Who among the gangsters wants to fall in love?

Chapter 187 The First Fire, Burning the Jianghu

Why is the Queen Mother here? Zhao Wumian was stunned for a moment, and then he remembered that the Queen Mother had invited him to Kunning Palace last night, and his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

He forgot about this because of Ning Zhongxia's matter, but it was indeed wrong for him to ignore the empress dowager as if she were a transparent person.

No matter what, the Queen Mother is Luo Chaoyan's legal mother, Shen Xiangge's aunt, and Mu Lier's elder sister... Although Zhao Wumian and the Queen Mother do not actually have a deep relationship, with so many layers of relationships, according to etiquette, he has to be polite and courteous to the Queen Mother.

As the Marquis of Dali Weiming, most people who met him were fawning on him, but this was actually all for Luo Chaoyan's sake. They all thought that he was a popular figure around Luo Chaoyan, and as the saying goes, a new official starts with three big things, Luo Chaoyan hasn't started yet, so no one wants to get in trouble... But even if Luo Chaoyan became emperor, it would not be that no one could control her, and the empress dowager could suppress her.

It's not about ethics or power, but judging from the current situation, Luo Chaoyan has already committed the crime of "killing his brother without moral integrity", but he must not add the title of "disrespecting his teacher".

If Luo Chaoyan is like this, Zhao Wumian should be even more so. His every word and action outside is closely connected with Luo Chaoyan... Naturally, he should pay attention to etiquette.

Moreover... the pornographic book that I carried with me was also confiscated by the Queen Mother. I wonder if she has read it... Regardless of whether she has read it or not... After that thing was searched out of me, the image of me in her mind must not be much better.

We should pay more attention to etiquette.

"Well... Queen... Her Majesty the Queen Mother." Zhao Wumian cupped his hands, forced a smile, and greeted her honestly, "Am I right? Chaoyan is a very good person. Look, you can now leave the palace in plain clothes. Congratulations..."

The Queen Mother narrowed her eyes slightly, looked Zhao Wumian up and down, and then suddenly smiled, "Marquis Weiming seems to avoid my Kunning Palace like a snake... Do you hate me?"

"I had something to deal with and forgot about it for a moment. Besides, it would be inappropriate for me to talk to the Queen Mother about whether she likes it or not."

The Queen Mother blinked, and then her eyes lit up slightly as if she had discovered something interesting.

"Even though I am in the palace, I have always heard about the Marquis' deeds... Heroes and heroes, who take revenge with pleasure, why are you so hesitant in front of me?"

"The Queen Mother is the Emperor's mother, so I should naturally follow the rules of propriety..."

Before Zhao Wumian finished speaking, Mu Lier gently raised her hand and said to the Queen Mother without any courtesy, "I'm teaching my apprentice martial arts, why are you talking so much?"

"Even if you are practicing martial arts, you can't be so intimate." The Queen Mother withdrew her gaze from Zhao Wumian and looked at Mu Lier, "You too, you are already 26 and still unmarried. If others see you hugging and kissing your apprentice, will you still have a good reputation?"

"The innocent are innocent. Whoever dares to say anything, I will pull out his tongue." Mu Lier snorted coldly. She and her apprentice were practicing martial arts well when they were suddenly interrupted by the Queen Mother's loud shout. She was obviously in a bad mood.

"Your reputation is not important. What about the Mu family? What about the Pei family? Do you think you are a wanderer who knows everything and travels the world alone?" The Queen Mother looked at Zhao Wumian's hand that was still on Mu Li'er's slender waist and couldn't help but glance at Zhao Wumian, "Why don't you let go? Could it be that you have some improper thoughts about your master?"

Zhao Wumian felt that although the Queen Mother's attitude was stern, there was nothing wrong with what she said. As a disciple, he should indeed pay attention to his master's reputation.

Mu Lier could not care, but he could not and did not care, so he let go honestly, "The Queen Mother is right."

Unexpectedly, his letting go made Mu Lier angry.

Did the Queen Mother think she was a fool? Did she think she didn't notice Zhao Wumian's expression when they were practicing martial arts just now? Her disciple was obviously serious, concentrating on martial arts, with clear eyes and no distracting thoughts, but you came up and complained about this and that like an elder, making it seem like we were some kind of unethical master and disciple who stole the forbidden fruit.

