now down to only one of his twin swords, his power greatly diminished. Lu Qian anticipated his sword's trajectory, raised his hand to block, and reserved some strength to entangle him.

Unexpectedly, a cold glint flashed in Cheng Zongyang's left hand; a dagger had appeared out of nowhere. Then, as if swept by an icy wind, the long sword in Lu Qian's hand suddenly became light, severed by the dagger.

Lu Qian screamed and desperately tried to dodge backward. Cheng Zongyang's eyes were filled with murderous intent. He had originally planned to use this guy in the Wild Boar Forest, but this guy dared to steal his food—this was intolerable! Kill him first!

Cheng Zongyang's face was filled with murderous intent as the coral dagger fell swiftly, slicing towards Lu Qian's neck. Cold sweat broke out on Lu Qian's forehead. Suddenly, he twisted his body, grabbing Li Shishi and using her as a shield.

The coral dagger abruptly stopped in front of Li Shishi. A pearl that served as a button below Li Shishi's jade-like neck quietly split open, revealing a clean cut from her white dress from neck to chest, exposing her jade-like skin.

Everyone's gaze fell on Li Shishi's chest at the same time, and the forest fell silent for a moment.

Li Shishi's jade-like cheeks were snow-white, but her expression showed little panic. However, her acupoints were restrained, preventing her from escaping. She could only collapse limply onto Lu Qian. The exposed skin on her chest was dazzlingly white, and the outline of her breasts could be vaguely seen.

Cheng Zongyang stopped midway through his attack. Although the dagger wasn't heavy and he wasn't injured, he still felt a surge of blood rushing to his chest. His gaze slowly moved upwards, settling on Li Shishi's face.

Their eyes met, and a resolute look flashed in Li Shishi's eyes, as if she wanted Cheng Zongyang to kill her to prevent her from being abducted and humiliated in the Grand Commandant's mansion.

Cheng Zongyang revealed a cruel, almost ferocious smile.

"Don't worry! You're my prey, and no one can touch you except me!"

A whoosh of wind sounded behind his ear as Chief Instructor Shi's bronze cudgel struck again. Cheng Zongyang flipped over to block the cudgel, then crouched low and suddenly lunged forward.

Chief Instructor Shi shouted, "Where do you think you're going!"

and strode off.

Lu Qian, having escaped with his life, immediately grabbed Li Shishi and fled. For him, pleasing Gao Yanei was the most important thing.

Meanwhile, Cheng Zongyang was entangled by Chief Instructor Shi and couldn't break free, forced to watch helplessly as he took Li Shishi away.

Cheng Zongyang, his previous desperate stance completely reversed, dodging left and right, sometimes retreating a few feet before turning back. It wasn't quite an escape, nor was it a fight; he simply hid within a small circle of a few feet.

This constant fleeing posed no threat to his opponent behind him, allowing Chief Instructor Shi to calmly strike and gain the upper hand. Cheng Zongyang was on the defensive, narrowly escaping being struck by the bronze staff several times.

Chief Instructor Shi closed in, seemingly about to kill the young man, when suddenly his foot slipped, stepping on a rock under fallen leaves.

Losing his balance, Chief Instructor Shi, using his bronze staff for support, knelt on one knee. Immediately afterward, he saw the young man turn and swing a dagger, severing his bronze staff as easily as cutting a chopstick, then plunge the icy blade into his chest.

The blood seemed frozen inside his chest, not a drop spilling. Then, a burning sensation spread across Cheng Zongyang's forehead wound, drawing in the dissipating death energy.

Killing the head instructor of the 800,000 Imperial Guards with a single strike seemed easy, but Cheng Zongyang had circled back and forth five or six times before finally leading him to step onto that leaf-covered rock; only he knew the danger involved.

Having succeeded, Cheng Zongyang immediately drew his dagger and turned to give chase, only to see more than ten soldiers in civilian clothes surrounding him from all sides, each raising their weapons. Lu Qian had already seized the opportunity to escape to the mountain ridge with Li Shishi as his hostage.

Cheng Zongyang held a knife in one hand and a dagger in the other, a long-dormant desire for killing surging within him. He closed his eyes, feeling the throbbing of the scar on his forehead, then suddenly opened them and roared, "Come on!"

"Instructor Lin, this way please."

Lin Chong bowed slightly, "Thank you for your trouble, Steward Fu."

Fu An, the steward of the Grand Commandant's mansion, carrying a lantern, led Lin Chong into a side room, smiling as he said, "As you know, the Grand Commandant never troubles anyone. Today, I heard that Instructor Lin has acquired a rare and precious sword, which he rarely takes out, hence this trip. The Grand Commandant finished his shift late; please forgive him, Instructor Lin."

Lin Chong repeatedly said, "I dare not, I dare not."

Fu An said, "Please wait here, Instructor. The Grand Commandant will be here shortly. I'll go get some candles."

"Steward Fu, please!"

Fu An left with the lantern. Lin Chong sat alone in the darkness, his heart filled with mixed emotions of joy and worry. One moment he worried that Grand Commandant Gao would demand the precious sword; the next he felt it was worth it to exchange it for a better future; then he remembered Cheng Zongyang's parting words and felt a vague unease.

As his thoughts churned, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a dark shadow in the side hall, square and unsettling. Lin Chong, mindful that this was the Grand Commandant's residence, dared not look too closely. He clutched his sword to his chest, lowered his eyes, and sat with his buttocks barely touching the chair, suppressing his breath.

Fu An had vanished without a trace, and after waiting for the time it takes to eat a meal, no one had come in. The more Lin Chong thought about it, the more agitated he became. Hearing no footsteps around him, he simply stood up and paced a few steps.

Half an hour passed, and still no one appeared. Lin Chong had already circled the side room several times, and the objects in the adjacent hall looked increasingly strange. He recalled the rumors that Grand Commandant Gao had commanded the army for over ten years, amassed countless riches, and that his master possessed numerous rare treasures. His curiosity was piqued, and he walked over and carefully touched

it. The object was about half a person's height, with square corners, resembling a table, but it stretched to its sides, probably seven or eight feet wide. No ordinary family would ever use such a large table. Moreover, the table was uneven, and he couldn't tell what was on it.

Just as he was wondering, a sudden burst of light appeared outside, and countless lanterns were raised simultaneously, illuminating the entire hall.

Lin Chong's hand froze, stunned to find himself before a massive sand table. The table depicted rolling mountains and interconnected cities, representing the four hundred military prefectures of the Song Dynasty.

Furthermore, small flags marked the distribution of military forces in each region, each a top military secret of the Song Dynasty.

