Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 142 The Steps of the Mortal World: A Stranger from Jiangdu
I spent the night in a deserted temple, sleeping with the moon as my companion.

For people in the martial arts world, whether they come from the northern grasslands, Goguryeo, the Western Regions, or the Sui Dynasty in the east, it is all perfectly normal.

The cicadas have already been buried in late autumn, leaving their eggs to lie dormant.

Kou and Xu, on the other hand, took the place of "Cicada" and chattered around Ba Feng Han, inquiring about his origins.

Ba Feng Han escaped from Wu Zun's hands to the Central Plains, intending to challenge the great masters of the Central Plains to improve his martial arts, and then return to the grasslands to challenge Bi Xuan.

After suffering three defeats in three battles, his arrogant and domineering attitude when he left Yuguan Pass had become somewhat restrained.

Therefore, he was relatively friendly to the two young men who had pulled him out, and also took the opportunity to inquire about the current situation of the Sui Dynasty from them.

Having encountered setbacks at every turn, Mr. Ba was so badly beaten that he was completely disoriented.

"Young man, you're going to challenge the number one young person?"

Kou and Xu looked at Ba Feng Han, whose face was resolute, and couldn't help but grin.

"What's so funny?"

Ba Feng Han said in a deep voice, "Bi Xuan's first disciple also died at my hands. Why can't we fight against experts of the same generation?"

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were about to head to Xingyang and had long planned to collect debts from Li Mi, so they naturally wouldn't expose their relationship with Boss Zhou.

Xu Ziling kindly advised:
"We may have seen that person carrying the coffin you mentioned."

"Oh?"

"He encountered the first person you were looking for, and could only run away carrying a coffin."

Ba Feng Han's expression turned serious. "Have you ever seen this man surnamed Zhou?"

"I've seen it."

Kou Zhong noticed that Jin Zhengzong was also listening, so he said, "At that time, we were rowing on the river when suddenly the waves surged and the river waves lifted the boat. We lost our footing and fell into the water. Then we saw an old dragon emerge, followed by a young gentleman. He is the one you are looking for."

"He just returned from the Dragon King's grand banquet. The old dragon invited him to drink tea and wine, and he was having a very pleasant and carefree time."

Kim Jeongjong shouted, "As expected, you two brats are spouting nonsense."

Fu Junyu rolled her eyes.

Fu Junzhuo smiled and asked, "Is this true?"

“Hey, why would I lie to Sister Fu? If you don’t believe me, ask Xiao Ling. After he studied the Book of Rites, he never lies.”

Xu Ziling was tugged by Kou Zhong. What Kou Zhong said was indeed true; the "Old Dragon" had indeed invited Brother Zhou for drinks and tea.

So he nodded sincerely.

Shi Long pretended not to hear and went to sleep leaning against the courtyard wall.

This puzzled Fu Junzhuo. Fu Junyu, holding his longsword, said, "Gods and ghosts are all made up to deceive people. You two were fooled and believed it. What does it matter if it's true or false?"

Kou Zhong was about to argue with Fu Junyu when Ba Feng Han suddenly straightened up.

He was very cautious, and even while speaking, he didn't forget to heal his wounds. Now he was able to move again.

Although there were many people around, he was still confident that he could break through.

Moreover, these people might not necessarily stop him.

"What are you doing, kid?"

Ba Feng Han said, "Since there are so many experts in Nanyang, and the Champion's Coffin Palace, I naturally want to go and see it. I will repay the two of you for saving me."

Kou Zhong couldn't believe it: "What are you going to do?"

Xu Ziling said, "He wants to break into the coffin palace."

Kou Zhongchao glanced at Ba Fenghan's disheveled hair, and recalling the rumors circulating in the martial arts world, was about to offer another word of advice.

Suddenly, Xu Ziling felt a sense of crisis and pulled his arm.

Kou Zhong understood that Xiao Ling had the talent to sense danger, so he quickly pretended to be asleep with him.

Ba Feng Han was incredibly shrewd. As soon as the wind picked up outside, he closed his eyes and lay down on the door.

King Jeongjong sensed something was amiss, and dozens of people in the temple all put down their weapons.

Outside the courtyard wall, a dark figure silently leaped in like a zombie. He wore a crown that reached the heavens, carried a huge pair of scissors on his back, and held the head of a man from the northern desert in his hand. This person was naturally a newcomer to the Pushan Duke's camp.

