If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1403 The Situation in the Central Plains

When Peng Yue shouted "The whole world should attack Qin," he was very emotional and his voice was very loud.

Liu Ji, on the other hand, reacted calmly, his expression merely becoming strange, without any excitement or agitation.

"Brother, have you been in the 'jianghu' (江湖, the martial arts world) for so long that you haven't kept up with 'street gossip'?"

Peng Yue asked in confusion, "What gossip? I do big business in Juye, and I need to keep track of the movements of the caravans and merchant ships in the city. I've sent a lot of brothers to lie in wait in the market, at the city gate, and at the docks!"
Not to mention gossip from the streets, even if the wives and concubines of a wealthy family quarrel, my water fortress's 'strategist' will make a special record of it and then calculate whether there is an opportunity to intervene.

"Heh heh, and believe it or not, a concubine from a wealthy family actually took a fancy to it, spending a fortune to have us bandits kidnap the chief's wife and bring her to the stronghold to be her 'chieftain'."

Liu Ji said, "Since that's the case, why did you only talk about rumors in the martial arts world, and not about the rumors among ordinary people, or even the official proclamation of the Qin Dynasty to the people?"
Long before the news of Grand Tutor Yu's demonic possession spread, a gatekeeper at the city gate recounted the "Announcement to the People: Dong Yedan's Robbery Case."

The detailed process of the Dan Tribulation is explained very clearly.

It was clearly the Nine Palaces True Man who colluded with demonic cultivators to wreak havoc on the Divine Continent and the Great Yuan Heaven.

The Xuanmen and the Momen were originally one family.

Grand Tutor Mingyu became a demon for the sake of all living beings.

"What nonsense!"

Peng Yue was excited and shouted, "I have received definite information that this proclamation to the people is different from the previous ones."

Previously, it was mostly the truth, but this time it was seven parts truth and three parts falsehood.

The Nine Palaces Immortal only happened to know the Forgetful Immortal; he did not help them wreak havoc on the land.

Liu Ji said, "But the petition to the people clearly lists the identity of the aggrieved party!"

For example, Cai, a wealthy man from Yinling City in Jiujiang Prefecture.

Master Cai is quite famous in Pengcheng, Sishui! He is a great merchant and a great philanthropist.

Master Cai was just the most famous one; he even ascended to heaven in broad daylight.

Many ordinary people only have names, no one knows them, yet the common people can deeply empathize with their plight.

The seven great demons, including the Immortal of Forgetfulness and the Venerable of Bewitching Heart, had been in the Central Plains for quite some time, so naturally they couldn't just "eat vegetarian food" all the time.

By consulting the Book of Life and Death, the proclamation to the people listed all the victims and their experiences.

Nearly a thousand people!

Their tragic experiences are shocking.

Peng Yue hesitated for a moment, "It was the Forgetful Immortal who brought disaster to the world, and the Nine Palaces True Man was not involved."

Liu Ji shook his head and said, "Brother, the people only look at the facts. The fact is that the court has announced the identities of the old demons such as the Forgetful Immortal, the Bewitching Venerable, the Seven Apertures Old Demon, and the Heavenly Eye Master."

They were all ruthless old devils who had killed countless people.

They conspired with the Nine Palaces Master to murder Grand Tutor Yu.

Grand Tutor Yu killed all the old demons.

The rumors spread by the Grand Master of the Xuanmen Feather Making Sect could not produce a single case that could convince the people.

For example, how exactly did Grand Tutor Yu wreak havoc on the world and harm living beings?

The proclamation to the people, however, clearly cited numerous examples.

Furthermore, the Celestial Master who had previously been invited by Tianfeng actually broke his oath and stole the cauldron, so the reputation of the immortals was not as good as before and had long been ruined.

When the gatekeeper saw the proclamation recounting how Grand Tutor Yu used his demonic powers to punish the wicked immortals, the people at the city gate cheered loudly!

Peng Yue was somewhat powerless, but still struggled to say, "The proclamation to the people was written by scholars and writers supported by the court, so of course it is in favor of Grand Tutor Yu."