Staring at the sand table, Lin Chong felt his blood freeze. Then, he abruptly looked up, and a large black plaque above the hall displayed four bold characters: White Tiger Hall!

Lu Qian strode in, his voice stern: "Lin Chong! You dare to trespass into the White Tiger Hall with a knife! Don't you know this is a capital offense! Soldiers! Seize him!"

The Imperial Guards swarmed in, their swords and spears like a forest, surrounding Lin Chong.

In an instant, Lin Chong gripped the hilt of the Dragon-Slaying Saber, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.

Lu Qian shouted, "Lin Chong! How dare you do such a thing! Don't you care about your family?!"

Lin Chong's expression changed several times. Finally, he threw down his precious sword, raised his hands, and shouted, "Injustice! Lin Chong is innocent!"

Lu Qian secretly broke out in a cold sweat. Seeing this, he immediately waved his hand, "Take him down!"

The soldiers bound Lin Chong hand and foot and escorted him away. The White Tiger Hall was plunged into darkness again, with only the Dragon-Slaying Saber lying on the ground, its cold light faintly gleaming from its sheath.

Cheng Zongyang lay behind the plaque, carefully pressing his wound to stop the blood from dripping. In the battle of Phoenix Ridge, he had barely managed to fight his way out of the encirclement.

He learned from the Imperial Guards that the Grand Commandant's Mansion was located in the inner city, not far from the inner city wall of Phoenix Ridge. Cheng Zongyang didn't bother to go to the Brahma Temple and rushed towards the Grand Commandant's Mansion.

Cheng Zongyang knew nothing about the Grand Commandant's Mansion, but there was one place he would never forget—the White Tiger Hall. "If we can capture that traitor Gao Qiu, we can rescue ten Li Shishis, and maybe even kill Lu Qian while we're at it. "

Cheng Zongyang donned a hood and infiltrated the Grand Commandant's mansion. He seized a servant and forced him to reveal the location of the White Tiger Hall, then

sneaked into the hall to wait. To avoid Lin Chong's detection, the Grand Commandant's men waited until dark before bringing Lin Chong to the White Tiger Hall, entering through a side room.

Lin Chong waited anxiously in the side room, pacing back and forth, touching the sand table. Cheng Zongyang vividly witnessed the entire process until Lu Qian appeared and captured him. But he remained completely silent, because he realized he wasn't alone in the shadows.

Cheng Zongyang didn't know the other person's cultivation level. He had just hidden behind the plaque when he heard the door open and immediately ducked back, not having time to look. He only knew that since that person entered the White Tiger Hall, he hadn't heard a sound, and even Lin Chong hadn't noticed anyone else in the hall.

After an unknown amount of time, a figure descended from the hall and slowly walked to the Dragon-Slaying Saber. He bent down, stroking the blade, and let out a long sigh.

With a clang, the precious sword was drawn, followed by a flash of cold light like lightning.

Cheng Zongyang's hair stood on end. The plaque in front of him, inscribed with "White Tiger Hall," silently split in two, the blade flashing towards him in an instant.

Cheng Zongyang pressed his hand to the wound on his arm, not having time to reach for the coral dagger in his pocket. He grabbed his backpack with his injured arm, pulling out whatever was inside, and met the incomparably sharp light of the Dragon-Slaying Sword.

With a clang, the indestructible Dragon-Slaying Sword was actually blocked by a strange, broken object in his hand.

The wound on his arm was jolted open, blood streaming down his arm. Cheng Zongyang's arm throbbed with pain, but he gripped the object tightly, refusing to let go.

Taking advantage of the fleeting glint of the Dragon-Slaying Saber, he realized he was holding a bare hilt, the guard of which had blocked the blade.

The hilt, devoid of its blade, looked ancient and worn, adorned with a fiery red talisman that exuded a sinister aura.

Blood soaked into the talisman, then froze into a thin layer of ice by the Dragon-Slaying Saber's cold light, leaving a fine crack on it.

The blade flashed, and the man landed on the sand table. In the darkness, he could vaguely see a black gauze hat on the man's head, its two wings spread straight out—a high-ranking official.

Could this guy be Grand Commandant Gao? He'd only heard Gao Qiu was a master football player, never a skilled fighter.

Cheng Zongyang muttered to himself, when suddenly the hilt of his sword emitted a low, thunderous hum, as if a long-lonely swordsman had met a worthy opponent.

Immediately afterward, Cheng Zongyang's internal energy stagnated, as if all his true energy had been drained.

Just then, the man's Dragon-Slaying Saber reappeared with a chilling light, and a bone-chilling coldness swept over him.

As Cheng Zongyang was filled with dread, the frozen, fiery-red talisman on the hilt suddenly shattered, and a bolt of lightning shot out from the empty hilt, leaping and deforming along the hilt.

The Dragon-Slaying Saber's cold light was already upon him. Cheng Zongyang mustered his last remaining strength, gripped the hilt, and desperately slashed at the blade.

The sword clashed without a sound, yet two invisible currents of energy swirled and burst forth, causing the entire White Tiger Hall to tremble. The Dragon-

Slaying Saber's cold light suddenly dimmed, and the seemingly indestructible blade was actually chipped open by the lightning, leaving a gap the size of a grain of rice.

However, before Cheng Zongyang could react, he saw the gap on the blade rapidly heal before his very eyes, and the Dragon-Slaying Saber's luster gradually reappeared. Conversely, the lightning on the hilt began to recede and solidify.

Like a fleeting flash of lightning, the once bare hilt now bore a blade. (Advertisement: Still using 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.)

The blade was no more than two inches wide, yet nearly three feet long. The blade was slender, with a slightly curved tip—Cheng Zongyang then realized that this thing wasn't a sword at all, but a long, thin battle saber!

Unlike the Dragon-Slaying Saber, which was as clear as ice and jade, the blade, formed from lightning, was covered with interwoven black and white patterns.

The patterns on the blade far surpassed any forging techniques Cheng Zongyang knew. The finest details were thinner than a hair, and all were curves, their arcs smooth and natural, without a trace of stiffness. The intricate lines formed countless mysterious and complex patterns, appearing infinitely profound at first glance. This thing… he didn't quite understand it, but it looked incredibly powerful… even

before the hilt had solidified into a blade, it had already chipped the Dragon-Slaying Saber; now that the blade was complete, wouldn't it cleave the Dragon-Slaying Saber in two?

Seeing the man's Dragon-Slaying Saber attack again, Cheng Zongyang roared, his slender blade tearing through the air with a sharp whistling sound as he met the Dragon-Slaying Saber.