Li Mi felt immense pressure from the Jianghuai region, so he colluded with various forces.

If he were located further north, he would probably have relied on Khagan Jieli, just like Liang Shidu and Liu Wuzhou.

However, both the steppe powers and Goguryeo valued him as a thorn in their side.

These people from Goguryeo therefore went to Xingyang.

On the door panel, Ba Feng Han held his breath, ready for battle.

The strange man who had suddenly appeared was staring at him.

Jin Zhengzong, Fu Junzhuo, Fu Junyu and other experts did not make a move.

The door slammed open with a "click".

A strange-looking monk dressed in a black kasaya walked in.

He glanced around and came to Ba Feng Han's side, standing with Emperor Ding in front and behind, protecting the wounded man.

"Swish, swish, swish~!"

Fifteen dark figures landed on the courtyard wall in succession, one of whom was carrying a coffin.

King Jeongjong glanced at these people and knew they came from the Coffin Palace.

Ba Feng Han glanced sideways at Kou Xu, who was pretending to be asleep, and felt the powerful auras surrounding him. A thousand warhorses galloped through his mind.

He really couldn't understand what was going on.

Another expert!

"Ha, ha, ha~!"

A burst of unrestrained laughter rang out; the first laugh came from a distance, but by the third, it was already at the temple gate.

His laughter carries a powerful spiritual charm.

Under the starlight and moonlight, a thin, dark-skinned monk dressed as an Indian strode into the courtyard.

When Fu Nanda stopped, he looked at the roof of the dilapidated temple.

Standing there was a handsome monk, not yet forty years old, with a serene and divine light on his face, wearing a brown monk's robe.

Kim Jeongjong's heart tightened; he had already recognized the person on the roof.

It was Abbot Liaokong of Jingnian Temple who had been practicing silent meditation for many years and never spoke.

Facing the emptiness, Vonganda bowed to the Buddha and said:

"My friends from the Great Sui Dynasty, please grant me the honor of having a few days to communicate with Master Bu Tan."

"Since you do not respond, this humble monk will assume that you agree."

Liaokong, practicing silent meditation, remained silent, but from the darkness, the voice of an old monk echoed in the distance:
"Goodness is goodness."

"Do not be greedy, come back to Jingnian Temple with us."

“If Master Fu wishes to discuss Buddhism, please come to the Sanlun School.”

Upon hearing this, Fu Nanda put his hands together in prayer and said, "This humble monk has disturbed you."

He made a move to leave, but as he turned around, he suddenly shot forward and pounced on Monk Bu Tan. He was not afraid of any title of Zen Master or Holy Monk.

A great battle is about to break out in the dilapidated temple.

The large number of people brought by King Jungjong naturally tried to avoid the conflict and were drawn into the Buddhist war between the Western Regions and the Central Plains.

Furthermore, being labeled as part of Li Mi's faction, several people were captured by Emperor Ding amidst the chaos.

The Three Dragons of Yangzhou originally planned to escape in the chaos, and Ba Feng Han had the same idea.

Unexpectedly, Shen Luoyan led a large army to surround the ruined temple.

As Fu Nanda retreated from south to north, he only heard snippets of conversation about the non-duality of Buddha and Mara.

Liaokong and Master Jiaxiang took away the monk Butan, who was in a strange state.

Then he asked how he escaped from Shi Zhixuan's clutches.

Unexpectedly, even the monk Bu Tan himself didn't know the reason.

The three dragons of Yangzhou and Ba Feng Han were unable to escape. The dilapidated temple had completely collapsed, and they followed Emperor Jin Zhengzong to Xingyang overnight.

Throughout the journey, Ba Feng Han continued to feign weakness, while Kou and Xu worked together to lift the door panel.

Shen Luoyan became interested when Jin Zhengzong told her that they came from the "Ryukyu Weapon Factory" of the Dongming faction.

However, after noticing the Goguryeo group's wariness of them, Pushan Gongyeong naturally became more cautious.

Kou and Xu chatted idly with Shen Luoyan the whole way, and whenever there was a slip-up, Shi Long, who was not very talkative, would chime in with a few words.

The more tired they became of talking to Shen Luoyan, the better Fu Junzhuo treated them.

When Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling arrived in Xingyang from the west of Jiyin, the way they addressed her as "Sister Fu" carried a more sincere meaning.

Fu Junyu didn't know why her senior sister had become acquainted with these two boys, but she didn't care.

