A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 78 Undercurrent
Late at night, the Giant Whale Gang
The sounds of fighting continued as the Giant Whale Gang members were trapped in the hall. People kept pouring in from outside, each wielding a weapon and keeping a close eye on the gang leader, Li Hai, and his group.

"Li Zhengkai, are you trying to rebel?" Gang leader Li Hai shouted angrily at a man dressed as a scholar.

"Chief, it is you who wants to rebel, not me. You colluded with the Japanese to plunder cargo ships and sell goods, attempting to establish your own power. You thought you could deceive the imperial court, but you are too foolish. Don't think that just because Governor Bu is dead, you can do whatever you want and disregard the imperial court."

Looking at Li Hai's wide-eyed expression, Li Zhengkai sneered, "Now that your deeds have been exposed, Chief Supervisor Cao is very displeased, which is why he's sending you on your way quickly. May you have a safe journey. Kill."

Li Zhengkai gave a stern order, and his men immediately charged forward with their weapons. Li Hai and his men were caught off guard and were far outnumbered by Li Zhengkai's faction. In no time, the situation in the hall had become one-sided, and blood stained the hall and flowed outside.

Half an hour later, Li Hai's entire group was killed, and Li Hai himself was beheaded by Li Zhengkai, who preserved his head with quicklime, put it in a wooden box, and handed it to Qi Yu.

"My lord, please deliver Li Hai's head to Chief Supervisor Cao. I will do my utmost to serve the court and Chief Supervisor and ensure that what happened to the Giant Whale Gang today will not be repeated."

Upon hearing this, Qi Yu nodded and said, "I have seen Chief Li's sincerity. I am sure Chief Cao will be very happy to see this gift. Chief Li, please continue to manage the Giant Whale Gang. We will not disturb you any longer and will take our leave now."

As they were talking, Qi Yu and Guo Yun prepared to leave with the people from the Eastern Depot. Li Zhengkai hurriedly called them back, walked to a secluded spot, took out two huge silver notes and stuffed them into their hands. Qi Yu and Guo Yun glanced at him at the same time, smiled without saying a word, patted him on the shoulder, and the two of them disappeared into the night with their men.

"Chief, everything has been arranged and will not disrupt the normal operation of the gang," an elder named Li Tianhao reported.

"Very good, Elder Li. Give the order that everything remain as usual. What the gang needs most right now is stability. As for reforms, we cannot rush into them; we must proceed gradually."

"Yes, Chief," Li Tianhao replied respectfully. Looking at Li Zhengkai's confidence in having everything under control, Li Tianhao couldn't help but admire him. When this man was still the deputy chief, he had a long-term vision. The Giant Whale Gang's current strength was largely due to him.

If it weren't for the fact that gang leader Li Hai was jealous of Li Zhengkai's talent and tried his best to suppress him, and even dared to break away from the court and establish his own power, Li Zhengkai would not have resorted to such a desperate measure. However, this is also a good thing. Previously, the Giant Whale Gang was corrupt and decadent. This thunderous blow has completely eliminated those parasites, allowing the Giant Whale Gang to be reborn. Li Tianhao believes that under Li Zhengkai's leadership, the gang's strength will reach a new level.

"Let's go, there's still a lot for us to do."

In just one night, the leader of the Giant Whale Gang was replaced. All those in the middle and upper ranks who were dissatisfied were suppressed by Li Zhengkai. As for the lower-level gang members, as long as they had food to eat, they would follow anyone. Whoever fed them, they would believe. No one else's opinion mattered.

Dragon Guardian Villa
By the time Zhu Wushi received the news, more than half a month had passed. Iga Musashi, the leader of the Iga faction in Japan, sent a secret letter stating that the Giant Whale Gang was now cracking down on Japanese forces along the coast, and the Iga faction could no longer withstand the pressure and was slowly retreating back to Japan.

Originally, it was thought that the Iga faction saw an opportunity when the Yagyu family withdrew from the nine coastal towns, but unexpectedly, they were blocked by the Giant Whale Gang, resulting in the deaths and injuries of many of their disciples.