The two blades clashed, and the black and white intertwined blade trembled slightly before being cleaved in two by the Dragon-Slaying Saber. The broken blade flew out and vanished without a trace.

Cheng Zongyang felt a sharp pain in his dantian; the Dragon-Slaying Saber seemed to have pierced through his body, slicing open the rotating energy wheel in his dantian, and his meridians felt as if they were being torn apart and twisted.

At the same time, the Dragon-Slaying Saber attacked, its icy blade slicing through Cheng Zongyang's hood, almost splitting his head in two.

"Damn it!" This bird-like saber, which had initially put the Dragon-Slaying Saber at a disadvantage, suddenly lost completely once solidified into a blade. This was ridiculous!

Before Cheng Zongyang could even question whether the saber's designer was idiot or utterly incompetent, everything went black.

Before him was a magnificent gauze curtain, its top adorned with pearl patterns, dazzling in the candlelight.

Cheng Zongyang squinted, vaguely seeing a scene of people playing Cuju (an ancient Chinese football game) on the ceiling… Who's so crazy? A sleeping gauze curtain decorated with Cuju images?

Wait a minute, shouldn't I be in the White Tiger Hall?

Cheng Zongyang snapped back to reality, hurriedly touching his head, only to find it covered in thick gauze.

"You're awake,"

a voice came from outside the curtain.

Cheng Zongyang turned his head and saw a high-ranking official dressed in a crimson robe and wearing a long-winged black gauze hat. The official sat with his back to Cheng Zongyang in a chair, an open backpack on the table in front of him, which

the official was rummaging through. Cheng Zongyang reached in and found that his steel knife, dagger, and even the hilt of his sword had been confiscated. He would have to fight hand-to-hand.

The problem was that the official's Dragon-Slaying Saber was on the shelf next to the table; if a fight broke out, he'd probably be hacked to pieces in bed before he even got up.

The man put down the yin-yang symbol he'd taken from the backpack, then turned around and flicked his sleeves.

Seeing his face, Cheng Zongyang's eyes widened as if he'd seen a ghost.

He'd seen this man before! Not only had they met, but they'd also drunk beer, smoked cigars, watched polo matches together, and almost shared his woman…

“Su Jiapu!”

“Exactly.”

Cheng Zongyang chuckled dryly, “I didn’t expect to run into an old friend, haha…”

Su Jiapu interrupted him, “You’re from Jiangzhou, aren’t you?”

Cheng Zongyang forced a smile and said, “Jiangzhou? I’ve been there.”

“I had my suspicions when I went to Oakwood the other day,”

Su Jiapu sighed, “Besides Commander Yue, who else in the world can recognize beer and cigars at a glance?”

A thought flashed through Cheng Zongyang’s mind, “It was you! You were the one who provided the intelligence!”

Su Jiapu nodded slightly.

The doubts in his heart were finally cleared up; this Su Jiapu was indeed the informant who had been providing intelligence to Xingyue Lake.

Having narrowly escaped death, Cheng Zongyang breathed a sigh of relief: "I never expected to find you in the Grand Commandant's mansion! No wonder Boss Meng couldn't figure you out all these years. Ha, I thought you were a clerk. Judging by this official robe, you seem to be doing quite well!"

Su Jiapu extended his hand and said calmly, "Let's get acquainted. My surname is Gao, Gao Qiu."

Cheng Zongyang's mouth dropped open, his expression as if he had been struck by lightning.

Gao Qiu, wearing the Grand Commandant's hat and belt, looked much more mature than Su Jiapu in his oak-roofed clothes. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were even more pronounced, but his gaze was extremely sharp. He was no longer the lonely businessman watching the game alone, but a high-ranking, powerful, and shrewd Grand Commandant of the court.

Cheng Zongyang couldn't remember how he had managed to grasp Gao Qiu's hand and shake it so forcefully.

"Grand Commandant Gao...you and Gao Yanei have been my idols since I was a child...I'm a little out of it...why would you use the name 'Su Jiapu'?" "

I was once a pageboy to Su Shi (Dongpo Jushi), and I used this pseudonym to show I haven't forgotten my roots."

Gao Qiu released his grip, raising an eyebrow. "Surprised?"

"Extremely surprised."

Cheng Zongyang honestly replied, "I really didn't expect Grand Commandant Gao to be...to be...such a die-hard football fan..."

"Back then, the football team I formed with Xiao Meng, Xiao Yi, Ming Xin, and Xiao Jing was an invincible force on the field,"

Gao Qiu sighed. "So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. Some of them are engaged in business, some are assassins, some are teachers, and some are painters. I thought I would never see the battle flag of Xingyue Lake in this lifetime."

Cheng Zongyang cautiously asked, "Grand Commandant Gao, you and Commander Yue... don't have any grudges, do you?"

Gao Qiu replied without hesitation, "Commander Yue has given me a second life. When we first met, I was still a page under Su Shi, and Commander Yue had just risen to fame. Countless people flattered him every day. But Commander Yue favored me and instructed me to practice football diligently, which finally allowed me, Gao Qiu, to rise above others with my excellent football skills."

Cheng Zongyang was overjoyed. He was used to seeing Yue Fei's enemies, and this was the first time he had seen someone outside the Xingyue Lake camp claim to have received favors from Yue Fei. He wondered if it was divine intervention.

"Since you know Boss Meng and the others, how come Boss Meng doesn't know that you are the current Grand Commandant Gao?"

"They only know me as Su Jiapu,"

Gao Qiu said. "My original name was Gao Shuwen. After getting close to the Song Emperor through Cuju (ancient Chinese football), I not only lost contact with them, but also changed my name. Heh, that was about twenty or thirty years ago. Little Meng and the others might not remember that Su Jiapu, let alone the current Grand Commandant Gao Qiu?"

Cheng Zongyang hesitated for a long time. "Could this all be Yue Niao... General Yue's arrangement?"

Gao Qiu nodded. "General Yue's foresight is unparalleled in this era. Who could have imagined that he foresaw the Fengbo Pavilion Incident when his reputation was just beginning to rise? Under his instructions, I deliberately transferred to a military post and spent twenty years in the army. Everyone said I was a favored official who gained favor through Cuju (ancient Chinese football). Even after the Fengbo Pavilion Incident, when all the civil and military officials who were loyal to General Yue were purged, I was not touched in the slightest. It wasn't until the Xingyue Lake camp was disbanded and General Yue's fate was unknown that I followed his original instructions and left a note on the prayer list at Mingqing Temple to contact the old troops of Xingyue Lake."