But that's obviously not the case. Besides, as a master, I have never taught Zhao Wumian anything except the Dragon Capturing Skill for such a long time. Now that you come, you don't allow me to teach him this kind of sword?

Then am I worthy of being his master?

In fact, Mu Lier was unwilling to accept it in her heart, but she agreed with the Queen Mother on the surface, saying that she would continue teaching her in the future when she was not present...but that was not Mu Lier.

So when Mu Lier saw Zhao Wumian let go, she was so angry that she jumped up and hugged Zhao Wumian's arms with both hands, sticking to him tightly, and retorted: "What improper thoughts does he have about me? Don't slander him and ruin our master-disciple relationship. If you don't believe me, take a look. Does he have any evil thoughts?"

As for having improper thoughts, it cannot be said that he did not have any. It can only be said that Zhao Wumian was also a normal man. Mu Lier was so close to him now, and the soft elasticity that he had felt in the purple-clothed girl's house once again swept through his heart... The improper thoughts that he did not have before now existed.

But seeing how angry Mu Lier was, he knew it very well...Mu Lier always felt that she had taught too little as a master and was not worthy of being a master. She always felt guilty towards him in her heart, which was why she was so excited.

She felt in her heart that this sword was too difficult, and if she wanted to teach Zhao Wumian, it would be impossible without physical contact. Now that the Queen Mother was so strict in preventing her, she would naturally be angry.

Mu Lier was so angry, so of course he would no longer be a so-called rational person and speak for the Queen Mother. Besides... he was actually unhappy in his heart that the Queen Mother suddenly showed up and interrupted him and Mu Lier's martial arts practice.

He glanced at the Queen Mother, then hugged Mu Lier's slender waist with his backhand, saying, "To practice this kind of sword, you really need to feel your muscles, tendons, and energy... We will practice martial arts in the future, and just hide in the house to be on guard."

The Empress Dowager's beautiful eyes immediately widened. "Even if the two of you were doing this behind my back, I wouldn't have bothered with you. But now you're hugging each other in front of me. Aren't you trying to piss her off on purpose?"

She was so angry that her teeth were itching. She asked Zhao Wumian to go to Kunning Palace because she actually wanted to ask about his relationship with Shen Xiangge. Shen Xiangge was 25 years old this year, one year younger than Mu Lier, but she still couldn't get married and became an older leftover woman in Beijing. This was a joke among the ladies and girls in the city.

The Queen Mother saw it all and was anxious. After some consideration, she felt that the most suitable person for Shen Xiangge seemed to be this Wei Ming Hou... After all, Shen Xiangge and he seemed to have a good relationship, and their identities were also suitable, so she wanted to test the waters.

But now... Humph! If you really want to marry Xiangge now, but you want to pass this test, then there is no way!
Mu Lier is the Queen Mother's adopted sister, so the Queen Mother has no place to vent her anger. The Queen Mother is also Luo Chaoyan's nominal mother. She can do nothing about it when he hugs her master in front of her... It's a bit exciting.

However, Zhao Wumian did not expect that just a few seconds after he hugged her, Mu Lier was startled. Her fair face showed a bit of surprise and a little blush. She subconsciously wanted to escape, but when she thought of the empress dowager, she quickly stopped. Her delicate body suddenly froze. It was not possible to break free, nor to continue hugging. She could only purse her red lips tightly, lowering her eyebrows, with a bit of unspeakable embarrassment, panic and shame in her eyes.

You are angry in your heart, but you don't mind hugging me. But as soon as I take the initiative to hug you, you start to feel embarrassed?
Zhao Wumian felt that his master really had a kind of cute girlish feeling.

But after being embarrassed by Mu Lier's words, the two men lost their confidence in an instant. Fortunately, the empress dowager was so angry that her chest was heaving. She felt that if she continued to watch, she would be pissed to death by the two of them, so she turned around and was about to leave, leaving only one sentence.

"Lian Xue invited the Marquis last night, and I will invite you again tonight. I hope the Marquis can come to the palace for lunch tomorrow. If the Marquis still refuses to do me the honor..."

The Queen Mother paused for a moment, then said coldly: "I know it's boring, so I won't bother you any more."