"This Cao Zhengchun really has guts. The Giant Whale Gang, humph, it's not the right time yet. I'll give you some time." He casually destroyed the secret letter.

This incident made Zhu Wushi even more eager to establish an intelligence network. Three days later, Zhu Wushi sent a letter to Emerald Villa in Jiangnan, inviting Wan Sanqian to come to the capital for a meeting.

Upon receiving the secret letter, Wan Sanqian immediately led his men to the capital.

On the road to the capital, inside the carriage, Wan Sanqian was resting with his eyes closed. Although he was quite wealthy, he was still just a merchant, and his status was far from that of the powerful and influential Iron-Blooded Marquis.

"I suspect the Marquis's motives for inviting me this time are not pure."

Opening his eyes, Wan Sanqian picked up a cup of fragrant tea. Although he was a businessman, he was not lacking in knowledge, insight, shrewdness, or skill. Now that the emperor had just ascended the throne, it seemed rather strange that the Iron-Blooded Marquis was summoning him to the capital in a private capacity.

"We'll just have to deal with whatever comes our way then."

He sighed inwardly, closed his eyes again, and could only hear the sound of the carriage rushing by.

A few days later, Wan Sanqian entered the Dragon Guard Manor, where Zhu Wushi personally received him.

"Brother Wan, you must be tired from your journey."

"Since the Divine Lord has summoned me, I must hurry over. May I ask what business the Divine Lord needs my assistance with?"

For others, Wan Sanqian would inevitably have to be manipulated, but this tactic cannot be used on Zhu Wushi; instead, one must take the initiative to inquire.

"Since Brother Wan speaks so frankly, I will not beat around the bush either. This summons to Brother Wan is actually at the Emperor's behest."

Zhu Wushi cupped his hands in a gesture toward the east and whispered to Wan Sanqian.

"Your Majesty," Wan Sanqian was somewhat confused. Since His Majesty had summoned him, why not issue a decree instead of having the Divine Marquis do so in his private capacity?

"Brother Wan, are you wondering why the Emperor would inform you through me?"

"I am foolish and ignorant; please enlighten me, Divine Lord."

"Because what Brother Wan is doing is extremely important, we can't let the Eastern Depot know about it, especially Cao Zhengchun. Once it leaks out and he becomes prepared, the whole thing will be ruined."

While listening to Shenhou's words, Wan Sanqian was filled with doubt and secretly became wary. The more solemn Shenhou spoke, the less he could refuse. It seemed that he was now in a dilemma.

"I wonder what the Emperor has asked Shenhou to do, that Shenhou is so cautious."

"The Eastern Depot possesses an intelligence network left behind by its former chief, Bu Xiao. This powerful tool is what made the Eastern Depot the most formidable department in the court. The Emperor is concerned that the Eastern Depot's power will become too great to control in the future, so he has specifically ordered me to establish a new intelligence network to counterbalance the Eastern Depot."

At this point, Zhu Wushi glanced at the surprised Wan Sanqian and continued, "Brother Wan, as you know, the imperial treasury is currently empty. To build an intelligence network that can rival the Eastern Depot would be quite costly. His Majesty's idea is whether we can borrow some from you, Brother Wan."

After the national treasury was replenished, the money was repaid in installments. In addition, the emperor personally wrote an edict, specifically elevating Wan's status from merchant to scholar.

Upon hearing this, Wan Sanqian's expression remained unchanged, but his heart was already wavering. He did not value the money spent on building the intelligence network, but the final edict was of great use to him. This was not only an improvement in status, but also the best opportunity to change sides.

Zhu Wushi sipped his tea carefully. Wan Sanqian pondered for a moment and said, "Since it is for the court, Wan Sanqian should do his best. I can take care of all the needs of the Divine Marquis."

"Very well, with Brother Wan's support, I am even more confident in fulfilling the Emperor's instructions."