Cheng Zongyang said admiringly, "If Boss Meng and the others wanted to investigate someone, they could probably find out even the Song Emperor's illegitimate son, but they haven't been able to figure out who you are for more than ten years. How did the Grand Commandant manage to do that?"

“Every time, I would put the intelligence in first, then drop the note into the box at Mingqing Temple. The time and place of the meeting were never fixed, so how could they find me? Oak Tile was too pressed for time this time, and I was eager to watch the match between Qiyun Society and Shiqiao Society, so I took the risk.”

Cheng Zongyang thought back and forth. If Gao Qiu hadn’t brought it up, he wouldn’t have imagined that Su Jiapu, who was drinking and watching the game with him, was the informant who came to deliver the intelligence. This was considered taking a risk; his previous caution was evident. “There’s another question,”

Cheng Zongyang said, “Was the kill order issued by the Grand Commandant, or by your young master using your name?”

“It was me.”

“Why?”

Gao Lai’s gaze fell on the Dragon-Slaying Saber on the table. “Do you know whose Dragon-Slaying Saber this is?”

Cheng Zongyang paused for a moment, then realized, "Yue Pengju!"

"That's right, this is General Yue's sword."

Gao Qiu's eyes showed a hint of sadness. "General Yue gave me this sword before the Fengbo Pavilion Incident. I've kept it in my bedroom for fifteen years, never letting anyone outside see it. It's hateful that my son is so ignorant, actually using this sword to fool around. Since I can't say anything, I have no choice but to kill everyone who has seen the Dragon-Slaying Sword."

Cheng Zongyang smiled bitterly, "The Grand Commandant acted swiftly and decisively, almost taking my life."

Gao Qiu showed little remorse, saying calmly, "It concerns General Yue; it's better to kill a thousand innocent people than let one guilty person go free."

The copper bell in the room rang slightly, and Gao Qiu stopped Cheng Zongyang from speaking, then pulled on the rope.

A moment later, someone entered the courtyard and called out from outside the house, "Master, the young master is here."

Gao Qiu's face darkened. "Let him in!"

Chapter Three:

Gao Yanei jumped in like a ball, calling out innocently, "Father!"

Gao Qiu shouted, "You wicked child! Kneel!"

Gao Yanei was startled and knelt down pitifully, whispering, "What's wrong with me calling you 'Father'? If you don't want to hear it, I won't call you..."

"Look what you've done!"

Gao Yanei twisted his neck and said, "I didn't beat the third son of the Prince of Lu!"

"Who asked you that!"

"Fighting over a woman at Cuiyun Tower, even if someone gets killed, it's none of my business! It was all Xiao Liangzi and his gang's doing!"

Gao Qiu was furious with his adopted son, pointing at the Dragon-Slaying Saber and shouting, "I'm asking you! What happened here?"

Gao Yanei looked up, "You mean this? Ha, Father, I haven't told you yet. I took a fancy to the wife of Chief Escort Li of the Weiyuan Escort Agency and wanted to have some fun with her. Who knew she had a sister who was even prettier than her? I found out, oh my! You don't know that her sister is actually Lin Chong's wife! I thought about forcibly taking her, but I was afraid of smearing Father's reputation, so I came up with a good idea. I'll give this saber to Lin Chong, then say there was a theft at the mansion, arrest Lin Chong as a thief, and then take his wife! Father, am I clever enough? Father, you haven't seen Lin Chong's wife yet, have you? She's so beautiful! Her waist is so slender, her hips are so swaying... After I've had my fun, you can have some too!"

"You wretched child! What nonsense are you spouting! This knife is not something you can just touch!"

Gao Qiu grabbed the ruler and shouted, "Put your hand out!"

Gao Yanei put his hands behind his back and yelled, "Why are you hitting me! So what if I took your knife! You're my father! If you die, all these things will be mine!"

"It's all because I neglected to discipline you, that you've become so unruly!"

Gao Qiu said, raising the ruler.

Seeing that he was really going to hit him, Gao Yanei immediately lay down on the ground, rolling around and yelling, "He's hitting me! He's hitting me! I'm not your biological son, why are you hitting me! Mother! Mother! It's so pitiful for a child without a mother! I'm going to be beaten to death by my godfather! Ahh..."

Gao Qiu had ordered the killing of everyone who had seen the Dragon-Slaying Saber, preferring to kill a thousand innocent people rather than let one guilty person go free. He was ruthless and decisive. Now, facing his unruly godson, he held the ruler in his hand but couldn't bring himself to strike.

Suddenly, two crisp slaps rang out, and two handprints appeared on Gao Yanei's chubby face.

Gao Yanei's howl caught in his throat as he stared blankly at the man with a bandage wrapped around his head who looked somewhat familiar. After a long while,

he cried out in agony, "Father! Someone hit me!" He then threw himself into Gao Qiu's arms and wailed.

Gao Qiu threw down the ruler and stamped his foot, saying, "The beating was too light! Someone! Quickly bring ice to put on Yanei! Don't cry, don't cry, let your father take a good look!"

Cheng Zongyang was both amused and exasperated; Gao Qiu's protectiveness was excessive.

"Stop crying!"

Cheng Zongyang shouted, "If you cry again, you'll get another spanking!"

Gao Yanei's wailing immediately stopped, and he peeked at Cheng Zongyang from Gao Qiu's arms with a hint of fear. After a moment, he suddenly exclaimed, "You! You're not that..."

"I'm the teacher invited by Grand Commandant Gao. From now on, I will be in charge of disciplining you! If you disobey, you'll be beaten, and even the Grand Commandant can't say 'no'!"

Gao Yanei looked at Gao Qiu first, and Gao Qiu nodded with a stern face. He glanced at Cheng Zongyang again, then fell to the ground and rolled around wildly. "I don't want to! I don't want to! I don't want to!"

Cheng Zongyang slapped him twice on the bottom, and the little guy jumped up, clutching his bottom, crying out, "Father!"

Gao Qiu snorted coldly, "From now on, Mr. Cheng will teach you! If you dare to disobey, be careful you get a beating!"

With that, he turned and left, chasing the servant who brought ice out of the courtyard.

Gao Yanei also wanted to run away, but Cheng Zongyang grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back. "Where do you think you're going?"

Gao Yanei shouted, assuming a martial arts stance, and yelled, "Watch my Thirty-Six Subduing Dragon Palms!"

"Slap!"

Gao Yanei had just gotten into position when he received another slap on the face.

Before Gao Yanei could cry out, Cheng Zongyang shouted, "One slap for every cry!"