Only Kim Jung-jong kept reminding them that the two boys were after Master Yi-geon's martial arts.

They entered Xingyang.

Sanlong returned to his old profession and was assigned to the weapons foundry.

The three dragons of Yangzhou had no objections; for them, blacksmithing had become part of their training.

Ba Feng Han was treated the same as them, so Wu Zun sent people to chase him from the northern desert to the Central Plains. But he never expected that the arrogant Ba Feng Han would be blacksmithing in Xingyang.

He fanned the fire in the furnace for the three dragons, and from them he also heard the wondrous concept of "fire in the furnace."

For a time, he also became interested in blacksmithing and casting.

As the four became more and more familiar with each other, they began to share their martial arts techniques.

Their personalities blended together. While forging iron, Ba Feng Han talked about his life on the grasslands and mentioned that Wu Zun's Blazing Sun Technique was much hotter than a furnace.

He also learned more from Sanlong, as well as about the mysterious Boss Zhou.

After seven or eight days, the cold had turned into rheumatic cold.

At the same time, Kou and Xu encountered someone who was kind to them.

It turned out that Zhai Rang's daughter, Zhai Jiao, heard from Tu Shufang, the chief steward of the Dragon Head Mansion, that there were a few blacksmiths who could forge weapons. So she sent her maid, Su Su, to find them and ask them to help her forge a weapon to give to Zhai Rang as a birthday gift.

After several conversations, Su Su learned that they were not doing well at the weapons foundry, so she secretly brought them some food and drink, showing her concern.

From Su Su, Kou Xu learned more about the rift between Li Mi and Zhai Rang.

I also learned something: the strange man carrying scissors that we encountered that night has been attacking Li Mi's men lately.

Given his long-standing dislike for Li Mi, it wasn't surprising that the people in the coffin palace also wanted to kill him.

Half a month later, Ba Feng Han and Shi Long were still forging iron.

Kou and Xu entered the Zhai residence under the pretense of delivering weapons.

After meeting with Miss Zhai and Steward Tu Shufang, the two finally understood the internal situation in Xingyang and Wagangzhai.

"Young Master Zhong, what do you suggest we do?"

Kou Zhong said, "Xiao Ling, don't you want to help Sister Su Su?"

"I don't know how to help."

Xu Ziling frowned:

“Although Zhai Rang is the big boss, his words no longer carry the same weight as Li Mi’s in Xingyang. We can’t defeat him on our own. Judging from Tu Shufang’s tone, Li Mi has gathered so many helpers and could make a move at any time. We won’t be able to get Brother Zhou’s debt back this time.”

"Hehe, don't be discouraged, we still have Lao Ba and Boss Shi."

Kou Zhong put his arm around his shoulder and said as they walked, "Maybe we can pull off a big heist and ruin Li Mi's good mood."

……

The time is September, and the order belongs to the third autumn.

The mighty Yangtze River flows from the westernmost point to the east.

At the Yangzijin ferry crossing in Jiangdu, official boats and merchant ships swarmed together, their iron chains tethering the shore and their masts obscuring the sky.

"Young master, young master~"

The boatman called out twice, and only then did the young scholar, who was standing at the bow gazing at the magnificent wall, turn around.

The old boatman, around forty years old, spoke with a Wu accent:

"Young master, we've arrived. Don't linger over the river scenery. If you enter the city too late, you won't be able to find an inn to rest at. There are just too many people here lately."

The scholar was somewhat curious:

"Was that army that just passed by returning from Yangzi County?"

The boatman paused for a moment, then fiddled with the pole:

"You seem quite familiar with our Yangzhou area; they are indeed from Yangzi County."

However, none of the soldiers and officers in Jiangdu were willing to go there. Even Commander Yuchi avoided the Grand Commander and withdrew his men back to Yangzhou.

He wanted to say more, but not knowing the identity of the person in front of him, he only said:

"I heard that General Zhang Xutuo led his troops south, but failed to enter the city. He was sent to Yangzi County by Commander Yuchi to face the Jianghuai Army."

The boatman shook his head repeatedly:

"Not only is General Zhang unhappy, but even the people of Yangzi County are unhappy. What do you mean by 'suppressing rebels'? That..."

He grinned at this point, then quickly stopped.

If this scholar were a member of the imperial court, wouldn't he be in trouble?

