Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 116 West Pillow Clear Stream
At the ferry crossing of Tongbai, dozens of riders kicked up dust.

"Yu Yu~!"

They reined in their horses, and with a neigh, everyone dismounted.

Someone was already waiting on the embankment to lead the horse away.

There were quite a few people at the ferry crossing. Apart from the tough, burly men who weren't afraid of the cold, the boatmen, merchants, and travelers were all dressed in thick clothes, otherwise they wouldn't be able to withstand the bone-chilling river wind.

Every day, many people take boats south from the ferry crossing; whether they are from wealthy families, powerful merchants, or martial arts sects, none of that is particularly remarkable.

Those who regularly make a living at the ferry crossing are already used to it.

but,

The group that arrived today was truly eye-catching. Putting aside the burly men walking together, the young man in white robes at the head of the group caught everyone's attention the moment he dismounted.

Such figures are rare in Huai'an County.

They were walking toward the large ship that was moored at the shore.

Incredibly, men in martial arts attire jumped off the deck of the large ship to greet them from afar.

Many elderly people at the ferry crossing kept their eyes fixed on him. "Isn't that Lu Daxia from Yiyang?"

Since the great bandit of Runan was defeated, many ferries on both banks of the upper reaches of the Huai River have been taken care of by this chivalrous man, Lu. Every old boatman knows him.

Looking at it this way, that outstanding young man is even more extraordinary.

Although the ferry crossing was bustling, no one went to join in.

Let's just enjoy the novelty and excitement.

It was something that left some young women from the Sui Dynasty who were passing by with a lingering feeling. For example, several girls who came from Biyang City, the seat of Huai'an Prefecture, watched him go until he boarded the big ship.

"Butler, who is that young master?"

Beside the carriage of the Prefect of Huai'an, a rather pretty young woman couldn't help but ask a question.

Her friends next to her were also very interested.

The old steward, though knowledgeable, was nervous: "That's a big shot from Nanyang City. Even Prefect Wei wouldn't dare to be negligent towards him. I dare not speak carelessly. If you want to inquire, you can only ask the Prefect."

Just as the daughter of Prefect Wei was about to speak.

Perhaps because the group's gazes were too intense, the person on the boat glanced in their direction.

This was truly a first meeting at Tongbai Ferry, a chance encounter that would ruin one's life forever.

The girls turned away as they watched him. They heard the oarsman's pounding and saw the sails unfurling. The cold waves of the Huai River surged like galloping horses. His figure drifted eastward downstream, his back obscured by a group of burly men, and he was no longer visible.
Lu Zushang glanced behind the ferry crossing and exclaimed dramatically:
"Uncle, you'd better tone down your charm, otherwise, who knows how many girls on both sides of the Yangtze and Huai Rivers will be heartbroken."

He called her "Uncle-Master" so naturally.

It was so natural and obvious that even Zhou Yi couldn't find any fault with it.

In Yiyang, Lu Zushang was the second most skilled fighter after his master, Song Yinzi.

He cultivates internal Taoist skills; how could he not know about his uncle's changes?

When we first met at Sunlight Mountain, I couldn't see through my master's background, but he was nothing like he was today. His profound temperament was something even my master, who had been sitting in Green Pine Temple for a long time, couldn't find.

One can imagine how high his martial arts skills must have been.

"I'd like to trouble you to make this trip."

"Hey, it's alright."

Lu Zushang also revealed: "My master wrote a letter to Sichuan a few days ago. He has a very close relationship with Daoist Yuan Tiangang and knows about this friendship. He is just waiting for my uncle to pass through the Three Gorges. Daoist Yuan will definitely treat him warmly."

"I won't go to Guangshan, please thank them for me."

Zhou Yi took out a thin book from his pocket: "These are some of my insights into practicing the Kanli Sword Qi. I'm also giving them to Fellow Daoist Song. It's a pity that so much time has passed and I still haven't reached the level of sword qi flowing together."

This...this...?

Lu Zushang's facial muscles twitched as he thought, "Is this going to take a long time?"
My master practiced his whole life, but he never achieved the unity of sword energy.

The signature techniques of Louguan Taoism are the result of countless years of honing.

However, judging from his cheap uncle's expression, he was absolutely certain it wasn't an act.

He just thought it was too slow.

He sighed inwardly, feeling much better after removing his martial uncle from the "person" category.

After all, he had tried for a long time but had not even mastered the Blazing Fire Sword Technique.

He carefully tucked the booklet inside his clothes, then suddenly said:
"I heard that General Du is currently waging war in the Liuhe area, or perhaps he intends to retire to Qingliu in the west."

Zhou Yi glanced at Lu Zushang. Since he was paying attention to these matters, he must already know the inside story of Nanyang.

"But is something wrong?"

Lu Zushang's expression turned slightly stern:
"The Qingliu faction is quite complex, involving more than ten sects of the Dajiang Alliance, including the Qingjiang Sect, Cangwu Sect, Jiangnan Society, Mingyang Gang, and Tiandong Sect. Although they do not belong to the Eight Gangs and Ten Societies, their combined power is much greater."