Although she was angry, deep down, her niece's lifelong event was the most important. If Shen Xiangge was really interested in him and Zhao Wumian also had feelings for Shen Xiangge, then she would just stop him for the sake of face, teach Zhao Wumian a lesson, and vent her anger.

After all, Zhao Wumian broke into the palace alone last time, took her around and killed people everywhere, and before leaving, he invited her to leave the palace and live freely again... She actually had a pretty good impression of Zhao Wumian.

As soon as she finished speaking, the Queen Mother left angrily, leaving behind only a gust of fragrant wind.

After the Queen Mother left, the two people in the courtyard quickly jumped away. Mu Lier suddenly realized that she was sweating... Did she subconsciously feel that it was very exciting to do this in front of the Queen Mother?

She didn't know, but she knew that if she didn't say something, the relationship between her and Zhao Wumian, which had finally returned to normal as a teacher and disciple, would become ambiguous again. So she tidied up her slightly messy hair, put on a stern face, and pretended to be calm.
"This time, I was impulsive, and I also made the Queen Mother angry with you... I will go to the palace with you tomorrow, otherwise I don't know how she will make things difficult for you."

Zhao Wumian also felt that it was not good. Although she felt happy just now, there was really no need to anger the Queen Mother so much. After all, she was also considering Mu Lier's reputation, so she said, "Master is going to leave the capital to pick up Senior Sister, right? Let's not delay... I will buy some gifts for the Queen Mother to show my appreciation."

Mu Lier secretly thought so, and then she sighed softly, and gently picked up a piece of wintersweet flower that was falling in the wind with her little hand, and recalled a little, "The things she liked..."

Mu Lier sighed softly, "When she was young, she loved martial arts and was fearless. In the summer, when she went to Yanyun to stay at the Mu family, she would take her teacher to blow up the east with firecrackers, climb trees and shoot birds. When she was a little older, she liked rouge and powder, gold hairpins and gorgeous skirts, and she also liked to read some martial arts stories.

Now she has been in the palace for ten years and has never been to Yanyun for summer vacation. What else does she like? Things have changed and everything has come to an end. I don’t know much at the moment, but I guess…”

Mu Lier was silent for a moment. When she mentioned this, she felt that the Queen Mother was lonely and pitiful, so she said, "She is now out of the palace in plain clothes. Although she is free for a while, she certainly can't stay for long. After all, she still needs to mourn, so she comes and goes in a hurry... If you are willing, you can take her out of the palace to play when you have time in the future, or even take her away from Beijing to travel around the world. With your strength and status, His Majesty will surely not say much."

Rouge and powder, biography of the martial arts world, outings from the palace... Zhao Wumian nodded in understanding, then hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I haven't completely figured out the key points of this sword..."

Mu Lier's heart skipped a beat and she felt awkward. She had wanted to teach her child well, but the Queen Mother had to come and mess things up.

Why is it always like this? Obviously, Zhao Wumian and I are innocent, and the master and the disciple are in harmony, but there are always inexplicable things that make the two of them more ambiguous.

But this is not a big deal. The innocent will be innocent. It’s fine as long as you don’t have any weird ideas.

She nodded slightly and raised the sword. "Go on. What step did you sense just now?"

"Relying on the five senses of the unity of nature and man, it is easy to 'sense the situation', but I have not yet mastered 'taking advantage of the situation' or 'entering the situation'."

"Haha, this sword is indeed a bit difficult. When Master first started to learn 'Sense of Momentum', he also practiced for two whole months. Now you have gained some insights in less than a quarter of an hour, which is already very difficult. Master will teach you more tonight, and when I have time in the future, I will teach you a few more times, and I think you will be able to master it completely."

"Speaking of which, how does this sword compare to Wan Yue Xian?"

"Wan Yue Xian is a martial art created by Xiao Yuanmu, and this sword was created by the founder of this sword 270 years ago. She is also a prodigy who can build a bridge between heaven and earth. In terms of status, she is no worse than Wan Yue Xian, but they just focus on different things. Once you have mastered the art, you will be able to sense the opponent's aura and movements in actual combat, and it will be easier for you to counter their moves. Wan Yue Xian cannot do this."

"I see."