Gao Yanei finally realized that even his father couldn't be relied on, covered his face with one hand, and obediently shut his mouth.

"That's a good boy."

Cheng Zongyang said, "You recognized me, didn't you?"

Gao Yanei nodded.

"Where's Miss Shishi?"

Gao Yanei pointed outside, his face contorted with grief, "I...I didn't touch her..."

"Then you're very lucky."

Cheng Zongyang said with a smile, "If you dared to touch her, I'd castrate you and send you to the palace to be a eunuch."

Gao Yanei swallowed hard, his swollen face turning slightly pale.

"Look at your guts! So what if you're castrated? If you ever upset me, I'll cut your penis in half, one becomes two, and you'll be the one showing off when you go out."

Gao Yanei covered his face, his mouth agape, almost crying. "Don't scare me..."

"Alright, kid, from now on I'll be your teacher, so call me Master."

"Master..."

"I didn't hear you!"

"Master!"

"Are you a mosquito?"

"Master! Master! Master..."

"That's a good boy. I'm going to see Miss Shishi. Good disciple, hold the lantern for your master!"

Gao Qiu had too many secrets. He lived in a secluded courtyard in the Grand Commandant's mansion, but gave the main house to his son.

Gao Yanei had been spoiled since childhood, developing an unruly nature. He was only a teenager, but a dozen or so concubines stood outside his door, each one dressed in flamboyant attire.

Seeing Gao Yanei personally carrying a lantern and carefully accompanying a stranger, the concubines couldn't help but show surprise. However, the women dared not utter a sound, carefully curtsying with their hands at their sides.

The bedroom was brightly lit, and a woman lay on the large bed; her face was none other than Li Shishi.

Her clothes had been stripped off, leaving only a bright red bodice covering her breasts, exposing her snow-white arms and legs—a beautiful pose of her body laid out, ready to be devoured.

However, a red silk band covered her eyes, and even her earlobes were stuffed with silk scarves.

Cheng Zongyang slapped Gao Yanei on the forehead, gritting his teeth, "You brat! Didn't you say you didn't touch her? What's going on?"

"I really didn't!"

Gao Yanei protested, "I didn't even touch her! I just had her clothes changed. If I dare to lie, may I be struck by lightning, Master!"

"You stripped her so clean, and didn't even touch her? Are you impotent, just showing her off?"

"Well, here's the thing..."

Gao Yanei whispered in Cheng Zongyang's ear, "To be honest, Master, I got my hands on this little bitch's mother. That old slut is so wanton! Just using her daughter like that isn't interesting. I came up with an idea: I'll cover her head, face, and ears. Later, I'll call her mother over and say I've got a new little bitch, and have her hold me down to deflower her. After that, I'll take off her hood, hehe..."

"Wouldn't Lady Ruan recognize her own daughter?"

"That slut only has eyes for gleaming gold. Give her a ring, and she won't look at anything else!"

Gao Yanei said gleefully, "That slut is really something! Master, why don't you try some?"

"Forget it,"

Cheng Zongyang sneered. "You little brat, was this your idea?"

"Of course! Master, isn't it fun?"

"Lu Qian gave it to you, didn't he?"

Gao Yanei said sheepishly. "Master, how did you know?"

"Get out!"

"Yes!"

Gao Yanei felt like he'd been granted a pardon and turned to leave.

Under the lamplight, Li Shishi's smooth, jade-like body radiated a pearly glow. Her skin was fair and her figure petite and exquisite, making her resemble a beautiful jade pendant, irresistibly inviting one to hold her close.

Cheng Zongyang swallowed hard, first covering Li Shishi's beautiful body with a brocade quilt before removing her blindfold. As

soon as the blindfold was removed, two streams of tears rolled down her cheeks. Li Shishi's face was filled with sorrow, her silver teeth tightly biting her red lips, refusing to utter a sound.

"It's me!"

Cheng Zongyang grinned broadly, beaming. "Surprised? I told you, you're mine! No one but me can touch you! Haha!"

Li Shishi showed no surprise whatsoever. Her eyes were closed, tears streaming down her face.

Cheng Zongyang slapped his forehead, hitting his wound. He cried out in pain, then said, "I forgot, your ears are still plugged."

"No need,"

Li Shishi choked out. "They didn't plug them properly. I heard everything you were saying."

As Cheng Zongyang was stunned, Li Shishi opened her eyes, her vision blurred with tears. "I want to die... I'd rather that beast possess me than be so humiliated... Waaah..."

Cheng Zongyang reached under the covers and grasped her slender hand. Li Shishi clutched it tightly as if it were a lifeline, weeping uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry... I... I once tried to use you,"

Li Shishi choked out, "I really had no strength left..."

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "It's my honor to be used by Miss Shishi."

Li Shishi's lips twitched, wanting to laugh but not actually doing so.

After a long while, she said softly, "When I was little, my mother took me to a fortune teller. That white-bearded fortune teller, Kuang, said that I was destined for a noble life, that I would face a great calamity at eighteen, and that I was destined to meet a benefactor."

Cheng Zongyang had heard Ruan Xianglin mention this before, but he didn't expect her to bring it up now.

“If I choose the benefactor, although there will be minor misfortunes, they will ultimately turn into good fortune, and my father will rise to prominence because of it. If I miss the benefactor, not only will my life be in danger, but it may even bring disaster to my parents. My mother has told me these things since I was a child. This time, when the escort agency had this accident, my mother believed it was the great calamity that the immortal Kuang had mentioned.”

Cheng Zongyang joked, “I can’t be considered a benefactor, can I?”

Li Shishi said with tears in her eyes, “My mother said that the benefactor is Gao Yanei. She keeps urging me to follow him so that my parents can rise to prominence, otherwise I will be the one to harm them.”

“Your mother… hehe.”

Cheng Zongyang chuckled twice and didn’t continue.

Li Shishi raised her tear-streaked face and said sadly, "If it weren't for you, I would be suffering a disgrace I can never wash away. I only now realize that even with a father who is the chief镖头 (chief镖师, a high-ranking镖师 is a famous镖师, a respected sect), and an uncle who is hailed as a hero, I can't change anything."

Cheng Zongyang didn't know how to comfort her, so he could only say, "Don't cry, rest for a while."

"No, I have to say it!"

Li Shishi bit her lip, "They played with my mother, and now they want to play with us, mother and daughter. The power and status of the Grand Commandant's mansion are so great, I can't escape, I can't hide..."