Moreover, Grand Tutor Yu is cunning and anticipates the enemy's moves.

Long before the Xuanmen True Immortals publicized her demonic possession, she preemptively announced that she had become a demon, acting on behalf of Heaven to bring about calamities and punish fallen immortals.

Alas, the people have formed preconceived notions and fixed impressions.

Liu Ji picked up the ox-horn cup, gesturing for Peng Yue to drink a cup first and catch his breath.

After finishing a cup, Liu Ji sighed and said, "Brother, whether Grand Tutor Yu is a great demon or not is not important to us at all."

We will only discuss the current situation in the Central Plains.

Even though Grand Tutor Yu had fallen into demonic possession, he still gained the approval of the people.

Do you think the "Proclamation to the People" is terrifying or not? And is the current imperial court terrifying or not?

Peng Yue said, "I have heard that Chen Sheng's Zhang Chu and Wei King Wei Jiu are both trying to create their own proclamations to the people."

Lu Wan scoffed, "Their proclamation to the people only talks about trivial matters."

For example, they would boast about how great and wise they were, and how cruel and immoral the Qin Dynasty was.

The common people don't want to listen.

The proclamation issued by the Qin Dynasty to its people was a legendary story related to great gods and immortals.

For example, in the story of "Grand Master Yu's Demonic Arrival in the Heavenly Realm," he punished more than 10,000 mortal immortals with demonic hearts using only his demonic form. Even the Great Luo Golden Immortals jumped up and down crying but were helpless.

These are the kinds of exciting stories that people love to hear!

"Not to mention the common people, even I enjoy listening to it. Chen Sheng and Wei Jiu wanted to emulate the Qin Dynasty, but they failed to grasp its essence."

They treated the proclamation to the people as a mere "official announcement" to deceive the common people.

"Ordinary people are just honest, not stupid," Liu Ji added.

Peng Yue said helplessly, "How are Wei Jiu and Chen Sheng supposed to learn this? To suddenly subdue tens of thousands of immortals is terrifying, even more exaggerated than ancient legends. Who could possibly learn it?"

Liu Ji sighed, "That's the problem!"
When I first heard that hundreds of immortals had broken their oath to Heaven, betrayed the Qin Dynasty, and even stole the Divine Cauldron, I was deeply shocked.

Hundreds of immortals, yet none of them are trustworthy or moral.

Later, when I heard about the death of Emperor Chong Heihu of Hengshan, I was shocked. It turns out that even emperors can be bribed and beaten to death.

Now that I hear that Grand Tutor Yu is so powerful in the Great Yuan Heaven, I am shocked once again. I didn't know Grand Tutor Yu was so amazing.

As a result, the Xuanmen True Immortal declared that Grand Master Yu had fallen into demonic possession. After hearing this, I thought to myself, "That's it?"
Brother, do you understand what I mean?

Hoping that Taoist immortals and martial arts sects would denounce Grand Tutor Yu would not change the situation in the Central Plains.

They are insignificant, and even ordinary people don't believe their arguments.

Let's stay put for now and observe how things unfold!

Peng Yue whispered, "Brother Ji, don't underestimate the immortals of the Xuanmen sect. Half a month ago, two Taoists named 'Jingjing' and 'Kongkong' came to my Juye Water Village."

They said I had great fortune and that I should seize the opportunity to raise the banner of rebellion against Qin in Juye.

In the future, becoming kings, nobles, and generals will be within their grasp.

Liu Ji's expression changed slightly. "Jingjing and Kongkong went to see you too? Damn it, I knew those two Taoists were up to no good."

"Jingjing and Kongkong must be fake names, trying to fool us like idiots, damn it~~~"

Peng Yue asked with a strange expression, "They also came to Mangdang Mountain to incite Brother Ji to start a rebellion? But how many people are there in Mangdang Mountain?" —What good would that do?

Liu Ji looked disgusted and said, "They say I was born with the destiny of the Heavenly Star, destined to assist the Purple Star Emperor."

He urged me to immediately go and seek refuge with Chen Sheng or Wei Jiu, lest I waste my destiny.