Hearing that Wan Sanqian had finally agreed, Zhu Wushi breathed a sigh of relief. After finalizing many details, Wan Sanqian left on the fifth day after arriving in the capital.

"This Zhu Wushi has enormous ambitions. He claims it's an imperial decree, but it's clearly his own idea. However, his power is overwhelming, so what can be done?"

At the Dragon Guard Manor, Wan Sanqian did not believe Zhu Wushi's words at all. However, if he did not go along with Zhu Wushi's wishes, he would probably not be able to leave the capital. In any case, he would only have to give up some money, which he could afford.

"It seems we need to hurry up and hire some martial arts masters to keep by our side, so we won't be controlled by others in everything." Previously, Wan Sanqian was respected by both the legitimate and criminal worlds because of his status, but now it seems that we need to have enough power to resist such people who use their power to oppress others.

"Jinbao, bring me the list of martial arts masters," Wan Sanqian called out to the outside. A moment later, a servant in blue robes walked in carrying a book.

After looking through them for a while, Wan Sanqian narrowed it down to one person: the Four Ghosts of Western Hunan.

A few words were written next to it: "Four people as one, practicing the Phantom Divine Skill. Once mastered, it can neutralize the opponent's internal energy, making it a unique skill in the martial arts world."

"Immediately send men to find the whereabouts of the Four Devils of Western Hunan; I want to hire them as my bodyguards."

"Yes," Jinbao accepted the order and left.

East Factory
"My lord, Wan Sanqian has already left the capital and is now heading towards Jiangnan."

"Hmm, I didn't expect Wan Sanqian to have such a relationship with Zhu Wushi. He must have come here with a plan. Zhu Wushi really kept it a secret. Is he deliberately showing it to me to intimidate me?"

Previously, Wan Sanqian was discovered by the Eastern Depot as soon as he entered the capital. While the Eastern Depot's secret network played a role in this, the Dragon Guard Manor's unintentional cover-up was also indispensable.

“Master Supervisor, this Wan Sanqian is just a merchant. If he dares to oppose you, then Xiaotian will let him taste the tortures of the Eastern Depot,” Pi Xiaotian said sternly, which made Cao Zhengchun laugh.

“Xiaotian, although Wan Sanqian is a merchant, he is the court’s purse. When the late emperor was alive, he would borrow money from him whenever the national treasury was empty. Even when Governor Bu was alive, he had to give him some face. How could I, Governor Bu, do such a thing? The key to this matter still lies with Zhu Tiedan.”

After a pause, Cao Zhengchun said to Pi Xiaotian, "Xiaotian, go and send someone to keep an eye on Wan Sanqian and see what tricks he's up to. Remember, you must not lay a hand on him, or I won't be able to protect you. As for Zhu Tiedan, you keep a close eye on him yourself and report back every three days."

"Yes"

After Pi Xiaotian left, Cao Zhengchun stood by the window, looking towards the direction of Hulong Villa.

"Zhu Tiedan, your Dragon Guard Manor will become another Eastern Depot sooner or later."

Shaolin Temple, Bodhidharma Cave on the back mountain

After the young novice monk served two cups of tea and left, Gu Xu said to Master Liaojie, who was sitting opposite him, "Master, you seem to have something on your mind. Why don't you tell me, and I will give you some advice."

"Amitabha, Daoist Master, you are asking a question you already know the answer to. If you hadn't reminded me, I wouldn't be so troubled." Master Liaojie chanted a Buddhist prayer, his face full of sorrow. He took a sip of tea, which was originally sweet but now tasted somewhat bitter.

"It seems that the master already knows about Zhu Wushi's practice of the Absorption Technique."

"So what if we know? He's a prince. Without evidence, even Shaolin can't do anything to him."

Master Liaojie gave a wry smile and shook his head. He had been reminded by Gu Xu and had also spent time investigating on his own, discovering some clues that led him to pinpoint Zhu Wushi as the target.

