I, the wanderer of the universe, love making friends

Chapter 172: Exploring the Imperial Palace at Night, How to Conquer It?
In Shen Luoyan's room.

Her face was flushed, her eyes were closed, and her lips were tightly pursed.

Although she had no sound.

But a voice was heard.

Pffffffffffffft.

At this moment, Xu Shiji's voice came from outside: "Luoyan, are you busy?"

The puffing sound became fainter, and Shen Luoyan's sweet voice came from inside the house: "Shiji, what do you want to talk to me about?"

But just after she finished speaking, Shen Lang started practicing again.

Xu Shiji, who was outside, said, "We've searched the entire southern area, but still haven't found these two guys. So we have to expand the search area and seal off the areas we've already searched to prevent them from slipping back."

But Shen Luoyan in the room was secretly groaning in his heart.

Believing in Xu Shiji's martial arts skills, it would not be difficult for the two to hide their movements in the house from his eyes and ears.

As long as Xu Shiji outside calmed down, he would definitely notice something unusual in the house.

"Then go find him." Shen Luoyan said, "I've found out that the assassin is Yang Xuyan. It's late now, and I'm ready to rest. I'm not in the mood to discuss things with you. Go find those two guys."

Just as she finished speaking, she suddenly cried out.

Xu Shiji outside hurriedly asked, "Luoyan, what's wrong with you? Let's talk business."

Shen Luoyan whispered to Shen Lang, "How bad! Xu Shiji is still outside."

"It's okay. Even if he knew, he wouldn't dare to do anything." Shen Lang said.

Xu Shiji, who was outside the house, heard no response and asked again: "Luoyan, Luoyan, what's wrong with you?"

"It's okay, I already said I'm not in the mood." Shen Luoyan said.

Xu Shiji snorted coldly, "Not in the mood? When will you be in the mood? If those two guys ran away, I don't think you would be able to give me instructions in secret. Besides, you have been very cold to me since you came back."

Shen Luoyan said unhappily, "I'm not in the mood. Do I have to explain everything to you, Master Xu? Last time I left, I said we owed each other nothing. I'm no longer your fiancée, and you're no longer my fiancée."

Xu Shiyan's tone softened, and he said in an almost pleading tone, "Luoyan! You should know that I am still deeply in love with you. Don't let outsiders affect our relationship!"

Shen Luoyan, who was in the room, gently pinched Shen Lang's hand that was rubbing her chest, signaling him not to move.

Then his tone turned cold and he said, "Master Xu, I think I've made it clear enough. Why are you still pestering me? I'm sure you know how powerful he is. Why are you so infatuated with me? What a joke!"

Xu Shiji was a little embarrassed and angry. "I wanted to save you last time, but the secret master ordered me to do so. How could I resist? Besides, the fact that you can come back now is because I took great pains to mention it to him."

After a pause, he continued, "Now that you've returned, you don't seem to care much about the affairs of our Wagang Village. You don't even care about the two guys who stole our roster. If Secret Lord asks about this, you will teach me how to treat Secret Lord."

But the two people in the room didn't seem to pay much attention to his words, and were only immersed in the current affairs.

After a while.

Xu Shiji spoke again: "Falling geese, falling geese..."

Shen Luoyan was heard to say angrily: "I don't care about your business, and you don't need to care about my business. Go and do your own thing."

Xu Shiji softened again and sighed, "This Shen guy is definitely not a good person. I heard he has connections with the Li Clan, the Dongming Clan, and the Song Clan. You are from the Wagang Clan, and there is no benefit in getting associated with such a person."

Shen Luoyan was silent for a while, then suddenly said, "I don't need you to remind me what kind of person he is. Also, I want to tell you that the list has been retrieved, but those two people have escaped. If you can't find them, you can cancel the operation to avoid disturbing the people."

"So the roster has been retrieved. That puts my mind at ease." Xu Shiji said, "I'll continue looking for people."