Zhou Yi had some recollection of this group of people; they had chased Ba Feng Han all the way, relentlessly pursuing him.

"In addition to that, there are also the troublesome bandits of Langya."

The bandits were skilled in martial arts, including many top-tier fighters, and had connections with many surrounding forces, including Zhang Shan'an, the leader of the rebel army in Lujiang County.

"It seems you've done quite a bit of research."

Lu Zushang explained, "I once went to Lujiang with the Dajiang Society to do liquor business. Zhang Shan'an and I had a conflict, so I know some things about him."

“A few days ago, General Du came south from the Huai River and I met Mr. Xu. After a brief conversation, I had some ideas. If my uncle is short of manpower, I can lead people across Kaihua and go straight to Lujiang.”

"Now that there are no bandits from Runan to bother me, I can finally free up my resources."

Lu Zushang did not mention it casually, but rather after careful consideration.

On the way from Tongbai to Yiyang, he talked about many topics related to the current situation in the Jianghuai region.

When he disembarked at Huangshui Ferry, Zhou Yi didn't give him any further instructions, prioritizing the stability of the upper reaches of the Huai River.

At the ferry crossing, Wang Honglie, the Prefect of Yiyang, had been waiting for a long time and came to bid farewell to Zhou Yi.

He was a very close friend of Lu Zushang, and although he was only a prefectural assistant, his power was greater than that of the prefect.

Wang, the prefect, didn't say anything unnecessary; he simply brought over some fine wine.

Watching the large ship set sail again, Lu Zushang, having completed his mission, exchanged a few words with Prefect Wang before returning directly to Guangshan.

He rode his horse to Qingsong Temple and handed over the booklet given to him by Zhou Yi to Songyinzi.

Then he discovered something incredible.

From late afternoon until nightfall, the master's eyes never left the small characters in those books.

When the lamps were lit, Lu Zushang could no longer hold back:

"Master, why are you so obsessed?"

The old Taoist priest, who hadn't spoken for a long time, sighed: "There are indeed extraordinary talents in the world, whose ingenuity is bestowed by heaven. They can understand even the simplest truths deeply, which is something that ordinary people cannot see."

"Ok?"

Lu Zushang was somewhat skeptical: "Could it be that Uncle Zhou's cultivation of the Louguan Sword Qi in just a few months is more profound than yours?"

"One should not judge everything solely by the length of time it takes."

Song Yinzi said, "I want to write two more letters."

"To whom should it be sent?"

"Firstly, it should still be sent to Fellow Daoist Yuan of Bashu; secondly..."

Song Yinzi said with a serious expression, "I want to send it to Brother Ningdao."

"What is this for?" Lu Zushang was completely confused.

"I want to tell Ning Sanren that he has grown old."

Lu Zushang shook his head repeatedly: "This is not good. It will bring hatred to Uncle Zhou."

Song Yinzi looked at the small print in the book again: "In my heart, Fellow Daoist Zhou is already the number one person in our Daoist sect. What your grandmaster couldn't do back then, he might be able to do."

Even if it's biased, I will still support it.

"I still remember when I first mentioned the lineage of our sect, Brother Ning thought for a long time, but then I looked at Fellow Daoist Zhou and answered immediately. The difference is huge."

"To use your words as an example, how come Brother Ning's knowledge over the years is still inferior to Fellow Daoist Zhou's?"

It turns out that Master had always remembered this matter; he valued the Daoist lineage very much.

Unfortunately, I lack the talent to practice sword qi.

Lu Zushang understood his master's thoughts: "Will Ning Sanren be angry after reading your letter?"

"No, no."

Song Yinzi said irritably, "How could he lack such magnanimity?"

"I hope that Brother Ning's curiosity will lead him to shift his attention from Buddhism to the geniuses of Taoism. This would be of great benefit to Fellow Daoist Zhou's matter."

……

After passing Huainan and arriving at Zhongli, as soon as the boat anchored, Zhou Yi heard someone singing a fisherman's song in the Wu dialect:

"The Huai River flows swiftly, the winter nights are long. A lone reed drifts on, the rivers and seas are my home."

He stepped out of the ship's cabin and saw several fishing boats passing by the ferry crossing.

As the sun sets and dusk settles over the shore, one can occasionally see a lone wild goose skimming the water and a frozen carp leaping on the waves.

In this situation, Zhou Yi also felt a sense of being adrift in a foreign land.

I recall the time when Yu the Great dredged the rivers, carving out the Longmen Gorge to guide the Huai and Si Rivers. The scholars of the Jian'an era, standing by the clear stream, composed impassioned poems.

He clicked his tongue in disapproval, as if he could smell a foul stench blowing from the Tongji Canal downstream.

His eyes blinked, as if he could see Meng Rang fighting a great battle with the Sui army a hundred miles away.

As soon as I stepped off the boat, people came to greet me.

The man had a scraggly beard and was clearly Kan Leng, a fierce general under Du Fuwei.