In her sobs, Li Shishi vented her grievances and the disgrace she had suffered

. Cheng Zongyang could understand. A perfectly good young woman, her mother had abandoned her chastity and basic morality to become another plaything of the notorious playboy of Lin'an City. She was a wife, a mother, yet for money and wealth, she had given herself to a young man half her age.

“The thought of such humiliation makes me lose the courage to live…”

Li Shishi choked out, “I want to die. I’m so useless. This is the only thing I can do.”

“Don’t talk nonsense,”

Cheng Zongyang said. “You’re only eighteen, right? You haven’t truly lived yet.”

Tears streamed down Li Shishi’s face like broken beads. She stretched out a delicate, snow-white hand. “Save me…”

she pleaded. “Please save me from this nightmare.”

Cheng Zongyang was silent for a moment, then asked, “Can you abandon your family?”

Li Shishi replied without hesitation, “I’d rather have never been born.”

“What about your sect?”

Li Shishi shook her head, tears still falling, clearly disillusioned with her sect.

“Very well,”

Cheng Zongyang said solemnly, “My company is short of a public relations manager. On behalf of the Panjiang Cheng family, I sincerely invite Miss Shishi to join our company as its first public relations manager.”

“Public relations…”

Li Shishi’s jade-like cheeks were streaked with tears as she widened her eyes in astonishment. “What is that? Can I do it?”

Cheng Zongyang smiled. “Trust my intuition; you will be a first-rate public relations talent.”

Cheng Zongyang emerged from the bedroom, a slash coming down at her. The man was burly and strong, his arms seemingly possessing the strength of a thousand pounds. His swift blade flashed through the air, but his internal energy was mixed and impure, clearly indicating he was not a skilled fighter.

Cheng Zongyang dodged the blade and looked into the courtyard. He saw a dozen thugs wielding knives and clubs. Gao Yanei, covering his face with one hand, jumped up and down, shouting, "Kill him! Beat him to death! I'll take full responsibility if anything happens!"

This little pig wasn't stupid. Seeing that he couldn't beat him, he fawned over his master, calling him "Master" this and "Master" that, and then quickly summoned a bunch of henchmen to fight him to the death.

Unfortunately for him, Cheng Zongyang was no longer the same person. He needed the qualifications to fight to the death. Cheng Zongyang wanted to establish his authority. Seeing the thugs slash at him again, he didn't dodge or avoid, but instead punched the side of the blade. He released and then withdrew his true energy, forcefully bending the steel knife backward.

The thug's hand was split open, and his arm was cut by the bent blade, leaving a bloody wound.

To everyone's astonishment, Cheng Zongyang used the mental technique of the Taiyi Scripture, his body moving like a ghost, and flashed in front of Gao Yanei. He grabbed Gao Yanei by the collar and lifted him up, smiling as he said, "My good disciple, what kind of kung fu do you want to learn from your master? Or is your penis itching and you want to turn one into two, and masturbate one in each hand?"

Gao Yanei's face turned deathly pale. After a moment, he said with extreme guilt, "It's...it's...that old slut...this disciple wants to invite Master to play...play..."

"Master sees your disciple as chubby, white, and tender, looking quite amusing. Why don't you let Master play with him?"

Gao Yanei said with a sob, "This disciple isn't fun at all...really!"

"You'll know once you play with him."

Cheng Zongyang said, "Good disciple, take off your pants, let your master play with your back door first! Oh, little brat, why did you pee?"

"This disciple was so scared I couldn't hold it in..."

"That's good, empty your bladder first, so Master won't make you poop later."

Gao Yanei cried out, "Master, spare me! I'll never dare to do it again! I'd rather die than do it again!"

"Miss Shishi will be staying here tonight. Have those maids go in and serve you. You get the hell out of here. If you dare take even half a step closer, I'll stuff these two walnuts into your penis."

Gao Yanei was taken aback. "How?"

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "Want to try?" Gao Yanei

quickly replied, "No, no!"

Gao Qiu was sitting in his study, sulking. Seeing Cheng Zongyang enter, he shook his head and said, "My child..."

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "Children need a good beating sometimes."

Cheng Zongyang felt a little strange. He had originally thought that Gao Qiu was just spoiling his son because of his status, but now it seemed that Gao Qiu's love for his son was extraordinary.

He would eliminate anyone who even glanced at the Dragon-Slaying Saber; yet, he wouldn't even hit Gao Yanei, who had stolen the saber and gone out to cause trouble. It was rare to see someone spoil their own son like this, let alone an adopted son.

Gao Qiu sighed, seemingly unwilling to say more.

Cheng Zongyang sat down. "Since Grand Commandant Gao is one of us, he has helped me solve many mysteries, but there are still a few things I would like to ask you to clarify."

Gao Qiu smoothed his robes and sat up straight. "Of all the people in the Six Dynasties who know my background, you are the only one. If you have any doubts, please ask."

"First, is General Yue alive or dead?"

Gao Qiu remained silent for a long time. "How could someone like General Yue die so easily? But if General Yue is still alive, there should be some clues after all these years."

"I understand."

Cheng Zongyang thought with a headache: It seems that the fate of General Yue is still a mystery.

"Secondly, General Yue's arrangement for the Grand Commandant to enter the military isn't just to deliver intelligence, is it? If there's another purpose, could the Grand Commandant tell me?"

Cheng Zongyang explained, "I'm planning to do some business in Lin'an, and I wonder if that will conflict with the Grand Commandant's objectives?"

"What General Yue instructed me to do, I do every day. Everyone in Lin'an knows it. What harm is there in telling you?"

Gao Qiu slowly said, "You fought against the Imperial Guards in Jiangzhou. What did you think of the Upper Four Armies?"

"Well-equipped and with bright armor, but all show and no substance. They are nothing compared to the legendary elite Imperial Guards..."

Cheng Zongyang understood and slammed his hand on the table, saying, "So that's how it is!"

Gao Qiu dusted off his sleeves. "In recent years, the Imperial Guards still have a few famous generals on the surface, but below the commander level, most are sycophants. Although they still have the title of the Upper Four Armies, they are no longer what they used to be. Corruption runs rampant in the army, and the so-called elite troops are nothing but empty shells."

Cheng Zongyang had already suspected this in Jiangzhou. Although the Pengri and Longwei Armies had impressive reputations, their strength was far less than he had imagined. Gao Qiu, wielding military power, had been undermining the Imperial Guards' backbone for years.

Gao Qiu said, "Any other doubts? Tell me all at once."

"Indeed, there is one more thing,"

Cheng Zongyang said, staring into Gao Qiu's eyes. "What exactly happened to the concubine who went missing from the Grand Commandant's residence?"