The two began to practice martial arts silently again, but this time Mu Lier was more cautious... She and Zhao Wumian went into the house to practice martial arts to avoid being disturbed again.

The night is bleak.

In a house in the west of the city, Ning Zhongxia arrived injured and was met by someone.

"Why are they so badly injured? Where are Yangshedong and Qianzhizi?"

"Dead." Ning Zhongxia sat on the chair, lifted up his black robe, revealing the bruises on his back and the scratches all over his body. He looked at him for a few seconds before putting down his robe and taking a pill to treat his internal injuries. "Guan Yunshu and Zhao Wumian are indeed related. She was just involved in an ambush not long ago when Zhao Wumian rushed over."

"Guan Yunshu? You went to kill her? If you wanted to kill him, just go by yourself. Why did you take Meng Juncai, Yangshe Dong and Qian Zhuzi with you? If you want to die, why don't you die alone?" A middle-aged man was a little speechless.

"She is in the capital right now. If I don't kill her, how can I be a disciple of Huanzhen Pavilion? Besides, Mr. Meng is only acting on his own initiative to curry favor with me."

"Things have priorities, don't you know?"

"Come and teach me a lesson when you are stronger than me."

"you!"

"That's enough." An old man with white hair and beard interrupted the two people's argument. The old man was obviously very prestigious, and the two of them stopped talking. If Mu Lier was here, she would be able to recognize this person's identity.

The former Five Mountains, Li Jingnan.

The Five Mountains was an honorary title in the martial arts world during the reign of Emperor Taizu Gao. Those who were able to be shortlisted were all masters of building the bridge between heaven and earth, and Eunuch Lin was one of them.

But there were only five spots available, and there were more than five masters of the Bridge of Heaven and Earth in the martial arts world at that time... naturally, whoever was stronger would get the spot.

How to compare who is stronger and who is weaker? Of course, we fight.

Li Jingnan was the loser...lost to the contemporary sword master.

When Dao Kui defeated Li Jingnan, it had not been long since he broke through the bridge of heaven and earth. His sword technique, Shu Dao Nan, was not complete, and he failed to hold back for a moment, causing Li Jingnan to be fatally injured and almost die. Although he was rescued later, his strength was not as good as before. Although he was not weaker than the grandmaster, as long as they were warriors who communicated with the bridge of heaven and earth, they would be stronger than him.

It can be said that it is not as good as the best but better than the worst. If you want to heal your wounds, you can only rely on the Qingying Jade Robe.

During the reign of Emperor Taizu Gao, the underworld and the imperial court were irreconcilable and there were constant conflicts of all sizes. This contradiction was not eased until Emperor Jingzheng awarded the martial arts champion a plaque and gave him various preferential treatments.

Therefore, as one of the Five Mountains at that time, Li Jingnan had committed many crimes that violated the laws of Dali. He was undoubtedly a madman, and the Detective Department still has a wanted warrant for him.

It was impossible to rely on the Qingying Jade Robe awarded by the court to heal his injuries, so he had to find another way, and was later recruited by the master of Huanzhen Pavilion.

Li Jingnan hesitated for a moment and looked at Ning Zhongxia, "How does Zhao Wumian compare to you?"

Ning Zhongxia shook his head slightly. "It's hard to say. I was about to fight him head-on, but Guan Yunshu came to support me. I lost most of my energy before he chopped me away with his sword... If it wasn't for Guan Yunshu, I think it would have been a 50-50 fight."

Li Jingnan had no doubt that no matter how powerful Zhao Wumian was, the most powerful person he had killed was Gui Shou Zhenren.

Ning Zhongxia has been in seclusion for five years now, personally comprehending the Colored Glaze Lamp and the Nine Bells of the Illusion Pavilion. Although he has not communicated with the Bridge of Heaven and Earth, his strength has improved a lot. Gui Shou, on the other hand, is a stubborn man who insists on the unity of man and nature and is unwilling to comprehend the Nine Bells. His strength has stagnated for a long time.

Just because Zhao Wumian can kill Gui Shou, that doesn’t mean he can kill Ning Zhongxia.

But Ning Zhongxia said again: "There seems to be four colored glaze jades on Zhao Wumian's body."

Li Jingnan and the others present were stunned, looking puzzled, "Really?"