Only after he left did Shen Luoyan breathe a sigh of relief.

She was not afraid that Xu Shiji would hear it, but she just felt a little uncomfortable.

Because she just lets go in front of women.

Shen Lang didn't care and continued to practice.

After staying in Xingyang for a few days, he prepared to leave.

He still had a lot of things to do, and Shen Luoyan also had things to do, so the two of them parted ways for the time being.

As for Song Yuzhi, he had already left in advance, and it is unknown whether he had reached an agreement on cooperation with Li Mi.

But before leaving, Shen Lang had several good shots with her.

Shen Luoyan said, "The tyrant emperor is no longer in Luoyang, but in Jiangdu. Tonight, the Baling Gang will send a large ship to Jiangdu, bringing him a variety of silks and satins. He will have his people cut them into flowers and leaves to decorate the branches and spread them on the pond. Do you want to go to Luoyang or Jiangdu?"

"Analyze the differences between these two places." Shen Lang said.

"I don't know if you're doing this on purpose, or if you really want to test me." Shen Luoyan said, "Now the tyrant emperor has already handed over the Western Capital Chang'an to his grandson, Prince of Dai Yang You, and the Eastern Capital Luoyang is governed by his other grandson, Prince of Yue Yang Tong. He himself has fled to Jiangdu, and I'm afraid he has even abandoned the Sixteenth Courtyard Ladies in Luoyang."

"But Du Fuwei has already reached Liyang. If Li Zitong marches on Jiangdu with his army, there will be no place for him in the world. So where do you plan to go?"

Shen Lang only considered it briefly before saying, "Going to Luoyang. You said the boat to Jiangdu tonight belongs to the Baling Gang, right?"

He remembered that Yun Yuzhen had said that the Baling Gang specialized in trafficking women to supply the needs of brothels across the country, and that their backer was the emperor.

Moreover, Yang Guang died in Jiangdu. By the time he returned from Luoyang, Yang Guang might have died, so he had to change his plan temporarily.

"Yes." Shen Luoyan nodded, "And the casino you caused trouble in Pengcheng was owned by the boss of the Baling Gang."

"In that case, I'll go to Jiangdu first." Shen Lang said.

Shen Luoyan smiled helplessly: "Okay, in that case, I will arrange for you to meet Xiang Yushan, he is the young leader of the Baling Gang."

After some arrangements, Shen Lang met the young leader of the Baling Gang.

He looked to be in his twenties, with a handsome appearance, but his face was a bit unhealthy and pale, as if he was frail.

As soon as the two met, Xiang Yushan laughed and said, "I didn't expect that the person that Military Advisor Shen wanted me to escort was actually Mr. Shen. It's really a joy to meet an old friend in a foreign land. I'm Xiang Yushan, nice to meet Brother Shen..."

Shen Lang asked doubtfully, "Do we know each other?"

Although this person is the young leader of the Baling Gang, who is famous for human trafficking, he has no plans to kill him for the time being.

"Brother Xiang, do you know me?"

"When Brother Shen displayed his prowess in Cuibi Tower that night, I happened to be there and witnessed Brother Shen's elegance with my own eyes. And that night with Wang Daru, I also witnessed Brother Shen's magical skills with my own eyes. I have long wanted to make friends with Brother Shen." Xiang Yushan's face was full of smiles.

Shen Luoyan said: "You guys get on the boat and leave, I have something else to do."

Xiang Yushan immediately said, "Military Advisor Shen, rest assured. I will treat Brother Shen well and will never let him down."

"Take care of yourself." Shen Lang gave some instructions and then boarded the boat with Xiang Yushan.

After getting on the boat, Shen Lang got straight to the point, "I heard that Brother Xiang is in the human trafficking business?"

Xiang Yushan was quite tactful and said immediately, "Brother Shen has misunderstood. He has even misunderstood our gang. Please allow me to explain it to you. We can talk over tea."

