Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 716 Did you pay my taxes?

As the night deepened, the chill in the Gobi Desert grew even more biting.

Around the campfire, Liang Jin and Gao Hongzhe sat facing each other, chatting about everything under the sun, from their past life-and-death adventures to their current circumstances, as if they had endless things to say.

Gao Hongzhe finally revealed the reason why he was in this chaotic place tonight.

It turns out that he came for the people of Dingfeng City.

He had heard that caravans from the Kingdom of Shalli sometimes brought seeds of a peculiar crop called "alfalfa".

This plant is drought- and salt-tolerant, and has extremely strong vitality. If it can be successfully introduced to the barren but still thriving land around Dingfeng City, it will surely promote local animal husbandry and crop rotation agriculture.

Merchants from the Kingdom of Sihali regarded these seeds from afar as rare commodities, and they were often circulated only in a few secret black markets in the western part of the Western Desert, one of which was Duango Town.

Within Dingfeng City, very few people recognized this plant, but Gao Hongzhe, a scholar who had read extensively, did not give up his research after arriving in the Western Desert. Instead, he read a great deal of local chronicles, agricultural books, and even miscellaneous notes, and had already become very familiar with the characteristics of alfalfa.

To ensure everything went smoothly and not to waste Dingfeng City's already strained and precious treasury silver, he disregarded his status and the danger, personally leading several reliable subordinates to this chaotic place to identify and purchase the goods.

"I thought that as long as I didn't set foot in Hanzhou City, I would never have any further contact with Brother Meng..."

As Gao Hongzhe spoke, a smile with a hint of irony about fate appeared on his face:
"But I never expected that fate would be so wonderful, that I would be able to meet Brother Meng here again and drink and chat happily."

After listening to Gao Hongzhe's simple yet responsible narration, Liang Jin understood.

This is indeed something Gao Hongzhe would do; for the sake of the people's well-being, he never hesitates to take risks himself.

Then, Gao Hongzhe asked curiously:
"Brother Meng, what about you?"

"You are now the Marquis of Zhenxi, the Lord of the Western Desert, why would you personally come to such a troublesome place in the dead of night with only two attendants?"

Liang Jin did not hide anything and directly stated his purpose:

"I have come here to find something—the blood of the divine tortoise."

Upon hearing this, Gao Hongzhe's handsome face showed surprise:
"The legendary Western Desert Divine Turtle, wasn't it extinct for nearly a thousand years? Could it be... that its blood still exists in the world?"

Upon hearing the question that slipped out, Liang Jin's heart skipped a beat, and he countered with a question:
"Brother Gao, you also know about the Divine Turtle? Could it be... that Miss Liu Yuan mentioned it to you?"

He first learned the secrets of the Western Desert Divine Turtle from Liu Yuan.

Given the friendship between Liu Yuan and Gao Hongzhe, he naturally assumed that Liu Yuan had informed him.

To everyone's surprise, Gao Hongzhe smiled and shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of the reserved and confident air characteristic of a scholar:

“Why would Miss Liu Yuan chat with me about such strange and unusual things? All I know comes from books.”

It turns out that the people of Dingfeng City all know that their county magistrate is a book lover and often collects all kinds of books on his own initiative to repay his benevolent rule.

Merchants and travelers would also cater to his tastes, always bringing some books to sell to the county government.

Even when constables were investigating cases, if they seized ancient books from tomb raiders, they would put them into the government treasury and eventually present them to Gao Hongzhe.

Although Gao Hongzhe strictly forbade his subordinates from using this to curry favor with him, he recalled the idea of ​​a "public library" that Liang Jin had mentioned to him during a casual conversation years ago, believing it to be a benevolent policy to enlighten the people and educate them.

Therefore, he overruled the objections of others and converted a storeroom in the county government into a library, with the government funding the purchase and collection of books, and opening it to all citizens for borrowing.

As a result, the number of books in Dingfeng City increased rapidly, including many ancient and bizarre "miscellaneous books" and "unique copies".

Gao Hongzhe found the record of the divine tortoise in a tattered, ancient book made of animal skin of unknown age.

Under Liang Jin's persistent questioning, Gao Hongzhe organized his thoughts and recounted what he had read in detail, his voice particularly clear amidst the crackling of the campfire:

"According to that ancient book, the divine tortoise prefers cold and shady places and rarely appears in the world. It usually hides under the yellow sand, and its traces are hard to find."

He paused and continued:
"It is particularly noteworthy that it seems to have a special preference for a kind of rare natural object called 'spirit ore,' often dwelling near spirit ore veins to absorb the pure spiritual energy contained therein for growth or dormancy."