Ning Zhongxia was silent for a moment, "I only fought him for a moment, but I did feel a throbbing in my heart at that time, so I guess it wasn't an illusion."

No one was suspicious. Ning Zhongxia had been comprehending the Glazed Lamp for five years, and the Nine-Nine Blood Burning Technique he practiced also contained a lot of the Glazed Lamp's energy. Otherwise, there would not be a green flame when he drew his sword... Since he felt palpitations in his heart, it must be right.

"The colored glass lamp, the jade pendant, the Zhan Yan hairpin..." Li Jingnan whispered to himself, "The colored glass lamp belonged to us five years ago. The Zhan Yan hairpin has been stolen from Taixuan Palace and is being escorted to Shu by a master... So Zhao Wumian is holding the jade pendant?"

Ning Zhongxia nodded, "Although it was just a glimpse, there was indeed a green jade pendant hanging around Zhao Wumian's waist..."

Of the four types of glazed jade, they only know three, and the other one is more mysterious and has no fixed form, so it is generally not considered.

"What an unexpected surprise. This is indeed an unexpected surprise." Li Jingnan paced back and forth, whispering, "But Zhao Wumian can't be unaware of the Four Glazed Jades. If you want to snatch them from him, it will be extremely difficult and require some planning."

They have already collected two of the four glazed jades, and only lack the green jade pendant and the last jade.

If he could snatch the green jade pendant from Zhao Wumian, he would be only one step away from reaching the ninth level!
That’s nine bells!
The reason why Xiao Xitian, Wugong Mountain and Jianzong are the three major sects of the righteous way is because they have Nine Bells. In every era, there are always top martial arts masters in the sect who can take on important responsibilities.

Thinking of this, the eyes of several people present became hot, and they wished they could pick up their knives and kill Zhao Wumian on the spot and snatch the jade pendant.

At this moment, a messenger outside the yard shouted along the street:
"Qing Liantian's disciple Yangshe Dong assassinated a marquis in the street, openly defying the laws of the Dali court. His crimes are extremely serious. Although he has been executed, Yangshe Dong is the true disciple of the sword champion Yangshe Congyun. Even if the sword champion is unaware of this, he is still responsible for failing to discipline him. Immediately strip Yangshe Congyun of his martial arts champion plaque to serve as a warning to others. One of the ten martial arts champions is missing! Whoever deserves the position should take it!"

Upon hearing this, the house instantly became quiet, and then, regardless of what was happening inside the house, the streets outside the house were immediately in an uproar.

"Hey, he just stripped the martial arts champion plaque off of the sword champion!? Impossible!?"

"A new official takes three steps upon taking office. The first step is to burn down the martial arts world!?"

"Isn't your Majesty's decision inappropriate? She only ascended the throne yesterday."

"This marquis in the court is actually Marquis Weiming..."

"Your Majesty, are you protecting a man?"

"How can such a major event be viewed simply as a matter between a man and a woman? Marquis Weiming protected His Majesty in ascending the throne. If His Majesty turned a blind eye to his assassination, who would dare to work for her in the future?"

"Then there's no need to strip Wu Kui's plaque directly, right? Just fine him a little, make Dao Kui admit his fault, and the matter will be over. Why take away his plaque and cause unrest in the country?"

"Idiot! If you only read the preface, it is indeed biased, but the following sentence 'Whoever is destined to take the place shall get it!' The meaning is completely different!"

"Why?"

"How many people in the martial arts world want this plaque but cannot get it. However, the ten martial arts champions were set by Emperor Jingzheng in the past and there are few changes. Those who get the plaque of martial arts champion are not only exempt from taxes for the whole sect, but also have the power to rule a certain area and control the martial arts world for the court.
This power is incredible. Haven't you seen that in Pingyang of Xiaoxitian, even Gui Kui was restrained there? In the past, when there were evil people in Pingyang, it was Xiaoxitian who came to arrest them, not the King of Jin. Not to mention the industries and taxes within the fiefdom, etc. There are many benefits and things worth studying. It can be said that whoever has the Wu Kui plaque, whose sect will become the next of the six major sects!"

"Um...so what?"