"Well, I'd like to see how you can argue." Shen Lang said, "Since you have witnessed my martial arts skills with your own eyes, you know it's easy for me to kill people."

Xiang Yushan smiled bitterly and said, "We've known each other for a while now, and apart from this little misunderstanding, there's nothing wrong with us. Don't you even want to give me a chance to explain myself?"

Shen Lang nodded: "Then try to make a good argument and see if I believe you."

Xiang Yushan seemed to have amazing patience, remaining calm and unmoved. He lowered his voice and said, "Among the eight gangs and ten associations, our Baling Gang ranks second. We used to have a very high reputation, but it was destroyed by some greedy people who wanted to please Yang Guang."

Shen Lang raised his eyebrows and said, "But I think Brother Xiang looks like the kind of person who is obsessed with profit and reeks of money."

Xiang Yushan was suddenly at a loss for words and said, "Brother Shen, please don't insult me. If you don't believe me, I, Xiang Yushan, swear to heaven right now that, apart from running gambling and brothels, I have never been involved in the kind of heinous activities you're talking about. If you break this oath, I will strike you with thunder."

"Oh?" Shen Lang asked curiously, "I saw quite a few pretty women in Cuibi Tower. Could it be that they all decided to commit themselves to Cuibi Tower on their own?"

Xiang Yushan pointed to the heavens and swore, "If even one of these people was deliberately abducted and forced into prostitution by my Xiang family, I, Xiang Yushan, will die a miserable death."

"I didn't expect that you would swear as soon as you said so." Shen Lang said helplessly.

Xiang Wushan sighed and said, "In fact, we were harmed to this point by that tyrant emperor. Because our gang has always had close ties with the imperial court, and some of our gang members serve as officials in the court, we initially only collected beauties from all over the world for the tyrant emperor to indulge in his sexual pleasures."

He added, "But this foolish emperor is insatiable in his greed. Just for the pleasure of traveling, he has built numerous palaces. From Luoyang to Yangzhou alone, he has built no fewer than forty palaces, each of which is staffed by hundreds of beauties. Add to that his own thousands of concubines and maids, and just imagine how many people that is! We are also stuck in this mess."

"It seems that you do have your own difficulties." Shen Lang said casually.

Xiang Yushan said sadly, "That's right. Yang Guang is fond of both women and men, but that's not the worst part. The most terrifying thing is that he comes up with a new idea every day. For example, he wants feathers from birds and beasts for ceremonial clothing, so almost all the birds and beasts that are suitable for feather ceremonies are captured."

"Another example is when the Turkic Qimin Khan came to the court in the second year of the Daye era. To show off his wealth, Yang Guang ordered the conscription of the sons of former court musicians to serve as musicians. Over 30,000 people were conscripted. The officers and soldiers were unable to do what they forced us to do. We were, in fact, victims."

Then he snorted coldly, "But now the situation has reversed. We no longer need to obey his orders."

Shen Lang immediately moved away from him, "Could it be that you are also favored by Yang Guang?"

"No, no." Xiang Yushan hurriedly shook his head. "There are so many handsome men in the world. How could they be interested in someone like me? Brother Shen, please."

He invited Shen Lang to the upper cabin, which was brightly lit and had a stove burning, making it warm as spring. A sumptuous banquet was set up in the cabin, and beside the table stood a beautiful woman in white, leading four pretty maids, who bowed to greet him.

Xiang Yushan introduced, "Brother Shen, let me introduce you. This Sister Xiao is the younger sister of our gang's deputy leader, Xiao Xin. She has always taken care of the daily needs of the imperial concubines."

This elder sister Xiao is about twenty years old. She is not as beautiful as Shen Luoyan, Shan Wanjing and other girls, but she is tall and slender, with a seductive figure and great charm. She has a charming and alluring aura.

Sister Xiao laughed like a silver bell and looked Shen Lang up and down without restraint. She laughed before she spoke, "So the world-famous Shen Lang is such a handsome man. Seeing him today, I know the rumors are false."