Zhongli Ferry was crowded with people, and many were looking around suspiciously.

The situation here is chaotic, and the area has changed hands several times, so it can hardly be considered Jianghuai Army territory.

Moreover, they have informants from various powerful forces.

They dared not be as high-profile as they were in Huai'an.

When Zhou Yi saw Kan Leng approaching with his men to pay their respects, he first raised his hand to stop them. Kan Leng looked around before stepping forward discreetly.

The dozens of experts who traveled south with Zhou Yi stood around the perimeter, blocking all the prying eyes.

He then coldly surveyed the surrounding area, urging all forces to keep their eyes on the line.

They were so fierce that no one on Zhonglijin's side dared to step forward and offend them.

"Grand Commander, we cannot rest in Zhongli tonight. There may be a major battle during the day. We must cross the pond and pass through Zhaoyi County overnight."

This place is located at the border of Wu and Chu, bordering the Huai River.

The battlefield between the Sui army and Meng Rang has spread to this area.

"Let's go."

Zhou Yi wasn't so particular: "I brought quite a few people, are there enough horses?"

Kan Leng glanced at it briefly: "That's enough. Maybe we'll need a few more horses, then two people can ride together."

The large ship was handed over to the retainers of the Lu family in Yiyang, and Zhou Yi and Kan Leng walked towards the ferry crossing.

"Has Mengrang been captured?"

"Not yet."

"What about Liuhe?"

Kan Leng said in a deep voice, "Father once again drove Lai Zheng away, but apart from that dog Li Zitong occupying Hailing, the surrounding rebel armies were all wiped out by Lai Zheng."

“Some scattered troops joined our army, while the rest fled to Hailing.”

"The situation is not good. Once Meng Rang is defeated, we will face the forces of Zhang Xutuo, Lai Zheng, and Yuchi Sheng."

"General Fu is in Yongfu, but I doubt he can hold it either."

Upon hearing Fu Gongshi's name, Zhou Yi frowned slightly.

This is also a guy who could betray you at any time, and he is also a disciple of the Heavenly Lotus Sect of the Demonic Path, and An Long's junior brother.

Kan Leng interrupted his thoughts: "If the three armies attack, Liuhe cannot be defended, and we will have to retreat to Shouchun and rebuild the Huai River."

"Besides the Six Harmonies, are there any other plans?"

"Yes, Lieutenant Li once suggested attacking Qingliu. At first, General Fu did not agree, but once Advisor Xu arrived, the matter was settled."

"Preparations have been underway for a long time."

Zhou Yi had no doubt about Li Jing and Xu Xingzhi's decision.

The information provided by Lu Zushang was also correct.

The only thing that caught his attention was that "Fu Gongshi disagreed."

As Zhou Yi walked, he pondered in his mind.

If Fu Gongshi is stationed in Yongfu and cannot hold it, Liuhe, though an important town, will become an isolated city.

Qingliu is the center of Chuzhou, located to the west of Liuhe. The two are connected by the Chu River. If one occupies Qingliu, one can form a triangular strategic position.

Not only can it support Liuhe, but it can also threaten Liyang and Danyang.

On what grounds should Fu Gongshi disagree?

After having this idea, Zhou Yi talked with Kan Leng all the way, asking about all the big and small things that had happened during this period.

Kan Leng and Du Fuwei paid their respects at Wuzhuang Temple together.

While others were unaware, he knew about his father's relationship with the Grand Commander.

Therefore, nothing is left unsaid.

That night, the group continued their journey without stopping, and at dawn, they finally saw the city of Liuhe.

The Jianghuai Army was initially nervous, but after recognizing the person, they quickly reported it.

Because of the continuous battle with Lai Zheng, most of the Jianghuai army slept fully clothed. When Zhou Yi arrived at the city, the winch turned and the rope clicked and clattered. The drawbridge gates were activated and a large army came out to meet them.

What emerged was the elite Upper Recruitment Battalion of the Jianghuai Army.

"Grand Governor!"

The soldiers shouted in unison, their cries echoing across the north bank of the river, dispersing the morning mist that surrounded the area.

The spears and halberds were arranged like a forest. This kind of solemn military formation, with its coordinated battle formations, was something that even martial arts masters would not dare to easily break into. If they were unable to escape or were held back, they would probably be worn down by the endless stream of soldiers.

Zhou Yi walked ahead of Kan Leng and met Du Fuwei on the drawbridge of Liuhe City below the city.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the two exchanged a smile.

This is a scene that tens of thousands of Jianghuai soldiers will never forget.

"please!"

"please!"

Zhou and Du said their goodbyes, and finally entered the city together amidst Old Du's hearty laughter.

Xu Xingzhi, who was not far away, watched this scene and couldn't help but stroke his beard and smile.

The white-clad figure was reflected in Li Jing's eyes. This second-in-command of the Jianghuai Army, who had become famous after the Battle of Huai River, immediately patted Xu Xingzhi on the shoulder.

He was pulled back to reality from his illusion.

The two went to greet them.