But the scholar seemed to be deep in thought. He took out a piece of silver from his pocket, bent down and placed it on the boat, thanked him, and then got off the boat.

There were a large number of guards at the city gate, and rows of archers walked back and forth above.

Jiangdu City already had Yuchi Sheng's army, and later more than 100,000 Xiaoguo troops marched south, making the city a den of dragons and tigers.

Near the city gate sat several locals and江湖有有 (people with connections to the underworld).

They could recognize any major thief in the vicinity as soon as they saw him.

In addition, when they saw a suspicious person, some people were flipping through images and checking them one by one.

Wanted posters were plastered on the city wall.

The first wanted poster depicted a young man, and the government offered a reward of 50,000 gold coins.

Unfortunately, no one was willing to take on this dangerous job.

Posting it out is just to let people see the attitude of Chief Steward Yuchi.

The rebels must be suppressed, but it's uncertain when that will happen.

"go in."

Several locals glanced at the scholar and casually let him pass.

Zhou Yi entered the city and touched his face.

Old Lu's disguise skills are unparalleled. This mask, when worn on the face, is so thin that it not only changes one's appearance but also allows one to express emotions.

The greatest craftsman in the world, truly deserving of the title.

Even now in Jiangdu City, he dares not show his true face.

Moreover, if people were to see the young lady of the Dugu family mingling with the great rebel, it would be quite bad for the Dugu clan, which is currently embroiled in conflict.

Without being tempted by the city's prosperity, Zhou Yi first went to find the Giant Kun Gang's base.

However, in front of a liquor store, he saw a huge seal.

The Giant Kun Gang's branch was shut down.

That doesn't make sense. Isn't Bu Tianzhi in Jiangdu?

The letter was also sent by him.

Now that he has changed his appearance, he doesn't expect the members of the Giant Kun Gang to recognize him.

Zhou Yi steadied himself. As it was getting late, he decided to find an inn to stay at.

The next morning, they found the South Gate Restaurant.

Time has passed, and Old Feng's meat and vegetable buns are no longer available; they've been replaced by another bun shop.

Unfortunately, his skills were lacking, so business wasn't that good.

After inquiring, it was learned that Feng Qiang and his family had been summoned to the palace to work in the imperial kitchen.

Zhou Yi casually bought a few steamed buns and then saw a group of soldiers, all speaking with a Guanzhong accent, who seemed to be from the Xiaoguo Army.

The boss was very conscientious and didn't dare ask them for money.

The Xiaoguo army has no shortage of kind and loyal people, but most of them are like this.

Because most of them were from Guanzhong, and they had traveled to Jiangnan against their will, they dared not vent their anger on their superiors, so the people of Jiangdu became their punching bags.

These disputes were everywhere, and Zhou Yi couldn't pay attention to them.

He asked around and found out that the Dugu family had acquired a large mansion in Jiangdu.

Baofang Street, located slightly west of the city center, is a bustling long street lined with luxury cars.

Zhou Yi decided to look for the person again that night, but both inns on Baofang Street were full. He then went to a third inn, Yuelai Inn, where the rooms were noisy and bustling.

The waiter shook the cloth on his shoulder and greeted, "Sir, you're welcome for a bite, but we don't have any rooms available for a stay."

That's outrageous! Do you think I have nowhere to live?

Zhou Yi smiled, walked two hundred paces along the street from the inn, and stopped in front of a stone lion. Several luxurious carriages with brocade canopies were parked nearby, and seven or eight strong horses were snorting by the courtyard wall.

The mansion had a gilded plaque above its gate that read "Dugu Mansion".

Although Jiangdu was not the stronghold of the Dugu family, the reputation of the four major clans was enough to deter many people.

Leaving aside the vast connections, Dugu Sheng and Dugu Ba, who accompanied the group, were already holding important positions in the palace.

Inside the vermilion gate studded with copper nails, a gatekeeper peered out.

Today, all the visitors arrived by horse-drawn carriage.

At this moment, the young scholar, not yet thirty, standing before the gate, though without a carriage, possessed an air of refinement in his light robes and flowing belt.

He dared not underestimate him, and seeing that Zhou Yi intended to come, he went to greet him.

"Young master, what brings you here?"

"I have come to find Miss Dugu."

The gatekeeper understood immediately and was about to send the man away.

Suddenly, the scholar looked serious and took out a letter from his sleeve: "This is what the old lady asked me to give to Miss Feng."