"Ancient texts mention that the ancient King Ulan, who attempted to capture the divine tortoise, finally located the tortoise by tracking the direction and abnormal fluctuations of the spirit mine."

Gao Hongzhe's descriptions gradually became more detailed, as if he were retelling scenes from the book:
"The book describes the divine tortoise as having a strange shape, with a dragon's head and a snake's tail. Its shell has mysterious patterns, and most strangely, it has twelve legs under its belly, just like the number of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. Even if it is hidden deep under the sand dunes, it can travel a hundred miles a day, as swift as the wind."

His tone carried a weight of history and a sense of tragedy:
"The Kingdom of Ulan mobilized its entire nation's resources, gathering the top experts of the time to set up numerous ambushes to besiege the divine tortoise. That battle is said to have lasted for seven days and seven nights, until the sun and moon were obscured and the yellow sand was stained with blood! In the end, the Ulan army suffered more than half its casualties, and almost all of the top experts who accompanied them perished, before they barely managed to... sever the three legs of the divine tortoise."

At this point, Gao Hongzhe sighed softly, as if lamenting the tragic and helpless events of that ancient era:
"However, even so, the severely injured divine tortoise ultimately used its extraordinary abilities to escape into the depths of the earth and disappear without a trace. The Kingdom of Ulan was greatly weakened and could only sigh in despair, no longer able to pursue it."

Finally, he concluded, his tone returning to its usual rationality:
"However, these are all almost mythical legends. Nearly a thousand years ago, whether it was the divine tortoise that swallowed clouds and breathed mist or the spiritual mine that contained the essence of heaven and earth, they have long since disappeared from the eyes of the world, and it is now difficult to verify their authenticity."

Liang Jin listened quietly, his face seemingly calm, but his heart was in turmoil!

The spirit ore and the divine tortoise are actually connected in this way?

Is it just a coincidence, or... a hidden thread of conspiracy connecting these two things?

Two of the three gifts presented by Bao Rui were actually related to each other.

Or perhaps this was a carefully woven trap targeting Liang Jin, using the blood of the divine tortoise as bait and the spirit mine as a backdrop.
Countless thoughts flashed through Liang Jin's mind, instantly casting a deeper layer of vigilance and scrutiny over his gaze as he looked at the events of the night.

He silently suppressed his doubts.

If there is indeed a conspiracy, turning against them now is premature; more flaws and clues are bound to emerge later.

Just then, several of Gao Hongzhe's men who had been sent to purchase seeds returned carrying several bulging sacks.

The leader respectfully presented the sack to Gao Hongzhe:

"Sir, please look, are these the alfalfa seeds you requested?"

Gao Hongzhe stood up, reached into the bag and grabbed a handful of seeds. By the flickering campfire, he carefully examined the shape, color and size of the seeds.

He looked at it very intently, as if he were holding not an ordinary seed, but the hope for the future prosperity of Dingfeng City.

A moment later, a satisfied look appeared on his face. He nodded and carefully placed the seeds back into the bag.
"Excellent, the color is rich and the shape is correct; these are indeed alfalfa seeds. Thank you for your hard work."

Upon hearing this, his men immediately and skillfully tied several burlap sacks securely to the packing bags on the camel's back.

Gao Hongzhe straightened his robes, turned to Liang Jin, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed deeply, his tone filled with sincerity and reluctance:
"Brother Meng, I have achieved my goal for this trip."

"Tonight, to be able to sit with Brother Meng in this small Gobi town, by the campfire, drinking heartily and reminiscing about the past, is truly one of the greatest joys in Hongzhe's life!"

His voice lowered slightly:

"All good things must come to an end... It's time for me to take my leave."

Looking at Gao Hongzhe's slender yet resolute figure, Liang Jin was filled with mixed emotions, and an indescribable sense of melancholy welled up in his heart.

Liu Yuan has flown away like a yellow crane, without a trace. I wonder if I will ever see her again in this life.

Now, Gao Hongzhe is also leaving.

Liang Jin knew that once he left, the invisible barrier and difference in their positions between them would return them to the previous state of "it's better not to meet than to meet".

An impulse compelled Liang Jin to speak, his voice carrying a hint of pleading that he himself was unaware of:

“Brother Gao…if you can set aside your official position, we brothers will have many more opportunities to drink and make merry in the future.”

If Gao Hongzhe were no longer an official appointed by the imperial court, the biggest conflict of stance between them would no longer exist, and their friendship might be even purer.

However, upon hearing this, Gao Hongzhe merely shook his head slightly, revealing the gentle yet undeniably stubborn smile that Liang Jin was already familiar with.