"Grand Governor!"

Li Jing seemed to be influenced by the young man's temperament, and his words were filled with excitement.

"I didn't misjudge you; the pharmacist has lived up to my expectations."

Zhou Yi patted his arm and said only this one sentence.

Then, he went to the Liuhe government office with Du Fuwei.

Old Du is a straightforward man. He already said all the unnecessary things in Nanyang. Right now, he just wants the Jianghuai Army to take root in Liuhe and, ideally, to fight their way to Jiangnan.

Zhou Yi didn't sleep all night. He drank a few cups of tea with Lao Du to wake himself up and then headed straight for the Jianghuai naval camp.

He and Lao Du had a clear division of labor: Lao Du would guard the main force and organize the army, while he would deal with the Qingliu faction.

After a period of absence, the Jianghuai naval forces have become completely different.

In particular, the defeat of the enemy forces greatly boosted the morale of the army.

Having chatted with Kan Leng the whole way, he already had a pretty good understanding of the situation.

When the tent flap was opened, Li Jing and Xu Xingzhi were about to get up.

Zhou Yi waved his hand to stop them, sat down with them, and told them to continue.

The two quickly adapted and then discussed how to deploy troops and allocate supplies.
Zhou Yi simply listened and didn't intend to make any micromanagement moves, so he didn't interrupt.

Xu Xingzhi was indeed capable, managing to keep up with Li Jing's pace.

After they finished discussing the matter, they relayed their strategy for dealing with Qingliu to Zhou Yi.

The Jianghuai naval forces have now expanded to four thousand men, while the Qingliu regular garrison is less than two thousand.

But this is a siege, not a battle on a plain.

The city walls of Qingliu are not high, only three zhang high, far less than the magnificent walls of Jiangdu.

A skilled soldier could easily scale the city wall with just a slight movement.

If a master of light-body skills arrives at the city gates, they can leap over it with a single breath of internal energy.

After arriving in Nanyang, Lao Du did not keep anything to himself and assigned some of the top experts from the Shangmu Camp to the navy.

Qingliu was not considered a fortified city by the Jianghuai Army.

However, once the battle begins and the city walls are breached, there are also skilled fighters within Qingliu City to counter them, so it's not guaranteed that you'll gain the upper hand.

Li Jing said, "We have been studying this for several days. Taking this city should not be difficult, but we must not suffer too many casualties. Otherwise, we will not be able to control the situation in the city. If we occupy the city, we will be in a dilemma and become a burden."

"Should I join the war?" Zhou Yi asked.

“My family only has one martial arts master, the Grand Commander. How can we let such a powerful weapon go to waste?”

Xu Xingzhi reassured him, "Of course, this is because we are not yet fully developed. We only need to wait until our troops are strong and our horses are ready, and then the Grand Commander can rest easy in the rear."

Li Jing nodded in agreement, and Zhou Yi naturally had no objections.

Then, the two discussed several strategies before and after the occupation of the city.

He discovered that the situation was more complicated than Lu Zushang had described.

"Although Qingliu's location is not as good as Liuhe's, its territory is more than five times larger. If the forces in the city support the officials, the number of soldiers guarding the city will soon reach tens of thousands. Moreover, all the major families have their own retainers and experts, as well as the Tiandong and Tujiang factions of the Great River Alliance."

"Although they are not a united front, we dare not rush to deploy troops because of the situation in the city."

"Therefore, once the city is besieged, it must be taken quickly."

"At that time, for the forces in the city, it was just a change of government office. They couldn't unite in a short time, so they had no choice but to accept it."

After Li Jing finished speaking, Xu Xingzhi added:
"The Jianghuai Army doesn't have a good reputation, which is quite different from the situation in Nanyang. Most of the surrounding rebel armies are the same. To avoid dealing with the powerful families in the city, some rebel armies directly enter the city to plunder and leave after looting."

Those who couldn't hold the city became bandits, like the notorious bandits of Langya Mountain.

After some deliberation, Zhou Yi decided to postpone any plans for what would happen after the siege.

Suddenly asked:

When are you planning to make your move?

"In another eight or nine days, let's see what Yuchi Sheng is up to in Yangzi County."

Does anyone else know this time?

Xu Xing immediately became alert: "Whom should the Celestial Master be wary of?"

Zhou Yi listened to the sounds coming from all directions and whispered, "Fu Gongshi."

The two were both surprised and suspicious.

Zhou Yi then recounted Fu Gongshi's origins and his suspicions.

Li Jing's expression changed, he crumpled the paper on the table into a ball, and immediately changed his strategy:

"It seems we can't wait too long. We'll act immediately on the evening of the fourth day."

Xu Xingzhi said, "It's fortunate that we have the Heavenly Master as a fighting force, so it's not too hasty. However, we must keep the county magistrate Kuang Yao in the city alive; we cannot kill him."

"Oh? Is this Magistrate Kuang very popular with the people?"

Li Jing quickly shook his head: "Military Advisor Xu means to behead him and display his head on the city wall for seven days."