The gatekeeper widened his eyes, wanting to find out if it was true or false.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard inside the mansion, and the gatekeeper quickly bowed.

The newcomer looked unremarkable; he was about fifty years old, a short, thin old man, but his eyes were bright and his temples were bulging.

It was Dugu Sheng, a skilled bodyguard who enjoyed the deep trust of Yang Guang.

He was also the person in charge of the Dugu family in Jiangdu.

However, the old man didn't look so glamorous; he had a worried look on his face.

Dugu Sheng was about to go out when he saw Zhou Yi, a stranger, and couldn't help but frown.

"Who are you?"

Before Zhou Yi could answer, the gatekeeper quickly recounted what had just happened.

Immediately, Dugu Sheng looked suspicious.

My niece Feng was deliberately hidden by my mother, so why would she send someone I don't even know to deliver a message?
Thinking of what had happened at the Dugu residence recently, his brows furrowed even deeper, and he stretched out his slightly withered right hand: "Bring me the letter, let this old man take a look."

"This letter is not to be read by Miss Feng."

"What a joke! If it was written by me, why would I hide it from you?"

Zhou Yi could only shake his head: "I have to do as the old lady tells me to do."

Dugu Sheng sensed something was amiss. He flipped his right palm into a claw and grabbed at Zhou Yi's wrist. With a series of quick steps, he had already stepped out of the mortal world. Even if the unknown kid in front of him reacted quickly enough, he would still catch up with him.

But this claw didn't even touch the other person's loose sleeve, let alone the letter.

Zhou Yi took three steps back, and Dugu Sheng's grab missed again.

The old man wasn't stupid; after three moves, he decisively stopped.

His opponent's lightness skill was superior to his.

What's infuriating is that this slick kid in front of him doesn't move any further; he stays right by the door, only moving within a few feet, and he can't do anything about it, which makes him lose face.

The gatekeeper and the men who had gone out with Dugu Sheng were all stunned.

Second Master, were you showing mercy?
Dugu Sheng stared at Zhou Yi's footsteps: "Who taught you this mortal world footwork?"

Zhou Yi laughed and said, "Grandma taught me."

"Nonsense, how come I've never heard my mother say that?"

"Then I will not use the Azure Heaven and Red Dust."

The old man was furious and reached out to grab the letter again. This time, their steps were similar, but to several observant bystanders, it was clear that...

seem
It seems that the young master's footwork is more refined and agile.

Dugu Sheng gathered his inner energy twice and stopped again.

"Go and call my niece here."

"Yes!"

Someone rushed into the mansion, and Dugu Sheng waved to the onlookers: "Go and prepare the carriages for entering the palace."

"Yes!"

The old man looked at the young man in front of him, his expression a mixture of surprise and uncertainty.

How come this kid's understanding of the mortal world is better than mine? Even my elder brother couldn't compare.

It's just like he inherited his mother's true skills.

But is that even possible? My mother suffers from a chronic illness and has been staying at home for a long time. How could she possibly train an outsider?

Dugu Sheng was completely bewildered, and the girl in the black dress who was reading a book on the upper floor of the East Wing Pavilion also looked suspicious after hearing the announcement.

"Xiao Juan, did you hear me wrong? Grandmother asked a stranger to send me a letter?"

"That's right, Second Master is calling Miss."

The maid Xiao Juan looked up and saw the graceful figure behind the pavilion's thin gauze put away her book and stand up.

With a hint of doubt, she descended the stairs, her beautiful face radiating elegance. Her eyebrows were delicately arched, and her eyes were incredibly bright. At this moment, her lips were slightly pursed, and her face had a frosty look, making her seem unapproachable.

Xiao Juan looked closely and saw that her young mistress was changing more and more.

She possesses a unique, profound, mysterious, and aloof charm that makes her increasingly captivating the more you look at her. In particular, when she occasionally smiles, the autumn melancholy that fills the courtyard seems to fade away.

Unfortunately, Miss has been smiling very little lately; we hardly ever see her smile anymore.

She hurriedly urged, "Miss, go and see what's going on. The Second Master and that man are already fighting."

Upon hearing this, the girl quickened her pace.

My grandmother would never do something so rash and unusual.

Walking from the deep courtyard of the mansion to near the gate, one can see a scholar in the distance.

Judging from his figure, he seemed somewhat familiar.

The girl held her breath and quickened her pace. As she got closer, a wave of disappointment washed over her.