Peng Yue said, "They are trying to incite unrest everywhere and cause trouble for the Qin Dynasty. Their intentions are indeed impure."

But what they said is true; it at least illustrates a trend—there are too many Xuanmen immortals who hate Grand Tutor Yu and oppose the Great Qin.

"The Qin Dynasty is doomed to perish, and Grand Tutor Yu will meet a terrible end sooner or later."

"No mistake my foot! They can't even see that Tiankui Mingxing is my disguise; they're just trying to fool me into being their pawn. The more they act like this, the more I'll back down."

Liu Ji muttered to himself, but said aloud, "Brother, you and I are different. You have many brothers and can form a team. I only have a few dozen people, barely making a living by hunting in the mountains."

To be honest, if the two Taoist priests, Jingjing and Kongkong, had not tempted him to join Chen Sheng and Wei Jiu, but instead stayed to assist him, he would have been truly moved.

He was indeed tired of staying in Mangdang Mountain.

"Brother Ji, look~~"

Peng Yue pulled Liu Ji to an open muddy area and drew a map on the ground with a stone.

“To my east is the King of Lu, to my north is the King of Liang, and to my west in Jiyang is the King of Zheng.”

The arrogant King Liang has actually occupied Liangshan, north of Juye, and intends to establish a navy at Liangshan Marsh.

I just don't understand. He is located north of the Yellow River, so why didn't he build a navy on the Yellow River? Instead, he set his sights on Juye Marsh.
If I were to start an uprising, I might face attacks from all sides, or advance by both land and sea, but without any external support, the outcome would be disastrous.

Peng Yue's stronghold at this time, Juye Marsh, was the predecessor of Liangshan Marsh in "Water Margin". The two are the same place.

However, Peng Yue is located at the southern end of the marshland, very close to Juye City.

Thousands of miles to the north, there is another mountain called Liangshan, which is also connected to Juye Marsh via a body of water.

The fiefdom of King Ying Lie of Liang was located between the Yellow River and the Juye Marsh.

Liu Ji looked down for a while and said, "The King of Liang was right not to build a navy on the Yellow River."

Because there was also King Fusu of Zhao on the north bank of the Yellow River.

While I was strolling through the cultivator market, I heard a rumor that at the end of last year, Grand Tutor Yu used a dream technique to summon all the kings together for a meeting.

To deal with the chaos in the Central Plains, they would definitely discuss in advance, divide tasks, cooperate, and unite to crush the rebels.

Peng Yue picked up a stone and drew a line between Changyi and Fengyi. Then he looked up at Liu Ji and said meaningfully, "Brother Ji, if we stand back to back, we will surely be able to establish ourselves in the Central Plains!"

Liu Ji's eyes lit up, and his heart began to stir with desire once again.

In the end, he shook his head reluctantly. "The time is not right yet. Yang Lie, the 'Marquis of the Chaotic Sea' of the East Sea Army, is still leading 50,000 elite troops to guard Pengcheng."

Sishui County is very stable; proclamations to the people reach every county seat. I don't even dare go back to Pei County now.”

Peng Yue was disappointed and asked, "Brother Ji can't stay holed up in the mountains forever, can he?"

Liu Ji hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "When the proclamation to the people can no longer be spread in most villages of Sishui County, that will be the day when Great Qin truly loses its Mandate of Heaven."

"How long will we have to wait?" Peng Yue said, "If we just wait and do nothing, I'm afraid we'll never get it."

—Doing it could cost you your life! Last time I only tested Xiao He slightly, and he didn't even respond.

Am I supposed to lead dozens of brothers to storm Pei County?

The garrison of Pei County, with its thousands of soldiers, could tear me to pieces.

Liu Ji sighed inwardly.

Seeing the chaos in the Central Plains and the successive restoration of the states of Chu, Wei, and Qi, he was actually quite willing to take the risk and join the fray.

Anyway, after failing, it's just a matter of returning to Mangdang Mountain.

However, he didn't care about the consequences; his brothers all had families and businesses and were unwilling to take the risk immediately.