"What do you mean?" Shen Lang asked with a smile.

Sister Xiao said, "Because you are more graceful, more gentle, and more handsome than the rumors say."

"I didn't expect you to notice this strength of mine the moment we met." Shen Lang bowed and said, "Shen Lang greets the young lady."

"Sir, please take a seat." Sister Xiao said immediately.

After they were seated, the pretty maid poured wine for them and then left the cabin.

Sister Xiao acted in a wild and unrestrained manner, and kept urging Shen Lang to drink, creating a lively atmosphere.

After three rounds of drinks, Xiang Yushan said, "I wonder what Brother Shen is planning to do in Jiangdu this time? My Baling Gang is quite influential in Jiangdu, so perhaps we can be of some help to Brother Shen."

"Since Sister Xiao takes care of the daily needs of the concubines in the palace, she must know which of Yang Guang's concubines are beautiful." Shen Lang said with a smile.

Eldest Sister Xiao was stunned for a moment, and she looked at Xiang Yushan secretly before she smiled and said, "I really don't know about this. I just have some understanding of the concubines' preferences. Currently, Yang Guang's two most favored concubines are Madam Xiao and Zhu Guier." "Since Yang Guang favors her the most, she must be the most beautiful, or have some other skills." Eldest Sister Xiao said.

Hearing this, Shen Lang became excited. "In that case, I have to go and see him in person."

This Mrs. Xiao might be Xiao Meiniang.

Xiang Yushan asked doubtfully, "Could it be that Brother Shen went to Jiangdu just to meet Yang Guang's concubine?"

"That's about right, just a side thing." Shen Lang said.

Sister Xiao laughed uncontrollably and said, "Brother Shen is quite humorous, but the emperor's concubine is different from other women."

Shen Lang's gaze couldn't help but fall on her trembling breasts that shook with her laughter, which was very stimulating and attractive.

"I don't know if the emperor's concubines are different from other women. I just want to know if Miss Xiao can sit next to me." Shen Lang smiled slightly. "It's too cold today. My hands are a little cold. I want Miss Xiao to help warm them up."

Sister Xiao smiled and said, "Even if I am willing, other girls will not be willing."

"Oh?" Shen Lang asked in surprise, "Could there be a girl here that I know?"

Sister Xiao said, "There is a girl who claims to know Brother Shen."

As soon as he finished speaking, the cabin door was pushed open, and a woman walked into the cabin with graceful steps, accompanied by a fragrant breeze, and came to Shen Lang's side.

"Mr. Shen, we meet again."

"Miss Yun?" Shen Lang was indeed surprised. He really didn't expect to meet Yun Yuzhen here.

Although she was thinner than he remembered, her smile was charming and Feng Qian was even better than before.

She looked Shen Lang up and down with a smile on her face, her beautiful eyes sparkling as she said, "Since my hasty farewell to you in Yuhang, it's only been a few months, and you've already become world-famous. It's been a long time since I last saw you, Yun Yu."

"Hurry up and sit down." Shen Lang said with a smile, "Just sit next to me, Brother Xiang, please add a set of bowls and chopsticks, don't let my beauty go hungry."

Sister Xiao immediately prepared the dishes and chopsticks.

Shen Lang asked again, "Why are you on the Baling Gang's ship?"

"I was chatting with Young Master Xiang about some things, but I didn't expect to meet you on the boat." Yun Yuzhen sat next to Shen Lang.

Shen Lang immediately put his arm around her waist and said, "You came at the perfect time. Otherwise, in such a snowy and icy place, I'm worried that I would be frozen to death."

As he spoke, he looked towards Xiang Yushan again, "Yuzhen and I haven't seen each other for a long time. Brother Xiang will surely be able to arrange a spacious room for us, right?"

"Of course no problem." Xiang Yushan agreed without hesitation.

Yun Yuzhen's pretty face turned slightly red, and she glared back at him fiercely.

