Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 67 Old Acquaintances of Plum Blossom Village
Zhou Yi walked along the road, feeling the prosperity of the county town.

The eight major local forces, plus outsiders from the martial arts world and numerous smaller factions.

Wandering around the city, there are quite a few martial arts practitioners.

"Clang~!"

"Clang~!"

There was never a shortage of martial arts enthusiasts watching in front of each blacksmith shop.

The blacksmith's hammering was deafening, with the sounds of rough forging, fine forging, and quenching rising and falling.

Ordinary people come to buy farm tools and kitchen utensils, while江湖人 (jianghu people, people from all walks of life) buy swords and forks. They gather together to chat, which is obviously a common occurrence.

The blacksmith accepted all comers; he would do any job as long as it was profitable.

"Give way, give way."

Zhou Yi darted to the side of the blacksmith's shop as a large group of riders passed through the city.

A flag was hanging on the side of the cart shaft.

Zhou Yi took a closer look.

The flag and logo are still unrecognizable, and it's unclear which faction it belongs to.

I encountered this scene several times in a short period of time.

Back when we were at Fuzi Mountain, the only major local sects besides their Taiping Daoist Temple were the Xihe Hunyuan Sect.

Compared to the small town of Yongqiu, the atmosphere of this important town in the Central Plains is quite different.

Zhou Yi did not rush to find lodging, but strolled along the street and admired the scenery.

Look at the stone archway and the upturned eaves; look at the carved windows and the dazzling array of decorations.

This street near the city gate is called Jinshui Street, named so because the rushing water that flows around the city reflects a golden glow when the sun shines on it.

After passing several blacksmith shops, a row of food stalls lined the road.

An empty stomach is just right for satisfying hunger.

Now that he has plenty of money, he hasn't even spent all the money he saved for his coffin, and he's made a fortune from black market trading.

Upon seeing a crowded food stall, he strode in like a chivalrous knight-errant.

Jinshui Street is in the east, stretching westward without end, with alleys lined up at the entrances and lanes of varying heights.

The wooden plaques of the food shops were marked with various shop names, and the names were complicated.

But the taste varies, some are good and some are bad.

Zhou Yi sampled wontons, sesame cakes, fish balls, steamed duck, and braised pork along the way.
A taste is enough to keep you entertained and refreshed.

When we arrived at the entrance of Yuelai Inn, the sun was already setting and casting golden light.

Looking repeatedly at the tofu pudding served in a lotus leaf bowl in my hand, um...
It's salty, and extremely salty.

The waiter at the Yuelai Inn came forward to greet him, and couldn't help but laugh when he saw his appearance.

"Sir, you must have bought this tofu pudding from Xingchangju."

“That’s right,” Zhou Yi said as he entered the inn with the waiter. “Doesn’t their salt come free?”

"You have a keen eye; you hit the nail on the head. And it really is free."

Official salt from Nanyang was mainly transported via the Tongji Canal and the Yushui River. Privately owned salt was less common in Hedong and more common in coastal sea salt.

Salt is more expensive than rice; how can it be free?
"What's the deal?" Zhou Yi pressed.

The waiter led him to the counter where customers could pay their bills, and lowered his voice because there were still customers inside:

"Xingchangju is a property of Yangxinghui, and they sell the most salt in Nanyang City."

“Selling sea salt in the inner market is a very profitable business. Coastal vendors give up their profits to the big vendors, selling and delivering it at the same time, supplying a small food stall. It’s practically free.”

The Yangxing Society is one of the eight major powers.

He had heard of the Tiankui Sect before, so it wasn't unfamiliar to him.

Zhou Yi swallowed the tofu pudding whole: "Are the salt smugglers in Nanyang from the Water Dragon Gang or the Sea Sand Gang?"

These two gangs belong to the "Eight Gangs and Ten Associations" and mainly engage in the illegal trade of salt.

“You’re obviously new here,” the waiter exclaimed. “You’re from the Hai Sha Gang! They’re on good terms with Chairman Ji of the Yangxing Society, and their business is the biggest.”

"Although the Water Dragon Gang also has influence in the city, it is always one-sided. In terms of sea salt trade, the Water Dragon Gang accounts for at most 10% in Nanyang."

Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow: "How do you know so much?"

"Businessmen from all over the country come from this county town. The Yuelai Inn welcomes guests from all directions. Not to mention the salt gang, I even know some details about the sheepskin dealers from the Western Turks."

The man spoke with a hint of pride in having lived in the big city for a long time: "As long as your ears are sharp enough, you can always hear a lot of news."

Noticing that someone was looking at him, Zhou Yi nodded slightly and didn't ask any more questions.

There were still rooms with the "A" designation in the inn, but Zhou Yi didn't take them.

We should save money and spend it as we see fit, but we don't have any income for the time being. We can't just resort to robbery.

I booked room number 3 (B) by the window. Since there were no horses boarding facilities, there was no charge for hay and horse management. The room cost 50 coins per night.

But this is already very expensive, more than twice as expensive as Yongqiu, and it's not even the best room.

Zhou Yi did not mention the name of the Tiankui Sect.

Firstly, it's easy to bind one's identity, and secondly, it's really unnecessary to owe favors for a few coins.

"Is there a place in town called Plum Blossom Alley?"

The waiter clutched the rag in his hand and thought for a moment: "Yes, it's in the west of the city, but it's very far from here. You'd better ask around and ask many people, as that place is very remote."

"Our shop also provides dedicated guides and can supply horse-drawn carriages."

The waiter gave a shrewd smile: "However, sir, you'll have to change to a Class A room. These are all arranged by the manager to be provided free of charge to VIP guests in Class A rooms."