Zhou Yi realized he had misunderstood: "It seems the people of Qingliu are not doing well."

"It's very bad."

Xu Xingzhi pointed towards Chuzhou: "It's not that we're starving or thirsty, it's just that we're constantly on edge, our heads are hanging by a thread, and we could be robbed by a big thief at any moment. This Magistrate Kuang is a local tyrant, he's tyrannical and has forcibly taken many concubines."

"Does the Grand Commander have a way to change this situation?"

Zhou Yi's expression remained calm: "I only know one method, and that is to slaughter everyone, leaving no one alive."

"very good."

Xu Xingzhi said, “Those people on the city wall are all Kuang Yao’s lackeys. They’re used to bullying others by relying on their power, and no one dares to offend them. When the Grand Commander kills people, he must not hold back.”

Li Jing, who was standing to the side, glanced at Xu Xingzhi, and then at the Grand Commander who had suddenly fallen silent.

This completely ignited the martial arts master's killing intent.

Magistrate Kuang must express his gratitude to Military Advisor Xu.

After talking with the two, Zhou Yi went to catch up on his sleep.

When I woke up, it was already dark.

At this time, Li Jing and Xu Xingzhi arrived together, and another group of people from the Giant Kun Gang brought back news from the city.

When Li Jing attacked Lai Zheng, Bu Tianzhi provided a number of ships.

This time, most of the news in Qingliu City was brought out by the Giant Kun Gang.

As it turns out, Zhou Yi's concerns were entirely correct.

Sure enough, things have changed in Qingliu City.

The next morning, he went to see Du Fuwei again.

Old Du assigned Ximen Junyi and Wang Lanfang to him; this couple were the two strongest in the Jianghuai army after Wang Xiongdan and Kan Leng. After assigning these two capable generals to Li Jing, Zhou Yi set off from Liuhe ahead of time.

The people he brought from Nanyang were all unfamiliar faces, so they disguised themselves as a caravan, pulling several carts of tea, medicinal herbs, and silk cloth towards Qingliu.

Before setting off, Zhou Yi summoned Feng Si, the most resourceful person in the temple.

He was given instructions to lead a group of skilled warriors ahead of the caravan.

Less than ten miles from Liuhe city, you pass through a cedar forest.

Footsteps came from ahead.

"Be honest!"

Feng Si shouted at a lean man, "Boss, we've caught a 'thief'!"

At this point, disguised as a caravan, one would naturally have to call oneself the caravan leader.

"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding! Friends, I am certainly not a thief."

The man was terrified by the stares of the crowd.

Feng Si sneered:
"You've been scouting around our territory, what else could you be but a thief? I've heard that the Langya bandits are rampant, and the Seven Great Thieves run rampant. You're probably one of their henchmen."

"is not it?"

One of the leaders of the Nanyang Gang, who was over sixty years old, was named Di Fangsi. He was also one of the earliest people to follow Yang Dalongtou.

Among the accompanying experts, he possessed the deepest skill.

At this moment, disguised as the deputy leader, he rode his horse a few steps closer to Zhou Yi and shouted directly at the man:
"Tell me, where are you planning to make your move?!"

Seeing that he still didn't speak, Di Fangsi drew his knife: "Boss, let's just kill him."

Zhou Yi didn't hesitate: "Kill them, then we'll return to Liuhe to avoid trouble."

"Slowly!"

The man slumped to the ground, looking so disheveled that it was hard to believe he knew martial arts.

"My name is Jin Jin, and I am a member of the Tujiang Sect!"

He introduced himself, repeatedly saying, "This leader, I am indeed from the Tujiang faction. The guards at Qingliu City Tower also know me. You can ask around if you don't believe me."

"Really?" Di Fangsi's old face was stern, but he put away his knife.

"You'll know as soon as you ask! You'll know as soon as you ask!"

Feng Si said, "Two gang leaders, don't believe it."

"The Tujiang faction is a branch of the Dajiang Alliance. How could its members be trespassing on the official road?"

"Huh?!" Di Fangsi drew his sword in a second strike. "How do you explain this?"

His old face was dark, filled with murderous intent: "Look into my eyes and answer me!"

Jin Jin swallowed hard, not daring to hide anything: "I saw you coming out of Liuhe City and assumed you were from the Jianghuai Army, so I investigated and was preparing to go back and tell the Qingliu garrison."

Seeing that he didn't seem to be lying, Di Fangsi sheathed his knife.

Zhou Yi waved his hand, and Feng Si and the others also moved aside from Jin Jin.

At this moment, several men in the gang laughed heartily.

Speaking with a Central Plains accent, he said, "We're from Huai'an, how could we be some Jianghuai Army? What nonsense are you talking about?"

Jin Jin found their accents to be very authentic.

I couldn't help but ask, "Which caravan are you from?"

"The Biyang caravan is also acquainted with Prefect Wei of Huai'an. Last time, when rice was stolen from Yongfeng Granary, we even helped Prefect Wei chase down the bandits."