"The latter sentence means that whoever can defeat the Sword Master will get the Martial Master plaque, or whoever makes contributions to the court will get it... If it's the former, the Sword Master will probably face many challenges in the future and won't have the energy to do anything else. If it's the latter, the court will probably have to have another Martial Master. Right now, there are only two Martial Masters in the capital, Governor Xu and Chief Constable Su. It's really a little less."

"Hiss... it seems so, but I still think it's biased. After all, he has been famous for a long time..."

"How can you be so stubborn? The Wu Kui plaque is granted by the imperial court, and it cannot be snatched by force. Whoever the imperial court says is the Wu Kui is the Wu Kui. This is the key point... If not, wouldn't the ten Wu Kui be taken up by the masters of the three major sects, Taixuan Palace, and Huanzhen Pavilion? What would the sword champion, spear champion, and others have to do?"

"Yes, no matter how strong you are, Qing Liantian, do you still want to rebel? If he dares to rebel, the other righteous sects will definitely be the first to encircle and suppress him, if for no other reason, just to keep the plaque of Wu Kui above his head and to keep the power of the sect."

"That's right, Qing Liantian doesn't lead hundreds of thousands of troops. Why would the court be afraid of him?"

"If Your Majesty does nothing, people in the martial arts world will think that the court is easy to bully. Who will dare to assassinate the court officials at will in the future?"

"Then, aren't you afraid that the Sword Master will be furious and come alone to seek revenge?"

"The Sword Master is only brave, not stupid. Did he come to Beijing to be beaten by Chief Constable Su and Governor Xu?"

The whole city was talking about this. Some people thought that Luo Chaoyan's move was biased, while others thought it was wise and insightful.

Inside the house, Ning Zhongxia looked slightly stunned, and then remained silent for a moment before saying, "Among the ten martial arts champions, two are from the court, and the other eight are all in the martial arts world. Now one is missing..."

He shook his head. "But since Yangshe Congyun has decided to cooperate with the Pavilion Master, this day will come sooner or later."

Li Jingnan's expression was slightly complicated.

The reason why Yangshe Congyun cooperated with Huanzhen Pavilion was not because he had a good relationship with the Pavilion Master of Huanzhen Pavilion, but because of him.

Dao Kui almost killed him back then, and he has always felt guilty about it. Although it is common for warriors to kill by mistake in a fight, the two men were almost the same in strength at the time, and it was impossible for him to hold back. However, "guilt" has always been subjective.

So now the blame actually lies half with Ning Zhongxia and half with Li Jingnan.

Li Jingnan sighed softly, "Now that things have come to this, there is no need to say more... Let's just go on like this until the end."

Everyone present nodded. They were all people of the same social class. Now that things had come to this, how could they stop?
Since Dao Kui had sent his disciples to assist, it was obvious that he had been mentally prepared to have his Wu Kui plaque stripped away from him.

Daokui is actually a nice person, both good and evil, but he values ​​friendship and loyalty.

There were many candidates for the Wu Kui plaque at the beginning. It was Emperor Jingzheng who appreciated him and gave him the plaque. Dao Kui has always been grateful for this recognition.

He could have helped secretly without sending any disciples, but he still sent Yangshedong. In fact, he felt guilty towards the late emperor and thought of letting Luo Chaoyan strip him of his martial arts champion plaque.

In this way, you can just do what you have to do in the future, and do things happily and joyfully in the way people of the underworld do, without feeling bad in your heart.

"Zhao Wumian killed Yangshe Dong, and he will have a battle with Dao Kui sooner or later in the future. As the saying goes, martial arts is martial arts. Now that Wu Kui's plaque has been removed, Dao Kui can kill Zhao Wumian or not, it's up to him, and he doesn't need to care about the court."

"That's the truth."

After the words were spoken, they fell silent again.

Once Luo Chaoyan issued this imperial decree... the martial arts world would inevitably be in turmoil.

Li Jingnan suddenly smiled, "The martial arts world has been dead for too long. After the current emperor takes the throne, many interesting stories will surely happen."

"If the person Ning Zhongxia and Yangshedong were fighting wasn't Zhao Wumian, Luo Chaoyan would definitely not have given such a decisive order... To put it bluntly, she was just protecting a man."

"Haha, who knows? But it's normal for young people to be like this."

(End of this chapter)