The scholar was also quite handsome, a rare sight in the martial arts world.

But her face was covered with frost, and her eyes were more stern than usual.

"Did my grandmother really send you?"

Hearing these cold words, Zhou Yi was slightly taken aback.

Lu Miaozi's skills were superb, and he completely concealed his aura, so no one could see any flaws in his technique.

Perhaps my gaze was somewhat offensive.

Zhou Yi noticed that the usually gentle and lovely girl now showed a hint of anger.

Dugu Sheng watched coldly, and after realizing that his niece Feng did not recognize this person either, he waved his hand behind his back toward the door.

Those who were assigned to prepare the carriages all knew this as soon as they saw it.

If this continues, she's going to draw her sword.

Zhou Yi stopped provoking her and lowered his head, saying, "It was Grandma Dugu who sent me here with a message, and she also asked me to tell Miss Feng something."

His appearance has changed, but his voice hasn't.

Dugu Feng's anger was rising, but upon hearing this voice, his anger subsided like a receding tide.

Then, looking at his figure again, she lowered her head slightly and met his gaze.

Then I heard him say:

"The matter that the old lady relayed is related to Langya."

The two exchanged a glance, and the little phoenix's breath caught in its throat.

She quickly stepped forward, took the letter from Zhou Yi's hand, and waved for the people around to disperse.

Dugu Sheng was completely confused.

"My dear niece, what's going on? You know him again?"

Dugu Feng said, "Hmm, I suddenly remembered that Grandmother mentioned this person. Second Uncle, why don't you go to the palace first? I'll ask Mr. Zhou and hear what Grandmother brought me."

Dugu Sheng felt that his niece was acting strangely, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

He then pointed at Zhou Yi:

How could he know the Mortal World Footwork?

"If Second Uncle wants to know, he can go back and ask Grandmother."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Sheng became too lazy to ask any more questions.

He's genuinely afraid of his mother.

If you make your mother angry, she'll raise a stick and beat you without holding back.

Dugu Sheng glanced at Zhou Yi again, then turned and went out to get into a carriage to meet Yang Guang.

The Dugu family mansion was enormous. They walked in silence through seven or eight courtyards before finally arriving at the pavilion where Dugu Feng had been. A thin veil shrouded the area was being stirred by the autumn wind.

On the stone table in the pavilion are the Four Treasures of the Study (writing brush, ink stick, inkstone, and paper) and a gilded lotus incense burner, with the aroma of fruit and wood rising from all around.

"Mr. Zhou, please have some tea."

"Thank you."

After the maid Xiao Juan served the tea, she was also ushered outside.

Zhou Yi reached out and removed the thin mask from his face, rubbing his face with both hands.

Dugu Feng stood by the stone table, picked up the purple clay teapot, poured out half a cup of clear tea, and handed the cup to him with both hands.

"I'm sorry to trouble Master Zhou to come all the way from the Eastern Capital to deliver this message. You must have had a long journey. Please have some tea."

Zhou Yi, unfazed by the heat, drank the hot tea in one gulp.

The girl said apologetically, "Don't blame me for not recognizing you."

"How could you blame me?"

Zhou Yi pulled her small hand and stared straight at her.

His gaze caused a slight blush to rise on her delicate face, completely erasing the frosty expression from before.

"What are you looking at?"

"How come Xiaofeng looks even more beautiful after not seeing her for a while?"

Dugu Feng smiled and said in a gentle voice, "You're trying to make people happy again. You're not allowed to look anymore."

She raised her little hand and covered Zhou Yi's eyes.

Zhou Yi moved his head, and she moved her hand.

After several attempts, Zhou Yi pulled her hand down, but the girl not only dodged backward but also pried her hand away, refusing to let him do anything to her.

He then gestured outside and whispered:
"Stop fooling around, we're at home, someone will see us if we don't."

Zhou Yi sat down at the table, poured tea and said, "It's been a long time since we last met. I've been looking forward to today. Although I know you didn't recognize me, I still feel a strange sadness when I think back to how you looked at the door."

The girl listened to his sad and melancholic tone, and just smiled, feeling a sense of warmth.

I'm already very familiar with his tone; I know he's doing it on purpose.

So she sat down beside him, resting her chin on her hand, to see what else he would say.

"Xiaofeng, I feel uneasy and don't I feel any guilt at all?"

Dugu Feng shook her head.