His gaze was clear and resolute, as if he had already seen through the arrangements of fate:

"How could I not help when I see the suffering of the people?"

“Brother Meng, this is my lifelong ambition and the path in my heart... It cannot be changed.”

As he spoke, he took out the last sheepskin bag filled with liquor from his baggage and gently placed it beside Liang Jin:
"This bag of wine is for Brother Meng. The nights in the Gobi Desert are cold; it will help keep you warm."

Looking at the bag of wine and then at Gao Hongzhe's stubborn gaze, Liang Jin's last thought of persuading him vanished.

He should have known sooner; this guy is a stubborn mule!

He dared to confront the emperor in the imperial palace back then, which is why he was exiled to this harsh and cold western desert.

Despite all that he's been through, his unyielding nature hasn't changed at all.

Changing a person is extremely difficult, especially changing someone with strong beliefs.

Rather than trying in vain, it's better to respect the other party's choice.

Liang Jin nodded, his tone returning to calm:

"Since that's the case, everyone has their own ambitions, so I won't try to persuade you any further."

He changed the subject, a hint of genuine affection showing in his eyes:

"However, when a gentleman embarks on a long journey, how can he be without music to bid him farewell? Today, I will play a piece for you to cheer you on."

After saying this, Liang Jin sat down cross-legged again, his expression becoming solemn.

With a seemingly casual flick of his hand, a simple, ancient-looking seven-stringed zither appeared out of thin air on his knees, as if it had always been there.

He took a deep breath and gently placed his long, slender fingers on the cool strings.

"Om..."

As his fingers plucked the strings, a melodious and clear piano melody flowed out, initially like a gentle stream, soaking into the dry and cold Gobi night.

However, within this music, there was an unyielding, faint sadness, as if the autumn wind was blowing across the wasteland, carrying memories of the past and the melancholy of parting.

The music lingered above the campfire, momentarily drowning out the surrounding noise and drawing the attention of many people nearby.

Gao Hongzhe gave Liang Jin a deep look, his eyes seemingly glistening with tears.

Without saying another word, he nimbly flipped himself onto the camel.

His entourage was already prepared and mounted their camels.

Liang Jin seemed completely immersed in his own world of music, his eyes lowered, his mind and spirit intoxicated, his fingers dancing across the strings like flowing water.

Gao Hongzhe sat on the camel's back and solemnly clasped his hands in a salute towards Liang Jin.

This gesture was both an expression of gratitude for the rare gift of music from a kindred spirit and a farewell to an old friend with whom I shared a different stance but whose affection remained unchanged.

Then, he gently tugged at the reins and gave a low shout:
"let's go!"

The camel strode steadily, carrying Gao Hongzhe and his entourage, accompanied by the sorrowful strains of the zither, slowly making its way into the boundless darkness beyond the town.

Liang Jin watched their retreating figures, his fingers still tracing patterns on the strings. The sorrow in the music gradually faded, replaced by an indescribable passion and desolation, like a hero's lament or a worldly wisdom.

As he played, he spoke, his clear and melodious voice harmonizing with the music, carrying far and wide through the night:

"The world's most powerful people come from my generation, and the time comes when I enter the world."

The force of the fingertips changed abruptly, the sound of the piano soared, becoming powerful and resonant, filled with the heroic spirit of battle, yet also containing a deep sigh for the impermanence of life:

"Imperial ambitions and great achievements are discussed in jest; nothing beats a life of blissful intoxication."

As the last line of poetry faded, Liang Jin's fingers slammed down on the strings!

"Zheng——!"

After a long, trembling sound, all was silent.

All the noise seemed to be swallowed up by the abruptly stopped piano music, and the surroundings fell into a strange tranquility.

The figures of Gao Hongzhe and his group had long since vanished into the vast night, nowhere to be seen again. Just then—

"Crack, crack, crack..."

A burst of clear applause broke the silence at an inopportune moment.

Along with the applause, a charming voice, tinged with a hint of deliberate praise, rang out:
"Excellent! Well played! And even better, a wonderful poem!"

"What a wonderful line, 'Life is but a fleeting dream!' Truly a display of heroic spirit and a profound understanding of the world's illusions!"

Liang Jin slowly raised his head.

Several figures were seen walking through the sparse crowd toward the campfire where he was.

Leading the group was Su Yumo, who had returned. Bao Rui followed at a distance with a few others.

As Su Yumo walked, she clapped her hands, a flawless smile of admiration on her face, but her sharp gaze was fixed on Liang Jin:

"Before I came to the Western Desert, I only heard that the Marquis of Zhenxi was a peerless martial artist, decisive in killing, and his fierce reputation was enough to stop a child from crying."