Di Fangsi said, "Business in Nanyang is not good; it's been taken over by the Dangyang horse caravan from the Flying Horse Ranch."

"So, I headed south to see if there was any business to be had."

After listening, Jin Jin carefully examined the group of people.

If it weren't for the fact that it originated from the Central Plains, it wouldn't be possible to explain things so clearly.

The Great River Alliance shares intelligence, and some of the information matches what he already knows.

He dusted himself off, and his disheveled appearance was about 70-80% gone.

At this moment, he clasped his hands in a fist and said:
"So you're a friend from Huai'an."

"What kind of business are you interested in?"

Zhou Yi asked in surprise, "Can Brother Jin speak on behalf of the Tu Jiang faction?"

Jin Jin smiled and said, "I am an acquaintance of the sect leader. Why don't you come with me to Qingliu?"

Di Fangsi then said, "If you fight with the Jianghuai Army, we won't be able to transport the sheepskins."

"sheepskin?!"

Jin Jin perked up: "I wonder how your gang obtained the sheepskins?"

"Naturally, it's the caravans from the northern frontier."

Zhou Yi said, "That Chief Xu of the Northern Horse Gang owes me a large sum of money, which is why I've been able to maintain my business. If it weren't for the power of the Pegasus Ranch, we wouldn't have needed to come down the Huai River from Tongbai."

"I see."

Jin Jin became much more enthusiastic: "It's alright here in Qingliu. Even if they fight again, it won't affect us."

He then went on to talk about the situation in Qingliu City, which finally calmed the group down.

Jin Jin boarded a cargo wagon and headed towards Qingliu in Chuzhou with Zhou Yi.

As the sun was about to set, we finally saw the city walls.

On the iron-clad wooden gate of Jijiang Gate, copper nails reflected the afterglow of the setting sun.

A quick glance at the city walls revealed armored soldiers everywhere. Several tall, sharp-eyed men were raising a hand to shield their foreheads as they looked around, while archers stood ready at any moment.

"Stop, who are you?!"

A tall, burly man was walking towards them with a knife. Jin Jin jumped off the carriage and went to greet him.

"So you're a friend of the Tujiang faction."

The team leader chuckled and said, "However, these are extraordinary times. Since they are guests from afar, we must be wary of them being Jianghuai rebels in disguise."

"Brother Jin also knows that we are acting on orders from the government and dare not do so arbitrarily."

"The major families in the city share the same idea."

Zhou Yi glanced at the group and rode up.

Feng Si hurriedly followed, reached into his pocket, and stuffed a handful of silver into the hand of the team leader.

Zhou Yi smiled and said, "I'd like to invite a few friends for drinks."

"I also greatly admire Magistrate Kuang. After I finish discussing business with my friends from the Tujiang faction, I will bring generous gifts to visit you."

The captain laughed heartily, his expression changing completely: "Friends from Huai'an, please come in!"

"Get out of my way!"

Hundreds of armed guards at the city gate made way for them.

Jin Jin thanked him, said something else, and then led the Biyang caravan into the city.

At this moment, he walked over to Zhou Yi and explained:
"Please don't be offended, Chief Zhou. This is the rule of the government. Anyone entering the city for the first time must pay a meeting fee. I have already told them that next time our friends from the Biyang Caravan enter the city, they will be free to come and go as they please."

"That's normal, everyone has their own rules."

Zhou Yi was very magnanimous and glanced at Feng Si.

Feng Si stepped forward and whispered, "Chief, I slipped ten thousand taels of gold to the Qingliu government office."

Zhou Yi nodded slightly.

"Brother Jin, how skilled is Magistrate Kuang in martial arts?"

"Quite remarkable."

Jin Jin said, "Our Qingliu is a large county, and Magistrate Kuang's methods are among the top five in Chuzhou."

"No wonder the forces in Qingliu City all support him and resist Du Fuwei."

"Chief Zhou, you may not know this, but Kuang Yao's strength doesn't lie in martial arts. In terms of martial arts, he can't compare to Du Fuwei. But he is quite resourceful and knows how to deal with the major forces in the city."

Jin Jin started the conversation: "For example, at the Chushui ferry crossing, most of the business is done by the Tiandong faction and our Tujiang faction."

"If Du Fuwei enters the city, given his assertive personality, we will have to give up a lot of benefits. Other forces in the city see it this way, which is why there are many who support Kuang Yao."

He nodded upon seeing Zhou Yi.

In order to close the deal with him, Jin Jin revealed, "We had already made preparations after learning that Du Fuwei was going to attack Qingliu."

"Once the majority of the Jianghuai Army moves, Yuchi Sheng in Yangzi County will receive the news and launch a counterattack on Liuhe."

"If he only sends a small team to try and take over Qingliu, then he is just dreaming."

He stopped short of making a point, which reassured Zhou Yi.

You can do business in Qingliu City with peace of mind.

Zhou Yi lost interest in talking and began to admire the scenery of the city.

Qingliu is indeed larger than Liuhe.

We passed through Gulou Street, Xianyu Lane, and Xiqiao Changjie, and then came across the Xiaosha River, an inner river in the city.