For example, Xiao He, Cao Can, Xiahou Ying, and even Fan Kuai.

Xiao He is the head of the Xiao family, which comprises over a hundred members. He himself is also the second-in-command of the county. Now, he and his family are all Brahmins in the county. What is the purpose of their adventure?

The situation in Sishui County at this time was very different from that in Xiaoyu's previous life. In Xiaoyu's previous life, after Chen Sheng's uprising, the administrative system of Sishui County almost completely collapsed, so even the county magistrate had plans to rebel in order to protect himself.

People like Xiao He and Cao Can, who were Brahmins from the county, could not maintain their current status and position without rebelling, thus giving them the motivation to oppose the Qin Dynasty.

In this life, due to the appearance of Grand Tutor Yu, the capital was first moved to Xingyang, which made the court's control over the various prefectures in the Central Plains more direct and efficient.

Then came the enfeoffment of various princes, and armies from all directions entered Pengcheng. Anyone who dared to rebel could be met by the Pengcheng army within a few days.

Even if Liu Ji were not afraid of death and actually started an uprising in Fengyi, the Donghai Army Corps of Pengcheng would not need to lift a finger. The magistrate of Pei County would immediately assemble several thousand troops, set off within a day, and arrive at Liu Ji's doorstep the next day.

Just as Liu Ji and Peng Yue fell silent, Liu Ji's younger brother, Tang Li, waded through the water like a small motorboat, leaving a trail of splashes behind him as he came running from the opposite side of Baiyun Lake with great fanfare.

As he ran, Tang Li called out, "Brother Ji, your wife has come to visit you on the mountain again. Let's go back quickly!"

Peng Yue lowered his gaze, stared at Tang Li's legs for a while, and exclaimed, "Is this the 'Divine Speed ​​Armor Horse' technique from the Seventy-Two Divine Powers of Earthly Fiends?"

I've been researching for months without any results; I never imagined this guy had reached such a pinnacle.

Liu Ji stood up and said, "Brother Peng, don't be discouraged. I'm the same as you. I've basically gathered all seventy-two Earthly Fiends Divine Powers, but I haven't mastered a single one."

Years ago, I met an old immortal named Wuyazi, who told me that everyone has their own destiny.

Just like the Analects, some people who read it become great Confucian scholars, while others, like me, remain street urchins, spouting rural slang and colloquialisms, hahaha!

“Brother Ji is so magnanimous, I can’t compare!” Peng Yue scratched the back of his head and said with a distressed expression, “When I was young, I searched everywhere for opportunities to become an immortal, hoping to cultivate myself and become an immortal.”

Now that I've finally achieved my goal and acquired the legendary Ape King's Secret Techniques, I haven't even mastered a single supernatural power. I'm so frustrated!

"Take your time, don't rush," Liu Ji comforted him, then pulled him toward the main peak of Mangdang. "Since your sister-in-law is here, she must have prepared a lot of food and drink. Let's have a good drink together."

Liu Laosan wasn't truly magnanimous; he had simply discovered one thing: his "Old Man's Joy" was extremely incompatible with the Nine Heavens Secret Technique.

He couldn't cultivate either the Seventy-Two Divine Powers of Earthly Fiends or the Thirty-Six Extraordinary Techniques of Heavenly Gang.

Forced cultivation resulted in a conflict between the two cultivation methods. Ultimately, "Old Man's Joy" became extremely domineering, forcibly erasing all traces of Taoist magic and immortal techniques from his body.

He really wanted to ask the old Taoist Wuyazi a question.

Unfortunately, he wandered around Mangdang Mountain and Baiyun Lake countless times, but found not a trace of the old Taoist.

—Wu Yazi, where are you? My "Old Man's Joy" is having problems, do you know? Please come and take a look!

For several nights, he climbed to the main peak of Mangdang Mountain alone, stood on the summit, and shouted silently to the sky.

Even if he were alone, he wouldn't dare to call out.

After practicing "Old Man's Joy," he was able to see ghosts, gods, and celestial beings.

He even became good friends with the local earth god of Mangdang Mountain.

(End of this chapter)