Actually, there was another reason that Master Liaojie didn't mention. Currently, the imperial court, the Eastern Depot, and the Dragon Guard Manor are checking and balancing each other. Even if there is evidence, the imperial court will definitely try to downplay the matter for the sake of the overall situation. In the end, it will still be the various factions in the martial arts world that suffer.

"What are your plans, Master?"

"Let's wait and see. I've already discussed this with Junior Brother Liaofan. Let's pretend we don't know anything. Shaolin will act when the time is right. It's just a pity for those Shaolin disciples who died. We won't be able to give them peace for a while. It's truly a sin, a sin. Amitabha."

Upon hearing this, Gu Xu nodded and said, "That's good. When Zhu Wushi shows his claws, that will be his end."

"Master, since we have nothing else to do, why not play a game?" Gu Xu set up the chessboard and reached into the chess box to grab a handful of chess pieces.

"Master, can you guess whether it's odd or even?"

Time flies like water, and ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. In the imperial court, after the emperor's wedding, he began to rule in his own right. Zhu Wushi, the Iron-Blooded Marquis, readily handed over all the power in his hands, leaving only the Dragon Guard Villa bestowed by the late emperor.

Meanwhile, Cao Zhengchun, the head of the Eastern Depot, began to have growing ambitions and constantly suppressed dissidents. His actions were too obvious and aroused the emperor's great dissatisfaction. In order to check the Eastern Depot, the court relied heavily on the emperor's uncle, Zhu Wushi, in most matters. Only the two of them knew the gains and losses involved.

Dragon Guardian Villa
After ten years of development, Hulong Manor is no longer as poor as it used to be. It has been built in a magnificent and luxurious manner, with the main hall being extremely luxurious, comparable to the imperial palace. Every piece of furniture inside is a masterpiece.

On the throne in the main hall, Zhu Wushi reached out and grasped the power switch on the armrest, and several slips of paper appeared in his hand.

"Tianya has joined the Iga Sect, Yidao has entered the Heartless Manor, and Haitang has become a disciple of Young Master Wuhen. As long as the three of them successfully complete their training and return, my plan can begin."

The paper strip was destroyed, and the mechanism was activated, causing another paper strip to fly out.

"Yagyu Tajima-no-kami, a worthy partner. It seems I shall have to meet you personally."

To achieve great things, one cannot rely on oneself alone; one needs reliable partners. The head of the Yagyu Shinkage sect in Japan is a figure Zhu Wushi considers sufficient.

After the year-end, Zhu Wushi was ordered to inspect nine towns along the coast, with Qingyan Town being his first stop.

Qingyan Town, General's Mansion

Fang Zhao received a letter from the Eastern Depot instructing him to simply follow the proper procedures and not to feign compliance. He was also instructed to answer any questions Zhu Wushi asked truthfully, as long as they did not involve confidential matters. Furthermore, he was to do his best to provide Qi Yu and the other person with some assistance in their actions.

"General, Lord Qi Yu has arrived and is having tea in the living room."

"I'll go right now," Fang Zhao said, burning the letter completely. Finding that not a single trace remained, he left the room satisfied.

"Lord Qi, what a rare guest!" Fang Zhao greeted him warmly, bowing with his hands clasped in greeting.

"General Fang, you've worked hard," Qi Yu stood up and returned the greeting, glancing at Fang Zhao's deputy.

"You may leave now," Fang Zhao waved his hand, dismissing his assistant and closing the door.

"The Commander-in-Chief should have received the letter from the Chief Eunuch."

Fang Zhao nodded. "I understand what the Grand Supervisor means. As for the investigation..."

“Leave this matter to us. Zhu Wushi will not inspect the nine coastal towns without a reason. The supervisor thinks there must be something wrong.”

After receiving Cao Zhengchun's letter, Qi Yu conducted another thorough search of the nine coastal towns and captured some Japanese who had been missed, including members of the Iga and Koga factions.

"Then please be careful, Lord Qi. The General's Office will do its best to provide assistance."