The river is crystal clear, and with the setting sun, you can see fish swimming in it.

As dusk settled, the number of pedestrians on the road instantly dwindled by more than half.

In this respect, even Liuhe City cannot compare.

It's easy to imagine that it's unsafe at night, and few people dare to walk alone at night.

The streetlights were far fewer than Zhou Yi had anticipated.

Are there many thieves at night?

Jin Jin listened to Zhou Yi's words and didn't hide anything: "Yes, nobody cares about it now."

"These bandits are connected to the Seven Great Bandits of Langya. These seven bandit leaders have impressive backgrounds, and no one wants to offend them. Previously, some of them stood up for the city, but their entire families were wiped out, and after that, no one dared to interfere."

"Is this really true? Where is Magistrate Kuang?"

Jin Jin scoffed: "Kuang Yao only likes women's bellies, he wouldn't care about these things."

"Chief Zhou, we've arrived!"

As he spoke, he strode towards a mansion with two large lanterns hanging at the entrance, but he didn't see the exceptionally cold face of the young man behind him.

Zhou Yi had amazing hearing and could hear the sounds of clinking glasses and exchanging toasts inside.

Standing beside the two stone lions at the main entrance, looking up, one can see a large plaque with the two gilded characters "Lianfu" (廉府).

"Two gang leaders, please!"

Four people carrying lanterns led Zhou Yi into the mansion.

Fifteen people followed Zhou Yi in; the rest stayed behind to stand at the door and guard the caravan's goods.

The sheepskin business in the northern desert is too tempting.

Jin Jin took it very seriously and led Zhou Yi to a brightly lit hall, which was the reception place of the Tu Jiang Sect's leader, Lian.

At this moment, there were still two guests.

The three men were drinking when they saw them arrive, and all of them turned their gazes toward them.

Behind the three, there were eight or nine other people doing the same thing.

Jin Jin looked closely and realized it was these two.

He immediately changed his tone: "Sect Leader, let me introduce you. This is a distinguished guest from Huai'an."

Jin Jin was all smiles and was about to continue her introduction.

Suddenly, he noticed that the expressions of the three people in the main hall changed.

Everyone, including the sect leader of the Tujiang faction, turned their gazes toward the person beside them.

Jin Jin's smile froze, and she glanced back.

The dozen or so people who were originally following behind him suddenly stopped and blocked the path behind them.

What... what is this supposed to do?
Are they going to take action at the Tujiang faction's base?
Are you crazy?!

The young gang leader, Zhou, was extremely audacious. He seemed to disregard everyone in the hall and walked straight towards the brightest, most magnificently lit area.

"Zhou Zhou, what are you doing?!"

Jin Jin cried out in disbelief.

However, Chief Zhou ignored it.

As he moved, the three sect leaders in the hall were momentarily stunned into stillness.

They didn't understand what was going on either.

The two people in the guest seats looked at Sect Leader Lian with suspicion.

Have our enemies come knocking on our door?
The leader of the Tujiang Sect glanced at his trusted subordinate Jin Jin, put down his wine cup, and spoke:

"I am blind and do not know who you are from."

"Oh, I'm here to discuss business with you."

Zhou Yi continued to go in, standing among the group of people behind the three experts.

A bald man frowned and hissed:
"Kid, take another step forward, and you'll face the consequences."

After he finished speaking, he drew his knife!
Because the young man in white ignored his warning and had already taken three steps forward.

This is a secret technique of the Tian Dong school of sword drawing. The stronger the momentum accumulated before drawing the sword, the faster the sword can be drawn.

In a fit of rage, he channeled his inner energy and unleashed a phantom with a single slash.

Once this sword is drawn, no one dares to underestimate it.

However, the young man didn't even blink, his swift knife closing in within a foot, his left sleeve flashing.

His hand didn't look that fast, but it was just faster than the bald man's knife.

The bald man's strike was all about speed and precision.

At that moment, the back of the knife was held by two fingers.

There was a "click" sound.

Like a crisp sound as bamboo snapped in two, the bald man poured his inner energy into the knife, and the blade itself broke apart.

The young man flicked his finger, creating a sound like wind breaking through the air!
The knife tip sparked as it grazed the bald man's blade, drawing a line of blood from his neck before shattering a vase behind him.

Porcelain shards scattered with a clatter, and the bald man wiped them on his neck.

Looking at the blood on his hands, he was too shocked to speak.

My heart is pounding!

I almost lost my life.

No, it was the other party who spared his life.

Before he could figure out how his opponent had broken his swift blade's momentum, he heard:
"Put your toys away and get them out of the way."

Upon hearing this, the bald, burly man's anger flared even more. How could this be so outrageous!
As the ninth of the twelve masters of the Tian Dong School of swift knives, when has he ever suffered such humiliation?

A battle of wills raged within him as the young man looked up at the world.

He sheathed the broken sword and rolled it aside.

"So you are the Sect Leader Lian of the Tujiang Sect?"