Gao Qiu asked, "Did you see any concubines around me?"

Cheng Zongyang was startled, only then realizing the strangeness of the courtyard. Gao Qiu was no honest official; during his years in power, he had embezzled vast sums and spent lavishly on pleasure, his room furnished with exquisite and refined items.

But compared to Gao Yanei, who, at a young age, already possessed a multitude of concubines, Gao Qiu, the Grand Commandant, appeared remarkably lonely.

"For over twenty years, I, Gao, have walked on thin ice every day, never daring to take any concubines,"

Gao Qiu said. "That concubine wasn't from my household."

"Then who was she?"

Gao Qiu uttered two words: "From the palace."

Cheng Zongyang was shocked, but then he heard Gao Qiu say, "In the court, there are Jia's faction, Wang's faction, and Daoist disciples. But everyone knows that I, Gao Qiu, am a favored minister of the late emperor, a true member of the imperial faction! His Majesty would come to me with any private matters that were difficult to handle, so I have been embezzling for so many years without anyone being able to touch a single penny."

Gao Qiu continued, "His Majesty's birth mother died early, and after ascending the throne at a young age, his closest relative was only a wet nurse. But several months ago, this wet nurse suddenly disappeared from the palace. Since it involves the inner palace, His Majesty couldn't hand it over to the authorities for investigation, so he secretly summoned me and asked me to investigate."

"Why did the Grand Commandant spread the word, ignoring whether she lives or dies?"

Gao Qiu said, "His Majesty is past marriageable age, yet has not taken any concubines. Commander Yue has been kind to me, and I, Gao Qiu, though unworthy, have been deeply trusted by the late Emperor. For His Majesty's sake, this wet nurse is better off dead than alive."

It turns out Meng Niang's true identity was the Song Emperor's wet nurse. With such a beautiful and alluring woman, if I were the Song Emperor, I wouldn't be interested in any other woman!

Gao Qiu painstakingly used the Song Emperor's entrustment, even at the risk of offending the Emperor, to settle this scandal. Whether his methods were appropriate or not is another matter, but his intentions were worthy of the Song Emperor's favor in the past.

However, the thought that such a beautiful woman as Meng Niang would have an affair with that brat, the Song Emperor, felt awkward no matter how you looked at it. The Black Demon Sea was able to abduct her from the palace; it seems their power is stronger than he imagined.

While pondering, Gao Qiu asked, "You have some connection with Lin Chong?"

Cheng Zongyang replied, "A little."

"Back then, you asked me to investigate Lin Chong in your intelligence report. I thought he had caused you some trouble, and since my son has made this mistake, I was planning to take this opportunity to get rid of him. In that case, let him go."

"That won't be necessary."

Cheng Zongyang, while processing the secrets revealed by Gao Qiu, said, "We'll need Grand Commandant's help with Instructor Lin's case..."

Gao Qiu listened for a moment and nodded, "This is just a small matter!"

Qin Hui asked in surprise, "Exiled to Yunzhou?"

Cheng Zongyang said, "He can be spared the death penalty, but he won't escape punishment. Instructor Lin has already entered the White Tiger Hall with a knife; it's good enough if he can keep his life."

Qin Hui pondered for a long time, "That's fine, but Gao Qiu's son might not be willing to let it go."

Gao Qiu's identity is top secret; he has been undercover for twenty or thirty years. He can't just gossip about it to the world as soon as he finds out. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Cheng Zongyang planned to keep this matter a secret for the rest of his life.

When leaving the Grand Commandant's mansion, Cheng Zongyang left Li Shishi at his residence, entrusting her to Gao Qiu's care. He could no longer return to the Lin residence in Siying Lane, and Li Shishi had severed ties with her parents, refusing to return to the Weiyuan Escort Agency even at the cost of her life. His own residence held too many secrets, making it unsuitable for her to move in for the time being; he had no choice but to leave her at the Grand Commandant's mansion.

However, with Gao Qiu present, Li Shishi's safety at the mansion was practically guaranteed, even safer than if she were with Cheng Zongyang.

Cheng Zongyang said, "Don't worry, Young Master Gao is very affectionate towards me now."

"Oh?"

Qin Hui exclaimed in surprise, "How did you manage that, young master?"

Cheng Zongyang laughed heartily, "I pulled out my weapon right in front of him and sucked a bowl of water clean, and he immediately became my disciple."

Qin Hui smiled wryly, taking his patriarch's words as a joke. However, the patriarch's ability to subdue that arrogant young man, Gao Yanei, in the blink of an eye was something even Qin Hui couldn't help but admire.

"Where is Ziyuan?"

"Ziyuan escaped from Phoenix Ridge, thankfully his injuries aren't too serious."

Qin Hui paused, "The other two have already died in the line of duty."

There's nowhere to seek revenge. At the time, Gao Qiu knew the inside story, and his face was extremely grim.

Under the strong blockade of the Grand Commandant's mansion, the incident at Phoenix Ridge didn't spread. The outside world only heard that Lin Chong, the instructor of the 800,000 Imperial Guards, had been captured by soldiers for trespassing into the White Tiger Hall at night with a knife. Grand Commandant Gao, being merciful, considered the matter carefully and gave Lin Chong a charge of "accidental trespassing," sparing him the death penalty.

"Has Sixth Master Yun arrived?"

"He's already at Fantian Temple. Sixth Master Yun has heard about the young master's accident and originally sent several of his most trusted guards to assist him, but I politely declined."

"Well done,"

Cheng Zongyang said. "The incident at Phoenix Ridge was just an accident. Our real enemies probably haven't made their move yet. At this time, Sixth Master Yun's safety is more important than ours. Prepare the carriage! I'll head to Fantian Temple now!"

Qin Hui reminded him, "Young master, it's already midnight."

"It's alright, I don't think Sixth Master Yun will mind."

Yun Xiufeng had indeed stayed up all night, waiting for news of Cheng Zongyang's safety. In a meditation hall at Fantian Temple, Cheng Zongyang met the head of the Yun Clan Chamber of Commerce for the first time.

In terms of age, Yun Xiufeng was more than ten years younger than Yun Cangfeng, but the two looked like they were cut from the same mold.

He wore a plain cotton robe, and his boots and socks were ordinary cloth shoes and socks. If it weren't for the jade pendant hanging at his waist, which could readily command tens of thousands of gold coins, no one would guess that this weathered middle-aged man was the head of the Yun family.

Yun Xiufeng's whereabouts spanned the Six Dynasties, and he was always accompanied by over a hundred guards. While most merchants' guards were recruited martial artists or mercenaries hired from Qingzhou, Yun Xiufeng's guards were all hereditary servants of the Yun family, their loyalty beyond question.