Sister Xiao said, "Although Brother Shen is a master of martial arts, I wonder how he will break into the palace?"

"Of course we'll break in." Shen Lang said nonchalantly, "That's how I always do things."

Upon hearing this, Sister Xiao and the other two were all stunned.

Xiang Yushan smiled awkwardly and said, "Brother Shen is a martial arts master, and this method is indeed quite suitable for you. I just wonder if Brother Shen is really going to see the emperor's concubine, rather than to kill him?"

Shen Lang was surprised and said, "Yang Guang and I have no grudges against each other, why should I kill him?"

The three of them were stunned.

Yun Yuzhen pondered for a moment and said, "Sir, Yang Guang is behind the Baling Gang's business."

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot about this." Shen Lang nodded. "But if I want to kill someone, it doesn't matter whether there is a crime or not. Since you mentioned Yang Guang, then tell me about him, so that I don't mistakenly recognize the wrong person."

Xiang Yushan interjected, "Yang Guang is easy to spot. Anyone who treats him with respect in the palace is a tyrant. Furthermore, Yang Guang's moods are extremely unstable. He often wakes from his sleep, crying out to the ghosts for revenge."

"Even when he was laughing and talking happily, he couldn't stand the slightest provocation. He wouldn't listen to a word from his subordinates. He would punish them with a beating at the very least and behead them at the worst. So everyone had to conform to his tone and his likes and dislikes."

Shen Lang then asked, "Does he know martial arts?"

Yun Yuzhen smiled and said, "His martial arts were taught by Yang Jian himself, so of course he's quite skilled. However, he's been consumed by alcohol and sex for so many years, so it's hard to say how much strength he has left. Not to mention that you, young master, have unparalleled martial arts skills, so there's no need to be afraid."

"That's it. Even if you have three heads and six arms, there's nothing to be afraid of. Come, let's drink." Shen Lang said nonchalantly.

Seeing him like this, the three of them could not guess his real purpose of going to Jiangdu.

It doesn't look like it was directed at Yang Guang's concubine at all.

But he didn't ask any more questions, and the topic naturally changed to the general situation in the world and the affairs of various rebel armies.

After eating and drinking, Shen Lang hugged Yun Yuzhen and said goodbye and left.

Xiang Yushan and Sister Xiao looked at each other helplessly and smiled bitterly.

Not long after the two of them entered the room, they heard Yun Yuzhen's voice outside.

Sister Xiao asked in a low voice, "Young Master, what exactly do you think he came to Jiangdu for?"

"Who knows?" Xiang Yushan shook his head. "It's impossible for us to predict the actions of such a martial arts expert, but it's best not to kill Yang Guang."

The ship sailed for several days. During this time, Shen Lang spent most of his time in the cabin with Yun Yuzhen, except for coming out to eat. The rest of the time he chatted with Xiang Yushan, the ship owner.

When we arrived in Yangzhou, Xiangyushan had already arranged personnel and carriages to wait at the dock.

He met with the Baling Gang members, and then said to Shen Lang, "If Brother Shen wants to go see the emperor, you're lucky today. Yang Guang happens to be in the palace today. Since he became emperor, he hasn't rested for a single day. He's either traveling or on expeditions, causing the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people, and the annoyance of the gods and the sorrow of the ghosts. Otherwise, everyone wouldn't have rebelled."

Sister Xiao sighed, "He's only focused on enjoying himself now, so why would he worry about those things? He even handed over the management of Xijing and Dongdu to others."

Xiang Yushan continued angrily, "The King of Dai and the King of Yue, each only twelve and eleven years old, are supposed to be in charge of the Western and Eastern Capitals respectively. Doesn't power still fall into the hands of powerful officials like Yang Shichong? If anything were to happen to Yang Guang, the world would be ten times more chaotic than it is now."

These words seemed to be a reminder to Shen Lang.