After a moment of silence, she said softly with a touch of coquettish charm, "Little Celestial Master Zhou, because that's not you at all. I treat everyone else the same way, but it's different with you."

The girl stopped speaking, but looked at him with her bright eyes.

Zhou Yi was touched by her gaze.

Suddenly, a woman's voice called out from outside: "Feng'er~!"

Dugu Feng stood up, and Zhou Yi hurriedly put on his mask. Both of these great masters seemed to be in a bit of a hurry.

It turns out she was Dugu Sheng's wife.

"Second aunt."

She responded, and Zhou Yi then heard the woman say, "I heard that your mother sent you a letter. Does she know about your uncle's affair?"

"no."

Dugu Feng said, "Third Uncle's matter is not yet confirmed, so I haven't told Grandmother yet, so as not to worry her."

"Well, did your grandmother leave any instructions?"

"I only gave some instructions to my second uncle."

The woman breathed a sigh of relief: "Good, it's time to persuade him."

Zhou Yi didn't meet the woman's gaze. After she finished speaking, her footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Dugu Feng's face showed worry, while Zhou Yi looked in the direction the woman had gone.

"Your second aunt's martial arts skills are also quite good."

"Yes, she was highly regarded by my grandmother, so my second uncle was afraid of her."

Zhou Yi nodded. The little phoenix had three elders in the previous generation: Dugu Feng, Dugu Sheng, and Dugu Ba.

Her father and third uncle were both womanizers who frequented brothels.

Dugu Sheng was an anomaly. I had wondered before how he could remain untainted by the mud, but now I have the answer.

"Something happened to your third uncle?"

"Ah."

Dugu Feng frowned:

"He went to Xiangyunlou ten days ago and hasn't come back since. Although Uncle Ba has bad habits, he doesn't dare to disobey his grandmother. With so many things happening in Jiangdu and him serving in the palace guards, it's impossible for him to leave without saying goodbye."

"So, Dugu Ba has disappeared?"

"Yes."

This situation was more serious than Zhou Yi had imagined. He pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you have any news about Bu Tianzhi?"

“I went to see him twice.”

Dugu Feng glanced at him:
"You came to Jiangdu, he must have given you the message. I didn't want you to come here. There are too many soldiers in Jiangdu, and there might be war, which cannot be resolved by one person alone. Your identity is also special, and it is too risky for you to come here. The Giant Kun Gang acted on their own."

Seeing that she was about to continue, Zhou Yi interrupted her directly: "If their news travels slowly and something happens to you in Jiangdu, wouldn't I blame you again?"

The girl forced a smile at him through her sorrow.

Zhou Yi changed the subject: "Continue, how did Bu Tianzhi's place get sealed off?"

"That was only sealed off in the last few days because they were implicated in the investigation of my third uncle's disappearance, and Bu Tianzhi has been moved to a different location."

"Why?"

Dugu Feng said, "It was His Majesty who gave the order, but this matter is inextricably linked to the Yuwen Clan."

Zhou Yi organized his thoughts: "First of all, how did you manage to fight against the Yuwen clan? Didn't you know that the Yangzhou governor, Yuchi Sheng, was one of his men, and that many of the generals in the Xiaoguo Army also had his men?"

Who came up with the idea of ​​fighting Yuwen Huaji here?

"It was my second and third uncles who made the decision together."

Zhou Yi revealed an expression that said, "I knew it."

Dugu Feng then said:
"They obtained an account book containing evidence of the Yuwen clan's collusion with the rebels. My second uncle intended to use this evidence to bring down the Yuwen clan. He had already contacted the Imperial Censor Pei Yun, but before he could take action, my third uncle disappeared."

There was something Zhou Yi couldn't figure out.

Even if the Yuwen Clan wanted to take action, there was no need for such haste.

So he asked Little Phoenix to describe it in detail, recounting every single detail of Jiangdu.
Dusk.

Dugu Sheng, the old man, returned from the palace in a rage and summoned all his advisors to a meeting.

Dugu Feng naturally had to go and take care of it.

Zhou Yi put on his mask, and Little Phoenix straightened his robes. The two of them then headed towards the inner hall.

Before I even entered the inner hall, I bumped into a young couple.

The woman was very beautiful and a few years older than the young man beside her.

Dugu Ce and Yun Yuzhen looked away from Dugu Feng and then looked at Zhou Yi with some surprise.

When did this stranger join our home?
……

(End of this chapter)