After considering it for a moment, Zhou Yi paid an extra 150 coins to save himself the trouble.

It's shady, even shadyer than the Empress Dowager Restaurant.

Then I realized that all the money belonged to Emperor Ding, and I felt relieved.

The waiter was even more attentive, thoughtfully taking the food to the third floor, serving tea, and a small portion of pastries as a side dish.

The next morning, Zhou Yi, thinking it would be more cost-effective to use the carriage to its fullest potential, took a detour and explored the area.

The driver was a middle-aged man with his sleeves rolled up halfway, revealing his bronze skin.

With both hands gripping the reins and a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, he answered Zhou Yi's questions as he drove.

"Heave-ho!" The horse was stopped on the right side of the official road.

Zhou Yi peered to his right and could vaguely see a Taoist temple, with its roofs and buildings connected, and it was quite large in scale.

People were busy coming and going, but none of them wore Taoist robes.

I sniffed around, but couldn't smell any incense.

I fear I will not find any Taoist friends here.

"Sir, this is the White Sheep Temple, which is considered quite large within the city."

Is it still a Taoist temple now?

The driver shook his head: "Of course not. Like most Taoist temples in the city, Baiyang Temple has been abandoned for a long time. If you're not a local, you probably wouldn't even know the name Baiyang Temple without a plaque."

In the past, there were several Laozi temples in the city that were very popular with worshippers, but they were all later moved to the eastern capital.

"Are there still abandoned temples in the city?"

"There are some."

Zhou Yi perked up: "Do you know who holds the land deed?"

“It’s in the government office, but,” the driver grinned, “the government office doesn’t have the final say. You have to find the Nanyang Gang. If it’s a Taoist temple of this size, you’ll probably have to ask Yang Dalongtou.”

Zhou Yi looked at the temple and pondered, "Do you know which faction this temple currently belongs to?"

The driver lowered his voice: "The Dangyang caravan has it all taken over."

"I heard that they have horse dealings with the Turks and their business is quite large. They also have a branch that deals in sheepskins. However, they got into trouble recently and fought a big fight with the Jingshan faction in the city."

"It's strange, the Jingshan Sect is one of the largest forces in the city. This caravan offended them, yet they've managed to make a comeback."

"It was quite deserted just a few days ago."

He muttered to himself, "This caravan must be quite powerful."

Dangyang Caravan?

After thinking about it for a moment, Zhou Yi recalled the stunningly beautiful woman eating fruit in the carriage.

By the way, they're from Pegasus Ranch.

Along the Ju River are two large cities, Dangyang and Fuyuan, both of which are part of the Pegasus Ranch.

Shang Xiuxun personally went to Nanyang, and even the Grand Dragon Head had to give him face.

"let's go."

"Okay~"

The coachman urged the horse on again, and Zhou Yi secretly estimated how much it would cost to buy an abandoned little house.

He casually asked the driver:
What do you think of Yang Dalongtou?

"Under Yang Dalongtou's rule, the people's lives are much more stable."

He cursed again, "Only when we kill Zhu Can, the man-eating demon from the upper reaches of the turbulent river, will there be true peace!"

The carriage moved slowly, taking in the entire cityscape.

Through conversations with the driver and sightseeing along the way, Zhou Yi gradually gained a real understanding of the scenery and culture of Nanyang.

He felt increasingly satisfied:

This county town is a complex mix of power dynamics, full of hidden opportunities, and embraces all kinds of people.

Yangzhen Dalongtou is quite reliable. As long as you keep a low profile, it shouldn't be too difficult for you to operate and survive here.

Zhou Yi leaned against the carriage, gazing at the bustling scene outside the curtain, and a blueprint gradually unfolded in his mind.

Okay, I'll write a letter and send it to Yang Gu.

……

"Sir, we have arrived at Meiwu Lane."

"Please wait here."

The stocky coachman replied, "I'll be right at the alley entrance. Just don't delay until dark, sir."

Zhou Yi smiled and replied, "Don't worry, it won't take more than half an hour."

"Okay~!"

Meiwu Alley was indeed very remote. Looking at the bumpy road, he was a little worried about whether the Giant Kun Gang's branch was still there.

After walking about a hundred paces, you'll see three plum trees planted in a triangular pattern in the alley.

After turning a corner, you'll see a deserted shop with the words "Wu Yue Eagle Claw" carved on a wooden plaque under the eaves.

The so-called "eagle claw" refers to "tea".

The tea from the Wu region is known for its clear and sweet flavor when brewed. This tea is quite famous, but since the tea shop is located in a suburban alley, it can only cater to regular customers.

As Zhou Yifang stepped across the threshold, he suddenly heard an old voice.

"Rare visitors, rare visitors."

"In this remote and humble alley, no wonder there were magpies flying around this morning; it turns out that the Celestial Master has arrived."

"If that tyrant Yang from Nanyang knew, he'd probably be losing sleep all night, hehe."

The aged voice was laced with a few mischievous laughs.

These words startled Zhou Yi. How could he have run into an acquaintance?

However, the voice does sound somewhat familiar.

Looking closely into the shop, I saw an old man with a long beard stand up. Just like in Yongqiu, the old man was still fiddling with a strange lock.

It turned out to be him.

It was the same person who gave him the Giant Kun Gang VIP Cloud Card back then.

Zhou Yi glanced at the lock and understood.

He then smiled and cupped his hands in greeting:

"Mr. Chen, how have you been?"

Upon hearing this, the long-bearded old man's eyes suddenly gleamed.

He clearly never revealed his identity to the Taiping Dao, and very few people in the martial arts world knew his background.

At this moment, he was truly baffled, having no idea how he had been seen through.
……

(End of this chapter)