Shen Lang said, "You guys from the Baling Gang should have somewhere to stay. Let's settle down first, and then I'll go take a walk around the palace."

"Of course, Brother Shen, Miss Yun, please come in." Xiang Yushan said.

After resting for just two days at the place arranged for him in Xiangyu Mountain, Shen Lang went to visit Yang Guang's deep palace at night.

Just a quick glance revealed a marvelous sight in one of the spacious gardens.

The garden was filled with beautiful concubines, at least fifty or sixty of them, surrounding a middle-aged man who was sitting high on the dragon throne like stars surrounding the moon. He was busy eating the fruit in the concubine's hand.

Under the light of the palace lanterns, the man's face was as pale as a dead person.

He was about fifty years old, with high shoulders and a slightly hunched body.

Although he was wearing a brightly colored nine-dragon robe and a gorgeous high crown, he exuded a decadent aura as if he was wearing a shroud.

Anyone who takes one look at him can easily tell that his time is running out and that he doesn't have much time left.

Look at the group of women surrounding him, all of them are gentle and charming, and they keep calling the word "Your Majesty".

In this situation, any discerning person can tell at a glance that this person is undoubtedly Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty.

This luxurious garden was surrounded by fully armed guards, who had solemn expressions and watched the movements around them vigilantly.

But for Shen Lang, it was not difficult to break through the defense line of these guards.

With just a little trick, all these guards were easily knocked to the ground.

At this moment, Yang Guang was sitting leisurely on the Dragon Terrace, waiting for the concubine beside him to put fresh fruit into his mouth.

However, at this moment, a sudden sound broke the silence.

"Yang Guang, your life span is over. Follow me to the underworld!"

The voice was like a ghost, and it went straight into Yang Guang's ears, as if the person who spoke was standing beside him and whispering.

Hearing that someone dared to call him by his name like that, Yang Guang couldn't help but feel shocked and angry, and his face instantly became extremely gloomy.

He stood up suddenly and opened his mouth to shout for the guards to come and protect him.

Suddenly, a figure fell from the sky like lightning.

Even though the garden was brightly lit with torches, making it as bright as day, Yang Guang still could not see clearly whether the person coming was a man or a woman, and it was even more difficult to tell their appearance.

When the figure landed steadily on the ground, Yang Guang looked closely and suddenly discovered that the person in front of him was a man wearing clothes as white as snow.

This person has a slender figure and his face seems to be covered by a layer of mysterious light, making it difficult to see his true appearance.

But judging from the fierce aura emanating from him, he is definitely not an ordinary person.

He held the chains in his hands and said in a cold voice, "Yang Guang, I am the Soul Catcher. Your life span has ended. Follow me to the underworld."

Yang Guang was about to scold them coldly, but he didn't expect that the group of concubines next to him seemed to be possessed and did not move.

"Someone come, come quickly..." Yang Guang shouted hurriedly.

However, there was complete silence all around, as if everyone was dead.

Shen Lang sneered, "Don't you believe you're dead? Come with me to hell!"

After saying that, he threw away the iron chain in his hand. Although Yang Guang subconsciously wanted to resist, he did not expect that the iron chain would tightly bind his body like a spirit snake.

Shen Lang pulled the chain and said, "The King of Hell wants you to die at three o'clock in the morning. Who dares to keep you until five o'clock? Go!"

Seeing himself being lightly pulled up, Yang Guang's face suddenly changed drastically with fear. He quickly said, "I am the Supreme Ruler. How dare you imprison my soul?"

"You're already dead, yet you still dare to speak so arrogantly!" Shen Lang said coldly, "I originally thought that you were the king of a country, so I wanted to give you a moment, but you dared to be so rude. I will take you to see the King of Hell right now! Even if you offer money and beautiful women, it will be useless!"

money?

beautiful?

Yang Guang suddenly realized what was going on and said hurriedly, "I am willing to offer you the most beautiful woman, just give me some time..."

……

(End of this chapter)