The Yun family's guards had set up five layers of protection, both overt and covert, making the small Zen temple impenetrable. In addition, eight monks sat cross-legged in pairs at the four corners outside the meditation room, clearly guards sent by the Brahma Temple.

Unlike the six major sects of Taoism, the Ten Directions Forest of Buddhism was more like a loose alliance, with far more than ten temples and monasteries belonging to it, and no clear hierarchical division among them.

While not as large as the nearby Stone Buddha Temple, Fantian Temple was the core of the Ten Directions Forest of the Song Kingdom. Yun Xiufeng's stay at Fantian Temple was also a way of demonstrating his strength to the outside world.

It was late at night, and after a day's journey, Yun Xiufeng showed no signs of fatigue. He scrutinized Cheng Zongyang from head to toe, paying meticulous attention even to the slave brand on his neck. His critical gaze made Cheng Zongyang inwardly grumble: "We've all seen him before, is it really necessary to be so serious?

" "How are your injuries?"

Cheng Zongyang touched the bandage on his head and smiled wryly, "An unexpected disaster, thankfully I didn't lose my head."

"Will it leave a scar?"

Cheng Zongyang was taken aback for a moment, "It shouldn't, right? The injury isn't deep..."

He thought to himself: "You even ask if it will leave a scar, are you trying to choose a son-in-law? With that young lady's temper... forget it.

" Finally, Yun Xiufeng showed a satisfied look, "Sit."

The custom in Jin Kingdom was to kneel, but Yun Xiufeng used a chair commonly used in Song Kingdom, reflecting the fact that merchants were the most receptive to new things.

Cheng Zongyang had already interacted with Yun Xiufeng several times through the Water Mirror Technique and knew that he disliked idle talk. Without further ado, he sat down and said, "The matter this afternoon has been clarified. It was the Song Dynasty's Imperial Guards who made the move, but their target wasn't us. The reason was that an instructor from the Imperial Guards got into trouble, and we happened to visit that instructor, so we were implicated. Now the misunderstanding has been cleared up, and it won't affect our business."

Hearing Cheng Zongyang's confident words, Yun Xiufeng put the matter aside. "That's good. Sun Yixuan has already told me about the matter in Yunzhou, and you handled it well."

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "Fortunately, Brother Sun helped, otherwise the local bullies in Yunzhou alone would have been enough of a headache."

"You could have handled it even without the Yun family's help,"

Yun Xiufeng added, "No need for formalities."

A servant brought tea. Yun Xiufeng said, "My third brother has been full of praise for you since he returned from the Southern Wilderness. You've only been in Jiankang for a few months, yet you've already established a zipper workshop, a cement workshop, a silk weaving workshop, and the Linjiang Tower. I originally intended to bring you under my wing, but it wasn't until the Battle of Xuanwu Lake that I realized Young Master Cheng was no ordinary person."

"Sixth Master Yun, you flatter me,"

Yun Xiufeng said. "If it weren't for your mediation, the Prince of Linchuan's retreat at the last minute, my Yun family might not have been able to back down so easily."

This was indeed the truth. The Yun family's involvement in the power struggle within the Jin Kingdom's palace was a grave mistake; even if they managed to escape, they would inevitably suffer heavy losses.

The Yun family and Marquis Xiao originally had no connection, but because of Cheng Zongyang, they naturally joined forces, thus avoiding a reckoning after the Battle of Xuanwu Lake. From this perspective, the Yun family's help to Marquis Xiao was also their own help.

Yun Xiufeng said, "Since we can't take it all, and Young Master Cheng is a trustworthy person, why don't we all do some business together?"

"Sixth Master Yun is a straightforward man!"

Cheng Zongyang felt relieved. Although he had Yun Cangfeng's support and made all the decisions in his cooperation with the Yun family,

Cheng Zongyang knew in his heart that almost all the funds he had were lent by the Yun family; it would be more accurate to say that the Yun family were his creditors. Yun Xiufeng's words were tantamount to formally stating his position, acknowledging him as an equal partner.

Cheng Zongyang was in high spirits and said confidently, "Then let's talk about business!"

"There are only two things to discuss: what can the Yun family do for you? And what can you do for the Yun family?"

"Alright! Let's start with the immediate issue. The most important thing right now is this war profit."

Cheng Zongyang said, "Jia Shixian is waging war recklessly, even with his own backyard on fire, he still has to send troops to attack Jiangzhou. Now he's mired in trouble. Countless merchants are eyeing the Song Kingdom as a piece of fat meat, hoping to make a fortune, but most are eyeing the arms trade. Master Yun, you came to Lin'an this time also for arms, right?"

"Indeed. The Song Kingdom urgently needs a batch of fine iron. I, Yun, have negotiated with several parties for this deal, and the hardships involved are indescribable."

Cheng Zongyang clapped his hands and said, "Exactly! Although the arms trade is highly profitable, everyone is eyeing it, making it difficult to succeed. The Song Kingdom has granaries throughout the country to stabilize grain prices, and given the wide scope involved, the grain trade appears to be the most difficult, but in reality, it attracts little attention. Moreover, only we can trade Song Kingdom's grain; others can't even if they wanted to."

Cheng Zongyang said, "To do grain trade, one must first have a large amount of capital, and secondly, one must have trading companies throughout the country. These two factors block ordinary merchants from getting involved. But even with just these two points, the Song Kingdom has many large, well-funded merchant guilds, plus the big merchants of Qingzhou, whose influence in the Song Kingdom may not be weaker than ours."

Yun Xiufeng stroked the jade pendant at his waist. "That's exactly what I'm worried about. I'm afraid that all our hard work will only benefit others." "

Therefore, we have another crucial advantage—"

Cheng Zongyang calmly replied, "I've been monitoring grain prices across the country these past few days, and I can confirm that apart from the fluctuations we've created, no other merchants have interfered with Song's grain trade. Why hasn't any other merchant come to speculate on grain in large quantities even after the Jiangzhou battle has lasted almost three months?"

Cheng Zongyang answered, "Because they don't know how the war is going. Even if they did know how the war was going, they wouldn't know how long it would last. Perhaps they'd buy a large amount of grain today, and the Jiangzhou battle would be over tomorrow, with huge sums of money wasted. So our biggest advantage lies in: Jiangzhou."

Cheng Zongyang didn't finish his sentence: Now, he had another advantage: the Grand Commandant's Office of Song.

It was simply outrageous that a player controlling both ends of the game could lose in a grain war.

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