"Then thank you very much, General," Qi Yu said, clasping his hands in thanks.

Qi Yu was already very satisfied with just receiving Fang Zhao's words, as it would make things much smoother for his group of Eastern Depot agents in Qingyan Town.

"According to the news from the imperial court, the Divine Marquis will arrive in Qingyan Town in about a month, but I'm worried he might arrive earlier. During this time, you must remember not to let him find any fault with you."

"Rest assured, Lord Qi."

The two talked for a long time before Qi Yu left the general's mansion and returned to his own courtyard.

Upon seeing him return, Guo Yun greeted him and asked, "How did it go? What did Fang Zhao say?"

"Fang Zhao will do his best to assist, but the key lies with us. We can't let the reputation of the Eastern Depot be ruined by us. Otherwise, how will we face Chief Bu in the afterlife?"

Upon hearing this, Guo Yun said in a deep voice, "If it weren't for Chief Supervisor Bu's dying wish, I wouldn't have survived until now. It seems that Chief Supervisor Bu was indeed far-sighted. In recent years, Zhu Wushi has truly revealed his ambition, and our Chief Supervisor Cao may not be without the same thoughts either."

"Watch your words," Qi Yu shouted coldly, glancing around before rebuking, "We only work for the Eastern Depot, and as long as we have a clear conscience, that's enough. We'll repay Chief Supervisor Bu's life-saving grace with our lives."

"Have we sent all our manpower out yet?" Qi Yu changed the subject.

"Apart from those who stayed at the base, most of the manpower has been deployed."

"it is good"

Fifteen miles southeast of Qingyan Town, there is a small mountain with a pavilion halfway up it. At this moment, two people are sitting in the pavilion.

One of them was dressed in brocade robes, with a handsome face, looking no more than thirty or forty years old. He held a folding fan and gently waved it. The other was dressed in Japanese attire, wearing samurai clothes, with a resolute face and two swords tied at his waist.

“Mr. Yagyu, you may state your terms now,” Zhu Wushi said, taking a sip of his tea.

"As expected of the Divine Lord, you are a man of few words. So, I, the Yagyu family, will not mince words. My family will do our best to help the Divine Lord with any matters that are inconvenient for him to handle. After the Divine Lord ascends the throne, I hope that he can help my family become the number one martial arts family in Japan."

"These are very tempting terms, but I want to test whether you are qualified."

"Please, divine lord, enlighten me."

Knowing that he wouldn't easily agree unless he showed his true skills, Yagyu Tajima-no-kami immediately unleashed the Yagyu family's unique techniques.

Dozens of sword shadows suddenly appeared, then exploded like white light, with countless points of light attacking Zhu Wushi.

"Good move," Zhu Wushi said, closing his folding fan. His robes moved without wind, and an invisible aura enveloped his entire body. Like snowflakes striking the surface, they disappeared silently, like the first snow meeting the sun.

"How is that possible?"
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami was startled. He had used all his strength in this move, "Snowflakes Falling in the World," but his opponent treated it as nothing. Were all the masters in the Central Plains martial arts world this powerful? Thinking of this, Yagyu Tajima-no-kami recalled the mysterious swordsman he had met in Qingyan Town more than ten years ago.

"With just this one move, you are qualified for me to grant your terms."

"Then I am grateful for your care, Lord God," said Yagyu Tajima-no-kami, sheathing his sword and bowing deeply.

The two swore an oath by striking their hands together.

Zhu Wushi and Yagyu Tajima-no-kami exchanged a glance, then suddenly attacked together, their palm winds and sword energy killing the person monitoring them on the mountainside.

"Lord Shenhou, both men are dead," a subordinate reported, but Zhu Wushi waved him away.

"Mr. Yagyu, just wait for my news. We'll have something to do soon."

Two days later, in Qingyan Town, at Qi Yu's residence.
"Sir, the bodies of Xiao Jia and Xiao Yi have been found at Xiangju Mountain."

(End of this chapter)