Her tone shifted slightly, carrying a hint of inquiry:

"I never expected that you, Lord Marquis, would be so accomplished in both literature and martial arts!"

"Not only is his poetry quick-witted and his artistic conception transcendent, but his zither playing is also extraordinary, deeply capturing the essence of the art! It truly makes me look at him with new respect."

Liang Jin stared at her expressionlessly, his spiritual senses working closely around her.

At this moment, Su Yumo still showed no signs of internal energy flowing through her body, and her breathing was as steady as that of an ordinary commoner.

Clearly, her masterful concealment technique had been activated once again, completely hiding her true identity as a third-rank martial artist.

Such a technique, which allows one to conceal one's aura to such a perfect degree, is truly rare, and Liang Jin couldn't help but marvel at it once again.

Of all the masters he has ever met, only two have mastered the art of concealment to this extent.

Aside from Su Yumo in front of me, there is only...

"Ok?"

Liang Jin felt a sudden chill, and a vague thought flashed through his mind like lightning!
"Perhaps... they are all the same person?!"

"But... how is that possible? That person should be imprisoned in the deepest part of the Heavenly Prison right now, or... already beheaded!"

Since his conversation with Gao Hongzhe, Liang Jin's wariness of Su Yumo had been growing day by day.

At this moment, this sudden association made the doubts in his heart even more intense!

Without further hesitation, he subtly activated his mind and instantly connected his consciousness to the [Thousand-Mile Tracking] panel.

He quickly typed three words into the search bar—Hua Nongying!

Hua Nongying was the one who impersonated the empress.

After Liang Jin staged the drama of the real and fake empresses in the palace, the real empress Mu Congshuang was able to be recognized, while the imposter Hua Nongying was imprisoned in the imperial prison with her collarbone pierced, awaiting punishment by the law.

He clearly remembered that the demoness was not only a master of disguise, but also an expert in concealing her presence!

On the map of the 【Thousand Mile Tracking】 panel, dots representing "Hua Nong Ying" quickly appeared!
And the position of one of the light spots... almost completely overlapped with Liang Jin's own!

Close at hand!

Liang Jin's gaze sharpened as he clicked on the detailed information of the light spot.

A familiar face, alluring and beautiful with a hint of evil, along with related identity information, instantly appeared!

Looking at that face and hearing that information, Liang Jin's last shred of hope vanished completely, turning into a silent, cold sigh.

"As expected... it was her!"

At that moment, he had no more doubts!
The woman in front of you who calls herself "Su Yumo" is actually the demoness Hua Nongying, who should have been imprisoned deep in the Heavenly Prison and awaiting execution in the autumn!

"Who exactly is standing behind her?"

Liang Jin's thoughts raced.

He had initially deduced that Hua Nongying belonged to the faction of an ambitious prince, but later signs made him doubt this.

At this moment, he suddenly recalled Hua Nongying's mad shouts, filled with resentment and unwavering certainty, as she was being escorted away by the Imperial Guards:

"Just wait! It won't be long before you all obediently ask me to step down! No matter who ends up in that position, they won't be able to do without us!"

"When the time comes, I will repay this humiliation a hundredfold! You... will all kneel at my feet! Hahahaha—!"

At first, I thought it was just the lament of a defeated dog, but now it seems... that it was probably not just empty threats!

Hua Nongying actually emerged from the heavily guarded prison, and appeared to be completely unharmed, with her skills even showing improvement!

There was no word of her escape from prison in the capital or even the Western Desert, so the most likely explanation is that Emperor Zhao Yu personally issued an edict to pardon her!

Kidnapping and impersonating the Empress is an unforgivable crime that will punish nine generations of one's family!

What kind of exchange of interests took place, or what kind of leverage Hua Nongying and her backers held that would make the emperor make such an illogical decision?

Liang Jin had no intention of delving into the dark power struggles deep within the imperial court for the time being.

But he was 100% certain that Hua Nongying, that vixen, had gone to great lengths to change her appearance and get close to him, and she definitely had no good intentions!
Liang Jin, who had originally harbored a sliver of hope in recruiting high-end combat forces, has now completely abandoned that idea.

Faced with Su Yumo's seemingly sincere praise, Liang Jin only slightly twitched the corner of his mouth and did not respond.

He lowered his head again, his gaze falling on the guqin on his lap. His slender fingers gently plucked the strings once more, producing a few scattered and clear notes, as if nothing had happened. He was still immersed in his own musical world.