"My name is Lian Zijun."

Sect Leader Lian glanced at the Tian Dong Sect members, and was about to ask another question when someone beat him to it.

"The one who just drew his sword must have been from the Tian Dong faction."

Zhou Yi asked the burly man next to Sect Leader Lian, "Are you the Sect Leader of the Tiandong Sect?"

"good."

The man snorted, his hand resting on the long sword at his waist: "My name is Sang Shihan. Fellow martial artists, please give me face and call me Tian Dong Quick Blade. My friend, you saw through my swordplay; your skill and insight are indeed considerable."

"But to look down on our school because of this would be too arrogant."

"Oh?"

Zhou Yi said, "What Sect Leader Sang said is quite interesting."

"So, your knife is very sharp?"

Sang Shih-han revealed a proud look: "Not only among the Qingliu faction, but also among the dozen or so factions of the entire Dajiang Alliance, I, Sang, am the fastest swordsman."

The three noticed that the young man in white smiled slightly after hearing these words.

“Perfect, my sword is fast too.”

"Which is faster, my sword or Sect Leader Sang's saber? We don't know for now."

"However, there is one thing I can tell Sect Leader Sang."

"Once I draw my sword, someone will die."

"Your subordinate was disrespectful to me just now, but I didn't kill him. Consider it as me being a guest here, and I'm giving you face."

"If I draw my sword now, your life will end here."

"Would you like to try it?"

Sang Shih-han has always had an explosive temper, but he's not stupid. He only spoke up to save face.

To their surprise, the other party was so resolute, leaving them no way out.

Faced with the strange young man who suddenly appeared before him, he had no confidence in winning. At this moment, his body trembled slightly, and he wanted to draw his sword, but dared not.

He understood.

In truth, I have already lost.

With the Tian Dong School's secret sword-drawing technique, if one lacks the courage to draw the sword, how can one possess such an overwhelming sword aura?
If they were to make a move now, they probably wouldn't even be able to unleash 70% of their full strength.

The way this guy spoke clearly showed that he had seen through the sect's secret techniques in a short time!

Sang Shih-han was shocked and angry, but also somewhat impressed.

But as the leader of a sect, how could I show weakness!
"Draw your swords, and let's see who dies today!"

Sang Shih-han roared, raising his own imposing aura.

"Head!"

Several experts from the Tian Dong faction sensed something was wrong and spoke up to stop them.

At that moment, a hand covered in calluses pressed down on the hilt of his knife.

"Brother Sang, please calm down."

The middle-aged man in the guest seat on the right stood up. He had a short beard, a broad forehead, and very bright eyes.

"I am Li Taonian, the deputy leader of the Qingjiang Sect."

Zhou Yi glanced at him again: "What is your relationship with Wu Dingfeng?"

"Xiang Qingliu is naturally my senior brother."

Zhou Yi said, "The Qingjiang Sect is famous for its swordsmanship. Does Sect Leader Li want to show off his skills in place of Sect Leader Sang?"

"Do not."

Li Taonian said, "My friend and I are both guests at the Tujiang Sect today. It is not appropriate for a guest to start a fight at the host's house."

"My friend is young, but he has martial arts skills that I can't figure out."

"Li admired him greatly."

"I have some mediocre internal martial arts skills, and I'd like to show them off to my friends."

Lian Zijun and Sang Shihan suddenly realized the truth and sighed in admiration at Brother Li's brilliance.

The head of the Qingjiang Sect is known as Wudingfeng, while his junior brother Li Taonian is called Wuyifeng.

The term "无已" (wú yǐ) means without end, implying that his internal energy is continuous and has extremely strong staying power.

Even if a young master is highly talented, his internal strength will inevitably be his weakest point.

Li Taonian specializes in internal energy cultivation. While his swordsmanship is inferior to his senior brother's, his internal energy cultivation ranks among the top three in the entire Dajiang Alliance.

It would be unwise to engage in a fight without knowing this person's swordsmanship.

But we can't let Dajianglian lose face when unpleasant guests come knocking.

Li Taonian's idea couldn't be more correct.

"Very well, my internal strength is also mediocre."

Zhou Yi raised his hand slightly.

The three sect leaders were initially caught off guard, but suddenly took a step back at the same time.

In the brightly lit hall, there was no wind, yet all the candles suddenly swayed in one direction!
The blood on the bald man's neck now formed a blood ring that swirls around both sides of his neck.

An unparalleled aura emanated from the white-clad youth, radiating outwards in all directions.

Jin Jin was terrified.

The entire Tujiang Sect hall flickered with light, the lights dancing incessantly!

However, not a single oil lamp or candle went out.

Even more strangely, the young man at the center of the aura didn't move a single hair.

This is incredible, exquisite control!

Cold sweat broke out on the backs of the three sect leaders.

Martial Arts Master!

"Sect Leader Li, shall I make the first move, or shall you?"

Li Taonian didn't speak, but looked at Lian Zijun.

Lian Zijun remained silent, staring at Jin Jin in a daze.
……

(End of this chapter)