This complete disregard caused Su Yumo's smile to freeze, her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and a barely perceptible hint of anger flashed deep in her eyes.

She never expected that after all the effort she put into flattering Liang Jin, he would completely ignore her!

This is simply... incredibly arrogant and rude!

Bao Rui, who was standing nearby, also walked over with those figures.

Upon seeing Liang Jin, he hurried forward, a fawning smile plastered on his face, attempting to break the awkward atmosphere. His voice carried an eagerness to claim credit:

"My dear father! This is wonderful news!"

He deliberately lowered his voice, but it was enough for the people around him to hear clearly:
"I've found out exactly where the divine tortoise blood you've been so eager to obtain is, and... I've even managed to bring the seller here!"

Bao Rui assumed that Liang Jin wanted to hide his identity, so he did not reveal Liang Jin's identity directly, and also broke with tradition by not addressing him as "Lord Marquis".

As he spoke, he waved behind him.

Several men following behind them stepped forward in response.

These men were typical outlaws, wearing oil-stained leather coats, carrying curved knives at their waists, and their faces bore the fierce and weathered look of years of licking blood from the blade.

Their fierce and greedy gazes, like those of hungry wolves, landed on Liang Jin without restraint, sizing him up from head to toe.

One of the men, with a scar on his face, seemed to be the leader. He spoke in a gruff voice, his tone full of impatience and arrogance:

"So you're the one who wants to buy the Divine Turtle Blood from us?"

He spat and continued:
"What the hell price can you offer? Let me tell you, the line of people wanting to buy this treasure could stretch from Duange Town all the way to Hanzhou City!"

He pointed at Bao Rui, his tone even more disdainful:
"If it weren't for your big son bragging that you're a big shot with plenty of money and can offer the highest price, we wouldn't have wasted our time seeing you!"

Liang Jin, however, seemed deaf to their clamor and paid no heed.

He kept his head down, intently plucking the strings, the intermittent notes conveying a sense of nonchalance, as if the people in front of him were nothing more than air.

After waiting for a while, seeing that Liang Jin had no reaction, the men could no longer suppress their anger.

"Damn it! What's going on? Are you kidding us?"

Scarface cursed angrily.

"Look at his shabby appearance, does he look like someone who can afford such a treasure? What a waste of your time!"

"Let's go! What a fucking bad luck!"

The group grumbled and turned to leave.

Bao Rui was sweating profusely and hurriedly stepped forward to try to stop him and explain:
"Hey! My lords, don't rush, don't rush! Let's talk some more..."

But the scarred man shoved him roughly, and he stumbled and almost fell.

Su Yumo's brows furrowed tightly; the situation before her had completely deviated from her planned course.

Logically speaking, since Liang Jin came for the blood of the divine tortoise, how could he remain so indifferent now that the seller has brought the treasure?

This is illogical!

Just as those men were about to blend into the crowd—

Liang Jin, who had been bowing his head and playing the zither, finally spoke again.

His voice wasn't loud, but it possessed a strange penetrating power, clearly reaching the ears of everyone present. His tone was as calm as if he were asking about a trivial matter:

"You're doing business on my turf..."

The music from his fingertips suddenly became powerful and sharp, like the clanging of metal, exuding a chilling murderous aura!
"Have you paid my taxes yet?"

Upon hearing this, the men who were about to leave suddenly stopped and turned around!

They looked as if they had heard the most absurd joke in the world, their faces showing extreme astonishment, which then turned into intense sarcasm.

"Your territory?"

"Paying your taxes?"

"Hahahaha! Are you fucking drunk and talking nonsense?!"

Scarface pointed at Liang Jin's nose and burst into wild laughter:
"Kid, do you even know who's protecting the black market in Duange Town? You dare to talk to us about the law and collect taxes here? Who do you think you are!"

The conflict and shouting immediately attracted the attention of more people in the vicinity.

Many people who were originally drinking, gambling, and trading gathered around, pointing and whispering at Liang Jin with gloating smiles on their faces, as if they were watching a spectacle.

Faced with the crowd's stares and ridicule, Liang Jin finally slowly raised his head.

His face was expressionless, except for his eyes, which, in the firelight, were as cold as ice that had never melted.

He ignored all the mockery, simply repeating it calmly, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority:

"The entire Western Desert is my territory."

His gaze, like a tangible blade, swept over the men whose expressions had slightly changed:

"Doing business on my turf, and not paying taxes to me..."

His fingers pressed down hard on the strings, and all the sound stopped abruptly!

"Besides confiscating the goods, they will also... behead them."

(End of this chapter)